Written Answers of 8 February 1993

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Judicial Appointments
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will publish the specification for the post for each category of judicial appointment, outlining the selection criteria.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The criteria employed by the Lord Chancellor are set out in the latest edition of the booklet "Judicial Appointments: the Lord Chancellor's Policies and Procedures", which was published in November 1990. A copy is available in the Library of the House.

  Judiciary
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has to reform the judiciary.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor has confidence in the judiciary in its present form. However, he is always ready to bring forward proposals for reform which he considers to be desirable in the public interest. For example, the Judicial Pensions and Retirement Bill[Lords], at present before this House, provides among other things for reduction of the retirement age of judges to 70.

  Law Officers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary. Lord Chancellor's Department what requirements there are that(a) the Lord Chancellor, (b) the Attorney-General and (c) the Solicitor-General be legally qualified; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor must be a person able to discharge duties as the President of the Supreme Court of Judicature—that is, the Court of Appeal, the High Court and the Crown court—and also as the presiding chairman of the House of Lords in its judicial capacity and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The Attorney-General and the Solicitor-General must be legally qualified in order that they may perform their general duties; and are members of the Bar in order that they may represent the Crown in each of the Queen's courts in England and Wales and in Northern Ireland.

  Barristers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy to make available to barristers who are unsuccessful in an application for silk the grounds on which he decided not to put their names forward.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Competition for appointment as Queen's counsel is intense. It is inevitable that many able 404
  applicants will be disappointed. However, it is always open to any unsuccessful applicant to see a senior official of the Lord Chancellor's Department to discuss his or her application and the view the Lord Chancellor took in that case. Each year a number of practitioners avail themselves of this facility.

  Court Lists
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what instruction he has given to magistrates courts regarding the imposition of charges for court lists; if he will list the level of such charges in all courts in England and Wales: and whether these are levied across the board or apply only to specific groups.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  None; however, in 1989 the Home Office advised magistrates courts that the news media should be asked to meet the costs of providing copies of court papers. The charges, and the circumstances in which they may be sought, will vary from court to court and details could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what number and proportion of cases granted legal aid in each of the past five years are those where the involvement of a solicitor could have been avoided because other agencies could have helped free of charge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The information requested is not available. However, advice agencies are able to provide a high standard of advice on a wide range of matters, such as housing and employment difficulties, about which solicitors are also consulted.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Iran
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Iranian authorities to stop executions, with particular reference to cases where defendants claim that they have not had a fair trial.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Together with EC partners we made representations to the Iranian authorities in May 1992 about the high number of executions in Iran and specifically the summary execution of a member of the Baha'i community. In October we made representations about the death sentences passed on two other Baha'is following summary trials and the right of defendants to a lawyer. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs also raised these latest cases with the Iranian Foreign Minister at the United Nations General Assembly in September. They are now being reviewed by the Iranian authorities. International concern at the high number of executions and the absence of guarantees of due legal process in Iran was highlighted in the resolution on human rights in Iran, which we and our EC partners co-sponsored, and which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December.

  Council of Europe
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how Her Majesty's Government were represented at the fourth part of the forty-fourth ordinary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe from 1 to 5 February.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs attended the Parliamentary Session on 2 February, in his capacity as chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, to deliver the statutory report of that body and to answer questions from the parliamentarians. He took the opportunity to make a short statement in his national capacity.

  Bosnia
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the relative contributions of countries providing military support towards the United Nations humanitarian aid effort in Bosnia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The following troops have deployed to the United Nations protection force in Bosnia to offer protective support for convoys of humanitarian aid and released detainees:

  Number

  United Kingdom

  2,500

  France

  1,800

  Canada

  1,200

  Spain

  750

  Netherlands

  580

  Denmark

  150

  Belgium

  120

  Norway

  35

  Portugal

  12

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals or decisions have been made for the presidency or secretariat of each Council of Ministers of the European Community to issue an official minute of each of their meetings, to include a reflection of the views expressed, the decisions reached and the record of votes cast.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Council secretariat already issues press releases after each Council meeting providing brief details of the discussion and of any agreements reached. Following a decision by the Edinburgh European Council, the Council secretariat will include in this press release the record of the vote, including explanations of the vote where delegations request these, whenever a formal vote is taken in Council.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding his policy towards the renewal of the United Nations mandate in Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We consider renewal of the mandate of the United Nations protection force in Croatia 406
  to be crucial to the peace process and will pursue it in the Security Council when it falls due. Initial discussions are already under way.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has regarding the numbers of displaced persons currently in Bosnia Herzegovina.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that there are some 740,000 displaced people in Bosnia Herzegovina; of these 480,000 are in central Bosnia and western Herzegovina.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has regarding the prevalence of war crimes in Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are appalled by the numerous allegations that violations of international humanitarian law have taken and continue to take place in the territory of former Yugoslavia. The United Nations Security Council has established a commission of experts to examine and analyse information on such breaches submitted by states.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom staff are employed in Her Majesty's embassies in(a) Zagreb and (b) Belgrade; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 8 February, there were seven United Kingdom-based staff at the British embassy in Zagreb and 28 United Kingdom-based staff at the British embassy in Belgrade.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has regarding the supply of arms and munitions to Serbian irregulars, militia and Chetniks currently operating in Bosnia Herzegovina and Croatia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are aware of allegations in the media concerning the supply of arms to these groups. We have no specific information to corroborate these reports.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of current United Nations sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The economic effects of sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro are becoming increasingly evident. In concert with our EC and other partners, we are offering assistance to the Danube's riparian states in order to prevent the recurrence of the recent breaches of the embargo. On 4 February, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe appointed an executive sanctions co-ordinator, who will be responsible for ensuring that sanctions are applied as rigorously as possible.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has of the number of people killed through artillery fire in the current conflict in Croatia and Bosnia Herzegovina.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are unable to provide definitive statistics about casualties caused by artillery fire in Croatia and Bosnia. Reports of numbers killed differ radically according to source.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Southern Africa
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of Stare for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest assessment by Her Majesty's Government of the capacity of the Governments of the south African region adequately to feed all their people.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The prospects are that this year's harvest will be much better than last year's, but it is still too early to make an accurate assessment.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements exist within his Department to assess need for aid to Sierra Leone and monitor its use.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Officials of ODA's west and north Africa department, in conjunction with the diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and with the high commission at Freetown, make regular assessments of economic and social conditions in Sierra Leone, and thus of the need for aid. British aid activities in that country are monitored by the high commission and by officials from the Overseas Development Administration.

  Lithuania
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new applications he is considering for the use of the know-how fund in Lithuania.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The know-how fund is considering four new projects which will benefit the agriculture and energy sectors and small business creation. These are valued at approximately £366,000. Other smaller projects are also in the pipeline, but have not yet been costed.

  UNESCO
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect on Overseas Development Administration programmes in the first and second years of a return by the United Kingdom to UNESCO.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  No decision has been taken to rejoin UNESCO.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Research Councils
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what proportion of the total identifiable expenditure(a) of all and (b) of each of the research councils (i) has been spent in England and in Wales in each of the last five years and (ii) is intended to be spent in England and Wales in 1993–94.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  In 1991–92 the research councils collectively spent approximately 72 per cent. of their grant 408
  in aid in England, and approximately 4 per cent. in Wales. The respective percentage figures for the individual Research Councils were as follows:

  Per cent.

  Agricultural and Food Research Council

  84 and 7

  Economic and Social Research Council

  81 and 2

  Medical Research Council

  82 and 1

  Natural Environment Research Council

  75 and 15

  Science and Engineering Research Council

  67 and 2

  Figures for earlier and subsequent years are not available.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what procedures are employed in the selection of members of(a) research councils, (b) the boards of research councils and (c) the funding committees of research councils; and what independent mechanism within his Department exists to ensure the fairness of the process and the distribution of members among the various institutions active in each field of research;

  (2) what procedures are employed to ensure that membership of research councils, the boards of those councils and the funding committees of those councils does not give any undue advantage in the allocation of funds to institutions to which the members belong.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  Members of the research councils are appointed after wide consultation with interested Departments and the councils themselves. The Government aim to secure an appropriate balance of academic and industrial expertise and experience.

  The composition of their committees is a matter for the councils themselves, as is the allocation of funds to institutions. Each council operates a system of peer review, aimed at securing the highest scientific quality in competition for the funds available.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  "Red Hot Dutch"
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many complaints he has received from those members of the public who have paid for decoders which enable them to receive a satellite programme called "Red Hot Dutch".

  Mr. Brooke
  I have received some 450 letters from members of the public about the satellite television channel "Red Hot Dutch", now renamed "Red Hot Television". Most of those who have written appear not to be subscribers to the channel; but it is not possible to be sure of that.

  BBC Income
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what has been the total income of the BBC in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and how much and what percentage of that income was derived from the licence fee in each of those years.

  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 4 February 1993]: The information requested is set out in the table.
  409

  Year

  Net licence fee income £ million

  Total income £ million

  Licence fee income as a percentage of total income Per cent.

  1982–83

  683.2

  694.4

  98.39

  1983–84

  702.0

  718.9

  97.65

  1984–85

  723.1

  736.0

  98.25

  1985–86

  922.9

  935.7

  98.63

  1986–87

  960.7

  983.2

  97.71

  1987–88

  1,019.6

  1,069.6

  95.33

  1988–89

  1,080.1

  1,116.4

  96.75

  1989–90

  1,171.5

  1,212.6

  96.61

  1990–91

  1,274.6

  1,298.8

  98.14

  1991–92

  1,393.6

  1,413.4

  98.53

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will outline the proposed restructuring of the Crown prosecution service.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer my hon. Friend to my earlier reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns).

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the policy relating to criminal prosecutions by the Crown prosecution service.

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown prosecution service applies the principles set out in the "Code for Crown Prosecutors". A copy of the code is in the Library.

  Lambeth Council
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General what consideration the Serious Fraud Office has given to the issues arising out of the recent report under section 5 of the Local Government Act 1988 on the conduct of some departments of Lambeth council.

  The Attorney-General
  The director of the Serious Fraud Office has been in contact with the Audit Commission in connection with this report and has asked the Metropolitan police to keep him informed of matters brought to their attention regarding Lambeth council so that he can decide what, if any, action by the Serious Fraud Office might be appropriate.

TRANSPORT

  Disabled People (Public Transport)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with local authorities regarding access to public transport for the disabled.

  Mr. Freeman
  My department is in close and regular touch with local authorities on a wide range of issues to improve services for the disabled including the introduction of low-floor buses, design standards for light rapid transit systems and accessible taxis.

  Coach Safety
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has recently had with the European Commission on the subject of coach safety.

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department has regular communication with the European Commission on directives covering various aspects of vehicle safety, including those affecting coach safety.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what support he has received from the United Kingdom freight industry for his proposals to privatise British Rail freight.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Our discussions suggest that the great majority of existing rail freight users support our proposals to privatise British Rail's freight businesses. Like us, they believe that they offer the best hope of providing a rail freight industry for the future which will be competitive and respond to customers' needs.

  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the implications of his legislative proposals for British Rail upon the lines north and west of Inverness.

  Mr. Freeman
  As my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State announced on Second Reading of the Railways Bill, ScotRail, which includes the services north and west of Inverness, will be one of the first groups of services to be prepared by BR for franchising.

  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he intends to take to ensure that the present standards of safety currently held by British Rail are imposed upon new private sector operators.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have accepted all the Health and Safety Commission's recommendations for a safety regime which will ensure that high safety standards on the railways are maintained after privatisation. The recommendations have also been endorsed by the chairman of BR.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the future of rail services in south Wales after privatisation.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in this House on 2 February in the debate on the Second Reading of the Railways Bill.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the subsidy required to maintain the Southampton-Eastbourne railway service after the franchising of this route.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have made no such estimate. In the process of franchising British Rail passenger services, subsidy requirements will in future be market tested. It has not yet been decided whether this service would be franchised on its own or as part of a larger grouping.

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps will be taken to ensure that a privatised British Rail will cater adequately for disabled passengers.
  411
  Mr. Freeman
  Under our proposals for railway privatisation, all railway operators will be required by the terms of their operating licences to have regard to the needs of passengers with mobility handicaps. The regulator will be responsible for issuing and checking compliance with railway licences and he will have a specific statutory duty to look after the interests of disabled passengers.

  Regional Airports
  Mr. Bates
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he intends to take to develop regional airports within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. MacGregor
  We believe that future development at regional airports is best undertaken in the private sector. That is why we are encouraging their privatisation. We are also providing more opportunities for air services from regional airports through our liberalisation policies.

  Traffic Cameras
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will extend the use of red light and speed cameras in London.

  Mr. Norris
  It is for the Metropolitan police and the City of London police to decide on the deployment of red light and speed cameras in their respective areas of London.

  Jubilee Line
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest position on the plans to extend the Jubilee line.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Negotiations are continuing with the administrators of Olympia and York Canary Wharf on the terms of an agreement on which they are to contribute towards the cost of the Jubilee line extension. We have made provision for the construction of the extension subject to a satisfactory agreement being reached.

  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make statement on the current outturn of expenditure on the Jubilee line development relative to budget.

  Mr. Norris
  Through London Underground Ltd., the Government have spent nearly £160 million preparing to build the Jubilee line extension. The latest approved estimate of the total cost of the extension is £1.5 billion at June 1990 prices—something over £1.8 billion cash.

  Railway Closures
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he intends to keep in place the present procedures which must be undertaken before a railway is closed.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Railways Bill sets out new closure procedures no less rigorous than the present ones. The current arrangements will continue to apply to lines and stations which are not currently operated by British Rail.

  Buses (Urban Areas)
  Sir Anthony Durant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he has taken to encourage the use of buses in urban areas.
  412
  Mr. Freeman
  I recently announced the allocation of over £15 million to local authorities in England for bus priority measures in 1993–94. This represents a substantial increase on the sum originally budgeted for. Some £4 million was allocated in 1992–93 for similar schemes.

  Bypasses
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bypasses he plans to start building in the next financial year.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We plan to start 19 new bypasses, 83 miles in length, in the next financial year.

  In addition to these schemes, there are 22 other national schemes planned to start in England next year. Although not described as bypasses, most of these relieve one or more communities of through traffic.

  My Department is also funding the construction of 24 local bypasses and relief roads through the transport supplementary grant and borrowing approvals announced in December.

  London Transport (Investment)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the level of London Transport's investment in 1993–94.

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations about London Transport's investment plans for 1993–94 and subsequent years. These have included letters from hon. Members, local councillors and members of the public.

  M1 (Lighting)
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to extend the lighting on the M1 motorway.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It is proposed to extend the lighting on the M1 between junctions 40 and 42 and to light the M1/M62 interchange. Further lighting is expected on sections of the M I as they are widened to four lanes.

  Waterloo-Exeter Line
  Sir John Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when British Rail expects to introduce the proposed new trains on the Waterloo-Exeter line.

  Mr. Freeman
  The first new train for the Waterloo-Exeter line was delivered to British Rail on 23 January. It will enter passenger service shortly. The remaining trains should be in service by July.

  Public Transport (London)
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of his Department's budget for London is spent on public transport.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department does not have a separate budget for expenditure in London. But, in the current financial year, London Transport and Network SouthEast are expected to invest in total about three times the amount which the Department will be spending on the construction and capital maintenance of roads in London.

  London Underground
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has received from London Transport on capital investment for the modernisation of London Underground.

  Mr. Norris
  My Department regularly receives investment proposals from London Underground. Spending plans for 1993–94 and following years have not yet been finalised.

  The Minch
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Minch is designated by Her Majesty's Government as an internal sea or an internationally recognised navigable strait; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  By virtue of the United Kingdom Territorial Water Order in Council 1964 the area known as the Minches is within the internal waters of the United Kingdom.

  By virtue of article 5 of the UN convention on the territorial sea and contiguous zone 1958, ratified by the United Kingdom on 14 March 1960 there exists a right of innocent passage through that area.

  Rail Freight
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce the results of his review of section 8 grants.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend's speech during the Second Reading of the Railways Bill on 2 February Official Report, columns 164–65.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase the section 8 grant budget.

  Mr. Freeman
  This will depend on demand and other calls on public expenditure. The budget is kept under review and to date no schemes have been turned down through lack of funds. The need for additional funding will be considered in the light of the proposals put forward by my right hon. Friend on 2 February,Official Report, columns 164–65.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list what information he has of individual items of traffic transferred from rail freight distribution and train load freight to roads since July 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a commercial matter between British Rail and its customers.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the operational and infrastructure cost savings he expects for the rail freight sector following privatisation.

  Mr. Freeman
  Privatisation and open access to the network will transform rail freight from a public sector monopoly into a competitive privately owned industry. Operators will need to improve constantly to stay ahead of their competitors. They will be free from public sector constraints on finance and will be able to benefit directly from the cost and service improvements they make.
  414
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the report by Mercer Management Consultants into the future of the rail freight industry.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. The report will contain commercially confidential information. We will be publishing proposals on the future of British Rail's freight businesses after we have studied Mercer's report.

  MV Braer
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his written answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 1, what evidence the marine accident investigation branch has now taken or plans to take in respect of the progress of the steps that were being taken by the owners of the MV Braer at the time of its accident to renew the insurance cover of the vessel.

  Mr. Norris
  The conduct of the inquiry into the Braer accident is a matter for the inspector, and I cannot discuss the evidence which is being obtained in the course of the investigation.

  M66—A664 (Report)
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the report of the public inquiry into the M66 junction A664; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Soon.

  Eastgate Cement Works
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much Government funding has been spent on providing freight facilities at Eastgate cement works since 1975 to help transfer freight from road to rail.

  Mr. Freeman
  There has been no Government assistance towards facilities at Blue Circle's Eastgate cement works. However, a 50 per cent. freight facilities grant under section 8 of the Railways Act 1974 was awarded in January 1984 towards the provision of modern wagons, for the movement of cement from Eastgate to northern destinations, and for work at two of the reception depots. The award led to a total grant payment of £728,000. In common with all awards the traffic has continued to be monitored annually and the results have shown that the original grant has been more than justified.

  Passengers Charter
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will amend the passengers charter so as to require British Rail to offer a full discount on fares on InterCity trains which arrive at their destination one and half hours or more late.

  Mr. Freeman
  Under the passengers charter, a full refund is available if the train a passenger planned to catch is cancelled or delayed, and the journey is not made. In addition, British Rail offer vouchers of 20 per cent. or more of the fare paid if a journey, or any leg of it, is delayed by more than an hour. Where delays are particularly serious, the compensation offered can be as much as 100 per cent. I believe that these arrangements provide reasonable recompense to those who are seriously inconvenienced.

  Shipping Routes
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements are being made for the submission of evidence to Lord Donaldson's inquiry into possible measures to protect United Kingdom coastlines from pollution by merchant shipping.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Lord Donaldson held a preliminary hearing at Church house, Westminster on 29 January at which he invited written submissions to the inquiry to reach the secretariat by the end of February. Lord Donaldson emphasised that although his Inquiry was set up in reaction to the Braer accident, he will not be investigating that accident. It is already the subject of investigations by the marine accident investigation branch and the Liberian Government. Nor does his inquiry cover the ecological effects of the Braer oil spill, which will be assessed by the ecological steering group appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Lord Donaldson said he would consider any issues within his terms of reference which appear to him to be relevant but he expects to concentrate on finding answers to four questions:
  What incidents could occur in the future which could cause damage to the coastline of the United Kingdom? The inquiry is likely to concentrate on oil pollution but other pollutants will be considered if they appear to be relevant.
  How might such incidents arise?
  What practical steps can be taken to make such incidents much less likely to arise?
  What practical steps can be taken to reduce or eliminate the adverse effects of such an incident if it does arise?

  At this stage, the following topics have been identified as ones which the inquiry expects to consider:
  Navigational issues, including routeing, weather forecasting and position finding.
  Vessel structure, including design, classification by the classification societies and standards and systems of maintenance.
  Vessel operation including who takes crucial decisions, whether the responsibility of ships masters is being eroded, training officers and crews and communications.
  Effectiveness of existing national and international legislation, and possible improvements.
  Lessons from worldwide experience of accidents and near-accidents.
  Insurance and compensation, as they influence decisions taken in potentially dangerous situations.
  Salvage and whether present and traditional arrangements are satisfactory in the context of a hazardous cargo.
  Treatment of pollution, including means of preventing pollutants reaching the coast, treatment of pollutants which do reach the coast and contingency planning.

  Lord Donaldson hopes that a very wide range of individuals and organisations with relevant expertise will send written submissions on these matters to the inquiry. These should be sent to:

  The Secretary to Lord Donaldson's Inquiry

  Room 3/2, Sunley House

  90–93 High Holborn

  LONDON

  WC1V 6LP

  Freight
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will allow private sector freight interests access to British Rail's operational and infrastructure accounts.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail does not produce separate operational and infrastructure accounts at present.

  British Rail (Accounts)
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will instruct British Rail to produce accounts separating infrastructure accounting from operations, in accordance with the relevant EC directive.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail is already making preparations for the implementation in its accounting year 1993–94 of the provisions of Council directive EEC 91/440 requiring that the accounts for business relating to the provision of transport services and those for business relating to the management of railway infrastructure are kept separate.

  Northern Ireland Railways
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what property, rights or liabilities of Northern Ireland Railways are affected by the Railways Bill.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is not the intention that Northern Ireland Railways should be affected in any way by the provisions of the Railways Bill.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what property, rights or liabilities of British Rail relate to Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Freeman
  That is a matter for British Rail, but I understand that the board has no significant property, rights or liabilities in Northern Ireland.

