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Libraries

Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many libraries have closed since 1997; what improvements have been made to libraries in this period; what internet and computer provisions have been made available at library sites; and if she will make a statement on her assessment of library services. [115168]

Mr. Caborn: The number of libraries closed since 1997 is not held centrally. However, the number of Total Service Points open 10 hours or more per week is contained in column 18 of the annual Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Public Library Statistics for each of those years, copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library.

The Government has encouraged improvements in planning, accountability and performance by English public library services through the introduction of Annual Library Plans (ALPs) in 1998, now superseded by Position Statements, and Public Library Standards on 1 April 2001.

All but fewer than 1 per cent. of English Public Libraries are now connected to the internet through the £100 million lottery funded People's Network programme which has enabled library authorities to improve their ICT infrastructure and staff skills and to create innovative digital content.

In February we launched Framework for the Future which sets out the Government's 10 year vision aimed at encouraging public library services in England fit for the needs of 21st century users. The document cites many exciting and innovative examples of how modern public libraries are developing new ways of meeting the needs of the communities they serve. A copy of this document

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is available in the House Library and may also be found at: www.culture.gov.uk. Public library provision in Scotland is the responsibility of the Scottish Executive.

Licensing Bill

Mr. Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) clauses and (b) schedules were (i) fully debated, (ii) partly debated and (iii) not debated during the Committee Stage of the Licensing Bill. [116750]

Dr. Howells: Of 198 clauses in the Licensing Bill as considered in Committee, 106 were debated in full. 88 were not debated. Of these, 51 were not debated because no amendments were tabled and the Committee agreed to the question that the clause stand part of the Bill without debate. Four clauses were partly debated. As a result of Sessional Order D (29 October 2002) and the Order of the Committee (1 and 3 April 2003), the opportunity for debate was lost for 37 clauses.

Of eight schedules in the Licensing Bill as considered in Committee, five were debated in full. Three were not debated because no amendments were tabled and the Committee agreed to the question that the schedule be the nth schedule of the Bill without debate. No schedules were partly debated.

Olympic Games

Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the effects of a successful London Olympic bid on the levels of sports lottery funding available for projects in the North East. [116579]

Mr. Caborn: Preliminary assessments of the impact of Olympic Lottery games have been provided by Camelot, and reviewed by the National Lottery Commission. These estimates suggest that any negative impact on income to the existing good causes would be small—four per cent. for the remainder of the Camelot licence period, until 2009. It is possible that should additional funding be required the impact may rise to 11 per cent. between 2009–12. However, Olympic Lottery games have the potential to invigorate interest in the Lottery in general and in that way may benefit all the existing good causes.

Decisions on lottery funding for specific projects in the North East and across the country will remain a matter for the distributing bodies, in the case of sport for Sport England.

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Mr. Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the need for an Olympic size swimming pool for the North East of England; and if she will make a statement. [116582]

Mr. Caborn: In December 2001 Sport England made an assessment of swimming pool provision in the North East using their Facilities Planning Model. The Model provides an assessment of the relationship between the level of supply of pools required to meet the estimated demand from the population in a given area in the peak period.

Analysis of the results found that the current supply of swimming pools could generally meet the existing demand from residents.

The Amateur Swimming Association published their facilities strategy in December 2002, and highlighted the strategic need for one 50m community pool in each of Sport England's nine regions. At present the North East does not have a 50m pool, but I understand there are two Lottery proposals currently being considered for such a facility by Sport England.

Sustainable Development

Mr. Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which United Kingdom commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (a) have been incorporated into the Department's existing delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements and (b) will be incorporated in its delivery plan for Service Delivery Agreements in advance of the 2004 Spending Review. [113886]

Dr. Howells: This Department has not incorporated any United Kingdom commitments arising from the World Summit on Sustainable Development into its current delivery plans for their Service Delivery Agreements, and does not foresee including any commitments in future delivery plans for Service Delivery Agreements.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

Ms Janet Hughes

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Administrative Court Office issued the writ of fiat facias that was sealed on 5 November 2002 in the case of Ms Janet Hughes. [107741]

Yvette Cooper: The writ was issued by the Administrative Court Office on 5 November 2002 on the application of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

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DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Green Belt

Mr. Wray: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister which cities have green belts; how large they were in 1997; what area they cover now; and what plans he has to enlarge green belt land. [115154]

Mr. McNulty: In 1997, the area covered by the 14 green belts in England was:

	Hectares
Tyne and Wear	53,000
York	3 5,400
South and West Yorkshire	251,300
North West	249,500
Stoke-on-Trent	44,100
Nottingham and Derby	62,000
Burton and Swadlincote	700
West Midlands	229,800
Cambridge	26,700
Gloucester and Cheltenham	7,000
Oxford	35,000
London	514,300
Avon	68,400
SW Hampshire and SE Dorset	82,300
Total	1,649,500

The Government remains committed to the protection of green belts. Since 1997, over 30,000 hectares has been added to the green belt. Our objective is to continue to maintain or increase the area of green belt land in each English region. The general extent of green belt will continue to be a matter for Regional Planning Guidance, with local planning authorities setting the precise boundaries.

Asylum Seekers

David Davis: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many asylum seekers were housed by the local authority in (a) the East Riding of Yorkshire and (b) Hull in each month since 1997. [97735]

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.

The information is not available in the form requested.

The availability of information on the location of asylum seekers in the UK is currently linked to the support the asylum seeker receives. Asylum seekers in the UK either receive support from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS), local authorities or the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) or are supporting themselves.

Information on outstanding asylum cases, initial decision outcomes and asylum case processing times relating to persons in particular areas of the UK is unavailable as are statistics regarding the location of asylum seekers not in receipt of support.

NASS does not disperse asylum seekers to any areas in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The following table shows the number of asylum seekers (including

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dependants) accommodated by NASS in the Hull cluster area as at the end of each quarter since June 2000: ¹

Date	Number of asylum seekers (including dependants) supported in NASS accommodation in the Hull cluster area
As at end June 2000	(27)
As at end September 2000	380
As at end December 2000	960
As at end March 2001	1,015
As at end June 2001	915
As at end September 2001	1,000
As at end December 2001	1,035
As at end March 2002	1,035
As at end June 2002	995
As at end September 2002	995

⁽²⁶⁾ All figures have been rounded to the nearest five, figures between one and two are represented by a

⁽²⁷⁾.

Figures exclude cases where support has been ceased.

Additionally, some asylum seekers receive subsistence only support from NASS or are disbenefited cases

⁽²⁸⁾. Statistics on the location of these cases are currently only available at regional level. The following table shows the total number of subsistence only and disbenefited cases (including dependants) which were supported in the Yorkshire & Humberside region (which includes the East Riding of Yorkshire and Hull) as at the end of each quarter since December 2000:

Date	Number of asylum seekers (including dependants) receiving subsistence only support, or being supported as a disbenefited case, and staying in the Yorks and Humberside region
As at end December 2000	85
As at end March 2001	115
As at end June 2001	140
As at end September 2001	215
As at end December 2001	310
As at end March 2002	510
As at end June 2002	600
As at end September 2002	735

⁽²⁹⁾ Disbenefited cases are cases which were previously supported under the main UK. benefits system and have been moved onto NASS support. Some of these cases have remained in the original social services accommodation.

From grant claims sent to the Home Office by local authorities, as at the end of September 2002, there were the following additional number of asylum seekers being supported by the local authorities in Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Local Authority	Number of singles supported as at end of Sep 2002	Number of families supported as at end of Sep 2002
East Riding	5	0
Hull	35	5

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In previous years, information is only available on the number of weeks' support paid for by local authorities rather than the number of asylum seekers actually supported.

Prior to the introduction of NASS, asylum applicants claiming asylum on arrival were eligible to receive urgent case payments under income support arrangements. Payments equated to 90 per cent. of income support rates.

Asylum seekers claiming asylum in country were eligible to receive support from their local authority and payments were made to meet their essential living needs.

Statistics on the number of asylum seekers supported by NASS in each region are available on the Home Office's Immigration and Asylum Statistics website. Detailed figures will next be published on 28 February 2003 in the bulletin covering quarter four of 2002:

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

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