Written Answers of 4 June 1992

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage whether any changes will be made to his Department's cash limit and running costs limit for 1992–93.

  Mr. Mellor
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made.

  The running cost limit for class XII, vote 4 of £2,410,000 will be increased by £3,164,000 to £5,574,000. The running cost limit for class VIII, vote 6, will be £8,356,000 as before on the transfer of responsibility for that vote from the Department of the Environment to the Department of National Heritage. The total running cost limit therefore becomes £13,930,000.

  The increase gives effect to the creation of the new Department of National Heritage. It takes provisions in respect of the functions transferred from the Office of Arts and Libraries, the Department of the Environment, the Home Office, the Department of Employment, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for Education to form the new Department. The increase will be met by payments from these Departments and will not, therefore, add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Football Grounds
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if there is to be a reconsideration of the policy towards the all-seating requirement at football matches.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Government keep under continual scrutiny the safety of sports grounds. We continue to support the principles of improved spectator safety and comfort which were set out by Lord Justice Taylor in his final report on the Hillsborough stadium disaster. In recent months we have been examining the all-seating requirement for Football League grounds in the context of the representations that have been made and our concern to ensure the highest standards of safety given all the factors involved, including the size of particular grounds, league status and the financial health of the clubs concerned. However, the safety of our sports grounds must remain paramount.

  We have decided that it would be wrong to review either the principle or the timetable for all seating at first division grounds in the Football League, the new premier league. It is essential that our top clubs meet the standards necessary to compete in Europe and make full use of the resources available to them to provide grounds of which we can all be proud. We also remain firmly committed to the principle of all-seating for the great majority of second division clubs.
  602
  However, there may be equally compelling reasons not to proceed with an all-seating requirement at all third and fourth division clubs in the Football League. We also need to consider the position of those second division clubs with very low average attendances. Further representations are being invited from a number of interested organisations to assist me in finalising our re-examination of these and related issues. I have set a four-week period for the receipt of these further views and I shall announce my conclusions speedily thereafter.

  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, will make a separate statement about the position in Scotland.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Postgraduate Student Awards
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will increase the amount of money available to research councils and similar bodies for funding postgraduate student awards.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The five research councils, the Royal Society and the Fellowship of Engineering receive substantial funding through the science budget to develop and maintain a world competitive United Kingdom science base. Within the resources available to them, the research councils are free to determine the numbers of postgraduate awards they make and the level of tax-free maintenance grant paid to students.

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of the total work force of the civil service are registered as disabled; what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people within the civil service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  A total of 1·4 per cent. of civil servants are registered as disabled. This is above the proportion —1·2 per cent.—of people registered disabled in the work force as a whole. In addition, the civil service employs many people with disabilities who have chosen not to register. Progress on the employment of people with disabilities in the civil service is reported on annually in the OMCS publication "Independent", copies of which are placed in the Library of the House.

  My Department issues a revised code of practice on the employment of people with disabilities in the civil service in 1990 and will continue to develop and spread best practice and to monitor progress. A recent initiative is the development by the Civil Service college of positive action training for staff with disabilities.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if there are any proposals to change the 1992–93 cash limit for the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service—class XIX, vote 1—will be increased by £436,000 from £38,023,000 to £38,459,000. The Department's running costs limit will be increased by £3,759,000 from £45,339,000 to £49,098,000.
  603
  The increase is required to reflect the machinery of government changes announced after the general election and to cover the increased costs of physical security. The latter will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what targets have been set for his Department's executive agencies in 1992–93.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Cabinet Office (Office of the Minister for the Civil Service) has three executive agencies; the Civil Service college, the Civil Service Occupational Health Service and Recruitment and Assessment Services. The primary target for each agency is to cover its costs in trading terms from income. In addition, the following key targets have been set for each agency in 1992–93.

  Civil Service College

  (i) To earn £157,000 from consultancy.

  (ii) To attract amongst the students from the Civil Service —6,050 at Grade 7 or above, and 2,400 below Grade 7 who are in development schemes.

  (iii) To attract 2,100 students for externally validated qualifications.

  (iv) To attract 550 students from the private sector.

  (v) To earn 79 per cent. of course evaluations in the two highest categories.

  There is also a value-for-money target whereby the rating of college services as revealed by a detailed survey of the views of students must increase over the five-year period to 1995 by 10 per cent. more than the real cost of the college's output.

  Civil Service Occupational Health Service

  (i) To achieve a cost per productive professional day (including administrative and overhead costs) of £267 or less.

  (ii) To achieve an average cost per case referral of £24 or less.

  (iii) To earn 78 per cent. of customer post-service evaluations in the two highest categories.

  (iv) To turn round within 40 days 65 per cent. of case referrals where additional information is sougth and within 15 days 87 per cent. of referrals where no additional information is sought.

  Recruitment and Assessment Services

  (i) To achieve volumes of business of 470 comprehensive recruitment schemes, 180 partial recruitment schemes and 1,000 consultancy days.

  (ii) To achieve income of £565,000 from the sale and marketing of biodata and tests, £160,000 from publicity services and £60,000 from 'Helpline' and related ad hoc services.

  (iii) To increase productivity by 15 per cent. over forecast 1991–92 levels.

  (iv) To improve the quality of service to recruitment customers and achieve the following ratings in customer sign off reports—Overall satisfaction 86 per cent.—Administration 81 per cent.

ENVIRONMENT

  Competitive Training
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which responsibilities have been transferred from the Department of the Environment to the Department of National Heritage in relation to compulsory competitive tendering; and if he will make a statement.
  604
  Mr. Howard
  Responsibility for sport, including policy on compulsory competitive tendering for the management of sports and leisure facilities, was transferred from my Department to the Department of Education and Science in November 1990, and thence to the Department of National Heritage when it was established, in April 1992. My Department retains responsibility for compulsory competitive tendering generally and for implementation of the relevant legislation.

  Press and Public Relations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will give the total expenditure by his Department on press and public relations in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and if he will give an estimate for 1992–93;

  (2) if he will give separate figures for the spending by his Department on (a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and what is his latest estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. Howard
  The information in respect of paid publicity and associated staff costs for my Department (including agencies) is:

  £ million

  1985–86

  3·5

  1986–87

  4·2

  1987–88

  4·8

  1988–89

  6·9

  1989–90

  31·5

  1990–91

  7·5

  1991–92

  8·1

  1992–93

  117·7

  1 Estimate.

  Expenditure is not broken down between different publicity media. Information relating to financial years 1979–20 to 1984–25 inclusive is not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the English local authorities in receipt of part of the £15 million allocation of supplementary credit approvals for recycling investment during 1992–23 and the total amount allocated to each authority.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  Authority

