To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who will represent her Department at the Microcredit Summit + 5 being held in Washington from 10 to 13 November. [77359]

DFID will be represented at the Summit by its Chief Enterprise Development Adviser, David Stanton. We have also invited funding applications to enable prospective participants from developing countries to attend the event.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of provisions to alter the voting majority relating to the proposed business improvement districts outlined in the draft Local Government Bill. [76829]

Fires
	Total incidents	All fires	Primary fires1	Secondary fires	Chimney fires	False alarms	Special services2
1996	13,232	4,609	2,467	1,726	416	5,481	3,142
1997	13,304	4,266	2,484	1,514	268	6,021	3,017
1998	12,517	4,006	2,619	1,145	242	5,565	2,946
1999	13,286	4,737	2,957	1,560	220	5,351	3,198
2000	14,290	4,845	3,013	1,603	229	5,720	3,725
1Including additional "late" call and heat and smoke damage incidents
2Special service incidents related to financial years 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many lives were lost due to fires in (a) East Sussex and (b) Eastbourne in each of the last 20 years. [77891]

The following table shows fatal casualties in fires attended by East Sussex Fire Brigade for the period 1982–2000. 2000 is the latest year for which data are available. Fire casualty figures by brigade area are not available prior to 1982. Data cannot be broken down below brigade area level.

Year	Fatal casualties
1982	6
1983	12
1984	15
1985	13

The Transport, Local Government and the Regions Select Committee recommended that a threshold of two thirds of the number of businesses eligible to vote should vote in favour before a Business Improvement District proposal proceeds. A number of other proposals were also made during the consultation on the draft Local Government Bill. We have considered all the proposals that have been made and will announce our conclusions shortly.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what additional monies will pass to the (a) shire counties and (b) unitary authorities on detrunking. [76271]

I have been asked to reply.At the time responsibility for a road passes to a local authority (or very shortly after) it receives revenue funding for routine maintenance in the form of Special Grant under section 88B of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 and support for capital maintenance in the form of supplementary credit approvals. The value of this support is determined by a generalised engineering assessment, with allowance made for local factors such as type of road, level of traffic and the cost of winter maintenance.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many emergency calls were responded to by the fire brigade in each of the last five years in (a) East Sussex and (b) Eastbourne. [77889]

The table contains information on incidents attended by East Sussex Fire Brigade for the last five years for which data are available. Incident data are not available below brigade area level.

Year	Fatal casualties
1986	15
1987	11
1988	7
1989	9
1990	15
1991	16
1992	15
1993	10
1994	5
1995	9
1996	9
1997	11
1998	11
1999	5
20001	6
1Provisional

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what information he has (a) received and (b) requested from (i) chief fire officers and (ii) the Chief Inspector of Fire Brigades on their assessments of the adequacy of fire cover in fire authority areas during a firefighters' strike. [77110]

The provision of MOD emergency fire cover has been planned centrally in consultation with the Chief Inspector of the Fire Service and locally in consultation with Chief Fire Officers to maximise the effectiveness of call-outs and the availability of a range of firefighting capabilities. The emergency cover would not replicate the firefighting capabilities of the Fire Service, but would aim to minimise the danger to human life. The command and operational structure for emergency cover has been designed to enable maximum flexibility and use of available resources, and there will be a continuous dialogue between the emergency services and Chief Fire Officers.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what level of cross-border co-operation he anticipates between neighbouring fire authorities during a firefighters' strike. [77112]

In the event of a firefighters' strike, the command and operational structure for emergency fire cover has been designed to enable maximum flexibility and use of available resources, whether from within a county or from assets deployed nearby in neighbouring counties. The fire crews will use a number of temporary stations across counties but the deployment of fire fighters will be based on the assessment by the military in consultation with others such as the police of how best to respond to an emergency in the quickest time possible. The extent to which retained firefighters continue to work will also be taken into account in determining how best to deploy military fire crews.

Income from council tax as a percentage of spending
	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–02
Hampshire county council	32	33	35	34	33
Fareham borough council	45	35	39	43	35
Durham county council	23	25	24	24	23
Durham city council	34	30	34	36	35
English county councils	28	30	30	30	30
English district councils	35	39	38	40	38

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the implications are for the detrunking programme of the local government finance formula grant distribution. [76270]

I have been asked to reply.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2002, Official Report, column 61W, what recent guidance produced by his Department in connection with the Connexions service he has issued to homelessness agencies working with vulnerable young people; and on what date it was issued. [78197]

"Working Together— Connexions and youth homelessness agencies" outlined effective models of developing the Connexions Personal Adviser role in partnership with homelessness agencies.The report was launched in October 2001 and has been distributed at conferences discussing youth homelessness issues since then.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will introduce a mechanism for ensuring local government ring-fence monies for waste management as part of the new spending assessment. [77513]

Our policy is to restrict ring-fencing to cases which are high priorities for Government and where we cannot achieve our policy goal by specifying output or outcome targets; any new ring-fenced grant schemes will also be time-limited. We will announce the results of the review of local government revenue grant distribution in early December. There may also be changes to waste management funding arrangements following detailed consideration of the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit's report on the subject.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of spending by (a) Hampshire county council, (b) Fareham borough council, (c) Durham county council, (d) Durham city council, (e) English county councils and (f) district councils was financed bycouncil tax payers in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99, (iii) 1999–2000, (iv) 2000–01 and (v) 2001–02. [78171]

The proportion of revenue expenditure financed from the council tax for the above local authorities and class of authorities in the years 1997–98 to 2001–02 was:Decisions on which methodology is to be used for the local government finance formula grant distribution will not impact on the detrunking programme.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will publish the report on the economics of the park homes industry. [78414]

I am pleased to announce today the publication of the research report on the economics of park homes and the park homes industry, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. The report will help us consider options for reform, as part of our wider aim of addressing issues of concern to park home residents.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers he has to intervene where local authorities have failed to make public utilities comply with their statutory obligations. [77839]

Any specific powers for the Secretary of State to intervene in such cases would be set out in the relevant legislation. Generally, enforcement of utilities' obligations is entirely a matter for the relevant regulatory body including, in some cases, local authorities.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the evidence used by his Department to support proposals for the devolution of powers and functions to elected regional assemblies. [76219]

This information is set out in the regional governance White Paper "Your Region, Your Choice" (Cm 5511) as part of the rationale for the Government's proposals to give each English region the opportunity to choose whether to have an elected assembly. Elected regional assemblies will have real power and funding to improve the quality of life of people in their region— particularly by improving regional economic performance.Assemblies will have powers to make a difference in key areas such as jobs, transport, housing, culture and environment. And their block grant will give them much greater freedom to allocate spending according to regional priorities. This offers the prospect of tailored regional solutions to regional problems. It strikes a balance between those issues that are best dealt with at a regional level and those that are best dealt with at a national or a local level. Our proposals for elected assemblies in the English regions will bring decision-making closer to the people and make government more efficient, more effective and more accountable.The evidence base includes the information presented in "Regional Government in England: a preliminary review of literature and research findings" (published by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions in 2000). Other relevant documentation is included in the White Paper's bibliography (annex J). The Government's approach to determining which powers and functions should become the responsibility of elected regional assemblies is described in chapter 4 of the White Paper. Copies of the documents referred to are available in the Library.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what powers exercised by central government will be devolved to the proposed regional assemblies. [78174]

This information is fully set out in Chapter 4 of the regional governance White Paper "Your Region, Your Choice" (Cm 5511).

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to extend the right of local authorities to purchase residential property on the open market; and if he will make a statement. [77103]

We have no plans to make any changes to the powers under which authorities can purchase existing housing outside their compulsory purchase powers.

To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on what discussions he has had with the LGA on travellers; and if he will make a statement on what policy options he has evaluated. [77845]

Prior to the release of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Office joint Traveller statement of 5 July, the former Housing Minister met with representatives from the LGA to discuss the Government's proposed approach of linking enforcement powers to site provision.Officials from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will again meet with the LGA to discuss policy development issues in the light of the recently published research on the provision and condition of local authority Gypsy/Traveller sites in England.Copies of the research are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 23 October to the right hon. Member for Fylde, columns 267–68, if he will give the calculation behind his statement on the trend in the level of people's savings. [77865]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary gave to the right hon. Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack) today.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many community amateur sports clubs (a) have applied and (b) are registered with the Inland Revenue for tax exemptions; and if he will list those registered. [78013]

As at 25 October 2002, 334 clubs had applied for registration with the Inland Revenue as community amateur sports clubs. Of those, 126 had so far been registered. A list of those registered follows. The Inland Revenue will be publishing a monthly update of the list on its website.

• 3D Dynamos Football Club
• Abercorn Sports Club
• Acton Reynald Cricket Club
• Annbank Angling Club
• Antrim Rugby Football and Ladies Hockey Club
• Ards Rugby Football Club
• Assheton Bowmen Archery Club
• Aylesbury Vale Seido Karate
• Badenoch Riding Club
• Bainsford Bowling Club
• Belfast Wado Karate Club
• Bishop Sutton Tennis Club
• Blaydon Rugby Football Club
• Boat of Garten Golf and Tennis Club
• Bough Beech Sailing Club
• Brigstock Cricket Club
• Bristol Croquet Club
• Bristol Orienteering Club
• Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club
• Bullmershe Gymnastics Club
• Carrickfergus Rugby Football Club
• Castle Cove Sailing Club
• Chester Le Street Town FC
• Chipping Campden Tennis Club
• Chorley Buccaneers American Football
• Cliftonville Cricket Club
• Clydesdale Cricket Club
• Criccieth Golf Club
• Cromer Marrams Bowls Club
• Crowstone and St. Saviours Lawn Tennis Club
• Cwmcarn United RFC
• Dalgety Bay Sailing Club
• Dedham Cricket Club
• Dinnington Rugby Union Football Club
• Donaghadee Sailing Club
• Doune Cricket Club
• Duddingston Golf Club
• Dulwich Runners AC
• Dunfermline Tennis and Bridge Club Ltd.
• Durham Amateur Rowing Club
• Eastcote Hockey and Badminton Club Ltd.
• Epping Archers
• Falkirk Indoor Bowling Club
• Fife Athletic Club
• Forth Corinthian Yacht Club
• Garleton Football Club
• Girton Golf Club (Cambridge) Ltd.
• Gordonians Hockey Club
• Grampian Speleological Group
• Grantown-on-Spey Golf Club
• Gravesend Sailing Club
• Haddington Rugby Football Club
• Hampton Junior Football Club
• Harborough Flyers Basketball Club
• Hawkwell Athletic Football Club
• Helensburgh Sailing Club
• Herne Bay Lawn Tennis Club
• Herne Bay Lifeguard and Swimming Club
• Heywood Sports AFC
• Highworth Tennis Club
• Hindsford Junior Football Club
• Hollowell Sailing Club
• Hook Norton Sports and Social Club
• Kingussie Golf Club
• Langtons Cricket Club
• Largs Golf Club
• Lisburn Rugby Football Club
• Llandudno Golf Club (Maesdu) Ltd.
• Llandudno Rugby Club Ltd.
• Lochaber Camanachd Club
• Lochaber Yacht Club
• Lochcarron Golf Club
• Lundin Sports Club
• Lympstone Sailing Club
• Mansfield Rugby Union Football Club
• Merioneth Yacht Club Ltd.
• Morriston Town AFC
• Newbury and Thatcham Hockey Club
• Nottingham Kayak Club
• Oldmeldrum Golf Club
• Parkside Raiders Junior Football Club
• Pendle Ski Club
• Peterborough City Rowing Club
• Peterculter Golf Club
• Pevensy Bay Sailing Club Ltd.
• Philadelphia Cricket Club
• Pirbright Tennis Club
• Porthmadog Golf Club
• Portishead Yacht and Sailing Club
• Prestatyn Cricket Club
• Prestwick Symington and Ayr Fort Community
• Tennis Club
• Rogate Bowling Club
• Rothley Ivanhoe Tennis Club
• Royal Solent Yacht Club
• Rye Harbour Sailing Club
• Salcombe Rugby Football Club
• Scarborough and District Indoor Bowls Club
• Sevenoaks Athletics Club
• Shipley Juniors AFC
• South Antrim Hockey Club
• South Northumberland Cricket Club
• St. AnDrews Fencing Club
• St. AnDrews Lawn Tennis Club
• St. Just Cricket Club
• Stanley Sports and Social (Cricket and Rugby League)
• Stone-In-Oxney Sports Club
• Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club
• Street Sub Aqua Club
• Sydenham Lawn Tennis Croquet Club Ltd.
• Taynuilt Golf Club
• Thames Ditton Cricket Club
• The Rough-Stuff Fellowship
• The Trojans Club
• Twinstead Cricket Club
• Victoria Hall Badminton Club
• Wealden Bowls Centre Ltd.
• Wessex Mountaineering Club
• West Bridgford Hockey Club
• West Kirby Sailing Club
• Western Baths Club
• White Roding Social and Sports Club
• Wigton Moor Junior AFC
• Wollaston Lawn Tennis Club
• Woodford Rugby Football Club
• York Railway Institute
• Yoxford Cricket Club

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he has made of the causes of the change in aggregate sales since April; [77346](2) how much revenue Customs and Excise in Northern Ireland has raised directly as a result of the aggregates levy since the aggregates levy was introduced in April and how much revenue Customs and Excise in Northern Ireland forecast would be raised before the introduction of the aggregates levy; [77342](3) what action is being taken by Customs and Excise in Northern Ireland to combat non-payment of the aggregates levy on aggregate brought across the land border from the Republic of Ireland; [77344](4) if he will estimate the change in tonnes in aggregate sales in Northern Ireland since the introduction of the aggregates levy; [77345](5) if he will estimate the total weight of aggregate brought across the border from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland without payment of aggregates levy since April. [77343]

It is too early to assess the impact of the levy.No estimate has been made of the total weight of aggregate brought across the border from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland without payment of aggregates levy since April. Aggregates levy is due at the point of first commercial exploitation in the UK and not at the point of import. Where it cannot be demonstrated that aggregate is from a levy-paid source, Customs will use their powers to recover the revenue due and impose penalties, where appropriate. The resources allocated to administering the levy in Northern Ireland take account of issues associated with the land boundary, and this resourcing will be subject to regular review.The revenue forecast for the aggregates levy is made for the UK as a whole, and is not available by devolved region; therefore, data on the aggregates levy revenue raised in Northern Ireland are not available. In total, the levy is forecast to raise £0.2 billion during 2002–03.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2001, Official Report, column 256W, and the assumption specified in paragraphs 2.30 and 2.52 of Budget 2002, what further assessment he has made of the start date for the current economic cycle, for the purpose of calculating the cyclically adjusted budget surplus or deficit; and what the calculations are on which that assumption is based. [77373]

The Treasury's methodology for assessing the economic cycle for the purpose of calculating cyclically-adjusted budget surpluses or deficits is set out in publication "Fiscal policy: public finances and the cycle", HM Treasury, March 1999.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with (a) credit unions and (b) financial services organisations regarding the establishment of a central services organisation for credit unions; and if he will make a statement [78078]

Treasury Ministers have had a number of discussions with representatives from the credit union sector and financial services organisations regarding the establishment of a central services organisation since the idea was proposed by the Credit Unions Taskforce in November 1999.The Government believe that credit unions have an important role to play to encourage the accumulation of savings and help tackle financial exclusion. We continue to liaise with the movement and develop proposals to support its development. The establishment of a central services organisation is a project for the credit union movement to take forward. We understand that the Association of British Credit Unions Limited (ABCUL) is developing new plans to deliver some of the services that could have been provided through a central services organisation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action is being taken to tackle cross-channel smuggling; and if he will make a statement. [78321]

Tobacco smuggling grew very rapidly in the late 1990s until, by 2000–01, over 20 per cent. of the cigarette market was illicit. The cost of that tobacco smuggling to UK taxpayers was £3.5 billion. A further 6 per cent. of the market was legally non-tax paid product bought abroad and brought back for own use.The great majority of cigarette smuggling is undertaken by serious and organised criminals who conceal large volumes of cigarettes in excess of 1 million at a time in freight consignments. In 2000 a smaller proportion was smuggled by cross-channel passengers. However in that year the total cost of such passenger excise smuggling was still £1.7 billion.Had no action been taken over the past two years Customs and Excise estimate that the illicit share of the cigarette market would have reached 31 per cent. by the end of March 2002.Since the launch of the Tackling Tobacco Strategy in March 2000, Customs and Excise have been successful in containing growth in the illicit cigarette market, disrupted over 100 organised crime gangs responsible for the vast majority of the smuggling, and have had dramatic success in cutting losses from cross-channel passenger smuggling by almost three-quarters. Figures for 2001–02, the second year of this strategy, will be published at the time of the pre-Budget report and I anticipate they will show that the strategy remains on track. In the same period consumer expenditure on legitimate cross-border shopping for alcohol and tobacco has grown by 10 per cent.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the number of retail businesses that accept the euro in payment for goods and services. [77625]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Rammell) on 13 June, Official Report. column 1396W.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress towards reform of the arrangements for the control of inflation of the European Central Bank. [78087]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 15 January 2002, Official Report, column 231W.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost of the National Changeover Plan to date; what the money has been spent on; and what further expenditure is planned. [78121]

Details of expenditure on changeover planning were included in the Sixth Report on Euro Preparations, published on 18 July 2002. Copies of the report are in the Library of the House.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was put into private pension schemes of all types in each of the last five years, per head of the working population. [77826]

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 assessment he has made of changes in the ability of employers to obtain public and employers' liability insurance. [77988]

The Government are aware of recent increases in premiums for public and employers' liability insurance, and is monitoring the situation closely.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact that the level of public sector pay settlements is having on the money available to meet the targets set out in public service agreements. [78177]

Departments are responsible for ensuring that targets are delivered within the budgets which have been set.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Confederation of British Industry regarding the position of small businesses. [77940]

Treasury Ministers meet regularly with business leaders and others to discuss a wide range of topics.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the expected outturn for tax receipts for 2002–03. [78179]

Consistent with the Code for Fiscal Stability, an interim update of projections for the public finances will be published in the forthcoming pre-Budget Report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many vehicles she and her Ministers have access to, broken down by vehicle type; what the annual operating costs are for the last three financial years; how much it costs to convert a car so it is suitable for a Minister: and if she will make a statement. [76925]

Four cars are accessible to Ministers in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as follows:

• Vauxhall Omega Elite;
• Vauxhall Vectra GLS; and
• two Ford Mondeo Zetec's.

The annual operating cost for the past three years are:

			£
	April 2000 to	April 2001 to	April 2002 to
	March 2001	March 2002	March 2003
Secretary of State	61,028	62,700	67,620
Minister	48,497	50,145	51,148
Minister	57,705	59,292	55,258
Minister	56,763	50,145	51,216

The cost of converting a car to enable it to be suitable for a Minister is £510.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she plans to publish the Government's response to the Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Bill. [78438]

With my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, I have pleasure to inform the House that the Government's formal response to the Joint Committee on the Draft Communications Bill will be published this afternoon. I would also like to express my gratitude to Lord Puttnam and his committee for their valuable contribution to our preparations of the Communications Bill.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tests for EPO have been conducted in the UK during (a) the Commonwealth Games and (b) other sporting events; and if she will make a statement. [77518]

The anti-doping programme in the UK is delivered through the national anti-doping organisation, UK Sport. In addition, UK Sport was contracted by the Commonwealth Games Federation in conjunction with Manchester 2002 (the organising committee for the 2002 Commonwealth Games) to manage the anti-doping programme over the Games period.UK Sport has confirmed that during the Commonwealth Games it conducted 16 tests for erythropoietin (EPO). The other sporting events where UK Sport has conducted EPO testing have been the 2002 London Marathon, where 16 EPO tests were undertaken, and the World Half Marathon, which took place in Bristol in October 2001, where five EPO tests were undertaken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what preparations she has made to ensure the safety and continuity of service to the public in the event of a firefighters' strike; and what the cost is to the Department of these actions. [77657]

DCMS staff are fully trained in fire safety, and have been reminded of the need for greater care and vigilance in the event of a firefighters' strike. This measure, which will ensure the continuity of services operated directly from DCMS, has been achieved at no additional cost to, the annual administration budget. The majority of our services are provided through the Department's NDPBs, who are responsible for making their own provisions for ensuring business continuity in the event of a firefighters' strike.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from football clubs over the collapse of ITV Digital; and if she will make a statement. [77960]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have received 31 representations from Football League clubs on this issue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 26 September 2002, Official Report, column 131W, on Sport England, if she will list the projections for UK Sport's income from the National Lottery for (a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04, (c) 2004–05 and (d) 2005–06. [78267]

The projected income for UK Sport from the National Lottery, based on the most recent forecast figures provided to the Lottery Distributors, excluding interest, is shown in the table.

£ million
	2002–03	2003–04	2004–05	2005–06
UK Sport	20.732	20.318	20.318	20.318

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the beef supply contracts for the Ministry of Defence and its agencies are sourced from Scottish herds. [76812]

[holding answer 24 October 2002]: I can confirm that 50% of the beef and beef products purchased for consumption by the armed forces in the United Kingdom is British. Of that total, in the past 12 months, 53 per cent. came from Scottish herds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the six Chinook MSH/HC2A and eight Chinook MSH/HC3 ordered by his Department in 1995 will enter service with the RAF. [76379]

The six Chinook MSH/HC2A entered RAF service in 2000.On current plans, it is intended that the RAF will begin to fly the Chinook MSH/HC3 from the end of 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 22 October 2002, Official Report, column 151W, if he will estimate the annual increases in pay for Ministry of Defence non-industrial civil servants working only in his Department, excluding agencies and non-departmental public bodies, for each year from 2001–02 to 2005–06; and if he will make a statement. [77520]

The figures are listed in the table:

	Percentage increase to paybill of non-industrial staff
2002	3.2
2003	3.1
2004	3.1
2005	3.1

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel in the (a) Army, (b) RAF and (c) Royal Navy answered the last Continuous Attitude Survey; and what proportion of the service members in each service this represents. [77285]

The number of personnel that responded to the last Continuous Attitude Survey for each Service is set out in the table.

	Number responding	Proportion of personnel (percentage)
Naval Service	957	2
Army	1,867	1.9
RAF	1,182	2.4

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the McKinsey report on the future strategy for the Defence Logistics Organisation. [77064]

We have no plans to publish the joint McKinsey/Ministry of Defence report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel have been (a) discharged! and (b) retired early from the RAF after being in service in (i) Sierra Leone, (ii) Saif Sareea, (iii) Afghanistan, (iv) Kosovo and (v) Macedonia as a direct result of their involvement in the deployments; and if he will make a statement. [78287]

The detailed information requested is not held centrally and cannot be determined from individual personnel records without incurring disproportionate cost and effort. There are no recorded instances of RAF personnel being medically discharged as a direct result of disabilities sustained during service in the named theatres of operation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if (a) MoD Fire Service appliances and (b) QinetiQ fire appliances from Boscombe Down will be deployed to provide fire service cover to the civilian community. [77232]

Ownership of all fire service appliances at Boscombe Down was transferred to QinetiQ in 2001. The fire fighting capabilities at Boscombe Down are tailored to meet the primary need to provide emergency support to the airfield at the site and to support QinetiQ's activities. Although QinetiQ's fire service may be able to assist in response to emergency calls elsewhere in circumstances where their primary responsibility was not put at risk, this cannot be guaranteed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Green Goddess fire engines will be deployed in Salisbury constituency; how many service personnel will man each appliance; and from what duties they have been withdrawn to provide fire service cover. [77316]

One Green Goddess fire engine will be based in Salisbury. The command structure is designed to ensure flexibility when deploying emergency fire cover, and where necessary resources may be deployed from adjacent areas.Each Green Goddess has a crew of six per shift, with two shifts, each of 12 hours, providing 24-hour cover. The personnel involved may be withdrawn from a variety of other duties, depending on changing circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many fire service vehicles there are at Norton Manor Camp; and what fire service appliances kept at Norton Manor Camp will be deployed to provide fire service cover to the civilian community. [77763]

There are no emergency fire service vehicles at Norton Manor Camp and there are currently no plans to deploy any emergency fire cover from there. However, a range of fire fighting capabilities, including breathing apparatus and heavy cutting capability will operate from Taunton TA Centre nearby.It is intended to use all available resources in a flexible manner to provide the most appropriate cover. Where necessary, resources may be deployed from adjacent areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, in the event of a firefighters' strike, what disposition of service personnel and Green Goddesses will be made for the protection of the people and their property in the Solihull constituency; and where they will be stationed. [77782]

[holding answer 28 October 2002]: Emergency cover in Solihull, as in the rest of the country, will consist of a number of elements including Green Goddess crews, breathing apparatus teams, rescue teams (equipped with specialist equipment) and the police. The provision of Ministry of Defence emergency fire cover has been planned in consultation with the Chief Fire Officer and local police to minimise call-out times and maximise the availability of the range of firefighting capabilities.Temporary fire stations will be located at the Police Traffic Centre, Aston, and the Police Training Centre, Pershore Road. Each location will have three Green Goddess appliances and one Specialist Breathing Apparatus Rescue Team. The Operational Control Centre, based at Bournville, will be responsible for co-ordinating emergency response in the quickest time possible, either through the deployment of these assets, or by requesting assistance from other areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received asking him to review the cases of soldiers who were shot for cowardice during the First World War; and if he will make a statement. [77046]

In the last six months I have received six representations from hon. and right hon. Members and 22 from members of the public on this issue.As the House has been told on previous occasions, my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Dr. Reid, examined this matter in great detail and with deep care and concern. There are considerable legal difficulties in considering pardons, particularly the lack of evidence available today, and all these points were explained in my right hon. Friend's statement to this House on 24 July 1998,

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Gulf War veterans from the Twickenham constituency have been seen by the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme; how many of these were assessed; how many were assessed as having a cancer; and if he will make a statement. [76929]

As at 18 October 3,334 patients have attended the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP), and of these, three Gulf veterans were recorded as living in the Twickenham constituency. None were assessed as having a cancer.The clinical findings for 3,000 Service and ex-Service patients who attended the GVMAP in the period between 11 October 1993 and 18 June 2001 was published in the

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the membership of the International Interoperability Council is; what its objectives are; and if he will make a statement on its method of proceeding. [77791]

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the Multinational Interoperability Council (MIC) which comprises Australia, Canada, France, Germany, United Kingdom and the United States of America. The objectives of the MIC are to identify interoperability issues and to articulate actions which, if implemented pan-nationally, would contribute to more effective coalition operations. The work of the MIC is principally conducted by means of Working Groups. Further information on the MIC is available at "www.c3i.osd.mil/org/c3is/ccbm/mic.html.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the annual cost of implementing the no-fly zones over northern and southern Iraq since RAF military overflights began; how many bombs have been dropped on Iraq by British aircraft over this period; and what United Nations resolutions give authority for the policing of the no-fly zone. [75981]

Our records do not separately identify expenditure incurred in maintaining the no-fly zones. However, the table sets out the overall additional expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Defence as a direct result of operations in the Gulf from 1992–93 onwards.

£million
	Additional expenditure
1992–93	551
1993–94	179
1994–95	58
1995–96	14
1996–97	6
1997–98	16
1998–99	35
1999–2000	28
2000–01	25
2001–021	222
1 Estimate.
2 Calculated on a resource basis; all previous figures are cash-based.

The Royal Air Force aircraft patrolling the Iraqi no-fly zones had dropped 318 bombs during this period (to 30 September 2002), 52 of those weapons were released during Operation Desert Fox.The Royal Air Force patrol the Iraqi no-fly zones in support of UN SCR 688, which demanded an end to Saddam's brutal repression of its own people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many medical negligence claims were received by his Department in (a) 2000–01, (b) 2001–02 and (c) 2002 to date: how many complaints in (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002 resulted in compensation being paid; how much compensation was paid in each year; and if he will make a statement. [77286]

The number of claims received for alleged clinical negligence together with the amount of common law compensation paid in 2000–01, 2001–02 and between 1 April to 23 October 2002 was as follows:

	Clinical negligence claims received	Number of claims settled	Compensation paid including claimants' legal costs (£)
2000–01	128	79	10,617,263
2001–02	142	59	8,924,255
2002–031	78	26	6,427,000
1 1 April to 23 October 2002

