asked Her Majesty's Government:What assessment they have made of Amnesty International's open letter to members of the United Nations Security Council of 6 December about the deteriorating situation in Darfur, Sudan. [HL349]

We share Amnesty International's grave concern about the deteriorating security situation. The UK Government have been at the forefront of the response to the situation in Darfur. We are pressing all sides, both bilaterally and through the European Union and United Nations (UN), to stop the fighting and abide by the commitments they have made. We are leading supporters of the African Union (AU) and have funded the UN human rights monitors and a number of UN agencies and non-governmental organisations. We are also fully supporting the AU-mediated Darfur peace talks in Abuja.My honourable friend the Minister for Africa (Chris Mullin) has replied directly to Amnesty International regarding the specific points raised in its letter of 6 December.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What assessment they have made of the report of the United Nations Secretary-General of December 2004 on the situation in Darfur, Sudan; and what progress has been made in the disarming of the Janjaweed militia. [HL350]

The latest report by the UN Secretary-General on Darfur concludes that, with the signing of the Abuja humanitarian and security protocols, some progress was made on the political front, but that this was overshadowed by the deteriorating security situation. It also concludes that the Government of Sudan have made no progress in disarming the Janjaweed militias. We deplore the recent upsurge in violence in Darfur and the resulting negative impact on the delivery of humanitarian assistance and civilian protection. On 6 December, my honourable friend the Minister for Africa made clear to the State Minister for Humanitarian Affairs that the Government of Sudan bore the primary responsibility for security in Darfur and that they must abide by their commitments, particularly the Abuja protocols.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What representations they have made to the Government of Georgia concerning the recent closure of three television stations and action against a Member of Parliament and an independent newspaper editor, alleging offences by them. [HL377]

Our embassy in Tbilisi maintains a close interest in issues relating to freedom of the media in Georgia and has raised the subject in discussions with Georgian Ministers, media, and non-governmental organisations. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and keep in close touch with our European Union and Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe partners.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will forward to the Crown Prosecution Service the documents ordered to be released by the High Court on 8 December concerning the sale of tanks to Indonesia by Alvis plc. [HL383]

The High Court (Chancery Division) judgment of 8 December 2004 grants permission to the Guardian newspaper to seek documents in the court file of the case of Chan U Seek v Alvis Vehicles Ltd, which was settled by the parties out of court on 29 October 2004. We are not aware of any requests addressed to Her Majesty's Government for disclosure of documents related to this case.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What estimates they have received of the number of persons internally displaced from, and in the vicinity of, Fallujah, Kirkuk, Mosul and Baghdad respectively; and what arrangements are being made to allow these people to vote in the Iraqi general election in January. [HL385]

Iraq's Interim Government estimate there are currently 300,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Fallujah and 40,000 from Kirkuk. We have not received estimates of IDPs from Mosul or Baghdad.IDPs are entitled to vote wherever they are currently located provided they have registered there beforehand. All Iraqis have had until 15 December to have their entries corrected in the voter register.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their assessment of the current situation in the eastern province of the Democratic Republic of Congo; what action they are taking to defuse tensions between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda; and whether they intend to encourage both governments to exchange ambassadors and to normalise diplomatic relations. [HL387]

The eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to be unstable. There have recently been outbreaks of violence in eastern DRC, as has happened on several occasions since the end of the war in the DRC.We have urged Rwanda to play a constructive role in supporting the peace process in the region, including respecting the DRC's territorial integrity. We have pressed the DRC Transitional Government to address Rwanda's security concerns by dealing swiftly with the problem of the ex-Forces Armées Rwandaises/Interahamwe.We will continue to encourage the DRC and Rwanda to abide by the principles of the good neighbourly pact they signed in September 2003 and to normalise diplomatic relations.

asked Her Majesty's Governmen:

Further to the Written Answers by the Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean on 8 December (WA 37), whether their Guide to the European Union sets out any disadvantages to the United Kingdom of its European Union membership; whether they consider any such disadvantages to exist; and, if so, what are those disadvantages. [HL388]

