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Special Advisers

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the average time is that the Head of his Department has recommended since May 1997 between a special adviser leaving his Department and taking up outside employment; and if he will make a statement. [28910]

The Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to him by the Prime Minister on 21 January 2002, Official Report, column 594W.

Civil Servants

Mr. Wray: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) how many civil servants work for each Government Department; [28068]

(2) in each Government Department, what proportion of civil servants are (a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities. [28071]

23 Jan 2002 : Column 891W

Mr. Leslie: Figures for April 2001 were published on 8 November 2001 in a press notice, copies of which can be found in the Library of the House. This information can also be accessed on the world wide web at www.civil-service.gov.uk/statistics.

Mr. Wray: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the salary is for each of the civil service grades. [28069]

Mr. Leslie: The latest information, broken down by salary and grade level, is published in "Civil Service Statistics 2000" and is based on 1 April 2000 data. Copies of the publication can be found in the Library of the House. Table H of that publication shows numbers of civil servants by salary band and responsibility level. Departments and agencies are responsible for their own grading structures, but these have been allocated to broad responsibility levels to give a common basis for tabulation.

For the senior civil service, new bands will be introduced from 1 April 2002. I refer my hon. Friend to the Prime Minister's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Savidge) on 10 January 2002, Official Report, column 993W, and to the documents placed in the Library of the House.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Empty Properties

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) her Department, (ii) her agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which she has had responsibility in each of the last four years. [30075]

Hilary Benn: The Department for International Development owns no empty properties. There are no agencies or other public bodies for which we are responsible.

Afghanistan

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the frequency of the accidental triggering of land mines arising from the internal emigration of Afghans from the cities to the countryside following the start of the bombing of Afghan cities in October 2001. [28652]

Hilary Benn: Afghanistan has long been one of the countries most severely affected by land mine contamination, a problem which has existed for about 20 years.

The provision of precise information on mine/UXO victims since September 2001 is very limited. Reporting to hospitals by land mine/UXO victims has been disrupted by hostilities and by the restrictions on freedom of movement. The limited information that has been reported to the Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan (MAPA) indicates that land mines continue to claim lives throughout the country as people move in areas that are

23 Jan 2002 : Column 892W

at risk. Unfortunately the problem is expected to worsen with the increasing repatriation of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Mine action operations will continue to be focused on supporting humanitarian aid movements through the clearance of communication routes, airports and high priority areas near to civilian populations, thereby reducing the risk for returnees. Coalition forces are sharing information with the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS).

As part of our overall commitment of £60 million to support the UN led humanitarian and recovery effort, we have allocated £3 million through UNMAS for future humanitarian mine action interventions in Afghanistan. This will cover mine clearance operations in Afghanistan as described above.

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what (a) money and (b) logistical resources have been (i) donated to and (ii) committed to the reconstruction of the physical, environmental and institutional infrastructures of Afghanistan by the United Kingdom and other donor countries. [28521]

Hilary Benn: We have set aside £20 million in this financial year to support the Interim Administration and the United Nations-led transitional recovery and rehabilitation process, while continuing to respond to humanitarian needs. This includes a contribution of £2 million already provided to the UN Afghan Interim Authority Fund to provide salaries of key public servants, equipment and supplies. As well as financial assistance, we are providing technical personnel and logistical, material and other practical support.

At the international conference on the reconstruction of Afghanistan held in Tokyo from 21–22 January 2002, I announced a significant contribution to be used for the long term rehabilitation of Afghanistan. The UK has committed £200 million over the next five financial years for both reconstruction and humanitarian activities. The majority of this pledge will be channelled through UN agencies and non-governmental organisations.

This pledge is in addition to the significant sums that the UK has contributed to the World bank, European Union and Asian Development bank, which will also direct further funds into Afghanistan in the coming years. The UK share of the European Union pledge alone with be 20 per cent.

More than 50 countries and international organisations are currently represented at the Tokyo conference and a consolidated total of pledges will be announced when the conference concludes. This will be reported on the website www.reliefweb.int.

Money Laundering (African Governments)

Mr. Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what attempts she is making to monitor money sent overseas by President Mugabe; [28759]

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(2) what attempts she is making to monitor money sent overseas by President Daniel Arap Moi of Kenya; [28760]

(3) what discussions she has had with the Swiss authorities in order to freeze President Mugabe's overseas accounts. [28761]

Peter Hain: I have been asked to reply.

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The UK plays a leading role in international efforts to combat money laundering and corruption. The UK co-operates with a wide range of international partners to this end.

I am withholding further information under Exemption 4(b) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

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EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Special Educational Needs

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will ensure that special schools continue to be part of the range of special needs provision. [27056]

Mr. Ivan Lewis: The Government's policy on special schools is clear. We want to build on the wealth of expertise within the special school sector and ensure it is at the heart of inclusive education systems. Special schools have a continuing and vital role to play, and in future will need to be confident, outward looking centres of excellence working in partnership with mainstream

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schools. It is for local education authorities to determine the pattern of their provision in order to meet pupils' needs and take account of parents' wishes.

School Funding (London)

Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what has been the total spending on schools in each London borough in each of the last 10 years. [28177]

Mr. Timms: The information requested is contained in the table. Expenditure in running these authorities was affected by schools becoming grant-maintained during the early part of this period, and by the return of grant-maintained schools to LEA-maintained status in 1999–2000.

Net institutional expenditure⁽⁴⁾£ million

London authorities		All sectors
LEA name	LEA no.	1990–91	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96	1996–97	1997–98	1998–99	1999–2000
City of London	201	0.457	0.616	0.711	0.733	0.761	0.808	0.830	0.797	0.855	0.949
Camden	202	45.457	52.452	53.300	51.394	50.328	53.280	56.664	57.310	58.500	72.210
Greenwich	203	78.867	78.255	85.843	83.782	87.994	90.972	93.758	87.796	96.735	109.433
Hackney	204	55.790	62.233	63.317	57.181	66.951	64.959	66.288	68.743	70.663	81.482
Hammersmith and Fulham	205	37.264	38.810	41.915	43.281	43.294	42.879	44.203	45.983	47.374	55.246
Islington	206	45.795	61.737	75.272	68.639	55.063	61.704	61.675	65.165	65.323	67.182
Kensington and Chelsea	207	23.424	27.869	25.236	25.239	24.699	27.099	26.479	27.881	28.807	34.967
Lambeth	208	57.424	65.382	68.624	69.624	63.629	60.189	56.362	64.542	63.565	92.356
Lewisham	209	65.517	68.233	65.033	72.597	74.904	80.350	80.578	90.030	93.794	107.164
Southwark	210	64.814	65.988	66.224	59.549	61.919	68.458	70.382	73.393	80.902	105.177
Tower Hamlets	211	69.583	79.720	84.052	96.829	95.239	99.152	104.346	102.995	110.154	125.519
Wandsworth	212	65.671	73.924	67.513	54.490	55.076	54.506	49.255	50.343	53.413	90.383
Westminster	213	34.185	52.072	44.889	45.636	45.608	46.574	49.295	49.686	53.011	54.171
Barking and Dagenham	301	42.632	45.810	50.196	51.444	55.179	58.364	61.674	62.652	69.252	74.408
Barnet	302	69.253	79.162	90.885	83.599	66.345	68.799	73.678	74.283	78.312	126.585
Bexley	303	51.545	56.351	57.978	59.756	56.434	58.330	61.781	64.175	70.925	86.209
Brent	304	59.098	64.424	67.128	51.972	45.151	45.152	47.351	51.575	55.738	105.460
Bromley	305	61.423	59.857	53.196	50.180	51.215	47.047	42.582	43.776	48.168	108.076
Croydon	306	69.349	78.298	83.105	78.762	68.111	76.522	79.009	79.640	84.937	118.172
Ealing	307	76.826	79.802	70.017	68.895	69.944	71.799	74.338	75.745	81.036	108.799
Enfield	308	66.894	78.218	83.569	79.795	74.649	77.335	84.951	87.727	94.540	119.979
Haringey	309	56.588	61.198	66.749	75.059	77.838	82.195	87.263	88.067	91.712	96.460
Harrow	310	47.399	52.058	58.719	57.319	62.193	64.302	67.205	66.538	69.757	75.762
Havering	311	56.957	62.829	69.007	61.451	64.297	65.078	66.123	67.812	70.998	86.336
Hillingdon	312	57.856	54.832	50.422	42.060	38.617	40.609	42.035	41.072	42.528	98.818
Hounslow	313	56.593	62.483	71.891	70.047	72.494	73.523	77.119	77.458	83.255	94.208
Kingston upon Thames	314	30.942	34.493	37.406	31.503	31.903	31.841	32.422	31.560	33.985	48.316
Merton	315	39.133	42.586	48.938	46.024	48.242	46.783	48.604	49.516	51.652	59.060
Newham	316	67.077	74.398	82.244	81.463	87.535	90.663	102.744	102.969	106.445	119.340
Redbridge	317	52.732	60.647	68.704	72.055	74.107	77.169	81.436	83.533	90.317	103.514
Richmond upon Thames	318	28.811	32.416	36.249	37.091	39.573	40.818	41.977	43.524	44.938	46.781
Sutton	319	37.152	38.980	36.405	32.337	36.787	37.090	39.089	40.433	44.144	67.998
Waltham Forest	320	65.673	67.816	67.467	68.529	65.281	74.027	73.812	76.509	80.809	97.962

⁽⁴⁾ Total funding on schools is given by Net Institutional Expenditure which covers all school-based recurrent spending, including teaching and non-teaching staff salaries, school premises costs, equipment and supplies, and unspent balances held by schools at the year end. It excludes spending on special schools, central administration and support services such as transport and school meals as well as capital expenditure.

NIE includes school balances for most years. However, balance information was not available for some previous years, and in some cases for special schools. Therefore, NIE figures across the series may not be strictly comparable.

Expenditure data for 1990–2001 to 1998–99 inclusive are taken from RO1 returns; data for 1999–2000 taken from local authorities' S52 outturn statements.

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