Written Answers of 15 June 1992

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Sudan
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications of the statement by Gaafar Mohammed Nimeri, the former President of Sudan, urging an armed uprising, for the United Kingdom's aid programme in the area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We closed down our development aid programme to Sudan in 1991 and have no plans to reinstate it. We shall continue to provide humanitarian aid to the Sudanese people according to needs and without political conditions.

  United States (Visas)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received. since 1 January 1991, about(a) refusal of visas to United Kingdom citizens by the United States immigration authorities and (b) treatment of United Kingdom citizens travelling to or in the United States of America by the United States immigration authorities; what representations he has made to the United States Administration; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I am aware of a small number of cases where such difficulties have been experienced by British citizens. These have been brought to the attention of the United States Administration. United States immigration regulations are, of course, a matter for the United States authorities.

  Ex-service Men's Compensation
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he is making with the German Government concerning compensation for British ex-service men interned during the second world war.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  There is no basis on which to make representations with the German Government concerning compensation for British ex-service men interned during the second world war. Internment is a recognised right of a belligerent in times of war.

  Nigeria
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Nigerian Government about: the arrests of the human rights and pro-democracy activists Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, Barrister Femi Falana and Baba Omajola in Lagos on 19 May; and if he will make a statement.
  350
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have told the Nigerian Government of our grave concern at the arrest and continued detention of these human rights activists. We have strongly urged them to abide by the due processes of law and either release or try the activists under normal and fair legal procedure. We expect to make further representations on this subject to the Nigerian authorities with our European Community partners.

  Lao Ambassador
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the Lao ambassador to present his credentials; and what is the reason for the delay.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have not yet agreed a date with the Lao ambassador, who is resident in Paris, to present credentials. It is not uncommon for a period to elapse between agrément, the receipt of working copies of credentials, and their presentation by a non-resident ambassador.

  COCOM
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the future of the co-ordinating committee of western nations on technology transfer (COCOM).

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer 1 gave to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 5 June, at column 673.

  Burma
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Burmese State Law and Order Restoration Council, and at the United Nations, concerning the continued detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, and the continued killing and displacement of the Rohingya and Karen minorities.

  Mr. Goodlad
  With our Community partners, we have repeatedly called on the Burmese authorities to release Aung San Suu Kyi unconditionally from house arrest and to end all repression of minorities; including the Rohingyas and Karen. At the United Nations general assembly last November we co-sponsored a resolution urging respect for the democratic and human rights of the Burmese people. We also co-sponsored a resolution at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva earlier this year calling for an end to the repression of minorities, a public scrutiny of Burma's human rights record and the appointment of a special rapporteur. We fully support the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General in securing the repatriation of the Rohingya people to Burma.

  Kuwait
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from Palestinians who were born in Kuwait and who are now in the United Kingdom who wish to return to Kuwait and are experiencing difficulties in so doing.
  351
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None.

  EC Proposals
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the experts his Department consults on European Community proposals relating to issues of external affairs.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  European Community proposals on external affairs cover a wide range of issues. My Department consults experts, including officials of other Governments and the European Commission, as appropriate.

  Departmental Policies
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of the Overseas Development Administration's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Government are again appointing a Minister within each Department to take particular responsibility for environmental aspects of that Department's policies and programmes. A list of nominated Ministers will be announced shortly.

  "Action for the Environment"
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many copies of his Department's Overseas Development Administration's report, "Action for the Environment" have been printed; to whom copies have been made available; and what has been the cost to date of printing and circulation of this publication.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Overseas Development Administration has printed 20,000 copies of its information booklet "Action for the Environment". The publication was launched by the Minister for Overseas Development at the Earth summit in Rio de Janeiro where 2,000 copies were made available.

  Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. "Action for the Environment" is being distributed to Government Departments and international and non-government organisations at home and overseas. Copies are also being sent to interested members of the public.

  The cost to date of printing and circulating this publication is approximately £25,000.

  EC Development Policy
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evaluation Her Majesty's Government have made of the European 352
  Commission's communication on scientific and technological co-operation with developing countries and its synergistic relations with development funds—SEC (92) 677.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Commission's aim is to increase the complementarity between expenditure from the research and development part of the EC budget on science and technology programmes of interest to developing countries and EC development co-operation policies. We have welcomed this approach in principle, but are seeking more information on how new management structures within the Commission would ensure that the high quality of current activities under the science and technology for development programme would be maintained.

  Disarmament
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made by Her Majesty's Government of the submission by China to the United Nations Disarmament Commission on the process of nuclear disarmament in the framework of international peace and security with the objective of the elimination of nuclear weapons—document A/CN.10./ 166, 24 April 1992; and what submissions were made by the United Kingdom to the United Nations Disarmament Commission session held from 20 April to 1 I May.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have noted this statement of Chinese views.

  The United Kingdom joined other European Community partners in submitting a working paper —document A/CN. 10/172 of 5 May 1992—on this subject on behalf of the Twelve. We were also associated with a working paper—document A/CN.10/165—submitted on 23 April on behalf of the European Community and its member states on the role of science and technology in the context of international security, disarmament and other related fields.

  Refuseniks
  Ms. Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Vsevolod Shilon and his family of St. Petersburg.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We made representations to the Russian authorities in Moscow on behalf of Vsevolod and Vera Shilon on 18 May 1992.

  Ms. Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made on behalf of refusenik Dimitri Pevzner and his family of St. Petersburg.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We made representations to the Russian authorities in Moscow on behalf of Dimitri and Luba Pevzner on 18 May 1992.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list by year, for the last 10 years, and for this year to date the number of people who have been(a) granted and (b) refused legal aid in civil cases.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  In each of the financial years between 1980–81 and 1990–91, the number of civil legal aid certificates granted and applications refused were as follows:

  Certificates issued (thousands)

  Applications refused (thousands)

  1980–81

  167.6

  18.3

  1981–82

  176.1

  21.5

  1982–83

  189.6

  22.9

  1983–84

  205.9

  24.8

  1984–85

  222.2

  26.2

  1985–86

  232.4

  28.4

  1986–87

  245.7

  39.7

  1987–88

  245.4

  48.6

  1988–89

  237.2

  61.5

  1989–90

  259.2

  81.2

  1990–91

  297.6

  84.4

  This information is contained in the legal aid annual reports which are available in the Library of the House. The report covering the period from April 1991 to March 1992 is due to be published on 22 June 1992.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consideration has been given to the withdrawing of his Department's circular to magistrates issued on 1 April in respect of requiring applicants for legal aid to produce recent wage slips, or proof of benefit paid, before their application can be considered.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply on 8 June,Official Report columns 17-18, in which I announced that paragraph 10 of the circular, which deals with the production of wage slips, would be withdrawn. If there are particular difficulties arising out of the application of other parts of the regulations, I am prepared to consider them.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to issue further guidance to clarify paragraph 11 of his recent legal aid circular; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Following the withdrawal of paragraph 10 of the circular, consideration is being given to whether the criminal legal aid regulations need to be amended to ensure that they allow both for practicable procedures for administering legal aid and for proper accountability for public funds. This consideration will embrace the position of applicants on state benefits as well as those in employment. Further guidance will be issued in due course.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will withdraw the requirement in paragraph 11 of his recent legal aid circular to justices' clerks that proof of benefit level is necessary before legal aid can be granted.
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  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Paragraph 11 of the circular reminds justices' clerks that applicants who are in receipt of certain benefits are required to provide details of the Benefit Agency office dealing with the benefit and the reference number and advises justices' clerks to seek corroborative evidence of receipt of the benefit claimed. It does not require proof of benefit level.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what consideration he has given to the effect of the Data Protection Act 1984 on the effective implementation of paragraph 11 of his recent legal aid circular to justices' clerks;

  (2) what are the arrangements for co-ordinating the effective implementation of paragraph 11 of the recent legal aid circular to justices' clerks by the Lord Chancellor's Department and the Benefits Agency.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  My officials are exploring with the Benefits Agency arrangements for confirming the status of those criminal legal aid applicants who claim to be in receipt of benefits. The provisions of the Data Protection Act are being considered.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimate has been made of the cost to the legal aid fund of the implementation of paragraph 11 of the recent legal aid circular to justices' clerks.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The only purpose of the circular was to remind justices' clerks of the requirements of the existing regulations for the grant of criminal legal aid.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many people granted legal aid were in receipt of benefit, in the last year for which information is available.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested is not collected centrally. However, a recent sample of criminal legal aid applications indicated that, of the applications granted, just under 75 per cent. related to persons in receipt of income support or family credit.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department whether he will increase the limits of availability for legal aid.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Most of the financial limits for legal aid were uprated in April by about 7 per cent. and the Lord Chancellor does not intend to increase them further.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the current level of legal aid.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hazel Grove (Sir T. Arnold), on 22 May, at column 246.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment was made of the expected ability of persons detained in police custody to produce evidence of their wages for the preceding weeks, before the issue of his Department's circular concerning the conditions attaching to legal aid.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The only purpose of the circular was to remind justices' clerks of the requirements of the
  355
  existing regulations for the grant of criminal legal aid. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) on 8 June, Official Report, columns 17-18, in which I announced that paragraph 10 of the circular, which deals with the production of wage slips, would be withdrawn.

  Queen's Counsel
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what information he has on the number of Queen's counsel who are(a) black, (b) Asian or (c) women.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The ethnic origin of applicants for the office of Queen's counsel was not recorded prior to the autumn of 1991, and the formal records in respect of ethnic origin are therefore incomplete.

  It is, however, believed that there are at present four black Queen's counsel, of whom one is a woman, and three Asian Queen's counsel.

  There are in total 41 female Queen's counsel currently in practice.

  Justices of the Peace
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list by magistrates court, those courts that are currently below the required number of serving justices of the peace; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The question cannot be answered without disproportionate cost. The establishment figure for each Bench is a ceiling which is reviewed from time to time and not a day to day operational figure. There are at present 463 petty sessional divisions in England and Wales. If the hon. Member wishes me to give figures for particular Benches I shall be pleased to do so.

  Family Conciliation Services
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the funding of the family conciliation services; and what is his policy with respect to the retention of these services.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Funding of local family conciliation services in England and Wales is largely provided by the voluntary and private sectors, although in some areas assistance is provided by the probation service and local authorities. The Government have no current plans to fund local services.

  The Lord Chancellor's Department is considering their role in England and Wales as part of the wider review of family law announced earlier this year.

PRIME MINISTER

  The World at One'
  Mr. Biffen
  To ask the Prime Minister whether the radio interview given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the BBC's "The World at One" programme on 10 June represents Government policy.

  The Prime Minister
  Yes.

  UNCED
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

  The Prime Minister
  I have done so today.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 5 June,Official Report, column 656, if he will set out the modes of transport used by the United Kingdom delegation to support its involvement in the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development; and what is the total cost of each form of transport used.

  The Prime Minister
  The United Kingdom delegation used both car and minibus transport in Rio at an estimated cost of £25,000.

  Commonwealth of Independent States
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what matters with regard to the nuclear proliferation risks posed by instability in the Commonwealth of Independent States were discussed; and what decisions taken, during his recent meeting with President Bush at Camp David.

  The Prime Minister
  We discussed a range of issues, many of which were related directly to developments in Europe, including the implications of the break-up of the former Soviet Union.

  CSCE
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will announce the membership of the United Kingdom delegation to the forthcoming meeting of the assembly of the CSCE in Budapest.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 12 June 1992]: The CSCE parliamentary assembly will be meeting in Budapest on 3 to 5 July. I have appointed 13 delegates from the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The delegation will consist of seven Members of the Conservative party, five Members of the Labour party and one Member of the Liberal party. I have also appointed a number of substitute delegates.

  The appointment of Labour and Liberal representatives and substitutes have been made on the basis of nominations by the parties concerned.

  Representatives from the Government Benches will be:

  The right hon. Member for Westermoreland and Lonsdale (Mr. Jopling), who will act as leader, the hon. Members for Arundel (Sir M. Marshall), for Honiton (Sir Peter Emery), for Warwick and Leamington (Sir D. Smith) and for Wealden (Sir G. Johnson Smith), the Earl of Dundee and Lord Montgomery of Alamein.

  Representatives from the Labour party will be the hon. Members for Stockton, North (Mr. Cook), for Tooting (Mr. Cox), for Walsall, South (Mr. George), for Wansbeck (Mr. Thompson) and for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy).

  The representative from the Liberal party will be the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell).

  The following substitutes have been appointed to act as necessary on behalf of the delegates:

  From the Government Benches, the hon. Members for Ashford (Sir. K. Speed), for Rochford (Dr. Clark) and for Weston-super-Mare (Mr. Wiggin).
  357
  From the Labour party, the hon. Members for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) and for Dundee, West (Mr. Ross).

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Travel Allowances
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the travelling and subsistence allowances payable on a daily basis to persons in public service and the standard motor mileage allowance for such persons for the year 1992–93; and how much of these allowances are chargeable to tax.

  Mr. Portillo
  The travelling and subsistence allowance payable on a daily basis to persons in the public service are as follows:

  Standard rate of motor mileage allowances

  From 1 April 1992

  Cars with engine capacity:

  Up to 1,500 cc P

  1501 cc-2000 cc P

  Over 2000 cc P

  Up to 5,000 miles

  35.7

  40

  43

  Over 7,000 miles

  17.0

  21

  27

  subsistence allowances

  Day subsistence allowance

  Subsistence classification

  (with effect from 1 August 1991)

  All classes £

  More than 5 hours

  3.90

  More than 10 hours

  8.60

  Night subsistence allowance

  Subsistence classification

  (with effect from 1 August 1991)

  1 £

  2 £

  3 £

  Inner London

  98.70

  68.50

  61.30

  Elsewhere

  85.85

  63.15

  48.85

  Lodging allowance

  Subsistence classifcation

  (paid after 30 nights) (with effect from 1 August 1991)

  1 and 2£

  3£

  Married officer:

  Inner London

  31.80

  25.60

  Elsewhere

  29.90

  23.80

  Single officer:

  Inner London

  22.80

  22.80

  Elsewhere

  21.00

  21.00

  These rates are reviewed annually. From 1 August 1992 our intention is that Departments and agencies will determine their own motor mileage and subsistence rates. The excess between the motor mileage rates and the Inland Revenue fixed profit car scheme is taxable. The fixed profit car scheme rates for 1992–93 are:

  From 1 April 1992

  Cars with engine capacity:

  1001 cc- 1500cc P

  1501 cc-2000cc P

  Over 2000 cc P

  Up to 4,000 miles

  30

  42

  51

  Over 4,000 miles

  17

  21

  27

  Sustainable Growth
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make it is policy to incorporate the notion of sustainability into all economic development plans incorporated by his Department;

  (2) what plans he has to examine existing monetary and fiscal policies to assess their impact on sustainable resource management and environmental protection.

  Sir John Cope
  "This Common Inheritance—Cm 1200—sets out how the Government are integrating environmental considerations into all policy areas to promote sustainable growth.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the Government's total income, to date, from privatisation since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Privatisation proceeds from 1979–80 to 31 March 1992 were about £41½ billion. Privatisation proceeds for 1992–93 are expected to be £8 billion.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his present forecast for the rise in gross domestic product for the first and second half of 1992.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor's forecast for economic growth was published in the 1992 "Financial Statement and Budget Report".

  EC Proposals
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the experts his Department consults on European Community proposals relating to economic matters.

  Sir John Cope
  My Department consults a wide range of expert bodies and individuals as appropriate.

  Earnings Statistics
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will show for 1992–93 those ranges of earnings within which the burden of income tax plus national insurance is less than in 1978–79.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In 1992–93, for taxpayers of working age whose incomes have increased in line with earnings, average rates of income tax and national insurance contributions are lower than in 1978–79 for everyone except some married men with earnings up to and including half of the average. On the same basis, real take-home pay is higher than in 1978–79 at all levels of earnings.

  Departmental Policies
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.
  359
  Sir John Cope
  I have been responsible for considering the environmental implications of Treasury policies since 15 April.

  Beer
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposes to introduce the new system for taxing beer on the alcoholic strength of the finished product.

  Sir John Cope
  The Government propose to introduce the new end product duty on beer with effect from 1 April 1993. From that date, duty will become payable when beer is dispatched for distribution and consumption from registered breweries or from bond.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Intestacy
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many individuals(a) in the Duchy of Lancaster and (b) in the constituency of Pendle die intestate in each year since 1982; and what was the total value of the estate claimed by the Crown in each year.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The solicitor for the affairs of the Duchy of Lancaster is appointed to administer the estates of persons whose last permanent address was within the boundaries of the county palatine of Lancaster who die intestate and without surviving kin entitled to the estate under the rules of intestate succession. The boundaries of the county palatine are the same as the county boundaries which existed prior to local government reorganisation in 1973.

  Intestate estates 1982 to 1991

  Number of cases

  Total amount claimed (£)

  1981–82

  456

  540,185.52

  1982–83

  463

  747,058.28

  1983–84

  453

  734,664.12

  1984–85

  455

  748,154.93

  1985–86

  462

  821,697.50

  1986–87

  462

  921,513.00

  1987–88

  386

  672,679.68

  1988–89

  391

  754,241.67

  1989–90

  411

  960,671.80

  1990–91

  398

  799,872.54

  7,691,739.04

  Unfortunately records do not show the number of cases arising in each year within any particular part of the county palatine.

  There are a number of cases each year where kin who are entitled under the intestacy rules traced after administration is complete and in those cases the value of the estate plus interest is paid from Duchy funds to the relative concerned.

  Duchy Income
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what were the main sources of income to the Duchy of Lancaster for each year since 1982.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The main sources of income to the Duchy of Lancaster for the years ending 29 September 360
  1982 to 29 September 1991 have been set out in the accounts of the Duchy, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House each year.

  They may be summarised as follows:

  Year and Item

  Amount £

  1982

  Revenue from estates

  1,977,961

  Dividends and interest

  395,041

  Devolutions

  444,569

  1983

  Revenue from estates

  2,057,824

  Dividends and interest

  403,472

  Devolutions

  553,628

  1984

  Revenue from estates

  2,251,990

  Dividends and interest

  495,620

  Devolutions

  733,223

  1985

  Revenue from estates

  2,547,395

  Dividends and interest

  732,943

  Devolutions

  744,507

  1986

  Revenue from estates

  2,775,597

  Dividends and interest

  704,923

  Devolutions

  962,928

  1987

  Revenue from estates

  3,054,203

  Dividends and interest

  1,048,507

  Devolutions

  979,027

  1988

  Revenue from estates

  3,477,622

  Dividends and interest

  1,407,729

  Devolutions

  1,225,692

  1989

  Revenue from estates

  3,812,205

  Dividends and interest

  1,639,579

  Devolutions

  839,845

  1990

  Revenue from estates

  4,088,767

  Dividends and interest

  1,543,844

  Devolutions

  804,977

  1991

  Revenue from estates

  4,445,219

  Dividends and interest

  1,509,523

  Devolutions

  938,597

  Duchy Land Holdings
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the locations of all the land holdings held by the Duchy; and if he will list separately those held in the county palatine.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The information is as follows:

  ESTATES:

  Crewe survey

  Halton

  Crewe

  Marbury

  ASH

  Castleton-High Peak

  Miscellaneous

  Newcastle

  Needwood survey

  Needwood

  361
  Yorkshire survey

  Pickering

  Brompton

  Marishes

  Goathland

  Cloughton and Scalby

  Silpho

  Pontefract

  Tickhill

  Knaresborough

  South survey

  Higham Ferrers

  Olney

  Strixton

  Ogmore

  Wainfleet-Bolingbroke

  Desford

  Lewes

  York

  Leicester

  Cockfosters and Hadley Wood

  London

  Savoy

  Harrogate

  Clare

  Dedham

  County palatine Lancashire survey

  Myerscough

  Wyreside

  Salwick

  Winmarleigh

  Whitewell

  Miscellaneous

  Foreshores

  Lancaster

  Market Testing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list all those functions and areas in his Department and associated agencies that have been identified for market testing in the wake of the White Paper "Competing for Quality".

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  I am still considering the proposals put forward by my Department and other Government Departments and an announcement will be made shortly.

  Maastricht Treaty
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment his Department has made of the Commission report, "Research after Maastricht: an Assessment and Strategy", SEC (92) 682F.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The report was discussed at the 29 April Research Council in Luxembourg. I made clear our concern that the future development of EC research policy should be based on a rigorous evaluation of research to date, and that the emphasis should be on pre-competitive research, identifying generic technologies with a wide range of applications, rather than supporting specific industrial sectors. These points were broadly supported by other member states. We look forward to developing these themes with the Commission and our partners during our presidency.

EDUCATION

  Student Loans
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students from the county of Durham are in receipt of student loans at the present and for the last two years.

  Mr. Forman
  This information is not available. The Student Loans Company does not collect data relating to borrowers' place of domicile.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the financial implications of the following comprehensive schools in the Colne Valley constituency taking on grant-maintained status(a) Colne Valley high school, (b) Holmfirth high school, (c) Hanley high school and (d) Salendine Nook high school; and how the funding outlined compares with what the schools currently receive from the local education authority.

  Mr. Forth
  The main recurrent grant for GM schools is annual maintenance grant—AGM. This is set for GM schools in most LEAs at 15 per cent. above their local management of schools entitlement. This standard cash addition helps meet the cost of services previously provided free by the LEA. There is also a smaller addition related to school meal subsidy levels in that LEA.

  GM schools are also eligible to receive other grants as follows:

  (i) Transitional grants to help meet the transitional costs of schools newly approved for GM status—in 1992–93 secondary schools can receive £30,000 plus £30 per pupil, to maximum of £60,000.

  (ii) Special purpose grants to help with a variety of activities. For example the SPG for "development" helps fund in-service training and implementation of the national curriculum and assessment, for which LEAs are funded via the GEST programme. This SPG is paid at a flat rate of £42.50 per pupil. Other SPGs are available to help with VAT, staff restructuring and premises insurance.

  (iii) There are two types of capital grant available to GM schools: a formula allocation for the purchase of equipment or small scale capital works; and project allocations for specific capital work. GM schools bid for project allocations and bids are considered in competition.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what amount of capital grant per pupil he has provided to grant-maintained schools in each local education authority for 1992–93 based on the pupil numbers as at 1 April.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 12 June 1992]: The table lists the capital allocations to GM schools for 1992–93, expressed as an average per pupil figure, based on January 1991 numbers, for GM schools in each LEA area. The relevant number of pupils will rise as schools join the GM sector during the year.

  The figures need to be treated with caution. Because of current coverage of GM schools, figures will vary widely depending on the number of GM schools in a LEA area and whether or not a school was successful in the bidding round for capital projects in 1992–93. Bids are looked at in competition with others received from schools across the whole of the country.
  363

  Average capital allocations per pupil by former LEA area for GM schools for projects starting in 1992–93

  £

  Avon

  185.68

  Barnet

  56.96

  Bedfordshire

  178.31

  Berkshire

  257.37

  Birmingham

  281.96

  Bolton

  34.56

  Bradford

  296.60

  Brent

  224.51

  Bromley

  148.05

  Buckinghamshire

  284.41

  Calderdale

  204.55

  Cambridgeshire

  52.63

  Cheshire

  63.10

  Croydon

  147.04

  Cumbria

  71.54

  Derbyshire

  493.34

  Devon

  41.65

  Dorset

  192.40

  Dudley

  38.38

  Ealing

  30.64

  Essex

  71.89

  Gloucestershire

  689.11

  Hammersmith

  28.49

  Hampshire

  57.56

  Hertfordshire

  229.89

  Hillingdon

  215.98

  Humberside

  122.04

  Kensington

  35.90

  Kent

  126.44

  Kirklees

  229.92

  Lambeth

  1,299.46

  Lancashire

  304.53

  Leicestershire

  337.00

  Lincolnshire

  149.26

  Liverpool

  29.86

  Newham

  45.45

  Norfolk

  71.03

  Northamptonshire

  320.20

  Rochdale

  62.37

  Sandwell

  131.82

  Shropshire

  1,070.33

  Somerset

  46.25

  Southwark

  429.21

  Surrey

  136.41

  Sutton

  210.31

  Thameside

  33.19

  Tower Hamlets

  31.48

  Waltham Forest

  58.88

  Wandsworth

  286.32

  Warwickshire

  86.56

  Wiltshire

  39.84

  Wolverhampton

  727.55

  Notes:

  1. The total includes formula capital allocations to schools for 1992–93 and provision for spending in 1992–93 and 1993–94 on named projects started in 1992–93.

  2. The total does not include spending in 1992–93 on named projects begun in previous years.

  Student Funding
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received about the future of student funding.

  Mr. Forman
  My right hon. Friend has received various representations on this matter. Public funding for higher education is at record levels. For the third year running, public expenditure plans provide for a year-on-year increase of about 10 per cent. Full-year student support from grant and loan is now over 30 per cent. higher than the grant alone two years ago. Our reforms have led to a dramatic expansion of higher education. Ten years ago,364
  only one in eight young people entered higher education. it is now nearly one in four. We expect it to be one in three by the year 2000.

  Ealing Schools
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 9 June,Official Report, column 88, if he will aim to give his decision on the reorganisation proposals for Ealing's county and voluntary schools before mid-July; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  Statutory proposals from the five grant-maintained schools in Ealing were published between 8 and 15 May. My right hon. Friend intends to determine these proposals as soon as possible after the two-month statutory objection period ends on 15 July. He will then be in a position to reach decisions on the outstanding proposals in respect of the county and voluntary schools.

  Interleukin-6
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what discussions his Department has held with the university of Leeds in relation to the scientific work on Interleukin-6; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forman
  My Department has held no such discussions. It is for individual universities and research funding bodies to pursue particular areas of scientific research in line with their own priorities.

  EC Proposals
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the experts his Department consults on European Community proposals relating to educational matters.

  Mr. Forman
  The Department has taken account of a variety of expert views in its consideration of new EC proposals and the implementation in this country of EC programmes. At present, the Department is supporting a major consultation exercise on the EC Commission's memorandum on higher education in the EC.

  Departmental Policies
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment today. He will be publishing a list of nominated Ministers shortly.

  Schools (Organisation)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the proposed White Paper on organisation of schools before the summer recess; and if he will make a statement.
  365
  Mr. Forth
  As announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, we will publish a White Paper by the end of the summer. This will be followed by an education Bill in the autumn.

  Student Unions
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is(a) the total amount for the United Kingdom and (b) the average amount per student of local education authority payments on behalf of students to further and higher education institutions to pay the students' membership fees of student unions.

  Mr. Forman
  In general, campus unions are not funded by membership fees but by block grant from their parent institutions. In higher education institutions, block grant is paid out of general funds including funding council grant and fees. In further education. the block grant is usually derived from an element within the student registration fee.

  School Playing Fields
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will revise the criteria for school playing fields so as to provide larger areas of playing fields.

  Mr. Forth
  The current review of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 is considering school playing field provision as part of its programme of work.

  The results of the review are expected to be available later this year.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Fraud
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Attorney-General what new proposals he has to reduce the levels of crimes of fraud.

  The Solicitor-General
  The Serious Fraud Office and the fraud investigation group of the Crown prosecution service are designed to deter the incidence of serious fraud by providing for effective investigation and prosecution.

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the number of(a) prosecutions and (b) inquiries launched by the Serious Fraud Office in 1992 to date.

  The Attorney-General
  In 1992, 16 prosecutions have been completed by the Serious Fraud Office. Of the 23 investigations currently in hand, 16 have been commenced in 1992. These are either new inquiries or are extensions of pre-existing investigations.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Attorney-General what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's arrangements for consulting the Data Protection Registrar during the planning stage of any initiative involving the collection, use or disclosure of personal data; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office are 366
  aware that systems involving the collection, use or disclosure of automatically processed personal data must comply with the Data Protection Act 1984. Each Department is registered in accordance with the Act and each Department consults the Data Protection Registrar as necessary at the planning stage of any such systems.

  Criminal Justice
  Mrs. Prentice
  To ask the Attorney-General what suggestions for reform he has made to the Royal Commission on the Criminal Justice System.

  The Attorney-General
  My predecessor submitted written evidence to the Royal Commission on criminal justice dealing with the law and practice relating to the disclosure by the prosecution of material to the defence. Extensive written evidence has also been submitted by the Director of Public Prosecutions and by the director of the Serious Fraud Office. Copies of the evidence of the Attorney-General and the Director of Public Prosecutions are available in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

  Departmental Environmental Policies
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Attorney-General who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The Government are again appointing a Minister within each Department to take particular responsibility for environmental aspects of that Department's policies and programmes. A list of nominated Ministers will be announced shortly.

  The work of the legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office does not have direct environmental implications, but each of the Departments has taken steps in its purchasing, energy use, and waste management policies to promote good practice in relation to the environment. Each of the Departments uses recycled paper products wherever practicable. Low-energy light bulbs are in use at the Serious Fraud Office and are being fitted in the Treasury Solicitor's Department and legal secretariat to the Law Officers. In the Crown Prosecution Service a computerised estate management information system is being developed to include data on energy consumption and costs for all CPS buildings. In relation to energy use, each of the Departments is committed to taking part in the Government's campaign to achieve savings of 15 per cent. in the total energy bill for the Government estate over a five-year period.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Aid Targeting
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the Overseas Development Agency budget is targeted towards the poorest countries.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We spend about 75 to 80 per cent. of our bilateral aid on the poorest countries.

  Southern Africa (Drought)
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the effects of the drought in southern Africa and on United Kingdom assistance to those countries suffering the most.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  With food production in the region at less than half the normal level this year and with up to 18 million people at serious risk, the drought remains a matter of grave concern. In response to the crisis, the Government have pledged from the bilateral programme food aid, balance of payments support and other assistance totalling £34 million so far this year, in addition to our share of the special food aid programme of the European Community worth £27.5 million.

  Kenya
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy for assisting Kenya with a view to enabling refugee children from the Sudan to be cared for locally whilst the current situation persists.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  As I told the House on 9 June, we have contributed £1 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees appeal for assistance to refugees in Kenya, which includes the needs of the Sudanese children.

  Population Policies
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what priority he intends to give to population policies during the United Kingdom presidency of the EC Development Council.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  A high priority. We aim to have a resolution agreed by the Development Council encouraging the Community to provide more support to population programmes in developing countries.

  Know-how Funds
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new initiatives are planned to be introduced to expand the application of know-how funds in eastern Europe.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The know-how fund is going well and is much appreciated in central and eastern Europe. At present we have no plans to expand its scope: the country coverage is kept under careful review.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  National Lottery
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much his Department estimates that the proposed national lottery, once in operation, could raise for good causes.

  Mr. Key
  It is too soon to say. However, we intend the lottery to be a full-blooded success, raising hundreds of millions of pounds for good causes. The distribution of the proceeds between beneficiaries, prizes, tax and operating costs has not yet been established.

  Football (Televising)
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on his policy for the televising of football.

  Mr. Mellor
  Viewers and listeners should have the best possible range of choice.

  Arts, Grimsby
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to encourage the arts in Grimsby.

  Mr. Key
  Detailed funding decisions are for the Yorkshire and Humberside regional arts board. It supports the south bank jazz festival and a variety of other arts projects in Grimsby.

  Museums and Galleries (Admission Charges)
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he plans to meet the directors of the national museums and galleries to discuss admission charges.

  Mr. Key
  My regular meetings with directors confirm that our present policy of allowing directors and trustees to make their own decisions on admission charges is working well.

  Industrial Heritage
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what new initiatives he proposes to introduce to secure the preservation of sites of industrial heritage.

  Mr. Key
  I visited Burnley in my former capacity as a Minister in the Department of the Environment and was impressed by the work being done there to preserve its unique industrial heritage.

  Preservation of the industrial heritage is best secured by bringing it fully within our established system for preserving heritage sites. We are supporting work on the extension of the National Archaeology Record up to 1945; we are funding the Association for Industrial Archaelogy's project to help build a better database; and we have agreed with English Heritage that industrial monuments should be given greater priority in its grant programmes.

  Arts and Media
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he last met the chairman of the Arts Council to discuss the national arts and media strategy document.

  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he last met the chairman of the Arts Council to discuss the national arts and media strategy documents.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Hall).

  Tourism
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will assess for the most recent year available the contribution made to the United Kingdom economy by the tourism industry.

  Mr. Key
  Tourism is an important contributor to the United Kingdom economy, and it is estimated that domestic and overseas tourists together spent £25 billion in 1991, equivalent to 4 per cent. of the gross domestic product. There were also about 1.5 million employees in employment in tourism-related industries in June 1991 and 183,000 self-employed in these industries in spring 1991.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will set out his policies on tourism.

  Mr. Key
  Tourism is a successful industry whose enterprise creates wealth and jobs throughout the United Kingdom. It is our heritage, sport and culture which help to make this country so attractive to visitors, and we intend to make the most of the links between the different responsibilities of the Department to ensure that the industry continues to prosper. In common with our other responsibilities, policies on tourism will he reviewed to ensure that taxpayers money is being spent in the most appropriate arid cost-effective way.

  Woolwich Arsenal
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the importance for the national heritage of the buildings on the royal arsenal site at Woolwich.

  Mr. Key
  Eighteen buildings on the royal arsenal site at Woolwich have been assessed as being of special architectural or historical interest and placed on the statutory list.

  Arts (Funding)
  Mr. Wolfson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much funding the private sector has provided for the arts for each pound of Government funding.

  Mr. Key
  In 1991–92 almost £6.3 million was directly generated by a Government investment of over £3 million in the business sponsorship incentive scheme. Figures for annual private sector sponsorship for that period are not yet available; however annual business sponsorship of the arts, including corporate membership, for 1990–91 amounted to some £57.2 million compared with only £500,000 in 1976.

  Works of Art (Indemnity Scheme)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will introduce a national indemnity scheme for works of art on loan to and from galleries and museums.

  Mr. Key
  A national indemnity scheme has been in operation since 1980, established under the National Heritage Act 1980. The Government indemnity scheme, as it is called, relieves both national and non-national museums and galleries of the need to take out commercial insurance to cover items on loan for the public benefit.

  BBC Funding
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the Government's policy towards the funding of the BBC.

  Mr. Mellor
  Our policy is that the television licence fee should remain for the time being the principal means of financing the BBC. The longer-term future of the licence fee will be considered as part of the review of the BBC"s charter which is due to expire in 1996.

  BBC Licence Fee
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to discuss the licence fee with the chairman of the BBC; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have regular discussions with the chairman of the BBC. Licence fee increases are based on the annual increase in the retail prices index as at the preceding September, in the same way as rises in pensions and other state benefits. I intend to reassess the position in advance of the fee increase due in 1994. The longer-term future of the fee will be considered as part of the review of the BBC's royal charter which expires in 1996.

  European Arts Festival
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will outline plans for the European festival of arts taking place during the British presidency of the EC.

  Mr. Mellor
  The European arts festival will run for the duration of the presidency across the four countries of the United Kingdom. It will celebrate the rich European culture heritage through a wide range of more than 600 events covering all the art forms, traditional and new.

