Written Answers of 12 May 1992

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Maastricht Treaty
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the increases in the powers of the European Parliament embodied in the treaty of European unity signed at Maastricht and specify the consequential restrictions on the powers of(a) the Commission, (b) the Council of Ministers and (c) national parliaments.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The treaty on European union increases the role of the European Parliament in a range of ways, both legislative and non-legislative. In some cases these are new. In others, they are extensions of existing procedures to new articles.

  All of these provisions are clearly set out in the treaty on European union. Together they represent no basic change in the existing institutional structure. The Parliament will have greater powers to scrutinise the Commission, but the Council of Ministers will remain the ultimate decision-making body in the Community and its members will remain accountable to their national parliaments.

  European Movement
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which European Community Governments make state contributions to the European Movement in their countries; and if he will list these and the amounts.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government phased out direct funding to the British council of the European Movement in 1985. Where possible, we continue to support its work through other means. We have no information about Government funding to the European Movement in other Community member states.

  Visas (Poles)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many students studying English at Polish universities were refused visas to visit the United Kingdom in the past 12 months; and what reason there was for each refusal.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  A total of 44,684 visas were issued at Warsaw in 1991; 2,642 applications were refused. Of those applications refused, 1,269 were from persons under 25 requesting a visa for a single entry into the United Kingdom. Statistics are not readily available to provide the further information requested.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current 54
  average waiting time for Polish citizens waiting at the British consulate for interview on their application for a visa for admission to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Provided that all supporting documentary evidence is available, a personal applicant for an entry clearance at Warsaw would currently be interviewed, if necessary, on the same day as the embassy receives the application.

  Subsidiarity
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what competences, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, Mr. Delors, on behalf of the European Commission, has announced that he is ready to renounce.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Mr. Delors has made no such announcement. However the Commission's work programme for 1992 stressed the importance of the principle of subsidiarity.

  Colonial Governors
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the annual leave entitlement of each of the governors of the remaining colonies; how many home leave journeys are allowed each year; and what is the annual cost.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Those governors on diplomatic service terms are entitled to 42 days annual leave plus 14 days local leave, which must be taken at post. The governors of Montserrat, St. Helena and Turks and Caicos are entitled to 35 days plus seven days local leave. Entitlements to leave passages to the United Kingdom, and current costs, including costs for spouses, are as follows:

  £

  Anguilla:

  Mid-tour leave after 18 months

  3,190

  One recreational journey in three complete years of service

  1,528

  BVI:

  Mid-tour leave after 18 months

  1,601

  One recreational journey in three years

  690

  Falkland Islands:

  Mid-tour leave after one year

  RAF flights

  One recreational journey in three years

  Montserrat:

  Mid-tour leave after one year

  1,610

  One recreational journey in three years

  784

  St. Helena:

  Mid-tour leave after one year

  5,108

  One recreational journey in three years

  3,150

  Turks and Caicos:

  Mid-tour leave after one year

  5,128

  One recreational journey in three years

  1,068

  Average costs over one year are £11,901.

  Leave entitlements and passages for governors of Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Hong Kong are met by their respective Governments.

  Leave entitlement and the cost of passages for the governor of Gibraltar are the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence.
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  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the annual cost of running the official residencies of each of the governors of the remaining colonies.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Of the 15 dependent territories there are resident governors in only ten. The upkeep of their residences is the responsibility of each territory's Government, but the Foreign and Commonwealth Office does on occasions assist with these expenditures. As a result, the overseas estate department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has, during the 1991–92 financial year, financed running costs in three of these: Anguilla —£30,000; Grand Turk—£6,000; and Montserrat—£40,000.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list(a) the current salary and (b) the proposed salary for the next financial year for the governors of the remaining British colonies.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The governors of Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands are diplomatic service grade 4 officers—salary scale £37,928 to £42,870. The governor of the Falkland Islands is a senior grade diplomatic service officer—salary point 5, £51,300. The governors of Montserrat, St. Helena and Turks and Caicos are paid a partial salary by their respective Governments and their salary is "topped up", to the mean of the DS4 scale£40,399—by Her Majesty's Government. Current topping up costs are £13,368, £14,040, and £22,860 respectively. The governors of Bermuda, Cayman Islands and Hong Kong are paid entirely by their respective Governments and there are no salary costs falling to Her Majesty's Government. The governors/commissioners of the British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, Pitcairn Henderson Ducie and Oeno Islands, and South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands are non-resident and there are no direct salary costs. The governor of Gibraltar is paid by the Ministry of Defence.

  Salary costs for the next financial year are dependent on salary increase settlements for the civil service, which will be negotiated in due course.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what official travelling arrangements by means of ship, plane or car are provided for each of the governors of the remaining colonies; and what is the annual cost for each governorship.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Her Majesty's Government provide the following:

  Place

  Transport

  Cost

  Falkland Islands:

  Land-Rover

  £16,000

  Turks and Caicos Islands:

  Taxi

  £15,700

  Montserrat:

  Range Rover

  £21,500

  Anguilla:

  Range Rover

  £24,400

  Other costs are met by the Governments of the respective dependent territories.

  Commonwealth of Independent States
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is Her Majesty's Government's policy to support the call by European Community Commissioner Ripa di Meana that European 56
  Community financial and technical assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States should be dependent on the shut-down of certain nuclear reactors.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Her Majesty's Government strongly support international efforts to improve the safety of nuclear power installation in eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. We recognise, however, that the unconditional closure of nuclear power stations is not a feasible option until practical alternative supplies of energy exist.

ENVIRONMENT

  United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the names of Her Majesty's Government's delegates to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Prime Minister has already announced his intention to attend part of the Earth summit. I also propose to attend part of the summit, as do my hon. Friends the Under-Secretary of State responsible for overseas development and the Minister for the Environment and Countryside. Officials from the Departments most closely involved will also be included in the delegation. Her Majesty's Government have offered around 12 places as observers on the delegation to environment and development groups, local government, business and trade unions, the scientific community and youth.

  Housing Associations
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the level of new home completions by housing associations in 1991–92; and what is the expected level for 1992–93.

  Mr. Baldry
  In 1991–92, the Housing Corporation's approved development programme produced an estimated 27,100 housing association homes available for occupation —2,000 more than its original target. Final figures are expected towards the end of May. The corporation's target for 1992–93 is 43,400 homes.

  Rents-to-mortgages Scheme
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council tenants he expects to convert rents into during the coming year; and if he make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Rents to mortgages—RTM—will provide a valuable new low-risk route into owner-occupation, by allowing tenants to use the money they would otherwise have paid as rent to service a mortgage which gives them a stake in their own homes. At present the English pilot scheme for RTM is available only to new town tenants in Basildon, but we will legislate to extend it to local authority tenants.

  London Borough Boundaries
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the reports published by the Local Government Boundary Commission regarding the boundaries of London boroughs including the dates of

  Timetables of published local government boundary commission reports on the London boroughs

  Published reports

  Report number

  Date of first draft proposals

  Date by which comments were to be received

  Date of further draft proposals

  Date by which comments were to be received

  Date of publication of final report

  Barnet—boundaries with Harrow and Hcrtsmere

  594

  11 July 1988

  12 September 1988

  —

  —

  25 January 1991

  Bexley—boundaries with Barking and Dagenham, Thurrock and Dartford

  598

  11 July 1988

  12 September 1988

  —

  —

  28 February 1991

  Bromley—boundaries with Bexley, Tandridge, Sevenoaks and part of Bexley's boundary with Dartford

  620

  29 May 1989

  24 July 1989

  20 March 1991

  15 May 1991

  26 February 1992

  City of London—boundaries with City of Westminster, Camden, Hackney, Islington, Lambeth, Southwark and Tower Hamlets

  636

  5 March 1990

  I May 1990

  17 May 1991

  12 July 1991

  23 April 1992

  Croydon—boundaries with Bromley, Reigate and Banstead and Tandridge

  615

  23 January 1989

  20 March 1989

  20 March 1991

  15 May 1991

  22 November 1991

  Croydon—boundary with Lambeth

  623

  21 June 1991

  16 August 1991

  —

  —

  12 February 1992

  Crystal Palace Area—boundaries of Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark

  632

  19 August 1991

  14 October 1991

  —

  —

  22 April 1992

  Greenwich—boundaries with Barking and Dagenham, Bexley, Newham and Tower Hamlets

  622

  1 October 1990

  10 December 1990

  2 August 1991

  27 September 1991

  31 January 1992

  Harrow—boundaries with Ealing, Hillingdon, Hertsmere and Three Rivers

  610

  23 October 1989

  18 December 1989

  —

  —

  4 October 1991

  Islington—boundaries with Camden, Hackney and Haringey

  638

  11 June 1990

  6 August 1990

  15 May 1991

  12 June 1991

  22 April 1992

  Lambeth—boundary with Southwark

  624

  30 April 1991

  25 June 1991

  —

  —

  19 February 1992

  Southwark—boundaries with Lewisham and Tower Hamlets

  637

  20 March 1991

  15 May 1991

  4 December 1991

  12 February 1992

  29 April 1992

  Tower Hamlets—boundary with Hackney

  634

  12 April 1991

  7 June 1991

  —

  —

  13 April 1992

  Waltham Forest—boundaries with Enfield, Hackney, Haringey and Epping Forest and part of Enfield's boundary with Epping Forest

  618

  19 September 1988

  14 November 1988

  26 April 1991

  21 June 1991

  28 Februarry 1992

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make orders implementing the various final reports of the Local Government Boundary Commission into the boundaries of London boroughs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The first order is expected to be made by the end of June; others where the proposals have been accepted should have orders made later this year.
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  publication of first and further draft proposals, the dates by which comments were to be received and the dates of publication of final reports.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information is set out in the table.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Local Government Boundary Commission to have completed its examination of the boundaries of all London boroughs.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  By 31 October 1992.
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  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if there are any proposed boundary changes in London for which the Local Government Boundary Commission has yet to issue first draft proposals.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  No.

  Local Government Boundaries
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the legislative measures that govern the work of the Local Government Boundary Commission and the criteria it uses to review local government boundaries.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Local Government Boundary Commission is required under section 48(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 to carry out local government reviews as directed by the Secretary of State.

  The commission must have regard to the need for effective and convenient local government.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Local Government Commission for England is to carry out an examination of the structure of local government in London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  There are no plans to change the general structure of local government in London. The Local Government Act 1992 provides for changes to local government structure to be made only where unitary authorities do not already exist—that is, in the shire counties of England. The new Local Government Commission will, however, have the power to recommend changes to local government boundaries and electoral arrangements in any area, including London.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Criminal Justice Services
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what ways he intends to support the criminal justice services; and if he will list the services he intends to support and the resources which will be available to them.

  Mr. Jack
  The main aims of the criminal justice system are detailed in paragraph 4.1 of the Home Office annual report, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  My right hon. and learned Friend will continue the Government's support for the criminal justice services for which he has responsibility by ensuring that they can operate within an appropriate legislative framework, supported where necessary by administrative guidance, and by making appropriate financial provision. The criminal justice services for which he has statutory responsibility are prisons, for which the Home Office is directly responsible, and the police and probation services. In addition, the Home Office provides funding for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board. In the current financial year, the Home Office will provide the following financial resources in the discharge of these responsibilities.
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  £million

  Prisons

  1,363

  Police

  3,016

  Probation

  355

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Board

  137

  Terrorism
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking relating to the allocation of the various responsibilities of the police and others, in relation to anti-terrorist activities on the British mainland.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made on Friday 8 May.

  Parliamentary Boundaries
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Boundary Commission to publish its findings for parliamentary seats in the county of Essex.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that the Boundary Commission for England has not yet decided when it will publish its provisional recommendations for the county of Essex, although it is likely that this will be towards the end of the review.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the parliamentary boundary commission to begin consultation on the review of parliamentary boundaries in London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that the Boundary Commission for England has not yet decided when it will publish its provisional recommendations for London boroughs, although it is likely that this will be towards the end of the review.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the legislative measures which govern the work of the parliamentary boundary commission and the criteria it uses to review parliamentary boundaries.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The legislation that governs the work of the parliamentary boundary commissions is the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986. The criteria used to review parliamentary boundaries are set out in schedule 2 to that Act which gives the rules for the redistribution of seats.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales will be working on the basis of the existing local government boundaries or the eventual government proposals for new boundaries.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The local government boundaries which will be used by the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales in its next general review of constituencies will depend upon the timing of that review. This has yet to be decided.

  Squatting
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish legislation arising out of the consultation paper dealing with the law on squatting; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government are committed to improving remedies against squatting. A consultation paper setting out various options was published last October, requesting comments by 31 March. A wide variety of individuals and organisations responded.

  These comments will be valuable in guiding work by ourselves and other Government Departments in determining how best to improve law in this area.

  Voting
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what forms he holds information on the numbers of postal, proxy and expatriate votes issued and used during the 1987 and 1992 general elections.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The number of electors on the postal voters list and the number of postal ballot paper covering envelopes returned at the 1987 general election were published in "Election Expenses, a Return of the Expenses of each Candidate"—HC426—by HMSO. The statistics for the 1992 general election are currently being compiled from returns made by acting returning officers and will be published in due course. Information about the number of proxy voters voting in person—whether on behalf of United Kingdom residents or overseas electors—is not collected centrally. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on Monday 11 May 1992, at column 20, for information about overseas electors.

  Ticket Touts (FA Cup)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to institute an inquiry into the activities of ticket touts at this year's Football Association cup final.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No. The distribution and sale of tickets for this event is a matter for the Football Association. The investigation of any criminal offences which may have been committed is an operational matter for the police. There is no role here for the Home Office.

EDUCATION

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

  Mr. Forman
  A survey of the ethnic origins of staff was undertaken in 1990 since when our data base has been continuously updated as new staff join the Department. In addition in 1990 this Department launched its own programme of action to achieve equality of opportunity for people of ethnic minority origin. We have already achieved the objective to establish ethnic origin data on 98 per cent. of our staff.
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  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what percentage of officers in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively, and overall in his Department are members of ethnic minorities.

  Mr. Forman
  We do not hold information on the ethnic origin of all our staff but of those who have responded to the ethnic monitoring survey—98 per cent.—those from ethnic minorities at 1 May 1992 are:

  Number

  Percentage

  Grade 1–4

  0

  0

  Grade 5–6

  6

  1

  Grade 7

  7

  4

  Overall

  199

  8

  The survey was conducted on the understanding that anonymity would be preserved. Any further breakdown of the figures could identify individuals and cannot therefore be provided. The figures provided for each grade are on a head count basis and include grade equivalents.

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

  Mr. Forman
  Recruitment of grades above administrative officer is undertaken by the Recruitment and Assessment Services agency on behalf of the Civil Service Commissioners. Various steps have been taken by the agency to aid recruitment of members of ethnic minorities including the increase of contacts with minority communities and extending links with universities, polytechnics and tertiary colleges to attract a wider range of applicants generally and specifically from ethnic minorities.

  Bullying
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what advice has been given by his Department to local education authorities on how to deal with bullying in schools;

  (2) what representations he has received about the incidence of bullying in secondary schools;

  (3) how many cases of bullying have been drawn to the attention of his Department over the past five years.

  Mr. Forth
  The report of the committee of inquiry into discipline in schools, chaired by Lord Elton and published in 1989, contained advice on bullying. Copies of the report were sent to all schools and local education authorities in England and Wales. The Department is currently funding research to identify successful intervention strategies in order to provide practical advice to all schools when the project is completed in August 1993. There are no central records on bullying.

  National Union of Students
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received about automatic membership of the National Union of Students.

  Mr. Forman
  During the course of the consultations initiated by the Government on student unions, my right hon. Friend has received a variety of representations on the membership of campus unions and the National Union
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  of Students. Students' membership of the NUS is indirect: it is a confederation of those campus unions which choose to affiliate.

  Access Funds
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the access funds;

  (2) what plans exist to increase the size of the access funds;

  (3) what representations he has received about the adequacy of the access funds.

  Mr. Forman
  The present access funds are adequate for their purpose if properly targeted. The Government will consider future provision in this year's public expenditure survey. This will take into account representations received from various organisations and institutions.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the current size of the access funds; what is the total number of students eligible for those funds; and what were the size of the funds and the number of students when the access funds were first introduced.

  Mr. Forman
  This year £25.8 million is available for England, Wales and Scotland and an estimated 863,000 higher and further education students are eligible for the access funds. For 1990–91 the figures were £25 million and 768,000 students. It is for institutions to decide which students should receive payments from their funds.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the total number of outstanding inquiries received about obtaining grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  There is no official record of inquiries about obtaining grant-maintained status; however, there are 43 outstanding proposals published by governors of schools seeking to obtain grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many primary schools have become grant-maintained.

  Mr. Forth
  There are 34 grant-maintained primary schools in England, with a further seven so far approved to begin in September 1992.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what action he intends to take to facilitate grant-maintained schools becoming city technology colleges.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made clear his commitment to extending the benefits of city technology colleges to schools wishing to become grant-maintained technology colleges. The Government will be setting out their proposals for this and other measures to extend parental choice and the diversity of schools in a White Paper to be published by the end of the summer.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the total number of grant-maintained schools.
  64
  Mr. Forth
  There are 217 GM schools operating in England, with a further 31 so far approved to begin in September 1992.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the current average length of time taken to determine grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  The current average length of time from publication of proposals to decision is approximately 4·5 months.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many denominational schools have obtained grant-maintained status; and how many inquiries are outstanding from such schools for grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  There are 17 denominational grant-maintained schools. Proposals for a further four have been approved. Proposals from two further schools will be determined in due course.

  Police and Schools
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to encourage greater co-operation between police and schools.

  Mr. Forth
  Under the Education (No. 2) Act 1986, school governing bodies are required to report annually to parents on steps taken to strengthen links with the community, including the police. Advice on good practice in police/school liaison was contained in HM inspectorate's publication "Our Policeman" published in 1989. The Elton report on "Discipline in Schools", distributed to all LEAs and schools in March 1989, also gave advice on links with the police. The Department is currently funding a research project by the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders on the role of the education service in youth crime prevention. My right hon. Friend will wish to review the general question of links between schools and the police in the light of the outcomes of that project.

  Truancy
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what plans he has to reduce the incidence of truancy in schools;

  (2) what is the estimated level of truancy in secondary schools (a) nationally and (b) by reference to local education authority area.

  Mr. Forth
  Truancy is a serious matter. It undermines the educational process and contributes to the juvenile crime rate. Figures are not collected centrally, but truancy is known to be particularly prevalent in the latter years of secondary schooling, where as many as one in five pupils in some schools truant. The Department is currently supporting through the grants for education support and training—GEST—programme projects in a number of LEAs designed to improve school attendance.

  My right hon. Friend intends to make truancy a priority for the Department. In order to establish the full extent of the problem, maintained schools are required, from August 1992, to publish their rates of unauthorised absence. From this school year reports to parents on individual pupils will also record instances of truancy. In

  65
  accordance with the parents charter commitment, the Government intend to require the collection of truancy information for local comparative tables from 1993.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will bring forward plans to reform teacher training to provide for greater time to be spent on the practical as distinct from the theoretical aspect of teaching.

  Mr. Forth
  The Government issued in January a consultation document with proposals for the reform of the training of secondary school teachers. My right hon. Friend is studying the responses to those proposals and the advice he has recently received on the proposals from the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. It remains our intention to see a start made this September in the introduction of reforms on the lines we have proposed. The Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education has also been asked to advise on the reform of training for primary school teachers, taking account of the report on curriculum organisation and classroom practice in primary schools which was issued in February. The council has been asked to provide its advice by June.

  Disciplinary Measures
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the disciplinary measures available to teachers in secondary schools.

  Mr. Forth
  Effective learning can take place only in an orderly atmosphere. Headteachers are responsible for maintaining discipline within their schools on a day-to-day basis in accordance with any general principles set out by the governing body. Within the policies of individual schools teachers are free to adopt a range of disciplinary measures other than corporal punishment, which is prohibited in maintained schools and for certain categories of pupils in some independent schools. The Elton report on "Discipline in Schools", distributed to all LEAs and schools in March 1989, gave practical advice on action at school and classroom level to promote good behaviour and tackle bad behaviour.

  League Tables
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about his plans regarding league tables of schools by examination results; and if he will make it his policy to broaden such tables to take account of a range of other factors including socio-economic, regional and ethnic mixes.

  Mr. Forth
  New regulations governing the publication of comparative tables of schools' performance in 1992 will be published later this month, together with a circular setting out the Government's policy.

  The Department will continue to examine ways of improving the tables in future years, including the possible use of measures of pupils' progress through the national curriculum when the necessary information is available.

  Staff Statistics
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the number of non-teaching staff employed by local education authorities and the Department of Education, full-time equivalents.
  66
  Mr. Forth
  In December 1991, a total of 364,500 full-time equivalent staff other than teachers and lecturers were employed in local authority education in England. A further 2,400 full-time equivalent staff are currently employed in the Department for Education and Her Majesty's inspectorate.

  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the number of teachers in local authority-funded schools, full-time equivalents.

  Mr. Forth
  In January 1991, a total of 392,500 full-time equivalent—FTE—teachers were employed in the LEA-maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools sector in England. A further 2,400 FTE teachers were employed in grant-maintained schools in England.

  Education (Schools) Act 1992
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the implementation of the Education (Schools) Act 1992.

  Mr. Patten
  I have decided to recommend to the Queen in Council that Her Majesty should appoint Professor Stewart Sutherland, Vice-Chancellor of the university of London, as Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools in England for five years in the first instance with effect from I September 1992. I am delighted to have been able to secure Professor Sutherland's services for this important new job. I should like to thank the university of London for having accepted that he should take on this responsibility concurrently with the balance of his term as Vice-Chancellor of London university and indeed to be available immediately to help with the preparations for the new office.

  The new schools inspection arrangements which we enacted in the last Parliament are a key component of the parents charter published last autumn. Professor Sutherland will bring just the right blend of academic distinction, administrative experience, authority and commitment to ensure the success of this initiative.

  So as to be able to receive advice on matter relating to the strategic planning of the new office I have today appointed Professor Sutherland as a part-time consultant to the Department on the creation of the office of Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what arrangements he intends to make for national curriculum assessments in 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Patten
  I have today published for consultation draft orders to govern the assessment under the national curriculum in 1993 of seven-year-olds in the core subjects —English, mathematics, science—and technology, history and geography, and of 14-year-olds in the core subjects and technology. I am placing copies of the draft orders, together with drafts of the accompanying circulars, in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Next year's assessment of 14-year-olds will be the first under statutory arrangements. They will apply to all maintained secondary schools, city technology colleges and such independent schools as choose to participate. The key main features will be:

  67
  —short, unseen written examinations covering the key elements of each subject under assessment, with a standardised longer practical test of pupils' designing and making skills in technology;
  —the assessment by teachers of each pupil's attainments on the basis of their school work across the whole of each subject to provide a detailed diagnosis of strengths and weaknesses which will inform GCSE option choices and future teaching;
  —a rigorous audit by independent examining bodies of each school's test marking and teacher assessments before assessment results are reported to parents or published. The examining bodies will be designated by the Secretaries of State on the advice of the School Examinations and Assessment Council (SEAC);
  —provision for test results to be preferred to teacher assessments in determining overall subject scores where both are available in relation to the same AT, with teacher assessments used in relation to attainment targets which are not tested.

  We are proposing that the written examinations of 14-year-olds in 1993 should take place in the week beginning 7 June.

  These arrangements, proposed in the light of advice from SEAC, will secure for the first time reliable assessments of 14-year-olds nationwide for the purpose of reporting to parents and more generally. They will also inform teachers of how, at a critical stage of development, each of their pupils is progressing in each aspect of each subject. They will provide the underpinning to raise standards of achievement in our secondary schools.

WALES

  PCBs
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what contribution his Department has(a) made to date and (b) plans to make to the revision of waste management paper No. 6 on technical guidance on the treatment and disposal of polychlorinated byphenel wastes.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Waste management papers are produced by the Department of the Environment who will be consulting other Government Departments including the Welsh Office on the revision of waste management paper No. 6.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he intends to make for the national curriculum assessment arrangements in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have today published for consultation, in parallel with the Secretary of State for Education, draft orders to govern next year's arrangements to assess 14-year-olds in Wales, and those for seven-year-olds will be published later this week.

  Next year's assessments will be the first statutory arrangements for 14-year-olds and will cover the core subjects, technology and, where taught, Welsh second language. The arrangements are intended to be rigorous and informative and will comprise:
  Predominantly a combination of short, written, timed examinations and teachers' own assessment of pupils' attainment based on their continuous school work;
  Provision for test results to be preferred to teacher assessments in determining overall subject scores where
  68
  both are available in relation to the same attainment target, with teacher asssessments used in relation to attainment targets which are not subject to such tests;
  The assessment of Welsh and Welsh second language will provide for the testing of oral skills, and technology will include a longer practical task to test pupils' designing and making skills in this subject;
  The consistency of standards and results between schools and LEAs in Wales will be audited by an independent examining body before reports are made to parents or the results published more generally;
  In line with the arrangements for schools in England it is proposed that the written tests for 14-year-olds in 1993 should take place in week commencing 7 June.

  The proposed arrangements, which are based on the advice and development work of the School Examinations and Assessment Council, are intended to provide a rigorous and reliable assessment of 14-year-olds as they prepare for future GCSE and other public examinations later in their schooling. They will apply to both LEA maintained and grant-maintained schools in Wales and such independent schools as choose to participate. The results will be fully reported to parents.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  RMS St. Helena
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there has been any change in the unions recognised to represent the crews of RMS St. Helena.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Recognition of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers—RMT—was withdrawn by the St. Helena Government with effect from 1 January 1992. The St. Helena Government will recognise the St. Helena General Workers Union or any other local body or group selected by the crew to represent them in negotiations with the employers.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent arrangements have been made about the salaries of the officers and crew of RMS St. Helena.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  These arrangements are a matter for the St. Helena Government, as employers, and the officers and ratings and not for Her Majesty's Government.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those companies qualifying to tender for the new RMS St. Helena contract.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 11 May 1992]: The closing date for companies to express an interest in tendering for the new contract for the management of RMS St. Helena was Friday 8 May. The indications are that there has been a very substantial response. A decision on those who will be invited to tender will be made shortly.

  "Children by Choice not Chance"
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether copies of the full report, or a salient summary, of the Overseas Development Administration's report "Children by Choice not Chance" will be made available by the British delegation to the UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in June.
  69
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 11 May 1992]: Yes, copies of "Children by Choice not Chance" will be made available by the British delegation at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in June. Copies of the booklet were also distributed to participants at a preparatory meeting for the conference last August.

  Forest Management
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Overseas Development Administration was represented at the lecture on wise forest management by Don Cleary at the recent Oxford tropical forest conference; and what action is being taken in the area of forest management.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 11 May 1992]: The ODA was represented at the Oxford Forestry Institute tropical forestry conference. Promoting the sustainable management of tropical forests is the prime purpose of ODA-funded activities in this field. It includes taking full account of relevant social issues.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Data Collection
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any plans to change the way in which his Department collects data on the agricultural industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The ways in which my Department collects statistical data on the agricultural industry are kept under continual review, including through the survey control system. I have no plans at present for significant changes.

  Cattle (Salmonella)
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in what circumstances his Department sends in its veterinary services to investigate cases of salmonella poisoning in cattle; what charges are then payable by the farmers concerned; and whether these arrangements differ depending upon whether farmers are involved in milk or meat production.

  Mr. Soames
  The Zoonoses Order 1989 requires isolations of salmonella to be notified to a veterinary officer of the Ministry. The action taken by the Ministry on receipt of a salmonella report depends on the circumstances of the case and in particular whether it is considered to be primarily an animal health matter or a human health risk.

  The responsibility for dealing with animal health matters rests with the farmer's veterinary surgeon since the animals are under his care. If the veterinary surgeon requests further advice from the Ministry's state veterinary service, on an animal health matter, an advisory visit to the farm would be provided on a chargeable basis.

  The charge for an advisory visit is based on the time spent by the veterinary investigation officer on the farm with possible additional charges for any laboratory examinations carried out on samples taken during the visit.

  Where the Ministry considers that there are significant human health risks associated with the case the matter is
  70
  investigated free of charge by the state veterinary service in collaboration, where appropriate, with the local medical and environmental health authorities. The farmer's veterinary surgeon is informed of the action to be taken.

  These procedures apply irrespective of whether a farmer is involved in milk or meat production.

  Fisheries Conservation
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on measures to supplement European Community requirements for fisheries conservation.

  Mr. Curry
  The EC Fisheries Council agreed in October 1991 on a significant package of technical conservation measures which take effect from 1 June 1992. United Kingdom fishermen made it clear that they were willing to go further in some respects in order to help conservation. After consulting the industry we have decided to apply the following additional and complementary measures on a national basis from 1 June.

  For all United Kingdom vessels we shall operate a minimum landing size for whiting maintained at 27 cm rather than reduced to 23 cm as allowed for by the EC; an anti-ballooning provision for whitefish fisheries which is designed to prevent closure of meshes by requiring the circumference of the cod end of the net to be no greater than that of the adjacent part of the net.

  In the North sea and west of Scotland area where the EC's minimum mesh size is to increase to 100 mm for roundfish fisheries the EC's further measure to permit the optional use of a square mesh panel will be adopted. While we shall no longer require a 90 mm square mesh panel in a 90 mm diamond mesh net, mesh selectivity will be enhanced by the EC provision to limit the number of meshes round the cod end and our own anti-ballooning provision.

  To complement the increase in the EC's minimum mesh size in the Irish sea from 70 to 80 mm we shall increase our present unilateral requirement for a square mesh panel from 75 to 80 mm for all whitefish nets with meshes between 80 and 89 mm inclusive in the Irish sea—area VIIA—and also apply the same requirement in area VI south of 56° N to remove the anomalous position of this area and to assist enforcement.

  We shall continue to require the use of an 80 mm square mesh panel when fishing for nephrops in areas IV and VI. We shall retain the present requirement for a 75 mm square mesh panel for nephrops nets with meshes of between 70 and 85 mm inclusive in the Irish sea—area VIIa—and introduce it for all nephrops nets in the rest of area VII. In this way the discards of young whitefish from all nephrops fisheries undertaken by United Kingdom vessels should be reduced.

  Further, from 1 June all licensed fishing vessels will be subject to a one net rule, designed to improve the enforcement of minimum mesh size nets, and we intend to apply it to smaller vessels when licensing is extended to them.

  The necessary regulations will be laid shortly.

  I greatly welcome the constructive response of the United Kingdom fishing industry to the need for national measures to supplement the new Community measures being applied from 1 June because as a significant fishing nation we have a strong interest in making conservation work. We will continue to work for agreement on similar

  71
  measures and further improvements in the EC technical conservation measures, but in the meanwhile the national measures which we are introducing will make an important additional contribution to conserving the stocks, including hard-pressed haddock and cod stocks in the North sea, of which United Kingdom fishermen take 89 per cent. and 46 per cent. respectively. These conservation measures are vital to our fishermen's long-term future and to our consumers.

  We are very pleased that the Irish Government too intend to maintain the minimum landing size for whiting for Irish vessels at 27cm. We regard this joint move in the Irish sea as very important and we are exploring ways of taking this collaboration further.

TRANSPORT

  Road Humps
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when traffic calming measures are being considered, what discretion exists for local authorities to decide the distance between humps installed on urban roads.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Local highway authorities are required to comply with the Highways (Road Humps) Regulations 1990 which state, in regulation 2, that road humps forming a series of two or more shall be spaced so that not less than 20 m nor more than 150 m lies between one hump and the one next to it.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many complaints the Department has received from road users about the installation of road humps.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  There have been some complaints, but no central record is kept of the number of these and it would not be economic to produce such figures. Most representations received by the Department about road humps are positive and relate to practical advice on siting and installation.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations the Department has received from the Road Haulage Association, bus users' associations and other similar trade bodies about road humps.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Comments were received from a wide range of interested organisations including the Road Haulage Association and bus users' associations who were consulted when the road humps regulations were made.

  Port of Tilbury
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for how much the port of Tilbury was sold; and what was the valuation of the port of Tilbury, as advised to him or the Port of London Authority, prior to the sale.

  Mr. Norris
  The port of Tilbury was sold to International Transport Ltd, a management and employee buy-out team, at a price of £32 million. Prior to the sale the Port of London Authority, as the vendors, were advised of 72
  benchmark valuation ranges for the sale of the port of Tilbury of £27 million to £37 million for a trade sale and of £25 million to £34 million for a leveraged buy-out.

  Stockport Bypass
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to meet a deputation from the Stockport metropolitan borough council to discuss the line of route of the Stockport north-south A6(M) bypass.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Arrangements for a meeting will be put in hand shortly.

  London Underground
  Mr. Dover
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has received to improve services on the northern line of London Underground.

  Mr. Norris
  The service has already improved significantly. London Underground Limited has a number of proposals to improve it further, not all of which require Government approval. LUL's intention is to undertake full modernisation of the Northern line following the modernisation of the Central line which is currently under way.

  M1-M62 Link Road
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will carry out an integrated transport study before making a decision to proceed with either of the proposed routes for the M1-M62 link road; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No. The proposed M1-M62 link road is designed to overcome road traffic problems which already exist.

  Roads (South-east Essex)
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to assist Essex county council to bring forward funding for road projects in south-east Essex; and if he will visit the area to assess the need for himself.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I shall give careful consideration to any proposals which the county may wish to make as part of their bid for transport supplementary grant and credit approvals for capital spending on local roads in 1993–94.

  I have no plans at present to visit south-east Essex. There are regular meetings between Department of Transport officials and officers of the county council, and the Department is kept well informed about the county's needs.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the annual rate of death and serious injury on the roads for each quarter from 1986 and show index figures, using the latest quarter as 100.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The information requested is given in the table.
  73

  Deaths and serious injuries in road accidents: cumulative
  totals for 4 quarters ending in each quarter: Great Britain: 1986 to 1991

  Casualties:

  4 quarter totals

  Index 1991 Q4 = 100

  Year ending

  Killed

  Seriously injured

  Killed seriously injured

  Killed

  Seriously injured

  Killed seriously injured

  1986

  Q1

  5,255

  71,315

  76,570

  116

  138

  137

  Q2

  5,280

  70,440

  75,720

  117

  137

  135

  Q3

  5,298

  68,815

  74,113

  117

  134

  132

  Q4

  5,382

  68,752

  74,134

  119

  134

  132

  1987

  Q1

  5,271

  66,909

  72,180

  117

  130

  129

  Q2

  5,282

  66,638

  71,920

  117

  129

  128

  Q3

  5,300

  66,464

  71,764

  117

  129

  128

  Q4

  5,125

  64,293

  69,418

  113

  125

  124

  1988

  Q1

  5,179

  66,321

  71,500

  115

  129

  128

  Q2

  5,113

  65,136

  70,249

  113

  126

  125

  Q3

  5,000

  64,047

  69,047

  111

  124

  123

  Q4

  5,052

  63,491

  68,543

  112

  123

  122

  1989

  Q1

  5,180

  63,053

  68,233

  115

  122

  122

  Q2

  5,189

  63,311

  68,500

  115

  123

  122

  Q3

  5,315

  63,092

  68,407

  118

  123

  122

  Q4

  5,373

  63,158

  68,531

  119

  123

  122

  1990

  Q1

  5,419

  63,299

  68,718

  120

  123

  123

  Q2

  5,487

  62,738

  68,225

  121

  122

  122

  Q3

  5,332

  61,943

  67,275

  118

  120

  120

  Q4

  5,217

  60,441

  65,658

  115

  117

  117

  1991

  1Q1

  4,901

  57,445

  62,346

  108

  112

  111

  1Q2

  4,681

  55,524

  60,205

  104

  108

  107

  1Q3

  4,598

  53,334

  57,932

  102

  104

  103

  1Q4

  4,520

  51,499

  56,019

  100

  100

  100

  1 Provisional estimate.

  A664-M6 Junction
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his decision following the most recent public inquiry into the junction of the A664 with the M66.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The inspector's report is expected shortly. I shall make an announcement as soon as I have considered it.

  Wheel Clamping (Newham)
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will discuss with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis the designation of High street north, Katherine road, Green street and Upton lane in the London borough of Newham as streets for wheel clamping for unlawfully parked vehicles.

  Mr. Norris
  It is for local highway authorities to apply to the Secretary of State to authorise wheelclamping in their area. The police would then be consulted. No such application has been received from the London borough of Newham.

  Transport and Works Act 1992
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the regulations governing major transport projects under the Transport and Works Act 1992; and when guidelines affecting the new procedures might be made available.

  Mr. Freeman
  A draft of the rules to govern applications for, and objections to, orders was issued on 2 January. A revised draft will be circulated for comment in 74
  the next two to three weeks. A draft of the rules on procedures for public inquiries will be published shortly. We shall consult on the administrative guidelines when the application and inquiries' rules have been settled in principle.

  Emergency Telephones (A 12)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if a date during 1992–93 has yet been established for the installation of emergency telephones on the Al2; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Detailed design work for the installation of emergency telephones on the A 12 Chelmsford bypass is currently being carried out. Once the design has been finalised the programme for installation will be drawn up. Only then will a specific date for completion be available.

  Funds have been set aside for completion of the work in this financial year.

  British International Helicopters
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will carry out an inquiry in his Department to assess the role of the Department at the time when the late Robert Maxwell acquired British International Helicopters; and if he will make a statement about what he now intends to do to help British International Helicopters staff.

  Mr. Norris
  I see no need for an inquiry. British International Helicopters—BIH—formerly British Airways Helicopters Limited—BAHL—a subsidiary of
  75
  British Airways, was sold in September 1986. The decision to sell BAHL and the details of the negotiations were commercial matters for the British Airways Board.

  British International Helicopters is presently in joint administration and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on how the administrator is pursuing his responsibilities.

  Wye River Bridge
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what effect on road accident figures was recorded following the introduction of speed calming humps on the M4 approach to the Wye river bridge.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  These rumble strips, which were not humps, were installed as part of a comprehensive scheme of traffic management during the strengthening and resurfacing work on the Severn crossing. It is not possible to say what effect they alone had on the accident rate.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the mid-1991 estimates by the Register-General of Populations of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years for each district council area and parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland, together in each case with the 1992 electoral registration figures.

  Mr. Hanley
  Estimates of those aged 17 years and over, and of those aged 16, are not available in the form requested. The 1992 electoral registration figures, however, are as follows:

  United Kingdom Parliamentary Constituency Totals for 1992

  Total

  Belfast East

  53,375

  Belfast North

  55,587

  Belfast South

  52,556

  Belfast West

  55,280

  East Antrim

  63,739

  East Londonderry

  76,912

  Fermanagh and South Tyrone

  71,472

  Foyle

  75,970

  Lagan Valley

  73,688

  Mid Ulster

  70,410

  Newry and Armagh

  68,716

  North Antrim

  70,217

  North Down

  69,604

  Strangford

  69,855

  South Antrim

  68,292

  South Down

  77,371

  Upper Bann

  68,422

  Total

  1,141,466

  (ii) Northern Ireland district council totals for 1992

  Total

  Derry

  63,309

  Limavady

  19,282

  Coleraine

  37,138

  Ballymoney

  17,610

  Moyle

  10,509

  Larne

  22,318

  Ballymena

  42,091

  76

  Total

  Magherafelt

  25,611

  Cookstown

  21,637

  Strabane

  25,319

  Omagh

  30,973

  Fermanagh

  39,112

  Dungannon

  32,354

  Craigavon

  54,520

  Armagh

  36,222

  Newry and Mourne

  58,207

  Banbridge

  24,891

  Down

  40,656

  Lisburn

  69,472

  Antrim

  30,227

  Newtownabbey

  55,155

  Carrickfergus

  24,527

  North Down

  54,464

  Ards

  49,089

  Castlereagh

  47,505

  Belfast

  209,126

  Total

  1,141,324

  Voting
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in what forms he holds information on the numbers of postal, proxy and expatriate votes issued and used during the 1987 and 1992 general elections.

  Mr. Hanley
  The chief electoral officer for Northern Ireland holds information, defined by parliamentary constituency, on the number of postal votes issued and the number of postal votes returned. He also records the number of proxies appointed and the number of overseas voters registered but not the number of proxy or overseas votes cast.

NATIONAL FINANCE

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

  Mr. Nelson
  The information requested in respect of grades 1 to 7 in the Treasury is shown in the table. Ethnic origin data is held for 87 per cent. of Treasury staff and of this total 8 per cent. are from ethnic minorities. Figures reflect the position as at 1 January 1992 and are for non-industrials only, including agency staff.

  Ethnic minorities

  Grade

  Number

  Per cent.

  1 and 1A

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  4

  —

  —

  5

  —

  —

  6

  —

  —

  7

  2

  1

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to recruit members of ethnic minorities in top grades of employment at Her Majesty's Treasury and other departments within his responsibility.

  Mr. Nelson
  Recruitment to senior grades of the civil service is undertaken by the Recruitment and Assessment
  77
  Services agency on behalf of the Civil Service Commissioners. Various steps have been taken by these bodies and by the Chancellor's departments to aid recruitment of members of ethnic minorities including increasing contacts with minority communities including image-building publicity in the ethnic minority press; extending links with polytechnics, universities and tertiary colleges to attract a wider range of applicants generally and specifically from ethnic minority communities; increasing representation of ethnic minorities among career liaison staff and on selection panels; ensuring that recruitment brochures reflect a multi-racial work force; organising equal opportunities training for those involved in selection; and using validated selection procedures to ensure that selection is fair and non-discriminatory.

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

  Mr. Nelson
  A survey of members of Treasury staff for whom no ethnic origins information was held was undertaken in December 1990. The total proportion of Treasury staff for whom ethnic origin data is held now stands at 87 per cent. Consideration is being given to whether a further survey should be conducted to try and increase the coverage of the Department's ethnic origin database.

  Foreign Vessels (Crews)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the number of(a) Spanish and (b) Dutch vessels registered as British whose skippers and crews pay income tax and national insurance contributions in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will remove VAT from sanitary towels and other related products;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the reasons for the maintenance of VAT on sanitary towels and other related protection.

  Sir John Cope
  VAT was designed as a broad-based tax on consumer expenditure, including many essential goods and services, and reliefs have to be firmly restricted. In any event, EC VAT law prohibits the introduction of any new zero rates.

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of investment in manufacturing industry in 1979; and what it is currently.

  Mr. Portillo
  Estimates of manufacturing investment at constant prices may be obtained from the CSO database which is accessible through the House of Commons Library.

  GDP
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the current share of Government spending in gross domestic product;

  (2) if he will set out the share of Government spending in gross domestic product in each year since 1978.

  Mr. Nelson
  Figures for general Government—central Government plus local authorities—total expenditure on goods and services as a percentage of the expenditure-based measure of gross domestic product, both at current market prices, from 1978 to 1991, are given in the table.

  Year

  Percentage

  1978

  22·5

  1979

  22·2

  1980

  23·5

  1981

  23·4

  1982

  23·2

  1983

  23·5

  1984

  23·6

  1985

  22·8

  1986

  22·6

  1987

  22·0

  1988

  21·0

  1989

  21·2

  1990

  22·3

  1991

  22·3

  Figures for financial years for the ratio of general Government expenditure excluding privatisation proceeds to gross domestic product were set out in the 1992–93 "Financial Statement and Budget Report", table 2A.1.

  Public Sector Expenditure
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps will be taken to reduce the share of national income taken by the public sector as outlined in the Queen's Speech; and what services are targeted for reduction.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 11 May 1992]: Decisions on public spending plans for the next three years will be announced, in the usual way, in the autumn statement.

  EC Treaties
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what date is laid down in the time limit contained in article 7a of the treaty of Rome referred to in the revised article 99 in paragraph 20 of article G of the treaty of European union.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 11 May 1992]: The date specified is 31 December 1992.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the significance of the reference to article 7a in the revised article 99 under paragraph 20 of article G of the Maastricht treaty; and which articles of the treaty of Rome are amended by the provision.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 11 May 1992]: Article 7a is article 8a of the treaty of Rome as amended by the Single European Act as it is proposed to be renumbered by the Maastricht treaty. A consequence of this proposed renumbering is that the reference to article 8a in article 99

  79
  of the treaty of Rome also needs to be changed. The change is therefore one of numbering with no further practical significance.

  It does not amend any other articles of the treaty of Rome.

  EC Co-operative Statute
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the organisations he has consulted to date on the draft European co-operative statute adopted by the European Commission in December 1991.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 11 May 1992]: No consultation document has yet been issued by the Treasury and Registry of Friendly Societies will shortly be producing one as part of a formal consultation exercise. The intention is to seek views from a wide range of interested parties.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what response he has received to date on the draft European co-operative statute.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 11 May 1992]: I have so far received submissions and views from a variety of organisations. A formal consultation exercise is due to begin shortly, which will seek the views of a wide range of interested parties.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on the publication of letters from chief executives of "next steps" agencies in reply to parliamentary questions.

  Mr. Newton
  Following the announcement by my predecessor on 27 November 1991,Official Report, column 552, the Government submitted proposals to the House authorities for publishing replies from agency chief executives. The Administration Committee considered the Government's proposals in March and decided to seek further advice from the relevant House authorities. The Government hope that the House will take an early decision on the matter once the House Committees are reconstituted.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when he expects to reply to the third report of the Procedure Committee, session 1990–91, HC 178, on parliamentary questions.

  Mr. Newton
  I am considering the report and will reply in due course.

EMPLOYMENT

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

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The survey of the ethnic origin of staff which took place in 1986 is continuously updated to take account of those entering and leaving the Department.
  80
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of officers in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively, and overall in her Departments are members of ethnic minorities.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  At 1 April 1992 there were no employees who classified themselves as being of ethnic minority origin in grades 1–6. At the same date there were 9—0.9 per cent.—at grade 7, and 3,607—6.4 per cent.—in the Department as a whole, who classified themselves as being of ethnic minority origin.

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

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Senior grades are recruited by the Recruitment and Assessment Services agency on behalf of the Civil Service Commissioners. The agency has taken a number of steps to aid recruitment from the ethnic minorities. The Department has implemented equal opportunities programmes which focus on the need to increase the representation of ethnic minorities, and women and people with disabilities. It also encourages applications from the ethnic minorities for its management trainee scheme and has run pre-recruitment training.

HEALTH

  GP Fund Holders
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioner practices in the Dacorum borough council area are now fund holders.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I am informed by the chairman of North West Thames regional health authority that there are six GP fundholders in the Dacorum council area.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many family doctors are interested in managing their own funds from April 1993; what was the comparable number for April 1992; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Just over 3,150 GPs are currently fund holders: a further 3,450 have expressed an interest in joining the scheme from April 1993, which would mean that one in four patients will then enjoy the benefits it brings. This is a massive vote of confidence in the scheme.

  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to meet the British Medical Association to discuss practice budgets; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Ministers regularly meet the BMA to discuss matters of mutual interest. We have no specific plans to discuss practice budgets.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she proposes to introduce any upper limit on the collective purchasing power of fund-holding general practitioners in individual health districts.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No.

  London Ambulance Service
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she next plans to meet the head of the London Ambulance service.
  81
  Mr. Sackville
  I expect to have regular meetings with the chairman of South West Thames regional health authority and the chairman of the London Ambulance Service.

  NHS Trust Hospitals
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the progress of national health service trust hospitals.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  A total of 156 NHS trusts are currently operational. A total of 123 applications have so far been received from hospitals and other units to become operational from April 1993. The first wave of NHS trusts are already demonstrating benefits to patients and we see trusts as the management model of the future.

  Community Care
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when Her Majesty's Government intend to implement the community care section of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  We set out the timetable for implementing our community care reforms in 1990. Many of them have already been achieved. We are on course to achieve the remainder by April 1993.

  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the implementation of Her Majesty's Government's proposals for community care.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We set out the timetable for implementing our community care reforms in 1990. Many of them have already been achieved. Local authorities introduced arm's length inspection units and complaints procedures in 1991. At the same time we introduced the mental illness specific grant which will support £43 million of expenditure this year and the alcohol and drugs specific grant which supports £3 million of expenditure this year. Virtually all authorities have published their first community care plans this April as required under the 1990 Act. We are on course to implement the remainder of our reforms by April 1993.

  Patient Statistics
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average number of patients on each general practitioner's list(a) in 1978 and (b) in 1990; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  At 1 October 1978, the average number of patients on general medical practitioner lists in England was 2,312, and at 1 October 1990 this had reduced by 16 per cent. to 1,942. The average list size in England has continued to fall, and at 1 October 1991, the latest date for which figures are available, it stood at 1,887.

  Health Care
  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to increase patient involvement in decisions on future patterns of health care.

  Mr. Sackville
  We published a paper entitled "Local Voices" in January this year with practical guidance to 82
  health authorities about ways for involving local people in shaping health services and have written to health authority chairmen to reinforce the important role of community health councils in representing patients' interests. The patients' charter, which sets out clearly people's rights under the National Health Service, reinforces the onus on health authorities to be responsive to patient's views.

  Health Inequalities
  Mr. Michael O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to reduce inequalities in health between both regions and social classes.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  With a reformed and better-resourced health service, we are improving the identification of need and the delivery of its services so that they are more responsive to variations in health. Our forthcoming health strategy will extend to wider influences on health and lead to practicable initiatives which are sensitive to those variations.

  Cancer
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the correlation between people living close to electricity pylons and the incidence of cancer.

  Mr. Sackville
  The National Radiological Protection Board's advisory group reported on electromagnetic fields and the risk of cancer at the end of March this year. It concluded that there is no firm evidence of a carcinogenic hazard from the normal levels of power frequency electromagnetic fields to which people are exposed. The report will be referred to the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment.

  Bolingbroke Hospital
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will visit Bolingbroke hospital.

  Mr. Sackville
  My right hon. Friend has no current plans to visit Bolingbroke Hospital, but we do congratulate the management of the hospital on its enterprising and imaginative response to raising the quality of services for patients.

  Families
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how she proposes to bring the family perspective and family life cycle into social and economic policy making.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Government recognise the importance of the family both in terms of its individual members and as providing the best environment for the upbringing of children. The objective of our policies is to advise, help and support families rather than to replace their traditional role with professional services. In health, the Government fully support and are implementing the EC recommendation on childcare whose focus includes leave arrangements for working parents and the equitable sharing of parental responsibilities. The NHS has taken a leading role in implementing "Opportunity 2000" which will increase the quality and extent of women's participation in the
  83
  workplace and the Department of Health is considering with voluntary organisations ways in which the United Nations International Year of the Family in 1994 might be marked in the United Kingdom.

  Health Service Contracts
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will outlaw clauses in health service contracts which prevent national health service staff speaking out on matters of professional and public concern.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Contracts of employment for NHS staff are a matter for negotiation between the employing authority and its employees. Where such contracts include provisions on confidentiality, I understand these are intended to safeguard the confidentiality of sensitive data, such as personal data about individual patients, and not to inhibit expression, through proper channels, of professional opinion about health service issues.

  Diabetes
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there are any plans to introduce pen injection systems on general practitioner prescriptions for people with diabetes.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The addition of insulin pen systems to the list of items GPs may prescribe is the subject of continuing negotiations with manufacturers. New additions to the prescribable list must be subject to the availability of resources and decisions on other competing priorities.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to recruit members of ethnic minorities in top grades of employment at her Department.

  Mr. Sackville
  Recruitment for most established appointments at senior level is undertaken by the Recruitment and Assessment Services agency, which follows initiatives to aid the recruitment of members of ethnic minorities. The Department supports these initiatives when carrying out recruitment at all, including senior, levels.

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

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Grade

  Total staff1(Numbers)

  Ethnic Number

  Minority2 Per cent.

  1

  1

  —

  —

  2

  7

  —

  —

  3

  26

  —

  —

  4 and equivalents

  24

  —

  —

  5 and equivalents

  163

  9

  5·5

  6 and equivalents

  86

  4

  4·7

  7 and equivalents

  504

  18

  3·6

  All grades (including 1–7)

  4,516

  539

  15·0

  Notes:

  1Based on Department's payroll figures as at 3 February 1992

  84
  —latest figures available, which include NHS Estates and Medicines Control Agency.

  2Based on response to Department's Ethnic Origin Survey.

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

  Mr. Sackville
  The last survey of the ethnic origins of members of the Department was conducted during June and July 1991. A further survey is planned for later this year.

  Tobacco
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for the past 20 years the information she has for each EC country on the rates of tobacco consumption, the proportions of smokers and the date of any ban on advertising of tobacco.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is not held centrally in the form requested. Information on tobacco consumption and on advertising restrictions in OECD countries is contained in an article published in the "British Journal of Addiction"—1991—86, 1343–1354 and some data on smoking prevalence in EC member states is in an article in the British Medical Journal, volume 304, pages 370–72. Copies of these journals are available in the Library.

  Solvent Abuse Exhibition
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the work of Resolve in combating the problem of solvent abuse to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, I understand that arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 15 to 19 June 1992. I welcome the opportunity this will give to raise awareness of solvent misuse issues.

  Asthma Inhalers
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will issue an approval for the use of recycled chlorofluorocarbons in asthma inhalers and preparation of other medicinal products; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Approval for the sale or supply of any medicinal product in the United Kingdom is given following an application which satisfies the Licensing Authority in respect of safety, quality and efficacy as laid down in the Medicines Act; an application for a medicinal product containing recycled chlorofluorocarbons would therefore be subject to those criteria.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the mid-1991 estimates by the Registrar-General of Populations of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years for each district council area and parliamentary constituency in England and Wales, together in each case with the 1992 electoral registration figures.
  85
  Mr. Sackville
  Mid-year population estimates are prepared by OPCS for local authority areas but not for parliamentary constituencies. Preliminary estimates relating to mid-1991 taking account of initial 1991 census results will be published in October 1992. The 1992 electorate figures have already been published for parliamentary constituencies and local authority areas, in OPCS Monitors EL 92/1 and EL 92/2 respectively. Copies of both Monitors are available in the Library.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Government plan to spend on the NHS in 1992–93; and what was the amount in(a) 1978–79, (b)1986–87 and (c) in 1991–92.

  Mr. Sackville
  Gross NHS expenditure in England is planned to be £28.9 (27.6) billion in 1992–93. Gross NHS expenditure in England was £6.5 (6.3) billion in 1978–79, £16.0 (£15.2) billion in 1986–87 and £26–6 (25.2) billion in 1991–92 (net figures shown in brackets).

  This represents a real terms increase in gross spending of 56.9 per cent. since 1978–79.

  Dentists
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the remuneration of NHS dentists.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  For 1992–93 the target average net income of general dental practitioners is £35,815, an increase in real terms of 33 per cent. over the figure for 1979–80. In 1990–91 nearly a fifth of dentists who did any NHS work earned from the NHS more than £100,000 gross, that is including all expenses. In the same year, expenditure on the general dental service in England alone exceeded £.1 billion; an increase of 43 per cent. in real terms since 1979.

  The proposed increase in target net income of 8.5 per cent. which was recommended by the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body for 1992–93 was accepted in full by the Government. In the normal way, the Health Departments then consulted the general dental services committee—GDSC—about the fees needed to deliver this level of net income. Following discussions between the GDSC and the Health Departments, agreement was reached to hold a joint inquiry to review the level of payments to dentists in 1991–92, the results of which will be considered by the Health Departments and the GDSC later this month when they reconsider the appropriate fee scale for 1992–93. Work on the inquiry is continuing. Simultaneously, they will begin a more fundamental review of the structure of dentists' remuneration.

  Audit Standards
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to ensure the adequacy of internal NHS audit standards following the division of many health authority audit teams arising from the formation of trusts.

  Mr. Sackville
  All health authorities are required to comply with the minimum standards for internal audit laid down in volume 1 of the NHS internal audit manual. The objectives and scope of internal audit in NHS trusts are based on these standards.
  86
  Internal audit services are provided by a variety of methods, including in house staff, consortia arrangements, or under contract with other public authorities or external firms of auditors. It is a matter for authorities and NHS trusts to determine how internal audit services should be provided to ensure compliance with the minimum standards. Each year external auditors review the provision of internal audit services in all NHS bodies and form a view on their overall effectiveness. Where external auditors are dissatisfied with internal audit provisions, they will formally report their findings to my right h on. Friend the Secretary of State.

  Learning Disabilities
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances health authorities are required to accept responsibility for the long-term or short-term care of people with learning disabilities.

  Mr. Yeo
  The role of the national health service in meeting the long and short term health care needs of people with learning disabilities is set out in the statement of Government policy made by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, at the MENCAP conference in June 1991, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  In the transition to community-based services health authorities have a continuing responsibility for residents of mental handicap hospitals and others for whom they have been providing social care. Changes in the current pattern of provision of services should be made only as part of an agreed strategy between the relevant health and local authorities.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been undertaken recently by her Department into the adequacy of day-care provision for adults with learning disabilities.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department's social services inspectorate carried out a national inspection of local authority clay services for people with learning disabilities and a copy of their report "Individuals Programmes and Plans" was published in 1989. It is available in the Library.

  Elderly People
  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to develop a wider diversity in provisions for elderly people in need of care.

  Mr. Yeo
  We are taking forward a wide range of measures to encourage independent living in the community, and to minimise in-patient stays, consistent with high quality care. We are committed to the full implementation of community care from April 1993, and are putting in an extra £6 million starting in the current year to boost domiciliary care schemes and provide further help for carers.

  Measles
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths from measles occurred in 1991 or the most recent year available.

  Mr. Yeo
  In 1990 and 1991, for the first time since records began in the 1940s, there were no reports of deaths from acute measles-related illness in England and Wales.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Guinness and Blue Arrow
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to publish the Guinness and Blue Arrow reports.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  In the Guinness case, the inspectors have submitted an interim report. This has not been published because of the possibility of prejudice to the criminal proceedings. The inspectors will submit their final report following the conclusion of these proceedings. Consideration of publication of that report must await its receipt.

  In the Blue Arrow case, publication of the report was deferred in the light of representations which were received. My right hon. Friend intends to publish the report as soon as he considers it appropriate to do so.

  Beer Orders
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will review the operation of the beer orders.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Director General of Fair Trading has been asked to review the beer orders in late 1993-early 1994 when the effectiveness of the requirement that the national brewers release pubs from ties can be fully assessed.

  Teleworking
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what support his Department has given in the past to encourage teleworking and telecottages; and if he will make a statement on his plans for any future policy initiatives in this area.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Teleworking, telecottages and home-working have attracted widespread interest in the idea that information technology can enable people to work from remote rural locations.

  The DTI has supported a number of research programmes studying the technology, management and human factors related to teleworking. As part of its own alternative working strategy the DTI has run a small project involving staff working from home.

  EC (Exchange of Officials)
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future participation of British officials such as environmental health and trading standards officers in the European action plan for the exchange of officials engaged in the enforcement of Community legislation required to build the single market as set out in the Official Report, column 269, of 20 November 1991.

  Mr. Needham
  The United Kingdom supports the proposal, which is expected to be agreed at the 14 May internal market council, for an exchange scheme between member states of officials responsible for enforcing internal market legislation. Exchanges, each of two months duration in principle, are due to start in 1993, with the aim of increasing co-operation and confidence between national administrations, helping to ensure that 88
  Community legislation is applied uniformly in member states. Exchanges between member states should rise to a total of some 500 a year during the five-year programme and United Kingdom employers in national, regional or local government and the private sector, will be encouraged to support such exchanges in both directions. Nominations for participation, incoming and outgoing, will be co-ordinated by the office of the Minister for the Civil Service.

  Manufacturing Trade
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give the deficit or surplus in manufacturing trade in volume terms and increase or decrease in value terms between the United States of America and(a) Britain, (b) Germany and (c) France for each year since 1985.

  Mr. Needham
  The available information is in the table. Data are not available for trade balances in volume terms.

  USAs bilateral trade balance1 in manufactured goods2

  Balance with:

  Balance

  Change in value terms on previous year

  US$billion

  US$billion

  France

  1985

  -3·6

  -1·1

  1986

  -3·3

  0·3

  1987

  -3·4

  -0·2

  1988

  -3·3

  0·2

  1989

  -2·3

  1·0

  1990

  -0·5

  1·8

  Germany

  1985

  -13·0

  -2·8

  1986

  -16·7

  -3·7

  1987

  -17·9

  -1·3

  1988

  -15·1

  2·8

  1989

  -10·4

  4·8

  1990

  -12·0

  -1·6

  United Kingdom

  1985

  -1·3

  -1·8

  1986

  -3·2

  -1·8

  1987

  -2·0

  1·2

  1988

  0·0

  2·0

  1989

  2·0

  2·0

  1990

  2·8

  0·9

  Notes:

  1 Crude trade balance. Exports FOB less imports CIF, at current prices and exchange rates.

  2 Standard International Trade Classification sections 5–8.

  Source:OECD Series C.

  EC/EFTA Meeting
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the issues discussed and decisions taken at the joint meeting of the European Communities and the European Free Trade Association in Oporto on 1 to 2 May.

  Mr. Needham
  On 2 May 1992, the Community, its member states and the members of the European Free Association signed the European economic area agreement together with related bilateral agreements between the Community and EFTA on transit, agriculture and fisheries. The European economic area will extend the principles of the Community's single market to the EFTA countries, eliminating many barriers to trade between the Community and EFTA.

  Nuclear Weapons (Iraq)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what requests Her Majesty's Government have received from the United Nations Special Commission to Iraq for information on the involvement of British based or registered firms in the provision of nuclear equipment, or equipment that could assist in the production of nuclear weapons for Iraq.

  Mr. Needham
  No. However, the International Atomic Energy Agency has made a request for such information following the continuing work of its inspectors in Iraq.

  A1 Yamamah Defence Contract
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions officials of his Department or the Export Credits Guarantee Department had meetings with officials of the Defence Export Sales Organisation with regard to the A1 Yamamah II defence contract.

  Mr. Needham
  Officials of the DTI and ECGD from time to time have meetings as necessary with officials of the Defence Export Sales Organisation concerning the A1 Yamamah II defence project. To ascertain the precise number of such meetings would involve disproportionate cost.

  Bank Takeovers
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to be informed by the Office of Fair Trading of its views on the possible takeover of Midland bank plc by Lloyds bank plc; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Director General of Fair Trading provides his advice to the President of the Board of Trade on all mergers qualifying for investigation under the Fair Trading Act 1973 as quickly as possible. It would not be appropriate to comment on when the director general's advice on the possible takeover of Midland Bank plc by Lloyds bank plc is likely to be received or when a decision on that advice can be expected in view of the market sensitive nature of that information.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to be informed by the European Commission of the Competition Directorate's views on the proposed takeover of Midland bank plc by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The proposed takeover of Midland bank plc by the Hong Kong and Shanghai bank was notified to the EC Commission under the European Community merger regulation on 23 April. The EC Commission has to announce its decision on whether to clear the merger or open a full-scale investigation into it by 26 May.

  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the implications for consumer choice and competition within the banking system of a takeover of Midland bank by Lloyds bank; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The President of the Board of Trade will receive comprehensive advice from the Director 90
  General of Fair Trading on all aspects of the possible offer by Lloyds bank for Midland bank which may affect the public interest. It would not be appropriate for the President to reach a view on the implications for consumer choice and competition within the banking system of a merger of the two banks in advance of receiving the director general's advice.

PRIME MINISTER

  Nuclear Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what response Her Majesty's Government(a) have made to date and (b) intend to make, to the call made by the French President to halt nuclear testing.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government's policy on nuclear testing remains unchanged. The United Kingdom has a continuing requirement to sustain a minimum programme of nuclear tests to maintain the effectiveness and safety of our nuclear deterrent.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 12 May.

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

  Inner-city Programmes
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Prime Minister which inner-city programmes, currently the responsibility of Departments, other than the Environment Department, will be transferred to the proposed urban regeneration agency.

  The Prime Minister
  The responsibilities of the urban regeneration agency are being finalised. Its primary function will be to bring about the development of vacant and derelict land in urban areas and its responsibilities will reflect this.

  Lockerbie Bombing
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss with the President of the United States the representations made to both of them by the lawyers representing the insurers of Pan American Airways in relation to the Lockerbie bombing; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 11 May 1992]: I have received no such representations.

  Mirror Group Pensioners
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what further recent representations he has received about the situation of pensioners of Mirror Group newspapers; what reply he is sending; what action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 11 May 1992]: I have received a number of representations about the pensioners of Mirror Group newspapers and other Maxwell pension funds. Ministers are keeping in close

  91
  contact with the trustees of the Mirror Group pension schemes and other Maxwell pension funds who are attempting to resolve the ownership of assets and their return to funds. In addition, Ministers have met a number of groups representing the interests of those involved; the most recent meeting being on 6 May. As we stated in our manifesto, we are committed to reviewing the framework of law and regulation within which occupational pension schemes operate.

  If pension funds are unable to protect pensioners' guaranteed minimum pensions, their state pensions will be increased as if they had never left the state earnings-related pension scheme. We have alerted social security offices to make sure that, if necessary, emergency provisions are put into effect to help anyone who needs support from the benefits system because of uncertainty as to their income.

DEFENCE

  A1 Yamamah Contracts
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when reviews or audits of brokerage or commission payments to purchasing agents under the A1 Yamamah I and II defence contracts were carried out.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department has not employed business agents in connection with A1-Yamamah contracts.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what reviews and audits are carried out into maintenance and service contracts forming part of the A1 Yamamah defence contracts and by whom; and to whom do they report;

  (2) who carried out the audit of payments cleared through the A1 Yamamah I and II defence contracts; how often they reported; and to whom.

  Mr. Aitken
  All my Department's accounts are subject to the normal audit arrangements, the results of which are reported as appropriate. It is not the Government's practice to comment on detailed matters concerning individual defence export sales.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what audits have been carried out of payments made by Westland Helicopters Ltd. under the A1 Yamamah defence contracts; who carried out those audits; and to whom the audit results were reported.

  Mr. Aitken
  Westland Helicopters Ltd. has no contracts under the A1-Yamamah programme.

  Defence Export Sales Organisation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place copies of the internal audit manuals and guidelines used by the Defence Export Sales Organisation in the Library.

  Mr. Aitken
  The Defence Export Services Organisation is subject to internal audit by my Department's directorate of internal audit which works to the Government internal audit manual issued by the Treasury. This document is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are internal audit teams on the staff of the Defence Export Sales Organisation or specifically allocated to the review of its activities.
  92
  Mr. Aitken
  Internal audit of the Defence Export Services Organisation—DESO—is the responsibility of my Department's directorate of internal audit—DIA. There are no internal audit teams on the staff of the DESO, nor are any DIA staff specifically allocated to the review of the DESO's activities.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place copies of the written guidance on the authorisation of payments by the Defence Export Sales Organisation in the Library.

  Mr. Aitken
  As an integral part of the Ministry of Defence, the Defence Export Services Organisation observes the financial procedures set out in "Government Accounting" in common with all Government Departments. This document is available in the Library of the House.

SCOTLAND

  Bursaries
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has completed his review of the bursaries scheme for non-advanced further education students.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  We have decided that, as proposed in the White Paper, "Access and Opportunity", the responsibility for bursaries for non-advanced further education students should remain with education authorities. The operation of the scheme will be monitored following the establishment of boards of management of further education colleges at 1 April 1993.

  Fatal Accident Inquiries
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many fatal accident inquiries there have been in Scotland in each of the last 10 years for which information is available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The number of fatal accident inquiries held in each of the last 10 years is as follows:

  Number

  1982

  166

  1983

  161

  1984

  164

  1985

  153

  1986

  154

  1987

  158

  1988

  162

  1989

  136

  1990

  124

  1991

  124

  Procurator Fiscal Service
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current establishment of the procurator fiscal service; how many vacancies there are; and in what grades.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I am advised by my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate that on 8 May 1992 there were 1,080–5 staff in post in the Procurator Fiscal Service. Vacancies currently being filled are 15 in
  93
  legal grades, three in administrative grades and 3.5 in typing grades. When these appointments have been made the establishment of the Procurator Fiscal Service will stand at 1,102.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Severe Hardship Payments
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many unemployed 16 to 17-year-olds received severe hardship payments during the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available(a) in England and Wales and (b) in the London borough of Hillingdon; if he has any proposals to change the mechanism for making such payments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  In the year ending March 1992 19,444 unemployed 16 and 17-year-olds in England and Wales received income support under the severe hardship provision. Information about the London borough of Hillingdon could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Last month, the Benefits Agency issued improved and comprehensive guidance to local offices on handling claims from 16 and 17-year-olds which includes a good practices guide. This should improve and streamline the delivery of benefits to 16 and 17-year-olds. We will be monitoring the situation closely.

  Targeting Benefits
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to target benefits on those who are less well off while maintaining the overall size of his Department's budget.

  Mr. Burt
  We will continue our policy to improve and modernise the social security system with sustained emphasis on those groups with the greatest need.

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

  Mr. Burt
  The Department last conducted a full survey in June 1989 by means of a voluntary questionnaire. The data is routinely updated with information on new staff and leavers.

  As part of our commitment to the civil service programme for action on race, the Department, including its executive agencies, has taken steps to improve the response rate to the survey. In February 1992, we completed a resurvey of recent entrants in some parts of the Department. We are considering further action as part of our 1992–93 equal opportunities action plans.

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

  Mr. Burt
  The Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency undertakes the direct recruitment of senior grades 94
  to the Department on behalf of the civil service commissioners. They have taken various steps to aid the recruitment of members of ethnic minorities.

  The Department of Social Security, as an equal opportunities employer, seeks to encourage the employment and career development of members of ethnic minorities.

  Benefit (Training Places)
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what provision is made for benefit entitlement for young people who are unable to take up a training place because of the non-availability of places.

  Mr. Burt
  The Government remain committed to the guarantee of offering all 16 and 17-year-olds a youth training place. However, the most vulnerable groups of young people have entitlement to income support at all times. This includes couples with children, lone parents looking after a child, those people who are registered as blind, those incapable of work or YT because of disability, and carers. For those for whom a YT place cannot be found immediately, financial support is available as follows:

  i. Parents of recent school leavers living at home can claim an extension of child benefit for up to 16 weeks. Those who are estranged from their families can claim income support during the same period.

  ii. Income support is available under the severe hardship provision where a young person would otherwise suffer severe hardship because of the lack of financial support. This applies not only to the homeless, but also to those living independently and to those whose parents may have difficulty supporting them.

  Income Support
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of 16 to 18-year-olds(a) have entitlement to income support and (b) had an equivalent entitlement in 1983; and what these figures are or were as a percentage of all 16 to 18-year-olds.

  Mr. Burt
  Information is not available in the form requested. Entitlement to income support needs to be considered in the light of the Government's increased expenditure on youth training and provision of a greater number of training places. Young people on youth training have underlying entitlement to income support which is not paid in the overwhelming majority of cases because the training allowance is paid at a higher rate. The number of 16 and 17-year-olds on income support and youth training allowances in 1990, the latest year for which information is available, was 365,000, or 25–1 per cent. as opposed to 409,000, or 22.6 per cent. in 1983.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing, by districts, how many and what percentage of income support claimants with mortgage liabilities were in arrears with their mortgage payments, in total and by ranges of amounts of arrears and numbers of monthly instalments unpaid, at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Maxwell Pension Funds
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions have taken place between officials in his Department, representatives of the Maxwell pensioners, and the National Westminster bank, in response to the Social Security Committee's second report of Session 1991–92 on pension funds.

  Miss Widdecombe
  There have been no discussions involving all these parties. We continue to maintain a close interest in developments.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the current position of all pensioners of all the former Maxwell companies; and what steps his Department is taking to help them.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Department keeps in close contact with trustees of the Mirror Group and other Maxwell pension schemes who are attempting to resolve the ownership of assets and their return to pension funds. The Government secure pensions to the level of the guaranteed minimum pension, and no pensioner will be worse off than they would have been had they stayed in the state earnings-related pensions scheme. If any pensioner experiences financial difficulty and is unsure about his or her state benefit entitlement, he or she should get in touch with the local social security office, which has been alerted to the difficulties that these pensioners face.

  Appeal Tribunals
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what fees are payable to members of social security appeal tribunals and disability appeal tribunals; and what are the reasons for any differences.

  Mr. Scott
  The chairmen of social security appeal tribunals and disability appeal tribunals receive fees of £230 per day. Members of SSATs receive no fees. The fees paid to the medical member of a DAT are £176.80 per day, while the other member receives a fee of £106 per day. Members of DATs receive fees in recognition of the very special expertise required to consider disability appeals.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide a breakdown of people recruited to serve on disability appeal tribunals on the grounds of personal or professional experience of disability by(a) number and percentage of people with disabilities and (b) number and percentage of people without disabilities.

  Mr. Scott
  Responsibility for the recruitment of people to serve as members of disability appeal tribunals lies with the president of the independent tribunal service, his honour Judge Holden, and the hon. Member may wish to contact his office direct to obtain this information.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to extend the provisions for disregarding tribunal fees in the benefit assessment of members in receipt of severe disablement allowance and invalidity benefit to people in receipt of income support, disability working allowance and invalid care allowance to ensure that people with disabilities and their carers in receipt of either of these benefits are able to serve on disability appeal tribunals without loss of benefit.
  96
  Mr. Scott
  We have no such plans. The fees paid to disability appeal tribunal members are set at a high enough level—about £106 per day—to cover reasonably any reduction in the rate of income support, disability working allowance or invalid care allowance.

  Indexation
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what date pensions and other benefits were indexed to prices instead of earnings; and whether this formula now applies to all benefits.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Social Security Act 1980 introduced the principle that certain specified benefits should be uprated in line with prices rather than the higher of earnings or prices. The first uprating to follow this principle was in November 1980. The majority of contributory and disability benefits, including retirement pension, are statutorily uprated each year in line with prices. Most other benefits are reviewed annually in the same uprating.

  Disability Handbook
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the names of organisations that have written to him concerning inaccurate or otherwise misleading information provided in the disability handbook, in particular with reference to the sections on HIV/AIDS and myalgic encephalomyelitis; and what plans he has to amend these or other sections of the handbook.

  Mr. Scott
  Since the disability handbook was published in February 1992, the Department has received correspondence from the Terrence Higgins Trust about the HIV/AIDS section of the handbook and from ME Action Campaign and Westcare about the myalgic encephalomyelitis section. The disability living allowance advisory board provides the Secretary of State with advice about the contents of the handbook, which is kept constantly under review. All representations received will be carefully considered.

  British International Helicopters Ltd.
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the current position of existing and future pensioners of British International Helicopters; and what steps his Department is taking to help them.

  Miss Widdecombe
  British International Helicopters Ltd. current and future pensioners are members of the Mirror Group pension scheme, which is being wound up and is unlikely to have sufficient assets to meet all its liabilities. The Government are keeping in close touch with trustees of all Maxwell pension schemes. The Government secure pensions to the level of the guaranteed minimum pension, and no pensioners will be worse off than they would have been had they stayed in the state earnings-related pensions scheme. If any pensioner experiences financial difficulty and is unsure about his or her state benefit entitlement, he or she should get in touch with the local social security office, which has been alerted to the difficulties these pensioners face.

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment has been made of how the Benefits Agency has handled the transition to the introduction of disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  Disability living allowance was introduced on 6 April 1992. Transition began in February 1992 and has been a major exercise because the benefit was introduced without phasing providing for claims to be taken to both DLA and the existing benefits—attendance allowance (AA) and mobility allowance (Mob A)—during the transitional period. During this period, claims to AA and Mob A continued at a very high rate and existing beneficiaries were contacted and invited to claim any extra benefit to which they might be entitled. Claims were also encouraged from wholly new claimants. From March 1992 claims for AA and Mob A began to be transferred from the central units in Blackpool to the disability benefit centres, which administer DLA regionally.

  The transition exercise has been accompanied by a wide-ranging publicity campaign designed to promote the new benefit and to reassure existing beneficiaries. This high-profile approach has stimulated a high level of claims at a time when staff are still becoming familiar with the new benefit resulting in longer clearance times. The Benefits Agency is processing these claims as quickly as possible.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that those in receipt of an incapacity benefit will not have their incapacity for work questioned on the ground of serving on a disability appeal tribunal.

  Mr. Scott
  Recent amendments to the invalidity benefit and severe disablement allowance regulations will ensure that beneficiaries of these two benefits will not have their incapacity for work questioned if they serve on a disability appeal tribunal for one day a week or less.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the BBC select series on the "The Way Ahead," will be resumed; and what further plans he has for publicising the new disability benefits over the next six months.

  Mr. Scott
  We shall be considering proposals for further publicity relating to disability living allowance and disability working allowance in the light of early findings from the monitoring of the introduction of the benefits. As part of this process, we shall decide, after negotiation with the BBC, when further material from the series "The Way Ahead" should be broadcast.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide figures showing the total expenditure by his Department to date on(a) the disability working allowance and (b) the lower rate component, care and mobility, of the disability living allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not currently available.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to carry out ongoing 98
  monitoring of the new disability benefits; if he will give details of what aspects of each benefit will be covered; and whether the results of any such monitoring will be published on a regular basis and made available to the public;

  (2) what research projects into the operation of the new benefits for people with disabilities he is planning to undertake (a) within the Department of Social Security and (b) outside the Department of Social Security; and if he will provide details of the scope and timescale of such research and his Department's own plans for dissemination of the findings.

  Mr. Scott
  We shall be monitoring closely the operation of disability living allowance and disability working allowance in a number of ways. We shall collect regularly a wide range of statistical material for both benefits relating to claims, reviews and appeals. In addition, the chief adjudication officer will monitor decisions made by adjudication officers, and the disability living allowance advisory board will keep the disability handbook under close review. Information obtained from these activities will be readily available.

  We hope also that we shall be able to continue the successful liaison with representatives of organisations who come into contact with, or represent, disabled people so that the causes of any difficulties which they identify in the operation of the new benefits are examined as quickly as possible.

  We are considering what further research, either internal or external, is required in order to establish the extent to which the new benefits achieve the objectives set out in the Command Paper "The Way Ahead".

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to ensure that Department of Social Security visiting officers will always be made available to disability living allowance applicants who require assistance with completing a self-assessment claim form and that claimants who cannot complete a form without such assistance will not be required to undergo medical examination solely on the ground that a visiting officer is not available.

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

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what evidence has been received by his Department of difficulties with respect to self-assessment claim forms for disability living allowance and disability working allowance either(a) by claimants or (b) adjudication officers; and whether he is planning to meet with officials from the Office of the Chief Adjudication Officer to consider the need to make any changes to the wording of claim forms to facilitate accurate and prompt decision-making.

  Mr. Scott
  We have received no evidence of difficulties but over the coming months we will be undertaking a review of the claim packs for both disability living allowance and attendance allowance, with a view to making improvements where necessary. As part of that review, officials will consult not only the central adjudication service but other interested parties, in
  99
  particular, organisations of and for disabled people. The disability working allowance self-assessment disability test form is primarily for use in renewal claims and has, therefore, not yet been used.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of applications received by his Department for the mobility component of the disability living allowance under the new provisions for people who are severely mentally impaired and display severe behavioural problems; and if he will provide a breakdown by(a) the number and percentage of these that resulted in an award, (b) the number and percentage that were refused and (c) the number and percentage refused, by grounds for refusal.

  Mr. Scott
  In general, claims for disability living allowance are made for the benefit as a whole, rather than for individual rates of components—although customers may choose to supply details about only one of the two components if they wish. An adjudication officer then determines whether there is entitlement to the benefit and, if so, at which rate or rates. Initial statistical returns indicate that of the claims for disability living allowance decided between 3 February and 30 April 1992 there were 31 awards of the higher rate mobility component on the grounds that the person was severely mentally impaired and displayed severe behavioural problems.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much has been spent to date on publicising the new disability benefits; what measurable efficiency targets have been established by his Department; whether he plans to compare the success rates of disability living allowance and disability working allowance applications against such targets or in any other way to evaluate the effectiveness of the publicity; and whether a report will be published and made available to the public.

  Mr. Scott
  To date, the Department has spent £3.77 million, on press and television advertising, leaflets, and the BBC Select television programmes to promote the new disability benefits and the new rules for attendance allowance. Details of further expenditure—including the cost of direct mailings to health professionals and advisers, and of telephone response lines—are not yet available. All television and press advertising includes an evaluation of the coverage of the target audiences. In addition, we are currently conducting customary tracking research to evaluate the effectiveness of the publicity campaign. The results of that research will be used to help us target more effectively any future publicity. A copy of the report will be placed in the Library in due course. Early indications are that the advertising campaign has been highly successful, having generated 295,000 responses so far.

  Uprating date

  Rale of child benefit for eldest eligible child £

  Rate of child benefit for each other child £

  Rate for each child if uprated by earnings since April 19791 £

  April 1979

  4·00

  4·00

  4·00

  November 1980

  4·75

  4·75

  5·35

  November 1981

  5·25

  5·25

  5·95

  November 1982

  5·85

  5·85

  6·45

  November 1983

  6·50

  6·50

  7·05

  November 1984

  6·85

  6·85

  7·40

  November 1985

  7·00

  7·00

  8·05

  July 1986

  7·10

  7·10

  8·50

  April 1987

  7·25

  7·25

  8·90

  April 1988

  7·25

  7·25

  9·60

  Claims (Processing Times)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the Government's target for the average length of time to process claims for(a) mobility allowance, (b) attendance allowance, (c) attendance allowance on grounds of terminal illness, (d) disability living allowance and (e) disability living allowance including a claim for the highest rate of care component on grounds of terminal illness; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if sufficient adjudication officers have been employed during the last three months to handle claims for attendance allowance in order to meet the Government's targets for speed of processing of claims; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  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 and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many claims for attendance allowance on the ground of terminal illness were received in the first three months of 1992; how many of these claims are still outstanding; what was the average length of time taken to process successful claims; and if he will make a statement; (2) how many claims for attendance allowance were received in the first three months of 1992; how many of these claims are still outstanding; what was the average length of time taken to process successful claims; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  A total of 164,412 claims for attendance allowance were received in the first three months of this year. The number of these claims made on the ground of terminal illness is not available. On 1 May 1992 there were outstanding 119,930 ordinary attendance allowance claims and 2,428 claims on the grounds of terminal illness.

  The information about average length of clearance times is not available in the form requested.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the value of child benefit for each year since 1979(a) in cash terms and (b) uprated by average earnings.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is in the table:
  101

  Uprating date

  Rate of child benefit for eldest eligible child £

  Rate of child benefit for each other child £

  Rate for each child if uprated by earnings since April 19791 £

  April 1989

  7·25

  7·25

  10·50

  April 1990

  7·25

  7·25

  11·50

  April 1991

  8·25

  7·25

  12·60

  October 1991

  9·25

  7·50

  13·05

  April 1992

  9·65

  7·80

  13·60

  1 Based on the average earnings index (whole economy) seasonally adjusted.

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for mobility allowance were received in the first three months of 1992; how many of these claims are still outstanding; what was the average length of time taken to process successful claims; and if he will make a statement.
  102
  Mr. Scott
  In that period, a total of 56,171 claims were received. At the end of March 1992, there were 27,371 claims outstanding, although some of these would have been received prior to January 1992. The average length of time taken to process successful claims was 32.91 days.