To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the launch of the Directgov internet portal for Government services. [7323]

Launched in April 2004, Directgov is our flagship digital service, delivered by a partnership of 18 Government departments. Attracting over 1.3 million visits a month, it draws together services from across the public sector, making it easier for people to access information and transact with Government.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to introduce legislation on the Civil Service. [7324]

The Government are considering the responses to the consultation. It will make a statement when it has completed its considerations.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many people have attended the finance for non-financial managers course run by the National School of Government, broken down by (a) year and (b) department. [7193]

The National School of Government runs two finance for non-financial managers courses. One for people in the Senior Civil Service and one for people up to Grade 7. The information requested in respect of these two courses has been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications have been made to the Gaming Board for casino licences for each quarter since January 2004; what the outcome was of each application; whether applications were subject to separate planning permission applications resulting from a change in use class; and if she will make a statement. [6968]

The Gaming Board considers applications for Certificates of Consent for casinos. Once a Certificate of Consent is issued, operators can then apply to the Licensing Justices for a Gaming Licence.

The table sets out the number of applications for Certificates of Consent that the Gaming Board has received since January 2004, and the current position on these applications. This includes applications for new casinos, and applications where there are significant changes to the ownership or fabric of existing casinos.

Planning permission is not a pre-requisite for an application for a Certificate of Consent, or for a Certificate of Consent to be granted. The following table indicates, according to the Gaming Board's records, whether a planning application was also required in respect of the casino premises.

⁽¹⁾One application withdrawn.

⁽²⁾Two applications withdrawn.

⁽³⁾At 17 June 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions her Department has held with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister regarding the use class of casinos since 1 November 2004; at what level discussions occurred; when discussions took place; and if she will make a statement. [6971]

The Department has had regular contact with the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister regarding the use class of casinos at both ministerial and official level since 1 November 2004, and will continue to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 22 June 2005, Official Report, column 1058W, to question 5146, if she will place in the Library (a) the submission made to the EU Commission on 9 September 2004 and (b) the letter sent to the EU Commission in March. [7534]

In view of current advice from European Commission officials we do not intend to release this documentation into the public domain until the completion of the Commission's Investigation under article 88(2) of the treaty.

Following the closure of the investigation, or if we receive express permission from the Commission before that date, I will make these documents, subject to commercial confidentiality, available to the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many households in each constituency in Northern Ireland are in receipt of the free television licence for over-75s. [7226]

TV Licensing, who administer free television licences for people aged-75 or over as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, the Northern Ireland Department for Social Development has estimated that the number of benefit units claiming the retirement pension, where at least one person in that unit is aged 75-years or over, in each parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland, is:

Notes:

1. The data source is an un-validated scan of the pension service computer system at 4 June 2005. Not all households in Northern Ireland containing a person aged-75 or over will appear on the scan, since not all pensioners are entitled to the retirement pension.

2. In producing this analysis, individual records were attributed to parliamentary constituencies (PC's) on the basis of their postcode. Not all records can be correctly allocated to a PC using this method, and some cannot be allocated at all.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she has taken to implement the undertakings of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in relation to the Gaelic language and if she will ensure that the recommendations of the last Committee of Experts report are adopted. [7015]

holding answer 27 June 2005

The steps taken by the UK Government to implement the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages are set out in periodic reports. The first such report was published on 1 July 2002 and is available on the Council of Europe website at http://www.coe.int and the second is due to be sent to the Council of Europe on 1 July 2005 and should be available shortly thereafter: copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House. These reports cover my Departmental responsibilities.

The recommendations of the Committee of Ministers, based on the findings of the Committee of Experts which evaluated the UK's compliance with the charter, were that the authorities of the United Kingdom facilitate the establishment of a television channel or an equivalent television service in Scottish Gaelic and overcome the shortcomings in Scottish Gaelic radio broadcasting.

Since the charter came into force on 1 July 2001, the Government have brought forward provisions, enacted in the Communications Act 2003, changing the status of the Gaelic broadcasting funding body, now called the Gaelic Media Service (CMS), to allow it for the first time to hold a broadcasting licence. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, has also committed herself to seeking a better deal for Gaelic broadcasting and my Department have been working with all the interested parties to put together a sustainable strategy for Gaelic television. We have also confirmed, in the Green Paper on BBC Charter Review of March 2005, that the BBC will have a key role to play in any future channel. Furthermore, although funding responsibility were devolved to the Scottish Executive as part of the devolution settlement in 1999, my right hon. Friend has offered a one-off contribution of £250,000 from DCMS budgets as part of arrangements for establishing a Gaelic channel.

As for the recommendation related to increasing the coverage of Radio nan Gaidhael, the BBC has greatly increased FM coverage and added satellite and freeview provision; Radio nan Gaidhael is also available globally on the internet.

We believe that these actions continue to demonstrate the UK's commitment to meeting its obligations under the European Charter.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has held on a successor scheme to the Heritage Economic Regeneration scheme; and if she will make a statement. [6848]

We have asked English Heritage to work with the Heritage Lottery Fund and other regeneration agencies to explore the scope to rationalise the funding they provide for heritage-led regeneration projects. The aim is to make grants more easily accessible and to ensure best value for money. English Heritage support will continue until any revised arrangement is put in place.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment has been made of the impact of the Heritage Economic Regeneration scheme with particular reference to (a) retention and enhancement of older commercial buildings and (b) other commercial improvements; and if she will make a statement. [6850]

English Heritage published its impact assessments of the Heritage Economic Regeneration scheme in Heritage Dividend. The most recent report found that, on average every £10,000 of heritage investment levered in £45,000 match funding from the private and public sector, and led to 55 square metres of improved commercial floor space, one improved building, one new job and two safeguarded jobs. The reports do not break down funding by type or age of buildings involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the Government's policy regarding support for United Kingdom teams participating in international sports competitions is predicated on the condition that there is no gender discrimination regarding spectators' and supporters' access; and if she will make a statement. [5046]

holding answer 16 June 2005

No. The Government's policy regarding support for UK teams participating in international sports competitions is not predicated on the condition that there is no gender discrimination regarding spectators' and supporters' access.

However, the Government remain committed to promoting sport for all and equality of access and would encourage the sporting world to adopt similar principles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of licensed premises she estimates will seek a variation in their current licence provisions under the new agreements under the Licensing Act 2003. [7666]

My Department estimates that 65 per cent. of licensed premises will apply for variations in their current licence provisions. This proportion was published in my Department's Regulatory Impact Assessment on 21 January 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on delaying the requirement for a new alcohol licence for licensed premises under the Licensing Act 2003. [7669]

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received a number of representations on this subject, from Members of the House, local authorities and others. However, extending the period for converting existing licences to premises licences or club premises certificates would delay the benefits that will derive from the full implementation of the Act. The second appointed day, when the new licences come into effect, will be November 24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the amount collected in fines for not having a TV licence was in London in each year since 1997. [5261]

Information on fines collected for television licence evasion is not available. The total fines imposed for offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts of 1949 to 1967, most though not all of which involve television licence evasion, in the Greater London area in each year since 1997 were:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people were prosecuted for not having a television licence in London in each of the last five years. [5311]

The data collected by the Home Office relates to all offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Acts of 1949 to 1967, most though not all of which involve television licence evasion. The number of people proceeded against in the Greater London area in each of the last five years for which information is available was:

⁽⁴⁾These data are on the principal offence basis

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 14 June 2005, Official Report, columns 331–32W to the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Mr. Moore), on absence without leave, what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in the numbers of service personnel going absent without leave since 2000. [6616]

The numbers of those going absent without leave are small when compared with the overall size of the armed forces. There are however no centralized records held to explain the increase in absences.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it remains the Government's policy that two new aircraft carriers will enter service in 2012 and 2015 respectively; and what (a) minimum and (b) maximum complement of fixed-wing aircraft each will carry. [5559]

holding answer 23 June 2005

As set out in the strategic defence review, and confirmed in subsequent policy reviews, it remains our policy to procure two larger, more capable, aircraft carriers to replace the current Invincible-class carriers.

This project (CVF) is in its assessment phase and as such the design parameters for the ships, including the number of aircraft carried, continue to evolve to meet our capability requirements. In-service dates and design parameters will be confirmed when we take the main investment decision.

The target in-service dates remain 2012 and 2015.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Armoured Vehicle Training Services requirement to be in operation with the armed forces. [6710]

No firm dates have been set, however a revised procurement strategy being worked up by the Defence Procurement Agency, as announced on 15 June, will inform our plans to deliver the capability and take advantage of emerging technology and best practice as it develops in the commercial training areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his (a) EU and (b) NATO counterparts on assisting the implementation of a no-fly zone over the Darfur region. [6903]

Neither EU nor NATO Defence Ministers have had such discussions. The African Union has not requested assistance in this area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role of military dental practitioners in each of the services; what their role is in performing preventative check-ups; how often service personnel are required to attend dental check-ups; how many service personnel use private dental practitioners; and whether the costs of private dental check-ups can be reclaimed from military budget lines. [5321]

The role of military dental practitioners is to deliver effective military dentistry that contributes to force generation and enhances operational capability. The aim is to maximise the number of personnel fit for task and to minimise the risk of an episode of dental morbidity.

On operations dental teams are deployed to treat episodes of morbidity and to enable personnel to return to duty as soon as possible. Deployed dental teams are an effective force multiplier.

Service personnel are required to attend for dental check-ups at intervals of between six and 18 months dependent on the individual's dental history and dental risk assessment.

The number of regular Service personnel attending private dental practitioners is not recorded but anecdotally is a very small percentage. The cost of private check-ups and treatment may not be reclaimed from military budget lines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) dental practitioners and (b) dental support staff are employed by each of the services; what their establishment is; and if he will make a statement. [5322]

The number of dental practitioners and dental support staff employed by each of the services and their establishment are as follows (please note that the trained requirement for the Army (and total 'all services') is sourced from the Defence Dental Service establishment for that service):

Trained strength and requirement as at 1 April 2005 -- Requirement⁽⁵⁾

Strength

⁽⁵⁾Figures are for trained UK regular forces and therefore exclude untrained personnel, Gurkhas, full time reserve service personnel, the home service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists.

⁽⁶⁾Requirements for the RN are smoothed.

⁽⁷⁾The Army trained requirement for dentists is sourced from the Defence Dental Service.

⁽⁸⁾Implementation of the Medium Term Workstrand (MTW) 5 has led to a redefined global manpower requirement (GMR) which is effective from 1 April 2005.

⁽⁹⁾Total trained requirement for all services is sourced from the Defence Dental Service.

⁽¹⁰⁾Dental practitioners may include dentists who are not practising due to being posted on staff appointments and/or fulfilling non-clinical duties.

