Written Answers of 26 October 1992

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  EC Research Programmes
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster following his letter of 15 July to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, if he will list the actions taken to ensure the effective management of EC research programmes.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Her Majesty's Government consistently pressed for proper assessment of proposals and rigorous evaluation of results to ensure effective management of research programmes. The EC Council of Research Ministers on 12 October welcomed the evaluation of the second EC R and D framework programme carried out by CREST—the EC science policy advisers' committee. The report was prepared under United Kingdom chairmanship, and a copy will he placed in the House of Commons Library. The Council considered that this report should help to determine future EC R and D priorities, and underline the need for regular and independent evaluations.

  EC Biomedical and Health Programme
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the result of discussions between Vice-President Pandolfi and the advisory committee on the biomedical and health programme of the EC, to which he referred in his letter of 15 July.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The immediate problems with the scientific evaluation process were resolved without the need for direct discussions with Vice-President Pandolfi. The Commission is now considering which proposals to approve for funding, in the light of the advisory committee's views.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Property Speculation
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, if the Church Commissioners will establish an inquiry into their loss on property speculation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alison
  The Archbishop of Canterbury, as Chairman of the Church Commissioners, recently announced that he has:

  (1) asked Coopers and Lybrand to examine and report upon (a) the Commissioners' borrowings and (b) the information flow required for the management of their assets; and
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  (2) appointed a group to consider that report and related matters in the light of recent experience, and to make such recommendations as they think fit to the Commissioners.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Nuclear Technologies
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to his Russian and Chinese counterparts, in regard to the recently announced sale of missile guidance technology, rocket engines and nuclear technologies from Russia and China, in the context of the permanent five's commitment to control proliferation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We regularly raise our concerns about missile and nuclear non-proliferation matters with the Russians and Chinese, in the context of the permanent five process, bilaterally and with our EC partners.

  Middle East
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what decisions were taken on the application of the International Atomic Energy Agency's safeguards in the middle east during the 36th annual general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in September.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Resolution GC (XXXVI)/1045 on application of International Atomic Energy Agency's safeguards in the middle east was adopted by consensus at this meeting. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Languages
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will grant funding from his Department to the European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We have no intention of doing so at the present time.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to make representations to the Council of Ministers to enable the European charter on regional or minority languages adopted by the Standing Conference of European Regional and Local Authorities to become adopted as a European convention.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Committee of Ministers has already taken the decision to adopt the European charter on regional or minority languages as a convention. It will be open for signature from 5 November 1992.

  Romania
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current state of the United Kingdom's relationships with Romania; and if he has any plans to carry them forward.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom enjoys satisfactory relations with Romania. We look forward to
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  developing these with a new Romanian Government which will carry forward reform in that country. As presidency of the European Community, we are working for the early signature of an association agreement between Romania and the Community.

  UN Peacekeeping Reserve Force
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support proposals by the United States of America for the establishment of a permanent United Nations peacekeeping reserve force.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is our view that the appropriateness of UN forces to a country or a conflict and the size and shape of those forces are best addressed on a case-by-case basis. We do not therefore support the establishment of a permanent UN peacekeeping reserve force, although it should be noted that, by completion of our deployment to UNPROFOR in Bosnia, some 3,500 British troops will be on UN service making us the third-largest troop contributor to UN operations.

  Mordechai Vanunu
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Israel over the continued imprisonment in solitary confinement of Mordechai Vanunu in Israel.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have no formal locus to raise Mr. Vanunu's case with the Government of Israel. He has been treated in accordance with normal Israeli judicial process. We are in touch with the Israelis privately about some aspects of his imprisonment.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has had from(a) Belarus, (b) Ukraine and (c) Kazakhstan to his recommendations on accession to the NPT.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 14 July 1992, at column 587. The three states in question have since given further assurances that they will accede to the NPT as non-nuclear weapons states, and we continue to press them to do so rapidly. We welcome the recent accessions of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

  Rent Officer Statistics

  (a) HA tenancies

  (b) Other tenancies

  Mean registered rent £ p.a.

  Mean percentage change on previous rent

  Mean RAC determined rent £ p.a.

  Mean percentage change to registered rent

  Mean registered rent £ p.a.

  Mean percentage change on previous rent

  Mean RAC determined rent £ p.a.

  Mean percentage change to registered rent

  Northern

  1988

  1,199

  13

  NA

  NA

  1,032

  15

  NA

  NA

  1989

  1,202

  13

  2,048

  0

  1,008

  17

  1,258

  2

  1990

  1,396

  18

  1,849

  1

  1,134

  22

  1,267

  6

  1991

  1,494

  22

  1,717

  3

  1,193

  27

  1,405

  5

  1992 H1

  1,650

  22

  2,052

  -3

  1,345

  27

  1,278

  1

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1988

  1,235

  15

  NA

  NA

  1,098

  18

  NA

  NA

  1989

  1,343

  18

  1,753

  2

  1,061

  20

  1,308

  8

  Maastricht Treaty
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for the purposes of article 3b of the Maastricht treaty, which areas of responsibility fall within the exclusive competence of the European Community.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 23 October, at column 409.

  The European Community has exclusive competence where that is conferred upon it by treaty provision or measures taken under the treaty. It is not possible to draw up an exhaustive theoretical list. Current examples include the common agricultural policy, the common commercial policy and the external tariff.

  Poland
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in respect of Polish citizens refused entry to the United Kingdom, how many such refusals there were in the last available year; and how many of those refusals were subject to appeal proceedings.

  Mr. Wardle
  I have been asked to reply.

  In the 12 months to the end of August 1992, 445 nationals of Poland were refused leave to enter and removed at United Kingdom posts. Information on the number who exercised their right of appeal is not available centrally.

ENVIRONMENT

  Rents
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the actual rent levels set, and the percentage increase on previous registrations, where applicable, for(a) housing association tenancies and (b) other tenancies, (i) where the rent was subject to appeal to the rent assessment committee and (ii) where the rent offices' registration was not subject to appeal, in each region of England over the period 1988 to 1992; and if he will publish figures on the retail prices index and the index of house prices over the same period.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information is given in the table on means registered rents and those which were determined after appeal to the rent assessment committee.
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  (a) HA tenancies

  (b) Other tenancies

  Mean registered rent £ p.a.

  Mean percentage change on previous rent

  Mean RAC determined rent £ p.a.

  Mean percentage change to registered rent

  Mean registered rent £ p.a.

  Mean percentage change on previous rent

  Mean RAC determined rent £ p.a.

  Mean percentage change to registered rent

  1990

  1,513

  22

  1,697

  -1

  1,251

  24

  1,364

  6

  1991

  1,646

  23

  1,811

  -2

  1,347

  26

  1,381

  7

  1992 H1

  1,746

  22

  1,862

  -3

  1,472

  24

  1,498

  3

  East Midlands

  1988

  1,326

  15

  NA

  NA

  1,116

  19

  NA

  NA

  1989

  1,381

  17

  1,564

  -5

  1,071

  20

  1,439

  1

  1990

  1,567

  19

  1,7:52

  1

  1,334

  25

  1,491

  2

  1991

  1,668

  21

  1,757

  0

  1,450

  24

  1,594

  7

  1992 H1

  1,871

  23

  1,740

  4

  1,537

  23

  1,662

  3

  East Anglia

  1988

  1,318

  14

  NA

  NA

  1,396

  21

  NA

  NA

  1989

  1,428

  17

  1,141

  4

  1,437

  22

  1,838

  4

  1990

  1,515

  17

  1,916

  2

  1,528

  21

  1,889

  3

  1991

  1,757

  21

  3,696

  1

  1,630

  19

  1,876

  6

  1992 H1

  1,709

  20

  2,059

  6

  1,717

  19

  1,900

  3

  Greater London

  1988

  1,372

  18

  NA

  NA

  1,658

  18

  NA

  NA

  1989

  1,508

  19

  1,414

  16

  1,634

  18

  1,911

  9

  1990

  1,677

  21

  1,850

  9

  1,859

  20

  2,264

  9

  1991

  1,868

  23

  2,043

  10

  1,987

  22

  2,502

  9

  1992 H1

  1,952

  23

  2,169

  10

  2,160

  23

  2,578

  12

  Rest of South East

  1988

  1,499

  16

  NA

  NA

  1,436

  20

  NA

  5

  1989

  1,607

  17

  1,803

  6

  1,503

  21

  1,835

  5

  1990

  1,811

  21

  2,162

  1

  1,692

  25

  1,915

  4

  1991

  1,981

  24

  2,033

  1

  1,946

  31

  2,124

  3

  1992 H1

  2,189

  27

  2,262

  -1

  2,112

  32

  2,296

  4

  South West

  1988

  1,495

  19

  NA

  NA

  1,481

  22

  NA

  NA

  1989

  1,664

  21

  1,996

  5

  1,573

  25

  1,839

  7

  1990

  1,876

  25

  1,839

  -2

  1,686

  26

  1,872

  5

  1991

  2,076

  27

  2,228

  0

  1,906

  27

  2,151

  6

  1992 H1

  2,210

  26

  1,985

  -6

  2,103

  29

  2,402

  5

  West Midlands

  1988

  1,222

  15

  NA

  NA

  1,096

  16

  NA

  NA

  1989

  1,297

  16

  1,628

  0

  1,051

  16

  1,321

  3

  1990

  1,444

  20

  1,641

  1

  1,276

  19

  1,266

  3

  1991

  1,584

  23

  1,834

  3

  1,359

  23

  1,419

  7

  1992 H1

  1,732

  23

  1,762

  4

  1,469

  23

  1,558

  4

  North West

  1988

  1,107

  14

  NA

  NA

  974

  14

  NA

  NA

  1989

  1,186

  16

  1,425

  3

  972

  16

  1,227

  5

  1990

  1,289

  18

  1,457

  3

  1,025

  19

  1,070

  6

  1991

  1,379

  19

  1,523

  5

  1,091

  20

  1,125

  4

  1992 H1

  1,501

  19

  1,302

  4

  1,216

  19

  1,172

  3

  England

  1988

  1,302

  16

  NA

  NA

  1,330

  18

  NA

  NA

  1989

  l,395

  17

  1,554

  7

  1,321

  19

  1,572

  6

  1990

  1,557

  20

  1,729

  2

  1,519

  22

  1,669

  6

  1991

  1,702

  22

  1,747

  4

  1,665

  25

  1,878

  7

  1992 H1

  1,832

  23

  1,866

  4

  1,827

  25

  2,040

  7

  United Kingdom

  Retail price index

  Mix adjusted house price index

  1988

  106.9

  167

  1989

  115.2

  202

  1990

  126.1

  199

  1991,

  133.5

  196

  1992 H1

  137.7

  191

  Figures for 1992 refer to the first half year.

  Figures for Rent Assessment Committee appeals for 1988 are not available separately for housing associations.

  Rents are registered for a period of two years. The percentage changes on previous rent quoted in the answer refer to
  426

  427
  the change over the two year period.

  The percentage changes to registered rent refer to the change arising from the rent assessment committee's decision.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his Department's latest estimate of the total sum set aside by local authorities in England derived from capital receipts not available for reinvestment.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  About £5 billion of the total of £5½ billion set aside by local authorities as provision to meet credit liabilities at 31 March 1991 is likely to have originated from set aside capital receipts.

  Thames House
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements the London Docklands development corporation is making to replace Thames house as a training centre in the royal docks.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The London Docklands development corporation is asking consultants to evaluate the training requirements of the area, as a first step to securing permanent accommodation for Newham community college, which currently uses this building.

  EC Life Programme
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make representations to the European Community to increase available funding under the European Community's Life programme for land management work and monitoring.

  Mr. Maclean
  The priorities agreed by the management committee for Life funding in 1993 include actions relating to land use planning and management, and to environmental monitoring networks.

  The indicative allocation of resources for each of the five "fields of action" is given in the Life Regulation—Council regulation (EEC) No. 1973/92. The precise level of resources allocated to land management or monitoring projects will reflect the number and quality of applications.

  Poop Scoops
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to speed up local poop-scoop byelaws by allowing all local authorities to designate areas en bloc at the time of contract service planning; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Whilst we are keen to speed up the byelaw-making process, designation in the manner suggested is not possible under the present enabling legislation.

  Environmental Protection Agency
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress being made in setting up a national environmental protection agency.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the 428
  Environment to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, West (Mr. Jones), at columns 857–58.

  Improvement Grants
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to make changes to the improvement grant system to spread the available cash to more applicants and to take account by disregard in calculating income of mortgage payments and all disability benefits; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The changes to the house renovation grant system announced on 16 July—Official Report, column 1047—are designed to enable help to be given to more low income grant applicants by, among other things, making higher allowance in the means test for the general costs, including housing costs, they face. It would complicate an already necessarily complex system to make specific allowance for mortgage costs in the means test. The test already disregards disability benefits on the same basis as housing benefit.

  Municipal Mutual Insurance Company
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will include in the calculation of local authority standard spending assessments increased insurance premiums as a result of the collapse of the Municipal Mutual Insurance Company.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  There is no separate provision for insurance premiums within standard spending assessments. In setting total standard spending for local authorities for 1993–94 proper account will be taken of all authorities' spending needs.

  Urban Land
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many hectares of land in Britain have become urbanised so far this year; what were comparable figures for 1989, 1990 and 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information requested is not available.
  The Government recognise the need for information on land use change to inform planning policy and to contribute to the wider debate on national land use policy issues. In 1985 the Department of the Environment established a new series of land use change statistics—LUCS—which are collected by Ordnance Survey as part of its map revision process. Recent research has confirmed the value of these data, especially for monitoring land changing to urban uses. The LUCS data show that in England during the period 1985–87 there was an average net transfer of 6,000 hectares a year from rural uses to urban uses, as defined for LUCS purposes. At present, the Ordnance Survey is testing new procedures with the objective of providing consistent information for all urban areas across the country within one year of any change occurring.

  Recent research on rates of urbanisation has concluded that the overall area of land likely to change to urban use between 1981 and 2001 in England is in the order of 105,000 hectares, representing 0.8 per cent. of England's

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  area. By 2001 it is forecast that around 11 per cent. of England is likely to be in urban use. The Department has also recently carried out research to investigate ways of improving information on land use stock and is proceeding to develop the methodology and carry out pilot work for a land use stock system.

  Opencast Coal
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those sites where British Coal is(a) prospecting for opencast coal and (b) actively applying for permission to opencast coal; and what assessment he has made of the damage to wildlife should opencast coal mining proceed on each of these sites.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not held centrally. MPG 3 advises mineral planning authorities to consider in detail the environmental and other effects of every proposal for opencast coal mining. It also makes clear that environmental assessment is required in appropriate cases.

  Air Monitoring
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evaluation he has made of the effectiveness of air monitoring conducted by local authorities under the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Maclean
  Local authorities are not specifically required to undertake air monitoring by the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Normally the operator of a process prescribed for local authority air pollution control under part I of the Act will be required to carry out any monitoring needed to demonstrate compliance with the conditions of the plant's authorisation. Local authorities may, exceptionally, decide to carry out such monitoring themselves.

  Recycling
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further encouragements he intends to announce to get industry more involved in recycling and especially the down-stream line of recycling; and how his targets are being met.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government's policy is that manufacturers, distributors and retailers should take their share of responsibility for what ultimately happens to products which they place on the market. I therefore welcome the recent initiative announced by the vehicle manufacturers in this area. A full statement of Government policy on recycling and an account of progress against targets is set out in "This Common Inheritance: the Second Year Report" (Cm 2068).

  Environmental Protection Act 1990
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what study his Department has done on the cost implications for local authorities of enforcing and administering the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Discussions between my Department and the local authority associations about the local government finance settlement have covered the cost 430
  implications of administering the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The Act provides in some cases for local authorities to charge to recover their costs.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to establish a centralised data bank of successful prosecutions conducted under the duty of care provisions in section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Home Office keeps records of the numbers of prosecutions in England and Wales and the number resulting in convictions, as notified to it by the courts. Statistics to be kept for offences under the Environmental Protection Act will include separate figures for offences under section 34 of the Act.

  I understand that waste regulation authorities, through the co-ordinated local authority database of registered waste carriers (CLADWAC), have set up a system for the exchange of information about convictions for offences prescribed under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989, for the purposes of waste carrier registration. These prescribed offences include offences under section 34 of the 1990 Act.

  Wildlife Habitat
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he will take during the United Kingdom presidency to ensure that the United Kingdom complies with assurances already given on the protection of wildlife habitat.

  Mr. Maclean
  The United Kingdom has an excellent record in Nature Conservation. We have built steadily on the framework for conservation provided by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to implement our declared policies and meet our international commitments. The Government are considering what additional measures are necessary to fulfil its obligations under the recently agreed Habitats Directive. Members are required to introduce the necessary legal measures by June 1994.

  European Economic Area
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the criteria to be adopted to judge whether environmental difficulties arising from the economic area agreement are persistent; and how intervention will be judged as appropriate, in regard to the safeguard measures set out in article 112 of the "Agreement on the European Economic Area", Cm. 2073.

  Mr. Maclean
  Decisions on environmental difficulties which might arise under the agreement would need to be addressed in the light of the circumstances at the time.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends to take as President of the European Environment Council to achieve the objectives set out in article 73 of the "Agreement on the European Economic Area", Cm. 2073.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government strongly support the objectives set out in article 73, which reflects paragraph 1 of article 130R of the treaty of Rome. However, since the agreement on the european economic area has not yet entered into force, and will not do so during the United Kingdom presidency, there is no role for my right hon. and learned Friend under the agreement in his capacity as President of the Environment Council.

  Waste Brokers
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many copies of the departmental consultation paper on the draft registration of waste brokers scheme, pursuant to EC directive 91/156/EEC, have been issued; and what responses have been received to date.

  Mr. Maclean
  In England and Wales approximately 1,850 copies of the consultation paper on the draft registration of waste brokers scheme have been issued and 68 responses have been received to date.

  EC Environment Report
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response has been made by Her Majesty's Government to the report by the president of the Court of Auditors of the European Communities concerning the environment—Fin 249–dated 21 September.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government attach importance to such reports and will ensure that it is followed up effectively. It was raised at the Environment Council on 20 October and will be taken into account in our approach to the review of the structural funds. We shall be issuing an explanatory memorandum shortly.

  Environment Research Programme
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response has been made to the report of the environment research programme by the Advisory Committee on Science and Technology issued in May.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government today published their response to the Advisory Council of Science and Technology (ACOST) advice on environmental research programmes.

  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has, on behalf of the Government, welcomed the report as a very helpful contribution to the Government's developing policy on science and technology research.

  The Government's response to the ACOST report is published by the Office of Science and Technology (Office of Public Service and Science).

  Newt Colony, Barnfield Pond
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 14 July,Official Report, column 649, what proposals he now has for protection of the newt colony at Barnfield pond.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I have been asked to reply.

  The consultant's assessment requested by English Nature indicated that realignment of the new road in the vicinity of the Barnfield pond would significantly increase the cost of the scheme and delay progress. Following further discussions with English Nature and Dr. Cummins a suitable new habitat for the newt colony was identified close to the existing site. The Department will be working closely with them on the detail of the revised habitat area.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Fraud
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement about prosecutions in serious fraud cases.

  The Attorney-General
  The current caseload of the Serious Fraud Office is 53 cases. Of these, 25 are being tried or are awaiting trial in the Crown court, 14 are awaiting committal or transfer to the Crown court and 14 cases are under investigation.

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement about the staffing of the Crown prosecution service.

  The Solicitor-General
  In the last 12 months the Crown prosecution service has recruited 194 lawyers, bringing the total complement of lawyers in post to 2,068. The number of administrative staff in post is 4,094.

  Criminal Justice
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Attorney-General what action the Director of Public Prosecutions is taking to speed up criminal justice.

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown prosecution service has taken a leading role in the working group on pre-trial issues whose report is now being implemented. Its recommendations cover all stages of cases and offer benefits in efficiency and effectiveness for the entire criminal justice system.

  Court Cases
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps his Department is taking to speed up the progress of cases coming to court.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett). The Serious Fraud Office and the Crown prosecution service have also been participating in a working group on long criminal trials and ways to reduce their length. I expect a consultation paper to be published shortly.

  Serious Fraud Squad
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Attorney-General how many times in the past year officers of the Serious Fraud Squad have visited Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

  The Solicitor-General
  Since 1 January 1992 staff employed by or seconded to the Serious Fraud Office have made four separate visits to Switzerland or Liechtenstein in the course of inquiries. In addition, a number of visits to these countries have been made by police officers working in conjunction with the Serious Fraud Office.

  British National Party
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 13 July,Official Report, column 399, if he will institute an independent review into the level

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  of evidence required for a realistic prospect of conviction for offences contrary to part III of the Public Order Act 1986.

  The Attorney-General
  No. I am satisfied that the correct criteria are being properly applied by the Crown prosecution service to cases involving allegations of such offences.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Kurds
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has for further helping the Kurds in Iraq.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have spent £52.4 million since April 1991 on aid for Iraqi civilians. Further relief assistance is urgently needed before the onset of winter. We are therefore making available today a further £2.75 million, of which £2.5 million will be provided to the World Food Programme for urgently needed edible oil and pulses, and £0.25 million to British non-governmental organisations for relief activities in northern Iraq.

  Southern Africa
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action his Department is taking in relation to the drought in southern Africa; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My noble Friend, the Minister for Overseas Development, has so far committed more than £51 million of bilateral aid in response to the drought in southern Africa. Taking into account our share of the EC special food aid programme, estimated at £11.3 million, this brings our overall response to around £63 million.

  Malawi
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what pressure the Overseas Development Administration is bringing to bear on the Government of Malawi to encourage progress towards democracy.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  At the Paris consultative group meeting in May, bilateral donors and the EC imposed restrictions on new aid. The United Kingdom has withheld balance of payments support, suspended new training awards and restricted certain other kinds of assistance. Humanitarian aid is not affected by these conditions and has continued to be provided both for Malawians and for Mozambican refugees in Malawi. At a political level, and in concert with our EC partners and others, we continue to stress to the Malawi authorities the need for a material and permanent improvement in human rights.

  Earth Summit
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been achieved towards the developmental goals discussed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The sustainable development commission will he established at the current United 434
  Nations General Assembly session. We expect the global environment facility replenishment discussion to start early next year. Sustainable development is the central aim of our aid programme; we shall focus further on Agenda 21 priorities, to reflect the important agreements reached at Rio.

  Caribbean
  Mr. Deva
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on Britain's bilateral aid programme to the countries of the Caribbean.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  For the financial year 1991–92 expenditure on the bilateral country programmes for the Commonwealth Caribbean exceeded £40 million. In addition, the Commonwealth Development Corporation—CDC—maintains a substantial investment programme; new CDC investment there in 1991 totalled £33.5 million. This year bilateral country aid is expected to remain at approximately the same level.

  Bananas
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the availability of aid for Caribbean producers during periods of low market prices for primary produce like bananas.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We contribute to the EC scheme for the stabilisation of export earnings—Stabex—under Lomé IV, through which 1.5 billion ecu—£1.2 billion—is available during the period 1990–95 towards offsetting any shortfalls for a number of commodities including bananas.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to support economic diversification as a replacement for the banana market in Caribbean ACP nations.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Our bilateral aid programmes in the Commonwealth Caribbean, as elsewhere, aim to assist long-term economic and social development. In deciding country aid allocations and how funds are used, we take into account all aspects of the individual country's economic development. In the Caribbean our aid has been used to improve the physical infrastructure and human skills needed to help the economies to diversify. We have given particular support to agricultural diversification in these countries in the past and expect to continue to do so. The Commission proposal on the common organisation of the market in bananas is under discussion in the Community. It reflects the commitments to Caribbean and other African, Caribbean, Pacific—ACP—producers contained in Lomé IV.

  South Africa
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions in the past 10 years the Government have made formal or informal representations to the South African Government about illegal activity by their employees or agents in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Since 1984 there have been six incidents involving South African diplomats on which we
  435
  have made representations. These incidents involved drinking and driving and public order offences. Representations were also made over a break in at the African National Congress offices in 1982 and an attempt in 1989 to obtain the design for the Blowpipe missile and the arrest in April this year of two South African intelligence agents.

  UNCED Agenda 21
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place in the European Council meetings since June on the implementation in Europe of Agenda 21 agreed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The implementation of Agenda 21 was discussed at the informal Environment Council at Gleneagles on 19 September and the Environment Council in Luxembourg on 20 October. Discussion focused on the establishment of the sustainable development commission—SDC—which will have a central role in ensuring effective implementation of Agenda 21. As agreed at the Lisbon Council in June, the Community has taken the lead on this. The SDC will be established by the UN General Assembly this autumn.

  Humanitarian Services
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how much money the Overseas Development Administration has paid the Ministry of Defence as a cost of providing humanitarian services in each of the last five years;

  (2) on what occasions and for what purposes the Overseas Development Administration has paid the Ministry of Defence for providing humanitarian services in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 23 October 1992]: The following amounts have been paid:

  1988: Total £891,536

  Treatment of victims of a Pakistan explosion in a United Kingdom military hospital £154,054

  Army medical teams and supplies—earthquake relief in Nepal £621,467

  RAF airlift, HMS Active. RFA Oakleaf and Royal Engineers—Hurricane Gilbert in Jamaica £116,015

  1989: Total £181,092

  RAF airlift and Royal Engineers—Hurricane Hugo in the Caribbean £181,092

  1990: Total £79,443

  Royal Engineers and RAF aircraft—Cyclone in Western Samoa £79,443

  1991: Total £7,294,040

  Provision of army ration packs for UN in Liberia £11,145

  RAF aircraft to deliver relief goods for landslide victims in Chile £12,897

  Use of RFA Fort Grange, helicopters and boats for cyclone relief in Bangladesh £616,000

  Operation "Safe Haven" (Army) and air supply (RAF) for Kurdish refugees from Iraq £6,653,998

  1992 (to date): Total £134,708

  Royal Engineers and RAF transport for cyclone relief in Western Samoa £127,583

  RAF flights in Turkey for Erzincan earthquake £7,125

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the formula 436
  used for calculating the cost of humanitarian services charged to the Overseas Development Administration by the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 23 October 1992]: The Ministry of Defence raises charges on an extra cost basis. This comprises those costs which would not have otherwise been incurred as a result of undertaking a task.

