Written Answers of 19 May 1992

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Treaty on European Union
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the provisions which define the areas of exclusive competence of the European Community, as contained in article 3b of the draft treaty on European union, in the event of that treaty coming into force.

  The Attorney-General
  The hon. Member asked a question on 20 December 1991 about the exclusive jurisdiction of the European Community to which my right hon. Friend, the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office replied on 13 January 1992, at column 438. The term
  "exclusive jurisdiction of the European Community"
  in article 3b has now been replaced by
  "exclusive competence of the European Community",
  in accordance with the usual translation of the French word "competence". The answer to the hon. Member's question about exclusive competence is the same as to his question about exclusive jurisdiction, mutatis mutandis: the European Community has exclusive competence where that is conferred upon it by treaty provision or measures taken under the treaty. Current examples include the common agricultural policy, the common commercial policy and the external tariff.

  Rape (Male Victims)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions have been brought for the rape of a male victim in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Jack
  I have been asked to reply.

  The figures given in the table are for acts of non-consensual buggery.

  England and Wales

  Buggery by a man with a male person of the age of 16 or over without consent.

  Offence/Year

  Prosecutions

  1987

  19

  1988

  30

  1989

  24

  1990

  25

  Attempt by a man to commit buggery with a male person of the age of 16 or over without consent

  Offence/Year

  Prosecutions

  1987

  3

  1988

  3

  1989

  2

  1990

  5

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Tibet (Torture)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the torture of prisoners in Drapchi prison, Tibet; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Two members of the British embassy in Peking visited Drapchi prison in July 1991, but were denied access to any prisoners. We cannot, therefore, corroborate allegations of torture there. Regrettably, reports of torture and physical abuse in Tibet are not uncommon. We deplore human rights abuses in Tibet and, indeed, throughout China. We take every opportunity to make our concern over such issues known to the Chinese authorities.

  Iraq (Hostages)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outstanding Kuwaiti hostages held by Iraq.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs made clear at the meeting of the EC-Gulf Co-operation Council in Kuwait on 16 May, we are maintaining pressure on Iraq to fulfil all its obligations under United Nations Security Council resolutions, including the return of missing Kuwaiti and other nationals.

  We fully support Kuwait's efforts through the International Committee of the Red Cross to establish the whereabouts of its missing citizens, of which some 800 are believed to be in Iraq. We raise this question at each Security Council review of sanctions and will continue to do so until all Iraq's obligations are met.

  Jersey
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the applicability of the United Kingdom's international obligations under international human rights conventions to Jersey.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  International human rights conventions are extended to Jersey as and when requested by the Jersey authorities.

  Iraq
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the effect of the United States national security directive No. 26 on United Kingdom relations with Iraq in trade and technology assistance up to August 1990.

  Mr. Needham
  I have been asked to reply.

  None. The directive referred to was an internal US Administration document, and I understand that is was concerned solely with US policy towards Iraq and the Gulf.

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he intends to introduce primary legislation to establish internal trading accounts within local authorities; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he intends to publish the Government's final proposals following the publication of "Competing for Quality—Competition in the Provision of Local Services"; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will publish a list of those local authority white collar services he intends to subject to compulsory competitive tendering, giving details of deadlines for competition; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  A list of those who responded to the consultation paper has been deposited in the House library, and copies of the responses have been placed in the library of my Department.

  The Government intend to bring forward in the autumn regulations and guidance under section 9 of the Local Government Act 1992 to secure a clearer framework for compulsory competitive tendering. Announcements will be made in due course about the proposals for extending the list of activities subject to the compulsory competition provisions of the Local Government Act 1988, and on the timetable for implementation.

  Clay Pigeon Shooting
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends that the register of contaminated land should include reference to sites subject to clay pigeon shooting.

  Mr. Maclean
  The duty envisaged under section 143 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is for local authorities to compile registers of land which may be contaminated, in accordance with regulations. The regulations will specify contaminative uses of land. Consideration has been given to the inclusion of any use of land which results in its being contaminated with lead, including land used for clay pigeon shooting. However, implementation of section 143 has been delayed to enable further consideration to be given to the detail of the proposals and further consultation to be undertaken.

  Sustainable Living
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to encourage the establishment of a worldwide organisation to monitor the implementation of sustainable living and to prevent serious breaches in securing this goal.

  Mr. Maclean
  I will be working at the Earth summit to promote international arrangements for the effective follow-up of the agreements reached in Rio, building as far as possible on existing institutional arrangements.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his Department's definition of the concepts of(a) sustainable growth, (b) sustainable use and (c) sustainable development.

  Mr. Maclean
  Paragraphs 1.14 and 4.4 of the White Paper "This Common Inheritance", Cm 1200. contain 70
  definitions of sustainable development. Paragraph 1.5 of the same White Paper deals with the need to integrate economic growth within these principles. The definitions of sustainable development embody a definition of sustainable use.

  Environment Agency
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he plans to publish plans for an environment agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  We are currently examining the results of our recent consultation exercise and will announce our plans for the environment agency as soon as possible.

  Disabled Facilities Grant
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department plan to announce the outcome of the recent review of the disabled facilities grant system; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Radioactive Substances
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the two reportable radiological incidents that occurred in April at Sellafield involving the release of radioactive liquid in the former case and radioactive gases in the latter.

  Mr. Maclean
  British Nuclear Fuels plc reported two incidents to my Department that occurred in April at Sellafield, neither of which involved a release of radioactivity to the environment.

  Mundic Mining Soil
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent meetings his Department has had with building societies regarding the effect on property development of concrete contaminated by mundic mining soil.

  Mr. Baldry
  Officials from my Department met representatives of the building societies and of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors on 6 April 1992 to discuss problems arising with houses constructed from mundic concrete.

  Environmental Management Systems
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution his Department made to the development of the British Standards Institute BS-7750 on environmental management systems; and whether he has any plans to promote the standard at the next European Council as part of harmonisation procedures for the single European market.

  Mr. Maclean
  Officials from my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry have liaised closely with the British Standards Institute on the development of BS 7750, in particular to ensure its compatibility with the EC ecu-audit proposals.
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  Compliance with the standard is voluntary. I therefore have no plans to promote it at the Environment Council as part of the harmonisation procedures for the single European market. But as it is the first of its kind in the world, I would anticipate that it will be a benchmark for the development of future European and international standards.

  Toxic Chemicals
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures exist to prohibit the illicit discharge of toxic chemicals with explosive gas generating potential from factories or workshops into the sewerage system.

  Mr. Maclean
  Under the Water Industry Act 1991 it is for sewerage undertakers, and, in the case of special category effluent, for the Secretary of State, to consent to discharges of trade effluent to sewers and to set appropriate consent conditions. These are designed to prohibit substances which by themselves, or in reaction with other substances, may give rise to explosive gases or vapours in the sewerage system.

  Disabled People (Housing)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he intends to make to the report by the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation on disabled people's housing entitled "Housing: a Question of Influence".

  Sir George Young
  The report and its recommendations provide a helpful contribution to the debate on the provision of housing for disabled people. My Department has commissioned a major programme of research into the housing needs of elderly arid disabled people which is due to be completed in September this year. The issues raised by RADAR's report will be considered in the light of the results of this research.

  Housing and Disability Group
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide funding for the establishment of a national housing and disability group.

  Sir George Young
  The Department has considered this idea previously. We are not convinced that such an organisation is necessary. The Access Committee for England, the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation and the Disabled Persons Housing Service are already active in this area.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the number of(a) big water pollution incidents and (b) other water pollution incidents, in each year since 1981, showing the proportion of these caused by (i) oil and (ii) sewage and the proportion in each case caused by farmers;

  (2) if he will list, by area, the number of (a) big water pollution incidents and (b) other water pollution incidents caused by farmers in each year since 1981;

  (3) if he will list the number of (a) big water pollution incidents and (b) other water pollution incidents, in each year since 1981 showing the percentage of these caused by farmers.
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  Mr. Maclean
  Detailed information in this form is not held centrally by my Department or by the National Rivers Authority. The latest information available relating to pollution incidents is that published in the NRA's report "Water Pollution Incidents in England and Wales 1990".

  Waste
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent he is encouraging the waste disposal industry to incinerate waste rather than to landfill.

  Mr. Maclean
  Both landfill and incineration have important roles to play as methods of waste disposal. What is appropriate in any area will depend on the particular circumstances, and type of waste to be disposed of. The Secretary of State is currently drawing up a planning policy guidance note on planning and pollution control, which will give advice to local authorities on the criteria they should apply in considering planning applications for waste disposal facilities, and in drawing up their development plans.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made towards achieving the Government's targets for recycling of household waste; and how these targets will be affected by current EC proposals.

  Mr. Maclean
  Since the Government set their target of recycling half of all recyclable household waste by the year 2000, we have introduced a range of measures to promote recycling, including a requirement on waste collection authorities to produce recycling plans; and the introduction of the recycling credits scheme on 1 April this year. There has been progress in a number of materials sectors, including the following.

  Aluminium can recycling has increased from 5 per cent. in 1990 to 11 per cent in 1991; the industry has set itself a target of recycling 50 per cent of aluminium cans by 1995.

  The number of glass banks has increased from 5,800 in 1990 to 7,155 in 1991; the industry has set itself a target of 10,000 banks by 1995.

  The number of save-a-can banks—which accept steel and aluminium cans—has increased from 200 in 1990 to about 625 in 1991; the industry has set a target of 1,000 save-a-can banks by 1994.

  As part of an agreement with the Government, the newspaper publishers recently published figures showing that 27 per cent. of newsprint used in their publications in 1990 was made from waste paper. Figures for 1991 are not yet available. The publishers have agreed to a target of 40 per cent. recycled newsprint by the year 2000.

  The Government are developing a national household waste analysis project, the first results of which will be available later this year. Together with a new survey of local authority waste collection and disposal practices being produced by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, that should provide more precise information to measure progress towards the Government's target.

  The European Commission has not yet finalised its proposal for a directive on packaging and packaging waste. It is therefore premature to speculate on the relationship between this or other measures and the Government's recycling target.
  73
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the final report of the study commissioned by his Department and the DTI on economic instruments to encourage the recovery of resources from waste; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  My Department and the Department of Trade and Industry have commissioned a study of economic instruments to inform the development of our policy on the recovery of resources from waste. The study has been commissioned because the Government believe that environmental policies should be soundly based, making use of the best available information. A draft of the final report is expected shortly.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the Government's target for energy recovery from used packaging.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government have no plans to introduce a target for energy recovery specifically from used packaging.

  The Government are considering a range of possible targets for energy recovery from household waste. Decisions on them will be taken in the context of the Government's wider review of their renewable energy strategy.

  Office of Water Services
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers the Director General of Water Services has to restrain price increases in water bills; and if he will make a statement on the progress the Office of Water Services has made so far as a regulator.

  Mr. Maclean
  Water companies are not permitted to increase the tarriff basket, which includes the bulk of water and sewerage charges, each year by more in total than the increase in the retail price index plus a K factor specified for each company. K factors were set initially by the Secretaries of State; the director general is now making preparation to set revised K factors for the period beginning in April 1995. An interim determination of K can also be made for an individual company if there has been a material change of circumstances.

  From April 1992 most companies agreed to increase their charge by less than RPI + K, so saving customers an average of 1 per cent. or a total of £40 million in 1992–93.

  Water Bills
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the real terms and percentage increases made in water bills for each privatised water company since privatisation occurred; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The annual increases in charges for each water supply and water and sewerage company are contained in the OFWAT leaflets "Water and Sewerage Bills 1991/92" and "Water and Sewerage Bills 1992/93", copies of which I have placed in the Library, together with a list of the increases in 1990–91.

  Acid Rain
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now make available maps showing the sensitivity of fresh waters in Great Britain to acid rain damage and the present and prospective extent of the areas liable to damage.

  Mr. Maclean
  I am issuing today a report to my Department by the United Kingdom critical loads advisory group entitled "Critical and Target Loads Maps for Freshwaters in Great Britain". This complements earlier work by the group on the sensitivity of soils in Great Britain, and supersedes earlier provisional maps relating to freshwaters in Scotland. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library.

  This work will help to inform the consideration of policy on acid rain in the United Kingdom and the preparation of a new agreement in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on the abatement of sulphur dioxide.

  Strontium-90 and Caesium-137
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has undertaken or sponsored any research into the mutagenic effects of strontium-90 and caesium-137.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 14 May 1992]: This Department has not undertaken or sponsored research into the mutagenic effects of radionuclides, as this lies outside our responsibilities.

  Part B Processes
  Mr. Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many part B processes have applied for authorisation under the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and how many of these have applied for and been granted commercial confidentiality.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: Provisional figures up to the end of December 1991 show that 2,809 applications for authorisation had been made to local authorities. The Department does not collect information on requests for commercial confidentiality.

  Opencast Coal
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to initiate a new review of the planning guidelines on opencast coal mining.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: The current guidelines are contained in minerals planning guidance note 3—MPG3—published in 1988. As part of a monitoring exercise on the effectiveness of the guidelines, my Department has recently completed a wide ranging consultation exercise on their practical operation. I shall consider whether there is any need for revision of MPG3 in the light of that.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Chronic Fatigue
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to receive a final report from the Medical Research Council concerning the findings of the research study by the Institute of Psychiatry which is investigating chronic fatigue.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Medical Research Council annually submits to Ministers a report on the exercise of its functions which is laid before the House, but reports to Ministers on individual projects or programmes funded from the science budget are not normally expected. None is expected on the Institute of Psychiatry study of chronic fatigue syndrome. I understand that the study is due to be completed at the end of March next year and that the findings will in due course be published.

  Citizens Charters
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he plans to introduce any new citizens charters.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: The Citizen's Charter White Paper (Cm 1599) includes a commitment to publish a charter for London Underground customers. This will be published shortly.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Retail Prices Index
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise the elements of the retail prices index to eliminate the effect of movement in mortgage rates.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I have now decided to ask the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee to review the treatment of owner-occupiers' housing costs in the retail prices index. The terms of reference for this committee are being amended accordingly and will now be as follows:"To advise the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the implication for the RPI of the abolition of the community charge and its replacement by the council tax; to review progress on implementing the Committee's previous recommendation on the inclusion in the index of expenditure on holidays; and to review the present treatment in the index of owner-occupiers' housing costs and new cars. In framing its recommendations the Committee is asked to take account of the practices in other European Community countries."

  Exchange Rates
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the realignments in the exchange rate mechanism since it was established together with the percentage change in each currency changed at the time; and what representations have been made to him for a new realignment.

  Mr. Nelson
  The table lists the ERM percentage realignments that have taken place.
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  Chronology of central rale changes within the EMS entry into effect of the EMS

  per cent.

