Written Answers of 15 December 1992

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Defence Equipment, Iran
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what way the guidelines relating to all deliveries of defence equipment to Iran set by his predecessor on 29 October 1985 cover the export of civilian equipment which could be militarily useful.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Dual use goods and technologies which require a licence to be exported to Iran under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1991, as amended, fall to be considered under the guidelines.

  Laws of War
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which of the additional protocols to the Geneva convention on the laws of war have been signed and ratified by Her Majesty's Government; which have been signed but not ratified; which have not been signed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The United Kingdom signed both additional protocols on 8 June 1977. It has not yet ratified them.

  United Nations Charter
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which parts of the charter of the United Nations have not yet been ratified by Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The United Kingdom ratified the United Nations charter on 20 October 1945 without any reservations.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will propose a review of the role of the United Nations protection force to ensure, within its mandate, its maximum effectiveness in support of the relief effort in Bosnia.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The United Nations keeps the role and effectiveness of UNPROFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina under constant review. The Secretary-General reports his findings and recommendations to the Security Council on a monthly basis.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requests he has received from the Bosnian Government for assistance in establishing a diplomatic residency or office in Britain; and if he will make a statement.
  88
  Mr. Goodlad
  We have received no request from the Bosnian authorities about the establishment of a diplomatic mission in the United Kingdom.

  Sudan
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Sudan in relation to the persecution of(a) Roman Catholics and (b) other Christians in that country.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have made clear to the Sudanese Government both bilaterally and in international forums our abhorrence of the systematic abuses of human rights throughout Sudan, and the importance we attach to respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, freedom of religion among them. We co-sponsored the United Nations General Assembly resolution on the human rights situation in Sudan, adopted in the third committee on 4 December.

  Technology Transfers
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list current proscribed destinations under the COCOM rules; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) on 7 December, at column 463.

  There are currently 24 destinations proscribed under the Co-ordinating Committee on Multilateral Export Controls—COCOM—rules. These are:
  The Republics of the former Soviet Union (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan), the People's Republic of China, the Czech and Slovak Republic, the Mongolian People's Republic, the People's Democratic Republic of North Korea, the Republic of Poland, Romania and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

  Hungary was removed from the list of proscribed destinations in May this year. COCOM will consider removing other countries from the list as they make progress in establishing effective control procedures for the export or re-export of sensitive goods and technology.

  China
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Chinese Government over the abuse of human rights of prisoners in China's gaols; and if he will raise the matter at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We have taken every opportunity this year as in past years to raise human rights issues with the Chinese authorities. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister did so most recently with Vice-Premier Zhu Rongji in November. My noble Friend Lord Howe and his delegation did so in great detail during their visit to China earlier this month. The delegation's discussions included the treatment of prisoners, and the programme included visits to places of detention. We and our EC partners co-sponsored a resolution on the situation in China,
  89
  including Tibet, at this year's full session of the UN Commission on Human Rights. A "no action" motion prevented the resolution from coming to a vote.

  Overseas Staff
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to alter the number of grade of staff employed in posts overseas in support of the United Kingdom trade and commercial interests; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  There are at present no plans to alter the number of grades of staff employed in our commercial effort overseas.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards efforts being made at the United Nations to seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the legality of use and threat of use of nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Government see no need for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the legal status of nuclear weapons. There is no treaty which outlaws nuclear weapons. On the contrary, the non-proliferation treaty explicitly recognises the possession of nuclear weapons by "nuclear-weapon States". The use of nuclear weapons would have to be judged as lawful or not in the light of the particular circumstances in which they were used. Since the use of nuclear weapons might according to the circumstances be lawful, the deterrent threat of their use must also be considered lawful.

  Parking Fines, Diplomats
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish up-to-date figures recording the number of unpaid parking fines incurred by each diplomatic mission in London in the first six months of the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The information requested by my hon. Friend is given in the table. The table also includes those international organisations which incurred unpaid fines. The figures may be reduced by late payments.

  The total of 2,388 for the first six months of 1992 represents a 20 per cent. reduction from the figure of 3,000 for the same period in 1991. It compares with nearly 67,000 in the first six months of 1984 before publication of the 1985 White Paper. We welcome this further reduction in unpaid parking fines that has been achieved during 1992 and appreciate the co-operation of diplomatic missions since the introduction of the parking policy. We shall continue to monitor carefully the level of unpaid fines and bring pressure to bear on diplomatic missions to reduce this still further.

  Unpaid parking fines

  Diplomatic mission

  January-June 1992

  January-June 1991

  Turkey

  141

  73

  Saudi Arabia

  126

  89

  Russia

  124

  167

  90

  Diplomatic mission

  January-June 1992

  January-June 1991

  France

  114

  69

  Greece

  82

  80

  Nigeria

  79

  47

  China

  79

  74

  Zambia

  64

  38

  Cote D'Ivoire

  60

  41

  Cameroon

  59

  110

  Korea

  59

  71

  Oman

  48

  42

  Sudan

  45

  51

  Cyprus

  45

  30

  Thailand

  45

  77

  India

  40

  24

  Tunisia

  40

  18

  Israel

  38

  92

  Egypt

  38

  44

  Libyan Interests Sec., Saudi Arabia

  36

  105

  Poland

  36

  115

  Spain

  34

  22

  Gambia

  31

  23

  Morocco

  30

  78

  Germany

  30

  41

  Uruguay

  30

  17

  Hungary

  29

  22

  Qatar

  27

  0

  Ghana

  27

  59

  Senegal

  25

  0

  Pakistan

  25

  78

  Romania

  23

  20

  Bangladesh

  22

  18

  Algeria

  22

  15

  Bulgaria

  21

  61

  Mauritius

  19

  5

  Portugal

  17

  33

  United States

  15

  6

  Jordan

  15

  62

  Barbados

  14

  27

  Liberia

  14

  10

  Brazil

  14

  32

  Mexico

  12

  2

  Tanzania

  12

  25

  Japan

  11

  7

  Finland

  11

  13

  Italy

  11

  20

  Zaire

  11

  10

  Ethiopia

  10

  14

  Syria

  10

  3

  Venezuela

  10

  10

  Yugoslavia

  10

  27

  Iraqi Interests Sec., Jordan

  10

  32

  Lebanon

  10

  4

  Angola

  9

  0

  Brunei

  9

  25

  Malaysia

  9

  11

  Jamaica

  9

  15

  United Arab Emirates

  9

  140

  Ireland

  8

  1

  Bahrain

  8

  21

  Canada

  7

  35

  Lesotho

  7

  5

  Guyana

  7

  26

  Gabon

  6

  22

  Iran

  6

  9

  Zimbabwe

  6

  19

  Burma

  5

  5

  Malawi

  5

  10

  Nepal

  5

  1

  Philippines

  5

  2

  Kenya

  5

  0

  Honduras

  5

  12

  Afghanistan

  5

  0

  Cuba

  5

  8

  Yemen

  5

  14

  South Africa

  4

  4

  Guatemala

  4

  22

  Peru

  3

  7

  91

  Diplomatic mission

  January-June 1992

  January-June 1991

  Paraguay

  3

  4

  Czechoslovakia

  3

  7

  Belgium

  3

  4

  Malta

  3

  1

  Sweden

  3

  4

  Botswana

  3

  0

  Uganda

  3

  5

  Chile

  2

  12

  Sri Lanka

  2

  1

  Indonesia

  2

  3

  Austria

  2

  6

  Eastern Caribbean States

  2

  5

  Trinidad and Tobago

  2

  7

  Luxembourg

  2

  3

  Panama

  2

  8

  Australia

  2

  3

  Norway

  1

  3

  Iceland

  1

  2

  New Zealand

  1

  0

  Vietnam

  1

  9

  Fiji

  1

  3

  Sierra Leone

  1

  18

  Mozambique

  1

  2

  Bahamas

  1

  2

  Mongolia

  1

  5

  Colombia

  1

  0

  Tonga

  1

  0

  Seychelles

  1

  4

  Kuwait

  0

  165

  Namibia

  0

  0

  Grenada

  0

  0

  Togo

  0

  8

  Benin

  0

  0

  Belize

  0

  0

  Singapore

  0

  3

  Papua New Guinea

  0

  2

  Ecuador

  0

  1

  El Salvador

  0

  0

  Dominica

  0

  0

  Argentina

  0

  2

  Antigua

  0

  0

  Denmark

  0

  0

  Swaziland

  0

  1

  Nicaragua

  0

  0

  Switzerland

  0

  0

  Netherlands

  0

  2

  Costa Rica

  0

  1

  Bolivia

  0

  7

  International Organisations

  Commonwealth Secretariat

  21

  13

  INMARSAT

  5

  1

  EBRD

  2

  0

  WEU

  1

  1

  Coffee

  1

  0

  EC

  1

  1

  IMO

  0

  1

  Cocoa

  0

  3

  UN

  0

  0

  African Development Bank

  0

  0

  Sugar

  0

  0

  2,388

  3,000

  Somalia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what diplomatic initiatives he proposes, as EC president, to complement and follow on from the military action in Somalia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The European Council on 12 December issued a declaration supporting the Security 92
  Council resolution 794 and expressing the hope that its implementation will encourage national reconciliation. The EC has supported the United Nations proposals to seek reconciliation through local and regional consultations designed to build a framework for national reconciliation.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the United Nations about its performance in Somalia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development visited New York last month to discuss with the Secretary-General and senior United Nations officials the progress of the relief effort in Somalia and plans for stepping up activities including the greater involvement of United Nations agencies. We have stressed the need for the United Nations to provide strong and effective co-ordination of relief operations in Somalia. We have participated in co-ordination conferences organised by the United Nations in Geneva in October and in Addis Ababa this month.

ENVIRONMENT

  Homelessness
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an assessment of the extent of homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent; and how many(a) families and (b) single people will benefit from the additional funding announced in the autumn statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  An assessment is made on the basis of the local authority's own estimates contained in its housing strategy statement and statistical returns, together with the homeless indicator in the housing general needs index.

  This information is used to inform our decisions on the allocation of housing investment programme allocations to local authorities which will be announced later this month.

  The autumn statement made considerable additional resources available for the support of capital programmes which will directly benefit families and single people in housing need:
  An increase in Housing Corporation spending to £2.3 billion this year, enabling the immediate purchase of about 16,000 new, empty or repossessed homes for those in housing need. And provide sufficient funds to exceed the target of 153,000 new housing association homes in the three years 1992–93 to 1994–95;
  The release of additional local authority capital receipts, which are expected to add about £1 billion to housing spending between now and 1995–96;
  And, the creation of a new housing partnership fund where £30 million will be available in the form of supplementary credit approvals to be bid for worthwhile housing investment projects.

  Churches National Housing Coalition
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Stoke-on-Trent representatives of the Churches National Housing Coalition; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Ministerial colleagues and I received a number of written and oral representations when the Churches National Housing Coalition lobbied Parliament on 1 December.

  Home Improvement Grants
  Mr. Pope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much expenditure has been incurred on mandatory home improvement grants in the Hyndburn constituency in each of the financial years since the inception of the current scheme; and what is his estimate, based on recent trends, of the demand for expenditure during the financial year 1992–93.

  Sir George Young
  The total expenditure on mandatory home improvement grants under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 reported by Hyndburn local authority—whose area is identical to the constituency—since the inception of the current renovation grants scheme is:

  £

  1990–91

  83,300

  1991–92

  1,333,500

  The Department does not prepare forecasts of expenditure on home improvement grants by local authority area, but reported expenditure on mandatory home improvement grants in Hyndburn for the first six months of financial year 1992–93 is £911,300.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the viability and cost of technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power stations.

  Mr. Maclean
  Improvements in the thermal efficiency of coal fired power stations will reduce the use of fuel per unit of energy produced. This also reduces carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy. Most coal-fired power stations already incorporate many efficiency improvement measures.

  The gasification of coal and the burning of the gas in a combined cycle gas turbine plant can improve the thermal efficiency to about 45 per cent. from about 35 per cent. for a conventional power station. This technology is available and may be used in the longer term.

  Building and Construction
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what progress he has made towards commencing his proposed inquiry into the construction industry; and which bodies he has invited to take part;

  (2) how much of the estimated sum required to be paid by participants taking part in the project to reduce conflict within the building industry has so far been raised; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will give a breakdown of the cost involved in setting up the group to look at ways to reduce conflict within the building industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Negotiations between the Department and the industry and client organisations are continuing. We hope to conclude these discussions shortly. The following organisations have been invited to take part in the proposed joint review: the Construction Industry Council, the Construction Industry Employers Council, the 94
  Confederation of Associations of Specialist Engineering Contractors, the Specialist Engineering Contractor's Group, the National Specialist Contractors Council and the British Property Federation. The estimated maximum budget for the review is £250,000, with half the cost to be met by the Government and half by the other sponsors.

  Conference on European Business and the Environment
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution was made by Ministers and officials of his Department to the conference on European business and the environment held in Brussels at the end of November.

  Mr. Howard
  The Minister for the Environment and Countryside and I chaired the conference, and the Minister for Trade and I addressed it. This very successful United Kingdom presidency event highlighted the important role of business in improving Europe's environment. It was arranged in partnership with the European Commission, and a number of officials from my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry were involved in organising and participating in the event.

  Environmental Damage
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment's report on financial and civil liability; when he expects to respond to the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities' 1990 report on liability and environmental damage; what reports and proposals he expects to receive from the EC and the Council of Europe on liability for environmental damage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  We expect to receive the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment's report on civil liability shortly. I understand that the European Commission proposes to issue a consultation document on civil liability for environmental damage in the new year. It is not clear at this stage what effect this will have on the draft directive on civil liability for damage caused by waste, which was presented by the Commission in 1991. The Council of Europe has prepared a convention on civil liability on which the negotiations have recently been completed. I am not aware of any outstanding responses to the House of Lords Select Committee on European Affairs regarding liability for environmental damage.

  Foyer Hostel Schemes
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance his Department is giving to the development of Foyer hostel schemes in England.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department's assistance for the development of foyer hostel schemes is channelled through the Housing Corporation, in the same way as for other housing association schemes. The corporation is providing revenue support to five pilot projects based around existing YMCA hostels in Nottingham, Norwich, St. Helens, Romford and Wimbledon. It will also be providing capital funding for two new-build foyer schemes in Birmingham and London; and 20 bed spaces at the London scheme will attract revenue support through
  95
  special needs management allowance. Agreement in principle has been given to capital funding for a third project in Salford.

  In addition, my Department has seconded an official to the Foyer Federation for Youth—FFY—a limited company established to promote the growth of foyers in this country; and the head of the Department's homelessness policy division attends meetings of the FFY board as an observer.

  Public Analyst Service
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what guidance he has issued to the Local Government Commission in relation to the public analyst service;

  (2) what representations he has received about the future of local authority scientific services or about the public analyst service in regard to the work of the Local Government Commission and future reorganisation of local government; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what guidance he has issued to the Local Government Commission in relation to the provision of local authority scientific services.

  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what guidance he has issued to the Local Government Commission in relation to the public analyst service;

  (2) what guidance he has issued to the Local Government Commission in relation to the provision of local authority scientific services.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In response to the 1991 consultation paper on local government structure, representations were received from the Association of Public Analysts as well as from other organisations such as the Institute of Environmental Health Officers and the Society of County Trading Standards Officers.

  The policy guidance issued to the Local Government Commission emphasises the importance of regulatory and enforcement functions of local authorities. We have also issued to the commission a new comprehensive descriptive list of all local government functions, which is publicly available. This contains chapters on environmental protection, environmental health and consumer protection.

  The commission must ensure that all functions, particularly those which involve protecting all aspects of the local environment, will be satisfactorily performed by any new authority it recommends.

  Environmental Information
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will be the implication for the appeal mechanisms in force under the public registers provisions within integrated pollution control of the incorporation into United Kingdom law of EC directive 90/3B/EEC on the freedom of access to environmental information in 1993.

  Mr. Maclean
  None. At present information may be withheld from the integrated pollution control—IPC—public register only on grounds of commercial confidentiality or national security. The EC directive on freedom of access to information on the environment contains similar exemptions. As the existing provisions under IPC and the 96
  requirements of the directive are compatible, the appeals mechanism for the exclusion of information from public registers will not be affected by incorporation of the directive into United Kingdom law.

  Planning Policy Guidance Notes
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department now proposes to publish the proposed planning policy guidance notes made arising from the revision of his Department circular 8/87.

  Mr. Baldry
  A draft for consultation will be published in the new year.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent information he has received from Her Majesty's chief inspector of pollution in respect of the application by British Nuclear Fuels for authorisation to operate the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.

  Mr. Maclean
  The chief inspector of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution informed me when he and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food proposed to go out to public consultation on their proposed new draft authorisations for British Nuclear Fuels' Sellafield site.

  Organic Waste Collection
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will fund a pilot project to enable Stoke-on-Trent city council to introduce organic waste collection; if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  We have made £15 million in supplementary credit approvals—SCAs—available for local authority recycling investment in England in 1993–94, as part of our environmental partnership scheme. The Department invited applications from Stoke-on-Trent city council and other English local authorities for these SCAs on 17 November 1992. A copy of the letter making the invitation has been placed in the Library. We will consider any application from the city council, along with applications from other authorities, against the criteria set out in that letter.

  Derelict Land Grant
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much derelict land grant was paid in each of the last five years with respect to reclamation schemes in the borough of Thamesdown; and which were the schemes.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Derelict land grant expenditure in the borough of Thamesdown in the last five years is shown in the table. All the expenditure relates to a scheme to reclaim former quarry land at Queens park, Swindon for public open space.

  Expenditure £

  1987–88

  512,015

  1988–89

  401,545

  1989–90

  96,927

  97

  Expenditure (£)

  1990–91

  444,553

  1991–92

  6,659

  11992–93

  20,000

  Total

  1,481,699

  1Forecast.

  Customs House, Dundee
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the sums spent from Government funds in each of the past five years on the refurbishment of the Customs House building in Dundee, formerly occupied by Customs and Excise.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer about the cost of restoration work given to him by my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General on 14 December Official Report, column 62. All Customs and Excise expenditure was in the financial year 1990–91.

  Shrewsbury Castle (Bombing)
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice and assistance from his Department's funds he has been able to extend to Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council, owners of Shrewsbury castle, following bomb damage in August.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Neither my Department nor the Department of National Heritage has received any request for advice or assistance from Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council in respect of the bomb damage to Shrewsbury castle in August.

  Fish (Pollutants Report)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the report "Chlorinated Organic Pollutants in Fish from the North-East Irish Sea", which his Department has partly funded.

  Mr. Maclean
  The report "Chlorinated Organic Pollutants in Fish from the North East Irish Sea" was prepared under a sub-contract by the department of the environment and evolutionary biology of the university of Liverpool, as part of a DOE research contract with WRc plc for a study of the sources and fates of synthetic organics. The main contract final report is on sale through the Foundation for Water Research, and is available in the DOE library. The sub-contract report is also available to the public in the DOE library. Copies of both reports have been deposited in the House of Commons Library.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the procedure for local authorities in appealing against their standard spending assessments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. and learned Friend announced his proposals for standard spending assessments for 1993–94 on 26 November 1992. There is now a period of consultation until 31 December 1992 during 98
  which local authorities and Members of Parliament may make written representations about any aspects of SSAs. We will also try to satisfy as many requests for meetings as is practical during this period. All representations will be carefully considered before decisions are announced in January 1993.

  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the local authority associations on changes to the criteria for standard spending assessments for 1993–94.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer. 9 December 1992]: The proposals which were announced on 26 November as part of the provisional revenue support grant settlement followed extensive discussion with the local authority associations about the methodology for standard spending assessments. We are now in the middle of a period of formal consultation on these proposals which continues until 31 December. So far we have received a letter from the chairman of the London Boroughs Association setting out a number of areas of concern to London boroughs and requesting a meeting. We have also received a letter from the Association of County Councils expressing concern at the provision for spending on the fire service within SSAs for 1993–94. All representations from the associations and individual local authorities will be carefully considered before final decisions are reached in the new year.

  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the proposed increases in standard spending assessment and revenue support grant for 1993–94 over 1992–93 for Brighton, Blackpool and Southend-on-Sea; and Dorset, Sussex, Lancashire and Essex;

  (2) what is his proposed increase in standard spending assessment and revenue support grant for Bournemouth for 1993–94 over 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: The proposed increase in SSA between 1992–93 and 1993–94 for the authorities requested is shown in the table. The 1992–93 figures used in making the comparisons have been adjusted for major changes in function, mainly the transfer of further education, so that they are comparable with the 1993–94 figures.

  Under the community charge system revenue support grant—RSG—is paid into collection funds. In shire areas there is no separate grant towards county and district level services. The distribution of RSG depends, among other factors, on the amount which could be raised from relevant adults in the area and the income from non-domestic rates—NDR—which is distributed in line with relevant adults. Under the council tax, RSG will be paid to all tiers of authorities and will depend, among other factors, on the income which could be raised from the taxbase of equivalent dwellings. The income from the NDR will depend on resident population. It is thus not possible to provide the grant figures requested on a comparable basis.

  Increase in provisional 1993–94 SSA over adjusted 1992–93 SSA

  Local authority

  £ million

  Bournemouth

  0.080

  Brighton

  1.880

  Blackpool

  1.447

  Southend-on-Sea

  -0.728

  Dorset

  12.376

  99

  Local authority

  £ million

  East Sussex

  27.575

  West Sussex

  14.503

  Lancashire

  17.808

  Essex

  34.806

  Housing, Rotherham
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new homes will be provided by Rotherham borough council in 1993–94; what is the total provision from central funds which will be received by the authority in support of capital expenditure on housing; and what capital expenditure he expects the authority to incur next year.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: The level of housing capital expenditure in Rotherham in 1993–94 is a matter for the borough council to decide in the light of the available resources. The authority's proposed programme for housing capital expenditure in 1993–94, included in its housing investment programme—HIP—submission, contains no expenditure on new housebuilding by the council. Details of local authority HIP allocations for 1993–94 will be announced later this week.

  Council Tax (Students)
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will make it his policy to enable local authorities to charge business rates on those properties rented exclusively to students and whose occupants are exempt from council tax;

  (2) what estimate he has made of the loss in revenue arising from the exemption of students from council tax liability in respect of (a) students residing in accommodation provided by institutions of higher education arid (b) students residing in privately rented accommodation.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: Halls of residence and student-only dwellings have been exempted from the council tax because most students are not eligible to claim council tax benefit. The imposition of business rates on such properties would result in higher rents for students. The Government do not intend to take such a step.

  Local authorities will be compensated for the revenue forgone as a result of this exemption through the revenue support grant system. No local authority will therefore be financially penalised for the presence in its area of students.

  Vehicle Noise
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been undertaken to date by his Department in developing a standard method of measuring noise levels from moving vehicles.

  Mr. Carlisle
  As the matter is within the remit of the Secretary of State for Transport, I have been asked to reply. A new vehicle type-approval test was established in the 1960s, as since then the United Kingdom has applied relevant EC directives which are subject to it. More recently, the Department of Transport has been carrying out research concerning the noise generated by tyre/road 100
  interaction and supporting the work of an International Standards Organisation (ISO) working group looking at traffic noise. This group is evolving a Transport Research Laboratory system for assessing road traffic noise into an International standard. When this is completed, we anticipate that the United Kingdom system will be universally acknowledged and will provide a uniform measure for this environmental nuisance.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Chipmunks
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the welfare of caged chipmunks for sale in pet shops; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We have received no representations about the welfare of chipmunks sold as pets in pet shops. The welfare of animals sold as pets is protected by the Pet Animals Act 1951, as amended, which requires any person keeping a pet shop to be licensed by the local authority.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish tables, for 1991 and for 1990, showing the number of(a) young adults and (b) juveniles committing each category of offence and a breakdown showing the percentage under each category who were sentenced to each type of sentence or order;

  (2) if he will list for each category of offence the number of offences committed by (a) juveniles and (b) young adults in each police force area; and what percentages this was of the total number of offences in each category in each of the last five years for which figures are available.4

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: Information on convictions and cautions within police force areas by age and offence group, is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" supplementary tables volume 3.

  Figures showing the number of offenders cautioned and convicted by type of sentence given, age and offence group is also published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" supplementary tables volumes 1, 2 and 3. Copies of all the publications referred to above are available in the Libarary.

  The 1991 volumes will be published in the new year.

  Hazelton UK
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is to be taken on licensing irregularities in the animal procedure carried out in the current year at Hazelton UK in respect of its use of primates.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Two, unrelated, technical irregularities in blood sampling in rats and monkeys, discovered in March and May of 1992, were dealt with at the time by the inspector.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department's inspectors
  101
  responsible for sanctioning the conditions at Shamrock (GB) Ltd. and Hazelton United Kingdom retain responsibility for implementing improved conditions.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Yes.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 December,Official Report, column 215, if he will make a statement on the quality of his Department's previous inspections at Shamrock (GB) Ltd. and Hazelton United Kingdom institutions.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Shamrock (GB) Ltd and Hazelton United Kingdom were inspected respectively four and nine times in 1991 and six and fourteen times in the period January to September 1992. It is difficult even for unannounced visits, however frequent, to detect the failures of care, handling and management which were revealed at Shamrock by the detailed investigation which was carried out following receipt of the allegations made by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. None the less, the incident shows that the system is able to respond quickly to such allegations, and to take tough and effective action where necessary.

