Written Answers of 9 March 1992

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Syria
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Syrian authorities concerning the violation of human rights of Jews in Syria.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have made our views clear to the Syrian Government about their human rights record, including the problems of the Jewish community.

  Baltic Republics (Gold)
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the gold or money equivalent to be transferred to the Baltic republics has now been transferred; and which other countries in the eastern European areas have gold reserves deposited in London.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We hope to reach final agreement with each Baltic Government on the transfer of gold, or its equivalent in money, by the end of March. We hope to receive shortly formal responses from the Baltic Governments to our proposals for the transfer, which we put to them in January.

  Where countries choose to hold their gold and other international reserves is a matter of banking confidentiality and for them alone to disclose if they wish to. I am not in a position to do so.

  International Science and Technology Centre
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statment on the role of the international science and technology centre in Russia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We support the proposal to establish an international science and technology centre in the CIS to reduce the risk of proliferation of expertise in building weapons of mass destruction. The EC is considering a financial contribution to the initiative from its technical assistance budget.

  Chief Scientific Adviser (Moscow Visit)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the visit of Professor Bill Stewart, the chief scientific adviser, to Moscow.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The chief scientific adviser proposes to make an early visit to Moscow for discussions with leading members of the scientific community. These will be directed to identifying ways in which the west can help to sustain the science base in the CIS.

  Post Cold War Conference
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have provided any financial support or other assistance to the conference of former Heads of State and Government in Europe and America on "The World after the Cold War: National Roles and Responsibilities" held in Berlin on 4 March.

  Mr. Garet-Jones
  The conference of European and American former Heads of State and Government on the "Post Cold War World: Roles and Responsibilities of Nations" was held in Berlin on 5 March. Her Majesty's Government did not provide any financial support. Lord Callaghan was one of the participants and a member of the British embassy in Berlin attended.

  Nuclear Disarmament Negotiations
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what negotiations on nuclear disarmament, pursuant to United Kingdom commitments under the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty article VI provisions, currently involve the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The focus of nuclear arms control negotiations remains on the arsenals of the United States and Russia. We welcome the prospect of further reductions in their nuclear arsenals. Consistent with our nuclear non-proliferation treaty obligations, we are willing to consider involvement in strategic arms control negotiations when the time is right. But our deterrent force is a minimum only, and not comparable to those of the United States and Russia. President Yeltsin has accepted this position. We have, however, already announced substantial reductions in our sub-strategic nuclear capability, including ending our role in the deployment of the Lance missile and nuclear artillery in Europe, the withdrawal of tactical nuclear weapons from Royal Navy ships in normal circumstances, and a reduction of about 50 per cent. in the number of our free-fall nuclear bombs.

  British-Argentine Group
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of the British-Argentine high-level group held in Buenos Aires.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The British and Argentine delegations exchanged information and explored ideas on the scope for co-operation on activities deriving from their respective legislative measures relating to the continental shelf in the south-west Atlantic. There will be a second meeting of the high-level group in London in late June 1992.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the annual report on Hong Kong will be laid before Parliament.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The report is being published and laid before Parliament today. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

ENVIRONMENT

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the report, "Waste Not Want Not—the Production and Dumping of Toxic Waste in Britain and Ireland", by R. Allen.

  Mr. Heseltine
  A copy has already been ordered.

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 24 February,Official Report, column 411, to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson), if he will set out the details of his departmental publicity on the duty of care for the disposal and carriage of waste under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Baldry
  The duty of care on holders of waste to ensure that it is properly dealt with under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and the related provisions for the registration of carriers of controlled waste under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989, come into force throughout Great Britain on 1 April.

  It is vital that all businesses are informed of the implications of these new laws which require them to take a fair share of the responsibility for the waste they produce or handle. A large number of people need to know about the duty; there are over 2 million business addresses in Great Britain. My Department's information campaign accordingly includes the distribution of some 6–5 million copies of a free explanatory leaflet through local authorities, trade associations and journals. So that knowledge of the new duty is widespread, we are placing advertisements in the national and provincial daily newspapers.

  Water Companies
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State Environment if he will indicate, for each of the 10 water plcs, the cost at current market prices of purchasing a controlling interest of the companies' shares; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  At the price given in the second column of the table, the cost of purchasing a 51 per cent. stake in each of the privatised water companies would be as given in the third column.

  Company

  Price per share

  £ million

  Anglian

  368

  553·10

  North West

  375

  680·47

  Northumbrian

  400

  133·62

  Severn Trent

  348

  627·57

  Southern

  341

  284·69

  South West

  382

  231·84

  Thames

  382

  748·50

  Welsh

  388

  285·15

  Wessex

  414

  216·63

  Yorkshire

  401

  401·86

  Note: The share prices are those given in the Financial Times for the close of business on 3 March 1992.

  Eco-labelling
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a logo to be used in connection with eco-labelling; and if he will publish a copy.

  Mr. Baldry
  The logo for the European Community eco-labelling scheme was agreed as part of the eco-labelling regulation in December. An environmental labelling factsheet, which includes the logo, has been deposited in the Library.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many products he expects to have been awarded eco-labels by the end of 1992;

  (2) if he will publish a timetable for the introduction of eco-labelling.

  Mr. Baldry
  The European Community regulation which will introduce the official eco-labelling scheme was agreed at December's Environmental Council. We expect that it will be formerly adopted at the Environment Council later this month.

  The Commission is aiming to launch the scheme in the autumn with 10 to 12 product categories. The number of awards of the label will depend on industry's response to the scheme.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent the use of minimum packaging will be a requisite of any product awarded an eco-label.

  Mr. Baldry
  Under the European Community scheme the packaging of a product will be taken into account, together with the other impacts of the product over its lifecycle, in establishing criteria for the award of an eco-label.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what criteria are being set for awarding an eco-label to detergents, paints, carrier bags, bleaches and toilet rolls;

  (2) what plans he has for the award of eco-labels to services such as dry cleaning, car breakers, photographic processors or taxis.

  Mr. Baldry
  Agreement has now been reached at European level on the first product categories that are to be developed for inclusion in the eco-labelling scheme. The United Kingdom is taking the lead in developing criteria for washing machines, dishwashers, hairsprays, soil improvers and light bulbs. Other member states have agreed to take the lead in developing criteria for photocopying paper, kitchen rolls, toilet paper, writing paper, paints, laundry detergents and other cleaning agents, insulation materials, batteries and solar heating systems. Other product groups, which could include services, will be agreed in due course.

  No proposals for criteria have yet been formally submitted.

  Uniform Business Rate, Leeds
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals against the uniform business rate have been lodged each year since its introduction in the Leeds metropolitan district.
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  Mr. Key
  In Leeds, 10,289 appeals were lodged in 1990–91 and 3,497 between 1 April 1991 and the end of February 1992.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals against the uniform business rate remain outstanding in the Leeds metropolitan district.

  Mr. Key
  In Leeds, 11,307 appeals were outstanding at the end of February.

  Local Authority Rate, Leeds
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals were made by local businesses against the local authority rate in 1989–90 in the Leeds metropolitan district.

  Mr. Key
  In Leeds, 1,452 appeals were made by businesses in 1989–90.

  RECHAR, Rotherham
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the amount which will be due to be provided from RECHAR for purposes within the metropolitan borough of Rotherham.

  Authority

  1991–92 community charge (£)

  1992–93 community charge (£)

  change in 1992–93 charge over 1991–92(per cent.)

  change in 1991–92 charge over 1990–91(per cent.)

  East Northants

  250

  220

  14

  17

  Kettering

  257

  230

  12

  14

  Wellingborough

  145

  129

  12

  -7

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the community charge figures for Westminster and Wandsworth in 1992–93.

  Mr. Key
  The authorities mentioned have yet to make a return to the Department giving this information. Charging authorities have until 18 March to make their "Demands and Precepts Return" to the Department and they have until 1 April in which to set a charge.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total sum provided from central funds through the standard spending grant for the Westminster, Wandsworth and Rotherham local authorities, respectively, expressed on a per capita basis; and what were the community charge figures for these local authorities in 1991.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested is as follows.

  1991–92 Revenue support grant£ per adult

  1991–92 Community charge £ per adult

  Westminster

  997·27

  36·00

  Wandsworth

  711·40

  0·00

  Rotherham

  211·30

  232·46

  Note: Community charge figures are after the £140 reduction made by the Community Charges (General Reduction) Act 1991, for which authorities are compensated by Exchequer grant in 1991–92. Authorities also receive £349.18 per adult from the non domestic rate pool in respect of 1991–92.

  Mr. Richard Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the community charge
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  Mr. Yeo
  Approval of projects within the South Yorkshire RECHAR area is the responsibility of the programme co-ordinating committee, which has not yet formally met. Consequently, no estimate can be given of the value of projects within the metropolitan borough of Rotherham which will be funded by RECHAR.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the district authorities in Northamptonshire setting out(a) the 1992–93 community charge and last year's community charge, (b) the percentage increase, subdividing that increase into that part accountable to the district and that part accountable to the county, (c) the percentage increase between 1990–91 and 1991–92 having made allowances for the £140 rebate and (d) identifying which party is currently in control.

  Mr. Key
  Not all authorities in Northamptonshire have supplied the relevant information. Charging authorities have until 18 March to make their "Demands and Precepts Return" to the Department and they have until 1 April to set a charge. The available information is as follows:

  collection costs per head of relevant population for each of the west midland authorities, for each of the years available.

  Mr. Key
  The information is as follows:

  Community charge collection costs per head of relevant population (£)

  Authority

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Birmingham

  10·62

  12·08

  Coventry

  11·54

  11·24

  Dudley

  11·70

  8·24

  Sandwell

  14·47

  16·43

  Solihull

  11·70

  13·00

  Walsall

  16·73

  18·11

  Wolverhampton

  13·49

  16·55

  Local Government Commission
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 4 February,Official Report, column 135, if he is now able to publish the draft procedural guidance for the local government commission.

  Mr. Key
  The draft procedural guidance will be published for comment as soon as possible.

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has received from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee concerning the international trade in wild caught birds.
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  Mr. Baldry
  The JNCC's report "International Trade in Wildlife: A Review of Sustainable Use", published last October, is relevant to the bird trade. Since then, I have had discussions with both the UNCC and other interested organisations about the aspects of the trade, especially in the context of proposals for discussion at the current conference of the parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES.

  Merseyside Fire and Civil Defence Authority
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to the representations by the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority in respect of the financial difficulties facing it in carrying out its statutory duties; if he intends to meet members of the authority as requested; if he is reviewing its standard spending assessment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Our reply of 25 February to Merseyside fire and civil defence authority's letter made clear that we did not consider it appropriate to meet the authority to discuss its budget. We have taken our decisions on the revenue support grant settlement for 1992–93, under which the authority's standard spending assessment increases by 7·4 per cent., but we are prepared to consider any new evidence on SSAs for the future.

  National Stadium
  Mr. Denis Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what calculations have been made by the Government of the revenue consequences of building a national stadium in Manchester; and what consideration has been given as to which authority would have ongoing responsibility for meeting them.

  Mr. Portillo
  Studies indicate that a stadium in east Manchester would cover its operating costs and make a profit. The detailed calculations use material which is commercial-in-confidence and it would be prejudicial to future negotiations to make this public.

  Mr. Denis Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the costs of the intended national stadium in Manchester, announced by the Minister for Sport on 3 March, it is intended should be provided from central Government funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Government are already committed to the purchase and preparation of the stadium site. The costs of this will be met from central Government funds and part of the £55 million allocated to the Manchester Olympic bid will be used for this purpose.

  Government Properties
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has considered ways in which empty Government residential properties might be brought into use to house homeless people; and if he will make a statement.

  Sie George Young
  The Public Accounts Committee reporting on homelessness in June last year drew attention to the potential for using empty Government residential properties to help house the homeless. Other Government 364
  Departments, which are individually responsible for managing their own properties, have co-operated with my own in drawing up best practice guidance on the management of their empty properties.

  The guidance emphasises the need for Departments to have clear strategies for their stock; the role of local authorities and housing associations in alleviating homelessness, and the advantages of making maximum use of short-term lets of properties which are temporarily vacant. It explains the potential for contracting out management of such properties to housing associations and others.

  It also sets out simplified disposal procedures, endorsed by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury which may be used by Departments selling their properties to housing associations and others. These procedures should speed up property sales. Quicker sales should bring more of such properties into use faster, and thus contribute to relieving housing stress in pressure areas. My Department's regional controllers will play a liaison role as necessary in bringing together Departments, authorities and housing associations to help speed the process.

  Great strides have been made in recent years in reducing the numbers of empty properties held by Government Departments. However, further progress can be made particularly where local authorities have great difficulty in housing the homeless. I hope that all those who receive the guidance will act on the advice and to make better use of their properties in accordance with the spirit of the PAC report.

  The guidance is being issued today by my Department and that of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I am arranging for it to be placed in the House Libraries. Copies are being sent to all Government Departments and local authorities, and distributed to registered housing associations through the Housing Corporation.

  Rural Housing Programme
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce the allocation of resources to local authorities under his Department's rural housing special programme for 1992–93.

  Mr. Yeo
  Local authorities that have been successful in bidding for resources under my Department's rural housing special programme for 1992–93 are being informed today. These allocations follow the success of this programme in its first year in 1991–92 in seeking to address, at low unit costs, shortages of social housing which exist for local people in some rural areas.

  The £30 million of additional supplementary credit approvals are being targeted on those local authorities in rural areas with the greatest need for low-cost rented housing and where best value for money will be obtained. The programme is designed in part to take advantage of the Department's planning policies for the provision of social housing in rural areas, articulated in DOE circular 7/91. This explains that local authorities may now give planning permission for low-cost housing to meet local needs on some sites where commercial housing would not be allowed. Research carried out by the Department recently indicated that this policy was achieving positive results.
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  All the schemes will be undertaken by housing associations, and this programme is in addition to the Housing Corporation's own programmes for shared ownership and rented housing in rural areas. The corporation's rural programme has targets for approvals rising to 2,250 in 1993–94.

  The allocations which I am announcing today should support the creation of 1,016 new units in 1992–93, from 138 schemes in 112 local authorities.

  A schedule of allocations has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Coal and the Environment
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is in a position to announce his decisions on the recommendations contained in the report of the informal working group on coal and the environment published last year.

  Mr. Yeo
  The informal working group was comprised of officials from the Departments of the Environment and of Energy and British Coal. It was set up to review progress on improving the environmental context of coal extraction, to identify where further improvements might be made and to recommend action. The group's report identified a number of options for change and was issued for public consultation in June 1991. In the light of the responses to that consultation, we propose to bring forward amendments to the General Development Order 1988 and to the Town and Country Planning (National Coal Board) Regulations 1974. The effect of these amendments would be:To provide for British Coal's permitted development rights for underground working to continue within a sensible planning unit based on the existing infrastructure of, and capital already invested in, the particular colliery. They will not be able to work outside that unit without obtaining specific planning permission in the normal way.
  To incorporate British Coal's special permitted development rights for opencast coal exploration within the general permitted development rights for minerals exploration. Those rights will be amended to provide for a six monthly indefinitely renewable permission subject to giving periodic notice to the mineral planning authority.
  That British Coal's specialised entitlements to compensation following adverse planning decisions will be fully aligned with the general planning compensation regime applying to all mineral operators.

  I believe this will provide a clear and fair planning framework for the coal industry now and in the future.

