Written Answers of 4 December 1992

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many people received legal aid this year; and how many of these would have been eligible and how many would pay increased contributions, if the changes in legal aid announced for England and Wales were to be introduced to Northern Ireland.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  In the year ended 31 March 1992, the legal aid department of the Law Society of Northern Ireland, issued 14,585 civil legal aid certificates. In addition 56,508 bills for legal advice and assistance and 11,320 bills for legal assistance by way of representation were paid.

  In the above cases contributions were required in 1,601–11 per cent.—of civil legal aid cases, in 1,607–3 per cent.—of legal advice and assistance cases and in 1,242–11 per cent.—of assistance by way of representation cases. In all other cases no contribution was required.

  Information regarding how many of those involved would be eligible and how many would pay increased contributions, if the changes in legal aid announced for England and Wales were to be introduced in Northern Ireland, is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The system of granting criminal legal aid in Northern Ireland is different from that in operation in England and Wales and a direct comparison of the effect of proposed changes in England and Wales is not possible.

  Divorce
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he has completed his review of all aspects of divorce reform and conciliation following the Law Commission's recommendations; and what proposals he has to establish a counselling and mediation service.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor is considering the Law Commission's recommendations and the role and funding of family mediation services. His review of these matters is not yet complete and therefore it would be premature to put forward proposals on what are difficult and controversial issues.

TRANSPORT

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants from his Department have been relocated from London to other parts of the United Kingdom(a) in the last five years and (b) in the last 10 years; and to where they were relocated.
  388
  Mr. Norris
  The Department of Transport has relocated 267 posts from London in the last five years and 307 in the last 10 years, as follows:

  New Location

  Unit

  Posts Relocated

  Farnborough—

  Air Accidents Investigation Branch

  40

  Nottingham—

  Driving Standards Agency Headquarters

  120

  Leeds—

  Highways Computing

  42

  Coventry—

  Motorway Widening Unit

  105

  Roadside Testing
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he proposes to take to introduce roadside testing to ensure on-road compliance of motor cycles, cars, light vans, buses and heavy goods vehicles with emission standards for(a) carbon monoxide, (b) smoke and (c) noise; and if he will set annual targets for such testing.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The police and the Department's vehicle examiners have the power to check vehicles at the roadside for emissions. The use of those powers by the police is a matter for the chief constables. The Department's examiners make a visual assessment of emissions at the roadside as part of roadworthiness inspections. The targets for these inspections in 1992–93 are 125,000 heavy goods vehicles, 23,000 public service vehicles and 33,000 cars and light goods vehicles. In addition, there will be metered roadside checks of smoke and carbon monoxide emissions from some 13,000 vehicles.

  By 1 January next year, annual roadworthiness tests of most vehicles apart from motorcycles will include metered checks of carbon monoxide and smoke. Those tests are the main way of dealing with excessive on-road emissions from individual vehicles.

  Excessive noise arising from a missing or a faulty silencer would lead to failure at annual test and prohibition at the roadside.

  Catalytic Converters
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many responses he has received to his proposal to allow a derogation for the sale of cars not fitted with catalytic converters after 1 January 1993; how many respondents(a) supported and (b) opposed his proposal; which motor manufacturing companies (i) supported and (ii) opposed his proposal; what estimate he has made of the number of vehicles not fitted with a catalytic converter left unsold on 1 January 1993; and when he will announce his decision.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Of some 400 representative organisations consulted in accordance with section 195(2) of the Road Traffic Act 1988, only 25 replied with substantive comments. Of these, 18 were in favour or raised no objection and seven opposed the derogation. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders welcomed the measures on behalf of the industry as a whole. Of individual motor manufacturing companies, Ford, Mazda, Proton, Rolls-Royce and Rover welcomed the proposal, whereas Bristol Cars did not consider it would be of use to them. No motor manufacturers opposed the proposal. We estimate that there may be some 32,000 cars
  389
  left unsold by 31 December which will benefit from the proposal. This represents a little under 2 per cent. of projected registrations this year. Having considered the representations, I made the related regulations (Sls 1992 Nos. 2908 and 2909) on 19 November and they were laid before the House on 26 November.

  Motorcycles
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received(a) at the international motorcycle show or (b) elsewhere about the desirability of relaxing rules which prevent motorcycles with plastic petrol tanks being sold in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  There have been a number of representations from the motorcycle industry requesting a relaxation of the current rules so as to allow plastic fuel tanks to be used on motorcycles. We are actively considering a change and intend to consult on draft-amending regulations very soon.

  Thames Bridges (Traffic)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the information he has about plans to close or restrict vehicular and pedestrian traffic during the next six months in respect of each of those Thames bridges between Tower bridge and Hampton Court bridge which allow vehicular or pedestrian access.

  Mr. Norris
  The Thames bridges which carry trunk roads and for which my right hon. Friend is the highway

  authority are those at Twickenham (A316), Chiswick (A316), and Kew (A205). He has no plans to close or restrict any of these bridges in the next six months.

  The appropriate London borough councils, and the City of London, are responsible for the other Thames bridges. The following restrictions apply or are planned:-

  Tower Bridge

  17 tonnes weight. Weekend closure on 22–23 and 29–30 January for renovation.

  London Bridge

  Lane closures for one week at some time in the summer for resurfacing the King William street approach.

  Waterloo Bridge

  Closure on 2–15 January to replace an expansion joint. Westminster Bridge

  7·5 tonnes weight. The co-ordination of work to upgrade the bridge, starting in the summer, and work to extend the Jubilee Line is currently under discussion.

  Lambeth Bridge

  Closures and lane closures to renew expansion joints, but no start date yet decided.

  Chelsea Bridge

  Footways will be repaired in January and February.

  Albert Bridge

  Closure for one weekend in March for programmed maintenance. Further weekend closures in the summer for deck repairs.

  Battersea Bridge

  Closed since 29 November and expected to re-open in February.

  Hammersmith Bridge

  3 tonnes weight. Lane closures from 4 January to mid-February for programmed maintenance.

  Blue Light Emergency Services
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all those companies registered with his Department who are offering blue light emergency services; and if he will make a statement.
  390
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Operators of vehicles using blue warning beacons and special warning lights are not required with this Department.

  The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations make provision for these lamps to he used on "emergency vehicles" which are defined as motor vehicles of any of the following descriptions:

  (a) a vehicle used for fire brigade, ambulance or police purposes;

  (b) an ambulance, being a vehicle (other than an invalid carriage) which is constructed or adapted for the purposes of conveying sick or injured persons and which is used for such purposes;

  (c) a vehicle owned by a body formed primarily for the purposes of fire salvage and used for those or similar purposes;

  (d) a vehicle owned by the Forestry Commission or by a local authority and used from time to time for the purposes of fighting fires;

  (e) a vehicle owned by the Secretary of State for Defence and used—

  (i) for the purposes of the disposal of bombs or explosives,

  (ii) by the Naval Emergency Monitoring Organisation for the purposes of a nuclear accident or an incident involving radioactivity,

  (iii)by the Royal Air Force mountain rescue service for the purposes of rescue operations or any other emergencies, or

  (iv)by the Royal Air Force armament support unit;

  (f) a vehicle primarily used for the purposes of the Blood Transfusion Service provided under the National Health Service Act 1977 or under the National Health Service (Scotland) act 1978;

  (g) a vehicle used by Her Majesty's Coastguard or Coastguard Auxilliary Service for the purposes of giving aid to persons in danger or vessels in distress on or near the coast;

  (h) a vehicle owned by the British Coal Corporation and used for the purposes of rescue operations at mines;

  (i) a vehicle owned by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and used for the purposes of launching lifeboats; and

  (j) a vehicle primarily used for the purpose of conveying any human tissue for transplanting or similar purposes.

  London Buses Ltd.
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the privatisation of London Buses Ltd.

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friend has written to the chairman of London Transport to inform him of the Government's agreement in principle to the early privatisation of the subsidiaries of London Buses Ltd.

  Before the companies can be sold, the services they operate on behalf of London Transport must be put on a clear contractual basis. Forty per cent. of the London Transport network is already operated under contract by private firms or London Buses Ltd. companies, and there will be a further round of competitive tendering next year to increase that proportion. The remaining routes operated by London Buses Ltd. subsidiaries will be put on a formal contractual basis from 1 April 1993, paving the way for the London Buses Ltd. companies to be offered for sale from late 1993 onwards.
  391
  The Government remain firmly committed to deregulating the London bus market at the earliest opportunity. Early privatisation will help to ensure that competition in the deregulated market takes place on a free and fair basis.

ENVIRONMENT

  Emissions
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what work has been undertaken to date by his Department to monitor emission levels from manufacturing industries in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maclean
  The main polluting industries are controlled under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Alkali etc. Works Regulation Act 1906. The emphasis is on operators of these industries monitoring their own emissions. The relevant enforcing authorities have powers to check that this monitoring is undertaken satisfactorily and to carry out their own monitoring in order to substantiate the operator's results or to investigate matters not covered by the operator's monitoring programme.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial assistance Her Majesty's Government gave to improve water quality for each of the last five years before water privatisation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  A considerable proportion of investment by the former water authorities had the effect of improving water quality. Some details of that expenditure were given in the DOE chapters of the annual public expenditure White Paper. Investment expenditure was met from water charges and borrowing: the limits for the latter were set out in the White Papers.

  Water Supplies
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to which authorities the disconnection of a water supply to an inhabited premises with a water meter is notifiable.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 November 1992, at column 235, which applies irrespective of the method of charging in use.

  Housing Starts
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of private sector housing starts in England for the 1991–92 year.

  Mr. Baldry
  It is estimated that in England during the financial year 1991–92 there were 113,300 private enterprise and 19,700 housing association starts.

  Unleaded Petrol
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what analyses of the safety, or impact on human health, of unleaded petrol have been carried out; if he will give details; and if he will make a statement.
  392
  Mr. Maclean
  The hon. Member may have in mind the fact that the benzene content of unleaded petrol in the United Kingdom is typically rather higher, at 3 to 4 per cent., than for leaded petrol—2·5 per cent. Benzene is a genotoxic carcinogen. A number of studies have been made of the effects of occupational exposure to benzene, and the Department's expert panel on air quality standards has been asked to make recommendations on an ambient air quality standard for benzene. However, the major source of benzene emissions in the United Kingdom is not the evaporation of petrol but rather petrol engine exhaust, and most of the benzene in this exhaust arises from the "cracking" of aromatics in the engine rather than from the original benzene content of the fuel. Harmful exhaust emissions, including benzene, can be drastically reduced by fitting three-way catalytic converters to cars. This will be mandatory under EC standards for new cars from the end of 1992. Cars with catalytic converters will run only on unleaded petrol.

  Tarmac
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many meetings took place between Tarmac and individual members of the Property Services Agency Projects board from October 1991 to October 1992; and if he will make a statement on the nature of these meetings;

  (2) if he will list the meetings between Tarmac and the Property Services Agency Projects board from October 1991 to October 1992; and if he will make a statement on the nature of these meetings.

  Mr. Redwood
  Many meetings would have taken place between individual members of the PSA Projects board and Tarmac as with any major construction company, in the normal course of business. The PSA board has met Tarmac twice during this period as part of projects' efforts to establish itself as a commercial organisation. In addition during the due diligence phase of the sale process, both the board and individual board members met Tarmac on the same basis as other shortlisted bidders. Following Tarmac's selection as preferred bidder at the end of September there were frequent meetings between board members and Tarmac in preparation for staff consultation about the sale and to develop Tarmac's plans for the business.

  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list and quantify all existing claims for liquidated damages(a) from the former Property Services Agency Projects board against Tarmac and (b) from Tarmac against the former Property Services Agency Projects board.

  Mr. Redwood
  There are no existing claims between Tarmac and the former Property Services Agency Projects board. Property Services Agency Projects no longer advises client departments on current claims against or by Tarmac. The contracts relating to such claims have been the responsibility of client departments since 1 April 1990. The amounts of claims by commercial companies against Government Departments are commercially confidential.

  City Grant
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the expenditure on city grant in the assisted areas in each year since its inception;
  393
  (2) how much city grant expenditure there has been in the metropolitan borough of Wirral council district in each year since its inception;

  (3) what percentage of city grant spending took place in the assisted areas (a) in each year since its inception and (b) in total since its inception.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  City grant expenditure approved for projects in assisted areas since the introduction of city grant in 1988, and the percentage of total expenditure is as follows:

  £ million

  per cent.

  In assisted areas

  1988–89

  4·752

  19

  1989–90

  28·684

  44

  1990–91

  34·741

  65

  1991–92

  56·468

  74

  1992–931

  31·128

  66

  In Wirral metropolitan borough council aarea

  1988–89

  0·000

  —

  1989–90

  0·000

  —

  1990–91

  0·126

  —

  1991–92

  2·173

  —

  1992–93

  0·000

  —

  1 In first eight months.

  Total expenditure approved for projects in assisted areas represents 58 per cent. of all city grant expenditure approved to date.

  All figures exclude grant offers not taken up.

  City Challenge
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria or performance indicators will be taken into account, apart from measuring each authority's performance against the strategic objectives and outputs specified in the action plans, for the purposes of the city challenge scheme in considering which pacemaker authorities should receive more or less than the average sum originally promised per pacemaker authority.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The 11 city challenge pacemakers will each receive £37·5 million over five years, subject only to an annual review of progress toward achieving the strategic objectives and outputs specified in their action plans.

  Building Control Fees
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the current level of building control fees; and what was the level of those fees in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available;

  (2) what was the rise in both actual and percentage terms of the most recent increase in building control fees; when that increase was implemented; and upon what basis that increase was calculated;

  (3) if he will make a statement outlining the reasons for levelling building control fees; and for which precise categories of building work they are levied.

  Mr. Baldry
  The current level of building control fees payable to local authorities in England and Wales is set out in the Building (Amendment of Prescribed Fees) Regulations 1992 (1992 No. 2079). These regulations, which were laid before Parliament on 9 September 1992 394
  and came into operation on 1 October 1992, provided for an increase in fees for all three categories of building work: new housing, domestic extensions and alterations, and all other types of work including industrial and commercial.

  Building control fees are levied so that the costs of providing the service are paid for primarily by the developer rather than by the taxpayer generally. The purpose of the increase was threefold: to keep fee levels in line with inflation since the previous increase in February 1991; to reflect increased local authority workload arising from the Building Regulations 1991; and to reduce the deficit between fee income and the cost of the building control service, which was particularly large for work involving domestic extensions and alterations. The average increase for most categories of work was 9·4 per cent. The actual fee for an average sized house increased from £209 to £228; for 10 houses from £1,802 to £1,972; for a £0·5 million non-domestic building from £2,440 to £2,668. For non-domestic work above £1 million the fees remained unchanged. Fees for domestic extensions and alterations inceased by 50 per cent., involving an actual rise for an average sized extension from £60 to £90; and for larger extensions from £120 to £180.

