To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the total equity in domestic homes in aggregate market values (a) now, (b) five years ago and (c) ten years ago. [27564]

The market value of households' total equity in domestic homes has risen by over 75 per cent. in the past five years. It was:

(a) £1,535 billion in 2001—Q3;

(b) £860 billion in 1996—Q3;

(c) £935 billion in 1991—Q3.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the climate change levy. [27565]

The Government have received representations from a variety of businesses, trade bodies, environmental organisations and other interested parties. They are being considered as part of the Budget process.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from business leaders about the administrative burden on businesses. [27566]

The Chancellor receives many representations from businesses and others on a range of issues, including administrative burdens. He receives a number of representations leading up to each Budget and in response to consultation documents and draft legislation that we publish to ensure that all those affected can have their say. Business leaders are represented on a number of consultative committees that discuss the implementation of new policies.The Government welcome these representations and value their contribution to policy development.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the seizure of motor vehicles by Customs and Excise in the last three years. [27567]

Vehicle seizure is proving an effective weapon in tackling smuggling as evidenced by real reductions in levels of cross-channel passenger smuggling and its use has been recommended by two major, independent evaluations in the last three years. Customs have, in response to these recommendations, put in place a robust vehicle seizure policy which hits the smugglers hard. They have gone to great lengths to publicise their policy and ensure that people are aware of the penalties smugglers face.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he will introduce to reduce child poverty in the next four years. [27570]

This Government are committed to abolishing child poverty within a generation and halving it by 2010. As part of this commitment, we recently published a strategy document entitled "Tackling child poverty: giving every child the best possible start in life", which will inform the Budget and Spending Review 2002. As a result of tax and benefit changes announced in the last Parliament, there are now 1.2 million fewer children in poverty than there would otherwise have been.During this Parliament, the Government will continue to make progress towards their goals with the introduction of two new tax credits—the child tax credit and the working tax credit. The Government are also making substantial new investments in services for children. Over the four years to 2004, average real-terms annual growth in spending on education and training in England will be over 5 ½ per cent. In addition, extra funds have been made available for SureStart, Neighbourhood Renewal and the Children's Fund.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with organisations representing the self-employed on levels of their taxation. [27571]

The Government meet a number of organisations throughout the year to discuss taxation issues.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he has taken to tackle poverty in inner city areas. [27572]

The Government are committed to tackling poverty and ensuring a just society with opportunity for all.As a result of personal tax and benefit measures this Government have introduced since 1997, there are now 1.2 million fewer children in poverty than there otherwise would have been, while the poorest third of all pensioners will receive an extra £2.5 billion this year.The working families tax credit and disabled person's tax credit, along with the first ever national minimum wage, are helping to make work pay, while prudent management of the economy is helping to achieve high levels of employment.To increase investment in deprived areas, an exemption from stamp duty for all property transfers up to £150,000 became available in the UK's most deprived areas from 30 November 2001

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee's interest rate decision of 10 January on manufacturing industry. [27573]

Decisions on interest rates are a matter for the Monetary Policy Committee. When forming its judgment, the MPC takes into account sectoral and regional information, as required by the Bank of England Act.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent analysis he has conducted into the economic implications of euro membership for the United Kingdom. [27575]

The Government have said that they will complete an assessment of the five economic tests within two years of the start of this Parliament.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what mechanisms he has put in place to monitor the impact of the euro-zone economies on the UK economy. [27576]

The impact of the euro-zone economies on the UK economy is monitored as part of the Treasury's regular forecast rounds. Further information can be found in the Treasury's pre-Budget and Budget reports.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last discussed convergence criteria with the Governor of the Bank of England. [27583]

The Chancellor meets regularly with the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss a range of issues.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take action to ensure a downward revision of the exchange rate of sterling against the euro. [27585]

While the Government do not have an exchange rate target, a stable and competitive pound is sought over the medium-term. The key to a stable and competitive pound is low and stable inflation, backed up by sound public finances.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on his five economic tests for joining the euro. [27590]

The Chancellor has discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a regular basis, and on a wide range of issues.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the introduction of euro notes and coins on the British economy. [27568]

UK businesses that have trading links with the euro area, not just those who export or import, will be affected. The Government are therefore committed to working with business to secure the right level of euro preparations in the UK for working with the euro now.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Government will reach the UN 0.7 per cent. of gross national product target for international aid. [27577]

