Written Answers of 2 April 1992

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Crown Courts
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what percentage of defendants appearing in a Crown court changed their plea from not guilty to guilty for each of the court circuits in England and Wales in each year since 1989.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information is not collected.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary. Lord Chancellor's Department what percentage of defendants pleaded guilty in the Crown court for each of the court circuits in England and Wales in each year since 1989.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information is set out in the table. The figures given are for those defendants who pleaded guilty to all counts. Data for 1992 are provisional and liable to revision to account for any late amendments.

  Committals for trial: guilty pleas (per cent, of all1 defendants)

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Midland and Oxford

  82

  83

  79

  77

  North Eastern

  86

  86

  84

  83

  Northern

  80

  80

  78

  77

  South Eastern:

  London

  50

  50

  48

  50

  Provinces

  64

  64

  61

  60

  Wales and Chester

  73

  72

  73

  70

  Western

  72

  74

  72

  74

  ENGLAND AND WALES

  72

  72

  70

  70

  1 Excluding those defendants for whom bench warrants issued, no pleas recorded, indictment to lie on file, found unfit to plead and other results.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what percentage of defendants were found not guilty in Crown court cases for each of the court circuits in England and Wales in each year since 1989.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The table shows the percentage of defendants acquitted against the number of defendants who pleaded not guilty to all counts during each year since 1989. The 1992 figures are provisional and liable to revision to account for any late amendments.

  Crown court trials: Per cent, of defendants who have pleaded not guilty to all counts acquitted

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Midland and Oxford

  52

  58

  60

  51

  North Eastern

  54

  62

  54

  55

  Northern

  55

  56

  59

  63

  South Eastern:

  London

  59

  60

  61

  59

  Provinces

  55

  55

  57

  56

  Wales and Chester

  53

  51

  47

  50

  426

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Western

  57

  55

  60

  49

  England and Wales

  56

  57

  58

  56

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the average time a defendant had to wait between being charged with an offence and having his or her case heard in the Crown court for each of the court circuits in England and Wales in each year since 1989.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Figures for waiting times from date of charge are not available. The table shows the average waiting time in weeks between the date of committal for trial and the start of hearing. Data for 1992 are provisional and liable to revision to account for any late amendments.

  Waiting Times: Committals for Trial (Weeks)

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Midland and Oxford

  9·04

  8·30

  9·21

  12·66

  North Eastern

  12·06

  12·64

  13·55

  15·86

  Northern

  11·76

  12·09

  11·05

  12·04

  South Eastern:

  London

  15·98

  15·49

  15·91

  16·40

  Provinces

  13·07

  13·23

  14·30

  13·31

  Wales and Chester

  7·93

  8·31

  8·06

  9·36

  Western

  13·04

  12·73

  13·71

  16·30

  ENGLAND AND WALES

  12·44

  12·07

  12·58

  13·95

  Bradford Courts
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will arrange for the Bradford combined court centre to be designated as a care centre for the hearing of care cases brought under the Children Act 1989.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Bradford county court currently enjoys some Children Act jurisdiction as a family hearing centre. A national review of the designation of care centres has always been part of the Lord Chancellor's arrangements for the monitoring of the Children Act. This review will begin in the summer and will involve extensive consultation at local level. Consideration of any recommendations to my Department will take place during the autumn with a view to implementing any changes in the spring of 1994.

  Magistrates
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many magistrates have resigned since the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1991; and of these how many have given as their reason for resigning concern about the effect of that Act.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The number of resignations during 1992, other than on grounds of age, for the Lord Chancellor's area of responsibility was 1,034. No information is collected centrally on how many magistrates gave concern about the effects of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 as a reason for resignation.

  Northern Ireland Court Service
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the annual cost of monitoring the religious affiliation of the employees of the Northern Ireland court service.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The equal opportunities unit of the Northern Ireland court service is responsible for the full range of equal opportunities issues within the service which includes monitoring by religious affiliation, gender and disability. It is not possible to separate the cost of monitoring by religious affiliation. The annual staff costs for the unit are £21,378.03.

EMPLOYMENT

  London East TEC
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been given in grants from her Department to the London East training and enterprise council in each year since 1988.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This Department has funded London East Training and Enterprise Council since 1 April 1991.

  Details of funding for each financial year since then are:

  Financial year

  £ million

  1991–92

  26.415

  1992–93

  32.958

  Funding is split into five blocks and allocated to specific areas. The blocks are youth training and education, adult training, enterprise, local initiative fund and management fee.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how expenditure by training and enterprise councils is monitored.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Training and enterprise councils (TECs) are paid sums specified in their business plan and claimed in accordance with the provisions of the TEC operating agreement. This is renewed annually and signed on behalf of my right hon. Friend by the Department's regional directors. A copy of the operating agreement is in the Library.

  Invoices submitted by TECs are subject to regular appraisal and monitoring by finance control staff in ED regional offices. Departmental procedures are designed to ensure that public and parliamentary accountability is maintained.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the names of all members of the board of the London East training and enterprise council since its establishment and their period of office.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Details of board membership are available from London East training and enterprise council's corporate plans or direct from the acting chief executive, Steve Crow.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been given in grants by her Department to the London East training and 428
  enterprise council for business education partnerships and to which organisations, and for what amounts, in each year since 1988.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This Department has funded London East training and enterprise council since 1 April 1991.

  Details of funding for each financial year since then are:

  Education business partnerships payments to TECs

  Financial year

  £ million

  1991–92

  0·075,300

  1992–93

  0·046,175

  Information on who the TEC contracts with and how much it pays them is commercial in confidence between the TEC and the organisations concerned.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff are employed by the London East training and enterprise council; and how many staff have left in the last year.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Direct employment of staff by training and enterprise councils is entirely a matter for the TECs themselves. The hon. Gentleman may wish to contact the acting chief executive of London East TEC, Steve Crow.

  Business-Education Partnerships
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what arrangements are made in those boroughs and local authorities which do not have a business-education partnership for finance to be made available from training and enterprise councils for the work which would be carried out by such a business-education partnership;

  (2) how many local authorities have business-education partnerships.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Education business partnerships are operating in all training and enterprise council and local education authority areas.

  Unemployment Benefit Disqualifications
  Ms Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when and where the figures for unemployment benefit disqualifications for the quarter to December 1992 will be published.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Mr. J. Turner to Ms Angela Eagle, dated 2 April 1993:

  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, it is the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the Agency's Chief Executive to answer parliamentary questions about relevant operational matters. In his absence, I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State about the publication of statistics relating to unemployment benefit disqualifications for the quarter ending 31 December 1992.

  The Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions for the quarter ending 31 December 1992 has now been published and copies were sent to the Library of the House on 29 March.
  429
  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Forensic Investigations
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will instruct all police authorities to use forensic archaeologists at excavation sites where a body or bodies are believed to have been buried; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will ensure that all police authorities use physical anthropologists at crime scene investigations as soon as they commence; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will list the police authorities who currently use forensic anthropologists in their investigations; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) if he will list by police authority those who use archaeologists for their forensic investigations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The use of forensic archaeologists, forensic anthropologists arid other specialists to assist with the investigation of crime is a matter for individual chief officers.

  The information requested about the use of forensic archaeologists and forensic anthropologists is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Terrorism
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will institute all-party talks on a more effective legal mechanism to combat terrorism than the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  No. I believe that the Prevention of Terrorism Act provides the powers which are needed for the prevention and investigation of terrorist crime. I am not prepared to weaken those powers while the threat of terrorism remains. However, I am ready to consider any proposals which might improve the effectiveness of the existing powers.

  Trial Judges
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the number of prosecutions during the last 10 years for offences relating to illegal approaches to trial judges; and what plans the Government have to provide for stiffer sentences to deal with such offences.

  Mr. Jack
  It is not possible from the information held centrally to identify offences relating to illegal approaches to trial judges from other common law offences of attempting to pervert the course of public justice.

  The table shows the number of prosecutions in England and Wales from 1981 to 1991 for attempting to pervert the course of public justice. 1992 data will not be available until autumn 1993.
  430

  Number of prosecutions at magistrates' courts for the offence of attempting to pervert the course of public justice1 under common law for the years 1981–1991 England and Wales

  Prosecutions

  1981

  290

  1982

  279

  1983

  333

  1984

  308

  1985

  326

  1986

  386

  1987

  652

  1988

  864

  1989

  1,139

  1990

  1,376

  1991

  1,565

  1 Under common law the offence of attempting to pervert the course of public justice includes fabrication of false evidence, causing a person to be wrongly convicted, interference with witness, etc.

  Fire Safety Regulations
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has completed his re-examination and re-drafting of the proposed new fire safety regulations; and if he will make a statement.

  (2) what is the estimated cost to British industry of the implementation of the proposed new fire safety regulations.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend expects to publish proposals for revised regulations and the associated guidance in the early summer. An estimate of the compliance costs for industry will be included in the consultative document.

  Sheehy Inquiry
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons no(a) police advisers or (b) persons with special knowledge of policing in Scotland have been appointed to the Sheehy inquiry team; and if he will consider extending its membership to incorporate police officers.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend considered it important for the inquiry to be conducted by a fully independent team with expertise in a number of disciplines. The inquiry is, however, working very closely with the police service. My right hon. and learned Friend does not propose to change the composition of the inquiry team.

  Police National Network
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment criteria his Department used in the recent shortlisting for the police national network; and what weight was given to the technical expertise and experience in providing communications to Her Majesty's Government of each company expressing an interest in this project.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Each company was assessed on the basis of (1) whether any circumtances of article 29 of the Services Directive (which relates to financial probity) apply to the company in question; (2) its audited accounts for the last three years; (3) its overall turnover and its turnover from operating managed telecommunications
  431
  services; (4) the managed networks which it provides; (5) the technical expertise within the organisations; (6) its total manpower and managerial staffing; (7) its technical infrastructure, equipment and facilities; and (8) the level of professional expertise in its operation of managed networks. The technical expertise of potential suppliers and their experience in providing communications to Her Majesty's Government and other users were therefore fully taken into account.

  Court Escorts
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has included special requirements for pregnant women, nursing mothers and very young children in the tender documents for the court escort services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Tender documents for the court escort service in the London area have not yet been finalised, but a copy of the operational specification for the court escort service in the east midlands and Humberside area has been placed in the library of the House. It outlines the general principles concerning the welfare of prisoners. The contractor has a contractual responsibility for the welfare of prisoners, for their humane treatment and for their medical needs.

  Animal Rights
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many names are currently contained in the animal rights national index.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The animal rights national index (ARNI) holds about 13,300 names.

  Race Relations Legislation
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many posts in the public services are exempt from the requirements of the Race Relations Act; and in what occupations these exemptions occur.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Section 75(5) of the Race Relations Act 1976 states that nothing in the Act invalidates rules made for restricting employment in the public service to persons of particular birth, nationality, descent or residence. Information on the particular posts or occupations concerned is not held centrally.

EDUCATION

  Adult Education
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what were the levels of enrolments for adult education in London for this year.

  Mr. Boswell
  Data for academic year 1992–93 are not yet complete. In 1991–92 there were 280,000 enrolments in adult education centres in London at the 1 November census date.

  Assisted Places
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what fees were charged in the academic year 1991–92 in each school taking part in the assisted places scheme.
  432
  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is given in the following table:

  Assisted places scheme

  School Name

  Average Fee charged in A Y 1991–92 £

  Abbey School, Reading

  3,183

  Abingdon

  3,936

  Ackworth

  3,633

  Aldenham

  6,290

  Alice Ottley

  3,582

  Alleyns, Dulwich

  4,905

  Ardingly College

  7,575

  Arnold School, Blackpool

  2,964

  Ashford

  4,189

  Ashville College

  3,999

  Austin Friars

  3,435

  Bancrofts

  3,930

  Barnard Castle

  3,732

  Bath High GPDST

  2,967

  Batley Grammar

  2,766

  Bedales

  7,251

  Bedford

  5,235

  Bedford High

  3,969

  Bedford Modern

  3,489

  Belvedere GPDST

  2,967

  Berkhamsted Girls

  3,936

  Berkhamsted

  4,929

  Birkenhead

  2,820

  Birkenhead High GPDST

  2,967

  Bishop's Stortford College

  6,600

  Blackheath High GPDST

  3,357

  Bloxham, Banbury

  6,003

  Bolton School Boys

  3,585

  Bolton School Girls

  3,585

  Bootham, York

  4,923

  Bradfield College

  7,762

  Bradford Girls Grammar

  3,261

  Bradford Grammar School

  3,174

  Brentwood School

  4,100

  Brighton College

  5,856

  Brighton/Hove High GPDST

  2,967

  Bristol Cathedral

  3,357

  Bristol Grammar

  3,189

  Bromley High GPDST

  3,357

  Bromsgrove

  4,761

  Bruton Girls

  2,881

  Burgess Hill Girls

  4,230

  Bury Grammar Boys

  2,790

  Bury Grammar Girls

  2,790

  Canford

  7,056

  Carmel College

  6,750

  Casterton

  4,257

  Caterham

  4,302

  Central Newcastle High GPDST

  2,967

  Charterhouse

  8,595

  Cheadle Hulme

  3,324

  Cheltenham Ladies College

  6,249

  Chigwell

  5,154

  Christ's Hospital

  5,826

  Churchers College

  4,125

  City of London

  4,734

  City of London Freemans

  4,779

  City of London Girls

  4,086

  Clifton College, Bristol

  4,710

  Clifton High, Bristol

  3,780

  Colfes

  3,705

  Colston's Girls

  2,946

  Colston's, Bristol

  2,945

  Coventry, Bablake

  2,883

  Cranleigh

  4,206

  Croham Hurst

  3,480

  Croydon High GPDST

  3,357

  Culford

  5,001

  Dame Alice Harpur

  3,261

  Dame Allans Boys

  2,868

  Dame Allans Girls

  2,868

  433

  School Name

  Average Fee charged in AY 1991–92 £

  Dauntseys

  5,358

  Denstone College

  5,730

  Derby High

  4,644

  Douai, Reading

  4,644

  Dover College

  5,970

  Downe House, Newbury

  6,300

  Dulwich College

  5,355

  Durham

  5,638

  Edgbaston College Girls

  3,510

  Edgehill College

  4,123

  Ellerslie

  5,535

  Ellesmere College

  5,940

  Eltham College, London

  4,254

  Emanuel, London SW11

  3,825

  Epsom College

  6,315

  Exeter

  3,282

  Farnborough Hill

  3,504

  Felixstowe College

  5,158

  Felsted, Dunmow

  7,383

  Forest School

  3,843

  Framlingham College

  5,118

  Francis Holland

  3,888

  Friends, Saffron Walden

  4,665

  Giggleswick, Settle

  4,707

  Godolphin and Latymer

  4,608

  Godolphin, Salisbury

  5,142

  Greshams

  6,786

  Guildford High Girls

  4,011

  Haberdashers Askes Boys

  4,458

  Haberdashers Askes Girls

  3,030

  Haileybury and ISC

  6,693

  Hampton

  3,690

  Harrogate College

  4,804

  Headington

  3,594

  Hereford Cathedral

  3,675

  Highgate

  5,409

  Hipperholme Grammar

  2,528

  Holy Child

  3,540

  Hulme Grammar Boys

  2,985

  Hulme Grammar Girls

  2,985

  Hurstpierpoint College

  7,650

  Hymers College

  2,835

  Ipswich

  4,020

  Ipswich High GPDST

  2,967

  James Allens Girls

  4,770

  John Lyons

  4,155

  Kent College

  5,100

  Kimbolton School

  4,050

  King Edward VI High

  3,291

  King Edward VI Norwich

  3,474

  King Edward VI Southampton

  3,627

  King Edward VII Lytham

  2,715

  King Edwards at Bath

  3,261

  King Edwards Birmingham

  3,645

  King Edwards Witley

  4,800

  Kings College Wimbledon

  5,022

  Kings High Girls, Warwick

  3,074

  Kings, Bruton

  6,090

  Kings, Chester

  3,627

  Kings, Macclesfield

  3,465

  Kings, Rochester

  5,107

  Kings, Tynemouth

  2,880

  Kings, Worcester

  4,230

  Kingsley

  3,327

  Kingston Grammar

  3,948

  Kingswood School, Bath

  4,712

  Kirkham Grammar

  2,789

  La Sagesse Convent

  2,916

  Lady Eleanor Holles

  4,335

  Latymer Upper

  3,750

  Laxton

  3,930

  Leeds Girls High

  3,329

  Leeds Grammar

  3,342

  Leicester Grammar

  2,940

  Leighton Park

  6,651

  434

  School Name

  Average Fee charged in A Y 1991–92 £

  Leys, Cambridge

  6,915

  Liverpool College

  3,444

  Lord Wandsworth College

  5,832

  Loreto Convent Grammar

  2,421

  Loughborough Grammar

  3,402

  Loughborough High

  3,075

  Magdalen College

  3,743

  Malvern College

  7,170

  Manchester Grammar

  3,225

  Manchester High

  3,132

  Marist Convent Senior

  3,165

  Maynard

  3,195

  Merchant Taylors Girls

  2,997

  Merchant Taylors, Liverpool

  2,997

  Merchant Taylors, N'wood

  5,310

  Mill Hill

  5,964

  Monkton Combe

  4,976

  Mount Carmel, Cheshire

  2,595

  Mount St. Mary's College

  4,569

  Mount, York

  5,034

  Newcastle Under Lyme

  2,784

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne Church High

  2,985

  North London Collegiate

  3,804

  Northampton High

  3,390

  Norwich High GPDST

  2,967

  Notting Hill/Ealing High GPDST

  3,357

  Nottingham Girls High GPDST

  2,967

  Nottingham High

  3,174

  Oakham

  5,277

  Old Palace, Croydon

  3,222

  Oxford High GPDST

  2,967

  Pangbourne College

  4,740

  Perse School for Boys

  3,672

  Perse School for Girls

  3,213

  Plymouth College

  3,495

  Pocklington

  3,834

  Polam Hall

  3,393

  Portsmouth Grammar

  3,343

  Portsmouth High GPDST

  2,967

  Prior Park College

  3,825

  Putney High School GPDST

  3,357

  Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Bristol

  3,324

  Queen Elizabeth, Blackburn

  3,135

  Queen Elizabeth, Wakefield

  3,162

  Queen Mary, Lytham

  2,715

  Queens College, London

  4,335

  Queens College, Taunton

  4,680

  Queens School, Chester

  2,862

  Ratcliffe College

  4,563

  Red Maids, Bristol

  3,198

  Redland High, Bristol

  3,108

  Reed's School, Cobham

  5,772

  Reigate Grammar

  3,648

  Rendcomb College

  5,694

  Repton

  4,875

  Rossall

  6,129

  Royal Grammar, Guildford

  4,689

  Royal Grammar, Newcastle

  2,895

  Royal Grammar, Worcester

  3,654

  Ryde School

  3,159

  Salesian College

  2,025

  Scarborough College

  4,143

  Sedbergh

  6,930

  Sevenoaks, Kent

  5,382

  Sheffield High GPDST

  2,967

  Shrewsbury High GPDST

  2,967

  Silcoates

  4,432

  Sir William Perkins

  3,132

  Solihull

  3,468

  South Hampstead High GPDST

  3,357

  St. Albans

  4,005

  St. Albans High Girls

  3,690

  St. Ambrose College

  2,517

  St. Anselms College

  2,592

  St. Bede's College

  3,198

  435

  School Name

  Average Fee charged in A Y 1991–92 £

  St. Bees

  5,778

  St. Benedict's

  4,155

  St. Catherine's

  4,725

  St. Dunstan's College

  3,702

  St. Edmund's College

  4,608

  St. Edward's College

  2,805

  St. Felix, Southwold

  4,662

  St. George's College

  4,920

  St. Helen and St. Katherine

  3,150

  St. Helen's, Northwood

  3,846

  St. John's College, Southsea

  2,875

  St. John's, Leatherhead

  5,778

  St. Joseph's College, Ipswich

  3,557

  St. Joseph's College, Stoke

  2,610

  St. Joseph's Convent, Reading

  3,225

  St. Lawrence College, Ramsgate

  5,775

  St. Margaret's, Bushey

  4,191

  St. Margaret's, Exeter

  3,033

  St. Mary and St. Anne

  5,901

  St. Mary's College, Crosby

  2,826

  St. Mary's Convent, Cambridge

  3,045

  St. Mary's Hall, Brighton

  4,779

  St. Maurs Convent, Weybridge

  3,444

  St. Paul's Girls, Hammersmith

  4,884

  St. Paul's, Barnes

  6,195

  St. Peter's, York

  5,205

  Stafford Grammar

  3,063

  Stamford

  3,300

  Stamford High

  3,300

  Stockport Grammar

  3,240

  Stoneyhurst College

  6,152

  Stowe

  6,993

  Streatham Hill/Clapham High

  3,357

  Surbiton High

  3,795

  Sutton High GPDST

  3,357

  Sutton Valence

  5,787

  Sydenham High GPDST

  3,357

  Talbot Heath

  3,546

  Taunton

  5,535

  Teesside High

  2,928

  Tonbridge

  6,888

  Tormead

  3,797

  Trent College

  4,901

  Trinity of John Whitgift

  4,215

  Truro

  3,543

  Truro High

  3,174

  University College Sch London

  5,265

  Upton Hall Convent

  2,220

  Ursuline Convent, Kent

  4,035

  Ursuline High, Ilford

  3,441

  Wakefield High

  3,162

  Walthamstow Hall

  4,500

  Warwick

  3,594

  Wellingborough

  4,500

  Wellington College

  7,275

  Wellington, Somerset

  3,510

  Wells Cathedral

  4,332

  West Buckland

  3,885

  Westholme

  2,700

  Westminster

  4,662

  Whitgift, Croydon

  4,344

  William Hulme Grammar

  3,360

  Wimbledon High GPDST

  3,357

  Winchester College

  7,674

  Wisbech Grammar

  3,750

  Withington Girls

  2,930

  Wolverhampton Grammar

  3,636

  Woodbridge

  4,590

  Woodhouse Grove

  3,945

  Worksop

  5,077

  Wrekin College

  5,970

  Wycliffe College

  6,924

  Yarm

  3,615

  Birmingham City Council
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when his officials asked the Birmingham city council for more information to justify its bid for capital expenditure in 1993–94 to deal with substandard places; when his officials received this information from Birmingham city council; and when he expects to take a decision on this bid for the financial year 1993–94.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department wrote to Birmingham city council on 22 December 1992 and the authority responded on 8 January 1993. Twenty-five other LEAs were asked to provide information on the same issue and not all have yet done so. Nevertheless, I expect to announce my decisions shortly.

  College Fees
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the total amount of college fees in respect of students in higher education which is funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement on how such funding is distributed on behalf of the Department.

  Mr. Boswell
  The total amount of college fees funded by the Department in respect of undergraduate students at collegiate unversities was£46 million in the academic year 1990–91, the latest year for which full information is available. These fees are payable by local education authorities on behalf of students holding mandatory awards and are reimbursed in full by the Department.

  Higher Education (Benefits in Kind)
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what study he has made of the benefits in kind to the families of those participating in higher education away from home by various household income levels.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department commissioned surveys of undergraduates' income and expenditure in 1986–87 and 1988–89 academic years and of mature students' income and expenditure in the 1987–88 academic year. The Department has commissioned a further survey of undergraduate students' income and expenditure which is currently being undertaken. All of these surveys have sought information on the circumstances of students who study either while living in the parental home or away from it.

  London East TEC
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how much grant from his Department was paid to London East training and enterprise council for business education partnerships and to which organisations, and for what amounts, in each year since 1988;

  (2) how much grant has been given by his Department to the London East training and enterprise council in each year since 1988.

  Mr. Boswell
  This Department has made no such grants.

  Education Costs
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average annual cost met from public funds of(a) a nursery school place, (b) a primary school place, (c) a secondary school place and (d) a full-time undergraduate place in bands 1, 2 and 3.

  Mr. Forth
  Figures for spending on nursery and primary school pupils are not collected separately. For 1990–91, the la test year for which information on actual spending is available, the average cost per pupil at LEA-maintained schools was £1,339 per nursery and primary pupil and £2,019 per secondary pupil.

  Public funding for higher education is provided through grant to the higher education funding councils and publicly funded tuition fees. The assumed average total recurrent grant per student through the Higher Education Funding Council for England in 1993–94 is £2,927. The maximum tuition fees reimbursable through mandatory awards for undergraduate courses in the academic year 1993–94 are £1,300 for classroom-based courses; £2,770 for laboratory and workshop-based courses; and £4,985 for the clinical elements of medical, dental and veterinary courses.

  Project name

  Start date

  Public funding (£million cash)

  Private sector funding

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  Jubilee line extension

  Construction is expected to start when the current negotiations on the private sector contribution are completed.

  385

  460

  405

  £100 million cash developer contribution during construction period and a stream of payments adding upto £300 million cash over time after extension is opened.

  CrossRail

  Bill currently in Parliament.

  80

  64

  65

  Re-examination to assess ways of involving private sector announced in Budget statement. Results of re-examination will determine relative involvement of public and private sectors.

  Channel tunnel rail link

  Construction could start in 1995.

  44

  —

  —

  Private sector interest needs to be tested before decisions can be taken on the timing and amounts of public and private funding.

  Docklands light railway—Lewisham extension

  Construction could start this financial year.

  —

  —

  —

  The cost, of £140 million, must be met by the private sector.

  Heathrow express

  Main works expected to start during 1993–94.

  —

  —

  —

  The project is a joint venture with BAA as private majority partner. The total cost is estimated at £250–300 million.

  The proposed Croydon tramlink project would proceed on the basis of private funding though the Government is prepared to consider an element of grant.

  The possibility of securing private sector contributions to other projects will be considered at the appropriate time.

  Lower Road, SE16
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what moneys are allocated for the Lower road widening scheme, London SE16, for each financial year from 1992–93 onwards; when he intends work on the scheme will commence; and when it will finish.

  Mr. Norris
  This is a London Borough of Southwark scheme that is jointly funded by the Department of Transport and London Docklands Development Corporation. Funds are allocated by the Department as and when necessary and as laid down by a tripartite agreement. No moneys have been allocated to date for construction works. The timing of the scheme is a matter for LB Southwark in consultation with the Department and the LDDC.

TRANSPORT

  London Buses Ltd.
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to issue guidance to London Transport on the handling of the privatisation of London Buses Ltd.

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friend has recently written to the chairman of London Transport to give guidance on this issue. Copies of the letter have been placed in the library.

  Transport Schemes, London
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all railway, light railway or underground schemes in London currently supported or proposed to be supported by public funds, which he intends should have a private sector contribution; when they commenced or will commence; in each case and for each relevant financial year, how much public funding is already allocated; and how much private sector funding he estimates will be required.

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested is as follows:

  Jubilee Line Extension
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now make a statement on the arrangements, funding and commencement date of the Jubilee line extension.

  Mr. Norris
  No. Negotiations are continuing on the private sector contribution and it would not be sensible for me to speculate when they might be concluded.

  Airlines (State Assistance)
  Sir Keith Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about proposals for state aid to Aer Lingus; and what has been his response.

  Mr. Norris
  Concern has been expressed to me from a number of sources about reports of an injection of state
  439
  aid to Aer Lingus, and the serious distortion of competition which might result from this on many routes, including London-Dublin. The Minister for Aviation and Shipping has written to Commissioner Matutes, seeking assurance that any formal application for state aid by the Irish authorities will be very fully scrutinised in the light of the market economy investor principle and the need to avoid distortion of competition, and that member states will be given the opportunity to comment.

  Sir Keith Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has made to the European Commission about recent state assistance to Air France.

  Mr. Norris
  We are aware of reports of further state assistance to Air France, following the support allowed by the European Commission in 1992. Since there has been no formal notification of further support by the French authorities, we have made no formal representations to the European Commission: but on many occasions we have made clear to the Commission that all applications for state aid should be very fully scrutinised in the light of the market economy investor principle and the need to avoid distortion of competition, and that member states should be given the opportunity to comment.

  Sir Keith Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the extent to which state aid to airlines of the European Community has continued after 31 December 1992.

  Mr. Norris
  The responsibility for approving state aids under the treaty of Rome rests with the European Commission. The Government have consistently urged the Commission to take a tough line to combat aids which distort free fair and open competition in the air transport market. So far this year, the only state aid which has been approved by the Commission is the settling by the Portuguese Government of the deficit accumulated by the carrier TAP in operating service between the Portuguese mainland and the Atlantic islands over the 13 years to 1991. We are generally aware of other forthcoming cases and will continue to monitor the situation.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has had from the north of England regional consortium about the channel tunnel rail link; what reply he is sending; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently received a letter from the North of England regional consortium to which he has replied. My right hon. Friend and I have no objection to the contents of the reply being made public but any inquiries about the correspondence should be directed to the consortium to whom the letter was sent.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what resources will be made available to local community groups in Islington for them to make representations on the channel tunnel route to St. Pancras.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government have asked Union Railways to take the lead in the public consultation on the rail link. They will be devoting engineering and environmental resources to examining worthwhile suggestions put forward for any improvements to the proposals.
  440
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if customs, immigration and security checks for international rail services will be handled on board international train services using the channel tunnel line.

  Mr. Freeman
  Immigration controls will be carried out on board channel tunnel day passenger services using Waterloo. Customs and security checks will be carried out in the station. All three controls on night trains using Waterloo will be carried out at the station. All three controls for channel tunnel passenger services running beyond London will be carried out on board the trains.

  Midibuses
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the effect on traffic congestion of increasing use of smaller midibuses.

  Mr. Norris
  Midibuses are more manoeuvrable and smaller than traditional buses. They have proved to be popular with passengers. I have seen no evidence that bus size has any significant impact on traffic congestion.

  Barking to Gospel Oak Railway Line
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with British Rail about expenditure on maintenance and rolling stock on the Barking to Gospel Oak railway line necessary to maintain safety.

  Mr. Freeman
  None. Expenditure priorities are a matter for British Rail, which has a statutory duty to operate safely.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the transportation of plutonium nitrate is being considered under the auspices of the Braer inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  Lord Donaldson's inquiry is to advise on whether any further measures are appropriate and feasible to protect the United Kingdom coastline from pollution from merchant shipping, giving due consideration to the international and economic implications of any new measures. These terms of reference are wide enough to allow Lord Donaldson to consider the matter raised, should he decide to do so.

  London Bus Routes
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what considerations underlay the timing of the decision to put a further 30 London bus routes out to tender; and what assessment was made of the results of previous tendering.

  Mr. Norris
  The decision on which routes to put to tender could not be taken until the completion of the negotiations to put all London Buses Ltd. bus routes on to a contractual basis.

  Since its introduction in 1985 London Transport's route tendering programme has delivered substantial quality of service improvements and reductions in costs.

  Public Transport, London
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for each year since 1983 the capital and revenue support given to public transport in London by central and local Government at constant prices.

  Mr. Norris
  Grants to London Transport are as follows at 1993–94 prices: (for 1984–85, they were made by the GLC; since that year, they have been made by the Department of Transport).

  £ million

  Year

  Capital

  Revenue

  1984–85

  192

  236

  1985–86

  297

  187

  1986–87

  333

  94

  1987–88

  269

  65

  1988–89

  222

  28

  1989–90

  291

  58

  1990–91

  502

  94

  1991–92

  557

  130

  1992–93

  579

  241

  Amounts up to 1991–92 include grant for the Docklands light railway. In 1992–93 the Department of the Environment paid grant of £149 million for the Docklands light railway.

  Public service obligation grant allocated by British Rail to Network SouthEast was as follows, in 1993–94 prices:

  £ million

  1986–87

  288

  1987–88

  290

  1988–89

  168

  1989–90

  97

  1990–91

  162

  1991–92

  367

  No separate figures are available for London services. No comparable figures are available for pre-1986. Figures for 1992–93 are not yet available.

  These figures exclude financial support by local authorities for concessionary fares in London.

  Concessionary Fares
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those local authorities in England that provide concessionary fares for people of or above the age of retirement on(a) buses and (b) any other form of local public transport; and if he will list the extent of the subsidy in each case.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am sending the hon. Member a copy of "Concessionary Fare Schemes in Great Britain in 1992", which was produced by the Department's directorate of statistics on the basis of returns by local authorities.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the senior citizen railcard scheme will be retained to ensure concessionary fares for pensioners over the entire railway network after privatisation.

  Mr. Freeman
  The senior railcard is a commercial initiative designed by British Rail to attract passengers and to maximise revenue by filling seats which might otherwise by empty; BR is not under any legal obligation to provide 442
  it. We believe that in a competitive environment it will be in the interests of the rail operators to continue to offer such discounts. We therefore see no need to impose requirements on operators to offer this particular discount facility. Transitional arrangements will be made to ensure that franchisees continue to honour existing railcards.

  Cycle Routes, London
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines his Department sets for classifying the quality of cycle routes implemented by the London boroughs; and what discussions he has had with cycling organisations and representatives in setting them.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department has provided advice and guidance on the design and construction of cycling facilities in Local Transport Note 1/89 "Making Way for Cyclists". We consulted widely on the document before publication and were grateful for the contribution made by cycling organisations. We also hold regular meetings with the borough cycle officer group and the London Cycling Forum.

  Unstaffed Railway Stations
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British Rail stations in Greater London are unstaffed after 6 pm; and what discussions he has had with the Transport police about the effect on crime and fear of crime at stations as a result.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that statistics are not maintained in the form requested. However, of some 500 stations within the London regional passenger committee's area 56 are totally unstaffed and a further 145 are staffed on the basis of less than two full shifts on any week day. The British transport police are, of course, employed by the British Railways Board and the Secretary of State regularly meets the BR chairman and board members to discuss a wide' range of matters relating to the railways, including policing and crime.

  Traffic Noise, London
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the existing targets for acceptable noise levels of traffic in London; who is responsible for setting them; and if he will list those monitoring areas where they are being exceeded.

  Mr. Norris
  There are no such targets. However, the United Kingdom has recently secured EC agreement to lower limits for the noise standards to which individual vehicles are built; tighter standards for vehicles have reduced noise levels by up to 10 dB(A) over the last 10 years.

  Travelcard
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Travelcard in London will be retained after his Department's proposed deregulation of buses and privatisation of British Rail.

  Mr. Norris
  The Government believe that, in the light of travelcard's popularity, private sector bus and rail operators will be keen to offer such a facility.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Potatoes
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing the acreage of each variety of seed potatoes planted in each of the last four years; what is his estimate of the average yield per acre of seed and the total yield of seed of each variety,

  Area of seed potatoes planted (hectares)

  Variety (Immune)

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Alcmaria

  —

  0·040

  0·276

  1·471

  Alhamra

  0·270

  1·229

  —

  —

  Anosta

  —

  2·420

  1·100

  —

  Antar

  0·025

  —

  —

  —

  Arkula

  2·240

  1·500

  —

  —

  Arma

  3·940

  2·694

  1·000

  —

  Arran Banner

  265·694

  385·679

  310·756

  254·253

  Arran Comet

  24·993

  32·584

  14·780

  13·969

  Arran Consul

  102·666

  107·357

  72·378

  108·380

  Arran Victory

  5·800

  9·694

  6·260

  7·188

  Avalanche

  0·400

  40·20

  25·907

  30·231

  Ballydoon

  0·840

  0·706

  0·704

  1·448

  Balmoral

  —

  2·193

  11·304

  11·470

  Blanka

  —

  —

  —

  0·030

  Cara

  71·102

  —

  —

  —

  Carlingford

  8·169

  10·800

  10·700

  10·600

  Costella

  —

  —

  —

  0·020

  Craig's Alliance

  3·650

  10·643

  7·861

  5·797

  Cultra

  5·020

  19·519

  35·828

  16·930

  Desiree

  617·440

  859·448

  730·528

  982·922

  Dunbar Rover

  2·200

  1·917

  0·750

  3·086

  Dunbar Standard

  73·733

  88·864

  78·123

  88·723

  Dundrod

  44·590

  56·150

  79·041

  120·884

  Dundrum

  2·748

  2·300

  3·198

  —

  Dunluce

  23·285

  22·388

  19·170

  15·965

  Estima

  163·518

  172·001

  83·838

  84·917

  Famosa

  2·410

  1·200

  1·80

  —

  Fianna

  —

  —

  0·370

  1·740

  Foxton

  6·846

  10·690

  3·092

  1·419

  Golden Wonder

  2·000

  1·000

  —

  0·955

  Home Guard

  139·551

  155·551

  120·687

  122·191

  Kerr's Pink

  202·551

  195·883

  209·975

  324·882

  Kestrel

  —

  —

  —

  0·400

  Kingston

  2·400

  1·490

  1·230

  —

  Kondor

  7·700

  11·030

  3·400

  0·310

  Majestic

  5·330

  12·550

  7·950

  8·048

  Marfona

  12·100

  2·700

  2·739

  3·350

  Maris Bard

  42·687

  59·210

  68·644

  33·430

  Maris Peer

  37·863

  42·760

  40·016

  23·526

  Maris Piper

  11·932

  13·148

  18·443

  9·921

  Nadine

  9·835

  34·501

  19·915

  9·650

  Naven

  2·214

  1·509

  2·418

  13·627

  Nieta

  1·120

  3·800

  3·400

  2·510

  Penta

  17·139

  22·083

  23·290

  10·870

  Pentland Crown

  54·862

  44·525

  38·309

  21·582

  Pentland Dell

  696·540

  654·810

  628·796

  637·177

  Pentland Hawk

  30·320

  23·134

  12·100

  10·126

  Pentland Ivory

  8·575

  13·000

  7·740

  10·040

  Pentland Javelin

  65·570

  94·105

  65·288

  32·529

  Pentland Squire

  74·054

  60·125

  32·720

  13·489

  Record

  134·037

  248·851

  168·189

  207·199

  Romano

  52·357

  64·748

  53·400

  19·441

  Russet Burbank

  0·350

  2·500

  8·050

  0·350

  Sante

  6·282

  22·820

  23·210

  10·100

  Seaforde

  0·930

  —

  —

  —

  Skirza

  0·290

  —

  —

  —

  Sperrin

  1·101

  2·900

  5·800

  0·600

  Stemster

  1·720

  2·851

  2·400

  4·320

  Stroma

  0·065

  0·432

  1·450

  1·735

  Toledo

  0·700

  2·900

  —

  —

  Ulster Prince

  9·545

  15·111

  9·385

  7·759

  Ulster Sceptre

  88·627

  97·071

  75·352

  26·718

  444
  in those years and also show the tonnage (a) exported, with the destination and (b) the tonnage used for home planting.

  Mr. Hanley
  The available information is set in the tables. Those relating to yields and exports have been limited to the main varieties not subject to plant breeder's rights. This information cannot be disaggregated further for reasons of commercial confidentiality.
  445

  Variety (Immune)

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  War egem

  0·65

  0·330

  —

  —

  Wilja

  62·698

  72·374

  62·200

  18·890

  Total (Immune)

  3,214·689

  3,785·838

  3,213·640

  3,347·168

  Variety (Non Immune)

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Agria

  —

  —

  0·150

  0·570

  Atlantic

  —

  —

  0·080

  0·830

  Bintje

  —

  —

  —

  0·100

  British Queen

  23·147

  51·720

  41·666

  39·023

  Hermes

  —

  —

  —

  1·000

  Kennebec

  27·228

  34·288

  31·489

  20·557

  Kenzy

  0·065

  —

  —

  —

  King Edward

  489·538

  381·008

  243·867

  243·617

  Red Pontiac

  —

  0·300

  2·277

  1·901

  Royal Kidney

  0·150

  1·910

  0·970

  —

  Sharpe's Express

  4·014

  7·225

  3·790

  1·311

  Sherine

  1·535

  4·239

  1·900

  —

  Turia

  —

  1·600

  3·580

  0·500

  Up-To-Date

  92·765

  70·848

  72·448

  82·849

  Yukon Gold

  —

  —

  —

  0·510

  Total (Non-Immune)

  638·442

  553·138

  402·217

  392·768

  Grand Total

  3,853·131

  4,338·976

  3,615·857

  3,739·936

  Estimated yield of seed potatoes (tonnes)

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Variety

  Average1

  Total

  Average

  Total

  Average

  Total

  Average

  Total

  Arran Banner

  20

  5,300

  20·9

  8,100

  16·7

  5,200

  16·5

  4,200

  Desiree

  19·9

  12,100

  23·5

  20,200

  21

  15,300

  23·7

  23,200

  King Edward

  22·5

  10,400

  21·1

  7,300

  20·7

  5,000

  22·4

  5,300

  Kerrs' Pink

  16·1

  3,200

  19·2

  3,800

  15·8

  3,200

  15·8

  5,100

  Pentland Dell

  23·6

  16,000

  27·5

  17,700

  25·5

  15,800

  26·6

  16,800

  Record

  21·7

  2,700

  23·9

  5,800

  20

  2,900

  23·3

  4,400

  Others

  20.6

  28,100

  22·8

  34,400

  20·9

  26,700

  22·2

  22,700

  1 Expressed in tonnes/hectare within the size range 35 to 60mm.

  Estimated usage of seed potatoes for home planting (tonnes)

  Tonnes

  1989

  24,300

  1990

  26,500

  1991

  24,200

  1992

  25,200

  Tonnages of seed potatoes exported

  Variety

  Balearic Islands

  Canary Islands

  Egypt

  Malta

  Morocco

  Portugal

  ROI

  Other countries

  Total

  1989 Crop

  Arran Banner

  263

  611

  —

  1,025

  —

  3,130

  —

  347

  5,376

  Desiree

  10

  —

  —

  —

  2,600

  8,008

  —

  314

  10,932

  Kerrs Pink

  —

  744

  —

  —

  —

  —

  163

  —

  907

  King Edward

  —

  1,598

  4,000

  —

  —

  24

  11

  —

  5,633

  Pentland Dell

  675

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  790

  48

  1,513

  Record

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,088

  —

  1,088

  Others, including protected varieties

  236

  1,305

  3

  1

  10

  2,558

  869

  844

  5,826

  Total

  1,184

  4,258

  4,003

  1,026

  2,610

  13,720

  2,921

  1,553

  31,275

  1990 Crop

  Arran Banner

  198

  516

  —

  1,019

  —

  3,934

  22

  372

  6,061

  Desiree

  91

  8

  —

  —

  2,508

  11,753

  2

  2,444

  16,806

  Kerrs Pink

  —

  1,004

  —

  —

  —

  —

  178

  —

  1,182

  King Edward

  —

  1,412

  192

  —

  —

  12

  60

  —

  1,676

  Pentland Dell

  425

  —

  —

  —

  —

  58

  793

  85

  1,361

  Record

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,796

  —

  1,796

  446 447

  Variety

  Balearic Islands

  Canary Islands

  Egypt

  Malta

  Morocco

  Portugal

  ROI

  Other countries

  Total

  Others, including protected varieties

  86

  1,253

  10

  11

  12

  1,997

  909

  1,259

  5,537

  Total

  800

  4,193

  202

  1,030

  2,520

  17,754

  3,760

  4,160

  34,419

  1991 Crop

  Arran Banner

  279

  381

  173

  1,050

  —

  3,203

  —

  469

  5,555

  Desiree

  34

  15

  —

  —

  3,578

  8,530

  12

  183

  12,352

  Kerrs Pink

  —

  860

  —

  —

  —

  —

  219

  —

  1,079

  King Edward

  —

  1,222

  2,000

  —

  —

  29

  67

  22

  3,340

  Pentland Dell

  418

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  1,168

  132

  1,724

  Record

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  567

  —

  567

  Others, including protected varieties

  237

  1,212

  26

  —

  2

  1,531

  1,031

  988

  5,027

  Total

  968

  3,690

  2,199

  1,050

  3,580

  13,299

  3,064

  1,794

  29,644

  1992 Crop to 13 March 1993

  Arran Banner

  221

  321

  —

  1,000

  —

  1,786

  —

  163

  3,491

  Desiree

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,205

  5,059

  —

  203

  6,467

  Kerrs Pink

  —

  711

  —

  —

  —

  —

  189

  17

  917

  King Edward

  —

  1,062

  800

  —

  —

  3

  8

  —

  1,873

  Pentland Dell

  27

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  35

  89

  155

  Record

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  90

  100

  190

  Others, including protected varieties

  89

  872

  17

  32

  45

  822

  221

  794

  2,892

  Total

  337

  2,966

  817

  1,032

  1,250

  7,674

  543

  1,366

  15,985

  Potatoes
  Mr. Williams Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing(a) for October 1989, (b) for October 1990, (c) for October 1991 and (d) for each month since October 1992 to the latest

  Average price per tonne of Ware potatoes Ex-Farm

  Category

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  £

  £

  £

  £

  (1) Early varieties

  —

  —

  —

  —

  (2) Arran Victory

  106·69

  74·20

  102·65

  72·45

  Kerrs' Pink

  (3) Dunbar Standard

  196·84

  63·39

  80·16

  55·55

  (4) Pentland Dell

  56·16

  69·59

  37£13

  (5) King Edward

  123·99

  72·38

  84·02

  48·69

  Arran Consul

  Arran Banner

  (6) Other varieties

  88·00

  55·37

  68·73

  43·08

  1 Information is not available for the varieties separately.

  Provisional average price per tonne of Ware Potatoes Ex-Farm from November 1992

  Category

  1992

  1993

  November

  December

  January

  February

  March

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  (1) Early varieties

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  (2) Arran Victory

  71·15

  75·11

  86·93

  70·36

  63·65

  Kerrs' Pink

  (3) Dunbar Standard

  57·39

  63·82

  60·79

  54·13

  41·16

  (4) Pentland Dell

  36·20

  45·15

  47·39

  42·70

  30·20

  (5) King Edward

  52·13

  33·57

  56·80

  49·05

  —

  Arran Consul

  Arran Banner

  (6) Other varieties

  45·84

  45·89

  44·09

  40·69

  35·26

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the annual cost of monitoring the religious affiliation of the employees of each health and social services board.
  448
  available date the price ex-farm of each of the principal varieties of seed potatoes, and of each of the categories of ware potatoes ex-farm sold in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested on ware potatoes is given in the following tables. The Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland does not collect information on the price of seed potatoes.

  Mr. Hanley
  The costs of equal opportunities monitoring in the health and social services boards are shown in the table. The costs not only include the monitoring and analysis of perceived religious affiliations within the boards but also the cost of the collection and analysis of information relating to gender and disability issues.
  449

  Board

  Cost

  £

  Eastern

  78,000

  Northern

  66,435

  Southern

  45,000

  Western

  54,300

  Firearms Licences
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many gun licences are held in Northern Ireland; and what is the number per head of population.

  Mr. Mates
  Firearms licensing is the responsibility of the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. He has advised me that at the end of February this year a total of 87,421 firearm certificates were held in Northern Ireland. This figure equates to approximately one certificate per 13 persons aged 18 and over.

