Written Answers of 3 July 1992

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Serious Fraud Office
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Attorney-General how many officers of police forces are presently seconded to the Serious Fraud Office; from which police forces they are drawn; and on which inquiries they are employed.

  The Attorney-General
  Ninety-three police officers from six police forces are presently seconded to the Serious Fraud Office. In addition, the Serious Fraud Office receives assistance from a number of officers from provincial forces who are investigating cases for the SFO, but who are not actually seconded to that office. For operational reasons the Director of the SFO does not identify the police forces providing assistance to his office at any particular time or their deployment.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Ministerial Correspondence
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the latest figures, by Department, showing the volume of ministerial correspondence from hon. Members, the targets set for reply and the percentage of replies sent within target.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The 1991 figures are set out in the table.

  Ministerial correspondence from MPs—1991

  Department, and target set for reply

  Number of letters received

  Percentage replies within target

  7 working day target:

  Northern Ireland Office1,2

  3719

  46

  10 working day target:

  Central Statistical Office

  36

  92

  Department of Trade and Industry

  1,416,180

  92

  Welsh Office5

  18,018

  89

  Department of Energy

  2,075

  674

  Cabinet Office (OMCS)

  49

  71

  Ministry of Defence7

  895

  70

  Office of Arts and Libraries

  462

  69

  Treasury8

  92,268

  64

  Scottish Office5

  9,605

  1024

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  911,378

  12—

  13 working day target:

  Inland Revenue8

  9,132,345

  78

  Customs and Excise1,8

  91,673

  66

  15 working day target:

  Overseas Development Administration

  4,001

  83

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  9,984

  76

  Legal Secretariat to the Law Office

  662

  75

  708

  Department, and target set for reply

  Number of letters received

  Percentage replies within target

  Northern Ireland Office1,2

  14588

  66

  Ministry of Defence7

  6,776

  58

  Department of the Environment

  21,818

  54

  Crown Prosecution Service

  100

  1539

  Department of Transport

  161,398

  26

  17 working day target:

  Department of Employment

  7,330

  84

  18 working day target:

  Inland Revenue8

  9,17514

  33

  20 working day target:

  Lord Chancellor's Department5

  4,130

  82

  Department of Social Security

  1813,699

  68

  Department of Education and Science19

  117,295

  62

  Department of Health

  15,359

  60

  Other

  Home Office20

  21,939

  —

  1Includes all Ministerial replies, not only letters from MPs.

  1Figures for NI Departments cover October-December; those for NIO cover November-December.

  3Replies signed by Minister.

  4Includes correspondence for Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  5Target for officials to submit draft reply to Ministers' Private Offices.

  6Estimated figure based on sample of correspondence received.

  7 MOD uses two target periods, which is a reflection of the different volume of Ministerial correspondence handled by the offices involved.

  8Target for officials to submit draft reply to Treasury Ministerial Correspondence Unit.

  9Figures only available for period June-December.

  1060 per cent, of letters received by The Scottish Office received replies within 20 working days.

  11Includes some letters signed by officials.

  12FCO did not monitor performance against target in 1991.

  13All cases where local office reports are not required.

  14Replies signed by Private Secretary to Minister.

  1571 per cent, of letters received from the Law Officers received replies within 20 working days.

  16Figures for 1991 are only available for period mid-November to end December (which includes the Christmas recess) and are not thought to be representative of the Department's performance over the whole year.

  17All cases where local office reports are required.

  18Includes replies by Chief Executives of Agencies.

  19Represents 1992 target.

  20No single target for 1991. Monitoring showed average time taken to be 29–42 working days. New arrangements are being 1992–93.

EDUCATION

  Higher Education Corporations
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many individuals, shown by gender, received part-time hourly contracts of employment in each Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council-funded higher education corporation in the most recent year for which statistics are available;

  (2) how many lecturers were employed in each PCFC-funded higher education corporation on each salary grade at lecturer level or above in the most recent year for which statistics are available, shown by gender;
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  (3) how many academic staff, at the level of lecturers or above, in each PCFC-funded higher education corpora-tion left the employment of such an institution in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991 for reasons of (a) early retirement or (b) health breakdown; and if he will provide the figures by gender.

  Mr. Forman
  This information is not available centrally.

  Lecturers
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many lecturers are employed in each further education college and adult education institute in England and Wales on each salary grade in the most recent year for which statistics are available, shown by gender.

  Mr. Forman
  These data are not collected centrally.

  Truancy
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will give the latest annual statistics on the number of school days lost because of truancy; and what manpower and resources are available to deal with the problem.

  Mr. Forth
  Information on the number of school days lost due to truancy is not collected centrally. Some 3,000 education welfare officers are employed by local education authorities in England and Wales to work with schools and parents in promoting regular school attendance. The Department is also currently supporting 31 local projects designed to improve school attendance under the grants for education support and training (GEST) programme.

  Religious Education
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that in the circumstances of local management of schools and grant-maintained status, the resources for support of religious education in schools associated with the responsibilities of the Standing Advisory Committee on Religious Education will be sufficient to enable them to fulfil their statutory obligations.

  Mr. Forth
  It is the responsibility of local education authorities to allocate the resources at their disposal to ensure that they, their schools and standing advisory councils on religious education are able to meet their statutory responsibilities in respect of religious education and collective worship.

  Students
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment the Government have made of the need for additional student financial support this summer.

  Mr. Forman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 25 June,Official Report, column 273, which described the substantial increases already announced in student support. We do not consider that additional provision is required.

  Jamborees
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what public funds are available to assist members of the scouting movement and other youth organisations from eastern and central Europe to attend jamborees and similar gatherings being held and organised by their counterparts in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Forman
  My Department has no funds available for this purpose.

  Euroform
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the EC scheme Euroform, and its aims, funding and achievements to date.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have been asked to reply.

  EUROFORM is one of three human resource initiatives under the European social fund. It funds transnational partnerships between organisations in two or more member states and is designed to develop and promote new occupational qualifications, new skills and new employment opportunities responding to the single market and technological change.

  The central aim of the initiative is the transfer of knowledge and expertise between member states. The objectives of EUROFORM are to provide a Community dimension for vocational training and employment promotion projects, to foster the convergence of occupational skills and qualifications and promote the occupational and geographical mobility of workers.

  The EUROFORM programme in Great Britain was allocated 31.3 mecu—£21.8 million—for a three-year period 1991–93. Approximately £l3 million was allocated to projects submitted under the first round of applications in November 1991, and 92 projects were approved in principle for funding. A second round took place in April 1992 and a further 83 projects were selected, thereby committing virtually all remaining funds.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Mozambique
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account has been taken in United Kingdom policy towards Mozambique of the 1991 EEC report concerning appropriation of internation-al aid to Mozambique by the Frelimo Government and officials.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The report concerned the provision of EC food aid to the market sector. Following pressure from the EC, the Mozambique Government have tightened up their procedures and introduced new regulations for the handling of such food aid.

  Our bilateral food aid programme for Mozambique is for free distribution to those most in need, not for the market sector. It was in the market sector, and related to the payment of counterpart funds, that the problem identified in the EC report arose. Furthermore, the procurement and close monitoring by British-based non-governmental organisations of all our food aid for Mozambique further reduce the possibility of our aid being misappropriated.

  Madagascar
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution he will make via the World Food Programme, the EC or bilaterally to the famine relief effort in Madagascar; and what estimate he makes of the number of people who will be fed, and for how long, by the British contribution.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  So far this year, the European Community has provided over 13,000 tonnes of food aid for Madagascar, worth £1.3 million, including 12,000 tonnes of cereals delivered in April. The United Kingdom share of the cost of this food aid is £235,000. In addition, the Commission is planning an early contribution to a World Food Programme ( WFP) project aimed at feeding 700,000 people in the south of Madagascar.

  In parallel with this initiative, the WFP—to which the United Kingdom is a significant contributor—will be launching a new programme for early delivery of 27,000 tonnes of food. This programme, to be spread over eight months, is expected to feed a further 320,000 people. Finally, Her Majesty's Government have just approved a bilateral grant to the WFP of £25,000 for local purchase of maize and beans in Madagascar.

PRIME MINISTER

  Subsidiarity
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Prime Minister if he plans to convene any meetings in Scotland to discuss the subsidiarity principle during his presidency of the European Community; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The Lisbon European Council invited the Commission and the Council to undertake urgent work on the procedural and practical steps to implement the principle of subsidiarity and to report to the European Council in Edinburgh on 11 and 12 December. This will be an important priority during our presidency.

  Disability
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to establish a ministerial committee on disability.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no such plans. Officials of the interdepartmental group on disability regularly provide advice to the Minister for Social Security and Disabled People.

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister when he will discuss with the Government of Spain the Lockerbie-related issues arising from legal proceedings against M onzer-el-Kassar.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 2 July 1992]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office—my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg) —gave to him on 24 June at column 211.

ENVIRONMENT

  Flue Gas Desulphurisation
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make representations to the power generating companies to ensure that flue gas desulphurisa-tion equipment and scrubbers are fitted to all power stations in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maclean
  implementation of integrated pollution control under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, for power stations and other prescribed processes, is a matter for the chief inspector of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, subject to any directions or other requirements laid on him by the Secretary of State. These include the Secretary of State's national programme and plan for implementation of the EC large combustion plants directive. The plan includes a commitment to the retrofitting of 8,000 MW of electricity generating capacity with flue gas desulphurisation.

  Football Grounds
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider introducing legislation to allow local planning authorities to designate football grounds as metropolitan open space or green belt.

  Mr. Baldry
  Metropolitan open land is found only in London and has the same status as green belt. Under existing legislation, it is open to local planning authorities in their development plans to designate land, including playing fields, as open space or green belt where the area concerned meets certain criteria. In respect of playing fields, the criteria are set out in paragraphs 41 to 44 of planning policy guidance note 17. In respect of green belts, the criteria are set out in paragraphs seven to 11 of planning policy guidance note 2.

  Orimulsion
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what scientific evidence his Department has on the percentage content of heavy metals in orimulsion; and what assessment he has made of the implications for the ecosystem of burning this fuel at power stations in the United Kingdom;

  (2) what scientific evidence his Department has requested from other countries in which orimulsion is burnt; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The environmental effects of burning orimulsion at power stations are being considered by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in respect of applications made to it under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. In considering these applications, I understand HMIP has requested and received information both from the United Kingdom and from abroad, including information about the heavy metal content of orimulsion.

  This includes an independent analysis of orimulsion carried out for my Department which showed the following percentage of heavy metals: vanadium 0.035 per cent. and nickel 0.007 per cent. chromium, manganese, copper, arsenic, cadmium and lead are all less than one 10,000th part of 1 per cent.

  Second-hand Car Sales
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to prohibit the use by organisations of the highway outside residential properties for displaying second-hand cars for sale.

  Mr. Baldry
  Use of the highway to sell vehicles commercially may constitute a business activity and require specific planning consent. The responsibility of controlling breaches of planning control rests with local planning authorities, which must decide in each case whether it is in the interests of good planning in their areas to take action against development in breach of planning controls. The Planning and Compensation Act 1991 has provided planning authorities with a range of new enforcement measures for dealing effectively and speedily with such breaches.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households in Glasgow, Maryhill, qualify for grant aid under the home energy efficiency scheme; and how many houses have been improved under the scheme since its inception in 1991.

  Mr. Maclean
  In order to be eligible for grant under the home energy efficiency scheme, an applicant or his or her spouse must be in receipt of one of five passportable benefits: housing benefit, income support, family credit, community charge benefit and disability working allowance. In addition, his or her property must meet certain criteria concerning existing levels of insulation and receipt of a grant for similar work under previous schemes. Data on numbers of households eligible in any particular area at a particular time are not available.

  Figures for the number of homes treated under the scheme are not collected on a constituency basis. Within the network installer area which contains the hon. Member's constituency, 3,734 homes have benefited from HEES grant since 1 January 1991.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households in the Makerfield constituency qualify for grant aid under the home energy efficiency scheme; and how many houses have been improved under the scheme since its inception in 1991.

  Mr. Maclean
  In order to be eligible for grant under the home energy efficiency scheme, an applicant or his or her spouse must be in receipt of one of five passportable benefits: housing benefit, income support, family credit, community charge benefit and disability working allowance. In addition, his or her property must meet certain criteria concerning existing levels of insulation and receipt of a grant for similar work under previous schemes. Data on numbers of houselolds eligible in any particular area at a particular time are not available.