  I consider that the inspectors responsible for the two establishments acted conscientiously to ensure the well-being of the animals concerned. With hindsight, the programmes of cage replacement agreed at Shamrock and Hazelton seem over-generous and these have now been accelerated in the light of the findings of the investigation. Nevertheless, I am satisfied that the inspectors would have taken steps to require immediate improvements if it had ever become apparent that overt animal suffering was being caused by the caging in use.

  Police Supernumerary Posts
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department has taken itself or via the inspectorate of constabulary, to encourage any police force to seek to hold supernumerary posts in the coming year.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  None.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many supernumerary posts the Thames Valley police asked to be allowed to hold in 1992–93 and 1993–94; and how many have been permitted by his Department in each case.

  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 what guidance was offered(a) by his Department and (b) by the inspectorate of constabulary on the criteria against which he would consider allowing police authorities to hold supernumerary posts in the coming year.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question by him on 14 December 1992, at column 6. Police authorities were informed of these criteria in March 1991.

  HIV
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to make it an offence for a person deliberately to infect another with the HIV virus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have considered this matter very carefully in the light of the concern which has been expressed, and have looked at the precedents in other countries. I have concluded, however, that there are difficulties both of principle and of practice in bringing this type of behaviour within the scope of the criminal law and I am not persuaded that these difficulties have been overcome in other jurisdictions. I, therefore, have no plans to introduce legislation to make the deliberate transmission of the HIV virus a criminal offence.

  High-Risk Prisoners
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made to the role of the category A committee for high-risk prisoners in the light of the security audit undertaken by Mr. Hadfield and Mr. Lakes.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In the light of the security audit undertaken last year by Mr. Hadfield and Mr. Lakes, it has been decided to change the procedures for reviewing the security status of category A prisoners. Security status will continue to be reviewed on conviction and at least annually there after, but referral to the category A committee will be limited to new cases and to those cases where recommendations have been made for a change to the security category either by the holding prison or by prison service headquarters.

  The category A committee comprises senior officials of the prison service, including governors and staff of prisons normally holding category A prisoners; a senior medical officer; and a senior police adviser. Its role is:

  (i) to consider whether prisoners recently convicted of very serious offences should be retained in security category A, which is reserved for those whose escape from prison custody would be highly dangerous to the public or the police or the security of the State;

  (ii) to consider all cases of category A prisoners where recommendations have been made for a change in security status; and to review cases where no such recommendations have been made for five years; and

  (iii) to make recommendations to the director general of the prison service.

  All other cases will be considered at least annually by officials of the directorate of custody.

  The new procedures are designed to improve efficiency in the administration of category A prisoners while ensuring that changes in security status are well founded and that no prisoner remains in category A any longer than is necessary.

  Crime Statistics, Dorset
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the percentage change since 1979 in(a) police manpower, (b) recorded crime and (c) population in Dorset; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The requested information is as follows:
  103

  per cent.

  (a) police manpower1

  14.6

  (b) recorded crime2

  121.6

  (c) population3

  12.6

  1 Actual strength for April 1979 and September 1992.

  2 Based on annual figures for notifiable offences recorded by the police in 1979 and 1991.

  3 Based on the population figure for mid-1979 and the estimated figure for mid-1991.

  Drug Abuse
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what sums were expended by his Department on European Drug Prevention Week additional to those already expended through other programmes; and for what purposes.

  Mr. Jack
  The additional Home Office expenditure on European Drug Prevention Week amounted to £393,000. The bulk was used by the 20 local drugs prevention teams set up under the drug prevention initiative, to produce over 220 events and projects across the country during the week, with the aim of further raising awareness a drug and solvent misuse. The remainder included funds spent on publicity and promotional material as well as organisation costs.

  Royal Holloway and Bedford New College
  Mr. Trend
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps the Charity Commission took in considering Royal Holloway and Bedford New college's proposal to sell pictures from its collection to(a) consider and take advice on surveys of the buildings and (b) consider the college's alternative plans for raising the money; if he will list those surveys commissioned or considered; and what information was received from the college on its financial needs;

  (2) what steps the Charity Commission took in considering Royal Holloway and Bedford New college's proposal to sell pictures from its collection to (a) seek advice on the integrity of the collection from (i) directors of national museums or art collections or (ii) independent experts and (b) consider the provisions on the we of paintings in the 1883 deed of foundation; if he will list the experts whose advice was taken into account; and what alternative educational use was considered for the pictures.

  Table A Unaccompanied 1children2 applying for asylum on their arrival in the United Kingdom, by nationality, November 1990 to December 1991

  1990

  1991

  November

  December

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  December

  Afghanistan

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  3

  Angola

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bangladesh

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ethiopia

  4

  3

  —

  2

  1

  1

  2

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  Ghana

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  India

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Iran

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Somalia

  2

  —

  2

  2

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  4

  —

  4

  3

  4

  Sri Lanka

  7

  1

  8

  2

  2

  6

  9

  4

  4

  4

  9

  9

  —

  9

  Turkey

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Uganda

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Yugoslavia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Zaire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  TOTAL

  16

  5

  12

  8

  3

  10

  15

  8

  8

  12

  10

  15

  8

  19

  104
  Mr. Jack
  The foundation deed of 11 October 1883 does not make provision as to any specific use for the pictures. The trusts relating to the pictures are contained in an indenture of 5 August 1881. I understand that the commissioners were asked to make a scheme to change the trusts of the 1881 deed to allow certain pictures to be sold for the purpose of providing a fund without which the main purpose of Thomas Holloway's Foundation could not be maintained.

  It was for the college to satisfy the commissioners that it had considered the options before it on the basis of proper advice. It was for the commissioners to satisfy themselves that the case was supported by appropriate evidence, not to seek independent advice.

  In reaching their decision the commissioners had before them evidence provided by the college both as to the state of the buildings, the estimated costs of repairs and the financial position of the college including evidence of efforts made to raise the necessary funds. They also had the evidence produced by the objectors to the scheme which was examined with equal care.

  The terms of the 1881 deed were considered very carefully on a number of occasions. Specifically the deed did not provide any educational use for the pictures. I understand that the commissioners' view was, therefore, that the integrity of the collection was not central to the consideration of this matter by the commissioners.

  Asylum (Children)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many asylum applications made by unaccompanied children under 16 years were determined

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The available information relates to unaccompanied children applying at the ports since November 1990 and is given in tables A and B. Corresponding information for January to October 1990 is not available. The information in table A, for November 1990 to December 1991, is of children aged 16 or under: separate figures for those under 16 are not available. The information in table B, for January to November 1992, is of those under 16.

  Information on in-country application by unaccompanied children is not available in this form.

  As I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member for 25 November, columns 647–48, information on decisions on applications by unaccompanied children is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  105
  1Unaccompanied at the point of their arrival, and not known to be joining a close adult relative in the United Kingdom.

  2Aged 16 or under. The figures involve some estimation since in certain cases the precise date of birth is not available.

  Table B Unaccompanied1 children2 applying for asylum on their arrival in the United Kingdom, by nationality, January to November 1992

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  Afghanistan

  —

  2

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  —

  Angola

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ethiopia

  —

  —

  4

  1

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Ghana

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Lebanon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Malaysia

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sierra Leone

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Somalia

  2

  2

  1

  4

  —

  2

  5

  3

  2

  1

  4

  Sri Lanka

  1

  2

  1

  1

  1

  3

  1

  1

  2

  —

  —

  Sudan

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Turkey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Uganda

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Yugoslavia

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  5

  Zaire

  1

  1

  —

  —

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  TOTAL

  4

  9

  7

  7

  8

  7

  10

  7

  5

  4

  12

  1Unaccompanied at the point of their arrival, and not known to be joining a close adult relative in the United Kingdom.

  2Under 16 years of age. The figures involve some estimation since in certain cases the precise date of birth is not available.

  Remand
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons currently held on remand in gaols in England and Wales have been held for(a) up to six months, (b) exceeding six months but less than 12 months, (c) exceeding six months but less than 18 months, (d) exceeding 18 months but less than 24 months, (e) exceeding 24 months but less than 36 months and (f) more than 36 months;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the reasons for the delay in coming to trial for persons held on remand in gaols in England and Wales for periods exceeding 18 months; and to how many cases each reason applies.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 2 December 1992]: The latest readily available information held currently is given in the table.

  Population of untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners in prison service establishments in England and Wales on 30 June 19921: by length of time since first remand into a prison service establishment.

  Length of time since first remanded into a prison service establishment2

  Number of Prisoners3

  Up to 6 months

  8,160

  Over 6 up to 12 months

  1,190

  Over 12 up to 18 months

  170

  Over 18 months up to 2 years

  30

  Over 2 up to 3 years

  10

  Over 3 years

  —

  All lengths

  9,560

  1Excludes 845 prisoners held in police cells.

  2Excludes any time spent in non-prison service establishments before reception on remand into a prison service establishment; includes any subsequent time which may have been spent on bail.

  3Provisional rounded estimates.

  I regret that information on the reasons for delay in relation to individual persons who have been held for periods in excess of 18 months is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Wellbury House
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what inspection has been carried out into the fire regulations at Wellbury House; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 8 December 1992]: Wellbury House boarding school, Great Offley, was inspected by Hertfordshire fire and rescue service on 4 February 1992. Conditions were thought to be such that persons using the basement and upper floors would be at serious risk from a fire. A notice under section 10 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 was duly issued the following day.

  The notice prohibited the use of the basement and upper floors pending work to remedy the deficiencies identified by the inspecting officer. I understand, however, that no such work has been done. The premises are therefore inspected each month to ensure that the prohibition notice is being observed.

PRIME MINISTER

  Ministerial Travel Expenses
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the total expenditure for travel by Ministers on European Community business, divided into fares and subsistence for each parliamentary Session from and including 1987–88 to 1991–92 in(a) cash and (b) 1991–92 prices.

  The Prime Minister
  The information can be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Regional Planning Guidance
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the arrangements for ensuring that regional planning guidance issued by the Department of the Environment and regional briefs produced by the Department of Transport are each drafted with regard to the other.

  The Prime Minister
  Regional planning guidance and regional briefs giving information on transport issues are
  107
  prepared with regard to each other. There is close consultation between the two Departments which have joint regional offices.

  Land Sales
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Prime Minister what rules govern the disclosure of information concerning the sale of land owned by Government Departments with regard to the location of the land, sale price and name of purchaser; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government adopt normal commercial practice in relation to the disclosure of the details of land transactions. The terms on which land has been sold and the identity of the purchaser are treated as commercial in confidence. Information should not be disclosed without the agreement of both parties.

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 15 December.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 15 December.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Talking Books
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what information he has as to which local authorities supply a free talking book service to the visually impaired from the local library service; and if he will make a statement about such provision.

  Mr. Key
  Information about which local authorities supply a free talking book service to the visually impaired is not collected centrally.

  Library authorities generally exercise their responsibilities towards visually impaired people by providing as wide a selection as possible of large print books and cassette recordings of books. Large print books are part of the book lending service and must be provided free of charge. Many authorities also loan cassette recordings of books free of charge to the visually impaired. Some library authorities provide reading machines, and in some cases braille transcription services. The Royal National Institute for the Blind—RNIB—talking books service, as such, is not generally regarded as an indispensible element of a library service for blind people, and any charge which might be made for the talking book service does not, of itself, constitute any infringement of the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964.

  However, we recognise that more needs to be done to develop public library services for blind people. That is why we have been jointly funding the RNIB's "Share the Vision" project, which is examining various ways of developing the public library as the primary point of access to information services as a whole for visually impaired people.

  National Sports Museum
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) if he will give consideration to the establishment of a national sports museum in the region, in conjunction with the north-west bid for the Olympic games;

  (2) if he will consider sponsoring the establishment of a national sports museum in Liverpool.

  Mr. Key
  I have received no proposals from the Manchester bid committee to establish a national sports museum.

  Government support for new museums is provided by the Museums and Galleries Commission through its network of area museum councils. Applications for grant assistance from the commission must demonstrate that the project is well conceived, and that the governing body is willing to work towards the standards set out for the registration of a museum by the commission.

  Art Treasures
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he will advise to secure national art treasures in view of the Windsor fire; if he will make it his policy for the public to have the right to view such treasures free of charge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 30 November 1992]: I have commissioned an inquiry into fire protection at all royal palaces for which my Department has financial responsibility in the light of the Windsor castle fire and will consider carefully the recommendations of the inquiry. Responsibility for fire protection at national museums and galleries is vested in the trustees who may seek advice from whatever sources they consider to be most appropriate. It is for those responsible for the care and presentation of national art treasures to decide whether or not a charge is made to view them.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the latest information on the epidemic of BSE in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Gummer
  I am placing in the Library of the House a note summarising the latest evidence about the epidemic. All the evidence continues to point to infected ruminant protein as the origin of the epidemic, and to justify confidence that the ban on feeding such material to ruminants will bring about its end.

WALES

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his plans to promote the Welsh language.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Government will soon be placing before Parliament a Welsh Language Bill. The Bill will
  109
  require public bodies serving Wales to prepare schemes covering the use they will make of Welsh in providing services to the public. It will also establish a statutory Welsh Language Board and amend previous legislation in respect of Welsh.

  The Bill will be a further step in the Government's unprecedented programme of support for the Welsh language, as part of which we are making available £7.6 million in grants for Welsh language organisations and projects in the current financial year. We are also continuing to implement the introduction of Welsh as a national curriculum subject in all schools in Wales.

  Cardiff Bay
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met representatives of Cardiff Bay development corporation; and what was discussed.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I meet the chairman of Cardiff Bay development corporation regularly to discuss a variety of issues.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of the process of consultations between Cardiff Bay development corporation and the Welsh Office.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Under the terms of its financial memorandum, Cardiff Bay development corporation is required to prepare and submit to the Welsh Office a corporate plan looking three years ahead of the current financial year. There are formal consultations on this plan. In addition, there is informal discussion between officials on a day-to-day basis.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the relationship between Cardiff Bay development corporation and(a) Cardiff Bay Management Ltd. and (b) Cardiff Bay Investment Ltd.; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Cardiff Bay (Management) Ltd. and Cardiff Bay (Investment) Ltd. were both incorporated in May 1989 and are wholly owned subsidiary companies of the corporation. In the published accounts of the corporation as at 31 March 1992 they were described as dormant and this status is unchanged. In each case the authorised share capital is £1,000 and the issued share capital is £2 being two shares of £1 each.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of the Government funds given to Cardiff Bay development corporation each year since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is given in figure 6.01 in "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1992–93 to 1994–95: A Report by the Welsh Office", Cm 1916, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) which factors in the environmentally sensitive area programme account for savings to common agriculture policy expenditure, in order of their costs;

  (2) if he will collate and tabulate the total savings in common agriculture policy expenditure arising from the
  110
  environmentally sensitive area scheme since its inception, per year and in total for each scheme and for Wales as a whole.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The main factor that could account for savings to CAP expenditure is the requirement to reduce stocking densities in order to protect specific wildlife habitats and landscape characteristics of the areas. An assessment of likely savings is contained in the interim report prepared by the University college of Wales, Aberystwyth, on the socio-economic aspects of designation. This report was issued in June 1991 as technical background to the consultation paper relating to the Cambrian mountains (original) ESA, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House. The final report is expected to be published early in the new year.

  AIDS
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of reported AIDS cases for Clwyd.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  At the end of September 1992 the total number of AIDS cases who were known to live in Clwyd was 14, of whom 12 had died.

  Noise Nuisance
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many noise nuisance complaints have been received by each local authority in Wales during each of the last three years.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office does not have this information on a local authority basis. Figures for Wales in total for 1988–89 and 1989–90–1990–91 data are not yet available—can be found in table 3.29 of the "Environmental Digest for Wales No. 6 1991", copies of which are held in the Library of the House.

  Garden Festival Wales Ltd.
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the auditing arrangements he has put in place for Garden Festival Wales Ltd.

  Mr. David Hunt
  This is not a matter for the Secretary of State for Wales. The two local authority sponsors, Blaenau Gwent borough council and Gwent county council have established a limited company, Garden Festival Wales Ltd. Audit arrangements are covered under the Companies Acts.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what contingency arrangements he has put in place to mitigate the impact on either(a) local authority and (b) urban programme projects in the event of Garden Festival Wales Ltd. making a loss.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have made no contingency arrangements. The two local authority sponsors Blaenau Gwent borough council and Gwent county council agreed in the 1990 revised business plan to accommodate any losses.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to publish(a) the management accounts and (b) final accounts of Garden Festival Wales Ltd.
  111
  Mr. David Hunt
  Garden Festival Wales Ltd. expect its final accounts, which will include management accounts, to be available at the end of this financial year.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of Garden Festival Wales Ltd. expenditure and revenue outturn on the approvals he will make regarding local government expenditure in Wales(a) in the current financial year and (b) 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The final position of Garden Festival Wales Ltd. has not yet been reported to me.

  Commercial Fishing Boats
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many commercial fishing boats are currently registered at each Welsh port; and how many people are directly employed.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There are 950 commercial fishing vessels registered in Wales. Comprehensive data on port of registry are not available centrally. In 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 1,165 full-time and 511 part-time employees in the Welsh fishing industry.

  Farmers
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of farmers in Wales are currently aged(a) between 55 and 65 years and (b) over 65 years.

  Mr. David Hunt
  According to the latest EC farm structure survey, carried out in 1990, some 26 per cent. of farmers in Wales were aged between 55 and 64 years and 23 per cent. were aged 65 years and over.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his proposals for emergency planning consequent upon his proposals for local government reorganisation.

  Table 1 Sales of council dwellings (number)

  District

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  11992–93

  Alyn and Deeside

  76

  103

  137

  233

  306

  125

  86

  29

  Colwyn

  66

  74

  75

  118

  122

  51

  26

  14

  Delyn

  65

  96

  129

  114

  157

  81

  55

  39

  Glyndwr

  63

  67

  63

  178

  145

  51

  21

  11

  Rhuddlan

  30

  46

  85

  140

  111

  58

  24

  8

  Wrexham Maelor

  154

  199

  188

  439

  932

  309

  165

  82

  Carmarthen

  59

  74

  79

  126

  119

  100

  80

  35

  Ceredigion

  57

  79

  74

  179

  228

  114

  83

  54

  Dinefwr

  52

  74

  76

  122

  108

  84

  39

  15

  Llanelli

  159

  171

  206

  414

  316

  164

  123

  57

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  104

  100

  122

  314

  365

  152

  91

  66

  South Pembrokeshire

  45

  41

  67

  132

  133

  74

  47

  16

  Blaenau Gwent

  108

  153

  171

  356

  486

  174

  131

  46

  Islwyn

  175

  233

  263

  379

  289

  89

  99

  39

  Monmouth

  140

  129

  193

  242

  244

  92

  85

  32

  Newport

  341

  275

  277

  515

  592

  164

  110

  52

  Torfaen

  150

  334

  317

  425

  524

  282

  160

  103

  Aberconwy

  82

  87

  81

  235

  237

  76

  42

  12

  Arfon

  65

  72

  63

  191

  188

  65

  46

  24

  Dwyfor

  27

  15

  13

  31

  40

  44

  16

  7

  Meirionnydd

  57

  56

  52

  89

  91

  39

  34

  12

  Ynys Mon

  96

  75

  65

  270

  324

  131

  58

  14

  Cynon Valley

  76

  103

  124

  146

  175

  119

  82

  33

  Merthyr Tydfil

  167

  185

  216

  304

  298

  122

  66

  22

  Ogwr

  318

  325

  382

  590

  488

  244

  156

  62

  Rhondda

  55

  81

  59

  104

  111

  87

  34

  25

  112
  Mr. David Hunt
  Emergency planning is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary, who will announce any proposals in the light of my decisions on local government reorganisation.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will publish the Bill for the reorganisation of local government of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I will be announcing my decisions on local government reorganisation in due course, and will publish my Bill to implement reorganisation at an appropriate time thereafter.

  Farmers (Retirement)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received calling for the implementation of a pension scheme to assist early retirement amongst farmers in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Several.

  Fishing Fleet
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total tonnage catch of all species made by the Welsh fishing fleet for each year since 1980.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Data on fish landings in Wales are contained in the annual publication, "Digest of Welsh Statistics", copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list(a) the number and (b) the value of council house sales by district council in each year since 1985 in (i) cash terms and (ii) prices, using 1985 as a constant.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information is given in the tables.
  113

  District

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  11992–93

  Rhymney Valley

  196

  274

  260

  364

  392

  247

  144

  79

  Taff-Ely

  266

  293

  377

  537

  561

  234

  146

  73

  Brecknock

  90

  99

  92

  172

  150

  65

  50

  9

  Montgomeryshire

  70

  89

  57

  130

  141

  51

  251

  27

  Radnorshire

  28

  23

  45

  52

  50

  26

  19

  8

  Cardiff

  611

  775

  591

  1,038

  1,071

  281

  241

  76

  Vale of Glamorgan

  207

  223

  195

  451

  338

  111

  84

  41

  Port Talbot

  280

  281

  295

  421

  442

  185

  159

  62

  Lliw Valley

  117

  129

  145

  169

  254

  175

  79

  25

  Neath

  124

  146

  200

  299

  309

  137

  78

  36

  Swansea

  207

  254

  381

  876

  834

  337

  250

  86

  1April to September 1992 only.

  Source: Welsh Office housing statistics form WHO7, as submitted by the Welsh district authorities.

  Table 2 Value of sales of council dwellings at current prices (£000)

  District

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  11992–93

  Alyn and Deeside

  651

  840

  1,178

  2,236

  3,868

  2,047

  1,301

  414

  Colwyn

  544

  605

  687

  1,283

  1,491

  738

  409

  270

  Delyn

  542

  795

  1,166

  1,073

  2,124

  1,350

  907

  591

  Glyndwr

  541

  586

  589

  1,799

  1,898

  781

  336

  186

  Rhuddlan

  230

  363

  732

  1,456

  1,475

  973

  437

  151

  Wrexham Maelor

  1,133

  1,613

  1,636

  3,989

  10,906

  4,142

  2,505

  1,309

  Carmarthen

  553

  721

  818

  1,489

  1,790

  1,679

  1,260

  626

  Ceredigion

  627

  916

  821

  2,206

  3,149

  1,835

  1,444

  947

  Dinefwr

  442

  698

  676

  1,129

  1,261

  1,186

  558

  215

  Llanelli

  1,158

  1,287

  1,459

  3,120

  3,244

  2,168

  1,684

  803

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  1,050

  989

  1,160

  3,378

  4,455

  2,280

  1,371

  1,068

  South Pembrokeshire

  426

  415

  718

  1,739

  2,007

  1,126

  836

  252

  Blaenau Gwent

  953

  1,390

  1,476

  3,087

  5,232

  2,165

  1,711

  598

  Islwyn

  1,501

  2,106

  2,327

  3,905

  3,944

  1,323

  1,479

  597

  Monmouth

  1,561

  1,546

  2,425

  3,633

  4,468

  1,817

  1,909

  645

  Newport

  3,005

  2,807

  3,101

  6,748

  9,413

  3,108

  1,918

  959

  Torfaen

  1,211

  3,523

  3,374

  4,127

  9,102

  4,727

  2,884

  1,481

  Aberconwy

  683

  728

  677

  2,376

  3,034

  1,078

  722

  239

  Arfon

  539

  590

  550

  1,946

  2,483

  1,035

  741

  426

  Dwyfor

  221

  111

  115

  320

  644

  560

  282

  95

  Meirionnydd

  435

  480

  463

  913

  1,174

  561

  504

  170

  Ynys Mon

  794

  626

  599

  2,744

  5,045

  1,791

  914

  226

  Cynon Valley

  632

  857

  1,018

  1,147

  1,446

  1,092

  830

  358

  Merthyr Tydfil

  1,349

  1,519

  1,874

  2,623

  2,903

  1,276

  722

  252

  Ogwr

  2,602

  2,961

  3,562

  6,203

  6,170

  3,566

  2,339

  959

  Rhondda

  370

  546

  431

  736

  884

  807

  375

  286

  Rhymney Valley

  1,607

  2,421

  2,359

  3,544

  4,258

  3,285

  1,952

  836

  Taff-Ely

  2,246

  2,492

  3,279

  4,852

  6,387

  3,168

  2,095

  1,082

  Brecknock

  860

  957

  1,021

  2,003

  2,006

  1,008

  879

  169

  Montgomeryshire

  716

  948

  571

  1,639

  2,286

  904

  872

  410

  Radnorshire

  309

  248

  534

  704

  811

  459

  354

  179

  Cardiff

  6,079

  8,428

  6,338

  11,850

  17,229

  5,313

  4,406

  1,408

  Vale of Glamorgan

  2,246

  2,648

  2,381

  6,197

  5,198

  1,993

  1,533

  849

  Port Talbot

  1,931

  2,129

  2,623

  4,126

  5,124

  2,307

  2,137

  922

  Lliw Valley

  858

  1,000

  1,128

  1,345

  2,872

  2,302

  1,285

  386

  Neath

  919

  1,243

  1,748

  2,723

  3,297

  1,873

  1,096

  530

  Swansea

  1,741

  2,209

  3,616

  8,828

  9,297

  4,306

  3,113

  1,153

  1 April to September 1992 only.

  Source: Welsh Office housing statistics form WHO7, as submitted by the Welsh district authorities.