  The level of fees charged by local authorities over the last 10 years are set out in the following statutory instruments which are available in the Library of the House:

  Statutory Instrument

  Came into force

  1982 No. 577

  1 July 1982

  1983 No. 1611 (Amendment)

  19 December 1983

  1985 No. 1576

  11 November 1985

  1986 No. 2287 (Amendment)

  1 February 1987

  1988 No. 871 (Amendment)

  13 June 1988

  1989 No. 1118 (Amendment)

  1 September 1989

  1990 No. 2600 (Amendment)

  1 February 1991

  The separate building regulations system for London was incorporated into the national arrangements in 1985 and 1987 and the building regulation fees existing at the time in England and Wales were applied to London under the Building (Inner London) Regulations, Statutory Instruments 1985 No. 1936 and 1987 No. 798 which came into force on 6 January 1986 and 1 July 1987 respectively.

  Home Improvements (Compensation)
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish a consultation paper on the new right to compensation for home improvements in the Housing and Urban Development Bill.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. and learned Friend, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales have today published a consultation paper entitled "Compensation for Tenants' Improvements". The consultation paper seeks views from interested parties on the operation of a new mandatory scheme whereby local authority tenants can receive compensation for carrying out worthwhile home improvements, once their tenancy ends. In line with the citizens charter, the scheme will benefit all council tenants, and provide encouragement and recognition for the commitment some tenants make towards improving their homes.

  The powers to establish this new scheme are contained in clause 109 of the Housing and Urban Development Bill.
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  A consultation paper on the introduction of a similar scheme in Scotland will be issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. Copies of both consultation papers will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Waste (Definition)
  Mr. Marland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to amend the regulations governing the definition of waste; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 2 December 1992]: Waste is defined in section 75 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Government have no plans to amend the section. The definition of controlled waste in the same section of that Act is qualified in the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992 (SI 1992 No. 588).

  Ozone Depletion
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution has been promised by the United Kingdom to the interim multilateral fund to assist with the prevention of ozone depletion; and what funds have so far been paid.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I have been asked to reply. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Burnely (Mr. Pike) on 3 December (column 302).

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will describe the place and the date on which each of the photographs in the citizens charter first report: 1992 Cm. 2101 was taken; and if he will place in the Library an untrimmed copy of the photograph facing the contents page, showing the background behind the people.

  Mr. Waldegrave

  Page 6 St. Marys Hospital Paddington, London W2—October 1992.

  Page 11 Woodcote Primary School, Croydon—October 1992.

  Page 17 Dorking BR station—February 1992.

  Page 18 Victoria BR station, London SW 1—October 1992. Page 24 South West Mechanised Letter Office, London SW8—August 1992.

  Page 33 Watford Tax Office—October 1992.

  Page 36 Sheffield—October 1992.

  An untrimmed version of the photograph that faces the contents page has been placed in the Library of the House. It was taken in Victoria street, London SW I, in June 1989.

EDUCATION

  School Curriculum and Assessment Authority
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what arrangements he is making for the appointment of the proposed school curriculum and assessment authority.

  Mr. Patten
  To ensure that the appropriate preparations can be made for the establishment of the school 396
  curriculum and assessment authority, my Department has appointed a firm of management consultants to help draw up a list of appropriate candidates with the qualities and skills necessary to a successful chairman. A panel, chaired by the first civil service commissioner, will consider their advice, interview those on the shortlist and make recommendations to me. Any appointment will be subject to the passage of the legislation.

  Sir Anthony Durant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what arrangements he has made for setting up the new school curriculum and assessment authority.

  Mr. Patten
  The Government intend, subject to the passage of the necessary legislation, to establish a new authority in England to be responsible for matters relating to the national curriculum and the associated assessment arrangements. Parliamentary approval to expenditure associated with preparing for the establishment of the new authority will be sought in a supply estimate for the schools, research and miscellaneous services vote (class X, vote 1, in 1993–94). Pending that approval, essential preparatory expenditure estimated at £90,000 in 1992–93 will be met by a repayable advance from the contingencies fund.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the bursary scheme for students on courses of initial teacher training in shortage subjects.

  Mr. Forth
  The shortage subject bursary scheme provides incentive payments to students taking postgraduate certificate in education and two-year BEd courses in mathematics, science, technology and modern foreign languages. Although recruitment to these and other courses of initial teacher training is buoyant and the vacancy rate for teachers is now lower than it has been for over 10 years, the bursary scheme is still needed to help maintain teacher supply in those subject areas which are most difficult to recruit to. My right hon. Friend will therefore make expenditure provision available for the scheme in the next financial year; but, to reflect spending priorities, the current bouyancy of recruitment to teacher training and the lw loevel of teacher vacancies, my right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales intend to seek parliamentary approval for a change in the relevant statutory instrument to alter the level of payment at which the bursary will be set.

  The current main rate of bursary is £1,500 a year, and there are extra payments to those on courses in physics and craft, design and technology. We intend to introduce a flat-rate bursary of £1,000 for all students commencing eligible courses on or after 1 September 1993.

  Engineers
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what plans his Department has to encourage qualified engineers to enter teaching; how many qualified engineers and electrical engineers have been recruited to the teaching profession for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what is the total number of (a) qualified engineers and (b) electrical engineers currently in the teaching profession at (i) school and (ii) university and higher education level; and if he will make a statement.
  397
  Mr. Forth
  The Government do not collect statistics on the number of qualified engineers in or joining the teaching profession in schools and higher education.

  The Department provides bursaries to encourage graduates in appropriate disciplines—including engineering—to undertake initial teacher training in certain secondary school subjects including technology and physics. The Department has also initiated a number of specific measures to encourage mature career changers, including engineers, to enter school teaching. These include organising and part funding a programme of "Taste of Teaching" courses run by higher education institutions; encouraging the development of new shortened teacher training courses for mature entrants, including engineers; and introducing and financing new entry routes into the profession via the licensed teacher and articled teacher schemes.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans his Department has to increase the use of outside engineers in technology courses.

  Mr. Forman
  There has been a considerable expansion of links between industry and education over the last decade. Government have encouraged and welcomed this development which has led to an increase in the involvement of engineers with education at all levels. Within this context, it is for individual institutions to decide the form particular links with industry should take, and the extent to which this could include the involvement of practising engineers in engineering and technology courses.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans his Department has to encourage qualified engineers and electrical engineers to enter teaching at university and higher education level.

  Mr. Forman
  It is for institutions to recruit the staff they need to provide high-quality teaching in engineering and other subjects. The Government have no plans to intervene in this process. More flexible pay structures in recent years have enabled management to target pay on specific areas of recruitment difficulty.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans his Department has to promote engineering within technology courses in the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  A number of national curriculum subjects, including mathematics, science, technology and art, offer pupils the opportunities to acquire fundamental knowledge, skills and understanding appropriate for the study of engineering after the age of 16. My right hon. Friends, the Secretaries of State for Education and for Wales are currently considering the recommendations of the national curriculum technology review group and will make a full statement when their joint proposals are published for consultation later in December.

  Technology
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to promote technology courses within the national curriculum in(a) city technology colleges and (b) other schools; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Forth
  Under the national curriculum, the study of technology is now compulsory for all pupils in maintained schools aged between five and 14 (unless specifically excepted) and will become so for pupils aged between 14 and 16 from August 1993. It is for local authorities and individual schools to decide how best to support this study from within the £176 million of expenditure supported through the Department's grants for education support and training programme to assist with the implementation of the national curriculum.

  City technology colleges have been established specifically to promote the teaching of mathematics, science and technology. Similarly, schools funded under the technology schools initiative are committed to promoting particularly their technology teaching and its vocational aspects. My right hon. Friend will be announcing a further tranche of funding under this initiative shortly.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list for each city technology college(a) the total number of pupils taking GCSE in technology, (b) the total number per grade obtained and (c) the percentage of pupils who participated in technology courses for the latest year figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The first pupils to have undertaken a full CTC secondary education will not take GCSE until 1993, and the majority not until 1995. There are therefore no GCSE results for CTC technology yet. All CTC pupils undertake technology courses.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of pupils participate in technology courses in schools other than city technology colleges; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  Under the national curriculum, the study of technology is compulsory for all pupils in maintained schools aged between five and 14 (unless specifically excepted) and will become so for pupils aged between 14 and 16 in August 1993. Information about the number of pupils aged between 14 and 16 following general courses in technology in the current academic year is not available centrally.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the proportion of students in England who currently go on to higher education.

  Mr. Forman
  The usual indicator of participation by young people in higher education is the age participation index (API)—that is the number of full-time and sandwich home initial entrants aged less than 21 expressed as a percentage of the averaged 18 to 19 age group. The API for Great Britain in 1991–92 was 23·5 per cent. and is thought to have reached about 28 per cent this autumn. No corresponding figures for England are available.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Coastal Protection
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many miles of(a) sea defences and (b) coast protection works there are in Northern Ireland; where each is situated; who is responsible for them; and what is the residual life of each.

  Road

  Location

  Length (miles)

  Approximate residual life (years)

  A2

  Warrenpoint

  1·55

  20

  A2

  Drumesk Road, Rostrevor

  0·12

  20

  A2

  Rostrevor Quay

  0·12

  20

  U6573

  Harbour Road, Kilkeel

  0·06

  20

  G316

  Benagh Road, Kilkeel

  0·06

  20

  C317

  Benagh Road, Kilkeel

  0·19

  20

  A2

  Islandmagee

  4·35

  20

  A2

  Lame—Garron Point

  15·50

  20

  B202

  Point Road, Magilligan

  1·25

  10

  A2

  Garron Road, Waterfoot

  6·00

  3

  A2

  Coast Road, Waterfoot

  0·75

  3

  B92

  Main Street, Cushendum

  0·10

  10

  B92

  Bay Road, Cushendun

  0·50

  0

  B15

  Whitepark Road, Ballintoy

  0·25

  1

  U88

  Murlough Road, Ballycastle

  0·75

  0

  U83

  Carrickmore Road, Ballycastle

  2·50

  3

  U26

  Giants Causeway Road, Bushmills

  0·50

  0

  U5I13

  Dunseverick, Bushmills

  0·50

  5

  U5I15

  Harbour Road, Ballintoy

  0·30

  3

  U5114

  Portbraden Road, Bushmills

  0·10

  5

  U5224

  Dalriada Park, Cushendall

  0·25

  3

  A2

  Quay Route (Craigavon Bridge/Guildhall)

  0·50

  25

  A2

  Quay Route (Craigavon Bridge/Boating Club Lane)

  0·50

  25

  U1119

  Point Road, Culmore

  0·75

  10

  U1515

  Bay Road, Panneburn

  0·50

  25

  U3557

  Beach Road, Portballintrae

  0·10

  10

  A2

  Portstewart Promenade

  0·40

  20

  U3533

  Strand Head, Portstewart

  0·10

  10

  A20

  Newtownards to Greyabbey

  A20

  Kircubbin

  U301

  Portaferry

  11·20

  20

  A2

  Donaghadee/Millisle/Ballywalter/Ballyhalbert/Cloughy

  A2

  Holywood

  0·93

  20

  A2

  Killough

  5·90

  20

  A2

  South of Strangford

  U240

  Ballyhornan

  Northern Ireland Railways carries out running repair sea defence work on the following lines:

  Location

  Length (miles)

  Approximate residual life (years)

  Lame line

  8·00

  20

  Londonderry line (along Foyle Estuary)

  10·00

  20

  Bangor line at Holywood

  0·25

  20

  The Department of Agricultural has statutory powers under the Drainage (NI) Order 1973 to maintain sea defences which have been designated by the Drainage Council for Northern Ireland The locations and the lengths of designated sea defences are:

  Miles

  North Down

  Newtownards/Comber Dyke

  3·0

  Holywood

  0·2

  North Londonderry

  Myroe Embankment

  3·0

  400
  Mr. Atkins
  Roads service of the Department of the Environment carries out work to deal with coastal erosion at the following locations where the structural stability of the road is threatened:

  Miles

  Ballykelly Embankment

  2·0

  Longfield Embankment

  3·8

  Black Brae Embankment

  2·0

  It is not possible to determine accurately the residual life of each designated sea defence as this depends on future weather and tidal combinations as well as the condition of the defence.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what surveys have been carried out funded by his Department on coastal erosion in Northern Ireland in recent years; and where the conclusions were published.

  Mr. Atkins
  Two studies have been carried out by Professor R. W. G. Carter and funded by the environment service of the Department of the Environment.

  (i) "Coastal Erosion and Management in Antrim Coast and Glens and Causeway Coast AONBs" published by HMSO Belfast in early 1991 as "Shifting Sands"; and

  401

  (ii) "Monitoring Sand Removal in Antrim Coast and Glens and Causeway Coast AONBs". The findings of this survey were published in "Aquatic Conservation" Vol 2 in 1992.

  In addition the Department of Agriculture has agreed to make a contribution towards a feasibilty study which was commissioned by Coleraine borough council into coastal erosion problems at Portballintrae. The study report has just been completed and its publication is now a matter for Coleraine borough council.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to improve(a) sea defences and (b) coastal protection in Northern Ireland in each of the next three years.

  Mr. Atkins
  Subject to the availability of finance, the roads service of the Department of the Environment proposes to spend approximately £21,000 and £50,000 in the 1993–94 and 1994–95 financial years respectively to improve existing coastal protection measures in the Coleraine and Ballycastle areas. The Department of Agriculture has plans to commence works in 1993 to refurbish the Myroe embankment at Lough Foyle. Following a recent preliminary inspection of the other three Lough Foyle embankments, the Department is about to commission more detailed feasibilty studies on the Ballykelly and Longfield embankments. A study of the Black Brae embankment will also be initiated within the next three years.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums were expended by Government on(a) sea defences and (b) coastal protection works in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and how much in each year was expended on (a) capital works, (b) repairs and (c) maintenance.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information is as follows:

  Financial year

  1Roads service Department of the Environment

  2Northern Ireland railways

  3Department of Agriculture

  £'000

  £'000

  £'000

  1987–88

  146

  2

  40

  1988–89

  291

  137

  109

  1989–90

  93

  15

  164

  1990–91

  251

  21

  223

  1991–92

  202

  99

  332

  1 Expenditure on repairs and maintenance to protect coasts where structural stability of a road was threatened—no capital expenditure incurred.

  2 Mostly capital expenditure on running repairs.

  3 Expenditure on maintenance and repairs of designated sea defences.

  In addition the environment service, Department of the Environment has paid out the following amounts in grant-aid towards local anti-erosion schemes carried out by agencies:

  Agency and financial year

  Amount

  £'000

  1987–88

  0

  Ballycastle Golf Club

  1988–89

  7

  1989–90

  15

  North Down Borough Council

  1990–91

  16

  1991–92

  11

  Draught Proofing
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for replacing the energy grant for draught proofing in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department of Economic Development is reviewing the administrative arrangements for assistance with draught proofing and insulating low income homes in Northern Ireland and I hope to announce the outcome early in the new year.