  Figures for the number of homes treated under the scheme are not collected on a constituency basis. Within the network installer area which contains the hon. Member's constituency, 1,502 homes have benefited from HEES grant since 1 January 1991.

  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households in Rochdale qualify for grant aid under the home energy efficiency scheme; and how many houses have been improved under the scheme since its inception in 1991.
  714
  Mr. Maclean
  In order to be eligible for grant under the home energy efficiency scheme, an applicant or his or her spouse must be in receipt of one of five passportable benefits: housing benefit, income support, family credit, community charge benefit and disability working allowance. In addition, his or her property must meet certain criteria concerning existing levels of insulation and receipt of a grant for similar work under previous schemes. Data on numbers of households eligible in any particular area at a particular time are not available.

  Figures for the number of homes treated under the scheme are not collected on a constituency basis. Within the network installer area which contains the hon. Member's constituency, 447 homes have benefited from HEES grant since 1 January 1991.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households in the Dundee, East constituency qualified for grant aid under the home energy efficiency scheme; and how many houses have been improved in the constituency under the scheme since its inception in 1991.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 2 July 1992]: In order to be eligible for grant under the home energy efficiency scheme, an applicant or his or her spouse must be in receipt of one of five passportable benefits: housing benefit, income support, family credit, community charge benefit and disability working allowance. In addition, his or her property must meet certain criteria concerning existing levels of insulation and receipt of a grant for similar work under previous schemes. Data on numbers of households eligible in any particular area at a particular time are not available.

  Figures for the number of homes treated under the scheme are not collected on a constituency basis. Within the network installer area which contains the hon. Member's constituency. 3,136 homes have benefited from HEES grant since 1 January 1991.

  Leases
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to introduce legislation to enable the lessees of flats under long leases to extend their leases.

  Mr. Baldry
  We plan to introduce in this Session, after the recess, measures to enable long leaseholders of flats either to acquire the freehold collectively or, if the building does not qualify for collective enfranchisement, to extend their leases.

  EC Bathing Water Directive
  Mr. Godsiff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about compliance with the European Community bathing water directive.

  Mr. Maclean
  Seventy-six per cent. of identified bathing waters complied with the directive's mandatory coliform standards in the 1991 bathing season. This compares with 51 per cent. in 1986. A £2 billion programme of improvements is under way to bring virtually all the waters up to standard by 1995.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the test of resources that applies to renovation grants and disabled facilities grants for works required by people with disabilities, what assessment he has made of the effect the means test on whether disabled people obtain the adaptions they need; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The details of the test of resources for house renovation and disabled facilities grants are set out in the Housing Renovation Etc. Grants (Reduction of Grant) Regulations 1990—S.I. 1990 No. 1189. They are also summarised in the Department's circular 12/90, on house renovation grants, issued on 20 June 1990. Copies of these documents are available in the Library. The Department's monitoring shows that over 80 per cent. of recipients of mandatory disabled facilities grants receive 100 per cent. grants for the full cost of adaptations. On average, disabled people contribute only 5 per cent. of the cost of grant-aided works. The effect of the means test on grant applicants, including the disabled, has been considered as part of the recent review of the grant system. We hope to make an announcement shortly.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the conclusions of the review of the renovation and disabled facilities grants scheme; what changes were introduced as a result of the review; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The findings of the review of the house renovation grant system, including disabled facilities grants, are currently under consideration. We hope to make an announcement shortly.

  Local Government Commission
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to announce further appointments to the Local Government Commission.

  Mr. Redwood
  When I announced the initial appointments to the Local Government Commission on 15 June, I indicated that we would be making further appointments shortly. We are now appointing three further members to the commission:

  Professor Malcolm Grant

  Howell Harris Hughes

  David Thomas

  These appointments broaden the range of interests and experience on the commission while maintaining the balance and independence which will be essential to it in formulating its recommendations. We have no plans to make further appointments in the near future.

  Inheritance Tax (Exemptions)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department will reduce the level of payments under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 management agreements where the land involved is exempted from inheritance tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 2 July 1992]: Matters of taxation are primarily for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Paragraphs 47 to 49 of DOE
  716
  circular 3/84—"Financial Guidelines for Management Agreements"—contains provision for agreements to be terminated if conditional exemption from inheritance tax is granted, for annual payments to cease and for partial recoupment from the landowner where a lump sum has been paid.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Job Centres
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) whether job centre staff in Larne or any other job centre in Northern Ireland can be selective regarding the issue of application forms to applicants; and if he will ensure that all sections of the community have equality of access to application forms for job vacancies;

  (2) if he will list the regulations that relate to the requirement on applicants to a job centre for an application form to provide the job centre staff with information regarding the first school attended before receiving an application form.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Training and Employment Agency is committed to delivering all its service in a way which promotes equality of opportunity for all its customers regardless of religion, gender, disability or marital status. All agency offices issue application forms to job seekers who meet the criteria for the post as laid down by the employer. Primary school data is used to monitor the agency's equality policy, but it is not a condition for the issue of application forms that this information is provided by an applicant.

  Maghaberry Prison
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, following his reply on 30 June to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North (Mr. McNamara),Official Report, column 475, if he will indicate the results of the charges made against those prisoners in Her Majesty's prison Maghaberry, female section, who were charged with (a) disobeying a lawful order, (b) offending against good order of the prison and (c) committing an assault, indicating how many of the prisoners were dealt with summarily, how many were legally represented and what were the punishments which were inflicted.

  Mr. Mates
  All 22 prisoners charged were adjudicated on by the governor in accordance with Prison Rules (NI) 1982. Twenty-one of these prisoners were found guilty as charged and were given awards as listed below. None was legally represented.

  (a) Twenty-one were found guilty of refusing to obey an order to undergo full search and awarded seven days' loss of remission, 14 days' loss of afternoon yards and 14 days' loss of evening association. Those prisoners on remand had loss of remission contingent upon conviction.

  (b) Seven prisoners were also found guilty of erecting barricades and were awarded 14 days' loss of remission consecutive to the seven days lost at (a) above with 28 days' loss of afternoon yards and 42 days' loss of evening association concurrent to (a). They were also awarded three days' cellular confinement.

  (c) Seven were further charged with assaulting staff. Six have their charges still to be heard. One was found guilty and awarded 14 days' loss of remission, consecutive to (a) above with 28 days' loss of evening association plus three days' cellular confinement.

  717

  Fifteen of the prisoners were granted judicial review of the governor's adjudications and 12 were granted interim relief in the High Court on 20 charges. The cases were heard on 12 June. but judgment has been reserved.

  Irish Republic
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will seek the removal of those elements of the constitution of the Irish Republic that lay claim to part of the territory of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The Government believe that there should be a place in strands 2 and 3 of the talks for a discussion of constitutional issues. My predecessor's statement of 26 March 1991 made it clear that it would be open to each of the participants in the talks to raise any aspects of the relevant relationships including constitutional issues. The Government will seek, as a product of the talks process as a whole, an unambiguously expressed consensus on the constitutional issues and a framework for relationships which will be genuinely acceptable to all. We believe that such an outcome should thereby enable all participants to acknowledge Northern Ireland's present status as a part of the United Kingdom, and to recognise that there will be no change in that status without the consent of a majority of the people who live there, that the present wish of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland is for no change but that, if in the future a majority of the people of Northern Ireland clearly wish for and formally consent to the establishment of a united Ireland, both Governments will introduce and support legislation to give effect to that wish. In so far as this is considered to have implications for articles 2 and 3 of the Irish constitution, I welcome the Taoiseach's public assurance that they are among the constitutional matters which the Irish Government envisage would be "on the conference table" during the talks.

  Human Rights Commission
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received the 17th report of the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The report, for the period 1 April 1991 to March 1992, was published on 2 July and copies have been laid before Parliament. Copies of the report an my response to it were placed in the Library yesterday.

EMPLOYMENT

  Lantex, Linwood
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many former workers at Lantex at St. James business centre, Linwood, Renfrewshire, have yet to receive redundancy pay.

  Mr. McLoughiin
  All but six former employees of Lawtex Babywear Ltd. have received their full entitlement, and these outstanding payments will be received very shortly.

  Training Credits
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if it is her policy that training credits for young people should be for training that would not otherwise have been given.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the training credit prospectuses, issued in 1990 and 1991, which can be found in the Library.

  Long-term Unemployment
  Ms. Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to introduce unemployment and training schemes aimed specifically at people aged 40 years and over, among the long-term unemployed.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department's employment and training programmes are open to people unemployed for more than six months who are between the age of 18 and the state pension age, except for employment training and employment action where the upper limit is currently 59. We keep our provision for unemployed people under continual review, and have no plans for a scheme specifically restricted to people aged 40 or over.

  Building Apprenticeships
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many full apprenticeships in the building trade were begun in the north-west in each of the last five years and in 1981, 1971, 1961.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information requested is not available. The available information relates to the value of orders received by contractors for new construction work in 1991, by region subdivided by public sector and private sector clients. This is published in table 2.8 of "Housing and Construction Statistics" part 2, No. 48, a copy of which is in the Library.

WALES

  Factor 8
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the operation of the Medicines Act (Exemptions from Licences) (Importation) Order 1984—SI, 1984, No. 673—in relation to named patient arrangements for the supply of unlicensed factor 8 preparations and other unlicensed pharmaceutical products.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 1 July,Official Report, column 636. Responsibility for the operation of the Medicines Act (Exemptions from Licences) (Importation) Order 1984 (SI, 1984, No. 673) is a matter for the Medicines Control Agency, which is an executive agency of the Department of Health.

  Assisted Areas
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the estimated cash value of assisted area status in Wales for each year since 1979;
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  (2) what is his estimate of the cash value for each assisted area in Wales for each year since 1979;

  (3) if he will give the cash amount of assistance to industry in Wales in 1979, 1983 and 1991.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is not readily available. I will write to the hon. Gentleman with such information as my Department can provide and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state, for Wales and by county, the number of people unemployed for(a) more than six months but less than 12 months, (b) more than 12 months but less than two years and (c) more than two years, sub-divided for males and females; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The latest month for which data is available is April 1992. The numbers unemployed in each of the categories requested are available from the NOMIS database, which can be accessed on-line by House of Commons Library staff.

  The following tables show the information as requested:

  Unemployed for more than six months and less than 12 months1

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Clwyd

  2,727

  809

  3,536

  Dyfed

  2,469

  841

  3,310

  Gwent

  3,240

  880

  4,120

  Gwynedd

  2,057

  660

  2,717

  Mid Glamorgan

  4,244

  977

  5,221

  Powys

  477

  169

  646

  South Glamorgan

  3,599

  901

  4,500

  West Glamorgan

  2,830

  714

  3,544

  Wales

  21,643

  5,951

  27,594

  1 Unadjusted.

  Source: Employment Department.

  Unemployed for more than 12 months and less than two years1

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Clwyd

  2,086

  381

  2,467

  Dyfed

  2,162

  433

  2,595

  Gwent

  3,486

  603

  4,089

  Gwynedd

  1,556

  367

  1,923

  Mid Glamorgan

  4,910

  676

  5,586

  Powys

  383

  96

  479

  South Glamorgan

  3,508

  536

  4,044

  West Glamorgan

  2,750

  439

  3,189

  Wales

  20,841

  3,531

  24,372

  1 Unadjusted.

  Source: Employment Department.

  Unemployed for more than two years1

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Clwyd

  1,082

  246

  1,328

  Dyfed

  958

  210

  1,168

  Gwent

  2,272

  434

  2,706

  Gwynedd

  1,168

  276

  1,444

  Mid Glamorgan

  3,259

  498

  3,757

  Powys

  184

  50

  234

  South Glamorgan

  2,286

  330

  2,616

  West Glamorgan

  1,583

  228

  1,811

  Wales

  12,792

  2,272

  15,064

  1 Unadjusted.

  Source: Employment Department.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  International Whaling Commission
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will report on the progress achieved so far at this week's meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Glasgow.

  Mr. Gummer
  The IWC meeting in Glasgow, which I opened earlier in the week, is expected to conclude its work later today. There has been a series of achievements in our efforts to protect whales and cetaceans which we greatly welcome.

  Discussions continue today on the development of tougher and more prudent means of stock management. We have made clear that we will not even consider any resumption of commercial whaling unless stocks are healthy; there are tough, transparent and fully agreed systems of monitoring and inspection; and there are methods of killing whales which are humane. Our approach is shared by many other countries. Meanwhile, the moratorium on all commercial whaling will remain firmly in place. We shall not support requests for any form of interim quota.

