To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the net change in each year since May 1997 in the number of forms issued by his Department which (a) charities and (b) other voluntary organisations are required to complete. [123943]

My Department has not issued any forms to charities or voluntary bodies since 1 July 1999, when devolution took effect. Collecting information for the period before 1 July 1999 would incur disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on (a) the effectiveness of his Department's no-smoking policy and (b) the proportion of his Department's offices that do not allow smoking. [125168]

My Department's policy operates effectively, with two smoking rooms provided in Dover House and at 1 Melville crescent, Edinburgh, and access to smoking rooms in two other buildings shared with the Scottish Executive.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place copies of the results of all market and opinion research carried out by his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies since May 1997, in the Library. [123807]

[holding answer 25 May 2000]: In order to help to ensure that proposed policy or public information initiatives are effective and represent best value for public money, my Department commissions various research exercises every year.Decisions on whether to publish the results of each research project, or place a copy in the House of Commons Library are taken on a case-by-case basis. Some research reports contain commercially confidential information.However, copies of the results of most quantitative research reports are available on request and my Department will compile a summary list of research projects to be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the opinion research projects undertaken on behalf of his Department in the financial year 1999–2000, broken down by (a) focus group research, (b) quantitative surveys and (c) other market research surveys; and in each case, when and where the results were published. [124631]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the opinion research projects undertaken on behalf of his Department in the financial year 1999–2000, broken down by (a) focus group research, (b) quantitative surveys and (c) other market research surveys; and, in each case, when and where the results were published. [125460]

In order to help to ensure that proposed new policy or communication initiatives are informed, effective, and represent best value for public money, my Department commissions various research exercises every year. Those falling within financial year 1999–2000, together with their costs, are listed below. These are either quantitative or qualitative (sometimes referred to as focus group research).

Research linked to information campaigns
Road Safety
Road Safety campaign tracking research	Quantitative
Summer Drink Drive campaign research	Qualitative
Millennium Drink-Drive campaign research	Qualitative
Child Road Safety campaign tracking research	Quantitative
Young Highway Code campaign research	Qualitative
Cycle Smart campaign	Qualitative
Portrayal of driving in advertising	Qualitative
'Think' road safety campaign—development	Qualitative
'Think' road safety campaign—launch survey	Quantitative
Environment
'Are You Doing Your Bit' campaign tracking	Quantitative
Communicating with local government	Qualitative
Communicating with local government	Quantitative
Water usage omnibus research	Quantitative
Bio-diversity awareness	Qualitative
Greater London Authority campaign creative research	Qualitative
'Are You Doing Your Bit' campaign creative research	Qualitative
Other research
Effects of aircraft noise on sleep patterns	Qualitative/Quantitative
S. E. Manchester multi-modal study	Qualitative
Hastings multi-modal study	Qualitative
Cambridge to Huntingdon multi-modal study	Qualitative
British Social Attitudes Survey (transport)	Quantitative
British Social Attitudes Survey (housing)	Quantitative
Social housing tenants attitudes and reactions to rent levels and rent differentials	Quantitative
Large Scale Voluntary Transfers—the role of the independent adviser	Quantitative
Views on LSVT process post-transfer	Quantitative
ONS omnibus survey—house price expectations	Quantitative
ONS omnibus survey—single regeneration budget monitoring	Qualitative
Drinking water quality—public perceptions in 2000	Qualitative/Quantitative
Citizens' attitudes towards local government	Qualitative/Quantitative

Research linked to information campaigns
Attitudes of business towards local government	Qualitative/Quantitative
Revenue grant distribution system: Research on local government perspectives	Qualitative/Quantitative
Improving DVO Agency services	Qualitative/Quantitative
Transport Interchange Phase 2	Qualitative
Customers Experiences of Planning Appeals	Qualitative

The decision on whether to publish the results is taken on a case-by-case basis. Some research reports contain commercially confidential information. However, copies of most quantitative research reports are available on request, and my Department will compile a list of research projects to be placed in the House Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much his Department spent on opinion research in the financial year 1999–2000. [124632]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much his Department spent on opinion research in the financial year 1999–2000. [125475]

In order to help to ensure that proposed new policy or communication initiatives are informed, effective, and represent best value for public money, my Department commissions various research exercises every year. Those falling within financial year 1999–2000, together with their costs, are as follows:

Research linked to information campaigns
Research		£
Road Safety
Road Safety campaign monthly tracking research	Quantitative	154,818
Summer Drink Drive campaign research	Qualitative	10,763
Millennium Drink-Drive campaign research	Qualitative	17,466
Child Road Safety campaign tracking research	Quantitative	6,286
Young Highway Code campaign research	Qualitative	17,907
Cycle Smart campaign	Qualitative	25,250
Portrayal of driving in advertising	Qualitative	28,012
'Think' road safety-development/launch survey	Qualitative	19,135
	Qualitative
Environment
'Are You Doing Your Bit' campaign tracking	Quantitative	274,421
Communicating with local government	Qual/quant	70,500
Water usage omnibus research	Quantitative	7,631
Biodiversity awareness	Qualitative	9,984
Quality mark scheme research	Qualitative	36,155
GLA campaign creative research	Qualitative	43,096
'Are You Doing Your Bit' creative research	Qualitative	52,664
GLA communication materials research	Qualitative	34,685
Other research
Effects of aircraft noise on sleep patterns	Qual/quan	140,000
S. E. Manchester multi-modal study	Qualitative	12,000
Hastings multi-modal study	Qualitative	9,000

Research linked to information campaigns
Research		£
Cambridge to Huntingdon multi-modal study	Qualitative	4,000
British Social Attitudes Survey (transport)	Quantitative	28,000
British Social Attitudes Survey (housing)	Quantitative	44,500
Social housing tenants attitudes and reactions to rent levels and rent differentials	Quantitative	100,000
Large Scale Voluntary Transfers—the role of the independent adviser	Quantitative	62,210
Views on LSVT process post-transfer	Quantitative	81,050
ONS omnibus survey—house price expectations	Quantitative	6,075
ONS omnibus survey—single regeneration budget monitoring	Qualitative	57,600
Drinking water quality—public perceptions in 2000	Qual/quan	43,727
Improving DVO Agency services	Qual/quan	62,380
Citizens' attitudes towards local government	Qual/quan	180,546
Attitudes of business towards local government	Qual/quan	76,400
Revenue grant distribution system: research on
Local government perspectives	Qual/quan	95,635
Customers' experiences of planning appeals	Qualitative	11,000
Transport Interchange Phase 2	Qualitative	30,000

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with the management of Connex South Central rail company on the reduced service level from Wandsworth Common Station to Victoria; and if he will make a statement. [124698]

I have had no discussions with the train operator about this matter, but the Franchising Director is monitoring the situation. He has agreed an emergency timetable with Connex as a rest-day working ban by drivers has meant that the original timetable could not be met. While this is a far from ideal situation, the Franchising Director agreed that it is in passengers' interests to have information on which services will run and which are cancelled. Connex are currently recruiting more drivers and services will be re-introduced as they complete their training.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the reasons for the elimination of South West Trains from the competition process for the Connex South Central franchise. [125605]

