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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

GAVI

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in research and development of new vaccines for developing countries since the Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunisation was set up. [38105]

Clare Short: GAVI is expected to begin funding research later this year. In the course of developing its strategy for investing in vaccine research, GAVI has prioritised research into vaccines against diarrhoea, pneumonia and meningitis. Reasons for the choice of these three include (i) the burden of disease and potential positive impact of an effective vaccine on child health; and (ii) the likelihood that investment would culminate in availability of effective vaccines against these diseases within five to seven years.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans have been made by the international community to continue to supply vaccines when Global Alliance for Vaccination and Immunisation funding ceases. [38107]

Clare Short: The GAVI partnership provides financial support through a separate entity, the Vaccine Fund. Countries that receive Vaccine Fund support for new vaccines or to improve their vaccine delivery systems are expected to provide plans for financial sustainability to the GAVI Board at mid-term. The financial sustainability plan, which must be endorsed by the Ministry of Finance, sets out the country's long-term strategy for ensuring funding from internal and/or external sources when Vaccine Fund support for the country's immunisation programme ceases.

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made by GAVI in vaccination rates broken down (a) by country and (b) by disease. [38109]

Clare Short: Although GAVI has made rapid progress since its inception two years ago, it is still too early to provide the information requested. To date, 64 of the

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74 countries eligible for GAVI support have applied, and applications from 53 of these countries have been approved.

If the countries approved to date implement their proposals as planned, the number of infants receiving routine immunisations (against tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and polio) will increase from 54.6 million in 2000 to 77 million in 2007; over the same period the numbers vaccinated against hepatitis B will increase from 14.5 million to 59 million, the numbers vaccinated against Haemophilus influenzae type B will increase from 39,000 to 6 million, and the numbers vaccinated against yellow fever will increase from 78,000 to 1.9 million.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Elite Sports

Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action she has taken following the Elite Sports Funding Review published in August 2001. [39762]

Mr. Caborn: The Elite Sports Funding Review chaired by my right hon. Friend the Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham) identified over 40 recommendations, the large majority of which are for the Sports Councils and National Governing Bodies of sport to take forward. The Review was discussed at the Sports Cabinet on 31 October, chaired by the Secretary of State. The Cabinet beings together the Sports Ministers and chairmen of the Sports Councils from each of the devolved Administrations. At the Cabinet, the Sports Councils accepted and are now implementing the overwhelming majority of the recommendations. My Department is considering the remaining recommendations which would require additional funding in the context of the current spending review.

Rugby Funding

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her answer of 7 February 2002, Official Report, column 1117W, on lottery support for rugby league and rugby union, how many applications have been made to the Sports Lottery Fund by rugby league and rugby union clubs; and what percentage were unsuccessful. [37192]

Mr. Caborn: 380 applications including 313 under the Awards for All programme have been received from rugby league clubs of which 62 per cent. were unsuccessful, and 776 application including 465 under the Awards for All programme have been received from rugby union clubs of which 50 per cent. were unsuccessful, since the start of the National Lottery.

Community Sport (North-west)

Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Minister for Sport's answer of 25 February 2002, Official Report, column 435, to the hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston, on Community Sport (North-west), if she will publish her plans to restructure Sport England to improve regional performance. [39848]

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Mr. Caborn: In terms of delivering and supporting sport development through revenue programmes, guidance and advice, Sport England regional offices are well placed to take a strategic lead locally. DCMS is currently completing the second stage of the quinquennial review of Sport England, which included a specific element relating to Sport England's regional role and structure. I have discussed the review's emerging findings with the new Chief Executive of Sport England and with Sport England's council members, with a view to implementing the recommendations on Sport England's regional presence as promptly as possible.

Sport England

Mr. Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with (a) the Central Council for Physical Recreation, (b) sports governing bodies and (c) the UK Sports Council about the future structure of Sport England. [39699]

Mr. Caborn: DCMS is currently completing the second stage of the quinquennial review of Sport England, in which we are looking at its strategic management function, its regional role, and the way in which it carries out partnership working and forges alliances. This stage of the review was taken forward by a series of working groups which included representatives from Sport England, national governing bodies, local authorities, and other stakeholders, including the Central Council of Physical Recreation and the UK Sports Council.

WORK AND PENSIONS

New Deal

11. Mr. Kevin Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the effect the new deal has had on long-term unemployment in Doncaster, North. [36335]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: Since 1997 in Doncaster, North, the number of long-term unemployed people has fallen by 85 per cent., and the number of long-term unemployed young people has been cut by 83 per cent.

Our welfare to work initiatives have helped in this success. The new deal has helped over 900 young people into work in Doncaster, North. And the Employment Zone and Action Team for Jobs which operate in my hon Friend's constituency have between them helped over 1,000 of the most disadvantaged jobless people in Doncaster into work.

I will be visiting the Doncaster Employment Zone on 7 March to see its work for myself.

Housing Benefit

13. Linda Gilroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action he is taking to help pensioners to get the housing benefit to which they are entitled. [36338]

Malcolm Wicks: This April will see the introduction of the Pension Service, bringing with it a more streamlined and seamless benefit claims process for all

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pensioners, including those claiming housing benefit. And from April 2003, we will no longer ask them to make a repeat claim for housing benefit every year.

Changes to housing benefit to support the introduction of the Pension Credit in April 2003 will mean 1.9 million pensioner households will get more help, or help for the first time, through housing benefit.

Pensions

14. Mr. Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to review the pensions regulatory regime. [36339]

Mr. McCartney: Last year I asked Alan Pickering to review the pensions regulatory framework. He will report in the summer of 2002.

At the same time we will have the report being prepared by Ron Sandler. Thereafter, we shall publish proposals on which we will consult, which will build on the reforms we have already made to reduce the regulatory burden and complexity, to ensure that both Government and employers can support saving for pensions and to ensure we have in place the right measures to build better pension provision.

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to reduce the level of advice and information on pensioner benefits available at social security offices. [37521]

Mr. McCartney: None.

Jobcentre Plus

15. James Purnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to enable the Benefits Agency and the Employment Service to work more closely together. [36340]

23. Mrs. Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the introduction of Jobcentre Plus. [36349]

36. Mr. Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of customer reaction to Jobcentre Plus. [36362]

Mr. Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to improve the quality of service offered at jobcentres. [36336]

Mr. Nicholas Brown: At the end of this month, the Employment Service and those parts of the Benefits Agency that deal with people of working age are being brought together to form an entirely new organisation, Jobcentre Plus.

Jobcentre Plus will provide, for the first time, a fully integrated and work-focused employment and benefit service. The new service will gradually be rolled out to the whole country over the next few years.

56 Jobcentre Plus pathfinder offices have already opened. These have received an overwhelmingly positive response from both individual customers and employers.

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