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Baton Rounds (Northern Ireland)

Mr. Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the guidelines of the use of baton rounds by the Armed Forces in Northern Ireland. [76921]

Mr. Ingram: Rules of Engagement are classified and are not therefore usually published for reasons of operational security. However, I have decided in this case, as an exceptional measure aimed at building confidence in Northern Ireland, that an extract from the relevant document should be published in the Library of the House. The extract is drawn from a more general guidance card and includes all the relevant guidance on the Rules of Engagement for the use of Baton Rounds by the Armed Forces in Northern Ireland.

Animal Research

Mr. Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use of animals in defence research. [76922]

Dr. Moonie: The independent Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC), chaired by Dr. Robert C Hubrecht, has recently published its sixth Report. The Animal Welfare Advisory Committee was set up in 1996 in response to parliamentary and public concern about the use of animals in defence research. Its purpose is to consult, inspect and make all necessary enquiries into all aspects of animal care and their use in establishments of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). It has also been agreed between the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and QinetiQ that the work at Alverstoke should remain within the Committee's remit.

All work with animals undergoes an ethical review process and has to demonstrate that as much as possible has been done to replace the procedures with alternatives not using live animals; to reduce the numbers of animals used in particular studies; and to refine the procedures to minimise pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm prior to the issues of licences to undertake work.

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Formal licensing arrangements with the Home Office (in strict accordance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures Act 1986) seek to ensure that any experiments are fully justified and as humane as possible.

The Committee's report gives assurances that animals used in defence research programmes in the United Kingdom are regulated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, and that no special exemptions apply to MOD. The Committee's findings, acting as the eyes and ears of the public on matters relating to animal experimentation carried out by the MOD, are published in order to inform Parliament and the public of MOD practices.

The research programme involving animals is concerned wholly with providing the United Kingdom's Armed Forces with safe and effective protection against hazards they may encounter while carrying out their duties. However, the MOD continues to place emphasis on seeking alternatives to animal use. The MOD welcomes the scrutiny by AWAC in this area and will continue to support AWAC's review into the care and welfare arrangements for animals used in defence research.

TREASURY

VAT

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish the Customs and Excise survey of compliance cost for VAT registered businesses; and if he will make a statement. [74776]

John Healey: The Government are committed to reducing compliance costs for business. Ministers are considering the results of the research in this context.

Private Medical Insurance

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment has been made by his Department of the number of people in the UK covered by (a) company medical insurance schemes and (b) personal medical insurance cover. [75694]

Ruth Kelly [holding answer 21 October 2002]: As part of his Review of the long-term trends affecting the health service, Derek Wanless commissioned the European Observatory of Health Care Systems to produce a report Health Care Systems in Eight Countries: Trends and Challenges, which can be found on the Treasury website at: http://www.hm- treasury.gov.uk/mediastore/otherfiles/observatory—report.pdf

The UK chapter contains information on the level of take up of private medical insurance purchased by employers and by individuals.

EU Budget

Mr. Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the contribution of an

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average UK family to the EU budget in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002; and what estimate he has made of the contribution of an average UK family to the EU budget in (i) 2003 and (ii) 2004. [75730]

Ruth Kelly: No such estimates have been made. The Government's latest estimate of the UK net contribution in 2001–02 is #1,488 million. The Government's latest forecast of the trended UK net contribution to the EC Budget for the financial years 2002–03 to 2004–05 are #3 billion, #3.2 billion, and #3.6 billion respectively.

Mr. Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the (a) contributions and (b) receipts between each European Union member state and the European Community for (i) 2001 and (ii) 2002; and if

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he will give his estimates for the figures for the contributions and receipts for (A) 2003 and (B) 2004. [75845]

Ruth Kelly: Details of Member States' gross contributions to, after taking account of the UK abatement, and receipts from, the EC Budget in 2001, recently published in the European Commission's report on the allocation of 2001 operating expenditure, are set out in the following table. Estimates of Member States' gross contributions, after taking account of the UK abatement, to the 2002 EC Budget, detailed in Table 7 of Supplementary and Amending Budget 3/2002, are also included in the table. Details of Member States' receipts in 2002 are not available. The Government does not forecast the contributions and receipts of other Member States. The Government's latest forecasts of the trended UK net contribution to the EC Budget for the financial years 2002–03 to 2004–05 are #3 billion, #3.2 billion, and #3.6 billion respectively.

Gross Contributions by Member State 2001 (Euromillion)

Belgium	Denmark	Germany	Greece	Spain	France	Ireland	Italy	Luxembourg	Netherlands	Austria	Portugal	Finland	Sweden	UK
3,531.6	1,777.7	19,727.2	1,350.1	6,591.5	14,471.3	1,211.3	11,612.5	256.5	5,517.0	2,091.0	1,266.0	1,233.2	2,337.7	7,743.4

Receipts Paid to Member States 2001 (Euromillion)

Belgium	Denmark	Germany	Greece	Spain	France	Ireland	Italy	Luxembourg	Netherlands	Austria	Portugal	Finland	Sweden	UK
4,049.2	1,348.3	10,346.8	5,741.0	13,648.2	11,751.6	2,319.1	8,693.0	900.1	1,687.5	1,403.3	2,947.2	1,020.1	1,092.9	5,938.0

Source:

European Commission: Allocation of EU Operating Expenditure.

Estimated Gross Contributions by Member State 2002 (Euro million)

Belgium	Denmark	Germany	Greece	Spain	France	Ireland	Italy	Luxembourg	Netherlands	Austria	Portugal	Finland	Sweden	UK
3,227.7	1,735.0	18,860.1	1,371.5	6,649.8	14,228.0	1,049.0	11,653.5	193.3	4,914.0	1,852.7	1,227.2	1,230.9	2,125.8	10,606.9

Notes:

After account is taken of the UK abatement and the bringing to account of surpluses and deficits in respect of Member States contributions in earlier years.

Difference in the UK's gross contribution between 2001 and 2002 is primarily the result of the very large abatement (Euro7,342.5 million) received in 2001 compared with the estimate for 2002 (Euro5,092.2 million). This reflects a large core abatement for 2001 and also signficant adjustments, in the UK's favour, to the abatement in respect of earlier years.

Source:

Supplementary & Amending Budget 3/2002

Mr. Spring: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the proportion and the sums of this year's EU budget that will be spent on (a) the CAP, (b) the CFP and (c) structural operations; and if he will provide an estimate of these for the next two years. [75731]

Ruth Kelly: The 2002 EC budget includes:

—Euro44,255 million, or 45% of the total budget, for CAP expenditure;

—Euro1,093 million, or 1.1%, for fisheries; and

—Euro33,838 million, or 34%, for structural operations.

The 2003 Preliminary Draft Budget, established by the Commission, includes:

—Euro45,118 million for CAP, 1.9% more than in the 2002 adopted budget and Euro2,260 million below the Financial Perspective ceiling for Agriculture;

—Euro942 million for fisheries, 14% less than in the 2002 adopted budget;

—Euro33,995 million for Structural operations, 0.5% more than in the 2002 adopted budget.

The Commission will present its Preliminary Draft Budget for 2004 in early 2003. We expect structural operations to be budgeted at the level of the Financial Perspective ceiling of Euro33,652m. Both the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy are currently under review, and future spending levels depend on the results of the review.

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