  Regulations
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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. Norris
  A provisional list of regulations that 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.

  Darlington-Bishop Auckland Railway Line
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the present apportionment of costs between British Rail sectors for the Darlington to Bishop Auckland railway line; and what will be the change in apportionment of track costs following withdrawal of cement trains later in the current year.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is primarily a matter for British Rail. The route between Darlington and Bishop Auckland is Regional Railways sponsored. In such cases, freight flows are charged only incremental costs and there is not, therefore, likely to be any effect.

  Rail Track Costs
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what legislation inhibits the public payment of rail track costs for freight operators; and if he will seek to revoke that legislation.

  Mr. Freeman
  The proposed new grant towards track changes would be paid under EC regulation 1893/91,
  417
  subject to the designation of the Secretary of State as the competent authority for that purpose. It would take effect when Railtrack is established and when the new regime for track access and charging commences.

  Forth Bridge
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requests for funding he has received from British Rail for the maintenance of the Forth bridge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  None.

  MVs Derbyshire and Tribulus
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will contact the European Shipping Commissioner and Mr. Alex Underwood of Salmond street, Gateshead to collect further evidence about the MV Derbyshire and the MV Tribulus.

  Mr. Norris
  My Department is in frequent contact with the EC Commissioner responsible for shipping matters.

  If anyone has information about the MV Derbyshire which they regard as "new and important" evidence under the terms of section 57 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1970, it should be sent to my Department for consideration. Any information about the MV Tribulus accident in 1990 should be sent to the Isle of Man marine administration, with which the ship is registered.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will reconsider his decision not to order a full public inquiry into the sinking of MV Derbyshire.

  Mr. Norris
  A formal investigation into the loss of the MV Derbyshire was held between October 1987 and March 1988. I have no plans to order a further public inquiry.

  Passenger Services
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the increase in public service obligation grant that will be required to maintain passenger services at their present level following withdrawal of freight services.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail is in the process of preparing its budget for 1993–94, which will provide the basis for determining public service obligation grant for next year. The board's claim for grant will take account of the impact of any expected changes in the pattern of freight flows on the finances of the grant-supported businesses.

  London Transport (Sub-contractors)
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken to apply the policy of prompt payment of sub-contractors towards new developments by London Transport.

  Mr. Norris
  I am advised that London Transport has a policy of settling payments to all suppliers and contractors strictly in accordance with the terms agreed in its contracts with them. This applies equally to investment in the existing infrastructure and in new development.

  British Rail (Capital Investment)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the capital investment at constant prices by British Rail in 1991–92, 1992–93, planned for 1993–94 and 1994–95, in the 1991 autumn statement and now proposed for 1993–94 and 1994–95, excluding spending associated with the channel tunnel.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail invested a total of £1,005 million in 1991–92, of which £751 million was spent on the existing railway. British Rail is planning to invest around £1.5 billion in 1992–93, over £1 billion of which is expected to be spent on the existing railway. BR is currently considering plans for future years as part of its 1993–94 budget and 1993 corporate plan.

  InterCity (Timetabled Journeys)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with British Rail concerning the lengthening of timetabled journeys on InterCity arising from track maintenance shortfall; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is for British Rail to plan its track maintenance programme within available resources. Prudent timetabling must have regard to the implementation of this programme.

  West London Rail Links
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are for improvements to rail transport arrangements between Ealing, Greenford, Hanwell, Perivale, Northolt and Paddington; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  Most stations in these areas will benefit from the £750 million upgrading of London Underground's Central line with new trains and signalling or from the £240 million modernisation of Network SouthEast's Thames and Chiltern division with new trains, signalling and station improvements.

  Jubilee Line Extension
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he now expects construction work to start on the Jubilee line extension; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  That depends upon the settlement of detailed terms for the private sector contribution to the cost of the extension, upon which negotiations with the administrators of Olympia and York continue.

  M1
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects junction 2 on the southbound section of the M1 to reopen; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Given reasonable weather conditions, the junction should be reopened before the end of March.

PRIME MINISTER

  Relate
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps are taken to co-ordinate the work of the United Kingdom Departments and Scottish and Welsh Offices concerned with Relate; and if he will make a statement on the grants for Relate for future years.

  The Prime Minister
  Consultations take place within government on this matter as necessary. The Home Office grant to Relate supports marriage guidance in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The grant for 1993–94 of £1,530,000 is 38 per cent. higher than that for 1991–92. It is planned to increase the grant for Relate in 1994–95 by 4 per cent. over the 1993–94 level, subject to public expenditure constraints. The Scottish Office provides a grant to Marriage Counselling Scotland. In 1993–94 this will amount to £87,288, an increase of one and half times compared with 1992–93.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will undertake a comparative study of the employment effects of any tax or consumer subsidy for coal mining on the existing job in nuclear energy supply and in the offshore gas and oil industry.

  The Prime Minister
  The coal review being undertaken by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is considering, among other options, methods and costs of reducing the price of British Coal by providing support to the coal industry, for example by subsidy or levy arrangements, and the implications for other energy providers and customers. The effect of any measures on employment in other energy sectors is one of the factors being considered. Evidence on this has been submitted to the review from organisations and individuals within the nuclear, oil and gas industries, and is being given full consideration.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Vehicle-Taking Offences
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to amend the current legislation to introduce stiffer penalties where death has occurred as a result of aggravated vehicle-taking offences; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  It is not our present intention to change the sentencing provisions of the Aggravated Vehicle-Taking Act 1992. We have, however, made clear our intention to raise the maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous or drink driving to 10 years as soon as a suitable legislative opportunity is available.

  Drug Problems
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new strategies he intends to promote to tackle drug problems in Mansfield and in Nottinghamshire.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government's strategy for tackling drug misuse is aimed at reducing both the supply of and the 420
  demand for drugs. In Nottingham a local drugs prevention team has been set up under the Home Office drugs prevention initiative—DPI—and they will continue to work with the local community in finding effective ways of preventing the spread of drug misuse. As the work of the 20 local teams is evaluated and lessons are learnt from it, we aim to ensure that other areas of the country have the opportunity to benefit from the DOI's experience.

  Nottinghamshire, like other areas, will benefit from other aspects of the Government's drug strategy such as the measures in the Criminal Justice Bill to tighten the law on drug trafficking and money laundering, the assistance we are providing to other countries to help reduce the supply of drugs into this country and the tougher controls which we are introducing on precursor and essential chemicals.

  At the national level, we are committed to bringing forward proposals to ensure that the control of drug misuse is co-ordinated effectively, and the Criminal Justice Bill which we hope to bring before the House shortly, further tightens the law on drug trafficking and money laundering.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new strategies his Department intends to promote to tackle drug problems in Greater London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government's strategy for tackling drug misuse is aimed at reducing both the supply of and the demand for drugs. Within the Greater London area, six local drug prevention initiative teams are working in key areas with the local community in developing imaginative strategies specifically designed to tackle local drugs problems. In addition, the London drug policy forum, which receives funding from the Home Office, has initiatives in hand for promoting the co-ordination of local authority effort on drug-related matters.

  At the national level, we are committed to bringing forward proposals to ensure that the control of drug misuse is co-ordinated effectively and the Criminal Justice Bill, which we hope to bring before the House shortly, further tightens the law on drug trafficking and money laundering.

  Offenders (Rehabilitation)
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take to prepare and motivate for employment those who are subject to a court sentence in(a) Mansfield and (b) Nottinghamshire as part of their rehabilitation.

  Mr. Jack
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 11 January to the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) at column 600. It is the responsibility of the Nottinghamshire probation service to prepare and implement local plans to achieve the objective of ensuring effective provision for offenders under its supervision in relation to training and employment; in partnership with training and enterprise councils, the employment service and others locally.

  In relation to those who receive a custodial sentence, the prison service has been working closely with the employment service to introduce preparation for job search courses and job clubs in prisons to improve the help given to prisoners in preparing for and finding jobs.
  421
  The Home Office funds two national voluntary organisations, Apex Trust and the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders, which provide employment services for offenders and ex-offenders. Part of their programme of work is to assist probation services with employment and training for offenders under their supervision, and to assist the prison service in preparing prisoners for release.

  Sri Lanka (Deportations)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of Sri Lankans deported from the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Sri Lankan citizens removed from the United Kingdom under the deportation process

  Year

  Number

  1988

  8

  1989

  12

  1990

  4

  1991

  4

  11992

  5

  1 January to September.

  Race Relations
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 14 January,Official Report, column 798, if he will give a breakdown by region of the number of posts at present funded or part-funded by section 11 grant.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Section 11 is not administered on a regional basis. The table shows approximate numbers of posts, in full-time equivalent terms, for which payment of grant has been approved to local authorities and other eligible bodies, grouped on a geographical basis:

  Number

  North West

  1,320.6

  North East

  1,587.9

  Wales

  66.8

  West Midlands

  1,545.6

  East Midlands

  701.4

  East Anglia

  131.7

  South West

  89.1

  London

  3,784.5

  South East

  898.5

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 14 January,Official Report, column 798, how many posts at present funded or part-funded under section 11 grant, are engaged in (a) education in schools, (b) training, (c) advice work and (d) economic development.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information is not available in the form requested. Approval for funding has been given for some 8,876 posts, in full-time equivalent terms, in education. A large proportion of these posts are school-based. In addition, approximately 1,250 posts, in full-time equivalent terms, have been approved in other service areas, including social services, housing employment, training and enterprise.
  422
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many posts in(a) Hampshire county council and (b) district councils in Hampshire are currently funded under section 11; what is the total cost of these posts; and if he will list the number and purpose of each post funded in each authority.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Numbers of posts approved for funding from 1 April 1992 are given in the table, with current full-year potential grant cost:

  Local authority

  Total No. of full-time equivalent posts

  Total grant cost £

  Hampshire county council

  52.9

  681,698

  Southampton city council

  1.62

  19,550

  Overall total:

  54.52

  701,248

  Hampshire county council's posts provide a school and college-based English language development service. Southampton city council's posts are concerned with support services for Asian women experiencing domestic violence.

  European Election Boundaries
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answers of 11 January,Official Report, column 595, when he proposes to bring forward legislation on the European election boundaries.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government's proposals on the basis for this legislation will be brought forward shortly. The legislation itself will be introduced at the appropriate time bearing in mind the dates of future elections.

  Prisoners (Media Interviews)
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many media interviews with convicted prisoners have been published in the last two years; and what are the criteria for allowing such interviews.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Applications to interview prisoners are generally processed through the Home Office public relations branch. Each application is dealt with on its merits and a decision to proceed is made by the public relations branch in conjunction with prison governors, senior officials and, where necessary, Ministers.

  At the outset, the journalist involved would need to outline fully his or her request and justify the need to interview prisoners.

  If the interview is allowed to proceed for research or private purposes, an undertaking would need to be given that none of the material obtained would be used in any publication or broadcast.

  Statistical information about the number of media interviews with convicted prisoners, published or broadcast during the last two years, is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Relate
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase, in real terms, the grant to the charity Relate.
  423
  Mr. Jack
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the question from the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent North (Ms. Walley) on 4 February at columns 288–89.

  Bingo Clubs
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what way and for what reason he intends that licensed bingo clubs should be regulated differently from the proposed national lottery.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The arrangements for the regulation of licensed bingo clubs are set out in the Gaming Act 1968 and the Gaming (Bingo) Act 1985. The proposed regulatory framework for the national lottery is set out in the National Lottery Etc. Bill currently before the House. The differences between the two sets of controls reflect the different nature of the activities involved.

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used in England and Wales 1987

  Force

  Quarter 1

  Quarter 2

  Quarter 3

  Quarter 4

  Total

  Avon and Somerset

  20

  19

  31

  11

  81

  Bedfordshire

  31

  40

  19

  13

  103

  Cambridgeshire

  8

  15

  17

  19

  59

  Cheshire

  17

  19

  14

  12

  62

  Cleveland

  8

  11

  6

  6

  31

  Cumbria

  7

  18

  31

  11

  67

  Derbyshire

  42

  29

  32

  21

  124

  Devon and Cornwall

  30

  41

  36

  19

  126

  Dorset

  1

  4

  3

  5

  13

  Durham

  15

  22

  29

  21

  87

  Essex

  73

  89

  74

  62

  298

  Gloucestershire

  1

  6

  6

  1

  14

  Greater Manchester

  118

  111

  131

  122

  482

  Hampshire

  48

  65

  49

  44

  206

  Hertfordshire

  18

  42

  31

  29

  120

  Humberside

  81

  110

  78

  83

  252

  Kent

  50

  63

  58

  45

  216

  Lancashire

  29

  25

  14

  17

  85

  Leicestershire

  12

  20

  19

  29

  80

  Lincolnshire

  29

  26

  16

  23

  94

  London, City of

  10

  5

  13

  2

  30

  Merseyside

  87

  124

  133

  84

  428

  Metropolitan Police

  561

  555

  589

  575

  2,280

  Norfolk

  17

  17

  10

  15

  59

  Northamptonshire

  35

  30

  30

  35

  130

  Northumbria

  104

  105

  110

  68

  387

  North Yorkshire

  23

  15

  19

  11

  68

  Nottinghamshire

  47

  104

  64

  68

  283

  South Yorkshire

  88

  90

  63

  51

  292

  Staffordshire

  30

  48

  36

  26

  140

  Suffolk

  16

  24

  29

  24

  93

  Surrey

  20

  17

  23

  13

  73

  Sussex

  21

  20

  33

  18

  92

  Thames Valley

  55

  55

  100

  33

  243

  Telephone Tapping
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been instituted for illegal telephone tapping since the coming into force of the Interception of Communications Act 1985.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Interception of Communications Act 1985 came into force on 10 April 1986. From 1986 to 1991 there have been six prosecutions under section 1(1) of the Act. Information collected centrally does not identify whether the communications were by post or by means of public telecommunication systems.

  Firearms
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of offences recorded by each police force in England and Wales in which firearms are reported to have been used in each quarter of 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Jack
  The tables give the information requested. Statistics for 1992 are not yet available.
  425

  Force

  Quarter 1

  Quarter 2

  Quarter 3

  Quarter 4

  Total

  Warwickshire

  18

  16

  18

  14

  66

  West Mercia

  23

  33

  29

  17

  102

  West Midlands

  174

  153

  150

  131

  608

  West Yorkshire

  106

  139

  130

  106

  481

  Wiltshire

  15

  19

  19

  8

  61

  Dyfed Powys

  12

  7

  12

  11

  42

  Gwent

  10

  8

  4

  7

  29

  North Wales

  23

  46

  16

  31

  116

  South Wales

  63

  29

  76

  31

  199

  TOTAL

  2,196

  2,434

  2,400

  1,972

  9,002

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used in England and Wales 1988

  Force

  Quarter 1

  Quarter 2

  Quarter 3

  Quarter 4

  Total

  Avon and Somerset

  23

  15

  20

  23

  81

  Bedfordshire

  23

  12

  21

  15

  71

  Cambridgeshire

  22

  27

  21

  10

  80

  Cheshire

  20

  29

  23

  9

  81

  Cleveland

  18

  6

  16

  14

  54

  Cumbria

  10

  9

  20

  11

  50

  Derbyshire

  30

  33

  36

  21

  120

  Devon and Cornwall

  31

  43

  34

  20

  128

  Dorset

  5

  2

  4

  2

  13

  Durham

  5

  12

  8

  12

  37

  Essex

  61

  56

  54

  43

  214

  Gloucestershire

  7

  4

  2

  8

  21

  Greater Manchester

  128

  113

  112

  88

  441

  Hampshire

  34

  50

  46

  40

  170

  Hertfordshire

  27

  41

  27

  29

  124

  Humberside

  79

  97

  91

  69

  336

  Kent

  28

  64

  49

  56

  197

  Lancashire

  18

  42

  25

  22

  107

  Leicestershire

  27

  28

  21

  18

  94

  Lincolnshire

  22

  27

  19

  19

  87

  London, City of

  10

  1

  9

  3

  23

  Merseyside

  120

  95

  87

  91

  393

  Metropolitan Police

  530

  619

  628

  597

  2,374

  Norfolk

  22

  20

  27

  21

  90

  Northamptonshire

  28

  28

  31

  24

  111

  Northumbria

  75

  72

  90

  82

  319

  North Yorkshire

  14

  23

  10

  22

  69

  Nottinghamshire

  64

  65

  89

  42

  260

  South Yorkshire

  78

  52

  67

  56

  253

  Staffordshire

  35

  44

  41

  27

  147

  Suffolk

  17

  31

  20

  29

  97

  Surrey

  13

  38

  16

  24

  91

  Sussex

  21

  23

  42

  17

  103

  Thames Valley

  63

  50

  47

  42

  202

  Warwickshire

  11

  16

  21

  20

  68

  West Mercia

  17

  17

  15

  21

  70

  West Midlands

  145

  136

  133

  122

  536

  West Yorkshire

  92

  123

  112

  88

  415

  Wiltshire

  12

  9

  7

  10

  38

  Dyfed Powys

  8

  11

  9

  11

  39

  Gwent

  18

  13

  6

  8

  45

  426 427

  Force

  Quarter 1

  Quarter 2

  Quarter 3

  Quarter 4

  Total

  North Wales

  26

  32

  20

  23

  101

  South Wales

  45

  47

  34

  48

  174

  TOTAL

  2,082

  2,275

  2,210

  1,957

  8,524

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used in England and Wales 1989

  Force

  Quarter 1

  Quarter 2

  Quarter 3

  Quarter 4

  Total

  Avon and Somerset

  38

  29

  15

  25

  107

  Bedfordshire

  13

  14

  7

  17

  51

  Cambridgeshire

  20

  30

  24

  21

  95

  Cheshire

  21

  18

  30

  12

  81

  Cleveland

  23

  35

  18

  23

  99

  Cumbria

  12

  18

  13

  5

  48

  Derbyshire

  34

  47

  28

  32

  141

  Devon and Cornwall

  32

  38

  37

  31

  138

  Dorset

  5

  1

  5

  4

  15

  Durham

  26

  21

  18

  14

  79

  Essex

  73

  58

  53

  42

  226

  Gloucestershire

  1

  2

  6

  —

  9

  Greater Manchester

  135

  149

  119

  130

  533

  Hampshire

  71

  35

  60

  48

  214

  Hertfordshire

  35

  31

  20

  22

  108

  Humberside

  89

  115

  120

  88

  412

  Kent

  49

  54

  75

  71

  249

  Lancashire

  14

  11

  10

  12

  47

  Leicestershire

  36

  38

  30

  36

  140

  Lincolnshire

  18

  18

  19

  23

  78

  London, City of

  7

  11

  6

  5

  29

  Merseyside

  91

  106

  123

  86

  406

  Metropolitan Police

  594

  658

  605

  783

  2,640

  Norfolk

  26

  31

  31

  22

  110

  Northamptonshire

  24

  26

  36

  23

  109

  Northumbria

  94

  134

  102

  142

  472

  North Yorkshire

  22

  24

  21

  14

  81

  Nottinghamshire

  69

  84

  74

  57

  284

  South Yorkshire

  81

  88

  85

  79

  333

  Staffordshire

  29

  26

  27

  7

  89

  Suffolk

  21

  13

  26

  18

  78

  Surrey

  19

  22

  18

  23

  82

  Sussex

  44

  38

  46

  37

  165

  Thames Valley

  41

  55

  69

  79

  244

  Warwickshire

  17

  28

  27

  14

  86

  West Mercia

  33

  46

  28

  16

  123

  West Midlands

  114

  168

  142

  151

  575

  West Yorkshire

  92

  89

  102

  95

  378

  Wiltshire

  10

  12

  15

  1

  38

  Dyfed Powys

  9

  5

  17

  7

  38

  Gwent

  4

  18

  6

  12

  40

  North Wales

  24

  29

  13

  19

  85

  South Wales

  38

  33

  39

  37

  147

  TOTAL

  2,248

  2,506

  2,365

  2,383

  9,502

  428 429

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used in England and Wales 1990

  Force

  Quarter 1

  Quarter 2

  Quarter 3

  Quarter 4

  Total

  Avon and Somerset

  45

  45

  35

  38

  163

  Bedfordshire

  14

  10

  19

  23

  66

  Cambridgeshire

  31

  38

  29

  36

  134

  Cheshire

  23

  43

  25

  16

  107

  Cleveland

  37

  39

  31

  28

  135

  Cumbria

  14

  28

  9

  10

  61

  Derbyshire

  35

  71

  54

  25

  185

  Devon and Cornwall

  29

  20

  21

  25

  95

  Dorset

  9

  8

  4

  3

  24

  Durham

  18

  12

  11

  20

  61

  Essex

  62

  91

  71

  68

  292

  Gloucestershire

  2

  2

  2

  —

  6

  Greater Manchester

  140

  131

  120

  166

  557

  Hampshire

  36

  70

  63

  63

  232

  Hertfordshire

  22

  25

  19

  29

  95

  Humberside

  118

  141

  115

  88

  462

  Kent

  59

  73

  65

  63

  260

  Lancashire

  32

  47

  25

  42

  146

  Leicestershire

  39

  34

  38

  40

  151

  Lincolnshire

  17

  22

  13

  14

  66

  London, City of

  8

  6

  6

  5

  25

  Merseyside

  67

  96

  109

  105

  377

  Metropolitan Police

  691

  666

  704

  678

  2,739

  Norfolk

  23

  33

  32

  31

  119

  Northamptonshire

  42

  22

  31

  17

  112

  Northumbria

  123

  115

  97

  112

  447

  North Yorkshire

  24

  22

  16

  18

  80

  Nottinghamshire

  76

  87

  57

  62

  282

  South Yorkshire

  81

  88

  85

  71

  325

  Staffordshire

  40

  51

  34

  37

  162

  Suffolk

  26

  25

  25

  32

  108

  Surrey

  24

  27

  31

  26

  108

  Sussex

  43

  63

  44

  43

  193

  Thames Valley

  71

  72

  90

  77

  310

  Warwickshire

  29

  37

  26

  30

  122

  West Mercia

  28

  27

  16

  11

  82

  West Midlands

  153

  137

  124

  169

  583

  West Yorkshire

  145

  131

  108

  118

  502

  Wiltshire

  5

  4

  2

  1

  12

  Dyfed Powys

  10

  22

  18

  5

  55

  Gwent

  10

  22

  10

  11

  53

  North Wales

  20

  32

  20

  14

  86

  South Wales

  39

  57

  65

  32

  193

  TOTAL

  2,560

  2,792

  2,519

  2,502

  10,373

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used in England and Wales 1991