The Government remain fully committed to the UN 0.7 per cent. ODA/GNP target. We have set out our plans for the next three years to 2003–04 and, as these show, development assistance as a proportion of GNP will rise to 0.33 per cent. in 2003–04, up from 0.26 per cent. in 1997. In his speech in New York and in his pre-Budget report speech, the chancellor emphasised his commitment to ensuring further substantial increases in development assistance. The forthcoming Spending Review is an opportunity to consider plans for development spending beyond 2003–04, alongside other priorities and pressures.Aid effectiveness is also important as well as aid volumes. The Government are committed to redirecting their development assistance budget to the poorest countries, particularly those with effective Governments pursuing high growth and pro-poor economic and social policies. In addition, the Government have untied all their aid as from 1 April last year.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the proportion of revenue raised by (a) direct and (b) indirect means. [27578]

No such estimates are available, however a detailed breakdown of current receipts is published in Table B11 of the November 2001 pre-Budget report.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to relieve the burden of taxation on the poorest families. [27582]

As a result of personal tax and benefit measures introduced since 1997, families with children in the poorest fifth of the population are on average £1,700 a year better off. The new working tax credit and child tax credit, the rates and thresholds of which will be announced in the Budget, will do more to help families on low incomes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to support families on low income. [27579]

Over the course of the last Parliament, the Government introduced a number of changes to help provide decent family incomes, including:

• increasing child benefit;
• introducing the children's tax credit;
• introducing the working families' tax credit; and
• increasing the children's allowances in income support.

WFTC now benefits nearly 1.3 million families and on average these families are receiving £35 a week more than they did under family credit.Building on success of WFTC, the Government will be introducing from 2003 a new credit for families with children, the child tax credit. We will provide a seamless stream of support for families, paid direct to the main carer, building on the foundations of universal child benefit. The child tax credit will be complemented by the working tax credit, which aims to improve work incentives and make work pay.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to increase the levels of public expenditure on public services in areas of deprivation. [27580]

The Government are committed to narrowing the gap in outcomes between the most deprived parts of the country and the rest. The National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal, published last year, sets out the Government's approach to renewing poor neighbourhoods.Central to that approach is the harnessing of mainstream spending by Government Departments, to ensure improved basic standards of service provision in all areas of the country. Supporting this mainstream spending are a number of additional programmes, targeted toward helping the poorest off.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the aggregates producers and construction industries in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the UK on the implementation of the aggregates levy. [27584]

A number of discussions have recently been held at both ministerial and official level with representatives of the aggregates industries throughout the UK, including Scotland, about the implementation of the aggregates levy.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of (a) the benefit of the proposed reduction in national insurance contributions as a result of the introduction of the aggregates levy in Scotland and (b) the yield of the levy. [29361]

The reduction in employers' national insurance contributions associated with the introduction of the aggregates levy, along with the new sustainability fund, is designed to ensure that the aggregates levy does not result in an increased burden to business as a whole. The expected yield from the aggregates levy was published in November 2001 in the pre-Budget report.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further steps he is taking to reduce the foreign debt of the world's poorest countries and to eliminate global poverty. [27586]

The UK continues to work hard to ensure that the Heavily Indebted Country (HIPC) initiative delivers a sustainable relief from debt for eligible countries. We also call on other countries to follow our leads on bilateral policies, such as 100 per cent. relief at Decision Point, and in holding payments in trust for those countries yet to receive debt relief. Already 24 countries have qualified for debt relief, and they will benefit from over $56 billion in debt reduction, which will bring their debts to below the average of developing countries.The objective of the UK's development assistance programme is to help reduce global poverty. We recognise the need to increase the overall level of finance for development in order to achieve this and have been active in mobilising increased international resources. In his speech to the Federal Reserve bank on 16 November, the Chancellor proposed the creation of an international development trust fund and called upon donor nations to substantially increase their development assistance budgets.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the level of value added tax applied to tourism services; and if he will make a statement. [27587]

The Government have received various representations about the level and impact of VAT on the tourism industry, generally from businesses affected by the foot and mouth outbreak. The Government are aware of the serious financial difficulties some of these businesses are facing and have put in place a package of measures specifically aimed at helping them. This includes flexible VAT payment arrangements for all those experiencing genuine difficulties and a joint helpline, set up by Customs and the Inland Revenue, to help resolve tax matters.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with business leaders in advance of his forthcoming Budget. [27588]

The Chancellor and his Ministers have numerous meetings with business leaders on a wide range of issues.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the information in the National Statistics Omnibus for (a) 2000 and (b) 2001 on internet use, broken down by (i) age and (ii) gender, in each region and nation of the United Kingdom. [29695]

The information falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the private sector net capital flow to and from the United Kingdom in each of last five years, indicating flows to (a) the USA, (b) South and Central America, (c) sub-Saharan Africa and (d) India and Pakistan. [29700]

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for (a) fiscal measures and (b) other charges on the nuclear industry to take account of risks of nuclear accidents that are not met by the industry's own insurance. [27552]

