My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Derek Twigg) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

The Depleted Uranium Oversight Board (DUOB) was established in 2001 to oversee a screening programme for veterans of the 1991 Gulf conflict and subsequent Balkans operations concerned about possible exposure to depleted uranium. Testing based on the analysis of urine samples for trace quantities of uranium isotopes was offered between 2004 and 2006. A total of 496 applicants completed the test.

The final report of the DUOB is now available and can be accessed from the website www.duob.org.uk. The board was unable to achieve complete consensus on the interpretation and significance of the test results; however, no evidence of the excretion of depleted uranium was found in the urine of any of the test participants. According to mainstream scientific and medical opinion, this means that none had suffered an exposure to DU of sufficient magnitude likely to cause a risk to their health.

I welcome these findings and believe they will have provided valuable reassurance and peace of mind to the veterans concerned.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development has made the following Statement.

I represented the UK at the EU Development Ministers' informal meeting in Bonn on 12 to 13 March 2007.

The main discussion was on economic partnership agreements (EPAs) among key stakeholders, involving EU Development Ministers and 30 ministerial representatives from African, Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) states. Trade Commissioner, Peter Mandelson, and Development Commissioner, Louis Michel, represented the European Commission and explained where the negotiations had got to and what the Commission could offer, while emphasising the developmental importance of EPAs and the need for faster progress to meet the end-of-2007 deadline for agreement. Each ACP regional grouping reported on the state of play of the negotiations.

Supported by many others, the UK pressed for duty-free, quota-free market access for ACP products, more liberal rules of origin and lengthy transition periods for ACP partners. The ACP side expressed its strong commitment to the EPA negotiations and to the deadline but highlighted issues that needed to be resolved, including more aid for trade.

EU Development Ministers also discussed two issues being taken forward under the German EU presidency: energy and development, and division of labour. Ministers expressed broad support for a proposed EU-Africa partnership on energy, stressing the vital role of energy for Africa's economic and social development. The UK noted the challenge that access, energy security and climate change represent to the developing world and the importance of Europe taking a global leadership in addressing this. The May Development Council will agree steps to improve the effectiveness of aid by promoting a more sensible division of labour between donors.

In the margins of the informal, World Bank President, Paul Wolfowitz, and Dr Michael Otto spoke on investing in Africa. Discussion revolved around the need to enable Africa to show itself in a positive light and for donors, the private sector and the poor themselves to be further involved in stimulating the continent's growth.

Oliver Kamitatu, Minister of Planning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Roeland van der Geer, the EU Special Representative for the Great Lakes, spoke on the political, economic and social challenges presented by reconstruction in that region. UN Deputy Secretary-General, Asha-Rose Migiro, also spoke on the need for UN reform.

My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Gordon Brown) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

The Economic and Financial Affairs Council was held on 27 February in Brussels. The UK was represented by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Ed Balls. The items on the agenda were as follows:

Implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact

Stability and Convergence Programmes: ECOFIN adopted Council opinions on the stability programmes of Slovenia, Portugal, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Italy, Ireland, France and Germany, and on the convergence programmes of Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Sweden, Poland, Malta, Lithuania, Hungary, Greece, Finland, Estonia and Denmark.

Ministers held an exchange of views on the issues raised by the assessments. The president of the Council concluded that member states should continue to implement reforms to reduce structural deficits, avoid pro-cyclical expenditure and ensure the sustainability of public finances and the quality of expenditure.

Excessive Deficit Procedure: Ministers adopted a Council recommendation with a view to bringing to an end the excessive deficit in Poland. It recommended that the Polish authorities put an end to the present excessive deficit situation by 2007, reducing the general government deficit in a credible and sustainable manner.

The UK supports a prudent interpretation of the stability and growth pact (SGP), which takes into account the level of debt, the influence of the cycle and the level of public investment, and ensures that any recommendations reflect each member state's economic position.

Preparation of the European Council (8 to 9 March 2007)

ECOFIN discussed three issues in preparation for the spring European Council. These were:

Key Issues Paper: This discussion followed the orientation debate on the key issues paper at the last ECOFIN meeting. The key issues paper informs the spring European Council of ECOFIN Ministers’ priorities. The UK stressed the need for an energy policy for Europe based on careful assessment of the impact on cost-effectiveness, security and diversification of supply and subsidiarity, creating a positive framework for investment in the energy sector; the need to complete the single market and to further integrate European financial markets to enhance their efficiency and global competitiveness; the importance of long-term fiscal sustainability and supported ongoing work to combat fiscal fraud and harmful tax practices.