  Iraq
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on humanitarian conditions in northern Iraq; and what representations he has made to the United Nations to alleviate the conditions of the Iraqi Kurds.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 23 October 1992]: The situation in northern Iraq gives cause for the gravest concern. The continuing blockade of Kurdish areas by the Government of Iraq has resulted in serious shortages of food, fuel and other essential supplies. A major international relief operation, led by the United Nations, is needed to ensure that stocks of relief supplies are moved into these areas before the onset of winter.

  We provided two members of a joint EC/US needs assessment mission which has just returned from northern Iraq. We await their full report.

  We have pressed the United Nations to hasten its relief operation, to which we are ready to contribute. We therefore welcome the recent announcement of the signing of the latest memorandum of understanding between the United Nations and the Government of Iraq, which will form a basis for further United Nations action.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the impact of flooding in south-eastern Zimbabwe; and what action the Overseas Development Administration has taken in the area.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 23 October 1992]: Localised flooding occurred over the weekend of 17–18 October due to violent thunderstorms in part of Zaka and Bikita Districts of Masvingo Province. According to reports received so far, one person was killed by lightning and severe structural and other damage sustained to a number of buildings, including schools. The Zimbabwean authorities have advised us that they are to await detailed damage reports before considering whether any external assistance is needed. The area is one which has been particularly affected by the drought in the region and where we have been assisting with emergency drought relief. As a result of the storms, a number of dams are now filled to capacity.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Probate Service
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will take steps to ensure that the quality and level of service provided by the Probate service in England and Wales will continue to be maintained; and if he will make a statement.
  437
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  In his report of February 1992 "Probate—Service to the Public" the Comptroller and Auditor General commented favourably on the standard of service provided. The report indicated a number of areas where the service could be further improved and these are being pursued within the Department.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  National Lottery
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his answer of 19 October,Official Report column 5, which consultants have been appointed to carry out research on behalf of his Department and advise on aspects of the national lottery; and when they are due to provide their report.

  Mr. Brooke
  The GAH Group of 4–6 Arne street, London WC2E 9NB are the consultants appointed to advise the Department on aspects of the national lottery. Their final report was submitted on 7 October.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the names and addresses of the professional advisers he has engaged in connection with the planning, operation and marketing of the proposed national lottery.

  Mr. Brooke
  In August the Department appointed the GAH Group of 4–6 Arne street, London WC2E 9NB to advise on aspects of the proposed national lottery. Further advice will be sought as necessary.

  Control of the Press
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage ( 1 ) what plans he has to introduce legislation giving greater effective sanctions, including fines, to the Press Complaints Commission against newspapers found to have violated Press Complaints Commission regulations concerning decency in the press;

  (2) what plans he has to establish a statutory independent press authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  I shall consider what, if any, action needs to be taken when I have received and studied Sir David Calcutt's report on press self-regulation. Meanwhile, I have no plans for legislation.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the progress of the Calcutt commission concerning privacy and the press.

  Mr. Brooke
  I understand from Sir David Calcutt that he hopes to present his report to me early in 1993.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Deregulation
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial provisions, and how much, he has made within his Department in order to look at the potential for deregulation of each of the regulatory measures for which he has responsibility.
  438
  Mr. Atkins
  There has been no financial provision made in respect of programme expenditure for deregulation in Northern Ireland. The Department of Economic Development has however allocated approximately £20,000 in staff time and resources to the deregulation initiative in 1992–93.

  Examiner of Statutory Instruments
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who now holds the post of Examiner of Statutory Instruments in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Mates
  Mr. P. L. Oakey.

  General Election
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost of the general election to public funds in each of the Northern Ireland constituencies ranking them from lowest to highest.

  Mr. Hanley
  The chief electoral officer is required to submit accounts to the Secretary of State within 12 months of the election. The figures set out in the table are based on an initial examination of those accounts.

  £

  South Antrim

  51,630.06

  Belfast West

  52,400.10

  Belfast East

  55,658.89

  East Antrim

  57,788.27

  Newry & Armagh

  63,898.16

  North Antrim

  64,072.67

  North Down

  64,539.11

  Belfast South

  65,202.40

  Strangford

  65,632.01

  Upper Bann

  66,756.61

  East Londonderry

  67,858.27

  Lagan Valley

  67,912.93

  Belfast North

  68,017.46

  Foyle

  74,711.92

  South Down

  78,638.68

  Fermanagh & South Tyrone

  79,216.99

  Mid Ulster

  90,100.38

  Total

  1,134,024.91

  Anglo-Irish Agreement
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland Ministers last met within the framework of the Anglo-Irish Agreement; and when they will next meet.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The last meeting of the Anglo-Irish intergovernmental conference was held on 27 April 1992 and the next will be held on 16 November.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many planning applications have been(a) approved and (b) refused in each year since 1980 in areas of outstanding natural beauty in the constituency of South Down;

  (2) how many planning applications have been (a) approved and (b) refused in each year since 1980, in areas of special scientific interest in the constituency of South Down.
  439
  Mr. Atkins
  The information in the form requested is available only from January 1987 and is as follows:

  Constituency of South Down

  Areas of outstanding natural beauty

  Areas of special scientific interest

  Period

  Approvals

  Refusals

  Approvals

  Refusals

  1987

  294

  63

  2

  0

  1988

  313

  69

  0

  0

  1989

  234

  70

  2

  0

  1990

  232

  51

  2

  0

  1991

  274

  80

  0

  1

  11992

  224

  61

  0

  0

  TOTAL

  1,571

  394

  6

  1

  1 To date.

  Electricity
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the standard costs of electricity installation in each year in respect of domestic properties since 1 April 1980 to 31 March 1992 in the constituency of South Down.

  Mr. Atkins
  NIE's standard charges for electricity installation for housing developments of 12 houses-flats or more in the period from 1 April 1987 to 31 March 1992 were:

  Connection charge £

  per house

  per flat

  1987

  150

  113

  1988

  160

  120

  1989

  170

  130

  1990

  184

  140

  1991

  245

  184

  1992

  257

  193

  Reliable figures for earlier years are not available. Supplies to smaller developments or individual properties are charged at 60 per cent. of the estimated cost of providing supply.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the current standard costs of electricity installation in respect of domestic properties in the constituency of South Down.

  Mr. Atkins
  NIE's standard charges for electricity installation for housing developments of 12 houses-flats or more are £257 and £193 per unit respectively. Supplies to smaller developments or individual properties are charged at 60 per cent. of the estimated cost of providing supply.

  Lords Lieutenant
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list(a) the names and (b) the occupations of each lord lieutenant and deputy lord lieutenant currently in post; who is responsible for their nomination; and what (i) salary and (ii) honoraria, allowance or expenses each receives.

  Mr. Mates
  In Northern Ireland lord lieutenants are appointed by Her Majesty under article 2 of the Northern Ireland (Lieutenancy) Order 1975, on the advice of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Deputy lieutenants are nominated by the lord lieutenants and subject to Her Majesty's non-disapproval
  440
  which is signified by the Secretary of State, are appointed under article 3 of the same order. There are currently some 147 deputy lieutenants. A list of their names is set out in the table. Details relating to the occupation of each are not known and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Lord lieutenants and deputy lieutenants are unsalaried. Lord lieutenants—but not deputy lieutenants—may claim from central funds reimbursement of travel, postage, telephone calls and other non-entertainment expenses incurred in the course of their official duties.

LIEUTENANCY

  County of Antrim
  Deputy Lieutenants

  Leslie, Major James Francis, TD, MA, JP, DL

  Reade, Major R. H., MC, DL

  Massereene & Ferrard, The Viscount, DL

  Stewart-Moore, Commander James, DL

  Windsor, Colonel R. F. M., DL

  O'Neill, Lt-Colonel, the Right Hon. The Lord, TD, DL

  Kinahan, Mr. C. H. G., CBE, DL

  Vandeleur, Major W. D. B., DL

  Cooke, Mr. V. A., OBE, DL

  Dixon, Major, the Hon. T. R. V., MBE, DL

  Sherlock, Mr. B. OBE, JP, DL

  Campbell, Commander Peter, MVO, DL

  Cooke, Mr. J. P., DL

  Frazer, Mr. J. W., OBE, VRD, DL

  O'Neill, the Hon. H. D. T., DL

  Shillington, Mr. C. J. G., DL

  Stewart-Moore, Mr. A. W. H., DL

  Macnaghten, Sir Patrick Alexander

  Cramsie, Lt-Colonel Alexander J.

  Traill, Richard S.

  Mackie, Leslie S.

  Cunningham, Josias

  Moore, Sir William R. C.

  Cunningham, Mrs. A. J. Carol

  Mackean, Mrs. Patricia May

LIEUTENANCY

  County of Armagh
  Deputy Lieutenants

  Armstrong, Henry Napier, Esq., DL

  McCaw, Captain George Edwin, ERD, JP, DL

  Henning, Major William John, JP, DL

  Grew, James, Esq., JP, DL

  Gillespie, Colonel W.F., OBE, TD, JP, DL

  Ward, Dr. Patrick Joshua, MBE, JP, DL

  Gillespie, Dr. John Fitzroy, JP, DL

  Cowdy, Major Ralph Edward Cope, DL

  Reid, Colonel Arthur, OBE, TD, JP, DL

  Adams, Lt-Colonel John Reid, MBE, JP, DL

  Armstrong, Mrs. Kathleen Mary Perceval, DL

  Hamilton-Stubber, Richard, DL

  Seager, Mr. David P. R.

  Thompson, John Daniel

LIEUTENANCY

  County Borough of Belfast
  Deputy Lieutenants

  Madocks, Col. Robert George, CBE, TD, DL

  Hurst, Charles T. Esq., DL

  Porter, Col. Henry Jones, OBE, TD, JP, DL

  Foreman, Sir Philip Frank Esq., CBE, DL

  Henderson, Captain O. W. J., OBE, DL

  Creaney, Col. John A., OBE, TD, QC, DL

  Bailie, Lt. Col. John A., OBE, DL

  Cochrane, Commander Keith, RD, DL, RNR

  Humphreys, Sir Myles, JP, DL

  Anderson, Mr. C. A. J., OBE, DL

  Hogg, Col. C. T., MBE, UD, DL, JP

  Bryson, Mr. John Buckby, DL

  Malley, Mr. Jim Y., DSO, DFC, DL

  Rolston, Mr. Robert Dewar, CBE, DL

  Ferguson, Mr. Alfred H., CBE, DL

  Donnelly, Mr. Thomas, MBE. JP, DL

  Conlon, Dr. William Arthur, CBE, DL

  Maclaran, Mr. Michael Walter Savage, DL

  O'Sullivan, John Francis, DL, FRCS, FRCOG

  Eakins, Dr. William Arthur, CBE, QHP, DL

  McCollum, Lady Anne Bernadette, DL

  Allen, Professor Ingrid Victoria, DL, DSc, FRCP

  Wilson, Robert Ian Elliott, DL, MA

  Weaver, Iris M. E. (Mrs.), DL

  Steele, John Martin, OBE, TD

LIEUTENANCY

  County of Down
  Deputy lieutenants

  Dunleath, The Rt Hon The Lord, TD, DL

  Kingan, T. J. A. Esq. DL

  Gough, John Hubert Esq, DL

  Hall, William Joseph Esq, JP, DL

  Rowan-Hamilton, Lt-Col, D. A., MVO, JP, DL

  Pollock, Major John Stuart, DL

  Wright, Major Michael, JP, DL

  Weaver, Dr. John Andrew, OBE, DL, MB, MD, FRCP

  Forde, Patrick Matthew Desmond Esq, JP, DL

  Gorman, John Reginald Esq, CVO, CBE, MC, DL

  Kingan, D R S Esq, DL

  Ferguson, N. G. D. Esq, CBE, DL

  Charley, Lt-Col, W. R. H., OBE, JP, DL

  McNeill, W. A. Esq, CBE, DL

  Blakiston Houston, R. P. Esq, DL, JP

  Orr, Capt Arthur Sidney Porter, VRD, DL, RNR

  Faulkner, Col. Sir James Dennis Compton, CBE, VRD, UD, DL

  Sandford, Major Ernest Ruscombe, MBE, UD, JP, DL

  Maxwell, Cmdr John David, DL, (Ret'd)

  Cunningham, Samuel Barbour, DL

  Thompson, Mrs. Mina Elizabeth

  Kirkpatrick, Miss Diana Mary Cecilia

  Shillington, David Graham, DL, JP

  Shaw, Sir Barry, CB, DL, QC

  Barnett, Robert, DL

  McKelvey, Dr James Moorehead, DL, MD, BCH, BAO

  Hall, Mrs. Maeve Patricia, MBE, DL

  Potter, Major H. John F., MBE, DL

LIEUTENANCY

  County of Fermanagh
  Deputy Lieutenants

  Hamilton, Lord Claud Anthony, DL

  Moore, William, Esq., DL

  Fawcett, David, Esq., DL

  Loane, Simon Folliott Warren Thomas Barton, Esq., DL

  Eadie, Roland Rennie Alistair, Esq., ARICS, DL

  Fawcett, John Edward Claude, Esq., DL

  442

  Plunket, Charles Patrick Benjamin, Esq., ARICS, DL

  Winslow, Mr. Mervyn Wade, DL

  Sloan, Mr. Cecil Garland, DL

  Baird, Miss Lavinia Enid Muriel, DL

  Scallon, Mr. William Michael, JP, DL

  Brookeborough, Viscount, DL

LIEUTENANCY

  City of Londonderry
  Deputy Lieutenants

  Guckian, Francis Gerrard, Esq., DL, JP

  McCorkell, Patrick Evelyn, Esq., TD, DL

  Hill, Mr. Donald Alexander, DL

  Johnston, Mr. Alick Baird, DL

  Stewart-Liberty, Mrs. Joan, DL

  Harvey, Ronald Marsden, Esq., OBE, FRCS, MB, DL

  McCaul, David Woodburn Wilson, Esq., DL

  McCarter, William Scott, Esq., DL

  O'Doherty, Paul Ignatius, Esq., OBE, JP, DL

LIEUTENANCY

  County of Londonderry
  Deputy Lieutenants

  Moyola, Major, The Rt. Hon. Lord, DL

  Davidson, Lt. Col. K. B. L., DL

  Clark, H. Wallace, Esq., MBE, DL

  Hezlet, Vice-Admiral, Sir Arthur Richard, KBE, CB, DSO, DSC, DL

  Stevenson, W. B., Esq., MA, DL

  Temple, Dr. R. W., DL

  Boyle, Mr. E. A. H., DL

  MacLaughlin, D. B., Esq., RM, DL

  Sandford (Nee Clark), Mrs. D. M., OBE, DL

  Christie, D. M., DL

  Craig, W., OBE, DL

  Baxter, J. L.

  Mark, Mrs., Anne F., (Widow)

  Nichol, Colonel, Marcus, E. W., TD

  Mulholland, Richard, Mr.

  Desmond, Mr. Denis, F., CBE

LIEUTENANCY

  County of Tyrone
  Deputy Lieutenants

  Smyth, William Daniel Esq., DL

  Stewart, Major Sir Hugh Bt., (retired)

  Herdman, Commander C. A., DL (retired)

  Watson, John Esq., DL

  Gibbon, Major Acton Henry Gordon GM JP, DL

  Archdale, Mervyn Talbot Esq., DL

  Scott, Richard Thorold Maddin Esq., DL

  Stevenson, Henry Frederick Dougan Esq., DL

  Lowry, Major Robert Hugh, DL

  Reilly, Lt. Col. John Stiles Tempest, OBE, DL

  Rountree, Capt. Charles Nelson Meredith, OBE, DL

  Dunbar, Major John James, MBE, DL

  Hamilton-Stubber, Mrs. Fiona, DL

  Herdman, Mr. James Emerson, DL

  Hadden, Mr. John Richard, DL

  Scott, Mr. Robert William Lowry, DL

  Darling, Lt. Commander Gerald Ralph Auchinleck, RD, QC, DL, MA

  Cassidi, Lady Deborah Marion, DL

  Newtownbreda Forensic Laboratory
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the level of security at the forensic laboratory, Newtownbreda, on Wednesday 23 September; and if he will make a statement.
  443
  Mr. Mates
  For obvious reasons, it is not the practice to disclose security arrangements.

  Electoral Registration
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the latest estimates by the Registrar General of Populations of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each district council area and parliamentary constituency, together in each case with the equivalent year's electoral registration figures.

  Mr. Hanley
  Electoral registration figures for 1992 were given in my reply to the hon. Gentleman on 12 May 1992 Official Report, columns 75–76. Population estimates based on district council areas will not be available until the results of the 1991 census in respect of Northern Ireland become available shortly. I shall write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Local Government Staff Commission
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the expenditure of the Local Government Staff Commission for Northern Ireland for the years 1990–91, 1991–92 and the budget for 1992–93.

  Mr. Atkins
  The expenditure of the Local Government Staff Commission during 1990–91 was £88,977 and during the year 1991–92 was £122,431. The estimated expenditure for 1992–93 is £326,700.

PRIME MINISTER

  Environment Policy
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will establish an interdepartmental co-ordinating committee to monitor the environmental impact of EC policies.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have already taken steps to ensure that in the United Kingdom the environmental consequences of their policies, wherever they arise, are properly considered through, inter alia, the setting up of a ministerial committee on the environment and the appointment of Ministers with responsibility for green issues in each Department. The United Kingdom also works for the integration of environmental needs into other policies in the EC.

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he is taking to satisfy himself that the working of the social security system with regard to applications for mobility allowance, attendance allowance and disability living allowance fall within the guidelines laid down by him for his citizens charter; and if he will clarify departmental responsibilities on this matter.

  The Prime Minister
  The chief executive of the Benefits Agency is responsible for the administration of social security benefits and is accountable to the Secretary of State for Social Security for his performance.

  The Benefits Agency has taken vigorous action through the summer to accelerate the processing of claims and to reduce significantly the amount of work outstanding in
  444
  relation to mobility allowance, attendance allowance and disability living allowance. The chief executive wrote to all hon. Members on 6 July and again on 19 October setting out progress.

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list, by county, the number of people who have so far telephoned his response number at 10 Downing street in respect of the proposed pit closures; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a substantial number of representations on this issue.

  EC Budget
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will put to the Heads of Government a plan for a common coal policy on the lines of the common agricultural policy to be financed out of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the EC budget.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 October 1992]: There is already an agreed Community policy on coal. The United Kingdom looks to the Commission, in its scrutiny of state aids for coal, to see that this policy is followed in all member states.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Parliamentary Conference
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans there are to hold a conference of Parliaments of EC member states during the United Kingdom presidency of the EC.

  Mr. Newton
  Heads of State and Government reaffirmed at the special European Council in Birmingham the importance they attach to the conference of Parliaments. Preparatory discussions are taking place under the United Kingdom presidency to do the groundwork for a conference, which may take place in 1993. Detailed arrangements are being discussed through the usual channels.

  Questions
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when he expects to reply to the third report of the Select Committee on Procedure, Session 1990–91, on partliamentary questions, HC-178.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on Thursday 22 October, at column 363.

EDUCATION

  European Computer Networks
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his reply of 13 July to the hon. Member for Oxford, East (Mr. Smith),Official Report, column 443, if he will make a statement on the current provision of pan-European computer networks, and the progress of Super Janet.
  445
  Mr. Forman
  The information systems committee—ISC—of the Universities Funding Council is participating in a European multi-protocol project to connect European countries via high bandwidth computer networks. This project went live earlier this month. The United Kingdom and Germany were the first two countries to be connected. The ISC is continuing to promote a single pan-European infrastructure for networking.

  A formal invitation to tender has been issued to several companies for Super Janet, which will provide an advanced optical fibre network for the academic community. A pilot network is expected to be established in 1993 to enable early demonstration of applications over the network.

  A-level Teachers
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the different scales of pay between A-level teachers in schools, A-level teachers in sixth-form colleges and A-level teachers in further education colleges.

  Mr. Forman
  Teachers in secondary schools and sixth form colleges can be paid an incentive allowance, at the discretion of the governing body, for taking on extra responsibilities. In further education colleges lecturers are paid on one of two scales or on a management spine. In neither case are there separate scales or allowances for teaching A-levels. On 1 April 1993, further education corporations, including the former sixth form colleges, will have responsibility for determining the pay and conditions of their staff.

  Further Education (Funding)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what transitional funding was available and under what formula for polytechnics leaving the local education authority sector; and what are the equivalent figures and formulae for further education colleges.

  Mr. Forman
  Transitional funding of some £6 million was allocated in 1988–89 to polytechnics and colleges entering the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council sector. Each polytechnic and college transferring out of local authority control received a fixed sum of £40,000, plus a variable component relating to full-time equivalent student numbers.

  The Further Education Funding Council has announced allocations for transitional funding in 1992–93 totalling some £15 million for institutions joining the new further education sector. The allocation for each college transferring out of local authority control comprises a fixed sum of £25,000, plus a variable component relating to student numbers at the institution, calculated half by full-time equivalent numbers and half by enrolments.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if it remains his policy that the Further Education Funding Council should give priority equally to full-time 16 to 19 years courses and courses which provide for part-time students.

  Mr. Forman
  The Government's aim is that there should be an increase in both full and part-time participation. My right hon. Friend has told the Further Education Funding Council that, in particular, the 446
  Government attach importance to the achievement of an increase in the participation of 17-year-olds in full-time education and training.

  Prison Education Service
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the status of staff from further education colleges working for local education authorities in the prison education service where redundancy following compulsory competitive tendering is concerned.

  Mr. Forman
  The employment beyond 1 April 1993 of staff engaged in prison education depends on the terms of each individual's contract of employment. Both LEAs and colleges will have the opportunity to tender to the Home Office for the provision of education to the prison service after that date. Those who are successful will want to consider making use of staff previously engaged in prison education. We cannot know whether any staff will be made redundant until this process has been completed.

  Further Education (Buildings and Equipment)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he has now received the Further Education Funding Council's surveys of buildings and capital equipment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forman
  My right hon. Friend has received and is considering both surveys. Allocations to the Further Education Funding Council for 1993–94 and the following two years will be determined in the course of the present public expenditure survey.

  Transport Budgets
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance he has issued to local education authorities to ensure a fair distribution of transport budgets between pupils and students attending maintained schools and colleges in the further education sector.

  Mr. Forman
  Local education authorities will have a duty from 1 April 1993 to treat full-time students who attend colleges in the further education sector no less favourably as regards transport than pupils of the same age who attend schools maintained by an LEA. Guidance on this new duty will be given to LEAs in a circular on the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, a draft of which was issued for consultation on 27 July.

  Japanese
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many teachers qualified to teach the Japanese language are currently employed by local education authorities and teaching in(a) secondary schools to GCSE and (b) in sixth forms teaching to A-level; and if he will make a statement on the teaching of Japanese in English schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is not collected centrally. All secondary school pupils will be required to study a modern foreign language as part of the national curriculum. Japanese is one of the 19 languages eligible to he a national curriculum foundation subject.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list those schools which have applied for grant-maintained status from April 1993 and had their application approved but the commencement date deferred until September 1993.

  Mr. Forth
  There are no schools that fall into this category.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) primary and (b) secondary

  Primary

  Secondary

  Applied for GM

  Approved GM

  Applied for GM

  Approved GM

  City

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Camden

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Greenwich

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hackney

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hammersmith

  11

  —

  1

  1

  Islington

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kensington

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Lambeth

  1

  —

  2

  1

  Lewisham

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Southwark

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Tower Hamlets

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Wandsworth

  2

  1

  5

  4

  Westminster

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Barking

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Brent

  —

  —

  3

  2

  Barnet

  —

  —

  3

  2

  Bexley

  2

  2

  —

  —

  Bromley

  2

  2

  11

  9

  Croydon

  —

  —

  2

  1

  Ealing

  2

  2

  6

  5

  Enfield

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Haringey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Havering

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Harrow

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hillingdon

  2

  2

  11

  8

  Hounslow

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kingston upon Thames

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Merton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Newham

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Redbridge

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Richmond upon Thames

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sutton

  —

  —

  7

  5

  Waltham Forest

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1 Rejected

  Parents Charters
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consultations were undertaken with service users in the course of the production of the parents charter, the Welsh Office parents charter and the Scottish Office parents charter.

  Mr. Forth
  A number of surveys of parents' knowledge of the education system have been commissioned by the Government in recent years. These have showed that some parents were unaware of even their most basic rights in relation to their children's education and that most would welcome more information about schools. The parents charter for parents in England was designed to meet these needs. The charters produced for parents in Wales and Scotland are the responsibilities of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland.
  448
  schools have to date (i) applied for and (ii) received approval for grant-maintained status from his Department in each of the London boroughs.

  Mr. Forth
  There have been 13 applications for grant-maintained status from primary schools in the London boroughs, of which 10 have been approved and two are under consideration. There have been 57 applications from secondary schools in the London boroughs, of which 44 have been approved and 13 are under consideration. Details are given in the table.

  Pupil-Teacher Ratio
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the current pupil-teacher ratio in England and Wales; and what was the ratio in 1982.