  Amount £'000

  London authorities

  Camden

  177·365

  Croydon

  180·000

  Ealing

  460·000

  Greenwich

  86·000

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  86·000

  Haringey

  18·000

  Havering

  11·000

  Hounslow

  80·861

  Kingston upon Thames

  13·000

  Lambeth

  20·000

  Merton

  50·000

  North London Waste Authority

  600·000

  Richmond upon Thames

  40·000

  605

  Authority

  Amount £'000

  Southwark

  78·000

  Sutton

  183·000

  Waltham Forest

  162·000

  Metropolitan Authorities

  Barnsley

  65·000

  Bolton

  25·000

  Calderdale

  25·500

  Doncaster

  67·000

  Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority

  90·000

  Kirklees

  10·700

  Leeds

  1,412·000

  Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority

  85·000

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  160·000

  North Tyneside

  10·000

  Salford

  12·000

  South Tyneside

  24·420

  Sunderland

  10·000

  Wakefield

  44·000

  Walsall

  95·000

  West Yorkshire Waste Management Joint Committee

  979·000

  Wolverhampton

  155·500

  County Councils

  Berkshire

  20·000

  Cambridgeshire

  181·000

  Cheshire

  225·000

  Cornwall

  254·000

  Devon

  215·000

  Durham

  100·000

  Gloucestershire

  95·000

  Hampshire

  430·000

  Hereford and Worcester

  55·000

  Humberside

  40·000

  Leicestershire

  320·000

  Norfolk

  80·000

  North Yorkshire

  74·000

  Oxfordshire

  400·000

  Somerset

  54·000

  Staffordshire

  5·500

  Suffolk

  15·000

  District Councils

  Adur

  430·000

  Allerdale

  30·000

  Alnwick

  3·000

  Arun

  10·000

  Bassetlaw

  6·500

  Bath

  17·000

  Blaby

  7·500

  Bolsover

  30·000

  Bracknell Forest

  150·000

  Braintree

  15·000

  Brighton

  115·000

  Bristol

  185·000

  Broxbourne

  40·000

  Burnley

  40·000

  Carlisle

  19·000

  Castle Morpeth

  60·000

  Castle Point

  12·000

  Chelmsford

  12·000

  Cherwell

  6·000

  Chesterfield

  7·400

  Copeland

  35·000

  Cotswold

  60·000

  Darlington

  12·000

  Derby

  50·000

  East Hampshire

  70·000

  East Yorkshire

  10·000

  Ellesmere Port and Neston

  5·000

  Exeter

  15·000

  Gedling

  31·000

  Guildford

  75·000

  Harborough

  6·000

  Harrogate

  21·750

  Hartlepool

  148·000

  606

  Authority

  Amount £'000

  Hastings

  55·000

  Hinckley and Bosworth

  45·000

  Isles of Scilly

  41·500

  Leicester

  65·000

  Lewes

  110·000

  Luton

  56·000

  Malvern Hills

  38·000

  Melton

  42·000

  Mid Devon

  4·200

  Mid Suffolk

  24·000

  Milton Keynes

  2000·000

  Newark and Sherwood

  25·000

  Northavon

  55·000

  North Dorset

  4·000

  North East Derbyshire

  45·000

  North Hertfordshire

  6·030

  Norwich

  199·000

  Nottingham

  149·700

  Nuneaton and Bedworth

  8·000

  Oxford

  110·000

  Plymouth

  45·000

  Reading

  43·000

  Restormel

  58·000

  Rother

  35·000

  Rushmoor

  16·000

  Ryedale

  76·000

  St. Albans

  120·000

  Scarborough

  88·000

  Scunthorpe

  78·500

  South Derbyshire

  32·000

  South Somerset

  176·000

  Test Valley

  262·680

  Tewkesbury

  18·000

  Thurrock

  14·000

  Tonbridge and Malling

  152·800

  Waverley

  15·000

  Wealden

  600·000

  West Dorest

  48·000

  Woking

  107·000

  Wokingham

  16·700

  Wrekin, The

  94·000

  Wycombe

  5·000

  New Housing
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to enable local authorities to play a more active role in the facilitation of the building of new homes by housing associations.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department has recently issued a consultation paper which includes proposals aimed at co-ordinating decisions on the initial allocations of Housing Corporation funding with local authorities' housing strategies. The paper builds on authorities' role as enablers, which involves facilitating the development of social housing by housing associations or other providers, for example by the use of planning powers, or by providing land for housing. It proposes a framework for discussions on housing needs, and the allocation of resources to meet these needs. These discussions will involve housing authorities; the regional offices of the Housing Corporation, who are the main providers of public funding for new social housing; and the regional offices of my Department.

  Copies of the consultation paper, which is entitled "The Development of the Local Authority Housing Investment Programme Process", are in the Library; responses are invited by 26 June.

  Coastal and Marine Planning
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans have been made to establish a governmental body responsible for the strategic and co-ordinated approach to the planning and regulation of activities in the coastal and marine environment.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Ceredigion and Pembroke North on 14 May[Official Report, column 197].

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will re-establish grants for energy conservation in the domestic sector.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Department provides grants to householders on low incomes for energy efficiency measures through the home energy efficiency scheme. Finance to encourage energy efficiency measures in housing is also made available through house renovation grants and minor works assistance, local authorities' council housing repair and improvement programmes, the green house demonstration programme and estate action.

  The Energy Savings Trust announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 13 May Official Report, column 136, is also expected to make grants available to improve energy efficiency.

  Separate arrangements for grants to householders on low incomes for energy efficiency measures apply in Northern Ireland and are administered by the Department of Economic Development.

  Opencast Mining, Baddesley Ensor
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the report of the public inquiry into the application for an opencast coal mine at Baddesley Ensor in north Warwickshire to be published.

  Mr. Baldry
  The inspector's report is being considered, and will be published as soon as a decision has been issued. I shall ensure that the hon. Member is sent a copy at the same time.

  Ozone-destroying Chemicals
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he will take to ensure that the production of all ozone-destroying chemicals such as CFCs, HFCs, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachloride and halons will be stopped; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Montreal Protocol, which phases out the production and supply of CFCs, halons, carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloroform, will be reviewed in November. The United Kingdom is co-chairing the official level negotiations towards that review. The United Kingdom Government and the EC are committed to phasing out these substances by the end of 1995 at the latest and are urging other parties to the protocol to do the same. Both United Kingdom CFC producers will cease production no later than that date. HFCs do not deplete ozone and cannot, therefore be controlled by the protocol.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to start publication of council tax property valuations so that appeals can begin; and what pattern publication will follow.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Valuation lists for all billing authorities will be compiled at 1 April 1993 and will be deposited at the billing authority's principal office for public inspection, as well as being available at the local valuation office. Taxpayers who wish to appeal will be able to do so after 1 April 1993.

  The first council tax bills will include a notification of the band of the property. Occupiers of those properties which are exempt from the tax and who therefore would not receive a bill will be sent a separate notification of the band of the property.

  Draft lists will be provided to billing authorities between 15 November and 1 December 1992 and will also be available for public inspection.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of homes have been valued by estate agents for the new council tax; when the operation will be completed; what is his estimate of the total cost; and how much of this cost will be borne by central Government.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Valuation Office Agency have contracted private sector valuers to assist them with the valuation of 57 per cent. of homes in England. The contracts required the work to be completed by 31 May 1992. The cost of the contracts in England is under £18 million, entirely borne by central Government.

  Cash Limits
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any changes to announce to his Department's cash limits and running costs limits for 1992–93.

  Mr. Howard
  Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, I propose to make the following changes;

  (i) the cash limit for Class VIII, Vote 5 (central environmental services etc.) will be reduced by £659,000 from £315,931,000 to £315,272,000, to enable £660,000 of additional resources to be transferred to Class VIII, Vote 8 for research by her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  (ii) the running cost limit for Class VIII, Vote 7 (Property Holdings and Central Support Services) will be reduced by £8,643,000 from £56,844,000 to £48,201,000. This is as a result of the transfer of administration costs to Class VIII, Vote 8 in respect of a part of the Directorate of Central Support Services which has been absorbed into the Department's Construction Directorate and the transfer of administration costs of Parliamentary Works staff to the House of Commons and House of Lords' Votes.

  (iii) the cash limit for Class VIII, Vote 9 (Revenue Support Grant, payments of non-domestic rates, Valuation Offices services, etc. England) will be increased by £56,500,000 from £29,473,833,000 to £29,530,333,000. The increase will provide for payments of additional grant for local education authorities in respect of the extra costs associated with the teachers' pay award, as announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 10 February.

  609
  As the result of these and other changes the Department's running cost limit has been increased by £500,000 from £201,116,000 to £201,616,000.

  All the above changes are either claims on the Reserve or are offset elsewhere and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Council Tax
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to lay the special grant report covering the payment of grant for the costs of preparing for the council tax.

  Mr. Howard
  I have today laid before the House the special grant report which provides details of the grant I propose to pay to billing authorities for their revenue costs in preparing for the council tax. The amount of grant is £85·975 million. This grant will help authorities in the smooth implementation of the council tax.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes to make any change to the running cost limit on PSA Services Vote in 1992–93.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the running cost limit for Class VIII, Vote 12 will be reduced by £33,748,000 from £50,195,000 to £16,447,000 mainly due to the re-ordering of appropriation in aid provision between certain subheads to reflect a better classification of receipts.

  Waveney district council
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has decided to take against Waveney district council following the issue of a notice under part I of the Local Government Act 1988 on 24 July 1991 in respect of building cleaning work.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend has given careful consideration the response which Waveney district council has made to the notice served on the authority on 24 July 1991, and has today given a direction under section 14 of the Local Government Act 1988 in respect of their building cleaning work. The effect of this direction is to preclude the authority from carrying out building cleaning work after 31 March 1993.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list(a) those authorities whose expenditure servicing capital exceeds the relevant forecast standard spending assessment for the year 1991–92, stating for each that figure, the amount actually spent and the deficit as a percentage of that sum and (b) a second, or integrated, list of those authorities likely to be in that category for the year 1992–93 together with the relevant standard spending assessment estimated expenditure and percentage deficit.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 14 May 1992]: The information requested for 1991–92 has been placed in the Library. It is not yet possible to produce comparable figures for 1992–93.

  Mortgage Rescue Schemes
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 15 May,Official Report, column 238–39, if he will make a statement following his meeting with the Council of Mortgage Lenders on 2 June; and what is his latest estimate of the number of households (a) assisted to date and (b) likely to be assisted in the whole of 1992 by mortgage rescue schemes initiated by members of the Council of Mortgage Lenders as part of the package agreed in December 1991.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 3 June 1992]: Ministers met mortgage lenders yesterday to review progress on tackling repossessions. They were encouraged to hear the lenders' assessment that repossessions in 1992 will be significantly lower than they would have been without the package of measures announced by the Chancellor last December.

  The Council of Mortgage Lenders estimates that measures taken since December will save some 55,000 repossessions this year: 40,000 as a result of new procedures for dealing with arrears cases; and 15,000 as a result of the direct payment to lenders of the mortgage interest element of income support.

  The Government welcome the lenders' recognition that further efforts are necessary to tackle the arrears and repossessions problem. It agrees that lenders should continue to look at the whole range of options available for addressing this problem, including formal mortgage to rent schemes, shared equity arrangements and more generous repayment terms.

  The Government continue to regard the level of repossessions as an important issue and will follow closely the progress lenders are making in tackling it.

WALES

  Revenue Support Grant
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to make a statement concerning the provisional revenue support grant for the year 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave on 22 May to the hon. Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards) at column 277.

  Block Release
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) males and (b) females were on day or block release in Wales in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Figures for higher education corporations, voluntary colleges, and further education institutions maintained by local education authorities are given in the following table for the year 1990–91. Comparable information is not available for the University of Wales as students on part-time courses are not enrolled as day release or block release.

