Written Answers of 17 November 1992

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) if he will take the necessary steps to ensure that no individual's civil action is statute barred as a result of their being unable to proceed with their action due to their eligibility for legal aid being wrongly assessed during the period 1 October 1991 to 30 March 1992;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the circumstances which led to the incorrect assessment of income in relation to applications for civil legal aid between 1 October 1991 and 30 March 1992;

  (3) if he will reimburse to solicitors their costs in checking clients' files in order to identify those cases where an incorrect assessment of income in relation to applications for civil legal aid was made between 1 October 1991 and 30 March 1992;

  (4) what estimate he has made of the amount that will need to be repaid to those claimants who made a contribution to their civil legal aid costs but whose income was wrongly assessed during the period 1 October 1991 to 30 March 1992;

  (4) what estimate he has made of the amount that will need to be repaid to those claimants who made a contribution to their civil legal aid costs but whose income wrongly assessed during the period 1 October 1991 to 30 March 1992;

  (5) how many claimants have been affected by his Department's incorrect assessment of income in relation to applications for civil legal aid during the period 1 October 1991 to 30 March 1992;

  (6) what assessment he has made of the number of clients' files that will need to be checked by solicitors in order to identify those cases in which an error in the original assessment for civil legal aid was made between 1 October 1991 and 30 March 1992.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Legal aid dependants' allowances are, by regulation, set at 25 per cent. above income support allowances. From 7 October 1991, the income support allowances for dependent children were increased by £0·25 a week. However, as a result of administrative error, legal aid allowances were not adjusted. This meant that the amounts allowed by way of child dependants' allowances in legal aid means assessments were inaccurate to the extent of £0·31 per week.

  In civil cases the assessments that may have been affected are those in which the financial application was completed between 1 October 1991 and 31 March 1992 and where the applicant had dependent children. Steps have been taken to ensure that those who may have been affected by this error will have their means reassessed. In the overwhelming majority of cases, the result of the error will have been that the individuals concerned will have been required to pay slightly more by way of contribution— around £4 per dependent child payable over one year— towards the cost of their legal aid than they otherwise would. Any such overpayment will be refunded. In these cases, the question of individuals being unable to pursue
  104
  their cases as a result of the error does not arise. In the unlikely event that this error caused an individual who would otherwise have been within the financial limits to be assessed as financially ineligible, I am prepared to consider, in the light of the particular circumstances, whether it would be appropriate for special help to be given to such individuals.

  It is not possible to provide accurate figures on the number of applications affected by the error, but the Benefits Agency estimates it to be about 8 per cent. of those cases assessed during the period of the error. I will consider any claims for reasonable and necessary costs incurred by individual solicitors in checking their clients' files.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Agencies
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to review the status of agencies set up as part of the Government's next steps programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  The status of potential agencies is carefully considered before the agency is launched as the then Prime Minister explained to the House on 24 October 1988, at column 14. The same alternative options of abolition, privatisation and contracting out the agency's functions will normally be re-examined during the periodic review of the agency's framework document that is a standard part of each agency's arrangements.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prison Education
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the level of funding next year for prison education.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have received a number of representations about the competitive tendering exercise which the Prison Service is currently undertaking to determine the arrangements for the provision of education in prisons from 1 April 1993. Some of these have referred to future levels of funding. The level of financial provision for 1993–94 will need to take account of the outcome of the competitive tendering exercise and will be published in the supply estimates in due course. Payments to local education authorities in 1992–93 for the provision of education in prisons are expected to total £29·9 million, an increase of 14 per cent.—over 8 per cent. in real terms—on expenditure in 1991–92.

  Shotgun Incidents
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 June,Official Report, column 412, on domestic shotgun incidents, how many of the victims were women.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is given in the table.
  105

  Domestic homicide offences involving female victims where a shotgun was used

  Year

  Police force area

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Avon and Somerset

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Bedfordshire

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cambridgeshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cheshire

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Cleveland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cumbria

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Derbyshire

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Devon and Cornwall

  0

  4

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Dorset

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  Durham

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Essex

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Gloucestershire

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Greater Manchester

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Hampshire

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Humberside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  Kent

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Lancashire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Leicestershire

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Lincolnshire

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  London, City of

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Merseyside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Metropolitan

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  Norfolk

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Northamptonshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Northumbria

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North Yorkshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Nottinghamshire

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South Yorkshire

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Staffordshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Suffolk

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Surrey

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Sussex

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  Thames Valley

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Warwickshire

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  West Mercia

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  1

  West Midlands

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  West Yorkshire

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Wiltshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Dyfed-Powys

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Gwent

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  North Wales

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  South Wales

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  England and Wales

  10

  13

  10

  10

  9

  11

  Notes:

  1. Offences currently recorded as homicide as at 1 September 1991.

  2. The term "domestic" includes the following relationships of victim to suspect: daughter; parent; spouse; cohabitant or former spouse or cohabitant; other family; lover or former lover including spouse's lover or lover's spouse or other associate.

  Wolds Prison
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time equivalent probation officers are employed at Her Majesty's prison Wolds; and who is their employer.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Four probation officers work at Her Majesty's prison Wolds. They are employed by the local probation service.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many full-time equivalent chaplains are employed at Her Majesty's prison Wolds; and who is their employer;
  106
  (2) how many full-time equivalent (a) medical and (b) education staff are employed at Her Majesty's prison Wolds; and who is their employer in each case.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Chaplains and education staff are employees of Group 4 Remand Services Ltd; medical staff are sub-contracted. The numbers are subject to commercial confidentiality and a matter for Group 4 Remand Services Ltd.

  Electoral System
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 November to the hon. Member for Coventry, North-West (Mr. Robinson),Official Report, column 630, to which parts of the United Kingdom the shortfall figure for electoral registration refers.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The estimate relates to England and Wales. A comparison between parliamentary electorates and the corresponding population estimates in England and Wales, and in Scotland, for each year since 1981 is contained in the OPCS publication "1992 Electoral Statistics", series EL No. 19, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Women Prisoners
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which prisons allow home leave visits for(a) foreign women prisoners and (b) female prisoners convicted of drugs importation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Governors of female establishments may grant a period of home leave only to those prisoners who are eligible for home leave and who satisfy the conditions for granting such leave, as laid down in circular instruction 43/1992, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of(a) women prisoners and (b) foreign women prisoners have (i) children and (ii) children aged under five years in this country; and what proportion of those children are put in care on the imprisonment of the mother.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The answers given to the national prison survey in January and February 1991 indicate that 47 per cent. of women prisoners had children under the age of 18 who were living with them just before they came into prison. At the time the survey was undertaken, 10 per cent. of these children were being looked after by foster parents, and 2 per cent. were in children's homes or in care.

  A census carried out in December 1989 recorded that 28 per cent. of the sentenced women who responded had children under five years old.

  There are no separate figures for foreign women from either of these sources.

  Prisoners' Correspondence
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the requirement for letters to foreign prisoners to be sent for translation still stands; and if he will make a statement.
  107
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Correspondence written to prisoners in a language other than English requires translation only if it is liable to be read under the terms of circular instruction 10/1991, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to enable prisoners with reading or language difficulties to get their letters read with minimum delay; and if he will list the prisons running such a scheme.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Prison staff are available, as part of their normal duties, to assist prisoners to get their letters read.

  Miscarriages of Justice
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what investigations he has made into the percentage of possible miscarriages of justice referred to him that involve black people.

  Mr. Jack
  Representations received about alleged miscarriages of justice do not normally reveal the ethnic origin of the person or persons concerned. As a consequence, the statistics sought are not available.

  Prisoners (Phone Calls)
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration has been given to supplying £10 phone cards in prison to enable foreign visitors to make calls overseas; and which prisons currently allow free phone calls by foreign prisoners to their families.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Prisoners may purchase from earnings or private cash a minimum of two £2 or £4 phonecards a week. Consideration will be given to the need for £10 phonecards in the light of demand.

  Governors have discretion to enable foreign visitors to phone home or allow incoming or reverse calls on official lines.

  Information about those prisons that currently allow free phone calls by foreign prisoners to their families is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish his proposals for a Bill on the use of residential property by homeless persons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government are committed to strengthening and improving the law against the unlawful occupation of premises by squatters. We are considering the best way forward in the light of the responses received to our recent consultation exercise and we will announce our conclusions in due course.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what notice he gave to his counterparts throughout the EC of the decision to impose visa requirements on nationals of former Yugoslav states.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There is no requirement to give notice of the imposition of a visa regime and it is not the 108
  normal practice of member states to do so. Three days' notice was given to the Irish Republic because of the country's inclusion in the common travel area. Other member states were not given advance notice.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received following his announcement to impose visa requirements on nationals of former states of Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  By 12 November, seven hon. and right hon. Members, one Member of the European Parliament, 12 independent, charitable and church organisations and a number of members of the public had made written and telephone representations on matters arising out of the decision to implement the visa regime. These representations have mainly concerned requests to waive visa requirements in certain circumstances.

  Police Cells
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were held in police cells for each day since 1 October.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information is given in the table. Figures for weekends are not collected centrally.

  Daily total of inmates held in police cells since 1 October

  Date

  Inmates in police cells

  1 October 1992

  792

  2 October 1992

  723

  5 October 1992

  738

  6 October 1992

  717

  7 October 1992

  702

  8 October 1992

  674

  9 October 1992

  675

  12 October 1992

  640

  13 October 1992

  647

  14 October 1992

  631

  15 October 1992

  620

  16 October 1992

  632

  19 October 1992

  622

  20 October 1992

  629

  21 October 1992

  642

  22 October 1992

  611

  23 October 1992

  584

  26 October 1992

  550

  27 October 1992

  563

  28 October 1992

  567

  29 October 1992

  546

  30 October 1992

  532

  2 November 1992

  525

  3 November 1992

  530

  4 November 1992

  498

  5 November 1992

  478

  6 November 1992

  481

  9 November 1992

  465

  10 November 1992

  466

  11 November 1992

  455

  12 November 1992

  441

  Police Overtime
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total budget allocation for police overtime in England and Wales for the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Detailed information on current overtime expenditure for provincial police forces in England
  109
  and Wales is not held centrally, but their overtime expenditure for 1992–93 has been estimated at £148·9 million. The 1992–93 police overtime budget of the Metropolitan police service is £71·2 million.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what police overtime payments in England and Wales have been routinely made since 1 October; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recalculations for the police overtime budget in England and Wales there have been for the financial year 1992–93 since 1 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information about changes in current overtime budgets for the provincial forces in England and Wales is not available centrally. The Metropolitan police service 1992–93 budget has not been revised since the beginning of the financial year.

  Prisons
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was(a) the date of official opening, (b) the date prisoners were first received, (c) the certified normal accommodation and (d) the prison roll at 1 November, for (i) HMP Holme House, (ii) HMP Lancaster Farms, (iii) HMP Wordhill, (iv) HMP High Down and (v) HMP Wolds.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None of these establishments has yet had a formal opening. These usually take place some time after the prison has become fully operational. Construction of Lancaster Farms has not yet been completed and the establishment is still in the hands of the building contractors. The other information requested is shown in the table.

  Establishment

  Date prisoners first received

  CNA

  Number of inmates 1 November 1992

  Holme House

  18 May 1992

  649

  411

  Woodhill

  20 July 1992

  565

  148

  High Down

  1 7 September 1992

  1485

  233

  Wolds

  6 April 1992

  320

  228

  1 High Down will have a CNA of 648 when it is fully operational. Although the establishment did not take its own prisoners until the date shown, patients from HMP Winchester were held in the prison hospital at High Down from 25 August 1992.

  Demonstrations
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to bring forward legislation affecting the rights of persons wishing to demonstrate in public places.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  None.

  Metropolitan Police
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the numbers of persons employed in the Metropolitan police in a civilian capacity and show by grade the minimum and maximum salary payable together with all other allowances.
  110
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 19 October 1992]: The Metropolitan police service employs 17,561 civil staff. A total of 13,458–11,319 non industrial and 2,139 industrial—are employed in civil service grades ranging from administrative assistance to grade 3, including office support grades, for example, messengers, professional staff, for example, scientists and industrial grades, for example, labourers. Pay is according to civil service agreements.

  The remaining 4,103 staff are employed in departmental grades as follows:

  Grade

  Number in grade

  Minimum of pay scale £ pa

  Maximum of pay scale £ pa

  Area Traffic Warden Manager

  12

  15,057

  17,012

  Traffic Warden Manager

  156

  12,285

  13,880

  Traffic Warden

  1,551

  10,024

  11,796

  Principal Identification Officer

  10

  21,798

  26,522

  Senior Identification Officer

  32

  19,378

  23,578

  Higher Identification Officer

  66

  17,227

  20,152

  Identification Officer

  122

  15,308

  17,227

  Senior Assistant Identification Officer

  65

  14,689

  15,929

  Assistant Identification Officer

  173

  9,734

  14,689

  Fingerprint Officer 1

  9

  15,929

  19,378

  Fingerprint Officer 2

  38

  14,071

  16,565

  Fingerprint Officer 3

  9

  8,551

  14,689

  Senior Scenes of Crime Officer

  6

  17,916

  22,669

  Scenes of Crime Officer 1

  15

  15,929

  19,378

  Scenes of Crime Officer 2

  35

  11,592

  16,565

  Senior Communications and Electronics Officer

  34

  25,503

  28,687

  Higher Communications and Electronics Officer

  94

  21,798

  24,520

  Communications and Electronics Officer

  137

  18,632

  20,961

  Communications and Technical Officer 1

  190

  14,689

  17,916

  Communications and Technical Officer 2

  7

  11,592

  13,449

  Director of Music

  1

  122,618

  —

  Deputy Conductor

  1

  117,227

  —

  Bandmember

  31

  9,128

  12,833

  Catering Manager A

  19

  12,833

  15,308

  Catering Manager B

  36

  10,317

  12,133

  Catering Manager C

  61

  9,556

  10,641

  Catering Manager D

  35

  8,479

  9,841

  Catering Manager E

  1

  8,215

  9,092

  Chief Inspecting Officer

  1

  18,632

  24,520

  Coroner's Officer

  21

  10,440

  13,327

  Director of Metropolitan Laboratory

  1

  147,021

  —

  Director of Occupational Health

  1

  52,741

  55,836

  Director of Physical Training

  1

  25,330

  27,065

  London Examiner 2

  6

  12,285

  14,456

  Principal Public Carriage Examiner

  1

  18,632

  23,578

  Sports Officer

  1

  14,456

  16,668

  Technology-based Training Co-ordinator

  1

  25,554

  26,615

  Wireless Telegraphy Officer

  8

  10,230

  12,795

  Works Overseer 3

  1

  13,449

  15,929

  School Crossing Patrol

  1,114

  23·64 or 4·03 per hour

  TOTAL STAFF

  4,103

  1 Single pay point.

  2 The amounts quoted are hourly rates of pay dependent on geographical location.

  111
  In addition to their salary, grade 3s receive a £2,000 London allowance and all other staff, except school crossing patrols receive London weighting at £1,000 per annum for intermediate London and £725 pa for outer London.

  Allowances are paid in recognition of factors such as special skills, unsocial hours or a requirement to wear uniform clothing. The rates payable depend on varying factors such as grade, and the pattern of known workload, consequently levels of payment cannot be summarised.

  The following civil service and departmental allowances are payable:

  Civil Service Allowances

  1. Automatic Data Processing Allowance

  2. Additional Housing Cost Allowance

  3. Footwear Allowance

  4. Labourer's Fork Lift Truck Allowance

  5. Language Allowance

  6. Motor Mileage Allowance

  7. Night Duty Allowance

  8. On-Call Allowance

  9. Personal Secretary's Allowance

  10. Private Secretary's Allowance

  11. Typing Proficiency, Process and Skill Allowances

  12. Responsibility Allowance

  13. Shift Disturbance Allowance

  14. Stand-By Allowance

  15. Subsistence Allowance

  16. Telephone Allowance

  17. Uniform Allowance

  18. Allowance In Lieu Pending Receipt of Uniform

  19. Functions Fee

  20. Instructional Allowance

  21. Lodging Allowance

  22. Obnoxious Conditions and Confined Spaces Allowance

  23. Recall to Duty Allowance

  24. Staff Sent Home After Midnight Allowance

  25. Tool Money Allowance

  Departmental Allowances

  1. Band Staff Allowance

  2. Civilian Flight Observer's Allowance

  3. Driving Allowance (Storeman/Drivers and Assistants)

  4. Driving Specialised Recovery Vehicles Allowance

  5. Fingerprinting Dead Bodies Allowance

  6. Laundry Allowance

  7. Shoe Allowance (Traffic Warden)

  8. Stocking Allowance (Traffic Warden)

  9. Towel Money Allowance

  10. Driver's Duty Allowance

  11. Enabling Allowance

  12. Plain Clothes Allowance for Driver

  13. Prison Van Cleaning Allowance

  14. Riverside Lead

NATIONAL FINANCE

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

  Basic and higher rate taxpayers 1989–90

  Taxpayers liable at only basic rate

  Taxpayers liable at higher rate

  Thousands

  Percentage

  Thousands

  Percentage

  Lancashire

  513

  94·6

  29

  5·4

  United Kingdom

  20,100

  92·0

  1,750

  8·0

  112
  Mr. Nelson
  The chief executive of the Valuation Office, Central Statistical Office and Royal Mint executive agencies have operational responsibility for health and safety. The three agencies have supplied me with statements on these matters and I am arranging for these to be placed in the Library.

  Double Taxation
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy in his EC internal market negotiations to seek agreement that member states should not impose extraordinary levies on bank balances held by businesses owned in other member states; and if he will make a statement on recent such developments in Italy.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Direct taxation is a matter for the member states, provided that its provisions are not contrary to obligations under the treaty establishing the European Economic Community. The Commission of the European Communities has a responsibility to ensure that national laws are consistent with treaty obligations. As I have already indicated to my hon. Friend, the question of the levy on bank balances recently imposed in Italy is under discussion with the Italian authorities.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the abolition of double taxation relief by the United States of America on the United Kingdom's overseas earnings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 12 November 1992]: I am not aware of any such proposals. If the United States Administration were to propose any such change, the effect on United States and United Kingdom individuals and companies would depend on the precise nature of the United States proposals and the United Kingdom reaction to them.

  Taxpayers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number and percentage of standard rate and higher rate tax payers in(a) Pendle, (b) Lancashire and (c) the United Kingdom for the most recent year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The table provides estimates of the number and percentage of taxpayers in Lancashire and the United Kingdom liable to standard and higher rate tax for 1989–90, the latest available year for which information can be provided below the United Kingdom level. I regret that estimates are not available below county level. Married couples are counted as one unit in this last year before independent taxation.
  113

  Crown Estate Commissioners
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to amend the Crown Estates Act 1961 to enable the Crown Estate Commissioners to make significant charitable donations to organisatons operating within communities where the Commissioners own property; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lamont
  Section 4(2) of the Crown Estate Act 1961 allows the Commissioners to make financial contributions out of the income of the Crown Estate for any religious or educational purpose connected with land of the Crown Estate, or for other purposes tending to the welfare of persons residing or employed on any such land. I have no plans to extend this to the wider local community.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to tax invalidity benefit.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) on 19 October, at column 190.

  Bank Rates
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the changes in(a) bank rate and (b) rate of interest paid on premium bonds, since 1 January 1987.

  Mr. Nelson
  The information is as follows:

  (a) Changes in bank base rates

  Bank base rates1

  1987

  March 9

  10·5

  March 18

  10·0

  April 28

  9·-5

  May 8

  9·0

  August 6

  10·0

  October 26

  9·5

  November 4

  9·0

  December 3

  8·5

  1988

  February 1

  9·0

  March 17

  8·5

  April 8

  8·0

  May 17

  7·5

  June 2

  8·0

  June 6

  8·5

  June 22

  9·0

  June 28

  9·5

  July 4

  10·0

  July 18

  10·5

  August 8

  11·0

  August 25

  12·0

  November 25

  13·0

  1989

  May 24

  14·0

  October 5

  15·0

  1990

  October 8

  14·0

  1991

  February 13

  13·5

  February 27

  13·0

  March 22

  12·5

  114

  Bank base rates1

  April 12

  12·0

  May 24

  11·5

  July 12

  11·0

  September 4

  10·5

  1992

  May 5

  10·0

  September 16

  212·0

  September 17

  10·0

  September 22

  9·0

  October 16

  8·0

  November 13

  37·0

  1 Date shown when Bank of England changed dealing rates. Base rates generally moved on next working day.

  2 MLR of 15 per cent, announced 16 September to apply 17 September but not implemented.

  3 MLR of 7 per cent, announced in Autumn Statement on 12 November to apply 13 November.

  (b) Changes in underlying rate of interest which determines the size of the premium bond prize fund

  Per cent.

  1 August 1987

  7·0

  1 July 1988

  6·5

  12 November 19921

  5·0

  1 Will take effect from 1 March 1993.

  Tax Files
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when Mr. G. Williamson's tax file, reference number 336/N21/02/F, will be sent from Hull district 1 tax office to the Plymouth office.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I will be writing to my hon. Friend.

  Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to amend section 175(1) of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 to bring it into conformity with the words of section 276(1) of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1970.

  Mr. Lamont
  No. Section 175(1) of the 1992 Act is not different in substance from section 276(1) of the 1970 Act. The slight difference in wording is an editorial consequence of the process of consolidating the tax provisions on capital gains.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of VAT collected in each of the last 10 fiscal years expressed(a) in cash terms, (b) at June 1992 prices and (c) as a percentage of total Exchequer income.

  Sir John Cope
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  VAT receipts

  At current prices £ billion

  At 1992 Q2 prices1 £ billion

  As percentage of general Government receipts

  1982–83

  13·8

  23·4

  11·3

  1983–84

  15·2

  24·7

  11·7

  1984–85

  18·5

  28·6

  13·1

  115

  VAT receipts

  At current prices £ billion

  At 1992 Q2 prices1 £ billion

  As percentage of general Government receipts

  1985–86

  19·3

  28·3

  12·7

  1986–87

  21·4

  30·4

  13·4

  1987–88

  24·1

  32·3

  13·7

  1988–89

  27·3

  34·2

  14·3

  1989–90

  29·5

  34·7

  14·2

  1990–91

  31·0

  34·4

  14·2

  1991–92

  35·3

  36·6

  15·9

  1 Using the GDP deflator at market prices.

  Exchequer Income
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of(a) income tax, (b) capital gains tax and (c) corporation tax paid for each of the last 10 fiscal years expressed (a) in cash terms, (b) at June 1992 prices and (c) as a percentage of total Exchequer income.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is shown in the tables.

  Income tax receipts

  £ billion

  at current prices

  at 1992 Q2 prices1

  as per cent, of general Government receipts

  1982–83

  30·4

  51·5

  24·8

  1983–84

  31·1

  50·4

  23·9

  1984–85

  32·5

  50·2

  23·0

  1985–86

  35·4

  51·7

  23·3

  1986–87

  38·5

  54·6

  24·1

  1987–88

  41·4

  55·6

  23·6

  1988–89

  43·4

  54·4

  22·7

  1989–90

  48·8

  57·4

  23·5

  1990–91

  55·3

  61·3

  25·4

  1991–92

  57·5

  59·6

  25·9

  1 Using the GDP deflator at market prices.

  Capital tax receipts

  £ billion

  At current prices

  At 1992 Q2 prices1

  As percentage of general Government receipts

  1982–83

  0·6

  1·1

  0·5

  1983–84

  0·7

  1·1

  0·5

  1984–85

  0·7

  1·1

  0·5

  1985–86

  0·9

  1·3

  0·6

  1986–87

  1·1

  1·5

  0·7

  1987–88

  1·4

  1·9

  1·8

  1988–89

  2·3

  2·9

  1·2

  1989–90

  1·9

  2·2

  0·9

  1990–91

  1·9

  2·1

  0·9

  1991–92

  1·1

  1·2

  0·5

  1 Using the GDP deflator at market prices.

  116

  Corporation tax receipts

  £ billion

  At current prices

  At 1992 Q2 prices1

  As percentage of general Government receipts

  1982–83

  5·7

  9·6

  4·6

  1983–84

  6·2

  10·0

  4·7

  1984–85

  8·3

  12·9

  5·9

  1985–86

  10·7

  15·7

  7·1

  1986–87

  13·5

  19·1

  8·4

  1987–88

  15·7

  21·1

  9·0

  1988–89

  18·5

  23·2

  9·7

  1989–90

  21·5

  25·3

  10·4

  1990–91

  21·5

  23·8

  9·9

  1991–92

  18·3

  18·9

  8·2

  1 Using the GDP deflator at market prices.

  Public Sector Pay
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his oral statement of 12 November Official Report, column 994, if he will set out how he intends to apply the conditions to public sector pay rises.

  Mr. Dorrell
  As my right hon. Friend announced in his autumn statement on 12 November, the Government's policy is to restrict public sector pay settlements to between zero and 11 per cent. in the coming year. The Government expect this policy to be applied without exception throughout the public sector regardless of the normal method of settling pay. For central Government employees and NHS staff not covered by review bodies the Government will apply the policy directly as part of its responsibility for setting the pay of these groups. Application of the policy to staff covered by the pay review bodies was set out in my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's answer of 13 November 1992, at column 1002. Spending allocations have been adjusted to reflect the impact of the policy on other public sector groups.

  Valuation Office
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he has made to the Valuation Office executive agency's published key targets for the year 1992–93.

  Mr. Nelson
  Yes. The key target for the clearance of non-domestic rating appeals has been increased from 302,000 to 308,000. This is to take account of additional receipts from the Welsh Office to maintain the current good progress in clearing outstanding appeals.

  United States-United Kingdom Taxation Agreements
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the United States-United Kingdom taxation treaties and agreements together with the dates when they took effect.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 12 November 1992]: Two agreements are in place with the United States.

  First, the taxation of income and capital gains is covered by arrangements which comprise a convention dated 31 December 1975, as amended by protocols of 26 August 1976, 31 March 1977 and 15 March 1979. The

  117
  convention, as amended, in general took effect for the tax year, financial year or chargeable period beginning in 1975. The relevant provisions are detailed in Statutory Instrument 1980: No. 568 titled The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (The United States of America) Order 1980.

  Second, provisions regarding the taxation of inheritances and gifts are set out in Statutory Instrument 1979: No. 1454 titled The Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Estates of Deceased Persons and on Gifts) (United States of America) Order 1979. This convention was concluded on 19 October 1978 and took effect from 10 November 1979.

  Corporation Tax
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the amount of advance corporation tax repaid to United States companies with United Kingdom subsidiaries in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 12 November 1992]: Payments of tax credits to non-resident parent companies under the United Kingdom/USA double taxation convention—companies which control at least 10 per cent. of the voting stock of the United Kingdom company—are estimated to have been as follows:

  £ million

  Tax credits payable

  1987–88

  310

  1988–89

  390

  1989–90

  410

  1990–91

  260

  1991–92

  180

  Matrix Churchill
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when either he or the Governor of the Bank of England knew of banking accounts held in the Bank of Credit and Commerce International by Matrix Churchill or its individual executives that were used for the export of equipment to Iraq which could be used for defence purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: Neither my right hon. Friend the Chancellor nor the Governor of the Bank of England has ever been given any such information.

  Iraq (Military Equipment)
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when either the Government or the Bank of England was informed that accounts held in the Bank of Credit and Commerce International were used for the export of equipment to Iraq which could be used for defence purposes between 1987 and 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: Neither the Government nor the Bank of England has ever been given any such information.
  118

  Scotch Whisky
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the income from duties on Scotch whisky in each of the past 10 years in cash and constant price terms.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 16 November 1992]: The following is the estimated income which includes whiskey from Northern Ireland.

  £ million

  Year

  Excise duty receipts

  At constant 1991–92 prices

  1982–83

  478

  784

  1983–84

  818

  1,282

  1984–85

  591

  883

  1985–86

  714

  1,007

  1986–87

  667

  910

  1987–88

  698

  917

  1988–89

  681

  844

  1989–90

  650

  747

  1990–91

  726

  761

  1991–92

  730

  730

ENVIRONMENT

  Ordnance Survey
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by location, the Ordnance Survey triangulation pillars that have currently been adopted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  Responsibility for this subject has been delegated to the executive agency. I have asked Professor David Rhind, chief executive for the Ordnance Survey to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from David Rhind to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question about the adoption of Triangulation (Trig) Pillars.

  Ordnance Survey has recently completed its assessment of the pillars it needs to maintain as part of its survey control network. We have decided to maintain 1,269 pillars, leaving 4,906 for which we have no further need.

  Great interest has been shown by a wide variety of organisations and individuals in adopting single or groups of pillars for voluntary maintenance. We are now starting the process of dealing with these applications and publicising opportunities. This will take some time to complete because, whilst the pillars will remain the property of Ordnance Survey, we have to obtain the permission of the land owners for those adopting pillars to have access.

  In short, no pillars have yet been adopted but the process for adoption is now under way. We anticipate this will take several months to complete.

  Please let me know if you would like me to supply a list of adopted pillars and their locations when the exercise is over.

  Fact-finding Visits
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he wil list the fact-finding visits made in the last 12 months by the chief executive of each executive agency for which he is responsible; and what were the findings resulting from each visit.

  Mr. Howard
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to my executive agencies
  119
  under their chief executives. I have asked Mr. Roger Courtney to arrange for a reply to be given for the Building Research Establishment; Professor David Rhind for the Ordnance Survey; Mr. Stephen Crow for the Planning Inspectorate; Mr. Marcus Buck for the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre; and Mr. Roger Powell for the Buying Agency.

  Letter from Roger Courtney to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 29 October 1992:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your question regarding fact finding visits that I have made during the last twelve months.

  My recent visits are listed below:

  Transport Research Laboratory (Executive Agency, Department of Transport).

  National Institute for Standards and Technology, USA. Technical Research Institute, Finland, (VTT).

  Such visits provide me with comparative information on sources of funding and associated policies, programme formulation and management, and operational arrangements and therefore assist the future development of BRE. Where appropriate, the scope for co-operative working is also explored, to mutual benefit. My many regular contacts with heads of research executive agencies and with my counterparts in other countries supplement these specific visits.

  I would be happy to provide further information if you wish.

  Letter from David Rhind to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992:

  The Secretary of State for the Environment has asked me to reply to your question about fact finding visits made by the chief executives of agencies.

  I have not made any visits which I would classify as "fact finding" since I took up my appointment as Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey in January of this year.

  Letter from Stephen Crow to Mr. Martin Redmond Dated 28 October 1992:

  In reply to your Parliamentary Questions, I am asked on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Environment to list both the titles of papers published by the Planning Inspectorate since it became an agency and the fact finding visits made by myself in the last 12 months; and to indicate the findings resulting from those visits. The Planning Inspectorate became an Executive Agency only on 1 April this year, and so a full 12 months have not yet elapsed.

  The only Inspectorate paper published since 1 April is entitled "Good Practice at Planning Inquiries". It was published on 7 September 1992 as an Annex to Department of the Environment Circular 24/92 (Welsh Office Circular 47/92).

  Since April I have made one fact finding visit, to Edinburgh and nearby, where I was shown some interesting examples of urban regeneration, and where I was able to discuss, with my opposite numbers in Scotland and Ireland, matters of mutual concern. The visit and meeting resulted in useful comparison of professional and managerial practice.

  Letter from Mr. Marcus Buck to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992:

  I am responding to your question regarding the fact finding visits undertaken during the last twelve months by Agency Chief Executives in the Department of the Environment, and the resulting findings.

  During his last months in office, my predecessor, Roy Kendrick, did not undertake any fact finding visits. As Chief Executive designate I conducted a series of visits to conference centres in order to familiarise myself with the industry. My findings were not aggregated into a publishable form.

  If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.
  120
  Letter from Roger H. Powell to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992:

  I have been asked to reply direct to your parliamentary question regarding fact finding visits by Chief Executives.

  I have undertaken no "fact finding" visits as such. I have visited a number of principal customers and suppliers but these have primarily been to promote relationships.

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

  Mr. Howard
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to my executive agencies under their chief executives. I have asked Mr. Roger Courtney to arrange for a reply to be given for the Building Research Establishment; Professor David Rhind for the Ordnance Survey; Mr. Stephen Crow for the Planning Inspectorate; Mr. Marcus Buck for the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre; and Mr. Roger Powell for the Buying Agency.

  Letter from R. G. Courtney to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992:

  PQ: Executive Agency staff numbers and costs—BRE

  The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your question regarding BRE's staff numbers and costs for 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  The average number of BRE staff in each grade during 1991–92 and the estimated equivalent for 1992–93 are given in the attached table. These figures include staff employed on a casual basis.

  The "full economic cost" for the staff in post in 1991–92 was £16,734k and the present estimate for the equivalent cost in 1992–93 is £18, 330k.

  Average number of staff at BRE in 1991–92 and 1992–93 by grade

  Grade

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Grade 3

  1·0

  1·0

  Grade 4

  1·0

  1·0

  Grade 5

  5·0

  5·0

  Grade 6

  24·0

  25·0

  Grade 7

  90·0

  96·5

  Senior Scientific Officer

  97·5

  100·5

  Higher Scientific Officer

  95·5

  102·5

  Scientific Officer

  62·5

  60·0

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  17·5

  13·5

  Senior Professional and Technology Officer

  16·0

  18·0

  Higher Professional and Technology Officer

  11·0

  12·0

  Professional and Technology Officer

  12·0

  12·0

  Technical Grade I (PTO)

  1·0

  1·0

  Senior Information Officer

  6·0

  7·0

  Information Officer

  7·0

  9·0

  Assistant Information Officer

  2·0

  4·0

  Senior Librarian

  1·0

  1·0

  Librarian

  1·0

  1·0

  Assistant Librarian

  1·0

  1·0

  Senior Photographic Officer

  2·0

  2·0

  Higher Photographic Officer

  3·0

  4·0

  Photographic Officer

  5·0

  4·0

  Senior Executive Officer

  1·0

  1·0

  Higher Executive Officer

  9·0

  11·5

  Executive Officer

  23·0

  24·5

  Administrative Officer

  74·5

  76·5

  Administrative Assistant

  5·5

  3·0

  Senior Personal Secretary

  1·0

  1·0

  Personal Secretary

  21·5

  21·5

  121

  Grade

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Typing Manager

  2·0

  2·0

  Typist

  15·5

  17·5

  Graphics Officer

  1·0

  1·0

  Technical Grade 1 (DOA)

  1·5

  1·5

  Technical Grade 2 (Tracer)

  2·0

  2·0

  Assistant Chief Reprographics Officer

  10

  10

  Reprographics Officer 1

  3·5

  3·5

  Senior Messenger

  1·0

  1·0

  Messenger

  2·0

  2·0

  Telephonist

  3·0

  3·0

  College-based Sandwich Course Student

  —

  —

  Vacation Student

  —

  —

  Industrial

  94·0

  82·5

  Ordnance survey staffing

  1991–92

  1992–93 (estimated)

  Grade

  No. of staff in 1991–92

  Salary cost 1991–92 £

  Forecast staff in 1992–93

  Salary cost 1992–93 £

  Unified grades

  Grade 3

  1·0

  68,198

  1·0

  71,477

  Grade 5

  3·0

  162,486

  3·0

  170,313

  Grade 6

  8·0

  373,496

  8·0

  393,880

  Grade 7

  39·0

  1,419,132

  40·0

  1,530,960

  Administrative grades

  SEO

  27·0

  727,110

  28·0

  790,920

  HEO

  73·0

  1,563,039

  82·0

  1,851,321

  EO

  105·0

  1,744,995

  106·0

  1,870,264

  AO

  168·0

  2,127,216

  175·0

  2,347,450

  AA

  52·0

  484,432

  53·0

  533,498

  Senior personal secretary

  1·0

  17,049

  1·0

  17,849

  Personal secretary

  3·0

  41,814

  3·0

  43,773

  Typing manager

  1·0

  17,634

  10

  18,460

  Typist

  12·0

  123,456

  9·0

  96,921

  Graduate trainee

  6·0

  98,880

  3·0

  53,097

  Librarian

  1·0

  22,638

  1·0

  23,735

  Assistant librarian

  1·0

  18,618

  1·0

  19,520

  Mapping and charting grades

  SMCO

  61·0

  1,777,784

  67·0

  2,057,101

  HMCO

  181·0

  4,199,200

  179·0

  4,355,786

  MCO

  1,091·0

  21,446,878

  1,106·0

  22,831,158

  MCT1

  362·0

  6,101,510

  274·0

  4,875,830

  MCT2

  59·0

  711,953

  51·0

  658,716

  Carto assistant

  1·0

  14,125

  0

  0

  Support grades

  Stores C

  3·0

  58,107

  3·0

  60,921

  Stores D

  4·0

  63,240

  5·0

  85,640

  Support manager 2

  1·0

  17,928

  1·0

  18,815

  Support manager 3

  3·0

  43,143

  3·0

  46,539

  Support grade band 1

  35·0

  419,580

  37·0

  472,490

  Support grade band 2

  74·0

  736,966

  74·0

  784,548

  P & T Group

  PTO

  1·0

  20,138

  1·0

  21,113

  Technical grade 1

  5·0

  84,105

  5·0

  88,180

  Industrial

  32·0

  291,340

  14·0

  134,211

  Letter from Stephen Crow to Mr. Martin Redmond dated 3 November 1992:

  1. The Secretary of State for the Environment has asked me to reply on behalf of the Planning Inspectorate to your recent Parliamentary Question in which you asked for a list by grade of the numbers of staff and their cost for 1991–92, and estimated figures for 1992–93.

  2. The Planning Inspectorate was launched as a joint Agency in the Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office on 1 April 1992. The Agency's estimated staff cost for 1992–93 is £ 13·9 million. The breakdown of permanent staff by grades (as at 1 September 1992) is in the attached table.
  122

  Grade

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Total

  724·0

  738·0

  Letter from David Rhind to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992:

  The Secretary of State for the Environment has asked me to reply to your question about staff numbers and cost. I enclose a table which shows the Ordnance Survey staff numbers by grade and their associated costs for 1991–92 and the corresponding estimated figures for 1992–93.

  The cost figures quoted comprise salaries, ERNIC, superannuation, overtime and specialist allowances.

  3. Prior to 1 April 1992 the Welsh Office were directly responsible for the Inspectorate's functions in Wales. The average number of permanent staff undertaking the Inspectorate's functions in England during 1991–92 was 613 and the salary cost was £12·3 million.

  The Planning Inspectorate Staff in Post as at 1 September 1992

  Grade

  Staff in Post

  3

  1·0

  4

  2·0

  5

  14·0

  6

  2·0

  123

  Grade

  Staff in Post

  7

  7·0

  Principal Housing and Planning Inspector

  39·0

  Senior Housing and Planning Inspector

  117·0

  Housing and Planning Inspector

  84·0

  Senior Executive Officer

  7·0

  Higher Executive Officer

  33·5

  Executive Officer

  78·0

  Senior Personal Secretary

  1·0

  Personal Secretary

  14·0

  Administrative Officer

  167·5

  Administrative Assistant etc.

  69·5

  Typist

  1·0

  Total

  637·5

  Letter from Mr. Marcus Buck to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 30 October 1992:

  I am responding to your question regarding the above subject. Figures for The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre are as follows:

  1991–92

  1992–93

  AO

  15

  16

  EO

  11

  10

  HEO

  4

  4

  SEO

  1

  1

  SIO

  2

  1

  Grade 7

  5

  4

  Grade 6

  0

  1

  Grade 5

  1

  1

  December 1991

  October 1992

  October 19931

  Staff

  Salaries

  Staff

  Salaries

  Staff

  Salaries

  Administration Officers

  34

  287,599

  31

  280,404

  29

  267,560

  Support Grades

  4

  33,712

  4

  35,864

  4

  36,581

  Typists

  5

  39,073

  5

  41,569

  5

  42,400

  Executive Officers

  22

  268,745

  20

  259,134

  20

  264,317

  Personal Secretaries

  2

  21,620

  2

  23,000

  2

  23,460

  SM3/SPS/Typing Manager

  3

  36,987

  3

  39,348

  3

  40,135

  Technical Officer

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  HEO

  7

  114,735

  7

  122,059

  7

  124,500

  HPTO

  6

  137,059

  10

  236,950

  12

  290,027

  SEO

  4

  93,382

  4

  99,343

  4

  101,330

  SPTO

  7

  151,340

  9

  212,069

  11

  264,379

  Grade 7

  7

  184,980

  6

  170,759

  6

  174,174

  Grade 6

  2

  75,000

  2

  78,500

  2

  82,500

  Grade 5

  l

  47,000

  l

  49,000

  1

  50,750

  104

  1,496,232

  104

  1,653,499

  107

  1,779,523

  1 Forecast.

  Airports (Planning Applications)
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the length of time between submitting the application and a final decision being announced in respect of all planning applications involving airport expansion that were subject to a local public inquiry since 1970.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information in the form requested is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The table gives details of the length of time taken to determine most of the major airport expansions subject to public local inquiry since 1977.
  124

  1991–92

  1992–93

  HPTO

  3

  3

  PTO

  1

  1

  Personal Secretary

  2

  2

  Typist

  1

  1

  SGB1

  1

  1

  SGB2

  8

  8

  Specialists

  10

  9

  Casual

  1

  1

  Total

  66

  64

  Costs

  £1,525,000

  £1,612,000

  (Actual)

  (Estimated)

  If I can be of any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

  Letter from Roger H. Powell to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 2 November 1992:

  Michael Howard has asked the Chief Executives of Agencies attached to his Department to respond to your Parliamentary Question on the above matter.

  I have set out at Appendix A 3 figures which represent snapshots of the situation as of December 1991, and October 1992 and a forecast for October 1993.

  I have given staff in post figures which include a number of non-civil servants.

