To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will provide a breakdown of the investment her Department made in 2000–01 to the programmes designed to improve the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector. [49877]

The Department's expenditure in this area is reported under the objective of "Promotion of enterprise, innovation and increased productivity". The total cash outturn for this objective is shown in the Appropriation Accounts 2000–01 (HC 335-IX), and the resource outturn in the Consolidated Resource Accounts 2000–01 (HC503). Further breakdowns will shortly be published in the Department's Expenditure Plans Report for 2002–03, and also in the Treasury's Supplementary Budgetary Information (SBI) tables. I regret that a breakdown between manufacturing and service sectors is not available. However, a good proportion of this money, though not all, will have benefited manufacturing directly or indirectly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which of the services of her Department have not been reviewed under the Better Quality Services Initiative; and when they will be reviewed. [50319]

The Department has been reviewing its services under the Better Quality Services programme for some time (see Trade and Industry—The Government's Expenditure Plans 2001–02 to 2003–04), and building on this work, my Department has recently undertaken a review of its role, priorities and structure, and a review of its business support. As a result of these reviews, from 2 April 2002, a new structure has been put in place that is designed to help facilitate change and help the Department become more customer-focused. Tools and techniques from BQS will now be included in the Department's change management programme as part of improving customer focus and the effectiveness and value for money of service delivery. The Department is continuing its reviews of its agencies in line with BQS principles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how the draft EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive will be applied in the UK in respect of (a) foreign manufactured equipment and (b) equipment personally imported into the UK from outside the EU. [50915]

The Common Position text requires the end of life costs for equipment imported into the UK to be met by the manufacturer in the case of EU-made goods or the professional importer in the case of goods made outside the EU.A decision on personal imports will be taken after full consultation on implementation options.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Government will seek to prevent adoption of the draft EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive in the form recently approved by the European Parliament. [509131

The UK continues to support the Common Position text adopted by member states at the Council of Ministers meeting in June 2001.The Government will consider the European Parliament text carefully in conjunction with other member states.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 18 March 2002, Official Report, column 86W, on the Research Council, what the Government's policy was on the work of the expert group on bioterrorism. [50993]

The Government's policy was to welcome the establishment of the EU R and D expert group on countering biological and chemical terrorism which should lead to improved coordination of member states' research efforts in this field.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many net additional staff her Department has recruited in each month since June 2001 at (a) executive officer level and (b) administrative level. [52426]

The figures requested for my Department are set out in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what subjects and on which dates her Department has consulted organisations representing young people; and if she will list such organisations. [52492]

I regret to inform my hon. Friend that the information is not held centrally in the manner requested and that the information can be secured only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what progress her Department is making in establishing a quality mark scheme for the construction industry; [52990](2) what action she is taking to rationalise the number of registration schemes which promote quality within the construction industry. [52991]

My hon. Friend the Minister with responsbility for energy and construction announced his decision to roll out the scheme across the country over a three to four year period, in his answer to the question from the hon. Member for Wirral, South (Mr. Chapman) on 12 March 2002, Official Report, column 891W. A Quality Mark Shadow Ownership Group has since been set up and, at its first meeting on 19 April, it began developing a comprehensive implementation strategy and detailed business plan. The group is finalising decisions about the next stages of the roll out.Following recommendations in the pilot review, the scheme is developing recruitment mechanisms to accelerate achievement of a critical mass of members. So far 175 builders have been awarded the Quality Mark and 247 are in the assessment pipeline, with more firms expected to apply shortly.The DTI is also working with local authorities, financial services groups, consumer groups and others to promote the scheme to tradesmen and encourage their participation.The national launch of the Quality Mark at the Ideal Home Show produced extensive television and radio coverage and articles in regional newspapers. The scheme is already being marketed successfully to consumers in Birmingham and Somerset through a variety of media, including Yellow Pages and Thomsons directories, household leaflet distribution with advertising and editorial coverage in a number of local papers and radio stations. Further targeted marketing will follow in new areas once sufficient numbers of builders and tradesmen are registered, to satisfy consumer demand.The DTI is working with a number of trade bodies to fast-track members into the Quality Mark scheme through use of trade association vetting procedures adapted as necessary. The DTI is also examining the scope for developing closer links between the Quality Mark and Constructionline, looking for some form of passporting system between the two schemes that might allow fee reductions and reduce duplication of assessments. However, the schemes do have different client targets and operating systems and a number of issues need to be considered carefully. In addition, the DTI has been liaising closely with DTLR on self-certification schemes and extension of non-notification of building work under amendments to Part L of the Building Regulations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the dates since 1 May 1997 when (a) Ministers and (b) officials have met representatives of Westfield. [52164]

