---

3 Apr 2003 : Column 862W—continued

Waiting Lists

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in the Buckinghamshire health authority area waited more than (a) 13 weeks and (b) 26 weeks for a first outpatient appointment in each reporting period over the past two years. [105706]

Ms Blears: The number of patients in the Buckinghamshire health authority who waited more than 13 weeks and 26 weeks for a first outpatient appointment is shown in the table.

3 Apr 2003 : Column 863W

		Patients seen who have waited:
Year	Quarter	13 to 26 weeks	26 plus weeks
	Data pre "Shifting the Balance of Power"
2000–01	4	5,611	1,737
2001–02	1	3,970	685
2001–02	2	4,771	770
2001–02	3	5,562	1,068
2001–2	4	—	—
	Data post "Shifting the Balance of Power"(40)
2002–03	1	5,123	425
2002–03	2	6,380	174
2002–03	3	6,039	342

⁽⁴⁰⁾ Includes Chiltern and South Bucks primary care trust (PCT), Milton Keynes PCT, Vale of Aylesbury PCT and Wycombe PCT.

Source:

Department of Health form QM08R

TREASURY

Heroin (Afghanistan)

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department is taking to monitor and control the dispersal of heroin from Afghanistan, with particular reference to its import into the UK. [106116]

John Healey: HM Customs and Excise is providing advice and assistance to the Afghan Transitional Administration to help counter the narcotics trade there. Customs also has a network of Drug Liaison Officers who gather intelligence and assist in the interdiction of heroin along transit routes from Afghanistan to the UK.

Air Passenger Duty

Mr. Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the annual revenue to the Exchequer from air passenger duty was in each year since 1997, broken down by (a) destination category and (b) rate category. [106179]

John Healey: Details of revenue from air passenger duty, by destination category and rate category, are published in the HM Customs and Excise 'Air Passenger Duty Factsheet' (February 2002, Page l), a copy of which can be found in the Library of the House.

Humanitarian Relief

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reimburse the Department for International Development for the money it has allocated for humanitarian relief from next year's contingency reserve. [106481]

John Healey [holding answer 1 April 2003]: The Government have set aside a total of £240 million for humanitarian assistance in Iraq. This includes £30 million for the MOD to provide immediate assistance on the ground, and £210 million which DfID will distribute, including an extra £120 million announced by the Chancellor on 27 March 2003.

3 Apr 2003 : Column 864W

There are no plans to reimburse DfID for the money it has allocated for humanitarian relief from its contingency reserve.

Staff Numbers

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff are employed by his Department. [106280]

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer the Minister of State, Cabinet Office is giving him today.

Tobacco Duty

Mr. Randall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has been made of the level of revenue received from duty on tobacco in each of the last five years. [106516]

John Healey: Excise duty and estimated VAT receipts for tobacco are published in the HM Customs and Excise "Tobacco Factsheet" Page 1, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Civil Contingency Planning

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his Department's (a) responsibilities and (b) assets with regard to civil contingency planning; what funds are committed; what action he is taking within his Department to improve such planning; and what action he is taking in collaboration with other departments. [102624]

Mr. Leslie: (a) I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 21 March 2003, Official Report, columns 957–58W.

(b) The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister civil contingency responsibilities include the readiness of the Fire Service to respond to civil threats, including chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attack, the ability of the regions to engage in effective emergency planning; and earthquakes and major building structural failures. For the Fire Service, a total of £56 million has been committed to the New Dimension mass decontamination programme. On search and rescue, £3 million has been made available for the training of responders, the purchase of technical search and rescue and heavy rescue equipment, and the provision of training rigs at the Fire Service College; and a further £2 million to provide for the special needs of the capital.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is establishing regional resilience teams in Government Offices from 1 April 2003 to assist in providing multi-agency strategic direction to civil protection planning and preparedness at regional level.

The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is also responsible for the inter-agency London Resilience Team, which acts to drive and co-ordinate emergency planning against a catastrophic incident in the capital. It

3 Apr 2003 : Column 865W

has reviewed preparedness in the capital and developed an urgent programme of action to strengthen the high level of resilience.

A small unit co-ordinates the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's response to broader civil contingency issues and the development of plans and capabilities in relation to its responsibilities. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is also taking appropriate actions to ensure the resilience of it's own operations. This includes collaboration with other Departments.

Communities Plan

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress with the implementation of the Communities Plan. [106014]

Mr. McNulty: The investment set out in the Communities Plan comes on stream at the start of financial year 2003–04. Work is proceeding across the whole agenda of the Plan and milestones have been achieved in a number of areas.

Most of the market renewal pathfinders have now been established with early action proceeding in these areas alongside finalisation of strategic schemes.

In the growth areas the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is in discussion with local partners about strengthened local delivery arrangements.

The Housing Corporation's 2003–04 programme for investment in affordable housing has been announced. The challenge fund element will deliver some 8000 homes, of which about half will be for key workers, and some 2,500 will be built using modern methods of construction.

On 31 March we published our Housing Bill. This includes proposals for licensing of landlords and changes to the rules relating to the Right to Buy.

The home ownership task force has been launched, and regional housing boards have been set up in the regions.

European Working Groups

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress with achieving transparency in respect of the European working groups for which his Department is responsible. [105737]

Mr. Leslie: The Government remain committed to greater openness in the EU institutions, including working groups, and strongly support the measures agreed at the Seville European Council to make the council more open in its legislative process. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister welcomes Regulation 1049/2001 regarding public access to European Parliament, council and commission documents as a result of which more documents are released to the public while genuinely sensitive documents are given the necessary protection.

Homebuy Scheme

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people in the Buckingham constituency have

3 Apr 2003 : Column 866W

received interest free equity loans under the Homebuy Scheme; and what the total amount of funding granted is. [106020]

Mr. McNulty: Up until 28 February 2003, 49 Homebuy purchases had been completed in Buckinghamshire since the scheme began in April 1999. The total amount of funding provided by the Housing Corporation for Homebuy purchases in Buckinghamshire was £1,693,269. A breakdown by local authority is tabled as follows:

Local authority	Homebuy completions	Funding provided (£)
Aylesbury Vale	7	199,019
Chiltern	0	0
Milton Keynes	5	133,917
South Buckinghamshire	21	695,150
Wycombe	16	665,183
Total	49	1,693,269

---