  Table 3
  Value of Sales of council house dwellings at 1985–86 prices2 (£000)

  District

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  11992–93

  Alyn and Deeside

  651

  814

  1,082

  1,914

  3,107

  1,523

  905

  276

  Colwyn

  544

  586

  631

  1,098

  1,198

  549

  285

  180

  Delyn

  542

  770

  1,071

  919

  1,706

  1,004

  631

  394

  Glyndwr

  541

  568

  541

  1,540

  1,525

  581

  234

  124

  Rhuddlan

  230

  352

  672

  1,246

  1,185

  724

  304

  101

  Wrexham Maelor

  1,133

  1,563

  1,502

  3,415

  8,760

  3,081

  1,743

  874

  Carmarthen

  553

  699

  751

  1,275

  1,438

  1,249

  877

  418

  Ceredigion

  627

  887

  754

  1,888

  2,529

  1,365

  1,005

  632

  Dinefwr

  442

  676

  621

  966

  1,013

  882

  388

  143

  Llanelli

  1,158

  1,247

  1,340

  2,671

  2,606

  1,613

  1,172

  536

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  1,050

  958

  1,065

  2,892

  3,578

  1,696

  954

  713

  South Pembrokeshire

  426

  402

  659

  1,489

  1,612

  838

  582

  168

  114 115

  District

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  11992–93

  Blaenau Gwent

  953

  1,347

  1,355

  2,643

  4,202

  1,610

  1,190

  399

  Islwyn

  1,501

  2,040

  2,137

  3,343

  3,168

  984

  1,029

  398

  Monmouth

  1,561

  1,498

  2,227

  3,110

  3,589

  1,352

  1,328

  430

  Newport

  3,005

  2,719

  2,848

  5,776

  7,561

  2,312

  1,334

  640

  Torfaen

  1,211

  3,413

  3,099

  3,533

  7,311

  3,516

  2,007

  988

  Aberconwy

  683

  705

  622

  2,034

  2,437

  802

  502

  160

  Arfon

  539

  572

  505

  1,666

  1,994

  770

  516

  284

  Dwyfor

  221

  108

  106

  274

  517

  417

  196

  63

  Meirionnydd

  435

  465

  425

  782

  943

  417

  351

  113

  Ynys Mon

  794

  606

  550

  2,349

  4,052

  1,332

  636

  151

  Cynon Valley

  632

  830

  935

  982

  1,161

  812

  577

  239

  Merthyr Tydfil

  1,349

  1,472

  1,721

  2,245

  2,332

  949

  502

  168

  Ogwr

  2,602

  2,869

  3,271

  5,310

  4,956

  2,653

  1,627

  640

  Rhondda

  370

  529

  396

  630

  710

  600

  261

  191

  Rhymney Valley

  1,607

  2,346

  2,166

  3,034

  3,420

  2,444

  1,358

  558

  Taff-Ely

  2,246

  2,414

  3,011

  4,153

  5,130

  2,356

  1,458

  722

  Brecknock

  860

  927

  938

  1,715

  1,611

  750

  612

  113

  Montgomeryshire

  716

  918

  524

  1,403

  1,836

  672

  607

  274

  Radnorshire

  309

  240

  490

  603

  651

  341

  246

  119

  Cardiff

  6,079

  8,165

  5,821

  10,144

  13,839

  3,952

  3,066

  940

  Vale of Glamorgan

  2,246

  2,565

  2,187

  5,305

  4,175

  1,482

  1,067

  567

  Port Talbot

  1,931

  2,063

  2,409

  3,532

  4,116

  1,716

  1,487

  615

  Lliw Valley

  858

  969

  1,036

  1,151

  2,307

  1,712

  894

  258

  Neath

  919

  1,204

  1,605

  2,331

  2,648

  1,393

  763

  354

  Swansea

  1,741

  2,140

  3,321

  7,557

  7,468

  3,203

  2,166

  770

  1April to September 1992 only.

  2Calculated using GDP deflator.

  Source: Welsh Office housing statistics form WHO7, as submitted by the Welsh district authorities.

  Hospital Closures
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the hospitals which have(a) partially and (b) wholly closed in Wales, during each year since 1989–90.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on partial closures is not available centrally. Information concerning the number of hospitals which closed wholly, and are still closed, is given in the table.

  Hospitals which closed

  Hospitals which opened

  1989–90

  —

  —

  1990–91

  7

  1

  1991–92

  18

  1

  1Includes one hospital closed for refurbishment.

  Sheep Scab
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to control sheep scab disease in Wales in the light of its reduction from a full notifiable status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 24 November, at column 628.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to reinstate sheep scab disease to full notifiable status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Government have no plans to reintroduce controls on sheep scab.

  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many non-departmental public bodies had fully expensed executive car leasing schemes in the year 116
  1991–92; how many have revised them since; if he will issue updated guidelines on such schemes to all such bodies in Wales; if he will list which bodies had schemes which involve (a) free petrol and oil to executives benefiting, (b) no contribution to the leasing costs and (c) contributions of less than two sevenths of the total lease costs to the executives in the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  One non-departmental public body, the Welsh Development Agency, had an executive car leasing scheme which in 1991–92 did not require repayments for personal mileage. Repayments for petrol and oil commenced from 1 April 1992. The Development Board for Rural Wales —DBRW—had a scheme which required no contribution to leasing costs for some executives, including the chief executive, who also received full petrol and oil, and less than two sevenths from others. As stated in the Comptroller and Auditor General's report on the DBRW's 1991–92 accounts, this matter is being pursued by the Welsh Office. Guidance produced by the Treasury's central unit on purchasing on car contract hire or lease schemes was passed to Welsh non-departmental public bodies this year.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to issue a comprehensive statement on delegated powers to Welsh non-departmental public bodies; if he will place a copy of the statement in the Library; what proposals he has to keep it up to date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Delegations to non-departmental public bodies—NDPBs—are set out in the financial memoranda, guidelines and other control documents applying to the individual bodies.

  These are kept under review and amended in the light of changing circumstances. The Welsh Office has recently taken action to remind NDPBs of the delegations currently in force.

  Training, Education and Enterprise
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about resources for training, education and enterprise in Wales in 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I attach great importance to training and education, and to the encouragement of enterprise. It is by developing people's abilities that our economy is strengthened and grows. I have established a department of training, education and enterprise to take the opportunity which we have uniquely in Wales to combine our efforts across these sectors. I am pleased to announce that a total of £559.4 million will be available for these sectors in 1993–94. This includes £248.5 million recurrent and £21.5 million capital expenditure for higher education, £129.3 million recurrent and £13.9 million capital for further education and £146.2 million for training. These resources will assist the further and higher education institutions in meeting rising demand and offer a sound basis for the work of the training and enterprise councils in delivering training and supporting enterprise.

  I am placing in the Library of the House copies of letters which are being sent today to chairmen of training and enterprise councils in Wales and to the chief executives of the higher and further education councils in Wales.

  Housing for Wales
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what resources will be made available to Housing for Wales to support development in the financial year 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In gross terms the resources available to Housing for Wales will amount to over £129.5 million in 1993–94. Taking account of associated private sector funding, the overall programme will be worth over £190 million next year. Compared to provision this year, my plans provide an uplift of about 5 per cent. in cash terms. Next year excluding the likely additional benefit of in-year transfers from local authorities, the allocation I have made will ensure that Housing for Wales's core annual production target can be raised from the present 3,500 to 3,650 homes. As regards current expenditure, I shall be making available almost £7.1 million in 1993–94 to cover the costs of the special needs management allowance scheme. This is of particular importance in supporting the housing component of our strategies for the vulnerable groups in Wales. It amounts to an 18 per cent. increase over provision for 1992–93.

  Noise-induced Hearing Loss
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of claimants in Wales who will not be eligible to claim for noise-induced hearing loss as a result of the decision to exclude those whose claim is for less than 20 per cent. disablement.

  Mr. Scott
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information on which to base a separate estimate for Wales is not available. The proposed change would bring war pension rules for claims in respect of noise-induced hearing loss more into line with those for occupational deafness under the industrial injuries scheme.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Tax Relief and Allowances
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the yield if(a) the personal income tax allowances, (b) mortgage interest income tax reliefs and (c) employers' employees' and personal pension income tax reliefs were restricted to (a) 25 per cent. and (b) 20 per cent. income tax.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The latest estimates of the direct revenue yields in a full year with the 1992–93 levels of allowances and tax rates are as follows:

  Restriction to 25 per cent. £ million

  Restriction to 20 per cent. £ million

  (i) All main income tax allowances

  1,500

  6,800

  (ii) Mortgage interest relief1

  —

  1,000

  (iii) Pension contribution reliefs2

  470

  1,100

  (iv) Combination of (i),(ii) and (iii)

  2,100

  9,000

  1 Mortgage interest relief is currently restricted to the basic rate of tax.

  2Employees' contributions to occupational pension schemes and contributions to personal pensions including retirement annuity premia and free-standing additional voluntary contributions.

  The yield from restricting the rate of relief on employers' contributions to pension schemes would depend on the method by which such contributions were allocated to individual employees.

  No account has been taken of possible behavioural changes resulting from such restrictions.

  Value Added Tax
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning the introduction of VAT on newspapers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have received a number of representations about this issue. The Government have no present plans or proposals to extend the scope of VAT to newspapers.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses have been wound up as a result of Customs and Excise taking action on value added tax in the last available year; and what percentage that represents of the number of businesses that ceased trading in that period.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Figures for businesses that cease trading are not collected centrally. During the year ending 31 March 1992, there were 42,676 insolvencies, in 6,775–16 per cent.—of which Customs and Excise were the petitioning creditors. In virtually all of these cases, other creditors were also involved.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the annual change in the revenue to the Exchequer if a reduced rate of value added tax at 6 per cent. were imposed on(a) the bloodstock industry, (b) funeral undertakings and cremations, (c) theatre and cinema tickets and video retail sales, (d) all snack foods, including chocolate, confectionary and chocolate coated biscuits and (e) admission to all sporting events.
  119
  Mr. Dorrell
  Precise costings are not available. The following estimates are based on consumers' expenditure data and make no allowance for the likely behavioural response to the change in the VAT rate:

  £ million (1991–92 prices)

  Bloodstock industry

  -5

  Theatre and cinema admissions and video retail sales

  -120

  All snack foods

  -930

  Admissions to all sporting events

  -40

  All snack foods include chocolate biscuits, confectionery, crisps, nut products, soft drinks and ice cream. These items are almost all standard rated at present.

  Funeral undertakings and cremations are presently exempt from VAT. The revenue effect from applying a VAT rate of 6 per cent. would need to take account of input tax which would be reclaimed at the standard rate of VAT. The revenue effect is likely to be close to zero.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will meet the editor of the Biddulph and Congleton Chronicle to discuss concerns about the removal of VAT zero-rating on newspapers.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Government have no present plans or proposals to extend the scope of VAT to newspapers. I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by a meeting at this time.

  Interest Rate Cuts
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to make retail banks pass on the interest rate cuts more rapidly to their customers.

  Mr. Nelson
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced at the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee hearing on 16 November that he intended to ask the Bank of England to have another look at the interest rates the banks charge their business customers and also to meet the bank chairmen when he has the opportunity.

  Tobacco and Alcohol Taxation
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to facilitate the convergence of tobacco and alcohol taxation in the EC by(a) reducing current United Kingdom taxes or (b) making no further increases in taxation, until such convergence is achieved.

  Sir John Cope
  A commitment to rate convergence is not necessary for the successful establishment of the single market and would unduly constrain my right hon. Friend's Budget flexibility.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects convergence of tobacco taxes to be achieved in the European Community.
  120
  Sir John Cope
  Recent directives have brought greater uniformity to the coverage and structure of EC tobacco duties, and have set minimum duty rates. For cigarettes the agreed minimum duty incidence is 57 per cent. of the retail price at the most popular price category. We accepted this reluctantly in the interests of agreement on a package of indirect tax measures, as we had been pressing for a minimum duty in cash terms. We intend to return to this issue in the first review of EC duty rates due by the end of 1994.

  We are committed to reducing smoking in the United Kingdom and have already undertaken, in the White Paper "The Health of the Nation", Cm 1986, at least to maintain the real level of the tobacco taxes. During our presidency of the EC, we have strongly advocated to finance and health colleagues the merits of using taxation to support health objectives. To avoid our own health and fiscal policy being adversely affected, we would like to see upwards convergence of EC duty rates towards United Kingdom levels.

  Crown Estate Commissioners
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the amount of tax paid or other contributions made to the Consolidated Fund by the Crown Estate Commissioners since 1962.

  Mr. Lamont
  The Civil List Act 1952 provides that the net income from the Crown estate, after defraying costs of collection and management, is paid into the Exchequer. The costs defrayed include VAT where applicable, but the Crown estate is not subject to corporation, income or capital gains tax.

  The net income paid into the Consoidated Fund for each financial year since 1962 was published in the Official Report of 2 July at columns 659–60. The payment for 1991–92, then provisional, has since been confirmed at the same figure, £70 million.

  Taxation
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer of 17 December 1991, to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown),Official Report, column 121, to provide similar estimates of the burden of direct and indirect taxes for the years 1991–92 and 1992–93; and if he will publish any revisions for earlier years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [pursuant to his reply, 24 November 1992, c. 569.]: Updated figures for 1991–92, including estimates of community charge payments, and the latest estimates for 1992–93 for direct taxes and indirect taxes excluding the community charge are given in the table on a similar basis as that provided to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East on 17 December 1991.

  Estimates of community charge payments in 1992–93 for specimen households are not yet available.
  121

  Income tax, National Insurance contributions and indirect tax payments at multiples of average earnings 1991–92

  Multiples of average earnings

  50

  75

  100

  150

  200

  300

  400

  500

  700

  1,000

  2,000

  Single

  Amounts, £ per week

  Income tax

  25.25

  45.79

  66.33

  107.42

  169.25

  300.73

  432.21

  563.69

  826.65

  1,221.09

  2,535.89

  NICs

  11.15

  18.55

  25.94

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  Total income tax and NICs

  36.40

  64.34

  92.28

  138.88

  200.71

  332.19

  463.67

  595.15

  858.11

  1,252.55

  2,567.35

  VAT

  —

  13.25

  17.73

  27.44

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  18.42

  22.76

  32.18

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Community Charge

  —

  6.86

  7.05

  7.45

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  102.88

  139.82

  205.96

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Percentage of earnings

  Income tax

  15.4

  18.6

  20.2

  21.8

  25.7

  30.5

  32.9

  34.3

  35.9

  37.1

  38.6

  NICs

  6.8

  7.5

  7.9

  6.4

  4.8

  3.2

  2.4

  1.9

  1.4

  1.0

  0.5

  Total income tax and NICs

  22.1

  26.1

  28.1

  28.2

  30.5

  33.7

  35.3

  36.2

  37.3

  38.1

  39.1

  VAT

  —

  5.4

  5.4

  5.6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  7.5

  6.9

  6.5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Community Charge

  —

  2.8

  2.1

  1.5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  41.7

  42.5

  41.8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Married, no children

  Amounts, £ per week

  Income tax

  16.98

  37.52

  58.06

  99.15

  156.02

  287.50

  418.98

  550.46

  813.42

  1,207.86

  2,522.66

  NICs

  11.15

  18.55

  25.94

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  Total income tax and NICs

  28.13

  56.07

  84.01

  130.61

  187.48

  318.96

  450.44

  581.92

  844.88

  1,239.32

  2,554.12

  VAT

  —

  12.23

  17.10

  27.67

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  20.58

  25.04

  34.74

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Community Charge

  —

  11.09

  11.22

  11.49

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  99.96

  137.37

  204.51

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Percentage of earnings

  Income tax

  10.3

  15.2

  17.7

  20.1

  23.7

  29.2

  31.9

  33.5

  35.4

  36.7

  38.4

  NICs

  6.8

  7.5

  7.9

  6.4

  4.8

  3.2

  2.4

  1.9

  1.4

  1.0

  0.5

  Total income tax and NICs

  17.1

  22.7

  25.6

  26.5

  28.5

  32.3

  34.3

  35.4

  36.7

  37.7

  38.9

  VAT

  —

  5.0

  5.2

  5.6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  8.3

  7.6

  7.0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Community Charge

  —

  4.5

  3.4

  2.3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  40.5

  41.8

  41.5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Married, both working

  Amounts, £ per week

  Income tax

  1.14

  21.68

  42.22

  83.31

  124.40

  212.49

  325.27

  456.75

  719.71

  1,114.15

  2,428.95

  NICs

  7.51

  14.91

  22.30

  37.09

  51.49

  62.92

  62.92

  62.92

  62.92

  62.92

  62.92

  Total income tax and NICs

  8.65

  36.59

  64.53

  120.41

  175.88

  275.41

  388.19

  519.67

  782.63

  1,177.07

  2,491.87

  VAT

  —

  13.99

  19.27

  29.84

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  23.73

  27.59

  35.30

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Community Charge

  —

  11.67

  11.72

  11.82

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  85.98

  123.11

  197.37

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Percentage of earnings

  Income tax

  0.7

  8.8

  12.8

  16.9

  18.9

  21.5

  24.7

  27.8

  31.3

  33.9

  36.9

  NICs

  4.6

  6.0

  6.8

  7.5

  7.8

  6.4

  4.8

  3.8

  2.7

  1.9

  1.0

  Total income tax and NICs

  5.3

  14.8

  19.6

  24.4

  26.8

  27.9

  29.5

  31.6

  34.0

  35.8

  37.9

  VAT

  —

  5.7

  5.9

  6.1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  9.6

  8.4

  7.2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Community Charge

  —

  4.7

  3.6

  2.4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  34.9

  37.5

  40.0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Married, two children

  Amounts, £ per week

  Income tax

  0.85

  21.39

  41.93

  83.02

  139.89

  271.37

  402.85

  534.33

  797.29

  1,191.73

  2,506.53

  NICs

  11.15

  18.55

  25.94

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  31.46

  Total income tax and NICs

  12.00

  39.94

  67.88

  114.48

  171.35

  302.83

  434.31

  565.79

  828.75

  1,223.19

  2,537.99

  VAT

  —

  12.10

  17.61

  29.59

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  20.33

  23.76

  31.19

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Community Charge

  —

  10.82

  11.43

  12.64

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  83.18

  120.68

  187.91

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  122 123

  Multiples of average earnings

  50

  75

  100

  150

  200

  300

  400

  500

  700

  1,000

  2,000

  Percentage of earnings

  Income tax

  0.5

  8.7

  12.8

  16.8

  21.3

  27.5

  30.6

  32.5

  34.7

  36.3

  38.1

  NICs

  6.8

  7.5

  7.9

  6.4

  4.8

  3.2

  2.4

  1.9

  1.4

  1.0

  0.5

  Total income tax and NICs

  7.3

  16.2

  20.7

  23.2

  26.1

  30.7

  33.0

  34.4

  36.0

  37.2

  38.6

  VAT

  —

  4.9

  5.4

  6.0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  8.2

  7.2

  6.3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Community Charge

  —

  4.4

  3.5

  2.6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  33.7

  36.7

  38.1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Income tax, National Insurance contributions and indirect tax payments at multiples of average earnings 1992–93

  Multiples of average earnings

  50

  75

  100

  150

  200

  300

  400

  500

  700

  1,000

  2,000

  Single

  Amounts, £ per week

  Income tax

  24.76

  46.39

  68.01

  111.26

  180.01

  318.41

  456.81

  595.21

  872.01

  1,287.21

  2,671.21

  NICs

  11.79

  19.58

  27.36

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  Total income tax and NICs

  36.55

  65.96

  95.37

  143.93

  212.68

  351.08

  489.48

  627.88

  904.68

  1,319.88

  2,703.88

  VAT

  —

  14.13

  18.85

  29.13

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  18.55

  22.88

  32.32

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  98.65

  137.11

  205.39

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Percentage of earnings

  Income tax

  14.3

  17.9

  19.7

  21.4

  26.0

  30.7

  33.0

  34.4

  36.0

  37.2

  38.6

  NICs

  6.8

  7.5

  7.9

  6.3

  4.7

  3.1

  2.4

  1.9

  1.3

  0.9

  0.5

  Total income tax and NICs

  21.1

  25.4

  27.6

  27.7

  30.7

  33.8

  35.4

  36.3

  37.4

  38.1

  39.1

  VAT

  —

  5.4

  5.4

  5.6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  7.1

  6.6

  6.2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  38.0

  39.6

  39.6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Married, no children

  Amounts, £ per week

  Income tax

  16.50

  38.12

  59.75

  103.00

  166.78

  305.18

  443.58

  581.98

  858.78

  1,273.98

  2,657.98

  NICs

  11.79

  19.58

  27.36

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  Total income tax and NICs

  28.29

  57.70

  87.11

  135.67

  199.45

  337.85

  476.25

  614.65

  891.45

  1,306.65

  2,690.65

  VAT

  —

  13.03

  18.17

  29.36

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  20.75

  25.14

  34.72

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  91.50

  130.40

  199.70

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Percentage of earnings

  Income tax

  9.5

  14.7

  17.3

  19.8

  24.1

  29.4

  32.1

  33.6

  35.5

  36.8

  38.4

  NICs

  6.8

  7.5

  7.9

  6.3

  4.7

  3.1

  2.4

  1.9

  1.3

  0.9

  0.5

  Total income tax and NICs

  16.3

  22.2

  25.2

  26.1

  28.8

  32.5

  34.4

  35.5

  36.8

  37.8

  38.9

  VAT

  —

  5.0

  5.3

  5.7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  8.0

  7.3

  6.7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  35.2

  37.7

  38.5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Married, both working

  Amounts, £ per week

  Income tax

  1.48

  19.68

  41.26

  84.51

  127.76

  224.42

  346.79

  485.19

  761.99

  1,177.19

  2,561.19

  NICs

  8.01

  15.79

  23.58

  39.15

  53.80

  65.34

  65.34

  65.34

  65.34

  65.34

  65.34

  Total income tax and NICs

  9.49

  35.48

  64.84

  123.66

  181.76

  289.76

  412.13

  550.53

  827.33

  1,242.53

  2,626.53

  VAT

  —

  15.07

  20.65

  31.80

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  24.02

  27.83

  33.44

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  74.57

  113.32

  190.90

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Percentage of earnings

  Income tax

  0.9

  7.6

  11.9

  16.3

  18.5

  21.6

  25.1

  28.0

  31.5

  34.0

  37.0

  NICs

  4.6

  6.1

  6.8

  7.5

  7.8

  6.3

  4.7

  3.8

  2.7

  1.9

  0.9

  Total income tax and NICs

  5.5

  13.7

  18.7

  23.8

  26.2

  27.9

  29.8

  31.8

  34.2

  35.9

  38.0

  VAT

  —

  5.8

  6.0

  6.1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  9.3

  8.0

  6.8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  28.7

  32.8

  36.8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Married, two children

  Amounts, £ per week

  Income tax

  -0.95

  20.67

  42.30

  85.55

  149.33

  287.73

  426.13

  564.53

  841.33

  1,256.53

  2,640.53

  124 125

  Multiples of average earnings

  50

  75

  100

  150

  200

  300

  400

  500

  700

  1,000

  2,000

  NICs

  11.79

  19.58

  27.36

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  32.67

  Total income tax and NICs

  10.84

  40.25

  69.66

  118.22

  182.00

  320.40

  458.80

  597.20

  874.00

  1,289.20

  2,673.20

  VAT

  —

  12.96

  18.78

  31.46

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  20.45

  23.90

  31.42

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  73.66

  112.34

  181.09

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Percentage of earnings

  Income tax

  -0.6

  8.0

  12.2

  16.5

  21.6

  27.7

  30.8

  32.6

  34.7

  36.3

  38.2

  NICs

  6.8

  7.5

  7.9

  6.3

  4.7

  3.1

  2.4

  1.9

  1.3

  0.9

  0.5

  Total income tax and NICs

  6.3

  15.5

  20.1

  22.8

  26.3

  30.9

  33.2

  34.5

  36.1

  37.3

  38.6

  VAT

  —

  5.0

  5.4

  6.1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  7.9

  6.9

  6.1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  28.4

  32.5

  34.9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Notes:

  1. Income tax payments are calculated on the assumption that the households receive no tax reliefs other than the standard allowances and only have income from employment. All earners, including wives, are assumed to pay class 1 NI contributions at the contracted-in rate.

  2. Since 1990–91, husbands and wives have been taxed independently. Previously, the tax liability of couples depended on their joint income. To permit comparisons with earlier years, the table therefore shows income tax and national insurance contributions paid by a married couple as a proportion of their joint income, assuming, as in the earlier years, that where both partners are earners, the husband and wife share the relevant multiple of earnings in the ratio 60:40.

  3. In order to provide comparability with 1987–79, when support for children was given partly through child tax allowance, child benefit is treated as a negative income tax for the married couple with two children.

  4. Average earnings are taken to be the average gross weekly earnings of all full-time males on adult rates with pay unaffected by absence. These are £328–70 per week in 1991–92 and is estimated to be £346.00 per week in 1992–93, based on the Autumn Statement earnings growth assumption of 5¼ per cent. in 1992–93.

  5. The estimates of indirect taxes apart from the community charge are based on equations derived from the 1985 family expenditure survey, uprated to later years using forecasts of aggregate tax receipts. They are based on the illustrative assumption that 10 per cent. of disposable income is saved. There are wide variations in spending patterns between households with the same composition and similar incomes and estimated payments of VAT and other indirect taxes are therefore approximate, even within the income range for which figures are shown. Outside this range, the margin of error is even higher and reliable estimates cannot be made. Because of sampling variation, there can be substantial differences between estimates obtained from family expenditure surveys for different years.

  6. Estimates of the burden of the community charge has been derived from the 1991 family expenditure survey. All respondents were assumed to pay the charge to which they were liable. The calculations include water charges in order to put the estimates on a comparable basis to the estimates for earlier years. Community charge payments are net of transitional relief and community charge benefits. Since community dharge payments vary widely between households with similar incomes, the estimated charge payments are only approximate.

  Safes
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the necessity of distinguishing between the value of the production of safes and the value of the production 126
  of armoured doors for safes in the EUROPROD COM returns was required by the European Community or evolved nationally; and what value he places on this distinction.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: The text of the PRODCOM questions refers to
  "armoured or reinforced safes and strong boxes"

  and
  "armoured or reinforced doors … for strong-rooms".

  These are two entirely separate products and have been distinguished from one another for many years in both United Kingdom domestic production statistics and in external trade statistics. The distinction between a safe and the armoured door for a strong-room is a necessary and useful one. The definitions are required by the European Community.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what humanitarian aid has been given to prisoners in Serbian concentration camps by direct intervention, or through the Red Cross or the United Nations.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The International Committee of the Red Cross—ICRC—takes the lead role in providing humanitarian aid to detention camps. It has committed over £18 million in humanitarian aid to all victims of the conflict throughout the former Yugoslavia so far, to which the United Kingdom has directly contributed £1.8 million. We are also channelling humanitarian aid to the former Yugoslavia through the EC, which has in turn made contributions to assist the Red Cross. In November the ICRC reported that it had visited a total of 20 detention camps containing 5,404 detainees. Of those, six were in Serbian-controlled areas and contained 4,103 detainees.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid is currently granted to his Department to(a) Austria, (b) Hungary and (c) Slovenia to assist displaced refugees from the former Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  To date we have committed over £70 million—£29.5 million bilaterally and £41 million through the EC—towards the relief programme in the former
  127
  Yugoslavia. Our aid is planned in co-operation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees who co-ordinates the international relief effort in the region. The priority is the supply of humanitarian relief to central Bosnia, where the suffering is greatest. But some of the aid through the EC, UNHCR and other international organisations has been used to assist displaced people in Slovenia. Figures detailing the amount of this aid are unavailable. No United Kingdom bilateral aid has been given to Austria or Hungary.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to offer more money to displaced refugees from the former Yugoslavia over and above the money granted to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees/ UNICEF/World Health Organisation appeal.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  It is already our policy to provide support to displaced people in former Yugoslavia over and above the money granted towards the UNHCR, UNICEF and WHO appeals. We are providing support to the ICRC and non-governmental organisations, as well as direct bilateral assistance in such things as the rehabilitation of existing buildings in order to provide shelter for displaced people. We have so far committed over £70 million towards the humanitarian relief effort in the former Yugoslavia. This is in addition to the cost of the 2,400 British troops we have made available to the UN protection force—UNPROFOR.

  Tropical Timber
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will detail the proposals put forward(a) directly by the Government and (b) through the EC during the United Kingdom's presidency concerning the reform of the international tropical timber agreement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have proposed focusing the objectives of the international tropical timber agreement on the achievement of the year 2000 target for all internationally traded tropical timber to come from sustainably managed sources. We have also proposed measures to improve the operational performance of the International Tropical Timber Organisation and its ability to help tropical timber producing countries meet this target. We act in close co-ordination with our EC partners who share these objectives.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanisms have been established by the Overseas Development Administration to monitor the performance of the International Tropical Timber Organisation in attaining its target of sustainable management of tropical timber.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We will monitor information from a range of sources including national reporting of progress towards the year 2000 target and reliable independent assessments of the sustainability of timber production as these are developed.

  Somalia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the British contribution to the United Nations military effort in Somalia.
  128
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We will pay our full share of United Nations operations in Somalia in accordance with assessed contributions. We have provided two RAF transport aircraft and accompanying personnel to support the US-led coalition's actions in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolution 794. We will also pay our share of the EC's commitment to assist with the funding of the Belgian contributions to military operations in Somalia.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice he has given to British aid agencies in Somalia about their role during the military initiative in Somalia by the United Nations.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has discussed the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 794 with representatives of British non-governmental organisations working in Somalia twice in the last three weeks and with senior US Government officials. She has stressed the need for regular liaison between the military commanders and NGOs in the planning and execution of Operation Restore Hope.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution Britain has made in diplomatic and humanitarian terms to the area of the former British Somaliland during the period since the end of the civil war in Somalia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We provide humanitarian assistance to northern Somalia in response to requests from United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations. Since Siad Barre's fall in January 1991, Britain has provided £2 million in emergency humanitarian relief to northern Somalia. Since the British embassy in Mogadishu was closed in early January 1991, officials have visited northern Somalia on three occasions and maintained informal contact in London, Nairobi and Addis Ababa with representatives of Somali groups. We have also pressed the United Nations, at all levels, to take account of northern Somalia's distinct needs.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice, help and support he has given to the Republic of Somaliland since September with a view to assisting the re-establishment of law and order.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have advised the authorities in north-west Somalia to co-operate with the United Nations Somalia initiative. This recognises the need for assistance with the establishment of law and order through the creation of local police forces.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sums of money he has(a) offered and (b) provided to pay administrator police and militia in northern Somalia, Republic of Somaliland, since September.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have received no formal requests for assistance with the establishment of a police force or a militia in northern Somalia; nor have we made any offers to do so.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role he expects the
  129
  United Kingdom to play in the mission to provide relief aid to Somalia; and to what extent United Kingdom efforts will be directed towards aid and reconstruction in the north of Somalia, Republic of Somaliland.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Britain is already a major donor of humanitarian assistance to Somalia. On 4 December my noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development announced a new pledge of £4.5 million. This brings our total commitment of humanitarian assistance to Somalia this year to £31.5 million, including our contribution to European Community actions. These resources are available to support the work of British and international non-governmental organisations and United Nations agencies throughout Somalia.

  Crown Agents and Commonwealth Development Corporation
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for the future status of the Crown Agents and Commonwealth Development Corporation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Ministers have decided to review the status of the Crown Agents. Consultants will be appointed to advise on the feasibility of various options, including retention in the public sector. Account will be taken of the implications of any change for the Crown Agents' existing clients, which include a wide range of international aid donors, the Overseas Development Administration and many overseas Governments.

  Similarly, options for the future status of the Commonwealth Development Corporation—CDC—are being examined in the context of the current quinquennial review. The recommendations of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, contained in its recent efficiency scrutiny of the CDC, are being considered as part of this review.

  In commissioning these reviews, Ministers recognise the valuable role that both Crown Agents and the CDC play in their respective spheres of activity.

  Forests
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Yokohama conference on forest conservation.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: Two meetings relating to forest conservation were held in Yokohama recently. These were the 13th International Tropical Timber Council—ITTC—and the first preparatory committee for the renegotiation of the international tropical timber agreement—ITTA. Some progress was made in the ITTC towards our objective of improving the capacity of the International Tropical Timber Organisation to help tropical timber producing countries manage their forests sustainably. The ITTA renegotiation will continue in a second preparatory committee meeting in Quito, Ecuador in January.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy at the conference at Yokohama on the conservation of northern forests.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: Two meetings relating to forest conservation held in
  130
  Yokohama recently were the 13th International Tropical Timber Council and the first preparatory committee for the renegotiation of the international tropical timber agreement. The ITTC and ITTA focus on international trade in timber from tropical forests.

  We are pursuing our policies towards the conservation of non-tropical forests in other forums such as the meetings next year of European Forestry Ministers in Helsinki and of Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe members in Montreal.

  Along with other European Community and G7 Governments, we are committed to producing plans for the implementation of the forest principles agreed at the UN Conference on Environment and Development last June and for the establishment of an international review process.

DEFENCE

  Munitions Orders
  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with Royal Ordnance plc about future orders for munitions from his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  I discussed future ammunition requirements, among other matters, with representatives from British Aerospace defence group and Royal Ordnance plc on 18 November. I also refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms. Walley) on 8 December,Official Report, column 614, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Mrs. Winterton) on 24 November 1992, Official Report, column 730.

  Operation Granby
  Mr. Menzie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the items of equipment lost during Operation Granby and the cost of replacement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Full information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Work is still continuing in inspecting items returned from the Gulf and the final replacement costs will not be known for some time. The Comptroller and Auditor General stated in a note to the class I appropriation accounts 1991–1992, Cm 197–1, that he was"generally satisfied that, in the circumstances, the Department took all reasonable steps to maintain control over their stores and equipment".

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many containers of equipment were lost during Operation Granby; and what each contained.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Some 7,000 containers were used in the Gulf, and 87 remained unaccounted for when action was taken in July 1992 to compensate their owners and to write them off. No record is available of what, if anything, these containers held.

  Explosives and Propellants Agreements
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his plans for the future of the explosives, propellants and related products agreements which were signed in 1987 when Royal Ordnance was privatised; and if he will make a statement.
  131
  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that 1 gave the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms. Walley) on 8 December 1992,Official Report, column 614.

  Legal Immunity
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what public legislation is not applicable to the operations of his Department; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will make a statement about the application of Crown immunity to the operations of his Department.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence is in general subject to regulatory requirements and enforcement arrangements on the same basis as others, except where there is a legitimate reason for exemption, for example on grounds of national security. Even in circumstances where the Department is not bound by legislation it is the Ministry's policy that it should comply as though requirements applied to it wherever this is appropriate and practicable. Since the repeal in 1987 of section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947, the position

  Bill

  Size of commitee

  Conservative

  Labour

  Other

  Asylum and Immigration Appeals

  22

  12

  9

  1

  Bankruptcy (Scotland)

  20

  11

  8

  1

  British Coal and British Rail (Transfer Proposals)

  22

  12

  9

  1

  Cardiff Bay Barrage

  20

  11

  8

  1

  Civil Service (Management Functions)

  18

  10

  7

  1

  Community Care (Residential Functions)

  21

  11

  9

  1

  Education

  33

  17

  14

  2

  Finance

  34

  18

  14

  2

  Housing and Urban Development

  32

  17

  14

  1

  Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland)

  20

  11

  8

  1

  Sea Fish (Conservation)

  18

  10

  7

  1

  Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights

  30

  16

  13

  1

  all SI committees

  18

  10

  7

  1

  (iii) Under Standing Order No. 86 the Committee of Selection is required to nominate not fewer than 16 nor more than 50 members to serve on these Standing Committees. In nominating members, it is required to have regard to the qualifications of Members and to the composition of the House.

  (iv) Proportions for Standing Committees of between 16 and 50 Members are as follows:

  Size of commitee

  Conservative

  Labour

  Other

  16

  9

  6

  1

  17

  9

  7

  1

  18

  10

  7

  1

  19

  10

  8

  1

  20

  11

  8

  1

  21

  11

  9

  1

  22

  12

  9

  1

  23

  12

  9

  2

  24

  13

  10

  1

  25

  13

  10

  2

  26

  14

  11

  2

  27

  14

  11

  2

  28

  15

  11

  2

  29

  15

  12

  2

  30

  16

  12

  2

  31

  16

  13

  2

  32

  17

  14

  2

  33

  17

  14

  2

  132
  of service personnel injured on duty is the same in relation to the Ministry of Defence as that of any other employees and their employer.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Standing Committees
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many Standing Committees have been set up so far in this Parliament; what was the ratio of Government, main Opposition and minority Opposition party members serving on each committee; and if he will show, in rising numerical order, the ratios for Standing Committees from 16 to 60.

  Mr. Newton
  (i) As of Monday 30 November, 12 Bills have been committed to Standing Committee in the current Session. The Standing Committees on Statutory Instruments have been constituted on 38 separate occasions. There are also two Standing Committees on European Documents.

  (ii) The ratios of Government, main Opposition and minority Opposition party Members on each of these committees were as follows:

  Size of commitee

  Conservative

  Labour

  Other

  34

  18

  14

  2

  35

  18

  15

  2

  36

  19

  15

  2

  37

  19

  15

  2

  38

  20

  16

  2

  39

  20

  16

  3

  40

  21

  16

  3

  41

  21

  17

  3

  42

  22

  17

  3

  43

  22

  18

  3

  44

  23

  18

  3

  45

  23

  19

  3

  46

  24

  19

  3

  47

  24

  20

  3

  48

  25

  20

  3

  49

  25

  21

  3

  50

  26

  21

  3

  Parliamentary Pensions
  Mr. Dixon
  To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Members for Jarrow and for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Eastham) on 7 December,Official Report, column 510, what further action he has now taken in relation to parliamentary pensions; and if he will make a statement.
  133
  Mr. Newton
  Following the debate on 25 November, I held a meeting with the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) and the trustees of the parliamentary contributory pension fund. Officials are now considering, in consultation with the Fees Office, how to take matters forward.

  Divisions
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will now respond to the second report of Session 1991–92 from the Select Committee on Procedure relating to the Chair's discretion to extend the time allowed for a Division.

  Mr. Newton
  I have now considered this report and agree with the main recommendation that the existing discretion of the Chair as set out in Standing Order No. 37 should remain unchanged. The other recommendations flow from that and are matters already within the discretion of Madam Speaker and other House authorities. The separate proposal to amend Standing Order No. 37 to bring it into line with current practice and remove a confusing ambiguity will be implemented at a convenient opportunity.

  Public Petitions
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will now respond to the fourth report of Session 1991–92 from the Select Committee on Procedure relating to public petitions.

  Mr. Newton
  I have now completed my consideration of this report and agree with its recommendations for changes in the rules relating to the format and wording of petitions. I will shortly table a motion to approve the report. If passed, this will give the Journal Office the necessary authority to implement the recommendations and prepare revised rules and guidance for Members. The changes do not involve any amendment to Standing Orders.

TRANSPORT

  Fisheries Safety
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has received from the European Commission concerning a proposed directive on the occupational safety of both fishermen and fishing vessels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  An amended proposal for a directive (9284/92) was received from the European Commission on 6 November. The Commons Select Committee on European Legislation has recommended that the proposed directive should be debated by European Standing Committee A.

  Bus Priority Measures
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Tansport which bus priority measures will be funded from his Department in 1993–94.

  Mr. Freeman
  We shall be making available a total of £15.475 million to local authorities in England for 134
  measures to promote bus use in 1993–94. Of this total, £6 million will be found from the Department's provision for local public transport and £9.475 million from the provision for local roads; £3.3 million of the total will be allocated to schemes in London and a separate announcement about those will be made by the Minister for Transport in London. The allocations to successful local authorities outside London are listed. In addition, the Department will be supporting a low floor bus demonstration project and research into alternative fuels.

  I am delighted that we have been able to increase substantially the level of resources available for measures to promote bus use. This is in response to increased interest from local authorities in the role of the bus in helping to alleviate road congestion. The allocations will enable authorities to continue schemes funded in 1992–93 and to introduce many new ones.

  Bus priority measures 1993–94: local authorities outside London

  £000s

  Counties

  Avon

  1,525

  Berkshire

  200

  Cambridgeshire

  120

  Cheshire

  625

  Cleveland

  600

  Devon

  250

  Durham

  50

  East Sussex

  125

  Essex

  130

  Gloucestershire

  70

  Hampshire

  170

  Kent

  500

  Lancashire

  580

  Norfolk

  3,000

  Northamptonshire

  100

  Nottinghamshire

  175

  Oxfordshire

  50

  Shropshire

  50

  Suffolk

  100

  Surrey

  240

  Wiltshire

  140

  Metropolitan Areas

  Birmingham

  400

  Bury

  40

  Coventry

  250

  Dudley

  75

  Doncaster

  50

  Gateshead

  75

  Knowsley

  250

  Leeds

  450

  Liverpool

  300

  Manchester

  750

  Newcastle

  100

  Oldham

  40

  Salford

  75

  Sheffield

  200

  Solihull

  50

  Stockport

  30

  Trafford

  10

  Wirral

  30

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which bus priority measures in London will be funded from his Department in 1993–94.

  Mr. Norris
  I am pleased to announce that we have been able to make available the sum of £3.3 million for bus priority measures in London in 1993–94.

  The allocations are listed.
  135

  Bus priority measures 1993–94: London boroughs

  £000s

  Camden

  50

  Ealing

  548

  Hammersmith

  600

  Haringey

  75

  Hillingdon

  752

  Hounslow

  250

  Kensington

  50

  Lambeth

  124

  Newham

  106

  Richmond

  45

  Tower Hamlets

  600

  Wandsworth

  100

  Dangerous Goods
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what controls his Department requires of port authorities in respect of the import and export of dangerous goods.

  Mr. Norris
  The movement of dangerous substances through ports is controlled by the Dangerous Substances in Harbour Areas Regulations (SI 1987 No. 37).

  Freight
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what dates British Rail's objectives of 19 December 1989 for rail freight were superseded; and on what date British Rail was informed.

  Mr. Freeman
  The objectives have not been superseded.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the change in the amount of freight traffic carried by rail since May 1991.

  Mr. Freeman
  In the year ending May 1992, there was a decline of some 10 per cent. in terms of tonnes lifted. Factors affecting changes in rail freight are discussed at pages 18 to 20 of the 1991–92 annual report and accounts of the British Railways Board.

  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the five most used motorways for the purpose of freight haulage.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The five motorways which carry most heavy goods vehicle traffic on average per mile are the M25, Ml, M6, M62 and M56.

  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of British goods for the domestic market are transported by(a) rail and (b) road; and how this compares with the EC average.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The information that is readily available for 1990 is published in "Transport Statistics Great Britain 1992" as tables 8.9 and 8.10. Definitions and more detailed comparisons for earlier years are published in the transport statistics report "International Comparisons of Transport Statistics Part 1: Intermodal". Both publications are in the House of Commons Library.

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to extend compensation provisions for rail users outlined in the citizens charter to cover all users of public transport.
  136
  Mr. Freeman
  I welcome the fact that our citizens charter initiative has led British Rail and London Underground to introduce compensation schemes for poor performance. It is for other public transport operators to decide whether to follow their example, but I hope that many will do so.

  Road Planning
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish(a) the terms of reference and (b) the line table including completion date, of the review of the road planning process he announced in October.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The terms of reference for the review were to review the statutory and administrative procedures involved in preparing a major road scheme from programme entry to the start of construction, and to recommend possible changes, either statutory or administrative, which might speed up the process; and to report by the end of November 1992.

  We are now considering the consultants' report.

  EC Road Proposals
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the status of the European Commission's proposals for a network of major roads in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The European Commission's proposals for a trans-European road network of routes of Community interest have been laid for opinion before the European Parliament. They have yet to be discussed by the Council of Ministers.

  The route proposals are intended to encourage action by member states. A member state's positive assent is required before any project can go ahead.

  Regional Consultative Meetings
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the dates for his Department's regional annual consultative meetings for each region for 1993–94; what issues are expected to be raised at these meetings and if he will place in the Library copies of all minutes of meetings held since April 1991.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The dates of the regional annual consultative committee meetings for 1993–94 have not yet been arranged, but they are normally held between October and December. The agenda items are generally proposed by the local highway authorities of the region concerned, and are agreed with the regional office nearer the date of the meeting. I am arranging to place the minutes of the 1991–92 round of meetings in the Library, and will do the same for the current 1992–93 round when they become available.

  Regional Brief
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is his policy regarding the preparation by regional offices of regional briefs;

  (2) by what means regional briefs are available to the public; and if it is his intention to consult the public during their preparation;
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  (3) if he will list those regional briefs which have been prepared; when they were published; and if he will provide a timetable for their revision and preparation for each of his regional offices;

  (4) if he will set out the remit of the regional briefs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Regional briefs contain information about transport, including Government policy, in the eight Department of Transport regions outside London. The briefs were commissioned by the Secretary of State in 1990 to inform local Members of Parliament and others about planned transport improvements. Publicity was given to their publication and copies are available to the public on request. Details of publication dates are:

  Regional Brief

  Date of publication

  Eastern

  May 1991

  East Midland

  May 1991

  Northern

  November 1990

  North West

  December 1991

  South East

  December 1991

  South West

  November 1991

  West Midland

  January 1991

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  January 1991

  The briefs may be updated from time to time as considered necessary by the individual regional offices.

  Road Schemes
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to ensure the compatibility of trunk road and motorway proposals with land use planning policies in forthcoming regional planning guidance.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We shall continue our long-standing policy of consultation both with the Department of the Environment in the joint Environment/Transport regional offices, and with the local planning authorities.

  Traffic Congestion, Greenwich
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made by his Department following the visit by the Minister of Transport in London to Greenwich on 25 June, in considering proposals for easing traffic congestion in Greenwich town centre, and in particular the feasibility study for a bypass, and the interim proposal for a ban on heavy goods vehicles in the town centre; and when he expects to announce his decision in respect of the application by Greenwich council for transport supplementary grant to pursue such options.

  Mr. Norris
  An announcement about the allocation of transport supplementary grant will be made before Christmas. The hon. Member will appreciate that I cannot comment on specific bids in advance of this announcement.

  Fares
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to oppose any attempt by the European Commission to make public transport fares subject to value added tax.
  138
  Mr. Dorrell
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government have maintained, during the single market negotiations, our right to retain the coverage of our current zero rates including domestic passenger transport. The present agreement reached by Finance Ministers covers the period until 1997 without prejudice to what happens thereafter.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Citizens Charter
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many copies of the summary "Guide to the Citizen's Charter First Report: 1992" have been distributed to date.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have distributed 500,000 copies of the summary guide.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the cost to date of the publication and distribution of the summary "Guide to the Citizen's Charter First Report: 1992".

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The cost to date of the publication and distribution of the summary guide is in the region of £160,000.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the total cost to date of the publication and distribution of the "Citizen's Charter First Report: 1992", Cm 2101.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The costs of printing, publishing and distributing the report were borne by HMSO, which expects to recover its costs from sales revenue. HMSO does not normally reveal details of such costs, which are treated on a commercial in confidence basis.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what has been the overall charge to date from the Post Office for the distribution of citizens charter material.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have to date paid the Post Office £23,500 for the distribution of the summary guide to the "Citizen's Charter First Report: 1992".

  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the average time taken by his Department to reply to queries from hon. Members concerning the citizens charter; what were the targets set; and what means of redress is available to hon. Members if his Department fails to meet those targets.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My Department aims to respond to all letters from hon. Members within 15 working days. Over the last four months we have met this target with just under half our cases. No means of redress is available, but I am happy to investigate any individual complaints about the handling of correspondence.

  Publications (Cost)
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the average cost of the purchase from HMSO for a full five-day sitting week of one copy of the daily Official Report of the House of Commons and the

  139
  House of Lords, the daily Order Paper, the Vote Bundle of each House and the Weekly Information Bulletin; and what plans he has to seek to alter the cost of such publications.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  If both Houses sit for a full five days, which is not usual for the House of Lords, the following prices would apply:

  £

  The Official Report, House of Commons (daily)

  37.50

  The Official Report, House of Lords (daily)

  21.00

  House of Commons Vote Bundle (including Order Paper)

  1145.80

  House of Commons Order Paper alone

  125.45

  House of Lords Minutes of Proceedings

  123.50

  Weekly Information Bulletin

  2.30

  1Average

  HMSO prices for these items have not been increased during 1992 and HMSO intends that current prices should continue unchanged throughout 1993.

  Civil Servants (Complaints)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will bring forward proposals to create the post of inspector general of the civil service to deal with complaints on the conduct of civil servants.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  No. Standards conduct in the civil service are regulated by the "Civil Service Code", a copy of which is in the Library. The Royal Commission on Standards of Conduct in Public Life 1974–1976 (Cmnd. 6524) recommended against the establishment of a new agency to oversee investigations of alleged impropriety. There are no grounds for reconsidering that recommendation.

  Patents and Licences
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assistance his Department provides for patenting or licensing of any products or processes developed from work funded by his Department.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  The research councils are expected to meet the cost of protecting their intellectual property rights from within their annual grant-in-aid from the Office of Public Service and Science.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on progress under the programme for action to achieve equality of opportunity in the civil service for people of ethnic minority origin.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  There has been further progress this year; the proportion of ethnic minority staff in the civil service continues to rise. A report summarising progress during 1991–92 is being published today. Copies are being placed in the Library of the House.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Textiles
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing the tariff levels for United Kingdom exports of wool cloth, headings 5111 and 5112, to the following markets, and any non-tariff barriers which apply, together with the tariff level for imports of that product from the same countries into the Community(a) the United States of America, (b) South Africa, (c) Australia, (d) Turkey, including additional duties payable, (e) India, (f) Pakistan, (g) Thailand and (h) Malaysia.

  Mr. Needham
  United Kingdom exports attract the following charges:

  United States

  tariff 51.11—duties range between 7 per cent. and 38 per cent. on an ad valorem basis depending on quality and size of fabric.

  51.12—duties range between 7 per cent. and 38 per cent. by value depending on quality and size of fabric.

  South Africa

  tariff 51.11–40 per cent. duty plus a 5 per cent. import surcharge.

  51.12–40 per cent. duty plus 5 per cent. import surcharge.

  The South African system of duties on textile imports is currently under review.

  Australia

  tariff 51.11–32 per cent. duty.

  51.12–32 per cent. duty.

  Turkey

  tariff 51.11–10 per cent. duty.

  51.12–10 per cent. duty.

  Plus the following additional duties:

  1. Municipality tax: 15 per cent. of customs duty;

  2. Stamp duty: 10 per cent. of the cost/insurance/freight (CIF) value. NB The Turkish authorities have informed the GATT secretariat, that from 1 January 1993, stamp duty will cease to be applied;

  3. Price support and stability fund tax: 10 per cent. of the CIF value;

  4. Transport infrastructure duty: 3 per cent. of the cumulative total of the above duties (including Customs duty) and taxes if commodity arrives by air or land, 4 per cent. if by sea;

  5. Value added tax: usually 12 per cent. of the cumulative total of the above duties (including transport infrastructure duty) and taxes. Although 1 per cent., 2 per cent., 6 per cent. and 20 per cent. may also be applied, depending on the type of commodity.

  6. Mass housing fund tax (surcharge): only applied to certain products. This tax depends on the type of commodity—it could be a percentage of the CIF value, or based on a fixed dollar, weight, or unit rate.

  From 1 January 1993 a new Turkish import regime is to be introduced, based on a unified single customs duty system. In addition to the ending of stamp duty, the import regime is to abolish the municipality tax, the transport infrastructure duty, and the price support and stability fund tax. Details are not yet available on how the single customs duty system will be applied.

  India

  tariff 51.11—duties range between 110 per cent. and 140 per cent. by value;

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  51.12–110 per cent. duty;

  plus 45 per cent. auxilliary duty.

  Pakistan

  tariff 51.11–90 per cent. duty;

  51.12–90 per cent. duty;

  In addition the following taxes are payable:

  (1). Sales tax: 12.5 per cent.

  (2). General import surcharge: 10 per cent.

  (3). Iqra tax (allocated to education budget): 5 per cent.

  Thailand

  tariff 51.11–80 per cent. duty

  51.12–80 per cent. duty

  Malaysia

  tariff 51.11–2 per cent. duty

  51.12–2 per cent. duty

  United Kingdom Customs duties on import from the following sources:

  United States

  tariff 51.11–13 per cent.

  51.12–13 per cent.

  South Africa

  tariff 51.11–13 per cent.

  51.12–13 per cent.

  Australia

  tariff 51.11–13 per cent.

  51.12–13 per cent.

  Turkey

  Duty free (Mediterranean preferential country)

  India

  Duty free under the terms of the generalized system of preferences (GATT)

  Pakistan

  Duty free

  Thailand

  Duty free

  Malaysia

  Duty free

  Baghdad Pact Nuclear Training Centre
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what benefits have accrued to the United Kingdom as a result of the financial contributions given to the Baghdad pact nuclear training centre.

  Mr. Heseltine
  No direct financial contributions were given to the centre. From the limited information available no scientific benefit accrued to the United Kingdom from the assistance provided by United Kingdom experts at the nuclear training centre on the peaceful uses of radioisotopes.

  Iraq (Arms Exports)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what investigation has been made by his Department's export control organisation into the sale of militarily sensitive equipment and technology to Iraq by the Astra Company since 1985.

  Mr. Needham
  Matters relating to the sale of such equipment and technology to Iraq are for Lord Justice Scott's inquiry to consider.

  Sizewell B
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) to what extent Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate has relied upon the experience of other nuclear regulators in its reliability assessment of the primary computerised safety system for the Sizewell B nuclear plant;
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  (2) what information he has received from Her Majesty's chief nuclear installations inspector in regard to progress made by Nuclear Electric in the installation of the secondary non-computerised safety protection system at the Sizewell B nuclear plant;

  (3) what progress has been made by Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate in validating the Sizewell B computerised primary safety system against the latest international standards.

  Mr. Eggar
  I understand that the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate (NII) has participated over several years in meetings with nuclear regulators from other countries—the United States of America, Canada and France—who have experience in the assessment of computer based safety systems in nuclear applications.

  Similarly, I understand the chief inspector is satisfied with progress made on the installation and commissioning of the secondary non-computerised safety protection system at Sizewell B.

  The work of validation against the NII's regulatory requirements including the latest relevant international standards is well advanced. Comparison with international standards is only one part of NII's assessment of the primary protection system safety case for Sizewell B.

  Coal Research
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on the expenditure on clean coal research for the latest year for which figures are available in each G7 country.

  Mr. Eggar
  The most recent outturn expenditure figures on coal research for the G7 countries are for 1990 and were published by the International Energy Agency in "Energy policies of IEA Countries—1991 review". No figures are available specifically for clean coal research, but most of the expenditure on coal research in the G7 countries is believed to be focused on the development of clean coal technologies for power generation.

  Coal Research and Development expenditure for 1990 in G7 countries

  £ million

  Canada

  16.3

  France

  3.1

  Germany

  42.3

  Italy

  n/a

  Japan

  134.5

  United States

  472.2

  United Kingdom

  139.4

  1Total United Kingdom research and development expenditure is only available on a United Kingdom financial year basis. The United Kingdom total for coal research and development is for 1990–91 and includes expenditure by Government Departments, British Coal and, where available, United Kingdom industry. Since 1981–82 about £1,000 million of public sector funds have been invested in coal technology research and development in the United Kingdom. Around half this total has been spent on clean coal technology research.

  The figures published by the IEA were in 1991 United States dollars. These have been converted to pound sterling using the IEA average exchange rate unit of $1.764 to £1 for 1991.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assistance he has given to small businesses in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Leigh
  The support programmes for small businesses operated by my Department together with their annual cost in each year since 1989 are as follows:

  Expenditure

  £ million

  Programme

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Enterprise initiative consultancy scheme

  35.6

  40.2

  52.10

  Small firms loan guarantee scheme

  99.4

  85.0

  69.85

  Small firms merit award for research and technology

  8.8

  10.7

  12.70

  Support for projects under research

  —

  —

  12.40

  Regional enterprise grants (investment)

  8.5

  8.5

  6.40

  Regional enterprise grants (innovation)

  3.1

  2.5

  2.20

  Export marketing research scheme

  3.0

  3.8

  1.10

  Your business success

  —

  0.5

  1.00

  Graduate enterprise

  —

  0.4

  0.30

  My Department also provides funding for development work which aims to benefit small firms and produces a wide range of publications aimed at small businesses.

  From April 1993 my Department will take over responsibility from the Employment Department for funding training and enterprise councils (TECs), which provide a wide range of business support services to help small businesses.

  Tour Operators
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to stop tour operators from surcharging customers after a contract has been signed, in cases where the operators in fact incur no corresponding rise in their costs.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department has recently laid draft regulations to implement the EC package travel directive. These regulations permit surcharges to be made for certain specified reasons only, such as fuel price fluctuations, exchange rate changes and certain taxes. In order to apply a surcharge, the operator must first have reserved the right to so do in his contract with the consumer. The contract must describe the manner in which the price revision would be calculated. The operator is, in addition, required to absorb any price increase amounting to 2 per cent. of the price of the package and may in no circumstances make a price increase in the period 30 days before departure. An operator who attempted to make a price increase where there has been no corresponding increase in costs would be in breach of contract.

  Fossil Fuel Levy
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 1 December,Official Report, column 107–8, if he will establish a separate fund for the
  144
  proceeds of the fossil fuel levy in order that the amounts applied from it to the decommissioning costs of nuclear power stations can be quantified.

  Mr. Eggar
  In addition to premium income from the levy, Nuclear Electric receives income from the sale of electricity. From this total income, the company must finance its current operations and make provision for decommissioning its stations. How precisely these funds are provided for is a matter for Nuclear Electric plc, subject to the safety requirements of the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate and to the scrutiny of the company's auditors.

  Telephone Information Services
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services' code in preventing the abuse of premium rate telephone services by invitations to unemployed people to make calls about non-existent jobs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  Since the Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services (ICSTIS) introduced its revised code of practice in February this year, the number of complaints received by ICSTIS about employment services has halved. ICSTIS remains concerned about misleading and dishonest employment services, however, and an ICSTIS working party published a review on 3 November which contains the recommendation to ban all employment services from the premium rate network, except those where the service provider or information provider is the direct organisation offering the jobs. ICSTIS has invited comments on its recommendations by 15 December.

  Government Chemist Agency
  Mr. Merchant
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has set for 1992–93 for the performance measures of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist agency.

  Mr. Leigh
  The primary performance target of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist (LGC) for 1992–93 continues to be the recovery of its full economic cost from income from customers. In addition, new secondary performance measures have been developed to supersede those agreed when the agency was originally established in October 1989. For 1992–93 these are:completion of reports on research into the feasibility of further analysis of samples by the date agreed with customers: to increase from an average of 80 per cent. in the first quarter to an average of 88 per cent. in the last quarter;
  to achieve more than 85 per cent. of contract research milestones within the time scale agreed with customers; to maintain accreditation from the National Measurement Accreditation Service (NAMAS) for the existing 15 categories of work and obtain NAMAS accreditation for a further category of work by April 1993;
  to acquire accreditation for LGC as a whole to BS 5750 Part 1 (ISO 9001) by April 1994.

  These targets will be subject to annual review.

  Sixth Landward Licensing Round
  Mr. Merchant
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the sixth landward licensing round.
  145
  Mr. Eggar
  I have today announced the conditional award of 22 new exploration licences for blocks in England, Wales and Scotland. The licences allow companies to search and drill for petroleum, subject to the requirements of the planning system and the technical approval of my Department.

  Details of the awards have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  I am particularly encouraged to see in this round a strong continuing interest in coal-bed methane exploration by a growing number of companies. Most are new to the United Kingdom licensing scene, and bring valuable experience from coal-bed methane operations in the United States. The methods of working are significantly different from those used for conventional oil and gas exploration. The prospects for coal-bed methane have yet to be fully tested here, but it has been successfully developed in the United States and already represents about 17 per cent. of its recoverable gas reserves. If it can be successfully exploited here, it could represent a very valuable addition to our future energy supplies. The opportunities which we are now providing for licensees to test the prospects for coal-bed methane are therefore of especial importance.

  The new licences allow companies to conduct seismic operations and test drill for oil and gas subject to all necessary planning permission and landowners' or occupiers' consent and, where operations involve the penetration of coal-seams, permission from British Coal. No seismic or drilling operations will be allowed until companies have provided me with evidence that they have received any necessary permission from the mineral planning authority.

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the present position with respect to licensing to the private sector pits which British Coal had planned to close.

  Mr. Heseltine
  British Coal is statutorily responsible for licensing coal mining and must consider applications from responsible organisations seeking licences. Under present legislation, licensed coal mining is subject to statutory limits of 150 on the numbers employed underground in deep mines and 250,000 tonnes of coal from the areas specified in the licence for opencast sites.

  Of the 31 pits which British Coal had intended to close, 10 are the subject of statutory consultations, which the corporation has made clear will be meaningful. I understand that the corporation does not propose entering into negotiations for the licensing of any of these pits before the consultations are complete.

  The coal review is considering the prospects of the other 21 pits British Coal has proposed to close and which are not subject to the statutory consultations. I understand that British Coal does not propose to enter into commercial discussions about licensing any of these pits before that review is complete.

  Licensing any of these pits while the review is continuing would be difficult in practice against the background of uncertainty about the future prospects for the industry and the market for coal. The review is considering the opportunities for the private sector in the production of coal. Its conclusions on this aspect will be included in the White Paper to be published early in the new year.
  146
  Decisions on any applications for licences to operate pits will be taken once the review and consultations are complete.

  Iraq
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what responses have been made by his Department to requests and reports received from the United Nations Special Commission of Inspection in Iraq or its executive chairman, Rolf Ekeus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 26 November 1992]: The Government have made a significant contribution to the work of the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq as it seeks to implement relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. In response to UNSCOM's requests we have supplied personnel for the UNSCOM inspection teams and some specialised equipment. It is not our practice to comment in detail on the information given to us by UNSCOM.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what provision he has made for the payment of bad debt on exports to Iraq of military and dual-use exports to Iraq in the period 1985 to 1990 covered by(a) short-term and (b) medium-term cover provided by the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 26 November 1992]: ECGD does not make separate provisions against loss for particular categories of goods. ECGD made total provisions of £695.9 million in relation to Iraq business in its 1990–91 accounts. The 1991–92 accounts are currently being audited and will be laid before Parliament in January next year.

  Military Exports
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will specify what proportion of Export Credits Guarantee Department cover provided for military or dual-use exports in the period 1985 to 1990 was(a) short-term and (b) medium-term.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 26 November 1992]: It is not possible to provide figures on the basis requested, because of the way ECGD records have been structured to meet its business needs.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on claims made on(a) NCM as the potential successor company to the Export Credits Guarantee Department and (b) ECGD with respect to short-term cover on military and dual-use trade credit to Iraq in the last five years.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 26 November 1992]: Under the terms of the December 1991 privatisation of the short-term business of ECGD, NCM assumed no responsibility for the administration and payment of claims arising from any export business conducted with Iraq. That responsibility remained with ECGD.

  ECGD does not maintain details of short-term claims paid or under examination categorised by type of goods. In the last five years, ECGD has paid a total of £23.2 million in respect of insured short-term export trade with Iraq. In addition, approximately £6 million of claims received are currently under examination. At this stage, it is difficult to forecast the extent to which claims paid will eventually be recovered.

  Matrix Churchill
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what date he signed public interest immunity certificates in the Matrix Churchill case.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 26 November 1992]: On 11 and 26 September.

  Sales Promotions
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will draw up guidelines on free-flight offers to cover(a) availability, (b) hidden costs and (c) the financial collapse of any party involved in the supply of the free flight.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 2 December 1992]: No. The British code of sales promotion practice, administered by the Advertising Standards Authority, already contains guidelines covering both availability and hidden costs.

  Trade associations, such as the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), require that their members have protection in place for the consumer in the event of insolvency.

  Charter flight passengers are protected against financial loss by the existing air travel operators licensing (ATOL) scheme. In March 1992 the DTp announced that it would be setting up a statutory financial protection scheme to reimburse scheduled passengers in the event of an airline collapsing. The Government asked the CAA to work up details of a scheme and are currently considering its proposal.

  Parcelforce
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 2 December,Official Report, column 282, whether the uniform tariff he will maintain for Parcelforce after privatisation is inclusive of value added tax.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer II December 1992]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave to him on 29 October 1992, Official Report, column 784.

  Coal Imports
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on the price of coal imported into the United Kingdom in(a) August, (b) September and (c) October.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: The information requested is:

  Average price of imported coal1 August to October 1992

  £

  August2

  31.93

  September

  33.91

  October

  35.12

  1 The average price is for all grades of coal and includes the cost of insurance and freight.

  2 The figure for August 1992 has been revised since my previous answer of 29 October (Official Report, column 784).

  Source: Central Statistical Office.

  Terrorism
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the answer of 8 December from the Secretary of State for the Home Department,Official Report, column 558, to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, if he will be meeting the Manchester chamber of commerce and industry to discuss the problems facing owners of commercial property for whom insurance cover against terrorist attacks is becoming unavailable; if he will list the other interested parties to which his right hon. Friend referred in his reply; and if he will make a statement on the progress of his consideration of the representations he has received.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: No. I have received a number of representations from industry, commerce and the insurance industry which are under consideration, but none as yet from the Manchester chamber of commerce.

  Government Stock
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the occasions instalment payments were allowed in sales of Government stock held under the control of his Department; and if he will list the occasions when full payment of such stock was demanded.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: For privatisation by flotation and secondary share offers held under the control of my Department or its predecessors, the occasions on which payment for shares was by instalments and those on which full payment was asked for are listed at 1 and 2 respectively of the table.

  Privatisation by flotation and secondary share offers under the control of DTI or predecessor departments.

  1—Payment by instalments

  Britoil (1982)

  British Aerospace (1985)

  British Gas

  British Steel

  British Telecom (1984)

  Eastern Electricity

  East Midlands Electricity

  Enterprise Oil

  London Electricity

  Manweb

  Midlands Electricity

  National Power

  Northern Electricity

  Norweb

  PowerGen

  Rolls-Royce

  Seeboard

  Southern Electricity

  South Wales Electricity

  South Western Electricity

  Yorkshire Electricity Group

  2—Payment in full

  Amersham International

  British Aerospace (1981)

  Cable and Wireless

  Jaguar

  Sellafield
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what factors not considered at the public inquiry are causing the delay in starting the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply. The thermal oxide reprocessing plant cannot start the commercial
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  reprocessing of oxide fuel until the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate is satisfied with the safety of the plant and the regulatory authorities have no objections on waste management grounds.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Social Fund
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total administrative cost of social fund payments for the last 12–month period for which figures are available, for(a) community care grants, (b) budgeting loans and (c) crisis loans; and if he will provide separate figures for each district office.

  Mr. Scott
  [pursuant to his reply, 16 November 1992, c. 75]: The latest information on social fund administration costs is for the year 1990–91 and is in the Library.

  Income Support
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will change the rules to allow income support to be backdated to the date of entitlement of disability living allowance or attendance allowance for claimants and their carers in cases where a delay of more than 12 months occurs.

  Mr. Burt
  Time limits form an accepted and necessary part of the social security system. It is not envisaged that claims will take more than 52 weeks to decide.

  Income support may be backdated for up to 52 weeks in appropriate circumstances. We have no plans to change the current rules.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the total cost of uprating the level of income support received by people aged 18 to 24 years to the level enjoyed by those aged 25 and over.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 9 December at column 684.

  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 24 November,Official Report, column 595, if he will now show how many (a) women and (b) men were dependent upon income support in May 1991, either as claimants or as the spouses or partners of claimants; of these totals how many (a) women and (b) men were above pension age; and how many were below pension age.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the table.

  Numbers

  Females dependent on income support

  Total of claimants and partners

  3,248

  of which: under age 60

  1,909

  over age 60

  1,339

  Males dependent on income support

  Total of claimants and partners

  2,001

  of which: under age 65

  1,723

  over age 65

  278

  Note: All figures are thousands, rounded to the nearest thousand.

  Source: Income Support Statistics Annual Inquiry May 1991.

  Income Statistics
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish figures for the latest date available showing for people above state pension ages, the number of(a) husbands, (b) wives, (c) single men and (d) single women, with weekly incomes excluding national insurance benefit, income support, family credit, housing benefit and community charge benefit as appropriate, in the following income bands (a) under £5, (b) £5 to £10, (c) £10 to £15, (d) £15 to £20, (e) £20 to £30, (f) £30 to £40, (g) £40 to £50, (h) £50 to £60, (i) £60 to £70, (j) £70 to £80, (k) £80 to £90, (l) £90 to £100, (m) £100 to £150, (n) £150 to £200, (o) £200 to £300, (p) £300 to £400, (q) £400 to £500 and (r) over £500 respectively.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information is not available in the form requested. The requested distribution was in some cases too detailed to give a reliable number of sample cases to be taken into account. Certain ranges have therefore been merged in order to ensure estimates are based on at least 20 sample cases. In addition, the nature of the survey techniques used in the family expenditure survey means that the separate incomes of husbands and wives within a couple cannot be identified reliably. The answer therefore categorises single people (male and female) and couples only. The available information is in the table.

  Weekly non-benefit income distribution-pensioners Single female pensioners

  Income (£)

  Thousands

  0–5

  1,725

  5–10

  269

  10–15

  215

  15–20

  176

  20–30

  235

  30–40

  156

  40–50

  110

  50–60

  86

  60–70

  70

  70–80

  77

  80–100

  111

  100–200

  237

  200+

  79

  Single male pensioners

  Income (£)

  Thousands

  0–5

  356

  5–10

  63

  10–20

  101

  20–40

  114

  40–60

  58

  60–90

  73

  90–150

  61

  150+

  63

  Couples (husband over pension age)

  Income (£)

  Thousands

  0–5

  422

  5–10

  165

  10–15

  191

  15–20

  132

  20–30

  198

  30–40

  126

  40–50

  138

  50–60

  104

  60–70

  78

  70–80

  84

  151

  Income (£)

  Thousands

  80–90

  69

  90–100

  66

  100–150

  246

  150–200

  162

  200–300

  126

  300–400

  99

  400+

  105

  Source: Family Expenditure Survey 1988.

  Overseas Pensioners
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing those countries in which British state retirement pensioners are entitled to have their pensions uprated annually in the same way as if they were still residing in the United Kingdom together with the date upon which each country was added to the list of those so entitled and the cost to the taxpayer of pensions payable in those countries, for the most recent 12 month period.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is in the table. The cost of these pensions is met from the national insurance fund.

  Table of overseas countries where annual pension increases are paid, the dates from which annual upratings were first applied and the total amount of pensions paid in the year ending 5 April 1992

  Country

  Date

  Amount £

  Austria

  1 October 1972

  2,647,768.71

  Barbados1

  1 April 1992

  2,126,484.85

  Belgium

  1 June 1958

  3,709,010.90

  Bermuda

  1 November 1969

  410,045.35

  Cyprus

  18 May 1957

  6,259,499.84

  Denmark

  1 January 1973

  625,728.68

  Finland

  1 February 1984

  127,592.06

  France

  5 July 1948

  9,921,921.89

  Germany

  1 August 1961

  17,321,235.12

  Gibraltar

  1 January 1973

  1,185,360.36

  Greece

  1 January 1981

  1,410,625.74

  Guernsey2

  4 April 1966

  —3

  Iceland

  1 August 1985

  32,035.23

  Irish Republic

  4 April 1966

  97,353,314.10

  Israel

  1 November 1957

  3,328,735.96

  Italy

  1 May 1953

  20,613,710.35

  Jamaica

  1 October 1972

  28,065,731.19

  Jersey

  4 April 1966

  —3

  Luxembourg

  1 April 1955

  93,973.05

  Malta

  29 October 1956

  2,367,062.26

  Mauritius

  1 November 1981

  246,001.42

  Netherlands

  1 June 1955

  3,623,387.99

  Norway

  1 April 1991

  351,415.42

  Philippines

  1 December 1989

  111,751.74

  Portugal

  1 October 1979

  2,599,342.84

  Spain

  1 April 1975

  30,553,505.04

  Sweden

  1 May 1988

  286,694.70

  Switzerland

  1 June 1954

  2,749,002.66

  Turkey

  1 June 1961

  321,214.32

  United States of America

  25 September 1969

  81,974,078.39

  Yugoslavia (including the newly independent former republics)

  1 September 1958

  1,980,710.99

  1Increases payable from April 1992—approval to negotiate an agreement with Barbados providing for payment of pension increases was given in 1974.

  2lncluding Alderney, Herm and Jethou.

  3There is no ready way of identifying the amounts paid in the Channel Islands separately from the amounts paid to pensioners in the United Kingdom.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the annual cost of reducing the housing benefit taper to 20 per cent. for all claimants.

  Mr. Burt
  We estimate that the cost of reducing the housing benefit taper to 20 per cent. for all claimants would be approximately £2 billion. Estimate based on data obtained from the 1987, 1988 and 1989 family expenditure surveys modelled at 1992–93 prices and benefit levels.

  This does not include any estimate of the behaviourial effects of a 20 per cent. taper.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what consideration has been given to paying housing benefit in respect of interest on building society top—up loans for house improvements;

  (2) what is his estimate of the annual cost of allowing claims for housing benefit in respect of interest on building society top-up loans for house improvements.

  Mr. Burt
  Housing benefit is payable only to meet a commercial rent liability. In income support, assistance can be given with the interest on loans that are taken out for improvements to the home's fitness for occupation providing they are reasonable in the family's circumstances. This help is available to tenants as well as owner occupiers, provided they qualify for income support.

  The total amount included in income support for help with housing costs in 1991—(the latest year for which figures are available—was £949 million. No information is available separately on top-up loans for house improvements.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many non-dependant deductions for housing benefit have been made since April 1992; and of these what proportion have been at(a) £4, (b) £8, (c) £12, and (d) £18.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is not yet available. Information on non-dependants since April 1992 was first collected in May 1992 and is unlikely to be available until later in 1993.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost of paying housing benefit to people aged under 25 years at the full rate currently paid to people aged 25 years and over; and what proportion this figure is of total housing benefit expenditure.

  Mr. Burt
  The estimated cost of paying housing benefit to people aged 18–24 at the full rate currently paid to people aged 25 years and over would be approximately £360 million1.

  This represents approximately 5 per cent. of the planned 1992–93 housing benefit expenditure of £7.05 billion announced by the Department in February 1992.

  Note:

  1 This estimate is based on data drawn from the 1987, 1988 and 1989 family expenditure surveys and the 1991 annual statistical inquiry modelled at 1992–93 prices and benefit levels.

  Independent Living Fund
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's estimate of the cost of extending the successor fund to the independent living fund to cover people over retirement age.
  153
  Mr. Scott
  The estimated cost of extending the successor fund for new cases to cover people over retirement age is £2 million in 1993–94, £6 million in 1994–95 and £9 million in 1995–96.

