Written Answers To Questions
Wednesday 26 July 2000
Social Security
Back Pain
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what (a) number and (b) percentage of employees took early retirement on grounds of ill health related to back pain in the last five years for which figures are available. [129820]
This information is not held.
Winter Fuel Allowance
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much has been paid out in Winter Fuel Allowances to people in Northampton, North from 1997–98 to 1999–2000. [131946]
The administration of Winter Fuel Payments is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Ms Sally Keeble, dated 25 July 2000:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how much has been paid out in winter fuel allowances to people in Northampton North from 1997–98 to 1999–2000.
Winter Fuel Payments (WFP) were introduced in the winter of 1997/98. For the winters of 1997/98 and 98/99 eligible people receiving Income Support (IS) or income based Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA (IB)) which included a pensioner premium, who were not living in residential care or a nursing home received payments of £50. All other eligible pensioners received £20 or £10 depending on their household circumstances. Where only one eligible pensioner lived in the household they would receive £20, otherwise they would receive £10 each.
Last winter, 1999/00 the amount of the payment increased to £100 for eligible households.
In 1997/98, WFP expenditure for Northampton North constituency was £321,340; in 1998/99, it was £298,540; and in 1999/00, it was £1,163,900.
I hope this is helpful.
Cold Weather Payments
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was paid out in cold weather payment in the years 1992–93 to 1996–97 in Northampton, North. [131945]
The administration of Cold Weather Payments is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to my hon. Friend.
Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Ms Sally Keeble, dated 25 July 2000:
The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how much was paid out in cold weather payments in the years 1992–93 to 1996–97 in Northampton North.
Cold Weather Payments (CWP) are paid to people awarded Income Support (IS) or income-based Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) (IB) with a pensioner or disability premium or if they have a child under 5, when the temperature criteria is met for their postcode. Payment is issued automatically without the need to claim.
The information requested on CWPs is not available. CWP information is collected by weather station area rather than by Benefits Agency district or MP constituency areas. There are no details held of CWPs before 1995–96. The weather station at Bedford covers the area which includes the Northampton North constituency.
In 1995–96, estimated expenditure for the area covered by Bedford weather station was £2,850,000 and in 1996–97, it was £1,509,000. There were four periods of cold weather triggered at Bedford in 1995–96 and three in 1996–97.
I hope this is helpful.
Household Incomes
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many, and what percentage of, children were in households with below half average income in each year from 1990 to 1999, calculated on the basis of the (a) Family Expenditure Survey and (b) Family Resources Survey, for Great Britain only, and on the basis of (i) equivalising and (ii) not equivalising net disposable household income. [131957]
The information requested on the basis of equivalised income is published annually in editions of Households Below Average Income, copies of which are in the Library. The latest available information relates to 1998–99.Information is not available on the basis of not equivalising household income. Equivalising income is an inherent component of ranking households by income, for income distribution statistics such as those referred to here.
Community Project Volunteers
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to reduce the barriers posed by the benefit rules to people who wish to volunteer for community projects. [132246]
People who are in receipt of Social Security benefits may undertake unlimited amounts of voluntary activity including participation in community projects without its affecting their benefit providing other eligibility conditions continue to be met. Any expenses they incur in connection with their voluntary work may also be reimbursed in full without it affecting their benefits.We are aware of the concerns expressed in the Policy Action Team report on Community Self Help and the Performance and Innovation Unit's report on Active Ageing (Winning the Generation Game) that, nevertheless, barriers to volunteering still exist and we are considering the issues raised.
Service Personnel (Pensions Appeals)
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many (a) former service personnel and (b) members of their families have made appeals to the Pensions Appeals Tribunal since 1970 for compensation arising out of their participation in experiments at the chemical defence establishment Porton Down; how many have been awarded compensation; and how many are awaiting adjudication. [132775]
The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Jobseeker's Allowance
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many Jobseeker's Allowance cases, resulting from refusals to claims based on regulations 51(2)(c) and 51(2)(b)(i) of the Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations 1996, are being stayed; and how many of the claimants involved are (a) men and (b) women; [132711](2) if he will estimate the number of
(a) men and (b) women affected by (i) regulation 51(2)(c) and (ii) regulation 51(2)(b)(i) of the Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations 1996 for each of the last four years; [132712]
(3) what representations he has received in relation to the payment of Jobseeker's Allowance to term-time only workers; and if he will make a statement; [132714]
(4) if he will estimate the cost of restoring the entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance for term-time only workers. [132715]
We have received representations about entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or Income Support (IS) from ancillary workers and their representatives. The current legal position is that ancillary workers with an ongoing contract of employment, who are not entitled to Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) or Income Support (IS) during term-time because of the hours they work, are also not entitled to JSA or IS during the school holidays.This position, which reflects the original JSA provisions introduced in 1996, was confirmed by the decision of the Court of Appeal on 14 October 1999. The retrospective effect of the Court of Appeal decision means that there was never any entitlement to JSA during the school holidays for this group of ancillary workers. Leave to appeal to the House of Lords against the Court of Appeal decision was granted on 11 April.Claims to JSA or IS by term-time workers are decided on an individual basis. We understand that no claims are being stayed under the formal staying provisions. However, the Appeals Service advise that as at 30 June there were 3,532 appeals involving term-time workers where decisions have been deferred pending the decision of the House of Lords. In addition, on the directions of Commissioners, 114 appeal cases are awaiting the outcome of the House of Lords cases. The gender breakdown is unknown and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.Information to estimate the number of men and women affected by regulation 51(2)(c) and regulation 51(2)(b)(i) of the Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations 1996 for each of the last four years is not available.
When JSA was introduced in 1996 the original intention of the legislation was that ancillary workers who were not entitled to benefit during term-time were also not entitled during school holidays. We have no accurate data on which to base a reliable estimate of the cost of extending entitlement to ancillary workers who are not entitled to JSA or IS during the school holidays because of the hours they work during term-time.
Benefit Fraud
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the cost of social security fraud in the Ribble Valley was in each of the years between 1994 and 2000, broken down by type of benefit. [132725]
Since 1998, Area Benefit Reviews (ABRs) have provided a continuous measurement of fraud and error in Income Support (IS) and Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). It is currently not possible to provide a breakdown for other benefits.Prior to 1998 no attempt was made to measure fraud in the Social Security system on the basis of areas and type of benefit.Fraud figures are now available for each of the Benefits Agency's 13 Area Directorates (ADs). It is not possible to provide estimates of levels of fraud for specific towns, cities, counties or constituencies. Ribble Valley is part of AD8, which stretches from Liverpool and Chester in the south up to Workington in the north.The ABR results estimate that the level of fraud in AD8 for the year ending September 1998 was £66 million, £47 million for IS and £19 million for JSA.For the year ending September 1999, the figure reduced to £53 million, £37 million for IS and £16 million for JSA.
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the report of the second inspection by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate of the London borough of Croydon. [133413]
The report by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate of the second inspection of the London borough of Croydon has been published today and copies of the report have been placed in the Library.The BFI previously reported on the London borough of Croydon in March 1999. Since then the authority has responded positively to their recommendations, introducing the verification framework, providing more training for benefit staff and investigating items of post returned under the 'Do Not Redirect' mail scheme.Inspectors also found that Croydon had improved working practices, verification procedures and how greater assurance that claims it pays are valid. This has contributed to Croydon administering 15 per cent. fewer claims and a fall in benefit expenditure of over £6 million in 1999–2000.Although Croydon has made progress the report states it can do more to improve the security of benefit administration. This involves more rigorously applying sanctions, such as prosecutions and administrative penalties to make fraudsters pay for their actions and using all counter fraud measures available under new statutory powers, such as appointing inspectors.
The report provides recommendations aimed at helping the council address existing weaknesses and to improve the administration of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, as well as counter fraud activities.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is now considering the report and will be asking the council for their proposals in response to the findings and recommendations of the BFI.
Benefit Overpayments
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 4 April 2000, Official Report, column 447W. on benefit overpayments, if he will estimate, in relation to the overpayments which took place on 17 and 18 January, the total (a) value of the benefits recovered so far, (b) number of customers who have repaid the overpayment in full and (c) number of customers who have paid none of the overpayment; and if he will estimate the total cost in administration and in unreturned benefit of the overpayment. [132360]
Administration of benefits and recovery of overpayments is matter for the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, Alexis Cleveland. She will write to the hon. Member.
Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Paul Burstow, dated 25 July 2000:
The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your recent question asking pursuant to his Answer of 5th April, Official Report, column 447W, on benefit overpayments, if he will estimate, in relation to the overpayments which took place on 17th and 18th January, (a) the total value of the benefits recovered so far, (b) the total number of customers who have repaid the overpayment in full and (c) the total number of customers who have paid none of the overpayment; and if he will estimate the total cost in administration and in unreturned benefit of the overpayment.
The problem was caused by an incomplete file being erroneously passed to the Bankers Automated Credit Service for payment on 17th January, compounded by the correct file being reprocessed for payment on 18th January.
On 17th January 112,000 customers correctly received a payment into their bank accounts, while 60.000 customers did not receive the payment which was due. The following day, the same 112,000 customers received a duplicate of the payments into their accounts, while 60,000 received their payment a day late. The value of the duplicate payments amounts to £10.5million.
£7,311,107 has currently been repaid.
The information relating to the total number of customers who have repaid the overpayment in full, and the total who have paid nothing can only be obtained at disproportionate cost. It is however, estimated that over 68,000 have repaid in full, with a further 4,500 in the process of repaying. The balance approximately 39,000 have either not been pursued due to the small amount involved, or have refused to repay or have not responded to requests for repayment.
The estimated cost of administration is approximately £430,000, and the total currently unrecovered is approximately £3.2million.
I hope this is helpful.
Environment, Transport And The Regions
Waste Incinerators
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to seek to exclude farm and hunt kennel incinerators from the new European directive on waste incinerators; and if he will make a statement. [131477]
In negotiations on the European Parliament's proposed amendments to the waste incineration Directive proposal, the UK has made clear that it would like the text to exclude animal carcase incinerators provided that they are subject to alternative appropriate environmental regulation. We are now confident that the directive when it is adopted will include text intended specifically to exclude animal carcase incinerators with the proviso that the Commission intends to propose a revision to the animal waste directive providing for high environmental standards for incineration and co-incineration of animal waste.
Contaminated Land
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what steps he is taking to encourage research into contaminated land remediation; [132100](2) how much finance has been made available for research into the remediation of contaminated land, and how many hectares of such land have been remediated, in each of the last 10 years. [132098]
Public funding is made available for contaminated land research on a variety of topics, including its remediation. This is undertaken by a number of bodies, including my Department, the Environment Agency, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, English Partnerships, the Natural Environment Research Council, the Biotechnology and Biological Research Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Economic and Social Research Council, and the Medical Research Council. Further projects are being funded through various European programmes, including Life and the Fifth Framework Programme for Research and Development.In addition, this type of research is an approved objective under the landfill-tax credit scheme.It is not possible to provide a detailed breakdown of research specifically related to the remediation of contaminated land since funding programmes and individual projects within these programmes typically relate to wider issues than just remediation.My Department has recently let a contract for a contaminated-land research audit. This aims to assess current contaminated-land research programmes and to identify gaps or duplication of effort and suggest ways to improve access to the results.Figures for the amount of land that has been remediated in each of the last 10 years are not available. Most of this remediation has taken place as a result of voluntary action by landowners (for example, the redevelopment of brownfield sites). Statistics are not recorded when development takes place.
Croydon Tramlink
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the net cost is of the Croydon Tramlink project under the Private Finance Initiative; what the value is of public sector comparators in (a) pre-risk and (b) risk adjusted terms and what risks are identified as having been transferred; and if he will make a statement. [132269]
Croydon Tramlink was designed, built and is being operated by Tramtrack Croydon Ltd. (TCL), a private sector consortium, under a concession agreement with London Regional Transport made in 1996. Under the concession agreement TCL bear the risks associated with the construction and operation of the project. The Government made a fixed contribution of £125 million towards the projected capital cost of £200 million, in recognition of the wider benefits of Tramlink to the local area. TCL raised the remainder of the cost and run the system without public subsidy.
Best Value
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to what extent the costs to local authorities of implementing the best value regime are allowed for in SSAs. [132440]
The Government added £24.25 million to the 2000–01 SSA totals to cover the cost of Best Value audit and inspection fees. Our spending plans for local government take into account the costs of implementing Best Value, together with the improvements in cost effectiveness that will flow from it.
A11
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects funding to be allocated for the upgrading of the All from Barton Mills to The Ford; and when he expects construction work to begin. [132539]
[holding answer 25 July 2000]: Funding for the preparation of this scheme was confirmed in March this year.The scheme is at an early stage in its development and progress is of course, dependent upon statutory procedures. It is therefore too early to identify a possible date for the start of works.
Railways (Wales)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much of the additional resources for rail transport, announced in the Spending Review 2000, will be ear-marked for railway services in Wales. [132793]
None of the additional resources announced in the Spending Review 2000 have been allocated to particular parts of Great Britain.
Waste Imports
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy to prohibit the importation of waste for use in energy-from-waste plants. [131663]
Existing policies on imports of waste are set out in the legally binding United Kingdom Management Plan for Exports and Imports of Waste, which came into effect in June 1996.
The UK Plan prohibits most waste imports for disposal, including imports of municipal waste for final disposal, in line with longstanding UK policies of encouraging developed countries to become as self-sufficient as possible in waste disposal. Consistent with the EC Waste Shipments Regulation (EEC) No. 259–93, though, the UK Plan cannot prohibit imports of wastes for recovery, which could include incineration with energy recovery. However, individual shipments of municipal wastes for recovery require the prior consent of the UK enforcement authorities. There may be grounds for objecting to proposed shipments if the primary purpose of the importing facility is to treat local wastes and those wastes will be displaced by the proposed imports.
Available data show that no imports of municipal waste have taken place since the UK Plan took effect.
Stagecoach
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will arrange for a transcript of the final report of the public inquiry into the operation by Stagecoach of Licence PC3233 to be placed in the Library. [132294]
In the interests of minimising public expenditure, Public Inquiries conducted by Traffic Commissioners are transcribed only when necessary, such as in the case of an appeal. There is currently no reason to incur the cost of transcribing the Inquiry in question.
Regional Government (North-West)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many letters he has received in each of the last three years requesting an elected north-west regional Government. [132718]
In the last three years, we have received two letters supporting elected regional government in the north-west, one in 1999 and one in 2000.
Roads (Ribble Valley)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many miles of new roads were built in the Ribble Valley constituency in each year from 1994 to 2000. [132719]
New highway construction (includes realignment and dualling) in the Ribble Valley constituency in each year from 1994 to 2000 is as follows:
| Miles | |||||||
| 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | |
| A1 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 3.50 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| B | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2.14 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| C | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.83 | 0.00 |
| Footway | 0.12 | 0.48 | 0.53 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.09 | 0.00 |
| Motorway | 0.00 | 4.62 | 0.00 | 0.90 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Trunk road | 0.00 | 2.13 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 1.02 | 2.31 | 0.00 |
| Unclassified | 0.31 | 1.32 | 0.63 | 0.96 | 1.55 | 2.15 | 0.22 |
| Unadopted | 1.25 | 0.41 | 0.69 | 0.00 | 0.81 | 1.56 | 1.23 |
| 1 Principal | |||||||
Correspondence
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he proposes to reply to the letter of 11 April, sent by the right hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside, concerning Mr. Davey of Deeside, CH5. [133130]
I can confirm that a response to my right hon. Friend's letter has been sent, following a delay owing to an administrative error.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he proposes to answer the letter sent by right hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside of 2 June, regarding Mr. Herbert of Mold, Flintshire, CH7. [133129]
I replied to this letter on behalf of the Secretary of State on 21 July.
M6
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how his Ten Year Transport Plan relates to the work of the West Midlands to North West multi-modal study; [132847](2) what impact the Ten Year Transport Plan will have on the proposal to widen the M6 motorway between junctions 11 and 16. [132846]
The Ten Year Transport Plan provides the resources to implement the outcomes from multi-modal studies. These studies exemplify our integrated approach to transport policy which we are applying to a series of transport problems around the country.The West Midlands to North West multi-modal study is a good example. The aim of this study is to ensure that the M6 motorway retains its vital strategic role supporting the national economy. M6 Junction 11a-16 Widening and M6 Junction 16–19 Widening schemes were remitted for consideration in this study following the 1998 Roads Review. The study is also looking at the role that rail and public transport could play in easing the problems on the M6, and the scope for using new technologies, demand management techniques and giving priority to certain types of traffic to make better use of the existing infrastructure. The study will report in autumn 2001.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he proposes to take to relieve congestion on the M6 motorway between Junctions 6 and 10. [132848]
Over the next three years, the Highways Agency will be introducing Calmed Motorways measures on M6 Junctions 10–8 to regulate speed and reduce congestion and delays. The West Midlands Area Multi-Modal Study is looking at further measures to make best use of the M6 between Junctions 6–10 using speed and access control. The Birmingham Northern Relief Road will also provide a less congested alternative to the M6.
Roads (London)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) for what reason one eastbound lane has been removed on the West Cromwell Road A4; [133168]
(2) how many new sets of traffic lights have been placed on the A316 from the M3 to the A4 in the last three years; [133165]
(3) for what reasons a narrow lane on the outside lane of the two lane dual carriageway A316 eastbound east of the junction with the B358 has been painted on, to narrow the two lanes cars can use; [133170]
(4) what is the hourly change in capacity of the A316 eastbound from the M3 to the A4 as a result of all the traffic management measures taken in the last three years. [133167]
(5) for what reasons the speed limit has been reduced on the A316 Country Way three lane dual carriageway. [133166]
(6) for what reasons three lanes have been reduced to two on the A4 at Queens Gate and Exhibition Road junctions. [133169]
This is a matter for the Mayor of London and Transport for London.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the transfer of responsibility for London's trunk roads to Transport for London. [133246]
I am pleased to report to the House that the transfer of responsibility has been achieved effectively. Currently, however, Transport for London are developing expertise in key operational areas and the Highways Agency will be providing them with advice and support for a short handover period. This arrangement is the subject of a Service Agreement between the two bodies. Tfl are committed to achieving self-sufficiency as quickly as possible and it is envisaged that the assistance will generally be required until the autumn. The Treasury has agreed that the Agency may score this expenditure as extra-statutory and record it as special payments in their Appropriation Account.
Amber Rose
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Marine Accident Investigation Branch will publish its report on the sinking of the Portavogie trawler, the `Amber Rose', in October 1998; and if he will make a statement. [132717]
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch's (MAIB) report was sent to those involved in the accident, including the next of kin of the skipper, on Monday 24 July. It was made publicly available on Wednesday 26 July. Copies are available free of charge from the MAIB.
Tower Hamlets Housing Trust
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the net present cost is of the Tower Hamlets Housing Trust project under the Private Finance Initiative; what the value is of the public sector comparators in (a) pre-risk and (b) risk-adjusted terms; what risks are identified as having been transferred; and if he will make a statement. [132837]
Information about the private finance agreement between Tower Hamlets Housing Action Trust (the HAT), Circle Thirty Three Housing Trust and its subsidiary Old Ford Housing Association (OFHA) is available on the DETR website at www.detr.gov.uk/ppp/2.htm#towerhamlets. The HAT's partners have agreed to invest £23 million, alongside the HAT's own investment of £55 million, to enable the HAT's programme for rehousing its tenants to proceed faster and at less cost to the taxpayer than would be possible with public funds alone. The risks transferred include the financial uncertainty arising from HAT tenants' right to choose between the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and OFHA as their future landlord.
Rail Transport
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will analyse the increase in expenditure on rail transport in each of the next three financial years, arising from the recent comprehensive spending review, between the expenditure he anticipates will be undertaken in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. [133120]
The expenditure on rail announced in the Spending Review 2000 relates to Great Britain. It is not possible to provide a geographical breakdown at this stage. The distribution of expenditure will depend on progress with franchise replacement and on priorities for investment identified in the shadow Strategic Rail Authority's first strategic plan to be published in November.
Private Hire Vehicles
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what decision he has reached following the consultation on proposals to amend the law after the judgment in the case of Benson v Boyce. [133204]
After very careful consideration of all the responses received and bearing in mind the weight of all the arguments, I have decided that the only people who should be entitled to drive a licensed private hire vehicle in England and Wales, outside London, without themselves having the appropriate licence, should be people conducting legally necessary tests, either of the vehicle or the driver. I am advised that it is already legal for people without a private hire vehicle driver's licence to conduct such tests. Accordingly, no order is necessary under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994.
Docklands Light Railway
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide a report on the progress of the Docklands Light Railway. [133205]
The Railway had an excellent year, the highpoint of which was the completion of the extension of the railway to Lewisham which the Deputy Prime Minister opened in November on budget and two months ahead of schedule.On the 3 July 2000 ownership of DLR Ltd. passed from the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to Transport for London.Copies of the Annual Report and Accounts have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Bull Bars
To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made on making car fronts safer and controlling bull bars. [133245]
"Tomorrow's Roads—Safer for Everyone", our road safety strategy, commits the UK to backing proposals for the European Commission to bring forward a Directive to make car fronts safer. The Government believe that a pedestrian protection Directive could ultimately secure a reduction in deaths and serious injuries to pedestrians of up to 20 per cent.The Government also said in the road safety strategy that such a Directive would be the best way of preventing particularly dangerous bull bars being fitted to vehicles. As a part of our consideration of how best to tackle bull bars, we asked the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) to do some test work comparing a range of typical bull bars and base vehicles. TRL's report on this is being published today and copies have been put in the House Library.In summary, TRL recommend that an approval procedure for bull bars should be considered, with a test speed of 40km/h (25mph). They warn against a low speed test, which is the best we could demand in any national approval scheme. We believe this confirms our view that controls on bull bars should be introduced on a Europe-wide basis. TRL's research is a thorough piece of work, and their initial findings have enabled us to submit a technical proposal to the European Commission setting out how bull bars could be dealt with in the anticipated pedestrian protection Directive.The Government do, however, recognise that there is a desire for action to be taken as quickly as possible. We have therefore also submitted a comparable technical proposal for amending the 'existing' external projections Directive to include a test for bull bars, as a quick interim measure. This second proposal was well received by other member states when it was initially tabled in early June, and we hope it will make swift progress.
House Of Commons
Parking Facilities
To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will introduce a workplace parking charge scheme. [131842]
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Torbay (Mr. Sanders) on 12 April 2000, Official Report, column 149W.
Environmental Performance
To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, (1) if the Commission will introduce measures and set targets to ensure the House of Commons improves its environmental performance by (a) conserving (i) energy, (ii) water, (iii) wood, (iv) paper and (v) other resources, (b) reducing waste, (c) phasing out substances damaging to health and the environment, (d) encouraging contractors to develop environmentally-preferable goods and services, (e) purchasing wood from sustainable sources, (f) drawing up emergency procedures for dealing with significant environmental risks, (g) ensuring buildings achieve a good standard of environmental performance, (h) following the Government's Green Claims Code and (i) ensuring staff work in an environmentally responsible manner; [131840](2) if the Commission will establish a target for the House of Commons
(a) to buy electricity from renewable sources and (b) to switch from hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorobutane and sulphur hexafluoride to environmentally-preferable substitutes. [131841]
This is a matter for the Serjeant at Arms; I have asked him to write to my hon. Friend.
Health
Nurses Pay
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the average rates of pay for nurses employed (a) on NHS Direct and (b) in the rest of the NHS. [106784]
The recently published results of the Department's August 1999 National Health Service Earning Survey, copies of which are available in the Library, show that the estimated average full-time equivalent salary for all qualified NHS nurses on national payscales was £19,300 after the pay awards for April 2000 are taken into account, and £22,200 if all other payments, e.g. allowances and overtime, are included. Information about the pay for nurses employed by NHS Direct cannot be separately identified from the pay of other qualified nurses.
Scientists
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) clinical and (b) biomedical scientists there are within each range of the relevant payscales. [108306]
The information requested is in the tables.
Estimated number of clinical scientists directly employed by NHS Trusts, England
| ||
Spine Point
| Headcount
| Whole-time equivalent
|
Grade A:
| ||
| 00 | 80 | 80 |
| 01 | 60 | 60 |
| 02 | 50 | 50 |
| 03 | 40 | 40 |
| 04 | 20 | 20 |
| 05 | 30 | 30 |
| 06 | 20 | 20 |
| 07 | 20 | 20 |
| Other Grade A: | 120 | 120 |
Grade B:
| ||
| 08 | 90 | 80 |
| 09 | 70 | 70 |
| 10 | 180 | 170 |
| 11 | 70 | 70 |
| 12 | 90 | 90 |
| 13 | 150 | 140 |
| 14 | 100 | 90 |
| 15 | 90 | 80 |
| 16 | 190 | 170 |
| 17 | 120 | 110 |
| 18 | 80 | 80 |
| 19 | 150 | 150 |
| 20 | 80 | 80 |
| 21 | 60 | 60 |
| 22 | 90 | 90 |
| 23 | 30 | 30 |
| 24 | 180 | 180 |
| Other Grade B: | 480 | 450 |
Grade C:
| ||
| 23 | 10 | 10 |
| 24 | 10 | 10 |
| 25 | 10 | 10 |
| 26 | 20 | 20 |
| 27 | 20 | 20 |
| 28 | 1— | 1— |
| 29 | 20 | 20 |
| 30 | 20 | 20 |
| 31 | 120 | 110 |
| 32 | 40 | 40 |
| 33 | 40 | 40 |
| 34 | 40 | 40 |
| 35 | 30 | 30 |
| 36 | 50 | 50 |
| Other Grade C: | 90 | 80 |
| Other clinical scientists: | 30 | 20 |
| All clinical scientists: | 3,300 | 3,150 |
1 Indicates less than 5. | ||
Note:
Totals based on unrounded figures.
Source:
Department of Health's August 1999 NHS Earnings Survey.
Estimates number of biomedical scientists directly employed by NHS Trusts, England
| ||||
Pre-April 1999
| Post-April 1999
| |||
Spine point
| Headcount
| Whole-time equivalent
| Headcount
| Whole-time equivalent
|
Trainee Grade:
| ||||
| 01 | 70 | 70 | 1— | 1— |
| 02 | 30 | 30 | 1— | 1— |
| 03 | 30 | 30 | 1— | 1— |
| 04 | 20 | 20 | 1— | 1— |
| 05 | 50 | 50 | 1— | 1— |
| 06 | 60 | 60 | 1— | 1— |
| 07 | 70 | 70 | 270 | 270 |
| 08 | 110 | 100 | 70 | 70 |
| 09 | 220 | 220 | 110 | 100 |
| 10 | 1— | 1— | 220 | 220 |
| Other Trainee staff | 130 | 130 | 130 | 130 |
Estimates number of biomedical scientists directly employed by NHS Trusts, England
| ||||
Pre-April 1999
| Post-April 1999
| |||
Spine point
| Headcount
| Whole-time equivalent
| Headcount
| Whole-time equivalent
|
Grade 1:
| ||||
| 14 | 160 | 160 | — | — |
| 15 | 210 | 210 | 160 | 160 |
| 16 | 210 | 200 | 210 | 210 |
| 17 | 200 | 190 | 210 | 200 |
| 18 | 180 | 160 | 200 | 190 |
| 19 | 220 | 210 | 180 | 160 |
| 20 | 240 | 210 | 220 | 210 |
| 21 | 2,420 | 2,040 | 240 | 210 |
| 22 | 880 | 800 | 2,420 | 2,040 |
| 23 | 370 | 340 | 880 | 880 |
| 24 | 170 | 160 | 370 | 340 |
| 25 | 1— | 1— | 170 | 160 |
| Other Grade 1 staff | 650 | 600 | 650 | 600 |
Grade 2:
| ||||
| 22 | 40 | 40 | 1— | 1— |
| 23 | 120 | 120 | 160 | 150 |
| 24 | 100 | 90 | 100 | 90 |
| 25 | 170 | 160 | 170 | 160 |
| 26 | 120 | 110 | 120 | 110 |
| 27 | 110 | 110 | 110 | 110 |
| 28 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| 29 | 1,100 | 1,040 | 1,100 | 1,040 |
| 30 | 410 | 390 | 410 | 390 |
| 31 | 330 | 320 | 330 | 320 |
| 32 | 220 | 220 | 220 | 220 |
| Other Grade 2 staff | 410 | 400 | 410 | 400 |
Grade 3:
| ||||
| 30 | 20 | 10 | 20 | 10 |
| 31 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| 32 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| 33 | 680 | 670 | 680 | 670 |
| 34 | 290 | 280 | 290 | 280 |
| 35 | 190 | 190 | 190 | 190 |
| 36 | 210 | 210 | 210 | 210 |
| Other Grade 3 staff | 170 | 170 | 170 | 170 |
Grade 4:
| ||||
| 34 | 2— | 2— | 2— | 2— |
| 35 | 2— | 2— | 2— | 2— |
| 36 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 37 | 210 | 210 | 210 | 210 |
| 38 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| 39 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| 40 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 |
| Other Grade 4 staff | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
| Other biomedical scientists | 70 | 60 | 70 | 60 |
| All biomedical scientists | 12,070 | 11,260 | 12,070 | 11,260 |
1 Indicates a redundant spine point. | ||||
2 Indicates less than 5, but greater than zero. | ||||
Note:
Totals based on unrounded figures.
