---

27 Feb 2003 : Column 687W—continued

Police Service of Northern Ireland

Andrew Mackinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what procedures, tests, and exercises constitute the process by which PSNI officers reclassify in relation to use of firearms; and if he will make a statement. [98568]

Jane Kennedy: The training comprises of an introductory Health and Safety input, a refresher handling class, a live fire qualification shoot and an interactive lesson on Human Rights and Police Use of Firearms.

Scallop Fishery

Mrs. Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reason the whole Irish Sea scallop fishery has been closed. [94151]

27 Feb 2003 : Column 688W

Ms Blears: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency, which has responsibility for monitoring shellfisheries for the presence of algal biotoxins as required under EC Directive 91/492, that closures of scallop fisheries are based on sample test results above the statutory limit.

PRIME MINISTER

Director of Communications

Mr. Don Foster: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what rules govern speeches made to external organisations by his Director of Communications; and if he will make a statement; [100018]

(2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the speech made to the Freight Transport Association by his Director of Communications on 18 February. [100019]

The Prime Minister: Speeches made by special advisers in an official capacity are governed by the requirements of the Model Contract for Special Advisers. In line with the terms of his contract, my Director of Communications occasionally carries out speaking engagements. His speech to the Freight Transport Asociation was one of a number he is doing in a personal capacity to raise funds for charity. He spoke about his experience in the media and in politics, and then did a Q&A session. There is no record of his remarks.

Iraq

Mr. Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister (1) what plans Her Majesty's Government has to present the government of Iraq with a formal written ultimatum before it enters a state of armed conflict with that Government; [99491]

(2) what the maximum length of time is in which Iraq is required to comply with the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 1441; and if he will make a statement; [99493]

(3) if he will make it his policy to publish, in advance of entering a state of armed conflict with Iraq, a statement indicating why he considers that all peaceful means of settling the disputes between the United Kingdom and Iraq have been exhausted. [99665]

The Prime Minister: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I gave in the House on Tuesday 25 February 2003.

Lord Lieutenant for Cambridgeshire

Mr. Paice: To ask the Prime Minister when he expects the announcement of the new Lord Lieutenant for Cambridgeshire to be made. [99606]

The Prime Minister: The former Lord-Lieutenant for Cambridgeshire, James Crowden, retired in November last year. The process of identifying a successor is well in hand and we hope to announce an appointment shortly.

27 Feb 2003 : Column 689W

CABINET OFFICE

Capita

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to his answer of 13 January 2003, Official Report, columns 367–368W, on Capita, if he will give the (a) start and finish date, (b) value, (c) evaluation mechanism for successful delivery and (d) penalty charges for failure to deliver for each contract; whether penalty charges have been incurred; what the service level agreements were; what the contract numbers were; and if he will make a statement. [97337]

Mr. Alexander: The information requested is as follows:

Contract for Fast Stream Recruitment Support

(a) Started 1 April 2001, ends 30 September 2003

(b) The contract is part fixed cost and part variable cost. The fixed cost is £1,224,000 and the variable cost to date is £1,980,000

(c) Successful delivery is achieved through careful contract management, including regular monitoring.

(d) The contract contains a default procedure that has not been used. The contract number is F060.

Contract for Provision of Civil Service and Judicial Pensioner Payroll and Associated Services

(a) Started 1 October 2002, the contract is for 5.5 years extendable up to 10.5 years.

(b) The current value is some £3.6 million per annum, however the contract price is subject to annual indexation and changes in live and preserved caseloads—either up or down.

(c) Successful delivery is achieved through careful contract management, including regular monitoring.

(d) The contract provides for a reduction in the contract price if performance standards are not achieved. The contract does not have a number.

Contract for Recruitment of Assistant Parliamentary Counsel

(a) Started 4 October 2001, ended 11 November 2002

(b) £19,000

(c) Successful delivery was achieved through contract management, including regular monitoring.

(d) The contract provided for termination in the event of a material breach which was not remedied. The contract did not have a number.

I have put a copy of the service levels for each contract in the Library.

All costs exclude VAT.

Civil Defence

Gregory Barker: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to his answer of 10 February 2003, Official Report, column 495W, what further steps have been taken by his Department since 11 September 2001 to ensure that local authorities in England and Wales work in conjunction with the (a) St John's Ambulance and (b) other voluntary organisations to update local civil defence plans and increase civil defence (i) planning and (ii) readiness in the event of an NBC terrorist attack in (A) London, (B) South East, (C) England and (D) UK; and when the most recent guidance was given. [98641]

Mr. Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 10 February 2003, Official Report, column 495W.

27 Feb 2003 : Column 690W

Mr. Peter Gershon

Mr. Gibb: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when Sir Andrew Turnbull will reply to the letter of 22 January 2003 from the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton regarding the conduct of Mr. Peter Gershon CBE. [99772]

Mr. Alexander: Sir Andrew Turnbull replied to the hon. Member on 26 February 2003.

Written Questions

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many named day written questions were tabled to the Department between 15 October 2002 and 24 February 2003; how many that received a holding answer were given a substantive answer (a) within three days, (b) within seven days, (c) within 14 days, (d) within 28 days and (e) over 28 days later; and what procedures the Department has in place to monitor performance on answering (i) Parliamentary Questions and (ii) ministerial letters. [99458]

Mr. Alexander: Seventy five Named Day questions were tabled to the Cabinet Office between 15 October and 24 February, of these nine had holding replies. All were answered within three parliamentary sitting days.

Cabinet Office parliamentary questions are recorded on a parliamentary database, and progress of all parliamentary questions are monitored closely.

As far as ministerial correspondence is concerned, the Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on performance of departments in replying to Ministerial correspondence. The Report for 2001 was published on Friday 24 May 2002, column 674W. The Report for 2002 will be published in due course.

HEALTH

Age-related Macular Degeneration

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action his Department will undertake to ensure that primary care trusts fund the treatment of patients suffering from predominantly classic CNV associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) within the context of the clinical studies recommended in the Final Appraisal Determination of photodynamic therapy for AMD issued by NICE; [98632]

(2) when his Department returned photodynamic therapy for age-related macular degeneration to NICE; and when final guidance is expected; [98633]

(3) what his Department's estimate is of the number of patients who, according to the product licence, should have been eligible for treatment for AMD during the clinical studies. [98634]

Mr. Lammy: We have asked the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to carry out an appraisal of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a treatment for age-related macular degeneration. It has not yet published any guidance to the National Health Service on this topic. NICE prepared its Final Appraisal Determination on Photodynamic Therapy and circulated it to consultees

27 Feb 2003 : Column 691W

on 16 January. We understand this document has been appealed against. NICE will now consider any appeals before publishing its final guidance.

Once guidance has been published, NHS bodies are obliged to make the ncessary funding available so that patients can receive treatments recommended by NICE, if recommended by the clinician.

A recent study sponsored by the Macular Disease Society estimated that there were currently 182,000 suffering from age-related macular degeneration with a best eye visual acuity below that judged appropriate for certification as blind or partially sighted. The study forecast that this number would increase to 194,000 by 2008. We are unable to estimate exactly how many patients may benefit from photodynamic therapy until NICE has completed its appraisal of the therapy.

---