asked Her Majesty's Government:What assurances the Prime Minister received during his visit to Khartoum that the Sudanese Government would facilitate the deployment of African Union peacekeeping troops in Darfur; and whether agreement has been reached on where these troops should be stationed, on the numbers and on the timescale for their deployment. [HL4331]

During his visit to Sudan, my right honourable friend the Prime Minister secured agreement from the Government of Sudan to a five-point action plan. The first point in this plan was agreement to co-operate fully with an expanded African Union (AU) ceasefire monitoring mission.On 20 October the AU Peace and Security Council endorsed a plan to expand the current mission from fewer than 500 staff to more than 3,000. This expanded mission will operate out of eight sectors and will be deployed over three months. As the Prime Minister announced in Addis Ababa on 7 October, the UK will provide £12 million to support the expanded mission.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What the implications will be for the defence procurement programme and the Disposal Services Agency of the decision to reduce the number of rapier fire units from 48 to 24 and the number of high velocity fire units from 156 to 84. [HL4453]

As my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced in another place on 21 July 2004, the number of rapier fire units will be reduced from 48 to 24 and the number of high velocity missile (HVM) systems will be reduced to 84 fire units as part of the Government's Future Capabilities White Paper. We are reviewing the scale of our investment in ground-based air defence in light of the revised requirements arising from the changes to force structures and we will be taking this forward with our industrial partners. Final decisions on the means of disposal of surplus equipment have yet to be made.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the arrangements for the representation of the United Kingdom at meetings of European Union Defence Ministers and other European Ministerial meetings which may deal with defence and security issues. [HL4455]

The UK is normally represented at EU Defence Ministers' meetings by the Secretary of State for Defence. Security issues may also be discussed at EU Foreign Ministers' meetings and at summits of EU heads of state and government. The UK is normally represented at those meetings by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and the Prime Minister respectively.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they still believe that there would be no biologically detectable effect on members of the Armed Forces from the destruction in 1991 of Iraqi chemical weapons stored at Khamisiyah in southern Iraq. [HL4530]

The Ministry of Defence is currently considering the General Accounting (now Accountability) Office report and the recent United States Department of Defense response on the events at Khamisiyah. It is the MoD's intention to publish its own assessment by the end of the year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many suicides or attempted suicides have been recorded in HM Prison Wakefield this year and in each of the previous two years; whether they have evidence of bullying either by inmates or staff of this prison; and, if so, what action they are taking. [HL4305]

The numbers of apparently self-inflicted deaths and numbers of self-harm incidents reported at Wakefield Prison between 2002 and 2004 to date are shown in the following table:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What changes have been made in (a) regimes and (b) administration at HM Prison Wakefield, since the last report on that prison by the Inspector-General of Prisons. [HL4306]

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) inspected Wakefield Prison in October 2003 and in her report published in March 2004, made a number of recommendations.While the recommendations made by HMCIP are currently being developed in the form of an action plan, specific, significant changes to the (a) regime and (b) administration of the prison are:

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many suicides there were in prison secure estabishments in 2003; and how many there were in 2004 up to 30 June. [HL4423]How many of the suicides in 2004 committed in prison secure establishments between 1 January and 30 June were committed by (a) men; (b) women; (c) juveniles under the age of 18; and (d) members of ethnic minorities. [HL4424]

In 2003, there were 94 apparently self-inflicted deaths in prisons in England and Wales. There were 49 during the period 1 January to 30 June 2004. Of these 49 deaths, 40 were men, 9 were women, and none were juveniles (aged 15–17). Six of the 49 were members of ethnic minorities.Central to the suicide prevention strategy that I announced on 31 March is the need to reduce levels of distress in prisons and to promote the well-being of all staff and prisoners. The strategy has strong support from partner agencies and external organisations, and is being developed in close partnership with the Department of Health. The main principles of the strategy apply across all types of prisons, and to all prisoners, whether male or female and regardless of age and ethnicity. Meanwhile, women and juvenile prisoners are to benefit from specifically targeted and separate suicide prevention and self-harm management strategies being developed for them.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the number of prison places available in England and Wales on 30 June; and what was the number of prisoners on the same date. [HL4422]