Source:
Department of Health's August 1999 NHS Earnings Survey.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average level of pay for medical laboratory scientific officers on grade 1 of the payscale working in hospitals in the United Kingdom. [115488]
The recently published results of the Department's August 1999 National Health Service Earnings Survey, copies of which are available in the Library, show that the estimated average full-time equivalent salary for all Grade 1 NHS Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers (biomedical scientists) on national payscales was £16,800 after the pay awards for April 2000 are taken into account and rises to £22,100 if all other payments e.g. allowances and overtime, are included.
Health And Social Care (Rural Areas)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will assess the benefits of joint health and social care (a) planning and (b) provision in rural areas; and if he will make a statement. [127301]
We are persuaded of the benefits of joint health and social care planning and, where appropriate, provision. We have taken a number of significant steps to promote joint working.Joint planning is especially important in rural areas where services are more dispersed and some people face problems of access. The provision of joint services across the spectrum of health and social care has been encouraged through use of the Partnership Grant, and by the flexibilities provided for in the Health Act 1999, and increasingly means that rural areas can be better served.The partnership arrangements in the Health Act 1999 came into force in April 2000. The new flexibilities include pooling of funds, delegation of functions and money transfers. To date there have been 22 notifications of partnership arrangements, amounting to over £200 million of resources, of which nine are from local authority areas which would be described as largely rural. These include Devon, Warwickshire, Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Cumbria and North Yorkshire.
Infertility Treatment
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to make the provision of infertility treatment on the NHS a decision to be taken by central Government; and if he will make a statement; [128890](2) what measures he plans to introduce to increase the capacity of the NHS to provide infertility treatment. [128747]
It is for health authorities to set their own priorities for the delivery of services and to consult locally in deciding on those priorities.We will shortly be publishing the results of a survey into infertility provision across the country, which clearly demonstrate variations in the level of service provided. The Department will be examining ways to tackle unacceptable variations in service delivery while continuing to target our priority areas of cancer and heart disease.
Nhs Pay
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees working within the NHS earn (a) the national minimum wage, (b) between the national minimum wage and £3.80 per hour, (c) between £3.80 per hour and £4.00 per hour, (d) between £4.00 per hour and £4.20 per hour, (e) between £4.20 per hour and £4.40 per hour and (f) less than £5.00 per hour; what the number of staff in (a) to (f) represent as a percentage of total NHS staff; and if he will make a statement. [108899]
The information requested is shown in the table.
We are committed to eliminating the worst instances of low pay. The new national minimum wage removes the worst excesses of low pay and ensures greater decency and fairness in the workplace. The recent settlements
Number of directly employed NHS staff by hourly salary—England | ||||||
Rates at August 1999
| Estimated rates at April 2000 1
| |||||
All staff
| Staff on national payscales 2
| |||||
Hourly salary 4
| Headcount (thousand)
| As percentage of all staff
| Headcount (thousand)
| As percentage of all staff
| Headcount (thousand)
| As percentage of all staff
|
| <£3.603 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| £3.60 to <£3.80 | 9.5 | 1.0 | 5.6 | 0.8 | 5— | 0.0 |
| £3.80 to <£4.00 | 50.4 | 5.2 | 35.0 | 4.9 | 5— | 0.0 |
| £4.00 to <£4.20 | 15.4 | 1.6 | 4.9 | 0.7 | 35.9 | 5.1 |
| £4.20 to <£4.40 | 12.4 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 7.6 | 1.1 |
| £4.40 to <£5.00 | 82.8 | 8.6 | 46.5 | 6.5 | 38.3 | 5.4 |
| All staff below £5 | 170.9 | 17.7 | 95.3 | 13.4 | 82.0 | 11.5 |
| All staff at or above £4 | 796.6 | 82.3 | 615.8 | 86.60 | 629.1 | 88.46 |
| All directly employed NHS staff | 967.6 | 100.0 | 711.1 | 100.0 | 711.1 | 100.0 |
1 Figures reflect pay awards up to and including April 2000 | ||||||
2 Estimates of pay awards for staff on local payscales are not available | ||||||
3 Staff earning less tan £3.60 per hour may do so because they are either: aged under 18, apprentices, receiving benefits in kind; or receiving only a proportion of their earnings directly from NHS trusts. No full-time adult payscales are less than £4 per hour | ||||||
4 Hourly earnings will be, on average, 13 per cent,higher with allowances and overtime added | ||||||
5 Indicates less than 100, but greater than zero | ||||||
Source:
Department of Health's August 1999 NHS Earning Survey
Healthy Eating
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will (a) make a statement on the Government's proposals to encourage healthy eating among children and (b) ensure that the Government's efforts are co-ordinated across the United Kingdom with the devolved administrations. [129928]
As part of the strategy to tackle the issues raised in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey of 4–18 year olds, which we published in June, we have set up a cross-Government working group on improving children's diet and physical activity in England. It involves Health and Education Ministers, the chair of the Food Standards Agency and the chair of the Health Development Agency. Already, through the Healthy Schools Programme, we are encouraging schools to present consistent, informed messages about healthy eating and food on offer from canteens, vending machines and tuck shops. Additionally we have recently announced that we will be spending £2 million this year to promote fruit and vegetable consumption among school aged children. Any further proposals to improve children's diet will be included in the National Plan for the National Health Service which is due to be announced later this month.As public health is a devolved topic, any proposals in this area for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the devolved administrations who may develop dietary policy and initiatives which best meet their own particular needs. However, I intend to keep in close contact with my ministerial counterparts in the other UK countries and fully explore the opportunities for co-ordination in this area.
reached for National Health Service staff on national payscales will give the lowest paid staff in the NHS proportionately more pay—taking the lowest adult hourly rate to over £4 per hour.
Fluoride
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the research projects funded by his Department to investigate the chronic toxic effect of fluoride on body enzymes and proteins. [130198]
The Department and its predecessors have not funded any specific research projects on the effects of fluoride on enzymes or other body proteins.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each (a) health authority in England and Wales and (b) water company supplying artificially fluoridated drinking water the safety tests that are carried out in respect of (i) silicofluorides and (ii) hydrofluosilicic acid. [130204]
All substances used in the treatment of water supplies must be approved by the Drinking Water Inspectorate acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Disodium hexafluorosilicate (a silicofluoride) and hexafluorosilicic acid (also called hydrofluorosilicic acid) are approved for use in artificial fluoridation schemes under the Water Industry Act 1991, subject to compliance with a Code of Practice on the Technical Aspects of the Fluoridation of Water Supplies published by the Department of the Environment. This code covers the design, construction, operation and maintenance of fluoridation plant to ensure that the correct level of fluoride is added and there are fail-safe precautions against over dosing. The code includes a detailed specification for the two chemicals together with advice to water companies on how to check the purity of the chemicals against the specification.
In-Vitro Fertilisation
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many in-vitro fertilization treatments have taken place in each of the last five years in the United Kingdom; how many were (a) NHS-funded and (b) privately funded; and if he will make a statement. [130374]
The information requested is not available centrally.A recent Departmental survey of infertility provision showed that many health authorities could not distinguish their spending on infertility services from their general gynaecological budget. Many have difficulty identifying some or all of the treatments they purchase.The Department has no access to information on the number of infertility treatments being privately funded.
Allergies
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce a national framework for the provision of paediatric allergy services. [130996]
[holding answer 17 July 2000]: We are taking forward the National Service Framework (NSF) programme with the development of one new NSF per year. We will consider the proposed service area or care group for the next NSF against the criteria set out in "A First Class Service", as well as the priorities and targets identified in the National Plan.
Prostate Cancer
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many prostate-specific antigen blood tests were performed in (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000; [130743](2) how many new biopsy-proven cases of prostate cancer there were in
(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000. [130750]
The information requested is not currently available. The latest available figures of registrations of prostate cancer for 1991–1996. Figures for 1994–1996 are provisional.
| Year | Number | 1Rate per 100,000 |
| 1991 | 14,313 | 49.7 |
| 1992, | 15,823 | 54.8 |
| 1993, | 17,210 | 59.1 |
| 1994 | 19,200 | 65.6 |
| 1995 | 18,400 | 62.3 |
| 1996 | 18,900 | 63.5 |
| 1 Rates are directly age-standardised to the European population | ||
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) radical prostatectomy surgeries, (b) external beam radiation therapy courses and (c) radioactive seed implants (brachytherapy) for prostate cancer were performed in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99 and (iii) 1999–2000. [130748]
The number of episodes where either a prostatectomy or radiotherapy for prostate cancer was performed, in NHS hospitals in England for 1997–98 to 1998–99 are shown in the table. Data for 1999–2000 are not yet available.
Number of Finished Consultant Episodes (FCEs 1 ) for selected diagnoses and operations in NHS Trusts in England, 1997–98 and 1998–99
| ||
Diagnosis/operation
| 1997–98
| 1998–99
|
(a) Malignant neoplasm of prostate C61 (ICD10) with open excision of prostate M61 (OPCS 4R), or endorscopic resection of outlet of male bladder M65 (OPCS 4R). | 6.468 | 6,366 |
(b) Malignant neoplasm of prostate C61 (ICD10) with Radiotherapy session Z51.0 (ICD10) | 5.125 | 6,345 |
1 An FCE is defined as a period of patient care under one consultant in one health care provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as one person may have several episodes within the year. | ||
Notes:
Figures for 1997–98 are grossed for both coverage and unknown/invalid clinical data, but the figures for 1998–99 are ungrossed (i.e. no adjustments have as yet been made for shortfalls in data).
Source:
Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time is for (a) a body scan and (b) a bone scan following prostate cancer diagnosis. [132722]
This information is not collected centrally.
Coronary Heart Disease
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) men and (b) women were treated for coronary heart disease during the last 12 months. [130767]
The number of admissions for coronary heart disease to National Health Service Trusts in England, by gender, for the financial year 1998–99, is shown in the table.
| Admissions | |
| Male | 186,585 |
| Female | 99,918 |
| Sex not specified | 103 |
| Total | 286,606 |
Meat Inspections
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which other EU countries are supportive of a meat inspection regime based upon risk analysis. [131100]
I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that at recent European Commission Working Group meetings on veterinary legislation, all European Union member states have expressed support for the Commission's initiative to fundamentally review ante- and post-mortem inspection procedures in slaughterhouses. All member states were of the view that the current meat inspection system should be re-assessed on the basis of risk. However, there were varying degrees of support for the extent to which it would be possible to move away from the present levels of official supervision and for plant operators to take responsibility for post-mortem inspection. Subsequent bilateral meetings between Food Standards Agency officials and representatives from the veterinary authorities in France and the Netherlands have shown these countries to be very supportive of a risk-based approach to both official controls and meat inspection procedures.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the possibility of introducing the hazard analysis and critical control point system into the meat hygiene service. [131810]
[holding answer 21 July 2000]: Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) is a food safety management system which places responsibility for the production of safe food on food business operators. HACCP is widely regarded as the most effective approach to preventing food safety problems but is not currently a mandatory requirement in the meat slaughtering sector. The European Commission's proposals for new food safety hygiene rules, presented by Commissioner Byrne at the Agriculture Council on 17 July, would extend HACCP-based controls to all food production, including meat slaughtering. We welcome these proposals and the opportunity they give to modernise official controls and meat inspection procedures. The new legislation is expected to take at least two years to negotiate, with a further interim phase needed for full implementation. I am advised that the Food Standards Agency will be consulting widely on the Commission's proposals in developing the United Kingdom's negotiating position.In the meantime, the meat industry is being encouraged to adopt HACCP on a voluntary basis. In a survey in 1999 about 54 per cent. of red meat (full throughput) slaughterhouses and 71 per cent. of white meat (full throughput) slaughterhouses in Great Britain claimed to have a full HACCP system in place.
Hospitals, Shrewsbury
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 3 July 2000, Official Report, column 39W, on the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, how many patients were treated for each of the treatments listed; and if he will make a statement. [131165]
The information is not available in the requested format. The table relates to the numbers of operations performed at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital between 1 April 1999 and 31 March 2000.
| Number | |
| Hip operations | 80 |
| Knee replacements | 5 |
| Hernia operations | 717 |
| Cataract operations | 1,546 |
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to visit the Copthorne South hospital buildings in Shrewsbury; and if he will make a statement. [131699]
Due to heavy diary commitments, there are no plans at present for the Secretary of State for Health to visit the Copthorne South hospital buildings in Shrewsbury.
Modernisation Fund
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list each application which he has determined for support from the Modernisation Fund, referred to in Figure 11.5 of the Departmental report, indicating the health authorities to which each application related, the amount of each application, the date of each application, the date of his decision on each application and the amount awarded thereunder, since the establishment of the fund; [129688](2) if he will place in the Library a copy of each application to the Modernisation Fund, referred to in Figure 11.5 of the Departmental report, by a health authority which has been personally determined by ministers, and the reasons cited for such determination, since the establishment of the fund; [129689](3) if he will list each application to the Modernisation Fund, referred to in Figure 11.5 of the Departmental report, by a health authority which was
(a) personally determined by ministers and (b) determined by officials, indicating in each case the amount of each application and the amount of each award, since the establishment of the fund. [129690]
[holding answer 17 July 2000]: The table listing, by health authorities, the awards for the eighteen 1999–2000 Modernisation Fund budgets that were allocated via a bidding process has been placed in the Library.
Correspondence
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Spelthorne dated 17 February relating to his constituent, Mrs. J. Stevens. [130653]
[holding answer 17 July 2000]: I replied to the hon. Member on 24 July.
Abortion
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to promote the uptake of the Royal College of Gynaecologists' guidelines entitled The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion. [131463]
The Department has alerted all independent sector places carrying out termination of pregnancy to this new guideline. One of the conditions for approval is that practice should be guided by authoritative guidelines such as those from the Royal Colleges and we will monitor implementation during inspection visits. We expect the guideline to be used as the basis of local protocols that will promote the development of high quality services and take account of local needs and service provision.In addition, the guideline will be considered as part of the national sexual health and HIV strategy currently being developed.
Health Spending
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the additional spending for health announced in the last Budget has been allocated to achieve specific targets; what the targets are for each health authority; and how much funding has been allocated to each target within each health authority. [131744]
| Table 1: | |
| Purpose | £ million |
| Additions to health authority any primary care group/trust unified allocations, to achieve financial balance, to improve waiting lists and times, to implement winter plans, including developing intermediate care services and to action recommendations of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. | 600 |
| To reward performance against indicators for waiting, winter planning and financial balance. The money is allocated in stages throughout the year. The criteria used to assess whether health authorities receive payments are based on national benchmarks and locally agreed plans. | 60 |
| For further development of services for wheelchair users. Health authorities are able to use this money flexibly to meet local needs and priorities in wheelchair services. | 4 |
| For further development of smoking cessation clinics. This money supports the National Priorities Guidance targets for smoking, namely 150,000 smokers accessing services and 20,000 quitting long-term; which in turn supports a 1 per cent, fall in prevalence by April 2001. | 4 |
| Further funding for booked admissions to reduce waiting. By March 2001 booking should be taking place in all acute NHS Trusts, in at least two specialities/high volume procedures. By the same date amount two million patients will have received a booked appointment or admission to hospital. | 10 |
| To support extended access to primary care and access to extended services in primary care. No specific targets for health authorities yet set. | 54.5 |
| For nurse leadership initiatives enabling all ward sisters and charge nurses to attend a leadership programme. | 2 |
| To increase critical care capacity (£5 million for neo-natal services and £145 million for adult intensive care of which £2.5 million goes to support local service redesign). Allocations to individual health authorities will be announced shortly. | 150 |
| For a flu vaccination programme. This will be offered to all aged 65 and over, as well as the 'risk' population. The main objective is to reduce the number of deaths and serious illness in those groups most likely to be affected. | 60 |
| For information technology. Allocations to health authorities and targets to be finalised. | 60 |
| For the development of cancer networks and for a peer review assessment visiting process for cancer services. | 3 |
| Table 2: | £000 | |||||
| Health Authority | Additions to unified allocations | Performance fund1 | Wheelchairs2 | Booked admissions2 | Access to primary care | Smoking cessation2 |
| Avon | 11,390 | 285 | 275 | 216 | 1,035 | 267 |
| Barking and Havering | 4,893 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 444 | 114 |
| Barnet | 3,996 | 0 | 88 | 0 | 363 | 97 |
| Barnsley | 3,094 | 0 | 65 | 113 | 281 | 169 |
| Bedfordshire | 6,288 | 167 | 158 | 0 | 571 | 220 |
| Berkshire | 8,779 | 219 | 222 | 61 | 797 | 204 |
| Bexley and Greenwich | 5,262 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 478 | 128 |
| Birmingham | 13,075 | 327 | 287 | 530 | 1,188 | 315 |
| Bradford | 6,090 | 152 | 138 | 0 | 553 | 346 |
| Brent and Harrow | 5,869 | 0 | 131 | 199 | 533 | 259 |
| Bromley | 3,527 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 320 | 82 |
| Buckinghamshire | 7,360 | 184 | 193 | 0 | 669 | 169 |
| Bury and Rochdale | 4,858 | 0 | 112 | 0 | 441 | 277 |
| Calderdale and Kirklees | 7,079 | 177 | 166 | 96 | 643 | 170 |
| Cambridge | 7,948 | 0 | 248 | 94 | 722 | 182 |
| Camden and Islington | 6,131 | 0 | 105 | 194 | 557 | 360 |
| Cornwall and Isles of Scilly | 5,952 | 0 | 140 | 0 | 541 | 328 |
| County Durham | 8,095 | 202 | 173 | 260 | 735 | 190 |
| Coventry | 3,998 | 100 | 86 | 0 | 363 | 92 |
| Croydon | 3,958 | 99 | 0 | 0 | 359 | 96 |
| Doncaster | 3,800 | 95 | 84 | 78 | 345 | 209 |
| Dorset | 8,389 | 210 | 194 | 209 | 762 | 195 |
| Dudley | 3,571 | 0 | 89 | 0 | 324 | 84 |
| Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow | 9,204 | 230 | 186 | 219 | 836 | 221 |
| East and North Hertfordshire | 5,661 | 0 | 140 | 177 | 514 | 127 |
| East Kent | 7,382 | 185 | 0 | 0 | 670 | 175 |
| East Lancashire | 6,790 | 170 | 147 | 91 | 617 | 161 |
| East London and The City | 9,944 | 249 | 173 | 0 | 903 | 574 |
| East Riding | 6,916 | 173 | 165 | 0 | 628 | 389 |
Table 1 shows the elements of the additional spending for health announced in the last Budget that have been earmarked for health authorities to date, together with targets where appropriate. Table 2 shows the sums that have been allocated to each health authority to date. Other sums have been allocated other than to health authorities or are yet to be allocated.
Table 2:
| £000
| |||||
Health Authority
| Additions to Unified allocations
| Performance Fund 1
| Wheelchairs 2
| Booked admissions 2
| Access to primary care
| Smoking cessation2
|
| East Surrey | 4,598 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 418 | 109 |
| East Sussex Bright and Hove | 9,443 | 236 | 0 | 0 | 858 | 224 |
| Enfield and Haringey | 6,234 | 156 | 135 | 0 | 566 | 154 |
| Gateshead and South Tyneside | 4,915 | 123 | 103 | 0 | 446 | 274 |
| Gloucestershire | 6,205 | 155 | 158 | 106 | 564 | 145 |
| Herefordshire | 1,909 | 48 | 47 | 0 | 173 | 44 |
| Hillingdon | 2,989 | 75 | 70 | 0 | 272 | 74 |
| Isle of Wight | 1,649 | 41 | 35 | 0 | 150 | 38 |
| Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster | 6,122 | 153 | 100 | 182 | 556 | 145 |
| Kingston and Richmond | 4,061 | 102 | 1,934 | 0 | 369 | 93 |
| Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham | 10,949 | 274 | 0 | 389 | 995 | 648 |
| Leeds | 8,981 | 0 | 207 | 0 | 816 | 503 |
| Leicestershire | 10,286 | 257 | 264 | 261 | 934 | 386 |
| Lincolnshire | 7,603 | 190 | 175 | 99 | 691 | 173 |
| Liverpool | 6,521 | 163 | 135 | 75 | 592 | 368 |
| Manchester | 6,514 | 163 | 123 | 145 | 592 | 356 |
| Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth | 7,853 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 713 | 193 |
| Morecambe Bay | 3,803 | 95 | 89 | 67 | 345 | 90 |
| Newcastle and North Tyneside | 6,333 | 158 | 137 | 0 | 575 | 361 |
| Norfolk | 8,847 | 0 | 177 | 45 | 804 | 211 |
| North and East Devon | 5,689 | 0 | 135 | 139 | 517 | 131 |
| North and Mid Hampshire | 5,586 | 140 | 156 | 0 | 507 | 131 |
| North Cheshire | 3,779 | 94 | 89 | 42 | 343 | 91 |
| North Cumbria | 3,803 | 0 | 91 | 0 | 345 | 211 |
| North Derbyshire | 4,393 | 110 | 107 | 0 | 399 | 103 |
| North Essex | 9,755 | 244 | 250 | 0 | 886 | 233 |
| North Nottinghamshire | 4,669 | 117 | 112 | 0 | 424 | 110 |
| North Staffordshire | 5,965 | 0 | 137 | 0 | 542 | 300 |
| North West Lancashire | 6,175 | 154 | 133 | 108 | 561 | 148 |
| North Yorkshire | 8,368 | 209 | 210 | 0 | 760 | 196 |
| Northamptonshire | 6,208 | 155 | 173 | 80 | 564 | 158 |
| Northumberland | 3,777 | 0 | 89 | 68 | 343 | 208 |
| Nottingham | 7,678 | 192 | 184 | 0 | 697 | 436 |
| Oxfordshire | 6,535 | 0 | 172 | 119 | 594 | 149 |
| Portsmouth and South East Hants | 6,394 | 0 | 152 | 0 | 581 | 149 |
| Redbridge and Waltham Forest | 5,469 | 0 | 133 | 0 | 497 | 135 |
| Rotherham | 3,082 | 77 | 74 | 0 | 280 | 180 |
| Salford and Trafford | 5,847 | 0 | 128 | 95 | 531 | 330 |
| Sandwell | 3,959 | 99 | 84 | 70 | 360 | 212 |
| Sefton | 3,605 | 0 | 84 | 0 | 327 | 209 |
| Sheffield | 6,907 | 173 | 151 | 0 | 627 | 388 |
| Shropshire | 4,817 | 120 | 121 | 147 | 438 | 113 |
| Solihull | 2,337 | 58 | 58 | 0 | 212 | 51 |
| Somerset | 5,561 | 139 | 138 | 0 | 505 | 129 |
| South and West Devon | 7,250 | 0 | 170 | 88 | 659 | 276 |
| South Cheshire | 7,715 | 193 | 193 | 0 | 701 | 179 |
| South Essex | 8,255 | 206 | 200 | 75 | 750 | 192 |
| South Humber | 3,725 | 93 | 91 | 0 | 338 | 86 |
| South Lancashire | 3,543 | 89 | 89 | 90 | 322 | 82 |
| South Staffordshire | 6,189 | 0 | 168 | 147 | 562 | 148 |
| Southampton and South West Hants | 6,302 | 158 | 170 | 132 | 572 | 145 |
| Southern Derbyshire | 6,694 | 167 | 158 | 107 | 608 | 155 |
| St. Helens and Knowsley | 4,553 | 114 | 95 | 0 | 414 | 244 |
| Stockport | 3,377 | 84 | 84 | 66 | 307 | 79 |
| Suffolk | 7,546 | 189 | 189 | 125 | 685 | 170 |
| Sunderland | 3,877 | 97 | 86 | 0 | 352 | 222 |
| Tees | 7,169 | 179 | 159 | 147 | 651 | 406 |
| Wakefield | 4,045 | 0 | 91 | 150 | 367 | 220 |
| Walsall | 3,190 | 80 | 75 | 153 | 290 | 182 |
| Warwickshire | 5,531 | 0 | 142 | 0 | 502 | 131 |
| West Hertfordshire | 6,054 | 0 | 149 | 0 | 550 | 142 |
| West Kent | 10,750 | 0 | 0 | 125 | 976 | 249 |
| West Pennine | 5,816 | 145 | 137 | 101 | 528 | 144 |
| West Sussex | 9,050 | 226 | 0 | 77 | 822 | 211 |
| Western Surrey | 6,860 | 172 | 0 | 195 | 623 | 161 |
| Wigan and Bolton | 7,410 | 185 | 114 | 77 | 673 | 177 |
| Wiltshire | 6,531 | 163 | 172 | 0 | 593 | 152 |
| Wirral | 4,213 | 105 | 95 | 125 | 383 | 237 |
| Wolverhampton | 3,136 | 0 | 70 | 0 | 285 | 179 |
| Worcestershire | 5,748 | 144 | 154 | 0 | 522 | 135 |
1 Performance fund paid in quarterly tranches. Figures shown are for the first tranche. | ||||||
2 The additional funding announced in the Budget has been used to enhance an existing budget. Figures shown are for the full budget. | ||||||
Therapists
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) training places available for speech and language therapists and (b) applicants for places there were in each of the past 10 years. [130668]
These data are not collected centrally.Data on the number of training places and the total number of applicants for places is a matter for the University and Colleges Admissions Service.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the (a) number of clinical placements available for physiotherapists and (b) recruiting requirements for physiotherapists. [131739]
The number of clinical placements available for physiotherapists is not held centrally. It is for education consortiums to assess the availability of sufficient, high quality clinical placements and commission the education and training to meet the needs of local health services.
| NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): Therapists working within the speech and language therapy and physiotherapy areas of work, in England, North West Regional Office area and North West Lancashire Health Authority as at 30 September 1999 | ||||||
| England | North West Region | North West Lancashire HA | ||||
| Whole time equivalent | Numbers (headcount) | Whole time equivalent | Numbers (headcount) | Whole time equivalent | Numbers (headcount) | |
| Speech and language therapist | 3,834 | 5,065 | 540 | 687 | 43 | 52 |
| Population ratio per 100,000 | 7.71 | 10.18 | 8.18 | 10.40 | 9.22 | 11.12 |
| Physiotherapist | 11,803 | 14,808 | 1,707 | 2,116 | 111 | 144 |
| Population ratio per 100,000 | 23.72 | 29.76 | 25.85 | 32.04 | 23.75 | 30.8 |
Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest whole number
Source:
Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census Office for National Statistics (ONS)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the impact on recruiting requirements for speech and language therapists of their increased responsibilities, with particular reference to dysphagic patients and children with special educational needs. [131735]
Following the Dearing Review of higher education in 1998, funding for training of speech and language therapists, chiropodists, dietitians, orthotists and prosthetics was transferred from the Department for Education and Employment to the Department of Health. This Department has commissioned consultants to carry out a labour market analysis of speech and language therapists. This will include any recruitment implications resulting from increased workload due to treating dysphagia patients and children with special educational needs.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the retention rate was of speech and language therapists in the NHS in the last 12 months. [131742]
The information requested is not held centrally. The number of speech and language therapists (whole time equivalent) employed in the National Health Service increased by 17 per cent. between 1995 and 1999 (from 3,270 to 3,830).