  Mr. Forth
  Provisional figures for January 1992 show an overall pupil-teacher ratio in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England of 17.45:1. In January 1982 the figure was 18.46:1. Information on schools in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education by how much teachers' pay has increased since 1979.

  Mr. Forth
  We estimate that average teachers' pay at 1 April 1992 was £20,630. This represents an increase of 273 per cent. in cash terms since 1979 or a real-terms increase over that period of 46 per cent.

  Education Spending
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the percentage of gross domestic product spent by the United Kingdom on education; what are the comparable figures for(a) Germany, (b) the United States and (c) Japan; and what account is taken of private education in those figures.

  Mr. Forman
  The readily available information is as follows:

  Total Public Expenditure1 as a Percentage of Gross National Product (Calendar Year)

  1988

  United Kingdom

  4.6

  USA2

  5.3

  Germany

  4.2

  Japan2

  4.3

  Sources: UNESCO Statistical Yearbook 1991.

  Education Statistics for the United Kingdom 1991.

  1 Public subsidies to the private sector are included.

  2 Estimated. Includes some private funds, but excludes fees.

  Torquay Boys Grammar School
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for expediting the application made for grant-maintained status by Torquay boys grammar school in July.

  Mr. Forth
  The governing body of the school published proposals on 17 July 1992. My right hon. Friend will reach a decision on the proposals as quickly as possible, compatible with full and careful consideration or the educational issues involved.

  Teachers
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many teachers were in post in 1987 and at the most recent available date.

  Mr. Forth
  The number of school teachers in post in LEA-maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England in January 1987—full-time equivalents—is 402,300. The corresponding figure for 1992, which includes grant-maintained schools, is 394,900.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will specify the number of teachers in each local education authority who(a) are disabled, whether registered or not as disabled and (b) not disabled who have retired early on medical grounds in the last five years of which figures are available.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested at(a) is not held by the Department. Again, the information requested at (b) is not held in relation to disabled teachers who have retired on medical grounds or on a local education authority basis, but the total number of teachers in England and Wales who have retired on those grounds, for whatever reason., over the last five years is as follows:

  Number

  1987–88

  2,528

  1988–89

  3,406

  1989–90

  4,041

  1990–91

  4,934

  1991–92

  4,545

  450
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will give(a) the total number of teachers and (b) and the proportion of the total number of teachers who become disabled after appointment in each local education authority who left the profession in the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is not held in the Department in relation to disabled teachers. However, the proportion of teachers in England and Wales who have retired on medical grounds during the last five years, for whatever reason, against the total number of teachers is as follows:

  Number of teachers

  Percentage retired due to ill-health

  1987–88

  647,619

  0.39

  1988–89

  607,279

  0.56

  1989–90

  605,815

  0.67

  1990–91

  594,494

  0.83

  1991–92

  581,424

  0.78

  Food Skills
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to ensure that food preparation skills, in relation to diet and nutrition, remain part of the national curriculum.

  Mr. Forth
  Aspects of food and nutrition are covered in national curriculum science and technology. My right hon. Friends, the Secretaries of State for Education and for Wales, will give careful consideration to the recommendations of the national curriculum technology review group when its report is submitted at the end of October and its subsequent proposals for curriculum change will he the subject of extensive consultation. There are no changes planned to the national curriculum science order.

  Young Children
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on his Department's response to the emergency resolution from the National British Association for Early Childhood Education on the provision of publicly funded education and care for all young children, a copy of which has been sent to him.

  Mr. Forth
  The BAECE has not yet submitted its resolutions to my right hon. Friend. When it does so they will be carefully considered.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what number and proportion of cautioned juvenile offenders in the latest available year had been cautioned on(a) one previous occasion, (b) two previous occasions, and (c) more than two previous occasions respectively;

  (2) what number and proportion of cautioned juvenile offenders in the latest available year in (a) the Metropolitan police district, (b) south Wales, (c) Greater Manchester, (d) Merseyside, (e) the west midlands, (f)

  451
  West Yorkshire, and (g) Northumbria had been cautioned on (i) one previous occasion, (ii) on two previous occasions, and (iii) on more than two previous occasions respectively.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is in the tables. This information has been produced from a study of persons cautioned during the week of 25 to 29 November

  Table 1 Juveniles in 1991 cautions sample by previous cautioning history

  Number of previous cautions

  Police force area

  0

  1

  2

  More than 2

  Total persons

  Metropolitan

  59

  25

  10

  9

  103

  South Wales

  24

  5

  2

  2

  33

  Greater Manchester

  92

  20

  5

  3

  120

  Merseyside

  23

  5

  1

  —

  29

  West Midlands

  62

  8

  3

  3

  76

  West Yorkshire

  108

  33

  13

  2

  156

  Northumbria

  36

  7

  5

  —

  48

  All police forces

  985

  202

  101

  46

  1,244

  Table 2 Juveniles in 1991 cautions sample by previous cautioning history

  Percentage previously cautioned

  Police force area

  0

  1

  2

  More than 2

  Total in sample (=100 per cent.)

  Metropolitan

  57

  24

  10

  9

  103

  South Wales

  73

  15

  6

  6

  33

  Greater Manchester

  77

  17

  4

  3

  120

  Merseyside

  79

  17

  3

  —

  29

  West Midlands

  82

  11

  4

  4

  76

  West Yorkshire

  69

  21

  8

  1

  156

  Northumbria

  75

  15

  10

  —

  48

  All police forces

  73

  16

  8

  3

  1,244

  Percentages may not add up to exactly 100 per cent, due to rounding.

  Asylum
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the meeting on the Asylum Bill between Dr. Max Perutz, FRS and senior officials of his Department.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I wrote to the hon. Member on 14 October inviting Dr. Perutz to contact officials in the immigration department if he wished to arrange a meeting. To date he has not done so.

  Theft
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his latest estimate of the percentage of annual retail turnover lost through unauthorised entry to premises by retailers in the United Kingdom; and what information he has on the percentage lost through similar crime by retailers in other EC countries.

  Mr. Jack
  It is estimated that retailers lose around two per cent of turnover annually through the disappearance of stock. This loss includes thefts of all descriptions; the proportion attributable to unauthorised entry is not known and cannot be ascertained. Information about losses elsewhere in the EC is not available.
  452
  1991 which will be analysed via the Offenders' Index for conviction history. Table 1 gives the number of juveniles by their cautioning history and table 2 gives the percentage of juveniles with their cautioning history for each relevant police force. Care should be taken with the percentages in table 2, where the actual number of persons in the category is small, as these are liable to some sampling error.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's contribution to the European centre for the validation of alternative methods in animal research.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Government supported the establishment of the European centre for the validation of alternative methods at Ispra in Italy, and we shall, along with our partners, endeavour to ensure that the centre is a success.

  The United Kingdom has not been asked to make a specific financial contribution towards the work of the centre. Were Community-wide funding to be sought for the centre, any agreed United Kingdom contribution would be made as part of the United Kingdom's overall contribution to the Community's budget.

  Mid Glamorgan Regional Crime Squad
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to retain a regional crime squad based on South Glamorgan, Mid Glamorgan, West Glamorgan, Dyfed, Powys and Gwent, currently known as No. 8 regional crime squad.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No. I believe that the region would be better served by amalgamating No. 7 and No. 8 regional crime squads.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the number of notifiable offences committed in each of the cities or areas covered by a safer city project in the 12 months ended(a) March 1990, (b) March 1991 and (c) March 1992;

  (2) if he will list the number of notifiable offences committed in each of the cities or areas now covered by a safer city project (a) in 1989, (b) in 1990 and (c) in 1991.

  Mr. Jack
  Figures available centrally are for calendar years only, and are contained in the table.

  Safer city areas—Notifiable offences1

  Safer city area

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Birmingham

  99,749

  111,881

  127,548

  Bradford

  46,533

  56,107

  70,267

  Bristol

  50,121

  61,806

  72,363

  Coventry

  31,296

  37,212

  40,331

  Derby

  17,124

  21,088

  26,566

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  20,044

  20,581

  16,113

  Hartlepool

  9,144

  11,112

  13,395

  Hull

  40,543

  47,501

  54,478

  Islington

  23,006

  26,253

  21,124

  Leicester

  30,718

  38,501

  48,311

  Lewisham

  25,305

  26,736

  19,153

  Middlesbrough

  20,674

  26,217

  25,876

  Nottingham

  48,535

  58,523

  67,765

  Rochdale

  20,322

  24,085

  28,282

  Salford

  29,454

  30,589

  33,594

  Sunderland

  33,186

  36,937

  41,155

  Tower Hamlets

  25,557

  24,857

  19,267

  Wandsworth

  26,407

  31,032

  21,429

  Wirral

  26,982

  25,503

  28,991

  Wolverhampton

  23,670

  28,045

  31,476

  1 Excluding criminal damage £20 and under.

  Prison Service
  Mr. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on introducing the private sector into the running of prisons.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Private sector involvement in the prison service is being introduced through the contracting-out and market-testing of both entire establishments and individual services within prisons. The aim is to raise standards and improve value for money.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what have been the costs of privatising catering services in Her Majesty's prison service.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The value of the contracts awarded to commercial companies for inmate catering services in Her Majesty's prison service is £1,940,263. The costs of letting and administering the contracts were met from a number of separate budgets and are not readily available.

  Railway Stations (Fire Inspections)
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, as part of his quality service objectives, he will require the publication of the results of all fire brigade inspections at British Rail stations commissioned since 1985 using public money.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  British Rail stations require a fire certificate in accordance with an order under the Fire Precautions Act 1971. The issue of such certificates is the 454
  responsibility of fire authorities, which are specifically forbidden under section 21 of the Act from disclosing, except in clearly defined circumstances, any information obtained by their employees during an inspection.

  Arson
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of arson were reported in Wales in 1990, 1991 and 1992; what was the estimated total property damage resulting from these fires; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  There were 1,123 notifiable offences of arson recorded by the police in Wales in 1991 compared with 904 offences in 1990. Information for 1992 is not yet available. Information is not collected centrally on total property damage resulting from these fires. I do not intend to make a statement.

  Metropolitan Police Commissioner
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to appoint a serving police officer as the next Commissioner of the Metropolitan police.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend announced on 23 October that the Queen has appointed Mr. Paul Condon, at present chief constable of Kent, to succeed Sir Peter Imbert as Commissioner.

  M25
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail the funding arrangements and level of service agreed between the Government and the forces policing the M25.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There are no special funding arrangements between the Government and those police forces responsible for policing the M25. The level of service provided is an operational decision for the individual chief officers of the six police forces through which the motorway travels. Policing decisions are co-ordinated by the M25 chief constables committee.

  Fire Brigades (Fleet Maintenance)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the fire brigade authorities which have put their fleet maintenance tenders out to external companies indicating which tenders have resulted in split contracts.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Only Hertfordshire fire brigade has contracted out its vehicle fleet maintenance; there is one contractor.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what research has been conducted by his Department on the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering of fleet maintenance of fire brigade vehicles upon brigades who currently utilise mechanics who also act as part-time fire fighters;

  (2) what steps are being taken to ensure that external companies granted fleet maintenance tenders for fire brigade vehicles offer a 24-hour service in a permanent site which grants around-the-clock access;
  455
  (3) if he will make it his policy to ensure that all persons involved in fleet maintenance of fire brigade vehicles are directly accountable both operationally and financially to their local chief fire officer;

  (4) what account has been taken by his Department on the effect of the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering of fire brigade fleet maintenance upon (a) the flexible use of vehicles in the course of an emergency and (b) the ability of each fire brigade to reach the required incident response standards.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Provision of services and equipment is a matter for fire authorities. All the representative bodies and the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council have been widely consulted on the question of compulsory competitive tendering. My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to announce his conclusion on the issue in relation to fire brigades before long.

  Hostels
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the percentage of site purchase and refurbishment costs which his Department grants for(a) probation hostel beds and (b) for bail hostel beds.

  Mr. Jack
  Site purchase and construction or refurbishment costs for both probation and bail hostels are met initially by a 100 per cent. capital grant from the Home Office. Over a period of time 20 per cent. of this cost is recovered from local authorities.

  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the percentage of operating costs which his Department pays for(a) probation hostel beds and (b) bail hostel beds.

  Mr. Jack
  Eighty per cent. of the operating or revenue costs of probation and hail hostels are met by Home Office grant. The remaining 20 per cent. is provided by payments from local authorities.

  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what restrictions are currently placed on hostels taking in residents when those persons are not domiciled in the county where the hostel is sited.

  Mr. Jack
  None.

  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what audit checks take place in respect of probation hostels and bail hostels.

  Mr. Jack
  All claims submitted by probation and bail hostels are subject to audit by independent auditors approved by, and acting in accordance with instructions issued by, the Audit Commission.

  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what rules govern salary levels, expenses levels and perks such as vehicles and promotion in respect of probation and bail hostels.

  Mr. Jack
  Probation officer grades working as wardens and deputy wardens at probation and bail hostels are employed under terms and conditions set by the joint negotiating committee for the probation service. Their pay is determined by the Secretary of State. Other wardens and deputy wardens, and all assistant wardens, are employed 456
  in accordance with terms and conditions set by the residential and allied staffs committee of the National Joint Council for the Local Authorities Administrative, Professional, Technical and Clerical Services. All other staff are either employed in accordance with terms and conditions set by the National Joint Council for Local Authority Services (Manual Workers), or are recruited on the basis of locally negotiated agreements.

  Michael Sams
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the route taken on 29 September when remand prisoner Michael Sams held at HMP Winson Green travelled to Skipton, Yorkshire; how many prison officers accompanied him; what form of transport was used; and what additional security cover was used.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It is not the practice to disclose the detailed security arrangements which are applied to the escort of category A prisoners outside a prison service establishment, or details of routes taken. In the instance referred to, the prisoner and a prison service staff escort travelled in a secure prison vehicle and additional security measures were taken by the police.

  HMP Bullwood Hall
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement in respect of the hunger strike held by inmates at HMP Bullwood Hall in October.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Between 25 September and 1 October a number of prisoners at Bullwood Hall intermittently refused prison meals as a protest against the small amount of evening association provided. Plans which were already in hand to increase evening association were in fact implemented on 24 September.

  Entry Clearance
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance as working holidaymakers have been(a) received, (b) granted, and (c) refused in (i) India, (ii) Bangladesh, (iii) Pakistan, (iv) Australia, (v) Canada, (vi) Ghana and (vii) Nigeria during 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Racial Harassment
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the number of local housing authorities in which racial harassment by one council tenant of another is currently a ground for eviction.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information on the content of tenancy agreements is not collected centrally. However, a survey in 1991 established that 88 local housing authorities experienced a problem with racial violence and harassment in council housing. Of these, about half—46—stated that they would try to deal with perpetrators of racial violence and harassment by use of notice of seeking possession, the initial step in legal proceedings which can ultimately lead to eviction if the case is proved in court.

  Motor Projects
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department has allocated to motor projects for young people convicted of the offence of taking away a vehicle without the owner's consent in the current financial year.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 23 October 1992]: The Home Office has so far this financial year approved grants supporting motor projects totalling £263,375 through the probation supervision grant scheme, the aims of which include providing demanding programmes of supervision for dealing with offenders in the community. This brings the total allocation of grants to motor projects under this scheme since 1990, when such funding began, to almost £500,000. The main focus of motor projects funded through this scheme will be young offenders convicted of motor-related offences.

  The Home Office has also allocated about £59,000 to motor projects in this financial year through the safer cities programme.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many projects aimed at diverting young people from involvement in vehicle-related crime have been(a) wholly funded and (b) partly funded by his Department in England and Wales in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 23 October 1992]: Home Office funding of projects for diverting young people from crime, including vehicle-related crime, is provided under the safer cities programme which was set up in 1988, and the probation supervision grant scheme—formerly the young adult offender grant scheme—which was introduced in 1989.

  The information is as follows:

  Diversionary projects for young people funded or partly funded by the Home Office

  Vehicle-related projects

  Other projects

  Year

  Wholly funded

  Partly funded

  Wholly funded

  Partly funded

  1988–89

  —

  —

  5

  1

  1989–90

  7

  —

  93

  —

  1990–91

  9

  3

  273

  13

  1991–92

  13

  9

  300

  12

  Though final figures for 1992–93 are not yet available, between April and October of this year there were 22 partly or wholly funded vehicle-related projects and 312 partly or wholly funded other projects.

  Year

  Age-group all ages

  (a) Under 21 years

  (c) per cent.

  (b) 21 years-29 years (inc)

  (c) per cent.

  1989

  3,717

  165

  4.4

  722

  19.4

  1990

  3,950

  187

  4.7

  843

  21.3

  1991

  3,893

  171

  4.4

  794

  20.4

  Source: OPCS

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Currency Speculation
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to curb the activities of speculators in the currency market.

  Crime Prevention
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times per annum meetings take place of the full committee of the Standing Conference on Crime Prevention; when the last meeting took place; and when he expects the next meeting will be called.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 23 October 1992]: The last meeting of the Home Office Standing Conference on Crime Prevention took place on 18 December 1990. Previously the conference had taken place on an annual basis. A conference has not been planned for this year because, as part of our focused approach to crime prevention, the resources normally devoted to it have been channelled to support the national effort against car crime, through car crime prevention year and its national publicity campaign. Car crime currently accounts for nearly one-third of all recorded crime. Consideration is currently being given to future meetings of standing conference.

  By the end of this year as part of our crime prevention strategy Home Office Ministers will have supported and contributed to many local and national crime prevention conferences and meetings including the car crime prevention year launch and review conferences, Crime Concern's conference on "Young People and Community Safety", a conference organised by Crime Concern and the Community Development Foundation entitled "Towards Safer Communities" and the national neighbourhood watch co-ordinators conference planned for November.

  Suicide
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of suicides of young people(a) aged under 21 years and (b) aged between 21 and 30 years in 1991 and the two preceding years; and if he will express these figures as a percentage of the total number of deaths by suicide in those three years.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have been asked to reply. The information is shown in the table.

  The number of reported suicides (ICD* E950–E959) of young people (a) aged under 21 years; (b) aged 21–29 years; and (c) these numbers expressed as a percentage of the total number of deaths by suicides in each of those years. England and Wales 1989, 1990 and 1991.

  ICD* International Classification of Diseases; ninth revision.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have no plans to introduce controls aimed at curbing the activities of speculators in the currency market.
  459
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in regard to the inclusion by banks in their ethical policies of an undertaking not to speculate against the pound.

  Mr. Nelson
  This is a matter for the banks not the Government. But as a practical matter it would be impossible to distinguish so-called speculation from transactions driven by the genuine needs of customers such as fund managers and corporate treasurers who are taking investment decisions or hedging in the foreign exchange market to protect themselves from currency fluctuations. Moreover it would not be realistic to impose restraints on UK-based banks when sterling is traded worldwide.

  Currency Intervention
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will invite the National Audit Office to examine the question of the intervention in the currency market on 14 to 18 September.

  Mr. Nelson
  It is not for me to direct the Comptroller and Auditor General.

  Economic and Monetary Union
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration has been given to sterling's institutional relationship with the single currency if the United Kingdom does not accept stage three of economic and monetary union.

  Mr. Nelson
  If the United Kingdom does not move to stage 3 of economic and monetary union as set out in the Maastricht treaty, the relationship of the pound sterling to the single currency would be a matter for decision at the time. The treaty does not prescribe the relationship between the currencies of those member states participating in stage 3 and those of non-participants.

  Exchange Rates
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present exchange rate of the pound sterling with(a) the United States dollar and (b) the German mark; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lamont
  The approximate sterling exchange rates at close of business on Friday, 23 October were US dollars 1.6145 and deutschemark 2.4702 respectively.

  World Bank
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the annual World bank meeting held in Washington in September, and on any decisions made at that meeting about additional environmental expenditure.

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

  Finance Ministers reviewed the world economic scene, resource flows to developing countries and other issues including progress with the debt strategy and trade policy. On the environment, they welcomed the wide-ranging consensus reached at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development. They noted that UNCED had called for additional funding to be channelled through existing institutions, including the global environment
  460
  facility. They also agreed that continuing consideration should be given to an "earth increment" for environmental purposes in the negotiations for the 10th replenishment of the International Development Association.

  International Development Association
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy towards increasing United Kingdom funding for the International Development Association.

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

  The United Kingdom is playing a constructive role in the negotiations on the 10th replenishment of the International Development Association. The overall size of the replenishment and burden-sharing among donors are among the issues still to be resolved.

  Currency Trading
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total volume of currency traded from London in the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage is for(a) international trading requirements and (b) speculative currency deals, respectively.

  Mr. Nelson
  Total volumes of foreign currency traded in London are not monitored on a regular month-bymonth basis. The Bank of England does, however, conduct a wide-ranging survey of foreign exchange business in London every three years. The latest survey, conducted by the bank during April of this year, indicated average gross daily turnover of about $300 billion—around £190 billion at current exchange rates—in London. Within this total, it is impossible to distinguish so-called speculative deals from transactions carried out to finance flows of trade or for fund-management or hedging purposes.

  EC Economies
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the economies of the EC currently measure up to the convergence criteria of the Maastricht treaty.

  Mr. Nelson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 20 October at column 245.

  Financial Reserves
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the levels of financial reserves on 10 April; and what they are at present.

  Mr. Nelson
  The levels of the United Kingdom foreign exchange reserves at the end of April and September 1992 were respectively $45,775 million and $42,677 million. The level of the reserves is not published on an intra-mensal basis.

  Cohesion Fund
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the United Kingdom qualifies for contributions from the EEC cohesion fund on 1991 and 1992 gross domestic product figures.

  Mr. Nelson
  The cohesion fund envisaged in the Maastricht treaty will be a structural fund; and the usual
  461
  method of calculating relative wealth for these funds is to use purchasing power parities. On that basis, the United Kingdom would not qualify on 1991 gross domestic product figures, the latest year for which outturn data are available, or forecasts for 1992.

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the division of balance of payments figures into different categories so as to show the imports and exports of food, oil, manufactured products, goods for retail sale, cars and aircraft and also into categories which show import and export figures for European and non-European countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Central Statistical Office already publishes separate figures for the following categories of overseas trade in a monthly press notice and monthly "Review of External Trade Statistics":

  Food, beverages and tobacco;

  Oil;

  Manufactures;

  Consumer goods (as opposed to capital and intermediate goods within manufacturers);

  Passenger motor cars;

  Trade with European countries (distinguishing between the European Community, the rest of Western Europe and Eastern Europe including the former Soviet Union);

  Trade with non-European countries (distinguishing between various area groupings).

  Consolidated figures are not published for aircraft as the amount of trade in them is relatively small and highly erratic, but monthly data on exports and imports of individual types of aircraft are published by the CSO in a business monitor—MM20—"Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom".

  Agriculture
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce a scheme to provide tax relief for companies and businesses providing services to agriculture to enable them to retain employees who would otherwise be made redundant.

  Mr. Dorrell
  My right hon. Friend has no plans for new tax relief for agricultural service businesses.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce a scheme to provide increased tax relief on capital assets held by companies and businesses providing services to agriculture to enable them to retain employees who would otherwise be made redundant.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have no plans to do so.

  Bloodstock Industry
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assistance will be provided under the distance selling scheme and the flat rate scheme to vendors of horses selling for less than £15,000.

  Sir John Cope
  Bloodstock industry representatives have indicated that both schemes could be of some assistance when selling horses with a value of £15,000 or less. It is for individual vendors to assess the advantages of the new arrangements which will be able from 1 January 1993.
  462
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce regulations to enable race horse owners to be registered for VAT.

  Sir John Cope
  Eligibility for VAT registration is governed by both European Community law and United Kingdom law. Under the present rules of racing, race horse owners in the United Kingdom do not qualify for VAT registration because it is not a business activity making taxable supplies. This opinion has been upheld in individual cases by the independent VAT tribunals.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has been made of the financial effect on the domestic bloodstock industry of the new VAT required to be imposed as part of the EC single market changes on 1 January 1993.

  Sir John Cope
  It is not possible to make any reliable estimate of the financial effects future changes to the VAT regime will have on the United Kingdom bloodstock industry. VAT is only one of several factors which determine its finances, but, as long as the industry ensures that its members fully understand the new rules for the single market, they should not be significantly disadvantaged by them.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement outlining the ways in which the changes to be introduced on 1 January 1993 to the VAT regime affecting the bloodstock industry achieves parity of treatment between British breeders and their overseas counterparts.

  Sir John Cope
  The present VAT arrangements will in large part remain after 1992, although in some cases in a different form. British breeders should therefore maintain broadly the same position in relation to their overseas counterparts as now. The introduction of an agricultural flat-rate scheme in the United Kingdom in 1993 will be an extra scheme, not currently available, which will allow those breeders who opt to become flat-rate farmers to sell horses and nominations free of VAT, in exactly the same way as their European counterparts.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reconsider introducing regulations to enable a low VAT rate to be applied to the United Kingdom bloodstock industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  The Government's policy is to maintain a simple VAT structure with a single positive rate. Any concession for racehorses would inevitably bring pressure for a similar concession on a wide range of goods and services, where it was felt that the case was just as strong as that for bloodstock.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of public expenditure by region in each year since 1979–80(a) in overall terms and (b) in per capita terms at current and 1979–80 prices.

  Mr. Portillo
  Information on the level of general Government expenditure by region in England was published in the "Statistical Supplement to the 1990 Autumn Statement", Cm 1520, for 1987–88 and in the "Statistical Supplement to the 1991 Autumn Statement",
  463
  Cm 1920, for years 1988–89 and 1989–90. Information on the level of public expenditure by region in England on a consistent basis is not available prior to 1987–88.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to conduct an annual regional analysis of general Government expenditure within England.

