Written Answers of 20 November 1992

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what figures he has for the number of people receiving legal aid in 'Wales.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Legal Aid Board publishes statistics on the number of acts of assistance provided under the legal aid fund in its annual reports. The most recent figures appear on page 84 of the Legal Aid Board's annual report (1991/92). In criminal (Crown court) proceedings the number of defendants represented under the legal aid scheme is given each year in the Department's annual publication "Judicial Statistics". The most recent information is given in table 10.6 on page 95 of the 1991 edition. In neither instance is it possible to distinguish between assisted persons residing in Wales or England.

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what information he maintains on the percentage of people receiving legal aid in Wales who went on to win their court case.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Legal Aid Board publishes figures on the results reported in legal aid cases in its annual reports. The most recent figures are on page 56 of the Legal Aid Board annual report (1991/92). These figures can be broken down by legal aid area office. Wales, however, is served by two legal aid area offices situated in Cardiff and Chester respectively. The Chester area office also serves parts of north west England and the west midlands and it is not possible to distinguish between assisted persons residing in Wales or England.

  Judges
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what procedures are followed by his Department to monitor the competence of judges; and under what circumstances the Lord Chancellor would initiate the process required for dismissal of a judge.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor attaches the highest importance to the constitutional principle of judicial independence. He has established no procedures for monitoring the competence of the full-time judiciary. Recourse from a judicial decision properly lies through the normal appeal process. Judges, however, exercise their functions, for the most part, in public. The Lord Chancellor considers with great care any complaints made to him about the conduct of a judge. Under the existing legislation governing the tenure of the judiciary, Supreme Court judges hold office during good behaviour, subject only to a power of removal by the Crown on an address presented by both Houses of Parliament; the Lord Chancellor may if he thinks fit remove a circuit judge from 394
  office on the grounds of incapacity or misbehaviour. The Lord Chancellor considers each complaint fully on its merits. He will consider the removal of a judge from office only if and when he is satisfied that the relevant statutory criteria have been fully met and that such a course is in the public interest.

  Visas
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department why the application for an entry clearance visa by Mr. Umar Iqbal to join his wife Shabnim Sattar in Ilford has been refused; and why the appeal will not be heard until March 1993.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I understand that the application was refused on the grounds that the ECO was not satisfied that (1) the marriage had not been entered into primarily to obtain admission to the United Kingdom and (2) on the evidence available, adequate arrangements for maintenance and accommodation, as required under the Immigration Rules, was available without recourse to public funds. Umar Iqbal's appeal against this decision was received on 30 December 1990.

  The first hearing of the appeal was held on 8 July 1991. The case was adjourned for two months to enable the appellant to arrange legal representation. At a second hearing in September the appellant's representative requested an adjournment.

  At a hearing on 20 December 1991 the representative requested a further adjournment to obtain additional documentary evidence. The case was heard again on 22 June 1992 but adjourned to enable the Home Office to consider if there were now grounds to grant Mr. Iqbal an entry clearance. The Home Office have since told the appellant's representative that they do not intend to rely on the primary purpose ground for refusal but that maintenance and accommodation remain issues.

  The case was listed for 25 March 1993 the next available date at the time but it may be possible to bring the hearing forward if the appellant so requests and an earlier date becomes available.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when his Department will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Ilford, South of 5 October, concerning Shabnim Sattar and her husband Mr. Umar Iqbal.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I replied to the hon. Member on 6 November 1992.

  Private Detectives
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 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. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor's Department has used a private detective twice during the last five years. The first occasion, in January 1990 was at a cost of £905; and the second, in February 1991, was at a cost of £776. The firm involved on both occasions was Sabrewatch Ltd.

  Debtors (Guidelines)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidelines that are issued to bailiffs and court officers when dealing with cases where a debtor is an in-patient at a mental illness hospital.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  When a bailiff learns that a debtor is a patient at a mental illness hospital he refers the matter to his manager so that guidance can be sought from the district judge as to what action, if any, should be taken. No written guidelines have been issued about either the service of documents or enforcing warrants in such circumstances. The existing procedure for service is set out in order 10 rule 4 of the County Court Rules 1981, which provides that, in the case of a mental patient, documents should be served on the person (if any) who is authorised under part VII of the Mental Health Act 1983 to conduct proceedings on the patient's behalf. If there is no such person authorised, documents should be served on the person with whom the patient resides or in whose care the patient is.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Private Detectives
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 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. Jackson
  There has been no use of private detective firms by my Department in the last five years.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Community Care Grants
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for(a) community care grants and (b) budgeting loans there have been in Northern Ireland from April 1991 to the latest available date; and of these how many he has (i) granted and (ii) refused.

  Mr. Hanley
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him for a reply to be given.

  Letter from A. Wylie to Mr. William Ross, dated 18 November 1992:

  As I am now responsible for social security operational matters your recent Parliamentary Question about Social Fund applications for Community Care Grants and Budgeting Loans has been passed to me for reply.

  Information about the number of applications for Community Care Grants and Budgeting Loans from April 1991 is available in the Library under Social Fund Data and this is updated on a monthly basis. The details derived from this data are as follows:

  From 1 April 1991 to 31 October 1992

  Number of applications

  Number awarded

  Number refused

  Community Care Grants

  126,886

  46,201

  80,685

  Budgeting Loans

  154,590

  92,086

  62,504

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  I hope you find this information helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report and copies will be placed in the Library.

  Holding Centres
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will now name the independent commissioner for Castlereagh and other holding centres in Northern Ireland, and publish the codes of practice and terms of reference for the commissioner.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I hope to be in a position soon to announce the appointment of the independent commissioner for the holding centres. The commissioner's terms of reference will be published at the same time.

  The draft codes of practice covering the detention, treatment, questioning and identification of those detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act will be issued for public consultation shortly, with a view to laying them before Parliament as early as possible in the new year.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the cost, to date, of providing corporate dress within the Benefits Agency(a) nationally and (b) in Wakefield.

  Mr. Burt
  The provision of corporate dress 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 M. Bichard to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 19 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 the cost, nationally and in Wakefield, of providing corporate dress within the Benefits Agency.Corporate clothing, as part of the customer service initiative, enables local Benefits Agency staff to present a better and more professional image to their customers. This clothing is worn, voluntarily, by front-line staff such as receptionists, Social Fund officers and those members of staff running exhibitions and talks for outside bodies.The corporate dress contract was awarded on 11 December 1991. The national cost of corporate dress ordered to date is almost £1·4 million. I should explain that funding for this clothing comes from office running costs, and not out of the budgets allocated to benefits.The cost of corporate dress in the Agency's Wakefield District, which comprises offices at Wakefield, Castleford, Hemsworth, Pontefract and a full time caller office at Normanton, is approximately £12,100.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.
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many Benefits Agency "Have Your Say" leaflets were(a) published and (b) completed; and if information from analysis of completed leaflets is included in the national customer survey for 1992.

  Mr. Burt
  The provision of service to customers is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the
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  Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 19 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 asking how many Benefits Agency "Have Your Say" leaflets were (a) published and (b) completed; and if information from analysis of completed leaflets is included in the National Customer Survey for 1992.The "Have Your Say" leaflet provides a simple and effective method for customers to set out grievances. There have been two editions of this leaflet. 450,000 of the first edition were printed. The revised version is larger in size and has an altered design. Since April 1992 15,000 have been printed.Information about the number of "Have Your Say" leaflets completed is not kept centrally and is therefore not available except at disproportionate cost. I should explain that the leaflet is designed to be used locally by customers and to enable Districts to respond to the points made and identify any local trends. As there is no national analysis, no statistics relating to it will be included in the National Customer Survey for 1992.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.
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the production and distribution costs for the 1991–92 Benefits Agency annual report.

  Mr. Burt
  The 1991–92 Benefits Agency business plan 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 M. Bichard to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 19 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 concerning the Publication of the Benefits Agency's Annual Report for 1991–92.Ten thousand (10,000) copies of the Annual Report have been produced at a cost of £13,200. So far 3,500 copies have been distributed both within the Department of Social Security and to outside organisations. The cost of external distribution to date is £1,687. All the above costs are exclusive of VAT.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.

  Disability Allowances
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will undertake an inquiry into cases of special rules disability living allowance applications where payment was not made within six months of the application.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 19 November 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational
  398
  matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking if an inquiry into cases of Special Rules Disability Living Allowance applications where payment was not made within six months of the application would be undertaken.I have introduced several measures in the Benefits Agency to deal with the numbers of outstanding claims under normal and special rules and I detailed these in my letter to all MPs on 19 October.The Agency has recently been considering a revision of procedures for processing of Special Rules cases. A number of recommendations have been made which will ensure that processing times are improved and that claims are dealt with consistently. Revised procedures have been written and will be issued shortly. Extended delays will not normally then occur.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.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for loans or grants under the social fund were made in his Newcastle office in the first six months of 1992, compared to the similar period in 1991; and what was the percentage of refusals in each case.

  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 M. Bichard to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 19 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 and refusals in Newcastle.In the first six months of the financial year 1991–92, 9,704 applications for Social Fund loans were made at Newcastle District, of which 36 per cent. were refused. Of the 4,926 community care grant (CCG) applications made in the same period, 75 per cent. were refused. In the first six months of 1992–93, 37 per cent. of the 11,686 loan applications made at Newcastle District were refused as were 75 per cent. of the 5,912 CCG applications.I should explain that most CCG refusals are because the basic eligibility conditions are not satisfied. Nationally, in the year 1991–92, 86 per cent. of CCG refusals were because the basic eligibility criteria, such as receipt of Income Support, were not satisfied. The number of CCG and loan awards in Newcastle District made since April 1992 is over 25 per cent. higher than for the same period last year.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.

  European Court
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 16 November,Official Report, column 77, if he will provide more information regarding the case currently before the European Court of Justice referred to in the answer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  Details of the case (C-328/91) are in the Official Journal of the European Communities, dated 11 February 1992, a copy of which is in the Library.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Salmon Stocks
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now invite his advisory committee on salmon stocks to discuss with the National Rivers Authority how best to monitor the impact of the north east drift net fishery on salmon stocks under the proposed new Net Limitation Order.

  Mr. Curry
  We have no plans to ask the salmon advisory committee to do this. The National Rivers Autority is responsible for the management and monitoring of the drift net fisheries off the north east coast of England.

EMPLOYMENT

  Discrimination
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement on Government policy in relation to employers discriminating on the ground of age.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave him on 19 November 1992.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether she will arrange for public telephone facilities to be made available at the premises of industrial tribunals.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Public telephones are provided in the majority of industrial tribunal offices. Where they are not, the tribunal staff arrange access to an official telephone for parties, their representatives or witnesses if they need this in connection with the tribunal hearing. The central offices of the industrial tribunals in England and Wales and Scotland have been asked to review the arrangements with a view to ensuring that the public have access to a telephone.

  Wages Inspections
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Eltham of 13 November,Official Report, column 984, on rates of low payment found by wages inspectors, if she will list the levels of low payment for which prosecutions have taken place, or are in progress, for 1991–92.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In 1991 there were 14 prosecutions for failing to pay at least the statutory minimum rate. The hourly rates of payment discovered in these cases are as follows:
  £1·25; £1·50; £1·50; £1·63; £1·85; £1·875; £2·01; £2·18; £2·33; £2·33; £2·48; £2·48; £2·48; £2·50.