  Force

  Quarter 1

  Quarter 2

  Quarter 3

  Quarter 4

  Total

  Avon and Somerset

  46

  17

  39

  21

  123

  Bedfordshire

  28

  26

  21

  34

  109

  Cambridgeshire

  39

  38

  53

  41

  171

  Cheshire

  13

  32

  28

  27

  100

  Cleveland

  41

  39

  32

  28

  140

  430 431

  Force

  Quarter 1

  Quarter 2

  Quarter 3

  Quarter 4

  Total

  Cumbria

  13

  20

  17

  12

  62

  Derbyshire

  45

  34

  63

  52

  194

  Devon and Cornwall

  25

  18

  22

  19

  84

  Dorset

  11

  14

  9

  4

  38

  Durham

  14

  36

  31

  24

  105

  Essex

  75

  54

  63

  85

  277

  Gloucestershire

  4

  11

  9

  11

  35

  Greater Manchester

  173

  155

  169

  210

  707

  Hampshire

  68

  77

  68

  70

  283

  Hertfordshire

  31

  34

  18

  18

  101

  Humberside

  128

  136

  136

  114

  514

  Kent

  72

  77

  70

  86

  305

  Lancashire

  64

  36

  70

  36

  206

  Leicestershire

  28

  58

  44

  32

  162

  Lincolnshire

  10

  19

  23

  15

  67

  London, City of

  3

  4

  4

  4

  15

  Merseyside

  86

  101

  118

  93

  398

  Metropolitan Police

  834

  959

  929

  969

  3,691

  Norfolk

  33

  22

  40

  21

  116

  Northamptonshire

  17

  28

  33

  31

  109

  Northumbria

  132

  107

  100

  109

  448

  North Yorkshire

  20

  30

  24

  27

  101

  Nottinghamshire

  57

  109

  105

  101

  372

  South Yorkshire

  51

  84

  84

  86

  305

  Staffordshire

  31

  50

  44

  51

  176

  Suffolk

  21

  24

  24

  22

  91

  Surrey

  26

  29

  38

  27

  120

  Sussex

  42

  44

  43

  55

  184

  Thames Valley

  85

  67

  63

  86

  301

  Warwickshire

  20

  29

  29

  36

  114

  West Mercia

  18

  25

  13

  20

  76

  West Midlands

  148

  168

  203

  178

  697

  West Yorkshire

  104

  173

  145

  152

  574

  Wiltshire

  1

  —

  2

  2

  5

  Dyfed Powys

  23

  16

  14

  9

  62

  Gwent

  11

  13

  17

  4

  45

  North Wales

  43

  36

  33

  39

  151

  South Wales

  47

  55

  44

  49

  195

  TOTAL

  2,781

  3,104

  3,134

  3,110

  12,129

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all homicides since January 1987 by the police in England and Wales in which firearms are reported to have been used, including the date of recording, the names of individuals killed, the police

  Offences Currently Recorded as Homicide where Method of Killing was by Shooting—England and Wales 1987–91

  Police Force and Outcome1

  Total

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Total

  Total

  268

  78

  42

  38

  58

  52

  Convicted

  134

  43

  23

  17

  35

  16

  Charged

  29

  4

  2

  4

  6

  13

  No Charge

  105

  31

  17

  17

  17

  23

  MPD

  Total

  78

  22

  12

  9

  23

  12

  Convicted

  37

  13

  6

  5

  12

  1

  Charged

  17

  3

  2

  2

  4

  6

  432
  force area for each incident, and whether in each case a person or persons have been (a) charged and (b) convicted in respect of each incident.

  Mr. Jack
  The table gives a summary of the information sought. Similar information for 1992 is not yet available.

  I will write to the hon. Member with the individual details of each case.
  433

  Police Force and Outcome1

  Total

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  No Charge

  24

  6

  4

  2

  7

  5

  Cumbria

  Total

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Convicted

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Lancashire

  Total

  6

  1

  2

  0

  1

  2

  Convicted

  6

  1

  2

  0

  1

  2

  Merseyside

  Total

  5

  2

  1

  1

  0

  1

  Convicted

  4

  2

  0

  1

  0

  1

  No Charge

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Greater Manchester

  Total

  16

  2

  3

  5

  1

  5

  Convicted

  7

  1

  2

  2

  1

  1

  Charged

  3

  1

  0

  0

  0

  2

  No Charge

  6

  0

  1

  3

  0

  2

  Cheshire

  Total

  4

  0

  1

  0

  2

  1

  Convicted

  3

  0

  1

  0

  2

  0

  No Charge

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Northumbria

  Total

  7

  2

  0

  1

  4

  0

  Convicted

  5

  2

  0

  0

  3

  0

  Charged

  2

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  Durham

  Total

  3

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Convicted

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  No Charge

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North Yorkshire

  Total

  3

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Convicted

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  No Charge

  2

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  West Yorkshire

  Total

  6

  2

  0

  1

  3

  0

  Convicted

  4

  2

  0

  0

  2

  0

  No Charge

  2

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  South Yorkshire

  Total

  3

  1

  0

  0

  2

  0

  Convicted

  3

  1

  0

  0

  2

  0

  Humberside

  Total

  4

  0

  0

  2

  0

  2

  Convicted

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  No Charge

  3

  0

  0

  2

  0

  1

  Cleveland

  Total

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Convicted

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  West Midlands

  Total

  7

  2

  3

  0

  2

  0

  Convicted

  3

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  No Charge

  4

  2

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Staffordshire

  Total

  3

  0

  0

  2

  1

  0

  Convicted

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  No Charge

  2

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  West Mercia

  Total

  5

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Convicted

  2

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  No Charge

  3

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  Warwickshire

  Total

  2

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Convicted

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  No charge

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  434 435

  Police Force and Outcome1

  Total

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Derbyshire

  Total

  3

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  Convicted

  2

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  No charge

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Nottinghamshire

  Total

  6

  0

  0

  1

  0

  5

  Convicted

  3

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  No charge

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Lincolnshire

  Total

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Convicted

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  No charge

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Leicestershire

  Total

  4

  1

  1

  0

  2

  0

  Convicted

  3

  1

  0

  0

  2

  0

  No charge

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Northamptonshire

  Total

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Convicted

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Cambridgeshire

  Total

  3

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Convicted

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  No charge

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Suffolk

  Total

  6

  3

  1

  0

  2

  0

  Convicted

  5

  3

  0

  0

  2

  0

  No charge

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Bedfordshire

  Total

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Charged

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Hertfordshire

  Total

  3

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Convicted

  3

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Essex

  Total

  2

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Convicted

  2

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Thames Valley

  Total

  21

  16

  2

  1

  0

  2

  Convicted

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  No charge

  19

  16

  2

  1

  0

  0

  Hampshire

  Total

  4

  0

  0

  1

  1

  2

  Convicted

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Charged

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  No charge

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Surrey

  Total

  4

  0

  1

  0

  0

  3

  Charged

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  No charge

  3

  0

  1

  0

  0

  2

  Kent

  Total

  11

  3

  1

  2

  3

  2

  Convicted

  7

  2

  1

  1

  3

  0

  Charged

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  No charge

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Sussex

  Total

  6

  1

  1

  2

  0

  2

  Convicted

  2

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  Charged

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  No charge

  3

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Devon and Cornwall

  Total

  2

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Convicted

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  436 437

  Police Force and Outcome1

  Total

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  No charge

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Avon and Somerset

  Total

  5

  2

  0

  0

  1

  2

  Convicted

  3

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  No charge

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Gloucestershire

  Total

  2

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Convicted

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  No charge

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Wiltshire

  Total

  4

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  No charge

  4

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  Dorset

  Total

  3

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  Convicted

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  No charge

  2

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  North Wales

  Total

  2

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Convicted

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  No charge

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Gwent

  Total

  5

  1

  0

  1

  1

  2

  Convicted

  2

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  No charge

  3

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  South Wales

  Total

  5

  1

  3

  1

  0

  0

  Convicted

  5

  1

  3

  1

  0

  0

  Dyfed-Powys

  Total

  7

  0

  0

  3

  3

  1

  Convicted

  3

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  No charge

  4

  0

  0

  2

  2

  0

  1 CONVICTED refers to a case decided at court to be homicide and suspect found guilty.

  CHARGED refers to a case where a suspect was charged with homicide but no conviction was recorded, e.g. the case is still pending or the suspect was acquitted and a further suspect is being sought.

  NO CHARGE refers to a case where no suspect has been charged with homicide. This could be because it was not possible to charge a potential suspect (e.g. where suspect died before charge could be brought) or where the case remains unsolved.

  Canonbury Academy (Seminar)
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the cost of the policing and security measures undertaken in relation to the seminar at the Canonbury academy, Canonbury place, London N1, on 27 January 1992.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  It is not the Government's policy to disclose details of the resources devoted to the subject of anti-terrorism.

  Devon and Cornwall Police
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the last tranche of recruits began service with the Devon and Cornwall constabulary; when the next tranche of recruits is expected to begin service with the constabulary; and how many police officers are expected to retire between these two dates.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The last tranche of recruits began service on 7 December 1992. The next tranche is expected to begin service in either May or June this year. The force anticipates 25 retirements between December 1992 and May 1993.

  Released Prisoners
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make it his policy that facilities and support for those released from prison after a delayed appeal or miscarriage of justice will(a) be generous and immediate and (b) be arranged in a way which leaves the ex-prisoner free to accept or reject what is on offer;

  (2) if he will publish standard arrangements to meet the needs of people released from prison after a delay of appeal or miscarriage of justice.

  Mr. Jack
  I intend that it should remain the case that there should be no compulsion on any person who is released from prison following the quashing of a conviction to accept support, financial or otherwise, from any official body. I am not at present convinced that it would be either practicable or right to attempt to establish comprehensive arrangements on a contingency basis to deal with a category of case that I hope in future will diminish in frequency.

  But I believe that compensation should be available in appropriate cases. That is the case now. Thus, under section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, my right hon. and learned Friend may authorise payment of compensation in the case of a convicted quashed on an appeal out

  439
  of time where a new or newly discovered fact has arisen which shows beyond reasonable doubt that a miscarriage of justice has occurred. Moreover, he may also offer ex-gratia payments from public funds in other exceptional circumstances; the criteria which he considers in such cases were set out by my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) on 29 November 1985, Official Report, columns 689–90.

  A successful appellant is under no obligation to apply for compensation or to accept any offer of compensation. The amount of any award of compensation is determined according to the assessment or advice of an independent assessor who applies principles analogous to those governing the assessment of damages for civil wrongs. Subject to the agreement of the assessor, an interim payment may be made.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will undertake a study of former hostages and the problems they have experienced as part of research to determine the facilities needed for ex-prisoners released from gaol after a delayed appeal or miscarriage of justice.

  Mr. Jack
  I have no present plans to do so. Our current research programme does. not enable us to undertake the study suggested.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will undertake an investigation into the experience of prisoners released from goal after a delayed appeal of miscarriage of justice and publish a report identifying the common problems they have experienced.

  Mr. Jack
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to do so.

  Unit Fines
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hon. Members have written to him about the new unit fines system.

  Refuals1 of after-entry applications to vary leave, solely on grounds of lack of accommodation, or maintenance or both accommodation and maintenance, by husbands, wives and fiancés2, 1986 to 1992 (January to September)3.

  United Kingdom

  Number of Persons

  Category of Refusal

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  19923

  Spouses

  Refusals on grounds of accommodation4

  Husbands

  13

  9

  5

  8

  8

  1

  3

  Wives

  1

  —

  2

  4

  1

  8

  2

  Refusals on grounds of maintenance4

  Husbands

  24

  8

  8

  2

  3

  3

  1

  Wives

  6

  4

  4

  1

  3

  3

  6

  Refusals on grounds of maintenance and accommodation

  Husbands

  31

  13

  12

  5

  3

  5

  3

  Wives

  8

  7

  4

  1

  1

  3

  3

  Refusal of settlement5

  Husbands

  17

  14

  20

  24

  30

  37

  23

  Wives

  —

  —

  2

  14

  33

  48

  Fiances

  Refusals on grounds of maintenance and accommodation

  Male fiancés

  1

  1

  3

  1

  3

  —

  1

  Female fiancés

  2

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  2

  440
  Mr. Jack
  The provisions in the Criminal Justice Act 1991 relating to unit fines were implemented on 1 October 1992. Since that date some 50 right hon. and hon. Members have written about the sentencing provisions of the Act. Thirty seven of these letters were concerned either in whole or in part with the unit fines system.

  Travel Documents
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the fee for issuing and renewing all forms of Home Office travel documents.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  It is in accordance with our normal practice and within the provisions of the 1951 and 1954 conventions to charge a fee similar to that for a standard British passport. The fee for a passport was recently increased to £18 and my right hon. and learned Friend has therefore decided that, with effect from today, the fee for issuing and renewing Home Office travel documents should be £18.

  Entry Clearance
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were refused entry clearance to come to the United Kingdom or to vary their leave once in the United Kingdom on grounds of(a) lack of maintenance, (b) lack of maintenance and accommodation and (c) lack of accommodation, in each year since 1986.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: The available information is given in the tables for spouses, fiances and children refused entry clearance or variation of leave on the grounds of lack of accommodation, or of maintenance or of both accommodation and maintenance. For entry clearance refusals, information is available only for the Indian sub-continent.
  441
  1 Excluding dependants.

  2 Information on refusals of dependent children is not separately identifiable in the statistics.

  3 January-September—Information for the fourth quarter of 1992 is not yet available.

  4 Refusals solely on the grounds of maintenance or accommodation, excluding those refusals made on the grounds of primary purpose and accommodation or maintenance.

  5 Refusal of settlement after probationary year on general considerations, including recourse to public funds.

  Refusals1 of entry clearance, solely on grounds of lack of accommodation, or maintenance or both accommodation and maintenance, for husbands, wives, fiances and children from the Indian sub-Continent, 1986–1992 (January-September)2.

  Indian sub-Continent

  Number of persons

  Category of refusal

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  21992

  Accommodation

  Husbands

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1

  7

  8

  Wives

  —

  4

  5

  10

  15

  17

  19

  Male fiancés

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  —

  —

  Female fiancées

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  3

  1

  Children

  —

  5

  —

  1

  24

  16

  14

  Maintenance

  Husbands

  —

  1

  1

  6

  8

  11

  31

  Wives

  —

  1

  —

  6

  33

  34

  70

  Male fiancés

  3

  —

  3

  —

  3

  1

  2

  Female fiancées

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  2

  Children

  1

  2

  3

  6

  31

  10

  24

  Maintenance and accommodation

  Husbands

  1

  8

  12

  17

  44

  48

  71

  Wives

  9

  13

  12

  97

  164

  122

  128

  Male fiancés

  —

  1

  5

  3

  3

  3

  3

  Female fiancées

  1

  1

  3

  4

  6

  17

  6

  Children

  7

  8

  10

  152

  326

  122

  61

  1 Excluding dependents.

  2 January to September—Information for the fourth quarter of 1992 is not yet available.

  Prison Education
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department began consideration of the effect of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 on the contracting out of prison education.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the hon. Member for Stretford (Mr. Lloyd) on 8 December, Official Report, columns 555–56. When the decision was made to invite competitive tenders for the future provision of education in prisons, the view was taken that the tendering of an already contracted-out service would not necessarily involve the transfer of an undertaking. This view was confirmed in legal advice which the Prison Service obtained.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contingency plans he has made for the timetable for contracting out prison education if the original planned start date becomes impossible.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to her questions on 27 January at columns 715–16. Where the existing providers agree, the present arrangements will continue until 31 August 1993. Where the existing providers do not, contracts will be awarded to take effect from 1 April 1993 under the recent competitive tender.

  Departmental Contracts
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements will be made for monitoring any of his Department's functions which are contracted out.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 4 February 1993]: In the case of a contracted out prison monitoring is undertaken by a controller. In the case of contracted-out prisoner escort arrangements, monitoring is undertaken by a prison escort monitor. These posts can be held only by Crown servants, appointed by the Secretary of State under the Criminal Justice Act 1991.

  In the case of other functions, where an external contractor is appointed, an in-house contract control manager will have the responsibility of ensuring that the benefits of contracting out are delivered.

  D Notices
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances D notices are issued to the press in relation to seminars and conferences taking place on private property, organised by private companies, organisations or individuals; and what difference there is in applicability between national newspapers and local newspapers.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have been asked to reply.

  It is not the practice to issue D notices in respect of specific seminars or conferences. They are provided by the

  443
  Defence, Press and Broadcasting Committee to editors and publishers as general guidance on matters which engage aspects of national security. Editors are invited to consult the D notice secretary if they are in doubt, about their particular application.

  Any advice given by the secretary on issues of national security is equally applicable to national and local newspapers.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Money Supply
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what weight he gives to his monitoring range of 4 to 8 per cent. for broad money; and what are the consequences for the economy for a fall in the annual growth in M4 to below the bottom of the range.

  Mr. Nelson
  Broad money—M4—is one of the indicators taken into account in conducting monetary policy and setting interest rates. The monitoring range has been set at a level which is believed to be consistent with progress towards the Government's inflation objectives. The recent fall in M4's 12-month growth rate to below the lower limit on the monitoring range was one of the reasons for the decision to cut interest rates on 26 January.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average growth in consumption and average growth in gross domestic product for each year since 1979 and the cumulative percentage change over the same period.

  Mr. Nelson
  The information requested for the years 1987 to 1991 can be derived from table 3 of "Economic Trends", January 1993 edition No. 471, which is available in the House of Commons Library. Figures for earlier years are available in "Economic Trends Annual Supplement", 1993 edition. They are also held on the Central Statistical Office database which can be accessed by the Library. The CSO database identifiers are:

  Identity

  Consumers' expenditure

  CCBH

  Gross domestic product

  CAOP

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the average consumption per capita and average gross domestic product per capita for each year since 1979 together with the cumulative percentage change for both over the period.

  Mr. Nelson
  The information requested for the years 1988 to 1991 can be found in table 8 of "Economic Trends", January 1993 edition No. 471, which is available in the House of Commons Library. Figures for earlier years are held on the CSO database which can be accessed by the Library. The CSO database identifiers are:

  Current prices

  Constant prices

  Consumers' expenditure per capita

  FBCC

  FBCF

  Gross domestic product per capita

  CAQB

  CAQC

  Bank Charges
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has had from the business community in relation to bank charges.

  Mr. Nelson
  Between 1 November 1992 and 3 February 1993 the Treasury has received some 780 complaints from small businesses about their banks. Thirty-five of these were solely about bank charges and a significant number of the rest included references to charges, but an exact figure cannot be provided without disproportionate cost.

  In addition, I recently met representatives of the Bank Action Group to discuss their complaints, and my right hon. Friend the Chancellor has recently seen the chief executive of the Forum of Private Business at which relations with banks were discussed.

  Wealth Distribution
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the distribution of wealth implied by the 1989 Inland Revenue study of 35 per cent. of the adult population.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Estimates for the distribution of personal wealth, including provisional figures for 1989 and 1990, are published in section 11 of the 1992 edition of "Inland Revenue Statistics".

  Market Testing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the firms of consultants used by his Department as part of the market testing programme since November 1991 together with the total cost; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  The firms of consultants used by Treasury for work relating to the market testing programme since November 1991, are Touche Ross, Prime Strategy Consultants and Ernst and Young. The spend to date has been £26,000 and there is a further committed expenditure of £55,000.

  Banking and Insurance Industry
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has for further regulation of the banking and insurance industry.

  Mr. Nelson
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has already outlined to the House—Official Report, 22 October 1992, column 576—the steps that we intend to take to implement the recommendations in the Bingham report which bear on the regulation of banking.

  The House has recently passed legislation to implement into United Kingdom law the second banking co-ordination directive, which along with the second directive on consolidated supervision, the solvency ratio directive and the own funds directive, came fully into force on 1 January 1993. Further measures will be taken later in the year to implement the large exposures directive, which comes into force on 1 January 1994, and any of the other directives currently under discussion which may he adopted for implementation by that date.

  The regulation of insurance is a matter for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. He will

  445
  shortly be laying before the House regulations to strengthen the appointed actuary system. Later this year he will be bringing forward for approval regulations to implement the third non-life and life insurance directives and the insurance accounts directive.

  International Monetary Fund
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next plans to visit the IMF to discuss structural adjustments.

  Mr. Nelson
  My right hon. Friend will be attending the next meetings of the interim committee of the IMF on 30 April 1993 and the joint development committee of the World bank and the IMF on 1 May. I expect aspects of structural adjustments to feature in the discussions.