[holding answer 29 April 2002]: Ministers and civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and analysis. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and Guidance for Civil Servants: Contacts with Lobbyists. Some of these discussions take place on a confidential basis, and in order to preserve confidentiality, it is not the normal practice of Governments to release details of specific meetings with private individuals or companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total value of imports of (a) paper, (b) cloth, (c) chemicals, (d) foodstuffs, (e) medical supplies, (f) fruit, (g) grain, (h) cars, (i) computer equipment, (j) steel, (k) alcohol and (l) livestock to Wales was in each year since 1997. [53487]

The information requested is not available since it would require local firms to divert resources to fill in forms and submit them to Government and therefore pose a significant additional burden on respondents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions her Department has had with UK firms bidding for work on the US-initiated programme of National Missile Defence; and if she will make a statement. [53596]

A decision to bid for work on the US-initiated programme of National Missile Defence is a commercial one for individual firms to make. DTI Ministers and officials have regular meetings with UK aerospace and defence companies on a range of issues and is supportive of decisions to bid for work in this and in other areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, (1) pursuant to her answer of 22 October 2001, Official Report, column 7, to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North. (Mr. Chaytor) when she received the annual report from the Office for Civil Nuclear Security; and when she plans to place a copy in the Library; [54209](2) when she plans to publish the annual report of her Department's Office for Civil Nuclear Security. [54172]

I have not yet received the report, but understand that I shall do shortly. I shall publish it and place a copy in the Libraries of the House before the end of May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Government will introduce improved safeguards to stop employers requiring their employees to work overtime without payment. [54187]

Payment for overtime is a contractual matter for negotiation and a agreement between employers and employees (or their representatives). Employees can already seek redress in the form of a breach of contract claim if they suffer financial loss because any terms of their contracts of employment are changed without their consent. Workers can also seek redress if unlawful deductions are made from their wages.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Government will introduce legislation to require employers to agree holidays with their employers on an annual basis. [54186]

Under the Working Time Regulations, which implement the European Working Time Directive, employers are already required to ensure that their workers are given the opportunity to take four weeks leave with pay each year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make it her policy to accept sworn statements from those wishing to make claims under the Icelandic waters trawlermen compensation scheme whose services records are lost; and if she will make a statement. [54512]

The Scheme rules state that, in exceptional cases, e. g. where it can he demonstrated that fishing records were lost in a fire or similar circumstances, the Redundancy Payments Service, to assist in validating claims under the Scheme, may be prepared to accept a sworn statement from the claimant in lieu of documentary evidence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance the Government have given to small businesses to help them through the global downturn. [54194]

Government provide a range of assistance to small firms experiencing difficulties.Small businesses dependent on UK airlines affected by 11 September will benefit indirectly from the aid package provided by the UK Government to the aviation industry which is in addition to the significant financial contribution the Government make to the aerospace industry generally.There are also other forms of generic business support available to small firms facing difficulties:The SBS launched its Company Rescue Pilot scheme in September 2001. The pilot scheme will initially run for 6–12 months. It is aimed at giving SMEs suffering from short-term financial difficulties a second chance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the written questions asked of her between (a) 1 to 30 June 2001, (b) 1 to 31 July 2001, (c) 1 to 30 September 2001, (d) 1 to 31 October 2001, (e) 1 to 30 November 2001, (f) 1 to 31 December 2001, (g) 1 to 31 January 2002, (h) 1 to 28 February 2002, (i) 1 to 31 March 2002 and (j) 1 to 30 April 2002 that had not received a substantive answer by 30 April; and if she will state (i) the name of the hon. Member asking the question and (ii) the reasons the question had not received a substantive answer. [54091]

[holding answer 2 May 2002]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 2 May 2002, Official Report, columns 949–50W, by my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House.Questions that remain unanswered within the dates listed are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what measures her Department is taking to encourage the use of liquid petroleum gas; [54228](2) what incentives her Department offers to retailers to encourage the sale of liquid petroleum gas. [54229]