  In 1992 there have been 10 prosecutions to date for failing to pay at least the statutory minimum rate. The hourly rates of payment discovered in these cases are as follows:
  £1·70; £1·87; £2·00; £2·00; £2·00; £2·30; £2·60; £2·64; £2·68; £2·70.

  There are three cases currently in progress, that have yet to come to court. The hourly rates of payment in these cases are as follows:
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  £1·60; £1·70; £2·03.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many wages inspectors there were in(a) 1979 and (b)

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The average number of wages inspectors in post was as follows:

  1979–158 inspectors

  1990–66 inspectors

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of firms covered by the wages councils received a visit from the wages inspectors in 1990–91.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In 1990–91, 4·4 per cent. of establishments covered by wages councils were visited by wages inspectors.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement on the recommendations made by the Equal Opportunities Commission to strengthen the equal pay and sex discrimination Acts.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Equal Opportunities Commission's recommendations for changes to the sex discrimination and equal pay legislation are receiving careful consideration by the Department.

  Head Protection Regulations
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will grant exemption from the compulsory wearing of head protection on the lines of the Construction (Head Protection) Regulations 1989, to turban-wearing Sikhs in the non-construction industries to be covered by proposed legislation discussed in the consultative document CD38 issued by the Health and Safety Commission.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to arrange for a general exemption for turban-wearing followers of the Sikh religion from the requirement to wear head protection in the proposed regulations to implement the European directive on the Use of Personal Protective Equipment at Work.

EDUCATION

  Assisted Places
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what action he intends to take further to promote the assisted places scheme.

  Mr. Forth
  The scheme is receiving wide publicity in the parents charter, copies of which have been made available to all parents. The publication from next year of tables showing the comparative performance of all local schools, including independent schools, will also bring to the attention of parents everywhere the excellent results achieved by assisted places schools, among others. The Department also distributes 175,000 leaflets a year explaining the benefits of the scheme to parents. Schools offering assisted places are best placed to promote the
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  scheme in their area and they are continuing to do so with excellent results. Take-up of new assisted places is at record levels and the scheme is now more popular than ever with parents.

  Appointments (Women)
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many women would need to be appointed to meet his Department's plans to have 50 per cent. of appointments to bodies concerned with school matters and 30 per cent. of those to non-school bodies to be women by 1996.

  Mr. Forman
  It is difficult to give accurate figures since overall total membership of our public bodies is subject to change. Assuming that the overall membership of the Department's public bodies remains until 1996 at the level indicated in the document "Public Appointments and Equal Opportunities" recently released through the Cabinet Office, we shall have to appoint 23 more women to bodies concerned with school matters and 25 more women to non-school bodies in order to achieve our published goals.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list his Department's bodies concerned with school matters and non-school bodies; and if he will list the number of women, and the total number of members, appointed to each body.

  Mr. Forman
  The details requested are as follows:

  Public Bodies concerned with school matters

  Name of body

  Number of women

  Total number of members

  Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges

  4

  16

  Centre for Information on Language Teaching

  4

  12

  Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education

  4

  16

  Education Assets Board

  2

  11

  National Council for Education Technology

  8

  19

  National Curriculum Council

  5

  14

  National Youth Agency

  4

  7

  School Examinations and Assessment Council

  4

  14

  Teaching as a Career Board

  1

  9

  Business and Technology Education Council

  3

  15

  Council for National Academic Awards

  3

  27

  Further Education Funding Council (England)

  4

  14

  Further Education Unit Board of Management

  2

  9

  Fulbright Commission

  1

  6

  Higher Education Funding Council for England

  2

  13

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  Name of body

  Number of women

  Total number of members

  Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council

  2

  15

  University Commissioners

  0

  5

  Universities Funding Council

  3

  14

  Visiting Committee of the Cranfield Institute of Technology

  0

  7

  Visiting Committee of the Royal College of Art

  1

  8

  Lunchtime Supervisors
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the number of lunchtime supervisors employed by each local education authority for 1980, 1985 and 1990.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Pupils (Exclusions)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to ensure that(a) proper records are kept on exclusions of pupils from schools and (b) reliable data are available on an annual basis for both indefinite and permanent exclusion of pupils from schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department has been collecting information on permanent exclusions from LEA and grant-maintained schools over a two-year period starting with the summer term 1990 under the national exclusions reporting system (NERS). The purpose of NERS is to provide a basis on which to review the working of the existing statutory procedures on exclusions. The information received is currently being analysed. The need for any further monitoring will be considered in the context of the overall review.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

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

  The Solicitor-General
  The records of the legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Crown prosecution service and the Serious Fraud Office do not disclose any use of inquiry agents in the last five years. The litigation division of the Treasury Solicitor's Department makes frequent use of inquiry agents to ascertain the addresses of parties against whom court proceedings are to be issued, and as process servers. It would not be possible to ascertain the exact level of use or cost, or the names of all firms involved without disproportionate expense. However, the cost for each case usually does not exceed £100.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Satellite TV (Encryption Services)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will refer the monopoly of encryption services in satellite television to the Office of Fair Trading; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  No. The Director General of Fair Trading is required under statute to keep the operation of commercial services in the United Kingdom under review. Allegations of abuses of market power are usually made directly by those affected to the Office of Fair Trading.

  Compulsory Repair Orders
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what progress his Department has made with the compulsory repairs order issued on Buxton crescent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 19 November 1992]: Contacts between English Heritage and the owners are continuing. Meanwhile, my officials are making final preparations for the service of a repairs notice.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Albania
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance has been provided to Albania(a) through the know-how fund and (b) otherwise.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The know-how fund was extended to Albania in July 1992. We are currently working up a programme of assistance: initial projects are concentrating on the privatisation of state farms and the health management sector. We have provided £1·3 million of bilateral humanitarian assistance through grants to British non-governmental organisations. Our contribution to EC humanitarian assistance is some £12 million.

  Rhinoceros Conservation
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much is currently allocated by her Department towards the world-wide conservation of rhinoceros.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There is no sectoral allocation for rhinoceros conservation within the aid programme.

  In 1991–92 we spent £100,000 on a project specifically related to rhinoceros conservation in Kenya and more than £1 million on projects designed to promote the conservation of areas where the rhinoceros is found.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many lorries for use in carrying humanitarian relief in Bosnia have arrived in Bosnia to date; how many more lorries from the United Kingdom are to be sent; and what representations have been made for more lorries to be made available.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 17 November 1992]: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
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  office in Zagreb stated on 18 October that they had a trucking capacity of 110 trucks and were expecting a further 126 vehicles to arrive by mid-late November. Of the vehicles in operation at the time of the report, we had provided 21 trucks with a total capacity of 231 tonnes. Since then we have provided 10 more trucks with trailers to increase their carrying capacity, to enhance UNHCR's operations, and a further 12 trucks, with 10 trailers, left Felixstowe yesterday, carrying around £1 million of medical supplies destined for the World Health Organisation, to join the distribution operation. We have received no representations from UNHCR to make more vehicles available.

  Global Environmental Assistance
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has of the consequences of the projected cut in global environmental assistance.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 18 November 1992]: There is no projected cut. The planned provision for global environmental assistance covers only expected expenditure to meet existing commitments to the global environment facility and the Montreal protocol fund. We have agreed to provide new and additional resources for replenishment of the global environment facility. We shall make provision when the level and the timing of our contribution to the replenishment are known.

  Aid Target
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the effect of the Overseas Development Administration budget announced in the autumn statement on the achievement of the UN target of 0·7 per cent. of gross national product for overseas aid budgets.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 18 November 1992]: Performance against the 0·7 per cent. target is based on actual expenditure and by calendar year. It is not useful, therefore, for the Government to make forecasts of future aid/GNP ratios based on planning figures by financial year.

  Aid Reductions
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will explain the reasons behind the proposed reduction in aid for developing countries from 1993–94 to 1995–96.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 18 November 1992]: The future levels of the aid programme have been considered, along with other public expenditure programmes, during the public expenditure survey. The public expenditure survey allows for a detailed consideration of all public expenditure priorities against the available resources. The results of this year's survey, announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12 November, reflect the Government's firm commitment to a continuing substantial aid programme for developing countries. The aid programme to developing countries is planned to increase from 1992–93 to 1993–94 by 1 per cent. in real terms to £1,900 million and to be maintained at that level in cash in 1994–95 and 1995–96.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Banknotes
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted for forgery of banknotes during each of the past five years for which records are available.

  Mr. Jack
  Data collected centrally does not distinguish between offences involving coins or notes. The table shows the number of prosecutions for forgery of coins and notes from 1986 to 1990. Provisional 1991 data will be available before the end of 1992.

  Number of persons prosecuted in England and Wales under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 Sections 14 to 19.

  Year

  Prosecutions

  1986

  314

  1987

  195

  1988

  99

  1989

  67

  1990

  169

  Voting
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many expatriate votes were cast at the last general election; and how they were distributed by constituency.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Details of the number of overseas electors registered in each constituency were published by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in 1992 Electoral Statistics (EL no. 19), a copy of which is in the Library. Information on the number of proxies who voted on behalf of overseas electors at the general election is not collected centrally.

  Staff Vetting
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests were received by police authorities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, from local authority education departments seeking vetting of prospective staff working with children for the years 1989, 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Exact figures are not available but during the period 1 September 1990 to 31 August 1991 519,325 checks were made by police forces in England and Wales under the child protection arrangements, of which 192,410 were known to have come from local authority education departments. Corresponding figures for the two previous years were 489,266 (193,526) to 31 August 1990 and 464,112 (189,304) to 31 August 1989.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time the Metropolitan police take to process a police check on the suitability of local authority job applicants who work with children, such as teachers and social workers.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The average length of time is currently 12½ weeks, including 9½ weeks waiting time before work on applications can begin. There has been a 42 per cent. increase in the number of criminal record check requests made to the Metropolitan police this year 406
  compared with last. Figures for the three months ending mid-November 1992 show an increase of 75 per cent. over the same period last year. Six extra staff have been loaned to the unit in an effort to reduce the backlog.

  Drugs (Prisons)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison inmates at each of the London prisons have been put on report for being in possession of drugs during the period 1 January to 1 November.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The number of inmates held in London prisons placed on report for being in possession of drugs between 1 January and 1 November 1992 is as follows:

  Number

  Belmarsh

  69

  Brixton

  51

  Holloway

  51

  Pentonville

  72

  Wandsworth

  226

  Wormwood Scrubs

  120

  Strangeways Prison
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will apply the transfer of undertakings regulations to the market testing of Strangeways prison; if he will make a statement on the advice provided in his Department's market testing guidelines; and if he will outline the considerations leading to his decision.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The applications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to market testing in the prison service is a complex matter which we are current:y considering. I will write to the hon. Member when conclusions have been reached.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what monitoring his Department carries out of the employment policies of private security firms.

  Mr. Jack
  We are supporting the development of self-regulation within the private security industry. As part of this policy we encourage adherence to the relevant British Standards covering technical and managerial competence.

  On 20 October my right hon. and learned Friend attended the launch of the inspectorate of the security industry, which will inspect guarding firms against these standards. Inspection will not be compulsory, but British Standards provide the industry's users with a benchmark for deciding whether firms are suitable.

  Police (Sick Leave)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officer work days are lost in each year since 1987 in each police authority(a) due to injuries incurred on duty and (b) other sickness.
  407
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Figures relating to the total number of days absent from duty due to sickness as a result of assault on duty, and other sickness, are published each year in the annual report of Her Majesty's inspector

  1990

  1991

  Force

  Days lost due to assault-related sick leave

  Total days sick leave not due to assaults

  Days lost due to assault-related sick leave

  Total days sick leave not due to assaults

  Avon and Somerset

  1,402

  31,116

  840

  30,357

  Bedfordshire

  582

  13,788

  831

  12,719

  Cambridgeshire

  213

  14,731

  589

  12,518

  Cheshire

  1,109

  20,136

  921

  22,041

  City of London

  37

  10,023

  6

  8,899

  Cleveland

  731

  28,963

  610

  23,384

  Cumbria

  169

  13,425

  358

  12,125

  Derbyshire

  648

  19,323

  1,135

  23,358

  Devon and Cornwall

  865

  27,202

  986

  28,131

  Dorset

  406

  9,665

  325

  13,749

  Durham

  1,191

  15,876

  1,129

  15,825

  Dyfed Powys

  622

  10,325

  223

  10,801

  Essex

  629

  36,518

  454

  32,540

  Gloucestershire

  259

  11,790

  338

  13,148

  Greater Manchester

  3,708

  99,694

  3,618

  86,936

  Gwent

  330

  10,937

  126

  13,627

  Hampshire

  2,170

  33,156

  930

  43,295

  Hertfordshire

  650

  22,318

  640

  22,647

  Humberside

  895

  27,059

  856

  20,096

  Kent

  542

  29,459

  190

  20,324

  Lancashire

  1,371

  52,507

  2,422

  47,516

  Leicestershire

  644

  24,224

  678

  24,466

  Lincolnshire

  670

  16,361

  758

  17,206

  Merseyside

  4,086

  79,416

  4,264

  87,094

  Metropolitan Police

  792

  360,689

  1,669

  320,907

  Norfolk

  381

  17,688

  157

  15,314

  North Wales

  623

  18,318

  810

  22,055

  North Yorkshire

  274

  16,321

  419

  18,948

  Northamptonshire

  132

  14,320

  65

  15,276

  Northumbria

  4,296

  36,309

  3,993

  30,281

  Nottinghamshire

  1,302

  28,236

  1,081

  26,879

  South Wales

  2,422

  43,370

  2,874

  46,868

  South Yorkshire

  1,297

  36,362

  600

  36,728

  Staffordshire

  1,120

  32,816

  1,096

  34,892

  Suffolk

  443

  9,331

  333

  8,649

  Surrey

  811

  15,419

  641

  18,664

  Sussex

  1,026

  30,164

  1,708

  38,921

  Thames Valley

  1,144

  26,992

  761

  35,728

  Warwickshire

  438

  12,357

  275

  13,874

  West Mercia

  487

  24,936

  405

  25,873

  West Midlands

  Not known

  48,785

  1,279

  64,594

  West Yorkshire

  2,455

  57,615

  2,880

  61,815

  Wiltshire

  456

  10,285

  400

  9,293

  Police (Structure and Funding)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) which organisations he intends to consult on any proposals for changes in the arrangements for the structure and funding of police authorities and police forces in England and Wales;

  (2) when he proposes to make an announcement on the future arrangements for the structure and funding of police authorities and police forces in England and Wales.
  408
  of constabulary. The corresponding totals on a force by force basis between 1987 and 1989 are not totally readily available. Those for 1990 and 1991 are as follows:

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We will consult on our proposals as soon as we have completed our consideration of these issues. Our consultations will include the Association of Chief Police Officers and the local authority associations.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convicted or remand category inmates from prisons have been transferred to each of the special hospitals in each of the past five years; and how many of these were category A prisoners.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 6 November 1992]: The available information is given in the table.
  409

  Prisoners transferred to special hospitals by hospital and type of prisoner/transfer: 1987–1991

  Hospital

  Of which Category 'A'

  Year

  Broadmoor

  Rampton

  Ashworth4

  Total

  Broadmoor

  Rampton

  Ashworth4

  Total

  1987

  Sentenced1

  6

  14

  24

  44

  2

  2

  3

  7

  Remand2

  7

  2

  6

  15

  2

  —

  1

  3

  Remand3

  26

  11

  38

  75

  1

  1

  3

  5

  1988

  Sentenced1

  9

  8

  17

  34

  6

  2

  1

  9

  Remand2

  5

  4

  —

  9

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Remand3

  39

  21

  15

  75

  1

  —

  2

  3

  1989

  Sentenced1

  10

  9

  28

  47

  4

  1

  2

  7

  Remand2

  3

  3

  11

  17

  1

  1

  8

  10

  Remand3

  27

  16

  27

  70

  1

  2

  3

  6

  1990

  Sentenced1

  9

  11

  21

  41

  1

  1

  —

  2

  Remand2

  7

  8

  4

  19

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Remand3

  12

  18

  20

  50

  2

  1

  2

  5

  1991

  Sentenced1

  14

  14

  19

  47

  2

  1

  2

  5

  Remand2

  10

  6

  11

  27

  3

  —

  1

  4

  Remand3

  13

  21

  10

  44

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1 Sentenced prisoners transferred from prison to special hospitals under Section 47/49 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

  2 Remand prisoners transferred direct from prison to special hospitals under Section 48/49 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

  3 Remand prisoners discharged from prison to court then admitted to special hospitals under Section 37/41 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

  4 Moss Side and Park Lane hospitals merged on 18 February 1990 to become Ashworth.

  Health and Safety
  Mr. John McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place a copy in the Library of the health and safety policy of each of the agencies within his Department.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the agencies concerned: the Forensic Science Service, the United Kingdom Passport Agency and the Fire Service College. I have asked the chief executive of each of these agencies to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from J. Hayzelden to Mr. John McAllion, dated 12 November 1992:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to respond to your Parliamentary Question about the health and safety policy of the United Kingdom Passport Agency. We give a very high priority to health and safety matters in the Passport Agency and we have separate statements to cover each of the buildings that we occupy. I have arranged for a copy of these documents to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Letter from A. Salisbury to Mr. John McAllion, dated 16 November 1992:
  The Secretary of State for the Home Department has asked the chief executives of the executive agencies for which he is responsible to write to you directly in response to your Parliamentary Question about health and safety policies. I am replying as the Deputy Commandant of the Fire Service College agency on behalf of the Chief Executive, Mr. Brian Fuller, who is currently abroad on business.A copy of the College's existing health and safety policy will be placed in the Library of the House. The policy is currently under review in the light of new health and safety at work regulations which will be coming into force at the beginning of 1993 and which are required in order to implement European Community directives on health and safety at work.410 As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executives' replies to written Parliamentary Questions will be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
  Letter from J. Thompson to Mr. John McAllion, dated 17 November 1992:
  You recently tabled a Parliamentary Question asking for a copy of the Health and Safety Policy of each of the agencies to be placed in the Library. As you know, the arrangement now is that the Chief Executive of an Executive Agency, with the agreement of the Minister, replies to Members of Parliament on operational matters. I am therefore replying on behalf of the Forensic Science Service (FSS).A copy of the current health and safety policy has been placed in the Library as you requested. You will see from the introduction that the policy continues to operate within the overall umbrella of the Home Office Health and Safety Policy. The document represents a second level policy statement, operating within the 3 tier Home Office policy. Third level local policy documents for each laboratory set out the local application of the policy and procedures.

TRANSPORT

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

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  My right hon. Friend announced proposals for the privatisation of DVOIT on 19 October,Official Report, column 209. A consultation document on the future of the vehicle inspectorate was published on 14 September; it invited comments by 30 November on options for the future of the agency's testing activities. As part of the normal three year reviews of the framework documents for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency,

  411
  the Driving Standards Agency and the Vehicle Certification Agency, which need to be completed by 1 April 1993, we shall be looking at the alternative options, in accordance with the procedures for agencies described in the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Office of Public Service and Science on 17 November, Official Report, column 104.

  Fires on Ships
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the details of fires on board ships investigated by his Department for each of the last 10 years, giving details of(a) temperature and (b) length of fire.

  Date of Accident

  Name of Vessel

  Type of Vessel

  Flag

  Size

  18 July 1989

  Seaboard Invincible

  Offshore Support

  United Kingdom

  1,276 grt

  30 July 1989

  Welsh Princess

  Yacht

  Cayman Islands

  —

  2 August 1989

  Naticia

  Passenger

  United Kingdom

  288 grt

  12 August 1989

  Llanishen

  Cargo

  St. Vincent

  446 grt

  31 August 1989

  Eclipse

  FV

  United Kingdom

  23·5 m

  11 September 1989

  Lyrawa Bay

  Ro-Ro

  United Kingdom

  101 grt

  12 September 1989

  Kevella

  FV

  United Kingdom

  19·8 m

  13 September 1989

  L'Oiseau Migrateur

  FV

  Guernsey

  16·5 m

  24 October 1989

  Esperans

  FV

  —

  —

  25 October 1989

  Nanna

  FV

  —

  —

  30 November 1989

  Strathisla

  FV

  United Kingdom

  18·9 m

  22 December 1989

  Marino Torre

  Ro-Ro/Cargo

  Italy

  2,644 grt

  10 January 1990

  Sound of Seil

  Ferry

  United Kingdom

  363 grt

  13 January 1990

  Churchill

  Container

  United Kingdom

  22,635 grt

  31 January 1990

  St. Columbia

  Ro-Ro

  United Kingdom

  7,.836 grt

  3 March 1990

  Luminence

  Cargo

  United Kingdom

  1,596 grt

  26 March 1990

  Lowland Cavalier

  Offshore Support

  United Kingdom

  1,396 grt

  6 April 1990

  Norrona

  Ro-Ro

  Denmark

  7,839 grt

  10 April 1990

  Reine Matilde

  Ro-Ro

  France

  5,465 grt

  7 July 1990

  Success

  FV

  United Kingdom

  16·2 m

  10 July 1990

  Rocquaine

  Cargo

  Bahamas

  985 grt

  27 August 1990

  Sea Venture

  FV

  United Kingdom

  16·31 m

  29 August 1990

  Island Traveller

  Cargo

  United Kingdom

  424 grt

  16 September 1990

  Sue Rita

  Passenger Launch

  United Kingdom

  67·11 grt

  19 September 1990

  St. Anselm

  Ro-Ro

  United Kingdom

  7,405 grt

  3 October 1990

  Earl Granville

  Ro-Ro

  United Kingdom

  4,657 grt

  9 October 1990

  St. Cybi

  Ro-Ro

  Bahamas

  2,353 grt

  9 October 1990

  Canberra

  Passenger

  United Kingdom

  43,975 grt

  24 October 1990

  Suffolk Venturer

  Offshore Support

  United Kingdom

  255 grt

  1 November 1990

  Emerald

  Cargo

  Isle of Man

  1,583 grt

  4 December 1990

  Comar

  Tug

  United Kingdom

  37 grt

  24 February 1991

  Breydon Merchant

  Cargo

  United Kingdom

  425 grt

  23 March 1991

  Eurosun

  Passenger Ro-Ro

  Bermuda

  12,343 grt

  23 May 1991

  Luminence

  Cargo

  United Kingdom

  1,596 grt

  17 June 1991

  Autostrada

  Vehicle Carrier

  United Kingdom

  610 grt

  18 July 1991

  David John

  FV

  United Kingdom

  23·9 m

  19 July 1991

  Matco Avon

  Tanker

  United Kingdom

  43,622 grt

  24 July 1991

  Valulla

  Class V Passenger Launch

  United Kingdom

  112·06 grt

  1 August 1991

  Geestcape

  Refrigerated Cargo

  United Kingdom

  8,030 grt

  5 August 1991

  Kedarost

  FV

  United Kingdom

  23·41 m

  5 August 1991

  Emerald

  Cargo

  Isle of Man

  1,583 grt

  18 September 1991

  Arran Lass

  FV

  United Kingdom

  15·24 m

  412
  Mr. Norris
  A list of investigations carried out into fires on board vessels since the establishment of the marine accident investigation branch in July 1989 is attached.