Not only the considerable benefits, but also the obligations, rules and costs entailed by membership of the European Union (EU) are explained throughout the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Guide to the European Union (see for example pages 12, 13, 14 and 26). The guide also specifically points to several areas where the Government believe the EU could work better (see page 27). We believe that EU membership is on balance overwhelmingly in Britain's national interest.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the number of persons currently enjoying diplomatic privileges in the United Kingdom; how many of these are members of diplomatic missions of sovereign states; how many are members of international organisations; and how many in each category hold British citizenship. [HL402]

Records held by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office indicate that there are currently 22,851 persons entitled to some degree of privilege and immunity under international agreements. Of these, 7,405 are members of diplomatic missions and 2,952 are officials of international organisations. The remainder are dependants. Accurate figures for those in each category who hold British citizenship could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, it is estimated that fewer than 10 members of diplomatic missions and around 500 officials of international organisations hold British citizenship. Most have no entitlement to privileges and immunities other than immunity for official acts.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What position they took at the recent Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe ministerial meeting in Sofia, concerning the withdrawal of Russian forces and military material from Moldova, which is some two years overdue; and what prospects they foresee for the implementation of the relevant agreement. [HL443]

Our position is set out in the UK's statement at the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) ministerial meeting in Sofia. We want Russia to fulfil commitments made when signing the Adapted Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty at the OSCE summit in Istanbul in 1999. These commitments include the full withdrawal of arms and ammunition from Transdnistria, or their destruction in situ, and the withdrawal of Russian forces.Together with NATO allies we have stated that

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why they have not accepted the right of individual petition under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in accordance with their public statement in July 2004. [HL454]

Our permanent representative to the United Nations in New York deposited the UK's instrument of accession to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women Optional Protocol with the United Nations Secretary-General on 17 December. The optional protocol will enter into force in the UK three months after this date.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which organisation will make up the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's reduction in funding for BBC Monitoring during the year 2005–06; and what guarantees there are of the continuation of the service in its present form. [HL455]

The £2 million shortfall in the BBC Monitoring's funding for 2005–06 will be made up by £1 million from the BBC Monitoring's reserve fund and £1 million from other stakeholders.BBC Monitoring is currently the subject of a Cabinet Office-commissioned review. Its future range of services and coverage, funding and governance will be determined by the outcome of that review, which is due to report at the beginning of 2005.

asked Her Majesty's Government:To what extent the work of the BBC World Service in the Middle East within the SR04 submission will be scaled back during 2005–08; which services will be lost; and whether and when this process can be halted or reversed. [HL456]

The BBC World Service is reviewing its priorities ahead of presenting its three-year plan for 2005–08 to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in early 2005. We expect the plan to include proposals for new investments, efficiencies and some reprioritisation. No decisions regarding the Middle East or any other region have yet been taken by the BBC World Service.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What priority they accord the global control of small arms as part of the strategy for global security. [HL511]

The global control of small arms and light weapons (SALW) is one of the highest priorities of the Government's global conflict prevention strategy. Internationally, the United Kingdom fully supports the United Nations programme of action (POA) on SALW. The UK is one of the largest and most influential donors on small arms issues. Under the Global Conflict Prevention Pool, the UK has allocated £13.25 million (2004–07) to control and reduce the supply, demand and availability of SALW. The funding supports projects that assist UN agencies, regional organisations, governments and non-governmental organisations to combat the proliferation and misuse of small arms. One of our key priorities is promoting the transfer control initiative, which aims to secure agreement on common international standards governing small arms transfers at the UN POA review conference on small arms in 2006.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many women have received anti-social behaviour orders (a) on the grounds of a previous criminal record; or (b) on the assumption that they will reoffend; and whether men may be treated in this way. [HL424]

The anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) data collection in England and Wales does not identify the circumstances behind the issue of an ASBO.Information for Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the Scottish Executive and the Northern Ireland Office respectively.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have for releasing prisoners now aged over 60. [HL426]

The provisions for the release of determinate and life sentence prisoners are applied equally to all prisoners irrespective of their age and there are no plans for this to change.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they intend to update Annex H of Chapter 14 of the Home Office Nationality Instructions to reflect the coming into force of India's Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2003 and the Citizenship (Second Amendment) Rules 2004. [HL486]