This Department is actively working with colleagues in DTLR and HMT, and with the energy and transport industries, to promote wider uptake of alternative fuels, in particular liquid petroleum gas (LPG).At the opening to the 1,000th LPG filling station in February this year I announced LPG Boost, a £1 million DTI funded programme over two years to boost the uptake of LPG as a vehicular fuel. This programme (in conjunction with DTLR funded PowerShift) is aimed at boosting consumer demand for, and availability of, good quality LPG vehicles, especially in three target areas, the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Mid Wales and rural East Anglia.Additionally, the LP Gas Association inform us that new retail sites are opening at a rate approaching one per day, with 1,076 sties as of 29 April. Given these incentives and the rate at which sites are opening the Government feel that it is not necessary to offer direct capital incentives to retailers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total annual UK production of beer is in pints. [52983]

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

To ask the Solicitor-General if she will place in the Library copies of each version of the internal guidance which have been drawn up by her Department since 1 January 1999 to assist staff in her Department to answer subject access requests under the Data Protection Act 1998. [53377]

[holding answer 2 May 2002]: My own Department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, has not produced separate internal guidance on answering subject access requests.In the Department for which the Attorney-General is responsible, details are as follows:The Crown Prosecution Service issued guidance to staff about the Data Protection Act in February 2000 (Inform Insert Issue 6) and September 2001 (Data Protection Act 1998 Update), and has also produced a poster.The Treasury Solicitor's Department issued guidance to staff in February 2000 (Office Notice 9/2000).The Serious Fraud Office has not produced separate internal guidance on answering subject access requests.I have placed copies of this guidance in the House Library. No other separate guidance has been issued.All Departments also have the central guidance on handling subject access requests issued by the Lord Chancellor and placed in the House Library on 25 April 2002.

To ask the Solicitor-General on how many occasions in each of the last five years for which figures are available her Department was unable to complete the usual procedures in handling requests for referral of a sentence to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of undue lenience within the required time limit. [53396]

[holding answer 2 May 2002]: The Attorney and I have been able to consider and take a decision in all cases received at his office within the time limit.

To ask the Solicitor-General what deadlines and time limits exist on the referral of sentences to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of undue lenience; and if she will make a statement. [53397]

[holding answer 2 May 2002]: The Attorney-General has the power (under section 35 and 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988) to refer a sentence for a specified category of offences, to the Court of Appeal for review, if it appears to be not merely lenient but unduly so. Schedule 3 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 specifies that notice of an application for leave to refer a case to the Court of Appeal shall be given to the Registrar of Criminal Appeals within 28 days from the day on which the sentence, or the last of the sentences, in the case was passed. This period cannot be extended.

To ask the Solicitor-General if she will make a statement on the procedure undertaken by her Department upon receipt of a request to refer a sentence to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of undue lenience. [53398]

[holding answer 2 May 2002]: The Attorney receives requests to refer a sentence to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of undue lenience from two sources.The first source is the prosecuting authority (such as the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office etc.), which conducted the case against the offender. The written request is accompanied by various documents. These invariably include, hut are not limited to, the following:

To ask the Solicitor-General how many requests to refer sentences to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of undue lenience her Department has received in each of the last five years for which records are available from (a) the CPS and (b) other sources. [53445]

[holding answer 2 May 2002]: Relevant records are only available for the year 2000 onwards. The following figures are available. These figures represent the number of offenders whose cases were referred to the Attorney General's office on the grounds of undue leniency:

To ask the Solicitor-General how many sentences have been referred to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of undue lenience following representations from (a) the CPS and (b) other sources in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [53444]

[holding answer 2 May 2002]: Relevant records are only available for the year 2000 onwards. The following figures are available. These figures represent the number of offenders whose cases were referred to the Court of Appeal.

To ask the Solicitor-General what funds have been set aside to conduct a defence in proceedings brought by families of victims of the Dublin Monaghan bombing. [53514]

[holding answer 2 May 2002]: No funds have been set aside to conduct a defence of proceedings brought by families of the Dublin Monaghan bombing. In the event that proceedings are commenced, then the Department responsible for defending the action will be billed after the event in the normal way in respect of any work done. No proceedings are currently on foot.

To ask the Solicitor-General what solicitors he has appointed to represent the Government in proceedings brought by families of victims of the Dublin Monaghan bombing. [53513]

[holding answer 2 May 2002]: In the event that any proceedings are issued, the British Government will be represented by the Treasury Solicitor instructing local (Dublin) agents as necessary.

