Written Answers of 14 December 1992

LORD CHANCELLORS DEPARTMENT

  Legal Services Ombudsman
  Mr. French
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many cases have been dealt with by the legal services ombudsman.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  A full investigation has been conducted and a report issued in 823 cases. Of these 766 related to complaints about solicitors, 53 to complaints about barristers and four to complaints about licensed conveyancers. The legal services ombudsman has received a further 883 complaints relating to solicitors, of which 559 failed to meet the criteria for investigation, and 324 are either awaiting or under investigation. He has also received a further 58 complaints relating to barristers, of which 42 failed to meet the criteria and 16 are either awaiting or under investigation. In addition, the legal services ombudsman has received a further four complaints relating to licensed conveyancers, none of which met the criteria.

  The legal services ombudsman has also investigated and reported on 560 cases which had been referred to the lay observer prior to 31 December 1990, but which had not been dealt with by him before the legal services ombudsman replaced him on 1 January 1991.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many solicitors have been ordered to pay compensation as a result of intervention by the legal services ombudsman.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Since 1 January 1991, the legal services ombudsman has recommended that 50 solicitors should pay compensation to complainants. In addition, he has recommended that the Solicitors Complaints Bureau should pay compensation in 10 cases.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellors Department how many people have made a complaint to the legal services ombudsman in relation to their dealings with the Solicitors' Complaints Bureau.

  Mr. John Mr. Taylor
  The legal services ombudsman has received 1,649 cases relating to the way in which the Solicitors Complaints Bureau has dealt with complaints about solicitors.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to increase funding to the office of the legal services ombudsman.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The allocation to the ombudsman's office for 1993–94, excluding the accommodation charge, will be approximately £547,000. The allocation for 1992–93, on a comparable basis, was approximately £508,000.

  Poll Tax
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will issue guidance to magistrates on the use of their powers to require means inquiries or to waive charges in cases of hardship in cases relating to non-payment of poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Where an application has been made to commit a community charge defaulter to prison, magistrates are required to hold an inquiry into the debtor's means, and have the power to remit amounts due where a committal warrant is neither made nor its issue postponed. Guidance on the operation of the community charge regulations was issued to magistrates courts by the Home Office in 1990. It would not be right for me to seek to interfere in the way in which magistrates exercise their discretion in individual cases.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Sees and Titles
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he expects to conclude consultation with the Roman Catholic Church on the official recognition of territorial sees and titles;

  (2) if he will give a summary of action taken on consultations following the Prime Minister's statement on 18 May, Official Report, columns 5–6, about the consideration of official recognition of territorial sees and titles of the Roman Catholic Church;

  (3) if he will make a statement on progress towards official recognition of territorial sees and titles of the Roman Catholic Church.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply he was given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 10 December, at columns 753–54.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in opposition to official recognition of territorial sees and titles of the Roman Catholic Church.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  This department has received two letters expressing concern about the possibility of greater recognition being afforded to Roman Catholic territorial sees and titles.

  Catholic Bishops Conference
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he provided a substantive reply to the letters dated 16 July and 7 October from the Right Rev. Monsignor Philip Carroll, General Secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  An interim reply was sent on 28 July. My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to be in a position to respond to the substantive points raised in those letters very shortly.

  Remand Contract Units
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what prisons other than Strangeways have been the subject of funding for the remand contract unit in his Department for market testing; and if he will make a statement.
  3
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None at present, but we have already announced that new prisons will be opened up to competitive tender and further plans are being considered.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to reduce the number of people in prison.

  Mr. Jack
  It is for the court to decide, within the framework provided by Parliament, whether a custodial sentence is appropriate in any individual case.

  A new sentencing framework was created by the Criminal Justice Act 1991, which came into force on 1 October 1992. It is based on the clear proposition that the sentence passed should match the seriousness of the offence committed. It provides, therefore, that the use of custodial sentences should be confined to offences whose seriousness is such that only a custodial sentence can be justified and as a consequence enhances the role of non-custodial sentences. Pre-sentence reports are now mandatory in an increased range of cases, to ensure that courts receive relevant advice on the suitability of possible community sentences.

  Population of sentenced young offenders in Prison Service establishments by age: August, September and October 1992

  Number of persons

  All young offenders

  Aged under 17

  Aged 17

  Aged 18–20

  1Aged 21

  31 August

  262

  450

  3,979

  877

  5,568

  30 September2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5,384

  31 October2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5,113

  1 Prisoners aged 21 who have not been reclassified from young offenders to adults.

  2 An age breakdown is not yet available for these dates.

  Immigration
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arriving persons at United Kingdom points of entry have been allowed to go to temporary addresses while their cases have been considered in each of the last five years and the current year to date; and in each year how many have absconded.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information available is given in the table.

  Number of Passengers at United Kingdom ports of entry

  Passengers granted temporary admission

  Passengers who absconded1

  1988

  8,692

  401

  1989

  13,744

  475

  1990

  15,357

  561

  1991

  13,220

  601

  21992

  13,786

  445

  1 These figures include passengers who abscond from the control area or from detention as well as those who abscond from temporary admission. Data on the latter are not separately available.

  2 January to October.

  Number1 of applications for asylum in certain member states of the European Community, by year of application, 1980 to 1991

  Thousands

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  19912

  Belgium

  2.7

  2.4

  3.1

  2.9

  3.7

  5.3

  7.7

  6.0

  5.1

  8.1

  13.0

  15.2

  Denmark

  0.2

  0.3

  0.3

  0.3

  4.3

  8.7

  9.3

  2.1

  4.7

  4.6

  5.3

  4.6

  France

  18.8

  19.8

  22.5

  22.3

  15.9

  25.8

  23.4

  24.8

  31.0

  60.0

  56.0

  46.3

  4
  The range of community sentences available to the courts is expanded and strengthened by the Act; a probation order becomes for the first time a sentence of the court and a court may now impose a combination order involving both probation and community service.

  National standards have also been introduced from 1 October to strengthen the effectiveness and consistency of supervision in the community by probation and social services, and to assure courts and the public as to the quality of that work. Central Government funding for the probation service has increased by over 25 per cent since 1990–91.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sentenced offenders aged(a) under 21 years, (b) under 18 years and (c) under 17 years were held in prison service establishments at the end of September, October and November and on the most recent available date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The latest readily available information is given in the table:

  Mr. Peter Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of(a) immigrants and (b) refugees that have entered the United Kingdom and other EC member states in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information on persons accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom in the years 1979–91 is given in tables 18 and 9 respectively of the 1987 and 1991 volumes of the annual Home Office Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom"— Cm 415 and Cm 2063. These figures are of persons subject to immigration control who are granted indefinite leave to remain here. Comparable information for other EC countries is not available.

  Information on the number of applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom in the years 1979–91 is given in tables 1 and 1.2 respectively of Home Office Statistical Bulletins "Refugee Statistics, United Kingdom 1989" and "Asylum Statistics, United Kingdom 1990–91" —issues 22/90 and 12/92. Available information on asylum applications to other EC member states is given in the table.

  Copies of these publications are in the Library.
  5

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  19912

  Germany

  107.8

  49.4

  37.2

  19.7

  35.3

  73.9

  99.7

  57.4

  103.0

  121.0

  193.0

  256.1

  Greece

  4—

  4—

  4—

  0.5

  0.8

  1.4

  4.3

  6.3

  9.3

  6.5

  4.1

  4—

  Italy

  4—

  4—

  4—

  3.1

  4.5

  5.4

  6.5

  11.0

  1.3

  2.2

  4.7

  27.0

  Netherlands

  1.3

  0.8

  1.2

  2.0

  2.6

  5.7

  5.9

  14.0

  7.5

  14.0

  21.2

  21.6

  Portugal

  1.6

  0.6

  0.4

  0.6

  0.2

  0.1

  0.1

  0.2

  0.3

  0.1

  0.1

  4—

  Spain

  4—

  4—

  4—

  1.4

  1.1

  2.3

  2.8

  3.7

  4.5

  4.0

  8.6

  8.0

  United Kingdom3

  2.4

  2.4

  4.2

  4.3

  4.2

  6.2

  5.7

  5.9

  5.7

  16.8

  30.3

  44.8

  1 Figures include dependants except for the United Kingdom 1991 figure which excludes.

  2 Figures are provisional.

  3 The 1990 figure for the United Kingdom is likely to understate.

  4 Not available.

  Juvenile Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juvenilies were held on remand in prisons and remand centres at the end of September, October and November and on the most recent available date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The latest readily available information is given in the table.

  Population of unsentenced juvenilies1 in prison and remand centres June, July and August 1991

  Number of persons

  Month/dates

  Untried

  Convicted unsentenced

  Total

  30 June

  54

  19

  73

  31 July

  44

  22

  66

  31 August

  51

  22

  73

  1 Persons aged under 17.

  Wolds Prison
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken at the Wolds remand prison to establish a bail information scheme on the lines laid down in the operating contract.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The post of bail information officer is expected to be filled early in 1993, and the scheme will be operational shortly afterwards.

  Police Supernumerary Posts
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost of the supernumerary posts approved for the Thames Valley police for 1993–94; and how this cost will be met.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The cost of supernumerary police posts in the Thames Valley police is estimated by the force at £1.7 million for 1993–94. These posts will be funded in the usual way from specific grant paid by the Home Office and through the local authority funding mechanism.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the number of supernumerary posts allocated to each police force in England and Wales in each of the last five years, for the current year and for 1993–94 and the period for which they were allocated in each case;

  (2) if he will list (a) the established number of posts of police officers and (b) the supernumerary posts he intends to permit in respect of each police force in England and Wales for (i) 1992 and (ii) 1993.
  6
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I shall arrange for a written reply to be sent to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the criteria on which he bases his judgment as to whether any police force should be allowed to carry any supernumerary posts.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Applications for sumpernumerary police posts are considered, with the advice of Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary, against the following criteria:—

  (i) whether the posts are affordable within the Department's provision for Police Grant for the financial year in question;

  (ii) whether they reflect Home Office policy objectives and initiatives:

  (iii) whether they meet a temporary need.

  All such posts are subject to review at regular intervals.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what costs will be met directly by his Department in respect of supernumerary posts for each police authority in England and Wales for 1993–94; and what percentage of the total costs this represents.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Specific grant at the usual rate of 51 per cent. is payable on these posts.

  Police Numbers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names of all the police forces which have had an increase in police numbers for the coming year, giving the reasons in each case.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In light of the need to impose constraints on public expenditure, my right hon. and learned Friend has concluded that the costs of further increases in police numbers cannot be justified. He has therefore not approved an increase in establishment for any provincial force in 1993–94.

  The establishment of the Metropolitan police will increase by 50 officers with effect from 1 April 1993. This increase was agreed to as part of the 1991 public expenditure settlement.

  Rave Parties
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure the full recovery of policing costs for rave parties.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: I will write to the hon. Member.

  Vehicle-related Projects
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 24 November,Official Report, column 548, what was the total cost of each of the vehicle-related projects in each of the last five years and estimated for next year, and the percentage paid, or budgeted by the Home Office in each year and in each case.

  Vehicle related projects funded under the probation supervision grants scheme in 1991–92 and 1992–93

  1991–92

  Area

  Title

  Amount (£)

  Percentage of total cost of project funded by HO under this scheme

  West Glamorgan

  Guiding Hands Association

  20,787

  68

  North Yorkshire

  Croft Motor Trust

  2,000

  50

  West Sussex

  Car Offender Project Sussex Association for the Rehabilitation of offenders

  20,830

  100

  South Glamorgan

  Dragon Wheels

  1,597

  2

  Shropshire

  Telford Drive

  21,679

  50

  Somerset1

  Mendip Motor Project

  5,650

  50

  West Yorkshire1

  NACRO Focus

  54,826

  70

  West Yorkshire1

  Bradford Motor Education Project (Probation Supervision element)

  4,158

  100

  Oxfordshire1

  Trax-Oxfordshire Motor Project

  3,293

  53

  Northumbria1

  YMCA North Shields

  9,422

  65

  1 These projects received part of their grants in this financial year.

  1992–93

  Area

  Title

  Amount (£)

  Percentage of total cost of project funded by HO under this scheme

  West Glamorgan

  Guiding Hands Association

  20,492

  68

  North Yorkshire

  Croft Motor Trust

  2,100

  50

  West Sussex

  Car Offender Project. Sussex Association for the Rehabilitation of offenders

  28,973

  100

  South Glamorgan

  Dragon Wheels

  9,372

  17

  Shropshire

  Telford Drive

  21,679

  50

  Somerset

  Mendip Motor Project

  13,075

  49

  West Yorkshire

  Bradford Motor Education Project (Probation Supervision element)

  45,742

  100

  West Yorkshire1

  Birstall Urban Motorcycle Project for Youth (BUMPY)

  24,717

  73

  West Yorkshire

  NACRO Focus

  50,702

  70

  Avon

  Bristol Wheels Project. Youth and Community Help Trust (YACHT)

  66,555

  41

  Northumbria

  Motorvatin Youth Project Axwell Park School Foundation

  31,840

  100

  Northumbria

  Motoring MACPI (Multi-agency Crime Prevention Initiative) Prudhoe Community Workshop Trust

  8,500

  65

  Northumbria

  YMCA North Shields

  16,650

  65

  West Midlands1

  Shard End Driver Training Project Shard End Community Project

  13,737

  52

  Oxfordshire

  Trax-Oxfordshire Motor Project

  36,220

  53

  Essex1

  Motor Project

  36,200

  100

  1 These projects received part of their grants in this financial year.

  Vehicle related projects funded under the safer cities programme in 1991–92

  Project

  Scheme

  Amount (£)

  Percentage of total cost of project funded by HO and this programme

  Bradford

  Bradford Motor Education Project1 (Crime Prevention Element)

  16,500

  50

  Bradford

  Keighley Motor Project

  5,500

  35

  Bradford

  Canterbury Motor Project

  5,500

  100

  Bristol

  Southmead Racing Bangers Project

  12,000

  100

  Coventry

  Henley Green Motorcycle Project

  4,625

  90

  Hartlepool

  Motor Cycle Project

  2,000

  60

  Hull

  Orchard Park Wheels Project—Summer 1991

  750

  100

  Nottingham

  Wheelbase

  22,500

  20

  Salford

  Swinton Karting Project

  2,005

  27

  Salford

  General Education in Automobile Responsibility in Salford

  12,000

  50

  Sunderland

  Town End Motor Project

  8,950

  43

  8
  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 30 November 1992]: As indicated in my reply to the hon. Member on 26 October, at column 457, the main programme of funding for motor projects began in 1989–90. The projects currently being funded were listed in my reply on 24 November, at columns 547–48. The information requested in relation to motor projects in 1991–92 and 1992–93 is as follows:
  9

  Project

  Scheme

  Amount (£)

  Percentage of total cost of project funded by HO and this programme

  Sunderland

  Warden Law Motor Sports Park

  5,000

  24

  Wandsworth

  Wandsworth Motor Project

  20,000

  20

  Vehicle related projects funded under the safer cities programme in 1992–931

  Project

  Scheme

  Amount (£)

  Percentage of total cost of project funded by HO and this programme

  Bradford

  Bradford Motor Education Project2(Crime Prevention Element)

  16,500

  50

  Bradford

  Keighley Motor Project

  16,500

  100

  Bradford

  Canterbury Motor Project

  16,500

  100

  Coventry

  Henley Green Motorcycle Project

  15,837

  90

  Nottingham

  Wheelbase

  7,500

  12

  1 On the basis of figures provided on the grant application form.

  2 Bradford Motor Education Project has two distinct elements; Probation Supervision element for which Home Office meets 100 per cent. of the cost; Crime Prevention element for which Home Office meets 50 per cent. of the cost. Each element is funded through different grant schemes.

  Information on more general "vehicle-related" projects, or for previous years, could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.

  Immigration (Local Government Grants)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider his intention to reduce his contribution to the existing commitments under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 and to invite no new bids for 1993–94 and 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: The Government remain firmly committed to the reduction of racial disadvantage, and the section 11 grant continues to play a central role in our programme. But we regret that in the present difficult economic circumstances it is not possible to maintain the planned levels of section 11 grant or to consider bids for new projects in 1993–94 or 1994–95.

EDUCATION

  Drugs Prevention Week
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Education what sums were expended by his Department in respect of European Drugs Prevention Week; and for what specific purposes.

  Mr. Forth
  The information is as follows:

  £000s

  i. Printing and publication of revised and updated version of the booklet "Drug Misuse and the Young"

  117.1

  ii. Regional conferences for 14 to 19 year olds on drug misuse

  133.0

  iii. Contribution to cost of TACADE/Local Government Drugs Forum National Conference on "Drugs Prevention: The Contribution of Local Government"

  0.8

  Total

  50.9

  10
  1 Estimates.

  Grants (Diploma Courses)
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department will provide mandatory grants to assist students in Wales who have been accepted to study for diplomas in mechanical and electrical engineering, such as the higher national diploma.

  Mr. Boswell
  Under the Education Act 1962, mandatory awards are already available to eligible students on designated full-time or sandwich courses for the HND or DipHE at publicly-funded insitutions. Other full-time or sandwich diploma courses may be designated for mandatory awards if they are comparable to first degree courses. For diploma courses which are not designated, local education authorities have power to make discretionary awards.

  Apostrophe (Correct Use)
  Mr. Roger Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education at what age according to the provisions of the national curriculum children are expected to have attained the skill of the correct use of the apostrophe.

  Mr. Forth
  The curriculum order for English requires that pupils should learn about the use of the apostrophe between the ages of seven and 11. The order is currently under review, and one of the issues being addressed is how to define more clearly the grammatical knowledge which pupils must demonstrate in order to meet different levels of attainment.

  Technology Schools Initiative
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he will announce the results of the technology schools initiative; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  We aim to announce the allocations to be made under the technology schools initiative very shortly, and will place this information in the Library. This
  11
  initiative has attracted great interest from schools and local authorities, and we have received many bids of high quality.

  School Records
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about the requirement arising from the Data Protection Act 1984 on the headteacher and governing body of a school to be separately registered with regard to the holding of personal information on computer records when only one registration was previously required for the county as a whole on behalf of all maintained schools; and what proposals he has to lessen the consequent expense.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: Data users for the purposes of the Data Protection Act are individuals or groups of people who control the contents and use of a set of personal data. Any such data controlled by school governing bodies and headteachers for the purposes of their respective statutory responsibilities, should be registered accordingly with the Data Protection Registrar. The cost of registration was one of a broad range of pressures on local education authorities that the Government took into account in fixing education standard spending for 1992–93.

PRIME MINISTER

  Green Issues
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Prime Minister who in his Office 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 Office.

  The Prime Minister
  Responsibility for overseeing and developing green issues in 10 Downing street rests with the Cabinet Office. The Green Minister for the Cabinet Office is the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science. Within the Cabinet Office three civil servants are currently involved with the management and development of green issues. Various officials in 10 Downing street also deal with green issues among others. Any expenditure is likely to be met from existing funding.

  Ministers (Legal Costs)
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what guidance he will now give to all Ministers of the Crown as to how bills will be met on their behalf for legal services to forestall or correct misleading and inaccurate press stories which might do damage to a Minister's reputation and would therefore have a bearing on the performance of his public duties.

  The Prime Minister
  Guidance for Ministers already exists in relation to libel proceedings and I have no plans to issue further guidance at present.

  Antarctica (Whale Sanctuary)
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with his European Community partners about the establishment of a sanctuary for whales in the Antarctic; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The forum for discussion on this matter is the International Whaling Commission—IWC —of which the United Kingdom and six other Community countries—Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain—are members.

  The French proposal for a whale sanctuary in the Antarctic, put to the IWC at its 44th meeting in Glasgow last June, is due for detailed consideration when the Commission next meets in Kyoto in May 1993. The United Kingdom was one of those countries which encouraged the IWC to undertake further work on this idea. We shall play a full part in its further consideration in liaison with those of our Community partners which are party to the IWC.

  Gifts to Ministers
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the current financial limit for gifts to Ministers.

  The Prime Minister
  The guidance covering gifts to Ministers is set out in "Questions of Procedure for Ministers", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Somalia
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he has taken to ensure that northern Somalia, Republic of Somaliland, is given help appropriate to its current situation in the light of the United Nations decision to support military intervention in Somalia.

  The Prime Minister
  We have stressed the need to take appropriate account of the north in discussions in the United Nations Security Council; in meetings with the United Nations Secretary General and the under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs; in discussions at the United Nations donors conference which took place last week in Addis Ababa; and in recent meetings my right hon. and noble Friend Baroness Chalker, the Minister for Overseas Development, has had with British nongovernmental organisations working in Somalia.

  Scott Inquiry
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Prime Minister which Government Department will publish the Scott inquiry report; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  As I explained on 16 November at columns 74–75, Lord Justice Scott will be entirely free to decide on the publication of his report and of the evidence he takes. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade will be responsible for arranging publication of the report.

  Civil List
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 7 December,Official Report, columns 469–70, on the civil list, whether the charges to the

  13
  Government Departments cover accommodation and support for security personnel; and how much is paid to the households royal collection department and in respect of which building.

  The Prime Minister
  No charges are made to Government Departments in respect of accommodation and support for security personnel. The royal collection department pays charges for administration services but not for accommodation.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 7 December,Official Report, columns 469–70, on the civil list, what was the increase in charges paid by the Government in real terms in the period 1987–90; which Departments make the payments; and how much each pays.

  The Prime Minister
  There was no real-terms increase between 1988—first full year—and 1990 in charges to the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department of the Environment, the Department of Transport, the Scottish Office and the Treasury. As was implied in my answer of 7 December, the proportion of the royal households expenditure so recovered is marginal—about 3 per cent. Detailed numbers could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many(a) physically disabled and (b) sensorily disabled people are employed in his Department; and what percentage they are of the total work-force.

  Mr. Key
  The Department of National Heritage is still in the process of setting-up its personnel and other central management information systems and the information to answer this question is not yet centrally available.

  Green Issues
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage 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.

  Mr. Key
  I am the Minister responsible for overseeing and developing green issues in the Department of National Heritage. The management and development of green issues is undertaken by the implementation and review division of the Department. A departmental energy efficiency officer and a departmental green contact have been appointed in this division. Although the Department has not specifically allocated additional resources to support programmes related to green issues, these officers will ensure that proper consideration is given to environmental and green issues in all aspects of the Department's policies.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what estimate he has made of the effect of the receipt by charities of proceeds from the national lottery on the level of receipts by charities from other sources.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Government intend that proceeds from the national lottery should represent an additional source of money for charities and other beneficiaries: receipt of lottery moneys will not preclude charities from applying to other sources for funding. Indeed, it would be desirable for charities receiving money from the lottery to have a broad funding base.

  Indian Subcontinent
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many people have(a) arrived in the United Kingdom on flights originating in the Indian subcontinent and (b) departed from the United Kingdom on flights whose terminal destination is the Indian subcontinent in each of the last 10 years and for each month of this year to date.

  Mr. Key
  I am informed by the Civil Aviation Authority that the latest available information is as shown in the table. Figures for the years before 1986 are not readily available.

  Terminal passengers1 on flights with origin or destination to and from the Indian sub-continent2

  Year

  Arrivals

  Departures

  1986

  357,587

  342,146

  1987

  379,946

  373,690

  1988

  408,452

  382,935

  1989

  432,313

  431,286

  1990

  476,700

  449,993

  1991

  386,083

  353,119

  1992:

  January

  38,315

  33,723

  February

  31,581

  29,446

  March

  35,253

  25,544

  April

  37,711

  28,359

  May

  36,918

  21,859

  June

  29,510

  28,038

  July

  32,699

  37,648

  August

  39,873

  34,181

  September

  36,389

  29,876

  Source: CAA Airport Statistics.

  1 Passengers on scheduled and charter services, on both United Kingdom and foreign airlines, including non-revenue passengers. Includes all passengers on services with an origin or destination point in the Indian sub-continent irrespective of where they actually joined or left the aircraft.

  2 Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sir Lanka.

  BBC Licence Fee
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what account he is taking in his consideration of the future of the BBC and the licence fee, of the position of pensioners in and out of sheltered accommodation with shared facilities and common boundaries paying for television licences; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  As I indicated in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr. Luff) on
  15
  9 December, Official Report, column 683, the Government have repeatedly made it clear that they have no plans to amend or extend the regulations governing the concessionary TV licence scheme, which were thoroughly overhauled in 1988 after long and careful consideration. The long-term future of the licence fee and the arrangements for paying it are issues to be considered in the debate about the renewal of the BBCs charter.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) physically disabled and (b) sensorily disabled people are employed in his Department; and what percentage they are of the total work force.

  Mr. Mates
  As at 1 January 1992 there were 1,262 staff in the Northern Ireland civil service—4.3 per cent. of the service—who were registered or who self-reported a disability. A total of 1,232–4.2 per cent. of the service —were physically disabled and 290–0.1 per cent. of the service—were sensorily disabled. Each of these figures includes those who are both physically and sensorily disabled.

  A survey carried out in 1990 showed that, in the small home civil service group in the Northern Ireland Office, nine staff—4.3 per cent. of the group—considered that they had a disability, all of whom were physically disabled.

  Potatoes
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received about the present state of the ware and seed potato industry; what is the present state of the potato industry; how exceptional relevant weather conditions have been during the year; and if he will make a statement about proposals to support the potato industry in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  Representations have been received from two public representatives. Potato prices in Northern Ireland and throughout the European Community have been depressed as a result of increases in the area planted and yield of potatoes. While rainfall in the three months September to November has been below average there were no sustained dry spells. This resulted in difficult harvesting conditions. There are no plans to provide financial support for the potato industry in Northern Ireland.

  NHS Surplus Properties
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what surplus properties were disposed of within the past 12 months by the Southern health and social services board; how much money was realised by the sales of these properties; and how much of this money was retained by the Department of Health and Social Services management executive.

  Mr. Hanley
  The following surplus properties in the Southern health and social services board have been disposed of during the current financial year:

  Ballyards Castle Hospital, Armagh

  Site at John Street, Rathfriland (3.75 acres)

  16

  Site at Armagh Road, Newry (2 acres)

  40 Thornleigh, Shankill, Lurgan

  Tandragee Health Clinic

  The total realised is £343,112. This amount has been reallocated by the management executive to meet a number of high-priority pressures within the health and personal social services.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who have been empowered to issue public interest immunity certificates in Northern Ireland in relation to Court cases and coroners' inquests in each year since 1972.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  Where public interest immunity has been claimed by the Crown in legal proceedings in Northern Ireland by way of a certificate, the certificate has been signed by a Minister in a position to assess the public interest asserted.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy to introduce an independent audit of the Government's citizens charter promises and of its performance against the targets set.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The citizens charter calls for all public services to publish targets and performance against them. Overall progress is monitored by the Prime Minister at regular seminars, and published in reports such as the recent White Paper.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received following the publication of the first annual report on the citizens charter.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have had a very encouraging response to the citizens charter report.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the impact of recent European Court decisions on the future of market testing and compulsory competitive tendering, within the civil service.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  There is nothing new in this. The fact is that both the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981, and the Acquired Rights Directive which they implement in United Kingdom law, can already apply to transfers from the public to the private sector; and this has always been the case.

  We are continuing with our programme to open services to competition across the public sector and advice will be taken on individual cases as necessary.

  Charters (Sanctions)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what general sanctions will apply when charters are broken; if he will make a statement.
  17
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  All charters include information about what to do if things go wrong. Compensation may be payable in some cases, but in others alternative forms of redress may be more appropriate.

  EC Officials
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 13 November,Official Report, column 1012, how many officials are employed by the European Commission; and how many and what percentage in each grade are nationals of each EC member state.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  I refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 1 December, at column 316. The provision of detailed breakdowns of staffing figures is a matter for the European Community institutions.

  Research
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what major international collaborative science programmes the United Kingdom research councils participate in.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The United Kingdom research councils participate in a wide range of internationally collaborative research, including laboratory twinnings, access to overseas facilities, and formal collaborative partnerships. The following list identifies internationally collaborative programmes or facilities with an annual subscription or other cost to councils of over £0.1 million.

  Medical Research Council

  European Molecular Biology Laboratory.

  European Molecular Biology Conference.

  International Agency for Research on Cancer.

  Human Frontier Science Programme.

  Natural Environment Research Council

  World Ocean Circulation Experiment.

  Earth Observation Satellite Programmes.

  Ocean Drilling Program.

  Science and Engineering Research Council

  European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN).

  Institut Laue-Langevin.)

  European Synchrotron Radiation Facility.

  European Incoherent Scatter Facility.

  European Space Agency (Space Science Programme).

  Individual space projects eg Roentgen Satellite (ROSAT) Along Track Scanning Radiometer Infra-red Space Observatory.

  Anglo-Australian Telescope.

  Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes (La Palma).

  James Clark Maxwell Telescope (Hawaii). EUROGAM (detector for nuclear physics experiments).

  Hadron Electron Ring Accelerator (HERA).

  All Research Councils

  EC Framework Programmes.

  European Science Foundation.

  European Co-operation in Scientific and Technical Research Programme (COST).

  NATO Science Programme (subscription paid by FCO).

  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what progress has been made on the fourth framework research and development programme.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  The Commission submitted its working paper on the EC fourth research and development framework programme—FP4—to the Council of Ministers on 9 October, and Vice-President Pandolfi 18
  presented his ideas at the meeting of the Research Council on 12 October. EC Research Ministers had a wide ranging discussion on the subject at the meeting of the Research Council on 9 December. I expect the EC to make good progress on FP4 during 1993 as a result of these exchanges. A copy of the United Kingdom Government policy document setting out our views on the shape and content of FP4 has been placed in the Library.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Sarajevo
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on what action he is recommending be taken to assist non-governmental organisations to disburse to the citizens of Sarajevo medical and other humanitarian assistance.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Responsibility for co-ordinating the international community's response to the humanitarian crisis in Sarajevo and elsewhere in the former Yugoslavia rests with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Non-governmental organisations—NGOs— both international and indigenous, play an important part in that co-ordinated relief effort. We have provided significant resources to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees both directly, and via the European Community, in the form of cash, medical supplies, equipment and personnel, as well as providing grants to NGOs.

  Bosnia
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will now assign an aircraft for aid flights to Bosnia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The RAF has been flying into Bosnia since 3 July. When hostilities permit two or three sorties a day are flown to Sarajevo by RAF Hercules. A total of 3,400 tonnes have been delivered in this way by the United Kingdom so far.

  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when it is planned that the next UN aid convoy will reach the besieged enclave of Srebenica; and if it will be carrying medicines.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Decisions on where and when to operate UN aid convoys in Bosnia are taken in the field by the staff of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the UN protection force. In doing so, they have to take into account the local needs, security situation, weather conditions and the availability of suitable vehicles. Now that the UNHCR staff have gained access to Srebenica they are better able to take account of local needs, including medical supplies, in planning future convoys.

  Somalia
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made since September in providing a telephone link and other communications facilities in Hargeisa, Berbera and the north of Somalia generally, Republic of Somaliland.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Earlier this year the BBC world service in Somalia increased its output to broadcast
  19
  missing persons letters for an hour over each week to the whole of Somalia including the north. On 12 December in recognition of the crisis in Somalia it began a new dawn service bringing local and international news including news of Somali matters at the UN to the whole country.

  We have provided an expert to investigage how we may assist with the improvement of communications in the area and to advise Save the Children Fund (UK) on the development of its communications links throughout the country. We are considering his recommendations.

  EC Overseas Development Assistance
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what EC overseas development assistance funds are used for military expenditure.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Under OECD rules, military expenditure does not qualify as overseas development assistance. EC Foreign Ministers agreed exceptionally in October, in view of the urgent need for a secure environment in Somalia for delivery of aid, to offer up to 20 million ecu from European development fund resources to support the Belgian contingent then being considered as part of United Nations Operations in Somalia.

  Tropical Rain Forests
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress made on the protection and designation of tropical rain forests and the role of the European Community during the United Kingdom's presidency of the European Commission.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 9 December 1992]: Under our presidency we have been working with member states for the Sustainable Development Commission to have a role in taking forward the forests principles agreed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. We have also worked closely with our European Community colleagues on the continuing reform of the tropical forestry action programme and the renegotiation of the International Tropical Timber Agreement.

  Kenya
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Kenya concerning the treatment of Somalian refugees.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development discussed the plight of Somali refugees in Kenya, when she met President Moi in September. This year Britain has provided assistance worth £1 million to help the refugees.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Bangladesh
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Bangladesh concerning its treatment of Burmese refugees.
  20
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have repeatedly urged the Bangladeshi authorities to co-operate with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other non-governmental organisations in looking after the refugees until they genuinely and voluntarily wish to return home.

  Turkey
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Turkish authorities concerning the killing of Kurdish journalists in south-east Turkey.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We have made no representations to the Turkish Government on this issue.

  We welcome Prime Minister Demirel's recognition of a Kurdish identity and his Government's intentions to make human rights improvement a top priority as well as the introduction of a programme of democratic and human rights reform.

  Hong Kong
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he first informed the Chinese Government of his wish to see an increase in the number of seats in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong beyond that envisaged in the Basic Law.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The point was made repeatedly to the Chinese Government during the drafting of the Basic Law as the exchanges with the Chinese during 1990—recently made public—show. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State told the House on 16 February 1990 that we would continue to press the case for a faster pace of democracy.

  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he was first informed by the Chinese Government of their view that the Basic Law cannot be changed; and what was his response.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Chinese Government made a public statement at the end of May this year that, in their view, the Basic Law, including provisions for the first special administrative region legislature, cannot be changed before 1997. Our position on the pace of democracy for Hong Kong was made clear once again to the Chinese side during my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister in New York on 25 September this year. While we would still wish to see more directly elected seats in the Legislative Council, the Governor of Hong Kong has made alternative proposals which are entirely within the terms of the joint declaration and Basic Law.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Mullins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made following the recent Thai ban on United Nations flights from Cambodia to the Government of Thailand regarding the need for Thailand to co-operate with United Nations sanctions against the Khmer Rouge.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The United Nations Security Council on 30 November adopted resolution 792, which calls, inter alia, on all parties to prevent the supply of petroleum
  21
  products to any Cambodian party not complying with the military provisions of the Paris agreements and to respect the moratorium on the export of logs from Cambodia agreed by the Supreme National Council of Cambodia on 22 September. The United Nations Secretariat in New York and the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia—UNTAC—are discussing implementation of this resolution as it affects Thailand. This is being reinfored in bilateral contacts.

  Korea
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government support the peaceful and democratic reunification of Korea; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We have consistently supported efforts to bring about a peaceful solution on the Korean peninsula. It is encouraging that talks have been taking place on a number of levels this year between South and North Korea. Much remains to be done, but we hope that the next round of prime ministerial talks scheduled for 21 to 24 December will go ahead and lead to further progress.

  We also hope that bilateral nuclear inspections can get underway without further delay. That would be an important confidence-building measure.

  China
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in the Peoples Republic of China concerning human rights.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We remain very concerned by reports of human rights abuses in China, and Ministers have made our concerns clear to the Chinese at a high level both in public and private on many occasions. My right hon., noble and learned Friend Lord Howe, who has just returned from China, will in due course submit a formal report on his visit to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. That report will be placed in the Library of this House.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 23 November,Official Report, column 452, when he expects to be able to supply the information on visa applications from Bosnian citizens offered in his answer.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  For the period 9 November to 4 December, the first months operation of the visa requirement for nationals of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, 663 visa applications for the United Kingdom, for both visits and settlement, were received at our posts at Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Rome, Milan, Dusseldorf, Paris and Sofia. A total of 182 applications were refused. This figure includes the 166 visa applicants in the convoy arranged by the ALERT group whose applications were refused by the Home Office.

  I regret it is not possible to identify the number of visa applications that have been refused from applicants with relatives in the United Kingdom. The method of recording
  22
  statistics at post worldwide does not allow us to give the precise detail which the hon. Member has requested without disproportionate expense.

  Somalia
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list every visit made(a) to Hargeisa, (b) to any other part of northern Somalia (Republic of Somaliland), (c) Mogadishu and (d) any other part of Somalia outside the Republic of Somaliland by (i) Ministers and (ii) official representatives of the British Government in each of the last 24 months.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The following is the information requested:

  Visits to North-West Somalia: Ministers

  No Ministers have visited in the last 24 months.

  Visits to North-West Somalia: Officials

  February 1992
  Head of East African Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and a member of the British Embassy, Addis Ababa to Hargeisa, Boroma and Berbera.

  November 1992
  HM Ambassador, Addis Ababa to Hargeisa, Berbera, Sheikh and Burao.
  Assistant Head of African Department (Equatorial) Foreign and Commonwealth Office and a member of the British Embassy, Addis Ababa to Hargeisa and Berbera.

  Visits to rest of Somalia: Ministers

  September 1992

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to Mogadishu.

  Baroness Chalker to Mogadishu and Hoddur.

  Visits to rest of Somalia: Officials

  August 1992
  Member of the British High Commission, Nairobi Mogadishu and Hoddur.

  September 1992

  Officials accompanying Secretary of State to Mogadishu.

  Officials accompanying Baroness Chalker to Mogadishu and Hoddur.

  October 1992

  Member of the British High Commission, Nairobi, to Mogadishu.

  Kenya
  Mr. Duncan-Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospects for free and fair elections in Kenya.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We warmly welcome the Kenyan Government's expressed commitment to free and fair elections, to which end we have given considerable practical assistance. We have provided all the ballot boxes, trained key electoral officials, supplied some office equipment to the electoral commission, and have made a significant financial contribution through the Commonwealth Secretariat to the Commonwealth observer team. We are also supporting local projects to educate the electorate and monitor election media coverage. The total cost of our assistance is now over £800,000.

  While there have been improvements in recent weeks, we remain concerned about the evenness of the playing field. We continue to urge the Kenyan Government to be more open, establish a better dialogue with the opposition, allow all parties unhindered campaigning in all parts of the

  23
  country, ensure freedom of the press and reasonable access by opposition parties to the broadcast media. We are making the same points about openness and transparency to the electoral commission. Electoral observers will base their assessment not just on the events of polling day but on the conduct of the whole electoral process.

  Above all, it is essential that all concerned should avoid the use or encouragement of violence or intimidation before, during and after the elections.

  Tibet
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has received from the Chinese authorities to the draft resolution on the situation in Tibet put forward at the UN Commission on Human Rights.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We, together with our EC partners, took the lead in promoting the draft of a resolution on the human rights situation in China including Tibet at the UN Commission on Human Rights earlier this year. The draft resolution referred to a resolution on Tibet adopted in the UN sub-commission in August 1991. The Chinese authorities opposed the draft resolution, which was subsequently defeated by a procedural motion.

  Radiation
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the benefits to the United Kingdom of the resources committed to the joint research centres and European Atomic Energy Community for research into radiation risk and protection since 1973.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  EC programmes on radiation protection research, in particular those funded by shared cost actions, have been of great scientific value to the United Kingdom. Research undertaken by the EC is helping to provide the scientific base for an objective assessment of the effects and risks of radiation from natural, medical and industrial sources, and has led to the development of methods to optimise radiation protection. Research within the United Kingdom has also benefited: work has been completed through EC programmes that would not have been possible for any one member state to conduct alone. The United Kingdom has consistently gained more in contracts than its share of the programmes' costs.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Iraq
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of the contribution made to the Iraq nuclear weapons programme of the technical aid provided by the United Kingdom to Iraq via the Baghdad pact nuclear training centre since 1962.

  Mr. Heseltine
  It is my understanding from the limited information available that Iraq ceased to participate in the activities of the training centre when it was transferred to Tehran following the revolution in Iraq in 1959.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make available to Lord Justice Scott's24
  inquiry all papers, records and evidence assembled by his inspectors in the course of their inquiries into Astra Holdings plc.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  All relevant Government papers will be made available to Lord Justice Scott on request.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent,Official Report, 9 November, column 589, for what reasons confidentiality was requested by Her Majesty's Government to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq in the provision of information of possible involvement of United Kingdom companies in the Iraq nuclear programme.

  Mr. Needham
  Lack of confidentialilty would hamper and could prejudice investigations into any evidence of wrong-doing or breaches of export controls.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what information his Department's export control organisation has in regard to the compliance by United Kingdom-based or registered companies with the Export of Goods (Control) (Iraq and Kuwait Sanctions) Order 1990, date 8 August 1990;

  (2) what investigations his Department has made to verify the compliance of United Kingdom exporters with European Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2340/90 banning trade with Iraq.

  Mr. Needham
  United Nations Security Council resolution 661 was adopted on 6 August 1990 and imposed a total economic embargo against Iraq following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. The Government have no evidence of any major breaches of the Iraq sanctions by British exporters or businesses. Her Majesty's Customs and Excise have successfully prosecuted two businesses for minor breaches of sanctions involving the export to Iraq of office furniture and goods to an Iraqi canning factory.

  If the hon. Member has any evidence of a contravention of sanctions it shall be urgently investigated, and if appropriate would be a matter for the courts.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he possesses on the role of(a) Apremont S.A. Company of Panama, (b) Muiden Chemie Company of the Netherlands, (c) GEA Company, Remie Ltd. and Erber Ltd. of Italy, (d) SPEL Company of Portugal and (e) Banco Nazionale Del Lavoro in facilitating the export of United Kingdom origin military equipment to Iraq since 1985.

  Mr. Needham
  Matters relating to the export of defence equipment from the United Kingdom to Iraq are for Lord Justice Scotts inquiry to consider.

  Export Licences
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will now make it his policy to permit public disclosure of information contained in section C6 of the export licence application form, where the prospective export is deemed to be a dual-use military-sensitive technology.

  Mr. Needham
  No. I see no reason to change the policy followed by successive Administrations that details of individual export licence applications should not be made public.

  Arms Embargos
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which countries have been subject to United Kingdom's arms embargos over the last 20 years; and for which exact periods.

  Mr. Needham
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman with the details.

  Japan (Energy Talks)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the matters discussed in the bilateral meeting between the European Community and Japan on energy matters held at the end of October.

  Mr. Eggar
  The meeting on 30 October was between directorate general XVII (energy) of the European Commission and the Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry. I understand that they discussed a broad range of energy issues.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will await the publication of the Trade and Industry Select Committee's report into the future of the coal industry before publishing the results of his departmental inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The results of the Governments coal review will he published in a White Paper early in the new year. The timing of publication of the Trade and Industry Select Committee's report is a matter for the Committee, but I believe that it will be helpful to the House if it is available when the House debates the White Paper.

  Nuclear Electric
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures he has taken and plans to take as part of the energy review to assess accurately Nuclear Electric's economic case for extending the life of the seven Magnox stations; which outside consultants are being used by his Department for this purpose; how many civil service personnel-hours will be required to assess Nuclear Electric's submission to his Department's inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The coal review is considering the implications of the statutory obligation on electricity suppliers to purchase non-fossil power, including that from nuclear sources. Ernst and Young has been appointed to assist the coal review team in

  (i) the assessment and analysis of information provided by Nuclear Electric plc and verified by Nuclear Electric's auditors, BDO Binder Hamlyn, on the costs of the company's Magnox stations with particular emphasis on the avoidable costs of premature closure, and on the cash flow and accounting implications;

  (ii) the examination of information provided by Nuclear Electric, to the DTI and the Select Committee in respect of its actual and projected receipts of the fossil fuel levy.

  The coal review team will be considering carefully the evidence provided by Nuclear Electric and the results of this work.

  Nuclear Levy
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the purpose of the nuclear levy.

  Mr. Eggar
  The purpose of the fossil fuel levy is to finance the above-market element of the price paid by the regional electricity companies for electricity purchased under qualifying arrangements within the non-fossil fuel obligation.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will estimate the average avoidable costs for each kilowatt hour of generating electricity by Magnox, ACR, Sizewell B, United Kingdom coal, imported coal and CCGT.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department is assessing the relative costs of coal-fired and other sources of generation as part of the Government's coal review.

  Overseas Contracts
  Mr. Mike OBrien
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the estimated value of contracts between United Kingdom industry and(a) Iraq, (b) Iran and (c) Indonesia since the installation of the current regimes in each country.

  Mr. Needham
  Figures for contract values are unobtainable. The value of United Kingdom exports of goods to the countries in question was as follows. Iraq from 1979 to October 1992 £5,092.2 million, Iran from 1989 to October 1992 £1,563.1 million, Indonesia from 1966 to October 1992 £4,374.1 million. Figures for 1965 are not available.

  Economic Trends
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what forecast he has made of trends in the economy in the south-east region between 1993 and 1998.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My Department does not forecast future trends in regional economic performance.

  Power Station, Wirral
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the applications currently before his Department or the Office of Electricity Regulation to build a gas power station on the Wirral; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  None.

  Micro-wave Transceiver
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research he has commissioned into the biological effect on people from micro-wave transceivers of the type currently being positioned on the top of high-rise council flats in Wolverhampton; and what assessment he has made of whether the equipment which his Department has licensed companies to install meets the appropriate British and international standards necessary to safeguard residents from any harmful effects.
  27
  Mr. Leigh
  The Radiocommunications Agency of the Department of Trade and Industry monitors work undertaken, in the United Kingdom and abroad, on the biological effects of electromagnetic radiation. The agency's memorandum entitled "Safety Precautions Relating to Intense Radio Frequency Radiation"— RA 119—refers to the exposure levels recommended by the Medical Research Council and is available to manufacturers, owners, employers and operators who have a responsibility in relation to the safe use of radio.

  Vietnam
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to review the ban on ECGD cover for trade with Vietnam; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  There is no ban on ECGD cover for Vietnam. The availability of such cover for any market is dependent upon the ECGDs assessment of the risks and payment performance.

  In the case of Vietnam, the ECGD will consider United Kingdom investments. However, cover for medium and long term trade credits was withdrawn following defaults on payment. Unfortunately these remain unremedied, but the ECGD will continue to watch developments closely with a view to resuming cover when conditions are sufficiently improved.

  Rural Post Offices
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes are envisaged in the provision of Government services over the counters of post offices in Wales in the light of the recent statement by the Post Office; and what representations have been made about the needs of rural Wales in this regard.

  Mr. Leigh
  It is not envisaged that any changes in the provision of Government services over the counters of post offices in Wales will result from the restructuring of Post Office Counters Ltd. which was announced on 3 December. No representations have been received about the needs of rural Wales in the specific context of this restructuring which will have no effect on the number on staffing of individual post offices.

  Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future of the small firms loan guarantee scheme.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I am today announcing a number of changes to the small firms loan guarantee scheme which will focus lending more closely on those businesses which will most benefit from this type of support.

  First, in order to give greater assistance to businesses in our inner cities I will be extending and further enhancing the scheme's inner city variant which already provides additional benefits over the main scheme. From April next year the special terms will be available to eligible small firms in successful city challenge areas as well as those in inner city task force areas. I can announce further help for firms in such areas. The premium paid by firms to the Government for the guarantee will be halved from the current level of 2 per cent. of the guaranteed portion of the loan to 1 per cent.
  28
  These changes will extend the special terms to many more potential borrowers and will enable them to borrow more cheaply.

  Two further changes will be made to the scheme overall, also to take effect from April next year. These are:

  (i) the introduction of a minimum lending level of £5,000 for support under the scheme, except within those areas eligible for the special inner city terms;

  (ii) the exclusion of a number of local services where the support for firms has previously been largely at the expense of displacement of business from other firms in the locality. The sectors affected are retaling, hairdressing, taxi and cab hire and motor vehicle repair.

  In the longer term, I will be exploring how the scheme could further be improved by linking loans with appropriate help, advice and training in business skills.

  These changes will help ensure that Government support under the scheme which amounts to £177 million since it began in 1981 and enabled £980 million to be lent to over 32,000 small firms, remains focused on those areas where the maximum benefit can be obtained for businesses and the taxpayer.

  Machine Tools Exports
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount of machine tools exported to(a) Iraq and (b) Iran in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 8 December 1992]: The figures for 1991 were as follows:

  Iraq—nil.

  Iran—£9.5 million.

  Manufactured Goods
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list in percentage change order the 50 classifications of manufactured goods which have shown greatest imports growth since 1979, and the balance of trade deficit or surplus on each in 1979 and currently.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: The standard international trade classification was revised in 1988. It is, therefore, not possible to compare current data with data prior to 1988 at a sufficiently detailed level.

  Tropical Timber
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of mahogany was imported into the United Kingdom in 1992 to date from Brazil.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: The information is not available for 1992 because the United Kingdom trade classification no longer separately indentifies mahogany from other non-coniferous woods. Until 1991 mahogany was identified as code 440723901 of the standard international trade classification, revision 3. The latest available figures are for 1991, when the United Kingdom imported 45,762 cu m of mahogany from Brazil.

  Bogus Business Directories
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to prevent or discourage the promotion of bogus business directories.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: The Unsolicited Goods and Services Act 1971 makes it an

  29
  offence to demand payment in respect of a directory entry which has not been ordered by the person concerned. This is effective in preventing any such requests originating in the United Kingdom. My Department publishes warnings and an information sheet to alert businesses to offences by foreign companies.

  Financial Reporting Review Panel
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what legislation governs appeals by shareholders against the decisions of the Financial Reporting Review Panel.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Section 245B of the Companies Act 1985 provides that a person authorised by the Secretary of State may make an application to the courts for a declaration that annual accounts of a company do not comply with the requirements of the Act and for an order requiring the preparation of revised accounts. The Financial Reporting Review Panel—FRRP—has been so authorised. It is for the courts to decide the merits of any case brought by the FRRP. Since the FRRP exercises public law functions under section 245B it is thought that the courts would decide that it is a body subject to judicial review, although this issue has not been before the courts. It is for the courts to decide who could bring applications for judicial review.

TRANSPORT

  Nuclear Material
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what number of shipments of plutonium nitrate have taken place from Dounreay to Sellafield since April 1988; what routes have been taken; and what safety assessment his Department has made.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  There have been eight shipments using the route from Thurso by road to Scrabster then by sea to Workington and by road to Sellafield, in flasks approved by the Department in 1979: this approval has been renewed every three years since then.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what internal reviews his Department has conducted or commissioned into the criteria developed to assess the standards of integrity of transport containers developed to carry plutonium to and from the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No such internal reviews have been carried out. Staff from the Department's radioactive materials transport division have represented the United Kingdom in the International Atomic Energy Agencys review of the transport of plutonium by air.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what immersion tests have been conducted by his Department on the casks designed to transport plutonium by sea;

  (2) if he will place in the Library details of validity tests undertaken by his Department's laboratories on the standards recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency for type A and type B packages, respectively for the carriage of nuclear materials.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Department does not undertake regulatory test work on packages; this is the 30
  responsibility of the consignors. The Departments role is to assess test results for compliance with the appropriate regulations.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department receives routinely on the transport into, within and from the United Kingdom of unsafeguarded military plutonium; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence is responsible for matters concerning the transport of radioactive materials for military purposes. I have therefore been asked to reply. My Department is kept fully informed of movements of all such materials, including military plutonium into, within and from the United Kingdom. Transport is carried out using containers which are designed, manufactured and tested in complete conformity with the appropriate International Atomic Energy Agency regulations.

  Staff Statistics
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list by grade and location, the number of staff employed in the marine office;

  (2) if he will list by grade and location, the number of staff employed in his Departments headquarters buildings in London;

  (3) if he will list by grade, the number of staff employed by his Department;

  (4) if he will list by grade and location, the number of staff employed in traffic area offices.

  Mr. Norris
  I am placing copies of the information requested in the Library.

  Rail Investment
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the total spent on rail investment in 1991 was provided through direct Government subsidies.

  Mr. Freeman
  Some 59 per cent. of rail investment— British Rail, London Underground, Docklands light railway and new light railways—in Great Britain in the financial year 1991–92 was financed by direct subsidy from central Government. Additional support was provided indirectly through revenue support grant to metropolitan districts, which fund a part of British Rails investment in regional railways and aid light projects.

  Welsh Rail Services
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money has been invested in Welsh railway services in each year since 1979,(a) in cash terms and (b) adjusted for inflation.

  Mr. Roger Freeman
  My Department does not hold the information requested. Details of investment by British Rail are not broken down by country.

  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people used railway services in Wales in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department does not hold the information requested. Statistics of rail usage are not broken down by country.

  British Rail
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the required rate of return from British Rail for(a) existing Trainload Freight assets, (b) existing Railfreight Distribution assets, (c) new investment by Trainload Freight and (d) new investment by Railfreight Distribution; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rails current financial objectives were set by the then Secretary of State for Transport in 1989. The objectives set an overall target for Railfreight of earning a profit of £50 million in 1992–93. This was broadly equivalent to a 4.5 per cent. return on the then estimated net asset values. The objectives also said that a return of 8 per cent. should be the basis for decisions on new investment.

  Red Star Service
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to introduce safeguards preventing any new owner of the present Red Star service from switching traffic to the roads.

  Mr. Freeman
  Rail transport offers considerable competitive advantages over road for the rapid delivery of parcels. Effective exploitation of these advantages by the private sector will best ensure maximum use of rail for the delivery of parcels, not the artificial restriction of Red Star to one mode of transport in all circumstances.

  Surveyor Generals Organisation
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now issue the consultation paper on the scope for increased private sector participation in the survey and certification work currently done by the Surveyor Generals Organisation.

  Mr. Norris
  The consultation paper was issued today. It is being sent to organisations representating a wide range of shipping and related interests. I hope that they will consider very carefully the proposals it contains and let me have their views. In particular, I hope that bodies which are interested in taking on ship survey and certification work will come forward. Copies of the consultation paper have been placed in the Library.

  Level Crossing Grant
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under what legislative authority, and for what purposes, level crossing grant is paid to British Rail.

  Mr. Freeman
  Under EC regulation 1192/69 railway undertakings are eligible for compensation to eliminate financial disparities which other transport modes do not have to bear, including the provision of level crossing facilities. British Rail receives from central Government a grant covering 50 per cent. of the costs of providing such facilities. The Railways Act 1974 provides the Secretary of State with the relevant statutory powers.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive Union Railways' report on the channel tunnel rail link; and if it will be made publicly available.
  32
  Mr. Freeman
  By the end of the month. Union Railways plans in due course to publish a version of the report which excludes some sensitive material that is, for example, commercially confidential.

  Rail Freight
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much freight was carried by rail in Britain in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is contained in table 5.14 of "Transport Statistics Great Britain 1992".

  Rail Privatisation
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish his proposed guidance on fare control referred to in paragraph 2.3 of The Franchising of Passenger Rail Services before introducing legislation to privatise British Rail.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: We intend to make the draft guidance to be given to the franchising authority on fares available in draft in time for hon. Members to consider it during the passage of the privatisation legislation.

  Network SouthEast
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the routes on Network SouthEast that he will treat as providing socially necessary rail services attracting continuing payment of Government subsidy after such services are franchised.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: It will be for the new franchising authority to decide on the appropriate level of passenger services to procure through franchises in line with the overall guidance provided for him by the Secretary of State. Any subsidy required and its level will be determined by competitive bidding.

  Driving Licence Fees
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will reduce the licence fee for applicants for a driving licence at the age of 70 years or above.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The present £6 fee for the three-yearly renewal of driving licences from age 70 is less than the average cost of issuing these licences. No reduction is therefore possible.

  Euroroutes
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions have taken place between his Department and the appropriate department in the European Community regarding the provision of Euroroutes in the United Kingdom: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Department of Transport officials, along with officials of other member states and international organisations concerned with road transport, have been taking part in the motorway working group set up by the European Commission to consider trans-European road networks.

  Road Deaths
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the number of deaths caused by(a) drivers under the influence of drink and (b) drivers falling asleep in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Estimates of fatal casualties in accidents in which at least one driver, or motor-cyclist, has a blood alcohol level in excess of the local limit are as follows:

  Number

  1989

  870

  1990

  800

  1991

  700

  No reliable estimate is available of the number of deaths in accidents caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel. The problem is likely to be greatest on motorways; the total number of motorway fatalities from any cause in the years 1989 to 1991 was: 233, 229 and 234.

  Bridges
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make third party quality certification mandatory for firms designing and erecting bridges.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Departments officials will shortly be discussing the possible recognition of an independent quality assurance—QA—certification scheme with the British Constructional Steelwork Association. The scheme may encompass also those aspects of the detailed design of steelwork which are carried out by steelwork fabricators.

  Such recognition could lead to QA certification being made a mandatory requirement of the Departments specification for highway works for a specified steelwork range. In accordance with EC directives, the Department would have to recognise corresponding accredited schemes in other EC member countries, provided that they were equivalent to the scheme recognised in the United Kingdom.

  In the meantime, the quality of steelwork for departmental construction schemes is ensured by checking that the materials and workmanship, and the erection of the finished steelwork, comply with the Departments specification for highway works and with the relevant British standards. This checking is carried out by the Departments agent, usually the engineer to the contract, and, where necessary, involves inspection and testing in works located in other countries.

  EC Speed Limits
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement outlining the response of his Department to proposed EC directives on harmonising goods vehicles and coach speed limits in the EC.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We consider that speed limits are better set at the level of member states, as they have to take account of road geometry, road user behaviour and levels of enforcement, which differ across the Community.

  Pedestrian Injuries
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many pedestrians were killed or injured by(a) reversing and (b) vehicles left at a junction controlled by traffic lights in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will divide these figures by age.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Pedestrians killed and injured: by vehicle manoeuvre: 1991

  Age of casualty

  Vehicles reversing

  Vehicles turning left at traffic lights

  0 to 4 years

  143

  5

  5 to 7 years

  75

  9

  8 to 11 years

  66

  14

  12 to 15 years

  61

  22

  16 to 19 years

  89

  28

  20 to 29 years

  296

  44

  30 to 39 years

  231

  26

  40 to 49 years

  185

  27

  50 to 59 years

  222

  26

  60 to 69 years

  370

  21

  70 to 79 years

  458

  34

  80 years and over

  329

  20

  All ages1

  2,600

  287

  1 Includes ages unknown.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has made of the amount of carbon dioxide which will be emitted from the existing heavy goods vehicles fleet during its remaining lifetime.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I have made no estimate of this amount and the figure would depend on assumptions about the rate of replacement of vehicles in the existing heavy goods vehicles fleet. For last year it has been estimated that heavy goods vehicles in the United Kingdom emitted about 6.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, measured as carbon.

  Strategic Plan
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to develop a cross-sectoral long-term transport strategic plan for the United Kingdom including set targets and individual strategic initiatives to achieve the long-term goal.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Governments aims and objectives for transport are set out in the Departments most recently published expenditure plans for transport, Cm. 1907.

  Winchester College
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions or correspondence he or any officials in his Department have had with representatives of Winchester college within the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Officials of my Department have had contact with Winchester college on a number of occasions in the last 12 months in relation to the
  35
  acquisition of their land for the M3 motorway and other related matters. They have also attended meetings of the St. Catherines hill/Twyford Down Forum, of which Winchester college is a member.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will request the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors to carry out an independent assessment of the market value of the land compulsorily purchased by his Department from Winchester college; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No. Independent advice on the market value of land acquired under compulsory purchase powers is given to my Department by the district valuer.

  Road Schemes
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what standard planning horizon is used when assessing the economic benefits of road schemes.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The appraisal of trunk road schemes takes account of costs and benefits over a 30-year period.

  Mrs. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has commissioned into the indirect economic benefits resulting from road building in the last 10 years; and what plans he has to commission further research on this subject.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  During the past 10 years, the only research my Department has conducted into these matters was an internal review into whether there were benefits to tourism from road improvements additonal to those included in the usual appraisal of the economic benefits. The review concluded that in a country with well-developed transport links, there were unlikely to be benefits additional to those usually considered. The review was published by the Department as, "Tourism, Leisure —and Roads" in October 1987. My Department has no plans to undertake further research on this subject.

  Job Creation
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate how many jobs, per pound sterling invested, result from(a) road building and (b) rail investment.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Government have made no such estimate, nor do they believe that the comparison would be either meaningful or useful.

  Speed Traps
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to check the sale and use of radar speed-trap detectors.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The use of such devices is already an offence under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949. Companies that supplied or advertised devices which could not be used legally have been successfully prosecuted for inciting members of the public to commit criminal offences.

  Maritime Safety
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many maritime incidents occurred involving the misuse of emergency maritime channels in 36
  1991 and 1992; what proposals he has to detect and prosecute repeat offenders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 7 December 1992]: I have been asked to reply.

  No such incidents were reported by the Department of Transport to my Departments Radiocommunications Agency in 1991 and 1992. The detection and prosecution of offenders is an operational matter for the Radiocommunications Agency. The chief executive has been asked to write to the hon. and learned Member.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to combat the misuse of emergency maritime radio channels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 7 December 1992]: I have been asked to reply.

  This is an operational matter for the Radiocommunications Agency. The chief executive has been asked to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from B. A. Maxwell to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 14 December 1992:
  Your question number 80 on the Order Paper for 7 December asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many maritime incidents occurred involving the misuse of emergency maritime channels in 1991 and 1992; what proposals he has to detect and prosecute repeat offenders; and if he will make a statement. Your question number 81 asked the Secretary of State for Transport, what proposals he has to combat the misuse of emergency maritime radio channels; and if he will make a statement.
  As you know, the Chief Executive of the Agency has been asked to write to you in answer to the second part of Question 80 and to Question 81 as these raise operational matters within this Agency's responsibility for the regulation of radio in the UK. I am replying in the absence of the Chief Executive.
  The Agency is responsible for ensuring that radio users enjoy the highest possible standard of communications. In particular, our Ministers have asked us to give top priority to dealing with interference that affects the emergency or safety of life radio services.
  The Agencys enforcement work extends over the entire radio spectrum but we do devote substantial effort to marine radio use. This is largely done through advice and education. Individual contact is an excellent way in which to emphasise the importance of responsible radio operation and educate users about this. In the last financial year my staff made direct contact with over 8,000 marine radio users. We also undertake initiatives to publicise the requirements for marine radio operation and Agency staff attend major boat shows and events such as Cowes Week.
  All these efforts have resulted in a large increase in recent years in the number of marine radio users who have attained the necessary level of competence to operate marine radio and who should be well aware of the importance of correct operating practice, especially where channels designated for distress calls are concerned.
  However, in cases in which advice and education is not enough, the Agency stands ready to take direct enforcement action. The maritime emergency channels arre monitored by HM Coastguards, who have a procedure for reporting to the Agency users who persistently fail to comply with the regulations so that the Agency can take appropriate follow-up action, including prosecution.
  There were no such reports from the Coastguards to the Agency in the years you questioned but nevertheless the Agency has successfully prosecuted for various marine radio offences on three occasions in the present financial year and further prosecutions are pending. In the last two financial years there were a total of 12 prosecutions for marine radio offences and in all cases convictions were obtained.
  I hope this is helpful.

WALES

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a further statement on the reform of local government in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have had extensive consultations with the local authority associations and others. I shall announce my decisions as soon as possible.

  Tourism
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the latest statistics on tourism within Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Despite world-wide economic difficulties the tourism industry in Wales has held up well in 1991. There was an increase of nearly 6 per cent. in the number of tourism trips taken in Wales by United Kingdom residents in 1991 compared with 1990, while expenditure by overnight and overseas visitors remained constant.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on inward investment to Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Wales continues to attract high levels of inward investment. Last year was a record year with 208 projects announced promising more than 16,000 new and safeguarded jobs and involving capital investment of £1,155 million. Since then (to the end of November 1992) a further 120 projects have been recorded promising nearly 10,000 jobs.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will publish his White Paper on the reorganisation of local government in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I shall announce my decisions as soon as possible.

  Primary Schools (Expenditure)
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent per pupil in primary schools in Wales in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what was the comparable figure for 1978–79 at constant prices.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In 1990–91 current expenditure per pupil in primary schools in Wales was £1,412. The equivalent figure for 1978–79 was £1,038 in real terms.

  Welsh Economy
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the prospects for the Welsh economy during 1993.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The prospects for the Welsh economy next year are encouraging. The essential ingredients for 38
  recovery are in place and I am confident that the sustained effort we have put into restructuring the economy of Wales will pay dividends during 1993.

  Mineral Water
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the Welsh mineral water industry.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The bottled and mineral water industry in Wales continues to make encouraging progress.

  Economic Development Strategy
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement detailing the new moneys made available for the implementation of the economic development strategy prepared by the west Wales task force.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I received the report of the west Wales task force last week. I have asked the members of the west Wales strategy group to join me for detailed discussions of how to take forward the strategy set out in the report. We are to meet in January and I hope that the next few weeks will give all concerned sufficient opportunity to consider carefully their response to the report.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the prospects for manufacturing industry in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Manufacturing output has risen by more than 25 per cent. since 1985, and more than 800 manufacturing plants have opened since 1980, employing more than 50,000. The industry in Wales is well placed to take full advantage of economic recovery.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the current percentage levels of male unemployment in(a) Merthyr Tydfil, (b) the Rhymney Valley, (c) Mid Glamorgan and (d) Wales; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In October 1992, 17.9 per cent., 17 per cent. and 13.3 per cent. respectively.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has of the number of unemployed in(a) Ogmore, (b) Mid Glamorgan and (c) the Principality securing employment since 9 April.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is not available.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of current unemployment levels on young people and the community in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The number of people aged under 25 years, and registered as unemployed in October of this year, has fallen by more than 35 per cent. compared with the number of those registered in the same month in 1986. This compares with a United Kingdom decrease of just under 28 per cent. for the same period.
  39
  The training and enterprise councils and the careers service are working closely together to ensure that suitable youth training provision is made available for 16 and 17-year-old school leavers. Measures recently announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment (including the new training for work programme) will further extend the range of assistance available.

  Trust Hospitals (Board Membership)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how he ensures that the membership of the boards of opt-out trust hospitals is representative of the community served by the trust.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  My right hon. Friend makes all appointments to national health service trusts on the basis of aptitude and merit.

  Examinations
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to extend the system of publishing the results of academic examinations to examinations for vocational qualifications; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In the main, vocational qualifications are gained through studies at further education colleges. We are not planning to publish Welsh Office statistics about examination achievements in colleges in Wales.

  However, further education colleges have been asked to publish details of examination and assessment results and student destinations on a voluntary basis for the academic year 1991–92. We intend making regulations requiring the colleges to publish this information for the academic year 1992–93.

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many acres of land in Wales are managed by the Forestry Commission.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  At 31 March 1992, the Forestry Commission managed 138,671 hectares (some 342,700 acres) of land in Wales, of which 127,843 hectares (some 315,900 acres) were woodland.

  River Dee Crossing
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the daily average rate of vehicles crossing the River Dee at Queensferry A494 at peak periods.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The daily average rate of vehicles crossing the River Dee at Queensferry on the A494 during the peak month of August is 61,600.

  Independent Schools
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all of the independent schools in Wales and the number of pupils registered at each one.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  A list of all independent schools in Wales together with the number of both full and part-time pupils on roll at each school as at January 1992 is given in the following tables:
  40

  School Name

  Number on roll

  Clwyd

  Fairhome School

  136

  Lyndon School

  107

  Penhros College

  391

  Rydal School

  341

  St. Brigis's School

  124

  Howell's School

  353

  Lindisfarne College

  232

  St. Mary's College

  133

  Arden School

  72

  Ruthin School

  213

  Rydal Preparatory School

  240

  Blackley School

  52

  Northgate Preparatory School

  25

  Dyfed

  Llandovery College

  205

  St. Michaels School

  294

  Netherwood School

  179

  Haylett Grange School

  129

  Nant-y-Cwm Steiner School

  85

  St. Tygwydds School

  43

  Gwent

  Rougemont School

  535

  Monmouth School

  626

  Monmouth School for Girls

  632

  Agincourt School

  78

  Seddon House School

  43

  Emmanuel Christian School

  7

  Mayflower Christian School

  8

  Gwynedd

  Hillgrove School

  162

  St. Gerards Convent School

  332

  St. Davids College

  210

  Tower House School

  112

  Aran Hall School

  18

  Indefatigable Nautical School

  139

  Treffos School

  96

  The Snowdonia Steiner School

  86

  Hyfrudle Christian School

  14

  Mid Glamorgan

  St. Clare's Convent SNR School

  274

  St. Johns School

  185

  Craig-Y-Parc School

  49

  Wyclif Christian School

  28

  Kings School

  9

  Frontline Christian School

  8

  St. Clare's Convent Preparatory School

  211

  Powys

  Christ College

  369

  St. Davids Urseline Convent

  180

  Powis College

  17

  Pentwyn School

  15

  McIntyre Womaston House School

  20

  Tregynon Hall

  21

  South Glamorgan

  Cardiff Grammar School

  322

  St. Johns College

  429

  Elm Tree House School

  143

  Our Ladys Convent School

  238

  St. Josephs Convent School

  116

  The Cathedral School

  421

  King's School

  188

  Lamorna School

  95

  Westbourne Schools

  208

  Balfour House School

  77

  Reformed Presbyterian Church School

  60

  Howell's School

  671

  Headlands School

  24

  41

  School Name

  Number on roll

  New College School

  352

  West Glamorgan

  Emmanuel School

  175

  Oakleigh House School

  184

  Craig-Y-Nos Preparatory School

  114

  Dumbarton House School

  154

  Ffynone House School

  163

  Saviours School

  35

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the daily average rate of vehicles crossing the River Severn by means of the Severn bridge, M4.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The average daily flow crossing the Severn bridge between May and October this year (the six-month period after the increase in toll charges) was 54,200 vehicles.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of confirmed cases of BSE, by county, for November 1992.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is as follows. These cases will have a date of report and date of clinical onset of disease before 1 November.

  Number

  Clwyd

  46

  Dyfed

  123

  Glamorgan Mid

  6

  Glamorgan South

  11

  Glamorgan West

  2

  Gwent

  27

  Gwynedd

  17

  Powys

  45

  Euroroutes
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions have taken place between the Welsh Office and the appropriate Department in the European Community regarding the provision of Euroroutes in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The lead in discussions with the European Commission has been taken by the Department of Transport. Arrangements are being made for me to meet the EC Transport Commissioner to discuss the trans-European road network.

  Agricultural Training Board
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many responses he has received on the consultation document, "The Future Status and Operation of the Agricultural Training Board in Wales"; and how many favour Agricultural Training Board Cymru being funded in future through the Welsh Office.

  Mr. David Hunt
  There were 80 responses of which 20 favoured funding by my Department.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what targets he has set for the Welsh Development Agency for the generation of gross income from the sales of industrial land and factory buildings(a) in the present financial year and (b) in 1993–94; what assessment he has made of the impact of the recession on the projected gross income from the sale of such land and buildings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have announced that the agencys gross expenditure for 1993–94 will be £171.4 million. In determining the allocation of resources for the agency, I take account of a wide range of factors. Further details of the agencys programmes, including income, will be published in due course in the normal way.

  For the current year, receipts are expected to amount to £91 million in total.

HEALTH

  London Hospitals
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each London district health authority the number of(a) attendances at hospital accident and emergency departments and (b) admissions to hospital of babies in the first six months of life for the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Yeo
  The available information is shown in the tables.

  Table 1 Attendance at London accident and emergency departments for the latest available year

  1990–91

  Number

  Barnet

  113,180

  Harrow

  41,417

  Hillingdon

  87,513

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  112,534

  Ealing

  57,823

  Riverside

  105,760

  Parkside

  144,459

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood

  112,038

  Hampstead

  47,961

  Bloomsbury1

  73,805

  Islington1

  63,750

  City and Hackney

  101,249

  Newham

  67,084

  Tower Hamlets

  76,133

  Enfield

  57,558

  Haringey

  73,224

  Redbridge

  54,448

  Waltham Forest

  85,927

  Bexley

  70,213

  Greenwich

  104,069

  Bromley

  64,844

  West Lambeth

  74,129

  Camberwell

  71,535

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  159,048

  Croydon

  83,777

  Kingston and Esher

  61,617

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  33,724

  Wandsworth

  73,658

  Merton and Sutton

  79,297

  The Hospitals for Sick Children

  25,018

  National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

  0

  Moorfields Eye Hospital

  51,228

  Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals

  8,971

  Royal Brompton National Heart and Lung Hospital

  0

  43

  1990–91

  Number

  The Royal Marsden Hospital

  0

  Hammersmith and Queen Charlottes

  27,588

  The Eastman Dental Hospital

  9,634

  Source: SD1A; KHO9 return.

  1 These districts were merged in 1990–91

  Table 2 Estimated number of hospital episodes for babies of six months and under for the latest available year (1989–90):

  Ordinary Admissions

  Day Cases

  Total

  Barnet

  506

  84

  590

  Harrow

  378

  63

  441

  Hillingdon

  417

  69

  487

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  527

  88

  615

  Ealing

  357

  59

  417

  Riverside

  534

  89

  623

  Parkside

  580

  96

  676

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood

  962

  160

  1,122

  Hampstead

  339

  56

  396

  Bloomsbury

  492

  82

  573

  Islington

  435

  72

  507

  City and Hackney

  548

  91

  639

  Newham

  707

  118

  825

  Tower Hamlets

  902

  150

  1,052

  Enfield

  523

  87

  610

  Haringey

  594

  99

  693

  Redbridge

  421

  70

  491

  Waltham Forest

  725

  121

  846

  Bexley

  237

  39

  276

  Greenwich

  591

  98

  689

  Bromley

  516

  86

  602

  West Lambeth

  364

  61

  425

  Camberwell

  743

  124

  866

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  1,149

  191

  1,341

  Croydon

  552

  92

  643

  Kingston and Esher

  484

  81

  565

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  311

  52

  363

  Wandsworth

  615

  102

  718

  Merton and Sutton

  736

  122

  858

  Totals

  16,246

  2,702

  18,948

  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics 1989–90.

  Leukaemia
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent studies have been conducted by her Department into the incidences of leukaemia and other blood cancers by medical districts in(a) Cumbria, (b) Lancashire and (c) the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) has so far produced three reports to the Government on the incidence of leukaemia and cancer in young people. Its first report (1986)1 dealt with new information about discharges from Sellafield, Cumbria, which had not been available to an ad hoc advisory group which reported in 19842. Its second report (1987)3 considered reports of an increased incidence of childhood leukaemia in the vicinity of the Dounreay nuclear establishment in Caithness, Scotland. COMAREs third report (1989)4 considered the incidence of childhood cancer in the vicinity of the atomic weapons establishment at Aldermaston in West Berkshire, and the Royal Ordnance factory at Burghfield, North Hampshire. COMARE has made a number of recommendations for further reseach which has either been
  44
  completed, or is currently under way or planned. An important issue identified by COMARE in their third report was the need to establish the national pattern of leukaemia incidence to enable local findings to be placed in context. This has been addressed by a study published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in 19915. The incidence of childhood cancer in Cumbria and around Sellafield has now been reviewed and the results are due to be published in the new year. This study was recommended by COMARE and will be considered alongside other evidence as part of the committees current review of childhood cancer around Sellafield.

  References:
  1 'The implications of the new data on the releases from Sellafield in the 1950s for the conclusions of the Report on the Investigation of the possible increased Incidence of Cancer in West Cumbria'—COMARE 1st Report. HMSO 1986.
  2 'Investigation of the possible increased incidence of cancer in West Cumbria—Report of the Independent Advisory Group. Chairman: Sir Douglas Black. HMSO 1984.
  3 'Investigation of the possible increased incidence of leukaemia in young people, near the Dounreay Nuclear Establishment, Caithness, Scotland— COMARE 2nd Report. HMSO 1988.
  4 'Report on the incidence of childhood cancer in the West Berkshire and North Hampshire area, in which are situated the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, Aldermaston, and the Royal Ordnance Factory, Burghfield—COMARE 3rd Report. HMSO 1989.
  5 'The Geographical epidemiology of childhood leukaemia and non-Hodgkin lymphomas in Great Britain, 1966–83'—OPCS—Studies on Medical and Population Subjects No. 53. HMSO 1991.

  Hypothermia
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) men and (b) women have died of hypothermia in the Tooting constituency in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information is not available in the form requested. Deaths with a mention of hypothermia on the death certificate for the London Borough of Wandsworth for the years requested are shown in the table.

  Number of deaths with mention of hypothermia on the death certificate for usual residents of the London Borough of Wandsworth by sex for the years 1987 to 1991

  Year

  Males

  Females

  1987

  0

  2

  1988

  0

  0

  1989

  2

  0

  1990

  0

  0

  1991

  1

  0

  Trent regional health authority
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what will be her Departments criteria for selecting a successor to the present chairman of Trent regional health authority; when she expects to announce the name of the next chairman of Trent regional health authority; and when the new appointee will commence his or her duties.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We have no plans to replace Sir Michael Carlisle as chairman of the Trent regional health authority.

  Contraceptives
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish in tabular form the annual total cost of contraceptive provision in England between 1979 and 1989–90 in both cash and constant prices terms excluding fees to general practitioners but including the cost of drugs and appliances prescribed by them and dispensed by retail pharmacy and appliance contractors and by family planning clinics.

  Mr. Sackville
  The table shows an estimate of the annual total costs of national health service contraceptive provision. The figures are an aggregate of health authorities expenditure on family planning services (including drugs and appliances prescribed by family planning clinics) and the estimated net ingredient cost of contraceptive drugs prescribed by GPs and dispensed by retail pharmacy and appliance contractors.

  Between 1979–80 and 1989–90, the Department also made section 64 grants totalling £2.2 million to voluntary organisations involved in the provision of family planning advice.

  Estimated total expenditure on contraceptive provision in England

  Year

  £ million1

  £ million2

  1979–80

  27.1

  65.7

  1980–81

  32.4

  66.4

  1981–82

  37.9

  70.8

  1982–83

  39.9

  69.6

  1983–84

  45.0

  75.0

  1984–85

  47.3

  75.1

  1985–86

  50.3

  75.7

  1986–87

  54.5

  79.4

  1987–88

  60.6

  83.7

  1988–89

  61.8

  79.6

  1989–90

  68.7

  83.1

  1 £ million cash.

  2 £ million at 1992–93 prices.

  Press and Public Relations
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many press releases her Department has issued since 9 April.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has issued 301 press releases since 9 April.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many press and public relations officers currently work for her Department; and what information she has on the number working for(a) regional health authorities, (b) district health authorities and (c) national health service trusts.

  Mr. Sackville
  Functions which are commonly associated with press and public relations are carried out by the Departments information division; 39 staff are currently employed as information officers.

  The number of press and public relations officers working in the national health service is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the list of(a) journalists, (b) departmental officials, (c) NHS personnel and (d) other people who regularly receive copies of her Departments press releases.
  46
  Mr. Sackville
  No.

  The Department regularly issues press releases through the Central Office of Information to enable journalists to report on departmental and ministerial announcements. Distributions are also made to all national health service general managers and a limited number of non-journalists and organisations.

  The names of recipients vary depending on the subject.

  Wessex Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice her Department gave Wessex regional health authority on the inclusion of penalty clauses and performance guarantees in contracts negotiated between the health authority and Wessex Integrated Systems Ltd./CFM Health Systems; what steps were taken to ensure that this advice was followed; and what assessment she has made of the results.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department of Health issued guidance on good practice in the field of national health service computer procurement in 1987. This guidance is currently being reviewed by a joint working party of the Department and the NHS Supplies Authority and new guidance is expected to be issued soon.

  The Department also gave advice on various contractual matters to Wessex at its request.

  I understand that the contract between Wessex Regional Health Authority and WIS/CFM is now the subject of legal action.

  London Health Services
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account she will take of differing results of independent assessments in considering the cost of closing hospitals, including the Royal Marsden, as proposed in the Tomlinson report.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  When the Tomlinson report was published, we invited the organisations concerned to submit comments on its recommendations. A number have done so, including the Royal Marsden, and we shall take their views into account when putting forward our proposals.

  National Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a study of the work done by the Suffolk county consortium in national vocational qualifications in health and social care and make the findings available to all training agencies and responsible bodies that are starting to implement national vocational qualifications; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We welcome the introduction of national vocational qualifications (NVQs) for health and social care. Joint initiatives where practical and relevant, such as the Suffolk County Consortium, are also welcome. The implementation of NVQs is a matter for employers; who are also responsible for providing opportunities for training.

  Deputising Services
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has to give financial assistance to medical deputising services run by general practice co-operatives; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None at this stage, but I have agreed to discuss with the representatives of the profession the out of hours arrangements made by general practitioners.

  Well House NHS Trust
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients called for operations since 1 June by the Well House NHS trust have been sent home after arriving at Barnet general hospital; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not collected centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Anthony Orton, chairman of the Wellhouse Trust, for details.

  Dr. Kypros Loucas
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her oral answer of 8 December,Official Report, column 681, (1) if she will give details of the investigations of the circumstances in which Dr. Kypros Loucas left Broadmoor hospital in 1989; and if she will make a statement.

  (2) what plans she has to investigate the activities of Dr. Kypros Loucas; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him and the hon. Member for Rochdale (Ms. Lynne) on 10 December 1992,Official Report, columns 781–82.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals she has to increase retraining programmes for unemployed adults over 21 years of age; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: Training for work, which will replace employment training, high technology national training and employment action from April 1993, will allow training and enterprise councils scope to provide opportunities for 320,000 unemployed adults aged 18 and over to train or retrain to meet their assessed needs. This is part of the package of employment and training measures which we are increasing by nearly 500,000 opportunities in 1993–94.

  Food Service Industry
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will estimate how many students work(a) full time and (b) part time in the food service industry; what were the comparable figures for 1988, 1989 and 1990; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: Estimates from the labour force survey (LFS) of the
  48
  numbers of students (those still at school or in other full-time education) employed part-time in the hotels and catering industry (class 66 of the standard industrial classification) are given in the following table. The numbers of students working full-time in the industry are too small for reliable estimates to be produced from the LFS.

  Students working part-time in hotels and catering industry Great Britain

  Spring each year

  Thousands

  1988

  99

  1989

  102

  1990

  126

  1992

  144

  Unemployment Statistics
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will give the latest actual and percentage figures for the number of adult males(a) registered unemployed, (b) receiving income support and (c) economically inactive for the United Kingdom, Scotland, Wales and the South Wales valley initiative area.

  Mr. McLoughlin:
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: The latest available information is given in the tables.

  Table 1 Male claimant unemployed aged 16 and over (not seasonally adjusted) in October 1992

  Number

  per cent. Rate1

  United Kingdom

  2,151,882

  13.3

  England

  1,785,323

  13.2

  Wales

  100,534

  13.3

  Scotland

  184,744

  12.8

  Valleys Initiative Programme area2

  25,954

  18.5

  1 Percentage of male workforce (the sum of unemployed claimants, employees in employment, self-employed, HM forces and participants on work-related Government training schemes).

  2 Figures obtained from the Welsh Office.

  Source: Employment Department. Monthly unadjusted claimant unemployment data.

  Table 2 Males aged 16 and over in receipt of income support in May 1991

  Number

  Percentage

  Great Britain2

  1,965,000

  9.1

  England

  1,645,000

  8.9

  Wales

  111,000

  10.4

  Scotland

  209,000

  10.8

  Valleys Initiative Programme area

  No data available

  1 Males in receipt of Income Support as a percentage of the male population aged 16 and over. Population figures were obtained from the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) and apply to mid 1991.

  2 No data is available for Northern Ireland.

  Source: Department of Social Security (DSS). Income support Statistics Annual Enquiry May 1991.

  Table 3 Males aged 16 and over economically inactive in Spring 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  United Kingdom

  5,733,000

  26.3

  England

  4,746,000

  26.0

  Wales

  489,000

  25.7

  49

  Number

  Percentage

  Scotland

  345,000

  31.4

  Valleys Initiative Programme area

  No data available

  1 Males economically inactive as a percentage of the male population aged 16 and over.

  Source: Labour Force Survey Spring 1992.

ENVIRONMENT

  United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to providing funding to enable non-governmental organisation involvement in consultations on United Kingdom implementation of its Rio obligations undertaken of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government involved the nongovernmental community throughout in preparations for the Earth summit, and provided funding for UNEP-UK's "NGO Earth Summit Report". The Department of the Environment is providing funding of £150,000 over three years until 1994–95 to the International Institute for Environment and Development to continue to take an active role in the United Kingdom's follow-up to the Earth summit. We are also sponsoring an international meeting of non-governmental organisations to be held in Manchester next September.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken, and what further steps he proposes to take, to promote the dialogue with the British academic community on United Nations Conference on Environment and Development follow-up.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government consulted the academic community throughout the preparations for the Earth summit. We intend to continue this policy during the follow-up process and in the preparation of national reports. We also hope members of the British academic community will join in our "Partnerships for Change '93" conference in Manchester next September.

  Newham Council
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the cumulative total of the capital expenditure of the London borough of Newham, for which repayment and interest is still required, for which Her Majesty's Government have given permission and the provisional sum he has allocated to the borough in respect of standard spending assessment for 1993–94 for expenditure under this heading.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The debt charges element of Newham's provisional 1993–94 SSA is £20.374 million. This is the revenue which the Government consider appropriate for Newham to spend in 1993–94 on interest and debt repayment on borrowing required to provide a standard level of service. It is based on a notional outstanding debt figure at 1 April 1993 of £129.859 million.

  It is not possible to calculate the cumulative total of capital expenditure for which permission was given by the
  50
  Government. Past and present decisions on the financing of capital expenditure are a matter for the London borough of Newham subject to the availability of credit approvals.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is taking to prevent CFC stockpiling in advance of production phase-out dates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The supply of new CFCs to the European market was cut to 50 per cent. of 1986 levels at the beginning of this year. We expect to agree further interim cuts in the revision of the European Regulation which should take place at the Council of Environment Ministers on 15 and 16 December.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what procedural arrangements need to be completed before his Department can give clearance to the start-up of operations at the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria; and what further reasons there are for the delay.

  Mr. Maclean
  No discharges of radioactive waste from the thermal oxide reprocessing plant (THORP) can be made unless they are authorised by the chief inspector of Her Majestys inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF). Statutory consultation on their proposed draft authorisations for the Sellarfield site, including THORP has already begun and will end on 11 January. HMIP and MAFF will then consider whether there is a need to make changes to the draft authorisations in the light of comments received. Once they have decided whether, and if so how, the authorisations should be amended, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State and my right hon. Friend the Minister MAFF, in accordance with statutory provisions, will offer British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) the opportunity of a hearing and will consider whether to offer a hearing to such local authorities or other persons whom they consider appropriate. BNFL also requires a licence to operate THORP from the nuclear installations inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive.

  Vehicle Noise
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to extend the noise nuisance abatement powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to cover jet-skis and boats.

  Mr. Maclean
  Part III of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 controls all statutory nuisance emanating from premises, which includes land and vessels. Noise nuisance from jet-skis and boats can therefore already be controlled under these provisions.

  Euratom Treaty
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent discussions he has had with the European Commission in regard to the implementation of article 35 of the Euratom treaty.
  51
  Mr. Maclean
  My officials have recently confirmed formally with the Commission our agreement on the conduct of Commission verifications of monitoring facilities for radioactivity in the United Kingdom environment under article 35 of the Euratom treaty.

  Fire Precautions
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the paper "Fires Involving Sprinklers" published by the Home Office in July 1990; and what account was taken of the conclusions of this paper in framing current building regulations covering fire precautions in very large low-rise buildings.

  Mr. Baldry
  Although the report was not available until after the technical review of the regulations was substantially complete, officials were in close contact with their Home Office and fire research station colleagues throughout the review. The report showed which type of sprinklers could be most beneficial in large shops of different configurations. Changes made to the building regulations which came into effect in June this year give greater recognition to the beneficial role of sprinklers.

  Birkenhead to Seacombe Development Proposals
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what planning applications are currently before his Department for development of the land between Birkenhead and Seacombe; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  No planning application is currently before my Department in the area mentioned.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about Her Majestys Governments policy towards the financing of the secretariat of the convention to control toxic waste.

  Mr. Maclean
  Non-parties to the Basel convention will be invited to make voluntary contributions to meet the costs of administration. In order to demonstrate its support for the convention, the United Kingdom has made voluntary contributions of $550,000 for each of the last three financial years. A similar amount will be paid in the first quarter of 1993.

  Ozone Layer
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his present estimate of the size of and coverage of the ozone layer; and what estimates were made in 1990 and 1985.

  Mr. Maclean
  The ozone layer covers the entire globe but a progressive depletion in its thickness has been observed since the mid-1980s, with strong evidence that this is due to man-made ozone-depleting chemicals. Assessments of depletion published in 1992 by the WMO/UNEP Scientific Assessment Panel indicated a total ozone loss rate of 8 per cent. per decade in the early spring over northern mid latitudes (30–60°N), a peak downward trend at high southern latitudes in October-December of greater than 35 per cent. per decade and an average global depletion of 3 per cent. per decade.
  52
  Assessments by the International Ozone Trends Panel have been published by the World Meteorological Organisation in 1985, 1988, 1989 and 1992 and by the Departments stratospheric ozone review group in 1987, 1988, 1990 and 1991. Copies of these reports have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the results of the conference on the ozone layer in Copenhagen.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 27 November 1992 to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike),Official Report, column 85.

  Council House Sales, East Anglia
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by authorities the number and value of council house sales in East Anglia in each year since 1983; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information on sales of council houses reported by local authorities in East Anglia in the period April 1983 to March 1992 is given in the table. The figures exclude dwellings transferred to housing associations in large scale voluntary transfers. Such transfers took place in Broadland in April 1990 and in Suffolk Coastal in May 1991. The transfers involved some 9,000 dwellings valued at about £50 million.

  1983–84

  Local authority

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  Cambridgeshire

  Cambridge

  323

  7,062

  East Cambridgeshire

  151

  2,590

  Fenland

  136

  1,836

  Huntingdonshire

  366

  6,671

  Peterborough

  270

  2,422

  South Cambridgeshire

  263

  5,115

  Norfolk

  Breckland

  275

  4,092

  Broadland

  97

  1,889

  Great Yarmouth

  157

  2,861

  Kings Lynn and West Norfolk

  249

  3,692

  North Norfolk

  167

  3,031

  Norwich

  609

  11,342

  South Norfolk

  212

  3,754

  Suffolk

  Babergh

  n/a

  n/a

  Forest Heath

  218

  4,003

  Ipswich

  245

  4,562

  Mid Suffolk

  229

  4,114

  St. Edmundsbury

  284

  5,200

  Suffolk Coastal

  176

  3,551

  Waveney

  171

  2,768

  1984–85

  Local authority

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  Cambridgeshire

  Cambridge

  285

  7,229

  East Cambridgeshire

  184

  3,395

  Fenland

  187

  2,598

  Huntingdonshire

  342

  6,850

  Peterborough

  n.a.

  n.a.

  South Cambridgeshire

  238

  5,235

  Norfolk

  53

  1984–85

  Local authority

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  Breckland

  294

  4,693

  Broadland

  102

  2,023

  Great Yarmouth

  112

  2,247

  Kings Lynn and West Norfolk

  243

  3,760

  North Norfolk

  110

  2,124

  Norwich

  339

  7,256

  South Norfolk

  209

  3,965

  Suffolk

  Babergh

  158

  2,985

  Forest Heath

  214

  4,504

  Ipswich

  408

  8,432

  Mid Suffolk

  135

  2,553

  St. Edmundsbury

  292

  5,690

  Suffolk Coastal

  165

  3,974

  Waveney

  157

  2,761

  1985–86

  Local authority

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  Cambridgeshire

  Cambridge

  302

  8,543

  East Cambridgeshire

  191

  3,999

  Fenland

  118

  1,798

  Huntingdonshire

  320

  7,010

  Peterborough

  277

  4,513

  South Cambridgeshire

  210

  5,506

  Norfolk

  Breckland

  204

  3,739

  Broadland

  81

  1,842

  Great Yarmouth

  91

  2,007

  Kings Lynn and West Norfolk

  223

  3,663

  North Norfolk

  76

  1,613

  Norwich

  289

  6,687

  South Norfolk

  134

  2,783

  Suffolk

  Babergh

  145

  3,044

  Forest Heath

  188

  4,338

  Ipswich

  288

  6,841

  Mid Suffolk

  108

  2,229

  St. Edmundsbury

  241

  5,275

  Suffolk Coastal

  178

  4,390

  Waveney

  132

  2,484

  1986–87

  Local authority

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  Cambridgeshire

  Cambridge

  325

  11,108

  East Cambridgeshire

  161

  4,089

  Fenland

  165

  2,866

  Huntingdonshire

  373

  9,776

  Peterborough

  309

  6,150

  South Cambridgeshire

  258

  8,207

  Norfolk

  Breckland

  281

  5,983

  Broadland

  88

  1,502

  Great Yarmouth

  104

  2,316

  Kings Lynn and West Norfolk

  238

  4,371

  North Norfolk

  114

  2,657

  Norwich

  366

  8,015

  South Norfolk

  179

  4,243

  Suffolk

  Babergh

  171

  4,348

  Forest Heath

  165

  4,161

  Ipswich

  288

  3,436

  Mid Suffolk

  113

  3,039

  54

  1986–87

  Local authority

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  St. Edmundsbury

  242

  6,141

  Suffolk Coastal

  146

  3,984

  Waveney

  139

  2,868

  1987–88

  Local authority

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  Cambridgeshire

  Cambridge

  318

  13,359

  East Cambridgeshire

  168

  5,349

  Fenland

  225

  4,720

  Huntingdonshire

  430

  14,854

  Peterborough

  258

  7,116

  South Cambridgeshire

  227

  9,056

  Norfolk

  Breckland

  282

  7,731

  Broadland

  n/a

  n/a

  Great Yarmouth

  125

  3,326

  Kings Lynn and West Norfolk

  250

  6,190

  North Norfolk

  140

  3,733

  Norwich

  762

  n/a

  South Norfolk

  199

  5,378

  Suffolk

  Babergh

  147

  4,929

  Forest Heath

  216

  4,919

  Ipswich

  401

  12,176

  Mid Suffolk

  142

  4,372

  St. Edmundsbury

  322

  9,914

  Suffolk Coastal

  217

  7,140

  Waveney

  203

  5,113

  1988–89

  Local authority

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  Cambridgeshire

  Cambridge

  381

  18,988

  East Cambridgeshire

  161

  6,580

  Fenland

  262

  7,851

  Huntingdonshire

  416

  18,458

  Peterborough

  354

  12,016

  South Cambridgeshire

  234

  12,084

  Norfolk

  Breckland

  326

  12,247

  Broadland

  n/a

  n/a

  Great Yarmouth

  176

  5,651

  Kings Lynn and West Norfolk

  307

  12,485

  North Norfolk

  235

  8,094

  Norwich

  889

  34,876

  South Norfolk

  232

  8,912

  Suffolk

  Babergh

  193

  8,444

  Forest Heath

  189

  7,384

  Ipswich

  532

  24,097

  Mid Suffolk

  176

  7,171

  St. Edmundsbury

  333

  13,234

  Suffolk Coastal

  232

  10,280

  Waveney

  233

  8,308

  n/a = Not available.

  55

  1989–90

  Local authority

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  Cambridgeshire

  Cambridge

  n/a

  n/a

  East Cambridgeshire

  58

  3,083

  Fenland

  82

  3,212

  Huntingdonshire

  216

  10,966

  Peterborough

  n/a

  n/a

  South Cambridgeshire

  124

  7,429

  Norfolk

  Breckland

  167

  6,635

  Broadland

  n/a

  n/a

  Great Yarmouth

  123

  5,287

  Kings Lynn and West Norfolk

  102

  4,617

  North Norfolk

  145

  6,507

  Norwich

  486

  23,527

  South Norfolk

  112

  4,911

  Suffolk

  Babergh

  73

  4,192

  Forest Heath

  106

  5,306

  Ipswich

  244

  13,088

  Mid Suffolk

  141

  6,522

  St. Edmundsbury

  173

  9,734

  Suffolk Coastal

  105

  5,780

  Waveney

  87

  3,702

  n/a = not available.

  1990–91

  Local authority

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  Cambridgeshire

  Cambridge

  158

  7,817

  East Cambridgeshire

  42

  2,201

  Fenland

  26

  1006

  Huntingdonshire

  156

  7,535

  Peterborough

  123

  4,491

  South Cambridgeshire

  129

  6,818

  Norfolk

  Breckland

  96

  3,776

  Broadland

  0

  0

  Great Yarmouth

  60

  2,601

  Kings Lynn and West Norfolk

  64

  2,612

  North Norfolk

  51

  2,353

  Norwich

  225

  10,246

  South Norfolk

  104

  2,552

  Suffolk

  Babergh

  67

  3,357

  Forest Heath

  78

  3,513

  Ipswich

  106

  5,155

  Mid Suffolk

  39

  2,025

  St. Edmundsbury

  67

  3,442

  Suffolk Coastal

  111

  5,546

  Waveney

  78

  3,231

  1991–92

  Local authority

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  Cambridgeshire

  Cambridge

  146

  7,966

  East Cambridgeshire

  60

  2,670

  Fenland

  37

  1,318

  Huntingdonshire

  121

  5,419

  Peterborough

  137

  4,482

  South Cambridgeshire

  148

  7,137

  Norfolk

  Breckland

  93

  3,493

  Broadland

  0

  0

  Great Yarmouth

  49

  1,948

  56

  1991–92

  Local authority

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  Kings Lynn and West Norfolk

  70

  2,713

  North Norfolk

  51

  2,250

  Norwich

  204

  8,757

  South Norfolk

  55

  2,541

  Suffolk

  Babergh

  107

  4,870

  Forest Heath

  71

  2,837

  Ipswich

  80

  3,521

  Mid Suffolk

  72

  2,909

  St. Edmundsbury

  98

  4,501

  Suffolk Coastal

  4

  n/a

  Waveney

  73

  2,810

  Homelessness
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many(a) families and (b) single people were accepted by local authorities as homeless in each local authority area in the United Kingdom and each standard planning region in the United Kingdom in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Baldry
  Local authorities in England report the number of households they accept as homeless in their annual housing investment programme (HIP1) returns. Total acceptances cover households which include dependent children or a pregnant woman, single people, childless couples and other adult households but only the first of these groups is separately identified.

  The available information for individual authorities for 1991–92 are in columns C11 (total acceptances) and C2b1 (those including children or a pregnant woman) of the "HIP1 All Items Print". Regional totals are in the "HIP1 Regional Grossing". Both documents are in the Library.

  For information about Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the discussion document on Britain's carbon dioxide programme promised in "This Common Inheritance: The Second Year" report.

  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish a discussion paper on the strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Howard
  I am publishing today a discussion document: "Climate Change—Our National Programme for CO2, Emissions". Copies have been placed in the Library.

  This is the first step in implementing in the United Kingdom the climate change convention agreed at UNCED in June this year.

  The convention has been signed by over 150 nations. As part of the process of ensuring that the convention is translated into effective action we in Britain must now begin drawing up our own programmes of measures to limit emissions of greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide is the first priority.
  57
  I do not believe it would be right for the Government alone to determine the content of our programme. The programme needs contributions from all sectors of the economy. The discussion document describes:
  the main principles of the Climate Change Convention, the sources of CO2 emissions in the United Kingdom and the prospects for emissions in the year 2000,
  the opportunities for individuals, business, and public sector bodies to reduce CO2 emissions,
  options for Government measures to supplement and support voluntary action.

  Through the discussion document I am inviting business to commmit itself to taking action as part of our national programme, and I am seeking views on the scope for individuals to take further action and on the options for Government measures. I look forward to a full debate on these issues over the next three months.

  Housing Action Trusts
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with the further housing action trust proposals announced in his statement of 16 December 1991, at columns 59–62.

  Sir George Young
  I am pleased to announce that I have decided, after careful consideration of tenants views and of the detailed feasibility studies for the estates, that there should be ballots of tenants on the proposals to establish Housing Action Trusts for the Castle Vale estate in

  Local authority housing capital expenditure by region 1982–83 to 1991–92

  Cash Figures

  £ million

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  North (excluding Cumbria)

  197

  197

  174

  145

  153

  174

  166

  186

  142

  148

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  287

  302

  251

  234

  222

  265

  289

  361

  271

  244

  East Midlands

  242

  254

  219

  180

  197

  201

  212

  292

  185

  177

  Eastern

  282

  314

  343

  309

  302

  327

  428

  572

  347

  318

  Greater London

  848

  913

  983

  780

  838

  890

  909

  1,504

  791

  625

  South East

  338

  406

  418

  354

  364

  430

  533

  663

  416

  314

  South West

  214

  250

  227

  194

  197

  213

  258

  412

  250

  220

  West Midlands

  300

  355

  314

  275

  275

  286

  309

  423

  313

  269

  North West

  452

  500

  441

  407

  383

  432

  434

  532

  386

  354

  Unallocated1

  75

  80

  131

  145

  86

  52

  66

  181

  63

  51

  England

  3,235

  3,571

  3,501

  3,023

  3,017

  3,272

  3,604

  5,126

  3,164

  2,720

  1 The regional figures do not sum to the overall England totals which include some expenditure (eg. the housing element of the Urban Programme, leasing) for which regional estimates are not available and because the England totals have been reconciled with other sources of data.

  Local authority housing capital expenditure in real terms1 by region, 1982–83 to 1991–92

  Real term figures1

  £ million

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  North (excluding Cumbria)

  180

  172

  145

  115

  117

  126

  112

  118

  83

  81

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  262

  265

  209

  185

  170

  192

  195

  229

  159

  134

  East Midlands

  222

  223

  183

  142

  151

  146

  144

  185

  109

  97

  Eastern

  258

  274

  286

  244

  231

  237

  289

  363

  204

  175

  Greater London

  776

  799

  818

  616

  641

  646

  614

  954

  464

  343

  South East

  310

  355

  348

  280

  278

  312

  360

  420

  244

  172

  South West

  196

  219

  189

  153

  151

  155

  174

  261

  147

  121

  West Midlands

  275

  310

  261

  217

  210

  208

  209

  268

  184

  148

  North West

  414

  437

  368

  321

  293

  313

  294

  337

  227

  194

  Unallocated2

  69

  70

  109

  115

  66

  38

  44

  115

  37

  28

  England

  2,960

  3,124

  2,915

  2,386

  2,308

  2,372

  2,436

  3,250

  1,858

  1,494

  1 Cash figures have been converted to real terms (1981 prices) by excluding the effect of general inflation as measured by the GDP market prices deflator.

  58
  Birmingham, and for the Lefevre Walk, Tredegar Road and Monteith estates in the Bow neighbourhood of Tower Hamlets.

  I hope to announce ballot dates shortly. I shall do so as soon as I am satisfied that the consultations with tenants, which have been continuing for some time, have enabled them fully to explore and understand the implications for them of the establishment of HATs.

  Meanwhile I have decided to appoint Mr. Richard Temple-Cox and Dr. Michael Barraclough respectively as prospective HAT chairs for the trusts. They will carry forward the necessary consultation with tenants, and help prepare for the major tasks to be undertaken by the trusts, if established.

  While I am encouraged by the progress on the proposal for a HAT for Stonebridge Park in Brent, I have decided that it would not be appropriate to make a decision at this stage. I hope to be able to do so shortly.

  Housing Finance
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a table showing capital spending on housing by region for each year since 1981(a) at current prices and (b) at 1981 prices.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 30 November 1992]: The available data on regional gross capital expenditure on housing by local authorities, which relate to financial years, are given in the tables. Corresponding figures for 1981–82 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  59
  2 The regional figures do not sum to the overall England totals which include some expenditure (eg the housing element of the Urban Programme, leasing) for which regional estimates are not available and because the England totals have been reconciled with other sources of data.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a table showing housing turnover by region in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 9 December 1992]: The available information is tabulated in table 14.2 of the MHSO publication Inland Revenue Statistics which is held in the Library. The years 1988–1991 are covered in the 1992 edition, and the year 1987 in the 1991 edition.

  Wild Geese
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what have been the numbers of wild geese exports to Italy for the period from 1 September 1991 to 31 January 1992, inclusive; and if he will provide a breakdown by type of goose;

  (2) how many licences for the export of wild geese have been issued since 31 January 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: According to our records, three licences to export wild geese have been issued since 31 January 1991. Only one of these licences was issued in the peirod from 1 September 1991 to 31 January 1992. This licence allowed the export of 177 dead Greylag geese (Anser anser) to Italy.

  Zoos
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many zoos are currently licensed in the United Kingdom; and what are their locations.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: Zoo licences are issued by local authorities. The information they have supplied to my Department indicates that 219 zoos are currently licensed in England under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981. In addition, 54 premises have been granted dispensation from the provisions of the Act because of their size. The corresponding information for zoos in Scotland and Wales is held by the Scottish Office and the Welsh Ofice respectively. I have placed a list of zoos, together with a list of those premises which have been granted dispensation, in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many United Kingdom zoos do not currently meet the terms of the proposed EC zoo directive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: The proposed directive would require member states to introduce measures to license all zoos. it is difficult to be precise about its effect on individual zoos since it does not contain detailed standards. We would expect most zoos in Great Britain to meet its terms since they already comply with the strict standards set under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce a bonding scheme to all zoos to ensure the proper relocation of zoo animals should British zoos be forced to close.
  60
  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: I have no plans to do so.

  Ostrich Farms
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications have been made under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 to set up ostrich farms; and if he will list their location.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: This information is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Diesel Engine Trains
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines British Rail is required to follow, as regards limiting levels of pollution produced by diesel-engine trains.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply.

  British Rail is required to meet the provisions of the Clean Air Act 1956, the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the low-level radioactive waste stockpiled at the Drigg disposal site originates from the reprocessing of imported foreign nuclear fuel.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been asked to reply.

  I understand from British Nuclear Fuels plc that, at the end of March 1992, some 5 per cent. by volume of the low-level radioactive waste disposed of at Drigg had arisen from the reprocessing of spent fuel from overseas.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Bank Notes
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Bank of England will continue to have the authority to authorise the issue of bank notes by domestic clearing banks in Scotland under the provisions of the Maastricht treaty.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Scottish note-issuing banks currently have statutory authority to issue their own bank notes, subject to certain requirements to hold Bank of England notes. Scottish notes are not formally legal tender but they may nevertheless be used in ordinary transactions.

  Under article 105a of the Maastricht treaty, the European central bank—ECB—would have the exclusive right to authorise the issue of bank notes in member states participating in stage 3 of economic and monetary union —EMU. Article 16 of the protocol on the statute of the ECB, requires the ECB to respect as far as possible existing practices regarding the issue and design of banknotes. If the United Kingdom were to participate in stage 3 of EMU these articles would permit the ECB to authorise the

  61
  Scottish banks to continue to issue their own notes. In stage 2 of EMU, and in stage 3 were the United Kingdom not to participate, the United Kingdom could continue to maintain its existing arrangements.

  Racehorse Training
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest number of reported closures of racehorse training establishments since 1989; and what analysis he has made of the effects of lower rates of VAT in other EC countries, on the competitiveness of the United Kingdom racehorse training industry.

  Sir John Cope
  There is no information available on how many racehorse training yards have closed since 1989. The present difference in the VAT rates for training fees between EC member states has existed for many years and will not be affected by the introduction of the single market. Racehorse owners choose to put their horses for training to particular trainers for many reasons. The United Kingdom continues to retain a large number of highly respected and successful trainers.

  Premium Bonds
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reviews he is currently carrying out in respect of the privatisation of the premium bond scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  None.

  Tobacco
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his forecast revenue from tobacco taxes in 1992–93; and what the comparable figure was for 1986.

  Sir John Cope
  Revenue from tobacco excise duties is forecast to be £6,044 million in 1992–93. This figure is consistent with the Chancellor's recent autumn statement. Revenue from tobacco excise duties in 1986 was £4,640 million.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the total tax levied on the United Kingdom's most popular price category cigarette brands has changed since May 1979.

  Sir John Cope
  In May 1979 a package of 20 king size cigarettes typically sold for 55p and the total tax was 39p. The corresponding price in 1992 is 221p per packet and the total tax is 168p. Over this period the tax percentage of the retail price has increased from 70 to 76 per cent.

  European Banking System
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what dicussions he has had with his European Council counterparts on the conditions set out at article 34.2 of the protocol on the statute of the European system of central banks and the European central bank in the draft treaty on European union, during the United Kingdom presidency of the European Council.

  Mr. Nelson
  Article 34.2 of the protocol on the statute of the European system of central banks and the European central bank contains nothing requiring a Council discussion. No discussion of this article has taken place in the Finance Ministers' Council.

  Mortgage Tax Relief
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current annual cost to the Exchequer of tax relief on mortgages; and what would be the cost to the Exchequer if tax relief on mortgages were limited to the 20 per cent. band.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The cost of mortgage interest tax relief in 1992–93 is provisionally estimated to be £5.2 billion based on the conventional assumption of no further changes in interest rates.

  If relief for existing amounts of allowable interest were restricted to a rate of 20 per cent., the cost would be about £4.2 billion, a reduction of £1 billion.

  Custom House, Dundee
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost of the refurbishment recently carried out to that part of the Custom House building in Dundee occupied by Customs and Excise staff; which Government Department paid for the refurbishment; and how long the refurbishment programme took from start to finish.

  Sir John Cope
  The total cost of restoration work to Dundee Custom House was some £1.4 million including fees and VAT. The scheme was initiated by the Property Services Agency which spent £0.4 million up to March 1990. Changes in the arrangements for managing Government property projects were introduced in April 1990. The remaining costs were shared between Customs and Excise—£0.5 million—and the Department of the Environments directorate of property holdings—£0.5 million—although PSA continued to run the project as an agent. Following preliminary planning and consultation with the historic buildings and monument division of the Scottish Office, work started on site in October 1988 and took three and a half years.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Government Department fixed the selling price of the refurbished part of Custom House in Dundee; what that selling price is; and which Government Departments will have to incur any financial loss resulting from sale at a price below the cost of the recent refurbishment.

  Sir John Cope
  Dundee Custom House is currently for sale, together with the adjoining property owned by the port authority. In accordance with normal practice, the selling price has not been fixed. Offers will be invited by a closing date once a reasonable level of interest has been generated. The selling price will depend on market interest and potential alternative uses.

  Disposal is the responsibility of the Department of the Environments directorate of property holdings. Together with the port authority, they have instructed James Barr and Son as selling agents.

  Work to restore the stonework was necessary to make the building safe and, as a matter of Government stewardship of historic, buildings, to preserve its fabric. The effects of the work on the prospects of sale were a secondary consideration. It was never intended to recoup the cost of accumulated maintenance responsibilities through sale proceeds.

  Pensions
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures the Government propose to take in respect of the pensions of those who retire during the period covered by the staging of the 1992 Top Salaries Review Body pay award.

  Mr. Portillo
  Earlier this year the Top Salaries Review Body recommended new salaries for judges, senior officers of the armed forces, and members of the higher civil service. The Government, taking into account wider implications, including the level of pay settlements in the private sector, decided to moderate the proposed increases and stage them over three years, bringing the total increase down to about half of the recommended level.

  The pensions of those who retire normally during the period covered by the staging of the award will be based on the salary payable at or in the period before the date of retirement, in line with the policy applied for public service pensions since the announcement made by the then Prime Minister following the staging of the 1983–84 award.

  Those who are retired early in the public interest during the staging period are in a different position from those who retire at the normal end of their career, since they could reasonably have expected to work until the deferred elements of the award had been fully or partially implemented. Arrangements are therefore being made so that senior military officers and civil servants who retired early in the public interest during the period over which the award will be staged need not suffer any pensions loss as a result of the staging.

  Company Headquarters
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was(a) the number and percentage of the United Kingdom total and (b) the market value and percentage of the United Kingdom total of quoted companies with headquarters in each region in (i) 1979, (ii) 1983, (iii) 1987, (iv) 1991 and (v) currently.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: This information is not available centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  World Bank and IMF
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to make the World bank and International Monetary Fund more conscious of the need to promote sustainable development.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: The IMF helps countries to lay foundations for sustainable development through its work in support of stabilisation measures and medium-term structural reform. The World bank pays full regard to the need for sustainable development, in particular with regard to the impact their programmes have on the environment and the poorest members of society. The current measures taken by the two institutions to achieve objectives in connection with sustainable development are described in detail in the 1992 annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the achievement 64
  of the structural adjustment programmes applied to countries by the World bank and the International Monetary Fund.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: The Government welcome the support given by the IMF and the World bank to countries pursuing adjustment programmes and the recent evidence of the improved economic performance that results from these programmes. The IMF's and World bank's 1992 annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library of the House, describe both the recent evidence and the institutions' policies.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans exist for the EC nations having a shared policy at the World bank and the International Monetary Fund.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: European Community member states are all individual members of the IMF and the World bank and instruct their representatives accordingly. There are no plans to change this practice. Furthermore, while the United Kingdom is in a single member constituency at the executive board, most EC member states are in constituencies with a wide range of non-EC countries.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what new proposals he has to take to the World bank and the International Monetary Fund to lower the debt burden of developing countries.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: The Government continue to encourage the IMF and World bank to support commercial debt and debt service reduction deals. As noted by the IMF-World bank development committee on 21 September, 12 countries, which account for more than 90 per cent. of the commercial bank debt of the major debtor nations, have now reached agreement on such arrangements. Furthermore, as a direct result of the Prime Minister's initiative to relieve the official debts of the poorest and most indebted countries, the Paris club of creditor Governments began implementing Trinidad terms last December. These provide for a reduction of up to 50 per cent. of certain official bilateral payments, and give a commitment on the part of creditors to address the question of the country's stock of debt after a period of three to four years of proven financial and economic responsibility. So far, 12 countries have benefited, and I am sure that many more will follow. The United Kingdom will continue to press our creditor colleagues to agree improvements in the terms on offer.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Lime
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will reintroduce grant aid for the application of lime to agricultural land to encourage agricultural output and reduce acid rain leaching.

  Mr. Curry
  Grant is payable under an improvement plan in the farm and conservation grant scheme for the application of lime as part of a programme of grassland improvement and, in the less favoured areas only, when
  65
  lime is applied as a separate operation without reseeding or other chemical treatment of the grass. Grant is not payable on work to convert heath or moorland to grass. I do not intend to extend these grants to subsidise the application of lime to arable land which would risk encouraging the further output of crops already in surplus.

  ESA Payments to Farmers

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  11992

  Pennine Dales

  813,100

  916,500

  953,300

  961,600

  998,800

  1,555,000

  Broads

  937,825

  1,720,000

  1,784,050

  1,813,825

  1,821,300

  2,406,000

  Somerset Levels and Moors

  679,562

  778,986

  826,112

  843,030

  889,734

  1,815,000

  South Downs

  180,640

  374,795

  580,290

  634,745

  747,620

  1,280,000

  West Penwith

  333,120

  345,360

  348,960

  351,840

  354,780

  360,000

  Breckland

  387,950

  453,275

  485,250

  496,325

  540,000

  Suffolk River Valleys

  740,850

  902,120

  990,360

  1,058,890

  1,100,000

  Shropshire Borders

  534,660

  584,450

  608,240

  627,540

  638,000

  North Peak

  673,080

  728,890

  730,780

  734,810

  735,000

  Test Valley

  21,840

  25,520

  28,080

  31,120

  32,000

  Totals

  2,944,247

  6,494,021

  7,186,967

  7,447,750

  7,760,919

  10,461,000

  1 Provisional.

  Turkeys
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the amount of turkey meat imported into the United Kingdom in each of the last five years; what measures Her Majesty's Government takes to ensure that imported turkeys have been reared and transported humanely; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The amount of turkey meat imported into the United Kingdom over the last five years is as follows:

  Turkeymeat (tonnes)

  1987

  8,154

  1988

  12,743

  1989

  14,652

  1990

  26,434

  1991

  28,430

  Any live turkeys imported into the United Kingdom would be safeguarded by the provisions of the European directives protecting the welfare of animals during transport. However, the Government have no control over welfare conditions for rearing turkeys in other member states and no Community rules exist for them. Turkeys reared in the United Kingdom benefit from our national animal welfare legislation and a specific welfare code for turkeys.

  The Government have made it clear that we wish to see the highest possible Community welfare standards set for the husbandry and transport of all farm livestock.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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 England in total.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information requested is set out in the table. The payment figures relate to the cost of agreements in the years in which the applications were made, even though a minority of payments were actually made early in the following year. The 1992 figures include estimates of the costs of agreements not yet finalised.

  Dietary Supplements
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration he has given to the response of the Society for the Promotion of Nutritional Therapy to the conclusions of the Denner report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  I recently met the Director of the Society for the Promotion of Nutritional Therapy to discuss the views of the society. There are differences of detail on some technical issues, but there is a wide measure of agreement that whatever legislation emerges as part of the European Commissions harmonisation programme the consumer should have continued access to safe products.

  Sheep Grazing
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to monitor erosion caused by excessive sheep grazing in less-favoured areas.