We are considering the implications of the Act and rules with regard to eligibility for registration as a British citizen under Section 4B and other provisions of the British Nationality Act 1981 and shall make appropriate amendments to the Nationality Instructions in due course.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answers by the Lord Bach on 22 July (

The current legal proceedings between the parties are on a separate contract unconnected with the High G centrifuge project. As soon as a settlement is reached the Ministry of Defence will release the details of the lessons they have learnt on the centrifuge project.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many service personnel have outstanding pay 2000 claims; and by when these will be resolved by the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency. [HL332]

We are aware of potentially some 8,900 Army personnel who remain affected by pay policy and computer software programming problems associated with the introduction of Pay 2000. Personnel affected may have been either underpaid or overpaid as a result. Fifty per cent of these should have their pay rectified by the end of summer 2005. Work to correct the remainder will be carried out concurrently. This will be completed by no later than spring 2006.Arrangements are in place to make manual payments through individuals' local units whose pay accounts are demonstrating a shortfall.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are taking steps to equip appropriate units of the Armed Forces with stun guns for purposes of riot control and to establish and conduct training programmes for the use of this equipment. [HL429]

We currently have no plans to equip our Armed Forces with stun guns for riot control.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the number of trees in London and other major British cities; what is their state of health; and when the Government last conducted a tree audit. [HL389]

Accurate data are not held centrally. All local authorities maintain their own records of privately-owned trees that are protected by tree preservation orders and many have inventories of trees for which they are responsible. The last survey of trees in London (Action for London's Trees, 1993 ) estimated that there were nearly 6,000,000 individual trees and hedges and more than 65,000 woodlands and stands of trees. Trees in Towns (1993) assessed the composition of tree stocks in 66 sample towns in England. This survey is currently being reviewed (Trees in Towns II ) and the results will be available in summer 2005.The two surveys of 1993 recorded that the vast majority of trees were in good condition. Since that time Forest Research has monitored the condition of nonwoodland amenity trees to identify the incidence and trends of pathogens and insects affecting tree health. It does not assess the overall health of the national tree stock.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are engaged in negotiations with a potential purchaser for the Millennium Dome: and, if so, what is the current progress of negotiations. [HL441]

Further to my Written Statement on 21 June, (Official Report, col. WS42), the commercial deal for the sale of the Dome and development of much of the Greenwich peninsula became unconditional between English Partnerships, the Government's national regeneration agency, Merdian Delta Limited and Anschutz Entertainment Group on 18 June 2004.Under the agreement. Meridian Delta Ltd and Anschutz Entertainment Group are committed to investing up to £200 million and building a 26,000 capacity multi-purpose arena in the Dome. Anschutz Entertainment Group intends that over 200 events will be hosted each year, including concerts and major sporting events. Work on the arena is due to start in spring 2005 and is expected to be completed in spring 2007. Start of work on the housing and other facilities is expected in late 2005 or early 2006.Millennium Square, which has now received planning permission, will be completed within the same timescale, and the residential development will be well under-way by the time the new arena opens for business in 2007.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why they have not yet amended the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (S.I. 1987/764) (as amended), as announced by the Minister of State for Housing and Planning Mr Keith Hill on 27 November 2003, so as to prevent the conversion of other types of premises into night clubs without planning permission; whether they will estimate the number of premises so converted since the announcement was made; and when they now plan to table the necessary amending order. [HL487]

The amendments to the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (the UCO) will take the form of two Statutory Instruments, one amending the UCO itself; the other amending the General Permitted Development Order.Due to the complex nature of the changes to the statutory instruments, the draft statutory instruments and supporting guidance (in the form of a circular instruction) have needed careful drafting and consultation with planning practitioners to ensure they are legally sound and practical. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will be tabling the amending orders in January 2005.Information about the number of specific types of changes of use is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many science and engineering departments in universities in the United Kingdom have closed since 1997; in each case, when and where the closure took place and what was the reason for the closure, as stated by the relevant university. [HL338]