The National Workforce Review document, "A Health Service of all the talents: Developing the NHS Workforce, Consultation Document on the Review of Workforce Planning" outlines wide-ranging and radical proposals and recommendations which look to address issues surrounding the way the National Health Service plans for, educates, trains and deploys its staff, to ensure that the NHS has the workforce required to deliver service priorities.
We are reviewing our assumptions about staff requirements in the light of the autumn 1999 census of NHS staff, the current survey of recruitment, retention and vacancy levels, and any other recent and relevant information.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the ratio is of (a) speech and language therapists and (b) physiotherapists to service users in (i) Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde, (ii) the North West and (iii) nationally. [131741]
The data requested are in the table:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of research by Deborah Rossiter, of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, into the recruitment and retention of speech and language therapists. [131737]
The research is being fed into the Department's current labour market analysis of the speech and language therapy profession.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans and targets his Department has for the recruitment of (a) speech and language therapists and (b) physiotherapists. [131743]
The national recruitment, retention and vacancy survey published in September 1999 gave us the latest authoritative data on staff vacancies from 98 per cent. of National Health Service trusts. It shows that only 3.3 per cent. of physiotherapist and 1.2 per cent. of speech and language therapist posts have been vacant for 3 months or more (in England). We are ensuring that effective recruitment and retention policies are in place to make the best use of trained staff and that training levels are sufficient to get a better match between supply and demand.We are taking a number of steps which will help to address the issue of recruitment and retention of physiotherapists and speech and language therapists.
These include the publication of the framework for the management of human resources for the whole of the NHS, "Working Together: securing a quality workforce for the NHS", which sets targets for local employers to improve recruitment and retention year on year. We have issued guidance to the service on improving working lives and we will shortly be issuing guidance on Lifelong Learning and Continuing Professional Development.
We are also modernising services and modernising employment practice in the NHS: developing more supportive, flexible and family friendly working practices; extending and improving investment in lifelong learning and professional development; tackling violence and racism in the workplace; involving staff in the way services are delivered and in the changes and developments that affect their working lives.
We have accepted in full the pay increases recommended by the Pay Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine (including physiotherapists) for 2000–01. The Review Body have recommended an across the board increase of 3.4 per cent. for 2000–01 and for the second year running these increases will be paid in full without staging. Taken together with last year's award, this means that physiotherapists will have received real terms increases of over 5 per cent., the best settlement for over 10 years.
Earlier this month, speech and language therapists accepted the pay offer for the years 2000–01 (3.25 per cent. or £300 whichever is the higher) and 2001–02 (a formula on which negotiations will be based) and the agreement will be promulgated to the NHS on 27 July 2000. Manufacturing Science and Finance Union, the main union representing speech and language therapists, balloted their speech and language therapist membership on the offer and the vote in favour of accepting the offer was 98 per cent.
Career prospects for speech and language therapists have been improved with the introduction on 19 May of a revised grading structure for speech and language therapists which extends the existing pay spine to match that of clinical psychologists.
Mechanically Recovered Meat
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what safeguards are in place to ensure that mechanically recovered meat is not contaminated with specified risk material; and if he will make a statement. [131891]
I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that specified risk material (SRM) controls are designed to ensure that all SRM is completely separated from the parts of the carcases of cattle and sheep which might be used for food before any further processing, such as the production of mechanically recovered meat (MRM), can take place. These controls are rigorously supervised by the Meat Hygiene Service, which inspects each carcase individually to ensure that all traces of SRM have been removed before the health mark is applied. As an additional safeguard, the SRM rules also prohibit the use of vertebral column of cattle or sheep, which will have been in contact with SRM in the form of the spinal cord, in MRM production.
Air Quality
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance his Department gives on the frequency of air-changes in residential accommodation that is compatible with good health; [132083](2) what guidance his Department gives to asthma sufferers on the importance of air circulation in the domestic environment; [132084](3) what recent research he has commissioned on the link between asthma and air quality in the domestic and work environment; [132368](4) what steps he is taking to evaluate the role of air quality in home and business environments on health. [132085]
The Health and Safety Executive has commissioned research into the relationship between certain substances and occupational asthma. It has also commissioned research to develop monitoring methods and improve workplace controls.The Health and Safety Commission sets occupational exposure limits for some 500 substances. Virtually all hazardous substances that can cause ill health in the workplace are subject to control under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations.The Department also provides information for the public on air pollution and health in the form of an information pack. This pack contains a wide range of information, including leaflets and factsheets from organisations such as the National Asthma Campaign and the Lung and Asthma Information Agency that contains specific health advice for people with asthma. The pack also provides information on how to obtain Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions leaflets on such issues as dust mites in the home, carbon monoxide poisoning in the home and damp and mould control for the home.The Department's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants has recently published advice on the health effects of air pollutants and this includes advice on precautions to take with pollutants indoors, including maintaining domestic appliances and ventilation. The importance of ventilation to improve air quality in the home is well understood and is enforced through the building regulations.In 1997, the Department, together with the DETR jointly commissioned a research programme "The Effects On Health Of Exposure To Air Pollutants And Damp In The Home". This £1.3 million programme focused on air pollution in the home and its effects on health. Specific projects concentrated on exposure to indoor air pollutants in children and their mothers with asthma and exposure to particulate air pollution and respiratory illness. The projects are due for completion later this year when the results and conclusions will be assessed.
Pathology Services
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on (a) the role of pathology services in the National Health Service and (b) what steps he has taken to increase recruitment and retention of staff in the pathology service. [132403]
Pathology services are an integral part of effective National Health Service diagnosis, treatment, patient care and screening programmes, they play an important role in protecting the public health in the new NHS.The Department is currently developing a specific strategy for improving recruitment and retention; liaising closely with employers, the Royal College of Pathologists, professional bodies and trade unions to raise the profile of the work of pathology staff. In addition, the National Advisory Group for Scientists and Technicians has been charged to develop plans to improve workforce planning, education, training and career development.
Drinking Water (Chlorination)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from (a) the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association, (b) the Pure Water Association and (c) other bodies regarding the chlorination of drinking water. [132345]
[holding answer 24 July 2000]: No representations have been received.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the study commissioned by his Department into the use of chlorine-treated drinking water, with particular reference to (a) its cost, (b) when the report is expected and (c) the reasons for his Department's decision to commission the study. [132330]
[holding answer 24 July 2000]: The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment advised that:
The statement was published in the 1999 Annual Report of the Committees on Toxicity, Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment. Copies of the Annual Report are in the Library, and may be found on the internet at http://www.doh.gov.uk/coc.htm.In view of the Committee's advice, funding Departments (which include the Department of Health and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions), commissioned the Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU) at Imperial College to undertake a case-control epidemiological study to examine whether there are adverse reproductive outcomes associated with chlorination by-products in drinking-water. The study is part of core funding of SAHSU, and is not costed separately. The first part of the study, which is investigating the hypothesis of an association between chlorination byproducts and stillbirths, low birth weight, birth weight distribution and sex ratio, is expected to report in the autumn of 2000. A proposed second phase will investigate the hypothesis of an association with certain congenital anomalies (cleft lip/palate, and major defects of the heart and of the abdominal wall), and is expected to take about 16 months to complete.We consider that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that the presence of chlorination by-products in tap-water increases the risk of adverse reproductive outcomes. We recommend, however, that the claimed associations between patterns of drinking-water intake and the incidence of adverse reproductive outcomes be investigated further, since any causal association would be of significant public health concern.
In addition, the Department of Health has commissioned the Medical Research Council Institute of Environment and Health to examine the techniques of systematic review and meta-analysis in environmental epidemiology and toxicology. The project, which costs £85,260, and which is expected to report by the end of 2002, will include consideration of epidemiological studies on chlorinated drinking-water and reproductive outcomes as one example of a body of research to which such techniques may be applied.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice his Department gives to water companies regarding the chlorination of drinking water. [132347]
[holding answer 24 July 2000]: Chemical disinfection of drinking-water is an important part of the treatment of water to protect human health. There are, however, concerns that traces of the chemical by-products of disinfection processes may be harmful. Standing expert advisory committees, whose members are appointed by the Chief Medical Officer, have advised the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) at the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on the evidence linking the consumption of chlorinated tap-water with cancers and with adverse reproductive outcomes. The Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment concluded that:
Overall, the further epidemiological studies fail to provide persuasive evidence of a consistent relationship between chlorinated drinking-water and cancer. It remains possible that there may be an association between chlorinated drinking water and cancer which is obscured by problems such as the difficulty of obtaining an adequate estimate of exposure to chlorination by-products, misclassification of source of drinking water (including the use of bottled water), failure to take adequate account of confounding factors (such as smoking status), and errors arising from non-participation of subjects.
The statement was published in March 2000 in the 1998 Annual Report of the Committees on Toxicity, Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment.The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment concluded that:We therefore consider that efforts to minimise exposure to chlorination by-products remain appropriate, providing that they do not compromise the efficiency of disinfection of drinking-water.
We consider that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that the presence of chlorination by-products in tap-water increases the risk of adverse reproductive outcomes. We recommend, however, that the claimed associations between patterns of drinking-water intake and the incidence of adverse reproductive outcomes be investigated further, since any causal association would be of significant public health concern. We therefore consider that efforts to minimise exposure to chlorination by-products by individuals and water authorities remain appropriate, providing that they do not compromise the efficiency of disinfection of drinking water.
The statement was published in March 2000 in the 1999 Annual Report of the Committees on Toxicity, Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment. Copies of the Annual reports have been placed in the Library, and may be found on the internet at http://www.doh.gov.uk/coc.htm
The advice was passed on to water and sewerage companies, and water companies, in England and Wales, by DWI in Information Letter 12/99 on 14 July 1999. The letter included additional advice from DWI to the companies. The letter may be found on the internet at http://www.dwi.detr.gov.uk/regs/infolett/1999/ infol299.htm
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions officials in his Department have had with their counterparts in other Governments regarding the chlorination of drinking water. [132346]
[holding answer 24 July 2000]: There have been no recent discussions. However, officials keep in touch with scientific and regulatory developments in this area, through published literature, contact with scientists working in this field, involvement in preparation of World Health Organisation guidelines and evaluations, and through colleagues in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.
Mobile Phones
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of (a) the NRPB report and (b) the Stewart report on mobile phones. [132435]
The most recent document concerning mobile phone base stations published by the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) is "Exposure to Radio Waves Near Mobile Phone Base Stations" (NRPB-R321 published June 2000). A summary is available at www.nrpb.org.uk. The contents of this report have been noted and copies have been placed in the Library.The Stewart report published on 11 May made wide-ranging recommendations. We issued our initial response on the same day. The Department is keeping an overview of action taken by the appropriate Government Departments to respond to the report's recommendations. Progress is as follows:
Advice has already been issued to local education authorities and schools about base stations in an around school premises and the use of mobile phones by children.
Research recommendations are being taken forward by the Department of Health in conjunction with the Department for Trade and Industry, the research councils and industry. An announcement is planned for September.
The Department of Trade and Industry is also developing arrangements for information about mobile phones exposures to be made available and on measurement and auditing of base stations, for which schools are seen as the priority.
The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions will shortly be consulting on the principle and precise scope of possible changes to the planning process for mobile phone base stations.
The Department of Health will issue a leaflet later this year to be distributed widely and, specifically, to be available where mobile phones are sold.
Human Embryo Stem Cells
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to receive the report from the Chief Medical Officer about the use of human embryo stem cells for medical research. [132436]
The Chief Medical Officer's Expert Group on Therapeutic Cloning has completed its work on the potential benefits, risks and the ethical issues raised by developments in stem cell research and cell nuclear replacement. We are now considering the report's recommendations.
Human Papilloma Virus
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria will be used to set up the pilot schemes for human papilloma virus testing. [132504]
The final criteria for selection of joint pilot sites for human papilloma virus testing and liquid based cytology have not yet been agreed by the Project Steering Group. They will broadly cover areas such as population size, high quality audit and historical information, number of smears taken annually and meeting national population coverage targets.
Liver Cancer
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of hepatitis C infection levels of Government cancer strategy in relation to liver cancer. [132117]
[holding answer 24 July 2000]: Studies carried out in a number of countries have shown that a percentage (generally about 1–5 per cent.) of individuals with chronic hepatitis C infection may progress to primary hepatocellular cancer. The Public Health Laboratory Service, in association with the British Association for the Study of the Liver, is setting up a surveillance system to monitor end stage liver disease attributed to hepatitis C.As part of our modernisation programme for the National Health Service, we are taking action on a number of fronts to ensure prompt access to cancer diagnosis and treatment across the country. This will include improving liver cancer services.
Smoking
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the total tobacco consumption in the United Kingdom in (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999. [132340]
The number of cigarettes released for home consumption in the United Kingdom were in (a) 1997 81.0 billion (b) 1998 75.3 billion, and (c) 1999 34.2 billion. It is not possible accurately to estimate overall cigarette consumption because of the effects of smuggling and forestalling.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, before supporting the proposal for an EU Directive on the manufacture, production and sale of tobacco products he prepared a regulatory impact assessment on the proposal. [132339]
[holding answer 24 July 2000]: Yes. This assessment was available to the Scrutiny Committees of both Houses of Parliament examining the Directive proposals.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health which members of staff of Action on Smoking and Health (a) have been and (b) are to be seconded to his Department; and to whom they will be responsible and report. [132342]
[holding answer 24 July 2000]: No member of the Action on Smoking and Health staff has been seconded to the Department and no decisions have been taken on any future arrangement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he intends to continue to authorise the use of the product descriptions (a) low, (b) light, (c) ultra light, (d) mild and (e) other similar terms relating to tobacco products. [132341]
[holding answer 24 July 2000]: As currently drafted, the Directive on Labelling, Manufacture and Sale of Tobacco Products would ban the use of such descriptions. The original European Commission proposal permitted member states to allow the terms to be used on tobacco products but the United Kingdom has argued strongly against any form of derogation.
Biomedicine
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans Her Majesty's Government have to sign up to the European Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine; and if he will make a statement. [131643]
[holding answer 24 July 2000]: The Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine contains a wide range of complex ethical and legal provisions. The rights of patients, whether undergoing medical treatment or research, are central to the Convention. The provisions cover a mixture of devolved matters (such as consent to treatment) and reserved matters (such as embryo research). We are considering the most appropriate way forward in the light of devolution.
Public Records
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will open for public inspection the file DT 33/2055 at the Public Record Office. [132752]
File DT 33/2055 contains records of the General Nursing Council for England and Wales (GNC). The decision whether or not to open the file for public inspection is a matter for the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, the successor body to the GNC.
Official Visits
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the visits outside Britain made by his Department's Permanent Secretary on official business since 1 January 1999, indicating the date and purpose of the visit in each case. [132751]
The Permanent Secretary visited Bonn, Germany on 17 to 18 May 1999 to discuss the German health system.
Health Service Managers
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he issues to health authorities or trusts about employment contracts of senior administrative and managerial personnel employed by the NHS; and where they are published. [132708]
The National Health Service Executive have issued guidance to NHS trusts and health authorities on employment contacts in respect of:
the pay and conditions of service for NHS managers in trusts and health authorities who retain residual national arrangements, set out in Personnel Management (86)7 (which also included a model contract for general managers, amended by Health Service Guidance (96)1), and in Health Circular (89)1 (which also included model contract clauses for senior managers);
the pay and conditions for managers in health authorities, effective since 1 April 1998, set out in Health Service Circular 1998/017;
a service-wide policy restricting the use of short term contract for all staff working in the NHS, set out in Health Service Circular 1999/108; and,
Copies of these are in the Library. Guidance published since 1996 is also available on the Department's website.guidance on the early termination of general and senior managers fixed term rolling employment contracts, set out in Health Service Circular 199/138 and Health Service Circular 1999/140.
Medical Inquiries
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce legislation to require the General Medical Council to hold its inquiries in public and to put the conclusions of its inquiries into the public domain. [132706]
Much of the fitness to practise work of the General Medical Council is already conducted in public. Decisions that a doctor is not fit to practise are always made public.The General Medical Council is undertaking a "Structural and Legal Review" of its fitness to practise procedures. The GMC will publish its proposals for modernisation later this year. We will need to consider how far they meet the rising expectations of the public and Parliament for fundamental changes to the way the GMC deals with doctors who do not meet the expected standards of conduct and performance set by the profession. If the Council cannot deliver the reform that is necessary we will act to put into place effective measures for the protection of the public.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he issues on non-judicial inquiries into events in the NHS; how many of such inquiries have been conducted; how many reports of such inquiries have been put in the public domain; and how many such inquiries have been carried out by employees of the NHS since May 1997. [132707]
Non-statutory inquiries into events in the National Health Service are carried out at many levels of NHS management as part of the management process. They may be initiated internally by staff, through formal mechanisms such as the NHS Complaints Procedures, or through external agencies. Some inquiries may be staffed from within the NHS organisation while others will have the benefit of independent members. No general guidance has been issued, although specific information on the NHS Complaints Procedures was issued under cover of Executive Letter (96)19, copies of which are available in the Library.Full details of these inquiries are not held centrally. For information on inquiries established by the Department since December 1997 1 refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for North Devon (Mr. Harvey) on 25 July 2000,
Official Report, columns 499–500W. all those inquiries listed have either reported publicly or intend to do so.
Waiting Lists
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people in Ribble Valley waited (a) between six and 12 months, (b) between 12 and 18 months and (c) over 18 months for an in-patient appointment; [132723](2) how many people in Ribble Valley waited
(a) between three and six months, (b) between six and nine months and (c) over nine months for their first out-patient appointment; [132724]
(3) how many people from the Ribble Valley died while on an NHS waiting list between 1994 and 2000. [132727]
Patients waiting for a first out-patient appointment at Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care National Health Service Trust at 31 March 2000 for all specialities, were:
- waiting 13–25 weeks—516 patients
- waiting over 26 weeks—147 patients and
- total waiting over 13 weeks—663 patients.
- between 6 and 12 months—857 patients
- between 12 and 18 months—48 patients and
- over 18 months—none.
Information relating to the number of people from Ribble Valley who died on an NHS waiting list is not collected centrally.
Note:
The waiting list information available is collected centrally by the Blackburn. Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust and not by area of residency.
Prescription Charges
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision is made in relation to prepayment prescription charges for payment to be made in instalments by direct debit instalments. [132364]
In England prescription pre-payment certificates (PPCs) are not available by instalments. To introduce payment on a sliding scale, by instalments or by direct debit, would inevitably increase administrative costs. This would in turn lead to higher season ticket fees, and so reduce the potential savings and make them less attractive for those who continue to use them. However, we recognise that some people may have difficulty in finding the fee for an annual PPC in one payment, which is why we have also made PPCs available for four-monthly periods at a cost of £31.40.
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
Absenteeism
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the level of absenteeism was in (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its related public bodies in the last year for which figures are available; what his estimate is of the total cost of this level of absenteeism to public funds in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [131321]
[holding answer 18 July 2000]: In 1999–2000 staff in the Department took an average of eight days of sickness absence. Based on an average salary cost (including superannuation and national insurance) the cost to the FCO was £5.5 million. These figures include absences at the FCO's only Executive Agency, Wilton Park, which employs around 40 staff, and the FCO's non-departmental public bodies, all of which employ fewer than seven staff. The cost of this level of absenteeism in the previous four years would have been £5.3 million in 1998–99, £5.3 million in 1997–98, £5.4 million in 1996–97 and £5.4 million in 1995–96. The average number of days of sickness absence in the British Council's operations in the United Kingdom in 1999–2000 was 5.3 days at a total cost of £726,829. The cost of this level of absenteeism in the previous four years would have been £701,882 in 1998–99, £680,825 in 1997–98, £660,401 in 1996–97 and £640,589 in 1995–96.
Nepal
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what reports he has received regarding the demonstrations held in the Kailali district of Nepal and in Katmandu by bonded labourers demanding their freedom; [132308](2) if he will make early representations to the Government of Nepal urging it to release bonded labourers from slavery. [132309]
We are aware of the demonstrations. The announcement made by the Nepalese Government on 17 July to abolish bonded labour will be well received by those campaigning against it.
Indian Sub-Continent (Uk Visits)
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to reduce the obstacles presented to citizens from the Indian sub-continent wishing to visit their immediate family in the UK. [132244]
The 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act provided for the restoration of appeal rights for people refused visas to visit close family members in the UK. The new appeal right, which will apply to many visitors from the sub-continent, will come into effect from 2 October, and will provide a further, independent review of refusal decisions.We are making every effort to improve the visa service, particularly in the sub-continent. At my request, there was an independent high level review of the Immigration Section in Islamabad last month, which made recommendations for improvements in the service there. We are in the process of implementing those.
Chagos Islands
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the study of the options for repatriating the Ilois People to the Chagos Islands was commissioned; what it has cost to date; when it will be completed; what epidemiological studies have been undertaken of the displaced Ilois People since their evacuation from their home islands; and if he will place in the Library copies of Government papers relating to the evaluation of such studies. [132049]
The initial stage of the feasibility study of the physical problems and possible environmental impact of any resettlement in the outer islands of the British Indian Ocean Territory was commissioned in March. The work to date will cost about £55,000. It is being borne by the Government of the territory. The first report, copies of which will be placed in the Library of the House shortly, has identified the need for further study and data collection of issues such as the availability of groundwater. This could take up to 12 months. The timing of more detailed work is uncertain at present. In part it will be influenced by the outcome of the further scientific studies identified by the consultants.Her Majesty's Government have not undertaken any epidemiological studies in Mauritius of the Ilois.
Ambassadors And Commissioners
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British ambassadors and high commissioners on 1 January in each of the last 10 years were (a) women and (b) members of an ethnic minority; and if he will express the number in each category as a percentage of the total number of ambassadors and high commissioners. [132501]
The number of women who were British Ambassadors or High Commissioners on the 1 January in the past 10 years is as follows:
| Year | Number | Percentage |
| 1990 | 3 | 2.4 |
| 1991 | 3 | 2.3 |
| 1992 | 2 | 1.5 |
| 1993 | 3 | 2.2 |
| 1994 | 3 | 2.2 |
| 1995 | 3 | 2.2 |
| 1996 | 5 | 3.5 |
| 1997 | 7 | 4.9 |
| 1998 | 7 | 4.9 |
| 1999 | 7 | 4.9 |
| 2000 | 7 | 4.9 |
Moldova
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on bilateral relations with Moldova and his Department's assessment of the political situation in that country. [131836]
[holding answer 25 July 2000]: Bilateral relations with Moldova are good. Our Ambassador in Bucharest is also accredited to Moldova and he and his staff visit regularly. Her Majesty's Government, through Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development technical assistance, support projects designed to promote economic and democratic development. This year bilateral assistance has supported a range of projects including police training, training of journalists, an education programme for teachers and work in the conflict prevention field. The Under-Secretary of State for International Development opened the Department for International Development's office in Chisinau in June 2000.Her Majesty's Government hope that the current debate over the constitutional issues in Moldova will not undermine the prospects for economic reform. HMG remain concerned about the situation in Transdniestria and support the work of the OSCE Mission to Moldova in promoting a political settlement. HMG continue to press Russia to comply with commitments made at the OSCE Istanbul summit in November 1999 to complete withdrawal from Moldovan territory by the end of 2002. Her Majesty's Government have contributed £100,000 to the OSCE voluntary fund to assist with this withdrawal and has offered, in principle, to provide resettlement training for the Russian troops based in Transdniestria.
Diplomatic Missions
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish figures recording the number of outstanding parking and other minor traffic violation fines incurred by diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom during the year ending 31 December 1999. [133341]
At the end of 1999, unpaid fines in respect of parking and other minor traffic violations incurred by members of diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom totalled 5,112. In April this year the Foreign and Commonwealth Office wrote to all diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom giving them the opportunity to either pay their outstanding fines or appeal against them if they considered that they had been issued incorrectly. As a result payments totalling £36,120.00 were received leaving a total of 4,124 unpaid fines for 1999. The following table details diplomatic missions and international organisations which have more than 10 fines outstanding.
| Mission | Number of fines outstanding |
| Nigeria | 536 |
| Angola | 399 |
| UAE | 285 |
| Egypt | 152 |
| Iran | 125 |
| Morocco | 120 |
| Qatar | 117 |
| Algeria | 109 |
| Turkey | 103 |
| Jordan | 96 |
Yugoslavia
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sanctions the United Kingdom implements in relation to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. [133342]
The UK implements the provisions of United Nations Security Council resolution 1160 (1998), which imposed an arms embargo on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and a prohibition on arming and training for terrorist activities there.The UK also implements the following measures, imposed by the European Union in relation to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which are designed to target the Milosevic regime.
- an arms embargo and an embargo on the supply of equipment which might be used for internal repression or terrorism
- a selective visa ban
- a ban on the provision of Government-financed export credit and other forms of export finance
- a selective freeze of funds and investment ban
- an oil embargo (with specified exemptions including in relation to Kosovo. Montenegro and the EU's Energy for Democracy programme).
The EU flight ban in relation to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has been suspended until 31 March 2001.
Sanctions
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the sanctions and arms embargoes currently implemented by the United Kingdom. [133343]
As of today's date, the United Kingdom implements mandatory UN sanctions, imposed by the UN Security Council acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, in relation to Afghanistan, Angola, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iraq, Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. UN sanctions in relation to Libya have been suspended.The United Kingdom implements, in addition, sanctions imposed by the European Union in relation to Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burma, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Croatia, Libya, Sudan and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.In accordance with a decision of the OSCE, the United Kingdom implements arms embargoes on Armenia and Azerbaijan. There are also national arms embargoes on Iran and Zimbabwe.A list of sanctions regimes and arms embargoes implemented by the UK is in the Library of the House. Annexed to this is a summary of additional UK restrictions on the export of strategic goods. These documents are also available on the FCO website and are updated each time there are changes to sanctions regimes implemented by the UK, or to UK restrictions on the export of strategic goods.
Indonesia
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts concerning the imposing of an arms embargo in Indonesia. [132541]
The EU Presidency declaration of 17 January made clear that the EU would continue to follow closely events in Indonesia and strictly implement the EU Code of Conduct on arms exports. We regularly discuss the situation in Indonesia with EU partners. EU Ambassadors in Jakarta recently made a joint demarche to President Wahid on 17 July covering the situation in Maluka.Separately, the UK has made quite clear that Indonesia is on notice that we will move within the EU to reimpose restrictive measures, if we see a repetition of the type of state-sponsored violence perpetrated in East Timor. We are closely monitoring the situation in the provinces of Indonesia.
Sudan
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning plans for the restoration of the joint electoral system in Sudan. [132162]
We have noted statements by the Government of Sudan to the effect that National Assembly elections will be held in the Autumn. I discussed the prospects for elections with the Sudanese Foreign Minister on 18 July and he repeated that his Government was indeed committed to holding elections.We look to the Government to proceed with elections, and to lift the State of Emergency, as soon as possible.
Feira Presidency Conclusions
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the planned effect of Article 50 of the Feira Presidency conclusions on European Communities' legislation on sport. [129918]
I have been asked to reply.Article 50 of the Feira Presidency conclusions recognises the important role that sport can play in social policy. As we have set out in our sports strategy 'A Sporting Future For All' the Government firmly believe that sport has an important role to play in fostering social inclusion. The UK is represented on a working group of sports officials, set up under the Portuguese Presidency looking at the specific characteristics of sport. Their report will be discussed by the Sports Ministers in November.
Trade And Industry
Correspondence
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Spelthorne dated 12 April relating to his constituent, Miss R. Whittaker. [130652]
[holding answer 17 July 2000]: I replied to the hon. Member on behalf of the Secretary of State earlier today.
Electricity Suppliers
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when his Department intends to publish its Code of Practice for licence-exempt electricity suppliers; what arrangements it will make for its monitoring operation; and if he will make a statement. [131674]
Representatives of electricity industry trade associations together developed a voluntary code of practice for licence-exempt suppliers, but have not yet published or implemented the code. I would encourage them to do so.
Renewable Energy
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with Ministers and officials in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions about co-ordinating renewable and sustainable energy projects and the regeneration programme. [131993]
Officials in DTI and DETR keep in touch with each other on matters relating to regeneration and sustainable energy projects.The location of renewable energy projects is determined largely by the availability of resources and ease of connection to the electricity supply system.Earlier this year my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning announced a strategic approach to renewable energy planning. Under the leadership of the Government Offices for the Regions, regional assessments and targets for renewable energy provision are being prepared based upon, and where necessary updating, resources studies. It is our intention that Regional Development Agencies will have a key role to play in this work.
Bae
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what conditions were attached to the grant of £530 million to BAe systems in respect of the company's future employment levels in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [131892]
Conditions in the A3XX launch investment contact, as with all other launch investments, remain commercially confidential.We estimate that the A3XX will create 22,000 new jobs (8,000 in BAe SYSTEMS and the UK supply chain, and 14,000 new induced employment) and safeguard a further 62,000 jobs (20,000 on current Airbus programmes and 42,000 in induced employment).Launch investment is a risk and revenue sharing Government investment in the design and development of specific civil aerospace projects in the UK. The investment is not a grant and is repayable at a real rate of return, usually via levies on sales of the product developed.
Trade Bodies
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what criteria he uses to determine whether a trade body is representative of an industry and should be consulted in the formulation of a policy decision; [132261]
(2) what his policy is in determining whether a trade body is representative of an industry; [132262]
(3) what percentage of an industry must a trade body represent to be considered representative of that industry. [132263]
It is not the place of the Government to tell industry how to organise its own representative bodies. However, in the Best Practice Guide for the Model Trade Association the Government have identified the key characteristics that we feel trade associations should have as representatives of their industry.They should represent the whole of a commercial or industrial sector and seek to cover all products, services and processes.They should also ensure that their members represent a substantial proportion of the sector (both in terms of output and members).Furthermore, before consulting trade associations or any other organisations representing industry, the Government is guided by the Code of Practice (How to conduct written consultation exercises) issued by the Cabinet Office, which sets out the guiding principles for effective consultation.
Design In Business Week
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to promote the Design in Business Week in the Autumn. [132082]
Design in Business Week is an annual event run by the Design Council and its promotion is a matter for the Design Council.The Design Council is to be congratulated on running Design in Business Weeks. Last year, it worked with some 120 organisations to run events which demonstrated the contribution that Design makes to innovation and competitiveness, attracting a business audience of 10,000. The week this year will run from 27 October to 3 November and I wish the Design Council even greater success than last year.
Bioremediation
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money has been made available by his Department for the purposes of research into bioremediation in each of the past 10 years. [132099]
The table gives an estimate of the amount of money spent through the OST Science Budget to the academic community, and the DTI Innovation budget to industry for research into bioremediation.
| £ | |
| 1990–91 | 240,000 |
| 1991–92 | 110,000 |
| 1992–93 | 405,000 |
| 1993–94 | 785,000 |
| 1994–95 | 1,060,000 |
| 1995–96 | 1,620,000 |
| 1996–97 | 3,010,000 |
| 1997–98 | 3,770,000 |
| 1998–99 | 3,960,000 |
| 1999–2000 | 4,360,000 |
Parliamentary Questions
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of the written parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April have not received substantive answers, excluding those not answered (a) citing disproportionate costs, (b) stating that the information is not available, not held centrally, or not held in the form requested or (c) citing commercial or other confidentiality. [132130]
[holding answer 24 July 2000]: Very few Parliamentary Questions will not have been answered substantially for reasons other than those specified in the hon. Member's question. In addition to the information provided in the answers to the right hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Mr. Maclennan) on 23 June 2000, Official Report, column 313W and 29 June 2000, Official Report, column 576W, a further 12 Parliamentary Questions received answers indicating that the Minister would write with further information.
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many written parliamentary questions were tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April; and how many have not received substantive answers citing disproportionate cost as the reason. [132467]
Of the 1,707 written parliamentary questions answered during this period, 25 answers cited disproportionate costs as the reason for not providing part or all of the information requested.
Mobile Phones
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the mobile phone industry about labelling mobile phones with their radiation levels. [132434]
Officials have held discussions with the mobile phone industry following the publication of the report of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (the Stewart Report), which recommended that information on SAR values for mobile phones be readily accessible to consumers.SAR is the Specific Energy Absorption Rate. It is the rate at which energy is absorbed by unit mass of tissue in an electromagnetic field. SAR is the measurement unit used in the exposure guidelines of the National Radiological Protection Board and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection. Mobile phones do not emit ionising radiation.In the Government response to the Stewart Report recommendations we agreed that the consumer should have access to SAR values when purchasing a mobile phone and that SAR measurements should be displayed at all points of sale, with each mobile phone, and on the world wide web. It is important that SAR values should be viewed in context, for example, by comparing the SAR value against the recommended exposure limits.This recommendation will be implemented when the European standard on the test methodology for SAR measurement is adopted.
Press Releases
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many press releases have been issued so far this year; and what the total cost of the production and issuing of press releases was in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000 to date. [132781]
The DTI has issued 520 press releases since 1 January 2000.The cost of distributing press releases was:
Science And Innovation White Paper
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he intends to publish the White Paper on Science and Innovation; and if he will make a statement. [133102]
I am today publishing the White Paper, "Excellence and Opportunity, a science and innovation policy for the 21st century".I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Post Offices
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to increase Post Office Counters investment in commercially viable sub-post offices in urban areas which are not areas of social deprivation. [132798]
In the first instance, it is for the Post Office, in partnership with sub-postmasters and the National Federation of Subpostmasters, to determine the scope for additional investment in the modernisation of commercially viable urban sub-post offices to provide an improved level of service.
Ecgd
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason total managed expenditure for the Export Credits Guarantee Department is planned to fall from £0.9 billion in 1999–2000 to zero in 2003–04; and if he will reconcile this planned fall with the figures provided in the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review. [132797]
Total managed expenditure for the Export Credits Guarantee Department almost entirely consists of the refinancing of previously issued export finance loans.The net figure falls from £0.9 billion in 1999–2000 to zero in 2003–04 because the level of repayments on previously re-financed loans is projected to rise progressively to equal the forecast level of new refinancing advances.It is not possible to reconcile with the figures in the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review as the refinancing programme did not commence until after the Review.
Astra
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) for what reason his Department is seeking to have documents relating to the Astra case destroyed; [131507](2) what public interest justifications for the retention of documents relating to the Astra case he considered in making the decision not to retain them; [131508](3) if he will require the Official Receiver to retain documents relating to the Astra case. [131510]
The accounting records of Astra Holdings plc are under the control of the Official Receiver as liquidator of the company following a winding-up order made by the court on 13 January 1999.Having established that the records were no longer required for the purposes of the liquidation, the Official Receiver proposed to utilise his powers under insolvency legislation and destroy the records. However, he became aware that third parties were interested in retaining the accounting records, for reasons unconnected with the liquidation.In view of the competing demands for the preservation of the records, the Official Receiver has sought direction from the court on the question of their destruction, or continued preservation and custody. A court hearing to determine this matter is awaited and until then the records will be stored at public expense.
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library a copy of his reply to the organisation Killing Secrets on the question of Astra documents. [131509]
Copies of my letters of 29 April and 19 May 2000 to Killing Secrets will be placed in the Library.
Ilisu Dam
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 2 May 2000, Official Report, column 27W, on the Ilisu Dam, what direct contact he has had since May with the Turkish Government concerning consultations with those directly affected by the Ilisu Dam. [132542]
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has had no direct contact with the Turkish Government on this matter.
To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the full environmental impact assessment report on the Ilisu Dam to be complete. [132540]
The latest information is that the full Environmental Impact Assessment Report will not be available before September 2000 at the earliest.
Culture, Media And Sport
Millennium Dome
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the parliamentary questions tabled since May 1997 concerning the Dome which have not been answered on the grounds of (a) commercial confidentiality and (b) public interest. [127820]
[holding answer 26 June 2000]: Of the 1,100 questions that have been answered on the Millennium Experience since May 1997, 72 questions have been answered on which information requested has been declined on the grounds of commercial confidentiality.
Sport England
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will provide a breakdown of the basis on which Sport England forecasts the Lottery draw-down for 2000–01. [130520]
The drawdown for 2000–01 was based on the estimated payment profile of individual awards. This included budgeted drawdown for payment on major schemes such as the English Institute of Sport and the Commonwealth Games Stadium. The budget for 1999–2000 included some provision for drawdown on these two major schemes, but progress payments were delayed, which has led to the increase in the amount to be paid out this financial year.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what basis Sport England estimates the percentage increase in the Lottery drawn-down for 2000–01 over the figure for 1999–2000. [130517]
The method used by Sport England for estimating the drawdown year on year is based on the estimated payment profile of individual awards, and not on a percentage increase of the previous years drawdown.
Parliamentary Questions
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on how many occasions he deposited papers in the Library in response to parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April. [131230]
[holding answer 20 July 2000]: Papers were deposited in the Library on 40 occasions in response to parliamentary questions tabled to my Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April 2000.This figure excludes instances where either my ministerial colleagues or I promised to write to right hon. and hon. Members in response to a parliamentary question.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many written parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April have not received substantive answers, citing as the reason commercial or other confidentiality. [132464]
Twenty questions tabled to my Department between 19 October and 20 April 2000 have not received substantive answers citing as the reason commercial or other confidentiality.
My Department always aims to provide a substantive reply to hon. Members' questions. Where this is not possible due to commercial or other confidentiality, we endeavour to provide as helpful and as detailed a reply as possible based on the information that is available. In these cases a partial rather than a substantive answer is given.
Art Thefts
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 12 June 2000, Official Report, column 500W, on missing works of art, for what reasons the theft on 9 January 1997 of rings and cameos from the Sir John Soane's Museum was not included in this list. [132512]
My letter of 4 July to my hon. Friend in response to his parliamentary question asking the Secretary of State to list the items missing, stolen or unaccounted for from the national collections did not refer to the Sir John Soane's Museum because it is not a national museum. Copies of my letter were placed in the Library of the House on 4 July.
Football Regulator
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress he has made on the implementation of the Football Task Force report; and if he will make a statement on the Football Foundation and the proposed regulatory body. [132497]
The Government will respond to the Football Task Force's final report, Football Commercial Issues, shortly. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, with the football authorities, yesterday launched the Football Foundation, the new partnership body which will distribute development funding for the sport, and I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State the Under-Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Garston (Maria Eagle) on 24 July 2000, Official Report, columns 414–15W.
Foreign Artefacts
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations have been received from foreign Governments about the return of (a) aboriginal human remains and (b) artefacts removed from aboriginal tombs and graves that are held in United Kingdom museums, Government departments and agencies, and learning and research institutions; and if he will make a statement. [131838]
[holding answer 25 July 2000]: The subject of ancestral remains was raised by the Australian Prime Minister Mr. John Howard during his meeting with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on, following which they issued a joint statement. No other foreign governments have made representations in recent years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list those art, cultural and folk artifacts that foreign Governments have requested be returned to their country of origin and which are currently held in (a) public institutions and (b) private collections within the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [131837]
[holding answer 25 July 2000]: The following are the requests received from foreign governments:For the Parthenon Sculptures from the Government of Greece; for the Koh-I-Noor diamond from the Governments of India and Pakistan and for items from the India Office Library from the Governments of India, Pakistan, Burma, Nepal and Bangladesh.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what inventory has been made of (a) aboriginal human remains and (b) artefacts removed from aboriginal tombs and graves, held in museums, Government departments and agencies, and learning and research institutions within the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [131839]
[holding answer 25 July 2000]: No central inventory exists at present. It is a matter for each individual institution holding such items to compile their own records.
National Lottery
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of Lottery ticket receipts has been spent in Wales through the National Lottery Charities Board. [131030]
Up to the end of March 2000, the proportion of total Lottery ticket receipts paid out by the National Lottery Charities Board for grants in Wales was 0.2 per cent.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money has been spent by people in Wales on lottery tickets. [131031]
Up to the end of March 2000, £2.01 billion had been spent on Lottery tickets in Wales.
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many projects have unsuccessfully applied for grants to the National Lottery Charities Board; and if he will list the amount of each of these grants. [131032]
Up to 21 July 2000.Of the 98,026 grant applications that the National Lottery Charities Board (NLCB) has received since it was established in 1995, 62,253 (63 per cent.) were unsuccessful.Of these, 11,985 applications were for less than £5,000 (total value was £45,142,978); 18,483 applications were for between £5,000 and £50,000 (total value £392,399,544); 25,259 applications were for between £50,000 and £250,000 (total value £3,195,740,682); and 6,526 applications were for over £250,000 (total value £4,144,673,961).
Items In Lieu Of Tax
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the allocation of items accepted in lieu of tax made in the financial year (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000. [133355]
| Table 1: Allocation of items accepted in lieu of tax made in the financial year 1997–98 | ||
| Item | To whom allocated | Date of allocation |
| Two German drawings, by Martin Schongauer and Jorg Breu the Elder | British Museum | 9 June 1997 |
| Peacock Gown | National Trust for display at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire | 9 June 1997 |
| Torbock Archives | Cumbria County Council for retention at Cumbria Record Office and Somerset District Council for retention at Somerset Record Office | 14 June 1997 |
| A 17th century pair cased alarm striking watch by Edward last | National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside for display at the Prescot Museum | 18 June 1997 |
| Staffelsee by Wassily Kandinsky | Ashmolean Museum | 18 June 1997 |
| A Queen Anne walnut longcase clock by Daniel Quare | Worshipful Company of Clockmakers Museum | 27 August 1997 |
| Throckmorten papers | Warwickshire County Council for retention at Warwickshire Record Office and the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust | 21 August 1997 |
| Regency furniture | Victoria and Albert Museum (in-situ at Longleat House) | 5 November 1997 |
| The Armagnac Manuscript for the Two Trials of Joan of Arc | Victoria and Albert Museum | 7 February 1998 |
| Portrait of Lord Thurlow by George Romney | House of Lords Collection Trust | 7 February 1998 |
| Portrait of Mary Leiter by Alexander Cabanel | National Trust for display at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire | 7 February 1998 |
| Still Life with an upturned roemer by Willem Claez Heda | Norfolk County Council for display at the Castle Museum, Norwich | 7 February 1998 |
| Mrs. Leahart and her Children by Arthur Hughes | Tyne and Weir Joint Museums Committee for display at the Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle | 7 February 1998 |
| A painting by Aert Van Der Neer | Ashmolean Museum | 7 February 1998 |
| Macclesfield Silver | Victoria and Albert Museum | 18 February 1998 |
| Twenty two miniature Iron Age shields | British Museum | 18 March 1998 |
| Table 2: Allocation of items accepted in lieu of tax made in the financial year 1998–99 | ||
| Item | To whom allocated | Date of allocation |
| The Archive of Lord Clark of Saltwood | Tate Gallery | 8 April 1998 |
| Simon Bening illumination | Victoria and Albert Museum | 10 May 1998 |
| A Still Life with flowers and fruit upon a ledge in a park setting by Jan van Huysum | National Trust for display at Dudmaston | 7 June 1998 |
| The Cobbold Family portrait by Thomas Gainsborough | The Gainsborough House Society | 9 June 1998 |
| Four paintings by Pierre Bonnard, Amedeo Modigliani and Claude Monet. | Fitzwilliam Museum | 15 June 1998 |
| Hawkins family Archive | Cornwall County Council for retention at the Cornwall County Record Office | 22 June 1998 |
| The Sherborne Missal | British Library | 30 June 1998 |
| An ormolu and enamel automaton clock by Thomas Weekes | Leeds City Council for display at Temple Newsam House | 15 September 1998 |
| A collection of works from Clevedon Court, North Somerset | National Trust for display at Clevedon Court | 2 October 1998 |
| Two paintings by Charles de Lafosse | National Trust for display at Basildon Park, Berkshire | 5 November 1998 |
| Kay-Shuttleworth papers | National Trust for retention at Lancashire Records Office | 2 February 1999 |
| Furniture from Gawthorpe Hall, Lancashire | National Trust for display at Gawthorpe Hall | 4 February 1999 |
| A View of the European Factories at Canton by William Daniel | National Maritime Museum | 19 February 1999 |
| Needlework Casket | Victoria and Albert Museum | 8 March 1999 |
| Table 3: Allocation of items accepted in lieu of tax made in the financial year 1999–2000 | ||
| Item | To whom allocated | Date of allocation |
| A pair of Delft cream Pans made by Adrianus Kocks | Historic Royal Palaces | 4 May 1999 |
| Portrait of David Garrick by Johann Zoffany and Le Manchot by David Teniers the Younger | Ashmolean Museum | 10 May 1999 |
| Saint Teresa's Vision of a Dove by Sir Peter Paul Rubens | Fitzwilliam Museum | 17 June 1999 |
| Portrait of Cesare Alessandro Scaglia, Abbé of Stafforda and Mandanici, 1634 by Sir Anthony Van Dyke | National Gallery | 7 September 1999 |
| The Temple of Poseidon at Sunium (Cape Colonna) by Joseph Mallord William Turner | Tate Gallery | 28 September 1999 |
| Landscape with Phaeton's Petition to Apollo by Richard Wilson | National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside for display at the Walker Art Gallery | 28 September 1999 |
| The Powis Archive | Shropshire County Council for retention at Shropshire Records and Research Centre | 29 September 1999 |
| Shuttleworth family and estate papers | Lancashire County Council for retention at Lancashire Record Office | 28 October 1999 |
| Composition B with Red by Piet Mondrian | Tate Gallery | 5 November 1999 |
| An equirotal cab-phaeton | Museum of London | 20 November 1999 |
The information my hon. Friend requests is as follows:
Table 3: Allocation of items accepted in lieu of tax made in the financial year 1999–2000
| ||
Item
| To whom allocated
| Date of allocation
|
| Master of the Rolls ceremonial robe of circa 1784 | Permanent Exhibition of the History of Legal Robes and Costumes for display at the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand, London | 3 December 1999 |
| The Ballad Seller by Henry Walton | Tate Gallery | 3 December 1999 |
| Two portraits of Admiral and Mrs. Bligh by John Russell | The Captain Cook Memorial Museum | 22 December 1999 |
| A Charles II studded leather coffer | Leeds City Council for display at Temple Newsam House | 13 December 1999 |
| Manuscript by John Bellemain | British Library | 22 January 2000 |
| The papers of Sir Henry Page Croft | Churchill College, Cambridge | 28 February 2000 |
| A group of medals awarded to Colonel Mark Sever Bell | Royal Engineers Museum | 6 March 2000 |
Hospitality Contact Group
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which Government departments are represented on the Tourism and Hospitality Contact Group; and what arrangements he is putting in place to publicise it. [133356]
The Tourism and Hospitality Contact Group, set up by the Government to ensure close working between Departments on policies affecting tourism, includes representatives from the following Departments:
- Department for Culture, Media and Sport
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
- Cabinet Office (Regulatory Impact Unit)
- HM Customs and Excise
- Department for Education and Employment
- Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
- Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Home Office
- Small Business Service
- Department of Trade and Industry
- HM Treasury
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (Northern Ireland
- Scottish Executive
- National Assembly for Wales.
Cabinet Office
Computer Disasters
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what research she has undertaken into the likely effects of a computer disaster occurring to the principal departments of state; and what contingency measures have been taken to reduce the impact of a disaster. [130964]
I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Mid-Bedfordshire (Mr. Sayeed) on 21 July 2000, Official Report, column 370W.
Modernising Government
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions have taken place between her Department and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, on the place of sustainable development in relation to modernising Government. [131989]
The Cabinet Office Regulatory Impact Unit has been leading on the commitment in the Modernising Government White Paper to produce an integrated system of impact and appraisal tools in support of sustainable development. The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions have been closely involved in this, for example running a pilot exercise to test the Policy Makers Checklist and contribute to proposals for an integrated approach to appraisal. DRTR will also be working with the Centre for Management and Policy Studies which has a remit to identify and promote best practice in policymaking.
Permanent Secretaries
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many permanent secretaries in the Civil Service are (a) women and (b) members of an ethnic minority; and if she will express the number in each category as a percentage of the total. [132502]
With effect from 7 August there will be three women Permanent Secretaries in the Civil Service which is 8 per cent. of the total. They are Rachel Lomax, Department of Social Security, Mavis McDonald, Cabinet Office and Juliet Wheldon, Treasury Solicitor, who is the first woman to occupy this post. No Permanent Secretary is from an ethnic minority background.
Departmental Staff
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many unfilled vacancies for permanent staff her Department has; what percentage of staff positions in her Department are vacant; what the monthly cost would be to her Department of employing civil servants in these positions; how many and what percentage of staff her Department employs on a temporary basis through employment agencies; how much her Department paid employment agencies to supply temporary staff in each of the last 12 months; and how much she expects to pay employment agencies to supply temporary staff in each of the next 12 months. [131439]
There are currently approximately 150 unfilled vacancies in my Department; this is approximately 8.5 per cent. of staff positions. The estimated monthly cost of filling these vacancies, based on average salaries per grade, including ERNIC and superannuation costs, is £339,237,00.My Department currently employs 45 temporary staff. This represents 2.5 per cent. of total staff numbers.In each of the last 12 months the amounts paid by my Department to employment agencies were as follows:
| £ | |
| July 1999 | 93,793.63 |
| August 1999 | 114,958.87 |
| September 1999 | 126,714.45 |
| October 1999 | 111,927.39 |
| November 1999 | 108,047.59 |
| December 1999 | 81,414.78 |
| January 2000 | 97,304.51 |
| February 2000 | 146,355.06 |
| March 2000 | 203,174.28 |
| April 2000 | 65,671.40 |
| May 2000 | 177,558.80 |
| June 2000 | 134,168.62 |
Ministerial Travel
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will revise her guidance on ministerial travel to include the Rover 75 series in the makes and models of car available to the Government Car Service. [132293]
The Government Car and Despatch Agency is currently undertaking a thorough evaluation of the suitability of the Rover 75, along with other cars, as a model for use by the Government Car Service. The Agency's report is expected shortly.
Parliamentary Questions
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many written parliamentary questions tabled to her
| Department/Agency | Target (working days) | Total volume | Percentage of responses within target1 | Target 2000–01 (working days) | Agencies included in Departments return |
| Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food2 | 15 | 72,296 | 92 | 15 | Yes |
| Cabinet Office | 15 | 5,771 | 99 | 15 | Yes |
| Crown Prosecution Service3 | 10 | Not available | 88 | 10 | n/a |
| Department for Culture, Media and Sport | 18 | 28,841 | 81 | 18 | No |
| HM Customs and Excise | 10 | 472,806 | 94 | 10 | n/a |
| Ministry of Defence4 | 20 | 10,220 | 84 | 20 | Yes |
| Department of Education and Employment | 15 | 96,009 | 90 | 15 | No |
| Employment Service (Jobcentres5/Chief Executive Office) | 10/15 | Not available/846 | 90/97 | 10/15 | |
| Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions | 15 | 153,159 | 89 | 15 | No |
| Driving Standards Agency | 15 | 27,052 | 99 | 15 | |
| Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) | 15 | 557,483 | 97 | 15 | |
| Highways Agency | 15 | 28,354 | 83 | 15 | |
| Maritime and Coastguard Agency | 15 | 35,887 | 92 | 15 | |
| Vehicle Inspectorate | 15 | 2,469 | 100 | 15 |
Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April 2000 have not received substantive answers, citing as the reason commercial or other confidentiality. [132463]
Between 19 October 1999 and 20 April 2000, there have been no questions tabled to the Cabinet Office which did not receive substantive replies citing as the reason commercial or other confidentiality.
Service Standards
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the performance of the main Departments and Agencies against the six service standards for central Government over the financial year 1999–2000. [133344]
I have arranged for a report on the performance of the main Departments and Agencies to be placed in the Libraries of the House. This is the first report on performance against the revised service standards announced in the Modernising Government White Paper, and reflects the Government's commitment to openness and to reporting transparently on our performance.In most cases, Departments' performance in responding to correspondence from the public has improved over the past year, although performance varies widely and there is still room for improvement overall. Ministers are determined that performance should continue to improve through the introduction of new technology and the overhaul of outdated procedures. The performance of the main Departments and Agencies is summarised in the table.Against the other standards, the report shows that visitors to public offices are usually seen within 10 minutes of their appointment, and that most visitors without an appointment are seen within the designated target. All Departments have at least one telephone inquiry point, and calls to designated numbers are usually answered promptly. Use of the internet is increasing rapidly and all the main Departments dealing with the public have websites, publicise their complaints procedure on-line, and, in most cases, are able to accept e-mailed inquiries. The report also shows some of the innovative ways in which Departments and Agencies are consulting their users and making their services more accessible.
Department/Agency
| Target (working days)
| Total volume
| Percentage of responses within target 1
| Target 2000–01 (working days)
| Agencies included in Departments return
|
| Foreign and Commonwealth Office | 20 | 46,480 | 84 | 20 | No |
| Government Offices for the Regions | Maximum 15 | n/a | 80/99 | 15 | n/a |
| Department of Health | 20 | 658,287 | 48 | 20 | No |
| Medicines Control Agency | 7 | 5,842 | 93 | 7 | |
| NHS Pensions Agency | 20 | 17,355 | 100 | 20 | |
| Home Office | 20 | 223,958 | 64 | 20 | No |
| UK Passport Agency | 10 | 105,826 | 81 | 10 | |
| HM Prison Service | 20 | 72,076 | 94 | 20 | |
| Inland Revenue7 | 20 | 8— | 84 | 15 | n/a |
| Intervention Board | 10 | 14,002 | 92 | 10 | n/a |
| Lord Chancellor's Department | 20 | 6,047 | 88 | 20 | No |
| Court Service | 20 | 5,606 | 93 | 15 | |
| HM Land Registry | 5 | 352,500 | 100 | 5 | |
| Department of Social Security | 20 | 34,446 | 63 | 20 | No |
| Benefits Agency | 10 | 1,104 | 78 | 10 | |
| Child Support Agency | 10 | n/a | 66 | 10 | |
| War Pensions Agency9 | 10 | 275,000 | 98 | 10 | |
| Department of Trade and Industry | 15 | 102,366 | 96 | 15 | No |
| Companies House | 10 | 35,000 | 98 | 5 | |
| Employment Tribunal Service | 10 | 363,000 | 97 | 10 | |
| Patent Office | 5 | 7,782 | 100 | 5 | |
| Insolvency Service | 15 | 226,290 | 97 | 15 | |
| Radiocommunications Agency | 15 | 200,340 | 98 | 15 | |
| HM Treasury | 15 | 24,671 | 36 | 15 | No |
1 Performance has been rounded up or down to the nearest whole figure. | |||||
2 MAFF's Regional Service Centres have a 10 working day target. | |||||
3 Performance in responding to complaints only. | |||||
4 Total volume covers public correspondence sent to Ministers or to the Department as a whole. It does not include correspondence sent direct to individual branches or units. | |||||
5 Performance is measured by an independent research company sending a 'mystery letter' each quarter to each job centre (total of 4,000 letters a year). The company assesses the letters for quality as well as speed or reply. | |||||
6 Correspondence received by the Ministerial Correspondence Unit. | |||||
7 The Inland Revenue merged with the Contributions Agency (CA) in April 1999. Former CA staff are currently working a target of responding to 95 per cent, of customer inquiries (not just correspondence) within 20 working days. During the period of this report, they received some 53,000 inquiries and responded to 99 per cent, within target. All Inland Revenue staff are working towards a 15 day correspondence target for 2000–01. | |||||
8 Inland Revenue offices received some 74,000,000 items of correspondence during the reporting period; however, this figure includes all internal post. There are no facilities for the collation of separate figures for external correspondence. | |||||
9 Target for Chief executive's correspondence is 20 working days. During the reporting year, 762 items were received with 99 per cent, answered within target. | |||||
Northern Ireland Departments and the NIO
| ||||
Department/Agency
| Target (working days)
| Total volume
| Percentage of responses within target 1
| Target 2000–01 (working days)
|
| Department of Agriculture | 15 | 109,279 | 100 | 15 |
| Department for Social Development | 15 | 175 | 99 | 15 |
| Department of Education | 15 | 4,205 | 89 | 15 |
| Department of Environment | 15 | 8,581 | 91 | 15 |
| Department of Finance and Personnel | 15 | 6,995 | 100 | 15 |
| Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment | 15 | 21,000 | 98 | 15 |
| Department for Regional Development | 15 | 12,113 | 98 | 15 |
| Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety | 15 | 1,487 | 100 | 15 |
| Child Support Agency | 10 | 935 | 91 | 10 |
| Driver and Vehicle Licensing | 3 | 14,793 | 100 | 3 |
| Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency | 15 | 670 | 100 | 15 |
| Public Record Office | 14 | 2,999 | 99 | 14 |
| Rate Collection Agency | 10 | 56,100 | 96 | 10 |
| Social Security Agency | 15 | 19,863 | 96 | 10 |
| Training and Employment Agency | 5 | 4,000 | 100 | 5 |
| Northern Ireland Office | 15 | 4,344 | 79 | 15 |
| Northern Ireland Prison Service | 15 | 1,800 | 96 | 15 |
| Compensation Agency for Northern Ireland | 10 | 213,000 | 96 | 10 |
1 Performance has been rounded up or down to the nearest whole figure | ||||
Education And Employment
Pupil Expenditure (Greater London)
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much money was spent per pupil attending (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in the Greater London area in each of the last three years. [124750]
The following table sets out spending per pupil in both primary and secondary schools in the Greater London area, from 1996–97 to 1998–99 (provisional), the last three financial years for which figures are available. The figures are based on Net Institutional Expenditure.
| £ | ||
| Pre-primary and primary | Secondary | |
| 1996–97 | 2,050 | 2,760 |
| 1997–98 | 2,080 | 2,810 |
| 1998–991 | 2,220 | 2,900 |
| 1 Provisional | ||
| £ | ||||
| Cash | Real terms 2000–01 prices1 | |||
| Primary | Secondary | Primary | Secondary | |
| Standard spending assessment per pupil | ||||
| 1997–98 | 2,570 | 3,350 | 2,780 | 3,620 |
| 1998–99 | 2,720 | 3,510 | 2,850 | 3,690 |
| 1999–2000 | 2,870 | 3,650 | 2,930 | 3,730 |
| 2000–01 | 2,980 | 3,800 | 2,980 | 3,800 |
| Special and specific grants per pupil | ||||
| 1997–98 | 30 | 30 | 40 | 30 |
| 1998–99 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 |
| 1999–2000 | 150 | 130 | 160 | 130 |
| 2000–01 | 300 | 260 | 300 | 260 |
| 1 Calculated using Treasury GDP deflators published 29 June 2000 | ||||
Pfi Contracts (Schools)
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the estimated rate of return on capital is to the contractors under the PFI contracts for schools. [131350]
The Department is not a signatory to any school PFI contracts and therefore does not have full information about the commercial details of these deals. However, our monitoring of deals signed recently suggests that contractors are likely to receive a return on capital of some 8–9 per cent. from PFI schemes in schools.
Performance-Related Pay
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 16 March 2000, Official Report, column 295W, when he expects to have figures for the total cost of administering the performance-related pay scheme. [131675]
It is not possible to say when the total cost will be known.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many representations he received in support of his plans requiring teachers to participate in the assessment of other members of the teaching staff in their schools. [131698]
Representations expressing support were received from the National Association of Head Teachers, the National Employers' Organisation for Schoolteachers and the Secondary Heads' Association.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the average time currently spent in training (a) a primary school head teacher and (b) a secondary head teacher in the administration of performance-related pay; and what has been the cost of such training. [131714]
In England, primary and secondary headteachers were invited to attend a one day threshold assessment training event in March or April. They were also invited to attend a further half day follow-up training event in June. The costs associated with the training events form part of the contracts the Department has with outside companies and are, therefore, commercial in confidence.In Wales, each headteacher was offered one day's training and the vast majority have attended. The cost of this training in Wales, which was completed on 11 July, is not yet known.We do not have details about any additional training such headteachers may have undertaken.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what role he requires (a) deputy heads and (b) teachers to play in the assessment of other members of a school's teaching staff for the purpose of performance-related pay in (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools. [131716]
The Secretary of State's original intention was that a headteacher could request input from their teamleaders or other senior members of staff who had a more direct overview of a teachers' work to assist in assessing threshold applications. This applied in both primary and secondary schools. Following the outcome of the judicial review brought by the NUT the threshold assessments have been put on hold and there is now no contractual duty for such staff to assist the headteacher in assessments.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he expects teachers other than departmental managers to assist heads in carrying out assessments for performance-related pay. [131796]
The Secretary of State's original intention was that a headteacher could request input from their teamleaders or other senior members of staff to assist in assessing threshold applications. The Guidance that accompanied the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document made clear that this should only reasonably apply to teachers with managerial responsibilities who have an overview of the relevant aspects of the work of the teachers concerned. Following the outcome of the judicial review brought by the NUT the threshold assessments have been put on hold and there is now no contractual duty for such staff to assist the headteacher in assessments.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the effect of the decision of Mr. Justice Jackson on 14 July on the formula for payments from his Department to local authorities in respect of threshold payments as set out in paragraphs 3 to 15 of Annex A of Special Grant report 61; what modifications he plans to make to the timescale for payments set out in those paragraphs; and whether he intends to proceed on the basis of Special Grant report 66 for making payments. [131797]
The Government remain committed to the introduction of a threshold for teachers, providing an additional £2,001, backdated to September 2000, for all teachers who demonstrate the characteristics of effective teaching.The need to refer the standards for assessing teachers against the threshold to the School Teachers Review Body, following Mr. Justice Jacksons' judgment will have the effect of delaying teachers assessments and so payments to successful teachers. As a consequence, we will not seek parliamentary approval for Special Grant Report 66 which will be replaced with a revised report in autumn setting out a new timetable for payments to local authorities.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the total cost is to the Government of the performance-related pay threshold payments; what proportion this is of the £1 billion set aside for the increase in teachers' pay; and if he will make a statement. [132075]
The Government have undertaken to fund each full-time equivalent teacher passing the threshold at an annual rate of £2,357. This comprises the threshold uplift of £2,001 increased by 17.8 per cent. for pension and national insurance contributions. The total cost of the threshold will depend on the number of teachers who pass the assessment, as will the proportion this represents of the £1 billion available until March 2002.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the cost of paying assessors to visit schools for the performance-related pay threshold payments; and if he will make a statement. [132076]
DfEE has contracted Cambridge Education Associates (CEA) to manage the appointment, deployment and quality assurance of external assessors in England. The cost associated with this contract are commercial in confidence. Assessors in Wales will be managed by consortiums of Welsh local education authorities. The cost of the Department's contracts with the Welsh consortia has not yet been finalised.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much money has been set aside as travel expenses for assessors to visit schools in connection with the performance-related threshold payments; and if he will make a statement. [132077]
There is no separate fund set aside for travel expenses for assessors.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the costs were of writing, printing, and distributing the printed materials associated with the performance-related pay threshold; and if he will make a statement. [132078]
It is not possible to provide this information as many of the materials were produced and distributed under commercial contract.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in relation to the performance-related pay threshold payments for teachers, how much headteachers' training has cost the Government; and if he will make a statement. [132079]
The costs associated with the training events form part of the contracts the Department has with outside companies and are, therefore, commercial in confidence.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much has been spent on recruiting and training the assessors for the threshold application forms in connection with performance-related pay for teachers; and if he will make a statement. [132080]
The costs associated with the recruitment and training of external Assessors form part of the contracts the Department has with outside companies and are, therefore, commercial in confidence.
Edinburgh Road Special School, Holt
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the future of the Edinburgh Road School for Children with Special Needs in Holt, Norfolk. [132374]
In October 1999 Norfolk LEA served Notice on the Secretary of State of its proposal to relocate the existing Edinburgh Road Special School to a new site in Sheringham. The statutory process involves local consultation, the serving of the Notice by the LEA, a period for objections followed by consideration by the Secretary of State during which he will consider, among other information, advice from HMI.Today I have informed the hon. Member and Norfolk LEA that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is minded to approve the proposals, subject to the necessary planning permission being granted.
Teacher Training
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many applications have been received for courses of postgraduate initial teacher training commencing in September; and how many had been received at the same stage (a) in 1999 and (b) in 1997, broken down in each case into those applying by subject for secondary training, separately identifying those applying for maths, foreign languages, science and technology; and if he will list the Government's targets for recruitment for those subjects for September. [131676]
Targets for 2000–01 for England are given in the table.
| Number | |
| Mathematics | 1,850 |
| English and Drama | 2,160 |
| Science | 2,690 |
| Modern Foreign Languages | 2,050 |
| Technology | 2,000 |
| History | 900 |
| Geography | 1,090 |
| PE | 1,200 |
| Art | 850 |
| Music | 630 |
| RE | 665 |
| Other | 330 |
| Margin for flexibility | 200 |
| Total | 16,615 |
Notes:
1. Targets are for undergraduate combined with postgraduate.
2. The margin for flexibility is equivalent to the provision the Teacher Training Agency had last year to "vire" places between secondary subjects within certain parameters, but is now given explicitly.
Source:
Department for Education and Employment
Applications for postgraduate initial teacher training courses are only available on an England and Wales basis. Latest available figures for secondary teacher training by subject together with comparative figures for the previous year and 1997 are given in the table.
19 July 1997
| 17 July 1999
| 15 July 2000
| |
| Mathematics | 1,289 | 1,345 | 1,292 |
| English and Drama | 2,829 | 2,694 | 2,756 |
| Science | 2,738 | 2,868 | 2,907 |
| Modern Foreign Languages | 2,275 | 1,967 | 2,282 |
| Technology | 1,275 | 1,186 | 1,319 |
| History | 1,864 | 1,580 | 1,567 |
| Geography | 1,082 | 1,029 | 995 |
| PE | 1,339 | 1,366 | 1,481 |
| Art | 1,341 | 1,124 | 1,190 |
| Music | 494 | 562 | 548 |
| RE | 732 | 704 | 653 |
| Other | 578 | 511 | 473 |
| Total | 17,836 | 16,936 | 17,463 |
Note:
The above figures are for applications as entered on the GTTR computer system.
Source:
Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR).
The number of trainees recruited onto mathematics postgraduate initial teacher training courses declined between 1994–95 and 1998–99, and there was a similar decline in the number of trainees recruited onto science postgraduate initial teacher training courses between 1996–97 and 1998–99. In October 1998 'golden hello' incentives were announced for teacher trainees taking a postgraduate certificate of education in mathematics or science. Such trainees received £2,500 during their training and a further £2,500 on going on to take up a relevant teaching post. Recruitment to these subjects in 1999 was up on the previous year.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 30 March 2000 that £6,000 training salaries would be introduced for postgraduate trainees starting initial teacher training courses from September 2000. New style 'golden hello' incentives of £4,000 were announced for postgraduate trainees in mathematics, science, modern foreign languages, information technology and design and technology, who successfully complete their induction and go on to take up a relevant teaching post. Since the announcement, postgraduate application figures for secondary initial teacher training as provided by GTTR are 15 per cent. higher for mathematics, 21 per cent. higher for science, 61 per cent. higher for modern foreign languages and 53 per cent. higher for technology than for the same period from the end of March to July last year. Applications for postgraduate secondary subjects taken together are 38 per cent. higher than for the same period last year from the end of March to July last year.
Beanfield Community College
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what consultations have been carried out regarding the decision to close the sixth form of Beanfield Community College in order to bring about its reconfiguration as Corby Community College under the Fresh Start policy; what assessment he has made of the effect of this closure on the education of members of the present lower sixth in the college; and if he will make a statement. [131677]
The proposals to close the sixth form at Beanfield Community College were decided under the new arrangements for local decision making. Since September 1999, most decisions on statutory proposals have been taken by local School Organisation Committees. Statutory guidance requires those bringing forward proposals to consult all interested parties, and also requires School Organisation Committees to satisfy themselves before deciding proposals with a significant post-16 dimension that all interested parties have been fully consulted and their views explicitly addressed.
As Levels
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the policy of university admission authorities towards AS levels; and how many universities he expects to use AS levels as predictors of likely A level performance. [131692]
Universities are responsible for their own admissions policies. Initial indications are that they will consider the new AS level qualifications as early predictors of A level performance and make conditional offers that include, alongside A levels, AS qualifications as evidence of breadth. The position will be clearer once the HE prospectuses are published early in 2001. A guidance note for HEIs on changes to the post-16 curriculum in England, Wales and Northern Ireland was published by UCAS in June 2000 in conjunction with the Department and the regulatory authorities. Copies will be placed in the Libraries.
Examination Fees
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much schools were charged in respect of examination fees for (a) GCSE examination entries and (b) A levels in each year of the last five years. [131693]
As schools are charged individually and may have arrangements with more than one awarding body to buy a range of qualifications of which GCSE and GCE A level are but two, it is not possible to provide precise figures. Estimates of the amounts charged to maintained schools (including grant maintained schools) in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, based on the number of reported entries and the average fee charged for each qualification in each year are set out in the table:
| £million | ||
| GCSE | GCE A level | |
| 1995 | 77.5 | 8.83 |
| 1996 | 81.9 | 9.3 |
| 1997 | 83.5 | 10.5 |
| 1998 | 84 | 11.5 |
| 1999 | 88.8 | 12.6 |
Note:
This information has been provided by the Joint Council for General Qualifications.
The increases in charges are due to higher numbers of entries, as well as to take account of inflation.
City Academies
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what his most recent estimate is of the number of City Academies that will be in place in September 2001. [131694]
Initial discussions are under way with a number of potential sponsors and LEAs about possible City Academies. It is too early to say when the first City Academies will be established.
Classrooms
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the new primary and secondary classrooms built in Shrewsbury and Atcham since 1997. [131706]
Local education authorities may draw on a number of different sources for funding to build new classrooms. The Department does not currently collect information on how local authorities use their Annual Capital Guideline allocations, nor on what building projects are funded from authorities' own resources. Details of projects in the Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency funded under the New Deal for Schools initiative, which included new classrooms, were given to my hon. Friend on 8 May 2000, Official Report, columns 291–92W. In addition, Shropshire local education authority has received £2.6 million under the Class Size Initiative. Two new infant classrooms have been built in the Shrewsbury and Atcham constituency: one at Greenfields County Primary School, and one at Springfield County Infant School.
Assistant Heads
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the number of teachers likely to be appointed to the post of assistant head in the first year of its operation. [131715]
Schools and, for centrally employed staff, LEAs will be free to appoint assistant headteachers as needed within their management structures, and within the resources they have available. Given the widely differing circumstances of individual schools, we have not attempted to estimate the total number likely to be appointed, although it is unlikely that any school will need a leadership group (including headteacher, deputy headteachers and assistant headteachers) of more than seven.The DfEE will provide a grant of £2,356, comprising £2,000 plus 17.8 per cent. for national insurance and pension contributions, in academic year 2000–01 for all classroom teachers and advanced skills teachers appointed on a permanent basis by 31 December 2000 to assistant head teacher posts.
Agency And Supply Teachers
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what his most recent assessment is of the proportion of teaching posts in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools, occupied by agency or supply teachers; and how many were so occupied for each of the last three years. [131719]
The numbers of short-term (i.e. contracts of less than four weeks) agency or other supply teachers employed on the third Thursday in January 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary sector in England are as follows:
| Nursery/primary | Secondary | |
| January 1997 | ||
| Number of agency/supply teachers | 8,300 | 4,400 |
| Percentage of all qualified teachers | 4.2 | 2.3 |
| January 1998 | ||
| Number of agency/supply teachers | 8,300 | 4,000 |
| Percentage of all qualified teachers | 4.2 | 2.1 |
| January 1999 | ||
| Number of agency/supply teachers | 8,900 | 4,500 |
| Percentage of all qualified teachers | 4.5 | 2.3 |
| January 2000 | ||
| Number of agency/supply teachers | 10,500 | 5,300 |
| Percentage of all qualified teachers | 5.2 | 2.7 |
Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest 100
The numbers of short-term supply teachers employed will vary because of the effect of seasonal factors. Many local authorities explained that the growth in the January 2000 supply teachers was due to the flu epidemic.
There was a growth of 6,900 full-time equivalent regular teachers in the maintained schools sector between January 1998 and January 2000.
Sure Start
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the impact of Sure Start in Waltham Forest. [132375]
I have been asked to reply.
Waltham Forest Sure Start received a grant of £1,772,200 from February 2000, and has begun to work towards the 12 demanding objectives in the Sure Start Public Service Agreement. The overall aim of the Sure Start programme in Waltham Forest is to give every child the best start in life. The impact of the programme will be assessed in a major evaluation programme which we expect to be under way later this year.
Teaching Costs
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average cost is per year of employing a school teacher at (a) a primary school and (b) secondary school in the Greater London area. [132634]
The estimated cost of employing a full-time school teacher (including heads and deputies) in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary sector in Greater London from 1 April 2000 is shown in the following table.
| £ | ||
| Nursery/primary | Secondary | |
| Average salary | 26,900 | 28,500 |
| Employer costs1 | 4,000 | 4,200 |
| Total cost | 30,900 | £32,800 |
| 1 Includes 7.5 per cent. National Insurance and 7.4 per cent. pension costs. | ||
Note:
Figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
Investors In People
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which organisation will be responsible for administering and awarding Investors in People from 1 April 2001. [132684]
From 1 April 2001 the Learning and Skills Council will be responsible for Investors in People services including advice, client support, assessment and recognition services. For advice and support for small and medium sized organisations the LSC will contract with the Small Business Service.Assessment and recognition services will be provided by Investors in People regional quality centres.
Departmental Staff
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many unfilled vacancies for permanent staff his Department has; what percentage of staff positions in his Department are vacant; what the monthly cost would be to his Department of employing civil servants in these positions; how many and what percentage of staff his Department employs on a temporary basis through employment agencies; how much his Department paid employment agencies to supply temporary staff in each of the last 12 months; and how much he expects to pay employment agencies to supply temporary staff in each of the next 12 months. [131436]
[holding answer 25 July 2000]: The Department is recruiting externally to fill 60 vacancies for permanent staff at present, across a range of grades, from administrative assistant to Senior Civil Service Band 2.
There are also posts which are in the process of being filled by movement of existing staff (for example by promotion or lateral transfer) and which may be temporarily unfilled. The number varies daily but is commonly between 3 and 5 per cent. of total staff numbers.
The monthly cost to the Department of employing staff in the vacant positions currently being advertised is approximately £126,614.
The Department employs approximately 85 agency workers on an average working day, this figure is approximately 2 per cent. of the overall number of people employed by the Department.
The Department paid employment agencies approximately £104,166 each month in the last 12 months to supply temporary staff. The Department expects to pay employment agencies approximately £112,500 each month in the next 12 months to supply temporary staff.
Joint Venture Company (Leeds)
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment under what circumstances the services to be operated by the proposed joint venture company in Leeds will be returned to the sole control of the LEA. [132513]
[holding answer 25 July 2000]: Leeds City Council, the local education authority, will be responsible for ensuring that services to schools, pupils and parents in Leeds are delivered on its behalf to an agreed specification under the contractual arrangement with the proposed joint venture company. The joint venture company will take day-to-day responsibility for delivery, and will have the power to take the necessary operational decisions. The contract will be for a fixed period, not yet determined. Towards the end of the contract, the Secretary of State and Leeds City Council will need to come to a view on arrangements for the future delivery of relevant services.
Higher Education
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will project against annual Government spending plans to 2004 the real unit of resource per student in higher education on the assumption of (a) no increase in student numbers and (b) steady progress towards a target of 50 per cent. participation by young people. [132530]
[holding answer 25 July 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment last week announced an extra £100 million for higher education in 2001–02 on top of the increase announced in November 1999. Compared to 2000–01 the projected real-terms increase in unit cost per full-time equivalent student in 2001–02 if student numbers remained at 2000–01 levels, would be 2.2 per cent. If the number of students increases in line with plans for 2001–02, which are compatible with meeting the Government's target that 50 per cent. of 18 to 30-year-olds should have the opportunity to benefit from higher education by the end of the decade, then the real-terms unit cost will be about 0.5 per cent. above that in 2000–01. My right hon. Friend has yet to announce the allocation of funding for higher education for 2002–03 and 2003–04.
Term-Time Workers
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the number of term-time only workers who are (a) women under 45, (b) women over 45, (c) men under 45 and (d) men over 45; and what is the average per capita annual income of each group. [132713]
This information is not held centrally.
Education Funding (Bury)
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for Bury MBC in each of the last four years (a) the total revenue allocation for education from non-SSA budget headings, (b) the total capital allocation for education and (c) the annual percentage change for (a) and (b). [131387]
The total revenue and capital allocations for education from 1997–98 to 2000–2001 for education outside the Education Standard Spending Assessment for Bury Metropolitan borough council are shown in the following table along with the annual percentage increase.The revenue allocation for 1997–98 includes grant to cover for the cost of the nursery voucher scheme. This was funded from Education Standard Spending from 1998–99. The revenue allocations for 2000–01 does not include Nursery Grant for which data are not yet available. Since 1997–98 spending per pupil in England has increased by £300 in real terms.
| £ | ||||
| Revenue allocations | Annual percentage increase | Capital allocations | Annual percentage increase | |
| 1997–98 | 2,306,783 | — | 968,050 | — |
| 1998–99 | 1,705,347 | -26 | 2,039,207 | 111 |
| 1999–2000 | 3,345,615 | 96 | 3,970,250 | 95 |
| 2000–01 | 5,133,028 | 53 | 4,759,253 | 20 |
School Meals
To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to ensure that all local education authorities provide state school primary aged children with the choice of a hot school meal, with particular reference to the implementation of the Education (Nutritional Standards for School Lunches) (England) Regulations 2000. [132716]
We do not have the statutory power to require local education authorities and schools to provide hot meals for maintained primary pupils. This is because cold food that is provided in line with our new nutritional standards can be just as nutritious as hot food. We shall nevertheless make clear, in our forthcoming complementary guidance to school caterers, the importance of making hot meals available, especially during the winter months.
Northern Ireland
Police Oversight Commissioner
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what annual budget is set aside for the police Oversight Commissioner, broken down into convenient budget heads; what representations he has received regarding the moneys to be allocated for this purpose. [130421]
The Government are currently in discussion with Mr. Constantine, the Oversight Commissioner, as to the resources he will require.
Lords Lieutenant
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of Northern Ireland's lord lieutenants are (a) women and (b) members of an ethnic minority. [132143]
The information is as follows:
Plastic Baton Rounds
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many proposals his Department received to undertake a study to examine an alternative to plastic baton rounds, in accordance with recommendation 71 in the Patten report; what institution has been commissioned to undertake this research; when a decision was made on who would conduct the research; when the research commenced; which individuals are undertaking the research; and what the expected completion date is. [132032]
I have established a UK-wide Steering Group to lead the research project. The Group comprises representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers, Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary, the Home Office, the Ministry of Defence, the Police Scientific Development Branch of the Home Office, the Police Authority for Northern Ireland, the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Northern Ireland Office. The Steering Group was formed in June of this year and held its first meeting on 8 July. The first phase of the project will be completed by the end of this year. One organisation has been suggested as a potential candidate to undertake the research.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to investigate which institutions, organisations and individuals have the necessary expertise to conduct an independent study to find an alternative to the plastic baton round. [131024]
The first phase of the research project involves a literature review that will be undertaken by the Police Scientific Development Branch of the Home Office—an organisation with recognised and extensive expertise in this area. This work will involve investigating which institutions, organisations and individuals ought to have a role to play in contributing to the research programme to find an acceptable, effective and less potentially lethal alternative to the plastic baton round.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the terms of reference will be for the independent study to find an alternative to the plastic baton round. [131025]
The Terms of Reference which have been set for the Steering Group leading the research project are as follows:
Objective
To establish whether a less potentially lethal alternative to baton rounds is available; and to review the public order equipment which is presently available or could be developed in order to expand the range of tactical options available to operational commanders.
Task
In the light of the recommendations in the Patten Report for a research programme to find an acceptable, effective and less potentially lethal alternative to the Plastic Baton Round, and for the RUC to be equipped with a broader range of public order equipment, to provide advice to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in a report as follows:
Phase 1 (Defining operational objectives and literature review)
- Define the operational objective against which less potentially lethal weapons must be tested;
- Prepare a literature review of less potentially lethal weapons available or under research.
- Examine the literature review against the operational objective.
Phase 2 (Evaluating the literature review, preparing business case and directing further research as necessary)
Formulate proposals for further research on less potentially lethal weapons which would benefit from further research and which have the potential for successful transfer to the operational field, setting out the timings and the costs of that research; and
Prepare business case.
Phase 3 (Research)
As directed under Phase 2, conduct further research, evaluate performance and safety, and establish deployment costs.
Phase 4 (Operational objectives and Public Order Equipment)
Define operational objectives for public order equipment;
Prepare a report on the tactical deployment of a range of public order equipment in Northern Ireland, covering as wide a range of equipment as possible.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes have been made to police training programmes concerning use of plastic baton rounds since publication of the Patten report. [131026]
Since the publication of the Report of the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland, officers undergoing baton gun training have also been involved in a wider training programme including equal opportunities, community and race relations, the effects of Human Rights legislation and the use of force. Baton gun training specifically highlights the use of force, human rights matters, their issue, deployment and use together with command and control protocols, tactical deployment procedures and the criteria for their use. Officers in command positions undertake training in the issue, deployment and use of baton guns at both tactical and strategic levels and concentrate on accountability and human rights issues associated with the use of force.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what (a) organisations and (b) individuals have been consulted in order to implement the Patten Commission proposal for a research programme to find an alternative to the plastic baton round. [131027]
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has consulted with ministerial colleagues about the establishment of, and terms of reference for, a Steering Group to lead the research project. The first phase of the research project will involve consultation with other organisations and individuals.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the cost of a research programme to find an alternative to the plastic baton round; and if he will make a statement on how he will ensure best value is achieved and evaluated. [131028]
The Government have made the necessary funding available for phase one of the research project which involves a literature review undertaken by the Police Scientific Development Branch of the Home Office. This research will help to determine the level of funding required for the remainder of the project. The principles of economy, efficiency and effectiveness will guide the research project.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to invite tenders from those with the expertise to conduct a research programme to find an alternative to the plastic baton round. [131029]
None at this stage.
Royal Ulster Constabulary
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to publish Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary's year 2000 report on the Royal Ulster Constabulary. [133347]
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) 1999–2000 Report will be published today Wednesday 26 July 2000. Copies of the report have been placed in the House of Commons Library. The report will also be available to the public from today.
Criminal Injuries Compensation
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will respond to the report made by Sir Kenneth Bloomfield following his review of criminal injuries compensation in Northern Ireland, published in July 1999. [133348]
After careful consideration of Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's detailed report on the fitness for purpose of criminal injuries compensation arrangements in Northern Ireland, I am today able to announce the Government' s broad proposals for the future of the scheme. The detail will be published next year for consultation in the form of a draft Order in Council.I must first place on record my gratitude and thanks to Sir Kenneth Bloomfield and his colleagues on the review for a most diligent and thorough investigation into the legislation and workings of the current criminal injuries compensation scheme. Their terms of reference asked them to advise the Government on:
the fitness for purpose of criminal injuries compensation arrangements in Northern Ireland in the light of the experiences of victims of terrorist violence…
and their research led them to consider many harrowing accounts of death and injury from victims of criminal violence, and to judge the extent to which the compensation scheme met their needs. The review team submitted their report last July when Sir Kenneth said that it would be difficult to argue that the statutory scheme in Northern Ireland is ungenerous, taken as a whole. As a result, the main thrust of their recommendations is designed to re-prioritise the scheme.
Before addressing the report I must stress this Government's commitment to the provision of fair and equitable compensation for innocent and deserving victims of violent crime, and their particular desire to ensure proper arrangements to recognise the additional suffering of victims of terrorist violence and civil unrest in Northern Ireland.
The major structural change proposed by the review team is the introduction of a tariff-based scheme with the tariff calculated on the average value of awards in Northern Ireland. This will provide a more transparent and straightforward system, and will allow claims to be settled more quickly. I have decided to accept this recommendation and extend it to apply to all claims and not just to those arising from less serious injuries, as recommended by the review. This will provide for consistency in the value of awards. The review also recommended that a tariff approach would largely make legal assistance in the making of claims unnecessary, and I have accepted this conclusion. Legal costs will therefore no longer be met by the scheme. Instead, Victim Support (NI) will be funded to provide assistance along the same lines as they currently do in GB. I have also decided that the right of appeal to the court should, in the future, no longer be necessary as part of a tariff-based scheme. The review recommended retention of court involvement for reasons which were persuasive at the time, but which should prove less so as progress is made across a range of issues on the wider political front. I therefore propose to replace it with an independent appeals tribunal, along the lines of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel. This will allow appeals to be processed more quickly, with less formality, and with less potential for retraumatising victims.
I have also agreed changes as recommended by the review in eligibility for awards, and in exclusion from or reduction in awards. More flexible arrangements will apply under the new scheme to those claiming as a result of psychiatric illness, there will be more generous bereavement support payments to a wider group of relatives, and the current statutory time limits for lodging a claim will be replaced by a flexible approach which will allow claims to be made, in certain circumstances, long after the incident. Future cases will also be capable of being reopened for a limited period on strict medical grounds. It is also proposed to introduce a penalty points system to regulate the effect of previous criminal convictions on awards. The same provisions will also apply to convictions for terrorist offences.
Finally, to address the concerns raised by Sir Kenneth in his report over inadequate financial assistance to past victims of the Troubles, I am also promising a further commitment of funds from next April to take forward the implementation of his report into victims of the Troubles "We Will Remember Them". In total this will represent a substantial package aimed at alleviating the financial hardships and other suffering inflicted on many by violence during the Troubles. Details of how this money will be dispersed will be announced in due course.
In conclusion, I have accepted some two thirds of the 64 recommendations made by Sir Kenneth and his team. I believe these decisions, which were arrived at only after lengthy consideration, represent the best way to ensure for the future a fair and equitable system of criminal injuries compensation which will recognise the suffering of innocent victims of violent crime.
Government Information
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is (a) the longest, (b) the shortest and (c) the average number of days taken by his Department to acknowledge receipt of letters requesting information under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information at its (a) London and (b) Belfast office. [131361]
Thirteen Open Government requests were received by the Belfast office in the period 1 January 1999 to 30 June 2000. The longest time taken to acknowledge these requests was three working days, the shortest was the day of receipt and the average was 1.3 working days.In the same period, one request was received by the London office. There is no record of that being acknowledged. However, a review of documents, instigated as a result of that request, will be completed shortly and a substantive reply will be provided to my hon. Friend without further delay.
Parliamentary Questions
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many parliamentary questions were tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April which requested information, pursuant to his previous answers. [132462]
Between 19 October 1999 and 20 April 2000, 14 parliamentary questions were tabled which were pursuant to previous answers.
Defence
Defence Clothing And Textiles Agency
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the appointment of Mr. Bill Finch as Product Development Manager at Feuchter went before the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments following his retirement as Contracts Branch Director of the Defence Clothing and Textiles Agency. [129731]
[holding answer 7 July 2000]: Under the Cabinet Office rules on the acceptance of outside appointments by Crown servants, only applications from officials at 3-Star/Deputy Under Secretary level and above are considered by the Prime Minister's Advisory Committee. Mr. Finch's application to join Feuchter was approved under these rules by officials within the Ministry of Defence.
Extraction/Insertion Pod
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost has been to his Department of the development of the Extraction Stroke Insertion Pod for UK use; and what the expected cost will be to bring this into service; and if he will make a statement. [130377]
This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Michael Hancock, dated 26 July 2000:
I have been asked to reply to your question about the extraction/insertion pod for UK use since the work to which you refer was carried out as part of DERA's Pathfinder programme.
Pathfinder was launched by the then Defence Research Agency in 1992 in order to strengthen the industry participation in the research programme that MOD contracted from DRA. A concept study of the AVPRO EXINT pod was carried out as a Priority Pathfinder, which DERA funded from its own resources, in 1996. About £39K was contributed to the study by DERA to look at the aeromedical aspects of the pod. A report was issued on the completion of the study and AVPRO subsequently put forward proposals for further work to the Ministry of Defence (MOD). At the present time these proposals have not been taken up.
I hope this is helpful.
Royal Navy Vessels
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the existing procedures by which the names of new Royal Navy vessels are determined. [131565]
The procedure for determining the names of Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels is well established. Proposals are initiated by the Ships' Names and Badges Committee (SNBC), comprising representatives from the principal naval command areas. Names, reflecting an appropriate theme across all vessels of a class, are addressed early in the procurement cycle. The Committee consider a number of criteria such as promoting links with communities, the geographical spread of names and opportunities to revive names with an honourable history of service. Selected names are then submitted through Controller of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Staff to the Under Secretary of State for Defence for approval. In the case of major vessels, final approval is sought from Her Majesty the Queen.
Co-Operative Capability Programme
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to the Government of participating in the US Navy's Co-operative Engagement Capability; and if he will make a statement. [131497]
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 25 July 2000, Official Report, column 542W.
Chinook Crash, Mull Of Kintyre
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Accident Investigations Branch inspector investigating the fatal crash of Chinook ZD576 on 2 June was able to determine that the SuperTANS navigational equipment was (a) switched on after impact and (b) functioning prior to impact; and if he will make a statement. [131795]
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch team that carried out the independent technical investigation for the RAF Board of Inquiry into the Mull of Kintyre accident reported that the SuperTANS navigation unit recovered from the cockpit wreckage was slightly fire scorched but with little apparent impact damage. The On/Off switch was found in the Off position. However, subsequent examination by the manufacturer clearly showed the unit had been operating until impact, and it appeared that the switch position had been altered by the effect of the impact.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what independent analysis was made of the SuperTANS navigation equipment from the wreckage of RAF Chinook ZD576; and if he will make a statement. [131794]
As part of the technical investigation after the Mull of Kintyre accident, a detailed investigation of the SuperTANS navigation unit was carried out by the manufacturer, RACAL Avionics Ltd., under the direction of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch. Only the manufacturer had the necessary expertise to interrogate this equipment.
Missile Defence System
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 27 June 2000, Official Report, column 433W, on the Missile Defence System, what criteria the UK will use to determine its response should the United States choose to make a request for assistance in the deployment of a nuclear missile defence system. [132566]
We have made clear we would consider any request carefully in light of the circumstances at the time, taking into account relevant factors including the implications for UK defence. However, we do not yet know whether, or in what circumstances, we might receive such a request, so it is too early to indicate in more detail how or on what basis we might respond.
Republic Of Cyprus
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current deployment is of British service personnel in the Republic of Cyprus. [132702]
Currently 312 UK service personnel are based in the Republic of Cyprus as part of the UN Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).
Landmines
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British service personnel are involved in landmine destruction, indicating the countries in which they are deployed. [132701]
British Service personnel are not currently involved in landmine destruction per se. But they do provide technical expertise, management and specialist skills to support mine action programmes worldwide. As at 1 July, personnel were deployed as follows:
- As Senior Technical Adviser to the UN Mine Action Co-ordination Centre in Kosovo.
- As Senior Technical Adviser to the UN Mine Action Centre in Bosnia.
- As a Staff Officer within the Humanitarian Demining Training Centre at the US Army's Engineer School.
- As Head of Technical Unit at the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining.
Military Overstretch
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the extent of the military overstretch faced by the UK's armed forces. [132696]
The Government remain concerned at the degree of overstretch our armed forces have been subject to due to undermanning and the recent high level of Operational tempo. We are determined to drive this down.Undermanning as at 1 May 2000 was:
- The Naval Service—1,016
- Army—7,968
- RAF—922.
The RAF is now in broad manning balance; the Naval Service and Army will be on target in 2002 and 2005 respectively.
As at 1 June 2000, the percentage of armed forces personnel committed to operations were:
- The Naval Service—32.39 per cent.
- Army—27 per cent.
- RAF—12.65 per cent.
This is a significant improvement on the position at the height of Kosovo, when, for example, the Army had 47 per cent. of its trained personnel committed to operations.
Un/Nato Shared Assets
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all UK/NATO shared assets (a) nationally and (b) by UK region for the most recent year for which figures are available. [131635]
[holding answer 25 July 2000]: The information requested is not readily available; however, I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
Service Recruitment
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by service, corps and regiment, recruitment levels nationally and by region of the UK for the most recent year for which figures are available. [131592]
[holding answer 25 July 2000]: Details on armed forces recruitment levels are not held centrally in the format requested. Information is held, however, on the number of selections, by Government Office region. It should be noted that selection figures indicate those personnel who have been chosen to enter the Services. For many, the actual date of intake into the armed forces will have fallen outside the year of selection.The selections during the period 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000, by Service and Government Office region, are reproduced in the table.
| Government office region | Naval Service1 | Army2 | RAF3 |
| North East | 431 | 1,339 | 237 |
| North West | 454 | 1,425 | 351 |
| Merseyside | 315 | 735 | 175 |
| Yorkshire/Humberside | 454 | 1,452 | 329 |
| East Midlands | 307 | 730 | 205 |
| West Midlands | 306 | 1,071 | 187 |
| Eastern | 320 | 637 | 345 |
| London | 302 | 702 | 108 |
| South East | 537 | 902 | 212 |
| South West | 951 | 1,495 | 449 |
| Wales | 294 | 1,152 | 240 |
| Scotland | 595 | 1,616 | 376 |
| Northern Ireland | 94 | 337 | 95 |
| Unknown | — | 1 | 77 |
| Total | 5,360 | 13,594 | 3,386 |
| 1 Naval Service data are for Other Ranks only. | |||
| 2 Army data are for Other Ranks only. | |||
| 3 RAF data includes Officers and Other Ranks. | |||
Departmental Assets
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total value of assets belonging to his Department (a) nationally and (b) by UK region; and if he will break down the assets by (i) estates, (ii) kit and (iii) plant and machinery for the same areas for the most recent financial year. [131634]
[holding answer 25 July 2000]: I regret the information sought is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. A summary of the total value of assets belonging to the Department as at 31 March 1999 is as follows:
| £ billion | |
| Land and buildings | 13.5 |
| Fighting equipment | 27.9 |
| Plant and machinery and vehicles | 4.6 |
| Capital spares | 8.4 |
| IT and communications | 1.2 |
| Assets in course of construction | 9.5 |
| Total | 65.1 |
Nuclear Submarines
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many nuclear submarines carrying conventional weapons are currently operational. [132710]
All 15 Royal Navy submarines carry conventional weapons. Currently, nine (three Vanguard Class Trident submarines, three Trafalgar Class and three Swiftsure Class) are operationally available. Submarines in this category may be deployed at sea, in port, or carrying out trials, training or maintenance. In every case they are operational now or at very short notice. The specific operational readiness of each submarine is, however, classified and is being withheld under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.
Cr Gas
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what (a) quantity, (b) strength and (c) type of CR gas was deployed on 16 October 1974 at HM Prison Maze; [131390](2) how many inmates of HM Prison Maze gave blood samples for analysis following the use of CR gas at HM Prison Maze in October 1974; what the results of blood analysis were; where the data are stored; and what follow-up studies have been made. [131388]
As far as can be ascertained from surviving records, some 200 hand-held spray devices containing 0.05 per cent. CR were held at HM Prison Maze at that time, but were not used (although CS smoke was used). We have no record of blood samples being taken at the prison at that time.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evaluation he has made of (a) the effectiveness of CR gas in keeping public order and (b) the circumstances in which CR gas may be deployed. [131389]
The term CR refers to the chemical agent Dibenzoxazepine. Dibenzoxazepine has severe short-term incapacitating effects which have been well documented in the medical literature (for example, in Medicine, Science and Law, October 1973). CR may be deployed and authorised for use by the Armed Forces in certain special circumstances, particularly where it might enable the use of firearms to be avoided.
Defence Munitions Establishment, Gosport
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the Defence Munitions establishment at Gosport. [133357]
In common with the rest of the Defence Logistics Organisation, Defence Munitions has been set challenging savings and efficiency targets. A number of significant savings initiatives have already been delivered from the constituent parts.Previous efficiency studies such as Options for Change and Front Line First have, by and large, resulted in DM Gosport in Hampshire being a net inheritor of tasks and resources. Consequently the Depot has escaped the hard root and branch reviews which other parts of Defence Munitions have been subject to. To address the efficiency issue at DM Gosport a review of work practices and Depot management structure was initiated late 1999. The Study Team identified, as a first step, business efficiencies which, if implemented, would result in reductions of up to 30 per cent. of the total number of posts of 650.I was advised in February that further work was necessary. This was undertaken by a team comprising Depot staff and Trades Union representatives, which was supported by consultants to build upon the team's work, and charged with identifying the precise future optimum business processes and management structure of the Depot. This further work has now completed and indicates that post reductions in the order of 46 per cent. are possible without detriment to the output of the Depot.A "without commitment" Preference Exercise carried out at the Depot has identified that the majority of redundancies would be achieved voluntarily. While the probability of job losses is always unwelcome, it is crucial that we take advantage of new business processes (such as multi-skilling, operator self inspection, exploitation of new technology, and outsourcing of a number of support functions) if we are to ensure that we are able to maximise investment on front line defence capability and continue to give best value for money to the taxpayer.I also hope that these changes will better place DM Gosport to win future commercial contracts for weapon processing and associated work, therefore securing job opportunities for the future.
Departmental Secondments
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many staff were seconded from the private sector to his Department from (a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the companies from which staff have been seconded. [109074]
[pursuant to the reply, 8 February 2000, c. 109–10W]: A correction is required to the information given for secondments from the private sector to the Ministry of Defence for the period May 1998 to April 1999. During this period there were 20 inward secondments, not 19 as stated, as there were two secondees from Rolls-Royce for this period, not one. The corrected information is in the table.
May 1998 to April 1999
| |
Number
| |
| GEC Marconi Radar and Defence | 1 |
| Private Finance Panel Ltd. | 1 |
| Tarmac ServiceMaster | 1 |
| British Nuclear Fuels | 2 |
| AWE plc | 1 |
| Gardiner & Theobald | 1 |
| TI Group | 1 |
| British Aerospace | 3 |
| Devonport Management Ltd. | 1 |
| Simmons & Simmons | 1 |
| Wragg and Co | 1 |
| Defence Acquisition Group | 2 |
| PA Consulting Group | 1 |
| Dibb, Lupton Alsop | 1 |
| Rolls Royce | 2 |
| Total | 20 |
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Bottom-Set Gillnets
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to reduce the use of bottom-set gillnets; and if he will make a statement. [130382]
I have no such plans at present. The Sea Mammal Research Unit is currently trialling a range of gear modifications, including the use of acoustic deterrents (pingers) with Cornish fishermen, in order to reduce the scale of cetacean bycatch. If these measures prove effective, I will encourage their use in all similar UK fisheries.
Parliamentary Questions
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many of the written parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April 2000 did not receive substantive answers, citing as the reason that the information was (a) not held centrally, (b) not held in the form requested and (c) not available. [131197]
[holding answer 18 July 2000]: According to our records, of the 1,189 written parliamentary questions tabled during this period, we answered seven questions where the information was not held centrally, nine where the information was not held in the form requested and 34 where the information was not available.
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many written parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April 2000 have not received substantive answers, citing as the reason commercial confidentiality or other confidentiality. [131228]
[holding answer 20 July 2000]: For this period there were 1,189 written parliamentary questions tabled, of which seven did not receive substantive answers, citing as the reason commercial or other confidentiality.
Felling Licences
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 8 March 2000, Official Report, column 723W, on tree felling licences, what the outcome was of the investigation by the Forestry Commission into allegations that the RSPB had felled trees which were not included in the felling licence for Avon Heath Country Park; and if he will make a statement. [132357]
[holding answer 24 July 2000]: The Forestry Commission has not yet completed its investigation. I shall write to the hon. Member when I have further information.
Departmental Staff
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many unfilled vacancies for permanent staff his Department has; what percentage of staff positions in his Department are vacant; what the monthly cost would be to his Department of employing civil servants in these positions; how many and what percentage of staff his Department employs on a temporary basis through employment agencies; how much his Department paid employment agencies to supply temporary staff in each of the last 12 months; and how much he expects to pay employment agencies to supply temporary staff in each of the next 12 months. [131440]
[holding answer 25 July 2000]: Pay budgets within my Department are decentralised so the above information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Meat Hygiene Service
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish the 1999–2000 Annual report and Accounts for the Meat Hygiene Service. [133345]
The 1999–2000 annual report and accounts for the Meat Hygiene Service have been laid before Parliament. Copies are available in the Library of the House.
Prime Minister
Business Appointments
To ask the Prime Minister if he has received the third report of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments; and if he will make a statement. [133247]
The Committee has submitted its third report to me and I have today placed copies in the Libraries of both Houses. Since 1975 the Committee has advised the Prime Minister of the day on the propriety of business appointments that Crown servants wish to take up when they leave the Crown service. Following a recommendation of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, it now also provides advice directly to former Ministers on their business appointments. The Committee's third report provides an account of their work in 1999–2000.The Committee has an important role, and I am very grateful to all the members for giving their time so freely to it.
Standards In Public Life Report
To ask the Prime Minister when the Government intend to respond to the Sixth report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life. [133414]
The Sixth Report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, which focused on implementation of the Committee's First Report, was published in January. It concluded that the process of reform of standards of ethical behaviour in public life that had been set in train following the publication of its First Report had been a success and made a number of further recommendations. I am grateful to Lord Neill and his Committee for their continued work in this vital area.I have published today the Government's response to the Committee's Sixth Report (Cm 4817) and copies are available in the Library.
Parliamentary Questions
To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions he has deposited papers in the Library in response to parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April. [132465]
Sixteen.
Engagements
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 26 July. [132363]
This morning I had meetings with Ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I will have further such meetings later today.
International Development
Parliamentary Questions
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many of the written parliamentary questions tabled to her Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April have not received substantive answers, citing as the reason that the information is (a) not held centrally, (b) not held in the form requested and (c) not available. [132469]
Of the 574 written parliamentary questions tabled to my Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April 2000, one did not receive a substantive answer because the material was not held centrally, two because the information was not held in the form requested and four because the information was not available.
Scotland
Post Offices
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on changes to the payment of benefits and pensions and the effect on post offices (a) in Glasgow and (b) in Scotland. [127716]
The Government are committed to investing £480 million in the automation of the entire post office network, allowing the move to paying benefits and pensions by automated credit transfer to start in 2003. This will not prevent people from continuing to collect their benefits in cash from their local post office if they prefer.In addition, the Government have recently unveiled a further package of measures to modernise the post office network, giving opportunities for significant new business and securing its future. As an example, from 27 July Lloyds TSB customers will be able to carry out basic banking transactions at 2,000 post offices throughout Scotland free of charge, underlining the potential for post offices to provide an ever-increasing range of services to local communities.
Parliamentary Questions
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions he has deposited papers in the Library in response to parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April. [132466]
Two.
Wales
Spending Review
7.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the effect of the 2000 spending review on transport in Wales. [130883]
I discuss many aspects of transport with the First Secretary during our regular meetings. The settlement announced for Wales last week has given Wales an extra £299 million transport consequential under the Barnett Formula. As my hon. Friend will be aware, any decisions on how the settlement is allocated within Wales will be for the Assembly to decide and will be announced in their budget plans later this year.There will also be scope under European Structural funded schemes for ambitious transport infrastructure projects, which the National Assembly for Wales will evaluate alongside all other bids.
12.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the effect of the 2000 spending review on police funding in Wales. [130888]
I meet the First Secretary regularly to discuss a range of issues.
Last Wednesday's announcement by the Home Secretary of an extra £1.6 billion for police funding in England and Wales for the next three years is very good news. It represents an average annual increase in police funding of 7 per cent. and will mean a further 4,000 recruits for England and Wales, bringing the total to 9,000 extra recruits over the next three years. Police forces in North Wales, Dyfed Powys and Gwent will also benefit from extra funding in recognition of the special challenges which they face in policing sparsely populated rural areas.
14.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Assembly First Secretary about the effect of the 2000 comprehensive spending review on EU structural funds in Wales. [130890]
I have discussed this matter with the First Secretary on a number of occasions.The settlement covers in full the increase in EU Structural Funds receipts, outside of the Barnett formula, and he welcomes it as much as I do.
15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the effect of the 2000 spending review on police chief constables in Wales. [130891]
I meet the First Secretary regularly to discuss a range of issues.Last Wednesday's announcement by the Home Secretary of an extra £1.6 billion for police funding in England and Wales for the next three years is very good news. It represents an average annual increase in police funding of 7 per cent. and will mean a further 4,000 recruits for England and Wales, bringing the total to 9,000 extra recruits over the next three years. Police forces in North Wales, Dyfed Powys and Gwent will also benefit from extra funding in recognition of the special challenges which they face in policing sparsely populated rural areas.It will be for individual chief constables in Wales to determine how they spend the funds allocated to them.
17.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the effect of the 2000 spending review on education in Wales. [130893]
23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the effect of the 2000 spending review on education in Wales. [130899]
I met with the First Secretary on a regular basis in the run-up to the 2000 Spending Review.I welcome the excellent settlement secured for Wales, which includes amounts consequential on allocations to the Department for Education and Employment.
18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the effect of the 2000 spending review on health and social services in Wales. [130894]
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State met with the First Secretary on a regular basis in the run-up to the 2000 Spending Review.
The excellent settlement secured for Wales includes amounts consequential on allocations to the Department of Health which can be allocated by the National Assembly to improve healthcare.
Minimum Wage
8.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has held with the First Secretary about the impact of the national minimum wage on the Welsh economy. [130884]
I regularly meet the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales and discuss a number of issues including the Welsh economy.The minimum wage has brought substantial benefits to large numbers of people, especially women and part-time workers, without any indication of significant adverse effect on employment or economy in Wales.
Common Agricultural Policy
9.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress on reform of the common agricultural policy in relation to upland farming in Wales. [130885]
A major reform arising from Agenda 2000 CAP reforms was contained in the European Commission's Rural Development Regulation, relating to Less Favoured Areas (LFAs). The new scheme for the LFAs, which constitute 80 per cent. of Wales, was submitted to the European Commission last December by the National Assembly for Wales. Commission approval is expected in the near future.
Local Government Settlement
11.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary regarding the consultation over the local government settlement for Wales. [130887]
The Secretary of State had regular meetings with the First Secretary in the run-up to the 2000 Spending Review. The settlement we have secured for Wales includes amounts consequential on allocations to the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions for local government. It will of course be for the National Assembly to decide how the consequential amounts will be allocated in Wales, and it is currently consulting on its joint review of the standard spending assessment formula for distribution of grant to local authorities in Wales.
Rural Development
13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last discussed sustainable rural development with the First Secretary; and if he will make a statement. [130889]
My right hon. Friend discusses a range of rural issues in his weekly meeting with the First Secretary and I discuss rural development matters in my regular liaison meetings with Assembly Cabinet members. The National Assembly for Wales has what we believe is a unique duty, set out in section 121 of the Government of Wales Act 1998, to make a scheme setting out how it proposes to promote sustainable development in the exercise of its functions.
Exchange Rate
16.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary on the impact of the level of the pound on farmers; and if he will make a statement. [130892]
I have regular weekly meetings with the First Secretary and we discuss a wide range of topics. I understand that the majority of the agrimonetary compensation out of the total £10.6 million promised to Welsh dairy, beef and sheep farmers at the No. 10 Agriculture Summit on 30 March will be paid between August and December this year. We also are hopeful that the Agenda 2000 CAP reforms and the Rural Development Plan will enable Welsh farmers to achieve a sustainable agricultural industry.
Farm Incomes
19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will meet the First Secretary to discuss farm incomes in south Wales. [130895]
I meet the First Secretary on a regular weekly basis and we discuss a wide range of issues. I am hopeful that the Rural Development Plan for Wales, coupled with support from Objectives 1, 2 and 3 of the European Structural Funds and the industry's own resilience and coherent approach to rural development, will result in an improved level of farm incomes not only in south Wales but the whole country.
Eu Structural Funds
20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on match funding for Objective 1 structural funds for west Wales and the valleys. [130896]
The excellent spending review settlement for Wales announced last week included an additional £421 million to cover in full the increase in EU Structural Funds receipts in Wales, outside of the Barnett formula. This settlement unlocks funding within the Block to meet the match funding requirement.I have talked with the First Secretary and the Assembly Finance Secretary who agree that as a result of this settlement, no worthwhile Objective 1 project will be held back by lack of resources.
Organic Farming
21.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary about promoting organic farming. [130897]
I meet the First Secretary on a regular weekly basis and we discuss a wide range of issues. I understand that the National Assembly has committed nearly £3 million to the organic farming scheme in its first year of operation. The scheme pays grants to farmers to help them through the period of conversion to organic farming. I also welcome the launch of the Centre for Organic Excellence in Aberystwyth on 10 July, which will help the Assembly achieve its aim of converting 10 per cent. of agricultural land to organic production by 2005.
Pensioners
22.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent representations he has made to the Secretary of State for Social Security on behalf of Welsh pensioners. [130898]
As a member of the Inter Ministerial Group on Older People I regularly discuss pensioner issues.During the course of this Parliament, an extra £6.5 billion over and above inflation, will be spent on pensioners. Of this, half is going to help the poorest third of pensioners primarily through increases to the Minimum Income Guarantee and Winter Fuel payments.The Minimum Income Guarantee will benefit 94,000 pensioners in Wales. This will be increased in line with earnings throughout the remainder of this Parliament.A comprehensive strategy has been put in place by this Government to tackle pensioner poverty. This targeted approach ensures that more help is directed towards those pensioners that need it most.
Ambulance Response Times
24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the First Secretary to discuss the implementation in Wales of national targets for ambulance response times. [130900]
I have no plans to discuss this issue at present but would be happy to include this item in my regular discussions with the First Secretary or the Assembly Health Secretary.
Nhs Waiting Lists
25.
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the National Assembly for Wales regarding NHS waiting lists. [130901]
Regular discussions about the NHS in Wales are held with both the Assembly First Secretary and the Assembly Health Secretary and waiting lists are often included on the agenda.The National Assembly are keen to reduce waiting lists as much and as soon as possible. Together with providing additional funding for this purpose, they have set strict targets to be met by Health Authorities.
Manufacturing Industry
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary on manufacturing industry in Wales. [130879]
The First Secretary and I meet on a regular basis and discuss a number of issues including manufacturing in Wales. Overall, manufacturing output in Wales for the four quarters to the first quarter of 2000 was 2.9 per cent. higher than this corresponding period a year earlier.
Treasury
Savings
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was invested in individual savings accounts in their first year of operation (a) in total and (b) net of transfers from other savings instruments; how much was invested in (i) TESSAs and (ii) PEPs in their first year of operation; and if he will make a statement. [127835]
Individual Savings Accounts attracted a total of over £28 billion in their first year 1999–2000, which is around a third more than the sum put into PEPs and TESSAs in their last year of operation of 1998–99. This excludes proceeds from matured TESSAs subscribed to cash components of ISAs or TESSA only ISAs. The proportion of funds which is attributable to new savings is not available.Only £480 million was subscribed to PEPs in their first year (1987) compared to over £16 billion subscribed to the stocks and shares components of ISAs in their first year. The amount invested in TESSAs in their first year (1991) was around £7.3 billion, whereas the cash component of ISAs attracted some £12.3 billion in their first year.
Census Forms
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the oral statement of the Economic Secretary on 5 July 2000, Official Report, Standing Committee D, column 15, with whom the status of the commitment to ensure that census forms will read, "What is your religion? This question is voluntary, has been checked"; and if he will make a statement. [131365]
Under the provisions of Section 3(1) of the Census Act 1920, for the purpose of enabling any Order in Council directing a census to be taken to be carried into effect, the Chancellor of the Exchequer may make regulations with respect to the forms to be used in the taking of a census.If the Census (Amendment) Bill, as currently drafted were to become law, then subsequent to the necessary Amendment Order being made providing for particulars in respect of religion to be added to those already approved by Parliament for inclusion in the 2001 Census, I will make, on behalf of the Chancellor, regulations setting out the form and wording of the particular question on religion to be included on the 2001 Census forms. This would include the statement that the question is voluntary.Legal advisers for the Office for National Statistics have confirmed that the authority to include such a statement on the census form would fall within the provision of Section 3(1) of the Act, once the Act has been amended to provide for such particulars to be included without penalty for not doing so.In my statement to the Standing Committee D on 5 July, I announced my intention to make such a statement on the 2001 Census form to be included in regulations, should the Bill receive Royal Assent.
