To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will ensure that a reference number and, where appropriate, the name and address of the constituent concerned is given in correspondence with hon. Members from Government Departments. [79040]

The Cabinet Office document "Handling Correspondence from Members of Parliament: Guidance to Departments" sets out the principles Departments should follow when replying to correspondence from MPs. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.The format of individual replies is a matter for the Minister concerned.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether commissions for focus group research by Government Departments are subject to competitive tender. [78415]

Overall procurement policy is a matter for the Office of Government Commerce. I can answer for the practice only in the Cabinet Office, the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) and the Central Office of Information (COI).The rules for procuring focus group research are the same as for procuring other types of service. In the Cabinet Office, commissions estimated to cost £10,000 or more are normally subject to formal competitive tendering. Commissions estimated to cost less than £10,000 are normally awarded following receipt of competitive quotations.The GCDA does not commission focus group research. However the COI does, not on its own behalf but on behalf of its government clients. In such cases COI asks three of its roster of suppliers (appointed competitively under EC procurement rules) to submit proposals and costs: the supplier providing the best value for money proposal is appointed. On occasion, the client requires urgent research and COI appoints the roster supplier that it considers to be the appropriate agency for the work.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to receive representations from non-governmental organisations as part of the interdepartmental discussions on Criterion 8 of the Consolidated Criteria relating to sustainable development being facilitated by his Office. [71536]

I have been asked to reply. I apologise for the delay in replying. The interdepartmental discussions on improving procedures for assessing relevant export licence applications against criterion 8 of the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria have already been completed. The results were published on 31 July 2002, Official Report, columns 309 12W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the local public exhibition of the revised proposals for improvements to the A21 Tonbridge to Pembury stretch is due to be held. [79413]

I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 15 January, Official Report, column 208W, what plans he has to introduce legislation to provide powers to impose a levy to recoup the costs of the Air Travel Trust Fund; what action he plans to take to defray their debts; and what contingency plans he has made to deal with the situation following the collapse of a travel company; and if he will make a statement. [78797]

As my right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport said previously, we will introduce a draft Bill to secure the necessary powers to impose a levy when a suitable legislative opportunity arises. The debts of the Air Travel Trust Fund (ATTF) are currently covered by a commercial loan backed by Government guarantee.In the event of a collapse of a travel organiser which offers holidays including air travel, the Civil Aviation Authority would, under the terms of the Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL) scheme, refund or repatriate those customers affected. The Government would ensure that any subsequent calls on the ATTF would be met.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information is collated by his Department on bus passengers and bus passenger miles travelled in Greater London in each year since 1997; what estimate his Department has made for 2003–04; and if he will make a statement. [79634]

The Department collects information on the number of bus passenger journeys made each year in Greater London, details are set out as follows:In addition, the National Travel Survey collects information on the characteristics of bus passengers in Greater London (but excludes foreign tourists) and details of journey purpose and frequency.Although not collected by the Department, details of the bus passenger satisfaction survey sponsored by Transport for London (TfL) are published by the Department each quarter in "Transport Statistics Bulletin: Bus Quality Indicators: England", which is held in the Libraries of the House.The Department does not collect or collate information on bus passenger miles travelled in Greater London, although details can be found in the TfL publication, "Transport Statistics for London 2001" (also in the Library).

Bus passenger journeys in Greater London
Year	Passenger journeys million
1997–98	1,294
1998–99	1,279
1999–2000	1,307
2000–01	1,359
2001–02	1,434

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action is being taken to tackle illegal car number plate duplication. [79754]

We are taking active and immediate steps to tackle this difficult problem. The Vehicles (Crime) Act 2001 contains measures to require all number plates suppliers in England and Wales to register with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). This requirement will come into force on 1 January 2003 and will ensure that in future number plates are only sold by registered suppliers to a purchaser who can show proof of entitlement to that registration mark and proof of their own identity. Records will be kept of all sales for inspection by police or local authority trading standards officers.Since September 2001 all number plates issued have had to display the name and postcode of the supplying outlet.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to encourage car sharing. [79335]

In August my Department published and disseminated to all local authorities and other major employers in England a guide on "Making travel plans work: lessons from UK case studies" which highlighted successful car-sharing schemes set up by employers as part of their travel plans. A copy of the guide is in the Library of the House. The Government will shortly be responding to the report commissioned by the Motorists' Forum on car sharing and car clubs in which we will set out our plans for further work to encourage car sharing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent in each of the past five years in (a) feasibility studies into the possible reopening of disused railway lines and (b) re-opening closed lines. [79087]

Although the Strategic Rail Authority undertakes, from time to time, project development work including feasibility studies, it is not possible to identify readily those elements that relate specifically to the re-opening of railway lines. Feasibility studies are also undertaken by other stakeholders, including local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make a decision on the proposed public service obligation on the Inverness to Gatwick route. [79090]

[holding answer 4 November 2002]: Officials in the Department for Transport are working closely with colleagues in the Scottish Executive on proposals for public service obligations and other options for safeguarding vital regional air services. The Government will publish their conclusion in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what resources he will allocate to a public service obligation for a regional air service between Inverness and London. [78776]

The current air services between Inverness and London operate without subsidy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much investment in London Buses there was in each of the last ten years for which figures are available. [77895]

Information on investment in London bus services by bus operators is not available centrally, although between July 2000 and June 2002, bus companies operating in London introduced some 2,600 new buses.Other investment in London Buses is set out in London Transport's Annual Report documents, which incorporate their audited accounts—copies of the accounts are available in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what route mileage was served, and how many passengers were carried, on London Buses in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [77896]

The number of bus passenger journeys and vehicle kilometres in London over the last ten years have been compiled from the Department's annual survey of bus and coach operators and information received from Transport for London (TfL). The figures include journeys on a small number of routes not contracted to TfL.

