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Indonesia

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department provides to the Indonesian Government on security sector reform. [121588]

Mr. Battle: We want to help the new reforming administration in Indonesia strengthen democratic control of the security forces. The attachment of a senior British police officer to our Embassy in Jakarta starting on 1 June, is a first step in our efforts to help bring this about. We are consulting others about appropriate international support for security sector reform in Indonesia.

Sudan

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning military attacks on the Nuba population of Sudan. [121582]

Mr. Hain: I am aware of a number of reports of military action in the Nuba Mountains and have received a number of representations about the bombing of a school in Kaouda in February of this year.

We have raised the specific case of the school, and the general issue of aerial bombing, with the Government of Sudan, and an EU Declaration was published on the subject on 5 May.

On 18 April, President Bashir announced that he had ordered the cessation of aerial bombings of targets in the South except where there was active fighting under way. We welcome this announcement and look to the Government of Sudan to honour it.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

Milk Prices

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his discussions with the major supermarket chains on the prices paid for the milk they purchase. [119586]

Ms Quin: While pricing decisions are a matter for retailers, we know from our contact with them that the supermarkets are aware of the concerns of producers over the low prices they are receiving for their milk.

11 May 2000 : Column: 454W

At the 30 March summit we also removed dairy hygiene charges for farmers in England; announced that we are approaching the European Commission to remove the weight limit on the OTMS Scheme; and agreed to pay £22 million agrimonetary compensation to farmers. We have also encouraged the different parts of the food chain to come together and develop a code of practice so that farmers feel their concerns are being given greater weight.

Online Services

Mr. Robert Jackson: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the services which (a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies responsible to his Department (i) provide online and (ii) expect to be deliverable online by 2002. [119433]

Mr. Morley: So that the Cabinet Office can publish the spring 2000 report monitoring progress towards delivery of all Government services electronically by 2005, we are currently collecting data which will include our progress on delivering 25 per cent. of Government services electronically by 2002.

I do not want to pre-empt that report, but I can say that we currently provide a range of services electronically that includes:

Application for cattle passports and notification of subsequent movements to the British Cattle Movement Service

Applications for Cattle Eartag numbers from farmers via approved eartag manufacturers

Date Based Export Scheme eligibility checks from approved abattoirs

Submission of milk test details for the national dairy herd from contracted laboratories

The CEFAS Agency is developing an interactive database to share data on live fish movements

An extensive website that provides a wide range of information services to the public and to business, including the ability to download a selection of MAFF forms

An electronic portal will soon be launched for farmers providing access from a single source to a wealth of information and advice available to them over the internet from Government, the NFU and business.

Further, an electronic service delivery strategy covering all our transactions is being developed in line with Government targets, and by 2002 we expect to make available electronically the following:

Submission of Farm Survey forms

Submission of the majority of subsidy claims for MAFF and IBEA payments

Downloading of all MAFF forms

Interactive capabilities on the portal to inspire Internet trade and enhance business skills in the farming community.

Millennium Dome

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has visited the Millennium Dome at Greenwich in an official capacity; and what plans he has to do so. [120585]

Mr. Nick Brown [holding answer 3 May 2000]: I have not visited the Millennium Dome in a ministerial capacity.

11 May 2000 : Column: 455W

Departmental Contracts

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for the financial year 1998-99 (a) the number and (b) the total value of contracts let by his Department with external consultants and advisers that (i) were put out to competitive tender, (ii) were not put to competitive tender and (iii) were let on a non-commercial basis, stating in each case the names of the individuals or organisations that have carried out the work. [109262]

Mr. Morley [holding answer 9 February 2000]: From records held centrally, for the financial year 1998-99 the Ministry let 144 contracts with external consultants and advisers at a total cost of £12,549,663 excluding VAT.

Of these contracts

(i) 84 contracts with a combined value of £11,782,555 excluding VAT were put to competitive tender. The names of these individuals and organisations are as follows:
ADAS
BMT Reliability Consultants
BRE
British Standards Institution
Bulldog Contractors Ltd.
Bytes Computers Ltd.
CBG Consultants Ltd.
Central Office of Information
Chieumento Consulting Group
Collinson and Grant Consultants
Computer People
Cornwell Affiliates Plc
Deloitte and Touche
Drew Associates
DTZ Pieda
Generic Software
HEDRA Ltd.
Johnson Construction
MCG Consulting Group
McKeown Software Ltd.
Millennium Three
National Remote Sensing Consultants
Norwich Systems and Accounting
PA Consulting Group
Paisner and Co.
Produce Studies Ltd.
Quadraphic Design Ltd.
Segal Quince Wickstead
SEMA Group UK Ltd. UKBS
Siemens Network Systems Ltd.
Siemens Computer Systems
Tatham Pearce
Triad Group
University of Edinburgh
University of Reading
WPS Consulting
WS Atkins

11 May 2000 : Column: 456W

(ii) 60 contracts with a combined value of £767,108 excluding VAT were not put to competitive tender. The names of these individuals and organisations are as follows:
ADAS
Andrews Ward Associates
Ove Arup and Partners
K. Baker
Baker Shepherd Gillespie
R. Bradley
Bristol Quality Centre
Cambridge Strategic Management
Chapman and Chapman Associates
Cheviot Arcus
Peter J. Chillingworth
Cornwell Affiliates Plc
Deloitte and Touche
DERA
Dewjoc Ltd.
DBL Consultancy
D. Dickinson
Facilities Solutions
Foundation Systems
Fonda
Francis Graves Ltd.
GRP Consultants
Highthorne
Gerry Hynes and Co. Ltd.
ICL
Independent Consultancy
Insight Consulting
R. Kimberlin
Liaison VAT
WE Mason
McDermott Associates
M. McDonald Ross
Netools
Organisation Consulting Partnership
PA Consulting Group
J. Parker
PCMS
PG Griffiths
Prodat Plc
The Project Team
Proserve
Prospect Management Services
Rapra Technology
Reading University
RTC Ltd.
SEMA
Robert Shanks
Mrs. Silvey
AJ Small
K. Taylor
Thomason Partners
Touchstone
TMS Consultancy
TP Engineering Ltd.

11 May 2000 : Column: 457W

Vogon International
Water Research Council
Yorkshire Assessment
(iii) No contracts were let on a non-commercial basis.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Prison Service

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made with the Quinquennial Review of the Northern Ireland Prison Service. [122224]

Mr. Ingram: I have recently received the Review Team's report on the first stage of the Quinquennial Review. The report, which follows extensive internal and external consultation, analyses the performance of the Northern Ireland Prison Service since it became an Agency in April 1995, including how it is perceived by the various bodies and interests affected by the services that it provides--including its own staff. It also considers the services likely to be needed in future and the organisational options for delivering them.

It is clear from the report (a copy of which I am placing in the Library of each House) that the Prison Service has made considerable progress, in uniquely difficult circumstances, over the past five years. The report recommends unequivocally that Agency status should be retained as the most appropriate way of delivering custodial services in Northern Ireland.

I have accepted that recommendation and have asked the Review Team to embark on the second stage of the review, examining how the effectiveness and efficiency with which the Prison Service delivers its services and functions can be further improved in the future. The culmination of this final stage of the review will be the publication in the Summer of a new Framework Document for the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

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