⁽¹¹⁾Dental support staff includes dental technicians, dental surgery assistants and dental support specialists.

⁽¹²⁾Army dental practitioner figures are for officers serving within RADC only and therefore exclude late entry officers and only include ranks of captain and above. Army dental support staff may fill roles in either RAMC, RADC or QARANC.

An establishment review is presently in progress which will reduce the number of dental practitioners and increase dental support staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of armed forces personnel who have resigned since 2003 to join private security companies. [6904]

This information is not held centrally. Exit surveys are conducted within the Naval Service and RAF but information on where personnel plan to work after they leave the services is not collected. The Army do not currently run an exit survey, however, the possibility of doing so is now under review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of defence (a) hospital and (b) medical services in Gibraltar. [6371]

The full spectrum of medical support is, and will continue to be provided to British Forces in Gibraltar. The construction of a new primary and secondary Integrated Health Facility, which will replace the current Royal Naval Hospital and Joint Medical and Dental Unit, is estimated for completion in 2007. We remain committed to providing our entitled personnel with medical services at least equivalent to NHS standards, wherever practicable and possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many claims in respect of Gulf War related illness have been (a) rejected and (b) accepted by the Veterans Agency, Blackpool; and how many claims have been allowed the right of appeal. [7396]

Our records show that as at 31 May 2005,1,484 claims have been accepted and 120 claims rejected in respect of Gulf War related illness. All decisions issued by the Veterans Agency carry a right of appeal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials currently in the Department received honours in the recent Queen's Birthday Honours List; and at what rank of honour. [5124]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him on 22 June 2005,Official Report, 1059W, by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his letter to the hon. Member for Leyton, deposited in the Library, correcting his January parliamentary answer about the use of incendiary weapons in Iraq, how he discovered that his answer was incorrect; when he first discovered that it was incorrect; whether the use of the weapons were in the area of Falluja; whether any civilian settlements were in the area; where the weapons were used; and if he will make a statement. [6232]

On 20 April, my attention was drawn to reports that the US State Department had confirmed the use of MK 77 firebombs in Iraq in 2005, contrary to the answer given to my hon. Friend, the member for Leyton and Wanstead, 11 January 2005, Official Report, column 374W. Ministry of Defence officials sought clarification from the Pentagon and I wrote to my hon. Friend as soon as possible after this had been received in June.

Where, and against which targets the weapons were used is a matter for the US authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the work his Department has carried out since the publication of the Rand Europe report on the Joint Strike Fighter to evaluate the steps which have to be taken to secure a final assembly, check out and maintenance and repair unit for this aircraft at BAE Wharton. [6834]

We have a requirement for a Maintenance, Repair and Upgrade capability to provide sovereign support for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) throughout its planned service life. Following on from the Rand study, further investigations are underway between BAES, DTI and MOD, to explore the possible synergy between this and a Final Assembly and Check Out facility based in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the finding of the National Audit Office report Assessing and Reporting Military Readiness, paragraph 2.39, concerning shortages of essential personnel; what estimate he has made of the extent of these shortages; how many units and of which types, are (a) facing such shortages and (b) under strength; and of how many medical staff his Department is short. [7548]

holding answer 27 June 2005

The current shortages of personnel, by Service, within the areas of undermanning noted in paragraph 2.39 of the National Audit Office report Assessing and reporting Military Readiness, are given as follows. These numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.

Attributing shortages to individual units could be achieved only at disproportionate cost. The deficits are managed as equitably as possible by the respective manning agencies to minimise the operational impact.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times in each year since 1997 the military readiness traffic light reporting system has shown a (a) yellow and (b) red state of readiness for each service. [7893]

The military readiness reporting system has been evolving since it was first included in the Ministry of Defence's Public Service Agreement following the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review. Performance against PSA readiness targets has been reported to Parliament since 1999–2000 in the Ministry of Defence's Annual Performance Report, which from 2002–2003 has been included in the Annual Report and Accounts. The number of critical weaknesses which would make it impossible to deploy a unit has also been reported publicly in our quarterly PSA reports available on the MOD website since December 2003.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the outcome was of the investigation commenced in July 2002 at the Royal Mint Llantrisant; and on which Government agency's behalf his Department's police handled the case. [6543]

The police investigations at the Royal Mint have now been completed. One person has been charged with a number of offences and is due to appear at Southwark Crown court on 12 September 2005. A second person is the subject of a request for extradition and a file has been forwarded to the Director of Prosecutions, Gambia. The Gambian authorities have issued a judicial order for the arrest of the individual.

The Chief Executive of the Royal Mint Llantrisant launched an internal investigation and reported findings to HM Treasury, who brought in the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). However, when the SFO became aware that the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) provide a policing service to the Royal Mint, it was agreed by both organisations that the MDP would be the most appropriate police force to assist with the inquiry, due regard having been taken of the geographical spread of the required inquiries within the UK and abroad.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what (a) advice is given on, and (b) precautions are taken against the spread of MRSA in military ambulances; and if he will make a statement. [6700]

The majority of secondary care for armed forces personnel is provided at Ministry of Defence Hospital Units within host NHS hospitals. Ambulances used for transfer fall under the local health authority and will adhere to the procedures and precautions laid down by the local health authority.

Some military ambulances are retained by armed forces medical centres. Guidelines to prevent the spread of infection are provided at a single Service level. These include staff protection and ambulance disinfection. The guidelines are in line with the current procedures recommended by the local health authorities.

