Sitting of 17 October 1996

Preamble
The House met at half-past Nine o'clock

PRAYERS
[MADAM SPEAKER in the Chair]
Message to attend the Lords Commissioners:
The House went;—and, having returned:

PRAYERS

  Royal Assent
  10.5 am
  Madam Speaker: I have to acquaint the House that the House has been to the House of Peers where a Commission under the Great Seal was read, authorising the Royal Assent to the following Acts:

  Public Order (Amendment) Act 1996

  London Local Authorities Act 1996

Prorogation

  Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech
  Madam Speaker: I have further to acquaint the House that the Lord High Chancellor, one of the Lord Commissioners, delivered Her Majesty's Most Gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, in pursuance of Her Majesty's Command. For greater accuracy, I have obtained a copy and also directed that the terms of the speech be printed in the Journal of the House. Copies are being made available in the Vote Office.
  The Gracious Speech was as follows:

  My Lords and Members of the House of Commons
  The Duke of Edinburgh and I were pleased to receive the State Visits of His Excellency the President of France in May and the President of the Republic of South Africa in July. We remember with great pleasure our State Visits to Poland and the Czech Republic in March.
  My Government were pleased to receive the President of the United States of America in London and Northern Ireland in November.
  My Government have continued to make provision for the defence of the United Kingdom and our allies and for the promotion of international peace and stability. The United Kingdom was among the leading participants in peace support operations.
  An Act has been passed to bring the law governing our Reserve Forces up to date, and permitting them to be used more flexibly.
  My Government have continued to support the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and assumed the Presidency of the Western European Union between January and June. They welcomed the decisions on European security and defence at the Berlin meeting of the North Atlantic Council.
  My Government played a full part in the successful conclusion of the Review Conference of the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, and in strengthening restrictions in the United Nations Weaponry Convention by negotiating a Protocol on the use and transfer of landmines and laser blinding weapons.
  An Act was passed to implement the provisions of the Chemical Weapons convention in the United Kingdom, following which my Government ratified the Convention. They welcomed the opening for signature of a verifiable Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
  A leading role was played by my Government in securing the peace agreement for Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was signed in Paris. They held a conference in Lisbon which mapped out a strategy for implementing the agreement. In addition to contributing to the diplomatic effort to bring peace and stability to the region, they maintained over 9,000 Service men and women in the former Yugoslavia throughout the year as part of the NATO led military implementation force. My Government also contributed substantially to reconstruction projects to restore basic utilities to the people of Bosnia and rebuild their country. They helped to ensure the holding of elections supervised by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in furtherance of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
  In the European Union, my Government promoted policies aimed at increasing competitiveness and sustainable economic growth. They participated in

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  meetings of the Intergovernmental Conference and in preparations for Economic and Monetary Union. They worked to encourage sound financial management in the European Community. They continued to support strongly the enlargement of the European Union, and welcomed the association agreement with Slovenia. A British team of observers participated at the Russian Presidential elections.
  My Government worked for free trade through continuing negotiations within the World Trade Organisation, through the "New Transatlantic Agenda" agreed between the European Union and the United States, and through EU and bilateral contacts with Japan and other trading partners.
  Support continued for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia in their transition to democratic market economies, through the Know How Fund and with our European Union partners.
  My Government contributed fully to the first Summit of Asian and European nations, held in Bangkok, which marked an important development in relations between the two regions. In the interests of the people of Hong Kong, my Government continued to work towards a successful transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997.
  Reducing poverty in the poorest countries remained a priority. My Government's advocacy of multilateral debt relief for the poorest, most indebted nations contributed to new arrangements being adopted by the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Paris Club of bilateral creditors.
  Vigorous action continued to be taken to protect the environment, and against terrorism, drugs, money laundering and organised crime, in the United Kingdom and overseas. Legislation was passed to enable to the Security Service to act in support of the police and other law enforcement agencies against serious crime. An Act has been passed, giving the police additional powers to combat terrorism.
  In Northern Ireland my Government have continued to work towards a political settlement, based on a policy of dialogue with all the parties in Northern Ireland which are committed to peaceful and democratic methods and in co-operation with the Irish Government. They have maintained progress towards the improvement of economic and social conditions.
  Members of the House of Commons
  I thank you for the provision you have made for the honour and dignity of the Crown and for the public service.
  My Lords and Members of the House of Commons
  My Government have pursued firm financial policies which have created the conditions for sustained economic growth, rising prosperity and falling unemployment while maintaining low inflation. Measures have been taken to ensure that the public sector borrowing requirement continues to fall.
  My Government showed their commitment to improving the nation's competitiveness through the White paper "Competitiveness: Creating the Enterprise Centre of Europe." The United Kingdom continues to be the most successful country in the European Union in attracting
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  inward investment. Legislation was passed to improve the system of arbitration for business and other users. Over 400 deregulatory proposals were brought forward.
  My Government continued to pursue a programme of privatisation including the successful sale of British Energy and Railtrack. They made progress with public sector reform and involving the private sector in the delivery of public services.
  An Act has been passed to provide a framework for the introduction of digital terrestrial broadcasting and to liberalise the regulation of cross-media ownership.
  My Government have intensified action to eradicate BSE in the United Kingdom; have introduced vigorous measures in response to the market crisis in beef; and have secured European Union arrangements to support these efforts and a framework for lifting the beef export ban.
  The criminal justice system has been strengthened through legislation to improve procedures in criminal cases, including those for prosecution and defence disclosure.
  An Act has been passed to streamline the handling of asylum applications, to strengthen enforcement of immigration control and to restrict access to social benefits by people from abroad.
  Legislation has been passed to make better provision for housing, taking forward my Government's strategy of continued growth in home ownership, provision of affordable social housing and a sustained revival in private renting; and to improve dispute resolution and payment procedures in the construction industry.
  An Act has been passed to expand provision of nursery education and to allow grant maintained schools to borrow to improve their buildings.
  Legislation was passed to enable local authorities to make payments to groups of people who want to purchase their own community care.
  An Act has been passed which reforms the ground for divorce, introduces mediation into family proceedings and improves the law on domestic violence. Further law reform measures have been enacted.
  In Scotland legislation was enacted to reform education and training and to improve the conservation and control of wild deer.
  Other important measures have been enacted.

  My Lords and Members of the House of Commons
  I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may' attend you.
  A Commission was also read for proroguing this present Parliament, and the Lord Chancellor said:
  "My Lords and Members of the House of Commons: by virtue of Her Majesty's Commission which has now been read, we do, in Her Majesty's name, and in obedience to Her Majesty's Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Wednesday the twenty-third day of this instant October, to be then here holden, and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Wednesday the twenty-third day of this instant October."
  End of the Fourth Session (opened on 15 November 1995) of the Fifty-First Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in the Forty-Fifth Year of the Reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Internet
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he proposes to take to keep illegal material off the Internet. [41234]

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  The Internet is one of the most important developments in information technology of recent years, and the Government are determined that problems with the very small proportion of illegal material should not jeopardise the enormous potential benefits of the Internet to UK users.

  The basis for the Government's approach is that the Internet is not a legal vacuum: the law applies on-line as it does off it.

  We therefore welcome the recent industry-led initiative in the UK, put forward by the two leading UK trade associations, the Internet Service Providers Association and the London internet exchange, Linx, supported by the Government and the police, and facilitated by the DTI, which addresses these difficult issues. The proposals, "R3 Safety-Net" launched at a press conference at the DTI on 23 September, have two main parts. First, service providers will take responsibility for the removal from their servers of material which is notified to them as being illegal in the UK—for example, material which it is considered breaches the Criminal Justice Act 1988, under which it is an offence to possess child pornography. A hotline is to be established via which members of the public can report instances of material which they consider might be illegal. Secondly, news groups and web pages will be given a rating according to their usual content, so that users can chose to avoid those where illegal material has previously been found, or which contain material they personally may find offensive. Internet service providers will also contribute to research into the application of ratings systems, and the development of relevant screening software, to deal with material which, whilst not illegal, may be found offensive by many people. Copies of the proposals have been placed in the House Library, and can also be accessed on the DTI's homepage on the World Wide Web.

  This initiative represents a concrete, practical and positive start to the problems of illegal or offensive material being distributed on the Internet. It also strikes the right balance between the need to ensure that the Internet can be used safely and the need to safeguard freedom of speech. There is already effective statutory backing to this approach because existing law applies on the Internet. No new regulation is needed.

  This approach is the first in the world to bring industry, Government and the police together in this way. Work is now under way to promote its adoption internationally, which is vital given the ease with which material can be
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  transmitted across borders. A positive start has been made in discussions in the EU following the recent Telecoms Council.

  Balance of Trade
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade for trade in(a) good, (b) good and services and (c) on a balance of payment basis, what was (i) the trade balance for each EU country with the rest of the EU country with the rest of the EU in each year from 1990 to 1995, in real terms and in millions of pounds, (ii) the trade balance for each EU country with the rest of the world outside the EU in years 1990 to 1995 in real terms and in millions of pounds and (iii) the trade balance for each EU country with the whole world expressed as (1) a percentage of GDP between 1990 and 1995 and (2) in real terms and in millions of pounds. [40729]

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 16 October 1996]: The complete data requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, for EU(12) countries, statistics on the balance of trade in goods split by intra-EU and extra-EU can be obtained from Eurostat's Comext CD ROM. Comparable figures for the three new members can be obtained from the International Monetary Fund's "Direction of Trade Statistics". The EU(15) balance of trade in goods and services with the world, and GDP estimates can be obtained from OECD national accounts, volume 1. All these publications are available in the Library of the House. The EU(12) trade balance in services is published in Eurostat's "International Trade in Services" up to 1993.

  Nuclear Energy
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the difference in billions of pounds between the assets of those advanced gas-cooled reactors and pressurised water reactors that have been privatised and the remuneration of all kinds that the Exchequer has derived from those privatisations. [40726]

  Mr. Page
  [holding answer 16 October 1996]: At the time of privatisation, British Energy had net assets of some £1.5 billion, as shown on page 87 of the British Energy share offer prospectus. Proceeds from the sale of British Energy, including the repayment of debt but excluding the value of the remaining shares held by the Secretary of State on behalf of the Government, will be some £1.8 billion. Further proceeds will be generated by the future sale of the retained shares in British Energy, which have a value of about £180 million at the issue price.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  International War Crimes Court
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy in respect of the establishment of a permanent international war crimes court. [41307]

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  I shall write to the hon. Member shortly. Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
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ENVIRONMENT

  Radioactive Scale (Disposal)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what provisions exist for the offshore disposal of radioactive scale arising from oil exploration and drilling in the North sea and Atlantic. [41251]

  Mr. Clappison
  Discharge of naturally radioactive scale from oil exploration and drilling in UK waters is regulated under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993, as amended. The Environment Agency is the regulator for the English and Welsh sectors. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is the regulator for the Scottish sector.

  World Conservation Congress
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution his Department made to the World Conservation Congress held in Montreal this month; if his Department was represented at the congress; and what plans he has to assess the conclusions of the congress. [41252]

  Mr. Clappison
  The UK is a state member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Officials from my Department are leading the UK delegation at the World Conservation Congress which began on 13 October and will finish on 23 October. My Department contributed towards the costs of the UK IUCN committee's report on the UK's contribution to IUCN 1994 to 1996, which will be launched during the congress.

PRIME MINISTER

  Government Policies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Prime Minister what new policy proposals were announced by Ministers of Her Majesty's Government in the week beginning 7 October; and if he will indicate which of them will be subject to compliance cost assessments. [40801]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government prepare a compliance cost assessment for all new legislation likely to have an impact on business and the voluntary sector. The Government's legislative programme will be presented to the House on 23 October. Compliance costs assessments will be presented in due course for the Bills in the programme.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Prime Minister what are his latest estimates of the expenditure on all external consultants, including management consultants, for each year since 1992, in 1996 prices, for his Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in. [41173]

  The Prime Minister
  For these purposes my Office is part of the Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will write to the hon. Member.
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  Unidentified Flying Objects
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will allocate to a department the assessments of the non-air defence implications associated with unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement. [40822]

  The Prime Minister
  The air defence and air traffic implications of unidentified flying objects are the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence and the Civil Aviation Authority respectively. The Government have no plans to allocate resources to researching extraterrestrial phenomena.

  Terrorist Damage
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will extend the Northern Ireland compensation scheme for terrorist attacks to mainland Britain. [40934]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Eastham), by my hon. Friend the Minister for Trade on 27 June 1996,Official Report, column 202.

  New Buildings and Premises
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the total expenditure on new buildings and premises by his Department and its agencies; and if he will indicate the square footage of new office space purchased or newly rented in each of the last five years. [41148]

  The Prime Minister
  For the purposes of this question, my Office is part of the Cabinet Office, Office of Public Service. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my right hon. Friend, the Paymaster General.

  British Beef
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he is taking to encourage the purchase and use of British beef by Government Departments. [41308]

  The Prime Minister
  The best way to encourage use of British beef is to restore confidence in the product. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has launched an initiative to reassure consumers and those responsible for procurement about the rigorous enforcement of the control measures introduced to protect public health. The Meat and Livestock Commission is continuing with its successful campaign to promote consumption.

WALES

  GP Salaries
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has and what consultations he has set up on the introduction of a salaried status scheme for general practice. [40668]

  Mr. Hague
  [holding answer 14 October 1996]: Proposals for the development of primary care health services, including a salaried option for general practitioners, are set out in the White Paper "Choice and Opportunity", Cm 3390, published on 15 October. This issue is also addressed in the document "Primary Care: The Way Forward in Wales", also published on

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  15 October, which reflects the views put forward in the Principality during the wide-ranging consultation exercise which preceded the White Paper.

  Copies of both documents have been placed in the Library of the House.

  School Overcrowding
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance he has published to prevent overcrowding in schools. [41196]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  Non-statutory guidance, produced by the Department for Education and Employment, entitled "Area Guidelines for Schools (Building Bulletin 82)" was published on 6 September 1996.

  GCSE Scores
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of States for Wales what percentage of total school leavers in the maintained sector failed to attain five GCSEs at grades A or C in each of the last five years (a) in total and (b) broken down by gender. [41197]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  The information requested is contained in the following table.

  Percentage of school leavers, aged 15 and above1, from maintained schools2, leaving without 5 GCSEs at grades A(A*) to C'

  All pupils

  Boys

  Girls

  1990–91

  69

  73

  65

  1991–92

  62

  66

  58

  1992–93

  60

  65

  56

  1993–94

  58

  63

  53

  1994–95

  60

  65

  55

  Source:

  Schools Examinations Survey (1990–91) and RD1 survey (1991–92 to 1994–95).

  Notes:

  1 Age as at 31 August.

  2 Excludes pupils in special schools.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what capacity of electricity used in his Department's buildings is generated in a combined heat and power plant; and what plans he has to increase that capacity. [41310]

  Mr. Hague
  None. We review our energy costs regularly, and have concluded that a combined heat and power plant would not be cost-effective for any of the Welsh Office estate.

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what representations he has received concerning the change programme in the Benefits Agency; and if he will make a statement; [41273]

  (2) what plans he has to meet the Civil and Public Services Association to discuss the change programme of the Benefits Agency; and if he will make a statement. [41274]
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  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  This is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for
  Wales what arrangements are in place in(a) Blaenau Gwent and (b) Wales generally to support school leavers with physical disabilities with day care facilities. [41299]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  There were seven day centres in Blaenau Gwent in 1995—the latest year for which figures are available—offering a total of 600 places for mixed groups. The number of places specifically available to people with a physical disability was not reported.

  In Wales as a whole, there were 249 day centres offering 2,500 places per week for people with physical disabilities and 5,300 for mixed groups which may include physically disabled people.

