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Mobile Phone Masts

Mr. Norman: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the revised Code of Best Practice for mobile phone operators on the development of mobile phone masts will be completed. [62915]

Mr. McNulty: The Department is currently drawing up, in partnership with representatives of the mobile phone operators and local government, a revised Code of Best Practice on Telecommunications, which will include further advice and best practice on the delivery of telecommunications development.

We expect the code to be published during the summer.

Housing Debt (Newcastle-upon-Tyne)

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the housing capital debt attributable to the housing revenue account of the City of Newcastle-upon-Tyne is (a) in total and (b) per dwelling chargeable to the housing revenue account. [62973]

Mr. Raynsford: In financial year 2000–01, the latest year for which audited accounts are available, Newcastle- upon-Tyne city council recorded a capital housing debt attributable to the housing revenue account of (a) £290,242,342 in total and (b) £7,927 per dwelling.

Fire Service

Mr. Pickles: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister (1) what the average years of service with the Fire Service were for firefighters leaving the service in each year since 1997; [62926]

(2) how many people left the employment of the Fire Service in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) gender, (b) ethnic origin, (c) natural retirement, (d) early retirement, (e) retirement due to ill health and (f) dismissals; [62927]

(3) how many people were accepted for employment with the Fire Service since 1997, broken down by (a) gender and (b) ethnic origin. [62928]

Mr. Raynsford: Tables showing the number of people accepted for, and leaving, employment within the Fire Service for 1998–99 to 2000–01 follow. Information for 1996–97 and 1997–98 is not available. Information on the average years of service for those leaving the service since 1997 is not held centrally.

Number of successful male and female applicants for the Fire Service in England and Wales

	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01
Wholetime
Men	980	1,044	1,453
Women	29	59	97
Total	1,009	1,103	1,550
Retained
Men	1,486	1,406	1,352
Women	57	85	87
Total	1,543	1,491	1,439

Note:

For 2000–01, wholetime date are not available for three brigades and retained data for one brigade.

19 Jun 2002 : Column 417W

Number of successful white and ethnic minority applicants for the Fire Service in England and Wales

	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01
Wholetime
White	993	1,057	1,483
Ethnic Min.	16	46	65
Total	1,009	1,103	1,548
Retained
White	1,528	1,467	1,427
Ethnic Min.	15	24	8
Total	1,543	1,491	1,435

Note:

For 2000–01 wholetime data are not available for three brigades and retained data for one brigade. In the same year, six applicants were of undetermined ethnic origin, two wholetime and four retained.

Number of men and women leaving the Fire Service in England and Wales

	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01
Wholetime
Men	1,346	1,298	1,351
Women	7	15	15
Total	1,353	1,313	1,366
Retained
Men	1,375	1,357	1,376
Women	35	35	52
Total	1,410	1,392	1,428

Note:

For 2000–01 wholetime data are not available for two brigades and retained data for one brigade.

19 Jun 2002 : Column 418W

Number of white and ethnic minority firefighters leaving the Fire Service in England and Wales

	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01
Wholetime
Men	1,327	1,305	1,356
Women	26	8	9
Total	1,353	1,313	1,365
Retained
Men	1,385	1,383	1,423
Women	25	9	5
Total	1,410	1,392	1,428

Note:

For 2000–01 wholetime data are not available for two brigades and retained data for one brigade. One wholetime leaver was of undetermined ethnic origin.

Number of firefighters leaving the service in England and Wales by reason for leaving

	Wholetime			Retained
	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01	1998–99	1999–2000	2000–01
Compulsory/voluntary age retirement	449	530	497	195	178	190
Medical discharge	650	590	593	87	81	80
Dismissal on disciplinary grounds	17	10	5	7	3	7
Other reasons	237	183	271	1,121	1,130	1,151
Total	1,353	1,313	1,366	1,410	1,392	1,428

Note:

For 2000–01 wholetime date are not available for two brigades and retained for one brigade.

e-Government (Local Authorities)

Ian Stewart: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to work together in partnership to meet the Government's target for all services to be electronically enabled by 2005. [63770]

Mr. Raynsford: We are keen to promote and support local authorities in developing local partnerships with each other, and across the public sector. Such partnerships will be crucial in building services around the needs of citizens and customers, and in realising the economies of scale in terms of the investment requirement to see the objectives of e-government realised.

As part of our commitment to spend £350 million over three years to support local government online, we have made provision for £75 million over the next two years to support the development of e-government partnerships. From this amount we intend to provide some £47 million over the next two years to 64 local partnerships that submitted proposals to my Department. Details of the individual allocations will be placed in the Library.

We will also provide a £2 million programme of practical support over the next two years, to ensure that these partnerships are successful in achieving their aims and that the lesson learned from them are disseminated.

It is our intention to make available the remaining funds (£26 million) for further partnership proposals later in the year.

We will accordingly lay a Special Grant report before the House setting out this intention, in the near future.

Sustainable Development

Mr. Drew: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the role sustainable development will play in regional devolution. [62988]

Mr. Raynsford: The Government's proposals for the sustainable development role of elected assemblies in the English regions are set out in chapter 4 of the White Paper "Your Region, Your Choice" (Cm 5511), which was published on 9 May. An assembly's overarching strategy will act as the sustainable development framework for the region.

19 Jun 2002 : Column 419W

Population Estimate (South Kesteven)

Mr. Quentin Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will state the assumptions on which his estimate of the population of South Kesteven for RSG and standard spending assessment purposes is based. [62582]

Mr. Raynsford: The current RSG and SSA calculations for 2002–03 use the 2000 mid-year estimates of population of the Registrar General as published by ONS in August 2001.

The ONS mid-year population estimates are based on the Census of Population allowing for the subsequent births, deaths, net migration and aging of the population that has occurred since Census day.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Belfast Agreement (Broadcasting Obligations)

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) pursuant to her statement of 7 May, Official Report, column 44, if she will make a statement on the discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland about the broadcasting obligations in the Belfast Agreement; [55719]

(2) what plans there are for the implementation of the broadcasting obligations in the Belfast Agreement. [55718]

Tessa Jowell [holding answer 13 May 2002]: The Belfast Agreement commits the British Government to explore the scope for achieving more widespread availability of Teilifis na Gaelige in Northern Ireland. Discussions with the broadcasting authorities and with the Northern Ireland Office continue, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I will make an announcement in due course, when those discussions are completed.

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