Ambulances are also used by the armed forces for transfer of a small number of patients in Cyprus and Gibraltar. These ambulances follow the same infection control procedures as the UK based medical centres with staff referring to the local infection control manuals supplied by the single Service Infection Control Teams in the UK. A local infection control nurse is on hand to provide immediate support and advice where necessary.

MRSA has not been identified as a major problem for troops returning from military operations abroad. Nevertheless, when operating in field conditions, staff are instructed on the importance of preventing the spread of any infection and are given specific guidelines to follow to prevent the spread of infection relevant to the particular theatre. Ambulances on operations are cleaned as per single Service guidelines on the decontamination of equipment. All ambulances should be thoroughly cleaned between uses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases of MRSA have been recorded in his Department's hospitals since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [6701]

The majority of secondary care for armed forces personnel is now provided at Ministry of Defence Hospital Units (MDHUs) which are based within NHS trust hospitals around the UK. MRSA numbers are now monitored by the infection control teams of each NHS trust under the direction of a consultant microbiologist, not the MOD. The MOD therefore does not hold these records.

Royal Hospital Haslar (RHH) is currently an exception to this. Since April 2001 it has been run in partnership with Portsmouth Hospital Trust. The number of cases of MRSA at RHH are only available from the year 2000. Due to reasons of medical confidentiality, numbers are not broken down below five.

Royal Hospital Haslar

The MOD currently has two military hospitals at its permanent overseas bases in Cyprus and Gibraltar. Records for these bases are only held for the last five years and less than five cases of MRSA have been recorded in Cyprus, and none in Gibraltar. Those cases recorded have been transferred in from other hospitals and no new cases of MRSA have been identified in either hospital in this period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what enhancements to the Portsmouth nuclear accident plan are necessary to cover vessels powered by nuclear reactors manoeuvring around the City of Portsmouth at the same time during Trafalgar 200 at the Review of the Fleet on 28 June; and if he will make a statement. [6796]

Safety of visits to the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth (DPP) by Nuclear Powered Warships (NPW's) is assured by adherence to the Nuclear Site Safety Justification (NSSJ), which covers safe systems of work for the arrival, transit and anchoring of a single NPW within the waters of the DPP. It also describes the safety management arrangements and contingency plans that are in place to minimise risk, and has been approved by the Ministry of Defence's Naval Nuclear Regulatory Panel (NNRP). In addition to the NSSJ and in accordance with the requirements under the independent national regulations, Radiation Emergency Preparedness and Public Information Regulations (REPPIR) 2001, a Report of Assessment (ROA) of Hazard Identification and Risk Evaluation (HIRE) has been conducted that identifies the requirement for an emergency plan. The City of Portsmouth is covered by a detailed plan (PORTSAFE), which has been exercised and tested under REPPIR.

In recognising the additional risk associated with the attendance at the International Fleet Review of more that one NPW, a Special Safety Statement (SSS) has been produced that enhances the measures contained in the NSSJ. It deals with factors such as increased maritime traffic, transient changes in population, event activities and the battle re-enactments. It has been approved by the MOD's NNRP and has been accepted by the Portsmouth Nuclear Site Safety Committee, and the Nuclear Works and Services Authorisation Group (NWSAG), which comprises both MOD and independent expert advisers. Enhancements to PORTSAFE are not required due to the distance that the visiting NPWs will be anchored from residential areas. This has been agreed by the regulatory and local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are in place to ensure that bodies within the responsibility of his Department comply with the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. [3544]

The Ministry of Defence complies with its obligations under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 by the publication of a Race Equality Scheme (RES) and the production of annual progress reports against the scheme. The RES and the annual progress reports are published and in the public domain. The Department's RES covers its civilian work force (including Trading Funds), the armed forces and the Ministry of Defence police.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the implications for the tri-service medal office of the proposed changes at RAF Innsworth; and if he will make it his policy to relocate the office to available property belonging to his department in Droitwich Spa. [6993]

The RAF Innsworth site is home to a number of elements of the Armed Forces Personnel Administration Agency (AFPAA) including the Ministry of Defence Medal Office. AFPAA will be conducting an investment appraisal into the relocation of all AFPAA activities located at Innsworth. The result of this will not be known until at least the end of this year. The MOD is proceeding with closure works for the Droitwich Spa estate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the forecast availability is of the Z berth in Malabar, Bermuda, for Royal Navy ships. [6590]

The Z berth in Bermuda is currently available as a facility for visiting RN submarines. There are no changes forecast to that arrangement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the configuration of the planned surface fleet is for (a) 2011, (b) 2012, (c) 2013 and (d) 2014; and if he will make a statement. [6477]

Our plans for the surface fleet are set out on page 18 of Delivering Security in a Changing World (Future Capabilities) (Cm 6269)", presented to the House by the Secretary of State for Defence in July 2004.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the long-term future of Territorial Army centres in Lancashire. [6370]

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 13 June 2005, Official Report, column 18W, to the hon. Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Mr. Wallace). I will ensure that the hon. Friend is informed of the outcome of current work on rebalancing the Territorial Army in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what events his Department is organising in Gibraltar to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar; and how many ships will visit as part of Trafalgar 200. [7201]

A programme of events is planned to take place in Gibraltar during the weekend of 28–30 October 2005 to commemorate the close historic links between Gibraltar and Nelson's victory. In addition to a traditional service of remembrance at the Trafalgar cemetery, these will include a Nelson exhibition, Beating Retreat and reception, and a Royal Navy Ceremonial Guard Mount at His Excellency the Governor's residence. The Royal Navy will also be invited to exercise their Freedom of the City privileges. A Royal Navy destroyer has also programmed to visit Gibraltar to partake in the commemorations.