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many farmers are in receipt of hill livestock compensatory allowance payments in(a) severely disadvantaged areas and (b) disadvantaged areas in each county in Northern Ireland containing less favoured area land.

  Mr. Hanley
  The number of farmers in receipt of 1992 hill livestock compensatory allowances is as follows:

  SDA

  DA

  County Antrim

  1,703

  1,330

  County Armagh

  956

  1,409

  County Down

  1,386

  904

  County Fermanagh

  3,213

  90

  County Londonderry

  1,667

  816

  County Tyrone

  3,368

  1,683

  Livestock Auctions
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the turnover in terms of value, of livestock auctions for each county in Northern Ireland; and how many auctions account for that value in each county.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is not available.

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress in establishing an executive agency under the next steps initiative to carry out the work of driver and vehicle licensing in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Atkins
  Preparations for the establishment of an executive agency to carry out the work of driver and vehicle licensing in Northern Ireland are well in hand. A chief executive (designate) was appointed on 1 March 1993. However, further consideration of the business plan for the first year of the agency's operation is required before I will be in a position to finalise targets for the 450
  agency which will ensure that there will be a satisfactory level of improved customer service and value for money. Accordingly, it has not been possible to establish the agency on the target date of 1 April 1993 but I hope to be in a position to announce a new date for the launch of the agency shortly.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Integrated Administration and Control System
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will carry out and publish a survey of the penalties other EC countries are applying to the integrated administration and control system; and what information he has as to the date set for compliance in each other country.

  Mr. Curry
  The penalties for late or inaccurate applications are laid down in the EC regulations and apply equally in all 12 member states. Details are set out in full at annexes 6, 7 and 8 of the IACS explanatory booklet. Member states may impose additional penalties at the national level. Under the EC regulations, all member states have to set a deadline not later than 15 May this year for receipt of completed application forms. The majority of member states have deadlines of 14 or 15 May.

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers are in receipt of hill livestock compensatory allowance payments in(a) severely disadvantaged areas and (b) disadvantaged areas in each county in England containing less-favoured area land.

  Mr. Gummer
  The table shows the number of claims paid under the 1992 hill livestock compensatory allowance scheme from producers farming eligible land wholly within the severely disadvantaged area (SDA), or the disadvantaged area (DA) or on mixed land (i.e., SDA combined with DA land).

  SDA

  DA

  Mixed

  Cheshire

  117

  26

  35

  Cleveland

  5

  17

  4

  Cornwall

  58

  561

  137

  Cumbria

  1,501

  411

  868

  Derbyshire

  621

  177

  140

  Devon

  797

  699

  113

  Durham

  455

  140

  108

  Greater Manchester

  111

  70

  32

  Hereford and Worcester

  191

  125

  109

  Lancashire

  413

  434

  307

  Northumberland

  642

  148

  249

  North Yorkshire

  960

  401

  715

  Stilly Isles

  6

  Nil

  Nil

  Shropshire

  380

  122

  233

  Somerset

  264

  23

  43

  South Yorkshire

  50

  59

  33

  Staffordshire

  232

  275

  112

  Tyne and Wear

  Nil

  7

  Nil

  West Yorkshire

  572

  130

  88

  Livestock Auctions
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the turnover in terms of value, of livestock auctions for each county in England; and how many auctions account for that value in each county.

  Sales through livestock auction markets in 1991 by county (number of animals)

  County

  Cattle

  Sheep

  Pigs

  Calves

  Total

  Avon

  15,886

  41,741

  2,512

  14,433

  74,572

  Bedfordshire

  692

  36,057

  26

  169

  36,944

  Berkshire

  2,967

  8,814

  2,795

  2,235

  16,811

  Buckinghamshire

  944

  16,884

  —

  —

  17,828

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cheshire

  112,995

  164,638

  36,492

  88,823

  402,948

  Cornwall

  107,242

  262,870

  7,359

  31,489

  408,960

  Cumbria

  256,931

  2,110,920

  10,232

  35,823

  2,413,906

  Derbyshire

  134,708

  265,847

  11,388

  44,546

  456,489

  Devon

  146,942

  925,257

  12,198

  75,333

  1,159,730

  Dorset

  30,275

  74,486

  4,898

  46,211

  155,870

  County Durham

  52,675

  372,802

  26,996

  11,772

  464,245

  Essex

  24,507

  23,961

  7,865

  4,247

  60,580

  Gloucestershire

  74,292

  318,578

  19,031

  40,067

  451,968

  Hampshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  119,308

  913,022

  16,389

  21,811

  1,070,530

  Hertfordshire

  4,162

  32,908

  669

  1,323

  39,062

  Humberside

  17,708

  82,130

  129,716

  1,639

  231,193

  Kent

  27,627

  345,807

  8,737

  5,800

  387,971

  Lancashire

  131,236

  524,688

  3,605

  37,412

  696,941

  Leicestershire

  36,585

  295,026

  12,047

  17,500

  361,158

  Lincolnshire

  26,143

  152,745

  8,445

  2,556

  189,889

  Middlesex

  383

  —

  893

  79

  1,355

  Norfolk

  41,015

  60,531

  53,411

  3,757

  158,714

  Northamptonshire

  23,224

  110,503

  6,573

  5,667

  145,967

  Northumbria

  107,603

  850,217

  11,115

  1,162

  970,097

  Nottinghamshire

  38,816

  99,327

  27

  3,617

  141,787

  Oxfordshire

  108,326

  470,915

  112,886

  17,552

  709,679

  Shropshire

  154,301

  818,791

  32,951

  60,687

  1,066,730

  Somerset

  155,678

  501,800

  21,200

  89,839

  768,517

  Staffordshire

  54,731

  159,306

  55,246

  13,698

  282,981

  Suffolk

  25,552

  49,317

  144,767

  4,553

  224,189

  Surrey

  41,517

  71,031

  5,300

  8,598

  126,446

  Sussex

  27,754

  131,687

  2,184

  4,004

  165,629

  Warwickshire

  33,189

  263,760

  54,765

  7,842

  359,556

  Wiltshire

  59,945

  60,006

  15,627

  27,958

  163,536

  North Yorkshire

  251,120

  1,367,159

  407,745

  38,908

  2,064,932

  South Yorkshire

  4,313

  8,328

  15,929

  533

  29,103

  West Yorkshire

  46,003

  236,477

  18,925

  8,242

  309,647

  Total

  2,497,295

  12,228,336

  1,280,944

  779,885

  16,786,460

  EC Agri-environment Package
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans there are to renegotiate the EC agri-environment package; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what monitoring and targets for monitoring will be set by (a) the EC and (b) the United Kingdom for schemes operating under the agri-environment package; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government's proposals for implementing the EC Agri-Environment Regulation (2078/92) were issued for public consultation on 26 March and we have no plans to seek a renegotiation of the regulation. Monitoring of schemes operating under the regulation is the responsibility of individual member states and we will determine our monitoring arrangements when individual schemes are finalised after the public consultation period.
  452
  Mr. Gummer
  The information requested is not readily available.

  However, to give an indication of the distribution of sales through auction markets the table provides the total number (rather than value) of cattle, sheep, pigs and calves sold through livestock auctions in England by county.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much will be spent or has been spent in each year from 1990–91 to 1995–96 on(a) stage 1 environmentally sensitive areas, (b) stage 2 ESAs, (c) stage 3 ESAs and (d) stage 4 ESAs, identifying how much of the total is allocated for the public access payments (i) nitrate sensitive areas, (ii) moorland scheme, (iii) habitat improvement scheme, (iv) set-aside management identifying how much of the total will be for public access payments and (v) organic farming; if he will identify which schemes are part of the agri-environment package; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  There is a single budget for the Ministry's environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs). Expenditure on payments to farmers in English ESAs was £7·5 million in 1990–91, £8·0 million in 1991–92 and is forecast to be £10·8 million in 1992–93. Planned expenditure is £30·2 million in 1993–94, £42·6 million in 1994–95 and £43.1 million in 1995–96. The figures for the last two years include the
  453
  proposed payments for public access in ESAs. Expenditure on payments to farmers in the pilot nitrate sensitive areas (NSAs) was £0.3 million in 1990–91, £1.0 million in 1991–92, and is forecast to be £1.4 million in 1992–93. Planned expenditure is £1.6 million in each of the years 1993–94 to 1995–96. In addition to this expenditure on ESAs and pilot NSAs, we have issued for public consultation proposals for a moorland scheme, a habitat improvement scheme, a meadowland scheme for public access to set-aside land and an organic scheme, and will shortly be issuing proposals for new nitrate measures. Planned expenditure on payments to farmers under these proposed new measures in England is £0.2 million in 1993–94, £4.5 million in 1994–95 and £18·8 million in 1995–96. The precise allocation between the schemes will be decided in the light of the results of public consultation.

  Grant Schemes
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which of his grant schemes currently operating are monitored; what is the target for that monitoring; what action is taken if abuses are discovered; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  All applications for aid under the Ministry's capital grant schemes are carefully checked to ensure that they are valid and comply with the rules of the scheme. The action which is taken if abuses are discovered will depend on the circumstances but can include loss of grant and prosecution.

  Table 1

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  Clwyd

  5·7

  6·9

  6·1

  5·4

  5·6

  6·9

  7·8

  8·1

  8·3

  Dyfed

  8·8

  10·0

  11·4

  12·5

  12·3

  13·6

  14·2

  15·0

  17·4

  Gwent

  0·2

  0·4

  0·4

  0·7

  0·7

  0·9

  1·0

  1·1

  1·2

  Gwynedd

  17·4

  18·4

  19·8

  20·4

  22·1

  22·4

  26·6

  27·1

  31·9

  Mid Glamorgan

  3·9

  4·6

  5·4

  5·9

  6·3

  6·8

  7·3

  7·6

  8·2

  Powys

  6·3

  6·9

  4·4

  4·9

  7·1

  5·8

  7·1

  6·9

  6·5

  South Glamorgan

  10

  1·2

  1·3

  1·8

  3·0

  1·7

  1·5

  2·3

  2·6

  West Glamorgan

  2·8

  2·8.

  3·2

  4·0

  4·9

  3·2

  3·4

  3·0

  3·2

  Table 2

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Clwyd

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  5·0

  5·5

  5·9

  5·9

  5·7

  6·1

  Speak Welsh but not fluently

  22·1

  22·7

  24·0

  24·9

  27·1

  26·9

  Dyfed

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  8·0

  8·4

  9·0

  10·3

  11·1

  12·9

  Speak Welsh but not fluently

  21·2

  20·3

  22·7

  24·9

  25·3

  26·5

  Gwent

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  0·9

  1·4

  1·3

  1·4

  1·5

  1·8

  Speak Welsh but not fluently

  0·4

  0·4

  0·2

  0·2

  0·9

  3·5

  Gwynedd

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  18·4

  18·6

  19·5

  19·7

  21·4

  21·3

  Speak Welsh but not fluently

  31·3

  33·5

  32·0

  33·0

  32·2

  32·9

  Mid Glamorgan

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  8·8

  9·1

  9·0

  8·6

  9·3

  9·9

  Speak Welsh but not fluently

  4·5

  4·3

  5·5

  8·5

  7·6

  9·5

  Powys

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  3·6

  4·2

  4·2

  5·3

  5·3

  5·1

  Speak Welsh but not fluently

  12·4

  15·6

  21·3

  13·6

  21·0

  29·8

  Integrated Admission Control Scheme
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library copies of the equivalent of the integrated administration control scheme forms for each of the member states of the European Community.

  Mr. Curry
  I will place copies in their original languages in the Library when they are available.

WALES

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of primary school children in each local education authority area in Wales speak Welsh fluently as a second language; and what the corresponding figures were for each year since 1977.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information collected about the percentages of pupils, aged five and over, in maintained primary schools, who speak Welsh as a second language, are shown in the following tables. Prior to 1986 the school census sought information on the proportion of pupils who speak Welsh as a second language. This information is shown in table 1. Since 1986 information about the fluency of second language Welsh speakers has been collected under two separate categories as shown in table 2.
  455

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  South Glamorgan

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  2·8

  2·1

  2·6

  3·3

  3·6

  2·7

  Speak Welsh but not fluently

  5·1

  5·8

  10·6

  7·0

  7·6

  8·2

  West Glamorgan

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  2·4

  2·5

  3·3

  3·4

  3·6

  4·0

  Speak Welsh but not fluently

  5·2

  7·1

  4·1

  7·1

  10·5

  14·9

  Notes: At September each year. Figures are derived from assessments made by headteachers.

  The figures for 1986 onwards are not directly comparable with those for 1985 and preceding years. From September 1986 the wording and format of the question on Welsh speaking ability was changed to permit a more detailed analysis of Welsh medium education.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what change there has been in the percentage of fluent Welsh-speaking primary school children in each local education authority area in Wales since 1986–87.

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Clwyd

  Speak Welsh at home

  5·2

  4·7

  4·3

  5·2

  4·3

  4·1

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  5·0

  5·5

  5·9

  5·9

  5·7

  6·1

  Dyfed

  Speak Welsh at home

  20·8

  20·1

  19·5

  18·8

  18·9

  18·2

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  8·0

  8·4

  9·0

  10·3

  11·1

  12·9

  Gwent

  Speak Welsh at home

  0·1

  0·1

  0·5

  0·2

  0·2

  0·6

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  0·9

  1·4

  1·3

  1·4

  1·5

  1·8

  Gwynedd

  Speak Welsh at home

  40·7

  40·2

  39·2

  39·5

  39·5

  39·5

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  18·4

  18·6

  19·5

  19·7

  21·4

  21·3

  Mid Glamorgan

  Speak Welsh at home

  0·6

  0·7

  1·0

  0·9

  0·9

  0·9

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  8·8

  9·1

  9·0

  8·6

  9·3

  9·9

  Powys

  Speak Welsh at home

  5·6

  5·7

  5·5

  5·9

  5·5

  5·5

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  3·6

  4·2

  4·2

  5·3

  5·3

  5·1

  South Glamorgan

  Speak Welsh at home

  1·2

  1·2

  1·3

  1·2

  1·3

  1·8

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  2·8

  2·1

  2·6

  3·3

  3·6

  2·7

  West Glamorgan

  Speak Welsh at home

  2·8

  2·8

  2·8

  2·9

  3·1

  3·4

  Do not speak Welsh at home but speak it with fluency

  2·4

  2·5

  3·3

  3·4

  3·6

  4·0

  Note: At September each year. These figures are derived from assessments made by head teachers.

  Health Authority Administration
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each of the health authorities in Wales the number of(a) full-time and (b) part-time staff who are employed on administration for the latest date for which figures are available, together with the corresponding figures for each of the past six years.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  It is essential that the NHS is sufficiently staffed at the administrative level to manage effectively its record budget, in the best interests of patients.
  456
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The percentage of children in primary schools who speak Welsh fluently as a first language in each school education authority in Wales since 1986–87 are shown in the following table.

  The available information relates to staff in the administrative and clerical group, which includes senior managers. The figures include staff within the groups performing clinically related duties which account for over 25 per cent. of the total, so freeing clerical staff to concentrate their skills and experience on direct patient care.

  Part of the increase in the size of this group is due to the transfer of some nursing and other professional staff to the senior manager grades.

  The 1992 figures for Pembrokeshire are not readily available and I will supply these as soon as possible.
  457

  Administrative and Clerical Staff1 2 3

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Full Time

  Part Time

  Full Time

  Part Time

  Full Time

  Part Time

  Full Time

  Part Time

  Full Time

  Part Time

  Full Time

  Part Time

  Full Time

  Part Time

  Pembrokeshire

  127

  44

  141

  65

  149

  69

  165

  68

  192

  86

  214

  72

  n/a

  n/a

  Clwyd

  588

  239

  635

  290

  656

  303

  671

  303

  713

  330

  784

  366

  851

  420

  East Dyfed

  452

  88

  464

  115

  461

  118

  511

  137

  581

  157

  627

  169

  652

  194

  Gwent

  682

  406

  707

  486

  715

  477

  764

  502

  770

  532

  796

  544

  803

  544

  Gwynedd

  436

  140

  438

  165

  429

  164

  460

  177

  469

  158

  506

  159

  572

  173

  Mid Glamorgan

  880

  279

  889

  349

  883

  342

  921

  367

  1,010

  384

  1,047

  402

  1,056

  425

  Powys

  138

  29

  181

  37

  181

  43

  190

  47

  208

  61

  236

  55

  242

  67

  South Glamorgan

  1,019

  531

  1,128

  600

  1,207

  665

  1,222

  675

  1,266

  718

  1,355

  776

  1,471

  848

  West Glamorgan

  620

  205

  681

  261

  722

  255

  767

  295

  840

  298

  847

  332

  897

  365

  1 At 30 September.

  2 Including staff performing clinically related duties.

  2Including senior managers whose conditions were restructured and included in 1989–90 to accommodate second and third level managers from all disciplines.

  Water Disconnections
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what evidence he has of a connection between cases of hepatitis and dysentery and the disconnection of household water supplies.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Dysentery and hepatitis A are commonly spread by direct contact between individuals. I am aware of no evidence of a direct causal association between cases of hepatitis and dysentery and the disconnection of household water supplies.

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many farmers are in receipt of hill livestock compensatory allowance payments in(a) severely disadvantaged areas and (b) disadvantaged areas in each county in Wales containing less favoured area land.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The numbers who received HLCAs in 1992 were as follows:

  Throughput 1991

  County

  Number of Livestock

  Store Cattle

  Store Sheep

  Store Pigs

  Calves

  Prime Cattle

  Prime Sheep

  Prime Pigs

  Total Cattle

  Total Sheep

  Total Pigs

  Calves

  Total Livestock

  Clwyd

  17,506

  98,356

  1,351

  12,951

  28,122

  723,494

  9,648

  45,628

  821,850

  10,999

  12,951

  891,428

  Dyfed

  64,992

  188,217

  0

  65,622

  53,693

  425,157

  3,470

  1,118,686

  613,374

  3,470

  65,622

  801,151

  Glamorgan

  4,610

  71,425

  0

  1,442

  10,907

  100,090

  23

  15,517

  171,515

  23

  1,442

  188,497

  Gwent

  26,036

  24,402

  6

  7,821

  8,492

  215,389

  0

  34,528

  239,791

  6

  7,821

  282,146

  Gwynedd

  39,183

  198,951

  638

  4,177

  22,291

  546,049

  0

  61,474

  745,000

  638

  4,177

  811,289

  Powys

  68,209

  252,368

  6,865

  4,621

  24,418

  1,249,810

  5,851

  92,627

  1,502,176

  12,716

  4,621

  1,612,142

  Total for Wales

  220,536

  833,719

  8,860

  96,634

  147,923

  3,259,989

  18,992

  368,459

  4,093,706

  27,852

  96,634

  4,586,653

  Psychogeriatric Care Beds
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the total in each district health authority of NHS funded psychogeriatric continuing care beds currently available;

  (2) how many psychogeriatric continuing care beds are funded by the NHS in the independent sector in each district health authority;
  458

  Severely disadvantaged areas

  Disadvantaged areas

  Clwyd

  1,464

  100

  Dyfed

  2,315

  2,268

  Gwent

  407

  371

  Gwynedd

  1,912

  1,001

  Mid Glamorgan

  453

  51

  Powys

  3,809

  327

  South Glamorgan

  6

  1

  West Glamorgan

  276

  85

  Total

  10,642

  4,204

  Livestock Auctions
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the turnover in terms of value, of livestock auctions for each county in Wales; and how many auctions account for that value in each county.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I do not have this information. However, the Livestock Auctioneers' Market Committee for England and Wales calculates information on throughput by county and these are shown in the following table:

  (3) how many NHS funded psychogeriatric continuing care beds were available in 1980, 1985 and 1990 in each health authority.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The available information does not distinguish between continuing care, acute and assessment beds, but the average numbers of daily available psychogeriatric beds for the years specified and for the latest available year were as follows:
  459

  1980

  1985

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Clywd

  10·3

  10·0

  91·5

  94·2

  East Dyfed

  —

  34·0

  165·0

  137·2

  Gwent

  239·0

  338·0

  327·0

  338·9

  Gwynedd

  —

  9·0

  73·0

  75·4

  Mid Glamorgan

  26·5

  56·0

  521·3

  449·8

  Pembrokeshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Powys

  —

  —

  13·0

  101·3

  South Glamorgan

  —

  —

  229·4

  229·0

  West Glamorgan

  —

  38·9

  181·5

  235·8

  Wales

  275·8

  485·9

  1,601·6

  1,661·5

  The apparent large increase in beds between 1980 and 1990–91 is principally due to a reclassification of mental illness beds following the recognition of psychogeriatrics as a separate specialty by the royal colleges in 1989.

  Information on the numbers of such beds funded by the NHS in Wales in the independent sector is not held centrally.

  Respite Care Beds
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many respite care beds are provided in each district health authority; what is the waiting time; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The requested information is not available centrally.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his anwer of 18 March,Official Report, column 331, on what date the postponed inward investment mission to Japan by the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency is now expected to take place.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In June.

  Homes for the Elderly
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of beds in each county, in county council homes for the elderly.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The most recently available information on the number of places in local authority residential homes for the elderly is shown in the following table.

  Number of places at 31 March 1992

  Clwyd

  676

  Dyfed

  1,041

  Gwent

  953

  Gwynedd

  786

  Mid Glamorgan

  1,211

  Powys

  428

  South Glamorgan

  293

  West Glamorgan

  698

  Continuing Care Provision
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the likely future provision for continuing care in district health authorities, instancing the likely number of beds.
  460
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information is not available centrally.

  Elderly People
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in each district health authority are aged 65 years and over.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The 1991 mid year estimate of the population aged 65 and over in each district health authority in Wales is shown in the following table:

  Thousands

  Clwyd

  73·6

  East Dyfed

  46·3

  Pembrokeshire

  19·5

  Gwent

  72·0

  Gwynedd

  47·1

  Mid Glamorgan

  84·7

  Powys

  22·5

  South Glamorgan

  63·7

  West Glamorgan

  65·3

  Source: Registrar General's Provisional 1991 Mid Year Estimate of Resident Population.

  My algic Encephalomyelitis
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research is being conducted in hospitals or medical research centres in Wales into myalgic encephalomyelitis.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office is funding no such research. Information on research projects that may be funded from other sources is not held centrally.

  Tourism
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many visits of four nights' duration or longer were undertaken by British tourists within Wales in each year since 1985.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The number of visits of four nights' duration or longer by British tourists within Wales is given in the following table:

  millions

  Year

  Visitors

  11985

  5·0

  11986

  5·3

  11987

  4·8

  11988

  3·9

  21989

  4·1

  21990

  3·6

  21991

  4·1

  Sources:

  1 British Tourism Survey (monthly).

  2 United Kingdom Tourism Survey.
  461
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of tourists in Wales in each year since 1985 took part in(a) hill walking/mountaineering, (b) sea fishing, (c) other water sports, (d) riding/pony trekking, (e) pleasure motoring and (f) other activities; and what information he has on what proportion of tourists in each case were (i) British domestic tourists, (ii) European overseas visitors and (iii) visitors from the rest of the world.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information requested is available only for British tourists since 1989. These figures are shown in the following table.

  Activities pursued on holiday1

  1989

  1990

  1991

  All holiday trips (millions)

  6·5

  6·0

  6·6

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  No particular activity

  42

  46

  48

  Any activities, of which

  58

  54

  52

  hill-walking/mountaineering2

  29

  24

  23

  sea fishing

  3

  4

  4

  other water sports3

  29

  30

  28

  riding/pony trekking

  2

  2

  2

  pleasure motoring

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  other activities

  47

  50

  46

  Source: United Kingdom Tourism Survey.

