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Special Constables

Mr. Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made to the (a) management, (b) welfare and (c) deployment of special constables in the Thames Valley area since January 2002. [189972]

Ms Blears: Chief Officers have responsibility for the management, welfare and deployment of their Special Constabularies.

Stop and Search (West Yorkshire)

Mr. Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were stopped and searched by West Yorkshire Police during 2002–03, broken down by (a) age, (b) ethnicity and (c) sex. [189503]

Ms Blears: During 2002–03 the total number of persons stopped and searched by West Yorkshire Police under Section 5 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 was 46,707. Of these, 37,255 had their visual appearance recorded as white, 2,901 as black, 5,830 as Asian, and 721 as of 'other' ethnicity.

In the same period, a further 1,155 persons were stopped and searched under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. Of these, 607 were white, 82 black, 435 Asian, and 31 of 'other' ethnicity.

Stops and searches under the provisions of Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 during 2002–03 totalled 18, 13 of white individuals, two of Asians, and three of persons of 'Other' ethnicity.

No information is recorded centrally on the age and sex of those stopped and searched.

Young Offenders

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer 187060 of 7 September 2004, Official Report, column 965W, how many (a) female and (b) male young offenders aged 18 to 21 years were held (i) over 50 miles and (ii) over 100 miles from their committal court town. [190061]

Paul Goggins: As at 7 July 2004, from the information available, the distance that young offenders aged 18 to 21 years, male and female, were held from their committal court towns is set out in the table.
 
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Distance	Total young offender population	Male young offender population	Female young offender population
Under 50 miles
Total number of prisoners	5,184	4,976	208
Percentage	65	66	51
50–100 miles
Total number of prisoners	1,828	1,732	96
Percentage	23	23	23
100 plus miles
Total number of prisoners	944	837	107
Percentage	12	11	26
Total	7,956	7,545	411

Note:
An individual prisoner's court details are recorded to show first court appearance, committal, remand, conviction or sentencing courts. Information specifically on committal court details is not available for all prisoners and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Where a prisoner's committal court data is unavailable, the prisoner's remand court or convicting and sentencing court is used.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Summer Works Programme

Sir John Butterfill: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission what assessment he has made of the health and safety implications for (a) Members, (b) Members' staff, (c) staff of the House and (d) the general public of allowing access to areas in which work was continuing as part of the summer works programme, with particular reference to risks arising from storage of timber and flammable liquids in the Committee Corridor. [189983]

Sir Archy Kirkwood: The Head of the Parliamentary Occupational Health, Safety and Welfare Services has carried out an investigation into the health and safety arrangements relevant to works projects during the summer recess 2004. In summary, his findings were that:

The health and safety arrangements in connection with construction projects were generally to acceptable standards.

Health and safety in construction projects undertaken on the Parliamentary Estate has significantly improved over recent years.

The stairs leading to the Members' Tea Room, though unsightly, were found to be in a safe condition for use.

There have been no reported accidents related to non construction staff during the summer recess period; and no significant incidents at all, which overall is a good record.

There are a number of learning points where improvements can be made for future construction projects, in particular better cordoning off and signage for construction related areas.

At the time of the investigation, there were no flammable liquids or timber stored in the Committee Corridor. However, observation by others during the peak period of the works projects confirms that flammable liquids were securely stored in line with good practice and timber was stored temporarily in cordoned off areas for short periods prior to use.
 
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The full report is lodged in the House of Commons Library and copies have been sent to Mr Speaker and to the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee.

Sir John Butterfill: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to his answer of 9 September 2004, Official Report, column 1330W, on September sittings, if he will estimate the cost of the summer works programme had the September sitting of the House not taken place; and what the actual cost will be. [189984]

Sir Archy Kirkwood: The estimated cost of the summer works programme for 2004 is some £5.7 million against a figure of around £5.6 million if the House had not sat in September.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Caucasus (Oil Pipelines)

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the status of the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline; and what diplomatic discussions he has had with those countries involved on the likely outcome of this project. [190213]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The pipeline is a matter for routine discussion between UK Government Ministers and officials with interlocutors in Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. The pipeline, which is currently under construction, will be the first to transport oil from the Caspian direct to the Mediterranean, thus reducing the amount of fuel, which would otherwise be passing through the congested and environmentally hazardous Bosphorus. The pipeline and its route is a commercial matter between BTC Pipeline Company and the host countries.

More broadly, the UK Government have been actively involved in discussions between companies, civil society and the Government of Azerbaijan on Azerbaijan's involvement in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, a UK-led international initiative to ensure transparency over revenues from the oil, gas and mining sectors.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding the Government has made available to the Baku-Tblisi-Ceyhan pipeline. [190214]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The British Government are not providing direct funding for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) project.

The UK Government are a shareholder of International Finance Corporation (IFC) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Both organisations are providing commercial loans of US$250 million.

The Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) has provided cover for a US$106 million line of credit to finance UK contractors involved in the BTC project.
 
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This does not involve direct lending from ECGD, but an ECGD guarantee of commercial bank lending to the project.

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which countries have expressed opposition to the Baku-T'blisi-Ceyhan pipe line; what discussions he has had with the (a) World Bank and (b) European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on the British position regarding the pipe line; and if he will make a statement. [190215]

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The Governments of the countries concerned (Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey) have all signed agreements governing the building and operation of the pipeline. DFID has not received any representations from any governments expressing opposition to the pipeline.

DFID Ministers approved the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) UK Executive Directors support for the project at the Executive Board meetings in November 2003. There is ongoing dialogue with the IFC and EBRD to ensure lessons learnt from this project inform future policies and projects funded by the Banks.

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