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Departmental Leak Investigations
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the departmental leak investigations in progress, specifying in each case the nature of material leaked. [96343]
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The Prime Minister
[holding answer 2 November 1999]: I am aware of seven leak investigations that are in progress in Government Departments. They involve various types of material including internal departmental policy documents, operational information and legal advice to a Department. Each Department is responsible for its own security arrangements, including leak investigations.
Mr. Baker:
To ask the Prime Minister how many leak investigations have been instigated since 1 May 1997; how many have identified the culprit; and what action has been taken in each case. [96344]
The Prime Minister
[holding answer 2 November 1999]: Government Departments have notified the Cabinet Office of a total of 58 leak investigations since 1 May 1997. It has been the normal practice of successive Governments not to disclose information on the outcome of investigations.
Mr. Cohen:
To ask the Prime Minister what response he has made to the recent petition presented to him about deaths in custody; and if he will make a statement. [97148]
The Prime Minister:
It is customary when petitions are delivered to my Office for the relevant Government Department to be informed and where appropriate passed to them for consideration. In this case my Office passed the petition to the Home Office in order to draw it to the attention of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, whom I understand met representatives of the United Families and Friends Campaign earlier this year.
Sir Richard Body:
To ask the Prime Minister further to his reply to the hon. Member for Buckingham of 26 October 1999, Official Report, column 772, on the intergovernmental conference, if it is his Government's policy to seek a review of the Common Fisheries Policy prior to 2002. [97564]
The Prime Minister:
The preparatory stage of the review of the Common Fisheries Policy which is due to conclude by the end of 2002 has already started.
Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will meet representatives of the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths to discuss ways in which there could be a more coherent public service response to the causes of unexpected infant deaths. [97716]
The Prime Minister:
I am aware of the Foundation's excellent work in improving our understanding of the causes of unexpected infant deaths and in prompting an appropriate public response. I understand that the Foundation has developed a strong working relationship with officials at the Department of Health. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Health would be happy to meet with representatives of the Foundation should they wish to do so.
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Mr. Peter Bottomley:
To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to combine the responsibilities of the Home Office and Department of Health with those of other departments in order (a) to institute infant death response teams of trained police and specialist nurses to visit and support families within 24 hours, (b) to provide for inquests held by specialist pathologists and (c) to institute case conferences to consider and agree the cause of death. [97715]
The Prime Minister:
The tragedy of death in infancy calls upon the expertise of a number of agencies with shared responsibility for supporting parents who have suffered bereavement. It is already accepted good practice for bereaved families to be visited by a police officer attached to the Coroner's Office and a nurse experienced in bereavement counselling. The benefit of a specialist pathology service for inquests into infant deaths has been recognised and I understand that closer working relationships between paediatric and forensic pathologists are being developed to this end. It is the duty of the Coroner to consider and identify the cause of death.
Mr. Dalyell:
To ask the Prime Minister what his official engagements were between 3.30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesday 3 November. [97748]
The Prime Minister:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Torbay (Mr. Sanders) in the House on 3 November 1999, Official Report, column 285. At 7 p.m. I voted in the division following the debate on Lords Amendment 42 to the Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill.
Mr. Jenkin:
To ask the Prime Minister which department will answer the letter from the hon. Member for North Essex to him of 29 July concerning the threatened closure of Foudry Court Elderly Persons Home; when it will do so; and which department has responsibility for care of the elderly. [97746]
The Prime Minister:
The Minister of State, Department of Health, has replied to the hon. Member today. The Department of Health has responsibility for the health and social care of the elderly.
Mr. Peter Bradley:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development to what projects and in what proportions the United Kingdom's overseas aid to Belize was allocated in each of the years 1990 to 1997. [96178]
(5) This figure reflects a large CDC investment of £11,487,000--the bulk of which went on hydro-electric power
Note:
This expenditure was predominantly in the following sectors: Agriculture and Livestock, Forestry, Fishing, Roads, Energy, Public Administration and Education.
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Departmental Asset Sales
Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list assets sold by her Department and their value item by item in each year from 1991-92 to 1998-99; and if she will estimate the value of asset sales planned to be made in 1999-2000 and 2000-01. [97723]
Clare Short: The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
St. Helena
Mr. Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures she proposes to (a) increase the standard of living of the residents of St. Helena and (b) improve access to St. Helena; and if she will make a statement. [97385]
Clare Short: The framework for St. Helena's development over the period 1997/98-1999/2000, and the level and scope of HMG development assistance, is set out in the Country Policy Plan agreed by HMG and the St. Helena Government in 1997 (a copy of which is in the Library). A new Country Policy Plan (CPP), for the period 2000/01-2003/04, is scheduled to be agreed by the end of 1999. Discussions on the new CPP and on access issues will take place on St. Helena between 2-10 December 1999.
CHURCH COMMISSIONERS
Historic Churches
40. Mr. Woodward: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what representations he has made to Ministers on the reduction of VAT on conversion schemes for historic churches. [96163]
Mr. Stuart Bell:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for the Vale of York (Miss McIntosh) and for Chipping Barnet (Sir S. Chapman). I have raised the Church's concerns directly with my colleagues at the Treasury responsible for the oversight of the ongoing review of charity taxation. Following the latest submission of evidence and the overwhelming support given by General Synod to changes in the VAT regime as it affects the Church, we have written to the Financial Secretary to the Treasury seeking a meeting to expand on the thrust of the Church's case.
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42. Mr. Burns:
To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what representations he has made to Ministers on the reduction of VAT on conversion projects for historic churches. [96165]
Mr. Stuart Bell:
I refer to my answer given to the hon. Member for Witney (Mr. Woodward). As the representative of the Church Commissioners, I am in frequent touch with colleagues in Government and have raised the Church's concerns in connection with VAT and listed buildings in support of the various submissions made by the Church to the ongoing charity tax review.
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