The information requested is not available. Universities are autonomous institutions, free to move the boundaries of their departments without consulting government. The Department of Trade & Industry analysis for the Science and Innovation Investment Framework estimated that approximately 15 physics and 11 chemistry departments closed in the past 10 years. The framework also sets out the Government's vision for science and engineering teaching and learning at every stage, including detailed proposals to stimulate demand from students and supply of excellent teaching.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether under the Data Protection Act 1998 a hospital may release to a journalist confidential documents relating to patients, including clinical findings and descriptions of medical procedures on children who can be identified; and, if not, whether it is in the public interest for the Department of Health website "MMR the facts" to include a link to the website of the

While the Data Protection Act 1998 does not prevent clinicians sharing information for necessary medical purposes, the confidential nature of health data prevents them being disclosed more widely unless: identifying information has been removed or anonymised; the individuals concerned have given their consent to disclosure; there is a statutory obligation to disclose or a court order requiring disclosure—it is in response to a court order; there is an overriding public interest (for example to protect public health).The "MMR the facts" website has been put together by the Immunisation Information team at the Department of Health. The information team makes available a range of materials designed to provide both parents and health professionals with the latest information on immunisation. As is common practice, it provides links to other sources of information that will help inform the public interest and debate in the topic. As noted on the site, the department is not responsible for the content or reliability of linked websites, and linking should not be taken as endorsement of any kind.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What further consideration has been given to making new financial help available to Manchester's Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre to hasten its work in the service of people with life-threatening medical conditions. [HL393]

The Department of Health continues to maintain a close interest in the development of the Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre and is keeping opportunities to provide additional financial support, especially as part of the work of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration, under active review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many cases of heterosexually acquired HIV have been diagnosed in the United Kingdom in the past five years for which figures are available; how many are thought to have been acquired overseas; and of those how many are thought to have been acquired in Africa; and [HL395]How many cases of HIV thought to have been acquired heterosexually in Africa were diagnosed in the United Kingdom in each of the years 1999 to 2003, analysed by country of origin. [HL396]

Information about diagnoses of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in the United Kingdom is contained in the Health Protection Agency's (HPA) report Focus on prevention: HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in the United Kingdom in 2003—an update: November 2004. This report is available on the HPA's website at http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics—az/hiv—and— sti/publications/annual2004/annual2004.htm.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will place in the Library of the House the evidence that the right kind of investment can generate very significant increases in sports participation, referred to in the recent health White Paper. [HL417]

Evidence on the effectiveness of interventions to increase participation in physical activity and sport in the broadest sense is set out in the Health Development Agency's (HDA) evidence briefing on physical activity interventions, an update of which will be published shortly. Further review-level evidence for "what works" has been summarised by Sport England/UK Sport on the Value of Sport Monitor website http://www.sportengland org/vsm/vsm—intro.asp.A review of selected international experiences in promoting physical activity and sport has been placed in the Library. The report can be downloaded from the Department of Health website http://www.dh.gov.uk.The Government have also received encouraging early feedback on the impact of the local exercise action pilots and the active england programme. The evaluation reports for these programmes will be published in due course.Evaluations of interventions delivered through sport action zones and the active community development fund projects will yield further evidence to inform effective investment when they are published next year.Sport England and HDA publications can be downloaded from their respective websites: http://www.sportengland.org/and http://www.hda-online.org.uk/.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will consider providing hospital visitors with plastic overshoes to help maintain cleanliness on wards. [HL481]

It is for individual National Health Service trusts to manage the provision of cleaning services locally and it would be open to them to introduce such a measure if it was felt it would contribute to maintaining standards of cleanliness.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give financial support to St George's Hospital, Tooting, to extend throughout the United Kingdom its trials on the drug to treat multiple sclerosis, Aimspro. [HL4S8]

No. Pharmaceutical companies must meet the research and development costs of clinical trials of new medicinal products.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether manufacturers of single measles, mumps and rubella vaccines have been instructed not to market their vaccines within the United Kingdom; whether they will have their licences withdrawn if they are found to have done so; and, if so, what were the reasons for the instruction. [HL493]

