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Self-employment

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to reduce the gap between male and female self-employment rates. [163311]

Nigel Griffiths: The Government's Strategic Framework for Women's Enterprise is working through key strategic partners in the regions, in particular, the Regional Development Agencies, the Business Link network and a number of women's enterprise organisations.

All 45 Business Link operators have women's enterprise as a key delivery theme for their activity.

We are encouraged by the findings on women's enterprise of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor's most recent report, which states that the levels of female entrepreneurship in the UK rose from around 600,000 in 2002 to around 700,000 in 2003 and that female attitudes to start-up have become far more positive during the last year.

Small Businesses

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she has taken to reduce the barriers to start-up for small businesses. [163316]

Nigel Griffiths: The Government are working with its public, private and voluntary sector partners to help start-up businesses to address and overcome early hurdles and barriers to success through the provision of high quality information, advice and support. A range of new actions the Government are undertaking to help start-up businesses to overcome barriers are set out in the "A Government action plan for small business", which was published in January 2004.

Mr. Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice her Department offers via Business Link operators to small manufacturing businesses of fewer than 10 employees seeking to improve their internal business practice. [165120]

Nigel Griffiths: Business Link operators offer straightforward information on small manufacturing business needs, and access to a wide network of business support organisations. From April advice will be delivered via a new DTI Business Support framework

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based on four main customer themes. Technology and Innovation, Access to Finance, Achieving Best Practice and Regional Investment. Our goals are to make strategic investments in business support in order to help drive up productivity, to improve delivery of business support and to develop better customer relationships.

The Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) has been highly successful as a source of practical help to manufacturers. The Department is keen for this success to continue. The Department is currently discussing the future development of MAS with the English RDAs and Welsh Development Agency, including the determination of future funding arrangements for MAS post March 2005. We are also discussing with RDAs and other stakeholders how best to ensure that MAS co-ordinates effectively within the new DTI Business Support framework, in particular the Support to implement Best Business Practice product (Product 10) that will be delivered through Business Links from April 2004. With emphasis on SMEs.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Alcohol Misuse

Mr. Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public expenditure there has been by drug action teams on countering the problems caused by alcohol misuse in (a) Taunton and (b) the South West in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [164782]

Caroline Flint: The information is not available in the format requested. Drug Action Teams (DATs) are funded to tackle drug misuse via the pooled treatment budget and local monies from Primary Care Trusts and Social Services mainstream funds. Further budgets are also available for prevention activities for young people. Alcohol funds are allocated at a local level and usually cannot be disaggregated from mainstream drugs or mental health expenditure.

Animal Experiments

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his Answer of 17 March 2004 Official Report, column 336W, on animal experiments, if he will make it his policy to encourage the formation of a European Union wide animals (scientific procedures) inspectorate. [164642]

Caroline Flint: No.

Article 19(5) of European Directive 86/609/EEC—on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the member states regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes—requires that establishments licensed to use animals in scientific procedures shall be subject to periodic inspection by representatives of the National Competent Authority.

Section 18 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which transposes the Directive into United Kingdom law, provides for the appointment of inspectors to advise on applications for licences and

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certificates under the Act and to visit places where regulated procedures are carried out to determine whether the conditions of licences and certificates are being complied with.

The Government are satisfied that the Home Office Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate, as set up under section 18, is highly effective in carrying out its duties and responsibilities. We do not consider that a European Inspectorate would add to, or improve on, what the Home Office Inspectorate already does. Nor do we consider that it would be practicable, given the diverse range of national regulatory systems. The Government are also concerned that the establishment of another tier of inspection, if that is what is being suggested, would place an unnecessary additional administrative burden on the scientific community.

We understand that this may also be the view emerging from the discussions taking place in the context of the review of European Directive 86/609/EEC currently being undertaken by the European Commission.

Cannabis

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 17 March 2004, Official Report, column 338W, on cannabis, when he expects to publish the results of the evaluation into the effectiveness of the advertising campaign on the reclassification of cannabis. [164955]

Caroline Flint: The final report is currently being collated and it is expected that it will be placed in the Library of the House by early May.

Civil Servants

Dr. Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants, broken down by grade, there are in the Department and the agencies for which the Department is responsible; and what the figures were in January 1997. [150260]

Fiona Mactaggart: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 9 February 2004, Official Report, column 1294W.

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of civil servants in his Department are of Asian origin. [163587]

Fiona Mactaggart: The Home Office currently employs 2,739 staff who are known to be of Asian origin. This represents 5.35 per cent. of the 69 per cent. of Home Office staff whose ethnicity is known.

Community Development Exchange

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the members of the Community Development Exchange; how they are appointed, and for how long; and to whom they are accountable. [163029]

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Fiona Mactaggart: The Community Development Exchange (CDX), is an independent non-governmental organisation that acts as the national membership organisation and voice for community development. The "members" of CDX are individuals and organisations made up of unpaid and paid practitioners, managers, policy officers and researchers from across the voluntary, community, private and public sectors, in a unique forum.

It is because of the independent nature of CDX that the Home Office does not hold a list of members; all members apply for membership to CDX and if accepted pay a yearly subscription; they can remain members for as long as they wish, subject to the payment of the annual subscription; and as independent individuals or organisations, CDX members are only accountable to themselves or their respective Boards of Management.

Credit Card Fraud

Mr. Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers police have to (a) access mobile phone records and (b) liaise with internet service providers in order to track down the physical location and identity of those committing fraud involving transactions of less than £500,000. [164847]

Caroline Flint: Under Part 1 Chapter II of Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, police are able to access communications data, including mobile phone records and information held by internet service providers, for the purposes of the prevention and detection of crime irrespective of the financial loss or gain incurred, to the extent that it is necessary and proportionate to do so.

Dalit Community

Mr. Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures have been taken since September 2003 to tackle discriminatory practices against the Dalit community in the United Kingdom. [164267]

Fiona Mactaggart [holding answer 29 March 2004]: None that I am aware of. I would be willing to consider any evidence-based representations on the need for specific measures, but could not at this stage give an assurance that it would be right to take any.

The Race Relations Act 1976 protects people from racial discrimination in the fields of employment, education, training, housing and the provision of goods, facilities and services. The provisions of the Act apply equally to all people irrespective of colour, race, nationality and ethnic or national origin.

The Race Relations Act 1976 (Amendment) Regulations 2003 further improved the amended Race Relations Act. The Regulations relate to discrimination and harassment on the grounds of race or ethnic or national origins. It is unlawful to discriminate against another person on any of these grounds in any area covered by the legislation.

Caste based discrimination would be unlawful under current legislation if it could also be argued that the discrimination was also based on colour, race, nationality or ethnic or national origins (in the case of

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employment, education, training, housing, provisions of goods, facilities, services and most other functions of public authorities) or religion (in the case of employment and training).

We acknowledge that there have been criticisms levelled at the Hindu caste system with regards to the treatment of Dalits. However, it is not the role of Government to take a position on the rites, beliefs or practices of any particular religious faith, other than where these give rise to conflict with the law.

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