  Mr. Portillo
  In response to a request from the Treasury and Civil Service Committee—fifth report for 1991, HC 290—a regional analysis of general Government expenditure within England is conducted annually. The results of the 1990 exercise were published in the "Statistical Supplement to the 1990 Autumn Statement", Cm 1520, and the results of the 1991 exercise were published in the "Statistical Supplement to the 1991 Autumn Statement", Cm 1521. The results of the 1992 exercise will be published in the "Statistical Supplement to the 1992 Autumn Statement".

  Financial Statistics
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, for each of the years 1974–75 to 1992–93 (planned),(a) in market price and (b) in constant prices (i) gross domestic product and (ii) public sector borrowing requirement, (1) including privatisation receipts and (2) excluding privatisation receipts, (iii) general Government expenditure, as defined in United Kingdom accounts, (iv) general Government receipts, as defined in United Kingdom accounts, (v) general Government expenditure, as defined in the European system of integrated accounts, (vi) general Government receipts, as defined in the European system of integrated accounts, (vii) borrowing as defined in the European system of integrated accounts, (viii) (ii) (1) and (2) as a percentage of (i) and (ix) (vii) as a percentage of (i).

  Mr. Portillo
  Most of the figures requested are available from the CSO database, which can be accessed through the House of Commons Library. The identifiers are as follows:

  Identifier

  (a) GDP at current prices

  CAOB

  (b) GDP at constant market prices

  CAOO

  (c) PSBR including privatisation receipts

  ABEN

  (d) PSBR excluding privatisation receipts

  ABII

  (e) General government expenditure United Kingdom definition

  ABAB

  (f) General government expenditure, ESA definition

  see table

  (g) General government receipts, ESA definition

  see table

  (h) General government borrowing, ESA definition

  CSNK

  Items (c) to (h) are not available at constant prices.

  Items (f), (g) and (h) are available only for calendar years.

  General Government total receipts and expenditure on ESA definitions are not available on the database and are shown in the table.

  Forecasts for 1992–93 for gross domestic product, the public sector borrowing requirement, and general Government expenditure as defined in United Kingdom accounts were published in the 1992–93 Financial Statement and Budget Report in March. A revised forecast will be published in the autumn statement. There are no forecasts made on ESA definitions.
  464

  On ESA definitions: General government

  Receipts

  Payments

  (f)

  (g)

  1974

  56,702

  53,524

  1975

  76,442

  71,438

  1976

  89,524

  83,355

  1977

  97,516

  92,554

  1978

  110,410

  102,999

  1979

  127,123

  120,674

  1980

  156,531

  148,431

  1981

  181,710

  171,493

  1982

  194,156

  186,214

  1983

  211,558

  201,373

  1984

  226,991

  214,156

  1985

  240,509

  230,250

  1986

  255,840

  245,137

  1987

  269,908

  264,257

  1988

  288,880

  289,750

  1989

  310,317

  310,041

  1990

  350,391

  341,582

  1991

  383,220

  367,150

  These series are only calculated for calendar years. Forecasts are not available.

  Debt in Africa
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions on alleviating debt in Africa were held at the annual International Monetary Fund and World bank meetings in Washington in September.

  Mr. Nelson
  Discussions at the annual International Monetary Fund and World bank meetings in September covered the international debt strategy. Ministers welcomed the enhanced debt relief extended to the poorest and most heavily indebted countries by the Paris club, including to date the African countries of Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia, and urged the Paris club to recognise the special situation of some highly indebted lower-middle income countries on a case by case basis. The Paris club was also invited to maintain its continuing review of the debt strategy.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the target times within which Treasury Ministers aim to reply to letters sent to them by hon. Members on behalf of their constituents.

  Sir John Cope
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has set the following targets for replies to ministerial correspondence:

  Letters for ministerial reply on matters concerning Her Majesty's Treasury: Reply to be posted within 15 working days.

  Letters for ministerial reply on matters concerning other Chancellor's Departments, including Inland Revenue and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise: Reply to be posted within 18 working days.

  Letters for ministerial reply on matters requiring a report from a local Inland Revenue tax office: Reply to be posted within 23 working days.

  These targets come into operation from Monday, 2 November. The targets will be kept under review. Details of the extent to which they have been met will be published in the Chancellor's Department's departmental report.

  BCCI
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total number of claims made to the deposit protection board by former depositors of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International by(a) number and (b) value; and how many are still to be processed.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 22 October 1992]: I understand that at 19 October 1992 some 16,500 claims had been lodged with the board. Of these some 5,500 claims are with the liquidators awaiting proof of debt forms to be lodged, and some 1,500 claims are in course of payment or awaiting responses to inquiries. No details are maintained of the total value of claims.

WALES

  Dentists
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Danish dentists he proposes to allow to complete their training in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This is not a matter in which the Secretary of State has any specific remit. The General Dental Council is responsible for determining the eligibility of EC qualified dental practitioners for employment in the United Kingdom, whether in training grades or as independent practitioners.

  Promotional World Tour
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list each private or voluntary body or association or private individual from Wales or elsewhere in the United Kingdom associated by arrangement with either his Department, the Welsh Development Agency or the Wales tourist board with the current Wales promotional world tour; and if he will specify to which event on which leg of the tour the arrangement has been made.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My recent inward investment mission involved representatives of the Welsh Office, the Welsh Development Agency and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, as well as many individuals in the companies concerned.

  Radioactive Substances
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has regarding the breaches of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 by Xidex (UK) Ltd. of Brynmawr, Gwent.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Under the provisions of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, the chief inspector of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution—HMIP—is responsible for deciding in which cases prosecution action may be appropriate. My right hon. Friend and I were informed of legal action planned by the inspectorate against Xidex (UK) Ltd. and the reasons for it.

  "Think Globally, Act Locally"
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many copies of the Government booklet "Think Globally, Act Locally" issued in September, have been distributed in Wales; and what criteria have been adopted in drawing up the distribution list.
  466
  Mr. David Hunt
  This Department of the Environment booklet is being given a wide circulation throughout the United Kingdom. It is expected to be of general interest and DOE's initial circulation has included some 300 copies to local government, libraries, environmental groups, Members of Parliament and others in Wales.

  Environmental Research
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish his Department's study of environmental research priorities in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  As is made clear in the Welsh chapter of "This Common Inheritance—The Second Year Report", this is an internal review of the Welsh Office's environmental research programme. I will be considering whether and in what form the review, when completed, might be published.

  Panteg
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department has spent to date funding the survey of polychlorinated biphenol contamination in Panteg, to which reference is made in chapter 18, paragraph 13.21 of Britain's Environmental Strategy, Cm 2068.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  A total of £159,000.

  Nuclear Plants
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will invite European Commission safety inspectors to evaluate the radiation protection arrangements in place at the Wylfa and Trawsfyndd nuclear plants under the provisions of article 35 of the Euratom treaty.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The United Kingdom Government have agreed with the European Commission the procedures to be followed in carrying out, under article 35 of the Euratom treaty, verifications of the operation and efficiency of environmental monitoring facilities in the United Kingdom. It is for the Commission in the first instance to indicate which monitoring facilities it would wish to visit under these arrangements; it has not yet made any formal requests to so so.

  RECHAR
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made in resolving the dispute over the allocation of EC RECHAR funds in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  There is no dispute. The RECHAR programme for south Wales was adopted by the European Commission in February. A package of projects to take up most of the available funds has been agreed in principle by the programme co-ordinating committee. Full applications are now being assessed, and I anticipate that the first formal approvals will take place well before the end of the year.

  Electricity Interconnector
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if plans by the National Grid Company and the Irish Electricity Supply Board to develop an interconnector link between Ynys Môn and north Dublin are subject to European environmental impact directives.
  467
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Proposals for the transmission of electrical energy, other than by overhead cable, are not subject to directive 85/337/EEC which covers the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment.

  Environmental Education
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made to date with his departmental commitment to promote environmental education in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Environmental education has been given a place in the curriculum of all primary and secondary schools as a result of the introduction of the national curriculum. It is an integral element in a number of subjects including science, geography, history and technology. The Curriculum Council for Wales is currently producing guidance for schools on environmental education as a cross-curricular theme and this will be circulated to schools shortly.

  The Curriculum Council for Wales and the Countryside Council for Wales have held a joint conference on practical ways of teaching environmental education in schools and a successful environmental competition has been held for schools in Wales.

  An expert committee on environmental education in further and higher education has been set up to look at the provision of environmental education and will be reporting to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and my right hon. Friend shortly.

  Coal
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what calculations he has made of the effect upon the Welsh economy and communities of coal mine closures since 1984.

  Mr. David Hunt
  While I appreciate the immediate difficulties for individuals and communities that the closure of coal mines presents, over the past decade we have been able to diversify the Welsh economy to a point where it is much stronger and more resilient rather than being over-dependent on a small number of sectors as was the case in the past.

  Contaminated Land Register
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the impact on land values of the implementation of the contaminated land register in Wales under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In drawing up its revised proposals for contaminated land registers, the Government have sought to take account of the possible consequences for land values in England and Wales. This aspect will be considered further however, along with other relevant issues, in the light of the responses to the recent consultation exercise.

  NHS Trust Unit
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many civil servants of which grade work(a) full-time and (b) part of their time within the NHS trust unit within
  468
  his Department, and what is its estimated total establishment cost in the current financial year and next financial year.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The complement of the Department's NHS trust unit consists of four full-time civil servants:

  Number

  Grade 7

  1

  Higher Executive Officer

  1

  Executive Officer

  1

  Administrative Officer

  1

  Estimated total establishment cost for the current financial year amounts to £127,191. Figures for the next financial year are not available.

  Household Waste
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales(1) what tonnage of household waste is produced in each local authority area in Wales;

  (2) how many household waste landfill sites there are in each local authority area in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is available only from district councils which have responsibilities for investigations of controlled waste arising in their areas and for the licensing of disposal sites.

  Baglon Hospital Site, Port Talbot
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what effects have been undertaken by his Department to(a) research the quality of soil for heavy metal contamination, (b) consider the level of legal waste disposal and illegal tipping in the vicinity and (c) research the effect of toxic deposits in water-courses and emission levels into the air prior to the development of the Baglon hospital site in Port Talbot.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The interdepartmental committee on the redevelopment of contaminated land has published guidance on the assessment and remedial measures for these types of site. West Glamorgan health authority which has full responsibility for the new hospital scheme, are expected to follow these guidelines. There is also a statutory responsibility on the local planning authority under the planning and building regulation procedures to satisfy itself before approval to proceed is given that the proposal takes proper account of any contamination that may exist.

  Development of Contaminated Land
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps are taken by his Department prior to the building of new hospitals in Wales, to(a) research the quality of the soil for possible contamination, (b) monitor the level of toxic emissions into the locality, (c) measure toxic deposits into the watercourse of the locality and (d) research the level of risk from localised waste disposal and tipping, both illegal and legal.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Welsh Office circular 22/87 provides guidance about the development of contaminated land. Responsibility for assessing whether land is suitable for hospital building, including whether it is contaminated,
  469
  rests primarily with the health authority concerned. The local planning authority also has a statutory duty under the planning and building regulations to satisfy itself before approval to proceed with any scheme is given that the proposal takes proper account of any contamination that may exist.

  Acid Rain
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sites of special scientific interest in Wales have been damaged by(a) acid rain and (b) other agricultural damage in 1991; what are the names and locations of these sites and the total number of hectares; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There are now 845 sites of special scientific interest in Wales. In 1991, 42 sites were subject to some damage from agricultural practices. Between 1988 and 1992, 41 freshwater sites were subject to some damage from acidification. Of these 83 sites, six have been subject to some damage from agriculture and acidification. Data on acidification to dry land sites should be available next year. I have placed copies containing details of these sites in the Library of the House.

  Exam papers (Welsh Language)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of students who submitted exam papers in Welsh in 1991; what was the cost of having these papers translated into English; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The latest available statistics from the Welsh Joint Education Committee show that in 1991 a total of 1,093 candidates submitted Welsh medium papers for A/AS level and 9,679 for GCSE examinations. There are no costs to students associated with translation as schools choose to enter candidates through either the medium of Welsh or English.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to review the system whereby students submitting certain exam papers in Welsh in the coming school year will have to pay to have them translated into English; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The principal examining body for GCSE and A-level examinations in Wales is the Welsh Joint Education Committee—WJEC. There are no translation costs, as examination papers submitted by pupils in the medium of Welsh are marked by the WJEC's Welsh-speaking examiners and are not translated into English.

  Urbanised Land
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many hectares of land in Wales have become urbanised so far this year; if he will give comparable figures for 1989, 1990 and 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  A limited amount of information on land-use change is provided by statistics derived from records compiled by Ordnance Survey during the course of its map revision work. A large proportion of changes of use are not collected until some time after the year of 470
  change, resulting in substantial time lags before there are adequate data to estimate total change occurring during a particular year. The latest available data suggest that between 1985–87, the average recorded net change of land from rural to urban use in Wales was 560 hectares per year. Information for later years is not available.

  Fishguard
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received to his consultative paper on assisted areas advocating the creation of development area status for the Fishguard travel-to-work area.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Five.

  Japanese
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many teachers qualified to teach the Japanese language are currently employed by local education authorities and teaching in(a) secondary schools to GCSE level and (b) in sixth forms to A-level; and if he will make a statement on the teaching of Japanese in Welsh schools.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information on teachers qualified to teach Japanese is not available.

  We have continued to promote the teaching of Japanese in schools in Wales through the Japanese in schools initiative launched in 1989. The initiative has established a sixth-form course of study and assessment scheme accredited by the Welsh Joint Education Committee and has supported teaching of Japanese in 14 schools participating in the initiative.

  Assisted Areas
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received in total to his consultation paper on assisted areas; and how many of these representations advocated(a) the creation of further development areas, (b) the creation of further intermediate areas, (c) the maintenance of the status quo, (d) the reduction of development areas and (e) the reduction of intermediate areas.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received 76 representations. Of these, 35 argue for the creation of further development areas; four advocate creation of further intermediate areas; and 37 are in favour of the status quo. I have received no requests for a reduction in assisted areas of either status.

  The division of representations does not correspond to the overall number received because a proportion of the submissions make a case for more than one travel-to-work area; others do not argue for or against any particular area, but confine their comments to the review itself.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in his review of assisted area status, how many submissions from within each Welsh constituency he has received; if he will extend the period for receiving submissions in relation to the current review of assisted area status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received 76 representations on the assisted areas review, the majority of which are from
  471
  local authorities. In most cases, the areas covered by these local authorities overlap constituency boundaries and it is not possible, therefore, to provide the information in the form requested.

  The deadline for receipt of representations from the various interested bodies was 30 September. This gave consultees nearly four months in which to respond. A few organisations gave us advance notice that they might over reach the deadline by a few days and we have, therefore, made allowances. In view of the number of representations already received, I do not believe it is necessary to extend the deadline.

  The information contained in the representations is currently being considered and we hope to be able to make a decision on the review by the end of the year.

  Power Station, Trawsfynydd
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future of the magnox power station at Trawsfynydd.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The nuclear installations inspectorate is currently examining Nuclear Electric's revised safety case for a resumption of electricity generation. The station will resume operations only if the nuclear installations inspectorate is entirely satisfied that it is safe to do so.

  Town and Community Councils
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to review the working of German communes—community councils—as part of his study into the role and function of town and community councils in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No, but I would be happy to receive any observations on such matters which the hon. Gentleman might wish to make.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many responses he has received to his Department's consultation paper on town and community councils; and how many of these advocate an enhanced representational role for the councils.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received 353 responses to the consultation paper. The detailed analysis of these responses is continuing, but, of those which have been examined, most support an enhanced representational role for local councils.

  Less-favoured Areas
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of Welsh farmers are included in the less-favoured area scheme; what is the average income of Welsh farmers included under this scheme; what is the average income of farmers under this scheme in the EC; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  A total of 69 per cent. of Welsh farmers farm in the less-favoured area. They benefit from a wide range of support measures including hill livestock compensatory allowance, sheep and suckler cow premia and capital grants which together are worth over £123 million annually.

  The net income of Welsh farmers included under these schemes—averaged over the three years 1988–89 to 1990–91—is £10,200. Comparable income figures are not available for the EC.
  472
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average income of Welsh farmers under the less favoured area scheme in 1990, 1991; and what is expected in 1992.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Net farm income figures of LFA livestock farms for the years 1989–90 and 1990–91 were £10,100 and £7,600 respectively—Welsh Office press notice of 16 January 1992. Provisional results for 1991–92 suggest that incomes on these holdings have risen to around £11,600.

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is(a) the number of coalminers in Wales who will be made redundant under recent closure plans, (b) the average number of tons per month produced by Welsh collieries and (c) the average comparable number in English collieries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  (a) Both Taff Merthyr and Betws collieries are due to close at the end of the 90-day statutory consultation period. This will result in the loss of approximately 500 jobs.

  (b) Based on the actual saleable outputs for the six months to the end of September 1992, the four Welsh collieries mined in total an average of 156,785 tonnes per month giving an average output per colliery of 39,196 tonnes.

  (c) During the same period the 45 English collieries mined in total an average of 4,636,149 tonnes per month giving an average output per colliery of 103,026 tonnes.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the freedom from closure of Tower colliery at Hirwaun, Mid Glamorgan over the next two years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have been told by the chairman of British Coal that there are no plans to close this colliery.

  Dairy Farms
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost of sampling visits to dairy farms in Wales by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in 1990, 1991 and 1992; what is the projected charge for 1993; and what is the criteria for any change of the charge.

  Mr. David Hunt
  On the basis of the latest information available, the cost in 1992 will be about £30,000. Separate figures for Wales are not available for 1990 and 1991. Charges are based on financial years and the proposed charge for 1992–93 is £63. The charge for 1993–94 will be decided prior to 1 April 1993. The objective of the charge is to recover the full cost of sampling and testing work; thus, any change to the level would be to reflect the effectiveness of meeting that objective.

  Valleys Programme
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the annual spending totals for each year on the valleys programme since its inception.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The annual spending totals on the relevant central Government programmes for each year of the valleys programme since its inception are:
  473

  Financial year

  £ million

  1988–89

  139.330

  1989–90

  137.440

  1990–91

  148.810

  1991–92

  1171.033

  1 Estimated outturn.

  Economic Council
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish full details of the composition and structure of the Economic Council for Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  As I announced to the House on 19 October, I issued on that day a consultation paper on the proposed Welsh economic council. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Orimulsion
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from National Power regarding the proposal to burn orimulsion at Pembroke power plant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  None. In order to proceed with its plans to burn orimulsion at Pembroke power station, National Power requires permission from the Department of Trade and Industry and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution—HMIP—under the Electricity Act 1989 a nd the Environmental Protection Act 1990 respectively. No decisions have been taken; but I understand that HMIP has recently indicated to the company that it does not consider that orimulsion could be burnt at Pembroke without further measures to protect the environment.

  Point of Ayr Colliery
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make an early visit to the Point of Ayr colliery to meet management and unions.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I had several meetings on the subject of the Point of Ayr colliery on 23 October 1992, but I have no immediate plans to visit the colliery again.

HEALTH

  Central Health Monitoring Unit
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers she has to ensure that trusts and other providers of health care share information with the central health monitoring unit, regardless of commercial confidentiality; and what examples there have been of providers refusing to co-operate in statistical surveys initiated by the central health monitoring unit.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Secretary of State has particular powers under the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 to require trusts to provide whatever information she requires to discharge her responsibilities. Information from the national health service is agreed through a joint Department of Health/national health service consultative committee and there is accountability through the management chain for 474
  the provision of that information from providers and purchasers of health care in the national health service. There have been no problems with the exchange of information.

  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what kind of data the central health monitoring unit is collecting; and what use it is currently making of such information;

  (2) what level of resources, including staffing, is being allocated to the central health monitoring unit;

  (3) if she intends to publish regularly the data collected by the central health monitoring unit;

  (4) if she will outline the role of the central health monitoring unit; and if she will make a statement detailing its current workload and its plans for future projects.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The central health monitoring unit was set up in March 1989 to provide the Department with epidemiological data to underpin its strategic. managerial and policy work. The unit, which is headed by a medical epidemiologist, comprises 12 posts including epidemiological, statistical and administrative support.

  A major function of the unit is to collate published statistics on health from a wide range of sources and to assess and present health trends in, for example, mortality, morbidity and risk factors. The health survey for England, a survey being taken forward by the unit, involves the collection of information from individual households and the results will be published annually.

  The unit is currently engaged in producing a series of epidemiological overviews on various aspects of the health of the population; in developing a health survey programme; and, in contributing to the development and monitoring of the health strategy. The series of overviews is being published. The first, on the elderly, was published in September 1992. Other assessments of health trends by the unit are published in the chief medical officer's annual reports.

  Glaucoma
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to provide for free eye tests for people under the age of 40 years where(a) there is a family history of glaucoma and (b) they are from communities at greater risk from glaucoma than others.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We have no current plans to alter the present categories of those eligible for free sight tests.

  Needles (Diabetics)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) of 13 July,Official Report, column 513, if she has now decided to make Novopen needles for diabetics available by prescription from general practitioners.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We are continuing to consider the case for authorising general practitioners to prescribe both insulin injection pens and needles but, in reaching a final decision, we shall need to take into account current public expenditure constraints.

  Food Hygiene
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about the timing and scope of her proposed new regulations covering food handlers and food hygiene qualifications.

  Mr. Sackville
  We expect to issue a consultation document, as announced in July, before the end of the year on draft regulations which would require food businesses to train, instruct and supervise their staff in food hygiene commensurate with their task in the preparation or handling of food.

  Interleukin-6
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether she will set out the role of Mr. Stuart Ingham, then the district general manager of Leeds Western health authority, in the investigation into the alleged fraud at the Leeds general infirmary in 1989 in relation to the research project on Interleukin-6; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) whether she will set out the role of Coopers and Lybrand in the investigation into the alleged fraud at the Leeds general infirmary in 1989 in relation to the research project on Interleukin-6; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The 1989 inquiry considered Dr. Chapman's allegations concerning a consultancy arrangement between a Belgian pharmaceutical company and the head of the bio-chemistry department at Leeds general infirmary. A separate inquiry into Dr. Chapman's allegations concerning research into Interleukin-6 was conducted by the university of Leeds earlier this year and further inquiries are currently under way.

  Mr. Stuart Ingham, as district general manager of the then Leeds Western health authority, was responsible for the day-to-day running of the authority. Mr. Ingham had no direct role in the 1989 investigation which was carried out by a Member of Coopers and Lybrand staff and, with their agreement, a professionally qualified auditor of the then Leeds Western health authority who was responsible to the authority's director of finance.

  The 1989 investigation did not substantiate the allegations made by Dr. Chapman. This investigation has recently been reviewed by a partner in Coopers and Lybrand, who had not been previously involved. He concluded that the findings of the 1989 report were justified and that there would be little merit in reopening the investigation.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate has been made as to the financial loss to the national health service of the fraud in 1988–89 with the Interleukin-6 research project at the Leeds general infirmary; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Interleukin-6 research project is currently the subject of further inquiries by the university of Leeds. Until that inquiry is concluded there are no grounds for supposing that there has been an avoidable loss of funds to the national health service. Research cannot be expected always to result in a usable product or testing process.

  Ethical Standards
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to write again on ethical standards in medical research, as promised in her letter of 15 July to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State wrote to the hon. Member on 20 October 1992 following my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's letter of 15 July 1992.

  Smoking
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the health education authority's estimate of the number of premature deaths caused by smoking in the past year in the Stoke-on-Trent, North constituency; and what action she will take to reduce the number of such premature deaths in the future.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Health Education Authority estimates that, in the Stoke-on-Trent, North constituency, 225 people die each year because of smoking. The White Paper "Health of the Nation" commits us to ambitious targets to reduce smoking and sets out a detailed strategy to achieve them including action on price, health education and ensuring effective controls on advertising. It also sets out the key role of health authorities in leading action to improve the health of local people including action to reduce smoking.

  Electoral Registration
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the latest estimates by the Registrar-General of Populations of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each district council area and parliamentary constituency in England and Wales, together in each case with the equivalent year's electoral registration figures.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information has been placed in the Library. The Registrar-General's provisional mid-1991 estimates of residents aged 17 years and over plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years in each local authority area of England and Wales are compared with roughly corresponding 1992 electorate figures. These population estimates are the first to be based upon information collected in the 1991 census. They include an allowance for census under-enumeration. There are no similar population estimates for parliamentary constituencies.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (I) if she will review her policy towards small residential and nursing homes to make it easier for bona fide private sector owners to register and operate homes with four or fewer beds;

  (2) if she will consider allowing discretion to local officers to register small residential and nursing homes with four or fewer beds in rural areas where inadequate numbers of beds are available in the public sector;

  (3) if she will make a statement outlining the reasons for refusing to register residential and nursing homes in the private sector with four or fewer beds.
  477
  Mr. Yeo
  All independent nursing homes, whatever their size, are required to register with the health authority in whose area they fall.

  At present private and voluntary residential care homes with fewer than four residents in need of care—small homes—are exempt from the registration requirement of the Registered Homes Act 1984. This exemption will be removed when the Registered Homes (Amendment) Act 1991 comes into force on 1 April 1993.

  The only ground on which a local authority will be able to refuse to register someone liable to register in respect of a small home will be that that person or someone else involved in running the home is unfit to do so. This lighter regulatory approach is further reflected in the Residential Care Homes (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1992 which were laid on 21 September 1992.

  Neither the Registered Homes Act nor the Department's guidance to local authorities differentiates between homes in rural and other areas. But they do provide scope for account to be taken of the particular circumstances of each home and the needs of its residents.