DEFENCE

  RAF Elvington
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if, in considering the future of the runway at the erstwhile RAF station at Elvington, near York, he will undertake to give first priority to potential purchasers representing recreational organisations;

  (2) whether the disposal of the runway and flying facilities at the erstwhile RAF station at Elvington, near York, will be with, or without, flying rights;

  (3) if he will list the potential alternative uses being considered for the runway at the erstwhile RAF station at Elvington, near York; and what consideration has been given to the practicality of the dismantling of the runway for the provision of construction infill;

  (4) what proposals he has for retaining, or disposing of, the headquarters building and residential accommodation associated with the erstwhile RAF station at Elvington near York;

  (5) what proposals are under consideration, or what decisions taken, for the future of all, or part, of the runway at the erstwhile RAF station at Elvington, near York.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  RAF Elvington ceased being a relief landing ground with effect from September 1992. My Department is currently examining whether there is an alternative defence use for all or part of the station. It is therefore too early to say what the possible future uses for RAF Elvington may be but, in keeping with our obligation to secure the best possible receipts from the sale of public assets, we would wish to explore all available options in consultation with the local authorities should the site become surplus to requirements.

  Potential options indentified to date include the return of the airfield to agricultural use; its sale for outdoor recreational or flying purposes; and its use as a source of construction infill through the removal of the runway and hardstandings. Preliminary specialist advice in respect of the latter option has been sought. It is not possible to foreclose any option at this stage or to give priority to any particular use, either for the runway or the airfield as a whole. All relevant factors, including local aspirations and our own operational interests, would be assessed before decisions were taken on whether any disposal would be with or without flying rights.

  There are no headquarters buildings or residential accommodation specifically associated with RAF Elvington although our requirement for facilities at RAF Church Fenton, which were previously used to support RAF Elvington, is currently 'being reviewed following the former's transition to relief landing ground status from April 1992.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many investigations into incidents involving low-flying jets were conducted in Cumbria over each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Records arc not kept by county of the number of investigations conducted into incidents involving low-flying aircraft.

  Submarines (Irish Sea)
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have been held with representatives of the fishing industry in the constituency of South Down concerning the operation of submarines in the Irish sea and north channel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The operation of submarines in inshore fishing waters, including the Irish sea and North channel, has been discussed at a number of meetings of the

  Year and period

  Event

  Location

  Military action

  1966

  16 May to 30 June

  Seamen's strike

  Nationwide

  5 RN vessels delivered essentials to Scottish Isles

  1970

  13 to 29 July

  Dock strike

  Nationwide

  34,000 troops placed on standby

  27 September to 5 November

  Local Authority manual workers strike

  Nationwide

  1. On 21 October, 12 soldiers on standby to take over a sewage plant at Swindon

  2. On 24 October, 30 to 40 Grenadier Guardsmen and Sappers with military vehicles cleared refuse in Tower Hamlets (London)

  7 to 14 December

  Power workers overtime ban

  Nationwide

  Loan of some 400 mobile generators to Hospital Boards nationwide

  1972

  9 January to 28 February

  Miners' strike

  Nationwide

  1. Fabric storage tanks loaned to the CEGB

  2. Contingency plans concerning the distribution of coal and oil to power stations considered but not implemented

  28 July to 16 August

  Dock strike

  Nationwide

  1. Parade ground in Connaught Barracks, Dover, loaned to Harbour Board as vehicle sorting area awaiting ferry services

  2. RAF delivered supplies to Orkney and Shetland

  3. Army landing craft delivered supplies to Western Isles

  1973

  26 October to 5 November

  Fire Brigade strike

  Glasgow

  618 Servicemen (130 RN, 311 Army and 177 RAF) with 28 Green Goddesses

  1974

  10 February to 11 March

  Miner's strike

  Nationwide

  No direct action but logistic support was provided to the civil police

  14 to 28 May

  Ulster Workers' Council general strike

  Northern Ireland

  2 infantry battalions and over 700 specialists (total 1,831) sent to the Province as reinforcement for contingency plans covering electricity, gas, water, and sewage, post and oil. Only the last plan was actually implemented

  1975

  13 January

  Refuse

  Glasgow

  2,000 troops cleared refuse

  404
  relevant sub-group of the Fishing Industry Safety group, on which the Northern Ireland Fishermen's Federation is represented.

  Civil Emergencies
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out all the occasions since 1962 in which Her Majesty's forces personnel have been used in support or assistance to national and local authorities, as a result of civil emergencies, including industrial action, showing the number of personnel involved, their units and the approximate duration of their deployment.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Details of military assistance during industrial disputes is given in the table. I also refer the hon. Member to table 6.3 in successive editions of the "Statement on the Defence Estates" volume 2 and to table 3.13 in the "Defence Statistics 1992".

  Details of assistance during civil emergencies is not held in the form requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
  405

  Year and period

  Event

  Location

  Military action

  1977

  August to 1 November

  Air Traffic Control Assistant's strike

  West Drayton, London

  12 × 4,000 gallon military oil tankers driven by RAF personnel delivered fuel to RAF West Drayton

  4 September to 7 November

  Electricity workers' dispute

  Nationwide

  Contingency plan involving 6,000 Servicemen considered but not implemented

  14 November to 16 January 1978

  Fire Brigades' strike

  Nationwide

  20,750 Servicemen with over 1,000 Green Goddesses in Operation

  1978

  February

  Oil tanker drivers' dispute

  Nationwide

  15,000 troops on standby

  26 July to 14 August

  Naval Dockyard workers dispute

  Faslane (Scotland)

  Royal Navy personnel replaced civilian workforce to load Polaris submarine HMS Revenge

  3 to 10 November

  Prison Officers Association dispute

  Nationwide

  1. In Great Britain: RVH Netley and Gordon Barracks, Guildford, reconnoitred as possible temporary prisons

  2. In Northern Ireland: WETC Magilligan converted to Her Majesty's Prison Foyle 118 soldiers provided the outer guard force and 20 cooks the catering facilities

  18 December to 10 January 1979

  Oil tanker drivers* overtime ban

  Nationwide

  1. In Great Britain: Soldiers on standby

  2. In Northern Ireland: 672 soldiers deployed

  1979

  Early to 12 January

  Water workers' strike

  North West England and South Yorkshire

  Servicemen on standby

  22 January to 9 April

  Ambulance Service strikes

  Nationwide

  Over 2,000 Servicemen crewed Service ambulances

  Mid May to late June

  Civil Service dispute

  Clyde, Devonport, Glascoed (Gwent)

  Some Royal Navy personnel involved in naval work in Devonport

  September

  Industrial Civil Servants selective strikes

  Naval Dockyards, Ordnance Factories, RAF stations, Aldermaston

  Some Service personnel used to take over emergency tasks, e.g., a RAF fire-fighting crew was deployed to AWRE Aldermaston and RAF fitters replaced civilians at St. Athan

  24 October to 3 December

  Charing Cross Hospital engineers' strike

  London

  Assistance in providing oil considered but not implemented

  1 to 17 December

  Oil tanker drivers' overtime ban

  Nationwide

  Troops on standby

  1980

  17 January to 21 February

  Water Workers' dispute

  Nationwide

  Services on standby

  November to December

  Fire Service dispute

  Nationwide

  472 Service crewed Green Goddesses on standby

  6 October to 20 February 1981

  Prison Officers Association dispute

  Nationwide

  1,000 Servicemen at Her Majesty's Prisons Frankland and Rollestone in Great Britain and Her Majesty's Prison Foyle in Northern Ireland

  1981

  7 to 14 January

  Ambulance Service strike

  South Yorkshire

  Some crews on standby. Dispute ended before military assistance needed

  16 February to 16 March

  Water workers' strike

  North East and North West England

  Troops on standby

  9 March to 3 August

  Non-industrial Civil Servants' strike

  Defence Establishments Nationwide

  16 Royal Navy personnel used at Coulport to Re-arm Polaris submarine HMS Resolution

  406 407

  Year and period

  Event

  Location

  Military action

  15 June to 3 August

  Ambulance Service strike

  Nationwide

  Although military ambulances and crews were stoodby, only 9 RAF ambulances were actually involved in Wales

  16 November to 2 December

  Oil tanker drivers' strike

  Nationwide

  15,000 Servicemen on standby

  1982

  June to July

  British Railways and London Transport strike

  Nationwide

  Sappers laid Somerfield and Class 30 Trackway in Hyde Park and Regents Park in London

  May to September

  Ambulance Service strike

  Nationwide

  Military ambulances and crews on standby. Only one recorded use in London. Dispute ended 16 December 1982

  1983

  24 January to 24 February

  Water Workers' strike

  Nationwide

  Troops placed on standby

  31 March to 8 April

  Merchant Navy Crew dispute

  Tyneside

  55 Royal Navy personnel replaced civilian crew of the Keren

  April

  Fire Brigade dispute

  Nationwide

  13,000 Servicemen and 850 Green Goddesses on standby

  1984–85

  12 March 1984 to 5 March 1985

  Miners' strike

  Nationwide

  Logistic assistance to police

  1986

  April to August

  Prison Officers' Association dispute

  Nationwide

  6 Field Support Squadron Royal Engineers, with a troop of 3 Field Squadron, converted Rollestone Camp to a temporary prison. Troops earmarked to operate the prison not deployed

  29 May to 4 June

  Post Office dispute

  West Yorkshire

  Temporary Field Post Office set in York (4–6 June) to handle official mail. "Self-help' Plan not fully implemented

  1987

  June to November

  Prison overcrowding

  Nationwide

  9 Paratroop Squadron Royal Engineers, converted Rollestone Camp to a temporary prison for civilian use. Handed back to Ministry of Defence 27 November

  5 to 7 October

  Fire Brigade strike

  West Glamorgan

  1 Royal Hampshire Battalion Group with 320 Servicemen (including 17 Royal Navy and 20 Royal Air Force) manned 15 Green Goddesses and 3 Fire Rescue Teams

  1988

  30 March to 2 December

  Prison overcrowding

  Nationwide

  400 troops, mainly Royal Engineers, converted Rollestone and Alma-Dettingen Camps to temporary prisons. 500 tri-Service personnel operated the two prisons

  8 to 23 September

  Post Office dispute

  Nationwide

  21 British Forces Post Offices set up in United Kingdom to provide an emergency postal service for Ministry of Defence and Her Majesty's Forces at home and abroad

  5 to 10 October

  Fire Brigade dispute

  Bedfordshire

  One convoy 2 Green Goddesses with drivers from 27 Regiment Royal Corp Transport, to man a total of 5 Green Goddesses, plus 2 Royal Navy and 4 Royal Air Force FRTs. Troops were warned for the operation, but did not deploy

  1988–89

  8 November to 19 March

  Ambulance Services strike

  Nationwide

  Over 1,200 Servicemen crewed Service ambulances

  4 July to 25 August

  British Railways and London Transport strike

  London

  Sappers laid Trackway in Hyde Park and Regents Park

  408

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Historic Buildings (Fires)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what advice has been given to those who manage, on behalf of the nation, the royal palaces, Crown and stately homes following the result of the investigations into the cause and extent of the fire at the National Trust property, Uppark house, West Sussex in 1989.

  Mr. Brooke
  In 1990 the Fire Protection Association, on behalf of the United Kingdom working party on fire safety in historic buildings, published a guide to the protection of historic buildings—"Heritage under Fire". This publication, which had full Government support, was intended to help the owner or occupier of an historic building to implement procedures to reduce the possibility of fire and, in the event of fire, to minimise its impact on the building and its contents. It drew on the experience of a number of fires, including those at Uppark house and Hampton Court palace. The guide has been distributed widely to owners of historic buildings, including the Historic Royal Palaces Agency and Government Departments. The Department of the Environment also produces a series of regularly updated guidance notes on fire prevention in historic buildings.

  Windsor Castle
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, when the Berkshire fire service report on the cause of the Windsor castle fire will be published.

  Mr. Brooke
  Both the royal household and I have received the report. The royal household is publishing the report today and I am placing a copy in the Library of the House.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Cars (Security Systems)
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals to legislate to ensure that all British car manufacturers provide in-built security systems to all models of motor cars.

  Mr. Jack
  Manufacturers selling into the United Kingdom market are already obliged to comply with the Motor Vehicle (Type Approval) (Great Britain) Regulations 1984 which, in turn, require them to meet certain minimum standards as regards preventing the unauthorised use of motor vehicles.

  Work is in hand to update these requirements but new legislation on car security is dependant on reaching agreement within the European Community. Discussions are therefore taking place within Europe on vehicle alarm systems, door locks and improved steering locks. The Department of Transport is taking the lead in these discussions and has the full support of the Home Office. The requirements of any future European Commission directives on car security will form the basis of legislative proposals.

  In the meantime, we are encouraging motor manufacturers to improve voluntarily the level of vehicle
  410
  security. Many manufacturers have responded positively, and many more new cars are now being fitted with security systems as standard equipment. We shall continue to press for further improvements in this area.

  Metropolitan Police (Damages)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much in compensation, both in court and in out of court settlements, the Metropolitan police have paid to members of the public who have brought court cases for damages in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information is set out in the table.

  Year

  Out of court settlements £

  Court awards £

  1988

  250,000

  104,000

  1989

  267,000

  252,000

  1990

  557,000

  188,000

  1991

  390,000

  21,000

  19921

  401,000

  193,000

  1 To 30 November.

  Asylum
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide an up-to-date account of the number of applications for asylum currently outstanding.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  During the first week in November we undertook a full count of asylum cases. This shows that on 1 November there was a total of 51,800 initial applications awaiting decisions. These figures exclude dependants.

  Life Prisoners
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home department how many life licence prisoners who are currently the subject of a Parole Board recommendation for release on licence are awaiting a ministerial decision; and what is(a) the average time taken in processing and (b) the target time for processing such decisions.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As at 27 November, the cases of 64 life sentence prisoners who had been recommended for release by the Parole Board were under consideration.

  In the 12 months ending 30 September, the average time taken to notify life sentence prisoners of the outcome of reviews—from the date of the local review committee's initial consideration—was 6·5 months. We aim to get the average down to six months by next March.

  Arrests
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were arrested in each police force area in England and Wales in 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Jack
  The information is contained in the following table:
  411

  Arrests for all types of offence by police force area England and Wales

  Police force area

  Number arrested

  1990

  1991

  Avon and Somerset

  42,421

  39,216

  Bedfordshire

  17,705

  17,543

  Cambridgeshire

  18,389

  17,699

  Cheshire

  27,823

  29,684

  Cleveland

  26,584

  28,061

  Cumbria

  19,479

  21,275

  Derbyshire

  23,079

  23,708

  Devon and Cornwall

  31,404

  34,024

  Dorset

  17,487

  18,382

  Dyfed Powys

  12,699

  13,466

  Durham

  25,965

  25,125

  Essex

  39,990

  40,100

  Gloucestershire

  17,043

  17,020

  Greater Manchester

  116,678

  116,916

  Gwent

  17,060

  17,796

  Hampshire

  63,171

  62,330

  Hertfordshire

  22,648

  23,191

  Humberside

  36,066

  35,847

  Kent

  47,007

  47,992

  Lancashire

  57,235

  62,104

  Leicestershire

  24,949

  26,417

  Lincolnshire

  21,474

  22,680

  City of London

  4,809

  4,688

  Merseyside

  69,207

  72,930

  Norfolk

  22,727

  20,898

  Northamptonshire

  18,242

  19,353

  Northumbria

  65,694

  68,847

  North Wales

  22,629

  24,338

  North Yorkshire

  20,221

  20,936

  Nottinghamshire

  45,468

  46,487

  South Wales

  56,061

  57,143

  Number and percentage of persons aged 10 to under 18 years convicted at all courts by age and type of offence 1990 and 19911

  England and Wales

  Year/Offence

  Aged 10 and under 18 (= 100 per cent.)

