---

Benefit Take-up

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action the Government are taking to ensure an improvement in benefits take-up. [151366]

26 Mar 2001 : Column: 488W

Mr. Rooker: We actively encourage people to claim the benefits to which they are entitled. Recent activity has included a national TV advertising campaign for the Minimum Income Guarantee.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Clergy Stipends and Pensions

33. Sir Sydney Chapman: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what financial contribution in (a) cash and (b) percentage terms the Church Commissioners made to clergy stipends and pensions in the last year. [153857]

Mr. Stuart Bell: The Church Commissioners fund all clergy pensions earned on service before 1998 in full. In 1999, the last year for which audited figures are available, the cost to the Commissioners was £87 million. They paid a further £17 million as part of their scheme to assist on a time-limited basis with the pension costs from 1998 which are now the responsibility of dioceses.

The Commissioners also met 16 per cent. of the Church of England's total stipend bill in 1999. They paid over £20 million towards the stipends of parish clergy, much of it targeted towards dioceses most in need of financial help, and a further £6.6 million to meet those stipends of bishops and cathedral clergy for which they are responsible.

Church Commissioners (Membership)

34. Mr. Gordon Prentice: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what discussions he has had with the clergy about the categories of membership of the Church Commissioners. [153858]

Mr. Stuart Bell: None. The constitution and membership of the Church Commissioners are laid down by statute, as most recently stated in the National Institutions Measure 1998.

Church Commission Rents

35. Mr. Simon Hughes: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what response the Commissioners have given to the representations made to them in the last six months on rent levels of Church Commission residential property in London SE1. [153859]

Mr. Stuart Bell: The Church Commissioners have responded fully to all representations made to them on this matter.

The hon. Gentleman will have received a copy of the Commissioners' letter setting out the detailed consultation now taking place over letting policy on these estates with residents, clergy and local representatives. If he would like further information I shall be happy to provide it.

36. Mr. David Heath: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the policy of the Church Commissioners in respect of agricultural land rents. [153860]

26 Mar 2001 : Column: 489W

Mr. Stuart Bell: The Commissioners are required as a charity to seek the best returns on their assets for the benefit of the Church of England clergy, serving and retired. They also seek to act as responsible landlords.

In the case of agricultural tenants, the Commissioners fully recognise the crisis in farming, and especially the problems caused by foot and mouth disease, and where there is hardship will consider how best to help. This is done on a case by case basis and tenants are encouraged to discuss their difficulties with agents or staff.

CABINET OFFICE

Foot and Mouth

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list the meetings and conferences organised by her Department and agencies of her Department which have been (a) cancelled and (b) postponed owing to foot and mouth disease; and if she will make a statement. [155362]

Marjorie Mowlam: This information is not held centrally and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

Correspondence

Mrs. Virginia Bottomley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to her answer of 19 March 2001, Official Report, column 80W, how many letters from hon. Members did not receive substantive replies within nine months during the last three years. [155097]

Marjorie Mowlam: This information is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, a number of individual Departments do collect this information for their own records.

I can confirm that, so far this year, the Cabinet Office has had only two late replies. Both of these were replied to within one and a half months of receipt.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Ports Police

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of (a) the contribution made by Port of Larne police to combating (i) organised crime, (ii) incidental theft, (iii) bootlegging and (iv) illegal immigration and (b) the extent to which these forces have been able to (1) collaborate with and (2) complement the work of (A) the Customs and Excise, (B) the Immigration Service and (C) the Special Branch; and if he will make a statement. [153924]

Mr. Ingram: Responsibility for the Port of Larne police now rests with the Northern Ireland Assembly under the control of the Department for Regional Development. It is therefore no longer a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Mr. Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of (a) the contribution made of Belfast Harbour police to

26 Mar 2001 : Column: 490W

combating (i) organised crime, (ii) incidental theft, (iii) bootlegging and (iv) illegal immigration and (b) the extent to which these forces have been able to (1) collaborate with (2) and complement the work of (A) the Customs and Excise, (B) the Immigration Service and (C) the Special Branch; and if he will make a statement. [153923]

Mr. Ingram: Responsibility for Belfast Harbour police now rests with the Northern Ireland Assembly under the control of the Department for Regional Development. It is therefore no longer a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Independent Commission of Inquiry

(Bombings)

Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received a request for (a) information and (b) documents from the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Dublin, Monaghan and Dundalk bombings; and if he will make a statement. 154759 154760 [154761]

Dr. Reid: I have received a request from the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Dublin, Monaghan and Dundalk bombings for all relevant information held by the UK Government relating to these incidents. This request has been shared with all relevant Government Departments and Agencies, who in response are currently researching archived records to establish what information they hold.

I am also replying on behalf of the Secretary of State for Defence and the Home Secretary, of whom similar questions have been asked but who have not received separate requests from the Independent Commission of Inquiry.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Correspondence

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will establish for what reason assurances given by telephone by the office of the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Lewes on (a) 3 January and (b) 15 February that a reply to the hon. Member's letter of 22 September 2000 concerning his constituent Mr. George Tripp, would be dispatched shortly, have not been implemented; [155563]

(2) for what reason no reply had been received by 21 March by the hon. Member for Lewes to his letter of 22 September 2000 to the Minister of State, concerning his constituent Mr. George Tripp; and if he will make a statement. [155562]

Mrs. Roche: I replied to the hon. Member's letter on 22 March. I am sorry for the delay which seems to have been caused in part by the papers being misdirected within the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. It is normal practice for Private Office staff to monitor the progress of Ministers' cases and to chase outstanding replies. When they informed the hon. Member in January and February that a reply would be sent shortly, they were acting in good faith on the basis of available information. I am sorry that this information proved to be inaccurate. A draft

26 Mar 2001 : Column: 491W

reply was received in my Private Office at the beginning of March which I signed off. A further short delay was again caused by an apparent misdirection of the papers.

Mr. Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 31 January regarding a constituent, Ref: 2093/1. [153490]

Mrs. Roche [holding answer 13 March 2001]: I wrote to my hon. Friend on 23 March 2001. I am sorry I was unable to send him an earlier reply.

Immigration

Mr. Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances immigration- related inquiries are required to be referred to a Minister's private office. [154328]

Mrs. Roche [holding answer 19 March 2001]: The decision to make a Deportation Order is taken by a Minister in all cases. Any proposal to release a detainee from an Immigration Service detention centre following an application for a writ of habeas corpus must also be authorised at Ministerial level. Immigration and nationality cases will otherwise be referred to Ministers if they are considered to involve significant policy issues, questions of security or if they are likely to be controversial or sensitive.

---