Written Answers of 4 February 1993

TRANSPORT

  Buses Project
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which local authority and bus company have been selected for the low floor demonstration project outside London.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have selected a route in North. Shields and Whitley Bay run by Go Ahead Northern Coastline. I am delighted that we have been able to find the resources to enable Tyne and Wear passenger transport executive to fund this project. The route carries a significant number of elderly and disabled people who will particularly benefit from the introduction of new low floor buses. But such

  Name of appointee

  Body to which appointed and remuneration

  Period of the appointment

  Mr. D. E. Rayner1

  British Railways Board £69,550 pa

  1 November 1992 to 31 October 1995

  Mr. M. W. Betts

  Traffic Commissioner, Scottish Traffic Area £42,724 pa

  9 November 1992 to 3 March 2003

  Captain M. Willett

  Civil Aviation Authority £69,300 pa

  14 November 1992 to 13 November 1996

  Mr. R. B. Horton

  British Railways Board £120,000 pa

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1995

  Miss K. Kantor1

  British Railways Board £7,160 pa

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1995

  Mr. A. J. Norman

  British Railways Board £7,160 pa

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1995

  Miss J. A. Page

  British Railways Board £7,160 pa

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1995

  Mr. D. B. Pearl1

  Medway Ports Authority

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1995

  Sir Brian Shaw

  Port of London Authority

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1994

  Mr. I. F. Halliday1

  Port of London Authority

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1995

  Ms. P. Hawkes

  Shoreham Port Authority

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1995

  Mr. J. M. Buttmer1

  Shoreham Port Authority

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1995

  Mr. G. R. Green1

  Shoreham Port Authority

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1995

  Mr. J. E. White1

  Shoreham Port Authority

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1995

  Mr. B. J. Wilson1

  Shoreham Port Authority

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1995

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  vehicles will also benefit other passengers who find the entrance steps and narrow gangways of conventional buses difficult to negotiate. We will monitor the scheme and make the results available to other bus operators and local authorities.

  Appointments
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will update the information given in his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 29 October 1992,Official Report, column 760; and if he will state the political affiliation of the appointees where known.

  Mr. Norris
  Details of public appointments made by my right hon. Friend since 20 October 1992 are set out in the table. It is not considered practicable or appropriate to list the many and varied qualifications of the individual appointees, but my right hon. Friend will have satisfied himself as to their relevance before making the appointments. The Department usually does not know, and certainly would not specifically record, the political affiliation of appointees. Remuneration of port authority appointees is a matter for the authorities themselves.
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  Name of appointee

  Body to which appointed and remuneration

  Period of the appointment

  Mr. J. V. S. Evans

  Landscape Advisory Committee Unpaid

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1997

  Mrs. E. J. Garland

  Landscape Advisory Committee Unpaid

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1997

  Mrs. V. R. Wakefield

  Landscape Advisory Committee Unpaid

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1997

  Professor Margaret A. MacKeith

  Landscape Advisory Committee Unpaid

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1997

  Ms. W. M. Lutley

  Landscape Advisory Committee Unpaid

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1997

  Professor Mary Benwell

  Landscape Advisory Committee Unpaid

  1 January 1993 to 31 December 1997

  Mr. T. O. Lewis1

  Milford Haven Port Authority

  1 February 1993 to 31 January 1996

  Mr. W. A. J. Reardon-Smith1

  Milford Haven Port Authority

  1 February 1993 to 31 January 1996

  Mr. R. E. Birdseye

  Civil Aviation Authority £43,020 pa

  1 February 1993 to 31 January 1996

  1 Reappointments.

  Seat Belts
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what budget has been set for the forthcoming campaign on seat belt wearing; and if he will give a breakdown of the estimated costs of advertising.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 2 February 1993]: A budget of £1.2 million has been set for the campaign on seat belt wearing which was launched on Tuesday 2 February. The bulk of this budget, £1.15 million, has been allocated to the production and airing of a television commercial over the period 2 to 16 February. The remainder of the budget, £50,000, has been allocated to the production of leaflets explaining seat belt law and posters and research.

ENVIRONMENT

  Biodiversity Plan
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to develop a United Kingdom-wide biodiversity plan.

  Mr. Maclean
  My right hon. and learned Friend announced on 24 June 1992 that the United Kingdom would prepare a national biodiversity action plan to promote the convention on biological diversity agreed earlier that month. The target date for the publication of the plan is the end of 1993.

  Aggregates
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide in tabular form the numerical data used in preparation of the pie charts in figures A2.2 to A11.3 inclusive in annex A of his Department's draft consultation document "Guidelines 240
  for Aggregates Provision in England and Wales-Revision of MPG6", showing in each case the tonnages assumed for each source of aggregates supply.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Noise Review
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action has been taken by his Department following the report of the noise review working party in 1990.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Wardell) on Tuesday 19 January, at column 163.

  Marine Impact Assessment
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of how adequately his Department's marine impact assessment procedures meet the terms of EC directives.

  Mr. Maclean
  The requirements of directive 85/337 on environmental impact assessment have been fully incorporated into existing regulatory systems for controlling marine developments. EIA procedures are being considered as part of the Government's review of the effectiveness of regulations below the low water mark, which I announced on 8 July last year in response to a question from the hon. Member for Kincardine and Deeside (Mr. Kynoch), at column 252.

  Local Authorities (Devolution)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proposals he has to devolve power to local authorities;

  (2) if he will make a statement on progress in the devolution of power to local authorities.
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  Mr. Squire
  The split of responsibilities between central and local government is a matter for Parliament to determine. There has always been an ebb and flow of responsibilities between the two and this will continue.

  Urban Priority Areas
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had and plans to have with the voluntary sector on the review of urban priority areas.

  Mr. Squire
  We will write shortly to the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and the National Association of Councils for Voluntary Services to invite comments on the methodology recommended by external researchers for use in analysing data on urban conditions drawn from the 1991 census.

  Empty Office Buildings (Residential Consent)
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice his Department gives to local authorities concerning the granting of temporary residential consent for empty office buildings.

  Mr. Baldry
  Last October we published a draft Planning Policy Guidance Note 6, Town Centres and Retail Development, which at paragraph 14 states:"In those town centres that contain vacant office and retail premises that seem unlikely to be reused for that purpose, local planning authorities should encourage conversion to other service, retail or residential uses. Such buildings, especially older office buildings originally converted from houses, may be particularly suitable for conversion to flats, for example for students and householders without cars."

  We will finalise the draft note within the next few months.

  Some developers might believe that such a conversion will mean for ever abandoning the prospect of attracting a commercial tenant. We see no such difficulty. Owners may seek temporary residential permissions—for, say, 10 years —with the certainty of being able to switch back to commercial use at a later date.

  Empty Departmental Houses
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by the task force on Government Department's empty houses.

  Mr. Baldry
  The task force on Government Departments' empty houses has met once since it was established on 8 December 1992. It has made a positive start on the work necessary to deliver its remit of helping to bring empty Government residential properties into use for people in housing need. The next meeting of the task force is on 10 February.

  Air Quality
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions his Department has had with the European Commission on the draft air quality framework directive; and what assessment he has made of the consequences for the United Kingdom national air quality monitoring network and for local authority air quality monitoring activities.

  Mr. Maclean
  My Department has had three meetings with the Commission to discuss its emerging proposals for 242
  a draft air quality standards framework directive. The proposals are still at an early stage of development and it is too soon to say what implications the eventual directive might have for the United Kingdom monitoring network and local authority monitoring activities. Meanwhile, my Department is already expanding its urban air quality monitoring network and preparing proposals for better integration of central and local monitoring effort.

  Local Authority Recycling Plans
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons the Coopers and Lybrand report on local authority recycling plans will not assess the quality and realism of the plans; what steps he took to ensure that the tender specification for the report was widely distributed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The review of local authority recycling plans is intended to provide a comprehensive picture of the information they contain; a qualitative assessment of the plans is beyond the scope of the exercise. We made clear our intention to commission a detailed study of the plans to extract useful information from them. Those organisations which expressed an interest in this project were invited to tender for the work.

  Hedgerows
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when Her Majesty's Government first committed themselves to bring forward new legislation to protect hedgerows; on how many occasions and in which documents that commitment has been repeated subsequently; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Proposals to give local authorities powers to protect hedgerows were first announced in the Government White Paper, "This Common Inheritance" in September 1990. Revised proposals were announced in July 1991 and restated in the first year report of the White Paper (September 1991) and our policy document "Action for the Countryside" (February 1992). Due to pressure on the parliamentary programme, we were unable to introduce appropriate legislation this Session, but we continue to support the Hedgerows Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, East (Mr. Ainsworth).

  Local Government Commission
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the timetable for the Local Government Commission's reviews of areas in the second tranche of its work programme.

  Mr. Redwood
  I am pleased to announce, following consultation with the Local Government Commission, the timetable for the second tranche of the review of areas.

  We intend the commission begins its review of Leicestershire on 10 May. The review of Nottinghamshire will begin a few weeks later.

  The commission's review of the other second tranche areas of Cumbria and Lancashire, Hampshire, Staffordshire, Devon, and Cambridgeshire will begin soon after the other reviews of areas in the first tranche have been completed.

  We anticipate that the commission will require less time to formulate draft and final proposals for the second

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  tranche review areas than it needed for some of the more complex first tranche reviews. However, we are still adamant that local people should have ample opportunity to express their views to the commission and have plenty of time to respond to draft recommendations and the period allowed at the consultation stages remain as set out in the original procedure guidance to the commission.

  In drawing up the timetable, we have allowed for local government elections and the need for extra consultation time over the summer holiday period.

  The announcement of the detailed timetable will now enable all authorities in the second tranche to plan ahead in order to ensure that the Commission's review of their area will be executed as smoothly as possible.

  I have placed a copy of the second tranche timetable in the Library.

  Development Plans
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether a local authority development plan is an interest of acknowledged importance in terms of the guidance provided in paragraph five of planning policy guidance note 1.

  Mr. Baldry
  Planning policy guidance note 1 (March 1992) provides advice on the determination of planning applications in accordance with sections 70(2) and 54A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. In the process of deciding a planning application, which entails having regard to the development plan and all other material considerations, all interests of acknowledged importance should be identified and any harm that would be caused, were permission to be granted, taken into account.

  Appointments
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will update the information given in his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley on 30 October 1992,Official Report, columns 859–62; and if he will state the political affiliation of the appointees where known.

  Mr. Howard
  The following new appointments have been made since October 1992 to the boards of non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department. Information on political affiliation is not held centrally.

  Department of the Environment New appointments made from 31 October 1992

  Name of body and postholder

  Appointment end

  BRITISH WATERWAYS BOARD

  Member

  Viscountess Cobham

  31 January 1996

  COMMONS COMMISSIONERS

  Commissioner

  M. J. Roth

  11 May 1994

  G. Langdon-Davies

  31 December 1993

  ENGLISH NATURE

  Member

  Professor R. C. L. Wilson

  31 March 1995

  HOUSING ACTION TRUST—LIVERPOOL

  Member

  Miss D. Todd

  12 November 1995

  Mrs. M. F. Gallimore

  12 November 1995

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  Name of body and postholder

  Appointment end

  HOUSING ACTION TRUST—TOWER HAMLETS

  Chairman

  Dr. M. A. Barraclough

  17 December 1995

  Deputy Chairman

  J. Ludlow (Councillor)

  17 December 1995

  INLAND WATERWAYS AMENITY ADVISORY COUNCIL

  Chairman

  G. H. Baker

  31 December 1993

  URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION—SHEFFIELD

  Member

  F. Eul

  30 November 1994

  M. Bower (Councillor)

  30 November 1994

  Ms. J. Bacon

  30 November 1994

  Housing Investment Programme
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the relative performance of each local authority in Merseyside for the purposes of determining the housing investment programme allocations for 1993 to 1994; and if he will publish the figures.

  Mr. Baldry
  Figures for local authority housing investment programme allocations for 1993–94 were announced on 17 December by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning, at column 507; details are in the Libraries of the House. The primary criterion which underlay the discretionary element of these allocations was the efficiency and effectiveness of authorities in the use of resources to meet housing need. In reaching an assessment for these purposes of the authorities in Merseyside, we took into account all available information which was relevant, including authorities' housing strategies and HIP bids, and discussions in the course of the annual round of HIP meetings between authorities and officials in the Department's Merseyside task force.

  Ordnance Survey
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals there are to change the 1992–93 cash limit and running cost limit for Ordnance Survey.

  Mr. Howard
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary spring supplementary estimate for Ordnance Survey, class VIII, vote II, the cash limit for Ordnance Survey, class VIII, vote II will be increased by £2,866,000 from £19,049,000 to £21,915,000. The increase will be a charge on the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure. The net running cost limit will be increased by £3,076,000 from £18,998,000 to £22,074,000.

  The increase in the cash limit is required to reflect a shortfall in the receipts for the sales of maps, copyright and public sector repayments due to a reduction in the demand for OS products, partially offset by savings from running costs, capital and superannuation expenditure. Supplementary provision is also required to reduce the imbalance between input and output VAT resulting from cutbacks in capital and running cost expenditure.
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  The increase to the net running cost limit is required to reflect a shortfall in the receipts for sales of maps, copyright and public sector repayments due to a reduction in demand. This is partially offset by savings from running cost expenditure.

  Departmental Costs
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he proposes to his Department's cash limits and running costs limit for 1992–93.

  Mr. Howard
  Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made:—

  The DOE/UA non-voted cash limit will be increased by £1,020,000 from £1,017,449,000 to £1,018,469,000. The increase is a net effect of savings and increases within the cash limit. Increases include £6,000,000 for local authority sector derelict land grant to account for increases in the forecast level of spend and £1,750,000 for the urban programme. A further £3,020,000 will be required for various projects for urban development corporations, to fund a number of schemes for the Cleveland city action team and to increase the provision for urban development grant. There is a technical increase of £3,000,000 which will be offset by a decrease in the Department of Transport national roads England cash limit. Savings include £10,205,000 on the city grant programme, £1,000,000 for the non local authority sector derelict land grant programme and a technical saving of £1,545,000 which will be offset by an increase in the Housing Corporation cash limit. The effect on voted expenditure will be a net increase of £3,000,000.

  The cash limit for class VIII, vote 5 (Central environmental services etc.) will be increased by £5,861,000 from £317,127,000 to £322,988,000. The increase provides for an additional £7,900,000 in grant in aid to the Rural Development Commission, required because of a shortfall in the commission's receipts from property sales. This will be partially offset by a saving of £1,439,000 on the energy efficiency programme, £200,000 on the environmental technology innovation scheme and £400,000 on grants to water companies. The cash limit increase will be funded in part by forecast savings of £1,500,000 in European regional development fund payments to water undertakers and £161,000 of previously unallocated public expenditure provision.

  The running cost limit for Property Holdings and Central Support Services will be reduced by £668,000 from £48,201,000 to £47,533,000. This reduction reflects pay savings. The net running cost control limit for the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre will be reduced by £48,000 from £1,136,000 to £1,088,000. Some receipts which would have been paid into the Consolidated Fund will be reclassified as appropriations in aid. This reclassification will fund a freehold acquisitions programme, cover a shortfall of property disposal receipts and offset an increase in vacant accommodation costs.

  The Department of the Environment's running costs limit has been reduced by £5,556,000 from £201,899,000 to £196,343,000. This change mainly results from a
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  reallocation of existing estimate provision between running costs and non-running costs, in line with estimated outturn, on class VIII, vote 8 (Department of the Environment: administration), partly offset by a transfer of £34,000 running costs cover to class VIII, vote 2 (Miscellaneous housing administration and grants).

  The cash limit for class VIII, vote 9 (Revenue support grant, payment of non-domestic rates, valuation office rating services, etc, England) will be decreased by £176,000 from £29,523,296,000 to £29,523,120,000. This is due to lower than expected computer costs for valuation tribunals and a transfer of provision to the Ministry of Defence (class I, vote 1) compensating local authorities for community charge income foregone from servicemen as a result of the Gulf crisis. £71,000 of the savings offset an equivalent increase on class VIII, vote 13, for the new grant to compensate local authorities for additional costs arising from the influx of people displaced from former Yugoslavia.

  The DOE/HC non-voted cash limit will be increased by £598,545,000 from £1,707,200,000 to £2,305,745,000. This increase reflects the addition of £597,000,000 mainly for housing associations to purchase empty dwellings as part of the housing recovery package announced in the Chancellor's autumn statement, and a transfer from the city challenge programme of £1,545,000 to increase housing association funding in city challenge areas.

  The DOE/LACAP non-voted cash limit will be increased by £28,259,000 from £2,914,829,000 to £2,943,088,000. This increase reflects the addition of £30,000,000 for local authority cash incentive schemes as part of the housing recovery package announced in the Chancellor's autumn statement. This is partly offset by savings of £1,741,000 in other grants within the cash limit.

  All the increases will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Oil Pollution
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he will take in the implementation of the new EC habitats and species directive to safeguard key coastal and inshore waters from oil pollution.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 15 January 1993]: The Government are considering what measures are necessary to implement the EC directive on the conservation of habitats and of wild flora and fauna. Proposals will be issued for consultation in the coming month. The inquiry under Lord Donaldson announced on 11 January by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport will consider whether any further measures are appropriate and feasible to protect the United Kingdom coast from pollution from merchant shipping giving due consideration to the international and economic implications of any new measures.

  Local Authorities (Debt)
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local authorities which are currently debt free.

  Mr. Squire
  [pursuant to his reply, 18 January 1993, c. 116–17]: I regret that the list of authorities which became debt free as a result of the commutation of grants

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  for debt charges which took place on 1 October 1992 contained an error. I now understand that Mid Bedfordshire district council is not in fact debt free.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Attorney-General what changes he proposes to the Crown prosecution service's cash limit for 1992–93.

  The Attorney-General
  Yes. The cash limit for class X, vote 5 will be reduced by £1,500,000 from £199,846,000 to £198,346,000. This is to offset, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, increased net expenditure on class X, vote 6, Crown prosecutions and legal services. This extra provision is needed to meet additional costs arising from implementation of the Road Traffic Act 1991 and a shortfall in appropriations-in-aid.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Printers
  Mr. Garrett
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he proposes to introduce the defence of innocent dissemination for printers.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor has already announced the Government's intention to make provision for the proposed defence of innocent dissemination by printers. This will require primary legislation which will be introduced when there is a suitable opportunity.

  Land Registry
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what changes he proposes to the Land Registry's cash and running costs for 1992–93.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class X, vote 11 will be increased by £10,999,000 from a token £1,000 to £11,000,000. In addition, the net running costs limit for the Land Registry will be increased by £11,000,000 from zero to £11,000,000.

  The Land Registry is a demand-led executive agency which relies on fees paid by its customers to cover its administrative costs which it has successfully achieved since 1976. The continuing low level of activity in the property market in England and Wales has resulted in the agency's workload (in units) being some 30 per cent. lower than originally anticipated. In order to keep its costs within the reducing income, the agency has restricted expenditure to 16 per cent. below the main estimate provision, but it is now clear that the total fee income for the year will fall short of forecast spending by the amount sought through the supplementary estimate. The agency's cashflow position has been made worse by the fact that some larger liabilities relating to its legal liability to indemnify for losses resulting from register and search errors have required payment. These increases will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Public Record Office
  Mr. Peter Butler
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what changes are planned to class X, vote 12 of the Public Record Office's vote for 1992–93.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The cash limit for class X, vote 12 has been reduced by £3,393,000 from £33,739,000 to £30,346,000 as a result of slippage on a major capital project. In addition, and subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary token supplementary estimate, the running cost limit for class X, vote 12 will be increased by £369,000 from £22,352,000 to £22,721,000 to cover certain payments to Property Holdings. This increase is financed by a transfer of provision from Property Holdings and an increase in receipts.

  Northern Ireland Court Service
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what changes have been made to the class X, vote 3 cash limit and running costs limit for the Northern Ireland court service.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class X, vote 3 has been increased by £1,226,000 from £19,086,000 to £20,312,000 and the running costs limit by £73,000 from £14,685,000 to £14,758,000. The increases arise because of additional costs incurred in respect of bomb damage to the number of court buildings, bomb damage to the Legal Aid Department's accommodation and the transferral from the Northern Ireland block of project costs for the child support legislation and the fixed penalty/points scheme.

  The increases will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total public expenditure.

  House Repossessions
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how many repossessions have been carried out in county courts since September 1992 by lenders who are not members of the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information is not collected.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what changes will be made to his Department's cash limits or running costs limits for 1992–93.

  Mr. Brooke
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made:

  (i) The cash limit for class XII, vote I (museums, galleries and the heritage) will be increased by £1,606,000 to £222,289,000. The increase is the net result of additional provision for payments to Inland Revenue in respect of important heritage offers in lieu of tax (£4,325,000) partly offset from savings (£2,719,000) in the contributions made in lieu of rates by certain national museums and galleries. As announced in the Official Report, at columns 891–92, on 12 November 1992, part of the

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  achieved savings has also been used to meet the balance of Government support for the European arts festival in 1992 (£458,000) (class XII, vote 2) and administration costs associated with the creation of the Department of National Heritage (£1,218,000) (class XII, vote 4). The balance of the additional provision now required (some £3,300,000) will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  (ii) The departmental running costs limit will be reduced by £83,000, from £18,731,000 to £18,648,000, as a result of an adjustment to the provision transferred from the Department for Education, to reflect lower costs attributable to the Department of National Heritage for certain central support services.

  Regulations
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will place in the Library a list of all the regulations for which his Department is currently responsible with a descriptive title for each individual regulation.

  Mr. Brooke
  A provisional list of regulations which impact on business has recently been put together. Consideration will be given to placing the list in the Library once it has been fully checked for accuracy and consistency of definition.

  Television
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage under what authority the Independent Television Commission is making representations to the Monopolies Commission about the commercial arrangements made between production companies and broadcasters.

  Mr. Brooke
  Section 39 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 establishes the Independent Television Commission's role in the provision of networking arrangements for Channel 3.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what proposals he has to locate in Cardiff the(a) national headquarters and (b) regional sub-office for the south of the United Kingdom of the national lottery; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The location of the operator of the national lottery will be a matter for the appointed licensee. Those companies tendering for the licence will be aware of the advantages of locating in an area receiving Government incentives.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he expects to award the contract for the operation of the national lottery; when he expects the national lottery to be in operation; and in what year he expects the national heritage memorial fund to commence the distribution of moneys received from the national lottery distribution fund.

  Mr. Key
  The contract or licence for the operation of the national lottery will be awarded as soon as practicable after the National Lottery etc. Bill receives Royal Assent. It is hoped that the lottery will be operational towards the end of 1994. The National Heritage Memorial Fund should be in a position to distribute funds during 1995.

  Appointments
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list all the names of those he has appointed to public bodies, giving the period for which the appointment was made and the remuneration each currently receives; and if he will state the political affiliation of the appointees where known.

  Mr. Key
  The Department of National Heritage is still in the process of setting up a central database of public appointees and therefore the information to answer this question is not yet available.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Office of Public Service and Science
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proposals he has to change the 1992–93 cash limit or running costs limit for the Office of Public Service and Science.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for the Office of Public Service and Science (class XIX, vote 1) will be increased by a token £1,000 from £41,752,000 to £41,753,000. The Department's gross running costs limit will be decreased by £17,000 from £64,144,000 to £64,127,000. The principal changes being due to reductions in running cost cover for the Office of Science and Technology and for Chessington computer centre; and an increase in running cost cover for the CCTA.

  The running costs change also reflects the transfer of running costs from H.M. Treasury (class XVIII, vote 1) in respect of Chessington computer centre. The running cost limit for the Civil Service college has been decreased by £163,000 from £1,800,000 to £1,637,000 reflecting greater than anticipated receipts from the provision of training courses. The changes will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Science Vote
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what changes he proposes to the estimates class XI, vote 5 (Science) for 1992–93.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limit for class XI, vote 5 (Science) will be increased by £1,551,000 from £1,050,181,000 to £1,051,732,000.

  Of the increase £480,000 is to enable the Royal Society to increase its programme of support for scientists in the former Soviet Union as part of the programme announced by the Prime Minister on 20 May 1992, at column 137. Of this £230,000 is offset by reductions in cash limits of £100,000 for class I, vote 1 (Ministry of Defence: personnel costs, support and other services), £50,000 for class IV, vote 2 (Department of Trade and Industry: support for industry, international trade, statutory and regulatory work, consumer protection and administration), £50,000 for class 3, vote 4 (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: Agricultural, Food and Fishing Services) and £30,000 for class XIX, vote 1 (Cabinet Office).

  The remaining £1,071,000 is to enable the Natural Environment Research Council to meet the costs of the

  251
  conversion of the RRS Discovery falling in 1992–93. The grant paid to the NERC in 1991–92 was reduced by this amount to take account of delay in the completion of this work.

  £230,000 of the increase will be offset and the remainder charged to the reserve, and so there will be no increase in the planned total of public expenditure as a result of these changes.