None. The third-party liability of nuclear installations is governed by international agreement. This is set at £140 million. In the UK, we require installations to purchase insurance for third-party cover for each incident up to this limit. The Department for Trade and Industry is currently negotiating with international partners to triple this limit. The nuclear industry will need to pay for additional commercial cover up to this limit; but we have no plans for fiscal or other charges.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the timetable for the achievement of the UN target for overseas development assistance and on steps taken to encourage other nations to increase aid budgets. [27569]

The Government remain fully committed to the UN 0.7 per cent. ODA/GNP target. We have set out our plans for the next three years to 2003–04 and as these show, development assistance as a proportion of GNP will rise to 0.33 per cent. in 2003–04, up from 0.26 per cent. in 1997. In his speech in New York, the Chancellor emphasised his commitment to ensuring further substantial increases in development assistance. In his speech in New York in November, he called on all rich nations to commit further substantial increases to development assistance.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will extend table 4.3 on the pre-Budget report by showing comparable figures for marginal deduction rates of (a) 50 per cent. or more and (b) 40 per cent. or more. [19649]

[holding answer 30 November 2001]: Before Budget 1998, an estimated 760,000 households faced marginal deduction rates (MDRs) of 50 per cent. or more, while 800,000 faced MDRs of 40 per cent. or more. After Budget 2001, an estimated 1.1 million households faced MDRs of 50 per cent. or more while 1.12 million faced MDRs of 40 per cent. or more. These figures, which cover the number of households in receipt of either income related benefits or WFTC where at least one person works 16 hours or more, include the effects of income tax and national insurance contributions, and the withdrawal of housing benefit and council tax benefit. The effect of tax and benefit changes introduced since Budget 1998, including the working families tax credit (WFTC), has reduced the number of households facing MDRs in excess of 70 per cent. by around half a million. As the WFTC is more generous than the family credit that it replaced, more families benefit from it, hence the larger numbers of households now facing MDRs at 40 and 50 per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many penalties have been imposed on claimants for (a) working families tax credit and (b) disabled persons tax credit in each year since the credits commenced; how many of these penalties were imposed as a result of fraud; and what the total value of the penalties was. [25027]

The tables show the number of penalties imposed on applicants for working families tax credit and disabled person's tax credit (WFTC and DPTC) for the periods in question. Since WFTC and DPTC were introduced in October 1999 up to 31 December 2001, 645 penalties have been imposed against WFTC and DPTC applicants. The total value of these penalties is £596,863.13.

	Number of penalties
WFTC
1 October 1999–30 September 2000	106
1 October 2000–30 September 2001	401
1 October 2001–31 December 2001	128
DPTC
1 October 1999–30 September 2000	1
1 October 2000–30 September 2001	8
1 October 2001–31 December 2001	1

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will treat the proceeds from footballers' testimonials as taxable income. [29257]

The proceeds from footballers' testimonial events may already be chargeable to tax under present law. However, whether they are or not depends on the circumstances of each particular case.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to reduce poverty in inner city areas. [29278]

The Government are committed to tackling poverty and ensuring a just society with opportunity for all.As a result of personal tax and benefit measures this Government have introduced since 1997, there are now 1.2 million fewer children in poverty than there otherwise would have been, while the poorest third of all pensioners will receive an extra £2.5 billion this year.The working families tax credit and disabled person's tax credit, along with the first ever national minimum wage, are helping to make work pay, while prudent management of the economy is helping to achieve high levels of employment.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many fines were levied for the late return of self-assessment tax forms from people resident in the Buckingham constituency in the last 12 months; and how much was raised. [30065]

The Inland Revenue does not hold local figures of this nature.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people (a) in total and (b) living in the Buckingham constituency were fined for late filing of self-assessment forms in each year since 1997; and how much revenue was raised in each year. [30062]

The Inland Revenue does not hold local figures of this nature. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers I gave him on 15 January 2002, Official Report, columns 226–27W, for the national figures requested.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to exempt small rural quarries from the proposed aggregates tax. [28717]

The Government have no such plans.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of changes to the cost and availability of insurance for small businesses since 11 September; and if he will make a statement. [27549]

Insurance companies themselves remain responsible for determining the terms, conditions, and price of their products. Costs and availability change constantly in response to market conditions

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the reply of 19 December 2001, Official Report, columns 323–34W, how many of the working families tax credit applications investigated by the Inland Revenue involved co-operation between the Inland Revenue and (a) the investigative organisations of the Benefits Agency, (b) the National Intelligence Unit and (c) local authorities; and what proceedings are in place for facilitating such co-operation. [26473]

Exact figures are not available in the format requested. However, the nature of such investigations often means that information is shared and passed on between the Inland Revenue, other Government Departments and local authorities, as allowed by statutory regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 662W, how many C130Ks he plans to decommission in each year over the next 10 years; and when he plans to have completed its phasing out. [26623]