  It is by design a festival with broad popular appeal. It contains something for everyone, whatever their age and tastes. It has a special emphasis on young people. All 35,000 maintained schools and the main national youth organisations have been invited to take part. It will also bring to the United Kingdom some of Europe's finest companies.

  The programme for the festival is currently being printed. I shall ensure that all Members of the House receive a personal copy.

  Urban Regeneration Agency
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will be meeting the new head of the urban regeneration agency to discuss the development of vacant derelict public land for recreation purposes.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. and learned Friend and I will be very ready to meet Mr. Walker, once the urban regeneration agency is established, to discuss issues of common concern.

  BBC Staff Cuts
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the proposed cuts in staff at the BBC.

  Mr. Mellor
  It is for the BBC, as a public corporation independent of the Government, to decide how many staff
  371
  it needs to meet its obligations, but we support the initiatives the BBC has launched to increase efficiency and ensure better value for money.

  Foundation for Sports and the Arts
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage to whom the Foundation for Sports and the Arts is accountable; how it decides on the allocation of its grants; what sums have been allocated; and if he will make a statement on the operation of the FSA.

  Mr. Key
  The Foundation for Sport and the Arts is an independent body and its grants are made at the absolute discretion of the trustees within the terms of the foundation's trust deed. Before taking decisions, the trustees may seek advice, in the case of sport from the Sports Council and the governing bodies of sports. My Department holds observer status at the meeting of the trust and its working parties.

  Up to 5 April 1992, the FSA had allocated grants totalling £37.5 million.

  Works of Art (Exports)
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to list works of art to prevent their export.

  Mr. Key
  I refer to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North-West (Mr. Bellingham) on 5 June 1992,Official Report, columns 646-47.

  Departmental Environment Policies
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The Government are again appointing a Minister within each Department to take particular responsibility for environmental aspects of that Department's policies and programmes. A list of nominated Ministers will be announced shortly.

  Press Complaints Commission
  Mr. Dickens
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the Press Complaints Commission's monitoring of articles referring to members of the royal family and their personal lives.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 11 June 1992]: The means by which the Press Complaints Commission monitors press articles and secure compliance with the code of practice framed by the newspaper and periodical industry are matters for the commission, not the Government. The statement issued by the commission on 8 June has attracted much interest. We will be taking the commission's views into account in the forthcoming review of press self-regulation.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Fireworks
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has for limitations on the maximum noise emitted by imported fireworks, with particular reference to bangers imported from the People's Republic of China; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  To comply with the general safety requirement of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, all imported fireworks are required to conform to the British standard for fireworks. This limits the explosive content of bangers which in effect limits the noise of the explosion. The United Kingdom is currently taking part in discussions to develop a European standard on fireworks, which will include restrictions on the maximum noise emitted.

  Private Telephone Networks
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many companies have(a) applied for and (b) been granted a licence from his Department for residential and business customer access to their private telephone network in the last 12 months.

  Mr. Leigh
  Of the 37 applications received by 11 June 1992, my Department issued eight new telecommunications licences to companies who wish to take advantage of the liberalisations announced in the duopoly review last year.

  The Government liberalised the use of private networks in 1989 under a "class" licence. Several companies have taken advantage of this to provide a range of services to the public. Some companies have now applied for individual licences to provide services which are beyond the scope of the existing class licence, but which are permissible under individual licences since the duopoly review. These applications are under consideration.

  Power Stations
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his policy concerning the burning of orimulsion in power stations.

  Mr. Eggar
  The type and quantity of fuel used by the electricity generators is an operational matter for the companies concerned, subject to emission limits imposed by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what in his estimate of the number of power stations in Wales that are fired by, or are planned to be fired by, gas; if he will give their locations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 has been granted to two gas-fired power stations in Wales, namely to the Deeside Power Development Company Ltd to construct and operate a 450 MW combined cycle gas turbine—CCGT—station at Deeside, Clwyd and to Texaco Ltd to construct and operate an 1100 or 1280 MW CCGT station at Angle bay, Dyfed. I understand that the Shotton Paper Company Ltd has
  373
  obtained the necessary permission under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to construct a 200 MW station at Shotton, Clwyd.

  My right hon. Friend is currently considering an application from PowerGen plc to construct a 1350 MW CCGT station at Connah's Quay, Clwyd. He is also considering an application from the Deeside Power Development Company Ltd to increase the output of the proposed Deeside station to 500 MW.

  Cars
  Mr. Milligan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what progress is being made in reducing British pre-tax car prices to the levels that prevail in the European Community;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the progress being made in promoting a parallel trade in importing cars from the European Community.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  On 6 May my right hon. Friend announced that he had asked the Director General of Fair Trading: to begin discussions with car suppliers with a view to implementing the recommendations in the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's February report on the supply of new cars; and for advice on whether any further action should be taken. The MMC recommendations will contribute to increasing competition with potential benefits in the prices paid by consumers. My right hon. Friend also welcomed Sir Leon Brittan's statement on the EC study of car prices, in which Sir Leon drew attention to EC rules facilitating parallel imports within the single market. Sir Leon has called on manufacturers to ensure that cars are made available to fulfil demand for such imports.

  Music Industry
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the contribution made by the British popular music industry to United Kingdom export earnings last year.

  Mr. Needham
  The value of United Kingdom exports of recorded music in 1991 was £216.2 million, representing 0.2 per cent. of visible exports. Trade in recorded popular music cannot be separately identified from other forms of music.

  Nuclear Issues
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade for what civil nuclear matters for which he has responsibility it is his policy not to release information to Parliament on grounds(a) of national security (b) that it is not in the national interest (c) of commercial confidentiality or (d) other criteria; and if he will review the criteria currently adopted for non-disclosure of information on nuclear issues.

  Mr. Eggar
  Decisions on whether information on civil nuclear matters can be released to Parliament are taken on the merits of the case. It is, therefore, not possible to define in general terms matters on which it would be inappropriate to release information.

  Insurance Claims
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will meet the Association of British Insurers to discuss strengthening the guidelines on meeting insurance claims to avoid undue delay in settlement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No. I have no evidence that the guidelines need strengthening.

  Departmental Accommodation
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much he is spending on the rental of accommodation in London for his Department; and what is the highest rental charge he is paying per square foot for accommodation.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department occupies property in London which is allocated to it by the Department of Environmental Property Holdings which is responsible for paying rentals to landlords. Rental charges are the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the cost of the refurbishment of his Department's accommodation in London.

  Mr. Eggar
  I do not have firm plans to pay for refurbishing accommodation in London.

  Departmental Environment Policies
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply to a similar question given today by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  Culham (Industrial Relations)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on industrial relations at Culham in relation to the threat of strike action over pay.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 12 June 1992]: The pay and conditions of UK Atomic Energy Authority staff working on the joint European Torus project are matters for resolution between the authority's management and its staff.

  Guardian Royal Exchange
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what inquiries his Department has been making into the share schemes at Guardian Royal Exchange.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  [holding answer 12 June 1992]: I am unable to comment on the affairs of any individual company. However, if any one has any concerns about this matter he or she may like to pass them on to one of my officials.

  Mirror Group Newspapers
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the companies being covered by the investigation into the flotation of Mirror Group Newspapers.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  [holding answer 12 June 1992]: The inspectors have been appointed to investigate the affairs and membership of Mirror Group Newspapers plc.

  The powers contained in section 433 of the Companies Act 1985 are available if necessary.

  Regional Policy
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he next intends to meet representatives of the European Commission to discuss regional policy; and if he will ensure that this meeting is held at a venue in the north west of England.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 10 June 1992]: At present my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has no immediate plans to meet Commissioner Millan but I expect to do so in the course of the meetings between the UK presidency and the Commission on 1 July in London.

  Generating Plants
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many planning applications are outstanding for gas fired power stations; and if he will give their locations.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Edmonton on 8 June Official Report, column 31.

  My right hon. Friend is also considering an application from Kelt UK Ltd to construct and operate an open cycle gas turbine power station in Ryedale.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Greyhound Racing
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the payments made by off-course bookmakers to greyhound racing since 1 April following the reduction in general betting duty.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave him on 11 June, at column 234.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the funds resulting from the quarter per cent. reduction in general betting duty has been set aside as part of the 31st betting levy scheme; whether the sum made available to greyhound racing will be proportionate to the amount of off-course betting duty attributable to greyhound racing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The determination of the 31st levy scheme took into account the reduction in general betting duty on horserace bets, estimated to represent about 72 per cent of total off-course betting turnover in 1990–91. The size of any voluntary payments by bookmakers to 376
  greyhound racing following the reduction in general betting duty is a matter for negotiation between the two parties. We understand that those negotiations are under way and have asked to be informed of the outcome.

  Asylum Seekers
  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the asylum decisions made between December 1991 and April 1992 related to applications made before 1 November 1991; and how many of these applications were given refugee status, exceptional leave to remain, third country refusals and paragraph 101 refusals.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information on decisions taken between December 1991 and April 1992 is given in the table. Information on the date of application is not yet available, but it is likely that, during this period, the great majority of substantive grants and refusals of asylum and exceptional leave related to applications made before 1 November 1991. The exception would be in those cases where priority was given because the applicant was detained or had arrived from a safe third country.

  Decisions made under paragraph 101 of the Immigration Rules will include both applications made before and after 1 November 1991.

  Decisions on asylum applications, excluding dependants, December 1991 to April 1992

  Number

  Granted asylum

  252

  Granted exceptional leave

  2,284

  Refused asylum and exceptional leave

  853

  Refused on safe third country grounds

  274

  Refused under paragraph 101 of the immigration rules1

  5,662

  1 For failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period.

  Mental Health Act 1983
  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were removed from the United Kingdom in 1990 and 1991 under section 86 of the Mental Health Act 1983; and to which countries they were removed.

  Mr. Jack
  In 1990 four people were removed under this provision to Nigeria, two cases, Hong Kong and Saudia Arabia.

  In 1991 five people were removed under this provision to Germany, two cases, Ghana, Hungary and the United States of America.

  Immigration
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a request was received from the British High Commission in Zambia for inquiries to be made following an application to enter the United Kingdom as a priest from Mr. Ismail Ebrahim Bhulla (Ref. GV100/13333); when the reply was sent to Zambia; what recommendation has been made on this application; when a decision is to be considered; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The high commission referred the application on 20 February and the request was received in the Home Office on 3 March. I am sorry that there was a
  377
  delay in dealing with the case. I shall resolve the application as quickly as possible and I will write to the hon. Member when we have done so.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the current list of outstanding cases in each of the divisions at the immigration and nationality department in Croydon and Liverpool.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  At the beginning of June the number of outstanding applications in the caseworking divisions was as follows:

  Number

  General immigration casework

  22,595

  Asylum and related casework

  61,891

  Nationality

  52,811

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of crimes committed in the Blyth Valley area in 1989 to 1991.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is not collected centrally for the Blyth Valley area.

  Strip Searches
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of strip searches made on women inmates in prisons in England and Wales in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Prison establishments are not required to maintain records of all strip searches made on women prisoners. However, they do maintain records of strip searches of female inmates in category A. There were 103 such searches in 1989, 136 in 1990 and 189 in 1991.

  Arson
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the Arson Prevention Bureau; and what success has been achieved in the improved protection of premises, especially school buildings, countering fraudulent arson and improvements in the methods of fire investigations.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Arson Prevention Bureau, which is jointly funded by the Home Office and the Association of British Insurers, was officially launched in February 1991. The bureau provides the first concerted approach to combating the crime of arson. A research project has been completed on the protection of property against arson and further projects on arson for insurance fraud purposes, and arson in schools are under way. It is hoped as a result of the latter project to be able to recommend a package of measures which will lead to a reduction in the heavy incidence of school arson.

  The Arson Prevention Bureau has recently published its first annual review, and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Police Cells
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of(a) men and (b) women being held in police cells at police stations in England and Wales on 8 June.
  378
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On Monday 8 June there were 1,242 men and 18 women being held in police cells in England and Wales who should otherwise have been in prison.

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of police stations in Northumbria that are holding prisoners on remand; and how many are being held at each station.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The table shows police stations in Northumbria where prisoners who should otherwise have been in prison were being held on Wednesday 10 June.

  Police station

  Number of prisoners

  Alnwick

  2

  Byker

  7

  Whitley Bay

  4

  Forest Hall

  1

  Cramlington

  5

  Gateshead

  8

  Jarrow

  3

  Sunderland

  12

  Total

  42

  Caravans (Theft)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many thefts(a) of caravans and (b) from caravans were reported to the police in each year from 1974 to date in (i) England and (ii) north Yorkshire.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Murder
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to set up a royal commission on the issue of provocation as it applies to women using it as a defence against murder charges.

  Mr. Jack
  There are no such plans, but this branch of the criminal law is kept under careful review.

  EC Proposals
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the experts his Department consults on European Community proposals relating to security and immigration matters.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Co-operation among the Twelve on these matters generally takes place outside the framework of the treaty of Rome. In considering proposals, the Home Office consults closely with other interested Departments and with the police service as well as relying on its own expertise.

  North Wales Police
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to make his decision concerning the application by the North Wales police for 58 police posts for 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The North Wales application, together with applications from 40 other police
  379
  authorities, is being considered in the light of advice from Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary. The announcement of approved increases for individual forces is usually made in the autumn.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to visit the headquarters of the North Wales police.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so at present.

  Departmental Environment Policies
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government are appointing a Minister within each Department to take particular responsibility for environmental aspects of the Department's policies and programmes. A list of nominated Ministers will be announced shortly.

  Blakenhurst Prison
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government are yet in a position to make a statement about the standard of service which will be expected of a private sector company contracted to run Blakenhurst prison.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Work has now been completed on the specification for the operation of Blakenhurst prison under private sector management and for the selection and training requirements for prisoner custody officers. This forms part of the invitation to tender issued to the potential contractors and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. A draft order to extend contracting-out to prisons holding sentenced prisoners has been laid and the House will shortly have an opportunity to debate the matter. Subject to parliamentary approval, and the receipt of satisfactory tenders which offer value for money, we would aim to award a contract in the autumn with a view to Blakenhurst becoming operational next spring.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Cardiac Surgery
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will indicate the number of patients each health and social services board in Northern Ireland intends to send to(a) Great Britain and (b) elsewhere for cardiac surgery during the current year; what is the average cost per patient from each board area; and what is the average cost per patient in the present year for such surgery in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  The number of patients for whom boards have already negotiated contracts for treatment in Great Britain for cardiac surgery in 1992–93 is as follows:380

  Board

  Number

  Northern

  30

  Southern

  26

  Eastern

  20

  Western

  30

  Further patients may be sent to Great Britain later in the year, but details are not yet available. They are not likely to send any patients outside the United Kingdom for cardiac surgery this year.

  It is not possible to provide a meaningful average cost for each patient since the cost is influenced by a number of factors which vary from patient to patient. These factors include the severity and type of cardiac disease, the amount of clinical re-assessment which may be necessary before the operation, and the volume of patients for whom a particular contract is being negotiated. On this basis, average costs vary from £3,500 to £5,000 per patient.

  Cardiac surgery performed in Northern Ireland, is only carried out at the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast and the average costs per patient this year are likely to be around £ 6,800.

  Lignite Reserves
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the private sector will be given the opportunity to develop Ballymoney lignite reserves.

  Mr. Atkins
  A prospecting licence for the Ballymoney lignite field is held by Meekatharra (NI) Ltd. Any development of the field would require a mining licence and planning permission. No application for either has been received.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assurances have been given to the owners of power stations in Northern Ireland with regard to the future utilisation of lignite reserves at Ballymoney for generating electricity.

  Mr. Atkins
  None.

  Council Tenants
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he intends to introduce into Northern Ireland the cash incentive scheme to provide grants for council tenants to buy homes.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have no plans to do so.

  Caravans
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will give urgent consideration to introducing legislation which will give(a) greater tenancy security for caravan owners or leaseholders on licensed caravan sites and (b) greater protection against financial exploitation arising from rental increases by site owners or managers.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have no plans to do so.

  Road Schemes
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show the major capital road schemes programmed in the year 1988
  381
  for the years (a) 1988–89, (b) 1989–90, (c) 1990–91, (d) 1991–92 and (e) 1992–93; how many of those schemes were dropped in each subsequent year; and which ones have been (i) started and (ii) completed up to the latest available date.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information requested is as follows:

  Financial year and proposed scheme

  Started

  Completed

  Start date

  1988–89

  A26 Antrim/Ballymena dualling: stage 1

  Completed

  —

  A57/B101 Oldstone road

  Completed

  —

  Eastlink Dundonald

  Completed

  —

  Longwood road, Newtonabbey

  Completed

  —

  Castlecourt, Belfast

  Completed

  —

  Buncrana road, Londonderry

  Dropped

  —

  Banbridge bypass dualling

  Completed

  —

  Newry 8A (Canal street/Downshire road link)

  Completed

  —

  Balloo road, Bangor: stage 2

  Completed

  —

  Omagh through-pass: stage 1

  Completed

  —

  1989–90

  Federick street, Belfast

  Completed

  —

  Greenmount link, roundabout, Coleraine

  Completed

  —

  Crossnadonnell, Limavady

  Completed

  —

  Strand road, Londonderry

  Completed

  —

  Culmore road, Londonderry

  Completed

  —

  Bridge street/Tavanagh avenue. Portadown

  Completed

  —

  Dunmurry bypass: stage 2C

  Completed

  —

  A48 Donaghdee road, Vewtownards

  Completed

  —

  T4 Hillsborough bypass junction

  Completed

  —

  Strabane bypass: stage 1

  —

  1989–90

  Church street/Scotch street, Downpatrick

  —

  1993–94

  1990–91

  Castledawson bypass

  Completed

  —

  Belfast schemes arising from Belfast urban area Plan

  —

  1994–95

  Greenmount link, Coleraine: stages 3 and 4

  —

  1995–96

  Bushmills road, Coleraine

  Completed

  —

  T4 Mullan's Corner dualling

  Completed

  —

  Dunmurry bypass: stage 2D

  Completed

  —

  Enniskillen through-pass: stage 3B

  Completed

  —

  High street/Hamilton road, Bangor

  —

  1991–92

  1991–92

  Killead Bypass

  —

  1995–96

  A26 Antrim/Ballymena dualling: stage 2

  —

  1995–96

  Belfast schemes arising from Belfast urban Plan

  —

  1994–95

  Strand road, Londonderry: stage 2

  —

  1995–96

  Newry bypass: stage 2

  —

  1993–94

  North road/Talbot street, Newtownards

  Dropped

  —

  Comber bypass: stage 2

  —

  1995–96

  1992–93

  Northern distributor Ballymena

  —

  1995–96

  Belfast schemes arising from Belfast urban area Plan

  —

  1994–95

  Queens Quay, Londonderry

  —

  1991–92

  Newry bypass: stage 3

  —

  1993–94

  Pond park, Lisburn

  —

  1—

  Omagh through-pass: stage 2

  —

  1994–95

  A29 Carland Bridge

  —

  1996–97

  1 Not in current 5-year programme.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to include financial incentives for investment in energy efficiency in the proposed electricity privatisation in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Atkins
  The transmission and public electricity supply licence published on 31 March 1992, contains a number of financial incentives to encourage NIE plc to promote energy efficiency. The most significant of these is the imposition of a total revenue cap on NIE plc's transmission and distribution business. Copies of the licence are available in the Library.

  Schools
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils are at each of(a) the primary and (b) the secondary schools in the constituency of Strangford in (i) the maintained, (ii) the controlled and (iii) the integrated sectors of education.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:

  Numbers

  PRIMARY SCHOOLS

  Maintained

  St. Anne's Donaghadee

  36

  St. Finian's Newtownards

  218

  St. Mary's Ballygowan

  61

  St. Mary's Comber

  33

  St. Mary's Kircubbin

  217

  St. Mary's Portaferry

  334

  St. Patrick's Portaferry

  76

  Controlled

  Abbey, Newtownards

  395

  Alexander Dickson, Newtownards

  181

  Andrews Memorial, Comber

  500

  Ballykeigle, Comber

  62

  Ballyvester, Donaghadee

  82

  Ballywalter, Newtownards

  138

  Belvoir, Belfast

  319

  Braniel, Belfast

  353

  Cairnshall, Newtownbreda

  383

  Carrickmannon, Ballygowan

  78

  Carrowdore, Newtownards

  131

  Castle Gardens, Newtownards

  489

  Comber, Newtownards

  411

  Cottown, Bangor

  35

  Donaghadee, Donaghadee

  405

  Greyabbey, Newtownards

  67

  Killinchy, Comber

  232

  Kircubbin, Newtownards

  54

  Kirkistown, Cloughey

  41

  Leadhill, Belfast

  172

  Londonderry Model, Newtownards

  278

  Loughries, Newtownards

  81

  Millisle, Newtownards

  187

  Moneyrea, Newtownards

  136

  Newtownards Model, Newtownards

  361

  Newtownbreda, Belfast

  212

  O'Neill Memorial, Belfast

  44

  Portaferry, Newtownards

  48

  Portavogie, Newtownards

  172

  Victoria, Newtownards

  584

  Victoria, Ballyhalbert

  98

  West Winds, Newtownards

  215

  SECONDARY SCHOOLS

  Maintained

  St. Columba's Portaferry

  380

  383

  Numbers

  Controlled

  Comber, Newtownards

  523

  Donaghadee, Donaghadee

  515

  Movilla, Newtownards

  645

  Scrabo, Newtownards

  396

  GRAMMAR SCHOOL

  Controlled

  Regent House, Newtownards

  1,587

  GRANT-MAINTAINED INTEGRATED

  Lagan College, Belfast

  730

  Notes:

  1. Enrolment figures are taken from the annual school census, completed at January 1992.

  2. Pupils enrolled in nursery classes in the primary schools are included in the enrolment figures.

  Widgery Tribunal
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations the Government have received in 1992 concerning the 1972 Widgery tribunal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mates
  The Prime Minister has received one letter from the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) calling for the Widgery tribunal's findings to be re-examined. The previous and present Secretary of State for Northern Ireland received two similar letters. In
  addition, a number of letters on the general subject of "Bloody Sunday" have been received.

  Departmental Environment Policies
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person Was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have recently been appointed as the Minister for these policies within Northern Ireland. I am now taking forward the policies outlined in the White Paper on "This Common Inheritance" and the first-year report on that White Paper, as they relate to Northern Ireland.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the current number of applications still outstanding for disabled living allowance on 1 April, 1 May and 1 June, together with the weekly average for that period of(a) applications submitted and (b) applications cleared.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.
  384
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what measures his Department are considering to simplify the application procedures for the disability working allowance, disability living allowance and attendance allowance;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the effect on the take-up of benefits of the design of the application forms for disability living allowance and disability working allowances.

  Mr. Scott
  The introduction of the new claims process for disability living allowance, attendance allowance and disability working allowance has been widely welcomed by both disabled people and their organisations as better meeting the needs of disabled people and putting greater reliance on what they have to say about their own disabilities. Nevertheless, we are monitoring closely the effectiveness of the claim packs and process.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals have been heard by the disability appeal tribunals to date; what percentage of these have concerned(a) disability living allowance care component and (b) disability living allowance mobility component; and how many more are listed for hearing.

  Mr. Scott
  I have been informed by the office of the president of the Independent Tribunal Service that up to 10 June 1,436 appeals have been heard by disability appeal tribunals. These were all mobility allowance appeals.

  On 8 June there were 317 cases listed for hearing.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of income support were repaying social fund loans during March; and how many of these were(a) under 60 years, (b) over 60 years and (c) in receipt of a disability premium.

  Mr. Scott
  The information available is in the table. It is not possible to isolate the figures for income support recipients alone.

  Number

  Total loans being repaid

  589,758

  Loans being repaid by people under 60 (including)people in receipt of Disability Premium)

  571,911

  Loans being repaid by people over 60

  17,847

  Loans being repaid by people in receipt of Disability Premium

  33,857

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Moray of 8 June,Official Report, column 6, what was the 1992–93 social fund allocation; what was the total of social fund payments made in 1991–92, adjusted for inflation; and what is the difference between the estimated monthly social fund expenditures for 1992–93 and those of March 1992 expenditures.

  Mr. Scott
  Information about 1991–92 was contained in my reply to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 2 June at column 481. Details of social fund discretionary budget allocations and discretionary monthly expenditure are in the Library. Monthly expenditure for 1992–93 will not be known until the end of the financial year.
  385
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing(a) the gross and (b) the net social fund budget on a per capita basis of the number of income support claimants in (i) cash and (ii) real terms for the years 1988–89, 1989–90, 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Scott
  Information on social fund expenditure in relation to income support caseload is in the table, except for 1992–93 for which information will not be available until the end of the year. Any comparison between net expenditure in 1988–89 and subsequent years should take into account the substantial additional expenditure made possible by the recycling of money received from loan repayments since 1988–89, as reflected within the higher gross amounts.

  Social Fund Expenditure Per Capita of Income Support Caseload

  1988–89

  1989–90

  11991–92

  £

  £

  £

  Gross

  46.64

  57.76

  70.12

  Gross 1992–93 Prices1

  60.14

  69.87

  73.28

  Net

  35.27

  31.53

  39.97

  Net 1992–93 Prices1

  45.47

  38.14

  40.97

  1 Provisional

  Real terms figures have been calculated using the current GDP deflator and may alter.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the administrative cost is as a proportion of expenditure on the social fund for each year since its inception, including a forecast for 1992–93.

  Mr. Scott
  Information on social fund expenditure and administration costs for 1988–89 to 1990–91 is in the Library. Details of administration costs for 1991–92 are not yet available. No forecast has been made for 1992–93.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to publish the study into the social fund commissioned from the University of York's social policy research unit.

  Mr. Scott
  We expect the report to be published before the summer recess.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many disability living allowance claims have been refused as a result of the application not being made within the three-month qualifying period; and what information is sent to people whose claims are unsuccessful for this reason.

  Mr. Scott
  There have been no such cases. An application for disability living allowance may be made at any time. If the three-month qualifying period has not been completed at the date of application, provided the adjudication officer is satisfied that the customer meets the conditions of entitlement, an award may be made from the earliest date that it is completed.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many reviews for attendance allowance are outstanding as a result of the introduction of disability living allowance; and what is the target time for the processing of these reviews.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of attendance allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of 386
  the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the target of clearing 60 per cent. of disability living allowance claims within 30 days is now being met.

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

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the estimate in the 1990 White Paper "The Way Ahead" of the number of people that would benefit from the lower rate of disability living allowance for care or mobility costs has been met.

  Mr. Scott
  That estimate was for 1993–94. It is too soon to measure performance against such longer term targets.

  Independent Living Fund
  Sir John Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people received help from the independent living fund during 1991–92; what was the average weekly amount awarded; and what was the total number of applications received during 1991–92, the percentage refused and reasons for refusal respectively.

  Mr. Scott
  At the end of March 1992 the independent living fund was paying 13,670 people. In addition, 1,132 people had ceased to receive payments during the year, giving a total of 14,802 people who received help from the fund during 1991–92.

  The average weekly payment was £76 in April 1991 and rose to £95 at the end of March 1992.

  The total number of applications received during 1991–92 was 16,677. Of these, 32.3 per cent.—5,385—were rejected, primarily because (a) the applicant had sufficient income to meet care costs; (b) the applicant had capital in excess of £8,000; (c) the applicant was not in receipt of higher rate attendance allowance; (d) the request was not one with which the fund could help.

  Benefits (Young People)
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what benefits are available to a young person without a permanent home who is not on a youth training scheme.

  Mr. Burt
  Such a person may be entitled to the same benefits as those listed in my reply to the hon. Member on 9 June at column 135, though hosing benefit would depend upon the young person becoming liable to pay rent.

  EC Proposals
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the experts his Department consults on European Community proposals relating to social security matters.

  Mr. Burt
  We consult a wide range of experts in various fields, depending on the nature of individual proposals.
  387
  Consultations take place with employers' organisations, pension experts, voluntary organisations, medical experts, the Industrial Injuries Advisory Committee and other specialists as appropriate.

  Pension Age
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on changes in pension age under consideration by the Government.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) on 8 June at column 53.

  Compensation Recovery Unit
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what amount was recouped by the Compensation Recovery Unit in its first 19 months of operation; what this was as an annual rate; what was the estimate of the annual rate made by Touche Ross in its report to the DSS in 1987, adjusted for inflation; and what was the estimate of this figure made by the Government when the 1989 Bill was introduced, adjusted for inflation.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Between September 1990 and March 1992 the compensation recovery unit recouped over £29 million, rising to over £32 million by April 1992. Further rises are expected. In annual terms receipts were equivalent to about £15 million in the first 19 months, or over £25 million in 1991–92.

  In introducing the new legislation the Government used the 1987 figures compiled by Touche Ross as a broad indication of the likely level of receipts. The consultants estimated that once all cases subject to the old arrangements had been settled and if a small payment limit —SPL— of £1,500 was set, the value of recoverable benefits under a new scheme would probably range up from about £37 million—about £51 million at March 1992 prices. This forecast was subsequently revised downwards when a higher SPL of £2,500 was introduced for the commencement of the scheme.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the running costs of the compensation recovery unit by the end of 1991; and what these costs were as a percentage of the receipts of that unit for the same period.

  Mr. Burt
  The administrative costs of the compensation recovery unit from its inception in early 1990 until the end of 1991 were £3.8 million including start-up costs, or about 19 per cent. of total receipts. During the financial year 1991–92 running costs were £2 million or about 8 per cent. of total receipts. This percentage is expected to fall further over the next few years as receipts rise much faster than running costs.

  Income Statistics
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the weekly income of an unemployed person including child care benefit but excluding tax, in(a) 1979 and (b) 1992; and what this income would be if it had risen in line with (i) prices and (ii) earnings.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is in the table. The assumptions used are the same as those in the published 388
  tax/benefit model tables. The family type illustrated is that of a married man with a non-working wife and two children aged four and six.

  The figures given are for total net income, after housing costs, on supplementary benefit income support. This gives a full picture of the income for this family type. including child benefit and any entitlement to out-of-work income-related benefits.

  £ per week

  Total net income 1979

  37.15

  Total net income 1992

  108.58

  1979 figure uprated to 1992 by prices

  94.97

  1979 figure uprated to 19921 by earnings

  124.93

  1 In order to uprate for earnings, a whole economy, seasonally adjusted figure has been used. The latest available is March 1992.

  Departmental Environment Policies
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Lord Henley, was appointed the Department's environmental Minister in September 1990.

  The Department is committed to making the fullest possible contribution to achieving the aims of the environment White Paper "This Common Inheritance". This includes having in place by the end of 1992 a departmental "environmental housekeeping" strategy.

  The strategy statement, currently in preparation, will set out the Department's policy for the use of its resources, designed to ensure that full account is taken of the needs of the environment.

  The Department is participating in the Government's campaign to reduce their energy consumption by 15 per cent. over the five years 1991 to 1996. In doing so we will reduce the Department's CO2 production from the 1990–91 calculated figure of 202,000 tonnes. A total of £600,000 has been made available for investing in energy efficiency measures during 1992–93. This will enable offices to introduce energy and water saving devices. We are currently preparing departmental publicity about the need to conserve water. An article covering environmental issues appeared in the February 1992 edition of the DSS quarterly journal.

  We are committed to ensuring that our purchasing activities take environmental considerations fully into account. To this end we will promote the use of "environmentally friendly" materials, processes and products in the goods and services we purchase.

  We will continue to encourage more economical and effective use of paper in the Department and the use of recycled paper products where practicable and cost effective.

  It is the Department's policy to purchase only diesel vehicles and to fit remaining petrol vehicles with catalytic convertors.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of income support received reduced benefits in 1991 as a consequence of their receipt, or receipt by members of their family, of criminal injuries compensation.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. I understand that the information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  There is, however, a special rule in all the income-related benefits—income support, family credit, housing benefit, community charge benefit and disability working allowance—which provides that compensation payments arising from a personal or criminal injury which are placed on trust are disregarded indefinitely. In addition, payments can be made out of the trust in a wide range of circumstances without affecting the injured person's entitlement to benefit.

  Keith Hamilton
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the Benefits Agency will make a statement on the delays in Keith Hamilton's case, ref. PW 308877B.

  Mr. Scott
  Following the successful application for a review, full arrears of attendance allowance were sent on 3 June 1992. I understand that Mr. Michael Bichard. the chief executive of the Benefits Agency wrote to the lion. Member on 11 June 1992 confirming this, explaining the reasons for and expressing his regret at the delays.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate has been made of the cost to the Benefits Agency arising from the implementation of paragraph I I of the recent legal aid circular to justices' clerks.

  Mr. Burt
  I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that he is not yet in a position to provide an estimate. The matter is being discussed with the Lord Chancellor's Department.

  Information Disclosure
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances the Benefits Agency will disclose information concerning an individual's benefit entitlement to a third party.

  Mr. Burt
  The information about individuals held in the Benefits Agency's records, including details of benefits paid, is treated as strictly confidential and is not normally released to a third party without the consent of the person concerned. Benefits Agency staff can disclose information to people representing the individual, for example solicitors or advice workers acting on a claimant's behalf.

  The agency is bound by the Data Protection Act 1984, and holds its records in accordance with the principles set out in the Act. In accordance with this Act there are occasions when information may be disclosed without the permission of the individual concerned, for example:
  390

  (a) because the court has made an order;

  (b) when it is in the public interest for the information to be disclosed, for example to the police to assist with the investigation of a serious crime;

  (c) to social services or a welfare body because someone is at risk;

  (d) to another Government Department or public body when this is necessary to safeguard public funds.

  WALES

    Mortgage Repossessions
    Mr. Rowlands
    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate his Department has of the number of mortgage repossessions(a) in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney and (b) in Wales since December 1991.

    Mr. Gwilym Jones
    Information on the number of possessions in the United Kingdom for the half year to June 1992 will be published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders during the summer. The data for the same period from the Lord Chancellor's Department, giving the number of orders made as a result of mortgage possession actions by courts in Wales, will also be available then.

    For England and Wales as a whole, the council estimates that measures taken since December will save some 55,000 possessions 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.

    Departmental Environment Policies
    Mr. Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. David Hunt
    I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given earlier today by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

    Hospital Beds
    Ms. Harman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the hospitals in Wales which had consultant obstetric or general practitioner maternity beds in 1990–91, and give the numbers of beds of each type in each hospital.

    Mr. Gwilym Jones
    The information is given in the table:

    NHS hospitals in Wales with consultant obstetric or general practitioner maternity beds.