Year	Passenger journeys million	Vehicle kilometres million
1991 to 1992	1,149	316
1992 to 1993	1,129	330
1993 to 1994	1,117	343
1994 to 1995	1,167	356
1995 to 1996	1,205	353
1996 to 1997	1,242	342
1997 to 1998	1,294	362
1998 to 1999	1,279	358
1999 to 2000	1,307	366
2000 to 2001	1,359	373
2001 to 2002P	1,434	380
P provisional figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how much investment there was in the London Underground, and how many passengers were carried, in each of the last ten years for which figures are available; [77894](2) what proportion of total investment in London Underground has gone into building the Jubilee line in each of the last ten years. [77899]

The information requested on overall investment and passenger numbers is set out in London Transport's annual report documents, which incorporate their audited annual accounts.The following table shows the proportion of overall investment that went into building the Jubilee Line Extension each year:

Year	Percentage Proportion of investment
1992 to 1993	9.2
1993 to 1994	33.2
1994 to 1995	42.6
1995 to 1996	48.8
1996 to 1997	56.4
1997 to 1998	49.5

Year	Percentage Proportion of investment
1998 to 1999	37.7
1999 to 2000	60.31
2000 to 2001	0
2001 to 2002	0
1 London Transport's accounts for 1999–2000 included an estimated accrual for all Jubilee Line. Extension works to be paid in future years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the state of faults on the UK NATS website; and when the faults will be rectified;[R] [79443](2) what representations he has received from UK pilots who have to log onto the Swedish air traffic service in order to obtain UK NOTAM for safety and time critical information owing to faults on the UK NATS website.[R] [79442]

National Air Traffic Services Ltd. introduced a new on-line information system in late August, replacing the former manual system. The change was made after extensive consultation with users. The new system is intended to provide much wider access to pre-flight information, thereby enhancing safety, but some general aviation users who are accustomed to the manual system have not found it easy to adapt.The system is provided with back-up facilities and, while—as with most other similar websites—it may be necessary to suspend operation for very short periods, I am assured that the continuity of service will not be significantly compromised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what trials have taken place under the auspices of (a) the Strategic Rail Authority and (b) his Department relating to rail freight since June; what assessment is being made of these trials; when the outcomes of these trials are expected to be published; and if he will place related documentation in the Library; [78815](2) what the

The SRA's press release, issued on 13 June 2000, provides a description of each scheme. The agreed outputs of the SRA's Logistics Competition are part of the contracts between the applicants and the SRA signed in January 2001 and are commercially confidential.The wagons and inter-modal units for the Blue Circle Industries project were delivered this summer, with trials commencing in September. A prototype container was produced in spring 2002 for the Minimodal scheme, with trials taking place during the summer. The first trials of the Excel scheme were completed in July-August 2001 with the second trials completed in spring this year. This project has now been completed and Excel are due to provide a final report for publication by the end of the year. Once published this and the reports of the other two schemes will be placed in the Libraries of the House.My Department has received a number of representations about the competition and is kept informed on its progress by the SRA, but it has not been involved in the assessment of any of the entries or subsequent trials. The SRA is not assessing the trials, as the aim of the competition was to fund companies to take forward their projects and undertake commercial trials in order to demonstrate the concept to the market.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much investment there was in the London rail commuter services in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; how many passengers were carried; and how many accidents there were in each of those years. [77897]

Since many rail investment projects benefit more than one part of the country, it is not possible to provide an accurate regional breakdown of total rail investment. The table shows, for 1992–93 and 1993–94, the amount of public service obligation grant paid to British Rail in respect of its Network SouthEast (NSE) sector; and, for each of the six years from 1996–97 to 2001–02, Government support paid to London & South East (L&SE) train operating companies (TOCs):

	£ million cash prices
1992 to 1993	525
1993 to 1994	372
1996 to 1997	5731
1997 to 1998	464
1999 to 2000	271
2000 to 2001	175
2001 to 2002	90
Figures for Government support to L&SE TOCs in 1994–95 and 1995–96 are not readily available.
1Support for Passenger Rail Services paid by the Franchising Director to British Rail, and from the point of franchise to private sector franchisees, in respect of L&SE TOCs.

Details of passenger numbers on British Rail's NSE sector in 1992–93 and 1993–94 are not readily available. For details of passenger numbers on L&SE TOCs from 1994–95 onwards, I refer the hon. Member to the latest (September 2002) edition of the Strategic Rail Authority statistics bulletin "National Rail Trends," copies of which are available in the House Library. Table Lib on page 4 shows passenger kilometres, and Table 1.2b on page 7 shows passenger journeys. travelled on those TOCs.The Health and Safety Executive, the rail safety regulator, produces accident data covering the national network and does not produce data on a regional level. Accident statistics for the national network covering the last ten years are in the annual reports of HSE's railways inspectorate, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents there have been on (a) the London Underground and (b) the London rail commuter services in each of the last ten years for which figures are available. [77898]

Statistics on accidents on the London Underground and the national rail networks are given in the annual report of HM Chief Inspector of Railways, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of new recruits to his Department in the past two years were aged 50 and over. [79305]

The percentage figures for each year for new recruits aged 50 and over in the period requested is as follows for DETR(C) April 2000 to March 2001 and DTLR(C) April 2001 to March 2002.

Period	Percentage
1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001	7.2
1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002	6.5

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many individuals have been seconded to senior civil servant positions in his Department, in each case listing (a) from which organisation, (b) duration to date and planned duration of the second month and (c) source of current salary in the second month post. [79160]

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many senior civil servants are seconded from his Department, in each case listing the (a) location, (b) duration to date and planned duration of the second month and (c) source of the salary in the second month post. [79161]

One member of my Department's senior civil servants has just taken up a six month second month to the South East England Development Agency.The Department normally expects the host organisation to cover the salary costs of staff on second month.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the reliability and punctuality of train services between Worcester and Birmingham via Droitwich Spa and Hartlebury. [79489]

The Strategic Rail Authority publish performance statistics for all train operating companies in their quarterly "National Rail Trends" publication. The figures for each operator are not broken down to route level, but reflect the performance of their services in aggregate. The most recent edition was published on 12 September. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1)how many bicycles were carried by train by each train operating company in each year since 1996. [79672](2) how many bicycle spaces were provided on the railways

Information on the number of bicycles carried each year is not held. There is no method by which this can be monitored, as passengers with bicycles do not necessarily need a reservation, or in most cases even a ticket because the majority of train operators do not make a charge for the carriage of bicycles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for his Department's forthcoming report on the Ten Year Transport Plan to include (a) a definition of congestion with benchmark figures and interim targets for its reduction, (b)commitment for the multi-modal studies to be completed by March 2003 with a plan of action to be agreed within six months of completion, (c) interim targets for delivery of (i) new trunk and (ii) local road improvements to 2006 and (d) a commitment to publish annual progress reports on the implementation of the measures set out in the Plan; and if he will make a statement. [78896]

The report will include a full up-date on progress towards achieving the objectives set out in the 10 Year Plan.

