---

1 May 2003 : Column 443W—continued

District Line

Mr. Colman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what investments have been made in the District Line in each of the last six years. [110459]

Mr. Jamieson: This is an operational matter for London Underground. London Underground, however, advise that the following has been invested in the District Line:

	£ million
1997–98	49.5
1998–99	64.4
1999–2000	61.5
2000–01	77.5
2001–02	101.2
2002–03	84.9

Ministerial Transport

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for his Department was in 2002. [101538]

Mr. Jamieson: The cost of ministerial cars and drivers for the Department will be addressed in a letter from Mr. Nick Matheson, the Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency to the hon. Member.

Taxis may be used for a variety of reasons, including disability, personal safety or when it is more cost effective to do so. The cost of taxis to my Department during 2002 was 55079.70. This figure is for the period 1 April to 31 December 2002 and is inclusive of all types of taxi services. My Department does not hold information on the cost of the different types, e.g black cabs or minicabs. The period 1 January to 31 March 2002 was for the predecessor Department of Transport Local Government and the Regions and the cost of taxis was not kept separately from other travel costs.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

National Minimum Wage

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the estimated cost is in 2003–04 to her Department, agencies and the non-departmental public bodies for which she is responsible of the increase in the national minimum wage from £4.20 per hour to £4.50 per hour. [110445]

Dr. Howells: There would be no increase in paybill costs in DCMS and the Royal Parks Agency because all staff are paid at a higher hourly rate than the £4.50 per hour national minimum wage.

1 May 2003 : Column 444W

DCMS does not hold central paybill records for non-departmental public bodies. To provide this information could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.

Pill Boxes

Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the pill boxes which are being reviewed as part of English Heritage's Monuments Protection programme. [108879]

Dr. Howells: English Heritage is carrying out a review of World War II anti-invasion structures, including pill boxes. This review is at an early stage, and there is no definitive list yet of the pill boxes which will be recommended for scheduling as part of the Monuments Protection programme.

Public Service Agreement

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many and what grades of officials are responsible for the monitoring of progress towards the public service agreement targets of her Department. [109475]

Dr. Howells: Monitoring progress towards the Department's PSA targets is undertaken by a wide variety of staff at all levels of the organisation.

Sickness Absence

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many staff in her Department were on long-term sick leave in each of the last five years. [109246]

Dr. Howells: Assuming long-term sick leave is defined as 90 days and over, the numbers of DCMS staff on long-term sick leave in each of the last five calendar years was:

	Number
1998	6
1999	3
2000	5
2001	5
2002	7

DCMS is committed to managing sickness absence effectively, and in meeting the 2003 target for reduced sickness absence, as set out in the Service Delivery Agreement.

Special Advisers

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the salary bill was for special advisers in her Department in 2002–03; and what it is expected to be in 2003–04. [108501]

Dr. Howells: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 24 April 2003, Official Report, column 45W, by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office.

1 May 2003 : Column 445W

DEFENCE

Age Discrimination

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to address the issue of age discrimination. [109442]

Dr. Moonie: The Ministry of Defence employs some 90,000 Civil Servants, and it is departmental policy that individuals should not be discriminated against on any grounds, including age. We will be keeping our policy under review against the background of any changes in the law relating to age that may result from the implementation of the EC Employment Directive. The armed forces have an exemption from the age (and disability) provisions of the Article 13 Directive.

Armed Forces Accommodation

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors underlie the decisions about how MOD houses are graded; if he will make a statement on the differences between the four grades; and which grades are suitable to house service personnel. [110467]

Dr. Moonie: All Service Families Accommodation (SFA) is Graded in accordance with the Ministry of Defence's 4-Tier Grading system. The Grading system takes into account the size and condition of the SFA plus environmental factors such as aircraft noise and distance from amenities. All Grades of SFA are used to house Service personnel.

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many MoD houses are empty; how many have been empty for more than six months; and if he will make a statement. [110468]

1 May 2003 : Column 446W

Dr. Moonie: It is assumed that this question relates to Service family housing in mainland United Kingdom, which is managed by the Defence Housing Executive (DHE). At the end of March 2003, there were 8,161 empty properties, including about 2,000 which the Services have requested DHE hold back from disposal, depending on resolution of Service deployment uncertainties.

Of the total vacant, some 2,880 had been empty for six months or more, of which 937 were in the course of disposal, and 1,399 were awaiting planned deployments or refurbishment. The remainder are subject to a rolling review of their long-term retention.

