Written Answers of 28 October 1992

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Magistrates
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how judges and magistrates will be advised to treat aggravating or mitigating factors when determining the seriousness of any offence.

  Mr. Jack
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to his similar question on 27 October, at column 578.

  Table showing the strength of polices forces in England and Wales3

  Force

  31 March 1979

  31 March 1990

  Percentage change

  31 March 1991

  Percentage change

  31 March 1992

  Percentage change

  Avon and Somerset

  2,825

  3,094

  9.52

  3,092

  -0.06

  3,081

  -0.36

  Bedfordshire

  902

  1,050

  16.41

  1,105

  5.24

  1,093

  -1.09

  Cambridgeshire

  1,064

  1,193

  12.12

  1,201

  0.67

  1,250

  4.08

  Cheshire

  1,778

  1,870

  5.17

  1,895

  1.34

  1,874

  -1.11

  Cleveland

  1,334

  1,467

  9.97

  1,489

  1.50

  1,477

  -0.81

  Cumbria

  1,056

  1,166

  10.42

  1,184

  1.54

  1,179

  -0.42

  Derbyshire

  1,563

  1,795

  14.84

  1,741

  -3.01

  1,706

  -2.01

  Devon and Cornwall

  2,660

  2,852

  7.22

  2,873

  0.74

  2,898

  0.87

  Dorset

  1,128

  1,269

  12.50

  1,281

  0.95

  1,289

  0.62

  Durham

  1,312

  1,375

  4.80

  1,368

  -0.51

  1,389

  1.54

  Dyfed-Powys

  910

  935

  2.75

  935

  0.00

  947

  1.28

  Essex

  2,461

  2,822

  14.67

  2,889

  2.37

  2,898

  0.31

  Gloucestershire

  1,076

  1,170

  8.74

  1,162

  -0.68

  1,174

  1.03

  Greater Manchester

  6,419

  6,992

  8.93

  7,014

  0.31

  7,061

  0.67

  Gwent

  965

  1,008

  4.46

  999

  -0.89

  1,009

  1.00

  Hampshire

  2,949

  3,154

  6.95

  3,179

  0.79

  3,211

  1.01

  Hertfordshire

  1,462

  1,657

  13.34

  1,666

  0.54

  1,695

  1.74

  Humberside

  1,849

  1,995

  7.90

  1,998

  0.15

  2,026

  1.40

  Kent

  2,724

  2,984

  9.54

  3,005

  0.70

  3,074

  2.30

  Lancashire

  3,097

  3,201

  3.36

  3,212

  0.34

  3,198

  -0.44

  Leicestershire

  1,701

  1,769

  4.00

  1,818

  2.77

  1,845

  1.49

  Lincolnshire

  1,171

  1,188

  1.45

  1,209

  1.77

  1,196

  -1.08

  Merseyside

  4,427

  4,714

  6.48

  4,689

  -0.53

  4,621

  -1.45

  Norfolk

  1,223

  1,363

  11.45

  1,405

  3.08

  1,414

  0.64

  Northamptonshire

  905

  1,126

  24.42

  1,139

  1.15

  1,158

  1.67

  Northumbria

  3,272

  3,529

  7.85

  3,541

  0.34

  3,464

  -2.17

  North Wales

  1,268

  1,337

  5.44

  1,349

  0.90

  1,347

  -0.15

  North Yorkshire

  1,342

  1,379

  2.76

  1,387

  0.58

  1,398

  0.79

  Nottinghamshire

  2,117

  2,316

  9.40

  2,336

  0.86

  2,331

  -0.21

  South Wales

  2,936

  3,135

  6.78

  3,137

  0.06

  3,168

  0.99

  South Yorkshire

  2,546

  2,923

  14.81

  2,991

  2.33

  3,008

  0.57

  Staffordshire

  1,978

  2,187

  10.57

  2,217

  1.37

  2,176

  -1.85

  Suffolk

  1,064

  1,194

  12.22

  1,209

  1.26

  1,218

  0.74

  Surrey

  1,440

  1,645

  14.24

  1,657

  0.73

  1,706

  2.96

  Sussex

  2,758

  2,949

  6.93

  2,969

  0.68

  2,984

  0.51

  Thames Valley

  2,639

  3,659

  38.65

  3,714

  1.50

  3,772

  1.56

  Warwickshire

  841

  975

  15.93

  1,020

  4.62

  990

  -2.94

  West Mercia

  1,743

  1,991

  14.23

  2,026

  1.76

  2,034

  0.39

  West Midlands

  5,981

  6,855

  14.61

  6,876

  0.31

  6,941

  0.95

  West Yorkshire

  4,727

  5,260

  11.28

  5,268

  0.15

  5,087

  -3.44

  Wiltshire

  997

  1,130

  13.34

  1,165

  3.10

  1,221

  4.81

  Metropolitan

  22,214

  28,362

  27.68

  28,312

  -0.18

  28,381

  0.24

  City

  829

  799

  -3.62

  813

  1.75

  808

  -0.62

  Total

  109,653

  124,834

  13.84

  125,535

  0.56

  125,797

  0.21

  1Figures for 1 April are not available; 31 March figures have therefore been provided.

  Police Officers
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a table showing for each police force area in England and Wales and for the whole of England and Wales the number of police officers actually in post at(a) 1 April 1979, (b) 1 April 1990, (c) 1 April 1991 and (d) 1 April 1992, and the percentage increase in each case.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Samuel Kulasingham and Prem Sivalingham
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he expects to make a decision as to whether he will exercise his power under section 17 of the Criminal Appeals Act 1968 to refer to the Court of Appeal the case of Samuel Kulasingham and Prem Sivalingham;

  (2) when he received an interim or final report from the Essex police inquiry team, established in April 1992 to investigate the circumstances surrounding the convictions of Samuel Kulasingham and Prem Sivalingham;

  (3) whether the Essex police inquiry team, established in April 1992 to investigate the circumstances surrounding the convictions of Samuel Kulasingham and Prem Sivalingham, have obtained transcripts of any Metropolitan police interviews with the two chief prosecution witnesses at the 1988 trial, Indrakumar Thiyegaral and Muralee Tharan Arulkodnenthan, which took place prior to their statements as witnesses.

  Mr. Jack
  The Essex police are continuing their inquiries into this case and I expect to receive their report shortly. I shall then be in a position to decide, after proper consideration of all the relevant information, whether there are grounds for referring either conviction to the Court of Appeal.

  I understand that the inquiry team has established that both the two chief prosecution witnesses were interviewed by officers of the Metropolitan police before statements were taken from them as witnesses, but that no record was made of either of these interviews.

  Probation Service
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the resource implications of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 for the probation service; and what is his best estimate of the additional costs involved for the probation service in England and Wales.

  Mr. Jack
  Increased central Government support for the probation service was set out in the Home Office annual report published in February 1992 as follows:

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Central Government support (£ million)

  290

  314

  338

  Provision for total staff numbers

  14,234

  14,713

  15,100

  (Including year-on-year staff increases of;)

  560

  398

  376

  The additional staff and resources are primarily for the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1991; these represent the current best estimates of the additional resources needed.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what remuneration has been offered to probation staff to enable them to undertake new duties in respect of the Criminal Justice Act 1991.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 27 October 1992]: The Criminal Justice Act will involve new responsibility for the probation service. To respond to this we have provided for a substantial increase in the numbers of probation officers. In addition, we recognise that there will be an impact on the work of some existing probation officers. As a consequence, probation employers have responded to this
  648
  by offering a system of local pay flexibility to reflect the increased responsibilities which individuals might undertake. Discussions over the details of this offer are continuing.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what fianancial penalties will be invoked if any probation staff refuse to under-take new duties implicit in the Criminal Justice Act 1991.

  Mr. Jack
  Probation staff who refuse to undertake duties in the context of the current industrial action in support of their pay claim are being asked to sign an undertaking that they will work normally and to return this undertaking within two working days. If an officer refuses to sign the undertaking, the probations committee will reduce that officer's pay by 15 per cent. while he or she continues to refuse to work normally.

  Any staff who were to refuse to undertake duties in other circumstances would be subject to normal disciplinary proceedings, including financial penalties.

  Court Reports
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional court reports will be written per annum under the provisions contained in the Criminal Justice Act 1991.

  Mr. Jack
  On the basis of pilot trials run in five Crown court centres between May and December 1991, it is expected that between 20,000 and 29,000 additional reports will be required each year.

  Prisoners (Towels)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider increasing the number of towels issued weekly to prisoners.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The range of items issued to inmates is subject to regular review. The number of towels currently issued each week is normally two but, because of a high incidence of vandalism, it is necessary to issue some 400,000 towels each year to meet the needs of the 45,000 inmates held in custody; this restricts the capacity of the prison service to increase the level of issue for individual prisoners. However, in an effort to improve the efficiency and acceptability of the item, the existing white towel is in the process of being replaced by one of larger size in deep-dyed colours.

  Drug Prevention
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to renew the funding for each of the drug prevention projects currently funded by his Department as it reaches the end date of the period for which funds have been approved to date.

  Mr. Jack
  As I stated in my written answer of 27 October 1992, at column 578, in response to earlier questions from the hon. Member, funding for the 20 local drugs prevention teams has been agreed initially for three years in each case and active consideration is currently being given to the position of the teams beyond that period.

  Car Phones
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidelines are given to the Metropolitan police about stopping motorists who drive while using a car or mobile phone.

  (2) how many charges and convictions have been obtained by the Metropolitan police concerning the use of car phones while driving.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No such guidelines have been issued to the Metropolitan police. The police may take action against drivers in such cases for the offences of driving without due care and attention or driving without proper control of the vehicle. No figures are available to show the number of charges or convictions obtained by the Metropolitan police for such offences involving the use of telephones.

  Asylum
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what target date he has set his Department to clear the backlog of asylum applications.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No specific date has been set. The increase in the number of asylum division staff to 500, together with streamlined administrative procedures, is already having a considerable impact on the current backlog. Further progress will be influenced by the rate of new applications and the impact on procedures of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Bill.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 15 July,Official Report, column 775, to the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) (a) which concepts used in the convention are the subject of common interpretation and (b) what is the common interpretation referred to.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Article 1 of the Dublin convention of 15 June 1990—Cm 1623—defines for the purposes of the convention the meaning of: an alien; an applicaation for asylum; an examination of an appliction for asylum; a residence permit; an entry visa; and a transit visa.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 15 July,Official Report, column 775, to the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) whether any definition has been reached in respect of first host country.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No. This matter is still under discussion between member states.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 15 July,Official Report, column 775, to the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser) (a) to which third countries it is intended to extend the system of the convention by means of parallel convention and (b) with which countries negotiations have commenced in respect of that convention.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Formal negotiations on extending the provisions of the Dublin convention will not be undertaken until the convention has been ratified by all member states. Extension to third countries will be by the unanimous agreement of the member states.

  Security Service
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will publish, in any form that does not jeopardise national security, the number of entries in the names index and in the organisations index of the main security service computer system and provide a description of the kinds of information held;

  (2) whether he will publish, in any form that does not jeopardise national security, the approximate total number of files held by the Security Service, the approximate number of red, amber and green files, and the proportion of files that are temporary; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Security Service holds only information which it needs in order to carry out the functions conferred upon it by the Security Service Act 1989. The service's record-keeping policy was described in the Security Service Commissioner's annual report for 1991. It would not he in the interests of national security to provide the detailed information requested.

  Mr. John Samuels
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester on the operation on Friday, 11 September which resulted in the complaint by Mr. John Samuels.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No. These are operational matters which are the responsibility of the chief constable.

  Charities
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures the Charity Commission uses when deciding whether or not to register charities formed to assist with specific disasters and emergencies and which require accelerated registration procedures to enable them to operate in good time; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  In deciding whether to register an organisation as a charity the Charity Commissioners consider whether the object for which the organisation is established are exclusively charitable in law, accurately reflect the intended activities of the organisation and whether the activities proposed are acceptable for a body with charitable status.

  Where it is strongly represented to the commissioners by the promoters of an organisation, which is formed to assist with a specific disaster or emergency, that any degree of delay in registering the charity would be harmful to the intended beneficiaries, the commissioners give priority consideration to that application for registration.

  External Frontiers Convention
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he has made for the public distribution of the draft convention on external frontiers.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Copies of the draft convention between the member states of the European Communities on the crossing of their external frontiers were placed in the Libraries of both Houses in July.

  Worcester Kurdish Refugee Association
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Charity Commissioners expect to complete their investigation into the Worcester Kurdish Refugee Association; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The Charity Commissioners expect to complete their inquiry into the affairs of the Worcester Kurdish Refugee Association in January 1993.

  Hostels
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current cost level for repairs, additions or equipment in a hostel site which represents the dividing line between his Department's capital grant and operational expenditure.

  Mr. Jack
  Major refurbishment works, new building or extension costs, and the purchase of specific items of equipment which are expected to be in use for a number of years attract capital grant. The operational or revenue budget covers more basic redecoration and routine maintenance and the purchase of smaller items. There are items which from time to time do not easily fall into either of these categories and where judgments are made on a case by case basis as to the most appropriate form of funding.

  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances a probation hostel or a bail hostel can refuse to accept as a resident a person whom the court wishes to let out on bail.

  Mr. Jack
  The Approved Probation and Bail Hostel Rules 1976 provide that, once a court has granted bail subject to a condition of residence in an approved hostel, admission can be refused only if there is no place available; or if the person falls outside the categories for which the hostel is approved; or if the defendant is suffering from severe subnormality or a psychopathic disorder; or with the consent of the Secretary of State.

  Before the court reaches its decision, a probation officer may, through advice to the court, indicate that, in the circumstances of the individual case, a defendant would not be suitable for a place in an approved hostel, in line with the considerations set out in paragraph 16 of the "National Standard for the Management of Approved Probation and Bail Hostels". I will send my right hon. Friend a copy of the relevant section of these standards.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff are normally on duty in probation and bail hostels in England and Wales(a) from 6 pm till midnight, (b) from midnight till 6 am and (c) at weekends.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 27 October 1992]: All approved probation and bail hostels in England and Wales have 24-hour a day staff cover. The funding of a number of hostels was increased this year to ensure that there is provision for at least two members of staff to be on duty at night in any hostel. Since the deployment of staff is a matter for probation or voluntary management commit-tees, detailed information on staff rotas is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Prisoners (Learning Difficulties)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish figures showing the current percentage of prison inmates in England and Wales who are known to have learning difficulties.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 26 October 1992]: Records of the number of prisoners with learning difficulties are not held centrally. In the White Paper, "Custody, Care and Justice"—Cm 1647—the Government stressed that the first priority for education programmes in prison must be to identify and provide help for those prisoners who have difficulty reading or writing and who are unable to do simple arithmetic. The national prison survey undertaken in 1991 indicated that 43 per cent. of prisoners had left school before the age of 16, prisoners had higher truancy rates than the general population, and 43 per cent. of prisoners had no qualification when they came into prison.

  Criminal Justice Act 1991
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters he has received on the workings of the Criminal Justice Act 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 27 October 1992]: I regret that it is not possible to identify from central records of correspondence received from all sources how many of the several thousand letters dealt with in different parts of the Home Office each month refer to the workings of the Act, either as a single subject, or as one among several others. However, it is beyond question that many correspondents are referring to the Act and these referrals have increased since 1 October when the vast majority of its provisions came into effect.

  Combination Orders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many combination orders he estimates will be made under provisions contained in the Criminal Justice Act 1991.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 27 October 1992]: The power to make a combination order was introduced by section 11 of the Criminal Justice Act which came into effect on 1 October 1992. The criteria for the use of the power are set out in the section, but sentencing in any individual case is a matter for the sentencer alone. There is, at present, no basis on which to estimate the number of occasions upon which courts may exercise this power.

  Computer Projects
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table setting out for the period since 9 April(a) each tender issued by his Department for projects requiring the supply of (i) computer hardware and (ii) computer software, (b) a description of the services required, (c) the number of companies who were invited to tender, (d) the number of companies who submitted a bid without prior invitation by his Department, (e) which company was awarded the contract, (f) the value of each contract and (g) the length of period over which the contract will run.
  653
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 27 October 1992]: The table provides information about tender invitations issued by my Department for projects requiring the supply of computer hardware and computer software since 9 April.

  Invitations to tender (ITT) issued for projects requiring computer hardware-software since 9 April 1992

  (a) ITT's issued for projects

  (b) Description of services required

  (c) Number of companies invited to tender

  (d) Number of companies who submitted a bid without prior invitation

  (e) Company awarded the contract

  (f) Value of contract

  (g) Duration of contract

  (i) Computer hardware

  (ii) Computer software

  (iii) Hardware and software

  See covering reply

  See covering reply

  See note 1

  *

  Network Cabling for HMP Woodhill

  1

  Lancare

  *

  Clothing and Textile CAD system for Prison Service Industries and Farms

  3

  Gerber Garment Technology

  *

  Computer network cabling infrastructure

  3

  Misys Communications

  *

  UNIX system for Immigration and Nationality Department (bought under HOUSE 1 contract)

  l

  International Computers Ltd.

  *

  Finance and Accounting software for UNIX system above

  6

  TABS

  *

  Networking equipment for new DTELS HQ

  5

  Gandalf Digital Communications

  *

  Message Handling System for Emergency Planning

  18

  Not yet awarded

  *

  Cabling for HMP Foston Hall-Prescoed

  3

  Lancare

  *

  Extra Hard Disks for Police National Computer Organisation (PNC2)

  7

  Not yet awarded

  Note:

  1. All the contracts are one off supplies.

  Car Theft
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list for each police authority area the number of offences of(a) theft of and (b) unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and (c) the combined total of the two committed by juveniles in each of the last five years for which figures are available and what percentage this was of the total number of offences in this category;

  (2) if he will state for each police authority area and for England and Wales as a whole how many offences of theft from a vehicle were committed by juveniles in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what percentage this was of the total number of offences in this category in each case;

  (3) if he will state for each police authority area and for England and Wales as a whole, how many offences of theft

  Table 1

  Number and percentage of juveniles and young adults found guilty or cautioned for offences of theft of a motor vehicles, unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and theft from a vehicle 1986

  Police force area

  Theft of and unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle

  Theft from a vehicle

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Tolal all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Total all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Theft

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Avon and Somerset

  851

  29

  277

  306

  36

  61

  277

  338

  40

  217

  67

  31

  86

  40

  Bedfordshire

  332

  11

  86

  97

  29

  30

  127

  157

  47

  172

  35

  20

  77

  45

  Cambridgeshire

  265

  24

  85

  109

  41

  26

  68

  94

  35

  258

  80

  31

  111

  43

  Cheshire

  528

  18

  181

  199

  38

  35

  170

  205

  39

  375

  72

  19

  163

  43

  Cleveland

  547

  38

  198

  236

  43

  31

  181

  212

  39

  36

  13

  36

  16

  44

  Cumbria

  307

  21

  83

  104

  34

  18

  121

  139

  45

  77

  33

  43

  28

  36

  Derbyshire

  417

  30

  112

  142

  34

  26

  149

  175

  42

  225

  78

  35

  89

  40

  Devon and Cornwall

  578

  10

  133

  143

  25

  22

  241

  263

  46

  314

  111

  35

  105

  33

  654
  The value of each project is a matter of commercial and contractual confidentiality. Information about the number of companies who submitted a bid without prior invitation by my Department is not readily available.

  or unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle were committed by young adults in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what percentage this was of the total number of offences of this category;

  (4) if he will state for each police authority area and for England and Wales as a whole how many offences of theft from a vehicle were committed by young adults in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what percentage this was in each case of the total number of offences in this category.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 20 October 1992]: The data in the table relate to the number of "known" offenders —persons found guilty, or cautioned—by offence category, specific age groups and police force area 1986 to 1990. Provisional data for 1991 will not be available before the end of 1992.
  655

  Police force area

  Theft of and unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle

  Theft from a vehicle

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Tolal all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Total all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Theft

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Dorset

  344

  17

  119

  136

  40

  20

  121

  141

  41

  130

  25

  19

  50

  38

  Durham

  429

  28

  156

  184

  43

  20

  124

  144

  34

  193

  51

  26

  83

  43

  Essex

  764

  74

  219

  293

  38

  63

  245

  308

  40

  466

  126

  27

  203

  44

  Gloucestershire

  240

  5

  77

  82

  34

  13

  97

  110

  46

  150

  46

  31

  68

  45

  Greater Manchester

  3,000

  128

  1,193

  1,321

  44

  109

  1,051

  1,160

  39

  614

  240

  39

  208

  34

  Hampshire

  1,012

  58

  320

  378

  37

  68

  339

  407

  40

  330

  108

  33

  128

  39

  Hertfordshire

  477

  16

  151

  167

  35

  21

  179

  200

  42

  211

  56

  27

  104

  49

  Humberside

  547

  35

  226

  261

  48

  38

  161

  199

  36

  256

  70

  27

  108

  42

  Kent

  728

  26

  202

  228

  31

  54

  264

  318

  44

  425

  82

  19

  231

  54

  Lancashire

  776

  36

  262

  298

  38

  21

  273

  294

  38

  274

  63

  23

  116

  42

  Leicestershire

  560

  26

  134

  160

  29

  34

  251

  285

  51

  205

  76

  37

  71

  35

  Lincolnshire

  268

  13

  93

  106

  40

  12

  94

  106

  40

  198

  45

  23

  81

  41

  London, City of

  42

  —

  8

  8

  19

  1

  16

  17

  40

  29

  4

  14

  10

  34

  Merseyside

  907

  10

  372

  382

  42

  22

  320

  342

  38

  259

  119

  46

  84

  32

  Metropolitan Police District

  5,509

  91

  1,912

  2,003

  36

  188

  1,975

  2,163

  39

  1,738

  547

  31

  738

  42

  Norfolk

  320

  9

  114

  123

  38

  20

  83

  103

  32

  215

  44

  20

  93

  43

  Northamptonshire

  388

  27

  110

  137

  35

  24

  127

  151

  39

  194

  52

  27

  94

  48

  Northumbria

  1,089

  77

  293

  370

  34

  51

  409

  460

  42

  666

  194

  29

  264

  40

  North Yorkshire

  295

  29

  71

  100

  34

  21

  107

  128

  43

  187

  36

  19

  74

  411

  Nottinghamshire

  629

  37

  212

  249

  40

  39

  213

  252

  40

  408

  108

  26

  166

  41

  South Yorkshire

  914

  84

  267

  351

  38

  63

  315

  378

  41

  257

  70

  27

  110

  43

  Staffordshire

  380

  11

  96

  107

  28

  26

  160

  186

  49

  41

  13

  32

  11

  27

  Suffolk

  203

  8

  74

  82

  40

  14

  63

  77

  38

  119

  34

  29

  58

  49

  Surrey

  284

  17

  61

  78

  27

  34

  92

  126

  44

  96

  23

  24

  44

  46

  Sussex

  558

  8

  160

  168

  30

  33

  205

  238

  43

  295

  75

  25

  134

  45

  Thames Valley

  929

  74

  259

  333

  36

  74

  321

  395

  43

  495

  145

  29

  228

  46

  Warwickshire

  173

  38

  34

  72

  42

  10

  52

  62

  36

  123

  42

  34

  46

  37

  West Mercia

  494

  20

  136

  156

  32

  33

  176

  209

  42

  247

  105

  43

  78

  32

  West Midlands

  2,359

  206

  677

  883

  37

  91

  900

  991

  42

  881

  332

  38

  312

  35

  West Yorkshire

  1,493

  86

  468

  554

  37

  85

  500

  585

  39

  571

  164

  29

  228

  40

  Wiltshire

  313

  6

  123

  129

  41

  10

  115

  125

  40

  175

  42

  24

  79

  45

  Dyfed-Powys

  149

  1

  53

  54

  36

  1

  54

  55

  37

  162

  23

  14

  101

  62

  Gwent

  319

  14

  93

  107

  34

  19

  126

  145

  45

  40

  15

  38

  14

  35

  North Wales

  369

  11

  147

  158

  43

  13

  108

  121

  33

  177

  45

  25

  72

  41

  South Wales

  993

  46

  323

  369

  37

  53

  341

  394

  40

  254

  97

  38

  76

  30

  England and Wales

  32,079

  1,553

  10,370

  11,923

  37

  1,647

  11,311

  12,958

  40

  12,755

  3,806

  30

  5,240

  41

  Table 2

  Number and percentage of juveniles and young adults found guilty or cautioned for offences of theft of a motor vehicle, unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and theft from a vehicle 1987

  Police force area

  Theft of and unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle

  Theft from a vehicle

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Total all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Total all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Theft

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Avon and Somerset

  858

  1—

  1—

  340

  40

  1—

  1—

  329

  38

  298

  131

  44

  103

  35

  Bedfordshire

  388

  1—

  1—

  147

  38

  1—

  1—

  165

  43

  245

  93

  38

  95

  39

  Cambridgeshire

  298

  1—

  1—

  89

  30

  1—

  1—

  127

  43

  219

  75

  34

  88

  40

  Cheshire

  669

  1—

  1—

  302

  45

  1—

  1—

  222

  33

  370

  101

  27

  145

  39

  Cleveland

  521

  1—

  1—

  235

  45

  1—

  1—

  187

  36

  65

  36

  55

  20

  31

  Cumbria

  298

  1—

  1—

  112

  38

  1—

  1—

  116

  39

  85

  43

  51

  25

  29

  Derbyshire

  454

  1—

  1—

  134

  30

  1—

  1—

  192

  42

  252

  89

  35

  89

  35

  Devon and Cornwall

  660

  1—

  1—

  165

  25

  1—

  1—

  290

  44

  213

  14

  7

  104

  49

  Dorset

  347

  1—

  1—

  122

  35

  1—

  1—

  143

  41

  119

  38

  32

  48

  40

  Durham

  468

  1—

  1—

  213

  46

  1—

  1—

  153

  33

  167

  60

  36

  65

  39

  Essex

  850

  1—

  1—

  310

  36

  1—

  1—

  350

  45

  570

  221

  39

  219

  38

  Gloucestershire

  258

  1—

  1—

  98

  38

  1—

  1—

  111

  43

  154

  59

  38

  52

  34

  Greater Manchester

  2,945

  1—

  1—

  1,156

  39

  1—

  1—

  1,190

  40

  894

  402

  45

  266

  30

  Hampshire

  1,036

  1—

  1—

  407

  39

  1—

  1—

  403

  39

  448

  223

  50

  136

  30

  Hertfordshire

  400

  1—

  1—

  134

  34

  1—

  1—

  167

  42

  298

  123

  41

  120

  40

  Humberside

  609

  1—

  1—

  287

  47

  1—

  1—

  207

  34

  308

  109

  35

  107

  35

  Kent

  741

  1—

  1—

  239

  32

  1—

  1—

  299

  40

  662

  256

  39

  253

  38

  Lancashire

  867

  1—

  1—

  292

  34

  1—

  1—

  367

  42

  312

  88

  28

  143

  46

  Leicestershire

  568

  1—

  1—

  221

  39

  1—

  1—

  228

  40

  739

  598

  81

  91

  12

  Lincolnshire

  285

  1—

  1—

  92

  32

  1—

  1—

  114

  40

  225

  67

  30

  95

  42

  London, City of

  40

  1—

  1—

  5

  13

  1—

  1—

  18

  45

  32

  3

  9

  13

  41

  Merseyside

  986

  1—

  1—

  373

  38

  1—

  1—

  383

  39

  341

  177

  52

  100

  29

  Metropolitan Police District

  5,031

  1—

  1—

  1,702

  34

  1—

  1—

  1,960

  39

  2,076

  928

  45

  731

  35

  Norfolk

  341

  1—

  1—

  117

  34

  1—

  1—

  127

  37

  289

  98

  34

  108

  37

  Northamptonshire

  430

  1—

  1—

  181

  42

  1—

  1—

  160

  37

  222

  72

  32

  94

  42

  Northumbria

  1,295

  1—

  1—

  515

  40

  1—

  1—

  506

  39

  696

  250

  36

  260

  37

  North Yorkshire

  272

  1—

  1—

  75

  28

  1—

  1—

  121

  44

  228

  90

  39

  80

  35

  Nottinghamshire

  705

  1—

  1—

  307

  44

  1—

  1—

  245

  35

  494

  214

  43

  160

  32

  South Yorkshire

  941

  1—

  1—

  369

  39

  1—

  1—

  388

  41

  342

  98

  29

  150

  44

  Staffordshire

  443

  1—

  1—

  133

  30

  1—

  1—

  195

  44

  89

  54

  61

  23

  26

  Suffolk

  264

  1—

  1—

  97

  37

  1—

  1—

  84

  32

  144

  51

  35

  62

  43

  Surrey

  367

  1—

  1—

  123

  34

  1—

  1—

  155

  42

  134

  63

  47

  38

  28

  Sussex

  516

  1—

  1—

  167

  32

  1—

  1—

  231

  45

  380

  130

  34

  155

  41

  Thames Valley

  1,061

  1—

  1—

  427

  40

  1—

  1—

  390

  37

  544

  161

  30

  247

  45

  Warwickshire

  217

  1—

  1—

  79

  36

  1—

  1—

  96

  44

  199

  65

  33

  75

  38

  656 657

  Police force area

  Theft of and unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle

  Theft from a vehicle

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Total all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Total all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Theft