  Mr. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will investigate the adequacy of the application of the all-Wales strategy for support for those with severe disabilities in Blaenau Gwent. [41301]

  Mr. Evans
  We have no plans to undertake an investigation of Blaenau Gwent's discharge of its social services functions. The Welsh Office will be receiving the normal monitoring information on the authority's use of the mental handicap strategy funding.

  Mr. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the arrangement in place under the new unitary authorities in Wales for the application of the all-Wales strategy for care of the disabled. [41303]

  Mr. Evans
  Social Services Inspectorate Wales has published a report entitled "Local Government Reorganisation Personal Social Services Monitoring Exercise: Overview Report" a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The Welsh Office has met all the unitary authorities to discuss their arrangements for discharging their social services functions.

  Mr. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average waiting period for local authorities in Wales to provide funding allocation for severely handicapped school leavers under the all-Wales strategy. [41300]

  Mr. Evans
  This information is not held centrally. Local authorities have the responsibility for the planning and commissioning of community care, including care and support for school leavers. This includes care and support for individuals with a learning disability and funding allocated to authorities under the mental handicap strategy.

  Mr. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what review he has made of the home care provisions for the handicapped in Wales. [41302]

  Mr. Evans
  Local authorities are responsible for arranging community care services, including domiciliary care, to meet local needs. They are required to publish social care plans each year for the provision of community care services in their area.
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  Speech Therapists
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many additional speech therapists have been recruited since 1992; [41260]

  (2) how many additional speech therapists have been recruited since 1992 with the capacity to practise in the Welsh language; [41261]

  (3) how many speech therapists have the ability to practise in the Welsh language. [41262]

  Mr. Hague
  The number of speech therapists who have been recruited is not collected centrally. The following table shows the staff in post on 30 September for each of the last four years. Due to the use of local payscales, however, there are small numbers of staff within the scientific and professional pay group who cannot be allocated to a particular occupation and these staff—some of whom may be speech therapists—are excluded from the figures. Information on the number of speech therapists who can practise in Welsh is not available.

  Whole-time equivalent number of speech therapists in post at 30 September

  Number

  1992

  168

  1993

  177

  1994

  180

  1995

  199

  Organophosphates
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the agricultural use of organophosphates in Wales. [41298]

  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible, and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what capacity of electricity used in his Department's buildings is generated in a combined heat and power plant; and what plans he has to increase that capacity. [41325]

  Mr. Streeter
  None of the electricity used by my Department is generated by combined heat and power plant. There are no plans to utilise this form of energy in the foreseeable future.

  Land Registry
  Mr. Jamieson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on what date the visit by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Land Registry in Plymouth on 18 September was first discussed by his Department. [40932]

  Mr. Streeter
  The visit to Plymouth Land Registry was first discussed on 4 June 1996.
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  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the reasons for the recent fall in the caseload of magistrates courts in south Westminster; and if he will make a statement. [41063]

  Mr. Streeter
  Over the past three years the main areas of work of the magistrates courts in south Westminster showing a reduction have been the number of charges brought and laying of information for summonses by the Metropolitan police, and the number of parking offences processed by the magistrates courts.

  Court Closures
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the(a) magistrates and (b) other courts which have closed in the county of South Yorkshire in each of the past five years. [40906]

  Mr. Streeter
  There have been no magistrate, or Crown court closures in the last five years in South Yorkshire. The Thorne county court closed on 4 January 1994.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the number of legal aid applications received from members of the public in South Yorkshire, for each of the last five years, indicating the total sums involved. [40968]

  Mr. Streeter
  It is not possible to identify separately applications for legal aid received from residents of South Yorkshire; the Legal Aid Board area office in Leeds covers the county of South Yorkshire along with 10 other counties or regions.

  The total number of applications received for civil legal aid by the Leeds area office over the last five years were as follows:

  1991–92: 42,954

  1992–93: 53,084

  1993–94: 48,586

  1994–95: 53,278

  1995–96: 54,436

  The net cost of civil legal aid certificates issued by the Leeds area office, in respect of cases which closed during the last four years, were as follows:

  1992–93: £19,076,615

  1993–94: £26,465,169

  1994–95: £32,581,004

  1995–96: £36,343,203

  Expenditure figures for 1991–92 are not available.

  Applications for criminal legal aid are dealt with by the courts. Equivalent figures for criminal legal aid are therefore not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Benefit Fraud Hotline
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what redress will be
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  available to a victim of a false, malicious communication to the Department of Social Security's Benefits Agency's shop-a-benefit-fraudster hotline; and if he will make a statement. [40887]

  Mr. Streeter
  Any redress available to people about whom such communications will have been made will depend on the nature of any harm suffered. This will vary from case to case, and it is not possible to give a general statement of what remedy would be available. Anyone who has suffered harm as a result of such communications would have to obtain legal advice. The Government are determined to crack down on benefit fraud.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are his latest estimates of the expenditure on all external consultants, including management consultants, for each year since 1992, in 1996 prices, for his Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in. [41181]

  Mr. Streeter
  I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

  New Buildings and Premises
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the total expenditure on new buildings and premises by his Department and its agencies; and if he will indicate the square footage of new office space purchased or newly rented in each of the last five years. [41141]

  Mr. Streeter
  The information shows the square footage of new office space acquired during the period requested. The information reflects space acquired for departmental headquarters offices, associated offices, the Public Trust Office and the Courts Service.

  1993–94: 426.6 sqm

  1994–95: 4573.41 sqm

  1995–96: 13,316 sqm (together with nominal holdings for the General Commissioners of Income tax in buildings in Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Bristol and London transferred from the Inland Revenue)

  1996–97: 2551.7 sqm (transferred to LCD under the provisions of the Efficiency Scrutiny of Civil Estate)

  I regret that it has not been possible before Prorogation to provide details of the space acquired by the Court Service outside its headquarters. I will write to the hon. Member with these details for the period until 1 April 1995. The chief executive of the Court Service will reply in relation to the period after 1 April 1995, when the Court Service became an executive agency. The chief executives of Her Majesty's Land Registry and the Public Record Office will also reply separately after Prorogation. Copies of all these letters will be placed in the Library.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what capacity of electricity used in his 1086
  Department's buildings is generated in a combined heat and power plant; and what plans he has to increase that capacity. [41318]

  Mr. Willetts
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are his latest estimates of the expenditure on all external consultants, including management consultants, for each year since 1992, in 1996 prices, for his Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in. [41172]

  Mr. Willetts
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what are his latest estimates of the expenditure on all external consultants, including management consultants, for each year since 1992, in 1996 prices, for his Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in. [41174]

  The Deputy Prime Minister
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.

  Promotional Expenditure
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much his Department has spent on(a) publicity, (b) promotions, and (c) hospitality in each of the last six years. [40622]

  Mr. Willetts
  [holding answer 16 October 1996]: I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and place a copy of the letter in the Libraries of the House.

  Public Services
  Mr. Tracey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what improvements have been made in key public services and to regeneration projects following Government capital investment since 1979. [41333]

  Mr. Freeman
  I have today deposited in the Library of the House available information and statistics on investments in schools, roads, hospitals and regeneration since 1979.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Tracey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress there has been in removing unnecessary burdens on business under the deregulation programme. [41334]

  Mr. Freeman
  Over 750 regulations have been repealed or amended in the last three years, 420 in the last 12 months, with about 350 further regulations to be repealed or amended by the end of 1996.

  The Government also announced a number of new measures including several in response to the second report by the deregulation task force on 23 September. These included:

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  consultation on the recommendation by the task force to exempt small businesses from unfair dismissal legislation for new employees;
  distribution to over 200,000 businesses through key business organisations of a green card setting out new rights under business-friendly enforcement procedures. These procedures are already being used in key areas such as health and safety, food safety and the new Environment Agency and are being extended;
  commitment to reduce the burden of Government surveys by up to 26 per cent. by 2000 as recommended by Edward Osmotherly;
  a pilot for an automated telephone calculation service for new employers making it easier to work out PAYE and NIC deductions;
  a pilot by selected local authorities of a "one-stop shop" giving a single point of contact for all development approvals under their responsibility; and the abolition or simplification of 67 business licences including the scrapping of seven of HM Customs and Excise's eight licensing or registration requirements.

  Copies of the deregulation task force's report, the Osmotherly report on statistical surveys, the Government's responses to those reports and the green card have been placed in the House Libraries.

DEFENCE

  Skin Cancer (Falkland Islands)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the risk of skin cancer for service men in the Falklands as a result of perceived changes in the ozone layer; and what precautions he has initiated. [40708]

  Mr. Soames
  There is no evidence of health problems amongst service men or their families from ultraviolet light in the Falkland Islands.

  Personnel deploying to the Falkland Islands are briefed on the risk of ultraviolet light exposure to the skin. Regular news bulletins warn of the daily risk, with personnel being advised to use high factor sun block and to cover up with long sleeve shirts and wide-brimmed hats. There is an environmental health team based at Mount Pleasant which regularly monitors the risk of all environmental health factors on the Falkland Islands.

  Anti-depressants (Female Recruits)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how many female recruits in the armed services anti-depressants have been prescribed since the start of training, in the last year. [40770]

  Mr. Soames
  This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his latest estimates of the expenditure on all external consultants, including management consultants, for each year since 1992, in 1996 prices, for his Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in. [41175]
  1088
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  Individual budget holders in my Department have delegated powers to employ external consultants as they think fit within the limit of their resources and consistent with all requirements for propriety and value for money. The information required has therefore not hitherto been held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Furthermore, external consultants may be engaged by budget holders for assistance on a wide range of problems, but very seldom with the sole specific aim of securing financial savings.

  My officials have now begun to collect data from all areas of the Department to establish the total expenditure on external consultancy. The exercise covering financial year 1995–96 was completed earlier this year and revealed that expenditure by the Department, including its agencies, in that period was £150.8 million. I wrote on 21 June 1996 to the hon. Member for Torfaen (Mr. Murphy), a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House, giving a breakdown of this expenditure.

  A similar exercise will be undertaken to show expenditure during 1996–97. Once the information is to hand I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Gulf War Syndrome
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning the extent of use of organophosphate insecticides by British forces during the Gulf war; how many troops sprayed these pesticides; what items were sprayed by the insecticides; where were the insecticides purchased; what research his Department had carried out(a) before the Gulf war and (b) after the Gulf war into the health implications of using organophosphates; and what advice was given by his Department during the Gulf war to service personnel spraying the insecticides. [41112]

  Mr. Soames
  These questions will be fully covered in the investigation I have already announced.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list all the pesticides, together with the quantities, used by British troops during the Gulf war; [41253]

  (2) if he will list the vaccines given to British forces before they were deployed to the Gulf war; [41254]

  (3) if he will make a statement on the tests carried out by his Department on pyridostigmine bromide before its use in the Gulf war. [41255]

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if his Department's current investigations into the cause of Gulf war syndrome include research into the possible contribution made by the inhalation of uranium dust arising from the use of depleted uranium armour-piercing shells; [41295]

  (2) which delousing agents were used to treat Iraqi prisoners captured during Operation Granby in the Gulf war; and what health protective measures were taken for (a) the British Army medical service and (b) the Iraqi prisoners from inadvertent inhalation ingestion or skin contamination; [41304]
  1089
  (3) what research has been conducted on behalf of his Department by the national poisons information service into the causes of Gulf war syndrome. [41292]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Members and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Nicholas Pope
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what post Mr. Nicholas Pope was appointed by his Department after his tour of duty with Secretariat (Air Staff) Department 2A; and if he will make a statement. [40920]

  Mr. Soames
  Mr. Nicholas Pope was posted on promotion two years ago to a general finance policy branch.

  Uranium-tipped Shells
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the current risk posed to civilians from exploded depleted uranium-tipped shells in Kuwait. [41101]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  My Department has conducted no formal assessment of the risks to civilians from exploded depleted uranium-tipped ammunition in Kuwait.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning the risk to soldiers of handling depleted uranium-tipped shells. [41100]

  Mr. Soames
  Depleted uranium has a very low level of radioactivity and the risks attached to the handling of depleted uranium ammunition are minimal.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the 1991 Atomic Energy Authority report on industrial technology concerning the risk of exposure to exploded depleted uranium-tipped shells. [41102]

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the letter sent by my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 7 August 1996, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Dr. Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many depleted uranium-tipped shells were fired by British forces during the Gulf war; and what assessment he has made of the number of exploded shells remaining in Kuwait. [41099]

  Mr. Soames
  British forces fired some 88 depleted uranium shells during the Gulf conflict. The Ministry of Defence has made no assessment of the number of exploded shells remaining in Kuwait, as we judge the risk to human health posed by DU rounds to be negligible. It is likely, though, that a large proportion of the 88 shells was expended in Iraq rather than Kuwait.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies have been conducted by his Department into the nephrotoxicity of the inhalation of uranium particles. [41296]
  1090
  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Married Quarters Estate
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the locations of the houses from the married quarters estate that have been released to Arrington Homes for immediate use by the private sector. [40931]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  RAF Rudloe Manor
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work is currently undertaken at RAF Rudloe Manor; what work was undertaken in the last 10 years; what was, by rank, the establishment for the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [40823]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Defence Intelligence Branches
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the current function of DI55 SIG; what was its function(a) five years and (b) 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement; [41040]

  (2) what is the current function of DI65B; what was its function (a) five years and (b) 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement; [41038]

  (3) what is the current function of DI55; what was its function (a) five years and (b) 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement; [41041]

  (4) what is the current function of DI61E; what was its function (a) five years and (b) 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement; [41037]

  (5) what is the current function of DI10; what was its function (a) five years and (b) 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement. [41039]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Unidentified Flying Objects
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what consultation has taken place in each of the last five years by his Department with the French Ministry of Defence Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales in respect of unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [41048]

  (2) if a lodger unit housed within his Department's Flying Complaints Flight specialises in unidentified flying object investigations; and if he will make a statement; [41036]

  (3) how many records currently held by his Department's Scientific Intelligence Branch are under extended closure for (a) 50 years, (b) 75 years and (c) 100 years; how many of these records refer to unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement;[40911]
  1091
  (4) what consultation has taken place in each of the last five years by his Department with the Royal Australian air force in respect of unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [41042]

  (5) what consultation has taken place in each of the last five years by his Department with the Spanish Ministry of Defence's intelligence section of the Spanish air forces air operations command in respect of unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [41050]

  (6) if he will make statement on his Department's policy towards unidentified flying objects and on how this has developed during the past 30 years; [40913]

  (7) what co-operation there is between the Royal Air Force and the United States air force in respect of establishing the facts relating to unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [40918]

  (8) how many alleged landings by unidentified flying objects have been recorded in each year since 1980 and this year to date; how many have been investigated by his Department's personnel; which of these had been traced by radar and with what result; and if he will make a statement; [40921]

  (9) what consultation has taken place in each of the last five years by his Department with the Italian Ministry of Defence air force general staff (2. Department) in respect of unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [41049]

  (10) what instructions have been sent to the commanders of Royal Air Force stations to collect reports from air crews having allegedly sighted unidentified flying objects; what inquiries have been held following such sightings; to what extent there has been collaboration between his Department and departments in (a) Canada and (b) the United States of America on this problem; and if he will make a statement; [40917]

  (11) what consultation has taken place in each of the last five years by his Department with New Zealand's Ministry of Defence in respect of unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [41043]

  (12) what consultation has taken place in each of the last five years by his Department with the Portuguese Ministry of Defence's joint staff of the armed forces intelligence division in respect of unidentified flying objects; and if he will make a statement; [41051]

  (13) how many instances of unidentified flying objects have been reported on by the defence services of the United Kingdom during the last 12 months; what steps are taken to co-ordinate such observations; and if he will make a statement; [40910]

  (14) if he will list by year for the last 30 years how many structured craft of unknown origin have penetrated the United Kingdom's air defence region; and if he will make a statement. [40919]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Tornado Crash (Blackpool)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 14 October,1092
  Official Report, column 476, on what date the F3 Tornado which crashed on Blackpool beach in September, received its certificate of airworthiness. [41070]

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 14 October,Official Report, column 484, by whom the investigation into the crash of the Tornado F3 off Blackpool on 28 September will be carried out. [41336]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The Tornado F3 that crashed near Blackpool on 28 September 1996 had been authorised to fly by the Ministry of Defence on the same day as the accident.