  Aged 10 and under 15

  Aged 15 and under 18

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  1990

  Indictable

  46,117

  6,692

  15

  39,425

  85

  Sumamry non-motoring

  21,696

  2,026

  9

  19,670

  91

  Summary motoring

  16,564

  416

  3

  16,148

  97

  All offences

  84,377

  9,134

  11

  75,243

  89

  19911

  Indictable

  42,019

  5,714

  14

  36,305

  86

  Summary non-motoring

  17,918

  1,831

  10

  16,087

  90

  Summary motoring

  13,869

  341

  2

  13,528

  98

  All offences

  73,806

  7,886

  11

  65,920

  89

  1 Provisional.

  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted teenagers are in prison; and how many on remand.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  According to the records held sencentrally, which are approximate, there were 1,413 untried, 585 convicted unsentencd and 3,127 sentenced persons aged 14 to 19 held in prison service establishments in England and Wales on 30 June 1992.

  Refugees
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many citizens from(a) Serbia, (b) Montenegro, (c) Croatia and (d) Bosnia-Herzegovina have been granted refugee status in the United Kingdom during the months of September, October and November;
  412

  Police force area

  Number arrested

  1990

  1991

  South Yorkshire

  43,979

  45,722

  Staffordshire

  36,861

  39,142

  Suffolk

  13,905

  15,796

  Surrey

  20,920

  19,940

  Sussex

  37,358

  39,247

  Thames Valley

  59,098

  59,458

  Warwickshire

  13,161

  14,138

  West Mercia

  32,285

  32,048

  West Midlands

  123,868

  131,062

  West Yorkshire

  84,172

  85,867

  Wiltshire

  14,507

  13,670

  England and Wales (excluding Metropolitan Police District)

  1,531,528

  1,572,286

  Metropolitan Police District1

  116,865

  113,570

  1 Notifiable offences only.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles were convicted of offences in each of the years 1990, 1991 and 1992; and what percentage were aged(a) between 10 and 14 years and (b) between 15 and 17 years.

  Mr. Jack
  Information for 1990 and 1991 (which is provisional) is given in the table. 1992 data will not be available until autumn 1993.

  (2) how many citizens from (a) Serbia, (b) Montenegro, (c) Croatia and (d) Bosnia-Herzegovina have been granted permanent residence status in the United Kingdom during the months of September, October and November.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 3 December 1992]: In the period January to October 1992 a total of around 4,000 nationals of the former Yugoslavia (excluding dependants) have applied for asylum in the United Kingdom, of which around 2,000 applied during September and October 1992. The large majority of the applications are still under consideration. More detailed information on the origin of the applicants is not available.

  Information on asylum applications in November, and on acceptances for settlement in the United Kingdom in the period September to November of nationals of the former Yugoslavia, is not yet available.

  Prison Population
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total prison population on the last day of September, October and November 1992; and in each case what was(a) the breakdown by sex and age and (b) the numbers (i) on remand and (ii) serving a sentence.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 3 December 1992]: The readily available information is given in the table.

  Prison population by sex, age and type of custody: September, October and November 19921

  30 September

  31 October

  330 November

  MALES

  Remand

  Aged under 21

  2,394

  2,287

  —

  Aged 21 and over

  6,680

  6,518

  —

  Sentenced

  Aged under 21

  5,266

  4,998

  —

  Aged 21 and over

  28,829

  27,771

  —

  Total1

  43,394

  41,855

  41,309

  FEMALES

  Remand

  Aged under 21

  57

  55

  —

  Aged 21 and over

  324

  303

  —

  Sentenced

  Aged under 21

  118

  115

  —

  Aged 21 and over

  1,126

  1,049

  —

  Total1

  1,626

  1,522

  1,494

  Total prison population1 2

  45,020

  43,377

  42,803

  1 Excludes prisoners held in police cells (815 in September, 528 in October and 356 in November).

  2 Includes non-criminal prisoners.

  3 Provisional figures; detailed breakdown not available.

  Windsor Castle
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 30 November to the hon. Member for Thurrock,Official Report, column 445, if Windsor castle has a fire certificate under the Fire Precautions Act 1971.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 3 December 1992]: No. Windsor castle itself has no fire certificate. A premises within Windsor Great park used as offices already holds a fire certificate and a certificate is likely to be issued in respect of a similar designated premises shortly.

WALES

  Private Detectives
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) of 19 November,Official Report, column 322, if he will give details of the numbers of private detective agencies currently under contract to his Department.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish his current guidelines for approved use of private detectives by his Department.
  414
  Mr. David Hunt
  Enquiry agents have been used from time to time in cases of damage to trunk road furniture; personal injuries and medical negligence claims. There are no specific guidelines for their use other than value-for-money considerations in individual cases.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) of 19 November,Official Report, column 322, if he will specify the names and addresses of private detective agencies currently approved for hire by his Department.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many civil servants are currently employed by his Department(a) in London, (b) in Cardiff and (c) elsewhere.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The number of civil servants currently employed by my Department in the locations specified is:

  Number

  (a) London

  28

  (b) Cardiff

  1,734

  (c) Elsewhere

  556

  Manufacturing Jobs
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new jobs have been created in the manufacturing sector in Wales since 1990.

  Mr. David Hunt
  While comprehensive information on total jobs created is not available, levels of employment in the manufacturing sector in Wales each year are given in the following table:

  Employees in manufacturing industries

  Year

  Thousands at June

  1990

  238

  1991

  223

  1992

  220

  Source: Employment Department, Quarterly estimate series.

  National House Building Council
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what checks on the discharge of functions of the National House Building Council and its approved inspectors his Department has made during 1991–92 with regard to properties built in Delyn during that period.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  None, although the Department has corresponded with the National House Building Council about a particular property in Delyn.

  Hearing Impairment
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children in South Glamorgan and in each county in Wales have been statemented in regard to special educational needs involving hearing impairment in each of the last five years.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information on the types of disabilities of children with statements of special educational needs was not collected centrally for 1991.

  The number of children with hearing impairments for whom statements of special education needs were made in each of the years 1986–90, in each county in Wales, is given in the following table:

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Clwyd

  5

  9

  3

  10

  19

  Dyfed

  8

  4

  4

  4

  4

  Gwent

  9

  4

  3

  6

  3

  Gwynedd

  —

  —

  —

  3

  4

  Mid Glamorgan

  14

  10

  6

  33

  22

  Powys

  3

  —

  —

  1

  —

  South Glamorgan

  10

  7

  7

  11

  3

  West Glamorgan

  11

  9

  8

  12

  7

  Wales

  60

  43

  31

  80

  62

  South Glamorgan Health Authority
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what requirements he has imposed on South Glamorgan health authority and Llandough hospital unit for public consultation before any plan to close Ward West 2 is implemented.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 3 December at columns 304–5.

  Bechtel Corporation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 30 November,Official Report, column 28, if the contract secured by Bechtel Corporation was won in competitive tender; when it was advertised; and what percentage or fixed sum fee has been agreed for the contract.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The contract for the project management consultancy for Cardiff Bay barrage was the subject of a competitive tendering exercise. Selected companies were invited to tender on 17 August 1992. The contract has not yet been signed, and it would therefore be inappropriate to release proposed details at this stage.

  Ministry Land
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many acres of land in Wales are currently under the control of the Ministry of Defence; what rights of way across this property have been rescinded whilst it is being used for military purposes; and what information he has on land contamination on these sites.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have been asked to reply.

  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State will write to the hon. Member.

EMPLOYMENT

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) nurses and (b) doctors were employed in the Health and Safety Executive area offices in Scotland in each year since 1978.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The number of(a) nurses and (b) doctors employed in Health and Safety Executive area offices in Scotland in each year since 1978 was:

  (a) Nurses

  (b) Doctors

  1978

  11·0

  10·0

  1979

  11·5

  9·0

  1980

  9·0

  8·0

  1981

  9·0

  8·5

  1982

  7·5

  8·0

  1983

  7·5

  7·5

  1984

  7·5

  7·5

  1985

  6·0

  7·5

  1986

  6·0

  7·5

  1987

  6·0

  7·5

  1988

  6·0

  5·5

  1989

  4·5

  6·0

  1990

  8·0

  6·0

  1991

  7·0

  6·0

  1992

  5·0

  6·5

  Note:

  Figures are for 1 April each year and show full-time equivalent staff.

  The reduction in the number of doctors and nurses reflects primarily a policy of HSE not itself directly providing occupational health services. For example, it appoints local doctors to conduct statutory medical examinations that were previously conducted by H SE staff.

  Labour Statistics
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many new job vacancies were notified to job centres in Birmingham in each month of 1991 and 1992; and what was the proportion of jobs offering day rate remuneration of £3 per hour or less for the last month for which these figures are available.

  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 M.E. G. Fogden to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 4 December 1992]:

  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the number of new job vacancies notified to Jobcentres in Birmingham in each month of 1991 and 1992 and the proportion of jobs offering day rate renumeration of £3 per hour or less for the last month for which these figures are available. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

  I am unable to let you have details of the number of vacancies offering wage rates of £3 per hour or less since Jobcentres do not retain information on rates of pay. The attached table shows the number of vacancies notified to Jobcentres in the Birmingham area in the specified period.

  As decided by the Administrative Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written

  417
  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.

  Vacancies notified to jobcentres in the Birmingham area

  Statistical period

  Vacancies notified

  January 19911

  2,599

  February 1991

  1,920

  March 1991

  1,919

  April 1991

  2,309

  May 19911

  3,035

  June 1991

  3,406

  July 1991

  3,027

  August 19911

  2,905

  September 1991

  2,656

  October 19911

  3,231

  November 1991

  2,454

  December 1991

  1,176

  January 19921

  2,741

  February 1992

  2,382

  March 1992

  2,447

  April 19921

  2,398

  May 1992

  2,049

  June 1992

  2,017

  July 19921

  2,870

  August 1992

  2,052

  September 1992

  2,877

  Note: All months are 4 week statistical periods except those marked' which are 5 weeks.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many civil servants are currently employed by her Department(a) in London and (b) elsewhere.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  A total of 11,333 in London and 55,774 elsewhere on 13 November 1992.

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many civil servants from her Department have been relocated from London to other parts of the United Kingdom(a) in the last five years and (b) in the last 10 years; and to where they were relocated.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Between 1982 and 1992 some 4,380 civil service posts from the Department were relocated to other parts of the United Kingdom. In the last five years 1,504 posts were transferred: 938 to Sheffield; 400 to Runcorn; 85 to Aberdeen; 56 to Merseyside and 25 to Bootle. In the previous five years 2,877 posts were moved: 1,877 to Sheffield and 1,000 to Bootle.

  Training
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment she has made of the risks of 18-year-olds slipping through the net between what is available under YTS and the options available under the various adult training and employment schemes.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  There should be no risk of 18-year-olds missing out on training or employment measures. Those who leave full time education are immediately eligible for YT, and those who have been unemployed for six months or more are guaranteed appropriate support under the range of provision for unemployed adults.

  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps she is taking to establish a418
  simplified and co-ordinated information service targeted at 17 to 18-year-olds following merger of the employment action and employment training schemes; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Comprehensive information, advice and guidance to 17 and 18-year-olds is provided by local education authority careers services. They will provide information on the new training for work arrangements, as they do for the range of training programmes. Information will also be available from the Employment Service, athough it will mainly deal directly with those 18-year-olds who might be eligible for adult programmes through being unemployed for six months or more.

  Safety Helmets (Sikhs)
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Duncan) of 20 November,Official Report, column 396, for what reasons she will not include special provision for turban-wearing followers of the Sikh religion in the proposed regulations to implement the European directive on the use of personal protective equipment at work.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The regulations in question have been made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Exemptions cannot be granted other than on grounds of health and safety. It was not therefore possible to include any exemption or special provision in the regulations to implement the use of personal protective equipment directive. Exemptions can only be secured by primary legislation, as in the case of the current exemption from the requirement to wear head protection on construction sites which was secured by the Employment Act 1989.

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to extend the existing exemptions under the Employment Act 1989 concerning Sikhs, to non-construction sites; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to extend the existing exemptions under the Employment Act 1989 for turban-wearing followers of the Sikh religion.

  Older Workers
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will now announce the membership of the Advisory Group on Older Workers.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I announced the membership of the Advisory Group on Older Workers on 2 December. I am very pleased to have secured the services of 11 people with wide experience of industry and the problems caused by age discrimination. The group, which I shall chair, will start work in the new year.

  The members are:

  Lilian Bennett

  Chairman, Manpower plc

  Roslin Fraser

  Deputy President Royal College of Nursing

  Anne Gibson

  National Officer, MSF

  Archie Gibson

  former General Manager, Bank of Scotland

  Sally Greengross

  Director, Age Concern

  Anne Mackie

  former employee relations manager, Unilever plc

  Rafiq Malik

  member of Blackburn Racial Equality Council

  Anthea Tinker

  Professor of Gerontology, King's College

  419

  Stephen Ward

  Personnel Director, Birmingham City Council

  Denis Waxman

  Managing Director, Hays Personnel

  Dianah Worman

  Equal Opportunities Adviser, Institute of Personnel Management

  Domiciliary Care Agencies
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, pursuant to her answer of 30 November,Official Report, column 55, if she will break down the overall figure of licensed employment agencies whose activities may include domiciliary care work indicating in which local authority or travel to work areas these agencies are located.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  A breakdown in the form requested is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Greater Manchester Ambulance Service
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many Greater Manchester ambulance service personnel have successfully proved unfair dismissal at industrial tribunals in each of the past four years and 1992 to date; and what is the total sum of money awarded by tribunals over the same period.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  According to the records held by the regional office of the industrial tribunals—Manchester—there have been three such cases. The awards made in respect of these cases totalled £21,183.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Budget Proposals
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the budget proposals for 1993 for(a) income support, (b) family credit, ((c) council tax benefit and (d) the social fund; and if he will list these budgets indexed against, (i) the retail price index and (ii) average male earnings.

  Mr. Burt
  Details of our expenditure plans, including those for income support, family credit and council tax benefit for the next financial year will be available when the departmental report is published in February 1993. On 12 November it was announced that income support, family credit, and council tax benefit would be uprated, from April 1993, by the Rossi index (3·6 per cent.), which increased at the same rate as the retail price index (RPI) for September 1991 to September 1992. The average male earnings index for the same period was 4·7 per cent.

  The social fund discretionary budget will be around £340 million in 1993–94. This represents an increase of 12 per cent. over the previous year.