  It is not generally practicable to measure the temperature of a fire, and the statistics maintained do not include details of duration.

  The information on all investigations into fires carried out by the Department between mid-1982 and mid-1989 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  413

  Date of Accident

  Name of Vessel

  Type of Vessel

  Flag

  Size

  14 October 1991

  Freedom

  FV

  United Kingdom

  22·61 m

  20 October 1991

  Sally Star

  Passenger Ro-Ro

  Bahamas

  9,120 grt

  31 October 1991

  Rix Eagle

  Dry Cargo Barge

  United Kingdom

  292 grt

  5 November 1991

  Stora Korsnas Link 1

  Ro-Ro Cargo

  Sweden

  5,018 grt

  15 January 1992

  Geestbay

  Cargo

  United Kingdom

  7,729 grt

  8 April 1992

  Kasan

  FV

  United Kingdom

  17·52 m

  15 May 1992

  Grampian Otter

  Supply Vessel

  United Kingdom

  652 grt

  28 May 1992

  Tor Anglia

  Ro-Ro Other Cargo

  Sweden

  13,652 grt

  21 June 1992

  Sibon

  FV

  United Kingdom

  33·66 m

  29 September 1992

  Sky Princess

  Cruise

  United Kingdom

  43,692 grt

  15 October 1992

  Our Lady Patricia

  Passenger

  United Kingdom

  312 grt

  Merchant Ships
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents world wide involving United Kingdom registered merchant vessels over 100 gross tonnes were reported in 1991.

  Mr. Norris
  A total of 140 accidents were recorded.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account he has taken of the effect of hydrocarbon fuels and lengths of journey on ship fire safety standards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  Ship safety standards, including fire safety standards relating to the carriage and use of hydrocarbon fuels, are prescribed in the international convention for the safety of life at sea (SOLAS) for ships engaged on international voyages, both long and short. Those standards, together with similarly appropriate standards for ships not engaged on international voyages, are implemented by merchant shipping legislation.

  Passenger Ferries
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many(a) collisions, (b) collisions leading to capsize, (c) floodings and (d) serious fires involving United Kingdom registered passenger ferries have been recorded in each year since 30 April 1988.

  Mr. Norris
  Information on incidents broken down by the specified categories is only available in statistical form for vessels over 100 grt from 1 January 1989 grouped under related accident types; statistics for part years could not be produced without considerable effort. The figures concern all United Kingdom passenger ships and all ro-ro vessels including those which do not carry passengers; and they are not confined to serious accidents but include all cases where material damage was caused:

  1989

  1990

  1991

  11992

  Collisions and contacts

  11

  22

  22

  9

  Capsizings

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Floodings

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Fire and explosions

  19

  14

  11

  17

  1To 31 October.

  414

  Concessionary Fares
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will establish a Government survey to evaluate the possibility of a United Kingdom-wide concessionary fare scheme for pensioners on public transport.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have no plans to change the present arrangements for concessionary fares schemes operated by local authorities. Both British Rail and long-distance coach operators have their own commercial travel concessions for elderly people. There is therefore no need to carry out a survey as suggested by the hon. Member.

  Jubilee Line
  Mr. Bendall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the time scale of the construction of the Jubilee line extension in the light of the statement made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12 November.

  Mr. Norris
  We shall be able to give the go-ahead for construction only when a formal agreement is concluded with the administrators on the detailed terms upon which they are to contribute to the cost of the extension. Thereafter, the line is planned to be built in 53 months.

  Shipping and Seamen (Records)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the standards of record maintenance and the help given to academic and other inquirers by the General Register and Record Office of Shipping and Seamen.

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friend is aware that there have been few complaints about the standard of record keeping and a steady flow of expressions of appreciation about the services provided. We shall want to ensure that this continues in the future.

  Parking
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to give powers to local authorities to deal with vehicles which are illegally, obstructively or dangerously parked; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Under the Road Traffic Act 1991 local authorities are able to assume responsibility for all permitted parking controls throughout their areas on
  415
  application to us. They can also apply to have special parking areas designated in which they will be able to enforce virtually all parking restrictions. While the police will retain powers to enforce endorsable offences such as obstruction and dangerous parking, local authorities will in practice be able to deal with the vehicle concerned if it is also parked in contravention of a parking regulation.

  Skye Bridge
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether the difficulties associated with the lighting and stability of safety buoys, in the vicinity of the Kyle of Lochalsh/Kyleakin crossing, relevant to the construction work on the bridge to Skye, breach the original conditions of consent; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what steps he is taking to ensure that the safety provisions at the Kyle of Lochalsh/Kyleakin crossing, relevant to the construction work on the bridge to Skye, are satisfactory with specific regard to the lighting and stability of surface buoys; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  The consent to the Skye bridge works, issued by the Department of Transport under section 34 of the Coast Protection Act 1949, requires the works to be marked and lit as specified by the Northern Lighthouse Board. The consent also provides for the broadcast of natigational warnings to mariners and for the use of guardships in connection with any emergency arising from the works including the displacement of buoys and the failure of lights. The contractors are also required to advise the hydrographer of the Navy of any hazard to navigation arising from the works.

  Technically, any failure of navigational safety equipment represents a breach of the conditions of consent. On the occasions when the Northern Lighthouse Board has reported failures of navigational equipment. The Department of Transport has contacted the contractors and ensured that immediate action was taken to correct the failure. At the Department's request, the contractors are taking steps to ensure that problems with the navigational aids are minimised, including the replacement of the existing battery powered lights with solar powered buoys.

  Coastal and Short Sea Shipping
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he will be taking to develop British coastal and short sea shipping; and what discussions he has had with the National Union of Marine, Aviation and Shipping Transport Officer.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 17 November 1992]: It is primarily for the industry to develop coastal and short sea freight services in response to market demands. However, the Government are keen to encourage the use of waterborne freight alternatives where this is both economically and geographically viable.

  We meet with officials from NUMAST periodically when we discuss a whole range of issues.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what initiatives he is planning to assess the potential for shifting freight away from roads and on to coastal ships and other vessels.
  416
  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 17 November 1992]: I refer the hon. member to the answer that I gave on 3 November 1992, Official Report, c. 159–60.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made on the relative energy efficiency of coastal and short sea trips in terms of energy consumption per tonne per mile in comparison with freight-carrying road lorries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 17 November 1992]: The energy efficiency of ships and lorries is discussed in a report produced by the Department of Energy in 1989 on "Energy Use and Energy Efficiency in UK Transport up to the year 2010" and published by HMSO.

  I have no current plans to carry out any further assessement of the comparative energy efficiency of roads and wateborne freight.

WALES

  Birds of Prey (Poisoning)
  Mr. Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many protected birds of prey have been found poisoned in Wales in each of the last five years; and if he will indicate numbers of poisonings according to bird species and type.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information is as follows:

  1987—None

  1988–1 buzzard

  1989–4 buzzards, 6 red kites

  1990–2 buzzards

  1991–2 buzzards, 1 red kite, 1 peregrine falcon

  1992—To date 1 buzzard and 3 red kites

  NHS Administration
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what percentage of South Glamorgan health authority's budget is spent on administrative costs not directly related to the provision of health care;

  (2) what percentage of national health service Wales' overall budget is spent on administrative costs not directly related to the provision of health care.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  All NHS expenditure in Wales is related to the provision of health and personal social services. The information necessary to identify administrative costs across all fields of health and social care is not available centrally. However, provisional annual accounts data for 1991–92 does yield for district health authorities the proportion of the authority's own revenue expenditure on administrative costs not directly related to the provision of health care during the last financial year. This figure for South Glamorgan is 3·3 per cent. and is taken to be that covering authority administration and purchasing expenses and expenditure on administering "other services"—for example, emergency bed service, registration and inspection of nursing homes, and joint finance expenditure, care in the community and grants to voluntary bodies. It excludes any further administrative expenditure accounted for within the small surplus on trading attributable to the non-ambulance services of the South Glamorgan health authority's common services units which cannot be allocated centrally between the various clients of those units.

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

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East (Mr. Paice) by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science on 17 November, at column 104.

  Appointments
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 30 October,Official Report, columns 866–908, if he will list the number of days per week that each appointee is expected, or contracted, to serve in respect of his or her appointment.

  Mr. David Hunt
  As the information requested is some 30 pages in length, I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning Government proposals to abolish wages councils.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received around a dozen representations, from members of the public who are not in favour of the proposal.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many men and how many women are in employment in each wages council industry in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is not available in the format requested.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated net effect on unemployment in Wales of the proposed abolition of wages councils.

  Mr. David Hunt
  By reducing barriers to employment, as well as reducing unnecessary bureaucracy, the abolition of wages councils will improve job prospects in Wales.

  Agricultural Wages Board
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated net effect on employment in agriculture in Wales of abolishing the Agricultural Wages Board.

  Mr. David Hunt
  There is no proposal to abolish this board.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for 'Wales what representations he has received on abolishing the Agricultural Wages Board.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received no such representations.

  Recycling
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the local authorities in Wales that plan to(a) fulfill and (b) exceed Government targets for local authority recycling of 25 per cent. of all household waste by 2000.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This information will not be available until local authorities have finalised their waste recycling plans.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will establish a cash-incentive scheme for local authorities in Wales to(a) invest in recycling collections, (b) raise the costs of landfill and (c) build up the markets for recycled materials.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Government are investigating the possible use of economic instruments to provide incentives to increase, re-use, recycle or minimum waste. Our White Paper, "This Common Inheritance—The Second Year Report" commits us to announcing conclusions about the use of economic instruments early in the new year.

  Landfill Gas Explosions
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many properties have been destroyed by explosions caused by landfill gas in Wales; and how many people have been killed or injured in such explosions in each year.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Local authorities are responsible for controlling landfill sites under planning and waste management legislation. Information relating to landfill gas should be available from the relevant local authority.

  Shellfish
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all shellfish fisheries in Wales, indicating the type and number of shellfish collected in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will indicate which shellfish fisheries are classified in categories A, B, C and D.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Data on fish catches are compiled by port of landing. The 1991 figures for cockles and mussels are as follows:

  (tonnes)

  Port

  Cockles

  Mussels

  Conwy

  —

  100

  Penclawdd

  816

  —

  Llanelli

  1,798

  15

  Three Rivers area

  —

  10

  Bangor

  —

  1,071

  The oyster catch amounted to less than one tonne in total.

