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TREASURY

Working Families Tax Credit

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what market research and polling has been carried out into the working families tax credit. [80886]

Dawn Primarolo: The Government have not undertaken any market research or polling of WFTC.

VAT (Finance) Order 1999

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the compatibility of the VAT (Finance) Order 1999 with the Sixth VAT Directive following the ruling by the VAT Tribunal on the FDR case on 20 April. [82661]

Dawn Primarolo: The Order reflects the provisions of EC law better than its predecessor, and is based on extensive consultation with the VAT authorities in other Member States and the European Commission. We are satisfied that it fully complies with European law. We are confident that it would be found to be compatible with the Sixth EC VAT Directive were such a question to be referred to the European Court of Justice.

Mr. Whittingdale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he intends to repeal the VAT (Finance) Order 1999 following the ruling by the VAT Tribunal on the FDR case on 20 April; and if he will make a statement. [82660]

Dawn Primarolo: No.

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Sudden Death Syndrome

Mr. David Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many deaths have been reported from sudden death syndrome for under 25 year-olds in each of the last five years. [82082]

Ms Hewitt: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

Letter from Tim Hold to Mr. David Taylor, dated 29 April 1999:

As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to answer your recent question on how many deaths have been reported from sudden death syndrome for the under 25 year-olds in each of the last five years. The information requested is shown in the table below.

Death certificates do not usually say whether a death was sudden or not, and 'sudden death syndrome' is not a term that is used much in this country. When one of these terms is used, the death is assigned an underlying cause of death of 'sudden death, cause unknown', (International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision code 798).

However, all deaths that are sudden and unexpected must be referred to a coroner for investigation. Usually a post mortem examination by a pathologist identifies a previously unsuspected disease that caused the death. The table shows the number of deaths at ages one to 24 from heart disease, stroke, and epilepsy which were certified by coroners. This should include all sudden deaths from these diseases, but will also include deaths that were referred to the coroner for other reasons. The table also gives the number of deaths for which no cause could be found by post mortem or inquest but which were not actually stated to have been 'sudden'.

Sudden deaths, cause unknown, and deaths from selected causes certified by coroners, of people aged one to 24 in England and Wales 1993 to 1997

	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997
Sudden, cause unknown	15	21	17	20	18
	Certified by coroner, due to:
Heart disease	154	137	138	102	102
Stroke	29	26	30	30	15
Epilepsy	98	91	93	88	93
Unknown cause	26	27	35	40	41

Notes:

Figures do not include deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or any other deaths under 1 year of age.

Tax Law Rewrite Project

Ms Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on recent developments in respect of the Tax Law Rewrite project. [82998]

Dawn Primarolo: I am pleased to announce that the Tax Law Rewrite project is continuing to make very good progress. The Inland Revenue will shortly publish the project's fifth Exposure Draft, which contains draft clauses on capital allowances for machinery and plant, dredging and patents. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

This Exposure Draft is the second instalment in a series that will completely rewrite the capital allowances code. The rewritten legislation in this publication will form part of the first rewrite Bill, which will be on capital allowances. The Rewrite project is committed to full consultation. I hope that all those with an interest in legislation will welcome and use this latest opportunity to comment.

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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Russia

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times British and American officials have visited Russian facilities under the US-British-Russian Trilateral Process to end Russia's offensive biological warfare programme since the process was initiated in September 1992; what were the dates of each visit; and what were the names and locations of each facility visited. [82250]

Mr. Tony Lloyd: British and American officials have visited four Russian facilities under the US- British-Russian Trilateral Agreement. The visits took place from 5 to 16 October 1993 and from 10 to 21 January 1994. Under the terms of the Trilateral Agreement and in line with established practice under Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which covers Third Party's commercial confidences, I am unable to provide the names and locations of the facilities visited.

