To ask the Attorney-General when the Director of Public Prosecutions will publish her annual report. [52517]

The Director of Public Prosecutions has today published her annual report and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the role of Government lawyers in England and Wales. [52368]

Lawyers employed by the Government have a central role in assisting Ministers in the discharge of their functions. They are civil servants, and are accountable to Ministers, but nevertheless they are professionally independent and have responsibilities to the Courts and their professional bodies. In recognition of the special nature of the work of Government lawyers, and in consultation with the Treasury Solicitor, I have decided to publish a Guidance Note concerning their role.The Note provides guidance to Government lawyers as to:

To ask the Attorney-General if he will list for (a) his Department and (b) bodies listed in the National Asset Register, how many vehicles are currently (i) owned and (ii) leased; if he will indicate their (A) fuel types and (B) engine cubic capacities; and how many vehicles are expected to fall due for replacement in each of the years (1) 1998–99, (2) 1999–2000 and (3) 2000–01. [49225]

[holding answer 6 July 1998]: This answer covers the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department (and the Government Property Lawyers Agency), the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's average response time to correspondence from members of the public; and how such response times are monitored. [48665]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service, on 14 July 1998, Official Report, column 159.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what target his Department sets for the maximum time to respond to letters from hon. Members; what proportion of letters meets that target; and what is the average time taken to respond to a letter from an hon. Member. [49847]

[holding answer 13 July 1998]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July 1998, Official Report, column 1.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current security classifications of the newsletter produced for the staff of (a) the Army Base Storage and Distribution Agency, (b) the Army Training and Recruiting Agency and (c) the Defence Codification Agency; how often each newsletter is produced; and when each newsletter was first produced. [51133]

This is a matter for the Chief Executives of the Agencies concerned. I have asked them to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the proceeds of asset sales by his Department have been offset against the estimates of total defence spending published in paragraph 197 of the Strategic Defence Review; [50845](2) what are the assumed receipts from asset sales by his Department in each of the years 1998–99 to 2001–02; [50844](3) if the figures in paragraph 197 of the Strategic Defence Review for total defence spending reflect the deduction of the proceeds of asset sales. [50846]

[holding answer 20 July 1998]: The future provision for defence, set out in paragraph 197 of the Strategic Defence Review White Paper, reflects forecast receipts from a continuing programme of asset sales. This includes defence estate disposals, receipts from which should exceed £700 million over the next four years. Additional one-off receipts are expected to be available in 2001–02. Details of assumed receipts form part of my Department's internal plans: these represent projections and assumptions which inform advice to Ministers on the affordability of the defence programme. Accordingly, I am withholding the information requested under exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the Joint Defence Centre will be co-located with the Joint Services Command and Staff College; [51300](2) if

[holding answer 20 July 1998]: Following the Strategic Defence Review (Cm 3999) I have established a study team to consider the detailed responsibilities, organisation, location, resources and costs associated with the formation of a Joint Defence Centre. The team is due to report at the end of the year. It would be premature to comment in advance of their findings.The work of the Joint Defence Centre will be overseen at the highest level; detailed arrangements for the command and management of the centre are also being examined by the study team.I intend that the Joint Defence Centre will be central to development of our joint Service vision and integral to our strategic planning process. As such I place greatest emphasis on the experience and calibre of those appointed to command and staff the centre, as I would for any officer holding a key joint appointment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the projected cost of the construction of the Joint Services Command and Staff College at Shrivenham. [51298]

[holding answer 20 July 1998]: Defence Management (Watchfield) Ltd. is contracted to provide a complete service in support of the teaching and accommodation facilities at the JSCSC at Watchfield, for which it will be paid a monthly service charge on the basis of usage. The Net Present Value of the payments is assessed to be about £200M over the 30 year contract period. My Department does not make a specific payment to cover construction costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received concerning the future of RAF Northolt; and if he will list them. [51755]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Pound) on 18 July 1998, Official Report, column 264.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies his Department has (a) made and (b) evaluated relating to the use of RAF Northolt as a possible feeder or reliever airport for Heathrow Airport. [51201]

The Ministry of Defence has neither undertaken nor evaluated any studies relating to the use of RAF Northolt as a possible feeder or reliever airport for Heathrow Airport.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flights other than RAF flights have used RAF Northolt in the last five years; and if he will list them by category. [51203]