  1979

  13 March

  23 September

  Deutschemark

  +2·00

  Krone

  -2·90

  30 November

  Krone

  -4·76

  1981

  22 March

  4 October

  Lire

  -6·00

  Deutschemark, Guilder

  + 5·50

  French Franc, Lire

  -3·00

  1982

  21 February

  Belgian/Luxembourg Francs

  -8·50

  Krone

  -3·00

  12 June

  Deutschemark/Guilder

  + 4·25

  Lire

  -2·75

  French Franc

  -5·75

  1983

  21 March

  Deutschemark

  + 5·50

  Guilder

  + 3·50

  Krone

  + 2·50

  Belgian/Luxembourg Francs

  + 1·50

  French Franc/Lire

  -2·50

  Punt

  -3·50

  1985

  20 July

  Belgian Franc, Krone, Deutschemark, French

  + 2·00

  Franc, Punt, Luxembourg Franc, Guilder

  Lire

  -6·00

  1986

  7 April

  Deutschemark

  + 3·00

  Guilder

  + 3·00

  Belgian/Luxembourg Francs

  + 1·00

  Krone

  + 1·00

  French Franc

  -3·00

  2 August

  Punt

  -8·00

  1987

  12 January

  Deutschemark

  + 3·00

  Guilder

  + 3·00

  Belgian/Luxembourg Francs

  + 2·00

  1990

  8 January

  When the Lire moved from ± 6 per cent. margin of fluctuation to ± 2¼ per cent.

  Lire

  -3·75

  Note: The net change in a particular central rate is approximately equal to the difference in the percentage changes shown against the two currencies concerned. For example in March 1983 the Deutschemark was revalued by 2 per cent. against the Guilder and 9 per cent. against the Punt.

  My right hon. Friend has received several such representations.

  Premium Bonds
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rate of interest was credited to the premium bond prize pool each month in 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1992.
  77
  Mr. Nelson
  The rate has remained unchanged at 6·5 per annum since July 1988.

  Iraq
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will initiate a departmental investigation into the commercial sales by the now defunct Allivane Company of Cumbernauld, Glasgow, of artillery fuses to Iraq in contravention of the export control restrictions;

  (2) what assessment his Department has made of the sale of militarily sensitive materials to Iraq by the Aero Technologies Company of Glasgow;

  (3) what assessment his Department has made of the commercial sales agreements between the Allivane Company of Cumbernauld, Glasgow, and the Space Research Corporation of Belgium in regard to provision of militarily useful materials to Iraq.

  Sir John Cope
  Investigation and related assessment of possible export licensing offences are matters for the Commissioners of Customs and Excise. They carry out their inquiries thoroughly and expeditiously. It would not be appropriate for information relating to any particular investigation or related assessment to be made public other than in the course of court proceedings.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what categories of information requested by the Customs and Excise authorities from Government departments relating to the illegal commercial dealing by British-based or owned companies and Iraq, either directly or indirectly, have not been supplied to those authorities; and what are the reasons in each case.

  Sir John Cope
  There is frequent liaison between Customs and Excise and other Government Departments about exports from the United Kingdom to Iraq and, indeed, other countries. The nature of any information requested by or passed to Customs for the conduct of their statutory enforcement responsibilities is clearly a matter of investigative and commercial confidentiality and I can give no details.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make proposals to the European Commission to substantially raise the tax threshold of VAT for small businesses; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  The Government support the Commission's proposal for a VAT directive for small and medium-sized enterprises. However, the Government would wish to see a significant increase in the optional higher threshold which, as currently proposed, is below the United Kingdom threshold, which is the highest in the EC.

  Bank of Credit and Finance International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to publish the Bingham report.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 14 May 1992]: Lord Justice Bingham will report as soon as he is ready. The Prime Minister has assured the House on 22 July 1991, Official Report, column 757, that the conclusions will be made public and the Chancellor has also stated on 19 July 1991, Official Report, column 721, that as much as possible of the report should be published.

  Clearing Banks
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many branches of clearing banks there are in the United Kingdom(a) at present and (b) in 1972, 1977, 1982 and 1987.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 15 May 1992]: The latest figures available are for the end of 1991, at which time there were 13,035 branches of clearing banks in the United Kingdom. The figures for the previous years are:

  Number

  End 1972

  13,414

  End 1977

  13,179

  End 1982

  15,333

  End 1987

  14,480

  The banks included in these figures are: Natwest, Lloyds, Midland, Barclays, Royal Bank of Scotland, Bank of Scotland and Clydesdale—all years—and Yorkshire, TSB, Co-op and Abbey National, from 1982 onwards.

WALES

  Cystic Fibrosis Centre
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to establish and fund a recognised Welsh cystic fibrosis centre to cater for the current and future treatment of the patients who presently attend clinics in Heath and Llandough hospitals.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In 1986–87 and 1988–89, funds were made available to the University hospital of Wales and Llandough hospital under the centrally funded developments programme to employ medical staff engaged in the treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis. These funds have since been built-in to South Glamorgan health authority's recurrent revenue allocation.

  Since the introduction of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 responsibility for the continued provision of such services rests with providing units in consultation with health authorities and trusts. Funding is allocated to health authorities to enable them to purchase appropriate levels of service for their residents in accordance with their local strategies and priorities.

  Rented Housing
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the number of houses purchased by housing associations for rehabilitation and letting for rent in Wales in 1979, 1987 and 1991.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is not separately available for Wales prior to 1 April 1989. In 1991–92 housing associations in Wales purchased 288 dwellings for rehabilitation and 93 for letting for rent.

  Source: Housing for Wales.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales

  (1) what was the average rent of local authority-owned housing in Wales in 1987; and what are the average rents of local authority housing currently in Blaenau Gwent;

  (2) what was the average rent of local authority-owned housing in Blaenau Gwent in 1987; and what are the average rents of local authority housing currently in Blaenau Gwent.

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  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The average weekly rent in 1987 of local authority owned housing in Wales and Blaenau Gwent as reported by CIPFA was £17·91 and £22·14 respectively. In 1992–93 the average weekly rent reported by the borough of Blaenau Gwent is £30·77.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are on the waiting list of local authorities and housing associations for rented homes in Wales currently; and what were the figures for 1979 and 1987.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is not centrally available.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many homes for rent built by the local authority in Blaenau Gwent were occupied in 1979, 1987 and at the latest available date.

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

  Local authority occupied dwellings at 1 April

  Blaenau Gwent

  1987

  10,871

  1991

  9,774

  Source: Welsh Office local authority returns.

  The numbers of vacant dwellings are not readily available prior to 1 April 1982.

  Job Losses
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the totals of jobs lost to Wales from Inmos at Newport, Parke Davis, Pontypool, and the London Rubber Company, Llanelli, and potential and real jobs lost at Cwmbran following the decision of the Renishaw company not to locate in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I am aware of the following company announcements of job losses in Wales—220 at Parke Davis, March 1992; 300 at London International, September 1991; and 16 at Renishaw, April 1992. The Welsh Office is currently in discussion with Inmos regarding its announcement in March of the planned closure of its Newport plant with the potential loss of 450 jobs.

  Dentistry
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to ensure national health service treatment is available in their community for those dental patients whose dentists have ended national health service dental treatment.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The community dental service is obliged to provide a safety net for patients who are unable to obtain treatment under the general dental services. It is for the district health authorities, in consultation with family health services authorities, to determine what services community dental services provide.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many dentists in Dyfed have since April 1991(a) ceased treating all patients, (b) ceased providing national health service treatment for adult patients, (c) ceased providing national health service treatment for all their patients and (d) opened new practices;
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  (2) how many dentists in Wales, in numbers and as a percentage of the whole, have stopped providing national health service dental treatment for (a) adult patients, (b) patients under 18 years and (c) all patients since April 1991;

  (3) how many dentists in Wales have given notice to their family health services authorities that they wish to end providing national health service dental treatment to (a) adult patients, (b) patients under 18 years and (c) all patients.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information is not available in the form requested. The majority of dentists are continuing to provide NHS treatment for all patients. Nearly one and a half million patients were registered with dentists in Wales as at 31 March 1992. In the first year of the new contract there was a net decrease of five dentists practising in the general dental service in Wales.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will instruct family health services authorities in Wales to negotiate contracts with health trusts and directly managed community health service units to provide national health service dental treatment in areas where it is not available locally from independent contract dentists;

  (2) if he will fund family health service authorities to purchase national health service dental care from health trusts and directly managed community health service units to provide national health service dental treatment in those areas where national health service treatment is not available from independent contracting dentists.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The powers of the family health services authorities to administer general dental services are set out within the terms of the NHS Act 1977 and these proposals appear to fall outside the scope of the Act.

  Elderly People (Housing)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses were specifically built for the elderly by local authorities and housing associations in(a) Wales and (b) Blaenau Gwent in 1979, 1987 and 1991.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The number of dwellings specifically built for the elderly are given in the table. 1979 information is not centrally available.

  Blaenau Gwent

  Wales

  1987

  Local Authority

  25

  438

  Housing Association

  35

  238

  1991

  Local Authority

  2

  131

  Housing Association

  104

  345

  Source: Welsh Office local authority returns.

  Further Education
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each technical and further education college in Wales the numbers of students obtaining an ordinary national diploma, a higher national diploma or a B.Tech. qualification during the last academic year.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Figures for students obtaining an ordinary national diploma are not collected centrally. The
  81
  numbers of students obtaining a B.Tech higher national diploma during the 1990–91 academic year are listed in the table:

  Number of B.Tech Higher National Diploma passes1

  College

  Number

  North East Wales Institute

  238

  Llandrillo Technical College

  21

  Carmarthen College of Technology and Art

  50

  Welsh Agricultural College

  8

  Gwent College of Higher Education

  121

  The Polytechnic of Wales

  308

  Cardiff Institute of Higher Education

  255

  Swansea Institute of Higher Education

  244

  Total for Wales

  1,245

  1 Includes distinctions.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the further education and technical colleges which will be funded by the new funding council, indicating(a) the number of students in each college enrolled in September 1991 and (b) the capital and current expenditure of each college during the last financial year.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information on capital and current expenditure for further education is not held centrally. Reliable data for student enrolments are not yet available for 1991. The total number of students enrolled at November 1990 in further education and technical colleges are listed in the table. The figures include both further education and higher education enrolments. The Further Education Funding Council for Wales will determine only the number of further education enrolments to be funded from the 1 April 1993.

  Number of enrolments at November 1990

  College

  Number

  Clwyd

  North East Wales Institute

  8,923

  Llandrillo Technical College

  5,633

  Welsh College of Horticulture

  288

  Llysfasi College of Agriculture

  367

  Dyfed

  Carmarthen College of Technology and Art

  4,214

  Pembrokeshire College of Further Education

  2,411

  Ceredigion College of Further Education

  1,740

  Welsh Agricultural College

  207

  Gwent

  Newport College of Further Education

  4,395

  Crosskeys College

  3,740

  Pontypool College

  3,157

  Ebbw Vale College of Further Education

  1,613

  Usk Agricultural College

  395

  Gwynedd

  Gwynedd Technical College

  3,247

  Coleg Pencraig

  1,018

  Coleg Meirionydd

  996

  Coleg Glynllifon

  109

  Mid Glamorgan

  Merthyr Tydfil College

  2,434

  Aberdare College

  1,515

  Bridgend College

  4,331

  Rhondda College

  1,782

  Ystrad Mynach College

  2,588

  Pontypridd College

  4,003

  Pencoed College

  593

  Powys

  Coleg Powys

  3,889

  82

  College

  Number

  South Glamorgan

  Coleg Glan Hafren

  4,902

  Barry College of Further Education

  2,875

  West Glamorgan

  Swansea College

  6,249

  Gorseinon College

  2,394

  Neath College

  4,451

  Afan College

  2,339

  TOTAL

  86,798

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each technical and further education college in Wales how many students obtained A levels with grades A to C during the last academic year.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information is not held centrally.

  Health Service Fees
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales why the AG1 forms for patients claiming part or full remission of health service fees are not available; and when they will be.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Forms AG1 are supplied to family health services authorities in Wales which are responsible for its distribution to the general ophthalmic, dental and medical services. Adequate stocks are maintained centrally to meet all orders for these forms.

  The form has recently been revised and the new version has been issued to all FHSAs in Wales.

  Gipsy Sites
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many official gipsy sites there are in each of the counties of Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is given in the table:

  Official gipsy sites

  County

  Number

  Clwyd

  1

  Dyfed

  6

  Gwent

  2

  Gwynedd

  1

  Mid Glamorgan

  1

  Powys

  1

  South Glamorgan

  2

  West Glamorgan

  3

  Total

  17

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of official gipsy sites proposed by each of the counties of Wales; and what are their locations.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Proposals currently notified to me by county councils are as follows:

  Clwyd

  Two residential sites, at Queensferry and Wrexham Six transit sites—not yet specified.

  Powys

  Two transit sites—Brecknock and Radnor areas.

  West Glamorgan

  Two residential sites at Caegarw, Margam and Fairwood Common, Gower.

  83
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his policies concerning gipsy sites.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My policy is to encourage local authorities to meet their existing obligations under the Caravan Sites Act 1968. The Government have undertaken to review the current legislation and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and I hope to issue soon a public consultation paper.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit the gipsy sites proposed by Clwyd county council.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The location of gipsy sites is a matter for the county council, in consultation with the district councils. In view of my statutory responsibilities under the Caravan Sites and Planning Acts regarding proposals which are opposed by the local authorities, it would not be appropriate for me to visit the sites proposed by Clwyd county council.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Television Licence Fees
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received over pensioners paying the full television licence fee while others in the same housing complex pay the concessionary sum; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 14 May 1992]: We have received no correspondence on this subject since the general election. As I indicated in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on 14 May, Official Report, columns 172–73, my right hon. and learned Friend and I have no plans to change the present concessionary arrangements.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Service Personnel
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the United Kingdom benefits which are not available to the wives and families of British service men overseas; and if he will bring forward proposals to provide an equivalent level of social security for those wives and families.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The only benefits not available are income support and disability working allowance. We have no plans to change the present arrangements.

  Disability Allowances
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for severe disability premium by disregarding any non-dependant in receipt of either mobility component of disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will extend the criteria for eligibility for severe disability premium as recommended by the social security advisory committee in its eighth report; and if he will make a statement;
  84
  (3) what is his estimate of the cost of extending the criteria for eligibility for severe disability premium as recommended by the social security advisory committee in its eighth report; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what is his estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for severe disability premium by disregarding any non-dependant in receipt of the lower care component of disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) what is his estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for severe disability premium by disregarding any non-dependant who is registered blind; and if he will make a statement;

  (6) what is his estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for severe disability premium by disregarding any non-dependant over the age of 75 years; and if he will make a statement;

  (7) what is his estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for severe disability premium by disregarding any non-dependant in receipt of severe disablement allowance; and if he will make a statement;

  (8) what is his estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for severe disability premium by disregarding any non-dependant in receipt of invalidity benefit, or who was in receipt of invalidity benefit, immediately prior to becoming eligible for retirement pension; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have always made it plain that we intended the severe disability premium to be payable to people on income-related benefits, getting attendance allowance—or the middle or upper rate care component of disability living allowance—who live independently with no one receiving invalid care allowance for looking after them. Nonetheless, the committee has produced a carefully balanced set of proposals for extension of the premium. These proposals merit serious consideration, which they will receive, although I can give the right hon. Member no assurances about the outcome of our deliberations.

  The estimated cost of extending eligibility to the premium as recommended by the committee is in the order of £25 million to £30 million.

  The estimated costs of extending eligibility by disregarding each of the specified groups of non-dependants are shown in the table.

  Non-dependants to be disregarded

  Estimated cost £ million

  Those in receipt of either rate of mobility component of disability allowance

  2

  Those in receipt of lower care component of disability living allowance

  1

  Those registered blind

  less than 1

  Those over the age of 75

  15 to 20

  Those in receipt of severe disablement allowance

  2

  Those in receipt of invalidity benefit

  4

  Those who have been in receipt of invalidity benefit immediately prior to becoming eligible for retirement pension

  1—

  Note: All costs are in 1991–92 prices.

