Written Answers of 16 November 1992

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Miscarriages of Justice
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total amount paid in compensation to victims of miscarriages of justice for each of the last three years.

  Mr. Jack
  The amounts paid in the last three financial years are as follows:

  £

  1989–90

  285,000

  1990–91

  839,000

  1991–92

  1,719,000

  Female Prisoners
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sentenced female prisoners in England and Wales were given bail or weekend leave to visit dependent children during 1992; and what is the method of financing such visits.

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

  The financial arrangements governing the grant of temporary release to those prisoners eligible under prison rule 6 are set out in circular instructions 36/89 and 43/92, copies of which are in the Library. There is no provision for assisting financially sentenced prisoners released by the courts on bail.

  Prison Survey
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the recent prison survey of inmates in England and Wales.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The National Prison Survey 1991 was published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys on 10 November 1992. A Home Office research report summarising the main findings was published simultaneously. Copies of these have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Joyriding
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being taken to combat joyriding in Wales.

  Mr. Jack
  The powers of the courts in both England and Wales to deal with the most serious cases of unauthorised taking have been increased by the Aggravated Vehicle-Taking. Act 1992.
  2
  The most effective way to prevent joyriding via the unauthorised taking of cars is to improve their security. This is the objective of Car Crime Prevention Year and of the many activities associated with it.

  A significant development in Wales has been the establishment by all four Welsh police forces of a vehicle watch scheme which operates throughout the Principality.

  My right hon. and learned Friend also announced on 16 July our intention to increase the maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving to 10 years, when parliamentary time allows.

  Juvenile Crime, Wales
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being taken to tackle and reduce crimes committed by juveniles in Wales.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government have encouraged the police and other agencies in the development of effective crime prevention programmes aimed at tackling youth crime and has funded a number of initiatives. The Welsh Office have approved support of over £500,000 under the urban programme in the current financial year for crime prevention and associated initiatives in Wales. Bids for new projects to start in 1993–94 are presently under consideration. In addition, the Welsh Office has funded the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders over the last three financial years to work with local authorities in south east Wales to develop strategies to combat juvenile crime. As part of its programme of action on youth crime for 1993, Crime Concern is planning a series of regional seminars, including one in Wales, on best practice in diverting young people from crime.

  The Government are also considering what means might be needed to reduce offending by the very small group of persistent juvenile offenders.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indemnify local authorities against the costs incurred in prosecuting those offending the Sunday trading laws.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. Local authorities receive a substantial contribution to their costs generally through the revenue support grant system. We have no plans to increase this contribution specifically for their enforcement duties under the Shops Act 1950.

  Confessions
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to amend the rules relating to the acceptability of uncorroborated confessions.

  Mr. Jack
  The use of uncorroborated confession evidence is within the remit of the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice. We shall consider whether any changes may be needed in the light of the commission's findings.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a system whereby prisoners held on remand in Wales and England should either have their case brought before the courts within 110
  3
  days, or that they be released on bail, in all cases other than those in which there could be either a real danger to the safety of the public, or of the subversion of the course of justice.

  Mr. Jack
  Custody time limits have applied to the whole of England and Wales since October 1991.

  They are:

  Magistrates court1

  —56 days from first appearance to summary trial;

  —or 70 days to committal to Crown Court.

  Crown courts1

  —112 days from committal to arraignment.

  1 Responsibility for the courts lies with the Lord Chancellor's Department.

  If these limits are exceeded the defendant will normally be released on bail. However, courts are empowered to extend the time limits upon application where they are satisfied that there is a good and sufficient cause and the Crown has acted with all due expedition.

  Prisoners (Conjugal Visits)
  Mr. Dicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration his Department is giving to introducing conjugal visits for prisoners; and what assessment he has made on the effect of such visits on the deterrent effect of imprisonment.

  Vacant less than 3 months

  Vacant more than 3 months

  Vacant more than 6 months

  Vacant more than 12 months

  Houses

  Flats

  Houses

  Flats

  Houses

  Flats

  Houses

  Flats

  Barnet

  —

  1

  3

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  Bexley

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  Brent

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  2

  —

  Bromley

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  4

  —

  2

  Camden

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Croydon

  1

  2

  1

  1

  —

  3

  —

  1

  Ealing

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Enfield

  1

  2

  4

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Greenwich

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  3

  —

  4

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Haringey

  —

  3

  1

  3

  —

  1

  1

  2

  Harrow

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Havering

  3

  —

  4

  —

  6

  1

  2

  —

  Hillingdon

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Islington

  —

  5

  1

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kensington and Chelsea

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kingston

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  2

  Lambeth

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Lewisham

  —

  —

  1

  4

  —

  1

  —

  3

  Merton

  —

  —

  —

  9

  —

  3

  1

  7

  Redbridge

  1

  —

  5

  —

  3

  3

  —

  —

  Richmond

  1

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Sutton

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Waltham Forest

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Wandsworth

  —

  3

  —

  1

  1

  2

  1

  2

  Westminster

  —

  2

  —

  3

  —

  2

  —-

  1

  Outer London Districts

  5

  —

  1

  —

  4

  —

  1

  —

  Total

  16

  30

  25

  35

  21

  29

  9

  28

  On market

  8

  3

  14

  13

  13

  12

  8

  17

  For allocation

  8

  27

  11

  22

  8

  17

  2

  11

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of residential
  4
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The feasibility and desirability of introducing private family visits will be considered in the light of the imminent review of the operation of the home leave scheme planned by the prison service.

  Wolds Prison
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time equivalent prison custody officers are employed at Her Majesty's prison Wolds.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is subject to commercial confidentiality and a matter for Group 4 Remand Services Ltd.

  Police Accommodation
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many houses and flats in the ownership of the Metropolitan police in each of the London boroughs are currently vacant; and how many have been vacant for more than three months, more than six months and more than one year.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 9 November 1992]: The information requested is set out in the following table:

  properties in the ownership of the Metropolitan police in each of the London boroughs, showing separately the number of houses and flats.
  5
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 9 November 1992]: The information requested is set out in the following table:

  London Borough

  Houses

  Flats

  Barking

  10

  20

  Barnet

  118

  33

  Bexley

  17

  6

  Brent

  52

  —

  Bromley

  71

  39

  Camden

  4

  47

  Croydon

  93

  16

  Ealing

  20

  113

  Enfield

  67

  17

  Greenwich

  33

  66

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  5

  51

  Haringey

  20

  90

  Harrow

  53

  18

  Havering

  130

  —

  Hillingdon

  63

  8

  Hounslow

  10

  23

  Islington

  18

  93

  Kensington and Chelsea

  —

  105

  Kingston

  30

  35

  Lambeth

  8

  32

  Lewisham

  30

  24

  Merton

  12

  68

  Newham

  1

  11

  Redbridge

  73

  —

  Sutton

  39

  45

  Sutton

  35

  16

  Waltham Forest

  45

  64

  Wandsworth

  5

  53

  Westminster

  —

  141

  Outer London districts and Windsor

  215

  1

  Total

  1,277

  1,235

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he has made to supply clear and concise information about correct procedures for nationals of former states of Yugoslavia wishing to apply for visas.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Home Secretary's announcement of the imposition of the visa regime was widely reported on the vernacular services of the BBC and in the medial of Yugoslavia and neighbouring countries. Our posts in the area have issued releases to the media indicating that inquirers may contact any British mission for information on how to apply for a visa for the United Kingdom.

  Consultants
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the consultants currently working in his Department, the title of the project, its start and proposed finish date and, where available, its cost.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Information on consultants currently working in the Home Office is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The cost of individual consultancy contracts is a matter of commercial confidentiality which it would not be proper to disclose.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Queen's Counsel
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many QCs are currently women or from the ethnic minorities; and what percentage this is of the total number of QCs.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  On 1 October 1992, there were 760 Queen's Counsel in private practice, of whom 41–5·4 per cent.—were women.

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

  It is, however, believed that on 1 October 1992 there were seven Queen's Counsel of non-white background—1 per cent.—of whom one was a woman.

  Entry Clearance
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how long on average(a) fiancé(e)s and (b) spouses now being heard by the adjudicator on appeal against refusal of entry clearance have had to wait; and how long he expects those applying now have to wait.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  It is estimated that at present an appeal against refusal of entry clearance to an adjudicator by(a) fiancé(e)s and (b) spouses is on average heard within 16 months of its receipt by the immigration appellate authorities. This period includes the time taken by the parties to prepare for the hearing, which is typically nine months. Hearings can sometimes be brought forward if the appellant so requests and an earlier date becomes available. Steps are being taken to shorten the time taken, wherever possible, for a case to come before an adjudicator.

  Child Witnesses
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in how many cases involving child witnesses heard in(a) the Crown courts and (b) the Central Criminal Court, London, evidence has been offered by way of a live closed-circuit television link in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The provision for the giving in evidence of a video-recording of an interview with a child witness in certain specified proceedings is contained in section 54 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991. As this provision came into force only on 1 October 1992, no cases have yet been brought in which evidence has been given in this way.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in how many cases involving child witnesses heard in(a) Crown courts and (b) the Central Criminal Court, London, video-taped evidence has been offered in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The answer to(a) is that in all Crown court centres, excluding the Central Criminal Court, the number of cases involving child witnesses in

  7
  which the live television link was used by children to give evidence was: in 1990, 124 cases; in 1991, 152 cases; and in 1992, to date, 89 cases. The answer to (b) is that in the Central Criminal Court, the number of cases in which the live Television link was used was: in 1990, four cases; in 1991, three cases; and in 1992, to date, two cases.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in how many cases in the past three years, involving child witnesses, heard in(a) the Crown courts and (b) the Central Criminal Court, London, screens have been used in order to shield a child from the accused person whilst the former is giving evidence against the latter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information sought by the hon. Member has not been collected, and could be obtained only at disproportionate expense.

  Vulnerable Witnesses
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department in how many Crown courts live closed-circuit television links and associated equipment have been installed for the use for the purpose of taking evidence from those deemed to be vulnerable witnesses; and if he will make a statement.

  Cannabis

  Cocaine

  Heroin

  LSD

  Amphetamines

  1987

  6 kilos

  98 gms

  196 gms

  500 doses

  630 gms

  1988

  12·75 kilos

  2·51 gms

  3·65 gms

  917 doses

  466·26 gms

  1989

  21·71 kilos

  52·4 gms

  25·35 gms 1,052 MST tablets

  485 doses 17·80 gms

  658·60 gms

  1990

  37·6 kilos

  —

  2,757 MST tablets

  573 doses

  95·2 gms

  1991

  37·5 kilos 1·5 kilos herbal

  88 gms

  250 doses Dipipanone 1 gm Morphine

  ½ kilo Psilocin 800 doses 2,711 MDMA 114 gms

  625 gms 25 tablets

  19921

  14·75 kilos

  77 gms

  9 gms 51 MST tablets

  9,018 doses 3,325 tablets MDMA

  4,668 gms

  1 Up to 31 October.

  MST=Morphine Sulphate.

  MDMA=Ecstasy.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many officers are employed by the RUC anti-drugs team; and what increase in the number is planned.

  Mr. Mates
  I am informed by the Chief Constable that the Royal Ulster Constabulary drugs squad has an establishment of 28 officers and is at full strength. There are presently no plans to increase the number of officers deployed to the squad but the resources allocated to it are reviewed regularly.

  Nine of the officers presently deployed to the drugs squad are serving six-month secondments from their sub-divisions. This is part of an ongoing programme—which has involved the secondment of almost 100 officers to the drugs squad in the past five years—intended to enhance the level of drugs awareness and improve investigation techniques at sub-divisional level.
  8
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Installation of live television link equipment has taken place in 41 Crown court centres to date, for the purpose of children giving evidence under the provisions of section 32 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Consultants
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. Mates
  The available information has been placed in the Library.

  Drugs
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what quantities of drugs have been seized by the Royal Ulster Constabulary in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Mates
  The requested information as follows:

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many successful convictions there have been in Northern Ireland for drug-related offences in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Mates
  The information is as follows:

  Number

  1987

  143

  1988

  131

  1989

  133

  1990

  113

  1991

  157

  11992

  188

  Total

  865

  1 To 31 October.

  9
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of those convicted for drugs-related offences in Northern Ireland in the last five years have also been convicted for membership of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, the Irish National Liberation Army or the Irish People's Liberation Organisation, and other paramilitary organisations.

  Mr. Mates
  This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Irish Language
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much Government expenditure has been directed at the promotion of the Irish language in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 9 November 1992]: Government funding for projects which involve the promotion of Irish is provided from a variety of sources. The last complete financial year for which information on expenditure is available is 1991–92. In that year, Government expenditure totalled some £1,216,000. This figure does not include funding for the teaching of Irish in mainstream English-medium education or for an Irish-medium unit in an English-medium primary school.

  The central community relations unit (CCRU) within the Department of Finance and Personnel provided funding of £523,000, including support for the Ultach Trust and for research into the origins of Irish placenames. This included a once only payment of £250,000 to the endowment fund maintained by the trust.

  The Department of the Environment, through the Belfast action teams, expended some £46,410 on a wide variety of activities and schemes designed to promote the Irish language in the Greater Belfast area.

  The sum of £146,535 was paid under the Training and Employment Agency's action for community employment scheme to assist employment within six organisations promoting the Irish language.

  The Department of Education for Northern Ireland contributed £405,000 to the costs of an Irish-medium primary school.

  The Northern Ireland Office incurred staffing and ancillary costs of £61,500 in providing educational and translation facilities for prisoners using the Irish language.

  The Arts Council of Northern Ireland awarded a total grant of £33,600 for Irish language arts.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Research
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy to allocate extra funding to the dual support system for funding higher education research in science and technology.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  As I announced on 12 November, spending next year on basic and strategic research in science, engineering and the social sciences will total £1,170 million, an increase in real terms over 1992–93 provision. It is for the research councils to determine what proportion of the funding allocated to them is spent in the higher education institutions.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy to review the dual 10
  support scheme for research funding mechanisms with reference to the maintenance of diversity and scope for enterprise in the research of the science base.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Our policy on the dual support system was set out in the 1991 White Paper "Higher Education: A Framework for Expansion"—copies are in the House Library. It announced new arrangements for dual support funding which came into effect on 1 August this year, and which were intended to clarify the respective funding responsibilities of the research councils and higher education institutions for research council funded projects within the dual support system.

  We shall be considering the wider issues of how funding mechanisms contribute to the maintenance of diversity and scope for enterprise in the science base as part of our wider consultations on the science and technology White Paper which I plan to publish next year.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make it his policy to insulate domestic research programmes of the research councils from uncontrollable fluctuations in the pound sterling value of international subscriptions through his Department meeting such variations outside an agreed budget level which is subject to occasional review.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I have no plans to do so at present.

  The question of the best way of handling international subscriptions has, however, featured in a number of the submissions put to me in connection with the forthcoming White Paper on science and technology. I shall be considering carefully this and other proposals for change that have been made.

  Public Service Reform
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to discuss public service reform with other countries.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Throughout Europe governments are faced daily by the competing requirements of spending taxpayers' money wisely and delivering the best possible public services. Here in Britain the Prime Minister launched the citizens charter initiative in July 1991 with the aim of improving the quality of our public services and I know that other countries are working to improve theirs.

  As one of the activities arranged during our presidency of the European Community, my Department is co-operating in the organisation of a conference—"Service and the Citizen"—which will take place at the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre in London on 3 and 4 December 1992. It is being organised, in consultation with the citizens charter unit in my Department, by Touchstone Exhibitions and Conferences Ltd. I will arrange for a copy of the conference programme to be placed in the Library of the House.

  This will be the first time, to my knowledge, that a conference on public service reform—with such a comprehensive programme—has been organised anywhere in Europe. Already there has been an enthusiastic response from individuals and organisations who wish to participate. We also have an impressive line-up of speakers. I am looking forward to welcoming the participants to London in December for what I am sure will be an exciting and worthwhile event.

  Appointments
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many appointments to public bodies are currently held by women and members of ethnic minorities; and what plans the Government have to increase this number by 1996.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I am pleased to be able to report that, as a result of the initiative announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister at the launch of Opportunity 2000 last year, the percentage of appointments to public bodies held by women has risen from 23 per cent. in 1991 to 26 per cent. at 1 September 1992. Detailed statistics about the number of such appointments held by members of the ethnic minorities are still being collected. Full details will be published in due course in the 1992 edition of "Public Bodies".

  All departments have now drawn up their departmental plans for further progress in this area and I am arranging for a summary of these to be placed in the Library of the House. The objectives and goals set are comprehensive and demanding, and while they vary from department to department to reflect the different circumstances existing in each department, they represent a clear and unequivocal commitment to increasing still further the representation of women and members of the ethnic minorities, on merit, on public bodies over the year to 1996 and beyond.

TRANSPORT

  Bypasses
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation his Department undertakes in relation to the environmental effects of proposed bypasses.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Department carries out very extensive consultation at the earliest possible state of scheme preparation. Consultations are undertaken with the Department of the Environment, the relevant local authorities, and the environmental organisations with statutory responsibilities, including English Nature, the Countryside Commission, English Heritage, and the National Rivers Authority. Other Government Departments—eg Agriculture, Defence—organisations such as British Rail and British Waterways, and the National Trust may also be consulted where appropriate.

  Following this consultation, the Department consults the public and other organisations that have an interest.

  British Rail (Freight)
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the terms of reference for consultants to investigate and report on structural options for the transfer of British Rail's freight businesses to the private sector.

  Mr. Freeman
  While the full terms of reference contain commercially sensitive material, the consultants' remit is to advice the Government and the British Railways Board on structural options for the transfer to the private sector of British Rail's freight and rail express systems services. The consultants have been asked to assess the requirements for a viable and competitive post-privatisation rail freight industry with low barriers to 12
  entry, identifying the structural options for transfer to the private sector and assessing each of the options against the following criteria:

  (i) the extent to which they provide a viable future in the private sector for existing traffics and opportunities for growth;

  (ii) the opportunities provided for competition and successful entry, and the impact on competition in related markets (eg competition between ports);

  (iii) privatisation receipts and restructuring costs;

  (iv) impact on the pace of privatisation;

  (v) the incentives provided for current management and staff to bring about improvements in performance, and the opportunities provided for them to take a stake in their businesses;

  (vi) the attractiveness to potential purchasers and/or investors;

  (vii) impact on the commercial performance of the rest of the railway.

  The Government will issue a full statement of the preferred options for the privatisation of the freight businesses in due course.

  Bus Priority Schemes
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bus priority schemes are currently in operation.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information is not available on the number of bus priority schemes adopted by local authorities, many of which have been in operation for some years. As a result of a fresh initiative to promote bus use last year, 26 new schemes were approved for funding in 1992–93.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what priority he will give to financing bus priority measures within the government grants allocated to local authorities; and if he will set out the criteria used to appraise applications for bus priority measures for grant aid.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend will be taking decisions shortly on the allocation of grants and credit approvals for local transport capital expenditure in 1993–94. Individual bus priority schemes are judged on their merits having regard to the evaluation carried out by local authorities in accordance with the Department's publication "Keeping Buses Moving", the contribution of the schemes to authorities' transport strategies, and the availability of resources.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the bids received from local authorities for bus priority measures for 1993–94.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have received bids for 119 bus priority measures from 69 local authorities. We are evaluating these bids at present and will announce allocations shortly.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of all research into bus priority measures currently carried out or commissioned by his Department.

  Mr. Freeman
  Assessments are currently being carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory on behalf of my Department into the benefits of bus priority measures in Aberdeen, Brighton, Manchester, Sheffield and south-west London.

  Rape Seed Oil
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many gallons of rape seed oil have been imported from Italy to run public transport buses; how many buses are currently run on rape seed oil; where the buses operate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  For a trial period of three months, Reading Buses will run three of its fleet of 200 vehicles on rape methyl ester (RME), which is manufactured from rape seed oil and methanol. For this purpose 5,000 gallons of RME have been made available at no cost by an Italian producer who had obtained EC funding to make fuel available for limited trials. The vehicles will operate in Reading.

  I was pleased to inaugurate the trial at the beginning of this month. The Department of Transport, in conjunction with our Transport Research Laboratory, will be monitoring the pollutant emissions performance.

  Bus Deregulation
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the extent to which bus deregulation prevents cheap return fares or travel cards being used for evening or weekend services as a result of tenders awarded to different operators; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  No detailed assessment has been made of the effect of deregulation on return tickets and travel cards. Ticketing arrangements are a matter for operators and for local authorities. Successful multi-operator ticketing arrangements are in place in the metropolitan areas and in several counties.

  A590
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to upgrade the A590 between Lindale and Barrow-in-Furness to a dual carriageway; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 12 November 1992]: A bypass of Lindale is included in the A590 Ulverston to Dalton dual carriageway proposal on which a public consultation has been completed.

  While the A590 Dalton bypass scheme now under construction is to wide single carriageway standard, the provision of a climbing lane will satisfy projected traffic needs. There are no plans to dual this section.

  Morecambe Bay Barrage
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent consideration he has given to establishing a feasibility study into the construction of a barrage across Morecambe bay as a means of improving the road links between Furness and the M6; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 12 November 1992]: None. However, Department of Energy Ministers announced a preliminary study in January 1992 to examine the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of a combined energy barrage and road crossing across the River Duddon near Askham in Furness.

  Consultations
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the terms of reference for the national annual consultative meetings held jointly with the local authority associations; and if he will make a statement as to progress made on the issues raised at the 1992 meeting.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: There are no specific terms of reference, but the meeting is held each year following the series of regional annual consultative committee meetings. The national annual consultative meeting is seen as a valuable forum for discussion between the Government and the local authority associations (LAAs) on road and traffic matters of mutual interest. The LAAs are free to raise any relevant issues at the meeting.

  The following points remain to be dealt with following the meeting in July:

  Bridge assessment and strengthening
  The local authority associations (LAAs) requested a meeting at official level. Some matters have been resolved by correspondence. If necessary a meeting to deal with any remaining points will be arranged after the announcement of the TSG settlement in December.

  Legislation to curb pavement parking
  I wrote to the LAAs, as promised, on 12 August setting out the current position.

  Balance of funding between trunk roads and motorways, local roads and public transport

  Increase in local capital allocation not directly tied to specific schemes ("headroom")

  Capitalisation of highway maintenance
  I wrote to the LAAs on 25 September setting out the current position on these three topics. The balance of spending between trunk roads and motorways, local roads and public transport is constantly under review. Allocations of "headroom" for 1993–94 will be announced as part of the Transport Supplementary Grant settlement in December. The views of the LAAs will be taken into account. Further work on the capitalisation of highway maintenance is being undertaken in conjunction with the LAAs by a sub-committee of the Standing Committee on Highway Maintenance.

  Schemes supported by developers
  The matter is still under consideration.

  EC Green paper on Transport and the Environment
  Officials had a useful discussion with the LAAs in the light of this green paper.