The information that my hon. Friend requested for the period 1993 to 1997 is set out in the tables. The figures shown are the number of movements, where one movement is defined as an aircraft either landing or taking off. Until 1995 information was collated only in terms of military and civil movements as shown in the first table. Since 1996, military movements at RAF Northolt have been further sub-categorised as RAF, other military, or civil aircraft on Government business. This more detailed classification is reflected in the second table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what projections his Department have made of the use by general aviation traffic of RAF Northolt airport in the next three years. [51202]

None. It is current Ministry of Defence policy to limit use at RAF Northolt to 7,000 civil movements per annum. In addition, the Ministry of Defence has limited opening hours to between 8am and 8pm on weekdays with weekend use permitted only when the station is open for operational reasons. Furthermore, only quieter aircraft which have a maximum capacity of 30 passengers are allowed to use Northolt.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects a decision to be made on the future of RAF Northolt. [51754]

Early proposals on the future of RAF Northolt are highly unlikely. There are several strands of work currently under way which must be taken into account. Firstly, the Ministry of Defence is drawing up a strategic development plan for the defence estate in the Greater London area, which will include RAF Northolt. In addition, there is work which has been set in hand by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on business aviation in the south-east. Finally, the Integrated Transport White Paper published on 20 July 1998 provides a framework for further work on airports policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial assistance is available from his Department to help in the cost of a person visiting a war grave in a European war grave cemetery. [51241]

Since 1985, the Royal British Legion have operated the War Widows Pilgrimage Scheme on behalf of the Ministry of Defence to provide financial assistance to any Service widow, whose husband died and was buried overseas between 1914 and 1967, to visit the grave.The Scheme, which entitles any Service widow to make one visit to the grave, is funded by a Grant-in-Aid from the Defence Budget which contributes ⅞ of the cost of a pilgrimage; the remaining ⅛ of the cost is borne by the widow. There are no plans to expand the Scheme to include other family members.As I announced in the House of Commons on 5 May 1998,

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the nature of the contracts between the Nuclear Accident Response Organisation and the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency; how much each contract is worth; how long each contract lasts; and when each was signed. [46821]

The single contract between the HQ Nuclear Accident Response Organisation and the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency is for the provision of radiological protection services. The contract is renewed annually, runs between 1 April and 31 March and is worth around £75,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of currently available space for storage of radioactive waste is currently used; and what percentage he estimates will be used by (a) 1 April 2000, (b) 1 April 2005 and (c) 1 April 2010. [51154]

[holding answer 20 July 1998]: I am satisfied that there is sufficient storage space to accommodate safely all my Department's radioactive wastes beyond 2010. Details of my Department's radioactive waste arisings at 1994 are publicly available in the most recent NIREX inventory.Details about the anticipated percentage usage of the available storage capacity for the dates 1 April 2000, 1 April 2005 and 1 April 2010 are dependent on future decisions about the timing of decommissioning of facilities and the remediation of sites.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Sri Lankan military officers are currently being taught at United Kingdom educational establishments, including military colleges; which institutions they are attending; and how many are at each institution. [51798]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance has been given to the Government of Sri Lanka to establish their Army Staff College; and if any British personnel are attached to the college. [51800]

A Short Term Training Team comprising 2 Lieutenant Colonels visited Sri Lanka between 8 September and 21 December 1997 to assist in the establishment of the country's Army Staff College. Since the beginning of this year, one Colonel has served as an instructor at the Sri Lankan Army Staff College.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 July 1998, Official Report, column 659, on the Bilderberg meeting at Turnberry, if he will list the main topics discussed at the meeting and place copies of (a) the agenda and (b) the minutes of the meeting in the Library. [51550]

I have no Ministerial responsibility for the agenda or production of a record of the Bilderberg meeting which I attended in May this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what are the Government's plans for the future of Kneller Hall; and what recent discussions have taken place on this subject; [51598](2) if he will make a statement on the Royal Military School of Music's future occupancy of Kneller Hall. [51600]

There have been no recent discussions on the Royal Military School of Music's future occupancy of Kneller Hall. The Government currently have no plans to move the school from its present site. More widely, Kneller Hall is one of the sites to be considered by the Greater London Strategic Development Plan. This study flows from the Strategic Defence Review and has the objective of identifying opportunities to meet defence estate requirements in the most cost effective manner. A report will be produced at the end of the year and full consultation will take place before we reach any final decisions on those sites that may be affected.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will announce to Parliament the results of his review of death sentences carried out in the Great War prior to the 80th anniversary of the Armistice on 11 November 1999. [51860]