  1 No reliable information on which to base an estimate

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made regarding the impact of disability living allowance on income of sufferers from myalgic encephalomyelitis who were previously in receipt of mobility allowance.
  85
  Mr. Scott
  People receiving mobility allowance were transferred automatically to the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance. If they were not already receiving attendance allowance they were invited also to claim either the care component of disability living allowance or, if over 65, attendance allowance.

  Like attendance allowance and mobility allowance, disability living allowance is awarded with regard to a person's care or mobility needs, not on the basis of a aparticular medical condition.

TRANSPORT

  Privatisation
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish proposals for the privatisation of local authority ports, airports and public transport companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  The Government's intention to privatise the remaining local authority bus companies and to encourage local authorities to sell their airports was set out in the Conservative party's manifesto for the recent general election.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a timetable for the privatisation of local authority ports, airports and public transport companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  No. This will depend on the circumstances of individual undertakings.

  Statistics Bulletins
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review his decision to charge hon. Members for his Department's statistics bulletins.

  Mr. Norris
  Copies of all the Department's statistics bulletins are available in the Library for reference. If an hon. Member requires a specific publication for more detailed work, on application to the statistics directorate of my Department, a copy will be provided free of charge.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many properties British Rail has bought along the safeguarded route for the channel tunnel rail link since 1 April 1991; how many have been sold; how many let; and how many are vacant.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand from British Rail that, along the safeguarded route for the rail link, it has since 1 April 1991 bought 79 properties; sold two and let 43. Thirty-four properties are at present unoccupied, of which 22 have been identified as suitable for sale as and when market conditions are appropriate.

  A20
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the current progress of the new A20 road between Dover and Folkestone.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The A20 Folkestone-Dover scheme is being constructed in three contract lengths. They are all expected to be completed by summer 1993.

  British Rail
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to employ as accountancy or auditing firms in relation to the privatisation of British Rail only such firms as have not been subject to criticism in reports from Department of Trade and Industry inspectors.

  Mr. Freeman
  When making such appointments, we take account of all relevant considerations and make such inquiries as are appropriate to establish the competence of the firm concerned.

  London Coaches
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has now given his approval to the sale of London Coaches; who won the bid; and if he will make a full statement.

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friend gave his consent to the sale by London Buses Ltd. of London Coaches Ltd. to a management buy-out team on 11 May.

  Tilbury
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors were included in the valuation of the port of Tilbury.

  Mr. Norris
  The valuation was based on a three-year projection of the operations of the port of Tilbury and an analysis of quoted companies and of recent corporate transactions involving ports.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who conducted the valuation of the port of Tilbury prior to its sale.

  Mr. Norris
  The valuation was made for the board of the Port of London Authority by S. G. Warburg and Co. Ltd.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what infrastructure and capital works including new buildings and roads were constructed, and at what cost during the five years prior to the sale of the port of Tilbury.

  Mr. Norris
  This is a commercial matter for the Port of London Authority, but there is relevant information in the annual reports which are laid before Parliament. Those for 1986–90 were placed in the Library of the House. The 1991 report will be published shortly.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who is responsible for paying the legal fees of the management side in the various industrial tribunal and employment appeal tribunals' cases which commenced prior to the sale of the port of Tilbury and continue after the sale.

  Mr. Norris
  Costs arising from the abolition of the dock labour scheme, including those associated with the industrial tribunal, have been entered as extraordinary items, separate from the operational expenditure of the Tilbury and other divisions, in the accounts of the Port of London Authority. Any further liabilities in this connection, following the sale of the port of Tilbury, remain with the authority.

  United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what input his Department has made to Her Majesty's Government's proposals for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June.

  Mr. MacGregor
  My Department has played a full part in determining the Government's position during the preparations for the conference.

  Road Freight
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on current Government policy concerning the redistribution of road freight to rail.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We continue to support BR participation in joint ventures with the private sector, to back investment in BR's new channel tunnel services, and to encourage companies to take advantage of the recently improved criteria for freight facilities grants.

  We intend to liberalise access to the rail network and return BR's freight businesses to the private sector as soon as practicable, in order to widen customer choice and further encourage rail freight.

  School Buses
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the number of school buses involved in road accidents in Great Britain for each year since 1979;

  (2) if he will list the number and severity of injuries relating to road accidents involving school buses for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I regret that the information is not available. The standard report form on which police collect information on road injury accidents records the type of vehicles involved, but not the use to which they were put to at the time of accident.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average child-to-seat ratio for peak period school buses in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The information requested is not available.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Development Aid
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of overseas development aid is currently spent on(a) science and technology usage and (b) education and training programmes.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We do not record aggregate expenditure on science and technology as such, but the application of new scientific and technological developments to developing country problems through the research and development programmes which ODA 88
  supports accounts for approximately 4 per cent. of our total gross aid programme. Support for education and training programmes accounts for approximately 8 per cent. of the gross aid programme, excluding training activities carried out by the multilateral agencies which cannot be identified.

  Kurdistan
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to Kurdistan to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Services Committee, arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 6 to 10 July 1992.

  Aid
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money was spent by the Overseas Development Administration on monitoring and evaluation of aid projects for each year from 1985 to date.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Expenditure on ex-post project evaluation, which is the responsibility of the ODA's evaluation department, has been as follows:

  £'000

  1985

  222

  1986

  399

  1987

  269

  1988

  608

  1989

  456

  1990

  426

  1991

  580

  Expenditure on monitoring is the responsibility of the ODA's operational departments managing the projects concerned, and is not recorded separately in the ODA's expenditure records. Details of monitoring expenditure could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list(a) the amount of overseas aid in the form of grants and (b) the amount of overseas aid in the form of loans to be (i) directed towards Africa and (ii) directed towards eastern Europe; what were the corresponding figures for each of the past three years; and by how much these figures are to be increased over the next financial year.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 15 May 1992]: The information is as follows:

  £ thousand

  of which

  Bilateral aid to Africa

  Total aid expenditure

  Grants

  Loans

  1988–89

  328,949

  326,738

  2,211

  1989–90

  371,949

  369,209

  2,740

  1990–91

  418,374

  417,248

  1,126

  89

  £ thousand

  of which

  Bilateral aid to Africa

  Total aid expenditure

  Grants

  Loans

  Bilateral assistance to central and eastern Europe

  1988–89

  —

  —

  —

  1989–90

  163,769

  163,769

  —

  1990–91

  16,784

  16,784

  —

  1 Includes £61·7 million payment to Polish stabilisation fund.

  Figures for bilateral aid to Africa in 1991–92 are not yet available on this basis. Estimated expenditure in central and eastern Europe, including the former Soviet Union, in 1991–92 is £52 million, which includes know-how and emergency relief supplies for Russia. This and the amounts for Africa exclude the substantial assistance we provide through the EC and other multilateral bodies.

  The overall public expenditure provisions for 1992–93 for aid to developing countries and assistance to central and eastern Europe, including the former Soviet Union, are set out in the FCO/ODA "Departmental Report 1992", Cm 1902. Copies can be found in the Libraries of the House.

  Africa (Drought)
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what extra measures Her Majesty's Government are taking to help to relieve the effects of the drought in central and southern Africa.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has announced two packages of aid, on 4 March and 29 April, totalling £30 million. These include food, balance of payments aid, technical assistance and support for the activities of the voluntary agencies. In addition, Britain will be paying around £27·5 million towards the cost of the recently approved European Community special food aid programme which will provide an additional 800,000 tonnes of food aid, mostly for Africa.

  Brazilian Rain Forest
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in discussions with Brazilian authorities with regard to providing further support for Brazilian research on rain forest problems.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Since signing a Memorandum of Understanding on environmental co-operation with the Government of Brazil in July 1989, under which we are supporting a range of research activities in forest management in the Amazon, we have discussed with the Brazilian authorities and have approved a total of nine forestry projects for which we are providing £11·5 million. Additional project proposals are under discussion. We are also contributing £1·5 million to the core fund of the pilot programme for the conservation of the Brazilian rain forests, to be managed by the World bank in liaison with the European Commission.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Sexual Crime
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will lay down guidelines for the counselling and care of male victims of rape and other serious sexual assaults; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No. The police have been issued with guidance on the reception and treatment of victims of rape. While there is a presumption that most victims of sexual offences will be female, I am confident that the principles set out in the guidance will be observed regardless of the victim's gender.

  Overseas Voters
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will list for each parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom the number of registered overseas voters and their countries of residence.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The number of overseas voters included in the electoral register for each parliamentary constituency will be published in the summer by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in the annual reference volume "Electoral Statistics 1992", series EL 19. However, prior to the publication, details of the figures have been placed in the Library. Information on the country of residence of overseas electors is not held centrally.

  Judith Ward
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the estimated cost, in 1992 prices, of detaining Judith Ward since 1974.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  At 1992 prices, the average cost of detaining a female prisoner from November 1974 to May 1992 would be £424,000. Figures are not collected for particular individuals.

  North Wales Police Force
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been(a) the total funding and (b) the established number of full-time officers of the North Wales police force in each of the past five years; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of funding to meet the public demands of this service.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Over the last five years expenditure and the police establishment of the North Wales police have been increased as follows:

  Year

  Expenditure £ million

  Establishments

  1987–88

  32·96

  1,316

  1988–89

  36·81

  1,326

  1989–90

  41·1

  1,330

  1990–91

  46·0

  1,352

  1991–92

  153·1

  21,352

  1992–93

  3—

  1,369

  1 Estimated.

  2 No application made for establishment increase.

  3 Not available.

  91
  When considering applications for establishment increases, my right hon. and learned Friend takes account of a wide range of factors which influence demands on the police.

  The Government are satisfied that the North Wales police authority is able to meet its obligations to provide an efficient police force.

  Charitable Donations
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was donated to charity in Britain in 1979, 1981, 1986, 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. Jack
  This information is not available centrally, but figures published by the Charities Aid Foundation show that the voluntary income of the top 200 charities in England and Wales for the years mentioned was:

  £ million

  1979–80

  293

  1980–81

  329

  1985–86

  721

  1988–89

  1,058

  1989–90

  1,184

  Government support for the voluntary sector has increased regularly and is now around £2·4 billion per year, an increase in real terms of 114 per cent, over the period in question.

  Prison Chaplains
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of the prison chaplaincy service in the last financial year for which figures are available; and how this was broken down by(a) chaplaincy salaries, (b) salaries of chaplaincy support staff, (c) chaplaincy budget, (d) expenses for visiting Christian chaplains and (e) expenses for visiting non-Christian ministers.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The cost of the Prison Service chaplaincy in 1991–92 was £4·9 million. This can be broken down as follows:

  £

  Salaries and related costs of all permanent staff

  3,145,327

  Fees and travelling for all visiting staff

  1,191,603

  Travelling expenses of volunteers

  17,874

  Other miscellaneous running costs

  584,110

  4,938,914

  There is no separate chaplaincy budget figure.

  Prison Service Staff
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are employed in the Prison Service, broken down by(a) occupation and grade and (b) gender.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information is as follows:

  Grade

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Grade 2

  1

  —

  1

  Grade 3

  4

  3

  7

  Grade 4

  1

  —

  1

  92

  Grade

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Assistant Director

  7

  —

  7

  Grade 5

  8

  3

  11

  Governor 1

  38

  —

  38

  Grade 6

  20

  2

  22

  Governor 2

  67

  7

  74

  Grade 7

  104

  16

  120

  Catering Manager

  3

  —

  3

  Governor 3

  93

  10

  103

  Governor 4

  274

  25

  299

  Governor 5

  316

  46

  362

  Governor 5 (works)

  62

  —

  62

  Governor 5 (Catering)

  10

  —

  10

  Governor 5 (PE)

  14

  —

  14

  Governor 5 (Hospital)

  17

  —

  17

  Principal Officer

  936

  40

  976

  Principal Officer (works)

  242

  —

  242

  Principal Officer (Catering)

  56

  1

  57

  Principal Officer (PE)

  83

  2

  85

  Principal Officer (Hospital)

  72

  4

  76

  Principal Officer (Dog Handler)

  2

  —

  2

  Principal Officer (Instructor)

  10

  —

  10

  Senior Officer

  2,219

  100

  2,319

  SO (works)

  245

  1

  246

  SO (Catering)

  92

  3

  95

  SO (PE)

  121

  5

  126

  SO (Hospital)

  186

  3

  189

  SO (Dog Handler)

  25

  —

  25

  SO (Instructor)

  36

  —

  36

  Prison Officer

  14,214

  1,427

  15,641

  Prison Officer (works)

  624

  7

  631

  Prison Officer (Catering)

  431

  25

  456

  Prison Officer (PE)

  366

  20

  386

  Prison Officer (Hospital)

  706

  124

  830

  Prison Officer (Dog Handler)

  390

  4

  394

  Prison Officer (Instructor)

  202

  5

  207

  Temporary Officer

  —

  14

  14

  Senior Executive Officer

  62

  11

  73

  Higher Executive Officer (D)

  —

  1

  1

  Higher Executive Officer

  186

  117

  303

  Executive Officer

  269

  327

  596

  Administrative Officer

  507

  1,403

  1,910

  Administrative Assistant

  165

  538

  703

  Administrative Trainee

  2

  —

  2

  Principal Medical Officer

  7

  2

  9

  Senior Medical Officer

  32

  5

  37

  Medical Officer

  83

  6

  89

  P/T Medical Officer

  99

  6

  105

  Insp. Animals Sp. Insp.

  1

  —

  1

  Senior Professional and Technical Officer

  109

  1

  110

  Higher P & TO

  123

  2

  125

  P& TO

  57

  8

  65

  Senior Psychologist

  16

  25

  41

  Higher Psychologist

  11

  17

  28

  Psychologist

  —

  4

  4

  Psychological Assistant

  16

  20

  36

  Psychological Graduate Trainee

  6

  21

  27

  Chaplain General

  1

  —

  1

  Principal Roman Catholic Chaplain

  1

  1

  1

  Church of England Chaplain

  92

  2

  94

  P/T C of E Chaplain

  111

  16

  127

  Roman Catholic Chaplain

  13

  —

  13

  P/T Roman Catholic Chaplain

  1

  —

  1

  Principal Nursing Sister

  —

  5

  5

  Senior Nursing Sister

  2

  21

  23

  Nursing Sister

  13

  89

  102

  Nursing Officer

  —

  1

  1

  Senior Enrolled Nurse

  5

  25

  30

  Enrolled Nurse

  5

  55

  60

  Sister (Midwife)

  —

  2

  2

  Nurse (Occupational Health)

  —

  1

  1

  Nursing Auxiliary

  1

  9

  10

  Head Pharmacist

  1

  1

  2

  Principal Pharmacist

  1

  —

  1

  Senior Pharmacist

  3

  5

  8

  Pharmacist

  1

  —

  1

  Staff Principal Pharmacist

  7

  —

  7

  93

  Grade

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Pharmacist Technician

  2

  11

  13

  Chief Physiolg Meas. Tech

  1

  —

  1

  Farms and Gardens Officer

  4

  —

  4

  Farm Manager

  75

  1

  76

  Higher Instructional Officer

  28

  1

  29

  Instructional Officer

  902

  132

  1,034

  Senior Personal Secretary

  —

  9

  9

  Personal Secretary

  2

  168

  170

  Typing Manager

  —

  13

  13

  Typist

  —

  416

  416

  Auxiliary Officer

  1,070

  256

  1,326

  Night Patrol

  877

  78

  955

  Telecom. Tech. Engineer

  1

  —

  1

  Higher Tcoms. Tech. Officer

  1

  —

  1

  Storeperson

  410

  16

  426

  Assistant Storeperson

  121

  11

  132

  Support Grades

  21

  184

  205

  Librarian

  —

  1

  1

  Tracer

  —

  1

  1

  Industrial Staff

  2,488

  227

  2,715

  Total

  30,309

  6,168

  36,477

  Border Controls (Republic of Ireland)
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the implications for the common travel area between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland of a decision by the latter to relax border controls along the lines advocated by the European Commission.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We attach considerable value to the common travel area arrangements, and a decision by the Government of the Irish Republic in the sense suggested in the hon. Member's question would inevitably have unwelcome implications. I do not, however, have any reasons to suppose that such a decision is likely in the absence of a general resolution of the frontiers question within the Community.

  Mr. Adol Owen-Williams
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what occurred when Mr. Adol T. Owen-Williams junior recently arrived at Gatwick airport; what questions and comments were made to him by immigration officers; and what plans he has to investigate his statement that he was subject to offensive comments by immigration officers.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Mr. Owen-Williams was refused entry because he failed to meet the criteria for admission as a visitor in the published immigration rules. He was asked a number of questions about his background, employment, financial status and future plans. His allegations about his treatment by immigration officers have been investigated and he will receive a full reply. The investigating officer is satisfied that no offensive comments were made to him by immigration officers.

  Jersey Bailiff (Dismissal)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the reasons for the dismissal of Her Majesty's deputy bailiff in the island of Jersey.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  As the Privy Councillor with special responsibility to the Crown for Jersey, and in 94
  consultation and agreement with the lieutenant governor and the bailiff, I advised the Queen that the deputy bailiff, Mr. V. A. Tomes, should be removed from office in the interests of the effective administration of justice in Jersey.

  The principal function of the office of deputy bailiff is as a judge. Mr. Tomes has a history of extended delay in his delivery of judicial judgments, despite interventions by the Jersey authorities to assist him and despite undertakings given by him to the then Home Secretary in 1990.

  In October 1991, my predecessor as Home Secretary decided that Mr. Tomes might continue in office subject to his meeting conditions imposed solely to ensure that his performance of his judicial duties should be to a satisfactory standard. Mr. Tomes accepted those conditions immediately, without reservation and in writing. He failed to meet them. He also declined the opportunity to resign which my predecessor then afforded him.

  The history of failure to respond to warnings given, and to undertakings received, by previous Home Secretaries left me with no confidence that Mr. Tomes could properly be relied upon to discharge the vital requirement to deliver justice within reasonable time. Therefore, in fulfilment of my duty to uphold the Crown's ultimate responsibility for the good government of Jersey, I decided that I had no acceptable alternative to advising that he must leave office.

  Personally I regret having to advise Her Majesty to take this sad but necessary step.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the last time a bailiff or deputy bailiff in the Channel Islands was dismissed on the initiative of United Kingdom Ministers.

  Mr. Jack
  There is no record of any such previous dismissal.

  Death Penalty
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to review the use of the death penalty in those circumstances where it is still legally available as a sentence in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: None. A review of the law of treason remains on the agenda of the Law Commission, in the context of its work on the codification of the criminal law, but such a review has to take its place among the commission's other priorities.

  Pornography
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that a Europe without frontiers will not extend to the importation into the United Kingdom of hard-core pornographic magazines and videos.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: We have no intention of relaxing controls on those who would seek to profit from the trade in pornography.

  Prisoners (HIV)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is the policy of his Department to inform prison officers if an inmate in a prison in England and Wales is known to be HIV positive; and if he will make a statement.
  95
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. The recommended practice is that such information obtained in a clinical context should be available only to staff with responsibility for the prisoner's health care unless the prisoner consents to wider disclosure in his own interests or, exceptionally, such disclosure is deemed necessary to prevent the spread of infection.

  Bail Offenders
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to introduce legislation to give effect to the measures announced by his predecessor on 25 February to deal with offenders who commit an offence while on bail; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  I intend to support and encourage measures to reduce the incidence of offending on bail. By no means all the measures announced on 25 February require legislation; and work is already in hand on those measures not requiring legislation. Proposals for changes in the law will be introduced as soon as a suitable legislative opportunity occurs.

HEALTH

  Health Boards
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many chairmen and how many non-executive directors, by authority in England, do not reside in the district in which the health authority or trust is situated.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally. Chairmen, members and directors are expected to live in or have close links with the authority or trust to which they are appointed.

  Dentists
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what measures she is taking to provide national health service dental treatment for those patients of dentists who have stopped providing national health service treatment;

  (2) if she will hold talks with the British Dental Association about the number of dentists who have stopped providing or intend to stop providing national health service treatment for their patients.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department is in frequent contact with the British Dental Association on a range of issues. There is no evidence of a widespread problem of dentists ceasing to provide NHS treatment. We recognise, however, that there are areas where some problems do exist. Family health services authorities are taking action to improve provision of dental care in their localities, and can make use of initiatives such as the location incentives scheme and employment of salaried dentists where a need exists. We are already discussing several possibilities with regional health authorities, family health services authorities and representatives of the profession on how to make further improvements.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the recommended maximum number of national health service dental patients registered with a dentist;
  96
  (2) what was the average number of national health service patients registered with each dentist contracted with family health services authorities and their predecessors in 1990–91.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Before the introduction of the new dental contract in October 1990, patients did not register with dentists. At 31 December 1990 the average number of patients registered with general dental practitioners in England was 334. At 31 December 1991 the average number of patients registered was 1,605. We understand that the number of patients registering is still increasing. There is no recommended maximum number of registrations.

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria are used by the Dental Practice Board when considering the removal of a dentist's name from the family health services authority list.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Dental Practice Board plays no part in the procedure for determining the removal of a dentist's name from a family health services authority list.

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists have recorded no contact by way of estimate form in the last six-monthly period.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In the six months period ending 30 April 1992, a total of 650 general dental practitioners contracted to family health services authorities in England —from a total of 14,978—had not submitted any dental payment claim to the Dental Practice Board.

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists' names have been removed from the family health services authority list in each month in the last convenient six-monthly period.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is not collected centrally. Between 30 September 1990 and 30 September 1991 there was a net decrease of 29 dentists practising in the general dental services in England.

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists have no registration for continuing care and capitation payments at the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  At 30 March 1992 a total of 482 dentists in England and Wales had no registrations for continuing care or capitation payments.

  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what impact she expects her Department's proposals on the future level of dentists' fees will have on the number of NHS dentists.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The level of dentists' fees in 1992–93 is a matter for the dental rates study group, which will meet shortly.

  Health Authority Funding, Stockport
  Ms. Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about the change in formula for allocating funds to district health authorities, notified to Stockport in April.

  Mr. Sackville
  Regional health authorities are responsible for revenue allocations to health districts. It is
  97
  for them to use their judgment about the formula adjustments which best reflect local evidence about differences between their districts. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. R. B. Martin, chairman of North Western regional health authority.

  Female Genital Mutilation
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions since its implementation the Children Act 1989 has been used to prevent or act upon incidents of female genital mutilation.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Female Circumcision Act 1985 made female genital mutilation in this country explicitly illegal. Since the Act was implemented there has been no firm evidence of illegal mutilations carried out in this country.

  Under the Children Act 1989 it would be possible for a local authority to apply to the court for a section 8 prohibited steps order which could be used to prevent female genital mutilation. Although data on the numbers of applications for these orders are collected, there is no central record as to the reasons why the applications are made.

  Mr. Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines she has issued to councils regarding the administration and interpretation of the Children Act 1988; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  The launch of the Children Act 1989 has been accompanied by an unprecedented exercise to disseminate detailed information on the Act to local authorities, courts, voluntary organisations and others involved in child care. A list of publications on the Children Act follows. These include nine volumes of regulations and guidance on the Children Act, produced by the Department, in conjunction with the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Home Office and the then Department of Education and Science. Publication of the various volumes of guidance took place between March 1991 and October 1991, with local authorities in England receiving a proportionate share of approximately 20,000 free copies of each volume. A revised edition of "Working Together on Inter-Agency Co-operation for the Protection of Children from Abuse" was produced which took account of the Children Act.

  In addition to guidance to local authorities on the Children Act, the Department commissioned a number of training packs and copies were made available to local authorities. These are also included in the list of publications.

  List of Publications on the Children Act aimed at local authorities

  I Regulations and Guidance

  Name of Publication

  Date of Issue/Launch

  Volume 1—Court Orders

  6 March 1991

  Volume 2—Family Support, Day Care and Educational Provision for Young Children

  21 March 1991

  Volume 3—Family Placements

  15 April 1991

  Volume 4—Residential Care

  25 July 1991

  Volume 5—Independent Schools

  26 April 1991

  Volume 6—Children with Disabilities

  11 September 1991

  Volume 7—Guardians Ad Litem and other Court Related Issues

  7 October 1991

  Volume 8—Private Fostering and Miscellaneous

  15 October 1991

  Volume 9—Adoption Issues

  October 1991

  98

  Name of Publication

  Date of Issue/Launch

  Patterns and Outcomes in Child Placement

  3 May 1991

  Guidance for Local Authorities on Statistical Returns

  May 1991

  Working Together on Inter-Agency Co-operation for the Protection of Children from Abuse (New edition)

  October 1991

  The Welfare of Children in Boarding Schools Practice Guide

  October 1991

  Registration of Childminding and Day care: Using the Law to Improve Standards

  October 1991

  Practice Guide for GALROs

  Not as yet issued

  Guidance for GALRO Panel Managers

  Not as yet issued

  Timetabling of Care Proceedings before the implementation of the Children Act 1989

  February 1992

  The Care of Children—Principles and Practice in Regulations and Guidance

  1989

  Looking After Children—Assessing Outcomes in Child Care

  December 1991

  II Training Materials

  Name of Publication

  Date of Launch/Issue

  National Children's Bureau

  Children and Group Day care, aimed principally at those responsible for registration and inspection in SSDs

  16 May 1991 Launched by Minister of Health

  National Children's Bureau

  Child Protection Training Project designed principally for local authority staff in relation to court orders obtainable for the protection of children

  1 May 1991 Launched by Minister of Health

  Family Rights Group

  Working in Partnership with Children and Families and Communities. It aims to give social workers and their managers a thorough knowledge of the interrelationship of law and practice in relation to partnership and prevention

  24 July 1991 Launched by P.S.S. Health

  III Training Materials Centrally Commissioned

  Name and Description of Pack and Preparing Body

  Date of Launch

  Open University

  "Putting it into Practice" Deals with the overall philosophy of the Children Act prepared jointly

  23 January 1991 Launched by Minister of Health

  Department of Health with LCD principally for social workers, local authority lawyers and magistrates

  29 January 1991 Launched by Lord Chancellor

  Leicester University

  Children in Need and their Families: A New Approach. A guide to Part III of the Act for local authority Councillors

  November 1990

  Manual for Senior Managers of SSDs. Deals with the philosophy of the Act and major changes it brings about

  3 May 1991

  The Children Act—An Advisors Guide (video)

  July 1991

  IV Children Act Publicity—Leaflets etc

  To date six booklets and a leaflet have been issued on the Children Act:

  The Children Act and the Courts—A Guide for Parents

  The Children Act and Local Authorities—A Guide for Parents

  The Children Act and You—A Guide for Young People (leaflet)

  The Children Act and the Courts—A Guide for Children and Young People

  Getting Help from the Social Services—A Guide for Children and Young People

  99

  Living Away from Home Your Rights—A Guide for Children and Young People

  Children Act and Day Care—A Guide to the Law

  Diabetes
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are registered as diabetic within the parliamentary constituency of Barrow and Furness; and how many of those are under the age of 16 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mrs. A. Graham, chairman of South Cumbria health authority.

  Health Authority Funding
  Ms. Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will consider the possibility of allowing virement between the cash-limited district health authority budget and the open-ended general medical services budget if there was local agreement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The cash limited health authority budget and the demand led general medical services budget are met from different votes. Transfer of provision between votes can only be effected by submitting a supplementary estimate.

  Children's Teeth
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish in tabular form details of the average number of decayed, missing or filled permanent teeth in 12-year-old children in England based on the latest available information in each district health authority together with the comparable figures for 1982; and in which authorities the fluoride content of the water supply has been artificially increased.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer my hon. Friend to the replies my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State gave him on 14 June 1991, at columns 684–86 and the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) on 9 July 1991 at columns 335–36.

  The information requested for 1982 is not available.

  Tinnitus
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will outline the research sponsored by her Department concerning tinnitus and include information on the number of people suffering from the condition.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research in the United Kingdom is the Medical Research Council which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. In 1991 the MRC spent £112,000 on research into tinnitus.

  It is estimated that between 0·5 and I per cent. of the population are seriously affected by tinnitus.

  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide a list of current and planned research studies into the possible causes of myalgic encephalomyelitis; indicating for each study, the start and completion dates, the commissioned body, the level of financial support and the nature of each study.
  100
  Dr. Mawhinney
  Independently funded research is not notified to the Department of Health by any formal mechanism. As a result of attendance by officials at scientific meetings and visits to establishments where research is going on, we are aware of a wide range of research into possible causes of myalgic encephalomyelitis. This includes virological, endocrinological and neurotransmitter studies, studies of sleep disturbance and studies of immunological and muscle abnormalities.

  The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council. The MRC is funding a study at the Institute of Psychiatry. The MRC and the Department are always willing to consider sympathetically soundly based researched proposals in competition with other applications. We are not at present funding studies which are specifically considering possible causes of ME.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is being done about myalgic encephalomyelitis and its epidemiology in order to establish a consensus of medical opinion regarding the treatment of myalgic encephalomyelitis sufferers.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Medical Research Council is funding a study at the Institute of Psychiatry, associated with the Maudsley hospital, which is attempting to find ways to help sufferers from chronic fatigue syndrome—myalgic encephalomyelitis—attending GPs' surgeries to cope with their condition and regain their health. The results of that study, together with those of earlier epidemiological studies, will form a basis for deciding whether further epidemiological studies are required and the nature of those studies. At present, management of ME is on a case-by-case basis, depending on the symptoms.

  Food Poisoning
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the number of cases notified to her from 1 January 1991 until 31 December 1991 in each health region for(a) food poisoning in general, (b) salmonella, (c) salmonella enteriditis, (d) salmonella enteriditis phase 4, (e) salmonella typhimurium, (f) campylobacter and (g) listeriosis.

  Mr. Sackville
  The detailed information requested has been placed in the Library.

  The data show notification of food poisoning to the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys and laboratory reports of specific organisms to the Public Health Laboratory Service's communicable disease surveillance centre.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the total number of salmonella food poisoning cases, and the number of each of(a) typhimurium, (b) virchow, (c) total enteriditis and (d) PT4 in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Sackville
  The table shows totals of laboratory reports of all salmonellas and of selected salmonellas made to the Public Health Laboratory Service communicable disease surveillance centre.
  101

  Laboratory reports of salmonellas in faeces England and Wales 1987 to 1991

  Salmonella enteriditis

  Year

  All1

  Salmonella typhimurium

  Salmonella virchow

  Total

  PT4 only

  1987

  17,551

  6,400

  1,281

  5,784

  3,670

  1988

  23,821

  5,566

  1,135

  13,051

  8,964

  1989

  24,649

  6,080

  1,507

  13,013

  9,652

  1990

  25,351

  4,662

  1,055

  15,664

  12,141

  19912

  22,461

  4,429

  613

  14,301

  10,973

  1 All salmonellas excluding salmonella typhi, salmonella paratyphi.

  2 Provisional data.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Coal Privatisation
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether and when the Government will consult interested parties on the privatisation of British Coal.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government announced in the Queen's Speech their plans to introduce legislation to return British Coal to the private sector and are now in the process of considering the form and timing of coal privatisation. The Government have undertaken to consult on privatisation and I have today written to interested bodies seeking their views. I will of course welcome the views of any interested group or individual, by 22 June.

  Lead Shot
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give tonnages of lead shot(a) made in and (b) imported into the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested is not available.

  GATT
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what the Government's current objectives are for the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade negotiations.

  Mr. Needham
  The Government remain committed to an early and successful conclusion to the Uruguay round of negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. We are working with our European Community partners and other key participants to ensure that outstanding issues, particularly in the agriculture negotiations, are resolved as quickly as possible. A successful outcome will strengthen the multilateral trading system, boost world trade, and provide new opportunities for British exporters. It will also help to integrate developing countries and the countries of eastern Europe more closely into the international trading system.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made at the most recent round of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade talks concerning the liberalisation of international trade for exporters from poorer countries.

  Mr. Needham
  In the negotiations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, the European Commission represents the European Community and the 102
  member states. The Government have made clear their commitment to a successful outcome to the Uruguay round negotiations. A Uruguay round agreement would bring considerable benefits to developing countries, providing greater opportunities for their exports and a more open and stable international framework for the domestic economic reforms which many of them are undertaking.

  Greenhouse Emissions
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the full greenhouse gas emissions from different fuel cycles in the United Kingdom, including both the electricity generating technologies and the final fuel use technologies.

  Mr. Eggar
  Statistics on United Kingdom emissions of carbon dioxide and methane—the main "greenhouse gases"—are given annually in the Department of the Environment publication "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics" a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The figures for carbon dioxide are listed according to both emission sources and types of fuel. Further information on this subject can be found in the energy technology support unit report "The Impact of United Kingdom Electricity, Gas and Oil Use on Global Warming"—AEA Environment and Energy, 1991. I am arranging for a copy of this report to be placed in the Library.

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any proposals for legislation under which accountancy firms acting as investigators for banks will not be able to act as receivers for companies placed by the banks into liquidation.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I have no such plans.

  Auditing
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any plans to introduce legislation under which the bodies named as recognised supervisory bodies under part II of the Companies Act 1989 will be required(a) to admit members of the public to their council meetings and (b) to make their agenda papers public.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any plans to conduct a
  103
  competition investigation into the domination of the United Kingdom audit market by a limited number of firms.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No.

  Companies Acts Definitions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the provisions of the Companies Acts which relate to definitions of asset, liability and profit.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  There are no provisions in the Companies Acts which define an asset, liability or profit, although there are clarifications of the scope when the term "liabilities" is used and of realised profits. However, the statement of principles being developed by the Accounting Standards Board is expected to contain definitions of assets and liabilities and of gains and losses.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what evidence he has submitted to Lord Justice Bingham's inquiry into the collapse of BCCI.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  My Department has co-operated fully with Lord Justice Bingham's inquiry.

  Companies Act Investigations
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will publish a summary of the findings of investigations carried out under section 447 of the Companies Act 1985.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The "Companies Annual Report" published annually provides information about company investigations under the Companies Act 1985. However, there is no statutory provision for reports of inquiries under section 447 to be published, and information obtained under section 447 may be disclosed only under the clearly defined circumstances set out in section 449 of the Companies Act 1985, as amended.

  Public Limited Companies
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any plans to propose legislation under which shareholders of all public limited companies will be required to choose from two firms nominated to the office of auditor.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No.

  Pension Schemes
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the provisions of the Companies Acts relating to the showing in company accounts of pension scheme surpluses.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  There are no specific provisions in the Companies Acts dealing with company pension scheme surpluses. However, the treatment of such surpluses is dealt with in the accounting standard dealing with accounting for pension costs—SSAP24.

  Greenwich Generating Station
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received about the proposal by MetroPower to redevelop the Greenwich generating station; and if he will set up a public inquiry.

  Mr. Eggar
  More than 100 representations have been received by my Department. The London borough of Greenwich, the relevant planning authority, has objected to the application and the President is therefore statutorily obliged to call for a public inquiry to be held into MetroPower's application.

  Arrangements for the public inquiry will be made when further information on aquaeous and atmospheric discharges from MetroPower, and the views of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the National Rivers Authority, have been received.

  Internal Market Council
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Internal Market Council on 14 May.

  Mr. Needham
  I attended the Internal Market Council on 14 May.

  Progress was made on a number of items which should benefit UK business. Political agreement, which meets all the main UK objectives, was reached on the third life insurance directive. This opens the way to completion of the single market for life insurance. There was also broad political agreement to an amendment to the second company law directive which limits the potential use as barriers to takeover of subsidiaries' shareholdings in parents.

  There were two intellectual property items on the agenda. A Council resolution on increased protection for copyright and neighbouring rights, and in particular the importance of the Berne and Rome conventions, was agreed. Further work was commissioned on the proposed directive covering protection of rental and lending rights, with the objective of the Council reaching agreement in June. Separately, the UK emphasised the importance of trying to resolve technical issues relating to the proposed Community trademarks regulation.

  A report on the procurement of services by utilities indicated that there should be no significant difficulties in reaching agreement at a future Council. There was a discussion about the possibility of harmonising hallmarking systems at Community level, something which most member states favour.

  There was extensive discussion of the Commission communication on Article 8A of the treaty of Rome on the abolition of routine frontier controls between member states from 1 January 1993. The United Kingdom underlined the need to retain the possibility of selective controls on goods, and that practical solutions were needed to meet problems raised by changes in controls. We emphasised that the issue of frontier controls on people was a matter for the Foreign Affairs Council. Other member states expressed a range of views. But while some showed greater support for the Commission communication, many recognised that pragmatic solutions were needed to the practical issues raised. The Council conclusions agreed the priority of continuing work on border controls as part of the completion of the single market.
  105
  Other items on the Council agenda included progress reports by the Commission on work relating to customs agents, drug precursors, and export controls on dual-use goods. A common position was reached on the Community customs code which consolidates existing Community customs legislation.

  Japanese Companies
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of the number and location of employees of each of the Japanese-owned companies within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Assisted Area Boundaries
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will make it his policy to wait for the Department of Employment to review travel-to-work area boundaries before completing a review of assisted area boundaries.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No. New travel-to-work areas will not be designated before 1994. The Government made it clear before the election that a review of the assisted areas map would be conducted early in this Parliament.

  Nuclear Power Stations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his Department's estimate of the installed capacity of operational nuclear power stations in England and Wales in each year from 1994 to the year 2000.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: The principal operator of nuclear capacity in England and Wales is Nuclear Power plc. Decisions regarding nuclear capacity are mainly a commercial matter for the company. Nuclear Electric will operate its existing portfolio of nuclear stations as long as it is safe and economic to do so.

  Rechar
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how the interim capital cover arrangements for Rechar operational programmes are to be introduced.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: My Department expects to make an announcement shortly.

EDUCATION

  Student Loans
  Mr. Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he will bring forward proposals to increase student grants and to end the present system of student loans.

  Mr. Forman
  No.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications for grant-maintained status are currently being considered by his Department.

  Mr. Forth
  At 11 May, 43 applications for grant-maintained status were under consideration by the Department.
  106
  Mr. Ashby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the progress towards grant-maintained status for schools in Leicestershire.

  Mr. Forth
  There is one GM school in Leicestershire. I hope to see many others following the example of Long Field high school and joining the growing number of GM schools.

  "'Alto 'Alto"
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he last watched an episode of "'Allo 'Allo" to assess its appropriateness for the national curriculum.

  Mr. Forth
  Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have watched this programme. The question of its appropriateness does not arise; the national curriculum does not prescribe the study of this or any other television programme.

  Funding, Greenwich
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received on the level of funding for education within the London borough of Greenwich in 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has received a handful of letters about education funding in Greenwich. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has proposed a cap on the authority's budget which is, in his view, reasonable, appropriate and achievable in all the circumstances of the authority. It allows Greenwich a budget which is nearly 9 per cent. above its standard spending assessment for this year and 18 per cent. above last year's SSA.

  Education Reforms
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on progress with the implementation of the Government's education reforms.

  Mr. Forth
  The Government are continuing to make rapid progress in implementing the important changes introduced in the Education Reform Act 1988 and in subsequent legislation. We have made steady progress in implementing the national curriculum; we have taken measures to ensure that schools admit pupils up to the limit of their capacity; we have introduced schemes of local management for schools and colleges; we have given schools the chance to opt out of local authority control; we have established city technology colleges; we have reformed further and higher education.

  Under the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, further education and sixth-form colleges will be transferred from local authority control on 1 April 1993 to a new further education sector and will be funded direct by new national further education funding councils. The Act also established a single funding structure for higher education and enabled institutions other than present universities to award degrees and adopt university titles. In 1992 we took steps to ensure greater openness about the performance of individual schools and announced plans to give schools a bigger say in initial teacher training. Measures to support the growing number of grant-maintained schools will be introduced later this year.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of young people are now entering higher education; and what was the figure 10 years ago.

  Mr. Forman
  The proportion of young people entering full-time higher education has increased from one in eight in 1979 to one in four currently.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what resources will be made available for nursery education provision in the year 1993–94.

  Mr. Forth
  The Government will announce their decision later this year on the total amount of resources, including the share for education, to be made available to local authorities in 1993–94. It will be for individual local authorities to decide how much to spend on the services for which they are responsible, and for authorities and schools to decide how to deploy the expenditure.

  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to encourage the creation of nursery places.

  Mr. Forth
  Over the years 1987 to 1991 the numbers of under-fives attending maintained schools in England increased by nearly 90,000, from 517,000 to 604,000. The local authority grant settlement for 1992–93 allows for an increase in education spending well in excess of inflation. The scale and form of services for under-fives is for local authorities to decide in the light of the settlement.

  Music
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to protect and enhance the opportunity for young people to learn music and to develop choral and orchestral skills.

  Mr. Forth
  The final order for music in the national curriculum, which is now before the House, secures, for the first time, the place of practical music-making for all pupils aged between five and 14. It provides for children to learn to perform a wide range of music, both individually and in ensembles, and opportunity for them to develop both choral and orchestral skills.

  The Department assists the implementation of the national curriculum through specific grant, and intends to continue its grant this year to Music for Youth, a national organisation which promotes practical music-making in schools.

  Special Schools
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he will make a statement about grant-maintained status for special schools.

  Mr. Forth
  Although the Government have considered whether to extend the option of grant-maintained status to special schools, we have no current plans to do so.

  Local Management of Schools
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he has any changes to announce in his policy for the local management of schools.
  108
  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has no current plans for changes in his policy for local management of schools. As part of the promised three year review of LMS, he will be offering guidance to local education authorities on future developments later in the year.

  Hornsey Centre for Children Learning
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department has any plans to fund the Hornsey centre for children learning.

  Mr. Forth
  No.

  Sixth-form Colleges
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what additional resources will be made available for small sixth-form colleges to help with administrative costs under the new regime.

  Mr. Forman
  The funds available to the new further education sector will take account of the costs to colleges of undertaking or buying in services currently provided for them by LEAs. The allocation of funds to colleges will be for the Further Education Funding Council.

  Grammar Schools
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the contribution made to education by grammar schools.

  Mr. Forth
  Many grammar schools are centres of excellence and make a significant contribution to the education of our children. High educational standards are not, however, uniquely associated with any one particular type of school system and examination results vary widely between individual schools, whether selective or non-selective.

  Educational Equality
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he will meet teachers' representatives to discuss educational equality for pupils.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend will be visiting a number of schools and he looks forward to constructive exchanges with the teacher associations in due course.

  Selection
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his policy on selection for secondary education at 11 plus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  We are in favour of a diversity of schools and of choice for parents. It is for local education authorities and the governors of voluntary and grant-maintained schools to establish the organisation of schools most appropriate for their area, in the light of local needs and the wishes of the community.

  Where proposals are made to introduce selection in the admission arrangements of a school we will consider them carefully on their individual merits and in the light of the local community's views and needs.

  Teacher Dismissals
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what current indications he has of the extent of dismissal of experienced teachers due to the shortage of funds for schools operating local management of schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department has seen no evidence that experienced teachers are facing dismissal because of local management of schools. LMS means that schools that attract and retain pupils receive more money and gives governing bodies the power to decide how best to spend that money for the benefit of pupils—including how many and which teachers to employ. Under LMS, the overall amount of money available for school education remains the responsibility of individual local education authorities.

  Class Sizes (Primary Schools)
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proposals he has to reduce class sizes in primary schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The management of individual schools, including the number of pupils in particular classes, is a matter for governing bodies and LEAs to determine, in the light of local circumstances and priorities.

PRIME MINISTER

  Plutonium Production Statistics
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister which Department of Her Majesty's Government will be responsible for the collection and annual publication of plutonium production figures from civil nuclear power stations following the abolition of the Department of Energy.

  The Prime Minister
  This information will now be provided by the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Department of Energy
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the reallocation of resources committed to support programmes planned by the Department of Energy before it was abolished.

  The Prime Minister
  With the exception of work on energy efficiency, responsibility for the programmes of the former Department of Energy has been transferred to the Department of Trade and Industry. The provision for those programmes, as set out in the supply estimates for 1992–93 and approved in the Appropriation Act 1992, remains unchanged. Responsibility for energy efficiency has been transferred to the Department of the Environment.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 19 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.

  Listed Buildings
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the relative responsibilities of the Department of the Environment and Department of National Heritage with respect to listed buildings.

  The Prime Minister
  Details were set out in news releases, issued by both Departments on I May, available in the Library of the House. Responsibility for the listing of historic buildings now rests with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for National Heritage. Because of their close connection with planning controls, consents for works to listed buildings remain the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. There will be close consultation between the two departments, both on general policy and on particular issues. English Heritage will act as adviser to both Departments.

  Learning Difficulties
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to required the Secretaries of State for Employment and for Health to issue a joint circular to training and enterprise councils and joint care planning committees on ways to enhance the prospects of training for people with learning difficulties.

  The Prime Minister
  The Department of Health will shortly be issuing guidance to local authorities on all services for adults with learning disabilities. This guidance will cover references to the need to plan day services in close co-operation with employment services and training and enterprise councils. The guidance is being prepared in collaboration with the Department of Employment and will be copied to TECs.

  Security Commissioner (Report)
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Prime Minister when the commissioner appointed under the Security Service Act 1989 will present his annual report for 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  A copy of Lord Justice Stuart-Smith's annual report for 1991 has been laid before the House today in accordance with section 4(6) of the Security Service Act 1989. The confidential appendix to the report has been excluded from that copy in accordance with section 4(7) of the 1989 Act. I am grateful to the commissioner for his work in reviewing the issue of warrants and in providing assistance to the tribunal as provided in the Act. I note that he is satisfied that the Secretaries of State have properly exercised their powers under the Act and that the arrangements in force for ensuring that the service discloses information only in accordance with the provisions of the 1989 Act are working satisfactorily.

  Open Government
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has for greater openness in the machinery of central Government.