  If I can be of further help please contact me.

  (months)

  Airport

  Date application made

  Date final decision announced

  Time taken

  Leeds Bradford

  8 August 1977

  17 December 1980

  40

  Heathrow (Terminal 4)

  26 September 1977

  17 December 1979

  26

  Manchester

  2 February 1979

  9 September 1980

  19

  Gatwick North

  2 March 1979

  9 November 1982

  44

  Birmingham

  17 April 1979

  30 May 1980

  13

  East Midlands

  1 November 1979

  1 February 1983

  38

  Heathrow (Terminal 4)

  4 June 1984

  18 September 1985

  15

  Leeds Bradford

  23 January 1986

  14 August 1989

  42

  Lydd

  8 September 1987

  24 September 1992

  60

  London City

  12 September 1989

  26 September 1991

  24

  125

  Economic Development
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to change the procedures used to designate scheduled authorities for the purposes of the Local Government (Promotion of Economic Development) (Amendment) Regulations 1992, to ensure that scheduled authorities are those local authorities which have the highest levels of unemployment.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  No. Those local authorities designated by the Local Government (Promotion of Economic Development) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 which were not previously designated in the Local Government (Promotion of Economic Development) Regulations 1990, qualified on the basis that, in whole or in part, they fell within a travel-to-work area with an unemployment rate above the—narrow base—national average for England of 9·8 per cent. for the period from April 1991 to March 1992. The list of scheduled authorities will be reviewed again in the light of the unemployment statistics for April 1992 to March 1993.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many English local authorities, which were designated scheduled authorities for the purposes of the Local Government (Promotion of Economic Development) (Amendment) Regulations 1992, have higher levels of unemployment than(a) Southampton and (b) Gosport; and if he will list them and their current levels of unemployment.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Fifty-six local authorities were newly designated as scheduled authorities under the Local Government (Promotion of Economic Development) (Amendment) Regulations 1992, on the basis that each authority, in whole or in part, fell within a travel-to-work area with unemployment above the—narrow base—national average for England of 9·8 per cent. for the period from April 1991 to March 1992. Southampton city council and Gosport borough council did not fall within such a travel-to-work area. The scheduled authorities added by the regulations are:

  In the county of Dorset

  Bournemouth Borough Council

  Christchurch Borough Council

  East Dorset District Council

  In the county of East Sussex

  Brighton Borough Council

  Lewes District Council

  Hastings Borough Council

  Hove Borough Council

  Wealden District Council

  In the county of Essex

  Basildon District Council

  Brentwood District Council

  Castle Point Borough Council

  Chelmsford Borough Council

  Epping Forest District Council

  Maldon District Council

  Rochford District Council

  Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

  Thurrock Borough Council

  In Greater London

  The Common Council of The Corporation of London

  The council of the—

  London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

  London Borough of Barnet

  London Borough of Bexley

  126

  London Borough of Bromley

  London Borough of Camden

  London Borough of Croydon

  London Borough of Enfield

  London Borough of Harrow

  London Borough of Havering

  London Borough of Merton

  London Borough of Redbridge

  London Borough of Sutton

  London Borough of Waltham Forest

  London Borough of Westminster

  In the county of Hampshire

  East Hampshire District Council

  Fareham Borough Council

  Havant Borough Council

  New Forest District Council

  Portsmouth City Council

  Winchester City Council

  In the county of Hertfordshire

  Broxbourne Borough Council

  Hertsmere Borough Council

  In the county of Kent

  Dartford Borough Council

  Gillingham Borough Council

  Gravesham Borough Council

  Maidstone Borough Council

  Rochester upon Medway City Council

  Sevenoaks District Council

  Swale Borough Council

  Tonbridge and Mailing District Council

  Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

  In the county of Surrey

  Epsom and Ewell Borough Council

  Reigate and Banstead Borough Council

  Tandridge District Council

  In the county of West Sussex

  Adur District Council

  Chichester District Council

  Horsham District Council

  Mid Sussex District Council

  Green Belt, Lancashire
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the planning decisions in Lancashire over the past 15 years where development on designated green belt land has been permitted; and if he will indicate those approvals granted after appeal to him.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information on local authority decisions is not available; reliable information on appeal decisions could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Contaminated Land
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will hold meetings with the major financial lending institutions on the criteria they will use to determine their lending policies to house builders and house purchasers of homes built on contaminated land.

  Mr. Maclean
  Yes.

  Plant Standards
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to set a timetable to ensure that all existing power stations and combustion plants operate according to new plant standards by 2000.

  Mr. Maclean
  Since 1 April 1991 all large combustion plants have been subject to integrated pollution control
  127
  under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and therefore to regulation by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. When considering an application for authorisation HMIP is required to ensure the use of best available techniques not entailing excessive cost to prevent, or minimise and render harmless any releases. The precise timetable for the upgrading of existing plant, and the standards to be achieved, are matters for HMIP.

  Emissions
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been undertaken by his Department to date upon the use of selective catalytic reduction upon levels of nitrogen oxide emissions; and what plans he has to support and fund the selective catalytic reductions initiatives in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maclean
  Technologies for reducing nitrogen oxide emissions, including selective catalytic reduction, have been considered in two items of research commissioned by my Department; a general study of acid emission abatement technologies undertaken by the Fellowship of Engineering, and a report on nitrogen oxide abatement technologies for large combustion plants undertaken by DNV Technica. While I have no plans for funding or other specific support for the development of this technique, Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is under a duty to keep such techniques under review for the purposes of part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to upgrade the United Kingdom plan to cut acid emissions.

  Mr. Maclean
  The United Kingdom is already committed to substantial reductions in acid emissions of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen. We continue to keep these plans under review in the light of both the developing scientific evidence of acid damage and the progress of negotiations, in which the United Kingdom is playing a full part, towards new international agreements for the control of acid emissions.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement upon the impact of the new EC action programme on the environment on Government support for the pollution control authorities in the dealings with plant operations.

  Mr. Maclean
  Among the many issues it addresses, the EC's fifth environmental action programme emphasises the importance of a scheme of integrated pollution prevention and control to regulate the operations of industrial plant. The European Commission is currently working on a proposal in this area. We introduced a scheme of integrated pollution control in the United Kingdom under the Environmental Protection Act [990, which came into force in April 1991 and is now being implemented by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution. We therefore welcome the Commission's intentions.

  Trees
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to encourage the provision of trees in towns and community forests in England.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government provide grant aid for planting, including grants from the Forestry Commission 128
  through the woodland grant scheme and the new community woodland supplement, and support from Task Force Trees—a special unit of the Countryside Commission which is allocating some £17 million in grant to replace trees in both urban and rural areas lost in the storms of 1987 and 1990.

  We also provide assistance to voluntary and other bodies which are active in planting trees in towns and the urban fringe and fund an important programme of research and the provision of advice, placing emphasis on the practical care and maintenance of trees.

  The Countryside Commission and the Forestry Commission are engaged in a joint initiative to create a number of community forests near major towns and cities. The Government have funded the establishment of project teams to explore means of implementing these forests and are currently considering proposed business plans for the three lead schemes: Thames Chase, Forest of Mercia and the Great North Forest.

  Housing, Pendle
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the housing investment programme bids by Pendle district council to his Department and the HIP allocation for each year since 1982.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information requested is given in the table. The figures for 1990–91 and subsequent years are not directly comparable with those for earlier years because of the revisions to the capital finance system introduced in April 1990.

  Housing investment programme (HIP) bids by Pendle district council and allocations and capital expenditure, 1982–83 to 1992–93

  £ thousand

  HIP bids

  HIP allocations1

  Housing capital expenditure

  Cash

  1992–93 prices1

  Cash

  1992–93 prices2

  Cash

  1992–93 prices2

  1982–83

  6,014

  10,447

  5,163

  8,969

  5,173

  8,986

  1983–84

  6,151

  10,212

  4,469

  7,420

  5,657

  9,392

  1984–85

  8,115

  12,823

  3,815

  6,028

  6,324

  9,993

  1985–86

  7,900

  11,837

  3,157

  4,730

  4,463

  6,687

  1986–87

  7,206

  10,460

  2,980

  4,326

  3,777

  5,483

  1987–88

  8,162

  11,231

  3,191

  4,391

  4,005

  5,511

  1988–89

  11,375

  14,590

  3,196

  4,099

  5,169

  6,630

  1989–90

  6,515

  7,841

  2,574

  3,098

  5,687

  6,844

  New capital finance system3

  1990–91

  6,888

  7,677

  3,203

  3,570

  3,962

  4,416

  1991–92

  5,610

  5,848

  2,468

  2,573

  43,381

  43,525

  1992–93

  6,005

  6,005

  3,420

  3,420

  54,220

  54,220

  Notes:

  1 Allocations for the years up to and including 1989–90 are final allocations, i.e. the intial allocation plus any increases to the initial allocation made in-year. The allocations figures for 1990–91 and subsequent years are the HIP allocations—housing annual capital guidelines plus specified capital grants—issued prior to the start of the financial year. These figures do not include any supplementary credit approvals issued during the year.

  2Cash figures have been converted to 1992–93 price levels by excluding the effect of general inflation as measured by the GDP market prices deflator.

  3 From 1990–91, under the new capital finance system, the HIP allocation is an assessment of relative need for housing capital expenditure rather than a directly borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed by the single, all service, basic credit approval.

  4Provisional.

  5Estimated.

  Diesel Engine Trains
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department takes to monitor the level of pollution produced by diesel engine trains.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Department does not monitor directly pollution produced by diesel engine trains. Diesel motors of all kinds contribute to ambient levels of smoke, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide in particular, and these are monitored in many places throughout the United Kingdom. Rail transport is estimated to contribute about 1 per cent. of total United Kingdom emissions of nitrogen oxides, and negligible proportions of total emissions of other major pollutants.

  DOE Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics No. 14, 1991: Tables 1.1–2, 1.7, and 1.9–10).

  Squirrel Monkeys
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average cost, nationwide, of a licence to keep squirrel monkeys under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976.

  Mr. Maclean
  Such information is not held centrally.

  Radon Gas
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment is he will state the amount of grant awarded by each local authority for renovation to reduce the risk from radon gas, and the total paid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not collected by the Department.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the reasons for the proposed reduction in planned spending by his Department under the "Environment" heading in 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  Mr. Howard
  This heading comprises a variety of spending programmes including new towns, the urban block, Property Holdings, Ordnance Survey and the Office of Water Services as well as environmental initiatives. Forecast outturn for 1992–93 and the revised provision for 1993–94 and 1994–95 are higher than in previous plans.

  The year on year changes between 1992–93 and 1994–95 reflect a number of factors, including a change in the forecast of receipts from the disposal of new towns assets. Provision rises throughout the period on the environment, countryside and wildlife block of expenditure programmes within the overall "Environment" heading.

  Housing Action Trusts
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the relevant appointing body for the members of the board of each housing action trust, and the rate of remuneration received by each member of such bodies.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: Members of the boards of housing action trusts are
  130
  appointed by the Secretary of State for the Environment on the basis set out in schedule 7 to the Housing Act 1988 and are entitled to receive remuneration of £4,890 per year, based on an assumed time input of half a day a week.

  Waste Water Treatment
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the most recent estimate of the total level of capital investment required to meet the EC Municipal Waste Water Treatment directive.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 16 November 1992]: Following discussions with the Department, the National Rivers Authority, and the water industry, the Director General of Water Services made certain assumptions in order to make an estimate of the possible capital costs for England and Wales in his consultation paper, "The Cost of Quality", published in August. Work continues, however, to identify the obligations arising from the directive and associated costs with greater precision.

  Land (Public Access)
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the public can find out where they have rights of access to private land as a result of tax concessions being granted to the owners in return for greater public access.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 11 November 1992]: I have been asked to reply.

  The owner of land that has been conditionally exempted from inheritance tax is required to publicise the agreed public access arrangements. The extent of the publicity depends on the facts of each case. The owner will generally be required to take specific steps to publicise public access, for example by advertising the access arrangements in a local tourist office or town hall.

  The appropriate heritage advisory agency, for example the Countryside Commission for scenic land in England, is able to supply information about public access to heritage land including conditionally exempt land, although land will not be identified as conditionally exempt. In addition, in England and Wales, a member of the public who wants information about public access in a specific area can contact the footpaths officer of the appropriate county council or national park authority. Details of footpaths and public access also often appear on maps and in commercial publications, particularly for major tourist areas.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Trade Fairs
  Mr. Olner
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to adopt a more flexible application of the three times rule in relation to a company's participation in trade fairs in a particular national market(a) in general and (b) for the apparel and textile industry.

  Mr. Needham
  The general policy of the three times rule does incorporate a certain level of flexibility in that flag ship events—that is major prestigious shows focusing on important sectors—are supported on five occasions. This additional level of support is also available for events in
  131
  Japan, North America and Germany, except that the latter two are restricted to three events within regions of those markets.

  A review of the trade fairs support scheme is planned to take place during 1993. The results of that exercise will form the basis of a total review of the present policy.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what the (i) current account and (ii) manufacturing trade balance was for the calendar year 1989 in(a) United Kingdom and (b) Germany.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is in the table.

  Balances on current account and in manufacturing in 1989

  £ billion

  Current account balance

  Manufacturing balance

  United Kingdom

  -21·7

  -17·3

  Germany

  35·1

  68·7

  Notes:

  1. All figures are on a balance of payments basis except the German figure for trade in manufactured trade goods, which is a crude balance.

  2. Germany excludes eastern Germany.

  Source: CSO, OECD, German national source.

  Nuclear Processing
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of uranium and plutonium would be produced by reprocessing spent fuel from United Kingdom nuclear power stations under existing contracts with the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.

  Mr. Eggar
  [pursuant to his reply, 4 November.1992, c. 308]: The figure for the amount of plutonium arising from the reprocessing of spent fuels should have read eight tonnes.

  EC Regional Development
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of EC regional development funding received by the United Kingdom has been spent within the United Kingdom assisted areas(a) in each year since 1984 and (b) in total since 1984.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  From 1984 to 1989 the European regional development fund—ERDF—grants were payable only in Northern Ireland, the assisted areas of Great Britain, and the remainder of the Highlands and Islands Development Board and the Development Board of Rural Wales areas. Figures for the latter areas are not readily available, but would have comprised only a very small proportion of the United Kingdom's total allocation.

  From 1989, eligibility for the ERDF has, with minor exceptions, been determined according to eligibility for objectives 1, 2 and 5b of the reformed structural funds. The great majority of the ERDF allocations resulting from these objectives go to Northern Ireland and the assisted areas, but figures on the exact proportion could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

  Assisted Areas
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 9 November,Official Report, column 606, if he will list those areas in the United
  132
  Kingdom that are (a) part of the United Kingdom's assisted areas map but do not qualify for EC regional development funding and (b) not part of the United Kingdom's assisted areas maps but which qualify for EC regional development funding.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The areas in the United Kingdom that are assisted areas but do not qualify for EC regional development funding include: the whole travel-to-workareas—TTWAs—of Cinderford and Ross-on-Wye, Corby, Kidderminster, and Whitby; and part of the TTWAs of Birmingham, Coventry and Hinckley, and Dudley and Sandwell.

  The areas in the United Kingdom that are not assisted areas but qualify for EC regional development funding include: Northern Ireland; the whole TTWAs of Aberystwyth, Alnwick and Amble, Brecon, Burnley, Castleford and Pontefract, Camarthen, Chesterfield, Dolgellau and Barmouth, Inverness, Islay Mid Argyll, Keith, Llandeilo, Llandrindod Wells, Machynlleth, Mansfield, Newtown, Oban, Orkney Islands, Pendle, Retford, Shetland Islands, Thurso, Wakefield arid Dewsbury, Welshpool, Whitehaven, Worksop; and part of the TTWAs of Alfreton and Ashfield, Edinburgh, Elgin, Goole and Selby, Manchester, Nottingham, and Stirling.

  Development Funding
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much EC regional development funding has been spent in the Darlington travel-to-work area(a) in each year since 1984 and (b) in total.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  European regional development fund allocations to the Darlington travel-to-work area since 1984 have been as follows:

  £ Thousands

  1984

  3,816

  1985

  580

  1986

  348

  1987

  508

  1988

  225

  1989

  557

  1990

  617

  1991

  939

  Total 1984 to 1991

  7,590

  The figures include allocations to projects which part fall outside the Darlington TTWA.

  Economic Development Assistance
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if 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. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 16 November 1992]: Section 13 of the Industrial Development Act 1982 empowers my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to make grants in the assisted areas for the improvement of a basic service for which he is responsible. Local authorities would be eligible for such assistance. My

  133
  right hon. Friend has no other powers bestowing such powers or assistance to local authorities in the manner described.

  Export Credit Guarantee Finance
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether prefabricated boxes made from steel mesh manufactured in Italy but in part assembled in the United Kingdom, and for the purpose of erosion protection for river banks and road embankments, are eligible for export credit guarantee finance, in respect of exports to African countries.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 16 November 1992]: Export credit guarantee finance is provided to facilitate the supply abroad of goods and services by United Kingdom businesses. Depending on the details of individual cases, within strict limits foreign goods and services may also be financed.

  If the hon. Gentleman has a particular transaction in mind he may like to write to me about it.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

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

  Mr. Key
  My Department has only one agency, the Historic Royal Palaces Agency. I have asked the chief executive, Mr. David Beeton, to reply to the hon. Member and I shall place a copy of his reply in the Library.

  Letter from David Beeton to Mr. John McAllion, dated 12 November 1992:

  I have been requested by the Minister to reply to your Written Parliamentary Question on this subject.

  The Historic Royal Palaces Agency currently follows the health and safety policy of its previous parent Department —the Department of the Environment—of which it was a part until it was transferred into the new Department of National Heritage in April this year. A copy of the DOE's policy statement is attached.

  The Agency is now developing its own health and safety policy in consultation with the Department of National Heritage with the aim of finalising it in the new year.

  I understand that the Minister is arranging for a copy of this reply to be placed in the Library of the House.

  The policy statement has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list those agencies in his Department which are being considered for privatisation or contractorisation.

  Mr. Key
  The Department of National Heritage has only one executive agency, the Historic Royal Palaces Agency, HRPA. This was considered for privatisation and contractorisation in the normal way when it was set up. Its framework document is currently being reviewed in accordance with the usual procedures under which agency framework documents are considered every three years. The HRPA will continue to contract out a proportion of its services in line with Government policy.

  BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what have been the financial allocations to the BBC Scottish symphony orchestra in each of the past seven years; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Private Detectives
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what use his Department has made of private detectives since its inception; at what cost; and if he will list the firms involved.

  Mr. Key
  My Department has not used the services of a private detective.

SCOTLAND

  Dentistry
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many dental checks were carried out in Scotland(a) in each of the three years preceding the withdrawal of free dental checks in the NHS and (b) in each year since then.

  Mr. Stewart
  Charges for dental examination were introduced on 1 January 1989. The figures available on the number of dental examinations carried out in Scotland in each of the years in question are contained in the table. The figures from 1 October 1990 are for adults only, as under the new dental contract introduced from that date children are now treated under capitation arrangements to provide continuing care, and information is not recorded separately on individual treatment items such as examinations for children. The number of children registered with a dentist under these arrangements for the periods since October 1990 is shown separately in the table.

  Million

  Year

  Number of examinations

  Number of children registered October 1990 onwards

  1986

  2·66

  n/a

  1987

  2·64

  n/a

  1988

  2·67

  n/a

  1989

  2·69

  n/a

  1990 January to September

  1·96

  n/a

  1990–91 October to March1

  0·95

  0·47

  1991–92 April to March2

  1·90

  0·63

  1 New contract for general dental services introduced on 1 October 1990.

  2 With effect from 1 April 1991 the method of collecting statistical information was changed to reflect financial years.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now reverse the decision to withdraw free dental checks in the NHS.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to reintroduce free NHS dental examinations.

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will withdraw the draft regulations aimed at clarifying the existing statutory framework for compulsory competitive tendering issued on 16 June to local authorities, and amend them accordingly, following the Government's acceptance of the EC's acquired rights directive;

  (2) whether the EC acquired rights directive will be applied retrospectively to all contracts awarded externally by Scottish local authorities under compulsory competitive tendering legislation; and what is his estimate of the number of workers involved in such contracts to date;

  (3) what provision is made under the EC acquired rights directive for reinstatement of former pay and conditions to former local authority employees who have been transferred to the private sector under compulsory competitive tendering legislation, and who have suffered a reduction in pay or conditions as a result;

  (4) what advice he will provide to Scottish local authorities and other public bodies to enable them to inform interested parties fully in the compulsory competitive tendering process of the implication of the Government's acceptance of the EC's acquired rights directive.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to withdraw the consultation paper issued on 16 June 1992 which contained detailed proposals for the content of regulations and guidance to clarify the framework for compulsory competitive tendering. The consultation paper reflected our view that it would be most unusual for the provisions of the directive to apply to a normal contract let under the compulsory competitive tendering legislation. Responses to the consultation paper, including those relating to this particular point, will be carefully considered before the regulations and guidance are finalised. The interpretation of the law in its application to the individual case is, however, a matter for the courts.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of former public sector employees in Scotland transferred to the private sector under compulsory competitive tendering legislation; and what proportion of these workers come under the EC's acquired rights directive.