In the UK, the Royal Navy is organising a special programme of events for this year, which is being coordinated with other events as part of the SeaBritain and Trafalgar Festival initiatives to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for (a) launching and (b) controlling the proposed Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicle system from Royal Navy ships. [6793]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on the use of UAVs at sea on 14 June 2005, Official Report, column 334W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK service personnel have been on training exercises in Uzbekistan in each year since 1997; and what the nature was of those training exercises. [6996]

United Kingdom forces have undertaken one exercise in Uzbekistan since 1997, a company-level peacekeeping exercise which took place from 11–25 September 2004. The 146-person UK element was drawn from the Territorial Army.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK service personnel have been stationed in Uzbekistan for the purposes of training Uzbek military personnel in each year since 1997; and what the cost was of providing this training. [6997]

There are no United Kingdom personnel permanently stationed in Uzbekistan specifically for the purposes of training Uzbek military personnel. However, the UK has sent British Military Advisory and Training Teams (BMATTs) to Uzbekistan in recent years, to provide training to the Uzbek armed forces, as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements there are under the Wormwood Scrubs Act 1879, as amended, for his Department to be consulted should a local authority propose carrying out works that might impede access to open space. [6773]

Use of Wormwood Scrubs is governed by the Wormwood Scrubs Act 1879 and a Memorandum of Agreement dated 1 October 1980.

Under the Act, all development proposals, which affect Wormwood Scrubs must be referred to the Ministry of Defence for agreement. As trustees of the Scrubs, the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham are aware of this agreement and have complied with it in the past, most recently in 2001. The Ministry of Defence uses the Scrubs for training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many badgers have been culled in (a) Devon, (b) Cornwall, (c) Somerset and (d) Dorset in each of the last three years; what estimate she has made of the cost of culling badgers in Devon to eradicate bovine TB; and if she will make a statement. [6263]

holding answer 27 June 2005

Five of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT) areas are in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset or Dorset. However, as two of these trial areas straddle two counties it is not possible to provide the breakdown by county.

The following numbers of badgers have been culled as part of the RBCT in each of the relevant five areas:

Number

⁽¹³⁾Each culling year runs from 1 May to 31 January.

The cost of the RBCT to the end of 2003–04 was approximately £32 million. It has since been costing about £7 million per annum. It is not possible to estimate the cost of the RBCT in Devon alone.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the commencement date will be in respect of powers for local authorities to introduce dog control areas; when she expects to publish regulations in respect of this matter; and if she will make a statement. [5878]

We hope to commence the provisions in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act on Dog Control Orders in April 2006, and intend to consult on draft guidance and regulations this autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of the airborne spread of foot and mouth disease during the 2001 outbreak. [6823]

The possibility of airborne transmission of the foot-and-mouth-disease virus was assessed during the 2001 epidemic and studies have been conducted subsequently. These indicate that a maximum of 27 farms may have been infected by airborne spread.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what incidents of (a) damage to and (b) destruction of wildlife caused by the use of strychnine hydrochloride for the killing and destruction of moles by mole-catchers have occurred in the last 10 years. [6274]

The Government's Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS) investigates cases of suspected poisoning of wildlife by pesticides. There have been no reported cases of wildlife being poisoned by the approved use of strychnine for mole control over the last 10 years. There have been two cases of poisonings reported which may have been due to the misuse or abuse of strychnine hydrochloride when used for mole-control.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her most recent estimate is of the amount of household waste which is made up of unnecessary packaging. [5856]

The Packaging (Essential Requirement) Regulations 2003 (as amended) stipulate that all packaging should be manufactured so that the packaging volume and weight are limited to the minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety, hygiene and acceptance for the packed product and for the consumer. To date, three companies have been successfully prosecuted by Trading Standards for placing over-packaged goods on the market.

Companies with obligations under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 (as amended) also have a financial incentive to reduce the amount of packaging they manufacture or use.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress has been made on recycling since the Household Waste Recycling Bill was enacted. [6467]

The Household Waste Recycling Act came into force on 1 April 2003. The information requested is presented in the following table:

Source:

Defra Municipal Waste Management Survey for England.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

(1) what the animal welfare guidelines are for permanently tethered equines; [6191]

(2) whether she has received any communication concerning the suffering and maltreatment of tethered horses, ponies and donkeys. [6192]

While the Government would prefer that the tethering of horses did not occur at all, we recognise that in certain circumstances it can be an appropriate short-term management practice. The Department assisted in producing the Equine Industry Welfare Guidelines Compendium in 2002, which addresses this issue.

The new Animal Welfare Bill will place on those who own or are responsible for animals, a duty to ensure their welfare. In particular, this duty of care will be supported by a code of practice for tethering horses. Although the Government is not proposing to ban the tethering of horses altogether, the code of practice will provide a set of minimum required welfare standards, including information on the correct type of equipment to be used to provide protection for tethered horses.