  The Prime Minister
  I have decided that, in the interests of greater openness about the machinery of government, it
  111
  would be appropriate to publish the memorandum of guidance circulated to Ministers as "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" and the names and membership of the standing ministerial committees, sub-committees and working groups.

  Accordingly, "Questions of Procedures for Ministers" has been placed in the Library of the House.

  The names and membership of standing ministerial committees, sub-committees and working groups are as follows. In addition to the members, other Ministers are invited to attend meetings as and when the business requires.

  The publication of this information goes a long way beyond anything published by previous Governments about central machinery.

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC AND DOMESTIC POLICY (EDP)
  Composition

  Prime Minister (chairman)

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Lord Privy Seal

  Lord President of the Council

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Other Ministers will be invited to attend for items in which they have a departmental interest.
  Terms of Reference
  "To consider strategic issues relating to the Government's economic and domestic policies"

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE AND OVERSEAS POLICY (OPD)
  Composition

  Prime Minister (chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Attorney General

  The Chief of Defence Staff will attend as required, as will the Chiefs of Staff when necessary.
  Terms of Reference
  "To keep under review the Government's Defence and Overseas policy."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE GULF (OPDG)
  Composition

  Prime Minister (chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Secretary of State for defence

  Attorney General

  Terms of Reference
  "To keep under review developments in the Gulf region and to co-ordinate any necessary action."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR DEFENCE POLICY (OPDN)
  Composition

  Prime Minister (chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Terms of Reference
  "To keep under review the Government's policy nuclear defence."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN SECURITY (OPDSE)
  Composition

  Prime Minister (chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Terms of Reference
  "To keep under review arrangements for defence and security in Europe."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON HONG KONG AND OTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORIES (OPDK)
  Composition

  Prime Minister (chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Lord President of the Council

  Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Others, including the Attorney General, the Governor of Hong Kong, the British Ambassador in Peking, the Minister for Overseas Development, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the responsible Deputy Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, may be invited to attend as appropriate.
  Terms of Reference
  "To keep under review the implementation of the agreement with the Chinese on the future of Hong Kong and the implications of that agreement for the Government of Hong Kong and the wellbeing of its people; and to keep under review as necessary the Government's policy towards other Dependent Territories."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON NORTHERN IRELAND (NI)
  Composition

  Prime Minister (chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Attorney General

  Other Ministers will be invited to attend as the nature of the business requires.
  Terms of Reference
  "To oversee the Government's policy on Northern Ireland issues and relations with the Republic of Ireland on these matters."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (EDS)
  Composition

  Prime Minister (chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Education

  Secretary of State for Health Chief

  Secretary, Treasury

  The Chief Scientific Adviser is in attendance.

  Terms of Reference
  "To review science and technology policy."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES (IS)
  Composition

  Prime Minister (chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  The Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Attorney General attend as appropriate.
  Terms of Reference
  "To keep under review policy on the security and intelligence services."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS (EDI)
  Composition

  Lord Privy Seal (chairman)

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Lord President of the Council

  Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Terms of Reference
  "To consider industrial, commercial, and consumer issues including questions of competition and deregulation."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT (EDE)
  Composition

  Lord Privy Seal (chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for National Heritage

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Terms of reference
  "To consider questions of environmental policy."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON HOME AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS (EDH)
  Composition

  Lord Privy Seal (chairman)

  Lord Chancellor

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Lord President of the Council

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Secretary of State for Social

  Security Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for National Heritage

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Secretary of State for Education

  Secretary of State for Health

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Parliamentary Secretary, Treasury

  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Attorney General and the Lord Advocate also receive papers and are invited to attend as necessary.
  Terms of Reference
  "To consider home and social policy issues"

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT (EDL)
  Composition

  Lord Privy Seal (chairman)

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Lord President of the Council

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Secretary of State for Social Security

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for National Heritage

  Secretary of State for Education

  Secretary of State for Health

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Minister for Local Government)

  Terms of Reference
  "To consider issues affecting local government, including the annual allocation of resources."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE QUEEN'S SPEECHES AND FUTURE LEGISLATION (FLG)
  Composition

  Lord President of the Council (chairman)

  Lord Chancellor

  Lord Privy Seal

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Attorney General

  Lord Advocate

  Parliamentary Secretary, Treasury

  Financial Secretary, Treasury

  Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms

  The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs should be invited to attend or be represented for discussion of The Queen's speeches.
  Terms of reference
  "To prepare and submit to the Cabinet drafts of The Queen's Speeches to Parliament, and proposals for the Government's legislative programme for each Session of Parliament."

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION (LG)
  Composition

  Lord President of the Council (chairman)

  Lord Chancellor

  Lord Privy Seal

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Attorney General

  Lord Advocate

  Parliamentary Secretary, Treasury

  Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Minister of State, Home Office

  Financial Secretary, Treasury

  Captain of the Gentleman-at-Arms

  Terms of Reference
  "To examine all draft Bills, to consider the Parliamentary handling of Government Bills, European Community documents and Private Members' business, and such other related matters as may be necessary; and to keep under review the Government's policy in relation to issues of Parliamentary procedures".

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON CIVIL SERVICE PAY (EDC)
  Composition

  Lord President of the Council (chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  115

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Social Security

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Financial Secretary, Treasury

  Terms of Reference
  "To determine the basis of the annual negotiations and consider other matters concerning civil service pay."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON HEALTH STRATEGY (EDH(H))
  Composition

  Lord President of the Council (chairman)

  Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Secretary of State for Social Security

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Secretary of State for Health

  Paymaster General

  Minister of State, Department of Health (Minister for Health)

  Minister of State, Department of Employment

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of National Heritage

  The Secretaries of State for the Home Department, Transport and Education, and the President of the Board of Trade should receive papers and may be invited to at' end as appropriate.
  Terms of Reference
  "To oversee the development, implementation and monitoring of the Government's health strategy, to co-ordinate the Government's policies on United Kingdom-wide issues affecting health, and report as necessary to the

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SECTOR PAY (EDI(P))
  Composition

  Lord Privy Seal (chairman)

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Education

  Secretary of State for Health

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Terms of reference
  "To coordinate the handling of pay issues in the public sector, and report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Industrial, Commercial and Consumer Affairs."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN QUESTIONS (OPD(E))
  Composition

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (chairman)

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Lord President of the Council

  Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  116

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Attorney General

  Parliamentary Secretary, Treasury

  Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Other Ministers will be invited to attend as the nature of the business requires.
  The United Kingdom Permanent Representative to the European Communities is also in attendance.
  Terms of reference
  "To consider questions relating to the United Kingdom's membership of the European Community and to report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON EASTERN EUROPE (OPD(AE))
  Composition

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (chairman)

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Defence

  Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Minister for Overseas Development

  Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Other Ministers may be invited to attend as the nature of the business requires.
  Terms of Reference
  "To consider questions relating to Britain's policy of assisting change in the former Soviet republics and other former Communist countries in Europe and report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON TERRORISM (OPD(T))
  Composition

  Secretary of State for the Home Department (chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Secretary of State for Defence

  President of the Board of Trade

  Secretary of State for Transport

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  Attorney General

  Terms of Reference
  "To keep under review the arrangements for countering terrorism and for dealing with terrorist incidents and their consequences and to report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Defence and Overseas Policy."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON LONDON (EDL(L))
  Composition

  Secretary of State for the Environment (chairman)

  Minister of State, Home Office

  Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Minister for Industry)

  Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Minister for Housing and Planning)

  Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Minister for Local Government)

  Minister of State, Department of Social Security (Minister for Social Security and Disabled People)

  Minister of State, Department of Education

  Minister of State, Department of Health

  Minister of State, Department of Employment

  Economic Secretary, Treasury

  QMinister for Transport in London

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of National Heritage

  Terms of Reference
  "To co-ordinate the Government's policies on London."

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON DRUG MISUSE (EDH(D))
  Composition

  Lord President of the Council (chairman)

  Solicitor General

  Paymaster General

  Minister of State, Home Office

  Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Ministry of

  Defence

  Minister of State, Scottish Office

  Minister of State, Department of Health (Minister for Health)

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Welsh Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools, Department for Education

  Others, including the Minister for Overseas Development and Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State from the Departments of the Environment and Employment may be invited to attend as appropriate and should receive all papers.
  Terms of Reference
  "To coordinate the Government's national and international policies for tackling drugs misuse, and report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Home and Social Affairs"

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON CO-ORDINATION OF URBAN POLICY (EDH (U))
  Composition

  Secretary of State for the Environment (chairman)

  Minister of State, Home Office

  Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Minister for Local Government)

  Economic Secretary, Treasury

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for

  Technology, Department of Trade and Industry

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Welsh Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of National Heritage

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for schools, Department for Education

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment

  City Action Team (CAT) Ministers will be invited to attend for items in which they have an interest
  Terms of Reference
  "To monitor and coordinate Government action on inner cities, and report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Home and Social Affairs"

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON ALCOHOL MISUSE (EDH(a))
  Composition

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (chairman)

  Paymaster General

  Minister of State, Scottish Office

  Minister of State, Department of Health (Minister for Health)

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Consumer

  Affairs and Small Firms, Department of Trade and Industry

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport

  Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Welsh Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern
  118
  Ireland Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools, Department for Education

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment

  Terms of Reference
  "To review and develop the Government's strategy for combating the misuse of alcohol and to oversee its continuing implementation, and report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Home and Social Affairs"

  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S ISSUES (EHD(W))
  Composition

  Secretary of State for Employment (chairman)

  Paymaster General

  Minister of State, Welsh Office

  Minister of State, Department for Education

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Consumer

  Affairs and Small Firms, Department of Trade and Industry

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Social Security

  Parliamentary Secretary, Office of the Minister for the Civil Service

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scottish Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office

  Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Health

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment

  The Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of the Environment will also receive papers and he invited to attend as necessary.
  Terms of Reference
  "To review and develop the Government's policy and strategy on issues of special concern to women: to oversee their implementation; and to report as necessary to the Ministerial Committee on Home and Social Affairs".

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Countryside Protection
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further measures he proposes to take to assist farmers to care for the countryside.

  Mr. Curry
  We propose to announce shortly final details of six new environmentally sensitive areas—ESAs —which will begin operating this year and to consult on plans for a further six areas to begin operating in 1993 as well as reviewing the five ESAs that were designated in 1988. We shall consider the scope for further measures in the context of reform of the common agriculture policy, including the proposed agri-environment programme, once the current negotiations reach a conclusion.

  Veal Crate Rearing
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food further to the ban on veal crate rearing, what steps he will take to end the shipment of calves to Holland for the purpose of veal crate rearing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Legal advice is that a ban on the export of calves to Community countries would be illegal under the treaty of Rome. Our objective is for welfare rules to be introduced in the Community which reflect the high standards in the United Kingdom.
  119
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the number of calves shipped to the continent in 1991–92 for the purpose of veal crate rearing.

  Mr. Soames
  In the 12 months, April 1991 to March 1992, a total of 412,803 calves intended for further fattening were exported from Great Britain to the Continent. It is not possible to determine how many of these were for rearing in veal crates.

  Tenancy Laws
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to reform agricultural tenancy laws.

  Mr. Curry
  Together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, we intend, subject to parliamentary time being available, to implement reforms which would encourage more letting of agricultural land by giving landlords and tenants greater freedom to agree their own arrangements in law.

  Embryo Transplants (Cattle)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to protect the welfare of cattle used in embryo transplants.

  Mr. Soames
  Regulations for the collection and transfer of bovine embryos are being finalised by the Department. In preparing these regulations, full regard is being give to the welfare implications of the procedures of embryo collection and transfer. There will be a general requirement that all collections and transfers are carried out under the responsibility of a veterinary surgeon. In addition, two particular welfare provisions are envisaged:—the use of epidural anaesthesia would be mandatory prior to any collection or transfer of embryos;
  —the examination of recipient cows by a veterinary surgeon would be required prior to transfer taking place, to certify their suitability to carry the embryo intended for transfer.

  The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has also proposed that, in conjunction with the British Veterinary Association, it will draw up a code of practice for bovine embryo transfer to complement the Regulations.

  Quarantine
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current state of negotiations within the European Community over quarantine regulations.

  Mr. Soames
  Quarantine restrictions in relation to foot and mouth disease are being lifted within the Community in the light of the adoption of a non-vaccination policy in all member states. Although negotiations on quarantine for rabies susceptible species are continuing, this Government will not accept any solution which leaves the United Kingdom less well protected than under the existing rabies protection arrangements.

  Less-favoured Areas
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further measures he proposes to take to promote opportunities for economically viable farming in less-favoured areas of the United Kingdom.
  120
  Mr. Curry
  Farmers in the less-favoured areas benefit from a wide range of support measures including hill livestock compensatory allowances—HLCAs—sheep and suckler cow premia, and capital grants which together are worth over £480 million annually. I have no plans to add to these measures. The sheep and suckler cow premia are currently subject to review in the context of CAP reform and HLCAs will be reviewed in the usual way in the autumn.

  Fresh Meat Regulations
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes he proposes to institute in the system of fresh meat regulations to meet European requirements.

  Mr. Soames
  The Government's proposal for regulations implementing in Great Britain the requirements of the EC directive on fresh meat—91/497/EEC—were issued for public consultation on 23 April. The proposed regulations replace almost all the existing fresh meat hygiene regulations in Great Britain.

  I also refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply my right hon. Friend gave concerning the establishment of the national meat hygiene service on 13 May 1992, Official Report, column 124.

  Honey Bees
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what notification procedures are observed in his Department for the outbreak of Varroa Jacobsonni disease in honey bees.

  Mr. Curry
  The Bee Diseases Control Order 1982 requires that beekeepers should notify any incidence, or suspected incidence, of varroasis immediately to the responsible Agriculture Department for further investigation.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking to ensure the continuing prohibition of the importation of honey bees to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Curry
  The Importation of Bees Order 1980 prohibits imports of honey bees except under licence from countries of high bee health status which are free from varroasis. Commission proposals currently under discussion in Brussels would replace these controls with trading rules which provide among other things for identification and protection of disease-free areas. We will be reviewing our import policy in the light of these rules, including the need to offer continued protection to those areas of the United Kingdom which remain free from varroasis.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken by his Department to prevent the spread of Varroa Jacobsonni internally within the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  We have declared an infected area which includes Cornwall, Devon, Avon, Somerset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Greater London, Oxfordshire and Surrey. Movement of bees and hive frames containing comb into or out of that area is
  121
  prohibited except under licence. Intensive testing to date has shown no evidence of the disease outside the infected area.

  Rabies
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recommendations have been made by the scientific and veterinary committee of the EC about measures to control rabies.

  Mr. Gummer
  The scientific veterinary committee's report has not yet been published. I understand that it is unlikely to recommend specific control measures, as it regards questions of enforcement as outside its remit.

  Tobacco Growing
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 13 May,Official Report, column 123, if he will show the percentage of the common agricultural policy funding given to the subsidising of tobacco growing in the EC in 1991.

  Mr. Curry
  In 1991 the provisional cost of the tobacco regime as a percentage of the cost of the common agricultural policy was 3·85 per cent.

  Trawls (Nephrops Fisheries)
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ban twin and multi-rig trawls in nephrop fisheries.

  Mr. Curry
  Yes. Following requests from and a consultation with the industry on additional measures to conserve nephrops stocks we propose to ban the use of twin-rig and multi-rig trawls by United Kingdom vessels in nephrops fisheries except in the Fladen ground from 1 January 1993.

DEFENCE

  Dechmont Firing Range
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will give details of the number of incidents involving stray bullets which have occurred in each of the last 10 years at the Dechmont firing range, East Kilbride;

  (2) if he will give details of any compensation paid to members of the public arising from incidents involving stray bullets at Dechmont firing range, East Kilbride, over the last 10 years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Over the past 10 years, there has been one proven incident involving stray rounds from the Dechmont firing range. This was in October 1986. A board of inquiry found that the incident, involving two stray rounds, was caused by a soldier failing to follow the correct drills.

  Compensation was paid to those who had property damaged as a result of the incident.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the gun clubs which are registered to use the Dechmont firing range at East Kilbride.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The following non-MOD users are licensed to use the Territorial, Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve Association range at Dechmont:122

  Cartside Rifle Club

  Avon Sporting Club

  Balornock Rifle Club

  West of Scotland Rifle and Pistol Club

  Clyde Valley Pistol Club

  Claymore Rifle and Pistol Gun Club

  Martins Rifle and Pistol Club

  Dechmont Air Gun Club

  Strathclyde Police

  British Deer Society

  Firing Ranges
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide details of the regulations which apply to registered gun clubs at MOD firing ranges.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Each civilian club which is licensed to use an MOD or Territorial Auxiliary Volunteer Reserve Association range has a range conducting officer who is responsible for ensuring full compliance with range standing orders.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if gun clubs registered to use MOD firing ranges are required to register individual weapons which will be used on the range.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No. All weapons are registered with the local police under the provisions of the Firearms Acts and amendments thereto.

  Khmer Nationals
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department is still providing any form of training for Khmer nationals in(a) Cambodia, (b) Thailand and (c) Malaysia.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The United Kingdom military contribution to the United Nations Transition Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) includes a contingent providing mine clearance training for Cambodian nationals.

  Lieutenant Commander Peter McDonnell
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what posting in the Royal Navy is currently held by Lieutenant Commander Peter McDonnell.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  1 refer the hon. Member to the current edition of the Navy list, a copy which is held in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date and at what place he expects the court martial of Lieutenant Commander Peter McDonnell to begin.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The court martial of Lieutenant Commander Peter McDonnell is to be held at HMS Drake, Devonport, commencing on 3 June 1992.

  RAF Chivenor
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it is his intention to implement the recommendation made in "Options for Change" to maintain RAF Chivenor as a leading training base.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Yes.

SCOTLAND

  Overseas Voters
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many ballots were returned by overseas voters registered for each constituency in Scotland in the general election on 9 April.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally. Information about the total number of postal ballot papers returned for each constituency will be published in due course as a House of Commons Command Paper.

  Gigha
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much land on the island of Gigha has been designated, as a percentage and in hectares, as a site of special scientific interest; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  No sites of special scientific interest have been notified on the island of Gigha.

  Child Care, Fife
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will outline(a) the total cost of the inquiry into child care policy in Fife, and (b) the expected contribution to the costs to be made by Fife regional council.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  I refer the right hon. Member to the replies given to him by my hon. Friend the then Minister of State on 10 March 1992, at column 465.

  £ million

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Cumbernauld

  Housing

  5·338

  7·257

  8·587

  5·500

  10·557

  OES1

  1·915

  4·070

  7·806

  10·636

  8·129

  East Kilbride

  Housing

  8·445

  13·169

  10·933

  18·742

  15·313

  OES1

  4·470

  4·212

  4·932

  12·692

  9·340

  Glenrothes

  Housing

  5·140

  4·857

  4·226

  7·314

  10·134

  OES1

  1·206

  3·694

  5·832

  4·695

  8·564

  Irvine

  Housing

  2·755

  2·229

  3·419

  4·811

  3·506

  OES1

  1·012

  1·927

  5·707

  2·483

  2·619

  Livingston

  Housing

  3·327

  4·400

  6·750

  10·316

  7·142

  OES1

  3·501

  3·100

  1·663

  5·525

  14·400

  1 Other Environmental Services covers receipts from industrial, commercial and land sales.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the current value of the(a) commercial, (b) industrial and (c) housing assets of each of the Scottish new town development corporations.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information for commercial and industrial assets is as follows. The valuations are at 31 March 1992.

  Commercial property £ million

  Industrial property £ million

  Cumbernauld

  2·18

  44·75

  East Kilbride

  23·92

  47·83

  Glenrothes

  11·60

  25·16

  124
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the inquiry into child care policy in Fife undertaken by Sheriff Kearney has been completed.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The chairman of the inquiry has been asked to let my right hon. Friend have his completed report by the end of May.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland is he will make a statement about the inquiry into child care policy in Fife.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  My right hon. Friend will consider the question of a statement once he has received and studied the completed report of the inquiry.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the report from the inquiry into child care policy in Fife is to be published.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  As soon as my right hon. Friend has received and considered the report of the inquiry, he will make a decision about publication.

  New Town Corporations
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the actual capital receipts for each of the Scottish new town development corporations for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The actual capital receipts for 1991–92 are not yet available. The figures for the previous five years are as follows:

  Commercial property £ million

  Industrial property £ million

  Irvine

  8·23

  24·44

  Livingston

  3·56

  53·63

  The housing stock is not valued annually. Individual houses are valued as necessary.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the amounts paid in corporation tax by each of the Scottish new town development corporations in each of the last five years.
  125
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  East Kilbride was the only new town in Scotland to incur corporation tax liability in the last five years. Audited figures are not yet available for 1991–92 but in the previous five years the tax paid was:

  £ million

  1986–87

  2·551

  1987–88

  1·794

  1988–89

  1·727

  1989–90

  4·240

  1990–91

  2·893

  £ million

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Cumbernauld

  Housing

  8·474

  8·994

  11·385

  6·504

  6·874

  OES1

  13·801

  16·033

  14·485

  11·485

  8·806

  Infrastructure2

  —

  —

  —

  3·605

  2·800

  East Kilbride

  Housing

  17·963

  22·335

  18·107

  9·657

  9·155

  OES1

  20·485

  16·048

  15·377

  16·164

  9·930

  Infrastructure2

  —

  —

  —

  2·038

  3·300

  Glenrothes

  Housing

  7·519

  6·975

  7·439

  6·068

  7·080

  OES1

  7·152

  11·670

  17·497

  9·101

  4·174

  Infrastructure2

  —

  —

  —

  2·090

  2·400

  Irvine

  Housing

  6·438

  5·704

  6·836

  5·227

  5·700

  OES1

  11·803

  10·237

  8·473

  4·778

  3·281

  Infrastructure2

  —

  —

  —

  1·448

  1·000

  Livingston

  Housing

  9·614

  12·326

  15·725

  6·104

  7·117

  OES1

  18·755

  28·052

  25·013

  16·802

  9·970

  Infrastructure2

  —

  —

  —

  4·650

  3·700

  1 Other Environmental Services covers industrial and commercial investment.

  2 Prior to 1991–92 investment in infrastructure was funded from the capital allocations for housing and other environmental services.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the revenue allocations for each of the five Scottish new town development corporations for each of the last five years at current prices.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Revenue expenditure of the Scottish new town development corporations is supported by housing deficit grant and general revenue grant. The housing deficit grant meets the deficit incurred on building and modernisation of housing including management and maintenance after taking account of rental income.

  Housing Revenue Deficit Grant

  £ million

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Cumbernauld

  5·313

  5·700

  5·197

  4·112

  3·768

  East Kilbride

  1·286

  1·112

  0·889

  0·521

  0·028

  Glenrothes

  5·459

  5·585

  4·453

  3·598

  3·019

  Irvine

  8·944

  8·109

  6·889

  6·112

  5·566

  Livingston

  15·789

  13·564

  13·890

  12·200

  9·916

  General Revenue Grant

  £ million

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Cumbernauld

  1·800

  2·050

  East Kilbride

  4·465

  2·720

  Glenrothes

  4·885

  4·513

  Irvine

  2·990

  2·435

  Livingston

  5·860

  4·684

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the level of capital receipts assumed for each of the five Scottish new town development corporations for the current financial year.
  126
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the capital allocations for each of the five Scottish new town development corporations for each of the last five years at current prices.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information is set out in the table.

  General revenue grant meets the coats of management and maintenance of community facilities and general administrative expenses. General revenue grant was introduced form the 1991–1992 financial year. Prior to that part of the revenue expenditure was included in new towns' borrowing consent totals and not separately identified. A grant was also provided to meet interest charges on accumulated deficits on non-housing activities.

  Details at current prices of the housing deficit and general revenue grant are shown in the tables.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested is as follows:

  £ million

  Housing

  OES1

  Cumbernauld

  6·574

  11·806

  East Kilbride

  7·055

  15·930

  Glenrothes

  5·180

  8·174

  Irvine

  4·000

  2·281

  Livingston

  5·617

  12·970

  1 Other Environmental Services covers receipts from industrial, commercial and land sales.

  Renewable Energy
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the Government's target of 1,000 MW of renewable energy projects he estimates is to come from Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Targets for the exploitation of renewable energy are under consideration as part of the current review of the Government's renewable energy programmes.

  Nephrops Fisheries
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if a weekend ban on fishing for nephrops will be introduced on the West Coast of Scotland following the consultation exercise on nephrops conservation.

  Sir Hector Monro
  While the catching side of the fishing industry is generally in favour of a weekend ban, a number of concerns have been expressed by processors over the implications for their activities. We have therefore decided that the matter should be considered in some more detail and 1 have today written to Lord MacKay, chairman of the Sea Fish Industry Authority, inviting him to convene a second nephrops forum where the views of all parties can be considered in detail and possible ways forward explored.

  Water
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the increase in cost of provision of water in each water authority in Scotland shown as a percentage of the cost of provision last year.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: The estimated expenditure on water supply to be met from charges in each authority has changed as shown:

  Change in cost of water provision in 1992–93 as percentage of cost in 1991–92

  Authority

  Percentage

  Borders

  + 23

  Central

  + 2

  Dumfries and Galloway

  + 9

  Fife

  + 9

  Grampian

  + 4

  Highland

  + 5

  Lothian

  + 9

  Strathclyde

  + 7

  Tayside

  + 4

  Orkney

  + 13

  Shetland

  - 6

  Western Isles

  + 11

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to provide additional resources to local water authorities in Scotland to meet the resource implications of the EC drinking water directive.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: Water supply comes within the water and sewerage

  Adaptations to property provided by Scottish Social Work Departments Number of cases, year ending 31 March

  Region

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Borders

  581

  521

  489

  766

  766

  Central

  832

  800

  825

  n.a.

  1,559

  Dumfries/Galloway

  815

  637

  1,067

  1,134

  1,147

  Fife

  1,300

  2,259

  2,313

  3,208

  2,403

  Grampian

  2,152

  1,855

  2,087

  2,653

  3,382

  128
  programme, capital expenditure provision for which has risen substantially from £142 million in 1990–91 to £221 million in 1992–93, an increase of more than 50 per cent. It is set to rise further to £244 million by 1994–95. The EC drinking water directive was a factor taken into account in determining the increased resources.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to provide extra resources to help meet deficits experienced by water authorities as a result of diminished sales.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: Deficits arising from shortfalls in income due to diminished sales of water are a matter for authorities to take into account when setting charges in succeeding years, in accordance with statutory provisions. Government assistance would not be appropriate.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates he has made of the additional capital and current costs of providing water that will require to be borne by local water authorities in Scotland as a result of the additional requirements of the EC drinking water directive.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: The requirements of the EC drinking water directive are incorporated in the Water Supply (Water Quality) (Scotland) Regulations 1990. Capital expenditure for undertakings to the Secretary of State for improvement works to meet the regulations totals £1·6 billion for works up to 2000 and beyond. Corresponding current cost implications are not separately identifiable.

  Disabled People (Housing)
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, by district council, the number of applications made for adaptations to the homes of disabled people in each of the last five years; how many adaptations were carried out in each year; and what was the average length of time to complete adaptations from the request for an adaptation to be made to its conclusion.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: The information in respect of district councils is not held centrally and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  Regional council social work departments may also help disabled people with adaptations to their homes. Information on the number of applications made through social work departments and the length of time to complete adaptations to the homes of disabled people is not held centrally.

  The number of adaptations carried out by social work departments in each of the last five years, where available, is as follows:
  129

  Region

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Highland

  554

  555

  596

  373

  502

  Lothian

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Strathclyde

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Tayside

  2,852

  4,496

  3,211

  3,149

  2,374

  Orkney

  35

  59

  63

  63

  82

  Shetland

  112

  147

  128

  132

  157

  Western Isles

  44

  38

  98

  108

  33

  Home Improvement Grants
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the amount of money spent by each local authority in Scotland in the last three years on home improvement grants.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: The available information on improvement grants paid by local authorities for the years 1989, 1990 and 1991 is set out in the table.

  Improvement grants paid by local authorilies, year ended 31 December

  £000

  District

  Year

  1989 Grants paid

  1990 Grants paid

  1991 Grants paid

  Scotland

  56,804

  55,547

  65,951

  Borders

  Berwickshire 1

  345

  385

  388

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  554

  710

  789

  Roxburgh

  473

  547

  511

  Tweeddale

  156

  50

  328

  Central

  Clackmannan

  92

  167

  107

  Falkirk

  314

  447

  471

  Stirling

  460

  337

  535

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Annandale and Eskdale

  208

  363

  216

  Nithsdale

  557

  515

  652

  Stcwartry

  65

  190

  141

  Wigtown

  210

  201

  388

  Fife

  Dunfermline

  596

  5,637

  673

  Kirkcaldy

  856

  970

  913

  North East Fife

  1,173

  1,324

  1,408

  Grampian

  Aberdeen

  2,926

  3,308

  4,013

  Banff and Buchan

  615

  518

  449

  Gordon

  423

  478

  465

  Kincardine and Deeside

  597

  909

  722

  Moray

  777

  542

  732

  Highland

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  72

  88

  89

  Caithness

  320

  332

  341

  Inverness

  554

  913

  601

  Lochaber

  459

  268

  440

  Nairn

  146

  100

  143

  Ross and Cromarty

  2.101

  1,457

  1,721

  Skye and Lochalsh

  763

  669

  910

  Sutherland

  363

  464

  482

  Lothian

  East Lothian

  2,142

  1,272

  960

  Edinburgh

  7,512

  5,900

  9,152

  Midlothian

  359

  380

  400

  West Lothian 4

  783

  719

  795

  Strathclyde

  Argyll and Bute

  3,784

  2,253

  2,421

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  71

  70

  16

  Clydebank

  34

  58

  26

  Clydesdale

  718

  794

  459

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 2

  38

  68

  70

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  166

  241

  168

  Cunninghame

  613

  1,002

  4,261

  130

  District

  Year

  1989 Grants paid

  1990 Grants paid

  1991 Grants paid

  Dumbarton 3 4

  228

  75

  16

  East Kilbride

  94

  148

  199

  Eastwood

  37

  43

  28

  Glasgow

  11,622

  12,184

  13,730

  Hamilton

  69

  458

  366

  Inverclyde 1

  1,821

  2,707

  2,886

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  169

  318

  131

  Kyle and Carrick

  486

  248

  452

  Monklands

  84

  228

  245

  Motherwell

  324

  270

  496

  Renfrew

  1,497

  1,761

  1,829

  Strathkelvin

  200

  196

  227

  Tayside

  Angus

  538

  543

  485

  Dundee

  1,336

  2,026

  1,949

  Perth and Kinross

  1,388

  579

  403

  Islands Councils

  Orkney Islands 1

  991

  838

  755

  Shetland Islands 2

  76

  100

  88

  Western Isles

  3,448

  3,254

  4,309

  Returns outstanding:

  1 Quarter 2 1989.

  2 Quarter 3 1989.

  3 Quarter 3 1990.

  4 Quarter 4 1990.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now consider increasing the funds available to local housing authorities to enable them to offer more grants for home improvement schemes.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: The gross final non-housing revenue account capital allocations for local authority expenditure in support of private sector housing in 1992–93 total £121·016 million. This represents a substantial increase of 8·9 per cent. over the corresponding allocations for 1991–92. It is for local authorities themselves to decide how best to deploy these resources to meet local housing needs, including the need for home improvement grants.

  Pre-school Funding
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total allocation of central Government funding to pre-school development groups in(a) speech therapy and (b) physiotherapy in each regional health board area for each financial year since 1987 and the projected expenditure in such spheres in each financial year from 1992 to 1995.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 18 May 1992]: No specific allocation of resources are made to health boards for speech therapy or physiotherapy. Allocations of resources for the purchase of services to meet the health care needs of their resident population are made to health boards each year and it is for them to determine their priorities and how the money will be spent.

EMPLOYMENT

  Restart
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many restart interviewees fell within the guarantee group and how many fell within the aim group, for the latest available period for Great Britain and for each region; how many of each of those groups were submitted or placed in(a) employment training, (b) enterprise allowance scheme, (c) job club, (d) job interview guarantee or (e) employment action; and how many such claimants were not made an offer of help, showing whether it was because (i) they were already on or about to start on a scheme, (ii) they were about to leave the unemployment register, (iii) an offer could not be made because there was no appropriate scheme place available or (iv) an offer could not be made due to the claimants' attitude or behaviour or severity of their problem.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.

  Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if non-employed employment training trainees who receive part-time earnings, who were solely in receipt of unemployment benefit before receiving their training allowance, are subject to the earnings rules for unemployment benefit; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.

  "Actively Seeking Work" Test
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many claimants in each quarter since March 1991 for each region and for Great Britain as a whole have(a) been issued with warning letters for not actively seeking work, (b) had their claim referred to an adjudication officer for not actively seeking work, (c) had their claims allowed or disallowed for not actively seeking work, (d) had their claim referred to an adjudication officer for refusing suitable employment and (e) how many of those in (d) have had their benefit disqualified or not disqualified.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.

  Bridging Allowances (Young People)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list by region and for Great Britain as a whole, shown separately for males and females how many 16 and 17-year-olds were in receipt of extended child benefit, how many were in receipt of bridging allowance for each month since September 1991 and how many young people in each region and in Great Britain exhausted their entitlement to youth training bridging allowance; and if she will make a statement.
  132
  Mr. McLoughlin
  Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.

  Disability Benefits
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if claimants who are receiving disability benefits, or a disability premium with their income support, are eligible to take up a place on the enterprise allowance scheme; what disability benefits they can retain while they are on the allowance and trying to start a small business; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Claimants who are receiving disability benefits or a disability premium with their income support are eligible to take up a place on EAS, provided they meet the local entry criteria. People receiving an enterprise allowance are entitled to the full range of in-work disability benefits in the same way as anybody else who is employed or self-employed.

  TEC and LEC Statistics
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise council and local enterprise company chief executives are in post; how many are male or female or from an ethnic minority background; how many have resigned since their TEC or LEC became operational; what information she has on the employment backgrounds of the chief executives, including the numbers who have retained their civil service status; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Of the 82 training and enterprise councils in England and Wales, 81 have a chief executive or acting chief executive in post. One is in the process of being filled. Of these, 69 are men and 12 are women. Information on the ethnic origin of TEC chief executives is not available. Since individual TECs became operational, seven of them have had a change in chief executive. Information on the employment background of chief executives is not held centrally, but 45 are civil servants.

  Information about LECs in Scotland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Options Careers Fair
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether her Department will be represented at the options careers fair to be held at the national exhibition centre in Birmingham in October.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department has been informed that "Options 92 Career Planning" has been cancelled.

  Employment Service
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress the Employment Service made in meeting the targets outlined in the 1991–92 agency agreement; and if she will show for the latest possible date the(a) total unemployed job placings and variance from target, (b) long-term unemployed job placings and variance from target, (c) people with disabilities job

  133
  placings and variance from target, (d) inner-city job placings and variance from target, (e) number of claims not pursued following initial contact and variance from profiled annual reference level, (f) number of claimants moved from unemployment benefit to another benefit and variance from annual reference level and (g) number of people who withdrew their claim to benefit after contact with fraud investigators and variance from annual reference level.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am informed by the chief executive of the Employment Service that in the period April to December 1991, the Employment Service placed a total of 1,020,100 unemployed people into jobs, within 1 per cent. of the profiled target. A total of 17·8 per cent. of these placings were long-term claimants, 2·4 per cent. were people with disabilities and 34 per cent. were unemployed people in inner cities against annual targets of 16 per cent., 2·4 per cent. and 34 per cent. respectively. Over the same period, 416,950 claims were not pursued following initial contact, 18 per cent. above the profiled reference level. The number of people who withdrew their claim to benefit after contact with fraud investigators was on target at 35,950. The number of claimants helped to move from unemployment benefits to a more appropriate benefit is not a reference level under the annual performance agreement for 1991–92.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers of male and female directors of training and enterprise councils; how many are from ethnic minority backgrounds; how many directors are from the private sector; from which industrial sectors they come; and of non-private sector directors, how many are from(a) local authorities, (b) local education authorities, (c) other educational organisations, (d) trade unions, (e) voluntary organisations, (f) ethnic minority organisations, (g) employers' associations and (h) others.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information available is shown in the table. Information on the industrial sector background of directors from the private sector is not held centrally.

  Category

  Numbers of directors

  (i) Men

  1,018

  (ii) Women

  122

  (iii) Ethnic minority background 1

  40

  (iv) Private sector

  799

  (v) Non-private directors of which

  341

  (a) Local authorities

  98

  (b) Local education authorities (not included in (a))

  51

  (c) Other educational organsiations

  28

  (d) Trade unions

  61

  (e) Voluntary organizations

  43

  (f) Ethnic minority organizations

  4

  (g) Employers Associations

  10

  (h) Others

  46

  1 Based on information collected in June/July 1991: 12 Directors preferred not to state their ethnic origin.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what responsibilities training and enterprise 134
  councils have for training people with learning difficulties; and what steps she is taking to ensure they fully meet these responsibilities.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  TECs are obliged through their contracts with the Department to ensure that suitable high quality training is available for all trainees with special training needs. This includes people with learning disabilities. TEC's performance against their plans is regularly monitored by officials.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will publish the budget agreed with each training and enterprise council in England and Wales for 1992–93, broken down into the five major expenditure blocks; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The budget allocations for training and enterprise councils in England and Wales for 1992–93 are still subject to negotiation in some of the Department's training, enterprise and education directorate regions and therefore not yet available.

  Employment Programmes
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many and what proportion of employment training leavers for each region and for Great Britain as a whole(a) had been entered for a vocational qualification, (b) had obtained a vocational qualification, (c) had failed to obtain a vocational qualification and (d) were awaiting their results; and how many of the enterprise training leavers in the relevant period had completed the training agreed in their initial action plan;

  (2) if she will publish tables showing the latest available results from the employment training leavers' survey for each training and enterprise council area in England and Wales and each local enterprise company area in Scotland broken down to show the number and proportion of employment training leavers who had (a) been entered for a vocational qualification, (b) obtained a vocational qualification, (c) had failed to obtain a vocational qualification and (d) were awaiting their results; and how many of the employment training leavers in the relevant period had completed the training agreed in their initial action plan;

  (3) how many people were participating in (i) employment training, (ii) the enterprise allowance scheme and (iii) youth training in each month since November 1991; and if she will make a statement;

  (4) for each region, and for Great Britain as a whole, whether she will give the latest results of the youth training scheme—youth training leavers survey, to show for male and female trainees and for each separate ethnic group and for those with a disability (a) those in full-time work with the same employer, (b) those in full-time work with a different employer, (c) those in part-time work, (d) those on a full-time course at a college-training centre, (e) those on another youth training scheme, (f) those doing something else, (g) those who were unemployed, (h) those who had obtained a vocational qualification, (i) the number of questionnaires issued, (j) the usable percentage response rate and (k) the percentage of respondents who were early leavers;

  (5) if she will publish tables showing the latest available results from the employment training leavers' survey for each TEC area in England and Wales and each LEC area in Scotland broken down to show the number and

  135
  proportion of employment training leavers who were (a) in a full-time job with their work experience employer, (b) in a full-time job with another employer, (c) employed in their own business, (d) in a part-time job, (e) in voluntary work, (f) on another Government training programme, (g) on a full-time education or training course, (h) unemployed and claiming benefit, (i) unemployed and not claiming benefit, (j) in a job club and (k) doing something else;

  (6) if she will state for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, separately for males and females, how many people have entered employment action and how many were participating in employment action in each month since January 1992;

  (7) how many and what proportion of employment training trainees for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, for the latest available period, were, three months after leaving (a) in a full-time job with their work experience employer, (b) in a full-time job with another employer, (c) employed in their own business, (d) in a part-time job, (e) in voluntary work, (f) on another government training programme, (g) on a full time education or training course, (h) unemployed and claiming benefit, (i) unemployed and not claiming benefit, (j) in a job club and (k) doing something else;

  (8) if she will state for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, separately for males and females what percentage of persons aged (a) 16 years and (b) 17 years have been on youth training schemes in each year since YTS-YT started.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  As the information requested is contained in a number of tables, I will write to the hon. Member.

  Enterprise Allowance Scheme
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will give for each region and for Great Britain as a whole for 1991–92(a) the number of people who were receiving payments under the enterprise allowance scheme and (b) the amount of expenditure on enterprise allowance schemes; what information she has on the survival of those businesses; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information, by region and for Great Britain as a whole, on the numbers of people receiving the 136
  enterprise allowance at the end of the 1991–92 financial year is shown in the table. The table also shows EAS expenditure on allowances.

  There is no information available on the survival of those businesses starting during the 1991–92 financial year.

  Number of People Receiving Enterprise Allowance: 1991–92

  Region

  Participants

  Payments £000's

  South East

  3,269

  11,391

  London

  4,611

  12,697

  South West

  3,991

  9,623

  West Midlands

  4,173

  9,904

  East Midlands

  4,281

  10,576

  Yorks and Humberside

  4,085

  11,154

  North West

  6,805

  16,430

  Northern

  2,258

  6,048

  Wales

  2,756

  7,136

  England and Wales Total

  36,229

  94,959

  Scotland

  4,000

  —

  Notes:

  1. Participant totals as at the end of the financial year.

  2. A separate payments figure for Scotland is not available.

  Travel-to-work Areas
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will outline the timetable for reviewing travel-to-work area boundaries.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  New travel-to-work area boundaries will be calculated from the commuting patterns contained in the 1991 census of population special workplace statistics. These statistics are expected to become available in the second half of 1993 and revised travel-to-work areas should follow six to nine months later.

  Markham Main Colliery
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is her estimate of the likely increase in unemployment in the Doncaster north constituency should the proposed closure of the Markham Main colliery go ahead.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  It is not possible to estimate the increase in unemployment in any particular area if and when Markham Main colliery is closed. A number of organisations including British Coal Enterprise, and this Department through the Employment Service and training and enterprise councils, offer a wide range of help with job finding and retraining to unemployed mine workers.

  CABINET COMMITTEES: MEMBERSHIP AND REMIT
  CABINET COMMITTEES: MEMBERSHIP AND REMIT
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEES OF THE CABINET
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEES OF THE CABINET
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE AND OVERSEAS POLICY (OPD)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON DEFENCE AND OVERSEAS POLICY (OPD)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE GULF (OPDG)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE GULF (OPDG)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR DEFENCE POLICY (OPDN)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON NUCLEAR DEFENCE POLICY (OPDN)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN SECURITY (OPDSE)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN SECURITY (OPDSE)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON HONG KONG AND OTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORIES (OPDK)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON HONG KONG AND OTHER DEPENDENT TERRITORIES (OPDK)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON NORTHERN IRELAND (NI)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON NORTHERN IRELAND (NI)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (EDS)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (EDS)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES (IS)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE INTELLIGENCE SERVICES (IS)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS (EDI)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS (EDI)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT (EDE)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE ENVIRONMENT (EDE)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON HOME AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS (EDH)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON HOME AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS (EDH)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT (EDL)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT (EDL)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE QUEEN'S SPEECHES AND FUTURE LEGISLATION (FLG)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE QUEEN'S SPEECHES AND FUTURE LEGISLATION (FLG)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION (LG)
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  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON CIVIL SERVICE PAY (EDC)
  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON CIVIL SERVICE PAY (EDC)
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON HEALTH STRATEGY (EDH(H))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON HEALTH STRATEGY (EDH(H))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SECTOR PAY (EDI(P))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SECTOR PAY (EDI(P))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN QUESTIONS (OPD(E))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN QUESTIONS (OPD(E))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON EASTERN EUROPE (OPD(AE))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON EASTERN EUROPE (OPD(AE))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON TERRORISM (OPD(T))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON TERRORISM (OPD(T))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON LONDON (EDL(L))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON LONDON (EDL(L))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON DRUG MISUSE (EDH(D))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON DRUG MISUSE (EDH(D))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON CO-ORDINATION OF URBAN POLICY (EDH(U))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON CO-ORDINATION OF URBAN POLICY (EDH(U))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON ALCOHOL MISUSE (EDH(A))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON ALCOHOL MISUSE (EDH(A))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S ISSUES (EDH(W))
  MINISTERIAL SUB-COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S ISSUES (EDH(W))
  LONDON TAXI FARES: INCREASE
  LONDON TAXI FARES: INCREASE
  UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE PSBR
  UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE PSBR
  PROBATION SERVICE: STAFF INCREASES
  PROBATION SERVICE: STAFF INCREASES
  REMAND PRISONERS
  REMAND PRISONERS
  MRS. MARIE BURKE
  MRS. MARIE BURKE
  TRANSFER OF PRISONERS BETWEEN JURISDICTIONS: REPORT
  TRANSFER OF PRISONERS BETWEEN JURISDICTIONS: REPORT
  PRISONERS: FOREIGN NATIONALS
  PRISONERS: FOREIGN NATIONALS
  No. 2 MARSHAM STREET: DEMOLITION
  No. 2 MARSHAM STREET: DEMOLITION
  DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT: FUTURE LOCATION
  DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT: FUTURE LOCATION
  UPLYME, DEVON: PUBLIC INQUIRY 14th/15th APRIL 1992
  UPLYME, DEVON: PUBLIC INQUIRY 14th/15th APRIL 1992
  DIEGO GARCIA
  DIEGO GARCIA
  HORN OF AFRICA: AID
  HORN OF AFRICA: AID
  MALAYSIA: FORESTRY AGREEMENT
  MALAYSIA: FORESTRY AGREEMENT
  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL, 11th MAY
  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL, 11th MAY
  GRANTS TO UK NGO's
  GRANTS TO UK NGO's