  Appointments
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will update the information given in his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley on 28 October 1992,Official Report, column 668; and if he will state the political affiliation of the appointees where known.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has made the following appointments since 28 October 1992:

  Civil Service appeal board

  Appointee

  Period of appointment

  Mrs. J. Collingridge1

  2 November 1992—28 February 1993

  Mrs. C. Coltman

  1 February 1993—31 January 1995

  Miss B. Findlay

  1 February 1993—31 January 1995

  Mr. J. Renton

  1 February 1993—31 January 1995

  Mrs. M. B. Sloman1

  2 November 1992—31 May 1995

  1 Re-appointed.

  Economic and Social Research Council

  Appointee

  Period of appointment

  Professor M. Anderson,1 2

  BA, MA, PHd, FRSA

  1 August 1993—31 July 1994

  1 Re-appointed.

  2 Professor Anderson receives an honorarium of £4,420, the same amount as the other members.

  Information is not held on the political affiliation of appointees other than where an hon. Member is appointed to a research council. No such appointments have been made by my right hon. Friend.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Press Gallery
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee how many offices and desks are currently allocated to the Press Gallery.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  Twenty-two offices and 95 desks are currently allocated for use by the Press Gallery.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee how many telephones are currently allocated to the Press Gallery.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  The Press Gallery currently has 129 telephone lines allocated to it from the Palace of Westminster exchange. Of that number six are for administrative use by staff of the House.

  Car Parking (Journalists)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee how many car spaces in the underground car park are allocated to lobby journalists; what is the estimated annual value of this facility; and whether any charge is made.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  Eighteen members of the Press Gallery have been issued with a permit which allows them to park on the fourth floor of the underground car park on a first-come-first-served basis. It is not possible without disproportionate cost, separately to identify the annual value of this facility. No revenue is received for its provision.

  Veal
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee how many times veal has been served in the canteens in the Palace of Westminster and Parliament street over the last year; and what was its country of origin on each occasion that it was served.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  This is a matter for the Director of Catering Services, but I understand that, at the request of our predecessor Committee, all veal purchased by the Refreshment Department continues to be of British origin.

  Security Costs
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission what is the cost of the policing of the Palace of Westminster; and what is the cost of the non-police security guards employed in the Palace.

  Mr. Beith
  Based on the latest available figures, the House of Commons' share of the annual cost (excluding VAT) of policing the parliamentary precincts (the Palace of Westminster and the parliamentary outbuildings) is estimated at £8 million, of which approximately £4.3 million is the cost of civilian staff including security officers, firemen and administrative staff.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Diplomatic Wing
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes he proposes to make in his Department's diplomatic wing cash limits and running cost limits for 1992–93.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates the cash limit for class II, vote 1 (overseas representation) will be increased by £16,668,000 from £721,101,000 to £737,769,000 and the gross running costs limit on the vote will be increased by £4,311,000 from £519,529,000 to £523,840,000. For class II, vote 2 (other external relations) the cash limit will be increased by £241,337,000 from £178,791,000 to £420,128,000; for class II, vote 3 (external broadcasting and monitoring) by £3,142,000 from £162,711,000 to £165,853,000 and for class II, vote 4 (the British Council) by £2,994,000 from £88,669,000 to £91,663,000.

  For vote 1 the cash limit increase of £16,668,000 is made up as follows: adverse overseas price movements

  253
  (£15,436,000), take up of capital end year flexibility (£829,000) as announced to the House by the Chief Secretary on 15 July 1992 (Official Report) columns 698–702), and transfers from other Government Departments (403,000) of which £173,000 is from Property Holding and £230,000 from the DTI.

  The increase in the gross running costs limit of £4,311,000 reflects adverse overseas price movements (£6,638,000), transfers from other Government Departments (£403,000) and a payment from the private sector for the Taejon exhibition (£70,000), offset by a transfer of £2,800,000 out of running costs into Vote 2.

  For vote 2 the cash limit increase of £241,337,000 is made up as follows: Programme increase (£204,312,000), adverse overseas price movements (£20,200,000), transfers from other Government Departments, (£525,000) of which £440,000 is from ODA and £85,000 from Department for Education, a transfer of provision from class II, vote 1 (£5,000,000), and an increase in VAT refunds (£11,300,000).

  For vote 3 the cash limit increase of £3,142,000 reflects take up of capital end year flexibility as announced to the House by the Chief Secretary on 15 July 1992 (Official Report columns 698–702).

  For vote 4 the cash limit increase of £2,994,000 is for adverse overseas price movements.

  All the increases will either be offset by underspends elsewhere or charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Cambodia
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards, and what representations he is making to other countries in respect of, the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We deplore the refusal of the Khmer Rouge to fulfil its obligations fully under the Paris agreements and to co-operate with the United Nations transitional authority in Cambodia. We shall continue to work with the other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and other countries closely involved in the Cambodian peace process to ensure that the Paris agreements are implemented as successfully as possible.

  Sudan
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the present problems in the Sudan.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are deeply concerned at the Sudanese Government's poor record on human rights, the lack of progress towards more accountable government acceptable to all parts of the country, continuing difficulties in the provision of humanitarian aid, and the Government's apparent equivocation towards international terrorism. The concern is widely shared, as witness the United Nations General Assembly's adoption by a huge majority of a resolution condemning Sudan's human rights record. We are with our European partners exploring means of maximising international pressure to induce the Sudanese Government to mend their ways.

  Jaffna
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when an official of the British High Commission in Colombo last visited Jaffna.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  A member of the staff of the High Commission visited Jaffna in May 1990. Since the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam renewed fighting against the Sri Lankan Government in June 1990, visits have not been possible.

  Nagorno-Karabakh
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh; what plans there are to install NATO or United Nations observers in the region once a ceasefire has been arranged; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh continues, although fighting has slackened because of the harsh winter conditions there. Thousands have died as a result of this dispute and hundreds of thousands have been displaced, and impoverished by economic blockades associated with it. At the British initiative the CSCE started a year ago to mediate between the parties to this dispute. We welcome recent statements by the United Nations Secretary General and the Security Council Chairman that the CSCE should remain the focus for such talks, the latest round of which is due to be convened later this month. The CSCE has undertaken to deploy monitors to Nagorno-Karabakh, subject to a full and effective ceasfire. The details of this deployment are being worked out. NATO has promised support for this.

  United Nations Security Council
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what discussions he has had with United Nations members, and permanent and non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council with regard to the continuing necessity of(a) the veto and (b) permanent members in the light of post-cold war development;

  (2) what discussions he has had with the other members of the United Nations Security Council on extending (a) permanent and (b) non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what representations he has received on extending (a) permanent and (b) non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Reform and revitalisation of United Nations institutions and the United Nations secretariat is a current subject of discussions in New York and in various bilateral and other meetings. The United Nations Special Committee on the charter regularly discusses Security Council reform at its meetings. Cuba and Libya have been active in recent years in pressing the case for abolition of the veto. The wish of Japan, currently a Security Council member, to become a permanent member is well known. At Maastricht, we agreed that Britain and France, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, will in the execution of their
  255
  functions ensure the defence of the positions and the interests of the union without prejudice to their responsibilities under the provisions of the United Nations charter.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on reform of the United Nations Security Council; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on extending (a) permanent and (b) non-permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Any reform of the current structure of the Security Council including expansion of permanent and non-permanent members would require an amendment to the United Nations charter, and negotiations on this would be long and complex. In the meantime we would wish to ensure that the Security Council continues to operate effectively.

  Appointments
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will update the information given in his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 29 October 1992,Official Report, column 790; and if he will state the political affiliation of the appointees where known.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The updated information is as follows:

  Public appointments

  Public body and name

  Appointment expires

  Remuneration

  Anglo-Irish Encounter

  Sir David Goodall

  Indefinite

  Nil

  Commonwealth Foundation

  Dr. J. B. Wood

  1996

  Nil

  Commonwealth Institute

  Mr. Stephen Cox

  1996

  £45,000 pa

  Mr. R. A. Fyjis-Walker

  1993

  £15,000 pa

  Sir Mark Russell

  1994

  Nil

  Mr. D. A. Thompson

  1994

  Nil

  Mr. Stuart Maclure

  1994

  Nil

  Mr. Cy Grant

  1994

  Nil

  Mr. G. Oakes

  1995

  Nil

  Mr. C. Shepherd

  1994

  Nil

  Dr. Ann Robinson

  1995

  Nil

  Miss Diane Warwick

  1993

  Nil

  Sir Victor Garland

  1993

  Nil

  Hon. David Douglas-Home

  1993

  Nil

  Lady Reid

  1993

  Nil

  Baroness Flather

  1996

  Nil

  Diplomatic Service Appeal Boards

  Sir Derek Day

  1993

  per diem expenses

  Mr. Frank Trew

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Sir David Culcutt, QC

  1993

  per diem expenses

  Sir Mark Russell

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Mrs. Jacqueline Dyson

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Mrs. Juliet Campbell

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Diplomatic Service Appeal Boards

  Mr. Rodney Bedford

  1993

  per diem expenses

  Miss Sally Bull

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Government Hospitality Fund Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine

  Sir Ewen Fergusson

  1998

  Nil

  Major John Surtees

  1995

  Nil

  Mr. David Cossart

  1993

  Nil

  Mr. Anthony Hanson

  1994

  Nil

  256

  Public body and name

  Appointment expires

  Remuneration

  Mr. Mark Savage

  1995

  Nil

  Imperial War Museum

  Sir E. Jackson

  1993

  Nil

  Mr. I. Smart

  1994

  Nil

  Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission

  Sir Donald Tebbit

  Indefinite

  Nil

  Miss Sheila Browne

  1993

  Nil

  Prof. Sir James Ball

  1993

  Nil

  Prof. H. T. Dickinson

  1994

  Nil

  Sir Roger Banninster

  1994

  Nil

  Ms. Sue MacGregor

  1995

  Nil

  Sir Arthur Bryan

  1994

  Nil

  Dr. K. J. R. Edwards

  1993

  Nil

  Prof. Christine Bolt

  1995

  Nil

  Prof. Lord Desai

  1995

  Nil

  London University School of Oriental and African Studies

  Lord Wilson of Tillycorn

  1997

  Nil

  Westminster Foundation for Democracy

  Sir James Spicer

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Mr. George Robertson, MP

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Sir Russell Johnston, MP

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Mr. Tony Clarke

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing, MP

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Prof. Peter Frank

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Mr. Timothy Garton-Ash

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Lady Howe, JP

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Mr. Gavin Laird

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Mr. Ralph Land

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Mr. Patrick Nicholls, MP

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Dr. Michael Pinto-Duschinsky

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Mr. Ian Taylor, MP

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Ms. Carol Tongue, MEP

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Wilton Park Academic Council

  Mr. Michael Kaser

  1995

  Nil

  Mr. John Drew

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Mr. John Scates

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Dr. Connie Martin

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Prof. Jack Spence

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Mr. John Hanson

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Dr. Janet Morgan

  1995

  Nil

  Mr. Bruce George, MP

  1995

  Nil

  Mr. John Lyons

  1995

  Nil

  Mrs. Liliana Archibald

  1995

  Nil

  Mr. Peter Temple-Morris, MP

  1993

  Nil

  Sir Julian Bullard

  1993

  Nil

  Ms. Brenda Dean

  1994

  Nil

  Wilton Park Departmental Board

  Miss Valerie Le Moignan

  1995

  Nil

  Miss Ruth Watts Davies

  1995

  Nil

  Commonwealth Scholarship Commission

  Sir Michael Caine

  1993

  Nil

  Dr. A. Sloman

  1993

  Nil

  Prof. R. A. Howie

  1994

  Nil

  Prof. B. Clayton

  1993

  Nil

  Prof. J. G. G. Ledingham

  1995

  Nil

  Mrs. D. L. Wedderburn

  1994

  Nil

  Prof. S. Marks

  1995

  Nil

  Prof. Gillian Beer

  1993

  Nil

  Dr. C. Booth

  1995

  Nil

  Dr. R. O. Iredale

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Mr. P. Parsloe

  1995

  Nil

  Prof. A. Little

  1993

  Nil

  Prof. D. Jennings

  1993

  Nil

  Mr. R. Francis

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Prof. A. Diplock

  1994

  Nil

  Overseas Service Pension Scheme

  J. V. Kerby

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  D. S. Fish

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  257

  Public body and name

  Appointment expires

  Remuneration

  C. D. Stenton

  Unspecified

  per diem expenses

  Miss D. R. Phillips

  Unspecified

  per diem expenses

  D. H. Loades

  Unspecified

  per diem expenses

  Indian Family Pension Scheme

  Mr. D. S. Fish

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Maj. Gen. D. L. T. Horsford

  Unspecified

  per diem expenses

  Major R. J. Henderson

  Unspecified

  per diem expenses

  Lt. Col. P. Kemmis-Betty

  Unspecified

  per diem expenses

  Major R. Mottram

  Unspecified

  per diem expenses

  Mr. R. V. Fenton

  Unspecified

  per diem expenses

  Mr. J. M. Phelps

  Unspecified

  per diem expenses

  Mr. J. P. C. Coventry

  Unspecified

  per diem expenses

  Mrs. P. Lamarque

  Unspecified

  per diem expenses

  Mrs. M. Ramsay-Brown

  Unspecified

  per diem expenses

  Commonwealth Development Corporation

  Sir Peter E. Leslie

  1995

  £12,000

  Sir Michael Caine

  1994

  £5,001 - £10,000 band

  Mrs. A. E. Wright, JP

  1994

  £1 - £5,000 band

  Prof. M. L. O. Faber

  1994

  Mr. M. McWilliam

  1995

  Mr. E. B. Waide

  1995

  Prof. I. D. Carruthers

  1995

  Mr. J. B. Zochonis

  1995

  Crown Agents1

  Mr. D. H. Probert

  1993

  £30,000

  Dr. A. I. Lenton

  1993

  £5,001 - £10,000 band

  Mr. P. F. Berry

  1994

  £65,1002

  Mrs. D. Miller, MBE, JP

  1993

  £5,000 - £10,000 band

  Miss K. Mortimer

  1993

  Mr. A. K. Stewart-Roberts

  1993

  Mr. F. Cassell

  1994

  Mr. J. D. Andrews

  1995

  Mr. F. I. Sumner

  1995

  1 When members are appointed to this board they are also appointed to the Crown Agents Holding and Realisation Board.

  2 Excluding pension contributions.

  ODA Advisory Committee on Economic and Social Research Overseas

  Mr. J. B. Wilmshurst

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Mr. R. Allen

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Dr. S. Conlin

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Dr. R. Thomas

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Ms. C. Coppard

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Miss R. Philipson

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Mr. P. J. Ackroyd

  Ex-officio

  Nil

  Dr. C. O. N. Moser

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Prof. A. W. Rew

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Prof. J. F. J. Toye

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Dr. H. Afshar

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Prof. P. Blaikie

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Prof. K. Davey

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Ms. D. Elson

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Dr. J. Heyer

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Prof. N. Stern

  1995

  per diem expenses

  Note: For Crown Agents and Commonwealth Development Corporation, figures are taken from 1991 published accounts.

  Information on the exact period for which each appointment was made and the relevant qualifications of the appointees is not held centrally.

  There are eight appointments vacant across four committees.

  The Irish Pensions Appeals Tribunal has been wound up.

  Information on the political affiliation of appointees is not held centrally. Appointees who are Members of Parliament or Members of the European Parliament are so designated in the list.

  Council of Europe
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs information he has received concerning plans for Azerbaijan and Armenia to seek membership of the Council of Europe; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have applied for special guest in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, though not to join the Council itself. This is a matter for the Parliamentary Assembly itself, but I understand that both applications are going through the usual channels. The Council secretariat has discussed with Armenia and Azerbaijan areas for future co-operation.

  Azerbaijan
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's policy regarding the current political, economic and civil circumstances of the Armenian community resident in Azerbaijan.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Most of the Armenian community in Azerbaijan live in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Their economic conditions are dire as the result of an armed dispute over the region's future since 1988. We have given £250,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross for relief work in Nagorno-Karabakh. We fully support talks under the auspices of the CSCE to settle this dispute and believe that the only solution likely to be stable should involve autonomy for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh under Azerbaijani sovereignty. Elsewhere in Azerbaijan around 20,000 Armenians remain. Most of these are in mixed marriages with Azeris. Over 200,000 Armenians have fled Azerbaijan. We have provided £200,000 to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for relief work amongst Armenian refugees.

  Peru
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Peru.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The United Kingdom and Peru have traditionally enjoyed good relations. Following recent steps towards the restoration of democracy, including elections to the constituent congress, we and our EC partners continue to review the measures, including the suspension of most aid, adopted after President Fujimori suspended constitutional government in April 1992.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Peru on human rights issues; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We take every opportunity, both bilaterally and with our EC partners, to emphasise to the Peruvian authorities the level of concern felt here about human rights violations, most recently, I raised the matter with President Fujimori when I visited Peru from 7–9 January 1993.

  EC-Israel Co-operation Council
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the meeting of the EC-Israel Co-operation Council on 1 February.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The EC-Israel Co-operation Council on 1 February reviewed co-operation under the 1975 agreement, and agreed that the Commission should continue its exploratory discussions on updating this agreement. EC Foreign Ministers subsequently reiterated their support for the peace process and repeated their condemnation of the Israeli deportation of over 400 Palestinians which risked endangering the peace process and preventing the updating of the agreement.

  Palestinian Deportees
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United States of America on the appropriate steps that they will take to ensure Israel complies with UN Security Council resolution No. 799 regarding the Palestinian deportees.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has discussed the question of the Palestinian deportees with the new US Secretary of State. They have agreed to work closely together to ensure the earliest possible resolution of the problem.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the imposition of sanctions against Israel with regard to the Palestinian deportees.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have received some letters on the subject of the Palestinian deportees, some of which call for sanctions to be imposed on Israel. We do not believe that the adoption of sanctions against Israel would be helpful to the prospects for the peace process, which remains the best hope for all the parties to resolve their differences.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Plutonium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the annual figures on plutonium for 1991–92 will be published.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested is being published today and copies of the press release placed in the Library of the House.

  Tobacco Industry
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his most recent estimate of the contribution made by the United Kingdom tobacco industry towards the United Kingdom balance of payments.

  Mr. Needham
  The United Kingdom had a crude trade surplus1 in manufactured tobacco products2 worth £614.9 million in 1991 and £727.4 million in January to November 1992.
  260
  1. Crude trade surplus = exports (fob) less imports (cif).

  2. Manufactured tobacco products are defined as heading 122 of the Standard International Trade Classification (revision 3).

  Pneumoconiosis
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what was the average length of service of miners who have subsequently been affected by pneumoconiosis;

  (2) what sums have been paid in compensation to former miners suffering from pneumoconiosis in each of the last 10 years, together with the average figure paid to individuals for each of those years.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for British Coal.

  Fuel Report
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will commission Caminus Energy Consultants to prepare a report investigating the comparative cost advantages of gas, nuclear power and coal; and if he will ensure that their report is made available to the House at the earliest opportunity.

  Mr. Eggar
  The relative costs of electricity generated from different sources are being considered as part of the coal review. As I said in answer to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 14 December, at column 25, Ernst and Young has been appointed to assist in the examination of the avoidable costs of nuclear generation and related issues. There are no plans to commission further work in this area.

  KS Construction Ltd.
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to receive the report from the liquidators of KS Construction Ltd. on the conduct of its directors in the two years prior to its liquidation.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A return under rule 4, the Insolvent Companies (Reports on Conduct of Directors) No. 2 Rules 1986, was submitted by the liquidator of KS Construction Ltd on 21 October 1989.

  Liquidation (Directors' Conduct)
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the average time between a company entering into liquidation and his Department receiving a report on the conduct of the directors.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The statistics requested are not kept by my Department.

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the caseload of the insolvency service in each year since 1989 and the average processing time per case each year since 1989.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The following number of compulsory insolvencies fell to be dealt with by official receivers.
  261

  1989

  1990

  1991

  19921

  Bankruptcies

  8,138

  12,058

  22,632

  32,106

  Compulsory liquidations

  4,020

  5,977

  8,368

  9,732

  TOTAL

  12,158

  18,035

  31,000

  41,838

  1 Provisional.

  In addition, the service's disqualification unit dealt with the following number of reports/returns by insolvency practitioners under the provisions of the Company Directors Disqualifications Act 1986:

  Numbers

  1989

  6,537

  1990

  12,463

  1991

  18,509

  1992

  20,468

  Information on the average processing time per case is not maintained and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Regulations
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library a list of all the regulations for which his Department is currently responsible with a descriptive title for each individual regulation.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A provisional list of regulations which impact on business has recently been put together. Consideration will be given to placing the list in the Library once it has been fully checked for accuracy and consistency of definition.

  Radioactive Products (Safety) Regulations
  Mr. Garrett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to issue the Radioactive Products (Safety) Regulations.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Government have decided not to proceed with making the Radioactive Products (Safety) Regulations, which would have implemented directive 80/836/Euratom, as amended, following a recomtnendation from the European Commission not to proceed with such legislation in view of the Commission's intention to make proposals for revising this directive.

  Sizewell B
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to amend the payment of nuclear levey money towards the construction cost of Sizewell B; and what consultations he has had with the Office of Electricity Regulation and with Nucler Electric on such amendments.

  Mr. Eggar
  The coal review currently being undertaken by my Department is considering the implications of the non fossil fuel obligation and the operation of the fossil fuel levy.

  Nuclear Electric
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what restrictions exist on the purposes on which Nuclear Electric may spend payments received from the 262
  nuclear levey; what amounts and proportion of such funds have been spent on (a) decommissioning costs and (b) other costs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Nuclear Electric receives income from two main sources: premimum payments on a given proportion of its output, which is financed by the levy; and revenue from electricity sales into the pool. From this total income —the management of which is the responsibility of Nuclear Electric's board—the company must finance its current operations and make provisions in respect of longer term liabilities. Income from the levy is not hypothecated to any one activity. Nuclear Electric's payments against provisions are clearly set out in the company's report and accounts, a copy of which rests in the Library of the House of Commons.

  International Atomic Energy Agency
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much the United Kingdom currently contributes towards funding the International Atomic Energy Agency; and if he will list figures for the last 10 years.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent (Mr. Smith) on 26 October 1992 at column 515.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes are being made to his Department's cash limits and nationalised industries' external financing limits for 1992–93.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates the cash limit for class IV, vote 2 (support for industry, international trade, statutory and regulatory work, consumer protection and administration) will be increased by £4,094,000 from £804,231,000 to £808,325,000 and the cash limit on class V, vote 2 (research and development and industrial support) will be increased by £11,450,000 from £340,375,000 to £351,825,000. The cash limit for class V, vote 3 (administration) will be reduced by £500,000 from £19,506,000 to £19,006,000. The increases will be met by offsets or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  The increase on class IV, vote 2 comprises £2,145,000 in respect of the administration costs of companies' late filing penalties and £6,000,000 (£1,000,000 of which comes from reductions to existing programmes) in respect of English Industrial Estates Corporation to offset reduced receipts as a result of the downturn in the property market. An increase of £500,000 is made in running costs in respect of transferred provision from class V, vote 3 and a decrease in capital spending results in a transfer of £3,200,000 to class V, vote 2. Extra receipts amounting to £351,000 are declared in respect of payments by the Department of Health to the Radiocommunications Agency.

  The increase on class V, vote 2 for £11,450,000 is made up of a transfer of £3,200,000 from class IV, vote 2 to cover consultancy costs of the coal review and compensation costs arising from litigation relating to leukaemia cases. A further increase of £8,250,000 provides for a contribution to finance improvements in nuclear safety in central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. An offsetting reduction of £8,250,000 is made in the

  263
  external financing limit of Nuclear Electric from £278,000,000 to £286,250,000. The external financing limit of the British Coal Corporation changes to £795,000,000 resulting from increased costs including expenditure in respect of current year voluntary redundancies, increased working capital requirements and environmental restoration at former mining sites.

  Office of Fair Trading
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes he proposes to the cash or running costs limits for the Office of Fair Trading.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit of the Office of Fair Trading will be reduced by £57,000 from £18,246,000 to £18,189,000. The reduction represents a sum to be surrendered to the consolidated fund in respect of the office's contribution to the transfer value of Sir Bryan Carsberg's pension following his appointment as director general.

  Office of Telecommunications
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes he plans to announce to the cash or running costs limits for the Office of Telecommunications.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit is being reduced by £182,000 from £7,939,000 to £7,757,000 and the running costs limit will be reduced by £110,000 from £7,069,000 to £6,959,000. The reduction represents a sum to be surrendered to the Consolidation Fund in respect of Sir Bryan Carsberg's accrued superannuation contributions.

  RECHAR
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the RECHAR grants(a) applied for, (b) awarded and (c) outstanding in Nottinghamshire since the start of the RECHAR programme.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have been asked to reply.

  In the East Midlands RECHAR programme, 146 applications have been submitted by Nottinghamshire sponsors, seeking ERDF grant to the value of £9.86 million. Of these, 20 applications with a value of £3.16 million in ERDF grant have been approved so far. The remaining applications are being evaluated.

DEFENCE

  AWE, Aldermaston
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce the name of the contractor company who will operate the atomic weapons establishment, Aldermaston; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  The tender evaluation process for the competition to appoint a contractor to operate all the sites of the atomic weapons establishment has now been completed and Hunting-BRAE Ltd. has been declared the winner. Vesting day for full contractor operation of the atomic weapons establishment remains set for 1 April 1993.

  Departmental Costs
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes he plans to announce to the class I cash limits and running costs limit for 1992–93.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the spring Supplementary Estimates, the following changes will be made:

  Class I cash limits

  Vote

  Current Cash limit £'000s

  Change £'000s

  Revised Cash limit £'000s

  1

  10,666,157

  +156,323

  10,822,480

  2

  9,390,603

  -222,000

  9,168,603

  3

  1,898,876

  + 74,078

  1,972,954

  4

  1,728,873

  -212,505

  1,516,368

  5

  555,005

  - 55,000

  500,005

  These changes decrease the block defence cash limit by £259,104,000 from £24,239,514,000 to £23,980,410,000. They allow for increased expenditure on class I, votes 1 and 3 which will be offset by lower expenditure on class I, votes 2, 4 and 5. The changes additionally take account of decreases of £209,665,000 to compensate for an overspend on class I, votes 2, 4 and 5 in the financial year 1991–92 and of £50,000,000 to reflect a forecast underspend against certain elements of provision which are subject to specific limits. Also reflected is the net effect of transfers between the Ministry of Defence and other Government departments.