To ask the Solicitor-General in how many Northern Ireland conflict-related cases sovereign immunity has been sought since 1980; what reasons were given in each case; and what rulings were subsequently made by each court or tribunal. [53512]

[holding answer 2 May 2002]: From the research that has been possible in the time available, I am aware of three cases in which a claim of sovereign immunity has been made or intimated in Northern Ireland conflict-related cases.The cases are:

To ask the Prime Minister how many pieces of correspondence in connection with the Irish Government campaign with regard to Sellafield he has received; what recent discussions he has had with the Government of the Irish Republic on this matter; and if he will make a statement. [53950]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Foyle (Mr. Hume) in the House on 1 May 2002, Official Report, column 941.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on (a) security issues and (b) nuclear weapons in respect of his visit to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in January; and what representations he has received regarding the state of intergovernmental relations in the sub-continent. [54212]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington) on 11 January 2002, Official Report, column 1034W.

To ask the Prime Minister what meetings he plans to hold with the Prime Minister of Spain to discuss the future of Gibraltar within the Brussels process; and what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister of Spain about Gibraltar since the European Council's meeting at Barcelona. [54602]

I talk to the Spanish Prime Minister frequently on a range of EU and foreign policy issues, and I look forward to seeing him at our next planned meetings on 17 and 20 May. I have not discussed Gibraltar with Mr. Aznar since the European Council in Barcelona.

To ask the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the Prime Minister of Spain; and what will be on the agenda for discussion. [54243]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the right hon. Member for Devizes (Mr. Ancram) today.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if sapele wood was used in the recent refurbishment of 1 Palace street. [54345]

Sapele was used in a small number of doors during the recent refurbishment. These were used only in the small Grade two-listed section of the building, following consultation with local planning officers. The suppliers no longer purchase veneer from tropical forest zones, and have been permitted by WWF to use up the veneer from existing stocks.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the value is of bilateral debt repayments to the United Kingdom for (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02, broken down by each of the HIPC eligible countries. [53791]

The value of bilateral debt repayment to the UK by the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries is £11.603 million for 2000–01 and £19.575 million for 2001–02. These figures relate to old rescheduled debt owed to ECGD from the 1970s and 1980s; details are set out, by HIPC country, and by financial year, in the table. There were no repayments on aid loans to the UK, as we have already cancelled our aid debts to all the poorest countries, not just HIPCs.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries she expects to reach decision point under the HIPC initiative in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003. [53790]

So far this year, Ghana and Sierra Leone have reached their decision point under the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, bringing the total to 26 out of a total of 42 HIPCs. We hope that, by autumn, Cote d'Ivoire will be added to the list of countries benefiting from the Initiative. In 2003, three countries (Comoros, Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo) may qualify for HIPC relief. The prospects for the remaining eight unsustainable countries are not good. Six—Burundi, Congo Republic, Liberia, Myanmar, Somalia and Sudan—are still affected by conflict; Togo has governance problems; and Lao PDR is undecided as to whether to opt for HIPC relief. Angola, Kenya, Vietnam and Yemen already have sustainable debt burdens.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the value was of payments made by the United Kingdom towards the HIPC Trust Fund to contribute towards multilateral debt relief for (a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02. [53786]

The total UK pledge to the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative Trust Fund, which is funded by the Department for International Development, is US$306 million, including our US$85 million share of the EC contribution. In 2000–01, DFID paid US$40 million to the HIPC Trust Fund, and in 2001–02 DFID paid US$33.7 million. The UK contribution is paid on an as-needed basis on request by the International Development Association (IDA), which is administering the Fund.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) if she will list the multilateral institutions which received payments from the HIPC Trust Fund to cover their provision of debt relief broken down by (a) amount received and (b) country; [53787](2) which countries had financial assistance from a multilateral debt fund in the financial years

The Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Debt Initiative Trust Fund makes payments to multilateral creditors to enable them to meet their shares of the costs of providing debt relief to eligible HIPC countries. The Trust Fund is administered by the International Development Association (IDA), which holds the details of information sought. I will write to the hon. Member with further information shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much of the bilateral debt owed to the United Kingdom by each of the HIPC eligible countries (a) has been written off and (b) is outstanding, broken down by country. [53789]