  Mr. Stewart
  Information about the number of former public sector employees in Scotland who are now employed in the private sector following the award of contracts under compulsory competitive tendering legislation is not held centrally.

  Final year basic student nurses—one year later1; by health board year beginning 30 September

  Total final year students

  Status in following year

  In post2

  Further training2

  Not in NHS in Scotland3

  Participation rate4 (per cent.)

  1987

  Scotland

  2,198

  1,608

  76

  514

  76·6

  Argyll and Clyde

  134

  103

  3

  28

  79·1

  Ayrshire and Arran

  98

  89

  2

  7

  92·9

  Borders

  17

  14

  0

  3

  82·4

  Dumfries and Galloway

  71

  44

  3

  24

  66·2

  Fife

  104

  70

  3

  31

  70·2

  Forth Valley

  90

  70

  4

  16

  82·2

  Commissioner for Local Administration
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to extend the jurisdiction of the Commissioner for Local Administration in Scotland to those local authority services and statutory responsibilities which are transferred to private companies or other bodies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Although the Commissioner has no jurisdiction over the activities of private companies or other bodies undertaking local authorities' statutory duties or other services, the ultimate responsibility for the provision of such services remains with local authorities. Where a local authority has a statutory duty to provide a service, it cannot divest itself of that duty. It is therefore not necessary to extend the jurisdiction of the Commissioner to cover these circumstances. The Government will continue to review the Commissioner's powers in the light of any new factors which arise.

  Nursing and Midwifery Students
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nursing and midwifery students obtained posts in each health board area in each year since 1987; and if he will make a statement regarding the estimated level of such employment, assuming both volume and percentage changes.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 10 November 1992]: The exact information requested is not available centrally. The table, however, gives a broad indication of the underlying trends, assuming that qualification rates stay constant, of the number of final year pre-registration nursing students finding direct employment in the NHS in Scotland within the year of qualifying. Final year students in post at a census date are shown classified by their status one year later. It should he noted that the methods by which this information is collected do not permit account to be taken of certain students, for example those who have been unable to complete their training within the normal three year period; those who, having qualified, may have chosen to have a break in service before seeking employment; those who have found employment as a nurse outwith the NHS; and those who may have qualified, joined the NHS and left within a census period. Those who qualify and work occasionally in the NHS,—for example, bank or agency nurses—also cannot be identified and have therefore been counted with the "not employed" category.

  Comparable information on post-registration midwifery students is not available.
  137

  Total final year students

  Status in following year

  In post2

  Further training2

  Not in NHS in Scotland3

  Participation rate4 (per cent.)

  Grampian

  143

  108

  4

  31

  78·3

  Greater'Glasgow

  712

  522

  28

  162

  77·2

  Highland

  79

  41

  10

  28

  64·6

  Lanarkshire

  138

  101

  5

  32

  76·8

  Lothian

  418

  300

  8

  110

  73·7

  Orkney

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  Shetland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  Tayside

  194

  146

  6

  42

  78·4

  Western Isles

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  1988

  Scotland

  2,028

  1,460

  52

  516

  74·6

  Argyll and Clyde

  105

  82

  2

  21

  800

  Ayrshire and Arran

  66

  58

  0

  8

  87·9

  Borders

  26

  26

  0

  0

  1000

  Dumfries and Galloway

  57

  37

  1

  19

  66·7

  Fife

  112

  71

  1

  40

  64·3

  Forth Valley

  98

  71

  2

  75

  74·5

  Grampian

  135

  112

  2

  21

  84·4

  Greater Glasgow

  709

  502

  16

  191

  73·1

  Highland

  92

  61

  6

  25

  72·8

  Lanarkshire

  161

  130

  5

  26

  83·9

  Lothian

  343

  216

  10

  117

  65·9

  Orkney

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  Shetland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  Tayside

  124

  94

  7

  23

  81·5

  Western Isles

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  1989

  Scotland

  2,174

  1,411

  54

  709

  67·4

  Argyll and Clyde

  107

  72

  1

  34

  68·2

  Ayrshire and Arran

  88

  79

  2

  7

  920

  Borders

  23

  17

  0

  6

  73·9

  Dumfries and Galloway

  58

  40

  3

  15

  74·1

  Fife

  113

  64

  1

  48

  57·5

  Forth Valley

  88

  64

  3

  21

  76·1

  Grampian

  183

  132

  4

  47

  74·3

  Greater Glasgow

  652

  401

  7

  244

  62·6

  Highland

  99

  45

  12

  42

  57·6

  Lanarkshire

  144

  93

  2

  49

  66·0

  Lothian

  381

  229

  13

  139

  63·5

  Orkney

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  Shetland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  Tayside

  238

  175

  6

  57

  76·1

  Western Isles

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  1990

  Scotland

  2,232

  1,412

  36

  784

  64·9

  Argyll and Clyde

  106

  80

  1

  25

  76·4

  Ayrshire and Arran

  86

  77

  0

  9

  89·5

  Borders

  26

  22

  0

  4

  84·6

  Dumfries and Galloway

  68

  53

  1

  14

  79·4

  Fife

  108

  56

  1

  51

  52·8

  Forth Valley

  131

  88

  6

  37

  71·8

  Grampian

  188

  145

  5

  38

  79·8

  Greater Glasgow

  669

  345

  9

  315

  52·9

  Highland

  88

  56

  3

  29

  67·0

  Lanarkshire

  160

  107

  1

  52

  67·5

  Lothian

  384

  220

  6

  158

  58·9

  Orkney

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  Shetland

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0·0

  Tayside

  217

  163

  3

  51

  76·5

  Western Isles

  0

  0

  0

  0

  —

  1 This table excludes those who were still final year students one year later.

  2 Includes staff employed in another health board.

  3 May include agency or bank nurses and those who fail to qualify.

  4 Proportion working in NHS in Scotland or continuing with further training.

  138

  Cumbernauld New Town
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many jobs have been created and how many jobs have been lost in Cumbernauld new town in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 16 November 1992]: The figures shown in Cumbernauld development corporation's annual report for each of the last five years are as follows:

  Year ended

  Jobs created

  Jobs Lost

  31 March 1988

  2,114

  1,170

  31 March 1989

  2,307

  1,293

  31 March 1990

  2,474

  1,578

  31 March 1991

  2,740

  2,057

  31 March 1992

  2,676

  2,231

  Fishing Closures
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to modify section 1 of the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984 in relation to(a) sea loch closures and (b) seasonal closures; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 13 November 1992]: A review of the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984 is presently taking place. A consultation paper was recently issued proposing some changes to the conservation regime including the provisions on sea loch and seasonal closures. The responses are at present being assessed and it is hoped to make an announcement on any changes before the end of the year.

WALES

  Genetic Screening
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library details of the regional and sub-regional genetic screening service in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place in the Library of the House details of the genetic screening services offered by the regional medical genetics centre at the University hospital of Wales. Details of district and sub-regional services are not held centrally.

  Cadw
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of Cadw's health and safety policy.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments under its chief executive, Mr. John Carr. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from E. A. J. Carr to Mr. John McAllion, dated 17 November 1992:

  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to the recent Parliamentary Question in which you asked if he would place a copy of Cadw's Health and Safety Policy in the Library of the House.

  The framework document for the Agency delegates to me responsibility for ensuring the health and safety of its staff and
  140
  the public who are affected by its work. We have not, however, adopted a policy separate from that of the Welsh Office's written statement setting out its approach to health and safety.

  I enclose a copy of that statement.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what is his estimate of the total amount of poll tax arrears in Wales; and if he will give the breakdown for each district authority at the latest convenient date.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Jones) on 5 November 1992, at column 377.

  Conwy Tunnel
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to undertake improvements to the landscape and highway hardware on and around the A55 approaches to the new Conwy tunnel.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Landscaping and other works at the Conwy tunnel approaches have been carried out in accordance with the planned proposals; no further works are currently anticipated other than regular maintenance.

  Child Psychotherapists
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the number of child psychotherapists employed within the NHS in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  As at 30 September 1992 there were three—whole-time equivalent of 1·5—child psychotherapists employed within the NHS in Wales.

  Teacher Training Colleges
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to reform teacher training colleges.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  We have already announced the changes to be made to the initial teacher training of teachers for secondary schools. The main thrust of these reforms is that schools should play a much larger part in initial teacher training as full partners of higher education institutions.

  The target date for the reform of initial teacher training for primary teachers is 1 September 1994. Our aim is to make primary phase teacher training more school-based and more closely related to the needs of schools.

  Educational Psychology Service
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the educational psychology service.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Educational psychology services are the responsibility of local education authorities. This will remain the case under the Education Bill. The Welsh Office makes grant available to LEAs for the initial training of educational psychologists. Expenditure of almost £200,000 is being supported in 1992–93.

  Discretionary Awards
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on discretionary awards.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The responsibility for discretionary awards for students rests with individual local education authorities. Each LEA will determine its own policies and expenditure on discretionary awards in the light of local needs and priorities.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in Wales have applied for grant-maintained status.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Three and six respectively.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will extend nursery education in Wales in the next financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There is no statutory requirement to provide children under the age of five with schooling. The provision of education in school for children under five years old is at the discretion of local education authorities.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he will take to improve the quality of life of pensioners in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  My right hon. Friend's proposals for the improvement of the quality of life of pensioners in Wales are set out in chapter 11 of the White Paper "Caring for People—Community Care in the next Decade and Beyond", Cm 849, and in guidance issued subsequently to assist authorities in preparing for its full implementation. The social care plans for the implementation of community care for the elderly, drawn up by social services authorities in Wales, jointly with health and housing authorities and others, have the following key aims and objectives:

  1. To do all that is practicable to enable elderly people to live in the home environment of their own choice.

  2. To maintain and foster maximum independence, taking into account personal and coping skills.

  3. To recognise the needs of family and other carers, and to provide them with necessary support.

  4. To encourage participation in community life, by facilitating access to social, educational and leisure opportunities.

  5. To provide information to enable individuals to make informed and realistic choices about services.

  6. To promote opportunities for elderly people, and the carers of elderly people, to contribute to the design of services and to ensure that they are able to contribute to local policy and operational planning.

  7. To respond to individuals' choice of service, while ensuring that good standards of care are maintained.

  8. To stimulate the development of a wide and flexible range of services from a variety of providers, and to ensure cooperation and effective working by all concerned.

  9. To increase public awareness of the needs and rights of elderly people.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many long-term unemployed there are in(a) Wales, (b) each of the travel-to-work areas in Clwyd and (c) Alyn and Deeside local authority areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The numbers of long-term unemployed in each of the areas requested are given in the table. The table shows unadjusted numbers of those unemployed for more than 52 weeks.

  Long-term unemployed on 8 October 1992

  Number

  Wales

  43,197

  Travel-to-work areas which are either wholly or partially within the county of Clwyd

  Conwy and Colwyn

  1,112

  Denbigh

  254

  Shotton, Flint and Rhyl

  2,003

  Wrexham

  1,699

  Local authority area

  Alyn and Deeside

  722

  Rent Arrears
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of rent arrears in each district in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Local authorities' own estimates of both current and former tenants' rent arrears at 31 March 1993 are given in the table:

  Local authority

  Rent arrears (£s)

  Aberconwy BC

  55,000

  Alyn and Deeside DC

  210,000

  Arfon BC

  97,000

  Blaenau Gwent BC

  96,201

  Brecknock BC

  65,400

  Cardiff CC

  1,000,000

  Carmarthen DC

  172,000

  Ceredigion DC

  140,000

  Colwyn BC

  95,000

  Cynon Valley BC

  22,500

  Delyn BC

  137,000

  Dinefwr BC

  129,587

  Dwyfor DC

  33,320

  Glyndwr DC

  215,000

  Islwyn BC

  110,000

  Llanelli BC

  240,243

  Lliw Valley BC

  174,000

  Meirionnydd DC

  42,000

  Merthyr Tydfil BC

  75,000

  Monmouth BC

  185,000

  Montgomeryshire DC

  80,000

  Neath BC

  217,000

  Newport BC

  620,000

  OgwrBC

  812,000

  Port Talbot BC

  130,000

  Preseli Pembrokeshire DC

  270,000

  Radnorshire DC

  26,000

  Rhondda BC

  281,000

  Rhuddlan BC

  95,000

  Rhymney Valley DC

  530,000

  South Pembrokeshire DC

  177,000

  Swansea CC

  1,299,915

  Taff Ely BC

  427,000

  143

  Local authority

  Rent arrears (£'s)

  Torfaen BC

  408,000

  Vale of Glamorgan BC

  164,000

  Wrexham Maelor BC

  292,000

  Ynys Mon BC

  158,000

  Live Music
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy on promoting live music.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In Wales, Government support for the arts is provided through the Welsh Arts Council and regional arts asssociations, with the aim of encouraging quality and innovation in all art forms. In the current financial year total Welsh Arts Council spending on live music will be almost £4 million. The regional arts associations and local authorities also fund live music.

  BBC Wales Symphony Orchestra
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what have been the financial allocations to the BBC Wales symphony orchestra in 1982, 1988 and in the latest available year; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The BBC Wales symphony orchestra receives financial support from the Welsh Arts Council. Grants were £226,487 in 1982, £396,050 in 1988 and £517,500 in 1991.

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1987–91

  VAT Registrations

  8,700

  10,900

  10,900

  10,200

  8,400

  49,100

  VAT Deregistrations

  7,200

  7,800

  7,700

  8,000

  8,800

  39,500

  Change to stock of VAT-registered business

  + 1,500

  + 3,100

  + 3,200

  + 2,200

  -400

  + 9,600

  Hearing-impaired Pupils
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what policy initiatives he has taken for the hearing impaired in the schools in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  It is the responsibility of local education authorities to identify, assess and make appropriate provision for children with special educational needs, including those with a hearing impairment. The Welsh Office makes grant available to LEAs for the training of teachers, including teachers of the deaf.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those schools in Wales that exist for the hearing impaired.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Maintained special schools which are approved specifically for children with hearing impairments are Bryn Glas School, Mold, Clwyd and Ashgrove School, Penarth, South Glamorgan. In addition, there are pupils with a number of difficulties, including hearing impairment, in other special schools and some ordinary maintained schools have units which cater for those with hearing difficulties but details are not available centrally.

  Truancy
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he has adopted to limit truancy in the primary and secondary schools in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Truancy is a serious matter. It undermines the educational process and contributes to the juvenile crime rate. Since August this year, maintained schools are required to publish their rates of unauthorised absence. This will enable us to establish the full extent of the problem and to consider what action the Department needs to take.

  Small Firms
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many small firms have gone out of business in Wales in each of the last five years.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is not available. However, VAT registration and deregistration figures, which mainly comprise smaller businesses, are available for each of the years in question and show a net addition of 9,600 VAT registered businesses in Wales for the period 1987–91, bringing the total number of VAT registered businesses in Wales to 86,700.

  The number of VAT registrations and deregistrations in Wales for each of the last five years, and the resulting change to the stock of businesses, is as follows:

  Orimulsion
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those locations in Wales where orimulsion is burned.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Orimulsion is not burned on a commercial basis in Wales at the present time. National Power plc has put forward proposals for the use of the fuel at Pembroke power station and these are under consideration by the relevant authorities.

  Point of Ayr
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to receive the report and recommendations of the inspector resulting from the inquiry into proposed development at Point of Ayr by Hamilton Oil.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  As soon as possible.

  North East Wales TEC
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to ensure that the North East Wales Training and Enterprise Council Ltd. does not receive any public money towards its proposal to build new offices for its managing director and staff.

  Mr. David Hunt
  North East Wales TEC, in collaboration with the Welsh Development Agency, will
  145
  be establishing a business development centre in Clwyd. The contribution which the TEC will make towards the cost of this Centre comes from operating surpluses it has been able to generate from the provision of training and enterprise programmes since its inception.

  The business development centre will provide an effective "one stop shop" of information, advice and assistance to local businesses and a range of facilities including a lecture theatre, fully equipped training rooms, video conferencing facilities and exhibition space. It will also provide office accommodation for both the TEC and the WDA.

  This integrated approach will help to stimulate the growth of the north-east Wales economy, making it easier for large and small businesses to access the help they need to develop and grow and to compete in domestic and overseas markets.

  Private Nursing Homes
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial contribution will be made to local authorities for supplementation to private nursing homes for the year beginning 1 April 1993.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I announced on 2 October that £35·9 million would be made available to local authorities in Wales in 1993–94 in respect of all their community care responsibilities.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Roger Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make available in the Library copies of the responses he has received to the proposals on local government reorganisation set out in his statement to the House on 3 March, at columns 171–72.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Yes. I am placing in the Library of the House copies of the formal response submitted to me by the Welsh local authority associations, individual authorities and others, together with the reports prepared by the structures group and its sub-groups. These latter reports were prepared as advice for the Welsh consultative Council on Local Government and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Welsh Office or the local authority associations.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the reasons for the different treatment of Wales from that of England and Scotland in the proposed central Government support for local authorities in table 11 of the public expenditure plans announced on 12 November.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The levels of central Government support for local authority spending in Wales, England and Scotland reflect the decisions taken by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Scotland and myself, taking account of local government functional changes for 1993–94.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Pipers Crossroads, Moneyrea
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made for the scheme to widen the road at Pipers crossroads at Moneyrea; whether the land has been acquired for the scheme; whether the design work has been completed; and when he expects work to commence on site.

  Mr. Atkins
  The vesting order to acquire the necessary land will become operative next month; design work is at an advanced stage; and work should commence towards the end of the current financial year, subject to the availability of finance.

  EC Finance
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the total sums which are identifiable as having accrued to the Northern Ireland budget from EC sources in each year since 1973.

  Mr. Mates
  Northern Ireland's largest single source of funding from the European Community is the guarantee section of the European agricultural guidance and guarantee fund. The bulk of such receipts are disbursed centrally by the Intervention Board executive agency (IBEA) and details of those receipts are not maintained on a regional basis.

  The following amounts, however, have been identified as receipts from the European Community's three structural funds:

  Year

  £ million

  1973–74

  0

  1974–75

  4

  1975–76

  4

  1976–77

  16

  1977–78

  14

  1978–79

  19

  1979–80

  31

  1980–81

  44

  1981–82

  41

  1982–83

  53

  1983–84

  51

  1984–85

  58

  1985–86

  44

  1986–87

  77

  1987–88

  111

  1988–89

  96

  1989–90

  95

  1990–91

  110

  1991–92

  132

  Private Nursing Homes
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial contribution will be made to local authorities for supplementation to private nursing homes for the year beginning 1 April 1993.

  Mr. Hanley
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State will be making an announcement shortly on the additional resources to be made available by way of transfer from the social security vote to the budgets of the health and social services boards. Any further additional funds secured in the current public expenditure round will be announced in due course.

  Health and Social Services Trusts
  Sir Anthony Durant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what is the outcome of the current application for HSS trust status in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  My noble Friend, the Earl of Arran, has decided to approve the applications for trust status from the following units:

  Belfast City hospital

  Craigavon area hospitals group

  Ulster, North Down and Ards hospitals

  Green Park unit

  Eastern ambulance service

  Down and Lisburn unit

  North Down and Ards community unit

  North and West Belfast community unit

  South and East Belfast community unit

  The application from the Mater Infirmorum hospital has been deferred to allow the future role of the hospital to be clarified in the light of the Eastern health and social services board's current review of acute services.