  The authorisation was issued, at British Aerospace Warton where the aircraft was being refurbished, in accordance with standard procedures for aircraft undergoing such work.

  The aircraft which crashed was the ninth of a series of 16 aircraft being refurbished by British Aerospace. The previous eight had already been returned to the RAF in fully operational condition.

  A Ministry of Defence board of inquiry is under way into the causes of the crash and not one by the Department of Transport as suggested by my right hon. Friend on 14 October, Official Report, column 484.

  New Buildings and Premises
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total expenditure on new buildings and premises by his Department and its agencies; and if he will indicate the square footage of new office space purchased or newly rented in each of the last five years. [41147]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Armed Forces (Strength)
  Mr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the strength of the British armed forces on 1 April 1992; and what will be its strength on(a) 1 April 1999 and (b) 1 April 2000. [41111]

  Mr. Soames
  The total service strength of the regular armed forces on 1 April 1992 was 302,400. The estimated strength on 1 April 1999 and 1 April 2000 is 213,500 for each year. Both figures include Gurkha strengths, Royal Marines and Queen Alexandra Royal Naval Nursing Service, and an element for personnel undergoing training.

  HMS Sceptre
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the result of his Department's investigations into an incident on board HMS Sceptre on 22 July; and if he will make a statement. [40835]

  Mr. Soames
  The Royal Navy board of inquiry into the incident on 22 July, when two peace demonstrators were apprehended shortly after gaining access to HMS Sceptre, identified the need to tighten certain aspects of the specific security procedures relating to our nuclear hunter killer submarines. This has been done. It also recommended a number of additional security and
  1093
  management measures to minimise the possibility of such an incident happening again. Many of these have already been put in place, and others are being addressed with the greatest urgency.

  Mr. Nicholas Redfern
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the titles of the records of the Ministry of Defence's scientific intelligence branch in respect of correspondence sent to Mr. Nicholas Redfern by the Public Record Office, Kew on 21 September 1990. [40889]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library in the House.

  Peninsula Barracks, Winchester
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether his Department entered into an agreement with the developers of Peninsula barracks, Winchester, so that his Department could share in any gain arising from development; and if he will make a statement; [41227]

  (2) if he will set out (a) the purchase and (b) the sale price of Peninsula barracks, Winchester. [41228]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what capacity of electricity used in his Department's buildings is generated in a combined heat and power plant; and what plans he has to increase that capacity.[41317]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Foreign Police Officers (Powers)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what authority(a) members of visiting forces and (b) US security police officers arrest and detain United Kingdom citizens on public highways for (i) theft and (ii) other alleged offences against United Kingdom law. [41328]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Epidemiology Research Proposals
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 17 July to the hon. Member for South Derbyshire (Mrs. Currie),Official Report, columns 532–33, if he will now make a statement on the outcome of the Medical Research Council selection process on the 37 outline proposals for research into Gulf war syndrome mentioned in his answer. [41306]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
  1094

  Gulf War (Pesticides)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the organophosphate pesticide Denenton-S-Methyl was used by his Department's medical personnel in Operation Granby in the Gulf war; [41293]

  (2) pursuant to the letter from the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent, on 4 October, if he will now correct his answer of 11 July 1994, Official Report, column 436, on the use of pesticides during the Gulf war. [41294]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Euratom Treaty
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what activities of his Department come within the scope of the Euratom treaty. [41297]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  War Graves (France)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning the desecration of war graves in northern France. [41256]

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  RAF Sealand
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects a decision on the market testing bids at RAF Sealand; and if he will make a statement. [41257]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Dominie Aircraft Contracts
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what prospects there are for the Raytheon Hawker jet work force at Broughton, Flintshire, obtaining contracts to service the MOD's Dominie aircraft; and if he will make a statement. [41258]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  A319 Tanker Airbus
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to purchase British Aerospace's planned A319 tanker airbus; and if he will make a statement. [41259]

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
  1095

  Service Bares
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the present number of British naval bases in England and Wales; and if he will list them; [39224]

  (2) what is the present number of British Army bases in England and Wales; and if he will list; [39226]

  (3) what is the present number of Royal Air Force bases in England and Wales; and if he will list them. [39223]

  Mr. Soames
  I shall write to my hon. Friend and a copy of the reply will be placed in the Library of the House.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Attorney-General what are his latest estimates of the expenditure on all external consultants, including management consultants, for each year since 1992, in 1996 prices, for his Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in. [41176]

  The Attorney-General
  The latest estimates of expenditure on external consultants for the departments and agencies for which I am responsible are set out in the table in 1996 prices. The legal secretariat to the Law Officers has not incurred any such expenditure. External consultants were engaged primarily to advise on matters of management or to develop new systems and, while their advice is considered to have contributed very significantly to efficiency, it is not possible to quantify the annual cost savings attributable to this expenditure.

  £ thousand

  Department

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Crown Prosecution Service

  713

  722

  719

  696

  Serious Fraud Office

  123

  159

  373

  278

  Treasury Solicitor's Department

  367

  456

  131

  148

  Government Property Lawyers Agency

  -

  7

  21

  17

TRANSPORT

  Driving Tests
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, by Driving Standards Agency regional office, the number of application forms currently awaiting a booking date, the time it currently takes to answer a telephone call and the current average waiting time for a driving test application to be processed. [40688]

  Mr. Bowis
  At 30 September the numbers of driving test application forms awaiting processing in each of the Driving Standards Agency Area Offices were:

  Area office

  Number

  London and South East

  1,689

  Midlands and Eastern

  1,640

  Wales and Western

  1,504

  1096

  Area office

  Number

  Northern

  1,420

  Scotland

  201

  National

  6,454

  The agency's target for telephone answering has been for 90 per cent. of calls to be answered within 60 seconds. The results for the week ending 27 September were:

  Area office

  Number of calls answered

  In 60 seconds (per cent.)

  London and South East

  22,097

  70

  Midlands and Eastern

  14,774

  31

  Wales and Western

  12,894

  88

  Northern

  17,722

  96

  Scotland

  5,591

  92

  Total

  73,078

  75

  The average number of days between receipt of valid application and issue of appointment cards at the start of October is estimated to be:

  Area office

  Average number of days

  London and South east

  5

  Midland and Eastern

  4

  Wales and Western

  5

  Northern

  3

  Scotland

  3

  Average

  4

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the average waiting times for driving tests for each of the past 18 months. [40693]

  Mr. Bowis
  The average waiting times for driving tests between March 1995 and August 1996 are shown in the table.

  Weeks

  Cars

  Motorcycles

  Lorry/bus

  1995

  March

  6.4

  4.3

  3.3

  April

  6.7

  4.7

  3.0

  May

  7.3

  5.8

  3.0

  June

  7.5

  5.8

  2.9

  July

  7.6

  6.1

  3.0

  August

  8.0

  6.6

  3.0

  September

  7.7

  5.9

  3.2

  October

  7.6

  5.3

  3.3

  November

  8.0

  5.1

  3.6

  December

  7.7

  4.0

  2.8

  1996

  January

  8.2

  4.2

  3.6

  February

  9.2

  6.3

  4.0

  March

  10.5

  12

  8.2

  April

  12.4

  13.6

  7.7

  May

  13.0

  14.6

  7.6

  June

  11.7

  14.5

  7.1

  July

  10.4

  14.5

  6.6

  August

  9.9

  14.4

  6.3

  1097
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if candidates undertaking driving tests are required to provide a signed driving licence before undertaking their test. [40703]

  Mr. Bowis
  Driving test candidates are required to present their signed driving licence at the start of a driving test as evidence of identity and driver status, though examiners have the discretion to allow the test to proceed if otherwise satisfied that the licence exists.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the numbers of people(a) passing and (b) failing driving tests at driving test centres by location from 1 July to the latest convenient date; and what percentage change these figures represent over those for (i) 12 and (ii) 24 months previously. [40443]

  Mr. Bowis
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Oxygenated Fuel
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State forTransport what assessment he has made of the potentialenvironmental benefits of oxygenated fuel; and if he will make a statement. [40717]

  Mr. Bowis
  An assessment by the Department of Transport has shown that increasing the quantity of oxygenates in petrol can result in reduced emissions, primarily carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, through more complete combustion of the fuel in the engine. The assessment also showed that the addition of oxygen to petrol as an alternative octane booster allows for a reduction in benzene in the fuel, but at the expense of increased aldehyde emissions.

  City Diesel
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the potential environmental benefits of the use of city diesel; and if he will make a statement. [40719]

  Mr. Bowis
  The Government are currently considering the role that cleaner fuels, including ultra low-sulphur diesels such as "city diesel", might play in minimising road transport emissions. To that end "city diesel" is included in the continuing comparative trials of cleaner or alternative fuels which the Government are sponsoring. The trials will provide an indication of both the emissions reduction potential of such fuels and of their practicality and cost-effectiveness in comparison with conventional fuels.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the potential environmental benefits of city diesel. [40718]

  Mr. Bowis
  Representations about the potential environmental benefits of city diesel and of a number of other alternative or cleaner fuels have been received from a number of bodies including fuel producers and retailers, operators, local authorities and environmental groups.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those structures on(a) the M1, (b) the M6, (c) the M5 and (d) the M25 which fail to meet the standards for 44 tonne heavy goods vehicles. [40683]
  1098
  Mr. Watts
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Trust Ports
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each trust port(a) its date of privatisation, (b) the sale price and (c) its current value as listed on the stock exchange. [40701]

  Mr. Bowis
  The month of sale and price of each of the privatised trust ports are shown below. Stock exchange listings do not provide comparable data: not all the ports were listed after privatisation, and several are now part of larger port groups.

  Proceeds from the sale of trust ports

  Port

  Sale Price £ million

  Date of sale

  Tees and Hartlepool

  180.00

  January 1992

  Clyde

  26.00

  March 1992

  Forth

  112.70

  March 1992

  Medway

  29.70

  March 1992

  Tilbury

  32.00

  March 1992

  Dundee

  18.05

  November 1995

  Roads Programme
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each of the last five years the budget for(a) re-signing, (b) landscaping and (c) lighting in the overall roads programme budget. [40700]

  Mr. Watts
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will update the figures and information given in his answer of 16 October 1995,Official Report, columns 75–80, in respect of road schemes completed for the last six years in respect of all projects; if he will identify which have been completed in the last 12 months; and what in each case was the average overrun. [40739]

  Mr. Watts
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Southend Test Centre
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that the test centre in Southend will remain in operation for the foreseeable future. [41192]

  Mr. Bowis
  The Driving Standards Agency has no current plans to cease operations from its driving test centre in Southend.

  Traffic Congestion
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 26 February to the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West (Mr. Butterfill),Official Report, column 340, if he will now update the congestion or stress maps which were placed in the Library by producing a regional map showing more detailed forecasts of congestion for trunk roads in the north-west of England, with particular reference to key links on the motorway network in the region. [41243]

  Mr. Olner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 26 February, to the hon. Member for Bournemouth, West (Mr. Butterfill),Official

  1099
  Report, column 340, if he will now update the congestion or stress maps which were placed in the Library by producing a regional map showing more detailed forecasts of congestion for trunk roads in the midlands, with particular reference to key links on the motorway network in the region. [41242]

  Mr. Watts
  I have asked my officials to produce regional maps as requested covering each of the English regions and to place copies in the Library of the House within four weeks.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his latest estimates of the expenditure on all external consultants, including management consultants, for each year since 1992, in 1996 prices, for his Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in. [41189]

  Mr. Bowis
  In each of the financial years from 1992–93 to 1995–96 the expenditure on external consultants, at 1996–97 prices, was as follows:

  Financial year

  Expenditure £ million

  1992–93

  226

  1993–94

  253

  1994–95

  208

  1995–96

  176

  It is not possible to quantify the annual cost savings resulting from this expenditure.

  Aviation (Unauthorised Landings)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports he has received of unauthorised landings from the air during the last 12 months over(a) South, (b) West, (c) North Yorkshire and (d) Humberside; and if he will make a statement. [40832]

  Mr. Bowis
  It is not clear to what sort of landings the hon. Gentlemen is referring.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what capacity of electricity used in his Department's buildings is generated in a combined heat and power plant; and what plans he has to increase that capacity. [41312]

  Mr. Bowis
  None.

  Roads (Litter)
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the reduction in grass cutting and litter clearance on trunk roads in urban areas. [40940]

  Mr. Watts
  I will write to the hon. Member.
  1100

  Transport Council
  Mr. MacGregor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the outcome of the Transport Council held in Luxembourg on 3 and 4 October. [41344]

  Sir George Young
  The Transport Council met in Luxembourg on 3 and 4 October. My hon. Friend the Minister for Railways and Roads represented the United Kingdom.

  The only item before the Council for decision was a proposal for negotiations with 10 central and eastern European countries on agreements aimed at integrating these countries' air transport markets with that of the Community. This was agreed. The Council met Transport Ministers from the 10 countries, as part of the agreed strategy of "structured relations" with these countries to help prepare them for EU membership. The discussion concentrated on the development of railways and combined transport.

  The Commission reported on progress in the negotiations for land and air transport agreements between the Community and Switzerland.

  The Council debated the Commission's White Paper on the future of the Community's railways. The United Kingdom welcomed the emphasis in the paper on greater commercialisation, the further separation of infrastructure and operations and open access for freight services.

  The Council debated a draft directive on heavy goods vehicle taxation and road user charging, intended as a replacement for the existing directive, which has been annulled by the European Court of Justice. The Council also considered two proposals for further liberalisation of bus and coach services. The Council discussed a draft regulation on air transport, to extend and harmonise air carrier's liability in case of death or injury to passengers, and a draft directive on maritime safety, to introduce a harmonised safety regime for fishing vessels over 24m. It is planned that there should be further discussions at official level on all these proposals before the next Transport Council.

  The United Kingdom presented a paper to the Council urging further work on methods of transferring the costs of marine infrastructure, such as navigational aids, from state budgets to users of the services provided. The Commission said that it would continue to look at this issue.

  Other issues raised at the Council include aviation safety, air traffic management, and combined transport.

HEALTH

  Tampons
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has given to tampon manufacturers in respect of overnight safety of products. [40740]

  Mr. Horam
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are his latest estimates of the expenditure on all
  1101
  external consultants, including management consultants, for each year since 1992, in 1996 prices, for his Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in. [41177]

  Mr. Horam
  Expenditure on all external consultants for the Department and its agencies for the years 1992–93 to 1995–96 in—1995–96 prices— is shown in the list. External consultants are used to assist in improving efficiency and effectiveness in the Department, but it is not possible to assess the savings which are a direct consequence of their activity.

  1992–93: £19.732 million

  1993–94: £16.611 million

  1994–95: £18.927 million

  1995–96: £18.363 million.

  Dengue Fever Vaccine
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into a vaccine against dengue fever; and if he will make a statement. [40861]

  Mr. Horam
  Information on research commissioned by the Department of Health is contained in "The Centrally Commissioned Research Programme" and "The Centrally Commissioned Research Programme: Commissions in 1994–95", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Work on developing a vaccine against dengue has been underway for several years. Although recent work is encouraging, much further work is required.

  Hepatitis
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on vaccination against hepatitis B. [41055]

  Mr. Horam
  The United Kingdom has one of the lowest prevalence rates of hepatitis B carriers in the world and the Department's current policy is to recommend immunisation against hepatitis B for those groups at increased risk of infection because of their life style, occupation or other factors such as close contact with a case or carrier. This policy, including the risk groups for whom immunisation is recommended, is kept under review.

  Health Expenditure
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average expenditure per head in(a) each health authority and (b) nationally in the last financial year for which figures are available. [41332]

  Mr. Horam
  Per capita spend for each district health authority in 1994–95, the latest financial year available, has been placed in the Library.

  The average per capita expenditure by district health authorities in England in 1994–95 was £383.

  Comparisons of these per capita spend figures need to be treated with caution. First, not all the expenditure covered arises from population related activities. Secondly, crude populations do not reflect differences in
  1102
  age structure or relative health care need. These differences feature in the formulae used to inform the main allocations to the former district health authorities.

  Mesothelioma
  Ms Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information relating to mesothelioma his Department distributes to general practitioners for issue to patients who have worked with asbestos. [41335]

  Mr. Horam
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Cervical Smears
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many cervical cancer screening tests were carried out in each nation, region and health authority area in each year since 1990 with, in each case, the percentage of such tests requiring follow-up; [41339]

  (2) if he will place in the Library all guidance he has issued about the adequacy and competence of cervical cancer screening tests; [41340]

  (3) what guidance he has issued as to the acceptance by NHS pathologists as adequate cervical cancer screening test record cards that do not confirm that visual inspection has taken place; [41341]

  (4) what representations he has received as to the adequacy of cervical cancer screening where no visual inspection of the cervix has taken place. [41342]

  Mr. Horam
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 14 October,Official Report, column 755–56 (1) what is the total revenue payment in the current financial year to which his Department is committed in respect of projects funded under the private finance initiative; [41345]

  (2) what total revenue payment in respect of national health service projects funded under the private finance initiative he projected for the current financial year at the time of the 1995 Budget; [41346]

  (3) what total revenue payment in respect of national health service projects funded under the private finance initiative he now projects for the current financial year; [41347]

  (4) what is the total revenue payment so far in the current financial year for national health service projects funded under the private finance initiative. [41348]

  Mr. Horam
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Health Service Deficits
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each district health authority serving the Greater London area for each of the financial years 1996–97 and 1997–98 and subsequent years for which figures can be given(a) the recurrent deficit, (b) the non-recurrent surplus or deficit, (c) movement in balances, (d) the cash deficit and (e) those cash deficits expressed as a percentage of revenue or expenditure. [40794]
  1103
  Mr. Horam
  [holding answer 16 October 1996]: The information is not available in precisely the form requested. A table based on figures supplied by health authorities at the end of the first quarter of 1996–97 will be placed in the Library shortly. This sets out the forecast outturn position for each health authority including those serving the Greater London area, for 1996–97. These are shown as a percentage of each authority's income, and the forecast movement in balances in the year is also shown. We do not anticipate there being cash deficits as the system of brokerage between health authorities is expected to avoid these. Information on future years is not yet available.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he received the letter dated 31 July for the hon. Member for Newham, South concerning his failure to answer his written question requesting information on health service deficits, of 22 July; when a substantive reply was sent; and for what reason the figures requested were regarded as being unsuitable for publication. [40795]

  Mr. Horam
  [holding answer 16 October 1996]: The hon. Member's letter of 31 July concerning health authority deficits was received on 2 August. An initial reply was sent on 21 August. A substantive reply was sent today. At the time the question was initially asked, 22 July, the information held by the national health service executive was considered to be incomplete and

  Completed Central Government privatisations

  Date

  Organisation

  Department1

  Proceeds £ million

  September 1998

  Professional/Executive Recruitment

  DE

  6.0

  May 1990

  Skills Training Agency

  DE

  -10.7

  December1991

  ECGD Insurance Services Group

  ECGD

  20.0

  December 1992

  PSA Projects

  DOE

  -49.6

  September-October 1993

  PSA Services (BM Scotland)

  3.5

  (BM Manchester)

  8.0

  (BM Noreast)

  -11.5

  (BM SE/BM S&W)

  10.4

  December 1993

  DVOIT

  DoT

  5.5

  February 1994

  FORWARD

  HMT

  4.6

  March 1994

  DTELS

  HO

  6.5

  March 1994

  Agricultural Training Board

  MAFF

  Nil

  December 1994

  NHS Scotland CSA Building Division

  SO

  0.37

  March 1995

  AEA Facilities Management

  DTI

  12.0

  July 1995

  Scottish Homes Building Division

  SO

  2.0

  August 1995

  UK Accreditation Services

  DTI

  Nil

  November 1995

  National Engineering Laboratory

  DTI

  -1.95

  March 1996

  Transport Research Laboratory

  DoT

  6.0

  March 1996

  Laboratory of Government Chemist

  DTI

  -0.5

  March 1996

  Historic Property Restoration

  DNH

  0.37

  April 1996

  Natural Resources Institute

  ODA

  Nil

  July 1996

  WHCSA Estate Care Group

  WO

  0.17

  July 1996

  Chessington Computer Centre

  OPS

  11.25

  September 1996

  AEA Technology pic

  DTI

  210.0

  September 1996

  Occupational Health/Safety Agency

  OPS

  0.35

  September 1996

  Her Majesty's Stationery Office

  OPS

  54.0

  October 1996

  Recruitment and Assessment Services

  OPS

  7.25

  Total

  294.01

  Total at 1996 prices

  294.44

  1 Proceeds are shown gross of costs and pension transfers, but net of payments for future restructuring costs etc.

  1104
  therefore misleading, as it was still subject to discussion between health authorities and the NHS executive about their plans.

TREASURY

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of the new mortgage interest payments uprating; and what estimate he has made of the effect of the uprating of MIPS on the current public expenditure survey round. [40672]

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 14 October 1996]: I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the hon. Member.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each Department of State those parts and their functions or operations which have been disposed of to the private sector since 1987, stating for each the sum received at their stated date of disposal and that sum in 1996 prices. [40361]

  Mr. Jack
  The value of asset disposals for part of or functions undertaken by Departments of State since 1987 is as follows:
  1105

  Mortgage Lenders
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to set up a body to regulate mortgage lenders; and if he will make a statement. [40772]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Banks and building societies, which constitute the vast bulk of mortgage providers, are already regulated as deposit takers, and their customers—be they borrowers or depositors—have access to their ombudsman schemes. The Personal Investment Authority has a role in regulating firms which sell, or offer advice on, endowment mortgages. In addition, the Council of Mortgage Lenders, which represents most of the industry, has published a draft code of mortgage lending practice with a view to covering all mortgage lenders.

  Landfill Tax
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if appointments to the regulatory body set up to oversee the operation of the landfill tax will be made by open competition; [40877]

  (2) if he will list the environmental bodies which have made representations regarding enrolment as appropriate bodies to receive donations from landfill operators; [40875]

  (3) if he will list the landfill operators in the south Yorkshire region who had registered their liability for landfill tax on 1 September; [40879]

  (4) how many landfill operators in each Customs and Excise region had registered their liability as landfill operators on 1 September; [40878]

  (5) if he will list the members of the regulatory body to oversee the operation of the landfill tax already appointed. [40876]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the hon. Member.

  Tax Fraud Hotline
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the

  Live claims for unemployment related benefits on 12 September 1996 by the interval between the current and previous claim

  Claims (thousands)

  Interval (weeks)

  Regions

  4 or less

  Over 4 and up to 13

  Over 13 and up to 26

  Over 26 and up to 39

  Over 39 and up to 52

  Over 52 and up to 104

  Over 104

  No previous

  Total

  Females

  South East

  16.4

  22 4

  17.3

  9.9

  7.5

  13.6

  22.3

  59.7

  169.2

  East Anglia

  1.3

  1.9

  1.5

  0.9

  0.9

  1.2

  2.4

  6.1

  16.3

  South West

  3.9

  5.5

  4.6

  2.3

  1.6

  2.9

  5.5

  13

  39.3

  West Midlands

  3.8

  5.9

  4.9

  2.7

  2.6

  3.5

  6.2

  18.4

  48

  East Midlands

  2.8

  4.5

  3.5

  1.5

  1.7

  2.6

  4.8

  11.4

  32.7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  4.4

  5.8

  4.4

  2.6

  2.3

  2.9

  5.9

  16.1

  44.5

  North West

  5.5

  6.8

  5.8

  3.2

  2.5

  3.7

  7.2

  18.8

  53.7

  Northern

  3

  3.3

  3.4

  1.8

  1.3

  2.3

  3.6

  12.1

  30.8

  Wales

  2.2

  2.9

  2.5

  1.3

  1.3

  1.6

  4.1

  9.6

  25.5

  Scotland

  4.6

  5

  4.3

  2.5

  3

  3.2

  6.4

  15.6

  44.6

  Great Britain

  48

  64.1

  52.3

  28.6

  24.8

  37.6

  68.4

  180.9

  504.6

  Males

  South East

  59.9

  79.6

  63.9

  32.4

  24.9

  42.2

  53

  109.3

  465.3

  East Anglia

  5.9

  7.6

  6.7

  3.6

  2

  3.3

  5.1

  9

  43.1

  1106
  Exchequer if he will set up a free phone hotline for the reporting of suspected income tax fraud; and if he will make a statement. [40830]

  Mr. Jack
  The Inland Revenue already has arrangements for the receipt of information, which it publicises in the local and regional press as part of its normal compliance activities, and receives a substantial amount of information from concerned members of the public. Any member of the public who wishes to report suspected tax evasion can do so by telephoning any tax office in the knowledge that all such calls are treated in strict confidence. Thus the Government have no immediate plans to introduce a specific hotline for suspected income tax fraud.

  Official Residences
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions since his appointment he has made use of each of his official residences. [41329]

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I live in 11 Downing street, and stay at Dorneywood from time to time.

  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual cost to the Exchequer of the management and maintenance of each of his official residences. [41330]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the hon. Member.

  Unemployment-related Benefits
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for those that are currently claiming unemployment-related benefits how many(a) men and (b) women for whom the interval in weeks between the latest and previous claim was (i) four or less, (ii) over four and up to 13, (iii) over 13 and up to 26, (iv) over 26 and up to 39, (v) over 39 and up to 52, (vi) over 52 and up to 104 and (vii) over 104 and those who had made no previous claim there are in (i) each standard region of England, (2) Wales, (3) Scotland and (4) Great Britain. [40902]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The information requested is contained in the following table.
  1107

  Live claims for unemployment related benefits on 12 September 1996 by the interval between the current and previous claim

  Claims (thousands)

  Interval (weeks)

  Regions

  4 or less

  Over 4 and up to 13

  Over 13 and up to 26

  Over 26 and up to 39

  Over 39 and up to 52

  Over 52 and up to 104

  Over 104

  No previous

  Total

  South West

  15.5

  19.7

  15.7

  7.4

  5.6

  9.7

  10.5

  20.2

  104.3

  West Midlands

  16.3

  25.6

  19.5

  10

  8.2

  12.5

  15.9

  30.9

  139

  East Midlands

  11.9

  17.9

  12.3

  6.3

  5.2

  8.7

  10.4

  19.2

  91.9

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  21.6

  27.7

  20.5

  9.1

  8.5

  12.2

  14.4

  27.4

  141.4

  North West

  25

  32.6

  25.8

  12.8

  9.9

  16.7

  19.2

  36.3

  178.3

  Northern

  13.8

  19.1

  14.5

  7.1

  6.4

  9.1

  9

  20.6

  99.6

  Wales

  10

  13.3

  12

  5.4

  5

  7.5

  9.1

  15.1

  77.4

  Scotland

  21

  26.8

  21.8

  11

  10

  13.2

  15

  27

  145.9

  Great Britain

  201

  269.9

  212.7

  105.1

  85.8

  135.1

  161.4

  315.1

  1,486.20

  All

  South East

  76.3

  10.2

  81.2

  42.3

  32.4

  55.9

  75.3

  168.9

  634.5

  East Anglia

  7.2

  9.5

  8.2

  4.5

  2.9

  4.5

  7.4

  15.1

  59.4

  South West

  19.4

  25.2

  20.3

  9.7

  7.2

  12.6

  16

  33.2

  143.6

  West Midlands

  20.1

  31.6

  24.4

  12.8

  10.8

  16

  22.1

  49.3

  187

  East Midlands

  14.6

  22.4

  15.9

  7.7

  6.9

  11.3

  15.2

  30.6

  124.7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  26.1

  33.5

  24.9

  11.7

  10.8

  15.1

  20.3

  43.5

  185.8

  North West

  30.5

  39.4

  31.6

  16

  12.5

  20.4

  26.4

  55.2

  232

  Northern

  16.9

  22.4

  17.9

  8.9

  7.7

  11.4

  12.6

  32.7

  130.4

  Wales

  12.2

  16.3

  14.5

  6.6

  6.3

  9.1

  13.2

  24.7

  102.9

  Scotland

  25.6

  31.8

  26.2

  13.5

  13

  16.4

  21.4

  42.7

  190.5

  Great Britain

  249

  334

  265

  133.7

  110.5

  172.6

  229.8

  495.9

  1,990.80

  Source:

  JUVOS cohort, excludes clerically operated claims.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) men and (b) women currently claiming unemployment-related benefits have made (i) no previous claims, (ii) one, (iii) two, (iv) three, (v) four and (vi) five

  Live claims for unemployment related benefits on 12 September 1996 by the number of previous claims, Great Britain

  Thousands

  Number of previous claims

  Region

  0

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  Total

  Females

  South East

  59.7

  39.7

  25.6

  16.2

  10.6

  17.5

  169.2

  East Anglia

  6.1

  3.4

  2.7

  1.6

  1

  1.4

  16.3

  South West

  13

  8.8

  6.1

  4

  2.4

  5.1

  39.3

  West Midlands

  18.4

  10.6

  7.2

  4.6

  2.6

  4.6

  48

  East Midlands

  11.4

  7.9

  5.1

  3.1

  1.9

  3.4

  32.7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  16.1

  9.6

  6.6

  4.3

  2.7

  5.1

  44.5

  North West

  18.8

  11.9

  8.1

  5.3

  3.1

  6.4

  53.7

  Northern

  12.1

  7

  4.3

  2.9

  1.7

  2.8

  30.8

  Wales

  9.6

  5.7

  4

  1.9

  1.4

  3.1

  25.5

  Scotland

  15.6

  9.8

  6.3

  4.6

  3

  5.3

  44.6

  Total

  180.9

  114.5

  76

  48.4

  30.3

  54.5

  504.6

  Males

  South East

  109.3

  98.7

  76.7

  58.1

  40.5

  82.1

  465.3

  East Anglia

  9

  7.4

  6.7

  5.1

  3.9

  11.1

  43.1

  South West

  20.2

  18.3

  15.5

  13.3

  10.4

  26.6

  104.3

  West Midlands

  30.9

  27.3

  23.6

  18.6

  13.3

  25.3

  139

  East Midlands

  19.2

  17.1

  15

  12

  8.4

  20.2

  91.9

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  27.4

  24.4

  22.2

  17.1

  13.9

  36.3

  141.4

  North West

  36.3

  31.4

  28.7

  21.8

  18

  42.1

  178.3

  Northern

  20.6

  17.6

  15.7

  12.3

  9.8

  23.5

  99.6

  Wales

  15.1

  13

  11.9

  9.7

  7.7

  19.9

  77.4

  Scotland

  27

  24.6

  22.1

  17.6

  15.1

  39.5

  145.9

  Total

  315.1

  279.9

  238.1

  185.6

  141

  326.6

  1,486.20

  1108
  or more claims for unemployment-related benefits in (1) each standard region of England, (2) Wales, (3) Scotland and (4) Great Britain. [40900]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The information requested is contained in the following table.
  1109

  Live claims for unemployment related benefits on 12 September 1996 by the number of previous claims. Great Britain

  Thousands

  Number of previous claims

  Region

  0

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  Total

  All

  South East

  168.9

  138.3

  102.2

  74.3

  51.1

  99.6

  634.5

  East Anglia

  15.1

  10.9

  9.4

  6.7

  4.9

  12.5

  59.4

  South West

  33.2

  27.1

  21.5

  17.2

  12.8

  31.7

  143.6

  West Midlands

  49.3

  37.9

  30.8

  23.2

  15.9

  29.8

  187

  East Midlands

  30.6

  25

  20.1

  15.1

  10.3

  23.6

  124.7

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  43.5

  34.1

  28.9

  21.4

  16.6

  41.4

  185.8

  North West

  55.2

  43.3

  36.9

  27.1

  21.1

  48.5

  232

  Northern

  32.7

  24.6

  20.1

  15.2

  11.4

  26.4

  130.4

  Wales

  24.7

  18.7

  15.9

  11.6

  9.1

  22.9

  102.9

  Scotland

  42.7

  34.4

  28.3

  22.2

  18.1

  44.8

  190.5

  Total

  495.9

  394.3

  314

  234.1

  171.3

  381.1

  1,990.80

  Source:

  JUVOS Cohort, computerised claims.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) men and (b) women have made (i) one, (ii) two, (iii) three, (iv) four and (v) five or more claims for

  Claimants for unemployment related benefits since April 1992 by the number of claims made, Great Britain

  Region

  Number of claims

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  Total

  Females

  South East

  656.9

  250.5

  100.9

  41.7

  32.1

  1,082.1

  East Anglia

  67.1

  25.4

  10.7

  4.6

  4.6

  112.4

  South West

  165.1

  62.6

  27

  12.1

  10.5

  277.3

  West Midlands

  194.7

  70.4

  28.7

  11.8

  8.5

  314.1

  East Midlands

  137

  50.8

  21

  8.9

  6.2

  224

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  177.2

  67.5

  28.6

  12.9

  12.1

  298.3

  North West

  230

  88

  37.3

  16.6

  14.3

  386.1

  Northern

  106.4

  42.3

  18

  7.5

  7.1

  181.4

  Wales

  94.6

  36.9

  15.9

  6.6

  5.9

  159.9

  Scotland

  190.8

  72.5

  32.6

  15.5

  14.4

  325.8

  Total

  2,019.8

  766.9

  320.7

  138.1

  115.8

  3,361.3

  Males

  South East

  1,031.90

  524.8

  257.4

  122.1

  104.4

  2,040.7

  East Anglia

  102.7

  49.3

  27.3

  14.1

  19

  212.4

  South West

  243.1

  125.3

  68.9

  38

  42.2

  517.5

  West Midlands

  293

  154.6

  79.8

  37.9

  34.9

  600.2

  East Midlands

  208.1

  105.7

  56.2

  29.1

  30.3

  429.4

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  255.8

  140.2

  83

  46.4

  54

  579.4

  North West

  346.8

  192.2

  104.9

  56.2

  59.9

  760

  Northern

  157

  94.2

  55.2

  30.7

  39.6

  376.7

  Wales

  141.4

  78.5

  46

  23.8

  26

  315.7

  Scotland

  260.3

  148.7

  87.1

  49

  58.5

  603.6

  Total

  3.039.9

  1,613.50

  865.9

  447.3

  468.7

  6.435.4

  South East

  1,688.8

  775.4

  358.4

  163.8

  136.5

  3,122.8

  East Anglia

  169.9

  74.7

  38

  18.7

  23.6

  324.7

  South West

  408.2

  187.9

  95.9

  50.1

  52.6

  794.8

  West Midlands

  487.7

  225

  108.6

  49.6

  43.4

  914.3

  East Midlands

  345

  156.5

  77.2

  38

  36.5

  653.4

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  433

  207.7

  111.6

  59.3

  66.1

  877.7

  North West

  576.8

  280.2

  142.2

  72.8

  74.1

  1.146.1

  Northern

  263.4

  136.5

  73.2

  38.2

  46.7

  558.1

  Wales

  236

  115.4

  61.9

  30.3

  32

  475.6

  Scotland

  451

  221.2

  119.7

  64.5

  72.9

  929.4

  Total

  5,059.7

  2,380.4

  1,186.6

  585.5

  584.5

  9,796.7

  Source:

  JUVOS Cohort, computerised claims.
  1110
  unemployment-related benefits in (1) each standard region of England, (2) Wales, (3) Scotland and (4) Great Britain since April 1992. [40903]

  Mrs. Knight
  The information requested is contained in the following table.
  1111

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are his latest estimates of the expenditure on all external consultants, including management consultants, for each year since 1992, in 1996 prices, for his Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in. [41190]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the hon. Member.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the latest estimates by the Registrar General of Populations of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each district council area and parliamentary constituency in England and Wales, together with the equivalent electoral registration figures also expressed as a percentage of these population figures and in ascending order. [41045]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  As the information is contained in several tables, I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Library.

  New Buildings and Premises
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total expenditure on new buildings and premises by his Department and its agencies; and if he will indicate the square footage of new office space purchased or newly rented in each of the last five years. [41150]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The Treasury has not incurred any expenditure on new buildings and premises in the last five year; 5505 sq m—59,250 sq ft—in Allington towers were taken over in 1993. Information relating to the Chancellor's agencies could not be assembled before Parliament is prorogued.

  Unemployment Statistics
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have experienced unemployment, by Employment Service area office, in each region since April 1992. [41170]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Figures for separate Employment Service jobcentres could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the figures for each standard statistical region are contained in the following table.

  Number of people experiencing at least one spell of claimant unemployment since April 1992

  Thousands

  Region

  Female

  Male

  All

  South East

  1,082.1

  2,040.7

  3,122.8

  East Anglia

  112.4

  212.4

  324.7

  South West

  277.3

  517.5

  794.8

  West Midlands

  314.1

  600.2

  914.3

  East Midlands

  224

  429.4

  653.4

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  298.3

  579.4

  877.7

  North West

  386.1

  760

  1,146.1

  North

  181.4

  376.7

  558.1

  1112

  Number of people experiencing at least one spell of claimant unemployment since April 1992

  Thousands

  Region

  Female

  Male

  All

  Wales

  159.9

  315.7

  475.6

  Scotland

  325.8

  603.6

  929.4

  Great Britain

  3,361.3

  6,435.4

  9,796.7

  Source:

  JUVOS cohort. excludes clerically operated claims.

  Abortion
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the statistically most likely candidate for an abortion within the Trent region after the 24th week of pregnancy in the latest year for which figures are available in terms of(a) the age of the women, (b) marital status of the women, (c) the number of previous children of the women and (d) the grounds on which the abortion is performed. [40857]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  The statistically most likely candidate for an abortion for each of the variables listed is defined as the category with the highest recorded frequency of legal terminations. The percentages are based on all legal terminations performed in 1994, to women usually resident in the Trent health region.

  The categories with the highest frequencies found in each of the variables are as follows:
  age of the women: 25 to 29 age group comprised 50 per cent. (4) of all post 24th week gestation terminations;
  marital status: married women comprised 88 per cent. (7) of all post 24th week gestation terminations;
  number of previous children borne by the women: women with no previous (live and still born) children born to them, comprised 50 per cent. (4) of all post 24th week gestation terminations;
  legal ground under which the abortion was performed: statutory ground E alone comprised 88 per cent. (7) of all post 24th week gestation terminations. The definition of ground E is 'that there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped'.
  Reference: 1994 Abortion Statistics, England and Wales, Series AB No. 21, HMSO publication 1996.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make statement on the statistically most likely candidate for an abortion within the Trent region in the latest year for which figures are available in terms of(a) the age of the woman, (b) marital status of the woman, (c) the number of previous children of the woman and (d) the grounds on which the abortion is performed. [40858]

  Mrs. Knight
  The statistically most likely candidate for an abortion for each of the variables listed is defined as the category with the highest recorded frequency of legal terminations. The percentages are based on all legal terminations performed in 1994, to women usually resident in the Trent health region.

  The categories with the highest frequencies found in each of the variables are as follows:
  age of the woman: 20 to 24 age group comprised 29 per cent. (3,463) of all terminations;
  marital status: single women comprised 64 per cent. (7,570) of all terminations;

  1113
  number of previous children borne by the woman: women with no previous (live and still born) children born to them, comprised 50 per cent. (5,923) of all terminations;
  legal ground under which the abortion was performed: statutory ground C alone comprised 86 per cent. (10,143) of all terminations. The definition of ground C is "that the pregnancy has not exceeded its 24th week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the woman".
  Reference: 1994 Abortion Statistics, England and Wales, Series AB No. 21, HMSO publication 1996.

  Lone parents
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what proportion of single lone mothers are in(a) part-time work, (b) full-time work and (c) all paid work; [41023]

  (2) how many children are in families headed by (a) single lone mothers, (b) divorced or separated lone mothers, (c) widowed lone mothers and (d) lone fathers; and what were the figures five years previously; [41003]

  (3) what proportion of one-parent families are (a) single lone mothers, (b) divorced or separated lone mothers, (c) widowed lone mothers and (d) lone fathers by English region. [41013]

  (4) how many lone parents under 25 years of age are (a) in paid work, (b) economically active and (c) economically inactive; [41019]

  (5) what proportion of lone parents are economically active; [41007]

  (6) what proportion of one-parent families are headed by (a) single lone mothers, (b) divorced or separated lone mothers, (c) widowed lone mothers and (d) lone fathers (i) in total and (ii) in each region; and what were the figures five years previously; [41005]

  (7) what proportion of widowed lone mothers are in (a) part-time work, (b) full-time work and (c) all paid work; [40894]

  (8) what proportion of lone parents are economically active, by English region; [41024]

  (9) how many children are currently in one-parent families; [41004]

  (10) how many one-parent families there were in each of the last five years; [41014]

  (11) how many lone parents are under 25 years of age; [41020]

  (12) what proportion of families in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were one-parent families in each of the last 10 years; [41001]

  (13) what proportion of families were one-parent families in each of the last 10 years (a) in total and (b) by English region; [41008]

  (14) how many one-parent families are there (a) in England by region, (b) in Scotland, (c) in Wales and (d) in Northern Ireland; [41006]

  (15) how many lone parents there are whose youngest child is over five years old; [41016]

  (16) how many children are in families headed by
  1114
  (a) single lone mothers, (b) divorced or separated lone mothers, (c) widowed lone mothers and (d) lone fathers by English region; [41002]

  (17) what proportion of lone fathers are in (a) part-time work, (b) full-time work and (c) all paid work. [40895]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the hon. Member.

  Retail Prices Index
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if pensioner households mainly dependent on state benefits are included in the calculation of weights which form the basis of the retail prices index. [41011]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  Pensioner households mainly dependent on state benefits are not included in the calculation of the weights used in the retail prices index.

  The retail prices index excludes pensioners deriving at least three-quarters of their income from state pensions and benefits. Pensioners are excluded as their spending patterns differ significantly from those of a typical household. However, the Office for National Statistics does compile pensioner price indices to cover these households on a quarterly basis.

  Details of the weights used are published each year in the retail prices index "Business Monitor", MM23. An article explaining how the weights were calculated for 1996 was published in the February 1996 issue which is available from the House of Commons Library.

  Policy Making (Resource Implications)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the full text of the Treasury guideline mentioned in paragraph 13 of Cm 2948, which requires that when any Government Department is considering policy it considers the resource implications for other Departments. [41215]

  Mr. Waldegave
  I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the hon. Member.

  Alcohol and Tobacco
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the most recent estimate he has received of the loss of excise duty through smuggling(a) alcohol and (b) tobacco. [41219]

  Mr. Oppenheim
  Customs and Excise published estimates of revenue evasion through smuggling on 19 September. The actual loss to the Exchequer will be less than the amount of revenue evaded, as some smuggling is likely to represent additional consumption, rather than substituting for similar goods bought in the UK. Customs' estimates for the annual revenue—excise duty and VAT—evaded are(a) £210 million for alcohol and (b) £560 million for tobacco products. This amount represents less than 5 per cent. of the annual total excise duty and VAT collected on alcohol and tobacco. These figures do not include amounts for commercial fraud—where revenue is evaded by use of false documentation.
  1115

  Nursing Home Fees
  Mr. Nicholas Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to introduce tax relief on the whole or part of payments by patients in registered nursing homes of their fees. [41198]

  Mr. Jack
  I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to my hon. Friend.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what capacity of electricity used in his Department's buildings is generated in a combined heat and power plant; and what plans he has to increase that capacity. [41311]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the hon. Member.

  Property Improvement
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to introduce tax concessions to smaller landlords to improve their properties following the new conditions arising from the Housing Act 1996; and if he will make a statement. [41331]

  Mr. Jack
  I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to my hon. Friend.

  Lost Revenue
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the amount of revenue lost by the Exchequer due to the facilities provided for(a) individual United Kingdom citizens and (b) companies operating in the United Kingdom on each of (i) Jersey, (ii) Guernsey, (iii) the Isle of Man, (iv) Gibraltar, (v) the British Virgin Islands, (vi) the Cayman Islands and (vii) other overseas United Kingdom dependent territories; what measures have been considered to recover such lost revenue; and if he will make a statement. [41244]

  Mr. Jack
  I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the hon. Member.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much capital spending by (i) the private sector and (ii) the public sector in the current financial year(a) he projected at the time of the 1995 Budget and (b) he projects now in respect of projects under the private finance initiative; [41337]

  (2) how much capital spending has so far been committed by (i) the private sector and (ii) the public sector for the current financial year in respect of projects under the private finance initiative. [41338]

  Mr. Jack
  I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the hon. Member.
  1116

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Contracts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number, nature and value of contracts awarded by his Department to Coopers and Lybrand, KPMG, Price Waterhouse, Ernst and Young, Deloitte and Touche, Arthur Andersen, Grant Thornton, BDO Stoy Hayward, Pannel Kerr Forster, and Robson Rhodes and their subsidiaries and associates, during 1995 and 1996. [37317]

  Mr. Boswell
  During the financial year 1995–96, my Department entered into two contracts with Deloitte Touche, both in connection with the Department's data communications strategy study, at a total cost of £130,988. One contract with BDO Stoy Hayward dealt with the monitoring of Dairy Crest activities for 1993–94 and April-October 1995, and one contract with Ernst and Young was concerned with the implementation of the Ministry's resource accounting and management information system. For reasons of commercial confidentiality, I cannot disclose the value of these two contracts. There were no contracts with the other companies named in the question.

  ADAS employed the services of KPMG for a benchmarking seminar, Price Waterhouse for a privatisation feasibility project and Grant Thornton for VAT advice. The aggregate value of these three contracts was £7,002.

  The Veterinary Laboratories Agency spent £18,689.35 in the calendar year 1995 with Price Waterhouse. This was all for merger-associated work including strategy development for the new agency. No other contracts were entered into with the organisations named in the period referred to.

  I have asked the chief executive of Central Science Laboratory to provide a separate reply in respect of his use of the consultancy firms concerned.

  Letter from P. I. Stanley to Mr. Austin Mitchell, dated 16 October 1996:
  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has asked me to reply to your question about contracts awarded to given companies and their subsidiaries and associates during the financial year 1995/96, as this is an operational matter for which I am responsible.[37317]
  During the year in question two contracts totalling £6147 in value were awarded to Price Waterhouse for work involving a Review of Future Management and a Team Building Workshop. No contracts were awarded to any of the other companies listed.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Montserrat
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total sum spent on emergency relief in Montserrat in the last year; and if he will make a statement on forthcoming assistance in the next six months. [40845]

  Dr. Fox
  Since July 1995, when the volcanic emergency on Montserrat began, we have committed £8.5 million on a wide variety of projects, many of which are ongoing.
  1117
  In August this year, my right hon. and noble Friend, Baroness Chalker, announced an additional £25 million package of assistance to Montserrat covering the period from April 1996 to March 1998. These funds will be used to maintain essential Government services in Montserrat and to improve the infrastructure in the North of the island which the scientists regard as at minimal risk from volcanic hazard. Specific projects include upgrading and temporary hospital facilities, additional classrooms for primary and secondary school children, power generation, water distribution and watershed protection, the improvement of roads, alternative port facilities and the establishment of a permanent observatory to monitor volcanic activity. Copies of the announcement and background note have been laid in the Libraries of both Houses. The permanent secretary of the Overseas Development Administration visited Montserrat on 4 and 5 October to review progress.