  Voluntary property acquisition
  The issue is still under consideration. The LAAs have proposed an official level meeting. It will be arranged after the announcement of the TSG settlement in December.

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff are currently employed at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Swansea; what are their areas of responsibility; and how many staff are employed in each section.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 13 Novernber 1992]: The total number of staff employed at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Swansea on 31 October 1992 was 3,107. This is divided according to grade and organisation as follows.

  15

  Grade

  Organisation

  Administrative and executive

  2,817

  Driver licensing

  919

  Support, secretarial and technical

  290

  Vehicle licensing Administration and

  1,471

  common services

  717

  Total

  3,107

  3,107

  The responsibilities of the agency are described in its annual report, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the trial schemes that are currently being undertaken by the DVLA.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: I shall write to the hon. Member.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the addresses of all local offices of the DVLA, the number of people employed in each and their work responsibilities.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: The information requested is set out in the table. These offices provide a local service for the registration and licensing of new vehicles and related work—shown as "transactions" in the table—and are responsible for the enforcement of the payment of vehicle excise duty.

  Office and address

  Number of staff

  Transactions

  Enforcement

  Aberdeen

  5·0

  3·5

  3rd Floor Atholl House,

  84/88 Guild Street,

  Aberdeen AB9 1XH

  Bangor

  4·0

  7·5

  Penrhos Road,

  Penrhosgarnedd,

  Bangor LL57 2JF

  Birmingham

  15·0

  31·0

  St. Martins House,

  10 The Bullring

  Birmingham B5 5DP

  Bournemouth

  10·0

  15·5

  Tregonwell Court,

  118 Commercial Road

  Bournemouth BH2 5LN

  Brighton

  11·0

  25·5

  PO Box 357,

  Circus House,

  New England Road,

  Brighton BN1 1DH

  Bristol

  9·0

  28·0

  Northleigh House,

  Lime Kiln Close,

  Stoke Gifford

  Bristol BS12 6SR

  Cardiff

  7·0

  21·0

  14 Cathedral Road,

  Cardiff CF1 9RB

  Carlisle

  4·0

  6·0

  Ground Floor,

  3 Merchants Drive,

  Parkhouse,

  Carlisle CA3 0JW

  16

  Office and address

  Number of staff

  Transactions

  Enforcement

  Chelmsford

  15·0

  27·5

  2nd Floor,

  Parkway House,

  49 Baddow Road,

  Chelmsford CM2 0XJ

  Chester

  9·0

  8·0

  Norroy House,

  Nuns Road,

  Chester CH1 2ND

  Coventry

  8·0

  14·5

  Greyfriars House,

  Greyfriars Lane,

  Coventry CV1 2HB

  Dudley

  11·0

  11·0

  Churchill Precinct,

  Dudley DY2 7BN

  Dundee

  5·0

  3·0

  4th Floor,

  Overgate House,

  121 Marketgait,

  Dundee DD1 1JL

  Edinburgh

  0·0

  13·0

  Saughton House,

  Broomhouse Drive,

  Edinburgh EH11 3XE

  Exeter

  9·5

  18·0

  16 Dix's Field,

  Exeter EX1 1TP

  Glasgow

  18·5

  24·0

  107 Bothwell Street,

  Glasgow G2 7EE

  Gloucester

  8·5

  11·5

  Elmbridge Court,

  Cheltenham Road,

  Gloucester GL3 1JY

  Guildford

  12·5

  14·5

  32 High Street,

  Guildford GU1 3ED

  Haverfordwest

  4·0

  2·0

  Winch Lane,

  Haverfordwest SA61 1RD

  Huddersfield

  8·0

  7·5

  Kirklees House,

  Market Street,

  Huddersfield HD1 2HR

  Hull

  7·0

  6·5

  Kingston House,

  Myton Street,

  Hull HU1 2PE

  Inverness

  4·5

  2·5

  Caledonia House,

  63 Academy Street,

  Inverness IV1 1RP

  Ipswich

  9·0

  9·5

  Podium Level,

  St. Clare House,

  Greyfriars,

  Ipswich IP1 1UT

  Leeds

  16·0

  22·5

  24a Union Street,

  Leeds LS2 7JR

  17

  Office and address

  Number of staff

  Transactions

  Enforcement

  Leicester

  8·5

  13·5

  2nd Floor,

  Rutland Centre,

  56 Halford Street,

  Leicester LE1 1TT

  Lincoln

  9·5

  12·0

  Mill House,

  Brayford Side North,

  Lincoln LN1 1YW

  Liverpool

  12·0

  22·5

  Corn Exchange Building,

  Fenwick Street,

  Liverpool L2 7TT

  London

  20·0

  0·0

  1 Zoar Street,

  London SE1 0SY

  Ground Floor,

  14·5

  0·0

  Quest House,

  11 Cross Road,

  Croydon CR9 6EW

  23 Balfour Road,

  9·5

  0·0

  Ilford IG1 4HH

  Government Building,

  17·5

  0·0

  Canon Park,

  Honeypot Lane,

  Stanmore HA7 1BD

  18 Great Marlborough Street,

  0·0

  112·0

  London W1V 2BD

  12/18 Station Road,

  9·0

  132·5

  Sidcup,

  London DA15 7DA

  Luton

  18·5

  34·5

  2 Dunstable Road,

  Luton LU1 1EB

  Maidstone

  14·0

  26·0

  Coronet House,

  11 Queen Anne Road,

  Maidstone ME14 1XB

  Manchester

  21·0

  25·0

  Trafford House,

  Chester Road,

  Manchester M32 0SL

  Middlesbrough

  8·0

  9·5

  9th Floor,

  Corporation House,

  73/75 Albert Road,

  Middlesbrough TS1 2BP

  Newcastle

  9·0

  21·0

  Eagle Star House,

  Regent Farm Road,

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 3QF

  Northampton

  9·0

  13·0

  Wootton Hall Park,

  Northampton NN4 9BG

  Norwich

  9·5

  11·0

  Rouen House,

  Rouen Road,

  Norwich NR1 1UP

  18

  Office and address

  Number of staff

  Transactions

  Enforcement

  Nottingham

  13·0

  16·5

  Lambert House,

  Talbot Street,

  Nottingham NG1 5NJ

  Oxford

  8·5

  10·0

  Ground Floor,

  3 Cambridge Terrace,

  Oxford OX1 1RW

  Peterborough

  10·0

  10·0

  88 Lincoln Road,

  Peterborough PE1 2ST

  Portsmouth

  10·0

  17·5

  1/4 Queen Street,

  Portsmouth PO1 3JD

  Preston

  14·0

  16·5

  Buckingham House,

  Glovers Court,

  Preston PR1 4DQ

  Reading

  13·0

  16·0

  Minister House,

  52/53 Minster Street,

  Reading RG1 2JS

  Sheffield

  12·0

  15·0

  St. Peter's House,

  Hartshead,

  Sheffield S1 1JX

  Shrewsbury

  5·0

  3·5

  1st Floor,

  Princess House,

  The Square,

  Shrewsbury SY1 2NB

  Stoke

  9·5

  6·5

  London House,

  4th Floor,

  Hide Street,

  Stoke ST4 1EL

  Swansea

  5·0

  7·5

  DVLC,

  Longview Road,

  Swansea SA99 1DE

  Swindon

  7·0

  8·5

  2 The Meads,

  Business Centre,

  Ashworth Road,

  Bridgemead,

  Swindon SN5 7YR

  Taunton

  6·0

  8·5

  Brendon House,

  High Street,

  Taunton TA1 3DT

  Truro

  5·0

  8·5

  Pydar House,

  Pydar Street,

  Truro TR1 2TG

  Worcester

  7·0

  9·0

  Haswell House,

  St. Nicholas Street,

  Worcester WR1 1NX

  19
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the contribution of the DVLA to road safety, law enforcement and tax collection; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: DVLA makes a strong contribution to road safety. It helps keep off the roads vehicles and people who should not be on them and restricts the circumstances in which some people can drive. The validity of insurance and MOT certificates is checked before vehicle licences are issued. The agency gives invaluable assistance to vehicle manufacturers who wish to recall vehicles because of safety defects.

  The DVLA driver and vehicle databases are accessed extensively by the police and other law enforcement agencies in the investigation of all categories of crime in which a motor vehicle may be involved. Details of disqualified drivers are passed to the police and endorsements and disqualifications handed down by courts are entered on the driver record.

  DVLA collected some £3 billion in vehicle excise duties in 1991–92.

  Roads (Investment)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research he has commissioned into(a) the economic and (b) the employment impact of new road building;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the implications of (a) road construction and (b) road maintenance for job creation;

  (3) what assessment he has made of the implications of road building for regional policy;

  (4) what assessment he has made of the implications of the road programme on employment relocation, job destruction and job creation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: The programme of road construction is aimed at meeting the needs of industry and other road users through the provision of a modern strategic road network. This reflects the Government's commitment to a road infrastructure which strengthens the competitive performance of the economy. This was reiterated by the statement of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the House yesterday.

  The economic appraisal of road schemes measures the benefit they generate for the economy. There is a continuing process of research carried out by the Department which supports this analysis.

  Decisions on the programme take account of local development objectives such as, for example, inner-city regeneration and the development of docklands.

  The employment implications of our expenditure on new construction and road maintenance is complex because so many industries are involved in the process. However, estimates confirmed by the CBI and other industry groups identify around 3,100 jobs created by every £100 million spent on new construction. We estimate that road maintenance is at least as labour intensive.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will reconsider the financial criteria which apply to investment in transport policy and road construction; and if he will make a statement.
  20
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: The Department of Transport's booklet, "The Role of Investment Appraisal in Road and Rail Transport", describes the technical procedures, and their background, at present used by the Department for appraising proposed investments in roads and rail transport. I would also refer the hon. Member to the autumn statement by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will set out the existing rules for calculating the rate of return on road investment.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: Trunk road schemes are appraised using standard computer programs, namely COBA 9, URECA, and QUADRO 2. They have accompanying manuals which explain the techniques used. The Department's booklet, "Getting the Best Roads for our Money: The COBA Method of Appraisal", summarises COBA, which is the most commonly used program.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the animal food manufacturers to which BSE has been traced.

  Mr. Soames
  BSE was caused by the use of ruminant-derived protein in cattle rations. This material was in common use prior to 18 July 1988 and no particular manufacturers were implicated.

  Sheep Dip
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will investigate the effect of organophosphorus on human beings.

  Mr. Soames
  As part of the current review of pharmaceutical veterinary medicinal products to ensure that up-to-date standards on safety are met, and following recommendations from the independent Veterinary Products Committee to the licensing authority, the companies that manufacture organophosphorus (op) sheep dips have been asked to carry out some further work on the effects of these products. This will include blood tests on farm operators, providing details of protective clothing worn, and studies to show which areas of the bodies of operators are most exposed. In addition, the veterinary medicines directorate is continuing to fund work by the national poisons unit as a follow-up to its recent report on cases of sheep dip exposure.

  Furthermore, the Health and Safety Executive is currently funding research into the possible chronic neuropsychological and neurological effects of occupational exposure to ops and is also carrying out a detailed occupational hygiene assessment of sheep dip working practices and processes.

  Administration Costs
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the United Kingdom's agricultural budget is spent on administration; and what information he has on the corresponding figure in other EC member states.

  Mr. Curry
  The administration costs relating specifically to agriculture over the United Kingdom as a whole are not readily available. The costs of this Department and the Intervention Board include elements for food and fishing; the administration costs for agriculture in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are contained within the votes of the Welsh Office, Scottish Office and Northern Ireland Office respectively.

  Information on general administration costs for the Department and the Intervention Board are however set out in the Departmental Report (Cm 1903) and particularly in the cash plans tables included in that document.

  I have no information on administrative expenditure in other EC member states.

  Food and Environment Protection Act
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many orders under section 1(8) of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 have been introduced in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Curry
  The Ministry has laid the following orders before Parliament under Section 1(8) of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985:

  1985: None

  1986: 5 (all relating to the Chernobyl accident)

  1987: 1

  1988: None

  1989: 11 (10 relating to the lead in animal feed incident)

  1990: 5

  1991: 3

  1992: 3

  Subsidies
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of farmers' income stems from price support, subsidy and other forms of state intervention; what was the relative percentage in 1979; and if comparable figures are available for the EC as a whole.

  Mr. Curry
  Estimates of the cost of support depend critically on the assumptions used. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has, however, estimated the transfers from consumers and taxpayers resulting from agricultural policies in the European community—separate figures for the United Kingdom are not available. These indicate that, for the period 1979–81, the transfer represented 88 per cent. of gross value added by agriculture. The estimate for 1990, the latest period available, is 94 per cent. The estimate for the earlier period is not directly comparable because it excludes Spain, Portugal and the former German Democratic Republic.

  As the OECD makes clear, these estimates do not take into account the impact on world prices, and on other variables, if farm support were to be removed. They are likely, therefore, to overstate the true extent of support to the agricultural sector.

  Production Regions
  Mr. Roger Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will identify the specifically agricultural factors which support the division of the United Kingdom into the announced separate production regions, pursuant to his exercise of his powers and duties under article 3 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1765/92; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  United Kingdom Agriculture Ministers announced proposals for the division of the United Kingdom into regions in accordance with this regulation on 29 September 1992. The decision followed a careful examination of the available data on yields throughout the United Kingdom, the basis of which is set out in the regionalisation plan submitted to the European Commission on 16 September 1992. Copies of the plan have been placed in the Library of the House. During the coming year we shall be carrying out further work on yield patterns to see whether alternative regionalisation arrangements might be warranted for future years.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has had from the EC about the estimated levels of CAP expenditure in the current year and the next three years.

  Mr. Curry
  The budget for the common agricultural policy for 1992 is 37,289 mecu (£26,390 million1). The draft CAP budget for 1993 is 38,985 mecu (£31,798 million2). These figures include the budget for European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund guarantee and guidance measures and 1,000 mecu (£708 million1, £816 million2) for the monetary reserve. There will be no call on the monetary reserve in 1992.

  It is not normal practice to forecast anticipated expenditure for subsequent years, which depend on decisions yet to be taken.

  1 Converted at £1=1·1413 ecu.

  2 Converted at £1=1·226 ecu.

  Set-aside Scheme
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres of land in the United Kingdom are covered by the set-aside arrangements; how much subsidy per acre is paid; and whether the responsibility for payment rests with the European Community, or national governments.

  Mr. Curry
  Under the voluntary five-year set-aside scheme some 155,000 hectares—383,000 acres—have been set aside in the United Kingdom. This scheme is now closed to new entrants.

  Payment rates under the five-year scheme are determined by member states within limits laid down in Council Regulation (EEC) 2328/91. Payments in the United Kingdom range between £100 and £222 per hectare —£40 to £90 per acre—depending on the management regime followed by the participant and on whether the land has less favoured area status. Scheme payments are made by national governments but are 60 per cent. reimbursed from the EC budget.

  In future, growers who wish to claim the new arable area payments under the main scheme will have to set aside

  23
  15 per cent. of the area on which they claim. The set-aside period does not start until 15 December and it is not possible at this stage to say precisely how much land will be set aside in 1992–93.

  The set-aside payment is fixed by Council Regulation (EEC) 1765/92 at 45 ecu/tonne converted to an area payment on the basis of average historic regional yields. For the United Kingdom the regional rates in ecu per hectare (acre) are:

  Hectare £

  Acre £

  England

  266·85

  106·74

  Scotland (LFAs)

  216·45

  85·58

  Scotland (non-LFAs)

  254·25

  101·70

  Wales

  209·25

  83·70

  Northern Ireland

  211·95

  84·78

  These payments will be converted to pounds sterling at the rate applicable on 1 July 1993. The current green exchange rate is 1 ecu = £0·818896. These payments are fully reimbursed from the EC budget.

  Under both schemes responsibility for payment rests with national governments, but the Commission has responsibility for checking that member states have satisfactory arrangements for payments and controls.

  Rape Seed Oil
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres of land in Great Britain are currently used for growing rape seed oil; and what plans he has for the use of rape seed oil to run public transport systems.

  Mr. Curry
  The area planted to rape seed in Great Britain for harvest in 1992 is estimated at about 1·04 million acres—421,000 hectares. The Government have no plans to use rape seed oil to run public transport systems.

  Sheep and Goats (Blood Testing)
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 5 November,Official Report, column 342, if he will publish the detailed findings of the random slaughterhouse survey of blood samples from sheep and goats carried out under directive 91/68/EC and the results of screening samples for maedi visna; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The slaughterhouse survey for Brucella melitensis, Brucella ovis and Contagious agalactia tested the following numbers of sheep and goats:

  Sheep

  Goats

  Brucella melitensis

  27,965

  2,193

  Brucella ovis

  875

  0

  Contagious agalactia

  20,948

  2,400

  For the results of the survey I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 5 November.

  From the initial testing of 2,531 samples, 14 were sero-positive for maedi visna. Those batches containing positive samples were tested again. An additional 24 reactors were identified from 703 re-tested samples.

  Habitats
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking in order to implement those aspects of the new EC habitats directive which require the avoidance of deterioration of habitats in the wider countryside; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

  There are a number of initiatives which will help meet our obligations under the EC habitats directive regarding the wider countryside. These include the establishment of environmentally sensitive areas, the hedgerow incentive scheme, the Hedgerow Protection Bill proposed by my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, East (Mr. Ainsworth) which the Government are supporting, the countryside stewardship scheme and English Nature's wildlife enhancement and reserves enhancement schemes, and the development of guidance on the preparation of indicative foresty strategies. The Government have in place a number of measures to reduce agricultural pollution, such as new farm waste storage regulations and codes of good agricultural practice for the protection of water and air. The EC agri-environment regulation, agreed in May as part of the reforms to the CAP, provides scope for a range of new schemes.

  My right hon. and learned Friend expects to consult on the proposals to implement the directive in the next few months.

EMPLOYMENT

  Health and Safety
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will place in the Library a copy of the employment service's health and safety policy.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. Fogden to Mr. John McAllion, dated 16 November 1992:

  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question on placing a copy of the Employment Service's Health and Safety policy in the Library.

  As requested, I have arranged for a copy of the Employment Service's Health and Safety to be placed in the Library.

  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Agencies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list those agencies in her Department which are being considered for privatisation or contractorisation.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The only agency in the Department, the Employment Service, is not a candidate for privatisation or contractorisation. However, these
  25
  options are considered as a part of the regular three-year review of the agency. The next such review will be completed by September 1993.

  Training Schemes
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to review the youth training and employment training schemes in England; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The training and enterprise councils working group has been set up at the invitation of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to look at the whole range of education and training options available to 16 to 19-year-olds, and see how better co-ordination and coherence might be achieved.

  In the meantime we are progressively extending training credits with the aim of ensuring that, by 1996, every 16 and 17-year-old leaving full-time education will have the offer of a training credit.

  A review of adult training provision was only recently completed. My right hon. Friend announced on 12 November a new programme, training for work, to replace both employment training and employment action. Training for work gives greater flexibilities to training and enterprise councils to design programmes which will most effectively meet the needs of unemployed people.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people leaving youth training in 1991–92 will have gained a national vocational qualification level 2 or higher.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is not yet available.

  Wages Councils
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to her answer of 29 October to the hon. Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley),Official Report, column 825, if she will list the studies about the link between pay and jobs in wages council industries mentioned in her answer.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer the hon. Lady to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) on 4 November 1992,Official Report, columns 298–99.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many compensatory awards over £30,000 were made by industrial tribunals in 1991.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  None. The statutory limit on compensatory awards is £10,000.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many companies liquidated in 1991 owed compensatory awards following hearings at industrial tribunals.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I regret that the information is not available.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider bringing the compensatory 26
  element awarded by industrial tribunals within the insolvency provisions of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  We have no plans to do so.

  Road Haulage
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement about progress in implementing the national vocational qualification in road haulage; when she expects it to be available; and what steps she is taking to achieve wider recognition of this particular qualification.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am pleased to record that a number of national vocational qualifications applicable to road haulage have been submitted to the National Council for Vocational Qualifications for accreditation. Therefore they are likely to become available early in 1993. The Road Haulage Industry Training Standards Council, the lead body, is in the final stage of producing a comprehensive plan to promote the use, uptake and recognition of these qualifications in all sectors of its industry.

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement listing those training and enterprise councils which have supplied her with local job creation plans in areas affected by the seven proposed pit closures under the statutory redundancy procedure; and what proportion of the £75 million she has allocated has been requested to fulfil those plans.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Initial proposals for additional labour market measures to alleviate the effects of the closures of the eight pits in England on the list of 10 uneconomic pits, subject to the statutory 90-day consultation period, have been submitted by the following training and enterprise councils:

  Barnsley and Doncaster TEC

  North Nottinghamshire TEC

  Greater Nottingham TEC

  QUALITEC and METROTEC (Wigan) (a joint plan)

  County Durham TEC

  Staffordshire TEC

  Final action plans, including the proportion of the £75 million available, have yet to be agreed.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Building Societies (Negative Equity)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what circumstances he requires building societies to account for negative equity.

  Mr. Nelson
  Building society accounts are the responsibility of the board of directors and are subject to the usual independent audit. They must conform to the Building Societies Accounts Regulations and accounting standards generally. The Building Societies Commission has recently issued guidance to assist societies in arriving at provisions against a residential mortgage book.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what indemnities have been made available by the Bank of England to companies, individuals or auditors in connection with the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.

  Mr. Nelson
  It is standard practice, when the Bank of England commissions a section 41 report, for the letter appointing the reporting accountants to include an indemnity against any cost, liabilities and expenses arising out of their appointment, investigation or report. Such an indemnity was included in the letter sent to Price Waterhouse commissioning the section 41 into BCCI.

  Agencies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all the executive agencies for which the Treasury has approved a group bonus scheme.

  Mr. Portillo
  The following executive agencies have had Treasury approval to operate group bonus schemes.

  Central Office of Information

  Companies House

  Directorate—General of Defence Accounts

  Driving Standards Agency

  Forensic Science Service

  Historic Royal Palaces Agency

  Intervention Board

  Laboratory of the Government Chemist

  Meteorological Office

  Radiocommunications Agency

  Royal Mint

  Vehicle Certification Agency

  Vehicle Inspectorate

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the executive agencies which have been authorised to introduce an agency-specific pay system for some or all of their staff.

