---

Sheik Hamad bin Jassin bin Jaber al-Thari

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contact has taken place, at what level and on what dates, between (a) Ministers and (b) civil servants and the Jersey authorities in respect of matters connected with the freezing of trusts whose beneficiaries include His Excellency Sheik Hamad bin Jassin bin Jaber al-Thari; and if he will make a statement. [61118]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I am informed that there have been no contacts between FCO Ministers and the Jersey Attorney General on this. FCO officials have attended four meetings in March, July and August 2001 at which the Jersey Attorney General or his representatives were present, and have had occasional telephone and e-mail contacts with the Jersey Attorney General's office to exchange information about the investigation. Decisions about the conduct of the Jersey Attorney General's investigation were for him alone.

Mr. Abdul Bassett al-Megrahi

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has made

13 Jun 2002 : Column 1403W

to former President Mandela's request that Mr. Abdul Bassett al-Megrahi be moved to a prison in a Muslim country. [61124]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: We are aware from press reports of former President Mandela's call for Mr Al-Megrahi to be transferred to a prison in a Muslim country. We have not received a formal request from him.

Libya agreed to hand over suspects for trial in a third country, and if convicted, to their imprisonment in Scotland. This agreement stands with regard to Mr. Al-Megrahi's imprisonment.

France

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet the French Foreign Minister; and if he will raise the issue of the ban imposed by the French Government on imports of beef from the UK. [61327]

Peter Hain: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met his new French counterpart on 22 May and raised this issue with him. The Government continues to make it clear to the French Government that the ban on UK beef exported under the Date-based Export Scheme is illegal and should be lifted immediately.

Arms Trade

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings officials in his Department have had over the last two years with officials from Jersey's Attorney General's Office concerning investigation of corruption relating to arms deals; and if he will make a statement. [61329]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I am told that over the last two years, FCO officials have attended four meetings at which the the Jersey Attorney General or his representatives were also present. Decisions about the conduct of the Jersey Attorney General's investigation were for him alone.

HMS Invincible

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding the sale of HMS Invincible to India. [61196]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: I refer to my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr James Gray) by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Ministry of Defence today UIN 61162.

India/Pakistan

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with colleagues in the EU, UN, India, Pakistan, the US and Russia regarding the situation on the Indo-Pakistan border. [61195]

Mr. Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary gave an account of his recent contacts with India and Pakistan in his statement to the House on Monday 10 June, Official Report, column 595.

13 Jun 2002 : Column 1404W

CABINET OFFICE

Ministerial Panel on Red Tape

Brian Cotter: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the work of the Ministerial Panel on Red Tape. [61334]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Ministerial Panel on Regulatory Accountability was set up in 2001 to take a strategic overview of the regulatory system; to tackle instances where progress on regulatory reform is blocked; and to call Ministers to account for new regulation and their performance in addressing the burden of existing regulation.

Regulatory Impact Unit

Brian Cotter: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many policy proposals the Regulatory Impact Unit has been consulted on during the past year. [61336]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: The Regulatory Impact Unit have been consulted on 597 occasions.

In addition the Unit is consulted on an ad hoc basis for advice and assistance. This information is not held centrally, and could only be assembled at disproportionate cost.

Staff Numbers

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff were employed by his Department on(a)2 May 1997 and(b)31 may 2002. [60932]

Mr. Douglas Alexander: Data on staffing levels are not available for the dates requested as they are only collected twice a year, as at 1 April and 1 October. We are currently in the process of collecting the data for 1 April 2002.

I would refer the hon. Member to the documents that were released on 5 June 1997 and 21 February 2002, reporting figures as at 1 April 1997 and 1 October 2001 respectively. Copies of the documents were placed in the Libraries of the House at the time of publication.

PRIME MINISTER

Intelligence and Security Committee

Mr. David: To ask the Prime Minister when he will respond to the Intelligence and Security Committee's Annual report for 2001–02. [62528]

The Prime Minister: I have today laid the Government Response to the Intelligence and Security Committee's Report before Parliament.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 16 May concerning a constituent. [61110]

13 Jun 2002 : Column 1405W

Mr. Ivan Lewis: I have replied today, 13 June, to my hon. Friend's letter of 16 May.

Pupil Absence

Mr. Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of pupil days were lost through absence in (a) each LEA and (b) England in each year since 1997. [59116]

Mr. Ivan Lewis [holding answer 10 June 2002): The information requested is contained in tables, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries.

Learning and Skills Council

Gillian Merron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will define the common funding approach to be adopted by the Learning and Skills Council for(a)2003–04 and(b)subsequent years.[53089]

Margaret Hodge: The foremost principle is that funding must follow the learner. Other principles of the funding system are that it should: be easy to understand, determine funding rates fairly, and be simple in design and administration. It must have the flexibility to cope with provision ranging from full-time classroom learning to on-line learning at home. These principles are based on the extensive consultation carried out by this Department in 1999–2000 and confirmed by the Department and the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in November 2000. We have built on the best elements of the former Further Education Funding Council's national system of formula based funding and the LSC are committed to introduce a single non-bureaucratic system. In 2003–04 further education, work based learning for young people, school sixth forms and adult and community learning will be funded through systems which follow the same principles. The LSC will develop the common funding approach further and plan a single funding system for all the main post-16 learning routes in 2004–05.

Mr. Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance has been given to the Learning and Skills Council on the action to be taken to deal with weaknesses identified following an area inspection and the circumstances under which reorganisation of provision ought properly to be considered; and if she will publish that guidance. [60043]

13 Jun 2002 : Column 1406W

Mr. Ivan Lewis [ holding answer 11 June 2002]: The Department's guidance following an area inspection sets out the key elements of an effective action plan, and the basis on which it will be assessed. This is issued to each local LSC and LEA on publication of their Ofsted area inspection report. I have placed a copy of the guidance in the libraries of the House.

The LSC is the body responsible for planning 16–19 provision. It is for them, in liaison with their local partners, to decide what action, including reorganisation, is necessary to address the weaknesses in their area.

---