asked Her Majesty's Government:What, in their view, are the best ways of reducing noise caused by vehicles upon motorways and dual-carriageway trunk roads. [HL1213]

A wide variety of different measures are available to reduce the effect of road traffic noise and the most appropriate combination of measures will depend on the circumstances in each case. Options include quieter road surfaces, noise barriers, and in the case of new or improved roads, route alignment, landscaping and noise insulation. The Highways Agency considers all options as appropriate to the circumstances.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What surveys they have conducted since 1997 on ways of reducing noise from motorways and dual-carriageway trunk roads. [HL1214]

The Highways Agency is responsible for managing motorways and dual-carriageway trunk roads in England. The agency has undertaken surveys of traffic noise before and after the provision of noise mitigation measures at various locations since 1997. Surveys have included studies of a wide range of lower noise surfaces, and the effectiveness of noise absorptive, compared with reflective, barriers. A survey of the effectiveness of measures being provided under the ring-fenced budget is currently in progress.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What guidance is given by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on the best ways of reducing noise from motorways and dual-carriageway trunk roads. [HL1215]

The Highways Agency is responsible for managing motorways and dual-carriageway trunk roads in England. The agency has provided guidance on the use of lower noise surfaces and of noise barriers as methods of reducing traffic. This is published in the Highways Agency Design Manual for Roads and Bridges.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In which public inquiries held since 1990 have noise from motorways or dual-carriageway trunk roads been admitted in evidence. [HL1249]

Noise is an issue raised at most public inquiries for motorways and dual-carriageway trunk roads. For all major trunk roads schemes an Environmental Statement is prepared as evidence by the Highways Agency. This includes an assessment of noise impacts. The inquiry provides the opportunity for others to submit evidence on noise if they wish.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps they will take in preparation for the Earth Summit in 2002 to persuade developed countries to reduce their adverse social and environmental impact on developing countries. [HL1224]

In our contribution to international preparations for the World Summit for Sustainable Development (Rio + 10) in 2002, we are firmly committed to improving the nature of developed countries' impacts on developing countries to promote sustainable development in the whole. Examples of this approach include pursuing trade policy beneficial to developing countries as set out in last December's White Paper on Globalisation, Eliminating World Poverty: Making Globalisation Work, and pursuing more sustainable patterns of consumption and production through pressing for the early entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol and promotion of resource efficient technologies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the urban population of rats has increased since the introduction of plastic rubbish bags; and, if so, by what estimated percentages; and [HL957]Whether the urban population of foxes has increased since the introduction of plastic rubbish bags; and, if so, by what estimated percentage. [HL958]

The DETR does not have any specific data on the increase in the urban rat population since the introduction of plastic rubbish bags. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) report on Rodent infestations in domestic properties in England reports on the extent of rodent infestations using data collected in the DETR's 1996 English House Condition Survey (EHCS). A key finding is that 0.4 per cent of dwellings were infested by indoor rats and 1.7 per cent of dwellings affected by outdoor rats. The infestation rates were higher in urban areas and dwellings in areas with substantial problems such as dereliction, litter, vacant properties and scruffy gardens had a higher rate of infestation. There are no similar data available from the EHCS on foxes.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in the event of stocks of depleted uranium, or a differently named substance with the same properties, being held at a non-military base, there is a requirement on the company holding the stocks to notify the relevant local authority so that such information can be included in their emergency planning information. [HL1173]

The Health and Safety Commission and Executive are responsible for regulating the health and safety of people at work. Employers working with large quantities of radioactive substances where off-site emergency plans and arrangements to inform the public may be necessary must comply with the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 (IRR99), the Public Information for Radiation Emergencies Regulations 1992 (PIKER), and the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (NIA65, as amended, for nuclear licensed sites). This would include employers working with depleted uranium if the stock was sufficiently large.PIRER places a duty on employers that, where a radiation emergency is reasonably foreseeable and the public are likely to be in an area where they are liable to be affected by such an emergency, prior information is provided by the employer to members of the public. The approach is to consider, first, whether the quantities of radioactive substances are sufficient to require either an assessment under IRR99 or a review under licence conditions under NIA65, and second, to consider whether a radiation emergency could be considered to be reasonably foreseeable. Currently, the only sites requiring off-site emergency plans are nuclear sites and these plans are prepared by local authorities, who are also involved in the provision of information to the public.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the guidance from the Department of Health to those employers who have staff who work with depleted uranium products? [HL1174]