  The running costs limit will be increased by £163,145,000 from £5,318,374,000 to £5,481,519,000. £162,589,000 of this increase results from the continued rationalisation of activities to meet the new force structure. This involves the transfer of certain administrative tasks into the running costs total and does not add to the overall level of Defence expenditure. The increase also reflects an interdepartmental transfer of £556,000 from Property Holdings.

  RAF Police
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the provisions governing legal powers of members of the RAF police with regard to traffic control while on duty escorting military vehicles.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In the circumstances described the main task of the RAF police is to control the military vehicles being escorted. The powers of RAF policemen in relation to the control of service traffic are derived from the Air Force Act 1955. They have no powers with regard to civilian traffic control.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the pool of WE177 nuclear weapons was allocated to the Royal Navy prior to the decision to eliminate the Royal Navy's tactical nuclear capability.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It has been the practice of successive Governments not to divulge information about our nuclear weapon holdings.

  Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement about the future of the Queen Elizabeth military hospital in Woolwich.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I hope to be able to make an announcement about future service hospital requirements soon.

  Civilian Staff (Woolwich)
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian full-time equivalents are employed in each of the military establishments in Woolwich; and how many are likely to be(a) redeployed and (b) made redundant as a result of proposed changes.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are currently 1,806 civilian full time equivalents employed in Woolwich units. The breakdown is as follows:

  Unit

  Civilian staff

  Families Housing and Welfare Service, Royal Artillery Barracks

  13

  Area Accommodation Stores, Repository Road

  24

  Director General Fighting Vehicles Equipment, Royal Arsenal (West)

  1

  Headquarters Director Royal Artillery, Royal Artillery Barracks

  16

  Headquarters Woolwich Garrison, Government House, New Road

  23

  Regimental Headquarters Royal Artillery, Government House

  17

  Royal Artillery Institute, Royal Military Academy

  19

  Army Security Vetting Unit, Royal Military Academy

  139

  Headquarters Director Educational and Training Service, Royal Military Academy

  16

  Defence Medical Equipment Adviser

  1

  Area Civilian Staff Management, London District East/Central, Royal Artillery Barracks

  11

  17 Training Regiment, Royal Artillery Barracks

  88

  Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital, Stadium Road

  181

  Vehicles and Weapons Branch, Ha Ha Road

  27

  56 Squadron Royal Corps of Transport, Repository Road

  23

  Engineering Management Support (Ordnance), Building 22, Royal Arsenal (West)

  66

  Land Systems Technical Publications Authority, Ha Ha Road

  132

  Army Scaling and Cataloguing Authority, Ha Ha Road

  164

  Common Services (Publications and Stationery) 3, Building 25A, Royal Arsenal (West)

  52

  London Movements Unit (RAF), Building 53, Royal Arsenal (West)

  17

  31 Army Education Centre, Royal Artillery Barracks

  2

  Army Dental Centre, Royal Artillery Barracks

  1

  Central Volunteers Headquarters, Royal Artillery Barracks

  3

  266

  Unit

  Civilian staff

  Woolwich Garrison Officers Mess, Royal Military Academy

  3

  Head of Administration Royal Arsenal Woolwich

  767

  Total

  1,806

  It is not yet possible to say what numbers may be redeployed or made redundant.

  Greenwich Health Authority
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when officers from his Department last communicated with representatives of the Greenwich health authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The most recent substantive contact between my Department and the Greenwich health authority took place in December last year.

  Travel Warrants
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 35, what percentage discount was applied to the rail travel fares covered by travel warrants issued by the armed forces in 1991–92.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is commercially confidential and cannot be released.

  Bombing (Korea)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received about the bombing of the 1 Battalion of the Argylls in Korea on 23 September 1950 by the USAF; what response he has made; whether he will make the relevant files available to the public; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes he plans to his Department's cash limits for 1993–93.

  Mr. Gummer
  The cash limit for class III, vote 2 (Intervention Board—Executive Agency's administration) will be reduced by £3,000,000 from £47,774,000 to £44,774,000, reflecting reduced expenditure in the payments for agents' services. It will be offset by an increase of £3,000,000 to the cash limit on class III vote 5 to reflect lower receipts by the Ministry and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure. The vote 5 cash limit will be increased from £263,095,000 to £266,095,000 subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate.

  At the same time the cash limit for class III vote 4 (agricultural, food and fishing services) will be reduced by £3,637,000 from £350,056,000 to £346,419,000. Expenditure will be reduced by £493,000 on agricultural grant schemes; £1,600,000 on coast protection and by

  267
  £1,544,000 on sea fishery support. These reductions reflect a predicted decrease in demand and delay in implementation in further areas of these schemes.

  HLCAs
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many producers are entitled to hill livestock compensatory allowances in Northumberland; and how many of those are located in severely disadvantaged areas.

  Mr. Gummer
  Under the 1991 (the latest year for which complete figures are available) hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme a total of 1,046 applications were submitted in respect of holdings in Northumberland of which 652 related wholly to severely disadvantaged land.

  Average net farm income on livestock farms wholly or partly in the Severely Disadvantaged Area in England

  Year1

  Mainly sheep farms

  Cattle and sheep farms

  £'000 per farm

  Indices2

  £'000 per farm

  Indices2

  Current prices

  1991–92 prices4

  Current prices

  Real terms4

  Current prices

  1991–92 prices4

  Current prices

  Real terms4

  1978–793

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  8.8

  23.3

  121

  298

  1979–803

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  4.2

  9.7

  55

  118

  1980–813

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  6.1

  12.0

  77

  141

  1981–823

  11.1

  19.6

  100

  167

  9.4

  16.6

  141

  232

  1982–833

  8.1

  13.3

  84

  130

  9.2

  15.1

  127

  195

  1983–84

  10.8

  16.9

  87

  129

  7.8

  12.2

  107

  157

  1984–85

  9.4

  14.0

  79

  111

  9.6

  14.3

  121

  169

  1985–86

  11.9

  16.8

  101

  135

  10.1

  14.2

  122

  161

  1986–87

  9.1

  12.4

  89

  114

  8.0

  10.9

  97

  123

  1987–88

  9.9

  13.0

  102

  126

  11.8

  15.5

  131

  160

  1988–89

  12.7

  15.8

  135

  159

  15.6

  19.4

  163

  190

  1989–90

  7.5

  8.6

  92

  100

  10.6

  12.2

  112

  121

  1990–91

  7.7

  8.1

  78

  78

  7.2

  7.6

  73

  72

  1991–925

  11.0

  11.0

  130

  123

  12.0

  12.0

  115

  107

  1992–935

  14.2

  13.7

  167

  152

  12.5

  12.1

  119

  108

  Notes:

  1 Accounting years ending on average in February.

  2 1989–90—1991–92=100.

  3 The estimates for these years are not strictly comparable with those for later years.

  4 This information has been derived by deflating the current price estimates by the Retail Price Index.

  5 Estimates and forecasts at the time of the 1992 autumn review of the economic conditions in the hills and uplands.

  Potato Regime
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what European Commission proposals for a potato regime are currently before the European Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Gummer
  The proposals for a very lightweight regime are set out in COM(92)185 final which was published in the Official Journal No. C333 on 17 December 1992. The December Agriculture Council asked for further work to be done by the special committee for agriculture to progress the Commission's proposals including the addition of provision for marketing standards and for it to be referred back to the Council for decision as soon as the European Parliament has given its opinion.

PRIME MINISTER

  Engagements
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

  Farm Incomes
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the net farm income for sheep and sheep and cattle farms in severely disadvantaged areas, in both nominal and real terms, for each year since 1978.

  Mr. Gummer
  Estimates of net farm income, based on results of sample surveys are provided in the following table. Year to year comparison can best be made by reference to the indices shown in the table, which are based on results from constant samples of farms.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 4 February.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.

  Export Licences
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will combine in one Department the granting of export licences and the enforcement of the law relating to export matters.

  The Prime Minister
  Issues such as this need to await Lord Justice Scott's report on exports of defence equipment and dual use goods to Iraq.

  Turkey
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has held with the Prime Minister of Turkey concerning the current circumstances surrounding the relationship between Turkey and Armenia; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have not discussed this subject with the Turkish Prime Minister.
  269
  However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs discussed the situation with our Community partners. As a result of these discussions, the EC made a demarche to Turkey on 29 January asking it to allow the transit of humanitarian aid through its territory. We have not been assured by the Turkish authorities that they will permit such transit subject to monitoring under standard CSCE procedures.

  Azerbaijan
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the current state of the embargo on the supply of weapons to Azerbaijan and surrounding communities issued by the conference on security and co-operation in Europe on 28 February 1992.

  The Prime Minister
  The CSCE's embargo on the supply of arms to the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute still applies. The Government adhere to this fully and have not approved licences for the export of any military equipment to Azerbaijan or Armenia. Nor will we do so. Indeed, during the CSCE Ministerial Council in Stockholm in December we called for an extension of this embargo to cover military assistance to the region generally.

  Woolwich Arsenal Site
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will undertake a comparative study of the employment effects of any tax or consumer subsidy for deep coal mining with the projected cost of new jobs at the Greenwich city challenge proposal on the Woolwich Arsenal site.

  The Prime Minister
  The most suitable comparison for any city challenge bid is with other city challenge bids, and the Greenwich proposal has already been compared in this way.

EDUCATION

  Departmental Building
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the cost of the new building for his Department in Great Smith street.

  Mr. Forth
  The Government rent Sanctuary Buildings from Land Securities who met the full construction costs. The final costs of fitting out the building, which is the responsibility of the Department, have not yet been settled. It is estimated that these costs, including fees and VAT, will amount to just over £11 million.

  Schools (Repairs and Maintenance)
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was spent in the last year for which figures are available on repairs and maintenance in state schools in England and Wales.

  Mr. Forth
  Expenditure on repairs and maintenance in state nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in England came to £560.3 million in the financial year 1990–91 (the latest year available). This figure excludes salary costs for maintenance staff.

  Expenditure data for Wales are collected separately and are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Appointments
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he will update the information given in his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley on 28 October 1992,Official Report, columns 673–5; and if he will state the political affiliation of the appointees where known.

  Mr. Boswell
  The details requested are given in the table. Information on the political affiliation of appointees is not kept centrally, but we are satisfied that appointments to this Department's public bodies are made solely on the basis of aptitude, merit and suitability.

  Names of appointments to public bodies

  Period of appointment

  Remuneration

  Business and Technology Education Council

  Mr. P. Rogers CBE (Chairman)

  1 year

  £16,450 pa

  Mrs. G. Armitage

  1 year

  —

  Mr. B. Barker MBE

  1 year

  —

  Mr. D. Betts

  1 year

  —

  Dr. J. Capey

  1 year

  —

  Mr. R. Davies

  1 year

  —

  Mrs. P. Haikin

  1 year

  —

  Mr. G. Hawkes

  1 year

  —

  Dr. P. Hunter

  1 year

  —

  Mr. M. Lickiss

  1 year

  —

  Mr. M. Neal CBE

  1 year

  —

  Mr. K. Ratcliffe

  1 year

  —

  Mr. J. Spence

  1 year

  —

  The Members named above have all been re-appointed to the Council.

  Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education

  Prof. R. Alexander

  2 years

  —

  Mr. J. Burn

  2 years

  —

  Dr. M. Frazer CBE

  2 years

  —

  Prof. A. O'Hear

  2 years

  —

  The Members named above have all been re-appointed to the Council.

  Higher Education Funding Council (E)

  Mr. M. Fallon

  2.5 years

  £4,000 pa*

  * Members of the Higher Education Funding Council (England) receive an honorarium of £4,000 per annum.

  English
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from individuals and groups in the London borough of Greenwich regarding the English SAT; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Members for Withington (Mr. Bradley) and for Cambridge (Ms. Anne Campbell) and to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastleigh (Mr. Milligan) on 2 February,Official Report, column 123. My right hon. Friend has had representations from various individuals and groups, including some from the London borough of Greenwich.

  Primary Schools
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will visit Thamesmead to meet teachers and parents to discuss primary school provision in the area.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has no present plans to do so.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average size of primary school, including both infant and junior, and how many one-form entry primary schools exist, by education authority and nationally.

  Mr. Forth
  The average size of maintained primary schools in each local education authority area in England in January 1992 is given in the table. Information on the number of maintained primary schools which operate a one-form entry system is not collected centrally.

  Average Size of Maintained Primary Schools in each LEA in England January 1992

  LEA

  Average size (Number of pupils)

  City

  221

  Camden

  256

  Greenwich

  269

  Hackney

  233

  Hammersmith

  227

  Islington

  255

  Kensington and Chelsea

  229

  Lambeth

  240

  Lewisham

  271

  Southwark

  265

  Tower Hamlets

  272

  Wandsworth

  242

  Westminster

  215

  Barking

  285

  Barnet

  263

  Bexley

  270

  Brent

  335

  Bromley

  254

  Croydon

  256

  Ealing

  299

  Enfield

  327

  Haringey

  242

  Harrow

  357

  Havering

  261

  Hillingdon

  269

  Hounslow

  305

  Kingston upon Thames

  286

  Merton

  302

  Newham

  359

  Redbridge

  327

  Richmond upon Thames

  259

  Sutton

  301

  Waltham Forest

  315

  Birmingham

  318

  Coventry

  267

  Dudley

  332

  Sandwell

  281

  Solihull

  272

  Walsall

  262

  Wolverhampton

  234

  Knowsley

  287

  Liverpool

  271

  St. Helens

  240

  Sefton

  286

  Wirral

  292

  Bolton

  251

  Bury

  229

  Manchester

  265

  Oldham

  239

  Rochdale

  276

  272

  LEA

  Average size (Number of pupils)

  Salford

  255

  Stockport

  223

  Tameside

  270

  Trafford

  252

  Wigan

  239

  Barnsley

  217

  Doncaster

  231

  Rotherham

  210

  Sheffield

  253

  Bradford

  240

  Calderdale

  205

  Kirklees

  221

  Leeds

  250

  Wakefield

  219

  Gateshead

  213

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  262

  North Tyneside

  261

  South Tyneside

  253

  Sunderland

  279

  Isles of Scilly

  43

  Avon

  211

  Bedfordshire

  188

  Berkshire

  218

  Buckinghamshire

  212

  Cambridgeshire

  219

  Cheshire

  191

  Cleveland

  320

  Cornwall

  157

  Cumbria

  136

  Derbyshire

  184

  Devon

  174

  Dorset

  221

  Durham

  187

  East Sussex

  225

  Essex

  208

  Gloucestershire

  159

  Hampshire

  219

  Herefordshire and Worcester

  165

  Hertfordshire

  185

  Humberside

  233

  Isle of Wight

  154

  Kent

  215

  Lancashire

  210

  Leicestershire

  238

  Lincolnshire

  164

  Norfolk

  154

  North Yorkshire

  144

  Northamtonshire

  183

  Northumberland

  147

  Nottinghamshire

  212

  Oxfordshire

  164

  Shropshire

  160

  Somerset

  149

  Staffordshire

  221

  Suffolk

  167

  Surrey

  201

  Warwickshire

  185

  West Sussex

  208

  Wiltshire

  152

  England

  216

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average size of primary school and the number of primary schools with one year entry in the private sector.

  Mr. Forth
  In January 1992 there were on average 153 pupils in each independent school in England attended mainly by pupils of primary school age. Information on the numbers of such schools which operate a one-form entry system is not collected centrally.

  Discretionary Awards
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many discretionary awards, for each category of course of study, were given by each local education authority in each year since 1985;

  (2) how many discretionary awards were given by each local education authority in each year since 1985 to students following vocational training courses in dance.

  Mr. Boswell
  Data on discretionary awards, distinguishing course of study, are not held centrally.

  Cash Limits
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what changes he plans to announce to cash limits on votes within his responsibility for 1992–93.

  Mr. Patten
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates, the cash limits for class XI, vote 2, Higher and further education, vote 4, Administration, and vote 7, Office of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools in England, will be increased, and the cash limit for vote 1, Schools, research and miscellaneous services, will be reduced. The cash limit changes are as follows:

  Class and Vote

  Current cash limit £

  Change £

  Revised cash limit £

  XI. 1

  768,366,000

  -22,471,000

  745,895,000

  XI.2

  3,036,990,000

  + 2,550,000

  3,039,540,000

  XI.4

  109,993,000

  + 1,000

  110,994,000

  XI.7

  1,000

  + 1,000

  2,000

  The reduction to the cash limit on class XI, vote 1, includes a reduction of £15,000,000 as a contribution towards offsetting the increase of £195,000,000 sought via a Supplementary Estimate for class XI, vote 3, Student Awards, which is not cash limited. It also includes a reduction of £2,280,000 million to offset part of the increase to the cash limit on class XI, vote 2; a transfer of £85,000 to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, class II, vote 2, in respect of the funding of students coming to the United Kingdom under the European Community TEMPUS programme; and a transfer of £5,106,000 to supplementary credit approvals to local education authorities for school building works which is non-voted expenditure.

  The increase on class XI, vote 2 includes an increase of £1,460,000 in capital grant to the Royal College of Art for final settlement of costs from the major project to rationalise the college's accommodation; an increase of £720,000 in recurrent grant-in-aid to the Universities Funding Council in respect of the extra costs for universities arising from the implementation for clinical academic staff of the 1992 pay award recommended by the Doctors and Dentists Review Body; and an increase of £100,000 in provisions for bursaries for the training of teachers in shortage subjects. These increases are wholly offset within the reduction to the cash limit on class XI, vote 1. In addition there is a further increase of £140,000 in recurrent grant-in-aid to the Universities Funding Council in respect of additional places sponsored by the Home Office on social work training courses at universities, wholly offset by a transfer of funds from the
  274
  Home Office; and an addition of £130,000 in provision of recurrent grant-in-aid to the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council to reflect the transfer of responsibility to polytechnics and colleges for funding extended and upgraded training courses in social work wholly offset by a transfer of funding from the Department of Health.

  The token increases on class XI, votes 4 and 7 enable an adjustment to be made in the transfer of funds between the Department for Education's administration vote and the vote for the office of Her Majesty's chief inspector for schools in England which I announced on 12 November 1992, Official Report, columns 893–94. Within the vote totals, the Department's running costs limit has been reduced by £5,000 from £95,598,000 to £95,593,000 as a result of this adjustment. OHMCI's running costs limit has been increased by £69,000 from £7,818,000 to £7,887,000.

  The increases are either offset elsewhere or are charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total for public expenditure.

  Staffordshire (Musical Performances)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what response he is making to the invitation he has received to attend the performance of the Staffordshire youth wind orchestra and the Staffordshire youth big band and massed music centre choirs on 14 March.

  Mr. Boswell
  No such invitation has been received as yet.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes are being made in the 1992–93 cash limit and running costs limits for expenditure by Overseas Development Administration.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit on the external assistance vote (class II, vote 5) will be reduced by £439,000 from £1,797,199,000 to £1,796,760,000. The reduction is necessary to allow for a transfer of £440,000 to the Diplimatic Wing's programme for assistance to eastern Europe (class II, vote 2). The gross running costs limit for the ODA has been reduced by £300,000 from £47,354,000 to £47,054,000. This allows for a transfer of resources to enable the net running cost control limit of the Natural Resources Institute to be increased by £200,000 from £1,100,000 to £1,300,000 for relocation costs. It also allows for a £100,000 increase in the capital expenditure subhead of the administration section to meet the cost of office works. The decrease in the cash limit on this vote will be offset by an increase of £440,000 on class II, vote 2.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Geriatric Medicine, Banbridge
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of admissions and the number of discharges and deaths in geriatric medicine in each hospital in the southern area other than Banbridge
  275
  hospital of persons resident in Banbridge district in each month since August 1991 to the present, showing the number in such care at the end of each month.

  Hospital

  Quarter ending

  Admissions

  Deaths and discharges

  Number in care at end of quarter

  Lurgan

  September 1991

  35

  30

  17

  December 1991

  34

  37

  11

  Craigavon

  September 1991

  0

  0

  0

  December 1991

  0

  1

  0

  Mullinure

  September 1991

  0

  0

  0

  December 1991

  2

  0

  2

  Daisy Hill

  September 1991

  0

  0

  1

  December 1991

  0

  1

  0

  1 This data is taken from the hospital in-patient system. The information is provisional. Data for 1992 is not yet available.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of admissions and the number of discharges and deaths in geriatric medicine in Banbridge hospital in each month since August 1991 to the present, showing the number in such care at the end of each month.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information is not available in the form requested. The latest available information is as follows:

  Quarter Ending

  Admissions1

  Deaths and Discharges2

  Number in care at end of quarter2

  September 1991

  13

  18

  26

  December 1991

  8

  10

  24

  March 1992

  N/A

  8

  22

  June 1992

  N/A

  4

  21

  September 1992

  N/A

  5

  21

  Hospital

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Ards

  987

  950

  936

  959

  Belfast City

  2912

  2,871

  2,913

  2,853

  Downe

  671

  705

  734

  709

  Lagan Valley

  1,232

  1,341

  1,319

  1,306

  Mater

  860

  895

  926

  1,090

  Royal Maternity

  2,634

  3,159

  3,309

  3,304

  Ulster

  2,059

  1,905

  1,988

  2,035

  Ballymena Cottage

  106

  80

  57

  34

  Carrickfergus1

  61

  —

  —

  —

  Dalriada1

  17

  —

  —

  —

  Mid Ulster

  954

  900

  891

  851

  Moyle

  606

  596

  599

  587

  Robinson Memorial

  224

  310

  274

  168

  Route

  1,025

  990

  1,093

  1,022

  Waveney

  1,532

  1,544

  1,465

  1,524

  Banbridge1

  96

  —

  —

  —

  Craigavon Area

  2,282

  2,313

  2,286

  2,287

  Daisy Hill

  1,802

  1,754

  1,776

  1,668

  South Tyrone

  908

  959

  934

  895

  Tower Hill Maternity1

  50

  —

  —

  —

  Altnagelvin

  3,064

  2,924

  2,885

  2,846

  Erne

  926

  870

  815

  732

  Tyrone County

  1,014

  1,007

  981

  970

  Northern Ireland

  26,022

  26,073

  26,181

  25,840

  1 Maternity services were no longer provided at these hospitals after 1988–89 financial year.

  276
  Mr. Hanley
  The information is not available in the form requested. The latest available information for residents of Banbridge district council is as follows:

  1 This data is taken from the hospital in-patient System. The 1991 information is provisional and the 1992 information is not yet available.

  2 This data, which is only available on a quarterly basis, was obtained from the Korner Aggregate Returns which do not record place of residence.

  Birth Statistics
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of live births in each hospital in Northern Ireland in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the number of live births in each hospital in Northern Ireland for the financial years 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92:

  Companies (Relocation)
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has on the number of companies which have relocated from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland in the last three years.

  Mr. Atkins
  I am aware of two companies which relocated from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland in this period.

  Polling Stations
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps the chief electoral officer intends to take to consult political parties in Northern Ireland on the new polling station scheme.

  Mr. Hanley
  The chief electoral officer will publish a new draft polling station scheme and invite comments on it shortly after the electoral register is published on 15 February. Any elector or group of electors may make objections to or proposals about the scheme within 14 days

  Appointments and re-appointments to public bodies from 1 November 1992 to 31 January 1993

  Name

  Public body name

  Category

  Position

  Date of appointment

  Date of expiry

  Mr. P. H. McWilliams

  Industrial Development Board

  A

  Member

  1 January 1993

  31 December 1995

  Sir K. P. Bloomfield

  NI Higher Education Council

  A

  Chairman

  1 January 1993

  Indeterminate

  Dr. M. N. Hayes

  Community Relations Council NI

  A

  Member

  1 January 1993

  31 December 1995

  Mr. P. A. Duffy

  International Fund for Ireland

  A

  Member

  1 January 1993

  31 December 1995

  Mr. J. E. Craig

  International Fund for Ireland

  A

  Member

  1 January 1993

  31 December 1995

  Mr. J. L. McCrum

  International Fund for Ireland

  A

  Member

  1 January 1993

  31 December 1995

  Mr. P. Kenny

  International Fund for Ireland

  A

  Member

  1 January 1993

  31 December 1995

  Mr. W. McCarter

  International Fund for Ireland

  A

  Chairman

  1 January 1993

  31 December 1995

  Mr. G. Barr

  Community Relations Council NI

  A

  Member

  1 January 1993

  31 December 1995

  Mr. D. McFerran

  Community Relations Council NI

  A

  Member

  1 January 1993

  31 December 1995

  Mr. B. A. Slowey

  International Fund for Ireland

  A

  Member

  1 January 1993

  31 December 1995

  Ms. C. Murphy

  International Fund for Ireland

  A

  Member

  1 January 1993

  31 December 1995

  Mr. N. W. Shaw

  Health and Social Services Trusts—appointment of lay helpers and chairmen

  A

  Chairman

  23 November 1992

  22 November 1996

  Mrs. B. M. McLaughlin

  Health and Social Services Trusts—appointment of lay helpers and chairmen

  A

  Chairman designate

  23 November 1992

  31 August 1993

  Mr. G. Burnison

  Health and Social Services Trusts—appointment of lay helpers and chairmen

  A

  Chairman designate

  23 November 1992

  31 August 1993

  Sir D. Faulkner

  Health and Social Services Trusts—appointment of lay helpers and chairmen

  A

  Chairman

  23 November 1992

  22 November 1996

  Mr. I. Oswald

  Health and Social Services Trusts—appointment of lay helpers and chairmen

  A

  Chairman

  23 November 1992

  22 November 1996

  Mr. J. Shields

  Health and Social Services Trusts—appointment of lay helpers and chairmen

  A

  Chairman designate

  23 November 1992

  31 August 1993

  Mrs. G. A. Shaw

  Health and Social Services Trusts—appointment of lay helpers and chairmen

  A

  Chairman designate

  23 November 1992

  31 August 1993

  Mr. G. H. Moore

  Health and Social Services Trusts—appointment of lay helpers and chairmen

  A

  Chairman

  23 November 1992

  22 November 1996

  Mrs. G. M. Loughran

  Eastern Health and Social Services Board

  A

  Member (non-executive)

  21 December 1992

  31 March 1995

  Mrs. J. I. Ferguson

  Eastern Health and Social Seevices Board

  A

  Member (non-executive)

  21 December 1992

  31 March 1995

  Mrs. P. Farren

  NI Transport Holding Company

  A

  Member

  1 November 1992

  31 October 1995

  Mr. I. Doherty

  NI Transport Holding Company

  A

  Member

  1 November 1992

  31 October 1995

  Mr. S. McDowell

  NI Housing Executive

  A

  Member

  5 November 1992

  4 November 1995

  Mrs. E. Waterson

  NI Housing Executive

  A

  Member

  5 November 1992

  4 November 1995

  Mrs. M. A. F. Cook

  NI Housing Executive

  A

  Member

  5 November 1992

  4 November 1995

  Mr. J. Hood

  NI Housing Executive

  A

  Member

  5 November 1992

  4 November 1995

  Mr. R. S. McCulloch

  NI Transport Holding Company

  A

  Member

  10 November 1992

  30 June 1993

  278
  of publication. I understand that the CEO wrote to the political parties in Northern Ireland in November 1992 to inform them of the impending review and of the scheduled publication of a new draft scheme.

  Appointments
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will update the information given in his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 2 November 1992,Official Report, columns 44–48; and if he will state the political affiliation of the appointees where known.

  Mr. Mates
  The following are details of public appointments made by my right hon. and learned Friend during the period 1 November 1992 to 31 January 1993.

  In making public appointments, the prime consideration is the appointee's ability or potential to contribute to the work of the particular body to which he or she is appointed. In Northern Ireland other major factors taken into account are community background and gender.
  279

  Name

  Public body name

  Category

  Position

  Date of appointment

  Date of expiry

  Miss G. M. M. Keegan

  Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights

  A

  Member

  7 December 1992

  6 December 1994

  Mr. D. Hewitt

  Independent Assessor of Military Complaints Procedures

  A

  Independent Assessor

  15 December 1992

  14 December 1995

  Departmental Costs
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on cash and running cost limits for the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland departmental service 1992–93.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, it is proposed that the cash limit for class XVII, vote 1 (the Northern Ireland Office) will be increased by £45,832,000 from £844,423,000 to £890,255,000. This is principally to meet additional expenditure on compensation and police costs. The additional provision sought will be mainly met from a transfer within the Northern Ireland block and the balance charged to the reserve. It will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  The cash limit for most Northern Ireland departmental services will be increased by £20,621,000 from £3,393,100,000 to £3,413,721,000. This increase reflects the take-up of entitlement to end-year flexibility on capital and departmental running costs and the housing package announced by the Chancellor on 12 November 1992. It will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  The combined running cost limit for the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments will be increased by £4,165,000 from £712,316,000 to

  Table 1 Drug Seizures 1988–92

  Year

  Cannabis

  Cocaine

  Heroin

  LSD

  Amphetamines

  1988

  12.75 kilos

  2.51 gms

  3.65 gms

  917 doses

  466.26 gms

  1989

  21.71 kilos

  52.4 gms

  25.35 gms 1052 MST tablets

  485 doses 17.80 gms

  658.£65 gms

  1990

  37.6 kilos

  —

  2757 MST tablets

  573 doses

  95.2 gms

  1991

  37.5 kilos

  88 gms

  250 doses Dipipanone

  ½ kilo Psilocin

  625 gms

  1.5 kilos herbal

  1 gm Morphine

  800 doses 2,711 MDMA 114 gms

  25 tablets

  1992

  15.75 kilos

  77 gms

  9 gms 51 MST tablets

  9,201 doses 4,408 MDMA

  5,732 gms

  MST = Morphine Sulphate

  MDMA = Ecstasy

  Table 2 Convictions for drug offences 1988–92

  Offence

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Producing controlled drug

  3

  4

  1

  3

  4

  Importing controlled drug

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Supplying controlled drug

  12

  14

  5

  3

  10

  Possessing controlled drug

  97

  105

  98

  140

  242

  Possessing controlled drug with intent to supply

  10

  6

  6

  6

  14

  Permitting premises to be used for use of drugs

  4

  2

  1

  1

  2

  280
  £716,481,000. This reflects the take up of £2,471,000 of the end year flexibility entitlement announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July 1992, at columns 697–702, a net transfer of £1,684,000 from the Department of Social Security, mainly in respect of child support costs, and a transfer of £10,000 from the Property Services Agency relating to maintenance work. Of the revised running cost provision £171,362,000 is for the Northern Ireland Office and £545,119,000 for Northern Ireland Departments.

  Drug Abuse
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the evidence of trends in the level of drug abuse in Northern Ireland during the past five years; and if he will give details of(a) drugs, by type, seized and their street value and (b) the number of convictions by category.

  Mr. Mates
  [holding answer 1 February 1993]: The quantities and types of drugs seized during the period specified are set out in table 1 which also indicates the trends in drug abuse during the period. Table 2 lists the related convictions over the same time scale.

  It is not possible accurately to assess the street value of the drugs seized as the value varies according to availability, quality and demand.
  281

  Offence

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Obstructing powers of search for drugs

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Attempting producing controlled drugs

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Attempted possessing controlled drug

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Conspiracy possessing controlled drug

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Permitting possessing controlled drug

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Totals

  132

  133

  113

  153

  274

  RUC
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many RUC officers, by rank, are operating, full-time, in(a) the anti-drugs unit, (b) the complaints and discipline branch and (c) the anti-racketeering unit.

  Mr. Mates
  [holding answer 1 February 1993]: The current number of RUC officers, by rank, in the drugs squad and the complaints and discipline branch is as follows:

  number

  Drugs squad

  Chief Inspector

  1

  Inspector

  1

  Sergeant

  4

  Constable

  28

  Complaints and discipline branch

  Assistant Chief Constable

  1

  Chief Superintendent

  2

  Superintendent

  11

  Chief Inspector

  25

  Inspector

  11

  Sergeant

  10

  Constable

  10

  Given the particular operational circumstances under which the anti-racketeering unit works, it is not in the public interest to disclose information as to its strength.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Safer Cities Programme
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the evaluation of the safer cities programme by the Home Office research and statistics department, as it relates to crime rates and the fear of crime, to be completed and published.

  Mr. Jack
  Evaluation of the safer cities programme is being carried out in two stages: the first uses results from surveys and the second from recorded crime figures obtained from police forces. Surveys have taken the form of before and after studies and are being used to measure any change in levels of victimisation and fear of crime over the period 1990–92. This is intended to provide a snapshot picture of the impact of safer cities action in 11 cities, and is likely to be completed by the autumn of 1993. Police recorded crime figures will be used to look for changes in crime across time. Results from this second stage of the 282
  evaluation should be available a little later in the year, soon after which it is expected that publication of findings will begin.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many safer cities projects he plans to have operating in the financial year 1994–95; and what criteria he will use to select locations for new projects.

  Mr. Jack
  There are a number of considerations which will affect the pace at which phase 2 safer cities are set up and it is too early to predict the number which will be operating in the financial year 1994–95. We are considering the criteria for the selection of new locations, but among the factors likely to be taken into account will be local crime rates and the readiness of local agencies to work with the programme. I will be looking carefully at projects coming from current urban priority areas which have not yet benefited from safer cities.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason it was decided not to award Stoke on Trent safer city status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  When the safer cities programme was launched in March 1988, the 20 project locations were selected from urban programme areas with high crime rates which were aggravated by other social problems, and where other Departments' inner cities programmes were targeted. As Stoke on Trent was not an urban programme area, it was not eligible for inclusion. Plans for the second phase of the safer cities programme are now being drawn up and I have previously undertaken to let the hon. Member have full details as soon as they are available. I made a statement on 7 January which set out the Government's policy on crime prevention, including the future of the safer cities programme. A copy of this statement has been placed in the library.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money each of the safer city projects in the east midlands will receive from his Department in the 1993–94 financial year.

  Mr. Jack
  There are three safer cities projects in the east midlands, in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham. The projects in Derby and Leicester were set up in the autumn of 1991 and it is intended to maintain their grant allocation at £250,000 in 1993–94 to enable them to support local crime prevention activities. The Nottingham project started in April 1989 and Home Office funding is due to end in March 1994; its grant allocation has been set at £100,000 in 1993–94. Nottingham and the other 15 projects where Home Office funding is due to finish next year will
  283
  also have access to additional grant money from a central pool of £500,000 to assist the development of continuing structures for multi-agency crime prevention work.

  In addition to the sums stated, the Home Office also pays the salaries of the staff and the other running costs of each safer cities project.

  The ending of Home Office funding in 16 of the longer established safer cities projects will enable work to be started on a new phase of safer cities in other locations.

  HMP, Manchester
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was(a) the original and (b) the revised closing date for tenders in respect of the market testing exercise at Her Majesty's prison Manchester.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The original closing date was 18 January. No new date has yet been set.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional costs will be incurred in respect of the market testing exercise at Her Majesty's prison Manchester as a result of the effect of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  It is not possible to identify separately any additional costs that might be caused by the application of the Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to the market testing of HMP Manchester.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional information has been sent to tenderers for Her Majesty's Prison Manchester since 1 January; and what effect it will have on the tendering process.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The following information has been sent to all tenderers since 1 January:

  On 4 January information about prisoner numbers received and discharged from Her Majesty's Prison Manchester over a three-month period;

  On 6 January a note clarifying the supply of UHF and VHF equipment at the prison;

  On 6 January a note advising that the deadline for the return of bids would be extended;

  On 18 January information on the supply of X-ray machines, security portals and certain furnishings and fittings in the administration suite;

  On 2 February a note on the current number of prisoners in police cells;

  In addition, on 8 January, the Manchester bid team was sent a further copy of schedule 4, appendix 7, to the tender documents.

  This information was provided to assist tenderers in the preparation of their bids and to inform them that the deadline for receiving bids would be extended.

  Departmental Warehousing and Distributing
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to the contracting out of the warehousing and distributing function of the supply and transport branch of his Department;
  284
  (2) how many staff employed in the warehousing and distributing function of the supply and transport branch of his Department have been issued with redundancy notices; and if he plans to withdraw these notices.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The prison service warehousing and distribution activities were market tested in 1991. Competitive bids were received from four private sector companies and there was an in-house bid. In July 1992 the contract was awarded to a private contractor subject to consultation with the trade unions and negotiation of a satisfactory contract.

  All of the 141 staff employed in the warehousing and distribution function planned for contracting out were issued with redundancy notices in September 1992. There are currently no plans to withdraw these notices.

  At the market testing stage it was not thought that the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) had implications for this market testing exercise, but advice received subsequently is that the regulations would apply. The implications of this advice are now being considered.

  Metropolitan Police
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received recently about the number of police officers in the Plumstead and Greenwich divisions of the Metropolitan police; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  None.

  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the Metropolitan Police Commissioner's 1993 corporate strategy.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I am placing copies of the Metropolitan Police Corporate Strategy, 1993–94 to 1997–98, which I fully endorse, in the Library of the House today. I am also sending copies to all right hon. and hon. Members whose consituencies fall wholly or partly within the Metropolitan police district.

  I am inviting London Members to discuss it with me.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the proposed policing levels for each of the Metropolitan police divisions for 1993; and what were the comparable figures for 1991 and 1992, indicating the percentage change.

  Mr. Jack
  Information is not available in the format requested, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Market Testing
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost of redundancy payments to persons employed in the prison department supply and transport branch as a result of the recent market testing exercise.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The cost of redundancy payments for all of the staff employed in the prison department warehousing and distribution function is estimated at £850,000.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of the consultancy
  285
  study undertaken by Deloitte Haskins and Sells in 1989 into the warehousing and distribution service in his Department.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The details of costs of individual contracts between Government and contractors are regarded as commercial-in-confidence.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the full cost to date of the market testing exercise in respect of supply and transport at his Department.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Those involved in this market testing exercise have carried out the work required as part of their normal job functions. Detailed records of the amount of time spent by individuals on this particular aspect of their jobs have not been recorded and there would be a disproportionate cost involved in obtaining these details.

  False Number Plates
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded offences involving the use of false number plates in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is not available.

  Cash Limits
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for changes to the 1992–93 cash limits within his responsibilities and to his Department's running costs limit.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit on class IX, vote 2, prisons, England and Wales, will be increased by £113,500,000 from £1,363,448,000 to £1,476,948,000.

  The additional provision is necessary because of the need to pay for the cost of keeping prisoners in police cells. Extra provision is also necessary to meet the construction costs of new prisons due mainly to claims from contractors. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  The cash limit on class IX, vote 3, Home Office administration, immigration and police support services, England and Wales, will be reduced by £12,000,000 from £1,242,192,000 to £1,230,192,000 to reflect a transfer of resources to class IX, vote 1 for the purpose of criminal injuries compensation payments and an increase in the amount of current grant payable for probation and bail hostels.

  The Home Office running cost limit will be reduced by £2,132,000 from £1,449,076,000 to £1,446,944,000 to reflect lower than expected pay settlements in the prison service.

  Prisoners (Razors)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in whi ch prisons male prisoners have to share razors.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Prisoners are not expected to share razors. The recommended scale allows for three razors per 286
  prisoner every two weeks. Where this is insufficient, supplies of additional razors can be obtained from a direct call-off contract available to prisons.

  Radiation Emergencies
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he has made in his Department to implement the Public Information for Radiation Emergencies Regulations 1992.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Public Information for Radiation Emergencies Regulations 1992 place duties on employers and self-employed persons who conduct an undertaking from which a radiation emergency is reasonably foreseeable, and on first-tier local authorities. They place no duties on the Home Office.

  Crime (London)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next expects to meet the metropolitan police commissioner to discuss action against crime in London.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend has already discussed with the new commissioner his approach to his responsibilities, including this one, and will meet him frequently on a range of issues over the coming months.

  Elections (Mechanisation)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce electronic systems for counting ballot papers at election counts.

  Mr. Maclennam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider the introduction of a mechanised voting system for public elections on a trial basis at specified locations.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have set up a working group of local authority representatives and Home Office officials as part of our post-election review to look at the implications of introducing procedures for automated vote counting. We shall consider the working group's recommendations once it has reported its findings. We have no plans to introduce an automated voting system.

  Relate
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the funding in real terms for Relate in each year from 1987–88 to 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The Home Office grant-in-aid to Relate for each year from 1987–88 to 1993–94 is as follows in actual terms and real terms, using 1991–92 as the base year.

  Actual expenditure £

  Real terms expenditure £

  1987–88

  912,870

  1,204,902

  1988–89

  935,910

  1,151,478

  1989–90

  958,890

  1,106,408

  1990–91

  1,006,840

  1,076,408

  1991–92

  1,107,500

  1,107,500

  287

  Actual expenditure £

  Real terms expenditure £

  1992–93

  1,511,400

  1,449,784

  1993–94

  1,530,500

  1,428,811

  In real terms, there has been an increase of 18.6 per cent. in the grant during the period in question; the actual increase is 67.7 per cent.

  Car Crime
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to set up a national squad to combat the problem of car crime; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to create a national squad to deal with this particular type of crime.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answers of 9 November 1992,Official Report, columns 636–66, if he will list in descending order for each police force in England and Wales the percentage changes in notifiable offences since 1979 together with the total resident population of each force area in 1981 and 1991, the number of police officers in 1981 and 1991 and the percentage clear-up rate in 1979 and 1992.

  Mr. Jack
  The available statistics are provided in the tables. Figures for percentage clear-up rate are not yet available for 1992. Population figures are a matter for the Secretary of State at the Department of the Environment.

  Police force strength England and Wales

  Police strength (Actual)

  Police force area

  1981

  1991

  Avon and Somerset

  3,014

  3,072

  Bedfordshire

  983

  1,090

  Cambridgeshire

  1,120

  1,239

  Cheshire

  1,850

  1,867

  Cleveland

  1,475

  1,477

  Cumbria

  1,113

  1,183

  Derbyshire

  1,779

  1,706

  Devon and Cornwall

  2,694

  2,876

  Dorset

  1,162

  1,280

  Durham

  1,344

  1,378

  Essex

  2,612

  2,878

  Gloucestershire

  1,126

  1,178

  Greater Manchester

  6,928

  6,975

  Hampshire

  3,048

  3,177

  Hertfordshire

  1,568

  1,679

  Humberside

  1,955

  2,016

  Kent

  2,868

  3,039

  Lancashire

  3,153

  3,205

  Leicestershire

  1,728

  1,808

  Lincolnshire

  1,182

  1,198

  London, City of

  863

  809

  Merseyside

  4,647

  4,605

  Metropolitan Police District

  25,075

  28,126

  Norfolk

  1,263

  1,419

  Northamptonshire

  1,003

  1,156

  288

  Police strength (Actual)

  Police force area

  1981

  1991

  Northumbria

  3,331

  3,460

  North Yorkshire

  1,353

  1,382

  Nottinghamshire

  2,259

  2,334

  South Yorkshire

  2,874

  2,989

  Staffordshire

  2,095

  2,185

  Suffolk

  1,114

  1,203

  Surrey

  1,593

  1,681

  Sussex

  2,824

  2,969

  Thames Valley

  3,091

  3,722

  Warwickshire

  925

  1,005

  West Mercia

  1,933

  2,028

  West Midlands

  6,689

  6,893

  West Yorkshire

  5,147

  5,143

  Wiltshire

  1,042

  1,212

  Dyfed-Powys

  925

  944

  Gwent

  963

  995

  North Wales

  1,288

  1,343

  South Wales

  3,082

  3,142

  Total

  118,081

  125,066

  Percentage change in notifiable offences and percentage of offences cleared up England and Wales

  Percentage cleared up1

  Police force area

  Percentage change 1991 over 19791

  1979

  1991

  Gloucestershire

  260

  51

  35

  Avon and Somerset

  212

  43

  24

  Leicestershire

  207

  54

  29

  Warwickshire

  205

  46

  24

  Norfolk

  200

  47

  37

  Lincolnshire

  169

  60

  46

  Northamptonshire

  168

  48

  31

  Kent

  163

  50

  23

  Humberside

  161

  45

  32

  Devon and Cornwall

  159

  46

  29

  Thames Valley

  158

  45

  22

  North Yorkshire

  146

  51

  36

  Cambridgeshire

  145

  47

  36

  West Yorkshire

  144

  37

  28

  Durham

  143

  52

  30

  Sussex

  141

  53

  23

  South Wales

  138

  46

  29

  Cumbria

  135

  56

  40

  Staffordshire

  136

  51

  37

  Dyfed-Powys

  132

  62

  50

  Dorset

  129

  46

  41

  West Mercia

  129

  49

  35

  Cleveland

  127

  51

  33

  Hampshire

  126

  46

  28

  South Yorkshire

  125

  51

  36

  Northumbria

  123

  53

  35

  Greater Manchester

  120

  45

  36

  Cheshire

  119

  58

  41

  Bedfordshire

  114

  48

  19

  Nottinghamshire

  109

  51

  27

  Suffolk

  108

  57

  37

  Essex

  108

  42

  32

  Derbyshire

  104

  50

  28

  Lancashire

  105

  56

  40

  Wiltshire

  103

  42

  40

  West Midlands

  100

  37

  31

  289

  Percentage cleared up1

  Police force area

  Percentage change 1991 over 19791

  1979

  1991

  Gwent

  98

  60

  47

  Surrey

  94

  47

  23

  North Wales

  91

  59

  36

  Metropolitan Police District

  69

  21

  17

  Hertfordshire

  53

  54

  33

  Merseyside

  37

  42

  45

  London, City of

  13

  21

  20

  Total

  114

  41

  29

  1 Excluding offences of Criminal Damage value £20 and under.

  Notifiable offences1 cleared up by the police by method of clear up England and Wales 1991

  Police force area

  Charged or summonsed

  Caution

  Taken into consideration (previously recorded)

  Taken into consideration (not previously recorded)

  Interview of convicted prisoner

  Other

  Total cleared up

  Clear up rate

  Number

  Percentage of total cleared up

  Number

  Percentage of total cleared up

  Number

  Percentage of total cleared up

  Number

  Percentage of total cleared up

  Number

  Percentage of total cleared up

  Number

  Percentage of total cleared up

  Number of notifiable offences

  Percentage of total notifiable offences cleared up

  Avon and Somerset

  18,843

  53

  3,328

  9

  2,283

  6

  3,151

  9

  5,234

  15

  2,736

  8

  35,575

  24

  Bedfordshire

  6,655

  61

  1,564

  14

  980

  9

  749

  7

  176

  2

  824

  8

  10,948

  19

  Cambridgeshire

  7,386

  36

  2,611

  13

  2,806

  14

  2,989

  15

  2,477

  12

  2,319

  11

  20,588

  36

  Cheshire

  13,699

  54

  2,710

  11

  2,643

  10

  1,084

  4

  4,230

  17

  806

  3

  25,172

  41

  Cleveland

  8,654

  35

  3,488

  14

  7,597

  31

  567

  2

  4,139

  17

  372

  1

  24,817

  33

  Cumbria

  7,767

  45

  2,771

  16

  1,492

  9

  1,646

  10

  2,335

  14

  1,184

  7

  17,195

  40

  Derbyshire

  9,256

  46

  3,229

  16

  2,456

  12

  1,549

  8

  1,380

  7

  2,196

  11

  20,066

  28

  Devon and Cornwall

  18,134

  58

  4,081

  13

  2,568

  8

  2,267

  7

  2,086

  7

  1,883

  6

  31,019

  29

  Dorset

  9,586

  45

  1,624

  8

  2,532

  12

  433

  2

  5,977

  28

  939

  4

  21,091

  41

  Durham

  11,896

  65

  1,121

  6

  946

  5

  1,268

  7

  1,937

  11

  1,160

  6

  18,328

  30

  Essex

  13,526

  40

  3,992

  12

  6,075

  18

  5,373

  16

  1,929

  6

  2,623

  8

  33,518

  32

  Gloucestershire

  6,345

  32

  2,322

  12

  1,461

  7

  2,021

  10

  6,330

  32

  1,096

  6

  19,575

  35

  Greater Manchester

  40,699

  32

  10,867

  9

  25,262

  20

  7,460

  6

  40,629

  32

  1,547

  1

  126,464

  36

  Hampshire

  19,565

  49

  7,194

  18

  4,805

  12

  2,244

  6

  4,044

  10

  1,889

  5

  39,741

  28

  Hertfordshire

  9,121

  50

  2,304

  13

  2,932

  16

  2,035

  11

  527

  3

  1,320

  7

  18,239

  33

  Humberside

  15,527

  42

  4,882

  13

  5,699

  16

  2,019

  6

  4,676

  13

  3,800

  10

  36,648

  32

  Kent

  15,128

  49

  5,847

  19

  2,539

  8

  3,644

  12

  583

  2

  2,847

  9

  30,608

  23

  Lancashire

  17,903

  42

  3,424

  8

  6,396

  15

  2,702

  6

  9,465

  22

  2,673

  6

  42,563

  40

  Leicestershire

  9,576

  37

  4,442

  17

  4,572

  18

  2,581

  10

  2,889

  11

  1,514

  6

  25,574

  29

  Lincolnshire

  8,786

  44

  2,624

  13

  3,180

  16

  1,142

  6

  2,385

  12

  2,035

  10

  20,152

  46

  London, City of

  1,022

  67

  209

  14

  133

  9

  53

  3

  35

  2

  74

  5

  1,526

  20

  Merseyside

  22,750

  36

  4,582

  7

  7,332

  11

  2,440

  4

  25,589

  40

  1,111

  2

  63,804

  45

  Metropolitan Police

  92,669

  62

  14,035

  9

  10,388

  7

  0

  0

  1,679

  1

  30,245

  20

  149,016

  17

  Norfolk

  10,974

  47

  2,045

  9

  2,626

  11

  2,476

  11

  4,612

  20

  548

  2

  23,281

  37

  Northamptonshire

  7,212

  41

  1,694

  10

  2,589

  15

  543

  3

  3,458

  19

  2,286

  13

  17,782

  31

  Northumbria

  21,318

  29

  6,870

  9

  11,988

  16

  2,851

  4

  18,790

  25

  11,979

  16

  73,796

  35

  North Yorkshire

  8,298

  46

  2,007

  11

  1,745

  10

  2,779

  15

  1,972

  11

  1,214

  7

  18,015

  36

  Nottinghamshire

  21,871

  57

  6,615

  17

  4,794

  12

  4,370

  11

  745

  2

  300

  1

  38,695

  27

  South Yorkshire

  21,634

  51

  4,214

  10

  1,568

  4

  1,036

  2

  10,428

  24

  3,702

  9

  42,582

  36

  Staffordshire

  14,259

  45

  3,669

  12

  3,612

  11

  1,385

  4

  7,242

  23

  1,367

  4

  31,534

  37

  Suffolk

  10,377

  71

  2,753

  19

  89

  1

  43

  0

  188

  1

  1,176

  8

  14,626

  37

  Surrey

  5,946

  53

  2,011

  18

  927

  8

  928

  8

  411

  4

  1,026

  9

  11,249

  23

  Sussex

  13,861

  55

  3,377

  13

  1,735

  7

  3,672

  15

  268

  1

  2,164

  9

  25,077

  23

  Thames Valleky

  19,623

  49

  6,089

  15

  5,770

  14

  4,713

  12

  1,553

  4

  2,537

  6

  40,285

  22

  Warwickshire

  4,791

  50

  1,206

  13

  1,173

  12

  866

  9

  1,230

  13

  375

  4

  9,641

  24

  West Mercia

  11,776

  47

  3,555

  14

  2,684

  11

  717

  3

  4,419

  18

  2,081

  8

  25,232

  35

  West Midlands

  37,113

  41

  9,433

  10

  12,056

  13

  2,591

  3

  23,037

  25

  6,114

  7

  90,344

  31

  West Yorkshire

  35,269

  44

  8,864

  11

  11,461

  14

  3,131

  4

  15,280

  19

  5,658

  7

  79,663

  28

  Wiltshire

  8,798

  57

  2,300

  15

  1,846

  12

  264

  2

  530

  3

  1,722

  11

  15,460

  40

  Dyfed-Powys

  6,619

  54

  1,077

  9

  175

  1

  370

  3

  2,424

  20

  1,596

  13

  12,261

  50

  Gwent

  12,843

  73

  1,379

  8

  555

  3

  1,166

  7

  1,412

  8

  132

  1

  17,487

  47

  North Wales

  8,735

  56

  1,679

  11

  1,985

  13

  638

  4

  1,676

  11

  810

  5

  15,523

  36

  South Wales

  24,772

  55

  2,760

  6

  1,474

  3

  285

  1

  15,148

  34

  292

  1

  44,731

  29

  England and Wales

  690,627

  47

  166,848

  11

  177,929

  12

  84,261

  6

  245,554

  17

  114,272

  8

  1,479,491

  29

  1 Excluding offences of Criminal Damage value £20 and under.

  Police Statistics
  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 arrests, (b) the number of people charged, (c) the number

  Crime Clear-up Rates
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of offences cleared up and the percentage of the total clear-up rate in each police force in England and Wales in 1981 and 1991 in terms of(a) those charged and found guilty, (b) those charged and summoned, (c) those taken into consideration where the offence had previously been reported, (d) those taken into consideration where the crime had not previously been reported, (e) as a result of admissions to further offences from persons already in prison and (f) by no futher action.