  "This Common Inheritance"
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress on the implementation of the commitments set out in the first anniversary report on the environment White Paper "This Common Inheritance"; and whether there will be a second progress report this year.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I am very pleased to announce further progress on the 400 commitments to action made in last September's anniversary report on "This Common Inheritance". To demonstrate our continuing commitment to environmental issues, the Government will issue a further detailed report on progress in October 1992. This will draw on the findings of the new statistical report on the environment to be produced by my Department in September this year.
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  Britain is a world leader in the integration of environmental issues across Government Departments. This successful integration has been assisted by the strong role now played by the "green" Ministers in every Department. These Ministers seek to ensure environmental considerations are taken into account in the work of their Departments, as recently announced in the environmental coverage in Department's 1992 reports; training to back up guidance Departments use when considering the environmental impact of their policies and programmes; advice provided by a range of new environmental advisory bodies, such as the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment.

  This concerted approach has allowed the Government to make progress on its environmental commitments in all areas.

  In the international arena the members of the Antarctic treaty successfully completed and, in October 1991, signed the protocol on environmental protection of the Antarctic which provides for a 50-year ban on mineral activity in the Antarctic. The British Government have also continued to prepare for the UN Conference on Environment and Development—"The Earth Summit"—which the Prime Minister will attend in Rio in June 1992. The United Kingdom has played a leading role in the negotiations for international conventions on climate change and the conservation of the world's biological diversity, both of which it is hoped will be ready for signature in Rio.

  In the European Community significant progress has included agreement in December 1991 on a Community eco-labelling scheme for products which achieve a high degree of environmental performance; agreement in December 1991 on a habitats directive to protect endangered wildlife and natural habitats; agreement on a regulation to control the export of certain hazardous chemicals, mainly pesticides; adoption in December 1991 of a directive on the protection of water against nitrate pollution. The Government have also announced that the use of CFCs will be phased out by the end of 1995, two years ahead of the EC target.

  On policies affecting the countryside, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has continued to press for the inclusion of environmental considerations in negotiations on the reform of the common agricultural policy. Other policies on the countryside include: the launch of "Action for the Countryside", a statement of the Government's policies to enhance the conservation, development and enjoyment of the English countryside, introducing a number of new initiatives to fund and encourage such action; increased protection for sites of special scientific interest; publication of a revised planning policy guidance note on the countryside and the rual economy, setting out a balanced approach to rural development and conservation; publication of "Our Farming Future" setting out the Government's policies for reconciling agricultural and environmental objectives; measures to improve the environment of the farmed uplands, particularly moorland.

  In addition, the Employment department has continued to develop policies to encourage environmentally sustainable tourism, with the publication by the English tourist board of the "Green Light: a guide to sustainable tourism" in December 1991.

  As far as the marine environment is concerned my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and

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  Food has secured agreement in the EC restricting the length of drift nets to be used by all EC vessels wherever they fish in the world.

  Measures which affect the local environment include: the introduction in Britain of the first phase of a system of integrated pollution control, which brings together the regulation of pollution of air, land and water. This has attracted considerable interest in the EC, and may form the basis for Community-wide action; implementation of the majority of the provisions of the Planning and Compensation Act including a development plan-led system which pays close attention to environmental factors, supported by strengthened planning guidance; introduction, in January 1992, of the first phase of a new urban air quality monitoring network, which will provide more information for the public on a wide range of air pollutants; the launch in November 1991 of a major national publicity campaign "Helping the Earth Begins at Home" to raise householders' awareness of the link between home energy use and global warming, and to encourage greater energy efficiency.

  At the Department of Transport, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has also been making progress on our commitments to make transport more sensitive to the environment by: the introduction of MoT emissions checking to reduce vehicle pollution; publication of "Keeping Buses Moving", a guide to bus priority in urban areas, allocation of £10 million for local bus schemes, and approval of further work in developing the Midland metro light rail scheme.

  At the Department of Health work has continued to develop the strategy for "greening the NHS", encouraging the use of environmentally sensitive products, and making more effective use of resources.

  Many other Departments are developing their own environmental initiatives. At the Department of Education and Science, the expert committee appointed to consider environmental higher and further education is making good progress; the Ministry of Defence has launched a thorough environmental review of its work; and the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Offices all have environmental programmes to meet their particular needs.

  Charterhouse Estates Ltd.
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much his Department has given in grants to Charterhouse Estates Ltd. for its involvement in the Liverpool 1 area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 3 March 1992]: A city grant of £196,000 was awarded to Charterhouse Estates Ltd. on 6 March 1992 for the conversion of 14–16 Fleet street, Liverpool to a studio-business complex. This was the first and only grant offered so far by the Department to the company for its involvement in the Liverpool 1 area.

  Departmental Properties
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many residential properties owned by his Department are(a) empty, (b) for sale on the open market, (c) intended for sale on the open market and (d) for sale to housing associations, in terms of numbers and percentage of stock.
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  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 5 March 1992]: The Department of the Environment manages 52 residential properties, as distinct from those held and managed by other Departments as part of their departmental estate. Of this total, 7—13·5 per cent.—are (a) empty, none are (b) for sale on the open market, 12—23 per cent.—are (c) intended for sale on the open market and none are (d) for sale to housing associations.

  Travelling Showpeople
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from national showmen in respect of winter quarters.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 5 March 1992]: We have recently received a number of representations on behalf of the National Showmen Fight for Rights about the advice given in circular 22/91—"Travelling Showpeople".

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will put forward proposals requiring local authorities to include within their local plans their policies on the provision of facilities for travelling showpeople.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 6 March 1992]: My Department has recently issued guidance to local planning authorities in circular 22/91, "Travelling Showpeople" which, among other things, emphasises that local planning authorities should consider the needs of travelling showpeople when preparing local plans and unitary development plans.

  International Wildlife
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what steps he is taking to establish an inspection and enforcement service fully to enforce international wildlife controls as recommended in the report on international trade in wildlife;

  (2) what is his estimate of the cost of implementing all the recommendations in the recent Joint Nature Conservation Committee report on international trade in wildlife as they apply to the trade in wild birds; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will introduce import taxes or charges for licence applications for traders of wild birds.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 6 March 1992]: Implementation of many of the JNCC's recommendations, including those relating to inspection and enforcement and import taxes and charges, needs to be considered by the European Community as a whole. The European Commission's proposals for changes in the relevant Community legislation were published last month and we shall be consulting widely on them. Until agreement has been reached within the Community on the precise changes to be introduced, it will not be possible to estimate the total costs of implementation.

  Wild Birds
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional funding he will make available to implement the new measures to protect wild birds in trade that were announced by him on 27 February; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 6 March 1992]: The Department has made provision for staff to analyse and take follow-up action on the checklists completed in relation to imports of live animals. We shall make additional funding available for other measures as and when necessary.

  Special Protection Areas
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to issue revised guidance to local planning authorities on the treatment of designated and candidate special protection areas in the light of the Leybucht Dyke case heard in the European Court of Justice.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 6 March 1992]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for Housing and Planning to my hon. Friend the member for Twickenham (Mr. Jessel) on 27 February 1992, Official Report column 562. We published draft guidance on that day, and will issue it in final form later this year in a new planning policy guidance note on nature conservation.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when officials from his Department last met staff of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee to discuss future special protection area designations; and what was agreed.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 6 March 1992]: My officials last met staff of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and English Nature on 13 February to discuss special protection area designations. Progress on sites already submitted to the Department was discussed and the Government expect to announce a number of further designations shortly. Discussions are continuing on the future work programme. It was agreed to maintain the momentum through 1992–93 and beyond.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list where nuclear waste from power stations, all other nuclear installations, and imported waste, are stored in Britain.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 6 March 1992]: Low-level radioactive waste is disposed of at British Nuclear Fuels' shallow disposal facility at Drigg. Intermediate-level radioactive waste is currently stored on site awaiting deep disposal. High-level or heat-generating radioacative waste is stored at Sellafield and Dounreay. No radioactive waste is imported into the country.

  Local Government Services
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he provides county councils on the supply of disaggregated information about the cost of provision of the local government services to district councils.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 6 March 1992]: Each year the Department of the Environment publishes a document "Standard Spending Assessment Handbook" which sets out underlying information about the service elements of standard spending assessments for each English local authority. A copy is sent to each authority and copies of
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  the 1990–91 and 1991–92 editions are available in the House Library. In addition, every local authority is obliged to publish its accounts annually.

  Ultraviolet Radiation
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes in ultraviolet radiation levels have been revealed by the continuous monitoring by the National Radiological Protection Board in the last three months; if he will publish the relevant data; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have been asked to reply.

  A preliminary analysis of results obtained at Chilton, Oxfordshire, as part of the National Radiological Protection Board's programme of development for solar radiation measurement, for the months December 1991 to February 1992, does not indicate any signficant differences in mean levels from those expected. Temporal variations in levels appear to be within the range of variations expected from variability in local weather conditions.

  Business Property Values
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the change in average business property values since April 1988.

  Mr. Maples
  I have been asked to reply.

  There are no statistics available in relation to average business property values which would enable information to be supplied in the form requested.

  Nuclear Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will next meet the European Commissioner for Environmental Matters to discuss the impact of the Dounreay reprocessing plant on the Irish sea and the surrounding environment.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

  Rent Arrears Scheme, Hackney
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his decision to end Hackney council's arrears-to-rents scheme.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon Friend the Member for Waveney (Mr. Porter) on 7 February at column 324. We do not have the information to provide an estimate of the amount of housing benefit that may have already been paid.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Duchy Visit
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next intends to visit the Duchy.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next plans to visit the Duchy.
  371
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next plans to visit the Duchy.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to visit the Duchy in April.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next intends to visit the Duchy.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I refer to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Enright) earlier today.

  Legal Advisers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many legal advisers there are in the Duchy office.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  There are two legal executives employed by the Duchy in the Duchy office. The Duchy solicitor is a partner in a firm of solicitors and he regularly visits the Duchy office but is not a member of the staff.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  External Trade Statistics
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the significance of the figures in the final column of table F2 of the monthly review of external trade statistics.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The series referred to is a measure of changes in the prices of exports of manufactured goods from the United Kingdom's 11 main competitors.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the outcome of his annual review of Export Credits Guarantee Department premium rates.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Experience of the use of the portfolio management system indicates that it provides a sound basis for helping to determine the appropriate level of premiums. We continue to press ahead with our international initiative to encourage the use of systems which more closely match premiums to risk. Meanwhile, I have now completed the first annual review of Export Credits Guarantee Department's rates taking account of experience of the practical operation of the system, the latest forecasts of economic prospects in all the main markets, and the competitive position of British exporters. It is clear from this review that in the event current premium rates need adjusting to reflect changes both in trading patterns and in the creditworthiness of various markets so as to achieve our planned likelihood of avoiding underwriting losses. I am happy to say that we have therefore been able to make substantial reductions for many markets, though there will be some increases in others, notably those whose prospects have significantly weakened. The new rates will come into effect from 6 April. The Export Credits Guarantee Department will be in touch with exporters, and their representative associations, to inform them of the changes.

ENERGY

  Renewable Energy Sources
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on the role of renewables within the Government's overall energy strategy.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Government's renewable energy policy is to stimulate the development and deployment of all technologies with prospects of commercial viability and environmental acceptability. This is being implemented by supporting a collaborative research, development and demonstration programme with industry, providing an appropriate institutional framework, and utilising the non-fossil fuel obligation which has resulted in contracts being placed for more than 600 MW of electricity from renewable sources. Moreover an independent advisory group, which I chair, is currently reviewing renewable energy strategy. I expect the group to report to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy in the spring.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to undertake an environmental assessment of the current 100 MW target for renewables.

  Mr. Moynihan
  For renewables projects which require planning permission, the likely environmental impact will need to be taken into account when the application is determined. In some cases, there will be a requirement for environmental assessment. Environmental assessment will also need to be undertaken for those projects promoted by means of a private Bill.

  Nuclear Levy
  Mr. Moate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what would be the cost of transferring the burden of the nuclear levy from industry to the Exchequer.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Fossil fuel levy receipts in 1990–91 were £1,175 million, of which an estimated £300 million derived from sales to industry. The terms of the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation contracts ensure that the levy revenues needed to finance nuclear-sourced electricity will decline substantially, in real terms, by 1997–98.

  Orimulsion
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received concerning the burning of orimulsion, and to which power stations they relate.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations mostly relating to National Power plc's application to fit electrostatic precipitators in order to use orimulsion as a fuel at its Pembroke power station, and also in relation to the burning of orimulsion at Grain, Richborough and Ince power stations. My right hon. Friend has decided not to proceed further with National Power plc's application until he has received the considered views of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what weights of plutonium arising from foreign nuclear fuel reprocessed at Sellafield were returned to the
  373
  respective countries of origin in (a) 1990 and (b) 1991; and if he will specify which countries were involved and under which safeguards arrangements.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  None.

  Nuclear Proliferation
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list(a) all measures taken by his Department in the last 12 months to prevent nuclear proliferation, (b) the number of personnel in his Department working to prevent nuclear proliferation and (c) his Department's total expenditure on control of nuclear proliferation in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My Department has been involved in several important initiatives in the last 12 months, aimed at strengthening nuclear non-proliferation controls.

  As the lead Department on safeguards issues and provider of the United Kingdom representation on the International Atomic Energy Agency board of governors, we have been developing policy on measures to strengthen IAEA safeguards, in consultation with other Departments and our international partners. My Department has supported the IAEA and its role in the United Nations special commission's activities in Iraq, in facilitating the availability of technical advice and assistance from United Kingdom nuclear experts.

  My officials continued to advise DTI on export licence applications for nuclear related materials and equipment. They provide technical advice to other Departments and take part in United Kingdom delegations to international export control organisations such as the European Community political co-operation group on nuclear non-proliferation, the nuclear suppliers group, and the Zangger committee.

  Nine administrative and technical staff from the Department's atomic energy division, are directly involved to some degree on nuclear non-proliferation issues. Figures arc not readily available on expenditure specifically related to this work.

  Gas-fired Power Stations
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the permissions granted for the construction of new gas-fired power stations by company and planned generating capacity.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 24 February at columns 397–400.

  The hon. Member will, however, wish to know that my right hon. Friend has now given consent to the application by Citigen Ltd to construct a 90 MW station fuelled by gas and fuel oil at Charterhouse street, London ECI.

  Consultants
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list each private sector consultancy firm which has been retained by each agency within his Department, and for his Department as a whole, for the purposes of advising on the market testing programme; and whether the appointment in each case was the result of competitive tendering.
  374
  Mr. Wakeham
  No consultancy firm has been appointed so far.

  Coal
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the energy intensity figure, in tonnes coal equivalent per $1,000 gross domestic product, for each of the European Community and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries in(a) 1973 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available in each case.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Figures for energy intensity in member countries, on the basis of tonnes of coal equivalent per $1,000 of GDP—at 1985 prices and exchange rates—are as follows:

  1973

  1989

  Australia

  0·86

  0·79

  Austria

  0·73

  0·56

  Belgium

  1·22

  0·89

  Canada

  1·12

  0·93

  Denmark

  0·73

  0·50

  Finland

  0·94

  0·77

  France

  0·74

  0·63

  Germany

  0·89

  0·67

  Greece

  0·85

  1·04

  Iceland

  0·87

  0·70

  Ireland

  1·01

  0·78

  Italy

  0·73

  0·54

  Japan

  0·64

  0·44

  Luxembourg

  2·73

  1·39

  Netherlands

  1·05

  0·80

  New Zealand

  0·72

  0·96

  Norway

  0·73

  0·62

  Portugal

  0·77

  1·10

  Spain

  0·67

  0·74

  Sweden

  0·83

  0·74

  Switzerland

  0·39

  0·39

  Turkey

  1·32

  1·31

  United Kingdom

  0·97

  0·68

  United States

  0·98

  0·73

  Sources: Energy Balances of OECD Countries 1987–1988 (OECD, 1990) and Energy Balances of OECD Countries 1980–1989 (OECD, 1991).