  Mr. Portillo
  The following executive agencies have had such approvals:

  Agricultural Development Advisory Service

  Her Majesty's Stationery Service

  Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre

  Royal Mint

  In addition, the Inland Revenue, as a Chancellor's department run on executive agency lines, has been given approval to introduce its own pay system.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on the calculation of the public expenditure planning figure for 1993–94 of the convergence criteria under the Maastricht treaty.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 11 November 1992]: The Government's policies are designed to achieve permanently low inflation, sustainable economic growth and sound public finances, and are consistent with the Maastricht criteria.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the differences in definitions of public sector borrowing requirement between EC member states, with particular reference to(a) local authority spending of capital receipts and (b) local authority borrowing.
  28
  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 11 November 1992]: There are no internationally agreed guidelines for the definition of the public sector borrowing requirement. Different measures of the Government's financial balance are the focus of policy in different EC member states. Comparisons between member states are normally made using the general government financial deficit (GGFD). This is a national accounts concept, the definition of which is covered by international guidelines on how these accounts should be drawn up. The GGFD includes local authorities' income and expenditure, and scores their gross domestic filled capital formation net of receipts from sales of land and buildings.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what plans he has to distinguish between the treatment of revenue expenditure and capital expenditure within the public sector borrowing requirement;

  (2) what plans he has to distinguish between the treatment of revenue expenditure and capital expenditure within the public expenditure planning total.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 11 November 1992]: From the first unified Budget in December 1993, the Government accounts will be drawn up in a way which makes a distinction between current and capital transactions.

  Economic Forecasts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a table comparing Treasury economic forecasts made in(a) the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" and (b) the "Autumn Statement" for each of the last four years with the actual economic outturn in terms of growth in (i) gross domestic product, (ii) balance of payments and (iii) unemployment.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 11 November 1992]: The "Financial Statement and Budget Report" and the "Autumn Statement" do not contain forecasts of unemployment. The published balance of payments forecasts are in current prices rather than growth rates. The table compares calendar year forecasts of growth in gross domestic product, and of the balance of payments current account, with outturns.

  Forecasts of GDP and the balance of payments current account

  Year for which forecast was made

  GDP, percentage changes on a year earlier

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  FSBR 1988

  3·00

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1988

  4·50

  3·00

  —

  —

  FSBR 1989

  —

  2·50

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1989

  —

  2·00

  1·25

  —

  FSBR 1990

  —

  —

  1·00

  —

  Autumn Statement 1990

  —

  —

  1·00

  0·50

  FSBR 1991

  —

  —

  —

  -2·00

  Autumn Statement 1991

  —

  —

  —

  -2·00

  Outturn

  4·50

  2·00

  0·75

  -2·50

  29

  Forecasts of GDP and the balance of payments current account

  Year for which forecast was made

  Current account balance £ billion

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  FSBR 1988

  -4·00

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1988

  -13·00

  -11·00

  —

  —

  FSBR 1989

  —

  -14·50

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1989

  —

  -20·00

  -15·00

  —

  FSBR 1990

  —

  —

  -15·00

  —

  Autumn Statement 1990

  —

  —

  -15·50

  -11·00

  FSBR 1991

  —

  —

  —

  -6·00

  Autumn Statement 1991

  —

  —

  —

  -6·50

  Outturn

  -16·25

  -21·75

  -17·00

  -6·25

  Autumn statement and FSBR forecasts

  PSBR

  £ billion

  Year for which forecasts made

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  FSBR 1987

  3·9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1987

  1·0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  FSBR 1988

  —

  -3·2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1988

  —

  -9·8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  FSBR 1989

  —

  —

  -13·8

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1989

  —

  —

  -12·6

  —

  —

  —

  FSBR 1990

  —

  —

  —

  -6·9

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1990

  —

  —

  —

  -3·0

  —

  —

  FSBR 1991

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7·9

  —

  Autumn Statement 1991

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10·5

  —

  FSBR 1992

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  28·1

  Outturn

  -3·4

  -14·7

  -7·9

  -0·5

  13·7

  n/a

  General government expenditure

  £ billion

  Year for which forecasts made

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  FSBR 1987

  173·5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1987

  172·8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  FSBR 1988

  —

  182·9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1988

  —

  180·9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  FSBR 1989

  —

  —

  194·3

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1989

  —

  —

  196·3

  —

  —

  —

  FSBR 1990

  —

  —

  —

  212·7

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1990

  —

  —

  —

  215·7

  —

  —

  FSBR 1991

  —

  —

  —

  —

  234·8

  —

  Autumn Statement 1991

  —

  —

  —

  —

  236·1

  —

  FSBR 1992

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  258·5

  Outturn

  173·2

  179·7

  200·8

  217·4

  235·9

  n/a

  RPI fourth quarter, percentage changes on a year earlier

  Year for which forecasts made

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  FSBR 1987

  4·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1987

  4·00

  4·50

  —

  —

  —

  —

  FSBR 1988

  —

  4·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1988

  —

  6·25

  5·00

  —

  —

  —

  FSBR 1989

  —

  —

  5·50

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1989

  —

  —

  7·50

  5·75

  —

  —

  FSBR 1990

  —

  —

  —

  7·25

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1990

  —

  —

  —

  10·25

  5·50

  —

  FSBR 1991

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4·00

  —

  Autumn Statement 1991

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4·00

  4·00

  Treasury Forecasts
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the forecasts made by the Treasury for(a) the public service borrowing requirement, (b) public expenditure, (c) inflation, (d) unemployment, (e) growth of gross domestic product and (f) the balance of payments, in both the autumn statements and the Budget statements for the financial years 1987–88 to 1992–93, together with the actual performance in each year and the latest estimate for 1992–93.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 11 November 1992]: The Government do not publish unemployment forecasts. Forecasts of the other variables are shown in the table. A new forecast was published to accompany the Chancellor's autumn statement on Thursday 12 November.
  31

  Year for which forecasts made

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  FSBR 1992

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3·75

  Outturn

  4·00

  6·50

  7·50

  10·00

  4·25

  n/a

  Real GDP, percentage changes on a year earlier

  Year for which forecasts made

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  FSBR 1987

  3·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1987

  4·00

  2·50

  —

  —

  —

  —

  FSBR 1988

  —

  3·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1988

  —

  4·50

  3·00

  —

  —

  —

  FSBR 1989

  —

  —

  2·50

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1989

  —

  —

  2·00

  1·25

  —

  —

  FSBR 1990

  —

  —

  —

  1·00

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1990

  —

  —

  —

  1·00

  0·50

  —

  FSBR 1991

  —

  —

  —

  —

  -2·00

  —

  Autumn Statement 1991

  —

  —

  —

  —

  -2·00

  2·25

  FSBR 1992

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·00

  Outturn

  4·50

  4·50

  2·00

  0·75

  -2·50

  n/a

  Current Account Balance

  £ billion

  Year for which forecasts made

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  FSBR 1987

  -2·50

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1987

  -2·50

  -3·50

  —

  —

  —

  —

  FSBR 1988

  —

  -4·00

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1988

  —

  -13·00

  -11·00

  —

  —

  —

  FSBR 1989

  —

  —

  -14·50

  —

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1989

  —

  —

  -20·00

  -15·00

  —

  —

  FSBR 1990

  —

  —

  —

  -15·00

  —

  —

  Autumn Statement 1990

  —

  —

  —

  -15·50

  -11·00

  —

  FSBR 1991

  —

  —

  —

  —

  -6·00

  —

  Autumn Statement 1991

  —

  —

  —

  —

  -6·50

  -9·50

  FSBR 1992

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  -6·50

  Outturn

  -4·50

  -16·25

  -21·75

  -17·00

  -6·25

  n/a

  Capital Expenditure
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the levels of capital expenditure in real terms in the public expenditure levels for each financial year for 1979–80, including the latest estimate for 1992–93 and the forecasts for 1993–94; and what percentage of total public expenditure they represent.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 11 November 1992]: Figures for public sector asset creation between 1978–79 and 1991–92 were published in cash and real terms in table 8.3 of the Statistical Supplement to the 1991 "Autumn Statement" (Cm 1920). Figures for central Government and nationalised industries' asset creation between 1986–87 and 1994–95 were published in tables 4.6 and 6.3 of the Statistical Supplement to the 1991 "Autumn Statement".

  Figures showing total public expenditure were published in table 2.1 of the Statistical Supplement to the 1991 "Autumn Statement".

  Similar analyses will be published in the Statistical Supplement to the 1992 "Autumn Statement".

  Unemployment Benefits
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the public sector expenditure total has been spent on benefits related to unemployment for each financial year from 1979–80; and what is the latest estimate for 1992–93 and the expenditure forecast for 1993–94.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 12 November 1992]: Figures on social security benefits by broad group of beneficiaries, including rate rebates and community charge benefit, for years 1986–87 to 1994–95 were published in table 5 of the 1992 Social Security Departmental Report (Cm 1914). Figures on general government expenditure for years 1979–80 to 1994–95 were published in table 2.1 of the Statistical Supplement to the 1991 "Autumn Statement" (Cm 1920).

  Figures for social security benefits to the unemployed prior to 1986–87 are as follows:

  £ million

  1979–80

  1,470

  1980–81

  2,530

  1981–82

  4,020

  1982–83

  5,010

  1983–84

  5,700

  33

  £ million

  1984–85

  5,320

  1985–86

  6,960

  Later figures for general government expenditure will be published in this year's "Autumn Statement". Later figures for social security benefits will be published in the 1993 Social Security Departmental Report.

  Manufacturing and Construction
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what percentage of gross domestic product has been produced by(a) manufacturing industry, and (b) the construction industry in each financial year since 1979–80; and what are the latest estimates for 1992–93 and the forecast for 1993–94;

  (2) what is the change in output in real terms by (a) the manufacturing industry and (b) the construction industry for each financial year since 1979–80, including the latest estimate for 1992–93 and the estimates for 1993–94.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 12 November 1992]: Information on the share of current price GDP by industry is available only for calendar years. Figures up to and including 1991 are given in table 16.4 of the Central Statistical Office publication "United Kingdom National Accounts", a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library. Information on output in volume terms, by industry, is available quarterly. Estimates, up to and including the second quarter of 1992, from which the information requested can be derived are available on the CSO database which may be accessed through the Library. The relevant database identifiers are manufacturing— DVIS, Construction—DVJO. A new forecast for manufacturing output for calendar years 1992 and 1993 is included in the "Autumn Statement".

  EC Financial Years
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those EC countries whose financial year does not match the calendar year.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 12 November 1992]: The United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland are the only EC countries in which the financial year does not run concurrently with the calendar year.

  Banned Imports
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what relaxations will be in force from 1 January 1993 on the imports of species of(a) animals, (b) plants and (c) pathogens that are currently banned from being imported into the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Curry
  I have been asked to reply.

  There will be no relaxation from 1 January 1993 of the prohibitions currently in force on the importation of particular animals, pathogens and plants into the United Kingdom.

  Imports of live animals will remain subject to harmonised Community animal health rules or, in their absence, national legislation, and existing import prohibitions will remain in force.

  Imports of animal pathogens will remain subject to existing national legislation. Discussions on EC and third
  34
  country trade in animal pathogens are under way and harmonised arrangements are unlikely to be introduced before 1 January 1994.

  In relation to plants and plant pathogens, I announced on 2 November that existing plant health arrangements will continue after 1 January 1993 for a period of up to six months. In consequence no significant changes will take place on import arrangements at the beginning of 1993.

EDUCATION

  Music Teaching
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what action he proposes to take to maintain the quality and level of peripatetic music teaching.

  Mr. Forth
  Provision of peripatetic music teaching is a matter for local education authorities to determine in the light of local spending priorities.

  Pupils Statistics
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils in each local authority are currently in schools that have grant-maintained status; and how many pupils in each local education authority are in maintained and voluntary schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The number of full-time pupils in schools currently operating as grant-maintained and the total number of full-time pupils in maintained primary, middle and secondary schools, including grant-maintained and voluntary schools, in each local education authority in England are given in the table. Pupil numbers shown relate to January 1991, the latest date for which reliable information is available.

  Number of full-time pupils in grant-maintained schools and all maintained primary, middle and secondary schools.

  Local education authority

  Pupils in Grant Maintained schools

  Pupils in all Maintained schools1

  City

  0

  202

  Camden

  0

  19,373

  Greenwich

  0

  31,792

  Hackney

  0

  22,324

  Hammersmith

  1,178

  14,204

  Islington

  0

  20,644

  Kensington and Chelsea

  629

  9,461

  Lambeth

  594

  23,238

  Lewisham

  0

  29,153

  South wark

  391

  27,802

  Tower Hamlets

  871

  28,885

  Wandsworth

  3,695

  24,640

  Westminster

  0

  15,578

  Barking

  0

  22,152

  Barnet

  1,894

  39,050

  Bexley

  426

  31,055

  Brent

  1,687

  30,723

  Bromley

  9,103

  34,714

  Croydon

  921

  39,776

  Ealing

  4,701

  35,737

  Enfield

  0

  36,723

  Haringey

  0

  24,634

  Harrow

  0

  25,662

  Havering

  0

  33,805

  Hillingdon

  7,164

  29,510

  Hounslow

  0

  29,478

  Kingston upon Thames

  0

  15,836

  Merton

  0

  18,829

  Newham

  393

  33,380

  35

  Local education authority

  Pupils in Grant Maintained schools

  Pupils in all Maintained schools1

  Redbridge

  0

  30,392

  Richmond upon Thames

  0

  15,701

  Sutton

  3,941

  21,351

  Waltham Forest

  1,003

  28,657

  Birmingham

  4,619

  163,169

  Coventry

  0

  44,964

  Dudley

  0

  42,600

  Sandwell

  626

  45,135

  Solihull

  0

  31,008

  Walsall

  2,327

  42,433

  Wolverhampton

  1,696

  36,402

  Knowsley

  0

  24,681

  Liverpool

  1,014

  73,159

  St. Helens

  0

  28,310

  Sefton

  0

  43,125

  Wirral

  0

  49,697

  Bolton

  1,035

  41,661

  Bury

  0

  25,325

  Manchester

  0

  66,569

  Oldham

  0

  37,749

  Rochdale

  236

  32,539

  Salford

  0

  34,382

  Stockport

  0

  41,079

  Tameside

  758

  33,847

  Trafford

  0

  28,328

  Wigan

  0

  48,198

  Barnsley

  0

  30,535

  Doncaster

  0

  45,907

  Rotherham

  0

  39,648

  Sheffield

  71

  63.950

  Bradford

  940

  77,635

  Calderdale

  1,398

  30,318

  Kirklees

  1,048

  57,584

  Leeds

  0

  98,014

  Wakefield

  0

  45,156

  Gateshead

  0

  28,007

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  0

  36,991

  North Tyneside

  0

  28,489

  South Tyneside

  0

  22,667

  Sunderland

  0

  45,708

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  282

  Avon

  1,388

  126,553

  Bedfordshire

  1,554

  79,532

  Berkshire

  7,194

  100,544

  Buckinghamshire

  4,122

  90,400

  Cambridgeshire

  2,500

  95,929

  Cheshire

  464

  146,402

  Cleveland

  0

  94,007

  Cornwall

  0

  64,766

  Cumbria

  4,941

  70,496

  Derbyshire

  2,406

  130,165

  Devon

  462

  128,968

  Dorset

  5,723

  77,508

  Durham

  0

  87,727

  East Sussex

  0

  78,435

  Essex

  18,710

  214,735

  Gloucestershire

  11,220

  73,179

  Hampshire

  4,659

  206,088

  Hereford and Worcester

  0

  92,920

  Hertfordshire

  4,935

  138,442

  Humberside

  82

  132,027

  Isle of Wight

  0

  16,902

  Kent

  23,975

  213,268

  Lancashire

  3,968

  204,774

  Leicestershire

  347

  133,400

  Lincolnshire

  13,209

  81,861

  Norfolk

  7,056

  98,221

  North Yorkshire

  0

  95,599

  Northamptonshire

  4,064

  90,225

  Northumberland

  0

  46,541

  Nottinghamshire

  363

  138,515

  Oxfordshire

  0

  69,911

  Shropshire

  457

  59,083

  Somerset

  579

  61,257

  Staffordshire

  0

  154,149

  36

  Local education authority

  Pupils in Grant Maintained schools

  Pupils in all Maintained schools1

  Suffolk

  0

  85,666

  Surrey

  7,877

  114,402

  Warwickshire

  3,726

  67,951

  West Sussex

  0

  89,051

  Wiltshire

  1,369

  76,085

  England

  191,709

  6,635,396

  1 Including grant-maintained and voluntary schools.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools in each local authority are currently making applications for grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  The figures requested are given in the table:

  Number

  Bedfordshire

  7

  Berkshire

  2

  Bexley

  1

  Bradford

  4

  Brent

  2

  Bromley

  1

  Buckinghamshire

  3

  Calderdale

  1

  Cambridgeshire

  5

  Cheshire

  2

  Croydon

  1

  Cumbria

  4

  Derbyshire

  6

  Devon

  4

  Doncaster

  1

  Dorset

  1

  Dudley

  2

  Essex

  18

  Gloucestershire

  4

  Hackney

  1

  Hampshire

  9

  Havering

  3

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  2

  Hertfordshire

  8

  Hillingdon

  4

  Hounslow

  2

  Kent

  13

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  1

  Lambeth

  2

  Lancashire

  1

  Leicestershire

  1

  Lincolnshire

  3

  Norfolk

  4

  Northamptonshire

  5

  Nottinghamshire

  2

  Rochdale

  1

  Shropshire

  2

  Southwark

  1

  Staffordshire

  3

  Surrey

  4

  Sutton

  2

  Tameside

  1

  Trafford

  3

  Walsall

  1

  Wandsworth

  3

  Wolverhampton

  1

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many parents in each local authority have voted for, and how many have voted against, grant-maintained status for their children's school.
  37
  Mr. Forth
  Statistics are collected as total numbers of eligible votes cast and numbers of votes in favour of grant-maintained status for each local authority. It is not possible to derive a figure for votes against grant-maintained status by subtracting votes in favour from votes cast because this would not take account of spoiled papers. The figures are as follows:

  Total eligible votes cast

  Votes in favour

  Avon

  1,960

  979

  Barnet

  3,214

  2,206

  Barnsley

  1,479

  402

  Bedfordshire

  10,522

  6,435

  Berkshire

  7,767

  5,596

  Bexley

  2,573

  1,625

  Birmingham

  11,787

  8,335

  Bolton

  1,271

  1,116

  Bradford

  4,834

  3,118

  Brent

  4,681

  3,363

  Bromley

  12,590

  9,130

  Buckinghamshire

  8,415

  5,441

  Calderdale

  2,639

  2,100

  Cambridgeshire

  12,657

  7,981

  Cheshire

  5,921

  2,732

  Cleveland

  1,397

  310

  Cornwall

  41

  30

  Croydon

  3,109

  2,069

  Cumbria

  7,416

  5,757

  Derbyshire

  15,082

  8,568

  Devon

  6,871

  4,099

  Doncaster

  830

  306

  Dorset

  8,272

  6,032

  Dudley

  4,104

  2,874

  Durham

  1,407

  341

  Ealing

  6,772

  3,689

  Essex

  41,450

  31,245

  Gateshead

  1,613

  718

  Gloucestershire

  18,158

  11,688

  Hackney

  772

  254

  Hammersmith

  1,357

  1,279

  Hampshire

  13,264

  9,081

  Harrow

  1,082

  438

  Havering

  4,153

  2,035

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,994

  1,478

  Hertfordshire

  15,681

  10,638

  Hillingdon

  10,838

  9,522

  Hounslow

  2,196

  1,929

  Humberside

  2,031

  614

  Kensington

  906

  858

  Kent

  39,806

  31,863

  Kingston

  1,620

  1,226

  Kirklees

  3,271

  1,760

  Knowsley

  1,481

  39

  Lambeth

  2,260

  2,020

  Lancashire

  9,160

  4,270

  Leicestershire

  2,112

  1,350

  Lewisham

  594

  361

  Lincolnshire

  16,672

  13,277

  Liverpool

  1,416

  771

  Manchester

  1,061

  358

  Merton

  841

  382

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  1,056

  397

  Newham

  681

  349

  Norfolk

  12,482

  7,817

  North Yorkshire

  969

  370

  Northamptonshire

  13,730

  9,247

  Nottinghamshire

  3,898

  1,584

  Oldham

  1,158

  172

  Oxfordshire

  1,220

  468

  Redbridge

  765

  171

  Rochdale

  2,588

  1,034

  Salford

  1,575

  711

  Sandwell

  2,235

  1,182

  Sheffield

  1,577

  809

  Shropshire

  1,621

  1,435

  Solihull

  2,006

  1,166

  Somerset

  772

  634

  38

  Total eligible votes cast

  Votes in favour

  Southwark

  750

  685

  Staffordshire

  3,244

  2,031

  Stockport

  1,204

  316

  Surrey

  9,890

  8,111

  Sutton

  7,160

  5,756

  Tameside

  2,618

  1,815

  Tower Hamlets

  1,519

  740

  Trafford

  2,870

  1,761

  Wakefield

  44

  38

  Walsall

  7,180

  3,675

  Waltham Forest

  1,117

  579

  Wandsworth

  6,985

  5,602

  Warwickshire

  4,847

  2,984

  West Sussex

  2,894

  519

  Wigan

  324

  274

  Wiltshire

  3,501

  1,763

  Wolverhampton

  2,322

  1,750

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools in each local authority now have grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  The figures requested are given in the table:

  Number of schools

  Kent

  36

  Essex

  35

  Lincolnshire

  23

  Gloucestershire

  16

  Norfolk

  16

  Surrey

  15

  Bromley

  12

  Berkshire

  11

  Northamptonshire

  11

  Hillingdon

  11

  Cambridgeshire

  11

  Hertfordshire

  10

  Hampshire

  10

  Birmingham

  9

  Warwickshire

  8

  Buckinghamshire

  8

  Cumbria

  7

  Dorset

  7

  Ealing

  7

  Lancashire

  6

  Sutton

  6

  Derbyshire

  5

  Wandsworth

  5

  Wiltshire

  4

  Bedfordshire

  3

  Calderdale

  3

  Barnet

  3

  Avon

  2

  Bexley

  2

  Bolton

  2

  Brent

  2

  Cheshire

  2

  Kirklees

  2

  Lambeth

  2

  Somerset

  2

  Walsall

  2

  Wolverhampton

  2

  Croydon

  2

  Bradford

  1

  Devon

  1

  Dudley

  1

  Hammersmith

  1

  Humberside

  1

  Kensington

  1

  Kingston

  1

  Leicester

  1

  Lewisham

  1

  Liverpool

  1

  39

  Number of schools

  Newham

  1

  Nottinghamshire

  1

  Rochdale

  1

  Sandwell

  1

  Sheffield

  1

  Shropshire

  1

  Solihull

  1

  Southwark

  1

  Staffordshire

  1

  Tameside

  1

  Tower Hamlets

  1

  Waltham Forest

  1

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what amount of the special purposes grant for 1993–94 for grant-maintained schools will be used to cover those activities that would be covered by the grants for education support and training programme in local authority maintained schools.

  Mr. Forth
  Decisions have not yet been taken about the precise details of special purpose grant (development) allocations in 1993–94.

