Written Answers of 9 November 1992

DEFENCE

  RAF Hercules
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many relief flights have been made by RAF Hercules aircraft into Sarajevo airport; how many Hercules aircraft are devoted to this task; what information he has on the number of flights by other nations' air forces; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As at 8 November, RAF Hercules aircraft have made a total of 193 flights into Sarajevo. We have made available to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees four C-130 Hercules aircraft for use in accordance with Security Council resolution 758. The airlift co-ordinated by UNHCR and United Nations protection forces began on 3 July when one of our Hercules aircraft left Zagreb for Sarajevo. The other three aircraft remain on standby at RAF Lyneham. The information we have on total flights by other nations as at 5 November 1992 is as follows:

  Country

  Number of flights

  Algeria

  1

  Belgium

  28

  Canada

  160

  Denmark

  18

  France

  290

  Germany

  218

  Greece

  5

  Italy

  149

  Kuwait

  2

  Netherlands

  13

  Norway

  10

  Portugal

  1

  Saudi Arabia

  4

  Spain

  6

  Sweden

  27

  Tunisia

  1

  Turkey

  21

  United States

  309

  MED du MONDE (Contractor)

  1

  RAF Missiles
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF service and civilian jobs will be lost as a result of the move of in-depth maintenance of RAF missiles to royal naval armament depots; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Some depot level maintenance of RAF missiles has been carried out at Royal Navy armaments depot—RNAD—facilities for many years efficiently and effectively. Our plan to move more work to RNADs is expected initially to save in the order of 16 service and three civilian posts. Some service posts are planned to be civilianised once the new arrangements are established.
  538

  Sentry Aircraft
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether RAF E-3 Sentry aircraft are to receive an equivalent advanced passive sector system refit to that to be provided to equivalent USAF and NATO E-3 aircraft.

  Mr. Aitken
  RAF E-3D Sentry aircraft already have an advanced passive sector system equivalent to that to be provided for United States Air Force and NATO aircraft. There is no requirement for a refit.

  Ministry Committees
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the committees that operate within his Ministry, giving the objective and membership in each case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The principal committees operating within the Ministry of Defence are listed in a publication entitled "The Ministry of Defence", a copy of which is available in the Library. The current edition is, however, out of date and is being revised. I have, therefore, also placed in the Library an updating paper listing the main MOD committees, their objectives and membership. A number of other committees exist in the Department or are convened from time to time as required, but these could be included in the paper only at disproportionate cost and effort.

  Ministry Land
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the sites of Ministry land that have been sold to wildlife or landscape conservation organisations in each of the past five years, giving the name of the sites, to whom they were sold, the hectarage involved and whether the land was designated for conservation purposes; and what was the type of designation in each case.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  HMS Drake
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost to his Department of running HMS Drake; how much was spent in each of the last five years on hyperbaric medicine at HMS Drake; how many patients have attended in the past two years; and how many patients were sent from HMS Drake to the diving diseases research centre at Fort Bovisand in each of the past two years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The cost of running HMS Drake in the financial year 1991–92 was £27 million. No money has been spent on hyperbaric medicine at HMS Drake in the last five years. A total of 16,976 patients attended HMS Drake in 1991 and to date in 1992, 21,475 patients have attended. No patients have attended for hyperbaric treatment at HMS Drake or been referred to the diving diseases research centre at Fort Bovisand in the last two years.

  Mr. W. L. Martin
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects to pay Mr. W. L. Martin of Blackdown goat farm, Loddeswell, Kingsbridge, compensation for the loss of a cow resulting from a low-flying helicopter on 5 February; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he expects to reply to the two letters written by Mr. John Janes of Messrs. How and Janes, solicitors, Fore street, Kingsbridge, South Devon, regarding the claim for compensation submitted by Mr. W. L. Martin of Blackdown goat farm, Loddeswell, Kingsbridge.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A letter was sent to Mr. Martin's solicitors, Messrs. How and Janes, on 28 October offering a sum in payment of his claim.

  Redundancies
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the redundancy terms offered to civilian employees of the Ministry of Defence and contracted employees made redundant as a result of reductions in defence expenditure or relocation and rationalisation.

  Mr. Aitken
  Civil servants' redundancy payments are made under the terms of the principal civil service pension scheme and the benefits are based on reckonable service and pensionable pay. Generally, those aged 50 or over receive an immediate payment of their superannuation lump sum and an annual compensation payment, in lieu of and equal to their pension, and calculated using enhanced reckonable service. They also receive a compensation lump sum of up to six months' pensionable pay. Those under 50 have their pension benefits preserved to the minimum retirement age and receive an immediate compensation payment of up to three years' pensionable pay. A commercially run redundancy counselling and outplacement service has been set up to help civil servants who have been made redundant identify new opportunities.

  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State will write to the hon. Member about the redundancy terms offered to contracted employees.

  17 Training Regiment, Royal Artillery
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what estimate he has made of the number of civilian redundancies that will occur if the 17 Training Regiment, Royal Artillery, moves from Woolwich;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the future of the 17 Training Regiment of the Royal Artillery in Woolwich.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No final decision has been made on the future of 17 Training Regiment.

  Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make a statement on the future of the Queen Elizabeth military hospital in Woolwich.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) on 19 October 1992,Official Report, column 158.

  Departmental Properties
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many houses and flats in the ownership of his Department are currently vacant in each of the London boroughs; and how many have been vacant for more than three months, more than six months and more than one year;

  (2) if he will list the number of residential properties in the ownership of his Department in each of the London boroughs showing separately the number of houses and flats.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State will write to the hon. Member.

  Trident
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral answer of 27 October to the hon. Member for Motherwell, North (Dr. Reid),Official Report, columns 860–61, suggesting a figure of 500 warheads, if he will now publish the number of nuclear weapon warheads to be deployed on Trident by the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Rifkind
  No. We have long emphasised that our Trident submarines will enter service carrying no more than 128 warheads each, but that the actual number to be deployed will be decided in the light of circumstances at the time.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Bailiffs
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received on the organisation and management of bailiffs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  On 30 October 1992, when the consultation period closed, 98 responses to the consultation paper on the organisation and management of civil enforcement agents had been received by this Department. Some additional late responses are also expected. The views expressed are now being considered, but have not yet been analysed in detail.

  Magistrates
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many magistrates there are in England and Wales; how many are(a) women, (b) from the ethnic minorities and (c) ethnic minority women.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The total number of magistrates in England and Wales at 1 January 1992 was 29,441 of whom 13,336 were women. The total number from the ethnic minorities is not recorded centrally but of 2,017 appointments made in 1991, a total of 97—4·8 per cent.—were from the ethnic minorities, of whom 40 were women. All these figures include appointments made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will give the political balance for each magistrates bench in England and Wales.
  541
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Duchy Accounts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on what date he expects to publish the latest accounts of the duchy.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Duchy of Lancaster accounts are placed in the Library of the House in late January.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are currently employed by all Departments and agencies at each of the grades from grade 7 upwards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The table shows the total number of non-industrial civil servants at each of the grades from grade 7 upwards, as employed by all Departments and agencies, at 1 April 1992.

  Grade

  Staff1 in post

  1

  36

  2

  130

  3

  487

  4

  280

  5

  2,557

  6

  4,569

  7

  13,321

  Total

  21,379

  1 Full-time equivalents (part-time staff are counted as half units).

  Source: Mandate and departmental returns.

  These grades represent just over 4 per cent. of the non-industrial civil service.

  Banking Supervision
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to appoint the head of the new investigations unit in connection with banking supervision from a firm which has not been criticised by the Department of Trade and Industry inspectors.

  Mr. Nelson
  The appointment of the head of the new special investigations unit is a matter for the Governor of the Bank of England.

  Banknotes
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consult the Governor of the Bank of England concerning changing the colour of the new £20 and £10 banknotes so as to avoid confusion between them.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The design of Bank of England notes is the responsibility of the Bank. It advises that it has no plans to change the colours of the new £20 and £10 notes, which are predominantly purple and orange-brown respectively.542
  As well as different overall colours, the distinguishing features of the new notes include a bold coloured symbol on the front, different historical portraits on the reverse and different sizes, both in terms of height and width.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consult the Governor of the Bank of England concerning the redesign of United Kingdom banknotes or the use of different paper so as to reduce the risk of forgeries.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The design of Bank of England notes is the responsibility of the Bank. It advises that it has no plans to redesign its banknotes or to use different paper. The existing designs and the paper used take full account of the need for security against counterfeiting.

  Tobacco
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 30 June,Official Report, column 467, what is the expected loss of United Kingdom revenues from tobacco duties arising from the removal of fiscal frontiers; what increased level of tobacco imports this represents; and what action he will take in response to these changes.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 5 November 1992]: The removal of fiscal frontiers will improve trade opportunities for both imports and exports. However, commercial imports of tobacco and other excise goods will remain subject to United Kingdom rates of duty before they can be sold in the United Kingdom and there will therefore be no change in the volume of commercial imports or exports arising from the difference between United Kingdom rates of duty and duties in other member states.

  The removal of fiscal frontiers is expected to result in an increase in levels of cross border shopping for personal consumption. An estimate of £250 million for the revenue loss associated with personal importation of all excise goods was included in my right hon. Friend's 1992 Budget judgment—see "Budget Report and Financial Statement 1992–93", page 56.

  To adapt to the new circumstances of the single market, Customs have developed a new control strategy based on flexible anti-smuggling teams. As the focus of controls on EC trade is moved away from the physical frontiers, these mobile teams acting on intelligence, focused risk assessment and profiling will replace traditional systematic Customs checks at ports and airports.

  Financial Services (Regulation)
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the Financial Intermediaries, Managers and Brokers Regulatory Association on the operation of self-regulation arising from the Financial Services Act 1986.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 6 November 1992]: Matters relating to FIMBRA and the other bodies recognised by the Securities and Investments Board under the Financial Services Act are primarily for the board.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Modernisation
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what proposals he has to modernise the operations of the House.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway).

  Electronic Voting
  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what consideration he has given to changing the system of voting in the Chamber by the introduction of an electronic system.

  Mr. Newton
  None.

  Departmental Select Committees
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many reports have been produced by Departmental Select Committees arising out of work undertaken by these bodies in the 1987–1992 Parliament; and how many of these reports dealt exclusively with Northern Ireland matters.

  Mr. Newton
  Departmental Select Committees agreed to 317 reports, excluding special reports, during the 1987–1992 Parliament, of which five dealt exclusively with Northern Ireland matters.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  East Timor
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 28 October to the hon. Member for Norwood, (Mr. Fraser)Official Report, column 697, what steps he has taken as chairman to refer the question of human rights in East Timor to the European Foreign Affairs Council.

  Mr. Goodlad
  None. European Community Ministers have considered and expressed a view on this subject, most recently in the presidency's statement to the 47th session of the UN General Assembly.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the framework guidelines implemented by Her Majesty's Government to cover the transfer or retransfer of plutonium from the United Kingdom to foreign states under article 9 of the International Atomic Energy Agency INECIRC/254/REVI part 1, on nuclear export controls.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that the then Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave to the then hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield on 31 March 1976. The relevant paragraphs state:"When considering the export of nuclear equipment, material or technology we shall study each case on its merits.
  544
  Our first consideration will always be the provisions of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Euratom Treaty, and whether or not the prospective customer has concluded a Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
  Our detailed requirements will include the application of IAEA safeguards or comparable safeguards which are verified by the IAEA to exported nuclear equipment and material: an assurance that whatever we export will not be used to manufacture nuclear explosives for any purpose: an assurance that our exports will be adequately protected against the possibility of theft or sabotage: and assurances that if the equipment or material that we export is re-exported then the new purchaser will be required to give the same assurances on safeguards, non-explosive use and physical protection as were given by the original customer."—[Official Report, 31 March 1976; Vol. 908, c. 515.]

  The safeguards requirement in these guidelines was subsequently expanded by the statement issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 24 September 1991:
  "As part of our policy of seeking further to strengthen the barriers against nuclear proliferation, the British Government has decided with immediate effect to adopt a policy of full-scope safeguards as a condition of supply. This means that in future Britain will not allow the export of any significant new nuclear supplies or materials to any country, other than the nuclear weapon states, where there are any unsafeguarded nuclear installations."

  Tunisia
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an estimate of the number of British tourists who visited Tunisia during the past year.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There are no detailed figures available from Government records of the numbers of British tourists visiting Tunisia in the past year. However, the Tunisian tourist office in London says that 120,326 British tourists visited Tunisia in 1991 and that it expects that around 200,000 British tourists will have visited Tunisia by the end of 1992.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given to the reports of Amnesty International in March and October concerning human rights abuses in Tunisia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are aware of the Amnesty International reports and have raised the question of human rights with the Tunisian Government.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those states that have ratified or acceded to the non-proliferation treaty since 1 January, including the date of ratification or accession for each state.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The following states have become parties to the non-proliferation treaty this year:

  1992

  Estonia

  7 January

  Latvia

  31 January

  China

  9 March

  Slovenia

  7 April

  Uzbekistan

  7 May

  France

  3 August

  Azerbaijan

  22 September

  545

  1992

  Namibia

  2 October

  Niger

  9 October

  Israel
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to invite Prime Minister Rabin of Israel to visit London.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As I told the House on 28 October, at column 1008, the Israeli Prime Minister will visit London in December.

  Regional and Minority Languages
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are Her Majesty's Government's intentions regarding signing the European charter for regional or minority languages.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We are still considering whether to sign the European charter on minority or regional languages.

  St. Helena
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy not to approve the proposal to establish a clothing manufacturing plant on St. Helena unless it has the support of the local population.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We understand that the proposal did not gain the support of St. Helenians. It has accordingly been rejected by the Saint Helena Government.

  Angola
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken within the international community to help bring about a return to peace and constitutional rule in Angola following the recent election; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have been working closely with the United Nations Security Council and our EC partners, as evidenced by United Nations Security Council resolution 785 adopted on 30 October and an EC statement issued on 4 November, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  In Luanda, our ambassador and his staff were instrumental in supporting the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General to broker the cease fire which came into force on 1 November. They continue to be very active in support of efforts by the United Nations special representative in Angola to consolidate the cease fire.

  IAEA
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money has been allocated by Her Majesty's Government to the International Atomic Energy Agency to undertake monitoring work in relation to the non-proliferation treaty in 1992–93; what plans he has for the allocation of money for this purpose in the future; and if he will make a statement.
  546
  Mr. Eggar
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 July 1992 at Official Report, column 211. For 1992–93 the United Kingdom has contributed £5·1 million to the Agency's regular budget. The Government will continue to meet its obligations as a member of the agency. Financial provision for the payment of future subscriptions will be sought through the main Supply Estimates.

EDUCATION

  Parents in Partnership
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received concerning the future of Parents in Partnership; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I have received several letters from Parents in Partnership about future funding arrangements. This Department undertook to provide transitional funding for a limited period. Now that the three-year period has come to an end, it is for the London boroughs to support local and regional voluntary groups as they see fit.

  St. Paul's Secondary School, Abbey Wood
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received regarding the future of St. Paul's Roman Catholic secondary school in Abbey Wood; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has received one letter about St. Paul's school and I have replied to one previous question. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) on 19 October,Official Report, column 8.

  Schools, Chelmsford
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list, for each school in the Chelmsford parliamentary constituency, the amount of money given to each school under the local management of schools formula in the last financial year and the current financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  Details of schools' budget shares are contained within part 2 of the section 42 budget statements prepared and published by each local education authority. A copy of the statements for 1991–92 and 1992–93 published by Essex county council have been placed in the Library.

  Determination of budgets for a local authority's schools has to be in accordance with the local management of schools formula devised by the LEA within the national policy framework.

  Examination Results
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department plans to spend on the compilation and publication of comparative tables of school examination results.

  Mr. Forth
  We now estimate that the total cost to the Department of compilation, publication and distribution to meet the expected demand for school-by-school comparative tables of examination results will be some £1·4 million.

  Consultants
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list all of the reports his Department has commissioned from external consultants in each of the last three years; for each of the last three years, how many reports from external consultants to his Department led to further consultancy work being commissioned, stating for each of these who were the original and subsequent consultants and briefly describing the subject matter of the consultancy work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) on 15 July,Official Report, column 727. The majority of consultancies listed for the years 1989, 1990 and 1991 in my earlier reply led to reports, some of which were for internal use; some of which were published. The following consultancies—asterisked—were either renewed or led to further work being commissioned:

  Consultancy Commissioned

  1990

  *90/7.

  Peter Pierce-Price

  Quality assurance of ECCTIS 2000 Contract renewed on 31 March 91 and 31 March 92

  *90/24.

  SSADM (SCOLL)

  Productivity Improvement Programme

  90/25.

  Lalcrest

  Productivity Improvement Programme

  91/13.

  LBMS Ltd

  Development of Productivity Improvement Initiative

  *90/31.

  BIS

  Project review of Enhanced Technical Data Service (ETDS)

  90/32.

  ORACLE

  Evaluation of software for ETDS

  90/33.

  Henley

  Feasibility of ETDS

  91/49.

  BBT

  ETDS data conversion

  91/79.

  Coopers Lybrand Deloitte

  ETDS and DCPS business case

  91/80.

  Insight

  ETDS CRAMM review

  *90/36.

  Kinesis

  Facilitator in implementation of IT Records Management System

  90/37.

  Coopers Lybrand Deloitte

  Management of change for IT Records Management System

  *90/38.

  Amtec

  Feasibility Study for Policy Branch Information System

  91/71

  EIS

  Policy Branch Information System

  *90/46.

  BIS

  Full Study for replacement of Data Collection Processing System (DCPS)

  90/47

  ORACLE

  Benchmark of hardware for DCPS

  91/82

  Sema

  DCPS

  1991

  *91/1.

  Robson Rhodes

  Selection and implementation of Financial Management System for Teacher's Pensions Agency

  Robson Rhodes

  Operation of FMS system

  91/28.

  Michael Gill

  Quality assurance of PROSPECT Contract renewed on 31 March 92

  91/76.

  ORACLE

  HMI management system

  77/91.

  Dataflex

  HMI management system

  University Staff
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many readers and professors there are in each of Britain's universities;

  (2) whether he will publish a list showing the numbers of (a) academic and (b) non-academic staff at each university.

  Mr. Forman
  The latest published details of academic staff are contained in "University Statistics 1989–90, Volume One, Staff and Students", published by the Universities Statistical Record—USR—and in "The Academic Staff in Polytechnics and Colleges: 1991", an information document published by the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council—PCFC. I understand that copies of the USR publication are available in the Library and copies of the PCFC document will be placed in the Library. Details of non-academic staff at individual institutions are not available centrally.

PRIME MINISTER

  Library and Information Services
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Prime Minister what inter-departmental co-ordination of Government policy towards library and information services exists; and what steps he is taking to improve such co-ordination.

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for National Heritage liaises with colleagues on library and information matters where these are not within a specific departmental interest. Department of National Heritage officials have close working relations with other Government Departments. The National Heritage Secretary is considering how far these links need to be strengthened, and will initiate action as necessary.

  Security Services
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what is his policy in regard to permitting serving members of the security services to give evidence in court cases held in the United Kingdom on matters related to their responsibilities.

  The Prime Minister
  There is no objection of principle to serving members of the security and intelligence services giving evidence in court cases held in the United Kingdom on matters relating to their responsibilities, subject to considerations of the public interest, including protection of identification, and to the condition of relevance being satisfied.

  European Parliament
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in regard to examining reports produced by the European Parliament committees.

  The Prime Minister
  Departments in London closely follow European Parliament—EP—developments on subjects within their responsibilities. Councils in Brussels take account of EP resolutions relating to their current business. Each Foreign Affairs Council considers resolutions recently approved by the European Parliament and the presidency draws attention to resolutions of particular importance.

  Edinburgh Summit
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government will support the proposals to be made at the Edinburgh summit by the Government of Denmark.

  The Prime Minister
  The proposals submitted by the Danish Government on ratification of the Maastricht treaty will form the basis for our discussions with other member states. Our objective is to agree the framework for a solution at Edinburgh.

  Indonesia
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will review the Government's opposition to an arms embargo against Indonesia.

  The Prime Minister
  No. I do not believe that a review is necessary.

  European Union
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what opportunities exist for citizens of the United Kingdom to make suggestions to the European Commission for proposals to the Council under the provisions of the treaty on European Union.

  The Prime Minister
  Any citizen of a member state may make suggestions to the Commission.

  Maastricht Treaty
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he will put forward to enable the Danish request for exemption from part two of the treaty on European union, concerning citizenship, to be met.

  The Prime Minister
  A memorandum was presented by the Danish Government to Community member states on 30 October. This will now be discussed within the Community.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister in what areas of policy covered by the treaty on European union will the Commission's role be solely advisory.

  The Prime Minister
  There are provisions in the treaty on European union for the Commission to be consulted on a proposal by another party; for example, article 168a—court of first instance—and article N—amendment of the treaty.

  Government Employees
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the number of persons employed in general Government using the figures for(a) 1961 and (b) 1991; and what is the percentage increase that the 1991 figure represents.

  The Prime Minister
  The information required is available in the Central Statistical Office publication "Economic Trends", December 1991—Table D of "Employment in the public and private sectors". A copy is available in the Library.

  Public Record Office
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister how many papers his Department has currently withdrawn from the Public Record Office; if he will list their titles; and when he estimates that they will be returned.
  550
  The Prime Minister
  About 30 files of papers on open deposit at the Public Record Office are currently requisitioned for departmental use in London as permitted under the legislation, but the number may change from day to day. They have mainly been requisitioned for purposes of official historical research. A member of the public applying for access to any such file has only to cite its title and number, by reference to the shelf lists held at the Public Record Office, and arrangements can normally be made for its early return to the public reading room for as long as may reasonably be required.

  Health Pay Review Boards
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to suspend the health pay review boards; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 6 November 1992]: The Government see a continuing role for these review bodies, whose advice it has greatly valued. We have made clear to the review bodies, and more generally, the importance we attach to tight control over public spending and borrowing. As part of this, the Government will be seeking to maintain firm downward pressure on growth in the pay of public sector employees, including those whose pay is subject to the recommendations of the pay review bodies.

  President Yeltsin
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make representations to President Yeltsin concerning the Russian seal cull at his forthcoming meeting; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 5 November 1992]: The Russian authorities are well aware of public concern in the United Kingdom about seal culling. The EC banned the import of harp and hooded seal pup skins in 1983. The United Kingdom persuaded the Community to extend the ban indefinitely in 1989.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what official visits the Minister for Overseas Development has made over the last three weeks; what visits she plans over the next three weeks; which countries she visited; and for how long in each case.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The information requested is as follows:

  Official Visit

  Days

  Last three weeks

  Duration of visit

  Geneva

  1

  Russia and the Ukraine

  3

  Japan

  4

  Brussels

  1

  Next three weeks

  Expected duration

  Spain

  1

  Brussels

  1½

  New York

  2

  551
  The durations of the visits do not include time spent travelling to the destination.

  Tanzania
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current level of aid to Tanzania broken down by project.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Gross bilateral aid to Tanzania in 1991 was £40·344 million. Of this, £957,000 was project aid, £17·977 million programme aid, £13·196 million technical co-operation, and £8·214 million other types of aid, such as flows from the Commonwealth Development Corporation.

  The table lists the capital and technical co-operation projects currently supported.

  Project

  Total cost of project £000

  Agriculture and Livestock

  West Kilimanjaro Farms Dairy Project

  495

  Zanzibar Clove Disease Research Project

  799

  Armyworm Control Project

  726

  Lindi/Mtwara Goat Development Project

  360

  Sunflower Research Project

  300

  National Agricultural Research Project (NARP)

  1,572

  Livestock Development

  120

  Kilimanjaro Farms Coffee Project

  30

  Zanzibar Cash Crops Project (Phase II)

  2,666

  World Bank Agricultural Study

  300

  Forestry

  Cashew Nuts and Coconut Tree Crops Project

  3,510

  Kilombero Hardwood Study

  91

  Conservation

  Ruaha Wildlife Conservation Project

  800

  Fisheries

  Lindi/Mtwara Fisheries Project

  212

  Energy

  Mufindi Electrification Project

  2,067

  Roads

  Songea-Makambako Road Post-Construction Maintenance Project (Phase II)

  1,573

  Regional Road Maintenance

  3,786

  Highway Sector Field Manager

  70

  Aveling Barford Road Maintenance

  5

  Tanzam Highway Study

  150

  Railways

  Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC)

  10,969

  TRC Operations Improvement Plan

  502

  Water Transport

  Tanzanian Harbours Authority

  2,000

  Tanga Port Rehabilitation

  5,470

  Finance

  Financial Sector Adjustment Credit

  200

  Assistance Tanzania Development Financial Company (T.D.F.L.)

  100

  Assistance to National Board of Commerce (NBC) and Co-operative and Rural Development Bank (CRDB)

  265

  Privatisation Workshop

  30

  Computerisation of Foreign Aid Account

  40

  Assistance to Bank of Tanzania

  70

  Public Administration and Good Government

  Local Government Service Commission

  1,401

  Institute of Development Management

  422

  Zanzibar Civil Service Training Institute

  373

  552

  Project

  Total cost of project £000

  Government Audit Project

  1,246

  Police Training

  358

  Constitutional Reform

  24

  Paralstatal Reform

  1,000

  Social Development Adviser

  40

  Planning Commission

  130

  Personnel Control and Information Systems

  90

  Public Sector Adjustment

  144

  Education

  Zanzibar English Language Training

  1,441

  Tenger Agricultural Tutors

  290

  University Support Project Applied Zoology

  509

  Agricultural Engineering (Sokoine)

  383

  (ELT) Support Project (Phase II)

  5,580

  Population Census Support Project

  447

  Medium Term AIDS Plan

  3,000

  Adult Mortality/Morbidity

  1,139

  Family Health Project

  100

  Mbeya Health and Nutrition District Support (HANDS)

  646

  Tropical Forestry
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts have been undertaken by the Overseas Development Administration to press for the reform of the tropical forestry action plan.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In many international meetings since November 1990 the Overseas Development Administration has argued strongly for the reform of the tropical forestry action plan. Our aim continues to be to make it more responsive to the needs of local people and forest conservation and to focus it more on capacity building and policy development in developing countries. We have also argued for the establishment of a broad-based consultative group to oversee its operations.

  Somalia
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the latest situation in Somalia generally and in the Republic of Somaliland in particular in the light of the resignation of Ambassador Sahnoun; and what representations the British Government have made to the Secretary-General of the United Nations as a result.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development met representatives from non-governmental organisations on 3 November to discuss the situation in the light of Ambassador Sahnoun's resignation. The security and relief situation in central and southern Somalia is volatile. In the north, the situation is more settled.

  Acting bilaterally and on behalf of our Community partners, we have impressed upon the United Nations Secretary-General and his new special representative in Somalia, Mr. Ismat Kittani, the need for United Nations troops to be deployed quickly and for the United Nations' 100-day plan to continue. We have assured Mr. Ismat Kittani that we shall give him our full support.

TRANSPORT

  Coal Imports
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what port facilities are currently under construction for the purpose of handling bulk imports of foreign coal; and what public funds are being spent on these facilities or related rail or road infrastructure improvements.

  Mr. Norris
  The development of bulk handling facilities suitable for importing foreign coal is a matter for individual ports. I understand that such facilities are under construction at present at Gladstone dock, Liverpool, Royal Portbury dock, Avonmouth, and Kingston Terminal, Hull.

  There are no improvements to the road network directly related to these developments. The provision of rail infrastructure is a matter for the commercial judgment of British Rail, However, the Department of Transport will be paying for widening a railway bridge across the M5, under a legally binding agreement with British Rail entered into when the M5 was being built. The current estimated cost is £2·35 million.

  At Hull, construction of associated rail facilities is being assisted under section 8 of the Railways Act 1974 in recognition of the environmental benefits of distributing the product by rail rather than by road. The grant agreed was £226,000.

  Bus Services
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many companies in Scotland have(a) started operating bus services and (b) ceased operating bus services since the implementation of the Transport Act 1985.

  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many companies in England and Wales have(a) started operating bus services and (b) ceased operating bus services since the implementation of the Transport Act 1985.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information on the number of operators of local bus services is not available.

  Public Transport (Women)
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines are currently provided by his Department to transport planners and providers concerning the provision of safe public transport for women.

  Mr. Norris
  The remit of my Department's standing panel on assaults on bus staff has been extended to include the monitoring of data on assaults on bus passengers and possible remedial measures. The panel has recommended that bus operators install radios and video cameras in their vehicles to protect both employees and passengers.

  We have also co-sponsored the passenger guidance leaflet published by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, "Travel Safely by Public Transport". The leaflet contains practical safety tips for women using all forms of public transport.

  Travel Cards
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make it his policy that whole system travel cards should continue to be provided within the proposed franchising system after rail privatisation;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to extend the requirement on carriers to participate in the west midlands travel card scheme beyond the current three-year provision.

  Mr. Freeman
  Travel cards are attractive to customers and have marketing advantages for operators. Our objective following privatisation is that travel cards should be sufficiently attractive commercially that franchisees will wish to participate in them.

  Preston-Colne Railway
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects British Rail to be in a position to run new rolling stock on the Preston to Colne line.

  Mr. Freeman
  The service is already operated by modern Pacer units.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the quality, speed, comfort and reliability of the train service between Preston and Colne.

  Mr. Freeman
  These matters are primarily for the British Railways Board. However, I understand that, while services have operated reasonably well over recent months, there is still room for improvements. British Rail's passengers charter provides for compensation to be paid to passengers where performance falls significantly below agreed standards.

  London Underground
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what stage London Underground Ltd.'s discussions on its proposals for the East London line extensions with the local boroughs along the route of the project have reached; and when, subject to the project meeting his Department's criteria, he expects London Underground Ltd. to seek parliamentary and planning approval under the powers contained in the Transport and Works Act 1992.

  Mr. Norris
  Over recent months, London Underground Ltd. have held a number of formal borough consultation meetings to discuss the principle of the project. These have been supported by meetings addressing specific issues. The project is currently being considered by the boards of London Underground and London Transport and no decision has yet been taken on when any powers should be sought.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he proposes Rail Track will raise investment income to maintain and extend the network; and if he will make a statement on the impact of franchise costs.

  Mr. Freeman
  Investment will largely be financed over its life from charges to operators. However, the
  555
  Government are also ready to provide direct support for investment in the railway for schemes which, although not earning an adequate financial return, provide a satisfactory cost-benefit return when wider benefits are taken into account. The benefits of investment, as well as the costs, for franchisees will of course differ from case to case.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of his privatisation proposals for British Rail on exploitation of the opportunities to improve the north-south rail service in the Coventry travel-to-work area and Coventry station.

  Mr. Freeman
  I expect the introduction of franchising to enable private sector operators to respond more flexibly to customer need.

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ensure that the financial regime governing the post-privatisation rail service will require local service and local economic factors to be taken into consideration in investment decisions.

  Mr. Freeman
  Privatisation will help the railways to give passenger and freight customers the services they expect. The Government have made clear that they fully recognise the social and other benefits of regional and commuter passenger services and are committed to providing continuing subsidy to support them.

  Railway Regulator
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state the statutory provision governing the operation of the railway regulator with effect from 1 January 1993.

  Married couple with two children aged 6 and 4 Net income after payment of tax, national insurance and deductions of housing benefit and community charge benefit and family credit

  Taper

  Gross earnings

  50 per cent.

  55 per cent.

  60 per cent.

  165 per cent.

  70 per cent.

  75 per cent.

  80 per cent.

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  108

  89·04

  86·99

  84·94

  82·89

  80·85

  79·54

  79·54

  109

  89·60

  87·54

  85·48

  83·42

  81·36

  80·21

  80·21

  110

  90·17

  88·10

  86·03

  83·96

  81·89

  80·89

  80·89

  111

  90·75

  88·67

  86·59

  84·51

  82·43

  81·57

  81·57

  112

  91·32

  89·23

  87·14

  85·04

  82·95

  82·25

  82·25

  113

  91·89

  89·79

  87·69

  85·59

  83·49

  82·93

  82·93

  114

  92·47

  90·36

  88·24

  86·13

  83·61

  83·61

  83·61

  115

  93·03

  90·91

  88·79

  86·66

  84·28

  84·28

  84·28

  116

  93·60

  91·47

  89·34

  87·20

  84·96

  84·96

  84·96

  117

  94·18

  92·03

  89·89

  87·75

  85·64

  85·64

  85·64

  118

  94·75

  92·60

  90·44

  88·29

  86·32

  86·32

  86·32

  119

  95·31

  93·15

  90·98

  88·82

  86·99

  86·99

  86·99

  120

  95·89

  93·71

  91·54

  89·36

  87·67

  87·67

  87·67

  121

  96·46

  94·28

  92·09

  89·90

  88·35

  88·35

  88·35

  122

  97·03

  94·84

  92·64

  90·44

  89·03

  89·03

  89·03

  123

  91·61

  95·40

  93·19

  90·98

  89·71

  89·71

  89·71

  124

  98·18

  95·96

  93·75

  91·53

  90·39

  90·39

  90·39

  125

  98·75

  96·52

  94·26

  92·06

  91·06

  91·06

  91·06

  126

  99·32

  97·08

  94·84

  92·60

  91·74

  91·74

  91·74

  127

  99·89

  97·64

  95·39

  93·14

  92·42

  92·42

  92·42

  128

  100·47

  98·21

  95·95

  93·68

  93·10

  93·10

  93·10

  129

  101·04

  98·77

  96·49

  93·78

  93·78

  93·78

  93·78

  130

  101·60

  99·32

  97·04

  94·45

  94·45

  94·45

  94·45

  131

  102·18

  99·88

  97·59

  95·13

  95·13

  95·13

  95·13

  132

  102·75

  100·44

  98·14

  95·81

  95·81

  95·81

  95·81

  133

  103·32

  101·01

  98·69

  96·49

  96·49

  96·49

  96·49

  134

  103·90

  101·57

  99·25

  97·17

  97·17

  97·17

  97·17

  135

  104·46

  102·13

  99·79

  97·84

  97·84

  97·84

  97·84

  136

  105·03

  102·69

  100·34

  98·52

  98·52

  98·52

  98·52

  137

  105·61

  103·25

  100·89

  99·20

  99·20

  99·20

  99·20

  556
  Mr. Freeman
  We shall shortly lay before the House regulations under section 2 of the European Communities Act 1972 to implement European Council Directive 91/440 on 1 January 1993. The regulations will provide for the establishment of an international rail regulator to oversee access to the rail network by international services.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the net income left currently after payment of tax and national insurance, and deduction of housing benefit, community charge benefit and where applicable family credit, for(a) a single person in employment and (b) a family with children, of whom one adult is in employment, for every extra £1 of earnings while benefit entitlement remains, and how this would change were the housing benefit tapers to be adjusted to (i) 50 per cent., (ii) 55 per cent., (iii) 60 per cent., (iv) 70 per cent., (v) 75 per cent. and (vi) 80 per cent.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is in the tables.

  The following assumptions have been made:

  1. The single employed person is over age 25.

  2. The family with children contains two children aged 6 and 4.

  3. The starting level of gross earnings in each case is that which gives a net income after housing costs around the level of net income after housing costs if in receipt of income support.

  All other assumptions are as in the published tax benefit model tables.
  557

  Taper

  Gross earnings

  50 per cent.

  55 per cent.

  60 per cent.

  165 per cent.

  70 per cent.

  75 per cent.

  80 per cent.

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  138

  106·17

  103·81

  101·44

  99·87

  99·87

  99·87

  99·87

  139

  106·70

  104·33

  101·95

  100·50

  100·50

  100·50

  100·50

  140

  107·23

  104·85

  102·46

  101·13

  101·13

  101·13

  101·13

  141

  107·77

  105·37

  102·97

  101·76

  101·76

  101·76

  101·76

  142

  108·30

  105·89

  103·48

  102·39

  102·39

  102·39

  102·39

  143

  108·83

  106·41

  103·99

  103·02

  103·02

  103·02

  103·02

  144

  109·36

  106·93

  104·50

  103·65

  103·65

  103·65

  103·65

  145

  109·89

  107·45

  105·01

  104·28

  104·28

  104·28

  104·28

  146

  110·42

  107·98

  105·53

  104·91

  104·91

  104·91

  104·91

  147

  110·95

  108·50

  106·04

  105·54

  105·54

  105·54

  105·54

  148

  111·48

  109·02

  106·17

  106·17

  106·17

  106·17

  106·17

  149

  112·01

  109·54

  106·80

  106·80

  106·80

  106·80

  106·80

  150

  112·54

  110·06

  107·43

  107·43

  107·43

  107·43

  107·43

  151

  113·08

  110·58

  108·06

  108·06

  108·06

  108·06

  108·06

  152

  113·61

  111·10

  108·69

  108·69

  108·69

  108·69

  108·69

  153

  114·14

  111·62

  109·36

  109·32

  109·32

  109·32

  109·32

  154

  114·67

  112·14

  109·95

  109·95

  109·95

  109·95

  109·95

  155

  115·20

  112·66

  110·58

  110·58

  110·58

  110·58

  110·58

  156

  115·74

  113·20

  111·22

  111·22

  111·22

  111·22

  111·22

  157

  116·27

  113·72

  111·85

  111·85

  111·85

  111·85

  111·85

  158

  116·80

  114·24

  112·48

  112·48

  112·48

  112·48

  112·48

  159

  117·33

  114·76

  113·11

  113·11

  113·11

  113·11

  113·11

  160

  117·86

  115·28

  113·74

  113·74

  113·74

  113·74

  113·74

  161

  118·40

  115·80

  114·37

  114·37

  114·37

  114·37

  114·37

  162

  118·93

  116·32

  115·00

  115·00

  115·00

  115·00

  115·00

  163

  119·46

  116·84

  115·63

  115·63

  115·63

  115·63

  115·63

  164

  119·99

  117·36

  116·26

  116·26

  116·26

  116·26

  116·26

  165

  120·52

  117·88

  116·89

  116·89

  116·89

  116·89

  116·89

  166

  121·05

  118·41

  117·52

  117·52

  117·52

  117·52

  117·52

  167

  121·58

  118·93

  118·15

  118·15

  118·15

  118·15

  118·15

  168

  122·11

  119·45

  118·78

  118·78

  118·78

  118·78

  118·78

  169

  122·64

  119·97

  119·41

  119·41

  119·41

  119·41

  119·41

  170

  123·17

  120·04

  120·04

  120·04

  120·04

  120·04

  120·04

  171

  123·71

  120·67

  120·67

  120·67

  120·67

  120·67

  120·67

  172

  124·24

  121·30

  121·30

  121·30

  121·30

  121·30

  121·30

  173

  124·77

  121·93

  121·93

  121·93

  121·93

  121·93

  121·93

  174

  125·30

  122·56

  122·56

  122·56

  122·56

  122·56

  122·56

  175

  125·83

  123·19

  123·19

  123·19

  123·19

  123·19

  123·19

  176

  126·36

  123·82

  123·82

  123·82

  123·82

  123·82

  123·82

  177

  126·89

  124·45

  124·45

  124·45

  124·45

  124·45

  124·45

  178

  127·42

  125·08

  125·08

  125·08

  125·08

  125·08

  125·08

  179

  127·95

  125·71

  125·71

  125·71

  125·71

  125·71

  125·71

  180

  128·48

  126·34

  126·34

  126·34

  126·34

  126·34

  126·34

  181

  129·02

  126·97

  126·97

  126·97

  126·97

  126·97

  126·97

  182

  129·55

  127·60

  127·60

  127·60

  127·60

  127·60

  127·60

  183

  130·09

  128·24

  128·24

  128·24

  128·24

  128·24

  128·24

  184

  130·65

  128·90

  128·90

  128·90

  128·90

  128·90

  128·90

  185

  131·21

  129·56

  129·56

  129·56

  129·56

  129·56

  129·56

  186

  131·77

  130·22

  130·22

  130·22

  130·22

  130·22

  130·22

  187

  132·33

  130·88

  130·88

  130·88

  130·88

  130·88

  130·88

  188

  132·99

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  189

  133·32

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  190

  133·65

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Current Housing Benefit taper.

  Gross earnings

  Single person aged 25 or over Net income after payment of tax, national insurance and deductions of Housing Benefit and Community Charge Benefit Tapers

  50 per cent.

  55 per cent.

  60 per cent.

  165 per cent.

  70 per cent.

  75 per cent.

  80 per cent.

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  40

  38·95

  38·95

  38·95

  38·95

  38·95

  38·95

  38·95

  41

  39·95

  39·95

  39·95

  39·95

  39·95

  39·95

  39·95

  42

  40·95

  40·95

  40·95

  40·95

  40·95

  40·95

  40·95

  43

  41·95

  41·95

  41·95

  41·95

  41·95

  41·95

  41·95

  44

  42·95

  42·95

  42·95

  42·95

  42·95

  42·95

  42·95

  45

  43·95

  43·95

  43·95

  43·95

  43·95

  43·95

  43·95

  46

  44·95

  44·95

  44·95

  44·95

  44·95

  44·95

  44·95

  47

  45·95

  45·95

  45·95

  45·95

  45·95

  45·95

  45·95

  48

  46·59

  46·56

  46·53

  46·50

  46·48

  46·45

  46·42

  49

  46·94

  46·86

  46·78

  46·70

  46·63

  46·55

  46·47

  50

  47·29

  47·16

  47·03

  46·90

  46·78

  46·65

  46·52

  558 559

  Gross earnings

  Single person aged 25 or over Net income after payment of tax, national insurance and deductions of Housing Benefit and Community Charge Benefit

  50 per cent.

  55 per cent.

  60 per cent.

  165 per cent.

  70 per cent.

  75 per cent.

  80 per cent.

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  51

  47·64

  47·46

  47·28

  47·10

  46·93

  46·75

  46·57

  52

  47·99

  47·76

  47·53

  47·30

  47·08

  46·85

  46·62

  53

  48·34

  48·06

  47·78

  47·50

  47·23

  46·95

  46·67

  54

  48·32

  48·04

  47·77

  47·49

  47·22

  46·95

  46·67

  55

  48·63

  48·31

  47·99

  47·67

  47·35

  47·04

  46·72

  56

  48·95

  48·58

  48·22

  47·85

  47·49

  47·12

  46·76

  57

  49·27

  48·86

  48·45

  48·04

  47·63

  47·22

  46·81

  58

  49·59

  49·13

  48·67

  48·22

  47·76

  47·31

  46·85

  59

  49·90

  49·40

  48·90

  48·40

  47·90

  47·40

  46·89

  60

  50·23

  49·68

  49·13

  48·59

  48·04

  47·49

  46·95

  61

  50·54

  49·95

  49·36

  48·76

  48·17

  47·58

  46·99

  62

  50·86

  50·22

  49·58

  48·94

  48·31

  47·67

  47·03

  63

  51·18

  50·50

  49·81

  49·13

  48·45

  47·77

  47·08

  64

  51·50

  50·77

  50·04

  49·31

  48·58

  47·85

  47·12

  65

  51·81

  51·04

  50·26

  49·49

  48·71

  47·94

  47·17

  66

  52·14

  51·32

  50·50

  49·68

  48·86

  48·04

  47·22

  67

  52·40

  51·54

  50·68

  49·82

  48·97

  48·11

  47·25

  68

  52·65

  51·76

  50·86

  49·97

  49·08

  48·19

  47·29

  69

  52·90

  52·97

  51·04

  50·11

  49·18

  48·25

  47·32

  70

  53·14

  52·18

  51·21

  50·25

  49·28

  48·32

  47·36

  71

  53·40

  52·40

  51·40

  50·40

  49·40

  48·40

  47·40

  72

  53·64

  52·61

  51·57

  50·54

  49·50

  48·47

  47·43

  73

  53·89

  52·81

  51·74

  50·67

  49·60

  48·53

  47·46

  74

  54·14

  53·03

  51·93

  50·82

  49·72

  48·61

  47·50

  75

  54·39

  53·24

  52·10

  50·96

  49·82

  48·68

  47·54

  76

  54·64

  53·46

  52·29

  51·11

  49·93

  48·76

  47·58

  77

  54·89

  53·67

  52·46

  51·25

  50·04

  48·82

  47·61

  78

  55·13

  53·88

  52·63

  51·39

  50·14

  48·89

  47·64

  79

  55·39

  54·10

  52·82

  51·53

  50·25

  48·97

  47·68

  80

  55·63

  54·31

  52·99

  51·67

  50·35

  49·04

  47·72

  81

  55·88

  54·52

  53·17

  51·81

  50·46

  49·10

  47·75

  82

  56·13

  54·74

  53·35

  51·96

  50·57

  49·18

  47·79

  83

  56·44

  55·01

  53·58

  52·16

  50·73

  49·31

  47·88

  84

  56·79

  55·33

  53·87

  52·41

  50·95

  49·49

  48·02

  85

  57·15

  55·65

  54·15

  52·66

  51·16

  49·66

  48·17

  86

  57·50

  55·97

  54·44

  52·90

  51·37

  49·84

  48·31

  87

  57·86

  56·29

  54·72

  53·15

  51·59

  50·02

  —

  88

  58·21

  56·61

  55·00

  53·40

  51·80

  50·20

  —

  89

  58·57

  56·93

  55·29

  53·65

  52·01

  50·37

  —

  90

  58·92

  57·25

  55·57

  53·90

  52·22

  —

  —

  91

  59·28

  57·57

  55·86

  54·15

  52·44

  —

  —

  92

  59·63

  57·89

  56·14

  54·40

  52·65

  —

  —

  93

  59·99

  58·20

  56·42

  54·64

  52·86

  —

  —

  94

  60·34

  58·52

  56·71

  54·89

  —

  —

  —

  95

  60·70

  58·84

  56·99

  55·14

  —

  —

  —

  96

  61·05

  59·16

  57·28

  55·39

  —

  —

  —

  97

  61·41

  59·48

  57·56

  55·64

  —

  —

  —

  98

  61·76

  59·80

  57·84

  —

  —

  —

  —

  99

  62·12

  60·12

  58·13

  —

  —

  —

  —

  100

  62·47

  60·44

  58·41

  —

  —

  —

  —

  101

  62·83

  60·76

  58·70

  —

  —

  —

  —

  102

  63·18

  61·08

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  103

  63·54

  61·40

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  104

  63·89

  61·72

  —

  —

  —

  —

  105

  64·24

  62·04

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  106

  64·57

  62·33

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  107

  64·90

  62·63

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  108

  65·23

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  109

  65·56

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  110

  65·89

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  111

  66·22

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  112

  66·55

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  113

  66·88

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Represents current Housing Benefit taper

  Asylum
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what provision exists for financially assisting those seeking political asylum in the period between entry 560
  and the receipt by his Department of the standard acknowledgement letter proving identity; and if he will make a statement.
  561
  Mr. Burt
  Income support is available to asylum seekers under the urgent cases rules from the date of their claim until their immigration status has been determined by the Home Office.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to speed up the delivery of cold weather payments this winter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  No such plans are necessary as delays are already at a minimum. Last year's improvements to the cold weather payments scheme introduced automatic payments without the need to claim. As a result girocheques are posted on average within 11 days of a period of cold weather being declared, which is a considerable improvement on any previous scheme.

  Early Retirement Pensions
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ask the Occupational Pensions Board to review the imposition of early retirement reductions in many pension schemes.

  Miss Widdecombe
  No. It is a well-established principle that a member of an occupational pension scheme who retires before the scheme's normal retirement age usually receives a reduced pension. The amount of any reduction, which is calculated on an actuarial basis, is determined according to the rules of the scheme.

  Community Care Grants
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if community care grants from the social fund are payable to help people without furniture or cooking facilities who are being rehoused from local authority temporary accommodation for the homeless.

  Mr. Scott
  Yes. People in these circumstances may receive a community care grant; but, as with all applications to the social fund, it is for the social fund officer to decide whether a payment can be made after taking account of all the factors in each case.

HEALTH

  Health Inequalities
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made, and what specific measures have been taken to reach the World Health Organisation's target of a 25 per cent. reduction in health inequalities by the year 2000.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The "Health of the Nation" Green Paper—Cm. 1523, appendix 1—reviewed progress towards the World Health Organisation "Health for All" targets. As illustrated in the subsequent White Paper— Cm. 1986—the Government have taken and are taking a wide variety of measures to continue the improvements in health that have been achieved across the board, and particularly to focus on people at greater risk.

  Benzodiazepines
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) residential and (b) day centres have been set up over the past year to help people withdraw from benzodiazepines.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds are bed-blocked at each of the general hospitals in London.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Tomlinson Report
  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish her financial analysis on the capital cost of implementing the recommendations of the Tomlinson inquiry.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We received Sir Bernard Tomlinson's report on 15 October, and we shall consider its recommendations carefully. We shall publish our proposals for action, and their financial implications, in the new year.

  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the detailed evidence on which Sir Bernard Tomlinson based his view that St. Thomas's and Guy's hospital should merge on to one site without detriment to patient care in south London.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Sir Bernard Tomlinson's report refers to meetings with more than 1,000 people, and to 127 written submissions. Sir Bernard distilled this material into the strategic report requested by Ministers.

  Krypton-85
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies have been conducted by her Department into the health effects of Krypton-85.

  Mr. Sackville
  Assessments of the dose to a local population resulting from a release of the currently allowed does limit of Krypton-85 have been made by the National Radiological Protection Board, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. I am advised that the dose at this level would be of the order of one microSievert per annum and may be regarded as negligible in relation to the average natural background dose from all types of natural radiation of 2,200 microSievert per annum.

  Vaccination
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she intends to make vaccination against Hepatitis B part of normal national health service vaccination procedure; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Hepatitis B immunisation is already recommended for a number of at-risk groups, and is kept under constant review, with expert advice from the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation and the advisory group on hepatitis. The continuing decline in laboratory reports of the disease is very welcome.

  Hyberbaric Medicine
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of the budget of each regional health authority is spent on research into hyperbaric medicine; and what information he has on expenditure on hyperbaric medicine of other EC countries for each of the last three years;

  (2) what percentage of the budget of each regional health authority has been spent on hyperbaric medicine for the last three years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the extent of Government funding of research into hyperbaric medicine.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid through the Office of Science and Technology under the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. I understand that the MRC is currently funding a number of research projects into hyperbaric medicine at its clinical research centre at Northwick Park.

  The Department of Health is not currently funding any research into hyperbaric medicine.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the start-up cost for each of the second and third wave hospitals and national health service unit trusts; and if she will state which budget has met this cost in each instance.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In the second wave, £226,000 was allocated to each NHS trust as a start-up cost. This non recurring revenue addition, top sliced from vote 1, hospital and community health services, is paid to regions to help cover expenditure incurred by trusts during their shadow running period—the period immediately prior to their operational date when they have no access to money of their own. This covers shadow board costs, legal expenses connected with the transfer of assets, employment of staff and other miscellaneous expenses.

  A similar sum will be allocated to third wave trusts.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 3 November,Official Report, column 180, how much grant was paid to each national health service unit applying for trust status for (a) training and (b) development costs during the application process.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Training and development grants were not paid to individual units.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 3 November,Official Report, column 180, how much of the revenue grant paid to trusts during their shadow running period was for (a) shadow board costs, (b) legal expenses, (c) employment of staff and (d) miscellaneous expenses.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This allocation is not broken down centrally and is for the trusts themselves to determine, depending on their individual circumstances.
  564
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 3 November,Official Report, column 180, how much each trust has spent on (a) shadow board costs, (b) legal expenses, (c) employment of staff and (d) miscellaneous expenses; and if she will define what costs are included under miscellaneous expenses.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The amount spent by each trust on these individual items is not held centrally. Miscellaneous expenses include any expense connected with tasks necessary to take over full operational responsibility from 1 April.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 3 November,Official Report, column 180, how the revenue grant to trusts during their shadow running period is calculated.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The amount allocated for top-sliced funding to meet start-up costs and consultation costs is divided on an equal basis and paid to successful trusts in each wave.

  Birth Statistics
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health further to her answer of 30 October,Official Report, column 936, if she will list by Benefits Agency district the number of live births during 1989, 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Sackville
  The boundaries of some Benefits Agency districts split postcodes and the data requested are therefore not available in the form requested.

  NHS Staff
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the number of redundancies among national health service staff by profession, that have taken place in each region for each of the last three years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Data on redundancies in the national health service are not collected centrally, other than in respect of staff who are both over 50 years of age and have at least five years' reckonable service for superannuation purposes. These data are not broken down by grade.

  Qa Business Services Ltd.
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the operation of the Qa Business Services Ltd. pension scheme.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Administration of the Qa pension fund, following the collapse of Qa Business Services Ltd., is being undertaken by the independent trustees, Bradstock Financial Services Ltd.

  Grants
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish her Department's policy on the issuing of grants under its section 64 general scheme; and if she will make a statement on changes to the policy agreed for the last 12 months.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 29 October at columns 842–43. Copies of the notes of guidance for

  565
  applicants for 1993–94, together with the covering letter I sent to all voluntary organisations receiving, or applying for, a section 64 general scheme grant, have been placed in the Library.

  NHS Costs
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 3 November,Official Report, column 180, how much was spent by each region (a) on statutory consultation costs and (b) on conveyancing costs; and how much was spent by each trust (i) during their shadow running periods and (ii) on training and developmental costs.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally.

  Regional Health Authorities
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to make a statement on the future of regional health authorities.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are consulting interested parties over the future relationship between Ministers, the NHS Management Executive and NHS authorities and trusts.

  Computerised Records
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the guidelines issued by her Department on the use of computerised patient records by general practitioners; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  No specific guidelines have been issued on the use of computerised patient records by practitioners. General practitioners are required by their terms and conditions of service to keep adequate patient records on forms supplied by family health service authorities. We will be reviewing the extent to which these terms of service should be amended to take account of new technology.

  Drugs
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on drugs in the national health service for 1990–91 and 1991–92; what is the latest estimate for expenditure in 1992–93; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Expenditure on drugs by the family health services in England amounted to £2,080 million in 1990–91 and £2,317 million in 1991–92. Provision in main estimates for 1992–93 is £2,444 million. A revised forecast will be available at the time of the Chancellor's autumn statement.

  The annual accounts of health authorities in England record total expenditure on drugs of £460 million for 1990–911 An equivalent figure for 1991–92 will be available later this year. Analyses of expenditure are not collected in-year and any estimate for 1992–93 would therefore be speculative.

  London Ambulance Service
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish(a) the proposed terms of reference for the inquiry into the London ambulance service, (b) the
  566
  membership of the inquiry team, (c) the timetable for the inquiry's work and (d) the likely publication date of the inquiry's report; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave the Member for Bromsgrove (Mr. Thomason) on 6 November at columns 445–46.

  NHS Management Executive
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times the chief executive of the National Health service Management Executive has visited the executive's headquarters in Leeds in the last six months.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Leeds headquarters of the National Health Service Management Executive—NHSME—have been occupied from 6 July 1992. The chief executive of the NHSME has visited the headquarters on six occasions since 6 July. His own office will be ready for occupation early in the new year.

  Women's Refuges
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give an estimate on the numbers of places per 10,000 women in women's refuges throughout England and Wales for each year since 1979 and at present.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held centrally. The Women's Aid Federation (England) Ltd. estimates that about 30,000 women and children are admitted to refuges each year. Refuge provision in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Vitamins
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information is held by his Department about problems which have arisen in the United Kingdom in each of the past 10 years for which figures are available which have involved incidents of poisoning or illness following self-overdosing with vitamin, mineral or other dietary supplements.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases there have been in each of the last 10 years when individuals suffered adversely as a result of self-overdosing wtih(a) vitamin C, (b) multi-vitamins, (c) vitamin and iron supplements and (d) salt.

  Mr. Sackville
  I have been asked to reply.

  This information is not collected centrally. The Government are considering whether a spontaneous reporting scheme for adverse reactions in association with use of dietary supplements should be established.

EMPLOYMENT

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) pursuant to her answer of 3 November,Official Report, column 201, on the levels of wages received by those covered by wages councils, how many employers records were checked in the analysis, what was the date of

  567
  the analysis, when it was carried out, how many wages councils were covered and what was the geographical distribution of the employers concerned;

  (2) pursuant to her oral answer of 3 November to the hon. Member for Wallasey (Ms. Eagle), Official Report, columns 129–30, what was the source and date of the information about the proportion of people covered by wages councils who are paid more than the rate set by those councils.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The estimate of around 3 to 4 per cent. of employees found to be underpaid is based on the annual statistics compiled by the wages inspectorate covering the inspection of some 30,000 establishments in all parts of the country. The estimate that two thirds of employees are paid significantly above the wages council minima is based on special information collected by wages inspectors in 1987 supplemented by up to date figures from the new earnings survey. The earlier information covered some 3,650 employers in all the inspectorate divisions. There are no separate details of the councils covered and their geographical distribution.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to her oral answer to the hon. Member for Strathkelvin and Bearsden (Mr. Galbraith) of 3 November,Official Report, columns 130, whether the other sources of income referred to include benefits, earned income or unearned income, respectively.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The 80 per cent. of wages council workers referred to are in households with two or more wage earners.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to her answer of 3 November,Official Report, columns 199–200, what was the basis of her approximation that two thirds of wages council workers are women.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The estimate is based on the Department's quarterly statistics of employees in employment for industry headings covering the main wages councils.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases of underpayment of wages council workers were discovered by the wages inspectorate in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage this represented of premises inspected and of the number of workers in those premises.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  During 1991, the wages inspectorate discovered 12,812 cases of underpayment of wages council workers in 5,971 establishments. This represented 18·3 per cent. of all establishments checked and 4·5 per cent. of all workers covered by checks.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases of underpayment of wages council workers were reported to the wages inspectorate in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage that represented of premises visited.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In 1991, 1,486 complaints of underpayment were received from wages council workers, which resulted in visits to 1,195 establishments, 6·5 per cent. of the total establishments visited.

  Health and Safety Commission
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many members the Health and Safety Commission has; how many of them are(a) women, (b) from ethnic minorities and (c) from ethnic minorities and women.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Health and Safety Commission currently comprises the chairman and nine other members. At present, one member is a woman and none is from an ethnic minority.