  Income Support
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much money is included in income support payments to meet water charges; and how many income support claimants have water charges of(a) less than £2 per week and (b) £2 per week or more, giving the number for each additional range of £1.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mrs. Taylor) on 18 May 1992 420
  at cols 28–9. It is estimated that in 1989 the distribution of water charges for income support recipients was as shown in the table.

  Water charges (£ per week)

  Caseload

  Nil

  745

  0–2

  2,330

  2–3

  960

  3–4

  110

  4 and over

  20

  Total

  4,160

  Notes:

  1. Caseloads are thousands rounded to the nearest 5,000

  2. Source: 1989 Family Expenditure Survey. Caseloads have been weighted to the 1989 Income Support statistical enquiry.

  3. Amounts for water include sewerage and environmental charges.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the level of income support and oilier benefits in real and at 1983 price terms for each of the last 10 years for(a) 16 and 17-year-olds, (b) 18 to 24-year-olds and (c) those aged 25 years or over.

  Mr. Burt
  Income support was introduced in April 1988. The tables provide the rates for each year since 1988 and at 1992 prices.

  Table (A) single person (aged 16–17)

  Income support rate £

  Average real value of benefit at April 1992 prices over the period

  Equivalent value of benefit at April 1992 prices at date of uprating

  April 1988

  19·40

  24·33

  24·83

  April 1989

  20·80

  24·73

  25·28

  April 1990

  21·90

  24·28

  25·03

  April 1991

  23·65

  24·35

  24·91

  April 1992

  25·55

  —

  25·55

  Table (B) single person (aged 18–24)

  April 1988

  26·05

  32·67

  33·34

  April 1989

  27·40

  32·58

  33·30

  April 1990

  28·80

  31·93

  32·91

  April 1991

  31·15

  32·07

  32·81

  April 1992

  33·60

  —

  33·60

  Table (C) single person (aged 25 or over)

  April 1988

  33·40

  41·89

  42·75

  April 1989

  34·90

  41·50

  42·41

  April 1990

  36·70

  40·69

  41·94

  April 1991

  39·65

  40·83

  41·76

  April 1992

  42·45

  —

  42·45

  Notes:

  1. As supplementary benefit (the predecessor to income support) varied according to household status and entitlement to a range of special additions, it is not appropriate to make comparisons with income support. Because of this, the reply is restricted to 1988 onwards and 1992 prices.

  2. Anyone receiving income support is entitled to maximum housing benefit and community charge benefit (ie 100 per cent. of eligible rent and 80 per cent. of eligible community charge).

  3. A wide range of other benefits are available to single people subject to their meeting the qualifying conditions.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much money is included in income support payments to meet water and sewerage charges.
  421
  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mrs. Taylor) on 18 May at cols 28–9.

  National Insurance Fund
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the maximum figure for the transfer of funds from Parliament to the national insurance fund of 17 per cent. of benefit outgoings from 1994–95 onwards was fixed; and what working assumptions were used.

  Mr. Burt
  Proposals for the maximum amounts of Treasury grant were finalised at the time of the Chancellor's autumn statement. The working assumptions used to inform consideration of the maximum amounts were those published in table 2D.1 of Cm. 2096.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the reasons for the decrease in the Treasury supplement to the national insurance fund(a) between 1981 and 1985 and (b) currently.

  Mr. Burt
  (a) The Social Security (Contributions) Act 1981 permited the amount of the Treasury supplement to be varied by up to 2 per cent. The changes in amounts between the tax years 1981–82 and 1985–86 reflected the views taken by the Government at successive re-ratings on the appropriate balance of national insurance fund expenditure to be met by contributors and taxpayers, in the light of the circumstances at the time.

  (b) The Treasury supplement was abolished in 1989.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the assumptions used in calculating the maximum level of transfers from Parliament to the national insurance fund of 20 per cent. of benefit outgoings in 1993–94 and 17 per cent. in future years were identical to those used in table 20.1 of Cm. 2096.

  Mr. Burt
  Yes.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what effect each increase in unemployment of 100,000 would have on the national insurance fund in 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96 in cash and constant prices.

  Mr. Burt
  The effect in 1993–94 is set out in paragraph 22 of the Government Actuary's report (Cm. 2097). In later years the figures would be broadly similar.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what working assumption of unemployment levels was used for 1994–95 and future years to calculate the maximum transfer of money provided by Parliament to the national insurance fund of 17 per cent. of benefit outgoings.

  Mr. Burt
  The working assumptions published in table 2D.1 of Cm. 2096 were taken into consideration in setting the maximum level of Treasury grant for the years 1994–95 onwards.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Staffordshire, Moorlands (Mr. Knox),Official Report, column 690, what percentage of the national insurance fund has been paid out in national insurance rebates, tax reliefs and other incentives paid in respect of personal
  422
  pensions contracted out of the state earnings-related pension scheme for each of the past four years; and what is the equivalent expected percentage in each of the next four years.

  Mr. Burt
  Although for administrative reasons tax relief is paid with the rebate, because it is claimed back from the Inland Revenue it is not a charge on the national insurance fund.

  Not all the information requested is available. Such information as is available is in the tables.

  Table 1

  Tax Year

  NI Fund Income (£m)

  Percentage

  1988–89

  29,825

  1·1

  1989–90

  30,446

  8·5

  1990–91

  34,490

  6·3

  1991–92

  34,679

  7·4

  Table 2

  Tax Year

  Estimated NI Fund Income (£m)

  Percentage

  1992–93

  35,993

  8·1

  1993–94

  45,684

  6·3

  Maintenance Payments
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what means are used in pursuing maintenance payments from males under the age of 18 years.

  Mr. Burt
  All absent parents are liable to support their children. If under the age of 18, cases are referred to a manager who will consider the circumstances and decide whether the absent parent should be approached. If the absent parent is under the age of 16, a parent or guardian must be present at any interview. If between 16 and 18, the absent parent can choose to have someone else present.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes he is making to the criteria by which war pensions are awarded from 1 January 1993; what is the estimated number of people likely to be affected by the new regulations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State anounced proposals to introduce, from 7 January 1993, a threshold for claims for noise-induced hearing loss bringing the war pension rules more into line with those for industrial injury awards. The effect would be that those with less than 20 per cent. disablement in respect of that condition would receive no award. No existing war pensioners with an award in respect of noise induced hearing loss would be affected. It is estimated that in 1993–94 some 10,000 new claimants would be affected.

  It is also proposed that savings from this proposal be used to remove rank differential, in war disablement pensions from April 1993. Almost 200,000 war disablement pensioners would gain up to £5 a week as a result.

  These proposals were discussed yesterday with the Central Advisory Committee on War Pensions; the comments of committee members are under consideration.

  Benefit Offices (Newham)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Social Security (1) if Newham district Benefits Agency offices are paying all social fund claims falling into revised high priority groups for community care grants and budgeting loans;

  (2) what items and circumstances previously eligible for community care grants and budgeting loans have been removed from high priority lists in Newham's benefit offices during the current year;

  (3) what guidance was given to the Newham Benefits Agency social fund manager in respect of categories removed from the high priority list of items and circumstances for community care grants and budgeting loans between August and October; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what changes in the level of priority of items for community care grants and budgeting loans in the Newham district Benefits Agency social fund resulted from the budget overspend in June and July;

  (5) if he will increase the budget allocation for community care grants and budgeting loans to Newham district Benefits Agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of the social fund 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 Michael Bichard to Mr. Tony Banks, dated 3 December 1992:

  As chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Social Fund priorities and budget allocations in the Benefits Agency's Newham District.

  Social Fund Officers (SFOs) must determine each application on its own merits in the light of all the relevant factors and circumstances. While SFOs are subject to the law and the Secretary of State's directions, they have discretion about whether to make a payment, having regard to the circumstances of an individual applicant.

  SFOs must give priority to high priority needs while adopting as consistent an approach as possible throughout the year. To assist them in this, the Area SFO (District Manager) gives them guidance on priorities. It is for the Area SFO to give guidance on the order of priorities for his area, and which are to be classed as high, medium or low priority. It must be stressed that this is guidance and therefore not binding on the SFO, but it must be taken into account. There is therefore no question of eligibility for payment. All items and circumstances may be paid depending on the individual circumstances of the applicant.

  Allocations are made annually to each District for loans and grants. In order for the Area SFO to manage the allocations effectively, monthly profiles of expenditure are planned. These serve as a guide only and it is not the case, therefore, that the Newham District allocation was overspent in June and July.

  The Benefits Agency's Newham District is continuing to pay all Social Fund applications that fall into the high priority groups for grants and loans as suggested by the Area SFO.

  The Secretary of State requires the Area SFO to monitor monthly expenditure on Social Fund and adjust the guidance to SFOs as required. No specific additional guidance has been given by the Secretary of State. Following the monthly review in August, the Area SFO decided that payment for some items and services could no longer be sustained consistently from the District allocation. She therefore issued amended guidance with effect from 1 September 1992. The effect of this
  424
  guidance was that some items and services which the previous guidance had indicated would normally attract high priority would now attract medium priority.

  Social Fund budgets are closely monitored and Newham District received an increase of £49,525 to its loans budget in November. There are no plans to increase the grants budget of this District.

  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Day Centres
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the reasons why individuals on invalidity and sick benefit are entitled to claim re-imbursement for travel to health service day centres but not to local authority day centres.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have been asked to reply.

  There are statutory arrangements to provide help with the travelling expenses necessarily incurred by National Health Service patients on income support, family credit or low income when they attend a hospital for treatment, including attendance at day hospitals. Local authorities have discretion to charge for the day and domiciliary services they provide, including transport to day centres. In doing so they should have regard to the service user's means and ability to pay.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Tropical Timber
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been received at the recent preparatory committee from Governments of tropical countries concerning the expansion of the International Tropical Timber Agreement to encompass timber from all forest types; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  A few tropical timber countries represented at the preparatory committee proposed that the agreement should be extended to include non-tropical timber. No formal proposal for such an extension was put forward by tropical timber countries as a whole.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what commitments have been made by the United Kingdom in relation to the International Tropical Timber Organisation's targets and guidelines.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  As a member of the International Tropical Timber Organisation we are committed to playing our part in achieving the target of the year 2000 for all internationally traded tropical timber from sustainably managed forests and assisting in the implementation of the International Tropical Timber Organisation's guidelines on sustainable management and biodiversity.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding has been contributed by the United Kingdom Government to the administrative and special accounts of the International Tropical Timber Organisation since 1987; and what is the Government's overall budget for matters related to the International Tropical Timber Organisation.
  425
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Our contributions to the International Tropical Timber Organisations administrative account which are annually assessed in United States dollars are:

  $

  1987

  58,466

  1988

  59,895

  1989

  66,411

  1990

  74,601

  1991

  98,602

  1992

  86,358

  The sterling equivalent of the 1992 payment was £49,500. In addition we also make payments on a case by case basis to projects under ITTO's special account. In the United Kingdom financial year ending 31 March 1992 we contributed £213,000.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the steps taken by the Government(a) to investigate the feasibility of forest monitoring, timber tracing and product labelling of timber from well managed forests and (b) to monitor the level of imports into the United Kingdom of tropical timber from sustainably managed and environmentally benign and socially beneficial sources.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We provided finance to ITTO to carry out an initial study of the feasibility of labeling based originally on a proposal from Friends of the Earth. We are supporting work on incentives which might be introduced at local level in Ghana to ensure sustainable forest management. We are also offering the Soil Association help to finance the preparation of draft standards for tropical forest management as part of its work on timber certification in association with the Forest Stewardship Council.

  More work needs to be done on the design and establishment of labelling, certification and monitoring systems before it would be practicable to introduce import monitoring of tropical timber as proposed.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been received by the Government from representatives of the timber industry concerning the renegotiation of the international tropical timber agreement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Representations have been received from the National Hardwood Association of the Tropical Timber Federation.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he has of a relationship between tropical deforestation rates and population growth.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The relationship is complex. To improve our knowledge and understanding of the linkages we have commissioned a programme of research through the University of Bradford.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent preparatory committee to renegotiate the international tropical timber agreement.
  426
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The recent Preparatory Committee provided for an initial exchange of views on the possible elements of a renegotiated agreement which will be pursued at a further meeting in Quito, Ecuador next January.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been received by the Government from non-governmental environmental organisations concerning the inclusion of timber from all forest types under the international tropical timber agreement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Representations have been received from the World Wide Fund for Nature and Friends of the Earth.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the agreement reached at UNCED regarding the trade in forest products.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In the forest principles agreed at UNCED, it was decided that trade in forest products should be based on non-discriminatory and multilaterally agreed rules and procedures consistent with international trade law and practices.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by the Government to review the progress made in implementing the international tropical timber agreement 1983; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In preparation for the renegotiation of the ITTA, the ODA, in co-operation with other interested Departments and EC member states and in consultation with interested non-governmental organisations and the relevant trade federation, have been assessing progress on the implementation of the agreement to date.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to ensure that commitments made at the UNCED concerning the conservation of the world's forests are promoted through the United Kingdom Government's contribution to the renegotiation of the international tropical timber agreement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In the renegotiation of the ITTA, we are pressing for the inclusion of the relevant elements of forests principles agreed at UNCED to be incorporated into the agreement.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to expand the mandate of the work of the International Tropical Timber Organisation to deal with timber trade from all forests.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have no such plans but we are prepared to consider proposals put forward formally by the ITTO tropical timber producing countries.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the prices received by developing countries for their exports of mahogany, iroko, meranti, ramin, sapele and kertuing timbers and timber products since 1985.
  427
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The prices received by developing countries fluctuate with market conditions and variations in quality and the specification of the timber product. They

  Prices FoB per year

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  African Mahogany (£)

  209

  229

  247

  212

  256

  275

  260

  280

  Iroko (£)

  170

  161

  162

  155

  233

  290

  233

  252

  Sapele (£)

  250

  270

  274

  256

  275

  327

  302

  306

  Brazilian Mahogany ($US)

  450

  610

  625

  560

  795

  810

  720

  655

  Meranti (Malaysian $)

  706

  735

  862

  870

  1,350

  1,195

  1,395

  1,391

  Kertuing (Malaysian $)

  285

  328

  466

  640

  580

  600

  760

  686

  Ramin (Malaysian $)

  904

  1,112

  1,412

  1,034

  1,327

  1,600

  1,632

  1,303

  Cameroon
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what overseas development aid is given to Cameroon by either Britain or the EC; and what plans he has to reduce it because of the Cameroon Government's policies.

  Mr. Lennox Boyd
  Britain's aid programme to Cameroon in the current United Kingdom financial year is £3·2 million, focused on forestry and education. EC aid for 1992 is 49·5 mecu (£37·5 million), devoted to rural development, the environment and roads, of which the United Kingdom share is 8·1 mecu (£6·14 million). We are keeping the situation under review in consultation with other major donors.

  Leningrad Model Farm
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 19 June,Official Report, column 695, if he will make a further statement on progress on setting up a model farm in the Leningrad Oblast.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 3 December 1992]: Following a visit to Russia from 23 July to 2 August. 1992, the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS), in close consultation wih the St. Petersburg Agrarian university, has drawn up a business plan for the establishment of a privatised model farm in the Leningrad Oblast. The plan has been submitted to the mayor of St. Petersburg. We await his reactions.

