Written Answers of 9 December 1993

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Myodil (Compensation)
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will hold an urgent investigation into the legal aid position for those suffering from arachnoiditis following treatment by Myodil and who are seeking compensation from Glaxo.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  No. Decisions on individual legal aid applications are entirely a matter for the legal aid board.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  India
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Indian Government following the recent clashes between the Narmada Bachao Andolan and police during peaceful opposition of the surveying of villages due to be submerged in the Narmada valley in India.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are concerned about human rights abuses in India, including the excessive use of force by police. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs regularly raises human rights issues with the Indian Government, most recently in his talks with the Indian Prime Minister on 15 November. We have welcomed the recent establishment of the Indian Human Rights Commission which we hope will look into incidents of this type.

  International Disarmament Fund
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has made to President Kravchuk's proposal in January for an international disarmament fund.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We have offered Ukraine practical help with missile dismantling, and we have made around £37 million available to help the process of arms reduction in the former Soviet Union. These efforts are closely co-ordinated with other major donors and we do not believe that the creation of an international fund for these purposes would increase the effectiveness of the programmes concerned.

  Ukraine
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are now proposing to take to assist the dismantling and destruction of strategic warheads and intercontinental ballistic missiles in Ukraine.
  296
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We have offered Ukraine technical help with the safe disposal of toxic liquid fuel from missiles remaining in Ukraine.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications of the exclusion of article V of the Lisbon protocol by the Ukrainian Parliament for the success of the non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The nuclear non-proliferation treaty, NPT, now has 162 states party—more than any other arms control agreement in history. We deeply regret the Ukrainian Parliament's specific exclusion of article V of the Lisbon protocol in its resolution on the ratification of the strategic arms reduction talks—START 1. We have noted that the Government of Ukraine has affirmed Ukraine's intention to abide by her commitments to non-nuclear weapon status, and we have called upon the Government of Ukraine to take all necessary steps towards full implementation of the START 1 treaty and accession to the NPT, as a non-nuclear weapon state, without further delay.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Next Steps
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the progress of the next steps initiative.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Government today published the fourth next steps review—Cm 2430. It brings together information on the 92 agencies within government, and the executive organisations of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue which now constitute 60 per cent. of the civil service.

  Within central Government, agencies are leaders in delivering the citizens charter commitment to customer service and value for money. The review highlights how the focus on the needs of users has been reinforced and gives examples of what individual agencies have achieved. It reports on the steps taken to enable agencies to deliver improved performance, better value for money and greater openness and accountability by, for example, clarifying the
  responsibilities of Ministers and chief executives, increased delegation, and sharpening the aims and objectives of agencies; financial arrangements and pay and grading systems which are tailored to the work of individual agencies; and the application of the competing for quality initiative.

  The arrangements are therefore now in place to enable agencies to deliver real benefits to customers and the taxpayer and these are becoming increasingly evident. The review reports for Parliament and the public on the targets set for agencies and their performance against them in 1992–93 and lists key targets for 1993–94. In 1992–93 agencies met around 77 per cent. of their key targets. This represents a small improvement over the proportion of targets met last year. In general, targets have been made progressively tougher year on year. However, further progress will have to be made, particularly in the area of efficiency. There is a continuing need for Ministers to ensure that the targets they set are challenging and that they have appropriate arrangements in place for overseeing the performance of their agencies. For both tasks they may need to draw on expert advice.
  297
  The Government's aim is that every public service should be provided in the most appropriate and cost-effective way. All the executive functions of the civil service are therefore being tested against the following criteria: first, whether they need to continue to be performed at all; secondly, whether they need to remain the responsibility of Government; thirdly, whether they should be market tested or contracted out; and, fourthly, whether they should become the responsibility of an agency within Government, itself subject to the Government's competing for quality initiative. The review reports substantial further progress in this work.

  Once established, agencies are subject to a systematic periodic review, normally after three years of operation. The review lists the current position on these reviews. The Government want to ensure that, in this process, the widest possible range of views are taken into account. In future, therefore, we have decided that reviews will be publicly announced, including through the next steps review, to enable all those with an interest in the agency and its work to contribute to the discussion of its future organisation and status.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensions
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list the criteria for deciding what amount of any surplus in pension funds of privatised industries are split, once the actuarial assessment of the amount needed to meet the pension benefits of past and present employees has been made;

  (2) if he will list the criteria for deciding who receives any surplus of pension funds in privatised industries, after the actuarial assessment of the amount needed to meet the pension benefits of past and present employees has been made.

  Mr. Hague
  In all occupational pension schemes, including those of privatised industries, the application of any scheme surplus is a matter to be determined in accordance with the terms of the scheme rules. Pension arrangements on privatisation accordingly depend upon the particular circumstances of the scheme concerned.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will issue the discussion papers on occupational pensions that he announced on 3 November; and who they will be available to.

  Mr. Hague
  The first five papers in a series of discussion papers on non-state pensions were published on 3 December 1993. Copies of the papers have been placed in the Library, sent to interested parties, and are available on request.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has for altering the guidelines given to the Child Support Agency.

  Mr. Burt
  The Government have always made it clear that the policy will be kept under review. We are looking at the recommendations of the Social Security Select Committee and other comments and concerns which have 298
  been raised, and testing them against the basic principles of the child support scheme. If, after examination, we think we can improve the scheme, we will do so.

  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what the estimated first year running costs of the Child Support Agency are;

  (2) what the set-up costs of the Child Support Agency were.

  Mr. Burt
  The total cost of setting up the Child Support Agency was around £146 million. This figure includes the 1992–93 cost of liable relative work, transferred in April 1992 from the Benefits Agency to the child support unit—as the shadow agency was known before its launch in April 1993.

  The costs of the agency in 1993–94 are as follows:

  £ million

  Running costs

  99·1

  Capital

  6·8

  Other current costs

  13·9

  Total

  119·8

  Source: Winter Supplementary Estimate, November 1993.

  Disability
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what additional measures have been taken by his Department to assist the operation of the independent tribunal service since the introduction of disability living allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  I am advised by the independent tribunal service that, since the introduction of disability living allowance, its budget for running costs has been increased by over £21 million. It has been authorised to increase its staff by 357 posts.

  Fraud
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are engaged in his Department in combating fraud; and at what annual cost.

  Mr. Hague
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) on 23 November at columns 83-85.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Communications
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what communications have been received from or sent to any terrorist organisation or Sinn Fein since 29 November.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  For the reasons I explained to the House on 29 November,Official Report, columns 785-812, while it is useful to have a means of communication by which messages could be exchanged indirectly between the Government and the provisional movement, such a chain could function only if its secrecy was respected on both sides. Accordingly, we do not propose to divulge any

  299
  further information about messages sent or received or to comment further, save to give the assurance that any communications from Her Majesty's Government will be consistent with their publicly stated policies.

  Comptroller and Auditor-General
  Mr. Roy Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements have been made to appoint a new Comptroller and Auditor-General for Northern Ireland.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  Her Majesty the Queen has graciously approved the appointment of Mr. John Michael Dowdall as Comptroller and Auditor-General for Northern Ireland in succession to Dr. W. H. Jack CB who is due to retire on 17 February 1994.

WALES

  Youth Service
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his policy for the youth service.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 27 April 1993,Official Report, column 363.

  I reaffirmed the Welsh Office's continued support for the Welsh youth service in my keynote speech to the national youth service conference in Cardiff on 3 December.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are employed in the youth service in each of the counties of Wales; and how many were in post in 1983.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Staff in post (whole-time equivalents) as at 30 September 1993

  Trust

  Administrative and clerical

  Nursing and midwifery

  Managerial2

  Other

  Other

  Learners3

  Total3

  Bridgend and District

  29

  275

  1,254

  —

  1,254

  Carmarthen

  21

  195

  581

  21

  602

  Ceredigion

  16

  107

  419

  16

  435

  Clwydian Community Care

  53

  283

  1,537

  —

  1,537

  Glan Clwyd Hospital

  27

  271

  869

  —

  869

  Glanhafren

  40

  451

  1,660

  1

  1,661

  Gwent Community

  49

  260

  1,273

  1

  1,274

  Llandough

  20

  266

  764

  —

  764

  Llanelli/Dinefwr

  17

  131

  522

  22

  544

  Pembrokeshire1

  1

  107

  544

  21

  565

  Powys Health Care

  37

  196

  1,009

  23

  1,032

  Swansea

  15

  232

  809

  —

  809

  Wrexham Maelor Hospital

  27

  234

  837

  —

  837

  All NHS4

  1,028

  8,577

  25,206

  1,033

  26,239

  Staff in post (whole-time equivalents) as at 30 September 1990

  All NHS4

  416

  7,653

  25,018

  3,075

  28,093

  1The use of locally devised pay scales from 1991 onwards may affect the comparability of figures as staff on such scales cannot be allocated centrally to a specific staff group and are not, therefore, included above. This particularly affects figures for the Pembrokeshire NHS trust.

  2May include some managers previously classified in staff groups other than administrative and clerical.

  3Since 1991 student nurses have been classified as students and are no longer included in the NHS staff figures. Staff included here are students finishing courses started before this date.

  4Includes staff employed by the Welsh Health Common Services Authority, NHS trusts and those family health service authorities using district health authority payroll systems. Administrative and clerical staff employed by the South East Wales ambulance trust are not included in the 1993 figures.

  Information Security
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the operation of his Department's sensitive documents unit; how many staff are employed in its operation; and approximately how many documents per annum come within its purview.

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department does not have a separate unit for handling sensitive documents. This function is subsumed in the general records management operation. A record of the number of such documents is not maintained.

  Health Service
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) clerical and administrative staff and (b) nurses and doctors are employed in each of the hospital trusts in Wales; how many clerical and administrative staff are employed in the NHS; and how many were employed in 1990.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information relating to administrative and clerical and nursing and midwifery staff in each NHS trust at 30 September 1993 is given in the table.

  The latest information on medical staff in the hospital and community service relates to 30 September 1992. At that time, there were 2,805 medical staff in the NHS in Wales—whole-time equivalents, including eight hospital practitioners and 146 clinical assistants. The equivalent figure for 1990 was 2,634—including 12 hospital practitioners and 138 clinical assistants. In 1992, there was only one NHS trust in Wales—Pembrokeshire—which employed 87 medical staff—including five clinical assistants.
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  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairmen of the Welsh health authorities and trusts in relation to the signing of contracts between purchasers and providers within this financial year; what guidelines he has issued or will issue in relation to recommended final dates for publishing draft prices for 1994–95; what expectations of advancement he has of the time of signing contracts between purchasers and providers between 1993–94 performance and 1994–95; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Signing contracts is a matter for health authorities and provider units, although early agreement and signature are encouraged.

  Following discussions with the NHS in Wales, a timetable for planning services and completing the contracting process was issued in August this year. Health authorities and provider units will be expected to sign contracts in accordance with this published schedule.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to issue his final allocation letter to the health authorities in Wales for the current financial year.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The initial revenue and capital allocations to health authorities for 1993–94 were announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 4 March,Official Report, columns 252-58, and this was followed by detailed allocations from the director of the national health service in Wales on 10 March.

  Allocations are always subject to adjustment throughout the financial year as funding is released for centrally sponsored developments.

  The latest allocation adjustments were notified to health authorities on 15 November. Further adjustments will be issued during the remainder of the year as provision held in reserve for centrally funded service developments is claimed by authorities.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the proportion of imports and exports for each year through Welsh sea ports, contained at table 6.12 of the "Digest of Welsh Statistics" 1993, page 103, which comprise hazardous or toxic wastes.

  Mr. Redwood
  As information on the import of hazardous waste is available only from 1988, figures for 1981 comparable to the data given in table 6.12 of the "Digest of Welsh Statistics" cannot be supplied. Data for 1990, 1991 and 1992 are shown in the table. Information on the export of hazardous waste is not collected centrally.

  Imports of hazardous waste into Welsh ports for disposal in England and Wales1

  Tonnes2

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Near and short sea trading areas:

  Irish Republic

  2,313·2

  848·9

  426·4

  Germany

  113·3

  154·6

  —

  Benelux

  —

  —

  —

  France

  —

  —

  —

  Italy

  —

  —

  —

  Scandinavia and Baltic

  —

  25·1

  —

  Iberia and Mediterranean3

  176·3

  —

  301·9

  TOTAL4

  5,505·5

  1,991·0

  1,623·6

  302

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Deep sea trading areas:

  Africa

  —

  —

  —

  India and Persian Gulf

  —

  —

  —

  Far East

  —

  —

  —

  Australasia

  —

  —

  —

  America

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  —

  —

  —

  All overseas trading areas

  —

  —

  —

  Source: Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  1 As reported to HMIP.

  — indicates no waste reported.

  2 Includes crates and packaging. Therefore not directly comparable with the "Digest of Welsh Statistics," table 6.12.

  3 Excludes Italy.

  4 Includes Austria, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary which are not included separately.

  Forestry
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future of the freedom to roam on any forestry land currently available in the forests and woods of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  We have no plans to change our policy of allowing "freedom to roam" on forestry land managed by the Forestry Commission. Arrangements have been in place since October 1991 to secure continued public access to Forestry Commission woodlands in the event of their disposal, through the commission offering local authorities the opportunity to enter into access arrangements prior to sale.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the value of the forests of the Forestry Commission in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The latest published valuation of the Forestry Commission's forests, as at 31 March 1992, included a figure of £632·8 million for its forests in Wales. An estimate of the value of the forests at 31 March 1993 will be published in the commission's annual report and accounts early in the new year, once the accounts have been examined and certified by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

  Shell Fishing
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements exist for examining the environmental implications of licence authorisations for shell fishing in inshore waters.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Under the terms of the Sea Fisheries (Wildlife Conservation) Act 1992, Ministers and sea fisheries committees are required, in discharging their functions to have regard to the conservation of marine flora and fauna.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of tonnes of cockles harvested since 8 October from Traeth Lafan, Conwy bay, and the proportion taken from the site of special scientific interest.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This is a matter for the North Western and North Wales sea fisheries committee.

  Grant-Maintained Schools
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the grant-maintained schools and those schools seeking grant-maintained status in each of the local education authorities of Wales, giving the amount of extra cash grants for each of the grant-maintained schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information is as follows:

  Local education authority and school

  Clwyd

  Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan Comprehensive

  The Maelor School Comprehensive

  Ysgol Derwen Primary

  Eirias High School

  Ysgol Pen-y-Bryn Primary

  Ysgol Bryn Elian Comprehensive1

  Dyfed

  None

  Gwent

  Cwmcarn Comprehensive

  Brynmawr Comprehensive

  St. Alban's Comprehensive1

  Our Lady and St. Michael's Primary1

  Gwynedd

  Ysgol Caergeiliog Primary

  Mid Glamorgan

  None

  Powys

  Ysgol Llanerfyl Primary

  South Glamorgan

  Stanwell Comprehensive

  St. Cyres Comprehensive1

  Mary Immaculate Roman Catholic High School1

  West Glamorgan

  Bishop Vaughan Catholic Comprehensive

  1 Approved for grant-maintained status with effect from 1 January 1994.
  2 Proposals currently under consideration.

  As regards the funding of grant-maintained schools, I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply of 6 December 1993, Official Report, column 47.

  New Hospital, Cardiff
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the South Glamorgan health authority in relation to the proposed construction of a new neighbourhood hospital on the site of the closed St. David's hospital, Riverside, Cardiff; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  None.

  Training and Enterprise
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much he plans to spend on training and enterprise in Wales in 1994–95.

  Mr. Redwood
  I plan to spend over £147 million on training and enterprise in Wales in 1994–95. This provides for anticipated levels of training demand to be met and for the introduction of a modern apprenticeship scheme in manufacturing engineering. Detailed allocations to particular programmes will be made in due course.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many students were recruited to courses of initial teacher training in Wales in 1993.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  A survey undertaken by the Department shows that, in Wales, 2,573 students entered courses of initial teacher training this year, an increase of nearly 5 per cent. over 1992. Recruitment to primary courses was about the same as last year, but recruitment to secondary courses was up by almost 15 per cent. I welcome in particular the increase in secondary intakes as many of these students are pursuing courses in the shortage areas including Welsh.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the Ministers in his Department who since June 1987 have visited(a) Saudi Arabia, (b) Malaysia, (c) Singapore and (d) South Africa on official business; and which such visits included party political activities in addition to official duties.

  Sir John Cope
  The Economic Secretary visited Kuala Lumpur to attend a meeting of Commonwealth Finance Ministers from 7 to 11 October 1991. No party political activities were included in the visit.