  Auditors
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to bring forward proposals for imposing a duty on auditors to report suspicion of fraud or other criminal activity to the proper authorities.

  Mr. Nelson
  We will be publishing shortly a consultation document which will include draft regulations imposing a statutory duty on auditors to report to the Bank of England any information which they believe to be relevant to their client bank's fulfilment of the authorisation criteria in the Banking Act.

  The consultation document will also include draft regulations extending a similar duty to report to the relevant regulatory authority, for auditors of building societies, friendly societies, companies regulated under the Financial Services Act 1986 and, at the initiative of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, companies regulated under the Insurance Companies Act 1982.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will provide an estimate based on the most recent census of production of the added value per head in British manufacturing industry (i) as a whole and (ii) in plants in the United Kingdom of enterprises based in(a) other EC countries, (b) the United States of America, (c) Japan and (d) the United Kingdom;

  Excise duty on spirits (£ per litre of pure alcohol)

  Estimated whisky/whiskey duty in real terms

  Date of Budget

  Rate

  Rate in terms

  £ millions

  1978 11 April1

  10.44

  28.95

  1977–78

  1,278

  1979 12 June1

  10.44

  25.62

  1978–79

  1,495

  1980 27 March

  11.87

  25.39

  1979–80

  1,303

  1981 11 March

  13.60

  25.82

  1980–81

  1,131

  1982 10 March

  14.47

  24.91

  1981–82

  1,095

  1983 16 March

  15.19

  24.99

  1982–83

  2784

  1984 14 March

  15.48

  24.18

  1983–84

  21,284

  1985 20 March

  15.77

  23.23

  1984–85

  882

  1986 18 March1

  15.77

  22.29

  1985–86

  1,007

  1987 17 March1

  15.77

  21.43

  1986–87

  911

  1988 15 March1

  15.77

  20.71

  1987–88

  917

  1989 14 March1

  15.77

  19.20

  1988–89

  844

  1990 20 March

  17.35

  19.54

  1989–90

  747

  1991 19 March

  18.96

  19.72

  1990–91

  761

  1992 10 March

  19.81

  19.81

  1991–92

  730

  446
  (2) if he will provide an estimate based on the most recent census of production of added value relative to final sale value in British manufacturing industry (i) as a whole and (ii) in plants in the United Kingdom of enterprises based in (a) other EC countries, (b) the United States of America, (c) Japan and (d) the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Nelson
  The required information is available from "Business Monitor PA 1002, Report on the Census of Production, Summary Volume". Tables 1 and 2 give information for all public and private sector enterprises operating in the United Kingdom. Table 18 gives further information on private enterprises in the United Kingdom controlled from overseas. Copies of this volume for years up to 1990 are available from the Library of the House.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the practice of the Inland Revenue in accepting payments in instalments for arrears of tax for small businesses and individual traders; and what plans he has to review this practice to take account of the current economic climate.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The first duty of the Inland Revenue is to collect tax that is properly due and in carrying out this duty it aims to treat all taxpayers fairly and impartially. The Revenue recognises that businesses may face temporary financial difficulties and in such circumstances the collector should be contacted at the earliest opportunity to discuss how the difficulty may be resolved. All reasonable offers of payments, including payment by instalments, are considered. This practice will continue to operate.

  Whiskey and Whisky
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 255–56, if he will list the dates and the changes in (a) duty rate and (b) total duty, in real terms, received on whisky and whiskey in each of the last 15 years; and what assessment he has made of the main reasons for the domestic volume changes that underlay the fluctuations in estimated duty on whiskey and whisky in the years from 1981–82 to 1985–86.

  Sir John Cope
  The information is as follows:
  447
  1 No change in duty rate.

  2 Receipts in 1982–83 and 1983–84 were substantially affected by the introduction of duty deferment on wines and spirits in February 1983. If duty deferment had not been available, receipts of duty from spirits in 1982–83 would have been higher than those recorded and conversely lower than recorded in 1983–84.

  The real terms figures have been calculated using the RPI. Estimated whisky duty is at 1991–92 prices. Duty rates are at March 1992 prices and use the RPI applying in the Budget month where as December RPI is normally used or revalorisation.

  For information on the percentage duty changes I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to him on 20 January 1993, at column 256.

  Stock Exchange
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what percentage and amount of the equities bought on the stock exchange are bought by(a) pension funds, (b) insurance companies and (c) each other type of financial institution; and how these percentages have changed since 1979;

  (2) what percentage of shares bought on the stock exchange is bought by (a) financial institutions and (b) individuals.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 26 January 1993]: The amount and percentage of ordinary shares, in terms of market capitalisation, owned in United Kingdom companies listed on the London stock exchange, excluding issues on the unlisted securities market, as at 1 January 1992 are set out in the table.

  £ billion

  Percentage

  Pension funds

  165.0

  31.1

  Insurance companies

  109.7

  20.7

  Banks

  1.1

  0.2

  Unit trusts

  30.4

  5.7

  Other financial institutions

  14.5

  2.8

  All financial institutions

  320.7

  60.5

  Individuals

  104.8

  19.8

  Unincorporated businesses

  1.3

  0.2

  Non-profit making bodies

  11.4

  2.2

  Public sector

  6.8

  1.2

  Industrial and commercial companies

  17.5

  3.3

  Overseas

  67.8

  12.8

  All sectors

  530.2

  100.0

  Note: Components may not add to totals due to rounding.

  Other financial institutions comprise: building societies, unit trusts, securities dealers and other miscellaneous financial institutions. They also include SEPON—the stock exchange account into which shares are placed while in transit between buyer and seller—in 1992, amounting to around £3.1 billion and around 0.6 per cent.

  Comparable figures for 1979 are not available, but percentages for 1981, the nearest available year, are as follows:

  per cent.

  Pension Funds

  26.7

  Insurance Companies

  20.5

  Banks

  0.3

  Unit Trusts

  3.6

  Other Financial institutions

  6.8

  ALL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

  57.9

  Individuals

  28.2

  Unincorporated businesses

  448

  per cent.

  Non-profit making bodies

  2.2

  Public Sector

  3.0

  Industrial and commercial companies

  5.1

  Overseas

  3.6

  TOTAL

  100.0

  Further details and information for earlier periods is available in an article "The 1992 Share Register Survey", published in "Economic Trends" No. 466 which is available from the Library.

  Appointments
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will update the information given in his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 4 November 1992,Official Report, columns 270–74; and if he will state the political affiliation of the appointees where known.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 4 February 1993]: There have been only two changes to the list of appointees to the public bodies for which the Chancellor is responsible. Dr. C. Swan, Garter King of Arms, has been appointed as a member of the Royal Mint Advisory Committee. Mr. N. Fox Bassett, lawyer, has been appointed to the Building Societies Commission.

  No details are held of the political affiliation of appointees to any of the public bodies for which the Chancellor is responsible.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Pit Closures
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from mining equipment manufacturing companies about the effects on export and domestic business of a programme of pit closures.

  Mr. Eggar
  Representations have been made both by a number of individual companies and their trade associations. The Government have made it clear that they will give every proper assistance to the industry, including help to build upon their impressive export record.

  My hon. Friend the Minister for Trade and I intend to meet representatives from the industry again shortly.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the total cost of the consultants' reports commissioned as part of the review of the coal industry.

  Mr. Eggar
  The estimated total cost to the Department of consultants commissioned to carry out studies and advise in respect of the coal review is £1.4 million.

  Electricity
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he has given to(a) the competition and (b) other implications of the granting of

  449
  permission to individual large users of electricity to buy electricity directly from a generator at a cheaper rate than other industrial users; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department is in dialogue with larger users of electricity about their electricity prices. We have noted the recommendations by the Trade and Industry Select Committee that large users with unvarying demand should be able to bypass the pool and that the fossil fuel levy should be tapered, so that larger users pay a lower percentage.

  Engineering Employers Federation
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from the Engineering Employers Federation on industrial strategy since October 1992; and what response he has made.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Ministers and officials at my Department have a continuing dialogue with the EEF. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade wrote to the EEF on 14 December in response to the launch of the EEF's industrial strategy document and is due to meet with representatives of the EEF shortly.

  Intellectual Property Rights
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what actions his Department is taking in order to incorporate considerations relating to intellectual property rights in the Uruguay round of the GATT negotiations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  The draft final act of the GATT Uruguay round presented by the GATT director general, Mr. Dunkel, in December 1991 included an agreement on trade-related intellectual property rights. The views of business, industry and other organisations were actively sought and carefully considered as part of the negotiations. The draft agreement is considered to be a good text which we are encouraging other countries to accept without any amendments, as part of an overall agreement in the Uruguay round.

  Energy Policy
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what response he is making to section VII on opencast, of the first report of Session 1992–93 from the Trade and Industry Committee on British energy policy and the market for coal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The findings of the Trade and Industry Committee report are being considered and the Government will respond in due course.

  Fuel Prices
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish his estimate of the trend in world prices of oil, natural gas and coal over the next 10, 20 and 30 years.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: As part of a study of energy-related CO2 emissions the Department of Trade and Industry recently published a range of fuel price assumptions in Energy Paper No. 59, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Radiation Emergencies
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to the Health and Safety Commission's emergency planning consultative document No. 32 concerning the definition of zones for radiation emergencies.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 25 January 1993]: I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, together with the Secretary of State for Scotland, has responsibility for the regulations proposed in this consultative document. The consultative document proposed that the existing arrangements for determining the scope of detailed and extended planning should continue following the introduction of the Off-Site Plan (Licensed Nuclear Installations) Regulations. Some commentators sought a wider planning area, but most supported the existing basis for planning.

  Regional Preferential Assistance
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a breakdown of regional preferential assistance in constant prices for each United Kingdom region for each year since 1980–81.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 5 June to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn), Official Report, columns 675–78. The regional schemes that were included in the answer are the same as those that make up regional preferential assistance.

  International Atomic Energy Authority
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from the International Atomic Energy Authority concerning increased levels of funding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 4 February 1993]: None. I expect the agency to submit proposals for its regular budget in March.

EDUCATION

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the average class size in Hampshire in(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in each year since 1987 as calculated (i) including non-teaching heads and (ii) excluding non-teaching heads.

  Mr. Forth
  The average sizes of classes taught by one teacher in maintained primary and secondary schools in Hampshire local education authority for each year 1987 to 1992 are shown in the table. The figures may include some classes taught by head teachers, but it is not possible to identify these classes separately.

  Average sizes of classes taught by one teacher—Hampshire LEA

  Primary schools

  Secondary schools

  1992

  26.5

  20.7

  1991

  26.8

  20.6

  1990

  26.0

  20.4

  451

  Primary schools

  Secondary schools

  1989

  26.0

  20.4

  1988

  26.0

  20.5

  1987

  25.8

  21.0

  Primary Education
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the average spending per primary school pupil in Southampton in 1979 and in 1992 on(a) teaching costs and (b) non-teaching costs; and if he will express those figures in actual and 1979 values.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is collected by local education authorities only, so separate figures are not available for Southampton. Average net institutional expenditure per pupil in primary and nursery schools in Hampshire are shown in the table. The table shows spending in cash for 1979–80 and 1990–91, the latest year for which information on actual spending is available, and at 1979–80 prices.

  Teaching costs £

  Non-Teaching costs £

  1979–80 (cash)

  274

  110

  1990–91 (cash)

  830

  431

  1990–91 (in 1979–80 prices)

  383

  199

  Notes to table:

  1. Net institutional expenditure covers the direct costs in schools of salaries and wages, premises and certain supplies and services. It does not include the costs of school meals, home to school transport, LEA central administration, and financing costs of capital expenditure. For 1990–91, figures include unspent balances held by schools at the year end under local management of schools schemes.

  2. Figures for teaching posts include gross salaries and employers' national insurance and superannuation contributions. Non-teaching costs include all other items of net institutional expenditure.

  3. Figures for 1990–91 have been repriced to 1979–80 prices using the GDP (Market Prices) Deflator index.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when the hon. Member for Hammersmith can expect a reply to his letter to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State dated 7 December 1992 and referring to his answer of 17 November 1992,Official Report, column 134.

  Mr. Forth
  A full reply was sent on 3 February.

  Autism
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many autistic children and adults are currently receiving specialist educational help in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not available centrally. It is the responsibility of local education authorities and schools to ensure that individual autistic pupils receive the special education they require. The Department for Education and the Department of Health are currently jointly funding a research project into the education and treatment of children with autism in England and Wales.
  452
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what specialist educational services are provided for autistic children and adults; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  Local education authorities and schools have statutory responsibilities to ensure that pupils with special educational needs, including individual autistic pupils, receive appropriate special educational provision. The Department for Education and the Department of Health are currently jointly funding a research project into the education and treatment of children with autism.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what provisions have been made by his Department to ensure legislation regarding the special needs of autistic children and adults in education is implemented in a fair and consistent way.

  Mr. Forth
  The Education Bill currently before Parliament would require the Secretary of State to issue a code of practice to which local education authorities would have to have regard when carrying out their statutory duties towards children with special educational needs including those with autism. The national code will encourage consistency. The special educational needs tribunal will ensure fairness in the code's implementation.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what specialist education and welfare provisions are provided to ensure the specific needs of autistic children are met effectively in schools; and what steps his Department is taking to identify those who need help.

  Mr. Forth
  There is a range of provision available for children with autism, both in schools maintained by local education authorities and in schools run by voluntary organisations. The Department for Education and the Department of Health are currently funding a research project into the education and treatment of children with autism.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps have been taken to ensure that all grant-maintained schools have adequate insurance cover; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  On becoming incorporated all grant-maintained schools are required to sign a financial memorandum. This makes it clear that, unless otherwise agreed with the Department, the governing body must obtain insurance cover for building and contents and employers' and public liability. It is the responsibility of each school to ensure that the cover which it arranges is adequate for its needs.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to amend the arrangements for insurance cover for grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Forth
  There are no plans at present to amend the arrangements for insurance cover for grant-maintained schools.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance has been laid down for the number of companies which must be invited to tender to provide insurance services to a grant-maintained school before a contract can be entered into.
  453
  Mr. Forth
  The financial memorandum which all grant-maintained schools sign sets out the procedures that governing bodies should follow to ensure that they obtain value for money for all purchases of goods and services. Contracts should normally be placed on a competitive tender basis and the lowest tender accepted unless there are good reasons to the contrary.

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many grant-maintained schools in England are, or have been, in dispute with a statutory body over property jointly used or owned by the local community; and how many grant-maintained schools are currently in litigation with a statutory body over property jointly used or owned by the local community.

  Mr. Forth
  There is one case where the Education Assets Board has been unable to reach agreement with a local authority on the transfer of facilities used jointly by the school and local community. The matter has been referred to my right hon. Friend to determine.

  I am not aware of any grant-maintained school in litigation with the Education Assets Board.

  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list all schools in the Greater London area which have opted to adopt grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  The information, correct on 5 February, is listed in the table:

  SCHOOLS OPERATING AS GM

  Inner London local education authorities

  HAMMERSMITH
  London Oratory School

  KENSINGTON
  Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School

  LAMBETH

  St. Bernadette Roman Catholic Junior Mixed School

  La Retraite Roman Catholic Girls (G.M.) School

  LEWISHAM
  Turnham Primary with Nursery G.M. School

  SOUTHWARK
  London Nautical School

  TOWER HAMLETS
  Raines Foundation School

  WANDSWORTH

  Graveney School

  Salesian College

  Ethelburga Primary School (Grant-Maintained)

  Burntwood School

  Elliott School (Grant-Maintained)

  Other London local education authorities

  BARNET

  Mill Hill County High School

  Hendon School

  Queen Elizabeth's G.M. School for Boys

  BEXLEY

  Barnehurst Infant Grant-Maintained School

  Barnehurst Junior Grant-Maintained School

  BRENT

  Claremont High School (Grant-Maintained)

  Copland Community School and Technology Centre

  BROMLEY

  Newstead Wood School for Girls (Grant-Maintained)

  Coopers School

  Crofton Junior School

  454

  Bullers Wood School for Girls

  Langley Park School for Boys

  Kelsey Park School

  Beaverwood School for Girls

  Charles Darwin School

  St. John Rigby School

  Hayes School

  Ravens Wood School for Boys

  Holy Innocents Roman Catholic Primary School

  St. Olave's and St. Saviour's Grammar School

  CROYDON
  Riddlesdown Grant-Maintained School

  EALING

  Drayton Manor high School

  Northolt High School

  Brentside High School

  Wood End Middle School

  Wood End First School

  The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls

  Greenford High School

  HILLINGDON

  Oak Farm Junior Mixed School (Grant-Maintained)

  Oak Farm Infant School (Grant-Maintained)

  Northwood School

  Bishopshalt School

  Mellow Lane School

  Vyners School

  Uxbridge High School

  The Hayes Manor School

  The Douay Martyrs School

  Haydon School

  Queensmead School

  KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES
  Tiffin School

  NEWHAM
  Stratford School

  SUTTON

  Nonsuch High School for Girls

  Wilsons School

  The John Fisher School

  Cheam High School

  Sutton Grammar School for Boys

  WALTHAM FOREST
  Highams Park School

  SCHOOLS APPROVED FOR GRANT-MAINTAINED STATUS BUT NOT YET OPEN

  Inner London LEAs

  LAMBETH
  Bishop Thomas Grant Secondary School

  SOUTHWARK
  St. Francesca Cabrini RC Primary School

  Outer London LEAs

  CROYDON
  Edenham School

  HAVERING
  The Frances Bardsley School

  SUTTON

  Wallington High School for Girls

  St. Philomena's School, Carshalton

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE VOTED YES AND PUBLISHED PROPOSALS

  Inner London LEAs

  LAMBETH

  Archbishop Tenison's School

  Dunraven School

  WANDSWORTH

  Hillbrook Primary School

  John Paul II RC School

  Southfields School

  455
  Outer London LEAs

  BEXLEY

  St. Mary & St. Joseph's School

  St. Columba's RC Boys School

  BRENT

  Queens Park Community School

  Chamberlayne Wood Primary School

  Kingsbury High School

  Convent of Jesus and Mary High School

  CROYDON

  St. Joseph's College

  Thomas More Grant Maintained School

  ENFIELD

  The Latymer School

  HAVERING

  The Coopers' Company and Coborn School

  Abbs Cross School

  HILLINGDON

  Abbotsfield School

  Swakeleys School

  Grange Park Junior School

  Grange Park Infant School

  HOUNSLOW

  Gunnersbury Catholic School

  Gumley House Convent School for Girls

  KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES

  Holy Cross Convent School Beverley School

  Richard Challoner School

  REDBRIDGE

  Chadwell Heath High School

  SUTTON

  Wallington High School for Boys

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE VOTED YES BUT NOT YET PUBLISHED PROPOSALS

  Inner London LEAs

  CAMDEN

  Jewish Free School

  HACKNEY

  St. Thomas's CE Primary School

  SOUTHWARK

  St. Thomas the Apostle School

  St. Michael's School

  Notre Dame High School

  Outer London LEAs

  BARNET

  St. Mary's CE High School

  BEXLEY

  St. Catherine's RC School for Girls

  BRENT

  Oakington Manor School

  Alperton High School

  Cardinal Hinsley High School

  ENFIELD

  St. Ignatius College

  HARROW

  Salvatorian College

  HAVERING

  Sacred Heart of Mary Girls' School

  HILLINGDON

  Hillside Infant School

  SUTTON

  All Saints CE Primary School

  456
  APPLICATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN REJECTED

  Inner London LEAs

  HAMMERSMITH

  Harwood School

  WANDSWORTH

  Huntingfield Primary School

  Walsingham School

  Outer London LEAs

  BRENT

  William Gladstone School

  BROMLEY

  Ramsden School for Girls

  EALING

  Walford High School

  HILLINGDON

  Barnhill School

  Townmead School

  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if she will list all schools which have opted to adopt grant-maintained status in the counties of(a) Essex, (b) Hertfordshire, (c) East Sussex, (d) West Sussex, (e) Berkshire, (f) Surrey, (g) Bedfordshire, (h) Kent, (i) Buckinghamshire and (j) Hampshire.

  Mr. Forth
  The information, correct on 5 February. is listed in the table:

  Essex

  Schools operating as GM

  Thurstable School

  Torells Grant-Maintained School

  The Deanes School

  The Rickstones School

  The Appleton School

  Northlands Grant-Maintained Junior School

  The Hedley Walter High School (GM)

  Saffron Walden County High School

  Chelmsford County High School for Girls

  The Boswells School West Hatch High School

  King Edward VI Grammar School (G.M.)