Licences for single measles, mumps and rubella vaccines exist in the United Kingdom. These vaccines are not marketed in the UK because the licence holders voluntarily choose not to do so.Some single vaccines that are unlicensed products have been imported from abroad on the basis of the clinical need of individual patients. Use of such unlicensed products, which have not been directly assessed for safety, quality or efficacy by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), is on the responsibility of the individual prescriber. The MHRA regulates such importation and will object to import if it has concerns about the safety or quality of a product. For example, the MHRA has blocked imports of mumps vaccines containing the Urabe strain because of the risk of vaccine-associated meningitis.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there is any difference in the rates of seroconversion of measles vaccine if the vaccine is administered as a single dose or as a component of the triple measles, mumps and rubella vaccine; and, if so, what are the differences. [HL494]

The level of effectiveness varies for the different components of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Ninety to 95 per cent of individuals will be immune to measles after the first dose; 80 to 85 per cent of individuals will be immune to mumps after the first dose; and 97 to 99 per cent of individuals will be immune to rubella after the first dose.Of those children who did not respond to a first dose of MMR vaccine, over 90 per cent will have a good response to a second dose. In addition children with low levels of antibodies after the first dose are boosted.We do not have data on the efficacy of the single vaccines used in the United Kingdom, as they are unlicensed imports.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Who, under the new National Health Service dental contract, will pay for premises, staff, equipment and materials for National Health Service dentists; and whether there will be a difference between those dentists working on the National Health Service base contract and those employed in the personal dental services. [HL503]

Under general dental services contracts (including base contract) and personal dental services agreements providers will remain responsible for practice expenses. Under new Section 28Y of the NHS Act 1977, inserted by Section 180 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003, primary care trusts (PCTs) will have additional powers to provide assistance and support, including financial support, for providers and prospective providers of primary dental services. Salaried dentists employed by PCTs to perform primary dental services where the PCT is providing the service itself under new Section 16CA(2) will not be responsible for the expenses of the PCT.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether each primary care trust will have its own contract terms and conditions for National Health Service dentists working in the personal dental services; or whether the terms will be uniform throughout England. [HL504]

The General Dental Services Contract Regulations and Personal Dental Services Agreement Regulations will ensure consistent national standards for the provision of primary dental services, but allow local flexibility in the way primary care trusts (PCTs) work with their providers. The draft regulations, which will be published for consultation in 2005, will allow the Secretary of State for Health to give directions to PCTs regarding certain payments to be made to providers under general dental services contracts or personal dental services agreements.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What will be the future role of the Dental Practice Board (formerly the Dental Estimates Board). [HL505]

The Dental Practice Board will be dissolved before October 2005, as part of the Department of Health review of arm's length bodies.The New Business Services Authority will absorb the functions previously carried out by the Dental Practice Board.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Dental Reference Service, currently the watchdog of National Health Service dental services, will continue as a national body in England; and, if not, what new system is proposed. [HL506]

We value highly the contribution that dentists working in the Dental Reference Service (DRS) make to the delivery of high quality general dental services under the National Health Service and wish to make continued use of their skills and experience under the new contractual arrangements to be introduced for NHS dentistry. Currently these dentists are employed by the Dental Practice Board (DPB). On 22 July we announced plans for reconfiguring the Department of Health's arm's length bodies which provide for the DPB to merge with the NHS Pensions Agency and Prescription Pricing Authority to create a new NHS Business Authority. We are reviewing the future organisation of DRS in connection with the establishment the new authority.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the undertakings given to the Secretary of State by the British Medical Association on 21 September 1994 and referred to in Part II, paragraph 7, of the Enterprise Act 2002 (Enforcement Undertakings and Orders) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/2181) still apply. [HL94]

These undertakings were transferred to the Competition Commission by the Enterprise Act 2002 (Enforcement Undertakings and Orders) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/2181). I will therefore ask the chairman of the Competition Commission to reply to you.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Given that an estimated 67 per cent of all computers contain some form of spyware, and given the uses to which spyware can be put to facilitate identity theft and online fraud, what legislative sanctions exist to protect computers and their users from such programs. [HL253]

The placing of software on a computer without authorisation is an offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1980. Provisions also exist in relation to cookies which are software packages placed on computers to improve the efficiency of the user's interaction with the web. Statutory controls on cookies were introduced under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. The rules require that cookies and similar internet tracking devices must be clearly indicated and internet users have the right to refuse them. Businesses are required to provide users with a privacy or cookies statement, which advise users how to switch off the cookies either through the content or service provider or by using the computer's browser settings. The exemption to this requirement is in cases where cookies are essential to the service provided by the website. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has responsibility for the enforcement of these regulations and considers complaints about any breaches.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proportion of electricity is generated from nuclear power in each European Union country. [HL529]

The information is in the following table share of nuclear in total generation (2002).

EU	31.9
Lithuania	79.8
France	78.0
Belgium	57.7
Slovak Republic	55.4
Sweden	46.4
Hungary	38.6
Slovenia	37.6
Finland	29.8
Germany	28.8
Spain	25.6
Czech Republic	24.5
United Kingdom	22.7
Netherlands	4.1

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many badgers killed on the roads have been examined since the start of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs project in this area; and how many animals have been found to be infected with bovine tuberculosis in which regions.[HL301]

The table below shows the number of badger carcases collected, and post-mortemed, by county as part of the Road Traffic Accident survey, up to 30 November 2004.

County	Number of carcases collected	Number of carcases post-mortemed
Cornwall	607	458
Devon	633	559
Dorset	211	177
Gloucestershire	939	799
Herefordshire	297	234
Shropshire	174	143
Worcestershire	275	227
Total	3,136	2,597

This data was drawn from Defra's Wildlife Unit Badger Trial database on 10 December 2004.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether badger carcasses collected and tested as part of the road traffic accident survey have tested positive or negative for tuberculosis. [HL440]

The table below shows the number of badger carcases collected, and post-mortemed, by county as part of the Road Traffic Accident survey, up to 30 November 2004.

County	Number of carcases collected	Number of carcases post-mortemed
Cornwall	607	458
Devon	633	559
Dorset	211	177
Gloucestershire	939	799
Herefordshire	297	234
Shropshire	174	143
Worcestershire	275	227
Total	3136	2597

asked Her Majesty's Government:Following the European Commission's refusal to pay the full amount claimed in compensation by the United Kingdom following the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 2001, where the outstanding money will be sourced from. [HL360]

The control and eradication of foot and mouth disease in 2001 was paid for out of HM Treasury's contingency fund.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many fly-tipping cases the Environment Agency handled in the years 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003 respectively. [HL361]

The Environment Agency dealt with 3.055 fly-tipping incidents in 2000, 3,765 incidents in 2001, 4,997 incidents in 2002 and 5,399 incidents in 2003.The Agency prosecuted 221 cases in 2000, 244 in 2001, 273 in 2002 and 254 in 2003.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is the policy of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to offer only unsigned e-mails as contracts with the department. [HL449]

It is not the policy of the department to offer only unsigned e-mails as contracts with the department. The department's policy is to award contracts in accordance with contract law.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether unsigned e-mail contracts offered by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are legally binding. [HL450]

Whether unsigned e-mail correspondence can constitute a binding legally enforceable contract depends on consideration of the facts of each and every case having regard to the professional quantum, accounting, legal and technical advice that the Department would seek.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' payment policy for contracted work. [HL451]

The department's payment policy is the payment of valid invoices within 30 days of receipt and agreement of valid invoices for goods, services and works requested by the department.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to instigate research into the effects of grey squirrels on declining woodland bird populations. [HL468]

A number of the partners in the Woodland Bird Group, which is chaired by the Forestry Commission, are developing a research proposal for a study into whether control of grey squirrel can improve the breeding productivity of woodland birds. No decision on support for the research will be taken until the proposal and a supporting funding package has been promulgated by the partnership.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect to receive the final policy statement on grey squirrel control in England from the Forestry Commission; and [HL469]Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 11 October

The recently consulted policy and action statement prepared by the Forestry Commission and Defra set out the Government's role as being:

To support and encourage the effective and humane control of grey squirrels, focusing resources on locations where they are causing the greatest threat to the sustainable management of woodland, and the associated public benefits.