When compensation claims are submitted, they are considered on the basis of whether or not the Ministry of Defence has a legal liability to pay compensation. Where there is a legal liability to pay compensation, we do so. Most claims are settled amicably on a legal liability basis without recourse to the courts. The payment of compensation does not necessarily occur in the financial year that the claim was received.A record of complaints from Service personnel and their families alleging medical negligence is kept only for those cases where compensation is being sought.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the companies which have submitted bids for the military trucks contract; and when an announcement on the award of the contract will be made. [77601]

Bids for the military trucks contract were received from four companies—MAN UK Truck & Bus Limited, Mercedes-Benz UK Limited, oshkosh Truck Corporation and Stewart & Stevenson Services Inc. An announcement on the award of the contract will be made at contract placement in late 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures his Department is taking to enhance the network-centric capability of the armed forces. [76863]

[holding answer 28 October 2002]: As we stated in the Strategic Defence Review New Chapter, the key to delivering networked capabilities is the ability to collect, fuse and disseminate accurate, timely and relevant information to deliver improved situational awareness—a shared understanding of the battlespace among commanders at all levels. We are already committed to investment in a range of sensor capabilities such as Nimrod MRA4, ASTOR and RAPTOR and communications systems such as SKYNET 5, BOWMAN, FALCON and tactical Datalinks—part of the backbone of our network infrastructure. We are also investing in information processing applications that will enhance our capability to collate, analyse and control the distribution of information within the network. As part of the New Chapter we announced a number of early capability enhancements that will help improve situational awareness, for example, an extra Mission Console for the E3-D and advancing the WATCHKEEPER Surveillance UAV programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Llew Smith), Official Report, 15 October 2002, column 547W, on nuclear weapons, if he will estimate the size of the credits payable to the UK under the 1998 MOU. [77799]

The size of the credits payable to the United Kingdom under the 1998 MOU total ․47 million, based on fiscal year 1999 constant dollars.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the employment implications of the Partnered Defence Supply Chain Initiative; and when he will be able to inform the House. [77065]

The Defence Logistics Organisation has challenging targets to reduce costs whilst improving the quality of logistics support to the Front Line. As part of this, the Partnered Defence Supply Chain Initiative is seeking to assess the risks and opportunities of increased levels of commercial participation in managing and operating the Defence Physical Supply Chain. This analysis has only just commenced therefore it is too early to ascertain what potential employment implications there could be. I will inform the House of the results of the current initial assessment, anticipated to be complete in the middle of next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish proposals on armed forces pension and compensation arrangements; and what consultation process he envisages following such publication. [77790]

Proposals on the new Armed Forces Pension Scheme and Compensation Scheme were published in March 2001. The formal consultations took place between March 2001 and July 2001, although they were informally extended to October 2001 to admit some late replies. In parallel, discussion groups took place at Service units throughout the country and discussions were also held with ex-Service organisations, such as the Royal British Legion and Forces Pension Society. The final proposals are currently being staffed for final approval by Ministers. These proposals have taken account of the comments received during the consultation process, the recommendations of the House of Commons Defence Committee, and discussions with the ex-Service community. Subject to approval around the turn of the year, the final details of the schemes and a report on the consultations will be published early next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what actions he took to obtain tenders for the refurbishment of six ex-Republic of South Africa SA330 Puma aircraft before announcing his intention to place the main structural contract with Eurocopter of France; and what steps he took to ascertain what other companies were capable of undertaking this work. [77120]

[holding answer 28 October 2002]: The ex-Republic of South Africa Air Puma helicopters were procured to supplement the existing Ministry of Defence Puma fleet. Because the aircraft had not flown for over five years, and their previous usage spectrum was unknown, it was essential to ensure that the airworthiness and structural integrity of the aircraft could be adequately assured. Options for effecting the refurbishment of the aircraft to the same standard as the existing fleet were evaluated. It was assessed that Eurocopter, the design authority for the Puma, was the only company with the necessary knowledge of, and competences in, the structural load paths of the Puma to be able to act as a prime contractor. As a result, an entry was placed in the MOD Contracts Bulletin notifying that the work would be placed with Eurocopter, while encouraging Eurocopter to maximise sub-contractor opportunities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to reduce the number of civilians employed at RAF Innsworth; and if he will make a statement.[77039]

A wide-ranging review, PTC 2002, was initiated last year. Its aim was to optimise management processes and structures to support operational capabilities in a more timely, efficient and cost-effective manner. PTC 2002 reported in April this year, and recommended a rationalised HQ structure.A formal evaluation to validate the revised structure is currently being undertaken. However, the latest available figures indicate that there will be a reduction of around 180 posts across PTC (140 civilian (non-industrial) posts and 40 service posts). We estimate that civilian reductions at RAF Innsworth will be in the region of 50, with the remainder 90 occurring at other PTC stations. We intend that all manpower reductions will be effected through natural wastage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the UK contribution to the proposed NATO rapid deployment force unit will be; and if he will make a statement. [77811]

The NATO Response Force (NRF) concept is currently being discussed within the Alliance, with the guiding principles expected to he put before Heads of State and Government at the November 2002 NATO Summit in Prague for their agreement. While it is premature to discuss what the United Kingdom's precise contribution will be, the UK strongly supports the NRF concept as a means of optimising the utility of the NATO Force Structure across the range of missions. We can therefore anticipate that the UK led Headquarters of the Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps, the United Kingdom Maritime Force and our contribution to NATO Readiness Forces (Air), will form the basis of our participation in the NRF.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his answer of 15 October 2002, Official Report, column 548W, he will assign monetary values to each of the items (a) to (e). [77233]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what vaccination programmes for UK armed forces are (a) under way and (b) planned in advance of possible military action in Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [76291]

