asked Her Majesty's Government:What factors were considered in setting the budget for the Ulster-Scots Agency for 2004; and whether proportionality of contribution was considered; and on what information it was calculated. [HL1631]

The 2004 budget calculation for the Ulster-Scots Agency was based on the approved actions in the agency's draft business plan, together with associated staffing costs. Proportionality was maintained at the same level as in previous years as no new factors have emerged.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean of 9 March (

The British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands and St Helena are in the process of reviewing their constitutions. We regard it as essential that human rights provisions are included in their revised constitutions, and for this purpose we have provided the territories with a model human rights chapter.As the British Virgin Islands have only recently established a Constitutional Review Committee it will be some time before the government of that territory are in a position to submit their proposals for a revised constitution. Agreement has not yet been reached with the Government of the Cayman Islands on the inclusion of human rights provisions in their revised constitution, but we remain committed to that objective. In respect of St Helena, we have agreed with the territory's government on the inclusion of human rights provisions in their revised constitution and it is our objective that the new constitution should be in place by July 2005.In respect of Pitcairn, to date human rights provisions have been taken as forming part of the territory's law. The possible application of the UK Human Rights Act to Pitcairn is currently one of the issues before the Pitcairn Supreme Court, but no decision on the matter has yet been made.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why they congratulated President Putin on winning an election, which according to the report by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe election observers "reflected a lack of democratic culture, accountability and responsibility". [HL1921]

My right honourable friend the Prime Minister congratulated President Putin on his victory because it was clear that his re-election reflected the opinion of the huge majority of the Russian people.We note the preliminary findings of the International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) regarding the election and welcome its view that there was a "genuine wish to enfranchise as many people as possible" and that the election was well administered. The report goes on to note that the legal framework established by the Russian authorities "promoted openness and transparency both in the conduct and organisation of the election". However, we are also concerned by the IEOM's finding that "the State controlled media displayed clear bias in favour of the incumbent" and that the authorities failed to attempt to rectify this situation during the campaign. As part of the EU we have called on Russia to take steps to ensure that future elections meet more fully Council of Europe and OSCE standards, including a free media.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What representations have been made by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the United States Government about the arrest of Krishna Maharaj. [HL1960]

Staff at our Consulate General in Atlanta first became aware of Mr Maharaj's detention in October 1988 when they were told of his presence on death row in the Florida State Prison by Professor Radelet, a death penalty researcher from the University of Florida. At the same time, Mr Maharaj wrote to our embassy in Washington to alert them to his predicament.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will reconsider each of the recent recommendations put forward in the report of the

Part two of the discussion paper, Counter-terrorism Powers: Reconciling Security and Liberty in an Open Society, published on 25 February, gave the Government's response to the individual recommendations made by the Privy Counsellor Review Committee.There are areas raised within the review which we are still considering. These include the use of intercept evidence and the broader debate that we have stimulated on the ATCS Act Part 4 powers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:For each year since 1997 and for each United Kingdom constabulary, what is (a) the total number of police officers; and (b) the total number of pursuit-trained traffic officers. [HL1929]

Police officer strength in the United Kimgdom for the period 1997 to 2003 is set out in the tables. The Scottish Executive and the Police Service of Northern Ireland have provided the figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland as these are not collected by the Home Office.Information on the number of pursuit-trained officers is not collected.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much was spent on alcohol by the Home Office in each of the financial years 1997–98 to 2002–03. [HL1936]

The Home Office does not have a dedicated funding programme for tackling alcohol-related crime and disorder although various initiatives across the Home Office can contribute to reducing this problem.Prior to 2001–02, crime reduction funding was distributed through the Crime Reduction Programme on a project-by-project basis, but no specific investment was provided to tackle alcohol related crime and disorder.The Safer Communities Initiative was conceived as a framework for providing CDRPs with funding to supplement mainstream activity to deliver a complementary activity plan of situational and social crime reduction interventions. CDRPs were allowed to use the money to include target hardening activity, supporting repeat victims of property crime; targeted policing activity; tackling anti-social behaviour and youth inclusion work. Plans could legitimately include activity to combat alcohol-related crime and disorder. All 376 CDRPs were allocated a share of the £20 million funding which was made available in 2002–03.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many people were (a) cautioned; (b) arrested; (c) charged; and (d) found guilty of possession of anabolic steroids in the United Kingdom for each year since 1997. [HL1947]