  1 The activities do not add up to 100 per cent. due to some people being classified under more than one activity.

  2 Includes: hiking, rambling, orienteering, rock climbing, abseiling, caving and potholing.

  3 Includes: coarse or game fishing, water skiing, power boating, swimming, yachting, boating, canoeing, windsurfing and other sailing.

  Average Band C council tax in Wales, 1993–941

  £

  District purposes2

  Community purposes (average)

  County purposes

  Average Band C Council Tax

  Counties:

  Clwyd

  45

  14

  275

  334

  Dyfed

  33

  21

  261

  315

  Gwent

  46

  6

  224

  276

  Gwynedd

  53

  9

  234

  296

  Mid Glamorgan

  37

  10

  211

  258

  Powys

  43

  11

  216

  270

  South Glamorgan

  52

  7

  202

  260

  West Glamorgan

  41

  9

  272

  322

  Districts:

  Alyn and Deeside

  45

  20

  275

  340

  Colwyn

  44

  2

  275

  322

  Delyn

  49

  16

  275

  339

  Glyndwr

  34

  10

  275

  320

  Rhuddlan

  48

  12

  275

  336

  Wrexham Maelor

  45

  19

  275

  340

  Carmarthen

  20

  29

  262

  310

  Ceredigion

  43

  14

  262

  318

  Dinefwr

  40

  9

  262

  310

  Llanelli

  48

  48

  258

  354

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  29

  11

  262

  302

  South Pembrokeshire

  13

  15

  262

  290

  Blaenau Gwent

  38

  5

  226

  269

  Islwyn

  46

  0

  225

  272

  Monmouth

  47

  10

  226

  282

  Newport

  54

  1

  222

  277

  Torfaen

  40

  13

  226

  278

  Aberconwy

  54

  7

  234

  295

  Arfon

  47

  12

  234

  292

  Dwyfor

  40

  6

  234

  279

  Data Protection Act 1984
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many certificates have been signed under the terms of section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984 for each year since 1987.

  Mr. David Hunt
  None.

  Ancient Monuments Board for Wales
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to publish the 37th annual report of the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The 37th annual report of the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales has been published today. The report covers the financial year 1990–91 and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide details of the council tax set by local authorities in Wales for 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The average council tax for a band C property set by local authorities in Wales for 1993–94 is £292. This is before account is taken of exemptions and discount under the new system. Around two-thirds of properties in Wales are within band C and the lower valuation bands A and B. Details of the band C council tax set by each county and district council in Wales are in the following table:
  463

  District purposes2

  Community purposes (average)

  County purposes

  Average BandC Council Tax

  Meirionnydd

  65

  8

  234

  307

  Ynys Môn

  55

  13

  234

  301

  Cynon Valley

  45

  1

  209

  255

  Merthyr Tydfil

  41

  1

  209

  251

  Ogwr

  35

  7

  211

  253

  Rhondda

  40

  0

  209

  249

  Rhymney Valley

  35

  9

  211

  256

  Taff Ely

  31

  35

  211

  276

  Brocknock

  45

  18

  216

  279

  Montgomeryshire

  42

  9

  216

  267

  Radnorshire

  41

  6

  216

  264

  Cardiff

  56

  1

  202

  258

  Vale of Glamorgan

  43

  20

  202

  265

  Port Talbot

  39

  2

  272

  313

  Lliw Valley

  25

  16

  272

  313

  Neath

  43

  27

  272

  342

  Swansea

  46

  3

  272

  321

  Wales

  43

  11

  237

  292

  1 Provisional. After taking into account surpluses/deficits on collection funds.

  2 For counties, district figures are the averages of the tax levels for all districts within the county.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Catering Facilities (Visitors)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Enright) of 22 February,Official Report, column 439 what plans his Committee now has to arrange for catering facilities to be available to visitors to the Palace; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  The Committee hopes to report to the House on this matter soon after the Easter recess.

  Young Enterprise (Exhibition)
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to "Young Enterprise—30th Anniversary of Business Practice in Education" to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Michael Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 7 to 11 June.

  Sittings of the House
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what actions he proposes to take to implement the recommendations of the Select Committee on Sittings of the House of Session 1991–92.

  Mr. Newton
  Discussions are continuing through the usual channels.

PRIME MINISTER

  Environment
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister in how many instances papers for Cabinet and for ministerial committees have included a note of significant costs or benefits to the environment, during the course of the past year.

  The Prime Minister
  "Questions of Procedure for Ministers", published in May 1992, states that memoranda circulated to Cabinet or a ministerial committee should, where appropriate, cover any significant costs or benefits to the environment—paragraph 1.2. I do not propose to give details of papers considered by Cabinet or Cabinet Committees.

  Nuclear Proliferation
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what matters in regard to the control of nuclear proliferation were discussed at his meeting with the President of Turkmenistan on 29 March.

  The Prime Minister
  During our discussions President Niyazov confirmed to me that all nuclear weapons had been withdrawn from Turkmenistan, in accordance with an agreement between Turkemenistan and Russia.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister whether he discussed(a) the prospects of Pakistan joining the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and (b) the risks of nuclear proliferation in Asia during his meeting with his Pakistani counterpart on 29 March.

  The Prime Minister
  Nawaz Sharif and I discussed these matters briefly. The Pakistan Government are well aware of our views.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) of 29 March,Official Report, column 46, if he will set out the reasons underlying the assessment of the indefinite extension of the non-proliferation treaty as being in the interests of all signatories.
  465
  The Prime Minister
  The prevention of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction is vital to the security of the whole world. We believe that the non-proliferation treaty represents the best available means of preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and that therefore t is in the interests of all states parties to secure the indefinite extension of the treaty in 1995.

  Question Time
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy when announcing his engagements to Parliament in Question Time to give details of the persons he has met and plans to meet and the meetings he has attended and plans to attend that day.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Prime Minister how many of the appointments made by him as listed in "Public Bodies 1992" came within the categories set out in paragraphs 49 and 50 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers".

  The Prime Minister
  Paragraphs 49 and 50 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" cannot concern such appointments as they cover the need for Ministers to consult me on appointments which they make.

  Egypt
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Prime Minister what levels of United Kingdom aid Egypt will receive during 1993–94; what account, in allocating this aid, is taken of the Egyptian Government's human rights record; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Current commitments for 1993–94 are some £5·3 million. We are working with the Egyptian Government to develop new projects in support of economic reform, the environment and education. Human rights and good government are factors which the Government take into account in determining their aid policy.

HEALTH

  Chairmen and Directors
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by(a) regional health authority, (b) district health authority, (c) family health service authority and (d) hospital trusts in England the total emoluments and expenses paid to (i) chairmen and (ii) non-executive directors in 1991–92.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information for 1991–92, as reported in annual accounts and financial returns submitted to the Department, has been placed in the Library.

  Mental Illness
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the national average cost of caring for a mentally ill person in(a) a mental illness hospital, (b) a general hospital psychiatric unit, (c) a four to six bed group home, (d) a staffed hospital and (e) in the patients's own home.
  466
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average revenue cost of a mentally ill person who has been moved out of hospitals into a small care in the community home; what was the corresponding revenue cost when the person concerned was in a hospital; and what is the average capital cost of the move.

  Mr. Yeo
  This information is not available centrally. Specialty cost returns submitted to the Department for 1991–92 indicate the average daily cost for patients using a bed—in-patients and day cases—for the mental illness specialty was £122. This figure, which is provisional, is inclusive of treatment, accommodation and overhead costs.

  Mentally Ill Offenders
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration she has given to the Reed report about health services for mentally ill offenders.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Teignbridge (Mr. Nicholls) on 27 November 1992 at columns 873–74. We have endorsed the main principles set out in the report of the Department of Health/Home Office review of services for mentally disordered offenders. The White Paper on "The Health of the Nation" requires health authorities to include these services in their strategic and purchasing plans. Capital funding for medium secure psychiatric services has been further increased from £17 million in 1992–93 to £22·4 million in 1993–94. We are still considering a number of the detailed recommendations in the report. We will be assisted by the new national advisory committee on mentally disordered offenders whose membership was recently announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

  Anaesthetics
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what, assessment she has made of the annual savings achieved in the NHS sector by the prescribing of short-acting anaesthetics enabling patients requiring minor surgery to be treated at out-patient day clinics rather than being admitted to hospital.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has made no specific assessment. General anaesthesia is not routinely administered in out-patient clinics. Patients requiring minor surgery under general anaesthesia are normally admitted as day cases or as in-patients.

  Mental Handicap
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the revenue cost per head from the Croydon health district area for mentally handicapped people in the very challenging category; and what were the previous costs in hospitals.

  Mr. Yeo
  This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mrs. Adrienne Fresko, chairman of Croydon district health authority for details.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the appointments made by her as listed in "Public Bodies 1992" came within the categories set out in
  467
  paragraphs 49 and 50 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" and required a submission to the Prime Minister.

  Mr. Sackville
  Ten of the appointments made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State as listed in "Public Bodies 1992" came within these categories and required a submission to the Prime Minister.

  Medicines (Safety Tests)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which safety tests for potential new medicines are carried out on human cells in vitro rather than on animals.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  One type of safety testing that is appropriate for most new medicines involves assaying for mutagenic potential. The purpose of the test is to discover whether a substance may cause change in the genetic material which could be inherited by future generations of cells or individuals.

  Three of the routine screening assays are performed in vitro with bacteria or mammalian, including human, cells as the target system. Specifically, human lymphocytes are used to ascertain whether the test substance is capable of producing chromosome breakage or other aberrations such as deletion of sections of chromosome. In second line testing, when confirmation of routine assay effects is required, procedures for measuring chromosome exchange and unscheduled DNA synthesis are employed. These may also use human cell lines in vitro to achieve their objective.

  The safety of, for example, monoclonal antibody carriers of toxic cancer therapy agents can be tested by determining specificity of tissue affinity, using human material in vitro.

  Carnegie Report
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the forthcoming publication of the report of the Carnegie inquiry into the third age in relation to life, work and livelihood.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department of Health has maintained close links with the Carnegie inquiry throughout the study and I am looking forward to studying the final report. We will be giving the fullest consideration to its findings and their implications for future policy.

  The development of services for older people is one of the Government's priority areas. Spending on hospital and community health services in England used mainly by elderly people has increased during the life of the present Government by 41 per cent. in real terms and by about 40 per cent. in the personal social services.

  Older people will be one of the groups who will benefit most from the changes to the health service and from the community care reforms. The reforms will mean better assessment of individual needs and better targeted care. The special needs of older people and their carers will now be fully reflected in the planning and purchasing of services.

  The Department also has co-ordinating responsibility within the United Kingdom for the European Year of Older People and Solidarity between Generations. A seminar on the implications of the Carnegie inquiry will form part of the core programme of events organised to mark the year. We are also promoting many initiatives as part of the year which closely reflect recommendations
  468
  made in the Carnegie report. Work on the European year involves extensive liaison across Government Departments and with a wide range of voluntary, statutory and professional bodies.

  We have made widely available the Department's publication, "Health and Healthy Living: A Guide for Older People", and have taken a number of steps to promote activities which help to keep older people free of sickness and disability. All the key areas in the White Paper "The Health of the Nation" are relevant to older people and we are looking at ways to take this work forward with special reference to the needs of the older age groups.

  Dentists
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence she has as to the frequency with which people over the age of 65 years visit a dentist, and as to the factors which influence this frequency.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The evidence held indicates that there is no set pattern of dental attendance among those over age 65 and that the factors which influence the frequency of their attendance are varied.

  Hospital Charges
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has as to which other EC countries have(a) no hospital charges per day for any in-patient and (b) no charges for being seen by a general practitioner.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In the state health care sector, hospital in-patient services are provided without daily charges being levied in Denmark, Greece, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Free general practitioner consultations are available in Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Spain and for almost all the population in Denmark. Details are in leaflet T4 "Health Advice for Travellers" available in post offices and the Library.

  Brain Cancer
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she funds into possible links between pesticides commonly used in household sprays and childhood brain cancer; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. The main body through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which is funded by the Office of Science and Technology.

  We are not aware of any research into this issue in the United Kingdom. Before any pesticide is approved for use it must be approved by Ministers who will have consulted the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, a statutory body of independent experts.

  The recently published study in America which is reported as suggesting an association between childhood brain cancer and pesticide usage will be considered by the Department's professional staff and if necessary the expert advisory committees.

  Community Care
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will meet the Association of Directors of Social Services to discuss their criticisms of the
  469
  Department's guidelines in regard to assessing the community care needs of elderly disabled people and people who are mentally ill and the association's urgent call for more precise guidance; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  I met the Association of Directors of Social Services last month, as did the chief inspector of the Department's social services inspectorate. On neither occasion was the need for an urgent meeting on this guidance raised.

  Helicopter Ambulance
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions in each of the last four years the helicopter ambulance has landed on school premises in the Greater London area; and if she will list which schools.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Martin Gorham, chief executive of the London ambulance service, for details.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many emergency calls have been received by the helicopter ambulance service in London in each of the past four years; on how many occasions a patient has been air-lifted to hospital; and if she will list which hospitals.

  Mr Sackville
  In the period April 1991 to April 1992, 331 calls were answered by the helicopter emergency medical service. No other information is available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr Martin Gorham, chief executive of the London ambulance service, for further details.

  Fuel Oil Duty
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate she has made of the additional costs faced by the national health service resulting from the increase of fuel oil duty announced in the Budget; and if she will make it her policy to ensure that patient care is not diminished through the budget reductions necessary to meet the increased costs.

  (2) what is the expected cost to Staffordshire ambulance trust of the increased duty announced in the Budget on petrol and diesel fuel; and whether she expects the costs to be passed on to its client health authorities.

  Mr. Sackville
  The effect of the increased fuel duty is expected to add less than 0·05 per cent. to health service costs, depending on other developments in the fuel market. Indeed, since the budget one petrol company has reduced its prices by 9p a gallon. Authorities are expected to manage cost pressures within existing resource allocations and obtain best value for money through current management processes.

  The estimated increased cost for the Staffordshire ambulance trust is £6,000. The trust will not increase prices to purchasers.

  Perinatal Deaths
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library a copy of the report commissioned by Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale health authority into perinatal deaths by Professor Barker.
  470
  Mr. Sackville
  The report referred to is a local report commissioned by Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale district health authority and North Western regional health authority, and is not yet complete. Publication will be a matter for the DHA.

  Hospices
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was allocated by her Department to each region for the funding of hospices in 1992–93; and how much money was allocated in 1992–93 by regional health authorities to hospices.

  Mr. Sackville
  Since 1990–91, the Government have allocated funds annually to regional health authorities in England specifically to increase the support they give to voluntary hospices. In 1992–93 £31·7 million was made available for hospice funding. Additionally, since 1991–92, funds have been provided to ensure the supply of drugs to hospices without charge. The allocation for 1992–93 was £5·5 million. The combined allocation to each region was:

  Region

  Amount £000

  Northern

  2,329

  Yorkshire

  2,892

  Trent

  3,443

  East Anglian

  1,589

  North West Thames

  2,469

  North East Thames

  2,807

  South East Thames

  3,233

  South West Thames

  2,473

  Wessex

  2,513

  Oxford

  1,737

  South Western

  2,835

  West Midlands

  3,828

  Mersey

  1,940

  North Western

  3,105

  Information on how much individual regions make available to hospices is not available centrally.

  Asthma
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what actions have been taken by her Department to monitor asthma levels among children in London; what further research is planned; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not routinely collected. In 1992 the Department set up a Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants under the chairmanship of Professor Stephen Holgate. The committee has recently set up a sub-group on asthma and air pollution to look at asthma trends and geographical variations, to consider what effect air pollutants might be having on asthma rates and to recommend research objectives.

  Drug or Alcohol Dependency
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she intends to issue new guidance regarding ordinary residence with respect to potential users of drug or alcohol dependency services.

  Mr. Yeo
  Guidance on ordinary residence for people requiring social services, which includes this client group, was issued this week. A copy will be placed in the Library.
  471
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a list of comparable costs of providing a residential place in(a) a residential unit for drug dependency, (b) a rehabilitation unit for alcohol dependency and (c) a local prison.

  Mr. Yeo
  The standing conference on drug abuse produces a guide for services for drug and alcohol rehabilitation and has indicated that the costs of residential rehabilitation care range from £280 to over £1,000 per person per week depending on the locality and the type and level of care provided.

  I understand from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department that the cost for a place in local prisons and adult remand centres is £437 per week and for the generality of all prisons £442 per week.

  NHS Management
  Sir Michael Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give, in real terms, the salary cost of all grades of management/administrators employed within

  HCHS - Salaries and wages costs

  Administrative and clerical staff

  General and senior managers

  £ thousand (cash)

  £ thousand at 1992–93 prices

  Real terms percentage change on 1980–81

  £ thousand (cash)

  £ thousand at 1992–93 prices

  Total

  £ thousand at 1992–93 prices

  Real terms percentage change on 1980–81

  1980–81

  603,565

  1,220,227

  0

  0

  0

  603,565

  1,220,227

  0

  1981–82

  662,774

  1,221,897

  0·14

  0

  0

  662,774

  1,221,897

  0·14

  1982–83

  677,736

  1,166,431

  -4·41

  0

  0

  677,736

  1,166,431

  -4·41

  1983–84

  709,885

  1,167,697

  -4·30

  0

  0

  709,885

  1,167,697

  -4·30

  1984–85

  760,058

  1,189,901

  -2·49

  0

  0

  760,058

  1,189,901

  -2·49

  1985–86

  761,615

  1,130,610

  -7·34

  10,951

  16,257

  772,566

  1,146,867

  -6·01

  1986–87

  815,269

  1,172,504

  -3·91

  25,677

  36,928

  840,946

  1,209,432

  -0·88

  1987–88

  885,145

  1,206,630

  -1·11

  29,647

  40,415

  914,792

  1,247,044

  2·20

  1988–89

  979,254

  1,244,328

  1·98

  30,513

  38,773

  1,009,767

  1,283,101

  5·15

  1989–90

  1,038,857

  1,238,453

  1·49

  158,844

  189,399

  1,197,501

  1,427,852

  17·02

  1990–91

  1,187,029

  1,310,397

  7·39

  251,475

  277,611

  1,438,504

  1,588,008

  30·14

  1991–92

  1,382,756

  1,431,155

  17·29

  383,380

  396,798

  1,766,138

  1,827,953

  49·80

  Notes:

  1. HCHS covers the total expenditure by the health authorities (and the NHS Trusts) including hospital, community health, patient transport (ie ambulance), blood transfusion and other services.

  2. The figures are the gross pay costs of directly employed staff including employers' National Insurance and superannuation contributions.

  3. The figures have been expressed at 1992–93 prices by the use of Gross Domestic Product deflators.

  4. The table excludes salaries and wages costs incurred by family health services authorities and special health authorities providing central services to the NHS. However, the figures for administrative and clerical staff for the years prior to 1985–86 cover those staff employed by family practitioners committees whose costs were included with those of area health authorities and were not separately identified.

  Source: Annual accounts (1982–83 to 1990–91) and annual financial returns (1991–92) of regional and district health authorities in England and those of the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals. Annual accounts of area health and other predecessor authorities (1980–81 and 1981–82). Annual financial returns of the first wave NHS Trusts (1991–92).

  Deaths
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will publish a table showing for each year from 1979(a) the number of deaths that were expected annually in each health region and (b) the number of actual deaths that occurred in each health region using (i) England as standard, (ii) Wessex region as standard and (iii) northern region as standard;

  (2) if she will publish a table showing for each year from 1979 (a) the number of deaths of those under 75 years that were expected annually in each health region and (b) the number of actual deaths of those under 75
  472
  the national health service in each year since 1980, and also give this figure as an annual percentage using 1980 as the base.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 9 March 1993]: Information on hospital and community health services in England is shown in the table. Those for 1991–92 are provisional.

  The administrative and clerical pay group covers a wide variety of staff including senior ambulance officers, some departmental managers, ward clerks, medical secretaries and medical records staff in addition to clerical and secretarial staff. Many A and C staff are employed to support clinicians and others concerned with the direct provision of patient services.

  General and senior managers comprise a separate pay category which was not established until 1986. Its adoption throughout the national health service occurred over a period of some years and its numbers include many employees re-classified from other pay groups including senior nursing staff.

  years that occurred in each health region using (i) England as standard, (ii) Wessex region as standard and (iii) northern region as standard.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 22 March 1993]: The information requested has been placed in the Library. Expected numbers of deaths were calculated using population estimates for 1979–90, based on the 1981 census, and on the provisional estimates for 1991, based on the 1991 census.

  North East Thames Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what amount of public money per head of the population was spent in each of the districts of the North East Thames regional health authority in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 30 March 1993]: The information on revenue expenditure per head of population is shown in the table.

  Revenue expenditure per head of population—North East Thames district health authorities—£(cash)

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Basildon & Thurrock

  185

  210

  230

  245

  307

  Mid Essex

  199

  219

  237

  255

  319

  North East Essex

  202

  220

  236

  247

  337

  West Essex

  175

  200

  222

  239

  326

  Southend

  161

  180

  199

  219

  279

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood

  189

  207

  220

  237

  343

  Hampstead

  592

  688

  729

  799

  576

  City and Hackney

  483

  543

  574

  612

  572

  Newham

  227

  253

  273

  299

  460

  Tower Hamlets

  485

  542

  588

  613

  487

  Enfield

  166

  187

  200

  214

  368

  Haringey

  270

  293

  337

  363

  449

  Redbridge

  193

  219

  235

  245

  384

  Waltham Forest

  288

  328

  359

  390

  448

  Bloomsbury and Islington

  655

  738

  791

  818

  736

  Sources:

  (a) Annual accounts of district health authorities (and predecessor authorites in the case of Bloomsbury and Islington)—1987–88 to 1991–92.

  (b) Mid-year estimates of resident population—1987 to 1991 (Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys).

  Notes:

  1. The figures for the DHAs are based upon their total revenue expenditure on the services which they managed or accounted for in the relevant financial years. Those for 1991–92 cover their total revenue expenditure including that on purchases of health care and directly related services, administrative and purchasing functions and other expenditure.

  2. Capital expenditure incurred by the DHAs and all expenditure incurred by the North East Thames Regional Health Authority is excluded. Expenditure on family health services, which is accounted for by Family Health Services Authorities and cannot strictly be attributed to particular districts, is similarly excluded.