The shortlisted counterparties for a replacement South Central franchise were selected following the Franchising Director's evaluation of their initial proposals against the criteria given to him by the Deputy Prime Minister in his Instructions and Guidance of September 1999. In summary these are: commitment to secure better performance and customer services; the extent to which extra or earlier investment can be secured; the extent to which passengers will be given a greater voice in the level and standard of services; and value for money to the taxpayer. The Franchising Director has outlined in further detail the criteria for evaluating bids in his Outline Guide to Franchise Replacement of 25 May.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what directions he has given to the Environment Agency about increasing the proportion of its staff recruited from ethnic minorities; and how many board members of the agency are from ethnic minorities. [124795]

No direction has been given to the Environment Agency, by the DETR, about increasing the proportion of its staff recruited from ethnic minorities. However, the Environment Agency does have its own Diversity Policy and statement and it is widening its links with ethnic organisations.None of the current Environment Agency board members are from an ethnic minority background. However, the DETR is taking rigorous action as part of its current equal opportunities plan for public appointments, to appoint more people from this group to the boards of public bodies as a whole. Currently 5.8 per cent. of all appointments are filled by people from ethnic minorities against the Department's present end-2000 target of 6 per cent..

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to improve the accuracy of measures of a vehicle's emissions as part of the MOT test; and if he will make a statement. [124942]

The Department intends to commence further research later this year on the effectiveness of catalyst testing and to determine whether the diesel smoke test may need to be changed to enable better testing of low-smoke emission diesels. The projects are due to be completed in phases and we will be reviewing emerging findings as they progress. Additionally, the Vehicle Inspectorate has undertaken a comprehensive programme of re-training for MOT testers to ensure that they are able to carry out testing more consistently and to the standard required.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce his decision on the planning application for the Stone Lodge Leisure Complex in Dartford. [124935]

To progress with the Stone Lodge application it was necessary to seek further representations from the parties on the question of need for the proposed facilities. We have now analysed these responses and we will be informing all the parties of the outcome very soon.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many local authorities granted relief under the Local Government Act 1988 in each year since 1990–91. [125070]

Every billing authority in each year specified granted at least one of the reliefs under the Local Government Act 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the amount of hardship relief granted under the Local Government Act 1988 in England in each year since 1990–91. [125069]

The information requested on the amount of hardship relief granted under the Local Government Act 1988 in each year since 1990–91, is shown in the table.

£
Year	Amount
1990–91	23,941
1991–92	139,908
1992–93	758,026
1993–94	1,438,306
1994–95	1,734,622
1995–96	2,041,549
1996–97	1,972,004
1997–98	2,238,775
1998–991	1,848,208
1 The figure for 1998–99 is still subject to audit approval

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 22 May 2000, Official Report, column 323W, on road accidents, how many fatalities due to road accidents there have been on the A40 over the last three years (a) in total and (b) between Witney and Oxford. [124420]

[holding answer 7 June 2000]: The following numbers of fatalities occurred on the total length of the A40 in the last three years for which national records are available: 27 in 1996, 28 in 1997 and 25 in 1998. On the single carriageway section of the A40, between the Wolvercote roundabout in Oxford and the eastern end of the Witney bypass at Hill Farm, there were two in 1996, three in 1997 and none in 1998.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what changes have been made in the authorisation of releases from the Byker Heat Station, Newcastle over the years of its operation; and at whose request the changes were made. [125138]

The following changes have been made in the authorisation of releases:

Variation AJ3042: Changes made 15 July 1993 by HMIP.

Condition 1.1.2—Added wood chip as a permitted fuel.

Condition 5.1.10—Specified the composition of wood chip fuel.

Variation AJ6955: Changes made 27 September 1993 by HMIP.

Variation at request of operator.

New conditions relating to the visibility of the plume were added.

Variation AN2927: Changes made by HMIP 31 December 1995.

Variation at request of operator.

Condition 5.1.10—specified that spent ash and lime shall only be discharged via skips.

In addition a number of changes have been made to the requirements to report releases.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the unquantified toxic releases to air in the 1995 incident at the Byker Heat Station posed a risk to health; what area may have been affected by this release; and if (a) the regulator required and (b) the operator undertook an investigation as to the possible health effects to workers at the site and nearby residents. [125140]

There is no evidence to suggest that the incident in 1995 posed a risk to health. Analysis of the incident in question suggested that a lower mass probably was released than in an equivalent period of normal operation. However, a precise estimation of distribution effects would be impracticable.The Agency did not require the operator to conduct an investigation into possible health effects and is not aware of such an investigation being conducted by the operator.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what conclusions he has reached following the consultation exercise on the detailed arrangements for strategic planning in London; and if he will make a statement. [125732]

The Mayor of London will assume responsibility for strategic planning matters in the capital on 3 July 2000. The main elements and principles of the new planning arrangements are incorporated in the Greater London Authority Act 1999. In January the Government issued, for consultation, a draft circular and statutory instruments setting out detailed aspects of the new arrangements. A copy of the consultation responses has been placed in the Library of each House of Parliament and is also available for inspection at the Government Office for London.Following careful consideration of the responses received, we have decided that no significant changes are needed to the detailed arrangements, but some revisions have been made, mainly to provide additional clarification of the Governments proposals.I am pleased to announce that the Town and Country Planning (London Spatial Development Strategy) Regulations 2000 and the Town and Country Planning (Mayor of London) Order 2000 have been laid in both Houses of Parliament. Both the Regulations and the Order will come into force on 3 July.I am also pleased to announce the publication of the Government Office for London Circular 1/2000 "Strategic Planning in London".

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the procedures set out by the Nolan Committee in respect of public appointments have been observed with regard to the appointment of the Director of Transport for London; and if he will make a statement. [125455]

Mr. Anthony Mayer was appointed as a Transitional Chief Executive of Transport for London in February this year. This was not an appointment to a public body within the ambit of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments but an appointment as an employee of the Secretary of State under the provisions of Section 407 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999. Nevertheless, the recruitment followed a search and selection process involving the use of head hunters and an independent element. This is a temporary appointment. The recruitment of a permanent Chief Executive will be a matter for Transport for London.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will answer the question tabled by the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham for answer on 17 March on the cost to public funds of publicly owned property maintained for his private use. [125685]

I replied to the hon. Member on Friday 9 June 2000, Official Report, column 4192W.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what has been the cost of official entertainment at Dorneywood to his Department's budget in each year since May 1997; [125679]

Under the terms of the endowment providing for its use by successive Governments since the 1950s, Dorneywood is maintained at no cost to the taxpayer. The same arrangement applies now as under previous administrations: no staff from any Government Department are employed at Dorneywood, and Government Ministers pay their own personal expenses on items such as food and drink when visiting Dorneywood privately.When Ministers from my Department use Dorneywood for official Government business, expenses are paid by the Department. Since May 1997, Dorneywood has been used for meetings with a range of Ministers and officials on a number of occasions. The approximate total cost to the Department for each year since May 1997 was as follows:

Year	£
May 1997-March 1998	3,000
April 1998-March 1999	2,000
April 1999-March 2000	1,300