Figures are only available up to the year 2000. Information is not centrally collated on arrests and charges for possession offences for individual drugs. Figures for the number of persons cautioned and found guilty for the possession of anabolic steroids from 1997–2000 are given in the table.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many people were (a) cautioned; (b) arrested; (c) charged; and (d) found guilty of the supply of anabolic steroids in the United Kingdom for each year since 1997. [HL1948]

Figures are only available up to the year 2000. Information is not centrally collated on arrests and charges for supply offences for individual drugs. Figures for the number of persons cautioned and found guilty for the supply of anabolic steroids from 1997–2000 are given in the table.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What right of appeal a person has against being fast-tracked when, arriving in the United Kingdom with South African documentation, he claims that it was obtained by deception. [HL1999]

There is no statutory right of appeal against the decision to fast-track an asylum claim. However, should a claimant or their legal representative consider that there is good reason why a claim is not suitable for fast-tracking, they may make representations to the appropriate IN D Asylum Casework Directorate (ACD) team. The ACD teams at both the Oakington Reception Centre and Harmondsworth Removal Centre can and do release claimants from fast-track processes when, for any reason, they become unsuitable for fast-tracking. This might be as a result of representations made or simply because the ACD team considers a claim no longer suitable for fast-tracking. As with the normal asylum process, there is of course a right of appeal within the fast-track process and, in addition, at the Harmondsworth Removal Centre if there is a pending appeal, the adjudicator or the tribunal has the power to order the transfer of the case out of the fast-track process.These safeguards are applied to all nationalities and types of claimant within the fast-track processes at Oakington and Harmondsworth.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What percentage of persons left modern apprenticeship programmes without completing their apprenticeship training in each of the past three years. [HL1809]

The table shows the percentages completing their modern apprenticeship framework. Some learners gain an NVQ, but do not complete the rest of their framework—these are also shown separately in the table. Comparable figures for 2000–01 are not available due to changes in the way the data are collected.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of the total cost of the common agricultural policy in 2002 to British taxpayers through payments of (a) indirect subsidies to British producers via the European Union budget; (b) direct subsidies to producers in other European Union countries via the European Union budget. [HL1951]

Data published by the European Commission show that the European Union spent 43.5 billion euros (£27.3 billion) on the common agricultural policy in 2002. Of this, UK farmers were paid 4 billion euros (£2.5 billion).The UK contributes to the EC budget as a whole, not to specific policies. In 2002, the UK's gross contribution to the EC budget, after abatement, was 10.1 billion euros (£6.3 billion). The UK's net contribution—that is, after deducting pubic sector receipts (which includes CAP receipts)—was 5.8 billion euros (£3.6 billion).

asked Her Majesty's Government:What information technology procurement projects have been entered into by central government and completed since 1997, giving in each instance: (a) the estimated budget; (b) the estimated time of completion; (c) the cost; and (d) the time taken to bring the project to a conclusion; and whether they will give this information broken down by departments; and [HL2111]What information technology procurement projects have been entered into by central government since 1997 and are still in progress, giving in each instance: (a) the estimated budget; (b) the estimated time of completion; (c) the cost to date; and (d) the anticipated date of completion; and whether they will give this information broken down by departments. [HL2112]

This information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the cost of introducing new health warnings on cigarette packs to highlight the dangers of second-hand smoke. [HL1237]

There was no cost to the Government to introduce the new health warnings on cigarette packs. We do not have a figure for the cost to manufacturers of introducing the new health warnings, including those on second-hand smoke. However, the total cost to manufacturers of adopting Directive 2001/37/EC which covered labelling requirements (including the new health warnings) was expected to be between £18.2 million and £22.6 million. (See Appendix 1 of the published Full Regulatory Impact Assessment on the Implementation of EU Directive 2002/37/EC on the Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco Products).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which institutions (a) that are government-owned; or (b) in which National Health Service work is carried out; or (c) in which Department of Health-funded work is carried out, or (d) in which Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs work is carried out, conduct human exposure testing for agrochemical companies or human risk assessments on agrochemicals; and whether any have contracts with Inveresk Research Group Inc or Inveresk Research (Elphinstone Research Centre) to conduct human risk assessments on agrochemicals. [HL1735]