As at 30 June 2004, the useable operational capacity (which is the total number of prisoners that establishments can hold taking into account control, security and the proper operation of the planned regime) for the prison estate was 76,280 and the prison population was 74,490.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the average length of time it takes a former inmate to find employment on being released from prison; and [HL4325]

The information provided covers England and Wales and Northern Ireland. For information with respect to Scotland, I refer the noble Lord to the Scottish Executive.The Prison Service in England and Wales is investing £14 million a year in the custody-to-work initiative, to help more prisoners to secure a job or education or training place on release. From information collected by prisons in 2004–05, 31 per cent of prisoners currently have a job or education or training place to go to on release. Others are connected through the Freshstart initiative with the employment programmes and other support available through their local Jobcentre.More than 20,000 released prisoners made use of this help in 2003–04. Jobcentre Plus employment and benefits surgeries have been introduced across the prison estate. Released prisoners can obtain early access to New Deal programmes and are a main focus of progress2work, which helps those with a history of drug misuse into the labour market.All probation areas in England and Wales have their own provision or independent sector partnerships to deliver employment-related services to offenders, including released prisoners, under supervision by the National Probation Service, with around £8 million a year invested in these services. Probation areas also work in partnership with learning and skills councils, Jobcentre Plus and employers to help released prisoners to access basic skills and vocational training and find employment.In Northern Ireland, staff at each Jobcentre and jobs and benefits office can provide advice on improving employability, essential skills, and other issues. Ex-prisoners are eligible to participate in early entry to programmes such as New Deal, Worktrack and Training for Work and can access other specific programmes, such as Jobtrack, that are tailored to the needs of offenders. The department is also working with the Northern Ireland Prison Service and Probation Board for Northern Ireland to assist in the implementation of the resettlement strategy.Information about the average length of time it takes a former prisoner to find employment on being released from prison is not available and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What definition of "proselytising" is used by HM Prison Service. [HL4328]

A working interpretation of "proselytising" is included in the Prison Service performance standard on religion, and in the Prison Service order on religion. These provide that prisoners must not be visited by a Chaplain or Minister against their will and that unwanted persuasion of a prisoner to change religious affiliation must not take place.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the detention of asylum-seeking children is in accordance with (a) United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees guidelines; and (b) the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. [HL4343]

The detention of a family with children is a very serious step and is not one that is taken lightly. Where it proves necessary to detain a family we consider that it is in the best interests of a child to be detained as part of their family group rather than separating members of the family.Unaccompanied children are only detained for their own safety in extreme circumstances, and usually only overnight while alternative arrangements for their care are made.We believe that these measures, which play a key part in maintaining an effective immigration control, are consistent with the UNHCR guidelines on the detention of asylum seekers. The guidelines accept the detention of children as members of a family group and in order to maintain family unity, provided such detention is a measure of last resort and is for the shortest period of time. The guidelines also recommend that, while in detention, children should have access to education, recreation and play. These principles are reflected in the basis under which families with children may be detained and in terms of the facilities provided to children in immigration removal centres in the UK.The UK has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child subject to a reservation which the Government believe is necessary to maintain an effective immigration control. We have no plans to withdraw this reservation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are taking to persuade on and off licensees not to stimulate increased consumption of alcohol by cut price offers; and whether they will encourage schemes for a voluntary levy on alcohol outlets to pay for the policing costs incurred as a result of their customers' activities, as recommended by the Chief Constable of Sussex. [HL4387]

Following publication of the alcohol harm reduction strategy for England, we are working with the industry—both the on and offtrade—to draw up a social responsibility scheme and code of practice. The scheme will be voluntary, but w ill include a financial contribution from retailers, where necessary, towards managing the local crime and disorder consequences of alcohol misuse.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is likely to be the accommodation capacity of the new Home Office building in Marsham Street. [HL4396]

As previously announced, the private finance initiative contract (PFI) for the construction and operation of the new Home Office headquarters provides for a building occupancy of 3,450 workstations. The building is designed to be flexible and numbers occupying will vary from this level from time to time.The project is on time and on budget.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their policy towards the role of polygraph tests and their evidential value (a) in criminal proceedings; and (b) as part of the process of appeal against criminal conviction. [HL4416]