To fund, in partnership with others, research into methods of control and silvicultural techniques which offer effective population control and management.

To work in partnership with other organisations, at a local, England, GB and international level, in achieving these policy objectives.

To continue to monitor and evaluate the damage caused by grey squirrels and the threat they pose to sustainable woodland management.

The policy will cover situations where viable populations of red squirrels are threatened by colonisation by greys.The consultation period on this statement concluded on 10 December and the responses are still being considered. A final policy and action statement will be submitted for consideration by ministers early in 2005.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is their policy that the Forestry Commission should play a leading role by demonstrating, through example, the best methods of controlling the grey squirrel. [HL472]

For many years the Forestry Commission's research agency, Forest Research, has investigated means by which grey squirrel populations may be controlled. The recommended methods and best current practice are set out in the Forestry Commission's Forestry Practice Note 4 (revised) "Controlling Grey Squirrel Damage to Woodland", the latest edition of which was published in April 2004 and is available in the Library of the House.The Forestry Commission has also run a series of regional seminars for landowners and managers aimed at the dissemination of best practice on grey squirrel control techniques. The draft grey squirrel policy and action paper, on which consultation has just closed, recommends the continuation of these seminars.In addition, where the Forestry Commission undertakes grey squirrel control on the public forest, estate it follows best current practice.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What consultation has taken, or will take, place during the preparation of the Forestry Commission's policy statement on grey squirrel control in England. [HL475]

In June 2004 the Forestry Commission, in partnership with the England Squirrel Forum, prepared a document "Towards a Forestry Commission England Grey Squirrel Policy". This examined the impacts of grey squirrels and explored options for their management. The document sought to provide a baseline and context from which policy and delivery actions could be developed. Its preparation involved input from, or consultation with, over 25 organisations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 11 October (

On the public forest estate the Forestry Commission focuses its resources, and hence management, on locations where grey squirrels cause the greatest threat to the sustainable management of woodland. This includes targeting control to protect timber where it is cost-effective to do so and also to protect threatened red squirrel populations in priority areas identified under the species action plan.Land managed by the commission is not subject to dedication under the provisions of Section 5 of the Forestry Act 1967 (as amended). The only land dedicated by the Forestry Commission is under Section 16 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 as access land; such dedication has no bearing on the policy to control grey squirrels.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 11 October

I can confirm that we are still awaiting the final report on the research to develop a standard methodology to assess the risks posed by non-native species to the environment. The research is expected to end at the end of January 2005, and a final report will be submitted to Defra for consideration. As yet, no decisions have been taken on priorities for applying the assessment techniques.The Forestry Commission Practice Note

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 11 October (

There are currently no formal systems for routinely assessing the risks posed by non-native birds and mammals. However, Defra is funding research to develop a standard methodology to assess the risks posed by non-native species to the environment. This research is expected to be completed in February 2005 and the report will be published on Defra's website.Information on new mammal and bird species identified in the UK is collected through a variety of existing monitoring schemes such as the Rural Development Service's wildlife reports and the Biological Records centre. For established non-native species population distribution, numbers and trends are commonly monitored through the same schemes set in place to monitor native birds and mammals: the British Trust for Ornithology is an example of such a monitoring scheme for birds, and the Tracking Mammals Partnership for mammals.In addition, species-specific risk assessments and studies are conducted whenever species are considered to pose an existing or potential threat to native biodiversity, to human or animal health, or to economic interests. Recent examples of such assessments include national surveys of ruddy duck and feral wild boar, and black rats on Lundy Island.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Whitty on 11 October

There are currently no plans to estimate the cost of grey squirrel damage to either the community forests or other grant-aided planting schemes. It is accepted that grey squirrels may cause damage to such woodlands but any attempt to accurately estimate the cost of such damage is fraught with difficulty due to the large number of variable factors involved. For example, natural variations in squirrel populations can have an impact on damage levels, as can woodland management regimes. There is a great deal of uncertainty involved in predicting the value of the final crop, particularly the differential between prime quality and lower grade timber.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many proposals to include parcels of land were made by Ms Kate Ashbrook, board member of the Countryside Agency, at the draft map stage of the mapping consultation of area 1 under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000; how many of these were accepted and included in the provisional maps of area 1 by the agency; how many of these were subsequently overturned on appeal; in how many of these appeals costs were awarded against the agency; and at what cost. [HL480]

