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4 Feb 2005 : Column 1130W—continued

E-mails

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many e-mails were deleted by (a) her Department and (b) agencies for which her Department is responsible in (i) January 2004 and (ii) December 2004. [208682]

Alun Michael: The Department only keeps backup tapes for its e-mail servers for six weeks, therefore the information requested in part (i) is not available.
 
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There are currently over 13,000 mailboxes on around 90 servers, each of which would need to be restored and individually interrogated to gather this information, therefore due to the disproportionate cost it would involve, it has not been possible to comply with part (ii) of the request.

Guidance issued from the head of the home civil service to all Departments in July 2004 provided a clear cross-departmental approach to the handling of e-mail correspondence, and a copy is available in the Library of the House.

Litter

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it an offence for vehicle users to cause damage to other vehicles or road users by throwing litter, with particular reference to cigarette ends. [213339]

Alun Michael: The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill which has completed its committee stage in the House on 1 February 2005, confirms the definition of litter as including the dropping of cigarette ends as well as chewing gum. This will specifically enable enforcement officers to issue fixed penalty notices to road users who throw cigarette ends from their vehicles. The Bill does not contain a specific clause aimed at vehicle users who cause damage to other vehicles or road used, by throwing litter.

Sheep Tagging

Mr. Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to introduce the EU system for sheep tagging; and what discussions she has had with the National Farmers Union on this matter. [211892]

Mr. Bradshaw: We are working towards implementation of EU Regulation 21/2004 on the identification of sheep and goats by 9 July 2005. The regulation provides for double tagging of breeding sheep and goats, but allows member states to continue operating their national systems where these are approved by the Commission. We have applied to the Commission for approval of our National System and are currently awaiting their response.

My officials regularly speak to representatives of the NFU about implementation of the regulations and consulted them during the proposal stage. We have also ensured that they have been fully consulted on our application to the Commission to continue with our National System.

Bovine TB

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the adequacy of measures to control TB in badgers in Gloucestershire; what further steps she is planning to take; and if she will make a statement. [211624]

Mr. Bradshaw: We are carrying out a badger culling trial in areas of the south west and west of England, including Gloucestershire, to assess whether culling badgers will help to control bovine TB in cattle.
 
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The Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB (ISG) which oversees the trial, has undertaken to notify Ministers, without delay, of any significant findings emerging from the data gathered. We will consider any evidence provided by the ISG, as well as evidence emerging from other research, and use this to inform future policy on wildlife controls.

A limited Road Traffic Accident (RTA) survey is also being conducted in seven counties in England, including Gloucestershire, as part of a validation study. The objective is to determine if RTA data can provide an accurate indication of TB in badgers.

Work has begun on requirements for a field trial for a badger vaccine although further work is needed on methods of vaccination, monitoring the effectiveness of the vaccine and the effect of exposure of non-target species. In addition, work is focusing on improved diagnosis of TB in badgers, transmission routes between and within species, and understanding the epidemiology and risk factors for the disease.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adoptions

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many adoptions were completed by each social services department in each of the last five years for children aged (a) nought to three, (b) four to 10 and (c) over 10 years. [210234]

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is only available for the period 1999 to 2003, and has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Autism

Mrs. Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2005, Official Report, columns 809–10W, on autism, if she will list the practical proposals for strengthening teacher training in special educational needs and disability issues referred to; what the timescale for their implementation is; and if she will make a statement. [213365]

Margaret Hodge: Working with the Teacher Training Agency, we are carrying forward a range of proposals designed to improve the special educational needs skills and confidence of trainee, newly qualified, and established teachers. The initiatives being discussed with interested parties include:

It is envisaged that the proposals will be implemented over the period 2005–2008.
 
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Care

Mrs. May: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many children were (a) taken into care and (b) placed for adoption in each of the last 10 years, broken down by age. [212053]


 
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Margaret Hodge: The following table shows the number of children who started to be looked after during the year ending 31 March by age on starting.
Children who started to be looked after during the year ending 31 March by age on starting, 1994 to 2003(3)(5507340004)(5)—England
Number

Year ending 31 March1994199519961997199819992000200120022003
All Children31,40032,50032,10029,90029,70028,40028,60025,20025,30024,100
Under 13,2003,4003,3003,3003,2003,5003,7003,7004,0003,800
1–46,5006,3006,2005,8005,7005,5005,2004,6004,7004,600
5–95,9006,1006,2005,9006,2005,6005,4004,7004,5004,600
10–1513,00014,00013,90012,60012,00011,60012,30010,90010,90010,100
16+2,8002,7002,6002,2002,6002,2002,0001,3001,3001,000


(3) Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements.
(4) Only the first occasion on which a child started to be looked after in each year has been counted.
(5) Figures over 1,000 have been rounded to the nearest 100. All other figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
Children Looked After by Local Authorities, Year Ending 31 March 2003




The following table shows the number of children placed for adoption at some point in the year ending 31 March by age on placement starting.
Children looked after placed for adoption at some point in the year ending 31 March by age on placement starting, 1994 to 20031,2,3,4,5—England
Number

Year ending 31 March1994199519961997199819992000200120022003
Number placed for adoption in year3,8003,7003,8003,9004,2004,9006,1007,1007,8007,200
Under 17907506906708301,0001,3001,4001,5001,400
1–41,6001,5001,7001,9002,2002,6003,2003,8004,0003,700
5–91,1001,2001,1001,1001,1001,2001,5001,8002,0001,900
10–1529027090140210230180
16+1010101010200


(6) Figures exclude children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements.
(7) Children looked after placed for adoption more than once in a year have only been counted once.
(8) Children looked after placed for adoption where the placement spans several years have been counted once in each year.
(9) Age at start of placement.
(10) Figures over 1,000 have been rounded to the nearest 100. Figures between 1 and 5 have been suppressed and replaced by "—". All other figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.
Source:
SSDA903 return





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