Current plans for the last element of the rolling programme to replace part of the Hercules C130K fleet with C130Js are for two of the C130K aircraft based at RAF Lyneham to be retired by 30 April 2002 and one aircraft to be retired towards the end of 2002. There are currently no detailed plans for the decommissioning of the remaining 26 C 130K Hercules, which is predicted to occur by around the end of this decade.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of applicants to the (a) Army, (b) RAF, (c) Royal Navy and (d) Royal Marines were turned down on medical grounds in each quarter of the last seven years, broken down by gender. [26136]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 19 December 2001, Official Report, column 339W. The information that is available is shown in the table, which includes some corrected and updated figures for Royal Marine Other Ranks. A breakdown by gender is only available for the Army. The principal reason for the significant variation in failure rates between the RAF other ranks and those of the other services is that the medical examination is undertaken at a much later stage in the selection process, by which time many of the applicants have already withdrawn for other reasons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the expenditure of his (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies on newspaper advertising by title in each year since 1997. [26988]

The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.However, since 1999–2000, the Ministry of Defence's total public relations expenditure has been published in the annual departmental performance report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he plans to introduce a similar measure to the US Montgomery GI Enhancement Act in the UK. [27720]

I have no such plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the studies sponsored by his Department in each of the last three years concerning future options for Trident. [28260]

We said in the Strategic Defence Review of 1998 that we need to ensure that Trident can remain an effective deterrent for up to 30 years. As with other key military capabilities, we routinely undertake studies into options for achieving the optimum operational life and value for money.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the countries in which British troops are (a) stationed and (b) active. [28080]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence gave to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin) on 16 January 2002, Office Report, column 316. A copy of this letter was sent on 19 January 2002, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. British troops are deployed on active service in 18 countries and overseas territories in the Balkans, the middle east, Cyprus, the Falkland Islands, Georgia, the United States of America, Africa and Asia, as well as at sea.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy vessels have been brought into service since 1997; and for how long they are estimated to remain in service. [28349]

The Royal Navy has brought 16 vessels into service since 1997. On current plans their estimated remaining service lives are as shown in the table.

Vessels brought into service since 1997	Estimated remaining service life (years)
HMS Ocean	16
HMS Grafton	18
HMS Kent	19
HMS Portland	19
HMS Sutherland	18
HMS Penzance	21
HMS Pembroke	21

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy vessels have been decommissioned since 1997; and what the age of each of the vessels was. [28348]

Since 1997 21 Royal Navy Vessels have been decommissioned. The age of each vessel when decommissioned is shown in the table.

Vessels decommissioned since 1997	Age of vessel when decommissioned (years)
HMS Peacock	14
HMS Plover	14
HMS Starling	13
HMS Birmingham	26
HMS Boxer	18
HMS Beaver	16
HMS Brave	17
HMS London	14
HMS Bicester	15
HMS Berkeley	14
HMS Orwell	15
HMS Orkney	22
HMS Blackwater	13
HMS Spey	13
HMS Arun	12
HMS Itchen	13
HMS Herald	28
HMS Intrepid	37
HMS Bulldog	34
HMS Cromer	11
HMS Coventry	15

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to complete the Review of Warship Maintenance and Support; and if he will make a statement. [28929]

The Ministry of Defence is seeking to Modernise arrangements for warship support and achieve savings to the defence budget. We have received proposals from the dockyard companies for potential partnering arrangements at the naval bases at Portsmouth, Devonport and the Clyde. We have also received alternative proposals from our trade unions for the pursuit of efficiencies at the naval bases. All options are currently being compared for value for money, together with their technical, commercial and human resource implications, for a decision in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is (a) the establishment and (b) the actual strength, excluding attached troops, of the regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps. [28833]

The establishment and strength of the regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps as at 1 December 2001 is detailed in the table:

Regiment	Establishment	Strength
Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment	324	312
Queens Dragoon Guards	358	383
Scots Dragoon Guards	451	386
9th/12th Royal Lancers	358	353
2 Royal Tank Regiment	460	447
Royal Dragoon Guards	451	459
Household Cavalry Regiment	421	412
Queen's Royal Hussars	451	300
King's Royal Hussars	451	417
Light Dragoons	429	391
Queen's Royal Lancers	451	253
Joint Nuclear Biological and Chemical Regiment	200	196

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration the Armed Forces Pension Scheme review has given to using additional voluntary contributions as a means of making specialist pay pensionable; and if he will make a statement. [29237]

The Ministry of Defence plans to introduce a facility to enable all serving personnel to make additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) through deductions from pay, to enable them to "top up" their pension benefits where they have scope to do so under Inland Revenue rules. This would also be available for those on specialist pay. As we made clear in our consultation document on the current review of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme, published in March of last year, we are also considering the option that MOD, as employer, might fund part of the costs of AVCs in respect of specialist pay. The decision will depend on whether or not this is judged to be a reasonable and cost-effective way of improving recruitment and retention. A decision on the review is expected later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for an education campaign to enable armed forces personnel to make informed judgments on the Armed Forces Pension Review Body's conclusions. [29495]