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  West Mercia

  528

  1—

  1—

  171

  32

  1—

  1—

  220

  42

  273

  144

  53

  77

  28

  West Midlands

  2,460

  1—

  1—

  925

  38

  1—

  1—

  1,057

  43

  1,246

  582

  47

  390

  31

  West Yorkshire

  1,754

  1—

  1—

  716

  41

  1—

  1—

  679

  38

  949

  404

  43

  302

  32

  Wiltshire

  223

  1—

  1—

  81

  36

  1—

  1—

  77

  35

  234

  82

  35

  81

  35

  Dyfed-Powys

  166

  1—

  1—

  47

  38

  1—

  1—

  71

  43

  148

  57

  39

  41

  28

  Gwent

  339

  1—

  1—

  126

  37

  1—

  1—

  131

  39

  61

  33

  54

  23

  38

  North Wales

  385

  1—

  1—

  148

  38

  1—

  1—

  152

  39

  176

  62

  35

  61

  35

  South Wales

  1,117

  1—

  1—

  403

  36

  1—

  1—

  445

  40

  354

  136

  38

  103

  29

  England and Wales

  33,411

  1—

  1—

  12,382

  37

  1—

  1—

  13,281

  40

  16,294

  6,780

  42

  5,638

  35

  1 Not available separately

  Table 3

  Number and percentage of juveniles and young adults found guilty or cautioned for offences of theft of a motor vehicles, unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and theft from a vehicle 1988

  Police force area

  Theft of and unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle

  Theft from a vehicle

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Total all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Total all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Theft

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Avon and Somerset

  877

  1—

  1—

  332

  38

  1—

  1—

  327

  37

  375

  173

  46

  127

  34

  Bedfordshire

  326

  1—

  1—

  122

  37

  1—

  1—

  149

  46

  307

  95

  46

  68

  33

  Cambridgeshire

  337

  1—

  1—

  142

  42

  1—

  1—

  98

  29

  221

  115

  52

  56

  25

  Cheshire

  652

  1—

  1—

  279

  43

  1—

  1—

  248

  38

  315

  98

  31

  118

  37

  Cleveland

  665

  1—

  1—

  283

  43

  1—

  1—

  268

  40

  144

  58

  40

  71

  49

  Cumbria

  327

  1—

  1—

  139

  43

  1—

  1—

  114

  35

  79

  34

  43

  28

  35

  Derbyshire

  390

  1—

  1—

  131

  34

  1—

  1—

  154

  39

  385

  159

  41

  142

  37

  Devon and Cornwall

  713

  1—

  1—

  229

  32

  1—

  1—

  297

  42

  107

  14

  13

  49

  46

  Dorset

  274

  1—

  1—

  82

  30

  1—

  1—

  102

  37

  136

  57

  42

  39

  29

  Durham

  385

  1—

  1—

  134

  35

  1—

  1—

  159

  41

  203

  117

  58

  45

  22

  Essex

  801

  1—

  1—

  315

  39

  1—

  1—

  303

  38

  457

  160

  35

  184

  40

  Gloucestershire

  233

  1—

  1—

  101

  43

  1—

  1—

  80

  34

  182

  78

  43

  73

  40

  Greater Manchester

  2,761

  1—

  1—

  1,125

  41

  1—

  1—

  1,098

  40

  839

  442

  53

  258

  31

  Hampshire

  967

  1—

  1—

  382

  40

  1—

  1—

  388

  40

  463

  205

  44

  162

  35

  Hertfordshire

  465

  1—

  1—

  165

  35

  1—

  1—

  190

  41

  283

  124

  44

  112

  40

  Humberside

  662

  1—

  1—

  297

  45

  1—

  1—

  252

  38

  349

  163

  47

  95

  27

  Kent

  716

  1—

  1—

  248

  35

  1—

  1—

  292

  41

  1,082

  707

  65

  238

  22

  Lancashire

  865

  1—

  1—

  271

  31

  1—

  1—

  371

  43

  786

  601

  76

  116

  15

  Leicestershire

  494

  1—

  1—

  203

  41

  1—

  1—

  174

  35

  339

  108

  32

  153

  45

  Lincolnshire

  272

  1—

  1—

  95

  35

  1—

  1—

  109

  40

  275

  127

  46

  103

  37

  London, City of

  28

  1—

  1—

  3

  11

  1—

  1—

  7

  25

  12

  3

  25

  5

  42

  Merseyside

  1,018

  1—

  1—

  359

  35

  1—

  1—

  435

  43

  359

  190

  53

  104

  29

  Metropolitan Police District

  4,119

  1—

  1—

  1,513

  37

  1—

  1—

  1,506

  37

  1,555

  641

  41

  544

  35

  Norfolk

  357

  1—

  1—

  131

  37

  1—

  1—

  140

  39

  271

  137

  51

  80

  30

  Northamptonshire

  345

  1—

  1—

  107

  31

  1—

  1—

  139

  40

  214

  78

  36

  86

  40

  Northumbria

  1,240

  1—

  1—

  471

  38

  1—

  1—

  511

  41

  681

  244

  36

  251

  37

  North Yorkshire

  293

  1—

  1—

  94

  32

  1—

  1—

  142

  45

  242

  100

  41

  86

  36

  Nottinghamshire

  700

  1—

  1—

  276

  39

  1—

  1—

  262

  37

  537

  229

  43

  172

  32

  South Yorkshire

  1,024

  1—

  1—

  361

  35

  1—

  1—

  442

  43

  449

  187

  42

  177

  39

  Staffordshire

  641

  1—

  1—

  220

  34

  1—

  1—

  242

  38

  264

  237

  90

  14

  5

  Suffolk

  213

  1—

  1—

  85

  43

  1—

  1—

  68

  32

  183

  112

  61

  39

  21

  Surrey

  327

  1—

  1—

  107

  33

  1—

  1—

  137

  42

  150

  65

  43

  50

  33

  Sussex

  494

  1—

  1—

  156

  32

  1—

  1—

  194

  39

  142

  100

  29

  152

  44

  Thames Valley

  931

  1—

  1—

  349

  37

  1—

  1—

  374

  40

  458

  156

  34

  211

  46

  Warwickshire

  268

  1—

  1—

  103

  33

  1—

  1—

  116

  43

  197

  97

  49

  55

  28

  West Mercia

  489

  1—

  1—

  192

  39

  1—

  1—

  205

  42

  367

  260

  71

  63

  17

  West Midlands

  2,158

  1—

  1—

  785

  36

  1—

  1—

  937

  43

  1,207

  628

  52

  337

  28

  West Yorkshire

  1,758

  1—

  1—

  664

  38

  1—

  1—

  709

  40

  1,216

  762

  63

  296

  24

  Wiltshire

  287

  1—

  1—

  94

  33

  1—

  1—

  113

  39

  227

  104

  46

  66

  29

  Dyfed-Powys

  172

  1—

  1—

  45

  26

  1—

  1—

  74

  43

  141

  89

  63

  34

  24

  Gwent

  328

  1—

  1—

  134

  41

  1—

  1—

  127

  39

  123

  63

  51

  40

  33

  North Wales

  381

  1—

  1—

  139

  36

  1—

  1—

  142

  37

  214

  84

  39

  73

  34

  South Wales

  1,309

  1—

  1—

  477

  36

  1—

  1—

  566

  43

  421

  207

  49

  130

  31

  England and Wales

  32,062

  1—

  1—

  11,940

  37

  1—

  1—

  12,761

  40

  17,057

  8,408

  49

  5,302

  31

  1 Not available separately.

  658

  659

  Table 4

  Number and percentage of juveniles and young adults found guilty or cautioned for offences of theft of a motor vehicles, unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and theft from a vehicle 1989

  Police force area

  Theft of and unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle

  Theft from a vehicle

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Total all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Total all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Theft

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Avon and Somerset

  861

  70

  254

  324

  38

  53

  312

  365

  42

  273

  74

  27

  123

  45

  Bedfordshire

  365

  26

  116

  142

  39

  23

  126

  149

  41

  152

  45

  30

  68

  45

  Cambridgeshire

  263

  39

  51

  90

  34

  42

  58

  100

  38

  157

  52

  33

  67

  43

  Cheshire

  590

  28

  205

  233

  39

  40

  176

  216

  37

  258

  40

  16

  142

  55

  Cleveland

  623

  54

  253

  307

  49

  35

  196

  231

  37

  215

  69

  32

  108

  50

  Cumbria

  260

  12

  87

  99

  38

  12

  92

  104

  40

  104

  49

  47

  33

  32

  Derbyshire

  415

  24

  132

  156

  38

  20

  150

  170

  41

  333

  62

  19

  176

  53

  Devon and Cornwall

  562

  10

  157

  167

  30

  42

  193

  235

  42

  151

  29

  19

  57

  38

  Dorset

  259

  6

  105

  111

  43

  11

  71

  82

  32

  104

  40

  38

  34

  33

  Durham

  344

  32

  91

  123

  36

  30

  120

  150

  44

  193

  43

  22

  93

  48

  Essex

  758

  73

  232

  305

  40

  50

  215

  265

  35

  361

  90

  25

  187

  52

  Gloucestershire

  262

  14

  109

  123

  47

  16

  69

  85

  32

  123

  28

  23

  57

  46

  Greater Manchester

  2,782

  83

  1,011

  1,094

  39

  116

  1,007

  1,123

  40

  711

  294

  41

  246

  35

  Hampshire

  854

  33

  269

  302

  35

  73

  291

  364

  43

  328

  103

  31

  136

  41

  Hertfordshire

  370

  18

  129

  147

  40

  22

  118

  140

  38

  195

  38

  19

  109

  56

  Humberside

  723

  77

  303

  380

  53

  70

  179

  249

  34

  356

  134

  38

  132

  37

  Kent

  605

  64

  155

  219

  36

  55

  173

  228

  38

  422

  113

  27

  204

  48

  Lancashire

  830

  24

  260

  284

  34

  41

  297

  338

  41

  258

  103

  40

  100

  39

  Leicestershire

  574

  23

  229

  252

  44

  28

  177

  205

  36

  323

  127

  39

  129

  40

  Lincolnshire

  297

  7

  104

  111

  37

  17

  94

  111

  37

  236

  70

  30

  99

  42

  London, City of

  12

  1

  1

  2

  17

  —

  3

  3

  25

  10

  4

  40

  3

  30

  Merseyside

  1,046

  23

  363

  386

  37

  24

  423

  447

  43

  325

  213

  66

  62

  19

  Metropolitan Police District

  3,467

  88

  1,068

  1,156

  33

  92

  1,245

  1,337

  39

  1,443

  550

  38

  561

  39

  Norfolk

  328

  17

  109

  126

  38

  21

  91

  112

  34

  182

  52

  29

  83

  46

  Northamptonshire

  318

  13

  69

  82

  26

  22

  117

  139

  44

  128

  12

  9

  75

  59

  Northumbria

  1,211

  62

  414

  476

  39

  57

  459

  516

  43

  659

  210

  32

  285

  43

  North Yorkshire

  231

  7

  61

  68

  29

  17

  75

  92

  40

  155

  42

  27

  59

  38

  Nottinghamshire

  823

  42

  292

  334

  41

  53

  276

  329

  40

  440

  125

  28

  196

  45

  South Yorkshire

  895

  102

  231

  333

  37

  95

  270

  365

  41

  329

  107

  33

  147

  45

  Staffordshire

  578

  18

  226

  244

  42

  25

  190

  215

  37

  121

  79

  65

  22

  18

  Suffolk

  226

  17

  73

  90

  40

  19

  55

  74

  33

  125

  34

  27

  50

  40

  Surrey

  304

  24

  90

  114

  38

  12

  98

  110

  36

  87

  23

  26

  38

  44

  Sussex

  487

  44

  123

  167

  34

  16

  174

  190

  39

  248

  49

  20

  136

  55

  Thames Valley

  1,030

  68

  415

  483

  47

  47

  328

  375

  36

  402

  135

  34

  180

  45

  Warwickshire

  246

  18

  68

  86

  35

  15

  93

  108

  44

  112

  20

  18

  62

  55

  West Mercia

  474

  34

  187

  221

  47

  25

  146

  171

  36

  175

  99

  57

  47

  27

  West Midlands

  2,083

  152

  730

  882

  42

  102

  691

  793

  38

  857

  462

  54

  239

  28

  West Yorkshire

  1,666

  132

  547

  679

  41

  131

  541

  672

  40

  868

  409

  47

  265

  31

  Wiltshire

  288

  22

  88

  110

  38

  20

  90

  110

  38

  140

  39

  28

  59

  42

  Dyfed-Powys

  164

  2

  48

  50

  30

  4

  64

  68

  41

  65

  30

  46

  21

  32

  Gwent

  317

  17

  114

  131

  41

  14

  109

  123

  39

  129

  48

  37

  55

  43

  North Wales

  362

  19

  104

  123

  34

  15

  121

  136

  38

  134

  45

  34

  52

  39

  South Wales

  1,147

  37

  41,8

  455

  40

  55

  384

  439

  38

  348

  154

  44

  129

  37

  England and Wales

  30,300

  1,676

  10,091

  11,767

  39

  1,677

  10,157

  11,834

  39

  12,735

  4,544

  36

  5,126

  40

  660

  661

  Table 5

  Number and percentage of juveniles and young adults found guilty or cautioned foroffences of theft of a motor vehicle, unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle and theft from a vehicle 1990

  Police force area

  Theft of and unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle

  Theft from a vehicle

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Juveniles

  Young adults

  Total all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Theft

  Unauthorised taking

  Theft and unauthorised taking

  Total all ages ( = 100%)

  Theft

  Theft

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Avon and Somerset

  755

  54

  174

  288

  30

  45

  288

  333

  44

  312

  82

  26

  168

  54

  Bedfordshire

  456

  50

  122

  172

  38

  31

  172

  203

  45

  180

  65

  36

  82

  46

  Cambridgeshire

  317

  42

  64

  106

  33

  35

  91

  126

  40

  211

  61

  29

  109

  52

  Cheshire

  738

  16

  319

  335

  45

  53

  218

  271

  37

  312

  95

  30

  141

  45

  Cleveland

  670

  61

  228

  289

  43

  49

  232

  281

  42

  246

  97

  39

  113

  46

  Cumbria

  300

  11

  97

  108

  36

  12

  102

  114

  38

  84

  42

  50

  31

  37

  Derbyshire

  434

  25

  127

  152

  35

  24

  146

  170

  39

  332

  115

  35

  141

  42

  Devon and Cornwall

  658

  20

  167

  187

  28

  35

  225

  260

  40

  195

  52

  27

  80

  41

  Dorset

  267

  19

  78

  97

  36

  19

  83

  102

  38

  96

  29

  30

  37

  39

  Durham

  400

  42

  85

  127

  32

  47

  133

  180

  45

  271

  82

  30

  121

  45

  Essex

  747

  99

  208

  307

  41

  77

  193

  270

  36

  398

  121

  30

  201

  51

  Gloucestershire

  208

  6

  67

  73

  35

  17

  72

  89

  43

  161

  50

  31

  70

  43

  Greater Manchester

  3,041

  133

  1,227

  1,360

  45

  87

  1,052

  1,139

  37

  904

  417

  46

  301

  33

  Hampshire

  987

  50

  330

  380

  39

  62

  324

  386

  39

  544

  186

  34

  205

  38

  Hertfordshire

  462

  52

  143

  195

  42

  28

  150

  178

  39

  259

  93

  36

  127

  49

  Humberside

  668

  96

  267

  363

  54

  43

  167

  210

  31

  371

  134

  36

  144

  39

  Kent

  717

  83

  143

  226

  32

  111

  187

  298

  42

  481

  99

  21

  248

  52

  Lancashire

  865

  34

  241

  275

  32

  57

  309

  366

  42

  263

  105

  40

  102

  39

  Leicestershire

  694

  29

  239

  268

  39

  46

  252

  298

  43

  304

  89

  29

  158

  52

  Lincolnshire

  316

  18

  107

  125

  40

  17

  102

  119

  38

  218

  59

  27

  102

  47

  London, City of

  21

  —

  1

  1

  5

  2

  8

  10

  48

  9

  4

  44

  3

  33

  976

  9

  314

  323

  33

  20

  441

  461

  47

  261

  147

  56

  78

  30

  Metropolitan Police District

  3,517

  81

  1,345

  1,426

  41

  91

  1,191

  1,282

  36

  1,733

  844

  49

  523

  30

  Norfolk

  336

  23

  106

  129

  38

  30

  89

  119

  35

  189

  62

  33

  91

  48

  Northamptonshire

  287

  8

  32

  40

  13

  17

  129

  146

  49

  103

  15

  15

  70

  68

  Northumbria

  1,242

  71

  443

  514

  41

  77

  432

  509

  41

  662

  244

  37

  273

  41

  North Yorkshire

  277

  19

  69

  88

  32

  22

  93

  115

  42

  225

  61

  27

  102

  45

  Nottinghamshire

  988

  57

  365

  422

  43

  55

  344

  399

  40

  474

  140

  30

  227

  48

  South Yorkshire

  968

  95

  243

  338

  35

  90

  351

  441

  46

  506

  137

  27

  240

  47

  Staffordshire

  621

  56

  167

  223

  36

  46

  231

  277

  45

  179

  121

  68

  43

  24

  Suffolk

  273

  14

  99

  113

  41

  25

  71

  96

  35

  142

  43

  30

  67

  47

  Surrey

  257

  17

  84

  101

  39

  16

  79

  95

  37

  82

  23

  28

  39

  48

  Sussex

  455

  50

  96

  146

  32

  14

  185

  199

  44

  318

  63

  20

  160

  50

  Thames Valley

  1,204

  91

  419

  510

  42

  79

  383

  462

  38

  375

  158

  42

  155

  41

  Warwickshire

  270

  36

  64

  100

  37

  33

  75

  108

  40

  143

  30

  21

  79

  55

  West Mercia

  539

  43

  161

  204

  38

  41

  175

  216

  40

  141

  58

  41

  57

  40

  West Midlands

  2,375

  182

  838

  1,020

  43

  89

  833

  922

  39

  864

  540

  63

  192

  22

  West Yorkshire

  1,886

  133

  629

  762

  40

  112

  635

  747

  40

  855

  404

  47

  299

  35

  Wiltshire

  292

  17

  88

  105

  36

  14

  117

  131

  45

  142

  30

  21

  69

  49

  Dyfed-Powys

  174

  4

  54

  58

  33

  14

  58

  72

  41

  52

  25

  48

  21

  40

  Gwent

  330

  12

  127

  139

  42

  25

  98

  123

  37

  98

  34

  35

  46

  47

  North Wales

  292

  13

  84

  97

  33

  8

  104

  112

  38

  156

  51

  33

  64

  41

  South Wales

  1,302

  38

  486

  524

  40

  55

  507

  562

  43

  349

  145

  42

  144

  41

  England and Wales

  32,592

  2,009

  10,747

  12,756

  39

  1,870

  11,127

  12,997

  40

  14,200

  5,452

  38

  5,723

  40

  Ronnie Kray
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what treatment Ronnie Kray received at Heatherwood hospital, Ascot on 15 October; how many members of staff from Broadmoor hospital escorted him there on his visit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information about the treatment of individual patients is confidential between the hospital and the patient concerned. The provision of escorts for special hospital patients is an operational matter about which the hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the Special Hospitals Service Authority, Dr. David Edmond.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Magistrates
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much was spent on training and retraining magistrates in the financial years 1979–80, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92 and the planned expenditure for 1992–93.
  662
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Statutory responsibility for providing training and retraining magistrates lies with the 105 magistrates courts committees in England and Wales. This is funded 80 per cent. from central Government grant and 20 per cent. from local funds. At this stage it is not possible to identify the amounts that have been spent by magistrates courts committees on training and retraining magistrates in the years in question, but measures are in hand to ensure that this information is recorded in future.

  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the names of those responsible for choosing magistrates for the borough of Sandwell and their length of service in each case.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The ultimate choice is that of the Lord Chancellor. He is advised by the Lord Chancellor's advisory committees, the members of which are as follows:

  Name

  Date of Appointment

  Warley Advisory Committee

  Mrs. D. Cox, JP (Chairman)

  1985

  D. L. Crump, Esq. JP

  1987

  Mrs. W. V. Dyke, JP

  1991

  Miss B. Fletcher, JP

  1991

  Mrs. F. J. Groves, JP

  1981

  663

  Name

  Date of Appointment

  F. D. Head, Esq., JP

  1987

  Miss J. E. H. Marshall, JP

  1987

  H. E. Nottingham, Esq., JP

  1991

  C. G. Simmonds, Esq., JP

  1991

  J. Southall, Esq., JP

  1981

  R. G. Trigg, Esq.

  1991

  West Bromwich Advisory Committee

  P. J. Elliott, Esq., JP (Chairman)

  1977

  Dr. A. R. M. Evans, JP

  1991

  D. A. Hamilton, Esq. JP

  1991

  A. Mandley, Esq., JP

  1988

  J. A. Neale, Esq., JP

  1984

  J. F. Nicklin, Esq.,

  1988

  D. Parish, Esq, JP

  1981

  D. B. Peakman, Esq.,

  1991

  A. Pitt, Esq., JP

  1988

  Mrs. S. M. Smith, JP

  1991

  Mrs. M. Wilkes, JP

  1984

  Mrs. D. M. Wills, JP

  1991

  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will give the political balance of magistrates for the borough of Sandwell.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The political allegiances of the magistrates, at the time of their appointment, were as follows;

  Number

  Warley

  Conservative

  70

  Labour

  54

  Liberal Democrat

  15

  Independent and not known

  16

  West Bromwich

  Conservative

  79

  Labour

  43

  Liberal Democrat

  11

  Independent and not known

  13

  The Lord Chancellor has asked the West Bromwich advisory committee to seek additional appointments to improve the political balance.

TRANSPORT

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to undertake public consultations about substituting the channel tunnel high speed link running between Stratford and King's Cross for the North London line; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government expects to receive the report of Union Railways on the channel tunnel rail link by the end of December. We shall consider carefully its proposals and options, and will then announce a route for public consultation. We shall aim to do this as soon as possible.

  M20
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in connection with the widening of the M20 between junctions 3 and 5(a) how many dwellings he has
  664
  acquired under the discretionary power in section 62 of the Planning and Compensations Act 1991, (b) how many dwellings he has agreed to acquire under section 62 but where completion has not yet taken place, (c) how many applications to purchase under section 62 are still awaiting his decision and (d) what is the average acquisition cost to his Department per dwelling of the houses acquired under section 62.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  (a) one dwelling has been acquired under the discretionary power contained in section 62 of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991; (b) further 17 are in the process of acquisition following acceptance of their application for discretionary purchase; (c) there are 32 outstanding applications for discretionary purchase awaiting decision; (d) the average cost per dwelling is expected to be in the region of £92,000.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in connection with the widening of the M20 between junctions 3 and 5(a) how many dwellings he has acquired under the blight notice procedures, (b) how many dwellings he has the acquisition still to complete under those procedures, (c) what is the average acquisition cost to his Department per dwelling and (d) how many of the dwellings already acquired, and to be acquired, are on land that is now actually required for this road widening scheme.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  (a) 264 dwellings have been acquired to date under the blight provisions; (b) a further 28 are in the process of acquisition following acceptance of blight notices; (c) the average cost per dwelling is in the region of £92,000; (d) 57 dwellings are on land that is expected to be physically affected by the widening scheme.

  British Transport Police
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake that after the privatisation of British Rail the British Transport police will remain as a unified force, independent of the metropolitan and county forces.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government have no plans to end the present arrangement under which the British Transport police, as a separate service independent of the county police forces, have responsibility for security and the enforcement of law and order on the railways.

  Railways, United States
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which railways' rapid transports he visited in the United States of America this summer.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Unfortunately I had to cut short my visit to the United States, and so could not undertake my planned visit to see commuter services provided by the private sector in the Chicago conurbation.

  Norbreck Parade, London
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement detailing the reasons why his Department directed the local planning authority to refuse the application for permission to construct an access to Norbreck parade, London NW10, from the north circular road, and which was the subject of appeal proceedings on 14 October at the Ealing town hall.
  665
  Mr. Norris
  The Department directed refusal of this application in order to safeguard the safety and free flow of traffic on the north circular road.

  Marshalling Yards, Doncaster
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with British Rail concerning the future of Doncaster's marshalling yards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a commercial matter for British Rail.

  Jubilee Line
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now authorise the construction of the Jubilee line extension.

  Period of appointment

  Civil Service Appeal Board

  Mr. R. M. Hastie-Smith CB

  1 July, 1992–30 June, 1994

  Mr. P. D. Jones

  1 June, 1992–27 December, 1992

  Mr. N. F. Ledsome CB (reappointed)

  1 May, 1992–30 April, 1994

  Mr. J. Pennington (reappointed)

  15 August, 1992–14 August, 1994

  Mr. A. Stem

  15 August, 1992–14 August, 1994

  All Board members are appointed on the basis of their past experience of Civil Service personnel matters.

  Members receive a fee of £110 per day of attendance, plus expenses.

  Agricultural and Food Research Council

  Professor T. Mansfield FIBiol, PhD, FRS (reappointed)

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1993

  Mr. David George, OBE (reappointed)

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1994

  Members receive an honorarium of £4,420.

  Economic and Social Research Council

  Professor Victoria Bruce PhD

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1996

  Mr. William W. Daniel BA(Hons), MScTech

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1996

  Mr. Norman Glass BA, DIP, ICES (Amsterdam)

  1 August, 1992–31 July 1996

  Dr. Jeremy Harbison BA, MSC, DPhil

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1996

  Dr. Paul Judge BA

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1996

  Ms. Jennifer Abramsky, BA(Hons)

  1 October, 1992–31 July, 1995

  Members receive an honorarium of £4,420.

  Medical Research Council

  Professor A. M. Breckenridge MD, FRCP, FRSE

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1996

  Professor J. R. Pattison MA, BSc, DM, MRCPath

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1996

  Professor Sir David Weatherall MD, FRCP, FRCPath, FRS

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1996

  Members receive an honorarium of £4,420.

  National Environment Research Council

  Dr. I. J. Graham-Bryce DPhil, FRSC (reappointed)

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1995

  Dr. R. J. Pentreath PhD, DSc, FRS

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1995

  Professor J. R. L. Allen DSc, FRS

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1995

  Dr. G. W. Robinson BSc, PhD

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1996

  Members receive an honorarium of £4,597 with the exception of Dr. Robinson who receives no remuneration.