  Westborough County Primary School

  Chalvedon School

  North Crescent Primary School

  Newlands Spring Grant Maintained School

  The Cornelius Vermuyden School

  The King Edmund School

  The Fitzwimarc School, Rayleigh

  The King John School

  The Elmwood Primary School

  The Philip Morant School

  King Harold School, Grant-Maintained School

  Bromfords School, Wickford

  Castle View School

  Katherines Primary School

  Eastwood County High School and 6th Form Centre

  The Plume School

  Beauchamps Grant-Maintained School

  Furtherwick Park School

  Westcliff High School for Boys

  Westcliff High School for Girls

  Great Totham Primary School, Essex

  The Park School

  SCHOOLS APPROVED FOR GM STATUS BUT NOT YET OPEN

  Belfairs School/6th Form Centre

  Chelmer Valley High School

  Davenant Foundation School

  Jotmans Hall County Primary School

  Northwick Park County Infant School

  Northwick Park County Junior School

  Rainsford School

  Roiph CE VA Primary School

  Southend Girls High School

  457

  St. Andrews's CE Primary School

  St. Martin's School

  The Thorpe Bay School

  William De Ferrers School

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE PUBLISHED PROPOSALS FOR GM STATUS

  Takeley Grant-Maintained Primary School

  Ingatestone Anglo-European School

  Holland Park County Primary School

  St. Osyth EC Aided Primary School

  Holland Haven Primary School

  St. Clere's School

  Southend High School for Boys

  Woodville County Primary School

  Grays Secondary School

  Gable Hall School

  William Edwards School

  Newport Free Grammar School

  The Greensward School

  The Gilberd School

  Coppins Green Primary School

  Colchester Royal Grammar School

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE VOTED YES BUT NOT YET PUBLISHED PROPOSALS

  Colbayns High School

  St. Thomas More High School for Boys

  Clacton County High School

  Hassenbrook School

  All Saints Church of England Primary School

  St. Clare's RC Primary School

  Sir Charles Lucas School

  Cecil Jones High School

  The Bramston School

  The Alderman Blaxill School

  SCHOOLS WHOSE APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN REJECTED Elmbridge School

  Hertfordshire

  SCHOOLS OPERATING AS GRANT-MAINTAINED

  The Bishop's Stortford High School

  Watford Grammar School for Boys

  St. Mary's Catholic Primary School

  Parmiters School

  Parkside First School

  Hertingfordbury Cowper Junior Mixed Infants School

  Christ Church Church of England School

  Rickmansworth School

  Francis Bacon School

  Watford Grammar School for Girls

  Watford Grammar School for Boys

  SCHOOLS MINDED TO APPROVE FOR GRANT-MAINTAINED STATUS
  Dame Alice Owens School

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE PUBLISHED PROPOSALS FOR GRANT-MAINTAINED STATUS

  Nicholas Breakspear Roman Catholic School

  The Leventhorpe School

  The John Henry Newman Roman Catholic School

  Bushey Hall School

  Mount Grace School

  Bushey Meads School

  Queen's School

  Ashlyns School

  SCHOOL WHICH HAS VOTED YES BUT NOT YET PUBLISHED PROPOSALS
  Goffs School

  SCHOOLS WHOSE PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN REJECTED
  Sir James Altham School

  East and West Sussex
  There are no schools in East or West Sussex which have opted for grant-maintained status.

  Berkshire

  SCHOOLS OPERATING AS GM

  Cippenham Middle School (Grant Maintained)

  Denefield School

  458

  Desborough Comprehensive School

  Herschel Grammar School

  Holy Family RC School

  Langley Grammar School

  Priory School

  Reading School

  Southlands School

  St. Bartholomew's School

  The Downs School

  Upton Grammar School

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE PUBLISHED PROPOSALS FOR GM STATUS

  Westgate School

  Whitelocke Infant School

  Surrey

  SCHOOLS OPERATING AS GM

  St. John the Baptist School

  de Stafford School

  Guildford County School

  Glyn School

  Epsom and Ewell High School

  Gordon's Grant Maintained School

  Collingwood Grant-Maintained School

  Hawkedale First School

  Heathside Secondary School

  The Manor County First School

  The Beacon School

  Thamesmead School

  Stoneleigh First School (Grant-Maintained)

  Rosebery School

  Send C of E First School (Grant-Maintained)

  SCHOOLS APPROVED FOR GM STATUS BUT NOT YET OPEN
  St. Paul's Catholic School

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE PUBLISHED PROPOSALS FOR GM STATUS

  Alfold County First School

  Dunsfold C of E First School

  Park Mead County First School

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE VOTED YES, BUT NOT YET PUBLISHED PROPOSALS
  Pewley Down County First School

  SCHOOLS WHOSE APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN REJECTED

  South Holmwood CE First School

  Blindley Heath CE First School

  Bedfordshire

  SCHOOLS OPERATING AS GM

  Thomas Whitehead CE School

  Sharnbrook Upper School

  Manshead School Grant Maintained

  Queensbury School

  SCHOOLS APPROVED FOR GM STATUS BUT NOT YET OPERATING

  Ashcroft High School

  Crawley Green Infant School

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE PUBLISHED PROPOSALS

  Lincroft Middle School

  Lea Manor High School and Community College

  Wootton Upper School

  Icknield High School

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE VOTED YES BUT NOT YET PUBLISHED PROPOSALS

  Stopsley High School and Community College

  Holywell (VC) Middle School

  Kent

  SCHOOLS OPERATING AS GM

  Oakwood Park Grammar School

  The Bradbourne School

  Chatham Grammar School for Girls

  The Cornwallis School

  Sandown Court Community College

  Oldborough Manor Community College

  Dartford Grammar School for Girls

  459

  Homewood School

  The Robert Napier Grant-Maintained School

  The Skinners' School, Tunbridge Wells

  Angley School

  Sir Roger Manwood's School

  Snodland CE Primary School

  Southlands Comprehensive School

  Dartford Grammar School

  The Canterbury High School

  The Hugh Christie School

  Thamesview School

  Fulston Manor School

  Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys

  Wrotham School

  Senacre Technology School

  Meopham School Grant-Maintained School

  Minster College

  St. George's Church of England School

  Holy Trinity CE Primary School

  St. Simon Stock School

  Cranbrook School

  The Maplesden Noakes School

  Borough Green Primary School

  The Grammar School for Girls, Wilmington

  Wilmington Grammar School for Boys

  The Mailing School

  Rainham Mark Grammar School

  Aylesford School

  The Archbishop's CE Grant Maintained School

  SCHOOLS APPROVED FOR GM STATUS BUT NOT YET OPERATING

  The Wildernesse School

  Westlands High School

  SCHOOLS WHICH ARE "MINDED TO" APPROVED

  St. John Fisher School, Chatham

  St. Gregory's Catholic Comprehensive School

  The Folkestone School for Girls

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE PUBLISHED PROPOSALS

  Sutton-at-Hone CE Primary School

  St. Francis RC Primary School

  St. Edmund's RC Comprehensive School

  Hillview School for Girls

  Southfields School

  Herne Bay High School

  Chaucer Technology School

  Roseacre Junior School

  Rochester Grammar School for Girls

  Tonbridge Grammar School for Girls

  The Thomas Aveling School

  The Holy Family RC Primary School

  The Charles Dickens High School

  Mascalls School

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE VOTED YES BUT NOT YET PUBLISHED PROPOSALS

  St. George's CE High School

  St. Botolph's CE Primary School

  St. Anselm's RC School

  Cheyne Middle School

  Herne Bay County Junior School

  Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School

  APPLICATIONS REJECTED

  Swanscombe High School

  Hoo St. Werburgh Middle School, Kent

  Cliffe Woods Primary School Rochester

  Cliffe Woods Middle School

  Edenbridge Middle School

  Rede Secondary School, Strood

  Castlemount School

  Appledore CE Primary School

  Buckinghamshire

  SCHOOLS OPERATING AS GM

  Bridgewater Hall School

  Beaconsfield High School

  The Chalfonts Community College (G.M.)

  Brookmead School

  460

  Brindley Hall School

  Overstone Grant Maintained Combined School

  SCHOOLS APPROVED FOR GM STATUS BUT NOT YET OPEN

  Hamilton Combined School

  Wycombe Royal Grammar School

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE PUBLISHED PROPOSALS

  The Radcliffe School

  Beechview Middle School

  The Lord Grey School

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE VOTED YES BUT NOT YET PBLISHED PROPOSALS

  Wing School

  Brushwood Middle School

  Hampshire

  SCHOOLS OPERATING AS GM

  The Priory County Primary School

  Crofton School, Fareham

  Abbotswood Middle School

  Ringwood School (GM Comprehensive)

  Burgate School

  Testwood School

  The City of Portsmouth Boys' School

  The Arnewood School

  Hardley School (Grant-Maintained)

  Front Lawn Middle School

  SCHOOLS APPROVED FOR GM STATUS BUT NOT YET OPEN

  Bay House School

  Bohunt School

  Calmore Grant-Maintained Middle School

  St. Joseph's RC VA Primary School

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE PUBLISHED PROPOSALS

  Testbourne Community School

  Boundary First School

  Mill Rythe First School, Havant

  Mengham Middle School

  Blackfield Middle School

  Mengham First School

  Hordle CE VC Primary School

  All Hallows RC School

  SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE VOTED YES BUT NOT YET PUBLISHED PROPOSALS

  St. George's RC School

  Ashley County Junior School

  Recovery Programmes
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list those local education authorities that have instigated reading recovery programmes other than those that have been awarded Government funding to do so.

  Mr. Forth
  We are aware of five such authorities: Cheshire, Croydon, Northamptonshire, Surrey and Westminster.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he will publish his new proposals for the national curriculum; when these will be introduced; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend intends to ask the Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority, once it is set up, to offer him a plan for the regular review of national curriculum subjects over time. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Education and for Wales published proposals for a revised technology order in December. Proposals for a revised statutory order for English are
  461
  expected to be published in the spring. The revised curriculum for both subjects should come into force from autumn 1994 for key stages 1 to 3 and autumn 1995 for key stage 4.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of children under five years in Northumberland received nursery education in 1979 and the latest available year.

  Mr. Forth
  In 1979 approximately 12 per cent. of the local three and four-year-old population attended maintained nursery schools or nursery classes in maintained primary schools in Northumberland. In 1991—the latest year for which information on participation rates is available—the figure was 31 per cent.

  Regulations
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education 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. Boswell
  Regulations relating to education can be found in "The Law of Education" which is published by Butterworths and which is available in the Library. This is regularly updated with the text of regulations as amended.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Regulations
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. Atkins
  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 consideration of definition.

  Casement Park Murders
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons convicted of offences arising from the Casement park murder trials were members of Provisional Sinn Fein or of the Provisional IRA.

  Mr. Mates
  It would not be appropriate to provide the information requested.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many letters he has received concerning the Casement park murder trial convictions.

  Mr. Mates
  My right hon. Friend has received 18 letters, from 16 people or organisations, about convictions for murder arising from the deaths of two Army corporals near Casement park in March 1988.

  Farm Workers
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many regular full-time hired farm workers are employed on farm holdings in the severely disadvantaged areas according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information is as follows:

  Number

  1978

  514

  1979

  1—

  1980

  528

  1981

  486

  1982

  1—

  1983

  1—

  1984

  490

  1985

  464

  1986

  421

  1987

  430

  1988

  397

  1989

  423

  1990

  408

  1991

  414

  1992

  366

  1 Not available.

  Farm Incomes
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978, how many farmers within the areas of LFA designated severely disadvantaged receive a level of farm income at or below the level at which a family of two adults and two children of school ages 13 and 17 could expect to be entitled to family credit at the current rate.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is not available.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has on the level of indebtedness among mostly sheep and sheep and beef farmers respectively in the severely disadvantaged areas for each year since 1978.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is given in the table for beef cattle and sheep farms in the severely disadvantaged areas for the period 1984–85 to 1991–92. No data are available for earlier years or for mostly sheep farms.

  Total external liabilities (£'000 per farm)

  Indebtedness (external liabilities expressed as a percentage of total assets

  1984–85

  6.6

  3.9

  1985–86

  7.2

  4.2

  1986–87

  8.8

  4.7

  1987–88

  10.5

  5.2

  1988–89

  9.3

  4.5

  1989–90

  10.5

  4.9

  1990–91

  14.5

  6.8

  1991–92

  11.4

  5.4

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes there have been in the proportion of
  463
  mostly sheep and sheep and beef farmers in severely disadvantaged areas in relation to the number of mostly sheep and sheep and beef farmers in total for Northern Ireland since 1978; and if he will chart the change.

  Mr. Hanley
  The proportion of mostly sheep and sheep and beef farms in the severely disadvantaged areas in relation to the number of mostly sheep and sheep and beef farms in all areas was as follows:

  Year

  1978

  1—

  1979

  1—

  1980

  66.7

  1981

  65.6

  1982

  64.6

  1983

  69.5

  1984

  64.0

  1985

  63.7

  1986

  62.3

  1987

  61.2

  1988

  60.9

  1989

  58.7

  1990

  57.8

  1991

  57.9

  1992

  58.1

  1 Not available.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many farmers were in receipt of hill livestock compensatory allowances in the severely disadvantaged areas according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978.

  Mr. Hanley
  The number of farmers who were paid hill livestock compensatory allowances was as follows:

  Year

  Number of Farmers

  1978

  12,882

  1979

  12,596

  1980

  12,410

  1981

  12,090

  1982

  11,977

  1983

  11,959

  1984

  11,861

  1985

  12,255

  1986

  12,268

  1987

  12,160

  1988

  12,100

  1989

  12,205

  1990

  12,309

  1991

  12,333

  1992

  12,273

  Number of geriatric patients treated by RHA, 1982 to 1991–92 In-patient and day cases

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–921

  England

  297,694

  325,005

  350,280

  382,859

  397,192

  400,941

  413,961

  449,235

  471,130

  513,433

  Northern RHA

  19,324

  20,538

  20,507

  22,148

  22,166

  21,624

  25,843

  26,887

  28,180

  30,859

  Yorkshire RHA

  34,131

  36,976

  39,109

  44,369

  45,159

  47,653

  47,355

  51,188

  51,172

  53,250

  Trent RHA

  32,132

  34,502

  36,459

  40,116

  42,627

  36,108

  38,153

  43,208

  47,547

  53,965

  East Anglian RHA

  14,324

  15,185

  16,679

  18,689

  18,754

  19,879

  20,659

  21,876

  23,803

  26,006

  North West Thames RHA

  16,301

  17,990

  19,947

  21,155

  22,394

  24,068

  23,224

  26,915

  28,626

  33,287

  North East Thames RHA

  17,496

  19,278

  22,152

  24,946

  26,916

  27,253

  30,096

  34,343

  35,407

  37,865

  South East Thames RHA

  24,141

  25,573

  27,798

  29,803

  30,256

  29,874

  30,225

  33,035

  36,455

  37,805

  South West Thames RHA

  16,922

  18,872

  21,267

  21,515

  22,768

  23,796

  22,103

  23,133

  25,179

  30,049

  Wessex RHA

  14,810

  15,721

  16,864

  18,404

  20,604

  21,398

  23,205

  26,268

  29,914

  34,257

  Oxford RHA

  14,138

  15,039

  15,610

  15,175

  14,696

  14,109

  13,709

  14,044

  13,870

  14,975

  South Western RHA

  18,908

  22,387

  23,697

  25,769

  26,332

  26,700

  30,124

  32,097

  33,171

  33,883

  West Midlands RHA

  28,266

  29,775

  34,049

  37,675

  38,836

  38,622

  38,186

  37,079

  36,860

  40,283

  Nursing Vacancies
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will establish a database for nursing vacancies.

  Mr. Hanley
  The establishment of a database for nursing vacancies is a matter for health and social services boards and provider units as they are in the best position to assess current and future nursing manpower requirements based on service need.

HEALTH

  Mrs. Tracey Evans
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 25 January,Official Report, Column 540, if she will release to Mr. Robert Evans copies of the reports which she has received from the local agencies, and of the admission reports at Brighton general hospital, concerning the case of Mrs. Tracey Evans.

  Mr. Yeo
  Mr. Evans has been sent a copy of the summary and conclusions of the report by the area child protection committee.

  The hospital admission reports are confidential to both the patient and the national health service. It would therefore be inappropriate to release these documents. Indeed, the confidentiality of all local agency reports is governed by common law or by statutes, restricting their access to any individuals other than Mrs. Evans herself.

  Patient Statistics
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated in 1990–91 and 1991–92 by each individual trust/shadow trust and directly managed unit individually and by region.

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

  Geriatric Patients
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of geriatric patients treated per regional health authority in the last 10 years; and what are the predicted numbers for the next 10 years.

  Mr. Yeo
  The information requested is given in the table.
  465

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–921

  Mersey RHA

  15,466

  17,441

  17,944

  20,046

  21,307

  22,371

  23,316

  27,649

  27,019

  30,727

  North Western RHA

  30,895

  35,044

  37,470

  42,423

  43,847

  46,908

  47,323

  50,798

  52,760

  55,448

  Special Health Authorities

  440

  684

  728

  626

  530

  580

  540

  733

  647

  774

  Notes:

  From 1982 to 1987–88 the figures are for discharges and deaths.

  From 1988–89 to 1991–92 the figures are for finished consultant episodes.

  1 Provisional.

  The information covers patients treated in the specialty of geriatric medicine and does not include the large numbers of elderly people treated in general acute wards, who are not separately identified.

  Health authorities are responsible for assessing the health needs of their resident populations and planning their purchasing strategies accordingly. We do not routinely make long-term forecasts of patients numbers in view of the uncertainty attaching to assumptions about future trends. Various studies have been undertaken in this area including work carried out by the Department's economics and operational research division, published in "The Health of Elderly People: an epidemiological overview: Companion Papers", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Private Medicine
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances the new helpline service may provide information advising callers to use private medicine; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The regional health information service, which was launched on 26 January 1993, has proved very popular with the public.

  The service deals with each request for information on an individual basis and it was set up to provide information rather than advice.

  When a member of the public calls the service and makes a specific request for information related to private medicine, he will be directed to the appropriate source of further information.

  Nursing Care
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what circumstances a local authority may make arrangements for continuing nursing care of a person in hospital, without seeking the consent of the person involved; and how the position will change from 1 April.

  Mr. Sackville
  Local authorities currently have no power to make arrangements for continuing nursing care. From 1 April they will be able to make arrangements for nursing home care, but except in certain very exceptional cases, local authorities have no power to provide care for people without their consent.

  Project 2000
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals the Government have for increasing the number of students in receipt of Project 2000 bursaries.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of students receiving bursaries will increase as more schemes are approved and funded to operate Project 2000. Sixty-four schemes have 466
  been established, with 17 remaining to be approved. An announcement will be made shortly concerning funding for new schemes in 1993–94.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the policy of the national health service towards the use of Project 2000 student nurses on clinical placements in the national health service.

  Mr. Sackville
  Project 2000 students are counted as part of the rostered work force for 20 per cent.—1,000 hours —of their training. This occurs towards the end of their course during the specialist branch programme. During the remainder of the course students are supernumerary, but gain experience in clinical placements under the supervision of qualified nurses.

  Project 2000 students gain experience during clinical placements and contribute to patient care under supervision, but only to the extent that this provides opportunities for learning.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will extend the terms of reference of the review body for nursing staff, midwives and health visitors to cover the remuneration of Project 2000 students;

  (2) what consideration is being given to the annual adjustment of bursaries paid to Project 2000 students so that they are comparable with average net basic salaries paid to existing student nurses;

  (3) whether the same considerations relating to the adjustment to bursaries for Project 2000 students are being taking into account in 1993 as were taken into account in 1991.

  Mr. Sackville
  Project 2000 students are not salaried employees: they receive bursaries. There is, therefore, no question of extending the pay review body's remit to Project 2000 students.

  Nor do we consider it appropriate to link the level of Project 2000 student bursaries to the current earning power of other student nurses because Project 2000 students are not employees.

  Student bursary levels will continue, as in 1991, to be kept under review in the light of recruitment and retention trends.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the wastage rate for(a) Project 2000 nurses training and (b) other nurse training courses.

  Mr. Sackville
  The average wastage rates for pre-registration nurse training are as follows.

  1990 Per cent.

  1991 Per cent.

  1992 Per cent.

  Traditional courses

  5.4

  5.3

  4.7

  Project 2000 courses

  1.3

  5.2

  5.5

  467
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what independent evaluation has taken place on the contribution of(a) Project 2000 student nurses and (b) other nurses in training in the NHS.

  Mr. Sackville
  The National Foundation for Educational Research has been commissioned by the Department of Health to undertake a longitudinal study of the implementation of Project 2000. The National Foundation for Educational Research is due to report later this year. The study does not include other nurses in training in the national health service.

  NHS Drugs
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if there is a health economist on the secretariat serving the advisory committee on NHS drugs.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The secretariat of the advisory committee on national health service drugs can if necessary obtain professional and other advice, including economic advice, from within the Department.

  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 22 January,Official Report, column 479, if she will investigate the cost to the national health service of prescribed but unused drugs.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No. It is for individual general practitioners to ensure that the drugs they prescribe are the minimum necessary and that patients comply with instructions for their use. Advice on the appropriate level of prescribing is available from professional medical and pharmaceutical advisers employed by family health services authorities and via publications such as the "British National Formulary" which are issued free of charge to all general practitioners.

  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many economists will serve on the expanded advisory committee on NHS drugs.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The advisory committee on national health service drugs is, and will continue to be, a committee of health care professionals—doctors, dentists and pharmacists. There are no plans to include an economist.

  Clinical Waste
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to require all hospital waste to be treated as clinical waste.

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Residential Homes
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what requirement is laid down for the provision of tap and running water in registering residential homes for children and the elderly; and what guidance is issued in the event of disconnection.

  Mr. Yeo
  Registered children's homes and residential care homes for the elderly are required by law to provide adequate washing, showering and bathing facilities, with hot and cold water supply, for their residents. There is no departmental guidance on the action to be taken in the event of the disconnection of the water supply.

  District Health Authorities
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide a table showing those district health authorities that are over their capitation target indicating(a) the percentage that they are over capitation and (b) the cash amount that this represents of current budgets.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is not currently held centrally in a comparable and meaningful format. We recognise the value of comparable data, however, and the national health service management executive is currently collecting comparable figures for 1993–94. When available, a copy of these figures will be placed in the Library.

