Written Answers of 11 December 1992

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Unconventional Medicine
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what consideration his Department has given to COST project B4—"Unconventional Medicine", originated in Switzerland; and if he will make it his policy to consider supporting any formal proposal submitted to the United Kingdom Government.

  Mr. Jackson
  My Department has recently been notified that COST project B4 is now formally open for signature. The proposal has been circulated and we have already received a response from an interested party. As with all COST projects, the United Kingdom will need to be satisfied that prospective participants will be able to fulfil their commitment for the full term of the project before undertaking to sign the memorandum of understanding.

  Royal Family
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what publicity services relevant to the royal family are covered by the Central Office of Information; when COI became responsible for this expenditure; and from what sources it was financed before it became a charge on the COI.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Central Office of Inforniation currently provides press liaison facilities to the royal household under class XVIII vote 15.

  The chief executive of the Central Office of Information informs me that he has established that such services have been provided since financial year 1948–49 but that without disproportionate cost he has been unable to establish what arrangements, if any, existed before that year.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Retrials
  Dame Angela Rumbold
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what new arrangements have been put in place to ensure that section 8 of the Criminal Appeals Act 1968 is complied with so that retrials are listed within two months.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  No new arrangements have been made by the Lord Chancellor's Department because I am satisfied with the existing procedures by which the Registrar of Criminal Appeals himself immediately notifies the chief clerk of the Crown court centre concerned of retrials ordered by the Court of Appeal and of the necessity to arraign the defendant within two months. Existing departmental instructions are that defendants in 796
  such cases must be arraigned within two months. Listing guidelines to be issued in the new year, which will cover a wide range of subjects, will re-emphasise the necessity of dealing with such cases expeditiously.

  Private Prosecutions (Legal Costs)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the hourly rates which apply to the taxing of legal rates when costs are awarded to individuals who successfully pursue private prosecutions; what account is taken in such cases of the actual rates charged for legal costs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  There are no set hourly rates applied to these cases. Determining officers have to assess what is considered to be reasonably sufficient to compensate the applicant for any expenses properly incurred by him in the proceedings. Thus an order that a private prosecutor's costs be paid from central funds may not be a complete indemnity against all the costs incurred, whatever their nature.

  Repossession Proceedings
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what were the numbers of(a) actions entered for repossession, (b) possession orders made and (c) suspended orders made for the years ended (i) April 1979, (ii) June 1987, (iii) October 1991 and (iv) October 1992 by (x) court circuit in England and Wales and (y) county court in England and Wales.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The 1978–79 and 1986–87 figures are not available. Because of the lengthy nature of the other material, I will separately write to the hon. Member with the information requested and place a copy of the data in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what were the numbers of(a) actions entered for repossession, (b) possession orders made and (c) suspended orders made for (i) November 1991 to 1992 and (ii) May to October 1992, (x) by court circuit in England and Wales and (y) by county court in England and Wales.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Because of the lengthy nature of the material, I will separately write to the hon. Member with the information requested and place a copy of the data in the House of Commons Library.

  Domestic Violence
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his oral answer of 30 November,Official Report, columns 19–20, when he is proposing to introduce legislation on the matter of domestic violence; and which organisations he is consulting on this matter.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor is considering the Law Commission's recommendations for reform of the law governing civil remedies for domestic violence in consultation with other interested Departments. He has no immediate plans for legislation but he welcomes any views on the appropriate response to these recommendations.
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  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his oral answer of 30 November,Official Report, columns 19–20, what inquiries his Department is making into the question of domestic violence and its effects on women; and what consultations he has had with law centres on this matter.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor is considering the Law Commission's recommendations for reform of the law governing civil remedies for domestic violence and how they would affect women in consultation with other interested Departments. The Law Commission consulted widely before reporting and the Government have received some further comments since the publication of the Law Commission's recommendations. The Lord Chancellor welcomes any views, including those of law centres, on the appropriate response to these recommendations.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the estimated savings from figures previously projected for 1993–94 of the cuts proposed to expenditure announced in his answer of 12 November,Official Report, columns 863–64, in respect of (a) the reduction of the civil legal aid lower disposable income limit, (b) the increase from one quarter to one third in the contribution taken from income above the lower disposable income limit and below the upper disposable income limit, (c) the proposed changes from 1 April 1993 to green form legal advice and (d) the proposed changes in financial eligibility to criminal legal aid announced in the same parliamentary answer.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Government's expenditure plans 1992–93 to 1994–95 for the Lord Chancellor's and Law Officers Departments [Cm. 1910, published 14 February 1992] showed planned expenditure on legal aid in 1993–94 of £885 million. Estimated outturn for 1992–93 is £1100 million. The new plan for 1993–94 is for expenditure of £1285 million. Without the changes to the financial eligibility conditions for civil legal aid and to the level of contributions which were announced on 12 November 1992 [House of Commons Official Report, columns 863–64] expenditure in 1993–94 would have risen by a further £39.5 million and without the changes to legal advice and assistance by a further £3.7 million. I do not expect the changes to criminal legal aid to have a significant effect on expenditure.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will give the timetable for the Lord Chancellor's review of financial eligibility for legal aid following the announcements in his answer of 12 November,Official Report, columns 863–64; what is the current composition of the review team; and on what dates the review team has met since 1 January.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor will shortly issue a consultation paper on changes to criminal legal aid regulations. This consultation will complete the criminal stage of the financial conditions review. The responses to the consultation paper issued at the end of the civil stage of the review indicated that there was no consensus in favour of the proposals put forward. In the light of that, and of the plans for legal aid eligibility generally which 798
  were announced on 12 November, the Lord Chancellor has decided that it would not be appropriate to pursue the civil proposals for the time being. The third stage of the review was to have covered financial eligibility for advice and assistance and legal aid in matrimonial cases. Against the current background, including the Lord Chancellor's consideration of the report of the Law Commission on the ground for divorce, he has decided that a separate review of financial eligibility in this area would not be appropriate. The team conducting the review is composed of officials of the Lord Chancellor's Department, who work together on a regular basis.

  Domicile Law
  Mr. Renton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department whether, following the representations he has received, he will consider not proceeding with changes in the law of domicile.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Only a few of the representations on the Law Commission report on the law of domicile call for it not to be implemented, and the Government's intention to introduce legislation, which was announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, when he was Attorney-General,Official Report, 17 October 1991, column 177, is unchanged. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is considering the representations which have been made on specific aspects of the report.

EDUCATION

  Private Sector Colleges
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the Higher Education Funding Council funding for private sector colleges.

  Mr. Forman
  Under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 the Higher Education Funding Council for England is empowered to fund only universities, higher education corporations and designated institutions. My right hon. Friend does not currently designate new institutions because public funding for them would have to be found at the expense of existing higher education institutions.

  Royal Holloway College
  Mr. Trend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information Royal Holloway college supplied to his Department through the court of the university of London in respect of its financial needs for preservation, refurbishment and reservicing of its grade I listed buildings for the period 1989 to 2000.

  Mr. Forman
  My right hon. Friend has received no financial information about the Royal Holloway college's grade 1 buildings, either from the college or through the court of the university of London. This is a matter for the university of London and the college, involving the Universities Funding Council as necessary. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies responsible for their own financial affairs.

  Engineers
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what studies his Department has carried out to assess future demand by(a) British industry and (b) the teaching profession for (i) engineers in general and (ii) electrical engineers in particular; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forman
  The Department has not carried out a specific study to assess future demand for engineers by British industry or the teaching profession. As announced in the Government's White Paper "Higher Education: Meeting The Challenge" (Cm 114, 1987), the Department participated in the Interdepartmental Review which reported on prospective needs for new graduates in general by industry, commerce and the public services ("Highly Qualified People: Supply and Demand" HMSO 1990). The Engineering Council is currently undertaking a review of the formation of engineers. One part of this review will address needs, demands and supply of engineers, and concentrate on industrial and economic issues. I look forward to the report of this work—expected in spring 1993.

ACCOMMODATION AND WORKS COMMITTEE

  Energy Bill
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what steps have been taken to reduce the energy bill for the Palace of Westminster and its precincts.

  Mr. Powell
  As part of a continuing programme of energy-saving measures in the Palace of Westminster and the parliamentary estate, low-energy light fittings have been installed in many areas. Where these have been installed they have contributed over the past two years to savings of some 65 per cent. in the consumption of electricity. During the same period, over 300 "occupancy sensors" have been installed, which automatically switch off lights when areas are vacated. Old style steam radiators are being replaced by modern low-temperature hot-water radiators. All new radiators are fitted with thermostatic valves; and all pipework, fittings and valves are being insulated to reduce heat loss.

EMPLOYMENT

  Redundancy Pay
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the level of the current redundancy payment recoverable from Government funds; and what it would be if it had been increased each year since its introduction by the levels of(a) earnings and (b) prices.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The rebate recoverable by employers against statutory redundancy payments was abolished in January 1990.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefit Claims (Ex-service Personnel)
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the implications of the development of commercial agencies which propose to charge fees in order to pursue claims for benefit from ex-service personnel.

