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RUC Training

Mr. Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what training Royal Ulster Constabulary uniformed personnel receive in administering first aid to injured persons. [94429]

Mr. Ingram: New recruits attend a three day First Aid course equivalent to those run by the St. John's Ambulance and Red Cross. Officers are expected to maintain a tri-annual revalidation by attending a one day Emergency Aid course. Specialist units e.g. Traffic Branch and Community Affairs attend two day scenario-based courses specific to their needs. In addition, police and civilian support staff may volunteer for a four day 'First Aid at Work' course made available under Health and Safety legislation.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

Emotional Development (Children)

Mr. Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has received from (a) the National Association for Therapeutic Education and (b) others about the needs of emotionally undeveloped children. [95219]

2 Nov 1999 : Column: 136

Jacqui Smith: Ministers and officials in my Department have in recent years considered a range of representations from the National Association for Therapeutic Education (NATE). NATE were invited by the National Advisory Group on Special Educational Needs to contribute evidence during the consultation which informed our Green Paper "Excellence For All Children: Meeting Educational Needs".

My officials have an extensive network of contacts and keep in close touch with a range of bodies concerned with addressing children's emotional under-development.

School Playing Fields

Mr. Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many requests he has received from local education authorities to (a) dispose of and (b) change the use of, school playing fields since 1 May 1997; and if he will list those playing field sites for which approval has been granted for (i) disposal and (ii) change of use. [95743]

Jacqui Smith: Until the implementation on 1 October 1998 of Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, local authorities in England did not need the consent of the Secretary of State for Education and Employment to dispose, or change the use, of school playing fields.

Since 1 October 1998 there have been 147 applications from local authorities to dispose of part or, at some closed schools, the whole of a school's playing field. There have been no applications by local education authorities to change the use of playing fields that have not involved a disposal. All applications are assessed against criteria which have been published by the Department in its circular: "The Protection of School Playing Fields".

Approval has been granted in 86 cases. Of those, 33 were at closed or closing schools and a further 23 led to improved sports facilities. The remainder were for improvements to educational facilities and were approved only when it was clear that they did not affect the access of pupils to suitable playing fields.

European Social Fund

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will take steps to transfer from next year the (a) responsibility and (b) budget for European Social Fund activities in Wales to the National Assembly for Wales. [95750]

Ms Jowell: Discussions are currently taking place between my officials and those of the National Assembly for Wales about the future arrangements for ESF activities in Wales.

New Deal

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the publications issued since 1 May 1997 relating to the New Deal, the total cost per publication and the numbers of each publication which have been produced. [96302]

Ms Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the then Minister for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities on 3 March 1999, Official

2 Nov 1999 : Column: 137

Report, column 814. The following table of New Deal publications shows the total cost and number of publications produced since then. The amounts shown

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include the cost for any updating and reprinting as necessary, and the production of ethnic minority language and Welsh bilingual versions.

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Title	Copies	Cost (£)
Publications for employers including:
New Deal for Employers	105,000	15,189
Taking Care of the Future (produced in partnership with Daycare Trust)	21,500	7,922
Making the Most of New Deal (produced in partnership with Daycare Trust)	7,500	5,408
Publications for young unemployed aged 18-24
New Deal for Young People aged 18-24	119,500	8,728
New Deal for Musicians	43,000	13,482
Publications for unemployed people aged 25plus
A New Start (New Deal for 25plus)	110,000	9,201
Extra Help (New Deal 25plus pilot folder with insert sheet)	100,000	651
Publications that are for other, or multiple, target audiences
What is New Deal?	75,000	8,361
Factsheets	6,000	1,086
New Deal Award Entry Forms	33,000	5,123
New Deal Conference Report	10,000	11,566

Note:

The quantities and costs shown are totals including all versions of the publication.

2 Nov 1999 : Column: 137

SCOTLAND

Government Expenditure and Revenue

Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in which section of Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland 1996-97 provision is made for receipts from the Crown Estate Commissioners. [95272]

Dr. Reid [holding answer 26 October 1999]: The Crown Estate Commissioners pay a dividend to the Consolidated Fund, which is included in UK general government interest and dividends in the public finances. The Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 1996-97 report allocated a share of UK general government interest and dividends to Scottish receipts on the basis of Scotland's share of Gross Domestic Product (excluding the Continental Shelf).

Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the categories contained in the paper, Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland 1996-97, which include appropriations in aid for the Scottish Office and other departments. [95269]

Dr. Reid [holding answer 26 October 1999]: All the categories contained in Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 1996-97 include appropriations in aid. Details of the appropriations in aid which were applied by the Scottish Office for 1996-97 were published in the Appropriation Accounts for that year by The Stationery Office on 13 February 1998 (HC251-XIII).

Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state his Department's role in the preparation and publication of the next paper on Government Revenue and Expenditure Scotland; and when the next such paper will be published. [95273]

Dr. Reid [holding answer 26 October 1999]: The next report on Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland, in common with previous reports, is being

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prepared by members of the Government Economic Service and Government Statistical Service. No firm date has been set for publication but it is expected to be before the end of this year. My Department will assess the report's contents and implications.

Mr. Welsh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list and state the amounts for each of the miscellaneous receipts referred to in the Other Receipts section of Appendix B of Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland 1996-97. [95270]

Dr. Reid [holding answer 26 October 1999]: The research underlying the report on Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 1996-97 apportioned aggregate UK other receipts on the basis of Scotland's share of UK gross domestic products (excluding Continental Shelf). The analysis does not identify all the individual components of the other receipts category and allocate a share of them to Scotland on an individual and separate basis.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Departmental Assets

Mr. Garnier: To ask the Solicitor-General if he will list the assets sold by the Attorney-General's Department and its agencies and their value in each year from 1991-92 to 1998-99; and if he will estimate the value of asset sales planned to be made in the years 1999-2000 and 2000-01. [96405]

The Solicitor-General: Details for the Law Officers' Departments are as follows. The Serious Fraud Office disposed of no assets of material value in the years from 1991-92 to 1998-99 and currently do not estimate any material sales for 1999-2000 and 2000-01. The Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers' disposed of no assets of material value in the years from 1991-92 to 1998-99 and

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currently do not estimate any material sales for 1999-2000 and 2000-01. The Crown Prosecution Service has sold three assets during the period 1991-92 to 1998-99, and has no plans to sell any assets in the years 1999-2000 and 2000-01. The asset sales, together with their value, are listed in the following table:

Year	Asset	Value (£)
1998-99	None	0
1997-98	3 buildings	415,070
1996-97	None	0
1995-96	None	0
1994-95	None	0
1993-94	None	0
1992-93	None	0
1991-92	None	0

The Treasury Solicitor's Department, including the Government Property Lawyers' Agency, has made the following asset sales:

Year	Asset	Value (£)
1998-99	Surplus IT equipment	2,505
	Furniture/Office equipment	549
1997-98	Surplus IT equipment	4,100
	Surplus library books	750

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Disposals of the same type, but probably of a lower magnitude, are expected to continue in 1999-2000 and 2000-01.

In 1999-2000, sales of office furniture and office equipment to the value of £20,000 have taken place following the closure of the Government Property Lawyers' Agency. No further sales resulting from this closure are planned. No major sales of assets took place prior to 1997-98. Details of minor and routine sales over the period 1991-92 to 1997-97 are not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.

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