[holding answer 24 October 2002]: Regular and reserve forces personnel are offered immunisations as part of an established vaccination programme. Members of the regular forces are given routine vaccinations, with immunity being maintained by the administration of regular boosters. Reservists at high readiness for deployment also have their immunity maintained at a similar level by routine booster immunisations. All other reserve forces personnel receive a lesser number of routine immunisations with additional vaccinations, and any necessary boosters, being administered upon an increase to a high readiness state. In advance of overseas deployment, any personnel deploying to areas with a specific health hazard, and those in special occupational risk groups (such as medical personnel), may also be given additional vaccinations before deployment. It is the responsibility of Commanding Officers to ensure that personnel are up to date with the appropriate immunisations. Units should also carry out pre deployment checks of vaccination states. Immunisation also forms part of the package of capabilities which protects our troops from, and enables them to respond effectively to, the threat of biological warfare. Since May 2001, personnel deploying on operations to the Gulf and in specialist NEC units have been included in our programme of voluntary immunisation against anthrax. We have since expanded this programme; I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence gave on 3 June 2002, Official Report, column 1343–44W, to my hon. Friend the Member for High Peak (Mr. Levitt).

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children aged between four and 18 years are in schools in local education authorities; if she will list the funding allocated to each school under her Department's proposed options; and if she will publish the deprivation allocation from additional educational needs under the Government's options (a) with and (b) without any ethnicity-weighting factor. [77160]

There were 7,438,964 pupils between 4 and 18 in maintained schools in local education authorities recorded in the most recent annual schools census. It is not possible to identify the funding allocated to each school under the options set out in the consultation paper on Local Government Finance issued on 8 July: that would depend on decisions to be taken by LEAs on their formulae for distributing funding to their schools. The amounts of funding distributed for additional educational needs, and within that for ethnicity and English as an additional language (EAL), under each of the four consultation options is set out in the table below:

Funding for 2002–03	Option 1	Option 2	Option 3	Option 4
Deprivation Funding(£m)	4,880	4,118	4,940	4,006
Ethnicity/EALFunding (£m)	600	421	600	431

The levels of funding in these options are based on research from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). If an alternative method of funding AEN were used, it would be necessary to consider how it could fit with the evidence from the PwC study, which associated substantial costs with the incidence of EAL.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received since August on the future of A Levels. [76493]

The Secretary of State has received a number of suggestions that AS Levels be abolished, and that a baccalaureate type system be introduced in place of A Levels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimates she has made of the cost of this year's A-level regrading to her Department. [76783]

We have made it clear that universities and higher education colleges will not suffer financial disadvantage as a result of changes to student numbers due to A level regrading. It is, however, too early to determine how much funding individual institutions might need, but the costs are not likely to be high given the relatively small number of students affected.The A level claims Fund has been established to meet the legitimate costs of students who are able to transfer and students have until 31 January 2003 to apply. The Fund can meet accommodation, books, travel and where necessary tuition fees. We expect the costs falling to the Fund to be small.A maximum of £105,000 has been set aside for Mike Tomlinson's Inquiry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the implications of the admission of downgraded A-level students to university for the admission of (a) other EU and (b) overseas students. [74666]

[holding answer 15 October 2002]: All of the 168 UCAS applicants who, as a result of regrading of their A-levels, may now have the necessary grades to make them eligible for transfer to their first or second choice institution. As all are from the UK, and none are from EU countries other than the UK or from overseas, there will be no implication for these students.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether educational facilities in accommodation centres will have (a) a special educational needs co-ordinator and (b) classroom assistants trained to assist with special educational needs. [76939]

The staffing mix in accommodation centres will mirror as closely as possible that of a typical maintained school. The centres will have sufficient experienced and trained staff to meet the needs of most pupils with SEN.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the number of (a) teachers and (b) classroom assistants that will be required to teach a total of 120 children in Years 1 to 13 in accommodation centres. [76940]

My right hon. Friend has made no such estimate. She has, however, made clear that the composition of the teaching staff in accommodation centres should mirror as closely as possible that of maintained schools and be appropriate to the needs of the children concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether children in accommodation centres will be (a) allowed and (b) required to take GCSEs. [76941]

There will be no requirement for children in accommodation centres to take GCSE's. However, if a child has the ability to undertake such an examination, they will be able to do so. Each child will be assessed individually and their progress monitored and recorded throughout their stay.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have not been successful in reapplying for beacon status. [77746]

There have been two renewal exercises to date involving a total of 250 schools. Beacon status was not extended in 26 cases.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what weight he gives to an increase of pupils with statements of special education needs when evaluating the educational results of a school when assessing a renewal application for beacon status. [77747]

Renewal of beacon status is dependent on a school being able to show that it has had an impact as a beacon and that it has maintained or improved its own performance in its three years as a beacon. Schools are advised to provide evidence of any factors that may have an effect on the school's performance, such as the number of pupils with statements of special education needs, so that these can be taken into account at the time of the assessment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many SENDIST and IAP members there were as at the end of June; how many SENDIST and IAP members had received any training as at the end of June in their forthcoming disability-related duties; what type and quantity of training they had received respectively; and what measures the Department has put in place to ensure that all SENDIST and IAP members will be able to perform their legal duty effectively when hearing claims of disability discrimination relating to exclusions. [77860]

There are three main types of panel or tribunal relating to educational provision for children: SEN and Disability Tribunals (SENDIST), Admission Appeal Panels, and Exclusion Appeal Panels.SENDIST consider disputes between parents and LEAs about statementing of children with Special Educational Needs. They also consider complaints of disability discrimination made by parents against individual schools or LEAs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the role of schools in the health of children; and what measures have been taken to ensure that food and meals provided at school are nutritional. [77010]

Schools are encouraged, as part of the National Healthy School Standard, to present consistent messages about healthy eating. Food on offer in vending machines, tuck shops and school meals, for example, should complement the information about healthy eating covered in the taught curriculum.In April 2001, the Government introduced regulations which set minimum nutritional standards for school lunches. They were accompanied by guidance entitled 'Healthy School Lunches', which is available for school caterers, heads and others implementing the standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many primary schools in Castle Point had class sizes of 30 or above in each of the last three years. [75470]

