asked her Majesty's Government:Whether the domestic law governing the activities of cross-border bodies depends on whether they are located in Eire or Northern Ireland. [HL258]

The North/South implementation bodies carry out their functions on an all-island basis. Which body of domestic law applies is dependent on where the activity in question takes place, rather than where a body is located.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In view of their policy of improving public health through "Investing in Health", why has the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure proposed to cut the Northern Ireland Sports Council budgets for the next three years. [HL304]

The draft priorities and budget 2005–08 was available for consultation and comment from October 2004 until 7 December. Final decisions have not yet been taken. It is planned that the final budget will be published in late December.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How, with reference to the Northern Ireland Office consultative document,

Officials in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister engaged the NIPPA—the early years organisation—to organise a tailored consultation event for pre-school children on 27 November 2002 as part of the research of issues to be included in the draft strategy. Activities were designed to draw out information on specific issues that affect this group. The output produced by the children was interpreted by early years professionals in NIPPA and included as a consultation response. A figure depicting some of the issues that they raised is illustrated on page 19 of the draft strategy, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 1 December (

The figure of £31.4 million relates to the underspend position based on provisional information provided by the department. Details of underspend are set out in the following table. In some cases projects cost less than anticipated; in others expenditure has slipped to the following year.

	Underspend (£m)		Explanation
Resource	£15.5 million	1	Slippage in social security welfare reform and modernisation programme and lower than expected IT costs in current year
		2	Delays in implementation of child support reforms due to the new UK wide IT systems not working properly
		3	Non-completion os several NIHE special purchase of evacuated dwellings (SPED) acquisitions which were expected to be completed in 2003–04
		4	Spend on NIHE supporting people programme, which is a new scheme that commenced in April 2003, less than anticipated
		5	Delays in uptake in the urban regeneration and community development grant aid by applicants who had anticipated incurring expenditure in financial year
		6	Delays in commencement and uptake of grant in relation to EU community initiatives such as Interreg III and Urban II
		7	Non-cash costs i.e. depreciation, cost of capital, less than anticipated
Investment	£15.9 million	1	Slippage in social security welfare reform and modernisation programme and lower than expected IT costs in current year
		2	Spend less than estimate due to slippage in the commencement and completion of schemes by housing associations. The later a scheme commences in the year means less spend incurred in current year with cost shifted to future years

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many civil servants employed by the Northern Ireland Department of Education were barred from attending interviews for promotion on the grounds of their sick leave records in the 10 years ending on 31 December 2003; and what is the proportion of men and women. [HL380]

The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many civil servants employed by the Northern Ireland Department of Education were found guilty of unintentional harassment in the 10 years ending 31 December 2003. [HL381]

The Department of Education has made no findings of "unintentional harassment". However, in two cases, where the complaint of harassment was substantiated, it was taken into account, in considering the disciplinary penalty, that in one case harassment occurred "without malicious intent" and in the other that harassment occurred with no "deliberate intent".

asked the Chairman of Committees:What health screening and support are available in the Palace of Westminster for Members of the House and staff; and what steps he is taking to ensure that Members and staff are aware of these facilities. [HL427]

The Occupational Health and Welfare Service (OHWS) provides a wide range of health protection and promotion services to Members and staff. Members, for example, may use the acute GP emergency service and are entitled to a free medical screening every three years. Staff receive basic health and safety training as part of the staff induction course when they join, and further training as appropriate to their work; permanent staff over 55 are also entitled to health checks. In addition, a nurse is available for consultation in the medical room off the Lower Waiting Hall.The services provided by OHWS are listed in the

asked Her Majesty's Government:What contact they have had with casino operators based outside the United Kingdom in relation to the Gambling Bill; and what were the main points raised in any relevant correspondence. [HL365]

As part of policy development and analysis, government Ministers and officials receive representations from, and have meetings with, a wide range of organisations and individuals, including those in the gambling industry, about all aspects of the Gambling Bill.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What conversations they have held with the United States Government about the proposed international finance facility; and what response, if any, they received regarding United States participation. [HL372]

We are engaged in ongoing discussion with the US, and other G8 partners, on the IFF. Our aim is to secure progress during our 2005 presidencies of the G7/8 and EU.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which companies are currently employed on a consultancy basis by each government department: what is the financial value of each contract; and what is the purpose of each contract. [HL336]

