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European Commission

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Prime Minister how many and what percentage of people working for the European Commission are British. [64401]

The Prime Minister: There are 1,172 Britons working as permanent officials of the European Commission. This equals 7 per cent. of the total work force.

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Prime Minister what percentage of people in the higher European Commission Civil Service positions are British. [64402]

17 Dec 1998 : Column: 649

The Prime Minister: The percentage of permanent officials in the higher grades of the European Commission who are British is 9 per cent. This can be further broken down into the following grades: 'A' Grade (graduate administrators)--11 per cent., 'LA' Grade (linguistic)--10 per cent.; and 'B' Grade (executive officers)--6 per cent.

Fox Hunting

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Prime Minister what plans the Government have to (a) introduce legislation relating to fox hunting and (b) provide opportunities for legislation relating to fox hunting. [64483]

The Prime Minister: We have kept fully to our Manifesto commitment on this issue, which was to allow a free vote. Members made their views clear with a huge majority in favour of banning hunting. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has met with my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr. Foster) and others to look at ways of dealing with this issue.

The Government's priority is to ensure the successful passage of the full legislative programme which was set out in the Queen's Speech.

Correspondence

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library his response to the letter of 25 November to him from Michael Stone, former head of the United Nations Multidisciplinary Observer Unit, Iraq. [62796]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 7 December 1998]: A copy of the reply to Mr. Stone's letter will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Sure Start

Mr. Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to introduce the Sure Start programme in Northern Ireland. [64143]

Mr. McFall: Present expenditure plans do not include provision for the introduction of the Sure Start programme in Northern Ireland. However, the Government are already doing a great deal in Northern Ireland to develop improved support systems for families with young children and a consultation exercise early next year on the Northern Ireland Childcare Strategy will seek views from a wide range of interests about how programmes for families with young children might best be further developed here. It will then be for the Northern Ireland Assembly to decide on the way forward.

Partnership Areas

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for district partnership areas in the last financial year (a) the spending on community businesses and (b) the percentage of the productive investment budget this represents. [64210]

17 Dec 1998 : Column: 650

Mr. Paul Murphy: The information requested is as follows:

Partnership	£
1. Antrim Borough Partnership	0
2. The Ards Partnership	77,810
3. Armagh City and District Partnership	0
4. Ballymena Partnership	26,028
5. Ballymoney District Partnership	25,725
6. Banbridge District Partnership	9,750
7. Belfast European Partnership Board	0
8. Carrickfergus Together	0
9. Castlereagh Partnership	0
10. Coleraine Borough Partnership	0
11. Cookstown District Partnership	0
12. Craigavon District Partnership	30,900
13. Derry District Partnership	0
14. Down District Partnership	92,226
15. Fermanagh Partnership	233,195
16. Larne Partnership	39,000
17. Limavady Partnership	0
18. Lisburn Partnership	0
19. Magherafelt Partnership	0
20. Moyle Partnership	27,249
21. Newry and Mourne	31,000
22. Newtownabbey Partnership	0
23. North Down Partnership	0
24. Omagh District Partnership	113,600
25. South Tyrone Partnership	0
26. Strabane District Partnership	285,000

In the first tranche of funding, the Productive Investment allocation was an indicative percentage of the total (£41 million). At 18 per cent., it represents approximately £7,380,000 over 3 years (this figure is approximate, taking into account Exchange Rate Fluctuations).The figures shown for District Partnerships in one year (£991,483) represents only 13.43 per cent. of the budget, but the budget is indicative only, and the figures only relate to one year.

Military Strategy

Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what dates since April Ministers attended meetings at which the review of military strategy in Northern Ireland was an agenda item, indicating which of these meetings were attended by (a) the Chief Constable of the RUC and (b) the General Officer Commanding. [64211]

Mr. Ingram: Military strategy is considered at many of the frequent formal and ad hoc meetings and contacts the Secretary of State has with the Chief Constable and GOC. Naturally these in no way prejudice the operational independence of the Chief Constable, supported by the GOC.

Hospitals (Capital Expenditure)

Mr. Maginnis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much capital expenditure on what dates and for what purposes has been made at (a) the South Tyrone Hospital and (b) the Craigavon Area Hospital since April 1991. [64265]

Mr. McFall: Prior to April 1993 in the case of Craigavon Hospital, and April 1996 in the case of South Tyrone Hospital, the Southern Health and Social Services Board was responsible for capital expenditure in minor

17 Dec 1998 : Column: 651

works and equipment in its area where the cost was below £1 million. From these dates, the responsibility has been delegated to the Trusts for determining priorities for local investment, up to £0.5 million, out of their general capital provision. Details of individual items below the delegated limits are not available centrally.

In April 1993 an allocation of £1.25 million was made to the Southern Health and Social Services Board for replacement of the main theatres in the South Tyrone Hospital.

Craigavon Hospital currently has a major capital project which involves recladding of the exterior of the building. This project started in mid-1994 and is due to finish in 2002. The current estimate of the total cost of the project is £14.5 million.

Capital expenditure on the project in each financial year by the Craigavon Area Hospital Group Trust is as follows:

£ million

Financial year	Amount
1994-95	0.250
1995-96	0.877
1996-97	2.669
1997-98	2.970
1998-99	4.680
Total	11.446

DEFENCE

Nerve Gas Attacks (Japan)

Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the clinical data on the long-term health effects on the victims of the nerve gas attacks on the Tokyo subway and Matsumato in 1994 and 1995; if his Department has reached any conclusions; and if he will make a statement. [63841]

Mr. Spellar: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 17 December 1998:

I have been asked to reply to your question about the clinical assessment of the long-term health effects on the victims of the nerve gas attacks on the Tokyo subway and Matsumato in 1994 and 1995. Although the Ministry of Defence and the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector (CBD) of DERA at Porton Down are aware of both the incidents and the acute toxic effects of sarin experienced in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, we have not undertaken a clinical assessment of the potential long-term effects of these attacks.

However, staff at CBD understand that Japan has instigated a long term follow-up programme to monitor the individuals who were involved in these incidents and it is anticipated that results from this programme will be published in due course.

I hope that this is helpful.

Porton Down

Mr. Livingstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many papers in the Technical Memoranda

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series of technical papers produced by the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment, Porton Down, are currently unclassified; when the series of papers (a) started and (b) finished; and how many papers have so far been produced in the series. [63933]

Mr. Spellar: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief executive to write to my hon. Friend.

Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Ken Livingstone, dated 17 December 1998:

I have been asked to reply to your question about the Technical Memorandum series of technical papers produced by the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of the Defence evaluation and Research Agency at Porton Down. This series of internal technical reports started in September 1980 and finished in June 1994. It contains over 100 reports, of which 17 are unclassified.

I hope that this is helpful.

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