The Department receives occasional correspondence about the treatment of tethered horses, ponies and donkeys from members of the public and interested groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of construction waste was timber in each of the last five years; what proportion of such timber was segregated for recycling into raw pulp or chipboard in each year; and what proportion of the remaining timber was landfilled in each year. [7284]

The Government does not hold data on the proportion of construction waste that was timber over the past five years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

(1) what discussions she has had with (a) small animal vets and (b) their representatives on the implementation of the EU Directive on batch recording and traceability of veterinary medicines; [6576]

(2) when she will publish her response to the consultation by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate on batch recording and traceability; [6577]

(3) what assessment she has made of the effect on small animal vets of the record-keeping requirements in the proposals of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for implementation of the EU Directive on batch recording and traceability; [6578]

(4) what discussions she has had with her counterparts in other EU member states on implementation of the directive on batch recording and traceability of veterinary medicines. [6579]

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is developing new Regulations setting out controls on all aspects of veterinary medicines. Their purpose is to implement an amending EU Directive, take forward relevant recommendations made in the Marsh and Competition Commission reports on the dispensing of veterinary prescription only medicines (POMs) in the UK, and replace the existing voluminous and outdated UK legislation on veterinary medicines with a single set of Regulations.

The new Regulations include provisions for retailers of veterinary POMs to record information relating to products received and supplied, including the manufacturer's batch number. These requirements are already applied to veterinary medicines for use in food-producing animals but the amending Directive extends their application to products for companion animals. We have received correspondence on this issue from a number of individuals including veterinary surgeons.

During the initial stages of developing the proposals, officials at the VMD consulted informally with a wide range of interested groups, including veterinary organisations. Following further development, a formal consultation package was published on the VMD website on 4 January 2005 and a letter sent to some 350 interested organisations and individuals. Consultees were allowed four months, until 5 May, to comment. Over 300 responses have been received and the comments, including those relating to the record-keeping provisions and their perceived impact on small animal veterinarians, are currently being considered and will be taken into account in finalising the draft Regulations. The VMD has kept interested parties informed of developments on key issues by publishing a series of reaction notes and has held public meetings on 21 and 22 June to discuss the outcome of the formal consultation. A further meeting with the British Small Animal Veterinary Association has been arranged for 29 June. VMD officials have also been in touch with officials in other member states to ascertain their approach to the implementation of these provisions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what percentage of electrical and electronic waste in the UK was recycled in the last year for which figures are available. [7206]

I understand that, currently, approximately 60 per cent. of domestic WEEE, by weight, is recycled, mostly comprising large household appliances. The Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling (ICER) does not yet have figures for recycling levels of business WEEE.

To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission when XML feeds of the Parliamentary website for information, including the Official Report and Early Day Motions, will be made available; and if he will make a statement. [7533]

There are at present no plans to make XML feeds of the Parliamentary website available. XML feeds of Early Day Motions are used internally for the generation of printed papers and populating parliamentary and Government information management systems. XML feeds of Hansard are under development for similar purposes.

The Parliamentary Publications source database, which includes Hansard and Early Day Motions, is currently populated with content in HTML, and is available under licence from HMSO, who administer Parliamentary Copyright. Future planning for the development of the website will take into account the case for providing XML feeds.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take steps to ensure UK companies are accountable for their impact on (a) communities and (b) the environment in developing countries. [7460]

All companies should operate within the laws of the country in which they are operating. UK companies operating in developing countries should be accountable to the Government and citizens of those countries. DFID recognises that, in many developing countries, the systems for monitoring and regulating business activity are weak. Our priority is to support countries' efforts to develop an appropriate legal framework, including protection of the environment and community rights, and to strengthen their capacity to enforce these laws. An example is the pathways to environmental action in Kenya where DFID supports work with local regulatory authorities and the private sector to find the best means of meeting environmental standards.

There are of course certain fundamental issues, such as respect for human rights, which are universal. At the global level, we encourage countries to sign up to the existing international agreements in this area—in particular, the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) guidelines for multinational enterprises, the global compact and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) core conventions on labour standards. At the international level, we are also working with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on their environmental and social safeguards revision process.

Improved reporting mechanisms also give UK companies the opportunity to report on their impacts both at home and abroad. The new operating and financial review, which applies to financial years beginning on or after 1 April 2005 requires quoted companies to report on factors affecting the performance and future prospects of their company. They will be required to consider their impacts on environmental and community matters if this is relevant to an assessment of the company. This is a step forward in ensuring greater corporate transparency and accountability.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the Commission for Africa's observations on the merits of using trade agreements to achieve growth and poverty reduction in developing countries. [6755]

The Government firmly believes that trade liberalisation through preferential, regional or multilateral agreements can play an important role in promoting economic growth and poverty reduction. As the Commission for Africa report highlights, it is essential that improvements are made to the supply capacity of African countries if they are to benefit fully from the potential gains that trade liberalisation brings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to allow company directors the discretion to forgo commercial advantage for ethical and public objectives. [7575]

Company law provides a flexible framework which can be used by both commercial companies and companies formed for an altruistic purpose. We will be codifying directors' general duties in our proposed Company Law Reform Bill. In the case of a commercial company, directors have a duty to promote the success of the company for the benefit of its members. This means that the directors should put commercial considerations first, but, in doing so, they should foster effective relationships with employees, customers and suppliers, and in the community more widely. They need to pay regard to the long run as well as the short term consequences of their actions. We believe that this approach can both drive long-term company performance and maximise overall competitiveness and ensure that directors pay regard to the company's impact on the community and the environment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many allegations of overseas bribery and corruption by British companies have been received by his Department since May 2004. [6481]

