asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for January; and what are the major European Union events between 1 February and 20 June. [HL350]

See attached.To date we have received the detailed agendas for the following Council meetings in January:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What were the results of the consultation on the draft International Criminal Court Bill published on 25 August 2000. [HL349]

I have placed in the Library a report on the consultation which summarises the main points raised on the draft International Criminal Court Bill and how the Government are responding to them. The Government are most grateful to those noble Lords and others who gave comments. Valuable suggestions were received and many changes have been made to the Bill as a result.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their policy for the uprating of National Insurance retirement pensions received by United Kingdom citizens now living abroad; which are the countries of residence where uprating of such pensions takes place and which do not; and what principles govern the distinction made between the two categories of United Kingdom pensioners. [HL216]

United Kingdom state retirement pensions are paid anywhere in the world, to anyone who has fulfilled the contribution conditions, not only to UK nationals. Since they became payable world-wide in 1955, state retirement pensions have never been increased annually where people live permanently outside the UK, except in those countries which are either members of the European Economic Area or countries with which the UK has long-standing reciprocal social security agreements which allow for payment of upratings. These countries are listed below:EEA countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain (including the Balearic and Canary Islands), Sweden, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.Countries with the appropriate legislation: Barbados, Bermuda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Guernsey, Mauritius, Philippines, Israel, Jamaica, Jersey, Malta, Sark, Switzerland, Slovenia, Turkey, USA.No agreements providing for upratings have come into force in recent years and none is planned.Our priority is to focus the resources available on pensioners in the UK, especially those who are in greatest need. There are no plans to unfreeze pensions in countries where upratings are not payable.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans have been made to conduct a Quinquennial Review of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. [HL315]

The Government are today announcing the Quinquennial Review of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.Kew is managed by the Board of Trustees established by the National Heritage Act 1983 and has the status of an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body. We are today announcing the Quinquennial Review of this body which will evaluate its performance and status. The review also meets a commitment under the Government's Better Quality Services initiative, which requires departments to review their services and activities over a five-year period to decide how best to improve quality and value for money.The terms of reference for the review are as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the Government's proposals in response to the claim concerning the "View of Hampton Court Palace" by Jan Griffier the Elder at the Tate Gallery. [HL399]

My right honourable friend the Minister for the Arts has received the report, which is published today as a Parliamentary Paper, of the Spoliation Advisory Panel's examination of the claim in relation to the Griffier painting in the Tate Gallery. We welcome the panel's report and we will implement the recommendation which is addressed to us.In setting up the panel we recognised the duty to do what the Government can to play its part in righting these historic wrongs and the need to ensure that questions of ownership of works of art arising from the terrible events of the Nazi era are resolved. Although the report makes clear that the family, who wish to remain anonymous, have no legal title to the painting, and that there is no criticism whatsoever of the Tate Gallery, we accept the panel's advice that there is a moral strength to the claimant's argument and that, in the spirit of the Declaration of Principles agreed at the Washington Conference on Holocaust-Era Assets held in December 1998, this justifies an

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many licences to export new warships over 500 tonnes displacement have been granted to BAE Systems, or its predecessor yards, over the last 10 years, giving details of size and type in each case. [HL275]

Licences to export arms and other goods whose export is controlled for strategic reasons are issued by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry acting through DTI's Export Control Organisation (ECO). The ECO's computer databases have been searched for details of Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) issued between 1 January 1991 and 2 January 2001, and Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) issued between 1 January 1994 and 2 January 2001 to BAE Systems and Marconi (Projects) Ltd, using the Military List entries ML9 and PL5033, which relate to warships. Computer records for OIELs are only available from 1 January 1994. Before then, the ECO only kept paper records of OIELs, and it would entail disproportionate cost to examine these to determine which, if any, were issued to BAE Systems or its associated companies. The search has been carried out on BAE Systems and Marconi (Projects) Ltd in the light of the recent amalgamation of British Aerospace and Marconi Electronic Systems. However, this search may not cover all BAE Systems' predecessor yards. The ECO records the details of the company applying for a licence, and is able to amend its records or reissue a licence, as appropriate, in the event of a change of name or ownership. However, ECO does not systematically maintain records of such changes in name or ownership, and it is not therefore able to search its computer records to establish the information in the form requested.In the light of the search results, inquiries are being made under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. As confidential information is involved, the party concerned is being asked if it objects to its disclosure. I will write to the noble Lord in the light of the reponse, and will place a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are taking any steps to secure the continued publication of the Great Britain Bus Timetable until the national information scheme PTI 2000 is working to a high standard. [HL338]

The Great Britain Bus Timetable is a commercial venture by Southern Vectis and as such decisions about its future are a matter for the company. However, the Government regard the timetable as a useful tool for those travelling by bus around the country, and as a reference work for tourist information offices, libraries and so on. We have given financial support in the past, as have others in the transport industry, and would be disappointed if publication were to cease. DETR officials are in discussions with Southern Vectis about the options, in the light of other initiatives, including the advent of traveline (formerly PTI 2000).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether an aircraft has been selected to meet the requirement to replace the Sea Harrier FA2 and Harrier GR7 aircraft of the joint force Harrier. [HL379]

The MoD noted in the Strategic Defence Review that the US Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) was a strong contender to meet the requirement to replace the Sea Harrier FA2 and Harrier GR7 aircraft of the joint force Harrier in the early years of the next decade.In the light of further work on the various alternatives to meet the Future Carrier Borne Aircraft requirement, and of the successful progress of the JSF Concept Development phase, it has now been concluded that JSF is the option with the best potential to meet our needs. It has accordingly been decided to join the US as a collaborative partner in the next stage of the programme (Engineering and Manufacturing Development)—subject, of course, to the decisions of the incoming US Administration on the future of the programme.JSF is a single seat, supersonic aircraft, incorporating advanced "stealth" technology, capable of performing multi-role operations from aircraft carriers and land bases. Analysis of the available options demonstrated that, on a through life basis, JSF should meet most cost-effectively our military requirements. It promises to be an oustanding aircraft.