---

Coal Industry

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress is being made with the Government's application to the European Commission for approval of financial support to the coal mining industry; and if he will make a statement. [127024]

Mrs. Liddell: The Government are consulting widely among producers and users of coal and other interested parties on the proposed structure of the scheme. My officials are engaged in preliminary discussions with the European Commission and we hope to be in a position to formally notify the Commission soon on our proposals to pay aid.

Advertising

Mr. Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent by his Department on advertising in each year since May 1997. [125693]

Mr. Byers: Expenditure on advertising by the DTI, which was all placed through the Central Office of Information, was as follows:

	£
1997-98	(5)2,373,637
1998-99	(5)5,543,938
1999-2000	(5)1,714,573

(5) Excluding VAT

20 Jun 2000 : Column: 145W

Public Holidays

Mr. Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to declare a public holiday to commemorate (a) in 2002, the 50th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and (b) in 2003, the 50th anniversary of her coronation; and what dates have been selected. [126653]

Mr. Alan Johnson: A bank holiday in 2002 to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee, and the date on which such a holiday might be held, is under consideration and will be the subject of appropriate consultations. I have no plans for any additional bank holidays in 2003.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Equal Treatment Directive

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library copies of the responses which he received from organisations outside Government to his consultation about the proposed EC Directive on implementing the equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or ethnic origin. [126535]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: The consultation was conducted at a series of five meetings with organisations outside government which were held between publication of the draft by the Commission in November 1999 and political agreement at Council in June 2000. This was due to negotiations in Brussels being conducted in closed Working Group sessions, and are, therefore, being unable to provide later versions of the text of the Directive outside government in writing.

Drivers (Red Lights)

Mr. Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drivers have been (a) prosecuted for and (b) convicted of driving through a red traffic light in each of the last five years. [126248]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The following table gives the available information:

Numbers of prosecutions and convictions for failing to comply with traffic signals, England and Wales, 1993 to 1997

	Prosecutions	Convictions
1993	35,306	30,061
1994	29,152	24,266
1995	29,695	24,480
1996	30,220	25,307
1997	27,915	23,553

Note:

Figures for later years are not yet available

The majority of these offences are dealt with by the issue of fixed penalty notices.

Correspondence

Mr. Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the

20 Jun 2000 : Column: 146W

letter, dated 25 April, from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. T. Khan. [126289]

Mr. Straw: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 20 June.

Cycling on Pavements

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had with police forces about the enforcement and value of the prohibition of cycling on pavements. [126409]

Mr. Charles Clarke: Cycling on the pavement is a long-established offence under Section 72 of the Highways Act 1835. The Government's most recent consultation with the police on this subject was on the introduction of a fixed penalty offence for cycling on the pavement. The change was supported by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

The Home Office consultation exercise in 1996 on seven proposed new fixed penalty offences, including cycling on the pavement, revealed substantial public concern about inconsiderate and irresponsible cycling on the pavement in England and Wales, which particularly affected the elderly and disabled. The new fixed penalty offence allows the police to deal more simply and directly with particular local problems as they arise.

Bribery

Mr. Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to make bribery carried out overseas by UK citizens and companies a criminal offence; and if he will make a statement. [127075]

Mr. Straw: Copies of the discussion paper setting out the Government's proposals for the reform of the law of corruption are now available in the Library and in the Vote Office.

Asylum Seekers

Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Kosovan refugees in the UK applied for leave to remain in the last 12 months; and what percentage of such applications (a) were granted, (b) were refused and (c) are under consideration. [127088]

Mrs. Roche: Since March 2000, of those who arrived from Kosovo under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Humanitarian Evacuation Programme, 656 principal applicants have sought an extension of exceptional leave to enter, 374 have applied for asylum and 150 have applied for both exceptional leave and asylum. Five per cent. of the applications have been granted, 33 per cent. refused and 62 per cent. are outstanding.

Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in support of allowing Kosovan refugees to remain in the United Kingdom until such time as they feel able to return. [127089]

Mrs. Roche: Ministers and officials have corresponded with and have had regular meetings with various non- Governmental organisations involved with the support of the Kosovan evacuees since they came to the United Kingdom last year.

20 Jun 2000 : Column: 147W

Kosovan Albanians who were evacuated to the United Kingdom under the Humanitarian Evacuation Programme (HEP) between 25 April and 25 June 1999 were granted 12 months' leave to enter. As agreed with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) at the outset of the evacuation process, protection was afforded on a temporary basis only. It was made clear at the time and subsequently that the leave of the evacuated Kosovans would not be extended and that they would be expected to return to Kosovo as soon as it was safe to do so.

UNHCR judge that it is now safe for the majority of Kosovan Albanians to return to Kosovo and this has been exemplified by the one million Kosovans who have voluntarily chosen to return since July 1999.

Mr. Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Kosovan refugees were returned to Kosovo on each day between 1 and 16 June. [127087]

Mrs. Roche: All of the 469 Kosovans who arrived in the United Kingdom under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Humanitarian Evacuation Programme and the 69 who arrived in the United Kingdom independently, returned to Kosovo on the permanent voluntary return programme between 1 and 16 June. The table shows the number of Kosovans returning permanently on each flight between 1 and 16 June.

Date	Humanitarian evacuation programme	Independent arrivals
1 June	120	11
9 June	112	15
15 June	93	31
16 June	144	12
Total	469	69

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the nature of the representations he has received recently from business interests in respect of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill. [126305]

Mr. Straw: I have received various representations from business interests since the introduction of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill to the House of Commons on 9 February this year. They have supported the broad aims of the Bill. Most have pressed for changes to minimise the uncertainty over the impact of Clause 12 (maintenance of a reasonable intercept capability). The Clause has been amended in response to some of these representations. The Alliance for Electronic Business pressed for affirmative resolution for the order under Clause 12. This was provided by amendment at Commons Report. We have also amended the Bill to require the Secretary of State to meet the marginal costs of interception. Some businesses have also asked for reassurances which have been given as to how we intend the regime to work. Others are pressing us about the costs of maintaining a reasonable intercept capability on the internet.

20 Jun 2000 : Column: 148W

Business interests have also pressed for some changes to Part III of the Bill in relation to access to encryption keys. Changes have been made to Part III in response to these representations. For example, the Bill has been amended to say that keys can be accessed only "in special circumstances" as a direct response to industry representations. Amendments designed to clarify what should be contained in a decryption notice and to remove the Directors' liability in respect of Part III of the Bill were also a response to industry representations.

---