  Source: based upon the level of applications to the existing independent living fund.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many recipients of help there were from the independent living fund in each region in the United Kingdom in 1991–92; and how many people are expected to be helped by the successor fund to the independent living fund in each region in the United Kingdom in 1993–94.

  Mr. Scott
  The number of people, in each region of the United Kingdom, in receipt of awards from the independent living fund, as at 31 March 1992, is in the table.

  It is expected that, nationally, around 1,500 of the most severely disabled people of working age will receive cash payments to supplement services provided by local authorities. It is not possible to estimate a regional breakdown of this figures.

  Region

  Number

  Percentage of total

  England

  9,402

  68.8

  Northern Ireland

  1,321

  9.7

  Scotland

  2,288

  16.7

  Wales

  659

  4.8

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) under the proposed arrangements for replacing the independent living fund for new applicants how many people he estimates will be provided for by local authorities only and how many he estimates will be eligible for assistance from the new proposed trust fund; what funding he will make available to local authorities to meet the additional costs; and if he will ensure such funding is ring-fenced;

  (2) what proportion of severely disabled people requiring provision from the local authority he estimates will require a cash payment from the new trust fund under the proposed new arrangements for providing personal assistance to severely disabled people following the closure of the independent living fund; what average percentage of their total cost of personal assistance he estimates this will represent; and how many people will lose entitlement to cash that they would have received had the independent living fund continued.

  Mr. Scott
  From April 1993 local authorities have the primary responsibility for community care. All disabled people, including around 11,500 severely disabled people who might otherwise have looked to the independent living fund for cash help, will look to their local authority for help to live in the community. Additional funding for local authorities was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health on 26 November. This funding will be within the ring-fenced special transitional grant for community care.

  We expect that around 1,500 of the most severely disabled people who get help from their local authority will also be able to get a cash payment from the new fund. For these cases, the local authority will be expected to pay for services up to the cost of residential or nursing care, with
  154
  the new fund providing a cash payment in addition. The size of the cash payment will vary according to the circumstances of the individual. Payments from the current independent living fund are entirely discretionary: there is no entitlement to any payment from the fund, which is a charitable trust.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what provision will be made under the proposed arrangements for replacing the independent living fund for severely disabled people seeking personal assistance provision following the winding up of the independent living fund and before the start of the new scheme in April 1993.

  Mr. Scott
  Local authorities have statutory duties to help disabled people. Help from the independent living fund (ILF) has always been in the form of a discretionary top-up to local authority services and the vast majority of ILF beneficiaries—and potential beneficiaries—are already getting help from their local authorities. Severely disabled people who would have applied to the ILF between now and April 1993 will, of course, be able to apply to the new body.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of the budget of the independent living fund in 1991–92 was taken up in administration costs.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration costs of the independent living fund during 1991–92 were approximately 4 per cent. of total expenditure.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people over retirement age received help from the independent living fund in(a) 1991–92 and (b) from April 1992 until the fund was closed.

  Mr. Scott
  (a) the only age breakdown available for 1991–92 is for November 1991. At that time, 37 per cent. of those receiving help were over 60.

  (b) Figures for the current financial year show the position as at 30 November 1992 as being:
  1. Number of independent living fund (ILF) clients over 60 (both sexes)—7,435–this figure represents 40.6 per cent. of the total caseload.
  2. Number of ILF clients over 65 (both sexes)—6,218 —this figure represents 34 per cent. of the total caseload.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much the median and mean payments from the independent living fund were in(a) 1991–92 and (b) in 1992 until the fund was closed.

  Mr. Scott
  Data on median payments are not available. The mean award for 1991–92 was £88 per week. For the period to 31 October 1992 the mean award was £104, but this figure may change because awards are still being processed.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) of 2 December,Official Report, column 233, what right of independent appeal there will be for an applicant refused help under the arrangements to replace the independent living fund.

  Mr. Scott
  Arrangements for appeal will be a matter for the trustees of the successor body. I understand that under
  155
  the current scheme any disagreement with a decision is considered by two trustees or, exceptionally, by the whole body of trustees.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Canterbury of 2 December,Official Report, column 233, how much of the budget of £4 million for the successor fund to the independent living fund is for administration costs.

  Mr. Scott
  It is estimated that the administration costs of the successor fund for new cases will not exceed 10 per cent. of the total provision of £4 million.

  Women's Pension Rights
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the rights of women to a pension from their husband's former employer if the husband divorces his wife before retirement age.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Under the present law, the courts have powers to take account of occupational pension rights in divorce settlements. The Pensions Management Institute currently has a working party looking at all aspects of occupational pensions and divorce with the aim of producing a report in March 1993. When that report is published we will give careful consideration to its recommendations.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 4 December,Official Report, column 424, if he will list the different rank differential payments for each rank under war disablement pension arrangements.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is contained in schedule 1, parts I and II of the Naval, Military and Air Forces etc. (Disablement and Death) Service Pensions Order 1983, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to allow social fund grants and loans to be applied for the purpose of rent bonds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  Social fund budgeting and crisis loans can be paid to provide help with rent in advance. Assistance with deposits is specifically excluded from the social fund. There are no present plans to change these arrangements.

  However, I am always ready to consider proposals for improvements and hold regular discussions with the voluntary and other organisations involved. I shall also be looking with interest at the outcome of a pilot deposit scheme in west London currently being sponsored by the Department of the Environment.

EMPLOYMENT

  Published Papers
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list for the last 12 months the titles of papers published by the Employment Service.
  156
  Mr. McLoughlin
  [pursuant to his reply, 27 October 1992, c. 589]: The chief executive of the Employment Service has written further to the hon. Member.

  Letter from M. Fogden to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 14 December 1992:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, you may recall the Secretary of State asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question in October about the papers published by the Employment Service in the last 12 months. This was because it was a matter which fell to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  Unfortunately, my reply of 27 October contained an error in the attached annex of papers we had published. The "Revised Administrative Assistant Interview Plan, Guidance and Rating Form" and the "Revised Administrative Officer Interview Plan, Guidance and Rating Form" should not have been included in the annex. These documents give guidance to my managers so that they can make effective use of the structured interviews used for selecting people for positions in the Employment Service. If potential candidates were to obtain copies of this material it would provide them with an advantage over other potential candidates. I am sure that you will agree that this would not be right and as a consequence these documents are not available to the public.
  I am sorry this mistake was made and regret any inconvenience caused.
  I have attached a corrected annex and a copy of our booklet "Competent to Recruit?", which describes in general terms how our recruitment process was developed and how it operates.
  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  EMPLOYMENT SERVICE PUBLICATIONS

  General information about the employment service

  This is the Employment Service (CORP 1 August 1992).

  Public Employment Services: Into the 1990s (article in the

  Employment Gazette October 1992).

  Performance and accounts

  Employment Service Annual Report and Accounts 1990–91.

  Employment Service Annual Report and Accounts 1991–92.

  Employment Service Operational Plan 1992–93.

  Advisory and information booklets and leaflets

  Helping You Back to Work. Information for Claimants (UB40/UBL18 revised September 1991).

  Just the Job—New Edition (EMPL45 revised September 1991).

  Jobseeker's Charter leaflet (JSC1L December 1991).

  Jobseeker's Charter. Help us to get it right … and how to complain if you think we have got it wrong (JSC3L December 1991).

  Restart Course leaflet No. 1 (RCL1 February 1992).

  How to be Better Off in Work (BOIWL 1September 1992).

  Job search Seminar Leaflet (JSSL3).

  Guide for Managers/Executives/Professionals (EXJ1).

  Just for the Record Leaflet—Help for People with a Criminal Record (OFJ1).

  Working Abroad (OPU 1).

  Working in Holland (OPU3).

  Working in the UK (OPU4).

  Working in France (OPUS).

  Working in Germany (OPU6).

  Working in Belgium (OPU7).

  Working in Spain (OPUS8).

  Working in Portugal (OPU9).

  Working in Italy (OPU10).

  Working in Ireland (OPU11).

  Working in Denmark (OPU12).

  Working in Greece (OPU13).

  Working in Luxembourg (OPU14).

  Employing People with Disabilities—Sources of Help (PEL2).

  Employing People with Disabilities—PACT Placing,

  157

  Assessment and Counselling Team (PEL).

  PFI—Folder for A4 inserts entitled "Information on Disability and Employment".

  Information leaflet for people with severe disabilities on Sheltered Placement scheme (SPS1).

  Information leaflet for host companies about the Sheltered Placement Scheme (SPS2).

  Marketing Leaflet for Employers (EMPL46).

  Our New Computer System (NUBL1).

  Job Interview Guarantee scheme Client Wallet.

  Job Interview Guarantee scheme Employer Wallet.

  How to make the most of your Work Trial.

  Research and Evaluation
  The Employment Service Research and Evaluation branch carries out internal studies and commissions studies by external contractors. With the exception of those produced by some contractors the reports of these studies are not published as on sale documents. Copies are placed in the House of Commons Library and sent to people who ask for them. The following lists the reports which have been issued in the past year and, where appropriate, the name of the external contractor concerned. The items marked * are available on sale.

  External Contractor Reports
  Evaluation of joblink—Qualitative study report (Research Services Limited, November 1991).
  National Customer Satisfaction Survey-Report of Findings (Research International Limited, January 1992).
  New Clients: A survey of new clients to the Employment Service and their response to New Client Advisor interview (Social Community Planning Research, March 1992).
  Quality assessment and guidance in Job Review Workshops (Psychological and Statistical Services, April 1992).
  Working with a disability: Barriers and facilitators (Social Community Planning Research, May 1992*)
  Job Interview Guarantee (JIG) Evaluation—Report on a survey of JIG employers (British Market Research Bureau, May 1992).
  Attitudes to Employment Service Local Offices: Qualitative Survey (Ecotec Research and Consulting Limited, June 1992).
  An evaluation of the Pilot Employment Initiatives for Disabled People scheme (Ecotec Research and Consulting Limited, June 1992).
  Progression, Regression, Turnover, Quality and Support in Sheltered Employment (Policy Research Unit, July 1992*).
  Restart Cohort Study (Policy Studies Institute, September 1992).
  Quality of Assessment and Guidance in Job Review Workshops (Psychological and Statistical Services, October 1992).

  Internal Research Reports
  Actively Seeking Work—Evaluation (Report 68, November 1991).
  Survey of non-claimant users of ES local offices (Report 69, January 1992).
  Multifunctioning Pilots—an assessment of performance (Report 70, January 1992).
  Evaluation of ES461—the initial claim form for unemployment benefit (Report 71, March 1992).
  Private Employment Agencies (Report 72, April 1992).
  Restart Course Follow-up Survey (Report 73, July 1992).
  The Effectiveness of the NCA (New Client Advisor) Interview (Report 74, October 1992).
  NUBS2 (National Unemployment Benefit Computer System) Business Pilots Staff Views (Report 75 October 1992).

  Psychological Service Project Reports
  Critical Skills of Employment Service Advisors (Report No. 410 October 1991).
  Utility Analysis: A method of costing the impact of a training intervention (Report No. 407 November 1991).
  A Questionnaire Survey of Training Needs in Employment Department Corporate Services Branch (Report No. 402 December 1991).
  158
  A Questionnaire Survey of Training Needs in Employment Department Estates Branch (Report No. 403 December 1991).
  An Evaluation of the training which equips newly appointed
  Adjudication Officers to deal with Doubtful claims to unemployment benefit (Reports No. 411 January 1992).
  Exist Interviews with Psychologists (Report No. 404 January 1992).
  Job Interview Guarantee: An evolving Placement Programme (Report No. 408 March 1992).
  Do Prison Linked Jobclubs work and evaluation for initiatives at Pentonville and Holloway.
  PDCA in West Midlands—Evaluation Report (Report No. 409 March 1992).
  How Users assess the reception, post, messenger and typing services provided at 236 Grays Inn Road (Report No. 410 March 1992).
  Participant Observation of 3 day Occupational Assessment workshops for unemployed people in the North East Region (Report No. 412 May 1992).
  Outcomes for the first Employment Department Head Office PDPLINK programme (September 1991 to May 1992):
  A project-based approach to personal development using external placements (Report No. 413 July 1992).
  How participants and tutors rated the December 1991 SEO to Grade 7 Manager Development workshop (Report No. 141 April 1992).
  End of programme evaluation of the first "Executive Stretch": A personal development option for senior managers (Report No. 415 June 1992).
  Referrals to Sheltered Employment (Report No. 416 September 1992).
  Evaluating the Impact of the ES Stress Pack (Report No. 399 September 1992).
  Is there a gap in provision for people with special needs (Report No. 406/R September 1992).
  How People in the Employment Service view Travel and Subsistence, Development and Pay Issues (Report No. 417 October 1992).
  Training Disability Employment Advisors in assessing individual clients with the aid of psychological tests: An early evaluation of Enhanced Assessment Training (Report No. 418 October 1992).
  Improving the usability of information systems … a briefing for systems developers (Report No. 400).

  Adjudication

  Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions for Quarter ending 31 December 1991.

  Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions for Quarter ending 31 March 1992.

  Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions for Year ending 31 March 1992.

  Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions for Quarter ending 30 June 1992.

  Personnel related
  Article on "Promotion Through Vacancy Advertising" (PVA) appeared in the Spring edition of "Equality Network".

  Unfair Dismissal
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many full-time employees in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) each standard planning region are not covered by the right to appeal against unfair dismissal.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I regret that the information is not available as there is no statutory definition of what constitutes full-time employment for the purposes of unfair dismissal.

  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many part-time employees in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) each standard planning region are not covered by the right to appeal against unfair dismissal.
  159
  Mr. McLoughlin
  I regret that the information is not available as there is no statutory definition of what constitutes part-time employment for the purposes of unfair dismissal.

  Career Development Loans
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in each region and for Great Britain as a whole are(a) currently on a course which has been supported by a career development loan, (b) have obtained jobs at the end of their period of study supported by a career development loan, (c) are repaying a career development loan and (d) have had to defer repayments on their career development loan because of hardship, what is the average amount of loan taken out; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The table sets out for each English region, Scotland and Wales, information on the number of people currently in trained supported by a career development loan (CDL) and the number of people currently repaying a loan. Information on number of trainees in work following training is obtained from a sample number of trainees, On the basis of the sample, 74 per cent. of trainees supported by a CDL find work following training. No information is held on the number of trainees who have had to defer repayment of loans due to hardship. At the end of October 1992, the average loan amount for loans taken out in the current financial year was £2,745.

  Youth opportunities programme (YOP) youth training scheme (YTS) minimum allowance levels

  (£)

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Minimum allowance (YOP/YTS)1

  20.55

  23.50

  23.50

  25.00

  25.00

  25.00

  26.25

  27.30

  27.30

  28.50

  At 1978–79 price level

  20.55

  20.14

  17.02

  16.51

  15.41

  14.73

  14.72

  14.51

  14.01

  13.92

  Minimum allowance (YOP/YTS)2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  35.00

  35.00

  At 1978–79 price level

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  18.03

  17.09

  1Minimum level of allowance payable to first-year trainees until 29 May 1990. Payable to 16-year-old trainees thereafter.

  2Minimum level of allowance payable to second-year trainees until 29 May 1990. Payable to trainees aged 17 and above thereafter. This rate of allowance was introduced in April 1986 to coincide with the transition of YTS from a one year to a two-year training programme.

  31978–79 price levels obtained by application of appropriate GDP deflator index.

  NB: The youth opportunities programme (YOP) was replaced by the youth training scheme (YTS) in April 1983.

  Youth Training Scheme (YTS)/Youth training (YT) minimum allowance levels (£)

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Minimum allowance

  YT/YTS1

  29.50

  29.50

  29.50

  29.50

  29.50

  At 1978–793 price level

  13.43

  12.60

  11.67

  10.92

  10.47

  Minimum allowance

  YT/YTS2

  35.00

  35.00

  35.00

  35.00

  35.00

  At 1978–793 price level

  15.93

  14.95

  13.85

  12.95

  12.42

  1Minimum level of allowance payable to first-year trainees until 29 May 1990. Payable to 16-year-old trainees thereafter.

  2Minimum level of allowance payable to second-year trainees until 29 May 1990. Payable to trainees aged 17 and above thereafter. This rate of allowance was introduced in April 1986 to coincide with the transition of YTS from a one year to a two-year training programme.

  31978–79 price levels obtained by application of appropriate GDP deflator index.

  Note: The youth training scheme (YTS) was replaced by youth training (YT) on 29 May 1990.

  Travel-to-interview Scheme
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if she will tighten up the travel-to-interview scheme in order to provide early payments to claimants; and if she will make a statement about the inception and operation of the scheme including take-up in the last 12 months;
  160

  English regions

  Number currently in training

  Number currently repaying loans

  South East

  1,258

  2,805

  Greater London

  1,111

  2,692

  East Anglia

  224

  531

  South West

  616

  1,318

  West Midlands

  403

  1,060

  East Midlands

  308

  743

  Yorkshire

  454

  1,243

  North West

  369

  1,354

  Northern

  230

  757

  Wales

  219

  460

  Scotland

  534

  1,478

  Great Britain

  5,726

  14,441

  Youth Training
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the level of youth training allowance, or equivalent, for 16 and 17–year-olds for every year between 1978–79 and 1993–94(a) in cash prices and (b) at 1978–79 prices.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 7 December 1992]: Information about actual allowance levels is not available. The following tables show minimum allowance levels; providers of youth training can pay more.

  (2) if she will amend the travel-to-interview scheme to enable applicants to claim for losses incurred in attending a second interview; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
  161
  Letter from J. Cooper to Mr. Elfyn Llwyd, dated 15 December 1992:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, it is the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the Agency's Chief Executive to answer Parliamentary Questions about relevant operational matters. In his absence, I am replying to your questions about the Travel to Interview Scheme (TIS).
  TIS was introduced in 1986 to help with travel costs for unemployed people to attend job interviews beyond daily travelling distance of their home area, thus widening the applicant's jobsearch, improving their chances of obtaining work and encouraging labour mobility. From October 1991 to September 1992 the scheme helped 38,000 applicants. A few basic conditions must be met before assistance can be granted, to ensure that the limited funds available are concentrated on those unemployed people in most need.
  Assistance is normally given to clients in the form of a British Rail travel warrant, which they receive before attending the interview. Where clients choose to travel by car or are entitled to help with overnight subsistence costs they are reimbursed on their return from the interview. Payment is usually made in cash by our local Jobcentre or, if the amount to be reimbursed is quite large, then a girocheque will be sent to the client from our Regional Finance Offices. The Finance Office in Cardiff have a target of repayment within seven days and I am pleased to say that in almost all cases payment is made within five.
  You have asked about amending TIS to help applicants with assistance for second interviews. Whilst we realise it would be popular with jobseekers if help was available to cover the cost of repeat interviews, it could in practice be very costly. It may, for example, lead to the available funds having to be concentrated on a smaller number of people. We therefore limit the assistance to one interview per job. Where the selection process is a lengthy one we have to rely on the employer being sensitive to costs likely to fall on the applicant and offer help towards them.
  You may like to know that the scheme is currently under review and the eligibility conditions are being looked at to see whether, within the limited resources, there are ways of helping more people. The possibility of helping with second interviews is included in the review. As you will appreciate the recommendations for a change in the eligibility rules of the scheme are subject to Ministerial and Treasury approval. I hope that the decisions on this issue will be taken in the very near future.
  I hope this is helpful.
  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report, I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Professional Footballers
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the application of articles 7 and 48 of the treaty of Rome, as amended, to the employment of professional footballers.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: It is the policy of Her Majesty's Government that articles 7 and 48 of the treaty of Rome, as amended, apply to the employment of all nationals of the European Community working in the United Kingdom, including professional footballers.

  Unemployment Statistics
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people aged 16 and 17 years in the Liverpool travel-to-work area are not in employment, not on a youth training scheme and not in full-time education.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In October 1992 there were 297 unemployed claimants aged 16 and 17 years in the Liverpool travel-to-work area.

  Changes to the benefit regulations in September 1988 coincided with the extention of a guaranteed YTS (now YT) place to all those aged under 18 not in full-time education or employment, which meant that those who declined an offer of a YTS place were no longer entitled to benefit. However, there are still a small number of under 18–year-olds entitled to benefit due to special circumstances, such as severe hardship or by virtue of their being orphans.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was(a) her Department's budget expressed in 1987–88 prices, (b) the average number of unemployed people and (c) a figure for(a) divided by (b) for each year since 1987–88.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The figures requested are as follows:

  year

  (a) Department's budget (£ million)

  (b) Average number of unemployed people (Great Britain)

  (a)/(b) (£s)

  1987–88

  3,903

  2,674,858

  1,459

  1988–89

  3,592

  2,142,008

  1,677

  1989–90

  3,307

  1,702,250

  1,943

  1990–91

  3,041

  1,757,266

  1,730

  1991–92

  2,756

  2,448,791

  1,125

  (i) Figures for years to 1989–90 include a public corporation the National Dock Labour Board.

  (ii) The 1991–92 figures exclude the amounts transferred to the Scottish Office (mainly for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise) which is responsible for delivering the main training and enterprise programmes in Scotland.

  Construction Sites
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) successful and (b) unsuccessful prosecutions took place in each of the last five years as a result of investigations into deaths and serious injuries on construction sites in (a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many deaths and serious injuries have occurred on construction sites in(a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole in each of the past five years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The numbers of deaths and major injuries occurring in the construction industry in Strathclyde and Scotland in the past five years are provided in the table.
  163

  Occupational injuries occurring in the construction industry1 as reported to HSE's factory and agricultural inspectorates and local authorities, 1986–87 to 1991–926

  Fatal injuries

  Major injuries3

  Year2

  Employees

  Self employed

  Members of public4

  Employees

  Self employed

  Members of public4

  (a)Strathclyde

  1987–88

  7

  —

  1

  180

  9

  4

  1988–89

  10

  1

  3

  170

  8

  8

  1989–90

  5

  1

  2

  159

  17

  4

  1990–915

  5

  1

  1

  154

  17

  7

  1991–925 6

  4

  —

  —

  162

  8

  5

  (b) Scotland

  1987–88

  13

  1

  2

  396

  16

  11

  1988–89

  19

  1

  4

  355

  17

  23

  1989–90

  15

  3

  2

  383

  37

  11

  1990–915

  12

  3

  1

  347

  40

  18

  1991–925 6

  8

  —

  1

  399

  45

  21

  1As defined by Standard Industrial Classification 1980 Division 5

  2Year commencing 1 April

  3As defined under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985

  4Injured as a result of someone else's work activity

  5Includes reports made to HSE's quarries inspectorate

  6provisional

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many investigations were undertaken into deaths and serious injuries on construction sites in(a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole in each of the last five years by (i) the Health and Safety Executive and (ii) the respective police forces.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information is not readily available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The available information is given in the following table.

  Number of accidents and dangerous occurrences on construction sites which were investigated by Health and Safety Executive inspectors in Scotland 1987–88 to 1991–921

  Year2

  Total

  1987–88

  189

  1988–89

  188

  1989–90

  223

  1990–91

  190

  11991–92

  200

  1 Provisional.

  2 Years commencing 1 April.

  Questions about the work of police forces are for my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Lough Shore, Greyabbey
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment has been made of the adequacy of the foul sewerage system for the additional homes proposed at the Lough Shore, Greyabbey, planning application No. 0772.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has not yet concluded the assessment of the adequacy of its foul sewerage system to serve the proposed construction of 53 houses on land adjacent to Islandview road, Greyabbey.

  Non-fossil Fuels
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration has been given to encouraging electricity generation from non-fossil fuel sources in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement regarding the future application of the non-fossil fuel obligation to Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department of Economic Development and NIE plc have jointly commissioned a study into the potential for renewable energy in Northern Ireland and plan to publish its findings next spring. No decisions on a non-fossil fuel obligation for Northern Ireland can be made until then.

  Community Relations Council
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff are employed by the Community Relations Council; and how many are(a) Roman Catholics and (b) Protestants.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Community Relations Council employs 16 staff, eight of whom are Roman Catholics and eight Protestant.

  Newtownbreda Bombing
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many interim payments of £10,000 or more have been issued by the Compensation Agency to householders whose homes were damaged by the IRA bomb at Newtownbreda on 23 September.

  Mr. Mates
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Compensation Agency under its chief executive, Mr. J. Robinson.

  I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from J. Robinson to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 14 December 1992:
  I refer to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning the criminal damage resulting from the bombing of the Forensic Science Laboratory at Newtownbreda on 23 September. The Secretary of State has asked me to respond.
  In the case of householders a total of 111 claims are valued at £10,000 or more and 64 interim payments of various

  165
  amounts have been made. Three have been for more than £10,000. In addition four offers of settlement over £10,000 have been made.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Housing
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to ensure that the Northern Ireland Housing Executive introduces an effective new build and improvements to purpose-built stock programme following the publication of the annual housing statistic report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Following the announcement on 8 December of its public expenditure allocation the Housing Executive will prepare its 1993–94 budget for approval by Government. I am confident that this budget will provide for the continuation of effective new build and IPBS programmes.

  School Examinations
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he will take to ensure that secondary school students from Northern Ireland can continue to undertake examinations set by examining boards in England and Wales at both GCSE and A-level; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  There is no change to the arrangements whereby NI schools may choose A-level syllabuses offered by examining boards in England and Wales.