Armed Forces Recruitment

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the Department's recruitment campaign for the armed services; and what the shortfall in manpower was in each year since 1997. [110029]

Dr. Moonie: Overall armed forces recruitment is holding up well. After 11 months of the current Financial Year, the number of new recruits had reached 24,290 representing 96 per cent. of the overall recruiting target. This compares with 95 per cent. in FY 2001–02 and 90 per cent. in FY 2000–01. However, we are not complacent; we recognise that the overall achievement masks recruiting shortfalls in some critical employment groups.

The following table provides details of shortfalls in trained strength by individual Service as at 1 April for years 1997 to 2002 along with the current shortfall (as at 1 March 2003).

All services	1 April 1997	1 April 1998	1 April 1999	1 April 2000	1 April 2001	1 April 2002	1 March 2003
Surplus/Deficit	-8,320	-8,190	-8,100	-7,740	-9,440	-9,030	-6,570
Naval service
Surplus/Deficit	-1,230	-1,460	-1,620	-990	-1,360	-1,690	-920
Army
Surplus/Deficit	-4,840	-4,890	-5,370	-6,060	-6,600	-6,560	-5,110
Royal Air Force
Surplus/Deficit	-2,250	-1,850	-1,120	-690	-1,490	-790	-550

Note:

All Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, totals may not equal the sum of the parts

These figures exclude:

Trained Personnel in the Royal Irish Regiment (Home Service, full and part time), Army Reservists mobilised for service, RAF Reservists mobilised for service, Gibraltar Permanent Cadre and Naval Activated Reservists.

These figures include:

Trained UK Regular Forces, Full Time Reserve Service Personnel (FTRS) and Trained Gurkhas.

Benefits (Service Families)

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures are in place to provide spouses of army personnel with (a) maternity benefit, (b) jobseeker's allowance, (c) disability allowance and (d) advice on how to seek these benefits, when they are living or have been living abroad; and if he will make a statement. [110389]

Dr. Moonie: The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) issue pamphlet GL26, which gives specific advice on benefits and allowances for Service families moving overseas. Claims are dealt with through the DWP Newcastle office which has a help line; and the availability of the help line is published to Service families. There are also advice leaflets available through British Forces Post Offices overseas. Service welfare organisations will also provide advice to families.

The procedures for claiming benefits are set by the Department of Work and Pensions, and will depend upon the benefit being claimed and the circumstances of the individual. The ability to claim benefits overseas will also depend upon the country being visited. There are specific rules for European Economic Area (EEA) countries and there are also a number of two way social security agreements with other countries.

1 May 2003 : Column 447W

In the case of maternity allowance, if the individual is going to an EEA country and is a United Kingdom or EEA national and is already in receipt of maternity allowance, they can continue to receive it while abroad. If going to a non-EEA country, they may be able to get maternity allowance if a two-way social security agreement exists covering maternity benefit. In other cases, the Ministry of Defence will make an ex-gratia payment equivalent to maternity allowance for accompanying Servicemen's wives when all the relevant qualifying criteria are met.

Jobseeker's allowance can be claimed when moving to an EEA country if all the criteria are met. However, it is not payable in countries outside the EEA. In some cases, it is possible to use UK national insurance contributions to claim an unemployment benefit in countries that have two-way social security agreements with the UK.

Disability living allowance is normally payable for as long as the applicant can be treated as 'ordinarily resident'' in Great Britain. It is not payable where the family has severed links with Great Britain and has no plans to return, or where a severely disabled child born abroad has not established ordinary residence in Great Britain. In practice, members of most Service families stationed overseas would be treated as ordinarily resident in Great Britain.

Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what standards have been set for the rapid resolution of benefit claims by Service families; and whether there are complaints procedures available for cases that have resulted in the undue delay of such benefits. [110391]

Dr. Moonie: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has a target to process claims for jobseeker's allowance within 12 days. This applies to all claims, including those made by Service families. If there are delays, DWP will consider complaints and claims for compensation which should, in the first instance, be made to the local DWP office. Complaints can also be made by e-mailing Jobcentre Plus via the website at: jobcentreplus.gov.uk or using the "How Do I Complain?" leaflet available at any Jobcentre Plus Office. Service authorities will provide assistance to Service families as necessary in cases where there is dispute over entitlement to a benefit.

---