  Russia
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to provide specialist advice from the know-how fund on the establishment of co-ownership housing schemes in the Russian federation.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 3 December 1992]: Know-how fund (KHF) assistance to Russia concentrates on four priority sectors: energy, small business development, food distribution and production. and financial services. The establishment of co-ownership housing schemes falls outside these sectors. We have no plans to change this policy.
  428
  are quoted in a range of currencies. In recent years the trend has been for trade in value added goods—eg moulding, and window frames to increase.

  The following indicative figures have been supplied by the Timber Trade Federation.

  All-Russia Fund
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial and technical assistance he has made available to the all-Russia fund for the promotion of individual flats; and if he will make it his policy to provide the all-Russia fund with expert legal, financial and policy advice from appropriate agencies and companies in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 3 December 1992]: We have provided no financial and technical assistance to the all-Russia fund for the promotion of individual flats and we have no plans to do so.

  Humanitarian Needs Assessments
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessments of humanitarian needs have been conducted by his Department, the European Community and the United Nations in respect of Albania, Bosnia and Croatia for the next six months; what were the results of those assessments; and what funding his Department will provide to meet estimated needs.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 20 November 1992]: In Albania an assessment of food needs was made by the European Community in June 1992. As a result the EC agreed further food aid of £28 million, bringing total EC food aid in Albania to £84 million. The United Kingdom contribution to this is £12 million. It is estimated that the latest grant, together with assistance pledged by other donors, should be sufficient to satisfy food requirements up to spring 1993. In addition bilaterally we have contributed £1·5 million to needs identified by various NGOs between September 1991 and November 1992. The EC, United Nations and United Kingdom are also monitoring the situation in northern Albania where there are reports of extensive loss of life following recent floods.

  In Bosnia and Croatia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has taken the lead in assessing needs and co-ordinating the international community's response to the crisis. In September they estimated that total requirements for humanitarian relief for all of the former Yugoslavia from September 1992 until April 1993 were approximately $1 billion; and they appealed for $434 million (£287 million) to meet the highest priority needs. We have responded by providing more than £70 million of which £41 million has been channelled through the EC and over £29½ million bilaterally. Virtually all of this has been

  429
  used in Bosnia and Croatia but specific figures by country are not available. The UNHCR continues to keep assessments under review.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Self-regulatory Organisations
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the self-regulatory bodies overseeing the banking, insurance and pensions institutions and the number of organisations affiliated to each.

  Mr. Nelson
  The investment business activities of banks, insurance and pensions institutions are regulated under the Financial Services Act by the Securities and Investments Board, the Life Assurance and Unit Trust Regulatory Organisation, the Investment Management Regulatory Organisation and the Securities and Futures Authority. Latest available information on the total number of firms regulated by each body and the numbers falling within the specified categories are as follows:

  Total

  Banks

  Life offices

  Pensions scheme members

  SIB

  79

  12

  6

  —

  LAUTRO

  640

  —

  226

  —

  IMRO

  1,248

  52

  8

  162

  SFA

  1,342

  203

  —

  —

  Note: Firms can be regulated by more than one body.

  Financial Services
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to establish a statutory body to monitor the financial services industry.

  Mr. Nelson
  No. Many of the statutory functions under the Financial Services Act are exercisable by the Securities and Investments Board.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to amend the Financial Services Act 1986 to increase protection for savers.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have no plans to do so.

  EC Membership
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out in real terms United Kingdom receipts and expenditure arising from EC membership in each year since 1972.

  Sir John Cope
  The United Kingdom's gross expenditures (after abatement and negotiated refunds) to, and public sector receipts from, the European Community budget in constant 1991 prices for the years 1973 to 1991 are given in the table.

  £ million 1991 prices

  Year

  Gross contributions after abatement and refunds

  Public sector receipts

  1973

  1,055

  460

  1974

  908

  761

  1975

  1,364

  1,587

  430

  Year

  Gross contributions after abatement and refunds

  Public sector receipts

  1976

  1,603

  1,025

  1977

  2,240

  1,118

  1978

  3,679

  1,435

  1979

  3,832

  1,572

  1980

  3,332

  1,923

  1981

  2,654

  1,943

  1982

  3,071

  2,062

  1983

  3,432

  2,408

  1984

  4,047

  3,055

  1985

  5,313

  2,726

  1986

  3,862

  3,070

  1987

  5,334

  3,067

  1988

  4,380

  2,697

  1989

  5,111

  2,441

  1990

  4,991

  2,339

  1991

  3,309

  2,765

  Note: Figures are taken from relevant statements on the Community budget, converted to constant 1991 prices using the GDP deflator at market prices.

  Drugs
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value of drugs seized in the United Kingdom for the year 1991–92.

  Sir John Cope
  In the year 1991–92, the value of drugs seized by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise was £354·87 million.

  Drugs Seizures
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value of drugs seized at Welsh ports by customs officers in 1991–92.

  Sir John Cope
  In the year 1991–92 the value of drugs seized at Welsh ports by customs officers was £3·6 million.

  Sundry Payments Account
  Mr. D. N. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what costs relating to hon. Members have been paid out of account HMT 121655999P since 1979; and for what purpose the account is held.

  Mr. Nelson
  Account HMT 121655999P is a sundry payments account. It is not possible to check records as far back as 1979. However, a check has been made of all records back to 1989. Apart from a payment of £4,700, to Peter Carter-Ruck and Partners, the only payments from this account which relate to hon. Members are for the purchase of minor items of stationery for Ministers' offices, which over the three years from 1989–90 to 1991–92 amounted to some £289. Payments in the current year to date amount to £54.

  Inland Revenue
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he has taken to ensure that the Inland Revenue "Investigations Interview Manual", filed in the Library under reference 8177, is sufficiently widely available to all those who need professional access to it.

  Mr. Lamont
  The version currently issued to trainee inspectors is available from the Inland Revenue at Room 3, New Wing, Somerset House, London WC2R 1LB. I have today placed a copy of this version in the Library.

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what inheritance tax changes are proposed for the new London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The only market makers who qualify for inheritance tax business relief and the option to pay inheritance tax on business assets by interest free instalments at present are those on the stock exchange. New regulations will be made to extend these reliefs with effect from 23 March 1992 to traders performing similar functions in relation to financial futures and options on the London international financial futures and options exchange.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average value of inheritances in (i) Pendle, (ii) Lancashire and (iii) England for each year since 1985.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have been asked to reply.

  The average value of inheritances other than of surviving spouses and excluding all inheritances of under £1,000 in England in the years 1985 to 1989 is estimated at £14,700. Figures for individual years are subject to too large a margin of uncertainty to be meaningful. Information about inheritances in Pendle and Lancashire is not available.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fisheries Pollution
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take to apply the income from fines imposed on those who pollute water to the restoration of polluted fisheries.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

  Revenue from fines imposed by the courts is not available to the National Rivers Authority. The authority is however already able to recoup from those responsible the cost of dealing with polluted incidents and, where appropriate, to apply the costs to the restoration of affected fisheries.

HEALTH

  Subfertility
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the availability of treatments for subfertility through the NHS; and what action she is taking to ensure the provision of a comprehensive service.

  Mr. Sackville
  The national health service provides a wide range of treatments for subfertility. Decisions about the resources to be made available for these services must be left to individual health authorities as they are in the best position to determine priorities in the light of local needs and circumstances.

  Advice is available to health authorities and clinicians in two recent publications:

  (a) The "Effective Health Care Bulletin" on management of subfertility, published for the NHS
  432
  Management Executive by a consortium of Leeds and York Universities and the Research Unit of the Royal College of Physicians.

  (b) The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists publication "Infertility—Guidelines for Practice".

  Copies are available in the Library.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the accuracy of the waiting list information on the numbers waiting for hospital treatment.

  Mr. Sackville
  Individual hospitals are responsible for the accuracy of waiting lists. To assist in this, last year, the Royal College of Surgeons issued good practice guidance on waiting list management to clinicians and the Department of Health issued complementary guidance to managers.

  Community Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons she had decided not to exemplify a distribution based on the present standard spending assessment with the elderly residential component fully calculated and the resulting population redirected to originating authority using the national health service central register origination data as a basis for assumptions regarding the distribution of community care funding after April 1993.

  Mr. Yeo
  It was not considered appropriate to do so.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 30 November,Official Report, column 77, if she will indicate what proportion of the further additional funding for community care support and other service costs for 1993–94 is expected to meet each of the identified elements.

  Mr. Yeo
  Authorities have differing priorities for their allocation of the community care special transitional grant and it would not be appropriate to give a break down of the allocation of the additional £140 million.

  Home Helps
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the percentage increase in the number of home helps in England from 1979 to 1992.

  Mr. Yeo
  The latest available information shows that the number of home helps (whole time equivalents) rose from 44,600 in September 1979 to 53,450 at 30 September 1991. This represents an increase of 20 per cent.

  Private Ambulance Services
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce regulations to govern the operation of private ambulance services; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  I have no such plans.

  Wessex RHA (Dr. Cox)
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary- of State for Health (1) if she will require the Wessex regional health authority to publish the full text of the statement made by the authority on Friday 20 November in connection with its employment of Dr. Cox.

  (2) what conditions were imposed by the Wessex regional health authority on Friday 20 November, in deciding to allow Dr. Cox to return to work at the Royal Hampshire county hospital.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The conditions imposed by the Wessex regional health authority in deciding to allow Dr. Cox to return to work at the Royal Hampshire county hospital were set out in the authority's statement issued on 20 November 1992.

  Homeless Mentally Ill
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in the implementation of the initiative announced in July 1990 for tackling the problem of the homeless mentally ill in London; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  Considerable progress has been made. Four short term hostels have been opened and two more will open during 1993, providing 73 places in all. A further 77 hostel places are planned for the next phase of the initiative.

  Five community psychiatric teams have been established. The work of the teams and client outcomes are being evaluated independently. The indications are that the teams have been effective in making contact with severely damaged individuals who have had little or no previous contact with psychiatric services. Numbers of contacts to date are estimated at 1,700.

  The Housing Corporation has undertaken to secure up to 750 move on places for mentally ill people in re-lets of existing housing association stock and new-build, ranging from independent single units to more supported shared accommodation.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest estimates for the number of homeless mentally ill who are sleeping rough in(a) London, (b) Birmingham, (c) Manchester, (d) Leeds and (e) Bristol.

  Mr. Yeo
  It is difficult to obtain accurate data on homeless people. On the 1991 census night the following numbers of people were found to be sleeping in the open air on sites previously identified by local statutory and voluntary organisations.

  Numbers

  (a) Greater London

  1,275

  (b) Birmingham

  1—

  (c) Manchester

  23

  (d) Leeds

  21

  (e) Bristol

  128

  1 Not available.

  We estimate that at least 30 per cent., and possibly up to 50 per cent., of homeless people living rough on the streets have a mental health problem.

  Intentional Deaths of Patients
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given by her Department to medical, nursing and ancillary personnel about their rights and obligations when they become aware that medical personnel are seeking to take steps intentionally to bring about the death of patients in their care.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None. The rights and obligations of professional personnel in relation to such matters are covered by guidance and codes of conduct and ethics issued by the professional bodies.

  Mental Illness (Deaths)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made with the confidential inquiry into homicides and suicides by mentally ill people; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  A director and steering committee have been appointed. Terms of reference have been established both for the scope of the inquiry and for the steering committee.

  Work is in hand to establish confidential working arrangements by which the inquiry may proceed.

  London Health Services
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what estimate she has made of the capital cost of hospital investment in London resulting from the recommendations of the Tomlinson report; and what provision has been made for this expenditure in public expenditure plans;

  (2) what estimate she has made of the cost of transfer or redundancy pay for doctors displaced as a result of the recommendations of the Tomlinson report; and what provision has been made for this expenditure in public expenditure plans;

  (3) what assessment she has made of the validity of the estimate in the Tomlinson report of the cost of provision of further primary care services in London; and what provision has been made for this expenditure in public expenditure plans.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 3 December 1992]: The capital cost implications of Sir Bernard Tomlinson's recommendations are being studied as part of the Government's consideration of the report. Clearly they are dependent on whatever decisions are made.

  We shall put forward our proposals for the future direction of London's health services, including the financial implications, in the new year. At that time we will take full account of the implications of any changes for national health service staff working in London.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which signatories of the non-proliferation treaty are seeking an indefinite extension of the treaty without amendment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We do not know the positions of all signatories of the non-proliferation treaty but in addition
  435
  to the United Kingdom and its co-depositaries, the United States and the Russian Federation, all G7, European Community and NATO partners have indicated a commitment to seek indefinite extension of the non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which states in the Commonwealth of Independent States have signed the non-proliferation treaty; which of these have reached safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency; and on what dates these events occurred.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Uzbekistan acceded to the non-proliferation treaty on 7 May 1992. Azerbaijan acceded on 22 September 1992. We understand that neither has yet concluded safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which international treaties and arrangements other than the non-proliferation treaty, contribute towards the Government's non-proliferation policies.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Apart from the non-proliferation treaty, the main international treaties which contribute to the Government's non-proliferation policies are: the 1925 Geneva protocol, dealing with chemical weapons, and the 1972 convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of bacteriological and toxin weapons and on their destruction (the BTWC). The United Kingdom has also pledged to be an early signatory of the chemical weapons convention, which is likely to enter into force in 1995. There are in addition a number of international arrangements, notably the safeguards administered by the International Atomic Energy Agency and Euratom, and the export controls agreed by COCOM, by the Zangger committee, by the Nuclear Suppliers Group and by the Australia Group. We have also signed and ratified the two additional protocols to the treaty of Tlatelolco which is aimed at creating a nuclear weapons free zone in Latin America. The United Kingdom is also a founder member of the missile technology control regime which controls the transfer of missile systems capable of delivering nuclear, biological and chemical warheads.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has relating to the possession of nuclear weapons by(a) Israel, (b) Iran and (c) Syria; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have no information either to confirm or deny the rumours that Israel may have nuclear weapons. We continue to emphasise the importance we attach to Israeli accession to the treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. As states parties to this treaty both Iran and Syria have undertaken formal commitments not to acquire nuclear weapons which we expect them to honour in full. However, the experience with Iraq has demonstrated that membership of the non-proliferation treaty alone is no longer a guarantee of non-proliferation. We therefore take every opportunity both bilaterally and in international fora to stress the significance we attack to all states parties to the NPT complying fully with all their obligations.

  IAEA
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which states have made a commitment to the International Atomic Energy Agency to open any site and any installation on their territory to visits from Agency inspectors; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We understand that the following states have indicated to the IAEA that they would allow unrestricted access to any sites the agency may wish to visit: Iran, North Korea, South Africa.