The Health and Safety Commission and Executive are responsible for regulating the health and safety of people at work. The Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 apply to any employer who works with ionising radiations, including depleted uranium.The aim of the regulations and the supporting approved code of practice and guidance is to help employers to establish a risk management framework so that exposure to ionising radiation is kept, not merely below the specified dose limits for individuals, but as low as is reasonably practicable. The guidance covers general precautions for staff who work with radioactive materials but it is not specific to work with depleted uranium products. Depleted uranium also has a recognised chemical toxicity and will be subject to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1999, and the associated approved code of practice and guidance.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there are any stores of depleted uranium, either known by that name or by another name but having the same properties as depleted uranium, being held in non-military bases in the United Kingdom. [HL1172]

Quantities of depleted uranium are held at licensed sites operated by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd and Urenco (mainly at Springfields and Capenhurst but also some stored as waste at UKAEA Harwell). Following processing and separation, depleted uranium is generally stored in the form of compounds of uranium (e.g. uranium oxide and uranium hexafluoride) rather than as depleted uranium metal.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In the light of the run-down of a major part of the nuclear industry by 2006, consequential upon the closing of Magnox and AGR power stations, what will be the resultant loss of capacity for producing electric power; and how will the shortfall be made up. [HL1178]

Her Majesty's Government's most recent set of energy projections— reported in Energy Paper 68, available in the Library of the House—embodies the assumption that nuclear capacity falls by around 1 gigawatt by 2005 and 3 gigawatts by 2010, compared with the current level of around 13 gigawatts. Figures for other years are not available. New generating capacity is expected to be added in the shape of combined cycle gas turbines and renewables. The nature of the replacement capacity will of course ultimately be a matter for the market, taking account of future expected trends in costs for different technologies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether a statement has been made under the Human Rights Act 1998 in connection with the Consolidated Fund (No. 2) Bill. [HL1342]

I have made a statement under Section 19(1)(a) of the Human Rights Act 1998 that, in my view, the provisions of the Consolidated Fund (No. 2) Bill are compatible with the convention rights. A copy of the statement has been placed in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the United Kingdom will insist that the Security Council adhere to the Settlement Plan for the Western Sahara and that the interpretation of provisions governing appeals is a mattter for the Appeal Chamber of the Identification Commission of the United Nations Mission for the Representation in Western Sahara (MINURSO), in accordance with the United Nations Operational Directives for the Implementation of the Appeals Process, endorsed previously by the Security Council. [HL622]

We fully support the continued efforts of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO) to implement the Settlement Plan and to bring peace to the region, and will continue to work for a just and durable settlement to the dispute. We encourage the parties to resolve the outstanding problems relating to the implementation of the Settlement Plan, and to work towards a mutually acceptable solution to their dispute.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale on 29 January (

The extension of enhanced co-operation to Pillar Two is strictly limited to the implementation of policies agreed by unanimity.

asked Her Majesty's Government:By what United Kingdom statute did the United Kingdom decide to participate in the activities of the Yugoslav War Crimes Tribunal. [HL1133]

The United Nations Act 1946 provides for measures to be taken in order to give effect to the United Kingdom's obligations under certain resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. An Order in Council (S.I. No. 716/1996) was made under the 1946 Act to implement Security Council Resolution 827 (1993), which established the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have for encouraging the restoration of multi-party democracy in Swaziland. [HL1179]

We have over the last year funded projects in Swaziland to promote good governance and media freedom. These included a Conference on Good Governance, held in June 1999, and assistance to Swazi periodicals which regularly raise issues of governance in Swaziland.We have regular contact with the Government of Swaziland, MPs, NGOs and the media to monitor the situation and draw attention to issues of concern. Our High Commissioner recently wrote an article for the local press publicising DfID's strategy papers on human rights and setting out how our human rights policy is to be realised.Our High Commission will continue with these activities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any components for the repair and maintenance of military DROPS trailers used by the Irish contingent in KFOR have been supplied recently. [HL1254]

We are happy to approve an export licence for the supply of goods needed for the repair and maintenance of military DROPS trailers used by the Irish contingent of KFOR. The goods will assist KFOR in the valuable work they are doing reconstructing a peaceful Kosovo.The goods appear on the UK's Military List. UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1160 (1998) prohibits the sale or supply of arms and related materiel to the FRY. However, UNSCR 1244 (1999) provides that the prohibition imposed by UNSCR 1160 shall not apply to arms and related materiel for the use of the international civil and security presences in Kosovo.

asked Her Majesty's Government:If they will make a statement on the situation in Southern Serbia and Macedonia. [HL1313]