  Miss Widdecombe
  There is nothing to prevent an individual or commercial agency charging a fee to ex-service personnel for the provision of advice on claims for benefit. However, such advice on social security benefits is available free from the Benefits Agency and on war pensions from the War Pensions Directorate and a number of ex-service organisations. It is a matter of personal choice which service is used.

  Benefit Disqualification
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of those disqualified from receiving benefit because of dismissal from their jobs were refused benefits for less than the maximum period in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Disability Allowances
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total spent on advertising of the disability living allowances and the disability working allowances(a) before their introduction and (b) in every month since then.

  Mr. Scott
  The total cost of advertising in the press and on television before the introduction of the new benefits in April was £3,044,909.

  The latest figures for advertising month by month since then are in the table.

  £

  April

  Nil

  May

  Nil

  June

  240,740

  July

  Nil

  August

  Nil

  September

  587

  October

  2,144

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when the chief executive of the Benefits Agency will reply to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford's letter concerning the delay in processing the disability living allowance claim of(a) R. Collumbell, (b) Ms. McVitie, (c) P. Morgan, (d) R. Edwards, (e) B. Siblon, (f) L. Heat and (g) S. Goodwin;

  (2) when the chief executive of the Benefits Agency will reply to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford's letter concerning the delay in processing the disability living allowance claim of the people with NI numbers (a) SM290692B, (b) JE542286C, (c) WK555651A, (d) KB331945D, (e) JE466288A, (f) ZW558243D and (g) ZX002165B.
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  Mr. Scott
  The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from M. Bichard to Ms. Joan Ruddock, dated 10 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 concerning your correspondence about claims to Disability Living Allowance for R. Collumbell, Ms. McVitie, P. Morgan, R. Edwards, B. Siblon, L. Heat, S. Goodwin and those with NI numbers SM290692B, JE542286C, WK555651A, KB331945D, JE466288A, ZW558243D and ZX002165B.
  I am now in a position to confirm that adjudication officers have made decisions on all but one of the claims. The case outstanding is waiting for further evidence from the customer. I have already replied separately, and in greater detail, about each case.
  I offer my sincere apologies for any delay in dealing with the claims and also for the delay in replying to your correspondence. My letter of 19 October to all MPs set out the problems we have encountered since the successful launch of the new benefit and the positive steps taken to improve the situation.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Television Licences
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many people were affected by the change in television licence rules for those living in sheltered housing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  This is a matter for which the Department of National Heritage is now responsible. People who had the concession when the regulations were changed in 1988 have kept it. The regulations included a provision which preserved the rights of existing beneficiaries for their lifetime, provided they continued to live in accommodation which would have qualified under the old regulations.

PRIME MINISTER

  Agencies
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all Next Steps agencies currently operating and all new agencies expected to be introduced before the end of 1993.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply. Full information on all existing agencies and currently announced candidates was included in the Next Steps Annual Review 1992, published on 2 December (Cm. 2111), a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  EC Council Agendas
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will ensure that the agenda for each meeting of the EC Council is published in detail at least seven days in advance, and that this information is made available to hon. Members.
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  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply. The monthly business statement printed in the Official Report gives details of all forthcoming Council meetings that month and the items likely to be on the agenda of each.

  This generally provides a reliable guide, particularly on the main issues to be discussed, although the final agenda may be subject to change up to the day of the meeting itself.

  Council of Europe and WEU
  Sir John Hunt
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the information bulletin on the activities of the United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Assembly of Western European Union.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply. I have done so today.

  EC Regional Funds
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has held with his counterparts in the European Council on the possible ways of disbursement of funds under the proposed committee on the regions to be established under the treaty of European Union.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply. Article 198(a) of the Maastricht treaty makes it clear that the Committee of the Regions is an advisory body. It will therefore have no responsibility for disbursing funds.

  Disclosure of Information
  Mr. Hew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of the treaty on European Union in regard to its proposals to increase provisions for prohibition on the disclosure of information from the institutions of the European Community.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply. The Maastricht treaty says nothing on the question of disclosure of information. A declaration adopted at Maastricht calls on the Commission to report to the Council of Ministers on measures designed to improve public access to information held by Community institutions.

  In February 1992 the Commission proposed a Council regulation on the security of classified information. As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster told the hon. Member on 7 July, the Government consider the draft regulation in its present form to be unworkable.

  Somalia
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Prime Minister what offer of help in Somalia his Government have made in the light of President Bush's offer of military intervention on the subsequent decision of the UN Security Council.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply. We are providing two RAF C130 transport aircraft, accompanied by supporting personnel, to the unified military task force in Somalia. On 4 December, my noble Friend Baroness Chalker of Wallasey, the Minister for Overseas Development, announced a further £4·5 million of
  803
  bilateral humanitarian aid to Somalia for immediate disbursement once conditions permit. This brings United Kingdom aid to Somalia this year to nearly £31·5 million, including our share of EC aid.

  Ministers (Legal Costs)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment is made of value for money provided by the level of legal charges to Ministers in connection with personal matters where part of the costs are met from public funds; and if he will make it his policy to limit reimbursement of expenses in such cases to the limits applied by taxing authorities in legal aid cases.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply. The Government are always concerned to ensure value for money in all their activities.

  Ministerial Dress
  Sir Nicholas Fairbairn
  To ask the Prime Minister what advice is given to ministers concerning appropriate standards of dress for Ministers representing Her Majesty's Government in acts of remembrance for service men and women killed on active service.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply. There is no general guidance. The normal practice is for Ministers to follow whatever indication is given by the organisation responsible in each case.

HEALTH

  Homeopathic Medicines
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide a comparative average costing of an NHS homeopathic medicine prescription with that of an NHS standard drug prescription.

  Mr. Sackville
  The net ingredient cost per prescription of a national health service homeopathic medicine prescription in 1991 was £3·33 compared with £6·20 for an NHS standard drug prescription. These figures are for prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England.

  Financial Information Project Systems Ltd.
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the payments made to Financial Information Project Systems Ltd. by the West Midlands regional health authority.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The question of payments to Financial Information Project Systems Ltd. is currently under investigation by the district auditor.

  Paediatric Neurologists
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paediatric neurologists there are in the West Midlands regional health authority; and if she will make a statement.
  804
  Dr. Mawhinney
  There is one paediatric neurologist in the West Midlands regional health authority, according to the Department of Health's medical and dental census at 30 September 1991.

  There is currently a rapid expansion in the number of consultants specialising in paediatrics, of which paediatric neurology is a small sub-specialty. Appointment of medical staff is a matter for local employing authorities.

  Dr. Kypros Loucas
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her Department's policy concerning reports from the Mental Health Act Commission on the employment of Dr. K. Loucas as psychiatrist at Broadmoor hospital and Horton hospital; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Members for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) and for Rochdale (Ms. Lynne) on 10 December.

  NHS Management Executive
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the production and distribution costs of the NHS Management Executive's annual report for 1990, 1991 and 1992; and how many reports were printed in each of those years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The chief executive of the National Health Service Management Executive, in describing the operations of the £26 billion NHS, produced an annual report at a total cost including design, printing and distribution amounting to £107,241. 35,000 copies of the report were distributed, mostly in the NHS. No report was published in 1990 or 1991.

  Private Sector Work
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the updating of the survey of private sector work across the country.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 9 December 1992]: I assume that the hon. Member is referring to research into the number and type of operations carried out in the independent sector. We have no plans at present to commission further research into clinical activity in the independent sector.

  Health Promotion
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her proposals for the funding of health promotion among general practitioners from July 1993 showing (i) the cash limit on health promotion, (ii) the maximum income available under her proposed banding scheme, (iii) her assumptions on the number of general practitioners qualifying for payment in each band and (iv) her plans for consultation.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 30 November 1992]: The profession has been consulted, initially on proposals in principle and subsequently on the details of new health promotion arrangements in the general practitioner contract, and has agreed to the proposed new scheme. Action is now in hand to finalise arrangements for implementation. We expect funding of the order of £80

  805
  million for Great Britain to be available for the scheme on a full year basis from the totality of resources available for GP remuneration. Payment levels within this will be finalised in the light of further consultation between the Health Departments and the profession once better information is available on take-up of the new scheme.

DEFENCE

  Cheshire Regiment
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from members of the Cheshire Regiment serving in Bosnia, whose families are in Germany, regarding the reduction of allowances; and what action he intends to take.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Service personnel based in Germany are paid an allowance in view of the high cost of living there. A similar allowance is not necessary in Bosnia, where food and accommodation charges are waived, but members of the Cheshire Regiment retain a significant element (70 per cent. for married personnel, 40 per cent. for single personnel) of the German allowance in recognition of their continuing financial commitments in Germany.

  RAF Chivenor
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many sorties have been flown from RAF Chivenor in each of the last six years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. M ember.