  Science and Engineering Research Council

  Professor A. W. Wolfendale BSc, PhD, DSc, FInstP, FRAS, FRS (reappointed)

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1993

  Professor Oxburgh PhD, FRS (reappointed)

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1993

  Dr. G. W. Robinson BSc, PhD

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1996

  Professor R. Smallman FRS, FEng

  1 August, 1992–31 July, 1996

  Professor Wolfendale receives an honorarium of £5,900. Professor Smallman receives an honorarium of £4,420. Professor Oxburgh and Dr. Robinson receive no remuneration.

  Advisory Board for the Research Councils

  Professor R. L. Gardner, FRS (reappointed)

  1 July, 1992–31 March, 1994

  Sir Eric Ash, CBE, FRS (reappointed)

  1 July, 1992–31 March, 1993

  Professor David Currie BSc, MSocSci, Econs, PhD

  1 July, 1992–31 March, 1994

  Members receive an honorarium of £4,420.

  666
  Mr. Norris
  No. Discussions with the private sector continue.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Appointments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list all the names of public appointments that he has made, giving the period for which the appointment was made, relevant qualifications of the appointees and what remuneration each currently receives.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  The information, listed by public body, is as follows

ENVIRONMENT

  Leasehold Enfranchisement
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to separate the leasehold enfranchisement elements of the Housing, Land and Urban Development Bill from the other parts of the Bill and to present them as a separate Bill.

  Mr. Baldry
  No.

  Urban Regeneration Agency
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will meet Stoke on Trent city council to discuss its response to the Urban Regeneration Agency consultation paper.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The consultation exercise on our proposals on the Urban Regeneration Agency closed on 21 September. The Department took note of Stoke-on-Trent's response, along with the many others we received, in preparing the details of the agency in the Housing and Urban Development Bill which was introduced to the House on 22 October. It is too late to take receipt of further formal comments but I would be happy to discuss our plans for the agency when I visit Stoke-on-Trent on 13 November.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it is policy that any future arrangements for the proposed Urban Regeneration Agency will not discriminate against those authorities currently in receipt of derelict land grant but currently without assisted area and other status.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Housing and Urban Development Bill makes provision for a new unified grant regime for the Urban Regeneration Agency which will replace derelict land grant and the other grants to be transferred to it. The Government will take account of the current priorities for these grants, including derelict land grant, when constructing the new unified regime.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account is taken of home improve-ments in valuation of households for the council tax.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The band shown in the valuation list compiled on 1 April 1993 should reflect the size, layout and character of each dwelling on that day. If there has been a change to a dwelling since it was valued, and before 1 April 1993, the banding of the dwelling may be reconsidered by the listing officer. In all cases, the banding will reflect the open market value of the dwelling, including any subsequent improvement, as at 1 April 1991.

  After 1 April 1993, home improvements and other factors which lead to a material increase in the value of a dwelling will only be taken into account when it is subsequently sold.

  Eco-labelling Scheme
  Mr. Coe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in implementing the eco-labelling scheme; and how it will be funded in 1992–93.
  668
  Mr. Maclean
  The Government have laid regulations before both Houses of Parliament which are due to come into force on 1 November establishing the United Kingdom Ecolabelling Board as a non-departmental public body and giving it responsibility for administering and promoting the EC eco-labelling scheme in the United Kingdom.

  The board was set up in an advisory capacity in July under the chair of Dr. Elizabeth Nelson. It has already made a good start in preparing the ground for implementation of the scheme and developing plans for a communications strategy. On 23 October the board and European Commission jointly hosted in the first meeting of competent bodies from EC member states, in London, to discuss issues of common interest.

  Unfortunately there have been delays at the Commission in setting in place the necessary administrative arrangements for the scheme. The United Kingdom has played and will continue to play a leading role in the development of the eco-labelling scheme. Through our presidency of the European Community we are pressing the Commission to implement the scheme speedily and asking that other member states show the same commitment to it as we are showing. The board remains hopeful that the first eco-labels will start appearing on goods in the shops in the early part of 1993.

  Parliamentary approval of this new expenditure will be sought in a supplementary estimate for the central environmental services vote—class VIII vote 5. Pending the approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £550,000 will be met by repayable advances from the contingencies fund.

  Transfer of Undertakings and Acquired Rights
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the advice he has issued to local authorities over the transfer of undertakings and acquired rights directive.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Directive was implemented in the United Kingdom by the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981. We are at present consulting interested parties on a draft of guidance to be issued under section 9 of the Local Government Act 1992, which states our view that it would be most unusual for the Regulations to apply to a normal contract let under the compulsory competitive tendering legislation. However the interpretation of the law in individual cases is a matter for the courts.

  Computer Projects
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table setting out for the period since 9 April(a) each tender issued by his Department for projects requiring the supply of (i) computer hardware and (ii) computer software, (b) a description of the services required, (c) the number of companies who were invited to tenders, (d) the number of companies who submitted a bid without prior invitation by his Department, (e) which company was awarded the contract, (f) the value of each contract and (g) the length of period over which the contract will run.
  669
  Mr. Howard
  The following major contracts have been awarded by my department since 9 April 1992 for the supply of computer hardware and software. No companies submitted a bid without prior invitation.

  (a) Provision of computer hardware

  Description of services: Provision of hardware and software to enable the department to perform automatic security back ups of its computer bureau systems.

  Number of companies invited to tender:—3

  Company awarded the contract: Digital Equipment Corporation

  Value of contract:—£116,736

  Duration of Contract:—Not applicable

  (b) Provision of computer software

  (i) Description of Services: Provision of a personal computer version of library periodicals software formerly provided by Comshare as part of their bureau service.

  Number of companies invited to tender:—1

  Company awarded the contract:—Comshare Ltd.

  Value of contract:—£36,450

  Duration of contract:—4 months

  (ii) Description of services: Provision of computer system design software.

  Number of companies invited to tender:—1

  Company awarded the contract:—LBMS

  Value of Contract:—£24,300

  Duration of contract:—Not applicable

  (iii) Description of services: IEF software

  Number of companies invited to tender:—1

  Company awarded the contract:—JMA Information Engineering

  Value of contract:—£8,500

  Duration of contract:—Not applicable

  (iv) Description of services: Helpdesk software for VAX VMS system.

  Number of companies invited to tender:

  Company awarded the contract:—Intercom Data Systems

  Value of contract:—£l7,000

  Duration of contract:—Not applicable

  (v) Description of services: Diskeeper Plus Software (defragmentation)

  Number of companies invited to tender:–1

  Company awarded the contract:—Executive Software

  Value of contract:—£4,700

  Duration of contract: Not applicable

  In addition, during the same period my department issued 1,471 orders for minor items of computer hardware, software and associated consumables, over half of which were from "call-off" contracts that were placed before 9 April 1992. The combined value of these orders is £1,238,000.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution United Kingdom nuclear fuel cycle experts have made to the International Atomic Agency's RADWASS programme on developing safety standards for nuclear waste management.

  Mr. Maclean
  The United Kingdom plays a major part in the planning a nd development of the Radioactive Waste Safety Standards programme of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

  Disabled Facilities Grants
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply to the right hon Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe of 3 July,Official Report, column 719, what information is available to him on the numbers of disabled people who receive no disabled
  670
  facilities grants because the income or capital or family members is deemed excessive; what proportion of these do not consequently obtain the adaptations they require; if all such cases are automatically referred to the Department of Social Security for consideration of their duties under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970; and if he will make a further statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department does not collect details of applicants for disabled facilities grant who do not qualify for assistance under the means test, because of the financial circumstances of family members, and who subsequently do not obtain the adaptations they need. There is no automatic referral procedure to social services departments. However, the Department jointly with the Department of Health, has reminded social services authorities of their responsibilities under the 1970 Act to provide financial assistance in cases where a disabled person will otherwise face hardship in meeting their share of the cost of adaptations.

EDUCATION

  Funding
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will reconsider the fifth report of Session 1990–91 from the Education, Science and Arts Committee, and the first report of the School Teachers Review Body and take steps to clarify the arrangements for the funding of education.

  Mr. Forth
  The Government do not accept that there is any lack of clarity about the current arrangements for funding education. Under these arrangements the great bulk of central Government support for local authority expenditure is through revenue support grant which is not earmarked for particular services. Central Government are accountable for its overall support for local government spending through revenue support grant, while individual local authorities are accountable to their electorates for the decisions they take both about their overall spending and the balance of that spending between and within services.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what response he has made to the evidence submitted to his Department by the Association of County Councils on the likely vulnerability of shared local education authority/funding agency transitional arrangements.

  Mr. Forth
  The ACC's comments on the proposals in the White Paper have been carefully considered. In addition, my right hon. Friend has had a meeting with representatives of the ACC.

  Ozone Depletion
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what guidance he has issued to grant-maintained schools on leakages of chlorofluorocar-bons and other ozone-destroying chemicals; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what steps he is taking to advise local education authorities on replacing halons in school fire extinguishing systems with non-ozone depleting substances; and if he will make a statement.
  671
  Mr. Forth
  The Department does not at present issue specific guidance on the use of ozone friendly or CFC-free materials in school buildings. However, the Department is currently reviewing the scope and content of its guidance on environmental standards for educational buildings.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from Birmingham local education authority about parental choice and grant-maintained schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  No recent representations have been received from Birmingham local education authority specifically about parental choice and grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the sources and evidence on which the statement made at paragraph 13.3 of the White Paper, "Choice and Diversity: A New Framework for Schools", that grant-maintained schools secure better value for money is based.

  Mr. Forth
  Her Majesty's inspectorate has observed that grant-maintained schools have generally deployed their resources to good effect. The majority of respondents to a survey of grant-maintained schools conducted by the Grant-Maintained Schools Centre reported increased ability to focus spending on delivery of education in the classroom.

  Appointments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list all the names of public appointments that he has made, giving the period for which the appointment was made, relevant qualifications of the appointees, and what remuneration each currently receives.

  Mr. Forman
  The details requested are given in the table. Information on the qualifications of appointees is not kept centrally, but we are satisfied that the qualifications of appointees to this Department's public bodies fully meet the standards required.

  Names of appointments to public bodies

  Period of appointment

  Remuneration

  Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges

  Mr. D. A. L. Every1

  3 years

  —

  Dr. R. Rix1

  4 years

  —

  Mrs. S. Greenfield1

  4 years

  —

  Mr. R. Bailess1

  2 years

  —

  Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research

  Mr. J. Beale1

  2 years

  —

  Ms. J. Little

  2 years

  —

  Ms. M. Ryan

  2 years

  —

  Professor G. Thomas1

  2 years

  —

  Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education

  Professor A. J. Alexander1

  2 years

  —

  Mr. J. Burn1

  2 years

  —

  Sr. V. Duggan

  2 years

  —

  Dr. M. Frazer, CBE1

  2 years

  —

  Professor A. O'Hear1

  2 years

  —

  Education Assets Board

  Sir Tom MacDonald1 (Ch. PT)

  1 year

  £23,365 pa

  672

  Names of appointments to public bodies

  Period of appointment

  Remuneration

  Mr. H. S. Hoare1 (Ch. Ex. FT)

  2.5 years

  £46,000 pa

  Mr. B. C. Arthur1

  2.5 years

  2£153

  Mr. K. J. Bridge1

  3 years

  Ms. K. Buckley

  3 years

  Mr. H. E. Couch1

  2.5 years

  Mr. J. M. Edwards1

  3 years

  Miss A. Lees1

  3 years

  Mr. P. S. Lewis

  3 years

  Mr. G. Locke

  3 years

  Mr. A. N. Solomons1

  2.5 years

  Fulbright Commission

  Professor M. Edwards1

  4 years

  —

  Higher Education Funding Council, England

  Professor C. Campbell

  3 years

  4£4,000

  Professor B. K. Follett3

  2 years

  Mr. R. Gunn3

  2 years

  Professor Kay Tee Khaw

  3 years

  Sir Idris Pearce3

  2 years

  Sir David Phillips3

  2 years

  Professor J. Shaw3

  2 years

  Sir Robert Scholey

  3 years

  Dr. R. Telfer

  3 years

  Miss J. Trotter

  3 years

  Further Education Funding Council

  Mr. N. Bennett

  3 years

  5£4,000

  Mr. A. Cann

  3 years

  Dr. J. Capey

  3 years

  Mr. A. Close

  3 years

  Mrs. M. Davey

  3 years

  Mrs. P. Haikin

  3 years

  Mrs. M. Hobrough

  3 years

  Mr. C. Jonas

  3 years

  Cllr. L. Lawrence

  3 years

  Mr. M. Lickiss

  3 years

  Mr. M. Rowarth

  3 years

  Dr. A. Wright

  3 years

  The Further Education Unit6

  Mr. A. Ainsworth1 (Ch.)

  4 years

  —

  Mr. M. Cross1

  4 years

  —

  Mr. K. Franklin1

  2 years

  —

  Ms. A. Limb1

  1 year

  —

  Mr. G. M. Rowarth, OBE1

  1 year

  —

  Mr. C. K. Rowland1

  1 year

  —

  Ms. J. Scribbins1

  1 year

  —

  Mr. B. D. Short1

  6 years

  —

  National Curriculum Council

  Mr. D. Pascall1 (Ch. PT)

  1 year

  7£285 pd

  Mr. J. Burn

  3 years

  —

  Dr. J. Marks

  3 years

  —

  Professor A. Smithers

  3 years

  —

  Mrs. J. Wisker1

  1 year

  —

  National Council for Educational Technology

  Mr. J. Richards (Ch.)

  3 years

  —

  Ms. S. Davies

  2.5 years

  —

  Dr. D. Laurillard

  2.5 years

  —

  Ms. U. Malik

  2.5 years

  —

  Ms. L. Menon

  2.5 years

  —

  Mr. K. Satchwell

  2.5 years

  —

  Mr. R. Scarth

  2.5 years

  —

  Mr. J. Young

  2.5 years

  —

  School Examinations and Assessment Council

  Dr. J. Marenbon

  3 years

  —

  Dr. S. Nepaulsingh1

  3 years

  —

  Mr. A. Pellegrini

  3 years

  —

  Lord Sidelsky

  3 years

  —

  Ms. K. Tattershall

  3 years

  —

  Mr. P. Wood

  3 years

  —

  1 Members of public bodies who have been re-appointed.

  2 Members receive an honorarium of £153 paid for attendance at

  673

  each monthly board meeting.

  3 Members who have previously served on the Universities Funding Council or the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council.

  4 Membership of the Higher Education Funding Council, England carries with it an honorarium of £4,000 per annum.

  5 Members of the Further Education Funding Council receive an honorarium of £4,000 per annum.

  6 Members of the Further Education Unit have had their periods of office extended from the original expiry date of 31 March 1993 (30 April in the case of Mr. Ainsworth) to 31 March 1994.

  7 Mr. Pascall receives remuneration of £285 per day for the time spend on National Curriculum Council business. This is reimbursed to his employer.

  A-Levels
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils obtained three or more A-levels in(a) 1982 and (b)

  Mr. Forman
  The estimated number of school leavers in England who obtained three or more A-levels was 72,600 in 1982 and 86,700 in 1991, the latest year for which information is available.

  Schools
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is current per capita spending on education in schools in England and Wales; and what it was in 1982.

  Mr. Forth
  The latest year for which actual spending information is available is 1990–91. In that year, school-based funding available per nursery, primary and secondary pupil in England was some £1,620 per pupil. This figure includes unspent balances held by schools at the year end under local management schemes. In 1981–82, school-based funding in England was some £740 per pupil, which represents some £1,240 per pupil at 1990–91 prices. There was a real-terms increase in funding per pupil between 1981–82 and 1990–91 of 31 per cent. Expenditure on schools in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Teachers Pensions Agency
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list for the last 12 months, the titles of papers published by the Teachers Pensions Agency.

  Mr. Forth
  The Teachers Pensions Agency was established on 1 April 1992. Since that date, the following papers and guides have been issued:

  The TPA Business Plan and Framework documents

  A guide to Teachers Superannuation for Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges

  Two Teachers' Superannuation Scheme Fact Sheets

  A Guide for employers to the TPA

  A Guide for teachers to the TPA

  The first TPA newsletter

  In addition, many of the explanatory and option leaflets in daily use by employers and scheme members have been redesigned and reissued.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Coal Imports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many tonnes of coal were imported from the Netherlands in 1991; what was the pithead cost of that coal; and if he will make it his policy to impose an anti-dumping duty on such coal.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Netherlands has closed all its mines and now produces no coal. In 1991 the statistics recorded 6,000 tones of coal originated in the Netherlands. It is assumed that these 6,000 tonnes were first imported into the Netherlands from other countries, processed there, and subsequently re-exported to the United Kingdom. The statistics also record that in 1991, 4.713 million tonnes of coal, destined to the United Kingdom, passed through the Netherlands in consignment.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for each port in the United Kingdom, the tonnages of coal imports by year for the last four years; and what were the points of origin.

  Mr. Eggar
  Breakdowns of coal imports by port of entry, and by country of origin, for the last four years and for the current year to date, are as follows:

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  11992

  Port of entry

  Med way

  565

  652

  855

  1,989

  2,249

  Immingham

  999

  1,268

  2,182

  3,177

  2,206

  Middlesbrough

  2,570

  2,812

  2,385

  2,894

  1,914

  Port Talbot

  1,997

  2,610

  2,885

  2,655

  1,716

  London (including Tilbury)

  743

  782

  2,104

  3,016

  1,596

  Greenock

  1,164

  1,162

  1,027

  1,209

  1,363

  Liverpool

  31

  286

  948

  1,308

  1,152

  Belfast

  192

  182

  332

  387

  536

  Hull

  1

  44

  152

  416

  322

  Cardiff

  294

  229

  410

  491

  292

  Swansea

  92

  134

  162

  422

  140

  Others

  3,036

  1,975

  1,340

  1,527

  983

  Total

  11,685

  12,137

  14,783

  19,491

  14,469

  Country of origin

  United States of America2

  4,073

  4,874

  6,176

  8,132

  5,375

  Australia2

  3,416

  2,676

  3,044

  4,654

  3,304

  Colombia2

  574

  874

  1,506

  2,447

  2,505

  Canada

  553

  729

  986

  760

  653

  South Africa

  276

  346

  356

  579

  621

  Poland

  1,270

  1,055

  1,043

  557

  588

  USSR

  375

  181

  592

  900

  574

  China

  319

  450

  69

  294

  162

  Germany3

  191

  288

  249

  220

  160

  Venezuela

  92

  86

  169

  230

  160

  Belgium

  122

  78

  60

  231

  12

  Others2

  425

  501

  533

  488

  354

  Total

  11,685

  12,137

  14,783

  19,491

  14,469

  Because of rounding the sum of the constituent items may not agree with the totals shown.

  1 January to August.

  2 Some imports previously recorded by Customs and Excise as originating in the Netherlands have been re-allocated to the other countries indicated or, where revised country or origin data is not available, included in the residual entry "Others". This re-allocation has been carried out for 1991 and estimates of such imports previously classified to the Netherlands have been included for 1990. Figures for earlier years have not been re-allocated to individual countries.

  675

  3 Includes imports previously recorded separately for the German Democratic Republic.

  Source: Customs and Excise.

  Coal Stocks
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what plans he has to sell existing coal stocks(a) in the EEC and (b) outside the EEC at a reduced price to ease the burden on the Exchequer;

  (2) what proposals he has to auction the entire stock of coal above ground to the highest overseas bidder.

  Mr. Eggar
  The sale of coal stocks is a matter for the owners of the stocks. More generally as my right hon. Friend indicated to the House on 21 October, I will report on the level of coal stocks and whether plans to run them down are sensibly phased as part of the current review of coal policy.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to re-examine the recommendations numbered 13, 23, 36, 43, 44, 45, 48 and 49 in the second report of the Energy Committee, Session 1991–92, on the consequences of electricity privatisation.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend announced on 26 October,Official Report, columns 522–23, the scope of the review which we will be conducting of the proposed closure of 21 pits, within the context of the Government's energy policy.

  Divisional Papers
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list, for the last 12 months, the titles of papers published by the heads of division of(a) the business task force 1, (b) the companies investigation branch, (c) the competition policy division, (d) the financial services division, (e) the insurance division, (f) the manufacturing technology division and (g) the telecommunications and posts division, respectively.

  Mr. Eggar
  The details1 are as follows:

  Business Task Force 12

  None

  Companies Investigation Branch

  (Investigations under section 432(2) of the Companies Act 1985)

  The Milford Docks Company

  BOM Holdings plc.

  Blue Arrow plc.

  Competition Policy Division

  (Various Monopolies and Mergers Commission reports)

  Havas/Brunton Curtis

  Unichem/McCarthy and Lloyds/McCarthy

  AAH Holdings/Medicopharma

  Hillsdown/ABF

  Allied Lyons/Carlsberg

  Sara Lee Corporation/Reckitt and Colman

  Bond/British Helicopters

  Scottish and Universal Newspapers Ltd./Trinity International Holdings plc.

  EMAP/United Newspapers

  Supply of Indirect Electrostatic Photocopiers

  Supply of Cross Solent Ferry Services

  Supply of Matches and Disposable Lighters

  Supply of New Motor Cars

  676

  Supply of Motor Car Parts

  Television Broadcasting Services

  The Commonwealth Development Corporation

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

  Insurance Division

  Insurance Annual Report 1991

  (CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENTS)

  Implementation in the United Kingdom of the Second Council Directive on Direct Life Assurance

  Implementation in the United Kingdom of the EC Council Directive on the accounts of insurance undertakings Implementation in the United Kingdom of Council directive 90/618/EEC of 8 November 1990, amending Directives 73/239/EEC and 88/357/EEC, particularly as regards Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance

  Implementation in the United Kingdom of Second Council Directive on Direct Life Insurance—The Life Services Directive—Draft Regulations

  Manufacturing Technology Division2

  Industrial Materials for the Future? (Jointly sponsored by SERC and DTI)

  Five-year Forward Look for Measurement Technology and Standards Work in Materials

  (Papers were also circulated to consult industry on EC proposals to remove technical barriers to trade, and to inform industry of new or impending Directives and UK regulations to implement them).

  Telecommunications and Posts Division

  (CONSULTATIVE DOCUMENTS)

  Telecommunications Terminal Equipment: Draft UK Regulations

  The Satellite Broadcasting of Television Signals Regulations 1992: Draft UK Regulations

  Responsibility for the former DTI financial services division was transferred to Her Majesty's Treasury earlier this year.

  1 Publicity and promotional publications excluded.

  2 Much of the Business Task Force 1 has been subsumed within the Department's Environment Division, and the Manufacturing Technology Division within the Information and Manufacturing Technology Division.

  Coal Exports
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for each port in the United Kingdom, the tonnages of coal exports by year for the last four years; and what were the points of destination.

  Mr. Eggar
  Breakdowns of coal exports by port and by country of destination, for the last four years and for the current year to date, are as follows:

  Exports by port

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  11992

  Swansea

  277

  187

  410

  616

  189

  Sunderland

  39

  78

  82

  149

  71

  Irish Land Boundary

  90

  81

  95

  117

  63

  Leith (including Granton)

  90

  99

  213

  118

  56

  Blyth

  392

  442

  192

  279

  52

  Workington

  326

  242

  108

  32

  38

  Tyne

  270

  607

  869

  285

  33

  Others

  255

  336

  338

  217

  156

  Total

  1,737

  2,072

  2,307

  1,813

  658

  Country of destination

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  11992

  Irish Republic

  359

  331

  248

  268

  154

  France

  256

  210

  271

  346

  102

  Belgium

  13

  46

  103

  106

  95

  Spain

  —

  33

  138

  256

  81

  Denmark

  426

  521

  366

  175

  60

  677

  Exports by port

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  11992

  Norway

  106

  128

  145

  73

  55

  Germany2

  107

  93

  214

  244

  48

  Portugal

  170

  154

  190

  118

  33

  Morocco

  144

  282

  282

  103

  11

  Others

  155

  274

  351

  124

  18

  Total

  1,737

  2,072

  2,307

  1,813

  658

  1 January to August.

  2 Included imports previously recorded separately for the German Democratic Republic.

  Source: Customs and Excise

  Because of rounding the sum of the constituent items may not agree with the totals shown.

  RECHAR
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects the initial instalment of RECHAR programme moneys to be specifically allocated to the projects; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in the payments.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In accordance with the standard procedure for the European Community structural funds, the allocation is made by 11 area committees, each of which includes central and local government and European Commission representatives. So far, grant of £11.6 million has been committed to 129 projects, and a further £29.5 million of grant has been approved in principle to 359 projects. Further committee meetings will be held shortly.

  In accordance with the standard procedures grant is, for financial control reasons, not generally paid on to final beneficiaries until they certify their own expenditure. So far grant of £96,000 has been paid to two projects.

  Nuclear Industry
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what criteria he has used in his Department's monthly publication,Energy Trends, to exclude natural uranium, enriched uranium and plutonium from the table of imports and exports of fuels.

  Mr. Eggar
  The exclusion of natural uranium, enriched uranium and plutonium from the data on imports and exports of fuels in Energy Trends follows internationally accepted practices for the compilation of energy statistics. There are difficulties in compiling aggregate energy statistics that include nuclear fuels, including the technical problems associated with converting data to a common unit of measurement that can be compared with other fuels.

  Clean Coal Technology
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what investments his Department, and predecessor Departments, have made annually since 1979, to support research, development and demonstration projects in clean coal technology; and if he will make a statement on the criteria adopted in deciding upon investment.

  Mr. Eggar
  The estimated annual investment by my Department and the former Department of Energy in support of coal research and development is as follows:678

  1991 prices

  £ million

  1979–80

  5.3

  1980–81

  5.7

  1981–82

  8.3

  1982–83

  6.0

  1983–84

  5.3

  1984–85

  1.3

  1985–86

  1.1

  1986–87

  2.5

  1987–88

  1.7

  1988–89

  1.1

  1989–90

  2.2

  1990–91

  11.8

  1991–92

  5.1

  Total public sector expenditure on coal R and D over the period 1981–92 was approximately £1,000 million, at 1991 prices, of which around half was associated with the development of clean coal technology.

  The Department's coal R and D programme is primarily focussed on the development of new clean coal technologies that improve the environmental performance of coal utilisation. The criteria for assessing the desirability of specific project proposals are set out within a document prepared by the Department's coal task force in August 1991. Factors include the degree of novelty, relevance to the overall objectives of the R and D programme, and the potential for exploitability. If the objective of the work is commercial, the potential benefit to United Kingdom company competitiveness is also taken into account.

  Natural Gas
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of natural gas is currently consumed annually in the United Kingdom(a) by electricity generators and (b) by other customers; and what quantity his Department estimates will be consumed by electricity generators and other customers in (a) 1995, (b) 2000, (c) 2010, (d) 2020, (e) 2030, (f) 2040 and (g) 2050, respectively.

  Mr. Eggar
  Natural gas sales to(a) electricity generators and (b) other customers in 1991 and for the first half of 1992 in Gigawatt hours were as follows:

  Electricity generators

  Other customers

  1991

  13,686

  581,072

  1992 (January-June)

  7,239

  305,556

  Source: Energy Trends (Table 9).

  An indication of the likely range of gas requirements in some possible future energy scenarios can be obtained from "Energy Paper No. 59", which was recently published by this Department. A copy of this paper has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of natural gas in the British sector of the North sea his Department estimates(a) is in gas fields currently being exploited, (b) is in gas fields identified as economically exploitable but not currently being exploited and (c) is yet to be discovered in economically exploitable gas fields.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department's most recent estimate of recoverable gas reserves remaining in the United Kingdom
  679
  were published in the Brown Book—"Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom"—in April 1992. Reserves so far identified as economically exploitable are as follows:

  Billion cubic metres

  Proven

  Proven plus probable

  Maximum possible

  Fields in production and approved for development

  540

  805

  985

  Other discovered fields identified as economically exploitable

  0

  430

  820

  Total

  540

  1,235

  1,805

  In addition, reserves in unappraised discoveries and undrilled prospects are estimated at between 395 and 1,557 billion cu m.