It is not possible to provide the information requested.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will provide details of the nine pilot schemes to promote physical activity announced by the Minister with responsibilty for public health on 20 May 2002; and [HL1835]What assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the nine pilot schemes to promote physical activity announced by the Minister with responsibilty for public health on 20 May 2002. [HL1836]

The local exercise action pilots (LEAP) programme will evaluate the effectiveness of 10 primary care trust-led pilots acoss the country, aimed at increasing levels of physical activity in priority groups.The pilots will cover a variety of innovative approaches ranging from incorporating activity into everyday life to providing structured opportunites in local facilities.While all of the pilots will take place in neighbourhood renewal fund areas, the interventions will take place in a range of locations including urban, rural areas, green spaces, market towns and Sport Action Zones. The key target groups for the interventions are children and young people; older people; black and ethnic minority groups; people at risk of illness; and people recovering from heart attack or strokeThe local exercise action pilot programme will be evaluated nationally both qualitatively and quantitatively to assess the overall effectiveness of the LEAP programme and the individual pilots in increasing levels of physical activity within the general population and target groups.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What public funds, at constant prices, have been made available year-by-year to the Macfarlane Trust to provide

Since the inception of the Macfarlane Trust, the Department of Health has provided the Macfarlane Trust with the following funding.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which programmes run by the Department of Health and its sponsored bodies can be accessed by sports organisations to promote (a) social inclusion; and (b) health promotion. [HL1945]

Opportunities for sports organisations to work in partnership with the Department of Health and its sponsored bodies, including the National Health Service, to promote social inclusion and health exist at both a national and a local level.A cross-government activity co-ordination team (ACT), led jointly by my honourable friends the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Public Health and the Minister for Sport, is developing a national strategy to increase participation in physical activity and sport. Sport England is leading the important contribution of sport to this work.At a local level, the Department of Health, Sport England and the Countryside Agency are jointly funding 10 local exercise action pilots based in neighbourhood renewal areas. These are already working with sports organisations, including sports action zones and local sports partnerships. Sports organisations are also able to make a valuable contribution to exercise referral schemes, through local partnerships between the NHS, local authorities and local sports and leisure providers.The National Healthy School Standard (NHSS) administered by the Health Department Agency aims to encourage a whole school approach to physical activity, among other issues. At local level schools can access a web of support through their local programme, for example local education authority PE advisers, TopSport co-ordinators, School Sport coordinators and local clubs. Most programmes will recognise Sport England's Active Mark and Sport Mark as proxy indicators of achievement of the physical activity theme. Nationally the NHS links with a number of sports bodies to ensure strategic planning and activity.Another cross-government programme, Positive Futures is supported by a number of government departments and agencies including the Home Office, Department of Health, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Connexions (Department for Education and Skills), Sport England, Youth Justice Board and the Football Foundation. Positive Futures is a national sport and activity-based programme for young people which addresses the multiple issues associated with problematic substance misuse. The programme is managed through local partnerships that appoint lead agencies to deliver sports, educational and drug awareness programmes. These lead agencies can include sports organisations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many randomised clinical trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy, graded exercise therapy and pacing as methods of treating patients suffering chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis as opposed to patients suffering from chronic fatigue as a result of other causes; when the trials were conducted; and by whom; and [HL1971]Upon what grounds patients suffering from fibromyalgia syndrome are included by the Medical Research Council in the entry criteria for the pacing. graded activity and cognitive behaviour therapy trials. [HL1974]

The only ground for participation by patients with fibromyalgia in the PACE (Pacing, Activity and Cognitive behaviour therapy: a randomised Evaluation) trial being funded by the Medical Research Council is that they meet the criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), as many such patients do.Of the trials already published, none offers the definitive answers about best treatment for CFS and myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) in the way that the PACE trial will. PACE will be the first large-scale trial to assess all the standard available treatments including pacing, a popular treatment choice with patients for which no scientific evaluation exists.Two independent systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of the management of CFS and ME have concluded that rehabilitative cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and graded exercise therapy (GET) were the most promising treatments for CFS in secondary care. The reviews examined:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine manufactured by either GlaxoSmithKline or Aventis or any of their predecessor companies, and used in the United Kingdom, has contained the mercury-based thimerosal. [HL1973]

No combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine used in the United Kingdom has contained thiomersal.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What clinical evidence exists concerning the efficacy of statins for those at lower risk of cardiovascular disease in a self-treating population; and [HL2025]How the impact on cholesterol levels of simvastatin provided in a pharmacy setting would be monitored; and [HL2026]Whether provision of simvastatin in a pharmacy setting would increase the potential for adverse interaction with other medicines prescribed by a patient's general practitioner. [HL2027]

The Government have consulted publicly on a proposal to make simvastatin 10mg available over the counter in pharmacies, to reduce the risk of a first major coronary event in people who are likely to be at a moderate risk of coronary heart disease. The Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) will advise Ministers on the proposals in the light of the responses to consultation.Although there have been no direct studies carried out with simvastatin 10mg in the proposed population, there is a very substantial body of evidence that supports the efficacy of statins in reducing cardiovascular risk. CSM was satisfied that simvastatin 10mg was effective in the proposed population.Current evidence suggests that, for adults in Western societies, it can be beneficial to reduce cholesterol levels whatever the starting point and on this basis, the measurement of cholesterol is not a prerequisite for a decision on the potential benefit of taking a statin. The intention is that pharmacists will be able to offer cholesterol testing to people who want it—including follow-up testing at defined intervals.Pharmacists will be trained to ask the right questions to make sure that they only sell statins to people who will benefit from them—in the same way as they manage the sale of all other pharmacy-only drugs. Pharmacists will be trained to ask patients about their previous medical history and any other medicines that they may be taking. The potential for drug interactions will also be addressed in the patient information leaflet and patients will be encouraged to inform their general practitioner of their use of a statin.The MHRA/CSM operates the Yellow Card Scheme by which doctors and pharmacists report suspected adverse drug relations to medicines. This system applies to both prescription and nonprescription medicines and will enable the continued monitoring of the safety of the medicine in pharmacy use.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What were the abortion rates per 1,000 women aged 15–44 for (a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland for each of the past three years for which figures are available. [HL2072]

The information requested is provided in the table.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will consider establishing a nutrition council to co-ordinate initiatives across government designed to tackle obesity. [HL2088]

The Department of Health takes the lead on work to tackle obesity. However, the department cannot tackle obesity alone. Cross-governmental working is essential. The Government launched their major consultation on public health this month. The public health White Paper will provide the overarching framework to improve public health and will present real opportunities to progress work on the prevention and management of overweight and obesity.The consultation will enable a wide range of stakeholders to contribute to the debate on obesity. This will build on the work already started through the Food and Health Action Plan and the Activity Coordination Team. The Government will draw up their White Paper in the light of the consultation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the effort to suppress mink numbers by the Environment Agency, English Nature and conservation organisations is being conducted according to a plan; and whether the outcomes in terms of number and location of mink killed are being collected and held centrally. [HL1851]

Currently mink trapping is carried out in river catchments, supported by combinations of the Environment Agency (the lead organisation for the water vole Biodiversity Action Plan), English Nature and the local wildlife trusts, and other conservation organisations. These aim for local suppression of mink numbers, for example to assist water vole populations, rather than eradication.The current water vole projects involving mink control are not working to a strict and formal plan, in the true sense of the word, but they are all following guidance and criteria produced by the UK Water Vole Biodiversity Action Plan Steering Group and they are part of an informal plan for seeking catchment-scale control of mink in various priority regions of the country.There is no central recording of controlled mink numbers, but each water vole project which involves mink control keeps a record of the mink killed.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that the Animal By-Products Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/646) correctly transposed Article 15 of Council Directive 80/217/EEC on the consigning of swill from premises approved for the processing and feeding of swill to other holdings. [HL1939]

Yes. Council Directive 80/217 permitted the treatment of swill in specialised establishments under official control and provided that such swill could be consigned from those establishments to approved premises. The directive says "Member States may authorise the treatment of swill in specialised establishments equipped for the purpose, on which there are no animals and which are under official control. In this case, by way of a derogation from paragraph 2, the swill may, after heat-treatment, also be used for the feeding of pigs other than fattened pigs, provided that its distribution and use are controlled so as to avoid any risk of the swine fever virus spreading".Our legislation fully implemented the provisions of the Council directive. The consigning of properly processed swill from approved premises to approved swill feeders was at that time a legitimate activity and was permitted under the directive.