  Army Training Land
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what response he has given to the National Audit Office report entitled "Ministry of Defence: Management and Control of Army Training Land"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  By convention, National Audit Office reports are agreed with Departments before publication. The report is to the House of Commons and it is for the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), in the first instance, to decide whether to take evidence from the Department and report further. The Accounting Officer will speak for the Department should the PAC call him to give evidence.

  Operation Granby
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 November,Official Report, column 47, what were the original amounts of money expected from each country contributing towards the costs of Operation Granby.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Cash contributions were entirely voluntary and the Government are most grateful for the generosity of those who contributed.

  Historic Buildings
  Sir Nicholas Fairbairn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 1 December,Official Report, column 168, what proposals he has to improve the treatment within and around Bruce's Craigie hall outside Edinburgh.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Craigie hall is an historic building and is subject to regular inspection and maintenance. This is done in agreement with Historic Scotland.

  Shropshire Regimental History Museum
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice and assistance he has given to the trustees of the Shropshire regimental history museum following the IRA bombing of Shrewsbury castle.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Shropshire regimental museum in Shrewsbury castle doese not belong to the Ministry of Defence; security advice is therefore the responsibility of the police. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Defence recognises that such museums contain property belonging to regiments and offers to supplement police advice where practicable.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Drug Trafficking (Confiscation)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 19 October,Official Report, column 262, when he expects to secure the £20 million which is still outstanding and which has been ordered to be confiscated under the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986; what proposals he intends to introduce to improve the confiscation procedures of the Act; and what additional guidance will be provided to magistrates courts by his Department.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Criminal Justice Bill currently before Parliament, for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department has lead responsibility, contains measures which will improve the enforcement of confiscation orders. In particular, a county court will be able to appoint receivers, which should facilitate their use, and the debt arising from the non-payment of a confiscation order will not be expunged even if a term of imprisonment in default is served.

  That apart, as my right hon. Friend said on 19 October, the realisation of confiscation orders can be an extended process, and where, for example, orders are the subject of appeal or offenders have been given extended time to pay, there will inevitably be some delay before magistrates courts can bring their powers of enforcement to bear. Additional guidance to magistrates courts on the operation of the existing and proposed legislation is under consideration.

  President-elect Clinton
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he first knew that inquiries had been made by his Department into whether Mr. Clinton had at some stage applied for United Kingdom citizenship.
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  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) on 9 December,Official Report, columns 662–63, to which I have nothing to add.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who was the most senior official involved in his Department who knew that inquiries were being made to see if Mr. Clinton had at any time applied for United Kingdom citizenship.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The head of information of my Department.

  Police (Firearms)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many armed officers are involved in the current action to stop terrorism in London; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) where and by whom the decision was taken to allow armed officers to set up road blocks in London; arid if he will make a statement.

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what constraints have been placed on the use of sub-machine guns and other firearms by the police in setting up road blocks; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The decision whether to deploy armed officers in support of police operations is an operational matter and as such falls within the discretion of chief officers. A copy of the Home Office Guidelines for the Police on the Issue and Use of Firearms, which apply in such circumstances, has been placed in the Library. It would not be in the public interest to reveal the number of armed officers deployed in counter-terrorist operations in London.

  Crime and Drug Prevention
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what crime prevention and drug prevention initiatives from his Department are presently operating in the Greater Manchester area.

  Mr. Jack
  The Home Office is currently operating safer cities crime prevention projects in Salford and Rochdale which between them have so far spent £17·6 million in supporting over 2,800 local crime prevention projects.

  As part of their response to the Department's initiative on car crime prevention year, Greater Manchester Police have organised and participated in a number of projects, including the promotion of vehicle watch schemes, the distribution of information packs on car security, the setting up of a special police unit to tackle car crime, and the development of an autocrime project aimed at certain secondary schools. In the 12 months ending June 1992 Greater Manchester police reported a fall in the level of car crime.

  The Department has encouraged those districts within the Greater Manchester area which have successfully bid for city challenge status—Manchester (Hulme), Bolton and Wigan—to develop crime prevention strategies and programmes as part of their action plans.

  Since February of this year we have also operated local drugs prevention teams in Salford and Manchester, which so far, including their efforts for European drugs prevention week in November, have supported 39 local projects and committed some £128,000 in grants.

  Betting Shops
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has held with betting shop employees on the extension of their working hours; and with what results.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin) on 8 December 1992,Official Report, column 552.

  Criminal Justice Act 1991
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to bring into effect the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 relating to curfew orders and electronic monitoring.

  Mr. Jack
  Current spending priorities do not permit the early introduction of the arrangements under sections 12 and 13 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 for monitoring curfew orders. Before determining the way forward, I intend first carefully to review and assess the operation of existing community penalties as a whole in the new context created by the Act.

  Squatting
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to introduce changes to legislation affecting squatting in residential property; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  At present, I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave on 17 June 1992,Official Report, columns 522–25, in answer to questions from the hon. Member on this subject. Work is continuing to fulfil the objectives outlined in those questions.

  Racial Discrimination
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with other EC member states on introducing legislation against racial discrimination; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government are opposed absolutely to discrimination on grounds of race, and this position is reflected when such matters come up in discussions with our European partners. The legislative arrangements in other member states, however, are a matter for them, taking account of their particular circumstances.

  Advisory Council on Race Relations
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names of those he has appointed to his Advisory Council on Race Relations and the organisations they represent; on what matters the council has given recent advice; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The membership of the Advisory Council on Race Relations is 22. Membership falls into two categories; individual members appointed for a two-year period by the Home Secretary, and representative members who are nominated by certain designated
  809
  organisations. The individual members are Miss Salome Asamoah, Mrs. Salma Ahmed, Mr. David Bryan, Mr. Thomas Chan, Mr. Chris Kavallares, Dr. Zaka Khan, Mr. Ravi Mooneeram, Dr. Dwain Neil, Mr. Shantilal Ruparell, Mr. Iqbal Sacranie, Mr. Tufail Shaheen, Mr. Jack Shieh, Ms. Anesta Weekes and Mr. Ranbir Singh Suri. Representative members are nominated by the Commission for Racial Equality, the TUC, the CBI, the London Boroughs Associations, the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, the Association of County Councils, the Association of District Councils and the National Association of Racial Equality Councils.

  Recent topics for discussion have included immigration; race relations and the armed forces; community languages and culture; housing; ethnic minority appointments to public bodies; the terms of reference of the advisory council; the citizens charter; and ethnic monitoring in the criminal justice system.

  I attach great importance to the work of the advisory council and welcome its contribution to current issues of policy.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Somalia
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made since September in achieving continuity and speed in the work of mine clearance in the north of Somalia, Republic of Somaliland.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In 1991 Britain made available £300,000 as its contribution to a multi-donor mine clearance operation in northern Somalia, which ended in November 1992. There have been problems in funding the operation. Following interventions by ODA, proposals are being formulated to extend the operation until February 1993 and to resolve the funding difficulties. Meanwhile, we have committed an additional £40,000 to ensure that operations continue. A UNDP mine-clearance coordinator is currently preparing proposals for a new mine clearance project in northern Somalia from February 1993. We shall consider this in due course.

  World Bank
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the annual United Kingdom contribution to the World bank.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom's contribution to the World Bank Group in 1990–91 was £159 million and in 1991–92 £228 million.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current position on the 10th replenishment of the World bank's International Development Association.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Negotiations on the size of the tenth replenishment of the International Development Association are continuing. The next meeting is on 14–15 December.
  810
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has made to the Wappenhans report on the success rate of World Bank projects.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have welcomed bank management's initial positive response, and its intention to propose further changes to the bank's policies and practices to improve effectiveness.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what voting share the United Kingdom has on the World bank.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom's voting share at the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development is 5·35 per cent.; and at the International Development Association 5·39 per cent.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policy guidance is given to the British executive director of the World bank.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Our executive director to the International Monetary Fund and the World bank is provided with policy guidance as appropriate.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to make available access to information about World bank affairs along the lines of that given in the United States under the Pelosi amendment.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  At present the World bank circulates monthly an operational summary containing information about all projects which it is considering for possible financing, and a summary of environmental assessments. As I told the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) on 8 December, this is available in the House of Commons Library. It also publishes all financial decisions made by the board and a wide range of technical and policy papers. An assessment of any significant environmental impact is made available to non-governmental organisations in the borrowing country well in advance of consideration of the project in the board. We have supported a proposal to make the assessments more widely available.

  Narmada Dam, India
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the number of arrests which have occurred in India since 23 October in connection with the Narmada dam project.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We understand that a number of arrests were made in Bombay on 14 November following a demonstration involving members of a local non-government organisation. We understand that all those arrested were released on 17 November.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what British financial or industrial development there is in the Narmada dam project in India.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There have been no construction contracts awarded to British firms. One consultancy contract was awarded to Mott MacDonald for a ground water study in 1983.
  811
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs following the recent continuation by the World bank of the Narmada dam project, how the British Government will satisfy themselves that adequate consultation with local people has been held, to avoid violations of the rights of tribal or other affected people.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Government's commitment to a resolution of the problems identified in an independent review of the Narmada projects, is demonstrated by our decision to provide up to £1 million of technical co-operation funds to finance work which is aimed at attempting to ensure that the performance benchmarks agreed by the World bank and the Indian authorities are met in full.