The Ministry of Defence is in the process of developing a multi-media communications package which we plan will comprise booklets, letters, factsheets, internet material, personal forecasts, presentations and roadshows designed to enable all serving military personnel to make a timely and informed judgment about the relative merits of the current Armed Forces Pension Scheme and the anticipated new scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the Armed Forces Pension Review Body has made of proposals to uplift for inflation the best of the three final years of a serviceman or woman's service when determining pensionable pay; and if he will make a statement. [29496]

In the Ministry of Defence's consultation document on the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) Review, the MOD indicated the intention to move to a final salary scheme and the possibility of basing the pension on the best year's salary in the three years before retirement. In response to views expressed during the consultation, we are currently considering whether we might introduce a mechanism to provide an uplift for inflation under the new AFPS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future use of Welbeck Army College. [29297]

The Army sixth form college will remain at its current Welbeck home until at least September 2005. Following detailed examination during the Defence Training Review, it has been decided to expand the college to include students from the RAF, Royal Navy and the civil service. A public-private partnership (PPP) project is currently under way to deliver the requirements of the Defence sixth form college, and this will be judged against a benchmark site at a former Army Barracks at Garats Hay near Loughborough. I must stress that the private sector is not constrained by this benchmark, and tenderers will be given the opportunity of selecting an alternative site to provide the facilities and services. It is too early to say where the college will ultimately be sited.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the change in the shortfall in the official complement of the Army was between (a) 1 May 1997, (b) 1 May 2001 and (c) the latest date for which the figure is available. [29469]

The table shows the shortfall in whole Army strength figures against the in-year requirement as at 1 May 1997, 1 May 2001 and 1 December 2001 which are the latest data available.

	Shortfall
(a) 1 May 1997	4,933
(b) 1 May 2001	6,761
(c) 1 December 2001	6,169

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he takes to ensure that activities undertaken by US forces operating in the UK are consistent with the terms of the European convention on human rights; and if he will make a statement. [28708]

[holding answer 22 January 2002]: US forces operating in the UK are a visiting force, and as such are subject to the NATO Status of Forces agreement of 1951, which requires a visiting force to respect the law of the host nation. Our legislation recognises the European convention on human rights.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) those non-EU European NATO member countries and other EU applicant countries who have offered contributions for improving European military capability and (b) those countries whose offer has been (i) accepted and (ii) rejected; and if he will make a statement. [29636]

The countries are:

• Bulgaria
• Republic of Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Estonia
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Malta
• Norway
• Poland
• Romania
• Slovak Republic
• Slovenia
• Turkey.

The EU has welcomed all these contributions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress made by the EU/NATO working groups on (a) the preparation of an EU/NATO security agreement, (b) the setting of capability goals, (c) the preparation of an agreement on the modalities for EU access to NATO assets and capabilities and (d) the definition of permanent arrangements for future EU/NATO consultations in times of crisis and non-crisis; and if he will make a statement. [29635]

Work between the EU and NATO continues in all the areas mentioned. An interim security agreement is in place. Discussions continue on details of a permanent arrangement. NATO experts have been closely involved with EU colleagues in work to elaborate and identify the capabilities required for the Headline Goal. The EU' s capability action plan will be implemented in close co-operation with relevant NATO initiatives. We have made good progress towards agreement on EU access to NATO assets and capabilities, although arrangements are not yet finalised. Permanent consultation arrangements between NATO and the EU were defined at Nice and have been implemented satisfactorily. Consultation and transparency between the two organisations have been very good.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to take an initiative within the European Union to improve the arrangements for the participation of non-EU allied countries in the ESDP in order to create an associate status for the countries concerned; and if he will make a statement. [29632]

The EU is committed to the fullest possible involvement of both the non-EU European allies and the EU accession partners in the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP).

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he anticipates that the UK numbers of ground troops in Operation Fingal will be substantially reduced. [29608]

I anticipate that the number of UK forces involved in Operation Fingal, the UK contribution to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), will reduce substantially when the UK command of the ISAF ends in mid-April 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his European counterparts regarding the Belgian initiative of drawing up a White Paper on European security by submitting a WEU contribution on the repercussions of countering the threat that international terrorism poses for collective defence; and if he will make a statement. [29631]

Discussions were held during the Belgian Presidency of the EU with a view to commissioning the EU Institute for Security Studies to produce an academic overview of member states' defence policies. This work will be taken forward under the Spanish Presidency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are for the EU Council to establish an intergovernmental council fund for European military and non-military crisis-management operations outside the control of the Commission and the European Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [29633]