  Figures for energy intensity in member countries are published by the OECD, on the basis of tonnes of oil equivalent per $1,000 of GDP. The figures have been converted to the basis of tonnes of coal equivalent per $1,000 of GDP, using the standard conversion factor of 1.7.

  Petroleum Production
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are Her Majesty's Government's latest forecasts of levels of United Kingdom petroleum production.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The latest forecasts for the United Kingdom petroleum production in the years 1992 to 1996 are as follows:

  Million Tonnes

  1992

  85–105

  1993

  85–115

  1994

  95–130

  1995

  95–130

  1996

  90–130

  As in previous years, the forecasts are presented in the form of a range of outcomes for each year. These take into

  375
  account the many uncertainties involved. The figures include stabilised crude oil, natural gas liquids—NGLs and condensates. NGL and condensate production is expected to contribute between 4 million and 10 million tonnes annually to these figures.

  Electricity Prices
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what response he has given to representations from high-energy-using industry, including the engineering steel industry, about proposed increases in electricity prices.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend asked major energy users, including the engineering and steel industries, to provide detailed information on electricity prices so that the Government may better understand their position. This work has made good progress.

  Nuclear Safeguards
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on issues discussed, proposals rejected and decisions taken at the most recent special meeting of the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency that focused upon international nuclear safeguards.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  A report on the issues discussed at the February board of governors has been made by the International Atomic Energy Agency in the form of a press release, No. PR 92/12, dated 26 February. A copy of the press release has been deposited in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether the United Kingdom ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna has made any additional pledge of resources, scientific expertise or technology for safeguards at the IAEA board of governors special meeting on improving international nuclear safeguards that opened in Vienna on 24 February.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No.

  Coal Mining
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he intends to meet the National Union of Mineworkers to discuss the future of coal mining in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend and I have no plans at present to meet the National Union of Mineworkers to discuss the future of coal mining in Britain.

  Nuclear Transport Ships
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the liability coverage(a) currently in place or (b) planned, for (i) Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd. ships and (ii) Nuclear Transport Ltd. ships registered in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  As the licensed operator of the Sellafield site, British Nuclear Fuels plc is responsible for complying with the provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, as amended, with regard to insurance for the 376
  transport of nuclear materials to or from the site. The insurance arrangements for meeting these requirements in respect of ships registered in the United Kingdom and owned by Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited—PNTL—are a commercial matter for BNFL and PNTL. Nuclear Transport Limited owns no such ships.

EMPLOYMENT

  Craft Apprentices
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will tabulate the number of craft apprentices as defined by legal indentures currently attending either day release or sandwich courses at colleges of higher or further education, showing the number by convenient classes or categories of craft, trade, or future occupation;

  (2) if he will tabulate the number of craft apprenticeships entered into in each year since 1980 in convenient classes or categories of craft, trade, or future occupation.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information is not available in the precise form requested. Estimates for Great Britain from the labour force survey of the number of people undertaking craft apprenticeships at the time of the survey are given in the table.

  Spring each Year

  Thousands

  1983

  229

  1984

  196

  1985

  201

  1986

  170

  1987

  173

  1988

  177

  1989

  206

  1990

  201

  Note: Information for 1981 from the Labour Force Survey is not comparable with that for other years. There was no Labour Force Survey in 1980 or 1982.

  Of the 201,000 craft apprentices in the spring of 1990, around 90,000 were attending day release or sandwich courses.

  Customs Clearance Agents
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what compensation or redundancy arrangements will be available for customs clearance agents and their employees after 1 January 1993.

  Mr. Forth
  Statutory entitlements to redundancy payments, based on age and length of service, are provided for in part VI of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978, and, in Northern Ireland, the Contracts of Employment and Redundancy Payments Act (Northern Ireland) 1965.

  Employers (Disability Adaptations)
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on levies on employers in other EC countries who do not adapt premises or equipment for employees with disabilities.

  Mr. Jackson
  We have no information to suggest that any EC country places a levy on employers in this way.
  377
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his policy to place a levy on employers who do not adapt premises or equipment for employees with disabilities in order to subsidise other employers to carry out such works; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  We have no intention of adopting such a policy.

  Under the aids to premises and equipment—APE—scheme, the Employment Service currently makes grants available to employers towards the cost of adapting premises or equipment for an existing disabled employee or a new recruit who is disabled to enable them to work more effectively and productively.

  In the summary paper published in 1990 "Evaluation of special schemes for people with disabilities" the large majority of employers interviewed who had benefited from the APE scheme said they would have been prepared to pay more towards the costs of an adaptation. Nevertheless, there was no call either from those employers or from individual beneficiaries for a levy of employers who did not adapt premises or equipment. There is no evidence that such a levy would improve the employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with his EC counterparts on harmonising duties of employers to provide facilities for employees with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  We have had no such discussions. EC countries provide for the employment and training needs of people with disabilities in a variety of ways, according to the circumstances which exist in the country concerned. We are in the process of improving the effectiveness of our employment and training services for people with disabilities, following extensive consultations. We take the experience of other countries, including EC countries, into account as appropriate. We also take opportunities to inform representatives from other member states about developments in the United Kingdom.

  YTS Fatalities
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the date of, cause of and compensation paid in each fatality on a youth training scheme since 1979, or latest convenient date.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information on dates and causes of fatalities is in the table.

  The Employment Department does not pay damages in compensation to families of trainees fatally injured on YT, or the former YTS. However, training providers are contractually obliged to obtain insurance to cover any claims to compensation or damages. Payments made by either insurance companies or YT training providers are a private matter between them and the trainees' families. The Employment Department is not informed of these settlements.

  Cause of fatality

  Date

  Lorry hit horse, trainee run over

  27 June 1983

  Trainee fell down disused mine shaft

  7 September 1983

  Trapped under fork lift truck

  12 October 1983

  Crushed by reversing tractor

  1 February 1984

  378

  Cause of fatality

  Date

  Road Traffic Accident

  27 July 1984

  Motorcycle accident

  22 August 1984

  Dumper truck overturned into stream

  24 September 1984

  Shock to lungs caused by burning

  28 January 1985

  Traumatic asphyxiation

  26 February 1985

  Electrocution

  29 July 1985

  Road Traffic Accident

  20 August 1985

  Road Traffic Accident

  7 May 1986

  Fall from ladder

  12 May 1986

  Road Traffic Accident

  30 June 1986

  Trapped whilst loading lorry

  3 October 1986

  Trapped whilst directing vehicle

  11 November 1986

  Electrocution

  26 November 1986

  Road Traffic Accident

  22 December 1986

  Trapped in farm silo

  4 March 1987

  Hit by girder carried on fork lift truck

  18 March 1987

  Road Traffic Accident

  13 April 1987

  Trapped under wheels of tractor

  17 August 1987

  Trapped under worktops

  23 October 1987

  Trapped between tractor and building

  16 November 1987

  Trapped in silage machine

  14 December 1987

  Knocked down by motorcycle

  12 January 1988

  Drowned at sea

  14 January 1988

  Killed in explosion

  5 August 1988

  Fall from ladder

  15 August 1988

  Digger bucket collapsed on trainee

  18 August 1988

  Road Traffic Accident

  14 September 1988

  Road Traffic Accident

  5 October 1988

  Road Traffic Accident

  2 November 1988

  Acetate caught fire

  2 November 1988

  Electrocution

  3 March 1989

  Fell through roof opening

  19 April 1989

  Trapped in fire

  18 May 1989

  Road Traffic Accident

  1 December 1989

  Crushed by dumper truck

  17 January 1990

  Decapitation at sea

  1 October 1990

  Caught in explosion

  18 January 1991

  Hit by car

  21 March 1991

  Found in building on fire

  21 March 1991

  Hit by speeding motorcycle

  19 September 1991

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployment benefit claimants there were in Coventry, in December 1978 and December 1991.

  Mr. Jackson
  In December 1991, there were 18,520 people claiming unemployment-related benefits in the Coventry local authority district. Information on the numbers claiming unemployment related benefits for local areas such as local authority districts has been available only since June 1983.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the proportion of the populations of Wandsworth, Westminster and Rotherham which are currently unemployed.

  Mr. Jackson
  The latest total population estimates available from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys are for mid-year 1990. The latest available numbers of unemployed claimants relate to January 1992. These data have been used for all three areas in the following reply.

  In the local authority district of Wandsworth the total population estimates is 256,200 and the number of unemployed claimants is 15,863. On this basis, approximately one person in 16 is claimant unemployed.
  379
  In the local authority district of Westminster the total population estimate is 179,200 and the number of unemployed claimants is 9,470. On this basis, approximately one person in 19 is claimant unemployed.

  In the local authority district of Rotherham the total population estimate is 254,500 and the number of unemployed claimants is 14,115. On this basis, approximately one person in 18 is claimant unemployed.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Central and Eastern Europe
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what way his Department has supported the activities of the legal profession in England and Wales in giving legal technical assistance for central and eastern Europe with particular reference to Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Russia, Ukraine, Belorussia and Armenia; and if he will make a statement as to the extent to which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office assistance unit has been involved in supporting these activities.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We consider the evolving legal professions in eastern and central European countries and those of the former Soviet Union to be an integral part in the process of democratisation. The know-how fund has, to help in this process, worked closely with the various bilateral legal associations, the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Law Society and the Bar Council. The Scottish legal profession is also involved in projects, particularly in the Baltic republics.

  The following activities have been supported:

  Poland
  Security Law and Banking Supervision Law—The provision of British legal advisers to the Government of Poland to complete work on drafting a Security Law and to discuss a draft law on Banking Supervision.
  Lawyer Placement Scheme—To enable ten lawyers from Lodz to come to the United Kingdom to learn about the structure and operation of the legal profession.
  Reform of Land Valuation and Property Registration—Advice from British experts on how to secure title to land, and advice on valuation procedures for foreign and Polish investments consistent with Polish political constraints.
  Management of a Law Practice—A seminar held in Poland, on the management of a lawyer's office.

  Czechoslovakia
  Assistance to the Czech Bar Association—To advise on the establishment of a specialist legal publishing house.
  Commercial Law Seminar—Two day seminar in Prague to familiarize Czechoslovak lawyers with United Kingdom commercial law, organised by the British-Czechoslovak Law Association.
  Placement Scheme for Officials from the Czech and Slovak Ministries of Justice—A one-month long placement scheme on commercial law organised by Queen Mary and Westfield College.

  Bulgaria:
  Bar Council/Law Society Visit—Joint mission by the Bar Council and Law Society to identify possible areas of assistance.
  Environmental Law—Commentary on the Draft Bulgarian Environmental Protection Law.
  Legal Workshop—A legal workshop by the British-Bulgarian Legal Association in Bankya.
  380
  Hungary
  Placement Scheme for Hungarian Lawyers—Placement scheme to give young Hungarian lawyers direct experience of United Kingdom commercial law practices.
  Anglo-Hungarian Legal Seminar—Seminar on the practical negotiations of a joint venture including dealing with financing documents and intellectual property matters.
  Anglo/Hungarian Legal Seminar—Seminar on Criminal Justice and the administration of the probation service.

  UN Conference on Environment and Development
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals are being developed by his Department's Overseas Development Administration for submission to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in June.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My Department contributes to the Government's preparations for UNCED, which are led by the Department of the Environment. Proposals to be discussed by world leaders at the UNCED are the subject of intergovernmental negotiations in the UNCED preparatory committee, which is meeting in New York from 2 March to 3 April. ODA officials are included in the United Kingdom delegation, and the ODA has contributed to submissions made by the United Kingdom to earlier meetings of the preparatory committee, including on population and the environment, and technology transfer. The Secretary of State for the Environment spoke to the preparatory committee on 2 March setting out the United Kingdom's views. A copy of his speech is in the Library.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Dorset LEA (Funding)
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the percentage change in real terms in funding to the Dorset local education authority since 1979.

  Mr. Fallon
  Local authorities are free to determine their own spending priorities between education and other services within the framework of the annual local authority finance settlement. Dorset local education authority's outturn expenditure in 1979–80, including the cost of higher education which in 1989–90 became the responsibility of the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council was some £74 million. Its expenditure in 1989–90, the latest year for which actual spending information is available, was some £169 million. The real terms percentage change between these figures is 14 per cent.

  Walsall Council (Budget)
  Mr. Richard Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the position of Walsall metropolitan borough council in his Department's list of levels of overheads for education authorities in England; what percentage of the council's education budget is spent on administration costs and the average administrative costs per pupil; and if he will give the comparable figures for each of the education authorities in the west midlands.

  Mr. Fallon
  The information is set out in the table.
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  Expenditure on central administration relating to primary and secondary schools, 1991–921

  LEA

  As percentage of PSB2 Per cent

  Ranking by percentage3 Number

  As expenditure per pupil£

  Walsall

  3·40

  46

  60

  Birmingham

  3·85

  64

  60

  Coventry

  4·37

  73

  80

  Dudley

  3·64

  54

  60

  Hereford and Worcester

  3·18

  38

  50

  Sandwell

  4·51

  75

  80

  Shropshire

  2·00

  7

  40

  Solihull

  1·93

  5

  30

  Staffordshire

  4·10

  67

  70

  Warwickshire

  3·19

  40

  50

  Wolverhampton

  5·33

  90

  100

  1 The figures are derived from local education authorities' budget statements prepared under Section 42 of the Education Reform Act.

  2 The potential schools budget (PSB) consists of all spending on schools other than capital expenditure, expenditure supported by Government specific grants, and expenditure on school meals, home to school transport and transitional exceptions from delegation such as grounds maintenance.

  3 The ranking is according to the percentage of PSB spent on central administration by each of the 97 LEAs (excluding most inner London LEAs) which currently have local management of schools schemes in operation. The lowest percentage is ranked as 1.

  Legislation (Representations)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations his Department has had from the North West Regional Association of Education Authorities in regard to the Further and Higher Education Bill [Lords] and the Education (Schools) Bill; what replies he is sending; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Representations about a number of aspects of the Further and Higher Education Bill and the Education (Schools) Bill were received in letters from the association in late February. Replies to those letters were sent on 6 March.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the proportion of the population attending local authority schools and the proportion of the population aged over 75 years in the areas of the Wandsworth. Westminster and Rotherham local authorities.

  Mr. Fallon
  The proportions for 1991 are set out in the table:

  Percentage of the population

  Attending schools maintained by local education authority

  Aged 75 years or over

  Wandsworth

  10·8

  7·0

  Westminster

  9·2

  8·0

  Rotherham

  16·9

  5·9

  Student Maintenance
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what support will be given from public funds towards students' maintenance in the academic year 1992–93.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  We propose the following increases in student support. They are subject, in each case, to parliamentary approval of the necessary regulations.

  The maximum rates of loan in the United Kingdom will be as follows:
  382

  Loan rates 1992–93

  Full year rate (£)

  Final year rate (£)

  Students living away from home:

  in London

  830

  605

  elsewhere

  715

  525

  Students living at home

  570

  415

  The main rates of maintenance grant for mandatory award holders from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and their equivalents in Scotland, will be the same as in the current academic year. The rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland are as follows; Scottish rates are slightly different.

  Main grant rates 1992–93

  (£)

  Students living away from home:

  in London

  2,845

  elsewhere

  2,265

  Students living at home

  1,795

  These grant and loan rates will enable average student support in the United Kingdom from main grant and loan to grow by 4·5 per cent. next year. The resources available to students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be as follows:

  Resources from main grant and loan, 1992–93

  Full year(£)

  Final year(£)

  Students living away from home:

  in London

  3,675

  3,450

  elsewhere

  2,980

  2,790

  Students living at home

  2,365

  2,210

  We shall adjust the parental and spouse contribution scales for mandatory awards for students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, so that the contribution assessed for a parent or spouse whose residual income rises in line with average earnings will continue to fall in real terms.

  We shall increase the supplementary allowances payable within the mandatory award by 4·5 per cent., thereby maintaining their value in real terms.

  We shall make similar adjustments to the scales and allowances used for equivalent awards elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
  383
  I am placing in the Library details of all the rates of grant and loan and of the parental and spouse contribution rules.

  Museums
  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make funds available to secure the future of the Hancock museum, Newcastle and the Sunderland museum.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Funding these museums is not a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend.

  The Hancock museum is owned by the Natural History Society of Northumberland. Its running costs are provided by Newcastle university. Like all universities, Newcastle is an autonomous institution responsible for managing its own financial affairs. It is for the university to decide the level of funding for this facility in the light of other priorities.

  The Sunderland museum is the responsibility of the Tyne and Wear museums service.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are his plans for capital expenditure for grant-maintained schools for the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Eggar
  [pursuant to his reply, 23 January 1991, c. 3 10–14]In my earlier reply I said that I would announce in due course further capital allocations to grant-maintained schools for named projects to start in 1992–93. We have agreed allocations with a total value of £8·8 million. Some projects are phased over two years.

  Of the 60 schools that submitted bids for consideration in the second round, 38 have received an allocation for a named project. Having now seen all the bids together I have also decided to make allocations to four schools who submitted technology-related bids last year which were unsuccessful in the first round. Together with the announcement I made on Thursday about technology schools initiative allocations we now have 101 schools which have benefited from the TSI.

  The grant-maintained schools will make good use of the funds allocated to them which will enable them to improve the facilities and working environments for their pupils.

  The following is a list of the named project allocations.

  Second tranche of Named Project Capital allocations for grant-maintained schools in 1992–93

  £000s

  School and Project

  Total Project Allocation

  Technology Schools Initiative

  Adams' Grammar School Technology building

  470

  Aylesford School Phase I of new technology building

  380

  Burntwood School Upgrading of technology facilities

  553

  Claremont High School Technology facilities

  250

  Cranbrook School Design and technology centre

  438

  The Crypt School Information Technology development

  151

  Desborough Comprehensive School Technology and design facilities

  465

  384

  School and Project

  Total Project Allocation

  The Glyn School Technology block

  350

  La Retraite High School Technology block

  750

  Moseley Park School Technology suite

  730

  Netherthorpe School Extension to existing technology building

  300

  Northampton School for Boys Technology provision

  250

  TOTAL FOR TECHNOLOGY

  5,087

  Other

  Ash Green School Roof and structural work

  100

  Baines School Phase I: 2 storey classroom block

  750

  Belmont Primary School Health and safety (kitchen)

  25

  Brookmead School Extend, refurbish and equip science and technology

  85

  Copland Community School Window replacement

  75

  Elmwood Primary School Boilers

  54

  Fulston Manor School Rural science block extension to form laboratory

  48

  Gartree School Re-roofing of science and mathematics block

  75

  Hayes Manor School Fire protection

  114

  Hayes School Science refurbishment

  280

  Kelsey Park School Science refurbishment

  300

  King John Middle School, Northants Refurbish HORSA huts

  250

  Langley Grammar School Health and safety

  150

  Loddon Middle School Technology room

  73

  Magdalen CE/Methodist Primary School Health and safety (playground)

  15

  Mellow Lane School Fire protection, under pinning and repairs

  120

  Myton School Health and safety (kitchen refurbishment)

  28

  Newlands Spring Primary School Permanent replacement of 1 temporary classroom

  55

  Norwich Road School Sanitary facilities

  93

  Oldborough Manor High School Lower School rewiring

  91

  Parkstone Grammar School Renewal of curtain walling

  116

  The Plume School Business studies suite

  58

  Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Penrith Roof and structural repairs

  102

  Riddlesdown High School Health and safety improvements

  107

  Ringwood Comprehensive School Science laboratory refurbishment

  85

  Salterlee Primary School Essential health and safety

  18

  St. Mary's RC Primary School, Hertfordshire Roof renewal

  108

  Thomas Whitehead CE School Erection of Elliot relocatable classroom

  25

  Wrotham School Roofing and associated repairs

  100

  Yarborough High School Science block

  200

  385

  School and Project

  Total Project Allocation

  TOTAL FOR OTHER PROJECTS

  3,700

HEALTH

  East Dorset Health Authority
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the expenditure of the East Dorset health authority in 1979 and for the current year; what percentage change in real terms this represents; and if he will make a statement on health services in the Bournemouth area.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The East Dorset health authority was established on 1 April 1982. The annual accounts of the authority show total revenue expenditure of £54·5 million, cash, for 1982–83 and 114·7 million, cash, for 1990–91, the latest year available. These figures represent an increase in real terms of 34·6 per cent. measured at 1991–92 prices.

  For 1979–80 the annual accounts of the former Dorset area health authority record total revenue expenditure of £54·1 million, cash, compared with £165·9 million, cash, by the successor East and West Dorset health authorities in the financial year 1990–91—an increase in real terms of 41·2 per cent. measured at 1991–92 prices.

  East Dorset health authority is to be congratulated on its achievements since the commencement of the Government's NHS reforms and I expect the services provided to residents to continue to improve.

  A major landmark within the Bournemouth area is the opening, in February, of phase II of the new Royal Bournemouth hospital. Phase I, opened in 1989, provided general medical and general surgical beds and enabled the centralisation of vascular surgery and urology services to take place at a later date.

  Phase II will include a 24-hour accident and emergency service which will be operational by August 1992 and will be additional to the similar service already provided at Poole. This will mean that East Dorset will have two 24-hour accident and emergency services. Increased orthopaedic services together with the existing orthopaedic in-patient facilities transferred from Christchurch hospital and a trauma service for fractured necks will all improve the local services for elderly people.

  The 24-hour accident and emergency service and the introduction of a low-risk obstetric unit which the authority plan to develop into the first midwife-led maternity unit in the United Kingdom have both been included as a direct response to consumer representations.

  The extra capacity at the Royal Bournemouth hospital is allowing the authority to offer many added benefits to local residents including reduced waiting times for out-patients. Since April 1991, the total number of people in East Dorset waiting for more than one year for in-patient treatment has reduced by over 50 per cent. and by 31 March 1992 is expected to represent only 6 per cent. of all people waiting.

  The number of people awaiting treatment for more than two years has reduced by 90 per cent. and there will be no people waiting for more than two years by the end of March 1992.

  Ambulance Services
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of the merger of the Mersey ambulance service and the Cheshire county ambulance service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Donald Wilson, the chairman of the Mersey regional health authority, for details.

  Bio Products Laboratory
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what activities of the Bio Products Laboratory were deemed to be activities as defined under schedule 8 to the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 in relation to the transitional arrangements on licensing applying to loss of Crown immunity status on 1 April 1991.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Activities related to the sale, supply, manufacture and wholesale dealing of medicinal products which are licensable activities by virtue of sections 7 and 8 of the Medicines Act 1968.

  Nurses, Cheshire
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of nurses employed in the county of Cheshire; and if he will give the totals for 1970, 1980 and 1990.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is available only for health service regions and districts.

  Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the criteria by which a company is assessed for inclusion within the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The pharmaceutical price regulation scheme is a voluntary agreement between the Health Departments and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical industry. It is intended to apply to all companies supplying national health service medicines which are prescribed by medical or dental practitioners.

  The term "national health service medicines" refers to any human pharmaceutical product which is marketed under a specific brand name. The agreement therefore does not cover pharmaceutical products which are sold under their generic title, nor packs which are predominately intended for sale to the public without a prescription.

  GP Budget Holders
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department gives to hospitals on the procedures concerning the relative priority with which patients of budget holders may be seen compared to non-budget holder patients; what representations he has received on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Following representations made by the BMA we discussed this issue with the Joint Consultants Committee; and issued joint guidance to hospital consultants in June 1991 in executive letter (91)84. The guidance clearly states that
  387
  "provider units will not offer contracts to one purchaser which would disadvantage the patients of another purchaser".
  Copies of the executive letter are available in the Library.

  Cosmetic Treatment
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether female transplant patients may receive free cosmetic treatment from the national health service for such things as hair growth caused by anti-rejection pills.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The treatment of such a patient under the NHS is a matter for the clinical judgment of the doctor responsible for her care.

  Rehabilitation Medicine Consultants
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of consultants in rehabilitation medicine in post at 31 December 1990, 31 March 1991, 30 June 1991, 30 September 1991 and 31 December 1991, respectively.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information on the number of hospital medical staff is collected on an annual basis by census as at 30 September each year. The latest information available is for 30 September 1990 and this shows that there were 11 consultants in rehabilitation medicine in England at that date.

  Census data for 30 September 1991 will be available later this year, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.

  Hospital Appointments
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of people within Trent regional health authority who failed to attend national health service hospitals after being granted firm appointments in the year to March 1991; and how many of these obtained private treatment instead.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary gave my hon. Friend the Member for New Forest (Sir Patrick McNair-Wilson) on 19 November 1991 at column 130. The total number of patients on the waiting list at 31 March 1991 in Trent for ordinary or day case admission who had deferred admission at their own request was 4,417. Information is not collected centrally on numbers who failed to attend for in-patient and day case treatment or who obtained private treatment instead.

  Meningitis
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on information campaigns about meningitis in each of the last three years; and what plans his Department has for future campaigns.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Health education campaigns are conducted on behalf of the Government by the Health Education Authority which is funded by the Department. During the coming year, as part of its promotion of immunisation, the HEA will provide information on the new vaccine to be introduced against haemophilus influenzae b, a major cause of bacterial meningitis in young children; it is not possible to break-down this 388
  expenditure. In addition the Department makes an annual grant of £15,000 per annum to the National Meningitis Trust to help fund its information campaigns for both members of the public and professionals, and the HEA has assisted the trust with production of an information pack for GPs.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what governmental initiatives have been taken in the last five years as to research into meningitis; what financial assistance has been given, and to which bodies, to organisations involved either in research into the disease or support to families affected; and whether such assistance is able to be separately identified as to amounts spent on research, administration and salaries of those working for organisations receiving Government support.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science. Figures for the last five years for MRC research into meningitis are as follows:

  £

  1986–87

  144,057

  1987–88

  215,603

  1988–89

  160,467

  1989–90

  339,091

  1990–91

  460,000

  MRC research on meningitis funded in 1990–91 was as follows:

  Direct support (through MRC's own Units):
  Clinical Research Centre, Division of Communicable Diseases, Harrow, Middlesex.
  Pathogenesis and immunobiology of meningococcal infection.
  MRC Laboratories, The Gambia, West Africa.
  Serological studies with Haemophilus Influenzae Type B polysaccharide/protein conjugate vaccines.

  Indirect support (through grants to University departments):
  Professor E. R. Moxon, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford.
  Molecular basis of Haemophilus Influenzae pathogenicity.
  Dr. G. J. Boulnois, Department of Microbiology, University of Leicester.
  Genetic engineering of Polysaccharides.
  Professor T. H. Pennington, Department of Bacteriology, University of Aberdeen.
  Studies on the population genetics and typing of Neisseria Meningitidis.
  Dr. J. E. Heckels, Department of Microbiology, University of Southampton.
  Immunobiology of meningococcal outer membrane proteins.
  Dr. D. M. Jones, Manchester Public Health Laboratory,
  Public Health Laboratory Service Board, London.
  To investigate Neisseria Meningitidis surface antigens for induction of protective antibody after disease/ carriage.
  Dr. J. J. McFadden, Department of Microbiology, University of Surrey, Guildford.
  DNA probes to study epidemiology and virulence of Neisseria Meningitidis infections.
  Dr. B. G. Spratt, School of Biological Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton.
  Molecular basis and molecular epidemiology of the emergence of penicillin resistance in Neisseria Meningitidis.
  Dr. Rosalyn A. Davies, Department of Neuro-otology, Institute of Neurology, London.

  389
  The use of brain-stem acoustically evoked responses to predict permanent hearing loss following bacterial meningitis.
  Dr. A. Robinson, Bacterial Antigens Group, Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research, Porton.
  A preliminary investigation into the mechanisms of meningococcal meningitis.

  In the last five years the Department of Health has commissioned the following meningitis related research projects:

  1. "A Prospective Case-control Study of Meningococcal Disease in Eight West Country Health Districts". Total cost: £58,874. Study undertaken by Bristol and Weston Health Authority;

  2. "Meningoencephalitis Associated with the Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) Vaccine." Total estimated cost: £129,195. Study being undertaken by Oxfordshire Health Authority;

  3. "Clinical Trial of Haemophilus Influenzae Vaccine." Total estimated cost £129,275. Study being undertaken by the Public Health Laboratory Service.

  It is not possible to break down this expenditure into amounts spent on research, administration and salaries. Money given to the National Meningitis Trust is not intended for research purposes.

  Community Nurses
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each years since 1979 the number of community nursing staff employed and the number of visits undertaken to patients over retirement age.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 6 February 1992]: The information is not available in the form requested. Also, definitional changes between 1979 and 1990 and differences in definition between manpower and activity statistics make detailed comparisons difficult.

  Table 1 shows the number of community health care nursing staff between 1979 and 1990. Included in the figures are all primary health care staff, except school nurses, agency staff and midwifery staff: community psychiatric nurses and community mental handicap nurses are included from 1981, the first year for which data were available.

  Table 2 shows the number of people aged 65 and over who were seen by a home nurse or health visitor between 1979 and 1987–88, and by a district nurse, health visitor, community psychiatric nurse, community mental handicap nurse or other community nurse in 1988–89 and 1989–90, following the introduction of a new data collection system. Figures are not collected centrally on the total number of contacts with community nurses by age.

  Table 1

  Primary Health Care (Community) Nursing1 Staff at 30 September Each Year England

  Year

  Whole-time equivalent2

  31979

  29,500

  31980

  32,100

  1981

  35,700

  1982

  35,600

  1983

  36,300

  1984

  37,000

  1985

  39,000

  1986

  38,800

  1987

  39,000

  1988

  39,700

  41989

  39,300

  1990

  40,700

  390

  Source:

  Department of Health (SMI3) annual census of NHS non-medical manpower.

  Notes:

  1 Excludes school nursing, midwifery and agency staff, but includes community psychiatric and community mental handicap nursing staff.

  2 All figures are independently rounded to the nearest one hundred (100) whole-time equivalents.

  3 Not adjusted for reduction in nurses working hours during 1980–81 (from 40 to 37·5 hours per week).

  4 Understated figure due to errors in occupation coding at South East Thames Region.

  Table 2

  First contacts Home/Community nursing (thousands)

  England

  Year

  First contacts with 65s and over

  1979

  1,819·9

  1980

  1,898·7

  1981

  1,903·0

  1982

  1,955·9

  1983

  2,005·9

  1984

  2,039·8

  1985

  2,077·4

  1986

  2,018·3

  1987–88

  2,030·5

  1988–891 2

  2,144·0

  1989–90

  1,955·0

  Sources: LHS 27/3, KC56–59

  1 For 1988–89 and 1989–90, there was a change in the method of data collection, and therefore the figures are not comparable to past years.

  2 This estimate was based on incomplete age data for the first year of a new data collection system and appears to over estimate the true figure.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Criminal Statistics
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what percentage the levels of notifiable criminal offences and crimes of violence, respectively, changed in Leicestershire during the last 12 months for which records are available.

  Mr. John Patten
  In the 12 months to September 1991, recorded crime in Leicestershire increased by 29·5 per cent. over the previous 12 months and crimes of violence increased by 9·8 per cent.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what number and what percentage reported(a) criminal offences and (b) crimes of violence have altered in Leicestershire during the last six months for which records are available.

  Mr. John Patten
  In the six months to September 1991, recorded crime in Leicestershire increased by 29·6 per cent. over the corresponding six months of 1990. Crimes of violence increased by 14·6 per cent. over the same period.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) notifiable criminal offences and (b) crimes of violence were notified to the police during the last six months of 1979 and of 1991, respectively.