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what bilateral discussions with other EU members are planned prior to the meeting to agree the Treaty of Nice in December. [124792]

We are in constant contact with our European partners. On the IGC in particular, there has been regular contact at official and Ministerial level since the beginning of this year. Foreign and Europe Ministers discuss the IGC collectively at monthly meetings of the General Affairs Council. This will continue until the Nice European Council in December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Sierra Leone citizens have had their fares paid to Britain by his Department since the entry of the Parachute Regiment into Sierra Leone; how many of these cases relate to asylum applications; what the circumstances were of the others; and how many were arranged on the initiative of the United Kingdom High Commission. [124836]

[holding answer 7 June 2000]: All British and Sierra Leonean passport holders evacuated from Sierra Leone undertook to repay the costs of their RAF flights from Freetown to Dakar. Consular staff in Dakar provided financial assistance to enable 55 Sierra Leonean nationals, all of whom either had close family in the UK or held resident status, to return to the UK. They all signed undertakings to repay the costs. As far as we know none of these has applied for asylum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what medical advice his Department is giving to UK visitors to Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. [125192]

[holding answer 9 June 2000]: Our travel advice gives advice on safety and security to British nationals travelling overseas. Unless there are specific concerns, travel advice does not cover medical issues. Callers requesting medical advice are referred to their GPs or the Department of Health.At present we advise against all travel to Sierra Leone.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason his Department's police officers were disembarked from their aircraft on the tarmac at Stansted on 4 June, instead of flying to Kosovo; when the detachment will now fly to Pristina; and if he will make a statement. [124936]

It is usually the responsibility of the United Nations to finance and arrange the transport for civilian police officers deploying to Kosovo. On this occasion, the UN requested that the UK make the travel arrangements.The FCO therefore arranged to charter a plane for 4 June to transport the 56 Ministry of Defence police officers to Kosovo. However, delays in baggage handling and a minor technical fault resulted in the plane's revised estimated arrival time in Pristina being after 17:00 hours, the time at which Pristina airport closes.The police officers' departure was therefore re-arranged for 6 June (no aircraft were available on 5 June) on a different plane. I can confirm that the officers did indeed reach Kosovo on that day.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on (a) the effectiveness of his Department's no-smoking policy and (b) the proportion of his Department's offices that do not allow smoking. [125154]

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Smoking Policy restricts smoking to designated smoking rooms and single occupancy offices. It is therefore effective in protecting all staff from the responsibility of passive smoking.Fewer than 5 per cent. of offices are single occupancy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he proposes to ratify the Rome Treaty to establish the International Criminal Court. [125395]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 3 May 2000, Official Report, column 122W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the Government's response to the questions in the document CONFER 4743/00, prepared by the Conference of the Representatives of the Governments of the member states for the intergovernmental conference; [124864](2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the Government's response to the options for determining the method for fixing the allocation of seats in the European Parliament, as set out in document CONFER 4740/00, prepared by the Conference of the Representatives of the Governments of the member states for the intergovernmental conference; [124866](3) if he will place in the Library a copy of the Government's response to the suggested approach to the extension of co-decision procedures, set out in document CONFER 4740/00, prepared by the Conference of the Representatives of the Governments of the member states for the intergovernmental conference; [124865](4) in which areas the UK delegation has objected in principle to specific points in relation to the list of Articles suggested for an extension of qualified majority voting in Annex I of paper CONFER 4757/00, prepared for the intergovernmental conference; [124867](5) if he will place in the Library a copy of the UK delegation's response to the questions asked in the document CONFER 4728/00, prepared by the Conference of the Representatives of the Governments of the member states for the intergovernmental conference. [124869]

Discussion at the level of the Preparatory Group and at Ministerial level has been based on conference papers produced by the Presidency. These papers do not require a formal response from member states' Governments, but form a basis for discussion. The Government's approach to the issues raised in these discussions is set out in the White Paper "IGC: Reform for Enlargement".

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the Government's response to the options for (a) the Economic and Social Committee and (b) the Committee of the Regions, set out in document CONFER 4741/00, prepared by the Conference of the Representatives of the Governments of the member states for the intergovernmental conference. [124868]

Conference papers are produced by the Presidency for discussion at both Preparatory Group and ministerial levels. They do not require a formal response from member states' Governments. Discussion so far has focused mainly on the size and composition of the Economic and Social Committee and Committee of the Regions. For reasons of cost and effectiveness, the Government would not like to see either the Economic and Social Committee or the Committee of the Regions grow much above their present size after enlargement, although we shall ensure that the UK continues to be fairly represented on both Committees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will introduce legislation to extend similar protection to the value of pensions paid by the Zimbabwean Government to British subjects recruited from Britain for appointments in the Public Service of Southern Rhodesia before November 1965 who now live outside Zimbabwe, as that given under the Overseas Pensions Act 1973 to HMOCS officers. [124260]

I have been asked to reply.The Government have no current plans to introduce legislation to expand the pension protection arrangements under the Overseas Pensions Act 1973 to former employees of the Southern Rhodesia public service.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if contributions to ECHO are voluntary for members of the European Union; and if she will change her contribution to ECHO based on its past performance. [121098]

No. ECHO is funded, as are other EC external programmes, from the EC budget, to which member state contributions are mandatory. The UK contribution, under a formula agreed in 1992, will be 17.95 per cent. this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will provide accounts regarding the distribution of United Kingdom public money to Zimbabwe in the 1980s and 1990s to fund the acquisition of white-owned farms; and if she will set out the number of such farms acquired, the approximate acreage of each farm, the cost of acquiring each farm, to whom ownership of each farm was subsequently transferred, and how much of the original acreage acquired remains in productive operation. [120933]

A grant of £20 million was agreed with the Government of Zimbabwe in 1981. This funded 42 resettlement projects for the benefit of refugees and landless people following the Independence war. British funds were used for land demarcation and fencing, provision of water and sanitation, construction of schools, clinics and other buildings, and also for crop packs and training. The Grant was largely disbursed by 1989; however it was eventually closed in 1996 with £3 million unspent. Over a similar period, the counterpart funds to £27 million in programme aid were used by the Government of Zimbabwe to fund their share of the programme.An ODA evaluation in 1988 found that the majority of families settled had benefited considerably through the provision of increased opportunities for income generation and the availability of services such as health and education. The programme had also been successful from the national economic perspective, having an economic rate of return of approximately 21 per cent. The Zimbabwean Comptroller and Auditor General carried out a value for money study of the programme in 1993. Despite identifying a number of shortcomings, the study concluded that the exercise was well planned in accordance with clear policies and procedures. It had benefited mainly the landless rural poor, most of whose standard of living had significantly improved.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) how much money has been given to the Government of Zimbabwe under the Land Reform and Resettlement Programme, since May 1997; [124335](2) how many Zimbabwean families have benefited from land acquired using Her Majesty's Government funds since 1997; [124337](3) how many farms the Zimbabwean Government have acquired using funds provided by Her Majesty's Government since May 1997. [124336]

In 1996 a land resettlement grant signed in 1981 was closed with £3 million undisbursed because the Government of Zimbabwe had not produced suitable plans to spend it. We have not disbursed funds for land acquisition and resettlement since. We have made clear that land reform and resettlement should be an important part of a poverty reduction programme in Zimbabwe, and supported the principles to govern a future land reform programme agreed at the Donors Conference in 1998. These include poverty reduction, transparency and the rule of law. The Government of Zimbabwe have not implemented the 1998 principles. We made £5 million available to support land resettlement initiatives led by civil society and the private sector.