  A new United Kingdom proposal, dealing with research into Antarctic ecosystems, and the impact of global environmental changes on whale stocks, has been adopted. The United Kingdom will be playing a full part in these studies.

  We have strongly endorsed resolutions to study the establishment of a circumpolar whale sanctuary such that this may be adopted at the IWC's 45th meeting next May. In the meantime, we co-sponsored a successful resolution securing a whale sanctuary in the Indian Ocean for a further 10-year period.

  On humane killing, the United Kingdom has carried forward its strong commitment. We gained IWC agreement to a special three-day workshop in Glasgow last week under the independent chairmanship of Professor Sir Richard Harrison. An 11-point action plan has now been agreed, calling for more research, regular reviews on methods and their effectiveness, and analyses of times to death. We are presently pressing for action on the cruelty aspects of the Faroese pilot whale hunt.

  Discussions continue today on the scientific whaling programmes proposed by Norway and Japan. We shall oppose these as failing to meet in full the needs of the IWC's criteria for lethal research.

  Finally, although good progress is being made, the work of the IWC this week has been made doubly difficult by Norway's announcement on Monday that it will resume commercial whaling next year, regardless of future decisions of the Commission. We have already strongly condemned this—and so have 17 Commissioners—as seriously undermining the IWC and the work that it is trying to do to protect the world's whale stocks.

  Spongiform Encephalopathies
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of confirmed cases of BSE in each county of England and Wales since 1 June.

  Mr. Soames
  The number of cases confirmed for England and Wales from 29 May to 26 June is as follows:
  721

  County

  Confirmed cases

  England

  Avon

  68

  Bedfordshire

  7

  Berkshire

  17

  Buckinghamshire

  23

  Cambridge

  7

  Cheshire

  109

  Cleveland

  3

  Cornwall

  285

  Cumbria

  129

  Derbyshire

  70

  Devon

  410

  Dorset

  252

  Durham

  26

  Essex

  14

  Gloucestershire

  69

  Hampshire

  76

  Hereford and Worcester

  65

  Hertfordshire

  12

  Humberside

  22

  Isle of Wight

  18

  Kent

  43

  Lancashire

  137

  Leicestershire

  56

  Lincolnshire

  20

  London

  3

  Manchester

  3

  Merseyside

  7

  Norfolk

  108

  Northamptonshire

  17

  Northumberland

  31

  Nottinghamshire

  16

  Oxon

  49

  Shropshire

  119

  Somerset

  313

  Staffordshire

  134

  Suffolk

  37

  Surrey

  24

  Sussex East

  47

  Sussex West

  56

  Tyne and Wear

  2

  Warwickshire

  42

  West Midlands

  4

  Wiltshire

  156

  Yorkshire North

  166

  Yorkshire South

  15

  Yorkshire West

  24

  Wales

  Clwyd

  56

  Dyfed

  218

  Glamorgan Mid

  2

  Glamorgan South

  6

  Glamorgan West

  5

  Gwent

  20

  Gwynedd

  13

  Powys

  52

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the total number of(a) confirmed and (b) suspected cases of BSE in each county or region in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for the seven days in the week ending 19 June.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information as requested from 12 to 19 June 1992 is as follows. The confirmed cases will have a date of clinical onset of disease and date of report before 12 June.

  County

  Confirmed cases

  Reported cases 13 to 19 June 1992

  England

  Avon

  18

  13

  Bedfordshire

  1

  1

  722

  County

  Confirmed cases

  Reported cases 13 to 19 June 1992

  Berkshire

  4

  3

  Buckinghamshire

  10

  4

  Cambridge

  3

  0

  Cheshire

  31

  29

  Cleveland

  1

  1

  Cornwall

  89

  30

  Cumbria

  54

  19

  Derbyshire

  13

  19

  Devon

  110

  60

  Dorset

  90

  22

  Durham

  8

  2

  Essex

  4

  2

  Gloucestershire

  9

  14

  Hampshire

  19

  12

  Hereford and Worcester

  6

  9

  Hertfordshire

  3

  0

  Humberside

  2

  3

  Isle of Wight

  8

  3

  Kent

  17

  6

  Lancashire

  43

  28

  Leicestershire

  17

  8

  Lincolnshire

  7

  8

  London

  1

  1

  Manchester

  1

  0

  Merseyside

  0

  1

  Norfolk

  25

  18

  Northamptonshire

  3

  8

  Northumberland

  15

  6

  Nottinghamshire

  1

  3

  Oxfordshire

  18

  9

  Shropshire

  35

  17

  Somerset

  91

  53

  Staffordshire

  52

  29

  Suffolk

  12

  13

  Surrey

  9

  5

  Sussex East

  16

  5

  Sussex West

  18

  15

  Tyne and Wear

  0

  0

  Warwickshire

  7

  7

  West Midlands

  1

  0

  Wiltshire

  43

  36

  Yorkshire North

  52

  23

  Yorkshire South

  2

  3

  Yorkshire West

  7

  2

  Wales

  Clwyd

  22

  5

  Dyfed

  12

  39

  Glamorgan Mid

  0

  0

  Glamorgan South

  2

  1

  Glamorgan West

  0

  1

  Gwent

  2

  4

  Gwynedd

  3

  4

  Powys

  6

  10

  Scotland

  Borders

  1

  0

  Central

  0

  3

  Dumfries

  22

  13

  Fife

  3

  0

  Grampian

  9

  3

  Highland

  0

  1

  Lothian

  1

  0

  Orkney

  0

  0

  Shetland

  0

  0

  Strathclyde

  16

  15

  Tayside

  4

  2

  Western Isles

  0

  0

  Northern Ireland

  Antrim

  0

  1

  Armagh

  0

  1

  Down

  1

  5

  Fermanagh

  0

  1

  Londonderry

  0

  1

  Tyrone

  1

  1

  723
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many times the spongiform encephalopathy advisory committee has met each year since its establishment.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to his question on 17 June 1992,Official Report, at column 573.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the countries which are refusing to import cattle from the United Kingdom due to concern over BSE; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list the countries which are refusing to import milk and milk products from the United Kingdom due to concerns over BSE; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will list the countries which are refusing to import boneless beef from the United Kingdom because of concerns over BSE; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information is as follows:

  Cattle

  Algeria

  New Zealand

  Argentina

  Russia

  Australia

  Saudi Arabia

  Austria

  Sweden

  Brazil

  Switzerland

  Canada

  Syria

  Chile

  Trinidad and Tobago

  Finland

  Tunisia

  Hungary

  Turkey

  Iran

  United Arab Emirates

  Israel

  USA

  Japan

  Uruguay

  Jordan

  Malaysia (state of Sarawak only)

  Boneless Beef

  Algeria

  Montserrat

  Barbados

  Philippines

  Dominica

  St. Kitts

  Egypt

  St. Lucia

  Grenada

  St. Vincent

  Guyana

  Saudi Arabia

  Jamaica

  Syria

  Japan

  Taiwan

  Libya

  United Arab Emirates

  Malaysia (state of Sarawak only)

  Milk and Milk Products.

  Libya

  Sweden1

  Syria

  1 Sweden bans the importation from the United Kingdom of bovine milk products for consumption by farm animals. Milk for human consumption may continue.

  Notes:

  In addition, cattle over six months of age may not be sent to other member states unless imported in the United Kingdom after 18 July 1988.

  Many of these countries are members of the worldwide veterinary organisation, the Office Internationale des Epizooties (OIE). The OIE general assembly recently unanimously endorsed advice that, subject to certain conditions, trade with the United Kingdom in these products is safe. We will be pressing these countries—along with the non-OIE members—to accept these conditions so that trade in these products may resume.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date each of the individuals represented on the spongiform encephalopathy advisory committee were appointed; and if he will make a statement.
  724
  Mr. Gummer
  All the members of the spongiform encephalopathy advisory committee were appointed in April 1990, except for Professor Richard Barlow and Mr. David Pepper, who were added in September 1990.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many times the consultative committee on research into spongiform encephalopathies has met each year since its establishment.

  Mr. Gummer
  The consultative committee on research into spongiform encephalopathies met on three occasions in 1989 before it was reconstituted as the spongiform encephalopathy advisory committee.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of felines confirmed as having spongiform encephalopathy in each of the following age ranges:(a) below 12 months, (b) one to two years, (c) two to three years, (d) three to four years, (e) four to five years and (f) over five years; and what information he has on the likely cause of transmission.

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested is as follows up to 26 June 1992:

  Age

  Number of felines with spongiform encephalopathy

  Less than 12 months

  0

  One year to two years

  1

  Two years to three years

  1

  Three years to four years

  3

  Five years and over

  21

  Age not known

  1

  Insufficient cases of FSE have yet been identified to enable any conclusions about the epidemiology of the condition, or the source of infection, to be drawn. Information is, however, being collected about each confirmed case.

  British Beef
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the countries which ban the import of British beef.

  Mr. Soames
  These countries are as follows:

  Algeria

  Argentina

  Barbados

  Brazil

  Chile

  China

  Dominica

  Egypt

  Grenada

  Guyana

  Iran

  Jamaica

  Japan

  Libya

  Montserrat

  Philippines

  Sarawak

  St. Kitts

  St. Lucia

  St. Vincent

  Saudi Arabia

  Sultanate of Oman

  Syria

  725

  Taiwan

  Tunisia

  Turkey

  United Arab Emirates

  Bovine Offal
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the legislation relating to the prohibition of the export of animal protein material derived from specified bovine offals; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what restrictions he has imposed on the export of cattle offal from the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The exportation of the specified bovine offals and protein derived from them from Great Britain to other member states of the Europen Community and to third countries is banned under the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Order 1991 and the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1991.

  Cattle (Lameness)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number and percentage of(a) dairy cattle and (b) beef cattle requiring to be destroyed due to acute lameness in each year since 1982.

  Mr. Soames
  This information is not collected.

TRANSPORT

  Radioactive Materials
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to collect centrally information on the movement of radioactive materials for reprocessing by road, rail, sea and air in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Norris
  I have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in the compilation of the International Atomic Energy Agency database on the movement of radioactive materials for reprocessing in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Norris
  Information was supplied by my Department to the International Atomic Energy Agency in 1991 in response to an IAEA request for certain details for its database on shipments of radioactive material. The information related to total shipments of irradiated fuel, non-irradiated fuel, uranium from reprocessing and wastes for the year 1990.

  Network SouthEast
  Mr. Pope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total level of investment by British Rail since 1988 in Network SouthEast.

  Mr. Freeman
  In the five financial years from 1987–88 to 1991–92, Network SouthEast invested about £1780 million at 1991–92 prices.

  Travellers' Vehicles
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements are made to ensure that the vehicles operated by travelling people are(a) MOT tested and (b) properly insured; how many prosecutions in each of these respects have taken place over the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The arrangements for ensuring compliance with the law on vehicle testing and insurance are the same for all vehicle users. It is an offence to use a vehicle without a current test certificate and valid insurance, and the police can bring prosecutions. The vehicle inspectorate checked the roadworthiness of 92 large non-public service vehicle passenger-carrying vehicles, most of which will not have been used by travelling people, at roadside spot checks in 1991–92. The inspectorate's policy is to prohibit unroadworthy vehicles rather than to prosecute. The 92 checks resulted in four prohibitions. The power to prohibit vehicles in a dangerous condition was extended to the police by the Road Traffic Act 1991, which was commenced on 1 July this year.

  British Rail Investment
  Mr. Pope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total level of planned investment by British Rail in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail invested a total of £1,005 million in 1991–92; this was the highest level for 30 years. British Rail's investment ceiling for 1992–93 is currently set at £983 million for the existing railway and £755 million for the new railway. The combined ceiling for both existing and new railways is therefore set at £1,738 million.

  Transpennine Study
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when the conclusions of the transpennine study will be published; and if he will give reasons for the postponement in publication;

  (2) what consideration is being given to the extension of the M65 eastwards as part of the transpennine study.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Southport (Mr. Banks) on Monday 29 June at column 391, and to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) on Tuesday 9 June at column 114.

  The transpennine study considered options for improving transport links in a number of corridors within a wide study area, which included the M 65-A56-A59-A65-A660 corridor. The study covered a range of complex issues and our consideration of the consultants' findings has taken longer than expected.