Ms Ashbrook submitted comments on 588 parcels in area 1. Eighty-four parcels on which she commented were added to the provisional map, although comments were also made by other people on 66 of these. Eleven parcels added to the provisional map following comments by Ms Ashbrook and others were the subject of successful appeals. Costs were awarded against the Countryside Agency in respect of two of these appeals. The agency paid the appellant's costs of £1,830.66 on one appeal, in the case of the other the appellant has claimed costs of £2,586.91 but the amount is still the subject of negotiation between the parties.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In light of the report that unemployment in Germany has now reached the level it was in 1932 due to increasing uncompetitiveness influenced by social on-costs, what steps they are taking to ensure that a similar situation does not arise in the United Kingdom. [HL573]

The United Kingdom has one of the strongest and flexible labour markets in the world. Continued macroeconomic stability combined with active labour market policies, providing appropriate help and support through programmes like the New Deal, have all contributed to historically low levels of unemployment.This has resulted in the United Kingdom achieving the best combination of employment and unemployment of the major industrialised countries with employment currently at its highest ever level at 28,440,000. Unemployment on the other hand is at its lowest level for nearly 30 years. Currently, the number of people unemployed on the ILO definition is 1.39 million. On the claimant count it is 833,200.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which cultural and heritage assets have been sold in the past seven years by (a) government departments; (b) agencies; and (c) non-departmental public bodies. [HL491]

Responsibility for asset management is primarily a matter for individual departments. Therefore, this information is not collected centrally. However, information on heritage assets is contained in the Biennial Conservation Report compiled by English Heritage's Government Historic Estates Unit. Some further information is contained in the National Asset Register published by HM Treasury in 2001. These reports are available in the Library of the House.

£ million
Year	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–00	2000–01
Sum	132.1	134.7	127.9	121.8	115.3	124.1	129.6
Year	2001–02	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06	2006–07	2007–08
Sum	117.6	119.6	118.3	121.5	122.0	121.6	119.3

asked Her Majesty's Government:What assurances were given by UK Sport to the International Cricket Council over tax exemptions for remaining within the United Kingdom. [HL526]

No assurances have been provided to the International Cricket Council (ICC) by UK Sport, or for that matter the Government, over the matter of tax exemptions.UK Sport did inform the ICC that an approach would be made to the Government on the matter of tax exemptions for international sports federations based in the UK.No promise or assurance was given to the ICC that such an approach would be successful.

asked Her Majesty's Government:For each of the past 10 years, what have been the total public funds (at 2004 prices) available to English Heritage; and what funds they plan to make available in each of the next three years. [HL532]

The grant-in-aid funding paid by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to English Heritage over the past 10 years and planned grant-inaid funding for the next three years, in 2004 prices, is as follows:distributed £5.2 million, in 2003–04 it distributed £3.8 million and in 2004–05 it is distributing £4.0 million. In 2004–05 the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister has also provided 100,000 towards the cost of a project led by English Heritage to support local authority capacity building.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will begin to take the necessary steps towards full United Kingdom membership of the European Monetary System. [HL558]

The Chancellor's statement to the House of Commons on 9 June 2003 set out a reform programme of concrete and practical steps to address policy requirements identified by the June assessment of the five economic tests. As the Chancellor said in Budget 2004, "while the Government does not propose a euro assessment be initiated at the time of this Budget, the Treasury will again review progress at Budget time next year".

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether all government ministries, departments, non-executive bodies and agencies in England and Wales have fully conformed to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 ensuring that disabled people can use their facilities; and, if not, why not. [HL107]

Individual departments, agencies and non-executive bodies are responsible for ensuring that their facilities are accessible to disabled people in compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Information on the approaches of individual bodies is not held centrally.