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

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they are considering to halt and reverse the decline in the numbers of chemistry departments in universities. [HL274]

The Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004–2014 sets out the Government's vision for science teaching and learning at every stage, including detailed proposals to stimulate demand from students and supply of excellent teaching.The Secretary of State for Education and Skills has also asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England to advise him on subjects of national strategic importance, including chemistry, where intervention might be appropriate to strengthen or secure them.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether teachers in foundation schools are eligible to stand for election to the local education authority in which their school is situated. [HL310]

Teachers in foundation schools are not eligible to stand for election to the local education authority in which their school is situated. The Education (Transition to New Framework) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 1999 provide that in this respect they are in the same position as teachers employed directly by the local education authority.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What were the running costs for Ofsted and HM Inspectorate of Schools in the last financial year; and what, if any, savings will follow implementation of the Education Bill. [HL339]

The running costs for Ofsted in 2003–04 were £208.6 million. The Education Bill makes changes to school inspections and the inspection of early years education provision. Ofsted anticipates direct savings of at least £10 million per annum in the cost of school inspections and £4.7 million per annum in the cost of early years inspections as a consequence of these changes. In addition, Ofsted expects to make substantial savings in running costs as a result of structural changes to the organisation, facilitated by the provisions in the Bill. In total, these changes will deliver reductions of 20 per cent in the overall costs of Ofsted by March 2008.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the open letter dated 6 December to the Prime Minister by the Chair of the Central Council for Physical Recreation, on when they intend to make an announcement on the amount of time devoted to physical education in schools; and [HL341]Whether they support the "Club2School Sports Initiative" which includes the target of two hours high quality physical education in schools and two hours sport for every child provided by sports clubs outside the school curriculum. [HL342]

On Tuesday 14 December, the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced a further investment of £519 million from 2006–07 to 2007–08 for physical education and school sport.We are well on the way to delivering the school sport public service agreement target that we share with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that 75 per cent of pupils by 2006 and 85 per cent of pupils by 2008 should receive at least two hours each week of high quality PE and school sport. However, we want to do more.By 2010, our ambition is for all children to be offered at least four hours of sport every week. This will comprise at least two hours of high quality PE and sport at school and, in addition, the opportunity for at least a further two to three hours beyond the school day, delivered by a range of school, community and club providers.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Following an independent report on the future of the United Kingdom aerospace industry by the Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team, have they implemented a national aerospace plan. [HL228]

The Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team (AeIGT) implementation of the 20-year vision for the aerospace industry began in August 2003. Sir Richard Evans leads the AeIGT executive board overseeing its implementation. Progress is being made on all five themes of the AeIGT report.The national aerospace technology strategy was launched in July 2004. The implementation of the plan to gain funding from government departments, regional development agencies, devolved administrations and research councils is being co-ordinated by the DTI; £15 million was secured for the aerospace industry from the first call for research and technology.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What were the funds set aside for the years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 for research and technology in the aerospace industry. [HL229]

There was a rolling annual programme of about £20 million for research and technology demonstration in support of civil aeronautics, for collaboration projects undertaken by industry and universities, through the Aeronautics Research Programme (ARP). Actual disbursements were:

Financial year	Amount (millions)
1999–2000	£19,993
2000–01	£19,997
2001–02	£18,666
2002–03	£21,266
2003–04	£19,694

The DTI has moved away from sectoral funding and closed the ARP to new projects in March 2004; existing projects will be funded until 2008. In April 2004 the DTI launched a new product to support a partnership approach to research and technology. The aerospace industry secured £15 million of the £50 million available from the first call.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the value of United Kingdom aerospace exports for the years 2000 and 2003; and what is the percentage broken down in civil and military terms. [HL230]

	2000	2003
Value of exports	£11.0 billion	£10.9 billion
Civil share	49 per cent	59 per cent
Military share	51 per cent	42 per cent

The Society of British Aerospace Companies provided these figures.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many people are employed (a) directly; and (b) indirectly, in the United Kingdom aerospace industry. [HL231]

In 2003, 121,979 were directly employed and around 150,000 were indirectly employed by the aerospace industry. The Society of British Aerospace Companies provided these figures.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many aerospace jobs were lost in the United Kingdom in the year 2003. [HL232]

There was a net increase of 4 per cent of aerospace jobs in the UK to 121,979. The Society of British Aerospace Companies provided these figures.