  As our executive director said at the October board meeting, we believe that, unless there is full and constructive consultation with the people to be affected by the projects, the benchmarks will not be met.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what attention to past and future human rights questions were considered by the independent review of the Narmada dam project in India.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  That is not a matter for Her Majesty's Government. The report has been published.

  Sardar Sarovar Projects
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total disbursement of World bank funds on the Sardar Sarovar projects up to the World bank executive directors' meeting on 23 October; what it will be by the April 1993 meeting; and what is the estimated total expenditure.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  World bank loans for the Sardar Sarovar projects amount to $450 million. Disbursements to October 1992 were $230 million and projected disbursements between November 1992 and March 1993 are $40 million.

  Mahogany
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has discussed a scheme of certification of mahogany from sustainable sources to apply across all EC points of entry within the Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There is no reliable way at present of identifying timber imported from unsustainable sources. Well designed and implemented labelling schemes would enable consumer choice and provide the basis for implementation of import controls, but none exists at present. This view is widely shared by our EC partners. The Overseas Development Administration is supporting work on incentives for sustainable timber production, including labelling schemes, in co-operation with the timber trade and non-governmental organisations.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to identify bona fide producers of mahogany from properly managed sustainable forestry estates; and whether such producers are encouraged to mark and certify their timber as such.
  812
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There is at present no reliable means of identifying mahogany or other tropical timber produced from unsustainable sources, or of confirming the authenticity of timber marked or certified as such by producers. Effective identification of timber produced from sustainable sources depends on the introduction of sustainable forest management practices in producer countries and the development of reliable and practical labelling systems. The Overseas Development Administration is supporting both objectives through our forestry programmes and through support to reform of the International Tropical Timber Organisation, which brings together producers and consumers of tropical timber.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the tax expenditure savings if people receiving invalidity benefit were not allowed the option of continuing to receive it during the first five years after reaching state pension age.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is estimated that if all recipients over retirement age received taxable retirement pension instead of invalidity benefit the tax yield, at 1992–93 levels, would be about £80 million.

  Green Issues
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who in his Department has been appointed to oversee and develop green issues; how many civil servants have been allocated new or additional responsibilities to deal with the management and development of green issues; and what additional allocation of resources has been made to support programmes related to green issues in his Department.

  Sir John Cope
  I have responsibility for "green issues". Environmental issues are treated as an integral part of policy consideration. As envisaged in the First Year Report on "This Common Inheritance" (Cm 1655), the Treasury has prepared a strategy for environmental "good housekeeping". Resources are allocated as necessary to ensure the efficient despatch of business.

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the revenue forgone in his recent extension of reliefs in inheritance tax in a full year; and if he will break down this figure by each category of additional relief.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The estimated reduction in the yield of inheritance tax for transfers in 1992–93 resulting from the changes to business and agricultural relief made in the Finance (No. 2) Act 1992 is £45 million in a full year. Of this total £25 million relates to the extension of agricultural relief and £20 million to the extension of business relief.

  Tobacco and Alcohol Smuggling
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has received regarding the potential annual revenue loss from smuggling tobacco products and
  813
  alcoholic beverages from European Community member states where the prices of such products are lower, following the completion of the single market; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  The Financial Statement and Budget Report published on 10 March estimated a full year loss of £250 million from increased cross-border shopping in the single market. It is very difficult to estimate the likely scale of smuggling. We are alert to the risks, however, and Customs and Excise have allocated additional staff for inland controls, including intelligence-based targeting and enhanced checks at likely outlets for smuggled goods.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has obtained on the extent of cigarette smuggling into other European Community member states, with particular reference to Germany; what is the likely revenue impact in the United Kingdom following the completion of the single market; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  Smuggling of cigarettes takes place in several EC countries—for example, by land into northern Italy and by sea into western Spain. Since German reunification, smuggling has developed between Poland and Germany. The Tobacco Advisory Council has estimated that 10 per cent. of the German and Italian cigarette markets can be attributed to smuggling.

  It is difficult to estimate the likely extent of cigarette smuggling into the United Kingdom in the single market. The 1992–93 Financial Statement and Budget Report published in March 1992 contained an estimate of £250 million for the revenue loss associated with the increased levels of legitimate cross-border shopping of all excise goods in the single market.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he will take to protect against revenue loss from the smuggling of tobacco products from lower-taxed European Community member states in the light of the changed role of the law enforcement agencies following the completion of the single market next year.

  Sir John Cope
  The Finance (No. 2) Act 1992 introduced new offences to meet the threat of increased smuggling of revenue goods following the completion of the single market. The offences carry penalties up to seven years' imprisonment. Customs and Excise are also implementing new control procedures to catch and deter commercial bootleggers, including:

  the recruitment and training of 120 excise verification officers for intelligence-based targeting and enhanced checks at likely outlets for smuggled goods;

  increasing the excise intelligence resources within the customs investigation division;

  increased mutual assistance with other member states, including the appointment of liaison officers in Netherlands, Belgium and France; and opposing the renewal of "on" and "off- licences, where appropriate, as the result of revenue offences involving the licensee.

  VAT (Farmers)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a decision has been made on the compensation addition for the flat-rate VAT scheme for farmers; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  The flat rate percentage addition will be set at 4 per cent. It is intended to compensate a flat rate 814
  farmers for the VAT they spend on purchases, which they cannot reclaim as they are not registered for VAT. There is no restriction on the size of farmer who may qualify for the flat rate scheme. However, as it has been introduced to assist small farmers, a restriction has been written into the scheme to prevent some farmers from making a substantial financial gain. Farmers who would stand to gain £3,000 or more a year over what they would have been able to claim as input tax had they remained registered for VAT will not be able to qualify as flat rate farmers. Small farmers whose annual turnover is £70,000 or less will not be affected by this restriction and it is expected that about 90 per cent. of farmers with a turnover of up to £300,000 will be able to join the scheme if they wish.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to lay the orders implementing the transitional arrangements for the collection of value added tax after 1 January 1993; and whether all aspects of the new system will come into force at the same time.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 7 December 1992]: The remaining orders implementing the transitional arrangements for the collection of VAT from 1 January 1993 will be laid before the Christmas recess. It is intended that all agreed aspects of the new system will begin on 1 January 1993.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a timetable showing when he plans to market test those activities listed for testing before 30 September 1993.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 9 December 1992]: "Citizen's Charter, First Report: 1992" (Cm 2101) lists the nine Treasury services to be market tested in 1992–93. These are the library, stationery, reprographics, training, economic model building, consultancy inspections services division, recruitment, internal audit and the Treasury security guard (subject to a review). The timetable for completing the market testing exercise for all nine services, as set out in Cm 2101, is September 1993: not all the services will however be tested simultaneously. A start has already been made on testing the first four listed; the intention is to have completed these by spring 1993.

  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to which of those of his Department's activities due to be market tested by 30 September 1993, the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 and the EC acquired rights directive 77/189/EEC will apply.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 9 December 1992]: The application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 (TUPE) and the EC Acquired Rights Directive 77/189/ECC has to be determined in the light of the individual circumstances surrounding each of the services to be market tested. The Treasury is currently considering, in consultation with the Treasury Solicitor's Department, those services in its 1992–93 market testing programmes to which TUPE will apply.

SCOTLAND

  Hospitals
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total number of hospitals in Scotland in 1979, 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is shown in the table:

  Number of hospitals in Scotland; by type; as at 31st March

  Year

  1NHS

  11 2Joint user and contractural

  3Independent acute

  1979

  348

  420

  5—

  1991

  289

  18

  8

  1992

  283

  18

  8

  1. Hospitals with an approved bed complement.

  2. Joint user hospitals are local authority institutions in which accommodation is made available to health boards in terms of the sixth schedule of the National Assistance Act, 1948. Contractual hospitals are institutions where health boards have customer arrangements with voluntary bodies for the use of beds.

  3. Institutions subject to the Nursing Homes Registration (Scotland) Act, 1938, of the Mental Health Acts, 1938, or the Mental Health Acts 1960/1984, that provide surgical acute care.

  4. As at 30 September 1979.

  5. Not available.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the £28 million for council tax transitional relief will be allocated to each band.

  Mr. Stewart
  No specific allocation will be made to each band. Relief will be awarded in accordance with the rules of the scheme which will be implemented under regulations which will be laid before the House.

