Written Answers of 1 February 1993

TRANSPORT

  Harbours Act 1964
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he plans to bring into force the amendments to the Harbours Act 1964 made by schedule 3 to the Transport and Works Act 1992;

  (2) what consultation he will be carrying out with organisations representing users of public rights of way on the implementation of the new provisions for enabling harbour revision orders to be made which will divert or extinguish public rights of way.

  Mr. Norris
  The amendments to the Harbours Act 1964 made by schedule 3 to the Transport and Works Act 1992 were brought into force on 15 July 1992 by the Transport and Works Act 1992 (Commencement No. 1) Order 1992 (Statutory Instrument 1992 No. 1347 (c.45)). We shall ensure that, when application is made for a harbour revision order which would divert or extinguish a public right of way, the applicant notifies user organisations of the application so that, if they so wish, they may make objection to it.

  Braer Disaster
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the departmental investigation into the causes of the Braer disaster in Shetland will include consideration of the nature and duration of insurance arrangements for the vessel, and the arrangements which were in hand for any extensions to the period of insurance cover.

  Mr. Norris
  It has already been established that the Braer complied with the requirements to have compulsory insurance cover in respect of any pollution damage she may have caused up to the owner's liability under the 1969 civil liability convention on oil pollution. Other forms of insurance on the ship—for example, in respect of her hull or cargo—are not compulsory and are matters for the owner or cargo interests.

  The purpose of the marine accident investigation branch investigation is to establish the cause of the accident and consider measures to prevent a recurrence. It will not look further into the insurance arrangements unless there is good reason to believe that they are directly related to the accident. The general issue of insurance is within the remit of the inquiry which has been set up under the chairmanship of Lord Donaldson to advise on whether any further measures are appropriate and feasible to protect the United Kingdom coastline from pollution from merchant shipping.

  Light Dues
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies had been made of the effect of the channel tunnel on the income from light dues.
  2
  Mr. Norris
  The light dues income from vessels using ports adjacent to the tunnel is estimated to have been £650,000 out of a total light dues income of £45 million in 1991–92. The effect of the opening of the channel tunnel on income from light dues is therefore likely to be minimal.

  English Channel (Traffic Separation)
  Mr. Stephen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 270, what action is taken at the time to prevent a collision if a vessel is observed to be contravening the traffic separation schemes in the English channel.

  Mr. Norris
  An identified vessel observed contravening the traffic separation scheme will be contacted and a warning broadcast made to all other traffic using the scheme. In addition, this information will be included in the routine broadcasts transmitted.

  London Underground
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the amount of money planned by London Underground to be spent on the Northern line during 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  London Transport has not yet finalised its spending plans for 1993–94.

  Royal Train
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are under his proposals for the railways for the services provided by the royal train to be put out to private tender.

  Mr. Freeman
  We shall consider arrangements for the royal train in due course.

  Ipswich-Lowestoft Railway Line
  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for the closure of the Ipswich to Lowestoft railway line.

  Mr. Freeman
  None. It would be for British Rail to bring forward proposals to close passenger lines or stations. I am not aware of any such proposals concerning the Ipswich-Lowestoft line. Under our privatisation plans a full statutory procedure will continue to apply to closure proposals.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the implications of the collapse of Charterail for his Department's franchising arrangements for British Rail and the proposed use of charging policy to freight companies for track use.

  Mr. Freeman
  The collapse of Charterail has no implications for the franchising of British Rail services, nor for the access charging regime for rail freight operators.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the issues discussed and decisions taken at the joint Environment/ Transport European Council meeting in Brussels on 25 January.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) on 28 January,Official Report, column 796.

  West Coast Main Line
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he received, following his White Paper on rail privatisation, from(a) the passenger transport executives and (b) British Rail about the restrictions on capacity and train paths which exist on the Rugby to Stafford via Birmingham section of track over which the west coast main InterCity route operates.

  Mr. Freeman
  We are aware from general discussions with BR that this is a very heavily used section of the network.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what advice he received following his White Paper on rail privatisation in respect of the reduction in train paths that would be a consequence of the required or planned renewal of track and infrastructure forming the InterCity west coast main line route;

  (2) what advice he has received following his White Paper on rail privatisation on the scope for allocating adequate maintenance periods on that track and infrastructure vested in InterCity west coast main line between Crewe and Carlisle.

  Mr. Freeman
  None. Decisions on maintenance and train paths will primarily be a matter for Railtrack.

  Railways (Disclosure of Information)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers the regulator, franchising authority and Railtrack will have to demand disclosure of information concerning customer numbers using routes, and other matters which would normally be deemed as commercially confidential.

  Mr. Freeman
  The rail regulator will have the power to require relevant information from operators under the conditions of the licences that he will issue to train operators; the franchising director will be able to require information under the conditions of franchise agreements; and such powers for Railtrack are considered unnecessary.

  Rail Safety
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which body will be responsible for certifying that a locomotive or rolling stock which has been the subject of a train failure is safe to move following the vesting of Railtrack.

  Mr. Freeman
  The train service operator will have primary responsibility for ensuring the safety of his 4
  locomotives and rolling stock in line with the arrangements contained in his railway safety case validated by Railtrack.

  Rail Incidents
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who he intends shall be responsible for marshalling and providing customer action teams and increasing at short notice the staffing levels both in the retail and operational management area following either a major delay, incident or rail crash.

  Mr. Freeman
  It will be for franchisees and other passenger operators to decide their own arrangements for the care of passengers.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is his intention on how diversionary routes shall be charged or costed out following the vesting day of Railtrack;

  (2) which body shall be responsible for deciding the apportionment of costs, charges or damages relating to delay or loss of customers due to a train failure where more than one operator had use of the track or train path, following the vesting day of Railtrack.

  Mr. Freeman
  These are matters for access agreements.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whom he proposes shall be authorised to instigate diversionary routes, and the alteration of operators' timetables as train paths, where a train failure, crash or repair work impedes a particular route, following the vesting day of Railtrack;

  (2) who would be authorised to provide the appropriate staff when it becomes necessary for emergency hand signalling to be instituted, following the vesting day of Railtrack;

  (3) which body shall be responsible for managing the flow of train services around a train failure, following the vesting day of Railtrack;

  (4) whose responsibility it will be to remove debris and clear and restore the track and site when an operator's train has damaged or destroyed track or equipment, following the vesting day of Railtrack;

  (5) if the franchising authority would prepare the national timetabling through an iterative process; and by what criteria or basis the route which is first on the graph would be determined;

  (6) which body shall be responsible for organising repair, line clearance and restoration of equipment when more than one train operator was involved in an incident which resulted in the route or train path being blocked, following the vesting day of Railtrack;

  (7) which body would determine priority services and re-write the timetables of the various operators on those occasions when an engineering possession has been made to a section of track over which more than one franchise or operator of a service exists;

  (8) whose responsibility it will be, following the vesting day of Railtrack, to minimise delay in clearing the track following a train failure; and who will be expected to provide the rescue locomotive.
  5
  Mr. Freeman
  Railtrack would have the lead responsibility for these matters, subject to the legislation currently before Parliament.

  Rail Ticketing
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what procedures he proposes for ensuring inter-availability of tickets following a train failure, or major interruption or delay in a particular service or route after Railtrack's vesting day or the introduction of franchising over one or more routes.

  Mr. Freeman
  Arrangements for the inter-availability of tickets will be a matter for operators, subject to any requirements imposed by the regulator or franchising director.

  Euston Station
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he has received from British Rail about additional train paths, junction layouts and platform capacity that may be available at Euston station for prospective franchisers to expand services operating from that terminus during peak travel times.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have received no such advice.

  Rail Timetables
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to indemnify or exempt the franchising authority, or operators, from charges of collusive or anti-competitive behaviour when determining the national timetable and connecting services where there exist competing operators and demands for connections of services, train paths, track and related facilities.

  Mr. Freeman
  There will be no need to grant such indemnities. Railtrack will allocate access to the network and prepare the operating timetable, subject to the oversight of the rail regulator, who will be responsible for authorising access agreements. The regulator will have duties to promote competition and to protect the passenger's interests, and will have to take these into account when deciding whether to authorise access agreements. The Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976 will not apply to the provision of railway services. The regulator will also have the power to refer matters related to the provision of licensed railway services to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission to investigate whether they operate against the public interest.

  M3-A303-A30
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what date the M3-A303-A30 southern route to the west country between London and Exeter will be entirely dual carriageway.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We intend to provide dual carriageways to replace all the remaining single carriageway sections of this route. The timetable for completing this programme of improvements depends on satisfactory progress through the statutory procedures, including public inquiries where necessary, and the continuing availability of funds.

  Dual Carriageways
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will list the stretches of road and the distances involved of the carriageway between Andover and Exeter along the A303-A30 which are not dual carriageway; and by what dates it is intended they will be developed to become dual carriageways.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer my right hon. Friend to my answer to his earlier question today. The Department's schemes to replace the remaining single carriageway sections of the A303-A30 between Andover and Exeter are as follows:

  Scheme

  Next key stage

  A303 Amesbury-Berwick Down

  Public consultation, spring 1993

  A303 Wylye-Stockton Wood

  Public draft orders, late 1993

  A303 Chicklade Bottom-Mere

  Public consultation, spring 1993

  A303 Sparkford-Ilchester

  Publish draft orders, spring 1993

  A303 Ilminister bypass dualling

  Preferred route announcement, spring 1993

  A303 Ilminister-Marsh

  Publish draft orders, summer 1993

  A303-A30 Marsh-Honiton

  Re-publish draft orders, spring 1993, for public inquiry later in year

  A30 Honiton-Exeter

  Decision following public inquiry, autumn 1993

  Railtrack
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which body shall be responsible for surveying any crash, or incident involving damage to track, locomotive or rolling stock, with a view to assisting in the apportioning of costs, charges or damages, following the vesting day of Railtrack.

  Mr. Freeman
  Railtrack and train service operators.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what form of regulation or arbitration he proposes in order to deal with incident costs when the charges that have been identified and attributed to a company or operator are disputed, following the vesting day of Railtrack.

  Mr. Freeman
  The form of regulation or arbitration to deal with disputes over the attribution of costs after an incident will be a matter for access agreements which will be subject to the approval of the rail regulator.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will impose minimum response times on those charged with clearing routes, track or train paths, as well as subsequent safety inspections, in the event of train failure, crash or derailment, following the vesting day of Railtrack.

  Mr. Freeman
  This will be the responsibility of Railtrack, as it now is of British Rail. Any related contractual obligations would be covered in access agreements.

  Rail Franchising
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the franchising authority will be required to prepare a national timetable, and to seek franchises in response to bids by public or commercial bodies to operate existing or suggested services or routes.
  7
  Mr. Freeman
  Railtrack, as the track authority, will plan and produce a working timetable for the rail network and will be required to ensure that a national timetable is published. The Railways Bill places a duty on the franchising director to designate services—whether existing or new—as eligible for provision under franchise agreements. It further provides that public sector operators may not be franchisees.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to maintain rail services in the immediate period following a franchiser or operator arbitrarily or unilaterally vacating a train path or service due to breach of contract or company failure.

  Mr. Freeman
  The franchising director will be able to step in and provide for continuity of service through the terms of the franchise agreement and the special railway administration procedures as set out in the Railways Bill.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has received from British Rail of the increase in the total number of drivers that would be required by InterCity to have its own dedicated train crews following franchising or privatisation.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have received no such specific estimate from British Rail. Following franchising it will be for franchisees to determine total staffing requirements in the light of their obligations to provide the services specified in their franchise contracts, and comply with the terms of their licence and their validated railway safety case.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his approach to deciding the conflicting bids for train paths, track, platforms and related facilities between the InterCity executive type services and those of the passenger transport executives where currently InterCity services are given priority in their planning and allocation.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a matter for British Rail.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy that InterCity should maintain its existing rights to priority on train paths over those sections of track where it currently enjoys the status of lead business, following the vesting day of Railtrack and the introduction of franchising.

  Mr. Freeman
  Our intention is that the initial pattern of franchised services should be based on the services provided by BR immediately before franchising.

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what public access there will be to the land offered in exchange for land compulsorily purchased along the route of the east London river crossing under compulsory purchase orders 10 and 11, 19 November 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  We propose to plant 89 per cent. of the exchange land and protect it until the woodland becomes established. Access to these areas will be via the "Green Chain Walk" and an extensive system of subsidiary footpaths. The remaining areas of exchange land will be fully accessible for public use.

  Road Freight
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has concerning the total tonnage miles of freight carried by railways in the United Kingdom in each of the last 15 years for which figures are available; and what were the comparable actual and percentage figures for road freight transport in each of those years.

  Mr. Freeman
  Comparative data for Great Britain can be found in table 9.3 of Transport Statistics Great Britain 1993, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. Table 1.9 contains percentage figures for the years 1981–1991; comparable data for earlier years may be found in previous annual reports. Equivalent data for Northern ireland are not available.

  Search and Rescue
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the key factors in determining the currently used United Kingdom search and rescue helicopter response criteria as laid down by the helicopter coverage group.

  Mr. Norris
  I am replying as the Helicopter Coverage Group was established under the aegis of the Department of Transport.

  The key factors affecting the need for SAR helicopter coverage were:

  1. The usage by merchant shipping of UK waterways

  2. The increase in ferry traffic around UK waters

  3. Changing fishing patterns and the effects of EEC quota regulations on fishing vessels movements

  4. The increasing popularity of maritime recreational pursuits

  Bridges, London
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take responsibility for the co-ordination of works on the bridges of London between Hampton Court and the sea.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: I am currently considering whether any changes are necessary to the arrangements currently in place for managing the bridges concerned. I am not currently satisfied that any change would do other than add an additional layer of bureaucracy.

  Air Traffic Controllers
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps the Civil Aviation Authority is taking to introduce emergency training for new air traffic controllers on their initial training courses and for ongoing emergency continuation training for experienced operational controllers as recommended by the air accidents investigation branch.

  Mr. Norris
  The Civil Aviation Authority's safety regulation group (SRG) intends to consult industry shortly on proposals for additional requirements for emergency training to be undertaken in all courses for trainee controllers, and as part of the continuation training for qualified operational controllers. In the meantime, National Air Traffic Services has already implemented additional emergency training which will meet these proposals.

ENVIRONMENT

  Derelict Land Grant
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by region the derelict land grant projects funded in each of the last three years and the amount of funding allocation.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This information is not available in the form requested. However, the following table shows,

  Derelict land grant expenditure 1989–90 to 1992–93

  Local authority

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  11992–93

  Northern

  Alnwick

  0

  0

  350

  0

  Blyth Valley

  0

  0

  36,100

  100,000

  Chester le Street

  12,000

  0

  0

  0

  Cleveland county council

  24,174

  35,401

  15,463

  120,000

  Darlington

  563,164

  668,018

  370,164

  714,000

  Derwentside

  180,005

  475,920

  15,000

  135,000

  Durham county council

  2,024,497

  980,666

  553,286

  1,500,000

  Durham city

  3,142

  2,035

  10,145

  10,000

  Easington

  406,866

  125,113

  149,290

  325,000

  Gateshead

  1,035,454

  1,303,606

  1,558,246

  1,700,000

  Hartlepool

  80,556

  256,776

  11,575

  500,000

  Langbaurgh

  202,313

  251,102

  27,809

  250,000

  Middlesbrough

  11,875

  50,284

  296,874

  550,000

  North Tyneside

  485,303

  773,567

  508,513

  750,000

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  194,298

  104,810

  538,561

  450,000

  Northumberland county council

  758,493

  1,429,134

  800,706

  2,055,000

  South Tyneside

  299,088

  341,907

  297,004

  200,000

  Sedgefield

  6,650

  10,169

  124,360

  160,000

  Stockton on Tees

  75,698

  34,885

  155,178

  500,000

  Sunderland

  1,239,592

  1,403,637

  1,593,509

  1,700,000

  Teesdale

  0

  0

  6,418

  0

  Tyne and Wear MCC

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wear Valley

  129,549

  39,896

  429,818

  350,000

  TOTAL

  7,603,168

  8,247,030

  7,068,551

  12,069,000

  North West

  Allerdale

  1,331,491

  1,571,074

  312,648

  0

  Barrow in Furness

  0

  0

  3,000,000

  2,000,000

  Blackburn

  64,847

  370,811

  374,415

  200,000

  Blackpool

  21,179

  23,992

  0

  18,000

  Bolton

  9,318

  493,239

  221,066

  660,000

  Burnley

  26,257

  47,573

  81,182

  200,000

  Bury

  97,966

  156,165

  697,395

  660,000

  Carlisle

  0

  0

  216,043

  900,000

  Cheshire county council

  494,361

  1,070,145

  1,434,597

  1,500,000

  Chester

  0

  0

  0

  80,000

  Chorley

  1,876

  160,956

  228,034

  200,000

  Congleton

  151,707

  231,624

  47,564

  100,000

  Copeland

  0

  0

  163,190

  900,000

  Crewe and Nantwich

  42,870

  3,828

  30,538

  50,000

  Cumbria county council

  3,509,500

  2,117,590

  2,991,360

  0

  Eden

  0

  0

  0

  130,000

  Hyndburn

  205,085

  174,072

  115,890

  200,000

  Lancashire county council

  459,762

  740,240

  528,947

  300,000

  Lancaster

  58,000

  203,071

  421,906

  500,000

  Macclesfield

  42,691

  101,358

  74,661

  150,000

  Manchester

  32,820

  0

  372,930

  1,200,000

  Oldham

  324,247

  724,291

  676,265

  1,250,000

  Pendle

  27,159

  219,486

  0

  200,000

  Preston

  1,606,987

  19,240

  436,405

  300,000

  Ribble Valley

  6,522

  575,532

  249,009

  200,000

  Rochdale

  24,194

  34,444

  0

  310,000

  Rossendale

  601,336

  149,385

  120,095

  200,000

  South Lakeland

  0

  10,350

  0

  100,000

  Salford

  3,120,025

  563,947

  820,103

  2,680,000

  South Ribble

  0

  0

  41,876

  0

  Stockport

  0

  72,448

  13,931

  500,000

  Tameside

  272,665

  64,487

  1,263,999

  1,200,000

  Trafford

  12,316

  7,200

  19,688

  150,000

  Vale Royal

  123,000

  59,045

  134,157

  200,000

  West Lancashire

  6,454

  0

  59,709

  200,000

  10
  by region, the expenditure on land reclamation incurred by local authorities which has attracted derelict land grant over the last three years. About 95 per cent. of this expenditure was supported by grant at 100 per cent.
  11

  Local authority

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  11992–93

  Warrington

  223,227

  313,164

  90,022

  200,000

  Wigan

  1,229,353

  691,342

  1,754,456

  1,500,000

  TOTAL

  14,125,215

  10,970,099

  16,992,081

  19,118,000

  Merseyside task force

  Cheshire

  208,000

  744,142

  101,794

  500,000

  Ellesmere Port and Neston

  2,099,000

  2,185,766

  1,503,996

  1,650,000

  Halton

  1,334,000

  1,312,617

  914,466

  1,275,000

  Knowsley

  498,000

  378,728

  634,424

  650,000

  Liverpool

  403,000

  1,746,514

  3,047,190

  2,270,000

  Merseyside MCC/RB

  7,000

  0

  0

  0

  Sefton

  185,000

  605,741

  408,728

  1,200,000

  St. Helens

  646,000

  416,148

  1,368,914

  1,358,000

  Wirral

  175,000

  371,641

  351,419

  400,000

  TOTAL

  5,555,000

  7,761,497

  8,330,931

  9,303,000

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Barnsley

  2,086,627

  1,685,189

  877,713

  1,646,964

  Boothferry

  710,025

  773,560

  839,673

  140,000

  Bradford

  385,728

  780,617

  494,522

  396,000

  Calderdale

  381,416

  51,104

  2,970,946

  2,000,000

  Cleethorpes

  48,166

  10,900

  949

  0

  Doncaster

  501,180

  1,371,837

  702,420

  2,150,783

  Glanford

  1,935,770

  2,494,436

  3,612,119

  3,000,000

  Grimsby

  6,107

  99

  37,200

  106,383

  Holderness

  3,472

  115,612

  0

  0

  Humberside county council

  44,429

  0

  0

  0

  Kingston-upon-Hull

  92,274

  38,856

  139,811

  62,386

  Kirklees

  766,500

  957,389

  1,054,334

  980,000

  Leeds

  227,886

  849,775

  770,696

  250,000

  North Yorkshire

  0

  0

  0

  10,000

  Richmondshire

  0

  0

  21,621

  51,000

  Rotherham

  2,637,550

  3,876,401

  4,585,974

  5,149,396

  Ryedale

  57,725

  12,125

  0

  0

  Scarborough

  0

  45,157

  0

  0

  Scunthorpe

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Selby

  12,039

  21,729

  2,581

  0

  Sheffield

  53,470

  133,873

  635,888

  559,929

  Wakefield

  517,207

  944,341

  1,160,250

  1,498,000

  York

  0

  0

  0

  10,000

  TOTAL

  10,447,571

  14,163,000

  17,905,897

  18,010,841

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  652,750

  281,537

  893,446

  1,224,000

  Cannock Chase

  39,505

  280,030

  152,138

  511,000

  Coventry

  2,161

  0

  0

  25,000

  Dudley

  3,656,203

  3,997,461

  4,887,623

  2,780,000

  Lichfield

  73,889

  215,464

  1,000

  103,000

  North Warwickshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Newcastle-under-Lyme

  257,670

  1,239,612

  691,486

  1,614,000

  Nuneaton and Bedworth

  1,557

  170,744

  50,554

  0

  Oswestry

  0

  0

  33,250

  50,000

  Redditch

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South Staffordshire

  21,000

  6,074

  2,945

  1,000

  Sandwell

  1,321,731

  1,865,409

  1,023,621

  1,425,000

  Shropshire county council

  596,203

  1,458,615

  615,850

  1,291,000

  Staffordshire county council

  231,527

  275,262

  1,387,127

  601,000

  Staffordshire Moorlands

  0

  0

  6,000

  51,000

  Stoke-on-Trent

  610,374

  256,706

  763,752

  695,000

  Tamworth

  0

  0

  0

  6,000

  Walsall

  3,778,999

  2,738,123

  4,222,623

  3,838,000

  Warwickshire

  116,269

  157,345

  36,760

  29,000

  Wolverhampton

  585,000

  447,375

  1,676,043

  1,981,000

  Wrekin

  693,189

  336,154

  672,755

  773,000

  TOTAL

  12,638,027

  14,725,911

  17,116,973

  16,998,000

  East Midlands

  Amber Valley

  15,889

  71,415

  0

  235,000

  Ashfield

  99,404

  54,773

  65,944

  24,000

  Bolsover

  0

  68,967

  33,549

  80,000

  Chesterfield

  0

  2,497

  864,493

  122,000

  Corby

  2,410,386

  1,374,391

  1,914,953

  1,927,000

  12 13

  Local authority

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  11992–93

  Daventry

  0

  0

  0

  50,000

  Derby

  0

  0

  180,000

  25,000

  Derbyshire county council

  1,727,580

  2,958,839

  2,672,151

  2,597,000

  Derbyshire dales

  0

  0

  16,737

  260,000

  Erewash

  296,504

  308,066

  555,234

  1,000,000

  East Lindsey

  317

  0

  0

  0

  Gedling

  0

  0

  124,982

  27,000

  Hinkley and Bosworth

  11,719

  0

  0

  0

  Kettering

  0

  0

  6,875

  0

  Leicester

  0

  0

  4,000

  106,000

  Leicestershire county council

  569,656

  697,283

  367,717

  877,000

  Lincoln city

  0

  1,425,107

  694,932

  1,010,000

  Mansfield

  93,703

  249,176

  823,915

  1,168,000

  Melton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North West Leicestershire

  655,749

  899,602

  5,618

  9,000

  Newark and Sherwood

  361,936

  0

  0

  77,000

  Nottingham

  8,753

  12,820

  176,280

  600,000

  Nottinghamshire county council

  1,888,648

  1,631,835

  2,638,540

  2,631,000

  North East Derbyshire

  2,727

  2,727

  43,669

  204,000

  Ruchcliffe

  0

  0

  0

  25,000

  South Derbyshire

  202,743

  467,923

  297,485

  7,000

  Wellingborough

  0

  0

  0

  0

  West Derbyshire

  2,661

  42,550

  0

  0

  TOTAL

  8,348,375

  10,267,971

  11,487,074

  13,061,000

  London

  Barking

  148,333

  74,166

  0

  —

  Bexley

  38,197

  0

  0

  —

  Camden

  30,000

  15,000

  15,000

  —

  Croydon

  0

  0

  0

  —

  Enfield

  0

  6,358

  38,843

  —

  Greenwich

  86,585

  182,044

  81,884

  —

  Harrow

  0

  0

  0

  —

  Havering

  0

  17,640

  0

  —

  Merton

  118,000

  0

  20,521

  —

  Newham

  440,606

  0

  0

  —

  Richmond upon Thames

  16,800

  8,400

  —

  —

  Tower Hamlets

  54,535

  364,026

  1,963,775

  —

  TOTAL

  933,056

  667,634

  2,120,023

  2,193,000

  South West

  Bath

  0

  0

  139,755

  603,000

  Bristol

  0

  84,161

  138,741

  55,000

  Caradon

  0

  0

  0

  100,000

  Carrick

  0

  670,113

  0

  250,000

  Cheltenham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cornwall county council

  31,340

  25,289

  288,851

  432,000

  Devon county council

  43,954

  57,387

  94,053

  50,000

  East Devon

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Forest of Dean

  0

  3,204

  142,417

  0

  Cloucester

  29,000

  3,684

  3,684

  0

  Kerrier

  389,100

  93,286

  1,728,293

  1,420,000

  Kingswood

  1,286

  1,286

  0

  0

  North Cornwall

  95,997

  16,596

  18,345

  20,000

  Penwith

  56

  0

  0

  60,000

  Plymouth

  67,887

  55,823

  82,000

  100,000

  Portland

  0

  30,882

  0

  0

  Restormel

  0

  0

  31,298

  250,000

  Sedgemoor

  0

  10,590

  0

  0

  Teignbridge

  687

  5,154

  5,354

  1,000

  Thamesdown

  96,927

  455,680

  33,659

  47,000

  Torbay

  4,715

  7,695

  0

  8,000

  Woodspring

  4,454

  1,919

  1,000

  2,200

  West Devon

  0

  0

  47,666

  15,000

  TOTAL

  765,403

  1,522,749

  2,755,116

  3,413,200

  South East

  Chichester

  0

  43,315

  941

  —

  Gravesham

  0

  0

  1,800

  —

  Guildford

  0

  0

  0

  —

  Hastings

  0

  0

  0

  —

  Isle of Wight

  62,181

  49,704

  0

  —

  Kent county council

  0

  11,747

  120,728

  —

  14 15

  Local authority

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  11992–93

  Portsmouth

  0

  0

  16,814

  —

  Reading

  0

  0

  10,279

  —

  Reigate and Banstead

  0

  3,777

  0

  —

  Rochester

  75,918

  0

  39,857

  —

  Swale

  0

  138,405

  0

  —

  Test Valley

  0

  0

  8,760

  —

  Thanet

  0

  0

  12,807

  —

  Wealden

  0

  0

  2,500

  —

  TOTAL

  138,099

  246,948

  214,486

  898,500

  Eastern

  Bedfordshire

  0

  0

  29,583

  —

  Braintree

  0

  7,753

  0

  —

  Breckland district council

  0

  0

  3,156

  —

  Broadland

  229,781

  45,837

  0

  —

  Hertfordshire county council

  22,540

  0

  15,000

  —

  Ipsswich

  0

  0

  11,812

  —

  Kings Lynn and Norfolk

  0

  0

  0

  —

  Luton

  0

  0

  77,257

  —

  Mid Suffolk

  0

  0

  593

  —

  Norwich

  109,987

  126,408

  71,000

  —

  Norwich

  0

  0

  81,074

  —

  South Cambridgeshire

  0

  335,229

  142,039

  —

  Thurrock

  0

  0

  8,177

  —

  TOTAL

  362,308

  515,227

  439,691

  972,000

  GRAND TOTAL

  60,916,222

  69,088,066

  84,430,823

  96,036,541

  1 Forecast expenditure.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people applying to councils in each standard region were(a) accepted and (b) not accepted as officially homeless under the provisions of the Housing Act 1985 in each of the last three years.

  Mr Baldry
  Full information for regions is available only from April 1991. Estimates for the first complete year are as follows:

  Households, 1991–92

  Region

  Accepted as homeless

  Not accepted as homeless

  North

  9,010

  10,460

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  12,930

  21,020

  East Midlands

  10,530

  10,920

  East Anglia

  3,610

  3,670

  South East

  58,090

  61,740

  South West

  9,010

  10,100

  West Midlands

  18,550

  19,790

  North West

  23,100

  20,170

  England

  144,830

  157,870

  Those households counted as not accepted as homeless represent the sum of those whose applications resulted in a section 64 decision being issued during the year and who were found not to be homeless, or in priority need but intentionally homeless, or not to be in a priority need category and were not accepted for rehousing.

  In the quarter ended September 1992, local authorities accepted 35,520 households and 43,060 decisions of non-acceptance were issued.

  Regional estimates of acceptances for earlier years are published but these do not take account of the change in definition from April 1991 when intentionally homeless
  16
  people were no longer counted as accepted. Consistent information on non-acceptances is not available for earlier years.

  Figures for acceptances (including intentionally homeless provided only with temporary accommodation) for each quarter appear in table 1 of "Local authorities' action under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act: England, Results for … Quarter 19 … Supplementary Tables" and from the third quarter of 1990 in table 1 of "Households found accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act: England, Statistics for the … Quarter 19 …" Copies of all these publications are available in the Library.

  Hedgerows
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to bring forward Government legislation on hedgerows.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government continue to support the Hedgerows Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, East (Mr. Ainsworth). It is too soon to anticipate that my hon. Friend's Bill will fail in this session.

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any of the land offered in exchange for land along the route of the east London river crossing under compulsory purchase orders 10 and 11, 19 November 1991, is designated as(a) a site of special scientific interest or (b) as being of special character and metropolitan importance under the Greater London development plan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  (a) None. (b) The land within the London borough of Bexley offered in exchange for public open space to be acquired for the east London river crossing is

  17
  designated as an area of special character in the Bexley borough plan, adopted in February 1985, which implemented the policy aims set out in the Greater London development plan.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the outcome of the consultation on the local government finance settlement for 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 January 1993 column 854]: Unfortunately, owing to a computing error, the notional amounts for Enfield, Gateshead, and Cleveland specified in the "Limitation of Council Tax and Precepts (Relevant Notional Amounts) Report (England) 1993–94", which was laid before the House on 28 January 1993, are incorrect. We are today laying before the House the "Limitation of Council Tax and Precepts (Relevant Notional Amounts) (Amendment) Report (England) 1993–94" which specifies for these three authorities the correct notional amounts which are £199,624,000, £152,785,000 and £397,941,000 respectively. I shall arrange for copies of this report to be sent to all local authorities.

  CPS

  SFO

  DPP(NI)

  1987

  —

  —

  —

  1988

  —

  —

  —

  1989

  R v. Pottle and Randle

  R v. Saunders and others

  —

  R v. Batley

  —

  —

  1990

  R v. Kokabi

  R v. Deller, Page and Rycott

  —

  R. v. Coren and Greenwood

  —

  —

  1991

  —

  R v. NatWest Investment Bank Limited and others

  —

  1992

  A current case

  —

  Latimer, Hegan, Bell and Allen v. Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland

  R v. Bennett

  —

  —

  The cases referred to in the answer to the hon. Member for Torbay (Mr. Allason) are set out in the table. As explained in that answer, the information is provided from the recollection of officers since such information is not recorded centrally. There are two corrections to the original answer. R v. Coren and Greenwood was originally recorded erroneously as 1987. R v. Batley was counted twice and therefore the number recorded for the CPS in 1989 was two and not three.

  Forests
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from non-governmental organisations regarding the development of the United Kingdom's national plan on forests; and how he intends to involve non-governmental organisations in the process.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: I have been asked to reply.

  I have received one letter on this subject, from Friends of the Earth.

  The Forestry Commission will be co-ordinating the preparation of the national plan for the implementation of the forest principles agreed in Rio de Janeiro, and will seek the views of non-governmental organisations before it is completed.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Torbay (Mr. Allason) of 21 January,Official Report, column 327, if he will indicate to which cases the public interest immunity certificates apply.

  The Attorney-General
  The information is as follows:

EDUCATION

  Special Learning Needs
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the size of the GEST—grants for education support and training—allocation in 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 and projected for 1993–94 together with the size of the allocation(a) nationally and (b) earmarked for the training of teachers of young people with special learning difficulties; in cash and real terms.

  Mr. Forth
  Expenditure in England supported by the grants for educational support and training (GEST)
  19
  programme is given in the table. The GEST programme in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Cash £ million

  Real terms2£ million

  (a) GEST total1

  1990–91

  353

  393

  1991–92

  364

  389

  1992–93

  377

  377

  1993–94

  320

  311

  (b) of which GEST supported expenditure on the training of teachers of young people with special educational needs:

  1990–91

  7.1

  7.9

  1991–92

  7.5

  8.0

  1992–93

  8.1

  8.1

  1993–94

  10.0

  9.7

  Numbers of school leavers in England Examination attainments in modern languages

  Thousands

  Academic Years:

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  GCSE/O/CSE passes grades A-G

  French

  243.84

  242.24

  239.28

  231.18

  230.17

  225.45

  230.72

  229.21

  243.25

  German

  68.04

  67.90

  65.36

  63.71

  62.61

  62.63

  63.19

  70.52

  72.68

  Italian

  2.26

  2.44

  1.95

  1.78

  1.68

  1.75

  1.47

  1.55

  1.93

  Spanish

  13.80

  13.69

  13.03

  12.50

  13.12

  13.60

  14.61

  15.74

  18.17

  Russian

  1.48

  1.31

  1.34

  1.17

  1.38

  1.15

  1.04

  1.21

  1.29

  A/AS level passes grades A-E

  French

  16.23

  16.01

  15.16

  13.22

  13.50

  13.15

  15.13

  19.28

  19.79

  German

  6.42

  6.78

  5.88

  5.54

  5.36

  5.03

  5.68

  6.76

  7.45

  Italian

  0.26

  0.36

  0.21

  0.22

  0.33

  0.32

  0.16

  0.28

  0.31

  Spanish

  1.83

  1.89

  1.59

  1.91

  1.61

  1.53

  2.02

  2.36

  2.30

  Russian

  0.21

  0.26

  0.27

  0.26

  0.24

  0.28

  0.29

  0.33

  0.43

  Source:—School Examination Survey.

  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils entered for GCSE examinations in British government and political studies, citizenship and/or community studies, in each year since 1990; and what proportion of the total school population of 15 and 16-year-olds they represented.

  Mr. Forth
  Information is not readily available for 1990 or 1991 but by the summer 1992, 589 pupils aged 16 attempted GCSEs in politics and 4,617 attempted GCSEs in community studies. These numbers represent 0.1 per cent. and 0.8 per cent. of pupils reaching the age of 16 in the academic year 1991–92.

  Teachers
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many teachers have left the profession in each year since 1982.

  Mr. Forth
  The table shows the numbers of teachers who left full-time service in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools sector in England and Wales in each year. They include retirements and teachers who transferred to other sectors (such as independent schools, special education or further education) or to part-time teaching. In addition, many of those who leave service each year return to teaching after a career break. Surveys of teacher resignations carried out by the Local Government Management Board show that fewer than 1 per cent. of teachers annually leave teaching to take up other employment.
  20
  1 Total of expenditure supported by education support grants and LEA training grants. Figures include both grants and LEA contribution.

  2 Real terms figures are at 1992–93 prices, repriced using the GDP (market prices) deflator index.

  Examinations
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students have passed O-level, GSE/GCSE and A-level examinations in languages in each year since 1982; and if he will give a breakdown of the languages concerned.

  Mr. Forth
  The estimated numbers of school leavers who have passed O-level/CSE/GCSE and A-level examinations in selected modern foreign languages for each year since 1982 are shown in the following table.

  Number of leavers from full-time maintained nursery, primary and secondary school sector

  Year to March

  Number

  1982

  33,291

  1983

  31,781

  1984

  31,274

  1985

  32,831

  1986

  32,473

  1987

  31,238

  1988

  31,711

  1989

  36,882

  1990

  38,330

  11991

  39,700

  1 Provisional.

  School Meetings
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information he has about attendance levels at school annual general meetings, costs of calling them and the numbers that are inquorate.

  Mr. Forth
  All parents of pupils registered at a school are eligible to attend the annual parents' meeting. Information as to the numbers of parents attending annual parents' meetings and the costs of calling them is not collected by the Department. It would appear that in general, parental attendance is disappointing, although there are instances of very successful meetings.

  Nursery Education
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education by what date he will publish the January 1992 figures for the proportion of three and four-year-olds in nursery education in each local authority.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) on 21 January,Official Report, column 353.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which companies at present sponsor city technology colleges; and how many governorships those companies hold.

  Mr. Forth
  The following private sector sponsors have committed sums of £0.2 million or more to individual city technology colleges or to the development of the programme:

  ADT Group plc

  BAT Industries plc

  Boots Company plc

  British Record Industry Trust

  Cable & Wireless plc

  Mr. H. de Capell Brooke

  Dixons Group plc

  Sir Harry Djanogly

  Esmee Fairburn Foundation

  Findlay Publications plc

  Forte plc

  Haberdashers' Livery Company

  Mr. J. Hall

  Hanson plc

  Sir Philip and Lady Harris Charitable Trust

  IMI plc

  Kodak plc

  John Laing plc

  Landau Foundation

  Sir Geoffrey Leigh

  Mr. D. Lewis

  Lucas plc

  Mercers' Company

  Safeway plc

  Southwark Diocesan Board of Education

  Tarmac plc

  Unisys Ltd.

  Vardy Foundation

  Wellcome Foundation

  Weston Foundation

  Wolfson Foundation

  Mr. H. Wong

  The major sponsors of each college form a trust which has strategic control of the management of the college. The trustees are responsible for electing a governing body, whose members will normally include representatives of sponsors, but no central record is held of the current composition of each governing body.

  School Reorganisation
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many local authority school reorganisation proposals are awaiting a decision from his Department; and how many have been awaiting a decision for more than(a) one month, (b) three months, (c) six months and (d) one year.

  Mr. Forth
  At 28 January, 104 proposals published under section 12 and 13 of the Education Act 1980 were awaiting a decision. Of these, 101 have been awaiting a22
  decision for more than one month, 72 for more than three months, 31 for more than six months and six for more than one year.

  Proposals outstanding for less than four months may in certain cases fall to the local authority for determination.

  Schools (Performance)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list those schools which have recently been sent a letter from OFSTED about their poor performance; and when each of those schools last had a full HMI inspection.

  Mr. Forth
  This is not a matter for my right hon. Friend. HMI have not inspected all schools on a regular basis, and OFSTED believe it would be invidious to publish the names of those which, on the basis of inspection evidence, give them cause for concern. The new inspection arrangements being established under the Schools Act will ensure that all schools are regularly inspected, and those at risk of failing their pupils are identified in a published report.

  Grant-maintained Status
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many applications from schools for grant-maintained status are awaiting a decision from his Department and how many have been awaiting a decision for more than(a) one month, (b) three months, (c) six months and (d) one year.

  Mr. Forth
  At 29 January, 150 applications for grant-maintained status were awaiting a decision by the Secretary of State. Of these, 132 have been awaiting a decision for more than one month, 21 for more than three months, six for more than six months and none for more than one year.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Income Support
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the size of the earnings disregards for claimants of income support in each year since 1988; and if he will express the value of the earnings disregard against changes(a) in prices and (b) in earnings over the period.

  Mr. Burt
  New, increased, earnings disregards were brought in with the introduction of income support in April 1988. The standard disregard is £5 and a higher, £15, disregard applies to certain groups of people—lone parents, long-term sick and disabled people, members of a couple who are both aged under 60 and have been in receipt of income support for two years and, from April 1993, carers.

  The table shows what the earnings disregards would have been if they had risen in line with changes in earnings and prices each year.

  Value of disregards against changes in:

  Earnings

  Prices

  £

  £

  £

  £

  1988

  5.00

  15.00

  5.00

  15.00

  1989

  5.00

  16.45

  5.40

  16.20

  1990

  6.00

  18.00

  5.90

  17.75

  23

  Value of disregards against changes in:

  Earnings

  Prices

  £

  £

  £

  £

  1991

  6.50

  19.55

  6.30

  18.85

  1992

  6.90

  20.75

  6.55

  19.65

  Source: The abstract of statistics general index of retail prices (all items) and average gross earnings new series index (whole economy) seasonally unadjusted.

  Note: Figures rounded to nearest 5p.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate how many claimants of income support have taken advantage of earnings disregards to supplement their income in each year since 1988.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is in the table.

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Cases where claimant has earnings

  121,000

  130,000

  124,000

  117,000

  Cases where partner has earnings

  34,000

  32,000

  31,000

  48,000

  Source: Income support annual statistical enquries May 1988 to May 1991.

  Note: All figures rounded to nearest thousand.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will review the operation or level of the earnings disregard for claimants of income support.

  Mr. Burt
  The earnings disregards are kept under review. From April 1993, carers will be entitled to the higher £15, disregard. We have no other plans at present to change the operations or level of the earnings disregards.

  Sickness and Maternity Benefits
  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he will take to ensure that all employees are paid their full entitlement to sickness and maternity benefits by their employers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  Employers already receive comprehensive guidance and advice on how to operate the statutory sick pay (SSP) and statutory maternity pay (SMP) schemes through the medium of guides, manuals, free telephone enquiry service and training seminars. A quick guide to enable employers to deal with most cases under the schemes is revised and issued to all known employers annually and an updated version of the employer's manual to SSP will be issued to employers next month.

  Explanatory leaflets and a free telephone service are also available to inform employees of their rights. Disagreements between employer and employee can be resolved by an independent adjudication officer at the local social security office.

  As part of the Contributions Agency's 1992–93 target of 114,000 survey visits to employers to check their compliance with the legislation, the agency has introduced measures aimed at improving employers' performance in administering the schemes including a programme of 17,000 educational visits. The agency is also planning a random survey of employers to obtain a more representative view of employers' performance to identify and resolve areas of particular difficulty.

  Water Charges
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration he has given to the introduction of a rebate scheme for water charges payable by lower income households; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  None. Water should be treated in a similar way to other items of expenditure in the family budget.

  Households Below Average Income
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the data from which figures 1 and 2 in "Households Below Average Income, 1979 to 1988–89" were constructed.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Pensions
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on the basis of the assumptions used in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", what he estimates(a) the upper earnings limit and (b) the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions will be, as a percentage of average earnings in (i) 2015, (ii) 2025, (iii) 2035 and (iv) 2045.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is given in the table.

  Earnings limit

  Percentage

  Lower

  Upper

  2015–16

  12.2

  91.4

  2025–26

  10.5

  78.6

  2035–36

  9.1

  67.9

  2045–46

  7.8

  58.5

  Assumes real earnings growth of 1.5 per cent. per annum.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the direct costs savings which would arise from equalising the pension age at 65 years for men and women during each year of the phasing-in period, assuming that the new age is phased in beginning in(a) 2003 and (b) 2010; and that phasing-in takes place at a rate of (i) one year in one, (ii) one year in two, (iii) one year in three, and (iv) one year in four.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The savings' which would accrue from equalising the state pension age for women and men at age 65 assuming that the phasing begins in 2010 at the rate of one year in three (option (b) (iii)) are given in the table. Other information is not available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost. Amounts are given rounded to the nearest £100 million and, in common with those given in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age", at 1991–2 prices.

  Amount saved in each year

  Year

  £ million

  2010

  2—

  2011

  2—

  2012

  500

  2013

  600

  25

  Year

  £ million

  2014

  600

  2015

  1,100

  2016

  1,200

  2017

  1,300

  2018

  1,800

  2019

  2,000

  2020

  2,100

  2021

  2,700

  2022

  2,800

  2023

  2,900

  2024

  3,400

  2025

  3,500

  2 Savings less than £100 million.

  Notes:

  Percentage

  2015–16

  2025–26

  2035–36

  2045–46

  Basic pension

  12.2

  10.5

  9.1

  7.8

  Average additional pension (women)

  13.8

  12.7

  12.7

  11.8

  Average additional pension (men)

  20.3

  16.9

  14.4

  12.9

  Notes: The additional pension percentages are based on the amount of SERFS payable in each respective year to an individual whom had average earnings in every year of his or her working life. They are not based on average AP awards to new pensioners as these cannot be estimated.

  Assumes real earnings growth of 1.5 per cent. per annum.

WALES

  Homelessness
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to tackle homelessness in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Several. Most recently my right hon. Friend announced an extra £35,000,000 for Housing for Wales to provide additional homes for those in housing need.

  Cardiff Royal Infirmary
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has had concerning the closure of the Cardiff royal infirmary proposed by the South Glamorgan health authority.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Three.

  Discretionary Awards (Education)
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the amount spent in each of the following years by Welsh local education authorities on discretionary awards(a) in 1991–92 and (b) in 1992–93; and what is the number of students in receipt of awards in each year in each authority.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  About 11,500 students received discretionary awards from local education authorities in Wales in academic year 1990–91. This is the latest year for which this information is available. Details of local authorities' expenditure on discretionary awards is not held centrally.
  26
  Assumes real earnings growth of 1.5 per cent.

  Including effects on other social security benefits, income tax, national insurance contributions and the labour market.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on the basis of assumptions used in "Options for Equality in State Pension Age," if he will publish figures estimating the value of(a) basic retirement pension, (b) the average SERPs addition for men and (c) the average SERPs addition for women expressed as a percentage of average earnings in (a) 2015, (b) 2025, (c) 2035 and (d)

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is given in the table.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from county councils on local authority funding levels for 1993–94 and in his capping criteria announced on 14 December 1992.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Six.

  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from local authorities regarding the 1993–94 settlement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received representations from six counties and 10 district and community councils.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received on the level of funding provided by central Government for local government at the county and district levels.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received representations from six county councils plus 10 from district and community councils and more than 600 other representations.

  Enterprise Allowance
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money has been allocated by his Department to promote the enterprise allowance within Wales in each year since 1987–88.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The enterprise allowance scheme is administered by the TECs who are free to adapt it to local circumstances and who, in recent years, have introduced greater selectivity to ensure that assistance is targeted at those businesses with the most promising plans and prospects. We have made £5.3 million available for this purpose in 1992–93.

  With permission, figures for earlier years will be circulated in the Official Report: they total some £.53.4 million.

  The figures for earlier years are as follows:
  27

  £ million

  1987–88

  12.0

  1988–89

  12.9

  1989–90

  12.4

  1990–91

  9.0

  1991–92

  7.1

  Vineyards
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what grants are available for the planting of new vineyards in Wales; and if he will make a statement on Government policy regarding existing vineyards.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None. We are approaching the point where, under the terms of EC policy, planting for new vines will not be possible. That being so, there is no justification for the provision of Government assistance for new vineyards.

  Cardiac Services (Report)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now publish the Touche Ross report into cardiac services in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  My right hon. Friend will announce the findings of the Touche Ross appraisal as soon as he has had an opportunity to consider the conclusions of the final report.

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received on the subject of the proposed reduction in hill livestock compensatory allowance payments in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received representations from Welsh MPs, the Welsh farming organisations and individual farmers in respect of hill livestock compensatory allowance payments in Wales.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were unemployed in(a) Ogmore, (b) Mid Glamorgan and (c) Wales at the latest available date.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The unadjusted figures for Ogmore, Mid Glamorgan and Wales in December 1992 are 3,647, 27,374 and 134,929 respectively.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are currently unemployed in Wales and in Clywd.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The unadjusted figures for Wales and Clwyd in December 1992 are 134,929 and 16,848 respectively.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the figure for male unemployment in Wales at the latest available date.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The seasonally adjusted male unemployment figure for Wales was 105,700 in December 1992.

  Quangos
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy for appointments to quangos in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I seek those who are best suited to each post.

  Bottled Water
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to promote the sale of Welsh bottled water.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Welsh bottled water industry, like other industries, is able to take advantage of a number of schemes of assistance available from the Welsh Office, Welsh Development Agency and Development Board for Rural Wales. Advice and information on the marketing of food and drink products in Wales is also available from Welsh Food Promotion Ltd.

  Welsh Language Bill
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes he proposes making to the Welsh Language Bill to meet criticisms made of it.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Government's Welsh Language Bill represents a significant advance for the Welsh language and for the people who speak it. The Government have already signified their intention to bring forward amendments to the Bill concerning the use of Welsh in the courts and in statutory titles. We will consider very carefully any other suggestions aimed at improving the Bill which are put to us during its detailed scrutiny by Parliament.

  Young Offenders (South Wales)
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will use his influence to help secure the speedy construction of a secure unit for young offenders in south Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I am satisfied that the proposals for a new all-Wales secure unit are being taken forward energetically under the direction of the joint Welsh Office/local authority working party.

  Oak Woods
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action is being undertaken by his Department to protect Welsh oak woods from grazing sheep.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Good management of all woodlands, which includes protection from grazing animals, is encouraged by grants available under the woodland grant scheme, which also offers grants for the establishment of new woodlands, including oak woods. The Forestry Commission and ADAS give advice to farmers on the management of their woods, and specific grants for protecting farm woodlands from livestock are also available under the farm and conservation grant scheme. Further support for the protection of woodlands in Wales is provided by Coed Cymru, a Government backed initiative to encourage landowners, particularly farmers, to improve the management of existing broadleaved woodlands, particularly ancient and semi-natural oak woods.

  School Governors (Ring-binders)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the date on which contracts for the supply of ring-binders for school governors under the local management of schools scheme were put out to tender; if the tender was advertised in open competition or via a closed list; how many firms made bids; and if the winning bid was the lowest tender.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Tenders were invited from selected companies on 6 April 1989 and 17 August 1989. Four companies submitted bids for the first of these contracts and three companies submitted bids for the second contract. In each case the company submitting the lowest tender by the specified date was awarded the contract.

  Schools
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all those opted-out schools in Wales which have made an application to him for capital expenditure; which applications have been approved; and what were the sums approved in each case.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Bids were received from the three schools in the grant-maintained sector last year. I was pleased to approve the following projects:

  £

  Brynmawr

  Refurbishment of ground floor toilet facilities

  26,975

  Canteen

  55,575

  Refurbishment of first floor toilet facilities

  26,975

  Bishop Vaughan

  Improvements to gymnasium

  98,000

  Perimeter fencing

  61,000

  Creation of graphics/computer classroom

  105,000

  Cwmcarn

  Refurbishment of two-storey block—work to curtain walling

  67,000

  Refurbishment of single-storey block— work to windows and doors

  53,000

  Remodel front entrance and entrance lobby

  10,000

  Remodel and refit school kitchen

  25,000

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial provisions he has made for 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95 for(a) capital and (b) revenue expenditure on opted-out schools.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  1992–93 £

  1993–942 £

  Capital grant

  509,000

  6,000,000

  Annual maintenance grant

  4,286,742

  —3

  Other revenue expenditure1

  310,000

  2,125,000

  No decisions have been taken for future years.

  1 Other revenue expenditure includes transitional grant, special purpose grants, grant made to the grant-maintained schools centre, and payments to the Electoral reform Society for arranging the parental ballots.

  2 The 1993–94 details are set in Estimates which are subject to parliamentary approval.

  3 Annual maintenance grant reflects the sum the local education
  30
  authority would have spent on the school if it had continued to control it. Decisions on future levels of support cannot therefore, be taken until LEAs have resolved their budgets.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Jamaica
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Jamaican Government over their planned resumption of the death penalty.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Jamaican Appeal Court is still in the process of reviewing the cases of those on death row into capital and non-capital categories. Those found guilty of capital offences can appeal to a panel of Appeal Court judges. It would therefore not be appropriate for Her Majesty's Government to make representations to the Jamaican Government.

  Korea
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the present policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the peaceful re-unification of Korea; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Our support for efforts to achieve a peaceful solution on the Korean peninsula is undiminished. We were generally encouraged by the talks between South and North Korea which took place during 1992, though much remains to be done. We hope that dialogue will resume before long.

  We also hope that bilateral nuclear inspections will get under way soon. Together with continued International Atomic Energy inspections in North Korea, these are an important confidence-building measure.

  Angola
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to secure the release of a British citizen held by rebel forces in Angola; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have raised the case of the three British citizens held by UNITA in Angola with UNITA representatives in London on 22 and 28 January, and with the UNITA delegation attending the UNITA/ Government talks in Addis Ababa. Our embassy in Luanda is working closely with FINA Oil and Weatherford Services, the men's employers, in order to obtain their release.

  Indian Subcontinent (Visas)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will arrange for officials at the posts in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh to make brief visits to the regional centres of those countries to assist people intending to apply for visas to visit the United Kingdom; if he will discuss with those countries' high commissioners in the United Kingdom how such facilities could be provided throughout the Indian subcontinent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  No. Information and assistance is already available at our four posts in India, two in
  31
  Pakistan and one in Bangladesh. Any person intending to visit the United Kingdom can visit, telephone or write to these posts for assistance.

  Royal Family
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what functions in connection with the royal family are covered by expenditure for the marshall of the diplomatic corps.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The duties of the marshall of the diplomatic corps are of an official nature. He makes all necessary arrangements for heads of diplomatic missions on state and official occasions, and for their duties in connection with the Queen as Head of State. There is no expenditure in connection with other members of the royal family.

  European Community (United Kingdom Presidency)
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the outcome of the issues which arose during the United Kingdom's presidency of the EC.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Yes. I have placed in the Library a document produced by the Cabinet Office which gives details of the achievements of the United Kingdom presidency of the Community, from July to December 1992.

  Kenya
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent the assessment of the treatment of the rights of opposition candidates in the recent elections in Kenya will be taken into account in future decisions of the granting of aid to Kenya.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Tooting (Mr. Cox) on 25 January at column 594. Grievances arising out of the electoral process are now a matter for the Kenyan courts, and we hope these will be swiftly addressed.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Terrorism
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the incidence for each year since 1986 of detected re-offending by terrorists who have already served(a) one to five years, (b) five to 10 years, (c) 10 years and (d) life sentences.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  Since 1986 there have been four cases, two in 1990 and two in 1992, where individuals sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorist related offences and released on licence have been recalled to prison after re-offending. In all these cases the new offences were not related to organised terrorism.

  The rest of the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  "The Committee"
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further information he has concerning the allegations about RUC involvement in 32
  terrorist activity contained in the Channel 4 documentary entitled "The Committee" broadcast in October 1991 to which the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for National Heritage referred on 17 December, Official Report, column 578; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  I am advised that police investigations in relation to matters arising from the programme are continuing. No evidence has emerged to support the programme's claims.

  Prison Officers
  Mr. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the absentee rate through sickness, injury and other causes relating to prison officers in(a) Crumlin Road prison, (b) Maze prison, (c) Maghaberry prison and (d) Magilligan prison during each of the last three years.

  Mr. Mates
  The information is as follows:

  Number of days lost through sick leave

  Prison

  Year

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Belfast

  Injuries

  2,876

  5,542

  5,752

  Other sick leave

  20,641

  17,221

  19,764

  TOTAL

  23,517

  22,673

  25,516

  Maze

  Injuries

  1,438

  336

  637

  Other sick leave

  27,174

  23,698

  20,448

  TOTAL

  28,612

  24,034

  21,085

  Maghaberry

  Injuries

  575

  573

  722

  Other sick leave

  10,158

  12,500

  13,754

  TOTAL

  10,733

  13,037

  14,476

  Magilligan

  Injuries

  288

  403

  329

  Other sick leave

  8,655

  7,871

  10,357

  TOTAL

  8,943

  8,274

  10,686

  Crumlin Road Prison
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what type of violent incidents have occurred(a) between prisoners and (b) between prisoners and prison officers in Crumlin Road prison during each of the last three years; how many prisoners and prison officers have been involved; and what injuries have been sustained in each case.

  Mr. Mates
  Details of violent incidents in Her Majesty's prison Belfast during the last three years are as follows:

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Incidents between prisoners

  28

  71

  65

  Number of prisoners involved

  96

  179

  148

  Incidents in which prisoners directly attacked prison officers

  12

  17

  29

  Number of prisoners involved

  11

  72

  42

  The violence usually takes the form of fisticuffs or the throwing of hot liquid.
  33
  Details of the number of officers involved in these incidents are not recorded but the following numbers of officers were injured as a result of prisoner-initiated violence:

  Number

  1990

  100

  1991

  132

  1992

  84

  Most injuries were sustained when officers intervened in fights between prisoners.

  Details of injuries sustained by prisoners and officers in each case are not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, apart from the bomb explosion on 24 November 1991, as a result of which two prisoners died, the most serious injury sustained by a prisoner was a broken leg. In most cases any injuries sustained were minor cuts and/or bruises. Injuries sustained by officers included serious scalding and fractures of the wrist and jaw.

DEFENCE

  International Defence Exhibition
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution his Department plans to make to the IDEX 93 international defence exhibition to be held in Abu Dhabi in February.

  Mr. Aitken
  The Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO) has been working with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Defence Manufacturers Association and the exhibition organisers to co-ordinate and encourage participation by United Kingdom industry in IDEX '93. The DESO will be represented at the exhibition. In addition, a Royal Navy warship and a Lynx helicopter from the Armilla patrol will be visiting Abu Dhabi during the exhibition and, subject to their operational commitments, will participate in its naval element. I hope to visit IDEX 93 myself.

  Defence Equipment
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the operation of the code of conduct governing transatlantic trade in defence equipment between NATO partner states.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer to the answer given to the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) on 26 January at column 645.

  Biological Weapons
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of biological weapons research still undertaken in Russia.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Following Russia's admission last year that it had possessed an offensive biological weapons programme, the United Kingdom, the United States and Russia are now engaged in a trilateral process to ensure it has ended. It would be premature to make an assessment before that process is complete.

  Trident
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what cost/benefit analysis he has made of the Trident missile programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hamilton
  The Government carefully examined a range of possible options when they considered a successor to Polaris to meet the United Kingdom's continuing requirement for a minimum strategic nuclear deterrent. Its analyses and conclusions were set out in the Defence open Government documents 80/23, 82/1 and 87/01, copies of which are in the Library of the House. As reported by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 21 January 1993 at column 419, the United Kingdom Trident programme continues on time and within budget to enter service in the mid-1990s.

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ships have been chartered by his Department to ferry supplies to the Falklands over the last 10 years; if he will list the period of their charter, the flags under which they operate and their ultimate ownership.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence ferries dry cargoes to the Falkland Islands using a liner service. This service is maintained by a contractor who is currently required to provide a scheduled shipping service departing the United Kingdom every 28 days. The vessels are chartered by the contractor and the Ministry of Defence is given priority in the allocation of cargo space on the scheduled voyages. In addition 10 tankers have been chartered by the Ministry of Defence over the last 10 years for periods ranging from two months to the current tanker which has been on charter since October 1987. The tankers have mostly delivered fuel to the Falklands as part of a schedule that includes Ascension Island and Cyprus. Records are not complete back to 1982 but the flags have included Bermuda, Denmark, Norway, Singapore and United Kingdom. The present vessel is on the Isle of Man register. The ultimate owner of these vessels is not generally known to my Department as the charter is with the operator who is, in most cases, not the owner.

  Gulf War
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many ships were chartered for the Gulf conflict; and how many were under the British flag.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A total of 162 vessels were chartered in support of the move of men and equipment to and from the Gulf, of which five were British flagged. A number of vessels undertook more than one voyage.

  Nuclear Weapons (Transport)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many vehicle breakdowns of specialist vehicles designed for the movement of nuclear warheads, bombs and other arms, whether loaded or unloaded, occurred in the counties of Durham, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland in 1992.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In 1992 there was one instance where a mechanical problem with a vehicle designed for
  35
  the transportation of nuclear weapons caused a military convoy to make an unscheduled stop while travelling in the specified area. After inspection of the vehicle, the full convoy was able to continue its journey.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the vehicle reliability performance of(a) Mammoth Major nuclear arms material transit vehicles and (b) Foden nuclear arms material transit vehicles in 1992.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Truck Cargo Heavy Duty (TCHD) Mk 1 vehicle (Mammoth Major) has been replaced by the TCHD Mk 2. Despite some minor teething problems, the new vehicles represent a significant improvement in mechanical reliability over the Mk 1 vehicles. Both old and new vehicles provided a safe and secure means of nuclear warhead transport in 1992.

  Rail Travel Warrants
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many railway journeys were made by service personnel using travel warrants in the latest available year; what was the total cost of that travel; and what were the normal BR fares charged for journeys over an equivalent aggregate distance.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In financial year 1991–92 the latest year for which figures are available, 703,000 warrants were issued to service personnel. Information on the number of journeys is not available as a warrant can cover a single, return or season ticket. The total cost of this travel was £32,038,000 after discounts had been applied. Details of normal British Rail (BR) fares charged for journeys over an equivalent aggregate distance are not known. All service warrants for the year in question were charged at the normal BR fares however, to which an agreed percentage discount was applied. Season tickets were exempt from this arrangement.

  Job Losses
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of jobs lost since 1990 and planned to go by 1996–97 at Ministry of Defence establishments(a) in Dyfed and (b) in Wales.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 January at column 754–55.

  Immersion Temperatures (Survival)
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the length of time a person can be immersed in water at(a) 8 deg C, (b) 9 deg C, (c) 10 deg C, (d) 11 deg C, (e) 12 deg C, (f) 14 deg C, (g) 15 deg C and (h) 16 deg C before standing at least a 50 per cent. chance of becoming unconscious; and how rapidly their chances of survival in percentage terms decrease at each of those temperatures.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the 1986 report of the United Kingdom civil rescue helicopter coverage working group, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Royal Yacht Britannia
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions, in which years and at what cost the royal yacht Britannia has been refitted since her launch.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The following is the information:

  Costs of repairing and refitting HMY Britannia in Her Majesty's dockyards

  Dates of refits

  Financial year

  £000 at outturn prices

  September 1954 to December 1954

  1954–55

  68

  October 1955 to March 1956

  1955–56

  100

  September 1957 to January 1958

  1957–58

  184

  November 1960 to March 1961

  1960–61

  218

  March 1962 to January 1963

  1962–63

  72

  December 1964 to April 1965

  1964–65

  333

  August 1967 to November 1967

  1967–68

  258

  August 1969 to December 1969

  1969–70

  481

  October 1972 to July 1973

  1972–73

  1,213

  1973–74

  January 1976 to April 1976

  1975–76

  1,286

  September 1979 to April 1980

  1979–80

  14,990

  September 1983 to March 1984

  1983–84

  16,000

  January 1987 to October 1987

  1986–87

  117,000

  1987–88

  November 1991 to May 1992

  1991–92

  17,000

  1992–93

  1 Best estimates. More detailed figures can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of the refit on the royal yacht Britannia in 1992 was spent on(a) superstructure, (b) engines, (c) royal apartments and (d) other.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The work carried out during Britannia's refit in 1992 can be broken down as follows:

  per cent.

  Structure

  24

  Engines

  34

  Royal apartments

  6

  Other

  36

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions, on what dates and where the royal yacht Britannia has been used as a hospital ship.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Circumstances have not required Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia to fulfil the wartime role of hospital ship. In view of her age, and the availability of other more suitable vessels, it has been decided that there is no longer a requirement for Britannia to retain this role.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of the refit on the royal yacht Britannia begun in 1987.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Approximately £17 million.

  Gulf War Chartering (Fraud)
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking to investigate alleged fraud in the chartering of vessels for the Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.
  37
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence police have carried out an investigation into alleged fraudulent activity and as a result papers were passed to the crown prosecution service on 6 November 1992. The Ministry of Defence police investigations continue into certain aspects, and further comment would not be appropriate at this time.

SCOTLAND

  Craftsmen
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to align the support given to craftsmen and women in Scotland with that in England and Wales.

  Mr. Lang
  I plan to introduce support measures to meet the special needs of individual craft makers in addition to the marketing support already provided to the crafts sector in general by Made in Scotland Ltd, set up in 1991. Following discussions with the Secretary of State for National Heritage I am arranging to make available for this purpose, through his Department, £300,000 in 1993–94. The money will be paid to the Crafts Council and the Scottish Arts Council. Through the existing mechanisms and expertise of the Crafts Council and the local resources and knowledge of the Scottish Arts Council support for individual craft makers will include: funding to equip themselves and set themselves up as small businesses; funding for training; publicity and exhibition facilities for their products on a United Kingdom basis. The details of these new arrangements, including their start date, will be publicised in due course.

  Radon
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the total number of houses in each regional and island authority area which may exceed(a) a radon level of 200 Bq/M3 and (b) 20 Bq/M3; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 January 1993]: I cannot give such an estimate. Information on radon in Scotland is contained in a report by the National Radiological Protection Board, "Radon in Dwellings in Scotland" published on 20 November 1991. Copies are available in the House Library. A further report by the board is to be published this year.

  Disabled People
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy for ensuring that disabled employees, clients and members of the public have access to all parts of(a) new-build and (b) existing buildings for which he is responsible.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: The policy is to ensure the easiest possible access for disabled people to Scottish Office buildings by providing ramps, wide access doors, internal lifts, toilets for the disabled, etc. The design of some buildings, particularly older buildings and smaller local offices, makes access difficult for those with disabilities but every effort is made to minimise these difficulties.
  38
  The proposed major new office building for the Scottish Office will be designed to meet the highest standards of provision for disabled staff and visitors.

  House of Commons
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, further to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace) of 16 December 1992,Official Report, column 415, if he will make a statement on his proposals to enhance the position of Scotland within the House of Commons.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 26 January 1993]: The Government are currently taking stock of constitutional issues affecting Scotland including the handling of Scottish business in the House. The outcome will be reported to the House.

  MV Braer
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans have been drawn up for compensation payments in the event of delay in the slaughter of fatstock due to contamination by toxic residues arising from the MV Braer oil spillage.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: The Government have made available assistance to producers who are suffering economic hardship through a bridging fund, which will be operated for the Government by Shetland Islands council. Details of the fund's operation were announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland in answer to a question from the hon. Member from Aberdeen, South (Mr. Robertson) on 21 January.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Kenya
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Minister for Overseas Development's recent visit to Kenya and the subjects that were discussed.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development intends to visit Kenya between 5 and 8 February in conjunction with a visit to Somalia. She hopes to meet the President and other Kenyan leaders for discussions on a range of issues.

  Tropical Timber
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 11 November 1992,Official Report, column 808, if he will estimate the number of forest dwellers that are dependent directly upon the trade in tropical timber; and if he will outline the benefits derived by the forest peoples from such trade.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 17 December,Official report, column 467.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will give details of the proposals put forward(a) directly by the Government

  39
  and (b) through the European Community during the British presidency concerning reform of the international tropical timber agreement;

  (2) what mechanisms have been established by his Department to monitor the performance of the International Tropical Timber Organisation in attaining its target of sustainable management of tropical timber by 2000.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 15 December 1992,Official Report, column 127.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 3 December to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike),Official Report, column 302, what total amount in United States dollars has been committed as the United Kingdom's full share of the interim multilateral fund to assist developing nations to phase out chlorofluorocarbons; and over what time scale he envisages this full share being achieved.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The total amount committed as the United Kingdom's full share of the interim multilateral fund (known as the multilateral fund since 1 January 1993) is US $13,826,548. This will be drawn down against a disbursement profile proposed by the fund managers up to the financial year 1995–96.

  Guinea Bissau
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many aid programmes are being undertaken in Guinea Bissau; and what is their nature.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We assist Guinea Bissau mainly through our contributions to the aid programmes of multilateral development institutions. For example, the European Community has an indicative aid programme of 42 mecu (about £32 million) for Guinea Bissau for 1990–95: our share amounts to over 16 per cent. We also support the work of United Kingdom NGOs in Guinea Bissau and make available modest funds through the non-resident British ambassador for gifts with a developmental or welfare purpose.

  Aid (Contracts)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to link the overseas aid budget more directly with contracts of various kinds with British companies in addition to the existing criteria for aid.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Around 70 per cent. of our bilateral aid commitments (£934 million in 1991) are tied to British goods and services. In addition we estimate that for every £1 we commit to multilateral agencies (£918 million in 1991) an average of £1.40 is spent on British goods and services. We have no plans to tie a greater proportion of our bilateral aid.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if tobacco curing operations carried out in relation to Commonwealth Development 40
  Corporation-supported investments in the Rusitu region of Zimbabwe have used charcoal produced locally from natural and semi-natural forests.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: Decisions relating to the appraisal, implementation and monitoring of individual investments are the responsibility of the board of the CDC. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member on the specific question he has asked and will arrange for copies of his letter to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what activities are supported by the Commonwealth Development Corporation in the Rusitu region of Zimbabwe.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: In the Rusitu region the Commonwealth Development Corporation has investments in enterprises producing milk, beef, coffee, tea, macadamia nuts and arable crops (primarily maize). The Commonwealth Development Corporation has also supported smalholder tea and dairy farming in the region.

  International Development and Co-operation
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policy initiatives he is planning to undertake in the next six months to promote international development and co-operation; what meetings he is planning to attend; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: We shall continue our efforts to promote international co-operation and sustainable economic and social development, and to reduce poverty. With our European Community colleagues we shall undertake further work on improving the co-ordination of European Community development policy, as agreed at last November's Development Council.

  We are working for effective follow-up to the United Nations conference on the environment and development last June, including the first meeting of the Sustainable Development Commission this summer. We shall continue to press for a satisfactory conclusion to the GATT Uruguay round. We shall also work for resolution of conflicts and the relief of suffering, particularly in Somalia and the former republics of Yugoslavia.

  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and my noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development plan to attend meetings with European Community, G7 and developing country partners, including the economic summit in Tokyo.

  Commonwealth Development Corporation
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policies the Commonwealth Development Corporation has regarding minimum standards for the conditions of workers employed as a result of investment it supports.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 28 January 1993]: It is the Commonwealth Development Corporation's policy to make investments only when it is satisfied that employment policies are in accordance with good local

  41
  practice. While the Commonwealth Development Corporation remains an investor it uses its influence to ensure that such good employment practices are maintained.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on aid to Sierra Leone.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced in Abuja (Nigeria) on 5 January 1993 that in response to the summary execution of at least 26 alleged coup-plotters on 29–30 December we would suspend all new aid to Sierra Leone, withdraw our existing offer of £4 million in balance of payments support and consider what further measures might be taken, for example, on the future of existing projects.

  Our emergency relief aid, to help those displaced in the region as a result of the Liberian and Sierra Leonean crises, will continue.

  Mahogany
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received from members of the British timber trade regarding the circumstances of mahogany production in the Amazon rain forests of Brazil; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: We have received information from the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) and M&N Norman Timber Ltd. about claims that British imports of Brazilian mahogany comes from illegal logging in indigenous peoples' lands. A TTF representative is visiting Brazil from 1 to 6 February to hold discussions with relevant Brazilian authorities to seek assurances that imported timber is not obtained illegally or in a manner which infringes indigenous peoples' rights.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Savoury Snack Food
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has now concluded its review of VAT on savoury snack food; and what is the result of its inquiry.

  Sir John Cope
  Her Majesty's Customs and Excise is still consulting the trade but expects to complete its review by the end of February.

  Inland Revenue
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the basis upon which market testing is currently taking place in relation to the secretarial services provided to the Inland Revenue in the South Western area, including Southampton.

  Mr. Dorrell
  As part of the programme that we have agreed, the Inland Revenue is market testing typing and secretarial services in its South Western region. In doing so, it will compare the service provided by its own staff 42
  with tenders to be sought from external providers on the basis of the best combination of quality and price. Southampton does not fall within the Inland Revenue's South West regional area.

  Pension Funds
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the tax yield from taxes imposed on surpluses in pension funds in excess of 105 per cent. of their liability in each year since the tax was introduced;

  (2) if he will publish a table showing for the latest year the numbers of pension schemes proposing a contribution holiday to reduce a pension fund surplus in accordance with the Finance Act 1986;

  (3) what information he has concerning the extent of occupational pension scheme contribution holidays being taken by employers or employees.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Statutory rules for dealing with actuarial surpluses in occupational pension schemes were introduced in the Finance Act 1986 and took effect from 6 April 1987.

  Estimates of tax deducted from payments of surplus funds to employers for 1987–88 to 1991–92 are shown in table 6.9 of "Inland Revenue Statistics 1992". The provisional estimate for 1992–93 is £135 million.

  Available information on occupational scheme contribution holidays is shown in table 6.8 of "Inland Revenue Statistics 1992".

  Mr. J. Oliver
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects a reply to be sent to the letter sent by the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed to the Financial Secretary on 27 October 1992, about Mr. J. Oliver of Alnmouth, Northumberland.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I replied on Thursday 28 January.

  Economic and Monetary Union
  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he intends to take in 1993 to fulfil the requirements of the Maastricht treaty in respect of moving to stage 2 of economic and monetary union.

  Mr. Lamont
  [holding answer 22 January 1993]: The requirements for action by member states before stage 2 begins are set out in article 109e(2)(a) of the Maastricht treaty and the Government will meet the requirements, as qualified by the provisions of the United Kingdom protocol to the treaty.

  Article 109e(2)(a) obliges member states to abolish restrictions on capital movements, to cease borrowing from central banks, to end the privileged access of public bodies to financial institutions and, if necessary, to adopt multiannual convergence programmes for assessment by the Council. Since the United Kingdom Government have no restrictions on capital movements, fund their borrowing each year by sales of debt to the private sector, have no privileged access to financial institutions, and regularly adopt a multiannual economic programme in the medium term financial strategy, this will not involve significant changes to current policies or monetary arrangements. But it may be necessary to make some technical changes to the methods of issuing Government debt instruments.

  Transport Infrastructure Investment
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his consultations with the chairman of the European investment bank regarding the balance between public and private sector investment expenditure on transport infrastructure.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 28 January 1993]: I have not had any such consultations.

  Queen (Tax)
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he plans to complete the arrangements for Her Majesty the Queen to pay tax by the start of the next financial year.

  Mr. Lamont
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: I refer the right hon. Member to the written answer from my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister today at column 47.

PRIME MINISTER

  Maastricht (Social Chapter)
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the amendments and additions to the social chapter of the treaty of Rome proposed by the social chapter of the treaty of Maastricht to which Her Majesty's Government do not assent.

  The Prime Minister
  The social chapter of the treaty of Rome will remain entirely unchanged after ratification of the treaty on European union. At Maastricht I made it clear to our Community partners that I was not prepared to accept treaty changes to the social chapter which would have increased industry's costs and jeopardised the jobs of British employees.

  On this basis the United Kingdom will continue to play a full part in sensible Community action on social affairs and to resist measures which would prove damaging to British industry.

  India
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations were made to him during his visit to India about the proposals of his Government to remove the right of appeal from visitors refused leave to visit the United Kingdom from India.

  The Prime Minister
  The Indian Prime Minister and I discussed our proposals and I was able to explain to him the reasons for our proposals.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will name the industrialists who accompanied him on his visit to India and the companies they represent.

  The Prime Minister
  The names are as follows:

  Sir Brian Shaw, ANZ Grindlays Bank plc.

  Mr. Roger Mabey, Bovis International Ltd.

  Mr. Richard Evans, British Aerospace plc.

  Mr. Norman Davis, British American Tobacco Co. Ltd.

  Mr. Robert Evans, British Gas plc.

  Mr. Norman Hawkins, Cadbury Schweppes plc.

  Mr. Patrick MacDougall, Chartered West LB Ltd.

  Mr. G. Douglas Gadd, GEC Alsthom Ltd.

  Mr. Richard Reynolds, GPT Ltd.

  44

  Mr. Brian Baldock, Guinness plc.

  Mr. Philip Daubeny, ICI plc.

  Mr. Andrew Cummins, Inchcape plc.

  Mr. Graham Hadley, National Power plc.

  Dr. Terry Harrison, Rolls Royce plc.

  Mr. Philip Hills, Samual Montagu and Co. Ltd.

  Mr. Peter Grant, Sun Life Assurance Society plc.

  Mr. Howard Davies, Confederation of British Industry

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he took to raise concerns expressed by British citizens at the destruction of the Babri mosque during his recent visit to India; and what was the response.

  The Prime Minister
  During my recent visit to India, I had a long discussion with the Indian Prime Minister about the situation in India following the destruction of the Babri mosque. I also restated our support for the principles of India's secular democracy, rule of law, tolerance and protection of minorities.

  Terrorist Attacks
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of co-operation between the British Army and the authorities of the Republic of Ireland in dealing with terrorist attacks launched from within the Republic of Ireland.

  The Prime Minister
  There is very effective co-operation between the security forces in Northern Ireland and those in the Republic of Ireland. Both Governments recognise the importance of keeping existing measures under review, and that further improvements can be made wherever practicable.

  European Year of Older People
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what benefits he expects to accrue to pensioners in the United Kingdom from the European Year of Older People launched on 25 January.

  The Prime Minister
  The Year will bring lasting benefits for older people in the United Kingdom, and I was particularly pleased to welcome the initiative during our presidency of the European Council. In collaboration with many organisations we are managing a substantial programme of initiatives, connected with the initiative, focusing on four main themes: combating ageism, volunteering, health promotion and active leisure, and social and environmental integration. The programme is designed to secure the involvement of older people themselves, professionals who work with them, and the general public. I hope that many people will play a part. The outcome will be improved understanding between the generations and an increasing recognition of the vital part older people have to play in our society.

  Cabinet Committees
  Mr. Trend
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish an updated list of ministerial standing and ad hoc committees of the Cabinet.

  The Prime Minister
  All the ministerial Cabinet Committees I listed in my response to my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Hayes) on 19 May 1992 at column 110 are still in existence. In addition one Standing Committee and one ad hoc group have been established,

  45
  and their membership and terms of reference are given below. Copies of the revised list, which includes minor revisions to the membership of existing Committees, are available in the Library of the House.

  MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC EXPENDITURE (EDX)
  Composition

  Chancellor of the Exchequer (chairman)

  Secretary of State for the Home Department

  President of the Board of Trade

  Lord Privy Seal

  Lord President of the Council

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Terms of' Reference
  "To consider the allocation of the public expenditure control totals and make recommendations to the Cabinet".

  MINISTERIAL GROUP ON REFUGEES FROM FORMER YUGOSLAVIA (GEN 24)
  Composition

  Secretary of State for the Home Department (chairman)

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  The Lord President of the Council

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  Secretary of State for Wales

  Secretary of State for Social Security

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  Secretary of State for Education

  Secretary of State for Health

  Secretary of State for Employment

  Chief Secretary, Treasury

  Attorney General

  Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Minister for Overseas Development)

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office

  The Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will also receive papers and be invited to attend as necessary.
  Terms of Reference
  "To consider whether a visa regime should be instituted for citizens of former Yugoslavia in the context of the Government's overall policy towards that region and to review the practical arrangements for the reception and subsequent support of those arriving in the United Kingdom from this area taking account of the implications for the treatment of refugees from other parts of the world, and to report to Cabinet."

  Queen (Tax)
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will report on the up to date position regarding the tax arrangements for the Queen.

  1981–82 and 1991–92 Police Fees and Charges Income expressed as a Percentage of Total Income—England and Wales

  Police Authority

  1981–82 Fees and Charges Income £

  1981–82 Fees and Charges as Percentage of Total Income

  1991–92 Fees and Charges Income £

  1991–92 Fees and Charges as Percentage of Total Income

  Avon and Somerset

  537,281

  15.0

  5,683,869

  42.9

  Bedfordshire

  149,697

  9.5

  1,611,714

  28.0

  Cambridgeshire

  174,520

  9.1

  2,775,513

  51.5

  Cheshire

  162,618

  6.0

  625,711

  5.3

  Cleveland

  277,216

  15.3

  393,431

  8.1

  Cumbria

  368,432

  24.4

  1,408,873

  33.0

  Derbyshire

  171,759

  7.7

  1,955,326

  26.7

  Devon and Cornwall

  636,094

  20.4

  1,450,048

  14.4

  Dorset

  124,315

  8.1

  324,383

  6.9

  Durham

  103,579

  2.2

  1,552,497

  23.5

  Essex

  224,736

  4.9

  586,790

  4.3

  Gloucestershire

  169,952

  15.5

  484,094

  13.0

  Hampshire

  338,137

  8.9

  754,269

  7.4

  46
  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: Discussions are continuing between the Treasury, the Inland Revenue and the royal household. I will make a statement shortly about the arrangements for the tax year commencing 6 April 1993.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Firearms
  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals for legislation to extend the range of offences which apply to the misuse of imitation firearms, following recommendations by the Firearms consultative committee.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The committee's recommendation to extend the range of offences which apply to the misuse of imitation firearms will be implemented at a suitable legislative opportunity.

  Hillsborough
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason the local major disaster plan was not implemented in respect of the Hillsborough disaster.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that the police initiated their major disaster plan at or shortly after 3.06 pm (paragraphs 96 and 252 of the Interim Report into the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster (Cm. 765)).

  Police (Rechargeable Services)
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each police force in England and Wales in 1981 and 1991 the total income received for rechargeable services and the percentage this represented for each force of their total income.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Separate information on income received by police forces in England and Wales for rechargeable services is not collected centrally. Income from fees and charges is shown in the table (of which income from rechargeable services is a main component) and as a percentage of total income other than central government grant and local authority finance.
  47

  Police Authority

  1981–82 Fees and Charges Income £

  1981–82 Fees and Charges as Percentage of Total Income

  1991–92 Fees and Charges Income £

  1991–92 Fees and Charges as Percentage of Total Income

  Hertfordshire

  223,766

  11.4

  596,465

  9.1

  Humberside

  307,190

  11.4

  559,751

  7.7

  Kent

  382,645

  9.1

  1,117,164

  9.6

  Lancashire

  382,157

  7.7

  7,116,995

  51.3

  Leicestershire

  172,695

  8.2

  539,558

  6.0

  Lincolnshire

  268,179

  14.4

  2,959,043

  42.7

  Norfolk

  202,442

  9.9

  1,777,168

  32.1

  Northamptonshire

  92,228

  5.3

  463,554

  9.2

  North Yorkshire

  243,591

  10.7

  623,292

  8.9

  Nottinghamshire

  224,248

  7.0

  1,924,424

  21.7

  Staffordshire

  465,030

  12.5

  1,610,044

  22.3

  Suffolk

  205,486

  13.9

  448,902

  8.9

  Surrey

  211,643

  7.9

  2,364,356

  38.1

  Sussex

  419,199

  5.4

  1,481,460

  6.3

  Thames Valley

  437,266

  8.2

  6,522,527

  38.4

  Warwickshire

  379,530

  33.9

  403,739

  9.3

  West Mercia

  301,488

  9.5

  3,668,148

  42.4

  Wiltshire

  214,823

  14.1

  444,907

  10.0

  Greater Manchester

  600,625

  6.1

  28,290,410

  63.1

  Merseyside

  947,739

  9.3

  4,543,909

  15.1

  Northumbria

  359,206

  8.0

  8,086,496

  49.0

  South Yorkshire

  1,125,144

  29.6

  4,981,306

  36.5

  West Midlands

  1,059,067

  9.1

  8,165,880

  30.8

  West Yorkshire

  450,409

  8.4

  2,858,562

  8.8

  City of London

  232,618

  14.5

  862,945

  21.0

  Metropolitan Police

  1,017,044

  1.0

  62,429,000

  28.3

  Dyfed-Powys

  125,720

  9.7

  2,134,599

  43.3

  Gwent

  54,499

  4.0

  200,696

  5.4

  North Wales

  245,460

  17.5

  305,716

  5.3

  South Wales

  244,974

  5.8

  5,574,920

  42.7

  Total

  15,034,447

  6.1

  182,662,454

  27.0

  Metropolitan Police
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number, title and date of publication of all reports issued by the National Audit Office on the Metropolitan police since 1987.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There have been two reports:"Home Office: Control and Management of the Metropolitan Police Estate", published 22 June 1989, HC 455 of 1988–89.
  "Reducing Crime in London: A study of the partnership and other methods used by five Metropolitan Divisions", published 25 February 1992, HC 270 of 1991–92.

  Fingerprinting
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is being taken by police forces in England and Wales to improve the effectiveness of their fingerprint departments.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The effectiveness of fingerprint departments is being improved by the development of quality assurance measures and performance indicators to ensure the best use of resources and staffing; by the enhancement of training brought about by the establishment of a national training school at Durham; and by the introduction of automated fingerprint recognition equipment in the majority of fingerprint bureaux.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the projected cost of the 48
  proposed national automatic fingerprinting recognition system when it is expected to be in service; how it will be financed; what advantages the proposed system has over the fingerprint file put into operation by a consortium involving police forces in England and Wales; and what consideration he gave to adopting the consortium fingerprint file as the national system.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The national automated fingerprint identification system is expected to have cost some £45 million by the time that it comes into service in 1996–97. It will be financed as a common police service. Because it is being designed specifically to meet national requirements and because it will incorporate more up-to-date technology, the NAFIS will offer advantages of cost, accuracy, and reliability over any system which is at present in use in the United Kingdom. Under the established rules of government procurement, a system of this size must be the subject of an open competition. It will be open to all suppliers, including those of the consortium system, to bid for the contract.

  Immigration
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the planned dates of meeting of the ad hoc immigration group and its sub-groups; and what will be the subject matter of its meetings.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Danish presidency has provisionally allocated a total of 38 days to meetings of the ad hoc working group on immigration and its sub-groups, as follows:
  49

  Nature of meeting

  Date of meeting

  Asylum sub-group

  15 January 1993

  Ad hoc immigration group

  19 to 20 January 1993

  Asylum sub-group

  26 to 27 January 1993

  Admission/expulsions sub-group

  29 January 1993

  Admission/expulsions sub-group

  3 February 1993

  External frontiers sub-group

  5 February 1993

  Asylum sub-group

  10 February 1993

  Sub-group meeting to be confirmed

  18 February 1993

  Asylum sub-group

  4 to 5 March 1993

  Visa sub-group

  8 March 1993

  Admission/expulsions sub-group (am)

  11 to 12 March 1993

  Forged documents sub-group (pm)

  12 March 1993

  Admission/expulsions sub-group

  22 March 1993

  Asylum sub-group

  24 March 1993

  External frontiers sub-group

  29 March 1993

  Visa sub-group

  30 March 1993

  Sub-group meeting to be confirmed

  31 March 1993

  Ad hoc immigration group

  1 to 2 April 1993

  Admission/expulsions sub-group

  6 April 1993

  External frontiers sub-group

  7 April 1993

  Asylum sub-group

  21 April 1993

  Admission/expulsions sub-group

  23 April 1993

  Sub-group meeting to be confirmed

  28 April 1993

  Asylum sub-group

  30 April 1993

  Admission/expulsions sub-group

  4 May 1993

  Ad hoc immigration group

  13 to 14 May 1993

  Asylum sub-group

  24 May 1993

  Sub-group meeting(s) to be confirmed

  25 to 26 May 1993

  Sub-group meeting to be confirmed

  10 June 1993

  Visa sub-group

  14 June 1993

  Forged documents sub-group

  16 June 1993

  Asylum sub-group

  18 June 1993

  It will be for the Danish presidency to determine the precise agenda for each of these meetings as they arise. In general terms, however, the presidency has indicated that the groups will continue work currently in hand under the immigration and asylum work programme agreed by Ministers at the end of the Dutch presidency in December 1991, including discussions on admission for the purpose of family reunification, admission for the purpose of employment and self-employment, harmonisation of asylum procedures and measures to combat illegal immigration. The presidency has also indicated that the asylum and external frontiers sub-groups will continue work on the preparatory measures required for implementation of the Dublin asylum convention and the draft convention on external frontiers.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the British representatives who will participate in the ad hoc group on immigration and the sub-groups which will operate during the period of the Danish presidency of the European Community.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The United Kingdom delegation to meetings of the ad hoc working group on immigration will be led by Mr. A. R. Rawsthorne, an Assistant Under-Secretary of State in the immigration and nationality department of the Home Office.

  The United Kingdom delegation to meetings of sub-groups will be headed by other senior officers of the immigration and nationality department, as follows:

  Sub-group

  Heads of United Kingdom delegation

  Admissions-expulsion

  Mr. N. R. Varney-Mr. C. B. Manchip

  Asylum

  Mr. J. Casey

  External frontiers

  Mr. N. R. Varney

  Forged documents

  Mr. C. B. Manchip

  50

  Sub-group

  Heads of United Kingdom delegation

  Visa

  Mr. R. G. Yates

  Yugoslavia (special sub-group)

  Mr. A. Cunningham

  Heads of delegation will be assisted by other officers of the immigration and nationality department, and of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other Government Departments, as the business requires.

  Women Police Officers
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that women police officers should have the best available equipment to defend themselves from assault in the execution of their duty; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Decisions about the purchase and issue of equipment are matters for chief officers. My right hon. and learned Friend would expect all officers to be provided with the best protective equipment available which is appropriate to the situation.

  Prisoners (Training)
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have received national vocational qualifications from their vocational training in prison.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In the nine months up to December 1992, more than 1,000 prisoners had been registered with national vocational qualification (NVQ) awarding bodies, 276 had gained full NVQs and over 3,400 units towards full NVQs had been accredited. Prisoners do, of course, gain NVQs through work and other regime activities as well as through vocational training.

  WPC Kirsty Snellgrove
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Essex concerning the assault on 25 January on WPC Kirsty Snellgrove.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No. The investigation of criminal offences is an operational matter for the chief constable.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what figures he has on the level of juvenile re-offending after cautions or non-custodial sentences have been passed on such offenders, in the latest convenient period.

  Mr. Jack
  Information on this is available firstly from a sample study of juveniles during 1985 and is given in the table. The figures are subject to sampling error. More information on this study is given in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin (HOSB) "Criminal histories of those cautionéd in 1985 and 1988".

  Secondly, information is also available from sample studies of cohorts born in certain years. Of those born in 1953, 1958 or 1963 who were convicted of an offence before they were 16 and given a non-custodial sentence at their first conviction, 35 per cent. were reconvicted of

  51
  another offence within two years. More information is available in HOSB 7/85 "Criminal careers of those born in 1953, 1958 and 1963", and results from both studies are regularly updated. Copies of statistical bulletins are available in the Library of the House.

  Number of juveniles cautioned in 1985 and proportion convicted within two years

  Percentage convicted

  Number cautioned1

  Under 14

  11

  834

  Age 14–16

  16

  1,327

  Under 17

  14

  2,161

  1 = 100 per cent.

  Boundary Commission
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Boundary Commission is expected to commence its inquiries for a review of the European parliamentary constituencies in Essex and to make recommendations.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Under the provisions of the European Parliamentary Elections Act 1978, the boundary commission for England is required to begin its revision of all European parliamentary constituencies in England, including those in Essex, when its current general reviews of constituencies for our Parliament has been completed, and an Order in Council has been made implementing the recommendations.

  The target for completing that review has been set by the Boundary Commissions Act 1992 as 31 December 1994.

  We shall, however, need to make some special arrangements, in time for the June 1994 European parliamentary elections, to give effect to the decision of the European Council to increase the number of seats for the United Kingdom by six. The Government are developing proposals on how best that might be done.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many remand prisoners were held in police stations in Greater Manchester on 22 January; what were the comparable numbers over the last two years; how many are being held in police cells in adjacent police forces; what progress is being made to phase out Operation Container; and when he now expects it to end.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 22 January, 202 prisoners were held in police stations in Greater Manchester. Figures for prisoners held by Greater Manchester police since April 1990 are given in the table, together with the national figures.

  Date

  Number of prisoners held by Greater Manchester police

  All forces

  1 April 1990

  0

  0

  1 August 1990

  329

  790

  12 December 1990

  283

  814

  1 April 1991

  245

  835

  1 August 1991

  169

  1,150

  1 December 1991

  217

  1,677

  1 April 1992

  271

  1,825

  1 August 1992

  244

  1,065

  1 December 1992

  210

  367

  52
  On 22 January, Merseyside police held 28 prisoners and Lancashire police held six prisoners.

  The number of prisoners held nationally on 29 January (the latest date for which figures are available) was 166, of which 161 were held by the Greater Manchester police and five by the Merseyside police. This represents a dramatic improvement in the national police cells position, although the burden on the Greater Manchester police continues. The reduction of the number in police cells to the current level has involved transferring large numbers of sentenced prisoners from the area to establishments elsewhere in the north and Midlands. The next step will involve substantial movement of prisoners awaiting trial although the prison service recognises that this would affect other criminal justice agencies. It is therefore not yet possible to say exactly when Operation Container will be closed, but the prison service hopes to reach that position in the near future.

  United States Citizens
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his practice that his Department should not provide any information it holds on a citizen of the United States of America standing for elected office without the Home Secretary's personal approval.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I do not propose to vary the policy explained in my answer of 14 January to the hon. Member for Rochdale (Ms. Lynne),Official Report, columns 793–94.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what efforts were made by his Department during the inquiry into Shamrock (GB) Ltd. to contact the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The inquiry into Shamrock (GB) Ltd. was undertaken following the "World in Action" programme shown last June, and in the light of two reports and other video material sent to the Home Office by the BUAV in July. The Home Office took the view that the BUAV would not have withheld any relevant information, and did not feel that anything would be gained by discussing the material further with the BUAV.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about possible irregularities in study 161/212 on primates at Hazleton UK; and what action he has taken.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 15 December at column 100.

  The case involving monkeys was one of a number of specific research projects using primates, the purpose or the methodology of which were queried by the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection in the context of its allegations about Shamrock (GB) Ltd. and Hazleton UK. The Home Office animals (scientific procedures) inspectorate has now examined the points made by the BUAV, and its observations will shortly be considered by the animal procedures committee.

  Public Alert System
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the need for a public alert system to warn the public of emergencies and disasters; and what system is to be installed following the dismantlement of the siren system.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Future national arrangements for warning the public will be based on the use of television and radio broadcasts. Local arrangements are the responsibility of the authorities in the areas concerned. Home Office officials are holding discussions with local authorities in whose areas the siren system formed part of local warning arrangements.

  Prison Service Agency
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the responsibilities of the planned prison service agency will be in relation to private sector involvement in the management of prisons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have decided that when the prison service becomes an executive agency on 1 April it should assume full responsibility for taking forward Government policy on the involvement of the private sector in the management of prisons. The framework document and corporate and business plans for the agency will reflect this position.

  The objective of the agency will be to raise standards and secure better value for money throughout the prison system. I envisage an increased role for the private sector in the management of prisons in order to provide an effective source of competition, new ideas and comparison for the management of the public sector prison service. The agency will make recommendations to me later this year on the extent, form and timetable for private sector involvement. In the interim, further existing establishments will be identified for market testing.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Doncaster (Development Area Status)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if it remains his policy that the Doncaster travel-to-work area will be upgraded to development area status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Yes.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement concerning coal exports arising from his recently launched initiative encouraging more British companies to export to Europe.

  Mr. Eggar
  The reports of the independent consultants John T Boyd and Caminus Energy, published on 22 January, comment on the potential for coal exports. The Government will be considering that issue as part of the coal review. The Business in Europe programme recently announced by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade offers a range of help to businesses which have the capability of exporting to Europe.
  54
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received concerning the future of the coal industry social welfare organisation indoor and outdoor schemes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government have received a number of representations concerning the future of coal industry social welfare arrangements, including such schemes.

  We are giving careful consideration to the important and sensitive issues involved.

  Offshore Licensing
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what account was taken of(a) the Her Majesty's inspector of pollution licensing procedure laid down in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and (b) the EC directive on the public availability of environmental information by his Department when deciding to maintain the confidentiality of licensing applications for oil and gas exploration in (a) the Bristol channel and (b) Cardigan bay.

  Mr. Eggar
  (a) The licensing procedure laid down in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 does not relate to the award of oil and gas licences.

  (b) Applications for exploration and production licences are made under The Petroleum (Production) (Seaward Areas) Regulations 1988 and contain commercially confidential information, a ground for refusing disclosure under Article 3 of the directive.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to require environmental impact assessments for all offshore licensing block applications in the 14th round which are within 25 miles of offshore islands within United Kingdom waters.

  Mr. Eggar
  The consultation procedure which preceded the announcement of blocks available for licensing in the 14th Round enabled environmental bodies to identify all blocks which require environmental assessment at the exploration stage, including any within 25 miles of offshore islands within United Kingdom waters. Companies proposing to operate in such blocks would need to provide an environmental impact statement for assessment before approval could be given to develop any oil or gas discovery.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for the conduct of environmental impact assessments for allocated blocks for offshore licensing within the 14th round; and what opportunity experts on coastal and offshore environmental matters and the general public will have to scrutinise such assessments prior to the granting of licences.

  Mr. Eggar
  Companies are subject to the environmental impact assessment procedure before approval can be given to develop any offshore oil or gas discovery, where this is required in the special conditions attached to their licence.

  Companies awarded licences in the 14th round will be required to liaise with the environmental and fisheries bodies consulted prior to the block's release for licensing, and with certain other local and national organisations where appropriate, as well as with the Department of

  55
  Trade and Industry, with regard to the nature and conduct of any environmental assessment required under the special conditions attached to individual blocks. Such assessments may be required before seismic surveying or before exploration drilling, depending on the sensitivities of the block identified during the consultation process.

  Such conditions are, however, attached to licences when they are granted. The completed assessment will be circulated to the liaison bodies and may be revised in the light of their comments. It would then be used to inform the licensee's activities in the block on matters such as seasonal restrictions on exploration, choice of drilling location, mud formulation to be used, etc.

  At present there is no requirement for wider publication of this information, although some existing licensees have made such material more widely available. under the Access to Environmental Information Act 1992, the general public will be able to seek access to such information where is has been required under legislation.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what considerations underlay the decision to limit the requirement for environmental impact assessment under the 14th round of offshore licensing block allocations to blocks within 25 miles of the coast and blocks within designated environmentally sensitive areas.

  Mr. Eggar
  During the consultation procedure carried out before any blocks were released for licensing in the 14th offshore round, the views of a number of relevant bodies were sought with regard to environmental conditions to be attached to all the areas nominated by the industry as being of interest. Those consulted included the Department of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and their regional equivalents, together with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and a number of other non-statutory bodies representing, for example, fisheries interests.

  The views of these organisations were the basis of the list of indicative conditions for the 14th round blocks circulated to the industry, a copy of which has recently been placed in the Library of the House. In sensitive areas, these require the licensee to liaise with the advisory bodies; in the most sensitive areas, those bodies may require the licensee to carry out an environmental assessment before exploration commences.

  Since the llth round, areas within 25 miles of the coast have been recognised as those where fisheries, wildlife and tourism interests are likely to be most intensive and hence in greatest need of protection through such special conditions. The consultation procedure which precedes the announcement of any licensing round enables the bodies listed to draw attention to any areas outside this zone which may require similar conditions to be attached, as well as to any areas within the zone which are particularly vulnerable.

  Post Office
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to publish the results of the review of the Post Office initiated in June 1992.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Post Office review was announced on 29 July 1992. The review is not yet completed. A statement will be made to the House in due course.

  Biofuels
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action is currently undertaken by his Department to promote the use and production of biofuels.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: The Department of Trade and Industry stimulates the development and use of renewable sources of energy, including biofuels, wherever they have the prospects of being economically attractive and environmentally acceptable. Our programme includes work on dry agricultural wastes such as straw—a precursor for energy crops such as short rotation arable coppice and miscanthus. Recent reports on this work include "The Development of Compacted Straw Fuel, ETSU B 1189"; "Short Rotation Arable Energy Forestry, Technology Summary 048"; and "The Potential of Miscanthus as a Fuel Crop, ETSU B 1354". These reports have been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses and are available from the renewable energy inquiries bureau at the energy technology support unit, telephone (0235) 432450.

  Electricity
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of the distribution of subsidies to the electricity supply industry within the United Kingdom under the 20 per cent. EC guidelines.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: It is for the European Commission to interpret its guidelines, which are not part of Community law, as it sees fit from time to time. All state aid to the energy sector has been notified to the Commission.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Listed Buildings
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) what was the planned expenditure in each financial year from 1992–93 onwards by English Heritage regarding listed buildings in Greater London to the present date;

  (2) what was (a) the amount allocated to English Heritage or its predecessor bodies regarding listed buildings in Greater London and (b) the amount spent, for each financial year from 1986–87.

  Mr. Brooke
  English Heritage's London region has been responsible for a varying range of duties, including archaeology and conservation areas, in addition to listed building work, since April 1986. The figures for each year are not directly comparable as the region's activities and responsibilities have developed and altered over recent years. The following total amounts were allocated by English Heritage to the work of London region, in the financial years 1986–87 to 1992–93:

  Amount allocated (£ million)

  Amount spent (£ million)

  1986–87

  5.9

  4.3

  1987–88

  5.9

  6.2

  1988–89

  6.5

  6.4

  1989–90

  6.9

  6.4

  1990–91

  6.7

  6.8

  57

  Amount allocated (£ million)

  Amount spent (£ million)

  1991–92

  5.8

  5.7

  1992–93

  5.5

  1

  1 Not yet available.

EMPLOYMENT

  Genetically Modified Material
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many premises were licensed for the use and processing of genetically modified material in 1990, 1991 and 1992; how many on-site inspections were carried out in each of those years; how many premises were discovered using such material without a licence in each of those years; and what action was taken.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  There are no legal requirements for a licence to use premises for genetic modification work but under the Genetic Manipulation Regulations 1989, persons are required to notify the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of an intention to do so.

  The information required is as follows:

  Year

  Active centres

  HSE inspections

  Centres failing to notify

  Notices issued

  1990

  351

  100

  2

  15

  1991

  400

  70

  1

  22

  1992

  445

  121

  2

  21

  1 Improvement.

  2 Prohibition.

  All the notices were served on the centres which had failed to notify. In 1992, work was stopped at both sites which had not notified. A prohibition notice was issued at one; the second complied with the requirements before enforcement action was completed.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations she has received regarding the level of funding for TECs; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have received representations from a number of sources about the levels of funding for TECs. I am satisfied that TECs will have sufficient resources to carry out the objectives agreed in their business plan.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the bonus points awarded to each TEC.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The following table lists the TECs successful in gaining awards in performance-related funding during 1991–92 and gives the number of bonus points earned by each TEC.

  TEC name

  Bonus points

  Barnsley/Doncaster

  2.5

  Bolton/Bury

  2.0

  Bradford

  1.0

  58

  TEC name

  Bonus points

  Calderdale/Kirklees

  4.0

  CAMBSTEC

  1.0

  Central London

  0.5

  Devon and Cornwall

  1.0

  Dorset

  3.0

  ELTEC

  2.0

  Gloucestershire

  1.0

  HAWTEC

  2.0

  Isle of Wight

  0.5

  Leeds

  1.0

  Lincolnshire

  3.0

  Milton Keynes

  1.0

  Northumberland

  4.0

  North Yorkshire

  2.0

  North West London

  0.5

  Rochdale

  2.0

  Rotherham

  1.0

  Sheffield

  1.0

  Shropshire

  1.0

  South and East Cheshire

  2.0

  Stockport/High Peak

  4.0

  Sussex

  0.5

  Teesside

  2.0

  Thames Valley

  1.5

  Tyneside

  1.0

  Wakefield

  1.0

  West London

  1.0

  Wolverhampton

  0.5

  Job Creation, Birmingham
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many new jobs have been created in the Birmingham area in the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Estimates for local areas are available only from the biennial census of employment. The latest results relate to 1989; estimates for 1991 will be published in April. Over the two years to September 1989 there was a net increase of 30,400 employees in employment in the Birmingham travel-to-work area.

  Business Education Partnership
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the national increase or decrease in the budget for the education business partnership for 1993–94 compared with 1992–93.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The national budget for education business partnerships for 1993–94 is £2 million, compared with £2.4 million in 1992–93.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the increase or decrease in real terms of the average unit price for youth training in 1993–94 relative to 1992–93.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am not able to provide a comparison of the average unit prices for YT in 1993–94 and in 1992–93 as the 1993–94 price subject of negotiation between the Department and training and enterprise councils. It is estimated that the average unit price for YT in 1992–93 will turn out to be £2,630.

  Trade Unions
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment she has made of the extra work required by employers as a result of clause 11 of the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Clause 11 of the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill gives individuals a greater right to belong to the union of their choice. There is no reason why this measure should entail any extra work for employers.

  Training for Work
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the increase or decrease in the national budget for training for work between 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department is unable to provide a direct comparison of planned expenditure on training for work in 1993–94 and 1992–93 as training for work does not begin until 1 April 1993. Details of planned expenditure in 1993–94 will be published in the 1993 departmental report.

  In 1992–93 the equivalent training and work experience programmes for adults are employment training and employment action. In 1992–93 planned expenditure for Great Britain on employment training is £807 million and on employment action is £178 million.

  Construction Sites (Injuries)
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in how many cases of fatal injury on construction sites in the north-west the victim's identity was unknown for (i) employees, (ii) self-employed and (iii) members of the public in each of the last five years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Health and Safety Executive has no knowledge of any cases of fatal injuries on construction sites in the north-west during the last five years where the victim's identity was unknown.

  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) successful and (b) unsuccessful criminal prosecutions took place in each of the last five years as a result of investigations into deaths and major injuries on construction sites in the north-west; and what information he has on how many police investigations were undertaken into deaths and major injuries on such sites in the north-west in each of the last five years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information on the number of successful and unsuccessful prosecutions taken by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following investigations into fatal and major injuries on construction sites is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  HSE does not formally record information on the number of investigations carried out by the police.

  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average(a) fine and/or (b) prison sentence for successful prosecutions following (i) deaths and (ii) major injuries on construction sites in the north west in each of the last five years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  60
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases of (i) hypothermia, (ii) frostbite and (iii) immersion foot were reported on construction sites in the north-west in each of the last five years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is not available.

  Hazardous Substances
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many investigations have been undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive in the north-west under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988 in each year since their introduction.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is not available. Health and Safety Executive field staff monitor compliance with COSHH at premises for which HSE has enforcement responsibility during the course of visits made for a variety of purposes including, for example, preventive inspections and the investigation of complaints, accidents and dangerous occurrences.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of young people in the London East TEC area seeking a youth training place have received a firm offer.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information on the total number of young people seeking a YT place who have not had a firm offer is not available.

  London East TEC, in common with all TECs, has been asked to use its best endeavours to ensure that it is bringing all its available resources to bear on providing places for young people who are covered by the YT guarantee.

  Wages Inspectors
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff of the wages inspectorate operate in Wales; and how many are office-based in Wales.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There are four wages inspectors operating in Wales. Since 1987 wages inspection in Wales has been administered from offices based in Manchester and Bristol.

  Wages
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many firms in Wales have been found to be paying below minimum rates set by wages councils in each of the last 10 years; what is the amount of money calculated to be owed to employees in each of these years; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The latest available information is provided in the following table.

  Wales—Wages Inspection

  Year

  Number of establishments underpaying

  Amount of arrears assessed £

  1982

  821

  225,486

  1983

  722

  209,493

  1984

  534

  164,156

  61

  Year

  Number of establishments underpaying

  Amount of arrears assessed £

  1985

  609

  198,466

  1986

  500

  210,118

  1987

  309

  101,247

  1988

  446

  100,294

  1989

  374

  112,467

  1990

  506

  150,424

  1991

  619

  271,135

  European Agency for Health and Safety at Work
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration has been given to Merseyside as a suitable location for the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government's view is that the case for such an agency has yet to be clearly demonstrated. A number of possible United Kingdom locations were considered in 1990 in connection with a possible United Kingdom bid to host an agency; Liverpool was amongst these.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will provide the latest figures for numbers of full-time employees on adult rates in(a) Greater Manchester, (b) Merseyside, (c) Cheshire, (d) Lancashire and (e) the north-west region whose weekly earnings excluding overtime were less than £200 and less than £190 under the headings: manual males, non-manual males and all full-time males; manual females, non-manual females, and all full-time females, giving total numbers of employees in the sample in each case; and what is the number of part-time employees on adult rates in (i) Greater Manchester, (ii) Merseyside, (iii) Cheshire, (iv) Lancashire and (v) the north-west region whose hourly earnings excluding overtime were less than £5.40 and less than £4.80 under the following headings: manual females, non-manual females and all part-time females; manual males, non-manual males and all part-time males, giving total number of employees in the sample in each case.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information available from the "New Earnings Survey" is provided in the following tables. No relevant information is available on part-time men.

  Full-time employees on adult rates of pay whose pay was not affected by absence for the survey pay period

  Percentage with average gross weekly earnings (excluding overtime) below the following amounts: April 1992

  £190

  £200

  Sample number

  Per cent.

  Sample number

  Per cent.

  Manual men

  Greater Manchester

  592

  35.2

  713

  42.4

  Merseyside

  246

  32.8

  291

  38.7

  Cheshire

  229

  32.4

  268

  37.9

  Lancashire

  377

  40.5

  449

  48.2

  North West

  1,444

  35.5

  1,721

  42.3

  Non-manual men

  Greater Manchester

  274

  14.9

  317

  17.2

  62

  £190

  £200

  Sample number

  Per cent.

  Sample number

  Per cent.

  Merseyside

  122

  15.2

  156

  19.4

  Cheshire

  73

  9.8

  87

  11.7

  Lancashire

  147

  16.3

  177

  19.6

  North West

  616

  14.4

  737

  17.2

  All men

  Greater Manchester

  866

  24.6

  1,030

  29.3

  Merseyside

  368

  23.7

  447

  28.7

  Cheshire

  302

  20.8

  355

  24.5

  Lancashire

  524

  28.6

  626

  34.2

  North West

  2,060

  24.7

  2,458

  29.4

  Manual Women

  Greater Manchester

  315

  81.0

  333

  85.6

  Merseyside

  107

  72.8

  119

  81.0

  Cheshire

  108

  78.3

  114

  82.6

  Lancashire

  172

  80.8

  184

  86.4

  North West

  702

  79.1

  750

  84.6

  Non-manual women

  Greater Manchester

  677

  41.1

  789

  47.8

  Merseyside

  344

  42.8

  396

  49.3

  Cheshire

  247

  40.6

  282

  46.4

  Lancashire

  306

  41.4

  363

  49.1

  North West

  1,574

  41.4

  1,830

  48.2

  All women

  Greater Manchester

  992

  48.7

  1,122

  55.1

  Merseyside

  451

  47.5

  515

  54.2

  Cheshire

  355

  47.6

  396

  53.1

  Lancashire

  478

  50.2

  547

  57.4

  North West

  2,276

  48.6

  2,580

  55.0

  Part time women on adult rates of pay whose pay was not affected by absence for the survey pay period

  Percentage with average gross hourly earnings (excluding overtime) below the following amounts: April 1992

  £4.80

  £5.40

  Sample number

  Per cent.

  Sample number

  Per cent.

  Manual

  Greater Manchester

  323

  91.0

  341

  96.1

  Merseyside

  197

  78.5

  220

  87.6

  Cheshire

  126

  91.3

  130

  94.2

  Lancashire

  207

  87.7

  220

  93.2

  North West

  853

  87.0

  911

  93.0

  Non-manual

  Greater Manchester

  379

  63.7

  423

  71.1

  Merseyside

  202

  59.2

  227

  66.6

  Cheshire

  154

  63.6

  179

  74.0

  Lancashire

  227

  64.1

  264

  74.6

  North West

  962

  62.8

  1,093

  71.3

  All

  Greater Manchester

  702

  73.9

  764

  80.4

  Merseyside

  399

  67.4

  447

  75.5

  Cheshire

  280

  73.7

  309

  81.3

  Lancashire

  434

  73.6

  484

  82.0

  North West

  1,815

  72.3

  2,004

  79.8

  Source: 1992 New Earnings Survey

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  No-smoking Policy
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he will introduce a non-smoking policy for all office accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Martin
  The Administration Committee's responsibility in respect of no-smoking areas covers only offices occupied by Members and their staff and certain communal areas. I shall nevertheless arrange for the Committee to consider this matter.

HEALTH

  GP Fund Holders
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce capitation funding for general practitioner fund holders.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  A capitation element has been included in the guidance for setting fund holders' budgets for 1993–94. Work is continuing on refining the methodology used.

  Dentistry
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest figures for the deregistration of adults on NHS dental practice lists from the beginning of the current financial year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Between 1 April and 30 November 1992, 4,066,101 adult patients were removed from national health service dental lists. In the same period 5,987,906 adult patients were added. This represents a net-overall increase of 1,921,805.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice her Department has given to NHS trusts concerning the practice of contracting out medicinal and laboratory services to private companies in which trust employees have a direct pecuniary interest.

  Mr. Sackville
  Revised guidance on standards of business conduct for national health service management and staff was issued on 20 January in circular HSG(93)5, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Royal Marsden Hospital
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations she has had concerning the Royal Marsden hospital; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) how many petition signatures she has received to date concerning the future of the Royal Marsden hospital; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  As at 27 January we had received 390 letters from hon. Members and members of the public and a petition containing approximately 420,000 signatures.

  Orthodontic Treatment
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average length of waiting time for patients seeking orthodontic treatment in Newham.

  Mr. Sackville
  Waiting time information by specialty for district health authorities and national health service trusts is published in "Hospital Waiting Lists, In-Patients and Day Cases", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Tobacco
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list in order for the United Kingdom, and for each country that has banned tobacco advertising which has been studied by the Department's chief economist, the estimated influence of a ban, restrictions on advertising short of a ban, health warnings, price, and parental example to children; and what estimates were made of the effect of each factor in each country.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  It is not possible to provide estimates for the influence of all the factors. Available information is as follows:—in England, children whose parents both smoke are two and a half times more likely to smoke than children whose parents do not smoke;
  —estimates for the reduction in tobacco consumption associated with a 10 per cent. increase in price range between 2 per cent. and 6 per cent. for the United Kingdom and the countries studied;
  —estimates for the proportional reduction in tobacco consumption associated with an advertising ban range between 4 per cent. and 9 per cent. in the countries studied. It is unclear whether these figures would be replicated in the United Kingdom, given the fall in smoking in the United Kingdom from 45 per cent. of the population in 1974 to 30 per cent. in 1990 and the existing controls on tobacco advertising through the voluntary agreement on tobacco advertising and promotion.

  European Year of Older People
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial contribution Her Majesty's Government are making to the European Year of Older People in 1993.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department of Health is funding the operation of a secretariat for the year (based at the headquarters of Age Concern England). The total costs for the period to 31 March 1994 are estimated at £291,000, to which the Department of Social Security is contributing £40,000. The Department of Health is also providing an officer on secondment to the secretariat at an annual cost of £18,000. The Department has set up an advisory group for the year, the costs of which currently stand at approximately £3,000, with a further £5,000 anticipated during the next financial year.

  It is estimated that the costs of publicity for the year provided through the Department of Health information division will be approximately £135,000.

  Grants for specific initiatives forming part of the programme for the year are being considered by a number of Government Departments. It is not possible at this stage to estimate the level of expenditure. The Department of Health has two part-time officers working exclusively in connection with the year at an aggregate annual cost of

  65
  £18,500. A substantial further, unquantifiable, level of staff input is being provided by other Government Departments.

  The Secretary of State for Health launched the United Kingdom programme for the year on 17 December 1992 in the presence of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales at the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre. The Department of Health contributed approximately £14,000 to this event. Individual launch events were also held in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where additional programmes specific to these parts of the United Kingdom have been developed. The costs of these are being met principally by the Scottish and Welsh Offices and by the Department of Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland. Together with publicity materials for the year and other core support, this additional expenditure is expected to be in the region of £150,000 in total, with further unquantifiable costs.

  The budget of the European Commission for the year is 7.5 mecu (approximately £5.9 million) to which the United Kingdom's contribution is approximately 17 per cent. before abatement.

  Health Authorities and Trusts
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring her Department carries out of the requirement for health authorities and trusts to conduct their business in as open a manner as possible; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The national health service management executive monitors regional health authorities and NHS trusts on all aspects of their performance. Regional health authorities monitor the performance of district health authorities, including the way they conduct their business.

  Mr. Peter Sutcliffe
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement as to how Peter Sutcliffe, a prisoner held in Broadmoor security hospital, was able to smuggle a letter out of that establishment and make unsupervised telephone calls; and what arrangements will be made at the hospital to prevent such occurrences.

  Mr. Yeo
  Arrangements for patients' mail and telephone calls in the special hospitals are the responsibility for the special hospitals service authority.

  The circumstances in which mail may be opened and inspected, or withheld from patients, are defined in section 134 of the Mental Health Act 1983.

  Broadmoor hospital policy is that patients may make telephone calls if they have the consent of their clinical team and the intended recipient of the call. All calls are subject to monitoring by the hospital staff.

  The authority informs me that they are not aware of any departure from these policies in Mr. Sutcliffe's case.

  Nurses, Merseyside
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the North Mersey community national health service trust on the effect of the reduction in numbers of grades C and H nurses in the current reorganisation of district nursing on Merseyside.
  66
  Mr. Sackville
  None. The management of nursing services at the North Mersey Community national health service trust is a matter for the trust board. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman, Mr. R. James, for details.

  Smoking
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many staff, as full time equivalents, and at what grade were employed in each district health authority within the Mersey region dedicated to smoking cessation work with the general public in each of the last five years for which figures are available;

  (2) how many clinic sessions were offered and in which discipline in each district health authority within the Mersey region dedicated to smoking cessation work with the general public in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not collected centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Professor A. M. Breckenridge, chairman of Mersey regional health authority, for details.

  Breast Screening
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the preliminary results of the breast screening programme; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  We intend to publish a report on the English and Welsh breast screening programme in March 1993 giving data for 1991–92. This report will be published in conjunction with the Scottish report and will cover the three key areas of the programme: acceptability of screening invitation; quality assurance and monitoring and evaluation.

  Home Helps and Home Carers (Hampshire)
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what were the total number of home helps' and home carers' hours provided in Hampshire in each year since 1987; and, in each year, what was the average number of hours(a) per user and (b) per pensioner in the county;

  (2) what was the charge per hour for home helps/home carers in Hampshire in each year since 1987, expressed in (a) actual prices and (b) 1987 prices.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department does not collect data in the form requested. Information on hours of service received by clients, numbers of clients, and maximum, minimum and flat rate hourly charges made by individual local authorities for home help/home care services is available in "Personal Social Services Statistics—Actuals" published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). Copies of this publication covering the years up to 1990–91 are available in the Library.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funds are available and in which financial years to allow local authorities to build more secure places to ensure that persons aged 15 or 16 years are not remanded to prison.
  67
  Mr. Yeo
  The capital allocation for 1992–93 and 1993–94 to fund additional secure places for juvenile remands is £680,000 and £3,248,000 respectively. Funding for succeeding years has not yet been confirmed.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated need for more places in secure units for juveniles in each county in the east midands.

  Mr. Yeo
  It is estimated that an additional five to eight secure places will be required by authorities in the East Midlands as a whole for the purposes of implementing the Criminal Justice Act. Because of the small numbers involved it is not practicable to break this estimate down between counties.

  The ability of the existing secure facilities in the East Midlands to cater for existing demands, and the implications of plans to develop secure units in adjoining regions, are also being taken into account in developing a capital programme for the region.

  General Practitioner Surgeries
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her Department's or health authorities' roles and responsibilities in respect of each stage followed in building a new general practitioner surgery, including how the financing is arranged throughout.

  Mr. Sackville
  Under their terms of service general practitioners are required to provide proper and sufficient accommodation at their practice premises for the provision of general medical services. Under the cost rent and improvement grant schemes they can apply for financial assistance in purchasing premises or improving existing premises. The details of these schemes, and the procedures to be followed, are set out in the statement of fees and allowances payable to general practitioners.

  Family health service authorities have delegated responsibility for managing these schemes within the resources allocated to them in line with local service priorities. Over £126 million were spent on such schemes in 1991–92, an increase, in real terms of some 72 per cent. over 1989–90.

  Limited List Prescribing
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has so far been made in extending the membership of the relevant advisory committees in the context of the recent announcement of the extension of the limited list prescribing system to include 10 new categories of pharmaceutical products.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We have received suggestions from relevant organisations and will announce the names of new members shortly.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement giving details of the different options for reducing the medicines bill to the national health service which she considered prior to the announcement of the extension of the limited list prescribing system and, in the case of each of those options, why it was rejected.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The selected list scheme has been in operation since 1986 and has limited the rate of growth in 68
  the drugs bill without jeopardising patient care. Extending its scope to additional therapeutic categories was therefore an obvious step to take, so that this effect could continue. We are also re-negotiating the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme. We are in discussion with the pharmaceutical industry about other possible ways of controlling the drugs bill, and any proposals which emerge from those discussions will be carefully considered.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health is she will undertake a review of the working of the various national health service trusts to gauge how far(a) money if following patients about the country, (b) trusts are being monitored by regional health authorities, (c) what influence such authorities are exerting on trusts and (d) what further regulations she expects to bring in on trusts' responsibilities; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The increased number of patients treated in 1991–92 (7.2 per cent. in all hospital/units, 8.2 per cent. in national health service trusts) and the successful elimination of two-year waits in all regions is clear evidence that the NHS reforms are working and that NHS trusts are leading the way in improving efficiency and patient care. Regional health authorities are responsible for overseeing health care in their regions, and can exert influence over trusts through district health authorities and their purchasing contracts. There is no reason to expand the existing regulatory framework for trusts.

  Regional Health Authorities
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to revamp the regional health authority tier in order to bring in new people and new thinking into regional strategic health care; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  As our reforms continue to be implemented, we will consider whether any changes should be made in relation to the functions of regional health authorities. We will announce any proposed changes when our considerations are complete.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the hospitals for which current plans for closure have been referred to her Department, including the proposed dates for closure.

  Mr. Sackville
  The following contested proposals to close facilities have been referred to, and are being considered by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State:

  Clapham hospital

  Leavesden and Harperbury hospital

  Dates for closure or other changes can be announced only once final decisions have been taken.

  Public Subscriptions
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will issue guidelines(a) for health trusts and health authorities when working with appeals raising money for new equipment and building works and (b) on openness between trusts and appeals in raising a public subscription.
  69
  Mr. Sackville
  The Government greatly appreciate local fund-raising activities which supplement national health service funding, and continue to welcome a closer working relationship between the health service and local voluntary and community groups. We believe that the details on fund raising events are best decided at local level, and have no plans to introduce guidelines for NHS trusts and health authorities.

  Smoking
  Ms. Walley
  ; To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will send a copy of her statement on smoking in the workplace and public places to each hon. Member; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My reply to the hon. Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mrs. Dunwoody) is freely available in the Official Report at column 697 on 26 January 1993.

  Hospitals (Brighton)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions have taken place between officials from her Department and Brighton health authority with regard to the future of the Royal Alexandra children's hospital, Brighton; and if she will list the dates of and participants at each meeting.

  Mr. Sackville
  Representatives from South East Thames regional health authority gave me the South East Thames capital investment strategy on 2 July 1992, officials from the Department were present. Discussions are continuing between Brighton Health Care national health service trust and the national health service management executive southern outpost.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the date of the meeting when her Department and Brighton health authority first advised the Rockinghorse Appeal Trust that they no longer intended to proceed with further buildings and development at the Dyke road Brighton site.

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for Brighton Health Care national health service trust, Brighton health authority and the Rockinghorse Appeal Trust. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. J. Simmonds, the acting chairman of Brighton health authority, for details.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her Department agreed with Brighton health authority to bring forward the date of the move of the Royal Alexandra hospital, Brighton from its present site.

  Mr. Sackville
  The relocation of the Royal Alexandra hospital is part of the Brighton Health Care national health service trust development programme and will be submitted to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for approval in principle later this year.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the funds raised by the Rockinghorse Appeal Trust for the Royal Alexandra hospital will be used to develop children's hospital services in Brighton.

  Mr. Sackville
  Discussions are on-going between Brighton Health Care national health service trust and the Rockinghorse Appeal Trust.
  70
  (P) Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will identify how much capital and revenue funding her Department has earmarked for the transfer of the Royal Alexandra children's hospital to the Royal Sussex site;

  (2) what capital and revenue funding commitments have been made to Brighton Health Care trust concerning the redevelopment of the Royal Sussex county hospital for each year from 1993 to 2003.

  Mr. Sackville
  Revenue funding for Brighton Health Care trust is a matter for Brighton health authority and other purchasers. Total capital spending for Brighton Health Care for the year commencing 1 April 1993 is £4.649 million. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. John Spiers, the chairman, for details.

  Chelmsford Hospice
  (P) Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much extra money the Chelmsford hospice can expect to receive as a result of the Minister of State's announcement on 26 January increasing funding for the hospice movement in the current year.

  Mr. Sackville
  The funding of individual projects is a matter for discussion and agreement with the health authorities concerned.

  Abortion
  (P) Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on the rate of physical complications arising following an abortion after the specified period for the notification of the abortion to her Department.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not collected centrally. For information about the short and long-term sequelae of abortion I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 25 January at column 536. Other information is given in two published studies; the joint study of the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists entitled "Induced abortion operations and their early sequelae." Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 1979; 135: 175–180; and Saha A, Savage W and George J. "The Tower Hamlets Daycare Abortion Service Study", October 1992: 49–56. Copies of both papers are available in the Library.

  (P) Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has regarding the percentage of cases in which a blood transfusion is required following an abortion.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 25 January,Official Report, column 536, what specific procedures are required to be undertaken prior to an abortion to bring to the attention of the woman (a) the nature and risks of the operation and alternative treatments and (b) the way in which the operation affects the foetus.

  Mr. Sackville
  It is normal clinical practice to inform a patient about the risks of any operation and possible
  71
  alternative courses of action. If a woman wishes to have information concerning the foetus we would expect whatever information is appropriate to be provided. The abortion counselling guidance in the Department's circular HC(77)26 is extant.

  Birmingham General Hospital
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is proposing to take following the submission to her by South Birmingham community health council of the Audit Commission report into the closure of medical beds at Birmingham general hospital.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Audit Commission report, along with other evidence, will be taken into account in reaching a decision on the proposed changes to health services in South Birmingham.

  NHS (Capital Expenditure)
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the value of capital expenditure in the NHS in the years 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93; and what was the split between hospital building and equipment.

  Mr. Sackville
  Gross national health service capital expenditure for 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93 was £1,603 million, £1,668 million and £2,303 million respectively.

  In 1990–91 capital spending within the hospital and community health services was divided as follows:

  Per cent.

  Building and engineering works

  61.3

  Equipment and furniture

  12.8

  Vehicles

  1.6

  Other

  24.4

  Figures for later years are not yet available.

  Azapropazone
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the expenditure on Azapropazone in cash terms, and as expenditure per 1,000 population in each NHS region and health district in 1991–92.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [Holding answer 19 January 1993]: Azapropazone is currently manufactured by one company. The release of the data requested would indicate the company's trading position and could affect the company's business. It is therefore considered commercially confidential.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Pâté de Foie Gras
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 9 November to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies),Official Report, column 610, if he will provide the figures for imports of pâté de foie gras for 1992.

  Mr. Curry
  The information requested is not yet available. Provisional data for the whole of 1992 is likely to become available from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in mid-February. Upon receipt of the information I shall write to the hon. Member again.
  72
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the controls on the production of pâté de foie gras in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Soames
  Pâté de foie gras is not produced in the United Kingdom and there are therefore no specific controls on production methods. Were anyone to propose starting foie gras production, the Government would wish to introduce welfare rules to ensure that force feeding was not permitted.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest number of cattle born after July 1988 that have now been certified as having contracted BSE.

  Mr. Soames
  At 22 January 1993, 1,197 cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy had been confirmed in Great Britain in cattle born after 18 July 1988. Investigations into many of these cases are continuing but it is clear that most had access to feed containing ruminant protein. All the evidence continues to show the ban on feeding such material to ruminants will ultimately eradicate bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 28 October 1992,Official Report, column 687, whether salmonella testing on eggs and poultry that takes place in the country of origin is to a similar standard as that required in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Soames
  There are no harmonised rules for the salmonella testing of poultry within the European Community. A number of member states, including the United Kingdom, have introduced testing programmes of differing standards. With effect from 1 January 1994, all member states will have to comply with the requirements of directive 92/117/EEC which includes rules for the control of salmonella in poultry breeding flocks.

  Milk
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the milk quota regulations and administration that will follow the winding-up of the Milk Marketing Board.

  Mr. Curry
  New EC regulations on milk quotas will come into effect on 1 April 1993. The Dairy Produce Quotas Regulations 1991 will be amended as soon as the detailed EC rules have been agreed. These regulations will be further amended once a decision has been taken on the future arrangements for carrying out the administrative tasks which are currently performed on behalf of the Agriculture departments by the Milk Marketing Boards.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Italian Government introduced a quota scheme for milk; what was the original allocation for Italy; what it is at the present time; what assessment he has made of the reasons for the delay in implementation of milk quotas in Italy; and if he will make a statement.
  73
  Mr. Curry
  Domestic legislation to implement in full the milk quota system in Italy by allocating quota to individual producers was passed by the Italian Parliament in November 1992. When milk quotas were introduced in the EC in 1984, Italy was allocated in total 8.8 million tonnes of wholesale quota and 1.1 million tonnes of direct sales quota. In the current quota year (1992–93) Italy has at its disposal 8.3 million tonnes and 0.7 million tonnes respectively. No satisfactory explanation has been given by the Italian Government for the delay in fully implementing the quota system in Italy. The enforcement of the EC quota regulations is a matter for the EC Commission.

  Beef
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for his Department to use the service provided at commercial rates by the data centre for beef.

  Mr. Soames
  The recently adopted Community requirements for identification and subsidy controls do not require any great increase in the need for centralised computerised systems. The animal data centre would have to demonstrate that it was more efficient and cost effective than other interested organisations to obtain any work that was put out to tender.

  Fisheries
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the nations exempted from the Fishery Limits Act 1976 to fish in British national waters, together with the dates of exemption.

  Mr. Curry
  The countries designated under section 2(1) of the Fishery Limits Act 1976 as counties whose fishing boats may fish within British fishery limits, and the dates of their designation, are Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands (1983) and Spain and Portugal (1986) although under the EC common fisheries policy Greece, Italy and Luxembourg have no quotas to fish in United Kingdom waters. Under their Act of Accession to the EC Spain and Portugal are currently limited to western waters. Under annual EC regulations fishing boats from the Faroes, Norway and Sweden may also fish in United Kingdom waters within the terms of bilateral fisheries agreements.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 28 October 1992,Official Report, columns 686–87, what further information is now available for farmers on CAP reform.

  Mr. Curry
  On 11 January a booklet on the allocation of quotas under the sheep annual premium scheme was sent to the majority (some 44,000) of sheep producers in England with the first round of allocations; we aim to deal with the second round of allocations to producers during February. An explanatory booklet, "CAP Reform in the Beef Sector" was sent to all registered beef producers on 26 January. In addition, a consultation document was sent to organisations representing the farming industry on 74
  25 January covering aspects of implementation of the quota system in the livestock sector. Copies of all these documents have been placed in the Library of the House. Information on the implications of the integrated administration and control system will be made available as soon as possible.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the impact of GATT on CAP; and if he will make it his policy to get the relevant and appropriate information to the British farmer.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) on 30 November 1992 at column 59. My colleagues and I have regularly addressed the relationship of a GATT deal to the CAP in our contacts with farmers.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy, when further reforms to the agricultural industry are being considered, to increase the lead time to represent one seasonal cycle of the particular commodity involved.

  Mr. Curry
  When reforms are being considered, my right hon. Friend and I make every effort to ensure that the timing of their eventual implementation is as helpful as possible to farmers.

  Hill Farmers
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the income levels and prospects of hill farmers, in the light of changes in hill livestock compensatory allowances; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Income levels of hill farmers were fully considered during the recently completed autumn review of economic conditions in the hills and uplands. I have nothing further to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Lloyd) on 10 December at column 757.

  Slaughterhouses
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has of the effectiveness of veterinary surgeons in identifying ante-mortem diseases including salmonellosis, listerosis and leptospirosis in the course of examining animals at slaughterhouses.

  Mr. Soames
  Veterinary surgeons are specifically trained to identify clinical signs of all animal disease. In the course of examining animals at slaughterhouses, veterinary surgeons make use of that training, and their experience in hygiene, pathology, bacteriology, parasitology, physiology and animal husbandry to detect diseases and conditions which may present a risk to the handlers of meat and the ultimate consumer, and which may not be detectable by routine post-mortem inspection.

  Wool
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received regarding the withdrawal of the guaranteed price for wool; if he will consider the phasing out of the guaranteed price over two or three years; and if he will make a statement.
  75
  Mr. Curry
  I have received a number of representations on this subject. The Government have no plans to reconsider abolishing the wool guarantee on 30 April, which will implement a decision announced more than four years ago.

  Shamrock (GB) Ltd.
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence his Department has of breach of quarantine regulations at Shamrock (GB) Ltd., and what action will be taken.

  Mr. Soames
  The Ministry became aware of an alleged breach of quarantine regulations at Shamrock (GB) Ltd. through a "World in Action" documentary, screened on 22 June 1992. A full investigation of the alleged incident has now been completed and it has been concluded that no criminal proceedings can be commenced. The alleged incident took place on 5 November 1991, so by the time the Ministry became aware of it, summary proceedings, which must be started within six months of the incident, were time barred. There was insufficient evidence to commence a prosecution for an indictable offence.

  Fishing Industry (EC Funding)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on recent progress in defining how EC objective 6 funding may be harnessed by fishing communities.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley) on 11 January at column 623.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Recreation
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners what plans they have to increase recreational opportunities on Church Commission land.

  Mr. Alison
  While the Commissioners are not planning any special initiatives, they are always prepared to discuss and consider any worthwhile proposal.

  Bishops
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners for how many bishops the Church Commissioners are currently making financial provision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alison
  To total of 44 Diocesan bishops (including the two archbishops) and 68 suffragan or assistant bishops.

  Church Buildings
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners what consideration is given to the use of church buildings for the use of other denominations, cultural or social housing before disposal is decided upon in the open market.
  76
  Mr. Alison
  When a Church of England church is closed for regular public worship, it first becomes the duty of a committee of the diocese to seek a suitable alternative use for the redundant building. These committees are prepared to consider uses along the lines advocated by the hon. Member and there are, indeed, many examples where redundant churches have been put to such uses.

  Redundant Churches (Muslim Communities)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners how many redundant churches in the last five years have been made over to Muslim communities.

  Mr. Alison
  None.

  Clergy (Early Retirement)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners if he will make a statement of the current provision made for clergy taking early retirement.

  Mr. Alison
  There are two forms of provision which provide an immediate pension. Voluntary retirement may take place up to five years before the minimum normal pension age of 65; pension benefits are based on actual service but reduced for early commencement. Ill health retirement may occur at any age, subject to medical evidence; pension benefits are based on actual plus prospective service.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received on his proposed changes to legal aid entitlement; and what were the proportions in favour and against these proposals.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor and I have received a number of such representations, the majority of which are opposed to the proposals.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his current estimate of expenditure on legal aid in the Greater London area for the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  It is estimated that net legal aid expenditure in the Greater London area in 1992–93 will amount to £245 million.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what expenditure will be incurred in legal aid during the current year; what were the figures five, 10 and 15 years ago in real terms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Net expenditure on legal aid for the current year is expected to be £1,107.0 million. Net expenditure incurred five, 10 and 15 years ago, at current prices, is as follows.
  77

  Net expenditure

  £ million

  1977–78

  230.6

  1982–83

  374.4

  1987–88

  596.8

  1992–93

  1,107

  Poll Tax
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many poll tax cases are currently awaiting court hearing.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The number of summonses issued for the non-payment of the community charge is included in the information supplied to the Library of the House. Not all summonses will result in a court hearing; some subsequently will be withdrawn before reaching court, but in the last recorded quarter 7,700 people attended court in connection with liability orders.

  Commercial Court
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will take steps to restore the commercial court to full strength; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Three nominations have been made recently to the pool of judges who may sit in the commercial court, bringing the number of nominees up to 11. Additional judges are therefore available for the Lord Chief Justice to deploy there, subject to other demands for judges of the Queen's Bench Division. For a more detailed and wideranging statement of the correct position, the hon. Member is referred to the Official Report, 19 January 1993 at column 353–58.

  Crown and Commonwealth
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what recent discussions he has had with other Commonwealth Governments about the common constitutional link of the Crown.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  None.

  West Midlands Serious Crimes Squad
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when a High Court judge will be made available in Birmingham to try a civil action arising from wrongful behaviour in the West Midlands serious crimes squad; what waiting period currently applies to civil cases requiring a High Court judge not involving the West Midlands serious crimes squad; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  It has not been possible to identify the case in question from the details provided by the hon. Member. Most of the unlisted Queen's Bench Division cases being received by Birmingham crown court are being warned for trial during the period 21 April to 30 June 1993. However, if the length of the case referred to is likely to exceed two weeks it is possible that it will be heard after the long vacation.

  Inquests (Northern Ireland)
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department by what method inquest juries are selected in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The method used to select jurors to serve on coroners' juries in Northern Ireland is the same as that which applies to the summoning of jurors to serve in criminal cases. That is, the selection is based on a system of random computer selection.

  In practice, this means that when a coroner requires a jury to be summoned, he arranges to obtain a list of names taken sequentially from the jury list maintained for the county court division within which the inquest is to be held. That list is compiled by random computer selection of electors resident within that division who are eligible to serve as jurors. A sufficient number of jurors will be summoned to allow a jury to be convened; a coroner's jury is required by statute to consist of between not less than seven and not more than 11 persons.

  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will re-examine the way in which inquests are conducted in Northern Ireland in the light of the inquest into the death of Seamus McElwaine.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have no reason to believe that the inquest into the death of Seamus McElwaine was conducted other than regularly and in accordance with the established practice at inquests. Accordingly, I do not consider that the proceedings at this inquest necessitate a re-examination of the conduct of inquests in Northern Ireland.

  Independent Tribunals
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what action he is taking to ensure more people from ethnic minorities in Bradford are appointed to all tribunals under the independent tribunal service; if he will give the present composition of all tribunals serving Bradford; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To encourage more ethnic minority practitioners to come forward for consideration, the Lord Chancellor has made widely available to ethnic minority practitioners and representative groups the booklet which sets out the requirements for each appointment and describes the judicial appointments system generally.

  The Lord Chancellor's policy is to appoint to judicial office those best qualified, regardless of sex, ethnic origin, political affiliation or religion and appointments must be justified on merit. The Lord Chancellor appoints only the legal chairmen of the tribunals under the independent tribunal service.

  Information held on the ethnic origin of 36 members of the social security appeal tribunal in Bradford shows that three out of the 36 are from ethnic minorities. Of the 69 members of the panel for the disability appeal tribunal covering Bradford six are of ethnic origin.

  Legal Advice
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has to introduce a legal advice scheme in county courts.
  79
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have no plans to extend the legal aid scheme to provide a court-based advice service.

  Judges
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many judges have been convicted of a criminal offence in each year since 1972; and what was the nature of the offence.
  80
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information is not readily available. The Lord Chancellor expects that judges will draw information about convictions to his notice. Information is then kept on the individual records of the judge concerned.

  CHARITY COMMISSIONERS: FORMER WHITCHURCH SCHOOL
  CHARITY COMMISSIONERS: FORMER WHITCHURCH SCHOOL
  PRISON MANAGEMENT: FUTURE
  PRISON MANAGEMENT: FUTURE
  PERSONAL PENSIONS: REGULATIONS
  PERSONAL PENSIONS: REGULATIONS
  CAMDEN: LISTED BUILDINGS AND CONSERVATION AREAS
  CAMDEN: LISTED BUILDINGS AND CONSERVATION AREAS
  FIRE PROTECTION REVIEW: HISTORIC BUILDINGS
  FIRE PROTECTION REVIEW: HISTORIC BUILDINGS
  EX-SOVIET MILITARY TECHNOLOGY
  EX-SOVIET MILITARY TECHNOLOGY
  BRITISH COAL: PENSION FUND SURPLUS
  BRITISH COAL: PENSION FUND SURPLUS
  FORMER SOVIET UNION: R & D OPPORTUNITIES
  FORMER SOVIET UNION: R & D OPPORTUNITIES
  ECO-LABELLING SCHEME: ADMINISTRATION
  ECO-LABELLING SCHEME: ADMINISTRATION

  RIVER THAMES FLOATING HELIPORT PROPOSAL
  Lord Williams of Elvel
  asked Her Majesty's Government:

  Whether they are aware of a proposal by Thames Heliport plc to set up a floating heliport in the river Thames operating within the area of the London conurbation, and, if so, what planning mechanism is in place to ensure that such a proposal receives a fair public hearing.

  Lord Strathclyde
  We are aware in broad terms of the proposal by Thames Heliport plc to set up a floating heliport in the river Thames and have advised them to consult widely with interested parties. We recognise the importance of public awareness of, and participation in, the development control process. Under Article 12 of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988 (as amended), any development which requires planning permission must be given publicity.

  The elected members of the local planning authority represent the interests of the community in planning matters. In determining planning applications they must have regard to the development plan, so far as it is material to the development proposal, and to any other material considerations, including any relevant views on planning matters expressed by neighbouring occupiers, local residents and any other third parties. Where, in making any determination, regard is to be had to the development plan, the determination shall be made in accordance with the plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Local inquiries and hearings into planning appeals and called-in planning applications are held in public and members of the public have an opportunity to express views on the proposed development.

  PRESCRIPTION CHARGES
  PRESCRIPTION CHARGES
  KURDISH PEOPLE IN IRAQ
  KURDISH PEOPLE IN IRAQ
  ISRAEL: NON-COMPLIANCE WITH UN RESOLUTION
  ISRAEL: NON-COMPLIANCE WITH UN RESOLUTION
  ABANDONED CHEMICAL WEAPONS
  ABANDONED CHEMICAL WEAPONS
  PRIVATE AID TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
  PRIVATE AID TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
  "BRITISH OVERSEAS AID ANNUAL REVIEW":CHANGED FORMAT
  "BRITISH OVERSEAS AID ANNUAL REVIEW":CHANGED FORMAT
  GUYANA: DEBT BURDEN
  GUYANA: DEBT BURDEN
  OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND AID FLOWS
  OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND AID FLOWS
  CROWN AGENTS AND COMMONWEALTH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
  CROWN AGENTS AND COMMONWEALTH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
  OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND TOTAL FLOWS: GNP
  OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE AND TOTAL FLOWS: GNP
  OFFICIAL AND PRIVATE FLOWS TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
  OFFICIAL AND PRIVATE FLOWS TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES