asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they share the views on Serbia, Macedonia and Kosovo of Mr Bodo Hombach, special co-ordinator of the Stability Pact for South East Europe, including those expressed in the

We welcome the engagement of the Stability Pact in helping to resolve the problems of south east Europe and share many of the views expressed by Mr Hombach in the International Herald Tribune article of 13 March.The UK is an active participant in the Stability Pact for South East Europe which works to increase stability in the region through co-operation on economic and democratic development.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any new diplomatic posts have been opened over the past four years; and whether there are plans to open new diplomatic posts overseas. [HL1344]

See below.Since 1997, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has opened the following posts to support the delivery of the foreign policy objectives my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary set out on coming to office.

Posts with resident UK-based staff
Banja Luka (Bosnia-Herzegovina) (1997)	British Embassy Office
Chongqing (China) (2000)	Consulate General
Denver (USA) (2000)	Consulate
Dilj (East Timor) (2000)	British Office
Gothenburg (Sweden) (2000)	Consulate General
Pristina (Kosovo FRY)	British Office
(2000)

In addition, the British Trade Office in Hong Kong became a Consulate General in 1997.

Posts with resident locally engaged staff only
Lome (Togo) (1998)	Consulate
Calgary (Canada) (1999)	British Trade Office
Fukuoka (Japan) (1999)	Consulate
Ahmedabad (India) (2000)	British Trade Offices
Bamako (Mali) (2000)	Consulate

Bhopal (India) (2000)	British Trade Office
Conakry (Guinea) (2000)	Consulate
Goa (India) (2000)	British Trade Office
Hyderabad (India) (2000)	British Trade Office
Port-au-Prince (Haiti) (2000)	Consular Office
Pune (India) (2000)	British Trade Office

In addition, the following posts have been upgraded from ones with only locally engaged staff to ones with resident UK-based staff:

Bangalore (India) (1999)	British Trade Office
Nagoya (Japan) (1999)	Consulate
Monterrey (Mexico) (2000)	Consulate

As a direct result of the additional resources secured in the spending review last year, we are able to announce that we shall open three new embassies with resident UK-based staff in capital cities in the near future:Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan)Chisinau (Moldova)Pyongyang (Democratic People's Republic of Korea)In addition, we shall upgrade the posts in Bamako (Mali) and Asmara (Eritrea) to UK-staffed posts from the LE posts currently open; and upgrade the post in Lahore (Pakistan) to an entry clearance operation from a British trade office. Pakistan is a country where we are already well represented but Lahore is a city where we now need a stronger presence.Upgrading the post in Bamako will allow HMG to engage further with the Malian Government and to continue with our efforts to secure peace and stability within West Africa.Upgrading the post in Asmara will be a cost-effective means of engaging more effectively with the Eritrean Government, promoting growing trade opportunities for British business and providing improved consular and visa services.Opening in Bishkek will allow HMG to build up a strong bilateral relationship with the Kyrgyz Government and better to promote stability in the strategically important region.In Chisinau, an Embassy will allow HMG to work with the Moldovan Government and keep a close watch on the Transdniestria conflict.In December my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary announced the establishment of diplomatic relations with the DPRK. Opening an embassy in Pyongyang will allow HMG to engage fully with the DPRK, improving our capacity to analyse political, economic and social developments and to help support recent positive developments in inter-Korean relations.These new post openings mean that, net of closures, we shall since 1997 have expanded our diplomatic network of posts with resident UK-based staff by 12, in addition to having new locally-staffed offices in a further 10 cities (net of closure, seven) This strengthening of our global network will enable us better to promote UK interests and a strong world community.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have ceased to fund the Romania Information Centre at Southampton University without allowing any time for the recommended exit policy to be implemented; and, if so, why. [HL1098]

We have tried over a long period to move the Romania Information Centre to a position where it could sustain itself financially. Funding could not continue indefinitely.Romania faces many challenges to reduce poverty in the country. We are working closely with the new government and the international community to help them. The agenda set out in our published Country Strategy Paper in October 1999 is being taken forward and progress on it was recently reviewed with the Romanian authorities.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What arrangements they have put in place to ensure that all their international development policies and programmes contribute positively to sustainable development; and what performance indicators and targets they have established in this regard. [HL1222]

Sustainable development is one of the International Development Targets (IDTs) which the Government have made the centre of their development policy. DfID has recently published a document Achieving Sustainability: Poverty Elimination and the Environment as a strategy paper on how DfID and the international community should achieve the IDT on sustainable development by 2015.DfID is helping formulate guidance on the principles of sustainable development planning, together with other donors and a number of developing countries, through the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD. A draft is due to be considered by the DAC High Level Ministerial meeting on 25/26 April and fed into the preparatory process for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Jo'burg, 2002). DfID is also supporting a number of developing country partners, for example Uganda and South Africa, in applying the principles for sustainable development planning.DfID's Public Service Agreement for 2001–04 is based on achieving the IDTs. Objective II is to promote sustainable development through co-ordinated UK and international action, including by gaining international agreement on the integration of social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainable development into poverty reduction programmes. The new Service Delivery Agreement says how we intend to deliver this objective: by developing, and securing wide international agreement to, guidance on the principles of strategic planning for sustainable development by end–2001; and successfully integrating these principles into government, multilateral and DfID policies and programmes in 10 key DfID partner countries by early 2004, including agreed approaches to water resources management and capacity building for environmental management.Copies of the Public Service Agreement and Service Delivery Agreement are in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have to increase the size of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate. [HL1380]

This has been under consideration for some time as a means of ensuring the efficient and effective implementation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which provides for the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. We are pleased to announce that the existing complement of 21 inspectors will be increased to 33 over the next three financial years.The extra 12 inspectors will result in a substantial and unprecedented level of inspectorate staffing. This will lead to more inspections to ensure compliance with licence conditions and will enable applications for authorities under the 1986 Act to be dealt with more efficiently, without compromising the quality of advice offered by the inspectorate. Furthermore, the Home Office will be able to become more proactive in raising standards of animal care and welfare, and to play a greater role in developing and promoting strategies of "replacement, reduction and refinement".The cost of the additional inspectors will in due course have to be reflected in licence fees paid by those conducting animal research.We hope that the scientific community and animal welfare organisations, and the general public, will welcome this important announcement. It is a practical demonstration of the Government's commitment to ensure that, for as long as there is a need to use animals in scientific research, the legislation to protect them is applied to maximum effect.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why, and on what basis, they claim that proposals for annuity reform would cost "many hundreds of millions of pounds" (Red Book, Budget 2001, HC 279, paragraph 5.67, page 95); and how such heavy costs would arise. [HL1250]

Relaxing the existing requirement to purchase an annuity would provide an incentive for some to use pension schemes for purposes other than providing a secure income throughout retirement. Costs will vary depending on the nature of any reforms, including what level of income must first be secured and what tax charge is applied to withdrawals above that level. Proposals for tax-free withdrawals could cost billions of pounds a year in lost income tax and extra tax relief.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any research has been undertaken into the possibility of the foot and mouth virus being spread from unburnt carcasses and in the updraught caused by the fire in another part of a heap of carcasses of infected animals; and, if not, whether they will undertake such research. [HL1190]

Current veterinary advice is that once rigor mortis sets in, most of the virus carried inside an infected animal diminishes very quickly. Carcasses are soaked in disinfectant and the conditions of cremation are such that the virus which remains in areas like the spine or bone marrow will be destroyed before it can be dispersed by the plumes from the pyre.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the seasonality of birth of confirmed BSE bovines is the same as that for United Kingdom bovines generally; if not, what are the differences; and what explanations are considered possible. [HL1233]

The seasonality of the month of birth of BSE suspects reflects the general calving pattern. There is no identified variation in the risk of an animal contracting BSE associated with months of birth.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that public bodies which distribute funds to the governing bodies of sporting organisations which cover a number of separate disciplines should treat each discipline separately, especially where one or more of the disciplines is significantly more prosperous and appealing to spectators. [HL1013]

The delivery of the Government's financial support to sport and active recreation is primarily channelled through the sports councils, Sport England and UK Sport, which are both sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and through the Sports Councils for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which are sponsored by the Home Departments of the Scottish Executive and National Assemblies of Wales and Northern Ireland. The councils in turn dispense these funds according to their own individual policies and priorities to many governing bodies of sport and a number of other representative bodies.Applications for support from both the Exchequer and from the lottery are carefully considered by the sports councils on a case by case basis. Where an application is received from a governing body which covers a number of different disciplines, the sports councils give consideration to treating disciplines within the same sport (or under the jurisdiction of the one governing body) differently.As part of the application process, one of the criteria the sports councils will consider is the wealth and financial position of the sport, and the capabilities of different disciplines within a sport to raise revenue based upon profile and opportunity.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many representations the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has received from the commercial sector concerning the BBC's proposed new digital channels for television (a) in written form, (b) through formal ministerial meetings, or (c) through informal ministerial meetings; and which companies were involved on each case. [HL1158]

The department has received the following 38 written representations, including a number from commercial organisations:

• Artsworld Channels Ltd
• Broadcasters Entertainment Cinematograph & Theatre Union
• Broadcasting Standards Commission
• BSkyB
• Carlton Communication PLC
• Channel 4
• Channel 5
• Children 2000
• Chrysalis Radio
• Commercial Radio Companies Association
• Deaf Broadcasting Council
• Digital Open
• Discovery Network Europe
• Fox Kids Europe Ltd
• Granada plc
• Greater London Authority
• GWR Group
• History Channel
• Independent Television Commission
• ITV Network
• Kashmiri Association of Viewers and Listeners
• MTV Networks International
• Musician's Union
• MXR Limited
• National Consumer Council
• National Union of Journalists
• Nickelodeon
• NMP—Anti Racist Trust
• National Viewers & Listeners Association
• Ondigital
• Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television
• Performance—The Arts Channel
• Public Voice
• Radio Authority
• Telewest
• Turner Broadcasting System International
• Walt Disney Television Channel
• Voice of the Listener and Viewer

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State met delegations of commercial companies on 21 February and 12 March to hear their views on the BBC's proposals.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they accept that the provision of new public service, licence fee funded, digital channels could affect the take-up of digital television and radio throughout the United Kingdom. [HL1162]

As my right honourable friend the Secretary of State made clear on 21 February 2000 when announcing the outcome of the BBC funding review, the Government accept the Davies Panel's view that the provision by the BBC of high quality free-to-air digital services could affect the take-up of digital television. We believe this is equally true of digital radio.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How they respond to the recommendations of the British Tourism Authority's report,

The Government welcomes the First Impressions report and would like to see as much of it implemented as possible.The Minister for Tourism, Film and Broadcasting, Janet Anderson, has set up a working group of industry representatives and government officials to determine the priorities and responsibilities for encouraging the implementation of the report's recommendations.The group, whose first meeting took place on 7 March, is chaired by Veronica Palmer, a board member of the British Tourist Authority and Director-General of the Confederation of Passenger Transport.

asked Her Majesty's Government:On what basis their removal from the English Tourism Council of a marketing role for England complies with the provisions of Section 2 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969. [HL1202]

The Development of Tourism Act 1969 gave the then English Tourist Board the function of encouraging people to visit England and people living in England to take their holidays there. This Government did not remove that marketing role when we set up the English Tourism Council in 1999. We changed its remit so that it can now focus on being a strategic centre of excellence and is no longer charged with delivering services directly. It continues to carry out its legal function by retaining a strategic policy overview of marketing, providing market research and advising on best practice. It has, for instance, introduced a new England tourism brand, following extensive consultation with the industry, and published a related brand guide.However, the English Tourism Council has neither been asked nor funded to carry out promotion campaigns. To do so would substantially alter the role assigned to England's national tourism body after the Comprehensive Spending Review and the publication of

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Written Answer by Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 12 March (

Members of the working group set up to determine the priorities and responsibilities for encouraging the implementation of the recommendations in the British Tourist Authority's First Impressions report are as follows:

• Veronica Palmer, board member of the British Tourist Authority and Director-General, Confederation of Passenger Transport (in the chair)
• Frances Ackland, Assistant Director, UK Immigration Service
• Jonathan Edwards, Aviation Directorate, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
• Sue Garland, Deputy Chief Executive, British Tourist Authority
• Bill Gibbons, Director, Passenger Shipping Association
• Alistair Howie, Tourism Division, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
• Keith Jowett, Chief Executive, Airport Operators Association
• George Muir, Director-General, Association of Train Operating Companies
• Brian Summers, Managing Director, Birmingham International Airport
• Richard Tobias, Chief Executive, British Incoming Tour Operators Association
• Claudia Webbe, Advisor on Cultural Policy, The Mayoral Office
• David Whitehead, Director, British Ports Association
• Roger Wiltshire, Secretary General, British Air Transport Association

The group will report progress to the Minister for Tourism, Film and Broadcasting by March 2002 on the initiatives that have been developed to improve the welcome received by overseas visitors at British ports of entry.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What are the key performance targets for the Public Record Office executive agency for 2001–02. [HL1345]

The following tables set out the key performance targets my noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor has set for the Public Record Office for 2001–02.PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE:KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 2001–02

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made on tackling social exclusion. [HL1381]

The Social Exclusion Unit has published a report, Preventing Social Exclusion, which sets out the Government's approach to tackling social exclusion and the results that have been delivered so far in preventing social exclusion, reintegrating those who become excluded, and delivering basic minimum standards. It is a long-term approach, but clear results are now coming through:1 million more people are in work and claimant unemployment has fallen to below 1 million for the first time since 1975. Unemployment has fallen fastest in the most deprived areas;educational achievement is improving—higher standards than ever before for 11 year-olds in English and maths, with a 10 and 13 per cent improvement in each subject respectively between 1998 and 2000;More than a million children have been lifted out of poverty;Overall crime is falling and burglary is down by a quarter since 1997.Clear results are also coming through on the specific topics tackled by the Social Exclusion Unit:a fall in the numbers of rough sleepers of over a third between June 1998 and June 2000;