To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make a statement on the arrangements made to ensure hon. Members have access to the House at all times. [78754]

[holding answer 4 November 2002]: Hon. Members have access to the House at all times. In recent months additional security measures have been adopted on the advice of the Security Service and the Metropolitan Police. These are designed to enhance protection for all those who use the building, commensurate with current threat assessments. The Serjeant at Arms is available at all times to discuss issues of access and security with hon. Members.

To ask the President of the Council, pursuant to his answer of 15 November 2001, Official Report, column 871W, if he will make a statement on the printing of answers to questions during the summer recess in a special edition of the Official Report; and what plans he has to repeat the exercise. [79555]

The hon. Lady will recall that I welcomed her suggestion that answers normally given by letter during a recess should be printed in a special edition of the Official Report.I am pleased to report that during the period of the summer recess, the Government answered a total of 1,418 questions, all of which were printed in

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make it her policy to require the regulator to ensure that BT reduces the trigger thresholds for converting telephone exchanges to ADSL. [78760]

[holding answer 4 November 20021: The rollout of BTs ADSL services., including deciding on trigger levels for enabling its exchanges to provide these services, forms a commercial decision to be taken by BT, As ADSL is not a service that BT is required by its Licence to provide, Oftel has no power to set the conditions under which BT should enable exchanges.Both Liberty Broadband (at

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much financial assistance has been given, broken down by financial year, to the British Printing Industries Federation; what future support they will enjoy; and if she will make a statement. [78309]

DTI does not provide direct financial assistance to the British Printing Industries Federation but has worked with this organisation in partnership with other industry members to support initiatives aimed at raising this sectors competitiveness and productivity.In particular, my Department is currently working closely with the British Printing Industries Federation to take forward actions from "Print 21: coming of age?" the competitiveness study for the print industry, published in summer 2001.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the business organisations in the West Midlands with which she makes it her policy to consult on matters of relevance to the business sector. [79490]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry meets with the chairmen of regional development agencies regularly and consults them on matters of interest to them and businesses in their regions. RDAs (which are business led and have 50 per cent. of members with a business background) have widespread links with businesses in each region and are well placed to reflect the business view.In addition, the Department of Trade and Industry consults widely on specific issues, most recently on the review of its structure and currently on the Review of Business Support. Organisations consulted—and invited to progress meetings (the West Midlands as in other regions) include the CBI, engineering, Employers Federation, RDA, Business Links, Cambers of Commerce, Learning and Skills Councils, local authorities, universities, local enterprise agencies, trade associations, research and technology organisations and other business support bodies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial tribunals involving Capita have taken place in the last five years. [78807]

[holding answer 4 November 2002]: In the five-year period up to 30 September 2002 16 cases involving Capita came to a hearing at an Employment Tribunal in Great Britain

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the contracts for government work held by Capita. [78808]

[holding answer 4 November 2002]: Central records indicate that the department currently has one live contract with Capita Business Services, for the administration of the Construction Quality Mark Scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent in recruiting staff to her Department in (a) London and (b) the south east in each year since 1997. [78558]

[holding answer 4 November 2002]: Information about the cost of centrally managed recruitment is as follows. It is not possible to distinguish between recruitment in London and in the south east.

Year	£000
1997–98	0
1998–99	136
1999–2000	490
2000–01	397
2001–02	117

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many legal claims of discrimination are estimated to have been made as a result of anti-discrimination regulations introduced since 1997. [78992]

Anti-discrimination regulations introduced since 1997 have amended existing legislation on race, sex and disability. Detailed information on which to base estimates of legal claims resulting specifically from such amendments is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she has received a submission from the Scottish Executive with respect to the Government's review of future energy policy. [76912]

[holding answer 24 October 2002]: Scottish Ministers have submitted a response to the consultation for the Performance and Innovation Unit's "Energy Review". We understand that they see no need for a further formal response to the Government's current review of energy policy, but Scottish officials are working closely with my officials on Scottish aspects of the review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the IEA has met to discuss the possible scenarios arising from a conflict in Iraq; who the members of the IEA are; and if she will make a statement. [78289]

The International Energy Agency regularly discusses oil market issues in the Governing Board and in two committees, the Standing Group on the Oil Market and the Standing Group on Emergency Questions. Scenarios relating to a wide range of global issues, including the Middle East, are a normal part of assessment of oil market developments.The International Energy Agency has 26 member countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and Norway (Norway participates under a special Agreement). The European Commission also participates in the work of the IEA.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many industrial facilities the OPCW has inspected since its inception; and if she will make a statement. [78111]

The OPCW has produced figures for the total number of sites it has inspected which fall under the three Schedules in the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), or which are characterised as sites producing discrete organic chemicals (DOC). The figures available on the OPCW website are as follows:

	Total number of sites inspected
Schedule 1	34
Schedule 2	181
Schedule 3	91
Discrete organic	—
Chemicals (DOC)	85

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to receive the report of the Office of Fair Trading investigation into pharmacy contract limitations. [77261]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry expects to receive the report by the end of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the OPCW last carried out an inspection at (a) CBD Port on Down and (b) the Royal Military College of Science at Shivenham; if she will place the results in the Library; and if she will make a statement. [78110]