  Electricity Costs
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what are the current costs of producing a unit of electricity by(a) coal, (b) gas, (c) nuclear and (d) wind, respectively: and what are the projected costs over the next decade.

  Mr. Eggar
  The comparable capital and full fuel costs per kilowatt-hour of power stations using coal, gas and nuclear fuels depend 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, however, be assessing the evidence available on the comparative economics of coal as against other sources as part of the Government's review.

  Cost data for wind energy are likely to be given in the report of the Renewable Energy Advisory Group, which I hope to receive shortly, and which I expect to be published soon afterwards.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the cost of electricity for manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom and in each of the other European Community countries.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 26 October 1992]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 26 October, Official Report, columns 518–20.

  Boreholes
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will direct British Coal to provide information to the British Geological Survey about its 1958 to 1965 and 1973 to 1985 drilling programmes to establish the undersea extension of the Northumberland and Durham coalfield; and if he will ensure that the academic community has access to this information.
  680
  Mr. Eggar
  I understand that British Coal already provides information to the British Geological Survey in accordance with statutory requirements.

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on the number of boreholes drilled between Acklington Whin Dyke and the Grange Park fault in the Northumberland and Durham coalfield; and if he will list the borehole numbers, their co-ordinates, the coal sections and the depths to each coal section.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department does not keep information on boreholes. This is a matter for British Coal.

  Sectoral Divisions
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the sectoral divisions he has created in his Department; for each what are their current work programme priorities and recent contacts; and if he will list the studies, projects and research reports they have commissioned.

  Mr. Eggar
  In the reorganisation of the Department which my right hon. Friend announced on 3 July he said that the Department would be adopting a more directly sectoral approach in the industries for which it is responsible. Seven new sectoral divisions were created to cover the key sectors not previously dealt with in this way:

  Chemicals and biotechnology

  Steel, metals and minerals

  Vehicles (also covering shipbuilding)

  Aerospace

  Electronic and electrical engineering

  Mechanical engineering

  Textiles and retailing

  The sectoral divisions, both new and old, have been given the explicit role of sponsoring their industries, not uncritically, but as the basis for an informed dialogue and a constructive partnership between the Government and business. In addition, the new industrial competitiveness division is examining what lessons can be learnt from the leading industrialised countries and ensuring that policies of all Government Departments take due account of the need to promote the competitiveness of United Kingdom industry and commerce.

  All sectoral divisions are taking forward my right hon. Friend's initiative and developing their contacts with their industries. My right hon. Friend will be reviewing their current work priorities and progress made during the MINIS discussions which he will be holding with his officials over the next few months.

  Halons
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what research or evaluations his Department has conducted or commissioned on new gases which could replace ozone-destroying halons in fire-fighting applica-tions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  None. My Department and the Department of the Environment are willing to consider requests from industry for support for collaborative research into alternative gases and technologies. However, halons are only one of five commonly used fire extinguishing media and many businesses are finding that they can use water, foam, powder or CO2 instead.

  Electricity
  Mr. Jack Thompson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total capacity of electricity supplied to the United Kingdom from French sources in the years 1990, 1991 and to the third quarter of 1992.

  Mr. Eggar
  The quantity of electricity supplied to the United Kingdom from French sources in the years 1990, 1991 and in the first three quarters of 1992 is set out in the table.

  Electricity supplied from France (Gigawatt hours)

  1990

  11,990

  1991

  16,422

  First three quarters of 1992

  12,412

  Source: Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics and Energy Trends.

  Mr. Jack Thompson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total capacity of electricity supplied to France from United Kingdom sources in the years 1990, 1991 and to the third quarter of 1992.

  Mr. Eggar
  The quantity of electricity supplied to France from United Kingdom sources in the years 1990, 1991 and in the first three quarters of 1992 is set out in the table.

  Electricity supplied to France (Gigawatt hours)

  1990

  47

  1991

  15

  First three quarters of 1992

  20

  Source: Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics and Energy Trends.

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the cost to the Government of maintaining output at the 31 pits scheduled in his announcement of 13 October to be closed; whether this includes the market value of the coal being stockpiled; and whether he will publish a table showing exactly how the £100 million per month referred to in that announcement is made up by item of expenditure.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 27 October 1992] British Coal has said that it cannot expect to sell more than 40 million tonnes of coal to the electricity supply industry next year. This is 25 million tonnes less than in the current year.

  The cash operating costs of the pits concerned are about £100 million per month. This excludes stocking costs.

  The coal produced could only be sold at distressed prices, over an extended period, if at all.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many pits have been subject to the consultative review procedure on redundancies in the last decade; and how many have remained open following the review.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 26 October 1992]: The issue which the hon. Member has raised is a matter for British Coal.
  682
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will request National Power and PowerGen to announce no further station closures during the moratorium on pit closures; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The procedure governing power station closures by National Power and PowerGen is prescribed by a licence condition. The Director General of Electricity Supply announced last week that he has decided to appoint an independent assessor to examine the issues in relation to their power station closures.

  Power Stations
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the expected rate of depletion of reserves of natural gas within United Kingdom or European Community ownership, at those volumes of gas contracted to be burned by gas-powered power stations in operation, or likely to be approved, stated in approximate volume, time and percentage terms.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 22 October 1992] My Department's latest estimates of United Kingdom gas reserves are set out in the Brown Book "Development of Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom". The rate at which gas reserves are depleted will depend on many factors including demand, development costs, prices, levels of imports and technological developments. I am not aware of any plans to import gas from European Community countries.

  As my right hon. Friend told the House on 21 October, we will be producing for the House the conclusions we draw from our estimates of reserves, and will report on the scale of gas-generated power stations in production, in build and in the planning process.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Beef Premium
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give details of the arrangements for payment of beef premium from 1 January 1993.

  Mr. Curry
  Commission legislation giving effect to the new premium scheme is still in the course of preparation and arrangements for its application in the United Kingdom cannot therefore be finalised. I recognise the need for some form of transitional arrangement so that the provision of animals for slaughter is not interrupted in the early months of the year, but this is still to be negotiated.

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Agriculture Council held on 26 and 27 October.

  Mr. Gummer
  I chaired the meeting of the Council of Agriculture Ministers in Luxembourg on 26 and 27 October. My hon. Friends the Minister of State in my Department and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Scotland represented the United Kingdom.

  Following a short discussion on GATT I confirmed on behalf of the Community, that the Commission should

  683
  attempt urgently to seek an accommodation with the United States on the Uruguay round and the oilseeds dispute following the mandates already given by the Council and using the Commission's powers under the treaty of Rome. I understand talks will resume shortly.

  Progress was made on a wide range of other issues dealing with the implementation of CAP reform and of the single market. Decisions will be needed on these before the end of year.

  Bananas
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the relationship between the single market for bananas and(a) the Lome convention and (b) GATT negotiations in the Uruguay round.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government are determined that the arrangements for the single market in bananas should meet its Lomé convention obligations, whilst being compatible with a successful outcome to the GATT Uruguay round.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the division of licences on the single market for bananas amongst(a) Latin American producers, (b) the Association of Caribbean Producers and (c) European Community producers.

  Mr. Curry
  Negotiations are continuing on single market arrangements for bananas. No agreement has yet been reached. The Commission proposal would require licensing of all fruit from non-EC and non-ACP sources and of imports from ACP origins that exceed traditional volumes of trade. The detailed provisions for licence allocation are complex but would broadly distribute 66.5 per cent. of the total on the basis of past trade in non-EC and non-ACP fruit; 30 per cent. would be available to operators who undertook to market a related quantity of EC or ACP fruit; 3.5 per cent. would be available to newcomers to the trade.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement concerning the level of banana exports to the European Community in 1993 from(a) Caribbean exporters and (b) Latin American exporters.

  Mr. Curry
  The precise level of banana exports to the European Community in 1993 will depend on many factors. Negotiations on the bananas dossier are continuing and it is therefore not possible, at this stage, to forecast the level of imports in 1993 from either the Caribbean or Latin America.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent(a) Caribbean, (b) Latin American and (c) European Community producers will have access to banana markets under the single market system.

  Mr. Curry
  Negotiations are continuing on single market arrangements for bananas. The Commission's proposals would apply a quota to all imports of bananas from non-EC and non-ACP sources, including Latin America; non-traditional volumes from ACP sources would also be covered; EC and ACP supplies would continue free of duty; all others would face a 20 per cent. duty. No agreement has so far been reached regarding the single market arrangements.
  684
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans Her Majesty's Government have for the maintenance of an orderly market at the start of 1993 if the single market for bananas is not fully in place.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government are working hard to secure agreement on a common organisation of the market in bananas by the end of this year. We shall be discussing with the Commission and other member states what arrangements may be necessary at the start of 1993 in the light of developments in the negotiations.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the responsibilities of Her Majesty's Government to Commonwealth banana exporters as a result of the Lomé convention.

  Mr. Curry
  The Lomé convention imposes obligations on all EC member states. In particular, article 1 of protocol 5 of that convention states:"In respect of its banana exports to the Community markets, no ACP State shall be placed, as regards access to its traditional markets and its advantages on those markets, in a less favourable situation than in the past or at present."

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement concerning the establishment of a quota system under the single market for bananas.

  Mr. Curry
  The Commission has proposed a system for the common organisation of the Community banana market based on an absolute quota on imports from non-EC and non-ACP sources, and on ACP supplies above traditional levels. This proposal provides the basis for the negotiations between member states that are currently under way.

  Geopathie Stress
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department is currently carrying out into geopathic stress; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The Department currently spends about £50 million a year on agricultural research relevant to environmental problems. Details are given in the MAFF publication "Scientific Research and Development: The Environment", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  CAP Reforms
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what consideration was given to introducing the common agricultural policy reforms over more than one year; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when more information about the detail of the common agricultural policy reforms will be made available to farmers;

  (3) what representations he has received about the speed of the common agricultural policy reforms.

  Mr. Curry
  The Ministry is in regular contact with representatives of consumer, farming and environmental organisations to discuss all aspects of the common agricultural policy reforms, which are being phased in over a four-year period. An explanatory booklet on the arable
  685
  scheme was sent to farmers at the beginning of September; a copy was placed in the Library of the House. Discussion of detailed rules for the reformed beef and sheepmeat regimes is still continuing; farmers will be given information on these as soon as it is available.

  Eggs
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce salmonella testing on eggs imported into the United Kingdom from the EC and marketed in the United Kingdom as packed in the United Kingdom, before such eggs are introduced into the retail market.

  Mr. Soames
  Imported eggs are already subject to salmonella testing and where positive results are found these are pursued with the exporting member state. To delay the distribution of such eggs would be a clear breach of European Community law.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to fix a date for ending salmonella testing on laying flocks to bring the United Kingdom into line with the rest of the EC.

  Mr. Soames
  The package of' measures introduced by the Government to combat salmonella in poultry, including the testing of laying flocks, has been an important factor in helping to restore confidence in British eggs.

  We shall continue to keep these measures under review, taking account of the progress being made in Brussels towards the introduction of Communitywide measures for the control of salmonella in poultry.

  Suckler Cows and Sheep
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what will be the base year for suckler cows and sheep used to establish the quota for herds and flocks.

  Mr. Curry
  For suckler cow premium, the Government have chosen to base quotas on claims in respect of the 1992 marketing year.

  For ewe premium, individual producers will receive quota equal to their eligible sheep numbers in 1991, provided they also made a valid claim in 1992. However, the total quota available to the United Kingdom industry will be based on the number of eligible animals in the national flock in 1990. The difference between the 1991 and 1990 numbers—some 320,000 ewes—will be used to create the national ewe premium quota reserve.

  These decisions provide the United Kingdom suckler cow and sheep industries with the maximum quota permitted under the Council regulations.

  Milk
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements he intends to make to fund the individual farmer for milk recording under the new system in place of the milk marketing board.

  Mr. Curry
  I understand that the Milk Marketing Board envisages that its proposed successor co-operative would continue to offer a milk recording service. This would be available to non-members on a commercial basis. It will be open to other organisations to offer competing services.

PRIME MINISTER

  Libya
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with President Bush over the circumstances surrounding the imposition of sanctions by the United Nations against Libya; and what plans Her Majesty's Government have to raise the issues surrounding Lockerbie at the United Nations.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have worked closely with the American administration on all aspects of the Lockerbie case, including United Nations Security Council resolutions 731 and 748.

  Bloodstock
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will institute an interdepartmental review of the case for reducing the level of value added tax on bloodstock in the United Kingdom to reduce the difference between the United Kingdom rate and the rates levied in France and Ireland.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 26 October 1992]: The Government recognise the regional economic importance of the bloodstock industry. My right hon. Friend the Paymaster General has worked hard with industry representatives to ensure that it is not significantly disadvantaged by the continued difference in VAT rates between member states. The introduction of the flat rate farmers' scheme and a 0.75 per cent. cut in betting duty in the 1992 Budget will help to secure the right environment in which the industry can compete successfully.

  Ministers receive many well-argued cases for tax relief, many of which appear at least as deserving of a reduced rate as bloodstock. The Government believe that their long-standing policy of a VAT system based on a zero rate and a single positive rate is simple for all traders and cheap to administer.

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from the General Secretary of the TUC about pit closures; and what reply he is sending.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 26 October 1992]: Following British Coal's announcement of pit closures on 13 October the General Secretary of the TUC, Mr. Willis, wrote to me on 15, 17 and 20 October.

  In replying, I noted that the issues he raised had been addressed in Parliament on a number of occasions and that we looked forward to the TUC's contribution to the widespread consultation announced by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  Mr. Willis also wrote to me twice on 26 October. I shall reply to these letters shortly.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Departmental Offices
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement about(a) the timetable, (h) the location, (c) the space requirement and (d) the cost of the provision of new office accommodation for his Department.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend is considering the future location of the Department, which requires approximately 70,000 sq ft of useable space. He expects to make an announcement on the matter in due course and the Department will then move to its new headquarters as soon as possible.

  Appointments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list all the names of public appointments that he has made, giving the period for which the appointment was made, relevant qualifications of the appointee and what remuneration each currently receives.

  Mr. Key
  The Department of National Heritage is still in the process of setting up central records and the information required to answer this question is not yet centrally available.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage whether a national lottery will be classified by the Government as gambling.

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Tower of London

  2,289,400

  2,181,700

  2,214,000

  2,298,700

  1,923,500

  Hampton Court

  590,600

  533,000

  538,800

  521,000

  502,400

  Cutty Sark, Greenwich

  375,700

  401,000

  360,100

  411,000

  437,500

  National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

  442,000

  707,400

  423,800

  563,000

  587,900

  Figures rounded to the nearest hundred.

  There are no projected figures for the period 1992 to 1994.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Home Carers
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to exempt home carers from obligations for classified business miles payments, for education purposes.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I am very much aware of the important and valuable service provided by home carers. If carers receive motor mileage allowances in respect of business journeys or volunteer driving, no tax is payable if the allowances do no more than cover their costs. The allowances are liable to tax only if the allowances exceed actual costs and so result in a profit. If, however, the hon. Member is concerned about the tax treatment given in a particular case, I would be happy to look into it if he would let me have the usual details.
  688
  Mr. Brooke
  The Government made it quite clear in the White Paper "A National Lottery: Raising Money for Good Causes", Cm. 1861, that lotteries, including the national lottery, represent the "softest" form of gambling. Properly regulated, the national lottery will provide a harmless form of entertainment.

  Exhibition, Upper Waiting Hall
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Royal Armouries' new museum in Leeds to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Key
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 26 to 30 October 1992.

  Tourism
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many(a) foreign and (b) domestic visitors are estimated to have been to (i) the Tower of London, (ii) Hampton Court and (iii) Greenwich in each of the years from 1987 to 1991; and how many are expected to visit each in 1992, 1993 and 1994.

  Mr. Key
  The figures for estimates of the number of visitors to the Tower of London, Hampton Court and Greenwich are published annually by the British tourist authority and the English tourist board. These figures, which are set out in the table, are not compiled on a foreign/domestic visitor basis.

  Fraud
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department has saved from the investigation of fraud in the latest year for which figures are available; and what are the targeted savings for the next financial year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Such information is not available. But in the year 1991–92 the direct yield from Inland Revenue counter-evasion work was some 1.4 billion, excluding any future or deterrent effects.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of people prosecuted for fraud by his Department in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The number of successful Inland Revenue prosecutions for false accounts or returns of income, false claims to personal allowances, deductions or repayments, false PAYE returns, and sub-contractor exemption certificate frauds, in the year 1991–92 was 167.
  689
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of whole-time equivalent staff employed by the Inland Revenue to detect and prosecute fraud; and what is the cost of their employment.

  Mr. Dorrell
  During the year 1991–92 a total of 3,600 staff units were employed by the Inland Revenue in the detection and prosecution of possible or actual tax evasion, including fraud. The cost of their employment was some £115 million.

  Mortgages (Negative Equity)
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of mortgages in England with negative equity, and the number who will benefit directly from the recently announced changes in limits to unsecured loans and MIRAS entitlement.

  Mr. Nelson
  Estimates of the number of households with negative equity have varied considerably. A figure of around 1 million for the United Kingdom was published in the August edition of the "Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin".

  The number of those who will benefit directly from the measures recently announced by the Government will depend on a range of factors, including the proportion of them who wish to move; the way in which they choose to go about it; their personal circumstances; the attitude of their lender; and the extent to which mortgage indemnity insurance can be transferred. In practice, the number of potential beneficiaries is likely to be in the tens of thousands.

  EC Contributors
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the net contributors to the EC and the amount they each contribute; and if he will list the net recipients of funds from the EC and how much each receives.

  Sir John Cope
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Sir T. Taylor) on 22 June 1992, at column 5.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated amount currently being spent on all forms of research and development excluding defence; and what were the comparable figures for 1982 and 1972.

  Mr. Nelson
  The available information for 1990 is given in table 2.2.2 of the "Annual Review of Government Funded Research and Development 1992", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Figures for 1989 were published in the 1991 edition. Information for 1982 and 1972 on a comparable basis is not available.

  Housing Associations
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what response he has made to representations from the National Federation of Housing Associations about the retention of the £2 billion grant for housing associations; and if he will make it his policy that no cuts in expenditure will be made to the budget for the west midlands.
  690
  Mr. Portillo
  It would not be appropriate for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor to respond in detail to representations in advance of his autumn statement on 12 November.

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

  Mr. Nelson
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executives of the Royal Mint, Central Statistical Office and Valuation Office executive agencies. I have asked each of them to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from W. McLennan chief executive of the Central Statistical Office to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 October 1992.
  I have been asked to reply direct to question No. 49, which you tabled for answer on 26 October 1992.
  Neither I, nor my predecessor, Sir Jack Hibbert, have made any official fact-finding visits in the last twelve months.

  Letter from R. R. B. Shutter, chief executive of the Valuation Office Agency to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992

  In your question to the Chancellor ref: 3/0470 you ask for a note of the factfinding visits made in the last year by Chief Executives:

  The principal factfinding visits made by me are as follows:

  Visit

  Objective

  Visits to Annual Conference and other meetings of the Trade Unions representing Agency staff.

  To hear staff views on pay, conditions of service and other issues, and to make "state of affairs" speech at the Conference.

  Visits to regional meetings of managers and staff in the network

  To give an account of issues facing the Agency and to hear staff views.

  Visits to meetings of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, other professional bodies and management seminars.

  To give an Agency view on technical and management matters; to present prizes and awards and give advice to students.

  Visits to meetings of other Chief Executives.

  To give an Agency view on public sector management issues and to hear views of colleagues.

  Visits to (and with) various Management Consultants.

  On customer relations (attitude survey of VO customers), on Council Tax (tendering ar-rangements and also financial appraisal of tendering firms) and on pay and performance management (in preparation for new pay agreement with Unions).

  I am at your disposal if further assistance is required.

  Letter from A. D. Garrett, chief executive of the Royal Mint, to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 26 October 1992.
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to respond to your Written Questions.
  I can confirm that I have made no factfinding visits and have published no papers in the last 12 months.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, for the last 12 months, the titles of papers published by the chief executive of each executive agency for which he is responsible.
  691
  Mr. Nelson
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the chief executives of the Royal Mint, Central Statistical Office and Valuation Office executive agencies. I have asked each of them to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from R. R. B. Shutter, chief executive of the Valuation Agency, to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 27 October 1992.
  In your question to the Chancellor ref: 3/0458 you ask for a note of the papers given or published by Chief Executives during the last year.
  Apart from speeches to professional bodies, the only articles or papers written by me are:

  "Keeping an eye on the recession" (advice to students) GTI Surveying Journal

  "Spread of experience" (article for students on career progression) GTI Surveying Journal

  (GTI = Graduates to Industry)

  Valuation Office, Business Plan 1992–93 (my plans for the Agency, the current year)

  Annual Report 1991–92 (my appreciation of the outturn for last year)

  Please let me know if I can assist further.

  Letter from W. McLennan, chief executive of the Central Statistical Office, to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 28 October 1992.
  I have been asked to reply direct to question no. 75 which you tabled for answer on 23 October 1992.
  2. A paper titled Official Statistics in the UK: is there cause for concern, by my predecessor Sir Jack Hibbert, was published in Statistical News No. 96, Spring 1992.

  Letter from A. D. Garrett, chief executive of the Royal Mint, to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 26 October 1992
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has asked me to respond to your Written Questions.
  I can confirm that I have made no factfinding visits and have published no papers in the last 12 months.

  Tax Revenue
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the loss in tax revenue, based on average income figures and direct taxation, resulting from unemployment in the financial years 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The loss in tax revenue would depend on the particular circumstances of the people concerned. It is not possible to provide a meaningful estimate.

  Inland Revenue (Information Technology)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the provision of Inland Revenue information technology services in response to the White Paper "Competing for Quality", Cm 1730.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Government have authorised the Inland Revenue to proceed with a competitive tender to test the benefit available from a strategic contract with a major private sector computing supplier. If the tender reveals benefit to the Inland Revenue the aim will be to have a contract in place by the end of 1993.

  Taxpayers Charter
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations were undertaken with service users in the course of the production of the taxpayers charter (Inland Revenue) and the taxpayers charter (Customs and Excise).
  692
  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 26 October 1992]: The taxpayers charter was issued to provide a public statement of the standard of service at which the Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise aim. There were no formal consultations.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Road Building
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the revised timetable for construction of the proposed Comber bypass; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what is the revised programme for the Forter Green road junction scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Any revised timetable for the implementa-tion of these schemes will only be known after the outcome of the current annual review of the Government's expenditure plans has been determined.

  Forensic Science Laboratory, Newtownbreda
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to re-open Newtownbreda road following the recent bomb explosions at the forensic science laboratory; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mates
  The explosion at the Northern Ireland forensic science laboratory cratered the road which was subseqently closed in the interests of public safety and to facilitate forensic examinations. These examinations have now been completed and the road is currently being repaired.

  Maghaberry Prison
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why no crèche facilities are provided for vistors to the women's section of Maghaberry prison; and why the visiting room is smaller than the men's section.

  Mr. Mates
  The provision of a crèche facility in the female visits area is presently under consideration. The decision will await the result of an efficiency scrutiny into childcare services in Maghaberry prison.

  The size of the visits room reflects the overall requirements of Maghaberry prison—317 male prisoners and 42 females at 26 October 1992. Major improvements are, however, under way to construct a second visits room on the female side.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why the men's section of Maghaberry prison is subject to different evening exercise arrangements from the women's section.

  Mr. Mates
  Unlike the male section of Maghaberry prison, where the exercise yards are immediately adjacent to the living accommodation, allowing easy access and supervision, the exercise yards in the female section are slightly apart. For security reasons, the yards on the female side are not available for evening association periods during the winter months.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why there are fewer recreational facilities available for women in Maghaberry prison than there are for men.
  693
  Mr. Mates
  Both male and female prisoners have access to the gym on a regular basis and participate in a wide range of recreational pursuits. An exercise bike and pool table for each association room in the female section of Maghaberry prison is under consideration.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why evening classes have been withdrawn from the women's section of Maghaberry prison, while remaining available to prisoners in the men's section.

  Mr. Mates
  Reassessment of evening classes showed that the classes were too small to be viable. However, the day programme for female prisoners has been enhanced to take account of the non-provision of evening classes.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland why no inter-wing association beween women prisoners in Maghaberry prison is permitted, as compared with men.

  Mr. Mates
  The privilege of inter-wing association was withdrawn from female prisoners in July 1991 for operational reasons. However, it has now been reintroduced for some prisoners and will be kept under review.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing the number and ranks of officers presently serving in the RUC 694
  fraud squad; what formal qualifications such officers have in accountancy and law; and what further expertise in these fields would normally be available to them.

  Mr. Mates
  [holding answer 27 October 1992]: I understand that at present the established strength of the squad is 17 officers. Their ranks are as follows:

  Number

  Chief Inspector

  1

  Inspector

  2

  Sergeant

  5

  Constable

  9

  Fraud squad officers are not required to have formal qualifications in accountancy or law, although one officer has a degree in accountancy; but those in and selected for the squad must have an aptitude for this type of investigatory work. All officers attached to the RUC fraud squad receive the training necessary for their duties and members of the squad regularly attend comprehensive training courses organised at United Kingdom level.

  Expertise from other relevant professional organisa-tions, including the accountancy and legal professions, is drawn upon whenever necessary to ensure the fullest possible investigation of suspected fraud.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Indonesia
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom relations with Indonesia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom maintains friendly and constructive relations with Indonesia. My right hon. Friend the Minister of State paid a successful visit there earlier this month.

  Latin America
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next intends to visit Latin America to discuss regional security in that area.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs looks forward to visiting Latin America again soon and to discussing a wide range of issues.

  East Timor
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement about the state of human rights in East Timor.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We continue to monitor the situation in East Timor. During my right hon. Friend the Minister of State's visit to Indonesia earlier this month, he stressed the importance we attach to full respect for human rights in East Timor. We welcome the resumption of dialogue between Indonesia and Portugal about East Timor.

  Libya
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reconsideration he has given to the imposition of sanctions against Libya, and the issue of the origins of the Lockerbie crime.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Nations Security Council reviewed the sanctions against Libya on 12 August, and agreed that there was no justification for lifting them. The Lockerbie investigation continues, but no evidence has come to light which would justify the issue of further warrants.

  Yugloslavia
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current circumstances surrounding the peace-keeping role of the United Nations in the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  UNPROFOR. the United Nations peacekeeping operation in the former Yugoslavia is mandated to carry out a number of specific tasks. These include ceasefire monitoring in Croatia—Security Council resolution 743—overseeing the demilitarisation of the Prevlaka Peninsula—SCR 779—reopening and securing Sarajevo airport—SCR 764—support for the United 696
  Nations High Commissioner for Refugees' efforts to deliver humanitarian relief throughout Bosnia—SCR 776 —and monitoring compliance with the ban on military flights in Bosnia—SCR 781. The United Kingdom is contributing forces to UNPROFOR operations in both Croatia and Bosnia.

  "An Agenda for Peace"
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he received a copy of the report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, "An Agenda for Peace"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Secretary-General's report, "An Agenda for Peace" was published on 17 June this year. In my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs' speech to the United Nations General Assembly on 22 September he welcomed the report on behalf of the EC and its members as a very important collection of proposals which all United Nations bodies, but notably the General Assembly and the Security Council, should follow up swiftly. I have asked for a copy of this speech to be placed in the Library of the House of Commons.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Benda
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will meet the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash, to discuss the situation in Cyprus.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no plans to meet the Turkish Cypriot leader, Mr. Denktash, who claims to be the head of a state which we do not recognise. We have regular contacts with him at senior official level.