  Mr. John Patten
  In the last six months of 1979 there were 1,296,570 notifiable offences recorded in England and Wales of which 69,023 were crimes of violence. Information for the last six months of 1991 is not yet available.

  Police Manpower
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what number and by what percentage the number of police officers in Leicestershire has altered since May 1979.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  At the end of December 1991 police strength in Leicestershire constabulary was 1,808. This is an increase of 107, or 6·3 per cent., since the Government first took office in May 1979.

  Press Code of Practice
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to consult the chairman of the Press Complaints Committee on strengthening the code of practice of national newspapers to protect mentally disordered persons from intrusion by the presss; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None. Changes to the code of practice are matters for the newspaper industry to consider. The Government have, however, made it clear that they will review the effectiveness of press self-regulation in the middle of this year.

  Poll-Tax (Liability Hearings)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many liability hearings for outstanding poll tax have so far taken place with the defendant present; of these how many(a) orders were made or (b) no order were made; and what is the status of those not falling into either categories (a) or (b).

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on liability hearings for non-payment of community charge where the defendant was present is available for the period 1 April 1991 to 31 December 1991. During that period the total number of liability hearings conducted where the defendant was present was about 129,000. Liability orders were made in about 107,000 of these hearings. Other information about liability hearings with the defendant present is not collected.

  Auto Crime
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many motor vehicles were(a) broken into and (b) stolen, during the latest year for which figures are available in England and Wales.

  Mr. John Patten
  The available information relates to thefts of and from motor vehicles recorded by the police in England and Wales. Provisional figures for 1991 show that there were 582,267 thefts of a motor vehicle and 913,706 thefts from a motor vehicle. These figures were released earlier today in Home Office statistical bulletin 2/92, a copy of which will be available in the Library shortly.

  Overseas Voters
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total cost of establishing and publishing the system of overseas voter registrations.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Advertising campaigns to inform British citizens living abroad of their voting rights were 392
  undertaken in 1986, when the overseas franchise was introduced by the Representation of the People Act 1985; and in 1990, upon the extension of the qualifying period from five to 20 years, under the Representation of the People Act 1989. The total costs involved were £279,000 and £705,000 respectively. In 1991 a total of £1,400 was spent on updating the posters used in British diplomatic posts abroad.

  The costs of the passage of the 1985 and 1989 Acts were largely absorbed within existing provision. Estimates of any additional costs involved could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  The cost to local authorities of registering overseas electors under the 1989 Act in 1990 and 1991 is estimated to be £172,000. Estimates for the years 1986 to 1989 are not available.

  Police Statistics
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list, in rank order, for each (i) police authority and (ii) county police authority in England, including average figures(a) the number of police offices in 1979, (b) the number of police offices for the latest year for which figures are available and (c) the difference between the two ranking by (c);

  (2) if he will list, in rank order, for each (a) police authority and (b) county police authority in England, including average figures (i) the number of police officers in 1981, (ii) the number of police officers for the latest year for which figures are available and (iii) the difference between the two, ranking by (iii).

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Drugs
  Mr. Nelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what initiative on drugs is being planned to coincide with the United Kingdom presidency of the European Council in the second half of 1992.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  European drug prevention week will take place on 16 to 22 November, and we shall be playing a full and active part. This initiative was proposed by the United Kingdom, and has been taken up by all our EC partners. In the United Kingdom, a wide range of national, regional and local events is being planned with the overall objective of raising awareness of the dangers of drug and solvent misuse, especially among young people.

  Life Sentence Prisoners
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has established the order in which existing discretionary life sentence prisoners, who are eligible for consideration under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, will have their cases considered by the Parole Board; and where the hearings will be held.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The hearings will be held in the establishments in which the prisoners concerned are located. It will be for the Parole Board to decide the order in which cases are heard. To assist it in this task, I will provide the board with a list of those eligible in each establishment in suggested order of priority for hearing. The lists will be prepared on the following basis.

  Prisoners due for a review under existing arrangements between now and 1 October, when the new provisions

  393
  come into force, will be offered the opportunity to defer their reviews so that they can benefit from the new arrangements. Those who opt to defer will be at the top of the list, in original date order.

  Next will be any prisoner for whom the Parole Board has previously made a release recommendation which was not accepted. Thereafter, prisoners will be ranked in order of the month in which, under existing procedures, their next Parole Board review would have been due to commence. Where a number of cases rank equally in the same month, account will then be taken of the length of time served past expiry of the tariff period of sentence, with priority being give to those who have been detained longest. If further fine tuning within the same month is necessary, any prisoner who has previously been released on licence, but recalled to prison, will be placed below others who have previously been detained for the same length of time past tariff. Account will also be taken of any compassionate considerations indicating that an early hearing is appropriate.

  Police Complaints Authority
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he has made to appoint a successor to Judge Francis Petre as chairman of the Police Complaints Authority.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Her Majesty the Queen has approved the appointment of Sir Leonard Peach as chairman of the Police Complaints Authority with effect from 1 August 1992 when the current chairman, Judge Francis Petre, retires on 31 July 1992. I welcome this appointment. Sir Leonard Peach, who served from 1986–89 as chief executive of the NHS management board, is shortly to retire from IBM (UK) Ltd. after a distinguished career.

PRIME MINISTER

  Women's Issues
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to alter the present departmental structure for consideration of women's issues.

  The Prime Minister
  I am currently examining existing departmental responsibilities for women's issues.

  Value Added Tax
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy not to widen the scope of VAT by introducing a positive rate on those items that are presently zero-rated.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have no plans to extend the scope of VAT to any items which are currently zero-rated, and no need to do so.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to meet with non-governmental organisations which specialise in non-proliferation issues to discuss the outcome of the special session of the United Nations Security Council decisions on nuclear non-proliferation agreed in New York on 31 January.
  394
  The Prime Minister
  I have no specific plans to do so. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is in close touch with non-governmental organisations in this field.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister whether the library at 10 Downing street contains a copy of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  The Prime Minister
  Yes.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the main points of the agreed United Nations Security Council special session policy to control nuclear proliferation held in New York on 31 January; indicating what plans he has to publicise the strategy agreed on nuclear non-proliferation.

  The Prime Minister
  The agreed conclusions of the high-level meeting of the Security Council on 31 January are set out in the statement which I made at the time on behalf of all members of the Security Council, and on which I reported to the House on 3 February at columns 21–35. The statement has been published as Security Council document S/23500, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Scotland
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions on which he has officially visited Scotland since he assumed his present office, and the engagements he undertook during those visits.

  The Prime Minister
  I have made five official visits to Scotland, when I undertook a number of different engagements.

  Wales
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions on which he has officially visited Wales since he assumed his present office, and the engagements he has undertaken during those visits.

  The Prime Minister
  I have made one official visit to Wales, when I undertook a number of different engagements.

  National Health Service Improvements
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Prime Minister how many letters he has received in the past six months seeking improvements in the national health service.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 6 March 1992]: I have received many representations on the national health service.

  The Government have increased the resources available to the National Health Service with the result that National Health Service spending has risen by 55 per cent. in real terms under this Government and next year National Health Service spending in England will rise to £618 per person, compared with £409 per head—1992–93 prices—in 1979.

  The Government's reforms are beginning to deliver improved health care. In 1991–92, the first year of our reforms, the National Health Service is forecast to treat 5·6 per cent. more in-patients and 4·3 per cent. more out-patients than last year.

  Libya
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of the visit to Libya by Vasily Safranchuk, the United Nations envoy.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 25 February 1992]: The United Nations Secretary-General has now reported to the Security Council the outcome of Mr. Safronchuk's recent visits to Libya. That report states that Security Council resolution 731 has not yet been complied with. We agree with that assessment. Libya must comply with United Nations Security Council resolution 731 or face further measures.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will state the total funds made available for research into the causes of myalgic encephalomyelitis in the last five years; and how much of this has been for research into the physical causes of myalgic encephalomyelitis.

  Mr. Hanley
  No grant applications for research into the causes of myalgic encephalomyelitis have been received by the Department of Health and Social Services. However, I understand that in the last five years research at the Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast into the physical causes of ME has been supported by grants of approximately £20,000 from the ME Association and other private sources.

  Dentistry
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial resources will be made available to the dentistry profession in Northern Ireland to implement the Poswillo report.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Foyle (Mr. Hume) on 5 March,Official Report, column 238.

  Heating (Health Problems)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will support and encourage the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and health boards in Northern Ireland jointly to investigate the cause of asthma and repeated chest infections in children and report on the incidence of these health problems in relation to the type of heating installed in homes.

  Mr. Hanley
  I am not aware of any evidence of a causal link between asthma or other chest infections and any types of home heating and have no immediate plans to instigate such an investigation unless evidence is forthcoming.

  Social Security
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give, for each year from 1978–79 to the latest available, the total number of staff administering the social security programme.
  396
  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  Total number of staff

  1984

  4,488

  1985

  4,435

  1986

  4,508

  1987

  4,692

  1988

  4,544

  1989

  4,470·5

  1990

  4,352·5

  1991–92

  4,284

  Information prior to 1984 is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Civil Unrest (Compensation)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for compensation under the scheme of compensation for loss of employment through civil unrest have been rejected since 1970 on the grounds that the applicant had not been employed for two years or more and what percentage of rejected applications such rejections represent.

  Mr. Needham
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave him on 3 February 1992 (Official Report, Vol. 203, col. 30).

CIVIL SERVICE

  Morale
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what new initiatives he intends to introduce to improve morale in the civil service.

  Mr. Renton
  Our aim is to have an efficient, effective and well-motivated civil service. Managers in Departments and agencies continually work to achieve this.

SCOTLAND

  Students' Allowances
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish details of any changes in students' allowances for session 1992–93.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I am publishing today the main rates of allowances payable under the postgraduate students' allowances scheme for vocational postgraduate courses which do not attract student loans, together with the rates of various supplementary allowances payable to both undergraduate and vocational postgraduate award holders. The main rates of maintenance allowance for undergraduates will remain frozen at their 1990–91 cash levels following the introduction of student loans.

  Details of the new rates have been placed in the Library. The increases in these rates are broadly in line with the 4·5 per cent. increase in the overall provision for student maintenance announced by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science.

  Agricultural Scientific Services
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about his plans to establish the agricultural scientific services of the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department as an executive agency.

  Mr. Lang
  I have decided that, under the "next steps" initiative, the agricultural scientific services will become an executive agency from 1 April 1992. The agency will be called the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency—SASA —and will continue to be part of the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department.

  For 1992–93, the first year of operation, I have set the following key performance targets for SASA:
  development of a full accruals accounting system by April 1993;
  completion of 95 per cent. of all scientific tests and analyses within the timetable set by the customers;
  evaluation of quality assurance schemes for all laboratory activities leading to accreditation during 1993–94;
  achievement of at least 1½ per cent. efficiency gain;
  establishment of base line figures for quantitative indices of performance including (eg unit cost per sample; cost per scientist direct hour; staff utilisation) including the development of a comprehensive work-recording system, leading to an average efficiency gain for these indices of 11/2 per cent.;
  charges for charged services to be set at full economic cost to achieve full cost recovery; make the progress necessary in the first year to ensure the implementation of full customer-contractor arrangements by 1 April 1994;
  by a formalised process, secure the views of all customers on the quality of the work done by end March 1993.

  Fish Protection
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will designate more waters under the EC directive for protection or improvement of freshwaters to support fish life.

  Mr. Lang
  Yes. I have today made arrangements for over 2,300 km of Scottish waters to be added to those already designated for protection or improvement under directive 78/659/EEC. The waters concerned have all been designated as salmonid.

  The designations, based on submissions from the river purification boards—RPBs—bring the total length designated in Scotland to 36,577 km. More than three quarters of the total length of all Scottish rivers are now covered, almost 98 per cent of which conform o the directive's provisions. I should like to pay tribute to the RPBs, local authorities and industry for their contribution towards maintaining and improving the quality of these waters.

  Natural Heritage Areas
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will issue the statement of the Government's position on the implementation of natural heritage areas in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I have written today to Magnus Magnusson, chairman of Scottish Natural Heritage, to send him the text of the Government's statement on the implementation of the natural heritage areas provision, contained in the Scottish Natural Heritage Act 1991, following the period of public 398
  consultation last year. In preparing this statement full account was taken of the points made during the passage of the Act, as well as the many views expressed by the public bodies and individuals during the consultation period. A copy of this statement and a summary of the responses to the consultation paper has been placed in the Library of the House.

  I am very grateful to all who responded formally to the consultation paper. A wide range of views were expressed. Many showed strong support for the principle of natural heritage areas and for the associated concept of integrated management of areas of outstanding importance to the natural heritage in Scotland. Many respondents agreed that the implementation of the designation should be based where possible on the voluntary principle. There was considerable stress on the importance of ensuring the active involvement of local communities in natural heritage areas. It was also generally agreed that there was a need to influence in many areas sensitive and sustainable land management while taking account of the public desire for access. I am confident that the new designation will provide a suitable and successful framework which will allow Scottish Natural Heritage and others to develop successful partnerships which will safeguard and enhance areas of outstanding importance to the natural heritage of Scotland.

  A number of respondents doubted whether the natural heritage area concept alone would be sufficient to protect every area of outstanding natural heritage significance in Scotland. The statement of the Government's position makes plain that such designation should only apply where Scottish Natural Heritage has made a clear case that it will provide an effective mechanism for protection and where the proposal for designation has the backing of the relevant interests. If Scottish Natural Heritage were to advise, after careful examination, that another model of administration is necessary for a particular area, I would give that advice most careful consideration.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the quality of Scotland's rivers and other surface waters.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A full report of the wate quality survey of Scotland 1990 is being prepared for publication, but I am pleased to announce that a summary has been published today and copies have been placed in the Library. The results of the survey are like a breath of fresh air in the current climate of pollution scare stories.

  Hon. Members will be interested to note the main findings of the survey which was carried out by the river purification boards and is the most comprehensive yet undertaken. They are:
  the proportion of Scotland's rivers which are "unpolluted" has risen from 94·9 per cent. in 1985 to 97 per cent. in 1990, representing a net increase of 968 km;
  there has been a 56 per cent. reduction in the length of "grossly polluted" rivers in Scotland between 1985 and 1990;
  there have been significant improvements in the quality of Scotland's estuaries—96·2 per cent. of estuaries and 91·3 per cent. of coastal waters are of a satisfactory quality.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Lindane
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Advisory Committee on Pesticides will conclude its investigations on lindane.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Advisory Committee on Pesticides should conclude its investigations on lindane by this autumn.

  Investment
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give figures for investment in agriculture for each of the last eight years in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) England.

  Mr. Gummer
  Estimates of investment in fixed capital in agriculture for the United Kingdom and for England in the last eight years are as follows:

  £ million

  Year

  United Kingdom

  England

  1983

  1,366

  903

  1984

  1,353

  850

  1985

  1,267

  804

  1986

  1,048

  641

  1987

  968

  622

  1988

  1,125

  776

  1989

  1,123

  754

  1990

  1,182

  1—

  1 Not yet available.

  Experimental Husbandry Farms
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the experimental husbandry farms that have been closed since 1980, giving in each case the date of their closure.

  Mr. Gummer
  The only experimental husbandry farm to close since 1980 was Great House which closed on 26 May 1982. The experimental husbandry farm at Trawsgoed was transferred to the Agriculture and Food Research Council on 1 April 1991 to form part of the new Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research.

  Meat Inspection
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to review the levels of charges paid by the meat industry to local authorities for the inspection of fresh meat.

  Mr. Gummer
  Charges for the inspection of fresh meat, including poultry meat, are levied in accordance with Community legislation intended to harmonise their collection by member states. This legislation is currently under review. In Great Britain, charges are levied by local authorities to recover the costs of the inspection services which they provide; under the new arrangements for meat hygiene enforcement which I have announced today, this work will transfer to the new service when it is established.