To ask the Prime Minister on what dates, and at which venues, he held question-time meetings with members of the public in (a) 1999 and (b) 2000 to date. [122984]

[holding answer 19 May 2000]: I answer questions from members of the public all the time.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will designate the Queen Mother's birthday in August as a public holiday; and if he will make a statement. [124752]

The Government receive a variety of suggestions for additional bank holidays to celebrate special occasions. However, it was felt that another additional bank holiday, following so soon after the Millennium bank holiday, would be inappropriate. This followed consultation with the Royal Household who were content with the decision.

To ask the Prime Minister when he will publish the Performance and Innovation Unit report on the Post Office. [125314]

Shortly.

To ask the Solicitor-General if he will accelerate the programme for modernising the information technology of the Crown Prosecution Service to match the introduction of the new police IT for managing casework. [124913]

I am pleased to report that all CPS offices, including those in Staffordshire, will benefit from a significant investment in IT in 2000–01.The CPS was awarded £12 million from the Government's Capital Modernisation Fund in July 1999 and this money, together with existing CPS resources, will fund the Connect 42 project. Connect 42 will provide lawyers and caseworkers with access to modern PCs across the 42 CPS Areas for the first time. It will also enable the CPS to have secure electronic mail connections with its partners in the Criminal Justice System, including the police.A pilot of Connect 42 has been running in Sussex since March 2000. The national roll-out timetable is demanding and is scheduled to start in August 2000 and to be completed in July 2001, in advance of the new police casework system in most Areas. I understand that the detailed timetable for the new police casework system is being developed. The intention is to implement the system in police forces by the end of 2002.Connect 42 will be followed by step 2 of the Modernisation Programme, the Compass project, which is procuring a Managed Service through a PFI contract. This will use the IT infrastructure of Connect 42, and complement it with a case management system designed to meet the needs of front line CPS staff. It will provide the ability to work with electronic case files and allow information to be exchanged much more easily with other organisations in the criminal justice system through speedier electronic communications between computer systems.

To ask the Solicitor-General what was the funding of the Crown Prosecution Service (a) in real terms and (b) as a proportion of GDP for each year of its existence. [124910]

The funding of the Crown Prosecution Service in real terms and as a proportion of GDP for each year of its existence is listed as follows:

£000
Year	Total expenditure in real terms	Proportion of GDP (Percentage)
1986–87	124,124	0.019
1987–88	212,691	0.031
1988–89	233,487	0.033
1989–90	255,755	0.035
1990–91	274,902	0.038
1991–92	294,325	0.041
1992–93	321,371	0.045
1993–94	344,510	0.047
1994–95	350,410	0.045
1995–96	345,281	0.044
1996–97	339,536	0.042
1997–98	331,139	0.039
1998–99	328,347	0.038
1999–2000	323,408	0.035

Treasury Solicitor's Department
	1997–98		1998–99		1999–2000
Target	Target	Outcome	Target	Outcome	Target	Outcome1
To achieve annual efficiency savings	2.5%	Achieved	2.5%	Achieved	3.0%	Achieved
To recover the full operating costs for the Agency's chargeable services	100%	Achieved	100%	Achieved	100%	Achieved
To achieve x% level of customer satisfaction in advisory services	90%	Achieved	95–100%	Achieved	>95%	95% Achieved
To achieve x% reduction in average unit cost per chargeable hour (litigation)	2.5%	Achieved	2.5%	Achieved	2.5%	Achieved
To achieve x% reduction in the average unit cost per case (Bona Vacantia)	2.5%	Achieved	2.5%	Not achieved	2.5%	Not achieved2
To achieve a minimum average number of chargeable hours per full-time caseholder per year (litigation) of x	1,100	Achieved	1,150	Achieved	1,150	Achieved
To achieve instructions in at least x new litigation cases	8,000	Achieved		Discontinued		Discontinued
To achieve 20% improvement on 1998–99 level of income recovery from clients within 30 days of their receipt of a validated invoice	—	—	75%	Achieved	90%	Not achieved
To increase the proportion of undisputed supplier invoices paid in accordance with terms or 30 days	—	—	95%	Achieved	100%	Not achieved
1 The information in this column is provisional, pending the preparation of the final accounts for 1999–2000.
2 Since the Key Performance Target for Bona Vacantia Division was introduced it has become apparent that the methodology used to assess the number of cases is statistically biased towards non-achievement as it makes no allowance for the differing complexity of individual cases. The target will remain as set for 1999–2000 but the baseline against which performance is judged will be assessed and, if necessary, adjusted to recognise the differing complexity of cases.

To ask the Solicitor-General by what formula the funding of the Crown Prosecution Service nationally is distributed to the area offices. [124911]

Decisions on how much of the CPS's resources should be allocated to individual CPS Areas are for the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Chief Executive. They are informed by a number of analyses, including activity based costing (ABC), estimated payroll costs of staff not included in ABC analyses, accommodation costs, indicators of the type and nature of Areas, specific local factors, and the involvement of individual Areas in new initiatives.

To ask the Solicitor-General what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the budget of the Staffordshire CPS. [124912]

Decisions on how much of the CPS's resources should be allocated to individual CPS Areas are for the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Chief Executive. The allocation of the CPS's budget to the 42 CPS Areas is informed by a detailed analysis of the costs of the prosecution process and caseload. This analysis is used to inform decisions on the budget for CPS Staffordshire and for all other CPS Areas.

To ask the Solicitor-General if he will make a statement on how each of the agencies and non-departmental bodies relating to his Department performed against their key performance indicators in (a) the last year and (b) the previous two years. [125332]

A summary of performance for work in England and Wales is set out in the tables.

Government Property Lawyers
Target	1997–98	1998–991	1999–2000
To recover the full operating costs of the Agency	Achieved	—	—
To receive at least 4,350 new instructions from its clients	Not achieved	—	—
To achieve 95 completions per case holder	Not achieved	—	—
To maintain and improve the quality of service, in particular by keeping the proportion of cases completed satisfactorily (that is, without requiring rectification by reason of any fault of the Agency) on or before the target dated at or above 99.5%	Achieved	—	—
Over the three-year period, 1996–97 to 1998–99—To achieve a reduction in operating costs of an average of 2.5% per year in real terms taking 1996–97 as the base year	Not achieved	—	—
1 The Government Property Lawyers Agency was the subject of a Quinquennial Review from November 1997 to November 1998 and no formal targets were set for 1998–99 pending its outcome. The eventual outcome was that the Agency should close by 30 September 1999 and as a result no further key performance indicators were set.