  Thames Road Bridges
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the road bridges across the Thames within the area of greater London and indicate which of them are, or will be, subject to closure and restriction because of maintenance; and how many are subject to width restrictions affecting traffic flow.

  Mr. Norris
  The following bridges carry roads across the Thames in the greater London area: Tower bridge,
  727
  London bridge, Southwark bridge, Blackfriars bridge, Waterloo bridge, Westminster bridge, Lambeth bridge, Vauxhall bridge, Chelsea bridge, Albert bridge, Battersea bridge, Wandsworth bridge, Putney bridge, Hammersmith bridge, Chiswick bridge, Kew bridge, Twickenham bridge, Richmond bridge, Kingston bridge and Hampton bridge. Chiswick, Kew and Richmond bridges carry trunk roads. Local highway authorities are responsible for all other structures.

  I am aware that the following restrictions currently apply: Tower bridge, 17 tonnes weight; Westminster bridge, 7.5 tonnes weight; Albert bridge, 2.1 m width—temporary—two tonnes weight; Battersea bridge, 2.5 m width; and Hammersmith bridge, three tonnes weight.

  Proposals to restrict bridges that carry or connect designated roads are subject to the prior approval of the Secretary of State under the Local Government Act 1985. Under these powers my Department can ensure that restrictions on structures that affect traffic flow are essential and are imposed for the minimum time necessary.

  Traffic Director for London
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the duties and functions of the Traffic Director for London.

  Mr. Norris
  The duties and functions of the Traffic Director for London are set out in part II of the Road Traffic Act 1991. They include responsibility for co-ordinating the introduction and maintenance of traffic management measures taken by highway authorities in relation to priority routes established under the Road Traffic Act 1991, and for monitoring the operation of those measures. Specific functions include the preparation of a network plan for the design and operation of priority routes in London, giving approval to local plans for priority routes prepared by London highway authorities and preparing local plans himself for trunk roads in London.

  Port of London Authority
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who decides arid authorises increases in the salary of the members of the board of the Port of London authority.

  Mr. Norris
  Under the provisions of the Port of London Act 1968, the authority itself determines the board members' remuneration.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the salary of each member of the board of the Port of London authority for the past five years.

  Mr. Norris
  Information about board members' remuneration is included in the annual reports of the Port of London authority which are placed in the Library.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who appoints members of the board of the Port of London authority; when the existing members were appointed; and when each member is due to retire or be reappointed.

  Mr. Norris
  The Secretary of State for Transport appoints the chairman and non-executive members of the 728
  Port of London authority for terms of three years or until the end of the year when they reach the age of 70. Their terms expire as follows, at the end of the year referred to: Sir Brian Kellett, chairman, 1992; Mr. R. G. Crawford 1993; Capt. P. M. Edge 1994; Mr. I. F. Halliday 1992; Mr. C. W. Jonas 1993; Mr. J. H. Kelly 1993; Mr. A. J. Macintosh 1994; Mr. A. P. Ravenscroft 1994; Sir Brian Shaw 1994. Two executives have been appointed to the board by the authority.

  Industrial Vehicles
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by type the vehicles used by(a) the construction or (b) agriculture industry where drivers using them on the public highway cannot be prosecuted for traffic offences, not being deemed a road vehicle under the current legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The main bad driving offences under sections 1, 2, 3, 3A and 4 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 now apply to all mechanically propelled vehicles. Various other road traffic offences apply to "motor vehicles", which are mechanically propelled vehicles intended or adapted for use on roads. Whether a particular vehicle is so intended or adapted depends on the facts in that case.

  Fuel Efficiency
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to set mandatory minimum fuel efficiency standards for vehicles.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) on 3 June,Official Report, volume 208, column 522.

  Public Service Vehicles
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information his Department holds, and at what level of' regional disaggregation, regarding the failure rates of public service vehicles.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Department's vehicle inspectorate holds complete information about vehicle testing, includng the percentage failure rates for public service vehicles at initial annual tests and retests and the most common failure items. Information on a national basis is published in the inspectorate's annual report. Regional information is held by its 54 district offices, which can further break the information down for individual testing stations.

  Speed Limiters
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce legislation to make it mandatory for heavy goods vehicles to be fitted with speed limiters.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Regulations have been made requiring the fitment of speed limiters to heavy goods vehicles. New goods vehicles over 7.7 tonnes gross weight must have speed limiters from 1 August this year. Articulated and certain drawbar goods vehicles over 16 tonnes gross weight first used on or after 1 January 1989 will need to be fitted by 1 August 1993.
  729
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations the Minister of State for Public Transport has received from the chairman of the Greater Manchester passenger transport authority about the stated intention to take powers to enforce the privatisation of all remainining municipal bus companies; if he will be meeting representatives of the PTA; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am in correspondence with the chairman of Greater Manchester passenger transport authority confirming our commitment to privatise the remaining local authority-owned bus companies. I shall be happy to have an early meeting with the PTA about the future ownership of Greater Manchester Buses Ltd. and our consultant's report on the possibilities of splitting that company. My office is making the necessary arrangements.

  Motorway Intersections
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorway intersections, where two motorways join, do not have full four-way access.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Twenty motorway to motorway junctions in England do not have full four-way access.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why it was decided not to construct a full four-way access junction where the A1(M) joins the A66(M) at Darlington; what plans he has to initiate the construction of a full four-way access junction at this point; and what estimate he has made of the cost.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The A1(M)—A66(M) interchange at Darlington was opened to traffic in May 1965 and its layout was designed to cater for the then existing and predicted further traffic movements.

  A study of the A1(M) between Barton and Birtley is currently being undertaken to assess the longer-term requirements of this section of motorway. An assessment of this interchange and others will be undertaken as part of the study which will be completed in the spring of 1993.

  Road and Rail Infrastructure
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are being taken to ensure that road and rail infrastructure investments are being appraised on a comparable basis.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department of Transport published last January a paper on investment appraisal in road and rail transport, which attracted helpful comments from many quarters. Many of these comments expressed concern about the relative roles of cost-benefit analysis and of financial analysis, and in particular the view that cost-benefit analysis should be more widely used in the appraisal of all transport infrastructure.

  Different forms of transport should be able to compete on fair terms. This should be reflected in the criteria for Government grants and investment rules. It also follows that users of transport should as far as possible pay the full cost of the services they use. Although it is efficient to allow road congestion relief and other external benefits to be taken into account in the pricing of urban public transport, the benefits to public transport users themselves should be met as far as possible through fares.
  730
  If a new public transport investment cannot pay its way after counting both revenues and external benefits, the case for it is generally very weak. The availability of finance will remain a major consideration for any transport investment, be it in road or rail. So I see no reason for any change to the current grant rules. But benefits to users which cannot be recovered in fares can be relevant in, for instance, considering relative priorities between competing projects. I have therefore asked officials to develop further guidance on the use of cost-benefit analysis in urban transport appraisal.

  Regional Offices (Inquiries)
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent changes he has made in the arrangements regarding the handling of constituency inquiries by hon. Members which are addressed to regional offices of his Department; if he will publish the arrangements; what assessment he has made of the time taken to reply to(a) such an inquiry and (b) a similar inquiry from a member of the public; if he will review the arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We have made no recent changes in the arrangements for handling constituency inquiries by hon. Members to our regional offices. We continue to require these to be replied to promptly and fully; the same requirements apply to inquiries from members of the public. We have no plans to review the arrangements.

DEFENCE

  Bullying
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will instigate a confidential inquiry into bullying in the Army; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No inquiry is necessary. The Army takes the most careful steps to prevent bullying and treats any cases which do occur very seriously. Since 1987, the number of substantiated cases of bullying in the Army has fallen from 31 a year to 11 in 1990 and six in 1991.

  Defence Research Agency
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what professional, security, copyright and financial terms staff of the Defence Research Agency may participate in the Link programmes or research programmes funded by the European Community.

  Mr. Aitken
  This is a matter for the Defence Research Agency under its framework document. I have asked the chief executive to reply directly to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what encouragement there is in the framework document or in other formal guidance to encourage personnel and technology transfer between the Defence Research Agency and civil research and development.

  Mr. Aitken
  As the Ministry of Defence's principal source of scientific and technical advice, the Defence Research Agency attaches high priority to co-operation with industry in meeting MOD's requirements. Within the context that MOD is its major customer, it can pursue profitable commercial outlets for its services and arrange personnel exchanges with other organisations.

  Defence Export Services Organisation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the names and company of secondment of the head of the Defence Export Services Organisation and its international financial adviser.

  Mr. Aitken
  The head of Defence Export Services Organisation is Mr. Alan Thomas, on secondment from Raytheon. Mr. Miles Faulkener, the international financial adviser, was previously employed by Trafalgar House.

  Resettlement Training
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what advice and facilities such as telephones and stationery are provided for service personnel undergoing resettlement training to seek outside employment; and what arrangements are made for personnel to have access to newspapers and magazines which publish job vacancies;

  (2) how many service personnel are currently undergoing resettlement training; in how many places such training is being undertaken; what types of training are offered; what are the minimum and maximum days of training offered; and what budget allocation has been made to pay for such resettlement training;

  (3) what representations he has received about the current provision for resettlement training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  All service personnel coming to the end of their careers are advised individually on how best to prepare themselves for civilian life. In addition, everyone who leaves after more than five years' service is entitled to a comprehensive resettlement package. This comprises:Briefings on how to go about finding a new job, on specific second careers, on home purchase, on personal finance and on other aspects of civilian life.
  The opportunity to spend some time on attachment to an employing organisation in order to gain civilian work experience.
  A pre-release resettlement period of 28 days on full pay which can be used for any resettlement-related activity, including attendance at a wide range of training courses. These courses take place at the resettlement training centres at Aldershot and Catterick and at many other locations.
  Assistance with job finding through the Services Employment Network, the Officers Association or the Regular Forces Employment Association.

  About 19,500 sevice personnel will be entitled to this help during 1992–93, and most of them will take advantage of at least some of what is available. The total direct cost in 1992–93 will be about £4 million. As part of this process, personnel are encouraged to consult newspapers and magazines which publish job vacancies. In addition, the Service Employment Network of the Ministry of Defence publishes its own weekly "Resettlement Bulletin Vacancy Supplement" which contains details of specific jobs. It is not MOD policy to make telephones or stationery specifically available to those seeking jobs.

  We are determined to ensure that the service we offer provides those leaving the armed forces with the best possible support, particularly at a time when a number of those leaving will have been made redundant. The package of measures that I have set out has therefore been revised thoroughly and enhanced in a number of ways. We are
  732
  continuing to consult widely within the armed forces and with other organisations which provide resettlement services to ascertain what more might be done.

  Military Detention Centres
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what independent inspectorate exists for military detention centres in England; who appoints such inspectors; to whom they make their reports following their visits to military detention centres; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The two military detention centres at the royal naval detention quarters, Portsmouth, and military corrective training centre, Colchester, are inspected at least twice a year by an independent board of visitors. Members of the board are appointed by the Secretary of State for Defence and make their reports to him. Statutory Instruments Nos. 723 and 724 of 1980 set out the composition and duties of the board relating to the military corrective training centre and royal naval detention quarters respectively.

  Royal Air Force regional services detention rooms are not independently inspected, but are visited daily by the orderly officer and inspected regularly by the chain of command.

  Sea-Air Rescue
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is the Government's intention to continue the operation of air-sea rescue services at RAF Chivenor in north Devon; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A review of the provision of sea-air rescue by the armed forces is approaching its final stages. Final decisions on the structure and basing of the military SAR force have yet to be taken. I cannot, therefore, comment on the future of any individual military SAR flight.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Claim Processing Times
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the Government's target for the length of time to process reviews of claims for(a) mobility allowance, (b) attendance allowance, (c) attendance allowance on grounds of terminal illness, (d) disability living allowance and (e) disability living allowance including a claim for the highest rate of care component on grounds of terminal illness; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of mobility and disability living allowance are a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if sufficient officers have been employed during the last six months to handle reviews of claims for attendance allowance in order to meet the Government's targets for processing reviews; and if he will make a statement.
  733
  Mr. Scott
  The administration of attendance allowance is a matter for Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest figures for the shortfall in income support payments by comparison with fees charged in(a) residential homes and (b) nursing homes for the elderly or disabled, on a national, regional and local basis.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is not available. Data are collected on a sample basis which precludes the provision of reliable estimates. Contemporary information is not collected on fees.

  Income Support
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost of raising the income support personal allowance for home owners aged(a) 21, (b) 22, (c) 23 and (d) 24 years, respectively, to the rate appropriate to persons aged 25 years and over.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is given in the table.

  Benefit

  Age 21+

  Age 22+

  Age 23+

  Age 24

  Income support

  5

  1

  1

  1

  Community charge

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Housing benefit

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  5

  1

  1

  1

  1 Denotes a cost of less than £2.5 million.

  Notes:

  1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £5 million.

  2. "Home owners" are defined as owner occupiers with a mortgage still outstanding.

  3. The reply shows the cost of making the increases for the age group given at the top of the column and all those up to, but not including, age 25.

  Sources:—1987–88 family expenditure survey and 1990 annual statistical inquiry.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost of raising the income support personal allowance for recipients of housing benefit aged(a) 21, (b) 22, (c) 23 and (d) 24 years, respectively, to the rate appropriate to persons aged 25 years and over.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is given in the table.

  Benefit

  Age 21+

  Age 22+

  Age 23+

  Age 24

  Income support

  20

  15

  10

  5

  Community charge

  1

  1

  1

  0

  Housing benefit

  15

  10

  5

  5

  Total

  40

  25

  20

  10

  1 Denotes a cost of less than £2.5 million.

  Notes:

  1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £5 million.

  2. The reply shows the cost of making the increases for the age group given at the top of the column and all those up to, but not including, age 25.

  Sources:—1987–88 family expenditure survey and 1990 annual statistical inquiry.
  734
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the answer of 2 June,Official Report, column 483, if he will estimate the cost of raising the income support level for all persons aged (a) 21, (b) 22, (c) 23 and (d) 24 years, who are living away from home to the rate appropriate to persons aged 25 years and over.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is given in the table.

  Benefit

  Age 21+

  Age 22+

  Age 23+

  Age 24

  Income support

  55

  40

  25

  10

  Community charge

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Housing benefit

  15

  10

  5

  5

  Total

  70

  55

  30

  10

  1 Denotes a cost of less than £2.5 million.

  Notes:

  1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £5 million.

  2. Benefit units living away from home have been defined as those who are recorded in the FES as being head of households or who are living with a non-relative.

  3. The reply shows the cost of making the increases for the age group given at the top of the column and all those up to, but not including, age 25.

  Sources:—1987–88 family expenditure survey (FES).

  Social Fund
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what financial effect there has been from the recent review on the level of the social fund available in 1992–93 to those social security offices which serve people in the Sheffield, Attercliffe constituency.

  Mr. Scott
  Details of the allocations made to individual Benefits Agency districts are available in the Library.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how long it is taking social fund inspectors to deal with an application for review of a decision made by a social fund officer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I am informed by the social fund commissioner that the average time taken is 38 working days. This figure includes the two weeks allowed for the applicant to comment on the papers which are sent to him. The majority of urgent cases are cleared within four working days.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Criminal Justice Consultative Council
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what programme of work the Criminal Justice Consultative Council adopted at its initial meeting on 15 January;

  (2) on what dates the Criminal Justice Consultative Council has met; and when it will hold its next meeting.

  Mr. Jack
  The Criminal Justice Consultative Council met on 15 January and 9 April 1992. It will meet again on 6 July and 12 October. Subsequent meetings will take place quarterly.

  At its initial meeting on 15 January, the council agreed to give early priority to monitoring the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, to the pre-trial issues initiative and to the establishment of area criminal justice liaison committees. Additionally, the council has agreed to

  735
  receive papers at forthcoming meetings on prisoners awaiting trial, on section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, on mode of trial issues, on the crime preventive aspects of the criminal justice system and on its own future reporting arrangements.

  Racial Crimes
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the number of complaints that have been made to the Plumstead/Thamesmead police from white victims of racially motivated crimes in 1990, 1991 and to date in 1992; how many of the complaints were about crimes of violence; how many were investigated; how many were against named suspects; how many led to charges being brought; and how many led to convictions;

  (2) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the number of complaints that have been made to the Plumstead/Thamesmead police from black or ethnic minority victims of racially motivated crimes in 1990, 1991 and to date in 1992; how many of the complaints were about crimes of violence; how many were investigated; how many were against named suspects; how many led to charges being brought; how many led to convictions; and how many such complaints about crimes of violence were made in 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The publication of detailed statistics of this kind is a matter for chief officers. I have referred these questions to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, and I understand that he will be writing to the hon. Member.

  Wolds Private Prison
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoner custody officers employed by Group 4 at the Wolds private prison are from an ethnic minority background.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff have been assaulted at the Wolds private prison since it opened in April.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None.

  Access Requests
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many subject access requests were made under the Data Protection Act 1984 to the police national computer last year; and what proportion were to the criminal names index.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There were 18,293 police national computer subject access requests in 1991. Almost all were in respect of the criminal names index.

  Summer Solstice
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the total cost of extra police activity caused by the various manifestations to celebrate the 1992 summer solstice in the counties of Hampshire, Wiltshire, Gloucester, Avon, Dorset, Somerset and Devon.
  736
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Available estimates from the forces concerned for the additional costs of policing amount to £267,000.

  Clamping and Towing-away Regulations
  Sir John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue a leaflet for distribution to overseas motorists arriving at United Kingdom ports of entry, indicating the clamping and towing-away regulations which apply in the major cities of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information on the enforcement of parking restrictions by police clampings and removals is available to foreign visitors in the booklet "On the Road in Great Britain" produced by the Department of Transport. The booklet is generally available at ports of entry.

  Police (Inquiry)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer on 30 June,Official Report, column 520, (1) why he has decided not to include the Port of Tilbury, London police within the scope of his proposed inquiry into the role of the police officer; and if he will reconsider his decision;

  (2) why he has decided not to include the unregistered appointment of constables by miscellaneous authorities and bodies within the scope of his proposed inquiry into the role of the police officer; and if he will reconsider his decision;

  (3) why he has decided not to include the police appointed under the provisions of the Harbour, Docks, Piers Clauses Act 1847 within the scope of his proposed inquiry into the role of the police officer; and if he will reconsider his decisions;

  (4) why he has decided not to include the Ministry of Defence police within the scope of his proposed inquiry into the role of the police officer; and if he will reconsider his decision;

  (5) why he has decided not to include the various parks police appointed by local authorities within the scope of his proposed inquiry into the role of the police officer; and if he will reconsider his decision;

  (6) why he has decided not to include the Atomic Energy Authority police within the scope of his proposed inquiry into the role of the police officer; and if he will reconsider his decision;

  (7) why he has decided not to include the royal parks constabulary within the scope of his proposed inquiry into the role of the police officer; and if he will reconsider his decision;

  (8) why he has decided not to include the British Transport police within the scope of his proposed inquiry into the role of the police officer; and if he will reconsider his decision.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has concluded that it would not be right to extend the inquiry's terms of reference to cover these forces. To do so would add considerably to the inquiry's work and would make it impossible for a report to be prepared in the time scale proposed.

  Immigration
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received from hon. Members during(a) the first quarter of 1991 and (b) the first quarter of 1992 to delay the removal of passengers refused entry at British ports of entry; and for both periods, how many representations resulted in (i) the delay of the passenger's removal for up to a week, (ii) the delay of the passenger's removal for more than a week and (iii) reversal of the immigration officer's decision.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many wives and dependent children applying for entry clearance in the Indian sub-continent in each quarter since January 1991 were refused(a) on first application and (b) on second or subsequent application.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is given in the table. Separate information on first-time applicants and re-applicants is not available centrally.

  Wives and children applying for entry clearance in the United Kingdom1

  Post

  Newly received2

  Granted3

  Applications Refused initially4

  Withdrawn or lapsed4

  Awaiting first interview at end of quarter

  Dhaka—1991

  1st quarter

  640

  940

  220

  50

  1,300

  2nd quarter

  920

  730

  120

  80

  1,400

  3rd quarter

  920

  830

  130

  60

  1,500

  4th quarter

  830

  300

  100

  50

  1,500

  1992

  1st quarter

  680

  610

  180

  30

  1,300

  Islamabad—1991

  1st quarter

  980

  1,240

  160

  60

  1,300

  2nd quarter

  810

  870

  70

  40

  940

  3rd quarter

  940

  970

  210

  70

  500

  4th quarter

  990

  1,030

  170

  50

  1,200

  1992

  1st quarter

  1,020

  1,060

  130

  70

  660

  1 Including all persons applying for a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode in the United Kingdom.

  2 Data include some double counting in respect of applications recorded initially for entry clearance and then subsequently for a certificate of entitlement.

  3 Granted initially or on appeal.

  4 Since about the end of 1989, settlement applications have been refused in the circumstances where previously they would have been lapsed.

  Note: Data on deferrals was discounted from May 1990.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken by his Department to investigate cases referred from overseas posts in order to assess whether the maintenance and accommodation requirements of the immigration rules have been met.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is not available. Staff are, however, instructed to give priority to cases referred by overseas posts for decision or for enquiries to be made. If the hon. Member is concerned about the time taken to deal with any particular case, I should be happy to look into it.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications from over-age 738

  Wives and children refused1 entry clearance in the Indian sub-continent

  Number of persons

  Refused

  Wives

  Children

  1991

  1st quarter

  170

  170

  2nd quarter

  110

  90

  3rd quarter

  200

  170

  4th quarter

  180

  160

  1992

  1st quarter

  220

  160

  1 These refusals are by an entry clearance officer. Some of these will be overturned on appeal.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for settlement by wives and children in(a) Dhaka and (b) Islamabad were (i) received, (ii) granted, (iii) refused, (iv) deferred at first interview, (v) lapsed and (vi) outstanding and awaiting first interview for each quarter since the beginning of 1991.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is given in the table. Data on deferrals was discontinued from May 1990.

  reapplicants from the Indian sub-continent seeking to join a sponsor settled in the United Kingdom have been (a) made, (b) deferred, (c) refused and (d) granted in each year since 1986, to the first quarter of 1992; and how many such reapplicants in each category had undergone successful DNA tests.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The available information is that a total of 701 applications from over-age reapplicants in the Indian sub-continent to join parents in the United Kingdom have been decided under the terms of the concession announced by my right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary on 14 June 1989 at columns 461–62. All of these cases involved over-age reapplicants who had established relationships by means of deoxyribonucleic

  739
  acid (DNA) evidence but did not quality for admission under the immigration rules. Entry clearance has been authorised in 126 of these cases and refused in 575.

  Police (War Crimes)
  Mr. Cyril D. Townsend
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers, in what ranks, are currently employed in police work flowing from the War Crimes Act 1991.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is shown in the table:

  Number of police officers

  Rank

  England and Wales

  Scotland

  Detective Chief Superintendent

  1

  —

  Detective Chief Inspector

  1

  —

  Detective Inspector

  3

  1

  Detective Sergeant

  1

  1

  Detective Constable

  3

  1

  Police Constable

  2

  —

  Total

  11

  3

HEALTH

  999 Emergency Centres
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations she has had concerning the future number and distribution of 999 emergency centres.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department obtained the views of regional ambulance officers in supporting an Office of Telecommunications recommendation for the establishment of a call handling agency for 999 calls. Advice to OFTEL on the number and location of call handling centres will be provided by independent consultants.