  Nuclear Materials (Theft)
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 3 November,Official Report, column 173, what information he has about the original source of the stolen nuclear material that has recently been seized in Italy and Germany; what discussions he has had with his European and NATO counterparts on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Release of information on the source of the material recovered in these incidents is a matter for the Italian and German authorities. We discuss the general isue of illicit trade in nuclear materials with other European and NATO counterparts as appropriate, most recently at NATO's ad hoc group on nuclear weapons on 16 November.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civil servants from each wing of his Department have been relocated from London to other parts of the United Kingdom(a) in the last five years and (b) in the last 10 years; and to where they were relocated.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Since 1988, 97 diplomatic wing posts have been relocated to Hanslope park, near Milton Keynes. In the same period the aid wing has relocated 53 jobs to East Kilbride and 321 to Chatham. No relocations took place in the previous five years; 427 posts from the aid wing had already, however, been moved from London to East Kilbride in 1981.

  Nuclear Suppliers Group
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 3 November,Official Report, column 169, on the Nuclear Suppliers Group, what consideration the working group on institutional questions established by the Nuclear Suppliers Group has given to the inclusion of China as a member of the group; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 3 November at col.169. The proceedings of the working group on institutional questions like all meetings of the Nuclear Suppliers Group are confidential. If China were to seek membership of the group, their application would be carefully considered.

  Nuclear Tests (South Asia)
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications he has had with NATO, Indian, Pakistani and Chinese counterparts relating to the conduct of nuclear tests in the south Asia region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We are not aware of any nuclear explosion in South Asia since India exploded a nuclear device in 1974, and we have not recently discussed nuclear testing in this region.

  US National Security Agency
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the locations from which the United States National Security Agency is permitted to operate in Britain.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government not to answer questions of this nature.

  EC Council of Ministers
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community's Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The following is the information.

  Council of ministers business for December 1992

  1. The following meetings are planned:

  3 December

  :

  Labour and Social Affairs Council

  7/8 December

  :

  Transport Council

  7 December

  :

  Foreign Affairs Council

  9 December

  :

  Research Council

  14 December

  :

  Economic and Finance Council

  14/15/16 December

  :

  Agriculture Council

  15/16 December

  :

  Environment Council

  17/18 December

  :

  Internal Market Council

  19/20 December

  :

  Fisheries Council

  21 December

  :

  Foreign Affairs Council

  2. The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

  (a) Labour and Social Affairs Council—3 December

  Proposal for a directive on Health and Safety in the Extractive Industries (Mines and Quarries) (7162/92)

  Progress report by the Presidency on Biological Agents (8925/92)

  Draft Presidency resolution on Transparency of vocational qualifications (9964/92)

  Proposal for a Presidency resolution on tackling unemployment

  Proposal for a regulation on a European agency for safety and health at work (9937/92)

  Proposal for a regulation and directive on free movement of workers (10239/92)

  Progress report by the Presidency on Helios II (8315/92)

  Draft Presidency resolution on occupational pensions (9961/92)

  Proposal for a directive on posting of workers (8255/92)

  Draft Presidency conclusions on Implementation and Enforcement of Community Social Legislation (9963/92)

  Proposal for a directive on organisation of working time (possible)

  (b) Transport Council—7/8 December

  AVIATION AND LAND TRANSPORT ISSUES

  Aviation and slot allocation regulation (4496/91; 7810/92)

  Aviation external relations

  ATM equipment (8420/92)

  EUROCONTROL

  438

  Commission report on ATC research

  Resolution on state aids

  Road freight fiscal issues

  Road haulage cabotage (10083/91; 4943/92; 5334/92; 7187/92; 7662/92)

  Mandate frorinland waterways negotiations (7341/91; 6724/92; 7261/92)

  Infrastructure (8065/92) (possible)

  Transit agreement with Slovenia

  Road safety communication (possible)

  Commission report on transport White Paper (possible)

  MARITIME ISSUES

  Dangerous goods at sea (7074/89; 9793/90)

  Shipping (positive measures) (8368/89; 5052/91; 4035/92)

  External relations

  Terremolinos Convention (7330/92; 9778/92) (possible)

  Maritime cabotage (possible)

  Commission report on maritime safety (possible)

  Commission report on implementation of 1986 maritime package (possible)

  (c) Foreign Affairs Council—7 December

  Immigration

  Enlargement

  Nuclear safety in Eastern Europe and Former Soviet Union

  Delors II

  GATT

  Internal frontier controls on people

  Former Yugoslavia

  Revision of EC defence instruments (anti-dumping etc.)

  (d) Research Council—9 December

  Supplementary Financing of the Third Framework Programme (1990–1994) (8366/92)

  Fourth Framework Programme (1994–1998) (9302/92)

  The European Communitty and Space (9599/92)

  Paper on EC Framework Programme Management (possible)

  International Association for promoting co-operation in the Independent States of the Former Soviet Union (8174/92) (possible)

  (e) Economic and Finance Council—14 December

  Follow-up to the European Council (possible)

  CO2/Energy tax-progress report

  Third countries traveller's allowance

  Road transport tax

  Special VAT arrangements applicable to second-hand goods, works of art, collector's items and antiques

  Directive on deposit guarantees (possible)

  (f) Agriculture Council—14–15–16 December

  Bananas (8372/92; 9023/92; 9421/92; 9432/92; 9953/92)

  Milk quota consolidation (8950/1/91; 9280/92; 9994/92)

  Italian milk quota (8067/92; 9269/92)

  Stickler cow and deseasonalisation premiumk (8846/92; 9972/92)

  Potatoes

  Sheep meat voluntary restraint agreements

  New Zealand butter

  Transitional arrangements: Spain Portugal (10181/92)

  Agrimonetary regime (7907/92; 9361/92; 9951/92)

  Maize and sorghum imports

  Fruit and vegetables—amendments to basic regime (9840/92; 10248/92)

  GATT beef balance sheets (possible)

  GATT—agriculture (oilseeds dispute)

  Poultry meat

  Zoonoses

  Balai (animal products)

  Animal welfare

  Plant breeder's rights (possible)

  Derogations from Directive 92/5 (meat products) (possible)

  (g) Environment Council—15/16 December

  Van emissions (5777/92)

  Fifth Environmental Action Programme (6132/92)

  CFCs Regulation/Ozone layer (5762/92)

  ECO-audit regulation (5218/92)

  439

  Community ratification of Basel Convention (8304/90) (possible)

  Packaging (8426/92)

  CITES regulation (10500/91) (possible)

  Climate change (7569/92)

  Implementation and enforcement

  European Environment Agency (possible)

  (h) Internal Market Council—17/18 December

  Proposal for a fund for Customs Agents (8321/92)

  (i) Fisheries Council—19/20 December

  Fishing opportunities for 1993 including Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and quotas

  Fishing in Spanish and Portuguese waters

  Fisheries agreements with Norway, Sweden, and Greenland NAFO TACs and quotas

  Third country agreement with French Guyana

  Community system for fisheries and aquaculture

  Accession agreements for Spain and Portugal

  (j) Foreign Affairs Council—21 December

  Follow-up to European Council

  GATT: Uruguay Round and oilseeds (possible)

  EC/Morocco

  EC/Cyprus Association Council: Approval of Community position

  Former Yugoslavia

  Other EPC items

  EC/Cyprus Association Council (in margins)

  3. The Labour and Social Affairs Council will meet on 3 December and will discuss Health and Safety in the Extractive Industries (Mines and Quarries); Biological Agents; Presidency resolution on Transparency of vocational qualifications; Presidency resolution on tackling unemployment; the proposal for a regulation on a European agency for safety and health at work; free movement of workers; Helios II; occupational pensions; posting of workers and implementation and enforcement of Community social legislation. They may also discuss the proposal for a directive on organisation of working time.

  4. The Transport Council will meet on 7–8 December and will discuss transport liberalisation issues that have been prominent during the presidency. Ministers will focus on aviation slot allocation; aviation external relations; air traffic control issues; discussions on state aids; road freight fiscal harmonisation; road haulage cabotage; the inland waterways mandate; the mandate for transit negotiations with Slovenia; dangerous goods at sea; positive shipping measures and maritime external relations. They may also discuss post-1992 infrastructure funding and, the Torremolinos Convention. In addition the Commission will be presenting their reports on road safety; the Transport White Paper; maritime safety and the implementation of 1986 maritime package.

  5. The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 7 December. Ministers will discuss immigration; the progress on preparations for enlargement negotiations; nuclear safety in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union; Delors II; recent developments in the GATT negotiations; internal frontier controls on people; the former Yugoslavia, and the revision of EC defence instruments. A conclave of Foreign Ministers will meet on 8 December to discuss ratification of the Maastricht treaty, subsidiarity and openness, in preparation for the European Council.

  6. The Research Council will meet on 9 December and will discuss supplementary financing of the third framework programme (1990–94); the Commission's working document for the fourth framework programme (1994–98) and the European Community and space. Programme management and the International Association for promoting co-operation in the Independent States of the former Soviet Union may also be discussed.

  7. The Economic and Finance Council will meet on 14 December to discuss matters arising from the European Council on 11 December. The directive on deposit guarantees may also he discussed. This draft directive is a priority under the United Kingdom Presidency and we hope that a political agreement can be reached by the end of the year. The Council
  440
  will also discuss the Commission's proposal for a CO2/Energy tax; Third Countries Travellers Allowance; VAT arrangements for second-hand goods and Road Transport taxation.

  8. The Agriculture Council will meet on 14, 15 and 16 December. Ministers will discuss bananas; the agrimonetary system; the agricultural aspects of the GATT negotiations; milk quota consolidation; Italian milk quotas; suckler cow premium; potatoes; sheep meat voluntary restraint agreements; New Zealand butter; transitional arrangements for Spain and Portugal; amendments to the fruit and vegetables regime; poultry meat; zoonoses; Balai (animal products); and animal welfare and exotic diseases. They may also discuss beef tariff quotas; plant breeders' rights and meat products.

  9. The Environment Council will meet on 15 and 16 December. It is hoped that agreement will be reached on a directive to tighten emission limits from vans; a Council resolution on the Commission's fifth action programme on the environment; a regulation introducing a Community eco-auditing scheme and an amended regulation bringing forward the phase out dates for CFCs and other ozone depleting substances. The Council will also discuss the proposed directive on packaging and packaging waste; controls on trade in endangered species (CITES), and measures on climate change. A report on implementation and enforcement of Community environmental law will also be tabled by the Commission for discussion by Ministers at Council.

  10. The Internal Market Council will meet on 17 and 18 December to discuss the proposal for a fund for Customs agents. The remainder of the agenda is not yet known.

  11. The Fisheries Council is due to meet on 19 and 20 December. Fisheries Ministers may discuss fishing opportunities for 1993 including total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas; fishing arrangements for European Community vessels to fish Spanish and Portuguese waters; fisheries agreements with Norway, Sweden and Greenland; the NAFO TACs and quotas; the third country agreement with French Guyana; the European Community system for fisheries and aquaculture and accession arrangements for Spain and Portugual.

  12. The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 21 December to discuss the follow-up to the European Council; EC/Morocco; the former Yugoslavia and any other EPC items. The GATT: Uruguay round and oilseeds may also be discussed. The EC/Cyprus Association Council will be held in the margins.

  Cameroon
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the conduct of the presidential elections in Cameroon on 11 October.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Whilst we welcome the holding of multi-party elections as an important step in the process of democratisation, we noted with concern that the conduct of the recent election was flawed and that the primary responsibility for the shortcomings rests with the Government of Cameroon. In the light of the widespread dissatisfaction with the outcome inside Cameroon, we have urged the Government strongly to begin a process of national reconciliation among political parties.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Military Exports
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his oral statement of 23 November,Official Report, column 644, what is the value of export guarantees for the supply of defence-related goods, including machine tools, to Iraq that have had to be called in the past eight years.
  441
  Mr. Heseltine
  I will write to the hon. Lady in due course.

  Timber
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has about the extent of illegal trade in timber from the rain forest countries of South-Eash Asia.

  Mr. Needham
  Authoritative information about the extent of illegal harvesting and exports of timber from the rain forest countries of South East Asia is limited. I have, however, been sent a copy of a report on such matters by the TRAFFIC Network, which was published with the support of the World Wide Fund for Nature.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what international agreements supported by Britain relate to the international trade in timber;

  (2) what steps are being taken by the United Kingdom Government to ensure that all United Kingdom imports of timber are derived from legally felled forests and are traded legally.

  Mr. Needham
  The Government's policy on timber is to encourage the sustainable management of forests. We support the International Tropical Timber Organisation's target for all internationally traded timber to originate from sustainably managed forests by 2000. Except as provided for under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species there are no restrictions on the import of tropical hardwoods into the United Kingdom; wider restrictions would be neither practicable nor desirable.

  Mahogany (Brazil)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what requests the United Kingdom Government have received from the Government of Brazil for assistance in helping to control illegal harvesting of mahogany in the states of Rondonia and Para.

  Mr. Needham
  I am not aware of any requests from the Government of Brazil for assistance in controlling illegal harvesting of mahogany.

  Trade Balance
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out in real terms the balance of trade between the United Kingdom and other members of the EC in each year since 1972.

  Mr. Needham
  Information on United Kingdom trade in real terms by trading partner is not available. Data in current prices are published in the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, CSO", which is available in the Library of the House.

  EC Investment
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out in real terms(a) United Kingdom investment in other EC countries and (b) investment in the United Kingdom from other EC countries in each year since 1972.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Information on United Kingdom inward and outward investment in real terms is not 442
  available. Statistics on investment in current prices are published in "Business Monitor MA4, Overseas Transactions", which is available in the Library of the House.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what is the total amount of inward investment the north west of England has received in the last 10 years, year by year;

  (2) what measures are being taken to attract inward investment to the north west of England.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My Department's Invest in Britain Bureau promotes the whole of the United Kingdom as an attractive location for overseas inward investors. In 1992–93 it provided grant-in-aid of £1,112,000 to INWARD to undertake overseas inward investment promotional activities for the north-west region.

  The table shows the number of inward investment projects and the associated jobs which the north-west has received in the last 10 years.

  Year

  Project

  New jobs

  Total jobs1

  1982

  14

  1,291

  1,291

  1983

  22

  709

  1,823

  1984

  40

  1,135

  3,046

  1985

  28

  2,271

  3,649

  1986

  34

  1,400

  2,789

  1987

  28

  1,323

  6,219

  1988

  30

  1,763

  5,607

  1989

  52

  2,646

  7,184

  1990

  53

  1,810

  10,507

  1991

  65

  1,373

  8,945

  Total

  366

  15,721

  51,060

  1 Total jobs includes jobs associated with acquisitions and with investments creating new jobs where existing jobs were considered to be safeguarded by the investment.

  Note: The figures are based on information provided by the companies themselves as notified to DTI's Invest in Britain Bureau and reflect the companies' intentions at the time of the decision to invest and take no account of subsequent developments.

  Coal Review
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those individuals and organisations which have made submissions to his review of the coal industry and identify those submissions which are confidential; and if he will place the remainder in the Library.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 3 December 1992]: The individuals and organisations who have submitted evidence to the coal review, and whose evidence has been received by the review team at 5.30 pm on 3 December, are listed and total 277 submissions. Those whose submissions include confidential material are marked with an asterisk. Copies of the evidence which is not confidential are being placed in the Library.

  Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce

  Action Group on Northern Ireland Electricity Prices

  Adams, J. M. S.

  AEA Technology

  Alliance Gas Limited

  AMCO Corporation plc

  Amerada Hess Limited

  443

  Amos, J.—Hoare Lea and Partners

  Anglo United plc

  Antrim Coal Company Limited*

  Anyon, R. (Shop Steward at BNFL Springfields) and P. Logue.

  Apparel, Knitting and Textiles Alliance

  Applied Energy Services Electric Limited

  Architects and Engineers for Social Responsibility

  ARCO British Limited

  ASEA Brown Boveri*

  Associated Electricity Suppliers Ltd*

  Associated Octel Company Limited*

  Association for the Conservation of Energy

  Association of British Mining Equipment Companies

  Association of Independent Electricity Producers

  Babcock Energy Limited

  Ball, S.

  Barking Power Limited

  Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

  Bassetlaw District Council

  Black, A.

  Blue Circle Industries Ltd.

  Botham Engineering Limited

  BP BITOR Limited

  BP Exploration Operating Company Limited

  BRINDEX

  British Alcan Aluminium plc

  British Association of Colliery Management

  Britsh Ceramic Confederation

  British Coal Corporation

  British Gas plc

  British Nuclear Forum

  British Nuclear Fuels plc*

  British Wind Energy Association

  Broadland District Council

  Brunner Mond and Company Limited

  Cairn Energy plc

  Caledonian Mining Co. Ltd.

  Carribine c—Low Valleyfield Residents' Association

  Centre for Intermediate Mining Research Limited

  Chamber of Coal Traders Limited

  Chemical Industries Association

  Chesterfield Borough Council

  Chriswoll Jones, J.

  Churches Energy Group

  City of Nottingham Development Department

  City of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council

  Clackmannan District Council (Alloa)

  Clay Colliery Company Ltd.

  Clwyd County Council

  Coal Advisory Service

  Coalfield Communities Campaign

  Cobex Limited

  Combined Heat and Power Association

  Communist Party of Great Britain

  Confederation of British Industry

  Confederation of British Industry (Northern Ireland)

  Confederation of UK Coal Producers

  Conoco (UK) Ltd.

  Consortium of Opposing Local Authorities

  Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

  Co-operative Wholesale Society

  Cory Environmental Ltd.

  Council for the Protection of Rural England

  Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland

  Country Landowners Association

  Countryside Council for Wales

  County Planning Officers' Society

  Cox, H.

  Co-Steel Inc.

  Currall Lewis & Martin Ltd.

  Cytun Industrial & Economic Affairs Network (Welsh Clergy)

  Day, A. C.

  Derbyshire County Council

  Digby Worthy, W.

  Domestic Coal Consumers' Council

  Durham County Council

  E. Gas Limited

  East Midlands Electricity Consumers' Committee

  444

  East Midlands Electricity plc.

  Eastern Electricity plc.

  Eastern Region Electricity Consumers' Association

  Electricity Consumers' Committee, Merseyside and North Wales

  Electricity Consumers' Committee for London

  Electricity Consumers' Committee Southern Region

  Electricity Pool of England and Wales

  Electricity Supply Trade Union Council

  Energy and Chemical Projects Ltd.

  Energy Information Centre1

  Energy Intensive Users Group/Major Energy Users Council

  Energy upply Company Ltd.1

  Engineering Consultancy Services Ltd.

  English Nature

  Enron Europe Limited

  Esso Exploration and Production UK Ltd.

  Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors

  Federation of Small Mines of GB

  Fells, Professor—Newcastle University

  Fenton Solid Fuels Ltd.

  Fife Regional Council

  Food and Drink Federation

  Forest of Dean District Council

  Foster Wheeler Energy Limited

  Friends of the Earth

  Galvanizers Association

  Gas Consumers Council

  Gas Strategies

  GEC Alsthom Limited

  General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland

  Gilbert, F.

  Glyn, A.

  Godfrey, D. F.—Lerken & Co. Solicitors

  Grampian Regional Council

  Greenpeace

  Gruber, P. A.

  Leverton Limited*

  Hamilton Oil Company Ltd.*

  Harrison, K.

  Harvey, R. E. A.

  Hawkes, G.

  Highland Regional Council

  Hopkinson, D.

  Horrocks, R.

  I. & H. Brown Limited

  ICI Chemicals and Polymers Ltd.

  Institute of Civil Engineers

  Institute of Economic Affairs

  Institute of Energy

  Institution of Mining Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

  Institution of Mining Engineers

  Institution of Professionals, Managers and Specialists

  Ivo Energy Limited

  Jervis, R. M.

  Johnson Matthey plc

  Kelt UK Ltd.

  Kingsnorth Developments Ltd.

  LASMO North Sea plc

  LE Energy

  Leicester City Council

  Lester, Jim MP

  Levack Civil Engineering

  Liberal Democrats

  Liebherr GB Ltd.

  Lipman, Professor N. H.

  Loadmaster Ltd.

  London Electricity plc

  Lynam, F.

  Lytham St. Annes Methodist Circuit Social Responsibility Committee

  Mansfield District Council

  Manweb plc*

  Marks and Spencer plc

  Mason, J.

  McAlpine, G.

  Mechanical Handling Engineers' Association

  MECO AFC Ltd.

  Merz and McLellan Limited

  Metropolitan Planning Officers' Society

  445

  Mid Glamorgan County Council

  Midlands Consumers' Committee

  Midlands Electricity plc

  Midlands Electricity plc/Central Power

  Miller Mining

  Millington, Mrs. G.

  Mining Association of the United Kingdom

  Mobil Gas Marketing (UK) Ltd.

  Monktonhall Mineworkers Ltd.

  Monument Oil and Gas plc*

  National Association of Colliery Overmen Deputies and Shotfirers

  National Association of Licensed Opencast Operators

  National Association of Local government Officers

  National Consumer Council

  National Engineering Construction Employers' Association

  National Grid Company plc

  National Network of Chaplains in the Electricity Supply Industry

  National Network of Coal Industry Chaplains

  National Power plc*

  National Rivers Authority

  National Society for Clean Air and Environmental Protection

  National Union of Mineworkers

  Newark and Sherwood District Council

  Nicholson, K.

  Non-Fossil Purchasing Agency Ltd.

  North Derbyshire Health Authority

  North Eastern Region Electricity Consumers' Committee

  Northern Ireland Electricity plc

  NORWEB*

  Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  Nottinghamshire County Council

  Nottinghamshire Rural Community Council

  NSM plc

  Nuclear Electric plc*

  Nykomb Synergetics

  O & K Orenstein and Koppel Ltd.

  Offshore Contractors Council

  Offshore Manufacturers and Constructors Association

  Oil and Chemcial Plant Constructors Association

  Open University Energy and Environment Research Unit

  Oxford Institute for Energy Studies

  Parkhill Estates Limited

  Pearce, A. J.

  Phillips Petroleum Company United Kingdom Limited

  Point of Ayr Colliery Survival Committee

  Pontefract Graders Ltd.

  Powergen plc*

  Powys County Council

  R. J. B. Mining Ltd.

  Rackwood Colliery Co. Ltd.

  Regional Studies Association

  Reynolds, J.—Merrill Lynch

  Robinson, D.

  Rolls Royce plc

  Rotherham and District Trades Union Council

  Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council*

  Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

  Royal Institution of International Affairs

  Royal Town Planning Institute

  Safecom UEP Ltd.

  Save the Moors From Opencast (SHAMROC)

  Scottish Hydro Electric plc*

  Scottish Natural Heritage

  Scottish Northern Region Electricity Users' Sub-Committee

  Scottish Nuclear Limited*

  Scottish Power

  Scottish Trades Union Congress

  Seabridge, A. T.*

  Seeboard plc

  Severn Tidal Power Group

  Shawater Ltd.

  Sheerness Steel Company plc

  Shell UK Ltd.

  Shepway Friends of the Earth

  Shirebrook Traders Association

  Skegness 2000

  Slough Trading Estates Ltd.

  Smith, E.

  446

  South Eastern Regional Electricity Consumers' Committee

  South Wales Electricity plc*

  South Wales Region Consumers' Committee

  South Western Electricity plc

  South Western Regional Electricity Consumers' Committee

  Southern Electric plc*

  Southern Scotland Electricity Consumers' Committee

  Staffordshire County Council

  Standing Conference on Regional Policy in South Wales

  Statoil UK Ltd.

  Taylor Woodrow Mining Division

  Texaco

  Trades Union Congress

  Trainload Freight

  Transport and General Workers Union

  Tyne and Wear Chamber of Commerce, Trade and Industry

  UK Offshore Operators Association Ltd.

  UK Onshore Operators Group

  Union of Democratic Mineworkers

  United Gas Company Limited

  Viscosuisse Textured Yarns

  Walker, J. F.

  Ward Brothers Mining Division Ltd.

  Watt Committee on Energy

  Watt, J.

  WEFA Energy Group*

  West Midlands Regional Forum of Local Authorities

  Westoe Colliery Campaign Group

  World Solar Power Foundation

  Yorkshire Electricity Group plc*

  Yorkshire Opencast Objectors

  Yorkshire Water Services Limited*

  Young Group plc*

  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the coal contract negotiations between British Coal and the electricity supply industry following the coal review he announced on 21 October.

  Mr. Hesetine
  I wrote to the chairman of British Coal yesterday in the following terms:

  You asked for my views on British Coal's contract negotiations with the electricity supply industry following the Review I announced on 21 October.

  As you know, in my statement to the House on 21 October, I announced a wide-ranging Review of the prospects of the 21 pits proposed for closure but not subject to statutory consultation. The Review will decide whether the case for closure of each of the 21 pits has been fully made and whether it is sensible to mothball any of these pits. I also made it clear that the Review would consider whether the market prospects for coal had been correctly assessed, and that it would look at the level of coal stocks, both at the pithead and at the power stations, and whether plans to run them down were sensibly phased.

  The Review will consider views and evidence on the future of each of the pits in question, in the context of the Government's energy policy, including the consequences of that policy for British Coal and employment prospects for the industry. The Review will decide whether the case for closure at each of the pits in question had been fully made and whether the market prospects for coal have been correctly assessed.

  The future of the British coal industry depends crucially on the level of its sales to the power generators. The Corporation's current coal supply contracts with National Power and PowerGen for 65 million tonnes expire on 31 March 1993. British Coal's proposals to close 31 pits reflected the assessment that you were unlikely to sell the power generators more than 40 million tonnes of coal in 1993–94. The Government's decision to launch the Review was taken against the background, among other factors, of widespread concern and representations that there could be a market for substantially higher tonnages.

  Negotiations on future contracts are of course a matter for the coal and electricity industries. However, against the

  447
  background to the Review, and the deep Parliamentary and public concern about its outcome, I hope that British Coal and the other parties to the contract negotiations will find it possible to agree arrangements which will ensure a sound and stable basis for the British coal industry and the electricity supply industry to plan their business at least for 1993–94, and pending implementation of options identified in the light of the Review of the prospects of the 21 pits.

  I am looking to all the parties concerned to ensure that any contracts which may be agreed do not prejudice the outcome of the Review.

  I am therefore copying this letter to National Power and PowerGen and the twelve regional electricity companies so that they are aware of the Government's views. I am also sending a copy to the Chairman of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry and proposing to make it available to MPs through a written statement and to issue a press notice.

  British Steel
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what evidence he has provided to the United States Government about subsidies paid to British Steel; and by what sums British Steel is currently subsidised.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Government and United Kingdom companies complied with the United States authorities' requests for information on subsidies to the British Steel Corporation as part of a recent investigation under United States countervailing duty legislation. No Government subsidies have been granted to British Steel since the company was privatised in 1988.

  Electricity Imports
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the price paid to date to Electricité de France in respect of electricity imports in each month for the term of the present contract, together with the prevailing pool price in each of those months.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a commercial matter for those electricity companies that have contracts with EdF.

  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of the proportion of energy supplies for electricity generation that are likely to be imported by 2020 based on the forecast contained in the DTI Energy Paper 59, October 1992, entitled "Electricity Generated by Type of Plant" (per cent),(a) overall, (b) coal, (c) gas, (d) oil, (e) nuclear and (f) other.

  Mr. Eggar
  Energy Paper 59 is primarily intended to offer a range of energy-related carbon emissions scenarios as a basis for discussion of environmental issues. Because the carbon contents of domestic and imported fuels are similar the scenarios do not distinguish between them.

  Imported Coal
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the tonnages of imported coal(a) for power generation, (b) for industrial applications and (c) for domestic use, in each of the past five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Eggar
  The figures requested are:

  Thousand tonnes

  Year

  1 Power generation

  2 3 Industry applications

  3 Domestic use

  1987

  1,358

  6,945

  1,478

  1988

  1,973

  7,709

  2,003

  1989

  1,963

  8,497

  1,677

  448

  Year

  1 Power generation

  2 3 Industry applications

  3 Domestic use

  1990

  4,721

  8,964

  1,098

  1991

  7,251

  9,863

  2,376

  1 Major electricity generating companies as denned in Energy Trends.

  2 Including coke ovens and manufactured solid fuel plants.

  3 These are estimated figures based on data supplied by Customs and Excise. The use of which the coal is to be put is not recorded at the time the coal is imported, but assumptions on who uses particular types of coal have been used to allocate imports to the industrial and domestic sectors.

  Public Interest Immunity
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade for how many documents Her Majesty's Government have claimed public interest immunity in respect of the application in the High Court by the NUM on pit closures; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 30 November 1992]: None. On 26 November 1992 counsel acting on my right hon. Friend's behalf in these proceedings properly drew attention of the court to the fact that two documents which had recently been submitted in evidence by the National Union of Mineworkers and which were already in the public domain fell within an established class of document capable of attracting public interest immunity. The question of whether the documents should attract such immunity was left entirely to the court which subsequently decided that they should be allowed as evidence.

  Manufacturing
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give greater priority to manufacturing companies in the distribution of grant-assisted aid for development and expansion purposes.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 2 December 1992]: Around three quarters of my Department's programme spend goes to manufacturing companies.

  Trade Deficit
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the current United Kingdom trade deficit with(a) France, (b) Italy, (c) the Netherlands, (d) Germany and (e) Belgium respectively; and what is the total deficit in trade between the United Kingdom and all other EC countries.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 2 December 1992]: Information on United Kingdom visible trade with members of the EC is regularly published in the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, CSO", which is available in the Library of the House.

  Market Share
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the European Community share in the United Kingdom market for the financial year 1990–91; and what is the estimated share for 1991–92.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 2 December 1992]: Information on the EC shares of the United Kingdom domestic market cannot be provided without disproportionate cost. The EC accounted for 52 per cent. of visible

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  imports into the United Kingdom in 1990–91 and in 1991–92. The EC share of United Kingdom imports of manufactures was 55 per cent. in 1990–91 and 54 per cent. in 1991–92.

  Libyan Sanctions
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate has been made of the effect on the United Kingdom balance of payments of Libyan sanctions.
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  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 2 December 1992]: It is impossible to say what additional trade might have occurred or the effect on the United Kingdom balance of payments—if sanctions against Libya had not been adopted by the United Nations Security Council.