The OPCW last inspected (a) CBD Port on Down on 28–30 January 2002 and (b) the Royal Military College of Science at Shivenham on 23–25 July 2001. These were routine inspections under the terms of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). The OPCW inspectors confirmed that there were no uncertainties regarding the United Kingdom's compliance with the CWC. My officials will consult the OPCW on whether a summary of their inspectors' findings can be placed in the Library. I will write to the hon. Member to confirm the outcome of these consultations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the booklets on best practice on raising finance, "Money and Machines" and "Informed Investment in Modern Production Machinery" were reprinted. [78303]

Since publication in 1995 "Money and Machines" has been reprinted on a number of occasions the last comprising a full revision in 1998. "Informed Investment in Modern Manufacturing Equipment" was published in 1998 and has neither been reprinted nor revised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate her Department has made of the costs to business of the regulations introduced by the Government since May 1997. [79079]

Estimates of the costs and benefits to business of the regulations introduced since May 1997 are shown in the published regulatory impact assessments, which are in the Libraries of the House,

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to propose legislation to regulate the use of aggressive telemarketing techniques. [76613]

Unsolicited direct marketing by telephone has been subject to regulation in the UK since 1999, and there are also consumer protections if individuals enter into contracts during this kind of call.The current regulations are the Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) Regulations 19995 which provide that individual subscribers who do not wish to receive this type of call can register with a central list—the Telephone Preference Service (TPS). Direct marketers are obliged to check that they do not call numbers on the TPS list when making unsolicited calls. Direct marketers are also obliged to take account of any requests not to call again that they receive direct from individual subscribers. Further details are available on the DTI website at the following URL: http://www.dti.gov.uk/cii/regulatory/telecomms/telecommsergulations/ec telecomms data protection.shtml.There will be an opportunity to review the way these regulations are working when we consult next year on implementation of the new version of the directive on which these regulations are based.Organisations that market by telephone to individuals must also comply with the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 that came into force in October 2000. These regulations require those making unsolicited direct marketing calls to identify clearly the company they represent and the commercial purpose of the call at the beginning of the conversation. They also stipulate that the consumer has the right to receive clear information in advance of any decision to purchase, subsequent written acknowledgement of this information., and a seven-day cooling off period for most contracts agreed at a distance. Further information is available on the DTI website at the following URL: http://www.dti.gov.uk/ccp/topics1/ecomm.htm.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support her Department gives to Young Enterprise. [78481]

For the current academic year (August-July), the DTI is providing Young Enterprise with approximately £250k of support for their MasterClasses and Grauduate programmes and their Innovation Awards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent on the Your Guide project; and if she will make a statement. [77755]

The Your Guide pilot in Leicestershire and Rutland cost £30 million. Government provided £25 million and I understand that Post Office Ltd. provided in the region of £5 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance she is giving to countries in Africa to help combat AIDS. [78926]

HIV/AIDS is one of the most important development challenges facing Africa. My Department committed over £180 million in HIV and sexual health programmes in Africa in 2001–02. DFID's overall programme in Africa is set to increase from £640 million to £1 billion by 2006, and HIV/AIDS will remain one of our highest priorities for the region.Internationally, a further US $200 million has been pledged towards the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, £16 million to support the Microbicides for HIV Prevention Initiative, and £14 million to the IAVI (the international AIDS Vaccine Initiative). Considerable additional resources have also been committed to the United Nations and to civil society organisations to combat this disease and support those already living with it.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with her French counterparts regarding the impact of agricultural subsidies on development in poor countries; and what these discussions have achieved. [78669]

In June of this year, I wrote to all my EU counterparts on the subject of reform of the common agricultural policy, emphasising the need for this reform as well as for coherence between the objectives of our development co-operation and our other policies which affect developing countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of (a) the treatment of the Karen in Burma and (b) landmines in the Karen region. [78702]

I have been asked to reply.Ethnic minorities, including the Karen, suffer disproportionately from the human rights abuses carried out by the Burmese regime. Continued fighting between the Burmese army and armed Karen groups, which includes the use of mines by both sides, is the cause of on-going suffering among the ordinary people in Karen State.HMG provides humanitarian assistance to Burmese refugees and those internally displaced, including the Karen.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions her Department has had with the Government of Burma. [78703]

I have been asked to reply.The European Union ban on high-level contact with Burma and our poor bilateral relationship with the Burmese military regime restrict discussions with the Burmese regime. Contact on important issues does continue. The most recent example of bilateral contact was discussions between embassy officials and Burmese officials regarding the International Code of Conduct against ballistic missile proliferation.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with the UN about human rights violations in Burma. [78704]

I have been asked to reply.We have on-going dialogue with the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma and the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy to Burma about human rights abuses in Burma. Together with our European Union partners we annually co-sponsor resolutions on the human rights situation in Burma at both the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's response is to the recent UN report into the exploitation of the natural resources of the Democratic Republic of Congo by (a) the Democratic Republic of Congo, (b) Rwanda, (c) Uganda and (d) Zimbabwe. [78674]

We welcome the UN Panel report and are studying its allegations closely both within DFID and with other Departments in Whitehall. We are also considering a substantive response to the report's recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the humanitarian situation in East Timor; what financial support her Department provides to East Timor; and which organisations her Department supports that work in East Timor. [78705]

An assessment of the Humanitarian situation in East Timor is included in East Timor's National Development Plan, which was described in my answer to the hon. Member's previous question. Full details of my Department's financial commitments to East Timor between 1999 and 2005 are given in the following table:

£
Activity	Commitment 1999–2005	Disbursed
United Nations: 1999 ballot	800,000	800,000
Humanitarian and Emergency Relief	6,500,000	6,500,000
United Nations Transitional Administration	4,500,000	4,500,000
United Nations: Support for 2001 Elections	500,000	500,000
World Bank Trust Fund (infrastructure)	8,000,000	8,000,000
Support for Developing the National Development Plan (NDP)	300,000	(
NDP Implementation 2002–05	12,000,000	4,000,000
OXFAM: Human Resource Development	1,890,000	590,000
Civil Society and International NGOs	67,831	25,809
Local Civil Society Organisations	450,000	94,579
UK share of European Commission Expenditure, 1999–20051	19,728,000	14,200,000
Total	54,735,831	39,210,388
1 Estimated UK attribution at 19 per cent. of EC expenditure in East Timor

