Written Answers of 3 February 1993

NORTHERN IRELAND

  School Accommodation
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the schools in Northern Ireland which have located Portacabin-type accommodation units on their sites, showing in each case the number of such units in use and the number of years that have elapsed since the first such unit was placed on site.

  Mr. Hanley
  There are over 1,300 schools in Northern Ireland and information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the latest estimate of schools with temporary classroom units on site is as follows:

  Number of schools

  Number of temporary classroom units

  550

  1—5

  80

  6—10

  45

  11—15

  25

  over 15

  Care in the Community Fund
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Northern Ireland how much money will be made available through the care in the community fund.

  Mr. Hanley
  The total amount of funds to be transferred from social security to the community care budget held and managed by health and social services boards will be £24·63 million in 1993–94, rising to £65·28 million in 1994–95 and to £100·33 million in 1995–96. A further sum of £4·822 million, over and above the transfer sum, will be made available to health and social services boards in 1993–94 to help operate the new arrangements.

  Independent Living Fund
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland have received payments from the independent living fund for each of the last three years.

  Mr. Hanley
  I understand that the information requested can be provided only in terms of the average numbers—based on quarterly counts—who received payments, and is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1990

  748

  1991

  1,217

  1992

  1,929

  180
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money in total was paid out to people in Northern Ireland under the independent living fund.

  Mr. Hanley
  I understand that the amount paid up to December 1992 was £10·787 million.

DEFENCE

  AWE Aldermaston
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will order an independent safety investigation into the Aldermaston atomic weapons establishment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  We have no plans to order an independent safety investigation at the Aldermaston atomic weapons establishment, which is already subject to independent inspection under the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Safety is, and will remain, of paramount importance at the establishment.

  Southern Lebanon (Helicopter Deployment)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what charge will be raised from the Foreign Office by his Department for the deployment of three RAF Wessex helicopters from Cyprus on 23 January to southern Lebanon.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Final figures are still being collected in Cyprus, but it is anticipated that the charge, based on extra cost, will amount to some £20,000.

  Health and Safety
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy relating to the release of official information on health and safety issues at(a) the atomic weapons establishment and (b) the Defence Research Agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  It is my Department's policy to make available all information required in order to comply with health and safety legislation at the atomic weapons establishment and the Defence Research Agency.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to changing his policy relating to the release of official information on health and safety issues at(a) the atomic weapons establishment and (b) the Defence Research Agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  We have no plans to change our policy.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received relating to the release of information concerning health and safety issues at Aldermaston; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  I have received a number of representations from hon. Members and others on this subject.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current health and safety arrangements at Aldermaston.
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  Mr. Aitken
  The current health and safety arrangements at Aldermaston are designed to ensure that the well-being of the work force, and the safety of the site and the surrounding environment are and will continue to be of paramount importance.

  RAF Ground Training
  Mr. Temple-Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 6 November 1992,Official Report, columns 536–537, if a decision has now been taken on the proposal to rationalise Royal Air Force ground training.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My Department has consulted thoroughly with the trade unions on the proposal to concentrate training at RAF Cosford, RAF Halton and, subject to further review, RAF Locking. No issues have been raised which call into doubt the viability of the proposal and I have therefore decided that it should be implemented as I set out on 6 November.

  Every effort will be made to find alternative employment for the staff affected by these organisational changes and action will be taken to assist those involved in relocation. The personal preferences of staff will be carefully and sympathetically considered and all possible measures will be taken to minimise civilian redundancies. Where redundancies do occur, all staff will be entitled to the appropriate periods of notice or pay in lieu and to compensation in accordance with the relevant pension scheme. The MOD redundancy and outplacement service and the relocation scheme will be available for staff wishing to make use of these services.

  Attack Helicopter
  Mr. Richard Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the procurement of an attack helicopter for the British Army.

  Mr. Aitken
  We have previously advised the House of our intention to order a complete attack helicopter

  Q12

  Percentage of winds above specified wind speed

  Wind speed

  Year

  5 knots

  10 knots

  15 knots

  20 knots

  25 knots

  30 knots

  35 knots

  40 knots

  1987

  88·9

  57·1

  27·4

  9·0

  2·3

  0·7

  0·1

  0·0

  1988

  90·4

  61·7

  32·1

  12·8

  3·9

  1·0

  0·3

  0·0

  1989

  90·5

  59·1

  32·2

  12·8

  4·1

  1·0

  0·2

  0·1

  1990

  92·5

  63·9

  36·3

  14·6

  5·2

  1·6

  0·4

  0·1

  1991

  90·5

  58·7

  29·9

  12·7

  4·8

  1·3

  0·3

  0·0

  1992

  89·4

  59·9

  32·0

  12·1

  3·4

  0·8

  0·2

  0·0

  1

  Q13

  Percentage of winds in each 30 degree sector

  Wind direction

  Year

  North

  030

  060

  East

  120

  150

  South

  210

  240

  West

  300

  330

  1987

  10·2

  7·0

  5·5

  7·9

  10·2

  8·6

  6·0

  10·7

  11·5

  7·9

  5·7

  7·9

  1988

  10·1

  8·0

  3·2

  4·6

  6·6

  7·7

  6·3

  11·4

  15·1

  12·4

  7·8

  6·9

  1989

  9·3

  10·8

  4·2

  5·5

  7·1

  6·0

  5·7

  14·1

  13·8

  9·0

  7·4

  7·0

  1990

  7·2

  8·8

  4·1

  3·6

  6·1

  6·4

  6·5

  14·2

  16·2

  11·5

  9·2

  6·3

  1991

  9·0

  9·7

  5·0

  6·4

  10·6

  7·3

  5·9

  12·1

  14·6

  8·1

  5·6

  5·7

  1992

  9·8

  9·4

  3·3

  4·6

  5·5

  5·7

  7·4

  16·5

  15·9

  10·1

  6·5

  5·5

  Q14 Information is available giving percentages for winds exceeding the same thresholds as in Q12, but for each wind direction separately. These are considered too bulky for publication but are being sent to you directly.
  182
  weapons system to replace the Lynx in the anti-armour role; and to procure the aircraft, together with an associated support package "off the shelf" through a prime contractor, following competition. I am pleased to announce that the invitation to tender, which will initiate this competition, is being issued to potential bidders today.

  St. Anne's Head and RAF Brawdy (Winds)
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the annual percentage of winds of at least(a) 5 knots, (b) 10 knots, (c) 15 knots, (d) 20 knots, (e) 25 knots, (f) 30 knots, (g) 35 knots and (h) 40 knots recorded at St. Anne's head and RAF Brawdy during each of the last six years;

  (2) what was the annual percentage of winds coming from each point of the compass recorded at St. Anne's head and RAF Brawdy during each of the last six years;

  (3) what was the annual percentage of winds coming from each point of the compass at speeds of at least (a) 5 knots, (b) 10 knots, (c) 15 knots, (d) 20 knots, (e) 25 knots, (f) 30 knots, (g) 35 knots and (h) 40 knots recorded at St. Anne's head and RAF Brawdy during each of the last six years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  These matters are delegated to the Meteorological Office under its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

  Letter from J. C. R. Hunt to Mr. Nick Ainger, dated 2 February 1993.
  I am responding to your three written Parliamentary Questions concerning the wind at St. Anne's Head and RAF Brawdy for each of the last six years.
  The figures that follow all refer to RAF Brawdy as information from St. Anne's Head is not available for the period requested. Wind directions are given in 30 degree sectors, e.g. 'east' will be for winds from directions between 075° and 105°. Wind speeds are in knots. The information is based on hourly mean winds (i.e. winds averaged over an hour).

  Rosyth and Devonport Dockyards
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will commission independent financial advisers to carry out costings comparisons of the bids of Rosyth and Devonport dockyard managements with respect to the future maintenance requirements of Trident submarines.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department's work on future refitting arrangements, including assessments of the various proposals put forward by the dockyard contractors, has, for some considerable time, been informed by the use of independent consultants. They will continue to advise on all appropriate aspects of proposals under consideration.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Finance and Services Committee
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what arrangements will be made in respect of answering hon. Members' questions relating to the work of the Finance and Services Committee.

  Mr. Tony Newton
  I intend to amend the question rota shortly to take account of the establishment of the Finance and Services Committee. After consultation with the House of Commons Commission, I have agreed that oral questions to the Chairman of the Finance and Services Committee should be included in the same "slot" as questions to the Member answering for the House of Commons Commission. The Chairman, my right hon. Friend the Member for Southend, West (Mr. Channon), will respond in particular to"questions concerning the estimates for House of Commons expenditure (which will be prepared under his Committee's supervision), the financial performance of Departments of the House, and the financial implications of any new or expanded services which may be proposed by the committees appointed under Standing Order No. 125 (Domestic Committees)" (Official Report, 11 February 1992 column 452).

  The oral questions to the Commission and the Finance and Services Committee will be printed in one combined order created by the random selection process. They will be taken every sixth Monday, at 3.15 pm. In order to reflect the changes in direct responsibility for House services, ten minutes will be allocated to the new combined slot, and questions to the Lord President of the Council will follow at 3.25 pm.

  In addition, questions for written answers may also be tabled to the Chairman of the Finance and Services Committee concerning the exercise of the responsibilities of the Committee.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  VAT
  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what VAT treatment has been agreed between the British Bankers Association and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise with regard to the VAT treatment of supplies of non-executive directors' services made by investing institutions to investee companies.

  Sir John Cope
  There has been no specific agreement concerning non-executive directors' fees. These fall to be treated in the same way as management fees which are 184
  included in the list of guidelines agreed between Customs and the British Bankers Association. Where a director is appointed to the board of the United Kingdom investee company as a condition of a loan, any charges for the director's services are part of the consideration for the loan, an exempt supply. Alternatively, where the investor acquires shares and exercises the right to appoint a director, Customs take the view that there is no supply for VAT purposes, as any shares are supplied to the investing institution by the investee company. In either case, any associated VAT incurred by the investing institution would not be recoverable.

  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the net revenues raised by the increase in VAT from 8 per cent. to 15 per cent. in June 1979 in the first full year thereafter, in cash and current prices.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 2 February 1993]: As shown on page 31 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1979–80 £430 million was expected to be raised from unifying the rates of VAT at 15 per cent. in 1980–81.

  Bank Fees
  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what VAT liability is applied to arrangement fees charged by a bank to its customers in connection with a debt for equity exchange by that bank.

  Sir John Cope
  The VAT liability of arrangement fees charged by banks depends strictly on the terms of the contracts between the parties. Without further details, it is difficult to be precise about the liability. Arrangement fees charged by the banks in respect of loans or other forms of credit form part of the consideration for the loan, an exempt supply. Moreover, where a borrower issues shares in return for loan capital, any arrangement fee would also be exempt from VAT. In either case, any associated VAT incurred by the bank would not be recoverable.

  Charities
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value of VAT receipts to Her Majesty's Treasury from charities in the United Kingdom in each year since 1979.

  Sir John Cope
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North (Mr. Hughes) on 28 January 1993 at column 791.

  Commuters (Tax Relief)
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will tabulate such information as he has available about tax relief for people commuting to and from work by rail, for OECD countries.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No OECD country allows tax relief specifically for rail travel to and from work. But the following countries allow various levels of tax relief for journeys to and from work by public transport:

  Germany

  Netherlands

  The following countries allow various levels of tax relief for home-to-work travel by any type of transport:

  Austria

  Belgium

  185

  Denmark

  France

  Japan

  Luxembourg

  Norway

  Sweden

  Remaining OECD countries either do not allow any tax relief for travel to and from work, or the information is not available.

  Regulatory Bodies
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Securities and Investments Board concerning the future of LAUTRO and FIMBRA and their proposed successor bodies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  Recognition of a self-regulatory organisation is a matter for the Securities and Investments Board. It would be inappropriate for the Treasury to be involved in drawing up detailed plans for the Personal Investment Authority. Nevertheless, I welcome the progress made so far and see imporant advantages for investor protection if the PIA were established to regulate private investor business with the support of firms who do business in that sector.

  Financial Services Act
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to seek to reform the Financial Services Act 1986; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  My right hon. Friend has asked the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board to review how SIB carries out its regulatory responsibilities.

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the percentage change in(a) real terms and (b) cash terms of his Department's budget from 1992–93 to 1993–94.

  Sir John Cope
  The Treasury's budget includes expenditure on certain Bank of England services, United Kingdom coinage, Parliament and Privy Council in addition to the running costs of the central Treasury. The percentage change between 1992–93 and 1993–94 based on the latest 1992–93 forecast outturn is:

  (a) —4·1 per cent. in real terms; and

  (b) —1·4 per cent. in cash terms.

  Tax (1981 Budget)
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the net revenues raised by the tax changes introduced in the 1981 Budget in the first full year thereafter, in cash and current prices.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 2 February 1993]: An estimate of revenues in cash terms is contained in table 2 of the 1981–82 "Financial Statement and Budget Report". An estimate in current prices can be obtained using the series for the GDP deflator published in the 1993 "Economic Trends" annual supplement. Both are available in the Library.

PRIME MINISTER

  Seat Belts
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps have been taken to ensure co-ordination between the Home Department and the Department of Transport regarding the campaign on the wearing of seat belts scheduled for February.

  The Prime Minister
  The campaign is a matter for the Department of Transport. It has consulted the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers, who support the campaign.

  Needle Exchange Schemes
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will co-ordinate ministerial consideration of a centrally funded approach for needle exchange schemes to work towards the elimination of illegal needle and syringe disposal.

  The Prime Minister
  There are about 300 needle exchange schemes. In 1988, general guidance on such schemes was issued to health authorities including advice on the disposal of used equipment.

  The Department of Health issued further guidance when it made £1.4 million central funding available to health authorities in 1992–93 to expand the number of such schemes based in pharmacies. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, managers of such schemes must take all resonable steps to ensure that the waste is handled and disposed of safely and legally.

  India
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Indian Prime Minister on the status of Kashmir and the human rights of Kashmiri people during his recent visit to India.

  The Prime Minister
  I discussed the situation in Kashmir with the Indian Prime Minister. I restated our view that the best way forward is through dialogue between India and Pakistan; improvement in human rights and a genuine political process in Kashmir; and an end to all external support for violence in Kashmir. Mr. Narasimha Rao assured me of his determination to hold elections in Kashmir as soon as possible and of his commitment to respect for human rights.

  Scotch Whisky
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Prime Minister what were the full terms of the agreement reached with the Indian Government during his visit on the importation of Scotch whisky.

  The Prime Minister
  During my visit to India, I took the opportunity to urge the Government of India to accelerate the liberalisation of its import regulations, which would include such products as Scotch whisky. We are continuing to press for an early resolution of this matter.

  Secretaries of State (Powers)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to ensure the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland have equal delegation of powers.
  187
  The Prime Minister
  The powers of the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland reflect the different constitutional positions of Wales and Scotland.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the principal responsibilities of(a) the Secretary of State for Wales, (b) the Secretary of State for Scotland and (c) the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the principal differences of those responsibilities; and what changes he is planning to make to the responsibilities of the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  The Prime Minister
  The principal responsibilities of the Secretaries of State are set out in the list of ministerial responsibilities, a copy of which is in the Library. A review of a wide range of aspects of governance of Scotland, including the responsibilities of the Secretary of State for Scotland, is under way. The Government will make an announcement to the House about the results of the review once it is complete.

  Cabinet Office Budget
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the percentage change in(a) real terms and (b) cash terms of the Cabinet Office budget from 1992–93 to 1993–94.

  The Prime Minister
  The percentage reduction in spending plans for the Cabinet Office, excluding the Office of Public Service and Science, between 1992–93 and 1993–94 is expected to be(a) 23·9 per cent. in real terms, and (b) 21·8 per cent. in cash terms. The reduction is due mainly to the fact that capital expenditure is expected to be less in 1993–94 than in 1992–93.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will bring forward proposals for procedures for the House to scrutinise the way in which its decisions on proposed European Community directives and regulations are reflected in voting in the Council of Ministers when the proceedings of the Council become public; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what arrangements are being made within the European Community for the implementation of the decision by the Edinburgh conference that votes cast in the Council of Ministers will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  As agreed at Edinburgh, the Council secretariat will make arrangements to publish the record of the vote, including explanations of the vote where delegations request these, whenever a formal vote is taken in Council. This information will be provided to the House.

  Royal Family
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister which members of the royal family have carried out engagements overseas on behalf of the Government in each year since 1989.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 1 February 1993]: The information is as follows:

  1989

  The Queen

  The Duke of Edinburgh

  188

  The Prince and Princess of Wales

  The Queen Mother

  The Duke and Duchess of York

  The Prince Edward

  The Princess Royal

  The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

  The Duke and Duchess of Kent

  Princess Alexandra

  1990

  The Queen

  The Duke of Edinburgh

  The Prince and Princess of Wales

  The Princess Royal

  The Princess Margaret

  The Duke of Gloucester

  The Duke and Duchess of Kent

  Princess Alexandra

  1991

  The Queen

  The Duke of Edinburgh

  The Prince and Princess of Wales

  The Prince Edward

  The Princess Royal

  The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

  The Duke and Duchess of Kent

  Princess Alexandra

  1992

  The Queen

  The Duke of Edinburgh

  The Prince and Princess of Wales

  The Prince Edward

  The Princess Royal

  The Princess Margaret

  The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

  The Duke and Duchess of Kent

  Princess Alexandra

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions overseas visits have been made by members of the royal family in each year since 1989 at the request of Government Departments.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 1 February 1993]: The number of overseas visits made by members of the royal family at the request of Government Departments, including the British Overseas Trade Board, in the years concerned was as follows:

  Number

  1989

  41

  1990

  28

  1991

  35

  1992

  41

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister which Departments have requested members of the royal family to carry out engagements on behalf of the Government in each year since 1989.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 1 February 1993]: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Prosecutions
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions were brought by the Crown prosecution service arising out of investigations by the
  189
  Metropolitan police in each inner and outer London magistrates court in the latest month for which the information is available; what was the number for the same month one year ago; and what assessment he has made of the reasons for the change.

  The Attorney-General
  The information is not available in the form requested. Figures are held for whole Crown prosecution service areas rather than for individual magistrates courts.

  The Crown prosecution service does record the number of cases received in each area, which includes cases received for advice. The year ending figures for the periods indicated are as follows:

  September 1991

  September 1992

  Percentage change

  Inner London

  148,117

  146,555

  -1·05

  London North

  80,663

  79,881

  -0·97

  London South and Surrey

  63,113

  60,373

  -4·34

  Total CPS

  1,603,002

  1,569,996

  -2·06

  The figures include cases received from police forces other than the Metropolitan police, for example, British Transport police, and in respect of London south and Surrey, the Surrey police. No concluded assessment of the reasons for the change have yet been made.

HEALTH

  Drugs
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will give, by specialism, the membership of the committee considering the list of drugs purchasable over the counter;

  (2) if a dermatologist will be invited to give evidence on the application of dermatological drugs to be considered by the committee on drugs purchasable over the counter; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The membership of the Committee on Safety of Medicines is given in the table. In accordance with the requirements of the Medicines Act 1968, we seek and take account of the Committee on Safety of Medicines' advice before deciding whether it is safe for a prescription-only medicine to be reclassified so that it may be supplied over the counter. If a dermatological medicine currently restricted to supply on prescription only were to be proposed for reclassification to allow it to be supplied over the counter, the Committee on Safety of Medicines' advice would be sought. It would be open to the Committee to obtain any additional specialist advice it considered necessary.

  Drugs

    Committee on safety of medicines (CSM)
    Professor M. D. Rawlins BSc MD FRCP(Lon) FRCP(Ed) FFPM (Chairman)
    Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, Newcastle University
    Professor A. M. Breckenridge MD MSc FRCP FRCPE FRSE
    Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, Liverpool University
    Dr. Kathleen L. Costeloe MA MB BChir FRCP
    Consultant Paediatrician, St. Bartholomew's Medical College
    Dr. Janet H. Darbyshire MSc (Epidemiol) MBChB FRCP
    Head of the MRC's HIV Clinical Trials Centre, Brompton
    190
    Hospital, Hon. Consultant in Thoracic Medicine and Hon. Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology, Brompton Hospital
    Professor D. S. Davies BSc PhD CChem FRSC
    Professor of Biochemical Pharmacology, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London
    Professor Anne Ferguson BSc MB ChB PhD FRCPath FRCP(Glas) FRCP(Lon) FRCP(Ed)
    Professor of Gastroenterology, University of Edinburgh and Western General Hospital
    Professor A. T. Florence DSc FRSC FRSE FRPharmS Dean of the School of Pharmacy, London University
    Professor A. M. Geddes MB ChB(Ed) FRCP(Lon) FRCP(Ed)
    Head of Department of Infection, University of Birmingham Medical School and Consultant Physician, East Birmingham Hospital
    Professor E. C. Gordon-Smith FRCP FRCPath
    Professor of Haematology, St. George's Hospital Medical School, London
    Professor K. Gull BSc PhD
    Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Manchester
    Professor H. S. Jacobs BA MD FRCP
    Professor of Reproductive Endocrinology, The University College and Middlesex Hospital School of Medicine, London
    Dr. W. A. Jerrett MB BCh FRCGP
    General Practitioner, Glamorgan
    Dr. B. J. Kirby MB ChB FRCP
    Consultant Physician, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital
    Miss Gillian C. I. Lachelin MD MA MB BChir FRCOG Reader and Hon. Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, University College Hospital Medical School, London
    Professor M. J. S. Langman BSc MD FRCP
    Professor of Medicine and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Birmingham University
    Professor D. H. Lawson MD FRCP(Ed) FRCP(Glas)
    Consultant Physician, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Visiting Professor Strathclyde University
    Dr. A. V. P. MacKay MA BSc(Pharm) MB ChB PhD(Cantab) FRCPsych FRCP(Edin)
    Physician Superintendent and Consultant Psychiatrist, Argyll and Bute Hospital
    Professor J. M. Midgley BSc MSc PhD CChem FRSC FRPharmS
    Professor of Medical and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Strathclyde
    Professor B. K. Park BSc PhD
    Professor of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Liverpool
    Professor J. C. Petrie MB ChB FRCP(Ed) FRCP FFPM Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Aberdeen
    Professor Alain Li Wan Po BPharm BA PhD MRPharmS MPS(N.I.) MRSC
    Head of School of Pharmacy, and Professor of Pharmaceutics, Queen's University, Belfast
    Professor Anne E. Tattersfield MD FRCP
    Professor of Respiratory Medicine, University of Nottingham

  Drugs (Product Licences)
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations her Department has received from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry regarding product licence information supplied to the Medicines Control Agency being made available for use by other sections of her Department including the section responsible for the management of the Advisory Committee on National Health Service Drugs.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Product licence information supplied to the Medicines Control Agency is not available for use by other sections of the Department. Officials have received a letter from the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry on this matter and will be replying shortly.

  Hospital Beds, West Midlands
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 26 January,Official Report, column 689, on the west midlands, what information she has on the number of hospital beds at the dates given.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is shown in the table. The number of beds, however, is not a good indicator of patient activity over the period in question as my earlier reply indicated. As in my earlier reply to the hon. Member, figures for 1991–92 are provisional. Validated figures will be published shortly.

  Total available beds in West Midlands RHA

  1979

  1990–91

  11991–92

  West Midlands

  36,263

  26,591

  24,774

  1 Provisional.

  National Health Service Management Executive Table of pamphlets, leaflets and brochures issued to managers and staff in the national health service in the 12 months to 21 January 1993 Key: P=Print, D=Design, A=Artwork, Del=Delilery charges, T=Typesetting, Dist=Distribution and Mailings, F=Fulfilment, HLOS=Health literature ordering service

  Project/Project description

  Category

  Cost (£)

  Sent to

  C50/018 Purchasing for patients issue 6 (DCED)

  P

  1,076·00

  —

  C50/027 Sharing developments issue 3 (DCED)

  A, T, P

  4,906·80

  —

  C50/029 GP Computer survey booklet (NHSIS)

  D, A, T, P

  7,930·00

  —

  C50/034 Purchasing for patients issue 7 (DCED)

  P

  966·00

  —

  C50/042 Sharing developments issue 4 (DCED)

  D,A, P

  5,214·65

  All sent to NHS managers

  C50/042 Sharing developments issue 4 (DCED)

  P

  1,034·00

  All sent to NHS managers

  C50/048 IMG News issue 7 (NHSISA1)

  P

  1,762·06

  All sent to NHS managers

  C50/051 Purchasing, Teaching and research booklet (DCED)

  P

  2,179·00

  All sent to NHS managers

  C50/052 NHS Reg. of Comp. Apps. Info. guide (NHSISA1)

  D, A

  1,727·25

  —

  C50/052 NHS Reg. of Comp. Apps. Info. guide (NHSISA1)

  P

  2,798·00

  —

  C50/057 Purchasing intelligence brochures (DCED)

  P

  2,179·00

  —

  C50/068 'This is the IMG' advert leaflets (NHSISA1)

  P

  566·00

  —

  C50/069 IMG News issue 8 (NHSISA1)

  P

  2,389·40

  —

  C50/070 Purchasing for patients issue 8 (DCED)

  P

  1,098·00

  —

  C50/073 (EOR) Outpatients computer prog. booklet

  P

  9,470·00

  —

  C50/074 EOR booklet (EOR)

  A, P

  996·00

  —

  C50/076 Clinical audit leaflet (NUR)

  D, A, T

  507·60

  —

  C50/076 Clinical audit leaflet (NUR)

  P

  593·38

  —

  C50/083 Working for patients leaflet (NHSRIU)

  A, T, P

  1,149·15

  —

  C50/085 Purchasing for patients issue 9 (DCED)

  P

  1,045·00

  —

  C50/088 Local voices publication (PMB3B)

  P

  2,827·00

  —

  C50/092 Total quality management project

  P

  2,500·00

  —

  C50/093 IMG News issue 9 (NHSISIA1)

  P

  2,178·93

  —

  C50/100 Purchasing for patients issue 10 (DCED)

  P

  1,113·00

  —

  C74/007 Demonsrtrably different IT (CEM-ME4)

  P

  8,000·00

  —

  Dentistry
  Mr. Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been de-registered on the initiative of dentists in Norfolk in the past 12 months.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally for the period required. Between 3 July 1992 and 22 January 1993 dentists informed Norfolk family health service association of the deregistration of 14,637 adults and 57 children.

  During the 12 months 1 December 1991 to 30 November 1992, 111,390 adults and 53,347 children left the register of national health service dental patients in Norfolk and 177,356 adults and 58,457 children were added. At 1 December 1991, 413,797 patients were registered with dentists in Norfolk. At 30 November 1992, 484,878 patients were registered—a net increase of over 71,000.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the most recent figures available for the total annual cost to her Department of road-related accidents.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  NHS Pamphlets
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pamphlets the national health service management executive has published in the last year; if she will list the title, the recipients and the cost of each pamphlet; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 25 January 1993]: In the 12 months to 21 January 1993 the national health service management executive prepared and issued 57 pamphlets, leaflets and brochures to managers and staff in the NHS. The table gives the project number, description, cost and to whom it was sent.
  193

  Project/Project description

  Category

  Cost (£)

  Sent to

  C50/104 Alliances for health booklet (DCED)

  P

  4,885·00

  —

  C50/105 Clinical coding booklet (IMG)

  P

  495·00

  —

  C50/108 HC92 MFG booklets (Wessex RHA)

  P

  6,838·00

  —

  C50/110 Rec. Broch. for Leeds admin. Staff (PRIME 1)

  P

  15,900·00

  —

  C50/I13 IMG News issue 10 (NHSISA1)

  P

  2,627·00

  —

  C50/120 Local voices brochure reprint (PMD3B)

  P

  987·00

  —

  C50/121 IMG Aim booklet (NHSIS)

  A, P

  1,695·00

  —

  C70/006 Health service research strategy booklet

  A, D, T

  7,584·63

  —

  C70/006 Health service research strategy booklet

  D

  3,525·00

  —

  C70/006 Health service research strategy booklet

  P

  8,700·90

  —

  C71/001 Hermes publicity leaflet

  D, A, P

  2,231·00

  —

  C71/003 Nursing perspective leaflet issue 1

  A, P

  504·00

  —

  C71/004 Nursing perspective leaflet issue 2

  A, T, P

  1,046·00

  —

  C71/005 C71/RM update issue 3

  A, P

  1,876·00

  —

  C71/013 Risk assessment and RM brochure and leaflet

  P

  5,480·00

  —

  C71/014 Nursing perspective leaflets 1 and 2 reprints

  P

  1,476·00

  —

  C71/017 Ernst and Young RM booklet

  P

  2,805·00

  —

  C71/023 Business planning for medical records booklet

  P

  2,996·00

  —

  C71/024 Mental health systems survey booklet

  P

  3,296·00

  —

  C71/025 RM in the community health services booklet

  P

  2,995·00

  —

  C71/026 Casemix management systems survey booklet

  A, P

  4,067·00

  —

  C73/009 VFM Update March 1992

  D, A, T, P

  2,440·00

  —

  C74/007 Demonstrably different II brochures

  A

  325·48

  —

  C74/007 Demonstrably different II brochures

  D, A, T

  41,891·11

  —

  C74/007 Demonstrably different II brochures

  D

  587·00

  —

  C74/007 Demonstrably different II brochures

  P

  11,695·00

  —

  C74/008 Ref: The First Six months booklet

  P

  24,830·00

  Managers and women

  C74/009 Women in the NHS—Opportunity 2000 leaflet

  D, A

  2,106·78

  —

  C74/009 Women in the NHS—Opportunity 2000 leaflet

  P

  8,007·35

  —

  C74/010 Ambulance and other patient trans serv pub

  P

  4,247·00

  NHS managers and women

  C74/011 NHS Trust finance manual

  D, A, T

  4,512·00

  —

  C74/018 Women in the NHS booklet

  A, T, P

  8,871·25

  —

  C74/019 NHS women's implementation guide

  P

  5,857·82

  —

  C76/004 RMU design consultancy/catalogue printing

  D

  32,579·81

  —

  C76/004 RMU design consultancy/catalogue printing

  Del.

  40·28

  NHS managers

  C76/004 RMU design consultancy/catalogue printing

  P

  18,361·83

  —

  D70/007 NHSME annual report and broadsheet

  —

  97,208·88

  —

  D71/014 Purchasing for the charter booklet

  —

  2,338·25

  —

  D72/003 Total quality management projects pub.

  —

  20,000·00

  —

  D72/013 Report on 6 maternity units

  —

  9,642·60

  —

  D73/001 NHS women's implementation guide

  —

  15,005·95

  Women and managers

  D73/001 Women's employees guide to opportunity 2000

  —

  60,632·41

  Over 500,000 women and to NHS managers

  D73/016 Celebration of success book

  —

  31,938·36

  Senior NHS managers

  D73/016 Reprint of opportunity 2000 booklet

  —

  6,932·50

  NHS managers

  D74/001 VFM update 7

  —

  3,055·00

  NHS managers

  D74/003 Ward materials management

  —

  711·00

  NHS managers

  D74/005 VFM summary report nursing skill mix

  —

  759·50

  NHS managers

  D76/001 Disp management summary booklet

  —

  8,769·88

  NHS managers

  D80/OI4 First steps for the NHS (Focus Book)

  —

  45,000·00

  NHS managers

  D89/003 NHS reg. of comp. Applications (IMG)

  —

  1,924·00

  NHS managers

  D89/004 Queue action reprint (CMME4)

  —

  2,235·00

  —

  DX89/006 Grad. Rec. NHS finance function (FCIB4B)

  —

  6,616·76

  Personnel and finance

  D89/009 Secondments Oxford seminar (91/92) (Prime 2)

  —

  1,900·22

  NHS managers

  D89/015 Ambulance and other pat. trans. booklet (HPU)

  —

  1,542·00

  NHS managers

  D89/018 IMG News issue 11 (IMG)

  —

  2,339·13

  NHS managers

  D89/021 Total quality management (CMME4)

  —

  22,815·00

  NHS managers

  D89/035 Purchasing for health newsletter

  —

  28·78

  NHS managers

  D89/037 IMG News issue 12 (IMG)

  —

  2,578·40

  NHS managers

  D89/041 Data interchange standards booklet (IMG)

  —

  1,775·00

  NHS managers

  D89/042 Local voices SR (PMD3B)

  —

  1,022·00

  NHS managers

  D89/053 IMG News issue 13 (IMG)

  —

  1,967·98

  NHS managers

  D89/054 Health service indicators leaflet (FCIB8)

  —

  1,408·83

  NHS managers

  D89/056 Data quality review (IMG ME (C))

  —

  2,518·56

  NHS managers

  D89/058 this is the IMG reprint (IMG)

  —

  1,938·00

  NHS managers

  D89/066 Data quality review No. 2 (CCSU)

  —

  1,300·00

  NHS managers

  D23/017 "This is the IMG ME" booklet

  —

  1,938·00

  NHS managers

  D90/002 ME News Feb 92 (TRANS 91/92)

  —

  7,375·90

  —

  D90/003 ME News March 92 (TRANS 91/92)

  —

  6,022·59

  —

  D90/004 ME News April 92

  —

  7,463·48

  —

  D90/005 ME News May 92

  —

  8,984·19

  —

  D90/006 ME News June 92

  —

  8,463·69

  —

  D90/008 ME News July 92

  —

  10,585·87

  —

  D90/009 ME News August 92

  —

  9,500·00

  —

  D90/010 ME News September 92

  —

  8,933·46

  —

  D90/011 HOTN News inserts

  —

  998·75

  —

  D90/012 ME News October 92

  —

  11,000·00

  —

  D90/013 ME News November 92

  —

  11,000·00

  —

  194 195

  Project/Project description

  Catagory

  Cost (£)

  Sent to

  D90/014 ME News December 92

  —

  12,000·00

  —

  D90/015 ME News January 93

  —

  12,000·00

  —

  C33/010 "This is the IMG" booklet reprint

  P

  8,067·00

  NHS managers

  C33/016 IMG literature translations and print

  P

  3,485·00

  —

  C90/016 January 1992

  P, Dist, Photos

  7,861·19

  Throughout the NHS

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police (Restructuring)
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had with(a) the Association of County Councils, (b) the Association of Chief Police Officers, (c) the Police Federation and (d) others with regard to proposals to restructure the police force and police authorities in Nottinghamshire.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend has had no discussions relating to police organisation in Nottinghamshire. He is considering a range of issues relating to the future structure, organisation and funding of the police service generally.

  My right hon. and learned Friend does not yet have firm proposals for change, but when he does, he will consult interested parties before final decisions are reached.

  Fire Services, Nottinghamshire
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the capacity of fire authorities in Nottinghamshire to cope with fire, emergency and other demands in 1993–94.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The standard of service provided by the Nottinghamshire fire and rescue service was last examined in the course of an inspection of the service by Her Majesty's inspectorate of fire services between 19 and 23 October 1992. I expect the report of that inspection to be published shortly. It is for Nottinghamshire county council, in the light of its standard spending assessment, to set a budget for 1993–94 which will allow it to comply with its duties under the Fire Services Act 1947 as a fire authority, and with the nationally recommended minimum standards of fire cover.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of offenders in the east midlands and in England and Wales were under 21 years of age in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Jack
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 20 January 1993, at column 252.

  Car Crime
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to reduce car crime; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the question from the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones) on 16 December 1992 at column 208.

  Vehicle Entry Devices
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce legislation to curb the use and sale of vehicle entry devices; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  We have no plans at present to ban or control the sale of vehicle entry devices.

  It should be stressed, however, that it is already a criminal offence, under section 25 of the Theft Act 1968, to carry equipment for use in connection with any burglary or theft. This covers vehicle entry devices, and upon conviction an offender is liable to imprisonment for up to three years.

  Many people, such as locksmiths and garage owners, have a legitimate need for equipment such as skeleton keys, and this would make it extremely difficult to prohibit their sale. These devices are also often no more effective in gaining entry to locked vehicles than other more rudimentary tools, like screwdrivers or shaped pieces of metal, and often require some skill on the part of the user to work effectively.

  Moreover, inquiries by the Home Office crime prevention centre and the Association of Chief Police Officers have not found any evidence of the widespread misuse of skeleton car keys. In particular, the Association of Chief Police Officers has reported that these devices have not been found in the possession of offenders charged with either theft of or from a vehicle.

  We do not, therefore, see a need at present for legislation to control the possession, sale or advertising of skeleton car keys, but we shall continue to monitor the situation closely.

  We are aware, however, that devices which are capable of deactivating electronic car alarms and central locking systems have recently appeared on the British market. We are actively looking into their availability and effectiveness, with a view to assessing what action may be required. Manufacturers too are aware of the existence of these devices and are working to improve the security of their products accordingly.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the percentage clear-up rate for each police force in England and Wales in 1981 and 1991 calculated solely on the basis of those charged and found guilty.

  Mr. Jack
  The information is not available.

  Guilty Pleas
  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(a) the number of those people who appeared in court who entered an initial plea of guilty and (b) the percentage of all those who appeared in court which the figure in (a) represents.
  197
  Mr. Jack
  The readily available information which is collected in selected sample weeks in February, June and October of each year for proceedings for indictable offences, including either-way, at magistrates courts, is given in the table.

  Information for 1985 and earlier years is not available. Information on the type of plea for committals for trial dealt with by the Crown court by circuit, is published annually in the command paper "Judicial statistics, England and Wales". Table 6.7 of the 1991 issue (Cm 1990) gives data for 1990. Information for police force areas is not available.

  Table A

  Defendants pleading guilty at a summary trial as a percentage of all those proceeded1 against at magistrates' courts for indictable offences by police force area, 1986 and 1991

  Police force area

  1986

  1991

  Avon and Somerset

  60

  44

  Bedfordshire

  58

  57

  Cambridgeshire

  75

  46

  Cheshire

  66

  52

  Cleveland

  71

  50

  Cumbria

  69

  64

  Derbyshire

  63

  50

  Devon and Cornwall

  64

  62

  Dorset

  274

  52

  Durham

  59

  45

  Essex

  64

  54

  Gloucestershire

  72

  59

  Greater Manchester

  62

  51

  Hampshire

  68

  53

  Hertfordshire

  63

  56

  Humberside

  69

  59

  Kent

  66

  47

  Lancashire

  65

  46

  Leicestershire

  71

  53

  Lincolnshire

  63

  53

  London, City of

  260

  248

  Merseyside

  50

  48

  Metropolitan Police District

  55

  44

  Norfolk

  59

  52

  Northamptonshire

  269

  50

  Northumbria

  57

  46

  North Yorkshire

  67

  60

  Nottinghamshire

  65

  52

  South Yorkshire

  64

  58

  Staffordshire

  74

  52

  Suffolk

  73

  78

  Surrey

  72

  52

  Sussex

  75

  58

  Thames Valley

  66

  51

  Warwickshire

  257

  253

  West Mercia

  62

  58

  West Midlands

  59

  48

  West Yorkshire

  63

  53

  Wiltshire

  68

  57

  Dyfed-Powys

  260

  52

  Gwent

  72

  45

  North Wales

  60

  50

  South Wales

  61

  52

  England and Wales

  62

  51

  1 Includes proceedings where the defendant is committed for trial to the Crown Court or the case is withdrawn or discontinued.

  2 Based on less than 200 persons proceeded against; percentages based on small numbers are less reliable and subject to greater error.

  Roads (Policing)
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the most recent figures available for the total cost of policing the roads in the United Kingdom; what these figures include; and how they are created.
  198
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In 1991, approximately 8 per cent. of the total police strength in England and Wales was deployed on specialist traffic duties. The proportion of non-specialist officers' time spent on traffic matters is not recorded. The total costs could not be reliably estimated.

  Police Staff
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) police officers and (b) civilian staff have been employed by each police authority in England and Wales for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The table shows police and civilian strength from 1992. The information for 1979 to 1991 can be found in the appendix to the annual reports of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary, copies of which are in the Library.

  Police and Civilian Strength—1992

  As at 31 October

  Force

  Police

  Civilians

  Avon and Somerset

  3,068

  1,097

  Bedfordshire

  1,129

  387

  Cambridgeshire

  1,262

  448

  Cheshire

  1,888

  543

  City of London

  801

  310

  Cleveland

  1,490

  461

  Cumbria

  1,192

  413

  Derbyshire

  1,803

  581

  Devon and Cornwall

  2,918

  1,045

  Dorset

  1,317

  561

  Durham

  1,390

  542

  Dyfed-Powys

  966

  268

  Essex

  2,923

  1,067

  Gloucestershire

  1,154

  378

  Greater Manchester

  7,084

  2,508

  Gwent

  1,008

  318

  Hampshire

  3,269

  1,078

  Hertfordshire

  1,690

  583

  Humberside

  2,027

  692

  Kent

  3,099

  1,103

  Lancashire

  3,203

  1,075

  Leicestershire

  1,846

  671

  Lincolnshire

  1,188

  486

  Merseyside

  4,687

  1,621

  Norfolk

  1,419

  454

  North Wales

  1,369

  459

  North Yorkshire

  1,411

  461

  Northamptonshire

  1,197

  431

  Northumbria

  3,578

  1,229

  Nottinghamshire

  2,343

  738

  South Wales

  3,182

  1,076

  South Yorkshire

  3,013

  924

  Staffordshire

  2,196

  740

  Suffolk

  1,240

  520

  Surrey

  1,684

  604

  Sussex

  3,007

  971

  Thames Valley

  3,843

  1,457

  Warwickshire

  1,007

  334

  West Mercia

  2,061

  917

  West Midlands

  6,935

  2,444

  West Yorkshire

  5,095

  1,861

  Wiltshire

  1,257

  490

  Metropolitan

  27,804

  14,459

  Filmed Interviews
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will outline the procedure which has to be followed by any person or organisation wishing to film an interview with a convicted prisoner(a) for

  199
  research purposes, (b) for other private purposes and (c) for publication or broadcast; and at what level the decision is taken in each case.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Requests to interview a prisoner must be made to the governor of the holding prison or the public relations branch of the Home Office. Applications from the media must be made in writing giving details of the requirements of the interviewer and the justification for the interview to take place.

  If the interview is allowed to take place for research purposes or private purposes, a signed undertaking is required that none of the material gathered will be used in any publication or broadcast. Requests for interview for the purposes of publication or broadcast are considered by the public relations branch in conjunction with officials or governors, and where necessary after consultation with Ministers.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) who gave permission for the filming of an interview with Dennis Nilsen which was subsequently broadcast on television;

  (2) to whom permission was given for the filming of the Nilsen interview; what were the terms of the written request for permission; and what written conditions were placed on the permission granted.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave him on Tuesday 2 February.

  Appeal Cases
  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases he referred to the Court of Appeal following an investigation by C3 division at his Department in each of the last 12 months.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Number of cases referred under section 17 (1) (a) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 in respect of conviction

  Number

  1992

  February

  —

  March

  2

  April

  —

  May

  —

  June

  —

  July

  3

  August

  —

  September

  1

  October

  1

  November

  —

  December

  —

  1993

  January

  4

  Notes:

  (a) In addition, one case was referred in October 1992 in respect of sentence only.

  (b) One case was referred in January 1992 and one other in October 1992 under section 17(1)(b) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968.

  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases were referred to the Court of Appeal following investigation by his Department in each of the last five years.
  200
  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is provided in the table:

  In respect of conviction

  Number of cases

  Number of defendants

  (a) Under section 17(1)(a) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968

  1988

  2

  2

  1989

  3

  6

  1990

  7

  20

  1991

  10

  12

  1992

  8

  11

  In respect of sentence

  1988

  23

  23

  1989

  6

  6

  1990

  3

  3

  1991

  4

  8

  1992

  1

  1

  (b) Under section 17(1) (b) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968

  1990

  1

  1

  1991

  2

  2

  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of alleged miscarriage of justice cases which were held by C3 division at his Department in 1992 or for the latest data available.

  Mr. Jack
  At the beginning of 1992, 171 representations were under consideration, 790 new representations were received during the year, and 783 representations were concluded; 178 representations were under consideration at the end of 1992.

  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the average time taken to investigate an alleged miscarriage of justice by his Department during 1992 or for the latest year available;

  (2) how many cases which are currently being examined by C3 division of his Department, at the latest date available, have been outstanding for more than 12 months.

  Mr. Jack
  Information is not available in the form requested. On the latest available information, the average time taken to deal with representations about an alleged miscarriage of justice is 41 days, but much depends on the complexity of the case and the extent of police or other inquiries that may be required to assess the representations made. Further representations may be received while a case is under consideration, prolonging the conclusion. At 1 February, there were 27 cases which had been under consideration for more than 12 months.

  Frankland Prison
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an inquiry into the incident at Frankland prison involving a sexual assault by an inmate on a women prison officer while carrying out her official duties; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Serious assaults in prisons are usually investigated by the police. The incident at Frankland, involving a sexual assault on a woman prison officer by an inmate, was immediately referred to Durham constabulary, which is conducting an inquiry. Its findings are not yet known.
  201
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the national safety standards for prison officer staff; and what procedures are being followed by his Department to ensure that these were complied with at Frankland prison.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The safety of all prison staff is always a prime concern in designing procedures within establishments. Arrangements reflect local conditions and I am satisfied that all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of staff are taken at Frankland. The nature of the work and the inmate population inevitably involves some element of risk.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officer staff have been employed at Frankland prison for each year of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Staffing figures for Frankland prison are available for the last seven years as shown in the table. Before 1986, staffing records were not centrally kept. Further information is not therefore readily available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Date

  Staff

  1 April 1986

  354

  1 April 1987

  376

  1 April 1988

  378

  1 April 1989

  388

  1 April 1990

  399

  1 April 1991

  404

  1 April 1992

  401

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many local authority areas help and advice is provided to young people who are cautioned; and how many(a) aged under 18 years and (b) aged over 18 years received such assistance in each of the past three years in each local authority area.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Squatting
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce legislation to tighten up the law on squatting; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  As my hon. Friend knows, we are firmly committed to introduce legislation to tighten up the law on squatting. It is important that any new provisions deal effectively with this clearly unacceptable activity while striking the right balance between the criminal and the civil law. Any new provisions must also be both fair and enforceable. We have been giving very careful thought to the form which legislation might take and will announce our conclusions as soon as possible.

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the percentage change in(a) real terms and (b) cash terms of his Department's budget from 1992–93 to 1993–94.
  202
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  There is no change in real terms between the Home Office's estimated outturn for 1992–93 and its planned expenditure fur 1993–94, but there is an increase of 2·75 per cent. in cash terms.

  Privatisation
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to privatise parts of his Department over the next year.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have given approval for advisers to be engaged in preparation for the privatisation of DTELS, formerly the Directorate of Telecommunications. The aim is to privatise during 1993–94 by means of a trade sale.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has about the percentage contribution to gross domestic product provided by manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom; and how this compares with percentages in the other member states of the European Community.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The information is in the table.

  Manufacturing industry5 as a percentage of gross domestic product in European Community countries

  1989

  United Kingdom

  119·8

  France

  21·3

  Germany

  31·1

  Italy

  23·2

  Belgium

  23·3

  Netherlands

  20·2

  Luxembourg

  28·4

  Denmark

  15·8

  Ireland

  222·3

  Spain

  26·9

  Portugal

  329·2

  Greece

  415·3

  1 Latest year 1987.

  2 Latest year 1979.

  3 Latest year 1986.

  4 Latest year 1988.

  5 Manufacturing is defined according to the International Standard Industrial Classification Division 38.

  Source: OECD National Accounts.

  United Kingdom manufacturing share of GDP can also be derived from figures published in "UK National Accounts, the Blue Book". These have the attraction of being more up to date. The United Kingdom national accounts data are, however, not directly comparable with data show in the above table and published by the OECD. A reason for non-comparability is that blue book data shown output at factor cost. OECD estimates show output at market prices. Taxes and subsidies are included in estimates at market prices, but are netted out in factor cost estimates.

  Funeral Costs
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to require all funeral directors to publish an itemised price list covering all costs associated with arranging a funeral; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  No. Whilst I strongly support price transparency, and would welcome an amendment to the code of conduct of the National Association of Funeral Directors in this direction, I do not think it would be appropriate for the Government to prescribe to the funeral industry how it should prepare its estimates and invoices.

  British Telecom
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects the results of the OFTEL consultancy study into the accounting separation of BT activities to be complete; and if he will place a copy in the Library as soon as it is complete.

  Coal R&D expenditure in United Kingdom, United States of America and Japan Period 1985 to 1990

  1985 £ million

  1986 £ million

  1987 £ million

  1988 £ million

  1989 £ million

  1990 £ million

  United Kingdom

  122·3

  118·2

  58·2

  45·5

  43·8

  45·8

  United States of America

  179·5

  170·8

  140·7

  243·7

  245·3

  472·2

  Japan

  159·9

  152·7

  159·2

  175·9

  137·3

  134·5

  Notes:

  1. United Kingdom R&D expenditure on April-March financial year basis. Annual figures converted to 1990–91 base and inclusive of expenditure by DEn, DTI, DOE, SERC, CEGB, British Coal and British Gas.

  2. Figures for USA and Japan extracted from IEA publication, "Energy policies of IEA countries—1991 reviews". Figures are published in 1991 $US which have been converted to £UK using the IEA average exchange rate of $1·764 to the £ for 1991.

  Offshore Licences
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 28 January,Official Report, column 822, which organisations specifically requested that their advice and response to his consultation on the 14th round of offshore licences should be treated in confidence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Consultation of other Departments and interested bodies took place on the understanding that the information provided would be treated in confidence. This is our established practice with regard to consultation on blocks offered for licensing.

  Exceptional Projects Scheme
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to the oral statement of the Minister for Industry of 26 January,Official Report, column 972, (1) what consultations he has had with organisations representing United Kingdom business in relation to the suspension of section 8 assistance to exceptional projects scheme;

  (2) what consultations he has had with the European Commissioners responsible for (a) competition and (b) industrial policy in relation to the suspension of section 8 assistance to exceptional projects scheme.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 2 February 1993]: Only two projects have been able to satisfy the stringent criteria
  204
  Mr. Leigh
  I understand from the Director General of Telecommunications that a preliminary consultancy report has now been received by OFTEL, and that BT's reactions are currently awaited. Any wider consultations and decisions made in the light of the report will be a matter of public record, with copies of the relevant documents available in the library of the House.

  Clean Coal Technology
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much funding has been given to research into clean coal technology in the United Kingdom for each year since 1985; and what corresponding information he has for Japan and the United States.

  Mr. Eggar
  The comparative coal research expenditure figures available for the United Kingdom, Japan and the USA since 1985 cover the period 1985 to 1990 and are as detailed. Specific figures for clean coal technology research are not known, but most of the expenditure detailed is believed to be focused on the development of clean coal technology for power generation.

  for demonstrating exceptional national benefit in five years. In these circumstances we did not hold consultations with organisations representing United Kingdom business on our decision to suspend the assistance for exceptional projects facility. The AEP facility required approval from the European Commission. We did not consult any Commission officials about the suspension I have announced.

  Steel
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations on competition grounds he has made to the European Commission about the proposed merger of the steel tube interests of the main Italian Ilva, German Mannesmann and French Usinor, steel companies.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I understand the proposed joint venture between Ilva, Mannesmann and Usinor Sacilor, to combine their stainless steel seamless tube operations, is likely to fall for investigation by the European Commission under the merger control regulation. Mergers which qualify for investigation must be notified to the European Commission and member states have the opportunity to comment on them. The United Kingdom passes comments to the EC Commission on all notified cases. If the proposed joint venture between the three steel companies is notified the United Kingdom will assess its competition implications and submit comments in the usual way.
  205
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made to the United States Government following their announcement that they will be imposing a 105 per cent. levy on imported British steel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 2 February 1993]: The provisional anti-dumping duties of 109.22 per cent. on British Steel exports of steel plate are unwarranted and wholly disproportionate.

  The actions, brought by the protected United States steel industry, cannot help efforts to secure a much-needed multilateral steel arrangement.

  The President of the Board of Trade has written to United States Commerce Secretary Ron Brown urging him to focus on these matters at the earliest opportunity. The issue was also raised at the Foreign Affairs Council on 2 February.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Tourism
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on his policy for tourism.

  Mr. Key
  I refer to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Mr. Evans) on 13 November,Official Report, columns 997–98. I believe that the case is now much less strong for central Government funding of the promotion of tourism in England. The English tourist board has done a great deal over the years to raise standards, to improve access to information, and to show the industry how their products can be developed and marketed. As the industry matures, and the regional tourist boards develop, it is appropriate for other bodies to carry on many of the ETB's central activities. That is reflected in the allocations of Exchequer grants for tourism over the next three years.

  However, I also believe that central Government support for the regional tourist boards should continue. I believe that this support should be targeted much more closely than at present on areas where the industry would not fully exploit tourism potential unaided and where this would assist with economic regeneration. The English tourist board is currently working on proposals for support to the regional tourist boards.

  Historic Royal Palaces Agency
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consideration was given to repeating the assertion of his accountability for the policy, operations and resources of the Historic Royal Palaces Agency, contained in the 1990–91 review of the agency, in its 1991–92 report, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 22 January 1993]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Historic Royal Palaces Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Beeton. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from David Beeton to Mr. Toby Jessel, dated 28 January 1993:
  206
  I am writing to confirm our recent conversation about your Parliamentary Written Question on the Secretary of State's accountability for the policy operation and resources of the Historic Royal Palaces Agency.
  The statements about this in the two documents you referred to derived from the Agency's Framework Document, which is it's Constitution, and was the basis upon which the Agency was established in 1989. That document was to be reviewed after 3 years. This is now in hand and I understand that no changes to the Secretary of State's above stated responsibilities are proposed. I am certainly not seeking any.
  You also asked me whether the rumour that Bushy Park might be transferred to the Agency was true. I said that the question had been considered when the maintenance of Bushy Park had been put out to contract as to whether the same should happen at Hampton Court. It was decided then that merged management would not be appropriate and I do not expect this question to be raised again, at least until the present maintenance contract at Bushy Park expires, which is several years from now.

  Badgers
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many individuals have been convicted under the Badgers Act 1973.

  Mr. Jack
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information is given in the table for the years 1979 to 1991 which is provisional. Data from 1973 to 1978 are not available.

  Number of persons convicted under the Badgers Act 1973, 1979 to 19911

  England and Wales

  Year

  Convictions

  1979

  24

  1980

  20

  1981

  26

  1982

  23

  1983

  50

  1984

  38

  1985

  25

  1986

  67

  1987

  55

  1988

  41

  1989

  53

  1990

  26

  11991

  17

  1Provisional.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Russia (Biological Weapons)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report, column 705, to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn), what research assistance has been given to Russia in connection with ending biological weapons programmes.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom has not provided Russia with research assistance in connection with ending biological weapons programmes. Under the terms of a trilateral agreement reached between the United Kingdom, the United States and Russia on 11 September 1992, various measures to monitor compliance with the 1972 biological and toxic weapons convention are envisaged including an examination of ways to promote co-operation in the conversion of biological weapons facilities.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary-General of the United Nations in respect of the resumption of the UN-sponsored talks on Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is in regular contact with the United Nations Secretary General about Cyprus, as about other issues, through the Britist ambassador to the United Nations. The Government welcome the agreement by all parties to resume talks in March, and will continue actively to support the efforts of the United Nations.

  Deported Palestinians
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are taking with regard to the continuing situation of the deported Palestinians.

  Mr. Hogg
  We have made our views very clear to the Israelis, most recently in a meeting between European Community Foreign Ministers and the Israeli Foreign Minister in Brussels on 1 February. The Israeli Government have now taken a helpful step in the right direction. We are urging on all concerned that it should be their top priority to resume the peace process.

  World Television Service
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to which sections of the world BBC World Service television is not broadcast; and when he expects the coverage to be complete.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  BBC World Service television, which is a commercial enterprise, is now available in Europe, most of Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Canada, and is on course to achieve its target of world coverage by the end of this year. A service to Australasia is expected to begin soon, and negotiations are under way for services in Latin America and Japan, and for rebroadcasts in the United States.

  Government Communications Headquarters
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about recruitment policies at Government communications headquarters, and which groups which are excluded on grounds of ethnic origin or parents' country of origin.

  Mr. Hurd
  No groups are excluded on grounds of ethnic origin. Members of staff at GCHQ must be British citizens, must never have held citizenship other than of the United Kingdom and colonies, and must not hold any nationality or citizenship in addition to British citizenship. As regards parents of applicants, the requirement is that each parent must always have been a Commonwealth citizen as defined by the British Nationality Act 1981.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from other Governments about employment practices at. Government communications headquarters; and if he will make a statement.
  208
  Mr. Hurd
  To the best of my knowledge, there has never been a representation from another Government about employment practices at GCHQ other than in the context of the consideration by members of the International Labour Organisation of the question of staff representation at GCHQ.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applicants for employment at Government communications headquarters in the last five years have been refused on the grounds that their parents came from Ireland; and if he will make it his policy not to bar applicants on such grounds.

  Mr. Hurd
  No applicant would be refused simply on the ground that their parents came from Ireland. What matters is whether the parents hold Commonwealth citizenship as defined by the British Nationality Act 1981. Figures are not kept on how many applications have been refused on that ground.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Motoring Offences
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the most recent figures he has available showing the total annual cost of magistrates court hearings arising from motoring offences.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mrs. L. J. Ferry
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the dates in 1992 when maintenance cheques were received by Hertford county court in respect of Mrs. L. J. Ferry and the dates on which they were remitted to Mrs. L. J. Ferry.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Maintenance payments in respect of Mrs. L. J. Ferry in 1992 were received by the Hertford county court and remitted to Mrs. L. J. Ferry according to the list:

  Payment received by the Court

  Payment remitted to Mrs. Ferry

  20 January 1992

  22 January 1992

  11 February 1992

  18 February 1992

  17 March 1992

  24 March 1992

  24 April 1992

  24 April 1992

  27 May 1992

  27 May 1992

  15 June 1992

  19 June 1992

  28 July 1992

  28 July 1992

  24 August 1992

  24 August 1992

  25 September 1992

  29 September 1992

  27 October 1992

  27 October 1992

  26 November 1992

  26 November 1992

  30 December 1992

  30 December 1992

EDUCATION

  Lingua Programme
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 25 January,Official Report, column 541, if he will state the reasons underlying

  209
  the decision by the Council of Education Ministers to limit the eligibility for pupil exchanges under the Lingua programme to pupils attending educational establishments supported by public funds.

  Mr. Boswell
  Given the limited resources available, the Council of Education Ministers wished to target public funds narrowly. I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Teachers (Non-contact Time)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has of the average weekly non-contact time of teachers in(a) secondary schools and (b) primary schools in (i) 1985 and (ii) 1990.

  Mr. Forth
  The available information on teachers' non-contact time is derived from staffing surveys conducted in secondary schools in 1988 and 1992, and primary schools in 1987. The tables show the actual amount of teachers' non-contact time during pupil timetabled lesson time in the survey week. They are averages for all teachers in the sector, including head teachers.

  Teachers' average non-contact time (hours)

  Maintained Nursery and Primary schools

  1987

  2.0

  Maintained Secondary schools

  1988

  4.2

  1992

  4.7

  Environment and Development Education
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for complying with the commitment in "Agenda 21" of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development to update or prepare strategies for integrating the issues of environment and development into education to undertake a review of curricula to ensure a multi-disciplinary approach.

  Mr. Forth
  In schools the national curriculum gives ample scope for pupils to develop a knowledge and understanding of the environment and how it affects our lives. Several of the national curriculum subjects include studies relevant to education about, for and through the environment.

  In further and higher education, an expert committee was appointed by the Department and the Welsh Office in 1991 to advise on the future development of environmental education: its report was published on 2 February 1993. Its recommendations are being brought to the attention of those to whom they are addressed.

  Schools (Expenditure)
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what figures are available comparing Government assumptions about the levels of local authority expenditure on schools with the actual expenditure in the current year and planned expenditure for next year.

  Mr. Forth
  Education's share of the overall level of spending by local authorities which the Government 210
  assumed for the 1992–93 local authority grant settlement is £18,787 million. The equivalent figure for 1993–94 is £16,854 million; this represents an increase of 2·6 per cent. after taking account of the transfer of responsibilities, notably for further education. The Government do not make assumptions about the amount local authorities will spend on schools. Information about authorities' actual expenditure in 1992–93 and planned expenditure next year is not yet available.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the number of herds of cattle which have been restocked with calves from overseas BSE-free herds in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Soames
  This information is not available. While Customs and Excise statistics record numbers of animals imported into the United Kingdom each year, no record is kept of the reason for importation.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the outcome of experiments attempting to transfer spongiform encephalopathies from BSE-infected material to mink.

  Mr. Soames
  The mink experiment is incomplete and no results are yet available.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many suspected BSE cases have been placed under restriction each week since 20 November 1992.

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested for Great Britain is as follows:

  Week ending

  Number of Form A's served

  27 November 1992

  840

  4 December 1992

  940

  11 December 1992

  955

  18 December 1992

  925

  25 December 1992

  816

  1 January 1993

  549

  8 January 1993

  1,062

  15 January 1993

  993

  22 January 1993

  987

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the possibility of diagnosing rapidly cattle infected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy but not yet clinically ill; and what plans he has to introduce surveys to quantify the extent of subclinical bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cows and cattle.

  Mr. Soames
  Research aimed at developing a test for bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the live animal is in progress and remains a high priority, but no such test has yet been produced or is likely to be available in the near future. Surveys of the live cattle population for bovine spongiform encephalopathy cannot therefore be carried out.

  Parkhurst Forest
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the public meeting to discuss the Forestry Commission's plans for Parkhurst forest on the Isle of Wight.

  Mr. Curry
  The public meeting held in Newport, Isle of Wight, on 14 January was arranged by the Forestry Commission so that the local forest district manager could discuss the proposed felling at Mark's corner in Parkhurst forest with interested members of the public. This area is a site of special scientific interest which consists largely of old oak trees; the site is particularly noted for its lichens. The felling proposals form part of a long-term management plan for the area which was agreed with the Nature Conservancy Council, now English Nature, in 1989. The felling is designed to reduce the denser stands of oaks and to thin the beech and sweet chestnut trees, in order to allow more light to reach the stems of trees carrying rare lichens. This will create a more open woodland structure similar to that associated with the traditional management of pasture woodland.

  Most people at the public meeting accepted that some trees should be felled, and many helpful and positive comments were made. The Forestry Commission agreed to implement many of the suggestions, including the request that fewer trees should be felled and that a conservation ride should be created. The Forestry Commission invited the meeting to set up a friends of Parkhurst forest body in order to improve liaison between the commission and the local residents.

  I understand that my hon. Friend recently met the Forestry Commission's regional director and discussed the management of Parkhurst forest with him.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Care Allowances
  Ms. Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost of raising the level of the invalid care allowance to that of(a) retirement pension and (b) two-thirds of average earnings.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs. Ewing) on 18 November 1992 at col.252.

  Sickness and Maternity Benefits
  Ms. Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to investigate the payment of sickness and maternity benefits; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Coventry, North West (Mr. Robinson) on Monday 1 February.

  Child Support
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost in 1993–94 of introducing a disregard for the first(a) £5 and (b) £10 per week of maintenance raised under the Child Support Act 1991 where the parent with care is in receipt of income support.
  212
  Mr. Burt
  Latest estimates of the costs in 1993–94 of a disregard of maintenance in income support are £60 million for a £5 disregard and £115 million for a £10 disregard. These figures take no account of possible behavioural changes.

  Hospital Visits
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications were received in 1991–92 by the Benefits Agency in(a) Woolwich and (b) Bexleyheath from parents for assistance with travel and other costs associated with visiting their sick children in hospital; and how many were refused.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available.

  Pensions
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will introduce legislation to ensure that existing pension provisions are maintained in the event of a partial or complete takeover of a British company by a foreign company or financier.

  Miss Widdecombe
  A review of the legal framework within which occupational pensions schemes operate, is currently being carried out by the Pensions Law Review Committee. That review will take into account the rights and interests of scheme members, pensioners and employers. Decisions on whether any legislative changes are appropriate will be made in the light of the committee's report.

  Industrial Diseases
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to implement the recommendations of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council that emphysema and chronic bronchitis in underground coal miners should be prescribed as an industrial disease.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 14 December 1992 at column 76.

  Personal Injuries (Damages)
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average time taken to reply to solicitors pursuing claims for damages for personal injuries with information on state benefits paid to clients, prior to the setting up of the compensation recovery unit at Hebburn; what is the current time taken; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter from Mr. Michael Bichard to Mr. David Clelland, dated 2 February 1993.
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what was the average time taken to reply to solicitors pursuing claims for damages for personal

  213
  injuries with information on state benefits paid to clients, prior to the setting up of the Compensation Recovery Unit; and what is the current time taken.
  Prior to the setting up of the Compensation Recovery Unit a record of response times to requests for information on state benefits was not maintained. The information you request is therefore not available.
  Since the setting up of the Compensation Recovery Unit in 1990 a record of all requests for information on state benefits has been maintained. However, I should explain that it is not possible to break this down into individual groups such as solicitors pursuing personal injury claims.
  For the six months ending on 31 December 1992 the average response time to all enquiries was 20.5 working days and approximately 90% of all enquiries were dealt with within the unit's target of 30 working days.
  The issue of Certificates of Total Benefit paid, which is the main business of the unit, is being achieved within the statutory time limit of four weeks in 99.97% of all cases.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when Miss Alison Freda Leahy of 18 Grove close, Totnes TQ9 SEP, reference NA 17 10 86 D, will hear the result of her application for disability living allowance submitted last May.

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

  Letter from Mr. Michael Bichard to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 2 February 1993.
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking when Miss Alison Freda Leahy will hear the result of her application for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), submitted last May.
  According to our records Miss Leahy claimed DLA in February 1992 and a decision was made on 13 April 1992. Unfortunately the letter informing Miss Leahy of the outcome of her claim does not appear to have been sent to her and for this I offer my sincere apologies.
  I can confirm that Miss Leahy has now been notified of the decision. I have replied to you separately in greater detail about her case.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total annual cost to his Department of people unable to work and in receipt of benefit as a result of road accidents.

  Mr. Scott
  This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Allowances (Carers)
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will examine ways of relaxing the present link between invalid care allowance and attendance allowance or medium/higher rate care component disability living allowance to enable more carers to qualify for the carer's benefit.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no plans to do so.

  "Community Care: Carers"
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many of the recommendations for improving financial support for carers proposed by the fifth report from the House of Commons Social Services Committee of 1989–90, "Community Care: Carers", have been implemented since its publication.

  Mr. Scott
  The earnings limit for invalid care allowance has been raised since the report, from £20 to £40 in April 1992. Subject to parliamentary approval we intend to raise the limit again, to £50 from April this year, and to introduce a £15 disregard for all carers in the income-related benefits. Since October 1991 the carer premium in the income-related benefits has been extended for eight weeks after caring ceases.

WALES

  Pupil Assessment
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what are his reasons for phasing out the Welsh Joint Education Committee certificate of education;

  (2) if he will list the organisations he consulted prior to his decision to phase out the certificate of education; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what consultations he has had with the Welsh Joint Education Committee concerning his proposals to phase out the certificate of education; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) if he will make a statement on the introduction of the national curriculum and its associated assessment procedures in relation to less academic candidates.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. and learned Member for Montgomery (Mr. Carlile) on 2 February.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many special educational needs pupils moved from segregated special schools to integrated mainstream schools in each local education authority area of Wales for the latest year for which figures are available.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information on the number of pupils with statements of special educational needs moving from special schools cannot be identified separately. However, the following table shows the number of pupils with statements transferring from independent or maintained special schools to mainstream schools in each local education authority area in Wales for 1991.

  Number

  Clwyd

  13

  Dyfed

  4

  Gwent

  2

  Gwynedd

  —

  Mid Glamorgan

  3

  Powys

  3

  South Glamorgan

  14

  West Glamorgan

  6

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the percentage change in(a) real terms and (b) cash terms of his Department's budget from 1992–93 to 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The total public expenditure provision for programmes within my responsibility in 1993–94, £6,316 million, is 8·7 per cent. more than the original planned provision for 1992–93, £5,809 million. This is an increase of 5·8 per cent. in real terms.

  Included in these figures are additional resources in 1993–94 in respect of (i) the transfer from the Department for Education of responsibility for university funding in Wales; (ii) the transfer from the Department of Social Security to local authorities of responsibility for enhanced support for those who need it for care in their own homes or in residential or nursing homes; (iii) the transfer from the Department of Employment of responsibility for training; and (iv) the new treatment of superannuation costs for civil servants.

  Health Service Staff
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to the proportionate increase in the numbers of administrative and management staff in the national health service; and what proposals he has to limit the increase in numbers.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No such representations have been received. Staffing levels are the responsibility of health authorities and national health service trusts and they require sufficient numbers to manage an annual expenditure in Wales of nearly £2 billion in an effective and efficient way for the benefit of patients.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for changes to the cash limits for his Department in the current financial year.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limit on class XVI, vote 4 will be reduced by £6,000,000 from £156,095,000 to £150,095,000; the cash limit on class XVI, vote 5 will be increased by £4,746,000 from £501,172,000 to £505,918,000; the cash limit on class XVI, vote 8 will be increased by £1,876,000 from £1,276,914,000 to £1,278,790,000; the cash limit on class XVI, vote 9 will be increased by £40,000 from £59,123,000 to £59,163,000. The local authority capital cash limit—WO/LACAP—will be reduced by £2,162,000 from £451,334,000 to £449,172,000. The Housing for Wales cash limit—WO/HEW—will be increased by £35,000,000 from £121,469,000 to £156,469,000.

  The reduction in the cash limit for vote 4 of £6,000,000 reflects a lower than expected demand for places on the TEC programmes mainly for unemployed young people. This reduced requirement will permit a corresponding increase in the provision for industrial expansion through regional selective assistance grants. The increase will be secured by means of a supplementary estimate on class XVI, vote 3.

  The increase in the cash limit for vote 5 comprises (i) the take-up of end-year flexibility entitlement of £4,709,000
  216
  for capital expenditure as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July 1992, Official Report, cols 698–702, and (ii) a transfer from class XIII, vote I of £37,000 in respect of part-time training for career registrars.

  The increase in the cash limit for vote 8 comprises (i) additional provision of £1,555,000 to cover the interest element in the charges of NHS trusts; (ii) additional resources of £298,000 in respect of changes to the external financing limit for the NHS trust and (iii) a transfer from class XIII, vote 3 of £23,000 in respect of the NHS Estates Agency.

  The increase in the cash limit for vote 9 represents a transfer from class VI vote 1 of £40,000 to cover the capital costs associated with the transfer of responsibility to the Welsh Office of training in Wales.

  The decrease of £2,162,000 in the WO/LACAP cash limit represents the net effect of (i) a reduction of £5,162,000 to take account of prior-year capital grant adjustments, partly offset by (ii) an increase of £3,000,000 in respect of the special package of housing measures announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 1992 autumn statement.

  The WO/HFW cash limit will be increased by £35,000,000 to take account of the special package of housing measures announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 1992 autumn statement.

  The net increase represented by these changes will be charged to the reserve and will not add therefore to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Environment Agency
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will establish an independent environment agency in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 15 July 1992 at column 857–58.

TRANSPORT

  Rail Lines (Disposal)
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to put the Merseyside Wirral and Northern lines in the same category as the Chiltern line and Isle of Wight lines in respect of disposal.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is our intention under the Railways Bill to franchise all passenger services currently run by British Rail.

  British Rail
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what will be the cash ceiling for public service obligation grant to British Rail for 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend announced on 8 May 1992 that the ceiling had been set at £1,040 million. This figure has been increased to £1,150 million in the light of revised forecasts. British Rail's external financing limit for 1992–93 is not affected.

  Transport Projects
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to which EC countries take pollution and congestion into consideration as investment criteria when allocating funds in new transport projects; and if he will outline the principal features of the criteria used in each case.

  Mr. Freeman
  Investment appraisal procedures vary markedly in their sophistication and scope between countries. All countries undertake some form of environmental assessment of transport schemes, as required by EC directive 85/337/EEC. There is no general agreement on the appropriate techniques for valuing environmental impacts; consequently few countries attempt to value them directly.

  My officials are taking part in the EC EURET project "Cost Benefit and Multi Criteria Analysis for New Road Construction", which is surveying the appraisal methodology in use in member states for new road construction, with the ultimate objective of establishing a co-ordinated evaluation method to be made adaptable for use at Community level. The project is due to be completed this year and the final report published early next.

  Road Maintenance (Cost)
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the most recent figures available for the cost per mile of road maintenance in the United Kingdom; and how the figure is calculated.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  In 1991–92 the average cost of maintenance for the United Kingdom road network was £10,400 per mile. This figure is calculated from information collected by the Department of Transport, Scottish Office, Welsh Office and the Department of Environment (Northern Ireland). It is based on all types of maintenance expenditure, including structural, routine and winter, on all roads, both national and local.

  Road Damage
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has carried out into the relative damage caused to road surfaces by different classes of road vehicles; and if he will give specific details for(a) motor cars of 1300 cc engines and (b) loaded 20 ton commercial vehicles.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The research commissioned by the Department is recorded in the following two reports, copies of which are being made available to the Libraries in both Houses:

  (a) "Relative Damaging Power of Wheel Loads in Mixed Traffic" (TRL Laboratory Report 979, Crowthorne, 1981).

  (b) "Trends in Axle Loadings and Their Effect on Design of Road Pavements" (TRRL Research Report 138, Crowthorne, 1988).

  The results of that work have broadly confirmed and extended the original work on this topic undertaken in the United States of America between 1958 and 1961.

  All motorcars, whatever the size of their engine, cause negligible road wear and tear compared with commercial vehicles.
  218
  The relative wear and tear caused by fully laden commercial vehicles in the 20–tonne range is indicated by the following vehicle wear factors expressed as the number of standard 80KN axles.

  Factors

  Two axle rigid (maximum gross weight 17 tonnes)

  3·14

  Three axle rigid (maximim gross weight 26 tonnes)

  3·44

  Three axle artic (maximum gross weight 26 tonnes)

  4·50

  Freight
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has undertaken into the environmental effects of freight travelling by(a) road and (b) rail; and how these are taken into consideration as investment criteria when allocating funds in new transport projects.

  Mr. Freeman
  Research carried out by the Department into the environmental effects of freight travelling by road includes the "Lorries in the Community" study, undertaken by the Department in association with the Civic Trust and the County Surveyors Society, and the lorry management study, from which the resulting guidance was published in 1990.

  The means by which environmental considerations are taken into account in the Department's investment appraisal procedures are explained in the Department's publication "The role of investment appraisal in road and rail transport" (1991).

  The Government pay freight facilities grants to encourage private companies to use rail in cases where there are wider environmental and other benefits. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State yesterday announced substantial enhancements to this scheme, together with a new scheme, similar in concept, to contribute towards track charges for freight flows which would otherwise travel by road.

  These measures, together with our proposal for a lorry weight concession for combined transport—on which we shall be consulting widely—will help to encourage wider use of intermodal rail freight services.

  Transport Costs
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken to quantify the respective real costs, including all associated and indirect demands, on public funds of(a) road and (b) rail transport in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Freeman
  Levels of public expenditure on road and rail transport are set out in the Department of Transport's annual report.

  No comprehensive information is available on the effects of road and rail transport on other public expenditure programmes or on taxation, although costs such as policing are included in the track costs calculation for roads.

  Road Safety
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent publications have been made available, and to whom, relating to road safety.
  219
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The following publications have been issued in the last three months:Circular Roads 1/93 Local speed Limits,
  "Killing Speed and Saving Lives—The Government's strategy for tackling the problem of excess speed on our roads"
  The Highway Code

  Copies were sent on publication to local authorities, local authority associations, police, interested professional organisations, lobby groups, monitoring organisations, and individuals who have requested copies. I also sent copies of the first two documents to Members who have written to me on the subject of speed in recent months.

  In addition, a number of leaflets and posters have been issued to road safety officers, the police and motoring organisations dealing with winter driving, drinking and driving, including rehabilitation courses for drink drive offenders; and seat belts.

  The DVLA has also distributed leaflets on seatbelts, the highway code, speed and cycling with vehicle excise duty reminders. The transport research laboratory regularly publishes research reports on road safety topics.

  Fatalities and Injuries
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatalities and serious injuries occurred per passenger mile, for each of the last five years for which figures are available for(a) the roads and (b) the railways.

  Mr.Freeman
  The figures requested are given in the table:

  Fatel and serious injuries per billion passenger miles

  Road

  Rail

  Year

  Fatal

  Serious injuries

  Fatal

  Serious injuries

  1991

  10·9

  124

  2·3

  3·9

  1990

  12·6

  145

  1·4

  4·8

  1989

  13·0

  153

  1·3

  5·5

  1988

  13·2

  166

  2·7

  6·9

  1987

  14·0

  177

  1·6

  3·9

  Departmental Investment Priorities
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account his Department takes in determining its transport investment priorities of the comparative safety risks associated with(a) road and (b) rail travel.

  Mr. Freeman
  Investment appraisal on roads is carried out using a well-established set of values for casualty reductions. The increased funding for local safety schemes indicates the high priority which is given to proven cost-effective measures for reducing road casualties.

  All railway investment includes the cost of meeting relevant safety standards. Where alternative road and rail schemes are compared the safety benefits of any transfers from road to rail are taken into account in assessing the case for grant support.

  Road Congestion and Accidents
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates his Department has made as to the total cost to industry of(a) road congestion and (b) road accidents.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  (a) The Department does not make an estimate of the total cost of road congestion as it 220
  does not believe there is a reliable method of making such an estimate. However, for each road scheme the contribution which it makes to reducing congestion is a central part of the assessment. This is in line with the objective of the roads programme to assist in economic development through the reduction of transport costs.

  (b) The best available estimate of the loss of productive capacity in the economy as a whole from road accidents is £1.8 billion per annum. This applies to all sectors, not industry alone as usually defined.

  Underground and Rail Systems (Deaf People)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department has taken to ensure that underground and rail systems have appropriate electronic boards or visual displays capable of notifying deaf and hearing people of changes to scheduled services or safety and security alerts.

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department is jointly funding with the passenger transport executives a project to produce guidelines on facilities for people with disabilities in transport terminals and interchanges. These guidelines, which are due to be published shortly, will include advice on the use of visual displays to meet the needs of people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

  Railways Bill
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes he expects in the current structure and practice of national negotiations and conciliation practises within the railway service consequent to the implementation of the Railways Bill; and what assessment he has made of the consequent desirability of maintaining a single structure of training and qualifications for various grades of personnel other than the means of funding such internal training and supervision of operating standards.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 2 February 1993]: The existing national arrangements for those parts of the business that remain in BR will be unchanged, subject to any renegotiation found to be necessary after privatisation. Arrangements for negotiation and conciliation with employees in those parts of BR that transfer to the private sector will be for the new owners and employees.

  The Railway Industry Training Council, a voluntary body, already has private sector representation. There is no reason why its work should not continue after privatisation.

  Accident Prevention
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's budget for accident prevention.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 2 February 1993]: Safety and accident prevention are a high priority throughout the Department and many of the Department's activities are designed to enhance safety. It is not therefore possible to give a separate figure for the Department's budget for accident prevention.

SCOTLAND

  Constitutional Change
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on constitutional change in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  Our review of constitutional arrangements is well advanced. We will report to the House once the results of the review are complete.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what further stock he has taken on the future government of Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  Our review of constitutional arrangements is well advanced and I hope we will be able to report to the House in a few weeks' time.

  Long-term Care (House Sales)
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scotland to this date have had their homes sold as assets to pay for a placement in long-term care; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Statistics on the number of residents in long-term residential care who have sold their former dwellings in order to meet the cost of long-term care accommodation are not held centrally.

  Stobhill Hospital
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future of Stobhill hospital.

  Mr. Stewart
  Greater Glasgow health board is conducting a review of all its acute and maternity services. Stobhill hospital features as part of that review. I look forward to receiving the health board's recommendations in due course.

  Holyrood House
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many days, in each year since 1987, the Palace of Holyrood House was occupied by the sovereign.

  Sir Hector Monro
  In recent years Her Majesty and other members of the royal family have made regular use of the Palace of Holyrood House. In addition the Lord High Commissioner is in residence for some 10 days each year. The palace was also a very successful venue for the European Council last December.

  Construction Industry
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many small businesses in the construction industry have ceased trading in Scotland in the last three months.

  Mr. Stewart
  Comprehensive figures on the number of business failures involving small firms in the construction sector in Scotland are not available.

  Skye Bridge
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on progress towards the completion of the bridge to Skye.
  222
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Because of the very stormy weather conditions recently experienced, the planned floating-out and sinking operation for the bridge caissons has been delayed. The contractor intends to mobilise his resources quickly for this critical operation as soon as an appropriate weather window becomes available. It is not expected that the target of completion by mid—1995 will be affected.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria he uses in making appointments to the boards of NHS trusts.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend appoints NHS trust non-executive directors for the personal qualities that they have and their ability to make an effective contribution, individually and collectively, to the trust's work.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what criteria were used by him in selecting the members of the three hospital trusts in Ayrshire.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend appoints NHS trust non-executive directors for the personal qualities that they have and their ability to make an effective contribution, individually and collectively, to the trust's work.

  Oil Spillage (Shetland Islands)
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement regarding the rate of progress of cleaning up the oil spillage in the Shetland Islands and its effect on wildlife and agriculture.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Very good progress has been made in cleaning up the visible oil pollution from the wrecked tanker MV Braer. Comprehensive arrangements have been put in place to monitor the immediate and longer term effects. My right hon. Friend outlined the steps taken by the Government in his statement of 11 January. The ecological steering group has been set up and will certainly be monitoring wildlife and agriculture.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of long-term unemployed(a) adults and (b) persons aged 16 years to 24 years recorded by jobcentres covering the east end of Glasgow; and what percentage of the total unemployment in these centres these figures represent.

  Mr. Stewart
  Within the constituencies of Glasgow, Shettleston and Glasgow, Provan in October 1992 there were 1,090 persons aged less than 25 who had been unemployed for more than a year. This represents 33 per cent. of the unemployed in this age group. There were 3,660 persons aged over 25 who had been unemployed for more than a year, representing 55 per cent. of the unemployed in this age group.

  Scottish Enterprise (Charter Statement)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the charter statement of Scottish Enterprise.

  Mr. Stewart
  Scottish Enterprise has recently published a charter standard statement outlining the body's
  223
  commitment to serving the economic and environmental needs of Scotland and to enhancing the skills of its people. The local enterprise companies are developing parallel statements; and two have already been published. My right hon. Friend had emphasised the importance of the citizens charter in his strategic guidance to Scottish Enterprise, towards the end of 1991; and the Government warmly welcome the action which Scottish Enterprise and the local enterprise companies are taking to put citizens charter principles into practice.

  Scotch Whisky
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what forecast he has made as to the production of Scotch whisky in 1993.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend has made no such forecast.

  Seed and Ware Potatoes
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the contribution of the seed and ware potato industries annually to Scotland.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Potatoes are an important feature of Scottish farm production which are renowned for their high health status and quality.

  Total production is normally in excess of 1 million tonnes annually and worth an estimated £70 million. This represents some 4·5 per cent. of total farm output.

  Local Authorities (Employment Practices)
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement as to the availability of advice from the Scottish Office to local authorities on their employment practices.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend has no locus in the employment practices of local authorities and has therefore offered no advice on the subject. However, the national code of local government conduct, issued in April 1990, includes guidance on conduct by councillors in employment matters.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will issue a guidance note for councillors in Scottish local authorities on good practices in employment.

  Mr. Stewart
  The national code of local government conduct, issued in April 1990, includes guidance on conduct by councillors in employment matters. My right hon. Friend has no plans to issue any further guidance to councillors in Scottish local authorities.

  Private Medical Insurance (Advertising)
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has recently given to health boards and NHS trusts on permitting private medical insurance to include hospitals in advertising material.

  Mr. Stewart
  No advice about permitting private medical insurance companies to include hospitals in advertising material has been offered to health boards and NHS trusts, but in July 1991 the Department of Health 224
  wrote to all United Kingdom health insurers advising them of the statutory framework and management controls governing the conduct of private practice in NHS hospitals.

  Stranraer Harbour
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to assist the improvement of facilities at Stranraer harbour for foot passengers and berthing of vessels.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Stranraer is a commercial harbour and, as such, falls within the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. Improvements to facilities at commercial harbours are a matter for the owners.

  HLCAs and Wool Price Guarantee
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the effect on hill farmers of the reduction in hill livestock compensatory allowances and the ending of the wool price guarantee scheme.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I have received representations on both matters from several hon. Members, farmers and a number of bodies representing farmers and crofters. In responding to these representations, I have pointed out that a number of recent decisions will result in farmers and crofters receiving for 1992 an additional £4·05 per ewe in the sheep annual premium payment, £1·80 more than the reduction of £2·25 in the hill sheep compensatory allowance.

  Written Questions
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many written parliamentary questions he has answered in the current Session.

  Mr. Lang
  As at Tuesday 3 February my ministerial colleagues and I have answered 1,261 written parliamentary questions in the current Session, 166 of which I have responded to personally.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the change in costs of civil legal aid over the latest five years.

  Mr. James Douglas-Hamilton
  The gross expenditure on civil legal aid in 1987–88 was £15·7 million. This had risen to £16·6 million in 1991–92. Estimated expenditure in the current year is £23·5 million, a rise of 43 per cent. over the previous year.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the value of inward investment to Scotland since 1979.

  Mr. Stewart
  Figures prior to the establishment of Locate in Scotland in 1981 are not available.

  From April 1981 to March 1992 Locate in Scotland has recorded planned inward investment in Scotland by companies, totalling some £4·6 billion.

  Edinburgh
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made on the role of Edinburgh(a) as a key financial centre and (b) as a venue for major international conferences.

  Mr. Stewart
  Edinburgh has a well-established reputation as a business and financial centre of international standing. The city is the acknowledged focus of the Scottish financial services sector which contributes some 15 per cent. to Scottish gross domestic product—twice the European Community average. Edinburgh's status in the international conference market has been strongly enhanced by its success in hosting the meeting of the European Council in December 1992 and will be further strengthened by the completion of the Edinburgh international conference centre in 1995.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet representatives of COSLA to discuss the funding of local government.

  Deaths from head injuries, Scotland, 1980–91

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Fracture of Skull and face (ICD 800–804)

  Male

  156

  127

  122

  144

  102

  85

  90

  77

  70

  56

  63

  61

  Female

  42

  38

  44

  34

  43

  34

  33

  34

  16

  21

  23

  23

  Intracranial injury (excluding skull fracture) (ICD 850–854)

  Male

  184

  185

  176

  177

  203

  199

  195

  216

  200

  194

  193

  202

  Female

  79

  68

  57

  67

  68

  69

  67

  81

  59

  93

  65

  65

  The figures include those deaths coded to the World Health Organisation International Classification of Diseases (9th Revision) codes 800–804 and 850–854. The General Register Office for Scotland uses only a restricted code list for nature-of-injury codes. Deaths from head injuries classified to ICD 9 codes such as 870–904 (laceration and open wound) and 910–929 (superficial injury, contusion and crushing with intact skin surface) are not included, but are likely to be few in number.

  Dundee Sheriff Court
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases were scheduled for each sitting of Dundee sheriff court during the most recent three-month period for which figures are available; how many of these cases come to trial on the day for which they were first scheduled; in how many of these cases the

  Summary trials

  Sheriff and jury

  Cases set down for trial

  379

  19

  Trials proceeding

  73 (19 per cent.

  4 (21 per cent.)

  Trials disposed—no evidence led—including guilty pleas

  152 (40 per cent.)

  13 (68 per cent.)

  Trials adjourned—new dates fixed

  152 (40 per cent.)

  2 (10 per cent.)

  Trials adjourned—lack of court time

  2 (0·5 per cent.)

  0

  Prisons Ombudsman
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to create a post of a prisons or prisoners' ombudsman; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Proposals to revise the procedures under which prisoners in Scotland are able to make requests and complaints and to air grievances were
  226
  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend met the convention on 18 January as part of the normal consultation on local government finance matters. Further such meetings will be held later this year on dates to be arranged.

  Planning Procedures
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the mechanism for challenging planning appeal decisions in Scotland and costs thereof; and what proposals he has to change it.

  Mr. Lang
  On 3 September 1992 I met representatives of Borders regional council to discuss a number of issues, including the planning appeal system and the award of costs in appeal cases. There are no plans to change the appeal system at present.

  Head Injury Deaths
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have died from head injuries in Scotland in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Stewart
  The figures requested are given in the table.

  defendant pleaded guilty on the day scheduled for trial; and how many of these cases were cancelled and re-scheduled for another day.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Comprehensive information is not collected in the form requested and is not readily available. Information on the outcome of cases set down for trial in the sheriff courts is collected centrally on a quarterly basis. The figures for Dundee sheriff court for the quarter ended 31 December 1992 are as follows:

  contained in a report of a Scottish prison service group entitled "Right and Just" which was published for comment in September 1992.

  Comments on the recommendations made in the report are being considered and an announcement on the introduction of procedures, which will contain an independent element, will be made in due course.

  Flood Damage
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to visit the storm and flood-damaged areas of north Tayside to assess the amount of public aid required to restore the area; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Education and Housing and I have visited Perth and the surrounding area to assess the damage at first hand. The Government have triggered the Bellwin scheme to assist Tayside authorities with expenditure incurred by them in dealing with the effects of the flooding. We have also arranged for special assistance to be provided for the repair of flood defences for agricultural areas.

  Shetland (Oil Pollution)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial assistance is being given by the Government to animal welfare organisations active in saving wildlife in the aftermath of the oil spillage from MV Braer.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 15 January 1993]: The Scottish Office has made the following offers, under the special grant environmental programme, of financial assistance for rescue and care of wildlife:

  The Hillswick Wildlife Centre: £5,000 for rehabilitation of seals and otters.

  The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: £5,000 for care and treatment of oiled birds.

  In addition, Scottish National Heritage is providing grant of £10,000 for rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife as well as contributing practical advice and assistance to this work.

  The European Commission has offered to match this overall support with £20,000. The EC and SNH support is to be paid to voluntary groups in the light of advice from the Shetland wildlife response co-ordinating committee.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what contact, consultation meetings or discussions the Minister for Health at the Scottish Office has had with Tayside health board on the subject of hospital services at(a) Stracathro, (b) Arbroath infirmary or (c) other hospitals in Angus.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 February 1993]: My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Health and Home Affairs met the chairman and general manager of Tayside health board on 29 January. The board reported on its progress with the review of acute services and outlined its remaining work programme.

  Nursing and Midwifery
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many nursing and midwifery jobs were lost between September 1989 and September 1991; and if he will provide a breakdown by health board in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 1 February 1993]: Information on nursing and midwifery posts is not available centrally. The table shows the changes in
  228
  whole-time equivalent of qualified nurses and midwives employed in the NHS in Scotland between 30 September 1989 and 1991.

  National Health Service qualified nursing and midwifery staff, by health board: change in whole-time equivalents from 30 September 1989 to 30 September 1991

  Health Board

  Difference in WTE 1989–91

  Scotland

  -10·4

  Argyll and Clyde

  133·9

  Ayrshire and Arran

  131·7

  Borders

  -33·6

  Dumfries and Galloway

  40·8

  Fife

  94·3

  Forth Valley

  81·2

  Grampian

  28·4

  Greater Glasgow

  -636·2

  Highland

  57·8

  Lanarkshire

  66·4

  Lothian

  -112·9

  Orkney

  13·5

  Shetland

  19·8

  Tayside

  95·6

  Western Isles

  0·2

  CSA

  8·7

  Sheriff of Grampian and the Islands
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many judgments the Sheriff of Grampian and the Islands, sitting at Peterhead, has had avizandum for a period in excess of two months; if he will specify the date on which avizandum was made in respect of each case; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 3 February 1993]: The sheriff of Grampian, Highland and Islands who sits at Peterhead currently has three cases awaiting judgment in which avizandum was made more than two months previously. The dates on which avizandum was made are as follows: 12 February, 19 August and 28 August 1992. Judgment in each of the three cases has been prepared in draft form and will be finalised and issued by 12 February 1993.

  Incontinence
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) men, (b) women and (c) children suffer from incontinence.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1993]: This information is not held centrally.

  Health Service
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the cost of administration expressed as a percentage of total expenditure for(a) Tayside health board and (b) the Scottish health service in each year since 1978.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February 1993]: The information is as follows:
  229

  Tayside health board

  Scottish health service

  Year

  Administration costs £'000s

  Total expenditure £'000s

  Per cent.

  Administration costs £'000s

  Total expenditure £'000s

  Per cent.

  1978–78

  13,543

  79,193

  4·47

  81,528

  2865,767

  9·42

  1979–80

  14,123

  92,795

  4·44

  72,680

  21,024,002

  7·10

  1980–81

  15,032

  119,718

  4·20

  92,408

  21,329,420

  6·95

  1981–82

  15,482

  130,440

  4·20

  101,288

  21,494,720

  6·78

  1982–83

  10,491

  139,313

  7·53

  132,032

  1,622,742

  8·14

  1983–84

  12,432

  147,606

  8·42

  138,192

  1,726,950

  8·00

  1984–85

  12,124

  156,199

  7·76

  141,829

  1,852,563

  7·66

  1985–86

  12,761

  163,452

  7·81

  153,452

  1,963,711

  7·81

  1986–87

  13,759

  177,530

  7·75

  162,400

  2,081,844

  7·80

  1987–88

  14,573

  187,458

  7·77

  174,541

  2,274,155

  7·67

  1988–89

  15,452

  212,164

  7·28

  189,606

  2,509,327

  7·56

  1989–90

  16,797

  230,949

  7·27

  205,975

  2,728,323

  7·55

  1990–91

  18,680

  257,114

  7·27

  230,766

  2,982,854

  7·74

  1991–92

  21,290

  303,794

  7·01

  263,529

  3,650,330

  7·22

  1 Administration costs for 1978–78 to 1981–82 relate to headquarters administration only. Hospital and community administration costs are not held centrally.

  2 Community health service administration costs for 1978–79 to 1981–82 were not identified separately in health board accounts.

  Burglaries
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) burglaries of a dwelling, (b) burglaries other than a dwelling and (c) burglaries in total were recorded (i) in each police force area and (ii) in total for Scotland in each year between 1979 and 1991.

  Number of cases of housebreaking1 recorded by the police in Scotland, 1979–91

  Police Force

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Central

  2,854

  3,222

  3,583

  4,321

  3,875

  3,865

  4,048

  3,871

  3,792

  3,723

  3,928

  4,110

  4,881

  Dumfries and Galloway

  975

  1,045

  1,568

  1,712

  1,416

  1,295

  1,203

  1,171

  1,150

  1,100

  1,147

  1,602

  2,065

  Fife

  2,776

  3,433

  3,831

  3,916

  4,092

  4,448

  4,874

  4,972

  5,364

  5,506

  5,826

  7,120

  8,278

  Grampian

  3,763

  4,004

  5,155

  5,651

  5,136

  5,316

  5,530

  6,576

  7,255

  5,665

  5,097

  5,470

  6,343

  Lothian and Borders2

  12,826

  13,719

  16,987

  18,698

  22,868

  21,637

  15,629

  14,209

  14,216

  13,360

  13,462

  15,460

  17,516

  Northern

  1,285

  1,433

  1,742

  1,657

  1,572

  1,766

  1,724

  1,727

  1,775

  1,253

  1,375

  1,436

  1,514

  Strathclyde

  48,202

  47,524

  57,310

  64,991

  64,134

  67,466

  61,506

  57,051

  58,106

  54,043

  55,559

  59,331

  67,131

  Tayside

  3,954

  4,066

  5,505

  5,325

  5,427

  6,311

  6,184

  7,328

  6,977

  6,761

  7,333

  7,192

  8,402

  Scotland

  76,635

  78,446

  95,681

  106,271

  108,520

  112,104

  100,698

  96,905

  98,635

  91,411

  93,727

  101,721

  116,130

  1 Includes cases of attempted housebreaking and housebreaking with intent to steal.

  2 Figures for 1983 and 1984 were partly inflated following the introduction of computerisation. In the period August 1984—September 1988 a change in classification slightly reduced the number of housebreakings recorded: in cases where garden sheds, greenhouses, lock up garages (not attached to a dwelling house), non residential caravans and portacabins used for storage were broken into such offences were classified as theft by opening lockfast places rather than housebreaking.

  Community Councils
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to review the role and responsibilities of community councils in his consideration of the future structure of local government; what measures he has in place to encourage representations on this; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: Our consultation paper on the future structure of local government in Scotland invites views on whether community councils should be given the statutory right to comment on planning applications affecting their area; on whether this right should be extended to matters other than planning and, if so, what these matters should be; and on other ways in which community councils might support the work of local authorities. Many community councils are taking a keen interest in the reform proposals. Their comments will be studied with interest.
  230
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [Holding Answer 2 February 1993]: The available information collected centrally is given in the table.

ENVIRONMENT

  Disabled Facilities Grant
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total amount made available to disabled people through the disabled facilities grant; and how much was paid out through grants for the last 12 months for which figures are available.

  Mr. Baldry
  The total amount of final payments of disabled facilities grants in England from their inception in July 1990 up to September 1992 is £76·8 million of mandatory and discretionary grants. The total amount during the 12 months from October 1991 to September 1992 is £56.3 million.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what items of equipment are provided through a disabled facilities grant.

  Mr. Baldry
  Disabled facilities grants under part VIII of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 are awarded
  231
  by local housing authorities. Such grants are usually confined to larger items, such as stair lifts and through floor lifts, requiring structural modifications to a dwelling. Smaller items are normally provided by welfare authorities under section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the applications by region, for the last 12–month period for which figures are available, for disabled facilities grants; and how many of these applications were(a) given formal approval and (b) eligible for 100 per cent. grant aid.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department collects information from local authorities about the number of approvals of disabled facilities grants but not on the numbers of applications. The table shows figures of approval over the 12 months to September 1992 by standard statistical region in England.

  Disabled Facilities Grants: Approvals:October 1991 to September 1992

  (numbers of grants)

  Standard statistical region

  Mandatory grants

  Discretionary grants

  North

  866

  3

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  4,251

  14

  East Midlands

  2,130

  15

  East Anglia

  795

  9

  Greater London

  1,188

  56

  Rest of South East

  3,406

  96

  South West

  1,777

  38

  West Midlands

  1,784

  58

  North West

  2,731

  13

  England

  18,928

  302

  The Department collects information about payments of grant that cover the full cost of relevant works—that is, those eligible for 100 per cent. grant aid—but not for approvals. The most recent information relates to final payments during the financial year 1991–92, as shown in the following table.

  Disabled Facilities Grants: Final Payments:Mandatory and Discretionary grants:April 1991 to March 1992

  (numbers of grants)

  Standard statistical region

  Total

  Covering full cost of relevant works

  Column 2 as a percentage of column 1

  North

  743

  561

  76

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  3,233

  2,710

  84

  East Midlands

  1,385

  916

  66

  East Anglia

  582

  456

  78

  Greater London

  714

  438

  61

  Rest of South East

  2,382

  1,802

  76

  South west

  1,511

  1,211

  80

  West Midlands

  1,402

  954

  68

  North West

  1,808

  1,454

  80

  England

  13,760

  10,502

  76

  Urban Expenditure
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what his Department's urban expenditure is per capita in England.
  232
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Government support urban regeneration in England through a wide range of programmes. My Department's urban group of programmes is spending over £1 billion in 1992–93, of which some £960 million is targeted on the 57 urban priority areas. Dividing that figure by the 15 million estimated population of those areas gives a per capita figure of £64; dividing by the 48.1 million estimated total population of England would give a per capita figure of £20.

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the black and Asian communities on the future of the urban programme; and what further consultations he plans to have.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Decisions on the new urban programme arrangements were taken having regard to all the relevant factors, including their effect on the black and Asian communities. Taking city challenge together with the urban programme, resources will rise from £319 million in 1992–93 to £408 million in 1993–94. This will mean significant additional benefits for inner city residents, including ethnic minority communities.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to conduct a full review of urban policy.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Urban policy will continue to be kept under review in the light of information derived from the 1991 census and other sources.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which categories of projects that were eligible to bid for urban programme funds are not eligible for urban partnership funds.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  All categories of urban programme capital projects and revenue projects directly linked to these are eligible to bid for urban programme funds; but in assessing bids we shall give preference to the factors listed under the assessment criteria set out in the operational guidance for the urban partnership fund.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next plans to visit an urban programme scheme.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Department of the Environment Ministers will continue to visit the urban priority areas on a regular basis and see a range of schemes supported by urban programme and other inner cities initiatives.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those organisations and bodies in Lambeth that will eventually cease to be funded under the urban programme.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Organisations now funded under the urban programme will continue to receive support for up to four years for projects which have already been approved. They may also be eligible to receive support under city challenge or the urban partnership fund.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to have outturn figures on
  233
  the numbers of (a) projects supported, (b) jobs created or preserved and (c) training places supported, through the urban programme in 1991–92.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I expect to have this information available by the end of May 1993.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding the Woolwich industrial estate and applications for city challenge, city grant and urban programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Woolwich industrial estate featured in the London borough of Greenwich's round 2 city challenge bid last April as an area where Government grant might assist the retention and expansion of firms. Against strong competition from other boroughs this bid was unsuccessful. Only one preliminary city grant application has been received from a company on the estate, but after discussions between the Department's appraiser and the developer's agent it was concluded that a full application was unlikely to succeed. The urban programme has assisted six firms on the estate with grants totalling £260,000 for improvements to their premises over the past four years and existing commitments continue to be funded. An application has now been made by the London borough of Greenwich under the new urban partnership fund, which supersedes the urban programme for new schemes in 1993–94, for grant towards environmental and security improvements to communal parts of the estate. The application is being considered and a decision is expected to be announced shortly.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, columns 656–57, if he will publish a breakdown by each urban programme authority of (a) the 9,855 projects supported, (b) the 29,660 jobs created or preserved and (c) the 86,528 training places supported, through the urban programme in 1990–91;

  (2) pursuant to his answers of 30 November 1992, Official Report, column 14, and 11 January, Official Report, columns 656–57, if he will publish a breakdown by each urban programme authority of the local authorities' forecasts of outputs in 1991–92 and 1992–93 of the urban programme in terms of (a) projects supported, (b) jobs created or preserved and (c) training places supported.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Urban Policy
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the research commissioned from Professor Bryan Robson into urban policy.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The research on the impact of urban policy instruments commissioned from the Centre for Urban Policy Studies has not yet been completed. When it is we will decide how to disseminate the findings.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much each district council in Hampshire received in each year since 1987 under the(a) urban programme, (b) city grant, (c) derelict land
  234
  grant, (d) urban aid, (e) enterprise zones, (f) estate action, (g) city action teams, (h) city challenge, (i) inner city task force and (j) national garden festivals; and what was the average expenditure per local authority in England in each of those years.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Most of the programmes specified fall within my Department's urban group of programmes which are targeted mainly on the 57 urban priority areas. These do not include Hampshire local authorities. However, Hampshire local authorities did receive the following:

  Derelict land grant

  District council

  £ million

  1987–88

  Portsmouth

  0·249

  1988–89

  Portsmouth

  0·190

  1989–90

  —

  —

  1990–91

  —

  —

  1991–92

  Portsmouth

  0·003

  Test Valley

  0·004

  1992–93

  Portsmouth

  0·009

  Estate action

  District council

  £ million

  1987–88

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  1989–90

  Eastleigh

  0·105

  Southampton

  0·105

  1990–91

  Southampton

  0·209

  1991–92

  Southampton

  0·184

  Portsmouth

  0·250

  1992–93

  Portsmouth

  1·184

  The 1992–93 figures are projected outturn.

  Expenditure under my Department's urban group of programmes is expected to exceed £1 billion in 1992–93. Details of my Department's programmes are in the relevant public expenditure White Papers and the Department's annual reports; the 1993 annual report will be published shortly.

  Caravan Sites Act
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he is making for his Department's consultation paper about reform of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 to be made available for public inspection.

  Mr. Baldry
  The consultation paper "Reform of the Caravan Sites Act 1968" was issued on 18 August 1992. I am today placing in the Library of the House lists of the responses received to this paper. Copies of the responses themselves have been placed in my Department's library.

  Air Quality
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking in the light of the report of the quality of urban air review group to integrate local authority monitoring efforts with the national air quality monitoring network; and what additional funds he will make available to assist local authorities in undertaking quality assured monitoring.

  Mr. Maclean
  The report has only been published very recently, and we are studying its recommendations. We
  235
  had however already concluded that better integration between the national and local monitoring networks was needed. In the White Paper, "This Common Inheritance: The Second Year Report", we announced our intention of issuing a discussion paper on the subject this year. Meanwhile, the quality assurance and quality control procedures for urban air quality monitoring which are being developed under my Department's research programme will be a significant contribution in kind to local authorities' monitoring work.

  Household Waste Disposal Centres
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of household waste disposal centres maintained by each local authority.

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not held centrally.

  Property Services Agency
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for which aspects of the Property Services Agency in Northern Ireland responsibility(a) has been or (b) is about to be transferred to the Ministry of Defence.
  236
  Mr. Redwood
  I have today written to the hon. Member about this matter.

  Water Courses (Minewater Pumping)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what studies he has made of the effect on surface water courses, pollution of water courses and water supplies and the raising of the water table consequent on the cessation of minewater pumping; and if he will ensure that no pumping will cease until the results of such studies are known.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 2 February 1993]: None. It is for British Coal and the National Rivers Authority, in the first place, to assess the environmental effects of stopping minewater pumping and what steps may need to be taken to minimise any adverse impact. I understand that arrangements have been made between British Coal and the National Rivers Authority for effective liaison over any proposed closures.

  EUROPEAN COMMUNITY: UK PRESIDENCY
  EUROPEAN COMMUNITY: UK PRESIDENCY
  SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRANSPORT: RAIL TRAVEL
  SECRETARY OF STATE FOR TRANSPORT: RAIL TRAVEL
  TRAFFIC SPEED IN LONDON
  TRAFFIC SPEED IN LONDON
  BICYCLING: POLICY
  BICYCLING: POLICY
  BICYCLE: ROUTES IN CITIES
  BICYCLE: ROUTES IN CITIES
  LONDON STRATEGIC BICYCLE NETWORK
  LONDON STRATEGIC BICYCLE NETWORK
  LOW POLLUTION PLANT AND IPC
  LOW POLLUTION PLANT AND IPC
  SHETLAND ISLANDS: SOCIAL FUND ASSISTANCE
  SHETLAND ISLANDS: SOCIAL FUND ASSISTANCE
  GULF WAR: IRAQI CASUALTIES
  GULF WAR: IRAQI CASUALTIES