  3. The population figures used make no allowance for residents of particular districts who receive treatment in others. The figures used for mid 1991 are provisional and based on the 1991 census.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Tax payers
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer of 25 February,Official Report, column 690, on the number of taxpayers, giving estimates for 1993–94.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Latest estimates for 1992–93 and 1993–94 are given in the table. The figures for 1992–93 have been revised in line with more recent information. Taxpayers

  Thousands

  Male

  Female

  All tax payers

  Single

  Married

  Single

  Married

  aged under 65

  aged 65 and over

  aged under 65

  aged 65 and over

  aged under 65

  aged 65 and over

  aged under 65

  aged 65 and over

  1992–93 taxpayers

  Lower rate taxpayers

  660

  200

  300

  310

  730

  370

  1,100

  70

  3,900

  Basic rate taxpayers

  4,200

  260

  6,800

  650

  2,700

  500

  3,800

  260

  19,200

  Higher rate taxpayers

  240

  20

  1,100

  60

  90

  30

  100

  20

  1,600

  All taxpayers

  5,100

  480

  8,200

  1,000

  3,600

  910

  4,900

  550

  24,700

  1993–94 taxpayers

  Lower rate taxpayers

  830

  240

  440

  380

  870

  460

  1,300

  320

  4,900

  Basic rate taxpayers

  4,000

  230

  6,500

  580

  2,600

  440

  3,400

  230

  18,000

  Higher rate taxpayers

  250

  20

  1,100

  60

  90

  30

  90

  20

  1,600

  All taxpayers

  5,100

  490

  8,100

  1,000

  3.5

  920

  4,800

  560

  24,500

  474
  The district health authorities' figures for 1991–92 are nor comparable with those for earlier years as they show the authorities primarily as purchasers rather that providers of health care. The figures for DHAs will vary reflecting a transitional position as the North East Thames regional health authority moves towards allocation funds to DHAs on a weighted capitation basis. Figures for total spending per capita include other resources, such as regional budgets and local income, in addition to allocations for resident population.

  are classified as lower rate, basic rate or higher rate by comparing their taxable income with the lower rate and basic rate limits. Taxable income is defined as gross income less those allowances and reliefs which are available at taxpayers' marginal rates. In the earlier answer mortgage interest relief at source was deducted from taxable income in classifying taxpayers as basic or lower rate. However, as MIRAS is given at a single rate, and does not affect the taxpayer's marginal rate, it is more helpful for this purpose to disregard it. The effect of the definition now adopted is to reduce slightly the estimated number of lower rate taxpayers.
  475
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the information given in tables 5.6 and 5.8 of the autumn statement 1992 on the basis of changes announced in the Budget.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The table updates the information contained in table 5.6 of the Autumn Statement and shows the cost/yield in 1993–94 of illustrative tax changes implemented at the start of the year (receipts basis) and the corresponding cost/yield once the full effect of the changes come through (the full year basis) after taking into account the tax changes proposed in the Budget. Detailed information for the effect of the complete range of ready reckoner changes in 1994–95 is not yet available but will be published in "Inland Revenue Statistics" during the summer.

  The estimates of the direct effects of illustrative changes in indirect taxes given in table 5.8 are broadly unchanged.

  Table 6 Direct effects of illustrative changes in direct taxes1

  Income tax2

  £ million cost/yeild Receipts

  1993–94 Full year

  Rates

  Change lower rate by lp

  320

  380

  Change basic rate by lp

  1,300

  1,500

  Change higher rate by lp

  190

  330

  Allowances

  Change personal allowance by £100

  450

  550

  Change age-related personal allowances by £1003

  40

  55

  Change married couple's allowance by £1004

  180

  230

  Change age-related married couple's allowances by £1003

  14

  18

  Change aged income limit by £500

  6

  10

  Change all main allowances by 1 per cent.5

  210

  260

  Change all main allowances by 10 per cent.:5

  increase (cost)

  2,050

  2,575

  decrease (yield)

  2,150

  2,675

  Lower rate band

  Increase lower rate band by 10 per cent.5

  190

  240

  Basic rate limit

  Change basic rate limit by 1 per cent.5

  40

  60

  Change basic rate limit by 10 per cent.:5

  increase (cost)

  360

  530

  decrease (yield)

  470

  670

  Allowances, lower rate band and basic rate limit

  Change all main allowances, lower rate band and basic rate limit by 1 per cent.5

  270

  340

  Change all main allowances, lower rate band and basic rate limit by 10 per cent.:5

  increase (cost)

  2,575

  3,300

  decrease (yield)

  2,850

  3,650

  Corporation tax6

  Change full rate by 1 percentage point Change small companies' rate by 1

  330

  460

  percentage point7

  65

  100

  Capital gains tax8

  476

  Income tax2

  £ million costjyeild Receipts

  1993–94 Full year

  Change annual exempt amount by £500 for individuals and £250 for trusts

  0

  11

  Inheritance tax8

  Change rate by 1 percentage point

  11

  34

  Increase threshold by £5,000

  12

  36

  1 The estimated revenue effects of changes on receipts are rounded. The extent of rounding reflects the desire to avoid undue compounding of its effects when numbers are pro-rated, rather then the accuracy of the estiamtes.

  2 The figures for income tax changes include consequential effects on the yield of capital gains tax. Changes are assumed to take effect from April 1993.

  3 Allowances for those aged 65 to 74 and aged 75 and over.

  4 Figures include revenue effects of changing additional personal allowance and widow's bereavement allowance by £100.

  5 Percentage changes are calculated with reference to 1993–94 levels.

  6 Assessment to corporation tax normally relates to the preceding year. These estimates are the changes to revenue that would occur if the changed rates were applied to profits from 1 April 1992.

  7 These figures ignore effects arising from the imputition system.

  8 These changes are assumed to take effect from April 1993.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer of 25 February,Official Report, column 688, on the number of taxpayers who pay tax at the rate of 20 per cent. only, giving estimates for 1993–94.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Latest estimates for 1993–94 indicate that about 4·9 million taxpayers will pay tax only at the lowest rate of 20 per cent. Their average gross income will be about £5,300 and average taxable income (defined as gross income less those allowances and reliefs which are available at the taxpayer"s marginal rate) will be £1,200.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate for 1993–94 the number of people with(a) taxable income and (b) other income who have no tax liability, giving figures separately for (i) families with children, (ii) childless couples, (iii) single people and (iv) pensioners and non-pensioners.

  Mr. Dorell
  The estimated numbers of taxpayers and non-taxpayers for 1993–94 are shown in the table. The estimates in the first table are based on a projection of the 1990–91 Survey of Personal Incomes and estimates of the total population. Information on types of family is derived from a number of sources including the 1991 Family Expenditure Survey and the estimates are approximate.

  (millions)

  Taxpayers

  Non-taxpayers

  People aged 65 or over

  3·0

  6·2

  People aged over 16 but less than 65

  21·5

  15·4

  (millions)

  Families with children1

  Childless couples

  Single people without children

  Two taxpayers

  2·0

  3·1

  —

  One taxpayer

  2·9

  1·9

  9·6

  No taxpayers

  2·2

  2·5

  8·8

  1 Includes 1·4 million lone parents.

  477
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures estimating the number of taxpayers in 1993–94 with(a) gross and (b) taxable incomes in the following income ranges: (i) under £5,000, (ii) £5,000 to £10,000, (iii) £10,000 to £15,000, (iv) £15,000 to £20,000 (v) £20,000 to £25,000 (vi) £25,000 to £30,000, (vii) £30,000 to £40,000, (viii) £40,000 to £50,000, (ix) £50,000 to to £70,000, (x) £70,000 to £80,000 and (xi) over £80,000.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Latest estimates are given in the table:

  Thousands

  Number of taxpayers by range of

  1Gross income

  2Taxable income

  Under £5,000

  2,200

  9,100

  £5,000 to £10,000

  7,600

  6,600

  £10,000 to £15,000

  6,100

  4,000

  £15,000 to £20,000

  3,700

  2,300

  £20,000 to £25,000

  2,200

  1,000

  £25,000 to £30,000

  1,100

  490

  £30,000 to £40,000

  860

  470

  £40,000 to £50,000

  320

  200

  £50,000 to £70,000

  230

  150

  £70,000 to £80,000

  50

  30

  over £80,000

  140

  110

  Total taxpayers

  24,500

  24,500

  1 Gross income is defined as total income for income tax purposes. It excludes income from certain social security benefits and some investment income such as National Savings Certificates.

  2Taxable income is defined as gross for income tax purposes less those allowances and reliefs which are available at the taxpayer's marginal rate.

  Value Added Tax
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which items a zero rate for value added tax has been extended since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  Under the terms of the EC Sixth VAT Directive, agreed on 17 May 1977, items which are standard rated for VAT cannot generally be moved to the zero rate. But permissible minor changes which have slightly extended the scope of the reliefs have been made in a number of areas, including reliefs for aids for the handicapped, supplies to and by charities and most recently for certain protective boots and helmets and motor-cycle crash helmets meeting EC standards. A comprehensive list of all such minor changes going back to 1979 could be made only at disproportionate cost.

  Domestic Fuel
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of their budget is spent on fuel by(a) the poorest decile and (b) the richest decile; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  According to the Family Expenditure Survey, over the period 1989 to 1991, expenditure on fuel, light and power accounted for 10¾ per cent. of total expenditure for the bottom decile and 3¼ per cent. of total spending for the top decile.

  Civil Servants(Salaries)
  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money in interest the Government gained by withholding the salaries of 63,000 civil servants for three days in February 1993.

  Sir John Cope
  The Exchequer benefit from the late payment in error of the salaries of some civil servants in the Department of Employment Group at the end of February was approximately £25,000.

  Credit Institutions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the publicly-owned credit institutions in each EEC member state specified in the proposed article 104(2) in the Maastricht treaty to which prohibition in article 104(1) of overdraft and credit facilities to central and local governments does not apply.

  Mr. Nelson
  It would not be possible to provide this list without disproportionate expense. The provision in article 104(2) would enable national central banks and the European central bank to treat publicly-owned credit institutions, in the same way as private credit institutions, in the context of the supply of reserves by central banks. In the absence of this provision, the prohibitions in article 104(1) would prevent the European central bank or national central banks from dealing with publicly-owned credit institutions in normal money market operations, which often involve, for example, the purchase by central banks of short term instruments.

  Bank of England
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how ways and means advances from the Bank of England to Governments operate; and what proposals he has for monetising rather than funding any proportion of the public sector borrowing requirement by means of such advances.

  Mr. Nelson
  The daily flows of cash between the Consolidated Fund and the National Loans Fund may result in either a surplus or a deficit on the National Loans Fund. Where there is a deficit, that deficit is met by ways and means advances from the Bank of England.

  The Government have no intention of monetising rather than funding any proportion of the public sector borrowing requirement by means of such advances.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the prohibition of overdraft facilities with the Bank of England in the proposed article 104 in the Maastricht treaty is proposed to come into effect.

  Mr. Nelson
  Article 104 would come into effect on 1 January 1994. Under paragraph 11 of the protocol on "Certain Provisions relating to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland", the United Kingdom may maintain its ways and means facility with the Bank of England if, and so long as, the United Kingdom does not move to the third stage of economic and monetary union.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recourse he has had to ways and means advances from the Bank of England in each year since 1979; and for what amounts.
  479
  Mr. Nelson
  The level of ways and means advances outstanding fluctuates from day to day. The ways and means advances outstanding on the last working day of each financial year, which includes ways and means advances from the Bank of England, is published in the supplementary statements to the Consolidated Fund and National Loans Fund accounts for that year.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what interest rate is payable on ways and means advances from the Bank of England to(a) central Government, (b) local authorities and (c) nationalised industries.

  Mr. Nelson
  The interest rate payable on ways and means advances to central Government is the band 1 eligible Bill rate. The Bank of England has no ways and means arrangement with either local authorities or nationalised industries.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals for the Bank of England's report of its supervisory functions under the Banking Act 1987 to include details of support operations to authorised banking institutions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  Section 1(3) of the Banking Act 1987 requires the Bank to make an annual report on its activities under the Act. I have no intention of varying these requirements. It is for the Bank of England to decide whether to include in the Banking Act report matters other than its activities under the Act.

  European Monetary Union
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which provisions of stage II of European monetary union apply to the United Kingdom before notice is given under article 1 of the protocol of the Maastricht treaty relating to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Nelson
  All the stage 2 provisions of the Maastricht treaty will apply to the United Kingdom except that, by virtue of paragraph 11 of the United Kingdom protocol, our ways and means facility with the Bank of England can be maintained if and so long as the United Kingdom does not move to the third stage.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons it was considered desirable for the United Kingdom, to retain the ways and means facility, according to paragraph 11 of the Maastricht protocol on provisions relating to the United Kingdom, under stage II of European monetary union.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Government saw no reason to change our existing ways and means arrangements during stage 2 to meet the intention of article 104 in prohibiting monetary financing.

  European Central Bank
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what negotiations his Department has had with European officials over the possible siting of the headquarters of a European central bank in London.

  Mr. Nelson
  The site of the European central bank has been discussed on a number of occasions and my 480
  Department continues to press the strong market case for locating the new European monetary institutions in London.

  Mergers and Divisions (Taxation)
  Sir Michael Grylls
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many EC countries have failed to implement the directive on a common system of taxation of mergers and divisions of parents and subsidiary companies in EC countries.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Commission of the European Communities is responsible for ensuring that member states comply with their obligations to implement Community legislation. Provisions implementing the directives on cross-border mergers and on parent and subsidiary companies in the United Kingdom were included in the Finance (No. 2) Act 1992.

  General Government Expenditure
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a table breaking down the series in line 1, general Government expenditure, of table 2C.2 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1993–94" into its principal components.

  Mr. Portillo
  Table 1.2 of the 1993–94 "Financial Statement and Budget Report" (FSBR) sets out a comparison of the current estimates of the components of spending for 1992–93 with the equivalent forecasts from the 1992–93 Report. Projections for general Government expenditure in the FSBR are consistent with the plans for public expenditure announced in the Autumn Statement. Details of the differences from previous plans for 1993–94 and 1994–95 are set out in section 7 of the Statistical Supplement to the 1992 Autumn Statement (Cm 2219). Similar comparisons for 1995–96 and 1996–97 are not practical, because the projections in table 2A.3 of the 1992–93 edition of the FSBR were compiled on the basis of the planning total, rather than the new control total.

  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to exempt the value of invalidity benefit available to the sufferers of myalgic encephalomyelitis from taxation.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Invalidity benefit is not currently subject to taxation.

  World Economy
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out a table indicating the effect of the changes to the world economy variables in table 3.2 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1993–94" relative to the equivalent table in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1992–93" on his Department's estimates of the public sector borrowing requirement in 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 1 April 1993]: Estimates of their separate effect are not available.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  London Marathon
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what agreement his Department has now reached with the organisers of the London marathon over proposed charges for their use of the royal parks for the event.

  Mr. Key
  The London marathon has agreed to pay the fee of £15,000 for the use of the royal parks.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many of the appointments made by him as listed in "Public Bodies 1992" came within the categories set out in paragraphs 49 and 50 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" and required a submission to the Prime Minister.

  Mr. Brooke
  I am responsible for appointments to the following bodies identified in "Public Bodies 1992":

  Arts Council of Great Britain.

  British Film Institute.

  British Library.

  British Tourist Authority.

  Broadcasting Complaints Commission.

  Broadcasting Standards Council.

  Crafts Council.

  English Tourist Board.

  Football Licensing Authority.

  Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (English Heritage).

  National Film and Television School.

  National Film Development Fund.

  Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites.

  Advisory Committee on the Government Art Collection. Library and Information Services Council.

  Regional Councils for Sport and Recreation.

  Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art. Theatres Trust.

  Independent Television Commission.

  Radio Authority.

  Welsh Fourth Channel Authority.

  Registrar of Public Lending Right.

  South Bank Theatre Board.

  Sports Council.

  Of the bodies listed below, the procedures set out in paragraphs 49 and 50 of Questions of Procedure for Ministers would apply to:

  Arts Council of Great Britain.

  British Library.

  British Tourist Authority.

  Broadcasting Complaints Commission.

  Broadcasting Standards Council.

  Crafts Council.

  English Tourist Board.

  Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (English Heritage).

  Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art.

  Independent Television Commission.

  Radio Authority.

  Welsh Fourth Channel Authority.

  Sports Council.

  Royal Parks
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what progress his Department has made in privatising the management of the royal parks in London.

  Mr. Key
  The management of the royal parks is not being privatised. As my right hon. Friend announced to 482
  the House on 1 April, the Royal Parks Agency was established on that day with delegated responsibility for the day-to-day management of the royal parks. The agency's chief executive will remain accountable to my right hon. Friend for the agency's performance.

  Welsh Language Broadcasting
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what assessment his Department has made of the potential audience for S4C, in respect of the numbers of Welsh speakers, especially with relation to those with modest knowledge of, or understanding of the Welsh language in relation to the level of public subsidy for the channel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  I understand that 67 per cent. of the population in Wales, and up to 90 per cent. of all Welsh speakers in Wales, watch S4C programmes each week.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what powers he intends to give to the director general of the national lottery to determine the levels of profit and administrative costs for the body corporate licensed by him to run the national lottery or for those bodies corporate licensed by him to promote lotteries as part of the national lottery;

  (2) what powers he plans to give to the director general of the national lottery to determine the extent to which radio and television advertising is used to promote the national lottery;

  (3) what control the director general of the national lottery will have over the contracting out of work to other bodies corporate by the body corporate licensed by him to run the national lottery and by the bodies corporate licensed by him to promote lotteries as part of the national lottery;

  (4) if the applications made to the director general of the national lottery by bodies corporate to run the national lottery, or by bodies corporate to promote lotteries as part of the national lottery, will be required to detail any proposed contracting out of work to other bodies corporate;

  (5) if the licence authorised by the director general of the national lottery to a body corporate to run the national lottery, or to bodies corporate to promote lotteries as part of the national lottery, will include authorisation for those bodies corporate to contract out work to other bodies corporate;

  (6) what control the director general of the national lottery will have over the contracting out of work to other bodies corporate by the body corporate licensed by him to run the national lottery and by the bodies corporate licensed by him to promote lotteries as part of the national lottery;

  (7) if work contracted out to other bodies corporate by the body corporate licensed by the director general of the national lottery to run the national lottery, or by those bodies corporate licensed by him to promote lotteries as part of the national lottery, will be on the basis of competitive tender.

  Mr. Key
  The powers of the director general are set out in the National Lottery etc. Bill. In considering whether to grant a licence under clause 5 the director general will no doubt take into account a number of matters, which might
  483
  include the levels of profit and administrative costs of those bidding; these may then be reflected in licence conditions. Whether or not to contract out work would be an operational matter for the body which was awarded the clause 5 licence. It would be subject to normal commercial tendering arrangements. However that body could not contract out the running of games unless they were regulated under a clause 6 licence. In addition, the director general could, through the clause 5 licence, ensure that any sub-contracts included conditions to enable him to carry out effectively his statutory duties under clause 4. Advertising would be a matter for the operator, and would be subject to the constraints of the ITC and Radio Authority codes; however, in assessing the merits of particular bids the director general would no doubt take into account the effectiveness of the proposed marketing strategy.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what powers he intends to give the director general of the national lottery to determine places of sale for national lottery tickets.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend has powers under clause 12 of the National Lottery etc. Bill to regulate the places where lottery tickets can be sold. The director general may, among other things, consider the retail strategy of applicants for a licence under clause 5.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what powers he plans to give to the director general of the national lottery to decide on the frequency of national lottery games;

  (2) what powers he plans to give the director general of the national lottery to determine the size of the prize offered by the national lottery;

  (3) what powers he plans to give to the director general of the national lottery to determine the extent to which the national lottery is allowed to roll over prizes.

  Mr. Key
  In consideration whether to grant any licence under clause 6, the director general will examine the rules of proposed games and will be able to take into account matters such as the prize structure, odds (and therefore the likelihood of rollover), and the frequency of competitions. In addition, my right hon. Friend is minded to direct the director general to use his powers to limit rollover to no more than three consecutive games.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps his Department has taken to implement the private finance initiative announced in the autumn statement on 12 November 1992 and in the "Treasury Private Finance Guidance" published on 9 December 1992.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 1 April 1993]: My Department is examining the scope for involving the private sector in the ways suggested by the interim guidance published by the Treasury on 9 December 1992, and the further published guidance on contract energy management (17 February 1993) and joint ventures (16 March 1993).

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Korea
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit the Korean peninsula; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will visit the Republic of Korea from 7 to 9 April. This will be a good opportunity for wide-ranging talks with members of the new Administration there and with business representatives.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of recent changes in the human rights situation in the Republic of Korea; and if he will make a statement on the recent amnesty granted by the Government there.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Together with our European Community partners, we continue to monitor developments over human rights in the Republic of Korea. We are very encouraged by progress in the democratic process, most recently demonstrated by the presidential election. We regard the recent amnesty for prisoners as further evidence of the Government's desire to establish a broader base of popular trust within the country.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether each American nuclear base installed in South Korea has been examined and cleared by the International Atomic Energy Agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  South Korea acceded to the non-proliferation treaty as a non-nuclear weapon state in 1975 and has in place a full scope safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency. No reports of non-compliance have been received.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the resolution approved by the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency on 18 March on the attempts to implement the request for nuclear safeguards inspections in North Korea.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A copy has been deposited in the Library of the House.

  Somalia
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current waiting time for Somali refugees who are awaiting entry certificates to join dependants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Most Somali refugee applications for entry clearance to join dependants are received at Nairobi, Addis Ababa and Djibouti/Sana'a. Where Home Office authority has been pre-advised to post, in accordance with the concessions agreed by Ministers in 1988, visas are issued on the day of application. All other applicants are interviewed by an entry clearance officer and their applications referred to the Home Office. Applicants at Nairobi are usually interviewed within seven days. The waiting time for interview at Addis Ababa is currently
  485
  about six weeks. There are no visa issuing staff at Djibouti. Entry clearance officers from Sana'a visit Djibouti every two months to carry out interviews. The Home Office decision on applications can take between three weeks and six months depending on the complexity of individual cases.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the way applications for entry certificates by citizens of Somalia are dealt with at the British high commission, Nairobi; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Entry clearance procedures at all posts overseas are constantly monitored. Applications for entry clearance by citizens of Somalia are processed at the British high commission, Nairobi, in accordance with the operating standards established by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for all overseas posts. Somali applicants for transit visas are interviewed on the clay of application and, if appropriate, visas issued on the same day. Somalis who wish to join relatives in the United Kingdom for settlement are granted interviews usually within seven days from submitting their applications and details are then sent to the Home Office for decision, a process which usually takes between 10 and 25 days.

  Nuclear Testing
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what costs have been incurred by the British embassy in Washington DC in the last year in the process of lobbying the United States Congress on the question of nuclear testing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Lobbying congressmen on a wide range of issues is a routine activity for the embassy in Washington. It is not practical to extrapolate with precision the costs of lobbying Congress on this specific issue from those of the overall activities of the embassy. But within the context of the embassy's work the time taken to do so was minimal, and the costs are likely to have been similarly minimal.

  Western Sahara
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions the United Kingdom representative at the United Nations has taken to ensure that a referendum is held on the future of the Western Sahara.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Following the unanimous adoption of Security Council Resolution 809, the United Kingdom permanent representative has been in touch with the United Nations Secretary-General to offer our support and to encourage him to redouble his efforts with both parties to bring about a referendum by the end of the year. The Secretary-General's special representative, Yaqub Khan, is currently visiting the region.

  Nuclear Non-Proliferation
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries which have signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A list of states party to the non-proliferation treaty has been deposited in the Library of the House.