  Mr. Jack
  The available information for 1991 is given in the table. Corresponding figures for 1981 are not available.

  of people who appeared in court, (d) the number of people found guilty and (e) the figure for those found guilty as a percentage of (a), (b) and (c).

  Mr. Jack
  Information concerning arrests (for all offences), prosecutions and convictions (for indictable offences) 1981 and 1991 (which is provisional) is given in the table. Data on the number of people charged is not collected centrally.
  291

  Table A Number of arrests, prosecutions at magistrates' courts and total found guilty at all courts by police force area England and Wales 1981

  Police force area

  Arrests1 Number

  Prosecutions at magistrates' courts2

  Total found guilty at courts2

  Percentage found guilty to arrests Per cent.

  Percentage found guilty to prosecutions Per cent.

  Number

  Number

  Number

  Avon and Somerset

  35,891

  12,758

  10,986

  31

  86

  Bedfordshire

  15,831

  5,315

  4,481

  28

  84

  Cambridgeshire

  17,757

  6,032

  5,428

  31

  90

  Cheshire

  18,511

  8,816

  8,065

  44

  91

  Cleveland

  24,565

  8,267

  7,715

  31

  93

  Cumbria

  12,434

  4,526

  4,095

  33

  90

  Derbyshire

  17,850

  7,550

  6,708

  38

  89

  Devon and Cornwall

  21,499

  9,878

  9,173

  43

  93

  Dorset

  13,068

  5,320

  4,719

  36

  89

  Durham

  16,616

  6,206

  5,710

  34

  92

  Essex

  31,138

  9,935

  8,931

  29

  90

  Gloucestershire

  11,758

  4,039

  3,829

  33

  95

  Greater Manchester

  102,118

  37,274

  33,966

  33

  91

  Hampshire

  42,551

  14,643

  13,078

  31

  89

  Hertfordshire

  19,092

  6,783

  6,150

  32

  91

  Humberside

  30,662

  10,633

  9,872

  32

  93

  Kent

  37,003

  10,492

  9,725

  26

  93

  Lancashire

  39,844

  15,561

  14,264

  36

  92

  Leicestershire

  21,202

  7,753

  7,100

  33

  92

  Lincolnshire

  13,203

  4,443

  4,031

  31

  91

  London, City of

  3,390

  1,139

  947

  28

  83

  Merseyside

  57,139

  22,183

  17,792

  31

  80

  Metropolitan police district

  340,809

  97,898

  85,262

  25

  87

  Norfolk

  10,155

  5,135

  4,764

  47

  93

  Northamptonshire

  15,151

  5,501

  4,821

  32

  88

  Northumbria

  62,121

  16,598

  14,659

  24

  88

  North Yorkshire

  11,829

  5,384

  4,645

  39

  86

  Nottinghamshire

  32,625

  11,483

  10,876

  33

  95

  South Yorkshire

  44,550

  13,879

  12,524

  28

  90

  Staffordshire

  31,833

  9,453

  8,168

  26

  86

  Suffolk

  12,452

  4,587

  3,735

  30

  81

  Surrey

  17,536

  4,388

  4,115

  23

  94

  Sussex

  35,294

  10,194

  9,615

  27

  94

  Thames Valley

  42,076

  13,411

  12,416

  30

  93

  Warwickshire

  7,050

  3,146

  2,784

  39

  88

  West Mercia

  22,692

  7,742

  7,268

  32

  94

  West Midlands

  87,376

  30,777

  26,820

  31

  87

  West Yorkshire

  56,702

  26,570

  23,177

  41

  87

  Wiltshire

  8,857

  4,057

  3,773

  43

  93

  England

  1,442,230

  489,749

  436,187

  30

  89

  Dyfed-Powys

  8,605

  2,942

  2,605

  30

  89

  Gwent

  15,955

  5,912

  5,223

  33

  88

  North Wales

  11,003

  5,664

  5,204

  47

  92

  South Wales

  35,795

  16,910

  14,162

  40

  84

  Wales

  71,358

  31,428

  27,194

  38

  87

  England and Wales

  1,513,588

  521,177

  463,381

  31

  89

  1 All offences.

  2 Indictable offences.

  Table B Number of arrests, prosecutions at magistrates' courts and total found guilty at all courts by police force area

  England and Wales 19911

  Number and percentage

  Police force area

  Arrests2

  Prosecutions at magistrates' courts3

  Total found guilty at all courts3

  Percentage found guilty to arrests

  Percentage found guilty to prosecutions

  Avon and Somerset

  39,216

  11,955

  7,526

  19

  63

  Bedfordshire

  17,543

  4,467

  2,716

  15

  61

  Cambridgeshire

  17,699

  5,403

  3,664

  21

  68

  Cheshire

  29,684

  8,101

  5,937

  20

  73

  Cleveland

  28,061

  6,739

  4,336

  15

  64

  Cumbria

  21,275

  5,204

  3,939

  19

  76

  Derbyshire

  23,708

  7,828

  5,275

  22

  67

  Devon and Cornwall

  34,024

  10,032

  7,332

  22

  73

  Dorset

  18,382

  5,357

  3,637

  20

  68

  Durham

  25,125

  5,684

  3,487

  14

  61

  Essex

  40,100

  12,580

  7,835

  20

  62

  292 293

  Police force area

  Arrests2

  Prosecutions at magistrates' courts3

  Total found guilty at all courts3

  Percentage found guilty to arrests

  Percentage found guilty to prosecutions

  Gloucestershire

  17,020

  4,446

  2,990

  18

  67

  Greater Manchester

  116,916

  29,320

  22,832

  20

  78

  Hampshire

  62,330

  13,788

  9,544

  15

  69

  Hertfordshire

  23,191

  6,288

  4,039

  17

  64

  Humberside

  35,847

  7,941

  6,057

  17

  76

  Kent

  47,992

  7,176

  6,262

  13

  87

  Lancashire

  62,104

  14,005

  10,544

  17

  75

  Leicestershire

  26,417

  7,442

  5,041

  19

  68

  Lincolnshire

  22,680

  5,044

  3,466

  15

  69

  London, City of

  4,688

  1,120

  756

  16

  68

  Merseyside

  72,930

  23,311

  14,955

  21

  64

  Metropolitan Police District4

  113,570

  69,148

  50,684

  45

  73

  Norfolk

  20,898

  5,579

  4,577

  22

  82

  Northamptonshire

  19,353

  5,425

  3,488

  18

  64

  Northumbria

  68,847

  15,787

  10,266

  15

  65

  North Yorkshire

  20,936

  6,276

  4,324

  21

  69

  Nottinghamshire

  46,487

  14,974

  9,292

  20

  62

  South Yorkshire

  45,722

  13,405

  9,636

  21

  72

  Staffordshire

  39,142

  10,386

  6,794

  17

  65

  Suffolk

  15,796

  4,994

  3,627

  23

  73

  Surrey

  19,940

  5,141

  3,451

  17

  67

  Sussex

  39,247

  12,261

  8,559

  22

  70

  Thames Valley

  59,458

  14,148

  9,203

  15

  65

  Warwickshire

  14,138

  2,859

  2,218

  16

  78

  West Mercia

  32,048

  8,186

  6,080

  19

  74

  West Midlands

  131,062

  33,082

  21,624

  16

  65

  West Yorkshire

  85,867

  22,946

  15,987

  19

  70

  Wiltshire

  13,670

  4,618

  3,280

  24

  71

  England

  1,573,113

  452,446

  315,280

  20

  70

  Dyfed-Powys

  13,466

  4,177

  2,752

  20

  66

  Gwent

  17,796

  5,146

  3,372

  19

  66

  North Wales

  24,338

  5,541

  4,421

  18

  80

  South Wales

  57,143

  18,931

  12,510

  22

  66

  Wales

  112,743

  33,795

  23,055

  20

  68

  England and Wales

  1,685,856

  486,241

  338,335

  20

  70

  1 Provisional

  2 All offences

  3 Indictable offences

  4 Notifiable offences

  Fire Brigade (Marine Units)
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which fire brigades in England and Wales undergo regular training for emergencies at sea; and in which towns their specialist marine units are based.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 21 January 1993]: In addition to the training all firefighters receive for fighting fires on ships, 22 brigades in England and Wales maintain regular specialist training. Eleven brigades have specialist marine units.

  Area

  Brigade maintaining training

  Location of marine units

  Northern England

  Tyne & Wear

  Newcastle and Sunderland

  Cleveland

  Middlebrough

  Lancashire

  —

  Cheshire

  —

  Humberside

  —

  Merseyside

  —

  Wales

  Dyfed

  Milford Haven

  South Glamorgan

  —

  West Glamorgan

  —

  Gwynedd

  —

  Eastern England

  Lincolnshire

  —

  Cambridgeshire

  Wisbech

  294

  Area

  Brigade maintaining training

  Location of marine units

  Suffolk

  Felixstowe, Ipswich

  Norfolk

  Great Yarmouth

  Essex

  South Woodham Ferrers

  London

  London

  South and South-West England

  Kent

  Strood, Whitstable, Sheppey

  East Sussex

  —

  Dorset

  —

  Devon

  Plymouth

  Cornwall

  —

  Gloucestershire

  inshore inflatable at Gloucester

  Bail Support Schemes
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the location of all bail support schemes in operation in England and Wales; and if he will indicate for each(a) the magistrates court areas served, (b) the local authority, (c) police force area in which it falls and (d) the number of people dealt with in each of the last three years;

  (2) if he will publish a table showing for each bail support scheme currently in operation (a) the number of

  295
  people aged over 21 years, (b) the number of people aged 18 to 21 years and (c) the number of people aged under 18 years who were involved in each of the last three years;

  (3) if he will publish a table showing for each bail support scheme currently in operation in England and Wales (a) the current total cost on a full year basis, (b) the total cost in each of the past three years and (c) the cost per head per week for each scheme in 1991 or for the latest available financial year.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 3 February 1993]: The Home Office probation supervision grant scheme, established in March 1992, makes available grants to voluntary organisations working in partnership with the probation service for a number of purposes, including bail support

  Bail support schemes in operation in England and Wales

  Name and location of scheme

  (i) Magistrates court area served

  Number (per year)1 involved by age

  Total cost on full year basis(£)1

  (ii) Local authority

  (i) under 18

  (iii) Police force area

  (ii) 18–21

  (iv) Number dealt with2

  (iii) over 21

  Bail Charter Scheme (North Wales)

  (i) Wrexham, Mold, Hawarden, Flint

  (i) 34

  73,412

  (ii) Clwyd

  (ii) 18

  (iii) North Wales police

  (iii) 23

  Surrey Youth Justice Team

  (i) All Petty Sessional areas in Surrey

  (i) 80

  97,422

  (ii) Surrey county council

  (ii) 0

  (iii) Surrey constabulary

  (iii) 0

  1 Estimates as shown on application form for Homwe Office funding.

  2 Information not yet available.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Cider Tax
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the yield from cider tax during the year 1992–93.

  Sir John Cope
  The yield from the excise duty on cider for the year ending 1992–93 is estimated at £80 million.

  Economy (Demand)
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the level of total demand in the economy.

  Mr. Lamont
  Real domestic demand has been edging up since the second quarter of 1991. Both Treasury and the majority of outside forecasters expect it to pick up further in 1993.

  Financial Services
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to make further changes in the system of regulation of financial services; 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.296
  programmes for young adult defendants. Information about the scheme and how to apply for grants under it was sent in March 1992 to all probation services and the major voluntary organisations concerned with offenders. Bail support projects for juveniles are run by or in partnership with social service departments of local authorities. Such projects are also eligible for Home Office funding where there is a partnership with the probation service and the voluntary sector.

  So far 16 applications under the supervision grant scheme have been made. Of these, five have been approved and the remainder are under urgent consideration. The available information about the two projects already in operation is set out in the table.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will issue guidelines to Departments in respect of expenditure on the underwriting of compulsory competitive tendering contracts.

  Mr. Portillo
  No.

  Consumption and GDP
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the percentage changes in consumption and gross domestic product between 1979 and 1992.

  Mr. Nelson
  GDP is estimated to have risen by 22¼ per cent. in real terms between 1979 and the first three quarters of 1992. Real consumers' expenditure is estimated to have risen by 37 per cent. over the same period.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the operation of the new single market VAT procedures introduced at the beginning of the year.

  Sir John Cope
  Early indications are that the new single market VAT procedures have been introduced with minimum disruption to trade. This reflects credit on the preparations made by Customs and by British businesses, often against tight deadlines.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the operation of the new single market VAT procedures introduced at the beginning of the year.

  Sir John Cope
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Mr. Rowland).

  Company Cars
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost in the last financial year of tax relief on company cars; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  Capital allowances for company cars are estimated to have reduced corporation tax receipts by about £900 million in 1991–92. The hon. Member would not expect me to make a statement on taxation matters at this time of year.

  Retail Prices
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest figure for the annual increase in retail prices; and what was the equivalent figure two years ago.

  Mr. Lamont
  Latest figures show that the retail prices index rose 2.6 per cent. in the 12 months to December. The equivalent figure two years earlier was 9.3 per cent.

  Tax Evasion
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the amount of revenue lost through tax evasion in the cash economy.

  Mr. Nelson
  That part of the economy known as the "underground" or "hidden economy" is, by its very nature, unseen and thus unmeasurable. Reliable estimates of its size are therefore not available.

  Business and Consumer Confidence
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the autumn statement on business and consumer confidence.

  Mr. Portillo
  The autumn statement was widely welcomed by business organisations. Recent survey evidence indicates that it has been followed by a marked improvement in both business and consumer confidence.

  Car Tax
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the decision to abolish car tax.

  Sir John Cope
  The abolition of car tax has been warmly welcomed by both the motor trade and the vast majority of retail customers, and the motor industry has received a valuable stimulus.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the abolition of car tax on Exchequer revenue.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The abolition of car tax, announced in the 1992 autumn statement, has an estimated revenue cost of £100 million in 1992–93 and £750 million in 1993–94, including the loss of consequential VAT receipts. However, the Chancellor announced his intention at that time to recoup the cost of abolishing car tax in 1993–94 through other taxes on motoring. This information is set out in the 1992 autumn statement.

  Tax System (Distortions)
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress in eradicating distortions in the tax system.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Government's main objective in reforming taxes is to improve the performance of the economy and to see that people's choices are distorted as little as is reasonably possible by the tax system.

  Balance of Payments
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the balance of payments.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Raynsford).

  Growth (EC)
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of the prospects for growth in the economies of the European Community.

  Sir John Cope
  In the autumn statement my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer forecast that average growth in the three main continental European economies in 1993 would be under 1 per cent. A more recent forecast by the European Commission points to growth in the Community as a whole of only ¾ per cent.

  Local Authority Capital Receipts
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is for local authority capital receipts.

  Mr. Portillo
  The latest estimate of capital receipts in Great Britain for the current financial year is published in table 5.10 of "Statistical Supplement to the 1992 Autumn Statement" which was published on 29 January.

  Banking
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss the banking sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor meets the Governor from time to time to discuss a wide range of issues.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the level of interest rates.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have received a number of such representations.

  Ozone-depleting Substances
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 30 November 1992,Official Report, column 48, whether he has completed his consideration of a leakage prevention programme.
  299
  Sir John Cope
  As part of the HM Treasury domestic policy and strategy for environmental good housekeeping there is a commitment to cease to use wherever possible ozone-depleting substances. In addition to this, the Treasury is committed to a leakage prevention programme for all refrigeration and air conditioning equipment owned by the Department. Work has started on this operation which is due to be completed by 1 April 1993.

  European Community
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next plans to meet European Community Finance Ministers to discuss proposals for generating economic growth.

  Sir John Cope
  My right hon. Friend next intends to discuss measures to promote economic recovery with his European Community colleagues at the meeting of the Council of Economic and Finance Ministers on 15 February.

  Inflation
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many months over the last year the United Kingdom inflation rate has been below the EC average.

  Mr. Portillo
  The United Kingdom inflation rate, as measured by the annual change in the retail prices index, was lower than the EC average inflation rate in all of the 12 months up to December 1992.

  National Savings
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he is considering in the operation of National Savings Bank accounts.

  Mr. Nelson
  The terms and operation of National Savings Bank accounts are kept under review.

  Custom House, Greenock
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total cost of the renovation of the Custom House, Greenock, occupied by Customs and Excise staff; which department met the cost; and how long the construction programme took from start to finish.

  Sir John Cope
  The total cost of renovation of the Custom House, Greenock, was £2.9 million and was jointly funded by PSA and Customs and Excise. The construction programme took 24 months from start to finish.

  European Investment Fund
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultations he has had with the European investment bank concerning the European investment fund; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  My right hon. Friend has not had any such consultations.

  VIP Tax Unit
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to expand the workload of the VIP tax unit at Llanishen, Cardiff.
  300
  Mr. Dorrell
  There are no current plans to expand the workload of this unit.

  National Investment and Loans Office
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he proposes to make to the running cost limit for the National Investment and Loans Office in 1992–93.

  Mr. Nelson
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the running cost limit for class XVIII, vote 12 will be reduced by £28,000 from £1,214,000 to £1,186,000. This reduction reflects lower than expected expenditure on pay and other expenses.

  Departmental Costs
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he proposes to make to the Treasury's cash and running costs limits in 1992–93.

  Mr. Nelson
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVIII, vote 1 for 1992–93 will be increased by £800,000 from £93,691,000 to £94,491,000 to provide for redundancy and residual costs following the closure of the National Economic Development Office. Total winding-up costs are estimated at £2.5 million, part of which (£1.7 million) is being met from savings on the NEDO grant-in-aid and on Treasury gross running costs. The balance of £800,000 will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  The gross running costs limit is being reduced by £1,532,000 from £80,891,000 to £79,359,000 following the transfer of CCTA and Chessington computer centre to the Cabinet Office: Office of Public Service and Science; and the transfer of savings to fund part of the NEDO residual costs and capital expenditure.

  Registry of Friendly Societies
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he proposes to make to the cash and running costs limit of the Registry of Friendly Societies for 1992–93.

  Mr. Nelson
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVIII, vote 11 will be reduced by £2,124,000 from £5,685,000 to £3,561,000 and the Registry of Friendly Societies running costs limit will be reduced by £1,502,000 from £8,869,000 to £7,367,000.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Social Fund
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Falkirk, West (Mr. Canavan), 19 January,Official Report, columns 215–17, regarding the refusal of community care grants and social fund loans if he will provide comparable information for each year from 1989.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the
  301
  Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Alan Milburn, dated 3 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 about Social Fund applications refused on grounds of insufficient priority.
  Information for the year 1989–90 is not available by local office but you may wish to know that the number of loans and grants refused nationally on the grounds of insufficient priority in that year was 138,997 and 50,342 respectively.
  Details of loans and grants refused on grounds of insufficient priority for the year 1990–91 by former Department of Social Security local office are at Annex A. Details for the year 1991–92 are given by Benefits Agency District and are at Annex B.
  The figures should be viewed in the light of the increase in Social Fund applications; from 1989–90 to 1991–92 the number of applications to the discretionary part of the fund increased by 35%.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. A copy is also being placed in the Library.

  Disability Allowances
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security to what extent the services of civil service medical officers were made use of in clearing the recent backlog of applications for disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement on the role of civil service medical officers in this regard.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. David Hanson, dated 3 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. You asked to what extent the services of Civil Service Medical Officers were made use of in clearing the recent backlog of applications for Disability Living Allowance (DLA); and on the role of Civil Service Medical Officers in this regard.
  When the backlog of DLA claims arose following the launch of the benefit a number of measures were taken which I described in my letter of 19 October 1992 to all MPs. In addition, as a temporary measure, the opinions of Civil Service Medical Officers were sought to clarify some of the comments on individual cases to enable adjudication officers to quickly reach a decision. This action was taken on approximately 56,000 claims. However, I must emphasise that the decision on entitlement to benefit is always made by the adjudication officer and at no time has this been altered.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report. A copy is also being placed in the Library.

  Pensions
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to enable couples, where the woman is of pensionable age and the man is not, to claim a married couple's pension.
  302
  Miss Widdecombe
  We have no plans to alter the basic structure of pension provision for married couples.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the average number of years for which a woman currently works prior to reaching the state retirement age; and for how many years she would expect, on average, to receive that pension;

  (2) what is the average number of years for which a man currently works prior to reaching the state retirement age; and for how many years he would expect, on average, to receive that pension.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The average life expectancy for a woman aged 60 is 21.69 years and for a man aged 65 is 14.06 according to the Government Actuary's Department's interim life tables. Information regarding the average length of time for which men and women work prior to state retirement age is not currently available.

  Child Support Act
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what representations his Department has received concerning the need for research to monitor the effects of the Child Support Act 1991;

  (2) what plans his Department has to carry out or commission research on the working of the Child Support Act 1991 and its impact on single parents caring for children and on non-custodial parents.

  Mr. Burt
  We have consistently stressed the importance of monitoring and evaluating the effects of the Child Support Act 1991, as did several respondents to the consultation exercise. Such work will be built in to the Department's research programme. We envisage that this will involve both the careful analysis of management information on the activities of the Child Support Agency and the comissioning, if necessary, of research by external experts.

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the estimated first year costs inclusive of setting-up moneys of the newly-formed Child Support Agency.

  Mr. Burt
  The current estimated first-year costs, inclusive of setting-up costs, are £262 million. These are broken down as follows:

  £ million

  (a) Total costs of setting up the agency

  146

  (b) Total costs of running the agency in 1993–94

  116

  One-parent Families
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide the latest estimate for the number of one-parent families in Great Britain.

  Mr. Burt
  The latest provisional estimate for 1991 of the number of one-parent families in Great Britain is 1.3 million. This is due to be published in March 1993 in "Population Trends No. 71."

  Departmental Costs
  Mr. Sykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes he proposes in the cash limit or running costs limit of his Department for 1992–93.
  303
  Mr. Scott
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate the cash limit for class XIV vote 4 will be increased by £21,426,000 from £2,271,998,000 to £2,293,424,000. The revision takes account of an increase in agency payments to the Department of Employment (class VI vote 2) £31,000,000), a transfer to the Department of Health (class XIII vote 3) of £696,000, of which £646,000 is running costs, a transfer to the Department of Health and Social Services (Northern Ireland) (vote 3) of £227,000 (running costs) and a transfer from the Scottish Office (class XV vote 19) of £1,429,000 (running costs). The additional requirements are partially offset by an increase in receipts of £10,080,000 and the balance of £20,920,000 will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  The running cost limit of the Department of Social Security will be reduced by £12,239,000 from £2,537,904,000 to £2,525,665,000. In addition to the running cost transfers included above there is also a net reduction of £12,795,000 to take account of a transfer from running costs to capital expenditure (£25,367,000) and a £12,572,000 shortfall on value added tax refunds.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will collect and publish data on family credit recipients in each of(a) the major industrial classifications and (b) by employer employing over 1,000 workers.

  Mr. Burt
  An analysis of family credit recipients, by the occupation of the main earner, is contained in table A1.05 of "Social Security Statistics 1991", a copy of which is in the Library. No analysis is kept of family credit recipients by employer and to do so would incur disproportionate cost.