  I pay tribute to the remarkable courage and forbearance of the people of Montserrat who had to endure difficult and stressful conditions for many months because of the volcanic activity.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Public Disorder
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the ability of the relevant authorities to control public disorder; and if he will make a statement. [40137]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  New Buildings and Premises
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total expenditure on new buildings and premises by her Department and its agencies; and if she will indicate the square footage of new office space purchased or newly rented in each of the last five years. [41139]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The information requested on expenditure on new buildings and premises could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  The square footage of new office space purchased, including what has been constructed, or newly rented for the Northern Ireland civil service general office estate in each of the last five years is as follows:

  Square footage

  1991–92

  59,580

  1992–93

  106,730

  1993–94

  257,700

  1994–95

  72,430

  1995–96

  129,675

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are his latest estimates of the expenditure on all external consultants, including 1118
  management consultants, for each year since 1992, in 1996 prices, for his Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in. [41183]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Plastic Bullets
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the result of the Independent Commission for Police Complaints into the use of plastic bullets in Keady, County Armagh during the last weekend in July; and if he will make a statement. [41034]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the latest estimates of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland, together with the equivalent electoral registration figures also expressed as a percentage of these population figures and in ascending order. [41046]

  Sir John Wheeler
  The 1991 electoral ward population figures taken from the Northern Ireland census, aggregated to parliamentary constituencies are as follows. Subsequent mid-year estimates are provided at district council level only and not broken down by age. Consequently the equivalent electoral registration figures shown relate to September 1991.

  Parliamentary constituency

  Column 1. Population aged 17 and over plus 63 per cent, of population aged 16 years

  Column 2. Registered electors

  Column 2 as a percentage of column 1

  Belfast South

  55,368

  52,556

  94.9

  South Antrim

  71,334

  68,292

  95.7

  Lagan Valley

  76,053

  73,688

  96.9

  East Londonderry

  78,930

  76,912

  97.4

  Belfast East

  54,655

  53,375

  97.7

  Strangford

  71,468

  69,855

  97.7

  South Down

  78,592

  77,371

  98.4

  East Antrim

  64,621

  63,739

  98.6

  Foyle

  77,264

  75,970

  98.8

  North Antrim

  71,096

  70,217

  98.8

  Mid Ulster

  71,186

  70,410

  98.9

  North Down

  70,201

  69,604

  99.1

  Upper Bann

  68,675

  68,422

  99.6

  Newry and Armagh

  68,837

  68,716

  99.8

  Belfast West

  54,960

  55,280

  100.6

  Belfast North

  54,931

  55,587

  101.2

  Fermanagh and South Tyrone

  70,489

  71,472

  101.4

  Total

  1,158,660

  1,141,466

  98.5

  Work is currently in progress to produce 1991 census data for the parliamentary constituencies as defined by the

  1119
  Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland. These data will be deposited in the House of Commons Library in due course.

  Nursery Places
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimate for unmet need for nursery places in Northern Ireland. [41054]

  Mr. Ancram
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Prisoners (Unescorted Release)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will make it his policy that when high risk prisoners are given temporary unescorted release(a) the airports they are expected to use and (b) the police of the area to which they are to travel are informed in advance; [41206]

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 14 October about the temporary release of unescorted high risk prisoners, when he last reviewed policy on the matter; and when the next review is planned. [41207]

  Sir John Wheeler
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Prisons Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alan Shannon. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Alan Shannon to Mr. Alfred Morris, dated 17 October 1996:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to the two Parliamentary Questions which you tabled about policy in relation to the unescorted temporary release of high risk prisoners.
  You asked about the review of policy. Issues relating to risk are considered whenever changes in temporary release mechanisms are contemplated. The last significant change in compassionate release arrangements was in June 1995. The last significant change in escorting arrangements was in 1983. Policy in relation to unescorted release is currently being reviewed in the light of Liam Heffeman's failure to return from leave.
  You asked about notification. This is an operational matter for the police.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what capacity of electricity used in his Department's buildings is generated in a combined heat and power plant; and what plans he has to increase that capacity. [41316]

  Sir John Wheeler
  At present no buildings have combined heat and power plants.

  Handguns
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what changes he plans to make to the legislation on the ownership and use of handguns; [41350]

  (2) what are the implications of proposed changes to the legislation on the ownership and use of handguns for retired security forces personnel. [41349]

  Sir John Wheeler
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.
  1120

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  New Buildings and Premises
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the total expenditure on new buildings and premises by her Department and its agencies; and if she will indicate the square footage of new office space purchased or newly rented in each of the last five years. [41140]

  Mr. Sproat
  My Department and its agencies have incurred expenditure of approximately £4,800,000 on new buildings and premises. Within the last five years 66,798 sq ft of new office space was acquired.

  Concessionary Television Licences
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) how many people qualified for concessionary television licences in each year since 1990 in the area covered by the Govan parliamentary constituency; [41208]

  (2) how many people qualified for concessionary television licences in each year since 1990 in the area covered by Glasgow city council. [41209]

  Mr. Sproat
  The BBC, as licensing authority, is responsible for the administration of the television licensing system, including the maintenance of detailed licence records and the determination of eligibility for concessionary licences. We understand that the sort of information that the hon. Member requests is held only by individual scheme and by category of concessionary scheme.

  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what plans she has to review concessionary television licences for the elderly; [41210]

  (2) what assessment she has made of the advantages of relaxing the criteria for concessionary television licences, which restrict eligibility to those living within a group of at least four dwellings which fall within a common and exclusive boundary, in order to allow a larger number of individuals to qualify; [41212]

  (3) pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Jones) of 20 June, Official Report, column 567, when and how she proposes to overcome the difficulties caused by a whole housing scheme applying for a concessionary television licence but who are ineligible solely because of the ownership circumstance of a small proportion of dwellings within its boundary. [41225]

  Mr. Sproat
  The concessionary television licence is available to retirement pensioners and disabled people living in nursing or residential homes. It also extends to certain sheltered accommodation which meets a number of qualifying criteria and is directly comparable to a residential home.

  At Committee stage of the Broadcasting Bill, the Government undertook to address a specific anomaly whereby some sheltered housing schemes which meet all the other qualifying criteria fail to qualify for the concession because a small number of units within the scheme were purchased under the right-to-buy provisions before the accommodation was designated as sheltered

  1121
  housing. We intend to bring forward new consolidated television licensing regulations before the end of the year, and they will address this anomaly.

  There are no plans for any wider changes to the concessionary scheme. As was said in the 1994 White Paper "The Future of the BBC", Cm 2621, the Government believe that the right way to help the less well-off, of all ages, is through the welfare and benefit system.

  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what concessionary television licence schemes are in place for retired people in other countries of the European Union; and if she will consider adopting any of those which she assesses to be an improvement on that presently offered in the United Kingdom. [41211]

  Mr. Sproat
  The Government do not have this information. Television broadcasting arrangements, including the size of the public sector broadcasters and the services they provide, vary widely from one EC country to another. Direct comparisons of this kind are therefore not always appropriate and our policy in this area is, and will continue to be, based on the circumstances which prevail in the United Kingdom.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on when she expects to reach a decision in respect of the target group to be supported by the £100 million set aside from national lottery proceeds for sports development. [40851]

  Mr. Sproat
  The Sports Council is the statutory distributor in England of lottery funds for good causes in sport. I do not have any role in the distribution process itself. To date, the Sports Council has awarded £305 million of lottery funds to 1,537 projects.

  1992–93 (actual) £

  1993–94 (actual) £

  1994–95 (actual) £

  1995–96 (actual) £

  1996–97 (estimate) £

  Department of National Heritage

  1,286,964

  1,613,144

  478,806

  304,632

  200,824

  Historic Royal Palaces agency

  3,170,177

  3,865,641

  1,414,408

  677,000

  1,906,112

  Royal Parks agency

  1n/a

  780,004

  868,548

  771,986

  201,760

  1 The Royal Park agency was not formed until April 1993.

  Academy of Sport
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she proposes a single national academy of sport; and if she will make a statement. [40852]

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what criteria she proposes to lay down for the establishment of a sporting centre of excellence. [41239]

  Mr. Sproat
  Details of the Government's proposals for the British Academy of Sport, as the pinnacle of a regional network of centres of sporting excellence and
  1122

  Bronze Age Village (East London)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what have been the results to date of English Heritage's excavations into the bronze age village at Brisbane road, east London; and if she will make a statement. [40883]

  Mr. Sproat
  The archaeological evaluation has revealed several post holes, one dated to the bronze age, and a drain of possibly medieval or earlier date. The evaluation has helped to confirm the extent of the site of a bronze age village in the area which was identified in a nearby excavation two years ago, and the possible existence of other archaeological deposits in the surrounding area.

  Historic Churches
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the grants made by the Millennium Commission to churches built before 1900. [41230]

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I shall write to my hon. Friend in my capacity as chairman of the Commission and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of the House.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what are her latest estimates of the expenditure on all external consultants, including management consultants, for each year since 1992, in 1996 prices, for her Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in. [41182]

  Mr. Sproat
  My Department and agencies use consultants for a wide variety of tasks, only a small proportion of which are aimed at achieving cost savings. No central record is held on overall savings and it would not be possible to isolate those consultancies and quantify the cost savings without incurring disproportionate cost. The available information, in 1996 prices, is given in the following table:

  academies for particular sports, are included in the bid prospectus which was published on 24 July. Bidders have until 31 October to submit their bids.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what capacity of electricity used in her Department's buildings is generated in a combined heat and power plant; and what plans she has to increase that capacity. [41326]

  Mr. Sproat
  I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of the House.
  1123

  Yorkshire County Cricket Club
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will make a statement on the advice given by the Sports Council to Yorkshire county cricket club in respect of relocation from Headingley to Wakefield. [41205]

  Mr. Sproat
  The Sports Council has provided advice on technical issues associated with the relocation, in particular how Yorkshire county cricket club might assess the proposals for relocation to Wakefield. The council has also reminded the club that at present lottery applications for spectator accommodation have relatively low priority; and that the development of a new ground must be seen within the context of the strategy for the development of test match cricket, which is currently being developed by the Test and County Cricket Board, and due for publication next month.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  School Transport
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what instructions have been issued to Office for Standards in Education inspectors in respect of(a) school transport and (b) the end of the three for two concession. [40743]

  Mrs. Gillan
  Instructions to inspectors are a matter for Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools. He has responsibility for arranging the inspection of all state-maintained schools. Ofsted inspectors have not specifically been instructed in respect of(a) school transport or (b) the three for two concession. They are, however, required to report on any health and safety problems related to individual schools which they note in the course of inspections.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will investigate how schools and local education authorities are successfully implementing the end of the three for two concession; and if she will make a statement. [40744]

  Mrs. Gillan
  The ending of the three for two concession applies to specified categories of vehicles where seatbelts are fitted. There is a legal requirement and there is, therefore, no choice about its implementation.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance has been issued to local education authorities and schools by the Health and Safety Executive in respect of(a) school transport and (b) the removal of the three to two concession. [40741]

  Mr. Bowis
  I have been asked to reply.

  No advice has been issued by the Health and Safety Executive. My Department will shortly by publishing advice notes on seat belts in school transport. These will include advice on the removal of the three for two concession and will be distributed to local authorities.
  1124

  Jobcentres
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if she will list the jobcentres of South Yorkshire currently scheduled for closure; [4086]

  (2) how many jobcentre service points have been closed in the past year; and in which areas. [40884]

  Mr. Forth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I will ask him to arrange for a reply to be given and place a copy of his answer in the Library.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what instructions were given by her Department on the marking by Employment Service staff of the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance; and what is the estimated total cost of the events held to coincide with the introduction of the jobseeker's allowance. [40961]

  Mr. Forth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I will ask him to arrange for a reply to be given and place a copy of his answer in the Library.

  Breakthrough Initiative
  Mr. Ian McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what percentage of unemployed people who have not used services provided by the breakthrough initiative in north Staffordshire in the last 12 months have moved into employment; [41114]

  (2) what assessment has been made of the success of the breakthrough initiative, undertaken between the employment service in north Staffordshire and Staffordshire training and enterprise council; [41113]

  (3) what is the operating cost of the breakthrough initiative in north Staffordshire; [41115]

  (4) how many unemployed people have used services provided by the breakthrough initiative in north Staffordshire in the last 12 months; and what percentage of these have subsequently moved into employment. [41116]

  Mr. Forth
  Responsibility for the subject of the questions has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I will ask him to arrange for a reply to be given and place a copy of his answer in the Library.

  Training
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of people leaving Government-supported training in Yorkshire since September 1994 obtained a full-time job in a field closely related to that in which they received training. [40967]

  Mr. Paice
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.
  1125

  Female Employment
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her latest estimate of the number of women in work in Leeds, West(a) full time and (b) part time; and what percentage of the work force these figures constitute. [41284]

  Mrs. Angela Knight
  I have been asked to reply.

  I cannot answer substantively before Parliament is prorogued. I will, however, write to the hon. Member.

  Full-time Education
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many(a) 16-year-olds and (b) 17-year-olds were in full-time education at school or college in the January of each since 1985. [40759]

  Mr. Paice
  [holding answer 16 October 1996]: 1 will write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Library.

  Nursery Voucher Scheme
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 16 July,Official Report, column 466, what is the total cash value of vouchers issued to parents but not redeemed, in each of the four pilot authorities; and if the cash value of the unredeemed vouchers will be retained by the Exchequer. [40575]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 16 October 1996]: I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Library.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what will be the cost of the publicity measures relating to the national implementation of the voucher scheme, as announced by her Department on 24 July, identifying separately the costs under the headings(a) poster campaigns, (b) leaflets and other publications, (c) television and radio advertising, (d) newspaper and journal advertisements, (e) specialist mailing, (f) seminars and (g) other. [40541]

  Mr. Squire
  The estimated budget for publicity about the nursery voucher scheme up to its initial implementation is £1,900,000. This will provide information for parents and providers of nursery education which will enable them to participate fully in this new scheme.