  Mr. Keith Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the talks on Cyprus recently held in New York under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the talks on Cyprus recently held in New York under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the talks on Cyprus recently held in New York under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest position with regard to the talks on Cyprus.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  President Vassiliou and Mr. Denktash held a series of separate meetings with the United Nations Secretary-General from 15 July to 11 August. Sufficient progress was made to allow a change of format to direct negotiation between the two, under the Secretary-General's chairmanship, from 12 to 14 August.
  697
  These talks reconvened in the new format in New York on 26 October. Security Council resolution 774 makes plain that the international community expects this round to lead to the agreement of an outline settlement on the basis of the United Nations Secretary-General's "set of ideas" as set out in his report of 21 August.

  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's relations with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In line with Security Council resolution 541, we do not recognise the so-called "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus". Nor does any state other than Turkey. We support the efforts of the United Nations Secretary-General in seeking a solution to the Cyprus dispute on the basis of a single, federal, bizonal and bicommunal state.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the talks on Cyprus recently held in New York under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

  Mr. Hurd
  Direct negotiations, under the United Nations Secretary-General's chairmanship reconverted in New York on the 26 October. Security Council resolution 774 makes plain that the international community expects this round to lead to the agreement of an outline settlement on the basis of the United Nations Secretary-General's "set of ideas" as set out in his report of 21 August.

  Maastricht Treaty
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to review with his counterparts in the European Community the methods by which member states are ratifying the Maastricht treaty.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  None. Article R of the treaty states that member states shall ratify the treaty in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements. These requirements differ from one member state to another.

  India
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding relations between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of India.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Our relations with India are excellent.

  Central America
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom relations with the countries of central America.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom enjoys good relations with all the countries of central America. We support their efforts to consolidate democracy and promote economic development, primarily through our active participation in the San José dialogue between the European Community and its member states and the central American countries.

  Occupied Countries
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urge Israel to withdraw from all of the territories it has occupied since 1967 as part of a lasting and binding peace settlement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have constantly restated our policy that Israel should withdraw from territories occupied in 1967 as part of a comprehensive peace settlement, and meanwhile administer them in compliance with international law and human rights standards.

  Western Sahara
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Morocco on the western Sahara.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have taken every opportunity to underline the need for the parties to the dispute to co-operate fully with the Secretary-General in the implementation of his settlement plan. This continues to offer the best hope for a fair and lasting solution.

  Languages
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representa-tions to the Council of Ministers encouraging the inclusion of the main European lesser-used languages within the Lingua programme.

  Mr. Forman
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government have no plans to encourage an increase in number of the languages covered by the Lingua programme.

  Kashmir
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement as to what diplomatic measures he is taking to force India to implement the resolutions of the United Nations and the European Parliament calling for a peaceful settlement in Kashmir; and if he will consider imposing(a) economic sanctions and (b) an arms embargo.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are deeply concerned to see a resolution to the Kashmir dispute and are ready to help if both sides would like us to play a role. We take every opportunity to urge India and Pakistan to agree a peaceful means of resolving the dispute as they committed themselves to do in the 1972 Simla agreement. The United Nations resolutions of 1948 and 1949 set out a possible framework, but neither side fully implemented those resolutions and they have, to some extent, been overtaken by events.

  United Nations (Members' Participation)
  Sir Michael Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements his Department has made to assist right hon. and hon. Members to participate in the working of United Nations institutions.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We welcome the participation of parliamentarians in the work of the United Nations. There
  699
  are particular areas in which the extensive experience and tradition of democracy of the hon. and right hon. Members of this House can be of benefit. I am thinking of the growing significance of the United Nation's role in election monitoring and in providing support to emerging parliaments. We are pleased to see an example of this in the assistance the Inter-Parliamentary Union has given to the United Nations Development Programme. We remain willing to assist hon. Members of this House to participate in such areas. In addition, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office arranges an annual visit for Members of Parliament to the United Nations General Assembly. The next visit will take place early in 1993.

  Aku Suki Maru
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will inquire of the Governor of Hong Kong the reasons for the invoking of legislation prohibiting the plutonium ship Akat Suki Maru from entering its territorial waters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Hong Kong Government have not invoked legislation prohibiting the ship Akat Suki Maru from entering Hong Kong waters. Hong Kong is aware of its international obligations as regards navigation through its waters. There is no reason to expect that the ship will enter Hong Kong waters.

  European Single Market
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 23 October,Official Report, column 409, which aspects of the common commercial policy of the European Community are not contained within its policy for a single market; and what aspects of the single market programme are not contained within the EC common commercial policy.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The common commercial policy was established by a separate chapter—articles 110 to 116—of the treaty of Rome. It governs the Community's trade relations with third countries, as distinct from the single market provisions, which deal with intra-Community trade.

  Although the functioning of the single market depends, among other things, upon the existence of a common customs tariff, the articles of the treaty, as amended by the Single European Act, which govern the establishment of the single market have no direct bearing on those governing the common commercial policy.

  Southern Africa
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his most recent assessment of the economic and political situation in southern Africa.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Despite tragic setbacks, the countries of the region are still going through potentially a most hopeful period of political and economic change. This difficult process is worsened by the worst drought in living memory. However, we remain optimistic.

WALES

  Capital Expenditure
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what policy considerations will govern the choice of priorities for capital projects in his departmental budget in the year 1993–94(a) if the Barnett formula is continued and (b) if it is discontinued;

  (2) what evaluation he has carried out of the priority to be given to all of the capital expenditure projects in his departmental programme in relation to the proposed impact of the Barnett formula agreements.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 19 October,Official Report, column 149. In due course, I shall allocate the resources of the Welsh Office block to individual programmes and projects according to my assessment of priorities.

  Environmental Network
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the companies from(a) north Wales, (b) south-west Wales and (c) south-east Wales which have joined his Department's environmental network to date; and if he will list both the events organised to date by the network and proposed events for the future.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Since the launch in July, 51 organisations have joined the environmental managers network. Of these, 15 are from north Wales, six are from south-west Wales and 30 are from south-east Wales, as detailed in the list. I expect many more to join shortly and arrangements are in hand for updated lists of the network's members to be placed in the Library of the House every three months.

  MEMBERSHIP LIST

  ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGERS NETWORK

  North Wales Region

  Kimberly Clark Ltd.

  Simon Petroleum Technology Ltd.

  Pilkington Insulation products

  Peboc Ltd.

  Iceland Frozen Foods Ltd.

  Ferodo Caernarfon Ltd.

  Alfred McAlpine Quarry Products Ltd.

  Celtest Ltd.

  Castle Cement Padestow Ltd.

  Envirocheck

  Hotpoint Ltd.

  Deeside Titanium Ltd.

  Hoya Lens (UK) Ltd.

  GS Packaging Ltd.

  Continental Can (Europe) Ltd.

  South West Wales

  Alcoa Manufacturing (GB) Ltd.

  Wynnstay and Clwyd Farmers plc

  Kaye (Presteigne) Ltd.

  Ina Bearing Co. Ltd.

  Marine and Port Services Ltd.

  3M (UK) Ltd.

  South East Wales

  Parke Davies and Co. Ltd.

  Hoover plc

  ENVOTEK Chemical Environmental Consultants

  Arjo Wiggins Carbonless Papers Ltd.

  England Environmental Ltd.

  Mid Glamorgan TEC

  Western Labels

  BP Chemicals

  Amersham International plc

  701

  Dow Chemical Co. Ltd.

  MEP Ltd.

  Scott Manning Associates

  EMMS Wales Ltd.

  Monsanto plc

  Sheer Pride Ltd.

  Purolite International Ltd.

  Sony (UK) Ltd.

  Anacomp Data Products Ltd.

  Touche Ross and Co.

  Severnside Waste Paper Ltd.

  South Wales Electricity plc

  Allied Steel and Wire plc

  Plastics Engineers Ltd.

  IEP Doncasters Ltd.

  Rockwool Ltd.

  Star Sheet Metal Works Ltd.

  Pilkington Insulation Ltd.

  Biotal Ltd.

  Oakdale Batteries Ltd.

  Since the launch, a seminar on environmental auditing has taken place. Others are planned on wast minimisation, technology transfer, grant assistance, product appraisal and life cycle analysis and environmental awareness.

  Welcome Host Scheme
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have undertaken training under the welcome host scheme to date.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  To date 3,564 individuals have undertaken training under the welcome host scheme.

  Surplus School Places
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the effect the plan to eliminate surplus school places in Wales will have upon the Government commitment to support parental choice in education.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Government remain committed to the principle of parental choice. The elimination of surplus places will release resources that may be deployed elsewhere in the education service to improve facilities and raise educational standards in schools, both of which are key considerations in parents' exercise of their choice of school.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what criteria he will apply in considering the removal of surplus school places by implementing school closure.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My criteria for considering proposals for school closures by local education authorities are set out in Welsh Office circular 20/88, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will grant additional resources to the Welsh Development Agency specifically to develop urban regeneration programmes in conjunction with local authorities in the south Wales valleys.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have already approved a record budget for 1992–93 of £19 million for the WDA's urban development programme. This represents a 90 per cent. increase on the previous year's budget.

  Birds
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sites in Wales currently qualify for protection under the EC birds directive; and how many of these sites have been designated to date.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  To date, eight sites in Wales have been designated as special protection areas (SPAs) under the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds (79/409/EEC). In addition, a further six sites are proposed SPAs and as such are afforded similar protection to designated SPAs.

  Housing (Disabled People)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total local authority housing stock in each local authority area in Wales; and if he will indicate the proportion of the stock which is(a) wheelchair standard and (b) mobility standard in each instance.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The total local authority housing stock is given in the table. Information on the stock of local authority dwellings which are(a) wheelchair standard and (b) mobility standard is not available.

  Total Local Authority stock at 1 April 1992

  Number

  Aberconwy

  2,468

  Alyn and Deeside

  4,873

  Arfon

  4,802

  Blaenau Gwent

  9,626

  Brecknock

  2,559

  Cardiff

  18,125

  Carmarthen

  3,275

  Ceredigion

  3,169

  Colwyn

  2,432

  Cynon Valley

  4,760

  Delyn

  4,454

  Dinefwr

  2,386

  Dwyfor

  1,396

  Glyndwr

  2,727

  Islwyn

  5,723

  Llanelli

  6,490

  Lliw Valley

  4,697

  Meirionnydd

  1,915

  Merthyr Tydfil

  6,383

  Monmouth

  4,613

  Montgomeryshire1

  3,741

  Neath

  5,188

  Newport

  12,739

  Ogwr

  8,888

  Port Talbot/Afan

  5,298

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  5,121

  Radnorshire

  1,110

  Rhondda

  4,505

  Rhuddlan

  2,604

  Rhymney Valley

  9,357

  South Pembrokeshire

  2,619

  Swansea

  15,682

  Taff-Ely

  6,586

  Torfaen

  12,424

  Vale of Glamorgan

  5,700

  Wrexham Maelor

  14,718

  Ynys Mon

  5,194

  Wales

  218,347

  1 Includes 1,111 rented new town dwellings in Newtown.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average time taken by each local authority social services department in Wales to(a) assess and (b) implement and deliver applications for house renovations to disabled persons' households.
  703
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Hip and Knee Joint Operations
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the South Glamorgan health authority concerning the request made in September for quotations from the South Birmingham health authority for artificial hip and knee joint operations for residents of South Glamorgan.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I have had no consultations with South Glamorgan district health authority regarding this matter.

  Examination Results
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what weight will be attached to examination performance in assessing whether a school should be closed.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Each case is considered on its merits taking all relevant considerations, including examination performance, into account.

  Cadw
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, for the last 12 months, the titles of papers published by the chief executive of the Cadw (Welsh Historic Monuments).

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

  Letter from Mr. J. Carr to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated October 1992:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent PQ which asked if he would list for the last 12 months the titles of papers that I have published as Cadw's Chief Executive.
  The principal document published by me in this period has been Cadw's first Annual Report and Accounts for the years 1991–92. I attach a copy. A copy is also available in the Library of the House.
  In addition to its Annual Report the Agency has produced a wide variety of publications ranging from guidebooks in respect of monuments in the care of the Secretary of State to lists of buildings afforded statutory protection under the provisions of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.
  If you would like details of any of these I would be glad to provide this.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for the last 12 months the fact-finding visits the chief executive of the Cadw (Welsh Historic Monuments) has made; what were his findings; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Responsibility for the subject of the question had been delegated to Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments under its chief executive, Mr. John Carr. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Letter from Mr. J. Carr to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated October 1992:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question which asked if he would list for the last 12 months the fact finding visits that I have made and my findings.
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  You will have seen that the Agency's first Annual Report which I have sent you sets out the mission statement of the Agency which is to protect, to conserve and to promote the built heritage of Wales. As part of my responsibilities as Agency Chief Executive I made a number of visits in Britain and occasionally overseas to help further promote these objectives. As the Annual Report highlight, a key responsibility I have as Chief Executive is to encourage greater numbers of visitors particularly from overseas to visit the monuments of outstanding international importance that are in Cadw's care. In December 1991 I made a visit to the United States, and participated in a workshop sponsored by the Council of Europe in Romania in September 1992.
  In the day to day conduct of my responsibilities I have not as such undertaken fact finding missions but as Chief Executive of the Agency since April 1991, and Director of Cadw prior to that, I have established close associations with other built heritage managers and with others involved in Britain's tourism industry.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Development Policy
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy at the Development conference on 18 November to seek the amendment of the EC White Paper on development to ensure that the chief aims of the development policy are the elimination of poverty and the fostering of sustainable development.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We hope to see adopted by Ministers on 18 November a resolution setting out as the central objectives of development co-operation policy, the sustainable social and economic development of the developing countries, and more particularly the most disadvantaged among them; the smooth and gradual integration of the developing countries into the world economy; and the campaign against poverty in developing countries.

  Rain Forests
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations the Government have made in the United Nations with regard to securing a coherent and sustainable long-term policy supported internationally to preserve rain forests in those countries where they are now under threat; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  At the United Nations conference on environment and development in June we played a leading role in getting agreement to a statement of principles on the sustainable management of the world's forests. This is the first international consensus on their value. We are working to ensure that it is followed up by an effective international review process. We are proposing in the United Nations General Assembly that this should be through the sustainable development commission.

  Somalia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he, another Minister or Foreign Office official intend to visit the area of the former British Somalia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Neither the Foreign Secretary nor other Ministers have any plans at present to visit the area
  705
  of the former British protectorate of Somaliland. The British ambassador to Ethiopia is likely to do so in the near future, though no date has yet been set.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the performance of the UN and its agencies, the EC and Her Majesty's Government in response to the crisis in Somalia; and whether he has any proposals for improvement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and my noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development have visited Somalia recently as part of EC Troika missions. While there is general recognition, including by the UN itself, that the relief effort was slow to get off the ground, both were generally impressed by the excellent work being done in extremely difficult and often harrowing circumstances by the UN agencies and non-government organisations. The most urgent need is to improve the security situation. We have continued to press the UN to take the further action necessary to ensure the prompt distribution of relief supplies and the safety of aid personnel. The Government have given almost £27 million to the relief effort.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the decision was taken by the United Nations Security Council to send 500 troops to Somalia; and when these troops were actually deployed in Mogadishu.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The UN Security Council agreed in principle to the deployment of troops in Mogadishu on 24 April 1992, subject to further discussion between the UN and local military factions. The Security Council on 14 August agreed that deployment should proceed. The first troops arrived on 14 September.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action(a) the World Health Organisation and (b) the Food and Agriculture Organisation have taken in Somalia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  During the first half of 1992 the World Health Organisation (WHO) funded medical and health supplies to a value of US$1.744 million for international and local non-government organisations in Somalia. WHO is raising an additional US$6.1 million to strengthen and expand its activities. The Food and Agricultural Organisation is providing an emergency supply of seeds, tools and pesticides and assistance for animal health projects.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what instructions were given to his Department's staff in Nairobi about visits to Somalia; and what were the reasons for those instructions in the period since the end of the civil war.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Since January 1991, the Foreign Office has advised British nationals against visiting Somalia. British officials have been required to follow this advice, and have only visited Somalia when there was a specific need to do so. Humanitarian aid issues have been fully dealt with in Nairobi, Geneva and elsewhere. A member of the British High Commission staff in Nairobi has special responsibility for liaison with non-governmental organisations in the south of Somalia, and visits as necessary.
  706
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the UN conference on Somalia held in Geneva; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development attended the conference of donors to Somalia held in Geneva on 13 and 14 October. The conference formally established the UN 100-day action plan to accelerate the relief effort to Somalia. The Government strongly support the plan. The new pledge of £7.5 million of humanitarian aid for Somalia which we announced in September is being used to support the aims of the plan.

  EC Overseas Development Budget
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what decisions have been taken recently by the EC on the size of its future overseas development budget; and what are the real and constant price change from the budget for the current year and in 1991.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  EC Development Aid is financed partly by the European development fund and partly by the EC budget. The draft 1993 EC budget, including the provisions for development cooperation, is still under discussion. We expect a final decision by the end of the year. The information for 1991 and 1992 is as follows:

  1991

  1992

  Current prices (mecu)

  Commitment

  1,477

  1,770

  Percentage increase

  19.8

  Constant (1991) prices

  Commitment

  1,477

  1,689

  Percentage increase

  14.3

  Note: In 1991, 500 mecu aid was also provided for countries most affected by the Gulf crisis.

  UN Conference on Environment and Development
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the assistance given to assist other countries to fulfil their obligations arising from agreements made at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

  Mr. Lennox Boyd
  The biodiversity and climate change conventions were each signed by over 150 countries at Rio. We have contributed over £40 million to the global environment facility, the interim funding mechanism for the conventions. Our contribution was separate from and additional to our aid programme for developing countries. We want to see the GEF established as the permanent funding mechanism for both conventions.

  Poland (Know-how Funds)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to spend the balance of the know-how fund for Poland; for what purposes it will be spent; what sum of money is involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Since the inception of the know-how fund for Poland in 1989, expenditure has
  707
  amounted to £24 million of our £50 million know-how fund pledge. On current plans the large part of the remainder will be spent by the end of the 1994–95 financial year. The bulk of the money is committed in the priority areas of banking and financial services (including accountancy and privatisation), management development and assistance with economic and industrial restructuring. There are also substantial initiatives in the areas of energy efficiency and local government.

  Famine in Africa
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with other EC ministers regarding the famine in Africa.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We discuss the continuing crisis in Africa and humanitarian needs regularly with other Community Ministers. We were prominent in discussions culminating in the Community's decision to launch this year's special food aid programme and have recently led EC troika fact-finding missions to Africa, including Somalia. EC Ministers will review the situation on 18 November at the Development Council, which will be chaired by my noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development.

  United Nations World Population Conference
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what preparations have been made for the United Kingdom input to the 1994 United Nations world population conference; which Government Department will be responsible for these preparations; and what plans there are to draw on non-governmental organisations contributions to this conference on the lines of the NGO involvement in the June 1992 Earth summit.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We will participate fully in preparatory meetings for the United Nations 1994 international conference on population and development. We will also participate in the European population conference in March 1993 which will provide a European regional contribution to the preparations. The questions of which Government Department will take the prime responsibility for the preparations and the arrangements for drawing on NGO contributions are under consideration.

DEFENCE

  Sea King Helicopters
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has agreed a contract with Westland for the additional six Sea King helicopters announced by the then Minister of State for Defence Procurement on 19 February.

  Mr. Aitken
  Following the successful conclusion of negotiations with Westland Helicopters Ltd., a contract for six new Sea King MK3 helicopters has been placed today. The contract is worth some £60 million.

  Euroflag
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he intends further involvement in the Euroflag consortium in relation to United Kingdom tactical military transport requirements; and if he will act to ensure the involvement of United Kingdom companies in potential projects resulting from the work of the consortium.

  Mr. Aitken
  We will continue to follow developments on the European future large aircraft project, and will consider aircraft which may result from the Euroflag consortium alongside other available options when we need to update our transport fleet.

  Research Programmes
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of personnel in, the number of projects in and the value of MOD contributions to LINK and EC research programmes in the Defence Research Agency for the last three financial years and projected for the current year.

  Mr. Aitken
  This is a matter delegated to the Defence Research Agency under its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Mr. John Chisholm to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 23 October 1992:
  In his written reply of Wednesday 28 October the Secretary of State for Defence informed you that I would be replying directly to the following question:
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the number of personnel in, the number of projects in and the value of MOD contributions to LINK and EC Research programmes in the Defence Research Agency for the last three financial years and projected for the current year.
  The information you requested is set out below:

  EC Research Programmes

  Year

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Number of Projects

  8

  9

  10

  17

  Number of Personnel

  5.8

  11.6

  10.5

  13.0

  Value of DRA Contribution £K

  220

  550

  510

  700

  LINK Programmes

  Number of Projects

  0

  2

  3

  6

  Number of Personnel

  0

  2.1

  3.1

  4.9

  Value of DRA Contribution £K

  0

  150

  220

  320

  Note: The number of projects shown is cumulative so if a project runs for three years it has been shown in three columns.

  I hope you will find this helpful.

  Filipino Entrants
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Filipino wives/fianceés have entered the United Kingdom with the Gloucestershire regiment which has recently returned from Saudi Arabia.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are no records of any members of the Gloucestershire regiment being married to Filipino women. Records of fianceés are not held.

  Romania
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contacts the United Kingdom has with the defence forces of Romania; and what liaison or help is extended over training and exchange visits.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In keeping with the Government's policy of building closer ties with all the countries of central and eastern Europe, the Ministry of Defence has over the past 12 months established contacts with the Romanian armed forces, mostly about hydrography. We have also recently agreed a modest training package which includes English language training and attendance at selected courses run by the three services.

  Operation Granby
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the amount of money received to date from each country towards the cost of Operation Granby; if he will give the amounts due from each country; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government received generous support from a number of countries towards Operation Granby. Contributions in cash, amounting to some £2,049 million, were given as follows:

  £ million

  Belgium

  15

  Germany

  274

  Hong Kong

  16

  Japan

  192

  Kuwait

  660

  Saudi Arabia

  582

  South Korea

  18

  United Arab Emirates

  278

  Other

  14

  In addition to these cash contributions the United Kingdom also received considerable host nation support and various types of assistance in kind from 20 countries, including some countries which also made cash contributions, for operations in the Gulf.

  Operation Grapple
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the amount allocated by his Department for Operation Grapple for 1992–93 and 1993–94 and the amount involved in setting up the initial deployment; whether the overall budget for his Department has been increased for 1992–93 for this operation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is estimated that the additional cost of Operation Grapple for the first 12 months amounts to some £110 million, VAT exclusive, of which 17.5 million relates to the initial deployment. It is too early to provide an accurate breakdown of costs between financial years. Although costs initially fall to the defence budget they are subsequently refunded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which, under the normal rules, has vote responsibility for such operations.

SCOTLAND

  Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the projects relating to research into paralytic shellfish poisoning and associated problems to which his Department has contributed in the last three years or plans to support in the present financial year; and if he will indicate the amount contributed or to be contributed in each case.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Two projects relating to research into paralytic shellfish poisoning—PSP for short—and associated problems are undertaken at my Department's marine laboratory, Aberdeen. They are:

  1. Monitoring of algal blooms and microbiological factors in respect of fish and shellfish monitoring.

  2. Nitrogen cycling in coastal ecosystems.

  The full economic costs met, or to be met, by my Department between April 1989 and March 1993 amount to £132,000 for the PSP toxin monitoring component of the first project, and £1.321 million for the second project which deals with the basic processes which give rise to algal blooms.

  Feus
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to change the law relating to the rights of feu superiors when a feu has been bought out.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Law Commission is currently reviewing property law in Scotland. As part of this review, the commission published a discussion paper in July 1991 seeking comments on various proposals for reform of the feudal system. The commission is now analysing the responses to the discussion paper and will submit a report in due course. I will wish to have an opportunity to consider the report in detail before determining whether any change in the law may be required.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress of plans to replace East Fortune hospital with a new unit for continuing care at Roodlands hospital in Haddington.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer of 27 October 1992]: The progress of plans for the replacement of East Fortune hospital is a matter for Lothian health board.

  Roads
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the effects of the traffic calming measures at Gateside, Fife.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer of 27 October 1992]: Traffic speed surveys carried out prior to and following installation of the traffic calming measures at Gateside indicate a slight decrease in the speed of traffic. It is signifiant, however, that in the three-year period before the traffic calming measures were introduced there were two serious injury accidents and 12 non-injury accidents at this location whereas in the year since the

  711
  traffic calming measures were completed there has been one slight injury accident and one non-injury accident. Early indications, therefore, are encouraging although the situation will continue to be monitored.

  Council Tax
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the expected annual costs of administering the council tax in each local authority in Scotland; and what costs have been incurred to date.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 27 October 1992]: It is for local authorities themselves to determine the expenditure required to administer the council tax, although the Government expect the costs involved to be significantly less than those for administering the community charge. Overall authorities budgeted to spend £7.5 million in the current financial year preparing for the tax. Their budget estimates for 1993–94 will not be available until next spring.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost to date of the consultation exercise for local government reforms in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 27 October 1992]: The costs incurred to date by the Scottish Office on the current consultation exercise on local government reform amount to approximately £170,000.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans there are to halt the loss of the jurisdiction of the Commissioners for Local

  Great Britain training expenditure (cash prices)1

  £ million

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  YT2

  1,008

  1,020

  1,002

  844

  846

  ET3

  380

  615

  1,107

  1,076

  842

  Enterprise allowance scheme/business and enterprise support4

  193

  250

  212

  184

  184

  1 The figures quoted are cash prices. The data necessary to adjust these figures for inflation (ie 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. These publications are available in the Library.

  2 Youth training includes expenditure on training credits from April 1991.

  3 ET was introduced from September 1988. Figures for the period prior to that date include expenditure on training measures which were replaced by ET, but do not include employment measures such as the community programme.

  4 It is not possible to distinguish expenditure on EAS from other enterprise and business support programmes delivered since 1987–88.

  Average seasonally adjusted unemployment figures

  Great Britain

  Thousands

  Number

  1987–88

  2,554.9

  1988–89

  2,030.4

  1989–90

  1,599.4

  1990–91

  1,660.3

  1991–92

  2,346.8

  The Department's employment and training programmes are aimed at supporting economic growth by promoting a competitive, efficient and flexible labour market. Our commitment to helping unemployed people through the opportunities provided will continue to be met through the employment service and through the training and enterprise councils.
  712
  Administration in Scotland following the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering and the provision of local government services by outside agencies.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 27 October 1992]: Although the commissioner has no jurisdiction over the activities of private companies undertaking local authority services, the ultimate statutory responsibility for the provision of such services rests with local authorities. In such circumstances the powers of the commissioner to investigate complaints by members of the public are not diminished. The Government keep the commissioner's powers under regular review.

  Forth Valley Health Board
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will dismiss the chairperson of the Forth Valley health board.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 26 October 1992.]: No.

EMPLOYMENT

  Employment and Training
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will state the individual programme costs at constant prices, for each of the years 1987–88 to 1991–92 for employment training and its predecessor programmes youth training and the enterprise allowance scheme and the numbers out of work for each of the years during the same period; and if she will make a statement on the Government's future intentions for Government employment and training measures.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is contained in the tables:

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of constituencies in Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England has lower percentage unemployment than in June 1987; and what proportion of constituencies that have had coal mines closed in the past six years has lower percentage unemployment now than in June 1987 compared with other constituencies.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Unemployment rates are not available below the level of travel-to-work area (TTWA). In September 1992, the latest date for which claimant unemployment figures are available, the proportions of travel-to-work areas that had lower percentage rates of
  713
  unemployment than in June 1987 were as follows: 100 per cent. in Northern Ireland, 97 per cent. in Wales, 97 per cent. in Scotland and 51 per cent. in England.