  The preliminary classifications of shellfish waters in Wales under the terms of the EC directives are as follows:
  419

  Area

  Bed name

  Species

  Classification

  Porthcawl

  Native oysters

  Further data being obtained

  Swansea

  Swansea and Nash Banks

  Native oysters

  Burry Inlet

  North

  Cockles

  C/D

  South

  Cockles

  B

  Machynys

  Cockles

  C/D

  Whiteford Point

  Mussels

  A

  Pwll

  Mussels

  D

  Burry Port

  Mussels

  C

  Three Rivers

  Wharley Point, St. Ishmaels and Gwendraeth

  Cockles and mussels

  B

  Ginst Point

  Cockles

  B/C

  Milford Haven

  Above Woodhouse Spit

  Mussels, Native oysters, Cockles

  D

  Woodhouse Spit to Garron Pill

  Mussels, Native oysters, Cockles

  B

  Garron Pill to Neyland (excluding Ferny Pits and Carew)

  Mussels, Native oysters, Cockles

  C

  Ferny Pits

  Mussels, Native oysters, Cockles

  B

  Carew

  Pacific oysters

  B/C

  Below Neyland

  Cockles and Mussels

  B

  Fishguard

  Goodwick

  Mussels

  B

  Dovey

  Aberdyfi and Coed y Gofer

  Mussels and Cockles

  C

  Dovey/Leri

  Mussels

  B

  Mawddach

  Mawddach Crescent

  Mussels

  C

  All other areas

  Mussels and Cockles

  B

  Menai Strait-West

  Abermenai, Barras, Traeth, Melynog and Llanidan

  Mussels and Cockles

  B

  Menai Strait-East

  Bangor sites 5/6/7 (area 1) and Lavan Sands

  Mussels and Cockles

  C

  Gallows Point, Gannet and Wilsons (area 4)

  Mussels

  B

  Bangor sites 9/10/11/12 (areas 2 and 5)

  Mussels

  B

  Malreath Bay

  All areas

  Mussels and Cockles

  B

  Inland Sea

  Holyhead (area 1)

  Pacific oysters

  A

  Cymyran (area 3)

  Pacific oysters

  B

  Red Wharf Bay

  All areas

  Cockles

  C

  Conwy

  All estuary areas

  Mussels

  C

  Llandudno

  Mussels

  B

  Colwyn Bay

  Rhos and Llanddulas

  Mussels

  C

  Dee

  All areas

  Cockles

  C

  Conservation Sites
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many special protection areas and Ramsar sites there are in Wales; and what assessment he has made of the number of such sites which are threatened by developments associated with(a) industry, (b) recreation, (c) tourism, (d) roads, (e) minerals and (f) agricultural reclamation and flood prevention.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In Wales there are eight special protection areas—SPAs—designated under the EC birds directive and six sites designated under the convention on wetlands of international importance, the Ramsar 420
  convention. These figures include two sites which are both SPAs and Ramsar sites, one of which is also a cross-border site with England. I am not aware of any developments which would be in danger of destroying the value of any of these sites.

  Public Record Office
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond),Official Report, 13 November, columns 990–91, if he will set out in the Official Report why each document was withdrawn from the Public Record Office.
  421
  Mr. David Hunt
  The documents concerned are required for routine administrative purposes.

  Teachers
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the local education authorities in Wales who currently run disability awareness training programmes for their teachers.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information is not available. However, all local education authorities in Wales receive support from the Welsh Office under the grants for educational support and training programme for the training of teachers of the deaf, the blind, children with severe learning difficulties and designated special needs teachers in ordinary schools.

  Farm Buildings
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many successful applications have been made to convert farm buildings into second homes in each local authority area of Wales in each of the last 10 years.

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

  Small Schools
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how future standard spending assessments will affect small schools currently enjoying protection under the formula; what steps are being taken to base the formula on an objective and professional assessment of Wales's needs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Standard spending assessments for Welsh authorities are not hypothecated to individual services. The distribution formulae for county authority SSAs take into account the effect of population sparsity in the provision of primary and secondary education. The formulae are reviewed annually with the local authority associations and ratified by the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance.

  Caesium-137
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what inquiries have been made by his Department into the loss of a Caesium-137 source by British Coal from the Marine colliery.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The loss of a caesium-137 source from Marine colliery came to light during an investigation by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in the second half of 1991, into British Coal's registered holdings of radioactive materials at their sites in Wales. HMIP required the company to comply with a condition in their certificate of registration under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, to take all reasonably practicable measures to recover the source, but it was not found. British Coal was subsequently fined a total of £20,000.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Agencies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those agencies in his Departments which are being considered for privatisation or contractorisation.
  422
  Mr. Nelson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East (Mr. Paice) on 17 November, at column 104. The procedure outlined in that reply will, of course, apply to the three executive agencies for which I am responsible—the Royal Mint, launched 2 April 1990, the Valuation Office, launched 30 September 1991, and the Central Statistical Office, launched 19 November 1991. An announcement about the future status of each agency will be made at the appropriate time.

  Officials (Resignations)
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many officials at principal level and above have resigned from the Treasury in the last two years who have joined the private sector financial services sector.

  Mr. Nelson
  Since November 1990, there have been four officials at grade 7 level and above who have resigned from the Treasury and have informed the Department that they would be joining the private sector financial services sector.

  Small Firms (Loans)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of money lent by clearing banks to small firms at interest rates linked to a base rate subject to a minimum level independent of base rate; and how many small firms currently have loans of this type.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have not made any such estimate. But it is one fact of bank practice which the Bank of England will cover in the study I have asked it to carry out.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will meet the chairmen of the clearing banks to urge them to amend their loan agreements so that small firms receive the full benefit of a reduction in the official base rate.

  Mr. Nelson
  As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer told the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee at its hearing on 16 November, he plans to meet the bank chairmen when he has the total opportunity. In the meantime, as the hon. Member will be aware, National Westminster bank reduced its minimum interest rate for commercial customers from 8 to 6 per cent. on 11 November. Barclays bank reduced its floor from 7 to 6 per cent. on 13 November.

  Autumn Statement
  Mr. Jack Straw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions and calculations underlie the projection used in the Autumn Statement for capital receipts from the sale of local authorities' assets(a) in aggregate and (b) for each local authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The projection in paragraph 2.36 of the Autumn Statement is on a United Kingdom basis. It was based as usual on information about local authorities' recent asset sales and forecast outturn in the current year, taking account of the expected effect of the receipts
  423
  measure announced in the Autumn Statement and of past experience in forecasting receipts. The Government have made no projections of asset sales at the level of individual local authorities.

  Royal Family (Taxation)
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the members of the royal family who are not liable to personal taxation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lamont
  Her Majesty the Queen, though the Prince of Wales's income from the Duchy of Cornwall is also exempt.

  EC Budget Council
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent meeting of the European Community's Budget Council.

  Sir John Cope
  The Budget Council met in Brussels on 16 November. As President of the Council, I chaired the meeting. The Council rejected most of the European Parliament's amendments and modifications to its first reading draft budget, establishing a second reading draft budget for 1993 totalling 65,863 mecu—£53,735 million1 —in commitment appropriations, compared with the total after the first reading of 65,704 mecu—£53,605 million. This represents an increase over 1992 of 3·06 per cent. against a Commission bid of 8·4 per cent. and the Parliament's proposed 9·8 per cent. Payment appropriations represent 1·08 per cent. of Community GNP, compared to a ceiling of 1·2 per cent. in the own resources decisions, leaving a cash margin of around 6·735 billion ecu—£5·5 billion.

  The negotiations on the 1993 budget will continue and the Council has confirmed its intention to agree a complete budget on time in December. The budget will, therefore, need to give budgetary effect to decisions to be taken at the Edinburgh European Council on the Delors II proposals; and, in particular, to fulfil the political commitment to set up a cohesion fund early in 1993.

  The European Parliament will consider the draft budget at its plenary session in December. The Parliament is expected to vote on the 1993 budget on 17 December, which if accepted would be formally adopted later in the month to take effect from 1 January.

  1 Converted at the rate of £1 1·2257 ecu, the rate notified in the Official Journal as prevailing on the last working day of last month (30 October).

  Privatised Companies
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the auction of part of the Government's holding of privatised companies' debt and loan stock.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I am pleased to report that the auction was successfully completed on 20 November when the Treasury accepted bids totalling £1·337 billion for the redemption or sale of the following series of electricity and BT bonds:424

  £ million

  per cent.

  series

  BT

  150

  12·25

  2000

  BT

  170

  12·25

  2002

  BT

  180

  12·25

  2003

  PowerGen

  150

  11·869

  2005

  Scottish Hydro-Electric

  116

  11·457

  2001

  Scottish Power

  142

  11·856

  2005

  BT

  229

  12·25

  2006

  Payment, with accrued interest, will be made to the Exchequer on 15 December 1992. The costs of the auction are expected to amount to some £0·5 million or less than 0·04 per cent. of proceeds. The proceeds will contribute towards the target of £8 billion privatisation proceeds for 1992–93 announced first in the 1991 autumn statement.

  I am satisfied that the auction has secured good value for the taxpayer.

  Aggregates (Definitions)
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to alter the definition of public expenditure and Government borrowing as currently used by the Treasury.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 18 November 1992]: I have no plans to change from the present definitions of these aggregates.

DEFENCE

  Private Detectives
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for defence 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. Archie Hamilton
  I am not aware of any.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since 1979 his Department has engaged private detective agencies to investigate the activities of British citizens; and if he will list the date and purpose of each investigation.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 November 1992]: I am not aware of any.

  Weapons, Norway
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what communications he has had with his Norwegian counterpart on preventing the supply of weapons from Norway to terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Rifkind
  None.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on Government policy on(a) monitoring and (b) preventing the supply of weapons from Norway to terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government are committed to combating terrorism in all its forms throughout the United Kingdom. This includes seeking to prevent the supply of weapons to terrorist organisations from whatever source.
  425

  Iraq
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Defence if he will now make it his policy to release information on all of the meetings that considered the export of defence equipment to Iraq at any part of their proceedings, including details of the persons present; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  It is not our policy to release the names of those officials involved, nor to release details of the proceedings of such meetings.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what communications he has had with his NATO counterparts relating to the exports of British defence equipment to Iraq.

  Mr. Aitken
  There have been general discussions between my Department and the defence departments of some NATO allies on the question of Iraqi military procurement.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the(a) meetings with representatives of the Iraqi Government and (b) visits to Iraq by (i) Ministers and (ii) officials from his Department since 1985, giving the date, location and names of individuals involved, and subjects discussed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  This information is not held centrally. I will write to the hon. Member.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what weight was given in assessing the acceptability, in relation to his Ministry's responsibilities, of applications for export of goods to Iraq of that country's use of chemical weapons.

  Mr. Aitken
  This was one of the factors taken into account in the application of the guidelines governing exports to Iraq.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what precautions were taken by his Ministry to ensure that British military secrets were not revealed to the Iraqi Government as a result of the export of British goods that could be used to manufacture munitions or other types of military equipment.

  Mr. Aitken
  Equipment and technologies with a security classification are invariably subject to particularly close assessment before their export is permitted.

  Gulf War
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the weapons and equipment that were confiscated by allied forces during the Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  No comprehensive record was kept of the large quantities of Iraqi equipment captured by the allies during the Gulf conflict.

  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the estimated cost to the United Kingdom of the Gulf war.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The current estimate of the cost of military involvement in the Gulf conflict, spread over 426
  several years, is around £2·5 billion. The bulk of the costs are offset by generous cash contributions from other Governments totalling some £2 billion.

  Iran
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the(a) meetings with representatives of the Iranian Government and (b) visits to Iran by (i) Ministers and (ii) officials from his Department since 1985 giving the date, location, subjects discussed and names of individuals involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  This information is not held centrally. I will write to the hon. Member.

  Pay Statistics
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what amount of money was spent on the pay of(a) civilians in his Department, (b) armed forces personnel covered by the pay review body and (c) armed forces personnel covered by the Top Salaries Review Body in 1991–92; and what are the corresponding estimates for 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested for 1991–92 and 1992–93 is:

  £ million

  1991–92

  1992–93

  (a) Civilian pay1

  2,708

  22,776

  (b) Armed forces personnel covered by the pay review body

  5,208

  5,317

  (c) Armed forces personnel covered by the top salaries review body

  11

  12

  1 Figures for 1991–92 and 1992–93 include £409 million and £349 million respectively for locally employed civilians overseas.

  2 Excludes 1992–93 redundancy costs which are borne on civilian pay sub-heads.

  Plans for 1993–94 are still under consideration. Detailed figures will be available when the 1993–94 Supply Estimates are published.

  Service Personnel
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the figures for the proportion of service personnel leaving by premature voluntary release for the different categories of personnel for each year since 1989–90, and also the most recent figures available for 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The proportions of officers and non-commissioned personnel (male and female) in each of the three services leaving by premature voluntary release in each of the years since 1989–90 are as follows:

  Per cent.

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–931

  Royal Navy/Royal Marines

  Officers

  3·0

  3·2

  2·7

  2·2

  Ratings

  6·1

  6·8

  5·5

  4·7

  Army

  Officers

  4·7

  4·3

  3·6

  2·6

  427

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–931

  Soldiers

  9·9

  9·0

  7·4

  7·1

  Royal Air Force

  Officers

  3·0

  2·5

  2·2

  2·2

  Airmen/Airwomen

  5·4

  4·7

  3·8

  3·2

  1 As at 1 September 1992.

  The numbers of personnel leaving by premature voluntary release have declined steadily in recent years and are now at their lowest level since 1986–87.

  Official Entertainment
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent by Ministers in his Department on official entertainment in the year 1991–92.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The total amount spent directly by Ministers' private offices in the year 1991–92 was some £4,500. This does not include expenditure incurred by the Department on occasions arranged through the departmental protocol Office when Ministers were the principal host.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the final figure for his Department's expenditure on official entertainment in the financial year 1991–92.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The amount spent by the Ministry of Defence on official entertainment for the financial year 1991–92 was £4·1 million. This figure includes expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Defence itself, by formations and establishments of the armed forces at home and abroad, and by individual officers occupying appointments for which entertainment allowances are payable.

  W. H. Mackay and Sons
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the sums outstanding to W. H. Mackay and Sons Ltd. of Fearn, Ross-shire, as a result of work carried out on various Property Services Agency contracts at the Faslane site, to be paid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to his copy of my letter dated 31 October to the hon. Member for Dumbarton (Mr. McFall). Property Services Agency, with the agreement of all parties, have been acting as honest brokers in this matter. I am well aware of the hon. Member's concern about the urgency of this situation and I will shortly write to him.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to reply to the letter dated 24 June sent to his Department by the hon. Member for Aylesbury on behalf of his constituent Mrs. I. R. T. and which his Department acknowledged on 31 July.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State has written to the hon. Member today.

ENVIRONMENT

  Superstore, Greenwich
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he is satisfied that the public interest requires a public inquiry into superstore plans in Eltham, London SE9;

  (2) when a decision has to be made by him as to whether to call in or to have an inquiry or to allow the breaking of covenants and the granting of development permission at Well Hall, London SE9;

  (3) when he expects to receive conclusions by the inspector hearing objections to the proposal by the London borough of Greenwich to grant planning permission for a superstore in exchange for £4 million;

  (4) when the London borough of Greenwich advised his Department that they no longer objected to a superstore at Well Hall, London SE9.

  Mr. Baldry
  The London borough of Greenwich referred to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State on 4 November one planning application for a superstore at Well Hall. He has until 29 November to consider whether or not to call in for a public inquiry, but a power is available to the Secretary of State to extend the time. I understand that another application, for a superstore at Shooter's hill, will also be referred to the Secretary of State if the London borough of Greenwich resolves to grant planning permission. If the Secretary of State decides to cause public inquiries to be held, we expect to receive the inspector's conclusions when the report has been completed.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received(a) in favour and (b) opposing the proposal by the London borough of Greenwich to determine the applications on Well Hall playing field, London SE9.

  Mr. Baldry
  Of 74 representations to my right hon. and learned Friend, all but two have opposed the proposed superstore development.

  London Residuary Body
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what price was received by the London residuary body for the sale of the Greater London supplies organisation.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This is a matter for the London residuary body.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the formal wind-up of the London residuary body.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The timing of the wind-up of the London residuary body will depend on progress with the disposal of the County Hall site.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of(a) the emoluments received and (b) the hours worked by each board member of the London residuary body in 1992–93.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  As at 1 April 1992 the salaries and the time inputs of the chairman and members of the London residuary body were as follows:
  429

  Member

  Time input1

  Salary £

  Sir Godfrey Taylor

  5

  73,070

  Mr. Wallace Mackenzie

  1

  8,830

  Mr. Michael Roberts

  1

  8,830

  Mr. Jack Wolkind

  1

  8,830

  Sir Peter Bowness2

  1

  8,830

  Mr. Jack Esling2

  1

  8,830

  Mr. Reg Hartles2

  1

  8,830

  1 Days per week.

  2 Appointment terminates 5 January 1993.

  As from 1 December 1992, Sir Godfrey Taylor's time input will be reduced to one day/week. As from this date, his salary will be reduced accordingly to £14,615.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what costs were associated with the office of chairman of the London residuary body in 1991–92 other than that of his personal emolument.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The provision of appropriate support for the chairman is a matter for the London residuary body.

  Playing Fields
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in what circumstances local councils are permitted to accept cash for lifting covenants against development of playing fields.

  Mr. Baldry
  An authoritative answer to the question can be given only by the courts. The general powers of local authorities to dispose of their interests in land do not extend to removal of binding covenants, except in relation to open space which is former public trust land, i.e. land held in trust for enjoyment by the public in accordance

  Number of dwellings in each council tax band in each region shown in advance valuation lists

  A

  B

  C

  D

  E

  F

  G

  H

  Total

  North

  751,440

  186,539

  179,834

  91,716

  46,130

  22,605

  13,582

  1,667

  1,293,513

  North West

  1,185,088

  486,183

  454,364

  229,635

  128,209

  66,832

  50,061

  6,336

  2,606,708

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  972,926

  395,495

  332,689

  157,629

  97,243

  51,338

  33,015

  4,977

  2,045,312

  West Midlands

  706,560

  525,626

  405,543

  211,166

  128,111

  72,226

  47,707

  5,337

  2,102,276

  East Midlands

  660,292

  376,429

  305,471

  157,070

  85,863

  44,400

  30,983

  2,946

  1,663,454

  East Anglia

  198,096

  243,858

  202,248

  110,552

  61,451

  32,178

  20,514

  5,469

  874,366

  South West

  332,486

  489,344

  474,304

  309,277

  204,133

  111,775

  74,411

  4,708

  2,003,437

  South East

  359,187

  719,011

  1,216,145

  890,045

  578,717

  340,382

  273,664

  37,725

  4,414,876

  London

  85,824

  380,952

  785,392

  743,466

  469,379

  232,183

  195,542

  53,123

  2,945,861

  England

  5,251,899

  3,803,437

  4,355,989

  2,900,556

  1,799,236

  973,919

  739,479

  125,288

  19,949,803

  Source: Valuation Office Agency.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 16 November to the hon. Member for Ealing North,Official Report, column 56, what significant changes to a property between 1 April 1991 and April 1993 will be ground for a change in a council tax valuation; what changes in value of the property will be ground for such a change; and what publicity has been given by Ministers to these provisions.

  Mr. Howard
  The banding of each dwelling shown in a valuation list compiled on 1 April 1993 will be based on its estimated sale price on 1 April 1991, but reflecting its size, layout and character and the physical state of its locality on 31 March 1993. Any change in the dwelling's size,
  430
  with section 164 of the Public Health Act 1875 or section 10 of the Open Spaces Act 1906. The Lands Tribunal may, however, modify or discharge covenants under section 84 of the Law of Property Act 1925. The Audit Commission may be asked to investigate alleged irregularities in local authority land transactions. The Secretary of State, however, has no jurisdiction.

  Battersea Power Station
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the former Battersea power station was last inspected on his behalf.

  Mr. Baldry
  The building was last inspected by English Heritage on Wednesday 7 October.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date he expects to publish the draft of the new "Minerals Planning Guidance on Opencast Mining."

  Mr. Baldry
  We hope to be in a position to issue draft revised guidance for public consultation following the outcome of the recently announced coal review.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for each region the number of households in each of the council tax property bands.

  Mr. Redwood
  The number of dwellings in each council tax band in each region shown in advance valuation lists sent to billing authorities on 28 August 1992, is given in the table.

  layout and character or in the physical state of its locality which occurs after it has been banded but before 1 April 1993 may therefore be reflected by a change in the banding.

  These principles are illustrated on page three of the booklet, "Council Tax—a guide to the new tax for local government", a copy of which has been sent to each household, and on page 6 of the booklet on valuation and banding, which is available to householders on request.

  County Hall, London
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the current situation in respect of the disposal of County Hall, London SE1.
  431
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The agreement between the London residuary body and the Shirayama Company provides for the sale of the riverside building to be completed in October 1993. The residuary body is pursuing the question of the disposal of the remainder of the County Hall site in accordance with its statutory responsibilities.

  Capital Receipts
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for each county council in England the total amount of unapplied capital receipts.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [pursuant to the answer given on 5 November 1992, Official Report, column 371]: The total usable receipts for each county council in England as at 31 March 1992 are shown in the table.

  £000s

  Avon

  9,488

  Bedfordshire

  204

  Berkshire

  566

  Buckinghamshire

  1,765

  Cambridgeshire

  296

  Cheshire

  0

  Cleveland

  13

  Cornwall

  0

  Cumbria

  822

  Derbyshire

  6,930

  Devon

  0

  Dorset

  0

  Durham

  139

  East Sussex

  3,096

  Essex

  726

  Gloucestershire

  240

  Hampshire

  52

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,318

  Hertfordshire

  853

  Humberside

  5,369

  Isle of Wight

  0

  Kent

  4,432

  Lancashire

  1,961

  Leicestershire

  2,519

  Lincolnshire

  0

  Norfolk

  2,409

  North Yorkshire

  651

  Northamptonshire

  11,829

  Northumberland

  496

  Nottinghamshire

  358

  Oxfordshire

  0

  Shropshire

  1,029

  Somerset

  140

  Staffordshire

  125

  Suffolk

  386

  Surrey

  605

  Warwickshire

  963

  West Sussex

  0

  Wiltshire

  350

  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for each housing authority in England the amount of unapplied capital receipts from(a) housing sales and (b) other capital sales.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [pursuant to his reply, 5 November 1992, c. 371]: I have arranged for the revised information to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Separate figures for housing receipts and other capital receipts are not available.

SCOTLAND

  Self-governing Hospital Trusts
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if self-governing hospital trusts are exempt from compulsory competitive tendering; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  The Government's position on market testing is set out in the White Paper, "Competing for Quality", and trusts have been asked to take account of this. The Government will be monitoring the position to ensure that the benefits of obtaining best value for money are realised in order to improve patient care.

  Superannuation Division
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to establish the superannuation division of the Scottish Office as an executive agency.

  Mr. Lang
  I announced on 6 March,Official Report, col. 335, that under the Next Steps initiative the Scottish Office superannuation division was to be designated an executive agency. I have now decided that the change in status should take effect from the start of the next financial year, on 1 April 1993. The agency will be known as the Scottish Office Pensions Agency (SOPA). Following open competition Mr. Norman MacLeod, currently head of the Scottish Office superannuation division, has been appointed chief executive of the new agency.

  HCFC22
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what quantity of HCFC22 is purchased by his Department per annum.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 19 November 1992]: The information required could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Ozone Depletion
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an undertaking to purchase only ozone-friendly fridges that do not contain chlorofluorocarbons or hydrochlorofluorocarbons for his Department.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 19 November 1992]: The Scottish Office will purchase fridges which do not contain CFCs or HCFCs when they are available in the market place and provided that they offer good value for money.

PRIME MINISTER

  Libya
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on what Libya has done to comply with Security Council resolutions 731 and 748 and Her Majesty's Government's policy to bring Libya to compliance.

  The Prime Minister
  It is our policy that Libya should implement in full the two SCRs to which the hon. Member
  433
  has referred. Neither we nor the other co-sponsors of the resolution in question, France, and the United States, will be satisfied with less. Unfortunately, I cannot report more than limited success at this stage.

  During the summer the Libyan authorities closed, and in some cases dismantled, many of the camps previously used to house or train terrorists. They have also given us information on their links with the Provisional Irish Republican Army which we believe may prove useful. We welcome both these developments as steps towards demonstrating that Libya has renounced terrorism called for in SCR 731 and 748.

  But the Libyans must take further steps in order to comply fully with those resolutions. In particular, it is necessary for them to surrender for trial in Scotland or the United States the two accused of responsibility for the Lockerbie bombing and for them to satisfy the French demands for co-operation on the investigation into the UTA bombing. Libya can be sure that a trial in Scotland will be fair, and in accordance with normal Scottish procedures, including trial by jury. If the Libyans convince us that they have decided to surrender the two suspects, then we would be willing to meet them to discuss the mechanics of handing them over.

  We have no hidden agenda, and we are not seeking to use this issue to undermine the regime in Libya. But it is now a year since the warrants for the two accused of Lockerbie were issued. There can be no question of any relaxation of United Nations sanctions, complete or in part, until Libya has surrendered the two accused of Lockerbie and satisfied French requirements on UTA. If they do, this situation will be transformed. If they do not, the consequences for Libya are bound to be increasingly serious.

  Iraq (Exports)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the letter, reference 000399, dated 20 June 1990, from the principal private secretary to the noble Lord, Lord Ridley, then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, to the private secretary to the chairman of Customs and Excise, under the heading "Exports to Iraq" which was copied to him as Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the previous letter, reference 000395, copies of which have been sent to him.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 16 November 1992]: The first document to which the hon. Member refers relates to consultations between Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and the Department of Trade and Industry prior to a fact-finding visit by Customs officers to the premises of Matrix Churchill. A reply from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise to the Department of Trade and Industry dated 22 June 1990 made it clear that decisions about any follow-up action would rest with the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in accordance with their statutory responsibilities. These documents were copied to my Private Secretary in the Treasury. Treasury records do not reveal whether I saw this correspondence, but I have no recollection of having done so. The then Paymaster General was responsible in the first instance for matters involving Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

  The second document is an internal submission dated 14 June 1990 to the right hon. Lord Ridley, then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, concerning the
  434
  implications of the visit by customs officers to Matrix Churchill. It was not copied to other Ministers. It will be for Lord Justice Scott to consider the relevance of this document to the implementation of Government policy on the export of defence equipment to Iraq.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Iraq
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Nations special inspection commission investigating Iraqi chemical weapons production sites at Ramadi, Fallujah, Saad-16, Salman Pak, Muthanna and Samara, respectively, found any United Kingdom origin technology or chemicals at any of these sites.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Nations Special Commission has provided information on United Kingdom supplied materials and equipment discovered in Iraq. Any evidence of breaches of export controls are urgently investigated, and if substantiated would be a matter for the courts.

  Kashmir
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed with the Government of India the current situation in Kashmir; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs last discussed the situation in Kashmir with the Indian Government during his visit to New Delhi on 15 to 18 January 1992. Ministers and officials have discussed Kashmir with the Indian authorities on a number of occasions since then.

  China
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assurances he has received from the Chinese ambassador concerning the well-being and treatment of prisoners at the Lingyuan No. 2 labour reform detachment in Liaoning province of the People's Republic of China.

  Mr. Goodlad
  None. We take every opportunity to put on record with the Chinese authorities our serious concerns about human rights, including the treatment of prisoners detained at the Lingyuan No. 2 labour reform detachment.

  Hong Kong
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the consistency with the Basic Law of the proposals for democracy in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We and the Governor took full account of the provisions of the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law in developing the proposals that he announced on 7 October. We have pressed the Chinese side to change the Basic Law to allow for an increase in the number of
  435
  directly-elected seats in the Legislative Council for 1995. In view of their position that this is not possible, the Governor has set out in parallel an alternative approach. That is the approach on which we are concentrating at present. We consider that the Governor's proposals are within the terms of the Basic Law.

  Export Controls
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution his Department will make to the seminar planned by the Export Control Organisation on the practical guide to United Kingdom export controls.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Foreign Office officials regularly contribute to seminars organised by the Export Control Organisation on United Kingdom export controls. They will next do so on 1 December 1992.

  Albania
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his latest estimates are for food supplies in Tirana; and what plans he has to provide food aid to Albania.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  An EC mission to Albania earlier this year estimated Albania's additional food needs until the autumn of 1993 at around US$84 million. In June, the EC agreed a food aid grant worth 45 mecu ($59 million). A further 40 mecu ($53 million) was subsequently approved in October.

  South Africa
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 19 October,Official Report, column 90, when he now expects to receive a further report from the South African Government on the agents mentioned.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have been kept fully abreast of the South African investigation as it proceeded. During his visit last weekend President de Klerk handed over a letter on this matter to the Prime Minister. This issue was also covered in their talks on 14 November.

  Sarawak
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Malaysian Government to prevent further deforestation of the Sarawak region.

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

  My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development held discussions on 15 May 1992 with a delegation led by the Malaysian Minister of Primary Industries, Dr. Lim Keng Yaik. The two Ministers signed a memorandum of understanding on co-operation for the conservation, management and development of forest resources, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

  We have regular contact with the Malaysian Government on policies in this area as on many other issues. It is clear from these contacts that the Malaysians are very much aware of international concern about such matters.
  436
  The Sarawak state authorities have made a number of important undertakings to the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) Council. At a meeting in November 1991, they reaffirmed their commitment to sustainable forest management and declared their intention to reach sustainability before the year 2000. They also announced measures to bring extraction levels down within two years to those recommended by the 1990 ITTO mission led by Lord Cranbrook. We, like many other countries, consider this to be a welcome statement of intent.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Assisted Areas
  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what additional funding for assisted areas status provision will be made available(a) for Barnsley, Doncaster and Mansfield and (b) elsewhere.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Assisted area status determines eligibility for Great Britain regional measures, primarily regional selective assistance. In all assisted areas spending on regional assistance depends upon the demand for the schemes and will be met from the schemes' agreed funding provision.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many delegations he has met arising from the assisted areas review;

  (2) how many submissions he has received as a result of the assisted areas review.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 18 November 1992]: My ministerial colleagues and I have met 52 delegations and received 1,550 formal written responses to the assisted area map review public consultation document issued on 9 June 1992.

  British Coal
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total cost of directors' emoluments incurred by British Coal in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Eggar
  The total emoluments of the members of the corporation, including payments in kind and pensions to former members or their dependants, were as follows:

  Year ending March

  £

  1987

  647,495

  1988

  574,697

  1989

  657,955

  1990

  745,687

  1991

  819,742

  1992

  1,138,608

  Clothing Quotas
  Dame Peggy Fenner
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will promote discussions among clothing manufacturers about the possible advantages of extra import quotas under the outward-processed system from averaging the prices of home-produced and outward-processed clothing to make their United Kingdom production more price-competitive.
  437
  Mr. Needham
  It is for the relevant trade associations to promote discussion among clothing manufacturers on the economic merits of outward processing trade. However, my Department has gone to great lengths to explain to individual manufacturers the procedures and rules governing this scheme and the benefits which can accrue to companies from its application.

  Coal Review
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what terms of reference have been given to the consultants appointed to assist in the coal review which he announced on 26 October.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I announced on 26 October that it was my intention to appoint consultants to report on the prospects for British Coal, including any alternative markets that may exist for coal and to comment generally on the competitiveness of British Coal as an organisation.

  Following evaluation of proposals from a number of companies invited to bid to undertake this work, CAminus Energy Ltd have been appointed to conduct a study of markets for coal, and Ernst and Young will be carrying out a study of the competitiveness of British Coal as an organisation.

  Boyds have already begun work, starting their programme of pit visits on 5 February. Boyds will examine historical operating data, mine plans, coal reserves, and other relevant information supplied by British Coal Corporation to develop an independent assessment of the future production costs of each of the 21 pits at different potential levels of output, within the context of British Coal's operations.

  Their conclusions will be based on an evaluation in respect of each mine of

  (i) the available coal reserve base,

  (ii) near-term capital requirements, and

  (iii) estimated future potential operating costs and likely costs under current mine plans.

  Boyds will also provide general technical consultancy to the DTI as required, including technical evaluation of evidence provided during the review period as necessary.

  Caminus will examine the short-term and longer term markets for coal in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. They will consider the market opportunities available to British Coal both at its current prices and at lower prices, if these could be achieved. in the context of future energy markets more widely and of the likely future availability of energy supplies. Caminus will also, on request by DTI, examine the prospects for alternative new electricity generation options identified in the course of the review.

  Ernst and Young will consider British Coal's organisations and cost structure and advise on possible improvements to British Coal's competitiveness which could be achieved through changes in this area. They will not consider the technical aspects of British Coal's work, nor the competitiveness of individual pits.

  In addition to these studies, PIMS Associates Ltd have been appointed to provide an overview of British Coal's cost structure and productivity in relation to international comparators.

  The conclusions of each of these studies will be published. I expect the reports to be available early in 1993.

  I may wish to commission other studies in due course.

  Iraq (Machine Tools)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will list those companies that sought export licences for machine tools to Iraq between 1985 and 1991 which were wholly or partly owned by Iraqis; and what the equipment was for which the licences were applied;

  (2) on what occasions and for what equipment export licences for machine tools for Iraq were granted between 1985 and 1991 after it was known that a licence for a similar product had been turned down by another country;

  (3) if he will publish a list of export licences for machine tools granted to British companies for equipment destined directly or through a third country to Iraq between 1987 and 1991, stating the name of the company, the equipment concerned and its end use.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 17 November 1992]: For reasons of commercial confidentiality, it has been the practice of successive Administrations not to disclose such information about individual export licences. However, I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the Minutes of Evidence to the Trade and Industry Select Committee, 26 November 1991, pages 37 to 106.