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many health and safety inspectors are(a) female or (b) from ethnic minority backgrounds; and in each case what proportion this figure is of the total number.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  At 1 November 1992, 209 or 14 per cent. of inspectors were women and 23 or 1·5 per cent. were from ethnic minority backgrounds.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) chairs and (b) members of industrial tribunals are (i) women and (ii) from ethnic minorities.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The figures are as follows:

  Number

  Chairmen

  Women

  16

  Members of the ethnic minorities

  2

  Lay members

  Women

  592

  Members of the ethnic minorities

  77

ENVIRONMENT

  Hazardous Waste
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make it his policy to make representations to the Council of Ministers in order to allow EC member states to ban unilaterally waste imports and exports;

  (2) what action is currently undertaken by his Department to ensure that all transfers of hazardous waste from the United Kingdom for recycling in non-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Countries;

  (3) if he will make representations to the Council of Ministers to secure that any ban on waste exports from the EC includes OECD green list wastes;

  (4) if he will make it his policy to support measures to ban hazardous waste trafficking with developing countries;

  (5) if he will make representations in the OECD to oppose the introduction of red, amber and green lists to cover transfers of hazardous wastes to non-OECD countries.
  569
  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms. Walley) on 27 October,Official Report, column 534, with the addition of the following.

  Under the regulation, before any green list waste for recovery is exported outside the OECD, the country of destination will be asked to state whether it will accept shipments without going through the amber, red or Basel control procedures. Where the country of destination regards a green list waste as hazardous, shipments of that waste will he subject to the appropriate control regime.

  Household Waste
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the results of his Department's national household waste analysis project.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East (Mr. Paice) on 5 November,Official Report, column 374.

  Urban Regeneration Agency
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will meet representatives from Staffordshire county council to discuss the proposed urban regeneration agency.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  We have no plans for a series of meetings with individual authorities to discuss the urban regeneration agency. We have just concluded a wide-ranging consultation exercise to which many local authorities, including Staffordshire, submitted their comments. These have been taken into account in preparing the legislation currently before the House. They will also form a useful input to our future work on the development of the guidance under which the agency will operate.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he intends the urban regeneration agency to determine its strategy.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The urban regeneration agency will determine its strategy in the light of its financial regime and the guidance we will issue to it.

  Derelict Land
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy that there will be no transfer of resources from existing derelict land reclamation undertaken by local authorities to prestigious projects; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I am well aware of the good work done by local authorities in reclaiming derelict land with the aid of grants from my Department. The urban regeneration agency will operate a new, unified grant regime to build on the success of derelict land grant and the other programmes it will inherit. It is, however, too early to take decisions on the agency's first work programme. This will be for the agency to determine in the light of guidance we will issue to it.

  Leasehold
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many court orders have been made in each year since 1988 under part III of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987, approving the compulsory acquisition of premises whose landlord has been found to be in breach of obligations owed to their leaseholders; and how many leaseholders in total have benefited from such orders.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many court orders have been made in each year since 1988 under part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 appointing a manager to act in respect of premises whose landlords have been found to be in breach of their obligations; and how many tenants in total have benefited from such orders.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Housing Inspectorate
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to establish an independent housing inspectorate with responsibility for enforcing basic standards on housing improvements.

  Mr. Baldry
  No, the basic standard on housing improvements is laid down by section 604 of the 1985 Housing Act as amended by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and the responsibility for enforcing this standard falls to the local housing authorities and ultimately to the courts.

  Abandoned Mines (Water Pollution)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the National Rivers Authority assessment of data on water pollution from abandoned mines will include information on the 31 mines which British Coal had scheduled for closure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The content of the forthcoming report is a matter for the NRA. I am sure that the NRA will have regard to the circumstances of these mines.

  Housing Waiting Lists
  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice his Department issues to local authorities to ensure that housing waiting list criteria reflect social need.

  Mr. Baldry
  The allocation of local authority accommodation is entirely the responsibility of individual local authorities. Section 22 of the Housing Act 1985 requires authorities to give reasonable preference to people in housing need, such as those living in unsatisfactory conditions. It is for each authority to consider whether an applicant is in housing need.

  Ozone Depletion
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he intends to put to international colleagues in relation to the Montreal protocol with regard to reductions in the use of methyl bromide.
  571
  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 5 November to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes),Official Report, column 372.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reductions he forecasts would be achieved in ozone damage as a result of(a) a 25 per cent. reduction in the use of methyl bromide by 1995 and (b) a complete phasing out of the use of methyl bromide by 1995.

  Mr. Maclean
  An international science panel has recently assessed current understanding of the impact of methyl bromide on the ozone layer at the request of the United Nations Environment Programme on behalf of the contracting parties to the Montreal protocol. Estimates of the impacts of methyl bromide were not made in the exact terms asked for but indicated that immediate elimination of anthropogenic methyl bromide would provide ozone layer protection comparable to that of an advance of the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and carbon tetrachloride (CC14) phase-out schedule by about one and a half to three years.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure that the air conditioning system of the new headquarters of his Department does not use chlorofluorocarbons as an integral part of the system.

  Mr. Maclean
  Environmental considerations are taken fully into account in the selection of new buildings for the Government estate. In the case of the proposed new headquarters for the Department of the Environment, none of the buildings that have been evaluated uses chlorofluorocarbons in its air conditioning systems.

  Environment Council
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions have taken place in the Environment Council during the United Kingdom presidency of the European Council of Ministers on the applications of the cohesion fund to environmental projects, as proposed by draft article 130d of the treaty of Rome, under the treaty of European union.

  Mr. Maclean
  None. Discussions on the draft regulations to establish the cohesion fund are being pursued in ECOFIN and the Foreign Affairs Council in the context of the review of the Community's future financing.

  Council Tax
  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the joint and several liability arrangements in respect of the council tax and the extent to which these differ from those in respect of the community charge.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  There is a separate personal community charge liability in respect of each individual. If payment is not received from a person, the local authority can also invoke joint and several liability to recover the amount due from his or her spouse or partner.

  Under the council tax, there is only one liability in respect of each dwelling. The person responsible for this
  572
  liability will generally be whichever resident of the dwelling owns or rents it. Joint owners or tenants will be jointly and severally liable. The spouse or partner of a liable person will also be jointly and severally liable if they are residents in the dwelling concerned.

  Special arrangements apply to people who are severely mentally impaired. These mean that such people will not generally be held jointly and severally liable for the council tax on their home.

  The principal difference between joint and several liability under the community charge and the council tax is therefore that under the former an individual may be liable for a bill relating to his or her partner, whereas under the latter an individual's liability relates to his or her own home.

  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce measures to protect those people living in property which they occupy solely because of their employment from bills relating to the capial value of the property, under the council tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  An employee will be liable for the council tax on a dwelling provided by his employer only if he has his main home there; otherwise, the owner of the dwelling—normally the employer—will be liable. If the employee is liable, council tax benefit may meet up to the full amount of his liability if he is on a low income.

  Habitats Directive
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to issue the consultation paper on the implementation of the habitats directive.

  Mr. Maclean
  Member states were formally notified of the habitats directive on 5 July 1992 and are obliged to bring into force the provisions necessary to enable them to comply within two years of that date. The Government are considering what additional measures are necessary to enable them to fulfil their obligations and my right hon. and learned Friend expects to consult on the Government's proposals within the next few months.

  Rents
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what records he keeps of those number of times rent offices increase rents above those recommended by housing associations.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is included in the statistical returns made to the Department by all rent offices, but is not currently separately analysed.

  Waste Disposal Sites
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the waste disposal sites in Lancashire and their anticipated lifespans; and what is the Government's assessment of the likely requirements for new waste disposal sites over the next 15 years.

  Mr. Maclean
  Lancashire county council, as a waste regulation authority, maintains public register with details of currently operational disposal sites in its area and will be able to advise on their anticipated lifespans.
  573
  Responsibility for assessing the future waste disposal needs in Lancashire presently lies with the county council which is required to draw up a waste management plan for its area.

  In due course, when the environment agency has been set up, we envisage that the Secretary of State will :issue a statement of waste policies and priorities on the advice of the agency, which will consider waste disposal needs in each region, and across the country as a whole over the next 10 to 15 years. Copies of the Department's consultation paper "Waste Disposal Planning under an Environment Agency" which sets out these proposals in more detail, have been placed in the Library.

  Rating Revaluations
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if it remains his policy to hold a revaluation of non-domestic property in 1995;

  (2) what progress is being made in the preparation for a revaluation of non-domestic property in 1995.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Local Government Finance Act 1988 provides that there will be a revaluation of non-domestic property in 1995. This will be based on 1 April 1993 values. The Valuation Office agency is taking the necessary steps to achieve this.

  Library and Information Services
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the standard spending assessment for library and information services for each relevant local authority in England and in total for 1990–91 and 1991–92; and what was the year-on-year uprating in each case.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  There is no separate standard spending assessment element for library and information services.

  Water Pipes
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to review the working of the Water Act 1989, with particular reference to the charges levied on landowners for laying pipes when planning permission is gained; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  None. The conditions governing charges for the provision of mains water and sewerage services contained in the Water Act 1989 were consolidated in the Water Industry Act 1991.

  Local Authority Housing
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the latest figures for vacant local authority dwellings for(a) England, (b) London and (c) each London borough; and how many in each case were available for letting, awaiting minor repairs, awaiting major repairs, awaiting sale, awaiting demolition or occupied by squatters.

  Mr. Baldrey
  Local authorities report the number of their own dwellings which are empty in their annual housing investment programme (HIP1) returns.

  The latest available figures, which are provisional at this stage, are for April 1992 and appear in columns A198,
  574
  total vacant; A191, available for letting; A192, awaiting minor repairs; A193 and A194, awaiting major repairs; A195, awaiting sale; A196, awaiting demolition; and A20, dwellings in unlicensed occupation, of the "1992 HIP1 All Items Print", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Safety for Women
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines are currently provided by his Department to buildings and estate designers to ensure that buildings and estates take women's safety needs fully into account.

  Mr. Baldry
  Documents approved by the Secretary of State for the purpose of the Building Regulations 1991 provide practical guidance on the design of buildings so that reasonable safety standards are secured.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will answer the letter sent to him on 25 June by the director of the International Art Exhibition.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 2 November 1992]: Following consultations with colleagues in other Government Departments, a response was sent to the director of the International Earth Art Exhibition on 3 November.

  Waterlogged Soil (Infant Mortality)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research his Department has commissioned on the relationship between waterlogged soils and variations in the infant mortality rate; what discussions he has had with the National Rivers Authority on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 5 November 1992]: The Department has not commissioned any research on this subject. I understand that the National Rivers Authority has received a copy of a report on the matter by two scientists and is investigating further.

  Cryptosporidium
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the expert group's recommendations made under the chairmanship of Sir John Badenoch for a collaborative research programme into cryptosporidium to report.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 5 November 1992]: The drinking water inspectorate published an interim report, "Cryptosporidium in Water Supplies—Progress with the National Research Programme", in July 1992. Copies have been placed in the Library. The programme of research extends into 1993 and a further report will be made when it is complete.

  Water Supplies
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to provide that payments for water services to domestic properties should be by charges linked to the valuation bands used for the council tax.
  575
  Mr. Maclean
  No. It is for individual water companies to decide on their preferred system of charging for their services, subject to the overriding requirement, contained in their licence of appointment, that their charges do not show undue preference to, or unduly discriminate against, any class of customers or potential customers. Our consultation paper, "Using Water Wisely", sought comment on a proposal that water companies should not be able to link charges to the valuation bands for the council tax. They will not, after the year 2000, be able to use rateable values from the former rating system.

  WALES
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  We have no plans to do so.
  585

  Tenants
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will produce a charter for private rented sector tenants giving the tenants(a) first refusal to buy their houses, (b) the right to apply to the courts for a change of manager and (c) the right to apply to the courts for compulsory acquisition of the property by the local authority.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Department is preparing a guide for tenants in the private rented sector which will explain their rights and responsibilities. It will also emphasise the support and best practise standards which those tenants can expect from their local authorities.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will produce new guidelines for local authorities on harassment within the private rented sector, placing a duty on local authorities to follow up complaints.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  We have no plans to do so. Tenants already have statutory protection from harassment and illegal eviction under the provisions of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish a tenants charter in Wales to include(a) specified rights for tenants to ensure that landlords undertake essential repairs within a set time scale, (b) the elimination of discrimination against tenants in receipt of benefits, (c) consultation and committee representation rights for tenants and (d) new safe tenancies established for tenants in properties having absentee landlords.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The principal elements of policy here are set out in the recently published charter for tenants of council housing in Wales, and the tenants guarantee appropriate to housing associations. A guide for tenants in the private rented sector is in preparation.

  Housing
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines to local authorities on the compiling of standardised housing waiting lists, to include all names of those awaiting rented accommodation in the local authority area;

  (2) if he will issue guidelines on the standardisation of allocation policies on housing provision, and for homelessness services, between local authorities in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Our position on allocation policies and standardised housing waiting lists is set out in the 576
  published "Agenda for Action on Housing in Wales". We have issued guidance to local authorities on the discharge of their statutory responsibilities on homelessness in the revised "Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities".

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many dwellings lacking one or more basic amenities exclusively house people over the age of 60 years in each(a) housing sector and (b) local authority area in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The estimated numbers of dwellings—based on the results of the 1986 Welsh house condition survey—which lacked the exclusive use of one or more basic amenities and which exclusively housed people over the age of 60 were as follows:

  Number

  Owner occupied

  13,700

  Local authority/council/newtown

  2,150

  Private rented

  4,700

  An analysis of the total number of such dwellings in each authority is given in the table:

  Number

  Aberconwy

  200

  Alyn and Deeside

  300

  Arfon

  450

  Blaenau Gwent

  900

  Brecknock

  250

  Cardiff

  1,450

  Carmarthen

  350

  Ceredigion

  600

  Colwyn

  100

  Cynon Valley

  1,350

  Delyn

  250

  Dinefwr

  400

  Dwyfor

  450

  Glyndwr

  250

  Islwyn

  750

  Llanelli

  900

  Lliw Valley

  550

  Meirionnydd

  200

  Merthyr Tydfil

  1,000

  Monmouth

  350

  Montgomeryshire

  300

  Neath

  500

  Newport

  550

  Ogwr

  750

  Port Talbot (Afan)

  400

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  300

  Radnorshire

  250

  Rhondda

  2,500

  Rhuddlan

  50

  Rhymney Valley

  700

  South Pembrokeshire

  200

  Swansea

  1,200

  Taff-Ely

  600

  Torfaen

  450

  Vale of Glamorgan

  100

  Wrexham Maelor

  450

  Ynys Mon

  550

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will establish a new formula for assessing affordability so as to develop a target level of housing costs for all tenures.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  We have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish a central housing agency to co-ordinate public and social housing strategies in Wales.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many pensioner households in Wales have central heating; and what percentage of total pensioner households this represents.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys has to date published only a selection of 1991 census results in the county monitor series, CEN 91 CM. Detailed information on households containing only pensioners is not yet available. The figures given are provisional as they are derived directly from rounded county statistics in the monitors. National level and more detailed results will be released by OPCS in November 1992 and in county reports this year and in 1993.

  In Wales, an estimated 309,000 households with central heating in some or all rooms contained at least one pensioner and represented 76 per cent. of all households where pensioners lived.

  Health Practices
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to promote improved health practices in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Under the strategic intent and direction for the NHS in Wales 10 health gain priority areas have been identified, where the service and its partners will focus their efforts to improve the health status of the people of Wales.

  The Welsh Health Planning Forum is preparing detailed protocols for investment in health gain. Eight reports have already been issued. This material has been widely recognised as first class by other parts of the United Kingdom and beyond and complements the pioneering work of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  The protocol forms the basis for the local strategies for health being developed by the district health authorities and family health services authorities in partnership with other local organisations, including local government. The second round of local strategies is now complete, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will consider these early in the new year.

  The various plans and strategies being developed by NHS Wales are being brought together into a unified 10 year strategy, so providing a clear and coherent framework for future action. This document, to be known as "Caring for the Future", is currently being discussed with a wide range of service interests. The aim is to publish it in December. Further debate on its key themes will take place next year.

  The new health care environment introduced last year provides the appropriate structure for taking these important initiatives ahead in an efficient and effective way. The patients charter also plays a key role by ensuring that the NHS focuses clearly on the needs of individual patients.

  Infant Deaths
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to cut the death rate among those aged under five years in Wales.
  578
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The "Protocol for Investment in Health Gain: Maternal and Early Child Health", which was issued in August 1991 by the Welsh Health Planning Forum, highlights those interventions which have been shown clearly to be capable of achieving a worthwhile health gain in respect of early child health. The protocols assist health authorities to develop their local strategies for health. Further important aspects of child health—respiratory disease, physical and mental handicap, congenital heart disease, childhood cancers and injuries—are considered in protocols dealing with other health gain areas.

  Babies
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to reduce the number of babies born with major unexpected malformations or handicaps in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  One of the health gain targets of the "Protocol for Investment in Health Gain: Maternal and Early Child Health", is to reduce the number of children born with major unexpected malformations or handicaps by 10 per cent. by 2002 compared with 1995. This is being taken forward in local strategies for health.

  Mothers and Children
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to improve the quality of childbirth and early childhood for both mother and child in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The "Protocol for Investment in Health Gain: Maternal and Early Child Health", identifies where further investment could bring worthwhile health gain and indicates to health authorities where current practices might be improved and redirection of funds might be considered.

  Nitrogen Dioxide
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress is being made in Wales to meet the target of reducing nitrogen dioxide emissions by 30 per cent. by the year 1998.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Various measures are being taken throughout the United Kingdom to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions, including the fitting of low NOx burners to major coal-fired power plants and new standards for road vehicles. Details are provided in "This Common Inheritance; The Second Year Report"—cm. 2068—which the Government published last month.

  Further records on nitrogen dioxide emission levels in Wales is also being produced by the Welsh Office.

  In order to gain a better picture of the current position on nitrogen dioxide emission levels in Wales, the Welsh Office is funding a survey of the Principality.

  Sulphur Dioxide
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress is being made in Wales to meet the target of reducing sulphur dioxide emissions by 60 per cent. by the year 2003.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Various measures are being taken throughout the United Kingdom to reduce emissions of
  579
  sulphur dioxide, including retrofitting 800MW of power plant with flue gas desulphurisation equipment. Further details are provided in "This Common Inheritance; The Second Year Report"—cm. 2068—which the Government published last month.

  Data on sulphur dioxide emissions are not separately available for Wales. However, information on atmospheric concentrations of sulphur dioxide is given in table 3.20 of the "The Environment Digest for Wales, No. 6 1991", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Coastal Planning
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will amend the planning policy guidance note produced by his Department so as to include a reference to the role of ports and harbours under the general development order and the scope of the Crown Estates Commissioners in coastal planning.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The planning policy guidance note on coast planning—PPG20—was published in September 1992. There is presently no intention to amend it.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to amend paragraphs 8.6 and 8.9 of planning policy guidance notes on coastal zones so as to ensure that ecological impact criteria are applied to all sites.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No. Guidance is given to local planning authorities in the planning policy guidance note on coastal planning. Further advice will be contained in the forthcoming guidance note on nature conservation.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what role is envisaged by his Department for non-governmental organisations in the collection of data and analysis on coastal resources prior to the preparation of development plans.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  It is for the local planning authority to determine what information it requires in the preparation of a development plan. The planning policy guidance note on coastal planning advises close involvement with a range of Government bodies. It also lists contact points in relevant voluntary organisations.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to encourage local authorities to adopt management policies and management plans for heritage coast areas in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  On 11 March 1992 the Government issued a statement setting out their position on heritage coasts. The statement, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House, supports the concept of preparing management plans. In addition the Government planning policy guidance note No. 20 "Coastal Planning", advises that local planning authorities should include policies for the protection and enhancement of heritage coasts in their development plans.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to encourage the adoption of coastal and estuarial management plans in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Government have stated in their response to the second report from the House of 580
  Commons Select Committee on the Environment, "Coastal Zone Protection and Planning" that they will encourage the preparation of management plans.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to amend the planning policy guidance notes produced by his Department so as to include a detailed report on his Department's coastal strategy; and how the strategy will be implemented.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No. The planning policy guidance note on coastal planning, issued in September 1992, covers issues of relevance to the coastal zone. An interdepartmental group on which the Department is represented has been set up by the Government and this provides a mechanism for the continuing development of coastal policies.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to enhance the remit of the coastal strategic working group; and if he will make a statement on the effect of local government reform in Wales on the work of the working group.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I understand that the Assembly of Welsh Counties—AWC—is to submit advice to my right hon. Friend in the new year on the main strategic issues likely to affect Wales in the next 10 to 15 years. The work of the AWC's coastal strategy working group is expected to form an element of that report. A White Paper on local government reform will be published in due course.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to extend the remit of planning controls to cover the area below the low water mark in and around the coast of Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In response to the second report from the House of Commons Select Committee on the Environment, "Coastal Zone Protection and Planning", the Government gave a commitment to review regulation of activities below the low water mark and to issue a discussion paper.

  Minerals Permissions
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times the powers introduced by the Town and Country Planning (Minerals) Act 1981 have been utilised in Wales in each year since 1981.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on the use of the powers by mineral planning authorities is not collected centrally; but one order, to prohibit resumption of mineral working, has so far been submitted to the Secretary of State for confirmation and is currently under consideration.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will introduce legislation to reduce the life of mineral permissions from 60 years to 10 years;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to place a statutory obligation on all new mineral permission applications to include conditions specifying the timing and content of subsequent reviews of such permission;

  (3) if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines granting mineral planning authorities in Wales the right to revoke or substantially amend mining permissions without compensation where workings would (a) damage nationally-designated sites, (b) cause an unacceptable level of environmental change to important non-designated sites or (c) damage important water resources.
  581
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Responses to the consultation paper on old mineral permissions issued by the Government in March, in which various possibilities for dealing with problems were discussed, are under consideration. Further consultation is likely before detailed proposals are implemented.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to impose a statutory duty on mineral planning authorities in Wales to review all existing minerals permissions during the next four years; and if he will allow mineral planning authorities to request environmental assessments as part of such a review.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Responses to the Government's consultation paper on old mineral permissions issued in March, in which the possibility of a four-year review was discussed, are under consideration. Further consultation is likely before detailed proposals are implemented.

  The Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988 do not apply to existing permissions.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to issue guidelines to mineral planning authorities on compensation levels and the use of enforcement powers.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Guidance on these issues can be found in mineral planning guidance note—MPG2—"Applications Permissions and Conditions", MPG4, "The Review of Mineral Working Sites", and planning policy guidance note 18, "Enforcing Planning Control".

  Initial consultation has taken place on the operation of the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Minerals) Act 1981 and the compensation arrangements under it.

  Planning Policy
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to amend planning policy guidance note 7 produced by his Department so as to make reference to the design and quality expectations of industrial and commercial developments, including the utilisation of locally appropriate building materials, and the encouragement of the re-use of derelict buildings.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No. Appropriate advice is already given in planning policy guidance note 7 and in annex A —design considerations—of planning policy guidance note 1.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will amend planning policy guidance note 7 to draw attention to the Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The 1988 regulations are already referred to in paragraph 2.7 of the revised planning policy guidance note 7 issued in January this year.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will amend planning policy guidance notes to include a clear description of the special nature of rural developments.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No. Planning policy guidance note 7, "The Countryside and Rural Economy", provides 582
  comprehensive policy guidance on development in the countryside generally, together with advice on the special considerations which apply in designated areas.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will delete the statement in planning policy guidance note 7 that planning authorities should consider the likely effect on the operation of the business when considering enforcement action.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Advice on enforcing planning control is found in planning policy guidance note 18. I see no reason to amend that guidance at present.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will amend planning policy guidance notes to indicate circumstances in which the use of development plan policies can be used to limit change of use rights.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Welsh Office circular 24/87 recognises that it may very exceptionally be appropriate for a local planning authority in determining a particular planning application to impose a condition restricting the use to which the land or buildings may subsequently be put. But development plans should not include policies which would generally restrict the freedoms available under the use classes order and the general development order to make certain changes of use without the need for specific planning permission.

  Marine Unit
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will establish a specialist marine unit within his Department.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to issue guidance to local authorities on the practice of charging fees for pre-application advice on development proposals.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The courts have held that local planning authorities have no power to charge fees for providing pre-application advice about development proposals. The Government consider that pre-application discussions are beneficial and local planning authorities are encouraged to continue this practice.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the relationship between the proposed new independent national park authorities and the new unitary authorities proposed in the local government reform package.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Government's proposals for establishing independent national park authorities are set out in the Government's statement on the policies for national parks issued in January 1992. Detailed proposals on the structure of such park authorities and other related issues are presently under consideration.

  Neath and Port Talbot Hospital
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current status of the approval for the new Neath and Port Talbot hospital given by the Welsh Office in April 1991.
  583
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  My right hon. Friend's statement on 29 October made clear the continuing commitment to a new hospital on the Baglan site.

  Mid Glamorgan Ambulance Service
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients were transported by Mid Glamorgan ambulance service; and how many ambulance journeys were logged by Mid Glamorgan ambulance service, in each year since 1987–88.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No information is collected centrally on the number of patients transported by ambulance or the number of ambulance journeys made. However information on the number of patient journeys is collected and is given as follows.

  Number of patient journeys1 logged by Mid Glamorgan Health Authority

  Year

  Number

  1987–88

  300,866

  1988–89

  298,425

  1989–90

  197,933

  1990–91

  248,409

  1991–92

  277,691

  1A patient journey relates to a single journey made by one person in an ambulance. Thus a return journey from a visit to a hospital is counted as a second patient journey and if an ambulance carried six patients at the same time it is counted as six journeys.

  Heart Disease
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many deaths were attributable to heart disease in Wales in 1985, 1990 and 1991; what proposals he has to reduce heart disease in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The number of deaths to residents of Wales in 1985, 1990 and 1991, where the underlying cause of death was ischaemic heart disease—ICD 9th revision 410–414—was 10,265, 9,438 and 9,541 respectively (Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys).

  In March 1985, Heartbeat Wales was launched as a national demonstration project to combat coronary heart disease. The project has since been subsumed into the comprehensive work programme of the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  Additionally, in May 1991, the Welsh Health Planning Forum published advice to the NHS in Wales in the form of a protocol for investment in health gain in cardiovascular diseases. The protocol identifies where further investment could bring worthwhile health gain and indicates where current practices might be improved and redirection of funds might be considered. It is a key input in the production of local strategies for health by health authorities.

  Typhoid Fever
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of typhoid fever in Wales were reported in 1988, 1990 and 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The data requested are presented in the table:584

  Cases of typhoid fever reported in Wales

  Cases of Number

  11988

  0

  11990

  2

  2 31992

  2

  Sources: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  1 Communicable disease statistics (MB2 Series.)

  2 Weekly return (WR Series).

  3 To week ending 16 October 1992.

  Mr. Stanley Gregory
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set up an independent inquiry concerning the case of Mr. Stanley Gregory, who was injured recently whilst in the care of Cartrefi Cymru; what proposals he has to set out guidelines on staffing for community care; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Mr. Stanley Gregory, was unfortunately injured in an accident at his home in Forden, Powys on Thursday 22 October 1992.

  I understand that immediately following the accident Cartrefi Cymru the organisation employed to provide care and support for Mr. Gregory initiated an investigation into the circumstances that led up to the incident. That report has been made available to the Welsh Office, Powys health authority and Powys social services department. I further understand that a joint investigation will be set up immediately between the social services department, the health authority and Cartrefi Cymru further to investigate the incident, review procedures and training programmes and make recommendations for the future in order that such accidents are prevented. In addition, Cartrefi Cymru is also reviewing its own procedures and guidelines. Mr. Gregory has been provided with, and will continue to receive, independent advocate advice as to his rights and position in this matter. Until these investigations and reports are finalised, it would be premature to instigate an independent inquiry. I will require the findings to be sent to the Welsh Office and will take any appropriate action if we are not satisfied as to the findings and conclusions.

  Policy and guidelines on the support and accommodation for people with a mental handicap are set out in Welsh Office circular 1/91, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy to strengthen the role of housing associations in making sensitive provision to meet special needs and community needs in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I am satisified that housing associations are already well aware of the sensitivities involved in providing such housing.

  Domestic Rates
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many appeals are still outstanding relating to bills received under the old domestic rating system.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There is one outstanding lands tribunal appeal.

  Development Board for Rural Wales
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the Development Board for Rural Wales first told the Welsh Office that the Comptroller and Auditor General was considering qualifying the Development Board for Rural Wales's accounts.

  Mr. David Hunt
  On 21 August 1991.

  Business Rates
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many appeals were still outstanding on 1 November relating to bills received under the uniform business rate.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In respect of the 1990 non-domestic rating list as at 31 October, the latest date at which the information is available, there were 22,600 outstanding proposals of which 20,300 had been passed by valuation offices to valuation tribunals as appeals.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Hazardous Waste
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will list the non-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries to which the United Kingdom transported hazardous waste for recycling for the latest year for which figures are available indicating the volume of the waste transported to each country;

  (2) how many transfers of hazardous waste were transported for recycling from the United Kingdom to non-OECD countries for the latest year for which figures are available; and what was the total tonnage of the waste transported.

  Mr. Eggar
  The principal non-OECD countries to which the United Kingdom transported hazardous waste for recovery, and the tonnage to each, are listed.Begins table

  Countries

  Tonnes

  South Africa

  6,998

  Indonesia

  1,652

  Dubai

  1,562

  Thailand

  1,410

  South Korea

  991

  Hong Kong

  688

  Saudi Arabia

  678

  Taiwan

  696

  India

  553

  The total tonnage of such waste exported from the United Kingdom to non-OECD countries in 1991 was 16,300 tonnes. Information on the number of transfers of hazardous waste for recovery from the United Kingdom to non-OECD countries is not held centrally and would be available only at disproportionate cost.