The total outstanding bilateral debt owed to the UK by the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) is £1.529 billion; the amount written off is £0.703 billion. Most of this relates to old rescheduled debt owed to ECGD from the 1970s and 1980s; details are set out, by HIPC country, in table 1. The outstanding debt figure includes £53 million of aid loans which have already been cancelled but are still in DFID's accounts, as payments are written off as they become due; details are set out, by HIPC country, in table 2.The Government provide 100 per cent. relief on their bilateral debt to HIPC countries once they qualify for debt relief under the HIPC initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the proposals to increase health aid budgets contained in the World Health Organisation's report by the Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, published on 20 December; and what role her Department has played in the report's distribution in the United Kingdom and in British overseas territories and embassies. [54166]

We welcome the broad messages of the Commission for Macroeconomics (CMH) report. It has provided clear evidence that investing in health is far more important for economic development and wider poverty reduction than was previously understood, and we embrace the call for extra resources from both donors and developing countries.I hosted the worldwide launch of the CMH report at the Department for International Development headquarters in December. Later this month I shall be opening a conference (organised and part funded by my Department) to disseminate the messages of the report to the global audience and plan how to take these findings forward.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made toward the 2015 targets for reducing poverty. [53711]

Latest forecasts from the World Bank suggest that globally, meeting the 2015 target of halving the proportion of people living in extreme poverty is attainable. There has been progress. During the 1990s, the proportion of people living on less than $1 a day in the developing world fell from 29 per cent. in 1990, to 23 per cent. in 1999. This was mainly due to the substantial progress made during the 1990s in east Asia, and in particular China.In the developing world, progress has also been made during the 1990s against almost all the other 2015 Millennium Development targets. The proportion of children completing a full course of primary school increased from 68 per cent. to 73 per cent.; the under-five mortality rate decreased from 88 to 84 deaths per 1,000 births; and the proportion of people with access to an improved water source increased from 73 per cent. to 79 per cent.However, to meet all of the 2015 targets progress must be improved. The sub-Saharan African region presents the biggest challenge to meeting the 2015 targets. We need an enormous effort internationally to accelerate progress in Africa. My Department is dedicated to do all in its power to accelerate progress towards the targets.A detailed description of progress towards all the 2015 targets is contained in a recent World bank publication: World Development Indicators 2002, which can be found at the following website: http://www.worldbank.org/ata/ wdi2002/worldview.pdf.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with the representatives of the island of St. Helena on assisting with financial provision for providing an airport on St. Helena. [53699]

A St. Helena Government team visited the UK in February 2002 to take forward discussions on air access for the island with my officials. The team reported on these discussions to the St. Helena Government at the beginning of April. Further discussions on the issue of air access will take place over the coming months.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what role her Department will play in deciding whether tax relief on donations of medical supplies and equipment to developing countries announced in the Budget is supportive of recipient countries health strategies; [53343](2) what role her Department will play in the interpretation of "humanitarian" in relation to tax relief on the responsible donation of medical supplies and equipment to developing countries announced in the Budget. [53344]

My Department has been working closely with HM Treasury, Inland Revenue and other Departments on a range of measures to improve access to medicines for the developing world, including tax relief on donations of medical supplies.The tax measure is intended to be supportive of health strategies in developing countries. The Inland Revenue will be issuing guidance to its tax inspectors on interpreting what constitutes a donation for "humanitarian purposes". The Inland Revenue guidance will include appropriate reference to elements of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Guidelines.The WHO guidelines clearly set out that drug donations should: constitute a sustainable contribution to government health strategies in developing countries; be based on need and relevant to the disease pattern of recipient countries; have at least one year remaining shelf life; be of a quality which complies with the standards of donor and recipient countries; and only provided after consultation and at the request of the recipient.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the humanitarian situation in Chechnya; and if she will make a statement. [53058]

We closely monitor the situation in the North Caucasus, both from our desk in London and through regular visits to Moscow.According to research by the International Committee of the Red Cross(ICRC) food, clothing and shelter are the priority needs for internally displaced people(IDPs) and vulnerable persons in Chechnya. Water supply, reconstruction and education are also seen as important areas of need.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many (a) investments were held and (b) new investments were made by the CDC in (i) South Asia, (ii) Sub-Saharan Africa, (iii) countries defined by the CDC as poorer and (iv) in total in (A) 1998, (B) 1999, (C) 2000 and (D) 2001, broken down by country. [52251]