I hope to make an announcement shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 June 1998, Official Report, column 440; what were the export control categories of the items which went with the Hawk aircraft; how many items of each equipment category went; and if the licences for any of those items were granted after May 1997. [49412]

I have been asked to reply.As my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence said on 8 June 1998,

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes he proposes to make to the arrangements for overseas domestic workers who accompany their employers to the United Kingdom. [52283]

We have been concerned for some time at reports of abuse of domestic workers accompanying their employers to the United Kingdom. We have been working with Kalayaan, the organisation which represents overseas domestic workers, to see what changes we could make to the conditions under which they are admitted, with a view to improving them and preventing abuse.With effect from today, only those domestic workers whose duties exceed those set down in the International Labour Organisation' s International Standard Classification of Occupations will be allowed to accompany their employer to the United Kingdom. This means that those whose duties are only cleaning, washing and cooking will not qualify. Once in the United Kingdom, they will be allowed to change domestic employment to another employer, provided the nature of their duties meets the above criteria.These changes, which we shall include in the Immigration Rules at a suitable opportunity, will reduce the number of overseas domestic workers admitted to the United Kingdom. However, once here, they will be able to change to another employer if they suffer abuse from their original employer. We also propose to regularise the stay of those overseas domestic workers who, because of the shortcomings of the provisions in the past, find themselves in an irregular position through no fault of their own.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will lay before Parliament the ninth Annual report of the Firearms Consultative Committee. [52417]

I have placed in the Library today a copy of the annual report of the Firearms Consultative Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will lay before Parliament the Annual Report for the Forensic Science Service. [52418]

I have today laid before Parliament copies of the Forensic Science Service (FSS) Annual Report and Accounts for 1997–98.The Report and Accounts details the Agency's performance against its targets. The FSS continues to grow at a significant pace, and efficiency savings are at the highest level since it became an agency in 1991. The FSS passes on these improvements to customers through

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the certified normal accommodation for each prison in England and Wales (a) in 1998 and (b) for each of the next seven years. [51404]

The table lists the 1997–98 actual financial year averages and the 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01 forecast averages of certified normal accommodation (CNA) for each prison in England and Wales. There are no changes forecast to CNA beyond March 2002, although plans are currently under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the grants and awards that require bids from applicants which his Department is responsible for administering and awarding (a) nationally and (b) that people and groups within Wakefield Metropolitan District are eligible to bid for; if he will publish the deadlines for these applications; and if he will produce this list on a regular basis. [51273]

The information requested in respect of grants and awards directly administered by the Home Office is given in the table.The Home Office wants its grant and awards programmes to reach as many potential applicants as possible and uses a variety of national and local media outlets, plus its network of contacts, to ensure that this is achieved. I have no plans to produce an aggregated list of these programmes regularly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of recorded incidents involving the use of CS gas as a criminal weapon for the most recent five years for which records are available. [51392]

The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Statistics of the use of firearms in crime are reported by police forces to the Home Office Research and Statistics Directorate broken down into five categories: air weapons; handguns; rifles; shotguns; and other weapons. The 'others' category usually involves the use of some form of prohibited weapons. To provide the detailed information requested would require a manual search of all the returns provided by forces for each of the last five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what level of special grant to Lancashire Constabulary has been authorised to assist with the cost of policing at the Labour Party Conference in 1998; and how the level was calculated; [51396](2) what representations he has received from Lancashire Constabulary on the cost of policing the Labour Party Conference in Blackpool in 1998; [51395](3) what charges have been levied by Lancashire Constabulary on political parties to meet the costs of policing party conferences in each year since 1995. [51403]

There is no question of any police force levying a charge on political parties to meet the costs of policing a national conference. The power to assist with these costs is quite recent, having been provided for in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.The power to pay special grant to police authorities for the policing of party conferences was set out in the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994. No clear criteria for payment was set down, but we are now trying to develop an appropriate and coherent approach.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public funds have been made available to political parties to assist with the cost of (a) the policing and (b) other security measures at party conferences in Blackpool in (i) 1996, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 1998. [51402]

(a) No public funds have been paid to political parties in respect of policing costs at party conferences.