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many expert working groups have been set up under the US-British-Russian Trilateral Process to end Russia's offensive biological warfare programme since the process was initiated in September 1992; and what are the names of each of these expert working groups. [82251]

Mr. Tony Lloyd: A working group, comprising UK, US and Russian officials, has met twice since the conclusion of the US-British-Russian Trilateral Agreement: in London in April 1994 and in Moscow in September 1994. The meetings focused on past offensive BW programmes, current BW defence activities, a review of the visits which had already taken place, a "rules of the road" document for visits to military biological facilities and conversion issues. No separate working groups have been established on other aspects of the Trilateral Agreements.

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times Russian officials have visited British and American facilities under the US-British-Russian Trilateral Process to end Russia's offensive biological warfare programme since the process was initiated in September 1992; what were the dates of each visit; and what were the names and locations of each facility visited. [82249]

Mr. Tony Lloyd: Russian officials have visited one British facility and three American facilities under the US-British-Russian Trilateral Agreement. The visit to the British facility took place from 22 to 25 March 1994. Those to the American facilities took place from 15 to 18 February 1994, from 22 to 24 February 1994 and from 28 February to 2 March 1994. Under the terms of the Trilateral Agreement and in line with established practice under Section 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which covers Third party's commercial confidences, I am unable to provide the names and locations of the facilities visited.

MEPs

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on

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the proposals on the agenda of the General Affairs Council of 22-23 March concerning the establishment of a pan- European MEP voting constituency with pan-European MEP lists; what discussions were held in the Council; and when the matter will next be considered. [82479]

Ms Quin: No such item appeared on the agenda for the 22-23 March General Affairs Council. The European Parliament's proposal for common principles for European Parliamentary elections, adopted in July 1998, suggested the possibility of trans-European lists of candidates. But the Council has yet to give an opinion on the proposal.

Colombia

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning recent harassment of human rights activists in Colombia. [82485]

Mr. Tony Lloyd: We have received representations on the problems experienced by human rights workers in Colombia, particularly those in the Uraba region, by a number of NGO's as well as from members of the public. I myself raised the issue of human rights workers and in particular the CINEP case, with the Colombian Vice-President, Gustova Bell, when he called on me on 27 April.

Council of Europe

Mr. Plaskitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements are being made to commemorate the 50 Anniversary of the Council of Europe in London on 5 May; and if he will make a statement. [82997]

Ms Quin: Ministers of Council of Europe Member States and guests from Strasbourg have been invited to a ceremony in the Palace of Westminster on 5 May at which my hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor will make a keynote address on the importance of the Council of Europe. Her Majesty The Queen will grace a reception at St. James's Palace, where the Council of Europe's Statute was signed 50 years ago on 5 May 1949. The Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra will give a concert in the Barbican Centre on 4 May in the presence of HRH Princess Alexandra,

The United Kingdom is an active member of the Council of Europe which plays a valuable role in promoting human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Europe. The Council of Europe has helped to set the standards which must form the basis of a stable modern Europe. In recent years, it has played a vital part in fostering these values in the newly democratised States of Central and Eastern Europe and in providing practical assistance to help them achieve the standards to which all Council of Europe members are committed. The Council of Europe is also contributing its expertise to the efforts of the international community to restore peace and stability in the Balkans.

The Council of Europe, through the legally binding mechanisms of the European Convention on Human Rights and the newly created Single Court, has set the pattern and standard for the protection and promotion of human rights in Europe. The work of the Council in

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promoting the protection of the rights of members of national minorities is particularly vital to the development of the region and the well-being of its citizens.

The United Kingdom has been active in the work being done to follow up the report of the Committee of Wise Persons, set up after the Council's second Summit in 1997, to enhance the Council of Europe's ability to address the key threats to democracy and fundamental freedoms in Europe today.

As a signal of the importance that the United Kingdom attaches to this, Her Majesty's Government has put forward a candidate, my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hodge Hill (Mr. Davis), for election to the post of Secretary General of the Council of Europe, which falls vacant at the end of August.

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