The Department of Trade and Industry has received one allegation of overseas bribery and corruption by a British company since May 2004, and ECGD have received two allegations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 13 June 2005, Official Report, columns 78–9W, on Export Credits Guarantee Department, when he expects to report on the consultation; and if he will make a statement. [6185]

holding answer 21 June 2005

The Export Credits Guarantee Department expects to report on the consultation in September 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government's response to the consultation, Estimating the Economic Cost of the ECGD to the DTI, will be published; and if he will make a statement. [6219]

The methodology to estimate the economic cost of ECGD, which was set out alongside Budget 2005, will be reviewed as part of, and published alongside, the 2006 Spending Review. Comments submitted by any interested party will continue to be taken into account before publishing the final method and economic cost figure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much the Export Credits Guarantee Department has allocated to (a) fossil fuel projects and (b) renewable energy in each of the last five years. [6797]

I refer the hon. Member for St. Ives to the answer given on 7 February 2005, Official Report, column 1263W. I will write to the hon. Member with up-to-date information as soon as it is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what issues he has asked the inspectors Messrs Guy Newey and Gervase MacGregor to investigate in their inquiry into MG Rover; whether he has asked them to limit their inquiry to specific areas; when he expects them to present their report to him; and whether he plans to publish the report. [6667]

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Lynne Jones) on 15 June 2005, Official Report, column 412W.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the implications of the proposed transfer of miners' compensation claims by the UDM from AMS Law Solicitors to Moss Solicitors in February. [7263]

The Department has not been informed by the UDM of any mass transfer of miners' compensation claims from AMS Law Solicitors to Moss solicitors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons his Department signed an agreement in 1999 on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with the Union of Democratic Mineworkers following the signing of the January 1999 agreement on vibration white finger with Vendside Ltd. [7267]

Vendside is wholly owned by the Union of Democratic Mineworkers. It makes no practical difference to the claims handling arrangements which of the two is named in them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to deal with monopsonies and oligopsonies with particular reference to (a) supermarkets, (b) disintermediation and (c) small shops. [7727]

The prime responsibility for operating our competition regime rests with the independent competition authorities. In the specific case of supermarkets it is the Office of Fair Trading, which is currently responsible for keeping under the review the Code of Practice governing supermarkets' relations with their suppliers and for dealing with any other competition issues in the sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is taking to support newly emerging renewable technologies other than onshore wind farms. [6906]

The Government are providing just over £500 million of support between 2002–08 to help develop emerging renewable and low carbon technologies. This will take the form of spending on R&D and funding for capital grants. Onshore wind is not eligible for capital grants, except in the case of small community schemes supported under Clear Skies.

Funding includes grants of £117 million for offshore wind, over £60 million for energy crops and biomass, £31 million for PV, £12.5 million for community schemes and as announced last year, £50 million for the setting up of a Marine Renewables Deployment Fund.

On 14 June, it was announced that a £40 million–four year funding package to support demonstrations of carbon abatement technologies (£25 million) and hydrogen and fuel cell technologies (£15 million).

Total public expenditure on research and development for renewable energy sources for 2003–04 was estimated at over £29 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on the implications of new planning guidelines for opencast mines in relation to meeting Scotland's future energy requirements. [6103]

None. At the Scottish Executive's invitation, officials commented on the draft Review of National Policy Guideline 16 before it was submitted to Scottish Executive Ministers ahead of the public consultation period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Tradeand Industry if he will bring forward legislation to make it illegal for a timeshare operation to dispose of timeshare development without offering full compensation based on the true value of each owner's holiday week. [7194]

I have no plans to bring forward legislation of the type described by the hon. Member. The conditions under which a timeshare resort owner is able to sell a resort will be a matter of the contracts he holds with the timeshare owners. The cross-border nature of the industry and the difficulties which this can cause in cases where individual timeshare owners feel they have a case to pursue against their resort supplier are such that issues of the type alluded to in the question are best considered in the European context.

I have written recently to Commissioner Kyprianou to urge him to ensure that the projected review of the operation and scope of the Timeshare Directive (implemented in the UK by the Timeshare Act 1992 as amended) is given urgent attention. Industry and consumer stakeholders will have the opportunity to present the Commission with evidence of failings in the regime in the course of the review, as will the Department and the Office of Fair Trading.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the risk to sea birds of placing a large wind farm in the Thames Estuary; and if she will make a statement. [7011]

The potential impacts of offshore wind farm projects are considered in detail during the process that determines whether to grant consent for those projects. In support of an application for consent, the applicant will undertake an assessment of a wide range of impacts of the project, the results of which will be submitted in the form of an environmental statement with the application.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will, in determining the application, consider the results of a wide ranging public consultation exercise on the applicant's assessment that will include English Nature and other relevant bodies as necessary.

The Department of Trade and Industry has commissioned and part-funded with Defra and wind farm developers, a comprehensive programme of aerial bird surveys in each of the three strategic areas used for Round 2 of offshore wind farm leasing including the Thames Estuary. The programme is already providing valuable information about bird populations in those areas which will be utilised by developers, regulators and consultees in their deliberations of wind farm impacts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the concessionary travel fare scheme for pensioners. [7334]

The Government will provide an extra £350 million in 2006–07 which they believe will be sufficient to fund the cost to local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the implications of the Crossrail project for the London Olympic Bid. [7347]

Discussions were held as part of preliminary work, before the decision to bid was made in May 2003. Crossrail is not, and never has been part of London's Olympic Bid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the West Midlands Rail Utilisation Strategy. [7348]

The document is currently being finalised and it will be published soon.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of current levels of evasion of the road fund tax. [7349]

Vehicle excise duty evasion is measured by annual roadside surveys of around 1 million vehicles. The 2004 survey indicated that vehicle excise duty evasion stood at 3.4 per cent. of the revenue due (around £129 million per annum).