  Benefits Agency Staff
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for each of the past five years, what was the number of residential courses undertaken by departmental or Benefits Agency staff based in West Yorkshire, the cost of such courses and the reason why it has been necessary for such courses to be undertaken on a residential basis.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Residential training is not undertaken as a matter of routine, but it maximises the number of training hours in the working day and generally enhances the learning environment.

SCOTLAND

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes he intends to make to the cash limits for 1992–93 within his responsibility.

  Mr. Lang
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimates I intend to make changes to 10 voted cash limits and in addition the two non-voted cash blocks. These include increases in 304
  provision to reflect the increased resources for capital expenditure under the special measures announced as part of the autumn statement in November 1992.

  1. The cash limit for Class XV, Vote 2, Agricultural services, agricultural grants and fisheries, Scotland will be decreased by £4,000,000 from £126,684,000 to £122,684,000.

  2. The cash limit for Class XV, Vote 3: Training Programmes, Roads and Transport Services and Industrial Support, Scotland, will be increased by £17,522,000 from £713,689,000 to £731,211,000. An additional £8,500,000 is allocated to the Trunk Roads programme, £6,460,000 to Scottish Enterprise, £1,530,000 to Highlands and Islands Enterprise, £700,000 to Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd. and £332,000 to the Technical and Vocational Education Initiative.

  3. The cash limit for Class XV, Vote 5: Housing and Environmental Services, Scotland, will be increased by £260,613,000 from £423,453,000 to £684,066,000. Of this £250,139,000 will be used to increase grant-in-aid provision to Scottish Homes to enable the premature repayment of National Loans Fund debt. There will be a transfer of £9,361,000 from SO/LA2 to enable Scottish Homes to continue to improve housing quality within Scotland and provide assistance to Housing Associations for the purpose of acquiring stock from local authorities and new towns. £1,109,000 of the cash limit increase will be allocated to Historic Scotland of which £1,009,000 relates to an increase in provision for Historic Building repair grants, £54,000 to reflect part take-up of entitlement to end-year flexibility for running costs as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July 1992 (Official Report, columns 698–702) and £55,000 to reflect a transfer of functions from Class XV, Vote 19. There is also a small increase of £4,000 to meet an unanticipated shortfall in Appropriations-in-Aid from repayments of loans and grants by first-time buyers.

  4. The cash limit for Class XV, Vote 12: Law, Order, Miscellaneous Health and Social Work Services, Scotland, wil be increased by £2,326,000 from £247,302,000 to £249,628,000. This includes an increased allocation to the Scottish Prison Service to bring forward a number of capital projects and take-up in full of £520,000 running costs and £803,000 End-Year Flexibility entitlement as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July (Official Report, Cols. 698–702).

  5. The cash limit for Class XV, Vote 13: Education, Arts and Libraries, Scotland, will be increased by £400,000 from £262,615,000 to £263,015,000. The additional resources will assist special schools and Jordanhill school with buildings expenditure.

  6. The cash limit for Class XV, Vote 16 Scottish Record Office will be increased by £258,000 from £3,871,000 to £4,129,000 for the take-up of end-year felxibility entitlement as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July 1992 (Official Report, Cols. 698–702) and a transfer of £27,000 from Property Holdings.

  7. The cash limit for Class XV, Vote 19, Scottish Office Administration will be decreased by £1,375,000 from £152,875,000 to £151,500,000.

  8. The cash limit for Class XV, Vote 17, The Registrar General for Scotland will be decreased by £560,000 from £7,912,000 to £7,352,000. This reduction takes into account the take-up of capital End-Year Flexibility entitlements amounting to £640,000 as announced by the Chief Secretary on 15 July 1992 (Official Report, Cols. 698–702).

  9. The cash limit for Class XV, Vote 20: Revenue and rate support grants, Scotland will be decreased by £431,000 from £3,506,200,000 to £3,505,769,000.

  10. The cash limit for Class XV, Vote 25: Hospital, Community Health, Family Health (Part) and Other Health Services, Scotland will be increased by £12,033,000 from £2,601,445,000 to £2,613,478,000, for increased capital expenditure and also in respect of the part of an NHS Trust's charges that reflects the

  305
  Trust's liability to remunerate its capital debt to the Consolidated Fund. In addition there will be transfers from this Vote of £6,408,000 to class XV Vote 15 (to take account of changes in the requirements for GP practice fundholders and the external financing limit for NHS trusts) and of £42,000 to class XV Vote 12; and a transfer to this Vote of £47,000 from class XIII, Vote 3.

  11. The non-voted cash limit SO/LA1, which covers non-housing capital expenditure by local authorities, is to be increased by £31,462,000 from £622,125,000 to £653,587,000. This increase reflects £20,850,000 of Special Measures (including Water, Transport, Education, Police and Social Work) and take-up in full of £10,612,000 capital End-Year Flexibility entitlement as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July (Official Report, Columns 698–702.

  12. The non-voted cash limit SO/LA2, which covers housing capital expenditure by local authorities and capital expenditure by New Towns, is to be increased by £23,704,000 from £267,981,000 to £291,685,000. This increase reflects allocation of £20.000,000 additional provision in the measures announced in November and take-up of £13,065,000 End-Year Flexibility as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July 1992. It also takes account of the transfer of £9,361,000 to Vote 5 (see 3. Above).

  The change to the overall Scottish Office running costs limit will be a decrease of £774,000 from £287,346,000 to £286,572,000.

  The increases represented by these changes will be charged to the Reserve or offset elsewhere and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those local authorities which operate a total disregard scheme in relation to housing benefit for(a) both war disablement and war widows' pensions (b) war disablement pensions only, (c) war widows' pensions only, and (d) those authorities which do not operate a total disregard scheme for either category; if he will publish a table showing the annual cost of running each scheme to the local authority expressed (i) in actual terms and (ii) as a per capita cost to the population in that area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  I have been asked to reply.

  A £10 statutory disregard of war widows' and war disablement pensions applies across the income-related benefits. Local authorities also have a discretionary power to enhance this disregard at their own expense in calculating entitlement to housing benefit and community charge benefit. We have no plans to change these arrangements.

  The data requested on these local schemes has been compiled from the latest information from local authorities for the financial year 1990–91, together with the latest population figures from the 1991 census, and is listed in the tables. It is not possible to break down the annual cost between war disablement and war widows' pensions.

  Local authorities which operate a total disregard scheme in housing benefit for both war disablement and war widows' pensions

  Local authority

  Cost of scheme £

  Annual per capita cost £

  Aberconwy

  14,032

  0.26

  Aberdeen

  167,439

  0.82

  Amber Valley

  34,464

  0.31

  306

  Local authority

  Cost of scheme £

  Annual per capita cost £

  Angus

  37,555

  0.40

  Annandale

  23,217

  0.63

  Arfon

  2,050

  0.04

  Argyll-Bute

  1—

  —

  Arun

  1,726

  0.01

  Ashfield

  31,472

  0.29

  Ashford

  43,073

  0.47

  Badenoch

  2,489

  0.23

  Banff and Buchan

  39,915

  0.47

  Basingstoke

  50,838

  0.36

  Bassetlaw

  22,254

  0.22

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  2,989

  0.07

  Berwickshire

  10,022

  0.52

  Birmingham

  58,184

  0.06

  Blackpool

  13,811

  0.10

  Blaenau Gwent

  2,646

  0.04

  Boston

  24,805

  0.47

  Bracknell

  31,060

  0.33

  Bradford

  48,316

  0.11

  Braintree

  86,454

  0.75

  Brent

  23,596

  0.10

  Brentwood

  1—

  —

  Brighton

  37,864

  0.28

  Broxbourne

  24,148

  0.30

  Broxtowe

  34,290

  0.33

  Burnley

  10,962

  0.12

  Caithness

  1—

  —

  Calderdale

  1—

  —

  Cannock Chase

  4,820

  0.06

  Cardiff

  1—

  —

  Carlisle

  71,481

  0.72

  Carrick

  9,409

  0.11

  Castle Point

  27,578

  0.33

  Ceredigion

  15,262

  2—

  Charnwood

  4,055

  0.03

  Chelmsford

  63,085

  0.42

  Cheltenham

  7,081

  0.08

  Cherwell

  33,739

  0.29

  Chesterfield

  9,853

  0.10

  Chiltern

  18,686

  0.21

  Christchurch

  20,591

  0.51

  Clackmannan

  23,540

  0.49

  Clydebank

  73,548

  1.61

  Clydesdale

  21,144

  0.37

  Colwyn

  1—

  —

  Congleton

  20,747

  0.25

  Copeland

  37,560

  0.53

  Cotswold

  38,886

  0.53

  Coventry

  45,550

  0.16

  Craven

  14,674

  0.30

  Crewe & Nantwich

  22,495

  0.22

  Cumbernauld (DC)

  1—

  —

  Cumbernauld (Kils)

  8,404

  0.13

  Cumnock & Doon

  13,939

  0.33

  Cunninghame

  83,004

  0.61

  Dacorum

  2,674

  0.02

  Dartford

  34,045

  0.43

  Daventry

  10,757

  0.17

  Delyn

  4,152

  0.06

  Dumbarton

  30,432

  0.39

  Dundee

  117,578

  0.71

  Dunfermline

  56,890

  0.45

  Dwyfor

  2,764

  0.10

  Ealing

  84,383

  0.32

  East Cambridgeshire

  1,267

  0.02

  East Devon

  24,602

  0.21

  East Dorset (Wimborne)

  20,219

  0.26

  East Hertfordshire

  25,295

  0.22

  East Kilbride

  3,653

  0.04

  East Kilbride (DC)

  32,748

  3—

  Eastleigh

  35,494

  0.34

  East Lothian

  50,649

  0.60

  Eastwood

  7,383

  0.12

  East Yorkshire

  38,066

  0.45

  Eden

  1,509

  0.03

  Edinburgh

  229,339

  0.55

  307

  Local authority

  Cost of scheme £

  Annual per capita cost £

  Ellesmere Port

  24,157

  0.31

  Elmbridge

  65,740

  0.60

  Epping Forest

  3,013

  0.03

  Epsom and Ewell

  16,555

  0.25

  Erewash

  3,683

  0.04

  Etterick and Lauderdale

  17,787

  0.52

  Falkirk

  72,854

  0.52

  Forest Heath

  21,871

  0.38

  Forest of Dean

  5,285

  0.07

  Gedling

  11,099

  0.10

  Gillingham

  8,605

  0.09

  Glanford

  1—

  —

  Glasgow

  777,683

  1.17

  Glenrothes

  31,516

  3—

  Gloucester

  4,995

  0.05

  Glyndwr

  1,246

  0.03

  Gordon

  15,444

  0.20

  Gosport

  54,349

  0.75

  Great Yarmouth

  9,432

  0.11

  Guildford

  9,672

  0.08

  Hackney

  127,507

  0.78

  Halton

  1—

  —

  Hamilton

  405,806

  3.86

  Hammersmith

  92,884

  0.68

  Harborough

  5,950

  0.09

  Harlow

  1—

  —

  Harrow

  45,752

  0.24

  Hart

  20,344

  0.26

  Hartlepool

  25,916

  0.29

  Hereford

  18,847

  0.38

  Hertsmere

  27,998

  0.33

  High Peak

  4,087

  0.05

  Hillingdon

  78,211

  0.35

  Hinckley & Bosworth

  16,744

  0.18

  Horsham

  3,496

  0.03

  Hounslow

  55,386

  0.29

  Hove

  47,913

  0.58

  Huntingdon

  6,043

  0.04

  Hyndburn

  1—

  —

  Inverclyde

  1—

  —

  Inverness

  1—

  —

  Ipswich

  51,152

  0.44

  Irvine (DC)

  10,124

  3—

  Isles of Scilly

  1—

  —

  Islington

  17,349

  0.11

  Islwyn

  16,482

  0.25

  Kennet

  637

  0.01

  Kilmarnock

  41,484

  0.52

  Kincardine and Deeside

  17,853

  0.33

  Kingswood

  4,748

  0.05

  Kirklees

  210,785

  0.57

  Kyle and Carrick

  5,552

  0.05

  Lambeth 1—

  —

  Lancaster

  35,705

  0.28

  Langbaurgh

  12,890

  0.09

  Leicester

  1—

  —

  Lewes

  15,030

  0.18

  Lewisham

  138,665

  0.64

  Lichfield

  1—

  —

  Liverpool

  223,418

  0.50

  Livingston (DC)

  26,245

  3—

  Llanelli

  4,166

  0.06

  Lochaber

  6,392

  0.33

  Luton

  6,907

  0.04

  Macclesfield

  50,084

  0.34

  Maidstone

  59,698

  0.45

  Maldon

  29,749

  0.59

  Mansfield

  3,039

  0.03

  Medina

  68,524

  0.98

  Melton

  3,480

  0.08

  Mendip

  41,437

  0.43

  Merton

  144,047

  0.89

  Mid Bedfordshire

  22,442

  0.21

  Midlothian

  34,265

  0.43

  Mid Suffolk

  15,096

  0.20

  Mid Sussex

  17,225

  0.15

  308

  Local authority

  Cost of scheme £

  Annual per capita cost £

  Milton Keynes

  7,584

  0.04

  Mole Valley

  50,617

  0.65

  Monklands

  1—

  —

  Montgomery

  5,927

  2—

  Moray

  29,847

  0.36

  Motherwell

  76,749

  0.54

  Nairn

  8,818

  0.83

  Neath

  5,269

  0.08

  Newark

  15,519

  0.15

  Newbury

  32,362

  0.24

  Newcastle under Lyme

  27,219

  0.23

  Newham

  123,361

  0.62

  Nithsdale

  25,720

  0.45

  Northampton

  86,150

  0.48

  Northavon

  17,234

  0.13

  North Bedfordshire

  1—

  —

  North Cornwall

  7,713

  0.10

  North East Derby

  12,530

  0.13

  North East Fife

  24,608

  0.37

  North Hertfordshire

  45,744

  0.42

  North Kesteven

  4,070

  0.05

  North Shropshire

  11,875

  0.23

  North Tyneside

  137,017

  0.73

  North Warwickshire

  1—

  —

  North West Leicestershire

  2,293

  0.03

  North Wiltshire

  40,928

  0.37

  Nottingham

  219,914

  0.84

  Nuneaton

  32,948

  0.29

  Oadby and Wigston

  13,400

  0.26

  Ogwr

  47,574

  0.36

  Orkney

  4,035

  0.21

  Perth and Kinross

  48,030

  0.39

  Peterborough

  14,424

  0.10

  Plymouth

  43,840

  0.18

  Purbeck

  5,511

  0.13

  Radnor

  1,268

  2—

  Redbridge

  61,067

  0.28

  Redditch

  27,011

  0.35

  Reigate and Banstead

  72,856

  0.63

  Renfrew

  150,442

  0.76

  Rhuddlan

  30,230

  0.56

  Richmondshire

  3,035

  0.07

  Richmond upon Thames

  41,868

  0.27

  Rochester on Medway

  45,906

  0.32

  Rochford

  12,278

  0.17

  Ross and Cromarty

  24,776

  0.50

  Rossendale

  35,112

  0.55

  Rother

  14,491

  0.18

  Roxborough

  21,136

  0.60

  Rugby

  2,917

  0.04

  Runnymede

  37,896

  0.53

  Rushcliffe

  4,751

  0.05

  Rushmoor

  22,402

  0.28

  Rutland

  9,360

  0.29

  Ryedale

  11,873

  0.13

  Salford

  247,222

  1.13

  Sandwell

  181,950

  0.65

  Scottish Homes

  243,237

  3—

  Scunthorpe

  1—

  —

  Sedgefield

  2,778

  0.03

  Sefton

  146,667

  0.52

  Selby

  26,854

  0.30

  Sevenoaks

  22,104

  0.21

  Shetland

  6,272

  0.28

  Skye & Lochalsh

  1,570

  0.13

  Slough

  45,271

  0.46

  Solihull

  69,864

  0.36

  South Bedfordshire

  7,319

  0.07

  South Buckinghamshire

  5,138

  0.09

  South Cambridgeshire

  37,222

  0.32

  South Derbyshire

  579

  0.01

  Southend on Sea

  90,120

  0.59

  South Herefordshire

  6,091

  0.12

  South Holland

  26,422

  0.40

  South Lakeland

  26,107

  0.26

  South Northamptonshire

  12,582

  0.18

  309

  Local authority

  Cost of scheme £

  Annual per capita cost £

  South Oxfordshire

  5,449

  0.04

  South Ribble

  34,609

  0.35

  South Shropshire

  4,686

  0.12

  South Staffordshire

  21,041

  0.20

  South Tyneside

  23,794

  0.16

  Southwark

  14,858

  0.08

  South Wight

  39,074

  0.69

  Spelthorne

  53,744

  0.62

  Staffs Moorlands

  15,164

  0.16

  St. Albans

  24,326

  0.20

  Stewartry

  9,888

  0.42

  St. Helens

  124,627

  0.71

  Stirling

  43,968

  0.56

  Stockport

  1—

  —

  Stoke on Trent

  9,638

  0.04

  Stratford on Avon

  26,650

  0.26

  Strathkelvin

  21,909

  0.26

  Stroud

  26,411

  0.24

  Suffolk Coastal

  1,366

  0.01

  Surrey Heath

  28,227

  0.36

  Sutherland

  4,065

  0.31

  Sutton

  26,980

  0.16

  Swale

  29,935

  0.26

  Tameside

  151,136

  0.71

  Tamworth

  49,129

  0.71

  Tandridge

  22,896

  0.31

  Tendring

  52,723

  0.42

  Test Valley

  40,041

  0.40

  Tewkesbury

  20,229

  0.23

  Thanet

  1—

  —

  The Wrekin

  1—

  —

  Three Rivers

  30,366

  0.41

  Tower Hamlets

  3,248

  0.02

  Trafford

  42,529

  0.21

  Tweeddale

  3,555

  0.23

  Vale of White Horse

  21,579

  0.20

  Wakefield

  7,297

  0.02

  Walsall

  15,306

  0.06

  Waltham Forest

  104,801

  0.52

  Wandsworth

  40,348

  0.17

  Wansbeck

  4,147

  0.07

  Wansdyke

  1—

  —

  Watford

  6,896

  0.10

  Waverley

  1—

  —

  Welwyn Hatfield

  32,306

  0.35

  Western Isles

  26,518

  0.90

  West Lothian

  36,140

  0.25

  Westminster

  40,190

  0.22

  West Oxfordshire

  10,629

  0.12

  West Wiltshire

  50,309

  0.48

  Wigtown

  1—

  —

  Winchester

  27,308

  0.29

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  1—

  —

  Wirral

  157,414

  0.49

  Working

  40,761

  0.49

  Workingham

  5,237

  0.04

  Wolverhampton

  124,899

  0.52

  Woodspring

  4,213

  0.02

  Worthing

  18,470

  0.20

  Wycombe

  75,965

  0.49

  Local authorities which operate a total disregard scheme in housing benefit for war disablement pension only

  Local authorities

  Cost of scheme £

  Annual per capita cost £

  Bath

  14,968

  0.19

  Blaby

  2,706

  0.03

  Blackburn

  68,617

  0.52

  Bolton

  60,587

  0.24

  Bromley

  53,819

  0.19

  Bury

  37,167

  0.22

  Cambridge

  26,972

  0.27

  310

  Local Authorities

  Cost of scheme £

  Annual per capita cost £

  Corby

  1—

  —

  Doncaster

  39,852

  0.14

  Dudley

  93,332

  0.31

  East Staffordshire

  15,267

  0.16

  Exeter

  22,599

  0.22

  Grimsby

  253

  0.00

  Hambleton

  10,470

  0.13

  Havering

  5,588

  0.02

  Middlesbrough

  13,641

  0.10

  Newport

  25,354

  0.20

  Oldham

  27,343

  0.13

  Ribble Valley

  2,647

  0.05

  Southampton

  8,017

  0.04

  South Somerset

  54,011

  0.39

  Stevenage

  19,761

  0.27

  Stockton on Tees

  6,386

  0.04

  Torbay

  31,912

  0.26

  Torfaen

  16,341

  0.19

  Tunbridge Wells

  1—

  —

  Vale Royal

  31,663

  0.29

  York

  1,429

  0.01

  Local authorities which operate a total disregard scheme in housing benefit for war widow's pension only

  Local authority

  Cost of scheme (£)

  Annual per capita cost (£)

  Castle Morpeth

  1—

  —

  Chester

  14,267

  0.12

  Kirkcaldy

  108,432

  1.62

  Monmouth

  20,455

  0.27

  Thurrock

  1—

  —

  1 Denotes details of cost of scheme not provided By Local authority.

  2 Denotes per capita cost calculation not possible because Ceredigion, Radnor and Montgomery include some areas where housing benefit is administered by the Development Board for Rural Wales.

  3 Denotes per capita cost calculation not possible because 1991 census figures are not yet available.

  Local authorities which do not operate a total disregard scheme in housing benefit for either war disablement or war widows' pension

  Adur

  Allerdale

  Alnwick

  Alyn and Deeside

  Aylesbury Vale

  Babergh

  Barking

  Barnet

  Barnsley

  Barrow in Furness

  Basildon

  Basildon (DC)

  Berwick upon Tweed

  Beverley

  Bexley

  Blythe Valley

  Bolsover

  Boothferry

  Bournemouth

  Breckland

  Brecknock

  Bridgnorth

  Bristol

  311

  Broadland

  Bromsgrove

  Camden

  Canterbury

  Caradon

  Carmarthen

  Chester le Street

  Chichester

  Chorley

  City of London

  Cleethorpes

  Colchester

  Corby New Town

  Crawley

  Croydon

  Cynon Valley

  Darlington

  Derby

  Derbyshire Dales

  Derwentside

  Dinefwr

  Dover

  Durham

  Easington

  Eastbourne

  East Hampshire

  East Lindsey

  East Northampton

  Enfield

  Fareham

  Fenland

  Fylde

  Gateshead

  Gravesham

  Greenwich

  Haringey

  Harrogate

  Hastings

  Havant

  Holderness

  Kensington and Chelsea

  Kerrier

  Kettering

  Kingston upon Hull

  Kingston upon Thames

  Knowsley

  Leeds

  Leominster

  Lincoln

  Lliw Valley

  Malvern Hills

  Manchester

  Meirionnydd

  Merthyr Tydfil

  Mid Devon

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  New Forest

  North Devon

  North Dorset

  North Norfolk

  Norwich

  Oswestry

  Oxford

  Pendle

  Penwith

  Poole

  312

  Portsmouth

  Port Talbot

  Preseli

  Preston

  Reading

  Restormel

  Rhondda

  Rhymney Valley

  Rochdale

  Rotherham

  Rural Wales

  Salisbury

  Scarborough

  Sedgemoor

  Sheffield

  Shepway

  Shrewsbury and Atcham

  South Hams

  South Kesteven

  South Norfolk

  South Pembrokeshire

  Stafford

  St. Edmundsbury

  Sunderland

  Swansea

  Taff-Ely

  Taunton Deane

  Teesdale

  Teignbridge

  Telford

  Thamesdown

  Tonbridge and Malling

  Torridge

  Tynedale

  Uttlesford

  Vale of Glamorgan

  Warrington

  Warrington DC

  Warwick

  Waveney

  Wealden

  Wear Valley

  Wellingborough

  West Devon

  West Dorset

  West Lancashire

  West Lindsey

  West Norfolk

  West Somerset

  Weymouth and Portland

  Wigan

  Worcester

  Wrexham Maelor

  Wychavon

  Wyre

  Wyre Forest

  Ynys Môn

  Sight Tests
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people had sight tests in all health board areas for which figures are available in(a) the last 12–month period for which figures are available and (b) in each year since 1987–88.
  313
  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 2 February, 1993]: The information requested for each of the financial years from 1987–88 to 1991–92 is shown in the table. Information for

  Numbers of NHS sight tests1 in Scotland by Health Board area

  Health Board

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–902

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1 October 1991 to 30 September 1992

  Argyll and Clyde

  95,153

  98,926

  30,636

  39,703

  46,243

  48,096

  Ayrshire and Arran

  80,202

  85,746

  34,754

  34,606

  38,236

  39,902

  Borders

  16,123

  17,981

  7,176

  5,240

  6,316

  7,163

  Dumfries and Galloway

  29,324

  31,007

  11,761

  11,336

  13,637

  14,704

  Fife

  72,534

  76,854

  24,821

  28,556

  34,049

  35,453

  Forth Valley

  54,525

  58,847

  26,276

  18,426

  21,637

  22,354

  Grampian

  96,777

  108,592

  30,582

  33,367

  36,977

  39,129

  Greater Glasgow

  237,924

  252,843

  131,605

  110,697

  122,878

  128,436

  Highland

  36,185

  36,599

  15,841

  13,091

  15,476

  16,073

  Lanarkshire

  119,371

  119,307

  47,680

  47,983

  56,269

  58,527

  Lothian

  162,353

  176,902

  74,531

  56,682

  66,297

  69,096

  Orkney

  2,674

  2,972

  862

  873

  1,034

  1,156

  Shetland

  7,000

  7,069

  2,808

  2,420

  2,834

  2,700

  Tayside

  83,680

  90,498

  28,103

  28,132

  32,642

  34,802

  Western Isles

  4,320

  4,467

  2,043

  1,773

  2,073

  2,035

  Scotland Total

  1,098,145

  1,168,610

  475,479

  432,885

  496,598

  519,626

  1 One person may have more than one sight test in the period.

  2 Since 1 April 1989 free NHS sight tests have been available only to children, full-time students under 19, those in receipt of income support or family credit, the registered blind and partially sighted, complex lens users, those who hold an AG2 exemption certificate from the health benefits unit, diagnosed diabetic or glaucoma sufferers, and close relatives aged 40 or over of glaucoma sufferers. Information is not collected on private sight tests.