  The figure is broken down in the table:

  £

  Posters, leaflets and other publication

  475,000

  TV and radio advertising

  850,000

  Newspaper and journal advertisements

  50,000

  Specialist mailings

  100,000

  Seminars and exhibitions

  40,000

  Other

  385,000

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the annual cost of administering the nursery voucher scheme. [41028]
  1126
  Mr. Squire
  The cost of administering the nursery education voucher scheme will be around £15 million over three years, that is an annual cost of around £5 million—a cost of less than £10 per child.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many four-year-olds were eligible to receive a voucher during the first term of phase one of the voucher scheme in(a) Kensington and Chelsea, (b) Westminster, (c) Wandsworth and (d) Norfolk; and of these, how many, expressed as a number and as a percentage of the above, redeemed a voucher in that term. [40577]

  Mr. Squire
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many extra nursery places the nursery voucher scheme has created in(a) the public sector and (b) the private sector. [41029]

  Mr. Squire
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Training for Work
  Mr. Ian McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what are the results of the training for work leavers survey for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, for the periods between April 1994 and March 1995 and April 1995 and March 1996, for all leavers and separately for male and female, for each ethnic group, and for those with a disability or health problem, broken down to show the number and proportion of Training for Work leavers who(a) have been entered for a vocational qualification, (b) had obtained a vocational qualification, (c) had failed to obtain a vocational qualification, and (d) were awaiting their results; [41087]

  (2) what was the number and proportion of training for work leavers who six months after leaving were (a) in a full-time job with their work experience employer, (b) in a full-time job with another employer, (c) employed in their own business, (d) in a part-time job, (e) in voluntary work, (f) on another Government training programme, (g) on a full-time education or training course,
  (h) unemployed and claiming benefit, (i) unemployed and not claiming benefit, (j) in a job club and (k) doing something else; and what is the number and proportion of training for work leavers who had completed the training agreed in their initial action plan; [41088]

  (3) what are the results of the youth training leavers survey for the period December 1994 to January 1996 for each training and enterprise council area in England and Wales and each local enterprise council area in Scotland, broken down to show the number and proportion of youth training leavers who were (a) in full-time work with the same employer, (b) in full-time work with a different employer, (c) in part-time work, (d) on a full-time course at a college or training centre, (e) on another youth training scheme, (f) doing something else, (g) unemployed and (h) had obtained a vocational qualification; and what was (i) the number of questionnaires issued, (ii) the usable percentage response and (iii) the percentage of respondents who were early leavers; [41089]
  1127
  (4) what are the results from the training for work leavers survey for the period December 1994 to January 1996 for each training and enterprise council area in England and Wales and each local enterprise council area in Scotland, broken down to show the number and proportion of leavers who (a) had been entered for a vocational qualification, (b) had obtained a vocational qualification, (c) had failed to obtain a vocational qualification and (d) were awaiting their results; [41090]

  (5) what was the number and proportion of training for work leavers who, six months after leaving were (a) in a full-time job with their work experience employer, (b) in a full-time job with another employer, (c) employed in their own business, (d) in a part-time job, (e) in voluntary work, (f) on another Government training programme,(g) on a full-time education or training course, (h) unemployed and claiming benefit, (i) unemployed and not claiming benefit, (j) in a job club and (k) doing something else; and what is the number and proportion of training for work leavers who had completed the training agreed in their initial action plan; [41091]

  (6) what is the number and proportion of trainees who six months after leaving were (a) in a full-time job with their work experience employer, (b) in a full-time job with another employer, (c) employed in their own business, (d) in a part-time job, (e) in voluntary work, (f) on another Government training programme, (g) on a full-time education or training course, (h) unemployed and claiming benefit, (i) unemployed and not claiming benefit, (j) in a job club and (k) doing something else; and if she will base her reply on data set out in the youth training leavers survey for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, for the periods April 1994 to March 1995 and April 1995 to March 1996, (i) in total and (ii) broken down, (1) by gender, (2) by ethnic group and (3) to show those with a disability or health problem. [41110]

  Mr. Paice
  As the reply will consist of a large amount of data, I will write to the hon. member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Education Spending
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for
  Education and Employment how much was available for the local education authority in Doncaster to spend on each pupil, in(a) 1994–95, (b) 1995–96 and (c) 1996–97. [40983]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Local authorities are free to determine their own levels of spending on pupils within their total budgets. The per pupil allowances in the education component of Doncaster's standard spending assessment are as follows:

  Primary £

  Secondary £

  1994–95

  1,943

  2,717

  1995–96

  1,934

  2,572

  1996–97

  2,039

  2,719

  1128

  Employment Service
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on the basis of what criteria decisions are taken to close or merge Employment Service offices which are used by the public seeking jobs. [40885]

  Mr. Forth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I will ask him to arrange for a reply to be given and place a copy of his answer in the Library.

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment her Department has made of the advantage of. widening the role of the Employment Service to provide information about education and training, careers guidance and basic skills work. [41118]

  Mr. Forth
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are her latest estimates of the expenditure on all external consultants, including management consultants, for each year since 1992, in 1996 prices, for her Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in. [41185]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate costs.

  Pupils (South Yorkshire)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list by local authority, the number of(a) primary and (b) secondary pupils resident in South Yorkshire who attended schools in local authorities other than the one in which they live, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [40907]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The following table shows the number of pupils resident in each authority who attended maintained schools elsewhere in the years 1992 to 1994. No data are available for other years.

  Local authority

  5 to 10 years

  11 to 15 years

  Over 16 years

  January 1992

  Barnsley

  128

  516

  95

  Doncaster

  72

  372

  31

  Rotherham

  83

  153

  24

  Sheffield

  205

  571

  58

  January 1993

  Barnsley

  147

  584

  80

  Doncaster

  77

  398

  39

  Rotherham

  91

  165

  23

  Sheffield

  247

  685

  75

  January 1994

  Barnsley

  173

  645

  86

  Doncaster

  102

  433

  47

  Rotherham

  89

  131

  15

  Sheffield

  247

  777

  93

  1129

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list for each training and enterprise council its budget for 1996–97 and the total national budget for 1996–97. [40753]

  Mr. Paice
  [holding answer 16 October 1996]: The Budget made available to each training and enterprise council in England by the Department for 1996–97, is shown in the following table. The responsibility for TECs in Wales lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  TEC budgets 1996–97

  £

  South East

  Hampshire

  30,613,244

  Heart of England

  12,553,959

  Isle of Wight

  3,425,755

  Kent

  37,316,989

  Milton Keynes and North Bucks.

  12,378,636

  Surrey

  11,783,484

  Sussex

  23,321,317

  Thames Valley Enterprise

  32,743,951

  London

  AZTEC

  12,911,673

  CENTEC

  39,613,016

  CILNTEC

  20,079,556

  London East

  33,842,707

  North London

  20,951,858

  North West London

  11,521,119

  SOLOTEC

  32,091,223

  West London

  19,647,823

  Eastern

  Bedfordshire

  12,813,995

  CAMBSTEC

  8,501,107

  Essex

  32,464,679

  Greater Peterborough

  11,812,797

  Hertfordshire

  19,218,027

  Norfolk and Waveney

  23,012,460

  Suffolk

  15,471,411

  South West

  Devon and Cornwall

  44,193,093

  Dorset

  15,981,316

  Gloucestershire

  14,483,472

  Somerset

  12,319,729

  WESTEC

  29,171,124

  Wiltshire

  11,430,830

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  35,805,764

  Central England

  9,455,354

  Coventry and Warwickshire

  24,591,969

  Dudley

  9,644,020

  HAWTEC

  12,693,078

  Sandwell

  12,529,198

  Shropshire

  13,690,389

  Staffordshire

  30,152,515

  Walsall

  7,682,769

  Wolverhampton

  10,285,694

  East Midlands

  Greater Nottingham

  18,953,357

  Leicester

  23,458,251

  Lincolnshire

  25,684,831

  North Derbyshire

  11,228,429

  North Nottinghamshire

  17,727.529

  Northamptonshire

  13,683,056

  Southern Derbyshire

  17,766,331

  1130

  TEC budgets 1996–97

  £

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  Bamsley and Doncaster

  21,921,110

  Bradford and District

  16,938,463

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  19,044,942

  Humberside

  33,504,278

  Leeds

  19,450,577

  North Yorkshire

  17,094,843

  Rotherham

  11,019,135

  Sheffield

  20,200,688

  Wakefield

  10,573,996

  North West

  Bolton and Bury

  14,644,497

  Cumbria

  18,622,134

  Eltec (East Lancs)

  19,446,635

  Lawtec (Lancs West)

  27,530,418

  Manchester

  41,860,974

  Metrotec Ltd. (Wigan)

  10,501,214

  Normidtec

  16,020,122

  Oldham

  9,047,116

  Rochdale

  8,971,483

  South and East Cheshire

  14,087,755

  Stockport/High Peak

  11,685,608

  Merseyside

  Cewtec

  20,138,333

  Merseyside

  49,904,319

  St. Helens (Qualitec)

  8,592,371

  North East

  County Durham

  24,371,817

  Northumberland

  13,155,902

  Sunderland City

  15,895,573

  Teesside

  30,693,260

  Tyneside

  36,788,782

  England

  11,462,409,229

  Budgets as at August 1996. TEC Budgets comprise: Youth Programmes, FE Development and Competitiveness Fund.

  Carry over from 1995–96 Contract of Careers Guidance and Careers Libraries, Work Experience pre-16, Training for Work (TfW), Pre-Vocational Pilots, Employer Investment in People, Out of School Childcare Initiative, Skills Challenge, Skills for Small Businesses, Performance Related Funding, Jobmatch, Management Fee.

  YP—Youth Training, Modern Apprenticeships and Funding Pilots includes Accelerated Modern Apprenticeships carry over from 1995–96 Contract and excludes Additional Outputs Points Performance Pool.

  TFW includes allowances and Adult Guidance, excludes re-allocated European Social Fund money.

  TEC Discretionary Fund has been excluded from figures.

  1 England outturn 1995–96 £1,402,000 million.

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps her Department is taking to encourage partnerships between TECs and the employment service at a local level. [41117]

  Mr. Paice
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Departmental Office (Runcorn)
  Mr. Ian McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will make a statement on the contract for security services to cover the offices of the Department for Education and Employment office
  1131
  in Runcorn indicating the name of the contractor, the total cost of the contract, and details of the wages and conditions of employment for the guards. [41136]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many answers to(a) written and (b) oral parliamentary questions have required correction by her Department in each of the past two years. [40630]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 16 October 1996]: This is a matter of public record.

  Exclusions and Expulsions
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will publish for the last available four years for each local authority in South Yorkshire and for South Yorkshire as a whole the number of school exclusions or expulsions recorded for(a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools and (c) all schools, indicating the percentage of exclusions and expulsions as a proportion in each case of overall pupil numbers. [40958]

  Mr. Forth
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what capacity of electricity used in her Department's buildings is generated in a combined heat and power plant; and what plans she has to increase that capacity. [41319]

  Mr. Paice
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Numbers and percentages of day pupils taking free school meals in maintained primary and secondary schools in South Yorkshire Metropolitan District: 1989–1996 (provisional)

  Position in January each year

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Primary

  Barnsley

  3,458

  17

  3,371

  16

  3,601

  17

  4,197

  20

  Doncaster

  5,178

  19

  5,105

  18

  5,461

  19

  6,568

  22

  Rotherham

  4,226

  18

  4,125

  17

  4,219

  17

  4,798

  20

  Sheffield

  8,371

  19

  8,381

  19

  8,598

  19

  9,842

  22

  Secondary1

  Barnsley

  1,560

  11

  1,461

  11

  1,278

  11

  1,442

  12

  Doncaster

  2,385

  11

  2,060

  10

  2,057

  10

  2,699

  13

  Rotherham

  1,699

  9

  1,511

  9

  1,441

  8

  1,723

  10

  Sheffield

  2,902

  11

  2,745

  11

  2,716

  11

  3,278

  14

  1 Figures for years prior to 1994 include Sixth Form Colleges.

  1132

  Grants (Children of Missionaries)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what arrangements are in place for grants to be provided for university education for the children of missionaries who have been working abroad; [40896]

  (2) if she will list by faith, the arrangements in place for grants to be provided for university education for the children of missionaries who have been working abroad. [40824]

  Mr. Forth
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  New Buildings and Premises
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the total expenditure on new buildings and premises by her Department and its agencies; and if she will indicate the square footage of new office space purchased or newly rented in each of the last five years. [41146]

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  A-level Science Students
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of 16-year-olds last year went on to study an A-level science subject, broken down by(a) region and (b) gender. [41286]

  Mr. Paice
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my of my reply in the Library.

  Free School Meals
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many and what percentage of(a) primary and (b) secondary school children in each south Yorkshire local authority received free school meals in each year since 1989. [40826]

  Mrs. Gillan
  The information is shown in the following table.
  1133

  Position in January each year

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Primary

  Barnsley

  4,702

  22

  4,891

  23

  4,838

  22

  4,770

  22

  Doncaster

  7,089

  24

  7,196

  24

  6,986

  24

  7,412

  24

  Rotherham

  5,147

  21

  5,424

  22

  5,465

  22

  5,598

  22

  Sheffield

  9,887

  23

  10,105

  23

  9,943

  22

  10,290

  22

  Secondary1

  Barnsley

  1,735

  14

  1,844

  14

  1,973

  15

  1,911

  15

  Doncaster

  3,102

  15

  3,500

  16

  3,780

  16

  3,172

  15

  Rotherham

  1,799

  10

  1,976

  11

  2,032

  11

  1,952

  10

  Sheffield

  4,193

  16

  4,176

  15

  4,200

  15

  4,271

  16

  1 Figures for years prior to 1994 include Sixth Form Colleges.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Bryan Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what was the cost of the production and circulation of(a) the invitation to tender documents prepared for the proposed twin-track student loan scheme, (b) the revised invitation to tender document and (c) any publicity material associated with the proposed scheme; [41247]

  (2) if she will list the occasions on which she, her Ministry or departmental officials met with those private sector institutions which put forward bids under the proposed twin-track student loan scheme; [41248]

  (3) for what reasons her Department was unable to come to an agreement for the introduction of publicity-subsidised private sector student loans under the proposed twin-track scheme; [41249]

  (4) what is the planned timetable for the contracting out of the administrative work of the Student Loans Company; [41250]

  (5) what is her Department's estimate of the public sector borrowing requirement effect of the proposed sale of student loan debts to the private sector and the contracting out of the administrative work of the Student Loans Company in 1996–97 and each relevant year thereafter; and if this includes revisions to forecasts made necessary by the cancellation of the twin-track scheme. [41305]

  Mr. Forth
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

  Barnsley and Doncaster Training and Enterprise Council
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what percentage of the Barnsley and Doncaster TEC budget is currently spent on management training for small firms; and if she will make a statement; [40964]

  (2) on how many occasions in the last 12 months the Barnsley and Doncaster TEC has been visited by officials from the European Commission Court of Auditors; for what reasons the visits were made; and what was the result of the visits. [40825]

  Mr. Paice
  I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my reply in the Library.
  1134

  Aerodynamic Design and Electronic Engineers
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is her Department's estimate of the demand for aerodynamic design and electronic engineers over the next two years; and how many training places are available on courses. [40939]

  Mr. Paice
  The Department does not collect information about the demand for specific technologist occupations nor about the training places available to provide for such skills; such information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

SCOTLAND

  Statistical Information
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what categories of statistical information his Department collects in respect of the new parliamentary constituencies; what plans he has to collect similar information for the new constituencies to that currently collected for the existing constituencies; what categories he intends his Department to collect in future; and if he will make a statement. [40154]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Currently it is only electoral statistical information which is specifically collected for the new constituencies. Some of this information has already been published in the ONS Monitor EL 96/2 which is available in the Library. Further information will appear in the ONS volume "Electoral Statistics 1996" to be published towards the end of the year. We shall continue to collect the same information on the new constituencies as is currently collected for the present constituencies.

  A census monitor, published by the General Register Office for Scotland (GRO(S)) on 30 September 1996, presented selected data from the 1991 census for each of the new constituencies. GRO(S) can also provide information on vital events such as births and deaths for the new constituencies using analysis by postcode.

  Bee Diseases
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the letter from the Under-Secretary, the Minister with responsibility for agriculture and forestry and the environment, of 15 July, if he will make a
  1135
  statement on his co-operation with the bee-keeping community on monitoring and diagnostic tests in relation to varroa and other bee diseases. [40369]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  [holding answer 14 October 1996]: The Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department undertakes focused inspection of bee colonies in the spring and autumn of each year to confirm the continued absence of the varroa mite in Scotland. Similar action is taken each year in the areas outwith the statutory infested area in England to establish spread of disease and, if necessary, to redefine that area from which it is illegal to move bees without prior authorisation and inspection. More generally, the Scottish Office Agriculture Services Agency provides diagnostic and treatment advice on the statutorily controlled bee diseases for subsequent inspection and remedial action as necessary. Bee-keepers can also seek advice on non-statutory bee diseases from the Scottish agricultural college.