  At GCSE, pupils commencing courses in key stage 4 in September 1993 in English, mathematics and science, business studies, drama and home economics must follow the statutory programmes of study in those subjects and the Department of Education will approve only those GCSE syllabuses which confirm to the programmes of study. The Department invited examining boards in England and Wales to submit syllabuses for approval, in these subjects, but none has done so for courses commencing in September 1993, although interest has been expressed in offering syllabuses for approval for 1994. Schools may offer GCSE syllabuses in all other subjects set by examining boards in England and Wales for courses commencing in September 1993.

  Home Helps
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many home helps have been employed in west Belfast during each of the last five years.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information is not available in the form requested. The number of home helps employed in the North and West Belfast community unit of management of the Eastern health and social services board at 30 September of each of the last five years was as follows:

  Year

  Number of home helps

  Whole-lime equivalents

  1988

  1,519

  477.87

  1989

  1,392

  440.54

  1990

  1,343

  404.86

  1991

  1,142

  389.58

  1992

  1,039

  346.26

  166
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many home helps are currently employed throughout west, east, north and south Belfast.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information is not available in the form requested. The number of home helps employed in the North and West Belfast, and South and East Belfast community units of management at 30 September 1992, the latest date for which information is available, was as follows:

  Community unit of management

  Number of home helps

  Whole-time equivalents

  North and West Belfast community unit

  1,039

  346.26

  South and East Belfast community unit

  1,429

  315.68

  Single Parents
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many single parents are claiming social security benefit in(a) west Belfast and (b) Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. Wylie to Dr. Joe Hendron, dated 11 December 1992:
  As I am responsible for Social Security operational matters your recent Parliamentary Question on the number of single parents claiming social security benefit has been passed to me for a reply.
  Information available on the number of single parents claiming social security benefit is as follows:

  Income support

  West Belfast Area

  Numbers of lone parents in receipts of income support

  Andersonstown Social Security Office

  2,570

  Falls Road Social Security Office

  2,398

  Shankill Social Security Office

  1,139

  Total

  6,107

  Northern Ireland Total

  33,183

  Other Benefits Information is not available for specific areas and the figures supplied are for Northern Ireland as a whole. Some single parents may be getting more than one of these benefits.

  Benefit

  Numbers of lone parents in receipt

  Family Credit

  5,500

  One Parent/Child Benefit

  28,000

  Widowed Mothers Allowance

  2,500

  Sickness and Invalidity Benefit

  400

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

  Miltary Complaints Procedure
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to announce the appointment of an independent assessor of military complaints procedures.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Mr. David Hewitt as independent assessor of military complaints procedures. Mr. Hewitt is a respected legal figure in Northern Ireland and will bring considerable experience to the post. The main role of the assessor will he to provide an independent audit of the operation of procedures for handling non-criminal complaints against HM forces. His terms of reference are set out in section 60 and schedule 6 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991. This appointment reaffirms the Government's commitment to maintaining public confidence in the attainment of the high standards of behaviour required from the security forces.Mr. Hewitt will take up his duties early in the new year.

  Race Relations
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about race relations in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  Earlier this year, the Government, in responding to the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights second report on "Religious and Political Discrimination and Equality of Opportunity in Northern Ireland" (Cm 1107), indicated that they would bring forward in 1992 a consultative document to examine the scope for race legislation in Northern Ireland. This consultative document will be published later today. It will examine the need for and possible scope of legislation on race relations in Northern Ireland and the possible form and content of any such legislation. The consultative document also reviews a range of departmental policies and programmes which affect ethnic minority groups.

  The document will also seek views about legislation to make discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities, services and premises on the ground of religious belief or political opinion unlawful.

SCOTLAND

  Local Rail Services
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy that any reorganisation of Scottish local government should provide a structure to maintain the integrity of local rail services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: Regional and islands authorities are required to secure the provision of such passenger transport services as they consider appropriate where these are not being provided by the market and to formulate general policies as to the services they propose to secure. There are no plans at present to change this. The Government's consultation paper on local government reform invites views on the most appropriate arrangements for enabling the provision of public transport services in Scotland.

  After-school Care
  Mr. Chisholme
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been given to Scottish Enterprise for after-school care provision by local enterprise councils.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: It is for Scottish Enterprise and local enterprise companies to deploy the funds available to them, subject only to the broad budget block structure set out in the Supply Estimates and to the rules on virement between budget blocks. However, I have written to the chairman of Scottish Enterprise and to local enterprise company chairmen indicating that they will be expected in 1993–94 to support the piloting of after-school and holiday child care initiatives, in line with the Government's election manifesto commitment to introduce a new child care grant throughout Great Britain. The substantial increase in funding for the Scottish Enterprise network's enterprise activities for 1993–94 will clearly be very helpful in enabling the network to undertake this task.

  Housing
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage change in right-to-buy receipts he has assumed in setting out his planned provision for housing in 1993–94.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: Estimates of right-to-buy receipts in 1993–94 will be included in the provisional housing revenue account capital allocations to local authorities for 1993–94 when these are issued later this month.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what account he has taken of changes in housing stock between 1992–93 and 1993–94 in his planned provision for expenditure on council housing for 1993–94.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: The local authority housing stock in Scotland is expected to change from an estimated total of 695,655 dwellings at 30 September 1992 to an estimated total of 668,537 dwellings at 30 September 1993. These estimates, which have been agreed with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, will be reflected in the calculation of housing support grant for 1993–94. The allocations to local authorities for capital investment in council housing in 1993–94 will also take account of these estimates.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what are the additions or reductions of each of the chemical constituents of water and their percentages to or from the existing supplies in the areas served by each of the water authorities in Scotland which are required in order to meet the new EC water standards; and if he will provide a breakdown by(a) chemical constituent of water, (b) each water authority and (c) each supply point;

  (2) what changes to the chemical analysis of water are envisaged as a consequence of implementing new EC water standards compared with the existing chemical analysis employed by Scottish water authorities; and if he will make a statement.
  169
  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: There are no new EC water standards. The EC drinking water directive (80/778/EEC) of July 1980 came into force in July 1985. The Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 1990 adopted the standards set in the directive, together with a number of additional national standards on quality.

  There are over 700 water supply zones in Scotland taking water from more than 800 different surface and groundwater sources. The raw water quality varies with location and time of year. The water treatment carried out to meet the requirements of the regulations is equally varied. Water quality information is available from authorities' public registers and this is summarised in their annual reports. The Scottish Office publishes an annual overview of water quality in Scotland. The last, "Drinking Water Quality in Scotland 1990", is in the Library and a more detailed report for 1991 will be published shortly.

  Scottish Natural Heritage
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much Scottish Natural Heritage is paying out in the current financial year in management agreement; and whether he will list each current management agreement and its cost.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: I have asked Scottish Natural Heritage to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much Scottish Natural Heritage paid out in compensation payments in the current financial year under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and if he will list each individual amount.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: I have asked Scottish Natural Heritage to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of claims for compensation under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 that are currently outstanding in Scotland, their county and the amount that has been claimed.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: I have asked Scottish Natural Heritage to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list grants given by Scottish Natural Heritage for the purchase of land in Scotland for nature conservation purposes, their location and the organisations that received them in the current financial year.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: So far in 1992–93 Scottish Natural Heritage has paid £500 to Kilmuir Village Woodlands Association under section 9 of the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991. SNH estimates that a further £175,000 may be paid to voluntary bodies for land purchases in this financial year. The details remain confidential until negotiations are completed.

  Skye Bridge
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place a copy of the Skye bridge toll concession agreement in the Library.
  170
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: The development agreement regulates the design and construction of the scheme and the concession agreement regulates the operation and maintenance thereafter. These are commercial agreements and as such are confidential. However, certain key provisions of the agreements are required to be made public under provisions in the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. These were published in an assignation statement at the time of publication of draft orders for the scheme. My right hon. Friend has arranged for a copy of the published assignation statement to be placed in the Library.

  Transport Users Consultative Committee
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he has taken on each of the recommendations of the Transport Users Consultative Committee for Scotland contained in its 1991 annual report.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: The committee's recommendations on railway issues are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. The committee's recommendations on shipping issues relate directly to the operational responsibilities of Caledonian MacBrayne. I understand that the company's existing arrangements for consultation on the design of new vessels, and changes in the pattern of services or timetables are fully in accord with the committee's recommendations.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Foreign-owned Trawlers
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the numbers and types of United Kingdom-Spanish trawlers or Spanish-owned trawlers and United Kingdom-Dutch-owned trawlers fishing within the United Kingdom quota system and the number and type of licences each of these vessels have; if he will express this as a percentage of the United Kingdom fleet; and if he will list the aggregate tonnage and aggregate horsepower in kilowatts of each of these vessels.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport gave to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 19 October 1992 at column 200. All the vessels listed in this reply hold United Kingdom fishing licences. I also refer to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby on 24 November 1992 at column 576 on the subject of beam trawl licences held by Anglo-Dutch vessels. I regret that it is not possible to provide the other information requested except at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fishing vessels of other European community member states are operating inside the United Kingdom quota system.

  Mr. Curry
  Only vessels which are registered in the United Kingdom are entitled to fish against United Kingdom quotas.

  Fisheries
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost of policing and administering fisheries in the United Kingdom for the years 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91; and what are the expected costs for 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Curry
  The cost of policing and administering sea fisheries in the United Kingdom was as follows:

  £ million

  1988–89

  20.5

  1989–90

  21.7

  1990–91

  23.4

  1991–92

  23.8

  11992–93

  25.4

  1Forecast outturn.

  Fishermen (Effort Limitation)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the conservation measures and effort limitation measures which have been applied by him and which affect British fishermen only.

  Mr. Curry
  After consultation with the fishing industry the United Kingdom introduced on 1 June 1992 a package of conservation measures which complemented EC measures brought into force on the same day. The United Kingdom measures included a one-net rule, the use of square mesh panels in all nephrops fisheries and for whitefish in the area west of Scotland south of 56oN southwards to the southern edge of the Irish sea, and an anti-ballooning provision for all whitefish fisheries. We also, along with the Irish Republic, retained the 27 cm minimum landing size for whiting. A ban on the use of twin and multi-rig trawls in certain nephrops fisheries as requested by the industry will come into operation early next year. Also, while the EC limit in relation to cod and haddock fisheries of 135 days at sea, set for 1992, applied mainly to United Kingdom vessels, we were able to negotiate a gear option for vessels prepared to use 110 mm and 120 mm mesh nets.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information his Department has about prevailing limitation of fishing effort by curtailment of days at sea operated by each member country of the European Community.

  Mr. Curry
  EC regulation 3882/91 requires certain vessels of over 10 m length, fishing for cod and haddock in the North sea and to the west of Scotland, to be tied up for 135 days during the period 1 February 1992 to 31 December 1992. Member states affected by this have been able to obtain full or partial exemptions from this requirement on the basis that they would not catch quotas, or the use of alternative arrangements.

  The available information for each member state is summarised as follows:
  The United Kingdom is operating limited tie-up regime under EC Reg. 3882/91, such that vessels may opt to use certain technical measures instead of tying up for the full 135 days (partial exemption from Reg 3882/91).
  Belgium, Denmark, Germany and Ireland have also obtained exemptions from Reg. 3882/91.
  172
  France, Spain and Portugal have no regime of days at sea limitation as far as we are aware.
  Greece and Italy have national regimes.
  Netherlands—most Dutch vessels are limited to 150.165 days at sea under national legislation.

  Common Agricultural Policy Subsidies
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the value of common agricultural policy subsidies(a) in total and (b) for each agricultural product paid to United Kingdom farmers in the last financial year; and what was (a) the average and (b) the median value of subsidy paid to each farm.

  Mr. Curry
  Details of public expenditure under the common agricultural policy, including expenditure on national grants and subsidies, are published in table 9.1 in "Agriculture in the United Kingdom", an annual publication produced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Copies are placed in the Library. Statistical information is not retained recording the average and median values of subsidy received by individual farms.

  Radioactive Discharges
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what division within his Department is currently dealing with the application by British Nuclear Fuels plc for the authorisation of radioactive discharges for the thermal oxide reprocessing plant.

  Mr. Curry
  The divisions dealing with these applications are: emergencies and food protection division, for the disposal of radioactive gaseous waste and waste oil; and marine environmental protection division, for disposal of radioactive liquid waste. Appropriate scientific support is provided by the Ministry's food science division and directorate of fisheries research.

  Surplus Butter
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral answer of 3 December,Official Report, columns 384–85, what records it is compulsory for organisations distributing EC butter to keep.

  Mr. Curry
  Designated organisations must ensure that records are kept of the produce received and distributed. Details of records that are required to be kept are set out in annex B of leaflet LP46 entitled "Surplus Food Scheme".

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral answer of 3 December,Official Report, columns 384–85, what methods his Department uses to contact recipients of EC surplus butter in order to carry out checks.

  Mr. Curry
  It is a requirement that all designated organisations receiving produce for distribution must notify the local office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at least one week in advance of a distribution to eligible recipients. This enables official visits to be made on a random basis.
  173
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral answer of 3 December,Official Report, columns 384–85, whether he will consider the production by his Department of standard advertisements, posters or leaflets which could be used or adapted by voluntary organisations participating in the scheme for the distribution of EC surplus butter.

  Mr. Curry
  The Intervention Board executive agency produces and distributes a standard poster listing the eligible groups under this scheme. Detailed publicity of the timing and location of individual distributions is best left to designated orgnisations.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral answer of 3 December,Official Report, columns 384–85, what checks are carried out by his Department on organisations which apply to take part in the scheme for the distribution of EC surplus butter, prior to their acceptance as distributors.

  Mr. Curry
  Organisations are required to certify that they are charitable or non-profit making; preferably already involved in the provision of goods and services to the most needy; and not concerned in the production, wholesaling, storage or retailing of butter and/or beef. Applications must also be supported by an independent referee such as a justice of the peace, minister of religion or a prominent citizen of the local community.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral answer of 3 December,Official Report, columns 384–85, how many organisations which have participated in the scheme for the distribution of EC surplus butter have been barred from participation in a following year by his Department.

  Mr. Curry
  Applications from six organisations which had participated in the 1991 scheme were refused for the 1992–93 distribution.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral answer of 3 December,Official Report, columns 384–85, how many of the voluntary organisations distributing EC surplus butter are visited by staff from his Department to observe distribution.

  Mr. Curry
  It is planned that 30 per cent. of the 1,300 designated organisations will be subject to official inspection on a random basis.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral answer of 3 December,Official Report, columns 384–85, what instructions are issued to voluntary organisations distributing butter as to the details of recipients of butter which they are required to record.

  Mr. Curry
  Designated organisations are required to keep records of the number of recipients, the quantity of butter and beef each received, and how eligibility was established. Documents that organisations may accept as proof of eligibility are listed in annex C of leaflet LP46, entitled "EC Surplus Food Scheme", copies which are available in the Library of the House.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date his Department received applications from British Nuclear Fuels plc for 174
  authorisation of discharge from the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield, of (a) low-level liquid waste from the marine pipeline, (b) gaseous waste, (c) radioactively contaminated waste oil and (d) low-level liquid waste from the facility sewer.

  Mr. Curry
  The dates these applications were received are as follows:

  1992

  (a) low-level liquid waste from the factory sewer

  21 January

  (b) low-level liquid waste from the marine pipeline

  5 May

  (c) gaseous waste

  5 May

  (d) radioactively contaminated waste oil

  5 May

  Farmers (Early Retirement)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received calling for the implementation of a pension scheme to assist early retirement among farmers in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Curry
  Since the EC scheme for early retirement was agreed in May, my department has received 29 representations from Members of Parliament and members of the public about its possible application in the United Kingdom.

  Wool Prices
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect of the discontinuance of the guaranteed price for wool; and what plans he has to reconsider his decision.

  Mr. Curry
  Termination of the wool guarantee will give the industry financial responsibility for its own affairs, allowing it to respond more directly to market forces. Although there will be some short-term impact on producers' returns, their total returns from wool amount to only approximately 5 per cent. of the total return from sheep production. The Government have no plans to reconsider this decision, which will be implemented by means of the Agriculture Bill.

  Suckler Cow Premium Scheme
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect on the industry of the refusal of top-up payments for the suckler cow premium scheme; and what plans he has to reconsider his decision.

  Mr. Curry
  Substantial increases in the EC-funded element of the suckler cow premium from 1993 onwards mean that rates of premium will be higher in 1993 than this year, despite the removal of the national top-up. I have no plans to reconsider this decision.

HEALTH

  Homoeopathic Medicines
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescriptions for homoeopathic medicines have been made(a) in the out-patient clinic of

  175
  hospitals, (b) in in-patient clinics, (c) from general practitioners' surgeries and (d) in total in the last calendar year.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of preparations dispensed by community pharmacists, dispensing doctors and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England in 1991 was 161,000. The remaining information is not available centrally.

  Community Health Services
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding is allocated to community health councils for training purposes in each regional health authority; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  We have asked regions to ensure that adequate arrangements are made for t he development of community health council staff.

  Drug Abuse
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what sums were expended by her Department in respect of European Drug Prevention Week, additional to those in existing annual programmes; and for what specific purposes.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Since 1985 the Department of Health has run a series of campaigns against drug misuse, using mass media advertising and other media. As the main thrust of the 1992–93 campaign, European Drug Prevention Week was financed using existing allocations. The purpose of the week, consistent with previous campaigns, was to raise awareness of the dangers of drug and solvent misuse, especially among young people, their parents and other concerned adults.

  Warner Report
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to implement the recommendations of the Warner report; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Evans) on 7 December at column 526. Local authorities have been asked to report progress by 8 April 1993 on the implementation of recommendations for improving employers' personnel practices. We are consulting widely on other important recommendations, for comment by 26 February 1993.

  Newchurch Hospital, Warrington
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on resettling the residents and patients of Newchurch hospital, Culcheth in Warrington; on what was the money spent; and what was the average cost per patient.

  Mr. Yeo
  This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. D. Hannah, the chairman of Warrington health authority, for details.

  Kidney Patients
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health is she will publish the number of patients in each standard age group who received kidney dialysis in the most recent available year; and what information she has on the proportion these numbers represent of kidney patients in each age group.

  Mr. Sackville
  According to information provided by the European Dialysis and Transplant Association, there were 9,087 patients in the United Kingdom receiving dialysis as at the end of 1991, the latest date for which information is available. The table shows the estimated numbers by age group and the proportion they represent of all patients receiving renal replacement therapy at that time.

  Age

  Dialysis numbers + percentage of total

  Proportion of all renal replacement therapy per cent.

  Under 15

  109 (1.2)

  0.5

  15–34

  1,263 (13.9)

  6.5

  35–44

  1,145 (12.6)

  5.9

  45–54

  1,636 (18.0)

  8.5

  55–64

  2,108 (23.2)

  10.9

  Over 65

  2,808 (30.9)

  14.5

  General Practitioners
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will review the system for making deprivation factor payments to general practitioners to give a greater role to family health service authorities; and if she will make a statement on the effectiveness of the present system in targeting resources where they are most needed.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The deprivation payments system recognises the higher workload faced by doctors in deprived areas. As up-to-date data become available from the 1991 census, there will be opportunities to improve the targeting of the payments: we shall need to consider this with the profession and with national health service management, taking account of experience to date.

  Health Services
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to encourage health providers to manage their contacts, and treatments provided, more evenly over the financial year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  It is the responsibility of local managers to schedule their contracted work evenly over the financial year. The vast majority are doing this successfully. Where there are isolated problems, these are being resolved by local managers with help, where appropriate, from their regional health authority.

  Sefton General Hospital, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about the future of Sefton general hospital, Liverpool.

  Mr. Yeo
  On 27 October 1992, Liverpool health authority commenced public consultation on proposals to
  177
  replace outdated in-patient services for the rehabilitation of the elderly and people with acute mental illness, currently at Sefton general hospital, with a wide range of modern, purpose built facilities at Broadgreen and Mossley Hill hospitals. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. D. H. Tod, the authority chairman, for more details.

  Redundancies
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy on compulsory redundancies within the NHS.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Employing authorities in the NHS decide their own policies on matters such as redundancy, taking into account the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service code of practice, employment legislation and the procedures governing the eligibility to benefits outlined in sections 45 and 46 of the General Whitley Council handbook.

  Regional Hospital Authorities
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will indicate for each regional hospital authority(a) the cash allocation for hospital and community health services spending in 1993–94 and (b) the region's resident population in 1993–94 in each age band in the national capitation funding formula, and to subdivide the cash allocation for each region by the population in each age band in proportion to the age-related weightings in the capitation formula in such a way as to show the amount of money allocated per person in each age band in each region for HCHS in 1993–94.

  Mr. Sackville
  Table 1 shows for each region the main revenue allocation for resident population in 1993–94. These were based on an across the board increase of 0.4 per cent. above inflation with a similar sum distributed to bring regions closer to their population shares. They do not therefore equate to weighted capitation shares.

  1989 based population projections for mid-1993

  Table 2

  Births

  00–04

  05–14

  15–44

  45–64

  65–74

  75–84

  85+

  Total

  Age bands

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  1–7

  RHA

  Northern

  41,344

  204,195

  399,985

  1,275,568

  705,088

  295,696

  152,444

  46,627

  3,079,603

  Yorkshire

  52,050

  254,276

  476,588

  1,541,858

  818,873

  330,915

  191,539

  62,098

  3,676,147

  Trent

  64,254

  317,311

  591,339

  1,985,123

  1,078,310

  441,979

  242,529

  74,835

  4,731,426

  East Anglia

  27,650

  136,894

  265,732

  891,126

  472,771

  200,464

  120,663

  39,338

  2,126,988

  North West Thames

  52,989

  247,168

  441,479

  1,627,217

  772,747

  267,956

  164,541

  53,568

  3,574,676

  North East Thames

  57,910

  273,155

  480,696

  1,672,102

  796,067

  307,148

  182,977

  59,538

  3,771,683

  South East Thames

  52,713

  255,375

  454,418

  1,585,462

  797,947

  335,075

  211,945

  73,463

  3,713,685

  South West Thames

  40,925

  197,699

  357,403

  1,312,490

  672,707

  259,969

  172,071

  62,410

  3,034,749

  Wessex

  39,805

  194,501

  366,830

  1,257,977

  676,441

  293,996

  177,740

  61,184

  3,028,669

  Oxford

  37,872

  182,471

  346,655

  1,165,918

  568,251

  193,304

  112,555

  36,874

  2,606,028

  South western

  43,138

  211,470

  404,171

  1,341,429

  768,209

  338,856

  207,413

  71,695

  3,343,243

  West Midlands

  75,089

  370,102

  688,779

  2,181,941

  1,206,701

  474,349

  256,622

  77,936

  5,256,430

  Mersey

  33,995

  166,143

  317,455

  989,317

  550,883

  216,341

  121,115

  37,888

  2,399,142

  178
  Table 2 shows the projected births and resident population in each age band used in the weighted capitation formula.

  The formula does not make allocations in respect of specific age groups. It weights the crude population for:

  Age, using the expenditure weightings in table 3;

  Standardised mortality ratio, all causes under 75;

  London weighting and market forces factor;

  Thames regions addition.

  Table 4 shows the successive effects of each of these weighting factors on each region's population shares.

  The age weightings reflect past estimated national spending on these age bands and cannot be used in isolation to produce meaningful information in the form requested.

  Table 1 Regional health authority allocations: 1993–94 Revenue allocations for resident populations

  Allocation for resident populations £000s

  1Percentage increase over inflation

  Northern

  1,159,723

  1.03

  Yorkshire

  1,334,886

  0.67

  Trent

  1,672,751

  1.16

  East Anglia

  704,794

  1.18

  North West Thames

  1,320,749

  0.40

  North East Thames

  1,490,187

  0.40

  South East Thames

  1,439,276

  0.40

  South West Thames

  1,116,107

  0.40

  Wessex

  1,033,656

  1.48

  Oxford

  794,779

  0.86

  South West

  1,185,708

  1.16

  West Midlands

  1,855,142

  1.00

  Mersey

  890,032

  0.58

  North West

  1,505,427

  0.70

  England

  17,503,217

  0.80

  1Above forecast inflation for the hospital and community health services of 1.9 per cent.

  179

  Births

  00–04

  05–14

  15–44

  45–64

  65–74

  75–84

  85+

  Total

  Age bands

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  1–7

  Northwestern

  58,654

  287,137

  531,113

  1,680,715

  888,688

  354,077

  205,456

  64,527

  4,011,713

  England

  678,388

  3,297,897

  6,122,643

  20,508,243

  10,773,683

  4,310,125

  2,519,610

  821,981

  48,354,182

  RHA cash limits 1993–94: Age weighting1

  Table 3

  2Births

  Band 1

  Band 2

  Band 3

  Band 4

  Band 5

  Band 6

  Band 7

  1988–89

  1,382.67

  186.33

  108.31

  103.04

  230.20

  519.60

  939.42

  1,799.10

  Reflated

  1,597.65

  215.30

  125.15

  119.06

  265.99

  600.39

  1,085.48

  2,078.82

  1989–90 Cash

  1,361.72

  204.60

  103.99

  115.87

  256.63

  545.86

  1,015.50

  1,877.05

  Reflated

  1,480.19

  222.40

  113.04

  125.95

  278.96

  593.35

  1,103.85

  2,040.35

  1990–91 Cash

  1,438.21

  221.31

  110.02

  139.84

  274.27

  590.25

  1,057.45

  1,961.32

  Average

  1,505.35

  219.67

  116.07

  128.28

  273.07

  594.66

  1,082.26

  2,026.83

  1Estimates are quoted here to 2 decimal places for use in calculation of sub-regional allocations but should not be regarded as so precise and are normally rounded.