  Capital Gains Tax
  Mr. Gamier
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the Treasury has received from capital gains tax in each year since 1979; and how much capital gains tax has cost to collect in each of those years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The figures for capital gains tax yield and the costs of administering the tax for each year since 1979 are:

  £ million

  Capital gains tax1

  Net receipts

  Cost of administration2

  1979–80

  431

  9·5

  1980–813

  508

  13·2

  1981–823

  526

  13·7

  1982–83

  632

  15·3

  1983–84

  671

  14·7

  1984–85

  730

  14·2

  1985–86

  908

  15·4

  1986–87

  1,064

  17·7

  1987–88

  1,379

  25·1

  1988–89

  2,323

  26·6

  1989–90

  1,854

  34·3

  1990–914

  1,852

  39·0

  1991–924

  1,140

  43·3

  1992–934

  982

  38·4

  1 The figures quoted exclude tax on gains made by companies included in corporation tax. Some of the costs associated with companies, however, cannot be separately identified and are therefore included in the cost figures for capital gains tax rather than for corporation tax.

  2 Costs are based on total departmental expenditure.

  3 The breakdown of receipts between 1980–81 and 1981–92 is estimated. The receipts figures for both years were affected by industrial action between March 1981 and July 1981.

  4 Manpower usage and costs of administration for 1989–90 have been

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  adjusted to reflect a new basis of costing. Direct comparison of these and later figures with those of earlier years may be misleading. More detail regarding this adjustment is given in the board's report for the year ending 31 March 1991.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the reduction in annual liability to capital gains tax, in 1993–94 as against the 1978–79 indexed regime, specifying in each case the total and average reduction per taxpayer as well as the number of taxpayers in each year, in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I regret that the requested estimates of the difference between the capital gains tax liability on the current regime and on the 1978–79 indexed regime are not available, as indicated in my replies to the hon. Member on 25 February 1992,Official Report, columns 435-36, and 15 March 1991, Official Report, columns 700-701.

  The number of capital gains taxpayers with liabilities in 1993–94 under the current tax regime, excluding gains realised by companies is estimated at 110,000.

  Economic Growth
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the principles upon which he is basing his strategy for economic growth.

  Mr. Nelson
  Economic growth is generated by businesses and their employees, not by Governments. The Government's responsibility is to ensure that markets work properly and that the regulatory and tax burden on business is kept to a minimum. It also has the essential task of establishing a macroeconomic framework which provides the stability that businesses need to plan for the future. The Government therefore direct monetary and fiscal policy towards two key objectives: low inflation on a permanent basis and sound public finances.

  Taxation
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest estimates of how many people with gross incomes of over £100,000 pay(a) a national insurance contributions bill and (b) a total income tax and national insurance contributions bill, of less than (i) 35 per cent., (ii) 30 per cent., (iii) 25 per cent., (iv) 20 per cent., (v) 15 per cent., (vi) 10 per cent. and (vii) 5 per cent. of their gross incomes, in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Available figures relate to the estimated 180,000 taxpayers in 1993–94 with gross incomes of £80,000 and above. Nearly all these taxpayers pay less than 5 per cent. of their gross income in national insurance contributions. Estimates of combined income tax and national insurance contribution liabilities are that 70,000 have an effective rate above 35 per cent, 90,000 have an effective rate between 30 and 35 per cent., 10,000 have an effective rate between 25 and 30 per cent., and the remaining 10,000 have an effective rate below 25 per cent.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for how many people who pay tax have earnings below the upper earnings limit in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is estimated that in 1993–94 about 16·5 million tax-paying employees have earnings below the upper earnings limit.
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  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has as to how much tax remained uncollected at the end of the last fiscal year; and what estimate he has as to the amount which will remain uncollected at the end of the current year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The amount of tax which remained uncollected at the end of October 1992, the last year for which figures are available, is £3·737 billion.

  These figures are produced for the Inland Revenue's accounting year, to 31 October, rather than on a fiscal year basis.

  Estimates for the year ended October 1993 will not be available until the end of January 1994.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people paid tax in each year since 1978–79, giving the numbers on basic rate and higher rate tax.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Latest estimates for 1991–92 onwards based on a projection of the survey of personal incomes are given.

  Figures for earlier years are available in table 2.1 of Inland Revenue Statistics 1993.

  Millions

  Taxpayers liable at

  Lower rate only

  Basic rate but not higher rate

  Higher rate

  Total

  1991–92

  0·0

  24·1

  1·6

  25·7

  1992–93

  3·9

  19·4

  1·8

  25·1

  1993–94

  4·8

  18·4

  1·9

  25·1

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families with children are estimated to have taxable incomes below the income tax threshold; and what proportion this represents of all families with children.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is estimated that in 1993–94 approximately 1·9 million single parents and married couples with children have no income tax liability. These represent about a quarter of all families with children.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total yield from VAT in 1978–79.

  Sir John Cope
  The yield from VAT in the financial year 1978–79 was £4,837·5 million.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much he estimates the average family's tax bill will rise following the VAT changes outlined in the March 1993 Budget.

  Sir John Cope
  Standard rate VAT on domestic fuel and power applied to the average household's existing fuel bill would cost about £2·30 a week.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the proportion of consumer spending subject to the standard rate of VAT, exempt from VAT and subject to a zero rate of VAT.

  Sir John Cope
  The latest data show that some 58 per cent. of consumer spending is standard rated, 24 per cent. is exempt and 18 per cent. is subject to a zero rate of VAT.

  Non-taxpayers
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures for how many(a) working and (b) non-working people do not pay tax in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Of the estimated 21 million people aged 16 or over who are non-taxpayers in 1993–94 about 3·6 million are working and 17·4 million are non-working.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many single people and married couples do not currently pay tax.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is estimated that in 1993–94 there are about 8·9 million single people aged over 16 not liable to income tax and about 3·8 million married couples where neither spouse is liable to tax.

  Allowances
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people receive(a) the married couple's allowance, (b) the additional person's allowance and (c) the widow's bereavement allowance.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Latest estimates are in the table:

  Number of individuals benefiting from allowance in 1993–94

  (Thousands)

  Married couple's allowance

  10,200

  Additional personal allowance

  750

  Widow's bereavement allowance

  150

  Visible Trade
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the deficit on visible trade for the first seven months of the year compared with the same period in 1992.

  Mr. Nelson
  The latest information is available in the Central Statistical Office first release balance of United Kingdom visible trade—August 1993, 12 November 1993. It is also available on the CSO database, which can be accessed through the House of Commons Library; the identifier is AIMA.

  Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sanction exists in respect of inheritance tax waived in respect of works of art to be made available to the public when the works are not so made available.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The owner of works of art which are conditionally exempt from inheritance tax
  must undertake 308
  to preserve them, keep them in the United Kingdom and provide reasonable public access. If an owner breaks an undertaking and the issue cannot be resolved in discussion between the Inland Revenue and the owner, inheritance tax is charged on the current value of the works of art. This provides a powerful incentive for the owner to honour the terms of the undertakings.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total inheritance tax yield, in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in the latest year for which information is available.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The latest year for which information is available is 1992–93. Inheritance tax net receipts in this year were £1,211 million for the United Kingdom, of which £86 million was collected in Northern Ireland. Much of the tax collected in Northern Ireland related to deaths in England and Wales.

  Cigarettes
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average cost of a packet of cigarettes, and the average amount of total tax on a packet of cigarettes, in the last financial year.

  Sir John Cope
  The available data are for a typical packet of cigarettes. Two prices applied in the financial year 1992–93 as manufacturers increased their prices in the autumn. Both prices are given in the table.

  Period covered

  Typical price (pence)

  Tax content (pence)

  April to October

  221

  168

  November to March

  227

  170

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of tax received from cigarettes in the last financial year.

  Sir John Cope
  Receipts of excise duty and value added tax on cigarettes are estimated to have been £6,970 million in 1992–93.

  Privatised Companies
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish those numbers of individual shareholders retaining shares in each of the concerns privatised since 1979, indicating where Her Majesty's Government have retained a shareholding.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The table shows the latest figures available for shareholdings in privatised companies. Where the Government retained a shareholding—including details of any subsequent disposals—this has also been shown.
  309

  Shareholdings1 in privatised and former Government-controlled companies

  Size of share register

  Company

  Date of privatisation

  Initial

  Highest since privatisation3

  Current

  Proportion of shares retained by Her Majesty's Government Per cent.

  Proportion and dates of subsequent disposals Per cent.

  British Petroleum

  December 19772

  n/a

  —

  513,569 (31 December 1992)

  51·0

  45·17/November 1979;

  7·12/September 1983;

  31·5/September 1987;

  0·09/October 1990

  British Aerospace

  February 1981

  27,179

  120,200 (December 1986)

  92,631 (12 November 1993)

  48·43

  48·43/10 May 1985

  Cable and Wireless

  October 1981

  27,320

  210,994 (31 March 1986)

  158,481 (31 March 1993)

  50·64

  27·54/November 1983;

  23·1/December 1985

  Amersham International

  February 1982

  10,051

  —

  5,264 (28 May 1993)

  nil

  —

  NFC

  February 1982

  10,300

  —

  60,000 (December 1993)

  nil

  —

  Britoil

  November 1982

  37,257

  245,556 (31 December 1985)

  Owned by BP

  49

  49/8 August 1985

  Associated British Ports

  February 1983

  37,205

  —

  14,000 (December 1993)

  48·5

  48·5/17 April 1984

  Enterprise Oil

  June 1984

  13,695

  14,166 (June 1985)

  9,794 (31 December 1992)

  nil

  —

  Jaguar

  July 1984

  125,000

  —

  Owned by Ford

  nil5

  —

  BT

  November 1984

  2,139,520

  —

  3,371,207 (10 November 1993)

  49·8

  0·8/December 1987;

  25·9/November 1991;

  20·7/July 1993

  British Gas

  December 1986

  4,407,079

  —

  2,036,826 (31 December 1992)

  3·3

  1·6/January 1990;

  1·6/July 1990

  British Airways

  February 1987

  1·2 million

  —

  252,016 (10 May 1993)

  2·5

  1·0/June 1987;

  1·0/March 1990

  Rolls-Royce

  May 1987

  1,988,966

  —

  564,318 (31 December 1992)

  0·4

  0·4 sold during 1987

  BAA

  July 1987

  2,187,500

  —

  561,759 (28 May 1993)

  4·36

  1·42/August 1990

  British Steel

  December 1988

  650,553

  —

  252,000 (December 1993)

  0·05

  0·04 disposed of during 1989

  Water and Sewerage Companies

  December 1989

  2·65 million

  —

  1,106,5647(27 June 1991)

  1·62

  —

  Regional Electricity Companies

  December 1990

  8·86 million6

  —

  2,975,1197(7 August 1992)

  1·5

  —

  Generating Companies

  March 1991

  1·67 million8

  —

  1·3 million7 (November 1992)

  40

  —

  Scottish Electricity Companies

  June 1991

  1·8 million9

  —

  1·4 million7 (15 March 1993)

  3·5

  —

  Northern Ireland Electricity

  June 1993

  437,414

  —

  298,734 (1 December 1993)

  4

  —

  1 For single company privatisations, these figures are not an exact guide to the number of shareholders because some shareholdings are held jointly in more than one name—for example, for members of employee share schemes only the trustees are shown on share registers.

  2 Her Majesty's Government obtained a majority holding in 1914 but this never reached 100 per cent. The 1977 sale is shown as the first disposal of recent times.

  3 Where the largest register of shareholdings was not immediately following privatisation—this usually followed a secondary offer.

  4 These proportions do not sum to 51 per cent. because of rights issues.

  5 Subsidiary of BL plc.

  6 The offer allowed for holdings by individuals in any or all of the companies in the offer and therefore holders may appear on more than one register.

  7 Shareholders may appear on the register of more than one company.

  8 The offer required public applicants to apply for shares in both companies and the figure shown is that of allocation in the offer.

  9 The offer required non-customer public applicants to apply for shares in both companies and the figure shown is that of allocation in the offer.

  Personal Pensions
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what study his Department has made of compliance by the personal pension sector with the Financial Services Act 1986 as it affects the selling of pensions; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what estimate he has as to the number of people who were advised to transfer to a personal pension and would have been better off to have remained in occupational schemes since 1986; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 8 December,Official Report, column 234.

  Finance Bill
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Finance Bill will be published.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Finance Bill will be published on Tuesday 11 January 1994.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Members
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby (Mr. Alison), representing the Church Commissioners, which Church Commissioners are also members of Her Majesty's Government; and which meetings of the commissioners, on how many occasions, were attended by each such member in the last three calendar years.

  Mr. Alison
  Seven out of 95 Church Commissioners are members of Her Majesty's Government: the Lord Chancellor; the First Lord of the Treasury; the Lord President of the Council; the Secretary of State for the Home Department; the Chancellor of the Exchequer; the Attorney-General; and the Solicitor-General. The Lord President of the Council attended the commissioners'
  311
  annual general meeting in 1991 and 1993. The Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General attended that meeting in 1992.

  The Second Church Estates Commissioner is included under the heading "Her Majesty's Government" in the list which appears from time to time in Hansard, but the appointment is not an executive Government post and it carries no salary.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the Ministers in his Department who since June 1987 have visited(a) Saudi Arabia, (b) Malaysia, (c) Singapore and (d) South Africa on official business; and which such visits included party political activities in addition to official duties.

  Mr. Howard
  The following official visits have been made, during none of which do we have any record that party political activities were undertaken:

  (a) Saudi Arabia
  The right hon.Douglas Hurd CBE MP—Home Secretary—
  April 1989.

  (b) Malaysia
  None.

  (c) Singapore
  The right hon. and noble Earl Ferrers—Minister of State—31 December 1991 to 3 January 1992.

  (d) South Africa
  None.

  Prisons
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with prison governors in England and Wales on the recent policy statements that he has made as to the running of penal establishments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 3 November, my right hon. and learned Friend made a speech about imprisonment to the Prison Service conference, to which senior governors are invited. My right hon. and learned Friend also discussed prison issues with governors during visits to Prison Service establishments.

  Justice Council
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what matters were discussed and what decisions were taken at the Justice Council in Brussels on 29 to 30 November.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I refer to the answer which I gave the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 7

  Manchester United Supporters
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what report he has received from the Greater Manchester police about the treatment of Manchester United fans in Turkey; and if he will make the findings public.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I have seen a copy of an internal document prepared by the Greater Manchester police 312
  officers who were present in Turkey as part of the normal liaison arrangements which occur when English teams play abroad. It includes many references to individuals which it would not be right to make public.

  We have passed on copies of the relevant parts of the report to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has written to the Turkish authorities taking up some of the points which have been raised by those who were detained in and deported from Turkey.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each civil service grade in his Department(a) the total number of people employed, (b) the total number of black people and (c) the total number of Asians.

  Mr. Howard
  The figures requested are given in the table which sets out, by grade, the total number of non-industrial Home Office staff, including those in agencies, on outward secondment or on maternity or special leave, and the number of respondents belonging to black or Asian ethnic groupings. The current response rates to ethnic surveys is 85 per cent. for the main Home Office and 99 per cent. for the Prison Service; the latter includes management classification. The answer does not include those respondents in other ethnic minorities. The information was generated from the Home Office personnel system on 6 December 1993.