    Hospital

    Average daily available beds

    Obstetrics

    GP Maternity

    HM Stanley

    52.00

    0.00

    Ysbyty Maelor

    53.08

    0.00

    Chirk

    0.00

    2.25

    Catherine Gladstone

    0.00

    8.00

    Bronglais

    16.00

    0.00

    West Wales General

    32.00

    0.00

    Nevill Hall

    46.02

    9.99

    Royal Gwent

    81.00

    6.96

    St. David's Bangor

    61.00

    0.00

    Stanley Sailors

    0.00

    4.50

    Bryn Beryl

    0.00

    4.77

    Dolgellau and Barmouth

    0.00

    7.00

    391

    Hospital

    Average daily available beds

    Obstetrics

    GP Maternity

    Towyn

    0.00

    3.00

    Princess of Wales

    41.80

    0.00

    East Glamorgan

    44.00

    0.00

    Llwynypia

    11.45

    0.00

    Merthyr General

    25.00

    0.00

    Aberdare

    25.00

    5.00

    Caerphilly and District

    40.00

    0.00

    Brecon War Memorial

    0.00

    6.00

    Llandrindod Wells

    0.00

    4.00

    Builth Cottage

    0.00

    3.00

    Knighton

    0.00

    2.00

    Machynlleth and District

    0.00

    2.00

    Llanidloes

    0.00

    5.00

    Victoria Memorial

    0.00

    8.00

    Montgomery County Infirmary

    0.00

    4.50

    University Hospital of Wales

    70.67

    0.00

    St. David's, Cardiff

    3.69

    0.12

    Llandough

    62.29

    0.00

    Gorseinon

    11.68

    0.00

    Morriston

    75.38

    0.00

    Neath General

    37.93

    0.00

    Employment2 by industry and ethnic origin: average spring 1989–91

    Persons in employment2 aged 16 and over

    Great Britain thousands

    Men

    Women

    SIC 19803

    West Indian-Guyanese

    Indian

    Pakistani-Bangladeshi

    All other ethnic minority groups6

    West Indian-Guyanese

    Indian

    Pakistani-Bangladeshi

    All other ethnic minority groups6

    All industries4

    108

    205

    100

    167

    109

    133

    27

    124

    0

    Agriculture, forestry, fishing

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    Energy and water supply

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    2

    Extraction of minerals, metal manufacture, etc.

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    3

    Metal goods, engineering and vehicles

    17

    30

    12

    15

    1

    11

    1

    1

    4

    Other manufacturing

    1

    22

    20

    10

    1

    24

    1

    1

    44-45

    Footwear, clothing and leather goods

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    11

    1

    1

    5

    Construction

    11

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    6

    Distribution, hotels, catering and repairs

    18

    62

    35

    53

    17

    35

    1

    35

    61-63

    Wholesale distribution

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    64-65

    Retail distribution

    10

    43

    16

    18

    10

    25

    1

    14

    66

    Hotels and catering

    1

    1

    16

    27

    1

    1

    1

    18

    7

    Transport and communications

    19

    23

    11

    11

    1

    1

    1

    1

    79

    Postal services and telecommunications

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    8

    Banking and finance, etc.

    10

    20

    1

    21

    11

    17

    1

    14

    83

    Business services

    1

    13

    1

    13

    1

    1

    1

    1

    9

    Other services

    19

    29

    1

    43

    61

    34

    1

    53

    91

    Public administration, national defence, etc.

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    93

    Education

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    1

    95

    Medical-health-veterinary services

    1

    12

    1

    12

    26

    12

    1

    20

    96

    Other services to the public5

    1

    1

    1

    10

    17

    1

    1

    14

    Source: Labour Force Surveys three-year average.

    1 Less than 10,000 in cell: estimate not shown.

    2Excluding those on Government employment and training programmes.

    3 Results are shown for all SIC divisions, and for classes accounting for at least 30,000 persons from ethnic minority groups.

    4 The totals include those who did not specify industry.

    5Comprises all other public services excluding sanitary, research and development, recreational and domestic services.

    6Excludes whites; includes those of mixed origin.

    Youth Training
    Mr. Byers
    To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the allowances paid to people on youth training were last increased.
    392

    Hospital

    Average daily available beds

    Obstetrics

    GP Maternity

    Withybush

    31.05

    8.95

    TOTAL

    821.04

    95.04

  EMPLOYMENT

    Labour Statistics
    Mr. Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of state for Employment if, further to her answer of 21 May,Official Report columns 249-50, she will provide a breakdown of employment by industry and ethnic origin for (a) men and (b) women broken down into (i) West Indian-Guyanese, (ii) Indian, (iii) Pakistani-Bangladeshi and (iv) all other origins.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    The available estimates are given in the table.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    The minimum youth training allowance for 16-year-olds was increased to £29.50 per week from 4 July 1988, and for those aged 17 and above has been £35.00 since 1 April 1986.
    393
    Mr. Byers
    To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she has any plans to increase the level of allowance to those on YT.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    There are no plans to increase the minimum levels of the YT allowance. Employers benefit considerably from their participation in YT, and are therefore strongly encouraged to supplement the minimum allowances.

    Departmental Environment Policies
    Mr. Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of her Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions her Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

    Employment Action
    Mr. Worthington
    To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been placed on employment action in Scotland in each of the months since the scheme started.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    The table shows the number of people in Scotland receiving employment action allowances as at each count date, plus the number starting to receive an allowance in the month ending at each count date since the programme started.

    Date of Count

    Allowance Starts in Month

    Receiving Allowances on the Count Date

    10 October 1991

    0

    0

    14 November 1991

    69

    66

    12 December 1991

    213

    263

    9 January 1992

    132

    381

    13 February 1992

    563

    842

    12 March 1992

    510

    1,214

    9 April 1992

    559

    1,535

    14 May 1992

    550

    1,789

    Source: The Employment Service.

    Advertising
    Mr. Dobson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the answer of 2 June,Official Report, columns 469-70, if she will make a statement on the reasons for her Department's spending on advertising and promotion being expected to fall between 1991–92 and 1992–93.

    Mr. Michael Forsyth
    [holding answer 12 June 1992]: Advertising and publicity expenditure, subject to the Department's overall public expenditure survey settlement, is determined for each financial year on the basis of prevailing requirements to publicise the services and advice provided by the Department.
    394
    Expenditure for 1991–92 included two major advertising campaigns, (a) the training and enterprise council training campaign to publicise the role and existence of the new network of training and enterprise councils and (b) the "Just the Job" campaign to inform unemployed people about the range of help and advice available through the Employment Service. No major advertising campaigns are planned by the Department during 1992–93.

  TRANSPORT

    M65
    Mr. Gordon Prentice
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans the Government have to extend the M65 eastwards.

    Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
    The Department has no such plans.

    M3
    Mr. Milligan
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects that the M3 will be completed with the final section through Twyford Down.

    Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
    Subject to the main contract starting this autumn, the final section of the M3 between Bar End, Winchester and Compton is planned to be completed by autumn 1994.

    Public Transport (VAT)
    Mr. Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the effect on total passenger miles travelled on public transport of the imposition of(a) a 5 per cent. and (b) a 17.5 per cent. VAT rate on public transport fares; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Freeman
    I have made no detailed assessment of the effects of the imposition of value added tax on public transport passenger mileage. Agreement reached by Finance Ministers enables us to maintain our existing zero rates.

    Market Testing
    Mr. McAllion
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all those functions and areas in his Department and associated agencies that have been identified for market testing in the wake of the White Paper "Competing for Quality".

    Mr. Norris
    My right hon. Friend expects shortly to complete his consideration of the proposals before him and the programme will then be announced.

    Motor Cycles
    Mr. Cryer
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he intends to introduce stage 2 noise limits on motor cycles under the relevant EEC directive; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
    Yes. It is the policy of the Government that motor cycle manufacturers should keep up with the rest of the motor industry by designing vehicles that use the most modern technology to reduce noise at source.
    395
    Mr. Cryer
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to stop the sale of motor cycle exhaust systems which are labelled not for road use.

    Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
    Regulation 57(4) of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 already provides that a motor cycle shall not be used on a road if it is fitted with an exhaust system marked with the words "not for road use" or words to the like effect. Section 76(3) of the Road Traffic Act 1988 makes it an offence to sell or supply an exhaust system which contravenes this regulation, the maximum penalty for which is £1,000. The Government have no plans to extend the on-road prohibition to off-road use where it would adversely affect machines used in competition.

    EC Proposals
    Mr. Barnes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the experts his Department consults on European Community proposals relating to transport matters.

    Mr. Norris
    The Department does not have a fixed list of experts which it consults on European Community proposals. Experts are consulted as and when necessary: the total number is large, and a list could not be assembled except at disproportionate cost.

    Roads, London
    Ms. Ruddock
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list each scheme in his Department's current programme, together with the cost at current prices, for(a) junction improvements in the Greater London area, (b) other road improvements in the Greater London area and (c) new roads in the Greater London area.

    Mr. Norris
    The trunk road major improvement programme for London is as follows:

    1Cost £ million

    (a) Junctions

    A2 Kidbrooke Park road interchange

    7.0

    A3 Robin Hood Gate junction

    27.4

    A3 Hook interchange improvement

    11.5

    A4 Henlys corner/Waggoners corner junction improvement

    9.6

    A12 Eastern avenue/Whalebone lane junction improvement

    3.9

    Al2/Al27 Gallows corner intersection improvement

    1.3

    A13/A112 Prince Regents lane

    36.9

    A13/A117 junction

    28.5

    A13 Butcher row junction improvement

    1.3

    A13 West India Dock road junction improvement (interim)

    3.3

    A13 West India Dock road junction improvement (final)

    1.4

    A13 Blackwall tunnel/Cotton street junctions

    3.0

    Al3 Movers lane junction improvement

    24.3

    A40 Long lane junction improvement

    40.2

    A40 Gipsy corner junction

    35.9

    A40 Western circus junction improvement

    37.3

    A406 Golders Green road junction

    24.5

    A406 Regent's Park road junction improvement

    70.1

    M1 Junction I improvement

    5.1

    M4 Junction 4 and 4A improvement

    14.8

    (b) Other road improvement

    A406 Popes lane/Western avenue

    83.4

    A406 Hanger lane to Harrow road

    111.7

    396

    1Cost £ million

    A406 Ironbridge to Neasden improvement

    5.3

    A406 East of Falloden way—Finchley high road

    57.6

    A406 Bounds Green/Green lanes improvement

    133.4

    A406 Dysons road/Hall lane

    48.3

    A406 East of Silver street A1010

    29.8

    A406 Chingford road to Hale End road

    117.4

    Al3 Ironbridge to Canning Town improvement

    50.7

    A40 Long lane—West End road improvement

    4.6

    A205 Catford town centre improvement

    9.5

    (c) New roads

    Al/M1 Link—Scratchwood

    33.0

    Al2 Hackney Wick to M11 link

    180.6

    A13 Heathway—Wennington

    170.0

    A23 Coulsdon inner relief road

    19.0

    A102 Blackwall tunnel spur

    39.0

    A102 Blackwall tunnel third bore

    105.0

    A406 East London river crossing

    283.1

    1 Works and land but excluding VAT.

    Ms. Ruddock
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money was spent in each year since 1979 on(a) new road building and (b) road improvements in the Greater London area; and what is the planned expenditure for the next five years.

    Mr. Norris
    Spend on major trunk road schemes, excluding land, in London from 1982–83 onwards is given in the table.

    Year

    £ million

    1982–83

    30.4

    1983–84

    20.7

    1984–85

    19.7

    1985–86

    54.3

    1986–87

    85.1

    1987–88

    88.0

    1988–89

    61.7

    1989–90

    118.9

    1990–91

    138.9

    1991–92

    134.1

    1992–93

    123.3

    To provide earlier figures or the breakdown requested between new construction and improvements would involve disproportionate costs. The forecast expenditure for the current year is £123.3 million. Decisions about expenditure in the future have still to be taken.

    Departmental Environment Policies
    Mr. Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of Sate for Transport who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications for all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. MacGregor
    The Government are again appointing a Minister within each Department to take particular responsibility for environmental aspects of that Department's policies and programmes. A list of nominated Ministers will he announced shortly. I shall be the nominated Minister for my Department.

    Plutonium
    Mr. Flynn
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assistance his Department has provided to British Nuclear Fuels in its development of transport flasks for the air carriage of plutonium.

    Mr. Norris
    None. The development of such flasks is the responsibility of British Nuclear Fuels. The Department's function is to assess the designs against the provisions of the International Atomic Energy Agency's regulations for the safe transport of radioactive material.

  ENVIRONMENT

    Local Government Commission
    Mr. Pike
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to announce the membership of the commission to be established to deal with local government re-organisation; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Redwood
    I am inviting the following people to serve as members of the Local Government Commission under the chairmanship of Sir John Banham:

    David Ansbro

    Professor Michael Chisholm

    Ken Ennals

    Brian Hill

    Councillor Mary Leigh

    Ann Levick

    Robert Scruton

    Clive Wilkinson

    Baroness Wilcox

    This is a strong, independent commission with a balanced membership covering a wide range of interests and experience. We intend to announce further members of the commission very shortly.

    Endangered Species
    Mr. Dafis
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what efforts have been made by his Department to encourage greater adherence to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species by other countries.

    Mr. Maclean
    The convention's secretariat bears the primary responsibility for ensuring that the requirements of the convention are met. Within the European Community, the European Commission is responsible for ensuring adherence to the EC regulation which implements the convention. We draw evidence of any apparent problems to the attention of the country concerned and either the secretariat or commission as appropriate. We introduce any trade restrictions which the secretariat recommends to encourage compliance.

    We are also very active in promoting improvements in the quality of implementation. We asked the European Commission last October to propose substantially stricter controls within the Community and this they have done. Further, with our EC partners, we have taken 1,400 decisions since 1984 to suspend trade in particular species from particular countries because we were not satisfied with their assessments of its impact. At the conference of the parties to the convention in March, we pressed successfully for similar action to be taken world wide. Further, we played a leading part at the conference in
    398
    introducing measures to ensure compliance with the convention's transport requirement by providing for suspensions of trade in birds suffering high mortality in transit.

    Mr. Dafis
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to encourage the special protection of endangered species travelling on migration routes which are not included in officially designated protected areas.

    Mr. Maclean
    The Government already support the protection of endangered migratory species, both nationally and internationally. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 gives strict protection to endangered migratory birds and mammals in Great Britain. The United Kingdom has participated actively since 1985 as a party to the international convention on the conservation of migratory species of wild animals, known as the Bonn convention. At present the United Kingdom holds the chairmanship of the standing committee of the convention.

    In addition, the United Kingdom sponsored negotiations under the Bonn convention of an agreement on the conservation of bats in Europe. The agreement was concluded during the third conference of the parties to the convention in Geneva in September 1991. The United Kingdom signed the bats agreement when it was opened for signature in London on 4 December 1991 and my Department is providing its secretariat.

    The United Kingdom delegation played a leading role in the conclusion at the same conference of an agreement on the conservation of small cetaceans of the Baltic and North seas. The agreement was signed by the United Kingdom on 16 April this year and my Department is financing its interim secretariat, based at the sea mammals research unit in Cambridge.

    The EC birds directive makes specific provision for the protection of migratory birds and their feeding grounds and the Government are implementing this by the designation of special protection areas (SPAs), now 52 in number, and through the indentification of potential SPAs, both of which receive protection under the planning system.

    Pollution
    Mr. Dafis
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by his Department in implementing(a) the polluter pays principle and (b) the user pays principle.

    Mr. Maclean
    The polluter pays principle is at the centre of the Government's approach to environmental policy. If the polluter pays the cost of meeting environmental controls, the user will also pay through the resulting increase in prices and charges.

    Public Inquiries
    Mr. Robert Banks
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many public inquiries, both public and with written representations, were held during the past year to the nearest convenient date and for each of the previous 10 years respectively.

    Mr. Baldry
    This is a matter for the chief executive and I have asked him to write to my hon. Friend.

    EC Proposals
    Mr. Barnes
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the experts his Department consults on European Community proposals relating to environmental matters.

    Mr. Maclean
    My Department consults as widely as necessary to ensure that European Community proposals are given full consideration.

    Departmental Environment Policies
    Mr. Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Howard
    The Government are again appointing a Minister within each Government Department to take particular responsibility for environmental aspects of that Department's policies and programmes. The list will be announced shortly.

    Mineral Planning
    Mr. Byers
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to amend mineral planning guidance note 3.

    Mr. Baldry
    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 May 1992 to the hon. Member for Stoke on Trent, North (Ms. Walley),Official Report, column 269.

    Orimulsion
    Mr. Hardy
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he will take to discourage the use of orimulsion for the purposes of steam-raising in Britain and the rest of the EC.

    Mr. Maclean
    Any proposed use of orimulsion is likely to arise within processes subject to integrated pollution control by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Such processes cannot be carried out without an authorisation. Authorisations must include conditions to ensure that the best available techniques not entailing excessive cost will be used to prevent or minimise the release of prescribed substances and for rendering any such releases harmless. My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans for other action in relation orimulsion.

    Mr. Hardy
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what levels or proportion of(a) sulphur and (b) other toxic or harmful substances are estimated to be released as a result of the combustion of orimulsion for the purposes of electricity generation according to the current proposals for its use.

    Mr. Maclean
    Although the burning of orimulsion produces significantly more sulphur dioxide and particulate matter than does, for example, that of heavy fuel oil. the quantities of pollutants ultimately released to the environment depend not only on the type of fuel used, but on the abatement techniques used to control releases.
    400
    The operation of combustion processes in which orimulsion is burnt require authorisation by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. In granting an authorisation, HMIP requires the best available techniques not entailing excessive cost (BATNEEC) to be used by the operator to prevent or reduce emissions from the process.

    Guidance on what constitutes BATNEEC together with the levels of releases achievable are set out in the chief inspector's guidance note to inspectors "Combustion Processes, Large Boilers and Furnaces 59MW(th) and Over", copies of which have been placed in the Library.

    Details of applications for, and any subsequent authorisations granted for all processes controlled by HMIP, are placed on the public registers held at HMIP regional offices which may he inspected by anyone, free of charge.

    Waste Management
    Mr. Flynn
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to decide on certificates of technical competence for the Waste Management Industry Training and Advisory Board; what representations he has received on the matter; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Maclean
    The proposal for certificates of technical competence for waste managers forms part of the new waste management licensing system under part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

    Powers exist in section 74 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for the Secretary of State to prescribe the qualifications and experience required of a person for the purposes of deciding whether the management of a waste site is to be in the hands of a technically competent person. As the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Blatch, announced in another place on 10 October 1990—Official Report, columns 289-90—the Department of the Environment commissioned the Waste Management industry Training and Advisory Board (WAMITAB) to prepare a system of waste management qualifications that might be so prescribed. WAMITAB delivered its report on these proposals in April this year.

    The only representations made to my Department about the WAMITAB proposals since they were submitted have come from WAMITAB itself. The proposals are being examined and will be further discussed with WAMITAB. When Ministers have reached a view on the suitability of WAMITAB's proposals, this will he announced and will form part of a wider public consultation on waste management licensing later this summer. Final decisions on certificates of technical competence will then be made, in the light of that public consultation, so that regulations giving effect to the decisions may be laid before Parliament. Subject to the emerging timetable for the proposed environment agency, it is intended to bring these regulations into force in April 1993.

    Earth Summit
    Mr. Flynn
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Nottingham. East of 5 June,Official Report, column 665, if he will set out (a) the number of officials from each Government Department in attendance at the Earth

    401
    summit, (b) the representation from the British diplomatic posts in Brazil and the Forestry Commission respectively, (c) the names of individuals and organisations holding observer status with the United Kingdom delegation and (d) the cost of supporting the United Kingdom delegation to the Rio conference and related events in Brazil.

    Mr. Maclean
    The United Kingdom delegation consisted of the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for the Environment, the Minister for Overseas Development, myself and 24 officials from the Department of the Environment, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Overseas Development Administration and the Department of Trade and Industry. In addition, there were five representatives from our diplomatic posts in Brazil and one official from the Forestry Commission.

    Eight junior support staff also attended the conference. The staff involved were needed to service not only the plenary sessions of the conference but the specialised sectoral working groups that were set up and where much of the detailed negotiating was done. Other staff were required to provide office support facilities and to liaise with the local authorities over such matters as transport and security.

    The 13 observers attached to the United Kingdom delegation were:

    Ann Clwyd - Opposition overseas aid spokesperson

    Richard Sandbrook - International Institute on Environment and Development

    Barry Coates—World Wide Fund for Nature

    Vicky Johnson—Action Aid

    Patricia Feeney—Oxfam Joan Davidson—Oxfam / Shared one place.

    Sir John Chatfield—Association of County Councils

    John Harman—Association of Metropolitan Authorities

    Rod Aspinwall—Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment

    Peter Bright—International Chamber of Commerce UK

    David Lea—Trade Union Congress

    Clare Ramsaran—United Nations Conference on Environment and Development for Youth

    Professor Iain Thornton—Imperial college

    Julie Hill—Green Alliance

    Graham Wynne—Royal Society for the Protection of Birds / Shared one place.

    The estimated cost of the delgation's travel and subsistence, including hotel costs will be about £190,000. Non-governmental organisations were responsible for their own travel and accommodation expenses.

    The estimated total administrative cost of the conference, including office facilities, transport and communications will be about £500,000.

    Nitrogen Dioxide
    Mr. Raynsford
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 9 June,Official Report, column 189, what steps are being taken by his Department to implement the recommendations of the report by Warren Spring Laboratory on nitrogen dioxide levels in the United Kingdom, and specifically the recommendations for more detailed monitoring using diffusion tubes and chemiluminescent monitors in London where the heaviest concentrations of nitrogen dioxide were found.

    Mr. Maclean
    My Department will be arranging, through Warren Spring Laboratory and with the help of the local authorities concerned, to continue national 402
    nitrogen dioxide monitoring with diffusion tubes on a permanent basis, and to enhance the level of detail in London and some other urban areas.

    Chemiluminescent monitoring is a much more expensive technique and is therefore less well suited to examining the patterns of nitrogen dioxide distribution within cities. Some expansion of nitrogen dioxide monitoring using this technique is none-the-less already planned and will be taken forward with the benefit of advice from the air quality of urban air review group, taking account of the report's recommendations.

    Coastal Zone
    Mr. Dafis
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is currently being undertaken by his Department in preparation for forthcoming EC legislation on coastal zone planning.

    Mr. Maclean
    [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The Environment Committee of the House of Commons for the Session 1991–92 has issued a report on coastal zone protection and planning. This includes recommendations for United Kingdom involvement in development of EC coastal policies. The Government will respond to that report in due course.

    Territorial Waters (Planning)
    Mr. Dafis
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment is he will make it his policy to extend planning controls to the 12-nautical mile limit of territorial waters around the United Kingdom.

    Mr. Baldry
    [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The Environment Select Committee made several recommendations in their second report of last Session on the issue of extending harmonisation landward planning control and seaward regulations as far as the 12-nautical mile limit of territorial waters. We are considering the report and will respond in due course.

    Coastal Zone
    Mr. Dafis
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to consolidate legislation relating to activities in the coastal zone.

    Mr. Baldry
    [holding answer 2 June 1992]: The Environment Committee of the House of Commons for the Session 1991–92 has issued a report on coastal zone protection and planning. This included recommendations for the consolidation of legislation relating to activities in the coastal zone. The Government will respond to that report in due course.

  SCOTLAND

    Scottish Economic Council
    Mr. Dewar
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the present membership of the Scottish Economic Council, the dates on which it has met in the last two years and its terms of reference.

    Mr. Lang
    [holding answer 11 June 1992]: Following is the information:
    Membership
    The membership of the Scottish Economic Council is as follows:
    403
    Chairman

    Rt. Hon. Ian Lang, MP

    Vice Chairman

    Mr. Allan Stewart, MP

    Members

    Dr. James G. Adamson

    Mr. David A. Berridge

    Baroness Carnegy of Lour

    Mr. Campbell Christie

    Sir Robert Cowan

    Mrs. Christine Davis

    Sir Robin Duthie

    Mr. Ron Garrick

    Sir Matthew Goodwin

    Mr. Ian Grant

    Mr. James Gulliver

    Professor Michael Hamlin

    Mr. Alan F. Hodgson

    Mr. William Y. Hughes

    Mr. J. Raymond Johnstone

    Mrs. Barbara Kelly

    Mr. J. Clive Lewis

    Mr. Douglas MacDiarmid

    Professor Donald MacKay

    Dr. Christopher Masters

    Mr. James Miller

    Councillor John Mullin

    Sir David Nickson

    Mr. David M. Paterson

    Mr. Peter Runciman

    Mr. Alan Tripp

    Professor William A. Turmeau

    Mr. Christopher Wilkins

    Mr. Ian C. Wood

    Meetings
    The council has met over the past 2 years on the following occasions:

    16 February 1990

    8 June 1990

    19 October 1990

    22 February 1991

    7 June 1991

    25 October 1991

    21 February 1992

    Terms of Reference
    The council provides a forum for discussion and advice to Ministers by people prominent in industrial and economic life in Scotland, on a variety of issues affecting the Scottish economy. Members arc appointed in an individual capacity and not as representatives of any particular organisation or interest.

    Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of malignant neoplasms of the colon (ICD 153) by regional health authority (RHA), 1982 to 1986

    RHA

    1982

    1983

    1984

    1985

    1986

    Northern

    984

    932

    962

    908

    956

    Yorkshire

    1,074

    1,132

    1,086

    1,073

    1,099

    Trent

    1,384

    1,458

    1,437

    1,328

    1,420

    East Anglia

    586

    642

    641

    619

    693

    North West Thames

    723

    859

    637

    738

    840

    North East Thames

    1,066

    998

    921

    598

    863

    South East Thames

    1,044

    898

    1,053

    1,039

    1,041

    South West Thames

    919

    873

    923

    790

    863

    Wessex

    1,014

    1,116

    1,078

    1,022

    1,045

    Oxford

    701

    633

    660

    669

    677

    South Western

    981

    940

    1,024

    1,123

    965

    West Midlands

    1,397

    1,431

    1,481

    1,646

    1,577

    Mersey

    629

    642

    732

    696

    736

    North Western

    1,274

    1,271

    1,328

    1,225

    1,234

    Wales

    832

    787

    877

    969

    767

    Ethnic Minorities
    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many and what percentage of officers in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively, and overall in his Department are members of ethnic minorities.

    Mr. Lang
    [holding answer 15 May 1992]: At 1 April 1992 the total number of staff employed in the Scottish Office and associated Departments who have described themselves as belonging to an ethnic minority was 27, or 0.4 per cent. Of that number, one grade 7 is so described, or 0.2 per cent.

    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to recruit members of ethnic minorities in top grades of employment at his Department.

    Mr. Lang
    [holding answer 15 May 1992]: My Department does not conduct recruitment for top grades.

    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his Department last conducted a survey of the ethnic origin of its employees; when it next plans to do so; and whether he will make a statement.

    Mr. Lang
    [holding answer 15 May 1992]: My Department conducted a voluntary survey of the ethnic origins of staff in 1987, a reminder exercise in 1989, and thereafter all new entrants have been invited to complete questionnaires. I have no plan to conduct a further survey.

    We achieved an 87 per cent. response rate from the exercise, and 0.4 per cent. of staff have described themselves as belonging to an ethnic minority. The economically active ethnic minority population in the Lothian area is 0.6 per cent.

  HEALTH

    Bowel Complaints
    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by regional health authority for each year for the last five years, and for this year to date, the number of new cases diagnosed of patients suffering from cancer of the rectum and colon; and if she will show in her answer the number who have since died from the complaint.

    Mr. Sackville
    Information for 1982 to 1986, the latest date for which figures are available, is shown in the table.
    405

    Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of malignant neoplasms of the rectum, rectosigmoid junction and anus (ICD 154) by regional health authority (RHA), 1982 to 1986

    RHA

    1982

    1983

    1984

    1985

    1986

    Northern

    610

    667

    597

    604

    617

    Yorkshire

    756

    842

    822

    757

    771

    Trent

    920

    1,034

    942

    1,003

    858

    East Anglia

    345

    431

    417

    414

    440

    North West Thames

    418

    473

    401

    442

    471

    North East Thames

    669

    572

    543

    437

    522

    South East Thames

    606

    578

    654

    569

    600

    South West Thames

    511

    515

    519

    455

    468

    Wessex

    523

    505

    535

    518

    547

    Oxford

    372

    359

    410

    365

    357

    South Western

    607

    597

    670

    700

    603

    West Midlands

    991

    909

    1,018

    1,088

    1,071

    Mersey

    482

    417

    489

    501

    523

    North Western

    817

    856

    797

    763

    804

    Wales

    726

    745

    763

    789

    675

    Deaths from malignant neoplasms of the colon (ICD 153) by regional health authority (RHA), 1982 to 1991.

    RHA

    1982

    1983

    1984

    1985

    1986

    1987

    1988

    1989

    1990

    1991

    Northern

    645

    667

    720

    737

    656

    672

    620

    745

    659

    722

    Yorkshire

    784

    742

    753

    792

    755

    761

    777

    798

    792

    781

    Trent

    880

    910

    976

    1,000

    947

    946

    1,042

    1,087

    1,016

    1,032

    East Anglia

    392

    423

    440

    439

    467

    489

    500

    477

    497

    478

    North West Thames

    639

    629

    714

    660

    707

    665

    696

    687

    701

    669

    North East Thames

    775

    750

    744

    745

    717

    782

    758

    804

    801

    769

    South East Thames

    799

    813

    886

    890

    830

    862

    868

    882

    909

    832

    South West Thames

    669

    678

    727

    718

    703

    723

    989

    690

    653

    669

    Wessex

    676

    663

    683

    687

    698

    708

    732

    763

    761

    736

    Oxford

    397

    359

    447

    445

    482

    467

    442

    516

    490

    464

    South Western

    709

    711

    826

    784

    767

    838

    853

    805

    861

    829

    West Midlands

    1,038

    980

    1,120

    1,136

    1,137

    1,190

    1,171

    1,135

    1,221

    1,152

    Mersey

    540

    515

    572

    576

    530

    568

    545

    544

    548

    582

    North Western

    911

    843

    962

    924

    882

    947

    936

    934

    879

    935

    Wales

    614

    595

    639

    723

    718

    733

    735

    729

    714

    713

    Deaths from malignant neoplasms of the rectum, rectosigmoid junction and anus (ICD 154) by regional health authority (RHA), 1982 to 1991.

    RHA

    1982

    1983

    1984

    1985

    1986

    1987

    1988

    1989

    1990

    1991

    Northern

    378

    442

    401

    402

    424

    419

    414

    415

    408

    445

    Yorkshire

    429

    454

    467

    423

    432

    480

    449

    443

    443

    441

    Trent

    549

    637

    588

    626

    538

    542

    576

    589

    595

    579

    East Anglia

    203

    232

    234

    230

    248

    149

    239

    221

    213

    229

    North West Thames

    297

    338

    326

    315

    303

    291

    304

    279

    285

    312

    North East Thames

    408

    418

    379

    383

    353

    342

    349

    373

    350

    353

    South East Thames

    396

    434

    438

    397

    402

    376

    397

    390

    419

    361

    South West Thames

    306

    371

    331

    321

    340

    311

    312

    310

    315

    292

    Wessex

    284

    331

    303

    344

    349

    303

    345

    303

    297

    304

    Oxford

    223

    231

    237

    200

    216

    234

    210

    254

    233

    242

    South Western

    341

    445

    383

    400

    376

    386

    382

    386

    393

    393

    West Midlands

    598

    637

    655

    707

    674

    642

    652

    670

    631

    578

    Mersey

    279

    331

    327

    372

    315

    274

    272

    265

    291

    320

    North Western

    487

    581

    552

    521

    516

    520

    504

    514

    495

    509

    Wales

    334

    383

    396

    389

    357

    297

    346

    336

    316

    324

    Mergers
    Mr. Milburn
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health which district health authority mergers(a) have taken place since 1 April 1990 and (b) are under consideration.

    Approved mergers

    New authority

    Old authorities

    Date

    Bloomsbury and Islington

    Bloomsbury/Islington

    17 September 1991

    Leeds

    Leeds East/Leeds West

    1 April 1991

    South Birmingham

    Central Birmingham/South Birmingham

    1 April 1991

    North-east Warwickshire

    Rugby/North Warwickshire

    1 April 1991

    Bristol and District

    Bristol and Weston/Frenchay/Southmead

    1 October 1991

    Gloucestershire

    Cheltenham and district/Gloucester

    24 February 1992

    North-west Anglia

    West Norfolk and Wisbech/Peterborough

    1 April 1992

    Dorset

    East Dorset/West Dorset

    1 April 1992

    North Nottinghamshire

    Central Nottingham/Bassetlaw

    1 April 1992

    406
    Mr. Sack vile
    The information requested is as follows:
    407

    New authority

    Old authorities

    Date

    East and North Hertfordshire

    East Hertfordshire/North Hertfordshire

    1 April 1992

    North Durham

    North-west Durham/Durham

    1 April 1992

    South-east London

    Lewisham and North Southwark/Camberwell/West Lambeth

    11 April 1993

    Buckinghamshire

    Aylesbury Vale/Wycombe/Milton Keynes

    11 April 1993

    Suffolk

    West Suffolk/East Suffolk

    11 April 1993

    North Worcestershire

    Bromsgrove and Redditch/Kidderminster

    11 October 19

    (Name to be decided)

    York/Harrogate/Scarborough/Northallerton/Airedale (part)

    To be decided

    (Name to be decided)

    Bradford/Airedale (part)

    To be decided

    1 Proposed start date.

    Counterfeit Medicines
    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to stop the import of counterfeit medicines; and if she will make a statement.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    Any reports of alleged import of counterfeit medicines into the United Kingdom are urgently investigated by the enforcement unit of the Medicines Control Agency. The United Kingdom licensing system covering the import, sale and production, of medicinal products is continually kept under review to ensure appropriate safeguards against counterfeit products are maintained.

    Medical Treatment
    Mr. Spearing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specific steps she proposes to take to ensure that the internal market for medical treatment within the national health service does not prejudice(a) the resources currently available for observation, research or innovation within some larger and longer-founded institutions and

    Operating theatre sessions: Average number per week

    Regional health authority

    1987–88

    1988–89

    1989–90

    1990–91

    Northern

    935

    969

    963

    1,002

    Yorkshire

    942

    969

    969

    996

    Trent

    1,136

    1,189

    1,255

    1,225

    East Anglian

    567

    566

    588

    583

    North West Thames

    852

    1,067

    927

    858

    North East Thames

    1,125

    1,099

    1,158

    1,183

    South East Thames

    1,031

    1,058

    1,129

    1,143

    South West Thames

    650

    789

    827

    855

    Wessex

    772

    796

    810

    795

    Oxford

    599

    607

    623

    603

    South Western

    864

    980

    964

    961

    West Midlands

    1,437

    1,437

    1,444

    1,475

    Mersey

    762

    774

    825

    832

    North Western

    1,403

    1,434

    1,474

    1,459

    Special health authorities

    247

    284

    285

    287

    ENGLAND

    13,323

    14,018

    14,241

    14,258

    Source: KH08.

    Continuing Care Beds
    Mr. Bowden
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department issues to health authorities regarding the discharge of patients from continuing care beds to private residential or nursing homes.

    Mr. Yeo
    Guidance "Discharge of patients from hospital—HC(89)5", on discharge procedures was issued to health authorities in February 1989. A copy is available in the Library.

    Mr. Bowden
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, by health authority area, the numbers of
    408
    (b) the level of reserves of nursing and ancilliary services available for emergencies and relapses of patients during post-operative recuperation.