  Methadone Prescriptions
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of methadone prescriptions for drug addicts for each health board area for the most recent available 12-month period; if he will express this as a cost per 1,000 of the population; what guidance is given on the prescription of methadone; and if he will make a statement. [40677]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Alcoholic Lemonade
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the sale of alcoholic lemonade and other alcopops to under-age persons; what action he has taken or proposes to take; and if he will make a statement. [40678]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Since October 1994, we have received representations from eight Members of Parliament, and from eight other correspondents, about the subject of alcoholic lemonades and other designer alcoholic products.

  Officials have been discussing with the Portman group and other Government Departments how we might best address the problem of the marketing and sale of designer alcoholic drinks apparently targeted at under 18-year-olds. It was agreed that the issue should be tackled in the wider context of under-age drinking generally. A direct outcome of these discussions was the voluntary code of practice launched by the Portman group in April which sets out guidelines on the naming, packaging and merchandising of these products. The code has the full support of the leading United Kingdom drinks companies and a number of major retailers.

  According to the Portman group's first report on the operation of the code, which was published on 2 October, there have been 28 complaints about 21 products. Complaints were upheld on four. We will continue to monitor the progress of these guidelines over the coming months.
  1136
  The Scottish Office is also considering the introduction of experimental schemes in selected areas of Scotland in which the police would work closely with the community in addressing the sale and supply of alcohol to those who are under-age. Details of this initiative will be announced in due course.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the grants given to general practitioner out-of-hours co-operatives and other cover arrangements for each health board area in the financial year 1995–96 and projected expenditure for 1996–97. [40679]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Health boards were allocated totals of £4,967 million and £5.105 million in 1995–96 and 1996–97 respectively to provide for the reimbursement of certain expenses incurred by general practitioners in delivering out-of-hours services.

  The totals were distributed between health boards on a per capita general practitioner basis as shown in the table.

  £000

  Health board

  1995–96 allocations

  1996–97allocations

  Argyll and Clyde

  434

  446

  Ayrshire and Arran

  365

  375

  Borders

  109

  112

  Dumfries and Galloway

  166

  171

  Fife

  309

  318

  Forth Valley

  281

  288

  Grampian

  478

  491

  Greater Glasgow

  887

  911

  Highland

  255

  262

  Lanarkshire

  470

  483

  Lothian

  740

  761

  Orkney

  34

  35

  Shetland

  24

  25

  Tayside

  371

  381

  Western Isles

  44

  46

  Total

  4,967

  5,105

  Cairngorms
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received in respect of preservation and conservation of the Cairngorms; and if he will make a statement. [40713]

  Mr. Kynoch
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Blood Transfusion Services
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to increase co-operation between the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service and the national blood transfusion service; and if he will make a statement. [40776]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish National Blood Transfusion service and the National Blood Authority are responsible respectively for blood services in Scotland and England. However, regular contact is maintained and they co-operate in many ways.
  1137
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the national director of the Scottish national blood transfusion service will be appointed; and if he will make a statement. [40775]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Pre-selection interviews for the appointment of a national director for the Scottish National Blood Transfusion service were held on 15 October. Final interviews of the shortlisted candidates will be held on 25 October. The successful candidate's subsequent appointment will be subject to negotiation and availability.

  Promotional Expenditure
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department has spent on(a) publicity, (b) promotion and (c) hospitality in each of the last six years. [40614]

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The amount spent by my Department on(a) publicity, (b) promotion and (c) hospitality in each of the last six years is set out in the table.

  Year

  Publicity/Promotions1 £

  Hospitality £

  1990–91

  2,786,595

  65,123

  1991–92

  2,887,153

  83,836

  1992–93

  3,116,135

  2125,118

  1993–94

  2,876,585

  76,088

  1994–95

  3,141,383

  79,510

  1995–96

  3,433,676

  382,978

  1 The figures include expenditure on advertising, printwork, exhibitions and educational material for Scottish Office paid for publicity campaigns, leaflets and publications. It is not possible to give a separate figure for promotions.

  2 This figure includes expenditure on hospitality during the EC Council Meeting in Edinburgh in December 1992.

  3 In addition, the Scottish Office spent £34,680 on the VE Day and VJ Day events in Edinburgh in May and August 1995.

  Core and Cluster Facility (Orkney)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what response he has given to representations made to him by the Hoy Action Group in respect of the siting of a core and cluster facility at Longhope, Orkney. [40433]

  Mr. James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 16 October 1996]: The Scottish Office has responded to representations made on the action group's behalf of my right hon. Friend. The response indicated that Orkney health board's decision to locate the new facility at Longhope was reached after consultation with the local community and that, taking account of all relevant factors, the board's belief is that a site at Longhope will best address the community's needs in terms of service requirements and value for money.

  Housing
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will set out for each district and islands council area for 1995–96 the total public expenditure in the categories of Scottish Homes approved development programme(a) housing association for rent, (b) housing association shared ownership, (c) housing association
  1138
  improvement for sale, (d) GRO grant for rent, (e) GRO grant for low cost home ownership and (f) total ADP; [41066]

  (2) if he will set out for each district and islands council area for 1995–96 the total number of dwelling completions in the categories of Scottish Homes approved development programme, (a) housing associations for rent, (b) housing associations shared ownership, (c) housing associations improvement for sale, (d) GRO grant for rent, (e) GRO grant for low cost home ownership and (f) total ADP. [41061]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  The information requested is held by Scottish Homes. I shall ask its chairman, Mr. John Ward, to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress to date of the individual house purchase scheme established to assist the disabled in obtaining appropriate housing. [41213]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  The individual house purchase scheme, which assists disabled people to buy—or rent—suitable homes, is operated by Margaret Blackwood housing association using funding provided by Scottish Homes. Scottish Homes is currently in discussion with the association on ways to improve the usefulness of the scheme.

  Nursery Places
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimate for unmet need for nursery places in Scotland. [41052]

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  This information is not held centrally. The most recent departmental information about nursery education and day nursery provision in Scotland is in two Scottish Office statistical bulletins: in the November 1994 "Survey of Day Care/Education Provision for Children in Scotland", published in March 1996; and in "Summary Results of the 1995 School Census", published in August 1996. Copies are in the Library.

  New Buildings and Premises
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total expenditure on new buildings and premises by his Department and its agencies; and if he will indicate the square footage of new office space purchased or newly rented in each of the last five years. [41137]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Consultants
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his latest estimates of the expenditure on all external consultants, including management consultants, for each year since 1992, in 1996 prices, for his Department and its agencies; and what are the quantified annual cost savings which such expenditure has resulted in. [41186]
  1139
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Government Expenditure and Revenue Document
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many copies of "Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland 1993–94" were(a) produced and (b) distributed free of charge; what were the costs of the (i) design and (ii) printing and publishing of the document, what were the costs of producing the document in terms of staff research costs; what were the costs of (1) the launch and (2) publicity; and if he will make a statement. [41067]

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  The Scottish Office produced 5,000 copies of the publication "Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland 1993–94"-GERS—of which approximately 2,250 were distributed free of charge, excluding postage which the recipients had to pay. The cost of design, printing and publishing the document was £6,326.34 while the cost of the launch and publicity was £290.23. The cost of research staff time is unknown; the research for the document formed part of the normal duties of Government economists and statisticians.

  The GERS publication is intended to provide a strictly factual contribution to the public understanding of budgetary issues in Scotland. In future, GERS will be
  1140
  updated annually to a pre-announced publication schedule. As has already been announced, the next edition covering the fiscal year 1994–95 will be published on Monday 21 October 1996.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the latest estimates of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each parliamentary constituency in Scotland, together with the equivalent electoral registration figures also expressed as a percentage of these population figures and in ascending order. [41047]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to he hon. Member as soon as possible and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what capacity of electricity used in his Department's buildings is generated in a combined heat and power plant; and what plans he has to increase that capacity.[41315]

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible and arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

Preamble
The House met at half-past nine of the clock: The LORD CHANCELLOR on the Woolsack.
Prayers—Read by the Lord Bishop of Birmingham.

Royal Commission
The Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern): My Lords, it not being convenient for Her Majesty to be personally present here this day, she has been pleased to cause a Commission under the Great Seal to be prepared for proroguing this present Parliament.
Then, the Lords Commissioners (being the Lord Chancellor, the Viscount Cranborne, the Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, the Lord Richard, and the Lord Weatherill) being present and the Commons being at the Bar, the Lord Chancellor said: My Lords and Members of the House of Commons, Her Majesty, not thinking fit to be personally present here at this time, has been pleased to cause a Commission to be issued under the Great Seal, and thereby given Her Royal Assent to divers Acts which have been agreed upon by both Houses of Parliament, the Titles whereof are particularly mentioned, and by the said Commission has commanded Us to declare and notify Her Royal Assent to the said several Acts, in the presence of you the Lords and Commons assembled for that purpose; and has also assigned to us and other Lords directed full power and authority in Her Majesty's name to prorogue this present Parliament. Which Commission you will now hear read.
A Commission for Royal Assent and Prorogation was read.
The Lord Chancellor: My Lords, in obedience to Her Majesty's Commands, and by virtue of the Commission which has been now read, We do declare and notify to you, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in Parliament assembled, that Her Majesty has given Her Royal Assent to the several Acts in the Commission mentioned; and the Clerks are required to pass the same in the usual Form and Words.

The following Acts received the Royal Assent:
Public Order (Amendment) Act,
London Local Authorities Act.

Prorogation: Her Majesty's Speech
Her Majesty's most gracious Speech was then delivered to both Houses of Parliament by the Lord Chancellor (in pursuance of Her Majesty's Command) as follows:
"My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
"The Duke of Edinburgh and I were pleased to receive the State Visits of His Excellency the President of France in May and the President of the Republic of South Africa in July. We remember with great pleasure our State Visits to Poland and the Czech Republic in March.
"My Government were pleased to receive the President of the United States of America in London and Northern Ireland in November.
"My Government have continued to make provision for the defence of the United Kingdom and our allies and for the promotion of international peace and stability. The United Kingdom was among the leading participants in peace support operations.
"An Act was passed to bring the law governing our Reserve Forces up to date, and permitting them to be used more flexibly.
"My Government have continued to support the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and assumed the Presidency of the Western European Union between January and June. They welcomed the decisions on European security and defence at the Berlin meeting of the North Atlantic Council.
"My Government played a full part in the successful conclusion of the Review Conference of the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, and in strengthening restrictions in the United Nations Weaponry Convention by negotiating a Protocol on the use and transfer of landmines and laser blinding weapons.
"An Act was passed to implement the provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention in the United Kingdom, following which my Government ratified the Convention. They welcomed the opening for signature of a verifiable Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
"A leading role was played by my Government in securing the peace agreement for Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was signed in Paris. They held a conference in London which mapped out a strategy for implementing the agreement. In addition to contributing to the diplomatic effort to bring peace and stability to the region, they maintained over 9,000 Servicemen and women in the former Yugoslavia throughout the year as part of the NATO led military implementation force. My Government also contributed substantially to reconstruction projects to restore basic utilities for the people of Bosnia and rebuild their country. They helped to ensure the holding of elections supervised by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in furtherance of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
"In the European Union, my Government promoted policies aimed at increasing competitiveness and sustainable economic growth. They participated in meetings of the Intergovernmental Conference and in preparations for Economic and Monetary Union. They worked to encourage sound financial management in the European Community. They continued to support strongly the enlargement of the European Union, and welcomed the association agreement with Slovenia. A British team of observers participated at the Russian Presidential elections.
"My Government worked for free trade through continuing negotiations within the World Trade Organisation, through the "New Transatlantic Agenda" agreed between the European Union and the United States, and through EU and bilateral contacts with Japan and other trading partners.
"Support continued for the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia in their transition to democratic market economies, through the Know How Fund and with our European Union partners.
"My Government contributed fully to the first Summit of Asian and European nations, held in Bangkok, which marked an important development in relations between the two regions. In the interests of the people of Hong Kong, my Government continued to work towards a successful transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997.
"Reducing poverty in the poorest countries remained a priority. My Government's advocacy of multilateral debt relief for the poorest, most indebted nations contributed to new arrangements being adopted by the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the Paris Club of bilateral creditors.
"Vigorous action continued to be taken to protect the environment, and against terrorism, drugs, money laundering and organised crime, in the United Kingdom and overseas. Legislation was passed to enable the Security Service to act in support of the police and other law enforcement agencies against serious crime. An Act has been passed, giving the police additional powers to combat terrorism.
"In Northern Ireland my Government have continued to work towards a political settlement, based on a policy of dialogue with all the parties in Northern Ireland which are committed to peaceful and democratic methods and in co-operation with the Irish Government. They have maintained progress towards the improvement of economic and social conditions.
"Members of the House of Commons,
"I thank you for the provision you have made for the honour and dignity of the Crown and for the public service.
"My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
"My Government have pursued firm financial policies which have created the conditions for sustained economic growth, rising prosperity and falling unemployment while maintaining low inflation. Measures have been taken to ensure that the public sector borrowing requirement continues to fall.
"My Government showed their commitment to improving the nation's competitiveness through the White Paper Competitiveness: Creating the Enterprise Centre of Europe. The United Kingdom continues to be the most successful country in the European Union in attracting inward investment. Legislation was passed to improve the system of arbitration for business and other users. Over 400 deregulatory proposals were brought forward.
"My Government continued to pursue a programme of privatisation including the successful sale of British Energy and Railtrack. They made progress with public sector reform and involving the private sector in the delivery of public services.
"An Act has been passed to provide a framework for the introduction of digital terrestrial broadcasting and to liberalise the regulation of cross-media ownership.
"My Government have intensified action to eradicate BSE in the United Kingdom; have introduced vigorous measures in response to the market crisis in beef; and have secured European Union arrangements to support these efforts and a framework for lifting the beef export ban.
"The criminal justice system has been strengthened through legislation to improve procedures in criminal cases, including those for prosecution and defence disclosure.
"An Act has been passed to streamline the handling of asylum applications, to strengthen enforcement of immigration control and to restrict access to social benefits by people from abroad.
"Legislation has been passed to make better provision for housing, taking forward my Government's strategy of continued growth in home ownership, provision of affordable social housing and a sustained revival in private renting; and to improve dispute resolution and payment procedures in the construction industry.
"An Act has been passed to expand provision of nursery education and to allow grant maintained schools to borrow to improve their buildings.
"Legislation was passed to enable local authorities to make payments to groups of people who want to purchase their own community care.
"An Act has been passed which reforms the ground for divorce, introduces mediation into family proceedings and improves the law on domestic violence. Further law reform measures have been enacted.
"In Scotland legislation was enacted to reform education and training and to improve the conservation and control of wild deer.
"Other important measures have been enacted.
"My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
"I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may attend you".
After which the Lord Chancellor said:
My Lords and Members of the House of Commons, by virtue of Her Majesty's Commission which has been now read We do, in Her Majesty's name, and in obedience to Her Majesty's Commands, prorogue this Parliament to the 23rd day of this instant October, to be then here holden, and this Parliament is accordingly prorogued to Wednesday, the 23rd day of this instant October.
Parliament was prorogued at five minutes past ten o'clock.

  Ministerial Appointments
  Ministerial Appointments
  Public Record Office: Chancery Lane Building
  Public Record Office: Chancery Lane Building
  Eurofighter: Costs
  Eurofighter: Costs
  NATO: Counter-proliferation Costs
  NATO: Counter-proliferation Costs
  MoD Properties: Leaseback Costs
  MoD Properties: Leaseback Costs
  EU: Eastward Enlargement Costs
  EU: Eastward Enlargement Costs
  Water Resources and Supply Arrangements
  Water Resources and Supply Arrangements
  Special Areas of Conservation
  Special Areas of Conservation
  Hedgerows
  Hedgerows
  Community Alarm Schemes
  Community Alarm Schemes