  As the figures that the hon. Member is seeking may be subject to restrictions of commercial confidentiality, I shall write to the hon. Member more fully as soon as the most accurate picture can be established.

  Electricity
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the average price increase for domestic electricity in 1990–91.

  Mr. Eggar
  The average price increase for domestic electricity in 1990–91, over the corresponding period 12 months earlier, was 8·6 per cent.

  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost per unit for domestic electricity consumption, adjusted for inflation, for each of the previous 10 years.

  Mr. Eggar
  The average prices per unit, including standing charges, for electricity supplied to domestic consumers for each of the last 10 years are given in the table.

  Year

  Pence per KWh at 1991 prices1

  1982

  8·31

  1983

  8·24

  1984

  7·96

  1985

  7·71

  1986

  7·55

  1987

  7·13

  1988

  7·01

  1989

  7·12

  1990

  7·11

  1991

  7·28

  1 Cash figures adjusted to 1991 price levels by excluding the effect of general inflation as measured by the GDP deflator.

  Figures for 1992 are not yet available. However, increases in domestic electricity prices in April 1992 averaged about 2 per cent., well below the rate of inflation.

  Institution of Electrical Engineers
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what response he has made to the survey of manufacturing industry by the Institution of Electrical Engineers; and what plans he has to commission further surveys from the institution.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No formal response was asked for or has been made to the report from the public affairs body of the Institution of Electrical Engineers. However, my Department welcomes this interesting contribution.

  Travel Agents
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will bring forward proposals for legislation under which all travel agents trading as public limited companies would be required to display their most recent balance sheet and profit and loss account in their trading offices.

  Mr. Leigh
  No.

  Post Office Report
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his written answer of 2 November on the Kleinwort Benson report on the Post Office, if he will make available a copy of the report in confidence to the hon. Member for Neath.
  587
  Mr. Leigh
  Any reports produced by the Government's advisers on the Post Office are internal Government documents. I do not intend, therefore, to make such documents available outside Government and I do not intend to make a copy of Kleinwort Benson's report on the Post Office available to the hon. Member for Neath.

  Iraq
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements exist in his Department to trace whether nuclear materials originating from the United Kingdom have been exported for use in Iraq.

  Mr. Needham
  The Government have requested the United Nations Special Commission and the International Atomic Energy Authority to give us confidentially details of any evidence of involvement by British companies in Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programmes, including the supply of nuclear materials. Any indication of wrongdoing will be urgently investigated and if export controls have been breached, it will be a matter for the courts.

  Cleaner Technology Group
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the inter-departmental group on cleaner technology was set up; and how many times it has met so far.

  Mr. Eggar
  The interdepartmental liaison group on cleaner technology was established in December 1991. It has met twice and is next scheduled to meet in January 1993.

  Aerospace Industry
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last visited British Aerospace at Woodford, Cheshire.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  During his time as President of the Board of Trade, my right hon. Friend has not visited British Aerospace at Woodford, Cheshire.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the total value of exports of aerospace products in each of the last 12 quarters for which figures are available.

  Mr. Needham
  The most recent available data for the total value of exports of aerospace products, quarterly, not seasonally adjusted, are from the business monitor overseas trade statistics.

  Values £ billion

  Exports

  1990

  Ql

  1·65

  Q2

  1·94

  Q3

  1·99

  Q4

  2·37

  1991

  Ql

  1·63

  Q2

  2·00

  588

  Exports

  Q3

  2·24

  Q4

  2·09

  1992

  Ql

  1·79

  Q2

  1·90

  Q3

  1·75

  We have used parts of divisions 7, 8 and 9 of the standard international trade classification (revision 3) which cover aerospace systems, propulsion devices and equipment.

  Tunisian Imports
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of imports from Tunisia for the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Needham
  In the 12 months ending September 1992, the value of United Kingdom visible imports from Tunisia was £42·3 million.

  Departmental Properties
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list, for each local authority area in South Yorkshire, how many residential properties are currently owned by his Department; and if he will list, by location, those residential properties which are empty, giving the type of accommodation available, the length of time each property has been vacant, and its intended future use.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department has no residential properties in south Yorkshire.

  Business (Legislative Burdens)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will investigate a survey into costs imposed on small and rural businesses by legislation, local government requirements and Common Market directives; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Under the deregulation initiative, assessments of compliance and enforcement costs are among the factors taken into account by Ministers when considering proposals for new regulation and in negotiations on EC measures. There is also a continuing programme of work across Whitehall aimed at reducing significantly existing administrative and regulative burdens on business, particularly small businesses, whether imposed by central or local government or the EC. Currently, all regulatory departments are considering their programmes of work under the initiative for 1993 and beyond.

  Biofuels
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will include in his review of energy policy a study into the viability of biofuels; and if he will make a statement.
  589
  Mr. Eggar
  The terms of the review were announced in the answer of my right hon. Friend the President of the 590
  Board of Trade to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Lester) on 26 October, Official Report, column 522–23.

  EC Used Machinery Directive
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the steps he is proposing to take to investigate the impact on farmers of the proposed used machinery directive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department has conducted wide-ranging consultations with sectors likely to be affected by a directive on used machinery, including the farming industry. We have concluded that no such directive is necessary and that new controls in this area could impose heavy costs. Following firm opposition from the United Kingdom and other member states, the European Commission has not put forward its proposal to the Council.

  Reports
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will now place in the Library the Oakes report, the Boyds report and the Rothschild report commissioned by his Department.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. The reports were commissioned on a confidential basis and contain detailed information which is commercially confidential.

  Agencies
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list by grade the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93, for each executive agency for which he is responsible.

  Mr. Eggar
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the chief executives of the 10 agencies for which my Department is responsible. I have therefore asked Mr. Mike Hoddinott, Accounts Services Agency; Mr. David Durham, companies House; Mr. Peter Joyce, Insolvency Service; Dr. Richard worswick, Laboratory of the Government Chemist; Mr. William Edgar, National Engineering Laboratory; Dr. Peter Clapham, National Physical Laboratory; Dr. Seton Bennett, National Weights and Measures Laboratory; Mr. Paul Hartnack, Patent Office; Mr. John Michell, Radiocommunications Agency; and Dr. Doug Cormack, Warren Spring Laboratory to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. J. Mitchell to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 3 November 1992:

  The President of the Board of Trade has asked me to reply to your Parliamentary Question of 27 October about staffing in the Radiocommunications Agency. The information you request is as follows:

  Numbers of staff by grade in the Agency

  1991–92 Staff in post (March 1992)

  1992–93 Complement

  Grade 3

  1

  1

  Grade 5

  5

  5

  Grade 6

  7

  7

  Grade 7

  26·5

  26·5

  SEO

  20·5

  22

  SPTO

  21

  25

  STTO

  9

  9

  HEO

  25·5

  28·5

  HPTO

  18

  22

  592

  1991–92 Staff in post (March 1992)

  1992–93 Complement

  HTTO

  36

  40

  Investigation officer

  2

  2

  Librarian

  1

  1

  Graduate trainee engineer

  6

  5

  ATTO

  27

  30

  EO

  42

  46

  SPS

  1

  1

  Typing manager

  1

  1

  TTO

  113

  116

  AO

  53·5

  56

  PS

  36·5

  36·5

  Support grade band 1

  4

  4

  Support manager 3

  1

  1

  T/TTO

  4

  3

  AA

  46

  48

  Typist

  6·5

  6·5

  Process and general supervisory

  1

  1

  Support grade band 2

  12

  12

  527

  556

  Please note that while the left-hand column above lists staff actually in post at the end of March 1992, the right-hand column shows our "complement" for 1992–93. At any one time the number of staff in post is likely to be less than complement due to natural turnover. The latest figure available to me is that as at 30 September 1992 we had 530 staff in post.

  Staff costs

  In the time available I am able to give you only aggregated staff cost figures. They are as follows:

  1991–92 Actual spend

  1992–93 Forecast

  £

  £

  Salary and wages

  9,809,336

  11,127,570

  ERNIC

  753,971

  795,560

  Superannuation

  1,643,501

  1,845,362

  12,206,808

  13,768,492

  Letter from Mike Hoddinott to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 3 November 1992:

  In response to your recent Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade regarding numbers of staff and costs within Executive Agencies, the information in respect of Accounts Services Agency is as follows:

  Staff Grade

  Numbers

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Grade 5

  1

  1

  Grade 7

  2

  4

  Senior Executive Officer

  4

  4½

  Higher Executive Officer

  9½

  11½

  Executive Officer

  16½

  15

  Administrative Officer

  38

  33½

  Administrative Assistant

  15

  10

  Personal Secretary

  1

  1

  Typist

  2

  1

  Support Grade Band 2

  2½

  3

  Total

  91½

  84½

  The above figures relate to the average number of substantive staff in post for each year. The total cost of their remuneration, including superannuation contributions, was 1·4 million in 1991–92 and is expected to remain at the same level in the current year.
  593
  Letter from W. Edgar to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 30 October 1992:

  I would refer to your Parliamentary Question dated 27 October to the President of the Board of Trade requesting that he list by grade the numbers of staff and their costs for 1991/92 and the estimated figures for 1992/93 for each Executive Agency for which he is responsible.

  As the Chief Executive of NEL I provide the information requested in the schedule attached. I trust you will find this information to he satisfactory for your purposes.

  Schedule

  Numbers of staff by grade

  Grade

  1991–92

  1992–93

  G3

  1

  1

  G4

  1

  1

  G5

  4

  4

  G6

  6

  6

  G7

  56

  56

  Senior Scientific Officer

  56

  54

  Higher Scientific Officer

  55·5

  55·5

  Scientific Officer

  22

  22

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  10·5

  10·5

  Senior Professional and Technology Officer

  3

  3

  Higher Professional and Technology Officer

  10

  10

  Professional and Technology Officer

  15

  15

  Technical Grade 1

  7

  7

  Higher Graphics Officer

  1

  1

  Graphics Officer

  1

  1

  Assistant Librarian

  1

  1

  Chief Photographer

  1

  1

  Principal Photographer

  2

  1

  Senior Photographer

  1

  1

  Support Manager 3

  1

  1

  Support Grade Band 1

  6

  9

  Senior Executive Officer

  1

  1

  Higher Executive Officer

  3

  4

  Executive Officer

  7·5

  6·5

  Administrative Officer

  23

  23

  Administrative Assistant

  2

  2

  Stores Officer Grade D

  1

  1

  Senior Personal Secretary

  1

  1

  Personal Secretary

  4

  4

  Typing Manager

  1

  1

  Typist

  13

  12

  Craftsman

  41

  43

  Apprentice

  7

  7

  Experimental Worker

  16

  12

  Storeman

  4

  2

  Messenger

  3

  0

  Total No.

  388·5

  380·5

  Staff Cost

  £8,217k

  £18,919k

  1Estimate.

  Letter from R. D. Worswick to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 3 November 1992:

  PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION 137: 27 OCTOBER 1992

  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if he will list by grade the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93, for each executive agency for which he is responsible.

  The Laboratory of the Government Chemist is an Executive Agency within the Department of Trade and Industry and in 1991–92 employed 353 staff of which 271 were scientific grades and the remaining 82 were administrative support staff. The cost of salaries including ERNIC and superannuation came to £7,346,000. Details of staff numbers and cost by grade are shown on the attached annex.

  The estimated figures for 1992–93 are as follows:
  594
  360 staff, of which 284 are scientific grades, and 76 administrative support staff. Total pay costs are estimated to be £7·9 million.

  I hope this information is of help.

  Annex

  Grade

  Number of staff

  Total salaries by grade £k

  Other payroll expenses

  G3

  1

  57

  5

  3

  104

  6

  7

  269

  7

  26

  716

  SEO

  2

  45

  HEO

  4

  72

  EO

  8

  118

  AO

  31

  335

  AA

  4

  26

  TYP

  3

  28

  PS

  6

  72

  A.LIB

  1

  15

  SGB 1

  5

  47

  SGB2

  14

  111

  SPTO/SSO

  44

  1,050

  HPTO

  2

  64

  PTO

  3

  65

  SSO

  0

  0

  HSO

  68

  1,033

  SO

  62

  969

  ASO

  59

  603

  Total

  353

  5,799

  5,799

  Casuals

  143

  ERNIC

  436

  Superannuation

  968

  Grand total

  7,346

  Letter from Dr. P. B. Clapham to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992.

  I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question addressed to the President of the Board of Trade requesting details of staff numbers and costs for each Executive Agency. I have been asked to respond concerning my own Agency, the National Physical Laboratory.

  For 1991–92 the average number of staff was 826, and for 1992–93 it is expected that the average number will be a little under 800. The numbers in each grade are shown in the enclosed list.

  The pay costs of these staff are as follows:

  £'000

  1991–92

  Salaries and wages

  16,195

  Employers' National Insurance Contributions

  1,202

  Superannuation

  2,680

  Total

  20,077

  The forecast total for 1992–93 is about £20·5 million.

  National Physical Laboratory Executive Agency Average number of staff in post 1991–92

  Grade

  Number

  Grade 3

  1

  Grade 4

  1

  Grade 5

  12

  Grade 6

  40

  Grade 7

  116

  Senior Executive Officer

  2

  Senior Professional and Technology Officer

  15

  Senior Scientific Officer

  117

  Senior Information Officer

  1

  Senior Librarian

  1

  595

  Grade

  Number

  Senior Photographic Officer

  1

  Higher Executive Officer

  5

  Higher Professional and Technology Officer

  8

  Higher Scientific Officer

  128

  Librarian

  1

  Higher Graphics Officer

  1

  Executive Officer

  19

  Professional and Technology Officer

  7

  Scientific Officer

  84

  Support Manager 2

  1

  Typing Manager

  1

  Senior Personal Secretary

  1

  Assistant Librarian

  1

  Graphics Officer

  1

  Graphics Technical Grade

  1

  Higher Photographic Officer

  1

  Process and General Supervisory Grade C

  2

  Administrative Officer

  62

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  50

  Technical Grade 1

  4

  Personal Secretary

  13

  Photographic Officer

  2

  Support Grade Band 1

  5

  Administrative Assistant

  10

  Typist

  17

  Support Grade Band 2

  3

  The Insolvency Service executive agency—staffing

  Grade

  Number in post on 31 March 1992

  Cost 1991–92

  Allocation 1992–93

  Forecast cost 1992–93

  £

  £

  Administrative

  G3 (Chief Executive)

  1·0

  55,182

  1·0

  60,467

  G4 (DIG)

  2·0

  100,216

  2·0

  105,978

  G51

  1·0

  31,071

  2·0

  87,994

  G7

  3·0

  97,762

  3·0

  103,773

  SEO1

  7·5

  186,639

  8·0

  227,225

  HEO1

  17·5

  334,886

  17·5

  397,986

  EO1

  112·5

  1,775,083

  124·5

  1,863,949

  AO1

  407·5

  4,306,187

  394·5

  4,698,989

  AA1

  164·5

  1,123,064

  162·0

  1,228,782

  Sub Total

  716·5

  8,010,090

  714·5

  8,775,142

  Technical

  HPTO

  1·0

  8,176

  1·0

  25,132

  PTO

  0·0

  0

  1·

  25,075

  Sub Total

  1·0

  8,176

  2·0

  50,207

  Insolvency Grades

  Grade A

  10·0

  439,424

  10·0

  466,132

  Grade B

  50·0

  1,797,725

  52·0

  2,005,343

  Grade C1

  106·0

  3,121,071

  104·5

  3,292,220

  Grade D1

  280·0

  6,410,781

  278·0

  6,751,898

  Grade E1

  144·0

  1,807,173

  14215

  2,041,269

  Sub Total

  590·0

  13,576,174

  587·0

  14,556,862

  Personal Secretary/Typing

  Personal Secretary1

  13·0

  217,593

  15·0

  254,109

  Chief typing manager

  2·0

  30,237

  2·0

  46,085

  Typing manager1

  18·0

  266,849

  15·5

  277,535

  Typist1

  156·5

  1,811,978

  159·5

  1,956,907

  Sub Total

  189·5

  2,326,657

  192·0

  2,534,637

  Support

  SM3

  1·0

  28,010

  1·0

  15,347

  SGB1

  4·0

  54,560

  6·0

  69,277

  SGB21

  45·0

  435,366

  44·5

  470,528

  Sub Total

  50·0

  517,936

  51·5

  555,153

  Permanent Staff Totals

  1,547·0

  24,439,032

  1,547·0

  26,472,000

  Casual staff

  149·0

  752,000

  138·0

  1,960,000

  596

  Grade

  Number

  Total non-industrial staff

  735

  Craftsman

  28

  Apprentice craftsman

  12

  Storeman

  10

  Experimental Worker

  22

  Driver

  1

  Messenger

  12

  Labourer

  5

  Cleaner

  1

  Total industrial staff

  91

  Total staff

  826

  Letter from Peter Joyce to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 3 November 1992:

  I have been asked, as Chief Executive of The Insolvency Service, to let you have a substantive reply to the Parliamentary Question which you tabled on 27 October 1992 asking for details of staff employed in the Agency. I attach a breakdown by grade of staff numbers and costs for 1991–92 and 1992–93.
  597

  Grade

  Number in post on 31 March 1992

  Cost 1991–92

  Allocation 1992–93

  Forecast cost 1992–93

  £

  £

  Overtime

  143,000

  220,000

  Grand Total

  1,696·0

  25,334,032

  1,685·0

  28,652,000

  Note:

  1. Costs are based on salaries costs, including ERNIC but not notional superannuation.

  1 Includes part time staff who are counted as half.

  3. In addition special bonuses totalling £46,850 were paid to 321 staff in 1991–92.

  4. Staff figures shown for 1991–92 are for staff in post on 31 March 1992. Actual man years worked in 1991–92 were 1,500 permanent staff and 85 casual staff.

  Letter from D. Cormack to Mr. Martin Redmond dated 2 November 1992.

  House of Commons Parliamentary Question 137

  Mr. Martin Redmond (Don Valley): To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list by grade the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93, for each executive agency for which he is responsible.

  In response to your question to the President of the Board of Trade, I attach this Agency's figures for the periods in question.

  Staff numbers by grade and costs for 1991–92

  Grade

  Average in post

  Cost £K

  Non industrial

  Grade 3

  1

  53

  Grade 5

  3

  162

  Grade 6

  8

  316

  Grade 7

  31

  986

  Senior Executive Officer

  1

  22

  Higher Executive Officer

  1½

  42

  Executive Officer

  6

  89

  Administrative Officer

  18

  187

  Administrative Assistant

  6

  55

  Information Officer

  1

  18

  Assistant Information Officer

  2

  27

  Higher Professional and Technical Officer

  2

  39

  Professional and Technical Officer

  2

  30

  Process and General Supervisory Grade E

  ½

  3

  Senior Scientific Officer

  55

  1,175

  Higher Scientific Officer

  51

  1,047

  Scientific Officer

  32½

  480

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  26

  264

  Librarian

  2

  40

  Assistant Librarian

  1

  13

  Senior Personal Secretary

  1

  15

  Personal Secretary

  8½

  112

  Typing Manager

  1

  15

  Typist

  5½

  59

  Support Grade Band 1

  3½

  37

  Patent Office staff 1991–92 and 1992–93

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Grade

  Staff numbers at 31 March 1992

  1991–92 costs £k

  Estimated staff numbers at 31 March 1993

  1992–93 costs £k

  Comptroller

  1·0

  66

  1·0

  75

  Assistant Comptroller

  20

  582

  2·0

  610

  Grade 4

  1·0

  1·0

  Grade 5

  2·0

  2·0

  Grade 6

  6·0

  6·0

  Superintending Examiner

  8·0

  491

  8·0

  498

  Principal Examiner

  30·0

  1,706

  29·0

  1,604

  Senior Examiner

  181·0

  8,877

  173·0

  8,287

  Examiner

  32·0

  586

  38·0

  672

  Grade 7

  8·0

  294

  8·0

  290

  Senior Executive Officer

  27·5

  784

  29·5

  888

  598

  Grade

  Average in post

  Cost £K

  Principal Photographer

  ½

  12

  Senior Photographer

  1

  16

  Technical Grade 1

  1

  7

  Non Industrial Sub-Total

  272½

  5,321

  Industrial

  38½

  369

  Casuals

  13

  107

  Overtime

  —

  135

  Bonuses

  —

  1

  Superannuation

  —

  892

  Total

  324

  6,825

  Notes: 1. Costs by grade include salary and ERNIC.

  2. Superannuation costs are 17 per cent. for non-industrial staff and 16 per cent. for industrials.

  Letter from P. Hartnack to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 30 October 1992 :

  I am responding for the Patent Office to your Parliamentary Question about the number of staff and their cost for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93.

  The Patent Office relocated from Central London to Newport, Gwent in 1991. The relocation was largely complete by December 1991 but in the course of the year staff numbers fluctuated because of the need to maintain our output in two locations for a period of about nine months. In the course of the year we also reduced the number of IT consultants employed by the Office, following the introduction of a new computer system.

  Because of the wide variations in staff in post in 1991–92 it would be difficult to compute averages for the year broken down by grade. The attached table has therefore been prepared in response to your question showing actual numbers of staff in post on 31 March 1992, and our total staff costs for the financial year 1991–92, with corresponding estimates for the current financial year. The cost figures cover salaries, employers related national insurance contributions, overtime and the accruing superannuation liability charge.
  599

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Grade

  Staff numbers at 31 March 1992

  1991–92 costs £k

  Estimated staff numbers at 31 March 1993

  1992–93 costs £k

  Higher Executive Office

  57·5

  1,352

  59·5

  1,374

  Executive Officer

  182·0

  3,179

  177·5

  3,109

  Admin Officer

  247·5

  3,076

  250·0

  3,220

  Admin Assistant

  177·5

  1,734

  179·5

  1,675

  Personal Secretary

  9·5

  152

  10·0

  184

  Typing Manager

  1·0

  448

  2·0

  439

  Typist

  28·5

  27·5

  Support Manager 2

  1·0

  209

  1·0

  191

  Support Grade 1

  9·0

  9·0

  Support Grade 2

  56·0

  828

  60·5

  665

  IT Consultants

  25·0

  3,499

  20·0

  1,475

  Total

  1,093·0

  27,863

  1,094·0

  25,256

  Letter from Jon Cowdock to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 30 October 1992:

  Staff and Costs—by grade—National Weights and Measures Laboratory

  Grade

  1991–92 Staff in post

  1991–92 Pay costs

  1992–93 Staff in post

  1992–93 Pay costs

  £

  £

  Grade 5

  1

  44,212

  1

  45,980

  Grade 7

  5

  151,033

  5

  157,075

  Senior Executive Officer

  0·5

  11,760

  1

  24,462

  Higher Executive Officer

  2

  41,798

  2

  43,470

  Executive Officer

  2

  29,115

  2

  30,280

  Administrative Officer

  4

  47,195

  4

  49,083

  Administrative Assistant

  1

  10,295

  1

  10,706

  Administrative Assistant—Part time

  4

  24,048

  4

  25,010

  Senior Professional Technical Officer

  7

  205,858

  7

  214,092

  Higher Professional Technical Officer

  8

  148,823

  8

  154,775

  Professional Technical Officer

  4

  66,433

  4

  69,090

  Senior Scientific Officer

  1

  23,284

  1

  24,219

  Higher Scientific Officer

  1

  18,199

  2

  34,760

  Scientific Officer

  3

  45,900

  2·5

  39,780

  Personal Secretary

  1

  13,290

  1

  13,821

  Typist—Part time

  3

  22,713

  3

  23,622

  Technical Grade I

  2

  24,172

  2

  25,138

  Sandwich Student

  1

  3,562

  —

  —

  Vacation Student

  1

  985

  3

  4,000

  Total

  932,675

  989,363

  Letter from D. Durham to Mr. Martin Redmond dated 2 November 1992:

  You recently put down a Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade asking him to list by grade the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93, for each executive agency for which he is responsible.

  The information you have requested is set out on the attached Schedule.

  Staff numbers by grade full-time equivalent

  Grades

  Average 1991–92

  Estimated 1993

  G4

  1·0

  1·0

  G5

  3·0

  2·0

  G6

  1·0

  3·0

  G7

  9·5

  9·1

  SEO

  17·0

  17·0

  HEO

  60·2

  55·8

  EO

  137·1

  117·2

  AO

  362·3

  324·6

  AA

  205·1

  183·2

  600
  My Chief Executive has been asked to respond to you directly with the information you requested in Parliamentary Question 137, tabled on 27 October. I am responding in his absence.

  The details of NWML grades, numbers and costs that you request are set out in the attached table. I hope that this information meets your requirements.

  Grades

  Average 1991–92

  Estimated 1993

  SPS

  1·0

  1·0

  TM

  1·5

  1·0

  PS

  4·0

  5·0

  TYP

  19·1

  19·5

  SM2

  4·0

  3·0

  SM3

  16·5

  17·0

  SG1

  61·75

  51·4

  SG2

  278·6

  263·4

  Total

  1,182·6

  1,074·2

  Staff costs

  £000

  1991–92

  Estimated 1992–93

  Total

  15,570

  14,713

  Fact-finding Visits
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the fact-finding visits made in the last 12 months by the chief executive of each executive agency for which he is responsible; and what where the findings resulting from each visit.

  Mr. Eggar
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the chief executives of the 10 agencies for which my Department is responsible. I have therefore asked Mr. Mike Hoddinott, Accounts Services Agency; Mr. David Durham, Companies House; Mr. Peter Joyce, Insolvency Service; Dr. Richard Worswick, Laboratory of the Government Chemist; Mr. William Edgar, National Engineering Laboratory; Dr. Peter Clapham, National Physical Laboratory; Dr. Seton Bennett, National Weights and Measures Laboratory; Mr. Paul Hartnack, Patent Office; Mr. John Michell, Radiocommunications Agency; and Dr. Doug Cormack, Warren Spring Laboratory, to arrange for replies to be given.

  Letter from D. Durham to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 October 1992:

  You recently put down a Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade asking him to list, fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by the chief executive of each executive agency; and what were the findings resulting from each visit. Following the answer given by Mr. Eggar, I am replying in respect of Companies House.

  I visited the United States and Canada in late April, early May 1992. The visit was aimed at improving my understanding of quality management and image technology.

  I visited the US Patents Office in Washington, the United Services Automobile Association (a major insurer) in San Antonio and the Province of Ontario's Ministry of Consumer and Commercial relations in Toronto and Thunder Bay. All three organisations use image technology and have pioneered its use in different ways. Although Companies House had decided recently not to continue with its own image project, it is still a longer-term possibility to replace our microfiche system. I gained a valuable insight into the use of image technology, both its problems and its benefits.

  The USAA has a world-wide reputation for quality and it conducts monthly seminars to pass on this knowledge to other organisations wishing to improve their quality management. Companies House were at that time in the middle of their own total quality management programme and attendance at the seminar provided a valuable insight into how improvement could be brought about. Much was also learned about the USAA's introduction and use of image technology.

  Letter from M. J. Michell to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 October 1992:

  You have recently tabled two Parliamentary Questions to the President of the Board of Trade, concerning papers published and fact finding visits by the Chief Executives of DTI Agencies. The President has asked me to write to you on these matters in relation to the Radiocommunications Agency.

  I have not myself published any papers since this Agency was established in 1990. However the Agency as such has published a large number of technical papers, reports and so forth. I am not sure this kind of publication is what you had in mind in your Question but I have enclosed details of publications over the past 12 months should these be of interest. I am also enclosing a copy of the Agency's latest annual report.

  In the last twelve months I have not made any fact finding visits as such. During the course of my work I have visited a number of UK companies to discuss matters of business, as well as visiting different Agency establishments. I have made one overseas visit to Australia and New Zealand, to discuss with the authorities there certain radical changes in radio
  602
  spectrum management policy they have introduced or are in course of introducing, in order that I may better advise Ministers on future policy in this country. As you may know, the Government has announced its intention of issuing a consultative document on future radio spectrum management in due course.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Letter from M. Hoddinott to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 30 October 1992:

  In response to your recent Parliamentary Question to the President of the Board of Trade, I have been asked to advise you of fact finding visits I have made in the last twelve months as Chief Executive of Accounts Services Agency.

  I have made no such visits. Visits have been made to colleagues in DTI and other Government Departments to discuss the delivery of the Agency's services and management or similar issues.

  Letter from W. Edgar to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992:

  I would refer to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 22 October to the President to the Board of Trade asking that he produce a list of the fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by the Chief Executive of each Agency for which he is responsible and that he identify the findings resulting from each visit.

  As the Chief Executive of NEL I can confirm to you that I have not made any purely fact finding visits in the last 12 months. All my trips outside the office are, in the interests of maintaining a cost effective operation, of the multi-purpose variety whereby I visit clients, make presentations on NEL's capability, attend meetings with partners in various joint ventures and also include a host of other activities. Where fact finding/market research initiatives are required these are normally carried out and coordinated by the marketing department or operating divisions and are normally combined with a number of other tasks carried out simultaneously.

  Letter from Dr. P. B. Clapham to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992:

  I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question addressed to the President of the Board of Trade requesting a list of fact finding visits made in the last 12 months by Agency Chief Executives. I have been asked to respond concerning my own Agency, the National Physical Laboratory.

  I have not made any fact finding visits in the usual sense of the phrase. I have, however, attended two meetings in the last 12 months concerned with increasing the level of European collaboration within the sphere of the Agency's interests—primarily measurement standards. These discussions are 'on-going', so there are no specific findings to report. The final outcome will depend in part on the priorities placed on measurement and testing in the European Community's Fourth Framework Programme.

