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Resource Accounting

Mr. Tim Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress his Department is making with the introduction of resource accounting and budgeting; and in respect of which financial year he expects to publish the first set of resource accounts. [4980]

Mr. Howard: My Department, on current plans, will be introducing its resource accounting capability during 1997-98 and, in common with other Departments, is preparing to implement resource budgeting in time to form the basis for the year 2000 public expenditure survey. As set out in Cm 2929, the first published resource accounts for the Department will be for the 1999-2000 financial year.

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Mr. Raghbir Singh

Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on (a) the retention in prison of Mr. Raghbir Singh and (b) the basis for his continued detention following the decision by the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Karanjit Singh Chahal. [5149]

Mr. Howard: These matters are under review and I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

Paedophile Register and Stalking Bills

Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when drafts of the proposed paedophile register Bill and the proposed stalking Bill were prepared; and when the Bills will be published. [5251]

Mr. Maclean: Preparation of the Bills is well advanced and we will introduce them as soon as possible.

Electronic Tagging

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of (a) men and (b) women who were electronically tagged in England and Wales as at 18 November. [5507]

Mr. Sackville: By 18 November, 202 male and 14 female offenders had been tagged to monitor their compliance with curfew orders since the pilot trials began in July 1995.

Dogs (Tail Docking)

Mr. Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to make illegal the docking of dog tails for non-veterinary reasons. [5404]

Mr. Sackville: There are no plans to do so.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

Environmental Auditing

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the ways in which his Department has (a) demonstrated by example and (b) promoted externally, the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through environmental auditing; and if he will make a statement. [4540]

Mr. Newton: The Privy Council Office has no direct responsibilities for environmental auditing. In common with other Departments, the office seeks to exercise economy in the use of resources and to minimise waste.

Resource Accounting

Mr. Tim Smith: To ask the Lord President of the Council what progress his Department is making with the introduction of resource accounting and budgeting; and in respect of which financial year he expects to publish the first set of resource accounts. [4990]

Mr. Newton: The Privy Council Office will be introducing its resource accounting system during 1997-98. In common with other Departments, the PCO is preparing to implement resource budgeting in time to

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form the basis for the year 2000 survey. As set out in Cm 2929, the first published resource accounts for the PCO and all other Departments will be in respect of the year 1999-2000.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Environmental Auditing

Mr. Martyn Jones: To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will list the ways in which the commissioners have (a) demonstrated by example and (b) promoted externally, the ability to improve efficiency and competitiveness through environmental auditing; and if he will make a statement. [4545]

Mr. Alison: Within their offices at No. 1 Millbank, the commissioners recycle aluminium cans and cardboard, and a paper recycling scheme is to be introduced by the end of the year. Where appropriate, the commissioners buy recycled materials. In addition, the heating system is computer controlled to minimise wastage and a heat recovery system is in operation. The commissioners are in the process of installing long-life, low-energy lamps throughout their offices.

The commissioners ensure that the needs of the environment and of the local community are properly taken into account in the management of their agricultural estates. On many of the commissioners' residential estates, heat loss--and thereby energy consumption--have been reduced by double glazing, draft proofing and loft insulation. Energy-saving light bulbs are used in the common parts of many buildings and, in conjunction with the Energy Saving Trust, they are installing energy-saving boilers which emit waste that is more environmentally friendly. They also maintain a number of communal gardens on their estates and paper re-cycling is carried out at one of the estate offices.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

European Union

Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of his Department's time and resources is spent dealing with administrative and policy matters connected with British membership of the European Union. [4955]

Mr. David Davis: Many Foreign and Commonwealth Office home departments and overseas posts are involved, to varying degrees, in activities related to Britain's membership of the European Union. The actual percentage of time and resources spent dealing with British membership of the European Union could be calculated only at disproportionate cost.

MEPs (Pensions)

Sir Peter Fry: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contributions are required from United Kingdom public funds for pensions of United Kingdom Members of the European Parliament;

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what qualifications are required for drawing such pensions; and to what extent increased pensions are financed through voluntary contributions. [4925]

Mr. David Davis: Pension arrangements for United Kingdom Members of the European Parliament are analogous to those for Members of the House of Commons. They are financed by the Exchequer and by contributions from individual MEP's at a rate of 6 per cent. of basic salary. Pensions are normally payable from age 65, based upon the MEPs, length of service and salary during the last 12 months in office. Opportunities are provided for MEPs to transfer service from other pension schemes, to purchase added years, and to make additional voluntary contributions, subject to Inland Revenue limits. Pension payments from UK public funds to former UK MEPs and dependants amounted to £159,000 in 1994-95, with a further £117,000 paid in transfer valued to other schemes.

MEPs may also subscribe to the EP's additional voluntary pensions scheme, two-thirds of payments to which are made from the EP section of the EC budget and one-third by the MEP. MEPs may draw a pension from this scheme from the age of 60 and after ceasing to hold office, if they have paid personal contributions for five years or more. The 1997 EC draft budget includes 11.6 million ecu, or £8.9 million, for EP payments to the scheme. The UK contribution is not hypothecated to individual budget lines, but expressed as a gross contribution to the total EC budget. The expected cost to the UK of abated expenditure such as administration is about 5 per cent. of the total.

Mr. MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the cost in the last 12 months of sending Ministers and officials to meetings in Brussels and elsewhere in Europe in connection with his Department's handling of EU business. [4945]

Mr. Davis: Journeys to European destinations are not recorded according to the purpose of the visit and the information requested could therefore be made available only at disproportionate cost.

Resource Accounting

Mr. Tim Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress his Department is making with the introduction of resource accounting and budgeting; and in respect of which financial year he expects to publish the first set of resource accounts. [4982]

Mr. Hanley: We are making good progress towards our aim of producing resource accounts for financial year 1998-99. As set out in Cm 2929, the first published resource accounts for this Department and all other Departments will be in respect of 1999-2000.

British Detainees (Venezuela)

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he took following the latest meeting between the hon. Member for Leicester, East and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to make representations to the Venezuelan Government concerning the cases of Paul Loseby and James Miles;

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when he was notified that Mr. Loseby and Mr. Miles were to be charged; and when consular officials last met Mr. James Miles and Mr. Paul Loseby. [5295]

Dr. Liam Fox: Following representations by the British ambassador in Caracas, the Venezuelan authorities have agreed that for the time being James Miles and Paul Loseby will be kept in police custody rather than being transferred to prison.

Consular officials in Caracas were told that Miles and Loseby were to be charged at 1900 hrs GMT on 19 November.

Consular officials last met James Miles and Paul Loseby on 19 November.

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