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Livestock Movements

Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many drop-offs will be allowed by her Department from a single auction pick-up of cattle moving through market; what checks will be made by divisional veterinary managers on farms seeking qualification for multiple drop-offs; and when she intends to make an announcement.[46385]

Mr. Morley: At present, multiple drop offs are only permitted from a market if (a) stock are being dropped off at slaughterhouses only or (b) for cattle only, if they are moved to no more than five farms.

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A Veterinary Inspector will check to ensure that anyone applying for their premises to be a drop off point understands the conditions linked to approval and to ensure that the premises are capable of meeting the standards set. For example, he must be satisfied that suitable cleansing and disinfection facilities are available and that there are sufficient gates and hurdles to prevent animals escaping during the unloading process.

Further details of the conditions that apply to multiple pick-ups and drop offs are available at: www.defra.gov.uk/footandmouth/movements/transport/index.htm.

Foot and Mouth

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the letter of appointment agreed between the Government and Dr. Anderson in relation to his duties as Chairman of the Lessons Learned Inquiry. [38841]

Margaret Beckett [holding answer 28 February 2002]: No. It is not normal practice to publish such letters of appointment.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Gibraltar

Mr. Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what action Her Majesty's Government have taken to prevent ill-treatment of Gibraltarians at the Gibraltar-Spain border; [43430]

(2) what recent reports he has received about (a) the nature and (b) the extent of problems experienced by Gibraltarians resulting from Spanish border authorities. [43429]

Peter Hain: Ministers and officials have raised our concerns about border delays on numerous occasions with their Spanish counterparts, including during the Brussels Process talks. We have also raised our concerns with the European Commission on several occasions.

The Commission announced on 19 March the closure of its investigation into restrictions at the border between Gibraltar and Spain, having concluded that

Xthere was no evidence to legally support claims that the checks carried out by the Spanish authorities . . . are disproportionate and therefore incompatible with Community law".

The Spanish Government also confirmed on 19 March that in response to requests made by the UK during the Brussels Process talks a new second channel would be opened, aimed at significantly speeding up the passage of private vehicles across the border between Spain and Gibraltar. The new channel became operational on 21 March. We welcome this.

Mr. Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department had with the European Commission on its recent investigation into Spanish/Gibraltarian border restrictions. [45472]

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Peter Hain [holding answer of 26 March]: Ministers and officials have raised our concerns about border delays on numerous occasions with their Spanish counterparts, including during the Brussels Process talks. We have also raised our concerns with the European Commission on several occasions.

The Commission announced on 19 March the closure of its investigation into restrictions at the border between Gibraltar and Spain, having concluded that

Xthere was no evidence to legally support claims that the checks carried out by the Spanish authorities . . . are disproportionate and therefore incompatible with community law".

The Spanish Government also confirmed on 19 March that in response to requests made by the UK during the Brussels Process talks a new second channel would be opened, aimed at significantly speeding up the passage of private vehicles across the border between Spain and Gibraltar. The new channel became operational on 21 March. We welcome this.

Saville Inquiry

Mr. Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what costs have been incurred since 24 January by his Department in connection with the Saville Inquiry; and what his estimate is of the final cost to his Department. [46025]

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 24 January 2002, Official Report, column 999W. This Department has incurred no costs since 24 January 2002.

Departmental Visits

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates Ministers in his Department have visited United States Government military bases and establishments on United Kingdom territory since 1 January 1999; which Ministers were involved; and what facilities were visited.[43475]

Mr. MacShane: We have no record of any Foreign and Commonwealth Minister visiting a military base staffed by US personnel on British territory since 1 January 1999.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Public Guardianship Office

Mr. Burnett: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when she expects to introduce the planned fee increases at the Public Guardianship Office for new applications to the Court of Protection; and whether public consultation will take place beforehand. [45921]

Ms Rosie Winterton: No date has yet been set for the introduction of changes to the fees charged by the Public Guardianship Office, although it is planned to lay statutory instruments before both Houses soon. Proposed changes have been discussed with members of the Public Guardianship Office's Consultative Forum. The Consultative Forum includes representatives from voluntary organisations with an interest in issues

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affecting the Public Guardianship Office's clients and from the Law Society. Members of the Consultative Forum are working with my officials to recommend improved guidelines for remission of fees, so that those who would suffer real hardship as a result of having to pay fees will be able to have them remitted.

Court Closures

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many courts he has closed since 7 June 2001. [46175]

Mr. Wills: No county court or Crown Court centre has been closed since this date.

Magistrates' courts committees are not statutorily required to inform the Lord Chancellor's Department of proposed courthouse closures which are not subject to an appeal by its paying authority or authorities.

It is the Government's policy that decisions concerning the number, location and future of magistrates' courts are for each magistrates' courts committee to determine, in consultation with its local paying authority or authorities. 11 magistrates' courthouses have been closed since 7 June 2001.

Adoption Bill

Mr. Vaz: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations she has received concerning the Adoption Bill. [46176]

Ms Rosie Winterton: The Secretary of State for Health presented the Adoption and Children Bill to the House of Commons. However, I have received 50 representations on the Bill.

Correspondence

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when she expects to reply to the letter of 4 February from the hon. Member for Torbay, regarding Mrs. Skilton of Torquay. [43028]

Ms Rosie Winterton: My Noble Friend, Baroness Scotland, has now replied. I am sorry we were not able to reply to the hon. Member's letter within departmental deadlines.

TREASURY

Vehicle Excise Duty

Chris Grayling: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the classification of motorbikes of over 600cc used by courier companies as leisure vehicles for vehicle excise duty. [45859]

Mr. Boateng: The consultation on reforming vehicle excise duty for motorcycles was published alongside the 2001 Pre-Budget Report. The consultation closed on 8 February, the Government are currently carefully considering the responses, which numbered over 12,000. Any changes to taxation policy will be announced in the context of the Chancellor's Budget judgment.

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Road Fuel

Mr. Clifton-Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make it his policy to encourage motorists through the tax system to change to use the cleanest available fuels; [45949]

(2) if he will make it his policy to maintain the road fuel duty differential. [45948]

Mr. Boateng (holding answer 25 March 2002]: The Government set duty differentials to encourage the production and use of cleaner fuels, and the development of alternative transport fuels. We announced in Budget 2001 that, to provide the stability needed for the merging road fuel gas market, duty on road fuel gases (such as liquefied petroleum gas) would not be increased in real terms until 2004 at the earliest.

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