EMPLOYMENT

  Maternity Leave
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will review the maternity leave provisions to take account of(a) very premature birth of a baby of low birth weight, (b) multiple birth and (c) combination of (a) and (b).

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill gives all women, irrespective of length of service or hours of work, the right to 14 weeks' statutory maternity leave. Women with premature babies or multiple births will benefit from this right in the same way as other women.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Pope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people resident in the area in which East Lancashire training and enterprise council

  Greater Manchester

  Grade

  1 April 1991

  1 April 1992

  1 January 1993

  Senior executive officer

  1

  1

  1

  Higher executive officer

  1

  1

  2

  Executive officer

  3

  3

  4

  Administrative officer

  14.5

  16

  14

  Administrative assistant

  8

  9

  11

  Typing manager

  1

  1

  —

  Typist

  11

  9

  9

  Personal secretary

  4

  3.5

  3

  Support grade band 2

  1

  1

  —

  Superintending inspector factories

  1

  1

  1

  Deputy superintending inspector factories

  2

  2

  2

  Inspector class 1A

  7

  7

  6

  Inspector class 1B

  13

  10.5

  12.5

  Inspector class 2

  9

  8

  8

  Superintending specialist inspector C

  1

  1

  1

  314
  the period October 1991 to September 1992, the last full 12-month period for which information is available, is shown separately in the table.

  operates are engaged on employment training and employment action; and what proportion they represent of the total number of eligible people.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  At December 1992, the latest date for which information is available, for the area covered by East Lancashire TEC (ELTEC) it is estimated that there are 1,200 people in training on employment training and 221 employment action participants. Information on the number of eligible people is not available.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of persons, full-time equivalent, in each grade for each section of the Health and Safety Executive in the north-west for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Available information about staffing in HSE's Field Operations Division, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and North West areas is given in the table for 1 April 1991, 1 April 1992, and 1 January 1993. Figures for earlier years could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
  315

  Grade

  1 April 1991

  1 April 1992

  1 January 1993

  Principal specialist inspector

  6

  7

  5

  Specialist inspector

  11

  11

  9

  Senior scientific officer

  1

  1

  1

  Higher scientific officer

  1

  1

  1

  Scientific officer

  —

  1

  2

  Assistant scientific officer

  2

  1

  —

  Senior inspecting officer

  1

  1

  1

  Higher professional technological officer

  2

  1

  1

  Senior employment medical adviser

  1

  1

  1

  Employment medical adviser

  1.5

  1.5

  2.5

  Senior employment nursing adviser

  1

  1

  —

  Employment nursing adviser

  1

  2

  2

  Ward sister (SRN)

  1

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  107

  103.5

  100

  North West

  Grade

  1 April 1991

  1 April 1992

  1 January 1993

  Higher executive officer

  1

  1

  1

  Executive officer

  2

  2

  3

  Administrative officer

  9

  9.5

  10.5

  Administrative assistant

  8

  6.5

  7.5

  Typing manager

  1

  1

  1

  Typist

  6.5

  6

  5.5

  Personal secretary

  2

  2

  2

  Support grade band 1

  1

  1

  1

  Support grade band 2

  0.5

  0.5

  0.5

  Superintending inspector factories

  1

  —

  —

  Deputy superintending inspector factories

  1

  1

  1

  Inspector class 1A

  5

  5

  5

  Inspector class 1B

  7.5

  8.5

  11

  Inspector class 2

  9

  12

  10

  Specialist inspector

  2

  —

  1

  Senior employment medical adviser

  1

  1

  —

  Employment medical adviser

  1

  1

  1

  Employment nursing adviser

  1

  1

  2

  Deputy chief inspector agriculture

  —

  1

  1

  Principal agricultural inspector

  1

  1

  1

  Agricultural inspector

  5

  7

  7

  Assistant agricultural inspector

  2

  2

  3

  Inspector of quarries

  1

  —

  1

  TOTAL

  68.5

  70

  76

  Merseyside

  Grade

  1 April 1991

  1 April 1992

  1 January 1993

  Higher executive officer

  1

  1

  1

  Executive officer

  3

  2

  4

  Administrative officer

  9

  8

  10

  Administrative assistant

  5

  8.5

  4.5

  Typing manager

  1

  1

  1

  Typist

  7

  8

  8

  Personal secretary

  2

  2

  2

  Support grade band 2

  —

  1

  1

  Superintending inspector factories

  1

  —

  1

  Deputy superintending inspector factories

  1

  1

  1

  Inspector class 1A

  6

  6

  6

  Inspector class 1B

  13

  11.5

  11.5

  Inspector class 2

  10

  10

  10

  Specialist inspector

  1

  —

  1

  Senior employment medical adviser

  1

  1

  1

  Employment medical adviser

  0.5

  2

  2

  Employment nursing adviser

  1

  2

  2

  Ward sister (SRN)

  1

  —

  —

  Principal agricultural inspector

  1

  1

  1

  Agricultural inspector

  3

  2

  2

  Assistant agricultural inspector

  2

  3

  1

  TOTAL

  69.5

  71

  71

  Unemployment Benefit Disqualification
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information is available regarding the lengths of periods of unemployment benefit disqualification imposed by adjudication officers in the area which includes Barnsley, Central.

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

  Letter from Mr. M.E.G. Fogden to Mr. Eric Illsley, dated 4 February 1993:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the length of periods of unemployment benefit disqualifications in the Barnsley Central area. This is something which falls within the responsibilities she has delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit are made by the independent adjudicating authorities.
  Information about length of disqualification periods imposed is not collated or published as each is decided in the light of the circumstances surrounding the individual case. Without knowledge of these circumstances no meaningful interpretation of the information could be made.
  I hope this is helpful.
  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the official total of unemployed for December 1992 were self-employed immediately before registering as unemployed.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No information is available in respect of the claimant count. Estimates from the summer (June to August) 1992 labour force survey indicate that there were 275,000 people in Great Britain unemployed on the international standard ILO definition (not seasonally adjusted) who reported their employment status in their last job as self-employed. This represents 9.8 per cent. of total unemployed.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many vacancies in the shipbuilding and manufacturing engineering sectors have been(a) notified to and (b) filled through the Newcastle area job centres in each year since 1987; and how many people were (i) employed and (ii) seeking employment in those sectors in the Newcastle area in each of those years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information on the total numbers of people seeking employment, regardless of their current employment status, is not available.

  The information requested on vacancies can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library. Information on the numbers employed is available only for the years 1987, 1989 and 1991 and can also be obtained from the NOMIS database there.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were unemployed in the Cheshire area in(a) September 1990, (b) September 1991 and (c) September 1992.
  318
  Mr. McLoughlin
  On the unadjusted basis, there were 23,518 unemployed claimants in the county of Cheshire in September 1990, 34,916 in September 1991 and 38,655 in September 1992.

  Redundancies
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what contingency planning is undertaken by the Employment Service concerning large-scale redundancies.

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

  Letter from Mr. M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Nicholas Brown, dated 4 February 1993:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about what contingency planning is undertaken by the Employment Service concerning large-scale redundancies. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  My Jobcentre managers get advance warnings of major redundancies and will contact the employer and offer appropriate support.
  We try to get involved as soon as possible in major redundancies and will normally approach the employer as soon as there is reason to believe our help is needed. We can offer a wide range of help and facilities to redundant workers, including a job placing service, special jobshops and benefit advice, depending on the actual requirements of the people and companies concerned.
  I hope this is helpful.
  As decided by the Administrative Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Redundancies
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the numbers of redundancies involved in each of the six largest cases of company closures in each of the last four years(a) in Newcastle and (b) nationally.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is not available.

  Opportunity 2000
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what conclusions and evaluations of the Opportunity 2000 initiative have been made; and what plans she has to ask training and enterprise councils to report to her on their plans for increasing child care provision and training for 1993–94.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Opportunity 2000 is not an Employment Department initiative and arrangements for its formal evaluation are those for Business in the Community to make. However, the lessons learnt so far have been that issues concerning people returning to the labour market, who are predominantly women, are being addressed in a positive and constructive way. An increasing number of employers are realising the important contribution that women make towards economic growth and stability.
  319
  TECs are required to support, where necessary, the child care costs of those in the youth training guarantee group and may make similar help available to those entering the new adult programme, Training for Work.

  From 1 April 1993 TECs will also be able to apply for a new child care grant. The purpose of the grant is for TECs, working closely with other agencies, such as local authorities and schools, to promote, set up and run after-school childcare provision.

  TECs will continue to be monitored by my Department, as they have been since their introduction.

  Enterprise Allowance
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of enterprise allowance claimants are still pursuing the business for which they received an allowance a year after the allowance was exhausted in(a) each region, (b) each TEC and (c) nationally.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information is not available.

  Appointments
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether she will update the information given in her answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley on 28 October 1992,Official Report, columns 718–19; and if she will state the political affiliation of the appointees where known.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The following list shows the appointments my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made since 28 October 1992. Information on the political affiliation of appointees is not kept on record.

  Name of Body/Board: Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS).

  Type of Appointment: Chairman (full-time).

  Period of Appointment: From 19 February 1993 to 31 January 1995.

  Appointee's Relevant Qualifications:

  (i) Broad practical experience of industrial relations;

  (ii) Should have a reputation for integrity and an ability to secure agreement on complex issues through negotiations.

  Current Remuneration: £65,000 per annum.

  Name of Body/Board: Certification officer for trade unions and employers' association.

  Type of Appointments: Certification officer.

  Period of Appointment: From 6 October 1992 to 5 October 1995.

  Appointee's Relevant Qualifications: None specified, but experience in industrial relations is the main criterion.

  Current Remuneration: £29,820.60 (part-time).

  Name of Body/Board: Commissioner for the Rights of Trade Union Members.

  Type of Appointment: Commissioner.

  Period of Appointment: From 26 November 1992 to 25 November 1995.

  Appointee's Relevant Qualifications: Qualified barrister, has served as a Magistrate, and was a part-time chairman of industrial tribunals for ten years.

  Current Remuneration: £239 per day.

  Name of Body/Board: Committees for the Employment of People with Disabilities (CEPDs).

  Type of Appointment:

  (i) Chairmen5.

  (ii) Members (1see note below).

  Period of Appointment:

  7 May 1992 to 31 March 1994.

  320

  25 June 1992 to 31 March 1994.

  3 July 1992 to 31 March 1994.

  19 October 1992 to 31 March 1994.

  18 January 1993 to 31 March 1994.

  Appointee's Relevant Qualifications:
  Chairmen should have good personal skills in influencing people in order to make a major contribution to the employment of people with disabilities; should be locally known with good contacts and links with people with disabilities and employers.

  Current Remuneration: Nil.

  1 Information on CEPDs members' appointments is not held centrally and is not readily available. The following details may be of use:

  The Employment Service Regional Directors and Directors for Scotland and Wales appoint members of the 60 CEPDs throughout the country, on behalf of the Secretary of State. Each committee can have up to 14 members. The majority of appointments for Chairmen and members were made at the reconstitution of committees for the period from July 1991 to 31 March 1994.

  Name of Body/Board: Equal Opportunities Commission.

  Type of Appointment: Commissioner (part-time).

  Period of Appointment: From 1 January 1993 to 31 July 1993.

  Appointee's Relevant Qualifications:
  Equal Opportunities Director. Appointees are selected on the basis of their qualifications and experience. They do not represent any particular organisation.

  Current Remuneration: £96 per day.

  Name of Body/Board: Industrial tribunals (England and Wales) and the Industrial tribunals (Scotland)

  Type of Appointment: Lay member.

  Period of Appointment:
  Members are normally appointed for 3 years and may be eligible for reappointment up to the age of 69. In 1992, 1,457 members were reappointed from 25 October. At the same time an additional 699 new members took up their appointments.

  Appointee's Relevant Qualifications:
  Practical experience of employee relations in the workplace.

  Current Remuneration: £110 per day.

  Name of Body/Board: National council for vocational qualifications

  Type of Appointment:

  Members (8)

  Periods of Appointment:

  From 9 November 1992 to 30 September 1995 (6)

  From 1 December 1992 to 30 September 1995 (1)

  From 11 January 1993 to 30 September 1995 (1)

  Appointee's Relevant Qualifications:
  The representation of interests on the complete Council is three members for education, eight for employers, one for profession and one for trade unions, plus the chairperson. Appointees are chosen for their knowledge and expertise in the area of representation.

  Current Remuneration: Nil.

  Name of Body/Board: Wages Council: Perambulator and Invalid Carriage.

  Type of Appointment: Deputy Chairman.

  Period of Appointment: From 18 January 1993 to 31 December 1995.

  Appointee's Relevant Qualifications:
  Appointee is Deputy Chairman of the General Waste Materials Wages Council and Third member on both the Retail Trades (Non-food) and the Perambulator and Invalid Carriage Councils.

  Current Remuneration: £88 per day.

  Name of Body/Board: Women's National Commission (WNC)

  The WNC became the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Employment after the General Election of 1992.

  Type of Appointment:

  (i) Government Co-Chair (1)

  (ii) Elected Co-Chair (1)

  (iii) Executive Members (10 Elected by members)

  321

  (iv) Members (50 Representatives of member organisations)

  Period of Appointment:

  (i) Two years

  (ii) Two years

  (iii) One year

  (iv) Five years

  Appointee's Relevant Qualifications:
  The Commission is headed by two co-chairs, one elected by members, one nominated by the Prime Minister. Baroness Denton is currently the Government Co-Chair. While member organisations are approved by Government individual members of the Commission are nominated by those organisations, not personally appointed by Ministers. Of the member organisations three have definite political affiliations. These are:

  Labour Party Women's Organisation

  Conservative Women's National Committee

  Women's Liberal Democrat Party

  Current Remuneration: Nil.

  Appointments since October 1992
  Five new members have been appointed since October 1992 to replace members who have retired from the Commission.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what changes she plans to her Department's cash limits or running costs limits for 1992–93.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made:

  The cash limit for class VI, vote 1—programmes and central services—will be reduced by £27,510,000 from £2,481,255,000 to £2,453,745,000. This reduction is mainly the net effect of lower than expected levels of expenditure on employment training and employment action programmes partly offset by increases in expenditure elsewhere on the vote, predominantly business and enterprise, training and education support and running costs (mainly for increased costs associated with the internal reorganisation of the Department and increased costs relating to higher volumes of redundancy payments). There is also an increase in expenditure on projects assisted by the European social fund offset by receipts from the European Communities, and transfers between votes.

  The cash limit for class VI, vote 2—Employment Service—will be increased by a token £1,000 from £522,682,000 to £522,683,000. This is mainly the result of an increase in running costs which is chiefly in connection with the increased costs of administration of unemployment benefit payments offset by increased receipts from the Department of Social Security and, therefore, the increase will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  The running cost limit for the Department of Employment, votes 1 and 2, will be increased by £38,484,000 from £1,205,045,000 to £1,243,529,000 for the reasons outlined above.

  The cash limit for class VI, vote 3—Health and Safety Commission and Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service—will be decreased by £2,071,000 from £196,936,000 to £194,865,000. This is the result of a reduction in running costs provision to help cover increases on vote 1, partly offset by an increase of £ 150,000 from the Department of Trade and Industry to provide assistance and advice to the Bulgarian Nuclear Safety Authority.

  The running costs limit for the Health and Safety Commission will be decreased by £2,056,000 from
  322
  £151,774,000 to £149,718,000 and the running costs limit for the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service will be decreased by £165,000 from £21,467,000 to £21,302,000.

  Food Service Industry
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals she has to remedy unfair trade practices in the food service industry, especially in regard to young people or students; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 10 December 1992]: If the hon. Member has in mind terms and conditions of employment, these are for employers and employees to negotiate and agree subject to any statutory requirements.

HEALTH

  HIV
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will outline the most recent findings of the unlinked anonymous monitoring of HIV prevalence in England and Wales; what levels of HIV were found in patients of district general hospitals aged between 16 to 49 years; what projections had been made for this age group; what plans she has to extend anonymous HIV testing among district general hospital patients or to increase prevention activities; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The most recent findings from the unlinked anonymised HIV surveys in England and Wales were published in the Public Health Laboratory Services (PHLS) communicable disease report of 1 January 1993, copies are available in the Library.

  The results included initial findings from a pilot survey conducted in two London district general hospitals. HIV prevalence in patients aged 16 to 49 attending specialities thought unlikely to be associated with HIV related illnesses was one in 170 for men and one in 600 for women. The great majority of AIDS cases and HIV infection diagnosed in England and Wales has been within this age group.

  The results of the surveys indicate that HIV remains a cause for concern and that public education work should continue to draw attention to the risks of HIV infection and how these risks can be reduced. The findings from all elements of the anonymised HIV survey programme will be taken into account in the further development of the HIV prevention strategies.

  The Day report published by the PHLS in 1990 included a projection of the incidence of AIDS to the end of 1993, but not HIV infections.

  The Medical Research Council is considering proposals from the PHLS to expand the general hospital study.

  Mrs. Tracey Evans
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 25 January,Official Report, column 540, what assessment she has made of the impartiality and thoroughness of the inquiry of the area child protection committee and as to why Mr. Evans was not invited to give evidence or be interviewed.

  Mr. Yeo
  Government guidance in 'Working Together under the Children Act 1989' explains that the area child
  323
  protection committee review is a composite review of the reports of individual agencies, completed following reviews by those agencies to establish:
  whether the agency child protection procedures have been followed;
  whether the case suggests that there is an urgent need to review those procedures and
  whether any other action is needed within agencies.
  The area child protection committee does not carry out a direct inquiry and it is not normal practice for it to seek evidence from individuals for this purpose.

  Community Care
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library her Department's guidance to local authorities to ensure the provision of human aids to communication during community care assessment procedures for deaf or hard of hearing people.

  Mr. Yeo
  We fully recognise the importance of communication for people with a hearing impairment. The Department's social services inspectorate and the social work services group of the Scottish Office issued practice guidance on care management and assessment in 1991: "Care Management and Assessment: Practitioners Guide". This document advises local authorities that users and carers should receive every help to speak and act for themselves in the assessment process, including ready access to interpreting services where necessary. Copies are available in the Library. The Department will also be supporting a conference in June for managers in health and social services aimed at improving awareness of the communication needs of people with a hearing impairment.

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

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Numbers of deaths from head injuries (ICD 800–804 and 850–854) in England and Wales, 1980 to 1991

  Year

  Persons

  1980

  4,385

  1981

  3,910

  1982

  4,064

  1983

  4,129

  1984

  4,172

  1985

  4,065

  1986

  4,022

  1987

  4,091

  1988

  3,856

  1989

  3,994

  1990

  4,156

  1991

  3,754

  Condoms
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to extend the Bolton project for the distribution of free condoms, to the rest of England and Wales.

  Mr. Yeo
  There are about 30 similar projects, evaluating the provision of sexual health counselling and 324
  free condoms by general practitioners, currently being conducted around England and Wales. In the 1992 "Allocation for HIV and AIDS work" letter (EL(92)18), the Department suggested that health authorities consider using HIV prevention money for such schemes. The Department is keeping in close touch with many of the pilot projects and awaiting further results with interest.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in the project to distribute free condoms via general practitioners in Bolton.

  Mr. Yeo
  This project is currently the subject of local consultation. It is hoped to begin a pilot scheme on 1 April 1993. My hon. Friend may wish to contact the chairman of Bolton family health services authority, Mr. A. J. Pettengell, for details.

  Hospital Patients
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated in directly managed units and trusts(a) from NHS purchasers and (b) from non-NHS purchasers in 1991–92.

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

  Hospices
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total government funding to voluntary hospices in the last 10 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government greatly appreciate the contribution which the voluntary hospice movement makes to the provision of specialised care and support for the terminally ill and their families. Our commitment to the movement has been shown by the allocation of funds to regional health authorities to enable them to increase their support.

  In 1988–89, and 1989–90, there were one-off payments to voluntary hospices. Funds were allocated to the hospice movement, through the charity 'Help the Hospices' as a one-off award to help hospices facing financial dificulties. In 1988–89, payments were made to help with the costs of nurses' pay awards. Since 1990–91, the Government have allocated funds annually to regional health authorities specifically to enable them to increase the support they give to voluntary hospices. Since 1991–92, funds have also been provided to ensure the supply of drugs to hospices without charge.

  Funding since 1988 is as follows:

  £ million

  1988–89

  1.4

  1989–90

  0.4

  1990–91

  8.0

  1991–92

  20.2

  1992–93

  38.2

  1993–94

  42.9

  Dentists (North Devon)
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many adult and child patients have been de-registered by their dentists for national health service treatment in north bevon to date;
  325
  (2) how many dentists in North Devon have become private practitioners since the alteration to their contracts; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information about numbers of patients de-registered by dentists has been collected only since 3 July 1992. By 22 January 1993, 11,491 adults and 272 children were reported by Devon FHSA as de-registered by their dentist. On 1 July 1992 there were 514,766 adults and 156,443 children registered by Devon FHSA. By 30 November, the latest date available, these totals were 511,987 and 167,228 respectively.

  Information on the number of dentists who have become private practitioners since the alteration to their contracts is not held centrally.

  Monkton Nursery, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 27 January,Official Report, column 723, what representations she has received about Monkton nursery, Liverpool; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  We have received 13 letters from the hon. Member on behalf of his constituents. The Department's social services inspectorate is making inquiries about the matter.

  Sight Tests (Sandwell)
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people had sight tests in Sandwell in each financial year since 1987.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The numbers of National Health Service sight tests paid for in each financial year by the Sandwell family health services authority are shown in the table.

  Year

  Number of sight tests

  1987–88

  90,020

  1988–89

  92,230

  11989–90

  44,830

  1990–91

  34,860

  1991–92

  40,570

  Note: The Department does not collect information on the number of private sight tests carried out.

  1From April 1989, NHS sight tests were restricted to certain groups in the population. The sight tests paid for in 1989–90 include some conducted prior to 1 April 1989, when sight tests were universally

  Number of authorised pay beds in NHS hospitals

  Regions

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Northern

  56

  56

  78

  103

  103

  105

  95

  101

  96

  99

  97

  97

  Yorkshire

  140

  140

  154

  182

  199

  199

  193

  193

  187

  192

  188

  188

  Trent

  130

  130

  150

  143

  143

  143

  138

  136

  128

  136

  136

  136

  East Anglian

  90

  90

  94

  106

  106

  108

  108

  108

  96

  108

  108

  108

  North West Thames

  339

  339

  352

  292

  292

  292

  287

  285

  271

  285

  283

  283

  North East Thames

  278

  278

  286

  398

  404

  410

  413

  411

  347

  393

  411

  411

  South East Thames

  263

  263

  302

  332

  337

  337

  339

  341

  322

  333

  333

  333

  South West Thames

  156

  156

  168

  180

  182

  194

  182

  180

  141

  180

  180

  180

  Wessex

  99

  99

  106

  117

  120

  120

  116

  116

  105

  115

  116

  116

  Oxford

  164

  164

  180

  180

  180

  180

  183

  193

  188

  193

  194

  194

  South Western

  78

  78

  82

  102

  104

  104

  104

  102

  96

  100

  100

  100

  West Midlands

  181

  181

  217

  258

  267

  276

  273

  270

  209

  281

  276

  276

  Mersey

  67

  67

  92

  112

  123

  123

  123

  129

  123

  129

  129

  129

  North Western

  170

  170

  214

  231

  244

  245

  243

  237

  207

  233

  233

  227

  326
  available. The remainder paid for in 1989–90 do not represent a full year under the new system, because of the delay in payments. The figure for 1989–90 is not, therefore, directly comparable with that for 1990–91.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were on waiting lists for under one year, one to two years, and two years or more in March and September of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is given in the table. This shows that at September 1992 the number of patients waiting over a year was 60 per cent. lower than in March 1988. In 1991–92 alone, the number of over-one-year waiters fell by almost 90,000. Today, regions no longer have any patients waiting two years or more for any in-patient or day case treatment.

  Number of people on waiting lists in the last five years

  England In-patients and day cases

  Waiting 0 to 1 year

  Waiting one to two years

  Waiting two years or more

  1988

  March

  668,300

  120,100

  87,900

  September

  680,100

  128,100

  91,900

  1989

  March

  699,400

  131,100

  92,200

  September

  710,900

  130,000

  88,100

  1990

  March

  751,100

  127,000

  80,900

  September

  754,800

  131,600

  71,100

  1991

  March

  778,500

  118,700

  51,100

  September

  789,300

  115,000

  43,500

  1992

  March

  837,100

  78,900

  1,700

  September1

  859,156

  80,039

  651

  1 Provisional figures from Regional Health Authorities.

  Private Beds
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of private beds available in each regional health authority in the last 10 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The requested information, which is the latest available, is given in the table.
  327

  Regions

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Special Health Authorities and Boards of Governors

  194

  194

  202

  183

  183

  183

  178

  178

  177

  160

  178

  178

  England

  2,405

  2,405

  2,677

  2,919

  2,987

  3,019

  2,975

  2,980

  2,693

  2,937

  2,962

  2,956

  Dentistry
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women were eligible for free dental service during pregnancy and one year after the birth of the child, for each of the last 10 years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is given in the table.

