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English Devolution

Mr. Allen: To ask the Prime Minister which department is responsible for English devolution. [119975]

The Prime Minister: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is responsible for regional and local government in England.

Intelligence and Security Committee Report

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Prime Minister when he expects to lay the Government's Response to the Intelligence and Security Committee's annual report for 2002–03 before Parliament. [121050]

The Prime Minister: I have today laid the Government response to the Intelligence and Security Committee's report before Parliament.

Official Spelling

Bob Russell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy that official (a) correspondence, (b) reports and (c) documentation from his office uses the English spelling of words where this differs from the US version. [118747]

The Prime Minister: The published guidance from the Cabinet Office on the Handling of Ministerial and Other Correspondence and on Plain Written English, emphasise that appropriate arrangements should be in place to ensure the quality of all replies is high.

Regulatory Reform

Mr. Pike: To ask the Prime Minister which Cabinet Minister has overall responsibility for regulatory reform. [120276]

The Prime Minister: The Minister of State, Cabinet Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, South (Mr. Alexander) has lead responsibility for regulatory reform.

US Foreign Policy

Mr. Allen: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to his Answer of 11 June 2003, Official Report, column 870W, on US foreign policy, if he will list the occasions since January 2001 when he has disagreed with US foreign policy. [120270]

The Prime Minister: Examples of issues where I have publicly disagreed with the United States include on steel tariffs 10 April 2002, Official Report, column 17, and on trade 19 March 2003, Official Report, column 935.

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INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Mr. Paul Marsden: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development how many hospitals in Afghanistan have shortages of (a) nurses, (b) doctors, (c) drugs and (d) beds. [119618]

Hilary Benn: An Afghanistan Health Resources Assessment was carried out on behalf of the Ministry of Health by Management Sciences for Health in 2002. This national survey gathered information about the location and facilities of hospitals and health centres, services provided, human resources and rehabilitation needs.

The survey identified 21 regional/national hospitals, 41 provincial hospitals and 114 district hospitals. 87 per cent. of the 1,038 hospitals and health facilities identified are presently operating.

The survey identified 8,445 beds in 210 health facilities (approximately 1 bed for every 2,500 people). Most of these beds are located in urban areas—Kabul in particular. On average, developing countries have 2.7 hospital beds per 1,000 population. The survey suggests that Afghanistan has 0.4 of a bed per 1,000 population.

There are approximately 2,300 doctors (approximately 0.1 per 1,000 population), (average rate in developing countries 1.1). There are massive shortages of nurses and qualified birth attendants: doctors make up over a quarter of all health workers. 40 per cent. of facilities providing basic health care have no female health provider. This is extremely important in this largely conservative Muslim country with strong taboos against female patients being treated by male health providers.

Over 80 per cent. of health facilities currently receive external support for drugs and supplies. The availability of five of the most important primary care level drugs was good, at 90 per cent.

Iraq

Mrs. Spelman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development who will be responsible for the appointment of Iraqi delegates to the interim Iraqi Administration. [118476]

Mr. Rammell: I have been asked to reply.

We are committed to ensuring that the development of the political process in Iraq, including the formation of the interim Administration, takes place in accordance with UNSCR 1483. Consultations are continuing on the political process between coalition representatives including the UK Special Representative for Iraq, representatives of Iraq interest groups and political parties and the UN Special Representative.

Parliamentary Questions

Dr. Tonge: To ask the Minister of State, Department for International Development what procedures her Department employs to ensure the swift reply to parliamentary questions. [117074]

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Hilary Benn: DFID attach great importance to answering PQs accurately and within recommended deadlines.

PQs are drafted in line with central Cabinet Office guidelines entitled "Guidance to Officials on Drafting Answers to Parliamentary Questions". Copies of this guidance are available in the Libraries of the House.

DFID also has detailed internal guidance in place for all staff on how PQs should be answered. We have a Parliamentary Unit that operates tracking and monitoring procedures to ensure that PQs are allocated promptly to the appropriate drafting officials and processed within pre-set deadlines.

Every effort is made to handle PQs with the highest priority, but we also want to make sure that answers are as complete, informative and consistent as possible for Members. This means that deadlines for reply may not be met on every occasion.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Agency Workers Helpline

Colin Burgon: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how the telephone number of the Department's helpline for agency workers is advertised; [119547]

(2) how many calls the Department's helpline for agency workers has taken in the past 12 months; and how many of these calls emanated from workers in west Yorkshire. [119548]

Mr. Sutcliffe [holding answers 18 June 2003]: We have advertised DTI's Employment Agency Standards (EAS) helpline in various publications, including specialist trade newspapers and magazines and on the DTI's website. In addition, information booklets, leaflets and posters, which contain details of the EAS Inspectorate and Helpline telephone number, are issued to interested organisations, such as Citizen Advice Bureaux, Jobcentres, AC AS, the relevant trade associations and trade unions.

Between 1 June 2002 and 31 May 2003 the DTI's Employment Agency Standards helpline received 8,965 telephone inquiries. It is not possible to provide a breakdown by geographical region.

BCCI

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she last met the liquidators of BCCI. [120036]

Mr. Sutcliffe: My officials met one of the liquidators of BCCI on 4 March 2003 to review the progress of the liquidation.

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will meet the honourable Member for Leicester, East and a delegation of creditors to discuss the cost of liquidation of BCCI. [120037]

Mr. Sutcliffe: No. The costs of the liquidation of BCCI are a matter for the liquidators, the liquidation committee of creditors or the court.

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Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total cost of the liquidation of BCCI is. [120038]

Mr. Sutcliffe: The costs of the liquidation of BCCI in England and Wales totalled £686 million as at 15 January 2003.

Biomass Renewable Projects

Mr. David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to develop biomass renewable projects. [119882]

Mr. Timms: The Government are committed to biomass and have launched a number of programmes to support and promote bioenergy in the UK.

The Bioenergy Capital Grants Scheme (BCGS), joint-funded by DTI and the New Opportunities Fund and worth £66 million, will support the early deployment of biomass-fired technology and builds on support made available under the Non Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO). The BCGS, launched in February 2002, has proven very popular and has become over-subscribed with funds now fully allocated. In total, 21 projects across the UK will be supported by the Scheme, covering heat, combined heat and power and electricity generation from biomass.

DEFRA, as part of its England Rural Development Programme, has made available £29 million for the establishment of energy crops including short rotation coppice (SRC) and miscanthus under the Energy Crops Scheme. A further £3.5 million is to be made available for the establishment of infrastructure to facilitate the harvest and supply of energy crops to the power generator.

The Woodland Grant Scheme and the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme, co-ordinated by the Forestry Commission in mainland UK and Forest Services in Northern Ireland, provides grants to create and manage woodland, which can help in the production of wood fuel. The Woodland Grant Scheme also supports the establishment of SRC in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Clear Skies Initiative, a £10 million grants programme launched by DTI in February 2003, supports eligible community and domestic wood fired heating projects.

Biomass is also supported through the Renewables Obligation, which came into effect on 1 April 2002, and electricity supplied by dedicated biomass plant or through co-firing will qualify for Renewable Obligation Certificates and be exempt from the Climate Change Levy (CCL).

Finally, grants are available for research, development and demonstration projects through the DTI's £19 million New and Renewable Energy Programme. There are two calls for proposals to the Programme each year. Work on improving the yield and pest resistance of energy crops and developing advanced conversion technologies such as gasification and pyrolysis has progressed through the Programme.

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The Government will continue to review the level of support given to biomass and explore new ideas and opportunities to further promote this renewable energy resource in the UK.

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