  Information categorising coal mine closures by their TTWA is currently available only for the past four years; 95 per cent. of TTWAs which have had coal mines closed over the past four years had lower unemployment rates in September 1992 than in June 1987. The corresponding proportion for other TTWAs was 62 per cent.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if she will publish the average percentage rate of unemployment for 1991–92 for each travel-to-work area in the United Kingdom;

  (2) if she will publish the average percentage rate of unemployment during the five-year period commencing August 1987 to August 1992 for each travel-to-work area in the United Kingdom.

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

  Disability (Training)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will take steps to make disability equality training a compulsory component of training undertaken by careers advisers, careers officers and teachers responsible for careers information.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Local education authorities are required by statutory guidance given under the Employment and Training Act 1973 to make arrange-ments to identify the training needs of their careers service staff and make arrangements to meet those needs.

  This guidance requires careers officers to obtain the diploma in careers guidance. The diploma covers equal opportunities training, including provision for people with disabilities.

  The training of careers teachers is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Education and for Wales as appropriate.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what efforts are currently undertaken by her Department to ensure that all publicity material produced by her Department concerning training programmes relating to disabled people promotes positive images of disabled people.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Employment Department no longer produces national publicity material on training programmes. This is now the responsibility of individual training and enterprise councils (TECs). TECs are responsible for the planning and delivery of training programmes and are contractually bound to ensure equality of opportunity for all trainees.

  The Employment Department, however, produces advisory material on a range of issues for TECs, and others. Material concerning people with disabilities is quality checked by a specialist team in the Department.

  Fraud
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many people were prosecuted for fraud by her Department in the latest year for which figures are available;
  714
  (2) what is the number of whole-time equivalent staff employed by her Department and its agencies to detect and prosecute suspected fraud; and what is the cost of their employment;

  (3) how much her Department has saved from the investigation of fraud in the latest year for which figures are available; and what are the targeted savings for the next financial year.

  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 A. G. Johnson to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 28 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 questions to the Secretary of State for Employment:

  i. how many people were prosecuted for fraud by the Department in the latest year for which figures are available,

  ii. what is the number of whole time equivalent staff employed to detect and prosecute suspected fraud, and what is the cost of their employment,

  iii. how much the Department has saved from the investigation of fraud in the latest year for which figures are available, and what are the targeted savings for the next financial year.

  The latest year for which figures are available is that of the financial year ending 31 March 1992 during which a total of 2,265 people were prosecuted for fraud. We currently have 1,300 people, of whom 780 are Inspectors, employed in the detection and prosecution of benefit fraud. The total cost of our fraud operations amounted to £13.34 million. The net savings from our investigations into benefit fraud amounted to £34.34m. We do not set targets for benefit savings accrued from benefit fraud investigation. Our performance is measured by the number of claims withdrawn following investigation by Inspectors and our target is for 58,000 such claims to be withdrawn by the end of the present financial year.

  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.

  Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many appeals by firms against paying the industrial training levy demanded by the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board were heard by an industrial tribunal in(a) 1988, (b) 1989, (c) 1990 and (d) 1991, respectively; and how many were (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Prior to July 1991, engineering construction was covered by the Engineering Industry Training Board (EITB). That board was re-named the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB) on 23 July 1991 when the engineering manufacturing sector moved its training arrangements to a non-statutory basis.

  In 1988 one appeal against the EITB was heard and was successful. No further appeals have been heard against either the EITB or the ECITB.

  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will place in the Library a list of all the
  715
  companies who paid the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board levy in (a) 1989, (b) 1990 and (c)

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This information is not available to me. It is held only by Engineering Construction Industry Training Board and I have no power to require the board to supply me with such information.

  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what future plans she has for the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. and learned Friend, the previous Secretary of State, appointed the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board in July 1991 for a three-year period up to 22 July 1994. As with all non-Departmental public bodies, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State shall review the need for its continuance before any decision is made on its reconstitution.

  Financial Services
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement on trends in employment in the financial services sector between now and the end of 1993.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department does not publish predictions of employment in particular sectors.

  Disabled People (Careers Guidance)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what monitoring is currently undertaken by her Department on the quality of careers guidance given to disabled people.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The careers service inspectorate of the Department undertakes inspections of LEA careers services and pays particular attention to the quality of careers guidance given to people with special needs.

  "Hard Labour"
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration her Department has given to implementing the recommendations of the 1990 report of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, entitled "Hard Labour".

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government have considered the recommendations of this report. We have already announced our intention to introduce legislation to confer additional rights on individual employees, including extending the right to receive written particulars of employment terms to all employees working at least eight hours a week, which is in line with the report's recommendations.

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will estimate the range of employment effects of abolishing wages councils.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave him on 14 July 1992,Official Report, column 626.
  716
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many respondents to the 1988 consultation document on the future of wages councils then supported the retention of wages councils, either wholly or in some form; whether the Government have recently contacted these respondents to inquire whether their views have altered; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In the 1988 consultation 320 respondents favoured the retention of a wages councils system. Over 60 per cent. of employers and employers' organisations, who responded, supported abolition of the councils. There has been no exercise to contact those who responded in 1988, but employers have continued to make clear the damage done by the councils.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the oral answer of the Minister of State on 7 July,Offical Report, column 169, if she will publish evidence to show that two-thirds of the people covered by wages councils are paid more than the minimum wage set by the councils.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The estimate is based on an analysis of employers' wage records checked by the wages inspectorate.

  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list those individuals or organisations who have written to her concerning the proposed abolition of wages councils indicating which are for the proposal and which against.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State received 71 written representations about the future of the wages councils from April to September 1992. Of these, 17 favoured abolition, 50 supported retention and four did not come down clearly on one side or the other. It would not be appropriate for me to publish the names of those who have written to the Department.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is her estimate of the number of people with disabilities whose employment is covered by a wages council order.

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

  Appointments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list all the names of public appointments that she has made, giving the period for which the appointment was made, relevant qualifications of the appointees, and what remuneration each currently receives.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This information is not held centrally within the Department. We will, however, collect the information and my noble Friend Viscount Ullswater will write to the hon. Member.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many youth training places are currently available in the Doncaster area; and what was the figure(a) six months and (b) 12 months ago.
  717
  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  At 13 September 1992 there were 3,865 young people on youth training in the Barnsley and Doncaster area. Six months and 12 months previously, the figure was 3,676 and 4,403 respectively. These figures reflect seasonal fluctuations and the demographic downturn in school leavers.

  Barnsley/Doncaster TEC is confident that the Government's guarantee of a training place to eligible young people will be met.

  Crown Immunity
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether she will now introduce legislation to remove Crown immunity in respect of infringements of the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No decisions will be made about introducing legislation until the Health and Safety Commission has considered the review of current procedures and put any proposals to Ministers.

  Wages Inspectorate
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to increase the enforcement powers of the wages inspectorate.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  None. The wages inspectorate has adequate powers to enforce wages council orders effectively.

  Job Interview Guarantee Scheme
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for each region and for Great Britain as a whole how many agreements have been made with employers to operate the job interview guarantee scheme since it was extended nationally in April 1991; how many unemployed people have taken part in the scheme in each area; and how many participants have secured full-time employment with their sponsoring employer.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Ms. Clare Short, dated 28 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 Job Interview Guarantee (JIG) initiative. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  You asked for each Region and for Great Britain as a whole how many agreements have been made with employers to operate the job interview guarantee scheme since it was extended nationally in April 1991, how many unemployed people have taken part in the scheme in each area, and how many participants have secured full-time employment with their sponsoring employer.
  We no longer ask regions for information on the number of agreements made with employers as we do not require it to monitor the success of the programme.
  Information on people taking part in the scheme, and those securing full-time employment is shown at Annex A. The information is broken down by region. At a national level we do not collect information by area.
  718
  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.

  Annex A From April 1991 to 2 October 1992

  Region

  Unemployed people assisted

  Unemployed people placed

  Northern

  10,484

  3,170

  Yorkshire & Humberside

  11,762

  4,027

  East Midlands & Eastern

  12,704

  4,178

  London & South East

  87,435

  27,159

  South West

  18,910

  6,408

  Wales

  15,121

  4,875

  West Midlands

  24,542

  7,379

  North West

  18,555

  7,747

  Scotland

  25,839

  10,665

  Total

  225,352

  75,608

  Job Clubs
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for each region and for Great Britain as a whole since April 1991 how many people have joined job clubs, and how many have left; how many leavers got jobs, and how many entered another positive outcome; and if she will give the information broken down by the ethnic origin and gender of participants.

  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 A. G. Johnson to Ms. Clare Short, dated 28 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 people have attended a Restart Interview since 1 April 1991; and what were the results of those interviews.
  Mike Fogden last wrote to you on this subject on 25 February 1992. However we have changed the way we collect some of our statistics which means that although the information on the number of people joining and leaving Jobclubs is available up to September 1992, the breakdown by ethnic origin and gender of participants is only available up to March 1992. The figures for 1992–93 will be collected at the end of the operational year.
  Table 'A' attached shows for each region and nationally the numbers who have joined Jobclubs between 1 April 1991 and 27 March 1992 together with the same period of those members leaving. Leavers who are shown as going into other positive outcomes have gone on either to training, full-time education or self-employment.
  Table 'B' attached shows the estimated performance between 1 April 1991 and 27 March 1992 for male and female Jobclub members and by ethnic origin separated on a regional basis and for Great Britain as a whole. This has been derived from the quarterly surveys which were carried out during the period.
  Table 'C' shows similar statistics to 'A', but covers the period 30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992. On the ethnic background and male/female characteristics of Jobclub leavers is now collected on an annual sample survey basis. As a result of this change, Service programmes and which should improve accuracy, the breakdown of male and female membership and ethnic origin is not yet available for the 1992–93 period.
  I hope this is helpful.
  719
  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written

  Table A Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information 1 April 1991 to 27 March 1992

  Region

  Jobclub entrants

  Jobclub leavers

  Leavers into jobs

  Leavers into jobs

  Leavers into other positive outcomes

  Leavers into positive outcomes

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Northern

  12,659

  12,379

  4,731

  38

  1,444

  50

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  16,115

  15,314

  6,463

  42

  2,349

  58

  East Midlands

  16,807

  15,193

  7,355

  48

  2,625

  66

  London and South East

  51,840

  46,048

  17,826

  39

  7,253

  54

  South West

  13,034

  11,954

  5,986

  50

  1,866

  66

  Wales

  11,165

  10,400

  5,179

  50

  1,397

  63

  West Midlands

  19,285

  16,931

  7,669

  45

  3,006

  63

  North West

  29,298

  28,176

  12,576

  45

  3,468

  57

  Scotland

  19,914

  19,745

  9,046

  46

  2,674

  59

  Nationally

  190,117

  176,140

  76,831

  44

  26,082

  58

  Table B Jobclub leavers information by ethnic group and male/female characteristics 1 April 1991 to 27 March 1992

  National

  Leavers into jobs

  Leavers into other positive outcomes

  Total leavers

  White

  67,544

  21,285

  153,167

  Black/Afro Caribbean

  3,889

  1,804

  8,856

  Indian/Pakistani/ Bangladesh/Sri Lanken

  4,170

  2,444

  10,966

  None of the above

  816

  472

  2,196

  Preferred not to say

  412

  77

  955

  Total

  76,831

  26,082

  176,140

  Male

  58,853

  20,593

  140,470

  Female

  17,978

  5,489

  35,670

  Totals

  76,831

  26,082

  176,140

  Table B Jobclub leavers information by ethnic group and male/female characteristics 1 April 1991 to 27 March 1992

  Northern

  Leavers into jobs

  Leavers into other positive outcomes

  Total leavers

  White

  4.641

  1,393

  12,140

  Black/Afro Caribbean

  12

  31

  68

  Indian/Pakistani/ Bangladesh/Sri Lanken

  48

  10

  114

  None of the above

  12

  0

  23

  Preferred not to say

  12

  10

  34

  Total

  4,731

  1,444

  12,379

  Male

  3,728

  1,249

  10,432

  Female

  1,003

  195

  1,947

  Totals

  4,731

  1,444

  12,379

  720
  Parlimentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report.I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Table B Jobclub leavers information by ethnic group and male/female characteristics 1 April 1991 to 27 March 1992

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Leavers into jobs

  Leavers into other positive outcomes

  Total leavers

  White

  5,905

  2,070

  13,883

  Black/Afro Caribbean

  73

  63

  219

  Indian/Pakistani/ Bangladesh/Sri Lanken

  376

  216

  1,032

  None of the above

  73

  0

  141

  Preferred not to say

  36

  0

  39

  Total

  6,463

  2,349

  15,314

  Male

  4,972

  1,955

  12,602

  Female

  1,491

  394

  2,712

  Totals

  6,463

  2,349

  15,314

  Table B Jobclub leavers information by ethnic group and male/female characteristics 1 April 1991 to 27 March 1992

  East Midland and Eastern

  Leavers into jobs

  Leavers into other positive outcomes

  Total leavers

  White

  6,710

  2,170

  13,600

  Black/Afro Caribbean

  139

  202

  379

  Indian/Pakistani/ Bangladesh/Sri Lanken

  491

  202

  1,088

  None of the above

  15

  51

  110

  Preferred not to say

  0

  0

  16

  Total

  7,355

  2,625

  15,193

  Male

  5,792

  1,969

  12,211

  Female

  1,563

  656

  2,982

  Totals

  7,355

  2,625

  15,193

  721

  Table B Jobclub leavers information by ethnic group and male/female characteristics 1 April 1991 to 27 March 1992

  London and South East

  Leavers into jobs

  Leavers into other positive outcomes

  Total leavers

  White

  12,241

  4.405

  31,731

  Black/Afro Caribbean

  2,941

  1,236

  6,587

  Indian/Pakistani/ Bangladesh/Sri Lanken

  1,970

  1,221

  5,627

  None of the above

  446

  360

  1,494

  Preferred not to say

  228

  31

  609

  Total

  17,826

  7,253

  46,048

  Male

  12,739

  5,344

  34,697

  Female

  5,087

  1,909

  11,351

  Totals

  17,826

  7,253

  46,048

  Table B Jobclub leavers information by ethnic group and male/female characteristics 1 April 1991 to 27 March 1992

  South West

  Leavers into jobs

  Leavers into other positive outcomes

  Total leavers

  White

  5,705

  1,709

  11,420

  Black/Afro Caribbean

  146

  13

  182

  Indian/Pakistani/ Bangladesh/Sri Lanken

  90

  131

  279

  None of the above

  45

  13

  73

  Preferred not to say

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  5,986

  1,866

  11,954

  Male

  4,670

  1,459

  9,529

  Female

  1,316

  407

  2,425

  Totals

  5,986

  1,866

  11,954

  Table B Jobclub leavers information by ethnic group and male/female characteristics 1 April 1991 to 27 March 1992

  Wales

  Leavers into jobs

  Leavers into other positive outcomes

  Total leavers

  White

  5,018

  1,357

  10,097

  Black/Afro Caribbean

  40

  27

  101

  Indian/Pakistani/ Bangladesh/Sri Lanken

  67

  13

  130

  None of the above

  54

  0

  72

  Preferred not to say

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  5,179

  1,397

  10,400

  Male

  4,132

  1,209

  8,453

  Female

  1,047

  188

  1,947

  Totals

  5,179

  1,397

  10,400

  722

  Table B Jobclub leavers information by ethnic group and male/female characteristics 1 April 1991 to 27 March 1992

  West Midlands

  Leavers into jobs

  Leavers into other positive outcomes

  Total leavers

  White

  6,524

  2.264

  14,189

  Black/Afro Caribbean

  310

  195

  882

  Indian/Pakistani/ Bangladesh/Sri Lanken

  716

  487

  1,655

  None of the above

  95

  36

  133

  Preferred not to say

  24

  24

  72

  Total

  7,669

  3,006

  16,931

  Male

  5,796

  2,349

  13,332

  Female

  1,873

  657

  3,599

  Totals

  7,669

  3,006

  16,931

  Table B Jobclub leavers information by ethnic group and male/female characteristics 1 April 1991 to 27 March 1992

  North West

  Leavers into jobs

  Leavers into other positive outcomes

  Total leavers

  White

  11,910

  3.282

  26,706

  Black/Afro Caribbean

  174

  37

  357

  Indian/Pakistani/ Bangladesh/Sri Lanken

  376

  125

  879

  None of the above

  58

  12

  110

  Preferred not to say

  58

  12

  124

  Total

  12,576

  3,468

  28,176

  Male

  9,740

  2,844

  23,107

  Female

  2,836

  624

  5,069

  Totals

  12,576

  3,468

  28,176

  Table B Jobclub leavers information by ethnic group and male)female characteristics 1 April 1991 to 27 March 1992

  Scotland

  Leavers into jobs

  Leavers into other positive outcomes

  Total leavers

  White

  8,884

  2,635

  19,401

  Black/Afro Caribbean

  54

  0

  81

  Indian/Pakistani/ Bangladesh/Sri Lanken

  36

  39

  162

  None of the above

  18

  0

  40

  Preferred not to say

  54

  0

  61

  Total

  9,046

  2,674

  19,745

  Male

  7,284

  2,215

  16,107

  Female

  1,762

  459

  3,638

  Totals

  9,046

  2,674

  19,745

  723

  Table C Jobclub Entrants & Leavers Information 30 March 1992 to 25 September 1992

  Region

  Jobclub entrants

  Jobclub leavers

  Leavers into jobs

  leavers into jobs Per cent.

  leavers into other positive outcomes

  Leavers into positive outcomes Per cent.

  Northern

  6,826

  7,182

  3,018

  42

  828

  54

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  9,251

  9,152

  4,383

  48

  1,359

  63

  East Midlands

  9,468

  9,934

  4,827

  49

  1,590

  65

  London and South East

  33,163

  31,906

  13,273

  42

  4,708

  56

  South West

  7,683

  7,893

  3,889

  49

  1,155

  64

  Wales

  6,324

  6,108

  3,296

  54

  842

  68

  West Midlands

  10,877

  10,945

  4,756

  43

  1,790

  60

  North West

  15,718

  16,086

  7,269

  45

  1,897

  57

  Scotland

  10,683

  10,731

  5,288

  49

  1,479

  63

  Nationally

  109,993

  109,937

  49,999

  45

  15,648

  60

  Actively-seeking-work Test
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether claimants or their representatives are entitled to a copy of the UB672 form completed by Employment Service officials when there are doubts about an unemployed person's availability for work or whether they are actively seeking work; and if she will make a statement.

  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 A. G. Johnson to Ms. Clare Short, dated 28 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 whether claimants or their representatives are entitled to a copy of the UB672 form completed by ES officials when there are doubts about an unemployed person's availability for work or whether they are actively seeking work.
  Form UB672 is an internal document used by the Employment Service when acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, to refer a claim for benefit to the independent adjudication authorities for a decision on entitlement. As a matter of policy the form is not supplied to a claimant at that stage. If however the claim is disallowed and the claimant appeals against the adjudication officer's decision, a copy of the form would be included in the appeal papers copied to the claimant by the Appeals Tribunal.
  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.

  Employment Service
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress the employment service has made in meeting the targets outlined in the 1992–93 agency agreement; and if she will show for the latest possible date the(a) total unemployed job placings and variance from target, (b) long-term unemployed job placings and variance from target, (c) people with disabilities job placings and variance from target, (d) inner-city job placings and variance from target, (e) number of claims not pursued following initial contact and variance from profiled annual reference level, (f) number of claimants moved from unemployment benefit to another benefit and variance from annual reference level and (g) number of
  724
  people who withdrew their claim to benefit after contact with fraud investigators and variance from annual reference level.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am informed by the chief executive of the Employment Service that in the period April to June 1992, the Employment Service placed a total of 350,000 unemployed people into jobs, against an annual target of 1.425 million. 24.6 per cent. of these placings were long-term claimants, 2.8 per cent. were people with disabilities and 33 per cent. were unemployed people in inner cities against annual targets of 19 per cent., 2.5 per cent. and 36 per cent. respectively. Over the same period new claims not pursued following initial contact were at the annual target level of 10 per cent. The number of people who withdrew their claim to benefit after contact with fraud investigators was 17,100 against an annual target of 58,000. The number of claimants helped to move from unemployment benefits to a more appropriate benefit is not a reference level under the annual performance agreement for 1992–93.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action she is taking to reduce long-term unemployment.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  We have in place a wider than ever range of measures to help unemployed people find jobs as quickly as possible. We are firmly committed to helping long-term unemployed people in particular get back to work, and offer special help for them, including help with finding a job through job clubs and the job interview guarantee, training, and opportunities to undertake temporary work of benefit to the local community.

  State Redundancy Fund
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will provide total spending figures from the state redundancy fund for 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The redundancy fund was merged with the national insurance fund in February 1991. Total spending under the redundancy and insolvency provisions of the employment protection legislation amounted to £144 million in 1990–91 and £283 million in 1991–92.

HEALTH

  Health Service Mergers
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received regarding proposals to merge(a) Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale health authority and Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley health authority and (b) Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale community health council and Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley community health council; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I have received no such representations. Any merger proposals would be the subject of public consultation.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines are laid down by her Department regarding the necessary consultation procedures involved in(a) mergers of community health councils and (b) mergers of health authorities; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Dorrell) wrote to regional chairmen last year stating that where district health authorities are being merged regions should not consider merging community health councils (CHCs) without first consulting them and other local community interests. Regions should consider whether maintaining the existing CHCs will help promote better accountability, local sensitivity and local responsiveness and so outweigh any advantages to be gained from merging. Although the region's decision will be final, it is expected to take the CHC's views fully into account.

  Where the merger of district health authorities is envisaged, there is agreement that regional health authorities consult, first informally, then if the Secretary of State agrees, formally with all relevant parties. Formal consultation normally runs for about three months, and should provide opportunities for public debate.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will amend community care proposals to allow local authorities to make direct payments to disabled people.

  Mr. Yeo
  There are no plans to do so.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received from local authorities seeking power to make direct payments to disabled people.

  Mr. Yeo
  No such representations have recently been received.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring procedures have been established by her Department to check on the application of section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, by local authority social services departments.

  Mr. Yeo
  Prime responsibility for monitoring the implementation of the Act rests with local authorities themselves, to ensure that their policies are compatible with their legal obligations. The Department receives regular returns on certain services provided by local 726
  authorities under the Act, as well as information from other sources including the social services inspectorate. We follow up specific cases, referred to the Department, where it is alleged that a local authority is in breach of its statutory duties.

  Tobacco Advertising
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will now publish her Department's report on the effect of advertising on tobacco consumption; and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The report by the Department of Health's economics and operational research division is being published today as a discussion document. Copies are available in the Vote Office.

  The report raises a good many questions which interested parties will want to consider. I am therefore inviting comments on the methodology, analysis and content of the report over the next three months. We shall take all comments into account as we work towards the tough targets for reducing smoking set out in the White Paper "The Health of the Nation".

  Information Technology
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the actual and budgeted annual expenditure, by region, on the training of NHS staff in the use of information technology systems in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many skilled computer staff are employed in each national health service region and in total by the NHS.

  Mr. Sackville
  Detailed information as requested is not held centrally. Based on sample information of staff receiving automatic data processing allowances, we estimate that there was a total of 3,800 skilled computer staff directly employed in the NHS in Great Britain at June 1992.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to monitor the number of NHS staff receiving information technology training each year.

  Mr. Sackville
  No.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which pilot projects for hospital information support systems have now been evaluated; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  All hospital information support systems (HISS) projects include a project evaluation framework as part of the standard project management processes. Evaluations are conducted at appropriate project stages. These regular evaluations include a general review of timeliness and budgetary compliance, as well as relevant detailed assessment of, for example, quality and completeness of data capture, adequacy of procedures and training, and system outputs.

  No end of project evaluation has as yet been possible, since all sites are still, as planned, in the implementation

  727
  phase. Mid-stage assessments have been conducted, and have in some instances resulted in changes in scope, phasing or resourcing of the project. The end of implementation evaluations will include assessment of timescales, total costs, benefits already realised, further potential benefits, organisational impact, technical adequacy and lessons learned.

  The economics and operational research (EOR) division of the Department of Health is considering some of the work already conducted on evaluation by the three original HISS projects at Darlington memorial hospital, Greenwich district hospital and Nottingham city hospital NHS Trust, with a view to developing national guidance material on project evaluation.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to monitor the expenditure on computer hardware and software and related management salaries and consultancy fees for trust hospitals.

  Mr. Sackville
  The National Health Service Management Executive does not intend to monitor expenditure on computer hardware and software or associated consultancy fees separately from the general arrangements for accounting for capital expenditure in trusts. Trusts determine their own capital investment strategies but have to make business cases to support them which are reviewed by the NHS Management Executive to ensure they are appropriate and affordable by purchasers. Trusts account for actual capital expenditure in their annual accounts which are subject to audit and published. I am satisfied that these arrangements provide a suitable framework for ensuring that all capital investment by trusts is properly controlled.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total expenditure on consultancy fees in connection with the purchase of information technology systems by each regional health authority in each year since 1987–88.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of whether the purchasing procedures and audit mechanisms operating in the NHS are adequate to ensure the efficient and effective use of NHS funds for the purpose of purchasing and developing information technology systems; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  All national health service bodies have standing orders and standing financial orders to follow to ensure that they comply with best practice in public procurement policies. To ensure better use of national health service resources for purchasing and developing information technology systems, the existing advice on procurement has been reviewed and updated by NHS Supplies. This thorough assessment has resulted in the development and introduction of new guidelines, procurement of information systems effectively (POISE). These will be issued to those responsible within the NHS for IT procurement and will help hospitals, trusts, units and health authorities match systems accurately to their individual needs in a cost-effective manner. These 728
  guidelines, in addition to others encompassing information management and technology, will be launched later this year and will improve further the NHS's utilisation of information technology.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the costs of hardware, software, and consultancy fees for the CARE information system purchased by Guy's hospital in London.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Peter Griffiths, the chief executive of the Guy's and Lewisham NHS Trust.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the costs of hardware, software and consultancy fees for the GIANT information system purchased by Guy's hospital in London.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Peter Griffiths, the chief executive of the Guy's and Lewisham NHS Trust.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the contracts for the supply of information technology systems to the NHS of a value of more than £2 million in each year since 1987–88 by region, title of the project and supplier.

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

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on progress made towards the implementation of the targets for the development of information systems in the NHS established in the document, "Framework for Information Systems: The Next Steps".

  Mr. Sackville
  Good progress has been made in taking forward the wide ranging objectives set out in "Framework for Information Systems: The Next Steps".

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the anticipated expenditure on computer hardware and software in each NHS region, in each of the years from 1992–93 to 1994–95.

  Mr. Sackville
  Health authorities are required to produce annual accounts which are submitted to the Department. These accounts do not incorporate details of anticipated expenditure.

  The monitoring of health authorities' anticipated expenditure is restricted to broad measures, in which computer expenditure is not separately identified.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health information support systems projects have been initiated; and what is the cost of each project to date.

  Mr. Sackville
  A large number of hospital sites have been implementing computer systems that provide integrated facilities. It is estimated that some 40 sites have either procured, or are in the process of procuring health information support systems (HISS) solutions. In addition, there are perhaps another 60 or so sites who have already achieved a degree of integration amongst their operational systems. Often, this reflects regional initiatives, and the situation is therefore localised rather than evenly spread.
  729
  Information as to the cost of HISS within the national health service at large is not held centrally. Under EC legislation, however, there is a requirement for all purchases made under competitive tendering rules to be published in the Official Journal of the European Community within 48 days of contract award.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions since 1985 the purchase of information technology systems by regional and district health authorities and hospital trusts has been the subject of audit inquiries by the district audit service, the National Audit Office or other auditors appointed by Her Majesty's Government or regional or district health authorities for that specific purpose; and whether she will list(a) those published and (b) those yet to be published.