  Extra-contractual Referrals
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidelines are issued by her Department about the monitoring of decisions affecting extra-contractual referrals;

  (2) what guidelines are issued by her Department about the rights of patients to appeal against extra-contractual referral decisions;

  (3) what guidelines are issued by her Department about whether decisions on extra-contractual referrals are notified (a) to district health authority members and (b) community health councils.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  District health authorities are responsible for approving and monitoring extra-contractual referrals and, therefore, will have access to decisions made about them. No specific guidelines exist about whether to notify community health councils about decisions on extra-contractual referrals.

  From 1 April 1992, the patients charter has given patients the right to have any complaint about national health service services—whoever provides them investigated and to receive a full and prompt written reply from the chief executive or general manager.

  Nurse Regradings
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of appeals against nurse regrading remain outstanding at regional and national level at the most recent convenient date; what is the average period that has elapsed since the appeals were lodged; what steps she is taking to expedite the processing of appeals; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  At 31 December 1992, there were 16,304 appeals outstanding at English regional health authority level and 1,625 at national level. The average period of time that has elapsed since those outstanding appeals were lodged is 23 months at regional level and 11 months at national level. It is the responsibility of the Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council to discuss how to bring the process to the earliest possible conclusion.

  Population Structure
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the basis for Office of Population Censuses and Surveys calculations of future population structure.

  Mr. Sackville
  Projections of the popFulation of the United Kingdom and its component countries are made by
  469
  the Government Actuary's department in consultation with the registrars general. These are based on the most recent population estimates and on the assumptions about future births, deaths, and migration which seem most appropriate given the statistical evidence available at the time.

  Subnational population projections for England are prepared by the OPCS. These project the population of local and health authority areas. The assumptions made reflect recent demographic evidence for each area and are consistent with the national projections. Local and health authorities are consulted about these projections before they are finalised.

  Further details are given in the OPCS publications national population projections: 1989-based—series PP2 No. 17—and subnational population projections: 1989based—series PP3 No. 8—copies of which are in the Library.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys is planning to make to its calculations of future population structure in the light of its over-estimate of the number of persons aged over 85 years in the London area as revealed by the 1991 census; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The methods used in making these population estimates have been published by the OPCS in its occasional paper 37. The information which is available about migration, especially its age and sex composition, is the least satisfactory component of the estimation procedure. Because of this a review of migration data sources has been carried out—OPCS occasional paper 39. The review identified some exploratory work on possible enhancements. This is now being undertaken. In the light of overestimation of persons aged 85 and over in the London area, the OPCS is looking again at its methodology; but it is not yet known whether it will prove practicable to make improvements to it.

  Teaching Allocations
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a table showing(a) the service increment for teaching allocations between regions for each year from 1990–91 to 1993–94 and (b) the distribution of service increment for teaching allocations between hospitals and trusts within the northern region for the same years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The service increment for teaching— SIFT—was expanded in 1990–91 to provide for the excess service costs of research, becoming the service increment for teaching and research SIFTR. The regional allocations of SIFTR for the years 1990–91 to 1993–94 are set out in the table.

  The allocation of SIFTR at a sub-regional level is the responsibility of the regional health authorities. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Peter Carr CBE, the chairman of Northern regional health authority, for details.
  470

  Service increment for teaching and research (SIFTR): 1990–91 to 1993–94

  SIFTR allocations: £000s

  Region

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Northern

  17,593

  18,010

  19,006

  20,166

  Yorkshire

  17,032

  19,758

  19,879

  20,906

  Trent

  43,440

  46,921

  49,845

  52,223

  East Anglia

  9,605

  10,181

  10,685

  10,888

  North West Thames

  27,151

  29,705

  32,842

  33,546

  North East Thames

  61,283

  64,947

  67,365

  70,315

  South East Thames

  40,076

  42,945

  46,736

  49,443

  South West Thames

  16,960

  17,312

  17,353

  17,880

  Wessex

  11,942

  12,659

  13,890

  14,989

  Oxford

  9,605

  10,181

  10,685

  10,888

  South West

  13,448

  14,627

  16,097

  18,316

  West Midlands

  18,202

  19,653

  20,516

  21,647

  Mersey

  19,201

  20,049

  20,861

  21,628

  North West

  29,477

  30,461

  32,394

  33,673

  ENGLAND

  335,015

  357,409

  378,154

  396,508

  Disabled People (Insurance)
  Sir John Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the Government's policy on the insuring of wheelchairs and other aids for disabled people; what advice is given to health authorities on this; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  Guidance of national health service insurance was contained in the management executive's letter EL(90)195 of 2 October 1990. This advised health authorities that the public sector generally should carry its own risks unless greater value for money can be obtained by commercial insurance. National health service trusts are free to make the insurance arrangements which they consider to be most cost effective.

  GP Fund Holders
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioner fund-holding practices there are in each region; what percentage this represents of the regional total of general practitioner practices; and what percentage of the regional population they serve.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is given in the table.

  Region

  Number of GP practices fundholding in 1992–93

  Percentage of GP practices fundholding in 1992–93

  Percentage of population covered by GP fundholders in 1992–93

  Northern

  40

  7.7

  16.0

  Yorkshire

  66

  9.8

  21.0

  Trent

  60

  7.1

  14.0

  East Anglian

  13

  4.4

  8.0

  North West Thames

  49

  6.1

  14.0

  North East Thames

  21

  2.3

  7.0

  South East Thames

  30

  3.8

  9.0

  South West Thames

  39

  7.3

  15.0

  Wessex

  36

  8.2

  15.0

  Oxford

  48

  12.2

  23.0

  South Western

  41

  7.1

  14.0

  West Midlands

  59

  5.6

  13.0

  Mersey

  51

  11.4

  19.0

  North Western

  32

  3.6

  9.0

  471
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what have been the allocations made for general practitioner fund-holding practices in each region.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is contained in the table.

  GP fund holder budget allocations 1992–93

  Region

  Budget £ million

  Northern

  66.3

  Yorkshire

  100.6

  Trent

  81.7

  East Anglia

  22.3

  North West Thames

  60.8

  North East Thames

  26.6

  South East Thames

  38.9

  South West Thames

  50.3

  Wessex

  51.5

  Oxford

  64.7

  South Western

  53.8

  West Midland

  83.1

  Mersey

  59.3

  North Western

  41.3

  Nurses
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what central information her Department collects on the number of newly qualified nurses seeking employment.

  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those regional health authorities that have deployed strategies to ensure that student nurses are not employed when they qualify.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will establish a national database of nursing vacancies;

  (2) if she will list those regional health authorities which have sent information to the NHS management executive on the number of student nurses due to qualify in 1993.

  Mr. Sackville
  With around 390,000 nursing posts in the national health service in England, the matching of newly qualified nurses to vacancies is best handled at local level. The Department does not therefore routinely collect information about nursing vacancies or newly qualified nurses seeking employment.

  Regional health authorities are responsible for ensuring there are sufficient trained nurses to meet local requirements. All regions have reported to the NHS management executive about their plans to manage the supply of trained nurses to posts in 1993.

  Nurses
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many qualified nursing staff were employed in each region in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 18 January 1993]: The information requested is shown in the table.

  NHS qualified nursing and midwifery staff (excluding agency) by RHA at September (WTE)

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Northern

  17,260

  16,950

  16,880

  Yorkshire

  18,670

  18,540

  18,480

  Trent

  22,720

  23,090

  23,290

  472

  1989

  1990

  1991

  East Anglia

  9,720

  9,760

  9,810

  North West Thames

  15,850

  15,590

  16,280

  North East Thames

  19,570

  19,800

  20,050

  South East Thames

  19,070

  18,740

  16,620

  South West Thames

  14,150

  13,760

  14,120

  Wessex

  13,660

  13,970

  14,130

  Oxford

  10,680

  11,030

  11,320

  South Western

  15,870

  16,320

  16,130

  West Midlands

  25,140

  25,460

  25,210

  Mersey

  13,260

  12,930

  12,620

  North Western

  23,160

  22,920

  23,230

  Special Health Authorities

  3,390

  3,390

  5,050

  England

  242,190

  242,340

  243,250

  Source: Non Medical Manpower Census, HAP(STATS)B, NHSME. England Total includes figures for Family Health Service Authorities and Other Statutory Authorities.

  Figures are whole time equivalents and rounded to the nearest ten.

  Paediatric Nurses
  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, by regional health authority area, the number of qualified paediatric nurses in employment in the NHS for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not available centrally.

  Child Emigration
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 26 January,Official Report, column 698, in what circumstances her permission is required for the emigration of a child who is in care; and in how many cases such permission has been granted in each year since 1967.

  Mr. Yeo
  The permission of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not been required since the implementation of the Children Act 1989 on 14 October 1991. Figures relating to the number of applications made to the Secretary of State before the Children's Act's implementation could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  The courts now decide such matters. Their approval is given only: if emigration is in the child's best interests; if suitable arrangements are made for the child's reception and welfare in the country where the child will live; if the child has consented to living in that country; and if every person who has parental responsibility for the child has similarly consented.

  Birmingham Hospitals
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when the new Birmingham children's hospital is to be built;

  (2) what capital resources are to be made available in each of the next three years for the implementation of the "Building a Healthy Birmingham" plan; and if she will make a statement on its likely progress during the above time scale;

  (3) when there is to be a replacement for M block at Selly Oak hospital;

  (4) when the new Birmingham accident and trauma unit is to be built.

  Mr. Sackville
  These are matters for the West Midlands regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to
  473
  contact Sir Donald Wilson, chairman of West Midlands regional health authority, who may be able to assist with the information requested.

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department made during its consideration of proposed hospital closures in South Birmingham district health authority of the possible risks of cross-infection entailed by locating a burns unit on the same site as orthopaedic and surgical units at the South Birmingham general hospital.

  Mr. Sackville
  All matters, including that referred to by the hon. Member, were considered before my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State took her decision in favour of the proposals put forward by South Birmingham district health authority.

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she took to discuss the proposed closure of the Accident and Royal Orthopaedic hospital with local hon. Members prior to making her decision on 1 February; and what steps she took to communicate her decision to local hon. Members at the same time as she communicated it to West Midlands and South Birmingham health authorities.

  Mr. Sackville
  I met the hon. Member on 27 October 1992, in relation to the proposals put forward by South Birmingham district health authority. The hon. Member was also given the opportunity on two subsequent occasions to meet me to discuss the matter.

  I wrote to the hon. Member and the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Dr. Jones) on 1 February 1993, informing them of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of
  474
  State's decision in favour of South Birmingham DHA's proposals and to all other local hon. Members on 2 February.

  Oral Contraceptives
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women are currently prescribed oral contraceptives.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is not held centrally.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much is the current cost of supplying oral contraceptives, and how much of a saving would accrue, if the categories listed in her press release of 12 November 1992 were removed.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The net ingredient cost of supplying oral contraceptives dispensed by community pharmacists, dispensing doctors and prescribing doctors during 1991 was £37.65 million. Decisions on which individual products will no longer be available on national health service prescription will be made only on the recommendation of the advisory committee on NHS drugs and cannot be predicted in advance.

  Autistic People
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the United Kingdom are officially classed as being autistic.

  Mr. Yeo
  These data are not available centrally. It is estimated that the prevalence of autism is between four to five per 10,000 population.

  Student Nurses
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many student nurses were recruited in each quarter of each year since 1985.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information about numbers recruited to employment is not available centrally.

  Traditional nurse training is being replaced by Project 2000 training. In 1991–92 in England, 9,280 students entered Project 2000 training. Students are supernumerary and are not included in manpower numbers.

  Source: English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Free Prescriptions
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how her Department publicises the availability of free prescription certificates.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The FP10 prescription form advises patients that free prescriptions and prescription prepayment certificates are available, and directs those who need more detailed information to obtain leaflet P11 "National Health Service—Prescriptions—How to get them free". This leaflet and leaflet AB11 "Help with NHS costs" are widely available from a variety of sources including Benefits Agency offices and family doctors. Information about help with NHS charges is published in a range of ethnic languages and posters advertising free prescriptions are supplied to family doctors, pharmacies and NHS hospitals. The leaflets and posters are also freely available to organisations such as citizens advice bureaux, welfare rights groups and charities which can obtain them from the health publications unit.

  Drug Tariff List
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the names of the people who decide what items are on the NHS drug tariff list; what are the qualifications of each of those people; what criteria were used to make the decisions to include items on the list; how often the drug tariff list is reviewed; what is the legal status of the drug tariff; and what discretion is open to consultants to waive the restrictions of the drug tariff and prescribe non-listed items on the NHS.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The drug tariff, which is published monthly, sets out inter alia the list of appliances and dressings that general practitioners may prescribe under the national health service.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is required to promulgate this list under regulation 18 of the National Health Service (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992 which are made under section 41 of the National Health Service Act 1977, as amended. It follows that general practitioners cannot prescribe under the national health service items that are not on this list; consultants are not restricted by this legalisation but prescribe within locally agreed priorities and available resources. We decide what new categories of appliances should be added to the drug tariff, taking into account the availability of resources. The assessment of whether particular products within these categories should be listed is undertaken by officials, with relevant professional qualifications and expertise. The criteria used are the quality, safety and efficacy of the product, the value it offers for public money and the effect on overall costs.

  NHS Staff
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many NHS staff were employed on local pay and conditions agreements on 31 December 1992; and of those how many were recruited(a) after 1 April 1992, (b) after 1 April 1991 and (c) after 1 April 1990;

  (2) how many NHS staff were employed on Whitley Council pay and conditions at 31 December 1992.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Clinical Waste
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the cost of compliance of hospitals within the national health service with the requirements of EC directive 5761/92 concerning the disposal of clinical waste by incineration; and whether this cost will be met by extra allocations from her Department.

  Mr. Sackville
  The draft directive 5761/92 has been issued for discussion. We have not yet undertaken an assessment of the cost of implementing it in the national health service.

  Anophthalmia
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will commission research into the cause of anophthalmia;

  (2) what assessment she has made of the effects of (a) benomyl and (b) other pesticides on unborn children.

  Mr. Sackville
  Before a pesticide is approved for use in the United Kingdom a careful assessment is made of its safety in use which includes data related to any possibility of risks to unborn children. We must seek advice from the independent expert statutory Advisory Committee on Pesticides before approving any pesticide.

  Benomyl was last reviewed by the ACP in March 1992 and it advised that applied in accordance with the approved conditions of use both consumers of produce and operators should not be at risk. The ACP has been asked to consider at its next meeting in March the most recent study conducted by the university of California. This study, which adds little to present knowledge of the effects of benomyl in laboratory animals, was undertaken to investigate the eye defects and dosed rats at a level that was known to cause these defects and was 1,000 times higher than the likely human exposure level.

  Anophthalmia and the related condition microphthalmia are known in some cases to be of genetic origin and some may be the consequence of infection with rubella or toxoplasmosis. Few studies have been done into the causes of anophthalmia and microphthalmia, and their comparative rarity makes it difficult to show any environmental association; nevertheless, that same rarity argues against commonly used pesticides or other chemicals alone being a cause. Clinicians at the Moorfields hospital are at present investigating a number of children born without eyes or with very small eyes. The Government will consider the results from this study with great care and take any action necessary.

  Health Authority Appointments
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the criteria by which nominations to(a) district health authorities and (b) trust boards are judged.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 8 December 1992, at column 638.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines she issues to regional health authorities about the methods by which nominations are sought for(a) district health authorities and (b) trust boards.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Regional health authorities are asked to nominate people from a variety of backgrounds, with the experience and skills which will enable them to contribute to the management and strategic direction of the authority or trust. Individuals may nominate themselves or be nominated by others.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the full list of names she has received as nominees to(a) district health authorities and (b) self-governing trust boards.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No. The process of nomination and selection for appointments is confidential.

  Mental Health Expenditure
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a table to show expenditure on(a) mental illness, (b) mental handicap or learning disability and (c) social services as a proportion of gross domestic product for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: The information requested is given in the table.

  Gross expenditure on mental illness, mentally handicapped or learning disabilities and social services as a percentage of gross domestic product1 2 3 England

  Year

  Mental illness Per cent.

  Mentally handicapped or learning disabilities Per cent.

  Total Personal social services Per cent.

  1979–80

  0.43

  0.27

  1.11

  1980–81

  0.49

  0.30

  1.18

  1981–82

  0.51

  0.32

  1.22

  General Dental Service: England Courses of Dental Treatment for Children by FHSA

  FHSA

  April 1989 to March 1990

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Percentage Change 1991–92 over 1989–90

  Kingston and Richmond

  58,944

  48,979

  22,342

  -62.10

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  84,074

  71,050

  33,590

  -60.05

  Dorset

  146,983

  117,040

  37,158

  -74.72

  Hampshire

  362,618

  274,159

  83,816

  -76.89

  Wiltshire

  120,136

  92,853

  30,133

  -74.92

  Isle of Wight

  27,287

  20,877

  5,410

  -80.17

  Berkshire

  169,052

  126,665

  45,759

  -72.93

  Buckinghamshire

  155,722

  118,016

  37,000

  -76.24

  Northamptonshire

  127,993

  97,252

  31,717

  -75.22

  Oxfordshire

  138,516

  102,239

  32,031

  -76.88

  Avon

  249,164

  192,215

  63,441

  -74.54

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  101,631

  82,423

  26,810

  -73.62

  Devon

  253,798

  192,449

  63,506

  -74.98

  Gloucestershire

  128,220

  94,368

  31,500

  -75.43

  Somerset

  123,215

  91,892

  31,371

  -74.54

  478

  Year

  Mental illness Per cent.

  Mentally handicapped or learning disabilities Per cent.

  Total Personal social services Per cent.

  1982–83

  0.50

  0.32

  1.24

  1983–84

  0.48

  0.31

  1.22

  1984–85

  0.48

  0.32

  1.22

  1985–86

  0.45

  0.30

  1.16

  1986–87

  0.44

  0.29

  1.16

  1987–88

  0.46

  0.29

  1.17

  1988–89

  0.48

  0.31

  1.15

  1989–90

  0.47

  0.31

  1.16

  1990–91

  N/a

  N/a

  1.20

  1 Gross domestic product (GDP) figures for England relate to calendar years; all other expenditure figures relate to financial years. Percentage figures are therefore approximate.

  2 Figures for spending on services for mentally ill and people with learning disability combine relevant (current) expenditure in the Hospital and Community Health Services and Personal Social Services. Figures do not include spending by Family Health Services. From 1988–89 onwards spending on Community Mental Health Nurses and Community Psychiatric Nurses is identifiable and included in the figures.