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on East Timor since its establishment as an independent sovereign state. [78714]

Newly independent East Timor faces a number of challenges. The Government have prepared an excellent National Development Plan (NDP), which describes how these challenges will be addressed. The new nation, however, lacks the financial and technical resources to implement the Plan. Until revenues from offshore oil and gas exploitation come on stream, expected to be in 2006–07, it will he reliant upon financial and technical support from the international community.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money her Department is giving to East Timor in 2002–03. [78716]

This year my Department will provide grants worth £6.5 million to East Timor. The bulk of these funds, £4 million, is to help the Government of East Timor implement its National Development Plan. The balance comprises residual commitments to UN and World Bank Trust Funds established before Independence, plus £500,000 to support the activities of international and local Non-Governmental Organisations, including OXFAM.In addition a proportion of the costs of the European Union assistance programme will be attributed to DFID, but it is too early to determine how much this will be in 2002–03.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of (a) the health situation, (b) the education situation, (c) the employment situation and (d) poverty alleviation in East Timor. [78717]

My Department, alongside the World bank and the United Nations, has provided technical advice to the Government of East Timor to help them develop their National Development Plan (NDP). The plan includes a full analysis of the social and economic challenges facing the new nation, including health, education, employment and poverty, and contains the Government's proposals for addressing these. Donors and the international community have commended East Timor on the quality of the plan.Donors have pledged sufficient funds to fully implement scheduled NDP activities for the next three years. DFID has contributed £4 million to the NDP this year and expects to contribute a similar amount in each of the next two years.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to meet the Government of East Timor. [78720]

I met the Prime Minister of East Timor, Dr. Alkatiri, on 26 March this year, and Dr. Horta, the Foreign Minister, on 12 June. I have no further plans to meet members of the Government of East Timor in the current year.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with Christian Solidarity Worldwide concerning East Timor. [78971]

My Department has had no discussions with Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), nor have we received any proposals from them. The British embassy in Dili has had informal contacts with CSW.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what she is doing about the East Timorese in refugee camps in West Timor. [78718]

My Department has not provided direct support to East Timorese refugees in West Timor. We have, however, provided £4.2 million to the United Nations Conflict Reduction and Prevention Unit, which is available for their programmes with refugees in West Timor.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial support her Department provides to election observers; in which countries; and what guidance her Department issues to election observers. [78664]

DFID supports the electoral process in a number of ways in a number of developing and transition countries. In June 1998, DFID and the FCO published "Elections and the electoral process: a guide to assistance", which is available in the House of Commons Library and on our website.Our support for election observers is usually provided in partnership with an international organisation such as the European Union or the Commonwealth who have developed their own guidance and training for observers.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the projects by which her Department promotes (a) the freedom of the press and (b) religious freedom in developing countries. [78671]

The information is as follows:(a)DFID supports the development of the media in a number of developing and transition countries, and published guidance on developing free and effective media to serve the interests of the poor in July 2001. Copies of "The Media in Governance" are available in the House of Commons Library and on our website. Our support aims to balance strengthening the capacity of the press and media to hold government to account with encouraging the press to meet their responsibilities of objective, constructive reporting.(b)The objective of my Department is the elimination of poverty. Our central focus is therefore respect for the human rights of the poor. Frequently the poorest are ethnic and religious minorities that face discrimination and social exclusion. Our strategy on human rights is set out in "Realising human rights for poor people" published in October 2000.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the recent ethnic strife in the Ivory Coast against the civilians from northern Daloa; and what discussions her Department has had with the overnment of the Ivory Coast on the subject. [78678]

We are working closely with others in the international community to help bring about a swift and peaceful resolution to the conflict in Cote d'lvoire. We are aware of the reported attacks on civilians in Daloa. Together with our EU partners, we have called on the Ivorian Government to ensure respect for human rights, in particular with regard to civilian populations, and to bring to justice those responsible for any violations of those rights.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what guidance her Department has provided to her Department's employees working in the Ivory Coast. [78706]

DFID has one employee in Cote d'lvoire. He is working on second month at the African Development bank and is, therefore, covered by their security and emergency evacuation procedures. Current bank advice is that non- essential staff and all families be evacuated.DFID is following the situation closely and we are in daily contact with him. He is also in receipt of the latest Foreign Office travel advice.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which organisations her Department supports that work in the Ivory Coast. [78707]

DFID support to Cote d'lvoire is channelled primarily through UK contributions to the EC and other multilateral organisations such as the World bank and UN agencies. Direct assistance to Cote d'lvoire is limited to financial contributions that we make to the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) in Bouake and a Small Grants Scheme, administered by the British ambassador in Abidjan. Beneficiaries of the scheme are mainly Ivorian NGO's.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the number of internally displaced people in the Ivory Coast; and what assistance her Department is providing to these people. [78708]

Although DFID has not undertaken its own independent assessment we are in contact with those UN agencies in the field that are monitoring the situation closely. The UK was represented at the UN Emergency Regional Contingency Planning meeting in Accra on 17 and 18 October which was called to discuss the humanitarian position. Their assessment of the likely humanitarian needs is awaited before we consider how the UK will respond.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to promote multiparty democracy in Uganda. [78663]

We are engaged in frequent dialogue with the Government and Civil Society on a range of initiatives to promote the democratic checks and balances, and the rules-based political competition, that are the key to democratic systems worldwide.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the recent massacres in Uganda by the Lord's Resistance Army; and what discussions her Department has had with the government of Uganda concerning these massacres. [78677]

We have over many years raised our concerns over the security and humanitarian situation in northern Uganda with President Museveni, both bilaterally and with other EU Missions. We condemn LRA atrocities and recognise the Ugandan Government's need to respond militarily. But we have also encouraged the Ugandan Government to pursue all possible avenues for dialogue.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action her Department has taken to encourage the establishment of multi-party democracy in Uganda following the passing of the Political Parties and Organisations Act of 2 July. [78986]