  Unit

  Number of core staff

  Number of project staff

  Date contract ends

  Month of last chief scientist visit

  Cancer Screening Evaluation Unit

  6.0

  4.0

  30 June 1994

  September 1990

  Centre for Health Economics

  4.5

  13.5

  30 September 1995

  December 1990

  Centre for Primary Care Research

  5.0

  0.5

  31 December 1993

  December 1989

  Childhood Cancer Research Group

  11.0

  3.0

  31 August 1994

  October 1991

  Clinical Operational Research Unit

  6.0

  0.0

  30 September 1995

  October 1987

  Dartington Social Research Unit

  4.0

  6.0

  31 March 1994

  May 1990

  Medical Care Research Unit

  7.5

  17.0

  31 March 1995

  April 1988

  National Institute for Social Work

  6.0

  7.0

  31 December 1992

  March 1986

  National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit

  9.5

  14.0

  31 March 1994

  May 1989

  Personal Social Services Research Unit

  6.0

  15.0

  30 September 1994

  June 1989

  Social Policy Research Unit

  7.0

  7.0

  31 March 1994

  November 1989

  Thomas Coram Research Unit

  5.0

  7.5

  31 March 1994

  November 1988

  Social Medicine and Health Services Research Unit

  23.0

  16.0

  31 March 1994

  March 1989

  Agencies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the salary range of the chief executive of each of his Department's executive agencies, including any performance-related elements, dividends and bonuses; what plans she has to increase or decrease these in the current year; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The chief executive of the National Health Service Estate Management and Health Building Agency NHS Estates receives a salary of £55,000 plus an annual non-pensionable performance-related bonus of up to £7,000. The chief executive of the Medicine Control

  Research Units
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what discussions her Department has had with(a) the Association of University Teachers, (b) the Management, Science and Finance Union, (c) the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education, ( d) the Association of Department of Health Funded Research Workers, (e) the National and Local Government Officers Association and (f) any other relevant organisations, about the contractual conditions of staff it funds through research units and research project grants;

  (2) what progress her Department is making in its review of research units; and when it will announce its conclusions about whether it will continue to fund research units;

  (3) if she will list the research units funded by her Department and give for each (a) the numbers of core staff funded by her Department in post on 1 June, (b) the numbers of project staff funded by her Department in post on 1 June, (c) the date on which the unit's contract expires and ( d) when the unit was last reviewed by the Director of Research and Development or his predecessor the Chief Scientist, together with the decisions made about future funding of the unit in the light of this review.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The director of research and development, Professor Michael Peckham, last year commissioned an independent review of the 13 research units currently funded by the Department. The details requested on each of these units are shown in the table.

  The final report of the review team has just been received. We shall consider carefully the report's conclusions and recommendations and will make the report available in due course. A copy will be placed in the Library. An announcement will be made in the autumn.

  Agency (MCA) receives a salary of £65,993 plus an annual non-pensionable performance-related bonus of up to £13,150. There are no other dividends or bonuses available.

  The chief executive's salaries will be reviewed in line with the percentage increase for civil service grade 3s, as recommended by the Top Salaries Review Body. No final decision has yet been made with regard to the latest annual performance-related bonus.

  Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans her Department has to encourage greater awareness amongst health care professionals as to the symptoms and treatment of reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome.

  Mr. Yeo
  In common with other medical conditions, education on the symptoms and treatment of reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome is a matter for professional bodies such as the royal colleges and nurse training schools.

  Abortion
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and which registered abortion clinics have, since 3 July 1991, applied for a licence to provide early medical abortion services.

  Mr. Sackville
  The following 16 applications have been received and all have been approved.

  Places approved under section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967 for medical termination of early pregnancy as at 1 July 1992

  AMI Alexandra Hospital

  Mill Lane

  Cheadle

  Cheshire

  SK8 2PX

  Blackdown Nursing Home

  Old Milverton Lane

  Blackdown

  Leamington Spa

  CV32 6RW

  Calthorpe Nursing Home

  4 Arthur Road

  Edgbaston

  Birmingham

  B15 2UL

  Danum Lodge Nursing Home

  123 Thorne Road

  Doncaster

  DN2 5QB

  Dean Park Nursing Home

  23–25 Ophir Road

  Bournemouth

  BH8 8LS

  Fallodon Private Nursing Home

  4 Allerton Park

  Leeds

  LS7 4ND

  Fairfield Nursing Home

  88 Russell Road

  Buckhurst Hill

  Essex

  IG9 5QB

  Marie Stopes Nursing Home

  10 Manstone Road

  London

  NW2 3XG

  Merseyside Nursing Home

  32 Parkfield Road

  Liverpool

  LI7 8UJ

  Park View Clinic

  87 Mattock Lane

  742

  Ealing

  London

  W5 5BJ

  Raleigh Nursing Home

  1A Raleigh Gardens

  Brixton Hill

  London

  SW2 6AB

  Robert Clinic

  162 Station Road

  Kings Norton

  Birmingham

  B30 1DB

  Rosslyn Nursing Home

  15–17 Rosslyn Road

  East Twickenham

  Middlesex

  TW 1 2AR

  South Manchester Private Clinic

  136 Chester Road

  Hazel Grove

  Stockport

  SK7 6HE

  St. Anns Hospital

  St. Anns Road London

  N15 3TH

  Wistons Nursing Home

  138 Dyke Road

  Brighton

  Sussex

  BN1 5PA

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department is providing to registered abortion clinics and national health service hospitals which are offering early medical abortion services; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Departmental guidance about day-care arrangements for medical termination of early pregnancy has been issued to places approved under section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967. In addition, the manufacturer's data sheet for the drug mifegyne—mifepristone, which is known as RU 486—and its patient information leaflet fully explain the procedure for this medical method of termination of pregnancy up to nine weeks—63 days—gestation. Both the manufacturer's data sheet and the patient information leaflet are approved by the Medicines Control Agency as part of the licensing procedure. Where abortion is to be performed, the decision whether to use a medical method is one for the doctor and woman concerned.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her inspectors last inspected(a) the Raleigh nursing home and (b) the Marie Stopes nursing home; how many times each have been inspected since they were approved under section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967; and what was their date of approval under that section.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Raleigh and Marie Stopes nursing homes were last visited in May 1992 and November 1991 respectively. The former was first approved in March 1973 and the latter in November 1981. Since those dates at least two visits a year have been made to each place.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account her Department takes of any financial
  743
  interest involved when private clinics conduct abortions referred by or certified in whole or in part, by doctors working for the clinic or any advice centre financially linked to the clinic.

  Mr. Sackville
  All places approved under section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967 are required by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to notify her of any financial arrangements between them and any medical practitioner, pregnancy advice bureau or referral agency, and to report any changes to existing financial arrangements. This is one of the matters examined in the course of unannounced visits by the Department's officers.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer on 29 June,Official Report, column 446, if she will now give the names of directors and names of companies owning or managing private abortion clinics together with the names of any parent subsidiary companies.

  Mr. Sackville
  The hon. Member can obtain the published information from Companies house.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of abortions performed at the Raleigh nursing home and the Marie Stopes nursing home were certified by doctors working at either nursing home or the Well Woman centre, Marie Stopes house.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held by the Department.

  Dentistry
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her Department's long-term forecast of the number of dentists in the general dental service who will be under contract to the national health service in the United Kingdom in 1995 and the year 2000, respectively.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  A joint Health Departments and British Dental Association review of dental manpower needs is currently in progress. It will consider the number of dentists that will he needed over the next 40 years.

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the most and least favourable ratio of general dental practitioners to population in respect of particular family health service authorities in England, Wales and Scotland, respectively.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information for England is as follows: lowest dentist-to-population ratio, Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster family health service authority —1:1,360; highest ratio, Lincolnshire FHSA—1:4,810. The information relating to Wales and Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland.

  Broadgreen NHS Trust
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many emergency transfers under extra-contractual arrangements have been requested between Broadgreen NHS trust accident and emergency department and neighbouring health authorities since the NHS trust was established in April 199U and how many have taken place.
  744
  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. P. Kennedy, chairman of the Broadgreen hospital NHS trust, for details.

  Marriages (Immigration Purposes)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reports have been made by marriage registrars and from which registration areas to the Registrar General, that marriages are suspected to be solely for immigration purposes, in each year from 1990 to the latest convenient date; and in how many of these instances information has been passed on to the Home Office.

  Mr. Sackville
  The available information is shown in the table. During the first six months of this year superintendent registrars reported 78 cases to the registrar general where they suspected that a proposed marriage of a person from abroad had been arranged for the sole purpose of evading statutory immigration controls.

  Reports received by the Registrar General during the period 1 January 1992 to 30 June 1992

  Registration

  Number of Reports

  Bracknell

  1

  Brent

  16

  Cambridge

  1

  Colwyn

  1

  Durham Northern

  1

  Ealing

  2

  Hammersmith

  2

  Kensington and Chelsea

  3

  Lambeth

  1

  Leicestershire Central

  1

  Lewisham

  21

  Merton

  5

  Oldham

  1

  Oxford

  2

  Portsmouth

  1

  Sheffield

  1

  Southwark

  5

  Stockport

  1

  Wandsworth

  1

  Westminster

  11

  TOTAL

  78

  Information in respect of 18 such cases was passed on to the Home Office.

  Care Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 8 June,Official Report, column 65, if she will supply a breakdown of the projected number of persons wanting care on an annual basis after April 1993 in the following categories (a) elderly, (b) physically handicapped, (c) mentally ill and (d) learning disabled.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 29 June 1992]: It is not possible to provide the precise figures but about 15 per cent. of people in long-term residential or nursing home care who are supported by social security benefits are under 65.

  Adoption
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the Government's policy on intercountry adoption.
  745
  Mr. Yeo
  The Government's approach to intercountry adoption is influenced by the provisions of the 1986 United Nations declaration on social and legal principles relating to the protection and welfare of children, with special reference to foster placement and adoption, nationally and internationally. This provides that:(a) intercountry adoption may be considered as an alternative means of providing a family for a child who cannot be cared for in any suitable manner in his own country;
  (b) in all matters relating to the placement of a child outside the care of the child's own parents, the best interests of the child should be the paramount consideration;
  (c) safeguards and standards equivalent to those which apply in national adoption are to be applied in intercountry adoption to protect the welfare of the children concerned.

  The Government's policy also has regard to article 21 of the 1989 United Nations convention on the rights of the child, which was ratified by the Government on 16 December 1991. This article relates specifically to intercountry adoption, endorsing those articles contained in the 1986 United Nations declaration and requiring contracting states to:
  (a) ensure that the adoption of a child is authorised only by competent authorities who determine, in accordance with applicable law and procedures and on the basis of all pertinent and reliable information, that the adoption is permissible in view of the child's status concerning parents, relatives and legal guardians and that, if required, the persons concerned have given their informed consent to the adoption on the basis of such counselling as may be necessary;
  (b) recognise that intercountry adoption may be considered as an alternative means of child care, if the child cannot he placed in a foster or an adoptive family or cannot in any suitable manner be cared for in the child's country of origin;
  (c) ensure that the child concerned by intercountry adoption enjoys safeguards and standards equivalent to those existing in the case of national adoption;
  (d) take all appropriate measures to ensure that, in intercountry adoption, the placement does not result in improper financial gain for those involved; and
  (e) promote, where appropriate, the objectives of this article by concluding bilateral or multilateral arrangements or agreements, and endeavour, within this framework, to ensure that the placement of the child in another country is carried out by competent authorities or organs.

SCOTLAND

  Housing Capital Receipts
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the annual value of housing capital receipts accrued by local authorities, and the number of sold properties this represents, in each year since 1981.

  Mr. Lang
  The table gives details of local authority housing capital receipts and the number of local authority houses sold in each year since 1981–82.

  Housing capital receipts £ million

  Houses sales

  1981–82

  86.9

  8,966

  1982–83

  132.9

  12,183

  1983–84

  162.8

  14,081

  1984–85

  155.3

  11,835

  1985–86

  154.7

  11,274

  1986–87

  141.4

  11,324

  1987–88

  196.2

  18,046

  1988–89

  288.9

  25,642

  1989–90

  331.8

  29,529

  746

  Housing capital receipts £ million

  Houses sales

  1990–91

  296.6

  23,460

  1991–92

  295.3

  19,268

  Notes:

  1. Housing capital receipts are derived from the sale of houses, land and other assets held on local authority housing accounts and from the repayment of loans for house purchase and improvement.

  2. House sales include the sales of houses to sitting tenants and the sale of vacant or tenanted houses to third parties.

  3. The figures for 1991–92 are provisional.

  A75
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to bypass Springholm and Crocketford on the A75; and when he expects completion of the scheme.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are no schemes in the trunk road programme to bypass Springholm and Crocketford on the A75.

  Criminal Records
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the estimated net saving to his Department as a result of contracting out the back-record conversion of criminal record microfiche data; and how many records were involved;

  (2) whether an in-house bid was invited for the task of the back-record conversion of criminal record microfiche data;

  (3) whether the back record conversion of criminal record microfiche data has been completed; and to what company the task was contracted out.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Conversion of the Scottish collection of criminal records to the computerised record system now operated as a common police service at the Scottish Criminal Record Office was not the subject of a competitive tendering exercise. The task, completed in 1985, was carried out at Dunfermline police station by Scottish police officers and civilian support staff recruited by Fife regional council. Some 420,000 Scottish criminal records including some microfiche data were converted.

  Monofilament Gill Nets
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies he has made of the effect of the ban on the carriage and use of monofilament gill nets in Scottish waters; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The ban in Scottish waters was instituted in 1986 principally to protect salmon. The risk to salmon stocks remains a vital consideration, but the ban is being kept under review.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list for each local enterprise company the budget made available from his Department for 1991–92 and 1992–93(a) at current prices and (b) at 1992–93 prices, indicating in both cases the percentage difference;
  747
  (2) if he will list for each local enterprise company the budget made available from his Department for the provision of employment and training places for 1991–92 and 1992–93 (a) at current prices and (b) at 1992–93 prices, indicating in both cases the percentage difference;

  (3) if he will list for each local enterprise company the budget made available from his Department for the provision of youth training places for 1991–92 and 1992–93 (a) at current prices and (b at 1992–93 prices, indicating in both cases the percentage difference.

  Mr. Stewart
  The Scottish Office does not make budget allocations to local enterprise companies. The allocation of resources to the companies is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the chairmen of these bodies to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each local enterprise company the number of training weeks contracted for under (i) employment training and (ii) youth training(a) in 1991–92, (b) in 1992–93 and (c) the percentage difference.

  Mr. Stewart
  The number of training weeks contracted by each local enterprise company is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the chairman of these bodies to write to the hon. Member.

  Scottish Homes
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the average grant paid on properties under the scheme operated by Scottish Homes to enable the provision of housing at market rent.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 July 1992]: The average grant approval per unit has been £14,124 representing, on average, 36 per cent. of the total project cost.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many properties have been provided through Scottish Homes under the scheme to give grants for the provision of housing at market rents since its introduction.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 July 1992]: The provision of 264 units has been approved.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total cost of the scheme operated by Scottish Homes to give grants for the provision of housing at market rents since its introduction; and what plans he has to expand the scheme in the future.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 July 1992]: Since the scheme was introduced, Scottish Homes has approved grant of £3,728,623 for the provision of housing at market rent. This has generated £6,479,070 in private finance. Scottish Homes expects to spend £4.06 million on market rent schemes in 1992–93. Future expenditure will be for Scottish Homes to determine within the context of its annual expenditure programmes which is submitted to me for approval.

  Further Education
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many students there are under 19 years of age and currently, engaged in full-time further education in Scotland;
  748
  (2) how many (a) single parent students, (b) disabled students, (c) students over retirement age and (d) student couples with at least one dependent child there are who are currently engaged in full-time courses of (a) further and (b) higher education in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 1 July 1992]: Information on parental or disability status of students is not available centrally. Information on the age of full-time students in Scotland in 1990–91 is given in the table:

  Full-time Students in Scotland in 1990–91 by age

  Age1

  Higher Education

  Further Education

  Under 19

  18,619

  18,227

  19 years to retirement2

  78,185

  19,612

  Over retirement age2

  40

  84

  Total full-time

  96,844

  37,923

  1 Age is taken at 31 December 1990.

  2 Retirement age is taken as 65 for men and 60 for women.

  Market Testing
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total cost so far of the market testing initiative in his Department since November 1991.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 1 July 1992]: An estimate of staff and other Departmental costs is not readily available. One consultancy study has been undertaken: the fee is covered by commercial confidentiality.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of savings in his Department as a result of the market testing programme.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 1 July 1992]: Estimated savings in the first full year resulting from market testing undertaken within the past five years are as follows:

  Year

  £

  1987–88

  1,081,000

  1988–89

  138,000

  1989–90

  357,000

  1990–91

  721,000

  1991–92

  646,779

  Similar savings recur in each subsequent year.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a date when he will announce the areas of work in his Department to be market tested; and whether all relevant information will be made publicly available.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 1 July 1992]: The market testing programme for 1992–93 will be announced as soon as possible.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Corporaton Tax
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of public sector receipts was accounted for by corporation tax in each of the fiscal years 1985 to 1992; what proportion of those figures was attributable to foreign companies paying tax in the United Kingdom; and what proportion of public sector receipts he has forecast to arise from corporation tax in 1992–93.
  749
  Mr. Dorrell
  The figures requested are given in the table. I regret that insufficient information is available to estimate the proportion of corporation tax receipts accounted for by foreign-owned companies.

  Corporation tax receipts1 as percentage of general government receipts

  Year

  Percentage

  1985–86

  7.1

  1986–87

  8.4

  1987–88

  9.0

  1988–89

  9.7

  1989–90

  10.4

  1990–91

  9.9

  1991–92

  8.3

  21992–93

  7.3

  1 including advance corporation tax

  2 FSBR forecast

  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the levels of corporation tax or corresponding taxes in each EEC or Group of Seven country.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The current main tax rates on corporate income are given in the table.

  Country

  Main national corporate in-come tax rate Per cent.

  Notes

  Belgium

  39

  Canada

  38

  a. Rate for Canadian manufacturing income is 33 per cent.;

  b. Less provincial tax credit of 10 per cent.

  c. Plus 3 per cent, surcharge on federal tax;

  d. Plus provincial corporate income tax (eg. Ontario; 14.5 per cent.) (13.5 per cent, on manufacturing income);

  e. Effective total (in Ontario: 43.34 per cent.) (37.19 per cent. on manufacturing income).

  Denmark

  34

  The 34 per cent, rate is conditional on payment of the tax in two instalments during the income year; otherwise 38 per cent.

  France

  34

  Germany

  50

  a. 36 per cent, on distributed profits;

  b. Plus local trade tax on corporate income—average rate about 20 per cent.— deductible for federal tax; effective total: approximately 60 per cent. (49 per cent, on distributed profits).

  Greece

  46

  Rates are 35 per cent, or 40 per cent, for certain manufactur-ing companies.

  Ireland

  40

  10 per cent, for manufacturing companies

  Italy

  36

  Plus local corporate income tax at standard 16.2 per cent, rate, of which 75 per cent, is deductible for national tax, giving effective total of 47.8 per cent.

  750

  Country

  Main national corporate in-come tax rate Per cent.

  Notes

  Japan

  37.5

  a. Plus 2.5 per cent, surcharge on tax over Y4 million;

  b. Plus local taxes on corporate income at varying rates;

  c. Effective total: approximately 52 per cent.

  Luxembourg

  33

  a. Plus 1 per cent, surcharge for the unemployment fund:

  b. Plus local trade tax on corporate income at varying rates—typically 10 per cent. —deductible for national tax;

  c. Effective total: approximately 40 per cent.

  Netherlands

  35

  Portugal

  36

  Plus municipal surcharge—typically 10 per cent.—deductible for national tax, giving effective total of 38.3 per cent.

  Spain

  35

  Plus 1.5 per cent, surcharge for the Chamber of Commerce, giving effective total of 35.525 percent.

  United Kingdom

  33

  United States

  34

  a. Plus corporate income tax in most states (eg. 9.3 per cent, in California), deductible for federal tax:

  b. Effective total (in California): 40.13 per cent.

  In several of the above countries, lower tax rates apply to the income of small companies.

  Inheritance Tax (Exemptions)
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the number of landowners in each county in the United Kingdom who have benefited under the tax procedures by which tax liability is reduced on condition that there is an undertaking to manage and protect the land from development and allow reasonable public access.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 30 June 1992,Official Report, columns 469–70.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria his Department uses to assess the benefits of inheritance tax exemptions for granting access to works of art; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In return for conditional exemption for works of art from inheritance tax, owners are required to give undertakings to keep the property permanently in the United Kingdom, preserve the property and provide reasonable public access to it. The exemption therefore makes a valuable contribution towards the maintenance of, and public enjoyment of, the national heritage.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in Cumbria have benefited under the tax procedures by which tax liability is reduced on the condition that there is an undertaking to make works of art owned by them available for public access.
  751
  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is not readily available.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer where tax exemption has been given to the inheritors of works of art, and public access is given, whether the owners are allowed to charge the public for access.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Where property is exhibited in a room open to the public or viewing is allowed by appointment, the owner may make a reasonable entry charge.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (11 if he will place in the Library the annual reports submitted by landowners to the various heritage advisory agencies in England concerning the monitoring of land conditionally exempted from inheritance tax in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will place in the Library the annual reports submitted by landowners to the various heritage advisory agencies in Scotland concerning the monitoring of land conditionally exempted from inheritance tax in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will place in the Library the annual reports submitted by landowners to the various heritage advisory agencies in Wales concerning the monitoring of land conditionally exempted from inheritance tax in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 2 July 1991]: No. Disclosure of the annual reports which are required to be submitted as part of the monitoring process to the various heritage advisory agencies by the owners of land which has been conditionally exempted from inheritance tax would breach the normal rules ensuring taxpayers' confidentiality.

  EC Economic and Finance Council
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

  Mr. Lamont
  [holding answer 2 July 1992]: The Economic and Finance Council of the European Community met in Luxembourg on 29 June and I represented the United Kingdom.

  Substantial progress was made on two directives important to the completion of the single market in financial services. Political agreement was reached on some of the most contentious points of the investment services directive. The two which caused most concern to member states were the direct access by banks to stock exchanges and market transparency. On the former issue, Belgium, France and Italy were granted a short transitional period during which they would not be required to grant banks direct access to their exchanges, while Greece, Portugal and Spain will have a longer transitional period with a report from the Commission on whether it should be extended. The agreement on market transparency recognises the need to avoid damaging existing market structures, in particular the United Kingdom's quote-driven market making system.

  A political agreement on a common position was reached on the capital adequacy directive. Among the main outstanding points resolved to my satisfaction were minimum levels of initial capital, the recognition of
  752
  partnership capital and comitology procedures. The treatment of commodities trading and index-linked and low coupon bonds was not finalised in the present directive, but will be the subject of new proposals from the Commission. It was agreed that the date of implementa-tion of the directive would coincide with the—as yet undecided—date of implementation of the investment services directive.

  In a discussion of indirect taxes, the Council returned to the presidency package covering the eight draft directives on rates and structures for VAT and excise goods, and the draft seventh VAT directive on second-hand goods, including works of art.

  I restated the United Kingdom's position that it is not necessary for the completion of the single market to have in place a permanent legally binding EC-wide minimum standard rate of VAT. I did, however, indicate that I could accept a Commission proposal for a time limited minimum rate of 15 per cent. with provision for a review no later than 31 December 1996, and provided that it formed part of an overall agreement which included a satisfactory solution to the minimum rate for spirits and the definition of intermediate alcohol products.

  The Commission's proposal would have no practical effect on the United Kingdom's current standard rate of 17.5 per cent. It would be subject to review before the end of 1996. Some other member states, however, expressed anxiety about what could happen at the time of the review.

  The presidency proposed that the minimum excise duty rate for spirits should be 600 ecu per hectolitre of pure alcohol, and that member states with a current rate of duty not exceeding 1,000 ecu should not he able to reduce their rates. However it was not possible to reach agreement—some member states, concerned about cross-border shopping, were still seeking a minimum rate higher than 600 ecu, while I reiterated that I was not prepared to agree to a minimum rate for spirits that would force any member state to put up its duty on spirits.

  On the structure of alcohol duties, I indicated that I was prepared to consider a text that allowed intermediate products below 15 per cent. alcohol by volume to be taxed at a reduced rate, which could be equal to the wine rate of duty. This was not acceptable to two member states.

  There was no discussion on mineral oils or tobacco products.

  There was no substantive discussion of the presidency's latest proposals on the seventh VAT directive, but I renewed the United Kingdom's reserve on the proposed treatment of imports of works of art.

  These draft directives will now be discussed further under our presidency.

  The Council also briefly considered the present state of negotiations on the taxation of road transport and the proposed directive on the taxation of interest and royalties. It was agreed that both issues should be remitted to working groups for further discussion.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  China
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the practice of forced abortion in China; what representations he has made to the Government of China regarding the practice; and what provisions exist under the
  753
  treaty with China on Hong Kong governing the extent to which citizens of Hong Kong may be subject to the laws of the Government of China regarding the number of children that each family may have when the government of Hong Kong passes to China.

  Mr. Goodlad
  In our contacts with the Chinese authorities, they have told us that forced abortion is not official policy. There are nevertheless many reports that such practices are condoned in more isolated areas. The joint declaration guarantees Hong Kong people the freedom to marry and the right to raise a family freely, and this guarantee is reiterated in the Basic Law which will become the constitution of Hong Kong on 1 July.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese authorities about their use of labour camps and the case of Mr. Harry Wu, a Chinese citizen currently living in the United States of America.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We have made clear to the Chinese authorities on many occasions our deep concern about the widespread abuses of human rights in China. The Government continue to urge all states that have not yet ratified international instruments covering slavery, forced labour and similar practices, including China, to do so at the earliest opportunity. We have no plans to make representations about the specific case of Mr. Harry Wu.