  2Bands 2 and 3 are estimated average cost per head for age groups 5–15 and 16–44 respectively. These are used as proxies when weighting resident populations aged 5–14 and 15–44.

  Table 4 1993 Resident populations weighted for age, standardised mortality ratios, London weighting/market forces and Thames factors

  £000s

  A

  B

  C

  D

  Northern

  3,048.91

  3,328.67

  3,249.16

  3,221.23

  Yorkshire

  3,681.55

  3,819.52

  3,728.29

  3,696.24

  Trent

  4,714.81

  4,806.27

  4,691.47

  4,651.14

  East Anglia

  2,179.86

  2,025.40

  1,977.02

  1,960.02

  North West Thames

  3,391.76

  3,254.29

  3,472.10

  3,576.27

  North East Thames

  3,666.10

  3,642.04

  3,951.61

  4,070.16

  South East Thames

  3,830.33

  3,752.51

  3,924.84

  3,964.09

  South West Thames

  3,116.76

  2,890.84

  3,017.93

  3,048.11

  Wessex

  3,170.32

  2,978.07

  2,906.93

  2,881.94

  Oxford

  2,432.17

  2,272.94

  2,223.46

  2,204.35

  South Western

  3,586.37

  3,407.04

  3,325.66

  3,297.07

  West Midlands

  5,167.32

  5,323.30

  5,196.14

  5,151.48

  Mersey

  2,382.59

  2,544.67

  2,483.89

  2,462.54

  North Western

  3,985.34

  4,308.63

  4,205.71

  4,169.56

  ENGLAND

  48,354.20

  48,354.20

  48,354.20

  48,354.20

  Resident populations (including births) weighted for:

  A = Age

  B = Standardised mortality ratios

  C = London weighting and market forces

  D = Thames factors

  Camberwell Health Authority
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will review the appointment of the chairman of Camberwell district health authority.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No.

  Medicine Expenditure
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 26 November,Official Report, column 810, what assessment she has made as part of her Department's review of the measures being taken throughout Europe to limit medicine bills of the current spend per head on medicines in European countries; and if she will give the figure for the United Kingdom and the corresponding figures for Germany, Italy, France, Belgium and Holland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department monitors the range of measures being taken in all countries to limit spending on 180
  medicines and notes the different factors in each country which influence levels of spending. These include countries' different policies on the range of drugs for which reimbursement of cost is available, making simple per capita comparisons potentially misleading.

  The latest year for which figures are available for all the countries mentioned is 1989.

  In that year, spending on drugs per capita was converted into sterling on the basis of purchasing power parity:

  £

  United Kingdom

  47

  Germany

  99

  Italy

  79

  France

  83

  Belgium

  59

  Netherlands

  42

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 26 November,Official Report, column 810, what assessment she has made as part of her Department's review of the measures being taken throughout Europe to limit medicine bills of the proportion of the growth in national health service spending on medicines in 1991, which was due to the cost of new medicines introduced in the past five years; and what comparable figures are available for Germany, France, Holland and Belgium.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  "New medicines" include both those based on active substances being introduced to the market for the first time and new presentations of medicines based on active substances which may have been introduced earlier. Under this definition, figures for England only, show that the net ingredient cost of national health service drugs dispensed by chemists grew by £207 million in 1991. Of that growth, £150 million, or 72 per cent. was spent on new medicines introduced in the previous five years.

  No comparable figures are available for the other countries.

  High Blood Pressure (Treatment)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has to extend the proposed new limited list regulation to cover national health service medicines for the treatment of high blood pressure.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.

  Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money her Department has given to support the publication and distribution of the "Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin" in each of the last 10 years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is readily available only from 1987–88.

  Expenditure £

  1987–88

  608,625

  1988–89

  660,642

  1989–90

  723,482

  1990–91

  750,863

  1991–92

  827,305

  Note: —Figures for the years to 1990–91 include expenditure for the Adverse Drugs Reactions Bulletin which was issued quarterly with the Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin. This was discontinued in June 1990.

  Medicines (Prescription-Pharmacy Classification)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if(a) the Medicines Commission or (b) the Committee on Safety of Medicines advises her on the change of legal status of medicines from a prescription-only medicine to a pharmacy-only classification;

  (2) if she will make it her policy to consult with the appropriate advisory body on any proposed changes of legal status of medicines from prescription-only to pharmacy-only in the 10 new therapeutic categories to be covered by the limited list regulations.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Medicines Act 1968 requires Ministers to consult, and take account of, the advice of the appropriate advisory committee or the Medicines Commission before making any changes to the Medicines (Products Other Than Veterinary Drugs) (Prescription Only) Order 1983 (SI 1983 No. 1212) as amended, restricting medicines to supply on prescription only. It is normal practice for Ministers to consult both the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Medicines Commission on proposed changes of legal status of medicines from prescription-only to pharmacy classification.

  NHS Spending
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total level of hospital and community health services net capital expenditure in 1990–91 and 1991–92 in(a) cash, (d) constant prices adjusted by the gross domestic product deflator and (c) constant prices adjusted by the changes in input unit costs.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 20 November 1992 at column 436.

  NHS Estate
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list for each regional health authority in England the amount needed to bring the estate to an overall condition which exhibits only minor deterioration for 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92;

  (2) if she will list for each regional health authority the amount spent on repairs and maintenance in 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Sackville
  For the estimate of the cost to bring the estate to a condition which exhibits only minor deterioration for 1989–90, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my predecessor to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) on 12 July 1991 at columns 500–504; and for 1990–91 to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 17 November 1992 at column 179. Information in the same form is not held centrally for 1988–89, and the figures for 1991–92 are not yet available.

  Rationalisation schemes and the replacement of old and unsuitable stock with modern buildings are the principle means of reducing the backlog, and also provide better and more efficient facilities for health care. Some 670 building schemes, each costing over £1 million, have been completed since 1979, and around £1.5 billion will be invested in new buildings this year.

  The amount spent on repairs and maintenance is shown in the following table; data for 1991–92 are not yet available.

  Expenditure on building and engineering maintenance

  £000

  Region

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Northern

  30,697

  31,901

  33,403

  Yorkshire

  29,686

  30,873

  31,495

  Trent

  36,757

  39,582

  39,720

  East Anglian

  13,978

  15,670

  15,792

  North West Thames

  32,303

  32,109

  34,652

  North East Thames

  39,603

  41,274

  40,896

  South East Thames

  35,208

  34,601

  35,538

  South West Thames

  30,014

  31,585

  31,076

  Wessex

  21,062

  20,879

  21,502

  Oxford

  18,020

  18,856

  20,725

  South Western

  25,370

  25,780

  26,555

  West Midlands

  47,564

  51,823

  50,602

  Mersey

  21,754

  23,010

  23,437

  North Western

  34,298

  32,745

  37,389

  SHAs

  7,773

  8,719

  9,015

  Total

  424,087

  439,407

  451,797

  Source: Annual accounts of regional and district health authorities in England and those of the special health authorities (SHAs) for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals.

  Notes:

  1. The figures included for engineering maintenance are limited to expenditure incurred on the maintenance of general engineering services and plant. Total expenditure incurred on the maintenance of medical and surgical, X-ray and laboratory equipment or incurred within specific departments such as laundries, boilerhouses, etc is not fully identifiable in health authority accounts.

  2. Information for 1991–92—derivable from financial returns rather than annual accounts—is not yet available.

  Severely Disabled People
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has held with the Association of Directors of Social Services on the motion passed by its conference urging the Government to empower local
  183
  authorities to make direct payments to severely disabled people to make their own personal assistance arrangements; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  The association discussed its views with officials recently. We have no current plans to amend legislation in this way. Our policy guidance to local authorities makes it clear that disabled people should be fully involved in the decisions about the services to be provided. Where a disabled person wants to take on the day-to-day management of his or her carers, this can be written into contracts with the providers of the service.

  Hospital Closures
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, by district health authority, hospitals which have(a) partially and (b) wholly closed during 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Health Charges
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will bring forward consultative proposals to simplify forms AG1, AG2 and AG3 in order to make it easier for the public to claim assistance with health charges.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We are carefully considering the recommendations made following the review of the administration of the national health service low income scheme. In reaching final decisions on the measures necessary to further improve a service which already provides help to a large number of people on low incomes, we shall need to take account of current public expenditure constraints. Changes to forms AG1, AG2 and AG3 which may be required in the light of those decisions will be discussed with the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and the other interested groups who contributed to the review.

  Human Growth Hormone
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the standards with respect to the strength, purity and quality of pituitary-derived human growth hormone used in clinical trials and Medical Research Council-funded research.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Medical Research Council (MRC) working party on human growth hormone issued batches of human growth hormone for use in the trial after deciding that they were of an acceptable quality for clinical use. The MRC steering committee for the human pituitary collection issued stringent criteria for the collection and inclusion of pituitary glands that were used for the production of growth hormone preparations.

  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what licences or certificates were granted in respect of clinical trials for pituitary-derived human growth hormone; and if she will list in each case(a) the date of issue, (b) the holder, (c) dates of renewal applications
  184
  made and granted, (d) action taken by the licensing authority and (e) recommendations made by the Medicines Commission or Committee on Safety of Medicines.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I understand from the Medical Research Council that no clinical trial certificates were issued for pituitary-derived growth hormone, according to the available records.

  Medical Negligence
  Dr. Liam Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to regional health authorities in 1991–92 of legal claims against(a) doctors and (b) dentists in the NHS for medical negligence.

  Mr. Sackville
  Figures for 1991–92 are not yet available. In 1990–91 medical negligence claims cost the national health service an estimated,£53 million, including legal costs and damages. Figures are not collected separately on claims against doctors and dentists.

  Departmental Reports
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to provide members of the Health Select Committee with confidential advance copies of her Department's reports a few days before publication.

  Mr. Sackville
  We supply as a courtesy to Members of the Select Committee on Health confidential advance copies of command papers responding to reports of the Committee a day or two before publication, depending on the printing timetable.

  Asbestos
  Mr. Alan Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a table showing(a) asbestos-related deaths and (b) asbestos-related disorders, by region for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 9 December 1992]: The available information is given in the tables. The figures for discharges and deaths in hospital from 1979 to 1985 are based on very small sample numbers and may not be completely accurate.

  Deaths mentioning of asbestos by regional health authority England

  Regional health authority

  1985

  1987

  1989

  1991

  Northern

  28

  25

  29

  43

  Yorkshire

  13

  12

  23

  17

  Trent

  3

  9

  14

  9

  East Anglia

  5

  4

  11

  2

  North West Thames

  8

  6

  6

  5

  North East Thames

  52

  57

  70

  76

  South East Thames

  11

  10

  10

  6

  South West Thames

  6

  3

  3

  4

  Wessex

  11

  10

  5

  6

  Oxford

  1

  3

  3

  1

  South Western

  17

  21

  11

  16

  West Midlands

  11

  8

  12

  12

  Mersey

  11

  14

  14

  13

  North Western

  12

  10

  16

  12

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.
  185

  Discharges and deaths/finished consultant episodes with a diagnosis of asbestosis: 1979–1985;1989–90

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1989–90

  Northern

  30

  —

  10

  20

  10

  40

  10

  24

  Yorkshire

  20

  30

  20

  20

  20

  20

  30

  5

  Trent

  10

  —

  —

  —

  10

  —

  —

  0

  East Anglia

  —

  10

  10

  —

  20

  10

  —

  5

  North West Thames

  10

  —

  —

  10

  20

  10

  10

  6

  North East Thames

  20

  20

  30

  —

  20

  50

  20

  20

  South East Thames

  —

  10

  —

  10

  —

  —

  10

  0

  South West Thames

  10

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  10

  Wessex

  10

  —

  —

  20

  —

  —

  —

  18

  Oxford

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  South western

  30

  10

  10

  —

  —

  10

  —

  6

  West Midlands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  30

  10

  —

  5

  Mersey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  —

  0

  North western

  —

  10

  20

  10

  10

  —

  10

  8

  SHAs

  20

  10

  20

  10

  10

  20

  20

  14

  Totals

  160

  100

  120

  100

  150

  180

  120

  127

  Source: 1979–85 Hospital In-Patient Enquiry 10 per cent. sample file.

  1989–90 Hospital Episode System 100 per cent. file.

EDUCATION

  Cumbria
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from educationalists in Cumbria on the quality of education provision.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend receives such representations from time to time.

  Further Education Funding Council
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received about the role of the Further Education Funding Council.

  Mr. Boswell
  The establishment of the Further Education Funding Council has been widely welcomed. Further education institutions in particular are looking forward to meeting the challenges of institutional independence and diversity which will characterise the further education sector from 1 April 1993.

  School Transport
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for putting all school transport out to private contractors.

  Mr. Forth
  We have no such plans, although the decision to apply compulsory competitive tendering to school transport may lead to private contractors winning more work in this field.

  Examination Results
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to arrange for the publication in school tables of earlier year GCSE candidates' passes, at the same time as their main results; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The comparative tables of GCSE and A/AS level results recently published by the Department included the results achieved over a two-year period by all candidates of the appropriate age as defined by the regulations.

  Higher Education
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the number of young people entering higher education in each of the next 10 years.

  Mr. Boswell
  The public expenditure proposals announced by my right hon. Friend on 12 November assumed that the proportion of young people entering higher education—which is now well over one in four—would remain broadly constant over the next three years. Beyond that, the Government have made no detailed assumptions about the number of entrants each year.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what priority he is giving to the provision of nursery education.

  Mr. Forth
  It is for local authorities to determine the scale and form of provision for the under-fives in collaboration with other providers. A total of 604,000 under-fives attended maintained nursery and primary schools in England in 1991, an increase of 175,000 over the figure for 1979.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of children were in nursery education in Lancashire in the last two years.

  Mr. Forth
  In 1990 and 1991 the age participation rate for the maintained sector was 48 per cent. The rates for nursery schools and classes specifically were 17 per cent. in 1990 and 18 per cent. in 1991.

  Further Education
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to encourage more 16–year-olds to attend colleges of further education.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Government's expenditure plans for further education allow for a 25 per cent. increase in student numbers between 1993–94 and 1995–96. The participation of 16–year-olds in education and training is expected to rise to over 90 per cent. by 1995–96.

  Access Funds
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received in respect of access funds.

  Mr. Boswell
  Few. The access funds are a valuable addition to an already generous system of student support from grants and loans.

  Learning Difficulties
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to review the Education Act 1981's definition of learning difficulties.

  Mr. Forth
  The Education Bill currently under consideration in Standing Committee embodies the results of a review of legislative provision for children with special educational needs. The definition of a "learning difficulty" contained in section 1(2) of the Education Act 1981 has been carried forward into clause 139(2) of the present Bill. Clause 140 of that Bill provides for a code of practice. Subject to the passage of the Bill and secondary legislation, that code will contain criteria for the making of assessments and statements to which authorities will need to have regard in deciding whether children have learning difficulties.

  Ministerial Powers
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the extent of increase in the powers which can be exercised by the holder of his office since 1979.

  Mr. Forth
  The Government's policy on education is not to increase the powers of my right hon. Friend. It is to devolve the maximum possible power to the individual institutions with responsibility for providing education: schools, colleges of further education and universities.

  The contents of the Education Bill now in Standing Committee reflects this aim, as the most appropriate way to secure higher standards of education.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on progress in implementing key stage 3 of the national curriculum.

  Mr. Forth
  Children are now studying the national curriculum in all 10 subjects at key stage 3. Fourteen-yearolds will be tested for the first time in 1993 in English, mathematics, science and technology.

  Student Incomes
  Mr. Olner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to receive the report of the inquiry into student incomes.

  Mr. Boswell
  I expect the findings of the student income and expenditure survey to be available late in 1993.

  Open University
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the funding for the Open university from 1 January 1993, following the visiting committee's recommendations.
  188
  Mr. Boswell
  My Department will pay grant to the Open university from January to March 1993 as part of the estimates which Parliament has already approved for 1992–93. From April 1993, the Higher Education Funding Council for England will be responsible for determining the university's grants.

  Special Needs
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are his plans regarding integration of children with special needs into mainstream schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The Education Bill currently before the House provides that authorities should secure the education of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream schools so long as such education meets specified conditions and is compatible with the wishes of parents.

  Hearing Impaired Children
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the Secretary of State for Eduction if he will take steps to enhance the position of hearing impaired children in respect of(a) the planning of services, (b) the responsibility for providing support services and (c) the exercise of choice for parents of hearing impaired children.

  Mr. Forth
  The Education Bill will enhance the position of all children with special educational needs, including the hearing impaired. Local education authorities will remain responsible for making assessments and statements and will do so in the light of the new code of practice embodied in the Bill. To that end, LEAs will retain the necessary support services for the hearing impaired and other children.

  The Bill also extends parental choice by enabling parents of children with statements to express a preference for the maintained school at which their child should be educated and to make representations as to the non-maintained special school or independent school of their choice. Parents will be able to appeal to the new SEN tribunal if dissatisfied with the LEA's placement.

  Courses (Student Awards)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list those courses which previously attracted a discretionary student award but are now deemed to attract a mandatory award as a result of the change in status of polytechnics to universities.

  Mr. Boswell
  Full-time and sandwich courses of at least three academic years' duration provided by universities and leading to a certificate, diploma, or other award comparable to a first degree are automatically designated, as a class, for mandatory awards by the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1992. Similar degree-comparable courses at institutions other than universities may be specifically designated on an individual basis by my right hon. Friend under the regulations. Where such courses have not been designated, local education authorities may make discretionary awards in respect of attendance on them. There is no central list of individual courses in the former polytechnics which became automatically designated when those institutions took the title of university.

  Vocational Education
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to encourage the further growth of courses of continuing vocational education in colleges and universities in England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  Since its launch in 1982, the Department's professional, industrial and commercial updating (PICKUP) programme has successfully stimulated our colleges and universities to increase the quality and quantity of courses of continuing vocational education (or PICKUP) for the adult work force, usually provided at full cost and paid for by employers or individual employee. We estimate that enrolments grew by an average of 20 per cent. a year between 1984–85 and 1989–90, and were held at their record high level of nearly 1 million in 1990–91. Providing courses tailor-made to the needs of employers is now an accepted part of the mission of the great majority of colleges and universities.

  We have reviewed the PICKUP programme in the light of this success and of developments such as the establishment of the Further Education Funding Council and the training and enterprise councils (TECs). We have concluded that—after more than 10 years and over £100 million of programme expenditure—the level of expertise within institutions, and the support they increasingly receive from the TECs, is such that the advisory and promotional work of the programme, including the Department's 10 PICKUP regional offices and its adult training promotions unit (ATPU), is now no longer necessary. The PICKUP regional development agents and the ATPU have been successful in putting continuing vocational education more firmly on the educational map but we judge that it would now be better to concentrate future support even more on the direct funding of institutions to enable them to continue to develop new courses and undertake the necessary related work such as marketing. The Department's regional offices and the ATPU will therefore close on 31 March 1993.

  As a consequence, the resources available for the direct funding of further education colleges for the further development of PICKUP courses will nearly double, from £.1.7 million in 1992–93 (currently available from within the Department's £3.5 million PICKUP programme) to EH million in 1993–94. Of this £3.1 million, £2.8 million has been included in the planned funding for the Further Education Funding Council, with £0.3 million available from the Department (within a total of £0.8 million retained by the Department to complete existing PICKUP programme commitments in 1993–94). For both 1994–95 and 1995–96 the planned funding for the FEFC includes £3.7 million for PICKUP. It will be for the council itself to consider how best to deploy these resources. The Department is considering with the council the scope for it to use the expertise of the Department's regional development agents after 31 March 1993.

  Funding for the development of continuing vocational education within higher education will be unaffected by our decision on the PICKUP programme. Funding is currently the responsibility of the Universities Funding Council and the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council (with respectively £10 million and £5 million made available for England in 1992–93). The Higher Education Funding Council for England will assume responsibility
  190
  for funding higher education in England from 1 April 1993 and is at present consulting institutions on the future funding of continuing education as a whole.

  It is clear—not least from recent HMI reports on PICKUP in polytechnics and PICKUP in further education—that a large amount of high-quality continuing vocational education, highly valued by employers, is already being provided. But this work will need to grow significantly, particularly to help employers meet the national education and training targets for lifetime learning, launched by the Confederation of British Industry in July 1991 and endorsed by the Government. The Department's PICKUP programme—and in particular the work of its regional development agents over the years—has laid the foundation: it is now for colleges and universities themselves, working with their business customers and with the TECs, and supported by their funding councils, to ensure that this work continues to grow. In so doing they will be helping to build the world class work force which our economy needs.

  Under-fives
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of children aged under five years in the United Kingdom currently receive education in school.

  Mr. Forth
  In 1991 the age participation rate for these children in the United Kingdom was 53 per cent. At the start of the 1980s it was 43 per cent. This percentage increase is all the more noteworthy when we observe that the size of the three and four-year population increased over the period by 170,000.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils attend grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Patten
  It is estimated that almost 192,000 full-time pupils are currently being taught in grant-maintained schools in England.

  School Classes
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of children are in primary school classes of more than 30 and in secondary school classes of more than 25(a) nationally and (b) in the London borough of Redbridge.

  Mr. Forth
  In January 1992 in maintained schools in England, 25 per cent. of primary pupils were in classes of over 30 pupils taught by one teacher whilst 40 per cent. of secondary pupils were in one-teacher classes of over 35. The equivalent figures for Redbridge local education authority were 57 per cent. and 47 per cent. respectively.

  Classrooms
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the percentage of schools using temporary or prefabricated classrooms; and what measures he is taking to enable local education authorities to provide permanent classrooms.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is not held centrally. However, the 1986 survey of school buildings
  191
  showed that of the 392 primary and 403 secondary schools sampled, 7 per cent. of the primary and 6 per cent. of secondary teaching accommodation were in temporary accommodation.

  We have provided significant capital resources for school buildings in recent years. Capital expenditure per pupil in maintained schools increased by 19 per cent. in real terms between 1978–79 and 1990–91.

  It is for local education authorities to ensure that the school buildings within their responsibility are in a satisfactory condition. It is also for LEAs to determine their priorities for capital expenditure from the resources available to them. They have complete flexibility to give a high priority to the replacement of temporary accommodation if they wish.

  Schools (Decoration)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the number of schools which have had no internal or external decoration for(a) five years, (b) 10 years and (c) more than 10 years.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is not held centrally.
  192
  Local education authorities and school governors are responsible for the state of maintained school buildings, and for deciding expenditure levels and priorities from the recurrent and capital resources available to them. Under local management of schools, governors have the flexibility to give a higher priority to repairs and maintenance work delegated to them if they wish.

  Discretionary Grants
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the number of people unable to pursue higher education because discretionary grants have not been awarded.

  Mr. Boswell
  Under the Education Act 1962, most students on courses at first degree or comparable level—which constitute the greater part of higher education—are eligible for mandatory awards. Discretionary awards are accordingly confined to students on further and higher education courses who are not eligible for mandatory or postgraduate awards. Higher education student numbers continue to grow, and I have seen no evidence of significant numbers failing to enter because they have not obtained discretionary awards.

  PARLIAMENT HILL SCHOOL
  PARLIAMENT HILL SCHOOL
  MAASTRICHT TREATY: ARTICLE 3a
  MAASTRICHT TREATY: ARTICLE 3a
  BANK OF ENGLAND: STATUS
  BANK OF ENGLAND: STATUS
  MEPs: EXPENDITURE
  MEPs: EXPENDITURE
  ROAD TRANSPORT: CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS
  ROAD TRANSPORT: CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS
  HAULIERS AND ROAD USE COSTS
  HAULIERS AND ROAD USE COSTS
  CHILDREN ACT IMPLEMENTATION: RESOURCES
  CHILDREN ACT IMPLEMENTATION: RESOURCES
  WOODBRIDGE AND BENTWATERS RAF BASES
  WOODBRIDGE AND BENTWATERS RAF BASES
  LOCAL AUTHORITY SOCIAL SERVICES: SPENDING
  LOCAL AUTHORITY SOCIAL SERVICES: SPENDING
  TRIDENT MISSILES: TESTING
  TRIDENT MISSILES: TESTING
  COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION: INFORMATION BULLETIN
  COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND WESTERN EUROPEAN UNION: INFORMATION BULLETIN
  CROWN AGENTS AND COMMONWEALTH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
  CROWN AGENTS AND COMMONWEALTH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
  LICENSED TRADE: MONITORING
  LICENSED TRADE: MONITORING
  CREDIT CARD LEGISLATION: LAW SOCIETY'S REPRESENTATIONS
  CREDIT CARD LEGISLATION: LAW SOCIETY'S REPRESENTATIONS
  RESPIRATORY SENSITISERS CONTROL
  RESPIRATORY SENSITISERS CONTROL