The Government have no plans to promote the use of polygraph tests as evidence in criminal trials. The admissibility of evidence in criminal proceedings is a matter for the courts. They have held that, as a matter of principle, evidence produced by mechanical, chemical or hypnotic truth test on a witness is inadmissible in courts in England and Wales to show the veracity or otherwise of the witness.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why no reply has yet been sent to a letter dated 19 December 2003 from Mr J B, reference EM00472, addressed to the British Consulate in Hong Kong and forwarded to the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Department in Liverpool, concerning his original application for registration as a British citizen under Section 1 of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997; and whether they will now deal with this matter, and with the legal opinion which accompanied Mr J B's letter. [HL4492]

A reply was sent to Mr J B on 21 October via the British Consulate in Hong Kong.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will ensure that all the solely British ethnic minorities of Hong Kong, including minors, who ceased to be Indian citizens by virtue of their acquisition of British National (Overseas) status by registration, are able to exercise their entitlement under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 to register as British citizens. [HL4497]

A British national (overseas) has an entitlement to be registered as a British citizen under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997 if he or she holds no other citizenship and was ordinarily resident in Hong Kong immediately before 4 February 1997 and at the time of application for British citizenship.In the case of minors of Indian origin it is the common understanding of Her Majesty's Government and of the Government of India that the acquisition of British national (overseas) status would not cause a minor Indian citizen to lose his or her Indian citizenship. Such minors therefore do not meet the criteria set out in the 1997 Act.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their current policy regarding the use by the Government and other public authorities of information obtained as a result of torture committed overseas. [HL4500]

The Government unreservedly condemn the use of torture and have worked hard with our international partners to eradicate this practice. However, it would be irresponsible of the Government not to take appropriate account of any information which could help to protect national security and public safety.Current government policy follows the approach adopted by SIAC and upheld by the Court of Appeal. The Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) adopted the common law approach to evidence which may have been obtained through the use of torture—save for evidence that is obtained from a party (usually the defendant in a criminal trial), that all evidence is admissible, however unlawfully obtained. However, SIAC held that where that evidence may have been obtained by torture this will bear on the proper weight to be given to the evidence. The means by which information is obtained therefore goes to its reliability and weight and not to its admissibility.The Court of Appeal upheld the position taken by SIAC.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many asylum seekers, including dependants, are being supported in each cluster area in National Asylum Support Service accommodation, as at the latest available date. [HL4509]

The number of asylum seekers (including dependants) supported in NASS accommodation in each government office region broken down by local authority area as at the end of June 2004 is presented in the following table.Numbers of asylum seekers placed in NASS accommodation and numbers who are in receipt of subsistence only support from NASS are published on a quarterly and annual basis. The next publication covering the third quarter of 2004 (July to September) will be available on 16 November on the

Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the outcome of their review of offences for bad driving; when they hope that consultation will start; and when they hope to publish their proposals. [HL4493]

The review of road traffic offences has largely been completed, but there are a number of issues under consideration which require careful scrutiny before a consultation paper can be published. The Government will continue to work towards publication at the earliest opportunity.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will make illegal the interviewing of people for television programmes while the interviewee is driving a vehicle on the public road. [HL4506]

Regulation 104 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 already says that "No person shall drive or cause or permit any other person to drive a motor vehicle on a road if he is in such a position that he cannot have proper control of the vehicle or have a full view of the road and traffic ahead". The Government see no need for further specific legislation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When Railtrack was first instructed by the Rail Regulator to prepare a register of its assets; when further instructions were given to the company and Network Rail in connection with an asset register; and when it is expected that the register will be complete. [HL4437]

The Rail Regulator modified Railtrack's network licence in April 2001 to include a new condition requiring the company to establish and maintain a register of assets. The company's guidelines for the development of the asset register, inherited by Network Rail, were approved by the Rail Regulator in August 2002. These require twice-yearly plans on progress and Network Rail reported last time that it expects the objectives of the licence condition largely to be met by Autumn 2005. Network Rail's latest plans, covering the period to 30 September 2004, are currently being considered by the Office of Rail Regulation. A statement will be made shortly as part of ORR's proposed annual statement on Network Rail's stewardship of the national rail network.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Who is responsible for the health and safety implications of the overcrowding on passenger trains allowed by some train operators. [HL4567]

The responsibility for the day-to-day safety, welfare and convenience of passengers using the railway rests with the train operating companies. The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for enforcing health and safety law on the railway network, but it does not limit the number of passengers that can travel on trains.HSE participates in a working group led by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (responsible for improving health and safety performance), that is currently carrying out research into the health and safety effects on rail passengers of crowding on trains. They are expected to report on their findings later this year.On 15 July 2004, the Government published a White Paper on the future of the rail industry which proposed transferring safety responsibilities from HSE to the Office of Rail Regulation. The Government intend to legislate for this in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Davies of Oldham on 20 October (

We expect to publish shortly the report on research carried out during the past 18 months into measures to reduce the frequency of over-height vehicles striking bridges. We shall be discussing with stakeholders the recommendations made in the report, with a view to agreeing an action plan of work to be carried forward with members of the Bridge Strike Prevention Group.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of the number of miles covered by foreign heavy trucks in the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available. [HL4616]

In 2003, foreign registered heavy goods vehicles (vehicles over 3.5 tonnes gross weight) covered 0.9 billion kilometres within Great Britain.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, since 19 July 2004, government Ministers or officials have held meetings with potentially interested bidders, other than the Racing Trust, on the subject of acquiring the Tote. [HL4518]

Since 19 July 2004, the Government have not sought any meetings with potentially interested bidders, other than the Racing Trust, on the subject of acquiring the Tote. There have been some inquiries about the sale plans and, in each case, we have reiterated that government policy is to sell the Tote to the Racing Trust and we are not prepared to consider bids from alternative purchasers unless or until it becomes clear that a sale to the Racing Trust cannot be completed on terms which are acceptable to the parties.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are willing to consider proposals to acquire the Tote from commercially interested parties other than the Racing Trust. [HL4519]

Government policy has been, and remains, to sell the Tote to the Racing Trust. Only if the Government cannot agree sale terms and conditions with the trust would the Government consider a sale to a third party.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the proposed discounted sale of the Tote to the Racing Trust has received approval in principle from the European Commission with regard to state aid rules; and what conditions were attached to any such approval. [HL4543]

We have notified the European Commission of our plans for the sale of the Tote to the Racing Trust, at fair value, but have not yet received the necessary state aid clearance.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many conservators of historical documents and manuscripts are being trained; whether such numbers are sufficient to ensure conservation of documents that the British Library possesses; and whether the closure of university courses in book conservation put these nationally important documents at risk. [HL4572]

There are currently only two colleges that offer courses in book conservation: Camberwell College of Arts in southeast London, and West Dean College in West Sussex. An average of nine students will qualify from these courses each year.To address the shortfall the British Library plans to offer its own conservation courses, in collaboration with academic institutions, from 2006.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will act upon the recommendations of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee 33rd Report 2003–04, entitled

We welcome the Public Accounts Committee's recommendations on income generation by the government-sponsored museums and galleries and we are acting to put the committee's recommendations into effect.On 16 November 2004, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), together with the National Audit Office will hold a seminar about income generation. This will provide an important opportunity to discuss with sponsored museums and galleries the lessons of the report and how they can be taken forward. Partnerships UK and the Association of Cultural Enterprises will both be represented at the seminar which will provide a valuable opportunity for sharing information and for supporting the Association of Cultural Enterprises in its role.In addition we are taking a number of steps to help sponsored musuems and galleries to develop a more entrepreneurial approach to income generation. These include appointing more business trustees and working with the new Clore Leadership Foundation, which is helping to provide training for the future directors of museums, galleries and other cultural enterprises. We are also developing new funding agreements.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the imminent bid for the 2012 Olympics is preventing the publication of crime figures or other sport-related data which may be perceived to be detrimental to the prospects of the bid. [HL4620]