  Training
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what public expenditure provision has been made available in respect of expenditure in 1993–94 by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise on youth training and the new training for work programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  The provision derived from the Great Britain planning figures for the relevant programmes in 1993–94 which has been included in the total budgets proposed for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, is as follows:

  £ million

  Youth training

  Training for work programme

  Scottish Enterprise

  78·7

  86·5

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  5·6

  5·2

  The formulae for deriving the figures for 1993–94 from the Great Britain planning totals for the relevant programmes concentrate on labour market indicators. Scotland, which has the lowest unemployment rate of the four countries of the United Kingdom, is receiving over 10 per cent. of the provision for Great Britain compared to its 8·9 per cent. share of unemployment.
  816
  Provision for youth training takes account of demographic trends and estimated staying on rates for potential schoolleavers. It will remain a contractual requirement for local enterprise companies to meet the Government's youth training guarantee.

  The training for work programme will provide broadly the same number of opportunities for unemployed people in Scotland in 1993–94 as are being provided by the employment training programme in the current year.

  In addition to the specific funds for training, local enterprise companies have access to operating surpluses and can use the general arrangements for transferring resources within their budgets if necessary.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Iraq
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what decisions were taken by Her Majesty's Government on 19 July 1990 in regard to export control guidelines for Iraq.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 9 December 1992 at column 660 to the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Hain).

  Yugoslavia
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when it is planned that the airport at Tuzla should be opened for humanitarian aid deliveries.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has no plans to open Tuzla airport at this time.

  According to the European Community monitoring mission, the town is supplied efficiently by a system of land convoys to and from central Bosnia and food is not scarce.

  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he is yet in possession of evidence which can form the basis for trial by the International Court of Justice of persons responsible for, and participating in, the operation of concentration camps for Muslim people in Serbia and Bosnia.

  Mr. Goodlad
  No. But we are considering how best to gather substantiated evidence of breaches of international humanitarian law committed in the former Yugoslavia, to submit to the United Nations Commission of Experts in Geneva (established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 780).

  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the numbers of prisoners in concentration camps run by the Serbian authorities.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The International Red Cross (ICRC) estimate that 4,100 are currently held in detention camps run by the Bosnian Serbs.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) which factors in the environmentally sensitive area programme account for the savings to common agricultural policy expenditure, in order of their costs;

  (2) if he will collate and tabulate the total savings in common agricultural policy expenditure arising from the environmentally sensitive area scheme since its inception per year and in total for each scheme and for England as a whole.

  Mr. Gummer
  The environmentally sensitive area schemes (ESAs) generally encourage more extensive farming systems, but the main provisions generating savings in common agricultural policy payments are those encouraging reversion from arable production to grassland and reductions in livestock grazing. Savings arising in the first five ESAs introduced in 1987 are recorded in the published monitoring reports deposited in the Library. The reports for the remaining ESAs introduced in 1988 will be published shortly.

  Cereals
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of weighted average yields for cereals in each EC country.

  Mr. Curry
  Based on information from Eurostat the weighted average yields for cereals (in tonnes per hectare and excluding rice) in each EC member state in 1991 were as follows:

  Average Yield

  Belgium

  6·57

  Denmark

  5·88

  Germany

  5·99

  Greece

  4·17

  Spain

  2·41

  France

  6·54

  Ireland

  6·26

  Italy

  4·24

  Luxembourg

  5·10

  Netherlands

  6·99

  Portugal

  1·43

  United Kingdom

  6·46

  EC 12

  5·03

  Source: Eurostat Crop Production Quarterly Statistics No. 3 1992.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the effect on employment in the fishing industry as a result of meeting the latest multi-annual guidance targets in respect of(a) beam trawl, (b) demersal trawl, (c) nephrops trawl, (d) seiners and (e) shellfish mobile.

  Mr. Curry
  The aim of the latest multi-annual guidance programme targets is to bring the various segments of the fleet into a better balance with the fish stocks that they exploit. A detailed breakdown of employment in the various segments of the fleet is not available but it is inevitable that fleet reductions, through decommissioning 818
  which the industry has demanded, will mean some loss of jobs in the industry. However, if stocks are allowed to collapse the jobs of all fishermen will be at risk.

  Slaughterhouses
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what permission he has sought for the slaughter of casualty livestock in excess of the weekly quota subject to derogation under EC requirements;

  (2) whether he will seek to exclude casualty livestock from the 12 livestock unit allowance for small slaughterhouses.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 8 December 1992]: As my right hon. Friend the Minister told the House on 2 December, Official Report, columns 223–24, he is arranging for the Council of Agriculture Ministers to discuss the question of small slaughterhouses at its meeting on 14–16 December.

  I recognise the importance of ensuring that suitable facilities are available for the slaughter of animals which are suspected of being diseased or injured, and the State Veterinary Service will monitor the position carefully. Officials will take a sensible approach towards isolated instances where the weekly throughput limit is exceeded because of any emergency slaughter.

TRANSPORT

  European Passenger Services Ltd.
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions he has reached on the method of transferring European Passenger Services Ltd. to the private sector.

  Mr. Freeman
  Options for transferring international services to the private sector are under discussion within British Rail and Government. It is too early to say when we will be in a position to make decisions on the way forward.

  Channel Tunnel
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that domestic commuter rail services are not curtailed on either the Tonbridge or the Maidstone East line to London in order to make way for through channel tunnel passenger trains.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail gave an assurance to Parliament during the passage of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987 to the effect that existing domestic services would not be adversely affected by the introduction of international services through the channel tunnel. British Rail has every intention of standing by that assurance.

  Network SouthEast
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will maintain the subsidy paid to Network SouthEast at its current level in real terms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The specific allocation of the planned external financing limits for British Rail between 1993–94 and 1995–96 between grant and borrowing has yet to be agreed and will be announced, as usual, in due course.

  Construction Materials
  Mr. Dover
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will require independent quality assurance certification for both the manufacture and the erection of any structural steelwork imported for use in the construction of any major transport construction projects, including the second Severn bridge crossing and the second M6 Thelwall viaduct.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The supply, fabrication and erection of the steelwork for Departmental schemes must comply with the Department's Specification for Highway Works and the national bridge code British Standard 5400. There are no specific independent quality assurance certification requirements for the fabrication of steelwork in the Specification at present, but the Department will shortly be discussing with the British Constructional Steelwork Association (BCSA) the recognition of an independent QA scheme for structural steelwork. Once a scheme has been recognised it will be included in the specification for future projects.

  The second Severn crossing is a privately financed project, although it must comply with the Department's requirements. There is a specific requirement for QA for the project. A QA scheme was proposed by Laing/GTM and approved by the Government agent, who will from time to time check compliance. The steelwork subcontractor's own QA scheme may be accepted, if it is deemed to be equal to that of Laing/GTM.

  While there is no specific QA requirement for Thelwall viaduct, full compliance with the Specification will be insured by inspection and testing of both the fabrication process and the steelwork itself. If the latter is produced

  £ million cash

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  British Rail

  Rolling stock

  90

  81

  107

  208

  209

  265

  331

  Infrastructure

  309

  318

  419

  337

  487

  593

  674

  Total British Rail

  399

  399

  526

  545

  696

  858

  1,005

  Other Rail

  Rolling stock

  63

  71

  72

  77

  131

  157

  178

  Infrastructure

  155

  166

  246

  239

  342

  550

  486

  Total other rail

  218

  237

  318

  316

  473

  707

  664

  Total Rail

  617

  636

  844

  861

  1,169

  1,565

  1,669

  Notes:

  1. Other rail comprises London Underground, Docklands Light Railway, Manchester Light Rapid Transport and South Yorkshire Supertram.

  2. Figures for other rail rolling stock include an allowance for investment in wagons privately owned by BR customers. However, as information is only available on end year stock, estimates have been made based on this and assumptions on scrappage rates and the cost of a private wagon. The resultant estimates have a large range of error. Therefore, an estimate, £50 million per annum, an average based on the last five years, has been calculated and included as a tentative estimate.

  A6, Stockport
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to hold the further public inquiry into the A6 Stockport north-south bypass.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Not before next autumn. We are currently looking at the design of the Offerton road
  820
  abroad, this checking will be carried out by the Department's representative in the country of manufacture, as well as during site erection.

  Rail Traffic
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes have occurred during the last 10 years in the share and volume of traffic carried on railways within the United Kingdom; and what detailed policies he is pursuing to promote this form of transportation.

  Mr. Freeman
  Figures for rail passenger and freight traffic are published in tables 1.1 and 1.9 of Transport Statistics Great Britain 1992 (HMSO), a copy of which is in the Library.

  Rail passenger kilometres increased by 12 per cent. between 1981 and 1991 while tonne kilometres fell by 13 per cent. The rail share of passenger kilometres fell slightly from 7 to 6 per cent. while the rail share of tonne kilometres fell from 10 to 7 per cent.

  The White Paper, "New Opportunities for the Railways" published in July 1992, set out the Government's proposals for making better use of railways.