  Waiting list by category

  District

  at 30 September 1991

  at 31 March 1992

  at 30 September 1992

  As

  Bs

  As

  Bs

  As

  Bs

  Antrim

  77

  576

  82

  609

  72

  586

  Armagh

  44

  489

  62

  497

  49

  484

  Ballycastle

  26

  160

  21

  167

  23

  157

  Ballymena

  88

  565

  99

  601

  96

  651

  Ballymoney

  28

  287

  18

  310

  16

  326

  Banbridge

  60

  262

  46

  266

  41

  238

  Bangor

  113

  901

  120

  889

  138

  824

  Belfast 1

  169

  513

  131

  524

  162

  526

  Belfast 2

  177

  822

  165

  834

  131

  771

  Belfast 3

  339

  451

  292

  433

  249

  418

  Belfast 4

  243

  604

  217

  656

  223

  586

  Belfast 5

  202

  420

  202

  408

  238

  415

  Belfast 6

  132

  483

  128

  501

  138

  492

  Belfast 7

  238

  1,025

  220

  1,058

  209

  1,025

  Carrickfergus

  56

  468

  45

  501

  66

  495

  Castlereagh 1

  35

  248

  28

  245

  35

  207

  Castlereagh 2

  63

  455

  73

  450

  69

  445

  Coleraine

  83

  717

  75

  698

  67

  694

  Cookstown

  37

  189

  21

  209

  20

  212

  Craigavon

  14

  223

  5

  193

  6

  173

  Downpatrick

  134

  597

  100

  620

  157

  667

  Dungannon

  28

  358

  42

  378

  26

  394

  Fermanagh

  92

  444

  81

  465

  76

  465

  Larne

  54

  364

  64

  364

  58

  352

  Limavady

  61

  288

  54

  367

  55

  340

  Lisburn 1

  132

  512

  129

  539

  135

  495

  Lisburn 2

  38

  285

  57

  320

  54

  287

  Lisburn 3

  85

  326

  57

  322

  66

  321

  Londonderry 1

  198

  422

  199

  432

  202

  440

  Londonderry 2

  91

  339

  100

  369

  122

  394

  Londonderry 3

  98

  258

  85

  249

  125

  257

  Lurgan

  74

  428

  57

  462

  49

  429

  Magherafelt

  45

  333

  51

  331

  41

  355

  Newry 1

  61

  423

  41

  441

  50

  430

  Newry 2

  55

  407

  63

  434

  47

  443

  Newtownabbey 1

  43

  308

  41

  349

  52

  344

  Newtownabbey 2

  57

  441

  47

  437

  60

  460

  Newtownards 1

  116

  467

  97

  489

  87

  473

  Newtownards 2

  53

  251

  28

  245

  32

  231

  Omagh

  42

  476

  59

  485

  58

  439

  Portadown

  48

  364

  47

  403

  43

  405

  Strabane

  71

  299

  67

  347

  67

  317

  148
  The approved HSS trusts will come into operation on 1 April 1993, apart from the last four—community-based units—whose establishment is dependent on the passage of amending legislation and cannot therefore be before 1 April 1994.

  Housing
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list, for each district office of the Housing Executive, for each of the last six quarters, their waiting list broken down by category, the number of allocations by category, the longest period for which applicants had been A1 homeless and priority transfer and the average period spent in each of those categories by the respective applicants who were allocated houses.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 5 November 1992]: This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive. I am advised that the available information is as follows:
  149

  Allocations by category Six month period ending:—

  District

  30 September 1991

  31 March 1992

  30 September 1992

  As

  Bs

  As

  Bs

  As

  Bs

  Antrim

  82

  166

  69

  152

  92

  111

  Armagh

  48

  73

  45

  75

  51

  84

  Ballycastle

  15

  7

  16

  7

  21

  2

  Ballymena

  103

  143

  96

  166

  81

  118

  Ballymoney

  34

  32

  32

  26

  21

  25

  Banbridge

  72

  25

  54

  26

  34

  43

  Bangor

  106

  34

  107

  49

  104

  34

  Belfast 1

  78

  41

  97

  45

  51

  22

  Belfast 2

  123

  102

  108

  79

  135

  76

  Belfast 3

  143

  27

  102

  28

  108

  27

  Belfast 4

  52

  87

  39

  62

  35

  91

  Belfast 5

  76

  213

  62

  221

  56

  56

  Belfast 6

  51

  124

  58

  92

  80

  112

  Belfast 7

  157

  112

  99

  90

  127

  125

  Carrickfergus

  71

  80

  66

  77

  51

  68

  Castlereagh 1

  35

  248

  71

  117

  60

  134

  Castlereagh 2

  54

  37

  51

  29

  46

  27

  Coleraine

  95

  88

  51

  102

  74

  59

  Cookstown

  37

  49

  24

  42

  10

  48

  Craigavon

  23

  79

  24

  131

  16

  96

  Downpatrick

  95

  58

  114

  61

  76

  31

  Dungannon

  41

  58

  45

  95

  59

  63

  Fermanagh

  78

  45

  71

  48

  78

  41

  Larne

  52

  30

  45

  39

  58

  29

  Limavady

  57

  24

  44

  14

  45

  16

  Lisburn 1

  127

  73

  131

  78

  133

  76

  Lisburn 2

  46

  35

  40

  39

  48

  47

  Lisburn 3

  52

  1

  116

  11

  140

  7

  Londonderry 1

  80

  9

  48

  7

  93

  5

  Londonderry 2

  91

  65

  88

  64

  100

  41

  Londonderry 3

  120

  5

  113

  1

  73

  0

  Lurgan

  41

  56

  47

  33

  48

  49

  Magherafelt

  36

  28

  27

  33

  37

  23

  Newry 1

  64

  27

  67

  32

  68

  16

  Newry 2

  52

  54

  56

  27

  74

  44

  Newtownabbey 1

  32

  174

  36

  152

  47

  140

  Newtownabbey 2

  79

  84

  54

  159

  53

  82

  Newtownards 1

  126

  32

  100

  34

  112

  90

  Newtownards 2

  53

  13

  48

  20

  35

  27

  Omagh

  65

  63

  78

  31

  69

  34

  Portadown

  29

  64

  27

  37

  40

  48

  Strabane

  32

  49

  31

  58

  33

  63

  Irish Languages
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will name the schools, public bodies and Government sponsored associations involved in the promotion of the Irish language; and how many individuals use these facilities.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 9 November 1992]: Details of the number of pupils studying Irish in individual schools are not available. However, on the basis of a 10 per cent. sample survey relating to those schools which offered Irish as a subject in the 1988–89 academic year, it has been estimated that 26,210 were studying Irish. Those schools are listed in the annex.

  There are in addition two grant-aided primary schools which teach through the medium of Irish and an Irish medium unit in an English medium primary school with a total enrolment of 648 in September 1992.

  The Arts Council of Northern Ireland provides grants for relevant projects and activities involving the Irish language—for example, in the fields of drama and literature. No information is available centrally as to the numbers participating in these activities.
  150
  The Ultach trust was established with Government support in 1989 to widen appreciation of the contribution which the Irish language makes to the cultural heritage of Northern Ireland and to increase knowledge of the language throughout the community. In 1991–92 Ultach supported 64 projects. No information is available centrally as to the numbers participating in these projects.

  The origins of placenames project began on I October 1987 and involves a team of 5 academics located in Queen's university. The Project was assigned the following task by the Department of the Environment:
  "to research the origin of all names of settlements and physical features in Northern Ireland appearing on the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 scale map; to indicate their meaning and to note any historical or other relevant information. The project will enable an authenticated Irish language version to be provided for most of these names."

  Currently the Training and Employment Agency's action for community employment scheme assists employment in six projects which promote the Irish language. Information on the number of individuals using these facilities is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The British Broadcasting Corporation local radio provision includes Irish-medium and bilingual Irish-English magazine programmes and schools programmes which support Irish teaching in English-medium schools.

  151
  A bilingual series and several Irish-medium and bilingual feature programmes have been broadcast on television. Information on the number of individuals using these facilities is not available.

  In the financial year 1991–92 93 prisoners used the educational and translation facilities provided by the prison service.

  SCHOOLS OFFERING IRISH LANGUAGE—1988–89

  School

  Abbey Grammar School, Newry

  Assumption Grammar School, Ballynahinch

  Carnhill High School, Londonderry

  Christian Brothers' Grammar, Omagh

  Christian Brothers' Grammar School, Belfast

  Christian Brothers' Secondary School, Glengormley

  Christian Brothers' Secondary School, Belfast

  Convent Grammar School, Enniskillen

  Corpus Christi College, Belfast

  Cross and Passion College, Ballycastle

  Cross and Passion High School, Belfast

  Dean Brian Maguire High School. Carrickmore

  Dominican College, Portstewart

  Dominican College, Belfast

  Drumcree High School, Portadown

  La Salle Boy's Secondary School, Belfast

  Lismore Comprehensive School, Craigavon

  Little Flower Girls' Secondary School, Belfast

  Loreto College, Coleraine

  Loreto Convent Grammar School, Omagh

  Our Lady and St. Patrick's College, Knock

  Our Lady of Mercy Secondary School, Strabane

  Our Lady's High School, Cookstown

  Our Lady's Girls' Grammar School

  Convent of Mercy, Newry

  Rathmore Grammar School, Finaghy

  Sacred Heart Girl's Grammar School, Newry

  St. Aiden's High School, Enniskillen

  St. Aiden's High School, Glenavy

  St. Aloysius Secondary School, Cushendall

  St. Brechan's High School, Londonderry

  St. Brigid's Boys' High School, Armagh

  St. Catherine's College, Armagh

  St. Cecelia's Secondary School, Londonderry

  St. Ciaran's Secondary, Ballygawley

  St. Colm's Secondary School, Draperstown

  St. Colman's High School, Strabane

  St. Colman's College, Newry

  St. Colmoille's High School, Crossgar

  St. Columb's College, Londonderry

  St. Columba's High School, Portaferry

  St. Columban's High School, Kilkeel

  St. Columbanus's high School, Bangor

  St. Comgall's High School, Larne

  St. Comgall's Secondary School, Enniskillen

  St. Dominic's High School, Belfast

  St. Eugene's Secondary School, Castlederg

  St. Eugene's Secondary School, Enniskillen

  St. Gabriel's Secondary School, Belfast

  St. Gemma's Secondary School, Belfast

  St. Genevieve's High School, Belfast

  St. John's Secondary School, Dromore

  St. Joseph's Boys' Secondary School, Newry

  St. Joseph's Grammar School, Donaghmore

  St. Joseph's High School, Crossmaglen

  St. Joseph's High School, Coalisland

  St. Joseph's Secondary School, Londonderry

  St. Joseph's Secondary School, Plumbridge

  St. Louis Grammar School, Ballymena

  St. Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel

  St. Louise's Comprehensive College, Balfast

  St. MacNissi's College, Carnlough

  St. Malachy's College, Belfast

  St. Malachy's High School, Castlewellan

  St. Mary's Convent Grammar School, Magherafelt

  St. Mary's Girl's High School, Downpatrick

  St. Mary's High School, Limavady

  St. Mary's Junior High School, Lurgan

  St. Mary's Secondary School, Londonderry

  152

  St. Michael's Grammar School, Enniskillen

  St. Michael's Senior High School, Lurgan

  St. Olcan's Secondary School, Randalstown

  St. Patrick's College, Maghera

  St. Patrick's and St. Brigid's Secondary School, Claudy

  St. Patrick's Boys' Academy, Dungannon

  St. Patrick's Boys' Secondary School, Dungannon

  St. Patrick's Boys' Secondary School, Omagh

  St. Patrick's Girls' Academy, Dungannon

  St. Patrick's Girls' Secondary School, Dungannon

  St. Patrick's High School, Dungiven

  St. Patrick's High School, Ballymena

  St. Patrick's High School, Downpatrick

  St. Patrick's High School, Banbridge

  St. Patrick's High School, Cookstown

  St. Patrick's High School, Keady

  St. Paul's Junior High School, Lurgan

  St. Paul's Secondary School, Kilrea

  St. Paul's Secondary School, Bessbrook

  St. Peter's Secondary School, Londonderry

  St. Pius X Secondary School, Magherafelt

  St. Joseph's Boys' Secondary School, Enniskillen

  St. Patrick's Grammar, Armagh

  Thornhill College Convent of Mercy, Londonderry

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Sheep Dip
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when training courses will be available to farmers on the dangers of sheep dip to human beings.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have been asked to reply.

  Training courses for farmers on sheep husbandry tasks are available from the Agricultural training board, various agricultural colleges and other training organisations. The hazards of sheep dip and the health and safety precautions to take during sheep dipping operations are included in these courses.

EMPLOYMENT

  Youth Training
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of those leaving youth training in 1991 in(a) Lancashire and (b) Pendle have found full-time employment within six months.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Of those leaving youth training training providers in Lancashire in 1991, 51 per cent. found full-time employment within six months. Figures for Pendle are not available.

  Earnings
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the gap between the earnings of Britain's highest and lowest paid in(a) 1962 and (b)

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information nearest to that requested is contained in table 15 of part A of the "New Earning Survey" for the years 1980, 1990 and 1992. Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers currently receive less than £207·13 a week.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information closest to that requested can be found in table 14 of part A of the "New Earnings Survey 1992", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Redundancies
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies in the textile industry have taken place in(a) Lancashire and (b) the north-west region for each year since 1979.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is available only from the confirmed redundancies series that was discontinued from summer 1992. The number of confirmed redundancies recorded in the textile industry in Lancashire and the north-west region in each of the years 1979 to 1991 are given in the following table. Since spring 1992 the main source of data on redundancies has been the quarterly "Labour Force Survey" which provides a more reliable measure of the number of redundancies than the discontinued series, but does not provide the type of detailed analyses requested.

  Year

  Lancashire

  North West Region

  1979

  2,061

  5,124

  1980

  8,976

  19,164

  1981

  2,630

  9,003

  1982

  1,729

  4,803

  1983

  782

  2,837

  1984

  199

  1,490

  1985

  26

  1,134

  1986

  48

  1,318

  1987

  231

  952

  1988

  184

  1,400

  1989

  938

  1,959

  1990

  391

  2,764

  1991

  942

  2,482

  Unpaid Probation
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals she has to prohibit employers from offering unemployed people a period of unpaid probation on the basis of continuing to receive unemployment benefit and meal and travel allowances.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  We have no such proposals. Under our successful job interview guarantee a person unemployed for six months or more can try out a job with 154
  an employer for up to three weeks, with a guaranteed interview at the end of that period. In 1993–94 we intend to expand the number of these work trials arranged by the employment service to 20,000.

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the cost of the market testing department in the Health and Safety Executive when it is fully staffed.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The salary cost of the market testing section which the executive plans to have in place are expected to be around £180,000 in a full year at 1992 costs.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the cost of the consultant assisting the director general of the Health and Safety Executive in compiling his report on market testing; how he was appointed; and what was his previous occupation or employer.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The consultant is a partner with Touche Ross and has extensive experience of market testing in the public sector, both in central and local government. He was appointed under HSE's normal procedures, following an invitation to tender and a personal interview. HSE followed the guidance on the ethics of conducting business with the private sector contained in the Treasury public competition and purchasing unit publication—CUP16 in appointing him. I regard his rate of remuneration as commercial in confidence.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the business case for the Health and Safety Executive FOCUS computer system will he placed in the Library and made public.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The FOCUS business case is a working document prepared by the Health and Safety Executive for internal use to support the proposed introduction of the FOCUS computer system and not for publication.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will raise the maximum age limit of the aim group for employment training.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Employment training is open to unemployed people up to the age of 59 who meet the general eligibility conditions. However, those aged 50 and over do not fall within any of the categories of unemployed people who have priority for places. Under training for work, which is to replace employment training from April 1993, age will not be a factor in determining priority.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many and what percentage of the working population are on work-related Government training programmes in each region.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information is shown in the following table:

  Participants on work-related Government training programmes June 1992

  Region

  Work-related Government training schemes1

  Percentage of civilian work force in employment

  South East2

  57,000

  0·7

  Greater London

  29,000

  0·8

  East Anglia

  8,000

  0·9

  South West

  22,000

  1·1

  West Midlands

  32,000

  1·4

  East Midlands

  22,000

  1·3

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  34,000

  1·6

  North West

  46,000

  1·7

  North

  32,000

  2·6

  Wales

  20,000

  1·7

  Scotland

  43,000

  1·9

  1 Includes all participants on government training and employment programmes who are receiving some work experience on their placement but who do not have a contract of employment.

  2 Including Greater London.

  Private Detectives
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what use her Department has made of private detectives in each of the last five years; at what cost; and if she will list the firms involved.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Employment Department group has not employed any private detectives in any of the last five years.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list for each training and enterprise council their total reserves at the end of the last financial year.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  All of the information requested has not yet been received from the training and enterprise councils and may not be received for some considerable time. I will write to my hon. Friend with the information as required.

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) establishments and (b) employees were covered by wages councils in each standard region in (i) 1979, (ii) 1986, (iii) 1989 and (iv) 1991; and what percentage of the working population this represents in each region.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The available estimates, which are for wages inspectorate divisions in 1989 and 1992, are given in the following table. I regret that data on a consistent basis are not available for 1979 and 1986.

  (a) number of workers (000s)

  Wages inspectorate division

  1989

  1992

  Southern:

  London

  367

  330

  South East

  268

  275

  East

  233

  253

  South West1

  318

  360

  Midlands

  380

  411

  North West1

  335

  345

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  214

  225

  North

  133

  140

  Scotland

  224

  220

  (b) number of establishments (000s)

  Wages inspectorate division

  1989

  1992

  Southern:

  London

  56

  51

  South East

  41

  43

  East

  36

  39

  South West1

  49

  56

  Midlands

  58

  64

  North West1

  51

  54

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  33

  35

  North

  20

  22

  Scotland

  34

  35

  1 North Wales is covered by the North West Division and South Wales by the South West Division.

  There are no estimates of the percentage which these figures represent of the working population in each of the wages inspectorate's divisions but about 10 per cent. of the Great Britain work force are employed in industries covered by wages councils.

TRANSPORT

  West Coast Main Line
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with British Rail on relaxation of the passengers charter with regard to the west coast main line; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  New passengers charter performance standards for InterCity services, including those operating on the west coast main line, are at present being discussed by British Rail and the Department of Transport.

  Rail Franchises
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many respondents to his consultation document on rail franchises expressed an interest in operating services.
  157
  Mr. Freeman
  Thirty-five of those who have so far responded to the consultation document have expressed interest in operating services. In addition, several companies have told us that, although they were unable to meet the 12 November deadline, they would be registering an interest shortly.

  Ports
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what(a) capital investment and (b) other measures he plans to improve transport links to Britain's ports.

  Mr. Norris
  Many programmed motorway and trunk road schemes will improve access to ports, in particular planned schemes on the A2, M2, M3, A12, A20, M20, A259, A27, A580, A 1033, and the M1–A1 link.

  Airports
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the figures for cross-subsidy to Stansted airport from Heathrow and Gatwick airports over the last two years.

  Mr. Norris
  The revenue and operating profit or loss for each of the British Aiports Authority's airports is contained in the annual published accounts of BAA plc. In addition, the Monopolies and Mergers Commission undertook in 1991 a detailed examination of Heathrow Airport Ltd., Gatwick Airport Ltd. and Stansted Airport Ltd. Its report was published by the Civil Aviation Authority in July 1991 and a copy placed in the Library.

  Roads
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will postpone all further consideration of a second A38 road crossing of the River Tamar until such time as a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis has established the relative economic and environmental advantages of current and proposed improvements to the A30 and A39 Atlantic highway.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  All current and proposed improvement schemes in the road programme, including all those referred to in the question, are subjected to such analyses, and proceed only if they are justified.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made with(a) the Camelford bypass (b) Alliss to south Penlean, (c) the Stratton diversion, (d) the Kilkhampton bypass, (e) Clovelly cross to Seckington and (f) the Bucks cross improvement schemes for the A39 Atlantic highway; and what changes have taken place since his Department's south-west regional brief 1991.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Progress on the preparation of these schemes has been made as resources have permitted. Compared with the position at October 1991 reported in the Department's south-west regional brief, current plans are:

  Camelford bypass

  Public consultation 1993

  Allins to South Penlean improvement

  Public consultation held 1992

  158

  Stratton diversion

  Surveys under way for Public consultation 1994

  Kilkhampton bypass

  Clover Cross to

  Public consultation 1994

  Seckington improvement

  Bucks Cross improvement

  M6
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest position in relation to the M6 widening proposals in the north of the Coventry, North-East constituency.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Preparation work is proceeding satisfactorily; we expect to be ready to consult the public on proposals for widening the length between the M1 and junction 4 towards the end of next year.

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what targets or time scales he will apply to his Department under the citizens charter with respect to decisions on road construction projects.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The time taken to announce decisions on trunk road schemes after a public inquiry will depend on the complexity of the scheme and the weight and nature of the objections.

  More generally, we are concerned about how long it takes to prepare major trunk road schemes. We have appointed consultants to review the statutory and administrative procedures involved and to recommend possible changes which might speed up the process.

  Search and Rescue
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the civilian emergencies in each of the last six years attended by the search and rescue services.

  Mr. Norris
  From HM coastguard records, the numbers of incidents on the coast and at sea attended by the United Kingdom search and rescue services, including governmental and voluntary resources, for each of the last six years are as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1986

  5,300

  1987

  5,563

  1988

  6,261

  1989

  6,835

  1990

  7,076

  1991

  7,212

  West Highland Railway Line
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total subsidy paid to British Rail in 1991–92 for the operation of services(a) on the West Highland line and (b) specifically on the line to Oban; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The public service obligation grant is not allocated on a line by line basis. The total grant paid to British Rail in 1991–92 was £892 million.
  159
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representationss he has had regarding the future of rail services on the West Highland line; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  None.

  Petroleum
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what safety regulations govern the transportation of petroleum by road; what plans there are to review the regulations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The regulations for transport of dangerous goods by road are made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Those affecting the transport of petroleum are:

  The Dangerous Substances (Carriage of Dangerous Substances in Road Tankers and Tank Containers) Regulations 1992;

  The Classification, Packaging and Labelling of Dangerous Substances Regulations 1984;

  The Road Traffic (Carriage of Dangerous Substances in Packages etc.) Regulations 1992;

  The Road Traffic (Training of Drivers of Vehicles Carrying Dangerous Goods) Regulations 1992.