  3 Changes in data definition and collection may mean that figures are not directly comparable.

  Dental Treatment
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many courses of dental treatment for children were undertaken in each family health services authority area in each of the years 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92, with the percentage change for 1991–92 over 1989–90 for each authority.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 1 February 1993]: The information requested is given in the table. Following the introduction of the new dental contract on 1 October 1990, most payments to dentists for treating children are by way of capitation fees. Under capitation, it is not possible separately to identify courses of treatment. Thus the number of child courses of treatment in 1989–90 and 1991–92 cannot be directly compared, and such comparisons are seriously misleading. In 1989–90, dentists in England were paid £163.9 million for treating children. In 1991–92, this had risen to £244.0 million.
  479

  FHSA

  April 1989 to March 1990

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Percentage Change 1991–92 over 1989–90

  Hereford and Worcester

  168,645

  129,030

  45,081

  -73.27

  Shropshire

  97,840

  79,906

  28,656

  -70.71

  Staffordshire

  217,977

  174,106

  68,789

  -68.44

  Warwickshire

  100,858

  75,393

  24,484

  -75.72

  Birmingham

  189,398

  146,709

  63,780

  -66.32

  Coventry

  47,815

  37,552

  18,151

  -62.04

  Dudley

  56,539

  43,984

  17,165

  -69.64

  Sandwell

  41,205

  34,411

  13,748

  -66.64

  Solihull

  36,913

  28,351

  11,775

  -68.10

  Walsall

  44,354

  35,669

  16,409

  -63.00

  Wolverhampton

  36,205

  27,526

  10,504

  -70.99

  Cheshire

  236,942

  186,433

  72,366

  -69.46

  Liverpool

  93,956

  79,490

  44,389

  -52.76

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  68,882

  57,342

  25,899

  -62.40

  Sefton

  62,957

  49,281

  19,688

  -68.73

  Wirral

  76,935

  60,381

  24,651

  -67.96

  Lancashire

  298,105

  246,516

  103,440

  -65.30

  Bolton

  62,197

  48,180

  18,262

  -70.64

  Bury

  43,169

  33,749

  12,913

  -70.09

  Manchester

  87,526

  71,859

  34,076

  -61.07

  Oldham

  52,324

  42,720

  18,206

  -65.21

  Rochdale

  44,004

  33,960

  14,046

  -68.08

  Salford

  27,702

  26,001

  18,273

  -34.04

  Stockport

  89,735

  66,861

  22,109

  -75.36

  Tameside

  52,450

  43,405

  19,443

  -62.93

  Trafford

  59,368

  48,541

  17,783

  -70.05

  Wigan

  71,467

  59,813

  25,906

  -63.75

  Cleveland

  135,839

  119,525

  56,430

  -58.46

  Cumbria

  111,863

  94,488

  34,855

  -68.84

  Durham

  116,447

  97,147

  42,430

  -63.56

  Northumberland

  62,222

  55,228

  19,878

  -68.05

  Gateshead

  36,820

  29,165

  10,972

  -70.20

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  49,937

  43,608

  19,886

  -60.18

  North Tyneside

  37,658

  31,455

  11,517

  -69.42

  South Tyneside

  23,337

  19,535

  8,701

  -62.72

  Sunderland

  46,370

  39,751

  18,732

  -59.60

  Humberside

  172,610

  146,383

  63,663

  -63.12

  North Yorkshire

  166,604

  135,453

  43,407

  -73.95

  Bradford

  92,399

  78,185

  31,091

  -66.35

  Calderdale

  41,508

  34,200

  12,472

  -69.95

  Kirklees

  77,317

  66,288

  23,308

  -69.85

  Leeds

  177,756

  146,640

  56,463

  -68.24

  Wakefield

  66,276

  56,388

  25,468

  -61.57

  Derbyshire

  196,725

  162,060

  60,145

  -69.43

  Leicestershire

  195,947

  163,240

  62,972

  -67.86

  Lincolnshire

  121,191

  97,861

  33,023

  -72.75

  Nottinghamshire

  230,305

  193,065

  78,538

  -65.90

  Barnsley

  46,139

  38,457

  15,138

  -67.19

  Doncaster

  76,296

  64,964

  24,439

  -67.97

  Rotherham

  54,586

  46,474

  20,893

  -61.72

  Sheffield

  120,504

  97,140

  35,552

  -70.50

  Cambridgeshire

  150,875

  119,031

  40,708

  -73.02

  Norfolk

  74,558

  65,917

  43,045

  -42.27

  Suffolk

  160,005

  121,478

  41,152

  -74.28

  Bedfordshire

  81,742

  64,186

  23,906

  -70.75

  Hertfordshire

  248,770

  200,346

  72,325

  -70.93

  Barnet

  58,244

  47,475

  23,253

  -60.08

  Brent and Harrow

  80,304

  68,370

  36,696

  -54.30

  Baling, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  72,810

  64,876

  32,413

  -55.48

  Hillingdon

  37,648

  30,295

  12,349

  -67.20

  Kensington Westminster and Chelsea

  31,776

  25,311

  9,951

  -68.68

  Essex

  320,456

  249,245

  94,600

  -70.48

  Barking and Havering

  60,456

  51,374

  21,165

  -64.99

  Camden and Islington

  34,356

  28,005

  10,899

  -68.28

  City and East London

  58,026

  53,297

  33,884

  -41.61

  Enfield and Haringey

  67,374

  58,317

  26,448

  -60.74

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  69,549

  58,145

  27,526

  -60.42

  East Sussex

  138,265

  114,710

  38,553

  -72.12

  Kent

  327,130

  257,189

  96,144

  -70.61

  Greenwich and Bexley

  81,144

  67,979

  31,186

  -61.57

  Bromley

  47,203

  41,375

  21,852

  -53.71

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  74,224

  63,575

  27,720

  -62.65

  Surrey

  251,297

  190,508

  63,117

  -74.88

  480 481

  FHSA

  April 1989 to March 1990

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to March 1992

  Percentage Change 1991–92 over 1989–90

  West Sussex

  181,450

  142,036

  49,230

  -72.87

  Croydon

  61,594

  51,730

  25,144

  -59.18

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Car Park Permits
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee how many parking permits have been issued for the underground car park in each year since 1990, and at the latest available date to(a) hon. Members, (b) hon. Members' secretaries with over 15 years' service, (c) late-night staff and staff with over 15 years' service, (d) named members of the Press Gallery, (e) officers of the House, (f) Government Whips and office staff, (g) parliamentary Labour party staff, (h) Opposition Whips' office staff and (i) Liberal Democrat Whips' office staff.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  It is not possible separately to identify the number of parking permits issued in 1990, 1991 and 1992. However, on 31 January 1993 the following categories and numbers of permits were on issue:

  Permit holders

  Category

  Current permits

  (a) Members

  1

  638

  (b) Members' secretaries with over 15 years' service

  5

  20

  (c) Late night staff

  4

  297

  Staff of the House with over 15 years' service

  3

  63

  (d) Named members of the Press Gallery

  4

  18

  (e) Officers of the House

  2

  118

  (f) Government Whips office staff

  4

  9

  (g) Parliamentary Labour party staff

  2

  1

  (h) Opposition Whips' office staff

  4

  1

  (i) Liberal Democrat Whips' office staff

  4

  —

WALES

  Further Education
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total funding per full student equivalent at colleges of further education in each local education authority in Wales during each of the last three years; and what are the estimated totals for the next three years.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The annual total funding per full student equivalent by each local education authority in Wales is not held centrally. From 1 April 1993 the Further Education Funding Council for Wales will assume responsibility for funding the further education sector. The funding council has yet to announce its allocation to colleges for 1993–94.
  482
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount of access fund money allocated to(a) further education within each local education authority in Wales during the last two years, (b) teacher training colleges, (c) other public sector higher education and (d) university colleges; and what was the proportion actually spent and the number of access fund applications in each instance.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Universities Funding Council has been responsible for distributing access funds to the colleges of the university of Wales. In 1991–92 the Welsh Office made £620,000 in access funds available to the other further and higher education institutions in Wales. This was divided between the three groups eligible for assistance from the funds as follows:

  Further education students—£209,634

  Higher education students—£368,251

  Postgraduates—£42,115

  The allocations to institutions were made on the basis of student numbers. It is for institutions to decide on the distribution of the funds among eligible students. In 1991–92 a total of £651,221.11 was disbursed by institutions which included access funds carried over from the previous year.

  A total of 3,932 students applied for assistance from the access funds in 1991–92. This represented less than 17 per cent. of students eligible to apply. Information on the use made by colleges of the £630,000 allocated in 1992–93 will be available later this year.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will issue guidelines to the institutes of higher education to provide continuity of accommodation for further education students who have commenced courses housed in higher education campuses; if he will place a copy of his guidance in the Library; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what proposals he has for transitional protection for further education students who have commenced courses traditionally located in institutes of higher education.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  From 1 April 1993 responsibility for ensuring that further education facilities are available will transfer from the local education authorities to the Further Education Funding Council for Wales. The FEFCW is currently addressing the issue of transferring further education courses from certain higher education institutions to the further education sector.

  Community Councils
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average length of time taken by his Department to respond to general inquiries by community councils in Wales in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.
  483
  Mr. David Hunt
  Detailed information on community council correspondence for the last three years is not available. Every effort is made to reply to all correspondence within 15 working days of its receipt.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will outline the procedures established by his Department in responding to correspondence from community councils in Wales; and if he has any plans to review the effectiveness of these procedures.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department's procedures for dealing with correspondence from community councils in Wales are the same as those established for handling all external correspondence. Every effort is made to reply to all correspondence within 15 working days of its receipt.

  Hospitals
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 10 December,Official Report, column 769, what was the total number of hospitals in Wales in (a) 1979, (b) 1991 and (c) 1992 broken down into (i) the national health service, (ii) joint user and contractuals and (c) independent acute.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There were 173 NHS hospitals open in Wales as at 31 December 1979 and 145 as at 31 December 1991 and 1992.

  In addition to these there were six independent acute hospitals open as at 31 March 1991 and 1992. It is not known centrally how many independent acute hospitals there were in Wales in 1979. Some of these hospitals would have treated NHS patients under contractual arrangements.

  There are no joint user hospitals in Wales, nor were there any in 1979.

  Regulations
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. David Hunt
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Marine Mammals (Transuranic Radioactivity)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what studies are made by his Department of transuranic radioactivity in marine mammals off the Welsh coast and in Welsh estuaries.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food directorate of fisheries regularly undertakes monitoring of transuranic radioactivity in fish and shellfish off the Welsh coast. Details of this monitoring can be found in the "Aquatic Environment Monitoring Report No. 29—Radioactivity in Surface and Coastal Waters off the British Isles 1990", copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  No routine transuranic radioactivity monitoring is undertaken in respect of sea mammals because they are not normally consumed by the general public.

  Coastal Protection Services
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what surveys he has conducted as to the readiness of Welsh coastal protection services to cope with a major oil pollution incident.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Responsibility for dealing with any major oil pollution on the Welsh coastline rests with coastal local authorities, in conjunction with the marine pollution control unit of the Department of Transport. They maintain contingency plans which are tested in exercises and in response to specific incidents.

  The Welsh Office's role is to offer support and it maintains its own oil pollution incident plan for this purpose. The Welsh Office will also seek to ensure that any lessons, relevant to Wales, to be learnt from the MV Braer incident are acted upon.

  Farming
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of part-time (1) farm workers and (ii) farmers in(a) less-favoured areas, (b) severely disadvantaged areas and (c) disadvantaged areas in each year since 1985.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Readily available information requested is shown in the following tables. The figures exclude the numbers of farmers or farm workers on minor holdings of less than 6 hectares, in which there is no regular full-time farmer or worker, in which the labour input is less than 100 standard man days per year and in which glasshouse area is less than 100 sq m.

  Number of part-time farmers, partners and directors in less favoured areas of Wales

  Less favoured areas

  of which: severely disadvantaged

  Disadvantaged

  19851

  3,639

  —

  —

  1986

  6,072

  4,472

  1,600

  1987

  5,446

  3,947

  1,499

  1988

  5,989

  4,245

  1,744

  1989

  6,383

  4,477

  1,906

  1990

  6,147

  4,217

  1,930

  1991

  6,251

  4,246

  2,005

  1992

  6,996

  4,693

  2,303

  Number of part-time family and hired workers in less favoured areas of Wales

  Less favoured areas

  of which: severely disadvantaged

  Disadvantaged

  19851

  1,512

  —

  —

  1986

  2,627

  1,859

  768

  1987

  2,649

  1,891

  758

  1988

  2,591

  1,832

  759

  1989

  2,439

  1,718

  721

  1990

  2,597

  1,837

  760

  1991

  2,620

  1,832

  788

  1992

  2,702

  1,979

  723

  1 Data for 1985 are based on classification prior to the 1984 extension of the less favoured areas and are not comparable with other years.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (i) farm workers and (ii) farmers in(a)

  485
  less-favoured areas, (b) severely disadvantaged areas and (c) disadvantaged areas who (x) also did other jobs or (y) claimed income support in each year since 1985.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The following table shows, for 1985, 1987 and 1990 the number of farmers—occupiers—and other family workers on main holdings in less-favoured areas who had other paid work. Data are available only for these years as the source is the EC farm structure survey which is held every two or three years. Separate figures for severely disadvantaged and disadvantaged areas are not available for 1985. There is no information on farmers or farm workers claiming income support.

  Number1 of persons with other paid work on main holdings within the less favoured areas of Wales

  Occupiers2 (thousands)

  Other family workers3 (thousands)

  1985

  Total LFA

  3.19

  3.72

  1987

  DA

  1.15

  1.72

  SDA

  3.03

  4.16

  Total LFA

  4.18

  5.88

  1990

  DA

  1.37

  1.71

  SDA

  3.34

  3.70

  Total LFA

  4.71

  5.41

  1 Sample data only. Figures are subject to sampling error.

  2 Only occupiers who are also manager of the holding.

  3 Other family workers include the occupier's spouse and other workers related to the occupier. Data are not available for non-family hired workers.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many regular full-time hired farm workers are employed on farm holdings in the severely disadvantaged areas according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Number of regular full-time hired farm workers in the severely disadvantaged areas of Wales

  Year

  1978

  1,237

  1979

  1,162

  1980

  1,134

  1981

  1,214

  1982

  1,202

  1983

  1,221

  1984

  1,105

  1985

  1,090

  1986

  1,291

  1987

  1,198

  1988

  1,194

  1989

  1,133

  1990

  1,040

  1991

  1,018

  1992

  977

  Source: June Agricultural Census.

  Note: Between 1985 and 1986 the method of classification of holdings used in the June Agricultural Census was changed. Consequently, the information for 1978 to 1985 is not comparable with later years.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the level of indebtedness 486
  amongst mostly sheep farmers and sheep and beef farmers, respectively, in the severely disadvantaged areas for each year since 1978.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  Wales

  Severely disadvantaged areas

  Sheep farms

  Cattle and sheep farms

  1978–79

  1—

  1—

  1979–80

  External liabilities

  2—

  £8,607

  Total assets

  2—

  £122,511

  External liabilities/ total assets

  2—

  7.0

  Per cent

  1980–81

  External liabilities

  2—

  £11,450

  Total assets

  2—

  £132,604

  External liabilities/ total assets

  2—

  8.6

  Per cent

  1981–82

  External liabilities

  2—

  £13,604

  Total assets

  2—

  £166,968

  External liabilities/ total assets

  2—

  8.1

  Per cent

  1982–83

  External liabilities

  2—

  £15,411

  Total assets

  2—

  £209,427

  External liabilities/ total assets

  2—

  7.4

  Per cent

  1983–84

  External liabilities

  2—

  £13,692

  Total assets

  2—

  £234,804

  External liabilities/ total assets

  2—

  5.8

  Per cent

  1984–85

  External liabilities

  2—

  £17,679

  Total assets

  2—

  £209,667

  External liabilities/ total assets

  2—

  8.4

  Per cent

  1985–86

  External liabilities

  2—

  £30,372

  Total assets

  2—

  £209,667

  External liabilities/ total assets

  2—

  11.7

  Per cent

  1986–87

  External liabilities

  2—

  £30,401

  Total assets

  2—

  £261,417

  External liabilities/ total assets

  2—

  11.6

  Per cent

  1987–88

  External liabilities

  £37,252

  £38,115

  Total assets

  £335,061

  £319,436

  External liabilities/ total assets

  11.1

  11.9

  Per cent

  1988–89

  External liabilities

  £29,037

  £22,183

  Total assets

  £314,533

  £322,743

  External liabilities/ total assets

  9.2

  6.9

  Per cent

  1989–90

  External liabilities

  £31,020

  £30,708

  Total assets

  £359,618

  £359,414

  External liabilities/ total assets

  8.6

  8.5

  487

  Severely disadvantaged areas

  Sheep farms

  Cattle and sheep farms

  1990–91

  External liabilities

  £35,438

  £41,964

  Total assets

  £400,111

  £374,002

  External liabilities/ total assets

  8.9

  11.2

  Per cent

  1991–92

  External liabilities

  £37,022

  £35,599

  Total assets

  £365,304

  £369,665

  External liabilities/ total assets

  10.1

  9.6

  1—Information not available.

  2—Sample of farms too small to provide reliable information.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978, how many farmers within less-favoured areas designated severely disadvantaged receive a level of farm income at or below the level at which a family of two adults and two children of school ages 13 and 17 could expect to be entitled to family credit at the current rates.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Farm income is not directly comparable with the measure of income used for determining eligibility for family credit. The average farm income does not represent disposable income, it is declared before payment of interest but assumes rent is paid on the holding irrespective of its tenure. It includes an allowance for changes in the value of trading stocks but is net of depreciation. Payments of family credit also take account of family savings and information on the savings of farmers relative to their incomes is not available. It is therefore not possible to provide the information requested.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes there have been in the proportion of mostly sheep and sheep and beef farmers in severely disadvantaged areas in relation to the number of mostly sheep farmers and sheep and beef farmers in total for Wales since 1978; and if he will chart the change.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Holdings of the type mostly sheep1 and sheep and beef2 in the severely disadvantaged areas as a percentage of all holdings of these types in Wales

  1978

  75

  1979

  73

  1980

  72

  1981

  74

  1982

  73

  1983

  72

  1984

  69

  1985

  68

  ESA

  Total area (ha)

  Annual Payments (£)

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Cambrian mountains (original)

  72,800

  21,864

  310,292

  366,339

  476,882

  613,130

  Cambrian mountains (extension)

  80,200

  —

  —

  111,488

  120,723

  493,422

  Lleyn peninsula

  39,700

  —

  64,066

  227,661

  284,102

  351,867

  488

  per cent.

  1986

  73

  1987

  72

  1988

  70

  1989

  70

  1990

  71

  1991

  69

  1992

  70

  1 EC type 441.

  2 EC type 442.

  Source: June Agricultural Census.

  Note: Between 1985 and 1986 the method of classification of holdings used in the June Agricultural Census was changed. Consequently, the information for 1978 to 1985 is not comparable with later years.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many farmers were in receipt of hill livestock compensatory allowances in the severely disadvantaged areas according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  Number

  1978

  10,907

  1979

  10,855

  1980

  10,888

  1981

  10,880

  1982

  10,848

  1983

  10,773

  1984

  10,742

  1985

  10,749

  1986

  10,745

  1987

  10,745

  1988

  10,747

  1989

  10,760

  1990

  10,860

  1991

  10,742

  1992

  110,621

  1 Provisional.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by name the environmentally sensitive areas currently designated in Wales, and in respect of each state the area covered, the payment per hectare and the total annual payments which have been made each year since their introduction.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The environmentally sensitive areas in Wales are listed as follows with details of the areas covered by each designation and the total annual payments since the schemes were introduced. In each area there is a range of payments per hectare reflecting the different levels of environmental management which participants in the scheme agree to undertake. Details are set out in the relevant statutory instruments and in the published scheme literature.

  Unemployment, Gwent
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many men aged 16 to 64 years were registered as unemployed on 1 May 1992, 1 May 1991 and 1 May 1990 in(a) the county of Gwent and (b) each of the district councils in Gwent; how many of them had been registered as unemployed for more than six months, more than 12 months, more than two years and more than five years; how many of them have never had a job; and if he will present the figures as a percentage of all economically active males and provide comparable figures and percentages for females.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The unemployment data requested are available from the NOMIS database, which can be accessed on line by House of Commons Library staff.

  No local area information is collected centrally on those who have never had a job and unemployment rates for specific age groups are not available.

  Tourist Authorities
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether it would be possible for the chairman of the Wales tourist board also to hold the post at the British Tourist Authority.

  Mr. David Hunt
  It would be possible for the chairman of the WTB to hold the post of chairman of the British Tourist Authority also.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he intends to make regarding the role of the chairman of the Wales tourist board and the next chairman of the British Tourist Authority.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The appointment of the British Tourist Authority chairman is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for National Heritage, in consultation with myself and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. The chairman of the Wales tourist board will continue as a member of that authority.

  Health Service Pay and Conditions
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many NHS staff in each of the health authority areas in Wales were employed on local pay and conditions agreements at 31 December 1992; and of those how many were recruited on or after 1 April 1992;

  (2) how many NHS staff in each of the health authority areas in Wales were employed on Whitley Council pay and conditions at 31 December 1992.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The available information relating to numbers of staff employed by health authorities and the Pembrokeshire national health service trust is given in the table.

  DHA Area

  Staff employed at 31 December 1992

  On Whitley Council pay and conditions1

  On locally determined pay and conditions

  Clwyd

  2,032

  nil

  East Dyfed

  1,355

  nil

  Gwent

  2,239

  nil

  Gwynedd

  1,423

  1

  Mid Glamorgan

  2,632

  20

  490

  DHA Area

  Staff employed at 31 December 1992

  On Whitley Council pay and conditions1

  On locally determined pay and conditions

  Pembrokeshire

  802

  480

  Powys

  535

  nil

  South Glamorgan

  3,867

  178

  West Glamorgan

  2,136

  nil

  1 Excludes staff groups covered by the Pay Review Bodies ie doctors and dentists, nurses, midwives, health-visitors and professions allied to medicine.

  Note:

  Information on the number of staff on locally determined pay and conditions recruited since 1 April 1992 is not held centrally.

  Nurses
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will establish a national database for nursing vacancies.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I have no plans to do so. Needs and requirements for nursing staff throughout the NHS in Wales are considered as part of the annual work force planning process.

  Suckler Cow Premium
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many suckler cow premium application forms were processed during each month of 1992; and what was(a) the shortest period and (b) the longest period to elapse between receipt of the application and payment of the claim.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  Number

  January

  1,431

  February

  733

  March

  299

  April

  156

  May

  94

  June

  121

  July

  35

  August

  24

  September

  16

  October

  466

  November

  3,750

  December

  1,894

  It is not possible to provide the information requested on (a) the shortest period and (b) the longest period to elapse between receipt of the application and payment of the claim except at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many late applications for suckler cow premium in respect of 1992 he has received to date.

  Mr. David Hunt
  A total of 127 late applications were received after 15 December 1992.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many late applications were received for suckler cow premium in respect of 1990 and 1991; and how many of these were(a) paid in full, (b) paid in part and (c) refused.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:
  491

  1990

  1991

  Number received

  85

  46

  Paid in full

  None

  None

  Part paid

  75

  43

  Refused

  10

  3

  Information and Publicity
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what sum he proposes to spend on information and publicity in the financial year 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Welsh Office plans to spend about £2.5 million on publicity in 1993–94. The main areas to which resources will be committed are:

  Industry, with continued campaigns in support of Enterprise Wales and export promotion;

  Roads, including road safety publicity;

  Health, including aids and alcohol and drugs misuse activity;

  Education, including teacher recruitment and citizens charter material;

  Agriculture, including the production of Welsh-language publications.

  Executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Welsh Office and the Department's executive agency CADW have separate provision for publicity expenditure. In previous years, expenditure by CADW has been treated as part of the Welsh Office total.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the principal elements of the increase the estimate for the present year's publicity expenditure given in his answer to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 2 June 1992,Official Report, column 435, and the figure given in his answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West of 29 January 1993, Official Report, column 886.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The figures given for my Department's estimated publicity expenditure for 1992–93 are the best estimate of the cost of the programme at that time. The difference is accounted for by adjustments and changes in costs across the programme in general and not by particular additions.

  Telephone Boxes
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of GVIR, K6-type, Giles Gilbert Scott-designed telephone boxes still in service in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I am informed by BT that 1,435 telephone boxes of this type are still in service in Wales.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will publish the study he commissioned from Touche Ross management consultants on the transitional costs of local government reorganisation.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have today placed copies of the Touche Ross report in the Library of the House.

