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European Union Chapters

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many European Union chapters have been approved by the EU in each of the countries seeking membership; and if he will list them. [14735]

Peter Hain: Of the 31 chapters of the European Union acquis communautaire (EC legislation), Cyprus has provisionally closed 23, Hungary 22, Czech Republic 21, Slovenia 21, Slovakia 20, Estonia 19, Latvia 18, Lithuania 18, Poland 18, Malta 18, Bulgaria 12, and Romania eight. The FCO has deposited with the Commons Library a table detailing which chapters have been provisionally closed by each of the candidates.

Your Britain, Your Europe Project

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all publications issued under the Your Britain, Your Europe project; and what the (a) print run and (b) cost has been in each case. [14824]

Peter Hain: According to our latest and statistical information, the following publications bearing the Your Britain, Your Europe logo were issued during the lifetime of the Your Britain, Your Europe initiative:

Leaflet	Cost (£)	Print run
Your Britain, Your Europe	3,863	7,000
What has the EU ever done for us?	2,834	8,000
Europe Day Programme	2,342	10,000
The Treaty of Nice	2,618	13,200
Future of Europe	1,417	10,000
Want to know more about Europe	2,783	11,000
Regional Factsheets	1,408	2,200
Five editions of the newsletter	18,568	50,000

Bird Protection (Cyprus)

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of the Republic of Cyprus regarding the trapping and eating of protected migrant birds; and what steps he plans to take to support improved enforcement of bird protection legislation in Cyprus. [14803]

Peter Hain: The Government remain concerned that this activity continues to take place in Cyprus, and welcome the inclusion of the issue on the agenda of the forthcoming Berne Standing Committee meeting. For our part, the Sovereign Base Area police have for a number of years put considerable effort into anti-poaching measures. Recently there has been an especially robust campaign including the expansion of anti-poaching patrols. The SBA police also work in close co-operation with the Cyprus Game and Fauna Service. In addition, as part of a larger initiative, the Berne Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats

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is being extended to the SBAs. We intend to continue to work with the Republic of Cyprus to bring an end to this unpleasant and outlawed practice.

European Commission (Costs)

Mr. Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many committees and advisory groups are funded by the European Community to advise the Commission; and at what cost. [14859]

Peter Hain: The general budget for the European Union for 2001 lists 473 committees under budget lines A-7031 and A-7032. Appropriations for their expenditure in 2001 totalled 21.96 million euros. The full list of these committees appears on pages 480–508 of the Official Journal of the European Communities of 26 February 2001.

British Russia Centre

Valerie Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the annual reports of the British Russia Centre and British East-West Centre will be available. [16309]

Peter Hain: Copies of the centres' annual report for the financial year 2000–01 have now been placed in the Libraries of both Houses..

The centres received grant in aid of £226,648 from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to support their activities in FY 2000–01. In addition, the centres secured funding of £109,346 from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for direct expenditure on projects.

The centres manage projects to promote and support the development of democratic institutions, the rule of law and society in Russia, eastern Europe and central Asia. Activities last year included sending election observers to Kyrgyzstan; bidding for and winning a contract for a two-year project to assist in reform of tax systems in Russia, and a project to train young lawyers in the south Caucasus in specialist skills relating to the ECHR.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of those named day parliamentary written questions to his Department that received a holding answer between 15 October and 5 November received the substantive answer (a) within three parliamentary days, (b) within seven parliamentary days, (c) within 10 parliamentary days, (d) within 15 parliamentary days and (e) over 15 parliamentary days after the holding answer was issued. [13321]

Mr. Straw: The four questions which were issued with holding replies received substantive answers within the following timescales:

(a) 2

(b) 1

(c) 1

(d) 0

(e) 0.

Mr. Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many named day parliamentary written questions were tabled to his

16 Nov 2001 : Column: 927W

Department between 15 October and 5 November; and what proportion of these have received holding answers. [13302]

Mr. Straw: Sixty-six named day parliamentary written questions were tabled to my Department between 15 October and 5 November. Of these, 6 per cent. received a holding reply.

Sudan

Mr. Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the UN Special Rapporteur for Sudan's recent comments to the UN General Assembly on the links between oil exploitation and conflict in that country; and if he will make a statement. [15688]

Mr. Bradshaw: The civil war in Sudan started decades before the oil project came on stream in 1999. The main fields are in or close to an area of longstanding conflict between pro and anti government Nuer militias. It is not clear that oil has significantly affected this situation. We are engaged, with our EU partners, in an effort to encourage the Government to be more transparent about the use to which it puts its oil revenues. The Government's assurances that the majority are devoted to development expenditure would be all the more convincing if they were backed up by clear data.

European Union Heads of Mission held a meeting with the Sudanese Minister of Finance on this subject on 6 November. But the overall objective remains to achieve a lasting peace, which alone will bring an end to suffering in Sudan. In that respect we warmly welcome Senator Danforth's mission to Sudan and intend to work closely with our US and EU colleagues, and interested regional parties, to try to achieve renewed progress.

Fair Trade

Mr. Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is in relation to departmental spending for supplies concerning the purchase of fair trade goods. [15206]

Mr. MacShane: We have no departmental policy on the purchase of fair trade products though my private office seeks to offer fair trade coffee and teas to visitors.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Sure Start, Birkenhead

Mr. Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much of the (a) revenue and (b) capital allocation awarded to Birkenhead for the first year of its Sure Start programme was used. [11819]

Jacqui Smith: In the 2000–01 financial year, Sure Start Birkenhead received £141,000 of its revenue allocation and £22,000 of its capital allocation.

Private School Funding

Mr. Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average extra funding per

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primary school pupil in (a) the UK, (b) England and (c) Shropshire was in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1999, (iv) 2000 and (v) 2001. [13812]

Mr. Timms: The Secretary of State is responsible for England only. The funding data for the years in question are as follows:

Shropshire revenue funding per primary pupil

						£
	Cash terms			Real terms 2000
	SSA	Grants	Total per pupil	SSA	Grants	Total per pupil
1997–98	2,000	30	2,040	2,150	40	2,180
1998–99	2,100	40	2,140	2,190	40	2,230
1999–2000	2,220	120	2,340	2,260	120	2,380
2000–01	2,300	290	2,590	2,300	290	290
2001–02	2,410	460	2,870	2,350	450	2,800
Change	400	430	830	200	420	610

Note:

Real terms calculated using GDP deflators published by the Treasury 25 September 2001. The 2001–02 grant figures are provisional and are liable to change. The figures have been rounded to the nearest £10.

England revenue funding per primary school pupil

						£
	Cash terms			Real terms 2000
	SSA	Grants	Total per pupil	SSA	Grants	Total per pupil
1997–98	2,130	30	2,160	2,280	30	2,320
1998–99	2,250	40	2,290	2,350	50	2,390
1999–2000	2,370	120	2,490	2,420	120	2,530
2000–01	2,470	290	2,760	2,470	290	2,760
2001–02	2,590	500	3,090	2,520	490	3,010
Change	460	470	920	240	450	690

Note:

Real terms calculated using GDP deflators published by the Treasury 25 September 2001. The 2001–02 grant figures are provisional and are liable to change. The figures have been rounded to the nearest £10.

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