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Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin

Mr. Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was of the UK's subscription to the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin in the last year of membership; for what reasons her Department took the decision to withdraw from the organisation; what assessment she has made of the effects on the UK wine trade and wine producers of withdrawal; what opportunities the UK will have to influence policy at a technical level within the international wine trade after withdrawal; and if she will make a statement. [10683]

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 4 March 2005, Official Report, column 1440W.

Police Authorities (Stray Dogs)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether police authorities will be required, pursuant to regulations made under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, to transfer to local authorities a sum equivalent to that which police authorities have been expending on stray dogs to reflect the transfer of responsibilities. [12531]

Mr. Bradshaw: An appropriate transfer of funds from police authorities to local authorities will be completed before section 68 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 commences. The sum to be transferred will be agreed between the Home Office, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Local Government Association.

Red Tractor Logo

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the guidelines are for the use of the Red Tractor logo; and if she will make a statement. [13188]

Jim Knight: The Red Tractor logo is owned by the National Farmers Union and is administered by a private company, Assured Food Standards, which sets the conditions under which the logo can be used. The Government have no role in this process.
 
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Single Payment Scheme

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many single payment scheme forms were received before the deadline but were then returned to applicants. [10325]

Jim Knight: A total of 7,031 single payment scheme applications forms were returned to applicants for amendment before the deadline of 16 May 2005.

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many single payment scheme forms were received (a) incomplete and (b) after the deadline for submissions. [10327]

Jim Knight: Until the Rural Payments Agency has captured all data and completed validation definitive figures are not available. To date 9,368 applications have been returned to applicants for amendment, including 7,031 which were returned before the 16 May deadline. While a total of 8,494 applications have been received after the 16 May 2005 deadline.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Church Bells

Mr. Hollobone: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what (a) financial and (b) other help the Commissioners provide for the restoration of church bells to church towers which no longer have bells. [12102]

Sir Stuart Bell: The Church Commissioners do not make moneys available for this purpose.

The Archbishops' Council's Cathedral and Church Buildings Division, the relevant Diocesan Advisory Committee and the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers advise on all aspects of this subject including alternative sources of funding.

Redundant Churches

Mr. Hancock: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what disciplinary powers are available to the Church in dealing with clergymen in respect of settling the future of redundant churches. [12401]

Sir Stuart Bell: There is no such thing as a disciplinary process in respect of redundant churches.

The Church Commissioners are required under the provisions of the Pastoral Measure to publish a draft scheme making provision for the future of a redundant church. A notice is served on certain statutory bodies, which include the incumbent and parochial church council, but it is open to anyone who wishes to do so to make written representations to the Commissioners for
 
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or against the provisions of such a scheme. The Commissioners exercise a quasi-judicial role in adjudicating on any objections received.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Witnesses

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Solicitor-General how many vulnerable witnesses have been interviewed by the police in each of the last five years. [11295]

Fiona Mactaggart: I have been asked to reply.

The information requested is not held on a central database and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Conferences

David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much the Department has spent on (a) organising and (b) sponsoring conferences in each of the last five years. [10248]

David Cairns: The Scotland Office spent the following on organising or sponsoring conferences in the last five years.

	£
2000–01	0
2001–02	0
2002–03	3,296
2003–04	0
2004–05	0

Parades Review

Mr. McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the parades review conducted by Sir John Orr in Scotland; [13508]

(2) what assessment he has made of the evidence of sectarianism in Scotland during the last marching season; and if he will make a statement. [13451]

David Cairns: These issues are devolved and therefore a matter for the Scottish Executive. However, I understand that Scottish Ministers accepted all the recommendations in Sir John Orr's review, which aim to professionalize and modernise the decision-making process for processions, and are now working with the police and local authorities to take these forward.

Scottish Parliament (Elections)

Mr. Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when his Department expects to make further changes to the system for the elections to the Scottish Parliament; and if he will make a statement; [10752]
 
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(2) what assessment he has made of the effect that the additional member system of voting for elections to the Scottish Parliament has had on Scottish people's perception of the political system; what conclusions he has reached on the extent to which the additional member system has (a) encouraged and (b) discouraged political engagement; and if he will make a statement. [10753]

Mr. Darling: I shall consider whether any changes to the voting system for elections to the Scottish Parliament might be appropriate in the light of the report and recommendations of the Commission on Boundary Differences and Voting Systems, under Sir John Arbuthnott's chairmanship, which is due to report to me at the end of this year.

I expect that the commission will include in its report an assessment of the operation of the additional member system for elections to the Scottish Parliament.

Sickness Absence

David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many days the Office has lost due to sickness in the past five years for which figures are available. [11472]

David Cairns: The Scotland Office was established on 1 July 1999.

The days lost to sickness in the Scotland Office, including the Office of the Advocate General, are set out in the annual report Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service" published by the Cabinet Office. This report gives details of both the average working days absence per staff-year and the number of staff years on which that calculation is based.

The most recent report for 2003 was announced by ministerial statement on 1 November 2004, Official Report, column 1WS and copies placed in the Libraries of the House.

The Scotland Office and Office of the Advocate General are committed to managing sickness absence effectively and to putting in place the recommendations of the recently published Managing Sickness Absence in the Public Sector".

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