  Railways (Orders)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the publicly-owned railways orders for(a) signalling, (b) rolling stock and (c) other capital spending (i) made and (ii) for work in each year from 1984 to 1996.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the figures for investment in railway rolling stock and infrastructure for the years 1985–86 to 1991–92.

  junction in order to reduce its impact. This work is taking longer than expected. I am conscious of the need to keep any further delays to a minimum.

  Vehicle Inspectorate
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by grade and office, the number of staff employed by the Vehicle Inspectorate agency.
  821
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Following is a list by grade and office, showing the number of full-time and part-time staff currently employed by the Vehicle Inspectorate.

  1992–93 Staff in Post (as per Payroll)—October 1992

  Staff in post

  Grade

  Actual

  Man year equivalent

  Grade 4

  1·00

  1·00

  Grade 5

  1·00

  1·00

  Grade 6

  5·00

  4·22

  Grade 7

  25·00

  25·00

  Senior Professional and Technical Officer

  40·00

  40·00

  Higher Professional and Technical Officer

  100·00

  100·00

  Professional and Technical Officer

  449·00

  447·63

  Assistant Vehicle Examiner

  91·00

  91·00

  Enforcement Manager

  7·00

  7·00

  Senior Traffic Examiner

  31·00

  31·00

  Traffic Examiner

  172·00

  172·00

  Senior Executive Officer

  11·00

  11·00

  Higher Executive Officer

  21·00

  21·00

  Executive Officer

  57·00

  55·73

  Administrative Officer

  210·00

  195·53

  Administrative Assistant

  288·00

  232·37

  Senior Personal Secretary

  2·00

  2·00

  Personal Secretary

  3·00

  2·68

  Typist

  54·00

  33·92

  Support Grade Band 1

  1·00

  1·00

  Support Grade Band 2

  9·00

  6·28

  Stores Officer Grade D

  1·00

  1·00

  Casual Typist

  1·00

  0·54

  Casual Administrative Assistant

  60·00

  49·04

  Casual Administrative Officer

  2·00

  1·68

  Vocational Sandwich Course Student

  1·00

  0·20

  Total Non Industrial

  1,643·00

  1,533·82

  Tester/Craftsman

  279·00

  275·70

  Handyperson

  45·00

  31·41

  Auxiliary B

  3·00

  3·00

  Storekeeper

  2·00

  2·00

  Casual Industrial

  2·00

  1·03

  Total Industrial

  331·00

  313·14

  Driving Standards Agency—staff in post at 31 October 1992

  Grades

  Headquarters Nottingham

  Cardinglon Training Establishment

  North East

  North West

  West Midlands

  Eastern

  South Wales

  Western

  South East

  Scotland

  Metropolitan

  Total

  Nottingham

  Cambridge

  Grade 5

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Grade 6

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Chief Driving Examiner

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Grade 7

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  Deputy Chief Driving Examiner

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Senior Executive Officer

  4

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  1

  12

  Assistant Chief Driving Examiner

  11

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  12

  Higher Executive Officer

  15

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1·5

  24·5

  Supervising Examiner

  —

  —

  13

  14

  9

  9

  5

  4

  8

  11

  9

  18

  100

  Senior Driving Examiner

  —

  4

  48

  48

  38

  26

  15

  13

  30

  42

  29

  61

  354

  Driving Examiner

  —

  —

  142

  145

  98

  88

  58

  43

  91

  104

  91

  186

  1,046

  Executive Officer

  17·6

  1

  4

  2

  1

  2

  1

  2

  1

  2

  1

  5

  38·6

  Administrative Officer

  37

  1

  14

  6·5

  6

  8·5

  3

  1

  5

  7

  5

  20

  114·0

  Administrative Assistant

  21

  —

  23·5

  18

  11·5

  11

  6·5

  5

  8·25

  15·5

  12

  41·5

  173·5

  Personal Secretary

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Typist

  4

  0·5

  1

  —

  —

  0·5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·5

  7·5

  Support Grades

  3

  —

  5·3

  4

  1·6

  2

  0·8

  2

  1·7

  2·6

  4·9

  7

  34·9

  Paper Keeper

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  2

  Industrials

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  Telephonist

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Total

  127·6

  10·5

  253·8

  239·5

  167·1

  150

  90·3

  71

  145·95

  186·1

  153·9

  342·5

  1,938·25

  Casualty Reduction Schemes
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money he is allocating to casualty reduction schemes by local highway authorities.
  822

  Staff in post

  Grade

  Actual

  Man year equivalent

  Grand total

  197,4·00

  1,846·96

  Part-time Staff

  Grade

  Actual

  Man year equivalent

  Grade 6

  1·00

  0·22

  Professional and Technical Officer

  2·00

  0·63

  Executive Officer

  3·00

  1·73

  Administrative Officer

  32·00

  17·99

  Administrative Assistant

  133·00

  77·37

  Personal Secretary

  1·00

  0·68

  Typist

  48·00

  27·92

  Support Grade Band 2

  3·00

  0·28

  Casual Administrative Officer

  2·00

  1·22

  Casual Administrative Assistant

  25·00

  14·04

  Casual Typist

  1·00

  0·54

  Vocational Sandwich Course Student

  1·00

  0·20

  Tester/Craftsman

  5·00

  1·70

  Handyperson

  25·00

  11·41

  Casual Industrial

  2·00

  1·08

  TOTAL

  284·00

  156·96

  Driving Standards Agency
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by grade and location, the number of staff employed by the Driving Standards Agency.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Driving Standards Agency's staff in post at 31 October 1992 is shown in the attached table by DSA regional or HQ location. Part-time staff are included as full-time equivalents.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Secretary of State will announce the amount shortly, as part of the transport supplementary grant settlement.

  Vehicle Testing Stations
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether safety will be the prime issue in determining the future of vehicle testing stations following his consultation paper;

  (2) what criteria he will use to assess the various options for the future of vehicle testing stations contained in his consultation paper;

  (3) how many responses he has had to his consultation paper on options for the future of vehicle testing stations; what types of organisation have responded; and what were their views;

  (4) what other options he considered before issuing his consultation paper on the future of vehicle testing stations; and for what reasons they were rejected;

  (5) what steps he took to (a) inform the general public about and (b) to circulate his consultation paper on options for the future of vehicle testing stations;

  (6) when he expects to make an announcement on the future of vehicle testing stations following his consultation paper on options for the future.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: As part of the review of the Vehicle Inspectorate's framework document my right hon. Friend re-examined the scope for abolition, privatisation and contracting out. Abolition, and the privatisation of the agency's enforcement activities, were judged to be inappropriate. A public consultation paper was issued on 14 September 1992 and sought views from a range of motor transport, safety, staff and other interests. There was an accompanying press notice. There have been 55 responses from organisations and individuals representing motor transport industry, police, road safety, motoring, local authority, environmental, staff and other groups; my right hon. Friend and I have also received correspondence from 68 hon. and right hon. Members. Comments dealt with cost, road safety and staff issues, and the availability of testing services. A variety of views were expressed for and against each option.

  My right hon. Friend is currently considering the responses and representations and will make an announcement in due course. Road safety remains a key Government objective; as the consultation paper makes clear, we are determined that the standard of vehicle testing under all options should be maintained and, where possible, improved.

  Drink Driving
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to extend the availability of the Christmas and new year drink driving wrecks lives campaign on television so as to reach a wider audience; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Department of Transport's drinking and driving wrecks lives commercial is running on television throughout December.

  To extend the campaign to reach a wider audience I should particularly like to acknowledge the initiative of the Portman Group, an organisation funded by the drinks industry to promote sensible drinking, who have paid for the screening of the Department's commercial in cinemas in Great Britain and Northern Ireland in December and January.
  824
  The Department makes every effort to ensure that its campaign message reaches the broadest possible audience and liaises with local authority road safety officers, the police, voluntary bodies and private sector organisations. I welcome their involvement in taking forward the campaign.

  British Rail
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his Department's policy towards the relative weight to be given to the provision for passenger traffic and for freight traffic in British Rail's objectives and investment plans.

  Mr. Freeman
  The objectives set by the Government for British Rail for the three years to March 1993 can be found in the board's annual report and accounts for 1989–90. My right hon. Friend will in due course be setting objectives for the period from 1 April 1993. The Government attach great importance to the efficient provision of both passenger and freight services.

WALES

  Training
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many training places have been made available by each training and enterprise council in Wales for special needs trainees in each of the last three years.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  TECs have not yet been in existence for three years and comparable information is only available by TEC for the 1991–92 financial year.

  The information available is for numbers of those with special needs starting training rather than numbers of training places, and is provided in the following table.

