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High Hedges

Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce legislation to make high hedges subject to planning control. [136983]

Mr. Mullin: The Government announced their plans to bring forward legislation on high hedges on 10 August. The new legislation, which will be introduced as soon as there is space in the parliamentary timetable, will not make high hedges the subject of planning control. It will instead make provision for a complaints system run by local authorities, designed to deal with individual disputes as they arise.

Motorcycles

Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce (a) a transport plan to include the use of motorcycles, (b) guidelines to local authorities regarding excluding motorcycles from congestion and workplace charges and (c) the right of motorcycles to use bus lanes; and if he will make a statement. [136994]

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Mr. Hill: Our 10-year plan, Transport 2010, and White Paper "A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone", both recognise the contribution that motorcycles can make to integrated transport in certain circumstances. There are complex matters to consider, including road safety, traffic management and environmental issues. We therefore set up an Advisory Group on Motorcycling, chaired by my noble Friend the Under-Secretary, to look at such issues. This will assist us in further defining the role of motorcycles within integrated transport.

We intend to issue guidance to local authorities on how road user charging and workplace parking levy schemes might best be implemented and operated. This guidance will include advice on the treatment of motorcycles in charging and levy schemes.

We need properly monitored pilot studies on motorcycle use of bus lanes before we can reach conclusions about this practice. We are seeking to encourage proposals from local authorities interested in conducting such pilots. A thorough examination of the traffic, safety and environmental implications for motorcyclists and other road users is required. We have contacted a number of authorities that have expressed an interest and will work with any who are keen to proceed to monitor and evaluate the effects.

Diabetic Drivers

Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review the rules regarding the driving of mini-buses, large vans and small lorries by people with insulin-treated diabetes. [136993]

Mr. Hill: The Secretary of State's Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on Driving and Diabetes reviewed the licensing arrangements for Group 2 vehicles (vehicles above 3.5 tonnes) on 4 October. They agreed that those with good diabetic control and no significant complications should be allowed to apply for a licence for category C1 vehicles (between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes). They

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will meet again on 8 November to finalise the details, after which public consultation will begin with a view to having the legislative changes in place by spring 2001.

When the results of a recently initiated research programme into the risks of hypoglycaemia and driving become available in two to three years time, the Panel will review the arrangements for categories D1, C and D (minibuses, lorries and buses).

Park Homes

Mr. Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce legislation to bring the sale of park homes under property and land law. [136978]

Mr. Mullin: Changes to the provisions on the sale of park homes were included in the recommendations of the Park Homes Working Party, published earlier this year. We have consulted on, and are considering, the Working Party's recommendations.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

New Deal

Mr. Wigley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many New Deal clients there were in each standard region, in (a) April 1999 to March 2000 and (b) April to August 2000; and how many of these (i) went into non-subsidised employment, (ii) went into New Deal options and (iii) left the register for other reasons. [134569]

Ms Jowell: The table shows, for each cohort of New Deal starts, the number who have subsequently gained an unsubsidised job from any stage of the process, begun an option from the gateway stage, and left New Deal and JSA for other reasons.

The figures are not mutually exclusive, as people who started an option may have subsequently gained a job or left the register.

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	Total New Deal starts	(i) Unsubsidised employment	(ii) Options	(iii) Left register for other reasons
	(a) April 1999 to March 2000
Office for Scotland	22,372	8,262	9,384	8,384
Northern	14,866	5,148	7,083	4,713
North West	27,690	9,920	10,486	9,882
Yorkshire and the Humber	21,408	8,120	8,139	8,075
Office for Wales	11,753	4,683	4,938	4,040
West Midlands	20,245	6,909	6,063	7,933
East Midlands and Eastern	16,394	6,519	5,360	6,196
South West	11,048	4,883	3,520	4,021
Laser	46,745	16,873	13,095	19,012
	(b) April 2000 to August 2000
Office for Scotland	8,621	1,880	1,016	1,482
Northern	5,878	1,174	668	822
North West	10,287	2,036	879	1,695
Yorkshire and the Humber	8,020	1,701	653	1,400
Office for Wales	4,568	1,032	487	646
West Midlands	7,727	1,339	505	1,383
East Midlands and Eastern	6,569	1,389	380	1,126
South West	4,119	1,128	286	764
Laser	16,948	3,393	1,104	3,615

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University Tuition Fees

Mr. Fearn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average fee is for completion of a university course in the United Kingdom. [136006]

Mr. Wicks: For students eligible for student support the total tuition fees payable over the duration of their course will depend on the type and length of course as well as their and their families' financial circumstances. For those normally resident in England and Wales only a minority of full-time undergraduates are expected to pay the full fee, which in 2000-01 is set at £1,050 per year, and in future around a half are expected to pay no fees at all. Taking this into account, we estimate that the average total fee payable by an English or Welsh full-time student on a three year degree course (excluding any repeated years) will be around £1,360 in 2000-01 prices.

Schools (Compensation Claims)

Dr. Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the effect on the number of compensation claims for perceived educational or other deficiencies in schools by present or former pupils, of the incorporation of the European Convention of Human Rights into UK law. [136259]

Ms Estelle Morris: Although European Convention Rights were incorporated into UK law in October this year, the Government have observed them for 50 years. We believe that our domestic laws are in harmony with the Convention and we have undertaken a thorough review of our policies and procedures over the past few months. We think these steps reduce the risk of a successful challenge. As with any new legislation, we will keep the situation under review as the law develops.

Higher Education Research

Mr. Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what research he has commissioned in the past three years from the Centre for Research in Higher Education. [136557]

Mr. Wicks: The Department has not directly commissioned any research from the Centre for Research in Higher Education in the last three years.

Special Educational Needs

Mr. Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what redress is available to parents when a local education authority fails to identify a named person on statements for pupils with special educational needs. [137102]

Jacqui Smith: Should a local education authority fail to give notice in writing to the parent of the name of the person to whom he may apply for information and advice about the child's special educational needs when serving a copy of the statement on the parent of the child, the parent should ask the LEA to do so immediately. If this does not succeed, it is open to the parent to ask the Secretary of State to investigate in order to try and resolve the issue.

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Correspondence

Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will reply to the letters of 6 June and 18 July from the hon. Member for Vale of York concerning the widow's pension of Mr. A. R. Pickering of Rufforth, York. [137211]

Mr. Wicks: I have replied to the hon. Member today, Wednesday 8 November 2000.

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