  Mr. Curry
  I do not believe that sheep grazing is a widespread cause of erosion. Measures to discourage overgrazing in less favoured areas are however included in the hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme. Also a number of current or proposed environmentally sensitive area schemes include the regeneration of moorland vegetation by offering payments to farmers to reduce sheep stocking levels and to carry out other beneficial management practices.

  Water Damage
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to make funds available to local authorities to pay for the damage caused to roads and ditches by silt-laden water from farmers fields:
  67
  (2) what plans he has to make farmers pay for the damage caused to roads and ditches by silt-laden water from farmers' fields.

  Mr. Curry
  None. Farmers who allow soil to leave fields and create a nuisance may be prosecuted under section 151 of the Highways Act 1980. This authorises the highway authority to serve a notice requiring appropriate preventive measures to be undertaken.

  Erosion
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has for the future monitoring of water erosion on arable land;

  (2) what plans he has to assess the impact of wind erosion on arable land.

  Mr. Curry
  Government-funded research into soil erosion by both wind and water includes work on estimating the risk of erosion for different soils in England and Wales and is expected to result in the publication in 1993 of a map of erosion risk. In addition ADAS is engaged in a project monitoring the effects of water erosion on arable land.

  A range of measures are available to farmers to tackle erosion problems, and the Government have recently issued for public consultation a draft Code of Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Soil, which is designed to help farmers on this and other matters. A copy of the consultation document is in the Library of the House.

  Badgers
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will specify the circumstances in which he is prepared to grant licences to fox hunters to attack occupied badger setts with spades and dogs.

  Mr. Soames
  There are no circumstances in which I would be prepared to grant a licence allowing fox hunters to attack an occupied badger sett with spades and dogs. However, the legislation provides that licences may be issued for interference with a badger sett for the purpose of controlling foxes in order to protect livestock, game or wildlife. I announced on 14 October that, in exceptional circumstances, a licence may be issued which would permit a dog to be entered into a badger sett to flush out a fox.

  Potatoes
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which organisations were asked to make comments on the proposals for a Council regulation regarding the common organisation of the market in potatoes; and what were the specific dates when the formal requests for those comments were communicated to them.

  Mr. Gummer
  Following is the list of organisations:

  Association of County Councils

  British Retail Consortium

  Association of Consumer Research

  Co-operative Union

  Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives (UK) Ltd.

  Food from Britain

  National Farmers Union (England)

  British Potato Trades Consortium

  British Society of Plant Breeders Ltd.

  Consumers Committee for Great Britain

  68

  Country Landowners Association

  British Society of Plant Breeders Ltd.

  Consumers Committee for Great Britain

  Country Landowners Association

  Food and Drink Federation

  Fruit Importers Association

  National Association of Seed Potato Merchants

  National Consumers Council

  National Federation of Fruit and Potato Trades Ltd.

  Potato Chip Manufacturers Association

  Potato Marketing Board

  Processed Vegetable Growers Association

  Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

  National Federation of Fish Friers

  National Joint Council of British Potato and Vegetable Merchants Association

  Potato Growers Action Group

  Potato Processors Association

  Produce Packaging and Marketing Association

  Retail Fruit Trade Federation Ltd.

  The Henry Doubleday Research Organisation

  Tenant Farmers Associations

  Womens Farming Union

  London Fox

  British Independent Grocers Association

  Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd.

  UK Association of Frozen Food Producers

  Consumers in the EC Group

  Centre for European Agricultural Studies

  The Commissions proposal was received on 25 November and the consultation letter was sent on 26 November 1992.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the organisations which have replied to the request for comments on the proposals for a Council regulation regarding the common organisation of the market in potatoes; and when those replies were received.

  Mr. Gummer
  Following is the list of organisations

  Name of organisation

  Date of reply

  British Retail Consortium

  7 December 1992

  Consumers in the EC Group

  9 December 1992

  Consumers Committee for Great Britain

  7 December 1992

  Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives (UK) Ltd.

  4 December 1992

  London FOX

  7 December 1992

  National Association of Seed Potato Merchants

  4 December 1992

  National Farmers Union (England)

  4 December 1992

  National Federation of Fish Friers

  4 December 1992

  National Federation of Fruit and Potato Trades Ltd.

  4 December 1992

  Potato Marketing Board

  4 December 1992

  Potato Processors Association

  30 November 1992

  Produce Packaging and Marketing Association

  4 December 1992

  Retail Fruit Trade Federation Ltd.

  7 December 1992

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which organisations had not replied by 7 December, in response to the request for comments on the proposals for a Council regulation regarding the common organisation of the market in potatoes.

  Mr. Gummer
  The following organisations had not replied by 7 December:

  Association of County Councils

  Association of Consumer Research

  British Independent Grocers Association

  British Potato Trades Consortium

  British Society of Plant Breeders Ltd.

  Centre for European Agricultural Studies

  69

  Co-operative Union

  Country Landowners Association

  Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd.

  Food and Drink Federation

  Food from Britain

  Fruit Importers Association

  National Consumers Council

  National Joint Council of British Potato and Vegetable Merchants Association

  Potato Chip Manufacturers Association

  Potato Growers Action Group

  Processed Vegetable Growers Association

  Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

  Henry Doubleday Research Organisation

  Tenant Farmers Association

  UK Association of Frozen Food Producers

  Womens Farming Union

  Wool Guarantee
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost of maintaining the wool guarantee in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Curry
  The wool guarantee is designed to operate as a price stabilisation mechanism on the basis of advances to, or receipts from, the British Wool Marketing Board. Net expenditure (or net receipts) over the past nine financial years was as follows. The information for earlier years could be obtained in the form requested only at disproportionate cost.

  £

  1983–84

  602,882

  1984–85

  17,838,406

  1985–86

  1,458,753

  1986–87

  8,082,047

  Total arable area (thousand ha)

  Total estimated SA (thousand ha)

  Total estimated SA converted to thousand acres

  As a percentage of national arable area

  As a percentage of total EC SA area

  Belgium

  326

  27

  67

  8

  1

  Denmark

  1,909

  226

  558

  12

  5

  Germany

  8,218

  915

  2,260

  11

  21

  Greece

  1,523

  27

  67

  2

  1

  Spain

  8,978

  764

  1,887

  9

  17

  France

  11,859

  1,463

  3,614

  12

  33

  Ireland

  359

  33

  82

  9

  1

  Italy

  5,429

  236

  583

  4

  5

  Luxembourg

  33

  1

  2

  3

  —

  Netherlands

  226

  22

  54

  10

  1

  Portugal

  833

  34

  84

  4

  1

  United Kingdom

  4,396

  634

  1,566

  14

  14

  Total

  44,087

  4,381

  10,821

  10

  100

  Note: Minor discrepancies in totals are due to rounding.

  Source: Commission statistics.

  Estimated reductions in production

  Cereals (million tonnes)

  As percentage of total reduction

  Protein (million tonnes)

  As percentage of total reduction

  Oilseed (million tonnes)

  As percentage of total reduction

  Belgium

  0.1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Denmark

  0.8

  5

  —

  —

  0.1

  8

  Germany

  3.8

  24

  —

  —

  0.2

  17

  Greece

  0.1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Spain

  1.3

  8

  —

  —

  0.1

  8

  France

  5.9

  38

  0.4

  80

  0.5

  44

  Ireland

  0.2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Italy

  0.7

  4

  —

  —

  0.1

  8

  Luxembourg

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Netherlands

  0.1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Portugal

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  United Kingdom

  2.7

  17

  0.1

  20

  0.2

  17

  70

  £

  1987–88

  11,942,751

  1988–89

  13,267,593

  1989–90

  2,180,700

  1990–91

  18,191,215

  1991–92

  40,841,371

  1 = receipts.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to retain the wool guarantee after 1 May 1993.

  Mr. Curry
  No.

  Set-aside Proposals
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arable acreage he expects to be set aside in each EC country arising from the MacSharry proposals; what proportion this will be of existing arable acreage in each case, assuming constant yields and current prices; what will be the loss in production and value in each country; and, in each case, if he will set out the figures as an absolute figure and as a proportion of the EC total, assuming no change in the balance between cereal types, seasonal planting and cereals and oilseeds.

  Mr. Curry
  The information in the following table is derived from budgetary estimates of expenditure on the CAP reform package prepared earlier this year by the Commission. These estimates do not contain figures for the value of lost production, which will depend on market prices in the next marketing year.
  71

  Cereals (million tonnes)

  As percentage of total reduction

  Protein (million tonnes)

  As percentage of total reduction

  Oilseed (million tonnes)

  As percentage of total reduction

  Total

  15.7

  0.5

  1.1

  Source: Commission statistics.

  Note: Minor discrepancies in totals are due to rounding.

  Metrication
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out the chronology of the change from acres to hectares as it has affected returns and claims required by his Department; and the reasons for the change.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government have been committed to the introduction of metric units for many years and the change from acres to hectares in relation to returns and claims required by this Department is entirely consistent with this policy. The dates when specific changes to hectares were made are as follows:

  Agricultural census and survey forms—1976.

  Hill livestock compensatory allowances—1976.

  Scheme forms and literature for capital grants phasing-in of hectares completed by 1976.

  Sheep annual premium scheme—land information required for first time in 1990 when hectares specified.

  Sand Dredging
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the studies undertaken by the working party in his Department on the effects of sand dredging.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

  My Department has undertaken one specific study on the effects of marine dredging in the Hilbre Swash area of Liverpool bay. This was completed in 1990. Any application to dredge for aggregates which comes before my Department is carefully examined for potential environmental effects including the potential effect on the coastline.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Water (Direct Payments)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications under paragraph 7 of schedule 9 of the Claims and Payments Regulations 1987, for direct payments to water companies have been made to each regional DSS office; how many have been turned down; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  Regions were replaced by territories in April 1990. The information requested in respect of each of the Benefits Agency's three territories for the year ending October 1992 is given in the table.

  Scotland and North Territory1

  Wales and Central England Territory

  Southern Territory

  Number of applications made

  31,500

  75,000

  47,000

  Number of applications rejected

  5,000

  12,000

  9,500

  72
  1 Figures refer to North Territory only as different arrangements for payment of water charges apply in Scotland.

  Note: The figures used are based on Management Information Statistics collected by the Benefits Agency in the 12 months period ending October 1992. These figures, which have been rounded to the nearest 500, are provisional and may be subject to amendment.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 30 November,Official Report, column 70, what plans he has to extend the system of direct payments to water companies by DSS offices for claimants.

  Mr. Burt
  We have no plans to extend the current arrangements by which direct payments of income support are made to water companies.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 30 November,Official Report column 70, if he will list those DSS offices which currently (a) make and (b) do not make direct payments for benefit claimants to water companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  All of the Benefit Agency's district offices in England and Wales are currently making direct payment to water companies on behalf of those meeting the criteria in paragraph 7 of schedule 9 of the Claims and Payments Regulations 1987.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 30 November,Official Report, column 70, if he will list for each DSS regional office the number of people meeting the criteria in paragraph 7 of schedule 9 of the Claims and Payments Regulations 1987, who have direct payments made to the water companies by the DSS.

  Mr. Burt
  The latest information showing the total number of income support recipients with a deduction for water charges in each of the Benefits Agency's three territories at the end of August 1992 is as follows:

  Number

  Scotland and North Territory

  28,000

  Wales and Central England Territory

  80,500

  Southern Territory

  38,000

  Note: The figures used are based on Management Information Statistics collected by the Benefits Agency for the quarter ended August 1992. These figures, which have been rounded to the nearest 500, are provisional and may be subject to amendment.

  Disability Payments
  Mr. Mike OBrien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to extend the disability premium to means-tested benefits to people who are registered as partially sighted.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no such plans. The disability premium in income support, housing benefit and
  73
  community charge benefit is available to partially sighted people on the same basis as other long-term sick and disabled people.

  Mr. Mike OBrien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what definition his Department uses of bodily functions for the purpose of the award of disability living allowance and attendance allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  Bodily functions are defined in a decision of the Court of Appeal published as an appendix to a reported decision of a national insurance commissioner (decision R(A)2/80).

  The Chief Adjudication Officer has advised that the list is not exhaustive and that adjudication officers, who decide individual claims to benefit, should use their own judgment in each case.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will reconsider the proposed change in the arrangements for claims in respect of service-related disability allowance so that claims involving disablement of below 20 per cent. will not be rejected.

  Miss Widdecombe
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 12 November proposals to introduce a threshold for claims for war pension in respect of noise-induced hearing loss so that no award would be made where disablement was less than 20 per cent. It is proposed also to use savings from that change to remove rank differentials in war disablement pensions by moving everyone up to the rate for officers; this would benefit nearly 200,000 war disablement pensioners who would gain up to £5 a week.

  These proposals have been discussed with the Central Advisory Committee on War Pensions chaired by my noble Friend Lord Henley. We have been considering the proposals following that consultation and will make an announcement shortly.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his target for reducing the time that disability living allowance and attendance allowance claims are taking from the date of initial application to the date the claimant is notified of a successful award.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of disability living allowance and attendance 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 Mr. Ron Leighton, dated
  11 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 Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what is the target for reducing the time that Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) claims are taking from the date of initial application to the date the claimant is notified of a successful award.
  The Benefits Agency introduced a standard performance measure across benefits some time ago. This is expressed in terms of clearance targets rather than average clearance times as was previously the case. The term "clearance" refers to the number of decisions made.
  As I explained in my letter of 19 October to all MPs the success of the advertising campaign and the policy initiatives surrounding the launch of the benefits attracted a much larger
  74
  number of applications in the early stages than was expected. The resulting backlog of new DLA and AA claims was successfully tackled following implementation of the remedial measures described in my letter and Disability Benefit Centres are now well within sight of achieving their targets.
  I should explain that the primary target set for the clearance of new DLA claims is 60 per cent. of claims to be cleared in 30 days and for AA, 60 per cent. to be cleared in 35 days. At the end of November 1992 55 per cent. of new DLA claims were being cleared in 30 days and 53 per cent. of new AA claims cleared in 35 days. Progress towards fully achieving these targets continues and we expect to meet them shortly.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy is also being placed in the Library.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what grade of official replies to hon. Members regarding the disability living allowance; once a decision is reached on a case, how soon a written response is made to hon. Members; and what guidance is given to officials dealing with cases referred by hon. Members over replying to hon. Members.

  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 Mr. David Winnick, dated
  11 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 Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security concerning the grade of officials replying to honourable Members regarding Disability Living Allowance (DLA) once a decision has been given; how soon a written response is made and what guidance is given to officials replying to honourable Members.
  Letters from Members of Parliament (MPs) about DLA addressed to the DLA Unit at Fylde are answered by officials not below the grade of Executive Officer and a number of replies are subject to a check at the level of Higher Executive Officer. Senior managers are consulted on any case which involves an uncommon or sensitive issue.
  Once a decision is given on a claim involved in such an enquiry from an MP, the DLA Unit aims to provide a written reply within 48 hours.
  Officials involved in written replies are given training in drafting skills and there are written guidelines on drafting technique. Detailed information to be included in the reply is obtained from the relevant operational area.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.

  National Insurance Benefit
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the numbers and percentages of(a) men and (b) women above state pension age, who do not receive any national insurance benefit.

  Miss Widdecombe
  It is estimated that at March 1991 about 110,000 men (3.0 per cent.) and 580,000 women (8.5 per cent.) over state pension age did not receive a national insurance benefit. These numbers include those who received only the graduated benefit element of the retirement pension, but do not show receipt of non-contributory retirement pensions nor income-related benefits (available to those with insufficient resources).Note: These estimates are subject to a considerable degree of uncertainty (rounding is to the nearest 10,000).

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many households are receiving housing benefit(a) with income support and (b) without income support; how many households are having their mortgage interest paid with income support; and what is the average weekly payment in each case, and the total annual costs.

  Mr. Burt
  The latest available information for 1991–92 for housing benefit is in the table. I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Raynsford) on 26 October at columns 737–38 concerning mortgage interest paid with income support.

  Expenditure £ million

  Number of households (thousands)

  Average weekly payment £

  With income support

  3,450

  2,370

  27.80

  Without income support

  2,128

  1,830

  22.20

  Total

  5,578

  4,200

  25.35

  Income Statistics
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what, for the latest date available, are the average weekly incomes excluding mean-tested benefits of(a) men aged 65 years and over and (b) women aged 60 years and over, distinguishing between husbands, wives, single men and single women respectively.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information is not available in the form requested. The latest data available from the 1988 family expenditure survey shows that the average gross income (excluding housing benefit) of a single woman aged 60 and over is £74.90; for a single man aged 65 and over it is £89.80 and for a couple where the husband is over state pension age it is £168.00.

  The nature of the survey techniques used in the family expenditure survey means that reliable information about pensioner income from income support is not available, nor can the separate incomes of husbands and wives within a couple be identified reliably.

  Chief Adjudication Officers Report
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the eighth report of the Chief Adjudication Officer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  The report is being published today. Its findings point to encouraging improvements in some areas of adjudication in Benefits Agency districts, particularly in review action in income support cases. The CAO has also reported good standards of adjudication within the Newcastle and Fylde benefits directorates.

  The CAO acknowledges the commitment of the Benefits Agency and Employment Service to better standards of adjudication and the increased emphasis in quality in agency business plans for 1992–93. Both he and I look forward to progress in coming years, particularly in those areas where the CAO found some room for improvement.

  The CAO also welcomes the positive responses made to the majority of the recommendations he made in his 1990–91 report and makes further recommendations to build upon the progress made so far.
  76
  These recommendations are being considered and we will respond in due course.

  Household Incomes
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many households there are with incomes below 50 per cent. of the national average in each standard planning region in the United Kingdom; what is this figure expressed as a proportion of the number of households in the region; and what were the equivalent figures for 1979.

  Mr. Burt
  A reliable regional breakdown of the numbers and proportions living below half average income could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Statistics for the United Kingdom as a whole are available in "Households Below Average Income", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Industrial Diseases
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration he has now given to the recommendations of the report on chronic bronchitis and emphysema, submitted to him by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council on 25 August; and if he will make a statement on the Government's response to the report.

  Mr. Scott
  The Government published the report on 25 November and is now considering a number of administrative, medical and financial issues raised by the report. We will announce our response as soon as possible.

  Council Tax
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of the council tax on the standard of living of those of retirement age who are receiving income support or who are just above income support level.

  Mr. Burt
  With the introduction of the council tax the standard of living for most people on income support will improve, as will that of those on slightly higher incomes. Around 5 million claimants receiving income support, including 1.7 million over-60s, will benefit from the decision not to withdraw the current element added to the income-related benefits to help meet the community charge. The total additional help effectively made available will be around £750 million in 1993–94, £260 million of which relates to people over 60.

  Benefit Entitlement
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to publicise benefit entitlement to older people as part of the European Year of Older People 1993.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The provision of information on benefit entitlement 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 Mr. Barry Sheerman, dated 11 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

  77
  recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security regarding the publicising of benefit entitlement to older poeple as part of the European Year of Older People 1993.
  Analysis of research into the needs of our customers has identified the elderly as a priority group for information on benefits. As part of the European Year of Older People a new leaflet, with an associated poster, is planned for issue in May.
  The leaflet will focus on elderly people who have been retired for several years and the Social Security benefits for which they may qualify but are unaware of. It will cover areas such as help on a low income—including help for people to continue living in the community rather than in care—looking after health, sickness and disability benefits, residential care, death of a partner and payment direct to an account. Council Tax Benefit and the new community care arrangements are included. Mention is also made of some services provided within the local community such as low-cost travel and help within the home.
  The leaflet will be researched with the target audience to ensure that the language and style are appropriate. It will be distributed through various outlets but particularly to those in contact with elderly people such as day care centres and will be included in post office displays.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will be placed in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

SCOTLAND

  Disabled People (Transport)
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives for the disabled to discuss their transport needs; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has not met formally with any representatives of disabled people recently to discuss their transport needs, although Scottish Office officials are in regular contact with many of the organisations concerned with the transport needs of people with disabilities.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he gives to the needs of the disabled when deciding transport policy for Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend continues to give full consideration of the needs of disabled people when deciding transport policy for Scotland. The Scottish Office works closely with the Department of Transports disability unit to ensure that public transport is easier to use and that personal mobility is increased for disabled people.