Hipc
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the World Bank's refusal to include (a) Haiti, (b) Bangladesh and (c) Nigeria in the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries programme. [130992]
The list of countries eligible for debt relief under HIPC is not fixed, nor does the UK Government regard it as fixed. Any country which is eligible for concessional lending from the IMF and World Bank, which has established a track record of reform and sound programmes and which faces an unsustainable debt burden, beyond available debt relief mechanisms, can qualify for debt relief under the HIPC Initiative. It is then, of course, a matter for the country itself to chose to opt for HIPC debt relief.
Working Families Tax Credit
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the rate of up-take of the Working Families Tax Credit in Dorset. [130836]
The number of families in receipt of Working Families Tax Credit at the end of May 2000 is provisionally estimated at 1,056,000. The number in receipt of Family Credit at the end of May 1999 is estimated at 821,000.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families receive the Working Families Tax Credit. [132625]
The number of families in receipt of the Working Families Tax Credit at the end of May 2000 is provisionally estimated at 1,056,000.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many recipients of the Working Families Tax Credit work in the (a) public and (b) private sectors. [132698]
Estimates could not be made without incurring disproportionate cost. Information on the sector of the employer is not relevant for determining eligibility for Working Families Tax Credit or calculating the value of the award, and is not captured to the computer system used for the statistical analysis of these awards.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a breakdown by region of the number of recipients of the Working Families Tax Credit. [132700]
The number of families in receipt of Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) at the end of May 2000 is provisionally estimated at 1,056,000. The breakdown by country and Government Office Region is as follows:
| Thousand | |
| Country and Government Office Region | Provisional estimate of number of recipients of WFTC at end-May 2000 |
| United Kingdom | 1,056 |
| England | 855 |
| North-East | 62 |
| North-West | 154 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | 119 |
| East Midlands | 83 |
| West Midlands | 107 |
| East of England | 72 |
| London | 78 |
Thousand
| |
Country and Government Office Region
| Provisional estimate of number of recipients of WFTC at end-May 2000
|
| South-East | 96 |
| South-West | 84 |
| Wales | 62 |
| Scotland | 101 |
| Northern Ireland | 37 |
Lost Working Days
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many working days were lost to individual action in (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998 and (d) 1999. [131116]
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Nick Gibb, dated 26 July 2000:
As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question about the number of working days lost to industrial action.
The table below shows the number of working days lost to labour disputes in the United Kingdom for each year since 1996.
Number of working days lost due to labour disputes in the UK
| |
Number
| |
| 1996 | 1,303,300 |
| 1997 | 234,700 |
| 1998 | 282,400 |
| 1999 | 241,800 |
Source:
Office for National Statistics
National Minimum Wage
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the average take-home pay of workers benefiting from the National Minimum Wage (a) before the Budget in March and (b) following the measures announced in the Budget. [130956]
The Government are pursuing a comprehensive strategy to ensure that every individual shares fairly in the increasing prosperity of the nation. As a result of personal tax and benefit changes announced in Budget 2000 and previous Budgets, households will be, on average, £460 a year better off. Households with an individual in receipt of the National Minimum Wage will be, on average, £1,500 a year better off.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many (a) men and (b) women have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage to date. [132107]
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 26 July 2000:
I have been asked to reply to your recent question regarding the number of men and women who have benefited from the introduction of the National Minimum Wage (132107). I am replying in the absence of the National Statistician.
Definitive estimates on the number of people that have been affected by the national minimum wage are not yet available. Currently available estimates for assessing the effect draw on data from both the New Earnings Survey and the Labour Force Survey, and recognise the particular value that each survey adds to the quality and analytical details that can be provided. However, the latest adjusted estimates are mainly based on data for the Spring (March-May) 1999 Labour Force Survey. The reference period spans the implementation date for the National Minimum Wage Act on 1 April 1999. This means adjusted estimates are unlikely accurately to measure the effect of this legislation since there are employees who could have been earning below the minimum wage rates in March 1999, before the law took effect.
The currently available estimates for March-May 1999 were published in an Office for National Statistics (ONS) First Release on 14 October 1999 and show that the number of people earning below the minimum wage rates set in April 1999 had fallen significantly between 1998 and 1999. A copy of this first release is available in the House of Commons Library.
Ecofin Council
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the outcome was of the ECOFIN Council held in Brussels on 17 July; and if he will make a statement. [131570]
I attended the meeting of the Economic and Finance Council of Ministers.Draft conclusions on the taxation of savings and the Code of Conduct were circulated by the Presidency and adopted without amendment.The Presidency concluded that it was not possible to adopt the draft conclusions on Money Laundering because the question of how broad a definition of predicate offences to include in the Directive would need to be discussed further. The extent to which lawyers and accountants should be included in the scope of the directive also requires further consideration. It was hoped political agreement would be possible at the September ECOFIN meeting.Conclusions were adopted without discussion on Undertaking for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS) and Accounting Standards.The Commission presented its communication on a Global Strategy for the Protection of the Community's interests, noting it intended to resubmit to InterGovernmental Conference its proposal for a European Public Prosecutor (EPP). The Council agreed conclusions to maintain momentum on fight against fraud, but did not support the Commission on the EPP.On Lisbon follow-up it was agreed that ECOFIN would discuss in November reports on the Quality and Sustainability of Public Finances and Structural Performance indicators.A mandate for the Group of Wise Persons was agreed unanimously. A copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library.Conclusions on enlargement were adopted. ECOFIN agreed to discuss exchange rate policy and economic and financial stability in EU candidate countries at a future meeting.
Household Incomes
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 12 July 2000, Official Report, column 592W, on the effect of the minimum wage on household income of different income deciles, what estimate he has made of the percentage effect on the population estimated in (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000 to have below half average household income. [132020]
The Government are implementing a comprehensive strategy to tackle the causes of child and pensioner poverty. The National Minimum Wage, in providing a statutory level beneath which pay cannot fall, forms part of that strategy.The National Minimum Wage was introduced in April 1999. It is therefore not possible to estimate its effect on incomes in 1997–98 and 1998–99. Income information for 1999–2000 will be available next year in "Households Below Average Income" which is produced by the Department for Social Security.
Tax Allowances
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue yield for the next five financial years of restricting the value for the purpose of income tax of (a) the personal allowance and (b) age related allowances to the value of the basic rate of income tax; and if he will make a statement. [132271]
The estimated revenue yield in a full year from restricting the personal allowance to the basic rate would be £2.7 billion in 2000–01. Because of the tapered withdrawal of the age-related personal allowances, there is no relief for them at the higher rate and there would be no Exchequer effect from restricting them.This estimate is based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and consistent with the March 2000 Budget.
Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 26 July 2000:
I have been asked to reply to your recent question regarding the number of men and women who have benefited from the introduction of the National Minimum Wage (132107). I am replying in the absence of the National Statistician.
Definitive estimates on the number of people that have been affected by the national minimum wage are not yet available. Currently available estimates for assessing the effect draw on data from both the New Earnings Survey and the Labour Force Survey, and recognise the particular value that each survey adds to the quality and analytical details that can be provided. However, the latest adjusted estimates are mainly based on data for the Spring (March - May) 1999 Labour Force Survey. The reference period spans the implementation date for the National Minimum Wage Act on 1 April 1999. This means adjusted estimates are unlikely accurately to measure the effect of this legislation since there are employees who could have been earning below the minimum wage rates in March 1999, before the law took effect.
The currently available estimates for March - May 1999 were published in an Office for National Statistics (ONS) First Release on 14 October 1999 and show that the number of people earning below the minimum wage rates set in April 1999 had fallen significantly between 1998 and 1999. A copy of this first release is available in the House of Commons Library.
Pesticides Tax
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 21 June 2000, Official Report, column 215–16W, on pesticides tax, if he will list each of the meetings held with organisations named in the question. [132313]
I have had a number of meetings with interested parties, including industry representatives and the RSPB. In addition, I have read a number of written representations.
Government Borrowing
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has revised his plans for announcements concerning debt management as referred to in his written answer of 12 June 2000, Official Report, column 462W; and if he will make a statement. [132250]
There have been no subsequent changes to the Government's financing remit since the statement of 12 June.
Fuel Duty
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 17 July 2000, Official Report, column 99W, concerning payment of duty on fuel products at the terminal instead of the point at which they leave the refinery, if he will carry out a strategic environmental appraisal of this policy. [132644]
The potential environmental impact is only one consideration of this policy. Any change would also impact on revenue flow, Customs resources and accounting systems and revenue security. There are no plans to review the policy.
Aggregates Tax
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on employment in coastal areas of the introduction of the proposed aggregates tax. [132493]
All of the revenues raised from the levy will be recycled back to business through a cut in employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) and a new `Sustainability Fund' aimed at delivering local environmental benefits. It is not possible to say precisely what the effect of the levy, the cut in employer NICs and the Sustainability Fund will be on the aggregates and construction industries, since this will depend, among other things, on future employment trends and the degree to which firms switch to recycled materials.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the principal objectives are of the proposed aggregates tax. [132431]
The main objective of the aggregates levy is to bring about environmental benefits by making the price of aggregates better reflect their true environmental costs, and encouraging the use of recycled aggregates.In addition, some of the revenues from the levy will be used for the new `Sustainability Fund' aimed at delivering local environmental benefits to areas subject to the environmental costs of aggregates extraction. The Government will be consulting shortly on how this fund can best be used.
Audit And Accountability Steering Group
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the central Government Audit and Accountability Steering Group will have objectives relating to environmental sustainability; and if there are members of the Steering Group with expertise in environmental sustainability. [132572]
The terms of reference for the review by Lord Sharman of central Government audit and accountability have not yet been discussed by the Steering Group. The members of the Steering Group include a former senior official of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.
Spending Review
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his oral statement of 18 July 2000, Official Report, columns 219–29, when he will publish full public service agreements for all departments; and if he will make a statement. [132677]
I plan to do so on 28 July.
Disabled Persons Tax Credit
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy that, when the Disabled Persons Tax Credit is replaced in 2003, the Employment Tax Credit will be paid to childless disabled people. [132697]
Final decisions on the precise details of the ETC will be taken nearer the time of its introduction. When the new credits are introduced in 2003 payments to the working disabled will continue to be made to both those with and without children.
Correspondence
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposes to reply to the letter of 4 April, sent by the right hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside, concerning Mr. Marguson of Deeside. [133131]
There is no record of this letter having been received. If my right hon. Friend would send a copy to me it will be dealt with as soon as possible.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when he proposes to answer the letter of the right hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside, of 6 June, concerning Mr. Collard of Deeside, Flintshire; [133132](2) when he proposes to answer the letter sent by the right hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside, regarding Mr. Peck of Deeside, Flintshire, on 9 June. [133128]
I have already done so.
Euro
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) which studies his Department has (a) commissioned, (b) reviewed and (c) undertaken that examine the cost to (i) UK businesses and (ii) euro zone business of preparing for introduction of the euro; and if he will make a statement; [132901]
(2) which studies his Department has (a) commissioned, (b) reviewed and (c) undertaken that examine the cost to (i) UK businesses and (ii) euro zone business of preparing for introduction of the euro; and if he will make a statement. [132899]
The Treasury has neither commissioned nor undertaken studies of this nature. The cost of a changeover would depend on the overall approach taken and the decisions made by individual businesses.
Entrust
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to ensure best use of public money by ENTRUST. [131666]
ENTRUST does not determine where funds generated through the landfill tax credit scheme are spent. The Government are keen to promote more spending of contributions on recycling and re-use, particularly the recycling of household waste. The Government set out in the Waste Strategy 2000 ways in which they hope to achieve this and intend to consult interested parties on these proposals.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the (a) efficiency and (b) funding distribution policies of ENTRUST. [131665]
Funds are donated by landfill site operators to environmental bodies. ENTRUST has no part in deciding which projects receive funding. The landfill tax legislation sets out the broad categories of environmental projects that can qualify for funding.As the regulator of the landfill tax credit scheme, it is ENTRUST's job to ensure that the money is properly spent by qualifying environmental bodies in ways governed by the landfill tax regulations, and that no direct benefit passes to the contributors. HM Customs and Excise, which audits ENTRUST's performance to ensure that it meets an acceptable standard, is satisfied that ENTRUST has appropriate systems in place to identify abuses and revoke the approval of non-compliant bodies.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to abolish ENTRUST and redirect landfill tax moneys to local authorities. [131667]
No. The Government have set out in the Waste Strategy 2000 that they will explore options for amending the landfill tax credit scheme to contribute more to the objective of increased recycling, including helping local authorities to raise recycling levels.
Financial Services Authority
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Financial Services Authority submitted its response to the Cruickshank report. [132802]
The FSA's response to the Cruickshank report will be published alongside the Government's own response to the report.
Debt Management Office
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the UK Debt Management Office's annual report and accounts. [133248]
The DMO's annual report and administrative accounts for 1999–2000 are being published today. Copies have been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.
Home Department
Travellers
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the powers available to (a) local authorities and (b) the police to deal with travellers; and what discussions he has had with (i) local authorities and (ii) the police about strengthening these powers. [131888]
We consider that the statutory powers currently available are adequate provided that they are used effectively and at an early stage when necessary.There has been some concern that guidance on dealing with trespass by travellers needs clarifying in some respects. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) has, therefore, today published a revision to DETR Circular 18–94 to local authorities on the use of their powers to deal with unauthorised camping. A copy has been placed in the Library.We also propose to publish shortly, jointly with the DETR, a revision to the Good Practice Guidance "Managing Unauthorised Camping", aimed at ensuring there is clarity over the use of the relevant powers. In addition, research into the effectiveness of this Guidance has been commissioned and is expected to report in the Autumn. Further changes to the Guidance may be considered at that time.It is the Government's view that there needs to be adequate site provision if unauthorised camping is to be managed properly. The DETR is about to commission research into the availability and condition of local authority Gypsy sites. The results will be considered as part of the next spending review. In the meantime, the Minister of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, my hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr. Raynsford), announced in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Thomas) on 24 July 2000,
Official Report, columns 398–404W, that his Department would be making available over the next three years £17 million to help local authorities to improve and refurbish a limited number of existing sites. Details of the scheme will be published in the autumn.
There are regular discussions involving Ministers, Members of Parliament, local authorities and the police about all aspects of the Government's policy on travellers.
Transsexual People
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he received the report of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Transsexual People; and when he proposes to publish it. [132882]
The Interdepartmental Working Group reported to me just before Easter. I am most grateful to members of the Working Group and those who contributed to it for the thoroughness of their work. Since Easter, I have consulted ministerial colleagues in other Government Departments and the devolved Administrations.I have today placed copies of the report in the Library. Similar arrangements are being made in the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly. The report will be placed on the Home Office website. Hard copies may be obtained on application to my Department.The report will be considered carefully within Government.
Sexual Offences Review Report
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the sexual offences review report will be published. [132520]
[holding answer 25 July 2000]: I can confirm that the "Setting the Boundaries: reforming the law on sex offences", report of the review of sex offences, is being published today.My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary set out the terms of reference for the review in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Simpson) on 25 January 1999,
Official Report, columns 80–81W. The review was asked to look at the law in England and Wales and to make recommendations that will provide clear and coherent sex offences that protect the individual, particularly children and more vulnerable people from abuse and exploitation; enable abusers to be appropriately punished; and were fair and non-discriminatory in accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998.
This review was open and inclusive—it involved many stakeholders directly in its Steering Group and advisory External Reference Group, and consulted with many more at a series of conferences and seminars. It has looked at the evidence from research and the experience of law reform in other countries. The review has now completed its report to Government. It has made far-reaching recommendations to strengthen the effectiveness and protection of the law for children, raised important questions about the nature of the protection that should be offered to vulnerable people, proposed codifying and clarifying the law on consent in rape and setting the law on a fair and non-discriminatory basis for men and women whether as victim or offender. It also recommends new laws for dealing with the trafficking of human beings for sexual exploitation and the use of children in sexual exploitation, as well as looking at penalties and treatment.
The issues involved are sensitive and complex ones, on which there will be differing views. It is a long time since we have had such a thorough and comprehensive set of proposals on the law of sex offences, based on careful thought and consultation. But these proposals are just that—recommendations made to Government by a broadly based review, set up to provide the framework for further debate. The review involved many people from outside the civil service from many different groups and backgrounds, as well as civil servants from a wide range of departments. Before the Government can come to a conclusion on any of them, we need further input and views on what is recommended. This is the start of a real debate on what we think the law should be and how it should be framed.
We would like views on all of the proposals in the report. The review has posed some specific questions, but we want reactions to all the recommendations. We would like to know how well they would work, whether they would add to the protection of the vulnerable, whether they would apply fairly, equitably and with justice and whether there would be any effects or consequences that have not yet been identified.
The Government particularly welcome the proposals to strengthen the law for children and vulnerable people—we have made great strides in tackling the issues of evidence for children and vulnerable people and it is time that the offences in the criminal law were revised to ensure robust and comprehensive protection for the weakest in our society. It is important to get the law right while ensuring that vulnerable people are not deterred from seeking advice from statutory authorities. We would welcome views on the proposals that relate to the protection of children and vulnerable people—what the impact and consequences of those would be. We welcome the review's clarity on the importance of the age of consent and the need to maintain it at 16.
The Government do not think it would be right to take a view on the proposals in the report until they have been scrutinised and tested in consultation. This report and its proposals are not an end but a beginning—the report provides a carefully argued framework for consideration by all those who are affected, personally or professionally, by these proposals. The report is being made widely available in summary and full form, both in hard copy and on the Home Office website. It is free and available on request, as is a supporting volume of evidence. The period for consultation is long—until March 2001—to give time for the full implications of the proposals to be considered. I look forward to an important social debate that will help the Government frame proposals for a safe just and tolerant society.
Copies of the report and summary have been placed in the Library and the Vote Office.
Fire Service
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce planned future capital provision for the Fire Service in England and Wales. [133349]
To assist the fire service in improving its efficiency and effectiveness, I am increasing credit approval provision for the service from its current level of £35.7 million to £59.7 million in 2001–02. Planned provision will be sustained at that level in 2002–03 and increased by a further £2 million to £61.7 million in 2003–04.
Access To Government Information
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the 1999 report on the operation of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. [133351]
I have published this report today. Copies have been placed in the Library.
Horserace Betting Levy
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the fifth report on the impact of the National Lottery on the horserace betting levy. [133352]
An update on the impact of the National Lottery on the horserace betting levy has been published today. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library.The paper, which has been prepared by the Home Office's Economic and Resource Analysis Unit, examines continuing trends in off-course betting expenditure and their relationship to the horserace betting levy.The analysis indicates, that in 1999, off-course betting expenditure was about 14.7 per cent. below the level it would have reached in the absence of the National Lottery and that, by implication, the horserace betting levy raised £9–10 million less than it may otherwise have done.This is broadly consistent with the findings of the first four reports.As the Government have already announced their intention to abolish the horserace betting levy system, it is not our intention to commission any future reports in this series.
Asylum Seekers
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce the appointment of the Asylum Support Adjudicators. [133353]
I have pleasure today in announcing the appointment of the following Asylum Support Adjudicators, under section 102 of and Schedule 10 to the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999:
| Asylum Support Adjudicators | Appointments |
| Chief Asylum Support Adjudicator | Mrs. Sehba Haroon Storey |
| Deputy Chief Asylum Support Adjudicator | Ms Gillian Carter |
| Asylum Support Adjudicators | Mrs. Sarah Breach |
| Mr. Laurence Brass | |
| Mr. Alan Ponting | |
| Dr. Ethlyn Prince | |
| Mrs. Susannah Walker |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many local authorities in areas to which asylum seekers are being dispersed have designated a named individual as a contact for the National Asylum Support Service and the Home Office; and if he will make a statement. [132383]
The National Asylum Support Service has regular contact with local authorities, but no local authorities have designated a named individual as a contact point for the National Asylum Support Service. Local authorities who wish to exchange information with the Immigration and Nationality Directorate about individuals who may be subject to immigration control must register a named person as the contact point. Some 549 local authorities have designated a named individual.
Detention And Training Orders
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) boys and (b) girls have been sentenced to a detention and training order broken down by (i) sentencing court area, (ii) offence and (iii) type of accommodation they were placed in; and if he will make a statement. [125341]
[holding answer 12 July 2000]: The detention and training order was implemented on 1 April 2000. Information provided by the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales indicates that between 1 April and 30 June 2000, 1,475 detention and training orders were made, 1,383 against boys and 92 against girls. There were 1,234 boys placed in Prison Service accommodation, 109 in secure training centres and 40 in local authority secure units. There were 61 girls in Prison Service accommodation and 31 in local authority secure units.The available information on sentencing court area and offence is set out in the tables.
| Detention and training order: 1 April to 30 June 2000 | ||
| Sentencing court | Male | Female |
| Acton | 4 | 0 |
| Aldridge and Brownhills | 1 | 0 |
| Ashby-de-la-Zouch | 1 | 0 |
| Aylesbury Crown Court | 8 | 0 |
| Barking | 5 | 0 |
| Barnet | 1 | 0 |
| Barnsley | 4 | 0 |
| Barnstaple and South Molton | 1 | 0 |
| Barrow-in-Furness Crown Court | 4 | 0 |
| Basildon | 7 | 0 |
| Bath and Wansdyke | 0 | 1 |
| Batley and Dewsbury | 2 | 0 |
| Bedford | 4 | 1 |
| Bexley | 3 | 0 |
| Birmingham | 40 | 0 |
| Birmingham Crown Court | 10 | 1 |
| Blackburn, Darwen and Ribble | 1 | 0 |
| Blackfriars Crown Court | 0 | 2 |
| Blackpool and Fylde | 2 | 0 |
| Bodmin | 2 | 0 |
| Bolton Crown Court | 4 | 1 |
| Bolton | 12 | 0 |
| Bournemouth and Christchurch | 1 | 0 |
| Bournemouth Crown Court | 4 | 0 |
| Bradford Crown Court | 4 | 0 |
| Bradford | 9 | 0 |
| Brent | 3 | 1 |
| Brentford | 1 | 0 |
| Brighton and Hove | 2 | 0 |
| Bristol Crown Court | 2 | 0 |
| Bristol | 6 | 1 |
| Bromley | 2 | 0 |
| Bromsgrove and Redditch | 1 | 0 |
| Burnley Crown Court | 2 | 0 |
| Burton-upon-Trent | 2 | 0 |
| Bury | 2 | 1 |
| Bury St. Edmunds Crown Court | 1 | 0 |
| Calderdale | 5 | 0 |
| Camberwell Green | 10 | 0 |
| Cambridge | 3 | 0 |
| Cannock | 3 | 0 |
| Canterbury and St. Augustine | 3 | 0 |
| Canterbury Crown Court | 1 | 0 |
| Cardiff | 11 | 3 |
| Cardiff Crown Court | 16 | 1 |
| Carlisle | 4 | 1 |
Detention and training order: 1 April to 30 June 2000
| ||
Sentencing court
| Male
| Female
|
| Central Buckingham | 1 | 0 |
| Central Criminal Court | 6 | 0 |
| Channel | 1 | 0 |
| Chelmsford Crown Court | 4 | 1 |
| Chester | 1 | 0 |
| Chester Crown Court | 6 | 0 |
| Chesterfield | 4 | 0 |
| Chester-le-Street | 3 | 0 |
| Chichester | 2 | 0 |
| Chichester and District | 1 | 0 |
| City of London | 3 | 0 |
| Corby | 1 | 0 |
| Coventry Crown Court | 1 | 0 |
| Coventry | 11 | 2 |
| Crawley | 3 | 0 |
| Croydon | 7 | 0 |
| Croydon Crown Court | 2 | 0 |
| Cynon Valley | 1 | 0 |
| Dacorum | 4 | 0 |
| Darlington Crown Court | 5 | 0 |
| Denbighshire | 4 | 1 |
| Derby and South Derbyshire | 11 | 0 |
| Derby Crown Court | 11 | 3 |
| Doncaster Crown Court | 1 | 0 |
| Doncaster | 18 | 0 |
| Dudley | 9 | 0 |
| Durham Crown Court | 2 | 0 |
| Durham | 6 | 0 |
| East Berkshire | 3 | 0 |
| East Derbyshire | 1 | 1 |
| East Hertfordshire | 1 | 0 |
| Eastbourne and Hailsham | 1 | 1 |
| Ellesmere Port and Neston | 1 | 0 |
| Enfield | 1 | 0 |
| Exeter and Wonford | 2 | 2 |
| Faversham and Sittingbourne | 1 | 1 |
| Flintshire | 4 | 0 |
| Furness | 2 | 0 |
| Gateshead | 3 | 0 |
| Gloucester Crown Court | 2 | 0 |
| Gloucester | 9 | 0 |
| Grantham | 2 | 1 |
| Great Yarmouth | 2 | 0 |
| Grimsby and Cleethorpes | 7 | 0 |
| Guildford Crown Court | 1 | 1 |
| Haringey | 4 | 2 |
| Harrow | 4 | 0 |
| Harrow Crown Court | 3 | 0 |
| Hartlepool | 2 | 0 |
| Harwich | 0 | 1 |
| Hastings and Rother | 2 | 0 |
| Haverfordwest Crown Court | 1 | 0 |
| Haverhill and Sudbury | 1 | 0 |
| Havering | 1 | 0 |
| Hereford Crown Court | 3 | 0 |
| Herefordshire | 2 | 0 |
| High Peak | 3 | 0 |
| Houghton le Spring | 4 | 0 |
| Hounslow | 1 | 0 |
| Huddersfield | 6 | 0 |
| Huntingdon | 1 | 0 |
| Hyndburn | 5 | 0 |
| Inner London Sessions House | 24 | 5 |
| Ipswich | 4 | 0 |
| Isle of Wight | 5 | 0 |
| Isleworth Crown Court | 3 | 3 |
| Keighley | 3 | 0 |
| Kendal and Lonsdale | 3 | 0 |
| Kettering | 4 | 0 |
| Kingston upon Hull | 14 | 0 |
| Kingston upon Thames | 2 | 0 |
| Kingston upon Thames Crown Court | 3 | 1 |
| Knowsley | 13 | 0 |
| Lancaster | 1 | 0 |
| Leeds Crown Court | 15 | 1 |
| Leeds | 18 | 0 |
| Leicester Crown Court | 8 | 0 |
Detention and training order: 1 April to 30 June 2000
| ||
Sentencing court
| Male
| Female
|
| Leicester | 20 | 0 |
| Lewes Crown Court | 3 | 0 |
| Lincoln Crown Court | 1 | 0 |
| Lincoln | 4 | 0 |
| Liverpool | 18 | 1 |
| Liverpool Crown Court | 11 | 0 |
| Loughborough | 1 | 0 |
| Lower Rhymney Valley | 2 | 0 |
| Luton | 10 | 0 |
| Luton Crown Court | 1 | 0 |
| Macclesfield | 1 | 0 |
| Maidstone Crown Court | 3 | 0 |
| Maldon and Witham | 1 | 0 |
| Manchester (Crown Square) Crown Court | 12 | 0 |
| Manchester (Minshull Street) Crown Court | 3 | 0 |
| Manchester | 13 | 2 |
| Mansfield | 11 | 2 |
| Medway | 3 | 0 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 4 | 1 |
| Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court | 3 | 0 |
| Mid Kent | 2 | 0 |
| Mid Warwickshire | 2 | 0 |
| Mid North Essex | 1 | 0 |
| Milton Keynes | 4 | 2 |
| Miscellaneous | 97 | 10 |
| Mold Crown Court | 2 | 0 |
| Neath and Port Talbot | 2
| 1 |
| Newark and Southwell | 3 | 0 |
| Newcastle and Ogmore | 1 | 0 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 8 | 0 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne Crown Court | 3 | 0 |
| Newcastle-Under-Lyne and Pirehill North | 2 | 0 |
| Newport Crown Court | 1 | 0 |
| Newport | 8 | 0 |
| North Avon | 2 | 0 |
| North East Suffolk | 4 | 1 |
| North East Hampshire | 1 | 0 |
| North Gloucestershire | 3 | 0 |
| North Hertfordshire | 1 | 0 |
| North Lincolnshire | 4 | 0 |
| North Tyneside | 6 | 0 |
| North West Essex | 2 | 0 |
| North West Surrey | 1 | 0 |
| Northallerton and Richmond | 1 | 0 |
| Northampton Crown Court | 5 | 1 |
| Northampton | 5 | 0 |
| Northern Oxfordshire | 1 | 0 |
| Norwich | 1 | 1 |
| Nottingham | 20 | 1 |
| Nottingham Crown Court | 14 | 0 |
| Nuneaton | 6 | 0 |
| Oldham | 5 | 1 |
| Oxford | 4 | 0 |
| Oxford Crown Court | 3 | 0 |
| Peterborough | 2 | 0 |
| Peterborough Crown Court | 4 | 1 |
| Plymouth Crown Court | 0 | 1 |
| Poole | 9 | 0 |
| Portsmouth Crown Court | 8 | 0 |
| Preston | 4 | 1 |
| Preston Crown Court | 5 | 0 |
| Reading | 2 | 0 |
| Redbridge | 1 | 0 |
| Rochdale, Middleton and Heywood | 10 | 0 |
| Rochford and Southend | 1 | 0 |
| Rotherham | 12 | 0 |
| Rugby | 3 | 0 |
| Salford | 2 | 0 |
| Salisbury | 3 | 0 |
| Scarborough | 8 | 1 |
| Sedgefield | 7 | 0 |
| Sedgemoor | 2 | 0 |
| Selby | 2 | 0 |
| Sheffield Crown Court | 12 | 0 |
| Sheffield | 9 | 0 |
| Shrewsbury | 4 | 0 |
| Shrewsbury Crown Court | 5 | 0 |
Detention and training order: 1 April to 30 June 2000
| ||
Sentencing court
| Male
| Female
|
| Skegness | 1 | 0 |
| Snaresbrook Crown Court | 10 | 0 |
| Solihull | 4 | 0 |
| South Cheshire | 1 | 1 |
| South East Cornwall | 1 | 0 |
| South East Hampshire | 17 | 2 |
| South East Northumberland | 4 | 0 |
| South Hampshire | 9 | 1 |
| South Sefton | 4 | 0 |
| South Somerset | 1 | 0 |
| South Tyneside | 2 | 1 |
| South West Surrey | 1 | 0 |
| South Western Magistrates Court: Lambeth and Wandsworth Youth Courts | 4 | 0 |
| Southampton Crown Court | 3 | 0 |
| Southampton | 12 | 0 |
| Southend Crown Court | 1 | 0 |
| Southwark Crown Court | 1 | 0 |
| South-West Essex | 1 | 0 |
| St. Albans | 5 | 0 |
| St. Helens | 1 | 0 |
| St. Albans Crown Court | 2 | 0 |
| Stafford Crown Court | 3 | 0 |
| Staffordshire Moorlands | 3 | 0 |
| Stockport | 4 | 0 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 4 | 3 |
| Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court | 3 | 0 |
| Stourbridge and Halesowen | 1 | 0 |
| Stratford Magistrates Court | 12 | 1 |
| Sunderland | 15 | 1 |
| Sutton | 4 | 0 |
| Sutton Coldfield | 15 | 1 |
| Swansea | 1 | 0 |
| Swansea Crown Court | 2 | 0 |
| Swindon | 9 | 0 |
| Swindon Crown Court | 4 | 0 |
| Tameside | 6 | 0 |
| Tamworth | 3 | 0 |
| Taunton Crown Court | 2 | 0 |
| Teesside and Wear Valley | 1 | 0 |
| Teesside Crown Court | 6 | 0 |
| Teesside | 16 | 0 |
| Telford (Shifnal, Wrekin, Wenlock) | 6 | 0 |
| Thames | 8 | 2 |
| Thanet | 9 | 0 |
| Torbay | 1 | 0 |
| Trafford | 6 | 0 |
| Truro Crown Court | 0 | 1 |
| Truro | 0 | 2 |
| Uxbridge | 3 | 0 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 2 | 0 |
| Vale Royal | 2 | 0 |
| Wakefield | 2 | 0 |
| Walsall | 8 | 0 |
| Waltham Forest | 3 | 0 |
| Warley | 2 | 0 |
| Warrington | 4 | 0 |
| Warwick Crown Court | 3 | 0 |
| Watford | 2 | 0 |
| Wellingborough | 1 | 0 |
| West Allerdale | 4 | 0 |
| West Berkshire | 1 | 1 |
| West Bromwich | 3 | 0 |
| West Devon | 1 | 0 |
| West Kent | 1 | 0 |
| West London | 13 | 1 |
| West Norfolk | 0 | 1 |
| West Wiltshire | 7 | 0 |
| Weymouth and Portland | 1 | 0 |
| Wigan District | 9 | 0 |
| Wigan (Leigh Division) | 1 | 0 |
| Wimbledon | 2 | 0 |
| Winchester Crown Court | 1 | 0 |
| Wirral | 10 | 1 |
| Wolverhampton Crown Court | 3 | 0 |
| Wolverhampton | 7 | 1 |
| Wood Green Crown Court | 7 | 0 |
Detention and training order: 1 April to 30 June 2000
| ||
Sentencing court
| Male
| Female
|
| Woodspring | 1 | 0 |
| Worcester Crown Court | 9 | 0 |
| Worksop | 1 | 0 |
| Worthing | 2 | 0 |
| Wrexham Maelor | 6 | 0 |
| Wyre | 1 | 0 |
| Ynys Mon/Anglesey | 3 | 0 |
| York Crown Court | 1 | 0 |
| York | 13 | 1 |
| Total | 1,383 | 92 |
Note:
It has not been possible in all cases to record which courts passed the DTOs. The miscellaneous figure denotes these cases.
Detention and training order: 1 April to 30 June 2000
| ||
Offence type
| Male
| Female
|
| Arson | 50 | 4 |
| Breach of Statutory Order | 168 | 4 |
| Burglary | 410 | 8 |
| Criminal Damage | 6 | 0 |
| Death or Injury by Reckless Driving | 2 | 0 |
| Drugs | 43 | 8 |
| Fraud and Forgery | 12 | 0 |
| Public Order | 119 | 11 |
| Racially Aggravated | 22 | 0 |
| Robbery | 190 | 9 |
| Sexual | 19 | 0 |
| Theft and Handling | 285 | 23 |
| Vehicle Theft | 354 | 2 |
| Violence against Person | 245 | 45 |
| Other offences not detailed | 396 | 14 |
| Total | 2,321 | 128 |
Note:
The number of offences is greater than the number of DTOS because more than one offence may be associated with the sentence.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many children have received a detention and training order, broken down by (a) age, (b) gender and (c) race, since its introduction; [129699](2) how many boys and girls aged under 18 years have been sentenced by each court to a detention and training order. [129700]
The detention and training order was implemented on 1 April 2000. Information provided by the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales indicates that between 1 April 2000 and 30 June 2000, 1,475 detention and training orders were made, 1,383 against boys and 92 against girls. The available information on age and ethnicity is set out in the tables. Information on sentencing court was contained in the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) today.
| Age | |
| 12 years | 6 |
| 13 years | 25 |
| 14 years | 280 |
| 15 years | 80 |
| 16 years | 394 |
| 17 years | 612 |
| 18 years | 78 |
| Total | 1,475 |
Ethnicity
| |
| Asian, Bangladeshi | 1 |
| Asian, Indian | 2 |
| Asian, Other | 12 |
| Asian, Pakistani | 22 |
| Black, African | 14 |
| Black, Caribbean | 53 |
| Black, Other | 25 |
| Chinese | 1 |
| Mixed, Other | 15 |
| Mixed, White and Asian | 7 |
| Mixed, White and Black | 8 |
| Mixed, White and Black Caribbean | 36 |
| Not Available | 69 |
| Other Ethnic Group | 8 |
| White, British | 1,172 |
| White, Irish | 16 |
| White, Other | 14 |
| Total | 1,475 |
Police (Kent)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what contribution his Department will make towards the extra staff required by Kent County Constabulary to enforce the provisions of the Kent County Council Bill and the Medway Council Bill; [130934](2) how many extra police he estimates will be needed by Kent County Constabulary to enable effective enforcement of the provisions of the Kent County Council Bill and Medway Council Bill; [130933](3) how many
(a) meetings, (b) e-mails and (c) telephone calls there have been between his Department and Kent County Constabulary to discuss the Kent County Council Bill and Medway Council Bill. [1309320]
[holding answer 17 July 2000]: Meetings were held between the Home Office, Kent County Constabulary and the Trading Standards Authority to investigate the principle of the Kent County Council Bill and the Medway Council Bill before they were deposited. Additional meetings and telephone calls have been held between the Home Office and the solicitors representing the Kent County Constabulary. The Home Office submitted a report on the Bills and Kent Country Constabulary met any concerns.Records are not kept centrally of the number of meetings held, e-mails exchanged, or telephone calls received or made by the Department on any specific subject.The Chief Constable has advised me that he does not anticipate that enforcing the provisions of the Bills will impose any significant increased demand on police resources. He is confident that the Bills will enhance Kent's existing intelligence led policing and lead to increased efficiency for individual officers investigating individual crimes.
Parliamentary Questions
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many written parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April 2000 have not received answers, citing as the reason commercial confidentiality or other confidentiality. [131229]
[holding answer 20 July 2000]: My Department answered a total of 2,751 written parliamentary questions between 19 October and 20 April 2000.It is always my practice to provide as full a reply as possible to all parliamentary questions, and to provide all relevant information even where that specifically requested is not available. Where, occasionally, information is withheld, the reasons for non-disclosure are consistent with the exemptions contained within the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information Section Second Edition (1997). For example:
information which could harm national security or defence, (paragraph la);
information whose disclosure could prejudice the enforcement or proper administration of the law, including the prevention, investigation or detection of crime, or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders (paragraph 4b);
Year to March 1998
| Year to March 1999
| Year to March 2000
| ||||
Offences
| Percentage cleared up
| Offences
| Percentage cleared up
| Offences
| Percentage cleared up
| |
| Violence against the person | 296 | 75.3 | 661 | 64.8 | 1,000 | 39.3 |
| Sexual offences | 89 | 100.0 | 29 | 41.4 | 60 | 36.7 |
| Robbery | 43 | 27.9 | 28 | 10.7 | 49 | 4.1 |
| Burglary1 | — | — | 904 | 15.6 | 1,054 | 7.5 |
| Theft and handling | 2,600 | 15.2 | 2,481 | 13.0 | 3,026 | 8.7 |
| Fraud and forgery | 373 | 25.7 | 293 | 19.1 | 466 | 9.9 |
| Criminal damage | 1,355 | 14.8 | 1,242 | 11.1 | 1,516 | 7.5 |
| Drug offences1 | — | — | 118 | 2115.3 | 103 | 95.1 |
| Other notifiable offences | 54 | 72.2 | 51 | 45.1 | 59 | 20.3 |
| Total | 5,657 | 21.7 | 5,807 | 21.7 | 7,333 | 14.0 |
1 Data for the year to March 1998 are not available | ||||||
2 Clear up rates are based on crimes detected in a given period compared to crimes recorded in that period, because some crimes detected in the period may have been recorded in a previous one the clear up rate can exceed 100 per cent. | ||||||
Notes:
1. The rules for recording crimes changed in April 1998 which led to a large increase in the number recorded, see Home Office Statistical Bulletin 18/99 'Recorded Crime Statistics, England and Wales April 1998 to March 1999' for more details
2. The definition of clear ups changed in April 1999, to exclude certain types of police action that would previously have been recorded as clear ups, and led to a decrease in clear up rates, see Home Office Statistical Bulletin 12/00 'Recorded Crime Statistics, England and Wales April 1999 to March 2000' for more details
Young Remand Prisoners
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) 15 and (b) 16-year-olds were held on remand in adult prisons according to the most recent figures available; and if he will list the prisons concerned. [131723]
On 30 June 2000, the latest date for which figures are available, the numbers were:
| Prison | 15-year-olds | 16-year-olds |
| Altcourse | 0 | 1 |
| Doncaster | 12 | 13 |
| Norwich | 1 | 2 |
| Total | 13 | 16 |
Alcohol
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what discussions he has held
information whose disclosure could endanger the life or physical safety of any person, or identity the source of information or assistance given in confidence for law enforcement or security purposes (paragraph 4f; and
information whose disclosure could lead to improper gain or advantage or would prejudice negotiations or the effective conduct of personnel management, or commercial or contractual activities (paragraph 7a).
Crime Statistics
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were committed in the borough of Hertsmere in each of the last four years for which figures are available, broken down by type of offence; and what the clear-up rate was in each case. [131948]
The latest available data for notifiable offences recorded by the police in Hertsmere are given in the table. No data are available for the year to March 1997 due to substantial changes in boundaries.with alcohol retailers on measures they are proposing to help prevent high percentage volume beers, lagers and ciders from reaching under-age drinkers; [132255](2) if he will discuss with alcohol retailers the display and marketing of high alcohol volume percentage beers, lagers and ciders. [132257]
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 21 July 2000, Official Report, columns 362–63W.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the numbers of recorded incidents of criminal damage that have involved the consumption of alcohol by the perpetrator, indicating the proportion which involved under-age drinkers; [132243](2) if he will make a statement on the numbers of recorded non-vehicle related thefts
(a) nationally and (b) on Merseyside that have involved the consumption of alcohol by the perpetrator, indicating the proportion which involved under-age drinkers; [132253]
(3) if he will make a statement on the number of recorded burglaries (a) nationally and (b) on Merseyside that involved the consumption of alcohol by the perpetrator, indicating the proportion which involved under-age drinkers; [132265]
(4) if he will make a statement on the number of recorded crimes (a) nationally and (b) on Merseyside that involve the consumption of alcohol by the perpetrator, indicating the proportion which involved under age drinkers; [132258]
(5) if he will make a statement on the number of recorded violent crimes (a) nationally and (b) on Merseyside that have involved the consumption of alcohol by the perpetrator, indicating what proportion involved under age drinkers; [132272]
(6) if he will make a statement on the numbers of recorded incidents of criminal damage on Merseyside that have involved the consumption of alcohol by the perpetrator; [132274]
(7) if he will make a statement on the numbers and proportion of recorded incidents of criminal damage on Merseyside which involved under age drinkers in each of the last three years. [132310]
The information requested is not available. The police do not routinely provide information on the perpetrators of the offences that they record, and for many offences the perpetrator will not be known.Estimates of the proportion of offences in which alcohol is involved have come from various ad-hoc studies. The figures they give vary somewhat according to the samples of offences taken, and the methodology of the studies. Moreover, it is difficult to say whether the misuse of alcohol was the cause of an offence, or merely a contributory factor.One recent study looked at arrestees in five police force areas in 1996–97. This showed that 25 per cent. tested positive for alcohol, ranging from 42 per cent. in Sunderland to eight per cent. in Manchester. The proportion of offenders arrested for violent crime, burglary, non-vehicle related thefts and criminal damage that tested positive for alcohol is shown in Table 1. Information on the age of the arrestees is not available.
| Table 1: Proportion of arrestees testing positive for alcohol | |
| Main offence | Percentage of arrestees testing positive for alcohol |
| Grievous bodily harm | 17 |
| Actual bodily harm | 38 |
| Burglary dwelling | 26 |
| Burglary non-dwelling | 16 |
| Theft from the person | 0 |
| Theft from a shop | 12 |
| Criminal damage | 46 |
Note:
Based on Table D.5 in "Drugs and crime: the results of research on drug testing and interviewing arrestees", by Trevor Bennet, Home Office Research Study 183, Home Office, 1998. Only offences for which there are large enough numbers are included in Table 1
The British Crime Survey also asks victims who had some knowledge of the person(s) who committed crimes against them mentioned in the survey whether they considered the perpetrator to be under the influence of drink or drugs. Table 2 presents results.
Table 2: Violence involving alcohol and/drugs (percentages): 1996 British crime survey
| ||
Offender under influence of alcohol
| Offender under influence of drugs or alcohol
| |
| Domestic violence | 32 | 38 |
| Mugging | 17 | 25 |
| Stranger violence | 53 | 57 |
| Acquaintance violence | 54 | 53 |
| All contact crime | 41 | 48 |
Source:
The 1996 British crime survey: England and Wales, Home Office Statistical Bulletin 19–96. Home Office, 1996.
According to the most recent statistics, the number of offenders found guilty or cautioned for drunkenness in England and Wales in 1998 was 53,587. The number of those found guilty or cautioned under 18 was 8,487. For Merseyside the number of offenders was 8,602: 1,649 of these were aged under 18.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the timetable for introducing a new offence of knowingly permitting the sale of alcohol to an under-18-year-old. [132105]
It is currently an offence under section 169(1) of the Licensing Act 1964 for the holder of a liquor licence knowingly to allow any person to sell intoxicating liquor to a person under 18. Under the Private Member's Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Mr. Truswell), the Licensing (Young Persons) Bill, this offence will be amended to include any person who works in licensed premises in a capacity, whether paid or unpaid, which gives him authority to prevent the sale. The Bill has so far enjoyed wide support and was successful at Second Reading in the House of Lords on 14 July. We therefore hope that the extended offence will become law this year.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to discuss with the brewing industry measures they are proposing to tackle anti-social and criminal behaviour by under-age drinkers. [132307]
The Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Clarke), has this year chaired two seminars with representatives of the brewing, hospitality and leisure industry, and other interested groups to discuss this and other matters relating to the links between alcohol and crime. A further seminar is due to take place in September. A range of initiatives within a strategic action plan should flow from this work.The Government have already been encouraged by the industry's approach to social responsibility. A good example was the launch of the Brewers and Licensed Retailers Association's Partnership Initiative on 29 March this year. The Initiative is part of an ongoing industry-wide strategy to promote retailer responsibility across the licensed trade. It opens the way to direct industry involvement in crime and disorder partnerships, and will enable them to make a positive contribution to public order policies at local level. The aim of the initiative is to facilitate this involvement by setting up a database of company nominees and actively seeking to place them in local partnerships through liaison with local authorities.
Life Signs Monitoring Systems
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the sensors in the life signs monitoring systems produced by Mandel UK Ltd. have been approved by (a) the Department of Trade and Industry and (b) the National Radiological Protection Board; and if he will make a statement. [131777]
[holding answer 24 July 2000]: I understand that the life signs monitoring system has been approved by Department of Trade and Industry and the National Radiological Protection Board.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which locations life signs monitoring systems are to be installed in police cells by Wiltshire Constabulary; and at what cost. [131770]
[holding answer 24 July 2000]: Wiltshire Constabulary are installing a life signs monitoring system in the new custody suite at Melksham. I understand the cost of equipping the 20 cells will be approximately £55,700 excluding cabling and enclosure costs.
Prisoner Rehabilitation
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training exists for prisoners to assist them with their rehabilitation. [132505]
The Government's clearly stated aims for the Prison Service are to reduce re-offending and to protect the public. To achieve the objective of reducing re-offending the Prison Service seeks to provide constructive regimes which address offending behaviour, improve education and work skills and promote law abiding behaviour in custody and on release.The Prison Service offers three general offending behaviour programmes, Enhanced Thinking Skills, Reasoning and Rehabilitation and Problem Solving, suited to prisoners convicted of offences related to sex, drugs and violence. There is also a family of specialist programmes for sex offenders. These programmes have been accredited by an independent panel of experts as being effective in reducing re-offending. Government funding has allowed the Prison Service to double the number of accredited programmes delivered over the period 1999–2002 and to develop new programmes to address a wider range of offending behaviour, including drug related crime.Education in prison focuses on a core curriculum of basic educational skills, life and social skills and Information Technology skills. Together with opportunities to gain National Vocational Qualifications, these training opportunities enhance the prospects of a prisoner's employability.As preparation for release, an Inmate Development and Pre-Release programme is offered at a number of establishments, while others run an eight week preparation for work course which provides the opportunity to acquire nationally recognised accredited skills. In addition, resettlement prisons and specialist resettlement units provide a range of training facilities to enable prisoners to return satisfactorily to the community.
Training Schemes (Prisons)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisoners are eligible to follow training schemes provided within HM prisons. [132491]
The purpose of education and training in prisons is to address the offending behaviour of prisoners by improving their employability and so reduce the likelihood of their re-offending on release. All prisoners, including those removed from association, in segregation units or in hospital units, should have the opportunity to participate in educational activities.Prisoners under 18 years of age must spend on average at least 30 hours per week engaged in purposeful activity, including education, training, work, physical education and offending behaviour programmes.All prisoners allocated to work undertake an induction programme which covers health and safety issues, first aid, and workshop practice.Offending Behaviour Programmes seek to address the cognitive deficits (poor thinking skills) which cause prisoners to offend in order to prevent recidivism. To be successful, they must be targeted on those prisoners who have been assessed as having the kinds of cognitive deficits which the existing programmes are seeking to address. This inevitably means that some prisoners are excluded from participation.
Press Releases
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many press releases were issued this year to date; and what the total cost of production and issuing of these press releases was in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000 to date each year. [132772]
The information for my Department is as follows:
| Number | |
| 1997 | 386 |
| 1998 | 524 |
| 1999 | 450 |
| 2000 | 1250 |
| 1 To date | |
| £ | |
| 1999 | 21,095 |
| 1998 | 21,095 |
| 1997 | 127,764 |
| 1 When the service included some hand delivery of press releases | |
Postal costs varied according to the number of press releases issued in the year and were approximately £15,000 in 1997, £19,500 in 1998 and £12,000 in 1999.
Costs to date for 2000 are £11,374 for electronic distribution costs and for postage costs £6,750.
Violent Crime
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received from victims of crimes of violence in the last 12 months. [132703]
The Department receives representations from victims of crime of violence on a wide range of issues. Details are not collated centrally.
Prison Service
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in setting up a pay review body for prison governors, prison officers and related grades for the Prison Service in England and Wales, and in modernising the arrangements for industrial relations; and if this will extend to these grades in the Northern Ireland Prison Service. [133354]
Agreement has been reached to set up a pay review body to make independent recommendations to the Government on the pay of prison governors, prison officers and related grades for the Prison Service in England and Wales. This review body would operate on the lines of the five existing review bodies which deal with 1.3 million public sector employees. Like the existing review bodies, it would have a secretariat from the independent Office of Manpower Economics.This establishment of an independent pay determination mechanism would be under the provisions of Section 128 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 as part of a comprehensive programme of improvement in prison service management.It is also my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary's intention, when Parliamentary time allows, to replace Section 127 with a reserve statutory power and a voluntary industrial relations agreement. Section 127, as it stands, makes it unlawful for officers of a prison to take industrial action. The voluntary agreement which has been accepted by the Prison Governors' Association (PGA), the Prison Officers' Association (POA) and the National Executive Committee (NEC) will be put to a special POA delegates conference in August. This will mean that they have agreed not to induce, support or authorise industrial action. In recognition of this we will provide them with a new disputes procedure which will include independent arbitration. The voluntary agreement, which will be legally binding, will give my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary the power to seek injunctive relief.My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary intends to use the provisions of the voluntary agreement instead of those in Section 127, while awaiting Parliamentary time to effect the changes in legislation. However, it is clear on all sides that Section 127 would be used in the event of a breakdown of the agreement.
Together, I hope these measures will create a new climate for industrial relations in the Service. They clear the way for more constructive dialogue on a wide range of issues by modernising the way that this key group of public sector workers deal with their employer.
The remit of the pay review body would also have the scope to make an independent determination in relation to the pay of prison governors, prison officers, night patrol officers and prison auxiliaries in the Northern Ireland Prison Service based on submissions made to it by that Service.
The implementation of this agreement and the delivery of the intentions I have outlined are dependent on my being satisfied that the state of industrial relations within prisons is such as to enable the effective and efficient management of the Service.
Such a state cannot be said to have been attained in the light of the current withdrawal of good will by the POA, but I will keep the situation under constant review.
Police (Medical Retirement)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many medical retirements from the police there have been in the last 10 years as a result of periodontal deformities which exceed 3 mm. [132801]
The information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.Under the Police Pensions Regulations 1987 (as amended) a police officer may be retired on the ground that he or she is permanently disabled. For these purposes disablement means inability, occasioned by infirmity of mind or body, to perform the ordinary duties of a male or female member of the force. It would be a matter of fact whether a periodontal deformity could render a police officer unable to perform the ordinary duties of a police officer.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department's approved medical standards for police recruitment were last approved (a) in total and (b) in respect of periodontal conditions. [132800]
The Home Office Guidelines on Medical Standards of entry to Police Forces were first issued to forces on 13 February 1995. They were endorsed by the Association of Local Authority Medical Advisers and the Association of Chief Police Officers' Joint Working Group on Organisational Heath, Safety and Welfare. The guidelines were reviewed and re-issued to forces on 3 March 1998. No separate review has been undertaken of periodontal conditions, in relation to which the current guidelines recommend that forces should consider carefully any candidate with evidence of poor dental hygiene.
Dna
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refer to the Law Commission the question whether the restrictions on the use of DNA to be found in section 643(B) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 should be maintained. [131478]
I am looking at this issue carefully to determine whether to propose changes to section 64 (3B) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. I do not consider it necessary at present to seek advice from the Law Commission on this issue.
Ms Elaine Moore
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in settling on a figure to compensate Ms Elaine Moore following her wrongful arrest and imprisonment in July 1998. [131362]
I am not aware of any application for compensation having been received by the Home Office in respect of Ms Moore's case. If an application is received, it will be dealt with in the usual way. It falls to me, as Secretary of State, to decide whether in principle an applicant qualifies for compensation. The amount of any award is determined by the independent assessor, Sir David Calcutt QC.
Lord Chancellor's Department
Enforcement Procedures Review
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the Enforcement Procedures Review which was due to end in June. [133350]
We have been engaged in a comprehensive review of the enforcement of civil court judgments since 1998 and the first phase ended in June 2000. In that phase we have:
- examined the present methods available for enforcement of county court and High Court judgments;
- assessed their effectiveness; and
- identified what changes would be necessary to enhance the effectiveness of the current methods of enforcement.
to implement costs recommendations (including the production of a unified set of Rules of Court for enforcement); and
to identify, in the light of the amended procedures and revised powers of bailiffs, the type of agent(s) or form of agency which should be responsible for carrying out those enforcement procedures; and to make costed recommendations.
I am also pleased to announce that Professor Beatson has now submitted to the Lord Chancellor his "Independent Review of Bailiff Law: Report", copies of which have also been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. This report will inform the work of the second phase of the review.
It is the Government's intention to issue a White Paper after the review is complete. It will also cover some issues which arise in the enforcement of the orders of the criminal courts.
Access To Justice (Funding)
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on how many occasions since May 1997 his Department has (a) authorised and (b) refused requests for funding in exceptional individual cases, under section 6(8)(b) of the Access to Justice Act 1999, for representation before (i) a tribunal, (ii) an inquest and (iii) a public inquiry. [R] [132709]
Before 1 April 2000, the Lord Chancellor had the power to direct the Legal Aid Board to grant legal aid in exceptional individual cases, under section 4 of the Legal Aid Act 1988. Since 1 April, when the Access to Justice Act came into force, he may direct or authorise the Commission, under section 6(8)(a) of the Act, to fund cases in those circumstances he chooses to specify. He may also authorise funding in exceptional individual cases under section 6(8)(b) of the Act, but only where the Legal Services Commission asks him to do so. In March, the Lord Chancellor issued detailed directions setting out the circumstances in which he would expect the Commission to request his authorisation. The numbers of directions and authorisations the Lord Chancellor has given, and of refusals by him and the Commission, are shown in the table.
| Directed or authorised | Refused | |||
| 1988 Act | 1999 Act | 1988 Act | 1999 Act | |
| Tribunals | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Inquests | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| Public inquiries | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Parliamentary Questions
To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many of the written parliamentary questions tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April have not received substantive answers, excluding those not answered (a) citing disproportionate cost, (b) stating that the information is not available, not held centrally, or not held in the form requested and (c) citing commercial or other confidentiality. [132461]
I refer the hon. Member to the written answer that I gave him on 18 July 2000, Official Report, column 162W and to the written answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Mr. Maclennan) on 22 June 2000, Official Report, column 295W.