Figures for January 2002 show that there were 19 maintained primary schools in Castle Point parliamentary constituency with classes of 30 pupils or more. The corresponding figures for 2000 and 2001 were 19 and 21, respectively.The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 placed a duty on Local Education Authorities and schools to ensure that infant classes for 5, 6 and 7 year olds taught by one qualified teacher are limited to no more than 30 pupils per class by September 2001 at the latest. The legislation does allow the limit of 30 to be exceeded in certain circumstances.Figures related to the pledge for Castle Point parliamentary constituency show there were no classes of 31 or more pupils in 2002. In 2001 there was one class, and in 2000 there were 9 classes, of 31 or more pupils.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received supporting the extension of the work of classroom assistants into some aspects of teaching; who was consulted before the proposal was announced; and how many representations (a) for and (b) against he has received. [77678]

A working party involving representatives of teachers and support staff, local government employers and other government bodies has met monthly over the past year and has had extensive discussions about the proposed extension of roles and responsibilities of teaching assistants and other support staff. These discussions led to the development of a consultation paper, "Developing the Roles of School Support Staff", which was published on 22 October 2002. An analysis of responses to the consultation will be produced after the response deadline of 22 January 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people have visited Connexions, seeking advice, in each region in which it operates. [77349]

Information is not collected in the exact format requested; however the following table shows the number of occasions that young people have received assistance in each region since April 2001. Young people may have received assistance on more than one occasion. 2001–02 and 2002–03 are shown separately as different definitions of management information have been used in the two years, reflecting the move away from counting all contacts with young people to recording only those of a substantial nature.

Region	April 2001 to March 20021(assistance given)	April 2002 to September 20022(interventions)
South East	74,266	50,250
London	126,849	95,077
East of England	35,345	66,770
South West	188,858	148,272
West Midlands	259,249	161,362
East Midlands	58,532	98,792
Yorkshire and The Humber	148,245	140,472
North West	366,093	282,200
North East	0	83,207
England	1,257,437	1,126,402
1Data relate to 15 Connexions Partnerships which were launched before March 2002. There were no Connexions Partnerships operating in the North East during this period.
2Data relate to 41 Connexions Partnerships (including the 15 partnerships referred to above) which were launched before the end of September 2002.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the annual budget for the Connexions service is, broken down by region. [77350]

[holding answer 28 October2002]: In total £334,627,254 was allocated to Connexions Partnerships in 2002–03. The regional totals are as follows:

	£
South East	32,060,363
London	58,091,947
East of England	29,063,827
South West	34,644,952
West Midlands	44,858,545
East Midlands	26,890,604
Yorkshire and the Humber	34,626,011
North West	54,093,700
North East	20,297,304

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what grants have been made to voluntary organisations working with young people by the Connexions service, for each region in which it operates. [77351]

[holding answer 28 October 2002]: 15 Connexions partnerships became operational through the course of 2001–02. Details of grants provided by these partnerships to voluntary and community organisations in 2001–02 by English region are as given in the table. Connexions partnerships will be allocating grants throughout the year so figures for 2002–03 are not currently available.

Grants to voluntary and community organisations 2001–02
	£000
Eastern	109
East Midlands	—
London	453
North East	—
North West	505
South East	—
South West	605
West Midlands	738
Yorkshire and the Humber	216
Totals	2,626

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) how many teachers were unable to gain clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau before the first day of the new school year in (a) Lancashire and (b) the North West of England; [77631](2) how many school days were lost due to teachers being unable to gain clearance from the Criminal Records Bureau before the first day of the new school year in the North West of England. [77632]

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the projects to which his Department has allocated funding in the Hull, North constituency since 1997, indicating the amount in each case. [76561]

[holding answer 28 October 2002]: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the education SSA is per head in secondary schools in Wandsworth. [77289]

In 2002–03 Wandsworth's Education SSA per pupil in secondary schools is 4,460.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what special assistance she proposes to provide to those local education authorities whose results in English and Mathematics for 11-yearolds in 2002 fell a long way short of the Government's 2004 target; and if she will make a statement. [77340]

Following this year's Key Stage 2 results the Department asked all LEAs to draw up specific plans to identify and provide targeted support to those schools which are underperforming— both low attaining schools and those which are not helping their children make as much progress as other similar schools. Over the next couple of months the Department is meeting with all LEAs individually to discuss these plans and the further support they need to meet the challenging targets for 2004. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies will continue to help LEAs improve their results, in particular by focusing low attaining and underperforming schools, improving leadership and intervention programmes for pupils who are not achieving their potential. We are allocating an additional £11 million this year to support schools make improvements in 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to alter the administration of examinations in England. [76490]

The Tomlinson report on A Level standards made a number of recommendations, which the Department accepted in full. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority are now acting to implement these. The second stage of the Tomlinson inquiry will make further recommendations by the end of November.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils have been excluded from (a) state primary and (b) state secondary schools in the London Borough of Hillingdon at each of the key stages in each year since 1997. [77294]

The available information is shown in the table. Information collected centrally on permanent exclusions does not record the Key Stage of the pupil; a breakdown of the figures by age is given as a proxy. Figures are not available centrally on fixed-term exclusions.

Maintained primary and secondary schools in the London Borough of Hillingdon:
Number of permanent exclusions by age of pupils
England 1996–97 to 2000–011
Primary Schools2	Age of Pupils			Total
	6 and under	7 to 10	11 and over
1996–97
Number of permanent exclusion	2	1	0	3
Percentage of all permanent exclusions3	66.7	33.3	0.0	100.0
Percentage of school population4	0.02	0.01	0.00	0.01