  Mr. Sackville
  Auditors selectively review expenditure, including that on information technology, as part of their annual certification process. It is therefore not possible to provide figures on the number of inquiries carried out. Where inquiries by statutory auditors have led to formal reports, these have been recorded centrally. Reports in which procurement of information technology was identified as a main criticism were issued in respect of the following health authorities:

  North Western RHA

  Tunbridge Wells HA

  Wessex RHA

  South Western RHA

  The former Leeds Eastern HA

  The list refers to statutory audit reports issued in respect of financial years 1985–86 to 1991–92. In some cases, the auditor issued more than one report on the same authority. Reports by internal auditors are excluded.

  The National Audit Office published a report entitled "Managing Computer Projects in the National Health Services" in November 1990. This included a review of procurement arrangements in a sample of health authorities.

  We do not have comprehensive information on matters under examination by statutory auditors.

  Wessex Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she will make a statement on the report of the district audit service on the purchase of the regional information systems plan by the Wessex regional health authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  The district audit service undertook an investigation of the regional information systems plan at the request of Wessex regional health authority. Its report acknowledged that the regional health authority has taken both comprehensive steps to deal with the consequences of past decisions and remedial actions to improve its budgetary, financial and management arrangements.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the regional health authorities and hospital trusts which have transferred operational responsibility for, information technology systems to private or arm's-length companies.

  Mr. Sackville
  Five regional health authorities have wholly transferred the operational responsibility for their information technology systems to private or arm's-length companies. They are Northern, Yorkshire, Trent, East 730
  Anglian and Wessex. Six regions—North East Thames, South East Thames, South West Thames, South Western, Oxford and North Western have set up separate NHS trading arms to operate their information technology systems. North West Thames, West Midlands and Mersey regions have transferred only part of their operational responsibility to private companies. We do not hold information centrally for NHS hospital trusts.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS staff in each year have been trained in the use of information technology systems since the launch of the NHS training authority strategy in 1989.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures she has taken to remedy the low level of existing information technology skills and knowledge, especially among senior managers in the NHS, which was identified by the National Audit Office in 1990; and if she will make a statement on the level of such skills and knowledge amongst NHS staff.

  Mr. Sackville
  There are a number of measures currently being taken to address the IT training and awareness needs of national health service senior managers. One example is the information management and technology for managers programme. This has been developed and is now being delivered by the Institute of Health Service Management, the NHS training directorate and the information management group of the management executive, working closely with NHS staff at all levels. The programme is successfully reaching chief executives, general managers and chairs through briefing events, focused learning sets and training courses.

  Another example is the development and dissemination of NHS specific computer-assisted learning (CAL) packages designed to equip managerial and clinical staff with knowledge and skills in information management and systems.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish the information strategy for the NHS; how much it will cost to implement; and what additional funds will be made available to the NHS to cover the cost of implementation.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information management and technology strategy for the national health service will be published very soon and follows an extensive period of consultation both within the NHS and with suppliers. The implementation of the strategy will be a local responsibility. A major thrust of the strategy will be to ensure that maximum benefit is gained from existing levels of local investment in information management and technology. The availability of any additional funds to support priority areas is dependent upon the outcome of PES negotiations with Treasury.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether she will list those contracts associated with the Wessex regional health authority/regional information systems plan project which have been identified by the district auditor as having been associated with overcharging, having exploited weaknesses in the management of the Wessex regional health authority, or having undertaken work under contracts which were possibly unlawful or not validly authorised;
  731
  (2) how much was the annual expenditure on the Wessex regional health authority/regional information systems plan project in each of the years from 1985–86 to 1991–92.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Robin Buchanan, the Wessex regional health authority chairman for details.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she is satisfied that Wessex regional health authority has taken all necessary steps to recover funds from all companies which undertook work on the regional information systems plan project and have been identified by the district auditor as having been associated with overcharging, having exploited weaknesses in the management of the Wessex regional health authority, or having undertaken work under contracts which were possibly unlawful and not validly authorised; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  I understand that Wessex regional health authority has already concluded an agreement with AT&T (Istel) following legal action and subsequent negotiations. Legal action is under way in respect of the WIS contracts. The authority's legal advisers are examining all relevant material to decide whether further steps should be taken.

  Islington and Camden Health Authority
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she proposes to announce the new health authority for Islington and Camden; and who will be the new members of it.

  Mr. Sackville
  The proposed merger of Bloomsbury and Islington health authority and Hampstead health authority is the subject of a public consultation exercise which ends on 30 November. The Secretary of State will consider the results of this exercise before taking any decision on the proposal. The appointment of a chairman of any new authority is a matter for the Secretary of State; non-executive members of a district health authority are appointed by the appropriate regional health authority.

  Unregistered Children's Establishments
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of(a) the current number of unregistered children's establishments and (b) the number of children placed in such establishments.

  Mr. Yeo
  Information on the number of children's homes still to be registered has been collected as part of the Children Act monitoring survey, the results of which are due to be the subject of a report to Parliament in the new year. Some information on the numbers of children placed by local authorities in homes which fall to be registered has now been collected and will be available in time for inclusion in the report to Parliament. Information on the number of children in unregistered establishments is not collected centrally.

  Tomlinson Inquiry
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the total cost of the Tomlinson inquiry into London's health needs; and what fee has been paid to Sir Bernard Tomlinson and other members of the inquiry.
  732
  Dr. Mawhinney
  The direct cost of the inquiry by Sir Bernard Tomlinson into London's health services, medical education and research will amount to about £250,000. Within that sum, fees totalling £23,660 will have been paid to Sir Bernard Tomlinson—equivalent to the remunera-tion of a regional health authority chairman—and fees totalling £8,750 to the team of advisers who have assisted him.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health who she plans to consult over the Tomlinson report's proposal to close St. Bartholomew's hospital.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There will be wide consultation on any proposal for the closure of a hospital site arising from Sir Bernard Tomlinson's report.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what directions she has given to the Tomlinson implementation team regarding ring fencing of moneys saved from hospital closures to community care.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None. I have not yet constituted the London implementation group.

  Hospice Services
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a table showing the value in cash and percentage terms of the contributions of all NHS purchasing authorities towards the revenue costs of hospice services in 1991–92 and in the current financial year; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 27 October 1992]: Information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the amounts of central funds allocated to regional health authorities in 1991–92 and 1992–93 for the specific purpose of enabling purchasing authorities to increase their contributions to the revenue costs of hospices for adult patients run by voluntary organisations. Additional sums of £3.2 million in 1991–92 and £5.5 million in 1992–93 were allocated to regional health authorities as part of a trial scheme to enable hospices to obtain drugs for their in-patients free of charge.

  Purchasing authorities also contribute to the revenue costs of hospices from their main allocations. For 1991–92, it is estimated that combined Department of Health and NHS funds met 41 per cent. of the revenue costs of adult hospices. We remain committed to reaching a position where the value of health authorities' contributions to hospices' agreed revenue costs matches that of voluntary giving.

  Regional Health Authority

  Allocation 1991–92 £ million

  Allocation 1992–93 £ million

  Northern

  1.124

  2.052

  Yorkshire

  1.276

  2.409

  Trent

  1.603

  3.109

  East Anglian

  0.672

  1.491

  North West Thames

  1.263

  2.094

  North East Thames

  1.478

  2.332

  South East Thames

  1.395

  2.582

  South West Thames

  1.102

  2.046

  Wessex

  0.979

  2.157

  Oxford

  0.774

  1.462

  South Western

  1.128

  2.493

  West Midlands

  1.798

  3.353

  Mersey

  0.890

  1.551

  733

  Regional Health Authority

  Allocation 1991–92 £ million

  Allocation 1992–93 £ million

  North Western

  1.478

  2.592

  Total

  16.960

  31.723

  Value of child support1 for each child in standard rate tax—paying families expressed at April 19922

  Prices (£)

  Date3

  Children under age 11

  Children aged 11 to 15

  Children aged 16 and over

  1st child

  2nd child

  3rd child

  1st child

  2nd child

  3rd child

  1st child

  2nd child

  3rd child

  April 1962

  7.73

  10.51

  11.34

  9.58

  12.47

  13.19

  11.54

  14.33

  15.15

  April 1963

  8.69

  11.41

  12.22

  10.50

  13.43

  14.04

  12.42

  15.25

  16.04

  April 1964

  8.51

  11.19

  11.97

  10.29

  13.16

  13.75

  12.17

  14.94

  15.64

  April 1965

  8.53

  11.16

  11.72

  10.41

  12.94

  13.60

  12.28

  14.82

  15.48

  April 1966

  8.24

  10.77

  11.31

  10.05

  12.49

  13.13

  11.86

  14.31

  14.94

  April 1967

  7.94

  10.46

  10.78

  9.76

  12.13

  12.74

  11.51

  13.89

  14.51

  April 1968

  7.65

  9.59

  10.18

  9.34

  11.27

  11.78

  11.02

  12.88

  13.46

  April 1969

  7.26

  9.49

  10.04

  8.85

  11.09

  11.64

  10.45

  12.68

  13.16

  April 1970

  6.87

  8.99

  9.51

  8.38

  10.49

  11.02

  9.90

  12.00

  12.46

  April 1971

  8.01

  10.15

  10.63

  9.25

  11.45

  11.94

  10.55

  12.70

  13.18

  April 1972

  7.53

  9.54

  10.00

  8.70

  10.77

  11.23

  9.93

  11.94

  12.40

  April 1973

  6.83

  8.56

  8.98

  8.08

  9.75

  10.17

  9.09

  10.76

  11.17

  April 1974

  7.84

  9.29

  9.65

  9.03

  10.38

  10.78

  10.01

  11.36

  11.76

  April 1975

  6.87

  9.50

  9.50

  7.84

  10.48

  10.48

  8.70

  11.37

  11.37

  April 1976

  7.21

  9.45

  9.45

  8.03

  10.27

  10.27

  8.77

  10.99

  10.99

  April 1977

  6.92

  7.93

  7.93

  7.62

  8.62

  8.62

  8.23

  9.20

  9.20

  April 1978

  8.25

  8.25

  8.25

  8.90

  8.90

  8.90

  9.43

  9.43

  9.43

  April 1979

  10.23

  10.23

  10.23

  10.23

  10.23

  10.23

  10.23

  10.23

  10.23

  November 1980

  9.49

  9.49

  9.49

  9.49

  9.49

  9.49

  9.49

  9.49

  9.49

  November 1981

  9.36

  9.36

  9.36

  9.36

  9.36

  9.36

  9.36

  9.36

  9.36

  November 1982

  9.82

  9.82

  9.82

  9.82

  9.82

  9.82

  9.82

  9.82

  9.82

  November 1983

  10.41

  10.41

  10.41

  10.41

  10.41

  10.41

  10.41

  10.41

  10.41

  November 1984

  10.45

  10.45

  10.45

  10.45

  10.45

  10.45

  10.45

  10.45

  10.45

  November 1985

  10.13

  10.13

  10.13

  10.13

  10.13

  10.13

  10.13

  10.13

  10.13

  July 1986

  10.10

  10.10

  10.10

  10.10

  10.10

  10.10

  10.10

  10.10

  10.10

  April 1987

  9.89

  9.89

  9.89

  9.89

  9.89

  9.89

  9.89

  9.89

  9.89

  April 1988

  9.51

  9.51

  9.51

  9.51

  9.51

  9.51

  9.51

  9.51

  9.51

  April 1989

  8.80

  8.80

  8.80

  8.80

  8.80

  8.80

  8.80

  8.80

  8.80

  April 1990

  8.04

  8.04

  8.04

  8.04

  8.04

  8.04

  8.04

  8.04

  8.04

  April 1991

  8.60

  7.56

  7.56

  8.60

  7.56

  7.56

  8.60

  7.56

  7.56

  October 1991

  9.50

  7.71

  7.71

  9.50

  7.71

  7.71

  9.50

  7.71

  7.71

  April 1992

  9.65

  7.80

  7.80

  9.65

  7.80

  7.80

  9.65

  7.80

  7.80

  1 The combined value of child tax allowance after clawback and family allowance/child benefit.

  2 Based on the movement in the general index of retail prices at April 1992.

  3 Child tax allowance ceased after the 1978.79 tax year and uprating dates are shown from 1979 onwards.

  4 And subsequent children.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the organisations and individuals who responded to the Government's proposals for the child support regulations.

  Mr. Burt
  The list is as follows:

  APACS

  Association of Magisterial Officers

  Association of Metropolitan Authorities

  Bar of Northern Ireland

  Barnardos

  Belfast Law Centre

  Bolton Magistrates' Court

  Borders Regional Council

  British Bankers Association

  The Building Societies Association

  Cardiff Gypsy Site Group

  Catholic Family Care Society

  CBI

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Child Support
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the value of child support for each child in a standard rate tax paying family, expressed in 1992–93 prices, for each year from 1962 to 1992–93.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is in the table. While child benefit helps all families with children, there is a comprehensive range of other social security benefits which can provide additional help for some families according to their circumstances.

  CBI—Northern Ireland

  C Croydon

  Chessington Computer Centre

  Child Care

  Child Poverty Action Group

  The Children's Society

  Citizen's Advice Bureau

  Citizen's Advice Scotland

  City of Manchester Welfare Rights Unit

  Commission for Racial Equality

  The Committee of Scottish Clearing Banks

  Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

  Council on Tribunals P T Dawes

  Department of Economic Development—Netherleigh Northern Ireland

  DSS—Benefits Agency, Five Ways Complex

  DSS—Benefits Agency, Newbury Office

  DSS—Benefits Agency, South Gwent and Islwyn District

  DSS—Clyde Valley District Office

  735

  DSS—Eston Local Office

  DSS—Highlands and Islands District Office

  DSS—North Tees District

  DSS—Nottingham

  DSS—West Notts District Office

  Dudley Magistrates' Court

  Earl Russell

  Faculty of Advocates

  Families Need Fathers

  Family Law Bar Association

  The Forum of Private Business

  Gillian Cumberlidge—LRO—South Derbyshire District Gingerbread

  Greater Manchester Probation Service

  D Green—Solicitor

  Hammersmith and Fulham Council for Racial Equality

  P Hancock—Benefits Agency, Dudley, West Midlands Justices Clerks Society

  The Law Society

  The Law Society of Northern Ireland

  Law Society of Scotland

  Leicester City Council

  Lincolnshire Magistrates' Court Committee

  The Lord President of the Courts of Session

  The Magistrates' Association

  MENCAP

  NACAB

  NaCOPF

  National Council of Women of Great Britain

  Northern Ireland Resident Magistrates' Association

  Northern Ireland Solicitors Family Law Association

  Northumbria Probation Service

  Norwich City Council

  NSPCC

  Office of the Master for the Enforcement of Judgements —Northern Ireland

  Payroll Alliance

  Peterborough Software

  The President of the Social Security and Medical Appeal Tribunals—Northern Ireland

  The Principal Registry of the Family Division Relate

  Relate—Northern Ireland

  RSSPCC

  Scottish Association of Family Conciliation Services

  Scottish Child Law Centre

  Scottish Council for Single Parents

  Scottish Consumer Council

  Scottish Women's Aid

  A. M. Shelley

  Single Parent Action Network

  P. Small

  Social Security Advisory Committee

  Social Security Commissioners—Northern Ireland

  South Manchester Law Centre

  Dr. D. Spiegelhalter

  J. Spragg

  Strathclyde Regional Council

  T. J. Sullivan

  R. P. Tinsdell

  TUC

  TUS

  University of Leicester—Faculty of Law

  Wages for Housework Campaign

  Women's Aid Federation

  Women's National Commission

  A. Yates

  Mortgage Interest Payments
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the likely expenditure in 1992–93 on the payment of mortgage interest for households in receipt of income support, the number of households receiving such assistance, and the average monthly payment per household.

  Mr. Burt
  The latest available information is contained in the Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiry for May 736
  1991. The total amount was £949 million for 411,000 customers. The average weekly amount for those receiving full mortgage interest was £46.34, and for those receiving half mortgage interest (to which payments are restricted during the first 16 weeks of the claim for customers under age 60) was £35.61.

  Incomes
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of persons and the percentage of the total population, who were living on incomes less than 60 per cent. of the national average, in(a) 1985, (b) 1990, (c) 1991 and (d) the current year, respectively, or in those years nearest to these dates where information is available.

  Mr. Burt
  Such information as is available is taken from the Households Below Average Income series. Households Below Average Incomes does not cover 1985 and, at present, only goes up to 1988–89. The available years closest to those requested are 1981, 1987 and 1988–89. The figures, both before and after housing costs, are in the table.

  Number and percentage of people in the United Kingdom with less than 60 per cent, of average income.

  1981

  1987

  1988–89

  Before housing costs

  Number of people (millions)

  10.6

  14.6

  16

  Percentage of people

  19

  26

  29

  After housing costs

  Number of people (millions)

  11.9

  16.2

  16.8

  Percentage of people

  22

  29

  30

  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the mean net disposable income for 1979 and for each of the two years 1988 and 1989, at April 1992 prices, of the richest and poorest 20 per cent. of households, based on the equivalised income data collected for the latest households below average income analysis, distinguishing between the mean and the median.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to her on 16 July 1992,Official Report, columns 946–47.

  As recommended in the Households Below Average Income stocktaking report, only the median is used as the average measure for subdivisions of the income distribution.

  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 13 July,Official Report, column 454, if he will list the factors which prevent the publication of 1990–91 data from the households below average income analysis before mid-1993; and how much delay is accounted for by each factor.

  Mr. Burt
  1991 Family Expenditure Survey data is received by the Department in a form suitable for HBAI data preparation in October 1992. Some four to five months are then needed to set up consistent data files and a further four to five months to produce accurate and robust results, tables and analysis.

  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how the full value of free and subsidised school meals affects calculations of the mean, and the median, net
  737
  disposable income of the poorest 20 per cent. of (i) all households and (ii) households with children in each of the single years 1979 and 1989., using the information collected in the latest housholds below average income stocking report at April 1992 prices.

  Mr. Burt
  As recommended in the Households Below Average Income stocktaking report only the median is used to represent subdivisions of the income distribution and 1988 and 1989 are always combined. For part (i) of the question I therefore refer the hon. Member to my reply to her on 16 July 1992,Official Report, columns 947–48. The table answers part (ii) of the question:

  Average equivalised income at April 1992 prices for the bottom 20 per cent, of individuals in households of families with children

  1979 £

  1988–89 £

  Before housing costs:

  Excluding free school meals

  96

  96

  Including free school meals

  99

  98

  After housing costs:

  Excluding free school meals

  78

  74

  Including free school meals

  82

  76

  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was, for each type of household En the Family Expenditure Survey, the average disposable income at April 1992 prices, including the value of free and subsidised school meals, of the poorest 10 per cent. and poorest 20 per cent. of households, equivalised for household size and composition, after taking account of housing costs, for each of the two years 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to her on 16 July 1992,Official Report, columns 947–48.

  Disability
  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he can give about trends in the levels of disposable income of the 6 million people with disabilities, taking account of the latest households below average income stocktaking report.

  Mr. Burt
  The latest and most reliable information about the incomes of people with disabilities is contained in the reports of the OPCS surveys of disabled people carried out between 1985 and 1988, copies of which are in the library.

  The Family Expenditure Survey, the principal data source for Households Below Average Income, does not record whether an individual has a disability.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has for the number of persons seeking employment and not entitled to unemployment benefits in each month during 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Burt
  The table shows the Employment Department's seasonally adjusted Great Britain unemployment figures for each month of the financial years 1990–91 and 1991–92, together with the numbers of unemployed claimants for each quarter receiving neither unemployment benefit nor income support.
  738

  Month

  Unemployed Persons Thousands (Seasonally Adjusted)

  Unemployed Claimants receiving neither Unemployment Benefit nor Income Support Thousands (See note)

  1990/91

  April

  1,498

  —

  May

  1,503

  220

  June

  1,514

  —

  July

  1,527

  —

  August

  1,556

  253

  September

  1,585

  —

  October

  1,628

  —

  November

  1,681

  246

  December

  1,756

  —

  January

  1,796

  —

  February

  1,888

  295

  March

  1,990

  —

  1991/92

  April

  2,067

  —

  May

  2,133

  280

  June

  2,193

  —

  July

  2,262

  —

  August

  2,321

  302

  September

  2,356

  —

  October

  2,375

  —

  November

  2,415

  301

  December

  2,448

  —

  January

  2,503

  —

  February

  2,541

  328

  March

  2,548

  —

  Note:

  Source is the Quarterly Analysis of Unemployed Claimants.

  The figures include some persons who had claimed benefit but whose entitlement had not been established on the day of the count.

  No details are available of the numbers of job seekers who do not register unemployed, or of their entitlement to unemployment benefit.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total numbers of(a) unemployed job seekers eligible to claim unemployment benefit and (b) persons seeking employment in each year since 1979–80.

  Mr. Burt
  The table shows the Employment Department's seasonally adjusted GB unemployment figures for each of the financial years from 1979 to 1991 together with the average numbers of persons receiving unemployment benefit:

  Financial year

  Recipients of unemployment benefit Thousands1

  Unemployed persons (seasonally adjusted) Thousands

  1979–80

  480

  1,019

  1980–81

  858

  1,501

  1981–82

  2

  2,210

  1982–83

  987

  2,518

  1983–84

  940

  2,715

  1984–85

  2

  2,840

  1985–86

  2

  2,935

  1986–87

  923

  2,950

  1987–88

  733

  2,555

  1988–89

  540

  2,030

  1989–90

  329

  1,599

  1990–91

  358

  1,660

  1 Source: Quarterly analysis of unemployed claimants.

  2 Data for more than one quarter not available due to industrial action in these years.
  739
  No details are available of the numbers of job seekers who do not register unemployed or whether they are eligible for unemployment benefit.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what were the administrative costs for paying out national insurance unemployment benefits for each year since 1987–88;

  (2) what were the administrative costs for paying out social security benefits to unemployed families during each year since 1987–88.

  Mr. Burt
  Details of the administrative costs of social security benefits, of which unemployed families may be in receipt are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The administrative costs of paying unemployment benefit for the years 1987–88 to 1990–91, the latest year for which figures are available, are as follows:

  £ million

  1987–88

  166

  1988–89

  172

  1989–90

  176

  1990–91

  182

  Disability Allowances
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if applications for mobility allowance and attendance allowance, preceding the introduction of disability living allowance, are dealt with under legislation applicable at the time of application.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 27 October 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking if applications for Mobility Allowance (MobA) and Attendance Allowance (AA), preceding the introduction of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), are dealt with under legislation applicable at the time of application.
  I can confirm that all such claims made before 16 March 1992 were dealt with under the legislation appropriate to those benefits. Claims made on or after 16 March 1992 have been dealt with under the same legislation but using the new adjudication structure for DLA. All claims outstanding at 6 April 1992, regardless of when they were received, were dealt with under the new adjudication provisions, although the MobA and AA criteria apply.
  I hope this reply will be of help to you. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many applications were refused for(a) attendance allowance, (b) mobility allowance and (c) disability living allowance in 1992, to 30 September;

  (2) how many outstanding (a) applications, (b) reviews and (c) appeals were ongoing for attendance allowance on 1 April;

  (3) how many outstanding (a) applications, (b) reviews and (c) appeals were ongoing for mobility allowance on 1 April;
  740
  (4) how many persons were employed dealing with (a) disability living allowance, (b) attendance allowance and (c) mobility allowance on 1 October;

  (5) how many applicants for (a) attendance allowance, (b) mobility allowance and (c) disability living allowance have not received payment for a successful claim six months after their application, from 1 October 1991 to 1 October 1992;

  (6) how many persons were employed dealing with (a) disability living allowance, (b) attendance allowance and (c) mobility allowance on 1 April;

  (7) how many persons have claimed (a) attendance allowance, (b) mobility allowance and (c) disability living allowance in 1992 to 30 September;

  (8) what was the training budget for personnel involved in (a) disability living allowance and (b) disability working allowance.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 27 October 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance (AA) and Mobility Allowance (MOBA).
  It will perhaps be helpful if I explain a little about the changes which took place with the onset of the new adjudication structure. With the introduction of the DLA from 6 April 1992, all outstanding AA claims, reviews and appeals in respect of people under 65 were transferred to DLA for processing under the new adjudication system introduced at the same time. This was because any award of AA spanning 6 April for people under 65 would automatically become the Care Component of DLA at that time.
  Cases in respect of people aged 65 or over would not be subject to the change to DLA, but would continue to receive or apply for AA. The change in the adjudication system which applied to DLA was however also introduced for AA.

  Outstanding AA and MOBA claims, reviews and appeals
  The major transfer of work to DLA with its introduction in April involved in excess of 70,000 cases.
  Of this total there were approximately 23,000 claims to MOBA which were transferred to the DLA Unit for processing under the new rules, with a further 11,500 or so reviews and appeals.
  In the region of 20,000 claims to AA from people under the age of 65 were also transferred to the new adjudication structure along with just over 16,000 reviews and appeals.
  In addition to those cases which fell to be considered as DLA, there remain those cases from people aged over 65, which are still administered as AA. At the beginning of April, just over 101,000 such claims were outstanding in the DBCs, with around 30,000 appeals and reviews at the Fylde AA Unit.

  Number of claims made and refused
  I should first explain that claims to DLA are administered by ten Disability Benefit Centres (DBCs) around the country and the DLA Unit at Fylde. Claim forms are specially designed to direct customers to return the claim to the DBC nearest their home address. The Centre is then responsible for the claim, obtaining any other relevant information and making the decision on entitlement.
  In addition there are also applications from people currently getting either AA or MOBA but who may also be entitled to an additional amount under the DLA rules. These applications, known as "Top-up" claims, are dealt with at a special unit at Preston.

  741
  The following table shows the number of claims received and the number refused from February to September:

  AA

  DLA

  Top-up

  Number of claims made

  386,000

  303,000

  195,000

  Refusals

  88,000

  86,000

  23,000

  Staffing and Training
  As part of the preparation for the launch of DLA and the introduction of the revised adjudication structure for AA, there was a major comprehensive training programme in 1991–92. Manpower costs for this programme were in the region of £2 million. For Disability Working Allowance, the comparative figure was just below £200,000.
  Although the Agency had expected the initial launch of the new benefits to generate large numbers of claims in the early months, the success of the advertising campaign and the widespread interest from disabled people meant that the numbers we received in total, exceeded our expectations in the early stages.
  This sudden surge coupled with the extensive recruitment and training programme, for staff who were still adjusting to the new benefit processes, meant that a backlog of cases built up in the weeks following the launch.
  In direct response to this situation, extra staff have been deployed, and overtime is being worked to a considerable extent. The staff in post numbers for all DLA and AA operations at the Fylde and DBC offices have therefore been increased from around 3,300 in April to over 4,600 at the beginning of October. These figures include all AA staff for dealing with claims reviews and appeals etc. from people over age 65 and work for MOBA and AA (below 65) which of course were subsumed within DLA from its introduction.