I have been asked to reply.We have for some time been engaged in a regular dialogue with the Government of Uganda on the future shape of the Ugandan political landscape. Since the Political Parties and Organisations Act came into force on 2 June, we have continued to urge President Museveni and senior Ugandan Ministers to allow political parties to develop and organise, so that they are able to participate fully in the 2006 elections.We are working on a range of initiatives to promote democracy. These form an important element of our development programme in Uganda.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether her Department has received a copy of UNEP's Report, Global Environment Outlook 3; and if she will make a statement. [79081]

My Department has received a copy of UNEP's Global Environment Outlook 3. It is a very useful reference document which we will take into account in our own monitoring of global environmental trends and their impact on developing countries. In this context we were pleased by the successful conclusion of the negotiations of the third replenishment of the Global Environment Facility last August. The UK has increased its share in the GEF, and will provide £118 million over the next four years, including a voluntary contribution of £15 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce the first Director of the Assets Recovery Agency, established under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. [79537]

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Jane Earl as Director-designate of the Assets Recovery Agency. I expect that she will take up her appointment as Director in the new year, in time for the Agency to start operations next February.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been paid to the PSNI and RUC, during each of the last three years, in respect of costs incurred in processing asylum applications made in Northern Ireland. [78727]

No payments have been made by the Secretary of State for the Home Department to the Police Service for Northern Ireland (PSNI) and Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in respect of costs incurred in processing asylum applications made in Northern Ireland during the past three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been paid to Dumfries and Galloway constabulary in respect of costs incurred in processing asylum applications in each of the last three years. [78499]

The Immigration Service has paid Dumfries and Galloway constabulary the following:

	£
1 April 2000 to 31 March 2000	1,950.971
1 April 2001 to 31 March 2001	2,889.50
1 April 2002 to 31 October 2002	32,437.26

The figures for asylum applications are not available. These figures relate to costs related to dealing with immigration offenders.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters of 17 June and 9 September to the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells regarding Yuriy Urchenko, a constituent. [76664]

My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office wrote an interim reply to the hon. Member on 4 October in response to his earlier correspondence. In light of the circumstances of this case, I have asked officials for a full report and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to establish a new crime fighting fund to target the illegal drugs trade; and if he will make a statement. [77497]

[holding answer 28 October 2002]: The financial provision for the law enforcement authorities includes in 2002–03 £376 million for reducing availability of drugs. There are no plans to establish a separate new fun specifically for the purpose.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bids were submitted for funding in the second round of the Recovered Assets Fund; how many of these were recommended for funding; how the selection of bids was made; and if he will make a statement on when the next round of bidding will begin. [79536]

A total of 330 bids were received in round two (compared to 130 in round one) of which 27 (21 in round one) with a total cost of £ 11.5 million (£3 million in round one) were recommended for funding.The bids selected for an award of grant were those which were assessed as best able to meet the objectives of the Fund and as far as possible ensured coverage of a wide geographical area.My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and I are currently reviewing the future use and operation of the Fund. Future bidding rounds will be dependent on the outcome of the review on which I hope to make an announcement before the end of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many incidences of retail crime there were in each of the metropolitan boroughs in the last 12 months for which figures are available; [78138](2) how many incidents of

Recorded crime statistics do not normally identify the location of offences, or the occupation of victims. The one recorded crime which can be identified as retail crime is theft from a shop, and figures for each police force area for the last three years are given in the table. The figures may have been affected in comparison to the previous year as a result of changes to recording practices. Some police forces implemented the principles of the National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS) in advance of its national implementation on 1 April 2002. This had the estimated effect of uplifting total recorded crime figures by 5 per cent. this year.Figures on the location of firearms robberies indicate that there were 1,323 robberies in shops in the 2000–01 financial year. This includes offences where air weapons, imitation weapons and unidentified firearms were used.The Home Office, together with the Department for Trade and Industry (DTI) and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), will shortly be undertaking a major cross-Government survey of crime that affects retail and manufacturing premises across England and Wales. More than 3,000 premises will be surveyed in each of these sectors. The survey will collect detailed information on the circumstances of crime against business, levels of concern about crime, the overall social and economic impact of crime on businesses and levels of satisfaction with police response and advice on crime.

Recorded crime: 1999–2000 to 2001–02 in England and Wales
	Theft from shops (number of offences)
Police force area	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–021
Avon and Somerset	7,958	8,741	9,106
Bedfordshire	3,007	3,105	3,663
Cambridgeshire	3,630	3,743	4,024
Cheshire	4,883	4,906	4,599
Cleveland	6,365	6,228	6,916
Cumbria	2,584	2,339	2,798
Derbyshire	4,316	4,537	5,022
Devon and Cornwall	6,346	6,414	5,853
Dorset	3,088	3,011	3,180
Durham	2,944	3,042	3,522
Essex2	7,116	6,788	7,149
Gloucestershire	3,471	3,697	3,670
Greater Manchester	16,308	16,196	16,648
Hampshire	10,234	9,674	9,311
Hertfordshire2	3,328	4,060	4,424
Humberside	7,188	7,487	8,075
Kent	8,059	8,191	7,943
Lancashire	6,680	7,123	8,050
Leicestershire	4,398	4,184	4,593
Lincolnshire	2,709	2,948	3,504
London City of	619	650	755
Merseyside	8,777	9,584	9,777
Metropolitan Police2	48,015	41,713	42,522
Norfolk	3,480	3,801	3,443
Northamptonshire	3,348	3,107	3,451
Northumbria	9,719	10,757	10,566
North Yorkshire	4,053	3,949	4,304
Nottinghamshire	8,533	9,226	10,113
South Yorkshire	7,202	7,525	7,638
Staffordshire	5,981	6,287	6,425
Suffolk	3,118	3,404	3,072
Surrey2	2,957	3,602	3,687
Sussex	8,115	7,788	8,157
Thames Valley	9,628	10,796	11,191
Warwickshire	1,976	2,100	2,463
West Mercia	5,732	5,792	6,443
West Midlands	17,891	18,877	20,053
West Yorkshire	11,864	11,317	12,735
Wiltshire	2,623	2,509	2,544
Dyfed-Powys	1,656	1,503	1,427
Gwent	3,213	2,909	3,085