  The Health and Safety Executive and the Department of Transport regularly review the regulations in the light of changes to international recommendations, developments in technology and practical experience.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents since 1982 involved the transportation of petroleum by road; if he will list the number of fatalities and injured; how many of those accidents occurred in residential areas; and if he will list the number of fatalities and injured in those areas.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The information is not available in the form requested. There have been three fatalities and few serious injuries resulting from the transport of petroleum by road since 1982. There were 440 reported incidents of overturning or other serious damage, release of product of fire involving road tankers carrying all types of dangerous substances from 1982 to 1991. Incidents occurring in residential areas cannot readily be separately identified.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents since 1982 involved the transportation of petroleum by rail; if he will list the number of fatalities and injured; how many of those accidents occurred in residential areas; and if he will list the number of fatalities and injured in those areas.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate has a record of all reported freight train accidents.

  The inspectorate is aware of five serious accidents during this period involving petroleum trains, none of which gave rise to death or major injury.

  Noise Insulation Grants
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in deciding whether schools should be eligible for noise insulation grants when they are in close proximity to airfields; and when he expects to make an announcement.
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  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  A number of issues raised by the draft report of the sub-group of the land compensation working party have to be resolved. It is hoped that an announcement will be made shortly.

  British Rail (Freight)
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made with the Government's plans for the sale of British Rail's freight businesses to the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The privatisation of British Rail's freight businesses requires primary legislation. Subject to enactment of that legislation, we intend that privatisation will commence in 1994. We are aiming to announce preferred options for the restructuring of the freight businesses prior to privatisation in the first part of next year.

  Passenger Rail Services
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with interested parties regarding the Government's plans for the franchising of passenger rail services in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department is considering responses to the consultation document issued on 12 October, and will be having discussions with some of those respondents. I shall be visiting Scotland next month as part of my national programme of presentations on our proposals for privatising British Rail.

  Road Accidents (Summer Time)
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence he has on the connection between the ending of British summer time and traffic accidents and casualties, with particular reference to children.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Detailed estimates, by the Transport Research Laboratory, of the casualty savings that would accrue from a change to the present summer time regime are contained in paragraphs 26 to 43 of the 1989 Home Office document "'Summer Time— A Consultation Document". Copies of this are available in the House Library.

  The estimates of the casualty savings that would accrue from a single double summer time regime have been updated to take account of 1991 casualty data. This indicates a saving of 140 fatalities, 520 serious injuries and 1,200 slight injuries, many of which would be child casualties.

  Chelmsford/A12 Bypass
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he now expects the emergency telephones on the Chelmsford/A12 bypass to be erected and in operation.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 16 November 1992]: The telephones are currently being installed and should be in service early next month.

  Heavy Goods Vehicle Instructors
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to operate a scheme for registration of heavy goods vehicle instructors along the lines of his scheme for driving instructors; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 16 November 1992]: I have no such plans. All large goods vehicle candidates must already have passed a car driving test and then face the very demanding LGV driving test. There is no clear road safety evidence to justify further regulation.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what qualifications he considers suitable for HGV instructors; how they differ from driving instructors; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 16 November 1992]: My Department does not set qualifications for LGV driving instructors beyond requiring that they hold a full licence for driving the category of vehicle. The Driving Standards Agency is, however, preparing an official learner syllabus for LGV drivers which will help trainers and trainees alike.

  School Buses
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 3 November,Official Report, column 160, when he completed the review of the Carrying Capacity Regulations 1984 and associated regulations regarding the permissibility of three children aged under 14 travelling on a double seat as referred to in his reply to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Mr. Mackinlay), 25 June, Official Report, column 273; and what are the reasons underlying the decision not to change the regulations.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 16 November 1992]: We are continuing to review these regulations. For the present, as I said in my reply of 3 November, I have no plans to amend the regulations.

  Commuter Services
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to divert sufficient amounts of the proposed increased investment by British Rail to modernise commuter services to and from London, including the Fenchurch street line to Southend.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is for British Rail to set priorities for investment within the resources at its disposal.

  BR is currently reviewing its priorities in the light of the autumn statement and I will write to my right hon. Friend in due course.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  India
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library the text of the extradition treaty with India he signed on behalf of Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The extradition treaty between the United Kingdom and India was signed on 23 September 1992 and copies placed in the Libraries of both Houses on that date.

  Baltic States
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Russian Government regarding its cancellation of troop withdrawals from the Baltic states.

  Mr. Hogg
  The Russian Government have suspended rather than cancelled withdrawals from the Baltic states. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised the matter with President Yeltsin during their talks in London on 9 November, and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed it with the Russian Foreign Minister on 10 November.

  Publicity Expenditure
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total spending in Britain by the European Commission and its agencies on information, public relations and publicity in 1980 and 1990.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Details of the information and publicity budgets of institutions are set out in the EC general budget. This is published in the Official Journal, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The Commission and other EC institutions do not specify what proportion of their information budgets are spent in each member state.

  Private Detectives
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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.

  Mr. Goodlad
  None.

  Kaliningrad
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on levels of military deployment within the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Republic.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Kaliningrad region of the Russian republic contains the headquarters of the Russian Baltic fleet. We understand that there are at least 30,000 ground forces, as well as significant numbers of aircraft of the Russian naval air force and the Russian air force based there. Kaliningrad is a significant staging-post for Russian ground troops withdrawn from Germany and Poland.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Renton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospects for economic, political and democratic growth in Hong Kong as outlined in the Governor's speech last month to the Legislative Council; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Government fully endorse the economic, social and political policies for Hong Kong set out in the Governor's address to the Legislative Council on 7 October.

  The economic prospects of Hong Kong are very encouraging. Hong Kong's projected annual GDP growth

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  between now and 1997 is expected to average 5 per cent. in real terms. The growing economic co-operation between the territory and southern China has enabled Hong Kong to benefit from the remarkable rates of growth in China in recent years.

  The best way to protect Hong Kong's prosperity and stability in the years ahead is to maintain the territory's way of life. The Governor made a number of proposals in his speech aimed at making the administration of Hong Kong more effective and broadening the participation of Hong Kong people in running their own affairs. We consider that these proposals are consistent with the joint declaration and the basic law. The Governor has made clear that he is willing to consider alternative proposals if these meet the requirement of being open, fair and commanding widespread support in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Hong Kong citizens have applied for United Kingdom passports; what is the likely proportion that will be granted passports; and how many dependants are likely to attach to each passport granted.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Some 66,511 Hong Kong residents have applied to date for British citizenship in the first phase of the British nationality scheme under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990. About 39,418 of them are expected to be successful in their application.

  Present indications are that the principal beneficiaries each have two dependants on average.

  Iraq
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in the light of the documents made available in the Matrix Churchill court case, he will make further inquiries into the circumstances of the death of journalist Jonathan Moyle in 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  As I told the House on 21 January 1991, we have previously looked into media reports that Mr. Moyle may have come across information about Chilean arms sales to Iraq, but we have no evidence to substantiate this.

  Mr. Jonathan Moyle's tragic death is still under investigation by the Chilean authorities, and the British Embassy in Santiago remains in touch with those authorities.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of any formal or informal agreement reached by EC ministers for EC member states to receive families from Bosnian detention camps this year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  This question was discussed at the EC Foreign Affairs Council on 9 November but no agreement, formal or informal, was reached. We have offered to accept 150 (plus dependants) in the first instance and are looking at what more we can do. We understand that EC partners have made similar offers.

  Public Works Contracts
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the dates on which regulations equivalent to the Public Works Contracts Regulations 1991 were enacted or came into force in each other EC member state.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The material requested is not held centrally and will need some time to be collected. I will provide as full a response as I can as soon as possible.

  Wilton Park
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made on the appointment of a departmental board for the Wilton Park executive agency; and whether targets have been agreed for the current year.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Wilton Park departmental board was appointed earlier this year and held its first meeting on 23 October. I have agreed the recommendation of the board that the following key targets be adopted for this financial year:

  to increase income from £790,000 to £876,000;

  to recover 72·5 per cent. of costs;

  to increase the overall number of Wilton Park conference participants from 720 to 860;

  to reduce the average cost to the FCO of each participant from £426 to £387.

  Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 9 November.

  Mr. Hurd
  I chaired the Foreign Affairs Council on 9 November. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and, on trade issues including GATT, my hon. Friend the Minister of Trade represented the United Kingdom.

  There was a discussion of guiding principles on subsidiarity on the basis of a draft presidency paper. It was agreed that COREPER would report to the next meeting of the Council. There was discussion on how to introduce greater openness into the work of the Community following the discussion at the European Council in Birmingham. COREPER will take this work forward too.

  Progress in ratifying the Maastricht treaty was discussed informally. The Danish Foreign Minister explained the Danish proposals. We as presidency agreed to liaise closely with the Danes and our other partners to reach agreement on a framework for a solution at Edinburgh. I reiterated the Government's commitment to securing the passage of the European Communities (Amendment) Bill in order to permit the United Kingdom to ratify the Maastricht treaty.

  There was a further discussion on the Community's finances, based on outline conclusions tabled by the presidency and on a presentation by the President of the Commission.

  The Commission reported on recent negotiations with the United States on GATT and oilseeds. The Council urged the Commission to resume negotiations with the United States and warned that United States unilateral

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  action could lead to a retaliatory spiral. The Council emphasised the vital importance of early action by both sides to avoid this.

  The Council welcomed the Commission's opinion on Finland's application to join the Community. It was agreed that this should be considered as part of the preparations for enlargement negotiations with the EFTA countries.

  The right hon. and noble Lord Owen briefed Ministers on recent developments in the former Yugoslavia. Ministers had a wide ranging discussion of the crisis, including the plight of released detainees. They agreed to continue work on tightening sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro.

  An EC/Turkey Association Council took place in the margins of the Council. The Council agreed on a new political dialogue arrangements with Turkey, including meetings at the highest level and regular meetings at Foreign Minister level.

  Korea
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent visit by their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales to the Republic of Korea.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Their Royal Highnesses were the guests of President Roh Tae Woo. The Korean Government and people gave them an extremely warm reception as a mark of the esteem in which they and Britain are held in Korea. Their Royal Highnesses undertook a very busy schedule which involved meeting many distinguished and influential Koreans. Their visit provided an excellent base from which to develop further the already good bilateral relations which exist. Their Royal Highnesses attended a number of major commercial promotions, several sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry. Their presence provided a unique opportunity for British companies to demonstrate their commitment to the market, and to raise the profile of British business and technology in South Korea's growing economy.

PRIME MINISTER

  Security Service
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements he intends to make for parliamentary scrutiny of the Security Service and the secret intelligence service.

  The Prime Minister
  As I explained to the hon. Member on 13 May 1992,Official Report, column 103, the security and intelligence services are all subject to close ministerial oversight, and the Ministers are responsible to Parliament. There is now also a Commissioner for the Security Service who produces an annual report to Parliament, and a tribunal for those who have grievances. There will be an opportunity for Parliament to debate such matters when legislation is brought forward.

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 17 November.

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

  Cabinet Committees
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Prime Minister whether it is customary for decisions made in Cabinet Committee to be relayed to Members of the Cabinet who have not attended that meeting.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 16 November 1992]: Not in all cases. The procedures for Cabinet committees are set out in paragraph 4 of the "Questions of Procedure for Ministers," which is available in the Library.

EDUCATION

  Governing Bodies
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a further statement on the corporate status of governing bodies of schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The Education Bill includes provision for the incorporation of governing bodies of LEA-maintained schools.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what factors he will take into account when considering the recommendations from the School Teachers' Pay Review Body.

  Mr. Patten
  I set out in my letters to the chairman of the school teachers' review body dated 24 July and 12 November the considerations which should inform their recommendations for teachers' pay and conditions of service in 1993–94. Copies are in the Library.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on teachers' pay.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has asked the school teachers' review body to make recommendations on teachers' pay and statutory conditions of service from April 1993. His letters to the chairman of the school teachers' review body dated 24 July and 12 November set out the matters on which he has asked for recommendations, and the considerations to which the review body is to have regard. Copies of both letters are in the Library.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received regarding performance-related pay for teachers and the scheme's proposed introduction.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has received a small number of representations on the introduction of performance-related pay for school teachers. He has asked the school teachers' review body to recommend how the pay of all school teachers might be more closely related to their individual performance.

  University Entrance (Cumbria)
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information he has available to him as to the proportion of sixth formers in Cumbria going on to attend university.

  Mr. Forman
  More than 1,200 students from Cumbria entered universities in Great Britain and polytechnics and colleges in England in 1990–91. This represented nearly 20 per cent. of the young adult population in Cumbria, and was very similar to national participation races for that year.

  Schools (Surplus Places)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the latest Government estimate of the number of surplus places in schools in England.

  Mr. Patten
  We estimate that there are currently up to 1·5 million surplus places in England.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what provisions he has made in relation to the auditing of the accounts of grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The governing body of a grant-maintained school is required to appoint qualified external auditors, which may include the Audit Commission, to audit the school's annual accounts. The Department has issued guidance on the form of an audit code for governors and auditors of grant-maintained schools. As for other Exchequer-funded bodies, grant-maintained schools are subject to the oversight of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of schools in England have had ballots on grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  Ballots have been held at 701 schools in England to date, that is around 3·5 per cent. of eligible schools. The sevenfold increase in ballots last month compared to October last year reflects the significant increase of interest following publication of the White Paper.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from Blackburn about his proposals for grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has received no representations from Blackburn about his proposals for grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) secondary and (b) primary schools are now operating under grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  A total of 225 secondary schools and 53 primary schools are currently operating under grant-maintained status. A further 43 secondary schools arid 21 primary schools have received approval.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the contributions which can be made by grant-maintained schools in rural areas.
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  Mr. Forth
  The advantages of grant-maintained status —for example, the ability of schools to manage their own affairs, their accountability to parents and the local community and not to a bureaucracy, and popularity with parents shown by the increased applications for places—apply equally to schools in rural as in other areas.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent representations he has received about the future funding of grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Forth
  We have received a number of representations on the future funding of grant-maintained schools in the light of the White Paper. We aim to publish consultation papers on the arrangements for calculation of grant in 1993–94 and on the common funding formula before the end of the year.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on changes in the resources for 1993–94 available for(a) grant-maintained schools and (b) local education authority schools.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend announced provision for grant-maintained schools for 1993–94 in his reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 12 November at columns 894–97.

  Details of the Government's assumptions about the level of local authority recurrent spending in 1993–94, including spending on education, will be announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment later this month, along with other details of next year's local authority finance settlement.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what capital funding arrangements he is making for newly appointed grant-maintained schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  All new and existing grant-maintained schools are invited to bid for grant funding for capital projects in an annual bidding round. All bids are judged strictly on their merits and in the light of the funds available. Decisions on the bids received from schools for 1993–94 projects will be announced in the new year.

  Grant-maintained schools' annual maintenance grant includes an element for minor repair work. Schools also receive a formula allocation of capital grant for longer-term repairs and minor capital projects. In 1992–93 schools becoming grant-maintained in April received a full-year's formula allocation. Schools becoming grant-maintained in September received a proportion of their full-year allocation once incorporated. Schools can decide how to allocate this funding and are free to set their own priorities including the amount which they spend on repairs and maintenance.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about the funding available in the next financial year to finance pre-school education.

  Mr. Forth
  Details of the Government's proposals for next year's funding settlement for local authorities will be announced later this month. Within the framework of the settlement, individual local authorities are free to determine their own policies and expenditure on under-fives provision.

  Sixteen-year-olds
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will state the total number of 16-year-olds expected to enter the labour market during this year.

  Mr. Forman
  The total number of 16-year-olds in England in the current academic year is 551,000, of whom some 397,000 are expected to be in full-time education at a school or further education college. The balance of 154,000 represents the number of young people expected to enter the labour market. A significant proportion of these are expected to be undertaking part-time education or training at a further education institution or on Government-sponsored youth training. The Government guarantee a suitable place on youth training for all 16 and 17-year-olds who are not in further education or employment.

  School Buildings
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about the funding available in the next financial year to repair school buildings.

  Mr. Forth
  We shall be allocating £660 million to support capital spending on school buildings in 1993–94. Local authorities will also benefit from the change my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced last week on the permitted use of capital receipts.

  It will be for individual local education authorities to determine the level of their capital and recurrent spending on school buildings and their priorities.

  Polytechnics and Colleges
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many of today's universities were polytechnics or colleges in 1979; and what this represents in student numbers.

  Mr. Forman
  Thirty-six institutions have received approval for university titles following the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. In 1990–91 about 342,000 students were studying at these institutions out of a total of about 1,150,000 higher education students in Great Britain. This represents nearly 30 per cent. of all higher education students in Britain.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has had from teachers' unions on the Government's public expenditure plans for next year.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has received a very small number of such representations.

  Special Needs (Higher Education)
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about the funding available in the next financial year to finance special needs education in higher education.

  Mr. Forman
  The total funding for higher education in England next year was announced by my right hon. Friend 170
  the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12 November. It is for the Higher Education Funding Council to decide how to distribute its total grant between institutions, taking account of the interests of those with special needs and other factors.

  Access Courses
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received on the level of funding next year for access courses.

  Mr. Forman
  No such representations have been received.

  Further and Higher Education
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what new initiatives his Department is proposing concerning access to higher and further education.

  Mr. Forman
  The Government's public spending plans, announced in my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's autumn statement to the House on 12 November, provide for a continuing increase in both higher and further education student numbers. In his initial letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England, my right hon. Friend asked the Council to consider a range of access issues and we drew the Further Education Funding Council's attention to similar concerns in his launch letter to that council.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if students who entered universities recently converted from polytechnics will be classed as students entering universities or as students entering polytechnics, in official Department for Education figures; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forman
  The Department will continue to publish statistics on higher education students which adequately reflect the titles of the institutions those students attend. Discussions are currently in progress to establish statistical arrangements consistent with the new framework for higher education.

  Law Students
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will introduce proposals to ensure that students following a law finals course receive a mandatory rather than a discretionary grant.

  Mr. Forman
  The Education Act 1962 restricts mandatory awards to full-time courses leding to a first degree or comparable qualification, or to the DipHE or HND, and to courses for the initial training of teachers. But the Act also allows for discretionary awards for most other courses, including the postgraduate law finals course. We have no present plans to move that boundary, which would require primary legislation.

  Education, Support and Training Grants
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much funding is available for the schools element of the grants for education support and training programme in 1992–93 and for 1993–94.
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  Mr. Forth
  The grants for education support and training programme for 1992–93 supports some £377 million of expenditure in England, of which some £344 million will be for or associated with schools. The programme for 1993–94 will support some £320 million in England, of which some £314 million will be for or associated with schools. Grant is generally paid at 60 per cent. of expenditure.

  Part-time Courses
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that courses of study at educational establishments of no more than 20 hours weekly are designated as part-time study; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forman
  Decisions on the appropriate number of hours of study for individual courses, and on whether a course should be designated as full or part-time, are for individual institutions.

  Harris City Technology College, London
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils at the Harris city technology college, south London, were in the year group taking GCSE in the summer of 1992; how many of them achieved a GCSE pass at either grade A or B in(a) technology, (b) mathematics, (c) French, (d) German, (e) history, (f) geography, (g) single science and (h) design and communication.

  Mr. Forth
  There were 117 pupils in the year group YG11 at Harris city technology college, London, taking GCSE in the summer of 1992. The number of pupils achieving a GCSE pass at grades A or B for these subjects are as follows:(a) technology, 0 (b) mathematics, 2 (c) French, 0 (d)German, 0 (e) history, 1 (f) geography, 1 (g) single science, 1 and (h) design and communication, 0.

  In providing comparative information about examination results on a national and local basis GCSE results are to be banded to show passes at grades A to C and A to G. At Harris CTC, GCSE A—C grade passes in all subjects totalled 342, including 11 in single science and 147 in double science. Of schools in the London borough of Croydon, Harris has the second biggest improvement in the number of children getting five or more A to C passes at GCSEs in 1992, a 15 per cent. increase over last year. The pupils taking GCSE in 1992 were formerly pupils at the Sylvan high school on the same site. The average number of A to C passes this year was 2·92 per pupil compared with the best average at the Sylvan school of 1·54.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what(a) Government and (b) private sector financial support was received by Harris city technology college, south London, in 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Forth
  Recurrent funding for city technology colleges is provided by grant direct from the Department of Education. The amount of Government grant for Harris city technology college in the academic year 1990–91 was £2·939 million and in the academic year 1991–92 was £3·107 million. As for all other schools, any additional funding by private sector sponsors for recurrent expenditure purposes is a matter for the schools and sponsors concerned.

  Schools (Opt-out Ballots)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) maintained and (b) voluntary-aided (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools there are in each local authority area; how many have balloted on the question of opting out; how many votes were in favour of opting out; and what is the percentage of pupils in the local authority area that that figure represents.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mrs. Taylor) on Friday 6 November,Official Report, columns 478–87. The additional information requested could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost.

  Private Detectives
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education 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.

  Mr. Forman
  None.

  Funding
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the level of the central funds provided for education to each(a) local education authority and (b) self-governing school per pupil in each age group in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Forth
  Central Government support for local authorities is virtually entirely through general grant, which is not hypothecated to particular services such as education. Local authorities are thus free to determine their own spending priorities.

  Grant-maintained schools receive the bulk of their recurrent funding through annual maintenance grants, which are recouped in full from the former maintaining education authority. None of the special purpose and capital grants which grant maintained schools receive from central Government are allocated on the basis of pupil age ranges.

  School Action Plans
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education from whom he intends to seek advice when monitoring action plans for schools and the progress of their implementations as proposed in the Education Bill.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend will seek the advice of Her Majesty's chief inspector.

  Engineering Places
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many engineering places in advanced education have been available in each of the last five years; and how many were unfilled.

  Mr. Forman
  The Universities Funding Council—UFC —and the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council—PCFC—have distributed recurrent funding on the basis of funded numbers or places. But these funded numbers do not necessarily reflect the total number of available places, as additional students may be recruited on a "fees-only"
  173
  basis. Data on the total number of engineering places which institutions wish to make available each academic year are not collected by the Funding Councils.

  Data which are available on funded places and enrolments—full-time equivalents—home and EC students—in engineering and technology are given in the table.

  Universities (GB) in UFC sector

  PCFC sector (England)

  Academic year

  Funded places

  Enrolments

  Funded places

  Enrolments

  1990–91

  37,687

  36,927

  34,686

  36,316

  1991–92

  36,715

  39,816

  34,839

  42,028

  Access Funds
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy that access funds should be available to students who do not already have student loans.

  Mr. Forman
  Access funds are intended to help students who face severe financial difficulties after availing themselves of all other public sources of support. We have given guidance to institutions that they should not make payments from the access funds to students who are eligible for a student loan but who have not taken one out, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

  Maintenance Grants
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what monitoring his Department carries out of delays by local authorities in issuing maintenance grant cheques to students.

  Mr. Forman
  The Department does not directly monitor the time taken by each of more than 100 individual local education authorities to assess and pay mandatory awards to well over half a million students in total. But we vigorously investigate any reports of delays by named authorities to ensure that they take whatever action is necessary to comply with their statutory duties and minimise hardship among students. We have given all authorities guidance on prompt grant payment, and the Audit Commssion has published proposals for future performance indicators in this field.

  Funding Authorities
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will state the functions and duties that his proposed legislation(a) requires education funding authorities to perform and (b) which any Secretary of State may require them to perform; and on what basis payment of grant to them will be calculated.

  Mr. Forth
  Under the proposed legislation, as set out in the Education Bill introduced to Parliament on 30 October, the Funding Agency for Schools has the functions summarised below. Payments of grant by the DFE to the FAS will be calculated on the basis of forecasts of projected expenditure on both the grants that the funding agency must make to schools, and the agency's own running costs.

  The Schools Funding Council for Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
  174
  FUNCTIONS OF THE FAS

  A. Functions of the FAS where no order has been made conferring responsibility for providing sufficient school places:

  1. The FAS is to be responsible for paying annual maintenance grant to the governing bodies of all GM schools in England, the amount of which is to be determined by the Agency in accordance with regulations made by the Secretary of State.

  2. Regulations may provide for the payment by the FAS of capital and special purpose grants to the governing bodies of GM schools.

  3. The FAS is to be responsible for paying grant to the new GM governing body of a school acquiring GM status in respect of any expenditure incurred by them up to the date of implementation of the proposals where it is incurred for the purpose of, or in connection with, the transition of the school to GM status.

  4. The FAS is to have power to pay grants to the governing body of any GM school which is being discontinued where it is for the purpose of discharging any of the liabilities of the governing body or for meeting any of the costs of the winding up.

  5. The FAS is to have similar grant paying functions to those referred to in paragraphs 1 to 4 above in relation to schools conducted by education associations.

  6. The FAS is to be under a duty to provide the Secretary of State with such information or advice in connection with any of his functions relating to the provision of education as he may from time to time require. It is also to have the power to provide the Secretary of State with such information and advice as it thinks fit.

  7. The FAS is to be under a duty to make such reports and returns, and to give such information, to any LEA as the authority may require for the purpose of its functions.

  B. Functions of the Secretary of State in relation to the GM sector which he may transfer to the FAS.

  8. The Secretary of State may by order transfer to the FAS (either generally or in specified circumstances) the following of his functions in relation to the GM sector—

  (a) the making of new instruments of governments and their modification, and the making and variation of articles of government;,

  (b) the function of determining proposals by a governing body significantly to change the character or enlarge the premises of a GM school;

  (c) the power to authorise the transfer of a GM school to a new site;

  (d) the function of determining proposals by a governing body to discontinue a GM school;

  (e) the power in certain circumstances to vary trust deeds relating to GM schools; and

  (f) the power by order to make such provision as appropriate in connection with a school's transition to GM status.

  C. Additional functions of the FAS where an order has been made conferring responsibility for providing sufficient school places.

  9. Where at least 10 per cent. of pupils educated in maintained schools (other than special schools) are educated in the GM sector, the Secretary of State may make an order the effect of which is to place a duty on the FAS, as well as the LEA, to secure the provision of sufficient school places. The functions set out below are exercisable by the FAS where such an order has been made.

  10. The FAS is to have the power to propose the establishment and discontinuance of GM schools, after consultation with such persons as appear to it to be appropriate. The Secretary of State must approve proposals to which objections have been made, or which he has "called in" or if the proposals name a sponsor of the school. The FAS is also to have the power to propose that a significant change in character, or significant enlargement of the premises, be made to a GM school.

  11. The FAS is to have the power to direct that the approved admission number of a GM school be increased. The function of the Secretary of State in approving variations to the admission number proposed by the governing body of a GM school also transfers to the FAS.
  175
  12. The Secretary of State may make regulations requiring the FAS to provide him and LEAs with such information as may be prescribed relating to the provision of education in a LEA area for which they have responsibility. The FAS is to compile such information, and to make such provision for conducting, or assisting in the conduct of research, as is necessary for the purpose of providing the information required under the regulations.

  13. Where at least 75 per cent. of pupils educated in maintained schools (other than special schools) are educated in the GM sector (or at least 10 per cent. of pupils are so educated and the LEA requests the order to be made), the Secretary of State may make an order the effect of which is to impose on the FAS the sole responsibility for securing sufficient school places in the LEA's area. Where such an order is made, as well as the functions referred to in paragraphs 10 to 12 above, the power of the LEA to direct a child's admission to a specific school also transfers to the FAS.

HEALTH

  Treatment Purchases
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those health authorities which have decided to cease purchasing categories of treatment in total or for particular groups of patients; and if she will give details of the categories of treatment concerned.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held centrally.

  Family Planning Service
  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans she has to expand the domiciliary family planning service in order to meet the targets

  Health authority

  Number of domiciliary visits

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  North Tees

  —

  —

  1Y

  South Tees

  —

  Y

  —

  North West Durham

  Y

  Y

  Y

  South West Durham

  —

  —

  Y

  Gateshead

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Newcastle

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Sunderland

  Y

  Y

  Y

  York

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Scarborough

  Y

  —

  —

  Bradford

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Airedale

  Y

  —

  —

  Calderdale

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Dewsbury

  Y

  —

  —

  Leicestershire

  Y

  Y

  2—

  Central Nottinghamshire

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Barnsley

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Rotherham

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Sheffield

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Cambridge

  Y

  Y

  Y

  West Suffolk

  Y

  Y

  Y

  East Suffolk

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Norwich

  —

  —

  Y

  Barnet

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Harrow

  Y

  —

  Y

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Ealing

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Parkside

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Basildon and Thurrock

  Y

  Y

  —

  Southend

  Y

  Y

  —

  City and Hackney

  Y

  —

  —

  Haringey

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Waltham Forest

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Canterbury and Thanet

  Y

  2—

  Y

  Medway

  Y

  2—

  Y

  Tunbridge Wells

  —

  2—

  Y

  Greenwich

  —

  Y

  Y

  Bromley

  Y

  2—

  Y

  176
  regarding the reduction of teenage pregnancies and the incidence of sexually transmitted disease and invasive cancer of the cervix set out in the White Paper. "The Health of the Nation";

  (2) what guidance she will issue to health authorities and trusts regarding domiciliary family planning services in the light of the care in the community proposals.

  Mr. Sackville
  The day-to-day management and provision of family planning services is a matter for individual health authorities since they can best judge local circumstances and needs. New guidelines issued by the National Health Service Management Executive in January 1992 include advice on targeting services and the service accessibility. Attention is drawn, with reference to earlier advice family planning memorandum of guidance (HSC(IS)32)—to the way in which domiciliary services can be used to improve take-up among those people with special needs.

  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list those health authorities which provided domiciliary family planning services in each year since 1985;

  (2) how many health authorities and national health service trusts in the United Kingdom currently provide domiciliary family planning services.

  Mr. Sackville
  The table lists those district health authorities that reported making at least one family planning domiciliary visit in one of the years 1988–89 to 1990–91. Figures for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  177

  Health authority

  Number of domiciliary visits

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  West Lambeth

  Y

  2—

  Y

  Camberwell

  Y

  2—

  Y

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  Y

  2—

  Y

  Chichester

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Worthing

  Y

  Y

  —

  Croydon

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Kingston and Esher

  Y

  —

  —

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Wandsworth

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Merton and Sutton

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  Y

  Y

  Y

  South West Hampshire and Southampton

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Winchester

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Salisbury

  Y

  —

  —

  Bath

  —

  —

  Y

  West Berkshire

  Y

  —

  Y

  Kettering

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Northampton

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Oxford

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Cornwall

  —

  —

  Y

  Bromsgrove and Redditch

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Herefordshire

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Shropshire

  Y

  Y

  —

  North Staffordshire

  Y

  Y

  Y

  East Birmingham

  Y

  Y

  Y

  North Birmingham

  Y

  Y

  Y

  West Birmingham

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Dudley

  Y

  —

  Y

  Sandwell

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Solihull

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Walsall

  —

  Y

  —

  Macclesfield

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Warrington

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Liverpool

  Y

  —

  —

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Southport and Formby

  Y

  Y

  Y

  South Sefton

  Y

  Y

  —

  Wirral

  Y

  —

  —

  Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Blackburn/Hyndburn/Ribble Valley

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Bolton

  Y

  Y

  Y

  South Manchester

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Stockport

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Tameside and Glossop

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Trafford

  Y

  Y

  Y

  Wigan

  Y

  Y

  Y

  1 Y At least one domiciliary visit recorded.

  2 —No return made.

  Districts not listed showed no domiciliary visits during the period.

  Psychiatric Beds
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many psychiatric beds were available in England and Wales for the most convenient date in(a) 1970, (b) 1980, (c) 1990 and (d) 1992; and what is her estimate of the number available for each of the next three years.

  Mr. Yeo
  In 1970 there were 123,219 beds allocated for use in the psychiatric specialties. The corresponding numbers for 1980 and 1990–91 were 87,396 and 55,239 respectively.

  The number of psychiatric beds available in the next three years will depend on the volume of in-patient psychiatric services purchased by health authorities.

  Information relating to Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) in-patients and (b) day patients were waiting for hospital treatment on 30 September in each region and, of these, how many had been waiting for (i) less than one year, (ii) between one year and two years and (iii) more than two years.

  Mr. Sackville
  Provisional waiting list figures for 30 September 1992 were published on 11 November in press release H92/381. A copy is available in the Library. More detailed waiting time information, including separate figures for in and day patients is given in "Hospital Waiting List, In-Patient and Day Cases", published every six months.

  Repairs and Maintenance
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated expenditure required to clear the backlog of repairs and maintenance in each district health authority and NHS trust in England.
  179
  Mr. Sackville
  Tables showing the estimates for 1991, the latest available, have been placed in the Library.

  Childhood Vaccination
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals her Department has further to promote the benefits of vaccination against each of the childhood killer diseases; and what initiatives exist better to target different groups of vaccine-refuser parents across the community.

  Mr. Sackville
  General practitioners, clinical doctors and nurses all play a major part in explaining to parents why immunisation is important. I am pleased to say that the most recent estimates from the public health laboratory service's "COVER" programme show 95 per cent. coverage of children aged 18 months for diphtheria, tetanus and polio immunisations, 91 per cent. at the same age for whooping cough, and 92 per cent. at 24 months for measles, mumps and rubella. In the White Paper "Health of the Nation" we have set a national target of 95 per cent. coverage by 1995 for all those immunisations. East Anglia region has already achieved that target for all diseases, and Oxford, South Western and Wessex regions have done so for all except whooping cough. The Department works closely with the Health Education Authority in providing full information on immunisation for health professionals and parents, and is funding specific research aimed at ascertaining why a very small number of parents do not have their children immunised, with a view to answering their questions and convincing them of the benefits of immunisation. The findings of that research should be available in the spring of 1993.

  Health Authorities (Directors)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances pensions are paid to former members or non-executive directors of health authorities.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Members or non-executive directors of health authorities are appointed on a non-pensionable basis. They are therefore ineligible for membership of the national health service pension scheme.

  Osteoporosis
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new initiatives have been taken by her Department in the preventive treatment of osteoporosis during the period 1985 to 1991; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Among many other measures we have emphasised the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle including a good diet, regular exercise throughout life, the avoidance of smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, for example in the booklet "Your Health: A Guide to Services for Women". We have reinforced these messages recently in the White Paper "The Health of the Nation". We have encouraged the use of hormone replacement therapy—HRT—when appropriate, because timely intervention can often prevent further deterioration. In 1990 we funded the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to set up a study group of international experts to look at HRT and osteoporosis, the findings of which were published by the college. We have supported the work of charitable bodies such as the National 180
  Osteoporosis Society to produce literature for doctors and patients, and we are currently part funding the society's new handbook for GPs and practice nurses. We have sponsored research by Professor John Kanis of the department of human metabolism and clinical biochemistry at the university of Sheffield into screening for postmenopausal osteoporosis, and by Professor Martin Vessey of the department of public health and primary care at the university of Oxford into a cost-effective analysis of HRT.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances NHS trusts may use taxi services instead of ambulances for transporting in-patients.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 16 November.

  South West Surrey Health Authority
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide details of the 1992–93 allocation per head of population made to South West Surrey health authority; and what additional funds have been made available to that authority since 1 April.

  Mr. Sackville
  Allocations to district health authorities are the responsibility of regional health authorities and the information about the funds allocated to them is not held centrally in this form. The hon. Member may wish to contact Professor Marion Hicks, the chairman of South West Thames regional health authority, for details.

  Taxis
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will instruct NHS providers to contract taxi services only with those firms which operate a no-smoking policy.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The model smoke-free policy set out in the joint Department of Health/Health Education Authority booklet "Creating Effective Smoking Policies in the NHS", indicates that smoking should not be permitted in NHS vehicles, including ambulances. The extension of this policy to non-NHS, contracted transport providers is a matter for local service purchasers.

  Standards of Service
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health authorities and health service trusts have applied to the British Standards Institution with expressions of interest in the BS 5750 standard.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not collected centrally.

  NHS Staff (Accommodation)
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes she is making to the arrangements for disposing of surplus national health service staff residential accommodation.

  Mr. Sackville
  We are enhancing the national health service scheme to bring it into closer alignment with the
  181
  statutory right-to-buy scheme under the housing Acts, and to improve the terms of sale to tenants. In particular, in calculating the discount on the sale price we are allowing health service organisations to take into account previous occupation by the tenant of other public sector accommodation. The new arrangements are set out in a guidance note which we have placed in the Library.

  District General Hospitals
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many district general hospitals there are in England.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There is no agreed definition of a district general hospital. Acute hospital services may be provided to a district from a single site or multiple site general hospital facilities which may also be supplemented by specialist or single specialty hospitals. In 1990–91 there were 327 hospitals in England with 100 or more acute beds.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide a list of those district general hospitals in England that do not have a specialist full-time accident and emergency consultant.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Tomlinson Report
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her latest estimate of the cost of closure and rationalisation of hospitals contained in the report by Sir Bernard Tomlinson excluding improvements in primary health care.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Sir Bernard's report is advice to the Government. No decisions have yet been taken on the closure and/or rationalisation of hospitals in London.

  West Midlands Ambulance Service
  Ms. Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the response times for the ambulance service responding to 999 calls in the west midlands for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is given in the table for the years 1987–88 to 1991–92. The figures for 1991–92 are provisional.

  Ambulance response to emergency calls for west midlands ambulance authority

  Year

  Total emergency calls

  Number with response within 7 minutes

  Percentage where response within 7 minutes

  Number with response within 14 minutes

  Percentage where response within 14 minutes

  1987–88

  115,081

  44,698

  38·8

  109,788

  95·4

  1988–89

  117,387

  50,468

  43·0

  111,499

  95·0

  1989–901

  66,944

  32,782

  49·0

  55,563

  83·0

  1990–91

  117,191

  60,822

  51·9

  103,245

  88·1

  1991–922

  120,258

  387,120

  372·4

  110,944

  92·3

  1 Due to the industrial action in this period the figures for 1989–90 do not reflect the total activity in the year.

  2 Figures are provisional.

  3 Figures are based on response times within 8 minutes.

  Private Care Homes
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial contribution will be made to local authorities for supplementation to private nursing homes for the year beginning 1 April 1993.

  Mr. Yeo
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 2 October that £539 million would be made available to local authorities in England in 1993–94 in respect of all their new community care responsibilities.

  Ambulance Service
  Ms. Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the published response times of the ambulance service to 999 calls are calculated by her Department.

  Mr. Sackville
  Response times are not calculated by this Department but are recorded locally and then submitted to the Department on an annual basis. The ambulance authorities and NHS trusts supply the Department with figures for the total number of emergency calls, and the numbers of these responded to within the target times.

  The emergency response time is measured as the time between the receipt of a 999 call by ambulance control staff to the time of arrival of a fully equipped emergency ambulance and qualified crew at the scene of the incident.

  Dentists
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many items of service were provided by contractual dentists in each year since 1989.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 16 November 1992]: The information requested is given in the table:

  General dental services (GDS)—England Items of service

  Year

  Under 18s

  Adults

  Total

  1988–89

  20,968,540

  58,119,870

  79,088,410

  1989–90

  20,683,510

  55,932,870

  76,616,380

  1990–91

  19,114,484

  70,460,387

  89,574,871

  1991–92

  5,122,418

  77,109,003

  82,231,421

  Note:

  The data for each year are not comparable due to changes in the dental contract. Under the new GDS contract, introduced on 1 October 1990, most treatment for under-18s is undertaken under capitation and is no longer separately identified. For adults, the new fee scale subdivided many of the items of service.

SOCIAL SECURITY

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

  Mr. Burt
  I am arranging for a copy of the Department of Social Security's health and safety policy statement to be placed in the Library. There are no separate policy statements for the Department's agencies.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund applications have been refused in the last 12-month period for which figures are
  183
  available, for (a) community care grants, (b) budgeting loans and (c) crisis loans; how many of these claims were later successful on appeal; and if he will provide separate figures for each district office.