  Surplus School Places
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his oral statement of 9 November,Official Report, column 63, if he will give the arithmetical basis for his estimate that £300 million of public expenditure can be saved by the elimination of surplus school places, distinguishing between (a) once for all capital receipts for sale of surplus premises and (b) annual revenue savings; and if he will give the period to which the estimated savings refer and the appropriate number of primary and secondary places concerned.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend was referring to the annual cost of maintaining surplus places. The figure of £300 million given in my right hon. Friend's oral statement of 9th November is based on an average figure for the premises-related cost of maintaining a school place, based on returns from local education authorities, of approximately £150 a year for a primary school place and £250 a year for a secondary school place at 1991–92 prices. It is based on an estimate of some 800,000 surplus primary places and 700,000 surplus secondary school places. The figure does not include one-off savings that may accrue from the sale of surplus premises.

  Teachers, North Yorkshire
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will state the full-time equivalent numbers of teachers employed in(a) north Yorkshire infant and primary schools and (b) north Yorkshire secondary schools in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Forth
  The table shows the number of teachers employed in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary school sector in north Yorkshire, for each of the years 1981 to 1992. Comparable figures for pupils in north Yorkshire are also shown. Figures prior to 1981 are not readily available.40

  Full-time equivalents

  Nursery and Primary

  Secondary

  Nursery, primary and secondary1

  Teachers

  Pupils

  Teachers

  Pupils

  Teachers

  1981

  2,463

  2—

  3,324

  2—

  5,967

  1982

  2,509

  53,408

  3,309

  53,640

  5,818

  1983

  2,441

  50,845

  3,297

  53,407

  5,751

  1984

  2,390

  49,936

  3,281

  52,549

  5,682

  1985

  2,399

  50,228

  3,218

  50,962

  5,631

  1986

  2,400

  50,408

  3,148

  49,884

  5,561

  1987

  2,414

  51,081

  3,107

  47,939

  5,532

  1988

  2,497

  52,114

  3,041

  45,419

  5,548

  1989

  2,551

  53,138

  3,020

  43,712

  5,570

  1990

  2,638

  54,423

  2,953

  42,483

  5,590

  1991

  2,711

  54,700

  2,945

  42,732

  5,656

  1992

  2,762

  2—

  3,041

  2—

  5,803

  1 Includes a small number of teachers who cannot be allocated to one particular sector.

  2 Not available.

  Technology
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to set out a new definition for technology in the national curriculum establishing the subject as a practical technical subject concerned with the design and manufacture of products and systems.

  Mr. Forth
  The current review of the statutory requirements for national curriculum technology aims to clarify the technical skills and knowledge which pupils should acquire at each stage of their compulsory education and in particular to ensure that these are developed through work with construction materials and related components and systems. When my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Education and for Wales have considered the review group's recommendations they will make a full statement.

  Science Undergraduates
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to set a target date for doubling the number of science undergraduates in United Kingdom universities.

  Mr. Forman
  No. However, the number of full-time students taking science-based higher education courses has formed formed a more or less constant proportion of a rapidly rising total throughout the 1980s. While students cannot be compelled to take particular subjects, our commitment to encourage recruitment to science based courses is clear.

  In higher education, the publicly funded tuition fee for laboratory and workshop based courses is already set at 50 per cent. above the classroom rate, and we are planning to increase the relative incentive to develop such courses. My right hon. Friend has also asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England to encourage continuing expansion of science and technology through its funding.

  Non-degree Qualifications
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to set a target date for tripling the numbers achieving technical non-degree qualifications in the United Kingdom.
  41
  Mr. Forman
  No. However, the Government have endorsed the national education and training targets for:80 per cent. of young people to have achieved qualifications at NVQ level 2, or the broad equivalent of four GCSEs at grades A to C, by 1997;
  50 per cent. of young people to have achieved qualifications at NVQ level 3, or the broad equivalent of two A levels, by the year 2000;
  50 per cent. of the work force to be qualified to NVQ level 3, or equivalent, by the year 2000.

  These targets imply a very considerable increase in the numbers achieving vocational qualifications.

  My right hon. Friend has also asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England to provide incentives to promote two-year full-time diploma qualifications in higher education, in particular those with a vocational emphasis.

  Science and Technology
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what action is currently being undertaken by his Department to ensure that pupils studying science and technology in secondary schools are taught by teachers with appropriate degrees.

  Mr. Forth
  Trainee teachers on secondary PGCE courses must have first degrees relevant to the school curriculum. Undergraduate courses of secondary teacher training must include at least two years' subject study at degree level which build on appropriate A-levels or equivalent qualifications. The Open university is developing PGCE courses in science and technology to increase the supply of appropriately qualified teachers. Shortage subject bursaries encourage recruitment to PGCE courses in science and technology.

  The Department has also funded many initiatives to improve science and technology teaching, including distance learning courses for existing physics and chemistry teachers. The grant for education, support and training (GEST) specific grant programme for 1993–94 will support £46 million of LEA expenditure on in-service training for the basic curriculum and assessment, and a further £85 million is to be devolved to schools to spend on in-service training or books and equipment according to their needs.

  Pre-school Education
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children were in pre-school education in(a) 1982 and (b)

  Mr. Forth
  In January 1982, there were 235,000 pupils below compulsory school age in maintained nursery schools or nursery classes in maintained primary schools in England. The provisional figure for January 1992 is 330,000.

  Reading
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to initiate a nationwide campaign to encourage parents to read to their children at home; and if he will make a statement on children's reading.

  Mr. Forth
  It is already the Government's policy to encourage parental involvement in children's reading. There is a general requirement at key stage 1—ages five to 42
  seven—of national curriculum English that teachers should actively encourage parents to share in their child's reading. The National Curriculum Council's non-statutory guidance for teachers of English stresses that teachers will need to involve parents as fully as possible in this aspect of the curriculum by discussing with them their child's reading and providing advice if necessary.

  In addition, the Department has supported a study by the United Kingdom Reading Association (UKRA) of family reading groups (FRGs), as a result of which UKRA are preparing guidelines on how to set up and run these groups successfully.

  More generally, my right hon. Friend's recent announcement of a review of national curriculum English made clear the Government's commitment to improving standards in essential skills such as reading.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many employees entitled to maximum compensatory awards from industrial tribunals in 1991 failed to obtain payment.

  Mr. Forman
  None.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the changes in the numbers of home-based students in higher education over the past five years.

  Mr. Forman
  The Department does not collect details of higher education students by place of residence. Students in receipt of mandatory awards receive grant at a different rate if they are living at home. It is estimated that the number of mandatory award holders in England and Wales receiving grant at parental home rates rose from about 30,000 in 1986–87 to about 39,000 in 1990–91.

  Further Education Funding
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information he has about the amount of money spent by local education authorities for each of the last five years on education in those areas which will come under the auspices of the Further Education Funding Council(a) in cash terms and (b) in constant 1992 purchasing power.

  Mr. Forman
  This information is not available centrally. LEAs' expenditure returns do not distinguish between expenditure on courses for which the FEFC will be responsible from next April and those for which LEAs will have continuing responsibility.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education on what basis the resources currently available to the Further Education Funding Council for 1993–94 were calculated; and how much they are in(a) cash terms and (b) constant 1992 purchasing power.

  Mr. Forman
  The Government's expenditure plans for further education in England in the financial year 1993–94 provide for the launch of the newly independent sector, taking account of a projected 8 per cent. increase in student numbers compared with the financial year 1992–93. The total funds to be made available to the
  43
  Further Education Funding Council in 1993–94 are planned to be £2,549 million for recurrent expenditure and £152 million for capital expenditure: expressed in 1991–92 prices, the real terms figures are £2,380 million and £142 million respectively.

  Examinations
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will state the name of the private company responsible for compiling the national table of school examination results by local authority area.

  Mr. Forth
  Two organisations were involved in the compilation of the database and the tables. They are Bath university, which merged the examination entries and results supplied by the examinations boards and groups, and PMS Communications Ltd., which arranged for the checking of the data by schools and which prepared the national and local tables for publication.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will state the number of independent schools operating in the secondary sector and the number that have volunteered their examination results to be reported as part of the national reporting of examinations scheme.

  Mr. Forth
  In January 1992, information available to the Department indicated that there were 1,025 independent schools which had pupils aged 15 and/or 17 years. All these schools were invited to take part in the publication of comparative tables of examination results and 259 did so.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if the Central Statistical Office Survey Control Unit has approved the method by which the examination results from schools have been collected and the manner in which they will be published.

  Mr. Forth
  No. The collection and publication are administrative matters concerning identifiable schools and are not therefore covered by the arrangements under which the survey control unit approves statistical inquiries.

  "Choice and Diversity"
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place in the Library copies of the responses to the White Paper, "Choice and Diversity."

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 2 November 1992,Official Report, column 16.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Longford Hall
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will give the dates on which Longford Hall, Stretford was inspected by representatives of his Department or its predecessor since that building was listed.

  Mr. Brooke
  I understand that the hall was inspected by officers of English Heritage, who are my statutory advisers on these matters, in February 1990.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will give details of representations 44
  made to him and his predecessors about the failure to maintain Longford hall, Stretford since that building was listed, and what action resulted.

  Mr. Brooke
  Local residents have made frequent representations to officials of my Department and the Department of the Environment about the state of the building, the demolition or removal of various interior features, and the possible use of the Secretary of State's powers to secure repairs. As I told the hon. Member on 29 October,Official Report, column 779, officials have, as a result, been in regular touch with the owners on this issue.

  National Lottery
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 5 November,Official Report, column 350, which firms were invited to tender for the contract to provide advice on the impact of a national lottery on the football pools industry and charitable donations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  Information on those firms that were not successful in the tendering process for work on the national lottery is commercially sensitive and therefore their names cannot be given.

  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 5 November,Official Report, column 350, what criteria he used in determining which firm of consultants should undertake the contract to advise him on the impact of a national lottery on the football pools industry and charitable donations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  The criteria used to determine the choice of consultants included price, quality and access to expert knowledge. In addition, consultants had to assure the Department that they were not currently working for and would not in future work for any companies that had an interest in bidding to operate the national lottery and that the advice they gave would be impartial and free from conflicts of interest of any kind.

DEFENCE

  Vulcan Bombers
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the last Vulcan bomber was withdrawn from active service with the Royal Air Force; what plans he has for its disposal; what representations he has received from those wishing to maintain this aircraft in flying condition; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  Vulcan XH 558 completed its operational service with the RAF in September 1984 and formed the RAF's Vulcan display flight in November of that year. The Ministry of Defence plans to sell the aircraft to the public and invitations to tender will be issued to prospective purchasers as soon as possible. We would, however, be prepared to consider any well-founded sponsorship proposals to keep the Vulcan in flying condition for air displays, but the sponsor would need to accept full financial responsibility for the aircraft and guarantee to meet all its operating, maintenance and other costs. To date no sustainable sponsorship proposals have been
  45
  received. My Department has received a large number of representations from hon. Members and from members of the public about the future of the aircraft.

  Dartmoor National Park (Loop Road)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been spent by the Ministry of Defence on the resurfacing of the loop road from Okehampton barracks into the Dartmoor national park; who was consulted before work commenced; when planning permission was obtained; and what category the road holds.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The MOD spent £31,505 on maintaining the loop road during financial years 1990–91 and 1991–92. The defence land agent Plymouth consulted the Duchy of Cornwall to confirm that the work proposed was within the terms of the MOD licence and to gain approval. Consultations also took place with the Dartmoor national park officer regarding the materials used. Planning permission was not necessary in this case as it is a private road on Duchy of Cornwall land within Dartmoor national park over which the public is allowed access when live firing is not in progress on Okehampton range.

  Front-line Squadrons (Aircraft)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is his Department's assessment of the number of Tornados that will be deployed in front-line squadrons in(a) 1994 and (b) 2000;

  (2) what is his Department's assessment of the number of Harriers that will be deployed in front-line squadrons in (a) 1994 and (b)

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Annex C of the 1992 "Statement on the Defence Estimates" includes numbers of aircraft assigned to RAF squadrons based in Europe as at 1 April 1992, together with the main changes due to take place in the current financial year. We plan to update this information on an annual basis. It is not our policy to publish detailed plans for future operational strengths.

  Contracts
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts have been awarded since 1980 by his Department to International Military Services.

  Mr. Aitken
  Until it ceased trading in July 1991, the role of IMS was to supply overseas Governments with equipment and services in the defence field, as a prime contractor, operating within guidelines laid down by my Department. Consequently there would normally be no reason for my Department to place contracts on the company. The only exception to this was an arrangement to fund the cost of a single individual employed by IMS in the late 1980s to provide after-sales service on equipment developed by my Department in service with an overseas customer.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts have been awarded by his Department to W. S. Atkins and Partners since 1980.

  Mr. Aitken
  Since May 1990, the Department's directorate of works services has invited W. S. Atkins to 46
  tender 32 times. It was successful on 10 occasions, and received contracts valued at £8,068,300 in total. There have also been a number of smaller contracts for works in connection with specific projects.

  Prior to May 1990 the Property Services Agency of the Department of the Environment was responsible for all works-related contracts.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contacts ministers or officials of his Department have had with International Military Services since 1980.

  Mr. Aitken
  International Military Services is a company whose shares are vested in the Secretary of State for Defence. Consequently my Department is responsible for monitoring company policy and performance. Contact for this purpose is frequent at official level. Contact at ministerial level is relatively rare.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contacts or dealings ministers or officials of his Department have had with W. S. Atkins and Partners since 1980.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department does not hold a central record of contacts or dealings with industry, so I am unable to provide the hon. Gentleman with a full reply without incurring disproportionate cost. However, officials in my Department are in continuing discussion with W. S. Atkins in connection with tenders, contracts awarded by the Department—and awarded by PSA on the Department's behalf prior to May 1990—and future opportunities.

  Iraq
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the assessment made by his expert advisory group on whether an export licence should be granted to Matrix Churchill for equipment which is now the subject of a judicial inquiry.

  Mr. Aitken
  No. The assessments will, of course, be made available to Lord Justice Scott's inquiry if it wishes to see them.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how often the group of experts referred to in his Department's answer of 26 April 1990,Official Report, column 332, on military trade with Iraq met in the years 1987 to 1991 and on what dates; and what is the remit under which the group of experts operated.

  Mr. Aitken
  Normally the working group met monthly. Its remit is to make a military assessment of applications for defence-related exports to Iran—and to Iraq until the UN embargo—within the guidelines which relate to the export of equipments to Iran-Iraq.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the definition of lethal used by his Department in assessing the nature of equipment supplied to Iraq since 1980.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department defines lethal equipment as "military equipment designed to kill".

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions the assessment of the
  47
  military significance of export licence applications made by his Department's group of experts was overruled by Ministers between 1987 and 1991.

  Mr. Aitken
  In some borderline cases Ministers sought further clarification and in the light of this did not, on some occasions, endorse the recommendation made to them. It has not been possible to determine the precise number of instances in which this occurred, but we believe that they were rare.

  Operation Granby
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 28 October,Official Report, column 711, how much money was given by each of the contributing countries in each year towards the cost of Operation Granby; and what further contributions are expected.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Cash burden-sharing contributions towards the cost of Operation Granby were received as follows:

  £ million

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Total

  Belgium

  —

  15

  15

  Germany

  274

  —

  274

  Hong Kong

  16

  —

  16

  Japan

  25

  167

  192

  Kuwait

  110

  550

  660

  Saudi Arabia

  —

  582

  582

  South Korea

  —

  18

  18

  United Arab Emirates

  86

  192

  278

  Other

  13

  1

  14

  Total

  524

  1,525

  2,049

  No further burden-sharing contributions are expected.

  Chemical Weapon Convention
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that signatories to the chemical weapon convention should remain subject to controls exercised by the Australia group.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Australia group harmonises national export controls by consensus. It is for each member state to apply its individual controls. The Australia group (AG) has undertaken to review its work to ensure consistency with the provisions of the chemical weapons convention. AG members, including the United Kingdom, have declared their intention to be early signatories of the convention. In this context, the United Kingdom will seek to ensure within the AG and nationally that we maintain effective controls against chemical and biological weapons proliferation.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy towards the continued operation of the Australia group once the chemical weapon convention has been signed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government's principal objective is to prevent the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons. The Australian group (AG) has played a major role in the
  48
  effort. All AG members, including the United Kingdom, have welcomed the conclusion of the CWC negotiations and have declared their intention to be early signatories. The work of the group is to be reviewed to ensure consistency with the provisions of the convention. The United Kingdom intends to take an active part in this review.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Mr. Oliver Pryce
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions not to proceed with prosecutions arising from the unlawful killing of Mr. Oliver Pryce.

  The Solicitor-General
  The Director of Public Prosecutions decides whether a case should be prosecuted on the basis of the available evidence and in accordance with the code for Crown prosecutors. In this case, she had the advantage of leading and junior counsel's advice and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to justify a prosecution.

  Pension Funds
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the assistance given by the Serious Fraud Office to those seeking recovery of assets of pension funds.

  The Solicitor-General
  The Serious Fraud Office is pleased to assist those so engaged to the extent that it is lawfully able to do so.

ENVIRONMENT

  Sellafield
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate has been made of the change in the level of emissions of radioactive substances as a result of the opening of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.

  Mr. Maclean
  Activity limits proposed in the draft authorisations published jointly today by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food would ensure a continued decline in the maximum radiation dose to the public from Sellafield even when including the contribution from THORP at its full operating capacity.

  Primates
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to ban the import of wild-caught primates into the EC for research and testing.

  Mr. Maclean
  The import of primates into the EC is already controlled under regulations governing the wildlife trade. These are conservation measures, intended primarily to ensure that wild populations are not seriously depleted. They are not concerned with the purpose of import, except for endangered species. While we are currently negotiating a new European wildlife trade
  49
  regulation to tighten existing controls, we have no plans to seek a general ban on the import of any animals for use in research and testing. Controls on the use of animals for such purposes within the United Kingdom are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

  Urban Development Corporations
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much each urban development corporation has spent on consultants' reports since their inception.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Urban development corporations contract out project management, legal, recruitment, architectural, engineering design and a range of other services to private sector consultancies and advisers. Approximate expenditure on consultants' reports, where available, is set out in the table.

  £ million

  Urban Development Corporation

  Birmingham Heartlands

  0·0

  Black Country

  2·9

  Bristol

  0·6

  Central Manchester

  1—

  Leeds

  1—

  London Docklands

  1—

  Merseyside

  2·8

  Sheffield

  0·5

  Teesside

  4·1

  Trafford Park

  1—

  Tyne and Wear

  3·6

  1 Not available.

  Plucked Birds
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to include the control of the exporting of plucked birds under the provisions of the Species (Import and Export) Act 1976; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  It is the Department's policy not to require export licences for plucked specimens of game bird species covered by the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976 because they cannot be readily identified. We have no plans to alter this policy.

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with organisations that run residential care homes as to the effect that paying the new council tax will have on such homes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  We have received a number of representations from care home owners about the council tax. My officials have met a delegation from the Joint Care Committee to discuss the effect of the tax. They explained that, for the reasons given in my answer to the hon. Member for Devon, North (Mr. Harvey) on 7 July,Official Report, column 157, the council tax bills faced by care home owners are likely to he modest. In many cases these bills are likely to be further reduced by transitional relief.

  Hillingdon Hospital
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many and what kind of complaints the London Waste Regulation Authority has received from residents of Hillingdon about the breaking of the conditions of licence issued by the authority for the operation of the incinerator plant at Hillingdon hospital; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The London Waste Regulation Authority (LWRA) has responsibility for the licensing of disposal facilities in the Greater London area. It is therefore for it to consider the most appropriate action to take if it receives complaints alleging breaches of licence conditions. I suggest that my hon. Friend approaches the LWRA for this information.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many times during the past 12 months Her Majesty's inspector of pollution has been informed by Basic Energy (UK) Ltd. that the dump stack at Hillingdon hospital incinerator has been used; what information he has about the purpose of using this equipment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  HMIP has been informed by Basic Energy that the dump stack has been used on five occasions in the past 12 months.

  The purpose of the dump stack is to protect operators and plant during certain fault conditions. It operates only for a short time and the impact on the environment is not significant.

  Housing Expenditure
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the level of public expenditure on housing in 1978–79 and the most recent available year in real terms and cash prices.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information for England is as follows:

  £ millions

  Cash

  1991–92 prices

  1978–79

  3,750

  10,130

  1991–92 (provisional)

  10,360

  10,360

  The figures are based on total general government expenditure on housing, including local authority self-financed expenditure from receipts and expenditure on housing benefit subsidies.

  North West Water
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with North West Water on its plans to introduce water metering throughout its area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  None. It is for each water company to determine its method of charging, subject to the overriding requirement that they do not show undue preference to or unduly discriminate against any class or group of customers.

  Ultra-violet Radiation
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to enhance the current monitoring arrangements for ultra-violet radiation in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 30 October,Official Report, columns 939–40.

  Economic Development
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list each piece of legislation within the responsibility of his Department which bestows economic development powers or economic development assistance on local authority areas and which are based, in whole or in part, on statistics related to the relevant travel-to-work area.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Section 33 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 provides all principal local authorities with a power to take such steps as they may from time to time consider appropriate for promoting the economic development of their area. The Local Government (Promotion of Economic Development) Regulations 1990 limit the giving of grants, loans and guarantees to a business conducted with a view to profit to a total of £10,000 per business per annum, unless the local authority providing the assistance is listed in schedule 1 to the regulations (as amended). One of the criteria for scheduling is that the local authority, in whole or in part, falls within a travel-to-work area with above average unemployment.

  Section 13 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 empowers the Secretary of State to make grants in the assisted areas for the improvement of a basic service for which he is responsible. Local authorities would be eligible to apply for such assistance.

  Eco-labelling
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contributions are Greece, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Ireland and Luxembourg making to EC eco-labelling.

  Mr. Maclean
  All the member states of the European Community are involved in the eco-labelling scheme. All should by now, under the terms of the EC regulation, have set up competent bodies. A number are currently leading studies to develop further criteria for product groups. I understand that further studies by other member states are about to begin or are under consideration.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the criteria for the award of eco-labels for kitchen towels, toilet tissue, photocopier paper, writing paper, laundry detergents, paints and varnishes, washing machines, dishwaters, light bulbs, hair sprays, T-shirts, bed linen and batteries to be agreed by all EC states.

  Mr. Maclean
  As I told the House on 9 November,Official Report, column 724, we hope to have agreement on a range of products in the first part of next year.

  Water Supplies
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what emergency arrangements are made in pre-payment water meters to enable water to be taken on credit in the event of fire or accident.

  Mr. Maclean
  I understand that pre-payment water meters are installed on an internal wall in the property. About four days before credit on a meter runs out, the meter emits a noise followed by a continuous flashing warning light. When all the credit has been used, the meter will still allow the customer to receive water until the following morning. The meter also has a facility to enable the customer to obtain a further seven days water in an emergency.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 4 November,Official Report, columns 234–35, how many of the disconnections of domestic water supply mentioned in his answer were reconnected within 24 hours.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on reconnections is not collected by my Department or by the Office of Water Services, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. I understand that the water industry associations believe the majority of those disconnected—and contact-able—are reconnected within 24 hours.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what emergency arrangements are made to ensure access to water in domestic or commercial properties where the supply has been disconnected.

  Mr. Maclean
  Where a water company disconnects or reduces for more than 24 hours the supply of water provided to any premises—dwellings, commercial or otherwise—for domestic, ie drinking, cleaning, washing, cooking, heating and sanitary, purposes to carry out necessary works, it must ensure that an emergency supply has been made available within a reasonable distance of the premises. In respect of disconnection for non-payment I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 November 1992,Official Report, column 795.

  Travellers
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state for 1990, 1991 and 1992 the number of travellers in England and Wales in(a) authorised local authority encampments, (b) authorised private encampments and (c) unauthorised encampments; and if he will break the figures down by region.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department has no reliable information about numbers of travellers. I am placing in the Library of the House a table showing the number of gypsy caravans on the three types of encampment requested by the hon. Member, for each region in England. The information is derived from bi-annual counts by local authorities. Similar information for Wales is available from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Derelict Land Grant
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much derelict land grant expenditure there has been in the Darlington travel-to-work area in each year since 1984(a) at current prices and (b) at 1984 prices.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information on derelict land grant expenditure is not available by travel-to-work area. However, expenditure in the Darlington local authority area was as follows:

  (a) Current prices (£)

  (b) 1984 prices (£)

  1984–85

  254,514

  254,514

  1985–86

  589,788

  558,942

  1986–87

  536,772

  492,504

  1987–88

  269,442

  234,474

  1988–89

  284,697

  231,054

  1989–90

  563,164

  428,821

  1990–91

  529,567

  372,715

  1991–92

  356,164

  234,274

  Total

  3,384,108

  2,807,298

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the expenditure on derelict land grant in the assisted areas in each year since 1984–85 at(a) curent prices and (b) 1984–85 prices.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information on derelict land grant expenditure is not available by assisted area. However, derelict land grant in the assisted areas and derelict land clearance areas combined was as follows:

  (a) Current prices (£)

  (b) 1984 prices (£)

  1984–85

  63,260,029

  63,260,029

  1985–86

  60,688,860

  57,514,833

  1986–87

  58,603,092

  53,770,095

  1987–88

  57,667,935

  50,183,790

  1988–89

  51,137,068

  41,501,822

  1989–90

  84,096,414

  64,035,214

  1990–91

  67,135,519

  47,250,650

  1991–92

  79,450,627

  52,260,239

  Total

  522,039,544

  429,776,672

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of derelict land grant spending took place in the assisted areas(a) in each year since 1984–85 and (b) in total since 1984–85.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Information on derelict land grant expenditure is not available by assisted area. However, the percentage of derelict land grant paid in the assisted areas and derelict land clearance areas combined was as follows:

  per cent.

  (a) 1984–85

  93·2

  1985–86

  90·4

  1986–87

  85·2

  1987–88

  76·6

  1988–89

  76·2

  1989–90

  92·6

  1990–91

  93·4

  54

  per cent.

  1991–92

  92·3

  (b) Total

  87·7

  City Challenge
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what are the rules concerning bidding for city challenge scheme funds in years two to five for the 11 pacemaker authorities in the first round; and what guidance has been issued to such authorities;

  (2) in what circumstances a pacemaker authority, for the purposes of the city challenge scheme, may not receive moneys in years two to five.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The action plans of the 11 city challenge pacemakers, covering five-year regeneration programmes 1992 to 1997, were agreed in February and March this year. Full financial provision for these programmes has been included in the settlement announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12 November. The agreement to provide funding is subject to individual annual reviews of progress toward achieving the strategic objectives and outputs specified in the plans. The first round of annual reviews, to be chaired by Ministers, is intended to take place in February 1993. The format and procedure for the reviews have recently been piloted with the pacemakers and this will be followed up with further guidance on the issues to be covered.

  Housing Management
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing how many tenants and tenants' organisations have responded to the consultation on his proposals to extend compulsory competitive tendering to housing management; how many of these(a) supported and (b) opposed his proposals; and if he will place copies of all the responses in the Library.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 November to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle),Offical Report, column 454. I shall be placing copies of all the responses in the Library.

  Defective Housing
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many properties sold to sitting tenants under the right-to-buy have been re-purchased by English local authorities under defective housing legislation.

  Mr. Baldry
  By the end of 1991–92 local authorities in England had repurchased some 13,200 dwellings under the housing defects legislation. It is expected that local authorities will repurchase a further 1,000 dwellings during 1992–93.

  Displaced Persons
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to compensate local authorities for the extra expenditure they have incurred as a result of the influx of displaced persons from the former Yugoslav republic; and if he will make a statement.
  55
  Sir George Young
  The resources made available to local authorities through the local government finance settlement include appropriate provision for dealing with the kind of needs which displaced persons present. I recognise that the recent influx from the former Yugoslav republic has placed an exceptional burden on a small number of authorities, however, and I am prepared to make available special grant to assist the worst affected cases. My officials will be discussing proposals for this with representatives of the local authority associations.

  Impact Pricing
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce impact pricing into the planning system; what representations he has received on introducing impact pricing; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 22 October 1992]: My right hon. Friend has no such plans at present. A number of representations have been received following the announcement in February that the Department would undertake research into the scope and feasibility of development impact fees. Decisions on whether to develop the idea further will be taken in the light of that research, on which tenders will be issued shortly.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the manner in which he has made provision, within the structure of standard spending assessments, for expenditure by local authorities on their statutory duties relating to homelessness for the current financial year and for the year 1993–94, respectively.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 22 October 1990]: The total of standard spending assessments was set for 1992–93 in the light of the spending needs of all authorities including an appropriate allowance for expenditure on providing for the homeless. Proposals for the 1993–94 revenue support grant settlement will be announced later this autumn.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to assist the local authorities which had deposited money with BCCI.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 10 November 1992]: Authorities which applied to do so were allowed to treat their losses as capital expenditure, so that they could be met from capital receipts or by borrowing. Authorities which sought temporary increases in their aggregate credit limits, in order to maintain their borrowing capacity, were granted them.

  Environmental Protection Enforcement Agencies
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the visit of the heads of European environmental protection enforcement agencies in European Community countries to the United Kingdom on 3 to 6 November.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 9 November 1992]: The first meeting of representatives from EC environmental
  56
  enforcement authorities was held in Chester on 3 to 6 November. The purpose of the meeting was to set up a network of such bodies.

  The meeting was organised on behalf of the United Kingdom presidency by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and it was chaired by HMIP's chief inspector, Dr. David Slater. More than 50 representatives from the 12 EC member states and the European Commission attended.

  All delegates welcomed the establishment of the network, the aim of which is to provide a mechanism for exchange of information and practical regulatory experience, to address issues of mutual concern and to enhance the quality of enforcement throughout the community.

  The meeting agreed a framework for future work, including establishing a number of working groups to address aspects such as permitting, compliance monitoring, inspection and enforcement systems.

  The next full meeting of the network will take place in May 1993 in Denmark, during the Danish presidency of the European Community.

  Orimulsion
  Mr. Oakes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to require any power station intending to burn orimulsion to install flue gas desulphurisation equipment before any of the fuel is burned.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer to November 1992]: Such matters are for HM inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) in the first instance. I understand that applications have been made to HMIP under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to burn orimulsion at four power stations. None of these has been determined. In determining these applications, HMIP will consider the environmental consequences of all releases from the process to all three media: air, water and land. If HMIP authorises the burning of orimulsion it is required to ensure best available techniques not entailing excessive cost to prevent or minimise and render harmless any releases. I also understand HMIP regards flue gas desulphurisation as an available technique.

  In view of my right hon. and learned Friend's appellate role in these matters it would not be appropriate for me to comment further.

  Sellafield (Discharges)
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the public consultation relating to the new draft discharge authorisations for Sellafield to commence.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: In response to applications made under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 by British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) to dispose of liquid and gaseous radioactive waste from Sellafield, the chief inspector of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) acting jointly with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), has today sent out public consultation documents proposing new limits for liquid and gaseous radioactive discharges from BNFL's Sellafield operations. The consultation process which will run for eight weeks is being carried out widely and is based on draft authorisations and accompanying

  57
  explanatory memoranda so that everyone can clearly see what HMIP and MAFF propose in response in the company's applications.

  The draft authorisations will include proposed discharge limits for all relevant plant on the site. The effect of the authorisation would be to:

  (a) bring into operation new treatment plant for liquid effluent;

  (b) allow the operation of the new "THORP" thermal oxide reprocessing plant whose construction is nearing completion;

  (c) provide for the decommissioning of redundant plant, and for the processing of wastes accumulated on the site;

  (d) allow the incineration of slightly contaminated waste oil.

  I am assured that HMIP and MAFF will not make up their minds about the applications until after the consultation period when they have considered relevant information and the responses they have received. Copies of the consultation documents will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account he is taking of the fall in property values since 1990 when finalising the introduction of the council tax in 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 11 November 1992]: The banding of each dwelling shown on valuation lists will be based on its estimated sale price on 1 April 1991, taking account of any significant change to the property between then and April 1993. That will establish its relative value compared with other dwellings and ensure that all dwellings are banded on the same basis.

  Nuclear Reprocessing
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters of objection to the new thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield have been received by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 12 November 1992]: By 11 November Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution had received in the order of 36,000 representations about the new thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield from individual members of the public together with several petitions containing a total of approximately 6,500 names.

  Inland Waterways
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the findings of the review of navigation authorities for inland waterways.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: We will announce the results of the review when it is completed.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further announcements he proposes to make on the implications of the citizens charter for British Waterways.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: The implementation of the charter is primarily a matter for British Waterways. We expect British Waterways, like other public bodies, to take account of the charter's principles in its relations with its customers and users.
  58
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has concluded his review of the role and function of the inland waterways amenity advisory committee.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: We are consulting the chairman of the Inland Waterways Amenity Advisory Council and British Waterways on our proposals for the future of the council, and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the number of miles of inland waterways dredged by British Waterways for each of the last 10 years broken down by commercial and cruising waterways and the remainder.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: This is a matter for the British Waterways Board.

  British Waterways Board
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he reappointed Mr. David Ingham as chairman of the British Waterways Board; and for how long.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: We are currently discussing with Mr. Ingram the terms of his reappointment. In the meantime, his appointment has been extended for one month until 21 November. A further announcement will be made shortly.

  Home Repossessions
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many house repossession orders have been granted.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have been asked to reply.

  The latest figures on mortgage repossession actions are contained in an information bulletin which has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament. These figures do not indicate how many houses have been repossessed through the courts as not all of the orders will have resulted in the issue and execution of warrants of possession. At this stage the 1992 figures are provisional and therefore liable to revision to take account of any late amendments.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  UN Development Fund for Women
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the United Kingdom contribution to the United Nations development fund for women in the present year and in 1979.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We contributed £150,000 this year (1992). The fund was first created in 1984.

  Kenya (Elections)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance has been given to the Government of Kenya in conducting elections.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have agreed to provide ballot boxes, office equipment and training for electoral officials, at a cost of approximately £745,000.

  Aid and Trade
  Ms. Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he will be taking in concert with his counterparts from the other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries to ensure that aid to the third world is accompanied by trade.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Britain's aid programme, like those of our OECD partners, promotes economic growth in developing countries through support for economic reform. We give priority to the promotion of export-led growth by helping the private sector to flourish. We are working hard for a successful completion to the Uruguay round.

  Somalia
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the overseas aid budget allocated to Somalia will be over the next year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  This year Britain has committed almost £27 million of emergency humanitarian aid to Somalia including our share of EC aid. We shall continue to help. The amount of assistance we will be able to provide will be determined by need and the ability to deliver relief safely and effectively.

  Sudan
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent Britain is able to contribute humanitarian aid directly or indirectly to the communities of southern Sudan.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  It is difficult for relief agencies to reach the needy in southern Sudan because of continued civil war. We provide emergency assistance through United Nations agencies and British non-governmental organisations as and when access to communities is available.

  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the current state of access for relief work being undertaken by representatives of the United Nations and non-governmental organisations in southern Sudan.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The continuing civil war in southern Sudan is severely impeding humanitarian aid efforts by the United Nations and non-governmental organisations; only small amounts are currently being delivered. We are pressing on all parties the need for humanitarian relief efforts to go ahead without interference.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the level of overseas aid to be allocated to the former Yugoslavia over the next year.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have committed more than £70 million for humanitarian aid to the former Yugoslavia up to the end of financial year 1992–93. This consists of £29·5 million bilaterally and a further £41 million which is our 60
  contribution to the EC's aid to the former Yugoslavia. This is in addition to our contribution of 2,400 British troops for the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) and a field ambulance unit of 260. Decisions on the levels of humanitarian aid to the former Yugoslavia in 1993–94 will depend upon events in the region.

  Food Aid
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the approximate annual expenditure of the European Community on(a) food aid of an emergency character and (b) other food aid, in ecu and pound sterling, together with an estimate of the additional costs that would need to be carried by FEOGA for either category, if not funded under the Community aid budget.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In 1991, the total cost to the Community aid budget of food aid for developing countries, including transport costs, was 590 mecu (£413 million). An accurate breakdown of costs between emergency and other food aid is not possible because of problems of definition but, in cost terms, approximately half of the programme went to five African countries severely affected by drought or civil strife: Angola, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Somalia and Sudan.

  In addition, according to the Commission, food aid to the value of 259 mecu (£181 million) was provided for Eastern Europe, including the former Soviet Union, funded mainly from FEOGA.

  The transfer of part or all of the cost of food aid for developing countries from the aid budget to FEOGA would result in an increase in FEOGA costs of approximately the same size as the decrease in cost to the Community aid budget. Such a transfer would tend to re-establish the links between surplus disposal and food aid which successive British Governments have sought to break.

  EC Initiatives
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what specific initiatives have been taken by Her Majesty's Government during the course of Britain's presidency of the EC on(a) mutual and co-ordinated untying of aid by all EC donors, (b) reduction of debts owed by the poorest countries to the EC, to individual EC member countries and to commercial banks and (c) promoting development education in EC countries.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  At the Development Council on Wednesday 18 November 1992 the Commission will report on progress made during the British presidency of the EC on framing a proposal for the untying of aid at the Community level.

  Britain has consistently been at the forefront of efforts to relieve the burden of debt on the poorest, most heavily indebted countries. As a result of the Prime Minister's Trinidad's term initiative, 10 countries have benefited from substantial reductions in their debts to governments. Debt servicing payments to the EC from loans made available under successive European development funds are recycled to provide new financing to developing countries.

  61
  The United Kingdom, in common with its EC partners, is already encouraging commercial bank debt reduction through the Brady plan.

  No specific initiatives have been taken during our presidency to promote development education in EC countries.

  Non-governmental Organisations
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the non-governmental organisations in receipt of grants from his Department for each year since 1990; and what was the size of each grant.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Details of all grants to NGOs in 1989–90 and 1990–91 are set out in the table. Similar details for the financial year 1991–92 are not immediately available but will be notified to the hon. Member within the next few weeks.

  Agency

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  Acord

  1,110,074

  1,508,600

  Actionaid

  1,235,250

  1,356,128

  Action on Disability and Development

  134,326

  142,142

  Action Water

  10,000

  —

  Afghan Aid

  1,700,000

  1,000,000

  Africa Now

  9,960

  28,601

  African Medical and Research Foundation

  201,179

  400,281

  Aga Khan Foundation

  1,518,765

  1,718,034

  AHRTAG

  141,863

  231,503

  Aid Armenia

  12,261

  —

  Aid for India

  35,960

  —

  Alternative for India Development

  51,857

  96,184

  Anti Slavery Society

  34,361

  88,650

  Appropriate Technology for Tibetans Trust

  —

  17,822

  Apt Design and Development

  —

  24,626

  Association of Commonwealth Universities

  415,443

  431,252

  Band Aid

  —

  49,581

  Boys Brigade

  13,219

  —

  British Executive Services Overseas

  360,000

  390,000

  British Red Cross Society

  271,763

  560,224

  Business in the Community

  —

  10,000

  Busoga Trust

  33,333

  33,334

  Care

  7,146,494

  9,620,284

  Catholic Fund for Overseas Development

  5,580,702

  7,837,864

  Catholic Institute for International Relations

  1,252,195

  1,434,846

  Child to Child

  8,000

  8,000

  Christian Aid

  6,193,505

  8,811,828

  Christian Outreach

  267,000

  470,751

  Christians Abroad

  18,000

  23,659

  Commonwealth Human Ecology Council

  22,659

  17,883

  Commonwealth Trade Union Council

  118,612

  54,560

  Concern

  1,122,367

  956,596

  Conservation Foundation

  123,790

  —

  Consortium of Christian Agencies

  —

  30,000

  Consumer Research Laboratory

  —

  14,097

  Co-operation for Development

  497,184

  158,029

  Council for Education in World Citizenship

  4,000

  —

  Cranfield Trust

  —

  15,000

  Cusichaca project

  37,000

  25,000

  DPCCN

  400,000

  —

  Duke of Edinburgh award

  77,000

  40,000

  Durham Lesotho link

  —

  18,903

  Equipment to charity hospitals overseas

  35,084

  25,000

  Faith Foundation

  —

  33,600

  Farm Africa

  55,000

  387,253

  62

  Agency

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  Feed the Minds

  8,330

  7,282

  Find your Feet

  —

  7,611

  Food for the Hungry

  —

  40,000

  Forum

  —

  5,000

  Friends of the Earth

  —

  6,014

  Friends of Urambo and Mwanhala

  —

  17,180

  Goal

  50,000

  —

  Great Britain China scholars

  —

  15,000

  Gurkha Welfare Trust

  —

  476,642

  Hand in Hand

  7,397

  9,325

  Havest Help

  40,076

  30,581

  Health Unlimited

  175,893

  187,686

  Help the Aged

  282,695

  168,583

  Henry Doubleday Research Association

  —

  10,382

  Homeless International

  12,771

  75,561

  Ideas aid International

  —

  20,000

  Impact Foundation

  7,096

  3,652

  India Development Group

  33,325

  33,077

  Intercare

  30,487

  43,936

  Intermediate Technology Development Group

  277,763

  691,555

  International agricultural training programme

  37,950

  21,839

  International Bee Research Association

  32,000

  —

  International Boys Town Trust

  33,180

  —

  International Committee of the Red Cross

  100,000

  1,900,000

  International Council for Bird Preservation

  33,943

  69,594

  International Extension College

  249,796

  150,000

  International Institute for Environment and

  63,000

  266,755

  International Medical Relief

  80,600

  —

  International Planned Parenthood Federation

  —

  7,168,000

  International Rescue

  23,816

  —

  International Trust for Nature Conservation

  3,898

  2,830

  Jalchatra Project

  8,250

  —

  Karuna Trust

  —

  16,255

  King Mahendra Trust

  14,750

  14,750

  Leonard Cheshire Foundation

  83,923

  114,303

  Living Earth

  61,400

  84,500

  Luth World Federation

  7,559

  —

  Marie Stopes International

  520,520

  602,309

  Medical Aid for Palestinians

  70,975

  54,369

  Methodist Church

  —

  65,244

  Money for Madagascar

  3,600

  1,685

  National Childrens Home

  15,406

  19,150

  New Age Access

  13,500

  —

  Ockenden Venture

  248,536

  371,088

  Opportunities for Women

  55,490

  19,513

  Order of St. John

  125,000

  109,700

  Overseas Development Institute

  570,000

  411,280

  Oxfam

  5,810,354

  7,699,622

  Passe Partout

  10,675

  11,063

  Plan

  209,608

  304,722

  Population Concern

  272,392

  335,706

  Quaker Peace and Service

  —

  4,064

  Ranfurly Library Service

  115,000

  100,099

  Reed Charities

  117,969

  37,890

  Regional Conference on International Volunta

  5,000

  —

  Richmond Fellowship

  —

  14,077

  Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind

  36,393

  261,279

  Royal Geographic Society

  —

  15,000

  Ryder Cheshire Mission

  30,000

  40,000

  Samburu Aid in Africa

  —

  22,000

  Sandy Galls Afghanistan Appeal

  134,000

  80,000

  Save The Children Fund

  6,201,958

  8,777,983

  Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund

  74,515

  100,537

  Scottish Education and Action for Development

  7,000

  —

  Scripture Union

  —

  44,500

  63

  Agency

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  Semi arid lands training livestock improvement

  25,272

  17,451

  Send a Cow

  10,120

  12,950

  Sheffield Health Authority

  53,020

  10,591

  Skillshare Africa

  1,048,666

  1,194,501

  SOS Sahel

  176,846

  306,184

  Special projects in Christian Missionary area

  115,217

  124,128

  Tear Fund

  58,749

  50,374

  Toc H

  —

  9,124

  Traidcraft exchange

  22,341

  64,205

  Trax

  31,943

  25,257

  Trust for Education and Development

  2,000

  —

  Uganda Society for Disabled Children

  212,743

  163,400

  UK Foundation for the peoples of the South Pacific

  79,360

  88,747

  United Nations Association International Service

  611,904

  700,403

  University College

  —

  35,532

  Urban Aid

  15,000

  15,000

  Vetaid

  75,053

  12,715

  Village Services Trust

  —

  5,768

  Voluntary Services Overseas

  10,384,155

  11,347,623

  War on Want

  56,179

  4,480

  Water Aid

  859,481

  591,846

  Womanaid

  —

  26,453

  Womankind

  —

  67,781

  Workstart

  —

  6,586

  World Conservation Monitoring Centre

  —

  312,894

  World University Service

  535,636

  1,389,625

  World Vision

  298,399

  298,756

  World Wide Fund for Nature

  1,000,000

  1,200,000

  Y Care International

  144,729

  181,050

  You and Me

  21,000

  40,000

  Young Womens Christian Association

  7,127

  —

  Zimbabwe Trust

  31,350

  151,461

  Humanitarian Aid
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total, for the current financial year, of humanitarian aid for(a) Somalia and (b) the former Yugoslavia; what has been the United Kingdom share for each of EC aid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 10 November 1992]: To date, the total United Kingdom bilateral commitment for humanitarian aid for Somalia for the current financial year is £15·4 million, and for the former Yugoslavia about £29 million. Figures for EC aid are not available by financial year, but since the beginning of 1992 74 mecu (about £58 million) has been allocated for Somalia, of which the United Kingdom share is about 13 mecu (£10·2 million); and 276 mecu (about £217 million) has been allocated for the former Yugoslavia, the United Kingdom share of which is about 50 mecu (about £40 million).