  Students enrolled on part-time day/block release courses

  Number

  Males

  19,121

  Females

  8,054

  Child Care
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of(a) up to two year-olds and (b) over three year-olds are currently in publicly-funded child care places in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information held centrally relates to children under 5. The numbers of publicly funded child care places in Wales at 31 March 1991 are shown in the following table:

  Full day care

  Sessional care

  Provided by the local authority

  275

  275

  Children in private or voluntary facilities paid for by the local authority

  211

  731

  486

  1,006

  Rate per 1,000 population aged 0–4

  2·5

  5·3

  Queensferry School
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has under the heading of capital allocations to enable the replacement of Queensferry county primary school, Deeside, Clwyd, to be built by the 1993–94 financial year.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The statutory responsibility for the provision, repair and maintenance of school buildings rests with the local education authority. It is for Clwyd county council to determine its own priorities for capital spending between the various services from within the resources at its disposal as well as on the projects within those services in the light of its own assessment of needs.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will visit Queensferry county primary school;

  (2) if he will meet the staff and governors of Queensferry county primary school;

  (3) if he will meet the parent teacher association of Queensferry county primary school.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have no present plans to do so.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce his proposals for the payment of grant in respect of council tax preparation costs incurred by billing authorities in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have today laid before the House the special grant report for 1992–93 which sets out my proposals for the payment of grant towards the revenue cost of implementing the council tax. The report sets out grant allocations to individual billing authorities and the conditions that I intend to impose on the payment of grant. A copy of the report is being sent to all local authorities in Wales today.

  I have also made credit approvals available to billing authorities to cover the estimated capital cost of preparation work.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any changes will be made to the cash limits of his Department in 1992–93.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limit for class XVI, vote 8 will be increased by £5,447,000, from £1,265,078,000 to £1,270,525,000.

  This increase allows for an additional £4,941,000 to help provide, from 1 April 1992, for the pay awards recommended by the Reports of the review bodies for nursing staff, midwives, health visitors and professions allied to medicine, and on doctors' and dentists' remuneration, as announced on 10 February 1992. The increase also covers a transfer of £506,000 from class XIII, vote 1 for the cost of Welsh patients treated in spinal injury units.

  The £4,941,000 for the pay awards recommendations will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Career Development Loans
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales the total amount of money which has been allocated in career development loans in Wales in the latest year for which figures are available; and how much has been allocated to(a) males and (b) females.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have been asked to reply. The total value of the loans issued in Wales during the year ending 31 March 1992 was £1,048,280—£655,156 for males and £393,124 for females.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Promotional Material
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what colours were used on the Industrial Development Board's promotional material in the May edition of the German magazine, "Automobil Produktion"; what is his policy on using the colours of the Republic of Ireland's flag in such material; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Due to a mistake admitted by the German publisher, the colours orange, white and green were used in the IDB's promotional supplement in the German automotive magazine. Fewer than 40 copies of the magazine were distributed, and the publisher has undertaken to remove the colours and reprint the supplement at his own expense before general circulation to the German automotive industry. It is not the policy of the IDB to use the national colours of the Republic of Ireland in any of its promotional literature.

  Anglo-Irish Secretariat
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the Anglo-Irish secretariat at Maryfield is operational during the present inter-party talks at Stormont; what is its function; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The British and Irish Governments announced at an Intergovernmental
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  Conference on 27 April that no further meetings of the conference would be held before the week beginning 27 July. As envisaged in the statement of 26 March 1991, the secretariat at Maryfield is accordingly not required for that period to discharge its normal role of servicing conference meetings provided for in article 3 of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, and is not doing so.

  Compensation Agency
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when a business plan for the Compensation Agency will be published.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The Compensation Agency's business plan for 1992–93 will be published today. The plan explains the agency's business and organisation and sets out assumptions about work loads and resources which underpin the plans and targets identified for the agency this year. I have made arrangements for copies to be placed in the library.

  Emergency Provisions Act
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects Lord Colville's report on the operation of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 to be available.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses today.

  Consultants Fees
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total sum paid out in fees by his Department to management consultants in 1979–80 and in each following year up to and including 1991–92; and what is his estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. Mates
  The information for 1979–80 to 1983–84 is only available at disproportionate cost. Information for the years 1984–85 onwards is as follows:

  £

  1984–85

  2,352,311

  1985–86

  2,427,200

  1986–87

  2,742,192

  1987–88

  3,363,213

  1988–89

  4,260,116

  1989–90

  4,835,757

  1990–91

  4,239,223

  1991–92

  4,246,115

  1992–93

  15,368,383

  1 Estimate.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disability living Allowance and Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims have been made for disability living allowances and attendance allowance for each month since February.

  Mr. Scott
  The latest available figures for claims1 registered for disability living allowance were:
  614

  Number

  February

  72,407

  March

  123,985

  April

  67,888

  TOTAL

  264,280

  1 These numbers include new claims, "top-up" claims from existing recipients of attendance allowance and mobility allowance and claims made on the grounds of terminal illness.

  The latest available figures for claims received for attendance allowance were:

  Number

  February

  59,871

  March

  71,084

  April

  51,816

  TOTAL

  182,771

  Benefit Claims
  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for social fund loans in the London borough of Lambeth were refused on the grounds of inability to pay; and if he will show this figure as a percentage of all applications for loans in Lambeth.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Respite Care
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will undertake a survey to discover the number of people who are in receipt of respite care.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 15 May at columns 223–24. As no distinction is made in the level of income support paid between temporary and permanent residence in a residential care or nursing home, there would be no advantage for social security purposes in collecting such data and it would not justify the cost involved.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide further assistance to citizens advice bureaux to enable the staff to deal with applications for disability living allowance and attendance allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  We have worked closely with the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and other organisations of and for disabled people on the introduction of disability living allowance and disability working allowance and the new claims process for attendance allowance. As part of our continuing commitment to help staff in citizens advice bureaux provide advice and information, we have offered suggestions on the training material and guidance NACAB issued to all its CABs and provided them with free copies of the disability handbook, as well as arranging for every individual citizens advice bureaux to hold stocks of the claim packs. We have also helped to fund the purchase of the Sweet and Maxwell guide on the new disability benefits.
  615
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take such action as necessary to simplify forms DLA 1(A) and DLA 2(A) relating to disability living allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  The introduction of the new claims process for disability living allowance has been widely welcomed by disabled people and their organisations. Indeed, they were both closely involved in developing and testing the claim pack DLA 1(A). Nevertheless, we are closely monitoring the effectiveness of the claim pack and are currently undertaking a review of the current draft and are making improvements where necessary to ensure that it continues to be as user-friendly as possible.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Birkenhead on behalf of his constituent Mr. M. Ritchie of 11 Highfield crescent, Birkenhead, on his claim for mobility allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  There is no record of any correspondence from the hon. Member to Ministers concerning his constituent's claim. However, I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that the hon. Member recently wrote direct to the mobility allowance unit concerning this matter, and a reply was sent to him on 1 June 1992.

  European Senior's Pass
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress has been made towards securing agreement across EC member states on the adoption of the European senior's pass.

  Miss Widdecombe
  It has not yet been possible to secure Communitywide agreement to the adoption of the EC over, 60s card. No member state has yet implemented the card and officials are continuing their discussions with their counterparts in the Commission and other member states in an effort to resolve outstanding problems.

  Pensioners Living Overseas
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what recent discussions have been held between officials from his Department and representatives of the Australian Government concerning the uprating of pensions paid to British pensioners residing in Australia;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the recent meetings held in Canberra between representatives of the Australian Government, and officials from his Department on arrangements for the payment of pensions to British pensioners residing in Australia.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Officials of the Department met their counterparts from the Australian Department of Social Security in October 1991 and in March 1992 to discuss issues relating to pensions paid to United Kingdom pensioners living in Australia. In view of the substantial costs involved, the Government are unable to make any commitment, at this stage, to change their policy of not uprating pensions paid to British pensioners living in Australia.

  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's policy on the payment 616
  of pensions to British pensioners living overseas in countries with which there is no reciprocal social security agreement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  British pensioners living abroad in countries, outside the European Community, with which the United Kingdom does not have a reciprocal social security agreement providing for annual upratings of benefit receive their state retirement pensions at the rate current when they left this country or when they became entitled if they were living abroad at the time.

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many claims for attendance allowance on grounds of terminal illness were received in the first three months of 1992; how many of these claims are still outstanding; what was the average length of time taken to process successful claims; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many claims for attendance allowance were received in the first three months of 1992; how many of these claims are still outstanding; what was the average length of time taken to process successful claims; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  Pursuant to my reply of 12 May, at column 100, I regret that the following information was incorrect:
  A total of 164,412 claims for attendance allowance were received in the first three months of this year. The number of these claims made on the grounds of terminal illness is not available.

  The correct information is as follows:
  A total of 185,596 claims for attendance allowance were received in the first three months of this year. The number of these claims made on the grounds of terminal illness is 21,184.

EDUCATION

  Voluntary-aided Schools
  Mr. Godsiff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications for voluntary-aided status have been received from(a) Anglican schools, (b) Catholic schools, (c) Jewish schools and (d) Muslim schools since 1979; and how many applications in each category have been granted.

  Mr. Forth
  The complete information requested is not readily available. The following table gives the information requested in respect of applications decided since November 1988 and includes one lapsed application in respect of a Muslim school. This excludes schools formed by the amalgamation of existing voluntary schools.

  Number of applications

  Number approved

  Church of England

  6

  2

  Church of England/Methodist

  2

  1

  Roman Catholic

  7

  4

  Jewish

  4

  2

  Muslim

  2

  0

  School Governors
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what efforts are being undertaken by his Department to ensure that women are granted adequate training and have equality of access to be selected as school governors.

  Mr. Forth
  Women have equal opportunity to become school governors and the majority of school governors —53 per cent.—are women. The same training opportunities are open to all governors.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to establish mechanisms to ensure that equal opportunities issues are taken into account as part of the school inspection strategy.