    Mr. Sackville
    The introduction of a new national health service research and development (R and D) strategy marks our commitment to increasing the resources devoted to R and D for the national health service. Although staffing levels are primarily decisions for local management, the national health service reforms provide an effective mechanism for targeting resources where they are most responsive to patients' needs, including post-operative recuperation.

    Surgery
    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the average weekly number of theatre sessions for each regional health authority for each year since 1985 and for the current year to date.

    Mr. Sackville
    The available information is given in the table. Information about operating theatre usage has been collected centrally only since 1987. Figures for the year ending March 1992 are not yet available centrally.

    continuing care beds available in hospitals, for occupation by elderly people, and what is the average length of stay in such beds.

    Mr. Yeo
    The table shows, for each health authority, the number of beds in wards designated for elderly patients. Continuing care beds are not separately identified. The average length of stay in these beds is 36.2 days.
    409

    Number of beds available in wards designated general patient — elderly in 1990–91

    Number

    Northern Regional Health Authority

    3,683

    Hartlepool

    157

    North Tees

    160

    South Tees

    244

    East Cumbria

    279

    South Cumbria

    269

    West Cumbria

    194

    Darlington

    144

    Durham

    173

    North West Durham

    121

    South West Durham

    179

    Northumberland

    339

    Gateshead

    216

    Newcastle

    457

    North Tyneside

    185

    South Tyneside

    171

    Sunderland

    395

    Yorkshire Regional Health Authority

    3,909

    Hull

    239

    East Yorkshire

    178

    Grimsby

    152

    Scunthorpe

    223

    Northallerton

    95

    York

    236

    Scarborough

    177

    Harrogate

    176

    Bradford

    340

    Airedale

    218

    Calderdale

    240

    Huddersfield

    256

    Dewsbury

    175

    Leeds Western

    442

    Leeds Eastern

    386

    Wakefield

    168

    Pontefract

    209

    Trent Regional Health Authority

    4,411

    North Derbyshire

    333

    South Derbyshire

    434

    Leicestershire

    758

    North Lincolnshire

    257

    South Lincolnshire

    276

    Bassetlaw

    105

    Central Nottinghamshire

    282

    Nottingham

    572

    Barnsley

    273

    Doncaster

    283

    Rotherham

    250

    Sheffield

    588

    East Anglian Regional Health Authority

    2,373

    Cambridge

    344

    Peterborough

    238

    West Suffolk

    295

    East Suffolk

    426

    Norwich

    503

    Great Yarmouth and Waveney

    204

    West Norfolk and Wisbech

    251

    Huntingdon

    112

    North West Thames Regional Health Authority

    3,173

    North Bedfordshire

    238

    South Bedfordshire

    169

    North Hertfordshire

    203

    East Hertfordshire

    209

    North West Hertfordshire

    256

    South West Hertfordshire

    184

    Barnet

    473

    Harrow

    169

    Hillingdon

    238

    Hounslow and Spelthorne

    230

    Ealing

    131

    Riverside

    255

    Parkside

    418

    410

    Number

    North East Thames Regional Health Authority

    3,483

    Basildon and Thurrock

    285

    Mid Essex

    253

    North East Essex

    241

    West Essex

    214

    Southend

    214

    Barking, Havering and Brentwood

    335

    Hampstead

    130

    Bloomsbury

    76

    Islington

    102

    City and Hackney

    149

    Newham

    248

    Tower Hamlets

    225

    Enfield

    209

    Haringey

    221

    Redbridge

    236

    Waltham Forest

    346

    South East Thames Regional Health Authority

    3,212

    Brighton

    229

    Eastbourne

    290

    Hastings

    254

    South East Kent

    316

    Canterbury and Thanet

    298

    Dartford and Gravesham

    166

    Maidstone

    129

    Medway

    228

    Tunbridge Wells

    163

    Bexley

    138

    Greenwich

    189

    Bromley

    249

    West Lambeth

    142

    Camberwell

    164

    Lewisham and North Southwark

    259

    South West Thames Regional Health Authority

    2,566

    North West Surrey

    157

    West Surrey and North East Hants

    174

    South West Surrey

    224

    Mid Surrey

    133

    East Surrey

    180

    Chichester

    98

    Mid Downs

    218

    Worthing

    352

    Croydon

    200

    Kingston and Esher

    231

    Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

    166

    Wandsworth

    189

    Merton and Sutton

    244

    Wessex Regional Health Authority

    2,780

    East Dorset

    583

    West Dorset

    238

    Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

    441

    Southampton and South West Hampshire

    322

    Winchester

    186

    Basingstoke and North Hampshire

    165

    Salisbury

    164

    Swindon

    174

    Bath

    378

    Isle of Wight

    127

    Oxford Regional Health Authority

    1,647

    East Berkshire

    165

    West Berkshire

    328

    Aylesbury Vale

    124

    Wycombe

    205

    Milton Keynes

    83

    Kettering

    295

    Northampton

    220

    Oxfordshire

    227

    South Western Regional Health Authority

    3,240

    Bristol and Weston

    206

    Frenchay

    396

    Southmead

    84

    Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

    395

    Exeter

    367

    411

    Number

    North Devon

    183

    Plymouth

    414

    Torbay

    221

    Cheltenham

    262

    Gloucester

    296

    Somerset

    417

    West Midlands Regional Health Authority

    4,846

    Bromsgrove and Redditch

    87

    Herefordshire

    157

    Kidderminster and District

    136

    Worcester and District

    214

    Shropshire

    263

    Mid Staffordshire

    210

    North Staffordshire

    643

    South East Staffordshire

    372

    Rugby

    75

    North Warwickshire

    131

    South Warwickshire

    226

    Central Birmingham

    162

    East Birmingham

    206

    North Birmingham

    160

    South Birmingham

    334

    West Birmingham

    341

    Coventry

    4

    Dudley

    196

    Sandwell

    234

    Solihull

    84

    Walsall

    286

    Wolverhampton

    326

    Mersey Regional Health Authority

    2,047

    Chester

    206

    Crewe

    259

    Halton

    67

    Macclesfield

    108

    Warrington

    96

    Liverpool

    368

    St. Helens and Knowsley

    192

    Southport and Formby

    153

    South Sefton

    212

    Wirral

    387

    North Western Regional Health Authority

    4,406

    Lancaster

    189

    Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

    409

    Preston

    138

    Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley

    258

    Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

    264

    West Lancashire

    78

    Chorley and South Ribble

    118

    Bolton

    283

    Bury

    210

    North Manchester

    230

    Central Manchester

    142

    South Manchester

    298

    Oldham

    194

    Rochdale

    166

    Salford

    290

    Stockport

    382

    Tameside and Glossop

    230

    Trafford

    210

    Wigan

    317

    Special Health Authorities

    127

    The Hospitals for Sick Children

    0

    The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

    0

    Moorfields Eye Hospital

    0

    Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals

    0

    Royal Brompton National Heart and Lung Hospital

    0

    The Royal Marsden Hospital

    0

    Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte's

    127

    The Eastman Dental Hospital

    0

    England

    45,902

    Source: KHO3.

    Employment Statistics
    Mr. Etherington
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list the number of practice managers of health centres who are employed on Whitley council salary grade 4 or less in(a) the Northern regional health authority, (b) Sunderland district health authority and (c) England and Wales;

    (2) if she will list the number of single-handed general practitioner practices which employ (a) 0 to two staff (full-time equivalent), (b) three to five staff (full-time equivalent), (c) five to 10 staff (full-time equivalent) and (d) more than 10 staff (full-time equivalent) in (i) the Northern regional health authority, (ii) Sunderland district health authority and (iii) England and Wales.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    This information is not held centrally.

    Single Practices
    Mr. Etherington
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list the number of single-handed practices which have patient lists of(a) 1,000 or less, (b) 2,000 and (c) 3,000 or more in (i) the Northern regional health authority, (ii) Sunderland district health authority and (iii) England and Wales;

    (2) if she will list the number of single general practitioner practices in the (a) Northern regional health authority, (b) Sunderland district health authority and (c)England and Wales.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    The latest available information for 1 October 1991 is shown in the table. Information on general medical practitioners is collected by family health services authority area. Information relating to Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

    Single-handed general medical practitioner list sizes

    Northern RHA

    Sunderland (FHSA)

    England

    Total number of single handed general medical practitioners

    129

    13

    2,923

    List size: 1,000 or less

    7

    0

    390

    List size 1,000-1,999

    57

    6

    921

    List size 2,000-2,999

    53

    4

    1,220

    List size: 3,000 or more

    12

    3

    392

    Abortion
    Mr. Alton
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make a statement on the methods of disposal now being used at private abortion centres; if any recognised abortion centre is still using a macerator; whether she will establish an independent monitoring team to investigate private centres; and if she will make a statement:

    (2) if she will make a statement on the way in which the remains of aborted unborn children are disposed of.

    Mr. Sackville
    Guidelines have been issued to the NHS and the private abortion sector making it clear that, subject to personal wishes, fetuses and fetal tissue from termination of pregnancy must be incinerated. This is the method now being used by all places approved under section 1(3) of the Abortion Act 1967. Compliance in the NHS is a matter for individual health authorities. The Department's medical, nursing and investigative officers make regular unannounced inspections of approved places and I see no need to change that arrangement.
    413
    Mr. Alton
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many unborn children were aborted, during the last 12 months for which figures are available, at(a) 10 to 12 weeks, (b) 12 to 14 weeks, (c) 14 to 16 weeks, (d) 16 to 18 weeks, (e) 18 to 20 weeks, (f) 20 to 22 weeks and (g) 22 to 24 weeks gestation.

    Mr. Sackville
    The figures requested are not readily available in the form requested. The table shows the information that is readily available for England, Wales and Scotland:

    Number of abortions by gestation weeks, England, Wales and Scotland. (1 October 1990–30 September 1991)

    Gestation weeks

    Number of abortions

    9-12

    97,098

    13-14

    10,577

    15-16

    6,292

    17-18

    4,207

    19-20

    2,803

    21-22

    1,625

    23-24

    709

    Mr. Alton
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many unborn children with mental or physical handicaps were aborted after 24 weeks' gestation.

    Mr. Sackville
    Between 1 April and 30 September 1991, 31 abortions were performed in England, Wales and Scotland after 24 weeks' gestation under statutory ground E which states:"there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped".

    These are the most recent figures available since the changes to the Abortion Act 1967, as amended by section 37 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, came into effect on 1 April 1991.

    Hospital Doctors' Working Hours
    Mr. David Porter
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will set out her plans for the reduction of junior hospital doctors' hours.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    The "New Deal" for junior doctors, launched in June 1991, set a time scale for reducing the hours of duty of doctors and dentists in training. Under the "new deal", average weekly contracted hours of duty are to be reduced initially to 83 per week for those working on-call rotas, 72 per week for those working partial shifts and 60 per week for those working full shifts. This was to be done as soon as practicable but, in the light of progress to date, we announced in May that we had set a target date of 1 April 1993 for achieving this.

    Average weekly contracted hours of duty are to be reduced further to a maximum of 72 per week for those in hard-pressed on-call posts, 64 per week for those working partial shifts and 56 per week for those working full shifts by 31 December 1994. Regardless of contracted hours, our intention is that no junior doctor employed on a full-time basis should normally be expected to work for more than an average of 56 hours per week by that date.

    Subject to review by the ministerial group on junior doctors' hours, the aim is to reduce maximum average contracted hours of duty for on-call posts which are considered not to be hard pressed to 72 per week by the end of 1996. Doctors in higher professional training may
    414
    still contract for up to 83 hours per week after that date where it would be to the benefit of their training and they wish to do so, providing proper support staffing exists and the duties are not harmful either to the trainees or to patients.

    Leeds General Infirmary
    Mr. Fatchett
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what examination her Department has made of the compliance of the consultancy with the firm Madgenix formerly held by Dr. Ian Barnes at the Leeds general infirmary department of chemical pathology, with her Department's circular HM/62/21; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr. Sackville
    Allegations concerning this consultancy were the subject of an investigation by the internal auditors of Leeds Western health authority in 1989. An independent consultancy conducted the internal audit. The allegations were not substantiated.

    Recent restatements of the allegations by the Management Science and Finance Union have now been referred to the internal auditors by the board of the United Leeds teaching hospitals NHS trust.

    Mr. Fatchett
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action her Department has taken since the statutory auditor's report on the department on chemical pathology at Leeds general infirmary in 1987; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr. Sackville
    The Department sought an assurance from Yorkshire regional health authority that the matters contained in the 1987 statutory auditor's report were being addressed. The region reported to the Department in December 1989 that following an internal review, the then Leeds Western health authority had introduced revised procedures for the management of pathology services. The region was satisfied with the district's response to the audit criticisms.

    EC Proposals
    Mr. Barnes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the experts her Department consults on European Community proposals relating to health matters.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    The Department consults public sector bodies, professional associations, voluntary organisations and other bodies on EC proposals relating to health matters depending upon the contents of the proposal.

    Food Poisoning
    Mr. Cryer
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the number of egg-associated food poisoning outbreaks during 1991, listing all the local authorities who have reported such outbreaks to the communicable disease surveillance centre; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr. Sackville
    The bulk of egg-associated food poisoning outbreaks reported are caused by salmonellas. Outbreaks of human salmonellosis reported to the Public Health Laboratory Service's (PHLS) communicable disease surveillance centre, together with information on suspect foods, are routinely published in the PHLS-SVS
    415
    update on salmonella infection. The total number of outbreaks reported in 1991 was 57. Reports of outbreaks are voluntary and are made in confidence to the PHLS. Publication of reports broken down by local authority could damage the continued co-operation of local investigators in providing information relating to outbreaks, which is important for national infectious disease control.

    The table gives the information by regional health authority.

    Family and general outbreaks of salmonella in which eggs or foods containing eggs were reported as the suspect food

    England and Wales 1991

    Region

    Number of reports

    Northern

    4

    Yorkshire

    5

    Trent

    6

    East Anglia

    3

    North West Thames

    4

    North East Thames

    2

    South East Thames

    6

    South West Thames

    8

    Wessex

    8

    Oxford

    1

    South Western

    2

    West Midlands

    3

    Mersey

    0

    North Western

    2

    Wales

    2

    TOTAL

    157

    1 Includes one outbreak reported from the Wessex/Oxford/South Western regional health authority.

    Notes:

    1. Data provided by the PHLS communicable disease surveillance centre.

    2. An outbreak represents two or more related laboratory confirmed salmonella infections in humans of whom at least one was ill.

    3. Suspect foods are those reported to communicable disease surveillance centre as such.

    4. The total of 57 reports in 1991 includes five not reported in time for inclusion in the January 1992 PHLS-SVS update.

    Departmental Environment Policies
    Mr. Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of her Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions her Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if she will make a statement.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment gave him today.

    Blood Transfusion Service
    Mr. Hinchliffe
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) why screening for human T-cell leukaemia in the blood transfusion service has not been introduced;

    (2) if she will publish the conclusions of the study into the risks of the human T-cell leukaemia virus undertaken at the north London blood transfusion centre on behalf of her Department.

    Mr. Sackville
    The survey by the north London blood transfusion centre into the prevalence of HTLV in its blood donors has recently been concluded and the findings 416
    have been presented at a scientific meeting. The results are being considered by an expert advisory committee and recommendations are expected to be presented to Ministers shortly.

    General Practitioners
    Mr. Hinchliffe
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice she has given regarding(a) the ownership of private medical companies by general practitioner fund holders and (b) the referral of patients for treatment by such companies by fund holders involved in the companies.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    Regulation 3(2) of the National Health Service (Fund-holding Practices) (General) Regulations 1991 requires GP fund holders to obtain the written consent of the regional health authority before they are able to use the practice fund to purchase any services from a body with which they have a particular connection. This would include a contract placed with any medical companies in which any member of the fund holding practice had a financial interest, for example, as director or employee. These regulations were issued to all GP fund holders.

    NHS Trusts
    Mr. Hinchliffe
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department gives to health authorities concerning expenditure by health authorities on newspaper advertisements issued in connection with an authority's proposal to apply for trust status.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    None. Trust applications are subject to public consultation by regional health authorities, and it is for regions, in consultation with individual trust applicants to decide how best to conduct the consultation and bring it to public notice.

    Mr. Hinchliffe
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy towards applications for trust status where a hospital trust business plan has as its long-term objective the closure of the hospital concerned.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    To be successful, each trust must provide the range, volume and quality of services required by its purchasers.

    Each trust application is judged against four key criteria: the benefits to patients and improvements in the quality of services it will achieve; leadership and management; the involvement in management of key professional staff; and, financial viability.

    Opencast Mining
    Mr. William O'Brien
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will undertake an investigation into the level of respiratory problems of the people in the village of Kirkhamgate, west Yorkshire, brought about in the area by opencast operations;

    (2) how many children and adults in the village of Kirkhamgate, west Yorkshire are suffering respiratory problems following the opencast coal mining operations in the area; and if she will make a statement.

    Mr. Sackville
    Information concerning people with respiratory problems in Kirkhamgate are not collected centrally. The district health authority is not aware of any respiratory problems associated with the small opencast mine nearby.
    417
    It is not clear what role current levels of air pollutants may play in the occurrence of respiratory complaints. I am advised, however, that there is no evidence to suggest that surface mineral working causes any detrimental health effects on local communities. Further research needs in the general area of the effects of air pollutants upon health is being considered by the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants which was set up by the Department this year.

    Maternity Services
    Ms. Harman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her Department ceased to collect centrally information on the place of birth of babies born to women resident in Dacorum and St. Albans districts broken down by hospital in the form indicated in her answer of 15 October 1990,Official Report, columns 656-57.