The Yugoslav Army (VJ) and ethnic Albanian extremist groups in Southern Serbia agreed a ceasefire brokered by NATO on 12 March. The agreement provides for the unconditional cessation of all military activities and use of force by either side. The Commander of KFOR (COMKFOR) retains his authority over the 5km Ground Safety Zone on the Kosovo/Serbia boundary. On Macedonia the situation remains tense. KFOR is providing support to the Macedonian authorities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to publish the text of the Treaty of Nice as signed on 26 February. [HL1314]

A Command Paper containing the Treaty of Nice as signed on 26 February was published today as Cm 5090. Copies are available from the Vote Office and the Printed Paper Office.For the first time in generations, there is a real prospect of uniting Europe. The Treaty of Nice brings this goal closer by reforming the EU's institutions to enable them to operate effectively after the accession of up to 12 new member states.The treaty increases the relative weight of Britain's vote in the Council of Ministers and raises the threshold for a qualified majority. The democratic legitimacy of decisions taken by qualified majority voting is assured by the addition of a population threshold, which means that the three largest member states (including the UK) can still block decisions together. In addition a qualified majority must have the support of at least the majority of member states.The treaty delivers a reformed Commission, with one Commissioner per member state from 2005 up to a maximum of 27. It proposes more qualified majority voting where this is in Britain's interests, and preserves the veto in areas where the Government said we would.It allows groups of member states to move ahead faster in some areas where it is clear that not all are ready to, provided that this co-operation meets the conditions we secured to protect the Single Market, prevent discrimination in trade between member states, ensure compatibility with existing agreements and guarantee that co-operation is open to all.A declaration to the treaty looks forward to a wide public debate about the future of the European Union. A further Intergovernmental Conference will be held in 2004 to make changes arising from this debate. Public consultation was launched on 7 March.In making the institutional changes necessary for the accession of new member states, the Nice Treaty opens the way for enlargement of the EU. This has been the goal of successive governments for the sake of the peace, stability, and prosperity of Europe.The Nice Treaty cannot enter into force until all member states have ratified it in accordance with their national procedures. The Government intend to introduce legislation to enable the UK to ratify the Nice Treaty as soon as it is practically possible.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider it to be in the public interest that beef should be imported from Germany. [HL881]

The Government are advised on matters of food safety by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).Beef from European Union member states may be imported freely into the United Kingdom under the rules of the single European market. From a food safety perspective, it must have been produced in accordance with the requirements of the Fresh Meat Directive (Directive 64/433/EEC), and those of Commission Decision 2000/418/EC on specified risk material controls that came into effect on 1 October 2000. Imported beef from other member states is also subject to EU Trade Regulation 2777/2000, which bans the sale of beef from animals aged over 30 months at time of slaughter except those which have been tested negative for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). This regulation came into effect on 1 January 2001. Moreover, the Fresh Meat (Beef Controls) (No 2) Regulations 1996, as amended, (and the equivalent in Northern Ireland) prohibits the sale for human consumption of beef from any animal aged over 30 months at the time of slaughter, with exemptions only for animals from specifically identified grass-fed herds in the United Kingdom, and for animals from 14 non-European Union countries that have traditionally supplied the UK and in which there has been no history of BSE. This legislation therefore applies to beef imported from other member states as well as to home produced beef.The recent cases of imported German beef found to have SRM still attached have been taken up with the European Commission and with the German national authorities. Two German abattoirs have had their licences to produce meat (both for their home and export markets) suspended by the relevant German authorities. In the UK, the Meat Hygiene Service (and its equivalent in Northern Ireland) has been instructed to check every single consignment of imported carcass beef from Germany which is received at licensed meat plants in the UK.Given the EU and domestic controls that are in place and the increased level of checks on beef imported into the UK from Germany, the FSA does not consider that a ban on further imports of beef from Germany is justified or warranted on public health grounds.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the maximum time from referral by a consultant that a patient should have to wait to receive (a) an MRI scan, (b) a CT scan, (c) an EMG (nerve conduction studies), and (d) a bone scan; and [HL1140]