  Slovenia
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if Her Majesty's Government will make direct assistance available immediately to instal heating in refugee camps in former Yugoslav military barracks and prisons in Slovenia;

  (2) what representations he has received from the Slovenian Foreign Office regarding assistance to refugees from Bosnia and Herzegovina currently in Slovenia; and if he will make a statement;
  64
  (3) how much of the United Kingdom aid for humanitarian assistance in the former Yugoslavia has gone to assist refugees in Slovenia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 11 November 1992]: Representatives of the Slovenian embassy have held discussions with ODA officials. We have committed more than £70 million for humanitarian assistance to the former Yugoslavia. This includes nearly £8 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and other UN agencies, who are assisting refugees throughout the former Yugoslavia, including Slovenia.

SCOTLAND

  Workers Educational Association
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current level of funding for the Workers Educational Association; what is the projected funding for the organisation for the next financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has agreed to pay the Scottish Council of the Workers Educational Association a grant of £180,000 in 1992–93 towards expenditure on headquarters administration. No decisions have yet been taken on the level of grant to be offered in 1993–94 to voluntary organisations in the community education field.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he is proposing to take to restrain the rate of growth in legal aid expenditure in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Expenditure on legal aid in Scotland has almost doubled over the past five years. In line with the proposals for England and Wales recently announced by the Lord Chancellor, I propose to introduce the following measures in order to ensure that expenditure on legal aid in Scotland does not rise even faster.

  As far as financial eligibility for civil legal aid is concerned, my objective is to strengthen the legally aided clients' financial interest in the progress of the case and to bring the means assessment for legal aid more closely into line with that used for other means-tested benefits. I therefore intend to lay regulations to provide that, from 1 April 1993, the lower income limit for civil legal aid—that is, the limit of disposable income below which an applicant for legal aid pays no contribution—will be reduced to the equivalent income support limit. This means that, on current figures, the limit would be reduced from £3,060 per annum to £2,213 per annum. I propose to make equivalent changes to eligibility for advice and assistance.

  The upper eligibility limits for civil legal aid—that is, the limits of disposable income above which an applicant for civil legal aid ceases to be eligible for assistance—will not be increased in April 1993.

  I also intend to lay regulations providing that—
  from 1 April 1993, dependants' allowances for civil legal aid will be reduced to income support levels;
  from 1 April 1993, all those granted civil legal aid will be required to pay a contribution of one third of their disposable income above the lower limit; and
  only those who would qualify for assistance free of contributions shall, from 1 April 1993, be able to receive advice under the advice and assistance scheme.
  65
  I do not propose to alter at present the existing financial eligibility criteria for criminal legal aid.

  Students
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many undergraduate students received an award from the Scottish Education Department from session 1979 to date; and if he will give the figures by(a) type of establishment, (b) region and (c) faculty.

  Undergraduate awards 1979–80 to 1991–92

  Academic session

  University

  Scottish college of education

  SOED Central institution

  Scottish FE college

  Other

  Total

  1979–80

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  50,079

  1980–81

  30,767

  3,657

  8,295

  6,968

  2,027

  51,714

  1981–82

  31,052

  3,589

  9,180

  7,887

  2,335

  54,043

  1982–83

  30,507

  3,323

  9,837

  8,555

  2,390

  54,612

  1983–84

  29,954

  3,093

  10,549

  9,583

  2,496

  55,675

  1984–85

  29,437

  2,927

  10,704

  10,045

  2,456

  55,569

  1985–86

  29,039

  2,910

  17,041

  4,005

  2,709

  55,704

  1986–87

  28,813

  2,894

  16,910

  3,968

  2,643

  55,228

  1987–88

  29,307

  3,099

  16,851

  4,128

  2,748

  56,133

  1988–89

  30,537

  3,110

  17,772

  4,622

  2,739

  58,780

  1989–90

  31,577

  3,552

  18,738

  5,118

  2,775

  61,760

  1990–91

  32,994

  4,182

  20,830

  5,740

  2,726

  66,472

  1991–92

  34,580

  4,577

  22,728

  9,785

  3,918

  75,588

  Notes:

  1. The above figures relate to the position in the April following the start of each session. They exclude students whose awards had not been processed by this stage, and students who withdrew from their courses prior to this date.

  2. Up to 1984–85 Napier polytechnic and Glasgow polytechnic were Scottish FE colleges. In 1985–86 they transferred to the SOED Central Institution sector.

  3. Only the traditional universities are included in the column headed university.

  4. The figures for FE colleges include full-time HNC students with effect from 1991–92.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many postgraduate students received an award from the Scottish Education Department in each session since 1978–79; and if he will analyse the figures by sex and by region.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 9 November 1992]: The available information is set out in the table. No breakdown by sex is available prior to 1980–81. Information on the home region of award holders is not collated centrally.

  Postgraduate Awards 1978–79 to 1991–92

  Academic Session

  Male

  Female

  Total

  1978–79

  n/a

  n/a

  3,085

  1979–80

  n/a

  n/a

  3,521

  1980–81

  1,444

  1,767

  3,211

  1981–82

  1,338

  1,605

  2,943

  1982–83

  1,328

  1,525

  2,853

  1983–84

  1,303

  1,482

  2,785

  1984–85

  1,253

  1,374

  2,627

  1985–86

  1,343

  1,508

  2,851

  1986–87

  1,399

  1,593

  2,992

  1987–88

  1,387

  1,521

  2,908

  1988–89

  1,335

  1,409

  2,744

  1989–90

  1,310

  1,478

  2,788

  1990–91

  1,322

  1,567

  2,889

  1991–92

  1,626

  1,845

  3,471

  Note:

  1 The above figures relate to the position in the April following the start of each session. They exclude students whose awards had not been processed by this stage, and students who withdrew from their courses prior to this date.
  66
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 12 November 1992]: The available information is set out in the table. Information on the home region of award holders is not collated centrally, nor is information on the faculty offering the award holder's course. Information on type of establishment is not available for 1979–80.

  Scotland-Northern Ireland Power Cable
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions have taken place with the representatives of fishermen anent Scottish Power's proposals to lay an electric power cable between Scotland and Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: The proposed undersea power cable between Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of Northern Ireland Electricity plc (NIE). My right hon. Friend understands that NIE has requested Scottish Power to assist it with consultations in Scotland about the undersea cable. These consultations have included a meeting between representatives of Scottish Power and the Clyde Fishermen's Association. Any formal application to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport in respect of the undersea cable will of course be a matter for NIE.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list for each local enterprise company the budget made available from his Department for 1991–92 and 1992–93(a) at current prices and (b) at 1992–93 prices, indicating in both cases the percentage difference;

  (2) if he will list for each local enterprise company the budget made available from his Department for the provision of youth training places for 1991–92 and 1992–93 (a) at current prices and (b) at 1992–93 prices, indicating in both cases the percentage difference;

  (3) if he will list for each local enterprise company the budget made available from his Department for the

  67
  provision of employment training places for 1991–92 and 1992–93 (a) at current prices and (b) at 1992–93 prices, indicating in both cases the percentage difference.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: The Scottish Office does not make budget allocations to local enterprise companies. The allocation of resources to the companies is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the chairmen of these bodies to write to the hon. Member.

  Insurance Claims
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many companies have been proceeded against and convicted for submitting fraudulent insurance claims for fire-damaged property or goods in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 12 November 1992]: The information requested is not separately identifiable within the Scottish Office's classification of crimes and offences.

  Lees Group
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much Highlands and Islands Development Board or Highlands and Islands Enterprise investment in the form of loans or grants was provided to the Lees group of companies in the 1980s.

  Mr. Lang
  I have asked the chairman of Highlands and Islands Enterprise to write to the hon. Member with the information he has requested.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  European Coal and Steel Community Levy
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will specify the proposed means by which revenue equivalent to the 0·3 per cent. European Coal and Steel Community turnover levy will be raised to provide for the expenditure of training ex-coal and steel workers, research and development and job creation;

  (2) if he will make a statement on his consultations with his opposite numbers in the European Community on the abolition of, or bringing forward of the date of abolition of, the European Coal and Steel Community levy;

  (3) what consultations he has had with his opposite numbers in the European Community concerning the use of the £500 million accumulated in the European Coal and Steel Community turnover levy; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what is his most up-to-date estimate of the date of cessation of levying of the European Coal and Steel Community levy.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The last substantive discussions at ministerial level on the European Coal and Steel Community reserves were in April 1991. A further discussion is expected at the Industry Council on 24 November which should reflect the view of European industry that the levy should end and reserves be drawn down during the run-up to 2002.

  RECHAR
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to ensure that a second phase of the RECHAR programme is maintained; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The 11 United Kingdom RECHAR programmes do not have phases. They run from 1989 to 1993. Thereafter it would be more effective if structural funds assistance to eligible coal-mining areas was channelled through the general structural funds programmes covering the areas concerned.

  Agencies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library a copy of the health and safety policy of each of the agencies within his Department.

  Mr. Eggar
  I will place a copy of the available agency health and safety policy statements in the Library. Those agencies which have not yet finalised their statements are covered by the Department's health and safety policy, a copy of which I have placed in the Library.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list details of each consignment of plutonium 239 exported since 1979; and what assessment he has made of the effect of the new international atomic energy nuclear supplier guidelines on such transfers.

  Mr. Eggar
  Information is not available in the form requested. The strict conditions on the supply of fissile materials, including plutonium, under the Nuclear Suppliers Group guidelines have not changed.

  Green Issues
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade who in his Department has been appointed to oversee and develop green issues; how many civil servants have been allocated new or additional responsibilities to deal with the management and development of green issues; and what additional allocation of resources has been made to support programmes related to green issues in his Department.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department set up a new environment division in July this year dealing with green issues which reports at ministerial level through me to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. The division, which is headed by Dr. David Evans (G3), brings together staff previously in the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Energy dealing with environmental questions who currently number 65. The tasks of the division include ensuring that proper account of environmental issues is taken in the development of all Department of Trade and Industry's policies, stimulating an effective business response to environmental developments and ensuring that the Government's overall environmental policy takes proper account of the impact on business.

  The division also calls on resources elsewhere in the Department of Trade and Industry for publicity and

  69
  awareness activities, support for environmental technology and the carrying out of economic and other analytical studies to support the development of policy. The division's spend on these activities in 1992–93 is likely to be about £9 million. In addition, a number of other divisions whose focus is on other policy matters have staff devoted wholly or in part to environmental issues.

  Wind Energy
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many sites for wind farms are currently under consideration; how many are under construction; and how many wind turbines are already linked to the national grid.

  Mr. Eggar
  Of the wind farms which have received contracts under the non-fossil fuel obligation (NFFO), the following is my understanding of the situation:

  1. Under consideration—16 sites

  2. Under construction—13 sites

  3. Already linked to the grid—five sites, including 56 wind turbines.

  I am not aware of any wind farms outside the NFFO, although there probably are some in the first category, being given consideration in anticipation of future NFFO orders.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to encourage wind energy production in areas where the average wind speed is between 6·5 and 7·5 metres per second.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have no plans to constrain any future non-fossil fuel obligation orders for wind energy by either wind speed or geographic location. I believe potential developers must be free to exploit the best sites which are acceptable to the planning authorities.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his Department's estimated target in megawatts for wind energy production in the United Kingdom in the year 2000.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government are currently working towards a figure of 1,000 MW of new electricity generating capacity from renewables by the year 2000. I do not have a target for individual technologies, such as wind, within that figure.

  Renewables
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to set a target of 4000 M W of renewables to be in service in the United Kingdom by the year 2000.

  Mr. Eggar
  Targets for the exploitation of renewable energy are under consideration as part of the current review of the Government's renewable energy programmes and of the review announced on 26 October,Official Report, columns 522–3

  Sportsworld plc
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will investigate the conduct of Sportsworld plc in organising holidays to the Barcelona olympics.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Investigation of anti-competitive practices or monopolistic behaviour is the responsibility of 70
  the Director General of Fair Trading. I understand the director general is considering this matter, following which he will decide what action, if any, he should take.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will bring forward proposals to prevent the establishment of a monopoly in the supply of tickets to major international sporting events.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  It is the responsibility of the Director General of Fair Trading to keep all markets under review and to refer them to the Monopolies arid Mergers Commission where he considers it necessary.

  Offshore Installations
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many persons have been proceeded against in Northern Ireland because of failures or defaults in adhering to the conditions laid down by him relating to the carrying out of abandonment programmes under section 9 of the Petroleum Act 1987; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many notices have been issued, under the terms of section 1 of the Petroleum Act 1987, in each of the past four years to persons in order to enable them to carry out abandonment programmes; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) how many proposals under section 4 of the Petroleum Act 1987, for abandonment programmes he has (a) accepted and (b) rejected in each of the past four years; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) how many abandonment programmes have been carried out under the terms of section 8 of the Petroleum Act 1987; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) what vetting procedures are used in the assessment of (a) the capability and (b) the financial resources of those persons who have submitted or have given notice of submitting proposals for abandonment programmes under the terms of the Petroleum Act 1987; and if he will make a statement;

  (6) who carries out the inspection of sites following the completion of abandonment programmes under the terms of the Petroleum Act 1987; and if he will make a statement;

  (7) how many persons have been proceeded against in (a) Scotland and (b) England and Wales because of failures or defaults in adhering to conditions laid down by him, relating to the carrying out of abandonment programmes under section 9 of the Petroleum Act 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The following notices have been issued under the terms of section 1 of the Petroleum Act 1987 in each of the past four years:

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  11992

  Offshore installations

  280

  12

  29

  164

  132

  Offshore pipelines

  186

  56

  189

  155

  35

  1 To date.

  During the same period, abandonment programmes have been approved in respect of the following installations: Piper Alpha, Crawford, Blair and Argyll, Duncan and Innes. None has been rejected.

  The abandonment programmes in respect of Piper Alpha, Crawford and Blair have been carried out. The first

  71
  phase of the programme in respect of Argyll, Duncan and Innes is currently under way and the second phase will be carried out during the summer of 1993. All these programmes are subject to continuing monitoring obligations.

  The obligation to submit programmes and to carry them out when approved is joint and several. The Department has satisfied itself in respect of every installation for which notice has been served under section 1 of the Act that there is among the parties served at least one capable of meeting the entire abandonment obligation.

  Where inspection of the site is appropriate, the President of the Board of Trade requires certification that relevant conditions attached to the abandonment programme have been complied with. The certifying body varies according to requirements.

  There have been no proceedings under section 9 of the Act against any party in relation to default in carrying out programmes.

  Oil and Gas Exploration
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement regarding the licences awarded to Hamilton Oil Company to explore for oil and gas in the Lleyn peninsula; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Hamilton Oil Company was awarded two blocks north-west of the Lleyn peninsula in the twelfth round of offshore oil and gas licensing. In view of the environmental importance of this area, the then Nature Conservancy Council proposed special licence conditions designed to safeguard the environment. All the conditions were accepted. They include bans on drilling in a 7 km safety zone around Bardsey island and in the rest of block 107/6 between March and September, when seabirds are breeding.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received since August regarding exploration for fossil fuels in(a) the Lleyn peninsula, (b) Cardigan bay, (c) the Pembrokeshire islands, (d) the Bristol channel and (e) Lundy island; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have received a small number of letters since August expressing concern about any possible environmental effects of exploration for fossil fuel in one or more of these areas. I have been able to reassure correspondents that special conditions have been and will be attached to licences in these areas to safeguard their marine ecology. In total, the numbers of references to each area has been as follows:

  Number

  a. Lleyn peninsula

  7

  b. Cardigan bay

  11

  c. Pembrokeshire islands

  3

  d. Bristol channel

  2

  e. Lundy island

  Nil

  Areas adjacent to the Pembrokeshire islands and Lundy have not been offered for licensing.

  Iraq
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what export licences have been granted since 1980 to International Military Services and to W. S. Atkins and Partners in connection with Iraq.

  Mr. Needham
  It is not our practice to discuss such matters, on the grounds of commercial confidentiality.

  Manufacturing
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he intends to take further to assist the United Kingdom's manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 12 November 1992]: I fully appreciate the vital role manufacturing industry plays in securing the United Kingdom's long term prosperity. The underlying theme of the Government's policy towards manufacturing industry is to help businesses to win in the increasingly international market place, both at home and abroad.

  The first strand of the Government's strategy is to create the right climate for manufacturing industry to thrive. Low inflation is the key to sustainable growth. Interest rates are now at their lowest level for nearly 15 years. The cut by 8 percentage points over the past two years represents a £10 billion a year reduction in industry's costs. Industry is also now able to take advantage of a very competitive exchange rate.

  Secondly, DTI and ECGD assist manufacturing industry. In order to achieve this there must be an effective dialogue with industry. I have recently reorganised the DTI to help in this by creating a clear contact point for each sector of manufacturing industry. I have also established an industrial competitiveness division, which among other functions is examining what lessons can be learnt from other leading industrial countries.

  My current initiatives include strengthening our support of exporters. A further £700 million of ECGD cover is being made available, and some of the constraints on cover for individual countries eased. So as to help exporters take advantage of the current opportunities I have now invited over 100 British companies to second 100 top quality men and women to DTI to help in our export promotion work.

  I am also working with the CBI, chambers of commerce, training and enterprise councils and local authorities on arrangements for one stop shops to provide support and advice for smaller businesses.

  Thirdly, other Government policies are important for the health of manufacturing industry. Examples include initiatives like the TECs to help provide the training and enterprise support best suited to local needs, and those set out in the recent White Paper on education which are designed to help provide industry with the future work force it will need.

  A very clear example of the importance of wider Government policies is the autumn statement. The abolition of special car tax will bring benefits not only to the automotive industry, but also to its suppliers. It will also help customers, many of whom are industrial. The measures on capital allowances should also assist British industry not only by helping each firm to invest but also by enhancing the domestic market for United Kingdom manufacturers. Similarly the new arrangements for

  73
  leasing, and for the private financing of capital projects, create new opportunities for British businesses. This is in
  74
  addition to those which will arise from the priority given by the Government to capital expenditure within the tight overall public expenditure settlement.

PRIME MINISTER

  Private Detectives
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister what use his Department has made of private detectives in each of the last five years; at what cost; and if he will list the firms involved.

  The Prime Minister
  My Office has not made use of private detectives.

  President Yeltsin
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent visit of President Yeltsin of Russia.

  The Prime Minister
  President Yeltsin paid a highly successful visit on 9 and 10 November, the first official visit to the United Kingdom by a President of Russia. During his visit he addressed Members of both Houses in the Royal Gallery, attended a luncheon given by Her Majesty the Queen and met businessmen at the London Stock Exchange. I hosted a dinner for the President in the painted hall of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich.

  President Yeltsin and I signed a treaty on the principles of relations between the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation and five other agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed by representatives of the two Governments during the visit. In discussions with the President, I welcomed the new and friendly relations between the United Kingdom and Russia and underlined the Government's support for the process of economic and political reform in Russia.

  Classless Society
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister what progress has been made towards the creation of a classless society in Britain.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government's policies are aimed, and will continue to be aimed, at widening choice and opportunity for all members of society. Most recently, progress has been made through the introduction in the 1992 Budget, of a new lower rate band which reduced the marginal rate to 20 per cent. for almost 4 million people on low incomes, including over 1 million working wives; through our recent reforms in education and health; and through other public service initiatives, including the introduction of the citizens charter.

  Environment
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Prime Minister what progress has been made on implementing the involvement of young people in environmental awareness following the decisions agreed at the 1992 Earth summit; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Many of the recommendations relating to young people in Agenda 21 have already been implemented in the United Kingdom; for example, the requirements of a number of subjects in the national curriculum include studies relevant to the environment. We are also supporting informal environmental education initiatives through the Department of the Environment's76
  grant schemes. Chapter 17 of the Second Year Report (Cm 2068) on the anniversary of the "Environment" White Paper explains our action in detail.

  Office Telephone Lines
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 10 November,Official Report, column 672, regarding facilities for the public to telephone his Office, if he will give details of the existing practice.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing further to add to the reply that I gave the hon. Member on 10 November at column 672.

  Iraq
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. and learned Member for Monklands, East (Mr. Smith) on 10 November,Official Report, columns 737–38, what was the start date for the application of the full embargo on the supply of arms to Iraq.

  The Prime Minister
  The full embargo came into force at midnight on 8 August 1990 in accordance with United Nations Security Council resolution 661.

  All relevant issues will be covered by Lord Justice Scott's inquiry whose terms of reference will be:
  "Having examined the facts in relation to the export from the United Kingdom of defence equipment and dual use goods to Iraq between December 1984 and August 1990 and the decisions reached on the export licence applications for such goods and the basis for them, to report on whether the relevant Departments, Agencies, and responsible Ministers operated in accordance with the policies of Her Majesty's Government; to examine and report on decisions taken by the prosecuting authority and by those signing public interest immunity certificates in R v Henderson and any other similar cases that he considers relevant to the issues of the inquiry; and to make recommendations".

  The terms of reference have not been restricted to Matrix Churchill. They include the supergun and other defence and dual-use sales.

  The terms of reference relate not just to arms questions but to decisions taken on the prosecution of companies and on public interest immunity.

  All Ministers who are called will give evidence.

  All civil servants who are called will be instructed to co-operate.

  All papers that the inquiry calls for will be made available.

  Lord Justice Scott will be entirely free to decide on the publication of his report and of the evidence he takes.

  If Lord Justice Scott finds that his powers are in any way insufficient, he can invite the Government to alter the basis of his inquiry and the Government would agree to do so.

  The inquiry will report to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  Cabinet Committees
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Prime Minister whether the rules of collective responsibility for decisions made in a Cabinet Committee are applied only to those attending the meeting.

  The Prime Minister
  Decisions reached by the Cabinet or Ministerial Committees are binding on all members of the Government.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Social Fund
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total administrative cost of social fund payments for the last 12-month period for which figures are available, for(a) community care grants, (b) budgeting loans and (c) crisis loans; and if he will provide separate figures for each district office.

  Mr. Scott
  Information on social fund adminstration costs for 1991–92 is in the Library. Information about administrative costs by application type and district office is not available.

  Personal Damages Awards
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to uprate the £2,500 limit in personal damages awards below which no recovery of social security payments is made by the compensation recovery unit in his Department.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have no such plans but we are keeping the figure under review.

  Incomes
  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answers of 16 July,Official Report, columns 946–47, and 28 October, Official Report, column 738, what is the additional cost of (a) providing information for the mean as well as the median for subdivisions of the income distribution and (b) distinguishing 1988 and 1989 income date from data for both years combined.

  Mr. Burt
  Additional costs are not a material consideration in the use of median rather than mean data. The reasons for the use of median measures are explained in paragraphs 4.72 to 4.25 of the "Stocktaking" report, a copy of which is in the Library. Paragraphs 2.8 to 2.12 of the report also explain why years of data are combined for reasons of statistical reliability rather than cost.

  Costs are the determining factor in not providing results covering every year from 1979 to 1989, as stated in my reply of 16 July at columns 946–47. Databases consistent with households below average income methodology as recommended in the "Stocktaking" report are available only for the years 1979, 1981, 1987, 1988 and 1989. To produce databases for the other years would cost in the order of tens of thousands of pounds, and would delay the next edition of HBAI.

  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answers of 13 July,Official Report, column 454, and 28 October, Official Report, columns 738–9 what consideration his Department has given to presenting family expenditure survey data in the form presented in the households below average income "Stocktaking" report for (a) 1990 and (b) for 1989 and 1990 combined, in July.

  Mr. Burt
  Improvements in timeliness will enable us to publish the next edition of HBAI in mid-1993 using the most recent data. This will feature figures for 1990 and 1991 as well as 1988 and 1989; there are no plans to give 78
  figures for 1990 on its own. This complies with the recommendations of the 1991 "Stocktaking" report, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make available statistics relating to the take-up of invalidity benefit by region.

  Mr. Scott
  Information is held on the number of recipients of invalidity benefit, by standard statistical region, which is in the table1.

  Region

  Numbers

  Scotland

  181,400

  Wales

  146,600

  England

  Northern

  126,300

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  124,500

  East Midlands

  74,200

  East Anglia

  28,800

  South East

  219,200

  South Western

  71,900

  West Midlands

  105,900

  North Western

  219,800

  Overseas

  7,400

  Total

  1,306,000

  1 Information from a 1 per cent. sample of claimants as at 30 March 1991.

  Emphysema and Bronchitis
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he now expects to make a statement on the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council's report on emphysema and bronchitis in metal workers and miners; how many intended beneficiaries of its recommendations have died since the report was submitted to the Government; and how many are now terminally ill.

  Mr. Scott
  The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council's report will be published by the end of November and a statement will be made then. The information requested is not available.

  Invalidity Benefit Appeal
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has concerning the timing of the hearing of the appeal, at the Court of Appeal, of the chief adjudication officer against a commissioner's decision (CS/27/91); and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  A date for this case to be heard by the Court of Appeal has not yet been set since a decision is awaited on another case dealing with related issues and which is currently before the European Court of Justice.

  Independent Living Fund
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary Of State for Social Security on what date the last claims for the independent living fund will be accepted; and on what date outstanding independent living fund claims will cease to be processed.

  Mr. Scott
  The independent living fund is an independent charitable trust administered by trustees. The
  79
  issues of policy and administrative arrangements, including the processing of applications, are matters for the trustees of the fund.

  Disability Allowances
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps were taken to inform all recipients of mobility allowance under the age of 66 years of the new disability living allowance; and what instructions he has issued to adjudication officers in respect of late claims.

  Mr. Scott
  Since January 1992, 16 million tailored letters have been issued to some 1·5 million beneficiaries of attendance allowance and mobility allowance, giving advice about disability living allowance. These letters were in a series of 16, eight of which were designed by mobility allowance recipients and people who had been refused mobility allowance. The letters enclosed an explanatory leaflet which set out how the changes would affect individuals and, where appropriate, recipients were invited to claim extra benefit available through disability living allowance. Regulations allow awards of this extra benefit to be backdated to 6 April, if the person was entitled to attendance allowance or mobility allowance at that date.

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications from Hartlepool, north Tees and Cleveland county have been received for the disability living allowance by the disability living allowance unit; how many of these have resulted in awards; how many of these awards have been at the lowest rate of the care component; and how many have been at the lowest rate of the mobility component.

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

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Agencies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the health and safety policy of each of the agencies within his Department.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Copies of the health and safety policies of the Natural Resources Institute and of Wilton Park have been placed in the Library.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Sir Lanka concerning the protection of workers and the promotion of environmentally sound techniques on re-privatised tea plantations.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  No. The plantation restructuring unit, which is responsible for overseeing the privatisation process, is looking to appoint an independent company to monitor the estates. It will take environmental issues into account, particularly sustainability. The plantation workers are represented by unions which are active on their behalf.

  Mr. Arjumand Naqvi
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Abu Dhabi authorities concerning the death in detention of Mr. Arjumand Naqvi.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Following Mr. Arjumand Naqvi's death on 3 November 1992 our embassy in Abu Dhabi formally requested a copy of the post mortem report.

  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he took, before the death in Abu Dhabi of Mr. Arjumand Naqvi, to encourage the Abu Dhabi authorities to(a) release him, (b) charge him, (c) provide proper legal representation and (d) provide proper medical attention.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have made repeated representations to the Abu Dhabi authorities asking them either to charge or release all those detainees, including the late Mr. Arjumand Naqvi, for whom we have consular responsibility. The detainees are free to engage legal representation. A doctor pays regular visits to the detainees.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) which United Kingdom posts in Bosnia are able to supply visa application forms to Bosnian nationals wishing to visit the United Kingdom; and what delay there is between a post receiving such applications and decisions being taken;

  (2) how many British officials are present at United Kingdom posts in Bosnia dealing with those applying for visas to visit the United Kingdom; how many interpreters are available to assist at interviews; and in what languages application forms and guidance notes are printed.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There is no British post in Bosnia.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what circumstances the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has been authorised to issue visas on behalf of the United Kingdom to Bosnian nationals wishing to visit the United Kingdom; what documentation is required by UNHCR before visas are issued; how many applicants have(a) been granted visas to date, (b) been refused visas to date and (c) appealed against refusal of visas.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  UNHCR has not been authorised to issue United Kingdom visas.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements are being made to send humanitarian relief by air to those parts of Bosnia difficult to supply by road.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Lack of airfields and security risks make delivering supplies by air impractical. With the onset of winter UNHCR is concentrating its efforts on supplying humanitarian relief by road. UNPROFOR's mandate was extended by United Nations Security Council resolution 776 to protect road convoys, a more effective way to distribute relief. The Sarajevo airlift continues and has delivered over 17,500 tonnes of aid.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications have
  81
  so far been made by Bosnian nationals, or other residents of Bosnia, to visit the United Kingdom, to date; how many applications have (a) been granted, (b) been refused and (c) how many people have applied to appeal against refusal.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The British consulate general in Milan has received three applications. All were granted. The British embassy in Vienna arranged with the Home Office on 7 November for 115 Bosnians, who had started their journey before the imposition of the visa regime, to enter the United Kingdom without visas. The embassy subsequently referred 183 visa applications from people currently on the Austro-Slovenian border to the Home Office on 13 November. These and our other posts in the region have received a number of telephone inquiries.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what documentation Bosnian nationals are required to submit when applying for visas to visit the United Kingdom; and what evidence of support, maintenance and accommodation in the United Kingdom is required.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There are no requirements specific to Bosnian nationals. All applicants for visas to visit the United Kingdom have to complete an application form, provide two photographs and pay the appropriate fee. There are no documents which must be presented in support of visa applications. However, in order to satisfy themselves that applicants qualify under the immigration rules, entry clearance officers may ask to see evidence of an applicant's financial standing and funds for the visit, or evidence that a United Kingdom sponsor can and will support and accommodate the applicant during the visit; or evidence of any firm travel plans made, and if appropriate, evidence that the applicant has leave of absence from an employer, and will leave the United Kingdom before the expiry of the period which s/he has been admitted.

  Inhumane Weapons
  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 inhumane weapons convention; and when he expects Her Majesty's Government to ratify the convention.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The following states have ratified, accepted or acceded to the convention: Australia, Austria, Benin, Bulgaria, Byelorussia, China, Cuba, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Ukraine and Yugoslavia.

  We are currently considering ratification of the convention by the United Kingdom, and expect to reach a decision soon.

  Iran
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions he proposes to take during the current session of the United Nations General Assembly over human rights abuses in Iran.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Nations Secretary-General's special representative on human rights in Iran,82
  Mr. Galindo-Pohl, will present a report to the United Nations General Assembly later this month. Together with our EC partners we will work to ensure that his report's findings are fully reflected in any resolution adopted at the General Assembly.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the authorities in the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan over its sale of nuclear warheads to Iran.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  None. We have no reason to believe that any nuclear warheads have been transferred from Kazakhstan to Iran.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of the Russian Federation over its sale of submarines to Iran.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We expressed to the Russian Government our serious concerns on this subject during President Yeltsin's visit on 9 and 10 November: my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence raised this matter with President Yeltsin on 9 November. It was also raised during the talks held by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with the Russian Foreign Minister on 10 November.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what approaches have been made by the Iranian Government to reopen its office of procurement in London; and what response he has given.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Iranians have made a number of requests to be allowed to reopen their military procurement offices in London, which were closed in 1987. We have made it clear that this would not be appropriate or welcome.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards asking the United Nations General Assembly to introduce an arms and oil embargo on Iran in view of its continuing human rights abuses.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have no plans to do so. The United Nations Secretary-General's special representative on human rights in Iran, Mr. Galindo-Pohl, will present a report to the United Nations General Assembly later this month. Together with our EC partners we will work to ensure that his report's findings are fully reflected in any resolution adopted at the General Assembly.

  Human Rights
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account is taken of human rights' records of recipient countries in allocating the aid budget; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Respect for human rights is a part of our good government policy and an important condition for achieving sustainable development. It is one of the main factors we take into account in deciding where aid resources should be allocated.

  Malawi
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will make representations to the Government
  83
  of Malawi regarding the case of Mr. Ulaya; what reports he has received concerning violations of human rights in Malawi since August; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are aware of reports that Mr. Ulaya and other members of pressure groups recently formed in Malawi have been subjected to harassment and detention by the Malawian authorities. We understand that many were detained only briefly, but that Mr. Ulaya remains in detention in Mzuzu. On many occasions, we have drawn to the attention of the Malawian Government, our concern about human rights abuses in Malawi, most recently in a joint EC demarche on 20 October. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, including the case of Mr. Ulaya.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the Government of Malawi concerning(a) the detention and trial of Chakufwa Chihana and (b) the holding of a referendum on multi-party democracy in Malawi.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We made formal representations in April and August this year calling on the Malawian Government to release Mr. Chihana pending formal committal proceedings and informing them that we considered his arrest and the subsequent charges to be a flagrant violation of his right to freedom of speech. On 20 October, in acknowledging President Banda's decision to hold a nationwide referendum, we urged the Malawian Government to ensure that the process was conducted with transparency and that those groups advocating democratic reform were allowed to do so openly and freely.

  Angola
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will indicate the methods whereby the United Kingdom and the EC will facilitate demobilisation, confinement of troops and collection of weapons in Angola, as indicated in the 4 November EC statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The questions of demobilisation, confinement of troops and collection of weapons are addressed in the Bicesse peace agreements, compliance with which we and our EC partners, and the United Nations, are actively seeking to promote.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the United Kingdom and the EC will hold responsible those parties which obstruct the peace process as indicated in the 4 November statement on Angola.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Any party which obstructs the implementation of the Bicesse peace agreements, to which all parties in Angola have committed themselves, will clearly carry responsibility for the frustration of the peace process. As indicated in UN Security Council resolution 785, any such party would be rejected by the international community.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 9 November,Official Report, column 547, what steps he is taking through the international community to ensure that UNITA accepts the results of the Angolan election and abides by the terms of the peace accords.
  84
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We continue to be active in our support for the efforts of the United Nations to secure formal UNITA acceptance of the election results, consolidation of the cease fire which came into force on 1 November, and continued implementation of the Bicesse peace agreements.

  Somalia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent visit to northern Somalia by the ambassador to Ethiopia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Our ambassador to Addis Ababa visited northern Somalia on 2 to 5 November. He went to Hargeisa, Berbera, Sheikh and Burao. He met local leaders and clan elders as well as representatives of United Nations and other aid agencies. His visit was not intended to indicate any recognition of the so-called Republic of Somaliland.

  European Community Officials
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made towards increasing the number of Britons employed by the EC; and if he will make a statement on the European fast-stream project.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  Following representations from the British Government, the Commission has now started to hold regular recruitment competitions for graduates from all academic disciplines—"generalist" competitions. When the first of these competitions was introduced last year there was an enthusiastic response from United Kingdom candidates. In time we hope that a much greater number of Britons will be able to gain employment in the European Community via this route.

  Meanwhile, the European staffing unit in my Department is tackling the problem of British under-representation in other ways. A main task has been to set up and run the "European fast-stream" scheme. Up to 30 administrators, economists and lawyers are recruited to the British civil service each year and helped to prepare for the European Community competitions through a combination of relevant postings and training. Currently, there are 59 European fast-streamers in post, and we plan to build up to a maximum of 120 by the end of 1994. Although the scheme is still in its infancy, the initial results have been encouraging: over 50 per cent. of those who took last year's generalist competition have been invited to the final interview stage.

  Nuclear Material (Export)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what additional allocation of resources has been made by Her Majesty's Government in support of the application of International Atomic Energy Agency INFCIRC/254/rev parts I and II, of July 1992, to amend international export control provisions on nuclear material, equipment and technology; and if he will make a statement on the co-operation arrangements in place between the European Atomic Energy Agency and the IAEA in enforcing the safeguards guidelines.
  85
  Mr. Eggar
  I have been asked to reply.

  INFCIRC/254 records common principles and guidelines that nuclear supplier states have agreed to follow in considering nuclear exports. Implementation is therefore undertaken by the nuclear supplier states, not the IAEA. In the United Kingdom, application of the recent revisions to INFCIRC/254 will be met from within existing resources.

  The arrangements for the application of safeguards in the non-nuclear weapon states of the community are set out in an agreement (INFCIRC/193) between these states, the European Atomic Energy Community and the IAEA. As announced by the IAEA on 29 April 1992, discussions are under way between Euratom and the agency, in the context of IN FCIRC/193, to examine new approaches on the implementation of safeguards. This study has not yet been completed.

WALES

  Home Renovation Grants
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the chief executive officer and leader of Blaenau Gwent borough council, together with representatives of other local authorities, to discuss the current capital allocation and its effect on the provision of mandatory home renovation grants.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I understand that a meeting between my officials and Blaenau Gwent will take place this week.

  Motor Components Industry
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future of the motor components industry in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The motor components industry has developed strongly in Wales and now employs about 18,000 with a wide range of products and companies.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the level of male unemployment in Wales at the latest available date.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In October 1992, seasonally adjusted male unemployment in Wales was 103,000.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in Wales and in Clwyd are without jobs.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In October 1992 there were 127,191 and 15,762 unemployed in Wales and Clwyd respectively.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new proposals he intends to introduce to curb the increase in Welsh unemployment.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Welsh Office and its agencies, which already operate a range of measures to increase employment opportunities, will continue to look for further opportunities which will increase employment prospects.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current number of unemployed persons in Wales, Mid Glamorgan and Ogmore; and what were the numbers in 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1991.
  86
  Mr. David Hunt
  In October 1992, there were 130,200, 25,586 and 3,300 unemployed claimants in Wales, Mid Glamorgan and Ogmore constituency respectively.

  Comparable figures for Wales for 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1991 are 63,800, 154,400, 140,700 and 119,900 respectively.

  Comparable data for 1979 are not available for Mid Glamorgan and Ogmore constituency, but for 1983, 1987 and 1991, the figures are 33,452, 24,418, 24,636; and 4,350, 3,841, 3,129 for Mid Glamorgan and Ogmore constituency respectively.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he intends to take to safeguard the teaching of Welsh following implementation in Wales of the White Paper on education proposals.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  This Government have already taken steps to safeguard the teaching of Welsh by establishing it as a foundation subject in the national curriculum. The proposals in the White Paper will enable further improvements to be made to the teaching of Welsh in schools.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest timetable for the implementation of changes to the structure of local government in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My timetable is unchanged—I expect the new authorities to assume their responsibilities in April 1995.

  Heart Surgery
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the Touche Ross report into cardiac surgery facilities in Wales will be published.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I expect the report to be submitted to my right hon. Friend later this year.

  Bettws Colliery
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last visited the Bettws colliery, near Ammanford, to discuss the employment prospects in the community; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Arrangements are being made for me to meet a number of local authorities and other interested bodies to discuss local economic issues, including the effect of possible colliery closures.

  Arable Support Scheme
  Mr. Roger Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the criteria and reasoning supporting his decision to make Wales a single separate region for the arable support scheme, pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1765/92.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I was obliged to have regard to the terms of the regulation and to the reliability of available data on cereal yields in recent years.

  Second Severn Crossing
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress with the construction of the second Severn crossing.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Construction of this £500 million project is substantially under way. Preliminary offshore foundation work for the estuary crossing is progressing well. Tenders have been invited for the approach roads on both sides of the estuary.

  Valleys Initiative
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what effect there has been on unemployment levels in the area covered by the valleys initiative since the scheme was launched.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The unemployment rate in the valleys is 8·3 per cent. lower than it was in 1988 when the programme for the valleys began. United Kingdom unemployment is now more than 20 per cent. higher than it was in 1988 when the programme for the valleys began.

  Surplus School Places
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has concerning surplus school places in the primary and secondary sector in each local education authority in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  As the answer contains numerous figures I will, with permission, circulate them in the Official Report. There are, however, more than 118,000 surplus places in primary and secondary schools throughout Wales. The cost of supplying these places is estimated at about £25 million.

  Following is the information:

  Surplus places in maintained schools in Wales at 1 January 1991

  County

  Primary

  Secondary

  Total

  Clwyd

  9,987

  2,927

  12,914

  Dyfed

  9,013

  2,071

  11,084

  Gwent

  9,799

  10,604

  20,403

  Gwynedd

  5,129

  4,533

  9,662

  Mid Glamorgan

  13,416

  7,409

  20,825

  Powys

  3,102

  1,602

  4,704

  South Glamorgan

  9,864

  7,318

  17,182

  West Glamorgan

  14,025

  7,303

  21,328

  Wales

  74,335

  43,767

  118,102

  Assisted Areas
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has regarding the assisted area status of Llanelli travel-to-work area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received a number of representations about the Llanelli travel-to-work area, from local authorities and other organisations, some of which request that Llanelli be upgraded to development area status, others seek to maintain its present status.

  Employment Information
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new initiatives he plans to introduce to improve the accuracy of employment information.
  88
  Mr. David Hunt
  The Department of Employment is responsible for the preparation of employment estimates for Wales.

  In the past two years, the Employment Department has completed three major projects to improve the reliability of the estimates. Other projects, including the first full census of employers since 1981 and the development with the Central Statistical Office of a register of employers, will be completed over the next three years.

  NHS Trusts
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to ensure that the majority of members of the boards of national health service hospital trusts in Wales are elected.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made towards the announcement of grant-maintained schools in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In addition to the three schools in Wales already enjoying grant-maintained status, four schools—Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan and Maelor comprehensive in Clwyd, Caergeiliog primary in Gwynedd, and Llanerfyl Church in Wales primary in Powys—have published proposals to become grant maintained. I hope to make an announcement to the first of these, Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan, shortly.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress the Higher Education Funding Council is making in the development of higher education in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Higher Education Funding Council for Wales assumes responsibility for the funding of higher education in Wales next April. Since its inception the council has met on four occasions and has concentrated on formulating a policy for funding the higher education institutions next year.

  Student Grants
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many students have(a) applied for and (b) received discretionary grants in each local authority area in Wales in each of the last five years; and how much money has been allocated for discretionary grants in each of the last five years in each local education authority area.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information on the number of students who have applied for discretionary grants and the amounts allocated is not held centrally.

  Acccording to returns made to the Department of Education, 11,478 students received discretionary grants from local education authorities (LEAs) in Wales in the academic year 1990–91. This is the latest year for which such information is available. Similar information for previous years could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  The allocation of money for discretionary grants is a matter for LEAs. Each LEA determines its own discretionary grants policies, the cost being met from within its own resources.

  Special Needs Education
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to ensure that the principles and good practice outlined in the all-Wales strategy for mentally handicapped people are fully implemented within special needs provisions within the further education sector in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  An important contribution is made by further education in fulfilling the principles of the all-Wales mental handicap strategy. The Further Education Funding Council aims to ensure that the needs of students with a mental handicap are assessed and appropriate provision identified. The funding council is working to ensure the best possible response to students needs.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to grant increased funding to colleges in the further education sector in Wales for the running of special needs courses for students with learning difficulties.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Until 1 April 1993 responsibility for special needs courses in the further education sector in Wales rests with the local education authorities. From that date, responsibility will transfer to the Further Education Funding Council for Wales. My right hon. Friend, in his letter of guidance to the chairman of the funding council, asked that the council's decisions on the distribution of funds to the colleges should take account of the additional costs involved in making provision for students with learning difficulties.

  Cancelled Operations
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many operations have been cancelled in Wales on the day the patient was due for the operation since April.

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

  Learning Difficulties
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the specific courses for students with learning difficulties within further education colleges in Wales which have been disbanded in each year since 1987–88; and what was the reason for each course being brought to an end.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the designated courses for students with learning difficulties which have been offered by each college of further education in Wales in each academic year since 1987–88; and how many students followed each course in each academic year.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  National Rivers Authority
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to meet the chairman of the National Rivers Authority.
  90
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  My right hon. Friend and his officials hold frequent discussions with the chairman arid officers of the National Rivers Authority about matters of mutual interest.

  Furniture Safety
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will bring forward proposals to grant support for premises to enable compliance with the draft Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1992.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the annual budget since its creation, of the TECs in Clwyd; and what is the percentage annual change in the central Government contribution to the budget.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The majority of the county of Clwyd is covered by North West Wales TEC. North East Wales TEC covers the western part of the county. Comparative information is only available for financial years 1991–92 and 1992–93. The following table sets out expenditure, budgets and percentage changes for the TECs concerned.

  Total expenditure and budgets

  £ million

  TEC

  1991–92 expenditure

  1992–93 budget

  1991–92 to 1992–93 percentage change

  North East Wales TEC

  11·363

  11·164

  -1·75

  North West Wales TEC

  12·883

  14·163

  9·94

  Mencap
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures the Government are taking to ensure that county council funding of Mencap is adequate.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  County joint planning teams—which are led by social services departments and consisting of representatives of health authorities, housing associations, education authorities, voluntary organisations, service users and their carers—are responsible for the planning and the priority of services for the mentally handicapped including those provided by Mencap in Wales. The available resources are then allocated according to the locally determined priorities.

  British Rail
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to meet the chairman of British Rail.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend meets Sir Bob Reid regularly. They last met on 7 September, but a date for their next meeting has not yet been arranged.

  Education White Paper
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he will propose for financing the education services provided by the National Library of Wales in consequence of the proposals contained in the education White Paper; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The proposals in Cm 2021 have no direct implications for the services provided by the National Library of Wales. With regard to the museum school service, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) on 5 November,Official Report, column 388.

  Teenage Pregnancies
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to combat single teenage pregnancies in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Health Promotion Authority for Wales undertakes a range of initiatives in collaboration with national and local agencies, to promote healthy sexuality, and combat teenage pregnancy. They include provision of information and advice on contraception, sex education, pilot projects including parents, research on knowledge and attitudes/behaviour, the development of databases for professionals working in this area, and support for multi-agency initiatives. The Department also provides direct support to the Family Planning Association in Wales for its work which includes training for those working with young people.

