Written Answers of 16 April 1993

ENVIRONMENT

  Public Appointments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many of the appointments made by him as listed in "Public Bodies 1992" came within the categories set out in paragraphs 49 and 50 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" and required a submission to the Prime Minister.

  Mr. Howard
  There were 27 appointments to the bodies listed in "Public Bodies 1992", sponsored by my Department, which required prior consultation with the Prime Minister under paragraph 50 of "Questions of Procedure for Ministers".

  Data Protection Act 1984
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many certificates have been signed under the terms of section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984 for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Howard
  None.

  Investment (Hackney)
  Ms Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what investment packages are available to private sector investors in Hackney to create jobs and housing.

  Mr. Baldry
  The following DOE programmes are available in Hackney:City Challenge: £7·5 million over five years, to develop and improve the local business economy, develop the skills of local people and raise the quality and management of homes.
  Housing: Following the Chancellor's autumn statement, an additional £10·8 million for housing associations to purchase homes and provide cash grants to enable housing association and council tenants to move into owner occupation. The estate action programme has also been successful in drawing private sector investment into the refurbishment of council estates.
  City grant: The private sector in Hackney is able to bid for funding of individual projects.
  Hackney task force: Provides loans/grants of up to £5,000 to small and and start up businesses.
  Urban partnership funding: £125,000 for enterprise projects will lever in over £500,000 from the private sector as a result of this initiative.

  London Residuary Body
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to reassign the functions and responsibilities of the London residuary body(a) prior to abolition and (b) following abolition.

  Mr. Squire
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no such plans. It is envisaged that the London residuary body will discharge its present functions and responsibilities until it is wound up.
  730
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the London residuary body to be wound up; and when its final accounts will be published.

  Mr. Squire
  The date of the winding up of the London residuary body (and hence the date of the publication of its final accounts) will depend upon the timing of the disposal of the County hall site and buildings.

  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the running costs of the London residuary body for each year to date.

  Mr. Squire
  Expressed in current prices, net expenditure by the London residuary body on general management or administrative services, including preparation and transfer of records to successor bodies by the London residuary body's administration department, was as follows in the years 1986–87 to 1992–93:

  £'000

  1986–87

  7,077

  1987–88

  4,285

  1988–89

  3,698

  1989–90

  3,043

  11990–91

  7,599

  1991–92

  3,048

  21992–93

  1,859

  1 On 1 April 1990 the London residuary body took on responsibility for winding up the affairs of the Inner London education authority.

  2 The figures for 1992–93 are from the London residuary body's 1992–93 original budget while for other years they come from the London residuary body's annual report and accounts.

  County Hall
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the future of the north, south and island blocks of County hall; how much they are valued at; and if he will make a statement on potential buyers.

  Mr. Squire
  The disposal of these properties is a matter for the London residuary body, which is at present actively marketing the land and buildings concerned.

  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the London residuary body will receive the proceeds of the sale of the main building of London's County hall; how much they are expected to be; and how they will be distributed.

  Mr. Redwood
  The timing and the amount of the receipt of the proceeds of the sale of the riverside building of County hall are matters of commercial confidentiality between the London residuary body and the purchasers. It is, however, expected that the ensuing capital receipt will be distributed to the London boroughs by 31 December this year. The method of distribution will be the subject of consultation between the Department and the London boroughs.

  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the disposal of all the buildings in the County hall complex to be completed.

  Mr. Baldry
  The disposal of the County hall site and buildings is a matter for the London residuary body, which is under a duty to sell the land and buildings concerned for the best obtainable price.

  Gas Appliances
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 30 March,Official Report, columns 133–34, how many prosecutions have been brought under (a) the Housing (Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Regulations 1990 and (b) the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 for failure to maintain and repair gas appliances; and how many of these prosecutions have resulted in convictions.

  Mr. Baldry
  The survey of local authorities in England and Wales contained in the Institution of Environmental Health Officers annual report 1990–91 reports that 90 convictions were obtained for failure to comply with section 369 of the Housing Act 1985, under which the Housing (Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Regulations 1990 are made.

  The survey also reports that 719 notices were served under section 372 (power to require execution of works to remedy neglect of management). 403 of these were complied with (including those complied with by means of the local authority carrying out the works), and 12 convictions were obtained for failure to comply with a notice.

  Information on the number of prosecutions specifically for failure to maintain and repair gas appliances, and on the number of prosecutions under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, is not held centrally.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to invite contributions from local authorities and other interested parties to his review of standard spending assessments.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 14 April 1993]: Officials in my Department have written to all local authorities in England inviting them to make representations on the review of standard spending assessments and to provide evidence to support any proposed changes.

  There will also be regular meetings between my officials and representatives of the local authority associations until September to discuss the technical aspects of the review.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the staffing resources and the financial provision for external research that he proposes to devote to his review of standard spending assessments.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 14 April 1993]: The review of standard spending assessments will involve work by my own Department in consultation with other Government Departments and the local authority associations. Work is already in progress using existing resources. Some external research is under way and more will he carried out where this is felt necessary.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  The Crescent. Buxton
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what action he will take to prevent further deterioration in the condition of the grade I listed former St. Ann's hotel in The Crescent. Buxton.
  732
  Mr. Key
  In view of the lack of progress with the repairs specified in last December's repairs notice, my right hon. Friend has today authorised the service on the owners, Capitalrise Ltd, of a compulsory purchase order under section 47 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

  This is the first time that my right hon. Friend's powers under section 47 have been used. This reflects the outstanding importance of the building. My right hon. Friend and I are not prepared to see it deteriorate further through neglect and indecision.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Terrorism
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total number of persons arrested under the Northern Ireland Emergency Provisions Act 1991 and the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 for the period(a) September 1991 to December 1992 and (b) January 1993 to the present date.

  Mr. Mates
  The available information is as follows:

  Period

  Number of persons arrested in Northern Ireland under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991

  Number of persons arrested in Northern Ireland under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989

  1 September 1991—

  92

  2,382

  31 December 1992

  1 January 1993—

  Not yet available

  438

  31 March 1993

  Total

  92

  2,820

  Note:

  If an individual is arrested on more than one occasion he/she will be added to the statistics on each occasion.

  Housing
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps it is intended to take to resolve housing needs in east and south Belfast, including the Castlereagh and Lisburn boroughs.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Housing Executive and housing associations have new building plans, which together with relets, are aimed at meeting housing needs. A total of 854 dwellings are presently under construction or planned by the Housing Executive over the next three years in east and south Belfast including the Castlereagh and Lisburn boroughs in addition to an estimated annual figure of some 1,970 relets. This will be complemented by housing association schemes currently under construction or planned to commence over the same period to provide 654 dwellings together with 109 bed spaces in shared accommodation.

  Under the Government's house purchase scheme announced by the Chancellor in the autumn statement the Housing Executive and housing associations (including the Co-ownership Association) purchased a total of 126 dwellings in the area and these will further assist in meeting housing needs.
  733
  The Belfast urban area plan (BUAP) 2001 zoned land for housing development in the greater Belfast area to cover the period up to 1993. The Department of the Environment recently announced that it had commenced a mid-term reassessment of housing land needs in that area. This reassessment will be made with the assistance of the 1991 census figures for population and housing to establish the extent of housing land needs and to meet housing needs up to the year 2001.

  IRA Prisoners
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements are currently in force for the police to be permitted to interview convicted Irish Republican Army prisoners in connection with incidents which have taken place(a) while they are in HM prison and (b) before they become inmates; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of these.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  Where any convicted prisoner is suspected of involvement. in any criminal offence either in or outside prison, rule 60 of the Prison Rules (NI) 1982 provides that"a police officer may, on production of an order issued by or on behalf of the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, interview any prisoner willing to see him."

  The police and the prison authorities in Northern Ireland are satisfied that these arrangements are adequate.

  Data Protection Act 1984
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many certificates have been signed under the terms of section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984 for each year since 1987.

  RUC

  NIPS

  Army

  UDR

  Civilians

  1983

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Average years served

  —

  —

  —

  —

  12 years 1 month

  Terrorist involvement

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Recommended minimum sentence not served

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  1984

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Average years served

  —

  —

  —

  —

  13 years 8 months

  Terrorist involvement

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Recommended minimum sentence not served

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1985

  1

  0

  1

  0

  2

  Average years served

  9 years

  —

  7 years 5 months

  —

  11 years 1 month

  Terrorist involvement

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  Recommended minimum sentence not served

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  1

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Average years served

  13 years 4 months

  —

  —

  —

  10 years 10 months

  Terrorist involvement

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Recommended minimum sentence not served

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  2

  0

  1

  1

  9

  Average years served

  14 years 1 month

  —

  10 years 3 months

  14 years

  12 years 8 months

  Terrorist involvement

  2

  —

  1

  1

  8

  Recommended minimum sentence not served

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1988

  5

  0

  1

  0

  14

  Average years served

  14 years 4 months

  —

  10 years 10 months

  —

  13years

  Terrorist involvement

  5

  —

  1

  —

  12

  Recommended minimum sentence not served

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  734
  Mr. Mates
  None.

  Students
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students from Northern Ireland applied for places at university in Great Britain, and how many were accepted, in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Hanley
  Information provided by the Universities Central Council on Admissions is that in 1992, 8,121 students from Northern Ireland applied for places at university in Great Britain of whom 1,794 accepted the offer of a place.

  Life Sentences
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show for as many years for which the information is conveniently available the number of persons sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of(a) police officers, (b) prison officers, (c) regular Army, (d) Ulster Defence Regiment members and (e) civilians who have been in each year released from prison; what was the average number of years and months served in each case; whether the life sentence had a minimum recommendation imposed by the court which was not served; and in which cases there was a terrorist involvement.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  The information is as follows:
  735

  RUC

  NIPS

  Army

  UDR

  Civilians

  1989

  4

  0

  2

  2

  23

  Average years served

  14 years 10 months

  —

  15 years 10 months

  15 years 7 months

  14 years 5 months

  Terrorist involvement

  4

  —

  2

  2

  22

  Recommended minimum sentence not served

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1990

  5

  0

  4

  5

  41

  Average years served

  15 years 1 month

  —

  15 years 3 months

  13 years 4 months

  14 years 9 months

  Terrorist involvement

  5

  —

  4

  5

  38

  Recommended minimum sentence not served

  1

  —

  —

  —

  5

  1991

  4

  0

  2

  1

  15

  Average years served

  16 years 1 month

  —

  13 years 9 months

  15 years 2 months

  15 years 9 months

  Terrorist involvement

  4

  —

  2

  1

  14

  Recommended minimum sentence not served

  3

  —

  1

  —

  6

  1992

  3

  1

  3

  4

  32

  Average years served

  16 years 8 months

  13 years 8 months

  16 years 1 months

  15 years 9 months

  15 years 3 months

  Terrorist involvement

  3

  1

  3

  4

  32

  Recommended minimum sentence not served

  2

  —

  2

  2

  10

  1993 (to 31 March)

  0

  0

  0

  0

  12

  Average years served

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15 years 8 months

  Terrorist involvement

  —

  —

  —

  —

  12

  Recommended minimum sentence not served

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  Totals

  Released on licence

  25

  1

  14

  13

  154

  average years served

  14 years 10 months

  13 years 8 months

  14 years 1 months

  14 years 8 months

  14 years 7 months

  Terrorist involvement

  25

  1

  14

  13

  144

  Recommended minimum sentence not served

  6

  0

  3

  2

  32

  Notes:

  1. Table does not include prisoners who were released on licence early because they had given substantial assistance to the authorities.

  2. Years served is calculated up to first release on licence.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the annual cost of monitoring the religious affiliation of the employees of BBC Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have been asked to reply.

  I understand from the BBC that the estimated annual cost is £30,000.

EMPLOYMENT

  Social Fund
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement on the implementation of objective 4 of the European Community social fund.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Assistance from the European social fund under objective 4 is aimed at improving the employment prospects of young people by supporting their vocational training. In 1992, £132 million was approved under objective 4 to support training for some 155,000 young people in the United Kingdom.

  The regulations governing the EC structural funds are currently being reviewed.
  736

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications were made to industrial tribunals since the beginning of 1989 in which the grounds of the application was wholly or partly based on a claim that the applicant had been disadvantaged in, or dismissed from, his employment because of his trade union membership; and how many of these cases resulted in a decision in favour of the applicant.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The figures are as follows:

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Registered applications

  513

  709

  475

  411

  Decision in favour of applicant

  95

  30

  25

  —

  I regret that figures for the outcome of hearings are not yet available for 1992–93.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications have been made to industrial tribunals since the beginning of 1989; how many resulted in a hearing; and how many resulted in decisions in favour of the applicant.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The figures are as follows:
  737

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Registered applications

  34,697

  43,243

  67,448

  71,821

  Hearings

  10,229

  11,430

  13,773

  —

  Decision in favour of applicant

  4,598

  5,503

  7,017

  —

  I regret that the figures for hearings and their outcome are not yet available for 1992–93.

  The majority of applications to tribunals do not come to hearing, being settled or withdrawn, often after conciliation by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

  Giro Cheques
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps she has taken to ensure that Giro cheques reported lost are replaced with the minimum of delay.

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

  Letter from Mr. M. Fogden to Mrs. Helen Jackson, dated 16 April 1993:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about replacing girocheques that are reported as lost. This is something which falls within the responsibilities she has delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  I should explain that the policy of the Employment Service is to issue a prompt replacement whenever a girocheque is reported as not received, lost or destroyed unless there is reason to doubt the report is genuine.
  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.

  Social Affairs Council
  Mr. Foreman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the outcome of the meeting on 6 April of the Social Affairs Council in Luxembourg; and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I attended the meeting of the Labour and Social Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 6 April.

  One proposal was agreed—a directive relating to the health and safety of workers exposed to biological agents at work. This directive, on the classification of biological agents, will amend the existing directive on the protection of workers from these risks.

  A general debate was held on the employment situation in the Community in open session. This stemmed from the Social Affairs Council resolution on unemployment agreed during the United Kingdom presidency. In my remarks, I stressed the need for the Community to have full regard to its wider international competitiveness, and the importance of not damaging the prospects for jobs growth by increased regulation and higher costs.

  Most of the rest of the agenda consisted of policy debates on outstanding proposals for directives, including
  738
  those on European Works Councils and Protection of Young People at Work, on both of which the presidency had raised specific issues for discussion. There was also a brief discussion of outstanding issues on the Working Time Directive. No decisions were taken, but the presidency indicated that it hoped to bring these proposals back to the Council on 1 June.

  Finally, there was a brief report from the presidency on the conference on the social dialogue, held in Copenhagen last month, and a progress report on negotiations on a directive on health and safety on fishing vessels.

TRANSPORT

  Cyclists
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has been conducted into the safety and protection from injury as provided by headgear for the users of bicycles.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Transport Research Laboratory report "Pedal Cycle Accidents—A Hospital Based Study" estimated that if helmets were universally worn more than 4,000 casualties would be prevented and the severity of 3,000 serious casualties would be reduced each year.

  Data Protection Act 1984
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many certificates have been signed under the terms of section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984 for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Norris
  I am aware of none so far as the Department of Transport is concerned.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the reduction in number of passengers travelling by air from London regional airports as a result of the channel tunnel rail link(a) when the tunnel opens and (b) when a high-speed rail link is completed.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department's 1991 air traffic forecasts project a reduction of 5·3 to 6·6 million passengers per annum travelling through London airports in 2000 as a result of the channel tunnel. These forecasts assume a high speed rail link. Estimates of the reduction in air passengers when the tunnel opens are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  MV Braer
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the report from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch into the grounding of the MV Braer on Shetland in January.

  Mr. Norris
  The Marine Accident Investigation Branch investigation is progressing well, but it is too early to give an indication of when the report of the chief inspector of marine accidents will be available.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many formal or informal representations
  739
  have been received by him or his departmental Ministers and officials to the effect that a formal investigation under merchant shipping legislation should not be instituted in respect of the grounding of the MV Braer on Shetland in January.

  Mr. Norris
  None.

  Transport Delays
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate has been made of the costs to businesses caused by transportation delays, on a yearly basis since 1969.

  Mr. Norris
  These costs are undoubtedly considerable, but no reliable estimate of them, by roads or by other modes, is available. It is an aim of the Department's expenditure and policies to reduce congestion and delay where it is economic to do so, and to make the best possible use of all modes of transport. By ensuring the maintenance of standards in British Rail's passengers charter and the London Underground charter we aim to ensure that public transport delays are kept to a minimum.

  Security Alerts
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information is held on the number of delays on British Rail and London Underground caused by security alerts, on a yearly basis since 1969.

  Mr. Norris
  British Rail and London Underground maintain records of such delays, though not back to 1969. It is not their policy to publish such information and thereby to give publicity to the activities of terrorists.

PRIME MINISTER

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if the costs of legal and other advisers attending the Scott inquiry will be covered by the resources made available by Her Majesty's Government to support Lord Justice Scott's investigation;

  (2) what criteria will govern the repayment of costs for witnesses at the Scott inquiry; and what expenses will be regarded as reasonable.

  The Prime Minister
  The inquiry will meet the expenses of a witness or adviser necessarily incurred in attending to give evidence to the inquiry. Legal costs will be met by the inquiry if Lord Justice Scott decides that they were necessary in the interests of justice. They will be assessed by the costs branch of the Treasury Solicitor's Department on the standard basis (as defined in order 62, r.12(1) of the rules of the Supreme Court). The legal costs of Government witnesses or advisers will be met by the Department in which they were serving at the relevant time.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of the meeting held between the Cabinet Secretary and Lord Justice Scott on 12 February.

  The Prime Minister
  No. The Cabinet Secretary and Lord Justice Scott discussed the procedures which Lord 740
  Justice Scott will adopt during the course of his inquiry and that discussion was reflected in the notes of procedures published by Lord Justice Scott on 31 March 1993.

  British Legion
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations he has received from the national chairman of the Royal British Legion; what reply he is sending; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 15 April 19931]: A letter has been received expressing concerns over the recent introduction into war pensions legislation of a 20 per cent. disablement threshold for claims for noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss, and the new community care arrangements.

  A reply has been sent which emphasises that the package on war pensions which included the change on hearing loss claims also included, gains of up to £5 a week for almost 200,000 war disablement pensioners. The Government consider that the concentration of limited resources on the most severely disabled war pensioners is the right way forward.

  The reply explains that it is now for local authorities to make sure that they discharge their community care responsibilities effectively. Ministers in the Department of Health have encouraged organisations such as the Royal British Legion to seek discussions with the local authority associations.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the use of the International Atomic Energy Agency's international centre for theoretical physics in Trieste by potential proliferator nations to obtain information which could contribute to the development of nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The international centre for theoretical physics (ICTP) at Trieste is supported by the IAEA, UNESCO and the Government of Italy. It seeks to promote international co-operation among scientists from both industrialised and developing countries. A small proportion of its activity concerns the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. We have no information that the centre has been used in the way suggested.

  Middle East
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries he visited on his recent visit to the middle east; which Ministers or Government officials he met; and what matters in regard to nuclear non-proliferation and arms exports were discussed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has not been to the middle east since May last year, when he visited Egypt, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In Egypt he met President Mubarak, the Foreign Minister Mr. Amre Moussa, and the Secretary General of the Arab League
  741
  Dr. Abdel Meguid. In Kuwait he met the Amir, His Highness Shaikh Jabir al Sabah, the Crown Prince Shaikh Saad al Sabah, and the then Foreign Minister Shaikh Salem. In Saudi Arabia he met His Majesty King Fand. He discussed a range of security issues, including the question of weapons of mass destruction and the United Kingdom contribution to the maintenance of peace in the Gulf.

  Russia
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had on nuclear proliferation and the forthcoming preparatory committee meeting for the fifth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty during his recent visit to Russia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed North Korea's announcement of her intention to withdraw from the non-proliferation treaty and the importance of upholding the treaty. There was no discussion about the first preparatory committee meeting of the 1995 extension review conference.

  Sudan
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence he has of the presence of Iranian troops, together with heavy military support equipment in southern Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The evidence is limited, but we shall continue to monitor the situation.

  Forestry
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on decisions taken during the 11th meeting of the FAO's Committee on Forestry in Rome during March;

  (2) what action will be taken by the United Kingdom in accordance with decisions taken at the 11th meeting of the FAO's Committee on Forestry held in Rome during March.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 2 April 1993] I have been asked to reply.

  The biennial meetings of FAO's Committee on Forestry provide an opportunity for the exchange of views on important subjects related to forestry and for the provision of advice to FAO on its forestry activities. The Committee acts in an advisory capacity and does not take executive decisions.

  At its 1993 meeting, the Committee reviewed and commented on FAO's regular programmes, criticised the reduction in FAO's forestry budget, and discussed the increasing political recognition of the importance of forestry, the implementation of the Forest Principles agreed in Rio de Janeiro, the role of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and the future of the Tropical Forests Action Programme.

HEALTH

  Nutrition (Children)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many reported cases there have been of malnutrition in children in the last five years;

  (2) what steps she is taking to ensure that children are getting their recommended daily calorie intake.

  Mr. Sackville
  Malnutrition is a term which covers a wide variety of single or combined deficiencies of nutrients and/or energy, none of which are notifiable. Current surveillance does not indicate that, on average, children in the United Kingdom are malnourished in terms of any specific nutrient or energy.

  Estimated average requirements for the daily calorie intakes appropriate for those aged 0 to 18 years in the United Kingdom are set out by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy in its report on Dietary Reference Values published in 1991. A copy is available in the Library.

  Improved surveillance, through the Government-funded national study of health and growth and the national diet and nutrition survey programme, will provide more detailed information on children's health status in relation to energy and nutrient intake.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that all children and their parents are aware of what constitutes a healthy and balanced diet.

  Mr. Sackville
  Within the national curriculum, the science order for each key stage covers diet and nutrition in the context of personal health. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Health are contributing funds to the production of a comprehensive education pack "Food—A Fact Of Life" which the British Nutrition Foundation is producing for use in schools.

  The Health Education Authority (HEA) provides information and advice on healthy eating to the public through its publications and local and national campaigns. In addition the Government have produced "Eight Guidelines for a Healthy Diet" as well as a range of booklets in the "Food Sense" series, copies of which are available in the Library.

  The nutrition task force set up under "The Health of the Nation" as a partnership between Government and key outside organisations is currently considering action to improve and target advice on healthy eating and weight control for all population groups.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that children who have parents on a low income have access to a healthy and balanced diet; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  A healthy and balanced diet can be achieved in a variety of ways and need not be more expensive than the current average diet. Children whose parents are in receipt of income support are entitled to free school meals and the welfare food scheme continues to provide a nutritional safeguard for children in low-income families.

  Elderly People
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation she has made of the effect of the European Year of the Elderly in the United kingdom.

  Mr. Yeo
  It is too early to evaluate the effect of the year, which commenced in January, but I am confident that it will bring real and lasting benefits to older people.

  Orthopaedic Operations
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what percentage of orthopaedic hand operations carried out in the last 14 years have required revision;

  (2) what percentage of knee replacement operations carried out in the last 14 years have required revision.

  Mr. Sackville
  It is not possible to identify precisely what proportion of operations required revision, but in 1989–90 and 1990–91 respectively, an estimated 6·3 per cent. and 5·3 per cent. of knee joint replacements were revisions. Equivalent information for hand operations is not available.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce a national register of knee replacements and revisions to provide an accurate measure of revision rate.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 14 April at column 610.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which knee replacement implants which have been used in the NHS in the last 14 years have(a) the highest success rate and (b) the highest failure rate.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on the outcome of knee replacement operations is not available centrally. It is the responsibility of clinicians to give advice to patients on the various types of knee implants available, based on the needs of the patient.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what tests are carried out on knee replacement implants before they can be marketed.

  Mr. Sackville
  There are no statutory requirements for the marketing of knee replacement implants.

  Since 1986, knee implants have been controlled by the voluntary Department of Health manufacturer registration scheme, which requires that new designs should undergo appropriate testing prior to their release for general sale. There are currently 23 registered manufacturers of knee implants and the vast majority of these products implanted in the United Kingdom are from registered sources.

  From 1 January 1995, the European Directive on Medical Devices will place the control of knee implants on a formal statutory basis, and manufacturers will be required to submit details of manufacturing and design to third party assessment.

  Consultation Procedures
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will set out the process of consultation that will apply to the proposed changes to health services by local health authorities.
  744
  Mr. Sackville
  District health authorities (DHAs) are required by the Community Health Council (CHC) Regulations 1985 (SI No. 304), as amended, to consult the relevant CHC on proposals they are considering which would result in substantial changes to the services in the district.

  Information about the proposed changes should be provided to the relevant CHC and other interested parties, and a date prescribed by which comments should be made. The DHA will then reconsider the proposal in the light of the comments and, if there is no objection from the CHC, may proceed with implementation.

  Ministers make decisions on contested closure proposals. Where a CHC wishes to object formally to a proposal, involving the closure or change of use of a health building, the DHA refers it to the regional health authority (RHA). If the RHA supports the DHA's proposal, it will refer the proposal to the Secretary of State for final decision.

  Health Districts (Budgets)
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the 10 health districts in England which had the lowest revenue budgets per head of the population in the most recent available five-year period.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 30 March 1993]: The information requested for a five-year period could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

  The budgets of district health authorities are set by regional health authorities and detailed information is not collected centrally. However, lists derived from information which relates the expenditure of district health authorities to their resident populations for the years 1989–90 to 1991–92 are shown in the table.

  The district health authority figures for 1991–92 are not comparable with those for earlier years as they show the authorities primarily as purchasers rather than providers of health care. Figures of expenditure per head of population for district health authorities will inevitably vary. Those for years prior to 1991–92 will reflect patterns of local service provision and the effects of patient flows across health authority boundaries while the figures for 1991–92 should be regarded as transitional as each regional health authority moves towards allocating funds to district health authorities on a weighted capitation basis. Figures for spending per capita include other resources (such as regional budgets and local income) in addition to allocations for resident populations.

  Revenue expenditure per head of population—lowest annual figures for district health authorities in England

  £

  1989–90

  West Surrey and North East Hampshire

  168

  Sandwell

  167

  North Tyneside

  166

  Durham

  162

  South West Hertfordshire

  160

  Northallerton

  158

  Wycombe

  157

  Halton

  153

  East Hertfordshire

  150

  Chorley and South Ribble

  96

  1990–91

  West Surrey and North East Hampshire

  182

  North Tyneside

  181

  Trafford

  181

  745

  £

  South West Hertfordshire

  174

  Durham

  173

  Northallerton

  172

  Wycombe

  172

  Halton

  163

  East Hertfordshire

  162

  Chorley and South Ribble

  103

  1991–92

  North Derbyshire

  286

  Kettering

  281

  Southend

  279

  South East Staffordshire

  277

  Chorley and South Ribble

  276

  Medway

  276

  Wycombe

  276

  West Surrey and North East Hampshire

  268

  Huntingdon

  264

  Durham

  209

  Sources:

  Annual accounts of district health authorities in England 1989–90 to 1991–92.

  Mid-year estimates of resident population—1989 to 1991 (Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys).

  Notes to the table:

  1. The figures for the DHAs are based upon their total revenue expenditure on the services which they managed or accounted for in the relevant financial years. Those for 1991–92 cover their total revenue expenditure including that on purchases of health care and directly related services, administrative and purchasing functions and other expenditure.

  2. Capital expenditure incurred by the DHAs and all expenditure incurred by regional health authorities is excluded. Expenditure on family health services, which is accounted for by family health services authorities and cannot strictly be attributed to particular districts, is similarly excluded.

  3. The population figures used make no allowance for residents of particular districts who receive treatment in others. The figures used for mid-1991 are provisional and based on the 1991 census.

WALES

  Housing
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new lettings were made by housing associations in Wales for each year since 1979; and what proportion of new lettings were made to tenants receiving housing benefit.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information is not available centrally

SCOTLAND

  Infertility Treatment
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many women have in vitro fertilisation treatment each year; how many are undertaken by the national health service; and how many in the private sector.

  Mr. Stewart
  Prior to August 1991 and the advent of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), data was collected on the number of treatment cycles rather than the number of women treated. If did not differentiate between the NHS and the private sector. Figures are as follows:746

  Year

  Number

  1989

  456

  1990

  570

  1991

  390

  The 1991 figures are for January to July only. Data about the number of women given IVF treatment from August to December 1991 will be available in July this year. The HFEA will not be able to give information about the number of women treated by the NHS because of the complexity of funding arrangements.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  National Debt
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give in cash terms the level of the national debt at the end of each financial year since 1979, together with his forecasts for its level at the end of each year until 1997–98 using the public sector borrowing requirement forecasts published with his Budget.

  Mr. Lamont
  The table shows data for net public sector debt at end-March for each year from 1979 to 1992, plus projections for 1993 and 1994 consistent with the Budget forecast.

  Net public sector debt (end-March figures)

  £ billion

  Percentage GDP

  1979

  92·0

  49·50

  1980

  100·6

  45·50

  1981

  115·2

  47·00

  1982

  126·1

  47·00

  1983

  134·0

  45·75

  1984

  146·5

  46·50

  1985

  160·3

  46·75

  1986

  166·4

  44·75

  1987

  172·3

  42·50

  1988

  177·1

  38·00

  1989

  157·2

  31·50

  1990

  151·0

  28·00

  1991

  153·9

  27·25

  1992

  167·9

  28·25

  1993

  204·0

  33·50

  1994

  255·0

  39–25

  Projections for 1994–95 to 1997–98 for net public sector debt as a percent of GDP are shown in chart 2·5 of the 1993–94 Financial Statement and Budget Report. The projections are illustrative and depend on the assumptions made about the growth of the economy.

  Oil Taxation
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment the Treasury made of the possible jobs impact of the Budget oil taxation changes; if he will publish details of the impact assessment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Budget tax proposals increase the post-tax costs and increase the post-tax profits that would have been subject to PRT. The effect on jobs depends on the extent to which companies would have been deterred from worthwhile investment by the current levels of taxation, or have planned more exploration and appraisal activity than is economically justified.
  747
  The Government expect little net effect on employment levels as a result of the proposed PRT changes.

  Arrears Payments
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he, or the Commissioners of the Inland Revenue, have issued in the past 12 months changing the instructions on restricting the acceptance of payment of arrears by instalments.

  Mr. Dorrell
  There has been no change to the instructions issued regarding the acceptance of payment of arrears of tax by instalments. The Inland Revenue recognises that people may face temporary financial difficulties and in such circumstances the collector should be contacted at the earliest opportunity to discuss how the difficulty may be resolved. All reasonable offers of payment, including payment by instalments, are considered. There are no plans to change this practice.

  Consumer Statistics
  Ms Abbott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information is collated on consumption by(a) low income families, (b) middle income families and (c) high income families over the last 12 months for (i) food, drink and tobacco, (ii) furniture and house maintenance, (iii) fuel, electricity and gas, etc., (iv) clothing and (v) entertainment.

  Mr. Nelson
  Information on expenditure by households on all items, including categories (i) to (v), was obtained in the last 12 months through the Family Expenditure Survey. Analyses of expenditure by level of household income will be included in the report "Family Spending", to be published in the autumn. A copy of the latest report, for 1991, is available in the Library.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long he gave the Bank of England to prepare the report on bank charges to small businesses which he reported to the House on 20 January,Official Report, columns 623–25.

  Mr. Nelson
  The bank was asked on 16 November to undertake the study. Its final report, which was based on a number of exchanges with the commercial banks and the information provided by them, was published on 26 January. The period from initial request to final publication was 71 days.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 26 January,Official Report, columns 623–25, how many small business customers were interviewed in the instance on which he has based his statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  The answer of 26 January concerned a report produced by the Bank of England based on information which it had gathered from the banks. Although my right hon. Friend the Chancellor had commissioned the report because of the number of complaints which the Government had received from small business customers, none was interviewed as part of that study. However, as the answer made clear, the bank's conclusions were supported by another report commissioned from Nottingham university and published, a few 748
  weeks earlier, by the Forum of Private Business. The Nottingham university study had been based on information provided by small business customers.

  Oil Taxation
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment the Treasury has made of the possible impact on exploration and appraisal activity in the United Kingdom continental shelf of the Budget oil taxation changes; and if he will express the impact in terms of numbers of drilling wells in each of the next five years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Exploration and appraisal activity has proved highly volatile and difficult to forecast, irrespective of tax changes. The Government do not publish five-year forecasts of this or other components of North sea activity.

  The increasing use of 3D seismic surveys means that the level of drilling activity is becoming a less effective measure of total exploration and appraisal activity. One of the aims of the Budget proposals is to encourage companies to improve their international competitiveness by giving them greater rewards for innovation and for more effective working methods.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish details of the Treasury's impact assessment of the Budget oil taxation changes on the forecast number of exploration and appraisal drilling wells, in the United Kingdom continental shelf, in each of the next five years; and if he will make a comparison with those forecasts made prior to the Budget changes.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Budget proposals shift the emphasis away from adding to oil and gas discoveries and towards developing existing finds. That is likely to influence how companies allocate their funds between exploration, appraisal, development and enhanced recovery.

  The Budget tax changes are one, and only one, factor affecting future exploration and appraisal levels. A significant number of wells are drilled by companies which do not expect to get early PRT relief for the expenditure. There is no reason to suppose such activity would be affected. To the extent that companies with discoveries made more attractive by PRT abolition wanted to get them into production earlier, there should be some increased appraisal activity. However, to the extent that companies have planned their E and A programmes essentially to obtain PRT tax relief at 75 per cent. rather than on pre-tax economics, some decline in future E and A activity is to be expected.

  Immigration and Nationality Department
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what circumstances the Inland Revenue passes information on individual cases to the Immigration and Nationality Department of the Home Department without the express consent of the individual.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Inland Revenue does not disclose to other Government Departments any information it holds on taxpayers without their consent except as authorised by statute. There is no legislation which requires the Inland Revenue to pass such information to the immigration and nationality department of the Home Office.

  Securities and Investments Board
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to receive the report by the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board on the board's regulatory responsibilities.

  Mr. Nelson
  Pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney) on 3 November 1992,Official Report, column 121, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer now expects to receive the report in the next few weeks.

  VAT
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total capital income from value added tax at 8 per cent. and 17½ per cent. from(a) gas and (b) electricity bills in 1994–95 and 1995–96.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 14 April 1993]: Estimates of total revenue from VAT on fuel on power at 8 per cent., and 17½ per cent. were given in the Budget speech. No estimate was made for the separate revenue from gas bills and electricity bills.

  Infra-Community Trade
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the intra-Community trade declared despatch arrival values for January to February 1993 as a percentage of the corresponding values for January to February 1992 period.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 14 April 1993]: Details of the value of intra-Community arrivals into and despatches from the United Kingdom in January and February 1993 are not yet available. As such, the requested figures cannot be calculated at this time.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Wild Birds (Transport)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the answer of 22 May 1992,Official Report, column 271, what further progress has been made in persuading European Community partners to introduce special safeguards on the transport of live wild birds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The Commission has established a working group of experts to consider what additional measures should be adopted under the directive on the protection of animals during transport. Amongst the subjects being addressed is the trade in wild-caught birds. We have urged the Commission to bring forward its proposals quickly.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Market Testing
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the criteria used by the Home Office to select outside tenderers for Home Office tasks which are the subject of market testing exercises.
  750
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Evaluation criteria will be contained, where appropriate, in the EC Journal notice advertising the relevant market tests, or in the invitation to tender documents.

  Prisoner Escort Services
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated current cost of court escorts; and how much might be saved if the function was contracted out in England and Wales.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Mr. D. Lewis to Mr. Alun Michael, dated 1 April 1993:

  COURT ESCORT AND CUSTODY WORK
  The Home Secretary has asked me to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Question about the costs of court escort and custody work.
  Court escort and custody work has been the responsibility of individual prison establishments and police forces: information on costs is not centrally collected but a study in 1991 estimated the costs then at £92m. A number of studies have indicated that the provision of a contracted out, unitary service dedicated to court escort and custody work would reduce costs although the estimates of percentage savings have varied from study to study. Detailed costing work is undertaken as each area of the country is considered for contracting out.

  Terrorism
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate has been made of the costs to the Exchequer of bomb damage, terrorist violence or threat of violence in(a) London, (b) the rest of Great Britain and (c) Northern Ireland, in terms of compensation paid to victims for (i) personal injury, (ii) loss of business and (iii) damage to property, on a yearly basis since 1969.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, which is responsible for administering the criminal injuries compensation scheme in Great Britain, does not record centrally information about claims for personal injury arising from terrorist incidents as distinct from other forms of crime. Such information could not be provided without disproportionate cost. Compensation is not paid for loss of business or damage to property arising from terrorist incidents in Great Britain. Compensation matters in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Compensation Agency.

  Mr. Don Treshman
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on how Mr. Don Treshman was able to enter the United Kingdom on Sunday 28 March after an exclusion order had been made on Friday 26 March.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend decided during the evening of Friday 26 March that Mr. Treshman should be excluded from the United Kingdom on the ground that his presence was not conducive to the
  751
  public good. The asylum and special cases division communicated the decision to the ports directorate at 10.30 am on Saturday 27 March, the expectation being that Mr. Treshman would arrive at Heathrow on 28 March. In the event, Mr. Treshman arrived at Gatwick South at 10.45 on Saturday 27 March before his details had been circulated to all ports. The failure to notify the ports of the decision on Friday evening was regrettable and arrangements have been put in place to ensure that in future there is no delay in communicating details of exclusion decisions to ports of entry.

  Protection of Animals Act
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will introduce legislation to provide a minimum banning order of five years for those convicted under the Protection of Animals Act 1911;

  (2) if he will conduct a study of the range of times for which banning orders have been applied by the courts under the Protection of Animals Act 1911.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Minimum sentences are not in general a feature of the criminal justice system in this country. It is for the courts, subject to the maximum penalty prescribed by Parliament and in the light of all the relevant factors, to decide upon the appropriate penalty in an individual case.

  My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to initiate a study of the courts' use of their power under the 1911 Act to disqualify an offender from having custody of an animal.

  Shotgun Certificates
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table to show for those constabularies in England and Wales which keep such records the number of persons holding shotgun certificates who are presently 12 years, 13 years, 14 years, 15 years, 16 years, 17 years and 18 years respectively, or such age or ages definition as is convenient, or is used by police; and what were the numbers three and five years ago for each police force.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information which is readily available is given in the table. This shows the number of shotgun certificates which were on issue to persons aged under 16 in six police force areas in England and Wales on 1 December 1992.

  Information about other police force areas and previous years is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Shotgun certificates

  Police force

  Number of shotgun certificates on issue to persons aged under 16 (see note)

  Metropolitan

  46

  Devon and Cornwall

  80

  Gwent

  9

  Thames Valley

  59

  West Yorkshire

  30

  Avon and Somerset

  89

  Total (six forces)

  313

  Note: Certificates on issue as at 1 December 1992 to persons aged under 16 on that day.
  752

  Racism
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to combat racism.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government are committed to eliminating racism and reducing racial disadvantage. The Race Relations Act 1976 and Public Order Act 1986 provide statutory protection for ethnic minorities and are kept under review. In 1992 the inter-departmental racial attacks group published a second report on initiatives which tackled the problem of racially motivated violence and the response by police and local agencies. We are also taking steps both in European and in international forums to promote the value of anti-discrimination legislation and of non-legislative measures to increase racial harmony.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the Home Office scoping reports thus far completed in respect of the market testing of any Home Office function.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  No. Scoping study reports are internal management documents made available to local management and, where practicable, to trade unions.

  Refugees and Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase funds to London boroughs to deal with refugees and asylum seekers; and what plans he has to implement a strategic approach in London.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Department of the Environment is providing special financial assistance to local authorities worst affected by the influx of displaced persons from the former Yugoslavia in 1992–93. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 3 February at col. 343 that a similar scheme will operate in 1993–94 and that assistance will also be given in respect of unaccompanied refugee children. Local authorities, including London boroughs, will be given an opportunity to make claims for financial assistance in due course.

  We are conscious of the pressure on services due to the number of refugees and asylum seekers wishing to settle in London. Where refugees are being brought to the United Kingdom under Government-sponsored schemes, every effort is made to settle these people outside London.

  Prison Education Service
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the private firms involved in tendering for the prison education service.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Sherwood (Mr. Tipping) on 14 January at col.798. Responsibility for this matter has now been delegated to the director general of the prison service. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
  753
  Letter from Mr. D. Lewis to Harry Greenway, dated 16 April 1993:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about firms tendering for the Prison Education Service.
  Mr. Lloyd announced on 11 February the award of the contracts for 68 prisons and young offender institutions. A list of those to whom contracts have been awarded is enclosed. Contracts for 57 prison establishments have still to be awarded.

  Education Contracts Already Offered (A) Prison establishments where the contract offered is to be let from 1 April 1993 because there is no agreement to continue the existing arrangements

  Prison/Young offender institution

  Preferred tenderer

  Bristol

  University of Bristol

  Bullwood Hall Chelmsford

  Essex County Council Community Education

  Finnamore Wood Huntercombe Littlehey

  Amersham and Wycombe College

  Littlehey

  (B) Proposed awards of contracts from 1 September 1993

  This lists the other prison establishments that will be offered to tenderers listed in table A where the existing provider has agreed to provide education services on current terms until 31 August. The starting date is subject to the outcome of the judicial review.

  Prison/Young offender institution

  Existing provider

  Preferred tenderer

  Aylesbury

  Aylesbury College

  Amersham and Wycombe College

  Bedford

  Bedford College

  The Mount

  West Herts College

  Hindley

  Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council/Wigan and Leigh College

  South Manchester College

  Liverpool

  Liverpool City Council/Liverpool Community College

  Blundeston

  Suffolk County Council

  North City College

  Highpoint

  Suffolk County Council/West Suffolk College

  Hollesley Bay

  Suffolk County Council

  Norwich

  Norwich City College

  Wayland

  Norwich City College

  Cardiff

  South Glamorgan County Council

  University of Bistol

  Dorchester

  Dorset County Council/Weymouth College

  Exeter

  Devon County Council

  Reading

  Berkshire County Council/ Reading Adult College

  Swansea

  Swansea College

  Ashwell

  Leicestershire County Council/ Charles Keen College

  Mill wharf Education Services

  Gartree

  Leicestershire County Council/Leicester South Fields College

  Glen Parva

  Leicestershire County Council/Charles Keen College

  Leicester

  Leicestershire County Council/Leicester South Fields College

  Morton Hall

  Lincolnshire County Council/ Grantham College

  Stocken

  Leicestershire County Council/ Leicester South Fields College

  (C) Proposed awards from 1 September 1993, or earlier, to existing providers

  In all these establishments providers have agreed to supply education services on current terms until 31 August. The contracts may start earlier if the Prison Service and the provider agree.

  Prison/Young offender institution

  Preferred tenderer

  Albany Camp Hill

  Isle of Wight College of Arts and Technology

  Parkhurst

  Bullingdon

  North Oxfordshire College

  754

  Prison/Young offender institution

  Preferred tenderer

  Holme House

  Stockton and Billingham College

  Lancaster Farms

  Lancaster and Morecambe College

  Lincoln

  Mill Wharf Education Services

  Onley

  Northampton College

  Wellingborough

  Risley

  South Manchester College

  Styal

  Thorn Cross

  Whitemoor

  Norwich City College

  Woodhill

  Milton Keynes College

  Prison/Young offender institution

  Preferred tenderer

  Durham

  New College, Durham

  Frankland

  Low Newton

  Erlestoke

  Trowbridge College

  Ford

  Northbrook College

  Full Sutton

  Beverley College

  Garth

  Runshaw College

  Wymott

  755

  Prison/Young offender institution

  Preferred tenderer

  Grendon

  Aylebury College

  Spring Hill

  Guys Marsh

  Weymouth College

  Portland

  The Verne

  Haslar

  Fareham College

  Hatfield

  Doncaster College

  Lindholme

  Moorland

  Hull

  Humberside county council

  Kirkham

  Blackpool and the Fylde College

  New Hall

  Wakefield College

  Walefield

  North Sea Camp

  Boston College

  Swinfen Hall

  Tamworth College

  Sudbury

  Derby Tertiary College

  Foston Hall

  Rudgate

  Airedale and Wharfedale College

  Thorp Arch

  Wetherby

  (D) Establishments where no decision has been taken and where the existing providers have agreed to continue to provide services on current terms until August 1993.

  Decisions will be made after the outcome of the judicial review.

  Prison/ Young offender institution

  Existing provider

  Acklington

  Northumberland County Council

  Aldington

  Kent County Council South Kent College

  Askham Grange

  North Yorkshire County Council York College

  Belmarsh

  London Borough of Greenwich

  Birmingham

  Birmingham City Council

  Birmingham Metropolitan

  Institute of Technology

  Blantyre House

  Kent County Council Mid Kent College

  Brinsford

  Cannock Chase Technical College

  Brixton

  London Borough of Lambeth

  Brockhill

  North East Worcestershire College

  Canterbury

  Kent County Council Canterbury College

  Castington

  Northumberland County Council

  Channings Wood

  Devon County Council

  Coldingley

  Surrey County Council

  Cookham Wood

  Kent County Council Mid Kent College

  Dartmoor

  Devon County Council

  Deerbolt

  Durham County Council Bishop Auckland Technical College

  Dover

  Kent County Council South Kent College

  Downview

  Surrey County Council

  Drake Hall

  Stoke on Trent College

  East Sutton Park

  Kent County Council Mid Kent College

  Elmley

  Kent County Council Mid Kent College

  Everthorpe

  Humberside County Council Hull College of Further Education

  Featherstone

  Cannock Chase Technical College

  Feltharn

  London Borough of Hounslow Hounslow Borough College

  Gloucester

  Gloucestershire County Council Gloucester College of Arts and Technology

  756

  Prison/Young offender institution

  Existing provider

  Haverigg

  Cumbria County Council Furness College

  Hewell Grange

  North East Worcestershire College

  Highdown

  Surrey County Council

  Holloway

  Islington Federal College

  Kingston

  Highbury College of Technology

  Kirklevington

  Longlands College

  Lancaster

  Lancashire County Council The Adult College, Lancaster

  Latchmere House

  Surrey County Council

  Leeds

  Park Lane College

  Lewes

  University of Brighton

  Leyhill

  Filton College

  Long Lartin

  Evesham College

  Maidstone

  Kent County Council Mid Kent College

  Northallerton

  North Yorkshire County Council

  Nottingham

  Nottinghamshire County Council

  Pentonville

  Islington Federal College

  Preston

  Lancashire County Council Preston College

  Pucklechurch

  Soundwell College

  Ranby

  Nottinghamshire County Council

  Rochester

  Kent County Council/Mid Kent College

  Send

  Surrey County Council

  Shepton Mallet

  Strode College

  Shrewsbury

  Shropshire County Council

  Stafford

  Stafford College

  Standford Hill

  Kent County Council/Mid Kent College

  Stoke Heath

  Shropshire County Council

  Swaleside

  Kent County Council/Mid Kent College

  Usk/Prescoed

  Gwent Tertiary College

  Wandsworth

  South Thames College

  Werrington

  Stoke on Trent College

  Whatton

  Nottinghamshire County Council

  Winchester

  Eastleigh College

  Wormwood Scrubs

  London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by English police authority(a) the population covered by that authority,(b)the authorised police establishment for that authority, (c)the actual police establishment for that authority,(d)the total arrests made in that authority, (e) the number of arrests made per actual police officer, (f) the total number of reported crimes, (g) the number of crimes per officer, (h) the total number of crimes per thousand population and (i) the total number of reported crimes unsolved per thousand population for the last 10 years for which figures are available and for 1978–79.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 15 April 1993]: The information for items (a) to (c) can be found in the appendix to the annual report of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary and information for items (f) and (h) are published annually in chapter 2 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"; copies of these publications are available in the Library. The other information requested is given in the tables, with the exception of item (i) which is available only at disproportionate cost.
  757

  Arrests for all types of offences

  Police force area

  11978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Avon and Somerset

  13,777

  29,474

  32,054

  35,891

  38,350

  37,930

  39,796

  40,687

  34,190

  36,290

  37,592

  39,852

  42,421

  39,216

  Bedfordshire

  6,559

  14,539

  15,629

  15,831

  16,679

  16,068

  16,699

  17,147

  14,232

  15,694

  15,864

  14,886

  17,705

  17,543

  Cambridgeshire

  7,523

  14,947

  11,483

  17,757

  16,544

  16,303

  15,702

  16,187

  15,552

  17.239

  16,388

  16,466

  18,389

  17,699

  Cheshire

  8,544

  17,422

  17,610

  18,511

  19,526

  19,730

  19,824

  21,265

  21,207

  23,310

  24,068

  25,103

  27,823

  29,684

  Cleveland

  9,819

  22,679

  21,411

  24,565

  24,181

  27,560

  25,982

  27,049

  24,226

  24,670

  24,351

  25,527

  26,584

  28,061

  Cumbria

  5,222

  10,693

  12,230

  12,434

  13,612

  13,379

  14,430

  15,959

  14,446

  14,591

  16,346

  18,244

  19,479

  21,275

  Derbyshire

  6,925

  16,363

  18,039

  17,850

  19,253

  20,167

  22,120

  21,687

  19,044

  20,126

  20,751

  22,781

  23,079

  23,708

  Devon and Cornwall

  9,187

  19,414

  20,933

  21,499

  23,336

  25,819

  26,679

  28,999

  25,342

  27,704

  28,717

  30,786

  31,404

  34,024

  Dorset

  5,276

  10,836

  11,990

  13,068

  14,197

  14,356

  13,332

  13,554

  12,880

  13,478

  13,981

  16,048

  17,487

  18,382

  Durham

  6,930

  13,586

  15,224

  16,616

  18,427

  18,274

  19,712

  18,943

  18,286

  21,762

  23,303

  25,415

  25,965

  25,125

  Essex

  13,249

  26,541

  30,279

  31,138

  33,792

  34,805

  37,965

  38,184

  32,398

  35,140

  35,607

  37,913

  39,990

  40,100

  Gloucestershire

  4,225

  9,716

  10,242

  11,758

  12,559

  12,438

  12,078

  12,814

  11,557

  12,428

  12,787

  14,409

  17,043

  17,020

  Greater Manchester

  39,333

  88,309

  92,407

  102,118

  110,537

  107,746

  110,213

  116,647

  101,804

  109,963

  110,307

  115,248

  116,678

  116,916

  Hampshire

  18,951

  40,895

  42,015

  42,551

  45,063

  44,325

  44,022

  50,194

  49,796

  52,052

  54,419

  61,063

  63,171

  62,330

  Hertfordshire

  6,733

  16,127

  17,743

  19,092

  19,463

  20,129

  18,963

  18,487

  16,405

  20,538

  20,114

  22,868

  22,648

  23,191

  Humberside

  13,664

  27,186

  28,174

  30,662

  34,081

  35,095

  33,480

  35,997

  34,807

  35,106

  32,981

  35,568

  36,066

  35,847

  Kent

  15,828

  33,682

  35,484

  37,003

  39,173

  38,491

  38,236

  41,520

  41,428

  46,808

  47,806

  47,253

  47,007

  47,992

  Lancashire

  16,090

  33,859

  39,459

  39,844

  39,984

  45,261

  49,848

  48,666

  46,197

  47,881

  51,053

  53,129

  57,235

  62,104

  Leicestershire

  9,787

  19,822

  20,472

  21,202

  21,293

  20,660

  19,952

  22,159

  20,262

  20,945

  22,181

  24,604

  24,949

  26,417

  Lincolnshire

  5,426

  11,460

  12,359

  13,203

  13,938

  14,747

  11,987

  13,010

  13,797

  17,282

  16,550

  18,089

  21,474

  22,680

  London, City of

  1,761

  3,516

  3,276

  3,390

  3,577

  3,582

  3,596

  3,511

  3,558

  3,702

  4,248

  4,489

  4,809

  4,688

  Merseyside

  28,349

  59,361

  60,372

  57,139

  57,165

  60,452

  60,554

  59,216

  51,487

  54,088

  56,914

  62,559

  69,207

  72,930

  Metropolitan Police2

  154,622

  330,419

  349,993

  340,809

  362,131

  364,703

  349,941

  109,786

  103,084

  109,587

  108,706

  111,420

  116,865

  113,586

  Norfolk

  3,738

  8,103

  9,347

  10,155

  13,951

  16,010

  16,292

  16,448

  14,812

  17,232

  17,765

  19,131

  22,727

  20,898

  Northamptonshire

  6,468

  12,865

  13,929

  15,151

  15,505

  15,407

  15,868

  14,572

  13,382

  14,193

  16,088

  16,993

  18,242

  19,353

  Northumbria

  27,280

  59,068

  61,635

  62,121

  61,180

  56,764

  53,704

  57,203

  54,999

  60,206

  59,302

  62,415

  65,694

  68,847

  North Yorkshire

  5,426

  10,025

  11,583

  11,829

  12,370

  12,532

  13,780

  14,308

  14,216

  16,656

  17,541

  17,531

  20,221

  20,936

  Nottinghamshire

  13,245

  27,658

  29,701

  32,625

  33,532

  34,106

  29,835

  35,485

  35,970

  37,423

  38,481

  42,679

  45,468

  46,487

  South Yorkshire

  17,288

  38,545

  40,430

  44,550

  46,653

  46,097

  48,903

  49,681

  32,791

  35,859

  37,731

  39,914

  43,979

  45,722

  Staffordshire

  11,669

  23,983

  26,700

  31,833

  33,719

  34,782

  38,118

  36,405

  31,831

  34,585

  32,351

  36,481

  36,861

  39,142

  Suffolk

  5,244

  11,518

  12,176

  12,452

  12,509

  12,434

  13,134

  13,778

  10,450

  12.010

  12,574

  13,053

  13,905

  15,796

  Surrey

  7,733

  16,687

  17,730

  17,536

  18,255

  19,357

  18,622

  17,101

  16,569

  18,582

  18,495

  19,468

  20,920

  19,940

  Sussex

  15,285

  32,060

  33,955

  35,294

  36,492

  35,817

  34,174

  33,348

  29,872

  32,448

  31,329

  35,574

  37,358

  39,247

  Thames Valley

  17,291

  37,304

  39,314

  42,076

  46,950

  49,254

  48,136

  51,817

  47,686

  48,199

  50,225

  57,246

  59,098

  59,458

  Warwickshire

  2,788

  5,405

  6,203

  7,050

  8,846

  8,671

  8,667

  9,379

  10,112

  10,625

  10,998

  12,812

  13,161

  14,138

  West Mercia

  9,675

  19,934

  21,973

  22,692

  24,104

  24,522

  25,525

  26,123

  25,004

  25,027

  26,114

  28,590

  32,285

  32,048

  West Midlands

  35,177

  73,368

  83,631

  87,376

  91,158

  91,933

  90,816

  97,329

  86,602

  93,562

  104,116

  119,069

  123,868

  131,062

  West Yorkshire

  25,131

  52,699

  56,942

  56,702

  59,504

  58,277

  55,609

  60,577

  67,103

  70,640

  70,093

  78,215

  84,172

  85,867

  Wiltshire

  3,191

  7,026

  8,222

  8,857

  9,029

  9,388

  10,759

  10,876

  8,586

  9,846

  11,187

  13,195

  14,507

  13,670

  1 Figures for July to December only.

  2 Arrest figures for notifiable offences only from 1985 onwards.

  Arrests per police officer

  Police force area

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Avon and Somerset

  n/a

  10

  11

  12

  13

  12

  13

  13

  11

  12

  12

  13

  14

  12

  Bedfordshire

  n/a

  15

  16

  16

  17

  16

  17

  17

  14

  15

  15

  14

  16

  16

  Cambridgeshire

  n/a

  14

  16

  16

  14

  14

  14

  14

  13

  15

  14

  14

  15

  14

  Cheshire

  n/a

  10

  9

  10

  11

  11

  11

  12

  12

  12

  13

  13

  14

  16

  Cleveland

  n/a

  16

  14

  16

  16

  19

  17

  18

  16

  16

  16

  17

  18

  19

  Cumbria

  n/a

  10

  11

  11

  12

  12

  13

  14

  13

  12

  14

  15

  16

  18

  Derbyshire

  n/a

  9

  10

  10

  11

  11

  12

  12

  11

  11

  11

  12

  13

  14

  Devon and Cornwall

  n/a

  7

  8

  8

  8

  9

  10

  10

  9

  10

  10

  11

  11

  12

  Dorset

  n/a

  9

  10

  11

  12

  12

  11

  11

  11

  11

  11

  12

  13

  14

  Durham

  n/a

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  14

  14

  16

  17

  18

  19

  18

  Essex

  n/a

  10

  11

  12

  13

  13

  14

  14

  12

  13

  13

  13

  14

  14

  Gloucestershire

  n/a

  9

  9

  10

  11

  11

  10

  11

  10

  10

  11

  12

  14

  14

  Greater Manchester

  n/a

  13

  13

  15

  16

  15

  16

  17

  15

  15

  16

  16

  16

  16

  Hampshire

  n/a

  14

  14

  14

  14

  14

  14

  16

  16

  16

  17

  19

  20

  19

  Hertfordshire

  n/a

  11

  12

  12

  12

  13

  12

  11

  10

  13

  12

  14

  13

  14

  Humberside

  n/a

  14

  14

  15

  17

  18

  17

  18

  17

  18

  16

  18

  18

  18

  Kent

  n/a

  12

  12

  13

  13

  13

  13

  14

  14

  16

  16

  16

  15

  15

  Lancashire

  n/a

  11

  12

  12

  12

  14

  16

  16

  15

  15

  16

  16

  18

  19

  Leicestershire

  n/a

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  12

  13

  12

  12

  12

  14

  14

  14

  Lincolnshire

  n/a

  10

  10

  11

  12

  12

  10

  11

  12

  14

  14

  15

  17

  19

  London, City of

  n/a

  4

  4

  4

  4

  4

  4

  4

  5

  5

  5

  6

  6

  6

  Merseyside

  n/a

  13

  13

  12

  12

  13

  13

  13

  11

  11

  12

  13

  15

  16

  Metropolitan Police

  n/a

  15

  15

  14

  14

  14

  14

  13

  4

  4

  4

  4

  4

  4

  Norfolk

  n/a

  6

  7

  8

  11

  12

  13

  13

  11

  13

  13

  14

  16

  15

  Northamptonshire

  n/a

  14

  14

  15

  15

  15

  16

  14

  13

  13

  14

  15

  16

  16

  Northumbria

  n/a

  17

  18

  18

  18

  17

  16

  17

  16

  17

  17

  17

  18

  20

  North Yorkshire

  n/a

  7

  8

  9

  9

  9

  10

  10

  10

  12

  13

  12

  14

  15

  Nottinghamshire

  n/a

  13

  13

  14

  15

  15

  13

  16

  16

  16

  17

  18

  19

  20

  South Yorkshire

  n/a

  14

  14

  15

  16

  16

  17

  17

  11

  12

  13

  13

  15

  15

  Staffordshire

  n/a

  12

  13

  15

  16

  16

  18

  17

  15

  16

  15

  17

  17

  18

  Suffolk

  n/a

  10

  11

  11

  11

  11

  11

  12

  9

  10

  10

  11

  11

  13

  Surrey

  n/a

  11

  11

  11

  11

  12

  11

  10

  10

  11

  11

  12

  12

  12

  Sussex

  n/a

  11

  12

  12

  13

  13

  12

  12

  11

  11

  11

  12

  12

  13

  Thames Valley

  n/a

  13

  13

  13

  15

  15

  14

  16

  14

  14

  14

  15

  16

  16

  Warwickshire

  n/a

  6

  7

  7

  9

  9

  9

  10

  10

  11

  11

  13

  13

  14

  West Mercia

  n/a

  11

  11

  12

  12

  13

  13

  13

  13

  13

  13

  14

  16

  16

  West Midlands

  n/a

  12

  13

  13

  13

  14

  14

  15

  13

  14

  15

  17

  18

  19

  West Yorkshire

  n/a

  11

  11

  11

  11

  11

  11

  12

  13

  13

  13

  15

  16

  16

  Wiltshire

  n/a

  7

  8

  8

  9

  9

  10

  10

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  11

  1 Arrest figures for notification offences only from 1985 onwards. n/a = Not available.

  758 759

  Recorded crimes per police officer1

  Police force area

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Avon and Somerset

  19

  17

  18

  20

  22

  22

  24

  26

  30

  32

  31

  31

  40

  48

  Bedfordshire

  27

  28

  27

  29

  30

  31

  34

  34

  38

  39

  37

  38

  48

  51

  Cambridgeshire

  27

  21

  26

  28

  26

  26

  26

  27

  27

  28

  28

  30

  36

  45

  Cheshire

  15

  15

  17

  19

  21

  22

  23

  23

  24

  26

  24

  23

  27

  32

  Cleveland

  25

  23

  23

  26

  29

  28

  32

  32

  36

  38

  37

  38

  47

  49

  Cumbria

  18

  17

  15

  16

  18

  19

  21

  22

  25

  23

  22

  23

  26

  35

  Derbyshire

  23

  20

  19

  23

  25

  24

  26

  25

  24

  24

  22

  25

  32

  41

  Devon and Cornwall

  16

  15

  17

  19

  20

  21

  22

  23

  25

  25

  25

  26

  31

  37

  Dorset

  22

  18

  20

  21

  24

  25

  26

  27

  29

  30

  28

  30

  36

  39

  Durham

  19

  18

  20

  22

  25

  26

  30

  30

  30

  30

  29

  30

  36

  43

  Essex

  21

  20

  20

  21

  23

  23

  23

  24

  26

  26

  25

  26

  32

  36

  Gloucestershire

  15

  14

  16

  18

  20

  19

  21

  23

  24

  28

  28

  29

  35

  46

  Greater Manchester

  24

  24

  26

  30

  32

  33

  37

  39

  43

  41

  39

  38

  44

  50

  Hampshire

  21

  21

  20

  23

  25

  25

  27

  28

  30

  30

  28

  30

  36

  43

  Hertfordshire

  24

  24

  21

  22

  24

  22

  24

  24

  26

  25

  24

  24

  27

  32

  Humberside

  23

  23

  17

  27

  30

  29

  32

  36

  39

  43

  41

  43

  50

  57

  Kent

  19

  18

  17

  18

  21

  21

  23

  24

  24

  25

  25

  26

  32

  43

  Lancashire

  16

  16

  16

  18

  20

  20

  22

  22

  24

  25

  26

  24

  29

  33

  Leicestershire

  17

  17

  19

  21

  24

  24

  25

  26

  27

  28

  28

  30

  40

  48

  Lincolnshire

  14

  14

  15

  17

  20

  20

  22

  25

  25

  28

  26

  28

  31

  36

  London, City of

  7

  8

  7

  7

  8

  8

  8

  8

  10

  9

  8

  9

  9

  9

  Merseyside

  24

  23

  24

  27

  29

  29

  32

  32

  35

  33

  29

  27

  27

  31

  Metropolitan Police

  24

  23

  23

  24

  25

  24

  26

  26

  28

  26

  25

  26

  29

  31

  Norfolk

  18

  17

  19

  23

  26

  26

  26

  28

  30

  30

  30

  32

  38

  44

  Northamptonshire

  24

  23

  24

  25

  29

  29

  31

  34

  35

  36

  33

  34

  41

  49

  Northumbria

  28

  28

  30

  33

  38

  38

  43

  45

  46

  47

  43

  48

  53

  59

  North Yorkshire

  16

  15

  15

  18

  20

  20

  22

  25

  25

  25

  24

  24

  32

  35

  Nottinghamshire

  32

  32

  33

  37

  37

  36

  38

  38

  40

  40

  39

  43

  54

  61

  South Yorkshire

  21

  20

  20

  22

  25

  26

  30

  28

  30

  31

  28

  30

  34

  39

  Staffordshire

  17

  17

  17

  19

  20

  22

  23

  24

  26

  25

  25

  26

  32

  38

  Suffolk

  17

  17

  16

  18

  19

  20

  21

  23

  25

  25

  24

  26

  30

  32

  Surrey

  17

  17

  14

  15

  17

  17

  17

  17

  19

  19

  19

  20

  25

  29

  Sussex

  16

  16

  16

  17

  20

  21

  22

  23

  23

  22

  22

  25

  31

  37

  Thames Valley

  27

  26

  23

  25

  28

  28

  30

  31

  33

  32

  29

  32

  39

  49

  Warwickshire

  16

  15

  15

  18

  20

  21

  23

  22

  23

  25

  23

  25

  31

  39

  West Mercia

  19

  17

  17

  20

  23

  23

  24

  24

  25

  24

  23

  24

  29

  35

  West Midlands

  25

  23

  25

  28

  31

  31

  34

  35

  38

  38

  33

  32

  37

  42

  West Yorkshire

  26

  24

  25

  27

  29

  28

  31

  31

  32

  33

  31

  34

  42

  55

  Wiltshire

  20

  18

  18

  20

  22

  22

  24

  25

  25

  23

  22

  23

  27

  31

  1 Excluding offences of criminal damage value £20 and under.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Nuclear Energy
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what form the planned review of the nuclear power industry will take.

  Mr. Eggar
  As stated in the White Paper, "The Prospects for Coal", a further announcement about the review of the future prospects for nuclear power will be made later this year.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what are the current delays in the installation of security systems at Trawsfwynnd, Haysham, Oldbury and Dungeness nuclear power stations; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what Government scrutiny there has been in the awarding of security contracts by Nuclear Electric; and what complaints have been received concerning the completion of the contracts;

  (3) what tendering arrangements were made for security systems at Britain's nuclear power stations; and to whom the contract was awarded.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 14 April 1993]: Security schemes at nuclear power stations are subject to agreement with the Government. The awarding of contracts in relation to security schemes is a commercial matter for the operator concerned.

  Export Control
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Waveney (Mr. Porter) of 31 March,Official Report, column 212, if he will make a statement on the relationship between his Department's export control office and his export intelligence system under the contract extension for Prelink Ltd.

  Mr. Needham
  The export intelligence system contracted to Pre-Link publishes information about overseas sales opportunities. It does not remove the requirement, where that exists, for a seller to obtain an export licence.

  Direct Selling
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many complaints about illegal direct selling schemes were received by trading standards officers in(a) 1989, (b) 1990, (c) 1991 and (d)

  Mr. Leigh
  There is no obligation for trading standards officers to keep statistics on matters such as this, for which they have no powers or obligations.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much in existing guarantees by the ECGD was(a) at risk, (b) in default, (c) written off and (d) still being used in each year from 1985 to privatisation; and what is the extent of Government liability for such accumulated and risks.
  761
  Mr. Needham
  The information requested has been published in ECGD's trading accounts from 1985–86, copies of which can be found in the Library. For convenience the relevant details are brought together in the following table:

  Amount at risk1

  Amount in default 1 (paid claims and interests)

  Amount written off (annual)

  Total provision1

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  1985–86

  27,770

  2,107·6

  35·8

  976·4

  1986–87

  23,794

  2,623·6

  25·5

  1,481·9

  1987–88

  23,154

  4,017·0

  25·2

  3,147·5

  1988–89

  21,584

  5,103·4

  66·2

  4,176·1

  1989–90

  20,717

  6,364·8

  59·9

  7,916·5

  1990–91

  19,533

  7,071·3

  38·5

  8,511·9

  1991–92

  17,958

  8,118·5

  47·9

  8,539·5

  1Balance as at 31 March

  Amounts at risk
  These amounts represent ECGD's gross contingent liability under extant guarantees excluding unrecovered claims payments.

  Amounts in default
  These comprise gross paid claims, plus interest, which have not been recovered or written off.

  Amounts written off
  These sums relate to the amounts in relation to which recovery action has been abandoned during the year in question.
  In order to give a more rounded picture the table also includes the total provision in respect of losses on unrecovered claims and amounts at risk. This represents the cumulative amounts which have been charged to ECGD's trading accounts.

  Relocation
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the criteria on which decisions on his Department's relocations are based.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 14 April 1993]: The key factors in deciding whether and where to relocate the work of the various parts of my Department are achieving the best value for money and operational efficiency.

  Mixed Oxide Fuel
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what the timetable is for the construction of the new Sellafield mixed oxide fuel plant (SMP); and when he expects it to be operational.
  762
  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 14 April 1993]: Work on the proposed Sellafield mixed oxide fuel plant has not yet reached the stage of taking a decision to proceed with construction.

  Ministerial Engagements
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list(a) his official engagements and (b) those of the hon. Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Eggar) on (i) 30 March, (ii) 31 March and (iii) 1 April.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 14 April 1993]: Following the debate on the Government's coal review on 29 March, both my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and I had a full programme of official engagements on the following three days.

  My right hon. Friend attended Cabinet on 1 April as well as two Cabinet Committees and other meetings with Cabinet colleagues and overseas visitors in this period. I had a bilateral with the Danish Minister for Energy on 1 April and three constituency engagements during those three days. We both voted in the House on 30 and 31 March.

  Post and Telecommunications Services
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to seek further advice from Kleinwort Benson, KPMG, Price Waterhouse and others on the Post Office review in the 1993–94 financial year; and what provision has been made for payment for this advice in the current year's budget for his Department.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 15 April 1993]: My Department will continue to take advice from external consultants on the Post Office review as necessary. Payment for any such work in 1993–94 would be made from the total sum allocated by my Department for consultancy (£6,429,000) on sub-heading C3(2) of class IV, vote 1 (HC 495-IV). Final allocations have not yet been made within this overall figure.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the balance of payments in(a) post and (b) telecommunications services in the last five years, distinguishing between the balance of payments with other countries of the European Community and elsewhere.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 15 April 1993] Separate information for (a) post and (b) telecommunication services is not available. Information on overall United Kingdom overseas transactions in post and telecommunication services is published by the Central Statistical Office in "The Pink Book, United Kingdom Balance of Payments" which is available in the Library of the House.