There is no recommended maximum waiting time from referral by a consultant to receipt of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan, Computerised Tomography (CT) scan, nerve conduction studies (EMG) or bone scan. The waiting time at Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust for some of these investigations has improved over the past six months (since August 2000). For example CT scans have improved to four weeks from 13 weeks. However, how long patients wait should depend on their clinical need. We do acknowledge that some patients can wait a long time for tests. Through initiatives such as the National Booked Admissions Programme, the Cancer Services Collaborative and the Coronary Heart Disease Partnership Programme, we are encouraging hospitals to streamline their services so that tests are carried out, and a diagnosis made, as quickly as possible.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether a sausage made in England of pork imported from Denmark may be described as English; and [HL1193]Whether rashers of bacon cut and packed in England from a side of bacon imported from Denmark may be described as English; and [HL1194]Whether a pastie made in Devon from imported lamb may be described as either Cornish or English; and [HL1195]Whether a sausage made in England of beef imported from Germany may be described as English. [HL1192]

Government guidelines issued last year make clear that if the place of origin of a food is not the same as the place of origin of its ingredients, additional information may need to be provided on the label to avoid misleading consumers. Failure to do this may result in contravention of existing legislation governing false and misleading labelling and presentation. The guidelines make clear in particular that products containing meat should not be described as "British" if they contain imported meat, but could be described as "made in Britain from" with either a specific (e.g. "German" or "Danish") or general (e.g. "imported") indication of the origin of the meat ingredients they contain.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How total public expenditure on health care compares between the United Kingdom and France, in terms of (a) per capita expenditures; and (b) percentage of gross national product. [HL1199]

The following table provides figures for public expenditure on health care in 1999.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 12 March (

If a patient is suspected of having a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) then all 31 Accident and Emergency Departments in London will have staff available 24 hours, seven days a week to diagnose this condition, and treatment will commence. The 25 hospitals referred to in my Answer of 12 March (WA 62) will have staff on call to operate the equipment to confirm this diagnosis. As is normal National Health Service practice, if a member of staff is not on site but is on call, he or she will be contacted if it is deemed clinically necessary.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill, which defines an Internet Service Provider (ISP) as a publisher, is concordant with Article 12 of the Electronic Commerce Directive, which defines an ISP as a "mere conduit" of information, and with Article 15 of that directive, which states that ISPs have no obligation to monitor content and are not liable for it. [HL1232]

The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill does not define Internet Service Providers (ISPs) as publishers but provides a defence in certain circumstances if a court were to hold that an ISP had published a tobacco advertisement. We believe that the Bill is fully compatible with the Electronic Commerce Directive. It provides appropriate defences for ISPs in circumstances where they are unaware that they are handling a tobacco advertisement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 28 February (

The principal safeguard of the authenticity of organic food lies in the organic certification system, established by Regulation (EEC) 2092/91 and administered by the UK Register of Organic Food Standards, for which the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has responsibility. It is the responsibility of local authorities to verify organic claims at the retail level.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What response they have made to the representations by Professor Michael Banner, a senior Government adviser on vCJD, on the Department of Health's attitude to and support for the vCJD Incident Panel, and to his allegation that Ministers have been misleading the public on the risks of vCJD; and what action they will be taking. [HL583]

A response to Professor Banner's representations has been made through a letter of 21 February 2001 from the Chief Medical Officer. Professor Banner is a recently appointed Chairman of a sub-committee; he is not a member of the main Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC), which advises the Government on vCJD and BSE.The letter from the Chief Medical Officer points out that the panel was established to advise on incidents involving the potential transmission of CJD or vCJD through clinical interventions. The role of the panel as a sub-group of the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP)/Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) Joint Working Group, is to advise health authorities on the appropriate action to be taken on specific incidents involving clinical interventions on patients who went on to develop CJD or vCJD.SEAC at their meeting on 28 November were informed about the key elements of the strategy to protect patients against possible vCJD risk that was to be announced on 4 January 2001. The extract from the SEAC public statement describes this discussion as follows:"The Committee were informed of the Department of Health's strategy to combat the theoretical and presently unquantifiable risk of person to person transmission of vCJD via surgical instruments. A major initiative had been launched to improve standards of washing, decontamination and general hygiene, earlier identified by the Committee to be key steps in reducing risk. This would take some time to yield results. In the meantime, single use instrument sets for tonsillectomies were likely to be introduced in the first instance.The Committee welcomed the overall risk reduction strategy and the advances being made on decontamination. The committee also endorsed the concept of using tonsillectomy as a pilot scheme to see how single-use instruments would work in practice. In addition, the Committee recommended that the introduction of single-use instruments for other higher risk procedures should not be abandoned; that instrument labelling and tracking should be improved; that the monitoring of decontamination procedures should be both frequent and robust; and that it would be desirable for the reforms outlined to encompass private and military hospitals as well as the NHS."

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the key performance targets for the Court Service executive agency for 2001–02. [HL1312]

The table below illustrates the key performance targets that I have set the Court Service for 2001–02: