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PRIME MINISTER

Computer Misuse

Mr. Webb: To ask the Prime Minister how many cases of computer misuse there were in his office in each of the

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last five years, broken down by each category of misuse; and how many of those cases resulted in disciplinary action. [93038]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office for today at column 722W.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister what advice he has taken on the legal basis for an invasion of Iraq. [93902]

The Prime Minister: It has been the longstanding policy of successive Governments not to disclose internal policy advice, including legal advice, under Part 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. As I have repeatedly made clear, no decision has been made to take military action and military action is not inevitable.

Nuclear Weapons

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the line of command for the use of UK nuclear weapons. [93110]

The Prime Minister: The use of the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons may be ordered only by the Prime Minister.

Spanish Visit

Mr. Hoban: To ask the Prime Minister whether the cost of his visit to Spain on 5 September 2002 for the wedding of the daughter of the Prime Minister of Spain was met by the taxpayer. [94104]

The Prime Minister: Yes, as has already been made clear I was invited in my position as a Head of Government.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Housing Allowance

Mr. Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) how he intends to consult stakeholders in housing allowance in pathfinder project areas; and if he will make a statement; [93315]

(2) if he will publish the results of consultations carried out with stakeholders in housing allowance pathfinder project areas; [93316]

(3) at what points during the housing allowance pathfinder projects stakeholders will be consulted. [93317]

Malcolm Wicks: We will be working closely with pathfinder authorities to introduce the standard local housing allowance scheme and will ensure that local stakeholders including landlords, letting agents, and statutory and voluntary sector advisers, are consulted and made fully aware of the changes.

It will be an important part of our evaluation strategy to consider the views of all local stakeholders as well as those of tenants affected by the scheme. Details of how this will be done have not yet been decided but we

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recognise the importance of consulting the full range of stakeholders at regular stages during the pilot. As usual, the results of the evaluation will be published.

Housing Benefit

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the Government will respond to the Better Regulation Task Force on the recommendations in their report entitled 'Housing Benefit: a case study of lone parents' published in September 2001. [91972]

Malcolm Wicks: On 12 December 2001, we responded positively and in detail to the Better Regulation Task Force report "Housing Benefit: A Case Study of Lone Parents". A copy of our response is in the Library.

On 17 October 2002, we announced a wide-ranging package of reforms for housing benefit (HB). The overall strategy for reforming HB is to improve administration, promote choice and responsibility, enhance work incentives and reduce levels of fraud and error in the system.

Married Women's Half-Test

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps were taken to publicise the abolition of the married women's half-test under the Social Security Act 1975. [91305]

Mr. McCartney [holding answer 16 January 2003]: Affected women were identified by a trawl of the NIRS database and invited to claim. In addition, there was a publicity campaign aimed at finding those women who did not receive an invitation to claim for whatever reason.

Pension Credit

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether pensioners' earnings will be eligible for the pension credit; and if he will make a statement. [93737]

Mr. McCartney: Currently around half a million pensioners aged 65 or over work. The earnings of pensioners aged 65 or over will be rewardable in the savings credit. The existing earnings disregards of £5, £10 and £20 that apply in the Minimum Income Guarantee will also apply in Pension Credit. The remunerative work rule that excludes from Minimum Income Guarantee pensioners who work 16 hours a week or more (24 hours for couples) will be abolished for Pension Credit.

For example, a pensioner receiving retirement pension of £77.45 and earning £35 per week would get nothing under the present MIG scheme. However, under Pension Credit, he would be £12.65 better off a week, or almost £658 per year.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Career Development Loans

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many career development loans have been allocated since 1998; how many applications have

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been refused since 1998; what the total sum issued since 1998 has been; how much remains outstanding; how much has been recovered via debt agencies and court orders; how much has been defaulted; and if he will make a statement. [88837]

Margaret Hodge: Career Development Loans (CDLs) are deferred repayment commercial bank loans designed to help individuals, who may not otherwise be able to afford or have access to funds to pay for vocational education and learning. The DfES operates the programme in partnership with three high street banks and pays the interest on the loan for the period of training covered by the CDL. For the period 1 January 1998 to 31 December 2002, 79,641 loans have been taken out with a value of £316 million. As at 31 December 2002, £94 million remained outstanding for payment of interest by the Department and this value will continue to reduce over time. The amount that has been defaulted is £24 million and £2.6 million has been recovered so far. This reflects a net default rate of 7 per cent. compared to the 15 per cent. maximum operating limit agreed with the banks to cover the higher level of risk they take in making these particular loans. The exact number of applications refused by the banks is not known. The refusal rate varies between the banks, but the overall rate is around 25 per cent. of applications received.

Child Care

Vera Baird: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether premiums will be available on education maintenance allowances to help single parents to access child care. [91840]

Margaret Hodge: The national Education Maintenance Allowance will be designed to cover the day-to-day expenses associated with participating in further education, such as the cost of books and equipment, and to help towards the cost of transport to and from a learning centre. Additional funding, via the Learner Support Fund, will be available for students facing particular needs or costs that threaten their access to, or completion of, further education courses. This will include help with the costs of child care.

Under the Learner Support Fund, up to £4,000 per annum is available according to the costs of the child care and the young parent's financial circumstances. The maximum amount available will increase to £5,000 per annum from September 2003 to provide for the higher costs prevailing in some areas.

Computer Misuse

Mr. Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many cases of computer misuse there were in his Department in each of the last five years, broken down by each category of misuse; and how many of those cases resulted in disciplinary action. [93044]

Mr. Charles Clarke: The numbers of computer misuse incidents within the Department for Education and Skills is as follows.

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Year	Number of cases	Type of Misuse	Action
1998	10	Serious inappropriate internet access	Disciplinary Action
	2	Serious Email abuse	Disciplinary Action
1999	45	Serious inappropriate internet action	Disciplinary Action
	6	Inappropriate internet access	Informal Warning
2000	42	Serious inappropriate access	Disciplinary Action
	14	Inappropriate internet access	Informal Action
2001	14	Serious inappropriate internet access	Disciplinary Action
	84	Serious inappropriate internet action	Informal Warning
2002	8	Serious inappropriate internet access	Disciplinary Action
	38	Inappropriate internet access	Informal Warning

The Department for Education and Skills allows personal use of the Internet and email outside normal hours. Staff are warned that internet accesses may be monitored and misuse may lead to disciplinary action. Staff are reminded of the policy each time they log on to the Department network and must accept the policy before log in can be completed.

Excellence in Cities

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have been de-designated from the excellence in cities programme since its inception; and how many schools remain in the programme. [93198]

Mr. Miliband: There is no de-designation process, although the number of schools varies as new schools are established and others are closed or amalgamated. Our latest figures show that there are 2,370 schools in excellence in cities of which 1,000 are secondary schools.

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