  Total

  Asian

  Black

  Administrative Assistant

  2,164

  168

  157

  Administrative Officer

  4,453

  361

  252

  Administrative Trainee

  8

  1

  —

  Assistant Chief Officer

  3

  —

  —

  Assistant Director

  9

  —

  1

  Assistant Divisional Officer

  4

  —

  —

  Assistant Immigration Officer

  42

  6

  2

  Assistant Information Officer

  7

  —

  —

  Assistant Inspector of Fire Services

  29

  —

  —

  Assistant Librarian

  13

  —

  —

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  91

  —

  —

  Assistant Statistician

  1

  —

  —

  Assistant Storeperson

  110

  —

  —

  Church of England/Roman Catholic Chaplain (PIT)

  130

  —

  1

  Church of England Chaplain

  99

  1

  2

  Chaplain General Prisons

  1

  —

  —

  Chief Education Officer

  1

  —

  —

  Chief Immigration Officer

  360

  —

  2

  Chief Inspector-Animals S.P. Inspector

  1

  —

  —

  Chief Typing Manager

  4

  —

  —

  Commandant

  1

  —

  —

  Comms. Officer 2

  1

  —

  —

  Comms. Officer 3

  8

  —

  —

  Consultant Voluntary Services Unit

  2

  —

  —

  Divisional Officer 1

  1

  —

  —

  Divisional Officer 2

  1

  —

  —

  Executive Officer

  2,126

  66

  50

  Farm Manager 1

  6

  —

  —

  Farm Manager 1A

  15

  —

  —

  Farm Manager 2

  11

  —

  —

  Farm Manager 3

  26

  —

  —

  Farm Manager 4

  19

  —

  1

  Farms and Gardens Officer

  4

  —

  —

  Fireground Supervisor

  1

  —

  —

  Governor 1

  38

  —

  —

  Governor 2

  86

  —

  —

  Governor 3

  113

  —

  —

  Governor 4

  306

  1

  1

  Governor 5

  455

  2

  —

  Governor 5 (APS)1

  22

  —

  —

  313

  Total

  Asian

  Black

  Grade 1 (PUSS)

  1

  —

  —

  Grade 2 (DUSS)

  8

  —

  —

  Grade 3

  26

  —

  —

  Grade 4

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 5

  96

  —

  —

  Grade 6

  102

  —

  1

  Grade 7

  614

  4

  —

  Graphics Officer

  14

  —

  —

  Graphics Technical Grade

  1

  —

  —

  Head of Department 3

  1

  —

  —

  Head of Department 4

  1

  —

  —

  Head of Department 5

  1

  —

  —

  Head of Department 6

  1

  —

  —

  Head Pharmacist

  1

  —

  —

  Higher Executive Officer (Development)

  26

  —

  —

  Higher Executive Officer

  1,174

  16

  10

  Higher Graphics Officer

  1

  —

  —

  Higher Instructional Officer

  28

  —

  —

  Higher Professional and Technical Officer

  134

  3

  —

  Higher Psychologist

  43

  —

  —

  Higher Scientific Officer

  181

  1

  —

  Higher Telecommunications Technical Officer

  41

  2

  —

  HM Chief Inspector of Fire Services

  1

  —

  —

  HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary

  1

  —

  —

  HM Inspector of Fire Services 1

  2

  —

  —

  HM Inspector of Fire Services 2

  7

  —

  —

  HM Inspector of Constabulary

  4

  —

  —

  Immigration Officer

  2,114

  57

  19

  Information Officer

  18

  —

  —

  Inspector (Immigration Service)

  70

  —

  1

  Inspector—Animals S. P. Inspector

  19

  1

  —

  Instructional Officer I

  1,036

  7

  7

  Instructional Officer II

  2

  —

  —

  Interpreter

  7

  5

  —

  Lecturer 2

  24

  —

  —

  Legal Officer

  3

  —

  —

  Librarian

  8

  —

  —

  Matron Housekeeper

  1

  —

  —

  Medical Officer

  80

  36

  4

  Medical Officer (P/T)

  111

  31

  2

  Night Patrol

  956

  9

  24

  Nursing Grade A

  5

  —

  1

  Nursing Grade C

  61

  2

  9

  Nursing Grade D

  108

  1

  11

  Nursing Grade E

  94

  1

  2

  Nursing Grade F

  118

  7

  11

  Nursing Grade G

  29

  1

  1

  Nursing Grade H

  6

  —

  —

  Personal Secretary

  490

  12

  34

  Pharmacist

  19

  1

  —

  Pharmacy Technician

  22

  1

  3

  Principal Lecturer

  3

  —

  —

  Principal Medical Officer

  6

  —

  —

  Principal Officer

  1,371

  —

  4

  Principal Officer (APS)1

  36

  —

  —

  Principal R. C. Chaplain

  1

  —

  —

  Prison Auxiliary

  1,561

  9

  28

  Prison Officer

  18,974

  121

  211

  Prison Officer (APS)1

  37

  —

  1

  Professional and Technology Officer

  99

  4

  3

  Psychological Assistant

  41

  1

  —

  Psychologist

  1

  —

  —

  Psychologist-Graduate Trainee

  29

  —

  —

  R. C. Chaplain

  15

  —

  —

  Regional Catering Manager

  6

  —

  —

  Research Officer (Social Science)

  16

  —

  —

  Scientific Officer

  117

  3

  3

  Senior Assistant Statistician

  8

  —

  —

  Senior Divisional Officer

  1

  —

  —

  Senior Executive Officer

  431

  6

  4

  Senior Information Officer

  10

  —

  —

  Senior Inspector-Animals S.P. Inspector

  3

  —

  —

  Senior Instructional Officer

  1

  —

  —

  Senior Lecturer

  4

  —

  —

  Senior Legal Assistant

  2

  —

  —

  Senior Librarian

  1

  —

  —

  Senior Medical Officer

  40

  12

  1

  314

  Total

  Asian

  Black

  Senior Officer

  3,398

  10

  17

  Senior Personal Secretary

  43

  —

  2

  Senior Pharmacist

  1

  —

  —

  Senior Professor and Technical Officer

  167

  1

  1

  Senior Psychologist

  49

  —

  —

  Senior Research Officer (Social Science)

  11

  —

  2

  Senior Scientific Officer

  194

  2

  —

  Senior Telecoms Technical Officer

  1

  —

  —

  Shop Assistant

  1

  —

  —

  Shop Manager

  1

  —

  —

  Staff Principal Pharmacist

  5

  —

  —

  Storeperson

  460

  1

  3

  Stores Officer Grade A

  1

  —

  —

  Stores Officer Grade B

  2

  —

  —

  Stores Officer Grade C

  11

  —

  —

  Stores Officer Grade D

  12

  —

  —

  Support Grade Band 1

  150

  1

  10

  Support Grade Band 2

  736

  18

  54

  Support Manager 1

  1

  —

  —

  Support Manager 2

  4

  —

  —

  Support Manager 3

  14

  —

  1

  Technical Grade 1

  16

  —

  —

  Technical Grade 2

  8

  —

  —

  Telecom Engineering Technician

  195

  —

  1

  Telecom Technical Engineer II

  58

  —

  1

  Telecoms Technical Officer

  2

  1

  1

  Temporary Prison Officer

  4

  —

  —

  Territorial Inspector

  5

  —

  —

  Trainee Graphics Officer

  1

  —

  —

  Trainee Statistician

  1

  —

  —

  Trainee Typist

  1

  —

  —

  Typing Manager

  32

  1

  3

  Typist

  763

  17

  27

  1 APS = Accelerated Promotion Scheme.

  Mentally Disordered Prisoners
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what effect periods spent in hospitals for the mentally disordered has on the original sentence of category A prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Any period of time spent in hospital by a prisoner transferred there under the Mental Health Act 1983 counts towards the serving of the sentence of imprisonment imposed by the court in his case.

  Police Investigations
  Mr. Waller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce arrangements to compensate county police forces which incur exceptional costs in the course of official investigations into other police forces.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No. Arrangements already allow for a police force's cost in conducting an investigation on behalf of another force to be covered by the force concerned. The costs are determined between the respective chief officers.

  Rukhasana Tufail Fakir
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the case of Rukhasana Tufail Fakir.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Mrs. Tufail has applied to the Court of Appeal for leave to move for judicial review of the
  315
  decision to deport her. Her case will be reviewed in the light of the outcome of these proceedings and any further representations made on her behalf.

  Financial Fraud
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are engaged in his Department in combating fraud in financial institutions; and at what annual cost.

  Mr. Maclean
  No officials in my Department are directly so engaged. The Home Office is responsible for the criminal law as it relates to fraudulent activity, but it has no direct involvement in its investigation or prosecution.

  Dogs
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to require owners of breeds of dogs involved in serious attacks on children and adults to muzzle such dogs when in a public place; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 provides that all exempted dogs—that is, fighting dogs such as the pit bull terrier—must be muzzled when in a public place. The Act also gives the courts powers to impose a muzzling order on a dog of any breed or type which they judge potentially or actually dangerous.

  In addition, my right hon. and learned Friend has a reserve power under section 2 of the Act to impose restrictions relating to muzzling, leashing and abandoning any breed or type of dog which, after having taken advice, he considers presents a serious danger to the public. The need to use this power is kept under review.

  Market Testing
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used to select a Home Office function for market testing.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Home Office approach to market testing accords with Government policy as set out in the White Paper "Competing for Quality: Buying Better Public Services", Cm 1730. Priority is being given to market-testing activities where the costs are substantial and it seems likely that comparable services could be provided satisfactorily by external suppliers under contract.

  Prison Visits
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many queries from the police and probation service were processed by the prisoner location unit in Birmingham during the last four weeks for which figures are available; and what was the average time taken to process each application;

  (2) how many complaints were received from members of the public about the processing of prison visit applications in the year prior to the establishment of the assisted prison visits unit;

  (3) what additional resources will be made available in the next financial year to investigate possible fraudulent claims at the assisted prison visits unit;

  (4) how many staff were employed at the assisted prison visits unit in Birmingham;
  316
  (5) when sufficient resources will be made available to the assisted prison visits unit to pay applicants twice per month;

  (6) when the assisted prison visits unit records will be computerised;

  (7) how many applications were dealt with last year by the assisted prison visits unit; and what is the average time taken to process each application;

  (8) how many complaints were received from the public about the processing of the assisted prison visits unit applications last year;

  (9) what checks are currently made to detect fraudulent claims at the assisted prison visits unit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for these matters has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated December 1993:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the operation of the Assisted Prison Visits Unit, including the Prisoner Location Unit.
  The Assisted Prison Visits Unit (APVU) currently operates with 37 members of staff, five of whom are dedicated to work arising on the Prisoner Location Unit. The APVU processed 79,370 applications last year with an average turn round time of seven working days. The Prisoner Location Unit received 4,263 calls from the police and the probation service during November 1993. On average the Unit took 24 hours to process each claim, although the vast majority were dealt with on the same day.
  Current administrative procedures provide that there should be systematic checks with prison establishments to confirm that visits have been made, and with the Benefits Agency to ensure that applicants qualify on low income. Where evidence of any fraudulent claim comes to light these are referred to the police for investigation. The advent of computerisation within the APVU, the first phase of which is scheduled to come on line in March 1994, will enhance the detection of fraudulent claims and their investigation.
  You also ask about the proposed extension of the Assisted Visits scheme to cover the second statutory monthly payment. The White Paper "Custody, Care and Justice" includes a commitment to consider extensions of the scheme as resources allow. We have also indicated in the Prison Service Business plan that the extension should take place this financial year. No final decision on this matter has been taken. It will be necessary to do so in the light of the resources available to the Prison Service and it is not possible to say when payment of the second monthly visit will be initiated.
  Lastly, you also ask about the number of complaints which were received from members of the public in the year prior to this function being transferred from the then DHSS to the Prison Service and similarly, the number of complaints from the public about processing of applications which the APVU received last year. I am afraid that we do not have any records relating to the performance of the DHSS. Statistics on the number of complaints received by the APVU are not held in the form requested and could be obtained only by inspecting individual case files.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 will apply to the market testing of the assisted prison visits unit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  317
  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated December 1993:
  The Home Secretory has asked me to reply to your recent Question about whether the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 will apply to the market testing of the Assisted Prisons Visits Unit.
  We have identified the Unit as one of our candidates for market testing. Work on a scoping study, which is the first stage in the process, will start in the new year. This will examine in detail the suitability or otherwise of the Assisted Prisons Visits Unit for competitive tendering against the private sector. If competitive tendering follows we will expect bidders to consider the implications of the Regulations.
  As in all market tests, whether the Regulations apply will depend on the circumstances of the particular case and the way that bidders respond to the invitation to tender. To assist in this the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster issued advice on the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 on 11 March 1993 (HWA col. 648).

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria were used to select the assisted prison visits unit and the prisoner location unit for market testing.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated December 1993:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the criteria used to select the Assisted Prisons Visits Unit and the Prisoner Location Unit for market testing.
  The White Paper 'Competing for Quality' identified promising areas for market testing. These included such functions as payment of grants, grant administration and advisory services. APVU, which at present subsumes the Prisoner Location Unit, carries out these functions.
  A scoping study due to start in the new year will examine the suitability or otherwise of the Unit for competitive tendering.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the scoping report into the proposed market test of the assisted prison visits unit will be made available to staff.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated December 1993:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about whether the Scoping Report into the proposed market test of the Assisted Prisons Visits Unit will be made available to staff.
  Staff in the Unit will be consulted fully throughout the scoping study and a copy of the scoping study report will be made available to them.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the decision was made to market test the assisted prison visits unit; and when the staff association was informed.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
  318
  Letter from Derek Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated December 1993:
  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about when the decision was made to market test the Assisted Prisons Visits Unit; and when the Staff Association was informed.
  The Prisons Board Executive Committee decided on 26 July 1993 to include the Assisted Prisons Visits Unit as one of our candidates for market testing. Staff in the Unit were told by their Head of Division on 6 August 1993. Prison Service Trades Unions and Staff Associations were advised at the same time. This has been followed up with briefing by senior line management and our Market Testing Section.
  Work on the first stage of the process will start in the new year. This will examine in detail the suitability, or otherwise, of APVU for competitive tendering against the private sector.

  Primates
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the areas of research or categories of product involving the use of primates in(a) toxicity and (b) non-toxicity tests for the intention of registration of medical or dental products under the Medicines Act 1968 and equivalent international legislation in 1992;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the increase in the number of primates used in scientific procedures required by the Medicines Act 1968 and the equivalent international legislation during 1992.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answers 7 December 1993]: The increase in the number of primates used in scientific procedures in 1992 was attributable principally to a general increase in the number of pharmaceutical products submitted for chronic toxicity testing.

  Total numbers of primates used increased from 4,518 in 1991 to 5,018 in 1992, as shown in table 14 of the "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals in Great Britain 1992", Cm 2356.

  Table 7 provides information on procedures for toxicity tests on the basis of broad areas and relates to the use of animals in the final stages of regulatory testing when the purpose is to identify any unexpected or adverse effects in body systems immediately prior to use of medicine by humans.

  Table 4 relates to information presented to regulatory authorities and derived from animal testing at an earlier stage of product development.

  To list individual areas of research or categories of product would be in breach of the requirement of section 24(1) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 which provides for the protection of confidential information.

  Citizenship Applications
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the current duties of police detective officers in the processing of British citizenship applications; what is his estimate of the total police time devoted to these duties in the current year to date; and what plans he has to transfer these duties to other staff.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 7 December 1993]: The duties of police officers are to interview where necessary on behalf of the Home Office applicants for

  319
  naturalisation and their referees in order to help determine whether the statutory requirements for citizenship are met and whether discretion should be exercised to grant it. The amount of police time spent on these duties is currently
  320
  being collated and I shall write to the hon. Member. Consideration is currently being given to the feasibility of the nationality division conducting a proportion of these interviews itself.

HEALTH

  Management Costs
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to reduce the management costs of health authorities and trusts.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has announced proposals for streamlining the structure and slimming down the management of the national health service outside hospital provider units. NHS trusts are free to determine the mix of staff required to deliver services but must do so within what they can afford from health care contracts.

  Primary Care
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for developing equal opportunities in primary care; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Family health services authorities continue to make good progress with the Opportunity 2000 initiative. Their action plans are submitted to regional health authorities and have concerned their own directly employed staff. We believe that the principles of Opportunity 2000 can be pursued to good effect within general medical practice. Although general practitioners are independent contractors and responsible for their own staff, they may look to FHSAs for support and expertise.

  Steroids
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths of children were caused or partially caused by steroids in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  In the last five years one report of a fatality in a child has been received by the Committee on Safety of Medicines, through the United Kingdom's voluntary spontaneous adverse drug reaction reporting scheme, in association with corticosteroid therapy. The receipt of a report does not necessarily indicate that a specific drug caused the reaction, as many other factors may have contributed.

  Smear Tests
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of women currently receive the results of a smear test within one month; and what is(a) the average and (b) the longest time for receiving the results for those cases outside of one month.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information is not available centrally in the form requested. Health authorities must aim to return the results of cervical smear tests to the doctor who undertook them within one month. The most recent review indicates that, in most cases, health authorities are meeting the one-month target time for cervical smear reporting.

  General Practitioners
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make a statement on the creation of incentives for general practitioners to work in the inner city;

  (2) what plans she has to encourage (a) women general practitioners and (b) general practitioners generally into working in the inner city.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The 1990 general practitioner contract introduced the deprivation payments scheme in recognition of the potential higher work load faced by GPs in urban areas. The contract also introduced explicit recognition for part-time working and job-sharing arrangements to assist doctors, including women, who wish to combine a career in general practice with other commitments.

  As outlined in "Making London Better", we are currently exploring the scope for more flexible approaches to general medical services within the London initiative zone, including arrangements to strengthen the recruitment of GPs. We will assess subsequently the potential for wider application of any new arrangements which are introduced.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to adjust allocation of budgets given to general practitioner budget holders to take into account census and household survey data.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  General practitioner fundholder budget setting guidance for 1994–95 is given in EL(93) 93, a copy of which is available in the Library. Work is being undertaken to identify any new data which may usefully be taken account of in future guidance.

  Abortions
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many abortions were performed on a private fee-paying basis in 1991 in each region;

  (2) how many abortions were performed on a private fee-paying basis by regional health authority in each year from 1985 to 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is published in "Abortion Statistics", Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, AB Nos. 12-18, table 20, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths per year are caused by carbon monoxide poisoning.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is shown in the table.
  323

  Number of deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning England and Wales 1988 to 1992

  International classification diseases number

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  E868.1

  (Accidental poisoning by other and unspecified utility gas)

  9

  5

  5

  4

  16

  E868.2

  (Accidental poisoning by motor vehicle exhaust gas)

  35

  33

  26

  29

  25

  E868.3

  (Accidental poisoning by carbon monoxide from incomplete combustion of other domestic fuels)

  22

  10

  11

  25

  20

  E868.8

  (Accidental poisoning by carbon monoxide from other sources)

  1

  2

  1

  0

  2

  E868.9

  (Accidental poisoning by unspecified carbon monoxide)

  0

  3

  5

  3

  3

  E982.0

  (Poisoning by motor vehicle exhaust gas)

  102

  80

  94

  90

  93

  E982.1

  (Poisoning by other carbon monoxide)

  7

  9

  5

  7

  3

  TOTAL

  176

  142

  147

  158

  162

  NHS Charges
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were national health service items for which a charge was made; and what was the revenue from charges in England in each of the last five years.

  Charged national health service items and revenue from charges (£ million) in England between 1988 and 1993

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Family health services prescriptions

  176·9

  189·3

  205·9

  215·2

  242·0

  Family health service dental treatment

  290·6

  366·2

  379·7

  404·0

  394·8

  Road traffic accidents

  8·7

  9·3

  9·1

  1—

  1—

  1 Information about revenue from road traffic accident charges has not been available centrally since 1990–91.

  All national health service sight tests are free of charge. People who are entitled to help with the cost of spectacles receive this in the form of a spectacle voucher; the sale of spectacles is always a private transaction between patient and practitioner, even when an NHS voucher is used. Information about hospital prescriptions, the hospital eye service, and hospital orthotic services is not available centrally.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide details of estimates of receipts from NHS charges broken down by category of charge for 1994–95.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information for 1994–95 will be published in the Department of Health's main Supply estimates in March 1994.

  Incontinence Pads
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the number of purchasers that are restricting either the number of incontinence pads per patient or the total number of incontinence pads.

  Mr. Bowis
  This information is not available centrally.
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  Dr. Mawhinney
  The available information is shown in the table.

  NHS Chairmen
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the range of remuneration of the chairmen of boards of NHS health authorities and trusts for each of the last three years; and what is their projected income for the next year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The range of remuneration for chairmen of boards of national health service health authorities and trusts from April 1990 is shown in the table.

  Chairmen volunteered to forgo any increase during the period when public sector pay settlements were restricted to the range of zero to 1·5 per cent. No decision has yet been made on future increases.
  325

  Date

  Regional Health Authorities

  District Health Authorities

  Family Health Services Authorities

  Trusts

  £

  £

  £

  £

  1 December 1991

  20,925

  15,125-19,285

  10,845-12,605

  15,125-19,285

  1 April 1991

  20,545

  14,850-18,935

  10,645-12,375

  14,850-18,935

  1 January 1991

  19,110

  13,812-17,610

  9,903-11,510

  13,812-17,610

  1 April 1990

  18,921

  13,674-17,437

  9,805-11,395

  13,674-17,437

  NHS Numbers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to issue patients with NHS numbers.

  Mr. Sackville
  Every United Kingdom resident is issued with a national health service number. This happens either when the birth of a child is registered or when someone who comes to live here seeks to register with a general practitioner.

  From July 1995 the NHS number will be issued in a new format suited to its wider use to identify patients within the NHS. This replacement number will continue to appear on the medical card patients receive when they register with a GP.

  Junior Doctors
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes she plans to the new deal for junior doctors following publication of the Winyard report.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We remain committed to implementing the "New Deal on Junior Doctors' Hours", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Out-patients
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the changes in levels of out-patient attendance nationally in 1991–92 and 1992–93; and what assessment she has made of the connections between this and the development of primary care.

  Mr. Sackville
  There was a 1·7 per cent. increase in the number of out-patient attendances in England between 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  The Government have identified a number of national health service priorities for research relating to the relationship between primary and secondary care. One of these priority areas is the appropriateness of out-patient follow-up, which accounts for the majority of all out-patient attendances. The role of primary care in reducing unnecessary out-patient attendances is among these areas to be explored.

  Insulin Cartridges
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost of cartridges for use with insulin pens; and what action she is taking to ensure that general practitioner fundholders are able equally with non-fundholders to continue to prescribe insulin cartridges for use with pen devices.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The cost of a pack of five insulin cartridges ranges from £6.44 to £27. All cartridges are available on national health service prescription and, therefore, all general practitioners including fundholders are able to prescribe them.

  Terminal Care
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of doctors specialising in terminal care in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The available information is shown in the table.

  Doctors specialising in palliative medicine (terminal care) by whole-time equivalents

  England—at 30 September

  Year

  All doctors in palliative medicine

  1989

  22·2

  1990

  26·3

  1991

  31·2

  1992

  55·5

  Notes:
  Statistics on the number of doctors specialising in palliative medicine were collected for the first time in 1989.
  In addition, doctors in anaesthetics, radiology and the surgical specialties will also have a role in terminal care in terms of pain relief and life-prolonging surgery.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of nurses specialising in terminal care in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Coronary Care
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many coronary care beds and high-dependency beds there were in England in each of the last 14 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. A study into intensive care provision showed that in 1991–92 there were at least 356 high-dependency beds and at least 879 coronary care unit beds in England; this is the only year for which such information is held centrally.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the difference between an acute ward and a coronary care unit; and what research has been undertaken in relation to outcome for patients with the same heart condition placed on these two types of wards.

  Mr. Sackville
  An acute ward is a medical ward taking the range of medical admissions. A coronary care unit is a small ward specially staffed and equipped for the care of acutely ill patients who have suffered or are suspected of having suffered a heart attack. Any hospital that takes acute admissions will have coronary care facilities, and if a patient needing those facilities cannot be accommodated in a coronary care unit for any reason they will normally be accommodated in an acute medical ward where they will
  327
  receive the same treatment and care as they would in a coronary care unit. No information is available centrally of any study into outcomes for patients with the same heart condition placed on these two types of wards.

  Cancer Patients
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to ensure that cancer patients are included in clinical trials in the national health service; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The national health service supports cancer research funded by a number of bodies including the Medical Research Council which receives its grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and cancer charities. The recruitment of patients to clinical trials is a matter for those conducting and funding individual studies. The funding and support of research and development in the NHS are currently under review.

  NHS Registers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what items of personal data will be contained in NHS registers; whether the computers containing such registers will be linked; what statutory protection will be afforded to the registers; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The national health service administrative register will consolidate information held today by the NHS in England and Wales, to facilitate seamless health care provision and support the business needs of health service bodies.

  The register will comprise a number of networked, locally managed databases and will contain basic administrative details only such as name, age, address, sex, NHS number and name of the family doctor.

  There will be no statutory regulations governing the register; access to and use of the register is being determined in consultation with the clinical professions and in conformance with the Data Protection Act 1988.

  NHS Trusts
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many non-executive directors of trusts have not been given a further term; and how many have voluntarily stood down in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The number of non-executive directors of national health service trusts who have not been appointed for a further term, for whatever reason, or who have voluntarily stood down, in 1991, 1992 and 1993 is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1991

  1

  1992

  31

  1993

  51

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which element of the rationalisation of national health service trust facilities at Aintree, Liverpool is being put out for private tender.
  328
  Mr. Sackville
  The Aintree hospitals national health service trust has recently gone out to open tender for a 100-bed low dependency unit, a conference suite and a kitchen and dining complex.

  Asthma (Pollution)
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 1 December,Official Report, column 587, when she expects the findings of the sub-group of the Committee on the Medical Effects on Air Pollutants, investigating the links between asthma and air pollution to be published.

  Mr. Sackville
  The work of the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants' sub-group on asthma and air pollution is at an early stage. It is therefore difficult to predict with accuracy when it will be able to publish its report, but it hopes to be in a position to do so in the late summer or autumn of 1994.

  Admiral Sir Godfrey Milton-Thompson
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid to Admiral Sir Godfrey Milton-Thompson in the out-of-court settlement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  An ex-gratia payment of £12,500 was made to Sir Godfrey Milton-Thompson in order to settle legal proceedings. The settlement carried with it no admission of any liability.

  City and East London Family and Community Health Services Unit
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations she has had with the North East Thames regional health authority prior to the establishment of the City and East London family and community health services unit; if she will give its terms of reference; if she will give the names of its chairman, board and principal officials; to whom it is accountable; if she intends it to assume the responsibilities of the family health service authority for its area; and if it will be eligible for future trust status.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply by letter of 30 November—copies of which are available in the Library—in response to his earlier question about the City and East London family and community services.

  Departmental officials have been in discussion with North East Thames regional health authority about CELFACHS. In respect of community health responsibilities, CELFACHS is a directly managed unit, accountable to East London and the City health authority. As such, it does not have a chairman or a management board. Its project director is Ms Hilary Scott. She is also to be employed by the family health services authority, whose responsibilities remain unchanged. Through these arrangements, CELFACHS will support the district and family health authorities in co-ordinating the management of family and community health services and in considering possible national health service trust configurations in east London. Whether or not any unit is eligible for trust status depends on compliance with relevant legislation governing NHS trusts and successful completion of the rigorous assessment process.

  Hospital League Tables
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what categories of measurement are to be used for the compilation of hospital league tables;

  (2) what statistical or other techniques will be used in judging outcomes for use in hospital league tables.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The chief executive of the national health service management executive has asked NHS hospitals and ambulance authorities, in an executive letter, dated 20 July 1993—EL(93)64— copies of which are available in the Library, to provide information on the following categories:

  Accident and Emergency
  The percentage of patients seen and assessed for treatment within five minutes of arriving in the accident and emergency department.

  Out-patient Appointments
  The percentage of patients seen within 30 minutes of their out-patient appointment time.

  Day Surgery
  The percentage of elective episodes—waiting list and booked —by selected procedures for NHS patients not requiring an overnight stay. The indicator is based on the first episode in the provider spell.

  Waiting Times
  The percentage of NHS patients by selected specialties admitted within three months and within 12 months of being put on a waiting list.

  Operations
  The number of patients not admitted within a month of their second cancelled operation.

  Ambulance Speed of Response
  The percentage of emergency—999 calls—ambulances arriving within 14 minutes—urban area—or 19 minutes—rural area.

  Statistical or other techniques to be used in judging outcomes for use in hospital league tables are still under discussion.

  Chaplaincy Facilities
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued by her Department to NHS purchasing bodies regarding the need to ensure adequate provision of chaplaincy facilities for those patients who require them.

  Mr. Sackville
  Guidance issued in January 1992, HSG(92)2, copies of which are available in the Library, reminded purchasing authorities and provider units of the need to make adequate provision for the spiritual needs of patients and staff.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average cost to health authorities and general practitioner fundholders of a visit by an NHS hospital chaplain to one patient.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Health Education Authority
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to announce the results of the review of the Health Education Authority.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The final report of the review of the Health Education Authority undertaken by Mr. John Lee and his team is expected shortly.

  Prisoners (HIV)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list each Department of Health commissioned study of HIV prevalence among prison inmates.

  Mr. Sackville
  To date, only one Department of Health funded study has taken place and was commissioned jointly with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department. This was an anonymised survey of HIV prevalence in three London prisons and took place earlier this year. The results will be published as soon as possible.

  Job Seeker's Allowance
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to exempt claimants of the proposed job seeker's allowance from prescription and dental charges(a) for the first six months after they first claim the allowance and (b) for the next six months.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No decision has yet been made.

  AIDS
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has as to research into the spreading of AIDS through insect bites.

  Mr. Sackville
  The possibility that biting insects could be involved in the transmission of HIV has been raised many times in the past. The evidence from epidemiology and knowledge of the ways in which insects bite and transmit other infectious agents indicate that insects play no part in this process.

  Epidemiological studies in Africa and in the United States have investigated the hypothesis that HIV is spread by insects and found no evidence to support it. In addition, there is no evidence that hepatitis B, which has similar epidemiological features to HIV, can be transmitted by mosquitoes.

  Laboratory experiments have been unable to demonstrate replication of HIV in bed bugs or mosquitoes. Thus biological transmission, where the virus multiplies in the insect and is injected into a person when bitten, would not be possible. The possibility of mechanical transmission, by which the insect transfers fresh blood directly from one person to another when interrupted during feeding, is thought to be remote because the proboscis or mouth of the insect would not hold sufficient blood to provide an infectious dose of virus.

  NHS Supplies Authority
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been(a) the total cost of the new corporate look given to the NHS Supplies Authority and (b) the cost for (i) stationery, (ii) publications, (iii) signage and (iv) livery.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 6 December 1993]: The cost of the logo design was £5,500.

  Stationery artwork for 176 relevant sites amounted to £61,000—£367 per site—publications to launch the new organisation cost £67,000; replacement of 376 signs at 245 sites cost £40,000—£106 per sign—replacement
  livery costs for 37 vehicles was £20,000—£540 per vehicle.

EDUCATION

  Sex Education
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when the consultative draft on guidelines to schools on the new arrangements for sex education will be issued; how long the consultation period will be for these guidelines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  Consultative draft guidance on the new arrangements for sex education in schools in England was published on 6 December 1993, inviting comments by 18 February 1994. The draft guidance places sex education in schools firmly within a moral framework. Copies have been placed in the Library. We intend to issue the guidance in final form to schools next spring.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Information Security
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement about the operation of his Department's sensitive documents unit; how many staff are employed in its operation; and approximately how many documents per annum come within its purview.

  Mr. Sproat
  My Department does not have a "sensitive documents unit".

EMPLOYMENT

  Government Car Service
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the annual cost to the Department of the car service for Ministers; and how many vehicles are involved.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In the 1992–93 financial year, the latest year for which annual costs are available, the Department spent £216,352 on ministerial cars. The Department has a call on four official vehicles for use by its Ministers.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the annual cost to the Department of the car service for Ministers in 1990–91; and how many vehicles were involved.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In the 1990–91 financial year, the Department spent £171,198 on ministerial cars. At that time, the Department had a call on four official vehicles for use by its Ministers.

  Access to Work Scheme
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the proposed budget for 1994–95 for the access to work scheme; and what were the 1993–94 budgets for the special aids to employment, personal reader service, fares to work, and adaptions of premises and equipment schemes.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  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 a reply to be given.
  332
  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Andrew Miller, dated 9 December 1993:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to him about the Access To Work budget for 1994–95 and the 1993–94 budgets for the special aids to employment, personal reader service, fares to work, and adaptions of premises and equipment schemes.
  The information you have asked for is as follows:
  1994–95—Proposed budget (subject to final allocation):
  Access to work=£12·6 million.
  1993–94—Budgets:

  £

  Special aids to employment

  6,837,000

  Personal reader service

  1,430,000

  Fares to work

  2,352,000

  Adaptations to premises and equipment

  465,000

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

  Employment Agencies
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what grounds are taken into account by him in refusing a grant for a licence for an employment agency.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The main grounds for refusing a licence under the Employment Agencies Act 1973 are the unsuitability of the applicant, or any person to be associated with the agency, because of misconduct or other sufficient reason. Factors taken into account when considering whether or not to grant a licence include information from an applicant's or an associated person's previous agency activity, employment history or references, convictions or adverse judgments involving fraud or other dishonesty and objections made by interested parties.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Information Security
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement about the operation of his Department's sensitive documents unit; how many staff are employed in its operation; and approximately how many documents per annum come within its purview.

  The Attorney-General
  There are no dedicated sensitive documents units in the Department for which I am responsible. The handling of sensitive documents forms part of the responsibilities of the departmental records officer for each of the Departments and they carry out their duties in accordance with the guidelines in chapter 9 of the open government White Paper.

  Mr. Roger Levitt
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Attorney-General when the Serious Fraud Office (1) first suggested to the counsel to Mr. Roger Levitt that he plead guilty to only some of the charges; and if he will list the charges concerned;

  (2) what reasons underlay the decision of the Serious Fraud Office not to proceed with the theft charges against Roger Levitt;
  333
  (3) what was the estimated cost to public funds of the Roger Levitt case;

  (4) what actions the Serious Fraud Office took in the Roger Levitt case which were subsequently described as wholly illegal by the trial judge;

  (5) whether the Serious Fraud Office knew when it accepted the guilty plea by Roger Levitt that the judge would impose a non-custodial sentence.

  The Attorney-General
  In every complex fraud matter it is necessary to ensure that the counts in the indictment are the minimum reasonably necessary for the proper and effective presentation of the case. No counts of theft were in fact alleged in the indictment, although there were a number of counts other than fraudulent trading including counts of obtaining property by deception. An initial decision to proceed on a single count of fraudulent trading was taken in the light of general guidance given by the Court of Appeal and reviewed after the trial judge had given directions limiting the scope of the evidence. A subsequent application to re-join several substantive counts was refused.

  No such suggestion of the nature referred to by my hon. Friend was made by or on behalf of the Serious Fraud Office. The offer by Roger Levitt to plead guilty to fraudulent trading on the basis upon which he in fact pleaded was first made on Monday 22 November 1993 by his leading counsel to leading counsel for the Crown.

  The Serious Fraud Office was not aware that the judge would impose a non-custodial sentence when it informed the defence that the proposed plea of guilty by Roger Levitt was acceptable. Sentencing is a matter entirely for the judge. The prosecution can never change its mind about accepting a plea on the grounds that a sentence is too lenient.

  The trial judge never described any action by the Serious Fraud Office as "wholly illegal" and never criticised the SFO in any way at all.

  The best estimate of the cost of the Serious Fraud Office arising from this case as yet available is approximately £1·4 million. I have at present no information about other costs and will write to my hon. Friend.

TRANSPORT

  Marine Safety
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the first report of the National Marine Safety Steering Committee was published; and what proposals he intends to bring forward to tighten safety regulations for powered recreational marine craft, and to control the use of jet skis in the vicinity of bathing beaches.

  Mr. Norris
  The first report of the National Marine Safety Steering Committee—NMSSC—was issued on 21 October 1993. The report includes a number of recommendations referred to the NMSSC from the district marine safety committees which relate to the regulation and safe operation of recreational craft generally. Those recommendations are now under consideration.

  Satellites
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when a decision is to be announced on differential geostationary positioning satellites;
  334
  (2) when his Department expects to publish the feasibility report on monitoring the integrity of the United States Norstar global positioning satellite system;

  (3) if he will list the representations he has had about differential geostationary positioning satellites;

  (4) when non-encrypted differential geostationary positioning satellites will be available to the leisure market in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Norris
  The global positioning system—GPS—is a method of determining position based upon signals from satellites. The system has been developed by the United States of America Department of Defence. It has not yet been declared fully operational. Encrypted differential global positioning system—DGPS—signals are transmitted from the United Kingdom and from the Republic of Ireland. Such signals can improve the accuracy of the position found. Those signals are provided on a commercial basis by Scorpio Marine, under the terms of a 1991 contract with the three general lighthouse authorities —GLAs. The Department recently received representations from Trinity house, on behalf of the GLAs, to consider the case for transmitting unencrypted signals. Officials from the Department are to meet the GLAs shortly to consider both that proposal and also a draft study by the GLAs on monitoring the integrity of GPS signals.

  Electronic Charting
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce a recognised standard for electronic charting.

  Mr. Norris
  The standards for electronic chart data and information systems—ECDIS—will be announced when performance specifications are adopted by the International Maritime Organisation. We support this move and hope that the standards will be accepted by the IMO's maritime safety committee next May.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about electronic notices to mariners and electronic chart updating.

  Mr. Norris
  The International Maritime Organisation is developing performance standards for electronic chart display and information systems—ECDIS. It is anticipated that the standards will call for the promulgation of essential information by appropriate means including notices to mariners.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has made of the export potential for British technology in electronic charting; and what discussions he has had with the hydrographic department.

  Mr. Norris
  Although discussions have been held with the hydrographic department, particularly within the marine navigational equipment committee on the development of international standards for electronic charting, no estimate has been made of the export potential for the technology.

  Thames Rescue Arrangements
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to reviewing his decision to reject the recommendations of the report of the
  335
  Hayes inquiry into river safety—Cm 1991—that there should be an early review of the rescue arrangements and equipment on the Thames.

  Mr. Norris
  The Government gave careful consideration to this recommendation, which suggested an early review of the rescue arrangements and equipment on the Thames at the time that the report of the inquiry into river safety by John Hayes was published. It was concluded then that a further review of this kind would not be justified. Action has, however, been taken to ensure that appropriate lessons have been learned.

  The Home Office has advised that replies from the main agencies involved in River Thames rescue operations confirmed that contingency planning has been adjusted in the light of lessons learned from the Marchioness-Bowbelle disaster.

  In addition, a review of rescue arrangements and equipment on the River Thames between Teddington and the Thames barrier has been completed by the relevant district marine safety committee, and a new working group for the lower Thames was set up on 14 July 1993, with the initial task of assessing rescue arrangements on this lower section of the river. The district marine safety committee is also proposing to establish a sub-working group to consider life-saving appliances and escape from water up vertical walls on the banks of the Thames.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a copy of the authenticated transcript of the radio-telephone conversation between the Port of London authority Thames navigation service and the vessels involved in the collision between the Marchioness and the Bowbelle on the night of 29 August 1989.

  Mr. Norris
  I am arranging for a transcript of the recording made in the early hours of 20 August 1989 to be placed in the Library. The recording was made by the Port of London authority, of communications on VHF channel 14 which were broadcast or received by the Thames navigation service at Woolwich.

  Car Crash Tests
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy towards the use by(a) the Transport Research Laboratory or (b) any other transport research centres funded by his Department of human corpses in car crash tests.

  Mr. Key
  The Department has never carried out car crash tests using human corpses. Crash tests are a widely used techique to establish the safety of vehicle designs, but the United Kingdom always uses instrumented mannequins or dummies to measure the impact forces on the occupants. The Department is aware that tests using human corpses are carried out in a number of countries, but not in the United Kingdom. The information derived from them is available worldwide.

  Rail Services (Cornwall)
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last discussed with the chairman of British Rail its plans for railway services in Cornwall.

  Mr. Freeman
  I discussed BR's proposals for services to Cornwall, among other things, with the chief executive 336
  of British Rail on 23 September. These are operational matters for BR and I have therefore asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member. However, I understand from British Rail that, from May 1994, it proposes to replace the 06.45 InterCity service from Penzance with a Regional Railways service to provide an 06.40 service from Penzance, connecting at Bristol with the InterCity service to Paddington. The May 1994 timetable will continue to include sleeper services. Discounted fares policy is, of course, a matter for British Rail, which has received representations on the applicability to the 05.19 service and is considering the matter.

  Catalytic Converters
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence he has of the effect on morbidity of catalytic converters fitted to cars.

  Mr. Sackville
  I have been asked to reply.

  We are not aware of any epidemiological evidence that catalytic converters fitted to motor cars or any other vehicles with internal combustion engines influence morbidity. The converters reduce the emissions of pollutant gases and particles, which would be expected to be beneficial, but emit very low levels of the catalytic metals. The level of metals emitted are likely to be so low as to have minimal, if any, effect on morbidity.

  Information Security
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the operation of his Department's sensitive documents unit; how many staff are employed in its operation; and approximately how many documents per annum come within its purview.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department's record service employs four staff to register and manage classified files. The total number of documents processed each year is not currently known, but the Department of Transport's file list is being computerised, which will enable analysis of files held.

  Donaldson Inquiry
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date he expects the Donaldson inquiry to report its findings and recommendations.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace) on 24 November, column 64.

  Klondyker Ships
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the full marine accident investigation branch report into the Klondyker incidents in Shetland during October and November this year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  The accidents are being investigated, and the marine accident investigation branch has issued five interim recommendations addressed to Lerwick harbour trust and the Department of Transport. When the investigations are complete, a report will be produced, but it is too early to say when it will be available.

  Borodinskoe Polye
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, in respect of the Borodinskoe Polye the(a) salvage costs, (b) oil pollution recovery costs and (c) other costs incurred by his Department.

  Mr. Norris
  The salvage, oil recovery and counter pollution costs in respect of the Borodinskoe Polye are estimated to be in excess of £770,000 and other costs incurred are estimated at £12,000.

  MV Braer
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date he expects to publish the marine accident investigation branch report into the sinking of the Braer.

  Mr. Norris
  It is hoped that the report will be published in January.

  River Safety
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now reconsider the decisions made not to establish a public inquiry into the Marchioness disaster of comparable scope to those already conducted into the disasters at King's Cross and Clapham.

  Mr. Norris
  When the then Secretary of State considered the need for a public inquiry he concluded that the holding of a formal investigation was unnecessary given that a full, thorough and comprehensive inquiry had been carried out by the marine accident investigation branch—MAIB. Subsequently, the view has remained that a formal investigation would be unlikely to add to the inspector's findings, or to the 27 safety recommendations made in the MAIB report. The position was not changed by anything said in the Hayes report, which made no suggestion that a further inquiry into the accident was needed. I therefore remain of the view that the case for a formal inquiry has not been made.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has anything to add to his answer to the hon. Member for Romford (Sir M. Neubert) of 19 July,Official Report, column 78, concerning universal applications of all the recommendations of the Hayes report on river safety.

  Mr. Norris
  The Hayes report concerns river safety. The Department publishes an annual schedule, giving details of progress on each recommendation, copies of which are placed in the Library of the House. The next schedule is due to be published in July 1994. In the meantime, action continues on all of the 22 recommendations.

PRIME MINISTER

  European Community Expenditure
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the level of EC expenditure in the United Kingdom disaggregated by parliamentary constituency and EC programme, in each year since 1988–89.

  The Prime Minister
  The information requested is not available. Details of public sector receipts by Government 338
  Department were published in table 11.4 of the 1993 Chancellor's departmental report. This table covers the outturn for the years 1987–88 to 1991–92, estimated outturn for 1992–93 and plans for 1993–94 to 1995–96. Departments' latest forecast of EC receipts will be published in the 1994 Chancellor's departmental report, early next year.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 9 December.

  The Prime Minister
  I am travelling to Brussels for the European Council meeting and other meetings.

  Political Donations
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will introduce legislation to require all political parties to compile and publish annually comprehensive accounts showing the source of all donations and the extent of all expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to do so.

  No. 10 Downing Street
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions he has used No. 10 Downing street premises for functions of the Conservative party; what is the cost to public funds; and what was the purpose of each occasion.

  The Prime Minister
  When charitable or other non-official events are held at No. 10 Downing street, the organisers are responsible for all catering and staff costs as well as other miscellaneous direct costs.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister in what circumstances the premises of No. 10 Downing street are available for hire by outside organisations; and at what cost.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 30 November 1993,Official Report, column 420.

  War Anniversaries
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans the Government have with its wartime allies to mark(a) the 50th anniversary of the D-Day operation and (b) the 50th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe.

  The Prime Minister
  Plans for a series of events to mark the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings, both in the United Kingdom and in France, are now well advanced. These plans have been made in close co-operation with other Governments. An announcement will be made shortly.

  Plans for events to mark the end of the second world war are being considered at present. An announcement will be made next year.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Fireworks
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures his Department currently takes to ensure that fireworks manufactured abroad and imported into Britain meet British safety standards.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Health and Safety Executive—HSE—authorises the importation of fireworks only if they comply with British Standard 7114:1988 on firework safety. Also, local trading standards officers use BS7114 as a benchmark, in exercising their powers under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, to ensure that fireworks on sale to the public are safe.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost of firework accident advertising and the number of recorded accidents in 1993; and what was the comparable figure for each of the preceding 10 years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The costs of firework accident prevention work falling on the Department's safety awareness budget and the numbers of fireworks accidents requiring hospital treatment were as follows:

  £000

  Accidents

  1984

  35

  778

  1985

  40

  968

  1986

  51

  846

  1987

  78

  960

  1988

  57

  877

  1989

  64

  800

  1990

  111

  805

  1991

  74

  723

  1992

  84

  942

  1993

  160

  n/a

  The firework accident figures cover accidents occurring in the three weeks preceding 5 November and in the week immediately following it. This is the period of availability of fireworks under the voluntary agreement on retail supply with the fireworks industry. The 1993 statistics will not be available until spring 1994.

  Imported Coal
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he proposes to take to protect householders from the dangers of imported house coal.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  There is no reason to believe that imported coal is any more dangerous than that produced in the United Kingdom, although preparation is important. Information on quality standards and on the safe burning of solid fuel is available from the Domestic Coal Consumers Council and through the approved coal merchants scheme.

  Post Office Users National Council
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the current members of POUNC for the south Yorkshire area; what were their qualifications; when their current term of office is due to expire; and when nominations to this organisation will next be advertised.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Post Office Act 1969, under which the Post Office Users National Council—POUNC 340
  —was set up, provides for the appointment of persons likely to be concerned with matters within the competence of the council. At the same time, it stipulates that regard should be given to the desirability of having members who are familiar with the special requirements and circumstances of particular parts of the British islands.

  Within this framework, the interests of all users of post office services in the United Kingdom are represented on the council. There is no specific member for the south Yorkshire area. However, the interests of post office services users in the south Yorkshire area are also served by the appropriate non-statutory local post office advisory committees—POACs.

  Several POUNC members' terms of appointment will expire at the end of 1994. In reviewing those appointments, consideration will be given to future representation in consultation, as appropriate.

  Details of council membership, together with post office advisory committees are listed in POUNC annual reports, copies of which are sent to Members of Parliament on an individual basis.

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the hon. Member for Don Valley may be sent a copy of the reply sent on 22 September on behalf of the Prime Minister, in answer to the letter handed to the Prime Minister on 15 June by a Japanese group in respect of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant.

  Mr. Eggar
  A copy has been sent to the hon. Member, and I have today also placed a copy in the Library of the House.

  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration has been given to the possibility of contracts between British Nuclear Fuels plc and customers of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant being varied or annulled in his deliberations as to the start-up of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant.

  Mr. Eggar
  Details of reprocessing contracts are a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc and its customers. For the Government's consideration of the possibility of changes being made to contracts, I refer the hon. Member to the statement of Government policy on reprocessing and operation of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield, paragraphs 62-68, which was made available as one of the public consultation documents on 4 August 1993. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements are made for him or officials from his Department to read signed contracts between British Nuclear Fuels plc and customers of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department is in regular contact with British Nuclear Fuels plc on a wide range of issues.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps the Government have taken to validate British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.'s estimate of costs of decommissioning the thermal oxide reprocessing plant.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 7 December 1993]: Estimates of decommissioning costs are a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc.

  Car Boot Sales
  Mr. French
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on the sale of counterfeit goods at car boot sales.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My Department has no statistics concerning the sale of counterfeit goods at car boot sales, although it has received considerable evidence about the damage caused by the trade in counterfeit goods at such markets. The Trade Marks Bill, which has just been introduced, will help to combat counterfeiting, including at car boot sales.

  Mr. French
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received about dangerous electrical items being sold at car boot sales.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have received representations on a number of issues concerning car boot sales, including the safety of second-hand electrical goods.

  We have considered carefully all the issues relating to car boot sales and have concluded that the existing powers of enforcement authorities to address these concerns are sufficient. The safety of second-hand electrical equipment sold in the course of business, whether at a car boot sale or otherwise, is adequately regulated by the Low Voltage Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1989.

  Fraud
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people are engaged in his Department on combating fraud in financial institutions; and at what annual cost.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Responsibility for combating fraud in financial institutions is shared between a number of bodies. Within my Department, staff in the investigations division currently total 210. The division's direct costs in 1993–94 are £16 million, including the cost of private sector inspectors and investigators. The division carries out investigations under the Companies Acts and other legislation throughout the corporate sector, where there are grounds for suspicion of wrongdoing and it brings criminal proceedings in respect of a wide range of offences, mainly reported to it by the Insolvency Service or brought to light by its own investigations. It also takes other action to protect the public, including action to disqualify directors and to wind up companies. Cases involving fraud in financial institutions constitute only a small part of the work of investigations division and no statistics are maintained which would separately identify resources devoted to this work.

  Telecommunications
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library a copy of the detailed explanation given by the Director General of Telecommunications for the K value of telecommunications services.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The latest relevant statement by the Director General of Telecommunications, entitled "Future Controls on British Telecom's Prices", was published in June 1992. A copy of this has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Satellite Launch Facility
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the initiative announced by AEA Technology to develop a satellite launch facility at the Dounreay nuclear establishment in Caithness.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for the Atomic Energy Authority.

  Regional Development Organisations
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total budget allocated by his Department to regional organisations in 1992–93 in (i) the northern region and (ii) the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My Department's Invest in Britain Bureau paid £1,410,000 in grant in aid to the Northern Development Company for inward investment purposes in the financial year 1992–93 from a total budget of £5 million for the five regional development organisations in England.

  Local Enterprise Agencies
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount spent by his Department on local enterprise agencies in 1992–93 in(a) the northern region and (b) the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The total amount of DTI funding to local enterprise agencies in(a) the northern region and (b) the United Kingdom is not available.

  Lloyd's
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations he has received as to the solvency of Lloyd's of London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A proportion of the letters that I receive from right hon. and hon. Members and from members of the public about Lloyd's touches on questions of solvency. The statement and certificates demonstrating Lloyd's solvency for the year ended December 1992, which are required by part IV of the Insurance Companies Act 1982, were received by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade at the end of August 1993. My Department monitors the solvency of Lloyd's closely, as it does for insurance companies to which the 1982 Act relates.

  Small Firms
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the future of consultancy support for small firms provided by his Department.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Consultancy support for small and medium-sized businesses will continue beyond the life of the present enterprise initiative consultancy scheme in the form of a flexible consultancy and diagnostic service.

  As I announced in the House on Tuesday, Official Report, columns 145-55, I shall publish a prospectus and guidelines for this service in January, inviting training and

  343
  enterprise councils to submit proposals on behalf of business link partnerships to deliver the new service on a pilot basis in 1994–95. I expect the service to become nationally available from 1995–96, as the business link network is completed.

  This new service will provide businesses with high-quality support, available locally and tailored to their individual needs. It will build and improve on the existing and highly successful enterprise initiative consultancy scheme.

  In addition, I intend to trial a new consultancy brokerage service from January 1994, for introduction nationwide later in the year. This will open up to all businesses the considerable wealth of data and project management experience which has been accumulated on UK business consultants for the EI consultancy scheme.

  These new services will be developed and introduced alongside the present scheme to ensure a smooth transition from the old to the new.

  I have decided therefore that the present EI consultancy scheme will no longer close on 31 March 1994. It will instead remain open until we have received another 10,000 applications. This means we shall be supporting 10,000 projects beyond the previously announced closure date.

  At current rates of demand that should enable us to continue accepting applications until well into next year, by which time new arrangements for consultancy support through business links will be in place.

  Supervisory Bodies
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the outcome of his review of the monitoring procedures of the recognised supervisory bodies.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  When the supervisory bodies for company auditors were granted recognition under the Companies Act 1989, it was agreed with them that they would review jointly with my Department this year the operation of their procedures for monitoring compliance by their members with their rules.

  I have, therefore, asked the bodies to report to me on how their monitoring regimes have been operating, and to propose changes for the future.

  I have also asked Professor Peter Moizer, Professor of Accounting at the university of Leeds, to provide me with an independent assessment of the state of monitoring.

  I intend to publish the conclusions of the review early next year.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what requirements his Department places upon Nuclear Electric to provide data on the isotopic composition of plutonium produced in its nuclear plants.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 3 December 1993]: For the purpose of compiling the annual plutonium figures published by my Department, Nuclear Electric plc provides, for each of its sites, in respect of reactor discharges and dispatches from site, estimated percentages of fissile plutonium. In addition, the company supplies information to Euratum on the isotopic composition of plutonium in spent fuel shipped from each of its sites. This information is supplied via my Department.
  344
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what definitions his Department uses to describe different qualities of plutonium arising from civil nuclear reactors.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 3 December 1993]: As in the annual plutonium figures published by my Department, the quality of plutonium is normally described by reference to its fissile content. The estimated percentage of fissile plutonium is the sum of the masses of the plutonium 239 and 241 isotopes expressed as as percentage of the sum of the masses of all plutonium isotopes.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information his Department is provided by(a) Nuclear Electric, (b) British Nuclear Fuels plc and (c) the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority on the amounts of plutonium produced in each of their respective reactors.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 6 December 1993]: For the information supplied by Nuclear Electric plc, British Nuclear Fuels plc, BNFL, and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, UKAEA, to meet the requirements of Euratom safeguards regulation 3227/76, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 9 June 1993, Official Report, column 251. For the purpose of compiling the annual plutonium figures published by my Department, Nuclear Electric plc provides figures for plutonium production and reactor discharges for each of its stations.

  Patent Office
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to make an announcement on the future of the Patent Office; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 7 December 1993]: The current review of the role of the Patent Office is expected to be completed by the end of the year. I hope to announce our conclusions following that review shortly thereafter.

  Regional Assistance
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will make a further statement on the progress towards establishing a RECHAR 2 programme from January 1994;

  (2) what recent discussions he has held with the European Commission about (a) the objective 2 programme and (b) the RECHAR programme under the European regional development fund programme from January 1994.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 8 December 1993]: I saw the responsible Commissioner on 30 November about the Government's proposals for objective 2.

  On RECHAR, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Barnsley, West and Penistone (Mr. Clapham) on 2 December, Official Report, column 736.

  Accounts Services Agency
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to privatise the Accounts Services Agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 8 December 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend

  345
  the Member for Hertfordshire North (Mr. Heald) on 29 October, Official Report, column 805. The review of the Accounts Services Agency has yet to be concluded. In due course, a decision will be taken and an announcement made.

SCOTLAND

  Information Security
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the operation of his Department's sensitive documents unit; how many staff are employed in its operation; and approximately how many documents per annum come within its purview.

  Mr. Lang
  My Department does not have such a unit. Documents are regularly reviewed by branches in accordance with centrally agreed procedures.

  Crime Victims
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration is being given to measures to reduce the stressfulness for victims of crime of attendance at court; and if he will a make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The stress of appearing as a witness is partly caused by a fear of the unknown. The new measures being taken to provide information to victims and to make them familiar with the court and its procedures can help to allay such fears. The physical surroundings are also important and steps are taken, where possible, to separate Crown witnesses from accused persons and defence witnesses. Court staff make regular visits to witness rooms to provide progress reports, and will take appropriate action if a victim complains about intimidation or other pressure.

  Where children are the victims of crime, a number of courts have facilities to take evidence by live television link, so that, if the court so orders, they do not have to confront the accused face to face. The use of screens to provide a barrier between a victim and an accused is also currently being evaluated.

  Although there are certain rules of evidence designed to protect witnesses from particular types of questioning, going to court is inevitably stressful for many victims of crime. Two recently published reports, on the review of criminal evidence and on court programming, contain a number of recommendations which, if implemented, are likely to lead to a reduction in that stress and in the number of times victims have to attend court. Any new procedures must also, however, be fair to accused persons and so any proposals require careful consideration.

  Volunteers from the Scottish Association of Victim Support Schemes aim to accompany as many victims to court as possible. The association provides some training to volunteers to assist them in helping victims through the court process. In 1993–94 SAVSS will receive a grant of £764,000 from the Scottish Office, of which £546,351 goes to fund local victim support schemes.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration is being given to improving the availability to victims of crime of information on the operation of the courts and the prosecution system; and if he will make a statement.
  346
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A number of initiatives are being made in the spirit of the justice charter for Scotland. Procurators fiscal are making efforts to provide more information, and improved leaflets are now sent to all witnesses before coming to court. More information about the progress of cases is being given to witnesses waiting at court to give their evidence, and special arrangements, including pre-trial visits to the courtroom, exist for giving information to vulnerable witnesses. The very successful illustrated leaflet for children is also being updated. In one particular initiative the procurator fiscal provides information through local victim support schemes, and receives in return information about any special difficulties which victims may have. The Scottish Association of Victim Support Schemes has made an approach seeking funding support to produce a new information leaflet for victims of sexual offences. This is intended to provide relevant information and to inform them about aspects of the prosecution system and operation of the courts.

  Football Stadia
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will bring forward legislation to ensure that all Scottish stadia are all-seater by August 1994.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I have no immediate plans to do so. We are satisfied from our regular contacts with the football authorities, through the Scottish Stadia Committee, that the voluntary undertaking given to Ministers in 1990 by the authorities remains at present the most appropriate basis for Government to secure acceptable safety standards at football grounds. That position is, however, kept closely under review.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the closure of facilities in Ayrshire Central and Ravenspark hospitals by the Community Health Care NHS trust since its establishment in April; and what changes in service provision have been made.

  Mr. Stewart
  The trust has closed three pavilions at Ravenspark hospital since patient referrals have diminished following the contract with Ayrshire and Arran health board. In addition, the trust has transferred the geriatric assessment facility from Ravenspark to Ayrshire Central. The contracts which Ayrshire and Arran health board has with the trust do not require the trust to provide the same number of beds as previously existed.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the closure of facilities in Crosshouse hospital by the North Ayrshire and Arran NHS trust since its establishment in April; and what reasons have been given for reductions in services.

  Mr. Stewart
  There has been no reduction in services. More patients have been treated in the first six months of the trust's existence compared with the same period last year and the trust is to be congratulated on its achievements. This increased activity has been achieved by changes in service delivery patterns which make better use of the facilities. Some wards are no longer required and have been closed but without any reduction in the service.
  347
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the refurbishment of the foyer of Crosshouse hospital by the North Ayrshire and Arran NHS trust; how much the refurbishment is costing; from where the funding for this refurbishment is being made available; and what similar work was carried out in Crosshouse hospital prior to the North Ayrshire and Arran trust being established this year.

  Mr. Stewart
  The main entrance of Crosshouse hospital has been refurbished with the creation of enhanced shop and tea bar facilities and the provision of new facilities for admissions, the patient welcoming service, a mother and baby room and toilets for disabled persons. The total cost is £150,000 of which £75,000 has been provided by the trust and the balance donated by the WRVS. The entrance has not been upgraded since the hospital opened in 1982.

  Timber
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the United Kingdom's timber requirement is grown in the United Kingdom.

  Sir Hector Monro
  About 14 per cent.

  Sheep Quota
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to make a statement on the arrangements for allocation of sheep quota from the national reserve.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The arrangements of applying to the national reserve of sheep quota were announced by the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department on Tuesday 7 December. Application forms are now available from the Department's area offices for producers in the first two categories of those eligible for an allocation from the reserve. This will not affect the position of producers in the other categories, arrangements for whom will be announced later.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to take to expedite the administrative procedures for allocation of sheep quota from the national reserve when the necessary orders are laid.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department has invited producers falling within the first two categories of the seven categories of eligible producer to submit their applications now. This will enable the Department to speed up the processing of applications and permit allocations to be made as quickly as possible without affecting the position of producers in the other categories.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he gives to sheep producers awaiting allocations of quota from the national reserve about the short-term financial problems they face as a result of the delayed allocation of quota.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I advise them that the legislation relating to the national reserve has been laid and certain producers can therefore now apply for an allocation of quota from the reserve; that payment of the advance of 348
  sheep annual premium to these producers will be made as soon as possible after quota has been allocated from the reserve; and that this is expected to take place in about two months' time.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set up a tribunal with powers to award sheep quota allocations to hear cases of genuine hardship for sheep producers denied allocation of quota from the national reserve.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The legislation governing the allocation of quota from the national reserve sets out precisely the definition of the categories of producer eligible to apply to the reserve. There is no scope for making discretionary allocations to producers falling outwith those categories. I therefore have no plans to set up a tribunal.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many recorded phone messages his Department has received from sheep producers seeking information about allocation of quota from the national reserve.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department has received several hundred telephone calls from producers on a variety of subjects relating to sheep quotas. It is not possible to identify separately the number concerned specifically with allocations from the national reserve or recorded messages from other telephone calls.

  Court Service
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the future of the Scottish court service.

  Mr. Lang
  After consultation with the senior judiciary, I have decided that the Scottish court service, part of the Scottish courts administration, should be considered as a candidate for executive agency status, under the next steps initiative.

  Castlehill Primary School
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he received an application for the opting out of Castlehill primary school in Ayr; from whom the application was received; what representations he has received for and against such a proposal; what is his estimate of the costs involved if the school is allowed to proceed with opting out; what consideration he has given to the request; and when he expects to make an announcement on his decision in this matter.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 8 December 1993]: The application for self-governing status for Castlehill primary school was submitted by the school board in June 1993. Three representations were received in support of the application and one representation was received opposing the application. As regards costs, it is premature to make any estimate. The results of the consideration currently being given to the application by my right hon. Friend will be announced shortly.

  Ethnic Monitoring
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what ethnic monitoring he carries out of the Scottish Office work force; how many black and ethnic minority personnel are employed; and at what levels.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 3 December 1993]: Following earlier surveys of the ethnic origins of staff, all new entrants are invited to complete a questionnaire. We have achieved a 92 per cent. response rate. As at 1 October 1993, 34 staff have described themselves as belonging to an ethnic minority. These staff are employed in grades ranging from messenger to grade 6.

  Child Patients
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the percentage of children in hospital admitted to adult wards.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 December 1993]: It is estimated that 2·5 per cent. of children in hospital in Scotland are admitted to adult wards, where there is no separate accommodation for children.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions in 1991–92 a children's intensive care unit has refused admission to a critically ill child; and for what reasons.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 December 1993]: This information is not held centrally.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what number and percentage of children receiving intensive care were cared for in(a) children's wards, (b) adult intensive care units and (c) children's intensive care units.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 December 1993]: The number of children receiving intensive care in children's wards is not available centrally.

  The number of children aged zero to 14 years receiving care in adult intensive care units in general hospitals in 1992 was 138 or 21·5 per cent. of all children in the age group receiving care in an intensive care unit.

  Intensive care units provided specially for children are not identifiable centrally except in children's hospitals. The number of children receiving care in intensive care units in children's hospitals in 1992 was 503, or 78·5 per cent. of all children in the age group receiving care in an intensive care unit.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the shortfall of paediatric intensive care unit beds.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 December 1993]: Intensive care units provided specially for children are not identifiable centrally, except where they are provided in designated children's hospitals.

  Forestry
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take to ensure no loss of public access following disposal of any land owned by the Forestry Commission.
  350
  Sir Hector Monro
  Arrangements were introduced in October 1991 for securing continued public access to woodlands sold by the Forestry Commission by means of prior agreements entered into between the commission and local authorities. These arrangements are currently being reviewed to see if any changes are needed.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what statutory conservation measures apply to private forestry land previously belonging to the Forestry Commission.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 8 December 1993]: There are several statutory conservation measures which apply to privately owned forestry land, whether or not it previously belonged to the Forestry Commission. These include the designation of woodlands as sites of special scientific interest and special protection areas. Private woodlands are also protected by the felling licensing regulations.

DEFENCE

  British Nuclear Fuels
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the value of contracts placed by his Department with British Nuclear Fuels in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Aitken
  For security reasons it is not our practice to disclose the value of contracts placed with British Nuclear Fuels.

  Atomic Energy (US-UK Agreement)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what variation has been made to article 2 of the amendment of 5 December 1979—Cmd 7976—to the United States-United Kingdom agreement on the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes of 1958—Cmd 4119.

  Mr. Aitken
  None.

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Ministers in his Department who since June 1987 have visited(a) Saudi Arabia, (b) Malaysia, (c) Singapore and (d) South Africa on official business; and which such visits included party political activities in addition to official duties.

  Mr. Aitken
  Official visits by Ministers to the countries listed have been as follows:

  Saudi Arabia

  Secretary of State—1988, 1990—three times—1991, 1992—twice

  Minister (Armed Forces)—1990

  Minister (Defence Procurement)—1988, 1993—twice

  Malaysia

  Secretary of State—1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993

  Minister (Armed Forces)—1988, 1990—twice

  Minister (Defence Procurement)—1991

  Under-Secretary of State—1992, 1993

  Under-Secretary of State (Armed Forces)—1991

  Singapore

  Secretary of State—1987, 1991, 1993

  Minister (Armed Forces)—1988

  Under-Secretary of State (Defence Procurement)—1987, 1989, 1990

  South Africa
  None.
  351
  All of these visits were for official purposes. My Department is unaware of any party political activities on these visits.

  Toxic Chemicals
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations have been made to his Department by SubSea Offshore Ltd. and AEA Technology Ltd. concerning the location, identification, monitoring and recovery of toxic chemicals.

  Mr. Aitken
  SubSea Offshore Ltd. and AEA Technology Ltd. have had exploratory discussions with the chemical and biological defence establishment, Porton Down.

  Greenham Common
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the deregulation of Greenham Common in order to offer it for sale to the private market.

  Mr. Hanley
  Newbury district council has recently published a draft planning brief in respect of Greenham Common that provides inter alia for public open space on the "green areas" including the runway.

  The district council has stated in the draft that it would not object to an application by MOD to remove the former Greenham Common from the county register and officials have been instructed to proceed with the application for deregistration so that the land can be made available for public open space.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much income his Department received from the letting of Greenham Common for each month between January and November 1993.

  Mr. Hanley
  The income generated by short-term lettings at Greenham Common is a matter between the MOD and the parties concerned and as such must be treated as commercial in confidence.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department paid for the maintenance and security at Greenham Common for each month between January and November 1993.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is not possible to provide the information in the form requested but the total cost of maintenance and security from 1 January to 30 November 1993 was of the order of £1,000,000, the large majority of which is accounted for by the salaries and deployment costs of the Ministry of Defence Police presence on the site.

  Helicopters
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopter flying hours are allocated per month in Northern Ireland; at what stage in the month, on average, this allocated is used up; and what are the arrangements when demand exceeds the official allocation of helicopter flying hours.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is not the practice to provide detailed operational information about such matters as the allocation of helicopters flying hours. Allocation of 352
  helicopter flying hours for all operations, including Northern Ireland, is made centrally by the MOD on an annual basis commensurate with the requirements of individual theatres. Within individual theatres, arrangements are made to match the allocation with operational needs. If demands arise which cannot be met from within allocated hours, additional hours may be requested by the theatre concerned.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many troop-carrying helicopters were permanently assigned to each helicopter-equipped RAF air transport squadron on(a) 1 January, (b) 1 April and (c) 1 July; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The numbers of aircraft are as follows:

  Squadron

  1 January 1993

  1 April 1993

  1 July 1993

  7 Squadron1

  15 Chinook

  15 Chinook

  12 Chinook

  18 Squadron1

  5 Chinook

  4 Chinook

  5 Chinook

  5 Puma

  5 Puma

  5 Puma

  28 Squadron

  8 Wessex

  8 Wessex

  8 Wessex

  33 Squadron

  12 Puma

  12 Puma

  12 Puma

  60 Squadron

  9 Wessex

  9 Wessex

  9 Wessex

  72 Squadron

  15 Wessex

  15 Wessex

  15 Wessex

  230 Squadron

  15 Puma

  15 Puma

  15 Puma

  The Queen's Flight

  2 Wessex

  2 Wessex

  2 Wessex

  1 The RAF Chinook force has been undergoing a mid-life update and therefore the numbers vary against 7 and 18 Squadrons.

  Mr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many anti-tank helicopters are premanently assigned to each Army air corps regiment.

  Mr. Hanley
  Lynx helicopters, equipped with TOW missiles, in the anti-tank role are established with the Army Air Corps as follows:

  Number of Aircraft

  1 (United Kingdom)

  Armoured Division

  1 Regiment

  18

  3 (United Kingdom)

  Division

  9 Regiment

  18

  24 Airmobile Brigade

  3 Regiment

  12

  4 Regiment

  12

  In addition, the Army Corps Centre at Middle Wallop holds 14 helicopters, and 3 Commando Brigade has six helicopters which are operated by the Royal Marines.

  Departmental Land
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much land, by acreage, his Department owns in each of the counties of Wales, and in each of the regions of Scotland.

  Mr. Hanley
  The land owned in areas by the Ministry of Defence in each of the counties of Wales and in each of the regions of Scotland is set out in the table.

  Acres

  Wales

  Clwyd

  796

  Dyfed

  16,596

  353

  Acres

  Gwent

  1,646

  Gwynedd

  1,967

  Mid Glamorgan

  20

  Powys

  29,798

  South Glamorgan

  988

  West Glamorgan

  2

  Total

  51,813

  Scotland

  Borders

  Nil

  Central

  193

  Dumfries and Galloway

  11,727

  Fife

  3,267

  Grampian

  5,130

  Highland

  6,884

  Lothian

  2,854

  Strathclyde

  13,791

  Tayside

  3,568

  Orkney Isles

  10

  Shetland Isles

  84

  Western Isles

  3,254

  Total

  50,762

  Figures are at 1 April 1993—the latest date for which records are available—and relate to freehold landholdings, including foreshore, for which deeds were held. Acquisitions or disposals which may have been completed but where deeds had not been transferred by 1 April 1993 are not included.

  Boxing
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what part boxing plays in training and physical education in the armed services.

  Mr. Hanley
  In the Royal Navy, including Royal Marines, and Royal Air Force, boxing is an entirely voluntary sporting activity, playing no part in training or formal physical education.

  In the Army, the initial phase of new entry recruit training includes—for male recruits only—six periods of instruction in basic boxing skills. The regimental physical training instructor class 2 course, held at the Army school of physical training, includes a 22-period Army unit coach award course to qualify instructors to teach the basic skills covered in the six periods of new entry training.

  In all three services, boxing is available as a sporting activity on a voluntary basis. Each service has a Boxing Association, which is affiliated to the Amateur Boxing Association Ltd.; all organised boxing sporting activities are conducted in accordance with that national governing body's regulations, including its medical rules.

  Budgets
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are(a) the current budgets and (b) the previous budgets of all the higher level budget holders with the exception of GOC Northern Ireland, DG General Intelligence (Eurasia), DG Management and Support of Intelligence, DG of Strategic and Technical Intelligence and DG Intelligence (Rest of World); and if he will list the planned budgets for all the same budget holders for (i) 1993–94, (ii) 1994–95 and (iii) 1995–96.

  Mr. Hanley
  The budgets for higher level budget holders are now published annually in Defence Statistics,354
  available in the Library of the House. The budgets for financial year 1992–93 are shown in table 1.3A on page 10 of Defence Statistics, 1992 edition, and the budgets for 1993–94 in table 1.3 on page 9 of the UK Defence Statistics, 1993 edition. We do not publish details of planned budgets as approval to commit expenditure is subject to formal endorsement through Ministers and the parliamentary supply system.

  Army Costs
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the annual running cost of(a) an armoured regiment, (b) an infantry battalion and (c) an artillery field regiment stationed in the United Kingdom; and what changes have occurred in this figure since 1989–90;

  (2) what is the annual running cost of (a) an armoured regiment, (b) an infantry battalion and (c) an artillery field regiment stationed with the British Army of the Rhine; and what changes have occurred in this figure since 1989–90.

  Mr. Hanley
  Since 1991, when new management strategy was introduced, the basis for costing Army units has changed. In addition, the current methodology does not distinguish between UK and Germany-based units, and cannot be compared with figures for 1989–90. Estimates for this financial year, at current prices, are as follows:

  (£ million)

  Unit

  Costs

  Armoured regiments

  23

  Infantry battalion

  23

  (Armoured)

  Artillery field

  22

  Regiment (AS90)

  These figures include manpower, fuel, ammunition, training and spares costs.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current annual cost of(a) a regular Army soldier, (b) a Territorial Army soldier, (c) a Royal Navy sailor, (d) a Royal Naval Reserve sailor, (e) a Royal Naval Auxiliary Service sailor, (f) a Royal Air Force airman or woman, and (g) a Royal Auxiliary Air Force airman or woman.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information which can be provided without disproportionate cost is shown in the table. The figures are an average cost per person, taken for all ranks, commissioned and non-commissioned, in 1992–93. The figures for the regulars include pay, earnings-related national insurance contribution, allowances and superannuation. The figures for the Reserves include allowances and, except for the Royal Naval Auxiliary Reserve, pay, ERNIC and training bounties.

  No account has been taken of any other costs—for example, equipment development, production and maintenance, fuel, ammunition, accommodation and utilities, food or transport.

  1992–93 average pay bill cost of service personnel1

  £

  a. Regular Army2

  25,400

  b. Territorial Army3

  1,900

  c. Royal Navy4

  30,000

  d. Royal Naval Reserves5

  2,100

  355

  £

  e. Royal Naval Auxiliary Service6

  900

  f. Royal Air Force

  27,100

  g. Royal Auxiliary Air Force

  2,400

  1 Rounded to the nearest £100.

  2 Including the Home Service full-time element of the Royal Irish Regiment, and the non-Regular permanent staff of the Territorial Army. Excluding Gurkhas, and locally enlisted personnel overseas.

  3 Not including the Home Service part-time element of the Royal Irish Regiment.

  4 Excluding the Royal Marines, and locally enlisted personnel overseas.

  5 Not including the Royal Marines Reserve.

  6 Excluding permanent staff.

  Maintenance Backlog
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total maintenance backlog of(a) unavoidable and essential repairs and (b) urgent repairs on the defence estate at 1 April in each year since 1980; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  Since the untying from the Property Services Agency on 1 April 1990, the information requested has been held by 23 separate top-level budget holders within the Ministry of Defence. It would, therefore, involve disproportionate cost to acquire the information.

  Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what British contribution is made to the reaction force planning staff at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The United Kingdom contributes six officers and two other ranks to the Allied Command Europe Reaction Force Planning Staff—ARFPS—whose total strength is 48 officers and 13 other ranks.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been made for funding the new NATO rapid reaction force; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The nations assigning forces to the Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps—ARRC—will meet the costs of their national contingencies. The costs of the headquarters will be shared between the participating nations and NATO on terms presently under negotiation.

  Belize
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current annual running cost of(a) the Army detachment and (b) the RAF detachment stationed in Belize; and what changes have occurred in these figures since 1989–90.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is not possible to attribute the total costs of the Belize garrison to the Army element or to the RAF element except for manpower costs. A significant cost element is for services common to both detachments and covers areas such as the garrison headquarters, works services, utilities and locally employed civilians. The costs 356
  of the garrison for the 1991–92, 1992–93 and an estimate for 1993–94, split into directly identifiable Army and RAF costs and common costs, are given. Comparable data for 1989–90 are not available.

  £ million

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Army manpower

  21

  18

  24

  RAF manpower

  5

  6

  5

  Common costs

  12

  10

  10

  Total

  38

  34

  39

  Nuclear Test Veterans
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the issue of compensation for nuclear test veterans.

  Mr. Hanley
  Compensation would be sympathetically considered for any British nuclear test veteran who could be shown to have suffered injury or illness as a result of radiation from the nuclear tests. No such case has yet been found. The report of the National Radiological Protection Board—NRPB—published in 1988 found no overall excess of death or malignant disease among test veterans: this position is confirmed in the NRPB follow-up study to be published this week. A copy will be placed in the Library.

  Dr. Liam Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the follow-up report by the National Radiological Protection Board being published in the British Medical Journal on mortality and cancer among nuclear test veterans.

  Mr. Hanley
  The joint National Radiological Protection Board/Imperial Cancer Research Fund—NRPB/ICRF—study into Mortality and Cancer incidence among nuclear test participants, commissioned by the Ministry of Defence, will be published on Saturday 11 December in the British Medical Journal after having successfully completed independent peer review. There will also be an accompanying NRPB report.

  The NRPB is an independent statutory body which was set up to give advice on radiation protection. The ICRF is a charitable organisation which plays a leading role in cancer research. The authors of the report include eminent scientists who have published widely in the field, among whom is the distinguished epidemiologist Professor Sir Richard Doll, OBE, MD, DSc, FRS, FRCP, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the university of Oxford, who is well known for his work on smoking-related disease.

  The Ministry of Defence accepts the findings of this independent report. The study concludes that participation in the nuclear weapon test programme has had no detectable effect on participants' expectation of life, or on their risk of developing cancer or other fatal diseases.

  A report published by the NRPB in 1988 dealt with mortality and cancer up to 31 December 1983 among former test participants, compared with a control group of service and civilian personnel matched for age, sex and rank who served in tropical areas at the time of the tests but were not, themselves, participants in the atmospheric nuclear weapon test programme. This study found no overall excess of death, or of cancer, among former

  357
  participants compared with national rates. Out of over 20,000 former test participants, about 1,600 had died, including 400 from cancer—no more than among the matched control group or the general population. Of these 400, 22 had died of leukaemia and six from multiple myeloma, figures higher than the control group but similar to those expected from national rates. The authors considered that one possibility was that these elevated levels simply reflected an unusually low incidence of myeloma and leukaemia among the control group.

  The follow-up report to be published in the British Medical Journal includes cancer and mortality data to 31 December 1990. During the seven years between the end of 1983 and the end of 1990, about 1,200 further deaths occurred among former test participants, 370 of them from cancer. Again, these figures were no higher than among either the general population or the matched control group. Of the 370 further cancer deaths among participants, three were from multiple myeloma and six from leukaemia. The three deaths from myeloma were fewer than among the general population and the control group. Taken together with the figures from the previous study, for all deaths up to 31 December 1990 there was no increased incidence of multiple myeloma among participants compared with either the general population or controls.

  The six deaths from leukaemia among participants between 1 January 1984 and 31 December 1990 were fewer than expected from national rates and fewer in veterans than among the controls. Furthermore, the total number of deaths for the entire period of both studies up to the end of 1990 from leukaemia was exactly the same as expected nationally. The excess of leukaemia in test participants compared with the control group found in the previous study is therefore likely to be a chance finding, although the report states that the possibility that test participation may have caused a small risk of developing leukaemia in the early years after the tests, cannot be completely ruled out. The study however, finds the evidence for a causal link to be weak for several reasons.

  First, the highest increase amongst participants was not among men in groups whose duties gave them the potential for exposure to ionising radiation, nor among men employed by the atomic weapons research establishment or directly involved in the minor trials at Maralinga in whom undocumented inhalation or ingestion, if any, was most likely to have occurred. Secondly, the recorded doses of external radiation were very small and, on the best evidence now available, would have been estimated to cause not even one extra induced case of leukaemia. Thirdly, there was no evidence of an increasing risk with increasing dose as would be expected if caused by exposure to ionising radiation.

  The Ministry of Defence has also compiled for the NRPB an environmental monitoring report for Christmas island. A copy has been placed in the Library. This report shows that measurements of radioactive fallout taken at the time of the tests were usually below the limit of detection. On the few occasions when radioactivity was detectable the levels were low, decayed or dispersed rapidly, and did not constitute a hazard or danger to test participants, visitors or inhabitants of the island. The dates when elevated levels were found were not associated with the detonation date of any particular United Kingdom device, but corresponded to the worldwide fallout pattern of the time. Such global fallout is part of background radiation to which we are all exposed.
  358
  I can also announce today that I have, in line with the Government's commitment to open government, and the Ministry of Defence's wish to open to public scrutiny any documents relating to the safety of test participants, declassified the yields of Christmas island tests. The figures are contained in the environmental monitoring report for Christmas island to which I have just referred. The corresponding figures for the Australian atmospheric nuclear weapon tests were declassified in 1985. The yield figures can be used to calculate doses from information readily available in the open literature. These calculations confirm the assertion that doses were vanishingly low at all points where participants were mustered at the instant of detonation.

  I believe that this new NRPB/ICRF study confirms that there is no evidence to suggest that any cancer or other fatal disease was caused by exposure to ionising radiation from the tests.

  A copy of the British Medical Journal article and associated report will be placed in the Library of the House.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the total dwelling stock in each local authority area in England is(a) unfit for habitation and (b) in need of major renovation.

  Sir George Young
  Local authorities are requested to provide information in their annual housing investment programme—HIP1—returns on all dwellings in their area which are unfit, and on those not unfit but in need of renovation. However, there are doubts about the quality of the data provided by some authorities.

  These doubts arise because of the substantial variations between neighbouring authorities in the proportions of dwellings reported as unfit or in need of repair, and also because of implausible changes between years in some of the reported figures.

  The data reported by local authorities in England on total dwelling stock—column A 15—and the numbers of dwellings reported as unfit—column A35—and not unfit but in need of renovation—column A45—from which the percentages requested can be calculated are in the 1993 "HIP1 All Items Print". A copy is available in the Library.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how his Department will be represented at the Salford inquiry on housing in the north-west to be held on 12 January 1994.

  Sir George Young
  Officials from the Department's north-west regional office will attend.

  Advertising
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much his Department spends annually on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising and (c) press advertising; and what were the corresponding figures for 1985 and 1979.

  Mr. Gummer
  In the financial year 1992–93, the Department spent £2,660,198·30 on press advertising and
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  £2,799,915·14 on television advertising. These costs include creative and production charges, value added tax, and other levies as paid.

  The main campaigns were:

  Helping the Earth begins at Home.

  Right to Buy.

  Council Tax Press Advertising March 1993.

  Making a Corporate Commitment—to Energy Saving.

  Halon Banking.

  EMAS—Energy Management Assistance Scheme.

  There was no expenditure on radio advertising in that financial year.

  A breakdown of publicity expenditure is not available for the years 1985 and 1979.

  Biodiversity
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the biodiversity action plan compiled in response to the biodiversity convention signed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

  Mr. Yeo
  Work on the production of the biodiversity action plan is in its final stages, and publication will be after the House returns, in January.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on how Britain's impact on biodiversity in other countries will be addressed in the United Kingdom's follow-up to agreements made at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

  Mr. Yeo
  Britain's impact on biodiversity in other countries will be addressed in the biodiversity action plan and the sustainable development strategy as appropriate, both of which are due to be published after the House returns, in January.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements have been made for the ratification before the end of 1993 of the biological diversity convention by the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Yeo
  The convention on biological diversity was laid before Parliament in January of this year. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 2 December 1993,Official Report, column 654.

  Information Security
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the operation of his Department's sensitive documents unit; how many staff are employed in its operation; and approximately how many documents per annum come within its purview.

  Mr. Gummer
  A large number of staff in the Department handle documents which may be regarded as sensitive. There is no special unit; all staff are required to handle sensitive documents according to standard rules.

  Community Care
  Mr. Nick Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the representations he has received concerning his proposals to
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  reinstate certification 10 of the Housing Corporation's special needs procedure guide and the consequent withdrawal of revenue funding where a social services authority sponsors an individual under the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

  Sir George Young
  My right hon. Friend and I have received representations from the organisations listed below, or from hon. Members writing on their behalf, in connection with the application of the Housing Corporation's revenue funding rules beyond the current financial year. A further five hon. Members have written to us about the general issue.

  Advance Housing and Support Ltd.

  Association for Residential Care

  Association of London Authorities

  Bristol Churches Housing Association

  Elfrida Rathbone Islington

  London Borough Grants Committee

  Look Ahead Housing Association

  MacIntyre Care

  MENCAP

  Methodist Church and Centre

  MIND

  National Autistic Society

  National Federation of Housing Associations

  Oxford Cyrenian Community

  Phoenix House Housing Association

  Shaftesbury Society

  Single Homelessness in London

  Spastics Society

  Special Needs Housing Association Group

  St Anne's Shelter and Housing Action

  Tower Hamlets Consortium Ltd.

  Turning Point

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when current planning permission for the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield expires.

  Mr. Curry
  The planning permission, which is contained in SI 1978 No. 523, did not specify a final date by which the buildings must be completed and the plant brought into use.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what safeguards he has instituted in the local government review process to ensure that the trading standards departments are not adversely affected in the reorganisation process.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Local Government Commission's recommendations must enable adequate provision to be made for all existing local government functions, including the trading standards service. This is a matter we shall be looking at as we receive the commission's final reports for each area.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received about trading standards departments in relation to the local government review.