• (b)
• 1996: £529,000.00
• 1997: £575,268.92
• 1998: None as yet.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for British nationality are currently outstanding. [51538]

As at 30 June 1998, there were approximately 95,500 applications awaiting determination.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents have involved armed officers of the Metropolitan Police in the Greater London area in each of the last three years. [51540]

The Commissioner tells me that the number of incidents involving armed officers in the Metropolitan Police District is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of drug related deaths in prisons in England and Wales in each of the last five years. [51541]

The information requested is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of shootings with handguns have been reported since their possession was made illegal; and how many were reported over the last similar period before the ban was introduced. [51654]

The Criminal Statistics are collected and published on a yearly basis to 31 December. The figures for the year ending 31 December 1997 are not yet available. Because of this, it is not yet possible to provide the information requested. In the year ending 31 December 1996, there were 2,956 notifiable offences recorded by the police in which handguns were reported to have been used.The Firearms (Amendment) Acts 1997 were passed in order to ensure as far as possible that the terrible events which took place at Dunblane Primary School on 13 March 1996 would never be repeated.The legislation was not intended specifically to reduce the use of handguns in crime. Nevertheless, the legislation will mean that the several hundred handguns misappropriated from private homes and cars each year will no longer be available to swell the number of illegally held weapons.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the planned date for the introduction of the integrated caseworking system in the Immigration and Nationality Department; what problems have been encountered in relation to the supporting technology and software for the system; what was the original estimated cost of introducing the system; what is the revised estimated cost of introduction; and if he will make a statement. [51601]

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 22 January 1998, Official Report, column 633, and to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison) on 21 July 1998, Official Report, column 436. I have undertaken to write to both hon. Members when the timetable for the introduction of the system is known. The resolution of the technical difficulties which have caused the delay is a matter for the service provider, Siemens Business Services (SBS). Under the Private Finance Initiative contract, the costs of introducing the system fall to SBS. After the system is introduced, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate will pay a scale of service charges calculated in relation to the level of improvement in efficiency actually achieved.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are currently held at HMP Wormwood Scrubs following their conviction for offences contrary to (a) Section 1 of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981 and (b) Section 3 of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981. [51604]

The information requested could be obtained only by examining individual prisoners records at the prison, which would involve disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were arrested at (a) Heathrow airport and (b) other United Kingdom airports for offences contrary to (i) Section 1 of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981 or (ii) Section 3 of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981, in (1) 1995–96, (2) 1996–97 and (3) 1997–98. [51603]

This information is not normally collected centrally. However the Metropolitan police have been able to provide information on persons accused—that is, a count of persons arrested and subsequently proceeded against. The information relates to persons accused in the Heathrow division of attempting to commit a notifiable offence and those accused under sections 3 and 4 of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981. The information is given in the table.To obtain similar information from all police forces which have an airport located in their area would incur disproportionate cost, since manual searches through individual records would be required.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what projections have been made of the number of asylum applications to be (a) determined and

I would ask the hon. Member to await the major announcement my right hon. Friend shall be making on immigration and asylum next week.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the immigration-related applications for leave to move for judicial review in 1996–97 were (a) asylum-related and (b) non-asylum related. [51611]

Of the 1,830 immigration related applications for leave to move for judicial review lodged in the financial year 1996–97, it is estimated that 70 per cent. related to applications for asylum and the remaining 30 per cent. to other non-asylum cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many non-asylum immigration appeals have been (a) received by his Department, (b) sent to the Immigration Appeals Authority and (c) determined by the Immigration Appeals Authority in each month of 1998; and how many such appeals are currently awaiting hearing by adjudicators of the Immigration Appeals Authority; [51613](2) how many appeals against a refusal of asylum have been

The information requested in points (a),(b) and (c), relating to asylum and non-asylum appeals is given in the table.As regards appeals awaiting hearing, the Immigration Appellate Authority reports that, at the end of June 1998, there was a total of 26,670 adjudicator cases outstanding. Of these, 20,870 related to applications for asylum and 5,800 to other immigration matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum were determined by his Department in each month of 1998; and with what result. [51605]

The information requested is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the reasons for the adjournment of asylum and immigration appeals. [51609]

None. It is a matter for the Immigration Appellate Authority to decide whether an appeal should be adjourned. Adjournments may be requested by the appellant or the respondent, or initiated by the Authority itself.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what access the South Wales fire authority has had to the reports and assessments made available to his Department by Her Majesty's Inspector of Fire Services on the proposed closures of the Bargoed Fire Station; [52017](2) if he will list those to whom his Department has sent Her Majesty's Inspector of Fire Services' report on the proposed closure of the Bargoed Fire Station. [52016]

Such reports have not been made available outside the Home Office.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his letter to the hon. Member for Linlithgow of 23 June, if he will list the long-standing differences to which he refers between the European Union and the United States over US sanctions under the Iran Libya Sanctions Act; and what is his estimate of the time scale for Libya complying with UN resolutions. [51525]

The long-standing differences between the European Union and the United States to which I referred related to secondary boycotts and legislation with extraterritorial or retroactive effect. The agreement at the EU/US Summit of 18 May has laid the basis for resolving these differences, specifically those over the Iran Libya Sanctions Act and the Helms Burton legislation on Cuba.The time scale for Libyan compliance with UN Security Council resolutions is in Libya's hands. We continue to press them to fulfil their obligations. UN sanctions will remain until they do.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 17 July 1998, Official Report, column 315, if he will list the dates of appointment of the 10 longest serving Lord-Lieutenants. [52010]

The answer is as follows:

Sir Thomas Dunne KCVO—appointed 14 June 1977 as Lord-Lieutenant of Hereford and Worcester, and as Lord-Lieutenant for the separate counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire on the formation of those counties on 1 April 1998.

His Grace the Duke of Buccleuch and Queensbury KT VRD—appointed 18 June 1974.

The Earl of Leven and Melville—appointed 21 July 1969.

The Viscount of Arbuthnott KT CBE DSC FRSE—appointed 31 January 1977.

Sir Richard Hanbury Tenison KCVO—appointed 9 June 1979.

Colonel Sir Michael McCorkell KCVO OBE TD—appointed 15 May 1975.

The Right Honourable Lord Kingdown KG—appointed 31 July 1982.

Sir David Mansel Lewis KCVO JP BA—appointed 14 February 1979.

Sir Timothy Colman KG—appointed 19 March 1978.

Lieutenant Colonel James Stirling of Garden CBE TD—appointed 14 December 1983.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 20 July 1998, Official Report, column 389, (1) how many telephone calls were made by Roger Liddle from No. 10 Downing Street to (a) Derek Draper and (b) GPC Market Access in the four weeks prior to 24 June; [51908](2) if he will list the telephone calls made by Roger Liddle to newspaper reporters on 25 June. [51909]

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to him on 14 July 1998, Official Report, column 94.In this context, outside organisations obviously includes newspaper reporters.

To ask the Prime Minister when the annual report of the Commissioner appointed under the Intelligence Services Act 1994 will be laid before the House; and if he will make a statement. [52369]

A copy of Lord Justice Stuart-Smith's annual report, for 1997, has been laid before the House today in accordance with section 8(6) of the Intelligence Services Act 1994. The confidential annexe to the report has been excluded from that copy in accordance with section of 8(7) of the 1994 Act. I am grateful to the Commissioner for his work in reviewing the issue of warrants and authorisations, and in providing assistance to the Tribunal as provided for in the Act.

To ask the Prime Minister when the annual report of the Commissioner appointed under the Security Service Act 1989 will be laid before the House; and if he will make a statement. [52370]

A copy of Lord Justice Stuart-Smith's eighth annual report, for 1997, has been laid before the House today in accordance with section 4(6) of the Security Service Act 1989. The confidential annexe to the report has been excluded from that copy in accordance with section 4(7) of the 1989 Act and in line with the Commissioner's recommendation. I am grateful to the Commissioner for his work in providing assistance to the Tribunal which operates under the Act and for reviewing the issue of warrants under the Intelligence Services Act 1994.

To ask the Prime Minister when the annual report of the Commissioner appointed under section 8(1) of the Interception of Communications Act 1985 will be laid before the House; and if he will make a statement. [52371]

A copy of Lord Nolan's annual report for 1997 has been laid before the House today in accordance with section 8(7) of the Interception of Communications Act 1985. The confidential annexe to the report has been excluded from that copy in accordance with section 8(8) of the 1985 Act in accordance with the Commissioner's recommendations. I am grateful to the Commissioner for his work in reviewing the issue of warrants during the year. I note in particular the