  EFTA
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the agreements negotiated between the European Community and the European Free Trade Association since 1979.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been notified by the Commission of the European Communities of the following three agreements to which the European Community and all members of the European Free Trade Association are party:convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods, signed at Interlaken 20 May 1987;
  convention on a common transit procedure, signed at Interlaken 20 May 1987;
  agreement laying down a Procedure for the exchange of information in the field of technical regulations signed at Brussels 19 December 1989.

  The negotiations between the European Community and the member states of the European Free Trade Association on the establishment of the European economic area were concluded this year. The agreement was signed in Oporto on 2 May 1992 but has still to be ratified.

  Nuclear Proliferation
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he as to tackle the problem of nuclear proliferation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Preventing nuclear proliferation is among our foreign policy priorities. We shall continue to work to extend and reinforce the nuclear non-proliferation regime, in particular through further accessions to the non-proliferation treaty and an indefinite extension of the treaty at the 1995 extension conference; a strengthened International Atomic Energy Authority safeguards regime; and stricter supplier controls on nuclear material and technology.

  Libya
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions Britain has applied to the United Nations sub-committee on sanctions against Libya, for permission to allow an air ambulance to be sent to Libya to collect British citizens who were in Libya; how long the whole process took on each occasion; what were the results of the requests and what ensuing action was taken; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom has submitted only one application to the United Nations sanctions committee (Libya) for permission to send an air ambulance to collect a British national. Approval in principle was given by members of the committee within 12 hours of the application being made. However, the patient recovered and evacuation was not necessary.

  There is no need to make a statement.

  Mercenaries
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he proposes to ratify the United Nations international convention against the recruitment, use, financing and training of mercenaries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We did not sign the convention and therefore do not propose to ratify it. Implementation of the convention would require primary legislation. Following the consideration of the whole question by the Diplock committee, we decided not to introduce legislation on mercenaries. We still do not consider that the need for such legislation has been established.

  Iran
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Iran over the executions of political dissidents and demonstrators following arrests made at demonstrations in Mashhad, Arak and other Iranian cities in April, May and June.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We continue to make clear to the Iranian Government our serious concern at their human rights record, both bilaterally and together with our EC partners. They can be in no doubt of our views.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what military equipment has been exported to Iran since 29 October 1985.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No licensable defence equipment has been exported to Iran in breach of the guidelinies set out by the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 29 October 1985, which remain strictly enforced. It has been the consistent policy of this and previous Administrations not to comment on specific cases for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

  Cuba
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was Her Majesty's Government's position at the United Nations
  755
  Security Council on the request from Cuba for a special Security Council meeting to discuss the refusal of the United States of America to extradite two United States citizens involved in the bombing of a Cubana Airline plane in 1976; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We raised no objection. The United Nations Security Council met on 21 May to consider the matter.

  Visas
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries require British passport holders of Indian, Bangladeshi or Pakistani origin to obtain visas while not requiring British passport holders in general to do so.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate expense.

  Radioactive Materials
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what medical or industrial radioactive materials are known to exist in(a) the British Virgin Islands, (b) Anguilla and Monserrat, (c) the Cayman islands, (d) the Falkland islands, (e) South Georgia and the South Sandwich islands and (f) the Turks and Caicos islands, respectively, that will be covered by the trilateral Euratom International Atomic Energy Agency-United Kingdom nuclear safeguards agreement pursuant to additional protocol No. 1 of the treaty of Tlatelolco—Com (92) 197 final—currently awaiting approval by the Council of Ministers and IAEA board of governors.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None.

  Western Sahara
  Ms. Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise the western Sahara referendum with the United Nations Secretary-General; and if he will urge him fully to deploy United Nations forces (MINURSO) in the area to implement sanctions against those violating the ceasefire and to intervene personally to end the current stalemate.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There will be opportunities to discuss these issues with the United Nations Secretary-General during his present visit to London.

  Ms. Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to give a firm commitment to a free and fair referendum for the Sahrawi people.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We continue to give our full support to the United Nations Secretary-General's settlement plan, which provides for the holding of a United Nations-supervised referendum to enable the Sahrawi people to determine their own future.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Nuclear Power
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what applications British Nuclear Fuels plc has made to his Department to conclude subsidiary 756
  arrangements under the provisions of article 2 of the United Kingdom-Republic of Korea bilateral cooperation agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, Cm 1961.

  Mr. Eggar
  None.

  South America
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade for each year since 1986, what were the figures for the 10 most exported goods/services(a) in volume and (b) in pounds sterling from (i) Argentina, (ii) Brazil, (iii) Chile, (iv) Colombia, (v) Mexico and (vi) Venezuela; and what were the figures for arms exports.

  Mr. Needham
  Details of the value of exports of goods from the United Kingdom to individual countries are published in table V of the "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom." Information on exports of services to individual countries is not readily available.

  It has been the consistent policy of successive Governments not to disclose particulars of defence trade with other countries, for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, for each year since 1986, what were the figures for the 10 most imported goods/services(a) in volume and (b) in pounds sterling from (1) Argentina, (ii) Brazil, (iii) Chile, (iv) Colombia, (v) Mexico and (vi) Venezuela.

  Mr. Needham
  Details of the value of imports of goods into the United Kingdom from individual countries are published in table II of the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom. Information on imports of services from individual countries is not readily available.

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what factors and criteria are taken into account in considering applications for regional selective assistance.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Information on regional selective assistance (RSA) is contained in my Department's booklet "Regions", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Nuclear Material (Imports)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much nuclear material has been imported from Iraq since March 1991.

  Mr. Eggar
  None.

  Nuclear Power
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what response has been made by Her Majesty's Government to the European Commission communication to the Council of Ministers on the implementation of on-site laboratories at Sellafield for the verification analysis of safeguards samples (SEC (92)515 final) dated 25 March; and what estimate he has made of new costs that would be incurred by the United Kingdom on the adoption of the Commission proposal.

  Mr. Eggar
  There has been no discussion on the topic of Euratom's on-site laboratories in the Council. The
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  United Kingdom is, however, generally supportive of the proposal. It is anticipated that the use of on-site laboratories will provide savings to the Commission by removing the need to ship safeguards samples to the continent for analysis.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the total cost of research and development to date for(a) the Magnox nuclear programme, (b) the advanced gas-cooled reactor programme, (c) the steam-generated heavy water reactor programme and (d) the fast breeder reactor programme and if he will indicate the extent to which these costs were borne by Nuclear Electric or its predecessor bodies.

  Mr. Eggar
  Total expenditure to date by the Atomic Energy Authority on research and development into nuclear reactors is:

  £ million

  Gas cooled reactors

  480

  Water reactors

  475

  Fast reactors

  1,830

  The figures are expressed as historic costs. Separate figures for the Magnox and advanced gas-cooled reactor programmes are not available. The contributions to these programmes by Nuclear Electric and its predecessors are a matter for the company.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions since 1990 nuclear material has been withdrawn from safeguards under article 14 of the 1978 tripartite agreement between the United Kingdom, Euratom and the International Atomic Energyf Agency.

  Mr. Eggar
  Forty-one withdrawals of nuclear material have been made from safeguards, under article 14 of the UK-Euratom-IAEA tripartite safeguards agreement, since 1 January 1990.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he is able to indicate, without providing any details that would be commercially sensitive, whether Nuclear Electric or British Nuclear Fuels plc has applied to sell any quantities of depleted uranium abroad since 1990.

  Mr. Eggar
  All export licence applications are commercially confidential. Provision of this information is therefore a matter for the companies concerned.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the additional administrative work needed by his Department if the European Council adopts the proposal for a regulation on security measures applicable to classified information produced or transmitted in connection with Euratom activities—Com(92)56 final—issued on 24 February.

  Mr. Eggar
  It is not yet clear how much information would be affected which is not already covered in Council regulation (Euratom) No. 3, which came into force in 1958. An early decision on the proposal is not in any case expected, nor would we expect it be adopted in its present form.

  Guernsey
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what relationship his export licensing department has with trade authorised by companies registered in the states of Guernsey.

  Mr. Needham
  Exports of goods from Guernsey are authorised by the states of Guernsey board of administration under the powers conferred upon it under the Import and Export (Control) (Guernsey) Law 1946. The states of Guernsey export controls mirror those of the United Kingdom as implemented under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1991.

  Since 1976 the states of Guernsey have consulted Her Majesty's Government before issuing export licences for certain highly sensitive goods subject to export control in the United Kingdom under Export of Goods (Control) Orders.

  Expo 92
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has any plans to re-use the British pavilion at Expo 92 as a permanent showplace for British industry in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  I have appointed estate agents Healey and Baker and Sturgis International to market the British Pavilion for future use in Seville or elsewhere. The Government have no plans to retain the building for official purposes.

  Export Licences
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will now make it his policy to reply to questions on export licences in cases where it is demonstrable that false declarations were made in regard to the end user certificate.

  Mr. Needham
  If right hon. and hon. Members have any evidence about false declarations in regard to any aspect of export licensing, I should be glad to receive it. However, it has been a long-standing practice to protect the confidential nature of export licence applications. Since the vast majority of such applications are made in good faith by responsible exporters, I intend to maintain the practice of confidentiality.

  Torus Project
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future of the joint European Torus project.

  Mr. Eggar
  Strategic decisions on the future of the joint European Torus (JET) project are a matter for the Council of Ministers. Decisions on the management of the project are the responsibility of the JET council. In December 1991 the Council of Ministers adopted a decision which extended the life of the project to 1996.

  Departmental Reorganisation
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for reorganising his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heseltine
  In a speech on 1 June, 1 announced that I would be reshaping some of the Department of Trade
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  and Industry on more sectoral lines; and in his statement to the House on 16 June—Official Report, columns 777–78 —my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer made it clear that I would announce details before the summer recess.

  I intend to reorganise my Department so as to relate more closely to individual sectors of the industry. The reorganisation will include three main elements:
  the creation of a new industrial competitiveness division to see what lessons can be learnt from other leading industrialised countries and to help ensure that policies of all Government Departments take due account of the need to promote the competitiveness of British industry and commerce;
  the adoption of a sectoral approach to the industries for which the DTI is responsible by explicitly recognising the extent to which we already follow such an approach and establishing new divisions to cover the key sectors which arc not dealt with at present;
  assigning to all the sectoral divisions, both new and existing, an explicit role to sponsor their industries, not in an uncritical way but as a basis for an informed dialogue and a constructive partnership between Government and business.

  The new structure will allow for the establishment of some new divisions, and the recasting of some previously existing divisions so as to establish a division dealing with industrial competitiveness, together with a range of sectoral divisions dealing with industries including chemicals and biotechnology, steel, metals and minerals, textiles and retailing, electronics and electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, vehicles, aerospace, and telecommunications and posts. In addition, there will, of course, remain other sector-orientated divisions, including the divisions previously belonging to the Department of Energy dealing with fuels, as well as divisions dealing with research and technology policy, the environment, and information and manufacturing technology. Although the DTI has a long-established programme of inward and outward secondment with industry, I am also making clear that the Department will be looking for further industrial secondees. I also expect to fill a small number of posts with staff drawn from the National Economic Development Office.

  A reorganisation on these lines, with the relevant divisions having a clear remit to sponsor the industry with which they deal, will, I am convinced, be welcomed by industry and commerce.

  Timeshare
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will increase the funding of trading standards officers to investigate the sales practices of timeshare firms.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 1 July 1992]: It is the responsibility of individual local weights and measures authorities to fund the trading standards service in their area.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will examine the complaints received by trading standards officers about the timeshare sales practices of International Resort Sales and Travel Ltd., Dunblane; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 1 July 1992]: If any such complaints are passed to me, they will be carefully examined. However, enforcement of legislation on sales practices is mainly a matter for the trading standards departments of local weights and measures authorities.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider introducing legislation to prevent timeshare agents posing as market researchers.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 1 July 1992]: No. This practice, which I deplore, has been well publicised by the Office of Fair Trading. I do not consider that legislation is necessary.

  Textiles and Clothing
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to encourage a better balance of trade in textiles and in clothing products.

  Mr. Needham
  The key to a better trade balance in textiles and clothing products lies in the industries' international competitiveness. A range of Government programmes is available to help firms improve their competitive performance. Exports of textiles and clothing in the first quarter of 1992 were 9 per cent. higher than in the same period last year.