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the introduction of a national road pricing system. [7350]

In line with their manifesto commitments, the Government are examining the potential of moving away from the current system of motoring taxation towards a national system of road pricing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work to begin to dual the A21 between Tonbridge and Pembury if the project is prioritised by the South East England Regional Assembly. [7352]

If the current regional prioritisation exercise should give this scheme a high priority the earliest that construction could start is 2008. In the meantime the Highways Agency will continue to develop the scheme towards publication of draft orders and, if necessary, public inquiry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the Highways Agency about plans to improve the A417 between Nettleton Bottom and Brockworth bypass, Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement. [7353]

Although the Secretary for State has had no recent discussions with the Highways Agency he is aware that the Agency has been developing this scheme. The scheme is not currently in the Government's Targeted Programme of Improvements.

The trunk road network has been divided into two categories: routes of national importance and routes of predominantly regional significance, with the intention of getting greater regional input into transport spending decisions. The A417 is an important regional road, so the next step will be for the South West Region Planning Body to advise where this scheme should rank alongside other transport schemes in the region. Ministers will then decide whether the scheme should be added to the programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the outcome of the noise hotspots assessment was for the (a) A38 Shobnall Road, (b) A38 Wyggeston, (c) M6 Western Downs, (d) A38 Branston and Ashmole—Branston B—Near A38 Junction and (e) A38 Branston and Ashmole—Branston A—Lichfield Road. [7684]

The A38 Wyggeston Road; M6 Western Downs between Junctions 12 and 13; and A38 Branston and Ashmole (sites A and B) are eligible for future funding as they meet some of the criteria. The A38 Shobnall Road received quieter noise resurfacing works as part of the Burton By-pass renewals scheme. This was completed January 2005.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport

(1) how many accidents occurred in each year between 1984 and 2004 on the A40 road between Carmarthen and St. Clears; [6910]

(2) how many accidents occurred in each year between 1984 and 2004 on the A40 road between St.Clears and Haverfordwest. [6911]

The information requested is shown in the following table. Figures for 2004 are not yet available.

Number of accidents (involving personal injury) on the A40: 1984–2003

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the impact on air displays of the proposed increase in fees for an Article 70 display permission; and if he will make a statement. [7060]

The Secretary of State has made no such assessment. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) commenced a 12 week consultation on proposals for its safety regulation charging schemes on Friday 10 June. This covers the charging period from 1 January 2006 to 31 March 2007. In due course, the CAA Board will seek the Secretary of State's approval for the revised schemes, as required by the Civil Aviation Act 1982.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to reduce pollution from aircraft. [6216]

The Government are committed to tackling pollution from aircraft. The measures we are taking are set out in Chapter 3 of The Future of Air Transport" White Paper. They include pressing for the inclusion of aviation in the European Union emissions trading scheme from 2008, or as soon as possible thereafter.

We have introduced the Civil Aviation Bill which clarifies and strengthens the measures available to airports for dealing with aircraft noise. This includes a greater ability to introduce and enforce noise amelioration measures beyond airport boundaries and an ability to impose penalties where aircraft stray from routes designed to minimise noise. The Bill also makes explicit the powers of airports to set charges which reflect local emissions from aircraft.

These plans build on Government action pressing for tighter international emissions standards, funding research and promoting sustainability within the sector.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Crossrail is exempt from the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. [7490]

Cross London Rail Links Ltd. (CLRLL) is not wholly owned by any one public authority, and as such is not covered by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA). I understand from CLRLL that the board of directors have undertaken that the company should behave as though it has to conform to the Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria were used to decide that the Romford Crossrail Depot Option required a dive-under. [7491]

Due to the high frequency of trains running at speeds of up to 80 miles per hour on the main lines past the proposed Crossrail depot, a grade separated crossing is required in order for Crossrail trains to enter and leave the depot and access the electric lines on which Crossrail services will operate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport

(1) on what train lines the Government is planning to introduce double-deck trains; [7797]

(2) whether the existing UK rail network can accommodate double-deck trains; [7798]

(3) what assessment the Government has made of the merits of (a) introducing double-deck trains and (b) lengthening platforms and adding extra carriages to trains. [7799]

The Department will be looking at a variety of options for increasing rail capacity both over the short term and the longer term. Among other options, this will include an assessment of the potential costs and benefits of using double-decker trains in the UK.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what central funding has been allocated to Durham county council roads budget in each year since 1997. [6884]

The Department has approved over £103 million of block funding to Durham county council between April 1997 and March 2005. Of this, £46.115 million was for capital maintenance, £35.697 million was for Integrated transport and £21.382 million was for major transport projects.

The funding provided to Durham county council over the above-mentioned period is shown in the following table.

Durham CC central funding for roads -- £ million

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met (a) the Strategic Rail Authority and (b) the British Airports Authority to discuss the future of the Gatwick Express; and if he will make a statement. [5036]

holding answer 16 June 2005

Officials from the Department for Transport and Strategic Rail Authority meet regularly to discuss the Brighton Mainline. They have also recently held a series of meetings with the British Airports Authority to specifically discuss the future of the Gatwick Express.