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Overseas Visits

Mr. Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many overseas visits have been undertaken by parliamentary private secretaries in his Department at departmental expense in each of the last four years; and at what cost to public funds. [36816]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 25 March 2002]: There have been no visits undertaken by parliamentary private secretaries at departmental expense in the last four years.

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Campsfield House

Dr. Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what timetable had been decided for the closure of Campsfield House at 7 February; and whether the timetable for closure of Campsfield House has since been changed. [46663]

Angela Eagle: The intention is to close Campsfield House when places can be transferred to the new removal centres that are expected to be in operation by spring 2003. This timetable was announced by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary (Mr. Blunkett) on 7 February 2002, Official Report, column 1040, and remains unchanged.

DNA Samples

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the impact of the ruling which allows the police to retain DNA samples from suspects later released without charge. [48256]

Mr. Denham: The requirement for the police to destroy fingerprint and DNA samples taken from suspects later released was amended by Article 82 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 which allows the police discretion to retain these samples. DNA provides an important tool in the fight against serious crime and in particular offences of violence against the person. The Government are pleased that the Court has upheld its view that the law strikes a fair balance between the interests of the individual, the victims of crime and society as a whole. The court's decision will allow the police to continue to make best use of this important scientific technology in the fight against crime.

Correspondence

Mr. David Marshall: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Immigration and Nationality Directorate expects to reply to the letters of 6 January, 28 January and 3 March from the hon. Member for Glasgow, Shettleston regarding the case of Mr. Rynier Jacobus Greyling. [47883]

Angela Eagle [holding answer 10 April 2002]: A reply was sent to my hon. Friend by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on 15 March 2002.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Rail Journeys (Staff)

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 6 March 2002, Official Report, column 421W, on rail travel, if staff below Band B2 are permitted to travel first class; and if line management approval is required beforehand to do so. [50546]

Mr. Leslie: Rail travel on official business for staff below B2 is at standard class. First class travel is permitted only if there is a requirement to accompany either a civil servant who is entitled to travel first class, or someone who is not a civil servant who is travelling first class. All first class travel by staff below B2 level must be approved in advance.

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TREASURY

Equipment Leasing

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the equipment leasing arrangements entered into by his Department in each of the last four years; and what the cost is to public funds in each case. [39088]

Ruth Kelly: This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Human Rights Act

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases have been brought against his Department under the Human Rights Act 1998; and what has been the cost in (a) legal fees to defend cases and (b) compensation payments. [45074]

Ruth Kelly: Human rights are now integrated in the general law and are rarely the sole basis for a challenge. Central records are not maintained of all cases in which the Human Rights Act 1998 has been relied on or of the cost to public funds of cases which include a human rights aspect. However, we have recorded two cases which have been brought against the Treasury.

Access to Information

Tony Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the administrative manuals and internal guidance which his Department has made public as required by Part 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information; and which of these were first made available after May 1997. [45395]

Ruth Kelly: We publish a wide range of material designed to inform members of the public about our activities. Information including advice on the Treasury's Values and Code of Conduct, how to obtain information under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information and how to complain about the department are published on our public website.

Private Sponsorship

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 11 March 2002, Official Report, column 700W, on private sponsorship, if he will list the conferences and seminars that HM Treasury and its associated departments have organised since May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [46610]

Ruth Kelly: Records are not maintained centrally. The information required may be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Wanless Report

Mr. Howard: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent studies he has conducted into alternative health care systems other than those contained in the interim Wanless report; and if he will publish them. [47963R]

Mr. Andrew Smith [holding answer 9 April 2002]: I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the House on 11 April 2002, Official Report, column 135:

"[Mr. Wanless] will also publish a study commissioned by his review on international health care systems, considering health systems in individual countries around the world."

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Banks (Excessive Charging)

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to extend the new regulations relating to excessive charging by banks in England and Wales to Northern Ireland. [48853]

Ruth Kelly: The Government accepted in full the conclusions of the Competition Commission report into the supply of banking services to SMEs in the UK and have asked the Director General of Fair Trading to seek undertakings from the eight main clearing banks to implement the remedies suggested. The majority of those remedies will apply through the UK and are designed to improve competition in this market. In addition the Competition Commission found evidence of excess profits for the four largest clearing banks in England and Wales, but not in Scotland or Northern Ireland. Consequently, their recommendation that banks should be required to offer interest or free banking to SMEs will apply only in England and Wales.

Retirement Income

Mr. Gareth R. Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he will take to reform the law on annuities and income in retirement. [48898]

Ruth Kelly: For some time the Government have actively encouraged innovation in the annuity market to improve benefits for customers. A consultation document, "Modernising Annuities", was issued on 5 February. It was intended to stimulate discussion on how the annuity market could be encouraged to become more flexible and competitive. The consultation period ran until 5 April. The Government are now considering the responses carefully before deciding how to proceed.

Finance Capital

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last set out policies for substantial reform of finance capital; and if he will make a statement. [48877]

Ruth Kelly: The pre-Budget report (Cm 5318), published in November 2001, sets out a range of measures designed to improve both the supply of, and access to, finance capital. The forthcoming Budget will provide an up-date on these measures.

Overtime Payments

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on overtime payments for staff in his Department. [49135]

Ruth Kelly: Overtime payments are made to staff where appropriate. Sufficient staff have been recruited to fill all complemented posts in the Treasury, and the Department has a number of alternative working policies in place such as flexible working hours, part-time working and compressed hours, as well as working at home. These are available to all staff by agreement with their line managers.

Working Families Tax Credit

Mark Tami: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many families he estimates are eligible for

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(a) working families tax credit and (b) children's tax credit in (i) Alyn and Deeside and (ii) Delyn that are not claiming it; [48918]

(2) how many families in (a) Alyn and Deeside and (b) Delyn are claiming (i) working families tax credit and (ii) children's tax credit. [48920]

Dawn Primarolo: For the numbers claiming the working families' tax credit (WFTC), I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Jarrow (Mr. Hepburn) on 16 January 2002, Official Report, column 293W. Information about the children's tax credit (CTC), or about the numbers eligible for WFTC, is not available by constituency. However, the number of families who are eligible for the CTC in Wales is estimated to be 225,000.

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