  In preparation for future discussions on this subject within the Community, and reflecting our concern over existing variation in the levels of charges set by local
  400
  authorities for the inspection services which they provide, the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales and I have decided to carry out a review of inspection charge levels at a sample of plants in Great Britain. This review will be carried out by the Government in conjunction with independent consultants, and will seek to identify any possible means of reducing inspection costs whilst maintaining existing inspection requirements. It will also seek to collect information relevant to the operation of revised United Kingdom and Community charging arrangements. We intend to publish the results of the review within two months.

  Under EC legislation the European Commission was due to submit a report to the Council of Ministers on the operation of the harmonised arrangements in the light of experience acquired before 1 January 1992, accompanied by any proposals for their revision. This report is still awaited and I have written to the Agriculture Commissioner to emphasise the importance which the United Kingdom attaches to this review, in order to achieve conditions of fair competition which have not yet been attained. I have also drawn his attention to some of the charges set by the French Government, which appear not to conform to Community rules. I have written to the French Minister of Agriculture on the same point.

  Meat Hygiene
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made on future meat hygiene enforcement arrangements.

  Mr. Gummer
  The review of fresh meat hygiene enforcement was commissioned last year by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Health, for Scotland and for Wales, and myself as part of our preparations for implementing the European single market.

  My right hon. Friends and I have given careful consideration to the findings of the detailed study of methods of providing a meat hygiene service, which was carried out by officials of my Department and the Department of Health, assisted by Price Waterhouse. We have concluded that for Great Britain the interests of the meat industry, our consumers and overseas customers would best be served by the creation of a national meat hygiene service. The service would be constituted as an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and would therefore be fully accountable to British Ministers. We are confident that this is the best way of achieving a consistent and cost-effective enforcement service in the special circumstances of the fresh meat sector. Local authorities' responsibilities for enforcing other food legislation are not affected by the decision to create a specialist meat hygiene agency.

  Officials will work very closely with the local authority associations, the organisations representing the veterinary and environmental health professions and the meat inspectors, and the meat industry, to ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangements. The date for transfer of responsibility of meat hygiene enforcement to the agency will depend on the availability of parliamentary time for the necessary primary legislation. For the time being, local authorities will remain responsible for enforcing the meat hygiene legislation and providing the meat inspection service.

  The decision to create this service is a further element in the Government's policy of ensuring that food safety

  401
  standards in this country remain second to none. The new service will ensure that hygiene standards in the British meat industry allow it to compete effectively both in the single market and worldwide, and further enhance consumer confidence in the high standards of British meat.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the use of ethylene bisdithiocarbamate pesticides.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Environmental Protection Agency —EPA—has, I understand, decided to reinstate approval for the use of ethylene bisdithiocarbamate pesticides EBDCs—on 42 crops. This decision is very much in line with the view we took on this issue over two years ago, based on advice from the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides—ACP—which was published in January 1990. After an exhaustive examination the committee found no evidence of cancer or other adverse health effects to consumers from the use of EBDCs or from the metabolite ethylenethiourea. I am glad that the EPA has now reached a similar conclusion. This is a further vindication of work carried out by the ACP and reinforces the confidence the public should have in the effectiveness of the United Kingdom system for approving pesticides.

  Fishing Vessel Licences
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the new rules applying to the aggregation and transfer of fishing vessel licences, and to the licensees of vessels of 10 m registered length and below.

  Mr. Gummer
  The required reduction in capacity where fishing vessel licences are aggregated is increased with immediate effect from 10 to 20 per cent. In addition all transfers of single licences between vessels are now subject to a 20 per cent. reduction in capacity. The formula for calculating vessel capacity remains unchanged. Fisheries Departments are writing to fishing organisations notifying them of the change and seeking views as to whether these reductions should be varied, for instance, according to type and/or age of vessel.

  These rules apply to all new applications. Applications for transfers or aggregations lodged with Fisheries Departments on or before 27 February will be dealt with under the rules in force at the time.

  In addition, from 1 January 1993 all vessels of 10 m and below wishing to fish for sea fish for profit will require a licence. However, fishing for salmon or migratory trout and fishing by vessels used wholly for the purpose of conveying persons wishing to fish for pleasure with rod and line and by hand line will continue to be exempt from this requirement. Licences will in principle be issued only to vessels which are already actively involved in fishing. This will be assessed by reference to whether the vessel was registered under part II of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988 on 27 February 1992, the date of my original announcement, and whether it was fishing for profit in the preceding 12 months. Fisheries Departments will be consulting the industry about the detailed operation of these rules, including their application to replacement vessels, and about other matters arising from the licensing of this part of the fleet.

  Correspondence
  Sir Robin Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when a full reply will be sent by his Department to the letters dated 26 November and 18 December from Cheriton Bishop parish council to his divisional veterinary officer at Exeter, and passed by him to his London headquarters.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Ministry's regional veterinary officer did discuss the matters raised in this correspondence with the clerk of the parish council. However, I concede that an unacceptable delay has occurred in concluding this correspondence, because the papers were lost. This is an unusual occurrence for which I apologise. The omission had in fact been noticed when the parish council recently wrote to the Prime Minister, myself and others and a repy covering the points raised in all these letters will be sent shortly.

TRANSPORT

  Network Express
  Mr. Moate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with British Rail concerning the ordering of the Network Express trains for the Kent coast services.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. and learned Friend and I meet the chairman of British Rail regularly when we discuss all current issues.

  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the new Networker rolling stock to be supplied for the north-west Kent commuter service is still scheduled for introduction from April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The first Networker units delivered to network SouthEast are currently undergoing testing. NSE expects to introduce some Networkers into service with the May timetable.

  Roads, London
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with local authorities and service providers about the state of roads in London.

  Mr. Chope
  I chair the London Consultative Committee which provides a forum to discuss road and traffic issues with the London local authority associations. The committee last met on 6 February 1992.

  M66
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress on the M66 from Denton to Middleton.

  Mr. Chope
  I expect work on the first construction contract at the the northern end of the scheme to start early next year, subject to resources being available. A public inquiry into revised orders and compulsory purchase order for the central and southern sections of the scheme ended on 5 February. Subject to a satisfactory
  403
  outcome, I expect work to start on the Tameside section south of the River Medlock next year and on the final section north of the River Medlock in 1995.

  BR Maintenance Repairs
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from organisations concerning the disruption to other transport users and pedestrians by British Rail when carrying out maintenance repairs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am aware from British Rail that a bridge renewal scheme in the hon. Member's constituency has led to a petition from local residents about the disruption to bus services. British Rail consults highway authorities and the police where road closures and diversions are needed. In this case, I understand that BR has also recently agreed to pay for extra bussing while the bridge is closed for three weeks.

  Underground Proposals
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made in developing proposals to extend the tube network to Camberwell. Dulwich and beyond.

  Mr. Freeman
  London Transport and the five London boroughs directly affected are working together on the south London rail study. I understand that phase I of the study, which looks at the transport needs of the area, is now close to completion. Phase II, which will look at the case for extending underground lines, should start later this year.

  Pensioners' Travel Concessions
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial arrangements are being made with the transport authorities in the west midlands to ensure that pensioners can continue to use their travel concessions at all times of the day and without additional costs to them.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The responsibility for concessionary fares schemes in the west midlands lies entirely with the passenger transport authority and the district councils. It is for them to decide what level of concessions is appropriate in relation to other local spending priorities.

  Buses, London
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much capital investment has been made in London Buses Ltd. in 1991–92.

  Mr. Freeman
  Capital investment in London Buses Ltd. is expected to reach £38 million in 1991–92, an increase of £10 million over the previous year. Of this, some £24 million will be spent on purchasing almost 300 new buses.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many double-decker buses, how many hoppa buses and how many buses of other types are currently licensed for use in the metropolis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  London Buses Ltd.'s vehicle fleet is made up as follows: 3,705 double-deckers, 991 midibuses 404
  and 154 single deckers and coaches. There are vehicles other than those owned by London Buses Ltd. which operate bus services in London: for example, vehicles owned by private bus operators running services under contract to London Transport or on London local service licences. Information on the number and types of those vehicles is not held centrally.

  Train Builders
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what encouragement he intends to give to British train builders to develop new techniques and services for British Rail.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced on 21 February a £15 million collaborative research programme for the railway equipment industry. The programme will operate in close co-operation with the Department of Transport and other interested parties.

  Freight Transport
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to ensure that more freight is transferred from road to rail and that the freight passes round rather than through London.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  We are actively supporting BR's participation in joint ventures with the private sector; paving the way for liberalisation of access to the rail network to widen customer choice; backing investment for BR's new channel tunnel services; and encouraging companies to take advantage of freight facilities grants. The routeing of freight services is a matter for British Rail.

  Bypasses
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the number of bypasses commenced in 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Chope
  In 1990–91, 21 bypasses, 93 miles in length, were started. It is expected that a further 13 bypasses, 33 miles in length, will have been started by the end of March 1992. In addition to these schemes, there were 34 other scheme starts in 1990–91 and 34 planned for 1991–92. Although not described as bypasses, most of these relieve one or more communities of through traffic. For example, the 13-mile long A30 Okehampton-Launceston improvement will benefit a number of villages on the existing trunk road.

  Speed Limits (Commercial Vehicles)
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in the Council of Ministers towards agreeing speed limits for commercial vehicles.

  Mr. Chope
  The Commission made a proposal in 1988 to harmonise vehicle speed limits in the European Community, but it has not been discussed in the Council. A directive agreed at the Transport Council on 16 December 1991 will set a maximum speed for EC-registered heavy goods vehicles over 12 tonnes. The setting of speed limits will remain, however, a national responsibility.

  Multi-airline Business
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of implementing a competitive multi-airline business in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The United Kingdom has a large number of airlines which operate in a very competitive market. This has been aided by the United Kingdom's liberal licensing policies. The Government are seeking to ensure that the new European Community licensing regime, which will come into force throughout the EC as part of the single market, is as liberal as possible. The Government believe that this is the best way to bring about a market in which a range of airlines can compete and thus meet effectively the needs of consumers.

  New Road
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of new road have been opened since 1979.

  Mr. Chope
  A total of 1,250 miles of new road has opened between April 1979 and December 1991, including 840 miles of trunk road and 410 miles of motorway.

  Roads Programme
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the roads programme involves expanding capacity on existing routes.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Over 90 per cent. of the roads programme covers projects which are either bypasses or involve the improvement of existing roads.

  Trunk Roads
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what amount of public money was spent on motorway trunk road construction in 1990–91.

  Mr. Chope
  Expenditure on construction of motorways and trunk roads in England during 1990–91 was £1,281 million.

  Central European Time
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has undertaken on the potential effect on the number of road accidents if the United Kingdom were to move to central European time.

  Mr. Chope
  The research carried out by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory is referred to in "Summer Time: A Consultation Document", Cm 722, June 1989.

  Transatlantic Air Services
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he discussed transatlantic services between Birmingham and the east coast of the United States at the bilateral talks between the United States Administration and Her Majesty's Government in connection with transatlantic air services.

  Mr. McLoughlin: The interests of Birmingham and other regional airports are very much borne in mind as we
  406
  pursue our negotiations with the Americans. The recent round of discussions covered the possibilities for opening up additional opportunities for both sides, including new routes, without going into the detail of specific services at this stage.

  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the bilateral talks between the United States Administration and Her Majesty's Government in connection with transatlantic air services.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Discussions with the United States Government are continuing about the possibilities for the liberalisation of transatlantic air services. Our aim is to remove obstacles to fair competition between airlines, and to remove unnecessary regulation.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the total cost of strengthening roads and bridges from 1999, following implemention of EC regulations to allow 44-tonne heavy goods vehicles on United Kingdom roads; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The Department has an existing 15-year programme of bridge rehabilitation for trunk roads and motorways, which commenced in 1987–88. The programme includes the assessment and where necessary strengthening of bridges and other structures, to deal with shortfalls in existing bridge strengths which have occurred as a result of the increased loading from and density of heavy traffic since the bridges were designed, and to get ready for heavier axle weights in 1999. The Department is also funding corresponding activities by local authorities in respect of their own bridges. Similar programmes exist in respect of the bridge stock owned by British Rail, British Waterways Board and London Underground Ltd. Expenditure after 1999 will depend on the progress with these programmes.

  Pavement wear after 1999 will depend on the growth of heavy goods vehicles, the extent of changes in the composition of the goods vehicle fleet including the take up of 44-tonne vehicles and whether 44-tonne vehicles are equipped with five or six axles.

  Construction Companies (Contracts)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the construction companies awarded contracts worth over £250,000 by his Department since 1 April 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Since 1 April 1991 the following companies have been awarded works contracts valued at £250,000 or more:

  A. R. C. Ltd.

  Amey Construction Ltd.

  Armstrong Addison and Co. Ltd.

  T. Armstrong (Construction) Ltd.

  Associated Asphalt Co. Ltd.

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  Henry Boot Northern Ltd.

  Henry Boot Southern Ltd.

  Bovis Construction Ltd.

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  C. M. R. Electronics Ltd.

  Cambridgeshire Construction Ltd.

  407

  P. J. Carey (Contractors) Ltd.

  Cementation Construction Ltd.

  Colas Roads Ltd.

  Costain Civil Engineering Ltd.

  Cumbrian Industrials Ltd.

  Currall Lewis and Martin Ltd.

  R. M. Douglas (Construction) Ltd.

  Eden Construction Ltd.

  Exploration Associates Ltd.

  Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd.

  Fitzpatrick Contractors Ltd.

  Galliford (UK) Ltd.

  The Glacier Metal Co. Ltd.

  M. J. Gleeson Group plc.

  Hargreaves Quarries Ltd.

  Kier Construction Ltd.

  Kimbell Construction Ltd.

  John Laing Construction.

  Lilley Construction Ltd.

  Alfred McAlpine Construction Ltd.

  Alfred McAlpine Quarry Products Ltd.

  Sir Robert McAlpine and Sons Ltd.

  H. W. Martin (Safety Fencing) Ltd.

  May Gurney and Co. Ltd.

  Midland Oak Construction Ltd.

  Miller Construction Ltd.

  Monk Construction Ltd.

  Morrison Shand Construction Ltd.

  John Mowlem Construction plc

  Norwest Ho1st Construction Ltd.

  Norwest Ho1st Soil Engineering Ltd.

  Edmund Nuttall Ltd.

  Peek Traffic Ltd.

  Pirelli Construction Co. Ltd.

  Prismo Ltd.

  Protek Fencing Ltd.

  Rawlings Brothers (EP) Ltd.

  Redland Aggregates Ltd.

  Rees Hough Ltd.

  Remsdaq Ltd.

  Ringway Ltd.

  Roadstone Surface Dressing Ltd.

  Roadworks (1952) Ltd.

  Rochford Tree Landscapes Ltd.

  S. I. A. C. Construction Ltd.

  Serco Ltd.

  Shephard Hill Civil Engineering Ltd.

  Stenoak Fencing and Construction Ltd.

  Surrey Operational Services Ltd.

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  Tarmac Quarry Products Ltd.

  T. Taziker and Co. Ltd.

  Tilcon Ltd.

  W. and H. (Roads) Ltd.

  Walcon Construction Ltd.

  Thomas W. Ward (Roadstone) Ltd.

  R. and C. Williams Ltd.

  Wimpey Asphalt Ltd.

  Wimpey Geotech Ltd.

  Wimpey Hobbs Ltd.

  Wrekin Construction Co. Ltd.

  Autoguide Traffic System
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what deadline he has given to the current licensee for the introduction of an autoguide traffic direction system;

  (2) when he expects the pilot scheme for the introduction of the autoguide traffic direction system to become operational in London.