Discussions are continuing between EU member states over the financial arrangements to be put in place for European military and any non-military crisis management operations under the Common Foreign and Security Policy. No decisions have yet been reached.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to transform the informal meeting of EU defence ministers into a formal defence council meeting; and if he will make a statement. [29637]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 22 January 2002, Official Report, column 736W. There are no plans to transform informal Defence Ministers' meetings into a formal council.We expect informal meetings of EU Defence Ministers to continue, and the General Affairs Council provides a forum for formal decision-making as and when required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the EU military exercise programme covering the period 2001 to 2006. [29634]

The exercise programme is confined to political/military decision making procedures. There are no plans to hold separate EU field exercises.European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) procedures will be exercised for the first time in May 2002. This exercise will test top level co-ordination and the decision-making procedures of the ESDP bodies, including the Political and Security Committee, the EU Military Committee and the EU Military Staff. In 2003 there are plans to hold another exercise at this higher strategic level with EU and NATO bodies, and a workshop to examine the role of deployable force headquarters at the operational level.Beyond that, the EU envisages further exercises, expanded to include testing of the linkages and procedures between the higher strategic level structures and potential operational headquarters for EU-led operations, such as SHAPE or national headquarters like the UK's Permanent Joint Headquarters at Northwood. However, no detailed exercise planning beyond 2002 has been carried out.EU troop exercises are unnecessary, as current programmes of national, NATO and bi or multi-lateral exercises are already sufficient to generate the capabilities that the EU is likely to require.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what programmes are run by the RAF, the Army and the Royal Navy to assist service men and women who are experiencing relationship breakdown; and if he will make a statement. [27676]

[holding answer 23 January 2002]: The services rarely interfere or become directly involved in matrimonial or relationship disputes, unless requested to do so by the parties concerned, as these are essentially a private matter. Nevertheless, each service places great importance on the welfare of service families, recognising the significant contribution they make as well as the deleterious effects of mobility and separation aspects of service life. Consequently, there is a range of welfare facilities able to provide help and support on a wide range of issues, including relationship breakdown if requested. The service welfare organisations liaise with Relate at local level and provide those service personnel seeking professional marriage guidance counselling with an early referral.With the naval service personnel are able to meet with a professional from one of the Navy's caring organisations: the Naval Personal and Family Service (NPFS) or the Naval Chaplaincy Service (NCS). The NPFS employs qualified social workers able to offer direct advice, counselling, support (practical and emotional) and advocacy on behalf of clients.Within the Army, the main source of help is through the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association—Forces Help (SSAFA-FH), a charity contracted to provide a range of professional welfare services, particularly overseas. Army personnel also have access to other welfare organisations, available at most garrisons, as follows: the Army Welfare Service (AWS), the Army Families Federation (AFF) and the Army Families Advice Bureau (AFAB). In Germany, the Army also provides funding for dependants to return to the UK to be trained in marriage guidance counselling by Relate; this then provides an additional resource in theatre.As with the other two services, the RAF has no programmes in place specifically to provide assistance to those experiencing relationship problems. However, there are a number of networks and organisations available to individuals or couples able to provide support and guidance if requested. These include the SSAFA-FH RAF (UK) Social Work Service which has staff based on 32 Stations in the UK. The RAF has recently launched a community support website that gives practical information and links to organisations which may be able to provide the necessary help and guidance. The website, www.rafcom.co.uk, is designed to tackle issues that may contribute to relationship problems.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to apply for funds, in order to assist UK service men, from the seized assets of Saddam Hussein made available by the US Government for anybody affected by the Gulf war. [29379]

I have no such plans. The Ministry of Defence cannot use frozen Iraqi funds to pay compensation to individuals who have suffered as a result of Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. Only a small percentage of the Iraqi funds frozen by the UK authorities under UN resolutions actually belong to the Iraqi Government, the bulk belonging either to businesses or private individuals who are resident in Iraq. UN resolutions do not allow the use of these funds in this way.Claims against Iraq were handled by the UN Compensation Commission (UNCC). The UNCC imposed a deadline for the submission of claims of 1 January 1995. Claims from UK claimants to the UNCC were submitted via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Claims Section.I cannot comment on the policy of the US Government towards their own personnel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 9 January 2002, Official Report, column 828–29W, on the Territorial Army, when he will write to the hon. Member for New Forest West. [29839]

I wrote to the hon. Member on 23 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was spent by (a) his Department and (b) bodies for which it is responsible on external public relations consultants in each of the last four years. [27396]

The total expenditure by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on external public relations consultants in the last four years was:

	£
2001–02	160,904
2000–01	347,857
1999–2000	0
1998–99	59,337
1 Financial year to date