  Community care grants

  Budgeting loans

  Crisis loans

  Bankside

  2,304

  1,876

  217

  Barking and Havering

  1,943

  1,259

  66

  Barnet

  1,506

  930

  471

  Barnsley

  2,302

  1,569

  152

  Bedfordshire

  2,618

  1,630

  51

  Berkshire

  2,709

  1,629

  509

  Birmingham Chamberlain

  3,629

  1,970

  192

  Birmingham Heartlands

  3,281

  1,989

  156

  Birmingham North West

  3,327

  1,871

  212

  Birmingham South East

  3,902

  986

  39

  Birmingham South West

  3,082

  1,809

  172

  Blackburn and Accrington

  2,338

  1,568

  861

  Blackpool

  1,563

  962

  257

  Bolton

  2,696

  1,493

  323

  Bradford

  3,967

  2,994

  538

  Bristol Severnside

  3,493

  2,184

  342

  Brunel

  2,352

  1,523

  207

  Buckinghamshire

  2,152

  1,189

  74

  Burnley/Pendle/Rossendale

  1,978

  1,212

  39

  Cambridgeshire

  3,023

  2,040

  229

  Canterbury and Thanet

  1,335

  788

  111

  Central Derbyshire

  2,389

  1,742

  394

  Central Staffordshire

  1,833

  1,197

  66

  Channel

  1,324

  839

  214

  Cheshire East

  1,366

  816

  53

  Cheshire North West and Central

  1,366

  1,621

  135

  Chesterfield and Worksop

  1,993

  1,258

  353

  City East

  2,021

  1,147

  464

  Clyde Coast and Cowal

  2,635

  2,144

  1,110

  Clyde Valley

  3,612

  2,544

  242

  Coatbridge

  3,446

  3,042

  911

  Cornwall

  2,530

  1,632

  1,478

  Coventry

  2,908

  1,624

  340

  Cumbria North

  1,619

  1,370

  27

  Cynon Merthyr Rhymnney

  3,141

  3,181

  262

  Derbyshire South

  1,744

  1,060

  87

  Devonia

  2,420

  1,674

  147

  Doncaster

  2,312

  2,056

  443

  Dorset

  2,246

  1,336

  1,690

  Durham North

  3,277

  2,489

  62

  Durham South

  2,502

  1,872

  44

  Ealing

  3,037

  1,556

  140

  East Lowlands

  3,241

  2,586

  646

  East Nottinghamshire

  2,279

  1,545

  188

  East Sussex

  1,190

  607

  53

  Essex South West

  2,281

  1,239

  207

  Euston

  4,103

  2,693

  426

  Fife

  3,242

  2,625

  455

  Forth Valley

  2,442

  2,214

  143

  Fulham

  4,448

  2,757

  175

  Glamorgan South

  4,658

  3,553

  514

  Glasgow South West

  3,336

  2,225

  1,330

  Glasgow City

  3,028

  2,308

  283

  Glasgow East

  5,990

  4,262

  1,874

  Glasgow West

  2,455

  1,891

  384

  Gloucester

  2,086

  1,737

  644

  Grampian and Shetland

  1,751

  1,204

  47

  Gwent North and Brecon

  1,898

  1,556

  126

  Gwyneddigion

  1,474

  992

  120

  Hackney and Islington

  3,709

  2,125

  311

  Halifax

  2,039

  1,702

  265

  Hampshire North

  1,433

  1,081

  252

  Harrow and Hillingdon

  1,422

  704

  9

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,791

  1,123

  333

  Highlands and Islands

  1,633

  1,035

  163

  Hounslow and Kingston

  1,796

  1,040

  116

  Hull

  4,977

  3,894

  440

  Irvine

  2,664

  2,250

  30

  Kent North

  2,847

  2,238

  123

  Kirklees

  2,529

  1,931

  329

  184
  Mr. Scott
  District refusal figures for the period April 1992 to September 1992 are in the table. Information for earlier periods is in the Library. The information requested on social fund reviews is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  185

  Community care grants

  Budgeting loans

  Crisis loans

  Knowsley

  3,073

  2,181

  586

  Lancaster

  2,126

  1,315

  348

  Laurieston

  4,017

  3,086

  827

  Lea-Roding

  2,840

  1,800

  241

  Leaside

  2,814

  1,493

  93

  Leeds North

  4,346

  2,528

  155

  Leeds South

  3,571

  2,616

  164

  Leicestershire North

  2,824

  1,624

  383

  Lewisham and Brixton

  4,294

  3,159

  956

  Lincolnshire East

  1,596

  1,011

  381

  Liverpool Central

  2,471

  1,610

  261

  Liverpool North

  2,519

  1,833

  227

  Liverpool South

  3,365

  2,385

  249

  Lomond and Argyll

  1,669

  1,629

  46

  London Central

  1,037

  749

  161

  Lothian Central

  2,437

  1,846

  733

  Lothian West

  2,847

  2,093

  833

  Manchester Central

  2,877

  1,915

  1,213

  Manchester North

  2,397

  1,609

  306

  Mid-Wales and Maelor

  1,627

  1,328

  153

  Neasden

  2,416

  1,638

  113

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  4,435

  3,834

  470

  Newham

  3,364

  2,242

  26

  North and East Hertfordshire

  1,258

  811

  24

  North Essex

  1,909

  1,276

  553

  North Stafordshires

  3,180

  1,271

  115

  North Tyneside

  1,661

  1,289

  284

  North Wales Coast

  2,082

  1,432

  369

  North Yorkshire

  1,304

  863

  39

  Northamptonshire

  4,610

  2,594

  467

  Northumberland

  1,649

  1,311

  51

  Norwich

  3,058

  2,311

  480

  Nottinghamshire North

  2,039

  1,579

  54

  Nottinghamshire West

  2,593

  1,544

  44

  Ogwr Afan Nedd

  2,023

  1,814

  105

  Oldham

  2,855

  1,568

  64

  Oxfordshire

  1,858

  1,321

  105

  Preston

  2,193

  1,452

  100

  Renfrew

  2,393

  2,224

  864

  Rother and Dearne

  2,755

  1,857

  515

  South East Hampshire and Isle of Wight

  3,213

  1,259

  110

  Salford

  2,358

  1,416

  45

  Sandwell

  3,133

  1,702

  38

  Sefton

  2,750

  1,982

  71

  Sheffield East

  3,678

  2,650

  350

  Sheffield West

  3,039

  1,896

  595

  Shropshire

  1,904

  1,553

  51

  Solent and Forest

  2,687

  1,887

  56

  Somerset

  1,554

  849

  250

  South Cheshire

  2,648

  2,128

  118

  South Devon

  3,617

  2,709

  1,376

  South Downs

  2,138

  1,367

  1,101

  South East Essex

  1,833

  1,277

  333

  South Gwent and Islwyn

  2,054

  1,488

  526

  South Leicestershire

  2,563

  1,340

  214

  South Manchester

  3,860

  2,536

  616

  South West Lancashire

  2,375

  1,723

  40

  South West Scotland

  2,737

  2,142

  480

  South West Thames

  3,435

  2,052

  599

  Springburn and Cumbernauld

  3,620

  2,739

  1,237

  South Humberside

  2,765

  2,008

  179

  Stockport

  1,596

  1,046

  55

  Suffolk

  3,227

  1,854

  430

  Surrey Downs

  1,245

  672

  118

  Surrey North

  2,655

  1,760

  407

  Swansea

  2,262

  1,374

  225

  Taff Rhondda

  1,569

  1,152

  75

  Tameside

  2,290

  1,603

  422

  Tayside

  3,607

  2,789

  542

  Tees North

  3,820

  3,257

  361

  Tees South

  4,488

  3,101

  109

  Thameside

  2,749

  1,602

  491

  Tyneside South

  4,252

  3,345

  396

  Wakefield

  2,819

  1,907

  144

  Wales West

  1,964

  1,480

  267

  Walsall

  2,275

  1,748

  16

  Warwickshire

  2,043

  1,384

  105

  186 187

  Community care grants

  Budgeting loans

  Crisis loans

  Wearside

  4,304

  3,372

  60

  West Hertfordshire

  1,244

  720

  23

  West Kent

  1,159

  753

  51

  West Lincolnshire

  2,814

  1,732

  88

  West Pennine

  3,122

  2,137

  257

  West Sussex

  1,555

  999

  660

  Wigan and Leigh

  1,946

  1,162

  124

  Wiltshire

  2,461

  1,655

  143

  Wirral

  3,926

  2,872

  389

  Wolverhampton

  2,914

  1,713

  30

  Worcestershire North

  2,227

  1,288

  197

  Yorkshire East

  1,157

  753

  889

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people on low incomes in each region, for the last 12 months for which figures are available have applied to the social fund for help with essential food items; how many have(a) been refused and (b) been awarded either a grant or loan; and what measures his Department is taking to support claimants who have fallen into debt as a result of repaying loans for essential food items.

  Mr. Scott
  Information is not available in the form requested.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for social fund payments have been made in the local offices in Greenock and Port Glasgow in each of the months of the past year; and how many were(a) granted community care grants, (b) offered a crisis loan and (c) refused by the adjudication officers.

  Social Fund Information—Clyde Coast and Cowal District October 1991 to September 1992

  Applications

  Grant awards

  Crisis Loan offers

  Refusals

  October 1991

  2,168

  185

  310

  1,153

  November 1991

  2,255

  180

  295

  1,162

  December 1991

  1,510

  126

  216

  1,008

  January 1992

  1,738

  150

  264

  991

  February 1992

  1,793

  165

  237

  1,015

  March 1992

  2,036

  123

  258

  1,182

  April 1992

  1,651

  143

  205

  880

  May 1992

  1,681

  185

  236

  995

  June 1992

  1,781

  148

  234

  928

  July 1992

  1,777

  157

  310

  1,010

  August 1992

  1,720

  154

  261

  958

  September 1992

  1,880

  142

  271

  1,088

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the number of applications for social fund community care grants in the North Tees district in 1991–92; what is the projected number of applications for 1992–93; and if he will ensure that sufficient funding is available to meet any extra demand.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
  188
  Mr. Scott
  The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Dr. Norman A. Godman, dated 16 November 1992:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Social Fund applications in the local offices of Greenock and Port Glasgow.

  From the inception of the Benefits Agency in April 1991, the former DSS offices of Greenock and Port Glasgow became Clyde Coast and Cowal District.

  Applications to the discretionary part of the Fund, that is, for loans and grants, are decided by Social Fund Officers, rather than Adjudication Officers. Details of discretionary applications, grant awards, crisis loan offers and refusals for discretionary payments at Clyde Coast and Cowal District are provided in the Annex. I have given details for the past 12 months to September 1992, as these are the latest figures available.

  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Peter Mandelson, dated 16 November 1992:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Social Fund community care grants in the North Tees District.

  The North Tees District received 8,436 applications for community care grants in 1991–92. Information for 1992–93 is not available as forecasts are not made at a district level. The community care grant national budget currently stands at £91 million, an increase of more than 35 per cent. since April 1991.

  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Diet
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's assessment of the weekly cost, in real cash terms, of maintaining a healthy diet; how many(a) families on low income with children under five years and (b) pensioners on low incomes, fall below deficiency levels for essential nutrients; and if he will subdivide these figures by region.

  Mr. Burt
  There is no single cost of a healthy diet. Diets can be constructed in a variety of ways and individual preferences vary. Information about nutrient deficiency in specific population groups is not available, but the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food national food survey does indicate that in general the diets of people in all income groups contain adequate levels of most nutrients but rather more fat and less fibre than the latest dietary recommendations. The welfare foods scheme continues to provide a nutritional safeguard for children under five in families with income support.

  Wages Councils
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment his Department has made of the likely effects on his budget from the proposed abolition of the wages councils.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the right hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) on 11 November at column 817.

  Agencies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list those agencies in his Department which are being considered for privatisation or contractorisation.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Privatisation and contractorisation of the Department's agencies are considered as part of each agency's three-year review. Where appropriate, an announcement will be made.

  (£ billion) Contribution income1

  June 1992 price3

  Percentage of Exchequer income

  Employers NICS

  Employees2 NICs

  Employers' NICs

  Employees' NICs

  Employers' NICs

  Employees' NICs

  1982–83

  12·02

  9·20

  20·39

  15·61

  9·77

  7·48

  1983–84

  12·45

  10·53

  20·19

  17·07

  9·84

  8·32

  1984–85

  12·20

  11·29

  18·83

  17·42

  8·87

  8·20

  1985–86

  12·53

  12·11

  18·34

  17·72

  8·38

  8·10

  1986–87

  13·82

  12·79

  19·59

  18·13

  8·69

  8·04

  1987–88

  15·33

  14·13

  20·60

  18·99

  9·03

  8·32

  1988–89

  17·28

  15·65

  21·65

  19·61

  9·22

  8·35

  1989–90

  18·50

  14·74

  21·77

  17·34

  9·06

  8·22

  1990–91

  20·55

  14·86

  22·77

  16·47

  9·50

  6·87

  1991–924

  21·66

  15·33

  22·46

  15·89

  9·88

  6·99

  1 Includes national insurance surcharge in the period to 1984–85.

  2 Includes national insurance contributions by self-employed for which separate data are only available from 1986–87.

  3 Treasury estimate of GDP deflator in the second quarter of 1992 used to convert current price to constant June 1992 prices.

  4 Estimate.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the increase in income to the Treasury would be in 1993–94 as a consequence of raising employees' national insurance contributions from 9 per cent. to 10·4 per cent.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The national insurance fund would receive about an extra £2·3 billion in 1993–94.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much per week an increase in employees' national insurance contributions from 9 to 10·4 per cent. would cost families with incomes of(a) £5,000, (b) £7,000, (c) £9,000, (d) £10,000, (e) £15,000, (f) £25,000, (g) £40,000 and (h) £100,000 in 1993–94.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  Annual earnings £

  Weekly increase in contributions £

  5,000

  56 pence

  7,000

  1·10

  9,000

  1·64

  10,000

  1·91

  15,000

  3·25

  25,000

  5·10

  40,000

  5·10

  100,000

  5·10

  Notes:

  1. The table assumes one employee in each family working in one employment in 1993–94.

  2. NI contributions are not paid by employees on earnings above the proposed annual upper earnings limit of £21,840.

  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total amount of(a) employers' and (b) employees' national insurance contributions collected for each of the last 10 fiscal years expressed (i) in cash terms, (ii) at June 1992 prices and (iii) as a percentage of total Exchequer income.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Back Pain
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many days of work were lost through back pain in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Scott
  This information is not available.

  Newspaper Articles
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security under what circumstances staff at his Department's offices are permitted to include newspaper articles in clients' files.

  Mr. Burt
  Current instructions provide that newspaper articles should be drawn to the attention of staff who have had dealings with that customer, although such articles should not be kept in customers' files. However, the Department is in the process of devolving responsibilities to its executive agencies in line with the Government's next step programmes. It will be for the chief executives of the agencies to decide whether they consider it appropriate or necessary to provide central guidance on such matters as the retention of newspaper articles in customers' files.

  HIV
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security to whom his Department circulated the statement concerning the agreement that compensation made from the Department of Health to fund non-haemophiliacs infected with HIV through blood or tissue transfers would not affect the entitlement of those individuals to benefits.

  Mr. Burt
  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary announced in the House on 18 February this year that the payments would be fully disregarded in the income-related benefits. All prospective applicants for a payment were sent a copy of the document describing the scheme which made specific mention of the social security provisions. A letter explaining these provisions in detail was issued to all recipients of a payment.

  Old People's Homes
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the cost of supplementation of the cost of elderly people in old people's homes and nursing homes for each year from 1980 to 1991 and the latest estimate for 1992.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is as follows:

  Payment of Income Support (Supplementary Benefit prior to 1988) to Residents in Residential Care and Nursing Homes

  Nearest £ million

  Annual equivalent

  December 1980

  18

  December 1981

  23

  December 1982

  39

  December 1983

  104

  December 1984

  200

  December 1985

  348

  February 1986

  459

  May 1987

  671

  May 1988

  878

  May 1989

  1,105

  May 1990

  1,270

  May 1991

  1,870

  Estimate 1992

  2,530

  Heating Costs
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he intends to ensure that pensioners on small incomes are assisted with heating costs during the winter months.

  Mr. Scott
  The Government's policy targets the available resources on those groups considered most vulnerable and least able to meet extra heating costs as a result of very cold weather. Cold weather payments are already issued automatically to all pensioners who get income support pensioner premium.

  Students
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of students undertaking further education for no more than 20 hours' per week who have been denied income support on the basis that their 20 hours' study is designated as full-time education; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  This information is not available. Students following a full-time course of education, irrespective of the number of hours they attend each week, should look to the educational maintenance system for the necessary financial support.

  Whether a course is designated as full time or part time is a matter for the individual educational establishment. Unemployed income support claimants who take advantage of part-time education courses for up to 21 hours a week benefit from a valuable concession in the income support scheme. They are treated as available for work, but have to satisfy all other relevant provisions whilst continuing their search for work.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that the instructions accompanying all documents relating to claims and appeals within his Department are available in Welsh.

  Mr. Burt
  The provision of instructions which accompany documents relating to claims and appeals is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Gareth Wardell, dated 16 November 1992:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about instructions accompanying all documents relating to claims and appeals being available in Welsh.

  In May 1990 the Department of Social Security published its bilingual policy for Wales. In line with this the Benefits Agency set up a Welsh Language Unit with responsibility for implementing the policy.

  One of the elements of the policy is that bilingual forms and leaflets will be produced, given time. Substantial progress has been made. Many of the most widely used leaflets are now available in a bilingual form, and some of the most widely used claim forms are available in Welsh.
  193
  We are committed under the Department's bilingual policy to produce further bilingual leaflets and forms. Indeed, we are striving to ensure that all future leaflets and forms will be produced in this way.

  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

DEFENCE

  Britannia Royal Naval College
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he intends to make to release the land known as Norton playing fields used by the Britannia Royal Naval college, Dartmouth, for sale.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We have reviewed our need for the land and have concluded that it should be possible to release most of it. No date for disposal can yet be given, but, work is in hand with the object of bringing a sale forward as soon as possible.

  Support Command
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) Tornados, (b) Jaguars, (c) Phantoms, (d) Harriers and (e) Buccaneers are assigned to Support Command.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  RAF Support Command's main functions are to provide maintenance, training and support services to the RAF. The command has no operational flying commitment and does not therefore halve assigned to it aircraft of the types specified.

  Artillery Regiments
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reduction in the number of artillery pieces will result from the planned reduction in the number of artillery regiments.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The reduction in the number of artillery pieces deployed in the field Army as a result of the planned reduction in the number of artillery regiments is expected to be 68.

  Falklands and Belize
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to annex C of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1992", how many Phantoms are in the flight assigned to the Falklands; when they are due to be replaced by Tornado F3s; and how many Harriers are in the flight assigned to Belize.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Phantoms assigned to the Falklands were replaced by Tornados at the end of July. For operational reasons, we do not release details of the number of aircraft in these theatres.

  Tanks
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reductions in tank numbers will result from the planned reduction in armoured regiments.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The reduction in the number of tanks deployed in the field Army as a result of the planned reduction in the number of armoured regiments is expected to be 299.

  Armoured Combat Vehicles
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reductions in armoured combat vehicles and armoured combat vehicle lookalikes are envisaged as a result of the planned reduction in the size of the Army.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The exact quantities of armoured combat vehicles and armoured vehicle lookalikes to be deployed when the planned reductions in the Army have been completed are still under review.

  Accommodation
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many families of British forces personnel have been evicted from his Department's accommodation in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The numbers of families of personnel currently or formerly serving in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force who have been evicted from Ministry of Defence accommodation over the last five years are set out in the table, by calendar year. The Army has been keeping figures centrally only since April 1992 and these are provided in the table. It would require disproportionate effort and cost to collect the earlier figures.

  Year

  Royal Navy

  Army

  RAF

  1988

  3

  —

  1

  1989

  18

  —

  12

  1990

  14

  —

  1

  1991

  13

  —

  5

  1992

  213

  37

  22

  1 Includes one physical eviction.

  2 To 13 November 1992.

  3 Period 1 April to 30 September 1992.

  Note:

  No evictions overseas by Royal Navy and RAF. Number of evictions overseas by Army are unavailable.

  Battalion Complements
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect "Options for Change" has had on the normal complement of a battalion in the Army; and what is that complement now.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Following the implementation of "Options for Change" there will be a small increase in the typical establishment of a battalion in the Army; that establishment depends upon the type and role of the battalion and currently ranges between 628 and 927.

  Iraq
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the inquiry by Lord Justice Scott into Ministers' handling of arms sales to Iraq will have access to papers and officials dealing with equipment sales to Chile during the relevant period;

  (2) if he will release to the inquiry being conducted by Lord Justice Scott on sales to Iraq the studies undertaken under the auspices of his Department into the Iraqi military procurement network in the United Kingdom and the activities of Matrix Churchill.

  Mr. Aitken
  Lord Justice Scott will have access to all relevant Government papers.
  195
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what ammunition supplied by British companies was revealed by the analysis of ammunition captured following the end of the Gulf war; arid how much of this ammunition was originally shipped to Jordan.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department has not carried out an extensive analysis of the origins of all ammunition captured during the Gulf conflict. However, the analysis that has been carried out has produced no evidence to suggest that Iraqi forces used any ammunition of British manufacture.

  British Aerospace
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what oversight Her Majesty's Government exercised during the period 1985 to 1988 of British Aerospace's role in Arab-British dynamics; and what representations were made to the company about this role.
  196
  Mr. Aitken
  My Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office had a number of discussions with British Aerospace on the subject of Arab-British Dynamics over the period in question.

  Activity Bulletins
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to place regular bulletins on developments and activities in(a) Bosnia and (b) the Gulf, which affect the troops deployed there, in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  [pursuant to his reply, 27 October 1992, c. 616]: I intend to place a note summarising the activities of British forces in former Yugoslavia and the Gulf at intervals in the Library of each House. Such notes will be placed once a week, on a Thursday, and more often if circumstances require it. The arrangement will begin on 19 November.

  TACHOGRAPHS: CHART FALSIFICATION
  TACHOGRAPHS: CHART FALSIFICATION
  BRITISH FORCES IN YUGOSLAVIA AND THE GULF: BULLETINS
  BRITISH FORCES IN YUGOSLAVIA AND THE GULF: BULLETINS
  NATIONAL HERITAGE DEPARTMENT
  NATIONAL HERITAGE DEPARTMENT
  LEGAL AID EXPENDITURE, SCOTLAND
  LEGAL AID EXPENDITURE, SCOTLAND
  YOUTH TRAINING BRIDGING ALLOWANCE
  YOUTH TRAINING BRIDGING ALLOWANCE