The information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment she has made of the value for money achieved by the Rural Development Project in Poland. [49162]

This project was formally reviewed in June 2001 and has been monitored on a regular basis since then. It is an institutional building project focused at national and local government levels, NGOs and civil society. The project is assisting the Polish authorities in changing the way regional planning is implemented in line with good EU practice by the instruction of a more participative and bottom-up approach to decision-making processes.DFID assessments have shown that the project is providing value for money in terms of its impact on (i) the progress being made in the Lubelski voivodship in building local capacity and networks and (ii) links being made into the national policy debate to inform regional policy in preparation for Poland's accession to the EU and its future effective use of structural funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the proposed changes in the rules relating to the use of right to buy receipts; from when the new rules will operate; what changes are envisaged for debt-free authorities; for what reason debt-free authorities will be required to set aside a percentage of prior receipts in future; what the percentage will be; how this money will be redistributed to other authorities: under what statement these changes will be introduced; whether it is Government policy to match exactly the higher allocations to support general borrowing as a result of the ending of the authorities' ability to finance expenditure from receipts; which authorities he estimates will be affected, and how much will be redistributed in each case; what consultation he will undertake before introducing this change; and if he will publish the results of the consultation. [53955]

The local government White Paper—"Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services"—set out our intention to pool a proportion of housing capital receipts arising in debt free authorities to finance new housing investment in areas where it is most needed. The change will put the treatment of housing capital receipts in debt free authorities on an equal footing with their treatment in other authorities. It also removes a real disincentive to authorities to take up the new borrowing freedoms planned as part of the simplification of the local authority capital finance system described in the White Paper.The change will be introduced alongside the wider changes to the local authority capital finance system which require primary legislation; the timing of this is still to be decided. The detailed arrangements for pooling, including the proportion of receipts to he pooled, and the allocation of resources from the pool are currently being considered. The new arrangements will not apply to receipts already realised. We will be consulting on detailed proposals and will report on the outcome of the consultation.The number of authorities that will be affected by the change will depend on what happens to debt levels and on housing stock transfers between now and the introduction of the pooling arrangement. A list of the authorities that were debt free at 1 April 2001 was given in reply to the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr. Robertson) on 9 April 2001,

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will publish a report on the progress on adoption of area-wide local plans and unitary development plans. [55053]

The report on the progress on the adoption of area wide local plans and unitary development plans is published today and details the progress made by local authorities in England in preparing and reviewing their development plans.Although it was considered that the publication of the planning Green Paper would raise uncertainties in respect of local authorities preparing plans, this report gives a clear indication that local authorities are continuing with development plan work. We have yet to achieve 100 per cent. national coverage and there are still 13 per cent. of LPAs who have not produced an adopted development plan. The continuing delays in adopting local plans and, subsequently, altering or replacing those plans adds weight to the recommendations in the planning Green Paper on the need for reform of the planning system to introduce faster and more flexible arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which proposals in the planning Green Paper would require (a) primary legislation and (b) secondary legislation to be implemented. [54448]

A number of the proposals will require changes to primary legislation. Among them the proposals to abolish structure plans, local plans and unitary development plans and replace them with the new Local Development Framework, and introducing statutory Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS) to replace Regional Planning Guidance. Powers would need to be introduced for major infrastructure projects to be referred to Parliament and any changes to the current system of planning obligations. A number of development control measures such as putting funding for planning aid on a statutory basis and introducing a planning checklist are likely to require primary legislation. While some legislative amendment may be required for the introduction of business planning zones.Many of the changes in the Green Paper can be made by secondary legislation. In particular those development control measures designed to speed up and made the process more transparent such as the proposals to enable electronic submission of planning applications and appeals, and the requirement on local authorities to make copies of plans and planning applications publicly available at low or no cost. A number of the proposals will requires amendments to be made to the General Development Procedure Order.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the Court of Appeal decision in Newport BC v. Secretary of State for Wales on the application of PPG8. [54444]

Our revised Planning Policy Guidance Note 8. 'Telecommunications' takes account of this decision and makes reference to it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether the appointment of consultants to advise on the responses to the Planning Green Paper was subject to a competitive tendering process; when expressions of interest were invited; and how many firms tendered. [54446]