    Mr. Sackville
    I regret that the answer given to the hon. Member on 13 January, at column 522, was incorrect. The information requested in that question is as follows:

    Dacorum

    St. Albans

    St. Albans City Hospital

    1,159

    1,282

    Luton and Dunstable Hospital

    21

    49

    Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, Welwyn Garden City

    5

    156

    Watford General Hospital

    210

    58

    Royal Buckinghamshire Hospital

    180

    0

    RAF Halton Maternity Unit

    191

    0

    Other hospitals

    73

    60

    At home

    43

    17

    Elsewhere

    1

    1

    Total

    1,883

    1,623

    South Birmingham Health Authority
    Mr. Burden
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the KPMG Peat Marwick report into South Birmingham health authority will be available.

    Mr. Sackville
    We expect the report to be submitted to the regional health authority shortly.

  AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

    Mink
    Mr. Harry Greenway
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice his Department gives to establishments, licensed under the Mink (Keeping) Order 1987, on the avoidance of spread of diseases of mink between establishments and to other wild species.

    Mr. Soames
    Licensed mink-keeping establishments are visited periodically by the state veterinary service. These visits are primarily concerned with welfare matters, but, when necessary advice is provided on disease.

    Sheep Dip
    Mr. Tyler
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the scientific advisers to the Veterinary Products Committee who advised on organophosphorous sheep dips, and their employers; what evidence they gave; and if he will make a statement.
    418
    Mr. Soames
    In order to ensure an independent assessment of the dossiers supporting applications, the Veterinary Products Committee supplements its own expertise with advice from officials in the veterinary medicines directorate, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of Health, the Health and Safety Executive and the Department of the Environment. In respect of organophosphorous sheep dips, that advice has also included: an analysis of reports made under the suspected adverse reaction surveillance scheme; the results of an Health and Safety Executive survey of sheep dipping practice in the farming community; and the report of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides into diazinon's use as a pesticide. The committee has recently asked companies to supply further data by the end of the year on studies of farm operators, including blood tests and details of protective clothing worn, as well as studies to show which areas of the bodies of operators are most exposed.

    Sheep Scab
    Mr. Tyler
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been done into the efficacy of different methods for eliminating sheep scab; what are the numbers of infected animals reported in the last five years for which statistics are available; and what comparable eradication schemes operate in other EC countries.

    Mr. Gummer
    Research is being carried out at the Central Veterinary Laboratory into methods of sheep scab control other than dipping.

    Information on the number of infected animals is not available because—as long as the disease remains notifiable—infestation is recorded on a flock basis. In Great Britain, the number of outbreaks of sheep scab by flock in the past five years are as follows:

    Year

    Number

    1988

    36

    1989

    66

    1990

    95

    1991

    116

    1992

    193

    1 to 31 May

    The Department does not maintain comprehensive information on the control policies in other Community member states. There is no Community requirement for action to control scab.

    Nutrition Systems
    Mr. Dafis
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much funding is currently allocated by his Department to the encouragement of(a) an integrated plant nutrition system, (b) the raised efficiency of synthetic fertiliser use and (c) the promotion of effective low input systems.

    Mr. Curry
    In 1992–93, the Department will be spending about £7 million on(a) and (b) and £6 million on (c) Some £14.8 million will also be spent on the reduction of pesticide usage, which has a major underpinning role in the development of low input systems. The LINK programme "Technologies for Sustainable Farming Systems", introduced in July 1991, is designed to promote collaborative research in the areas

    419
    mentioned, and total financial support for that programme will exceed £4 million, of which half will be contributed by the Government.

    Animal Slaughtering
    Mr. Cummings
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to bring forward legislation which will prohibit the export of live animals for slaughter; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Soames
    There are no plans to introduce such legislation. New Community rules will come into force on 1 January 1993 to safeguard the welfare of animals during transport. These rules will apply equally to transport within and between member states.

    Tobacco
    Mr. Llew Smith
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present subsidy for tobacco farmers from the common agricultural policy; what proportion of the CAP is allocated to support to tobacco farmers; and what proportion of the subsidised tobacco is exported to third world countries.

    Mr. Curry
    In 1991, the EC spent 1,300 mecu—about £927 million—on the CAP tobacco regime, which is about 3.9 per cent. of total CAP expenditure. About 18 per cent. of EC raw tobacco production goes to developing countries.

    Chernobyl
    Mr. Llew Smith
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list(a) the number of farms and (b) their acreage that remain under restriction orders in the United Kingdom as a result of the radioactive contamination from the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

    Mr. Curry
    The information requested is as follows:

    Number of farms

    Acreage (approximate)

    England

    138

    95,500

    Northern Ireland

    110

    19,850

    Scotland

    60

    145,420

    Wales

    407

    205,500

    Conservation Projects
    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with representatives of the agricultural industry with regard to future assistance for conservation projects undertaken by farmers.

    Mr. Soames
    My ministerial colleagues and I have frequent meetings with representatives of the industry about a wide range of issues, including future assistance for conservation projects underaken by farmers.

    EC Proposals
    Mr. Barnes
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the experts his Department consults on European Community proposals relating to agricultural matters.

    Mr. Curry
    My Department consults a very wide range of organisations on European Community proposals.

    Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
    Dr. David Clark
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tests he has carried out on milk for the presence of the organism causing BSE in the last three years; what was the outcome of the tests; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Gummer
    Milk has never been shown to transmit any of the spongiform encephalopathies or to contain the infective agent.

    Nevertheless, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food funded work starting in 1988 at the Royal Veterinary College, London to determine whether infectivity exists in milk, mammary gland—udder—or supramammary lymph node of four cows with confirmed BSE. No infectivity was found.

    A second experiment has been initiated in which susceptible mice will be fed milk from six confirmed cases of BSE—two each at early, mid and late lactation. The results will be published in the normal way when the experiment is complete.

    Dr. David Clark
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Ministry's progress in developing a blood test for BSE; and when he expects that such a test might be available for use.

    Mr. Gummer
    Studies are still under way to develop a satisfactory diagnostic test to detect the BSE agent in the live animal. It is not possible to forecast when such a test might be available, or even to be sure that a blood test will necessarily be the best method of detection. The hon. Member can rest assured that I shall announce any change in the position without delay.

    Flood Risks
    Mr. David Porter
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what study his Department has made of the flood risks posed by sea level rises in the future to(a) the nuclear power station sites in Suffolk and (b) the former toxic waste tip near Pakerfield, Suffolk; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Curry
    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has produced estimates of possible sea level rise on a global basis, amounting to about 20 cm by the year 2030 and 65 cm by 2100, but it is not yet possible to assess with precision likely sea level rise in particular localities. Based on this and other information, the Department has issued guidance to the National Rivers Authority and maritime district councils about allowances to be made for sea level rise and crustal movement in designing coastal defences. For the Anglian region, the recommended allowance is 6 mm a year. Although no specific studies have been made of the sites referred to by the hon. Member, it is not thought that either site will be affected by sea level rise.

    Departmental Policies
    Mr. Simon Hughes
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.
    421
    Mr. Gummer
    I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

    State Veterinary Service
    Mr. Ron Davies
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of state veterinary service staff in each year since 1985.

    Mr. Soames
    Since 1985, the structure of the state veterinary service has changed several times. For example, the Central Veterinary Laboratory, which formed part of the state veterinary service attained agency status in April 1990. In order to allow direct comparisons, the figures provided relate to veterinary, technical and scientific staff in headquarters, the field and investigation services only.

    As at 1 January 1985—Figures not readily available.

    As at 1 January 1986—Total 768

    As at 1 January 1987—Total 689

    As at 1 January 1988—Total 711.5

    As at 1 January 1989—Total 707.5

    As at 1 January 1990—Total 767

    As at 1 January 1991—Total 800.5

    As at 1 January 1992—Total 798

    Shellfish Farming
    Mr. Wallace
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what sum of money has been made available by his Department to meet costs of hygiene testing at or near shellfish farming sites in pursuance of EC directive 492.

    Mr. Sackville
    I have been asked to reply.

    The Department has made funds available in 1991–92 and 1992–93 to assist with the initial classification of shellfish harvesting areas in England and Wales required by this directive.

    Funds have been allocated to the Public Health Laboratory Service to enable additional microbiological examinations of shellfish to be made without charge to local authorities. The Department has also offered assistance, to local authorities that request it, with the costs of collection of shellfish samples, contributing to such costs as boat hire and transport of samples. Local authorities are expected to meet their own manpower costs.

    In the last two financial quarters—January to June 1992—total funding under these two schemes has amounted to £222,500. The Department will shortly be inviting bids from local authorities for the next quarter.

  DEFENCE

    Nuclear Weapons
    Mr. Willetts
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current position on the United Kingdom nuclear weapons at sea policy.

    Mr. Rifkind
    The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation confirmed last autumn that the sub-strategic nuclear capability remains essential to provide the link between conventional and strategic forces, but that significant reductions in sub-strategic nuclear forces were now possible. In addition to the reductions announced last autumn, the alliance has decided to terminate the deployment of US nuclear depth bombs on NATO maritime patrol aircraft.
    422
    The Government are committed to maintaining the United Kindom's nuclear arsenal at the minimum level necessary for our deterrent needs. My predecessor announced last Septemberr that tactical nuclear weapons would no longer be deployed on Royal Navy ships in normal circumstances. The Government have now decided that this residual capability is no longer needed. Royal Navy ships and aircraft and Royal Air Force maritime patrol aircraft will therefore no longer have the capability to deploy tactical nuclear weapons. The United Kingdom weapons previously earmarked for this role will be destroyed. The United Kingdom's sub-strategic nuclear capability will therefore consist of Royal Air Force dual-capable aircraft with the WE177 free-fall bomb.

    Research Establishment, Dundrennan
    Mr. Foulkes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what complaints he has received about misuse of public property and personnel at the royal armament research development establishment, Dundrennan; what action he has taken; what has been the outcome; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Aitken
    A number of allegations were made in August last year by a Transport and General Workers Union representative concerning misuse of official property and labour at the Kirkcudbright range. The allegations were investigated by the Ministry of Defence police who concluded that there were no grounds for proceeding with criminal charges against the individuals concerned. It was evident, however, that there were a number of management deficiencies that should be rectified. Action has been taken to ensure that such deficiencies will not recur.

    Mr. Foulkes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent staff changes there have been at the royal armament research development establishment, Dundrennan; what has been the reason for the change in each case; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Aitken
    Since 1 April 1992 two MoD industrial grade staff have retired on medical grounds. As part of the current MoD staff reduction exercise these staff were not replaced. Changes in the contractors' staff are a matter for the contractor.

    Mr. Foulkes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the ownership, management and staffing arrangements at the royal armament research development establishment at Dundrennan.

    Mr. Aitken
    The royal armament research development establishment at Dundrennan was transferred from the Defence Research Agency on 1 April 1992 to the directorate general of test and evaluation as part of the directorate of research facilities and ranges. It is therefore now an MOD establishment. The facility employs contractors for much of the work and the staff is therefore made up of both MoD and contractors' staff.

    RAF Review
    Mr. Robert Banks
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names of the personnel who have prepared options for the review of the structure of RAF MOD establishments.
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    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    It is not our practice to name officials in these circumstances. The options reflect wide consultation throughout the Air Force, the Office of Management and Budget, civilian personnel management and the Defence Works Services Organisation. The consultative document published on 4 June indicates the officials to whom comments and observations are to be directed.

    Political Literature
    Mr. Cryer
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how literature from the political parties promoting candidates at a general election is made available to serving members of the armed forces; whether canvassing on military installations is encouraged together with the distribution of unsolicited leaflets; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    Queen's regulations prohibit the distribution of literature about the programmes or policies of political parties through service channels. Where there is normal access direct from the public highway canvassers may visit married quarters and families' hostels. Where access is by service roads and there is no separate entrance, access to accommodation will be at the discretion of the commanding officer.

    Defence Exhibition, Chile
    Mr. Flynn
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what help was given by the United Kingdom armed forces to British companies taking part in FIDAE 92 aerospace and defence exhibition in Chile in March.

    Mr. Aitken
    At the invitation of the Chilean air force, eight RAF aircraft were present at FIDAE 92. The RAF also co-hosted a reception.

    Military Equipment (Promotion)
    Mr. Flynn
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates and places to be visited by HMS Invincible and the other Royal Navy ships taking part in the promotional tour for British military equipment; what the cost of the tour is; and whether all costs are being paid by his Department.

    Mr. Aitken
    HMS Invincible, escorted by HMS Newcastle, HMS Norfolk, HMS Boxer and two Royal Fleet Auxiliaries, is currently undertaking a six-month operational deployment to the far east, known as Orient '92. Although appropriate opportunities will be taken to help promote British defence exports, this is not the primary purpose of the deployment. Orient '92 is intended to demonstrate the continuing ability of the Royal Navy to operate in strength outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation area. It will provide the Royal Navy with valuable opportunities to practice operating as a task group in relatively unfamiliar environments, and to take part in bilateral and multilateral exercises with friendly navies. Ships from the task group have already visited Greece and Egypt. Further planned visits are as follows:

    Month

    Kenya

    June

    Seychelles

    June

    Mauritius

    June

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    Month

    Diego Garcia

    June, October

    Singapore

    July, August, September

    Malaysia

    July, August, September

    Hong Kong

    July, August, September

    Republic of Korea

    July, August

    Japan

    July, August

    Indonesia

    July, September

    Brunei

    August

    Thailand

    September

    Philippines

    September

    Australia

    September, October

    Oman

    October

    Bahrain

    October

    United Arab Emirates

    October

    Qatar

    October

    Egypt

    November

    The ships would, of course, have undertaken other tasks had they not been participating in Orient '92. It is therefore difficult to disaggregate the additional costs of the deployment. However, we expect them to be in the order of £4 million. All of these costs are being met by my Department.

    Operation Gladio
    Mr. Flynn
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on the public disclosure of information on the activities of and United Kingdom support for Operation Gladio since its inception.

    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    It has been the policy of successive Governments not to comment on matters of this nature. This remains the policy.

    Departmental Environment Policies
    Mr. Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who is the Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of all of his Department's policies; when that person was appointed; what actions his Department has taken since the appointment of a responsible Minister; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Aitken
    In accordance with the Government's policy set out in the White Paper "This Common Inheritance" (Cm 1200), my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence is the nominated Minister responsible for considering the environmental implications of the Department's policies and programmes. My noble Friend assumed this responsibility in April.

    Since the appointment of a nominated Minister responsible for environmental matters in September 1990, a network of environment committees has been established within my Department and the three services. The senior committee is the defence environment committee chaired by my noble Friend. The MOD environment manual, which gives practical advice on a wide range of environmental issues, was published in 1991 and has been distributed throughout my Department. At present, the MOD is carrying out a comprehensive environmental review of its activities in order to assess its performance on environmental matters. Further information and details of specific initiatives are contained in the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1991 (Vol. 1, Ch. 5).

    Hospitals
    Ms. Harman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by county and region his Department's hospitals in the United Kingdom which had consultant

    Service hospital

    County

    Regional Health Authority

    Number of beds1

    Cambridge military hospital, Aldershot

    Hampshire

    South West

    58

    Princess of Wales2

    Cambridgeshire

    East Anglia

    322

    RAF hospital, Ely

    47

    Princess Alexandra RAF hospital, Wroughton

    Wiltshire

    Wessex

    16

    Princess Mary's RAF hospital, Halton

    Buckinghamshire

    Oxford

    10

    1 Only obstetric maternity beds are to be found in service hospitals.

    2 Obstetric unit closed in March 1991.

    3 January-October 1990.

    4 November 1990—February 1991.

    Acoustic Net Pinger
    Mrs. Ray Michie
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his plans for the development of an acoustic net pinger to assist submarines in locating the presence of fishing nets.

    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    A contract is shortly to be placed with Graseby Dynamics Ltd. of Bushey, Hertfordshire for the supply of 100 acoustic net pingers. These pingers will be used in an extended sea trial to assess their effectiveness in a working environment. It is planned that the trial, which will be carried out in the Clyde submarine exercise areas in conjunction with the Clyde Fishermens Association, will begin in early 1993 and last for about 18
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    obstetric or general practitioner maternity beds in 1990–91, and give the number of beds of each type in each hospital.

    Mr. Aitken
    The information requested is as follows:

    months. This contract follows the completion of a technical specification by the maritime division of the Defence Research Agency for which competitive tenders were sought.

    EC Proposals
    Mr. Barnes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the experts his Department consults on European Community proposals relating to defence matters.

    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    Defence does not come within the ambit of the European Community. It does not therefore make proposals relating to defence matters.

  MAGISTRATES' COURTS: FINES
  MAGISTRATES' COURTS: FINES
  BLAKENHURST PRISON: OPERATION SPECIFICATION
  BLAKENHURST PRISON: OPERATION SPECIFICATION
  POLISH NATIONALS: IMMIGRATION RULES
  POLISH NATIONALS: IMMIGRATION RULES
  RECONVICTIONS WITHIN TWO YEARS
  RECONVICTIONS WITHIN TWO YEARS
  NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM: ACCOUNTS
  NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM: ACCOUNTS
  NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM: PUBLIC FUNDING
  NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM: PUBLIC FUNDING
  NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM: INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT
  NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM: INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT
  NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM: STAFF STATISTICS
  NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM: STAFF STATISTICS
  NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM: FLOORSPACE AND VISITOR STATISTICS
  NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM: FLOORSPACE AND VISITOR STATISTICS
  GREENHAM COMMON: US FORCES' RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT
  GREENHAM COMMON: US FORCES' RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT
  DEFENCE EQUIPMENT SALES TO BALTIC STATES
  DEFENCE EQUIPMENT SALES TO BALTIC STATES
  LITHUANIA: DISCUSSIONS WITH MoD
  LITHUANIA: DISCUSSIONS WITH MoD