Percentage
	1999–2000		1998–99		1997–98
	Target	Outcome	Target	Outcome	Target	Outcome
Advance information	83	86.6	80	82.3	80	77.3
Committal papers	60	62.7	60	51.9	60	50.6
Briefs to Counsel	80	71.1	80	67.8	80	66.3
Witness Expenses	100	97.5	100	95	100	93
Complaints	87	88.3	85	87.7	85	86.7

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the terms of reference for the review of the non-deployable estate; when he expects it to be complete; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [121940]

As part of the continuing effort to maximise value for money from the Defence Budget, the Army is currently engaged in an internal review of non-deployable posts. The review is due to be completed in the autumn. There are no formal terms of reference for the review, which is being undertaken by the Army chain of command. The aim is to carry out an audit of military posts in the non-deployable Army, in order to inform judgments on the requirement for and priorities for the deployment of military manpower. There are no plans to publish the outcome of the review.

Serious Fraud Office

The Serious Fraud Office's key performance indicators were published on 17 December 1998 as part of the Law Officer's Department's Public Service Agreement. They are:

(i) caseload;

(ii) time from accepting a case to completing investigations; and

(iii) length of the prosecution stage between transfer/committal and verdict.

The targets set were:

(i) to increase caseload from 73 cases per yeat in 1998–99 to 77 cases per year within resources provided;

(ii) to reduce average time from accepting a case and completing investigations from 18 months in 1998–99 to 17.5 months;

(iii) to reduce the average length of the prosecution stage between transfer/committal and verdict from 16.5 months in 1998–99 to 16 months.

Outturn data which show that the Office has met its key targets are set out in the following table. Figures for the year 1997–98 are included to enable comparison.

Financial year	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000
Caseload	78	73	85
Investigation (months)	19.3	18.0	15.3
Prosecution (months)	—	16.5	14.4

Crown Prosecution Service

The CPS timelines performance targets for which comparable data are available are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 January 2000, Official Report, column 67W, on the Royal Irish Regiment (a) for what reasons the report of the Special Investigations Branch of the Royal Military Police has not been made and (b) how many of the sub-sections of the Question he is in a position to respond to. [123885]

The investigation by Special Investigations Branch, Royal Military Police is now complete and I can confirm the following information.There have been four Parliamentary Questions on this matter including this one and two Parliamentary Inquiries. The photograph was taken on Monday 12 July at Drumadd Barracks, Armagh and shows 59 Officers and soldiers from F Company the 8th Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment (8 R IRISH). The photoshoot was supervised by a Major who took some of the photographs before joining the Company for further photographs, which were taken by a Warrant Officer. The flag was produced by a soldier of the Company who had just come off duty. A commercial photographic service establishment in Belfast developed the film and approximately 40 copies were made and given to members within F Company. No disciplinary action is to be taken against the officer but formal administrative action procedures have been initiated.Photographs can be taken in all sorts of circumstances which can subsequently be misinterpreted. F Company was deployed on 12 July along with other Army units precisely in order to prevent sectarian violence and it is wrong to label a whole Regiment, or the individuals in the photograph, as bigoted. We expect the highest standards of conduct from all soldiers, and in particular that they should be aware of community sensitivities in Northern Ireland. During 1999 the Royal Irish Regiment collected over £133,000 for cross-community charities. 8 R IRISH also won the prestigious Wilkinson's Sword of Peace for its cross-community work in Armagh. These are examples of their cross-community activities and are not indicative of a biased Regiment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 February 2000, Official Report, columns 109–10W, concerning secondments, which of the secondees listed were appointed for a period of 12 months or less. [124829]

[holding answer 7 June 2000]: My Department had nine inward secondments of 12 months or less from the following companies:

BMT Defence Systems

Vickers

Vosper Thorneycroft

BAe

Gardiner and Theobald

Simmons and Simmons

Defence Acquisition Group (x2)

PA Consulting Group

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the extent is of joint working with Slovenia on military matters; how many UK personnel work in Slovenia on training and related matters; and if he will make a statement. [124884]

Slovenia is one of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe included in the Ministry of Defence's Outreach Programme of bilateral assistance. My officials hold annual Defence Staff Talks with their Slovenian counterparts and from these discussions a programme of bilateral assistance is constructed. The main area of assistance is in English language training, but we also conduct seminars on various Defence related subjects, discussions on codification and standardisation, and arms control training. There are also VIP and working level short visits to UK by Slovenian Ministry of Defence officials and members of their Armed Forces, including attendance on TA summer camps, and reciprocal visits by UK Ministry of Defence officials and members of UK Armed Forces.At present there are no MOD UK personnel working in Slovenia, however the UK Defence Attaché to Slovenia, who is currently cross-accredited to Austria and resident in Vienna, is moving to Slovenia on 13 June 2000. Additionally, an MOD civil servant is due to take up post as Adviser on Defence Policy and Planning in the Slovenian Ministry of Defence in September 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the extent of joint working with Latvia is on military matters; how many UK personnel work in Latvia on training and related matters; and if he will make a statement. [124887]

The UK has an extensive programme of defence assistance to Latvia as part of the MOD's "Outreach" initiative to promote stability and security in central and eastern Europe. The UK's programme of assistance to Latvia is underpinned by English language training, defence management training and military training which is provided both in-country and in the UK. We also assist Latvia through our contribution to the joint Baltic projects: the Baltic Security Assistance forum; the Baltic Peacekeeping Battalion; the Baltic Naval Squadron; the Baltic Defence College; and the Baltic Air Surveillance Network. Another substantial area of co-operation is the deployment of a 10 strong Latvian contingent with BRITFOR in Kosovo.Currently we have six personnel working permanently in Latvia on training and related matters, with a civil servant seconded to the Latvian Defence Ministry to advise on programming and budgeting systems and five Royal Marines working with the Baltic Peacekeeping Battalion Training Team. However, Short Term Training Teams (STTTs) provide most of the military training, visiting Latvia for between two weeks to three months each summer; this year the STTTs will involve approximately 15 personnel. In addition to those involved directly in training, the Defence Attaché in Riga, assisted by an Assistant Defence Attaché, liaises with the Latvian Defence Ministry to ascertain their training and assistance requirements for each year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost has been so far of UK involvement in Sierra Leone; if any of that cost will be claimed from the United Nations; and if he will make a statement. [124886]

The additional costs of Operation Palliser, the evacuation deployment to Sierra Leone which commenced on 5 May, are still being established, but it is estimated that they will amount to some £8 million. As Operation Palliser is not a United Nations operation, we do not expect to claim any of those costs from the United Nations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason the Exocet missile launcher has been removed from HMS Sheffield; what plans there are to replace it; and what similar work has been undertaken on other ships of this class. [125083]

[holding answer 8 June 2000]: The Exocet missile launcher has been removed from the batch 2 Type 22 Frigate HMS Sheffield because the variant of the missile used by the RN is now obsolete and no longer in Naval service. There are no plans to replace the launcher. HMS Sheffield remains armed with a potent mixture of weapons and sensors including Seawolf Anti-Air Missiles, Stingray Anti-Submarine Torpedoes and a helicopter able to carry the Sea Skua Anti-ship missile. There are no plans to remove the launchers from the remaining batch 2 vessels in this class as, given their relatively short remaining life, it would not be economic to do so. The latest Batch (3) Type 22 Frigates carry the Harpoon anti-ship missile system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the programme of work that is being undertaken by his Department in relation to ballistic missile defence. [125009]