  Mr. Forth
  The detailed arrangements for school inspections under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 will be a matter for Her Majesty's chief inspectors for schools.

  Further and Higher Education
  Mr. Peter Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Education how many full-time equivalent academic staff are employed at(a) each institution funded by the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council and (b) each institution funded by the Universities Funding Council; and how many students are enrolled at each.

  Mr. Forman
  Numbers of full-time equivalent academic staff and students in each institution funded by the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council are given in table G6 of the "Annual Monitoring Survey of Further and Higher Education Student: Staff Ratios—Academic Year 1989–90—Interim Report" published by the Department of Education and Science and lodged in the Library.

  Numbers of full-time and part-time academic staff and students in each institution funded by the Universities Funding Council are given in tables 14, 15 and 31 of "University Statistics 1989–90—Volume One: Students and Staff" published by the Universities' Statistical Record and lodged in the Library.

  Polytechnic Staff
  Mr. Peter Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the percentage change in real terms of the salaries of academic staff in polytechnics between 1979 and 1991.

  Mr. Forman
  The percentage change in real terms of the salaries of academic staff in polytechnics between 1979 and 1990 was 24·2 per cent. Information for 1991 is not yet available.

  Mr. Peter Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many full-time staff there were in institutions funded by the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council, or its earlier equivalent, in 1979 and at the last count.

  Mr. Forman
  The Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council annual record of staff and students shows that 58,283 full-time equivalent staff were in institutions funded by the council in academic year 1990–91, the latest year for which data are available.
  618
  The PCFC was established in 1989. Comparable data for 1979 are not available for the institutions currently funded by the PCFC.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he has any changes to announce to cash limits on Votes within his responsibility for 1992–93.

  Mr. Patten
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XI, vote 1, Schools, research and miscellaneous services, will be increased by £50,000 from £766,485,000 to £766,535,000.

  The increase represents the transfer from the Home Office of £50,000 from the Government seized assets fund for educational projects in connection with drug abuse. The increase will he charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  European Council
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the outcome of the meeting of the EC Education Ministers in Luxembourg on Monday 1 June.

  Mr. Patten
  I attended the meeting on Monday 1 June of the Council and the Ministers for Education meeting within the Council, together with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Higher Education. The Council and the Ministers adopted conclusions on the development of environmental education and open and distance learning; and the Council adopted conclusions on the evaluation of future Community programmes concerning education and training. The Council and the Ministers discussed issues arising from the implementation of the LINGUA programme and the proposed amendment of the convention defining the statute of the European schools.

HEALTH

  Home Helps
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the provisions obliging local authority social services departments to provide home help services to all elderly people in their area who are in need of such services.

  Mr. Yeo
  The statutory basis for the provision of home help service to elderly people is contained in the following legislation:Section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948;
  Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970;
  Section 45 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968;
  Section 21 and Schedule 8 of the National Health Service Act 1977.

  Dentists
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Sir T. Arnold) on 12 May,Official Report, column 85, whether the Health Department and the general dental services committee have now reconsidered the appropriate fee scale for 1992–93; and if she will make a statement.
  619
  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Sir T. Arnold), on 2 June at columns 466–67.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any changes will be made to the cash limits and running cost limit of her Department in 1992–93.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made:

  The cash limit for class XIII, vote 1 (hospital, community health, family health services (part) and related services, England) will be increased by £20,190,000 (from £18,544,309,000 to £18,564,499,000). This increase allows for an additional £76,258,000 to help provide, from 1 April 1992, for the pay awards recommended by the reports of the review bodies for nursing staff, midwives, health visitors and professions allied to medicine, and on doctors' and dentists' remuneration, as announced on 10 February 1992. This is partly offset by transfers of £49,562,000 to class XIII, vote 4, (family health services (part) and NHS trusts' external financing etc., England), reflecting an increase in the NHS trusts' aggregate external financing limit; £6,000,000 to class XIII, vote 3 (see below) for payments to and on behalf of recipients of blood and tissue infected with HIV and £506,000 to class XVI, vote 8 (hospital, community health, family health services (part) and related services, Wales) for Welsh patients treated in spinal injury units. The remainder will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  The cash limit for class XIII, vote 3 (Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England) will be increased by £21,428,000 (from £801,053,000 to £822,481,000). These increases provide for £14,936,000 for the Department's London accommodation strategy; £742,000 to meet, from 1 April 1992, the review body recommendations mentioned above and £6,000,000 from class XIII, vote 1 for payments to and on behalf of recipients of blood and tissue infected with HIV. These are partly offset by a transfer of £250,000 to the Department of Social Security national insurance fund for the Stillbirth (Definition) Bill, while the remainder will be charged to the reserve.

  The Department's gross running cost limit control is increased by £1,851,000 from £267,385,000 to £269,236,000.

  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she has any changes to announce to the running cost limit for the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys for 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the running cost limit for class XIII, vote 6 (Office of Population Censuses and Surveys) will be increased by £261,000 from £45,741,000 to £46,002,000. This reflects an increase in running costs provision of £96,000 in the national health central register area for additional services to the family health service central unit, and £165,000 for the childhood cancer birth linkage study. The increases will be matched by an increase 620
  in appropriations in aid and will be met from within the existing resources of the Department of Health (class XIII. vote 3).

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Offences (Statistics)
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were recorded in the latest year for which figures are available, by people who were on bail at the time those offences were committed.

  Mr. Jack
  The information as requested is not available. The Home Office is discussing with the police, through the ACPO crime committee, how best to ensure the regular collection of data from police forces on offences committed by people on bail. Home Office research and planning unit paper 65 "Offending while on bail: a survey of recent studies", which is in the Library, gives estimates of the rate of offending by people on bail and of the number of offences committed.

  Immigration
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress which Her Majesty's Government hope to make, and the goals which they hope to achieve, during their presidency of the European Communities, as regards the work programme on migration policy set out in the report from the Ministers responsible for immigration to the European Council meeting in Maastricht on immigration and asylum policy dated 3 December 1991.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We are fully committed to carrying forward the work programme during the United Kingdom presidency, and are currently considering to what aspects of it we should give priority. We will reach final decisions in the light of the ministerial discussions at the conclusion of the Portuguese presidency.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made so far under the Portuguese presidency of the European Communities as regards the work programme on migration policy set out in the report from Ministers responsible for immigration to the European Council meeting on immigration and asylum policy on 3 December 1991.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Discussions have been held under the Portuguese presidency on a number of matters which are included in the work programme adopted by EC Ministers concerned with immigration in December 1991 and subsequently approved by the European Council.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Her Majesty's Government intend to sign the convention applying the Schengen agreement of 14 June 1985 between the governments of the states of the Benelux economic union, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the French Republic on the gradual abolition of checks at their common borders.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for changes to his Department's running costs limits.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  To reflect a number of machinery of government changes affecting my Department, the Home Office running costs limit will be reduced by £588,000, from £1,450,608,000 to £1,450,020,000.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the number of(a) juveniles and (b) young adult offenders in Feltham young offenders institution who, at the end of the week ending 1 May 1992, had been on remand for (a) more than three months, (b) more than six months and (c) more than one year;

  (2) how many (a) juveniles and (b) young adult offenders in Feltham young offenders institution on the latest date for which figures are available had been on remand for (i) between one and two weeks, (ii) between two weeks and one month, (iii) between one and three months, (iv) between three and six months, (v) between six and nine months, (vi) between nine months and one year and (vii) over one year.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 13 May 1992]: The information requested is not recorded centrally. The latest readily available information is for 31 March 1992 and is given in the table.

  Untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners aged under 21 held in Feltham on 31 March 1992: by age group and length of time since first reception into a Prison Service establishment1

  Number of prisoners2

  Initial remand into Prison Service establishment

  Feltham

  Other3

  Length of time since first remand into a Prison Service establishment

  Aged under 17

  Aged 17 and under 21

  Aged under 17

  Aged 17 and under 21

  Up to 1 week

  5

  35

  —

  —

  Over 1 up to 2 weeks

  —

  34

  —

  —

  Over 2 weeks up to 1 month

  1

  57

  —

  2

  Over 1 up to 3 months

  1

  92

  3

  5

  Over 3 up to 6 months

  4

  58

  —

  4

  Over 6 up to 9 months

  —

  6

  —

  —

  Over 9 months up to 1 year

  —

  3

  —

  1

  Over 1 year

  —

  3

  —

  1

  All lengths

  11

  288

  3

  13

  1 This includes any intervening time spent on bail, but excludes any time spent in police cells beforehand.

  2 Provisional figures.

  3 Those initially remanded to another establishment.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) juveniles and (b) young adult offenders had been held on remand in custody in England and Wales on the latest date for which figures are available for (i) over three months, (ii) over six months and (iii) over one year.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 13 May 1992]: The information requested is not recorded centrally. The latest readily available information is given in the table.
  622

  Untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners aged under 21 held in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on 31 March 1992: by age group and length of time since first reception into a Prison Service establishment1

  Number of prisoners2

  Length of time since first remand into a Prison Service establishment

  Aged under 17

  Aged 17 and under 21

  Up to 3 months

  67

  1,977

  Over 3 up to 6 months

  18

  513

  Over 6 months up to 1 year

  2

  113

  Over 1 year

  —

  31

  All lengths

  87

  2,634

  1 This includes any intervening time spent on bail, but excludes any time spent in police cells beforehand.

  2 Provisional figures.

  Prostitution
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prosecutions for soliciting for immoral purposes were issued in the Portswood division of the Hampshire Constabulary in 1990 and 1991; how many were successful; and what was the average fine;

  (2) how many cautions for kerb crawling were successfully undertaken by the Portswood division of the Hampshire Constabulary in 1990 and in 1991; and how many were issued to people living (a) in the city of Southampton, (b) the rest of Hampshire and (c) other places;

  (3) how many prosecutions for kerb crawling were successfully undertaken by the Portswood division of the Hampshire Constabulary in 1990 and 1991; and how many of those prosecuted lived in (a) the city of Southampton,(b) the rest of Hampshire and (c) other places.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 22 May 1992]: Information available centrally, relates only to the court proceedings for Southampton and other petty sessional divisions in Hampshire and to cautions for the NA hole of Hampshire police force area. Information for 1991 is not yet available.