The bulk of the expenditure in 2000–01 relates to the "Know Before You Go" public awareness campaign aimed at encouraging UK travellers to be better prepared when travelling overseas.Among the FCO' s executive non-departmental public bodies, only the British Council has engaged such consultants in the same period. The costs were:

	£
2001–02	120,925
2000–01	4,650
1999–2000	3,256
1998–99	214,901
1 Taking December 2001 as the last month

The figure for 1998–99 includes costs connected with the British Council's "Vision" project. The project looked at re-defining the Council's purpose and strategic direction and examining its visual identity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what costs have been incurred by his Department to date in connection with the Saville inquiry; and what his estimate is of the final cost to his Department. [29589]

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has incurred no direct costs in connection with the Bloody Sunday inquiry.A few staff spend a small amount of time dealing with issues relating to the inquiry, but they absorb this task into their normal duties, so staff time costs are not separately calculated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to co-operate with the European Parliament's inquiry into the foot and mouth outbreak. [29771]

The Government are ready to co-operate with the Temporary Committee that has been appointed by the European Parliament to inquire into the recent outbreaks of foot and mouth disease. We await news of how the committee intends to proceed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which cases the Charter of Fundamental Rights has been cited in the European Court of Justice in the Advocate-General's opinion or the judges' decision. [29768]

Providing the full list would incur disproportionate cost.We are aware of the following cases in the European Court of Justice where the European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights has been referred to in the Advocate General's opinion or the judge's decision:The Opinion, delivered on 8 February 2001, of Advocate General Tizzano: Case C173/99: Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematographic and Theatre Union (BECTU)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which member state Governments have stated that they (a) wish and (b) do not wish to see the Charter of Fundamental Rights incorporated into European Union law. [29769]

The European Union Charter of Fundamental Rights was proclaimed as a political declaration at the Nice European Council in December 1999.At the same time Heads of State or Government agreed to a review of the Charter's status at the next intergovernmental conference in 2004 as to whether, and if so how, the Charter should be integrated into the treaties.A Convention on the Future of Europe, whose membership includes the representatives of the Heads of State or Government of the member states, and which will hold its inaugural meeting on 28 February 2002, has been convened to prepare the 2004 intergovernmental conference. One of the issues it will consider will be the charter's status.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the accession process of the candidate countries for accession to the European Union under the Treaty of Nice; and what plans the Government have to ensure enlargement if the Republic of Ireland does not ratify the treaty. [29767]

The Government believe that the Treaty of Nice is necessary to make enlargement a success. We understand that the Irish Government are considering how to address the concerns of the Irish people regarding the treaty. In the meantime, as agreed by all EU Governments, including the Irish Government, other member states are proceeding with their ratification processes. The Laeken European Council in December 2001 confirmed the EU's determination to complete negotiations with those candidates that are ready by the end of 2002 so that they can join the EU in time to participate in the 2004 European Parliament elections. The UK is fully committed to this goal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's objectives are for the European Council's meeting at Barcelona; and if he will make a statement. [29765]

At the European Council in Barcelona, Heads of Government will review progress on economic and social reform undertaken as a result of proposals agreed at the Lisbon and Stockholm European Councils. The Government are committed to this reform process, with its strategic aim of making the European Union the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world with full employment by 2010.The Government's objective for Barcelona is to take stock of progress made, and to focus member states' efforts on making concrete progress on the further reforms necessary. We would particularly like to see progress in the five areas identified by the Spanish presidency as priorities: transport and communication networks; energy; education and training; labour markets; and financial services. We support the Spanish approach and will be working closely with them throughout their presidency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in achieving the goals of economic and social reform set out at the European Council's meeting at Lisbon; and if he will make a statement. [29766]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer the Economic Secretary to the Treasury gave to the right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) on 26 November 2001, Official Report, column 640W.The hon. Member may also be interested to read the recent Communication by the European Commission "The Lisbon Strategy—Making Change Happen". The Government welcome the Commission's Communication, which will feed into discussion at the European Council in Barcelona, 15–16 March. This document is available at www.europa.eu.int/comm/press_room/presspacks/Barcelona/com_en.pdf.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in deciding the methods by which Gibraltarian voters will vote in European parliamentary elections; and if he will make a statement. [29770]

We are seeking legislative time in order to introduce primary legislation to extend the European parliamentary franchise to Gibraltar. The detail of the legislative and practical arrangements is currently being considered by both HMG and the Government of Gibraltar and consultations between us are already under way.