  General dental services Number of expectant or nursing mothers eligible for exemption from NHS dental charges in England

  Year

  Monthly average number eligible

  1981

  960,000

  1982

  940,000

  1983

  940,000

  1984

  950,000

  1985

  980,000

  1986

  990,000

  1987

  1,020,000

  1988

  1,040,000

  1989

  1,030,000

  1990

  1,050,000

  Note: The numbers of women eligible for free NHS dental treatment during pregnancy and one year after giving birth have been estimated from the monthly number of live and still births in England in the years shown.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pregnant women/nursing mothers have been exempted from NHS dental charges in each of the last 10 years; what has been the cost of their exemption in each year; and what estimate she has made of the saving to the Exchequer of removing this exemption.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Information on the number and cost of courses of treatment given to expectant and nursing mothers is given in the table.

  General Dental Services—England Number and cost of courses of treatment to expectant and nursing mothers

  Year

  Number of courses

  Cost of courses (£)

  1982

  885,410

  23,590,780

  1983

  893,290

  24,783,350

  1984

  897,630

  27,109,140

  1985

  910,650

  28,889,630

  1986–87

  976,420

  34,162,740

  1987–88

  986,030

  35,021,050

  1988–89

  1,022,800

  39,076,930

  1989–90

  1,052,010

  40,799,800

  1990–911

  n/a

  n/a

  1991–92

  1,120,283

  45,998,319

  1 Data for 1990–91 are not available.

  328
  It is not possible to estimate the cost of the exemptions over this period both because the charging regimes have changed many times over the period and because some women will have been able to claim exemption or remission on one or more grounds. This factor affects the interpretation of the table.

  No precise estimate has been made of any saving to the Exchequer of removing this exemption.

  District Nursing Service, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement about the future of the district nursing service in Liverpool.

  Mr. Sackville
  The management of nursing services in Liverpool is the responsibility of Liverpool health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact the authority chairman, Mr. D. H. Tod, for details.

  OPCS
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes are planned to the cash limits and running costs limits for the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys for 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XIII, vote 6 (Office of Population Censuses and Surveys) will be increased by £889,000 from £37,057,000 to £37,946,000 and the running costs limit for OPCS will be increased by £1,568,000 from £46,002,000 to £47,570,000. This reflects the take-up of £504,000 under the end year flexibility arrangements for running costs as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July 1992, at columns 697–702; an increase in running costs provision of £207,000 in respect of a transfer of funds from Property Holdings; and increased running costs provision of £300,000 for work on problems connected with census outputs and increased staff costs which will be partly offset by a decrease in capital provision of £122,000. The increases not offset will be charged to the reserve and will therefore not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  The following increases will also affect the running costs limit; £232,000 in the National Health Central Register area for work on the Department of Health's National Health Service number programme and additional research work; £325,000 for the work of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission. There will also be increases in capital provision of £25,000 for the National Health Central Register and £66,000 for the Parliamentary Boundary Commission. These increases will be offset by an increase in appropriations in aid on the OPCS vote and met from within the existing resources of the Department of Health (class XIII, vote 3) and the Home Office (class IX, vote 3) and will therefore not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Cash Limits
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any changes will be made to the cash limhts and the running costs of her Department in 1992–93.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XIII, vote 1 (Hospital, community health, family health services (part) and related services, England) will be increased by £28,278,000, from £18,509,508,000 to £18,537,786,000. This increase covers additions of £42,116,000 for entitlements to carry over underspends under the end year flexibility arrangements as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July 1992, at columns 697–702. The increase also covers transfers from class XIII, vote 3 (Department of Health administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England) of £8,302,000 (£4,316,000 for work of the valuation office; £1,750,000 in respect of an adjustment in HIV funding; £871,000 for day and domiciliary care; £613,000 for the British National Formulary and Drugs and Therapeutic Bulletin; £390,000 in respect of the National Health Service Estates and Health Building Agency; £307,000 for the National Health Service Supplies Authority and £55,000 for the Association of Community Health Councils) and £351,000 for class IV, vote 2 (Department of Trade and Industry: support for industry, international trade, statutory and regulatory work, consumer protection and administration) for licence fees for use of the radio spectrum. These increases are partly offset by transfers of £22,308,000 to class XIII, vote 4, (Family health services (part) national health service trusts external financing, etc., England) for an increase in the national health service trusts' aggregate external financing limit; of £146,000 to class XIII, vote 3 (£110,000 for oral polio vaccines and £36,000 for the Special Hospital Service Authority) and £37,000 to class XVI, vote 5 (Tourism, roads and transport, other environmental services (including civil defence), education, arts and libraries and health and personal social services, Wales) for career registrars.

  The cash limit class XIII, vote 3 (Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England) will be reduced by £3,277,000 (from £821,523,000 to £818,246,000). This reduction allows for transfers £8,302,000 to class XIII, vote 1; £130,000 to class XI, vote 2 (Department for Education higher and further education) for the conversion of social work training courses; £47,000 to class XV, vote 25 (Hospital and community health services, family health (part) and other health services, Scotland), £23,000 to class XVI, vote 8 (Hospital and community health, family health services (part) and related services, Wales); £13,000 to the Department of Social Services, Northern Ireland in respect of the NHS Estates Management and Health Building Agency and £62,000 to class XIV, vote 4 (Department of Social Security, administration and miscellaneous services) in respect of Departmental administration. The overall reduction is partly offset by £3,929,000 for the take-up of entitlements to carry over underspends under the end year flexibility arrangements as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 15 July 1992, at columns 697–702 (capital £2,655,000 and departmental running cost of £1,264,000); the transfer of increased provision of £422,000 from class VIII, vote 7 (Department of the Environment Property Holdings and
  330
  central support services); civil accommodation and administration, etc) in respect of club subscription charges; transfer of £146,000 from class XIII, vote 1; transfer of £45,000 from class VI, vote 1 (Department of Employment: programmes and central services) for advice on alcohol in the workplace and £758,000 transferred from class XIV, vote 4 (Department of Social Security: administration and miscellaneous services) mainly for printing costs, departmental administration, computer systems and for costs in respect of Age Concern.

  The Department's gross running cost limit will be reduced by £2,627,000 from £269,236,000 to £266,609,000. This reflects the take-up of £1,264,000 end year flexibility on running costs, offset by the net effect of transfers mentioned above.

  All increases will either be offset by savings or charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Children Act 1989
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on progress made in implementing the Children Act 1989.

  Mr. Yeo
  I am pleased to be able to announce that my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Wales have today submitted our first joint report to Parliament on the Children Act in operation in England and Wales. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.

  The report, which contains a full description of the operation and achievements of the Act, highlights a number of striking and encouraging features. Overall, local authorities are to be commended for their generally positive response to their new duties under the Act and in particular for the way in which their child care interventions have become more sharply focused, with more children remaining at home with their own families.

  In line with the intentions of the Act, I can report that:

  (i) almost 3,000 or approximately 50 per cent. fewer emergency orders were made in the first year giving authority for the removal of a child at home;

  (ii) there has been a substantial fall in the number of children entering compulsory care. Some 1,600 were subject to a compulsory care order under the Children Act in the first year compared with nearly four times as many under similar orders previously;

  (iii) some 5,000 or 10 per cent. fewer children were being looked after by local authorities at the end of March compared with a year before.

  GP Fund Holders
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list the names and addresses of limited companies set up by general practitioner fund holders in the last three years;

  (2) how much has been paid from public funds, in real terms to limited companies set up by general practitioner fund holders (a) individually and (b) in total in the years 1991–92 and 1992–93;

  (3) if she will list the names of general practitioner fund holders who have been invited to return money from the limited companies to the national health service or risk losing their fund-holding status; which of them have been asked to return sums (a) between £50,000 and £100,000 and (b) over £100,000; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally.

  Regional Health Authorities
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given by her Department to regional health authorities about speculative investment in the property market.

  Mr. Sackville
  Health authorities are not allowed to invest speculatively in the property market. In certain circumstances, they may acquire land by agreement and manage and deal with land in order to make more income available to the health service. Departmental guidance is given in "Property Transactions in the NHS" which specifically prohibits investment in property and land dealing markets.

  Surgery
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what independent evaluation she has made, and proposes to make, of the costs and benefits of reduction and elimination of long wait elective surgery cases; and if she will publish such a study at appropriate intervals.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. Waiting times have improved dramatically under this Government and we are determined to build on this success. Since 1987 we have provided a waiting time fund totalling nearly £200 million which has enabled additional long-wait patients to be treated from waiting lists. The introduction of the waiting time guarantee under the patients charter means that for the first time patients do not have to face an interminable wait for treatment.

  Social Work Training
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in the development and implementation of the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work post-qualifying framework for social work training; what has been spent so far; how many post-qualifying awards have been made to date; and how many it is expected will be made within the next 12 months.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW) is in the process of developing a framework for post-qualifying education and training social work, with funding provided by the Government. A five-year implementation plan commenced in 1991–92 as part of the overall Government training strategy.

  The framework will be implemented by 30 regionally-based consortia composed of educational institutions and employing agencies in the statutory and independent sectors. Fifteen of these have been established and the others are in the process of being established. It is anticipated that United Kingdom-wide coverage will be completed by mid-1993 and that they will have completed their development work by mid-1995.

  Expenditure by CCETSW on the development and implementation of the new arrangements in England, Wales and Northern Ireland between 1989–90 and 1992–93 amounts to £1.2 million.

  CCETSW anticipates that 40 awards will be made in 1993–94 and that thereafter numbers will increase considerably.

  Mersey Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement setting out the cost, the date, address and reasons for the decision of the Mersey regional health authority recently to purchase a flat in Liverpool; and if she will indicate the number of occasions upon which that property has been used so far, by whom, upon what dates, and for what purposes.

  Mr. Sackville
  I understand the Mersey regional health authority recently purchased a flat from its endowment funds. It is used to accommodate visitors for whom the region would otherwise have to meet hotel costs. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Professor Breckenridge, chairman of Mersey RHA, for further details.

  Retinopathy of Prematurity
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to her answer of 22 January,Official Report, column 481, when she expects to complete her discussions with those professional bodies concerned with conducting research studies into retinopathy of prematurity;

  (2) pursuant to her answer of 22 January, Official Report, column 481, if she will place in the Library a copy of the guidelines issued by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine and the College of Ophthalmologists on the care of retinopathy of prematurity;

  (3) pursuant to her answer of 22 January, Official Report, column 481, if she will estimate her Department's total expenditure since 1980, at constant prices, on research into the cause and treatment of retinopathy of prematurity.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 1 February 1993]: I have today placed in the Library copies of the guidelines on the care of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) drawn up by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine and College of Ophthalmologists.

  Discussions between departmental officials, professional bodies and researchers about research studies into ROP, referred to in my earlier reply of 22 January at column 481, will be completed shortly. Funding has currently been earmarked for a suitable research proposal. The Department has not hitherto commissioned any research into ROP over the period in question.

  Pneumoconiosis
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many former miners have been affected by pneumoconiosis in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been asked to reply.

  This is a matter for British Coal.

  DHA Mergers
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many district health authority amalgamations are already taking place; and if she will list them.

  Mr. Sackville
  Ministers have approved the following nine district health authority mergers to come into effect from 1 April 1993:
  333

  West and East Suffolk District Health Authorities;

  Lewisham and North Southwark, Camberwell and West Lambeth District Health Authorities;

  Brighton, Eastbourne and Hastings District Health Authorities;

  Kingston and Esher and Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton Health Authorities;

  Aylesbury, Wycombe and Milton Keynes District Health Authorities;

  Hull and East Yorkshire District Health Authorities;

  Grimsby and Scunthorpe District Health Authorities;

  Calderdale, Dewsbury and Huddersfield Health Authorities;

  Pontefract and Wakefield District Health Authorities.

WALES

  Environmental Protection Agency
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what benefits will accrue to Wales from the proposals to establish an environmental protection agency jointly covering the Principality and England.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The proposed new Environment Agency will report to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales on its activities in the Principality and will unify the key regulatory pollution control functions affecting air, land and water; provide a strong independent voice influencing the adoption of better environmental standards and practices; and help industry by reducing the number of regulators and ending overlaps between them. There will be an appropriate presence by the agency in Wales, for it to be accessible to the public and to those it will regulate in the Principality.

  Special Needs Pupils
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children with special educational needs have entered segregated special schools at(a) primary and (b) secondary level in every local education authority area of Wales in each of the last five years; and how many pupils at (a) primary and (b) secondary school level in each area have attended special schools during the same period.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information on the number of children with special educational needs entering special schools each year is not collected centrally.

  Information on the number of full-time pupils who attend special schools is provided in the series of publications entitled 'Statistics of Education in Wales: Schools', Section 1, table 1.10, for previous years up to and including 1990–91. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

  Youth and Community Work
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent representations he has received from the Welsh Association of Full-time Youth and Community Workers over the level of provision for their work on education and development.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None.

  Environmental Managers Network Programme
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress made in his Department's scheme to establish in Wales an environmental managers network programme in conjunction with the Development Board for Rural Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Since the launch in July 1992, 87 companies have joined the Welsh environmental managers network, and membership has increased at a steady pace. Of these, 21 are from north Wales, 7 are from south-west Wales, 40 from south-east Wales and 19 from mid Wales.

  A mini-launch of the network in conjunction with the Development Board for Rural Wales took place on 20 January 1993, in Newtown, Powys. Since that date membership in the mid Wales region has increased from two to 19. All inquiries for membership in mid Wales will be routed through the Development Board for Rural Wales. A list of members is displayed in the Library of the House, and brought up to date at three-monthly intervals.

  A470
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the improvements to the A470 between Betws-y-Coed and Blaenau Ffestiniog are to be commenced; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  These improvements are planned for the medium and long term and thus not expected to start before April 1995.

  Health Service Administration
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to ensure that the numbers of administrative and managerial grade staff employed in the national hospital service does not exceed the numbers of medical consultants.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No. The required employees for any grade in the national health service must be as is appropriate for the provision of the best health care for patients.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library the latest conclusions of the sub-group on internal management submitted to the Welsh consultative council on local government reform.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I expect shortly to receive a report from the sub-group. This will be considered by the Consultative Council on Local Government at its next meeting. A copy of the final report will be placed in the Library of the House.

  "Environmental Digest for Wales"
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish the next edition of his Department's environmental digest for Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The seventh edition of the 'Environmental Digest for Wales' is due to be published on 31 March 1993.

  Appointments
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will update the information given in his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 30 October 1992,Official Report, columns 866–908; and if he will state the political affiliation of the appointees where known.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Information is not collected about the political affiliations, if any, of appointees. Although these are public and well known in some cases, in other cases they are either not known at all or are known only on a private basis.

  As the updated information requested is some 50 pages in length, I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Expenditure on youth and community services as a percentage of all revenue expenditure1

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Clwyd

  0.61

  0.66

  0.62

  0.60

  0.61

  0.61

  0.56

  0.55

  0.55

  0.57

  0.57

  0.55

  Dyfed

  1.14

  1.06

  1.02

  1.11

  1.12

  1.06

  1.01

  0.99

  0.95

  0.78

  0.79

  0.89

  Gwent

  1.24

  1.21

  1.27

  1.37

  1.43

  0.67

  0.66

  0.68

  0.72

  0.77

  0.67

  0.75

  Gwynedd

  0.47

  0.49

  0.54

  0.59

  0.64

  0.78

  0.94

  0.95

  0.86

  0.87

  0.58

  0.81

  Mid Glamorgan

  1.18

  1.14

  1.08

  1.15

  1.13

  1.22

  1.61

  1.60

  1.38

  0.84

  0.90

  1.14

  Powys

  0.82

  0.84

  1.21

  1.51

  1.54

  1.38

  1.34

  1.31

  1.38

  1.67

  3.87

  2.67

  South Glamorgan

  1.55

  1.30

  1.14

  1.24

  1.28

  1.30

  1.19

  1.14

  1.11

  1.37

  1.25

  1.78

  West Glamorgan

  0.99

  0.92

  0.89

  0.93

  0.90

  0.85

  0.86

  0.79

  0.77

  0.74

  0.77

  0.78

  1 Calculated using outturn information reported by local authorities for gross revenue expenditure on employees, running expenses, debt charges and revenue contributions to capital. Definitions changed in 1990–91; hence figures for this year are not strictly comparable with those for earlier years.

  HLCA (Gwynedd)
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many producers are entitled to hill livestock compensatory allowances in Gwynedd; and how many of those are located in severely disadvantaged areas.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Some 2,900 claimants in Gwynedd currently receive hill livestock compensatory allowance. Of these, some 1,900 have land located in the severely disadvantaged areas.

  Net Farm Income in Welsh SDAs

  Hill and upland cattle and sheep

  Hill and upland sheep

  Year

  Nominal price £

  Real price £

  Nominal Index

  Real Index

  Nominal price £

  Real price £

  Nominal Index

  Real Index

  1978–79

  7,358

  19,363

  84

  181

  6,867

  18,071

  104

  189

  1979–80

  4,082

  9,493

  47

  89

  2,871

  6,676

  43

  69

  1980–81

  6,222

  12,200

  67

  107

  5,877

  11,523

  92

  124

  1981–82

  7,770

  13,632

  119

  171

  8,808

  15,453

  130

  157

  1982–83

  6,746

  11,059

  100

  134

  6,242

  10,233

  100

  113

  1983–84

  6,649

  10,389

  93

  119

  8,598

  13,434

  132

  142

  1984–85

  7,658

  11,430

  96

  117

  9,740

  14,537

  201

  206

  1985–86

  8,353

  11,765

  112

  129

  7,943

  11,188

  138

  133

  1986–87

  9,348

  12,805

  113

  127

  9,792

  13,414

  153

  144

  1987–88

  12,491

  16,435

  138

  149

  9,380

  12,342

  144

  130

  1988–89

  8,489

  10,611

  178

  181

  8,328

  10,410

  204

  175

  1989–90

  10,881

  12,507

  109

  102

  9,468

  10,883

  135

  107

  1990–91

  8,680

  9,137

  83

  71

  10,804

  11,373

  122

  88

  1991–92

  13,457

  13,457

  155

  126

  16,540

  16,540

  153

  105

  Note: Real prices and real indices are based on 1989–1992 = 100.

  Certificate of Education
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from educational organisations and schools regarding the future of the certificate of education in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Representations have, so far, been received from the Welsh joint education committee and four secondary schools. I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 2 February 1993.

  Youth and Community Services
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the amount spent as a percentage of their budget by each local authority in Wales on youth and community services for young people and adults in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Farm Incomes
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the net farm income for sheep and sheep and cattle farms in severely disadvantaged areas, in both nominal and real terms since 1978.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Estimates of net farm income based on the results of the farm business survey are provided in the table. Year-on-year comparison can best be made by reference to the indices shown in the table which are based on the results from a constant sample of farms.

  Health Authorities (Expenditure)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what independent studies and evaluation exercises he has undertaken of the deprivation factor in the calculation of the health spending formula in the different health authorities in Wales;

  (2) what consultations he has had with the Welsh health authorities on the variation of the capitation formula for procurement and primary health care to correspond to variations in deprivation.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  A review of the relationship between morbidity, social deprivation and health care needs was carried out for the Welsh Office by Dr. Roy Carr Hill of the University of York Centre for Health Economics in 1990. Dr. Carr Hill's report, a copy of which is in the Library of the House, helped to inform my right hon. Friend's decision, following consultation with health authorities, on the structure of the weighted capitation formula for health authority revenue allocations in Wales. The House was informed of this on 21 March 1991, at columns 178–80.

  Copies of the relevant consultation paper, "Implementing the White Paper: Options for a Weighted Capitation Revenue Resource Allocation Formula", are in the Library of the House. The treatment of social deprivation is amongst the issues examined in the paper.

  My right hon. Friend has made it clear that he is willing to review the formula used in Wales if agreed methods can be devised to distinguish the effects of higher levels of sickness and social deprivation on the relative resource needs of health authorities in Wales.

  The Welsh Office will be examining the 1991 census data now becoming available to see how this impacts upon the formula shares of health authorities in Wales. It has also invited Mid Glamorgan health authority to submit a research proposal to examine further how the effects of social deprivation might be reflected specially in the formula and how this might be weighted compared to the overall "sickness factor" currently used. Subject to the research proposal satisfying other authorities and academic referees, central funding towards such research will be considered.

  General Practices
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his current estimate of the number of general practices in Wales with(a) no female general practitioner in the practice, (b) a part-time only female general practitioner, (c) a full-time female general practitioner but not in partnership and (d) other; and if he will make a statement.

  Medical staff in post as at1

  30 September 1979

  30 September 1990

  230 September 1991

  Consultants

  614.1

  826.5

  839.7

  Senior registrars

  112.8

  138.7

  143.8

  Registrars

  321.6

  357.1

  352.4

  Junior hospital doctors3

  669.6

  898.2

  866.2

  1 Whole-time equivalents excluding locum staff and hospital dental staff.

  2 Provisional.

  3 House officers and senior house officers.

  338
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The available information relates to partnerships and single-handed practitioners. Of the 550 in Wales as at 1 April 1992 there were:

  (a) 281 which had no female practitioner;

  (b) 42 which had one female part-time practitioner;

  (c) 11 female practitioners who practised as single-handed doctors;

  (d) 216 partnerships which had at least one full-time female practitioner.

  The information provided relates to principals, unrestricted and restricted, in general practice. Information relating to the number of female trainees and assistants in general practice has not been included, as the data required at individual partnership level is not readily available.

  Waste Incinerator (South Glamorgan)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the South Glamorgan health authority concerning the emissions from the waste incinerator stack.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Under the pollution control provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the prime regulatory responsibility for incinerators such as that operated by South Glamorgan health authority at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff rests with the local district council. I understand that Cardiff city council is in close contact with the health authority about the cause of the recent emission problems and how these may be remedied.

  Welsh Development Agency (Chairman)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 887, what activities he undertook prior to the placing of the advertisement for the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency to secure a suitable field of candidates; and what recruitment consultants he has hired to assist in the process.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Quite a lot; none.

  Hospital Doctors
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his current estimate of the number of full-time equivalent(a) consultants, (b) senior registrars, (c) registrars and (d) junior hospital doctors employed in the national health service in Wales; and what were the equivalent figures for the years 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information for 1990 and 1991 is given in the table. No estimate of the position in 1992 can yet be made. This can be compared with the figures for 1979.

  School Governors (Ring-binder Contracts)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 51, if he will give the cost of each of the two ring-binder contracts for school governors under local management of schools.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Twenty-two thousand five hundred and seventy-two pounds, and £13,925.

  Valleys Initiative (Leaflet Contract)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost of the valleys initiative leaflet contract.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The values of the six contracts for the production of leaflets on the programme for the valleys were: £22,028.25; £10,360.00; £4,639.67; £3,279.00; £3,050.00 and £1,513.40.

  County Councils (Expenditure)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what amount he proposes to transfer to each of the Welsh county councils equivalent to the present expenditure on the independent living fund.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Successor arrangements to the independent living fund announced on 24 November by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security and Disabled People will involve local authorities working in partnership with the new fund to help people of working age with the most severe disabilities to live independently in the community. The sums within local authorities' standard spending assessments for 1993–94 attributable to their enhanced responsibilities under these arrangements are as follows:

  £ thousands

  Clwyd

  230

  Dyfed

  192

  Gwent

  253

  Gwynedd

  130

  Mid Glamorgan

  308

  Powys

  65

  South Glamorgan

  231

  West Glamorgan

  205

  Total

  1,614

  Revenue Support Grant (Capital Receipts)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his assumptions in relation to capital receipts in his revenue support grant announcement for local authorities for 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have, as in previous years, made certain assumptions in relation to capital receipts in the revenue support grant calculations, including those set out in the Local Government Finance Report (Wales) 1993–94 (HC 412) in note 1(d)(v) to table 1.2 on page 13 and in note (f)(vi) to table 1.5 on page 19. All assumptions have been agreed with the local authority associations.

  Earnings
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the average weekly earnings of(a) women and (b) men in Wales in each year since 1985.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is available from the new earnings survey (part A or E), an annual publication produced by the Employment Department. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

  Personal Incomes
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was personal income per head in Wales in 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The latest available information is for 1990 when the average personal income per head of population in Wales was £7,236.

  Melrose Centre, Shotton
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit Clwyd county council social services division, Melrose centre, Shotton to meet the user groups.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Neither I nor my right hon. Friend has plans to do so at present.

  INTELLIGENCE SERVICES: DISCUSSIONS WITH RUSSIA
  INTELLIGENCE SERVICES: DISCUSSIONS WITH RUSSIA
  MIDDLE EAST NUCLEAR-FREE ZONE PROPOSAL
  MIDDLE EAST NUCLEAR-FREE ZONE PROPOSAL
  UKRAINE: SECURITY ASSURANCES
  UKRAINE: SECURITY ASSURANCES
  WEAPON DESTRUCTION IN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION
  WEAPON DESTRUCTION IN THE FORMER SOVIET UNION
  INDEPENDENT LIVING FUND: DELAYED APPLICATIONS
  INDEPENDENT LIVING FUND: DELAYED APPLICATIONS
  DIRECTORATE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS: PRIVATISATION
  DIRECTORATE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS: PRIVATISATION
  METROPOLITAN POLICE CORPORATE STRATEGY
  METROPOLITAN POLICE CORPORATE STRATEGY
  HOME OFFICE: CASH LIMITS
  HOME OFFICE: CASH LIMITS
  ATTACK HELICOPTER PROCUREMENT
  ATTACK HELICOPTER PROCUREMENT
  ATOMIC WEAPONS ESTABLISHMENT
  ATOMIC WEAPONS ESTABLISHMENT
  BICYCLES: STATISTICS
  BICYCLES: STATISTICS
  BICYCLISTS' FACILITIES
  BICYCLISTS' FACILITIES
  WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
  WRITTEN ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
  JUNIOR MINISTERS: PRIVATE OFFICE STAFF
  JUNIOR MINISTERS: PRIVATE OFFICE STAFF