  Nutrient-based Products
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many product licence applications have been(a) received and (b) refused for nutrient-based products since 1 January 1990.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Birmingham
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding plans by South Birmingham health authority to close the Broad street site of the Royal orthopaedic hospital in Birmingham in advance of the completion of the formal consultation period; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is a matter for the West Midlands regional health authority and we have not received any such representations.

  Community Services, Birmingham
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the budget of the East Birmingham district health authority was spent on community services during 1991–92.

  Mr. Sackville
  Details of health authority budgets are not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Nigel Thompson, chairman of East Birmingham health authority, for details.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of preparing NHS trust applications(a) nationally, (b) by region and (c) by district for the whole NHS trust programme to date.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost of employing management 478
  consultants and private agencies to assist in the preparation of self-governing trust applications (a) nationally, (b) by region and (c) by district for the whole programme to date.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, West,Official Report, 18 May, column 63, if she will break down the details for expenditure on NHS trusts by (a) region and (b) district.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Expenditure on trusts is made centrally; to regional health authorities; and to trusts themselves through district health authorities. The information is shown in the table:

  Total expenditure on national health service trusts by region

  First wave

  Second wave

  Third wave

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  £'000s

  £'000s

  1£'000s

  Northern

  663

  1,590

  132

  Yorkshire

  651

  1,578

  192

  Trent

  651

  2,630

  204

  East Anglian

  434

  789

  120

  North West Thames

  892

  3,873

  151

  North East Thames

  1,314

  2,139

  187

  South East Thames

  265

  2,174

  194

  South West Thames

  1,531

  801

  84

  Wessex

  868

  1,841

  120

  Oxford

  217

  1,351

  108

  South Western

  1,953

  2,367

  84

  West Midlands

  868

  1,578

  192

  Mersey

  1,736

  2104

  84

  North Western

  434

  1,506

  84

  Other2

  230

  279

  164

  TOTAL

  12,470

  26,600

  2,100

  1 Denotes spending to date.

  2Denotes central spending not allocated through regions.

  Expenditure on NHS Trusts by district—first wave

  Health Authority

  Amount

  £000

  Northern

  Newcastle

  380

  Yorkshire

  Bradford

  190

  Leeds Eastern

  190

  Leeds Western

  190

  Trent

  Doncaster

  190

  North Lincolnshire

  190

  Sheffield

  190

  East Anglian

  Great Yarmouth and Waveney

  190

  Norwich

  190

  North West Thames

  Parkside

  190

  North Herts

  190

  Hillingdon

  380

  North East Thames

  Tower Hamlets

  190

  Hampstead

  190

  Haringey

  190

  Bloomsbury

  380

  Southend

  190

  479

  Health Authority

  Amount

  £000

  South East Thames

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  190

  South West Thames

  Croydon

  380

  Kingston and Esher

  190

  Mid Surrey

  190

  Merton and Sutton

  190

  North West Surrey

  190

  South West Surrey

  190

  Wessex

  Bath

  190

  West Dorset

  570

  Oxford

  Oxfordshire

  190

  South Western

  Bristol and District

  380

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  380

  Somerset

  380

  Cheltenham and District

  190

  Torbay

  190

  West Midlands

  Mid Staffordshire

  380

  Rugby

  190

  Walsall

  190

  Mersey

  Wirral

  190

  Liverpool

  760

  Crewe

  190

  Halton

  190

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  190

  North Western

  South Manchester

  190

  Central Manchester

  190

  Expenditure on NHS Trusts by district—second wave

  Health Authority

  Amount £000

  Northern

  South Tees

  452

  Gateshead

  226

  North Tees

  226

  Northumberland

  226

  Newcastle

  226

  Yorkshire

  Bradford

  226

  Airedale

  226

  Northallerton

  226

  Scarborough

  226

  York

  226

  Harrogate

  226

  Trent

  Doncaster

  226

  Bassetlaw

  226

  Nottingham

  452

  South Lincolnshire

  226

  Rotherham

  226

  Barnsley

  226

  Sheffield

  678

  East Anglian

  East Suffolk

  226

  West Norfolk

  226

  Huntingdon

  226

  North West Thames

  North Bedfordshire

  226

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  226

  480

  Health Authority

  Amount £000

  Ealing

  226

  South Bedfordshire

  452

  North West Hertfordshire

  452

  Harrow

  226

  East Hertfordshire

  226

  Parkside

  294

  Barnet

  452

  Hillingdon

  452

  North East Thames

  Basildon and Thurrock

  226

  Mid Essex

  452

  North East Essex

  678

  Waltham Forest

  226

  City and Hackney

  23

  Southend

  226

  South East Thames

  Brighton

  226

  Camberwell

  23

  Eastbourne

  226

  Hastings

  226

  Maidstone

  226

  Bromley

  226

  West Lambeth

  249

  Dartford and Gravesham

  226

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  226

  South West Thames

  West Surrey and North East Hampshire

  226

  North West Surrey

  452

  Wessex

  Bath

  904

  East Dorset

  678

  Oxford

  Aylesbury Vale

  226

  East Berkshire

  452

  Milton Keynes

  452

  South Western

  Bristol and District

  678

  Bristol and Western

  226

  Gloucester

  226

  Plymouth

  226

  Exeter

  452

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  226

  West Midlands

  Mid Staffordshire

  226

  Coventry

  226

  Herefordshire District

  226

  South Warwickshire

  226

  South East Staffordshire

  226

  East Birmingham

  226

  Mersey

  Wirral

  226

  Liverpool

  452

  South Sefton

  678

  Southport and Formby

  226

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  226

  North Western

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

  226

  Rochdale

  226

  Oldham

  226

  West Lancashire

  226

  Lancaster

  452

  Child Care Schemes
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many children were on holiday child care schemes in each year since 1979; and, of those, which were provided by local authorities and the voluntary sector, respectively;

  (2) how many children were receiving out-of-school child care in each year since 1979; and, of those, which were provided by local authorities and voluntary agencies, respectively.

  Mr. Yeo
  The inspection and registration of day care services for young children under the Children Act 1989, is a matter for the Department of Health. Information about the number of children under five provided with day care by local authorities and the numbers of local authority registered and exempt day care places is published in "Children's Day Care Facilities at 31 March …, England". The most recent publication is for 1991. A copy is available in the Library.

  New information on the number of children on the register of local authority out of school clubs and the numbers of local authority, registered and exempt places in out-of-school clubs and on holiday play schemes will be issued during 1993.

  The Department is currently funding an initiative to encourage the development of out-of-school care and I understand that work is well under way in the Department of Employment towards its new initiative to promote additional out-of-school schemes.

TRANSPORT

  Rail Passengers Charter
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what effect the rail passengers charter has had on British Rail's performance to date.

  Mr. Roger Freeman
  Published performance figures show that many of British Rail's lines have shown improvements in punctuality and reliability since the passengers charter was published on 4 March. The latest results show that 13 out of 15 network SouthEast route groups are now achieving or exceeding their 1992 charter standards for punctuality.

  Crossrail
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State 'for Transport if he will make a statement about progress on the crossrail link in London.

  Mr. Norris
  A Bill for the construction of crossrail was deposited in Parliament in November 1991 and is currently awaiting its Second Reading.

  Cyclists' Touring Club
  Mr. Hinchcliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met representatives of the Cyclists' Touring Club to discuss road safety.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Officials and Ministers at the Department have regular contact with the Cyclists Touring Club through meetings and correspondence covering a broad range of issues. I last met with the CTC in July this year.

  Traffic Speeds
  Ms. Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial assistance he plans for 1992 to assist local authorities to reduce traffic speeds in residential streets.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  For 1992–93 over £42 million has been earmarked for local safety schemes, an increase of 38 per cent. over last year. Schemes to save road casualties by reducing traffic speeds in residential areas are eligible for transport supplementary grant.

  International Flights
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to liberalise transatlantic air services and encourage more international flights from regional airports.

  Mr. Norris
  In the past seven years, we have seen a 40 per cent. increase in the number of international routes served from regional airports. British Airways has recently proposed new routes from Manchester and Birmingham to the States. Both my right hon. Friend the Secretary of state and the US Secretary for Transportation are taking a close interest in the progress of liberalisation talks. Difficult issues remain but work on them has been accelerated.

  Red Routes
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on the effect of red routes on community life in London.

  Mr. Norris
  Communities along the pilot red route corridor have benefited from a 17 per cent. reduction in accidents, 11 new or improved crossing places for pedestrians and three for cyclists, 107 side road entries made safer, traffic calming measures in the surrounding area, 620 new free short term parking spaces, and faster and more reliable bus services including a new express service.

  Aviation Package
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has made further progress in the matters arising from the third aviation package.

  Mr. Norris
  The third air transport liberalisation package will come into effect on 1 January 1993. Work is now in hand to make the necessary changes to existing United Kingdom legislation.

  Under the United Kingdom presidency, work is going forward on other aviation issues including airport slot allocation and state aids.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the new channel tunnel Waterloo terminal to be completed.

  Mr. Freeman
  The new international terminal at Waterloo should be completed by the summer of 1993.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made to finalise plans for the second London channel tunnel station.
  483
  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail plans to develop King's Cross as the second London Channel tunnel terminal. The King's Cross Railways Bill is currently before Parliament.

  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for the channel tunnel high-speed rail link.

  Mr. Freeman
  Currently Union Railways—British Rail's subsidiary—is refining the easterly approach route to London selected by the Government last October. It will report at the end of the year on a reference case route and local options. The Government will then decide on a preferred route for full public consultation.

  Roadbuilding (Conservation)
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration is given to conservation during the building of roads.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We shall continue to ensure that environmental considerations are given full weight in the development of trunk roads.

  We take account of the possible environmental impact of proposals even before they enter the roads programme, and we maintain that high degree of consideration throughout their development. A recent example is our delaying the construction of the A20 at Dover so that the Bronze age boat could be rescued.

  British Rail
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary. of State for Transport what representations he has received on his plans for the future of British Rail.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Hawkins) earlier today.

  Second Severn Crossing
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the consortium constructing the second Severn crossing.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Department is in frequent discussion with the concessionaire, Severn River Crossing plc, on a range of issues connected with the existing Severn bridge and the new bridge now under construction by the company.

  London Docklands
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on Government support for(a) underground and (b) riverbus services to London docklands.

  Mr. Norris
  (a) the Government have supported London Underground Ltd. in developing the Jubilee line extension, which would greatly improve access to London docklands. We have not authorised the start of construction of the JLE which would take total expenditure to over £1.8 billion, while talks continue on the promised £400 million contribution from the private sector.
  484
  (b) We have consistently maintained that Riverbus is, and should remain, a private sector project.

  Bournemouth Central Station
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the restoration of Bournemouth Central station to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that British Rail hopes work on the restoration of Bournemouth station can begin in 1994, and should take about 15 months to complete.

  Class 158 Rolling Stock
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the current performance of the Regional Railway class 158 rolling stock.

  Mr. Freeman
  Any such assessment would be a matter for British Rail. I understand that the teething problems experienced on introduction of this stock have now largely been overcome.

  Pedestrian Crossings
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve pedestrian safety at pelican and zebra crossings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Although existing types of crossings have a generally good safety record, the progressive introduction of a new type, the Puffin, is intended to improve both safety and pedestrian amenity.

  A1
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve the safety standards of the Al between Newcastle and Edinburgh.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  A large programme of safety improvement schemes has been instigated for this section of the A1. Some of the works are complete, and others are currently under construction or in planning.

  International Transport
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has made to the European Commissioner for transport concerning the designation of key international road and rail routes by the Commission; and if he will make a statement on the implications of such designation on road and rail infrastructure funding in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Freeman
  Department of Transport officials take part in Commission working groups developing guidelines for road and rail networks of Community interest. In the light of this work the Commission is putting a number of proposals to the Council of Ministers for eventual decision. Projects contributing to the networks may be eligible for EC funding under the current transport infrastructure programme or a future trans-European networks programme under the Maastricht treaty.

  Under Maastricht it is in any event agreed that it will be for each member state to approve the guidelines and projects of common interest relating to its own territory.

  Motorways
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to reduce the length of time taken by contractors to complete road works on motorways.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Under the citizens charter my Department is committed to using the lane rental form of contract on all suitable major maintenance schemes from next April. Under this scheme the contractor receives a bonus for finishing early, and incurs a charge if he is late completing the works. At present about half of all major maintenance schemes are let on a lane rental basis. These contracts are completed approximately 30 per cent. faster than works under conventional contracts. Night time and 24 hour working are used wherever it is practicable and safe to do so.

  Bypass Demonstration Project
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to draw conclusions from the bypass demonstration project.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The conclusions will be available in the form of guidance for local authorities after the project is completed in 1994. Interim progress reports will be published at six-monthly intervals. The first is due to be published in November this year.

  InterCity
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requirements he has placed on InterCity regarding the need for InterCity trains to have back-up air conditioning when the main power unit fails.

  Mr. Freeman
  The exact specification of new rolling stock is a matter for British Rail's judgment.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the recent Central Transport Consultative Committee's findings on punctuality of the West Coast main line InterCity service.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Central Transport Consultative Committee commented on the performance of West Coast main line InterCity services in its 1991–92 annual report. A copy of this report has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what notice was given to Her Majesty's Government by InterCity of the changes to plans to introduce InterCity 250 trains on the West Coast main line railway, the termination of direct WCML InterCity services to Blackpool and the withdrawal of services to Shrewsbury.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail advised the Government of its plans not to proceed with the InterCity 250 project for the West Coast main line, and to withdraw InterCity through trains 10 Blackpool and Shrewsbury, in advance of their official public announcements.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the reliability of the East Coast main line services provided by InterCity since the electrification of the route; and if he will make a statement.
  486
  Mr. Freeman
  I know that BR is disappointed with the reliability of services on the East Coast main line—for the year to date, 98.9 per cent. of scheduled trains have run. BR has been experiencing initial problems with the new InterCity 225 trains but these are now being overcome. The line has also been beset by vandalism and the theft of lineside cabling, but action taken by BR and the police has been effective and the incidence of vandalism has now been reduced.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has given to InterCity regarding the safety implications of train vestibules blocked by luggage in crowded trains.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate has not given any specific guidance about the storage of luggage on InterCity trains. It is for British Rail to safeguard the safety of all its passengers and it would certainly expect its staff to respond to any situation which they considered dangerous.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with InterCity about future plans for the West Coast main line railway.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail is currently re-assessing all options for replacement rolling stock on the West Coast main line. However, it hopes to start work on re-equipping the infrastructure of the line shortly.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he proposes to have with InterCity regarding the provision of European night services via the channel tunnel operating from Edinburgh and stations south of Edinburgh when the tunnel comes into operation in 1995; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a matter for European Passenger Services and its continental partners, whose current plans include only a daytime through service on the East Coast main line from Edinburgh. A night-time service is planned from Glasgow on the West Coast main line. Levels of service will be reviewed in response to demand.

  Foreign Drivers
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will commission a study to see whether any reduction in accidents was achieved by the experiment conducted in Northumberland to provide stickers for foreign drivers to remind them to drive on the left; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I have no knowledge of any such experiment in Northumberland, although I understand that such stickers have been distributed by the police to foreign drivers in Scotland.

  Rail Fares
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the criteria by which fares are adjusted or increased by British Rail; and what input his Department has.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail take account of many factors in setting fares. These include the level of investment required to maintain and improve services, market
  487
  conditions and the quality of service. Ministers are consulted in view of their role in setting the financial framework and objectives for BR.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to increase efficiency on the London to Tilbury and Southend line; and how much fares will increase on this line on average in the new year.

  Mr. Freeman
  Work on the resignalling project for the line is progressing. British Rail believes this project to be the key to improving the reliability of the line.

  Fares on the LT&S line—other than Travelcard—will rise by 5 per cent. compared with an average of 7.5 per cent. on Network SouthEast as a whole.

  Plutonium (Air Transport)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the current safety arrangements for the air transport of plutonium following the El-Al cargo plane crash in Amsterdam.

  Mr. Norris
  The transport of radioactive materials is governed by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regulations. The standards are stringent. They require containers to remain secure after severe impact and severe fire.

  The IAEA keeps its standards under review, and is undertaking a study of air transport aspects. Any resulting recommendations for changes to present regulations will be considered during the next major review of IAEA transport regulations.

  Bus Fares
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce regulations to entitle all children between the ages of five and 16 years to half price bus fares.

  Mr. Freeman
  Local authorities already have powers to include children under 16 years in a concessionary fares scheme, and decisions on whether to do so are for them. In addition, bus companies are free to offer cheap fares on a commercial basis to children of any age.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects of bus deregulation on the price of children's bus fares.

  Mr. Freeman
  No separate assessment has been made of the effects of deregulation on children's bus fares. But a recent survey by my Department showed that the proportion of districts in England and Wales in which local authorities operate concessionary fares schemes for children is broadly unchanged since deregulation.

  Rail Travel
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the cost of mainline travel from London to South Wales since 1989.

  Mr. Freeman
  The level of fares on InterCity services is a matter for the commercial judgment of British Rail.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the potential private operators who have expressed an interest in operating private rail freight services over British Rail tracks.
  488
  Mr. Freeman
  There has been a number of expressions of interest in the operation of private rail freight services.

  Discussions with individual companies have been on a commercially confidential basis.

  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the potential private operators who have expressed an interest in bidding for private railway franchises.

  Mr. Freeman
  Before the issue of the consultation document on 12 October we have received expressions of interest about running franchised passenger railway services from around 50 companies. I am sure that the consultation document will engender further interest. All approaches are being treated on a confidential basis and it would be inappropriate for me to name the companies or indicate their specific interests at this stage.

  Baggage Security
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to issue a directive to all airports and airlines to implement the mandatory ICAO annex 17 (4.3.1.) baggage security standard; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  We are satisfied that the standard is already being met.

  Bromford Viaduct, Birmingham
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the work on the parapet rail on Bromford viaduct in Birmingham will be completed.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Bromford viaduct parapet rail refurbishment contract on the M6 between junction 5 (Castle Bromwich) and junction 6 (Gravelly Hill) is due for completion towards the end of February 1993.

  Kidderminster-Blakedovm-Hagley Bypass
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many objections to the line of the Kidderminster-Blakedown-Hagley bypass have been received by his Department.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Some 2,700 of which 2,500 are pre-printed postcards completed by individuals in response to a campaign launched by Friends of the Earth.

  Search and Rescue Service
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to involve the helicopter service from Belgium in providing a search and rescue service over part of the Dover straits, following his announcement about the future reorganisation of the search and rescue service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  There are no plans to change the current well proven liaison arrangements between Dover coastguard and the Belgian authorities.

  Under normal circumstances, the United Kingdom's air and sea search and rescue (SAR) resources will adequately meet the requirements of marine emergencies in United Kingdom waters.

  In the event of a major incident in the Dover strait, under existing arrangements, the co-ordinating authorities of whatever nationality may call for the assistance of SAR assets from across national boundaries.

  Train Safety
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of trains are equipped with(a) black box cab data recorders, (b) train radios and (c) automatic train protection devices.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not readily available in the format requested. Information is available as follows:

  (a) Data recorders

  All trains of type 319, 321, 322 and 456 had data recorders operational by April 1992. Class 442 trains are being equipped under a retro-fit programme clue for completion in 1992–93. New trains are being delivered with data recorders, including class 159, 165 and 465 vehicles.

  (b) Train Radios

  Driver to base radio is fitted on 85 per cent. of locomotives (including all HST power units) and 56 per cent. of Pacer and Sprinter units. All electric multiple units working in the Strathclyde PTE area are fitted. NSE is reviewing how best to meet the BR board's requirements.

  (c) ATP

  20 per cent. of HST power units have been fitted with ATP. 33 per cent. of the class 165 trains to be used on the Chiltern lines have fully commissioned ATP, and work is underway on the remainder of these trains. The two pilot schemes are still being evaluated.

  British Rail
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the oral answer by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 22 June,Official Report, column 12, what work British Rail has been awaiting from the European Commission prior to revising its conditions of carriage; and when he now expects them to be published.

  Mr. Freeman
  In revising its condition of carriage, British Rail needed to take account of the emerging proposals from the EC Commission for a directive on unfair terms in consumer contracts. Work on revising the conditions is, however, now nearing completion, and BR hopes to publish them in December.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Children
  Mr. Wicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the latest figures showing(a) the number of children living in families with an unemployed head and (b) the number of children living in families with a long-term unemployed head.

  Mr. Burt
  At the time of the May 1991 annual statistical inquiry, there were 638,000 children living in families headed by people registered as unemployed and claiming income support.

  Figures for the number of children living in families with a long-term unemployed head are not available. The number of long-term cases of people registered as unemployed and claiming income support for themselves and for a child or children are given in the table.
  490

  May 1991 annual statistical inquiry

  Registered unemployed income support claims involving children

  Length of claim

  Number of cases

  1–2 years

  175,900

  2–3 years

  63,300

  Over 3 years

  162,500

  Note:

  (a) The number of children in families headed by people claiming Unemployment Benefit (UB) is not available as UB does not pay an addition for a child dependent.

  (b) The figures given are for children up to the age of 15.

  Household Incomes
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, based on the households below average income statistics, he will publish figures which show the rise in real income for the top decile between 1979 and the latest available year, both before and after housing costs.

  Mr. Burt
  The real increase in income for the top decile, between 1979 and 1988–89 combined, was 44 per cent. before housing costs and 46 per cent. after housing costs. These figures relate to the United Kingdom and are based on income equivalised for household size and composition.

  Mining Industry
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the range of likely liability on the expenditure of Her Majesty's Government for unemployment and social security payments for the numbers of coal miners to be made redundant under the recent proposals, on the assumption that the median period of unemployment for those concerned is six months and a year, respectively, or on other assumptions; and what formula he adopts for calculations of liability for redundancies in similar productive occupations.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 21 October, at column 331. For the same reasons, it is not possible to make estimates of redundancies in other occupations.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) families with children, (b) pensioner households and (c) other households are currently receiving housing benefit in Great Britain, identifying separately those also receiving income support, and those respectively occupying (i) council tenancies, (ii) housing association tenancies and (iii) other tenancies.

  Mr. Burt
  The available information, for May 1991, is set out in the table.

  Thousands

  Housing benefit with income support

  Housing benefit only

  Total

  Local Authority Tenants

  Families with children

  657

  147

  804

  Elderly householders

  660

  922

  1,582

  Others

  347

  212

  559

  Total

  1,664

  1,281

  2,945

  491

  Housing benefit with income support

  Housing benefit only

  Total

  Private Tenants

  Families with children

  179

  40

  218

  Elderly householders

  194

  23

  428

  Others

  301

  137

  438

  Total

  674

  411

  1,085

  Notes:

  (a) Families with children are defined as couples (both aged less than 60), with at least one dependant child; and single persons, aged less than 60, with at least one dependant child.

  (b) Pensioner householders are defined as couples where claimant or partner is aged 60 or over; and single persons aged 60 or over. These have been termed "elderly".

  (c) Other households are defined as couples (both aged less than 60), without children; and single persons aged less than 60, without children.

  (d) Housing Association tenancies are included in the figures for private tenants.

  Severe Disablement Allowance
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will amend current severe disablement allowance regulations to permit young people on youth training programmes to requalify for SDA following the completion of the placement, if the individual is deemed to be unable to enter employment either due to his/her condition or experience of disability.

  Mr. Scott
  Special linking rules already exist to help young people who are incapable of work when their youth training programme finishes. Severe disablement allowance can be reinstated providing a fresh claim is made within eight weeks of the end of the course.

  School Ancillary Staff
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take the necessary steps to change existing regulations to allow school ancillary staff to claim unemployment benefit automatically as soon as they start the long summer period during which they are unable to work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  We have no plans to do so. To revise the existing regulations on "recognised and customary" holidays would be contrary to the main purpose of insurance against unemployment which is to insure against a risk, rather than a certainty, of unemployment.

  Age Addition
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will make a statement outlining the Government's plans for the future of the age addition paid to retired people over the age of 80 years;

  (2) what purpose the age addition paid to retired people over the age of 80 years is supposed to serve;

  (3) if he will estimate the cost involved in administrating the age addition payment to retired people over the age of 80 years;

  (4) if he will estimate the value of the 25p age addition payment at 1992 prices assuming it had increased in line with the RPI since it was introduced;
  492
  (5) what plans he has to increase the value of the age with income benefit addition payment paid to retired people over the age of 80 support only years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The 25p age addition paid to people who are over 80 was introduced in 1971, when the single person's pension was £6 a week, as a means of special help to the very elderly. No Government have increased the age addition since its introduction. Instead we have chosen to target resources on those pensioners with low incomes and have given extra help to poorer pensioners on income-related benefits in the sum of £700 million over and above normal upratings since 1989. There are no plans to increase the value of the 25p age addition.

  Some 2.2 million people receive the age addition at an annual cost of £28.6 million. If it had been increased annually in line with prices since its introduction, it would now be worth £1.45 at an additional cost of £137 million. The 25p is added automatically to the pension on the first pay day after the pensioner's 80th birthday. There are, therefore no additional administration costs involved.