  Mr. Baldry
  This year, my right hon. Friend has received 24 representations on the general issue of trading standards in relation to the local government review.

  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements have been made to ensure
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  the continued existence and development of a network of county record offices after the reform of local government authorities.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Local Government Commission's recommendations must enable adequate provision to be made for all existing local government functions, including the provision of archive services. This is a matter we shall be looking at as we receive the commission's final reports for each area.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what statutory provisions govern the requirement on borough councils to devote receipts from sale of dwellings to their tenants solely to redeem accumulated debt.

  Sir George Young
  Section 59 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 requires local authorities to set aside as provision for credit liabilities 75 per cent. of their receipts from the disposal of dwellings and 50 per cent. of other receipts; the remainder may be spent. Those percentages are varied for certain receipts by the Local Authorities (Capital Finance) Regulations 1990, as amended, and in particular are reduced to nil for virtually all receipts obtained between 13 November 1992 and 31 December 1993.

  Section 64 of the 1989 Act provides that amounts set aside may be used to repay borrowing or discharge credit liabilities; they may also be used for capital expenditure on the strength of a credit approval. The regulations give authorities without long-term debt greater freedom to spend these amounts.

  Grants (Day Visitors)
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, in the local government finance statement for 1994–95, how much extra grant Stockport metropolitan borough council will get as a result of the inclusion of day visitors in the formula; and how much of that extra will relate to visitors to Lyme park.

  Mr. Baldry
  Stockport metropolitan borough council would receive £0·264 million as a result of the inclusion of an allowance for day visitors to the authority within the proposed calculation of standard spending assessments for 1994–95. It is not possible to say how much of that amount is attributable to day visitors to specific attractions. Lyme park, however, is not within the Stockport metropolitan district and, therefore, visitors to the park would not be included in Stockport's figures.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account is taken of sites outside a borough but maintained by the authority in calculating grants for day visitors.

  Mr. Baldry
  The allowance within standard spending assessments for day visitors is designed to reflect the impact on services provided by local authorities of visitors to their area.

  The services likely to be affected include street cleaning, refuse collection and environmental health.

  It is not the intention that the allowance should compensate authorities directly for the cost of any recreational facilities which they choose to provide in the areas of other authorities.

  Bolton Council
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will reply to Bolton council's request, dated 15 November, for ministerial consent to the sale of 24 shops with living accommodation over.

  Mr. Baldry
  The consent was issued on 6 December.

  European Environment Agency
  Mr. Stephen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps his Department is taking following the decision to locate the European Environment Agency in Denmark; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  The decision to site the European Environment Agency in Denmark was taken on 29 October. The regulation establishing the agency came into force on 30 October.

  We have been pressing for a decision on location since the regulation to establish the agency was adopted more than three years ago. The decision means that the agency can now begin its work.

  The EEA is an independent body which has been created to provide objective and reliable environmental information at the European level to help the EC and its member states formulate sound policies to protect the environment. The agency aims to achieve this through co-operation with those organisations in member states involved in environmental monitoring and research.

  I am inviting all organisations which may wish to participate in the United Kingdom network, or to act as topic centres, to get in touch. To co-ordinate the network and liaise with the agency I have set up a national focus point within my Department.

  The United Kingdom will, by 30 April 1994, notify the agency of the composition of its natural network and potential topic centre candidates. The network will include those organisations that regularly collect and supply environmental data within the United Kingdom.

  Topic centres will undertake work on behalf of the EEA under contract and should have recognised research or technical expertise related to environmental monitoring and data analysis. Where appropriate, members of the national network can also be considered as topic centre candidates.

  The United Kingdom attaches great importance to the development of the EEA. I hope that there will be considerable interest in the opportunities it offers. I would encourage all interested organisations to contact my officials for further details and a registration form as soon as possible.

  Acid Rain
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in negotiations for a new United Nations agreement combating acid rain.

  Mr. Gummer
  While negotiations in Geneva are not yet complete, substantial progress has been made. It now seems likely that a widely acceptable text aiming at significant reductions of sulphur emissions, and which the United Kingdom expects to sign, will be opened for signature by the middle of 1994. The Government warmly welcome these developments, which will contribute to the progressive resolution of the acid rain problem.
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  The United Kingdom is prepared to reduce sulphur emissions by 70 per cent. by 2005 compared with 1980, and has indicated its willingness in principle to aim for reductions of 80 per cent. by 2010. The latest text, if agreed, will allow parties to achieve the targets in the most cost-effective and flexible way, taking account of national considerations.

  The new protocol will build on the United Kingdom's achievements in reducing sulphur emissions by 30 per cent. by the end of this year from 1980 levels, thus complying with the requirements of the first sulphur protocol although we were not in a position to sign it at the time.

  Direct Labour Organisations
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he took against those local authorities whose direct labour or services organisations made significant financial losses in 1991–92.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am very encouraged that, for more than 80 per cent. of the notices served in respect of 1991–92 DSO losses, further statutory action was not needed because authorities had already taken steps to address the losses. This is a very positive trend and I urge authorities to maintain their efforts here.

  My right hon. Friend has now considered the responses of 15 authorities on which notices were served in June and September. He has today given directions under section 19B of the 1980 Act to Manchester city council, new construction work in excess of £50,000; and under section 14 of the 1988 Act to Bedfordshire county council, ground maintenance; Castlepoint borough council, ground maintenance; the London borough of Hillingdon, other catering; and South Bedfordshire district council, refuse collection. This brings the total number of directions given in respect of financial failure in 1991–92 to 11.

  The effect of these directions is to require the authorities to seek the Secretary of State's consent if they wish to award the work, or elements of the work to their in-house labour force following re-tendering which is currently under way, planned or required by the direction.

  He has decided to take no further action in respect of financial failure in 1991–92 by:
  Barking and Dagenham, refuse collection; Corby, vehicle maintenance; Harrow, ground maintenance; Hillingdon, building cleaning; Leicestershire, ground maintenance; Northavon, vehicle maintenance; and Richmond upon Thames, ground maintenance; because they met financial objectives in 1992–93;
  Hillingdon, school and welfare catering; and Kingston upon Hull, other catering; because despite recording losses in 1992–93, they have provided evidence that financial objectives will be met in 1993–94;
  Ashford, ground maintenance and refuse collection; Brighton, other catering; and Castlepoint, other cleaning; because they have closed the DSO involved or are exploring other options, including privatisation;
  Colchester, building maintenance; because the DLO now operates below the "de minimis" level.

  Hillingdon and Kingston upon Hull have been asked to provide quarterly financial returns to the Department.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list, by authority, the surplus achieved since 1988 on trading accounts for(a) general highways work, (b) construction and maintenance of sewers, (c) works of new construction and (d) maintenance
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  work, delivered by direct service or labour organisations in England under the terms of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980;

  (2) if he will list by authority and service area, as defined by the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, the surpluses achieved by local authority direct service or labour organisations in England since 1988;

  (3) if he will list, by authority, the surplus achieved since 1988 on trading accounts for (a) refuse collection, (b) street cleaning, (c) building cleaning, (d) schools and welfare catering, (e) other catering, (f) vehicle maintenance, (g) grounds maintenance and (h) sports and leisure management services delivered by direct service or labour organisations in England, under the terms of the Local Government Act 1988;

  (4) if he will list by authority and service area, as defined by the Local Government Act 1988, the surpluses achieved by local authority direct service or labour organisations in England.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 3 December 1993]: One thousand eight hundred and sixteen of the local authority direct service or labour organisation accounts for 1991–92 received by my Department recorded surpluses. I shall send a detailed list to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Library. Information on 1992–93 is not yet complete. Figures for previous years could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Merseyside Housing
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the provision of the special needs allocation for housing on Merseyside; and how much money will be available for house improvements in the current and next financial year.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 8 December 1993]: The future of the Housing Corporation's special allocation for Merseyside is being reviewed by officials from my Department and from the Housing Corporation. I expect to have recommendations before me in the spring.

  In 1993–94, the specified capital grant allocation, which represents 60 per cent. of resources available for renovation grant activity, totalled £20·843 million for Merseyside. The allocation for 1994–95 will be announced later this month.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Council Of Ministers
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals she has made, in the light of the decisions of the European Councils in Edinburgh 1992 and Brussels 1993, to increase the transparency and accountability of decision-making, including the recording of votes of each member state, at meetings of European Community Councils of Ministers at which her Department is represented;and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Government fully support the conclusions reached at Edinburgh and Brussels on openness.
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  The Foreign Affairs Council agreed on 6 December that votes in all Councils on legislative decisions will be published automatically unless a majority of the Council oppose this.

  This procedure is fully consistent with the conclusions of the Edinburgh European Council last December.

  Voting details are now published by the Council secretariat after Council meetings; we shall ensure that this information is provided to Parliament.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is her latest estimate of the net cost of the common agricultural policy to British consumers.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There is a significant net cost to United Kingdom consumers, and indeed United Kingdom tax payers, from the CAP. For a number of reasons, of which the hon. Gentleman will be aware, it is not possible to be precise about the figure estimate.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total annual cost of the common agricultural policy before the latest reforms were implemented; and what is the projected total cost in the current year and in 1994 and 1995.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Expenditure in 1992 was 31·3 becu—£22·2 billion—and in 1993 is estimated at 35·1 becu—£27·6 billion. The draft budget for 1994, the first full year in which the budgetary impact of CAP reform will be felt, has been set at 36·5 becu—£28·1 billion. Estimates for 1995 are not available as budgets are not set more than one year in advance.

  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she next expects to meet her EC counterparts to discuss reform of the CAP.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I regularly meet my EC colleagues, both bilaterally and at meetings of the Agriculture Council.

  Further reform of the CAP is among the range of topics covered at such meetings.

  Animal Transportation
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has made about the transport of live animals in the EC.

  Mr. Soames
  The Government are pressing for major improvements to the Community legislation and for strong enforcement of the rules in all member states.

  Mr. Eric Clarke
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many live animals have been transported from the United Kingdom to Spain for slaughter since it has been permissible to do so.

  Mr. Soames
  A total of 2,770 sheep have been consigned to Spain for immediate slaughter since 1 January 1993, when new arrangements came into force.

  Farms, Northumberland
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food what plans she now has to visit farms in Northumberland following the cancellation of her recent planned visit.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I was disappointed that the temporary closure of Newcastle airport due to snow forced me to postpone my visit.

  However, I met a delegation of Northumbrian farmers in London on 29 November.

  The visit will be rearranged as soon as possible.

  Fishing
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has received from the fishing industry since 5 July.

  Mr. Jack
  I have had various meetings with fishing industry organisations and with individual fishermen. In addition to these contacts, I have received formal proposals on conservation from the Scottish Fisherman's Federation and from the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations.

  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken to reduce the fishing effort of the United Kingdom's fishing fleet.

  Mr. Jack
  We hope to make an announcement shortly.

  Forestry
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when she last met the chairman of the Forestry Commission to discuss the progress of the forest policy review; and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I met the chairman of the Forestry Commission early last month when we had a brief exchange exchange of views on the work of the forestry review group.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what indications she has received from the interdepartmental forestry review group on the future of the Forest Enterprise estate.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The forestry review group has not yet presented its advice to Ministers.

  We are expecting to receive its report early next year.

  Helpline Unit
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many calls have been made to the helpline unit since 24 May; and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Since its launch on 24 May, the helpline has quickly established itself as a central contact point on a broad range of Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food activities.

  In its first six months the helpline unit has received over 14,000 calls.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether she proposes to introduce any new measures dealing with food hygiene matters.
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  Mr. Soames
  The European Community single market hygiene measures for specific sectors, such as milk and milk products and meat products, are at various stages of implementation into our national law.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health is responsible for general food hygiene legislation, where it is planned to introduce next year new regulations to implement the hygiene of foodstuffs directive.

  Agricultural Wages Board
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on the future of the Agricultural Wages Board.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Hall).

  Milk Quota
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what powers she has to ensure that no transfers of milk quota that are invalid or fraudulent are recorded in the register; and what steps she takes to ensure that the register is rectified and accurately maintained.

  Mr. Jack
  The quota register is amended following the submission of a duly completed quota transfer form. In cases where the parties concerned dispute the quota apportionment, or where the Minister has reasonable grounds for believing that a correct apportionment of quota has not been made, the Dairy Produce Quotas Regulations 1993 provide for the matter to be referred to arbitration. Pre-processing checks are made on a number of transfer forms to establish that there has, indeed, been a change in occupation of the land used for milk production. Where no such change of occupation is established, the transfer form would be rejected. Any party who contravenes the Dairy Produce Quotas Regulations or the relevant EC legislation, or who makes a false statement, is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a substantial fine.

  Agricultural Workers' Earnings
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest available figure for the average earnings of part-time female agricultural workers in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Jack
  Estimates of earnings of agricultural workers are available from sample surveys. The average hourly earnings for part-time hired female agricultural workers in the United Kingdom for the year ended June 1993 is estimated at £3·67 per hour. This includes payments for overtime, holidays, annual bonus, perquisites and other payments.

  Agri-environment Programme
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has received on the funding of the Government's agri-environment programme.
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  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Many people urged me not to cut funding of our agri-environment programme and I have recently confirmed that we are holding to our plans to increase expenditure to over £70 million per annum by 1995–96.

  Pâté de Foie
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make it her policy to discourage the consumption of pâté de foie.

  Mr. Soames
  People must be allowed to decide for themselves what they eat.

  The Government should neither encourage or discourage the consumption of a particular type of food, provided that the total diet is healthy and well-balanced.

  The Government are nevertheless concerned at the animal welfare aspects of pâté de foie gras production involving force feeding. They have made it clear they would seek legislation to ban this practice if there was a prospect of it developing in the United Kingdom.

  It would, however, be illegal under the treaty of Rome to prohibit imports from other Community countries.

  Abattoirs
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what changes she has made to meat inspection at abattoirs regulations in the last month;

  (2) what representations she has received on changes to meat inspection at abattoirs in the past month.

  Mr. Soames
  We have made no changes in the last month to the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1992—SI 1992/2037—governing meat inspection in abattoirs, nor have we received any representations raising new concerns about meat inspection arrangements during this period.

  The Government announced on 22 October a seven-point plan of deregulation in the meat industry. The plan signals a move to a less prescriptive system of meat hygiene enforcement while continuing to protect public health.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the rules for farmers' own use of slaughter of animals at small abattoirs.

  Mr. Soames
  The Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1992—SI 1992/2037—do not apply to the slaughter in abattoirs of animals whose flesh is not intended for sale for human consumption. Animals slaughtered for a farmer's own use in a small abattoir will, therefore, not count towards any weekly throughput limit. The rules governing the slaughter of these animals in abattoirs are the same as those applicable to animals slaughtered on the farm: they must be slaughtered humanely, in accordance with the provisions of the Protection of Animals Act 1911, chapter 27, and, in the case of bovines, specified bovine offal must be disposed of in accordance with the Bovine Offal (Prohibition) Regulations 1989—SI 1989/2061 as amended by SIs 1990/2468 and 1992/306.

  Fur Farms
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on fur farming.
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  Mr. Soames
  Welfare conditions are monitored regularly by the state veterinary service and we are seeking European Community legislation to set standards for all fur farms.

  Security standards for mink farms are set by the Mink (Keeping) Order 1992.

  EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, 2nd DECEMBER
  EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, 2nd DECEMBER
  RUSSIA: MILITARY DOCTRINE
  RUSSIA: MILITARY DOCTRINE
  RUSSIA: DECEMBER ELECTIONS AND CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM
  RUSSIA: DECEMBER ELECTIONS AND CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM
  RUSSIA: UK SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY
  RUSSIA: UK SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY
  RUSSIA: POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT
  RUSSIA: POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT
  RUSSIA: PRINCESS OF WALES'S PROPOSED VISIT
  RUSSIA: PRINCESS OF WALES'S PROPOSED VISIT
  RUSSIA: NEW CONSTITUTION
  RUSSIA: NEW CONSTITUTION
  TOBACCO TAX REVENUES AND THE NHS
  TOBACCO TAX REVENUES AND THE NHS
  ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL, 2–3 DECEMBER
  ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL, 2–3 DECEMBER
  NUCLEAR TEST PARTICIPANTS: MORTALITY CANCER STUDY
  NUCLEAR TEST PARTICIPANTS: MORTALITY CANCER STUDY
  BRIGADE LEVEL FIELD TRAINING AREA
  BRIGADE LEVEL FIELD TRAINING AREA
  CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY
  CHILD SUPPORT AGENCY
  SOCIAL SECURITY FRAUD: SAVINGS TARGET
  SOCIAL SECURITY FRAUD: SAVINGS TARGET
  PRISON ACCOMMODATION AND POPULATION STATISTICS
  PRISON ACCOMMODATION AND POPULATION STATISTICS
  PRISONERS HELD IN POLICE CUSTODY
  PRISONERS HELD IN POLICE CUSTODY