  Mr. Chope
  My Department is reviewing the situation in the light of extensive developments in relevant technology.

  Hazardous Chemicals
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has concerning the number of incidents in which accidents have led to the leakage of hazardous chemicals when being transported by(a) roads and (b) railways; what were the respective volume of chemicals carried and distances travelled; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Information on incidents is available in the recently published Health and Safety Commission advisory committee on dangerous substances report on major hazard aspects of the transport of dangerous substances, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice is given by his Department on the use of railways or roads for the movement of hazardous chemicals: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Consignors of dangerous substances are free to choose the mode of transport most appropriate for their needs, provided that they comply with the relevant safety requirements. There is no evidence that one mode of transport is generally safer than another.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assistance is given by his Department to companies producing hazardous chemicals towards the cost of constructing and maintaining rail terminals to enable them more easily to move their products by rail.

  Mr. Mcloughlin
  Freight facilities grants are available under section 8 of the Raiways Act 1974 to assist with the capital cost of rail freight facilities where there is a significant benefit to the environment through the removal of lorries from sensitive roads. They are payable where, without grant, the commercial decision would be to use road transport and are available for any type of goods.

  Trust Ports
  Mr. Moate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about implementation of the Ports Act 1991.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement my right hon. and learned Friend made earlier today.

  Ashford International Station
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress with the study of the options for an international passenger station at Ashford.

  Mr. Rifkind
  British Rail has completed its preliminary study of the options for a less costly international passenger station than its original proposal. I consider that a central Ashford option best meets the various objectives. I have accordingly invited Sir Bob Reid to put forward a full investment submission for a central Ashford international passenger station to share the site of the present Network SouthEast station.

  British Rail Station Car Parks
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Government are taking to encourage the involvement of private sector firms in the management and security of British Rail station car parks.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government have requested the British Rail board to explore the possibility of contracting out more of its support functions. A number of station car parks within the Network SouthEast area are already privately managed. I am asking British Rail to consider the feasibility of contracting out responsibility for the provision of other station car parking facilities.

  St. Pancras Chambers
  Mr. Cormack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the future of St. Pancras Chambers.

  Mr. Freeman
  The long term use of St. Pancras Chambers, the grade 1 listed former Midland Grand hotel, has been under review by British Rail, whose preferred solution is to return the building to use as a high-quality hotel, but no options are ruled out. British Rail is exploring options with private sector involvement.

  British Rail considers that it is unlikely that the full commercial potential of the building can be realised until the benefits resulting from the works included in the King's Cross Railways Bill and the associated lands development scheme are completed. During the interim period British Rail is therefore examining possible alternative uses.

  As a first step in the overall programme there is a need to undertake extensive works to stabilise both the interior and exterior of the building and ensure that it remains in a safe condition. Following a very detailed survey by specialist architects, British Rail is therefore shortly to embark on a major programme of remedial works.

  Full consultation with the local authority and appropriate heritage bodies have commenced. Provision of the necessary funds for this work is already covered by the external finance provision made by the Government for British Rail. This work will take about two years to complete, and during that time British Rail will keep options for both short and long term under review.

  Her Majesty's Coastguard
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce his decision on the proposed definition of the primary role of Her Majesty's Coastguard as recommended in the coastal review.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Following consultations with the other authorities concerned, I have accepted the recommendation of the coastal review that the role of Her Majesty's coastguard need to be clearly defined and formally promulgated.

  Accordingly, by the authority given to the Secretary of State by the Coastguard Act 1925 my right hon. and learned Friend has agreed that:
  "Her Majesty's Coastguard is responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of civil maritime search and rescue within the United Kingdom search and rescue region. This includes the mobilisation, organisation and tasking of adequate resources to respond to persons either in distress at sea, or to persons at risk of injury or death on the cliffs or shoreline of the United Kingdom."
  410
  In view of the importance of the cliff and shoreline task, particularly in holiday areas, I have instructed the Chief Coastguard to liaise with the police authorities to set up local coastal search and rescue committees to provide a consultative body to consider the co-ordination problems on the shoreline, improve liaison between the interested authorities concerned and to assess the availability and readiness of rescue resources. Additionally, coastguard sector officers are to be formally tasked to establish regular meetings with local community representatives to ensure that matters of concern involving marine or shoreline search and rescue are fully aired and brought to the attention of the search and rescue committee.

  Drivers (Sleep)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his officials will hold discussions with Professor Jim Horne of Loughborough university on the dangers of sleep among drivers on motorways.

  Mr. Chope
  My officials were present on 3 March when Professor Home gave a presentation of his work on this subject to the transport committee of the Medical Commission on Accident Prevention.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Consultants
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those parts of his Department, including executive agencies, carrying out reviews over the last 12 months into the pay and grading of staff, and the firm of consultants engaged, where appropriate.

  Mr. Maples
  There have been no pay and grading reviews of any part of my Department in the last 12 months.

  Third-world Countries (Debt)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent he is prepared to cancel rather than reschedule debts of third-world countries.

  Mr. Maples
  The Government have consistently taken the lead in developing an international strategy to tackle the debt problems of the poorest countries. Many of the poorest countries with the heaviest debt burdens can never realistically be expected to pay back their debts, and in these cases the Government believe that a substantial degree of debt cancellation is the only way forward. The Prime Minister's Trinidad terms initiative, launched in September 1990, proposed cancellation by all creditors of around two thirds of the whole stock of debt of eligible countries. The Paris club of creditor countries began implementing Trinidad terms in December 1991, and the United Kingdom is continuing to press for their full implementation by all creditors.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make the Trinidad terms available to all low-income countries and all lower middle income countries with debt problems.

  Mr. Maples
  No. Trinidad terms are specifically designed to address the debt problems of the poorest and most heavily indebted countries.
  411
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take action to address the whole stock of debt of third-world countries.

  Mr. Maples
  In cases where a country's inability to meet its debt servicing obligations arises from a temporary liquidity problem, it is neither necessary nor appropriate to offer relief on the whole stock of that country's debt. In certain more difficult cases, however, the Government believe that restructuring the debt stock represents the best approach to resolving that country's debt problem once and for all. This applies in particular to the poorest and most heavily indebted countries, and the Government hope that, in accordance with the new Paris club agreements implementing Trinidad terms, stock of debt reductions can be agreed for these countries within the next few years.

  Tax Yield (Benefits)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the tax yield from each of the taxable benefits, and the total, for each year from 1978–79 to the latest available at current and at 1991–92 prices.

  Mr. Maude
  Available estimates are published in table 9.6 of the 1989 and 1991 editions of the "United Kingdom National Accounts"—the CSO Blue Book, which provide calendar year estimates of total income tax on social security benefits, applying the recipients' average rate of income tax on the whole of their income to the amount of benefits received. These amounts are shown in the table at current and 1991–92 prices.

  Tax yield on social security benefits

  Current prices £ million

  1991–92 prices £ million

  1978

  383

  1,035

  1979

  441

  1,048

  1980

  537

  1,082

  1981

  703

  1,267

  1982

  936

  1,554

  1983

  1,038

  1,646

  1984

  1,070

  1,617

  1985

  1,107

  1,577

  1986

  1,206

  1,662

  1987

  1,213

  1,605

  1988

  1,143

  1,441

  1989

  1,128

  1,320

  1990

  1,167

  1,248

  Employment Statistics
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current ratio of women to men in senior civil service posts and the corresponding position in 1979.

  Mr. Maples
  At grade levels 1 to 7 in the home civil service the proportion of women has increased from 7 per cent. in 1984 to 12·1 per cent. in 1991. Because of the changes that have taken place in the grade structure of the civil service comparable data before 1984 are not available.

  Trade Unions
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make it his policy to consult civil service trade unions where decisions are taken affecting the employment of civil servants.
  412
  Mr. Maples
  The Government already have a longstanding policy of consulting recognised Civil Service trade unions on decisions directly affecting the employment of civil servants.

  North Sea Oil and Gas
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the amount of revenue received from North sea oil and gas for each year since 1979; and if he will forecast the revenue for the next decade.

  Mr. Maude
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the Member for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy) on 18 December 1991, at column 165, for annual revenues from the North sea since 1979–80. Available forecasts of future revenues will be included in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" to be issued on Budget day.

  Cross-border Transport
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what customs and excise arrangements for cross-border transport will prevail after 1 January 1993.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  In the United Kingdom frontier formalities will be removed for EC traffic from 1 January 1993. Regulatory and fiscal controls such as import licensing and the collection of duties and taxes will not be conducted at the frontier. The extensive documentation required for commercial importations of goods will therefore be abolished. However, customs will continue to conduct sharply focused anti-smuggling spot checks to detect illicit drugs and other serious threats to society. These measures, conducted on the basis of risk assessment, intelligence and profiling, will remain an essential part of an integrated law enforcement effort throughout the United Kingdom. This will apply to the Northern Ireland land boundary as well as to all other intra-EC points of entry to and exit from the United Kingdom.

  Customs Station, Newry
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the future use of the current customs station site at Carnbane industrial estate, Newry.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Her Majesty's Customs and Excise have decided to relocate certain administrative VAT work to a new unit which will employ around 100 staff at the current customs station site at Damolly—Carnbane industrial estate—Newry.

  Illicit Drugs
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give, by volume and street value, the quantity of illicit drugs intercepted at United Kingdom(a) airports and (b) seaports by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise during the 12 months ended 29 February.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information is as follows:

  Kilos

  Airports

  Seaports

  Value £ million

  Amphetamine

  16·3

  342·7

  29·5

  Cannabis (Herbal)

  1,004·5

  2,972·3

  9·5

  Cannabis (Resin)

  168·5

  12,499·6

  38·0

  413

  Kilos

  Airports

  Seaports

  Value £ million

  Cocaine

  322·6

  139·7

  60·3

  Diamorphine (Heroin)

  155·0

  92·5

  27·7

  Total

  165·0

  Notes:

  1. Figures are for main types of drug.

  2. Figures in respect of the latest 2 months are provisional.

  3. Amphetamine figure includes 283 kilos of MDA (a derivative of MDMA which is known colloquially as "Ecstasy").

  4. Value of Cocaine is taken at 72·5 per cent. purity (the average at importation).

  5. Value for Diamorphine (Heroin) is taken at 52·5 per cent. purity (the average at importation).

  6. Figures include drugs detected at sea/airports but allowed to "run" and subsequently intercepted inland in follow up operations.

  Business Registers
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to improve the business registers used for the collection of economic statistics.

  Mr. Maples
  Following the specific recommendation of the Armstrong/Rees review of DTI statistics in 1989 and the completion of a successful pilot study in 1991, a new interdepartmental business register is to be developed by the Central Statistical Office and the Department of Employment. This project is an integral part of the programme of measures designed to bring about improvements in economic statistics.

  The new register will be more comprehensive in coverage and designed to eliminate the differences between the existing separate registers of the two Departments. Its use will lead to improvements in the quality of data obtained from businesses which form the basis of a wide range of economic statistics series. Most of these series should benefit, especially those concerned with employment and productivity estimates. In addition there will be indirect benefits to the national accounts, focusing on the output measure of gross domestic product.

  The development cost of the project is expected to be £4.3 million and the new integrated register should come into use in 1993 for Northern Ireland inquiries and in 1994 for Great Britain inquiries.

  Capital Expenditure
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated cost of replacing the existing capital expenditure allowance rates by straight line rates of(a) year one-33⅓ per cent., year two-331 per cent., year three-331/3 per cent. and (b) year one-25 per cent., year two-25 per cent., year three-25 per cent., year four-25 per cent., if the levels of capital expenditure and business profits (1) stayed constant, (2) increased by 10 per cent. and (3) increased by 50 per cent.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 6 March 1992]: Maximum estimates of the annual Exchequer costs of the proposed rates for new capital expenditure on plant and machinery are:
  414

  £ billions

  Assumed changed in capital expenditure and profits

  Straight line allowance at:

  Percentage

  331/3 per cent.

  25 per cent.

  0

  2·7

  2·0

  + 10

  2·9

  2·2

  + 50

  4·0

  3·0

  Estimates are very approximate because the precise costs would depend on the interaction of several factors.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Scottish Grand Committee
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many official visits he has made to Scotland to examine and discuss the operation of the Scottish Grand Committee.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have not made any official trips to Scotland about the specific matter of the Scottish Grand Committee, but I have frequent discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland about the operation of that Committee. The hon. Gentleman will know that the Committee has met twice recently, once in Edinburgh on Monday 24 February and once in Westminster, just last Thursday.

  Sittings of the House
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what action he proposes to take in the light of the debate on sittings of the House on 2 March.

  Mr. MacGregor
  As I said on Monday 2 March during the debate on the report by the Select Committee on Sittings of the House, I welcome much in the report, but I believe it best if further action was left to the new Parliament.

  Press Car Parking Spaces
  Mr. Andrew Hargreaves
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what representations he has received about the number of car parking spaces allocated to members of the press in House of Commons car parks; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Orme
  None.

  Communications Security
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what steps are taken to ensure that hon. Members' telephone and fax communications from the House are secure.

  Mr. Orme
  Apart from standard procedures for maintaining security within the Palace, I understand that no special arrangements are made to monitor the privacy of telecommunications equipment or messages within the House. The House authorities have no control over the public telecommunications network.

WALES

  National Health Service Units (Day Cases)
  Mr. Grist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many day cases were dealt with in national health service units in Wales in 1978–79 and at the latest available date.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  In the financial year 1978–79 there were 26,456 day cases treated by the National Health Service in Wales. The equivalent figure for the financial year 1990–91—the latest available—was 100,765, an increase of 281 per cent.

  National Health Service Employees
  Mr. Grist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) consultants, (b) senior registrars, (c) registrars, (d) general practitioners and (e) dental practitioners were employed in Wales by the national health service in 1978–79 and at latest available date.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The requested information is given in the table:

  1978

  1990

  1991

  Increase per cent.

  Consultants1

  630·5

  856·5

  4—

  36

  Senior Registrars1

  100·9

  145·7

  4—

  44

  Registrars1

  329·5

  370·1

  4—

  12

  General Medical Practitioners2

  1,323

  1,634

  24

  General Dental Practitioners3

  598

  832

  39

  1 Whole-time equivalent of hospital medical and dental staff in post as at 30 September.

  2 Number of unrestricted principles as at I October 1978 and 1 April 1991.

  3 Number of principals and assistants as at 30 September.

  4 Not available.

  Mr. Rod Richards
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 2 March,Official Report, column 34, if he will specify the month in which Mr. Rod Richards commenced employment and the month in which he ceased employment as his political adviser.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Mr. Richards was employed as my special adviser between 5 November and 14 December 1990.

  Helicopters (Ministerial Use)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the annual cost of the ministerial use of helicopters in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) on 18 June 1991.

  Mental Handicap Strategy
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he is yet in a position to publish his firm proposals for the future of the all Wales mental handicap strategy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I am today publishing my firm decisions on the future of the all Wales strategy which will 416
  be re-launched at the end of its first 10-year term in April 1993. A copy of my decisions has been sent today to all Welsh MPs and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. The special allocations that my Department makes to help support the strategy will total £41·5 million for 1992–93. This represents an increase of over 20 per cent. on the £34·2 million allocated in 1991–92, which in itself was almost double the 1989–90 allocation of £18·3 million.

  The strategy has already helped to improve the lives of many people with mental handicaps and their families. For example, when the strategy was launched in 1983, only 41 families were receiving support in their own homes whereas today well over 3,000 receive these services; today over 1,000 adults with mental handicap live in homes of their own compared to 166 people in 1983. I am confident that my proposals for the future of the all Wales mental handicap strategy, as part of our wider "Caring for People" reforms, will provide the right foundation for the development of top quality services throughout Wales into the 21st century.