  Special training needs starts

  TEC

  1991–92

  Gwent

  849

  Mid Glamorgan

  933

  North East Wales

  214

  North West Wales

  727

  Powys

  299

  South Glamorgan

  680

  West Wales

  2,660

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money has been allocated for employment training special needs programmes by each training and enterprise council in Wales in each of the last three years.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not available because within the overall unit price for employment training negotiated with training and enterprise councils, they are required to ensure that suitable high quality training is available for all trainees who are shown by assessment to have disabilities or other significant personal disadvantages which give rise to special training needs.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the average unit cost per month of training young people on youth training schemes in Wales in each of the last five years.
  825
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Youth training Average unit cost per training month

  Financial year

  Cost £ per month

  11988–89

  186

  11989–90

  185

  11990–91

  217

  11991–92

  229

  21992–93

  213

  1 Outturn.

  2 Planned.

  Travel-to-Work Areas (Employment)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were employed in each travel-to-work area in Wales in(a) agriculture, (b) production, (c) construction, (d) service industries and (e) total, at the most recent available date.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Data for travel-to-work areas can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the House of Commons Library, subject to the confidentiality restrictions of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947.

  ESA payments to farmers

  Financial year

  Cambrians (original)

  Cambrians (extension)

  Lleyn Peninsula

  Wales total

  (came into operation 1 March 1987)

  (came into operation 1 January 1988)

  (came into operation 1 January 1988)

  £

  £

  £

  £

  1987–88

  21,864

  —

  —

  21,864

  1988–89

  310,292

  —

  64,066

  374,358

  1989–90

  366,339

  111,488

  227,661

  705,488

  1990–91

  476,882

  120,723

  284,102

  881,707

  1991–92

  613,130

  493,442

  351,867

  1,458,439

  Bellwin Scheme
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how he defines eligible expenditure under the Bellwin scheme; and if he has reviewed his definition in the light of the circumstances surrounding the recent flooding in Wales;

  (2) when and how he formally announced that Bellwin assistance would be made available to Welsh local authorities; on what date relevant expenditure became eligible; and when he proposes the closing date for applications for assistance submitted under the present scheme;

  (3) if he will allow capital expenditure on repair and replacement work to be eligible for Welsh Office funding under the Bellwin formula;

  (4) if he will make a statement on the application of the Bellwin formula in providing assistance to Welsh local authorities following the recent flooding;

  (5) on what basis he calculates the threshold level for financial assistance under the Bellwin scheme; and if he will publish a table showing the current threshold levels for local authorities in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Government are applying the Bellwin scheme for emergency financial assistance for local authorities affected by flood and storm damage following the severe weather in Wales last week.

  Schizophrenia
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people with schizophrenia in Wales have killed themselves or been convicted of manslaughter after returning to the community since April 1991.

  Mr. Gwilyrn Jones
  The information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Apart from those who have discharged themselves voluntarily, only a small number of long-stay patients have been discharged. This has only been on the basis of medical and other appropriate professional advice and where a care plan and appropriate alternative facilities are in place.

  Farmers
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the total payments made to farmers for each year encompassing existing and new entrants as a whole within each designated environmentally sensitive area and for Wales in total.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  My officials are writing to confirm to county and district councils in south Wales that they are entitled to claim grant at the rate of 85 per cent. on eligible expenditure above a prescribed threshold. Eligible expenditure includes emergency works to safeguard life and property, damage clearance and repairs arising from the floods and storms between 30 November and 2 December. Capital works are not eligible for grant. Emergency works under the scheme need to be completed by 1 February 1993. Initial claims should be submitted by 1 March 1993 and final audited claims by 1 June 1993.

  Since 1990–91, thresholds for the Bellwin scheme have been calculated on the basis of £2.00 (1990–91) per adult on the community charge register, uprated by the annual September increase in the retail price index, and apportioned between county and district authorities according to their tier shares based on standard spending assessments. I will be placing a table showing thresholds for each local authority in the Library of the House, together with a copy of the letter to south Wales authorities referred to above.

  EC Environment Council
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will attend the Environment Council of the EC meeting on 15 and 16 December to represent Welsh environmental interests.
  827
  Mr. David Hunt
  I will not be attending the December meeting of the EC Environment Council; in accordance with long established practice, the environmental interests of the United Kingdom will be represented at that meeting by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  Traffic Survey, Caernarfon
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he was given the traffic figures arising out of his traffic survey undertaken in the vicinity of Caernarfon in the early summer of 1992 in relation to a possible outer bypass from Griffith's Crossing on the A487; if he will now make these figures available to Gwynedd county council; and if he intends to publish them.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I am expecting to be advised of the main conclusions of the traffic survey shortly. It is not intended to publish the figures but the relevant traffic information will be made available to Gwynedd county council when I make my announcement on the outcome of the investigations.

  EC Agriculture Council
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will attend the Agricultural Council of the EC meeting between 14 and 16 December to represent Welsh farmers.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I will not be attending the meeting of the Agriculture Council. In line with long established practice, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food takes the lead in European community discussions and negotiations. I know that my right hon. Friend has the interests of Welsh farmers clearly in mind in that context and I am in regular contact with him.

  Business Rates
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to introduce an incentive for local authorities to notify the Valuation Office of new non-domestic property in their area to ensure that rating lists are kept up to date.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I am introducing arrangements which will allow billing authorities to retain until the end of the year the benefit of any additional rates they collect when non-domestic property is improved or first included in the rating list. This change should give authorities more incentive to notify the Valuation Office quickly of any new or improved property in their area. The new provisions will be made in regulations which will be laid shortly and will apply from 1 April 1993.

ENVIRONMENT

  Pest Bird Licensing System
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what mechanisms he will put in place to monitor operation of the pest bird licensing system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Monitoring will be an integral part of the pest bird licensing system. The Government's statutory scientific advisers, the Joint Nature Conservation 828
  Committee, will set up the monitoring arrangements and will report their findings annually to my Department. The report will identify changes in overall population levels and distribution of the species.

  Waste
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on Government policy regarding the importation of recyclable waste material from packaging from European sources;

  (2) what representations he has received regarding the dumping of recyclable waste from packaging;

  (3) what consideration the Government have given to reducing the levels of imported recyclable waste from Germany;

  (4) what representations he has received in respect of the impact of German packaging legislation and the Duales Systems Deutschland on European and United Kingdom markets for recyclable materials.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government believe that the movement of waste for recovery, which provides valuable substitutes for raw materials, should continue, subject to the appropriate environmental controls.

  However, my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry have received a considerable number of representations from British companies and others about restrictions on trade and the distortion of competition resulting from the 1991 German Packaging Ordinance. Many representations relate to the distortion of competition in the markets for recyclable materials. The Government share the concerns expressed in these representations. We have therefore formally asked the European Commission to consider whether the German measures contravene the provisions of the treaty of Rome on trade and competition; and will continue to press for an early decision by the Commission.

  The Government are also negotiating for a harmonising European directive on packaging and packaging waste, to prevent member states from erecting trade barriers or distorting competition.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is Government policy regarding the use of United Kingdom landfill sites for the dumping of European waste.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government's policy is that developed countries should be self-sufficient and dispose of their own waste. The new EC Waste Shipments Regulation which was agreed on 20 October will enable member states to ban imports for final disposal from other member states unless they produce hazardous waste in such a small quantity that it would be uneconomic for that country to provide their own specialised disposal facilities.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Government propose to adopt the Duales Systems Deutschland in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maclean
  We have no current plans to do so. However, the Government is currently considering whether the economic framework for recycling and waste in the United Kingdom should be modified. We intend to publish a consultants' report on economic instruments for solid waste shortly and aim to announce our conclusions later in 1993.

  Private Water Supplies
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to impose taxes in respect of private water supplies.

  Mr. Maclean
  None. We announced, however, in "This Common Inheritance: The Second Year Report" in October that we are preparing a consultation paper on charging for water abstraction: that would need to explain to what extent any proposals would apply to private water supplies.

  Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to abolish the client contribution element of the home energy efficiency scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Number of homes

  Grant paid £000s

  Grant paid as percentage of total (rounded)

  Scotland

  34,391

  3,762

  15·8

  North East

  14,822

  1,724

  7·2

  North West

  25,199

  3,401

  14·3

  East Midlands

  19,288

  3,057

  12·9

  London

  6,166

  804

  3·4

  South East

  10,011

  1,593

  6·7

  South West

  8,145

  1,227

  5·2

  Wales

  10,651

  1,501

  6·3

  West Midlands

  26,650

  3,780

  15·9

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  22,683

  2,904

  12·2

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the environment what has been the expenditure on the home energy efficiency scheme in each region; and what was the budget allocation for each region in each year since the scheme began.

  Mr. Maclean
  There are no regional allocations under the home energy efficiency scheme; allocations are made to individual installers. In 1991–92, the first full year of operation, the expenditure in each of the scheme's administrative regions was:

  Grant paid

  £000s

  Scotland

  3,762

  North East

  1,724

  North West

  3,401

  East Midlands

  3,057

  London

  804

  South East

  1,593

  South West

  1,227

  Wales

  1,501

  West Midlands

  3,780

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  2,904

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of jobs undertaken under the home energy efficiency scheme have cost more than the maximum grant figure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The grant maxima for allowable work under the home energy efficiency scheme were increased on 1 April this year. Since then the proportions of claims in excess of the grant maxima have been, for draughtproofing 21 per cent. and for loft insulation 14 per cent.
  830
  Mr. Maclean
  The Energy Efficiency Office has received representations recommending the abolition of the client contribution. Abolition would mean that the size of individual claims for grant would increase and that fewer households could benefit overall from the scheme.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households have been assisted under the home energy efficiency scheme in each region in each year since the scheme began; and what level of expenditure, as a total and percentage of the national total, has been undertaken by region.