To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee how many clocks have been (a) ordered and (b) supplied for installation in Portcullis House; when the order was placed; when the installation is planned to take place; and if he will make a statement. [28331]

[holding answer 22 January 2002]: No clocks have been ordered or installed in Portcullis House.When Portcullis House was being planned no provision was made for a master and slave clock system or individual clocks to be provided because the time would be available on other equipment in the offices: the annunciator, telephones and personal computers.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds her Department made available for educating children and young people in African nations on methods of HIV prevention in (a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001. [29329]

The information requested is not available as DFID activities in this area usually represent only part of wider projects and as such cannot be separately identified within our statistics.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of Tanzania's debt has been written off as part of the enhanced HIPC initiative; and what assessment she has made of the effect on annual debt repayments of the purchase of an air traffic control system. [29705]

Under the enhanced HIPC initiative, 54 per cent. of Tanzania's debt in real terms was written off. This does not include the full value of Paris Club debt prior to the enhanced HIPC initiative or the additional bilateral relief beyond the enhanced HIPC initiative. Additional relief beyond the enhanced HIPC initiative will reduce Tanzania's debt by a further 9 per cent.It is difficult to assess the impact of individual projects on Tanzania's overall debt servicing obligations. However we recognise that debt management is a key part of maintaining longer-term debt sustainability. DFID is working closely with the World bank, International Monetary Fund, other development partners and the Government of Tanzania to ensure that such investments, and the resulting impact on annual debt repayments, are fully scrutinised as part of the public expenditure review and debt management processes.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the effects of GATS—General Agreement on Trade in Services—on developing countries; and if she will make a statement. [29508]

It is not yet possible to make a full assessment as so few commitments have been made under the GATS. The Government support on-going assessment of trade in services, as do all WTO members. DFID is funding both the World bank and UNCTAD to help build capacity in developing countries to identify areas of interest to them.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what commitment the Government plan to make at the Tokyo conference on reconstruction in Afghanistan. [29274]

At the conference in Tokyo on Afghan reconstruction from 20 to 21 January, the UK announced a significant contribution of £200 million over the next five years for both reconstruction and humanitarian assistance. This pledge is in addition to the significant sums that DFID contributes to the World bank, European Union and Asian development banks who will also be channelling funds into Afghanistan over coming years. DFID's share of the European Union pledge alone will be 20 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the relations between her Department and the Government of Belize. [29276]

We remain engaged in dialogue with the Government of Belize on a range of issues aimed at supporting and promoting a pro-poor Government agenda. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met with Prime Minister Musa in October 2001 as part of this engagement and DFID officials also continue to have regular contact.

To ask the Prime Minister if the finding of the PIU report on Energy will be made public; and if he will make a statement. [30188]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Ceredigion (Mr. Thomas) on 9 January 2002, Official Report, column 816W.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which Government Departments are reviewing the mandatory retirement age for civil servants. [29761]

All Departments have reviewed mandatory retirement age for their staff in the light of the "Winning the Generation Game" report from the Performance and Innovation Unit.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the (a) time scale and (b) terms of reference for the review of the mandatory retirement age for senior civil servants in his Department. [29760]

The normal retirement age for members of the senior civil service is 60. The main objective of the review currently being undertaken is to produce a model which will provide Departments with a range of options for managing their senior civil servants. These could include opportunities for moving to flexible working patterns as part of a phased retirement process, and mechanisms for retaining staff with strong potential beyond age 60, particularly those with key skills in such areas as project management. The time scale for implementation has not been finalised but will take account of the differing circumstances and staffing structures of Departments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many regulatory impact assessments have been produced by his Department since August 2001; and if he will list those produced (a) following initial consultation with affected parties about the most appropriate methodology for assessing costs and other impacts and (b) which set out full commercial impacts, including profitability, employment, consumer prices and competitiveness, as recommended in "Good Policy Making". [28413]

My Department has produced no regulatory impact assessments since August 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by date and subject, the representations he has received in (a) writing and (b) person from (i) the First Minister of the National Assembly for Wales, (ii) the Welsh Assembly Government and (iii) committees of the National Assembly for Wales regarding the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review. [30673]

I have regular meetings with the First Minister and periodic meetings with the Minister for Finance, Local Government and Communities. We discuss a range of matters, including the Spending Review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by date and subject, representations he has made in (a) writing and (b) person to the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review. [30672]

I am in regular contact with my Cabinet colleagues on the Spending Review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what his estimate is of per capita Government public expenditure on regeneration in each of the Welsh regions in financial years (i) 2000–01 and (ii) 2001–02; [26868](2) if he will list the regeneration projects

The National Assembly for Wales has responsibility for the allocation and distribution of funds aimed at regenerating areas of Wales, including the Cynon Valley.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans his Department has to appraise the environmental implications of its Spending Review submission to the Treasury. [29036]

The existence of the Barnett formula means that I am not required to make a full Spending Review submission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what equipment has been stolen from his Department since 1 May 1997; and what the approximate value of each item was. [26828]

The information is as follows:

Two portable computers, a printer and a camcorder to the value of £8,000.

In addition, computer components were reported stolen from official premises. These components were old and of negligible value.