  Unitary Authorities
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give an estimate of the savings that could be provided by moving to a single tier of unitary authorities in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My proposal for a structure of 23 unitary authorities is estimated to be cost-neutral.

  Welsh Assembly
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give a detailed estimate of the cost of setting up and running a Welsh assembly consisting of 76 members.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Current proposals for an elected assembly in Wales are unspecific. However, extrapolating from earlier figures in the 1975 White Paper, Cmnd. 6348, "Our Changing Democracy", I estimate that costs would be in order of £50 million.

  Agricultural Investment
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give figures for the investment in agriculture in Wales in each of the last eight years.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Total identifiable public expenditure on agriculture in Wales since 1984 is

  Year

  Total capital grants and livestock subsidies

  Total Government contributions

  Government contribution as percentage of total

  1984

  59·9

  31·2

  52·1

  1985

  70·2

  28·8

  41·0

  1986

  62·4

  29·6

  47·4

  1987

  71·7

  31·1

  43·4

  1988

  73·0

  31·5

  43·2

  1989

  80·7

  32·5

  40·3

  1990

  101·2

  34·6

  34·2

  1991

  132·6

  38·4

  29·0

  Departmental Properties
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many residential properties owned by his Department are(a) empty, (b) for sale on the open market, (c) intended for sale on the open market and (d) for sale to housing associations, in terms of numbers and percentage of stock.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 6 March 1992]: The latest information available relates to 1 April 1991.

  Properties owned by the Welsh Office

  (Percentage of stock)

  Total number of properties

  4,956

  —

  Total number empty

  458

  9·24

  Total for sale on open market1

  Not known

  —

  Total intended for sale on open market1

  Not known

  —

  Total for sale to housing associations1

  Not known

  —

  1 This information is not available centrally.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pension Funds
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will bring forward legislation to ensure that pension funds do not have an accounting period in excess of 12 months.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Occupational pension scheme trustees have a statutory obligation to obtain annually, and to make available to members and beneficiaries, audited accounts in respect of each scheme year. The scheme year must be a period of 12 months, other than exceptionally where the scheme changes its accounting year. Draft regulations tightening the present arrangements have already been considered by the Occupational Pensions Board and will be introduced as quickly as possible.

  Tax Withdrawal Rates
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing(a) the number of working heads, (b) dependants and (c) families with children facing marginal tax and benefit withdrawal rates in excess of 50 per cent. in the manner of his answer of 23 January, Official Report, column 248, to the hon. Member for Hornchurch.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is in the table.

  Numbers with marginal deduction rates within each range (thousands) Great Britain

  Per cent.

  Families with children

  Couples and single

  Total

  100

  0

  0

  0

  90 to 99

  55

  0

  55

  80 to 89

  130

  20

  150

  1979–80 cash(£ million)

  1979–80 at 1991–92 prices(£ million)

  1991–92 cash(£ million)

  Real terms percentage increase

  Elderly people

  10,130

  23,554

  31,446

  33·5

  Sick and disabled people

  2,779

  6,460

  13,333

  106·4

  —short-term sick

  680

  1,581

  1,079

  -31·8

  418

  Per cent.

  Families with children

  Couples and single

  Total

  70 to 79

  140

  55

  195

  60 to 69

  0

  5

  5

  50 to 59

  0

  0

  0

  Figures are based on pooled family expenditure survey data, uprated to 1991–92 prices, taxes and benefit levels.

  Calculated for benefit units in receipt of income-related benefits where at least one partner works 24 hours a week of more. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5,000. Figures may not sum due to rounding.

  Earnings
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) men and (b) women in each region earn (i) above and (ii) below the national insurance lower earnings limit; and how many are between the lower earnings limits and the upper earnings limit, in Great Britain.

  Mr. Jack
  Figures are not available for each region in England. Such information as is available is in the table.

  Numbers of people earning:1

  Less than the Lower Earnings Limit million

  Between the Lower and Upper Earnings Limit million

  Above the Upper Earnings Limit million

  England

  Men

  0·7

  7·0

  2·3

  Women

  2·0

  6·6

  0·4

  Wales

  Men

  Negligible1

  0·4

  0·1

  Women

  0·1

  0·3

  Negligible1

  Scotland

  Men

  0·1

  0·8

  0·2

  Women

  0·2

  0·7

  Negligible1

  Great Britain

  Men

  0·8

  8·2

  2·6

  Women

  2·3

  7·6

  0·4

  1 Figures shown in the table have been rounded.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give, for the years 1979–80, and the latest available, in cash terms and at 1991–92 prices, social security spending on (1) elderly people, (2) sick and disabled people, (3) families, (4) unemployed people and (5) widows and orphans, indicating the numbers of claimants in each category, and dependants in the houshold, and the percentage increase in spending in real terms.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Details of expenditure as shown in the table.

  Information on the numbers of claimants and their dependants in each category is not available, since claimants may receive more than one benefit at any one time.
  419

  1979–80 cash(£ million)

  1979–80 at 1991–92 prices(£ million)

  1991–92 cash(£ million)

  Real terms percentage increase

  —long-term sick and disabled

  2,099

  4,879

  12,254

  151·2

  Families

  3,640

  8,463

  11,492

  35·8

  Unemployed people

  1,470

  3,418

  7,362

  115·4

  Widows and others

  760

  1,767

  1,364

  -22·8

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the latest estimate of the cost of benefits to the unemployed, administration of unemployment benefit, and redundancy payments for 1991–92.

  Mr. Jack
  Benefit expenditure on unemployed people is expected to be £7,360 million in 1991–92. The cost of administering unemployment benefit in 1990–91, the latest year for which figures are available, was £182 million. For other benefits it is not possible to identify separately the administration costs attributable to unemployed people. The administration of redundancy fund payments is the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment, but I am advised that in 1991–92 they are expected to total £126·9 million.

  Fraud Investigations
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many home visits, excluding specialist visits, including those for the purposes of investigating suspected fraud, were made per 1,000 claimants for the latest available year; and how many were made in 1978–79 in Great Britain.

  Mr. Jack
  I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that the information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Local Offices
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of claimants for each individual benefit at each of his Department's office covering the Tooting constituency as of 31 January.

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

  Ombudsman
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update the table given in his answer of 2 April 1990,Official Report, column 497, to the hon. Member for Gower (Sir A. Meyer) about the number of complaints made against his Department to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information for the latest years for which figures are available is in the table.
  420

  Complaints against the Department of Social Security

  Complaints1 made

  Complaints1 upheld

  1990

  200

  38

  1989

  223

  36

  1 Source: Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration annual reports 1989–90.

  Claimants, Wandsworth
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest figures for the London borough of Wandsworth for the number of claims for(a) housing benefit, (b) income support and (c) family credit.

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

  Claimant Welfare
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will introduce legislation to reinstate the requirement on his Department's officers to promote the welfare of claimants.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The welfare promotion requirement which was appropriate to the discretionary schemes which preceded it was not essential to income support which provides a clearer, more predictable method of directing extra help, through the award of premiums, to groups of people most likely to have extra needs. The Department was thus able to develop a prompt, accurate and effectively-run income maintenance system. The Benefits Agency includes customer care as the primary core value in its operations. At a local level, managers are committed to consulting their customers to establish their needs and expectations for service delivery and responding accordingly. We have no plans to alter the current provisions.

  Departmental Offices (Interviews)
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what warning is given to clients by Department of Social Services offices and benefit agencies about the consequences of failure to attend an appointment; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The administration of social security benefits 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. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his policy on suspension of benefit
  421
  for clients who are unable to attend interviews with Department of Social Services offices or benefit agencies; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Under regulation 37 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987, benefit may be suspended when a question arises as to whether the claimant continues to be entitled to benefit; whether the award should be revised; or whether an appeal to a higher appellate body ought to be brought against an award made by an appeal tribunal. The decision to suspend should always be made in the light of the circumstances of the individual case.

  Suspension will not normally be appropriate when a claimant fails to attend an interview at an office of the Department. However, where facts are known that indicate that an award ought to be revised or terminated and the interview is intended to allow the claimant to provide evidence as to continuing entitlement, suspension of some or all of the award may be appropriate.

  Pension Rebates
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security pursuant to his statement on the contracting-out rebate on 27 February,Official Report, column 1131, if he will give, for men and women separately, the age at which it would be wise to opt back into the state earnings-related pension scheme after April 1993 assuming (a) a 4·8 per cent. rebate and (b) a 4·8 per cent. rebate and a one per cent. age related rebate for the over-30s.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The circumstances of the person concerned and the precise terms of the personal pension contract they are considering will vary from one individual to another. It is not possible to give the general advice requested. In the case of personal pension schemes which are investments as defined in the Financial Services Act 1986, persons regulated by bodies under that Act have a duty to provide best advice on such products. Anyone wishing to establish his or her own position should seek advice appropriate to their needs.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security pursuant to his statement on the contracting-out rebate for 1993 on 27 February,Official Report, column 1131, if he will give, for each year covered by the statement, the cost in reduced revenue to the national insurance fund on (a) the 4·8 per cent. rebate and (b) the age-related 1 per cent. incentive, at 1991–92 prices.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is given in the table which recognises the time-lag in the payment to providers of the amounts in respect of personal pensions and the cost to the national insurance fund appears in the year following that in which contributions are paid.

  The information requested is given in 1991–92 prices.

  £ billion

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  4·8 per cent. rebate for occupational schemes

  4·6

  5·3

  5·4

  —

  4·8 per cent. rebate for personal pensions

  —

  1·7

  1·8

  1·8

  1 per cent. addition for personal pension holders

  —

  0·2

  0·2

  0·2

  These estimates are based on the assumption of 5 million personal pension optants in each year and have been rounded to one decimal place.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the amount of money so far paid to people in Wales from the social fund: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is available in the Library.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the amount of money which will be spent in Wales out of the increased sum allocated to the social fund.

  Mr. Scott
  Details of the 1992–93 social fund allocations were placed in the Library on 3 March 1992.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when the(a) 5·8 per cent. national insurance rebate and (b) 2 per cent. additional national insurance incentive for 1991–92 will be fully paid for everyone who makes a claim before the end of the current financial year; and when he anticipates the (i) rebates and (ii) incentives for 1992–93 will start to be paid;

  (2) what is the latest payment period for which the (a) 5·8 per cent. national insurance rebate and (b) 2 per cent. additional national insurance incentive have been paid to any contributors opting-out of the state earnings related pension scheme into a personal pension.

  Mr. Jack
  Payment of the 5·8 per cent. national insurance rebate and the 2 per cent. additional incentive are paid to personal pension providers together. The latest year in respect of which payments are being made is 1990–91. We expect payments in respect of 1991–92 to commence in May 1992 and in respect of 1992–93 in May 1993. Such payments will continue to be made as long as late or corrected earnings and contributions information continues to be received.

  Rent Arrears Scheme, Hackney
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the extra housing benefit paid to council tenants in Hackney during the operation of that borough's arrears-to-rents scheme.

  Miss Widdecombe: I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Mr. Porter) on 7 February at column 324. We do not have the information to provide an estimate of the amount of housing benefit that may have already been paid.

DEFENCE

  Suicides
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report, columns 454–58, if he will list the names and home towns of the men who committed suicide in the Royal Engineers, the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and the Royal Signals in the years 1987 to 1991.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the right hon. Member.

  Teamwork
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the purpose of the NATO naval exercise, Teamwork, that began off Norway on 2 March; and what contribution was made to the exercise by the Royal Navy.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Teamwork 92 began on 6 March, and will run until 25 March. It is a maritime, air, amphibious and field training exercise designed to maintain the professionalism and operational effectiveness of NATO forces. Nineteen Royal Navy ships and submarines, nine ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and approximately 4,000 Royal Marines are participating.

  Service Pensions
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the percentage increases in service pensions for each of the years from 1975 to 1991; and on what date they were applied in each year.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Percentage increases applicable to retired pay and pensions awarded under the terms of the armed forces pension scheme were, in the period 1975 to 1991, as follows:

  Year

  Increase per cent.

  Effective Date per cent.

  1975

  26·10

  1 December 1975

  1976

  13·80

  1 December 1976

  1977

  17·70

  1 December 1977

  1978

  74·0

  1 December 1978

  1979

  16·00

  12 November 1979

  1980

  16·50

  24 November 1980

  1981

  9·06

  23 November 1981

  1982

  11·00

  22 November 1982

  1983

  3·70

  21 November 1983

  1984

  5·10

  26 November 1984

  1985

  7·00

  25 November 1985

  1986

  1·10

  28 July 1986

  1987

  2·10

  6 April 1987

  1988

  4·20

  11 April 1988

  1989

  5·90

  10 April 1989

  1990

  7·60

  9 April 1990

  1991

  10·90

  8 April 1991

  The first increase following the award of retired pay or pension would generally have been smaller than that shown, depending on the date of the award relative to the effective date of the next increase. In individual cases the first increase could also have been applicable from a different date than the effective date shown. All increases after the first would be at the full rate and have the effective date shown.
  424
  Where retirement occurs earlier than age 55, increases in retired pay or pension awarded on account of long service are accumulated and brought into payment from the 55th birthday.

  Commonwealth of Independent States (Nuclear Warheads)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to provide technical and financial support to the nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States to dismantle and transport nuclear warheads withdrawn from deployment; what will be the cost of this assistance; and under what budget head the cost will be borne.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government have agreed to provide 250 special containers to Russia for the secure transport of nuclear weapons and a number of special nuclear weapons transport vehicles. We will also provide consultancy assistance as required in the fields of nuclear weapons safety procedures; fissile material storage and vehicle design; environmental restoration; assessing the options for converting fissile material from weapons to civil nuclear use; and, if help is needed, implementation of IAEA safeguards.

  Our preliminary estimate is that the eventual cost of supplying hardware could be up to about £30 million. It will be borne on class I, vote 2.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to use the Firth of Clyde as a site for the wet storage of nuclear submarines, pending decommissioning or otherwise; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We do not currently expect such a requirement to arise.

  Trident
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 February,Official Report, column 402, if he will give up-to-date details of money so far spent on the fourth Trident.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Expenditure on the fourth Vanguard class submarine to the latest available date (end January 1992) is £144 million.

  IRAN: DEFENCE EQUIPMENT SALES BAN
  IRAN: DEFENCE EQUIPMENT SALES BAN
  MAASTRICHT TREATY
  MAASTRICHT TREATY
  HONG KONG: ANNUAL REPORT
  HONG KONG: ANNUAL REPORT
  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL, 2nd MARCH
  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL, 2nd MARCH
  LIFE PRISONERS: PAROLE BOARD SENTENCE REVIEW ARRANGEMENTS
  LIFE PRISONERS: PAROLE BOARD SENTENCE REVIEW ARRANGEMENTS
  POLISH VISITORS: VISA APPLICATIONS
  POLISH VISITORS: VISA APPLICATIONS
  POLISH VISITORS: BREACH OF ENTRY CONDITIONS
  POLISH VISITORS: BREACH OF ENTRY CONDITIONS
  CONFERENCE HALL PLATFORMS: SAFETY
  CONFERENCE HALL PLATFORMS: SAFETY
  DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION: EC INITIATIVE
  DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION: EC INITIATIVE
  ALCOHOL MISUSE: MONITORING OF SERVICES
  ALCOHOL MISUSE: MONITORING OF SERVICES
  CHARITIES' TAX REFORM PROPOSAL
  CHARITIES' TAX REFORM PROPOSAL
  ASHFORD INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER STATION
  ASHFORD INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER STATION
  HAROUNI FAMILY: ENQUIRY PROPOSAL
  HAROUNI FAMILY: ENQUIRY PROPOSAL
  ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE: TEACHER TRAINING PLACES
  ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE: TEACHER TRAINING PLACES