Updating the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines 2005-08: Ministers agreed the broad economic policy guidelines for the spring Council.

Reducing administrative burdens: ECOFIN agreed Council conclusions on reducing administrative burdens. The UK supports the conclusions, which include a 25 per cent target for the reduction of administrative burdens arising from EU legislation. The UK already has a domestic target to reduce administrative burdens by the same amount and will continue to press for a risk-based approach to European regulation.

General budget of the European Union

Discharge procedure in respect of the implementation of the budget for 2005: Council adopted conclusions recommending that the European Parliament grant discharge to the Commission on the EC's 2005 budget. The UK stressed the need to address the persistent inability of the Court of Auditors to give a positive statement of assurance on the budget and said that the Commission, member states and the court itself all had a role to play in this respect. The UK urged other member states to look at ways, compatible with their own institutional arrangements, to improve their management of EU funds at a national level, along the lines of the UK's initiative announced in November 2006.

Financial Services

Clearing and Settlement: Ministers agreed conclusions on target 2 securities, which establish issues of principle relevant to future decisions on target 2 securities, and received an update from the Commission on the implementation of the code of conduct. The UK stressed the importance of an open, transparent and market-led approach to clearing and settlement initiatives.

My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Gordon Brown) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

The Economic and Financial Affairs Council will be held on 27 March in Brussels. The items on the agenda are as follows:

Implementation of the Stability and Growth Pact

Stability and Convergence Programmes: Ministers will be invited to adopt Council opinions on the stability programmes of Belgium and Spain and on the convergence programmes of Latvia, Bulgaria and Romania. The UK supports a prudent interpretation of the SGP that takes account of country-specific factors, including debt sustainability, the economic cycle and public investment.

General Budget of the European Union

Council Priorities for the 2008 Budget: Ministers will be invited to adopt conclusions agreeing the Council's budget guidelines for the 2008 EC Budget. These guidelines are a set of broad principles designed to inform the subsequent and more detailed discussions on the level of appropriations required for the different areas of the budget. These guidelines reflect the UK's desire to see a greater emphasis on the principles of budgetary discipline and sound financial management in the establishment of the 2008 EC Budget. Through these principles, the Council has underlined the importance it attaches to compliance with the financial framework and the strict respect of the annual limits therein.

Progress Report on the Commission Action Plan towards an Integrated Internal Control Framework: Ministers will hear a presentation from Commissioner Almunia updating them on the European Commission's progress in implementing its action plan towards an integrated internal control framework. The UK Government support the Commission's efforts to improve financial management of the EU Budget and announced to Parliament on 20 November 2006 that the UK would take a lead in showing how member states could improve their own management of EU funds.

Financial Services

Directive on Prudential Assessment of Acquisitions in the Financial Sector: Ministers will be asked to approve text amending the supervisory review process for cross-border mergers and acquisitions in the financial services sector, as adopted by the European Parliament on 13 March, and thus to confirm political agreement on the directive. The UK welcomes moves to bring greater transparency to the supervisory approvals process.

Directive on Payment Services in the Internal Market: Ministers will be asked to discuss the presidency's proposal for harmonising the legal and technical provision of payment services across the EU, ahead of a vote in the European Parliament in April. The UK Government support a directive that encourages competition and innovation in a single market for payment services.

My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Paul Goggins) has made the following Ministerial Statement.

Copies of the Food Safety Promotion Board Annual Report 2005 incorporating financial statements for 2005 have been placed in the Libraries.

This document provides details of the Food Safety Promotion Board's activities, performance and expenditure to the end of 2005.

My honourable friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Ed Balls) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

My Written Statement of 26 January 2007 announced the terms of reference for the independent review of issuer liability that I invited Professor Paul Davies QC, Cassel Professor of Commercial Law at the London School of Economics, to carry out.

His discussion paper Liability for Misstatements to the Market is published today. It sets out his analysis of the problem and invites comments on the issues arising. Copies of the paper are available in the Library and can be downloaded from the HM Treasury website at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/davies.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Peter Hain) has made the following Ministerial Statement.

I have today placed in the Libraries papers relating to decisions that have been taken during the period 28 October 2006 to 1 March 2007 that relate to the North/South implementation bodies and Tourism Ireland Ltd under the terms of the exchange of notes of 19 November 2002 (Cmnd 5708).

Decisions taken from 28 October 2006 to 1 March 2007 that relate to the North/South implementation bodies and Tourism Ireland under the terms of the exchange of notes of 19 November 2002 (Cmnd 5708).