[holding answer 8 June 2000]: Following the policy on ballistic missile defence set out in the Strategic Defence Review, the Ministry of Defence is undertaking a three-year programme of studies known as the Technology Readiness and Risk Assessment Programme. This programme is monitoring developments in the risks posed by ballistic missiles and in the technology to counter them. It is due to be completed next summer. The terms of reference for the programme were announced on 27 July 1999, Official Report, column 203W. In addition, we are contributing to NATO preparations for studies into the feasibility of theatre ballistic missile defence. We expect these studies to start next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department will issue invitations to submit outline proposals for Project Aquatrine; and if he will make a statement. [125317]

In accordance with the timetable announced at the Project Aquatrine bidders conference in March this year, I expect that invitations to submit outline proposals for the initial package of the project will be issued very shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what considerations other than price will affect the sale of Rudloe Manor. [125392]

When selling surplus property the Ministry of Defence follows Government Accounting procedures seeking to achieve the full market value. This is usually best determined by offering the property for sale on the open market with a specific date for the submission of bids. In selecting a preferred purchaser for Rudloe Manor, my Department also paid regard to the proposed uses, the ability of bidders to finance the purchase and their timescales for completing the sale.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what account he will take of the potential for job creation in his decision on the purchaser of Rudloe Manor. [125393]

Rudloe Manor has been offered for sale with reference to the policy for the site, identified in the North Wiltshire District Council Local Plan and the modifications to the Draft Local Plan which the Council has agreed. It is for the Local Planning Authority properly to consider the issue of job creation, as part of any future planning application for the site.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many tenders there were for the purchase of Rudloe Manor; and how many of them were within the original specification. [125394]

Sixteen bids were received, all of which complied with the original specification.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will reach a conclusion about the sale of Rudloe Manor; and if he will make a statement on the sale. [125391]

A purchaser has now been identified for Rudloe Manor and the terms of sale have been agreed, subject to contract. Considerable interest was shown in the property and all unsuccessful bidders have now been notified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the level of compensation paid to civilian dockyard workers for work-related asbestosis contracted while working (a) on Royal Navy vessels and (b) in Royal Naval dockyards. [124934]

I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel stationed at RAF St. Mawgan have been subjected to (a) combat survival and rescue training and (b) conduct after capture courses; how many personnel have refused to participate in this training; and what sanctions have been employed to ensure participation. [125200]

Conduct After Capture (CAC) training is an integral element of the current Aircrew Combat Survival Course (ACSC) held at the RAF School of Combat Survival and Rescue at RAF St. Mawgan. Attendance on the course is a mandatory training requirement for all RAF personnel engaged on operational duties that may make them prone to capture or interrogation. Since September 1992, 1,029 students have entered training on the ACSC at RAF St. Mawgan. Of these, five withdrew voluntarily from the practical CAC phase of the training but one returned at a later date to complete the training.All students on the (CAC) training phase of the course must give their written consent to undergo the training. Prior to participation, all students are made aware of what they will encounter during the training, and they remain at liberty to withdraw from the training at any time, either before participation or during it. Individuals who choose not to undergo the training, or who do not complete the course, will be moved to duties where they would not be prone to capture or interrogation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer given on 22 May 2000, Official Report, column 313W, on medals, in relation to each clasp listed, what was (a) the scale of the deployment, (b) the number of people wounded and (c) the number of people killed; if troops were deployed in active service; and if the area was designated an operational zone. [125556]

This information is not held centrally. I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed by his Department in the constituency of Alyn and Deeside; and if he will make a statement. [125558]

There are 1,859 people employed by the Ministry of Defence in the constituency of Alyn and Deeside.

UK Imports of frozen beef by country
	1995		1996		1997		1998		19991
Country	Imports of frozen beef ThT CWE	Imports as a percentage of beef available for human consumption	Imports of frozen beef ThT CWE	Imports as a percentage of beef available for human consumption	Imports of frozen beef ThT CWE	Imports as a percentage of beef available for human consumption	Imports of frozen beef ThT CWE	Imports as a percentage of beef available for human consumption	Imports of frozen beef ThT CWE	Imports as a percentage of beef available for human consumption
Irish
Republic2	17.4	1.9	6.7	0.9	10.8	1.3	10.5	1.2	16.6	1.8
Brazil	2.9	0.3	3.3	0.4	3.0	0.3	4.6	0.5	10.4	1.1
France	17.9	2.0	8.3	1.1	4.0	0.5	1.5	0.2	4.5	0.5
Netherlands	3.8	0.4	2.2	0.3	1.8	0.2	1.3	0.1	3.0	0.3
Uruguay	9.3	1.0	7.1	1.0	13.3	1.6	6.8	0.8	2.5	0.3
Botswana	3.3	0.4	3.3	0.5	2.1	0.2	1.9	0.2	1.6	0.2
Spain	1.9	0.2	0.8	0.1	1.1	0.1	0.4	0.0	1.3	0.1
Argentina	6.6	0.7	6.5	0.9	7.4	0.9	1.2	0.1	1.0	0.1
Germany	2.1	0.2	3.1	0.4	6.8	0.8	0.8	0.1	0.9	0.1
Namibia	1.8	0.2	1.0	0.1	1.7	0.2	0.8	0.1	0.8	0.1
New Zealand	3.3	0.4	4.8	0.7	5.5	0.6	5.3	0.6	0.6	0.1
Belgium-Luxem.	1.2	0.1	0.7	0.1	1.8	0.2	0.2	0.0	0.5	0.1
Italy	0.5	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.4	0.0	0.4	0.0
Zimbabwe	3.9	0.4	0.2	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.3	0.0
Australia	2.6	0.3	4.2	0.6	3.1	0.4	3.1	0.3	0.2	0.0
Denmark	0.7	0.1	0.7	0.1	0.3	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.1	0.0

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many D Notices have been published with regard to the responsibilities of his Department in the last six months (a) relating to Northern Ireland and (b) relating to other matters. [124692]

No DA Notices have been published specifically with regard to the responsibilities of the Ministry of Defence in the last six months. There are standing DA Notices which apply to all Departments, where matters of National Security are concerned, and these contain advice to editors and others which can be applied to any appropriate circumstances. From 1993 there were six such standing notices, until 24 May 2000 when, after revision of the Notices by the independent Defence, Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee, a new set of five standing DA Notices was promulgated. Details have been passed to the House of Commons Library, and can be found also on the internet at www.dnotice.org.uk.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much frozen beef was imported to the UK by country of origin, in each of the last five years; and in each case what was the percentage of total UK consumption. [124623]

[holding answer 5 June 2000]: The following table shows the volume of frozen beef imported into the United Kingdom, as recorded by the Overseas Trade Statistics from 1995 to 1999. The import figures have been converted to carcase weight equivalent for comparison with consumption figures. The imports are shown by country of despatch which is not necessarily the country of origin.

UK Imports of frozen beef by country
	1995		1996		1997		1998		19991
Country	Imports of frozen beef ThT CWE	Imports as a percentage of beef available for human consumption	Imports of frozen beef ThT CWE	Imports as a percentage of beef available for human consumption	Imports of frozen beef ThT CWE	Imports as a percentage of beef available for human consumption	Imports of frozen beef ThT CWE	Imports as a percentage of beef available for human consumption	Imports of frozen beef ThT CWE	Imports as a percentage of beef available for human consumption
South Africa	—	—	2.2	0.3	—	—	—	—	—	—
U.S.A.	1.1	0.1	1.6	0.2	0.1	0.0	0.1	0.0	—	—
Other	2.0	0.2	1.7	0.2	0.2	0.0	0.2	0.0	0.1	0.0
Total	82.2	9.1	58.6	8.0	63.6	7.4	39.5	4.6	44.7	4.8
Total beef available for human consumption	902.9		732.4		856.6		858.2		936.0
1 Provisional
2 Republic of Ireland data supplied by Irish C.S.O.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what funds the Government have made available for retraining and reskilling farmers and agricultural workers in each of the past 10 years through the Agricultural Training Board and Lantra. [123464]

[holding answer 23 May 2000]: Payments made by the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food to the Agricultural Training Board, ATB-Landbase and Lantra are as follows:

Year	£
Payments to the Agricultural Training Board
1990–91	10,349
1991–92	7,303
1992–93	6,700
1993–94	9,755
Payments to ATB-Landbase
1994–95	4,156
1995–96	2,471
1996–97	1,611
1997–98	11,508
Payments to Lantra
1998–99	11,333
1999–2000	1797
2000–013	1,22,328
1 Includes payments under the Government's Sector Challenge Scheme
2 Includes payments under the Agriculture Development Scheme
3 Budgeted

Payments to the Agricultural Training Board included costs associated with the restructuring of the Board prior to privatization in 1994. The payments to ATB-Landbase were for the provision of Industry Training Organisation services and the payments to Lantra were for the delivery of National Training Organisation services.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce the results of the consultation on the future of the agricultural wages boards. [125170]

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the Government's consultation on the future of the agricultural wages boards. [125398]

The consultation period closed on 31 March and some 250 comments have been received. Independent research was also commissioned to complement the consultation exercise and the results are due later this month. We will announce the outcome of the review as soon as possible when we have considered all the responses and issues raised.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the present proportion of farm costs which are represented by labour costs. [125196]

In 1998–99, labour costs are estimated to have represented an average of 16.2 per cent. of the total farm costs of full-time farm business in England. These labour costs include an imputed estimate of the wholly or mainly unpaid labour carried out on the farm, principally by farmers, spouses and other family workers. Estimates for 1999–2000 will be published early in 2001.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on rates of pay in the horticulture industry. [125355]

Minimum rates of pay for the horticulture industry are set by the Agricultural Wages Board, which is an independent body. The most recent Agricultural Wages Order came into force on 1 June 2000.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the role played by Agricultural Wages Board rates of pay in the rural economy. [125197]

As part of the quinquennial review of the Agricultural Wages Board, announced in December 1999, independent research is being undertaken to evaluate the impact of the provisions in the Agricultural Wages Order. The results will be made available when the outcome of the review is published.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect of Agricultural Wages Board rates of pay on rural pay levels generally. [125199]

We have made no special assessment of the effect of the Agricultural Wages Board on rural rates of pay in general. Over the years some rural employers have based the pay for non-agricultural workers on the rates set by the Agricultural Wages Board.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the final draft of the second report of the Independent Scientific Group on cattle TB will be published. [125172]

[holding answer 9 June 2000]: The report was published on 7 February this year and copies were placed in the Library of the House, as set out in the reply, 7 February 2000, Official Report, column 80W.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many and what proportion of badgers trapped and killed in the TB trial in Wiltshire, in May, were lactating females; and if he will make a statement. [125258]

[holding answer 9 June 2000]: Of the badgers trapped and killed in the recent trial operations in Wiltshire, 35 (5.8 per cent.) were lactating females.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what resources have been allocated (a) within the public sector and (b) as grants to private sector research for the development of a prophylactic bovine TB treatment. [125175]

[holding answer 9 June 2000]: We are spending about £1.4 million a year on developing a vaccine against bovine TB. Research at the Veterinary Laboratory Agency accounts for approximately 70 per cent. of this expenditure; work at the Institute of Animal Health, Compton, accounts for the rest. This research also draws on significant amounts of work being undertaken in related fields internationally.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what risk analysis has been carried out on (a) the provision of a prophylactic bovine TB treatment and (b) the proposals advanced by the Krebs/Bourne Study. [125177]

[holding answer 9 June 2000]: Risk assessments on TB vaccines will be carried out as part of the normal regulatory process if and when suitable candidate vaccines have been developed. Proposals which emerge from the epidemiological investigation into TB in cattle being undertaken by Professor Bourne's Independent Scientific Group will be assessed against a range of factors including the impact on public health, on animal health and welfare, on the environment and on the economy.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the intended timescale for making publicly available information arising from an audit assessing the effectiveness of the surveying and social group delineation of badger culling. [125257]

[holding answer 9 June 2000]: We intend to publish the report, together with the Government's response, as soon as possible after the final report is received from the independent auditor. On current expectations, this will he during the summer.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reduction in British fishing effort has been achieved so far in MAGP IV; and what reduction he hopes to gain by the end of that programme. [124453]

Between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 1999 the capacity of the UK fleet was reduced by 3.2 per cent. in tonnage and 7.7 per cent. in engine power.Between 1997 and 1999 the effort of those segments of the fleet for which there are MAGP effort objectives (that is, pelagic, beam trawl, demersal, seines, nephrops and distant water vessels), has been reduced by 5.7 per cent. (tonnage effort) and by 8.5 per cent. (power effort).The UK has achieved its intermediate effort objectives and is on course in most segments to achieve its full capacity and effort objectives under the programme. However, capacity of the pelagic segment is currently some way outside its MAGP IV objective.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many top rate income tax payers (a) there were in (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98, (iii) 1998–99 and (iv) 1999–2000 and (b) he expects there to be in (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02. [120351]

Latest published estimates for the number of higher rate income taxpayers are in table 2.1 of Inland Revenue Statistics (IRS). The latest version of table 2.1 consistent with the March 2000 Budget is available on the Inland Revenue website at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/table2–1.htm.Estimates for 2000–01 will be published in the 2000 edition of IRS, which will be available around October 2000.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the expenditure on the Working Families Tax Credit was (a) for each month since October 1999 and (b) for the period April to October 1999, (i) in total, (ii) minus the projected expenditure on Family Credit, (iii) minus the savings on Council Tax Benefit and (iv) minus the savings on Housing Benefit; [122392](2) pursuant to his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mrs. Fyfe) 15 May 2000,

[holding answers 16 and 19 May 2000]: Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) and Disabled Person's Tax Credit (DPTC) were introduced on 5 October 1999. Total expenditure on these tax credits in 1999–2000 is estimated at £0.9 billion, but reliable estimates for each month are not available.Given the difference in income rules in relation to maintenance, and the fact that it is not possible to isolate behavioural effects (such as the number of families who may have entered work or increased their hours because WFTC provides a more generous work incentive than Family Credit), it is not possible to determine how much would have been spent on FC in 1999–2000 had WFTC not been introduced.The receipt of Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Benefit (CTB) cannot be determined from information processed for applications for WFTC. The receipt of WFTC by families in receipt of HB and CTB, and hence the saving in HB and CTB for these families, can be determined from the information processed for claims for those benefits. However, for some families the award of WFTC, together with other income available, will mean that there is no entitlement to HB or CTB. The general level of saving on HB and CTB for these families can only be estimated using household survey data on families receiving WFTC. Such data will become available, in sufficient sample numbers to yield reliable estimates, at some time from the second half of 2001.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out for each financial year between April 1999 and April 2002 the gross actual and planned expenditure on (a) the working families tax credit and (b) the working families tax credit minus the savings on housing benefit and council tax benefit attributable to the working families tax credit. [123780]

[holding answer 25 May 2000]: The total expenditure on Working Families' Tax Credit (WFTC) and the Disabled Person's Tax Credit (DPTC) in 1999–00, and the Budget projections of expenditure on these credits for 2000–01 and 2001–02, are shown at Table C12 of the March 2000 Financial Statement and Budget Report (FSBR).No estimate for 1999–00 of the saving on Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Benefit (CTB) is yet available, for the reason given in a separate answer I am today giving my right hon. Friend. I understand from the

Department of Social Security that the projections of expenditure on HB and CTB in the FSBR were net of the following savings attributable to WFTC.

	£ million
2000–01	100
2001–02	115

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of recipients of the child care tax credit in WFTC who do not use eligible child care. [124937]

The child care tax credit in Working Families' Tax Credit can only be claimed by people who pay for eligible child care.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the child care tax credit will relate to the reformed employment tax credit and integrated child credit. [124938]

The child care tax credit is an integral part of the Working Families' Tax Credit, and provides help with child care costs for parents who are working. It will continue to provide help with child care costs for working parents in the new generation of tax credits. The precise position of the child care tax credit within the new tax credits depends on detailed design of the new generation of credits, on which decisions have not yet been made.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families are in receipt of the child care tax credit in the Working Families Tax Credit and Disabled Person's Tax Credit in each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority. [124986]

It is estimated that about 103,000 families benefited from the child care tax credit among the 1.03 million families with awards of the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) made to the end of March in the United Kingdom.There are too few cases in the 5 per cent. sample used for the analysis of WFTC awards to provide reliable estimates for each parliamentary constituency or local authority. However, estimates of the total number of WFTC awards made to the end of March in each parliamentary constituency are in tables which have been deposited in the Library following my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Mr. Marsden) on 17 April 2000,

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average retail price per litre of diesel fuel two weeks (a) before his 1999 Budget and (b) after his 2000 Budget; and in each case how much of the price was attributable to (i) fuel duty and (ii) VAT. [125195]

[holding answer 9 June 2000]: The retail price and duty rate for diesel fuel in February 1999 are published in Tables 9.14 and 9.16 in the Department of Trade and Industry publication "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 1999".

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received in favour of the restoration of zero rating for value added tax on (a) new scout hall buildings, (b) scout hall extensions and (c) other community youth organisations; when the decision was taken that VAT should be levied; if he will rescind that decision; and if he will make a statement. [R] [125073]

When VAT was introduced the construction and extension of any building was zero-rated. In 1984 the relief for extensions was withdrawn. Following infraction proceedings by the European Commission, the relief for constructing new buildings became restricted to only certain types of building in 1989. New buildings used by charities for non-business purposes or as village halls can still be zero-rated. Agreements with our European partners mean that we cannot re-introduce any zero rates that we have given up.In common with all charities Scout and other youth halls will benefit from the zero rate where the conditions for relief are met. Treasury Ministers have received a number of representations on this matter on behalf of the Scout Association.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the outcome of the ECOFIN Council held in Luxembourg on 5 June; and if he will make a statement. [125123]

The Chancellor of the Exchequer attended the Economic and Finance Council of Ministers.ECOFIN approved the text of the Broad Economic Guidelines for submission to the Feira European Council, with slight amendment.There was a discussion of the Code of Conduct group and the proposed Savings Directive. It was agreed that ECOFIN would meet ahead of the Feira European Council for a further discussion.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 3 April on behalf of his constituent, Mrs. Hall. [125399]

I replied to the right hon. Gentleman on 5 June.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the Government's borrowing plans. [125981]

In light of recent developments which have increased cash receipts this financial year by £19.5 billion more than the Budget forecast, the Government are making the following changes to the Debt Management Office's gilt remit for 2000–01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what incentives for collaboration between business and universities are to be offered to Welsh and Scottish universities. [121664]

In addition to support from the devolved Administrations, Scotland and Wales also benefit from the LINK programme that supports collaborative R&D projects involving HEIs and business, and from the TCS Programme which supports high quality graduates working in companies, normally for two years, on technology transfer projects central to the needs of participating companies. In addition, institutions in both Scotland and Wales are eligible to participate in Science Enterprise Challenge and University Challenge.The Government intend to publish a Science and Innovation White Paper following the Spending Review 2000. Among other things, it will consider how we can further promote university-industry collaboration, and how we might better encourage our scientists, engineers and business people to take full advantage of the UK's expertise in science and technology, to create wealth and improve the quality of our lives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he will take to offset the losses to Angus if the revised assisted area boundaries proposals are introduced. [123576]

None. Local economic development is a matter for the Scottish Executive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what analysis he has made of the impact on the local economy of the loss of assisted area status to the four Angus wards. [123577]

The needs of all areas including Angus were considered in drawing the revised assisted area proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason the four Angus wards were included on the original assisted area map submitted in July 1999; and what economic factors have changed in the meantime to form the basis for their exclusion from the revised map. [123579]

The exclusion of the four Angus wards from the revised assisted areas proposals did not reflect a change in the needs of those wards but rather was a consequence of changes made to meet the European Commission's concerns about our July proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what is the total sum of (a) premiums received by the Export Credits Guarantee Department and (b) claims paid out by the ECGD for each of the last 10 years in respect of defence exports; [124659]

The following table details Claims Paid and Premium Earned in request of Defence related business in each of the last ten Financial Years. The cost of Interest Rate supported has been estimated on the proportion of ECGD credit business constituted by defence related business. For completeness the table also includes details of recoveries of claims on defence related business.

£ million
Year	Premium Earned	Claims Paid	Estimate of Interest Rate support	Recoveries received
1990–91	16	79	81	3
1991–92	11	79	2	24
1992–93	44	94	26	21
1993–94	38	83	-7	9
1994–95	16	92	-1	17
1995–96	23	90	2	28
1996–97	8	50	1	2
1997–98	12	39	4	3
1998–99	18	31	3	6
1999–2000	27	152	1	9
Total	213	789	112	122

As for the further information my hon. Friend requests, I am afraid ECGD does not hold its records on a basis which would enable it to provide the level of details he has requested. It would involve disproportionate cost to produce it.