Recorded crime: 1999–2000 to 2001–02 in England and Wales
	Theft from shops (number of offences)
Police force area	1999–2000	2000–01	2001–021
North Wales	2,708	2,890	3,681
South Wales	6,674	6,580	6,726
Total	292,494	293,080	306,308
1 Numbers of recorded crimes will be affected by changes in reporting and recording (NCRS).
2 There was a boundary change on 1 April 2000 in which some parts of the Metropolitan police area were transferred to Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey, so that the police force areas followed county boundaries thereafter. The figures for these forces before and after this date are therefore not directly comparable.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if the events leading up to the outbreak of fire at Yarl's Wood Detention Centre on 14 February, with particular reference to the reasons why sprinklers had not been fitted at the centre, formed part of the inquiry of Stephen Moore into the incident; and if he will make a statement; [79254](2) if he will list witnesses interviewed by Stephen Moore in respect of his inquiry into the Yarl's Wood fire of 14 February. [79255]

[holding answer 4 November 2002]: Information about witnesses interviewed by Stephen Moore will be made available when his report is published.Stephen Moore's terms of reference require him to inquire into the events at Yarl's Wood Removal Centre on the night of 14–15 February 2002 and their causes and to make recommendations. His terms of reference also require him to take full account of inquiries being undertaken by the Bedfordshire police and the Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, neither of whom has yet concluded their investigations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the strategy is of coalition forces in Afghanistan; if they will take part in the provision of security beyond Kabul to achieve the ISAF effect; and what involvement in humanitarian activities they will have. [79686]

Our objectives for the campaign against international terrorism, and for our forces in Afghanistan, were set out in the paper entitled "Defeating International Terrorism: Campaign Objectives", a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House of Commons on 16 October 2001. We continue to work towards achieving all these aims. As part of this, we are considering with our coalition partners who we might aid the Islamic Transitional Authority of Afghanistan to stabilize further Afghanistan's regions. No decisions on what that might involve have been taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will define the International Security Assistance Force effect outside of Kabul; and if he will make a statement on how it will be created. [798685]

The International Security Assistance Force has helped the Afghan authorities to restore and maintain stability within Kabul. We are considering with our coalition partners how we might help the Islamic Transitional Authority of Afghanistan to stabilize further other areas of Afghanistan, but no decisions have yet been taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many green goddess fire engines will be deployed in the Portsmouth South constituency if the fire brigades union takes action; how many servicemen will man each appliance; from what duties they are to be withdrawn from to provide fire service cover; and if he will make a statement. [78968]

Three green goddess fire engines will be based in Portsmouth. 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 (1) whether the Ministry of Defence, in setting a figure for the disposal of the Gunwharf and HMS Vernon site in Portsmouth to Barclays Homes, took into account the Portsmouth City Council plan for the development of the site; and if he will make a statement; [78516](2) what assessment has been made of the potential value of the redeveloped Gunwharf and HMS Vernon site in Portsmouth against the disposal value; and if he will make a statement; [78514](3) whether the Ministry of Defence has reserved the right to claw back money on the Gunwharf and HMS Vernon site in Portsmouth if the development brief is altered to bring about a substantial increase in the value of the site; and if he will make a statement; [78515](4) who advised the Ministry of Defence on the potential value of the Gunwharf and HMS Vernon site in Portsmouth; and if he will make a statement. [78512]

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much he has spent on HMS Caroline in each of the past five years. [78357]

The operating and running costs of HMS Caroline for the last five years are as follows:

£ million
Financial year	Operating costs (e.g. pay, travel and subsistence)	Maintenance costs
2002–03 (to date)	0.684	0.062
2001–02	1.355	0.080
2000–01	1.230	0.004
1999–2000	1.116	0.034
1998–99	1.013	0.029
Total	5.398	0.209

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the dossier containing the history of HMS Caroline. [78358]

I have placed a brief history of HMS Caroline in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Department's use of HMS Caroline. [78359]

HMS Caroline served as the Headquarters of the Ulster Division of the Royal Naval Reserve since 1924 and latterly has been designated as the Reserve Training Centre. She is expected to continue in her present role for the foreseeable future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many inflatable tanks have been (a) stolen and (b) lost in each year since 1991; what the replacement value is of each lost tank; and what steps he has taken to improve protection measures for inflatable tanks. [78653]

There are no records of this type before 1997. Only one tank has been lost since then, on 28 October 2002 due to very high winds, which exceeded tolerances recommended by the manufacturers. These tolerances will be re-emphasised to personnel but protection measures are otherwise considered adequate.The replacement cost of a single inflatable tank depends upon the model and its accessories and can vary from £8,000 to £14,000.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions (a) his Department and (b) the relevant military authorities at the British embassy in Washington DC had with the US Congressional Budget Office in preparation of the report of 30 September for the Chairman of the US Senate Committee on the Budget, with specific reference to the Report's estimate of UK force involvement. [78799]

There have been no such discussions with the Congressional Budget Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of UK airspace is reserved for use by exclusively military aircraft. [78724]

I have been asked to reply.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many issued (a) rifles, (b) handguns and (c) bullets were unaccounted for at each barracks in each month in Northern Ireland in the last year; what quantity of each was subsequently recovered outside the barracks from which they were taken; and what disciplinary and criminal actions were taken as a result. [78793]

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 with reference to paragraph 27, page 11 of the Government Response to the Defence Select Committee report on Defence and Security in the UK, HC 1230, with which authorities outside his Department he has had discussions in respect of the major programme of activities to reduce the vulnerabilities and strengthen the arrangements for consequence management at nuclear installations. [78654]