  No males were prosecuted for soliciting in Southampton petty sessional division in either 1989 or 1990. There was only one prosecution for kerb-crawling in 1989 and none in 1990. The person was acquitted.

  Information on kerb crawling for Hampshire police force area and England and Wales is given in the attached table below.

  Table

  Number of males, prosecuted, found guilty and cautioned for kerb-crawling in Hampshire police force area and England and Wales, 1989 and 1990

  Number of males

  Hampshire police force area

  England and Wales

  Prosecutions

  1989

  2

  992

  1990

  —

  1,360

  Convictions

  1989

  1

  891

  1990

  —

  1,215

  Cautions

  1989

  —

  243

  1990

  5

  227

PRIME MINISTER

  Friendly Fire Incident
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister how and when he discovered the names of the American pilots involved in the friendly fire incident in the Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I do not know, nor do I believe it necessary for me to know, the names of the pilots.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Prime Minister if there are any proposals to change the 1992–93 running costs limit for the Cabinet Office: Other Services Vote.

  The Prime Minister
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the running costs limit for the Cabinet Office: other services (class XIX, vote 2) will be reduced by £2,482,000 from £22,892,000 to £20,410,000. This reflects the machinery of government changes announced after the general election.

  Dalai Lama
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to encourage the Chinese authorities to facilitate a visit by the Dalai Lama to Tibet; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: We continue to urge the Chinese Government to start a dialogue with the Tibetan people, including the Dalai Lama. We hope that such a dialogue would open the way for the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training
  Mr. Liwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what efforts have been made by her Department to ensure equality of access to training programmes for both men and women.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Training and enterprise councils (TECs) have a contractual requirement to ensure equality of opportunity in all their activities. TECs have flexibility to tailor training to meet individuals' needs in both content and delivery, both to ensure equality of opportunity and so that people may continue to meet their domestic commitments while training. Furthermore, they are required to pay necessary child care costs to those in the employment training and youth training guarantee groups.

  Equality of training opportunity will be recognised and encouraged by a new national training award recently introduced to be awarded for the training of women.

  Health and Safety Commission
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make it her policy to ensure that the Health and Safety Commission produces bilingual leaflets and posters for mass distribution within Wales.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Decisions on the publication of guidance on health and safety in languages other than 624
  English are for the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE). They are very conscious of the needs of Welsh speakers and are seeking to improve the services they provide to Welsh speakers in Wales.

  A Welsh language version of the poster, "Health and Safety Law—What You Should Know", and three leaflets in the agricultural series are already available in Welsh.

  The development of HSC's and HSE's policy on Welsh language will naturally take into account the measures to be enacted in the new Welsh Language Bill which was announced in the Queen's speech.

  Employment Protection
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make it her policy to extend equal employment protection to part-time workers and to institute pro rata benefits for women and men in part-time work.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Many important rights—including those relating to sex and race discrimination, trade union membership/non-membership and health and safety—already apply equally to all employees, irrespective of hours of work. All union members also have important statutory protections against misuse of union powers. Extending all employment protection rights to employees regardless of their hours of work or on a pro rata basis, however, would place excessive burdens on employers and reduce opportunities for part-time work.

  Women Workers
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps are being taken by her Department to encourage the employment of women returners.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  It is for women themselves to choose whether or not to return to work, but my colleagues and I take every opportunity to encourage employers to adopt working arrangements which allow all parents to balance their employment and family responsibilities. These include flexible hours and holidays, job sharing, career breaks, part-time working and, where appropriate, help with child care. Many employment service and training and enterprise council programmes have inbuilt flexibility which benefits women returners. Our commitment to encouraging more out of school and holiday child care schemes will particularly benefit women who wish to resume work when their children start school.

  Equal Pay
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make it her policy to ensure that the equal value regulations of the Equal Pay Act 1970 are implemented in full.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Equal Pay (Amendment) Regulations 1983 have been fully in operation since 1 January 1984.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make it her policy to revise the Equal Pay Act 1970 to ensure that women in sex-segregated industries are not prevented from benefiting from the Act.
  625
  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Equal Pay Act 1970, as amended, provides that a woman who is employed on like work, work rated as equivalent under a job evaluation study, or work of equal value, to a man employed by the same or an associated employer is entitled to equality with him in the terms of her contract of employment. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to extend the scope of the Act in the way suggested.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make it her policy to assist the pursuit of equal pay claims by women employees through taking steps to minimise the expenses incurred by the claimant and the delays in application.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Industrial tribunals are intended to provide a cheap, speedy and relatively informal means of resolving disputes arising out of the employment relationship, including the Equal Pay Act. In consequence under part IV of the Legal Aid Act 1988, legal aid is not available for representation before industrial tribunals. However, according to an applicant's financial circumstances he or she may be able to obtain from a solicitor, without cost, legal advice and assistance with preparation of an application to an industrial tribunal.

  The Equal Opportunities Commission has made a number of recommendations for changes to the Equal Pay Act 1970 some of which, the commission states, will reduce the time taken to deal with equal value applications. These recommendations are currently under consideration.

  Equal Opportunities Commission
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to increase the funds allocated for political education purposes for the Equal Opportunities Commission.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no such plans. The Equal Opportunities Commission receives grant in aid from the Government to work toward the elimination of discrimination, to promote equality of opportunity between men and women generally, and to keep under review the working of the Equal Pay and Sex Discrimination Acts.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average length of time spent by the chairmen of the training and enterprise councils in their posts; and if she will make a statement on the length of time she expects chairmen to serve.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Less than one third of TECs have had a change of chairman since becoming operational. It would therefore be inappropriate at this stage to calculate an average length of time that individuals spend as TEC chairmen.

  As long as an individual remains eligible for the position of TEC chairman, there is no present length of service expected.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether, following the House of Lords decision in Delaney v. Staples, she will now introduce regulations to extend the jurisdiction of industrial tribunals.
  626
  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 22 May 1992,Official Report, col. 347.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether any changes will be made to her Department's cash limits or running costs limits for 1992–93.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the following changes will be made:The running costs provision for class VI, vote 1 will be decreased by £1,378,000 from £329,474,000 to £328,096,000 changing the departmental running costs limits from £1,206,423,000 to £1,205,045,000. This change is the net effect of transfers to the Department of Trade and Industry (class IV, vote 2) and the Department of National Heritage (class XII, vote 4), and transfers from the Home Office (class IX, vote 3) and the Cabinet Office (class XIX, vote 2), reflecting the transfers of various responsibilities between these Departments and my own.

SCOTLAND

  Quarry, Elderslie
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the proposal to develop a quarry at Windyhill farm, Elderslie.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The hon. Member wrote to my hon. Friend on this matter on 2 August 1991. A reply to that letter was sent on 21 August. No other representations have been made.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends residences not fit for human habitation, as defined in Wylmac v. Community Charges Registration Officer, Strathclyde, to be subject to local council tax.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  I intend to make an order shortly, under the Local Government Finance Act 1992, which will define those dwellings which will be exempt from the council tax. As far as dwellings such as that which was the subject of Wylmac v. Community Charges Registration Officer, Strathclyde, are concerned, it is our intention to exempt from the council tax those which would currently be exempt from the standard community charge.

  Football Grounds
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if there is to be a reconsideration of the present policy towards all-seated requirement at Scottish Football League grounds.

  Mr. Lang
  The Government keep under continual scrutiny the safety of sports grounds. In recent months., we have geen examining the all-seated requirement for those Scottish Football League clubs with grounds designated in terms of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 as being capable of holding more than 10,000 spectators.

  We have decided that it would be wrong to review either the principle or the timetable for all-seated grounds in the

  627
  Scottish Premier League or at Hampden Park and Murrayfield. It is essential that those major Scottish grounds should be all-seated, bearing in mind the large attendance frequently attracted to those grounds. It is also essential that our top football clubs meet the all-seated standards necessary to compete in Europe and make full use of the resources available to them to provide grounds to a standard of which we can all be proud.

  However, there may be circumstances in which standing accommodation can be retained at those first and second division grounds presently required to become all-seated, where average attendances are very low in relation to actual ground capacity. Representations will be invited shortly from a number of interested organizations in a review of all-seated policy for those grounds. No changes in policy will be made unless the Government are satisfied about the safety implications of allowing limited standing accommodation to remain at those smaller grounds.

  I will make a further announcement as soon as possible.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to make any changes to the cash limits for 1992–93 within his responsibility.

  Mr. Lang
  Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, I intend to make changes to three cash limits:

  (a) The cash limit for class XV, vote 13: education, arts and libraries, Scotland, will be increased by £1,250,000 from £259,024,000 to £260,274,000. The increase in provision is required to fund further improvements to Hampden Park. This increase is offset by a reduction in the SO/LA2 cash block.

  (b) The cash limit for class XV, vote 20, revenue and rate support grants, Scotland will be increased by £47,700,000 from £3,458,500,000 to £3,506,200,000. £41,000,000 of this increase in provision will fund an additional reduction in non-domestic rates poundages as a further step in the Government's united business rates policy. The remaining £6,700,000 is an increase to local authorities in Scotland following an addition to the amounts being distributed to local authorities in England and Wales.

  (c) The cash limit for class XV, vote 25: hospital, community health, family health (part) and other health services, Scotland, will be increased by £10,800,000 from £2,590,645,000 to £2,601,445,000. The increase is required to provide £11,000,000 towards the costs of the pay awards recommended in the reports of the review bodies for nursing staff, midwives, health visitors and professions allied to medicine, and on doctors' and dentists' remuneration (Cm. 1811, 1812 and 1813) and £1,800,000 to cover the costs of a scheme of payments for patients who contracted HIV through blood or tissue transfer. The increases are partially offset by a reduction of £2,000,000 in respect of rephasing of health board banking arrangements.

  (d) In addition, the cash block SO/LA2, which covers net capital allocation to local authorities and new town net capital expenditure, will be reduced by £4,052,000 from £272,033,000 to £267,981,000. This will partly offset increases in other cash limits.

  All the increases mentioned will be offset by savings or charged to the reserve and therefore will not increase the planned total of public expenditure.

  Local Government Pensions
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average annual pension paid to retired local government officers in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 2 June 1992]: For the year ending 31 March 1991, the average annual pension, including increases in line with movements in the retail prices index, paid to retired local government officers under the local government superannuation scheme was £2,014. More up-to-date information from the local authorities which administer the pension scheme is not yet available.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Trade Marks
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) when he will introduce legislation to implement the EC directive on trade marks;

  (2) what representations he has received on the consequences of not introducing legislation to implement the EC directive on trade marks by the end of 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  My right hon. Friend has received various representations on the need to implement the EC directive on trade marks by primary legislation. Thirty letters were received last autumn and more recently Sir John M. Banham, the Director general of the CBI, Mr. Christopher Morcom QC and Mr. Richard C. Abnett, the President of the Institute of Trade Mark Agents wrote. However, as my hon. Friend is aware, pressure of parliamentary time made it impossible to include the Trade Marks Bill in the legislative programme set out in the Gracious Speech.

  We are now reviewing the available options for implementing the EC directive. I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

  Recycled Feedstock
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he intends to encourage greater procurement of tissue product using recycled feedstock by Government Departments and public bodies.

  Mr. Leigh
  The 1990 White Paper on the Environment —"This Common Inheritance" (Cm 1200)—and the first year report (Cm 1655) affirmed the Government's commitment to favouring recycled products where they are available of adequate quality and where they represent value for money. This message was reinforced in the Government's environmental action guide for building and purchasing managers, which was published in August 1991. All Government Departments are looking to develop strategies to improve their environmental housekeeping by the end of 1992; this may well lead to further increases in the procurement of recycled products, including tissue products, by Government Departments.

  Power Lines
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what guidance he has issued or discussions he has had with the electricity companies to limit deaths and injury to birds by overhead power lines;
  629
  (2) whether any specific guidance notes are issued for marking power lines that cross estuaries, creeks and wetland habitats.

  Mr. Eggar
  Electricity companies when formulating overhead power line proposals have a statutory duty towards the environment which includes taking account of any wildlife in the area concerned. Where consultation with local interests shows the possibility of danger to birds, the fitting of bird diverters may be agreed by the company or otherwise may be imposed as a condition if consent for the line is granted.

  Marine VHF Radio
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many prosecutions there were in 1991 for unlicensed marine very high frequency sets.

  Mr. Leigh
  During 1991, seven people were prosecuted for the unlicensed use of marine very high frequency equipment.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the number of officials and type of craft used by his Department to enforce very high frequency marine radio licences and the areas they cover.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department's Radiocommunications Agency has 97 field officers deployed around the United Kingdom who are responsible for the enforcement of the Wireless Telegraphy Acts, including the licensing of marine very high frequency radio equipment. The officers have five rigid inflatable boats for this work.

  Communications Agency
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the terms of reference of the radio investigator service of the Communications Agency.

  Mr. Leigh
  The objective of my Department's Radiocommunications Agency's radio investigation service is to ensure that authorised radio users can operate without undue interference. The RIS priorities are to tackle interference which could endanger lives and to help those whose business operations are disrupted as a result of interference. After these priorities have been met, the RIS deals with other interference complaints.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Benign Energy Sources
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his latest estimate of the total investment planned to develop(a) coppicing and (b) other benign energy sources.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department of Trade and Industry new and renewable energy programme expects to invest £24.3 million in 1992–93, of which £2.6 million is directly attributable to biofuels, including £547,000 for work on short rotation arable coppice. Complementary work on miscanthus, another energy crop, costing £45,000, is being funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Relocation
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many civil servants in his Department he is considering for relocation from headquarters buildings; and if he will list the areas currently under consideration for relocation.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Radiocommunications Agency of the DTI is currently considering the possibility of relocating 350 staff from its offices at Waterloo to docklands.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions have taken place with the trade unions in respect of relocation of civil servants from his Department's headquarters buildings.

  Mr. Eggar
  The trade union side has been consulted and kept informed about the progress of the Department's programme of relocation reviews. They have been closely involved in discussions about relocation and are currently involved in discussions with the Radiocommunications Agency about the planned move to docklands.

  Telecommunications Act
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet received a report by the Director of Telecommunications for the year 1991 as required under section 55 of the Telecommunications Act 1984.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Yes. The eighth report by the Director General of Telecommunications is being published today. It covers the period 1 January to 31 December 1991. Copies of the report have been laid before each House of Parliament.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether any changes will be made to his Department's cash limit and running costs limit for 1992–93.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class V, vote 3 (administration) will be increased by £32,000 from £43,263,000 to £43,295,000 in respect of a transfer for statistical surveys from the Central Statistical Office. The running cost limit for the Department of Trade and Industry will be increased by £40,719,000 from £264,643,000 to £305,362,000 being the total of the running costs amounts on class IV vote 2 and Class V vote 3 after machinery of government changes.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Sudan
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations or actions Her Majesty's Government have made or taken to stop the slaughter in the Sudan whether by terrorism or famine; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are concerned at the continuing loss of life in Sudan.
  631
  We have been one of the main bilateral food aid donors to Sudan, providing over £46 million worth of emergency humanitarian assistance—both bilaterally and through the EC's emergency aid programme—since the present food crisis began in November 1990. This figure includes 71,000 tonnes of bilateral food aid. We have pledged a further 27,000 tonnes in response to this year's appeal by the UN special emergency programme for the Horn of Africa. We have also played a leading part in efforts by the international donor community to ensure that relief is effectively provided throughout the country.

  We have regularly made our views on terrorism plain to the Sudanese Government, particularly in connection with the release from prison last year of those responsible for the Acropole Hotel bombing in 1988, in which five Britons died. We have also stressed that we would regard it as unacceptable if Sudan were to provide support for terrorist groups.

  Bougainville
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards independence for Bougainville; and what help Her Majesty's Government are giving Bougainville in the aftermath of the damage to the environment by copper mining.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Government regard Bougainville as an integral part of Papua New Guinea and views the Bougainville problem as an internal matter of Papua New Guinea. We are not aware that the Papua New Guinea Government is seeking any help from foreign governments in connection with copper mining on its territory.

  Cambodia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance Her Majesty's Government is providing to Cambodia for its mine-clearing programme.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The UN transitional authority in Cambodia's mine clearance training unit is led by a British commander supported by 10 other personnel. The United Kingdom is also contributing financially to the mine clearance training programme through payment of our assessed contribution—6.1 per cent.—to the costs of UNTAC. We have given the HALO Trust, a British non-governmental organisation working in Cambodia, £60,000 to help its mine survey work in Cambodia on behalf of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

TRANSPORT

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the increase in carbon dioxide and oxides of nitrogen discharges to the atmosphere that would result in the United Kingdom from the upper projections of road traffic in his Department's White Paper "Roads to Prosperity".

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Forecasts of emissions of carbon dioxide and oxides of nitrogen from road traffic sources are currently being prepared and will be published in due course. The actual increases in emissions will depend on 632
  the success of the Government's policies to increase fuel efficiency and cut gaseous emissions as well as other factors such as economic growth, levels of road congestion and changing patterns of land use. Tigher controls on the amount of oxides of nitrogen which can be emitted by vehicles have been agreed in the European Community. There is also considerable scope for improving the fuel efficiency of vehicles, which will lower the emission of carbon dioxide. We are examining ways of encouraging improvements in fuel efficiency with our partners in the European Community.

  Greater Manchester Relief Road
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when is his Department's preferred route for the M56 to M62 section of Greater Manchester western and northern relief road to be announced.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I cannot give a firm date. Preferred route announcement would follow consideration of the consultation response.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he intends to take to ensure that there will be no reduction in the quality or frequency of any rail service, subsequent to sale of any relevant part of the network to private operators.

  Mr. Freeman
  We will be announcing our proposals in due course. They will be directed towards improving services for passengers and freight customers.

  Jubilee Line Extension
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest estimate for the total cost of extending the Jubilee line.

  Mr. Norris
  The latest approved estimate of the total cost of extending the Jubilee line is £1.5 billion, at June 1990 prices.

  Great Crested Newts
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what action he is taking to protect the population of great crested newts, Triturus Cristatus, at Bamfield, Cambridgeshire; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what representations he has received from Dr. Clive Cummins relating to great crested newts; and what response he has sent.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Following receipt of Dr. Cummins' letter of 5 February 1992, consultants dealing with environmental issues arising from the upgrading of the Al to motorway between Alconbury and Peterborough, were instructed to carry out further site investigation. They have confirmed that Barnfield pond, which is in the garden of a private house adjacent to the A1, contains a number of great crested newts. English Nature will now be consulted before deciding appropriate action. A reply to Dr. Cummins' further letter of 14 May 1992 will be sent shortly.

  London Docklands Development Corporation
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been expended by his Department in the London Docklands development corporation area from the date of its inception until the end of the last financial year.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department's capital expenditure in docklands between these dates was as follows:

  £million

  Docklands light railway

  229·5

  Improvements on the A13

  14·5

  Relocation
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants in his Department he is considering for relocation from headquarters buildings; and if he will list the areas currently under consideration for relocation.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Up to 50 posts in the Department's London docklands division will move to docklands shortly, about 220 central services posts will move to Hastings by April 1993 and 250 marine directorate posts will move to Southampton in May 1993.

  A review of the case for relocating from London over 500 posts in the highways, safety and traffic command is in progress; and consultants will be reporting on the Department's headquarters accommodation needs and options for meeting them. Decisions about future accommodation requirements and locations will be taken after the completion of these studies later this year.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions have taken place with the trades unions in respect of relocation of civil servants from his Department's headquarters buildings.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Officials have twice met the Department of Transport's trade union side—TUS—to discuss headquarters accommodation and relocation following the decision to demolish 2 Marsham street. The TUS was consulted about the draft terms of reference for a study by consultants of future accommodation needs in London and options.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce fiscal instruments to encourage energy-efficient investments.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The existing tax regime already gives relief for capital investment by businesses on equipment, including energy efficient products. By providing a broadly neutral tax system for businesses, with a common rate of capital allowances for investment in equipment, we allow businesses to decide where their money is best spent. Fuel savings provide the best incentive for businesses to make energy-efficient investments.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there will he any changes to the Treasury's running costs limits in 1992–93.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Treasury's running costs limit for 1992–93 is being increased by £1,290,000 from £90,913,000 to £92,203,000. This increase reflects the net effect of staff and functions transferred to the Treasury from the Department of Trade and Industry, and from the Treasury to the Cabinet Office—OPPS. This change will be reflected in a token supplementary estimate which will be presented for parliamentary approval in due course.

DEFENCE

  RAF Logistics
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of Royal Air Force Logistics.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I am today able to report, as the basis for formal consultation between the Department and the trade unions and other interested parties, the outcome of detailed studies into the structure and location of the RAF Logistics Command. A consultative document is being passed to the local and national trade unions concerned today.

  The Government accepted last year the recommendations of the PROSPECT study into the future size and structure of the Ministry of Defence. Central to the study's recommendations was the principle that only a small core headquarters should be retained in London, with the remaining functions being redeployed. For the RAF, the report recommended that the staff of the Air Member for Supply and Organisation should move out of London, and together with associated elements of RAF Support Command, which would be abolished, form a Logistics Command the headquarters of which will be located at the current RA FSC headquarters at Brampton near Huntingdon. The purpose of the studies now completed has been to establish the best long-term locations for the remainder of the staffs affected. Apart from Brampton, these staff are predominantly in London, At Harrogate, RAF High Wycombe, RAF Stanbridge in Bedforshire, and RAF Swanton Morley in Norfolk. The Defence Codification Authority and air technical publications branches in Glasgow were not involved in these studies.

  The Logistics Command will comprise three major functional groupings; the maintenance group, which is a defence support agency, and which was not considered in these studies; the group responsible for communications and information systems; and the support management group. The work of all these is underpinned by the technical and computing services provided at R AF Swanton Morley and RAF Stanbridge.

  The studies have recommended that to the maximum extent possible the units carrying out these functions should be collocated in the Brampton area. This would make maximum use of the existing headquarters at Brampton, and of the nearby station at RAF Wyton which as a result of planned changes has significant potential for reuse. A crucial consideration was the cost of providing both office accommodation and married quarters for collocated staff. In particular, complete reprovision of the

  635
  poor quality buildings on the existing Harrogate site would be extremely expensive compared to the smaller degree of new construction and conversion which would be required at Wyton.

  If the recommendations of these studies are confirmed following consultation, the initial moves would be of predominantlyy RAF staff from RAF High Wycombe. Subsequent moves out of Harrogate, London, and Swanton Morley would take place over the period 1994 to 1997. RAF Swanton Morley and the MOD site at Harrogate would be released for disposal. These recommendations have been arrived at only after the most exhaustive study of a wide range of options for the future Logistics Command, including nine sites in the north and East Anglian sites.

  The Department is very conscious of the difficulties which surround such a large reorganisation. The Ministry of Defence is the largest Government employer in Harrogate, and one of the largest in North and West Yorkshire, and some compulsory redundancy cannot be excluded. Everything possible will be done to avoid or minimise redundancies at all the locations concerned. Staff will where appropriate be transferred at public expense. In addition there are some opportunities for employment in other Government Departments in the areas concerned, and the Ministry of Defence will co-ordinate closely with these Departments to maximise the opportunities. In addition, anyone made redundant will be compensated under the terms of the appropriate pension scheme. They will also be entitled to participate in the Department's counselling and outplacement service.

  These recommendations are subject to the full consultative procedures agreed between the Department and the Trade Unions.

  Atomic Weapons Establishment
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made towards contractor operation of the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

  Mr. Aitken
  An invitation to tender for the full contractor operation of AWE is being issued today to the four companies who have expressed an interest in carrying out the work. These are British Aerospace, GEC, Rolls-Royce and the Hunting-BRAE consortium.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he can announce any changes to the class I limits and running costs limit for 1992–1993.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary summer supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made:—

  Class I cash limits

  £,000s

  Vote

  Current cash limit

  Change

  Revised cash limit

  1

  10,576,703

  + 89,454

  10,666,157

  2

  9,593,000

  - 202,397

  9,390,603

  3

  1,933,308

  - 34,432

  1,898,876

  4

  1,577,000

  + 151,873

  1,728,873

  5

  559,789

  + 4,784

  555,005

  These changes decrease the block defence cash limit slightly by £286,000 from £24,239,800,000 to
  636
  £24,239,514,000. They reflect the finalisation of the internal costing process and the net effect of transfers between the Ministry of Defence and other Government Departments. As was explained in paragraph 7 of the "Introduction to the Class I Estimates" booklet—HC 237—I—presented on 10 March 1992, because of the major changes resulting from the implementation of the new management strategy, the original estimates could not be constructed in the normal way.

  The running costs limit is unchanged.

  Soviet Warheads
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial arrangements have been made about the package of assistance to the former Soviet Union for the dismantling and transportation of nuclear warheads.

  Mr. Aitken
  Further to my answer of 9 March,Official Report, column 428, the package of assistance is being provided to the former Soviet Union as a gift. The 1992–93 costs, of which £10 million is being charged to the reserve, will be met from class I, vote 2, subhead H8, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary summer supplementary estimate.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Parliamentary Television Service
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he has access to a live television feed of the Chamber of the House in his office; and what is his policy towards providing this facility in hon. Members' offices.

  Mr. Newton
  In my Whitehall office, I have access to a spur from the feed to the Prime Minister's office.

  As regards the possibility of supplying the clean feed to Members' offices, the Select Committee on Broadcasting published a report on this subject at the end of the last Parliament (House of Commons Paper No. 323 of Session 1991–92). The Committee recommended
  "that the clean feed should be made available for inclusion in the package of television services whose provision in Members' offices is currently under consideration by the other relevant domestic Committees".

  As the Broadcasting Committee acknowledged, its proposal requires the approval of the House as a whole. I hope to be in a position to arrange the necessary debate in the not too distant future.

  Office Cost Allowance
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council on what date he received the report on the office cost allowance from the Top Salaries Review Body.

  Mr. Newton
  My predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South (Mr. MacGregor), received the report on 14 February.

  As I have already stated, I hope to be able to inform the House soon about our plans for publication.

  Members' Staff
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council (1) how many hon. Members employ(a) none, (b) one, (c) two, (d) three, (e) four and (f) five or more employees from their office costs allowance;
  637
  (2) how many hon. Members have not yet given any of their staff a contract of employment; how many individual staff do not have contracts; what action he is taking to ensure contracts are provided; and how many hon. Members have been contacted in order to point out that contracts should be issued.

  Mr. Newton
  As many Members who were elected for the first time at the recent general election have not yet notified the Fees Office of appointments of staff, any details supplied at this time would not be representative. Fees Office staff, when seeing new Members, are stressing the need for staff to be given contracts of employment and job descriptions.

  Procedure Committee
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the outstanding recommendations of the Procedure Committee which have yet to be put before the House and specify, in each case, if he intends to put them to the House for decision.

  Mr. Newton
  Full details of the work of the Procedure Committee during the last Parliament, including the extent to which its various reports and recommendations have been considered and implemented, are set out in the Fifth Report of the Committee for Session 1991–92, which was published on 20 May.

  I have no immediate plans to put any specific reports before the House because the next consideration of procedure is likely to be a further debate on the Report of the Select Committee on Sittings of the House, whose recommendations include a number of those made in earlier Procedure Committee reports.

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what percentage of the total work force in the Privy Council Office are registered as disabled; what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people within the Privy Council Office; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  There are no registered disabled among the 31 staff currently employed in the Privy Council Office. Direct recruitment is rarely undertaken, but application forms and selection procedures conform with the relevant equal opportunities code of practice.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Agricultural Holdings
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the total number of agricultural holdings in Britain (i) in 1979 and (ii) in 1992; and if he will give the Government's estimate of the number of agricultural holdings in the year 2000.

  Mr. Curry
  In 1979 the total was 295,000 and in 1991, the latest for which figures are available, there were 274,000. No forecast is available for the year 2000.

  Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent discussions have taken place regarding the implementation of a de-commissioning scheme for certain United Kingdom registered fishing vessels.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government's proposals for effort control and decommissioning were set out in the recent consultation document.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on progress towards reform of the common agricultural policy.

  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest position concerning common agricultural policy reform; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement about progress on reform of the common agricultural policy.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Gentleman to the statement that I made to the House on 22 May.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the amount of the British contribution to the common agricultural policy for 1991; and what percentage this contribution makes of the whole common agricultural policy funding.

  Mr. Curry
  It is not possible to give a figure. The United Kingdom contributes to the EC budget as a whole, not to individual parts of the budget such as the common agricultural policy. Moreover, the United Kingdom's contribution to the budget is reduced by the abatement —£2,366 million in 1991–92—to reduce our overall share and this cannot realistically be allocated to the different parts of the budget.

  Hedgerows
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to preserve hedgerows and encourage planting of new ones.

  Mr. Curry
  This Department encourages farmers to preserve and maintain our hedgerow stock through the farm and conservation grant and environmentally sensitive area schemes, and through the advice given by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service.

  EC Beef Regime
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the extent of fraudulent trading within the common agricultural policy beef regime; and what has been the estimated cost to public funds.

  Mr. Curry
  It is not possible to estimate the extent of fraud in the common agricultural policy, since, by
  639
  definition, undetected fraud cannot be measured. No separate figures are available for fraud within the beef regime; however, overall in 1990, 819 cases of irregularity (the definition of which goes wider than fraud) in EAGGF guarantee expenditure were reported by member states with a value of 138 mecu (£98 million). These cases represent about 0.5 per cent. of EAGGF guarantee expenditure in that year. However, fraud is clearly a serious problem and must be tackled vigorously.

  Fanning Regulations
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to reduce the burden of regulations on the farming community.

  Mr. Curry
  This Department participates fully in the Government's deregulation initiative. I am determined to keep the burden of regulation EEC and national as light as possible.

  Recreational Events
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with land owners and the Forestry Commission in respect of its property in England about charging for access for recreational events.

  Mr. Curry
  I have had no such discussions but the Forestry Commission negotiates with the interests concerned when reviewing its charges for specialist recreational activities, such as orienteering and motor rallying.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to improve animal welfare within the European Economic Community.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he is making in discussions with European Community counterparts about animal welfare.

  Mr. Soames
  The Government will continue to press for the high standards of animal welfare which apply in this country to be adopted throughout the European Community. We will give a high priority to animal welfare during the United Kingdom Presidency of the Community, and will seek to ensure that the Community acts on the principles of the declaration on protection of animals which was agreed at Maastricht following a United Kingdom initiative.

  Seismic Surveys
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he is making with his investigations into the effect of seismic surveys on fishing stocks in the Solent and surrounding waters.

  Mr. Curry
  No work has yet been carried out in the United Kingdom on the effects of seismic surveys on fish stocks, but ELF Enterprise Caledonia which is undertaking the seismic survey west of the Isle of Wight, has agreed to fund research which will examine its effect on bass.

  Fallen Stock
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what steps he proposes to take to assist farmers to deal with fallen stock; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The Government are taking a number of measures to help alleviate the problems of disposal of fallen stock. They include:provision of free advice and literature on the various methods of disposing of fallen animals, including safe burial;
  the exemption of animal carcase incineration under 50kg per hour from regulations under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which makes the purchasing of small scale incinerators a more attractive investment;
  issuing shortly for public consultation a planning policy guidance note on pollution and waste management including incineration;
  funding research and development in the field of animal waste disposal, including a £0.5 million programme to determine which rendering processes destroy certain pathogens;
  helping the rendering industry to examine alternatives to landfilling meat and bonemeal derived from specified bovine offal; and
  identifying investment in the animal by-products sector as a priority area for EC grant aid.

  The Department also intends to press the Community to move forward as rapidly as possible under the provisions of the EC Animal Waste Directive, to adopt animal health rules for knackers yards so as to ensure that they can continue their key role after 1995.

  Poultry
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the latest position on relaxing the regulations of the Zoonoses Order concerning poultry.

  Mr. Soames
  I have already introduced a number of changes to the salmonella control measures in the light of developing circumstances and scientific knowledge. I will continue to keep the measures under close review.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number and percentage of(a) broilers and (b) laying hens in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which had (i) signs of bone defects or were (ii) seriously lame on reaching the slaughterhouse, in the most recent year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Soames
  These figures are not collected centrally. However, in 1989 a survey commissioned by the Department indicated that 29 per cent. of hens from battery cages had damaged bones by the time they reached the stunner. Handling techniques were addressed in the light of these results and we plan to commission a further survey so see what changes have resulted. We also have a continuing programme of research into leg problems in broilers.

  Whaling
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy during the United Kingdom presidency of the Council of Ministers to seek a ban on whaling within EC waters and by EC nations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Whaling, in any form, is already banned within United Kingdom fishery limits. No whaling for commercial or scientific purposes is believed to take place within other member states' fishery limits. The United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain, as members of the International Whaling Commission, are bound by the IWC's moratorium. The Community prohibits trade in whale products through its implementation of the convention on trade in endangered species.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to support the French Government proposal for an Antarctic whale sanctuary; if he will encourage other International Whaling Commission member states to support the proposal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The proposal by the Government of France for a sanctuary in the southern hemisphere is due to be discussed at the forthcoming meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Glasgow at the end of June. Details of the French proposals have only just been received and will receive careful study. The proposals address a number of questions to the commission's scientific committee, whose advice we shall also need to evaluate.

  Sandeels
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received for the creation of exclusion prohibition areas against a directed sandeel fishery on(a) Dogger Bank, (b) off Shetland and (c) in the south-west mackerel box; and what proposals he has for introducing this.

  Mr. Curry
  I am considering representations from the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations. Sandeel fishing is not permitted at present off Shetland. Small mesh fishing in the south west mackerel box is for species such as horse mackerel for human consumption as well as possible industrial end uses. The EC Commission has undertaken to present a report on industrial fishing before 1 September 1992. We will seek to progress any action on this report during our Presidency of the Community.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received for the establishment of a total allowable catch for sandeels; and what proposals he has to introduce this.

  Mr. Curry
  The most recent representation is from the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations. Sandeels are naturally a very short-lived species and it is not possible to set realistic total allowable catches by the usual procedures. Currently limits are set by licence for the west coast of Scotland or a quota arrangement between the EC and Norway.

  Industrial Fishing
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he intends making to advance restrictions on industrial fishing while holding the EC presidency.

  Mr. Curry
  The EC Commission has undertaken to present a report on industrial fishing before 1 September 1992. We will seek to make progress on this issue during our Presidency.

  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to him in respect of industrial fishing in the south-west mackerel box.

  Mr. Curry
  This year I have received six letters.

  Pollution Control
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will increase the level of grant aid to farmers for installing pollution control measures.

  Mr. Curry
  Our 50 per cent. grant rate is already exceptionally high. The normal maximum rate which member states can pay for this type of grant under EC regulations is 35 per cent. and our higher rate was only agreed by the Commission because the grant was carefully targeted on specific types of investment.

  GATT
  Mr. Godsiff
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the discussions he has had with EC Agriculture Ministers concerning the Uruguay round of GATT talks and the levels of reduction in agricultural subsidies in the EC.

  Mr. Curry
  The GATT round negotiations are regularly discussed by the Agriculture Council. We have strongly supported the Commission in its attempts to find the basis for an early and balanced agreement which would meet the objectives of the round as regards reductions in agricultural support world wide. The recent agreement on CAP reform will strengthen the Commission's position in these exchanges.

  Common Fisheries Policy
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representation he has received regarding the reform of the common fisheries policy to provide for a package of social measures to assist individuals and communities affected by a contraction of the fleet; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr Curry
  Our officials have received representations from the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations about social measures.

  Officials have also participated in discussions held by the European Commission, within the framework of the mid-term review of the CFP and the reform of the structural funds, about possible socio-economic proposals. The Commission's ideas are at a very formative stage and it is too early to say what they will formally propose or to what areas the proposals may apply. The Government will ensure that the needs of United Kingdom fishermen are taken properly into account as discussions continue.

  Brown Hare Syndrome
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many hares in Britain were found to be suffering from European brown hare syndrome in the most recent year for which figures are available.
  644
  Mr. Curry
  Although the Department is aware of an apparent decrease in the incidence of European brown hare syndrome in Great Britain, the disease is not notifiable and so comprehensive data are not maintained.

  GORDON'S GIN: DUTY ON SPIRITS AND ALCOHOL CONTENT
  GORDON'S GIN: DUTY ON SPIRITS AND ALCOHOL CONTENT
  PRISONERS' TRANSFER BETWEEN JURISDICTIONS—REPORT
  PRISONERS' TRANSFER BETWEEN JURISDICTIONS—REPORT
  SPECIAL SCHOOLS: STAFFING
  SPECIAL SCHOOLS: STAFFING
  FOOD INDUSTRY: EC POLICY
  FOOD INDUSTRY: EC POLICY