  Mr. Maclean
  For 1991–92, the only full year of the scheme so far, the figures are:

  Air Pollution Monitoring
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the monitoring reference manual being produced by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to give guidance to local authorities on industrial air pollution monitoring techniques will be published; how much the manual has cost to produce; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The monitoring reference manual is now being prepared for publication by HMSO in the new year. It will appear as one of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's new series of technical guidance notes, and its full title will be "Monitoring of emissions of pollutants at source". This guidance note is based on a report produced on contract by Warren Spring Laboratory at a cost of £26,400. Further costs of production will be borne on the overall budget for HMIP's research and publication programme.

  A copy of this report will be placed in the House Library as soon as it is published.

  Contaminated Land
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to issue regulations under section 143 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 governing the compilation of public registers of land which may be contaminated; when the regulations will take effect; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  We are grateful to the more than 450 individuals and organisations who responded to our consultation paper and draft regulations under section 143 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for registers of
  831
  contaminative uses of land. We are carefully considering these responses before deciding the next steps on the proposed regulations and their terms and application.

  Engagements
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list his official engagements in the months of October and November that took place before 9 am.

  Mr. Howard
  My official engagements before 9 am in October and November were as follows:

  Monday 5 October

  8.30 am—Meeting with Sir Brian Hill, Chairman of the Construction Industry Employers Council.

  8.45 am—Interview—"Helping the Earth Begins at Home" launch

  Monday 12 October

  8.45 am—Internal departmental meeting

  Thursday 15 October

  8.30 am—Cabinet Committee meeting

  Wednesday 21 October

  8.15 am—Launch of "London First"

  Wednesday 28 October

  8.15 am—Internal departmental meeting

  Thursday 29 October

  7.50 am—Interview with Radio Kent

  Wednesday 4 November

  8.30 am—Photocall for "Watch Your Waste Week"

  Thursday 5 November

  8.15 am—Internal departmental meeting

  Monday 9 November

  7.30 am—CBI "Environment" breakfast

  Friday 13 November

  8.30 am—Internal departmental meeting

  Thursday 26 November

  8.30 am—Internal departmental meeting

  Friday 27 November

  8.10 am—Interview with LBC radio

  8.20 am—Interview with BBC TV "Breakfast Time"

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Imports
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what international agreements the United Kingdom is party to which encourage discrimination against imported products which are produced by(a) slave labour and (b) child labour; and what representations he has had in 1992 on this subject.

  Mr. Needham
  No international agreements encourage discrimination of this sort. There are severe practical difficulties in identifying goods allegedly produced using such labour given the varied and complex channels of production and distribution which exist in international trade. My Department receives occasional representations that goods produced under such conditions represent unfair trade.

  Coal Industry (Redundancies)
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether the present redundancy scheme for coal miners will be extended beyond the current March deadline for all those collieries in the current moratorium on closure;

  (2) what plans he has to improve the present redundancy scheme for coal miners.

  Mr. Eggar
  Details of British Coal's redundancy schemes are a matter for British Coal.

  Toys
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what has been the quota of toys made in China that have been allowed into the United Kingdom in each of the last five years;

  (2) what is the present yearly quota of toys made in China that is allowed into the EC.

  Mr. Needham
  There are no Community-wide quotas on toys imported from China. Two member states impose national quotas. The United Kingdom does not do so.

  Mining Records
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the reasons for the transfer of mining records from the keeping of the British geological survey to his Department; and what arrangements are being made to make them available to the public.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have no plans to transfer any mining records from the keeping of the British geological survey to my Department. British Coal is under a statutory obligation to make available plans of coal workings in its possession.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will estimate the effect on the public sector borrowing requirement, employment and emissions of substituting coal generation of electricity for Magnox stations.

  Mr. Eggar
  These issues are relevant to the review currently being undertaken by my Department. I cannot pre-judge the outcome of the review.

  Nuclear Policy
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what matters with regard to nuclear policy were discussed and decided upon at the European Energy Council on 30 November.

  Mr. Eggar
  Nuclear research and development matters are dealt with by the Research Council. Nuclear policy issues have in recent years been dealt with by the Foreign Affairs Council. The Energy Council on 30 November did not discuss any nuclear-related issues.

  Oil Exploration Cardigan Bay
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will revoke the licence granted to Hamilton Oil to drill in Cardigan Bay; and if he will make a statement.
  833
  Mr. Eggar
  Hamilton Oil is the operating company on licences granted in the 12th offshore round on blocks 107/1 and 107/6, which lie northwest of the Lleyn peninsula. It recently received approval to drill one exploratory well in block 107/1. Hamilton is not in breach of any aspect of these licences, nor of the special conditions attached to them. There are therefore no grounds on which these licences can be revoked.

  Industrial Electricity
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade by how much in percentage terms industrial electricity prices have increased between April 1989 and April 1992 in respect of(a) large users, greater than 10 MW and (b) small users, less than 10 MW.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: The available information is for four sizes of consumer. In real terms the percentage changes in prices between the second quarter of 1989 and the second quarter of 1992 have been as follows:

  Size of consumer1

  Average percentage increase/ decrease2

  Small

  Less than 880 kWh

  +9·3

  Medium

  880 kWh to 8,800 kWh

  -11·5

  Moderately large

  8,800 kWh to 150,000 kWh

  -15·9

  Extra large

  Greater than 150,000 kWh

  -11·0

  1 The size bands for consumers are defined in terms of the approximate annual purchases by the consumers within them.

  2 The percentage increase/decrease has been converted to real terms by excluding the effect of general inflation as measured by the GDP deflator at market prices.

  Source: Energy Trends table 25.

  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the average price paid for electricity by large industrial electricity consumers (over 10 MW per site); and what are the equivalent tariffs among the United Kingdom's principal EC competitors.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: The available information is given below. The prices relate to a standard consumer of 50 gigawatt hours per annum with a maximum demand of 10 megawatts for 5,000 hours a year. Prices are as at 1 July 1992 and have been calculated using average rates of exchange for July 1992.

  ECUs per 100 kilowatt hours

  Pence per kilowatt hour

  Netherlands

  4·41

  3·15

  Luxembourg

  4·62

  3·30

  France

  4·81

  3·44

  Belgium

  4·87

  3·48

  Greece

  5·21

  3·72

  Ireland

  5·27

  3·76

  United Kingdom

  5·40

  3·86

  Italy

  7·09

  5·06

  Spain

  7·92

  5·66

  Germany

  8·14

  5·81

  Denmark

  8·22

  5·87

  Portugal

  8·27

  5·91

  Source: Eurostat: Rapid Report Energy and Industry 1992/31.
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  It should be noted that prices paid by consumers using more than 50 gigawatt hours per annum, both in the United Kingdom and overseas, may vary according to the size of consumer and their pattern of use.

  Coal Reserves
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to publish estimates of the recoverable reserves from each of the 31 pits on the closure lists before any of them are closed.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: The recoverable coal reserves at individual pits are a matter for British Coal. J. T. Boyd Company are considering the extent of the recoverable reserves at the 21 pits which are being examined by the coal review. Their conclusions will be published early in the New Year.

  Post Office
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the Post Office's negative external finance limits for each year since 1979–80 up to and including the new plans to 1995–96; and what is the cumulative total at constant prices to 1992–93.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: The actual and planned negative external financing limits of the Post Office for the period are as follows:

  Actual

  £ million

  1979–80

  34·0

  1980–81

  7·7

  1981–82

  13·4

  1982–83

  59·7

  1983–84

  61·5

  1984–85

  99·5

  1985–86

  74·7

  1986–87

  93·1

  1987–88

  80·0

  1988–89

  102·0

  1989–90

  101·9

  1990–91

  nil

  1991–92

  74·0

  Planned

  1992–93

  66·0

  1993–94

  181·0

  1994–95

  176·0

  1995–96

  158·0

  The cumulative total from 1979–80 to 1995–96, expressed in 1991–92 prices, would be £1,656·129 million.

  Grants and Loans
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total value of grants and loans that authorities in the Wirral and Chester travel-to-work area have received since 1984; how much of this money has been regional selective aSsistance, regional enterprise grants, regional development grants, expenditure by the English Industrial Estates Corporation or other sources; or if he will provide the information by local authority.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 3 November 1992]: No grants and/or loans made by the Department to

  835
  authorities in the Wirral and Chester travel-to-work area take the form of regional selective assistance, regional enterprise grants and/or regional development grants.
  836
  Information on any other form of grants or loans by my Department to such authorities could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.