  A Scottish Office official acts as an observer on the Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee, the statutory committee set up to advise the Government on transport and mobility matters relating to disabled people. Two of the 20 members of this Committee are Scottish. The Scottish Office also has an observer on the Access and Mobility Committee of Disability Scotland.

  Council Houses
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new council houses were built in each district council area in each year since 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on the number of local authority dwellings completed in each 78
  district and islands council area is contained in the quarterly Statistical Bulletins published by the Scottish Office entitled "Housing Trends in Scotland", copies of which are in the Library.

  Food Group
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress is being made with the Scottish Food Group; and if he will give details of its membership, its terms of reference and its programme of work.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I expect a full announcement at the beginning of January.

  Wool Guarantee
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will delay the removal of the wool price guarantee until 1995.

  Sir Hector Monro
  No. Our decision to terminate the wool guarantee was taken in 1988, following consultation with the industry. We concluded that such direct involvement in the wool market was no longer appropriate in the face of European Community support measures under the common agricultural policy. The wool industry has had several years in which to prepare for the termination of the wool guarantee and should now be ready to accept financial responsibility for is own affairs.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of maintaining the wool price guarantee(a) in Scotland as a whole and (b) in the less favoured areas of Scotland in each of the past five years.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The information is not available in the form requested. The wool guarantee is designed to operate as a price stabilisation mechanism on the basis of advances to, or receipts from, the British Wool Marketing Board. For the United Kingdom as a whole, nett expenditure (or nett receipts) in each of the past five years was as shown.

  £ million

  1987–88

  (1.9)

  1988–89

  (3.3)

  1989–90

  2.2

  1990–91

  18.2

  1991–92

  40.8

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to retain the wool price guarantee after 1 May 1993.

  Sir Hector Monro
  No. Our decision to terminate the wool guarantee was taken in 1988, following consultation with the industry. We concluded that such direct involvement in the wool market was no longer appropriate in the face of European Community support measures under the common agricultural policy. The wool industry has had several years in which to prepare for the termination of the wool guarantee and should now be ready to accept financial responsibility for its own affairs.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the importance of the wool price guarantee to Scottish producers; and if he will make a statement.
  79
  Sir Hector Monro
  I have received representations about the ending of the wool guarantee from several hon. Members.

  The effect of ending the guarantee will vary between producers but, on average the return from wool amounts to only about 5 per cent. of total producer returns. Sheep farmers will continue to receive very substantial Government support through ewe premium and hill livestock compensatory allowances. Scottish producers currently benefit by over £90 million in direct subsidies from these sources.

  Water and Sewerage Services
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if it remains his policy not to introduce legislation to allow mains water disconnections for non-payment of water bills.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: Scottish water authorities may disconnect non-domestic consumers for non-payment of water bills. They have no powers to disconnect domestic consumers under these circumstances.

  My right hon. Friend announced the publication of a consultation paper about the future structure of the Scottish water and sewerage industry on 17 November. He said that once the appropriate option for the industry's future structure had been decided all other factors relevant to that option will also be decided. The consultation period does not expire until 29 January 1993.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many households currently rely on septic tanks for each regional and island authority;

  (2) how many households have been connected to mains drainage for each island and regional authority area for the last five years for which figures are available.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: This information is not available.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many households have been connected to mains water supplies for each of the island and regional authorities for the last five years for which figures are available.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many households rely on private water supplies for each of the regions and island authorities areas.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: From information supplied by local authorities we estimate that there are around 30,000 private supplies in Scotland. The available breakdown by regional and island authority areas is given in the table. No information is available on household numbers.

  Authority

  Estimated number of private supplies

  Borders

  2,415

  Central

  479

  Dumfries and Galloway1

  815+

  80

  Authority

  Estimated number of private supplies

  Fife

  358

  Grampian

  11,638

  Highland2

  5,294+

  Lothian

  262

  Strathclyde

  3,602

  Tayside

  2,265

  Orkney

  1,100

  Shetland

  286

  Western Isles

  49

  1 Numbers in Nithsdale and Stewartry District Council not known.

  2 Numbers in Skye and Lochalsh District Council not known.

DEFENCE

  Polaris
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions have been taken on the methods of disposal for United Kingdom Polaris missiles and their components.

  Mr. Aitken
  Final decisions have still to be taken on the disposal of Polaris missiles. The methods adopted will take account of all relevant factors, including safety considerations, and advice from appropriate United Kingdom and US authorities.

  Reactor Cores
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those sites that are licensed to hold used or unused nuclear submarine reactor cores, listing for each site how many it is licensed to hold and how many it currently holds.

  Mr. Aitken
  The information the hon. Member requests is as follows:

  Site

  Licensed capacity

  Current holding1

  VSEL, Barrow-in-Furness

  1 new core

  Naval Reactor Test

  1 used core

  1 used core

  Establishment, Dounreay

  DML, Devonport

  1 new core

  1 used core

  2 used cores

  BTL, Rosyth

  1 new core

  1 used core

  1 used core

  BNFL, Sellafield

  Not limited by site licence

  37 used cores

  Rolls-Royce and Associates Ltd., Derby

  Not limited by site licence

  1 These figures exclude cores in submarine reactors.

  For security reasons, it is not our policy to comment on the location of new reactor cores.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the last used reactor core was transported to Sellafield; and from where it was moved.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 27 November,Official Report, column 895. The core to which I referred is regarded as used because it had been fitted to a submarine reactor plant, although it remained unirradiated.
  81
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he first knew that the used core transportation package flasks used by his Department would have to be replaced.

  Mr. Aitken
  The current applicable standards are the 1985 International Atomic Energy Agency regulations which came into effect in the United Kingdom in 1991. The first formal indication that the used core transport packages would not, in their existing form, meet those requirements came during 1991 when a case was prepared to license the packages against those regulations. However, the likely need eventually to replace the packages was foreseen some time earlier and work had started on the provision of a new design of container.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the transportation of nuclear submarine reactor cores within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Aitken
  The Government attach great importance to nuclear safety and no movement of Royal Navy nuclear submarine fuel has taken place without the relevant Department of Transport licence. Transportation of irradiated used fuel ceased on expiry of the latest licence for the MoD used core transport package in October 1991 and will not recommence until licensed containers are available. A programme is under way to procure replacement containers but this is a complex and technically demanding task and the first new container is not expected to be available before 1995. Other possibilities, including modification of the existing packages, are being explored with the aim of providing a licensed mode of transport for irradiated used cores in the meantime.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many unirradiated nuclear submarine reactor cores are held by his Department; and what are their locations.

  Mr. Aitken
  For security reasons, it is not our policy to comment on the location of new reactor cores. Two used but unirradiated cores are held by BNFL Sellafield.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the expected date of the removal of the reactor cores from HMS Sovereign and HMS Revenge.

  Mr. Aitken
  The reactor cores in HMS Sovereign and HMS Revenge are currently planned to be removed during 1993 and 1994 respectively.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the expected timetable for the introduction into service of the replacements for used core transportation package flasks.

  Mr. Aitken
  Industry has been invited to tender for a replacement used core transportation package and subject to the outcome we expect to place a contract in 1993. Allowing for the detailed design and proving work that will then be necessary and the demanding engineering standards that apply, we do not expect the first replacement package to be available before 1995.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when used core transportation package flasks were last licensed for use in the United Kingdom.
  82
  Mr. Aitken
  The last used core transportation package transport licence expired in October 1991.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current locations of the reactor cores from (i) HMS Conqueror, (ii) HMS Warspite, (iii) HMS Courageous, (iv) HMS Churchill, (v) HMS Spartan, (vi) HMS Splendid and (vii) HMS Valiant.

  Mr. Aitken
  The information the hon. Member requests is as follows:

  Submarine

  Location of reactor core

  HMS Conqueror

  DML Devonport

  HMS Warspite

  BNFL Sellafield

  HMS Courageous

  Aboard submarine at Devonport

  HMS Churchill

  BNFL Sellafield

  HMS Spartan

  Aboard submarine at Devonport

  HMS Splendid

  BNFL Sellafield

  HMS Vailant

  Aboard submarine at Rosyth

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the cooling pond for used nuclear submarine fuel cores at Rosyth to become operational; and what will be its maximum capacity.

  Mr. Aitken
  The Rosyth core pond is expected to become operational, for the storage of up to two complete fuel cores, during the latter half of 1993.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the invitation to tender for a new Ministry of Defence used core transport package was issued; what companies have entered bids; and what will be the estimated cost of the new UCTPs.

  Mr. Aitken
  An invitation to tender for a replacement used core transportation package was issued to Rolls-Royce and Associates in December 1991 and a response is due early next year. An estimated cost cannot be made available before a contract has been placed for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer by the Minister of State for Defence Procurement of 27 November,Official Report, column 895, why an unirradiated unused nuclear submarine fuel core was moved to BNFL Sellafield for safe storage and why it was not reused in another nuclear powered submarine refit at Rosyth or returned to Rolls-Royce and Associates, Derby for recycling.

  Mr. Aitken
  The core referred to in my answer of 27 November was originally intended to be used in a submarine refit which was subsequently cancelled prior to completion as a consequence of the "Options for Change" review. The core was built to an older design for which there are no opportunities for use in a further refit. The fact that the core has been fitted to a submarine reactor prevented recycling.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what interim measures are being taken to alleviate the problems arising from the halting of transportation of used nuclear submarine fuel cores in used core transport packages from Rosyth and Devonport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  Possible interim measures for restoring a licensed mode of transportation for nuclear submarine
  83
  used cores, including the use of commercial containers and modification of the existing packages, are being explored. Used cores can remain safely contined within submarine reactors until licensed storage or transport arrangements are available for them. A limited number of used cores may temporarily be stored at Rosyth and Devonport dockyards in accordance with their nuclear installations inspectorate site licences. The relicensing of the core storage ponds at the dockyards to permit additional cores temporarily to be stored there is being pursued.

  A91 Building, Aldermaston
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 November,Official Report, column 294, what previous project definition studies have been carried out in relation to the A91 building at AWE Aldermaston.

  Mr. Aitken
  A definition study for the building that is now designated as A91 was commissioned by the Property Services Agency in July 1980.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 June,Official Report, columns 298–99, what is the average level of plutonium contamination in grassed areas inside AWE Aldermaston; and how much of AWE Aldermaston is estimated to be affected.

  Mr. Aitken
  AWE Aldermaston undertakes routinely an extensive programme of on-site monitoring, involving hundreds of surveys and thousands of measurements each year, for alpha, beta and uranium radioactivity in soil and grass. The average level of plutonium specifically is not measured in most of these surveys, but its activity is included as total alpha. In addition local soil surveys are always undertaken prior to any engineering work in order to confirm that disturbed material will not contain significant levels of radioactivity. Almost all results are very low and show no levels of radioactivity greater than that which occurs naturally or due to worldwide fallout from the atmospheric testing that took place mainly in the 1950s and 1960s. Slightly elevated levels are occasionally measured in some localised areas where certain operations have been conducted. The specific compound referred to in my previous answer on 25 June 1992,Official Report, columns 298–99, occupied an extremely small area, less than one thousandth of the total area of the site. The average levels of alpha, beta and uranium radioactivity in soil and grass are indistinguishable from those measured off-site in the general locality of Aldermaston. They do not present radiological dangers to the workers, the general public or to the natural environment.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the design and construction of a solid waste treatment plant as part of the new waste management complex at AWE Aldermaston.

  Mr. Aitken
  This project has been deferred pending the decision about the requirements of a United Kingdom repository for intermediate-level waste.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the new design and construction of a size reduction facility as part of the new waste management complex at AWE Aldermaston.
  84
  Mr. Aitken
  This project has been deferred pending the decision about the requirements of a United Kingdom repository for intermediate level waste.

  Atomic Weapons Establishments
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will name the three tenders for the contract to operate the atomic weapons establishments.

  Mr. Aitken
  The three tenderers for the contract to operate the atomic weapons establishments are Babcock NNC Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Babcock International Group plc; Hunting-BRAE Limited and RRO Limited, a joint venture company owned by Rolls-Royce plc and Royal Ordnance plc.

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) physically disabled and (b) sensorily disabled people are employed in his Department; and what percentage they are of the total work force.

  Mr. Aitken
  As at 1 July 1992, the total number of registered disabled persons employed by the Ministry of Defence was some 1,103 representing approximately 0.8 per cent. of the total non industrial and industrial work force. We are not able to break these figures down further, into the two categories requested. The MOD is, however, at present engaged in a Department-wide disability survey, covering both registered and non-registered disability. This will, in due course, provide more detailed and accurate information about our disabled staff to help us improve our performance as an employer of people with disabilities.

  Submarine Exports
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to explore the possibility of defence exports of submarines to the western Gulf states and Saudi Arabia.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department takes the opportunity to discuss defence exports, including sales of submarines, wherever and whenever it is appropriate. We are always willing to consider responsible defence exports to our friends in that region.

  Services Home Saving Scheme
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which financial institutions were chosen to provide the services home saving scheme accounts; and on what criteria the selections were based.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre (Mr. Coombs) on 19 November 1992,Official Report, column 296. The criteria used in selection of the four institutions included the investor protection provided, the institutions' commitment to developing, implementing and marketing the scheme, and the interest rates on offer to service personnel.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the projected cost to his Department of the services home saving scheme.
  85
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The cost of the special savings scheme will depend upon how many service personnel take advantage of the scheme, and the period for which they save. When fully operational, it might cost up to £50 million a year. This will represent a new commitment for which additional provision will be made.

  Army Lottery
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual projected saving to the central Army funds expected to be following the introduction of the Army lottery.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There will be no savings to public funds. The planned Army sports lottery is intended to supplement existing sources of non public support for Army sport and welfare activities.

  Defence Estate (Public Access)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which projects on improving access by the public on the defence estate have been initiated since July 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My Department is constantly seeking to improve public access. Since July 1991 improvements have included the following projects:Coquet Valley—Refurbishment of Barrowd own Old School as an outdoor camping barn, (agreed November 1991.)
  Coquet Valley—Development of car parking and picnicking facilities at Windyhaugh School (agreed November 1991.
  Praker Wood—Footpath and signposting.
  Willsworthy—Public access agreement with Dartmoor National Park, March, 1991.

  The publication "Walks on MOD Land" was published in August 1991. A copy is in the Library of the House.

  Forces Clothing
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 7 December,Official Report, column 546, what was the expenditure on clothing which was imported for each of the armed forces for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Aitken
  The information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I will write to the hon. Member.

  Service Personnel
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel in(a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy and (c) the Royal Air Force have been based in England, Scotland or Wales since 1986; what are his estimates for 1993 and 1994; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The figures requested for 1986 to 1992 are given in the table. Estimates for 1993 and 1994 are not available in the form requested.

  All figures are for 1 July:

  Royal Navy and Royal Marines

  Army

  RAF

  1986

  England

  50,328

  78,781

  62,563

  Wales

  43

  793

  5,454

  86

  Royal Navy and Royal Marines

  Army

  RAF

  Scotland

  9,370

  3,154

  7,177

  1987

  England

  50,679

  78,192

  62,035

  Wales

  41

  385

  5,650

  Scotland

  9,217

  2,676

  7,734

  1988

  England

  48,774

  79,454

  61,617

  Wales

  38

  406

  5,354

  Scotland

  9,022

  2,550

  7,716

  1989

  England

  47,705

  75,602

  60,007

  Wales

  44

  415

  4,931

  Scotland

  9,443

  3,142

  7,450

  1990

  England

  45,591

  74,683

  59,368

  Wales

  45

  406

  4,805

  Scotland

  9,092

  3,079

  7,082

  1991

  England

  44,187

  69,889

  59,209

  Wales

  47

  418

  4,781

  Scotland

  9,045

  2,318

  6,883

  1992

  England

  44,975

  70,722

  57,817

  Wales

  47

  418

  4,750

  Scotland

  8,665

  2,925

  7,170

  Cnewr Estate
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the decision was taken to pursue a formal agreement to use the Cnewr estate in the Brecon Beacons national park for military training purposes; what consideration was given when making this decision to the proposed agreement between the Brecon Beacons national park authority and the trustees of the Cnewr estate concerning improved access; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In September this year the MOD responded to an approach from the trustees of the estate. In making that response, MOD was aware of the proposed agreement with the Brecon Beacons national park.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 7 December,Official Report, column 544, how his Ministry became aware in May that discussions between the trustees of the Cnewr estate and the Brecon Beacons national park authority were taking place.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The MOD initially became aware of the discussions during an informal meeting between the local defence land agent and the trustees of the estate.

  Military Training Land
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the locations of all land where he has published notices of proposed development for military training purposes as required by the Department of the Environment circular 18/84 since 1984, giving the date of issue and whether the development went ahead in each case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information is not held in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. OSMAN BHAYAT
  Mr. OSMAN BHAYAT
  IRAN: BAHĀ'I COMMUNITY
  IRAN: BAHĀ'I COMMUNITY
  HONG KONG: GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS
  HONG KONG: GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS
  KENYA: ELECTIONS
  KENYA: ELECTIONS
  SARDAR SAROVAR DAM PROJECT
  SARDAR SAROVAR DAM PROJECT
  TREATY ON EUROPEAN UNION
  TREATY ON EUROPEAN UNION
  SUDAN: DEBTS
  SUDAN: DEBTS
  SURVEYOR GENERAL'S ORGANISATION
  SURVEYOR GENERAL'S ORGANISATION
  SMALL FIRMS LOAN GUARANTEE SCHEME
  SMALL FIRMS LOAN GUARANTEE SCHEME
  MATRIX CHURCHILL
  MATRIX CHURCHILL
  DEFENCE EXPORT SERVICES SECRETARIAT
  DEFENCE EXPORT SERVICES SECRETARIAT
  EXERCISE TEAM SPIRIT
  EXERCISE TEAM SPIRIT
  ENGLISH HERITAGE: CHAIRMAN'S NEWSPAPER INTERVIEW
  ENGLISH HERITAGE: CHAIRMAN'S NEWSPAPER INTERVIEW
  THE CITY AND HACKNEY: PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT
  THE CITY AND HACKNEY: PUBLIC HEALTH REPORT
  KIDDERMINSTER AND DISTRICT HEALTH AUTHORITY: MERGER WITH BROMSGROVE AND REDDITCH
  KIDDERMINSTER AND DISTRICT HEALTH AUTHORITY: MERGER WITH BROMSGROVE AND REDDITCH
  NHS STATIONERY: POLICY ON USE
  NHS STATIONERY: POLICY ON USE
  SCHOOL INSPECTORS: TRAINING
  SCHOOL INSPECTORS: TRAINING
  PARENT EDUCATION
  PARENT EDUCATION
  GRANT-MAINTAINED SCHOOLS: FORECAST NUMBER
  GRANT-MAINTAINED SCHOOLS: FORECAST NUMBER
  SALMON FISHING: CONTROLLING BODIES' RESPONSIBILITIES
  SALMON FISHING: CONTROLLING BODIES' RESPONSIBILITIES
  CARBON DIOXIDE
  CARBON DIOXIDE