  Maxwell Pensions Unit
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to increase the level of funds available to the Maxwell pensions unit;

  (2) how many applications for assistance have been received by the Maxwell pensions unit at the DSS; how many pensioners have received assistance from the unit to date; and how many have been refused;

  (3) how much of the £2.5 million allocated to the Maxwell pensions unit remains undistributed; and what estimate can be made of the funds required to meet the pensions of existing pensioners and deferred pensioners in future.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Just over £1 million has been allocated by the Department's Maxwell pensions unit in grants to the eight Maxwell-linked pension schemes who have applied for assistance. These grants have enabled pensions to be paid to some 5,500 pensioners, deferred pensioners and ill health early retirers whose payments were at risk. Grants are made to pension scheme trustees and not to individual pensioners. It is not possible to project accurately future funding requirements as these are dependent on continuing work to rebuild pension schemes. We have no plans to increase the £1.5 million which remains in the emergency fund, and we are keeping the question of its further use under review.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will estimate the number and proportion of residents in residential homes who are denied pocket money for personal needs because it is subsumed in the cost of the weekly fees charged; and what plans he has to discuss these matters with the representatives of local authorities and bodies representing private owners of residential homes;

  (2) if he will review the circumstances in which residents of homes are provided with pocket money for personal needs to ensure disposable income is available to them; and what plans he has to make future provision for pocket money for residents in homes;
  493
  (3) if he will set up a departmental inquiry into the extent to which residents of rest homes and nursing homes are being deprived of pocket money to meet basic care costs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  Personal allowances are intended to be used by residents for their needs as they see best. Some residents contract for charges higher than the income support limits and may use the personal expenses allowance to meet the shortfall. The numbers using their allowance in this way is not known.

  Such matters are regularly discussed with representative bodies and we have no plans to set up an inquiry.

  From April 1993, all residents placed in residential care or nursing homes by local authorities will retain an amount for personal expenses.

  Maintenance Payments
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will consider waiving voluntary maintenance payments paid by parents who exercise long periods of access to but do not have custody of their children, while they are looking after the children for whom the maintenance payments are made.

  Mr. Burt
  A voluntary payment negotiated by the Department with the absent parent can be re-negotiated if the absent parent's circumstances change. If the absent parent feels that the amount of voluntary payment is too high because he has contact with the children for significant periods of time, he can tell the child support unit and it will consider this in negotiating a payment level with him.

  The new child support system which comes into effect on 5 April 1993 has a clear rule to provide for cases of shared care. The maintenance payable will be reduced pro rata if the absent parent satisfies the condition that the child lives with him for a total of at least 104 nights a year.

  Smoking
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the amount paid in national insurance and means-tested benefits to those rendered chronically sick, temporarily off work or long-term unemployed as a result of illness induced by smoking; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not available.

  Income Support
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to review the financial position of parents on income support who have long periods of access to their children as laid down in custodial orders, but who are unable to secure any support from the parent with custody during periods of access.

  Mr. Burt
  We have no plans to review the current entitlement conditions in these circumstances. After three weeks, child benefit can be transferred from the parent who normally has custody of the child to the other parent and income support is payable as appropriate.

  Disability Allowances
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to introduce an extra cost allowance for blind or partially sighted people.
  494
  Mr. Scott
  Disability living allowance, introduced this April, provides help with the extra costs of disability. The benefit is awarded on the basis of the level of help needed, rather than the medical condition giving rise to that need. The new lower rates in particular provide benefit that was not available previously under mobility allowance or attendance allowance. We expect people with impaired sight to be amongst the chief beneficiaries of the new rates.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to change the criteria for eligibility for disability living allowance and disability working allowance to give blind and partially sighted people access to the higher rates of the new benefits.

  Mr. Scott
  Blind and partially sighted people who have care or mobility needs have equal access to disability living allowance as other disabled people, based on the level of help they need. Disability working allowance is paid according to the person's resources rather than at a set rate. We have no plans to change the eligibility criteria for either benefit.

  Standing Charges
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the current cost of abolition of all standing charges for telephones, domestic electricity and gas bills for people over the state pension age for retirement and eligible for income support; and how the estimate was arrived at.

  Mr. Burt
  It is estimated that the total cost of abolishing gas and electricity standing charges for households where at least one person is over 60 and on income support, at 1992 levels of prices and incomes, would be approximately £150 million. The total cost of abolishing telephone rental charges for these households would be about El 10 million at 1991–92 levels of prices.

  Notes:

  1. The information provided is based upon imprecise data and a series of assumptions about the level of standing charges and the numbers of households with gas, electricity and telephones.

  2. The estimate also takes no account of behaviourial and disincentive effects.

  Blind People (Benefits)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to improve levels of means-tested benefits available to blind or partially sighted people.

  Mr. Burt
  The income-related benefits currently have a number of features which raise the levels available to blind people. Registered blind people automatically qualify for the disability premium or higher pensioner premium in income support, housing benefit or community charge benefit on the basis of their blindness alone. A blind person who has the disability premium is able to earn up to £15 a week before their benefit is affected. In addition, where a blind person or their partner is responsible for rent or other housing costs no deductions are made in respect of any non-dependents living with them, as would otherwise be the case. These special rules do not apply to partially sighted people. They can, however, benefit from the help available to disabled people generally if they meet the standard conditions. We have no plans to change this policy.
  495
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will now conduct a survey to investigate whether new benefits replacing attendance allowance and invalidity allowance for blind people are succeeding in meeting the mobility needs of blind or partially sighted people of all ages; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  We continue to monitor carefully awards of disability living allowance-attendance allowance for people over 65 following the introduction of the new benefits in April.

  Unemployment Benefit (Disqualification)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will review the maximum duration of unemployment benefit disqualification.

  Mr. Burt
  While the duration of unemployment benefit disqualification is kept under review, we have no plans to change the current maximum period of 26 weeks.

  Income Support
  Mrs. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing the numbers of people dependent on supplementary benefit/income support in each region of the United Kingdom; and what proportion of each region's population they made up in 1979, 1987, 1988 and the latest available period.

  Mr. Burt
  The latest available information for England, Scotland and Wales is in the table.

  Number of supplementary benefit/income support claimants partners and dependants as a percentage of the population

  Number of claimants

  Number of partners

  Number of dependants

  Percentage of population receiving supplementary benefit

  1979

  England

  2,396,000

  472,000

  784,000

  8

  Scotland

  286,000

  53,000

  112,000

  9

  Wales

  172,000

  36,000

  59,000

  10

  1987

  England

  4,073,000

  909,000

  1,880,000

  14

  Scotland

  535,000

  102,000

  225,000

  17

  Wales

  287,000

  63,000

  131,000

  17

  1988

  England

  3,594,000

  696,000

  1,830,000

  13

  Scotland

  499,000

  92,000

  236,000

  16

  Wales

  259,000

  53,000

  129,000

  15

  1991

  England

  3,743,000

  647,000

  2,110,000

  14

  Scotland

  487,000

  69,000

  249,000

  See note 2

  Wales

  257,000

  46,000

  138,000

  15

  Notes:

  Source: Supplementary Benefit/Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiries 1979, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991.

  2. Percentage cannot be derived because population figures have not yet been published by the Office of Population and Census Survey.

  3. All figures rounded to the nearest thousand.

  4. Population statistics for DSS regions are not available. Social Security information based on other definitions of United Kingdom regions also not available. The tables therefore focus on England, Scotland and Wales.

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will publish a table showing by county the levels of unemployment in April and on 15 October.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  The latest available claimant unemployment data, released on 15 October, relate to the unemployment count date of 10 September.

  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list by parliamentary constituency the number of people in employment, both as a total number and as a percentage of those registered as available for work broken down by gender and whether employment is part time or full time.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The latest available information about employment in parliamentary constituencies is from the September 1989 census of employment and relates to employees in employment only, by gender and whether part or full time. Figures for the claimant unemployed by gender are available for the same date. This information can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) men and (b) women were unemployed on 10 April; and what is the current figure.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The April 1992 claimant unemployment figure relates to the position on the 9th of the month. On that date, on the consistent seasonally adjusted basis, there were 2,065,900 male and 629,400 female unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom. This compares with 2,175,200 and 668,100 respectively in September 1992.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the changes made since 1979 in calculating the number of people officially unemployed, including the date and estimated effect of each change.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In October 1982, when registration at jobcentres became voluntary and could therefore no longer provide a meaningful measure of unemployment, the monthly unemployment statistics changed from a count of jobcentre registrants to a count of claimants at Employment Service local offices. Both counts, in common with all statistics based on administrative systems, have inevitably been subject to changes in coverage whenever there have been changes to the administrative procedures on which they are based. However, these changes have been taken into account in the consistent, seasonally adjusted series published by the Employment Department.

  A list of the changes since 1979 affecting the coverage of both the former registrant series and the claimant count, together with an estimate of the numerical effect was published in an article in the December 1990 issue of Employment Gazette. A copy of this article is in the Library.

  Multiple Unemployment
  Mr. Wicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information she has on the number of families who experience multiple unemployment.
  497
  Mr. McLoughlin
  The labour force survey shows that, in spring 1992, the estimated number of families in Great Britain in which two or more people were unemployed (on the ILO definition) was 210,000. This represented 1.4 per cent. of all families in which there were at least two people aged 16 or over.

  Wages
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will give the average hourly wage of male manual workers adjusted for inflation, for(a) 1974, (b) 1979, (c) 1983, (d) 1987 and (e) 1990 and 1991, respectively.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The average gross hourly earnings of full-time male manual workers, for each year requested, can be found in table 1 of part A of the "New Earnings Survey" report for that year. The data necessary to adjust these figures for inflation—that is retail prices index, all items—can be found in table 6.4 of the Employment Gazette for April 1992 and in table 26 of the annual supplement to Economic Trends for April of earlier years. Copies of all these publications are available in the Library.

  Unemployment (Counselling)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed received counselling through arrangements provided or paid for by her Department in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available.

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

  Letter from Mr. A. G. Johnson to Mr. Frank Dobson, dated 26 October 1992:

  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, it is the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the Agency's Chief Executive to answer Parliamentary Questions about relevant operational matters. In his absence, I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Employment about counselling for Unemployed people.

  Through our network of local offices we now provide a structured and coherent information and advisory service which intensifies as the duration of unemployment increases. We try to ensure that all unemployed people know about, and get access to, the employment and training opportunities that are available. This process begins with an interview with one of our client advisers when a person first becomes unemployed. A review takes place at thirteen weeks for those who have not found work. If people remain unemployed, interviews are provided at six months and regular intervals thereafter under the Restart programme. In addition clients can arrange to see an adviser at any time to discuss ways of getting back to work.

  In the twelve month period ending 25 September 1992, our advisers conducted 8,170,691 counselling interviews. Of these 4,481,298 were with people making new claims to benefit, 646,540 were with people who had not found jobs after thirteen weeks out of work and 2,192,760 were under the Restart programme. The remaining 850,903 interviews were to follow up clients who were judged to need further advice to help them get back into work and with people who asked to discuss their employment prospects with an adviser.

  I hope this is helpful.

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

  Job Interview Committees
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people placed in work through the job interview committee scheme are no longer in work.

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

  Letter from Mr. A. G. Johnson to Mr. Frank Dobson, dated 26 October 1992:

  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, it is the responsibility of Mr. Mike Fogden, the Agency's Chief Executive to answer Parliamentary Question about relevant operational matters. In his absence, I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Employment about the Job Interview Guarantee (JIG) initiative.

  You asked how many people placed in work through the job interview committee scheme are no longer in work. I assume the scheme that you are referring to is the Job Interview Guarantee (JIG) initiative.

  We do not collect statistics to provide the information that you ask for. To do so would require expensive tracking mechanisms as a disproportionate cost. However, we did undertake a small scale survey of JIG participants towards the end of 1991. This showed that 64 per cent. of people placed in permanent employment were still in work at the time of the survey. The majority of these would have been in employment for at least 6 months.

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

  Mining Areas
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many extra staff are to be taken on by the Employment Service in mining areas(a) before Christmas 1992 and (b) before 31 March 1993.

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

  Letter from Mr. A. G. Johnson to Mr. Frank Dobson, dated 26 October 1992:

  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, it is the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the Agency's Chief Executive to answer parliamentary questions about relevant operational matters. In his absence, I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Employment about how many extra staff are to be taken on by the Employment Service in mining areas.

  The Employment Service will of course play its part in assisting to alleviate the problems of the newly unemployed in the mining districts by offering a full range of services. These include help in finding new employment, counselling, guiding people to training courses, and ensuring that all due benefits are paid promptly and correctly.

  However until such time as more positive information is available on where and when all the redundancies will fall I am unable to say how many extra staff will be deployed in the mining areas. I can nevertheless assure you that our regional Directors will make sufficient staff available to meet the immediate needs of the newly redundant miners.

  As decided by the Administrative Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
  499
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether the additional sum promised to training and enterprise councils in mining areas comes from the overall training and enterprise councils budget;

  (2) what is the total additional sum promised to training and enterprise councils in areas affected by the recently announced pit closures.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  An additional £75 million has been made available in areas affected by potential colliery closures. The TECs concerned have been asked to co-ordinate action plans for new measures to alleviate the effects of closures. The net effect on TEC expenditure of this extra provision will depend on what is proposed in the action plans.

  London Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what response she has made to the report prepared by Coopers and Lybrand for the London TECs on the degree of their underfunding.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment has considered the case put forward in the report "London—a Capital Deficiency". Her conclusion is that this report is flawed in a number of important respects and fails to understand the basis of budget allocation for the TECs.

  Specifically, the report gives a figure of £43.3 million as the 1992–93 youth training budget whereas the budget is in fact £61.3 million. London has 8.4 per cent. of the YT budget for England and Wales, not the 5.7 per cent. which the report puts forward.

  Similarly, London has 14.4 per cent. of the total employment training budget, not the 13.3 per cent. claimed by the report.

  Nonetheless, my right hon. Friend has asked her officials to meet TEC representatives to discuss how best they can tackle some of the labour market issues raised in this report.

  Trades Union Congress
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State or Employment if she will list the occasions she has met representatives of the TUC, through British and European institutions, respectively.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met the general secretary and deputy general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) on 9 June 1992.

  As President of the Council of Social Affairs Ministers, she met representatives from the European Trades Union Confederation (ETUC) on 27 July 1992 to discuss the United Kingdom presidency of the European Community. The president and general secretary of the ETUC were also present at the opening session of the informal meeting of the EC Employment and Social Affairs Ministers on 12 October 1992.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I also met representatives of the ETUC on 15 September to discuss priorities for the United Kingdom presidency.

  I also met the General Secretary of the TUC at the International Labour Organisation Conference in June 1992, and I have also had meetings with individual trade union leaders over recent months.

  Union Subscriptions
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment is she will list the cases known to her Department of employers who deducted union subscriptions from the wages of their employees without their prior consent.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department does not keep records on this matter. However, as the Green Paper "Industrial Relations in the 1990s" (Cm 1602) pointed out, at present the payment of union subscriptions through the check-off may become part of an employee's contract of employment simply by virtue of an agreement made between the union and the employer; and there have been allegations that some employees who are not union members have nonetheless had union subscriptions deducted from their pay by check-off.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the previous Secretary of State announced in January of this year that legislation would be introduced to ensure that the deduction of union subscriptions from an employee's pay would be unlawful without the written authority of the employee.

  Public Holidays
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the public holidays in each country in the European Community including the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There is no standard definition of a public holiday for European Community countries. The table following gives United Kingdom bank holidays for 1992.

  Bank holidays in the United Kingdom 1992

  Date

  New Year's Day

  1 January

  Bank Holiday (Scotland)

  2 January

  St. Patrick's Day (Northern Ireland)

  17 March

  Good Friday

  17 April

  Easter Monday (except Scotland)

  20 April

  May Day Bank Holiday

  4 May

  Spring Bank Holiday

  25 May

  Battle of the Boyne (Northern Ireland)

  13 July

  Summer Bank Holiday (Scotland)

  3 August

  Summer Bank Holiday (except Scotland)

  31 August

  Christmas Day

  25 December

  Boxing Day

  26 December

  Bank Holiday

  28 December

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the current number of job vacancies in the travel-to-work areas which include the coal mines which British Coal has announced will close; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Pursuant to my answer of 20 October 1992, columns 280–81, the chief executive of the Employment Service has written further to the hon. Member.
  501
  Letter from Mr. M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Max Madden, dated 26 October 1992.

  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the number of current job vacancies within the travel to work areas for the coal mines which British Coal has announced will close. This is something which falls within the responsibilities she has delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

  Unfortunately, my reply of 20 October contained an error in the table. The Cotgrave and Claverton collieries in the Nottingham travel to work area should have read 1,174 unfilled vacancies on 2nd October. The following reply now contains the correct information.

  I attach a table showing the number of vacancies unfilled at Jobcentres on 2nd October 1992, the last statistical count date, for each of the relevant travel to work areas. All of the travel to work areas are included as requested although following the statement by the President of the Board of Trade on 19th October only 8 of these areas have a colliery now designated for closure after the statutory consultation period has been completed.

  It is not possible to provide information on the total number of job vacancies available in the labour market but it is estimated that about one third of all vacancies are notified to Jobcentres.

  I hope this is helpful.

  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive 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.

  Colliery

  Travel to work area

  Number of unfilled vacancies at local Jobcentres on 2 October 1992

  Easington

  Vane Tempest

  Durham

  313

  Wearmouth

  Sunderland

  603

  Westoe

  South Tyneside

  146

  Wigan and St.

  Parkside

  Helens

  742

  Prince of Wales

  Sharlston

  Wakefield and

  Frickley

  Dewsbury

  705

  Rossington

  Bentley

  Hatfield/Thorne

  Markham Main

  Barnsley, Doncaster,

  Houghton Main

  Rotherham and

  Grimethorpe

  Mexborough

  879

  Rotherham and

  Maltby

  Mexborough

  Kiveton

  Sheffield

  1,190

  Silverhill

  Bevercotes

  Bilsthorpe

  Worksop, Alfreton

  Clipstone

  and Ashfield,

  Rufford

  Retford, Mansfield

  551

  Cotgrave

  Calverton

  Nottingham

  1,174

  Bolsover

  Markham

  Shirebrook

  Chesterfield

  352

  Trentham

  Silverdale

  Stoke

  571

  Betws Drift

  Llanelli

  351

  Shotton, Flint and

  Point of Ayr

  Rhyl

  574

  Merthyr and

  Taff Merthyr

  Rhymney

  452

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Livestock Auctioneers
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the implication of the administrative and financial practice of livestock auctioneers to hold in trust any moneys from livestock sales for the farmers whose animals had been sold in markets, and the effect of the insolvency of livestock auctioneers upon this practice.

  Mr. Curry
  No.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to compensate farmers whose money for livestock sales at market had been taken in trust by livestock auctioneers facing insolvency and invested in bank accounts which were overdrawn prior to the completion of the transaction at auction.

  Mr. Curry
  No.

  Potatoes
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps in the EC to ensure that the new potato regime will not adversely affect current area controls and direct intervention systems utilised in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Curry
  There is as yet no Commission proposal for a potato regime. We wish to see what the Commission proposes before taking any decisions about the future of the potato marketing scheme in Great Britain. The Government's objective under any regime will be to ensure that our growers can supply what the market needs and operate on equal terms with growers elsewhere, and in particular that the processing sector should be able to find adequate sources of potatoes in Britain.

  Rabies
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the holding period powers of local authorities in relation to dogs and the minimum incubation period of rabies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Under the Rabies (Importation of Dogs, Cats and other Mammals) Order 1974 local authorities are given the power to seize dogs where there is reason to suspect that the dog may have been landed in contravention of the order. Animals seized may be immediately exported or detained in quarantine for six months. However, if exportation is chosen and there has been a biting or scratching incident the local authority must detain the animal for 15 days observation: an animal may become infective shortly before the disease manifests itself clinically, and it is important to establish whether there is any possibility that the rabies virus may have been introduced into Great Britain.

  Inspection Services
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department will carry out a study of the cost and staffing implications of the timing of his proposals for red and poultry meat inspection services; and if he will make a statement.
  503
  Mr. Soames
  In March this year the Government announced their intention to transfer the responsibility for meat hygiene inspection and enforcement from local authorities to a new national meat hygiene service, following a detailed independent study which looked at the financial, management, staffing and other aspects of various options. The Government will work closely with the local authorities to ensure that the new arrangements, which will be dependent on the availability of parliamentary time for the necessary primary legislation, are introduced as smoothly and cost-effectively as possible.

  Agricultural Employment
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has of the number of people working in industries allied to agriculture for the most recent five-year period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Curry
  I regret that the information requested is not available. Details of the number of persons employed in each primary industrial group are published monthly in the Employment Gazette.

  Set-aside
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has of the number of on-farm jobs that will be lost from agriculture as a result of the introduction of the 15 per cent. EC set-aside scheme.

  Mr. Curry
  The impact on farm labour of the new set-aside arrangements will depend on a range of factors, including the extent to which set-aside land is used to produce crops for non-food purposes.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in industries allied to agriculture that will be lost as a result of the introduction of the 15 per cent. EC set-aside rule.

  Mr. Curry
  It is not possible at this stage to make any realistic assessment of the likely impact of the new set-aside arrangements on industries allied to agriculture. However, we shall keep the position under careful review.

  Farm Support
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the representatives of companies and businesses allied to agriculture about the prospects for those businesses following reduction in farm support via the CAP; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The Department is in regular contact with the representatives of companies and businesses allied to agriculture to discuss issues of interest to the industry including CAP reform.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for the last three years for which figures are available the total amount of subsidy paid by EC or United Kingdom budgets for each category of livestock and arable crop eligible for subsidy within the United Kingdom, showing the actual amount in cash paid to producers in each case.
  504
  Mr. Curry
  Table 9.1 of "Agriculture in the United Kingdom: 1991", a copy of which is available in the Library, gives details of public expenditure under the CAP and on national grants and subsidies. The main livestock and arable aid payments are in section I and IV of the table. A breakdown of payments between producers and other recipients is not available.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the total cost of the administration, monitoring and enforcement costs of the United Kingdom and EC departments responsible for paying farm subsidies over the last three years, showing each figure as a percentage of the total subsidies and a percentage of the subsidies actually received by producers.

  Mr. Curry
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Energy-producing Crops
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to provide schemes to grow crops that can produce energy.

  Mr. Curry
  Under the new EC arable area payments scheme which comes into operation this year, growers will be able to claim area or set-aside payments on land used to produce eligible crops for a range of non-food uses, including biofuels and crops for direct combustion.

  Short rotation coppice is eligible for establishment grants under the woodland grant scheme, which is operated by the forestry authority. Grants are also available under the farm and conservation grant scheme to help farmers meet the cost of straw and coppiced wood burning boilers and furnaces for their farms.

  Animal Exports
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates have been made of the financial cost to the livestock producing industry of reducing the maximum permitted transport time to eight hours.

  Mr. Soames
  I am not aware of any such estimates. British legislation requires livestock in transport to be offered food and water at intervals not exceeding 15 hours. These arrangements have served us well. In EC discussions we shall be seeking to persuade the Community to adopt rules which reflect our own high standards.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he is having with the groups involved in the consequences of transportation of live animals.

  Mr. Soames
  We have regular discussions with a wide range of interested bodies about the transportation of live animals.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what steps he is taking to ensure adequate inspection, lairage and rest for animals in transit;

  (2) if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's position on the transportation of live animals within the EC, indicating where the United Kingdom Government's position is different from the current EC directive.
  505
  Mr. Soames
  The Export of Animals (Protection) Order 1981 provides for inspection and rest, at an approved portal lairage, for food animals exported from Britain. This order also implements the current EC directive on the protection of animals during international transport. These arrangements are due to be superseded by a new directive which needs to be supplemented by additional rules on which Commission proposals are awaited.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the number of live animals exported from the United Kingdom to the EC over the last five years for each type of livestock transported.

  Mr. Soames
  The number of live animals that have been exported from the United Kingdom to other member states of the EC over the last five years can be found in the annual volumes of the "Overseas Trade Statistics for the United Kingdom", copies of which are in the House of Commons Library. Details of their classification within SITC 00 can be found in the "Guide to the Classification for Overseas Trade Statistics", which is also in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will estimate how long it would take to make the necessary changes to allow all livestock for slaughter to be slaughtered within the United Kingdom to prevent any animals being exported for slaughter from the United Kingdom to fellow EC countries;

  (2) what steps he is taking to increase the proportion of animals slaughtered within the United Kingdom prior to export as opposed to being transported live to other EC countries for slaughter.

  Mr. Soames
  It would not be possible, under the treaty of Rome, to impose a general prohibition on the export of livestock.

  The capacity of the United Kingdom slaughtering industry is a matter for commercial judgment.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps his Department takes to ensure that health, hygiene and veterinary standards are being maintained on an equal basis throughout the EC.

  Mr. Soames
  It is already standard practice for EC animal health and welfare legislation to provide for on-the-spot inspections by Commission veterinary experts to ensure the uniform application of Community rules. The United Kingdom Government welcome the continued development of the Commission inspection role to promote this objective.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the number of live animals exported from Scotland to the EC over the last five years for each type of livestock.

  Mr. Soames
  There are no official statistics dealing with purely Scottish trade of live animals. The overseas trade statistics from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise are available only on a United. Kingdom basis.

DEFENCE

  Air Crash, Chivenor
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement in respect of the incident to an RAF Hawk jet trainer which crashed at RAF Chivenor in September; and if he will send to the hon. Member a copy of his Department's military aircraft accident summary relating to this incident when it is published.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The accident in question took place on 30 September. The Hawk aircraft, carrying two qualified pilots, crashed on the runway at RAF Chivenor while the aircrew were conducting a simulated engine failure after take-off. Tragically, one of the pilots was injured and later died in hospital. The other ejected safely. An RAF board of inquiry has been convened. My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will forward a copy of the military aircraft accident summary to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.

  Z-Berths
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual cost to his Department for the upkeep of Z-berths for emergency use by nuclear powered submarines at United Kingdom ports.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Z-berths may be established within particular ports, at mooring buoys or anchorages which have been assessed as suitable for short operations or recreational visits by nuclear powered submarines. The berths in question are not exclusively for the use of nuclear powered submarines. The cost of their maintenance as z-berths relates mainly to periodic surveys and liaison with the relevant local authorities to ensure the continuing suitability of the berths; cost figures are not held centrally.

  European Union
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what contribution his Department made to the declaration on Western European Union included in the annexes on the treaty of European Union (Cm. 1934);

  (2) what contribution his Department made to the drafting of the title V, articles JI to JII of the treaty of European Union, (Cm. 1934).

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My Department was fully consulted in the preparation of both.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent complaints his Department has received from British Nuclear Fuels plc over breaches of the low-flying exclusion zones around their nuclear plants.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Since January 1991 my Department has received four such complaints, one of which was subsequently withdrawn.

  WE177 Warheads
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the expected timetable for dismantling of WE177 warheads now declared to be surplus to requirements.
  507
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The weapons in question will be dismantled as quickly as possible, consistent with the demands of security and safety.

  Vulcan XH558
  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what have been the most recent annual running costs to his Department of the RAF Vulcan XH558; on how many occasions it has been flown on public display in the last full year; what estimate he has made of the cost of servicing the aircraft to enable it to continue flying; if he has any plans to facilitate the transfer of the RAF Vulcan XH558 aircraft to a public collection; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the state of sale of the Vulcan XH558.

  Mr. Aitken
  Annual running costs for Vulcan XH558 will amount to some £250,000 in financial year 1992–93. The servicing and modification required for the aircraft to continue for a further display season after 1992 would cost at least £2.5 million. The Vulcan performed 30 displays and five flypasts during the 1992 display season. A number of expressions of interest have been received from potential buyers with a view to preserving the aircraft for the future, and I hope that these might result in the aircraft being transferred to a public collection.

  Recruitment
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the costs of recruitment in each of the armed forces in each of the last five years; how savings have been made in the costs of recruitment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Armed Forces (Reviews)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the reviews of various aspects of the role of the armed forces which are(a) being reviewed and (b) have had their reviews completed in the last three years giving the dates by which they are more likely to be completed in each case.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Our plans for a major restructuring of the armed forces were set out in detail in both the 1991 Statement on the Defence Estimates, "Britain's Defence for the 90s" (Cm. 1559-I) and "Britain's Army for the 90s" (Cm. 1595). These were updated in the 1992 Statement (Cm. 1981). We will continue to keep these plans under constant review.

  Agricultural Produce
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the agricultural produce which is grown on land owned or leased by his department giving the amounts produced in 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Records are not maintained of the agricultural produce grown on land owned or leased by my Department.

  Munitions (Disposal)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement about the alternative methods and locations that he will introduce for the disposal of munitions;

  (2) if he will list the regulations that control the dumping of munitions (a) on land and (b) in the sea; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence does not deposit redundant munitions, explosive waste or residues in land. Land based disposal methods such as detonation and open burning are conducted in accordance with departmental regulations which reflect the requirement of both the Explosives Act 1875 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The provisions of the London dumping convention apply to the dumping of waste at sea world wide and those of the Oslo convention regulate this activity in the north east Atlantic. The Ministry of defence has undertaken its sea dumping programmes in a manner consistent with the requirements of both these conventions but has no further plans to dispose of redundant munitions or explosives in this way. In the future, such material will be disposed of on land at suitable MOD sites where this is safe and environmentally acceptable and under contract by industry. The Ministry of Defence plans, also, to construct a purpose-built ammunition disposal facility.

  Surplus Land and Buildings
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the procedure adopted by his Ministry for the sale of surplus land and buildings including the method of binding potential purchasers, and any targets that might be set as an annual basis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The MOD's general policy is to sell surplus land and buildings for the highest return for the taxpayer and the usual procedure is to sell by competitive tender. Agents are engaged to place advertisements seeking tenders and purchasers are normally expected to provide a non-returnable 10 per cent. deposit when a sale is agreed.

  Special provisions apply however to the sale of housing, namely, the discounted sale of surplus married quarters and civilian houses to service personnel and sitting tenants respectively and also the bulk sale of surplus married quarters to housing associations at a discount in return for nomination rights for service personnel leaving the services over the next few years.

  No formal targets are set for disposals though assumptions have, of course, to be made for the purpose of the public expenditure survey, and the long-term costings process.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give(a) the amount of money realised to his Ministry from the sale of surplus land and (b) the valuation of that land in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In each of the last five financial years the following receipts have been realised from the sale of surplus land and buildings:
  509

  Year

  £ million

  1987–88

  76.6

  1988–89

  15.0

  1989–90

  71.2

  1990–91

  80.6

  1991–92

  102.3

  The amount of money realised represents the market value of the property sold, with the exception that some service married quarters and civilian houses have been sold at a discount in line with departmental policy.

  Privatisation and Agencies
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the parts of his Ministry that have been(a) made into executive agencies, (b) privatised, giving the dates in each case, and (c) the parts of his Ministry he intends to privatise or make into executive agencies, giving the estimated dates in each case.

  Mr. Aitken
  Four executive agencies have been established:

  Meteorological Office—1 April 1990

  Defence Research Agency—1 April 1991

  Duke of York's Royal Military School—1 April 1992

  Queen Victoria School—1 April 1992

  We have also created 10 defence support agencies:

  Hydrographic Office—1 April 1990

  Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment—1 April 1991

  Defence Accounts—1 April 1991

  RAF Maintenance Group—1 April 1991

  Military Survey—1 April 1991

  Service Children's Schools (North West Europe)—1 April 1991

  Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation—1 April 1992

  Defence Analytical Services Agency—1 July 1992

  Defence Postal and Courier Service—1 July 1992

  Defence Operational Analysis Centre—1 July 1992

  Both executive agencies and defence support agencies are run wholly on next steps lines.

  The only parts of the Ministry which have been privatised are the Royal Ordnance factories on 2 January 1985.

  There arc no other parts of the Ministry which it is currently intended to privatise, although industry is being invited to express interest in purchasing the Royal Navy dockyards at Rosyth and Devonport.

  Current candidates for agency status within MOD include the Ministry of Defence police, central services, the test and evaluation organisation, human factors research, some communications systems and elements of the logistic support and training organisations of the services. Looking ahead, we aim to identify all potential agency candidates by the end of next year. Areas under study include the balance of service logistics and training functions and the wider defence support area.

  D Notices
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about his review of the D notice system including the scope of his review, the period of time it will take and the organisations that will be consulted.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The management of the D notice system is the responsibility of the defence press and broadcasting committee. I understand that the committee,510
  which is composed of representatives of Government Departments and of the press and broadcasting media, decided at a recent meeting to enlarge its annual review of the 'D' notices. It will consider the purpose, scope and operation of the system in the light of the changed international scene and of the Government's commitment to greater openness. The committee intends to complete this work by the spring of 1993 and is inviting those who wish to do so to contribute to its secretary by the end of the year.

  Army Board of Inquiry
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the rules covering the Army Board of Inquiry's reports; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Service boards of inquiry are internal inquiries held in private, to establish the facts of the matter under investigation and where appropriate to make recommendations to avoid a recurrence. The rules governing Army boards of inquiry and their reports are set out in the Board of Inquiry (Army) Rules 1956 (SI 630/1956). Related administrative instructions are included in annex A to chapter 5 of the Queen's Regulations for the Army. Both publications are available in the Library of the House.

  The distribution of the reports of service boards of inquiry is normally limited to those service or Ministry authorities whose function and responsibilities require them to see the findings of the inquiry. My Department has discretion to release to others on an exceptional basis.

  Helicopters
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the number of(a) EH101, (b) Lynx, (c) Sea King and (d) NH90 helicopters that have been ordered since 9 April 1987, giving the date the order was placed and the delivery or expected delivery date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  Fourty-four EH101 anti-submarine warfare helicopters were ordered in 1991 for delivery phased over 1996–2001. Sixteen Lynx helicopters were ordered in 1988 and were delivered between 1990 and 1992. Seven Sea King helicopters were ordered in 1987 and delivered between 1989 and 1990. Negotiations for the procurement of six Sea King helicopters announced by my predecessor on 19 February this year (Official Report, column 332) are almost complete. No NH90 helicopters have been ordered. The former Secretary of State for Defence explained on 9 April 1987 (Official Report, col. 470) that we were no longer participating in the NH90 programme.

  Search and Rescue
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his announcement about the future of the search and rescue forces on 21 October, what steps he is taking to ensure that the standards for rescue at sea as set by the United Kingdom search and rescue committee will not be breached; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The future RAF search and rescue (SAR) helicopter force will make virtually the same
  511
  contribution as now to meeting the helicopter coverage group criteria for SAR helicopter coverage around the United Kingdom for civil marine and aviation purposes. The rationale for and implications of the changes in the force are set out in the open Government document "The Future Provision of Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Helicopters", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the bases where he expects to deploy the six Sea King HAR 3 helicopters for the search and rescue service, which were ordered in 1991–92 with the in-service date of 1996; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the open government document "The Future Provision of Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Helicopters", a copy of which I have placed in the Library of the House.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the organisations with whom he consulted about the review of the search and rescue service and the subsequent decisions announced by him on 21 October.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The organisations consulted were the Government Departments with a functional or regional interest in search and rescue matters: the Department of Transport and Home Office, the Welsh, Scottish, Northern Ireland and Foreign and Commonwealth Offices, and the Treasury.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place a copy of the industrial study for the European fighter aircraft, commissioned by Eurofighter, in the Library.

  Mr. Aitken
  I regret that this is not possible. The report the hon. Member requests is a NATO classified document. I have however placed in the Library a copy of an unclassified synopsis produced by British Aerospace.

  Dismounted Public Duties
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who were the members of the working party who advised him on the future of dismounted public duties in London.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Membership of the interdepartmental public duties working group was drawn from the Ministry of Defence, the Home Office, the Department of the Environment, the Royal Household, the Metropolitan police, the Ministry of Defence Police, the Historic Royal Palaces Agency and the Tower of London.

  Household Cavalry
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes he proposes to mounted ceremonial duties by the Household Cavalry.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Energy Policy
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's energy policy.

  Mr. Eggar
  It is the Government's energy policy to achieve, through promoting competition and developing competitive markets, secure energy supplies at the lowest possible prices, diversity of supply and in decision making; meeting the customers' needs with maximum efficiency; and maximising the economic exploitation of the United Kingdom's energy resources, while at the same time meeting the growing requirements of environmental policy.

  EC Competition Commissioner
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent discussions he has had with the European Commissioner for competition on(a) energy pricing policy in the United Kingdom and (b) the United Kingdom semi-conductor manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend has had no recent discussions with the European Commissioner for competition on either United Kingdom energy pricing policy or the United Kingdom semi-conductor manufacturing industry.

  Mining Industry
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade in what circumstances Her Majesty's Government have the right to pay subsidies to British Coal without first seeking the approval of the European Commission.

  Mr. Eggar
  Under decision 2064/86/ECSC, all state aids by member states to their coal industries must be approved by the European Commission.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what advice has been given by the European Commission on its policy relating to future requests from the member states of the EC on subsidies to coal mining; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The agreed policy under which the Commission may give authorisation for state aids to member states' coal industries is set out in current decision—2064/86/ECSC. This decision stipulates that such aid must help to achieve one or more of the following objectives:

  Improvement of competitivity of the coal industry, which contributes to assure a better security of supply.

  Creating new capacities provided that they are economically viable.

  Solving the social and regional problems related to developments in the coal industry.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what public expenditure will be involved in the measures required to safely seal and to protect against future aquifer contamination the 31 coal mines the closure of which has been recently announced.

  Mr. Eggar
  The total level of expenditure involved will depend on the decisions eventually taken on the future of these pits. The expenditure at any particular pit that is closed depends on the geological circumstances.

  Fuel Cells
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will institute a study of legislation in the state of California relating to zero pollution emissions, and the use of fuel cells in hydrogen.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department has already undertaken a number of studies on fuel cells and I refer the hon. Member to my answers to his other questions on 13 July at column 508. On the matter of Californian state emissions regulations, these are well documented in technical publications and are available to the public.

  Property Misdescriptions
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the progress which has been made in implementing the Specified Offences Order under the terms of the Property Misdescriptions Act 1991.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department circulated a draft Specified Offences (No. 2) (Amendment) Order, to be made under the Estate Agents Act 1979, for consultation last December. We intend that implementation should coincide with that of the proposed Property Misdescriptions (Specified Matters) Order, which my hon. and noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs and Small Firms intends to lay before Parliament as soon as possible.

  Electricity
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what action is currently being taken by the European Commission in order to ensure a free and fair market in electricity throughout the European Community;

  (2) what action he is taking to ensure that other European Community electricity generating companies do not benefit from state subsidies or cross subsidies.

  Mr. Eggar
  The European Commission has brought forward proposals designed to open up markets in electricity and natural gas throughout the Community. Discussion on the proposals is continuing. They provide for greater transparency in the operation of EC electricity utilities and should eliminate any state subsidies or cross subsidies from which such utilities or their customers may currently benefit.

  Parcelforce
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress he has made since his statement to the House on the future of Parcelforce.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Since my announcement to the House on 15 July 1992, my Department has been working with the Post Office and our advisers to consider a range of issues, including the timing and method of sale. I have received several expressions of interest in Parcelforce and look forward to its transfer to that private sector as soon as possible.

  Assisted Areas
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to publish the outcome of his review of the assisted areas map; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The public consultation paper on the assisted areas map review issued in June stated that the Government's aim was to implement a revised map early in 1993, following the necessary clearance with the European Commission. This remains our intention.

  Uranium Mining, Namibia
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has received on the findings of the special safety monitoring commission sent to inspect the Rio Tinto Zinc Rossing uranium mine in Namibia in September to evaluate the health effects of mining uranium exported to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government of Namibia has made a report in the form of a press report on this International Atomic Energy Agency mission. A copy of the press release has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he will publish the sixth annual plutonium production and storage figures.

  Mr. Eggar
  The annual plutonium figures are being compiled and the information will be published shortly.

  Commonwealth of Independent States
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on his recent visit to the Commonwealth of Independent States.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I visited Azerbaijan and Russia from 27 to 30 September, leading a team of 13 senior business men. In Azerbaijan I had high-level meetings with President Elchibey and his Government, supported BP's recent success in securing exclusive negotiating rights for the exploration and development of two potentially very large oilfields under the South Caspian sea, signed a joint declaration on economic co-operation and helped to pave the way for other companies to win further business.

  In Russia, I met Vice-President Rutskoi, acting Prime Minister Gaidar and a number of other Ministers, particularly deputy Prime Minister Shokhin with whom I held the first meeting of a new steering committee on trade and investment. I signed the terms of reference of this committee and a joint declaration on economic co-operation. I discussed the question of appropriate guarantees and priorities for the Export Credit Guarantees Department cover which the Prime Minister recently announced that we would be making available to Russia.

  Nuclear energy
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the annual United Kingdom contribution since 1979 to(a) the International Atomic Energy Agency, (b) the nuclear energy agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and

  515
  Development, (c) the European Atomic Energy Community and (d) the joint research centres of the European Community's nuclear research programme, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the benefits that have accrued from these respective contributions.

  Mr. Eggar
  Details of the United Kingdom's contributions to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the nuclear energy agency of the OECD are published annually in the supply estimates, currently at class V, vote 2, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. For contributions prior to 1987–88 reference should be made to written answer of 16 May 1988 at column 300.

  The Community budget is published annually in the Official Journal of the European Communities, also held in the Library of the House. The United Kingdom's contributions to the European Atomic Energy Community and to the nuclear programmes of the joint research centres of the European Communities form part of the single United Kingdom contribution to the European community's budget made under article 207 of the treaty of Rome. National contributions to individual programmes are not identified separately.

  These contributions have been obligatory since the United Kingdom's accession to the respective organisations. Over the years there have been many benefits from them, not least the worldwide effort in the field of non-proliferation and nuclear safeguards, and work on radiation protection and public health.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the annual United Kingdom contribution to the European fusion nuclear energy research programme since its inception; and what contribution Her Majesty's Government intend to make to future fusion programmes including(a) the Joint European TORUS and (b) the next European TORUS.

  Mr. Eggar
  80 per cent. of funding for the joint European TORUS—JET—project is provided by the European Atomic Energy Community Euratom—through the Community budget. Member states contribute to the Community budget as a whole, not individual elements. The United Kingdom's gross contribution before abatement is around 16 per cent. of the total. Information on the Community's annual expenditure on fusion research, including its contribution to JET, is

  Year

  Nuclear Reactor Research

  Nuclear Waste Research

  Nuclear Decommissioning Research

  Radiation Protection Research

  Clean Coal Burn Research

  Renewable Energy Research

  1979–80

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1.8

  8.2

  1980–81

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2.7

  11.3

  1981–82

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4.9

  15.3

  1982–83

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.4

  12.7

  1983–84

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.4

  11.9

  1984–85

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0.9

  14.9

  1985–86

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0.8

  13.6

  1986–87

  114.6

  —

  —

  —

  1.9

  12.5

  1987–88

  93.1

  3.3

  —

  0.3

  1.4

  16.1

  1988–89

  130.5

  2.8

  —

  0.6

  0.9

  16.3

  1989–90

  119.3

  4.7

  —

  0.6

  1.7

  17.9

  1990–91

  85.0

  —

  5.8

  0.6

  11.4

  20.8

  1991–92

  60.3

  —

  7.2

  0.5

  4.7

  24.6

  All figures are in £M in money terms.

  Nuclear fuel research is not separately identified.

  Nuclear Waste Management programme is subsumed within decommissioning research after 1990.

  There was no expenditure on gas gathering and distribution research or on gas fired power plant research during the period.

  516
  contained in chapter B6–55 of the "General Budget of the European Communities', published in the Official Journal of the European Communities—OJ L 26 of 3–2–92—a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  A further 10 per cent. of the funding is shared out between the members of the JET joint undertaking, including the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, whose share of this component is around 1 per cent. of the total. In addition, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority meets the remaining 10 per cent. of the funding, in recognition of the United Kingdom's status as host nation.

  In 1991–92 the United Kingdom's total contribution in respect of these two elements was around £8 million.

  The United Kingdom contributes directly to the Euratom fusion programme via the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's "Contract of Association" with Euratom. This amalgamates the fusion R and D programme undertaken at Culham laboratory with the wider programme undertaken by Euratom fusion research laboratories as a whole. The annual cost of this work is also around £8 million.

  Decisions on future funding of the Community's fusion programme, and hence on the funding of JET and the next European TORUS, are a matter for the Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Llewellyn Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table of annual investment made in each year since 1979 by his Department and the Department of Energy in(a) nuclear reactor research, (b) nuclear waste research, (c) nuclear decommissioning research, (d) nuclear fuel research, (e) radiation protection research, (f) gas gathering and distribution research, (g) gas fired power plant research, (h) clean coal burn research, (i) renewable energy research and (j) energy efficiency and conservation research.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested is given in the table, to the extent that it is readily available within the DTI. Prior to 1986, nuclear programmes were funded by a block grant to the Atomic Energy Authority, which was responsible for their detailed content; a breakdown along the lines requested is thus not available in the Department. Energy efficiency and conservation R and D is now a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.
  517
  1981–82 to 1988–89 non-nuclear figures are taken from the "Annual Review of Government-funded R & D", and relate essentially to Frascati R 2 D, without including technology transfer and dissemination expenditure.

  Figures from 1989–90 to date are final outturn, and do include technology transfer and dissemination expenditure.

  Trentham Colliery
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of all existing and proposed development plans at other collieries which it is intended will be classified under expenditure at Trentham colliery.

  Mr. Eggar
  The issues which the hon. Member raises are matters for British Coal.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) pursuant to his answer of 19 October,Official Report, column 221, if he will give details of the profits lost to the Trentham complex arising from the decision made by British Coal to cancel development work from September 1992; in respect of which coal faces orders have been given to stop production; and if he will give details of the subsequent profit loss in each case;

  (2) pursuant to his statement of 19 October, if he will give details of all coal reserves left at Trentham colliery, north Staffordshire;

  (3) pursuant to his statement of 19 October, what was British Coal's estimate of the anticipated tonnage for 1992–93 at the Trentham complex; and what is his estimate of the effect on this original target of the postponement of committed developments;

  (4) pursuant to his statement of 19 October, if he will give details of the development costs of introducing future workings at Trentham colliery including the two major roadway drivages into new seams;

  (5) pursuant to his statement of 19 October, if he will give details for 1990–91 and 1991–92 of capital investment at Trentham colliery designed to incorporate management administration costs incurred as a result of pit closures elsewhere;

  (6) pursuant to his statement of 19 October, if he will give details of the profits earned by Trentham colliery for 1990–91 and the projected loss budgeted for the period 1 April to 20 September in the current year;

  (7) what information he has on British Coal's plans for future developments to introduce pillar and stall work at Trentham colliery.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 22 October 1992]: In my statement on 19 October, I said that we had concluded that, for the time being, British Coal should be allowed to proceed with the closure of only 10 pits—including Trentham—which it had told me were currently making a loss and had no prospect of viability in the foreseeable future.

  The issues which the hon. Member raises are matters for British Coal.

  The hon. Member may wish to pursue this issue in the context of the statutory consultation procedure.

  £ per kwh

  ECU per kwh

  National currencies per kwh

  Industry

  Belgium

  0.0346

  0.0493

  2.0802

  Francs

  Denmark

  0.0369

  0.0527

  0.4165

  Crowns

  France

  0.0306

  0.0435

  0.3036

  Francs

  Germany

  0.0499

  0.0709

  0.1455

  Deutschmarks

  Ireland

  0.0374

  0.0533

  0.0409

  Irish pounds

  ITER Programme
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the three engineering design teams, and their location, which have been agreed under the future ITER programme; and if he will list the number of staff, and the total project cost of the JET at Culham, projected for 1992–93, and established for the three preceding years.

  Mr. Eggar
  The plasma vessel work for ITER—international thermonuclear experimental reactor—will be undertaken by the engineering design team in Garching, in Germany. Other plant engineering work will be undertaken by the team in Naka, in Japan. The design integration team will be based in San Diego, USA.

  JET—joint European torus—is a Community project. Information on its staffing and funding is available from the annual reports of the JET joint undertaking, which are held in the House of Commons Library.

  Euratom
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made since 28 November 1991 in implementing European Community Directive 89/618/Euratom in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have been asked to reply.

  Following public consultation by the Health and Safety Commission which ended on 28 February 1992, final proposals for regulations implementing European Community directive 89/618/Euratom were approved by the HSC on 7 July. These proposals were then communicated to the European Commission, as required by article 33 of the Euratom treaty. The European Commission recommendations on these proposals have now been received and arrangements are in hand for making the implementing regulations and laying them before Parliament.

  Electricity Costs
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the average cost of electricity delivered to(a) industrial consumers, (b) service sector consumers and (c) domestic consumers in each of the member states of the European Community calculated in (i) ecus, (ii) pounds and (iii) currencies of each respective country.

  Mr. Eggar
  The average prices of electricity in 1991 to industrial consumers combined, in the member states of the European Community are set out in the tables. Prices of electricity to the domestic and commercial sectors are not available separately. 1991 prices for electricity in Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands and Spain are not available. All prices in the tables include taxes, where applicable, including VAT to the domestic/commercial market where it is not refundable.
  519

  £ per kwh

  ECU per kwh

  National currencies per kwh

  Italy

  0.0578

  0.0847

  129.9000

  Lira

  Portugal

  0.0726

  0.1036

  18.5090

  Escudos

  United Kingdom

  0.0405

  0.0578

  0.0405

  Pounds

  Domestic/commercial sector

  Belgium

  0.0941

  .01340

  5.6563

  Francs

  Denmark

  0.0981

  0.1397

  1.1050

  Crowns

  France

  0.0805

  0.1147

  0.7999

  Francs

  Germany

  0.0902

  0.1288

  0.2642

  Deutschmarks

  Ireland

  0.0748

  0.1068

  0.0820

  Irish pounds

  Italy

  0.0981

  0.1397

  214.2000

  Lira

  Portugal

  0.0924

  0.1314

  23.4700

  Escudos

  United Kingdom

  0.0680

  0.0970

  0.0680

  Pounds

  Source: International Energy Agency: Energy Prices and Taxes.

  Gas Prices
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last discussed gas prices with the director of the Office of Gas Regulation; and what decisions were taken.

  Mr. Eggar
  I meet the Director General of Gas Supply from time to time. Decisions on gas tariffs are a matter for him.

  Perfume Companies
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will refer to the Director of the Office of Fair Trading the actions of perfume companies in relation to discounting by Superdrug.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Director General of Fair Trading is already investigating complaints about restrictions on the distribution of perfumes.

  Nuclear Plant
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what would be the saving to the Exchequer of mothballing every nuclear power station.

  Mr. Eggar
  There would in fact be significant net costs to the Exchequer if Nuclear Electric's stations were closed or mothballed. The substantial loss of revenue from electricity sales and, in the case of closure, the bringing forward of expenditure on decommissioning, reprocessing and waste disposal, together with redundancy costs, would far outweigh any savings in operating costs.

  Coal Imports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the addition to the landed cost, in terms of pounds per tonne of transporting imported coal to power stations compared to the cost of transporting British coal.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a commercial matter for the companies involved.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish figures showing the percentage of electricity which is produced from renewable sources in the United Kingdom.
  520
  Mr. Eggar
  The electricity produced from renewable sources of energy in the United Kingdom in 1991 was equivalent to 2 per cent. of total electricity generated in that year.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will, at 1992 or other price datum, give the comparable capital cost and full fuel costs, respectively, for production of one kilowatt hour of electricity from the most efficient power stations now available, using atomic, coal and gas fuel, respectively.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish his latest comparative list of the range of costs per kilowatt of generating electricity from(a) coal, (b) nuclear, (c) hydroelectric and (d) gas sources.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 19 October 1992]: The comparable capital and full fuel costs per kilowatt hour of power stations using different fuels depends significantly upon the contractual terms of fuel purchase, and the contractual terms under which the power station is to be constructed and operated. These are commercial matters for the companies concerned. As far as electricity is concerned, it is up to the Director General of Electricity Supply to ensure that the regional electricity companies comply with their economic purchasing obligations. My Department will be assessing the evidence available on comparative costs as part of the Government's review.