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Alistair Darling) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Further to the Statement that I made to the House on the financing framework for Royal Mail letters business on 8 February this year, I am pleased to confirm that this has now been completed and put in place. The legal documentation was finalised last Friday, 23 March, in line with the timetable I set out.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport (Douglas Alexander) has made the following Ministerial Statement.

I would like to update the House about the grants to increase walking to school that I announced on 22 November 2006. I have today placed in the House Libraries the grant determination under Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2003 in respect of this grant.

This Statement and the grant determination set out how the Department for Transport (DfT) intends to allocate the money for the first year, 2007-08.

Funds will go to 3,231 schools. The grant is targeted mainly at primary schools, and more than one in six primary schools across the country will receive the funding. A total of 1,903 schools will receive grants to start or significantly expand walking buses, and another 1,328 will receive grants to set up other walking initiatives. This new investment is expected to see the number of walking buses across England triple.

Funding in years two and three will be dependent on individual schools demonstrating that they have saved the required number of extra car trips and expecting to continue doing so.

These payments are being made as part of the Government's “Travelling to School” project to reduce car use for journeys to school. The DfT is providing the money and is working closely with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and the Department of Health to integrate walking buses and other walking initiatives into the “Healthy Schools” initiative and promote healthier lifestyles.

The grants will be paid through the DfES to local authorities (LAs) for onward transmission to the successful school through the DfES Standards Fund. This has been identified as the grant mechanism that is simplest to administer.

The grant determination sets out the amount each LA will receive. The amount distributed to each LA is based on the number of schools in their area that have made the required commitment and demonstrated a reasonable expectation of saving five return trips per school day for a walking bus, which will receive £1,000 a year. Other walking initiatives must save two and a half return trips on average and will receive £500 a year.

The required number of car trips to be saved is based on an assessment of the number needed to ensure that the scheme represents high value for money, taking account of the environmental, health and other benefits from the walking buses and other walking initiatives.

I am also placing in the Libraries of the House an Explanatory Note, setting out the list of schools that will receive the grants.

My right honourable friend the Paymaster General (Dawn Primarolo) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

I have today set the following key performance indicators for the Valuation Office Agency for 2007-08:

Customer satisfaction

To achieve overall customer satisfaction of 88 per cent.

Operations

Contain reductions in the 2005 rating lists to a maximum of 4.2 per cent of the total compiled list rateable value, over the entire life of the lists.

Enable prompt issue of correct bills by local authorities through clearance of rating reports within an average of 18 working days and council tax reports within an average of 14 days (England) and 16 days (Wales).

Ensure that 96 per cent of new council tax bandings are right first time.

Enable prompt issue of tax assessments by clearing all HMRC initial appraisal cases for inheritance tax within an average of eight days and for capital gains tax within an average of 12 days.

People

All staff to have the core skills and competencies for their role within six months of taking up post.

Value for Money

To improve productivity by 3 per cent in 2007-08¹.

To improve value for money on inheritance tax work by 5 per cent.

¹ Work undertaken in local taxation network and excludes rating appeal and other associated work

My honourable friend the Minister of State for Science and Innovation (Malcolm Wicks) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

Producer responsibility under the UK WEEE regulations will begin from 1 July 2007. Non-statutory guidance to assist businesses affected by the regulations to understand their obligations and identify the most appropriate method to discharge them was published in February 2007. This document will be reviewed and amended regularly to ensure clarity in the light of experience.

In the early part of 2007 the DTI held a series of roadshows for producers and distributors across the UK. In addition, the environment authorities arranged seminars for prospective producer compliance schemes and the distributor take-back scheme (DTS) operator held workshops to raise awareness of the opportunities that the regulations offer local authorities. This awareness-raising activity was supplemented by a number of placed articles and features in the trade press.

It is encouraging to see the active engagement of all affected parties involved. For example:

the environment authorities in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have approved 37 producer compliance schemes to help producers of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) to discharge their obligations under the regulations;

there is evidence of increased investment by the waste management and treatment sector to increase the existing capacity to deal with WEEE as it arises; and

distributors and local authorities are working with the DTS operator to develop a network of designated collection facilities using the existing local authority waste collection infrastructure.

A public awareness campaign will begin in the coming months to inform consumers of the regulations and the positive role they can play in ensuring WEEE is separately collected, treated and reprocessed to the standards required by the regulations to secure the environmental benefits the WEEE system will offer.

At the time of laying the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2006 (SI 3289), the Government indicated that they were considering introducing partial producer responsibility from 1 April 2007. However, following extensive discussions with industry, the Government have decided not to take this forward.

Officials in my department will continue direct dialogue with trade associations and other representative bodies to ensure that a practical, effective and workable WEEE system is established in the UK.