  Iran
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Italy with regard to joint efforts to combat terrorism emanating from Iran.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We and our European partners made clear at the Edinburgh summit in December our concern at Iranian behaviour in a number of areas, particularly the fatwa against Salman Rushdie and terrorism. We maintain regular contact with our European partners including the Italians, on ways of combatting terrorism.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The information is as follows:

  Council of Ministers business for April 1993

  1. The following meetings are planned:

  5 April: Foreign Affairs Council

  5 April: Internal Market Council

  6 April: Employment and Social Affairs Council

  19 April: ECOFIN Council

  23 April: Energy/Environment Council

  26–27 April: Agriculture Council

  29 April: Research Council

  2. The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

  (a) Foreign Affairs Council—5 April

  Commission opinion on Norway and preparation of opening negotiating session

  Relations with Russia

  Relations with Slovenia

  Ex-Yugoslavia

  Trade Policy questions

  (b) Internal Market Council—5 April

  Duration of Copyright (5509/92)

  Cable and Satellite broadcasting copyright (8331/91)

  CE Mark regulation (6827/91)

  Directive on braking of two or three wheeled motor vehicles (4946/92)

  Directive amending Directive 89/392/EEC on machinery

  Directive on Statutory Markings for two or three wheeled motor vehicles (5331/91)

  Additional measures concerning the official control of foodstuffs (4690/92)

  Directive on sweeteners for use in foodstuffs (7726/92)

  Public supply contracts (8746/92)

  (c) Labour and Social Affairs Council—6 April

  Biological agents Directive (8075/92; 5058/93) Working time Directive (590/91; 8145/92)

  Fishing Vessels Directive (9482/91; 8731/92)

  Protection of Young Workers Directive (5378/92; 4690/92)

  European Works Councils Directive (4466/91; 8319/91)

  Employment (open session)

  (d) ECOFIN Council: 19 April—(provisional agenda)

  Economic recovery in Europe

  Interinstitutional Agreement on budget discipline

  Euratom loans to improve the degree of efficiency and safety of nuclear power stations in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and in the Commonwealth of Independent States (possible)

  Community guarantee to the EIB against losses under loans for projects in Albania (possible)

  7th VAT Directive

  Proposal for a Council Directive on deposit-guarantee schemes

  Company taxation (possible)

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  (e) Energy/Environment Council—23 April

  Community Strategy on Climate change (including CO2/Energy tax) (7018/92)

  (f) Agriculture Council—26/27 April

  Price-fixing proposals (COM(93)36)

  Milk Quotas (5466/93)

  GATT Agriculture

  Sugar (4632/93; 5278/93)

  Greek Tobacco (5018/93) (possible)

  Potatoes (10483/93; 4613/93) (possible)

  (g) Research Council-29 April

  Agenda unavailable

  3. The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 5–6 April. EC Foreign Ministers will consider a revised negotiating mandate for partnership and co-operation agreements with the States of the former Soviet Union. Ministers will also consider a negotiating mandate for new Europe Agreements with the successor Czech and Slovak Republics, as the Europe agreement signed with Czechoslovakia in December 1991 was not ratified prior to the country's dissolution at the beginning of 1993. Ministers will agree to open accession negotiations with Norway.

  4. The Internal Market Council will meet on 5 April and will discuss statutory markings and braking for two and three wheeled vehicles; CE mark regulation; cable and satellite broadcasting copyright and duration of copyright. Ministers will also discuss directives on the official control of foodstuffs and sweeteners for use in foodstuffs. Public supply contracts and the final adoption of the directive on machinery will also be discussed.

  5. A formal meeting of the Labour and Social Affairs Council is planned for 6 April. The agenda has not been finalised, but the directives on biological agents, working time, and fishing vessels are likely to be discussed. A policy debate will also be held on the directives on protection of young workers and European Works Council. There is likely to be an open session on employment.

  6. The Economic and Finance Council will meet on 19 April to discuss action to promote recovery in Europe resulting from the initiative launched by the Edinburgh European Council. It will also discusss the negotiations between the Council, the Presidency and European Parliament on a new inter-institutional agreement on budget discipline. The Council may also discuss a draft directive on company taxation concerning interest/royalties. The proposal to amend the 7th VAT Directive (Special VAT regime for second-hand goods, works of art, antique and collectors' items) is also scheduled for further discussion. It is possible, but unlikely, that there will also be discussions of EURATOM loans for nuclear safety in central and eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States, EIB loans for projects in Albania, and the proposed Council directive on deposit-guarantee schemes.

  7. A joint Energy/Environment Council will be held on 23 April. The Council will discuss the Community's strategy on climate change, including the proposals for a tax on carbon dioxide emissions and energy.

  8. The Agriculture Council will meet on 26 and 27 April. Ministers will discuss the 1993–94 price-fixing proposals; milk quotas; the agricultural aspects of the GATT negotiations and sugar. They may also discuss Greek tobacoo and the review of the potato regime.

  9. The Research Council will meet on 29 April. At present, the agenda is not available.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Child Support Act
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the impact of the European charter on the rights of the child upon the provision within the Child Support Act 1991 to name the father of the child in question; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Burt
  The European charter to which the hon. Member refers was discussed in the European Parliament on 6 and 8 July 1992, when it was forwarded to the Commission, the Council and the Council of Europe. A European Parliament resolution is not binding on the member states. The provisions of the Child Support Act 1991 meet the standards set out in the United Nations convention on the rights of the child.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to monitor the effect of the Child Support Act 1991 on ethnic minorities.

  Mr. Burt
  The Child Support Act will apply in all cases where child maintenance is an issue. It will ensure that parents meet their responsibilities to their children whenever they can afford to do so and that the costs of maintaining those children does not unnecessarily fall to the taxpayer. No distinction will, or should, be made on grounds of ethnic origin.

  Disabilitiy (Grants) Bill
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received from the British Council of Organisations of Disabled People in regard to the Disability (Grants) Bill; and what response he has made.

  Mr. Scott
  The Secretary of State received a letter on this subject from the Council at the beginning of February. The letter was also copied to the Prime Minister, and a reply was sent from his office.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has had from the British Council of Organisations of Disabled People in regard to the Disability (Grants) Bill and the £500 limit on help to enable disabled people to live independently in the community; what reply he is sending; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Secretary of State received a letter on this subject from the Council at the beginning of February. The letter was also copied to the Prime Minister, and a reply was sent from his office.

  Young People, Scotland
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications were made by 16 to 17-year-old persons for income support due to severe hardship in(a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole in each of the past three years; and of these how many were successful in (i) Inverclyde, (ii) Strathclyde and (iii) Scotland as a whole.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Ann Robinson to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 1 April 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is the responsibility of Mr. Michael Bichard to answer questions about relevant operational matters. However, as Mr. Bichard

  489
  is away at the moment I am replying on his behalf to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many applications were made by 16 to 17 year old persons for Income Support due to severe hardship in (a) Inverclyde, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole in each of the past three years; and of these how many were successful in (i) Inverclyde, (ii) Strathclyde and (iii) Scotland as a whole.

  The relevant information is appended. Information is not available prior to June 1990 because statistics were not kept until that date. In addition, the 1991 statistics for Inverclyde and Strathclyde do not include information relating to March 1991. This information has been obtained from the Severe Hardship Claims Unit.

  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Severe hardship applications

  Number of applications

  Number successful

  1990 (June to December)

  Inverclyde

  115

  72

  Strathclyde

  2,767

  2,141

  Scotland

  4,755

  3,593

  1991 (January to December)

  Inverclyde

  323

  244

  Strathclyde

  7,671

  6,280

  Scotland

  13,641

  10,983

  Figures for Strathclyde and Inverclyde may be subject to amendment. Any amendments will be notified to you.

  1992 (January to December)

  Inverclyde

  354

  274

  Strathclyde

  12,929

  10,586

  Scotland

  22,795

  18,360

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether for the case of Mr. Christopher Fenton (NL 02 20 33 C) he will set out(a) the date of application for disability living allowance, (b) the date of any subsequent appeal and (c) the date of the decision on the appeal.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from David Riggs to Mr. Robert B. Jones, dated I April 1993:

  As chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is the responsibility of Mr. Michael Bichard to answer questions raised about relevant operational matters. However, as Mr. Bichard is away at the moment I am replying on his behalf to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking whether for the case of Mr. Christopher Fenlon (NL 02 20 33 C) he will set out (a) the date of application for DLA, (b) the date of any subsequent appeal and (c) the date of the decision on the appeal.

  Mr. Tenion applied for DLA on 17 June 1992. The claim was received on 7 July. On 11 August he requested a review of the decision dated 27 July. A decision was made on the review on 19 January 1993.

  I have written to you separately and in greater detail about this matter.

  I hope that you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.
  490
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects that Ms Margaret Owen, of Mullins avenue, Rumney, Cardiff, NI number NX 304327A, will receive a copy of her medical records requested on 18 January in relation to her claim for disability living allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from David Riggs to Mr. Rhodri Morgan, dated 1 April 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is the responsibility of Mr. Michael Bichard to answer questions about relevant operational matters. However, as Mr. Bichard is away at the moment I am replying on his behalf to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about when he expects that Ms Margaret Owen, 25 Mullins Avenue, Rumney, Cardiff, will receive a copy of her medical records requested on 18th January in relation to her claim for disability living allowance.

  I have written to you separately and in greater detail about this matter.

  I apologise for the delay in sending the evidence to Ms Owen. Staff are aware of the need to respond quickly to requests from our customers for such information.

  You will be aware from Mr. Bichard's letter of 19 October 1992 to all MPs of the problems the Benefits Agency has faced since the launch of DLA and the positive steps taken to improve the situation. Since then we have taken further steps to improve the service to our customers including recruiting additional, and redeploying existing, staff to clear the backlog of reviews and four remote processing units have been set up using staff from other parts of the Benefits Agency. Taken together these steps will enable us to give the standard of service to which every customer is entitled and which we want to deliver.

  Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention. I hope that you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also he placed in the Library.

  Ms Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for disability living allowance received in each month since April 1992 are still outstanding; if he will give a breakdown of the figures month by month since the introduction of the benefit; and what steps he is taking to clear up the backlog of outstanding claims.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from David Riggs to Ms Mildred Gordon, dated 1 April 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is the responsibility of Mr. Michael Bichard to answer questions about relevant operational matters. However, as Mr. Bichard is away at the moment I am replying on his behalf to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many claims for disability living allowance received in each month since April 1992 are still outstanding; if he will give a breakdown of the figures month by month since the introduction of the benefit; and what steps he is taking to clear up the backlog of outstanding claims.

  The table below supplies the number of DLA claims (including Special Rules) registered by month and the number of cases outstanding by month of receipt. However, there will always be some cases which although received in one month will not be registered until the following month.
  491

  Month

  Registered

  Cases outstanding by month of receipt

  April 1992

  50,515

  182

  May 1992

  45,376

  172

  June 1992

  37,640

  162

  July 1992

  36,105

  142

  August 1992

  32,404

  143

  September 1992

  35,570

  148

  October 1992

  38,339

  259

  November 1992

  36,867

  503

  December 1992

  28,902

  812

  January 1993

  34,416

  1,949

  February 1993

  38,104

  7,131

  Outstanding cases as of 26 March 1993.

  DLA management have urgently drawn up a Service Delivery Plan to target older claims received prior to 1 December 1992 to ensure that they are cleared as quickly as possible.

  Of course there will always be a very small percentage of claims where customers or external medical professionals are unable to furnish the information required to clear cases within a period of some months.

  The Service Delivery Plan also ensures 60 per cent. of new claims are cleared within 30 days in line with the national primary target for DLA. This national target is being consistently achieved.

  To answer the second part of your question I have listed below the measures taken to clear the backlog of claims. These include:

  To increase the number of staff in DLA and AA65 + operations by over 800;

  Sanctioning overtime in all Disability Benefit Centres and Units—equivalent to approximately a further 300 more staff;

  Redeployment of staff from other parts of the Benefits Agency to speed claims processing;

  Establishing, staffing and equipping additional three processing units to handle new claims and so relieve some pressures on existing units;

  A review of operations to improve efficiency by rationalising procedures.

  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Income Support
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people aged 60 years or over receive income support in(a) Northumbria, (b) Tyne and Wear, (c) Cleveland, (d) Durham, (e) North Yorkshire, (f) South Yorkshire, (g) West Yorkshire and (h) Humberside;

  (2) what is the take-up of income support on a caseload basis by people aged 60 years or over in the regions (a) Yorkshire and Humberside and (b) North.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Ann Robinson to Mr. Hugh Bayley, dated 1 April 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is the responsibility of Mr. Michael Bichard to answer questions about relevant operational matters. However as Mr. Bichard is away at the moment I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many people aged 60 years or over receive Income Support in (a) Northumbria, (b) Tyne and
  492
  Wear, (c) Cleveland, (d) Durham, (e) North Yorkshire, (f) South Yorkshire, (g) West Yorkshire and (h) Humberside, and also what is the take-up of Income Support on a caseload basis by people aged 60 years or over in the regions (a) Yorkshire and Humberside and (b) North.

  The information is not available in the geographical areas requested. Information about the take-up of Income Support is not available.

  However, we do retain information concerning the number of recipients of Income Support aged 60 or over by District, and this is appended. The information has been obtained from the latest available Management Information Statistics for Income Support as at the end of February 1993.

  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Income support recipients aged 60 or over by district

  Number

  Northumberland

  7,510

  Newcastle

  12,590

  North Tyneside

  6,431

  South Tyneside

  12,793

  North Durham

  10,511

  South Durham

  9,515

  Wearside

  10,323

  North Tees

  7,834

  South Tees

  9,068

  Barnsley

  5,475

  Doncaster

  7,000

  East Yorkshire

  9,125

  Hull

  16,296

  Rother and Dearne

  9,432

  Sheffield East

  11,016

  Sheffield West

  10,459

  South Humberside

  11,596

  Bradford

  11,476

  Yorkshire Pennine

  11,506

  Kirklees

  11,353

  Leeds Aire and Wharfe

  9,335

  Leeds Ridings

  12,967

  North Yorkshire

  11,311

  Wakefield

  8,077

  Information obtained from latest available Income Support Management Information Statistics.

  Care Homes (Residential Allowance)
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to change the rules relating to the payment of residential allowance during absences from residential care and nursing homes.

  Mr. Burt
  A number of representations have been received recently from Members and others on this issue. In the light of the concerns raised we have carefully considered all the implications for the new community care arrangements, particularly for local authorities. We have decided to extend the payment of residential allowance for absences of up to six weeks due to admission to hospital and up to three weeks for other reasons. Details of the new arrangements will be announced shortly.

  Industrial Diseases
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the benefit recommended by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council for underground coal miners with emphysema and chronic bronchitis will be paid to the widows or other dependants of men suffering from these diseases who have died since the IIAC's report was submitted to him in August 1992.

  Miss Widdecombe
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 29 March that regulations will be
  493
  introduced to prescribe chronic bronchitis and emphysema as industrial diseases in relation to underground coal miners with effect from 13 September 1993. Industrial injuries disablement benefit is not payable for periods prior to the date of prescription of an industrial disease.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Arab Boycott
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what investigations have been made of the impact of the Arab boycott on British exports.

  Mr. Needham
  Trade frustrated by the boycott cannot be measured.

  Medical Products (Malta)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what tariffs or restrictions are applied to medical products manufactured in Malta and exported to EC countries.

  Mr. Needham
  Under the terms of the EC/Malta association agreement, medical products manufactured in Malta enter the Community without tariff or other restriction. Such products must however comply with any national technical requirements or standards, which currently vary from member state to member state.

  Paper Recycling
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from the British Paper and Board Industry Federation about waste paper recycling; what new measures Her Majesty's Government now propose to take; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and I have on two occasions recently met members of the British Paper and Board Industry Federation to discuss waste paper recycling. The federation expressed concerns to us over the impact of the German packaging regulations which we are taking very seriously indeed. My right hon. Friend has written to European Commissioners and to the German Economics Minister about this matter, and we are urgently considering what further action, consistent with our EC and international obligations, might be taken to alleviate the difficulties being experienced by some sectors of the United Kingdom recycling industry.

  "The Prospects for Coal"
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has received from Nuclear Electric plc and Scottish Nuclear in regard to the prospects for improvement in performance of existing nuclear reactors to which reference is made in the White Paper "The Prospects for Coal", Cm. 2235, at paragraph 7.66.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have received appropriate information from Nuclear Electric to allow me to discharge my responsibilities as shareholder. One of the formal objectives set by Government for Nuclear Electric is that the company should achieve a continued increase in electricity generation, provided that this is economically 494
  justified. The means by which Nuclear Electric fulfils this objective, including improvements in the performance of existing nuclear stations, is a management matter for the company.

  Scottish Nuclear Limited is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will specify those organisations or individuals to which reference is made in the White Paper "The Prospects for Coal", Cm. 2235, at paragraphs 7.68 to 7.70, which are respectively in favour of(a) reducing the current nuclear component and (b) maintaining the current nuclear component in electricity generation.

  Mr. Eggar
  As the White Paper makes clear, the principal organisations advocating a reduction in the nuclear component in electricity generation were those representing coal mining interests, supported to some extent by consumer groups, environmental groups and the privatised generators. Those who advocated maintaining the nuclear component included the major players in the nuclear industry together with unions and employers' groups and some academics. However, many organisations and individuals discussed the role of nuclear generation as one among a number of issues in their evidence.

  A list of all those who submitted evidence forms an appendix to the White Paper, and copies of the evidence are available in the Library.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he gave to increasing the target for combined heat and power beyond 2,000 MW by the year 2000, in preparation of paragraph 8.24 of his White Paper "The Prospects for Coal", Cm 2235.

  Mr. Eggar
  The existing target for combined heat and power, which represented a doubling of capacity by the year 2000, was set on the basis of market potential in 1990. My Department, in consultation with the Department of the Environment and others, will be reviewing this target when we have more experience of the developments which are taking place within the new structure of the electricity supply industry.

  Insolvency Practitioners
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many inspections were carried out by the insolvency service in each of the last three years into the quality of work of insolvency practitioners; in how many cases practitioners were referred to their relevant supervisory bodies; and what other action was taken.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The insolvency service visits insolvency practitioners to ensure their compliance with the statutory requirements and has carried out 140 such visits to insolvency practitioners since April 1992. Reports are forwarded to the relevant licensing body for its consideration. A smaller number of such visits were also made before April 1992 but statistics are not readily available.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the bodies responsible for the supervision and regulation of insolvency practitioners; what duties are laid on such bodies under the Insolvency Act 1986; and how many practitioners are regulated by each body.
  495
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The following professional bodies have satisfied the Secretary of State for the purposes of regulating the professional practices. They enforce rules to ensure that those individuals they authorise are fit and proper to act as insolvency practitioners and meet acceptable levels of education and practical experience.

  The number of individuals authorised by each body is shown in brackets.

  The Chartered Association of Certified Accountants: (114).

  The Insolvency Practitioners Association: (267).

  The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales: (953).

  The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland: (86).

  The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland: (200).

  The Law Society: (183).

  THe Law Society of Scotland: (40).

  In addition, the Secretary of State directly authorises 147 insolvency practitioners.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of whether the regulation of insolvency practitioners is meeting the requirements of the Insolvency Act 1986; and what action he proposes to improve those standards.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Since the introduction of licensing, action has been taken by the appropriate authorising body to withdraw authorisation, where it is satisfied that an insolvency practitioner is no longer a fit and proper person to act as such. Misconduct not amounting to evidence that the practitioner is no longer fit and proper has resulted in lesser disciplinary action.

  As part of its continuing review of the effectiveness of the insolvency legislation, the insolvency service introduced routine visits to insolvency practitioners to monitor their compliance with statutory requirements. The licensing bodies are committed to carrying out such visits on their own members.

  Clothing and Textiles
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many multi-fibre arrangements with third world countries are currently in operation in the case of(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Germany; what are the latest figures for clothing and textile (i) exports and (ii) imports for (a) and (b) which country is the world's largest exporter of clothing and textiles; and what is the United Kingdom's rank.

  Mr. Needham
  Agreements with supplying countries under the multi-fibre arrangement (MFA) are negotiated by the European Commission and apply equally to all EC member states. There are currently 27 MFA agreements.

  In 1991, the latest year for which figures are available, the value of United Kingdom exports of textiles and clothing was £4·7 billion and imports totalled £8·4 billion. In the same year German exports totalled £12·6 billion against imports of £21·5 billion.

  In 1990, the latest year for which complete comparative figures are available, Hong Kong was the world's largest exporter of textiles and clothing (£13·5 billion). In the same year, the United Kingdom was ranked 10th with exports totalling £4·7 billion.

  Assistance to Business (France)
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on assistance made available to businesses locating in the Nord Pas de Calais 496
  region by the French Government and French local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the level of comparable assistance currently available to businesses in Dover, Deal and east Kent.

  Mr. Needham
  I understand that a range of assistance from central Government and the regional council is available to businesses in Nord Pas de Calais. In east Kent, businesses have access to the overseas trade services provided by my Department, to the DTI consultancy scheme and to technology support. We are currently carrying out a review of the assisted areas in Great Britain and will take into account all of the arguments advanced about east Kent.

  Natural Rubber
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom position with regard to the renegotiation of the international natural rubber agreement.

  Mr. Needham
  Government policy towards international commodity agreements was given by the then Minister for Trade in response to a question from the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, South-West, (Mr. Page) on 21 July 1988,Official Report, columns 767–8. Against this background, we do not consider that a third international natural rubber agreement is desirable.

  The United Kingdom acts in such matters in consultation with other member states of the European Community. Other member states are also opposed to renegotiation at present.

  Overseas Projects
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library details of the current membership, constitution and operating brief of the Overseas Project Board and the Export Group for Constructional Industries.

  Mr. Needham
  I am placing details of the Overseas Project Board (OPB) in the Library, with a copy of the 1991–92 annual report and forward plan of the British Overseas Trade Board, which covers the OPB's activities.

  The Government are not responsible for the Export Group for the Constructional Industries, which is a trade association for British contracting companies and funded entirely by its members.

  Assisted Area Status
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he now intends to announce the result of his review of the assisted area status map.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The needs and circumstances of all areas are being carefully considered in the assisted areas map review. The results will be announced as soon as possible, after the necessary clearance from the European Commission.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his reply to the First report from the Trade and Industry Select Committee on British Energy Policy and the Market for Coal in relation to
  497
  recommendation 33 on the interest of the consumer, Cm 2235, page 131, what period of time he assumed for the consumers' interest when formulating his response.

  Mr. Eggar
  As the Government's response to recommendation 33 makes clear, the main protection for the interests of electricity consumers lies in the development of effective competition in the electricity supply industry. The development of competition is a continuing process, which began with electricity privatisation, and which will be further increased by the relaxation of the franchise limit for the RECs next year.

  Nuclear Installations
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the list of countries who have agreed with the International Atomic Energy Agency methods of inspection of nuclear installations.

  Mr. Eggar
  Information on the topic is published in the annual report of the International Atomic Energy Agency; a copy of the report for 1991 is available in the Library.

  Offshore Exploration
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of his Department's forecasts of the number of exploration and appraisal drilling wells in the United Kingdom continental shelf in each of the next five years(a) prior to the Budget and (b) in light of the Budget's proposed changes to the oil taxation regime; and if he will also break down the figures by sector of the United Kingdom continental shelf.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department does not publish five-year forecasts of the number of exploration and appraisal wells in the United Kingdom continental shelf. It does, however, conduct regular surveys of company intentions to drill wells looking up to two years ahead. The results of the last survey were published in the August 1992 issue of "Energy Trends", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Oil Taxation
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if his Department will be revising its Brown Book forecasts in light of the Budget changes to the oil taxation regime and their likely impact; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Brown Book forecasts for petroleum production front 1993 to 1997 to be included in the Brown Book were published on 4 March,Official Report, columns 252–53. The tax changes announced in the Budget are not expected to have a significant effect on production over this period; and there are no plans to revise the figures before the Brown Book is published at the end of April.

  Structural Funds Regulations
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will seek to ensure in the current negotiations on the new Structural Fund Regulations, that(a) all projects and programmes comply with EC environmental legislation and policy and (b) all applications for funding submitted to the European Commission contain adequate and appropriate environmental information.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 1 April 1993]: The Government fully agree that structural funds projects and
  498
  programmes should comply with EC environmental legislation and policies. The Government agree also therefore that, where appropriate, applications for funding should contain adequate environmental information. Full account must be taken account of these concerns during the review of the structural funds regulations.

  Environmental Management
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has recently received from the textile industry in connection with BS 7750 on environmental management.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 31 March 1993]My hon. Friend has written to me about correspondence he has received from the textile industry on BS 7750. This is the only representation I have received.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will make a statement on the progress which has been made in connection with the pilot programme relating to the introduction of the BSI standard 7750 for environmental management; how many companies participated in that programme; what success they have had in meeting the requirements; what form of accreditation they will receive on successful completion; and what estimate he has made of the costs which they have incurred in participating in the pilot programme;

  (2) by what authority, and through what mechanism, accreditation will be given to those companies which have successfully met the requirements of the BS 7750 standard for environmental management.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 31 March 1993]: In issuing BS 7750 the BSI made clear that it would be reviewed following the completion of the pilot programme. That programme is not yet complete and BSI has not therefore made an assessment of how successful companies have been in applying it. I understand that some 230 companies are implementing the standard in the programme; participation is voluntary and no estimate is available of the costs to the participants. I will ask the chief executive of BSI to write to my hon. Friend when BSI has reached a considered view of the outcome of the programme.

  Companies may apply the standard and may contract a third party to certify that they have done so. My Department is considering whether it should set up a scheme to accredit such certifying bodies in relation to the revised version of BS 5570.

  Rechar
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much Rechar money has been(a) approved by his Department, (b) granted to and (c) spent in (i) the east midlands and (ii) Nottingham, since the inception of the scheme; and if he will list the projects and their cost in each category.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have been asked to reply.

  A total of 280 applications have so far been received for the east midlands Rechar programme, seven of which relate to Nottingham. To date, 104 applications, worth £7·6 million in European regional development fund grant, have been approved. Some £2·7 million has been paid. The remaining applications are being evaluated, and

  499
  if approved as submitted would attract grant of £2·05 million. In Nottingham one project has been approved with a grant of £0·08 million.

  Farriers
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many complaints have been received by his Department dealing with restriction of entry into statutory training systems under the Farrier (Registration) Acts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Department has received two letters of complaint during the past year about the scheme for training apprentice farriers under the Farriers (Registration) Acts 1975 and 1977.

  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what consideration his Department is giving to the licensing of and registration requirements in relation to the Farriers (Registration) Acts; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he proposes to introduce legislation to repeal the Farriers (Registration) Acts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I have been asked to reply. There are no present plans to repeal the Farriers (Registration) Acts 1975 and 1977. The Acts are kept under regular review by this Department, to ensure that their requirements remain necessary and appropriate.

  Registered disabled1

  Percentage of staff in grade

  Non-registered disabled1

  Percentage of staff in grade

  Ethnic minority2

  Percentage of staff in grade

  Women

  Percentage of staff in grade

  Grade 1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  2

  4·2

  —

  —

  2

  4·3

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  4·0

  5

  —

  —

  9

  2·9

  11

  3·5

  14

  4·5

  6

  —

  —

  10

  1·9

  <10

  <1·0

  1·5

  2·9

  7

  3

  0·1

  77

  3·8

  31

  1·5

  130

  6·4

  Total non·industrial and industrial staff

  1,439

  1·1

  3,312

  4·0

  1,849

  1·5

  40,634

  32·0

  1 Figures based on responses to voluntary disability surveys.

  2 Figures based on responses to voluntary ethnic origin survey.

  Aldermaston
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when it is now expected that the A90 building will reach its full production capacity.

  Mr. Aitken
  Following completion of red commissioning A90 production capacity will be developed to meet the needs of the Trident programme.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the expected delay between the completion of red commissioning and declaration of full operational capability for(a) A89, (b) A90 and (c) A91 at AWE Aldermaston.

  Mr. Aitken
  A89 is now operational. It is not expected that there will be any delay between the end of red commissioning in either A90 or A91 and planned operational use.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of decommissioning, according
  500
  Additionally, the Government are committed to reviewing all regulations which impact upon business, and the Acts will be considered as part of that exercise.

  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what mechanisms exist for monitoring the work of registered farriers in accordance with the Farriers (Registration) Acts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Farriers (Registration) Acts 1975 and 1977 established a body called the Farriers Registration Council. The council is responsible for registering farriers and ensuring recognised standards of farriery.

DEFENCE

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of officers in each grade from 1 to 7 and overall in his Department are(a) women, (b) from ethnic minorities and (c) disabled people.

  Mr. Aitken
  The numbers of women, disabled and ethnic minority staff in grade levels 1 to 7 and overall are given in the table. These figures exclude our executive agencies, the Meteorological Office and the Defence Research agency. I have asked the chief executives to write to the hon. Member.

  to International Atomic Energy Agency guidelines, those facilities due to be replaced by the new capital works programme at AWE Aldermaston.

  Mr. Aitken
  The decommissioning programme for such facilities is in its initial stages and will take many years to complete. It is not yet therefore possible to determine the likely cost.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date red commissioning is scheduled to be(a) started and (b) completed in (i) A89, (ii) A90 and (iii) A91 at AWE Aldermaston.

  Mr. Aitken
  Red commissioning is scheduled to be started and completed as follows:

  (i) A89—This facility became operational in August 1992 following completion of red commissioning.

  (ii) A90—Red commissioning is scheduled to start later this year and will take several months.

  (iii) A91—There is currently no scheduled date for the start of red commissioning.

  501
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date white commissioning was(a) started and (b) completed in (i) A89, (ii) A90 and (iii) A91 at AWE Aldermaston.

  Mr. Aitken
  The information is as follows:

  (i) White commissioning was started in A89 in March 1992 and completed in August 1992.

  (ii) White commissioning was started in A90 in 1990 and is still in progress.

  (iii) White commissioning was started in A91 in 1991 and is in abeyance.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current total estimated cost of the new capital works projects at AWE Aldermaston.

  Mr. Aitken
  The current total estimated cost of the major programme of capital works at AWE Aldermaston referred to in the Commons Defence Select Committee Fifth Report 1988–89 is £1·2 billion at 1992–93 prices.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the current work force at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston in regard to the appointments of Brown and Root as management contractors.

  Mr. Aitken
  It is Hunting-BRAE Limited and not Brown and Root (one of their parent organisations) who have been selected to operate the atomic weapons establishment. I have received no representations from the current workforce at Aldermaston concerning Brown and Root's involvement in the Hunting-BRAE consortium.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment was made of the health and safety record of Brown and Root Inc. before awarding the contract to operate the Aldermaston nuclear weapons plant;

  (2) what assessment he made of the safety record of Hunting plc in advance of awarding the contract to manage the Atomic Weapons Establishment from 1 April.

  Mr. Aitken
  A comprehensive and detailed assessment was carried out on all tenders received for the contract to operate AWE. Safety factors were extremely important in judging the competition. The fact that Hunting-BRAE were appointed as AWE operating contractor demonstrates that we have full confidence in their meeting our rigorous safety standards and that their parent organisations were judged to be fully acceptable in terms of the demanding safety role and responsibility at AWE.

  Kineton Armaments Depot
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the role and function of the proposed incinerator to be built at the central armaments depot, Kineton; what is the schedule for its construction; and what materials it is intended to destroy;

  (2) what regulations exist for controlling the emissions from the proposed incinerator to be built at the central armaments depot, Kineton.

  Mr. Aitken
  The MOD has a requirement to demilitarise a proportion of its ammunition through an incineration facility. This includes surplus ammunition which has to be burned at high temperatures, and recoveries of explosive ordnance which may be of an 502
  uncertain condition or age. Previously, these types of ammunition have been dumped at sea, but that practice has now ceased. We plan to examine the potential for incineration to be carried out commercially before deciding upon the need for a MOD facility. In the event that a MOD facility were required, it would be designed to fully meet the emissions requirements as set out in the 1990 Environmental Protection Act and described in detail in Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution guidance note no. IPR 5/1.

  White and Red Commissioning
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the differences between white commissioning and red commissioning.

  Mr. Aitken
  White commissioning is the process of proving that new plant and facilities operate safely and satisfactorily using similar but non-radioactive materials. Red commissioning is the process of proving that the new plant facilities operate safely and satisfactorily using limited amounts of the actual radioactive materials.

  Windscale Decommissioning
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's expected contribution to the costs of decommissioning the Windscale piles and associated chimneys; and what is the total estimated cost of this operation.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department is making a contribution of 91·5 per cent. towards the costs incurred in decommissioning the Windscale piles and associated chimneys. Work currently being undertaken constitutes the intial stages of a programme which is expected to take at least 50 years to complete. It is, therefore, too early to determine the likely total cost.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total number of aircraft movements authorised for flying below 250 ft over the United Kingdom in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992; on how many days such low flying took place in each year; and if he will provide a breakdown of these figures for (i) the northern Scotland tactical training area, (ii) the central Wales tactical training area, (iii) the Borders tactical training area and (iv) other areas.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The number of aircraft movements authorised for flying below 250 ft within the tactical training areas is set out in the table. The number of days on which such flying actually took place is not available, however, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Figures in the table relate to the number of days on which flying was authorised to take place. We would expect actual figures to be significantly lower because alternative dates are often pre-booked for use in case of bad weather. Between August 1990 and March 1991 all three tactical training areas were made available on weekdays for essential operational low flying training associated with the United Kingdom's commitment in the Gulf. Operational low flying in the United Kingdom is confined to the three tactical training areas.
  503

  Tactical training areas

  Northern Scotland

  Central Wales

  Borders

  Total

  1991

  Operational low flying (OLF) movements

  468

  90

  1,256

  1,814

  Number of days on which OLF authorised

  126

  115

  119

  360

  1992

  OLF movements

  979

  174

  2,067

  3,220

  Number of days on which OLF authorised

  165

  125

  187

  477

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total number of low-flying sorties carried out over the United Kingdom in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992 calculated by (i) counting the number of sorties directly and (ii) the pre-1985 method of logging movements between low-flying areas.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  1991

  1992

  Number of sorties

  127,400

  131,464

  The approximate number of sorties flown using the pre-1985 method

  99,636

  111,288

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many breaches of low flying regulations were reported to the relevant authorities by the aircrew involved in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992. was accounted for by (i) fast jets, (ii) light jet trainers, (iii) heavy propeller-driven aircraft, (iv) light propeller-driven aircraft and (v) helicopters.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  This information requested is as follows:

  Per cent.

  Category

  Proportion of sorties flown

  Fast jets

  58·13

  55·90

  Light jet trainers

  7·53

  5·34

  Heavy propeller-driven aircraft

  1·36

  1·79

  Light propeller-driven aircraft

  3·35

  5·13

  Helicopters

  29·63

  31·84

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many breaches of low flying regulations were reported to the relevant authorities by the aircrew involved in(a) 1991 and (b)

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the total number of low-flying sorties flown over the United Kingdom in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992 was represented by (i) British military aircraft, (ii) the United States Air Force aircraft and (iii) other aircraft.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is as follows:
  504

  Operating authority

  Proportion of sorties flown

  1991 Per cent.

  1992 Per cent.

  British military

  83·9

  89·0

  USAF

  14·7

  9·4

  Others

  1·4

  1·6

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Air Force police personnel are currently employed on surveying potential new areas for low flying; and if he will make a statement on the criteria and method used by the Royal Air force police when surveying potential new areas for low flying.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are no plans to change the basic structure of the United Kingdom low-flying system implemented in 1979. Two RAF Police senior NCOs are, however, occupied full time in carrying out a continuous review of the system to ensure that it remains properly reflective of current environmental and flight safety considerations.

  Guards Officers
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the number of officers currently serving in the Guards, other than quartermasters, whose parents were members of socio-economic group 5 when the commission was made.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Jasmin plc
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work has been carried out for his Department by Jasmin plc of Bulwell, Nottingham, on whether the tests required by his Department on nerve detectors were necessary; over what period the work was carried out; what was its cost; and what plans he has to compensate the company for that work.

  Mr. Aitken
  Over the last five years the Department has had many contracts with Jasmin, totalling over £10 million in value. The work has been primarily in the fields of chemical and vapour detection and fire control simulators. All tests required by the Department on nerve agent detectors have been necessary. As is our normal practice, payments will continue to be made for all work that has been properly completed in accordance with the terms and conditions of our contracts.

  MoD Employees, Northern Ireland
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed by the Ministry of Defence in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Aitken
  At 1 January 1993, the Ministry of Defence employed 2,878 full-time and part-time civil servants in Northern Ireland.

  Submarine Refitting
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will name the consultants appointed by him to report on the proposals of the two royal dockyards for refitting submarines;

  (2) what are the terms of reference of (a) the financial consultants and (b) the civil engineers, appointed to scrutinise the nuclear submarine refitting bids submitted by the royal dockyards;

  (3) if he will publish reports prepared by the consultants assessing the rival bids for the nuclear submarine refitting programme.

  Mr. Aitken
  A range of specialist consultants have for some considerable time provided advice on future arrangements for warship refitting, chief among these being Coopers and Lybrand (financial and business advice), and, by sub-contracts to Coopers and Lybrand, Allot and Lomax (civil engineering) and the safety and reliability directorate of AEA Technology (nuclear safety). The various consultants provide assessments of, and advice on, those aspects of the proposals from the two Royal Dockyard contractors that fall within their area of expertise. Central to their advice is much commercially sensitive information as well as classified material:, their advice will therefore not be published. We will, however, release as much information as possible, subject to the constraints of commercial confidentiality and security, once we have announced our proposals to the House.

  Naval Dockyards
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the results of the latest evacuation exercises at Rosyth and Devonport dockyards.

  Mr. Aitken
  Evacuation of the nuclear licensed sites within the Rosyth and Devonport dockyards is exercised annually. Both the most recent exercises were conducted satisfactorily. Evacuation procedures involving the wider dockyard workforce are tested periodically during nuclear accident response major exercises. The most recent such exercises took place at Rosyth in October 1989 and at Devonport in January 1993. In both cases the evacuations were completed satisfactorily.

  Employees, Gosport
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his best estimate of the number of(a) uniformed service personnel, (b) his Department's civilian personnel and (c) defence dependent civilian personnel who are currently employed within the constituency of Gosport.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  At 1 July 1992, 5,849 service personnel and 3,904 full and part-time MoD civilian civil servants were based in the Gosport local authority area. No figures are available for the number of defence dependent civilians in the Gosport constituency.

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the appointments made by him as listed in "Public Bodies 1992" came within the categories set out in paragraphs 49 and 50 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" and required a submission to the Prime Minister.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  One.

  Service Secondments
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for defence how many service personnel have been seconded to outside organisations from each of the services in each of the last five years; if he will list these organisations and the roles undertaken; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No Royal Navy or Army personnel have been seconded to outside civilian organisations in the last five financial years.

  RAF personnel have been seconded to British Aerospace to provide specialist operational, maintenance and support services in connection with the company's contract with the Royal Saudi Air Force, as follows:

  Number

  1988–89

  107

  1989–90

  127

  1990–91

  116

  1991–92

  52

  1992–93

  36

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidelines cover terms and conditions of employment of service personnel who go on secondment to outside organisations; what insurance conditions apply to them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The terms and conditions of employment of service personnel seconded to civilian organisations are normally set out in memoranda of understanding between my Department and the organisation concerned. My Department does not purchase insurance to cover service personnel. Those on secondment are in the same position as they are when serving with British forces; they are able to claim compensation from any party, including my Department and the organisation to which they are seconded, if they are injured due to the negligence of that party. In addition, they remain eligible for invaliding benefits payable under the armed forces pension scheme.

  RAF Bases
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many man hours were spent on(a) search and rescue work and (b) national defence work at each of the RAF bases in 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Information is not recorded on this basis.

  Search and Rescue
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number of callouts of the search and rescue service from RAF Leuchars in each month in 1992 and to
  507
  date in 1993; on how many of those occasions search and rescue services were on standby at other RAF stations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is given in the table:

  RAF Leuchars—search and rescue callouts

  Month

  1992 Total number of callouts

  1993 Total number2 of callouts

  January

  9

  20

  February

  11

  15

  March

  9

  18

  April

  12

  May

  8

  June

  18

  July

  14

  August

  21

  September

  8

  October

  7

  November

  9

  December

  5

  Total

  131

  143

  1 Provisional figure only.

  2 To end February.

  RAF search and rescue services are on standy 24 hours at other RAF stations with the exception of RAF Chivenor which is on standy during daytime only.

  University Air Squadron
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the running of the University Air Squadron has cost in each of the last five years; where it has been based; how many students have benefited from it in each of the last five years; what fees are payable by the students; if any changes are planned in the future; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are 17 university air squadrons (UAS) located around the United Kingdom and the headquarters is at RAF Cranwell. Responsibility budgets were not in operation prior to financial year 1991–92 and therefore figures are not available. Direct cash costs for financial year 1991–92 were £9·2 million and £8·8 million for financial year 1992–93; 484 students joined the UASs in 1988; 446 in 1989; 496 in 1990; 452 in 1991 and 500 in 1992. Students do not pay fees to the UAS organisation and attend under a bursary scheme or cadetships. Southampton UAS is to relocate from Lee on Solent to Boscombe Down with effect from 19 April 1993.

  Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer from the Foreign Secretary of 15 February,Official Report, column 33, if he will list those organisations his Department has received representations from, or initiated contact with, on the issue of the first preparatory committee meeting of the non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My Department has regular contacts with a range of organisations which have an interest in the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Bosnia No-fly Zone
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the imposition of the no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina will have on the safety and ability of British Forces serving with the United Nations in Bosnia-Herzegovina to carry out the role currently assigned to them.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We regard the safety of our forces serving in Bosnia as a paramount consideration. All necessary steps will be taken to reduce to the minimum the risks which those forces face. Any change in that risk that could result from the imposition of the no-fly zone or could come from any other source is being taken into account in our planning.

  Army Bases (Guards)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to replace service personnel guarding Army bases in the United Kingdom with Ministry of Defence police.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The mix of service personnel, MoD Police and MoD guard service used to protect MoD establishments, including Army bases, in the United Kingdom is kept under regular review. The mix at particular locations may change from time to time according to a variety of circumstances. Our aim is to provide the most cost effective and flexible manpower mix consistent with the level of security required at a specific location. There are no particular plans for a general redeployment of MOD Police to Army locations.

  Surplus Departmental Properties
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from housing associations relating to his policy regarding the sale of surplus MoD accommodation.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There is regular contact between the Department and housing associations interested in purchasing surplus MoD accommodation and a number of deals are currently being negotiated.

  Iraq
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek to obtain from his United States counterpart a copy of the report, produced by the Central Intelligence Agency in July 1990, "Iraq's Growing Arsenal: Programs and Facilities".

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Yes.

  Redundancies
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government have to deal with those who will be homeless after being made redundant as a result of "Options for Change".

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A wide range of resettlement advice and support is available to all personnel leaving the services. A joint services housing advice office has been set up to provide advice and guidance on housing options, working closely with the local authorities and housing
  509
  associations. Other measures include the sale or lease of surplus property to housing associations in return for the reservation of places for rent by service personnel, and the provision by the Housing Corporation of do-it-yourself shared ownership opportunities specifically for those leaving the services. Any redundee who has failed to find accommodation by the time he comes to leave the services, will be allowed to stay on temporarily in his married quarter provided it is not required for a service family.

ENVIRONMENT

  Education Spending
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what correlation there is between the level of standard spending assessment per pupil and the league table of secondary school performance results.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  For English local education authorities, excluding the Isles of Scilly, in 1991–92 the SSA per pupil for 11 to 15-year-olds was negatively correlated with the corresponding proportion of pupils achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A to C. However, authorities with similar levels of SSA per head exhibit a wide variation of performance at GCSE.

  Clarence Dock, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when negotiations were first entered into by the Merseyside development corporation to acquire the Clarence dock site, Liverpool, from Oldham Brothers Ltd., what offers have been made to the owners; when the offers were withdrawn; what estimated costs have been incurred by both sides; whether a public inquiry is planned; what is its estimated cost; what plans the Merseyside development corporation has for the site; what timetable it has for resolving this matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Merseyside development corporation made a first resolution for a compulsory purchase order in April 1989. On 20 April 1989 MDC wrote to Oldham Brothers Ltd, inquiring whether it be prepared to enter into negotiations.

  Information as to offers made to the owners is commercial-in-confidence. I shall write about that to the honourable Member.

  Costs of approximately £11,000 have been incurred by MDC to date. The costs incurred by Oldham Brothers are not known.

  A public inquiry is to commence on 22 June 1993 with an anticipated hearing of four days. The full cost will not be known until after the hearing, but the estimated cost excluding legal fees is approximately £10,000.

  MDC has identified the site for a mixed use development to include low rise offices/studios, water-sports centre, residential appartments and local shops and services.

  The former Clarence dock power station has been partly demolished for several years and the remaining structure is derelict, acting as a disincentive to inward investment and redevelopment. For these reasons MDC wishes to conclude purchase at the earliest opportunity, subject to agreement on price assessed on the basis of the land compensation code. If the compulsory purchase order
  510
  is confirmed the property could be transferred to MDC in spring 1994. If compensation cannot be agreed, the lands tribunal may determine the compensation payable.

  House Condition Survey
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding the publication of the house condition survey; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Since work on the 1991 English house condition survey began in September 1991 10 questions have been asked in the House regarding its publication. In answer to a question on 26 March from the hon. Member for Fulham (Mr. Carrington) at column 739, the Minister for Housing and Planning announced the timetable for the publication of the results of this survey.

  Used Tyres
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new guidelines he plans to issue(a) to enable local authorities to more effectively deal with the problem of unregulated tyre dumps and (b) to ensure the safe disposal of used tyres so as to cause minimal effect on the environment.

  Mr. Maclean
  Local authorities already have powers under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, the Refuse Disposal Amenity Act 1978 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to prosecute those guilty of treating, keeping or disposing of tyres illegally. The maximum penalty for such an offence is imprisonment for up to two years and an unlimited fine.

  Those with waste tyres to dispose of are also subject to the duty of care under section 34 of the 1990 Act, which requires that they can pass waste tyres only to a carrier registered with the waste regulation authority or to a licensed disposal facility. A breach of the duty of care is a criminal offence punishable, on conviction on indictment, by an unlimited fine.

  My Department is currently involved with the EC priority waste stream project group on used tyres and in the course of this work will be considering all possibilities for achieving satisfactory disposal of used tyres.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's policy on the disposal of used tyres from its own car fleet.

  Mr. Maclean
  Used tyres from the Government car service are transferred for disposal to persons appropriately authorised for the purposes of the duty of care under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are being taken with other EC countries to identify a common policy on the safe disposal of used tyres.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been asked to reply.

  An EC "priority waste stream" group, made up of all interested parties, including member states, has for the past two years been devising action plans to reduce the environmental impact of used tyres. The group, in which my Department has participated fully, is expected to complete its work by the end of the year and to propose targets and measures aimed at reducing the quantities of used tyres going for disposal and at promoting their re-use, retreading, and recycling throughout the Community.

  Energy Savings Trust
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what local authority representation there is in the decision-making structures of the Energy Savings Trust.

  Mr. Maclean
  There is no formal local or central government representation on the board of directors of the Energy Saving Trust. In addition to the chairman, Lord Moore, the trust's board consists of two representatives from British Gas, two from the regional electricity companies and four independent directors, who have been chosen for their wide knowledge and experience, which they bring to bear in developing and directing the trust.

  Harmful Substances
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will implement section 140 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Maclean
  Section 140 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 came into force two months after the Act was passed; the committee referred to in section 140(5) was established in July 1991 and several statutory instruments have been made using section 140.

  Leases (Confidentiality Clauses)
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to make it illegal to include confidentiality clauses in leases; and what consideration is being given by the Director General of Fair Trading as to whether such clauses are regarded as being anti-competitive.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning on 31 March to my hon. Friend the Member for Bromsgrove (Sir H. Miller),Official Report, columns 293–94.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Members for Oldham, Central and Royton (Mr. Davies) and for

  City challenge area

  Population

  Area (hectares)

  Residential dwellings

  Unemployment rate (percentage)

  Forecast training weeks 1993–94

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)

  (e)

  Pacemakers:

  Bradford

  42,997

  1,400

  15,184

  36·0

  17,040

  Dearne Valley

  76,000

  5,750

  32,004

  16·0

  n/a

  Lewisham

  28,000

  494

  12,000

  20·8

  28,300

  Liverpool

  4,000

  138

  1,196

  27·0

  n/a

  Manchester

  10,000

  110

  5,375

  31·0

  n/a

  Middlesbrough

  40,300

  792

  15,900

  20·0

  5,067

  Newcastle

  35,200

  580

  20,236

  25·0

  n/a

  Nottingham

  25,000

  405

  10,400

  24·4

  10,513

  Tower Hamlets

  13,500

  145

  4,071

  21·8

  n/a

  Wirral

  29,000

  683

  8,883

  29

  800

  Wolverhampton

  22,000

  560

  6,600

  n/a

  13,613

  Round 2:

  Barnsley

  17,000

  850

  n/a

  12·5

  285

  Birmingham

  12,000

  265

  5,000

  26·5

  3,654

  Blackburn

  19,500

  400

  6,000

  22·0

  4,375

  Bolton

  19,500

  506

  7,000

  17·0

  19,894

  Brent

  20,000

  320

  10,000

  30·0

  20,600

  512
  Barrow and Furness (Mr. Hutton) of 24 March, Official Report, column 626, when he expects his Department to complete its assessment of the impact of the proposed reduction in average grant levels to housing associations to 55 per cent. in 1995–96 on averge weekly rents for housing association tenants.

  Mr. Baldry
  Our consideration of evidence put forward by the Housing Corporation, the National Federation of Housing Associations and others about grant rates in 1994–95 and beyond is continuing. Final decisions about grant rates for 1995–96 would not normally be taken until late 1994.

  City Action Teams
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what effect the planned future expenditure in respect of the eight existing city action teams as published in his Department's annual report will have on the level of activity of the teams;

  (2) what plans he has to wind up each of the eight existing city action teams; and on what date.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The city action teams' main task is the co-ordination locally of the Government's programmes for our urban areas, including city challenge. Our expenditure plans will enable that work to continue. The Government are keeping urban needs under review, taking account of information derived from the 1991 census and other sources, and will consider the future of city action teams in the light of that.

  City Challenge
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, for each city challenge area, the most recent figures for(a) population, (b) area of geographical coverage, (c) number of residential dwellings, (d) unemployment rate, (e) the number of training places created since their inception and (f) the numbers completing training courses, by type of course.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is shown in the table. Data are not available to show numbers completing training courses.
  513

  City challenge area

  Population

  Area (hectares)

  Residential dwellings

  Unemployment rate (percentage)

  Forecast training weeks 1993–94

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)

  (e)

  Derby

  26,000

  240

  n/a

  25·0

  13,550

  Hackney

  23,000

  215

  8,027

  23·6

  19,323

  Hartlepool

  11,200

  280

  4,600

  22·7

  936

  Kensington

  25,000

  216

  11,000

  18·1

  3,777

  Kirklees

  20,000

  550

  7,000

  110·8

  4,316

  Lambeth

  30,000

  250

  n/a

  29·0

  18,422

  Leicester

  13,600

  370

  n/a

  13·6

  1,000

  Newham

  17,000

  518

  6,899

  20·8

  22,300

  North Tyneside

  36,000

  1,128

  n/a

  15·4

  5,282

  Sandwell

  27,000

  606

  9,300

  16·0

  13,211

  Sefton

  29,000

  800

  n/a

  36·0

  100

  Stockton

  23,600

  695

  10,000

  22·8

  6,786

  Sunderland

  37,000

  2,950

  12,680

  116·1

  9,841

  Walsall

  15,000

  470

  5,000

  17·2

  n/a

  Wigan

  20,000

  800

  8,400

  16·0

  4,862

  n/a = Data is not available.

  1 DOE estimate.

  Sources:

  (a)-(c) Original Pacemaker and Round 2 Bid Documents and Action Plans.

  (d) Original Pacemaker and Round 2 Bid Documents and Action Plans. Since their submission, the unemployment rate may have changed.

  (e) Training places are not available. The City Challenge output measure is a training week that is, more than 30 hours of weekly attendance for training. The data shown is a forecast, taken from draft 1993–94 decision letters and subject to revision.

  Community Selfbuild Agency
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent meetings ministers in his Department have had with the Community Selfbuild Agency.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am not aware of any meetings in the past year.

  Urban Land
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the proportion of land in urban use for each of the regions and counties in England; and what estimates there are for how this will change.

  Mr. Baldry
  Estimates of urban growth between 1981 and 2001 for counties and regions of England, and the proportion of land projected to be in urban use in 2001, are available from tables 1(a) and 1(b) in this Department's report "Rates of Urbanisation in England 1981–2001", published by HMSO in 1990, and available in the House of Commons Library.

  London Government
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations his Department has had from outside bodies calling for a single strategic authority to oversee transport, land use and environment in London; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. and learned Friend has recently received representations from the Institute for Metropolitan Studies, from the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry and from the CBI London region transport task force, calling for some form of strategic body with responsibility for transport, land use and the environment in London.

  Council Tax Debtors
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what safeguards exist against the forced sale of council tax debtors' property as a result of charging orders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A local authority cannot apply for a charging order if the outstanding debt is less than £1,000. The making of a charging order is at the discretion of the court. The court will consider all the circumstances of the case, including the personal circumstances of the debtor and whether any other creditors of the debtor would be likely to be prejudiced by the making of an order.

  Enforcement of a charging order by sale is a separate step. In deciding whether an application to enforce a charging order should be granted the court may have to balance the interest of the creditor with that of members of the debtor's family. The court may also have regard to the size of the debt outstanding in relation to the value of the dwelling to be sold.

  Under both procedures the debtor has an opportunity to attend court and make representations.

  Freemasons
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce a code of practice for local authorities to ensure that local government employees declare any membership of masonic lodges in a public register.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  We have no plans to introduce such a code. Terms and conditions of employment for local government officers are matters for local authorities as employers.

  Manchester City Planning Officer
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations his Department has received from Manchester's city planning officer about concerns over circular 26/92; what reply he is sending; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.
  515
  Mr. Baldry
  The city planning officer has written to my Department following the demolition of the Tommy Ducks public house. That building was not listed as being of architectural or historic interest, nor was it in a conservation area; consents under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 were therefore not required. The demolition of certain other types of building is subject to planning control under the Planning and Compensation Act 1991, section 13. Whether the demolition is subject to control depends on whether the building is either a dwelling house, or a building adjoining a dwelling house. The chief planning officer's view is that Government guidance on the interpretation of the legislation is unclear. I do not share that view, but it is inevitable that central guidance cannot deal with every eventuality and that cases must be considered individually by local planning authorities. The council concluded in this case that the building demolished was not one which fell within the category of buildings subject to planning control; and it would not be right for me to comment on that decision. My officials have replied to the chief planning officer along these lines.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's latest estimate of the number of homeless people in London, divided in(a) couples, (b) families with children and (c) single people.

  Mr. Baldry
  Local authorities in England report the number of households for whom they accept responsibility to secure permanent accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the Houseing Act 1985 in their quarterly P1 return.

  The latest estimate for London appears in table 1 of "Households found accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act 1985: England. Statistics for the fourth quarter 1992", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Information on households with dependent children and households in the other priority need categories and young single people in non-priority need can be found in percentage terms in table 3 of the same publication. The reported information does not identify couples and older single people and my Department has no estimates.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of people in London in(a) bed-and-breakfast accommodation, (b) hostels for the homeless and (c) sleeping rough for the latest available date and 1982.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information is reported quarterly to the Department—half yearly before 1984—on homeless households for whom local authorities have accepted responsibility to secure permanent accommodation, under the homelessness provisions of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 and part III of the Housing Act 1985.

  Estimates of the number of such households in bed-and-breakfast and hostel accommodation in London at 31 December, including some on whom inquiries had not yet been completed, are as follows:
  516

  Bed-and-breakfast

  Hostels (including women's refuges)

  1982

  1,150

  1,270

  1992

  3,820

  3,550

  In the 1991 census some 1,197 households were enumerated as sleeping rough in London on the night of 21–22 April. No count of persons sleeping rough was made in 1982.

  Petrol and Diesel Fuel
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the additional costs faced by local authorities resulting from the increased duties on petrol and diesel fuel and on authorities which have budgeted to spend at their limit; and what additional resources he is making available to such authorities in order to prevent cuts in services.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In reaching his decisions on the local government finance settlement, my right hon. and learned Friend took into consideration the expected level of inflation and the anticipated increases in pay and prices. Responsible local authorities make allowances for foreseeable expenditure arising during a financial year when setting their budgets, and we regard the effect of mineral oil excise duties on local authorities as constituting such expenditure. We do not therefore consider it appropriate or necessary to make additional resources available.

  Ozone Depletion
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the results of stratospheric ozone depletion measurement over the United Kingdom and the northern hemisphere during March; and if he will make a statement on the significance of the results.

  Mr. Maclean
  Measurements of total ozone made at Lerwick and Camborne during March were between 10 and 13 per cent. below the long-term average for the month. This compares with measurements in February over 20 per cent. below the long-term average which I reported in my answer to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 11 March. These results reflect conditions over a wide area of the northern hemisphere where ozone levels have been affected by meteorological conditions and possibly the impact of the Mount Pinatubo volcanic eruption, as well as any contribution from ozone depleting substances.

  The risk of an Arctic ozone hole developing this year is now rapidly diminishing as the stratosphere warms up. The reductions in ozone this year have not resulted in any increase in ground level ultraviolet radiation which is within the range expected for the time of year. There are no implications for health. While we rely on stratospheric ozone to absorb the potentially damaging ultraviolet radiation from the sun, radiation is naturally very low at this time of year, even on clear days, because of the low angle of the sun. Analysis of measurements made this year will be included in the next report of the Department's stratospheric ozone review group, due to be published in the autumn.

  Hazardous Waste
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the principles of the Basel convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and the control regime under the EC Waste Shipments Regulation.

  Mr. Maclean
  The United Nations Environment Programme Basel convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal entered into force in May 1992. The convention provides a framework for states to ban imports of hazardous waste. Shipments are not allowed between parties and non-parties without specific agreements. Where shipments do take place the convention provides a global system of environmental controls.

  The convention does not distinguish between shipments of waste for final disposal and for recovery. In March 1992 OECD countries agreed a decision on the control of transfrontier movements of wastes destined for recovery operations. This decision, which is compatible with the convention, placed wastes on one of three lists—green, amber and red—according to the degree of hazard. Green list waste will only be subject to normal commercial controls. Red list waste will be subject broadly to the same controls as waste for disposal under the convention. Amber list waste will be subject to a more streamlined procedure.

  The OECD controls have been incorporated in the EC waste shipments regulation agreed at Council in October under the United Kingdom presidency. The regulation will implement the EC's obligations under the Basel convention. The regulation's control system, like that of the convention, is based generally on the principle of prior informed consent.

  The regulation will enable member states to ban imports of waste for disposal from other member states and EFTA countries, but there is an exemption for states which do not produce hazardous waste in a sufficient quantity to make the provision of specialised disposal facilities economic. Imports for disposal will also be allowed from other countries which are parties arid from countries with which the Community or member states have bilateral agreements. Such imports will be permitted only where exporting countries do not have and cannot reasonably acquire the technical capacity and necessary facilities in order to dispose of waste in an environmentally sound manner. Exports for disposal will be prohibited, except to EFTA countries which are parties.

  Shipments of recoverables will continue between OECD countries and to and from non-OECD countries which are parties and/or have concluded bilateral agreements with the EC. All bilaterals involving exports of hazardous—amber and red list—waste outside OECD will include safeguards to ensure environmentally sound management. Exports will be prohibited where a third country refuses to accept them. Before green list waste is exported outside OECD the country of destination will be asked to state whether it will accept the shipments without going through amber or red control procedures. Where the country of destination regards a green list waste as hazardous, shipments of that waste will be subject to the appropriate control regime.

  The Environment Council in December agreed the instrument of approval of the convention on behalf of the EC. Council agreed that the EC and member states would
  518
  as far as possible ratify the convention simultaneously. Under the convention there is a 90-day period between ratification and becoming a party. The waste shipments regulation dictates the legal timetable for ratification. Ratification of the convention by the EC and member states on 6 February 1994 would enable the EC and member states to be parties on 6 May 1994, when the regulation applies. Council on 23 March agreed that the EC would ratify no later than 6 February. In the Government's view ratification any earlier would produce a legal vacuum between the date when the EC and member states became parties and the date of application of the regulation. Ratification on 6 February is therefore the legally correct and practical solution.

  Countryside Stewardship Schemes
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the countryside stewardship scheme sites have been visited by Ministers or officials of his Department; if, for each site, he will give the name, location, date and rank of personnel involved; whether each site involved payments for additional access for the public; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: Information is not kept in the form requested. The scheme is administered by the Countryside Commission. The Secretary of State, Ministers and officials from the Department have visited a number of countryside stewardship sites since the scheme launch in June 1991.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by county all the 1992 countryside stewardship scheme sites for which access payments are made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: A list in the form requested is being prepared. I will send it to the hon. Gentleman and will place copies in the Libraries of both Houses as soon as it is ready. Full details of each site will be sent to parish councils and will be included in new, improved county registers which will be sent to user groups and highway authorities within the next few months. Copies of the registers will be held at the Countryside Commission regional offices and headquarters and will be available on request. In addition, the Countryside Commission has reviewed its approach to signing and waymarking sites in light of first year experience. More robust and informative map boards will be put in place by June for all sites agreed in the first two years of the scheme. Paths and bridleways will be waymarked. The Countryside Commission is also considering the production of information leaflets to publicise sites further.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the linear access routes under the countryside stewardship scheme agreements made in 1992, involving additional access payments, are contiguous with pre-existing rights of way; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: Over 100 linear access routes included in 1992 countryside stewardship agreements or agreement offers are linked to existing public rights of way. No payment is made for existing rights of way under the countryside stewardship scheme.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department has taken to implement the private finance initiative announced in the autumn statement on 12 November 1992 and in the Treasury private finance guidance published on 9 December 1992.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 1 April 1993]: Private finance already makes a contribution of about £2 billion a year to the achievement of the Department's objectives, notably in housing and urban development.

  Private finance is an important element in our housing programme. Housing associations, which are the main providers of new social housing, are required to raise part of their development funds from the private sector; our objective is to increase the proportion of private funding in order to obtain the maximum benefit from the public resources available. In addition, some £1·5 billion of private finance has been raised as a result of large-scale voluntary transfers of local authority properties to housing associations; this finance is being used to improve existing stock, to repay debt and to develop new social housing. We continue to encourage investment in the private rented sector, and to consider how to maximise the use of private sector funding and expertise in meeting housing need.

  The Department continues to look for new opportunities to use private finance. An initial list of 21 new urban development projects, has been identified on which proposals from interested developers and financial institutions have been invited. A copy has been placed in the Library. Further projects are in the pipeline.

  On 23 March I met the chairman and senior executives of a number of leading development companies to discuss private finance; and I have held discussions with merchant banks and City financial institutions to explore ways in which projects could be financed using private finance.

  In addition the Department will shortly publish guidance on how greater use could be made of private finance in the implementation of its policies and programmes.

  Water Meters
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of domestic prepayment water meters installed in each water company area.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 1 April 1993]: I understand that the number of domestic prepayment water meters which have been installed to date by water companies is as follows:

  Number

  Bristol Water plc

  10

  North West Water Ltd.

  20

  Severn Trent Water Ltd.

  44

  Southern Water Services Ltd.

  70

  South Staffordshire Water plc

  30

  Wessex Water Services Ltd.

  51

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, by water company area, the 520
  numbers and percentage of households with domestic water meters; and what the equivalent figures were for (a) 1979, (b) 1983 and (c)

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 1 April 1993]: Current estimates are shown in the table: similar information for earlier years is not available centrally.

  Water company

  Metered supply households (000s)

  Proportion per cent.

  Anglian Water Services Ltd.

  48

  3·3

  Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water Company

  5

  3·3

  Bristol Water plc

  14

  3·5

  Cambridge Water Company

  4

  3·7

  Chester Waterworks Company

  1

  2·3

  Cholderton and District Water Company Ltd.

  <1

  1·5

  Dwr Cymru Cyfyngedig

  29

  2·8

  East Surrey Water plc

  3

  2·6

  Essex Water plc

  10

  1·9

  Folkestone and Dover Water Services Ltd.

  2

  2·8

  Hartlepools Water Company

  <1

  0·1

  Mid Kent Water plc

  4

  2·2

  Mid Southern Water plc

  11

  4·3

  North East Water plc

  6

  1·1

  North Surrey Water Ltd.

  8

  4·5

  North West Water Ltd.

  50

  1·9

  Northumbrian Water Ltd.

  2

  0·4

  Portsmouth Water plc

  <1

  1

  Severn Trent Water Ltd.

  134

  4·9

  South East Water Ltd.

  9

  3·8

  South Staffordshire Water plc

  9

  2·0

  South West Water Services Ltd.

  24

  4·2

  Southern Water Services Ltd.

  90

  10·5

  Suffolk Water plc

  4

  3·9

  Sutton District Water plc

  <1

  0·3

  Tendring Hundred Water Services Ltd.

  3

  4·8

  Thames Water Utilities Ltd.

  96

  3·3

  Three Valleys Water Services plc

  22

  2·5

  Wessex Water Services Ltd.

  21

  5·0

  Wrexham and East Denbighshire Water Company

  3

  4·6

  York Waterworks plc

  <1

  0·1

  Yorkshire Water Services Ltd.

  45

  2·7

  England and Wales

  657

  3·4

  Note: Proportions may not tally exactly due to rounding.

  Radon Gas
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to inform the public of the dangers arising from radon gas concentrations in dwellings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: In March 1991 the Government launched a publicity campaign in Cornwall and Devon, the counties where the greatest numbers of homes above the action level of 200 Bq m -3 are found, to inform householders of the potential health risk posed by radon. This campaign was extended to Northamptonshire and Derbyshire in October 1992. The leaflet "Radon in Houses" explains what radon is, provides information on assistance available and offers a free measurement service to householders. It was delivered to all homes in the affected areas of these counties, and to other appropriate outlets—libraries, citizens advice bureaux etc. Public service announcements were made available to local radio. As a result, radon concentrations

  521
  in some 100,000 homes have already been measured and 11,000 householders, whose homes have radon levels above the action level, have been advised on the further action which should be considered.

SCOTLAND

  Mentally III (Care)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average cost of caring for a mentally ill person in(a) a mental illness hospital, (b) a general hospital psychiatric unit, (c) a four-to-six-bed group home, (d) a staffed hospital and (e) in the patient's own home.

  Mr. Stewart
  The average cost per day of caring for a mentally ill inpatient in 1991–92 was as follows:

  Amount (£)

  Mental Illness Hospital

  74·20

  General Hospital Psychiatric Units

  108·90

  Staffed Hospitals

  77·60

  Information on the costs of care in four-to-six-bed group homes and in patients' own homes is not collected centrally. The figure for staffed hospitals is the average cost for all hospitals which provide inpatient care for mentally ill persons.

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farmers are in receipt of hill livestock compensatory allowance payments in(a) severely disadvantaged areas and (b) disadvantaged areas in each county in Scotland containing less favoured area land.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The information is set out in the table. It is based on payments under the 1992 hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme.

  Number of Payments

  County

  Severely disadvantaged areas

  Disadvantaged areas

  Aberdeen

  798

  190

  Angus

  149

  16

  Argyll

  1,076

  —

  Ayr

  743

  100

  Banff

  387

  51

  Berwick

  139

  21

  Cumbrae and Bute

  48

  4

  Arran

  88

  —

  Caithness

  741

  —

  Clackmannan

  15

  —

  Dumfries

  682

  13

  Dunbarton

  99

  14

  Fife

  105

  7

  Inverness

  2,590

  3

  Kincardine

  156

  21

  Kinross

  46

  9

  Kirkcudbright

  548

  3

  Lanark

  604

  63

  Lothian, East

  36

  4

  Lothian, Mid

  113

  12

  Lothian, West

  65

  4

  Moray

  167

  6

  Nairn

  54

  2

  Orkney

  942

  —

  Peebles

  180

  3

  Perth

  586

  23

  522

  Number of Payments

  County

  Severely disadvantaged areas

  Disadvantaged areas

  Renfrew

  180

  6

  Ross

  2,568

  20

  Roxburgh

  288

  12

  Selkirk

  117

  —

  Stirling

  216

  19

  Sutherland

  735

  —

  Wigtown

  410

  31

  Shetland

  1,589

  —

  Total

  17,260

  657

  Livestock Auctions
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the turnover in terms of value, or livestock auctions for each county in Scotland; and how many auctions account for that value in each county.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Water Services
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been(a) allocated and (b) spent on capital works programmes for water services in each year since 1987–88 in relation to the compliance with European Community regulations and directives; what delays have taken place in efforts to achieve EC standards on (i) drinking water, (ii) bathing water and (iii) disposal of sewage sludge to land-based sites; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 1 April 1993]: Separate capital allocations are not made for specific parts of authorities' water and sewerage programmes. Projects related to meeting the requirements of EC directives come within the overall water and sewerage programme. Allocations and the outturn expenditure on water and sewerage are given in tables 1 and 2 respectively.

  Virtually all drinking water improvement programmes are on target. Detailed information is available in the report "Drinking Water Quality in Scotland 1991", publication of which I announced in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Robertson) on 10 February. A copy of the report is available in the Library.

  A £100 million programme of sewerage improvements has been drawn up for those bathing waters, arising from the EC bathing waters directive. The improvements are designed to enable compliance by 1997.

  The predominant land-based disposal route for sewage sludge is to agricultural land. A recent survey has demonstrated that EC requirements are being attained. As a result of the EC urban waste water treatment directive which, among other things, provides for the ending of sea-based disposal by, at the latest, 1998, the quantity for land-based disposal will rise very steeply. There have been no delays in implementing this directive which was adopted only in 1991.
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  Table 1—Capital allocations for the water and sewerage programme (includes flood prevention and cost protection)

  Year

  £ million

  1987–88

  1040

  1988–89

  112·5

  1989–90

  12·61

  1990–91

  138·4

  1991–92

  164·8

  1992–93

  224·1

  1993–94

  229·9

  Table 2—Outturn capital expenditure on water and sewerage

  Year

  Water

  Sewerage

  £ million

  £ million

  1987–88

  460

  52·6

  1988–89

  54·1

  56·5

  1989–90

  62·0

  65·4

  524

  Year

  Water

  Sewerage

  £ million

  £ million

  1990–91

  66·0

  78·5

  1991–92

  80·6

  90·6

  Figures for later years not yet available.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what efforts he is making to attract inward investment to Scotland from Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: Locate in Scotland, through the work of its officials in the United Kingdom and overseas, promotes Scotland as a location for inward investment from the Asia Pacific region including Hong Kong.