  Nuclear Power
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much subsidy was given to support nuclear power in Britain in 1981 and 1991; and what were the comparable figures for the coal industry.

  Mr. Eggar
  No Government subsidies have been paid to Nuclear Electric plc or British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. Both these companies have since April 1990, been recipients of the fossil fuel levy paid by electricity suppliers. In 1991–92 the amount of money raised through the levy was £1,324 million, about 1 per cent. of which went to renewable generators in England and Wales. Nuclear Electric was a net lender to the Exchequer of £84 million in 1991–92.

  The Government have been the customer for research and development and other programmes undertaken by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and has funded those programmes and their consequences.

  Responsibility for Scottish Nuclear Limited rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  In 1981–82 and 1991–92 the Government made available to the coal industry financial assistance of

  521
  £623 million and £585 million respectively. This is made up of deficit grant, operating grant—1981–82 only—social and restructuring grant and payments under the redundant mineworkers payments scheme.

  Cashmere
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the negotiations being held between EC officials and the Republic of China regarding the bilateral agreement covering cashmere and fine animal hair imports into the EC; and what restitution is to be offered in compensation for recent overshipment of cashmere garments to EC markets.

  Mr. Needham
  The European Community has only just opened negotiations with China on renewal of the bilateral agreement on textiles and clothing. The Commission, prompted by the United Kingdom, is taking a resolute line on the future level of cashmere imports and on compensation for past overshipments. It is too early to forecast the outcome on those points.

  Multi-fibre Arrangement
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the current state of negotiations seeking to roll over the multi-fibre arrangements terms pending a successful conclusion of the GATT Uruguay round; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  On 6 October the Foreign Affairs Council agreed a mandate for the European Commission to open negotiations with signatories to the multi-fibre arrangement with a view to extending the MFA, as an interim measure, until such time as the GATT Uruguay round agreement on trade in textiles and clothing is ready to implement. The aim is to conclude bilateral negotiations with individual supplier countries by the end of this year.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he proposes to announce an extension of the multi-fibre arrangement, on existing terms, by the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 22 October 1992]:
  On 6 October the Foreign Affairs Council agreed a mandate for the Commission to open negotiations with certain third countries with a view to securing an agreement for an extension of the multi-fibre arrangement. Bilateral negotiations with individual supplier countries have begun and the Commission hopes to conclude these by the end of this year.

  European Funding
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what criteria will be used by the United Kingdom Government in recommending regions within the United Kingdom for consideration for directive 5(b) status within the review next year of the European regional development fund and the European social fund.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Until the European Commission's proposals for the review of Community structural fund regulations are received, and the Council has considered them, it would be premature to anticipate which criteria will apply.

  EC Industrial Funds
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) when he expects the draft regulations relating to EC industrial funds to be published; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how far he expects negotiations on reform of the EC industrial funds to proceed during the United Kingdom's EC presidency.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I do not expect to receive the European Commission's proposals for revised structural funds regulations until after the Edinburgh European Council on 11 and 12 December. It is therefore unlikely that substantive negotiations on them will begin during the United Kingdom presidency.

  Technical Innovation
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Segal Quince Wicksteed report on technical innovation, to which he referred in his letter to the hon. Member for Linlithgow of 29 July.

  Mr. Leigh
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 19 October 1992, at columns 233–34.

  Energy Review
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a further statement on his plans for the energy review announced on 21 October.

  Mr. Heseltine
  As I announced to the House on 21 October, I have put in hand a full and wide-ranging review of the prospects for the 21 pits proposed for closure by British Coal but not subject to the statutory consultation currently being undertaken by British Coal. This review will consider views and evidence on the future of each of the pits in question, in the context of the Government's energy policy, including the consequences of that policy for British Coal and the employment for the industry.

  It will decide whether the case for closure at each of the pits in question has been fully made and whether it is sensible to mothball some of these pits. It will consider whether the market prospects for coal have been correctly assessed and, in consultation with the Director General of Electricity Supply, whether any company is abusing its position in the market place. It will look at the level of coal stocks, both at the pithead and the power stations, and whether plans to run them down are sensibly phased.

  It will consider the consequences of the switch to gas in power generation and the relative costs of gas and coal-fired generation. It will look into the latest estimates of likely reserves of gas and draw conclusions. It will consider the present scale of gas-generated power stations in production, being built and in the planning process. In this connection, it will review the use of my consent powers under the Electricity Act 1989.

  The review will consider the implications of the statutory obligation on electricity suppliers to purchase non-fossil power, including that from nuclear sources.

  The review will explore the opportunities for the private sector in the production of coal. It will consider the existing and anticipated level of imports and the wider economic implications of this.

  The review will give due regard to Scottish and Welsh interests and will also give consideration to the particular needs of Northern Ireland.
  523
  Consultation will take place with all the principal providers and consumers of energy, the trade unions and other interested parties. I have already announced that I have invited Boyds, an international mining consultancy to report to me on the viability of the 21 pits. I also intend 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. I may wish to commission further independent studies.

  My intention is to publish all evidence and the findings of the review to the fullest extent possible except where information has been provided in confidence and is commercially sensitive. I shall be discussing with the Trade and Industry Select Committee the means by which such confidential information might be made available to it.

  Early in the new year, I shall publish a White Paper setting out the results of the review in the context of the government's energy policy, and making clear the consequences of that policy for British Coal, the implications for individual pits and the employment prospects for the industry. Before then the Select Committee will have a full opportunity to consider all the issues as it thinks fit. I shall present the conclusions and the Government's future decisions to the House, which will have an opportunity to debate the issues fully.

  In order that I can give due weight to all the views expressed, I am asking those who wish to provide evidence to the review to do so as soon as possible and in any event not later than 1 December 1992. Evidence should be sent to Dr. J. M. Bird, Department of Trade and Industry, Room 3.4.4., 1 Palace street, London SW I E 5HE, making clear whether the evidence may be published.

  Research, Development and Innovation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the European Council decision to establish a programme for the collection of Community statistics on research, development and innovation has yet been made; and what further action is proposed during the British presidency.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have been asked to reply.

  No decision has yet been made. Discussions are currently proceeding in the relevant Council working party.

  Point of Ayr Colliery
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will visit the Point of Ayr colliery to meet management and unions.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 23 October 1992]: I have no plans to do so.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the estimated loss in the balance of payments, and increased public expenditure consequent on the reduction in the output of, and employment directly in, the coal mining industry, and indirectly on the associated suppliers of equipment and services.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 22 October 1992]: The level of contraction of the coal industry and the implications for
  524
  the balance of payments and public expenditure, if any, would depend upon decisions reached in the light of the review announced by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  Industrial Strategy
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the criteria by which he will evaluate the success of his industrial strategy.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 23 October 1992]: The key criterion I will use is the extent to which, over the long term, the demands of customers, both at home and abroad, for goods and services are met by United Kingdom firms.

  Coal Exports
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on research undertaken by British Coal to secure markets for British coal in Europe.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 22 October 1992]: This is a matter for British Coal.

SCOTLAND

  Dounreay
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has regarding radioactive leakage from the corroded low-level nuclear waste drums at pits numbers three and four at the nuclear power development establishment at Dounreay.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Routine site monitoring carried out in the vicinity of tips three and four has confirmed that the drums stored above these filled tips have not resulted in any increased levels of radioactivity either in the atmosphere or in the ground water pumped from the pits.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what report he has received from AEA Technology or Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate on the environmental pollution consequences of the fire at the intermediate-level waste silo at Dounreay in July.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My Department was informed by AEA Technology on 22 July 1992 that a small fire had taken place in the intermediate level waste silo at Dounreay on the evening of 21 July 1992 and that some smoke had been released to the atmosphere. Radioactive material was not released and there were therefore no environmental consequences.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the cost of decommissioning all of the radioactivity-contaminated buildings at AEA Technology's Dounreay nuclear plant; and what level of funding his Department will provide for the decommissioning work.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been asked to reply.

  I am replying in view of my responsibility for matters relating to AEA Technology.

  The current estimate of the cost of decommissioning the nuclear facilities at Dounreay and dealing with the

  525
  associated wastes is around£1.2 billion (in 1992 prices and in undiscounted terms). As most of the expenditure lies well in the future, actual costs will remain very uncertain until nearer the time when individual projects are developed and costed in detail.

  My Department will meet the costs of all decommissioning and waste management liabilities arising from work done at the site before AEA Technology was established as a trading fund in 1986. It will also meet the costs of all such liabilities arising from its own programmes (and those of the former Department of Energy) since 1986.

  Undergraduates
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new undergraduates have been enrolled at each university, other than former polytechnics, in Scotland for the academic year 1992–93; and how many of them are from Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Republic of Ireland and other European Community countries.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Final figures for undergraduate enrolments at Scottish universities for the academic year 1992–93 will not be available until early next year. I shall reply to the hon. Member at that time.

  Electoral Arrangements
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will estimate the cost of the second statutory review of electoral arrangements for the districts of Roxburghshire and Berwickshire; and to what use the fruits of the review will be put;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the reasons for the decision to proceed with the second statutory review of electoral district boundaries in Roxburghshire and Berwickshire;

  (3) what use is to be made of the Local Government Boundary Commission reports following the second statutory review of electoral arrangements in Roxburgh and Berwickshire in the light of the Government proposals to reform local government in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland has a statutory responsibility under section 16 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to undertake regular reviews of electoral arrangements of local government areas in Scotland. In the case of Roxburgh district and Berwickshire district this must be completed before local government restructuring will be implemented. It is imperative that local electoral arrangements are kept up-to-date and reflect changing local circumstances. Whatever structure of local government is adopted following the Government's present review, it is likely that the district ward boundaries will be of assistance in devising the electoral divisions in the new authorities. It is therefore sensible on all counts that the reviews should proceed.

  It is not possible to estimate the costs of the review in Roxburgh and Berwickshire districts separately from the reviews which are taking place simultaneously in other parts of the country.
  526
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now cancel the second statutory review of electoral arrangements for Roxburgh and Berwickshire districts.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No.

  Recycling
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial assistance already exists to enable local authorities in Scotland to set up recycling schemes.

  Sir Hector Monro
  There are no schemes for Government financial assistance in Scotland specifically for local authority recycling projects. However, the Government, through exchequer grant, finance the majority of local authority revenue expenditure. Capital expenditure for local authority recycling activities is not identified separately within overall capital expenditure allocations. It is for the authorities to determine expenditure priorities within their overall allocations. Authorities planning to set up recycling schemes should identify such expenditure in their financial plans, and such projects are given priority in determining allocations.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the proportion of household waste which is currently recycled in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The percentage of household waste which is recycled in Scotland was estimated at about 2 per cent. in 1990, the latest year for which figures are available.

  Beer
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many complaints have been made to procurators fiscal or the Crown Office in the past two years in respect of allegations of short measures of beer poured by publicans.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is not collected centrally.

  Prisons Estate
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made with the review of the prisons estate; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Over the past three years a thorough appraisal of the prisons estate in Scotland has been undertaken, in order to establish and prioritise the range of improvements and upgrading work required to provide modern accommodation and facilities for prisoners and staff alike. A programme for implementation will be determined in the light of the outcome of the 1992 public expenditure survey.

  Private Medical Insurance
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what authorisation he has given to NHS hospitals currently directly managed by health boards in Scotland and to national health trusts in Scotland to enter into contracts or arrangements with private medical insurance companies.
  527
  Mr. Stewart
  None.

  Prime Health Limited
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will publish details of the contract and arrangements between Aberdeen Royal hospital NHS trust and Prime Health Ltd;

  (2) if he will publish details of contracts and arrangements between Woodend hospital, Aberdeen and Prime Health Ltd;

  (3) if he will publish details of the contracts and arrangements between Woodend hospital, Aberdeen and SAGA Services Ltd;

  (4) if he will publish details of the contracts and arrangements between Aberdeen Royal hospital NHS trust and SAGA Services Ltd.

  Mr. Stewart
  No such contracts or arrangements exist.

  Electoral Registration
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the latest estimates by the Registrar-General of Populations of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each district council area and parliamentary constituency, together in each case with the equivalent year's electoral registration figures.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is given in the tables. For clarity of presentation, the first table includes regions and islands areas and the whole of Scotland. The population figures in table A are the Registrar General's provisional census based 1991 mid-year estimates. Those in table B involve additionally a certain degree of approximation and should therefore be treated with caution.

  Table A: Local Government Areas

  Local government area

  Estimate of population aged 17 and over plus 63 per cent, of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 19911)

  Parliamentary electors on the 1992 electoral registers (qualifying date 10 October 1991)

  Scotland

  4,052,549

  3,929,064

  Borders region

  83,995

  83,908

  Berwickshire

  15,322

  15,402

  Ettrick & Lauderdale

  27,748

  27,547

  Roxburgh

  28,673

  28,599

  Tweedale

  12,253

  12,360

  Central region

  216,646

  211,273

  Clackmannan

  37,835

  36,796

  Falkirk

  114,054

  110,698

  Stirling

  64,767

  63,779

  Dumfries & Galloway region

  118,235

  116,750

  Ammandale & Eskdale

  29,743

  29,421

  Nithsdale

  45,529

  44,624

  Stewartry

  19,033

  18,990

  Wigtown

  23,932

  23,715

  Fife region

  273,614

  264,644

  Dunfermline

  100,116

  96,177

  Kirkcaldy

  116,700

  114,223

  North East Fife

  56,797

  54,244

  Grampian region

  407,600

  397,745

  Aberdeen City

  175,619

  170,178

  528

  Local government area

  Estimate of population aged 17 and over plus 63 per cent, of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 19911)

  Parliamentary electors on the 1992 electoral registers (qualifying date 10 October 1991)

  Banff & Buchan

  66,501

  65,631

  Gordon

  58,537

  58,006

  Kincardine & Deeside

  41,168

  39,986

  Moray

  65,875

  63,944

  Highland region

  159,427

  157,449

  Badenoch & Strathspey

  8,858

  9,130

  Caithness

  20,751

  20,629

  Inverness

  49,250

  48,042

  Lochaber

  14,984

  14,817

  Nairn

  8,362

  8,372

  Ross & Cromarty

  37,561

  36,778

  Skye & Lochalsh

  9,158

  9,137

  Sutherland

  10,503

  10,544

  Lothian region

  607,777

  591,233

  East Lothian

  68,320

  67,581

  Edinburgh City

  363,756

  351,327

  Midlothian

  62,632

  61,189

  West Lothian

  113,069

  111,136

  Strathclyde region

  1,815,739

  1,745,684

  Argyll & Bute

  51,713

  48,436

  Bearsden & Milngavie

  32,204

  31,626

  Clydebank

  36,589

  35,239

  Clydesdale

  45,616

  44,379

  Cumbernauld & Kilsyth

  48,754

  47,155

  Cumnock & Doon Valley

  33,684

  33,246

  Cunninghame

  108,374

  105,235

  Dumbarton

  60,882

  57,894

  East Kilbride

  66,547

  64,824

  Eastwood

  47,441

  46,745

  Glasgow City

  553,151

  523,259

  Hamilton

  83,365

  80,652

  Inverclyde

  72,154

  70,761

  Kilmarnock & Loudoun

  64,195

  62,777

  Kyle & Carrick

  90,918

  89,062

  Monklands

  80,519

  77,699

  Motherwell

  113,247

  108,617

  Renfrew

  159,135

  153,818

  Strathkelvin

  67,251

  64,260

  Tayside region

  314,138

  305,526

  Angus

  75,172

  73,376

  Dundee City

  138,949

  134,858

  Perth & Kinross

  100,017

  97,292

  Orkney Islands area

  15,297

  15,404

  Shetland Islands area

  17,097

  16,433

  Western Isles Islands area

  22,984

  23,015

  1Provisional

  Table B: Parliamentary Constituencies

  Parliamentary constituency

  Estimate of population aged 17 and over plus 63 per cent, of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 19911)

  Parliamentary electors on the 1992 electoral registers (qualifying date 10 October 1991)

  Aberdeen North

  62,500

  60,623

  Aberdeen South

  61,100

  59,230

  Angus East

  65,300

  63,637

  Argyll & Bute

  51,700

  48,436

  Ayr

  67,700

  66,284

  529

  Parliamentary constituency

  Estimate of population aged 17 and over plus 63 per cent, of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 19911)

  Parliamentary electors on the 1992 electoral registers (qualifying date 10 October 1991)

  Banff & Buchan

  66,500

  65,631

  Caithness & Sutherland

  31,300

  31,173

  Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley

  56,900

  56,024

  Central Fife

  57,700

  56,495

  Clackmannan

  50,800

  49,441

  Clydebank & Milngavie

  49,400

  47,773

  Clydesdale

  64,500

  62,684

  Cumbernauld & Kilsyth

  48,800

  47,155

  Cunninghame North

  57,100

  55,490

  Cunninghame South

  51,200

  49,745

  Dumbarton

  60,900

  57,894

  Dumfries

  62,800

  61,773

  Dundee East

  61,100

  59,328

  Dundee West

  62,200

  60,386

  Dunfermline East

  52,400

  50,452

  Dunfermline West

  53,400

  51,310

  East Kilbride

  66,500

  64,824

  East Lothian

  68,300

  67,588

  Eastwood

  65,900

  64,560

  Edinburgh Central

  58,800

  56,839

  Edinburgh East

  47,800

  46,157

  Edinburgh Leith

  59,100

  57,073

  Edinburgh Pentlands

  58,400

  56,433

  Edinburgh South

  64,200

  61,999

  Edinburgh West

  61,800

  59,702

  Falkirk East

  54,000

  52,387

  Falkirk West

  52,200

  50,631

  Galloway & Upper Nithsdale

  55,500

  54,977

  Glasgow Cathcart

  47,700

  45,149

  Glasgow Central

  51,100

  48,383

  Glasgow Garscadden

  44,100

  41,675

  Glasgow Govan

  48,800

  46,199

  Glasgow Hillhead

  60,900

  57,586

  Glasgow Maryhill

  51,600

  48,791

  Glasgow Pollok

  49,300

  46,655

  Glasgow Provan

  39,100

  36,986

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  56,400

  53,325

  Glasgow Shettleston

  55,400

  52,381

  Glasgow Springburn

  48,900

  46,216

  Gordon

  82,400

  81,097

  Greenock & Port Glasgow

  53,700

  52,661

  Hamilton

  64,400

  62,347

  Inverness, Nairn & Lochaber

  71,000

  70,164

  Kilmarnock & Loudoun

  64,200

  62,777

  Kincardine & Deeside

  69,300

  67,216

  Kirkcaldy

  53,300

  52,191

  Linlithgow

  63,200

  61,979

  Livingston

  63,300

  62,122

  Midlothian

  62,600

  61,178

  Monklands East

  50,800

  49,059

  Monklands West

  52,000

  49,935

  Moray

  65,900

  63,944

  Motherwell North

  60,600

  58,106

  530

  Parliamentary constituency

  Estimate of population aged 17 and over plus 63 per cent, of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 19911)

  Parliamentary electors on the 1992 electoral registers (qualifying date 10 October 1991)

  Motherwell South

  52,800

  50,674

  North East Fife

  56,700

  54,196

  North Tayside

  57,900

  56,353

  Orkney & Shetland

  32,400

  31,837

  Paisley North

  48,500

  46,867

  Paisley South

  50,100

  48,385

  Perth & Kinross

  67,700

  65,826

  Renfrew West & Inverclyde

  60,700

  58,897

  Ross, Cromarty & Skye

  57,200

  56,112

  Roxburgh & Berwickshire

  44,000

  44,001

  Stirling

  59,700

  58,814

  Strathkelvin & Bearsden

  64,300

  61,924

  Tweeddale, Ettrick & Lauderdale

  40,000

  39,907

  Western Isles

  23,000

  23,015

  1Provisional

  Offensive Weapons
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to introduce legislation relating to the carrying and possession of knives and similar offensive weapons; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government are committed to changing the law to make it more difficult to carry knives. We shall bring forward specific proposals as soon as we have worked up the details and secured a suitable legislative opportunity.

  Consultants
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the names of the consultants commissioned to inquire into(a) the privatisation of the Scottish bus group, (b) the Skye bridge and (c) options for the future of Scottish Water; and if he will give the expenditure for each.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 22 October 1992]: Expenditure incurred by the Scottish Office on consultancy work in connection with the projects in question is as follows:

  £

  (excluding VAT)

  Scottish Bus Group

  Quayle Munro (financial advice)

  408,690

  Bell-Ingram (property advice) (to date)

  19,403

  Government Actuary (pensions advice)

  6,158

  Skye Crossing

  JMP Consultants (engineering advice)

  554,574

  Quayle Munro (financial advice)

  107,614

  Chartered West LB (financial advice)

  38,724

  531

  £

  (excluding VAT)

  The Ash Partnership (environmental advice)

  42,650

  Scottish Water and Sewerage Services

  Quayle Munro (advice on options for future structure of services)

  50,000

  New dwellings started and completed in Scotland for the period 1979–80 to 1991–92

  Financial year

  Agency

  Started

  Completed

  Private sector

  Local authority

  Housing associations

  New town

  Total

  Private sector

  Local authority

  Housing associations

  New town

  Total

  1979–80

  15,226

  4,578

  1,019

  1,104

  21,927

  15,272

  4,818

  740

  2,081

  22,911

  1980–81

  9,586

  2,694

  1,335

  1,247

  14,862

  11,730

  5,199

  1,286

  1,217

  19,432

  1981–82

  11,422

  2,030

  1,192

  552

  15,196

  11,018

  3,141

  1,617

  1,408

  17,184

  1982–83

  12,794

  2,372

  2,368

  602

  18,216

  11,990

  2,222

  1,133

  678

  16,023

  1983–84

  15,374

  2,175

  991

  158

  18,698

  13,346

  2,470

  1,597

  564

  17,977

  1984–85

  14,192

  1,705

  1,449

  144

  17,490

  14,158

  2,024

  1,764

  261

  18,207

  1985–86

  14,300

  1,672

  1,403

  139

  17,514

  14,364

  1,880

  1,091

  141

  17,476

  1986–87

  14,301

  1,867

  1,575

  288

  18,031

  14,601

  1,678

  1,347

  150

  17,776

  1987–88

  13,520

  1,988

  1,991

  374

  17,873

  14,174

  2,021

  1,281

  183

  17,659

  1988–89

  15,576

  1,078

  2,414

  589

  19,657

  14,646

  1,818

  1,512

  224

  18,200

  1989–90

  18,416

  1,143

  2,698

  722

  22,979

  16,884

  1,243

  1,357

  612

  20,096

  1990–91

  117,154

  2757

  3,260

  2451

  21,622

  115,406

  2953

  1,866

  2631

  18,856

  1991–92

  115,267

  2683

  2,390

  2333

  18,673

  116,002

  21,003

  1,487

  2465

  18,957

  1Includes estimates for outstanding returns.

  2Returns are outstanding.

  Fife Child Care Inquiry
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the report of the Fife child care inquiry will be published.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 23 October 1992]: I plan to seek the approval of the House to publish sheriff Kearney's report very shortly.

  Right-to-buy Scheme
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of income received from the sale of(a) local authority houses and (b) new towns houses in each of the years since the inception of the right-to-buy scheme.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 23 October 1992]: The information requested is shown in the table as follows:

  £ million

  Income received from the sale of:

  Local authority houses

  New towns houses

  1980–81

  19.9

  12.1

  1981–82

  62.7

  16.5

  1982–83

  102.3

  16.0

  1983–84

  123.2

  22.0

  1984–85

  119.2

  20.4

  Housing Statistics
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total number of starts and completions for(a) new houses, (b) private houses, (c) local authority, (d) housing associations and (e) new towns for each of the years 1979–80 to 1991–92 inclusive.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 23 October 1992]: The information requested is set out in the table:

  Income received from the sale of:

  Local authority houses

  New towns houses

  1985–86

  105.6

  17.1

  1986–87

  120.0

  21.2

  1987–88

  168.8

  28.1

  1988–89

  243.5

  30.7

  1989–90

  308.7

  45.6

  1990–91

  258.3

  45.2

  1991–92

  1247.3

  32.5

  1 Provisional outturn.

  Euratom Treaty
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on plans by the European Commission to inspect the radiation monitoring arrangements at Dournreay under the article 35 provisions of the Euratom treaty.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Agreement has been reached with the European Commission on the procedures to be followed in the United Kingdom for verifications under article 35 of the Euratom treaty of the operation and efficiency of environmental monitoring facilities for radioactivity. We have not yet received a formal request from the Commission for such a verification visit in respect of Dounreay or elsewhere.

  NUCLEAR TESTING
  NUCLEAR TESTING
  SEVERE HARDSHIP PAYMENT CLAIMS
  SEVERE HARDSHIP PAYMENT CLAIMS
  SUPPLEMENTARY CREDIT APPROVALS
  SUPPLEMENTARY CREDIT APPROVALS
  RIGHTS OF WAY: OBJECTION TO MODIFICATION OR RECLASSIFICATION
  RIGHTS OF WAY: OBJECTION TO MODIFICATION OR RECLASSIFICATION
  FLATS: ENFRANCHISEMENT, LEASEHOLDERS
  FLATS: ENFRANCHISEMENT, LEASEHOLDERS