  Letter from R. D. Worswick to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 October 1992:

  I am writing to you in reply to your PQ about 'fact finding visits" made by the Chief Executives of the Department's Agencies.

  Since my appointment as Chief Executive of LGC in May 1991 I have visited several organisations in the UK and Europe concerned directly or indirectly with the work of the Laboratory.

  Further afield I led a high level mission on analytical instruments to Japan last year. I also visited the National Institute of Science and Technology in the United States.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Letter from P. Joyce to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 October 1992:

  As Chief Executive of The Insolvency Service, I have been asked to let you have a substantive response to the

  603
  Parliamentary Question (No. 125) which you tabled on 22 October 1992. This concerned 'fact finding' visits made by Chief Executives of Agencies.

  The Insolvency Service has 36 offices throughout England and Wales, principally Official Receivers' offices, together with one in Edinburgh. I and my senior management colleagues will between us hope to visit all these offices in the course of any 12 months. These are not fact finding visits as such but rather the means by which I and my colleagues can keep in touch with what is going on at a local level. I and my senior colleagues also visit Insolvency Practitioners from time to time, which enables us to take the views of the insolvency profession on the practical application of insolvency law.

  Letter from D. Cormack to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 26 October 1992:

  Warren Spring Laboratory is a non-monopoly supplier of scientific and technical services to government and other customers, who themselves operate competitive tendering. We therefore only do what we can recover the costs of through contracts.

  I have not been contracted to take part in any fact finding visits and consequently have not been involved in any, although I am aware that fact finding missions to foreign countries are from time to time organised by the relevant divisions of the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Letter from P. R. S. Hartnack to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992:

  I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question number 125 of 22 October 1992 about fact finding visits. I have made no such visits in the last 12 months.

  Letter from S. Bennett to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992:

  I have been asked by the President of the Board of Trade to let you have details of any fact finding visits made during the last 12 months.

  I have made no such visits in the last year.

  Coal
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidance he has given to British Coal in respect of the introduction of compulsory measures in respect of pits where voluntary redundancy arrangements are already in place and volunteers are available.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 22 October 1992]: Following discussions with the Department, British Coal has given further details about its redundancy arrangements in a letter to the mining unions, dated 30 October 1992, which is reprinted in the November 1992 issue of "Coal News".

  EC Funding
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many areas in the United Kingdom that are part of the United Kingdom's assisted areas map are recognised by the EC for regional development funding; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 2 November 1992]: There are 89 whole travel-to-work areas (TTWAs) and four part-TTWAs in the United Kingdom which are both assisted areas and qualify for EC regional development funding.

  The whole TTWAs include: in England—Accrington and Rossendale, Barnsley, Bishop Auckland, Blackburn, Bodmin and Liskeard, Bolton and Bury, Bradford, Bude, Darlington, Doncaster, Durham, Falmouth, Gainsborough, Grimsby, Hartlepool, Helston, Hull,
  604
  Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Morpeth and Ashington, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Newquay, Oldham, Penzance and St. Ives, Plymouth, Redruth and Cambourne, Rochdale, Rotherham and Mexborough, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland, Telford and Bridgnorth, Walsall, Widnes and Runcorn, Wigan and St. Helens, Wirral and Chester, and Wolverhampton; in Scotland—Alloa, Arbroath, Ayr, Badenoch, Bat hgate, Campbeltown, Cummock and Sanquhar, Dumbarton, Dundee, Dunfermline, Dunoon and Bute, Falkirk, Forres, Girvan, Glasgow, Greenock, Invergordon and Dingwall, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Kirkcaldy, Lanarkshire, Lochaber, Newton Stewart, Skye and Wester Ross, Stewartry, Stranraer, Sutherland, Western Isles and Wick; in Wales—Aberdare, Bangor and Caernarfon, Bridgend, Cardiff, Cardigan, Ebbw Vale and Abergavenny, Fishguard, Flint and Rhyl, Haverfordwest, Holyhead, Lampeter and Aberaeron, Llanelli, Merthyr and Rhymney, Neath and Port Talbot, Newport, Pontypool and Cwmbran, Pontypridd and Rhondda, Porthmadoc and Ffestiniog, Pwllheli, South Pembrokeshire, Swansea, and Wrexham.

  The part-TTWAs include: Birmingham, Coventry and Hinckley, Dudley and Sanderwell, and Manchester.

  Silverhill Colliery
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has received from British Coal about(a) its former strategic plan for the Silverhill colliery and (b) its prospective profitability for each of the next four financial years.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 2 November 1992]: The issues which the hon. Member raises are matters for British Coal.

  Energy Review
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to visit a coal mine during the period of the energy review.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 5 November 1992]: I have no such plans at present.

  Customs Brokers
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to support the proposal of the European Commission to establish a special fund to alleviate the problems that will be faced by employees of customs brokers following the completion of the European single market on 1 January 1993.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 5 November 1992]: The Government have serious reservations about the Commission's proposals. It would appear to duplicate assistance available from the EC structural funds: particularly under the cross-border Community initiative INTERREG—in Kent and Northern Ireland—and from January 1993, when assistance under objective 3 of the structural funds will be made available to all redundant customs agents, from the European social fund.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

  Child Care
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of 29 June,Official Report, column 381–82, if he will outline the progress made towards the establishment of a day nursery in the Palace of Westminster or its precincts.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission what progress has been made towards the establishment of a day nursery in the Palace of Westminster for hon. Members and staff.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what progress he has made towards establishing a creche in the House.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make a statement outlining progress on child care facilities for Members and staff in the Palace of Westminster.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what progress is being made in the provision of nursery facilities for children of House of Commons staff and Members.

  Mr. Beith
  I refer the hon. Members to the oral reply I gave to the hon. Member for Vauxhall (Ms. Hoey) earlier today.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make a statement on the policies of the House of Commons Commission with regard to the employment of people with disabilities.

  Mr. Beith
  The policy of the Commission remains as set out in its statement of April 1982—that disablement is no bar to recruitment to, or advancement in, the House of Commons service, and that every opportunity is taken to employ disabled people.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Vining Peas
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on vining peas and the vining pea areas within the set-aside regime for 1993; and if he will clarify the proposals.

  Mr. Curry
  We did not support the Commission's decision to make vining peas eligible for area aid under the new arable support regime. Following pressure from the United Kingdom and a number of other member states, we understand from the Commission that it now intends to reverse this decision. That would be a satisfactory outcome, and it is one for which we will continue to work.

  Departmental Payments
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to co-ordinate the payments his Department makes to landowners under all the schemes for which he is responsible; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The Department operates a range of schemes which offer payments to landowners. These schemes have different purposes and take different formats reflecting those purposes. There is therefore limited scope for co-ordinating payments under them.

  Biofuels
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department is carrying out into the viability of growing biofuels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The Department is sponsoring research in a number of relevant areas, including work on improved varieties of traditional crops, such as rapeseed and on potential solid biofuel crops such as miscanthus. Agricultural aspects of liquid biofuel manufacture—for example, biodiesel and bioethanol—have generally passed the research stage. However, our economic and scientific research raises doubts about their ability to compete with fuels from fossil sources, even when grown with the benefit of area or set-aside payments. Biodiesel, for example, costs two or three times as much to produce as conventional diesel.

  Set-aside
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to encourage pilot schemes of alternative uses of land currently under set-aside; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Land currently entered into the nonagricultural use or woodland options of the voluntary five-year set-aside scheme can be planted with trees or put to other appropriate alternative uses.

  The EC regulations governing the new arable area payments scheme, under which land will be set aside for the first time from this winter, allow such land to be used to grow a wide range of crops for specified non-food uses. subject to suitable controls. Though optional for member states this year, we are implementing these arrangements in full from the outset.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on permanent and rotational methods of headland set-aside; and how he plans to protect viable headlands.

  Mr. Curry
  Set-aside of headlands and field margins can bring environmental benefits. We were able to secure provision in the Community rules for the set-aside of such areas provided they meet minimum width and area requirements.

  Member states are required to apply appropriate agronomic and environmental safeguards to all land set-aside under the new arable area payments arrangements. Our management requirements are listed in the booklet on the area payments scheme, a copy of which has

  607
  been placed in the Library of the House. These requirements will be reviewed to reflect the choice between rotational and non-rotational set-aside, which is due to be introduced in 1993.

  Intervention Wheat Stocks
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a table of all intervention stocks of wheat held in each member state of the Common Market, stating the relative quality and cost of buying into intervention in each case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The latest data that are available on a member state basis are at 7 June 1992, when EC intervention stocks of wheat were as follows:

  ('000 tonnes)

  Member state

  Common wheat

  Feed wheat

  Belgium

  121

  0

  Denmark

  109

  42

  Germany

  4,237

  53

  Greece

  4

  0

  Spain

  0

  0

  France

  3,939

  0

  Ireland

  0

  0

  Italy

  8

  0

  Luxembourg

  3

  0

  Netherlands

  0

  0

  Portugal

  7

  49

  United Kingdom

  0

  9

  Imports of fatty liver of geese or ducks by country of origin (kg)

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Total of which imported from:

  6,015

  8,459

  13,091

  17,118

  23,704

  24,723

  24,072

  France

  5,991

  8,459

  13,091

  17,118

  23,675

  24,723

  21,622

  Phillipines

  20

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Canada

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  0

  0

  0

  0

  29

  0

  0

  Netherlands

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2,450

  Source: HM Customs and Excise

  Dietary Supplements
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received from(a) right hon. and hon. Members and (b) other individuals and organisations concerning the proposed European draft directive on dietary supplements; how many of those representations in each case have been broadly in favour of allowing such supplements to continue to be widely available to consumers; and how many have endorsed calls for the introduction of restrictions upon the sale of such products.

  Mr. Soames
  Responses to the consultation exercise earlier this year on the EC discussion paper on this subject, including those from consumers, enforcement authorities, the health food trade and manufacturers, generally favoured EC regulation in this area. Since then, from 1 April this year, the Department has received 147 representations from right hon. and hon. Members on behalf of their constituents, many of whose letters have been expressed indentical terms. Sixty-two letters have
  608

  Member state

  Common wheat

  Feed wheat

  Total

  18,430

  153

  1 Total does not add due to rounding.

  Currently there are around 6·64 million tonnes of common wheat and 200,000 tonnes of feed wheat in intervention in the EC.

  Cereals purchased into intervention must meet the minimum quality standards as prescribed in EC Commission regulation 689/92. They are purchased at the intervention buying-in price applicable at the time of delivery, to which must be added the actual costs of physically taking the stocks into store. However, as some of this wheat has been in intervention for several years, it is not possible to estimate, with any degree of accuracy, the costs associated with purchasing it into intervention.

  Foie Gras
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will show the volume of imports of foie gras into the United Kingdom and their countries of origin for each year since 1985.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information requested is shown in the table. For years from 1988 onwards, figures are for fresh or chilled fatty livers of geese and ducks only. For years 1985 to 1987, the available figures refer to fatty liver of geese and ducks whether fresh, chilled, frozen, salted or in brine.

  been received from individuals and organisations. All these representations have been broadly in favour of maintaining the status quo.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has about the expected scope of the forthcoming European directive on dietary supplements; and what information he has about the possible inclusion of salt and sugar.

  Mr. Soames
  On the basis of the discussion paper produced by the European Commission last December, I anticipate that the draft proposals will cover supplements in a concentrated form—that is, vitamin and mineral pills and, possibly, herbal extracts. There is no indication that salt or sugar would be within the scope of a directive on dietary supplements.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the retail value of those vitamin, mineral and other dietary supplements which are consumed annually in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 8 July in the Official Report, column 234.
  609
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the number of individuals who use vitamin, mineral or other dietary supplements on a regular basis.

  Mr. Soames
  Data from the dietary and nutritional survey of British adults, 1986–1987, indicated that 13 per cent. of consumers took some kind of dietary supplement. However, I am aware that sales have been increasing and a recent report in the market research magazine "Market Intelligence", September 1992, gave a figure of 30 per cent. for households which had purchased vitamins or dietary supplements in 1992.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to seek derogation for the United Kingdom from the forthcoming European directive on dietary supplements.

  Mr. Soames
  We have made our views on future legislation known to the European Commission in the form of an outline draft directive on dietary supplements. In negotiations, we will press for a Community regime that strikes the right balance between ensuring public health and maintaining the availability of safe products for which there is clearly a strong public demand.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will meet the Society for the Promotion of Nutritional Therapy to discuss the forthcoming draft directive on dietary supplements.

  Mr. Soames
  Arrangements for this are already in hand. Moreover, my officials have already met with most of the interested parties, including this body.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Food Safety Act 1990 and other legislation in preventing the marketing of dangerous food products, or the making of unsubstantiated claims about health benefits which may accrue through the consumption of particular food products.

  Mr. Soames
  Procedures are in place which aim to ensure that the Food Safety Act 1990 is enforced effectively and sensibly. The Government believe the Act is largely effective both in deterring the marketing of food products which might be unsafe and in allowing action to be taken against the marketing of products which are, or may be, in breach of its provisions. However, this is kept under review and, in particular, the Government are concerned that a small number of food supplements may pose a potential risk to health and also that consumers may be misled by unsubstantiated claims in relation to certain products. The Government have recently accepted recommendations from the independent Food Advisory Committee for the tightening of controls on claims which may be made for foods. These include the recommendations that a food must be able to fulfil the claim being made for it; adequate labelling information must be given to show consumers that the claim is justified and that manufacturers should be required to be able to produce for enforcement purposes information substantiating any claims, and that such information as is appropriate should also be available to interested parties, including consumers. A copy of the full recommendations is being placed in the Library of the House. The recommendations on claims are being taken forward within the European Community.

  Diet
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what initiatives are currently being undertaken by his Department to encourage people to seek a balanced diet; and if he will indicate in each case the cost of that initiative.

  Mr. Soames
  A free booklet is available to the public advising on healthy eating as part of this Department's continuing Foodsense campaign. The publication contains dietary guidelines based on recommendations by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy. The costs related to the production of this publication so far amount to £99,000. In addition, this Department is involved in the nutrition task force, recently announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health which will draw up a co-ordinated action programme for achieving the dietary targets set out in "The Health of the Nation" White Paper. That programme will involve advising and encouraging the public to change the balance of their diet.

  Methyl Bromide
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the report of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, relating to methyl bromide will be published prior to the Montreal protocol negotiations starting on 17 November; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The Advisory Committee on Pesticides evaluation document on residues of methyl bromide in some vegetables is now available. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Sheep Dips
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many reports have been received in each of the last six years of adverse human reaction to sheep dip products licensed by his Department.

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested for each of the past six years is as follows:

  Number of reports received

  1986

  10

  1987

  11

  1988

  19

  1989

  9

  1990

  6

  1991

  138

  For 1992, a total of 121 reports have been received up to 31 October. A significant proportion of the reports received since 1990 are historical cases where a suspected adverse reaction had occurred more than one year previously. These figures should be set in the context of in excess of 1 million dippings since 1985.

  Ectoparasiticide Medicinal Products
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made in his Department's review of licensed ectoparasiticide medicinal products.
  611
  Mr. Soames
  Apart from sheep dips, the review of licensed ectoparasiticide medicinal products has almost been completed. For outstanding products, companies have been asked to provide the necessary data as soon as possible.

  On sheep dips, since the announcement of the completion by the independent Veterinary Products Committee of the initial phase of its review, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate has had dicussions with the pharmaceutical companies concerned about further work that is required to bring the review to a conclusion. The companies have been asked to progress this work as speedily as possible. It is however, unlikely that the review of these products will be complete before mid-1993.

  Bass
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to conclude his study into the effect on bass stocks of seismic surveys.

  Mr. Curry
  The Ministry expects to be able to publish a report by the end of summer 1993 which will include an assessment of a bass tagging programme undertaken on behalf of Elf Enterprise Caledonia Ltd.

  The tagging programme, which was funded by Elf, was carried out by Fawley Aquatic Research Laboratories under the guidance of MAFF fisheries scientists.

  Ozone Depletion
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give an undertaking to purchase only ozone-friendly fridges that do not contain chlorofluorocarbons or hydrochlorofluorocarbons for his Department.

  Mr. Curry
  The policy of the Department is not to purchase new fridges containing substances harmful to the ozone layer as set out in the Montreal protocol and its revisions.

  When existing fridges containing substances harmful to the ozone layer are to be replaced, fridges which are understood to be ozone friendly will be purchased.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures have been taken to ensure that any ozone-destroying substances in use by his Department identified as controlled waste under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 do not reach the atmosphere.

  Mr. Curry
  The disposal of controlled waste is governed by the Duty of Care Regulations which came into force on 1 April 1992 under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. These regulations put a responsibility on producers of controlled waste to ensure that it is disposed of safely and legally. There is no Crown immunity from these regulations and the Department takes care to observe them.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many refrigeration and air conditioning systems in his Department are equipped with automatic leak detection systems.

  Mr. Curry
  Ten per cent. of buildings occupied by MAFF are provided with in-built refrigeration or air conditioning systems. Most installations have been in use 612
  for five or more years and none are currently equipped with automatic leak detection systems. All such installations are subject to a rigorous maintenance regime, performance is regularly monitored and defects are attended to promptly.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much funding has been allocated or spent to specifically deal with measures to reduce his Department's consumption of ozone-depleting substances.

  Mr. Curry
  It is not possible to say how much money has been spent across the whole Department in reducing consumption of ozone-depleting substances because the programme is funded from many budgets and cannot be separately identified.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which current uses of ozone-depleting chemicals by his Department are considered essential.

  Mr. Curry
  We would not consider any uses for which ozone-friendly alternatives are available and it is the Department's policy to purchase such alternatives wherever possible.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many catastrophic leaks of ozone-depleting substances have occurred within his Department buildings in the past five years.

  Mr. Curry
  None.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by what date his Department's use of ozone-depleting chemicals will conform to European Community regulations on limits on these chemicals.

  Mr. Curry
  Both the Montreal protocol and the EC regulations seek to control the production, but not the use, of substances which deplete the ozone layer. However, the Department is playing its part in helping to phase out these substances by wherever possible not purchasing them.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next expects to designate an environmentally sensitive area in(a) England and (b) Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  There are already 10 environmentally sensitive areas in England and two in Wales. My right hon. Friends the Minister and the Secretary of State for Wales plan to make announcements on the timing of further designations in the near future.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food pursuant to his oral statement of 14 July,Official Report, column 1027, on the entry into force of limitations of days at sea, whether the effective steps to be taken by other EC states refers to days at sea limitations or to other means such as decommissioning schemes.

  Mr. Curry
  All member states must agree on multi-annual guidance programme targets. The contribution to be made by effort control and the overall targets themselves are still under discussion. "Effective Steps", therefore refers to action to achieve agreed targets.

  Fishermen (Hairnets)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received over the terms of the proposed European legislation involving the possibility of fishermen being required to wear hairnets at sea.

  Mr. Sackville
  I have been asked to reply.

  None. There is no such requirement.

  The EC directive on health conditions for the production and placing on the market of fishery products, which come into force from 1 January 1993, requires those handling fishery products in working areas on factory vessels to wear clean working clothes and headgear which encloses the hair.

  Agencies
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by grade the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93 for each executive agency for which he is responsible.

  Mr. Gummer
  Responsibility for this matter is delegated to the Agricultural Development Advisory Service, the Central Science Laboratory, the Central Veterinary Laboratory, the Intervention Board executive agency and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. I have asked their respective chief executives to write to the hon. Gentleman direct.

  Letter from G. Stapleton to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 7 November 1992:

  I refer to your recent Written Parliamentary Question to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food about the number of staff by grade employed by executive agencies for which he is responsible and the associated staff costs for the 1991–92 and 1992–93 years. As the Minister promised in his reply I am now writing to let you have the information for this Agency.

  The Intervention Board employed 999 staff during the 1991–92 year and our estimated projected manpower figure for the current year is 1,037 staff. I attach a table which provides a breakdown of these staff totals by grade.

  I enclose a copy of the Agency's Annual Report which I hope you will find of interest. Page 23 provides details of our administration expenditure and you will see that staff costs, ERNIC and pensions, accounted for £15,394,000 during 1991–92. Our estimated forecast for the current financial year, which includes a factor for inflation, is £17,716,000.

  Intervention Board—staff figures by grade

  Actual 1991–92

  Estimated 1992–93

  Grade 3

  1

  1

  Grade 5

  5

  5

  Grade 6

  5

  5

  Grade 7

  20

  19

  Senior Executive Officer

  43

  45

  Higher Executive Officer

  104·5

  107·50

  Executive Officer

  197·5

  211

  Administrative Officer

  415·5

  433

  Administrative Assistant

  127

  131·50

  Support Grade Band I

  8·5

  9·50

  Support Grade Band II

  26

  25·5

  Superintendent Telex

  1

  1

  Specialist Telex

  4·5

  4

  Chief Typing Manager

  1

  1

  Typing Manager

  2

  2

  Typists

  22

  20

  Personal Secretaries

  11·5

  12

  ADAS 1

  2

  2

  614

  Actual 1991–92

  Estimated 1992–93

  ADAS 2

  2

  2

  999

  1,037

  Letter from Dr. T. W. A. Little to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 9 November 1992:

  Question:

  "To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list by grade the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93 for each executive agency for which he is responsible."

  As you know the Minister has asked that Chief Executives of executive agencies for which he is responsible write to you direct with their answer to your question.

  The number of staff by grade employed at the Central Veterinary Laboratory during 1991–92, and the estimated figures for 1992–93, are listed below at Annex 1.

  The staff costs during 1991–92 were £10,561,000 and the estimate for 1992–93 is £11,467,000.

  Annex 1

  Central Veterinary Laboratory Number of staff by grade for 1991–92 and 1992–93

  Number1

  Grade

  1991–922

  1992–933

  Grade 3

  1

  1

  Grade 4

  1

  1

  Grade 5

  3

  3

  Grade 6

  10

  12

  Grade 7

  15

  14

  Senior Executive Officer

  3

  2

  Higher Executive Officer

  6

  8

  Executive Officer

  11½

  12

  Administrative Officer

  36

  34

  Administrative Assistant

  45

  49

  Senior Personal Secretary

  1

  1

  Personal Secretary

  2

  2

  Chief Typing Manager

  —

  1

  Typing Manager

  1

  1

  Typist

  11½

  11½

  Senior Librarian

  1

  1

  Librarian

  1

  1

  Assistant Librarian

  3

  2

  Stores Officer Grade D

  1

  1

  Higher Photographic Officer

  1

  1

  Photographic Officer

  1

  1

  Process and General Supervisory:

  A

  1

  1

  B

  1

  1

  D

  10

  11

  E

  2

  1

  Experimental Worker I

  23

  22

  Experimental Worker II

  17½

  25½

  Experimental Worker III

  13

  9

  Experimental Worker IV

  2

  3

  Senior Research Officer II

  23

  19

  Veterinary Research Officer

  27½

  24½

  Senior Scientific Officer

  38

  32½

  Higher Scientific Officer

  56

  57

  Scientific Officer

  66

  63½

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  110

  126

  Support Grade Band 1

  17

  17

  Support Grade Band 2

  61

  66½

  Sandwich Course Student

  12

  11

  Total

  635

  650

  1 Part-time staff counted as half units.

  2 Average weekly number of employees during 1991–92.

  3 Estimated weekly number of employees for 1992–93.

  615
  Letter from Dr. J. M. Rutter to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 October 1992:

  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list by grade the numbers of staff and their costs for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93 for each executive agency for which he is responsible.

  In his reply to the above question about Executive Agencies in MAFF, the Minister said that as this was a matter which was the direct responsibility of Chief Executives, he would ask them to write to you direct. I am doing so as Chief Executive of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).

  The numbers of staff by grade and their costs for 1991–92 are set out on pages 47 and 42 respectively of the VMD's Annual Report and Accounts, a copy of which was enclosed with my letter to you dated 26 October.

  The estimated figures for 1992/93 are 91·5 staff and £2·202m staff costs; the actual figures will be included in the VMD's Report and Accounts for 1992/93 due to be published in July 1993.

  Letter from Dr. J. M. Walsh to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 9 November 1992:

  Parliamentary Question: To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list by grade the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93 for each executive agency for which he is responsible.

  ADAS was established as an executive agency on 1 April this year. The enclosed figures for 1991–92 are therefore based on the number of ADAS staff in MAFF at 1 October 1991. These figures do not include MAFF administrative staff who were also engaged on ADAS work, many of whom transferred across to ADAS from 1 April 1992. As the figure for 1992–93 is based on the number of ADAS staff in post on 1 October 1992 the figures for the two years are not directly comparable. The figures provided relate only to "non industrial" staff. About 135 "industrial" staff, e.g. farm workers and craftsmen, were employed by MAFF on ADAS work on 1 October 1991, compared to an ADAS staff in post figure of 98 on 1 October this year.

  ADAS staff numbers and annual salary cost 1991–92

  Grade

  Number of staff1

  Total annual salary cost2

  £

  Unified Grades

  167·5

  7,242,052

  Advisory Grades

  703·5

  18,865,412

  Science Grades

  330·5

  5,686,826

  Professional and Technology Grades

  334·0

  8,293,304

  Mapping and Charting Grades

  43·0

  814,008

  Research Officer Grades (Resource and Planning)

  24·5

  511,855

  Graphics Officer Grades

  1·0

  18,616

  Photographer Grades

  2·0

  43,080

  Administrative and Typing Grades

  171·0

  2,801,262

  Support Grades

  12·0

  123,156

  Process and Supervisory Grades

  10·0

  158,790

  Totals

  1,799·0

  44,558,361

  1 Figures extracted from MAFF Personnel database

  2Total Annual Salary Cost comprises pay, ERNIC and PCSPS costs

  ADAS staff numbers and annual salary cost 1992–93

  Grade

  Number of staff1

  Total annual salary cost2

  £

  Unified Grades

  150·0

  6,737,185

  Consultancy Grades

  1,006·5

  28,963,777

  Science Grades

  304·0

  5,247,713

  Professional and Technology Grades

  51·0

  1,041,035

  Mapping and Charting Grades

  39·5

  773,898

  Information/Librarian Grades

  1·0

  23,654

  Graphics Officer Grades

  4·0

  81,780

  616

  Grade

  Number of staff1

  Total annual salary cost2

  £

  Photographer Grades

  2·0

  45,665

  Administrative and Typing Grades

  578·5

  7,574,783

  Support Grades

  47·0

  532,661

  Process and Supervisory Grades

  8·0

  134,656

  Totals

  2,191·5

  51,156,807

  1 Figures extracted from MAFF Personnel database, which is in the process of being updated to reflect the new ADAS structure.

  2Total Annual Salary Cost comprises pay, ERNIC and PCSPS costs.

  EXPLANATORY NOTE
  Unified Grades

  Grades 3–7 plus ADAS I.

  Consultancy Grades1

  Advisory Officer/Science Specialist II-IV Senior Consultant,

  Consultant and Team Leader.

  Professional and Technical Grades

  SPTO-PTO, Graduate Surveyor and Farm Manager.

  Mapping and Charting Grades

  SMCO-MCO (trainee).

  Research Officer Grades

  SRO-RO.

  Administrative and Typing Grades2

  SEO-AA.

  Typing Manager, SPS-Typist.

  Support Grades2

  SGB 1 and 2.

  Photographic Grades

  Principal and senior photographer.

  Process and Supervisory Grades

  Sample tester.

  1 Advisory Officer, Science Specialist, SPTO, HPTO, SRO and RO grades have been absorbed into the restructured Consultancy Grades in the 1992–93 figures.
  2 The number of administrative and support grade staff go up in 1992–93 because MAFF staff engaged on ADAS work are not included in the ADAS 1991–92 figures.
  Letter from Dr. P. I. Stanley to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 October 1992:
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, if he will list by grade the number of staff and their cost for 1991–92 and the estimated figures for 1992–93 for each executive agency for which he is responsible.
  The numbers of staff employed by the Central Science Laboratory on a permanent basis, by grade, for 1991–92 and the estimated numbers for 1992–93 are as follows:

  Grade

  1991–92

  1992–93

  3

  1·0

  1·0

  5

  1·0

  1·0

  6

  9·8

  12·2

  7

  34·6

  30·0

  SEO/SSO and equivalent grades

  48·2

  48·9

  HEO/HSO and equivalent grades

  73·4

  75·7

  EO/SO and equivalent grades

  70·8

  83·7

  AO/ASO and equivalent grades

  80·5

  79·1

  AA

  22·5

  22·3

  Industrial

  28·1

  30·0

  Totals

  369·8

  383·9

  In addition, there are a number of students and staff employed on a casual basis as follows:

  617

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Students

  22·8

  11·7

  Casuals

  29·4

  36·0

  Totals

  52·2

  47·6

  Staff costs for 1991–92 are £7,141 million and are estimated for 1992–93 to be £7·9 million.

SCOTLAND

  Coastal Erosion
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what planning policy guidance he gives to local authorities over coastal erosion.

  Mr. Stewart
  There is currently no planning policy guidance available to local authorities on the subject of coastal erosion. Following a review of the priorities for planning guidance, coastal planning has been identified as requiring attention and we accept the need to extend guidance in this area. Revised guidance will be drawn up to take forward the approach set out in the Government response to the Environment Select Committee's report on coastal zone protection and planning. A copy of the response has been placed in the library of the House.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff hours were involved in preparing to the Scottish local government reform proposals.

  Mr. Lang
  Preparation of the proposals has involved staff in many parts of the Scottish Office. De tailed information on staff hours devoted to particular subjects would take too many staff hours to calculate.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was paid to Touche Ross for its consultancy report on the reorganisation of Scottish local government.

  Mr. Lang
  The figure is £38,000·

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of all the published documents, maps and videos which were produced at the launch of the Scottish local government reorganisation proposals.

  Mr. Lang
  The cost, excluding Scottish Office staff costs, of preparing and reproducing 15,000 consultation papers, 700 videos, 1,000 posters and 110,000 leaflets was approximately £115,000.

  Environmental Protection
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many acres of land are held by each regional and island water authority; what percentage, in each case, falls within areas designated for environmental protection such as evironmentally sensitive areas and areas of natural beauty; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 November 1992]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Shettleston (Mr. Marshall) on 27 October.

  Japanese Language
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teachers qualified to teach the Japanese language are currently employed by education authorities in the maintained sector and teaching in secondary schools to(a) ordinary level and(b)higher level; and if he will make a statement on the teaching of Japanese in Scottish schools.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 26 October 1992]: The information requested is not held centrally. A small number of Scottish schools teach elementary Japanese as part of Japanese Studies courses. SCOTVEC also offers national certificate modules which include elements of the Japanese language. I have no plans to advise education authorities on the teaching of Japanese to Scottish Certificate of Examination standard, but I believe this is a subject worthy of further consideration, and I will keep it under review.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, for each local enterprise company, the number of jobs each local enterprise company has created since coming into operation for(a) adult males,(b)adult females,(c)young males and(d)young females.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 6 November 1992]: Oversight of the activities of the local enterprise companies is the responsibility of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands respectively. I have therefore asked the chairmen of these two bodies to write to the hon. Member about the information which he has requested. Such information as they are able to provide is likely to reflect the fact that it is individual employers who create jobs; and that the role of the enterprise bodies is to help foster the conditions for employment growth rather than direct job creation.

  Regional Financial Assistance
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what amounts of regional financial assistance were given to industry in the parliamentary constituency of Greenock and Port Glasgow, by way of regional development grants, regional selection assistance and regional enterprise grants, in each financial year since 1989–90; and what is the sum to be paid in the year 1992–93.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 4 November 1992]: The information requested is given in the table. Expenditure in the remainder of 1992–93 will depend on claims made by companies in respect of progress with projects which have been the subject of individual offers of grant.

  Gross expenditure on regional assistance to industry in Greenock and Port Glasgow parliamentary constituency

  Regional selective assistance

  Regional enterprise grants

  (£000s) Regional development grants1

  1989–90

  424·1

  30·5

  2,475·4

  1990–91

  3,565·3

  15·7

  2168·5

  1991–92

  3·578·5

  19·5

  848·4

  21992–93

  380·0

  12·8

  602·9

  619
  1 Includes expenditure on original and revised regional development grant schemes. The revised scheme was closed to new applications on 31 March 1988.

  2 To 28 October 1992.

  Common Fisheries Policy
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a statement on his policy on the European Commission's proposals to reform the common fisheries policy, (COM (92) 387 final):

  (2) what assessment he has made of the European Commission's proposal to repeal Council Regulation (EEC) No. 170/83, and of the implications of such a reform of the common fisheries policy for the Scottish fishing industry; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what action he will take to ensure consideration of the interests of the Scottish fishing fleet when considering changes in the common fisheries policy.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 5 November 1992]: Fisheries Ministers agreed at the Councils held on 3 April and 9 June 1992 to maintain key elements of the common fisheries policy including relative stability and access to the 12 mile zone and the Shetland box. These elements have benefited our fishermen over the last 10 years. The chief changes in the Commission's proposed revision of Council Regulation 170/83 relate to multi-annual programmes integrating permitted catches and fleet structure, control, licensing and changes in the balance of decision making between the Council and the Commission.

  We are considering the Commission's detailed proposal against the background of the earlier Council decisions with the overall objective of ensuring that fishermen in all parts of the UK can make of all the fishing opportunities obtained for them in 1983.

  EC Funds
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much financial assistance has been awarded to(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow,(b)Glasgow and(c)Strathclyde by way of each of the four objectives of the European Community's European regional development fund in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 5 November 1992]: Strathclyde region benefits from European regional development fund (ERDF) assistance objectives 2 and 5b only. Within each of these objectives assistance is awarded to the eligible area as a whole. For the years 1989–91, some £149 million of ERDF assistance was awarded to the Strathclyde integrated development operation under objective 2. Argyll and Bute district and part of Cunninghame district are instead eligible for objective 5b assistance awarded to the Highlands and Islands, for which some £54 million was made available in 1989–91. In addition, for 1990 and 1991, the European Comission made further ERDF awards to the west of Scotland of £6.8 million under RENAVAL and £0.2 million under RECHAR.

  War Crimes Act 1991
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans there are for legal action against Antony Gecas under the War Crimes Act 1991.
  620
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
  [holding answer 5 November 1992]: It is not the practice to disclose whether proceedings against any individual are contemplated.

  NATIONAL HERITAGE
  Mr. Milligan
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage whether he will consider merging the Broadcasting Complaints Commission and the Broadcasting Standards Council.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have no immediate plans to legislate for any changes in the status of either body but I will, of course, keep the matter under review.

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the current arrangements for the management of the BBC.

  Mr. Brooke
  This is a matter for the BBC, within the terms of the present royal charter and the licence and agreement.

  Mr. Milligan
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage whether he will make it his policy to use the opportunity of the review of the BBC charter to streamline the regulation of the broadcasting industry.

  Mr. Brooke
  I intend to publish a discussion paper in the next few weeks. This will set the framework for the public debate about the future of the BBC, including regulatory options. We shall want to hear the opinions of viewers and listeners, as well as those of the broadcasters and other interested parties, before we take decisions.

  Public Libraries (Closures)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many public libraries have been closed in the past year.

  Mr. Key
  Figures for the number of closures are not yet available for the past year.

  Media Ownership
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what recent representations he has received on reform of the law on media ownership.

  Mr. Brooke
  The subject is raised in many of my regular meetings with broadcasters and the press.

  "Managing England's Heritage"
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he became aware of the proposals of English Heritage outlined in the document "Managing England's Heritage"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  Following my appointment as Secretary of State on 25 September, I was briefed about English Heritage's strategy proposals and discussed them with Jocelyn Stevens, the chairman of English Heritage, on 1 October.

  English Sports Council
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage by what date the English Sports Council will be established.
  621
  Mr. Key
  The successor bodies to the GB Sports Council, the United Kingdom Sports Commission and the Sports Council for England will be established on 1 October 1993.

  Rugby League Clubs
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to assist Rugby League clubs.

  Mr. Brooke
  My Department's main agency for distributing grant aid to sports bodies in England is the Sports Council who do not assist professional bodies. However, they gave £172,000 in assistance to the British Amateur Rugby League Association in 1991–92. The Foundation for Sport and the Arts has given over £750,000 in grant aid to Rugby League clubs since its establishment last year following a reduction in pool betting duty.

  Victoria History of the Counties of England
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received on the future of the Victoria History of the Counties of England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Department of National Heritage has received four letters about the financial difficulties of the Victoria History of the Counties of England. I recognise the merits of this project, but it is for local councils to decide whether to continue their support for it, I am unable to offer support from my Department's funds.

  British Library
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when the British Library will open on its new St. Pancras site.

  Mr. Key
  The opening dates for the new building are currently being reviewed by the Department of National Heritage and the British Library.

  Arts Funding
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the amount of money being allocated to the arts in the current year; and what it was in 1979.

  Mr. Brooke
  For the current year the Government's grant in aid to the Arts Council of Great Britain is £221·2 million. For 1979–80 it was £63·125 million in cash terms or £153·1 million at today's prices. This represents a 44·5 per cent. increase in real terms.

  Local authorities also contribute significantly to the arts. Although no reliable figures are yet available best estimates suggest that they contribute well over £200 million a year.

  In addition, the arts receive funding from the private sector. For 1990–91, the latest year for which firm figures are available, annual business sponsorship reached £44·5 million to which can be added £12·5 million in corporate membership. My own business sponsorship incentive scheme has raised over £48 million for the arts since its inception in October 1984.

  Bolsover Castle
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the proposals relating to English Heritage announced on 26 October as they affect Bolsover castle.

  Mr. Key
  English Heritage's new strategy for the 1990s envisages allocating three categories of importance to their historic estate, concentrating resources and improving facilities in the top two categories and passing properties in the third category to local management wherever possible.

  Bolsover castle is to be in the first category and there are no plans to devolve its management.

  Scottish Arts Council
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to seek an early meeting with the chairman and members of the Scottish Arts Council in order to seek their views on the role of the council and its relationship with the state.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have no plans at present to meet the chairman and members of the Scottish Arts Council but I look forward to doing so when the opportunity arises.

  Cricket
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to provide assistance towards the development of cricket within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Brooke
  All Government funds for sport are channelled through the Sports Council who allocate these according to their policies and priorities. In 1991–92, the Sports Council provided £130,000 to cricketing governing bodies and a further £428,000 in grand aid for various regional projects aimed at developing the game in the United Kingdom. In addition, since its establishment last year the Foundation for Sport and the Arts has provided over £2 million to cricket projects. The Government also welcome a range of initiatives such as "Kwik Cricket" and "Capital Kids Programme", which are aimed at promoting cricket for young people.

  Pitchford Hall
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what further representations he has received since 20 October on Pitchford hall.

  Mr. Key
  My Department has received two further letters from member of the public, both written before 20 October, about Pitchford hall.

  Tourism
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage from which country the greatest number of tourists visited Great Britain during the current year.

  Mr. Key
  In the first quarter of 1992, the latest for which statistics are available, the United States of America generated the greatest number of visits to the United Kingdom, with 504,000 visits, 15 per cent. of the total.

  Departmental Properties
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list, for each local authority area in South Yorkshire, how many residential properties are currently owned by his Department; and if he will list, by location, those residential properties which are empty, giving the type of accommodation available, the length of time each property has been vacant, and its intended future use.

  Mr. Key
  None.

  Industrial Heritage Sites
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list for the three counties of Yorkshire and for Humberside, what new initiatives he proposes to introduce to secure the preservation of sites of industrial heritage.

  Mr. Brooke
  Controls and grant mechanisms to protect the heritage are well established. English Heritage made special reference to our unique industrial heritage and maritime heritage in their recent strategy for the 1990s.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the bodies with which the GAH Group consulted, prior to reporting to him on a national lottery.

  Mr. Brooke
  Many of the bodies contacted by the GAH Group responded on a confidential basis. I do not intend to publish a list.

  Library and Information Services Council
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is the membership of the Library and Information Services Council; and how many meetings it held in 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Key
  The Secretary of State appoints the members of his advisory body in their own right, but ensures that the full range of library and information interests is represented. The council met three times in 1991 and four times in 1992. The present membership is:

  Sir Peter Swinnerton-Dyer

  Stuart Brewer

  Brian Burch

  Sir Charles Chadwyck-

  Mrs. Gillian Cross

  Healy

  Chris Heinitz

  Miss Rosemary Gray

  Chris Koster

  Dr. Phil L. Holmes

  David Leabeater

  Dr. Brian Lang

  Dr. Bob McKee

  Nigel S. Macartney

  Mrs. Sylvia I. Martin

  Mrs. Sally R. Marshall

  Nigel Oxbrow

  Michael M. Messenger

  John Sumsion

  Mrs. Sheila Pantry

  Public Record Office
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many papers his Department has currently withdrawn from the Public Record Office: if he will list their titles; and when he estimates that they will be returned.

  Mr. Key
  My Department currently relies on other Government Departments for retrieval of records from the Public Record Office. They do not keep separate statistics 624
  on which papers are withdrawn for our use and, therefore, our records will be included in the numbers supplied by those Departments.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Ozone-destroying Substances
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will provide details from the maintenance and servicing record of the quantity and type of ozone—destroying chemicals used annually in his Department's refrigeration and air conditioning equipment for servicing and in leakages; and what proportion is removed for recycling;

  (2) how many chlorofluorocarbon and hydrochlorofluorocarbon installations are contained within his Department's buildings;

  (3) what quantity of HCFC 22 is purchased by his Department from ICI per annum;

  (4) what the latest available figures are for his 3Department's total purchase of chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons;

  (5) how many chlorofluorocarbon domestic fridges are contained within his Department's buildings;

  (6) what is the quantity of ozone-depleting substances recycled within his Department and returned to the manufacturer.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  This information is not recorded centrally.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which current uses of ozone-depleting chemicals by his Department are considered essential;

  (2) if he will given an undertaking to purchase only ozone-friendly fridges that do not contain CFCs or HCFCs for his Department.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We are currently reviewing our policy on the use of such chemicals and of goods containing them.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what action has been taken to ensure that ozone-destroying substances consumed by his Department are identified as controlled wastes when they are no longer in use;

  (2) what measures have been taken to ensure that any ozone-destroying substances in use by his Department identified as controlled waste under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 do not reach the atmosphere;

  (3) what proportion of his Department's consumption of ozone-depleting substances becomes controlled waste in terms of section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Most waste, of whatever nature, from Home Office premises is controlled waste under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Section 34 of the Act (the duty of care) which came into force on 1 April 1992 requires any person subject to the duty who has controlled waste to take reasonable steps to prevent its illegal management. There is no Crown immunity under the Act, and the Department takes care to ensure that controlled waste leaving its possession is consigned only to authorised persons for treatment or disposal. Information is not
  625
  recorded centrally about the Department's use of ozone-depleting substances or the disposal of controlled waste.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many refrigeration and air conditioning systems in his Department are equipped with automatic leak detection systems.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The prison service's five major vegetable cold stores all have leak detection systems, and 26 air-conditioned vehicles operated by the prison service also have leak detection systems. Only one other unit, at the Emergency Planning College. is known to have such a system.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what date his Department's use of ozone-depleting chemicals will conform to EC regulations on limits on these chemicals.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Both the Montreal protocol and EC regulations seek to control the production but not the use of substances which deplete the ozone layer. However, the Department is playing its part in helping to phase out these substances by not purchasing or using them unless no suitable alternative is available.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many catastrophic leaks of ozone-depleting substances have occurred within his Department's buildings in the past five years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what targets have been set for the recycling of ozone-depleting chemicals within his Department's buildings.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been sought and received on alternatives or substitutes to the ozone-destroying chemicals in use by his Department.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My Department adheres to the guidance and specifications issued by the DOE and PSA, and pays close attention to relevant published research findings.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding has been allocated or spent to specifically deal with measures to reduce his Department's consumption of ozone-depleting substances.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Measures to reduce consumption of ozone-depleting substances are taken as part of the Department's general maintenance programme, and the costs involved are not separately identifiable.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how his departmental green Minister has promoted protection of the ozone layer with specific policy measures; and which possible measures have been considered and rejected, and on what grounds.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend has signed the declaration of commitment to responsible 626
  energy management on behalf of the Department; has set in hand a review of the Department's policy on the purchase of ozone-depleting chemicals and of goods manufactured with these substances; and is supervising the development of a green housekeeping strategy for the Department, in accordance with the commitments given in the 1990 White Paper, "This Common Inheritance" (Cm 1200), and subsequent White Papers.

  Human Rights
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Government measures to ensure the right to private and family life of all persons resident in the United Kingdom as set out in article 8 of the European convention on human rights.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Government are satisfied that the United Kingdom meets its obligations under the European convention on human rights, including those set out in article 8. The United Kingdom is committed, where it is found to be in violation of the convention, to ensuring that its arrangements are consistent with those obligations.

  Fire Extinguishers
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many portable halon fire extinguishers are contained within his Department's buildings; and what measures are being taken to ensure their recycling and replacement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Records of portable halon fire extinguishers are not held centrally. Practice on their recycling and replacement is being reviewed in the light of the relevant DOE guidelines.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions exist to explain their rights to asylum seekers at the port of entry; and what changes will occur to these arising from the passage of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Bill.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Asylum seekers at ports are informed orally by the immigration officer, in a language with which they are familiar (through an interpreter if necessary), that their application will be treated in confidence, that it will be referred to the asylum division in Croydon, and that they are not obliged to leave the United Kingdom pending a decision. Asylum questionnaires contain a preamble supplementing these details in writing and inform applicants of the existence and function of the refugee legal centre. Detained asylum seekers have access to written information in ten languages.

  The Asylum and Immigration Appeals Bill will not require any changes to these procedures.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the full text of the document or written advice given to someone who has been granted clearance abroad to enter the United Kingdom in order to make an asylum application.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There is no provision for receiving applications for asylum from abroad, but we are prepared to consider granting entry clearance for the purpose of making an asylum application where a person falls within
  627
  the definition of a refugee in article 1A of the 1951 UN refugees convention and has close ties with the United Kingdom such as to make it the most appropriate country of refuge.

  There is no standard document or written advice for use in such circumstances.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many asylum seekers have been granted entry clearance abroad in each of the years for which figures are available since 1979;

  (2) how many individuals have (a) applied for and(b)been granted asylum status by the United Kingdom before they have reached the United Kingdom for each of the last 15 years;

  (3) how many times in each of the years for which figures are available entry clearance has been granted abroad for the purpose of making an asylum application.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Available information on principal applications for asylum made abroad is given in table A. This information may be under-recorded.

  There is no provision to grant asylum to a person who is not in the United Kingdom. Figures for those granted entry clearance abroad either for the purpose of seeking asylum in the United Kingdom, or as dependants joining refugees or people with exceptional leave here, are not separately identifiable in the statistics.

  Figures for grants of settlement to south east Asian refugees, who form a distinct group dealt with under a specific programme, are given in table B.

  Table A: Applications1 2 for asylum in the United Kingdom received by British posts abroad and referred to the Home Office for decision, 1986–91

  Year

  Number

  1986

  30

  1987

  35

  31988

  35

  31992

  30

  31990

  35

  1991

  35

  1 Excluding dependants.

  2 Figures may be under-recorded. Rounded to nearest 5. 1991 figure is provisional.

  3 In addition, about 1,695 applications in 1988, 35 in 1989, 55 in 1990 and 15 in 1991 by nationals of Afghanistan to the British High Commission in New Delhi, and 40 applications in 1991 by nationals of Liberia to the British High Commission in Lagos, were processed locally.

  Table B: Grants(1)(2) of settlement in the United Kingdom to south east Asian refugees

  Year

  Settlement grants

  1979

  3,150

  1980

  9,100

  1981

  2,880

  1982

  880

  1983

  1,220

  1984

  800

  1985

  530

  1986

  830

  1987

  440

  1988

  710

  1989

  720

  1990

  650

  1991

  490

  1 Includes dependants.

  2 All these grants were on arrival to the UK, except for a total of 2,700 during the years 1979–82 which were on removal of time limit.

  Electoral System
  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of people entitled to vote who were not on the electoral register for the current year.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It is estimated that 4–3 per cent. of the eligible population are not included in the 1992 register of electors. This estimate is based on the 1981 census results with an allowance for subsequent births, deaths and migration.

  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to publicise the availability of the postal vote for local and parliamentary elections.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A national television and newspaper campaign costing just under £500,000 was undertaken to let people know about postal and proxy voting arrangements at the recent general election. No decision has yet been taken about publicity for the next general election. The electoral registration form, form A, contains information about postal voting. We also produce publicity material for people who need an absent vote on an indefinite basis. Local government elections are the responsibility of local authorities and we do not provide publicity for absent voting at those elections.

  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what publicity will be given to electors' right to check if they are on the draft register of electors when it is published at the end of November.

  Mr Peter Lloyd
  Electoral registration officers are required to place notices in prominent places within their area telling people where they can inspect the draft register and how to make a claim for their name to be included in the register. Many electoral registration officers also place advertisements in local newspapers. In addition, a press release about the publication of the draft register will be distributed shortly to all national daily and Sunday newspapers and the major television companies and through the Central Office of Information news distribution system.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to introduce a voters charter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the expenditure on(a) electoral registration within the United Kingdom and(b)registration of overseas residents eligible for the United Kingdom electoral register in each of the last 10 years; and if he will also list the expenditure on electoral registration for both of the above categories in each local authority district areas as (i) a total figure in 1992 terms, (ii) as a percentage of local authority expenditure and (iii) on a per capita basis.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Details of spending by some local authorities on electoral registration on a per capita basis may be found in the report of a survey by OPCS, "Compiling the Electoral Register 1991", a copy of which is in the Library.
  629
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker),Official Report, 30 October, column 931, if he will make it his policy to publish the list of members of the five working groups of the Home Office joint committee on electoral matters in the Official Report.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will require his working group on electoral affairs to give detailed consideration to(a) the concept of a rolling register,(b)additional powers for electoral registration officers to seek and find eligible citizens,(c)other countries' electoral registration procedures,(d)the impact of the poll tax upon levels of electoral registration and(e)the effectiveness of the current level of public spending on electoral registration.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Bar (Mr. Rooker) on 30 October,Official Report, columns 931–32). Within those remits, the working groups will be able to consider any matters which are relevant.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy for his working group on electoral affairs to take evidence from(a) Liberty,(b)Mencap,(c)the Royal National Institute for the Blind,(d)the Spastics Society,(e)Shelter,(f)CHAR and(g)other interested bodies.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have recently written to MENCAP and to MIND to seek their views on a draft practice note for electoral registration officers on the registration of mentally ill and learning disabled people. Before the general election we circulated to acting returning officers guidance produced by the RNIB on helping blind people to take part in the electoral process. We have also written to the Spastics Society offering to do the same in respect of people with physical disabilities.

  Where appropriate, we will consult other voluntary groups about matters in which they have an interest; and we are always prepared to consider the views of such groups when they are submitted to us.

  Island Prisons
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the breathing apparatus to be made available to island prisons; and if he will make a statement on the delay in providing the equipment.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Governors of the three Island prisons were asked in October to assess the numbers of sets of short duration breathing apparatus required for their establishments as part of a service-wide initiative to replace smoke hoods. Parkhurst prison has been in possession of conventional breathing apparatus since 1988.

  A programme of training is now planned and the Island prisons will be among the first to receive it in December 1992. Following training, equipment will be supplied to the establishments. The delay in the provision of equipment and training is a consequence of a delay in the signing of the relevant contract.

  Gambling
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the most recent figures expressed as total expenditure and on a per capita basis, for gambling in the United Kingdom on(a) off-course and on-course betting,(b)gaming machines,(c)casinos,(d)bingo,(e)football pools and(f)small lotteries.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Estimated figures for net consumer expenditure on gambling (i.e., amount staked less winnings) in the financial year 1991–92 are set out in the table. Those for off-course betting, pool betting and bingo are based on returns to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise. Those for casinos and lotteries are taken from the annual report of the Gaming Board for Great Britain, although the latter includes only those lotteries registered with the Board.

  The estimates for on-course betting and gaming machines cannot be calculated directly and should be treated with extreme caution. The turnover per head per annum is based on an estimated United Kingdom population of 57·4 million.

  Estimated net consumer expenditure/year £ million

  Expenditure/head/ year £

  Off-course betting

  1,205

  21

  On-course betting

  103

  1·8

  Gaming machines

  549

  9·6

  Casinos

  367

  6·4

  Bingo

  240

  4·2

  Pools

  576

  10

  Lotteries

  37

  0·6

  South Wales Police
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now agree to increase the establishment of the South Wales police force.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Applications for increase in police force establishments will be dealt with as soon as Ministers have decided on the level of resources for the police service for the coming financial year.

  Chelmsford Prison
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners there were in Chelmsford prison at the latest available date;

  (2) what further action is being considered to reduce overcrowding in Chelmsford prison.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 6 November there were 308 prisoners in Chelmsford prison. The establishment's certified normal accommodation (that is its uncrowded capacity) is 244. The prison service is considering how to meet the need for increased capacity in the prison, and I hope to be in a position to announce proposals on this in the near future.

  Police Officers
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of police officers up to chief constable are(a) women,(b)from ethnic minorities and(c)ethnic minority women.
  631
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I shall write to the hon. Member.

  Prisoners' Mail
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice his Department has issued on the handling of prisoners' mail; to what extent the handling of mail is a matter for the discretion of the governor of each individual prison; and if he will set out the grounds on which mail may be withheld from prisoners.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Guidance to governors on the handling of prisoners' correspondence is set out in standing order 5 and circular instruction 10/1991, copies of which are in the Library.

  Prisons (Drugs)
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve prison officers' training in dealing with drugs problems.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Training in the care and treatment of drug misusers has been available for the last two years through the sponsorship of courses at Ruskin college Oxford and we are extending this provision this year to a specialist course designed specifically for prison staff of all disciplines. In addition a series of seminars have been introduced to familiarise staff with the Guidelines on the Throughcare of Drug Misusers published in 1991. An increasing number of health care staff now hold nursing qualifications and we have given priority to providing funding to enable nursing staff to attend professional courses on drug and alcohol dependency nursing.

  Provision has also been made for prison medical officers to undertake professional training in the treatment of addictive behaviour.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out his plans for tackling the problem of drug dealing and drug abuse in prisons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr Peter Lloyd
  We have developed a wide range of measures for tackling drug dealing in prisons. These include the routine searching of prisoners (including those returning from home leave), their cells and other areas. Prisoners and their visitors will also be searched if there is reason to believe that they may have drugs in their possession. Visitors' hand luggage is routinely searched. The police are called in if intelligence suggests that a particular visitor intends to smuggle drugs in to a prison. We have increased the number of prison dogs trained to detect drugs. And the Prison Service College have produced a drugs training package, which has been sent to all prisons, to help staff detect and identify drugs that find their way into prisons.

  Guidelines on the throughcare of drugs misusers were first published in 1987 and revised and republised in 1991 in the form of circular instruction 12/1991. In addition a multidisciplinary resource manual entitled "Caring for Drug users" was compiled and published last year. Copies of both these documents are available in the Library. The guidelines provide for all prisons to have in place effective arrangements for identifying drug users and providing clinical care and detoxification programmes where necessary. Prisons are also encouraged to make full use of
  632
  community drug agencies to provide counselling and preventative training; to ensure that drug users are given every possible opportunity to identify themselves; and to ensure that, where necessary, contact is maintained with community based drug agencies following discharge.

  Wolds Remand Centre
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if a race relations officer has been appointed at the Wolds remand centre; and what training has been given on racism and race issues to prison officers at the Wolds.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A race relations officer has been appointed at Wolds remand prison. All prisoner custody officers there must receive training in prisoner management which includes a minimum of four hours on racism and race issues during basic training and a further four hours of "anti-discriminatory" training during development training.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates are currently held at the Wolds remand centre; and what percentage are from ethnic minorities.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 5 November 1992, 237 prisoners were unlocked at the Wolds remand prison. Of these 9·7 per cent. were registered as being from ethnic minorities.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons has inspected the Wolds remand centre since its opening; and whether he is afforded the same powers to investigate and comment on all aspects of the establishment as in state managed prisons.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons has not yet inspected the Wolds remand prison. He has exactly the same powers in respect of contracted-out prisons like Wolds as he has in relation to prisons managed by the state.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were received by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board as a whole between 1979 to 1992; and how many and what proportion were made by(a) women,(b)members of ethnic minorities and(c)ethnic minority women; and if he will provide details of the percentage of applications successful in each category.

  Mr. Jack
  In the period 1 April 1979 to 31 March 1992 the board received 504,460 applications. I regret that the available records do not separately identify applications made by women or members of ethnic minorities.

  Domestic Violence
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many domestic violence units have been established by the police in each of the police force areas per 10,000 women in their area.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  This information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  Blundeston Prison
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the disturbance at Her Majesty's Prison Blundeston on 17 September; what evidence there is that the disturbance was drugs-related; and what action has been taken subsequent to the disturbance.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 17 September there was a disturbance at Blundeston prison which consisted of a series of incidents amongst which were an assault by a prisoner upon another, three prisoners barricading themselves in an empty wing, and two fires. The fires were not related to the other incidents.

  There is no firm evidence that the disturbance was drug related.

  An inquiry has been held into these incidents as a result of which disciplinary charges have been laid against four prisoners; a charge under the prison service code of discipline has been laid against a prison officer; the prison's contingency plans have been amended and fire-fighting equipment replaced.