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is responsible for security at nuclear sites. Discussions have taken place with several other Government Departments, including the DTI, Home Office, Cabinet Office, Department for Transport, Office for Civil Nuclear Security, and the Health and Safety Executive, together with local authorities, the police and other emergency services, to review the protection of nuclear installations and arrangements for responding to an incident at any such site.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the Government's policy is on the EU taking over operation Amber Fox without signing a prior accord with NATO. [79551]

The Government's policy remains, as was agreed by EU nations at the European Council at Seville, that the EU is willing to undertake an operation in Macedonia in succession to operation Amber Fox, at the request of the Macedonian Government, once the EU-NATO permanent arrangements are in place.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is in respect of the interception of aircraft assumed to be hijacked entering UK airspace in the London area. [78598]

[holding answer 4 November 2002]: The Ministry of Defence has an established and well-practised air defence capability. This mechanism is ready to detect, deter and as a last resort if necessary destroy any aircraft intending to attack any target within the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated saving that his Department will make as a result of the early withdrawal of the Sea Harriers in 2006, from the time of their withdrawal up to the introduction of the F35. [77934]

I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 16 April 2002, Official Report, columns 821–22W, and 29 April 2002, Official Report, column 529W, to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin). Savings in years subsequent to these answers are outside the Ministry of Defence's short-term planning (STP) period, and are, therefore, not definitive. However, they will be commensurate in value with those in the answers previously provided.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the conclusion in the OECD Report, Education at a Glance: Indicators 2002, relating to (a) the impact on school lessons of noise and disorder and (b) boredom among 15 year olds with lessons. [79433]

The OECD report gives a positive overall picture of UK pupils' engagement with school, with above-average scores against a series of measures. Noise and disorder were perceived as problems by 3 percentage points fewer pupils in the UK than the average across other OECD countries, boredom with school by 6 percentage points more.These figures relate to the year 2000. We believe good teaching and a good curriculum are the best ways to engage and motivate pupils. We have introduced a wide range of strategies to improve teaching and learning, including our widely-acclaimed Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Since September 2001 we have been implementing our new strategy to improve the attainment of 14 year olds (the Key Stage 3 Strategy). There have already been major improvements: OFSTED now rate nearly 70 per cent. of lessons as good compared with 40 per cent. five years ago. We are also making it a top priority to tackle problems of bad behaviour, including a 50 million.Behaviour Improvement Programme from September this year to provide intensive support for schools facing the most challenging behaviour.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students left the A-level system one year into the course in each academic year since that ending in 1997. [79071]

Currently the only source of individual level data that allows the tracking of young people following the A level route is the Youth Cohort Study (YCS). The latest estimates from the YCS show that 9 per cent. of young people studying A levels in year 12 in spring 2000, were no longer studying them in winter 2000–01 (year 13). Comparable data on A level students in the years 1997–99 are not available.The Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC) was introduced in 2002 for maintained schools in England. PLASC will be able to provide information on the number of students in school sixth forms who leave the A level system after a single year of study from 2003 onwards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the planned development of the beacon school programme over the next five years. [79250]

The new advanced school programme that will be introduced in April 2003 will replace the beacon model in the secondary sector. There are no plans at present to make changes to the programme in the primary, special or nursery sectors, but we are undertaking a review of the programme to ensure that it continues to offer the most effective means of delivering our objectives.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many child care places have been created through the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative; how many of these offer subsidised child care; and at what level of subsidy these places are being offered over what period. [78592]

By June 2002, 1,000 Neighbourhood nursery places had been created and an additional 38,000 places are currently under development. Providers can receive funding of up to £5,400 per place over three years to make places affordable to parents in disadvantaged areas, as providers move towards sustainability in the long term.Parents who receive working families tax credit can also receive help towards child care through the child care tax credit.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of lone parents exclusively (a) use registered child care services and (b) rely on informal child care in Portsmouth, South; and if he will make a statement. [78966]

The latest survey carried out by the National Centre for Social Research on behalf of DfES shows that in England, 29 per cent. of all lone parents had used formal child care in the past year and 73 per cent. of all lone parents had used informal child care in the past year. There is no information on exclusive usage or use of registered child care services. The study "Repeat Study of Parents Demand for Childcare" was published by the DfES in May 2002. This data is unavailable at constituency level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) when he will introduce children's centres to the most disadvantaged areas in England; and what plans he has to open children's centres for disadvantaged families in Battersea; [76610](2) what investment is being made to enable disadvantaged families in Battersea to benefit from Sure Start style services available to those in the existing Sure Start catchment area in Battersea. [76609]

The Government's recent spending review resulted in a significant increase in the combined budget for child care, early years and Sure Start, rising to £1.5 billion in 2005–06. The extra investment will support the integration of good quality child care with early years education, family support and health services through the creation of children's centres in disadvantaged areas, building on the good practice that exists in Sure Start and Early Excellence Centres. By March 2006, an additional 300,000 children and their parents will have access to health, education and other services through children's centres. Announcements about the location of children's centres will be made in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many City Academies have (a) been set up and (b) been committed to be set up; and who the sponsors of each Academy are. [78767]

Three Academies opened in September 2002. These are The Business Academy, Bexley sponsored by David Garrard, Greig City Academy in Haringey sponsored by the Greig Trust and the Church of England and Unity City Academy in Middlesbrough sponsored by Amey plc. 20 Academy partnerships are working to establish Academies. Five of these have funding agreements which are legal contracts to establish an Academy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether existing schools may apply to become City Academies if suitable sponsors can be found. [78768]

Existing schools may express an interest in becoming Academies. We expect Academies to be set up with the active support of the relevant LEA. For community schools, the LEA would need to publish statutory closure notices in order for an Academy to be established in place of the existing school.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what powers exist for the creation of city academies on a federated basis, by grouping schools under a common governing body. [78771]

Under section 482 of the Education Act 1996 the Secretary of State has powers to enter funding agreements with any person to establish an academy. This power is wide enough to allow funding of a group of academies with a single governing body which could be known as an academy federation. This is not connected with the powers under section 24 of the Education Act 2002, which allow maintained schools to form federations. Section 24 applies only to maintained schools not to academies.