The bid for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games has had no bearing on the publication of crime figures, sports-related data or indeed any official statistics. All government departments follow the National Statistics Code of Practice. Among the code's requirements are high standards of integrity, inlcuding:

• that the practices and production of national statistics are free from political involvement,
• that data are released as soon as is practicable, and
• that the timing of releases is announced well in advance by publication on the national statistics website.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What financial provision was made for security measures within the estimated £2.375 billion required to stage the 2012 Olympic Games in London. [HL4638]

I refer the noble Lord to my reply of 26 October (Official Report, col. WA 116—WA 117) to the noble Lord, Lord Moynihan.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of diesel road fuel sales in Northern Ireland in the year before the Belfast peace agreement and for each subsequent year. [HL4615]

The table below sets out DTI's published estimates for 1997 to 2003:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of the amount of tax and duty lost to the United Kingdom from foreign and domestic heavy goods vehicles purchasing their fuel on the continent but running the vehicles in the United Kingdom. [HL4617]

Customs' latest estimates of the overall revenue loss from legitimate cross-border shopping of diesel in Great Britain in 2000, 2001 and 2002 are set out in the annual report of the Commissioners of HM Customs and Excise published in December 2003, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.Customs do not have estimates for cross-border shopping between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of the amount of tax and duty evaded due to heavy goods vehicle operators filling their vehicles on the continent and then transferring the fuel to other trucks within the United Kingdom. [HL4618]

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise do not have an estimate of the amount of tax and duty evaded due to heavy goods vehicle operators filling their vehicles on the continent and then transferring this fuel to other trucks within the United Kingdom.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What consultation has taken place with Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive in connection with the Draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2004, laid before Parliament on 9 September, in so far as it relates to the ability of Scottish Ministers to transfer the powers of those bodies on the provision and regulation of railways to themselves. [HL4449]

The proposal to transfer the rail powers of the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority and Executive (SPTA/E) was set out in the Scottish Executive's transport White Paper, Scotland's Transport Future, published in June 2004. I understand there has been contact between the Scottish Executive and SPTA/E both before and after the publication of this paper at which this proposal was discussed.If agreed, the draft order laid before the House on the 9 September (and which is also being considered by the Scottish Parliament) will extend the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament, not the Scottish Ministers. It will then be for the Scottish Parliament to decide, should such a measure be put before it, whether or not to transfer the powers of the SPTA/E to the Scottish Ministers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why no regulatory impact assessment has been prepared for the Draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2004, laid before Parliament on 9 September, given that exercise of the proposed transfer of powers provisions will impact on business and other bodies in west central Scotland and in view of the key role played by the provision of railways in economic development. [HL4450]

The decision not to provide a regulatory impact assessment is in accordance with the guidance Better Policy Making: A Guide to Regulatory Impact Assessment issued by the Cabinet Office. The draft order varies the competence of the Scottish Parliament. The draft order does not in itself have a direct or indirect impact (whether benefit or cost) on business, charities, the voluntary sector or the provision of railways in economic development. It would not therefore have any regulatory impact.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In respect of the Draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2004, laid before Parliament on 9 September, how the transfer of staff from the regional bodies into the Scottish Civil Service will assist the Government's pledge to cut the number of civil servants. [HL4451]

If agreed, the draft order laid before the House on the 9 September (and which is also being considered by the Scottish Parliament) will extend the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament. It has no impact on the transfer of staff from regional bodies into the Civil Service in Scotland. Nor does the order have any bearing on the Government's pledge to reduce numbers in the Home Civil Service.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Scottish Executive have the necessary powers to take on the rights and responsibilities connected with the signing of the Scottish passenger rail franchise, as suggested in paragraph 22 of the Explanatory Memorandum to the Draft Scotland Act 1998 (Modifications of Schedule 5) Order 2004, prior to changes to primary legislation, as proposed in the rail White Paper of July 2004. [HL4452]

Paragraph 21 of the Explanatory Memorandum states that the draft order will allow the Scottish Parliament to legislate for the existing rail powers of the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive/Authority to be transferred to the Scottish Ministers. The Government will introduce a Railways Bill when parliamentary time allows to provide for those measures that require primary legislation.