  Arms Fairs
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy in future not to grant temporary export licences for equipment destined for such events as arms or other equipment fairs, without there being a definite guarantee that the equipment will be returned to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the current procedures.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 17 November 1992]: Applications for licences for temporary exports are considered on their merits. Licences for international exhibitions include legally binding conditions requiring the exporter at all times to retain sufficient control of the goods to ensure their safe return to the United Kingdom within a specified period.

  Royal Ordnance
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many licences were granted between 1987 and 1990 to Royal Ordnance for the export of strip propellant or other similar forms of propulsive material.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 17 November 1992]: It has been the practice of successive administrations not to reveal details of individual export licences which exporters submit in confidence to my Department.

HEALTH

  Drug and Alcohol Services
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are currently receiving drug and alcohol services residentially in London; and what is the number of applicants for such a service.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally.

  NHS Capital Schemes
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital and community health services capital schemes in each regional health authority in England(a) were completed in 1991–92 and (b) are planned for completion in 1992–93 at costs of (i) £1 million to £2 million, (ii) £2 million to £5 million, (iii) £5 million to £15 million and (iv) £15 million and over.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of HCHS capital schemes completed in England by each regional health authority during 1991–92 is as follows:

  £ million

  Regional Health Authority

  1–2

  2–5

  5–15

  Over 15

  Northern

  1

  1

  0

  2

  Yorkshire

  1

  2

  3

  0

  East Anglia

  3

  2

  0

  0

  South East Thames

  2

  1

  2

  1

  Wessex

  3

  1

  1

  1

  Oxford

  2

  3

  2

  0

  South Western

  2

  2

  1

  0

  West Midlands

  9

  4

  3

  1

  Mersey

  1

  4

  1

  0

  North Western

  1

  2

  1

  0

  Trent

  0

  5

  3

  1

  North East Thames

  0

  2

  3

  0

  North West Thames

  0

  0

  1

  0

  South West Thames

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Totals

  25

  29

  22

  6

  The number of HCHS capital schemes planned for

  HCHS capital: gross spending

  HCHS capital: net spending

  A

  1B

  A

  2B

  A

  3B

  A

  1B

  A

  2B

  A

  3B

  1979–80

  —

  402

  —

  872

  —

  768

  —

  392

  —

  850

  —

  749

  1980–81

  —

  552

  —

  1,012

  —

  838

  —

  536

  —

  983

  —

  814

  1981–82

  —

  666

  —

  1,113

  —

  980

  —

  646

  —

  1,080

  —

  950

  1982–83

  —

  695

  —

  1,085

  —

  1,006

  —

  676

  —

  1,055

  —

  979

  1983–84

  —

  718

  —

  1,071

  —

  1,019

  —

  685

  —

  1,022

  —

  972

  1984–85

  —

  810

  —

  1,151

  —

  1,104

  —

  760

  —

  1,080

  —

  1,035

  1985–86

  —

  881

  —

  1,186

  —

  1,133

  —

  796

  —

  1,072

  —

  1,024

  1985–86

  964

  —

  1,298

  —

  1,240

  —

  888

  —

  1,195

  —

  1,142

  —

  1986–87

  1,041

  —

  1,357

  —

  1,275

  —

  892

  —

  1,162

  —

  1,093

  —

  1987–88

  1,103

  —

  1,363

  —-

  1,286

  —

  902

  —

  1,115

  —

  1,051

  —

  1988–89

  1,186

  —

  1,367

  —

  1,307

  —

  906

  —

  1,044

  —

  998

  —

  1989–90

  1,423

  —

  1,539

  —

  1,436

  —

  1,191

  —

  1,288

  —

  1,202

  —

  1990–91

  1,551

  —

  1,551

  —

  1,551

  —

  1,372

  —

  1,372

  —

  1,372

  —

  1991–92

  1,635

  —

  1,524

  —

  —

  —

  1,427

  —

  1,331

  —

  —

  —

  1992–93

  2,001

  —

  1,790

  —

  —

  —

  1,856

  —

  1,660

  —

  —

  —

  1 Cash.

  2 Adjusted by GDP 1990–91 prices.

  3 Adjusted input unit costs 1990–91.

  Notes:

  All figures have been adjusted to reflect the transfer of Public Health Laboratory Services from the HCHS to CHMS.

  Figures in column A have been adjusted to reflect the transfer of the Family Health Service administration, the Family Health Services cash limited spending and the Disablement Services Authority partly to the HCHS and partly to CHMS, (and also take account of changes since 1990–91 relating to the NHS reforms). Figures in column B do not reflect these transfers and are therefore not comparable with those for later years.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the number of national health service staff employed in each region for each of the last three years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 9 November 1992]: The requested information is given in the table.
  440
  completion in 1992–93 by each regional health authority, based on the last notified anticipated completion date is as follows:

  million

  Regional health authority

  1 to 2

  2 to 5

  5 to 15

  Over 15

  Northern

  0

  2

  0

  1

  Yorkshire

  0

  2

  0

  1

  East Anglia

  3

  3

  0

  0

  South East Thames

  2

  3

  1

  0

  Wessex

  2

  2

  1

  1

  Oxford

  1

  2

  0

  0

  South Western

  6

  3

  1

  3

  West Midlands

  3

  2

  3

  1

  Mersey

  0

  1

  0

  0

  North Western

  3

  5

  0

  1

  Trent

  2

  3

  2

  1

  North East Thames

  1

  1

  1

  1

  North West Thames

  2

  0

  0

  1

  South West Thames

  1

  1

  1

  0

  Totals

  26

  30

  10

  11

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the level of capital spending on hospital and community health services in each year since 1979–80 in(a) gross and (b) net terms, after deducting proceeds from land and asset sales (i) in cash terms, (ii) adjusted using the gross domestic product deflator and (iii) adjusted using the hospital and community health services capital deflator.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is given in the table. In addition, a net increase of £57 million was announced in the autumn statement—a cash increase of 3·1 per cent. over 1992–93.

  National health service staff employed in each region at 30 September 1989, 1990 and 1991 (whole-time equivalents)

  Regional health authority

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Northern

  53,612

  52,967

  53,677

  Yorkshire

  58,063

  58,344

  58,468

  Trent

  75,284

  75,675

  75,883

  East Anglian

  31,018

  31,402

  31,769

  North West Thames

  51,099

  50,559

  50,171

  441

  Regional health authority

  1989

  1990

  1991

  North East Thames

  66,295

  66,440

  66,537

  South East Thames

  59,691

  60,223

  59,952

  South West Thames

  43,084

  41,993

  42,326

  Wessex

  43,746

  44,458

  44,965

  Oxford

  33,043

  33,569

  32,671

  South Western

  51,046

  51,889

  52,777

  West Midlands

  83,566

  83,852

  83,977

  Mersey

  41,664

  40,607

  40,038

  North Western

  71,946

  70,700

  71,896

  Special Health Authorities

  10,611

  10,817

  15,118

  Family Health Service Authorities

  4,511

  5,131

  5,607

  Other Statutory Authorities

  8,894

  9,021

  9,062

  Totals

  787,172

  787,655

  794,894

  Ambulance staff whole-time equivalent (WTE) per 1,000 population in each region2 September 1991

  Ambulance Men and Women

  Ambulance Officers

  Estimated3 population (provisional) thousand

  WTE

  Per 1,000 population

  WTE

  Per 1,000 population

  Northern

  3,084·2

  1,588·3

  0·51

  245

  0·08

  Yorkshire

  3,661·5

  1,339

  0·37

  222

  0·06

  Trent

  4,700·4

  1,581·12

  0·34

  278

  0·06

  East Anglian

  2,091·9

  669·5

  0·32

  126·5

  0·06

  North West Thames1

  1,521·9

  423

  0·28

  40

  0·03

  North East Thames1

  1,477·9

  487

  0·33

  74

  0·05

  South East Thames1

  2,255·2

  786

  0·35

  123

  0·05

  South West Thames1

  1,759·4

  554

  0·31

  96

  0·05

  Wessex

  2,983

  814

  0·27

  136

  0·05

  Oxford

  2,559·9

  702

  0·27

  127

  0·05

  South Western

  3,298

  1,252

  0·38

  223

  0·07

  West Midlands

  5,254·9

  1,575

  0·30

  257

  0·05

  Mersey

  2,407·5

  727

  0·30

  94

  0·04

  North Western

  4,000·7

  1,312

  0·33

  202

  0·05

  London Ambulance Service

  7,012

  1,970

  0·28

  168

  0·02

  Total

  48,068·4

  15,779·92

  0·33

  2,411·5

  0·05

  1 Thames district outside the area covered by the London ambulance service.

  2 Including data for NHS trusts in each region.

  3 Population figures at 30 June 1991.

  Source: OPCS

  Health Authority Debts
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the regional health authorities which carried capital debts over into the 1992–93 financial year; and what was the size of the debt in each case.

  Mr. Sackville
  The format of the 1991–92 annual accounts of regional and district health authorities does not provide for the separate identification of year-end creditors relating to capital expenditure and such information is not otherwise collected centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairmen of regional health authorities for details. Capital creditors will be separately identifiable in the annual accounts from 1992–93.

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

  Ambulance Service Staff
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) officers and (b) ambulance men and women were in post per thousand resident population in April 1992 in each regional health authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  The latest information available centrally is given in the table. The 1992 data will not be available until spring 1993.

  Mr. Sackville
  My noble Friend Baroness Cumberlege, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, is responsible for oversight of the Department's response to the Environment White Paper, "This Common Inheritance".

  A whole-time equivalent of some 7·8 officials have specific responsibilities for oversight and development of "green issues" within the Department; this includes matters such as energy and waste management and the Department's contribution to follow up the environment White Paper.

  Insulin
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to arrange for an inquiry by the committee on the safety of medicines, or independently, into the safety of human insulin.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We have no plans at present to arrange for an independent inquiry into the safety of human insulin. The Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) has monitored closely adverse effects occurring with human insulins since their introduction and continues to do so. Concerns raised in relation to the safety of human insulins have been reviewed by CSM on several occasions.

  Skin Cancer
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the current procedures for recording numbers of skin cancer cases in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The national cancer registration scheme in England and Wales records the incidence of cancers, including all skin cancers combined, and also separately for malignant melanoma and other skin cancers.

  At the time of diagnosis, basic data, including individual patient identification, sex, age, permanent residence, site of the cancer, and date of diagnosis, are recorded and sent to regional cancer registries. Regional data are collected and published by the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys.

  Information for Scotland, and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Cigarettes
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on how many new brands of cigarettes were launched in Britain in 1991–92; and if she will make a statement.
  444
  Dr. Mawhinney
  I have been informed of 35 new brands supplied in the United Kingdom in 1991–92, as required under section 9(2)(b) of the Tobacco Products Labelling (Safety) Regulations 1991.

  Qa Business Services
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will offer financial assistance to the members of the former Qa Business Services similar to that given to civil servants transferred to TICC Ltd. on the privatisation of the Skills Training Agency;

  (2) what representations she has received regarding compensation by her Department for deferred pensioners of the former Qa Business Services; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  A number of representations have been received citing financial assistance given to ex-employees of TICC Ltd. However, different circumstances led to the collapse of these companies and the ex gratia payments made in respect of TICC Ltd. does not set a precedent for similar payments to former employees of Qa Business Services.