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police by police force area Violence against the person

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  5,346

  5,386

  40

  0·75

  Bedfordshire

  2,224

  1,822

  -402

  -18·08

  Cambridgeshire

  2,440

  2,509

  69

  2·83

  Cheshire

  2,440

  2,673

  233

  9·55

  Cleveland

  2,721

  2,696

  -25

  -0·92

  Cumbria

  1,963

  1,854

  -109

  -5·55

  Derbyshire

  3,630

  3,881

  251

  6·91

  Devon and Cornwall

  3,599

  3,704

  105

  2·92

  Dorset

  1,564

  1,483

  -81

  -5·18

  Durham

  2,131

  2,242

  111

  5·21

  Essex

  4,054

  4,028

  -26

  -0·64

  Gloucestershire

  1,533

  1,565

  32

  2·09

  Greater Manchester

  8,889

  9,518

  629

  7·08

  Hampshire

  4,188

  4,933

  745

  17·79

  Hertfordshire

  1,732

  1,794

  62

  3·58

  Humberside

  5,008

  5,074

  66

  1·32

  Kent

  3,684

  4,662

  978

  26·55

  Lancashire

  2,971

  3,069

  98

  3·30

  Leicestershire

  3,123

  3,475

  352

  11·27

  Lincolnshire

  2,119

  2,081

  -38

  -1·79

  City of London

  189

  146

  -43

  -22·75

  Merseyside

  5,406

  6,417

  1,011

  18·70

  Metropolitan Police District

  36,495

  38,346

  1,851

  5·07

  Norfolk

  1,891

  1,883

  -8

  -0·42

  Northamptonshire

  2,102

  2,011

  -91

  -4·33

  Northumbria

  5,541

  5,809

  268

  4·84

  North Yorkshire

  2,021

  2,150

  129

  6·38

  Nottinghamshire

  7,610

  7,616

  6

  0·08

  South Yorkshire

  4,848

  4,655

  -193

  -3·98

  Staffordshire

  5,354

  5,594

  240

  4·48

  Suffolk

  1,725

  1,949

  224

  12·99

  Surrey

  1,839

  1,767

  -72

  -3·92

  Sussex

  3,280

  3,220

  -60

  —1·83

  Thames Valley

  4,542

  4,521

  -21

  -0·46

  Warwickshire

  1,096

  1,215

  119

  10·86

  West Mercia

  3,371

  3,111

  -260

  -7·71

  West Midlands

  10,244

  10,984

  740

  7·22

  West Yorkshire

  9,347

  10,136

  789

  8·44

  Wiltshire

  2,191

  2,269

  78

  3·56

  England

  174,451

  182,248

  7,797

  4·47

  Dyfed-Powys

  1,839

  2,032

  193

  10·49

  Gwent

  2,108

  2,230

  122

  5·79

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a table showing for each police force area in England and Wales, and for the whole of England and Wales, the number of notifiable offences in the 12 months ended(a) June 1990,(b)June 1991 and(c)June 1992 and the percentage increase over the previous year in each case.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 27 October 1992]: The required information is published in table 6 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin 31/90, table 2 of Bulletin 18/91 and table 2 of Bulletin 31/92, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing, for each category of crime(a) the number of notifiable offences recorded in each police authority area in the year to March 1992, and England and Wales as a total,(b)the figure for the 12 months to March 1991 and(c)the percentage increases in each case.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 28 October 1992]: The information requested is contained in the following tables:

  635

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  North Wales

  2,402

  2,546

  144

  6·00

  South Wales

  4,481

  5,180

  699

  15·60

  Wales

  10,830

  11,988

  1,158

  10·69

  England & Wales

  185,281

  194,236

  8,955

  4·83

  Sexual offences

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  672

  686

  14

  2·08

  Bedfordshire

  327

  321

  -6

  -83

  Cambridgeshire

  382

  432

  50

  13·09

  Cheshire

  378

  481

  103

  27·25

  Cleveland

  301

  299

  -2

  -0·66

  Cumbria

  304

  212

  -92

  -30·26

  Derbyshire

  488

  444

  -44

  -9·02

  Devon and Cornwall

  824

  751

  -73

  -8·86

  Dorset

  272

  385

  113

  41·54

  Durham

  407

  430

  23

  5·65

  Essex

  640

  535

  -105

  -16·41

  Gloucestershire

  297

  313

  16

  5·39

  Greater Manchester

  1,347

  1,469

  122

  9·06

  Hampshire

  1,014

  1,132

  118

  11·64

  Hertfordshire

  347

  361

  14

  4·03

  Humberside

  854

  883

  29

  3·40

  Kent

  734

  958

  224

  30·52

  Lancashire

  606

  563

  -43

  -7·10

  Leicestershire

  398

  394

  -4

  -1·01

  Lincolnshire

  469

  306

  -163

  -34·75

  City of London

  17

  38

  21

  123·53

  Merseyside

  718

  744

  26

  3·62

  Metropolitan Police District

  5,354

  5,485

  131

  2·45

  Norfolk

  370

  419

  49

  13·24

  Northamptonshire

  298

  261

  -37

  -12·42

  Northumbria

  675

  683

  8

  119

  North Yorkshire

  267

  246

  -21

  -7·87

  Nottinghamshire

  1,083

  1,121

  38

  3·51

  South Yorkshire

  612

  630

  18

  2·94

  Staffordshire

  468

  527

  59

  12·61

  Suffolk

  371

  435

  64

  17·25

  Surrey

  363

  457

  94

  25·90

  Sussex

  819

  764

  -55

  -6·72

  Thames Valley

  830

  959

  129

  15·54

  Warwickshire

  213

  158

  -55

  -25·82

  West Mercia

  443

  525

  82

  18·51

  West Midlands

  1,521

  1,598

  77

  5·06

  West Yorkshire

  1,624

  1,614

  -10

  -0·62

  Wiltshire

  425

  371

  -54

  -12·71

  England

  27,532

  28,390

  858

  3·12

  Dyfed-Powys

  339

  366

  27

  7·96

  Gwent

  307

  280

  -27

  -8·79

  North Wales

  346

  420

  74

  21·39

  South Wales

  524

  521

  -3

  -0·57

  Wales

  1,516

  1,587

  71

  4·68

  England & Wales

  29,048

  29,977

  929

  3·20

  Robbery

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  1,123

  1,138

  15

  1·34

  Bedfordshire

  504

  644

  140

  27·78

  Cambridgeshire

  198

  259

  61

  30·81

  Cheshire

  143

  249

  106

  74·13

  Cleveland

  127

  212

  85

  66·93

  636

  637

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Cumbria

  57

  91

  34

  59·65

  Derbyshire

  175

  306

  131

  74·86

  Devon and Cornwall

  197

  278

  81

  41·12

  Dorset

  131

  127

  -4

  -3·05

  Durham

  111

  147

  36

  32·43

  Essex

  395

  405

  10

  2·53

  Gloucestershire

  173

  285

  112

  64·74

  Greater Manchester

  2,587

  3,669

  1,082

  41·82

  Hampshire

  401

  469

  68

  16·96

  Hertfordshire

  217

  263

  46

  21·20

  Humberside

  245

  313

  68

  27·76

  Kent

  378

  534

  156

  41·27

  Lancashire

  314

  440

  126

  40·13

  Leicestershire

  456

  734

  278

  60·96

  Lincolnshire

  68

  77

  9

  13·24

  City of London

  56

  69

  13

  23·21

  Merseyside

  1,697

  1,887

  190

  11·20

  Metropolitan Police District

  18,599

  22,535

  3,936

  21·16

  Norfolk

  150

  218

  68

  45·33

  Northamptonshire

  175

  318

  143

  81·71

  Northumbria

  585

  881

  296

  50·60

  North Yorkshire

  81

  130

  49

  60·49

  Nottinghamshire

  741

  925

  184

  24·83

  South Yorkshire

  492

  586

  94

  19·11

  Staffordshire

  223

  329

  106

  47·53

  Suffolk

  101

  140

  39

  38·61

  Surrey

  142

  189

  47

  33·10

  Sussex

  432

  478

  46

  10·65

  Thames Valley

  697

  868

  171

  24·53

  Warwickshire

  86

  124

  38

  44·19

  West Mercia

  153

  203

  50

  32·68

  West Midlands

  3,155

  4,312

  1,157

  36·67

  West Yorkshire

  1,270

  2,171

  901

  70·94

  Wiltshire

  108

  113

  5

  4·63

  England

  36,943

  47,116

  10,173

  27·54

  Dyfed-Powys

  33

  42

  9

  27·27

  Gwent

  92

  127

  35

  38·04

  North Wales

  93

  94

  1

  1·08

  South Wales

  244

  358

  114

  46·72

  Wales

  462

  621

  159

  34·42

  England and Wales

  37,405

  47,737

  10,332

  27·62

  Burglary

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  28,785

  33,210

  4,425

  15·37

  Bedfordshire

  12,289

  13,800

  1,511

  12·30

  Cambridgeshire

  8,713

  12,712

  3,999

  45·90

  Cheshire

  14,217

  17,871

  3,654

  25·70

  Cleveland

  16,466

  18,979

  2,513

  15·26

  Cumbria

  8,385

  11,286

  2,901

  34·60

  Derbyshire

  14,116

  19,540

  5,424

  38·42

  Devon and Cornwall

  23,327

  25,929

  2,602

  11·15

  Dorset

  8,090

  9,457

  1,367

  16·90

  Durham

  12,086

  13,764

  1,678

  13·88

  Essex

  21,084

  25,975

  4,927

  23·41

  Gloucestershire

  10,147

  13,442

  3,295

  32·47

  Greater Manchester

  90,342

  100,884

  10,542

  11·67

  Hampshire

  26,992

  33,233

  6,241

  23·12

  Hertfordshire

  9,550

  11,262

  1,712

  17·93

  Humberside

  27,707

  34,075

  6,368

  22·98

  Kent

  21,103

  28,152

  7,049

  33·40

  Lancashire

  22,768

  26,107

  3,339

  14·67

  Leicestershire

  17,333

  22,372

  5,039

  29·07

  Lincolnshire

  8,417

  9,656

  1,239

  14·72

  City of London

  1,007

  1,026

  19

  1·89

  Merseyside

  33,139

  34,087

  948

  2·86

  Metropolitan Police District

  177,057

  194,936

  17,879

  10·10

  Norfolk

  12,987

  15,903

  2,916

  22·45

  638

  639

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Northamptonshire

  10,091

  12,492

  2,401

  23·79

  Northumbria

  56,384

  68,392

  12,008

  21·30

  North Yorkshire

  9,970

  13,241

  3,271

  32·81

  Nottinghamshire

  25,788

  32,428

  6,640

  25·75

  South Yorkshire

  28,675

  36,531

  7,856

  27·40

  Staffordshire

  19,839

  24,307

  4,468

  22·52

  Suffolk

  7,248

  8,167

  919

  12·68

  Surrey

  10,529

  11,450

  921

  8·75

  Sussex

  23,980

  26,579

  2,599

  10·84

  Thames Valley

  28,816

  35,686

  6,8870

  23·84

  Warwickshire

  7,718

  11,273

  3,555

  46·06

  West Mercia

  11,132

  15,237

  4,105

  36·88

  West Midlands

  70,309

  89,158

  18,849

  26·81

  West Yorkshire

  62,342

  83,971

  21,629

  34·69

  Wiltshire

  6,674

  8,382

  1,708

  25·59

  England

  1,005,566

  1,204,952

  199,386

  19·83

  Dyfed-Powys

  3,862

  5,019

  1,157

  29·96

  Gwent

  5,715

  7,914

  2,199

  38·48

  North Wales

  8,568

  10,943

  2,375

  27·72

  South Wales

  29,648

  37,618

  7,970

  26·88

  Wales

  47,793

  61,494

  13,701

  28·67

  England and Wales

  1,053,359

  1,266,446

  213,087

  20·23

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  74,825

  82,892

  8,067

  10·78

  Bedfordshire

  32,659

  30,285

  -2,374

  -7·27

  Cambridgeshire

  27,985

  35,949

  7,964

  28·46

  Cheshire

  28,582

  35,978

  7,396

  25·8

  Cleveland

  41,286

  44,017

  2,731

  6·61

  Cumbria

  18,746

  22,963

  4,217

  22·50

  Derbyshire

  32,549

  41,445

  8,896

  27·33

  Devon and Cornwall

  51,285

  57,251

  5,966

  11·63

  Dorset

  30,350

  29,257

  -1,093

  -3·60

  Durham

  28,674

  33,699

  5,025

  17·52

  Essex

  54,330

  61,007

  6,677

  12·29

  Gloucestershire

  25,124

  35,116

  9,992

  39·77

  Greater Manchester

  174,371

  194,749

  20,378

  11·69

  Hampshire

  69,762

  83,345

  13,583

  19·47

  Hertfordshire

  26,917

  33,126

  6,209

  23·07

  Humberside

  53,295

  58,971

  5,676

  10·65

  Kent

  62,064

  85,112

  23,048

  37·14

  Lancashire

  56,884

  67,126

  10,242

  18·01

  Leicestershire

  41,962

  49,241

  7,279

  17·35

  Lincolnshire

  22,710

  25,281

  2,571

  11·32

  City of London

  4,969

  5,049

  80

  1·61

  Merseyside

  71,444

  78,096

  6,652

  9·31

  Metropolitan Police District

  422,089

  466,983

  44,894

  10·64

  Norfolk

  31,495

  37,071

  5,576

  17·70

  Northamptonshire

  27,074

  30,632

  3,558

  13·14

  Northumbria

  97,656

  99,276

  1,620

  1·66

  North Yorkshire

  28,644

  30,210

  1,566

  5·47

  Nottinghamshire

  77,675

  86,273

  8,598

  11·07

  South Yorkshire

  56,193

  64,131

  7,938

  14·13

  Staffordshire

  35,462

  42,519

  7,057

  19·90

  Suffolk

  20,088

  23,391

  3,303

  16·44

  Surrey

  23,825

  28,699

  4,874

  20·46

  Sussex

  55,720

  64,068

  8,348

  14·98

  Thames Valley

  92,927

  117,982

  25,055

  26·96

  Warwickshire

  19,659

  22,278

  2,619

  13·32

  West Mercia

  36,734

  42,959

  6,225

  16·95

  West Midlands

  138,274

  150,723

  12,449

  9·00

  West Yorkshire

  129,829

  153,871

  24,042

  18·52

  Wiltshire

  19,298

  21,253

  1,955

  10·13

  England

  2,343,415

  2,672,274

  328,859

  14·03

  Dyfed-Powys

  10,675

  14,283

  3,608

  33·80

  640

  641

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Gwent

  17,927

  21,844

  3,917

  21·85

  North Wales

  19,531

  22,437

  2,906

  14·88

  South Wales

  76,933

  82,642

  5,709

  7·42

  Wales

  125,066

  141,206

  16,140

  12·91

  England and Wales

  2,468,481

  2,813,480

  344,999

  13·98

  Fraud and forgery

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  6,947

  6,623

  -324

  -4·66

  Bedfordshire

  2,505

  2,313

  -192

  -7·66

  Cambridgeshire

  1,488

  1,790

  302

  20·30

  Cheshire

  1,714

  2,236

  522

  30·46

  Cleveland

  2,008

  1,814

  -194

  -9·66

  Cumbria

  853

  962

  109

  12·78

  Derbyshire

  1,223

  1,277

  54

  4·42

  Devon and Cornwall

  3,952

  3,693

  -259

  -6·55

  Dorset

  3,509

  3,713

  204

  5·81

  Durham

  2,118

  2,250

  132

  6·23

  Essex

  2,951

  3,457

  506

  17·15

  Gloucestershire

  1,597

  2,135

  538

  33·69

  Greater Manchester

  11,214

  11,921

  707

  6·30

  Hampshire

  5,174

  5,453

  279

  5·39

  Hertfordshire

  1,547

  1,549

  2

  0·13

  Humberside

  2,993

  3,374

  381

  12·73

  Kent

  2,731

  3,887

  1,156

  42·33

  Lancashire

  3,317

  3,456

  139

  4·19

  Leicestershire

  2,308

  2,934

  626

  27·12

  Lincolnshire

  1,108

  1,363

  255

  23·01

  City of London

  626

  585

  -41

  -6·55

  Merseyside

  4,217

  5,726

  1,509

  35·78

  Metropolitan Police District

  37,896

  44,348

  6,452

  17·03

  Norfolk

  1,446

  1,776

  330

  22·82

  Northamptonshire

  1,285

  1,531

  246

  19·14

  Northumbria

  3,209

  3,647

  438

  13·65

  North Yorkshire

  1,006

  1,180

  174

  17·30

  Nottinghamshire

  3,436

  3,846

  410

  11·93

  South Yorkshire

  2,070

  2,054

  -16

  -0·77

  Staffordshire

  1,724

  1,972

  248

  14·39

  Suffolk

  1,829

  2,201

  372

  20·34

  Surrey

  1,838

  2,134

  296

  16·10

  Sussex

  3,758

  4,561

  803

  21·37

  Thames Vallev

  5,696

  7,727

  2,031

  35·66

  Warwickshire

  978

  1,223

  245

  25·05

  West Mercia

  1,343

  1,430

  87

  6·48

  West Midlands

  6,530

  7,736

  1,206

  18·47

  West Yorkshire

  5,949

  6,945

  996

  16·74

  Wiltshire

  1,554

  1,679

  125

  8·04

  England

  147,647

  168,501

  20,854

  14·12

  Dyfed-Powys

  1,357

  1,192

  -165

  -12·16

  Gwent

  1,172

  1,063

  -109

  -9·30

  North Wales

  1,198

  1,436

  238

  19·87

  South Wales

  3,164

  3,615

  451

  14·25

  Wales

  6,891

  7,306

  415

  6·02

  England and Wales

  154,538

  175,807

  21,269

  13·76

  Criminal damage

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  17,969

  19,277

  1,308

  7·28

  Bedfordshire

  7,717

  8,168

  451

  5·84

  Cambridgeshire

  5,502

  6,838

  1,336

  24·28

  Cheshire

  8,917

  9,794

  877

  9·84

  642

  643

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Cleveland

  11,158

  12,791

  1,633

  14·64

  Cumbria

  6,136

  8,052

  1,916

  31·23

  Derbyshire

  11,217

  12,748

  1,531

  13·65

  Devon and Cornwall

  13,503

  14,706

  1,203

  8·91

  Dorset

  5,293

  5,526

  233

  4·40

  Durham

  11,645

  13,336

  1,691

  14·52

  Essex

  14,527

  16,392

  1,865

  12·84

  Gloucestershire

  5,264

  5,459

  195

  3·70

  Greater Manchester

  59,533

  64,661

  5,128

  8·61

  Hampshire

  17,285

  19,927

  2,642

  15·28

  Hertfordshire

  8,203

  8,759

  556

  6·78

  Humberside

  16,490

  17,630

  1,140

  6·91

  Kent

  17,618

  22,974

  5,356

  30·40

  Lancashire

  21,490

  26,716

  5,226

  24·32

  Leicestershire

  11,061

  12,466

  1,405

  12·70

  Lincolnshire

  5,848

  6,704

  856

  14·64

  City of London

  443

  419

  -24

  -5·42

  Merseyside

  22,374

  23,579

  1,205

  5·39

  Metropolitan Police District

  148,140

  165,783

  17,643

  11·91

  Norfolk

  7,379

  8,461

  1,082

  14·66

  Northamptonshire

  9,676

  11,663

  1,987

  20·54

  Northumbria

  42,466

  48,416

  5,950

  14·01

  North Yorkshire

  5,208

  5,661

  453

  8·70

  Nottinghamshire

  20,932

  23,077

  2,145

  10·25

  South Yorkshire

  16,825

  19,717

  2,892

  17·19

  Staffordshire

  11,145

  12,873

  1,728

  15·50

  Suffolk

  6,528

  5,500

  -1,028

  -15·75

  Surrey

  5,956

  6,483

  527

  8·85

  Sussex

  11,864

  12,951

  1,087

  9·16

  Thames Valley

  22,284

  26,562

  4,278

  1·92

  Warwickshire

  4,909

  5,113

  204

  4·16

  West Mercia

  11,573

  11,346

  -227

  -1·96

  West Midlands

  39,771

  46,256

  6,485

  16·31

  West Yorkshire

  37,843

  44,704

  6,861

  18·13

  Wiltshire

  5,565

  5,547

  -18

  -0·32

  England

  707,257

  797,035

  89,778

  12·69

  Dyfed-Powys

  3,957

  5,077

  1,120

  28·30

  Gwent

  5,570

  6,144

  574

  10·31

  North Wales

  7,233

  7,604

  371

  5·13

  South Wales

  29,573

  33,466

  3,893

  13·16

  Wales

  46,333

  52,291

  5,958

  12·86

  England and Wales

  753,590

  849,326

  95,736

  12·70

  Other offences

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  716

  741

  25

  3·49

  Bedfordshire

  297

  211

  -86

  -28·96

  Cambridgeshire

  281

  287

  6

  2·14

  Cheshire

  894

  1,144

  250

  27·96

  Cleveland

  323

  306

  -17

  -5·26

  Cumbria

  170

  318

  148

  87·06

  Derbyshire

  467

  565

  98

  20·99

  Devon and Cornwall

  435

  560

  125

  28·74

  Dorset

  703

  674

  -29

  -4·13

  Durham

  325

  407

  82

  25·23

  Essex

  654

  658

  4

  0·61

  Gloucestershire

  257

  376

  119

  46·30

  Greater Manchester

  2,071

  2,559

  488

  23·56

  Hampshire

  839

  1,041

  202

  24·08

  Hertfordshire

  406

  399

  -7

  -1·72

  Humberside

  354

  524

  170

  48·02

  Kent

  902

  1,112

  210

  23·28

  Lancashire

  972

  1,088

  116

  11·93

  Leicestershire

  321

  437

  116

  36·14

  Lincolnshire

  369

  502

  133

  36·04

  City of London

  83

  64

  -19

  -22·89

  Merseyside

  1,616

  1,820

  204

  12·62

  Metropolitan Police District

  6,724

  6,913

  189

  2·81

  644

  645

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Norfolk

  329

  447

  118

  35·87

  Northamptonshire

  257

  340

  83

  32·30

  Northumbria

  760

  767

  7

  0·92

  North Yorkshire

  317

  369

  52

  16·40

  Nottinghamshire

  708

  560

  -148

  -20·90

  South Yorkshire

  739

  1,072

  333

  45·06

  Staffordshire

  363

  311

  -52

  -14·33

  Suffolk

  535

  548

  13

  2·43

  Surrey

  287

  246

  -41

  -14·29

  Sussex

  1,110

  1,213

  103

  9·28

  Thames Valley

  963

  1,068

  105

  10·90

  Warwickshire

  193

  235

  42

  21·76

  West Mercia

  542

  474

  -68

  -12·55

  West Midlands

  1,557

  1,633

  76

  4·88

  West Yorkshire

  1,568

  2,281

  713

  45·47

  Wiltshire

  269

  392

  123

  45·72

  England

  30,676

  34,662

  3,986

  12·99

  Dyfed-Powys

  211

  239

  28

  13·27

  Gwent

  244

  300

  56

  22·95

  North Wales

  271

  337

  66

  24·35

  South Wales

  711

  786

  75

  10·55

  Wales

  1,437

  1,662

  225

  15·66

  England and Wales

  32,113

  36,324

  4,211

  13·11

  All offences

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  136,383

  149,953

  13,570

  9·95

  Bedfordshire

  58,522

  57,564

  -958

  -1·64

  Cambridgeshire

  46,989

  60,776

  13,787

  29·34

  Cheshire

  57,285

  70,426

  13,141

  22·94

  Cleveland

  74,390

  81,114

  6,724

  9·04

  Cumbria

  36,614

  45,738

  9,124

  24·92

  Derbyshire

  63,865

  80,206

  16,341

  25·59

  Devon and Cornwall

  97,122

  106,872

  9,750

  10·04

  Dorset

  49,912

  50,622

  710

  1·42

  Durham

  57,497

  66,275

  8,778

  15·27

  Essex

  98,599

  112,457

  13,858

  14·05

  Gloucestershire

  44,392

  58,691

  14,299

  32·21

  Greater Manchester

  350,354

  389,430

  39,076

  11·15

  Hampshire

  125,655

  149,533

  23,878

  19·00

  Hertfordshire

  48,919

  57,513

  8,594

  17·57

  Humberside

  106,946

  120,844

  13,898

  13·00

  Kent

  109,214

  147,391

  38,177

  34·96

  Lancashire

  109,322

  128,565

  19,243

  17·60

  Leicestershire

  76,962

  92,053

  15,091

  19·61

  Lincolnshire

  41,108

  45,970

  4,862

  11·83

  City Of London

  7,390

  7,396

  6

  0·08

  Merseyside

  140,611

  152,356

  11,745

  8·35

  Metropolitan Police District

  852,354

  945,329

  92,975

  10·91

  Norfolk

  56,047

  66,178

  10,131

  18·08

  Northamptonshire

  50,958

  59,248

  8,290

  16·27

  Northumbria

  207,276

  227,871

  20,595

  9·94

  North Yorkshire

  47,514

  53,187

  5,673

  11·94

  Nottinghamshire

  137,973

  155,846

  17,873

  12·95

  South Yorkshire

  110,454

  129,376

  18,922

  17·13

  Staffordshire

  74,578

  88,432

  13,854

  18·58

  Suffolk

  38,425

  42,331

  3,906

  10·17

  Surrey

  44,779

  51,425

  6,646

  14·84

  Sussex

  100,963

  113,834

  12,871

  12·75

  Thames Valley

  156,755

  195,373

  38,618

  24·64

  Warwickshire

  34,852

  41,619

  6,767

  19·42

  West Mercia

  65,291

  75,285

  9,994

  15·31

  West Midlands

  271,361

  312,400

  41,039

  15·12

  West Yorkshire

  249,772

  305,693

  55,921

  22·39

  Wiltshire

  36,084

  40,006

  3,922

  10·87

  England

  4,473,487

  5,135,178

  661,691

  14·79

  646

  647

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Dyfed-Powys

  22,273

  28,250

  5,977

  26·84

  Gwent

  33,135

  39,902

  6,767

  20·42

  North Wales

  39,642

  45,817

  6,175

  15·58

  South Wales

  145,278

  164,186

  18,908

  13·02

  Wales

  240,328

  278,155

  37,827

  15·74

  England and Wales

  4,713,815

  5,413,333

  699,518

  14·84

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing for each category of crime(a) the number of notifiable offences recorded in each police authority area in the year

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police by police force area

  Violence against the person

  Change

  Police force area

  July 1990 to June 1991

  July 1991 to June 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  5,537

  5,321

  -216

  -3·90

  Bedfordshire

  2,102

  1,804

  -298

  -14·18

  Cambridgeshire

  2,431

  2,628

  197

  8·10

  Cheshire

  2,496

  2,641

  145

  5·81

  Cleveland

  2,747

  2,664

  -83

  -3·02

  Cumbria

  1,963

  1,873

  -90

  -4·58

  Derbyshire

  3,708

  3,958

  250

  6·74

  Devon and Cornwall

  3,621

  3,809

  188

  5·19

  Dorset

  1,566

  1,480

  -86

  -5·49

  Durham

  2,065

  2,345

  280

  13·56

  Essex

  3,929

  4,201

  272

  6·92

  Gloucestershire

  1,566

  1,570

  4

  0·26

  Greater Manchester

  8,879

  9,914

  1,035

  11·66

  Hampshire

  4,193

  5,186

  993

  23·68

  Hertfordshire

  1,727

  1,892

  165

  9·55

  Humberside

  5,031

  5,141

  110

  2·19

  Kent

  3,839

  5,129

  1,290

  33·60

  Lancashire

  2,966

  3,198

  232

  7·82

  Leicestershire

  3,163

  3,572

  409

  12·93

  Lincolnshire

  2,135

  2,099

  -36

  -1·69

  City of London

  173

  226

  53

  30·64

  Merseyside

  5,542

  6,811

  1,269

  22·90

  Metropolitan Police District

  36,947

  38,503

  1,556

  4·21

  Norfolk

  1,956

  1,854

  -102

  -5·21

  Northamptonshire

  2,001

  2,212

  211

  10·54

  Northumbria

  5,712

  6,023

  311

  5·44

  North Yorkshire

  2,095

  2,115

  20

  0·95

  Nottinghamshire

  7,542

  7,994

  452

  5·99

  South Yorkshire

  4,720

  4,776

  56

  1·19

  Staffordshire

  5,367

  5,683

  316

  5·89

  Suffolk

  1,785

  1,974

  189

  10·59

  Surrey

  1,845

  1,882

  37

  2·01

  Sussex

  3,240

  3,237

  -3

  -0·09

  Thames Valley

  4,451

  4,754

  303

  6·81

  Warwickshire

  1,091

  1,278

  187

  17·14

  West Mercia

  3,144

  3,259

  1·15

  3·66

  West Midlands

  10,435

  11,415

  980

  9·39

  West Yorkshire

  9,692

  10,038

  346

  3·57

  Wiltshire

  2,118

  2,488

  370

  17·47

  England

  175,520

  186,947

  11,427

  6·51

  Dyfed-Powys

  1,955

  2,107

  152

  7·77

  Gwent

  2,022

  2,323

  301

  14·89

  North Wales

  2,401

  2,608

  207

  8·62

  South Wales

  4,537

  5,519

  982

  21·64

  Wales

  10,915

  12,557

  1,642

  15·04

  England and Wales

  186,435

  199,504

  13,069

  7·01

  648
  to June 1992, and in England and Wales as a whole,(b)the figure for the 12 months to June 1991 and(c)the percentage increase in each case.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 27 October1992]: The information requested is contained in the following tables:

  649

  Sexual offences

  Change

  Police force area

  July 1990 to June 1991

  July 1991 to June 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  743

  614

  -129

  -17·36

  Bedfordshire

  331

  278

  -53

  -16·01

  Cambridgeshire

  400

  432

  32

  8·00

  Cheshire

  415

  492

  77

  18·55

  Cleveland

  264

  316

  52

  -19·70

  Cumbria

  256

  215

  -41

  -16·02

  Derbyshire

  492

  429

  -63

  -12·80

  Devon and Cornwall

  791

  719

  -72

  -9·10

  Dorset

  300

  391

  91

  30·33

  Durham

  417

  443

  26

  6·24

  Essex

  603

  573

  -30

  -4·98

  Gloucestershire

  295

  309

  14

  4·75

  Greater Manchester

  996

  1,465

  43

  3·02

  Hampshire

  1,422

  1,158

  162

  16·27

  Hertfordshire

  371

  351

  -20

  -5·39

  Humberside

  882

  836

  -46

  -5·22

  Kent

  699

  1,097

  398

  56·94

  Lancashire

  634

  524

  -110

  -17·35

  Leicestershire

  400

  392

  -8

  -2·00

  Lincolnshire

  434

  291

  -143

  -32·95

  City of London

  18

  41

  23

  127·78

  Merseyside

  701

  759

  58

  8·27

  Metropolitan Police District

  5,437

  5,538

  101

  1·86

  Norfolk

  419

  387

  -32

  -7·64

  Northamptonshire

  264

  256

  -8

  -3·03

  Northumbria

  669

  720

  51

  7·62

  North Yorkshire

  260

  224

  -36

  -13·85

  Nottinghamshire

  1,135

  1,102

  -33

  -2·91

  South Yorkshire

  618

  627

  9

  1·46

  Staffordshire

  477

  487

  10

  2·10

  Suffolk

  401

  433

  32

  7·98

  Surrey

  383

  429

  46

  12·01

  Sussex

  733

  800

  67

  9·14

  Thames Valley

  855

  946

  91

  10·64

  Warwickshire

  192

  178

  -14

  -7·29

  West Mercia

  470

  498

  28

  5·96

  West Midlands

  1,533

  1,586

  53

  3·46

  West Yorkshire

  1,657

  1,506

  -151

  -9·11

  Wiltshire

  433

  389

  -44

  -10·16

  England

  27,800

  28,231

  431

  1·55

  Dyfed-Powys

  338

  363

  25

  7·40

  Gwent

  306

  271

  -35

  -11·44

  North Wales

  378

  361

  -17

  -4·50

  South Wales

  500

  518

  18

  3·60

  Wales

  1,522

  1,513

  -9

  -0·59

  England and Wales

  29,322

  29,744

  422

  1·44

  Robbery

  Change

  Police force area

  July 1990 to June 1991

  July 1991 to June 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  1,204

  1,157

  -47

  -3·90

  Bedfordshire

  585

  558

  -27

  -4·62

  Cambridgeshire

  201

  271

  70

  34·83

  Cheshire

  163

  299

  136

  83·44

  Cleveland

  149

  238

  89

  59·73

  Cumbria

  55

  100

  45

  81·82

  Derbyshire

  205

  298

  93

  45·37

  Devon and Cornwall

  204

  294

  90

  44·12

  Dorset

  139

  140

  1

  0·72

  Durham

  113

  156

  43

  38·05

  Essex

  389

  454

  65

  16·71

  Gloucestershire

  192

  302

  110

  57·29

  Greater Manchester

  2,707

  3,882

  1,175

  43·41

  Hampshire

  407

  509

  102

  25·06

  Hertfordshire

  238

  278

  40

  16·81

  Humberside

  245

  330

  85

  34·69

  Kent

  424

  548

  124

  29·25

  Lancashire

  342

  470

  128

  37·43

  650 651

  Change

  Police force area

  July 1990 to June 1991

  July 1991 to June 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Leicestershire

  505

  756

  251

  49·70

  Lincolnshire

  64

  82

  18

  28·13

  City of London

  57

  65

  8

  14·04

  Merseyside

  1,705

  1,963

  258

  15·13

  Metropolitan Police District

  19,804

  22,970

  3,166

  15·99

  Norfolk

  153

  226

  73

  47·71

  Northamptonshire

  210

  317

  107

  50·95

  Northumbria

  621

  941

  320

  51·53

  North Yorkshire

  84

  135

  51

  60·71

  Nottinghamshire

  775

  939

  164

  21·16

  South Yorkshire

  476

  616

  140

  29·41

  Staffordshire

  237

  354

  117

  49·37

  Suffolk

  106

  138

  32

  30·19

  Surrey

  138

  216

  78

  56·52

  Sussex

  458

  490

  32

  6·99

  Thames Valley

  719

  941

  222

  30·88

  Warwickshire

  97

  133

  36

  37·11

  West Mercia

  172

  209

  37

  21·51

  West Midlands

  3,387

  4,531

  1,144

  33·78

  West Yorkshire

  1,439

  2,386

  947

  65·81

  Wiltshire

  116

  114

  -2

  -1·72

  England

  39,285

  48,806

  9,521

  24·24

  Dyfed-Powys

  38

  48

  10

  26·32

  Gwent

  97

  121

  24

  24·74

  North Wales

  99

  102

  3

  3·03

  South Wales

  266

  375

  109

  40·98

  Wales

  500

  646

  146

  29·20

  England & Wales

  39,785

  49,452

  9,667

  24·30

  Burglary

  Change

  Police force area

  July 1990 to June 1991

  July 1991 to June 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  31,351

  33,679

  2,328

  7·43

  Bedfordshire

  12,605

  14,110

  1,505

  11·94

  Cambridgeshire

  9,668

  13,125

  3,457

  35·76

  Cheshire

  14,743

  19,001

  4,258

  28·88

  Cleveland

  16,496

  19,757

  3,261

  19·77

  Cumbria

  9,011

  11,563

  2,552

  28·32

  Derbyshire

  15,892

  20,252

  4,360

  27·44

  Devon and Cornwall

  24,709

  26,922

  2,213

  8·96

  Dorset

  8,500

  9,631

  1,131

  13·31

  Durham

  12,696

  13,462

  766

  6·03

  Essex

  22,461

  26,410

  3,949

  17·58

  Gloucestershire

  10,906

  14,432

  3,526

  32·33

  Greater Manchester

  93,405

  100,720

  7,315

  7·83

  Hampshire

  29,208

  32,963

  3,755

  12·86

  Hertfordshire

  10,254

  11,548

  1,294

  12·62

  Humberside

  29,238

  34,538

  5,300

  18·13

  Kent

  23,507

  29,126

  5,619

  23·90

  Lancashire

  23,036

  26,263

  3,227

  14·01

  Leicestershire

  18,943

  22,262

  3,319

  17·52

  Lincolnshire

  8,547

  10,150

  1,603

  18·76

  City of London

  1,077

  1,000

  -77

  -7·15

  Merseyside

  33,799

  33,742

  -57

  -0·17

  Metropolitan Police District

  182,485

  194,338

  11,853

  6·50

  Norfolk

  13,510

  16,225

  2,715

  20·10

  Northamptonshire

  11,007

  12,401

  1,394

  12·66

  Northumbria

  58,995

  68,385

  9,390

  15·92

  North Yorkshire

  10,836

  13,804

  2,968

  27·39

  Nottinghamshire

  27,735

  33,121

  5,386

  19·42

  South Yorkshire

  31,035

  38,076

  7,041

  22·69

  Staffordshire

  21,612

  25,318

  3,706

  17·15

  Suffolk

  7,417

  8,403

  986

  13·29

  Surrey

  11,253

  11,521

  268

  2·38

  Sussex

  24,637

  27,340

  2,703

  10·97

  Thames Valley

  31,101

  36,174

  5,073

  16·31

  Warwickshire

  8,386

  11,956

  3,570

  42·57

  West Mercia

  12,095

  16,102

  4,007

  33·13

  West Midlands

  74,163

  92,394

  18,231

  24·58

  652 653

  Change

  Police force area

  July 1990 to June 1991

  July 1991 to June 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  West Yorkshire

  68,126

  85,108

  16,982

  24·93

  Wiltshire

  7,257

  8,595

  1,338

  18·44

  England

  1,061,702

  1,223,917

  162,215

  15·28

  Dyfed-Powys

  4,428

  4,999

  571

  12·90

  Gwent

  6,328

  8,146

  1,818

  28·73

  North Wales

  8,872

  12,093

  3,221

  36·31

  South Wales

  32,475

  37,554

  5,079

  15·64

  Wales

  52,103

  62,792

  10,689

  20·52

  England and Wales

  1,113,805

  1,286,709

  172,904

  15·52

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  Change

  Police force area

  July 1990 to July 1991

  June 1991 to June 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  80,350

  85,086

  4,736

  5·89

  Bedfordshire

  32,116

  29,524

  -2,592

  -8·07

  Cambridgeshire

  30,316

  36,512

  6,196

  20·44

  Cheshire

  29,392

  36,854

  7,462

  25·39

  Cleveland

  41,740

  45,018

  3,278

  7·85

  Cumbria

  20,503

  21,992

  1,489

  7·26

  Derbyshire

  34,448

  43,352

  8,904

  25·85

  Devon and Cornwall

  53,648

  58,403

  4,755

  8·86

  Dorset

  31,138

  29,187

  -1,951

  -6·27

  Durham

  30,714

  33,843

  3,129

  10·19

  Essex

  57,202

  61,954

  4,752

  8·31

  Gloucestershire

  26,280

  36,670

  10,390

  39·54

  Greater Manchester

  184,125

  191,642

  7,517

  4·08

  Hampshire

  73,752

  83,961

  10,209

  13·84

  Hertfordshire

  28,417

  33,262

  4,845

  17·05

  Humberside

  54,725

  59,696

  4,971

  9·08

  Kent

  69,297

  86,190

  16,893

  24·38

  Lancashire

  59,323

  68,388

  9,065

  15·28

  Leicestershire

  44,860

  49,843

  4,983

  11·11

  Lincolnshire

  24,146

  24,927

  781

  3·23

  City of London

  5,133

  4,954

  -179

  -3·49

  Merseyside

  73,480

  78,131

  4,651

  6·33

  Metropolitan Police District

  434,816

  465,768

  30,952

  7·12

  Norfolk

  32,961

  37,097

  4,136

  12·55

  Northamptonshire

  28,710

  30,319

  1,609

  5·60

  Northumbria

  99,992

  96,144

  -3,848

  -3·85

  North Yorkshire

  29,256

  30,453

  1,197

  4·09

  Nottinghamshire

  80,910

  87,047

  6,137

  7·58

  South Yorkshire

  57,963

  65,225

  7,262

  12·53

  Staffordshire

  37,975

  43,555

  5,580

  14·69

  Suffolk

  20,745

  23,625

  2,880

  13·88

  Surrey

  25,606

  29,480

  3,874

  15·13

  Sussex

  58,459

  65,585

  7,126

  12·19

  Thames Valley

  101,034

  118,464

  17,430

  17·25

  Warwickshire

  20,807

  22,577

  1,770

  8·51

  West Mercia

  37,954

  44,685

  6,731

  17·73

  West Midlands

  142,192

  150,562

  8,370

  5·89

  West Yorkshire

  138,419

  151,597

  13,178

  9·52

  Wiltshire

  19,804

  21,436

  1,632

  8·24

  England

  2,452,708

  2,683,008

  230,300

  9·39

  Dyfed-Powys

  11,619

  14,753

  3,134

  26·97

  Gwent

  19,362

  22,291

  2,929

  15·13

  North Wales

  20,473

  23,094

  2,621

  12·80

  South Wales

  79,157

  82,789

  3,632

  4·59

  Wales

  130,611

  142,927

  12,316

  9·43

  England and Wales

  2,583,319

  2,825,935

  242,616

  9·39

  654 655

  Fraud and forgery

  Change

  Police force area

  July 1990 to June 1991

  July 1991 to June 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  1,141

  6,248

  -999

  13·79

  Bedfordshire

  2,357

  2,252

  -105

  -4·45

  Cambridgeshire

  1,654

  1,712

  58

  3·51

  Cheshire

  1,754

  2,330

  576

  32·84

  Cleveland

  1,992

  1,743

  -249

  12·50

  Cumbria

  901

  949

  48

  5·33

  Derbyshire

  1,150

  1,330

  180

  15·65

  Devon and Cornwall

  4,085

  3,627

  -458

  -11·21

  Dorset

  3,353

  3,885

  532

  15·87

  Durham

  2,071

  2,429

  358

  17·29

  Essex

  3,088

  3,673

  585

  18·94

  Gloucestershire

  1,678

  2,230

  552

  32·90

  Greater Manchester

  11,624

  12,227

  603

  519

  Hampshire

  5,518

  5,403

  -115

  -208

  Hertfordshire

  1,531

  1,560

  29

  1·89

  Humberside

  3,166

  3,208

  42

  1·33

  Kent

  3,071

  4,071

  1,000

  32·56

  Lancashire

  3,310

  3,665

  355

  10·73

  Leicestershire

  2,577

  2,984

  407

  15·79

  Lincolnshire

  1,137

  1,363

  226

  19·88

  City of London

  643

  526

  -177

  -18·20

  Merseyside

  4,629

  5,489

  860

  18·58

  Metropolitan Police District

  42,129

  42,623

  494

  1·17

  Norfolk

  1,551

  1,838

  287

  18·50

  Northamptonshire

  1,431

  1,589

  158

  11·04

  Northumbria

  3,418

  3,632

  214

  6·26

  North Yorkshire

  1,009

  1,203

  194

  19·23

  Nottinghamshire

  3,547

  3,898

  351

  9·90

  South Yorkshire

  1,998

  2,059

  61

  3·05

  Staffordshire

  1,802

  2,106

  304

  16·87

  Suffolk

  1,943

  1,997

  54

  2·78

  Surrey

  2,014

  2,134

  120

  5·96

  Sussex

  3,934

  4,406

  472

  12·00

  Thames Valley

  6,364

  7,776

  1,412

  22·19

  Warwickshire

  1,058

  1,256

  198

  18·71

  West Mercia

  1,410

  1,405

  -5

  -0·35

  West Midlands

  6,878

  7,903

  1,025

  14·90

  West Yorkshire

  6,530

  6,768

  238

  3·64

  Wiltshire

  1,637

  1,758

  121

  7·39

  England

  157,189

  167,255

  10,066

  6·40

  Dyfed-Powys

  1,318

  1,184

  -134

  -10·17

  Gwent

  1,130

  1,093

  -37

  -3·27

  North Wales

  1,230

  1,417

  187

  15·20

  South Wales

  3,344

  3,640

  296

  8·85

  Wales

  7,022

  7,334

  312

  4·44

  England and Wales

  164,211

  174,589

  10,378

  6·32

  Criminal damage

  Change

  Police force area

  July 1990 to June 1991

  July 1991 to June 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  18,761

  18,470

  -291

  -1·55

  Bedfordshire

  7,525

  8,078

  553

  7·35

  Cambridgeshire

  5,912

  6,851

  939

  15·88

  Cheshire

  8,874

  10,051

  1,177

  13·26

  Cleveland

  11,586

  12,900

  1,314

  11·34

  Cumbria

  6,606

  7,912

  1,306

  19·77

  Derbyshire

  11,302

  13,471

  2,169

  19·19

  Devon and Cornwall

  13,874

  15,164

  1,290

  9·30

  Dorset

  5,366

  5,644

  278

  5·18

  Durham

  12,095

  13,134

  1,039

  8·59

  Essex

  14,812

  16,709

  1,897

  12·81

  Gloucestershire

  5,382

  5,439

  57

  1·06

  Greater Manchester

  61,798

  63,931

  2,133

  3·45

  Hampshire

  17,605

  20,693

  3,088

  17·54

  Hertfordshire

  8,199

  8,989

  790

  9·64

  Humberside

  16,359

  18,223

  1,864

  11·39

  Kent

  19,397

  23,650

  4,253

  21·93

  Lancashire

  24,020

  23,932

  -88

  -0·37

  656 657

  Change

  Police force area

  July 1990 to June 1991

  July 1991 to June 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Leicestershire

  11,614

  12,408

  794

  6·84

  Lincolnshire

  5,952

  6,925

  973

  16·35

  City of London

  441

  414

  -27

  -6·12

  Mersey side

  22,689

  23,903

  1,214

  5·35

  Metropolitan Police District

  152,823

  166,476

  13,653

  8·93

  Norfolk

  7,617

  8,531

  914

  12·00

  Northamptonshire

  10,005

  11,691

  1,686

  16·85

  Northumbria

  44,974

  48,994

  4,020

  8·94

  North Yorkshire

  5,177

  5,726

  549

  10·60

  Nottinghamshire

  21,564

  23,654

  2,090

  9·69

  South Yorkshire

  17,552

  19,935

  2,383

  13·58

  Staffordshire

  11,647

  12,982

  1,335

  11·46

  Suffolk

  6,228

  6,029

  -199

  -3·20

  Surrey

  6,108

  6,724

  616

  10·09

  Sussex

  12,019

  13,471

  1,452

  12·08

  Thames Valley

  23,634

  27,432

  3,798

  16·07

  Warwickshire

  4,873

  5,300

  427

  8·76

  West Mercia

  11,491

  11,395

  -96

  -0·84

  West Midlands

  39,922

  47,426

  7,504

  18·80

  West Yorkshire

  39,561

  44,571

  5,010

  12·66

  Wiltshire

  5,329

  5,849

  520

  9·76

  England

  730,693

  803,077

  72,384

  9·91

  Dyfed-Powys

  4,315

  5,257

  942

  21·83

  Gwent

  5,897

  6,057

  160

  2·71

  North Wales

  7,294

  7,742

  448

  6·14

  South Wales

  30,785

  33,843

  3,058

  9·93

  Wales

  48,291

  52,899

  4,608

  9·54

  England and Wales

  778,984

  855,976

  76,992

  9·88

  Other offences

  Change

  Police force area

  July 1990 to June 1991

  July 1991 to June 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  752

  692

  -60

  -7·98

  Bedfordshire

  289

  214

  -75

  -25·95

  Cambridgeshire

  288

  301

  13

  4·51

  Cheshire

  1,001

  1,175

  174

  17·38

  Cleveland

  329

  283

  -46

  -13·98

  Cumbria

  208

  326

  118

  56·73

  Derbyshire

  459

  571

  112

  24·40

  Devon and Cornwall

  434

  629

  195

  44·93

  Dorset

  656

  717

  61

  9·30

  Durham

  318

  445

  127

  39·94

  Essex

  670

  653

  -17

  -2·54

  Gloucestershire

  270

  395

  125

  46·30

  Greater Manchester

  2,210

  2,594

  384

  17·38

  Hampshire

  890

  1,106

  216

  24·27

  Hertfordshire

  404

  415

  11

  2·72

  Humberside

  378

  539

  161

  42·59

  Kent

  874

  1,329

  455

  52·06

  Lancashire

  1,003

  1,180

  177

  17·65

  Leicestershire

  325

  471

  146

  44·92

  Lincolnshire

  425

  485

  60

  14·12

  City of London

  79

  70

  -9

  -11·39

  Merseyside

  1,637

  1,853

  216

  13·19

  Metropolitan Police District

  6,819

  6,842

  23

  0·34

  Norfolk

  361

  467

  106

  29·36

  Northamptonshire

  290

  348

  58

  20·00

  Northumbria

  736

  810

  74

  10·05

  North Yorkshire

  320

  413

  93

  29·06

  Nottinghamshire

  665

  566

  -99

  -14·89

  South Yorkshire

  786

  1,157

  371

  47·20

  Staffordshire

  353

  375

  22

  6·23

  Suffolk

  523

  562

  39

  7·46

  Surrey

  292

  278

  -14

  -4·79

  Sussex

  1,145

  1,235

  90

  7·86

  Thames Valley

  959

  1,082

  123

  12·83

  Warwickshire

  193

  253

  60

  31·09

  West Mercia

  489

  498

  9

  1·84

  West Midlands

  1,551

  1,690

  139

  8·96

  658 659

  Change

  Police force area

  July 1990 to June 1991

  July 1991 to June 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  West Yorkshire

  1,627

  2,380

  753

  46·28

  Wiltshire

  295

  424

  129

  43·73

  England

  31,303

  35,823

  4,520

  14·44

  Dyfed-Powys

  228

  258

  30

  13·16

  Gwent

  278

  299

  2

  7·55

  North Wales

  279

  353

  74

  26·52

  South Wales

  727

  737

  10

  1·38

  Wales

  1,512

  1,647

  135

  8·93

  England and Wales

  32,815

  37,470

  4,655

  14·19

  All offences

  Change

  Police force area

  July 1990 to June 1991

  July 1991 to June 1992

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  145,945

  151,267

  5,322

  3·65

  Bedfordshire

  57,910

  56,818

  -1,092

  -1·89

  Cambridgeshire

  50,870

  61,832

  10,962

  21·55

  Cheshire

  58,838

  72,843

  14,005

  23·80

  Cleveland

  75,303

  82,919

  7,616

  10·11

  Cumbria

  39,503

  44,930

  5,427

  13·74

  Derbyshire

  67,656

  83,661

  16,005

  23·66

  Devon and Cornwall

  101,366

  109,567

  8,201

  8·09

  Dorset

  51,018

  51,075

  57

  0·11

  Durham

  60,489

  66,257

  5,768

  9·54

  Essex

  103,154

  114,627

  11,473

  11·12

  Gloucestershire

  46,569

  61,347

  14,778

  31·73

  Greater Manchester

  366,170

  386,375

  20,205

  5·52

  Hampshire

  132,569

  150,979

  18,410

  13·89

  Hertfordshire

  51,141

  58,295

  7,154

  13·99

  Humberside

  110,024

  122,511

  12,487

  11·35

  Kent

  121,108

  151,140

  30,032

  24·80

  Lancashire

  114,634

  127,620

  12,986

  11·33

  Leicestershire

  82,387

  92,688

  10,301

  12·50

  Lincolnshire

  42,840

  46,322

  3,482

  8·13

  City of London

  7,621

  7,296

  -325

  -4·26

  Merseyside

  144,182

  152,651

  8,469

  5·87

  Metropolitan Police District

  881,260

  943,058

  61,798

  7·01

  Norfolk

  58,528

  66,625

  8,097

  13·83

  Northamptonshire

  53,918

  59,133

  5,215

  9·67

  Northumbria

  215,117

  225,649

  10,532

  4·90

  North Yorkshire

  49,037

  54,073

  5,036

  10·27

  Nottinghamshire

  143,873

  158,321

  14,448

  10·04

  South Yorkshire

  115,148

  132,471

  17,323

  15·04

  Staffordshire

  79,470

  90,860

  11,390

  14·33

  Suffolk

  39,148

  43,161

  4,013

  10·25

  Surrey

  47,639

  52,664

  5,025

  10·55

  Sussex

  104,625

  116,564

  11,939

  11·41

  Thames Valley

  169,117

  197,569

  28,452

  16·82

  Warwickshire

  36,697

  42,931

  6,234

  16·99

  West Mercia

  67,225

  78,051

  10,826

  16·10

  West Midlands

  280,061

  317,507

  37,446

  13·37

  West Yorkshire

  267,051

  304,354

  37,303

  13·97

  Wiltshire

  36,989

  41,053

  4,064

  10·99

  England

  4,676,200

  5,177,064

  500,864

  10·71

  Dyfed-Powys

  24,239

  28,969

  4,730

  19·51

  Gwent

  35,420

  40,601

  5,181

  14·63

  North Wales

  41,026

  47,770

  6,744

  16·44

  South Wales

  151,791

  164,975

  13,184

  8·69

  Wales

  252,476

  282,315

  29,839

  11·82

  England and Wales

  4,928,676

  5,459,379

  530,703

  10·77

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a table showing for each police force area in England and Wales and for the
  660
  whole of England and Wales (a) the number of notifiable offences in 1979,(b)the number of notifiable offences in 1991 and(c)the percentage increase.
  661
  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 26 October 1992]: The information requested is contained in the following table:

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police force area England and Wales 1979 and 1991 Numbers and percentages

  Police force area

  1979

  1991

  Percentage change

  Avon and Someset

  51,333

  153,770

  199·55

  Bedfordshire

  28,097

  57,121

  103·30

  Cambridgeshire

  24,645

  58,167

  136·02

  Cheshire

  30,396

  66,298

  118·11

  Cleveland

  34,846

  78,053

  123·99

  Cumbria

  19,531

  45,088

  130·85

  Derbyshire

  38,640

  75,636

  95·75

  Devon and Cornwall

  43,480

  108,208

  148·87

  Dorset

  23,260

  51,552

  121·63

  Durham

  27,351

  65,218

  138·45

  Essex

  54,060

  108,427

  100·57

  Gloucestershire

  16,589

  55,980

  237·45

  Greater Manchester

  169,749

  380,809

  124·34

  Hampshire

  66,910

  143,904

  115·07

  Hertfordshire

  38,8001

  55,573

  43·23

  Humberside

  48,195

  118,830

  146·56

  Kent

  55,370

  138,435

  150·02

  Lancashire

  57,105

  122,474

  114·47

  Leicestershire

  30,351

  89,754

  195·72

  Lincolnshire

  17,539

  44,860

  155·77

  City of London

  6,809

  7,575

  11·25

  Merseyside

  108,433

  148,835

  37·26

  Metropolitan Police District

  557,378

  926,203

  66·17

  Norfolk

  22,655

  64,115

  183·01

  Northamptonshire

  22,966

  58,470

  154·59

  Northumbria

  99,512

  226,193

  127·30

  North Yorkshire

  21,887

  51,471

  135·17

  Nottinghamshire

  72,659

  150,551

  107·20

  South Yorkshire

  56,340

  125,559

  122·86

  Staffordshire

  37,952

  86,285

  127·35

  Suffolk

  20,152

  39,924

  98·11

  Surrey

  26,965

  50,083

  85·73

  Sussex

  48,609

  112,203

  130·83

  Thames Valley

  75,740

  187,185

  147·14

  Warwickshire

  13,986

  40,474

  189·39

  West Mercia

  35,088

  74,188

  111·43

  West Midlands

  156,671

  302,864

  93·31

  West Yorkshire

  128,675

  295,479

  129·63

  Wiltshire

  20,545

  39,321

  91·39

  Dyfed-Powys

  11,752

  25,970

  120·98

  Gwent

  20,498

  38,673

  88·67

  North Wales

  23,589

  44,418

  88·30

  South Wales

  71,628

  161,977

  126·14

  England and Wales

  2,536,737

  5,276,173

  107·99

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a table showing for each police force area in England and Wales and for the whole of England and Wales the number of notifiable offences in the 12 months ended(a) March 1990,(b)March 1991 and(c)March 1992, and the percentage increase in each case in the previous year.

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police by police force area

  All offences

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1988 to March 1989

  April 1989 to March 1990

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  95,830

  104,924

  9,094

  9·49

  Bedfordshire

  38,665

  40,841

  2,176

  5·63

  Cambridgeshire

  33,736

  38,677

  4,941

  14·65

  Cheshire

  47,090

  49,782

  2,692

  5·72

  Cleveland

  58,829

  63,142

  4,313

  7·33

  Cumbria

  26,981

  28,251

  1,270

  4·71

  Derbyshire

  43,724

  51,501

  7,777

  17·79

  Devon and Cornwall

  73,474

  79,074

  5,600

  7·62

  662
  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 26 October 1992]: Information for the 12 months ended March 1990 compared with the previous 12 months is contained in the table. The remaining information is published in table 2 of Bulletin 13/91 and table 2 of Bulletin 2/92; copies of which are available in the Library.

  663

  Change

  Police force area

  April 1988 to March 1989

  April 1989 to March 1990

  Number

  Percentage

  Dorset

  35,413

  42,098

  6,685

  18·88

  Durham

  43,621

  48,283

  4,662

  10·69

  Essex

  71,712

  81,193

  9,481

  13·22

  Gloucestershire

  32,450

  37,477

  5,027

  15·49

  Greater Manchester

  290,036

  301,078

  11,042

  3·81

  Hampshire

  93,376

  103,094

  9,718

  10·41

  Hertfordshire

  41,694

  41,869

  175

  0·42

  Humberside

  84,865

  95,860

  10,995

  12·96

  Kent

  77,721

  88,662

  10,941

  14·08

  Lancashire

  91,856

  96,738

  4,882

  5·31

  Leicestershire

  50,655

  59,029

  8,374

  16·53

  Lincolnshire

  32,293

  35,740

  3,447

  10·67

  City of London

  6,208

  7,203

  995

  16·03

  Merseyside

  138,352

  136,483

  -1,869

  -1·35

  Metropolitan Police District

  716,609

  770,363

  53,754

  7·50

  Norfolk

  42,075

  46,710

  4,635

  11·02

  Northamptonshire

  37,598

  40,884

  3,286

  8·74

  Northumbria

  165,181

  188,185

  23,004

  13·93

  North Yorkshire

  34,233

  37,623

  3,390

  9·90

  Nottinghamshire

  96,916

  112,345

  15,429

  15·92

  South Yorkshire

  88,497

  97,799

  9,302

  10·51

  Staffordshire

  57,155

  62,293

  5,138

  8·99

  Suffolk

  29,749

  33,084

  3,335

  11·21

  Surrey

  31,523

  35,098

  3,575

  11·34

  Sussex

  67,945

  79,430

  11,485

  16·90

  Thames Valley

  109,311

  127,455

  18,144

  16·60

  Warwickshire

  23,263

  26,950

  3,687

  15·85

  West Mercia

  48,507

  55,816

  7,309

  15·07

  West Midlands

  231,141

  237,684

  6,543

  2·83

  West Yorkshire

  177,338

  197,897

  20,559

  11·59

  Wiltshire

  26,483

  28,481

  1,998

  7·54

  England

  3,492,105

  3,809,096

  316,991

  9·08

  Dyfed-Powys

  18,547

  18,113

  -434

  -2·34

  Gwent

  24,511

  26,179

  1,668

  6·81

  North Wales

  34,830

  34,251

  -579

  -1·66

  South Wales

  116,804

  121,865

  5,061

  4·33

  Wales

  194,692

  200,408

  5,716

  2·94

  England and Wales

  3,686,797

  4,009,504

  322,707

  8·75

  664

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