  District health authorities are also addressing the issue of teenage pregnancy and many have introduced measures geared to local needs, including health education programmes and services specifically for young people. Further guidance will be contained in the "Protocol for Investment in Health Gain: Emotional Health and Relationships", due to be published in early 1993.

  Births
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many babies have been born in Wales since April; and how many nursing mothers were allocated qualified nurses, midwives or health visitors.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The number of live births in Wales from 1 April 1992 to 31 July 1992 which had been registered on or before 31 July was approximately 10,780. This figure includes all live births in hospitals in Wales, and live births at home to women usually resident in Wales. It does not include a small number of births which would have occurred elsewhere. Information about births registered after the end of July is not yet available.

  The number of nursing mothers allocated qualified nurses, midwives or health visitors is not available centrally.

  Child Psychotherapists
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many child psychotherapists are in practice in Wales; what plans he has to increase this number; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  At 30 September 1992 there were three—whole-time equivalent 1·5—child psychotherapists 92
  employed within the national health service in Wales. Information about the number of child psychotherapists in practice outside the NHS is not collected centrally. The Department is also funding a child psychotherapist post in Clwyd health authority, from the mental illness strategy.

  Training
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will review the youth training and employment training schemes in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Employment today,Official Report, columns 24–5.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for improving the training and enterprise councils in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The training and enterprise councils (TECs) in Wales have made good progress in tackling skills and business development needs in their local communities. My right hon. Friend has issued strategic guidance setting out the key issues he wishes them to address and Ministers meet regularly with the chairmen of the Welsh TECs to discuss and review progress.

  National Record of Achievement
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will review the cost implication of the stationery required for the national record of achievement post-16 for high schools.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  No. The national record of achievement is not compulsory for post-16 in high schools. It is therefore for individual schools to decide whether to fund the NRA's introduction for post-16 students.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the cost to individual high schools of the post-16 national record of achievement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  As the national record of achievement is not compulsory post-16, central records are not kept and the information is not available. However, if individual schools decide to introduce the NRA post-16, the cost varies according to the numbers ordered, ranging from £7·00 per folder for ordering one to £3·27 per folder for bulk orders of 100 or more.

  University Research Funding
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the amount of research funding to universities in Wales from agencies funded by his Department.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Financial allocations for programmes, including higher education, within the Welsh block will be announced in the near future.

  Sixth Form Students
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of students in the sixth forms of Wales.
  93
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In September 1991 there were 23,185 pupils in sixth forms in Wales.

  This figure includes the number of pupils in the two sixth form colleges in Wales.

  High Schools
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local education authority high schools there are in each of the local education authorities of Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The number of local education authority secondary schools in Wales as at September 1992 was as follows:

  Number

  Clwyd

  33

  Dyfed

  31

  Gwent

  31

  Gwynedd

  23

  Mid Glamorgan

  42

  Powys

  13

  South Glamorgan

  27

  West Glamorgan

  26

  WALES

  226

  These figures include two local education authority sixth form colleges, one in Clwyd and the other in South Glamorgan.

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the £75 million allocated to fulfil plans for local job creation in areas affected by pit closures has been requested by each of the training and enterprise councils covering Betws, Point of Ayr and Taff Merthyr collieries.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have already announced that, over the next 18 months, I shall be making available up to £4·8 million for employment arid training measures in the areas affected. I am considering the action plans from the TECs involved and will announce my decisions on funding in due course.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency concerning personnel procedures and guidelines; and if he will make a statement on departures by the agency from the standard procedures.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I meet regularly with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency to discuss a range of issues.

  America's Cup
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what requests he has received for public sector assistance for a Welsh challenge for the America's cup; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There have been informal discussions about the possibility of a Welsh entry in the America's cup. I have received no formal request for financial assistance from the public sector.

HEALTH

  London Ambulance Service
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current sick leave rate for the London ambulance service; what is the national average for sick leave; what is the position of the London service in the rank order of ambulance services with the highest amount of sick leave; and if she will ensure that this aspect of the management of the London ambulance service is considered by the inquiry into the service.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on sick leave among ambulance staff is not regularly reported to the Department of Health. The results of a recent survey of urban (1) ambulance services are set out in the table.

  Average per cent. of ambulance staff on sick leave

  Per cent.

  London

  9·88

  South Yorkshire

  7·00

  West Midlands

  6·94

  Surrey

  6·50

  West Yorkshire

  6·50

  Avon

  6·00

  Cleveland

  5·50

  Greater Manchester

  4·90

  Mersey

  3·50

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the dates, the purpose on each occasion, and the name of the Minister for each official visit to the headquarters of the London ambulance service between 10 April and 25 October.

  Mr. Sackville
  I visited the London ambulance service on 13 May and 30 September.

  On 13 May, I met Mr. James Harris, chairman of the London ambulance service board, to discuss the performance of the service.

  The purpose of my visit on 30 September was to meet control room and ambulance personnel.

  Patients' Transport
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government are doing to encourage district health authorities to make use of(a) taxis in general and (b) the new design of taxi with its special facilities for the disabled in their provision of non-emergency patient transport services.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Guidance issued by the Department advises that non-emergency patient transport services purchasers should make use of all modes of transport from a range of patient transport service operators who can provide a reliable and flexible service to patients, including, for example, the NHS ambulance service, private ambulance operators, vehicle hire, taxis and voluntary car services. The form of transport used will be determined locally and should be the most suitable for each patient's needs, taking into account any recommendation made by the patient's doctor.

  Hypothermia
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a table showing, for men aged 65 years and over and women aged 60 years and over, the
  95
  number of deaths from hypothermia in (a) Pendle, (b) Lancashire and (c) the United Kingdom for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Number of deaths with mention of hypothermia on the death certificate for males aged 65 years and over and females aged 60 years and over in (a) Pendle, (b) Lancashire and (c) United Kingdom for the years 1987 to 1991.

  Males aged 65 +

  Females aged 60 +

  1987

  United Kingdom

  199

  387

  Lancashire

  2

  14

  Pendle

  0

  0

  1988

  United Kingdom

  169

  317

  Lancashire

  3

  9

  Pendle

  0

  0

  1989

  United Kingdom

  152

  307

  Lancashire

  6

  6

  Pendle

  0

  0

  1990

  United Kingdom

  164

  282

  Lancashire

  5

  4

  Pendle

  0

  0

  1991

  United Kingdom

  188

  363

  Lancashire

  5

  7

  Pendle

  0

  0

  Health Authority Budgets
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was(a) the actual and (b) the percentage difference in budget between 1991–92 and 1992–93 for each district health authority in England.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not collected centrally.

  NHS Supplies Authority
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what salary is payable to the chairman of the NHS Supplies Authority; and how many days a week he is expected to devote to his duties.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The chairman of the National Health Service Supplies Authority is currently paid £20,925 per annum. He is expected to devote sufficient time to NHS Supplies to meet fully the responsibilities of his office.

  Staff Relocation
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing, midwifery and health visiting support staff have been or will be relocated from Woodseats house, Chesterfield road, Sheffield, to London.

  Mr. Sackville
  None have moved. The English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting is considering the possibility of relocation as part of a cost-savings programme.

  NHS Prescriptions
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total annual cost of NHS prescriptions; and what is the total cost of items supplied by appliance contractors.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The total cost of national health service prescriptions in the family health services in England, including dispensing fees, amounted to £2,924 million in 1991–92, of which around £30 million related to prescriptions dispensed by appliance contractors.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what differences there are in the arrangements for paying appliance contractors and pharmacists.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  For dispensing appliances, appliance contractors receive a dispensing fee and payment of between 25 per cent. and 15·8 per cent. of the cost of the appliances, depending on the number of prescriptions they dispense in a month. Pharmacy contractors currently receive a dispensing fee, 2·5 per cent. of the cost of the appliances and various minor allowances. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 30 October, at column 941. We shall be reviewing the structure of payments to appliance contractors in the light of changes we are making to pharmacists' remuneration.

  Dentists
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library a list of the dentists in England that are refusing to take on new national health service patients.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists are currently unemployed in each health region in England.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally.

  Community Care
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to ensure that arrangements for community care will work for people who do not come from stable backgrounds or have recognisable local links.

  Mr. Yeo
  We believe that homeless people who need care should receive it on the same basis as all other citizens. Local authorities have statutory responsibilities towards people of no settled residence as well as people ordinarily resident in their areas. We will issue guidance to local authorities early next year to help them determine from April 1993 "ordinary residence" and responsibility for funding in individual cases.

  Accident and Emergency Services
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of commissioning York Health Economics Consortium to carry out the review of the accident and emergency services; and to whom the cost falls.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. M. F. Emberton, chairman of Liverpool health authority, for details.

  Budgets, Merseyside
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total annual budget for(a) the Liverpool district health authority and (b) the North Mersey Health Consortium for the current year.

  Mr. Sackville
  Liverpool health authority's total purchasing budget for the current year, excluding GP fund holders, amounts to £218 million.

  The North Mersey Health Consortium, which includes Liverpool, South Sefton, St. Helens and Knowsley and Southport and Formby district health authorities, has a current purchasing budget of some £460 million.

  Out-patients
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of out-patients in each health authority in England were(a) given a specific appointment and (b) seen within 30 minutes of that time for each of the last available financial years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Agencies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library a copy of the health and safety policy of each of the agencies within her Department.

  Mr. Sackville
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the NHS Estates Agency under its chief executive, Mr. John Locke, and to the Medicines Control Agency under its chief executive, Dr. Keith Jones. I have asked them to reply to the hon. Member.

  Day case self-deferred—March 1992 by region and specialty

  Region

  Northern

  Yorkshire

  Trent

  East Anglia

  North West Thames

  North East Thames

  South East Thames

  South West Thames

  Wessex

  Oxford

  South Western

  West Midlands

  Mersey

  North Western

  SHAs

  England

  *Data includes Trusts

  General Surgery

  230

  220

  391

  214

  123

  318

  248

  333

  105

  151

  311

  592

  279

  371

  24

  3,908

  Urology

  119

  83

  79

  74

  54

  178

  37

  75

  51

  19

  112

  114

  58

  87

  18

  1,158

  Trauma and Orthopaedics

  148

  92

  249

  110

  141

  187

  70

  203

  98

  177

  275

  274

  134

  119

  29

  2,304

  ENT

  28

  29

  71

  46

  36

  60

  10

  82

  13

  53

  56

  55

  25

  72

  4

  639

  Opthalmology

  27

  17

  28

  38

  32

  17

  6

  75

  18

  9

  41

  50

  50

  70

  72

  546

  Oral Surgery

  18

  74

  56

  65

  46

  48

  37

  94

  39

  29

  89

  107

  35

  110

  6

  853

  Restorative Dentistry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Paediatric Dentistry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  0

  11

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  63

  79

  Orthodontics

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Neurosurgery

  0

  0

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  0

  0

  5

  12

  Plastic Surgery

  41

  8

  52

  16

  63

  25

  10

  26

  0

  68

  56

  25

  15

  131

  0

  634

  Cardiothoracic Surgery

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Paediatric Surgery

  16

  6

  0

  0

  2

  0

  6

  16

  35

  0

  1

  13

  0

  1

  15

  111

  Accident and Emergency

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  3

  11

  1

  0

  0

  29

  0

  0

  0

  47

  Anaesthetics

  2

  21

  6

  12

  0

  6

  0

  8

  0

  8

  0

  29

  9

  16

  0

  117

  General Medicine

  0

  0

  13

  121

  20

  30

  2

  60

  4

  3

  14

  188

  3

  83

  0

  541

  Gastroenterology

  0

  30

  21

  0

  32

  41

  0

  3

  0

  13

  2

  5

  28

  16

  0

  191

  Endocrinology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  4

  Clinical Haematology

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  3

  Clinical Physiology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Clinical Pharmacology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Audiological Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Clinical Genetics

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  CL Cytogenetics/Molecul

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rehabilitation

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Palliative Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cardiology

  0

  5

  2

  0

  2

  13

  0

  11

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  12

  46

  Dermatology

  5

  1

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  7

  4

  0

  0

  2

  0

  27

  2

  52

  Thoracic Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  5

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  9

  Infectious Diseases

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Genito-Urinary Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Nephrology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Medical Oncology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  Nuclear Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Neurology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  6

  Clinical Neuro-Physiology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rheumatology

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  2

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  7

  Paediatrics

  5

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  6

  Paediatric Neurology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Geriatric Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  9

  0

  13

  Dental Medicine Specialist

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Obs and Gyn (Gynaecology)

  59

  215

  143

  150

  35

  273

  61

  254

  82

  120

  47

  281

  137

  86

  7

  1,950

  GP (Non Maternity)

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  8

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  8

  98
  Letter from J. Locke to Mr. John McAllion, dated 13 November 1992:

  The Secretary of State for Health has asked me to reply in writing to the Parliamentary Question (No. 1779) you tabled on the health and safety policy of the NHS Estates agency.

  NHS Estates currently adopts the policy of the Department of Health as a whole. A copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library as requested.

  We shall be moving to our own offices in Leeds next year and may have to develop our own health and safety policy for staff in that building and administer it within the agency then.

  I hope that you find this helpful.

  Letter from R. A. Alder to Mr. John McAllion, dated 16 November 1992:

  The Secretary of State for Health will have advised you that your recent Parliamentary Question will be answered directly by the Chief Executive of the relevant agencies. I give below the response for the Medicines Control Agency6:

  Parliamentary Question P.1779

  This Agency, being part of the Department of Health, operates the same policies on health and safety at work as the Department. Therefore, we are arranging for a copy of the Department's Policy Statement to be placed in the Library.

  Waiting lists
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her answer of 22 October,Official Report, column 369, how many self-deferred cases are included in the figures for March 1992 of (a) in-patient admissions and (b) day case admissions of (i) in each NHS region and in England in total and (ii) in each specialty.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 11 November 1992]: The information requested is given in the table.

  This shows that the total number of patients who declined an offer of admission fell by nearly 4,000 (or 8 per cent.) compared with March 1991.
  99

  Region

  Northern

  Yorkshire

  Trent

  East Anglia

  North West Thames

  North East Thames

  South East Thames

  South West Thames

  Wessex

  Oxford

  South Western

  West Midlands

  Mersey

  North Western

  SHAs

  England

  Mental Handicap

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Mental Illness

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Child Adolescent Psychiatry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Forensic Psychiatry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Psychotherapy

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Old Age Psychiatry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Radiotherapy

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Radiology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  General Pathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Blood Transfusion

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Chemical Pathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Haematology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Histopathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Immunopathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Medical Microbiology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Neuropathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Community Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Occupational Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All Specialities

  694

  799

  1,116

  854

  588

  1,204

  489

  1,285

  480

  850

  1,004

  1,773

  774

  1,199

  262

  13,151

  In-patient self-deferred—March 1992 by region and specially

  Region

  Northern

  Yorkshire

  Trent

  East Anglia

  North West Thames

  North East Thames

  South East Thames

  South West Thames

  Wessex

  Oxford

  South Western

  West Midlands

  Mersey

  North Western

  SHAs

  England

  * Data includes Trusts

  General Surgery

  375

  633

  763

  395

  519

  1,109

  462

  587

  720

  294

  797

  1,073

  389

  422

  57

  8,585

  Urology

  85

  135

  119

  130

  102

  405

  88

  134

  88

  25

  115

  170

  87

  135

  56

  1,874

  Trauma and Orthopaedics

  346

  318

  874

  313

  408

  875

  198

  313

  362

  218

  462

  781

  188

  247

  43

  5,942

  ENT

  225

  261

  366

  261

  353

  585

  169

  445

  205

  193

  453

  386

  175

  306

  22

  4,385

  Ophthalmology

  124

  96

  120

  121

  205

  100

  116

  185

  159

  62

  158

  271

  179

  191

  284

  2,349

  Oral Surgery

  58

  150

  173

  187

  158

  230

  87

  116

  178

  114

  192

  203

  6

  78

  8

  1,919

  Restorative Dentistry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Paediatric Dentistry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  6

  7

  Orthodontics

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  Neurosurgery

  0

  3

  7

  5

  4

  16

  0

  8

  0

  0

  5

  8

  0

  0

  23

  84

  Plastic Surgery

  87

  26

  147

  54

  130

  84

  62

  78

  0

  121

  172

  31

  13

  118

  8

  1,131

  Cardiothoracic Surgery

  0

  10

  19

  9

  20

  35

  19

  3

  1

  0

  10

  3

  9

  2

  11

  151

  Paediatric Surgery

  7

  14

  4

  7

  10

  6

  22

  6

  21

  0

  2

  18

  0

  10

  7

  134

  Accident and Emergency

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  0

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  9

  Anaesthetics

  0

  1

  2

  3

  1

  4

  2

  9

  0

  0

  0

  2

  6

  0

  0

  30

  General Medicine

  1

  1

  7

  4

  5

  51

  0

  12

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  85

  Gastroenterology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  6

  27

  24

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  1

  3

  66

  Endocrinology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  12

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  18

  Clinical Haematology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Clinical Physiology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Clinical Pharmacology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Audiological Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Clinical Genetics

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  CL Cytogenetics/Molecul

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rehabilitation

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  1

  3

  Palliative Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cardiology

  0

  5

  7

  12

  22

  63

  50

  2

  2

  2

  2

  13

  16

  2

  4

  202

  Dermatology

  6

  0

  2

  0

  0

  9

  12

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  1

  31

  Thoracic Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  15

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  16

  Infectious Diseases

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Genito-Urinary Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Nephrology

  0

  0

  1

  1

  8

  5

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  18

  Medical Oncology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  9

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  21

  30

  Nuclear Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Neurology

  12

  1

  0

  2

  7

  18

  1

  3

  0

  2

  1

  7

  20

  9

  53

  136

  Clinical Neuro-Physiology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rheumatology

  0

  4

  14

  0

  0

  4

  4

  3

  0

  7

  3

  7

  0

  2

  1

  49

  Paediatrics

  3

  0

  0

  0

  2

  14

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  23

  Paediatric Neurology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  8

  8

  Geriatric Medicine

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  Dental Medicine Specialist

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Obs and Gyn (Gynaecology)

  165

  309

  398

  178

  130

  480

  179

  276

  283

  120

  223

  397

  215

  242

  30

  3,615

  GP (Non Maternity)

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  19

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  19

  Mental Handicap

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Mental Illness

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  6

  1

  9

  Child Adolescent Psychiatry

  0

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  Forensic Psychiatry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Psychotherapy

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Old Age Psychiatry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Radiotherapy

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  12

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  17

  Radiology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  General Pathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Blood Transfusion

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Chemical Pathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Haematology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Histopathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Immunopathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Medical Microbiology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Neuropathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Community Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Occupational Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  All Specialties

  1,495

  1,966

  3,008

  1,664

  2,095

  4,151

  1,503

  2,163

  2,044

  1,159

  2,597

  3,376

  1,306

  1,777

  662

  30,965

  100

  Thrombosis
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assistance has been given in the past by her Department to the Thrombosis Research Institute; and what such resources will continue to be made available in the future;

  (2) if she will make a statement outlining all the funding which is currently made available by her Department to research into the causes and treatments of thrombosis.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health made a grant to the Thrombosis Research Institute of £600,000 spread over three years ending in 1991–92 to assist with the establishment of the institute. We have no current plans to extend this funding. Consideration of support for research into the causes and treatment of thrombosis is a matter for the Medical Research Council.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has concerning the number of deaths from thrombosis in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Deaths from Thrombosis1 for England and Wales 1982–1991

  Year

  Number

  1982

  120,102

  1983

  118,958

  1984

  115,685

  1985

  116,591

  1986

  111,810

  1987

  107,766

  1988

  103,932

  1989

  99,193

  1990

  95,799

  1991

  93,609

  1 ICD 410 Acute Myocardial Infarction.

  ICD 434·0 Cerebral Thrombosis.

  ICD 444 Arterial Embolism and Thrombosis.

  ICD 452 Portal Vein Thrombosis.

  ICD 453 Other Venous Embolism and Thrombosis.

  Drug and Alcohol Misuse
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on future payment of development moneys for drug and alcohol clinics.

  Mr. Yeo
  An announcement regarding the specific grants to be made available for 1993–94 for the personal social services will be made shortly.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements she proposes to ensure that local 102
  authorities give proper weight to the needs of alcohol and drug misusers under community care; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  The special circumstances of alcohol and drug misusers have implications for both local authorities and service providers in funding for community care.

  We propose to address these by issuing special guidance to encourage local authorities to pay special attention to meeting the needs of alcohol and drug misusers within community care and encouraging local authorities and alcohol and drug services providers to work together to establish "fast track" assessment procedures to ensure that decisions about service provision for these clients can be made quickly and establish good practice in identifying responsible authorities for out-of-area referrals.

  We will also establish special monitoring arrangements for alcohol and drug misuse services in the first three months after the third stage of our community care reforms come into operation in April 1993.

  We have already taken steps to ensure that the £539 million special transitional grant (STG), which will fund the additional community care responsibilities being assumed by local authorities from April next year, is spent on services which reflect client's wishes and causes minimal turbulence. These are:

  (i) the pre-condition of the STG that health authorities and local authorities should have signed agreements on where their responsibilities lie;

  (ii) that 85 per cent. of the transfer element of the STG be spent in the independent sector;

  (iii) the direction on choice which will ensure that the views of alcohol and drugs misusers—like other community care clients—are taken into account when deciding the most appropriate package of care.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment she has made of the difficulties projects such as Phoenix House will face following the introduction of community care in April 1993 in negotiating contracts with many local authorities;

  (2) what action she proposes to take to ensure the future funding arrangements of Phoenix House and other short-stay residential projects for drug misusers;

  (3) if she will make it her policy to ring-fence funds to protect residential drug services within the funds earmarked for community care.

  Mr. Yeo
  A special transitional grant for community care of £539 million will be made available to local authorities in 1993–94. This money will be ring-fenced for use by local authorities for the whole range of community care, including services for drug and alcohol misusers. We have, however, recognised the special circumstances in relation to services for drug and alcohol misusers and I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Colchester, North (Mr. Jenkin) today.

  COUNCIL OF MINISTERS: FORTHCOMING MEETINGS
  COUNCIL OF MINISTERS: FORTHCOMING MEETINGS
  MATRIX CHURCHILL
  MATRIX CHURCHILL
  SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS: VAT
  SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS: VAT
  VISAS FOR ENTRY TO EC STATES
  VISAS FOR ENTRY TO EC STATES
  STONEHENGE
  STONEHENGE
  BBC: GREEN PAPER
  BBC: GREEN PAPER
  BARN OWLS AND ANIMAL FEEDINGSTUFFS
  BARN OWLS AND ANIMAL FEEDINGSTUFFS
  PIT CLOSURES: EFFECT ON MORTGAGE LENDERS
  PIT CLOSURES: EFFECT ON MORTGAGE LENDERS
  No.2 MARSHAM STREET
  No.2 MARSHAM STREET