  Delays in payment
  You asked about the numbers of applicants who have not received payment for a successful claim six months after their application. This information is not available in the format you requested. I should explain, however, that payment authorization is despatched within 24 or 48 hours of the decision on the case being recorded.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response his Department makes to a complaint from an applicant concerning failure to respond to an application for mobility allowance or disability living allowance, where the applicant gives notice that he or she will contact his or her hon. Member if no response is received within 28 days.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Alun Michael dated 27 October 1992.
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the response made to a customer who gives notice that they will contact their honourable member if their claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA,) or Mobility Allowance is not processed within 28 days.
  I wrote to all MPs on 19 October explaining in detail the significant problems encountered with the launch of DLA and the measures introduced to deal with the backlog which resulted.
  The extent and speed of the response to the launch of the new benefit has meant that we have been unable to process claims as quickly as we would have liked. In order to keep
  742
  customers informed of any delays we automatically send notification of progress 6 weeks after the claim is registered. I understand that customers may sometimes feel that contacting their MP will help to speed up the processing of their claim and whilst we appreciate their frustration, it is our policy always to deal with claims as quickly as possible.
  I regret that customers are experiencing delays and I am by no means complacent about the number of applications still to be processed. I am currently monitoring the situation closely and I am confident that we will have reached a steady state shortly for new claims and by the end of November for "top-up" claims.
  I hope you will find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the number and percentage of requests for a medical examination by people claiming(a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance since the introduction of the new self-assessment claiming system;

  (2) when he expects the target clearance rate for new disability living allowance claims to be met; what targets have been set for reviews of decisions on (a) new disability living allowance, (b) outstanding mobility allowance or(c) attendance allowance; and when he expects each of these targets to be met;

  (3) what was the total number and percentage of claims for disability living allowance where the adjudicating officer required further evidence; and what were the number and percentage requiring (a) an EMP report, (b) evidence other than an EMP report and (c) both;

  (4) how many requests for reviews of disability living allowance have been received by his Department; and what number and percentage of these (a) resulted in an increase in the amount of benefit payable, (b) resulted in an original award being maintained, (c) resulted in a reduction in benefit and (d) remain outstanding;

  (5) what is the number and percentage of (a) new claims and (b) top-up claims for disability living allowance to date that have either (i) resulted in an award or (ii) been rejected, broken down by whether (1) EMP evidence was provided and (2) the claim was decided solely on the statement of disability evidence provided by the claimant;

  (6) how many (a) new and (b) top-up claims for the disability living allowance have been received by his Department to date; if he will provide a breakdown by (i) the number and percentage of these that resulted in an award, (ii) the number and percentage of these that were refused broken down by grounds for refusal and (iii) the number and percentage of these that are awaiting a decision; and if he will provide totals for the country as a whole and by each of the regions covered by the 10 disability benefit centres;

  (7) what are the national average clearance times for (a) new and (b) top-up claims for disability living allowance for (i) each month since February and (ii) the period from the beginning of April to September inclusive; and if he will provide a breakdown by disability benefit centre.

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

  Letter from M. Richard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 27 October 1992:

  743
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about claims to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and requests for review of DLA and Attendance Allowance (AA) claims. I will deal with each of your points in turn:

  Numbers and percentage of requests for a medical examination by people claiming DLA and AA
  One of the primary aims of the introduction of DLA and AA for people aged 65 or over was to reduce the need for medical examinations. New self assessment procedures place more reliance on information provided by customers. The DLA and AA claim packs do not direct applicants to request an examination. The information you require as to the number of cases where people have opted to undergo a medical examination is therefore not available.

  Claims adjudicated upon on receipt and those requiring further medical evidence
  From February to the end of September almost 190,000 decisions on new claim were made, over 117,000 of the decisions made were awards with around 72,000 unsuccessful. A breakdown of the numbers of decisions based upon the information provided on the claim form and those requiring further medical evidence or opinion is at Annex 1.

  Number of claims made, decided and outstanding
  You asked for the number of new claims and "top-up" claims that have been made to DLA, together with the number and percentage of awards and refusals. A breakdown of claims received, decided and the numbers outstanding at each of the Disability Benefit Centres (DBCs) is given at Annex 2. I should explain that it is not possible to show the figures for "top-up" claims in the same format as new claims as they are processed at a special unit in Preston. Figures for "top-up" claims are shown at Annex 3.

  National average clearance times
  The Benefits Agency introduced a standard performance measure across benefits some time ago. This is expressed in terms of clearance targets days rather than average clearance times as was previously the case.

  Annex 1

  Claims adjudicated upon on receipt and those requiring further evidence

  Total number of decisions made

  Decision based on claim pack

  Reflected as a percentage of total

  Decision based on medical examination

  Reflected as a percentage of total

  Decision based on other evidence

  Reflected as a percentage of total

  New claims

  Awards

  117,300

  61,100

  52

  23,200

  20

  33,000

  28

  Rejections

  72,500

  29,600

  41

  14,600

  20

  28,400

  39

  Top-up claims

  Awards

  98,000

  78,000

  80

  12,000

  12

  8,000

  8

  Rejections

  21,100

  15,600

  74

  2,200

  10

  3,300

  16

  Annex 2

  Analysis of adjudication officer decisions on new claims (February to September)

  Figures rounded to nearest hundred

  Total received

  Total awards

  Rejections

  Total rejections

  Total adjudication

  Total cleared

  Number outstanding

  Medical grounds

  Lay grounds (1)

  Number

  As a percentage

  Number

  As a percentage

  Number

  As a percentage

  Number

  As a percentage

  Number

  As a percentage

  Number

  As a percentage

  Number

  As a percentage

  Edinburgh

  36,300

  10,300

  28

  7,200

  20

  1,300

  4

  8,500

  23

  18,800

  52

  18,500

  51

  17,800

  49

  Newcastle

  19,800

  7,500

  38

  8,100

  41

  700

  3

  8,800

  44

  16,300

  82

  16,000

  81

  3,800

  19

  Leeds

  34,900

  16,700

  48

  8,600

  25

  1,400

  4

  10,000

  29

  26,700

  77

  26,900

  77

  8,000

  23

  Manchester

  24,300

  8,500

  35

  9,900

  41

  900

  4

  10,800

  45

  19,300

  79

  19,500

  80

  4,800

  20

  Bootle

  26,400

  11,100

  42

  6,000

  23

  900

  3

  6,900

  26

  18,000

  68

  17,700

  67

  8,800

  33

  Birmingham

  46,000

  17,000

  37

  7,400

  16

  1,400

  3

  8,800

  19

  25,800

  56

  25,200

  55

  20,800

  45

  Bristol

  17,800

  9,200

  52

  4,300

  24

  800

  5

  5,100

  29

  14,400

  81

  14,400

  81

  3,400

  19

  Cardiff

  24,400

  11,000

  45

  6,900

  28

  900

  4

  7,700

  32

  18,700

  77

  18,500

  76

  5,800

  24

  Wembley

  36,100

  18,000

  50

  7,400

  21

  1,800

  5

  9,200

  26

  27,300

  76

  26,800

  74

  9,200

  26

  744
  Since the launch of DLA in February 1992 the performance to date has shown a 31 % clearance rate against the primary target of 30 days. The latest performance for the month of September also shows 31 % of claims cleared within 30 days. The table at Annex 4 shows the clearance times for each DBC between February and September inclusive for new DLA claims, but not those made under the special rules, for both the primary target (60% in 30 days) and secondary target (95% in 55 days). The clearance of "top-up" claims is shown at Annex 5.

  The success of the advertising campaign and the policy initiatives surrounding the launch of the benefits, attracted a much larger number of applicants in the early stages than was expected. Backlogs of work arose as a result and this has undoubtedly affected our ability to meet the clearance targets which are intended to represent the on-going situation.

  Significant inroads have now been made into these backlogs and whilst there will always be a certain number of cases in action at any one time, I would expect this to reduce to manageable proportions shortly.

  Reviews of decisions on DLA, and outstanding MobA and AA.
  You asked how many requests for review of DLA have been received, the outcomes of those determined, and the numbers still outstanding. Since the benefit's launch in February, just over 18,000 requests for review have been received, with less than 15,000, which represents approximately 80%, remaining outstanding at the end of September.
  I should explain, however, that over 6,500 were received in September alone. These review requests relate to decisions on new DLA/AA and MobA claims and to requests for reviews of existing MobA and AA awards. The targets for clearance of all types of reviews are to clear 60% in 55 days and 95% in 75 days. For the continuing AA scheme, the comparable figures are 60% in 61 days and 95% in 81 days. Reliable information is not yet available about the outcome of applications for reviews. These targets are intended to represent the situation in stable running; currently much effort is being channelled into clearing these unadjudicated cases outstanding at April 1992. As I said in my letter of 19 October to all Members, these cases will be cleared by the end of December, and I would expect that clearance times of applications for reviews will improve thereafter.
  All figures quoted are provisional and may therefore be subject to amendment.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.
  745

  Total received

  Total awards

  Rejections

  Total rejections

  Total adjudication officer decisions

  Total cleared

  Number outstanding

  Medical grounds

  Lay grounds (1)

  Number

  As a percentage

  Number

  As a percentage

  Number

  As a percentage

  Number

  As a percentage

  Number

  As a percentage

  Number

  As a percentage

  Number

  As a percentage

  Sutton

  31,400

  14,400

  46

  7,900

  25

  1,600

  5

  9,400

  30

  23,800

  76

  23,800

  76

  7,600

  24

  All regions1

  297,400

  123,700

  42

  73,800

  25

  11,500

  4

  85,300

  29

  209,000

  70

  207,300

  70

  90,100

  30

  Great Britain

  303,400

  126,100

  42

  74,300

  24

  11,900

  4

  86,200

  28

  212,000

  70

  213,800

  70

  89,700

  30

  1 Figures differ from national due to business conducted at North Fylde.

  Annex 3

  Analysis of adjudication officer decisions on top-up claims(February to September)

  Figures rounded to nearest thousand

  Total received

  195,000

  Total awards

  98,000

  as percentage

  61

  Total rejections1

  23,000

  as percentage

  12

  Total AO decisions

  121,000

  Annex 4

  Performance indicators for new claims by DBC (Percentage)

  Days

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  Overall

  Edinburgh

  30

  99

  96

  42

  14

  9

  10

  12

  22

  19

  55

  99

  99

  98

  78

  33

  34

  28

  41

  44

  Newcastle

  30

  99

  96

  67

  25

  19

  26

  20

  35

  37

  55

  99

  99

  99

  87

  56

  50

  48

  63

  69

  Leeds

  30

  99

  98

  78

  37

  6

  7

  30

  44

  33

  55

  99

  99

  99

  90

  42

  55

  64

  66

  66

  Manchester

  30

  90

  95

  58

  23

  11

  25

  26

  38

  32

  55

  99

  99

  99

  88

  54

  52

  53

  60

  62

  Bootle

  30

  99

  97

  44

  9

  10

  7

  18

  27

  21

  55

  99

  99

  99

  76

  31

  28

  52

  52

  51

  Birmingham

  30

  99

  98

  69

  29

  12

  17

  19

  21

  25

  55

  99

  99

  99

  83

  47

  38

  41

  39

  49

  Bristol

  30

  99

  97

  75

  38

  17

  6

  11

  32

  31

  55

  99

  98

  98

  91

  64

  22

  50

  69

  62

  Cardiff

  30

  99

  97

  63

  13

  13

  13

  27

  34

  30

  55

  99

  99

  99

  82

  62

  44

  56

  60

  63

  Wembley

  30

  99

  97

  70

  34

  23

  36

  34

  36

  44

  55

  99

  98

  98

  85

  65

  66

  63

  63

  73

  Sutton

  30

  99

  97

  78

  36

  19

  28

  35

  33

  40

  55

  99

  98

  99

  92

  57

  57

  58

  59

  66

  Annex 5

  Performance indicators for top-up claims conversion unit (percentage)

  Days

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  Sept

  Overall

  55

  99

  99

  95

  55

  14

  6

  6

  15

  21

  70

  99

  99

  98

  92

  43

  17

  12

  22

  35

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what were the average fees paid by his Department to doctors for(a) mobility allowance and (b) attendance allowance claims; what was the total amount spent by his Department on payment of such fees to doctors; and what were the numbers of cases involved in each of the previous three years;

  (2) how many doctors are currently employed by his Department for dealing with disability and attendance
  746

  Figures rounded to nearest thousand

  as percentage

  62

  Total cleared

  137,000

  as percentage

  70

  Number outstanding

  58,000

  as percentage

  30

  1 These are almost all medical; 108 for other reasons.

  Note:

  No regional figures available since all conversion done at North Fylde.

  allowance claims; and how many doctors were employed by his Department for dealing with mobility and attendance allowance claims in each of the previous three years;

  (3) what is the average fee paid by his Department to doctors for an examination required by a claim for disability living allowance or attendance allowance; and in how many cases an examination has taken place and the total amount spent on such fees to date.
  747
  Mr. Scott
  The use of doctors to examine claimants and the cost of gathering medical evidence for social security benefits is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Mr. Bichard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 27 October 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security concerning doctors employed by the Department who are dealing with claims for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Attendance Allowance (AA) and Mobility Allowance (MobA). I will answer each of your points in turn. Average fees paid to doctors for MobA and AA claims.

  The average fees paid for combined MobA/AA examinations including an average for travelling expenses is as follows:

  Over 2.5 hours

  1989

  88

  1990

  81

  1991

  75

  The total amount spent on fees in 1991–92 was £27 million. It is not possible to identify the specific administrative costs incurred in paying these fees. Similarly, the figures for the number of cases involved in each of the last three years are not readily available and could only be obtained at dispropor-tionate cost.

  Average fees paid to doctors for examinations on DLA or AA claims.
  The average fee paid for DLA/AA65 + examinations is £83 per 3.5 hours which includes an average for travelling expenses.
  To date the total amount spent on such fees is £4 million and examinations have occurred in approximately 52,000 cases.

  Number of doctors employed

  There are currently 66 doctors employed by the Agency for DLA/AA65 + claims. The number of doctors employed for AA/MobA claims at the end of each of the previous three years is as follows:

  Number of limes subject covered in calls

  Percentage of total subjects

  1 Number of calls abandoned

  Month

  Disability living allowance

  Attendance allowance

  Disability living allowance

  Attendance allowance

  February

  49,431

  8,249

  66

  11

  37,943

  March

  55,230

  7,247

  68

  9

  11,474

  April

  57,455

  20,983

  52

  19

  11,370

  May

  33,133

  16,159

  45

  22

  10,438

  June

  45,917

  20,350

  45

  20

  11,019

  July

  30,233

  10,979

  44

  16

  11,551

  August

  25,010

  9,065

  44

  16

  9,290

  September

  23,460

  8,880

  40

  15

  8,793

  1 The number of abandoned calls are relevant to the whole service provided by the Benefit Enquiry Line.

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

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what additional resources, excluding any redeployment of existing resources the Benefits Agency has at its disposal, have been made available to the Benefits Agency to enable it to clear the backlog of disability living allowance claims and reviews and any outstanding reviews and renewal claims for mobility allowance and attendance allowance.
  748

  Number

  1989–90

  39

  1990–91

  39

  1991–92

  41

  The reason that full-time Medical Officer requirements increased for DLA/AA65 + was partly due to the higher workload forecast compared to AA/MobA, and partly by the use of full-time Medical Officers instead of fee paid doctors. I should explain that this has resulted in a net saving of £865,000.

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

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what number and percentage of all inquiries received by the benefits inquiry line related to disability living allowance and attendance allowance in each month since February; and how many calls were recorded but not able to get through on this line over the same period.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 27 October 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what number and percentage of all enquiries received by the Benefits Enquiry Line related to Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance in each month since February; and how many calls were recorded but not able to get through on this line over the same period.
  The information requested is shown below:

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 27 October 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what additional resources are available to clear the backlog of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

  749
  claims and reviews and any outstanding reviews and renewals claims for Mobility Allowance (MobA) and Attendance Allowance (AA).
  The Agency launched DLA in February, with an extensive publicity campaign. As part of this campaign, we wrote to all existing MobA and AA beneficiaries, in the region of 1 million, explaining the changes and, where appropriate, inviting them to claim extra money under the new DLA rules. In the meantime other take up campaigns were being run outside the organisation to encourage claims.
  We had expected the initial launch of the new benefit to generate large numbers of claims in the months surrounding the benefit's introduction, and we calculated that around 2,000 staff would be required to process the claims for DLA. However, whilst we had planned for some increase in applications, the success of the advertising campaign and the widespread interest from disabled people, attracted a much larger number of applications in the early stages than was expected. There was also a huge increase in the numbers of claims to AA during the same period.
  This sudden surge coupled with extensive recruitment and training programmes of 2,000 staff who were still adjusting to the new benefit processes meant that a backlog of cases built up in the weeks following the introduction of DLA. The transfer of outstanding MobA and AA renewal claims, reviews and appeals from 6 April to a completely new adjudication structure, was in itself, a major exercise.
  As a result, over 800 extra staff have been recruited and trained and are now in place dealing with DLA and AA. There has been extensive overtime working across the ten Disability Benefit Centres and the DLA Unit at Fylde. As I am only given the resources to cope with the forecast workload, and this has in total been exceeded, I have had to find these resources from elsewhere in the Agency.
  In addition the backlog of cases has generated further enquiries from customers seeking advice and information about their claim. Extra staff have therefore been taken on to handle telephone enquiries received at the DLA Central Enquiry Handling Service at Fylde.
  As a result of these and other measures, significant inroads have been made into the backlog of work. Of course, there will always be a certain number of cases in action at any one time, but I am now confident that this will shortly have reduced to manageable proportions.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims to date for the disability living allowance have been completed(a) with the assistance of telephone calls and (b) with the assistance of visits made by the forms completion service staff in the disability benefits centres.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 27 October 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many claims to date for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) have been completed (a) with the assistance of telephone calls and (b) with the assistance of visits made by the forms completion service staff in the Disability Benefit Centres.
  Since the launch of the benefit on 3 February until 25 September 1992, nearly 43,000 claims were completed with the assistance of telephone calls and approximately 1,650 visits had been made by the Forms Completion Staff in the Disability Benefit Centres.
  This information differs from that I provided in my letter to you of 13 July 1992.
  750
  I hope that you will find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will hold an inquiry into the extent to which the administrative delays experienced by applicants for mobility allowance, attendance allowance and disability living allowance are incompatible with the citizens charter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  No. The chief executive of the Benefits Agency is responsible for the assessment of claims, reviewing entitlements to and arranging payments of social security benefits. He wrote to all hon. Members on 6 July and again on 19 October setting out the progress that has been made in this area by the agency.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what additional capital resources have been made available to introduce disability living allowance.

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

  Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 27 October 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what additional capital resources have been made available to introduce Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
  A total of £19m has been made available for the introduction of DLA. This sum takes account of expenditure on the purchase of computer equipment, telecom equipment, office machines and furnishings and the refurbishment or redevelopment of the ten locations throughout the country within which are housed the staff administering DLA.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Agoraphobia
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements are made for those who suffer from agoraphobia to apply for sickness benefit provided they satisfy the benefit eligibility rules; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Max Madden, dated 27 October 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what arrangements are made for those who suffer from agoraphobia to apply for sickness benefit providing they satisfy the benefit eligibility rules.
  There are no specific arrangements for dealing with customers who are agoraphobic. Existing procedures allow for claims to Sickness Benefit to be dealt with through the post, although home visits can be made upon request. Every effort is made to make home visits to those customers who, for one reason or another, are unable to leave their homes. Any customer who is agoraphobic should receive a home visit from one of our staff if requested.

  751
  Customers who are agoraphobic normally need to complete a self certificate (form SCI) which can be obtained from Benefits Agency offices by post, or from their doctors' surgery. If they need to obtain a Doctors' statement, then they will need to arrange to see their Doctor in the normal way.
  I should explain that it is the aim of the Agency to identify and respond, wherever possible, to its customers' needs. Our Customer Charter states that we want to make it easier for our customers to contact us, whether they choose to call in at one of our offices, phone or write. The Charter states that "Where it is necessary for you we can visit you at home".
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Deaf Claimants
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance has been issued, or is planned to be issued to the Benefits Agency in respect of provision of appropriate communication support/technical device to assist deaf and hard of hearing claimants attending local benefit offices.

  Mr. Scott
  The provision of service in local benefit offices for deaf and hard of hearing customers is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Keith Bradley, dated 27 October 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security concerning guidance in respect of provision of appropriate communication support/technical devices to assist deaf and hard of hearing claimants attending local benefit offices.
  The Agency is committed to an equal opportunities policy. For our customers with disabilities, this means that wherever possible we will ensure that their dealings with us should not be limited by reason of their disabilities. Training packages on customer care take account of awareness of the needs of disabled people.
  We have set up an effective liaison with the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, and we are looking at a number of their services with a view to publicising them through our network of District Information Officers and Customer Service Managers in local benefit offices. For example, we hope staff will be able to make use of the RNID's Deaf Awareness Courses.
  We are compiling a database of customer service initiatives, and this will be made available to all local offices. For example, some offices have sent staff on training courses to learn sign language. In one office nine members of staff have completed a 20 week course (two hours a week), and refresher meetings have been arranged. The scheme has been so successful that a further seven volunteers have come forward. The office has informed all local welfare groups and advice centres about the initiative. In another office, two volunteers have attended a local school for the deaf, while some offices have run their own training sessions about sign language.
  The Manchester South District, which falls within your constituency, has made particular progress in this area; all the receptionists have attended night school classes in signing.
  Other initiatives are being taken forward at a local level to improve service to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. For example, many offices—including those in the Manchester South District—have installed induction loop systems. This provides a link between the interviewer and the customer, and eliminates background noise. Most hearing aids can easily be switched over to the loop.
  The Agency subscribes to the Sympathetic Hearing Scheme, and information packs have been distributed to all
  752
  offices. Some offices have an electronic visual display unit which, sited in the reception area, has proved useful for getting messages over to the hard of hearing. Others use a portable terminal with a display screen and a memory facility for creating and storing messages.
  We have issued a video for the deaf and hard of hearing giving information about benefits.
  We are also interested in the Minicom system, although this is only available at present in a small number of offices, together with our freephone Benefit Enquiry Line service for disabled customers. The RNID advocate Super-tel, an advanced Minicom system. As a long term aim, we would like to be able to offer this facility at local offices, although clearly resources are a factor.
  Research is currently under way into the service and information needs of disabled customers. The findings and recommendations will be fed into our overall equal opportunities strategy.
  As the Agency's Customer Charter makes clear, we are committed to providing a service which is accessible for all our customers. We recognise that disabled people may have particular needs and we will continue to look for ways to make our service easier to use.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Benefits, Newham
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the latest annual figures for the London borough of Newham for the number of recipients of income support, direct payments, social fund, child support and housing benefit; and what were the comparable figures for each of the past 10 years.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Ron Leighton, dated 27 October 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security, asking what were the latest annual figures for the London Borough of Newham for the number of recipients of Income Support, Direct Payments, Social Fund, Child Support and Housing Benefit; and what were the comparable figures for each of the past 10 years.
  The complete range of information is not available except at a disproportionate cost. This is because statistics of a local nature are destroyed at regular intervals in accordance with standing instructions.
  I have listed below the information available on each subject requested.

  Housing Benefit
  The administration of Housing Benefit is a matter for Local Authorities. The tabled information shows the number of cases in receipt of Housing Benefit in the London Borough of Newham. The data has been obtained from the Housing Benefit Management Information System. The figure for February 1990 includes 2,877 customers in receipt of a rate rebate which altered to Community Charge Benefit by February 1991.

  Number of recipients of Housing Benefit

  February 1990

  February 1991

  February 1992

  32,000

  28,193

  30,139

  Income Support
  The figures quoted are for the areas covered by the

  753
  Plaistow, Canning Town and Stratford offices, which make up the Benefits Agency's Newham District. It is not possible to provide a more detailed breakdown because the District boundary does not correspond with that of the Borough of Newham.

  February 1991

  February 1992

  Recipients of income support

  37,692

  41,628

  Direct payments made from benefit to third parties

  3,116

  5,132

  Social Fund
  Social Fund statistics relate to the number of applications made rather than the number of actual applicants.

  March 1991

  March 1992

  Number of applications

  1,156

  2,282

  Number of awards

  709

  1,235

  Child Support
  Child support statistics relate to the number of Income Support cases in which there may be a liability to child support rather than the actual numbers where child support is actually in payment.

  February 1991

  2,752

  February 1992

  3,225

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

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what efficiency savings were made by the Benefits Agency during its first year of operations; and what target for savings has been set for the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Burt
  The achievement of efficiency savings in the Benefits Agency is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Mr. Richard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 27 October 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the efficiency savings made by the Benefits Agency during its first year of operation; and what target for savings has been set for the financial year 1992–93.
  The Benefits Agency made a total of £116m of efficiency savings in 91–92, mainly through the implementation of our computerisation programme. This, together with £80m carried forward from previous years, made a cumulative total of £196m compared with the target of £182m set for the Agency.
  The Agency has been set a target of £53.7m for 92–93 which we expect to achieve, again, mainly through computerisation.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Fraud
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how much his Department has saved from the investigation of fraud in the latest year for which figures are available; and what are the targeted savings for the next financial year;
  754
  (2) what is the number of whole time equivalent staff employed by his Department to detect and prosecute suspected fraud; and what is the cost of their employment;

  (3) how many people were prosecuted for fraud by his Department in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The investigation of social security fraud is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy' will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Donald Dewar, dated 27 October 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the investigation of social security fraud.
  You asked how much has been saved from the investigation of fraud and how many people were prosecuted for fraud in the latest year for which figures are available; what are the targeted savings for 1992–93; and what is the number and cost of whole time equivalent staff employed to detect and prosecute fraud.
  In the year ending 31 March 1992 the estimated savings that accrued from the investigation of fraud totalled £427 million. During the same period there were 4,379 people prosecuted by the Agency which led to 3,916 convictions.
  The number of staff employed to detect and prosecute fraud in the year ending 31 March 1992 was 2,873 at a cost of £62.5 million.
  The targeted savings from the investigation of fraud for the year ending 31 March 1993 is £460 million.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Terminal Illness
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what advice he has issued to doctors, required to identify persons under special rules payments, who have not advised their patients of a terminal condition, or duration of a terminal condition.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. David Hinchliffe, dated 27 October 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about advice given to doctors in connection with claims made under the special rules procedures.
  As you know, the term "Special Rules" refers to the arrangements under which persons who are terminally ill can claim Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA). The procedures ensure that people with a limited life expectancy of six months or less are automatically awarded the highest rate of the care component of DLA or the higher rate of AA.
  A claim for payment under the special rules procedures may be made by the sick or disabled person or by a third party on their behalf. The claim form requires the person applying for the benefit to indicate that the claim is being made under Special Rules procedures and to ask their local doctor to complete a form DS1500, which provides factual medical evidence in order to streamline the process and avoid delays in payment.

  755
  Doctors were advised of these arrangements when they were introduced. The DS1500 report is brief and easy to complete asking only three questions, it does not mention terminal illness nor does it ask for an opinion on prognosis. No specific advice is given to the doctor about what he should tell his patients about their illnesses. This must be a matter for his own judgment.
  It is appreciated that this is an area which causes considerable distress to patients when they realise that Special Rules apply to people with a limited life expectancy. It is also difficult and distressing for the relatives and the doctor involved. The Benefits Agency in consultation with the Department has accordingly tried to make the claims process as easy and as sensitive as possible within the necessary legal constraints.
  756
  In order for Special Rules cases to be recognised at the outset and therefore processed quickly it is essential that the claim form identifies that the claim is made under these Rules and is accompanied by a DS1500 from the doctor treating the terminally ill person. If the claim has not come in as a Special Rules claim, or in some cases, a Special Rules claim is not accompanied by a form DS 1500, it is necessary to contact the doctor concerned to obtain confirmation as to whether or not the patient is terminally ill and whether they are claiming under Special Rules.
  I can assure you that the aim of both medical and lay staff is to deal with these cases in a caring and prompt manner.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of the reply will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  GOVERNMENT REPORTS: INDEPENDENT RESEARCH
  GOVERNMENT REPORTS: INDEPENDENT RESEARCH
  CABINET COMMITTEES
  CABINET COMMITTEES
  PALACE OF WESTMINSTER: POST BOXES
  PALACE OF WESTMINSTER: POST BOXES
  KNOW HOW FUND
  KNOW HOW FUND