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SCOTLAND

Regional Selective Assistance

Mr. Alasdair Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many jobs have been created as a result of the

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additional grants available in the regional selection assistance priority pilot areas; and what proportion of the budget allocated for this purpose remains unspent. [84868]

Dr. Reid: Since the Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) Priority initiative was launched on a pilot basis on 22 May 1998, 14 projects have been offered grant assistance of £1.9 million. This will lead to the planned creation of an additional 99 jobs for the residents of the 5 particularly deprived areas chosen for the pilot phase.

Funds are available from within the overall RSA budget and are not specifically allocated for this initiative.

From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

HIV/AIDS

Dr. Strang: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the cumulative numbers of people with AIDS who died in (a) Scotland and (b) each health board area of Scotland in each year from 1981 to 1988, in 1998 and in 1999 to date. [84820]

Mr. Macdonald: The information is set out in the following table:

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Cumulative AIDS deaths as at 31 December of selected years by health board of AIDS registration, and for Scotland, as at 31 March 1999

Health Board	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1988	1998	1999
Argyll and Clyde	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	4
Ayrshire and Arran	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	9
Borders	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Dumfries and Galloway	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	3
Fife	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	12	12
Forth Valley	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	4	4
Grampian	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	30	30
Greater Glasgow	0	1	1	2	2	8	19	180	180
Highland	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	5	5
Lanarkshire	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	10	10
Lothian	0	0	0	0	0	2	14	335	335
Orkney	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Shetland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tayside	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	128	130
Western Isles	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Scotland	0	1	1	2	3	13	42	721	723

Source:

The Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health AIDS/HIV Register

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From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

Erskine Bridge

Dr. Godman: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the final cost of the repairs and ancillary work to the Erskine Bridge following the accident involving an off-shore installation under towage; if these costs were recovered from the parties deemed responsible; and if he will make a statement. [84678]

Mr. Macdonald [holding answer 25 May 1999]: The final cost of the repairs and ancillary work to the Erskine Bridge is £4.25 million. The Scottish Office is committed to recovering these costs and has intimated its claim to those considered to be responsible. This claim will continue to be pursued.

From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

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PRIME MINISTER

Media Relations

Mr. Baker: To ask the Prime Minister how many (a) civil servants and (b) special advisers involved in media relations were employed within his Department at 1 May (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999. [84199]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 18 May 1999]: Detailed information on the number of civil servants employed in Departmental Press Offices during the financial years 1997-98 and 1998-99 was provided in a memorandum to the Select Committee on Public Administration and published in its report on "The Government Information and Communication Service" (HC 770) in July 1998. A copy is in the Library of the House.

Media relations are handled by the Downing Street Press Office which consists of 8 press officers, 3 of whom are special advisers. They work under the direction of my

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Official Spokesman and are the only people authorised to have direct contact with the media on my behalf other than on occasions where others may be specifically directed by my Official Spokesman.

The Strategic Communications Unit was set up on 14 January 1998. Speaking on behalf of the Government is not part of the SCU's function but the civil servants and special advisers there obviously speak to the press from time to time.

Kosovo

Mr. Robathan: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the (a) opinion polling and (b) focus group research carried out on the authority of the Government into the use of military force in connection with the Kosovo conflict. [85046]

The Prime Minister: None.

Concordats

Dr. Fox: To ask the Prime Minister what progress has been made in drawing up concordats between UK departments, the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Executive. [85435]

The Prime Minister: Work has been done within the UK Government to prepare a set of draft concordats to provide a framework of guidance on relationships to ensure smooth conduct of business with the new devolved Administrations. I expect these drafts to be passed to the devolved Administrations for their consideration in due course.

Macedonia

Mr. Worthington: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about progress made in providing assistance to Macedonia and Albania as an outcome of the donors' meeting held in Paris on 5 May. [84789]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 24 May 1999]: At the Donors' Conference for Macedonia on 5 May, the international community, including international financial institutions, pledged $252 million in financial assistance to Macedonia. The EU has pledged 25 million euro in refugee related budgetary assistance, 10 million euro in humanitarian support and 22 million euro in developmental assistance. Details are in the EU and World Bank Chairmen's Conclusions of the Donors Conference, which will be deposited in the Library of the House. The Albanian Donors' Conference is to be held today.

Poet Laureate

Mr. Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will set out the established procedures for announcing the appointment of the Poet Laureate; and if he will make a statement; [85446]

(2) what procedures he has put in place to establish who informed The Times newspaper of the identity of the next Poet Laureate. [85447]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 25 May 1999]: Downing Street had planned to announce the name of the new Poet Laureate today, Wednesday 26 May. In view of the story appearing in The Times on Wednesday 19 May

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this announcement was brought forward by a week. In accordance with normal procedures, with the agreement of Buckingham Palace, Downing Street announces this appointment by way of a Press Notice. The Times has made it clear that the leak did not come from Downing Street.

NATO (Media Relations Advisers)

Mr. Keith Simpson: To ask the Prime Minister which Government officials and special advisers are advising NATO headquarters on presentational and media relations. [85380]

The Prime Minister [holding answer 25 May 1999]: Last month the NATO Secretary General and SACEUR asked my Chief Press Secretary to visit NATO and advise on media relations. Since then he and a number of other Government officials have been helping NATO and SHAPE deal with the enormous media demand. They are working with NATO staff and officials from several other NATO countries.

Effective communications are important, particularly when Milosevic has a state run media and no cameras are allowed to film the atrocities being carried out in Kosovo.

Engagements

Sir Peter Tapsell: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 26 May. [85080]

The Prime Minister: This morning, I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall have further such meetings later today.

I will also be attending the celebrations to mark the opening of the Welsh Assembly.

Mr. Tom Engel

Mr. Willetts: To ask the Prime Minister if the appointment of Mr. Tom Engel as a special adviser to the Secretary of State for Education and Employment was approved by the Prime Minister. [85543]

The Prime Minister: Yes.

European Trade Policy

Mr. Corbett: To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements he has made for Ministerial consideration of European trade policy issues. [85730]

The Prime Minister: I have established a new Committee to discuss these issues. The Sub-Committee on European Trade Issues (E)DOP(T), under the Chairmanship of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, will report to the Ministerial Sub-Committee on European Issues ((E)DOP), which also meets under the Foreign Secretary's Chairmanship. The composition and Terms of Reference of this new Committee are as follows:

Ministerial Sub-Committee on European Trade Issues ((E)DOP(T))

Composition:

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Chairman)

Chancellor of the Exchequer

Secretary of State for International Development

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Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

Other Ministers will be invited to attend as the nature of the business requires.

The United Kingdom's Permanent Representative to the European Union is also in attendance.

Terms of Reference

"To consider questions relating to European Union trade policy issues and to report as necessary to the Ministerial Sub-Committee on European issues."

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