DEFENCE

  Iraq
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will request from the Secretary General of the United Nations a copy of the report listing the names of military and dual-use equipment suppliers to Iraq, given to the United Nations special investigation commission on Iraq by the Iraqi Government on 26 January.

  Mr. Aitken
  It is not our practice to comment in detail on the information we request or receive from the United Nations special commission on Iraq.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the types and models of(a) aircraft and (b) missiles attacked by allied aircraft in Iraq in January; and what assessment has been made of the technical threat posed to United Kingdom and allied aircraft by such weapons.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Allied forces attacked SAM-3 strategic surface-to-air missile sites and shot down a MiG-29 fighter aircraft that had entered the southern no-fly zone. These types of assets pose a significant potential threat to United Kingdom and allied aircraft.

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

  Mr. Aitken
  Appropriate arrangements are in hand.

  Northern Ireland Duties
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect changes in United Nations obligations in the last three years have on the ability to provide soldiers with a two-year break from duties in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The only additional United Nations commitment to impact on intervals between unaccompanied operational tours, whether in Northern Ireland or elsewhere, is the recent deployment of an infantry battle group to former Yugoslavia. If sustained this would have the effect of reducing tour intervals from 17 months to 15 months during the current year. The announcement by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 3 February,Official Report, columns 319–21, means that this interval will revert to 17 months and provides greater assurance that the target of two years between such unaccompanied tours will be achieved once restructuring is complete. Tour intervals for other units of other arms have not been significantly affected by recent changes in United Nations obligations.

  Tay House, Glasgow
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the timetable for the purchase of Tay house in Charing Cross, Glasgow.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No decision has been made to purchase Tay house or any building in Glasgow or elsewhere to meet the requirement for the new Army
  493
  personnel centre. A number of buildings which might meet this requirement remain under consideration and a final decision will be made only in the light of the outcome of the consultation period currently under way. Once that final decision is made, I expect that the purchase of the chosen building will be completed quickly.

  Contaminated Land, Woolwich
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what volumes of waste and contaminated soil have been removed from his Department's site at Repository road, Woolwich Common, since 1990; where this material has been disposed of; what operations are currently under way with respect to the excavation, handling, movement and disposal of contaminated soil and radioactive wastes from this site; what authorisation or administrative equivalent, as defined by the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, applies requiring prior approval of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution with regard to any excavation and or disturbance of the contaminated soil; and what procedure is used to check that this requirement has been fully complied with.

  Mr. Aitken
  Since 1990, approximately 40 cu.m. of slightly contaminated building rubble have been disposed to a specialised contractor for disposal at his own disposal site. Currently a further 9 cu.m. of waste are awaiting disposal to the Drigg land burial site in Cumbria. No operations are currently under way to dispose of contamination. However, an area measuring about 3,000 sq. m. has been radiologically surveyed and shown to have some sub-surface radioactivity, which is not uniformly distributed. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has visited the site, authorised disposals under RSA60 and been kept aware of developments. The contamination poses no danger to any member of the public.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has formulated with regard to its intention for the best management or disposal of the contaminated land at his Department's site at Repository road, Woolwich Common; what arrangements his Department has made to provide full details of the volumes and inventory of the wastes there, and any other radioactive wastes deposited at present or past military establishments in the general area of Woolwich, for inclusion in the 1992 United Kingdom radioactive waste inventory currently in joint preparation by UK Nirex and the Department of the Environment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  Invitations to specialised contractors to tender for a contract for the removal and disposal of the contaminated soil will be issued in the next few weeks. The work is expected to take about a year to complete.

  Since past wastes have been, and future wastes are likely to be, disposed of either by specialised contractors who have their own facilities for disposal or directly to the Drigg disposal site in Cumbria, it is not necessary to include details of wastes arising at the Woolwich garrison in the United Kingdom radioactive waste inventory.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the extent, in terms of land area, overall volume and average specific radioactivity of contaminated land and wastes deposited at his Department's establishment site located at Repository road, Woolwich Common;494
  what is the nature of the wastes in terms of radionuclide and chemical content; when the wastes were deposited at this site; what were the original sources of the wastes; and what assessment he has made of the compliance of the disposal of these wastes to legislation, controls and good practice at the time, and of the subsequent care and management of the site to good practice and regulatory requirements of radioactive waste management.

  Mr. Aitken
  The contaminated land measures about 3,000 sq. m. in area. The radioactivity is unevenly distributed at a depth greater than about one metre; the top metre is clean hardcore. The main radionuclide is radium-226 and the highest measured specific activity is 23 Bq/gm. The contamination has arisen from the burning of various materials arising from luminising operations involving radium-based paints carried out in an adjacent workshop building during the 1950s and 1960s. Such practices were common at that time. Current activities associated with radioactive waste management are being undertaken in accordance with all statutory requirements.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what controls have been implemented to ensure that there has not been, and will not be, any spread of contamination from his Department's site at Repository road, Woolwich Common; what has been the extent of radioactive monitoring and surveying of the general vicinity of the contaminated site; and what current monitoring is undertaken.

  Mr. Aitken
  The contamination is sub-surface. The area has a gravel/hardcore surface to a depth of about one metre which minimises the likelihood of airborne dispersal. Radiation measurements have been carried out at the nearest public access points by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the contamination shown to pose no danger to members of the public. The garden of a local resident has been monitored by the defence radiological protection service, and the results indicate no enhanced levels of radium-226 contamination in the garden. No monitoring is currently being undertaken, but it will be resumed when the contamination is being removed.

  Warrior Vehicle
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the Defence Export Services Organisation has taken to ensure the use of a British-made turret in exports of the Warrior armoured fighting vehicle.

  Mr. Aitken
  The Defence Export Services Organisation aims to maximise the United Kingdom content of all defence equipment sold overseas. In the case of the potential sale of Warrior to Kuwait, however, the customer has specified a United States-designed turret.

  Tornado
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements have been made for the purchase of spare parts for Tornado aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  Spare parts for the Tornado aircraft are purchased through the tri-national NAMMA organisation using standard procedures based on contracting, as far as possible on a competitive basis, for anticipated requirements.

  RAF Expenditure
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total amount of expenditure on(a) repair contracts and (b) spare parts for the Royal Air Force in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  The information requested could not be provided without disproportionate effort and expense. I will write to the hon. Member.

  Spare Parts
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the combined total amount of expenditure on spare parts for Harrier and Chinook aircraft in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Aitken
  The information requested could not be provided without disproportionate effort and expense. I will write to the hon. Member.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy relating to the release of official information on expenditure for spare parts for defence equipment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  Official information on expenditure for spare parts for defence equipment may be released subject to the constraints of commercial confidentiality and security. The Department's total expenditure in recent years on equipment, including spare parts, is published annually in "Defence Statistics". Expenditure plans for the forthcoming financial year, including those for spare parts, are contained in the annual supply estimates.

  United Nations Military Planning
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts relating to the United Nations military staff committee; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  NATO support for United Nations peacekeeping was discussed by alliance Defence Ministers at the Defence Planning Committee meeting in Brussels in December 1992; liaison continues between staffs at the NATO and United Nations headquarters. The Government fully support the idea of strengthening the military component of the United Nations Secretariat in order to help improve the planning and conduct of United Nations operations with a military element. This is being pursued as part of the follow-up to the United Nations Secretary-General's report "An Agenda for Peace" in which the United Kingdom is playing an active part.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the establishment of a military planning group at the United Nations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government fully support the idea of strengthening the military component of the United Nations Secretariat in order to help improve the planning and conduct of United Nations operations with a military element. This is being pursued as part of the follow up to the United Nations Secretary-General's report, "An Agenda for Peace" in which the United Kingdom is playing an active part.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will make a decision about the final disposal method for nuclear submarines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  The policy for final disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines remains under consideration. We shall come to a decision as soon as possible.

  Naval Bases
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 29 October 1992,Official Report, column 802, if he will give details of all the measures that potentially affect naval bases which have been examined; which Departments have been consulted as part of this work ; when work started; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Many proposals which could have implications for the naval bases are examined as part of the departmental planning process. Some are taken forward, some are not. It is not possible for a variety of reasons, not least because of the uncertainty that may be caused in the areas concerned, to publish the details of such work. Other Government Departments are consulted as appropriate. The trade unions and other interested parties are consulted about these proposals which are taken forward. All relevant factors are considered before final decisions are announced.

  Naval Dockyards
  Mr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the requirement for naval dockyards in the event of British maritime forces becoming involved in a major conflict; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  All the Royal Navy's requirements are taken into account in determining our support and repair arrangements.

  "Options for Change"
  Mr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes in his policy over the last three years have resulted from his "Options for Change" study; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Plans for restructuring Britain's armed forces were set out in detail in both the 1991 Statement on the Defence Estimates, "Britain's Defence for the 90s" (Cm. 1559-I), and "Britain's Army for the 90s" (Cm. 1595). These were updated in the 1992 statement (Cm. 1981), and have since been supplemented by a number of public announcements, including my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence's statement on 3 February 1992,Official Report, columns 319–28, about Army manpower.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensioners' Incomes
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to be in a position to publish figures on pensioners' income based on data from the 1989 family expenditure survey.

  Miss Widdecombe
  It is expected that pensioners' income figures from the 1989 family expenditure survey will be published shortly.

  Regulations
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security 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.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Lists of all statutory instruments for which the Department is responsible are published in "The Law Relating to Social Security" and in "War Pensions" which are available in the Library. A list of statutory instruments relating to the child support arrangements which come into effect in April 1993 will be published in "The Law Relating to Child Support", which will be placed in the Library shortly.

  A provisional list of all Departments' regulations which have an impact on business has recently been put together

  1992

  Month

  Rent allowance1 £

  Rent rebates (non-HRA)1 £

  Rent rebates (HRA)2 £

  Total £

  January

  1,450,750

  268,599

  3,688,722

  5,408,071

  February

  2,006,221

  268,599

  No payment

  2,274,820

  March

  2,006,221

  268,599

  No payment

  2,274,820

  April

  2,516,687

  330,750

  No payment

  2,847,437

  May

  2,516,687

  330,740

  4,227,595

  7,125,032

  June

  2,516,687

  3-786,190

  4,277,595

  6,008,092

  July

  2,516,687

  3-1,177,119

  4,277,595

  5,617,163

  August

  2,516,687

  163,209

  4,277,595

  6,957,491

  September

  2,516,687

  330,750

  4,277,595

  7,125,032

  October

  2,516,687

  210,714

  4,730,835

  7,458,236

  November

  2,516,687

  313,602

  1,316,421

  4,146,710

  December

  2,516,687

  313,602

  4,353,135

  7,183,424

  TOTAL

  28,113,375

  835,865

  35,477,088

  64,426,328

  Notes:

  1 Paid by the Department of Social Security.

  2 Paid by the Department of the Environment.

  3 Negative amounts, due to recovery from 1991–92.

  In addition, the Department paid £110,361 to Lambeth council in 1992 in respect of the direct administration subsidy for housing benefit. The monthly profile of this subsidy was as follows:

  Month

  £

  January

  36,787

  February

  36,787

  March

  36,787

  April

  79,179

  May

  79,179

  June

  79,179

  July

  79,179

  August

  79,179

  September

  79,179

  October

  79,179

  November

  79,179

  498
  by the central deregulation unit in the Department of Trade and Industry, and consideration will be given to placing that list in the Library once it has been fully checked for accuracy and consistency of definition.

  Housing Benefit (Lambeth)
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) tenants of Lambeth council and (b) tenants of other landlords were upon average in receipt of housing benefit for the most recent year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Burt
  The average number of local authority tenants in receipt of housing benefit in 1992 in the London borough of Lambeth was 22,800. The average number of tenants for other landlords, in the same year, was 12,900.

  Notes:

  The information covers benefit units, and not individuals; couples are counted as one unit.

  The source of the data is the Housing Benefit Management Information System quarterly caseload returns for February, May, August and November 1992.

  All figures are rounded to the nearest one hundred.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much refund of housing benefit was paid to Lambeth council in each of the 12 months of 1992.

  Mr. Burt
  Monthly payments on account of housing benefit subsidy made to Lambeth council in 1992 are shown in the following table:

  Month

  £

  December

  79,179

  Total

  110,361

  Note:

  The table shows administration subsidy payments on account made by DSS.

  Administration subsidy for housing benefit is paid in two parts: 50 per cent. direct grant from DSS and 50 per cent. through the revenue support grant.

  Appointments
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what public appointments he has made since 1 November 1992; and what information he has on the political affiliations of those appointed.

  Miss Widdecombe
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made the following public appointments and re-appointments since 1 November 1992.

  Name of Body

  Name of Appointee

  Central Advisory

  Mr. W. Dunn MBE JP

  Committee on War

  Mrs. P. L. Newnes OBE

  Pensions

  Brigadier H. L. B. Salmon

  Social Security

  Mrs. J Anelay

  Advisory Committee

  Rev. H. Good

  Hon. Mrs. R. H. Price

  Industrial Injuries

  Dr. J. Asherson

  Advisory Council

  Professor M. Cinnaamond

  Professor A. Newman

  Taylor OBE

  Occupational Pensions

  Board

  Sir Jeremy Rowe CBE

  1993–94

  1993–94 £

  2015–16 £

  2025–26 £

  2035–36 £

  2045–46 £

  Basic pension

  16.9

  56.10

  40.45

  34.85

  30.00

  25.85

  Average additional pension (Women)

  10.6

  34.95

  45.80

  42.20

  42.00

  39.15

  Average additional pension (Men)

  17.0

  56.45

  67.35

  55.95

  47.65

  42.75

  Note:

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

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

  Oral Contraceptives
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will adjust the level of benefits paid to women of child-bearing age who are prescribed oral contraceptives, to meet the additional cost of paying for a brand which has been placed on the selected list.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of Health to the hon. Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Pickthall) on 18 January 1993, at column 97. Since the real clinical needs of patients will continue to be met from items available on prescription under the NHS, we have no plans to adjust benefit levels.

  National Insurance Contributions
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his answer of 1 February 1993,Official Report, column 24, concerning the level of the upper and lower earnings limits for national insurance contributions, if he will publish figures showing what the monetary equivalents would he if the proportions were applied to estimated average earnings in 1993–94.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is given in the table.
  500
  The above appointees were chosen on the basis of their expertise or experience of the type of work involved in the appointment. Their political affiliation was not a relevant factor.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the present level of invalid care allowance as a percentage of national average earnings.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 25 January 1993 at column 585.

  Pensions
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his answer of 1 February 1993,Official Report, column 26, concerning the value of the basic retirement pension and state earnings-related pension scheme, if he will (a) publish similar figures for 1993–94 and (b) for all years given in his answer, including 1993–94, show what the monetary equivalents would be if the proportions were applied to estimated average earnings in 1993–94.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is in the table.

  Earnings limit

  2015–16 £

  2025–26 £

  2035–36 £

  2045–46 £

  Lower

  40.40

  34.80

  30.00

  25.85

  Upper

  303.05

  260.65

  225.10

  193.85

  Note:

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

  European Standing Committee Papers
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department took to make available to hon. Members papers relevant to the proceedings of European Standing Committee B held on Wednesday 3 February; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  On 7 January 1993 this Department sent a set of relevant papers to each hon. member of European Standing Committee B in advance of the Committee's meeting due to take place on 13 January. At the same time copies were placed in the Libraries of each House and 150 copies were supplied to the Vote Office.

  Following the adjournment of the debate on 13 January, additional papers requested by the Committee were sent on 27 January to each hon. member of the Committee and to the Vote Office.

  Reduced Rate Benefits
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many men and women, respectively, would be receiving unemployment and sickness benefits at each of the reduced rates if those rates had not been abolished by the Social Security Act 1986; and how many more people would be receiving invalidity benefit.

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

  Grants and Loans (Refusal Rate)
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the refusal rate for(a) community care grants and (b) social fund loans at the Northfield and Moseley Road Benefits Agency offices in Birmingham for April 1992 to date.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of the social fund 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 Michael Bichard to Dr. Lynne Jones, dated 5 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 the refusal rate for community care grants and social fund loans at Northfield and Moseley Road offices in Birmingham.
  Information is held for the Benefits Agency's Birmingham South West District, which comprises the Northfield and Moseley Road offices. The refusal rate for community care grants and social fund loans for the period 1 April 1992 to 31 December 1992 (latest available data) is 74.9 per cent and 31.6 per cent. respectively. I should emphasise that the vast majority of community care grants refusals are because the application fails to meet the basic criteria.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this letter will appear in the Offical Report. A copy is also being placed in the Library.

EMPLOYMENT

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment she has made of the effects of the proposed abolition of wages councils on(a) black and Afro-Caribbean workers, (b) workers of Indian sub-continent origin and (c) white workers respectively.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Black, Indian, white and other workers will benefit from the abolition of the councils, which will free up the labour market and increase job opportunities.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement about the future of the TECs.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I see TECs as continuing their important role as business-led strategic bodies in the areas of training, education and enterprise support with clear responsibilities in such areas as the youth training guarantee.

  Training Schemes (Accidents)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people on(a) youth training schemes and (b) employment training schemes met with accidents in each year since 1989; and how many were fatal.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The following table gives the youth training and employment training figures for the years1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Youth training

  Fatal

  4

  2

  4

  2

  Major

  585

  492

  378

  293

  Minor

  2,690

  2,127

  1,561

  1,389

  Employment training

  Fatal

  1

  3

  0

  1

  Major

  203

  193

  121

  79

  Minor

  969

  908

  562

  419

  Notes:

  (a) Employment Department figures for trainees have been compiled on a similar basis to those prepared by the Health and Safety Executive for employed persons. However, the Employment Department's figures include a number of accidents to trainees in educational establishments, and road traffic accidents, which would not have been reportable to the Health and Safety Executive had the individuals been employed.

  (b) Major injuries are classified according to the severity criteria laid down in the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985. These regulations, which came into force on 1 April 1986, reclassified fractured wrists and ankles as major injuries. These were not classed as major injuries in the previous regulations, the Notifications of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1980 (NADOR).

  Industry Training Organisations
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made by the joint Employment Department/National Council of Industry Training Organisations group considering the recommendations of the review of industry training organisations.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The work of the Industry Training Organisations network review implementation group has been completed. A copy of its report has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Trade Union Commissioner
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many appeals have been lodged with the Commissioner for the Rights of Trade Union Members since the post was created; and how many have been successful.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Since her office was created in 1988, the independent Commissioner for the Rights of Trade Union Members has received 178 formal applications for assistance and has granted 39 of them.

  Ministerial Group on Women's Issues
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) when is the next meeting of the Ministerial Group on Women's Issues; and what is on the agenda for that meeting;
  503
  (2) when was the last meeting of the ministerial group on women's issues; and what was discussed at that meeting.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The last meeting of the Ministerial Group on Women's Issues (MGWI) was on 5 March 1992. The Ministerial Group on Women's Issues was superseded by the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Women's Issues in April 1992. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made clear, the Government do not give details of the topics discussed by individual Cabinet committees, the timing of meetings, or their proceedings, although it will continue to make the committee's decisions known to Parliament and the public.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Severely Disadvantaged Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers were in receipt of hill livestock compensatory allowances in the severely disadvantaged areas according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978.

  Mr. Gummer
  Precise annual figures covering this period are not available but the number of claimants paid each year under the hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme to farmers with holdings located either wholly or partially within the severely disadvantaged area, or the corresponding area prior to the extension of the less-favoured areas in 1985, has declined marginally from about 52,300 in 1980 to 51,500 in 1991.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many regular full-time hired farm workers are employed on farm holdings in the severely disadvantaged areas according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978.

  Mr. Gummer
  The number of regular full-time hired farm workers employed on farm holdings in the severely disadvantaged areas in England for each year since 1978 is shown in the table.

  Regular full-time hired workers on holdings1 in the severely disadvantaged area2 in England at June each year

  Year

  Number of regular full-time hired workers

  1978

  3,062

  1979

  3,142

  1980

  2,982

  1981

  2,997

  1982

  2,933

  1983

  2,763

  1984

  2,628

  1985

  2,514

  —3

  1986

  3,301

  1987

  3,098

  1988

  3,016

  1989

  2,888

  1990

  2,794

  1991

  2,646

  1992

  2,533

  1 Minor holdings are excluded.

  2 Workers on holdings with either all or part of their land in the

  504
  severely disadvantaged areas have been included.

  3 Between 1985 and 1986 the method of classification of holdings used in the June census was changed. Subsequently, the figures below the line are not comparable with those above it.

  Source: June Census of Agriculture and Horticulture each year.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes there have been in the proportion of mostly sheep and sheep and beef farmers in severely disadvantaged areas in relation to the number of mostly sheep and sheep and beef farmers in total for England since 1978; and if he will chart the change.

  Mr. Gummer
  The number of mostly sheep1 and sheep and beef holdings2 located either wholly or partially within the English severely disadvantaged areas, or the corresponding areas before the extension of the less-favoured areas in 1985, as a percentage of such holdings in England is shown in the table:

  Year

  per cent.

  1978

  42

  1979

  40

  1980

  41

  1981

  41

  1982

  39

  1983

  38

  1984

  37

  1985

  36

  1986

  37

  1987

  36

  1988

  34

  1989

  33

  1990

  35

  1991

  33

  1992

  32

  1 EC Farm type 441

  2 EC Farm type 442

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978, how many farmers within less-favoured areas designated severely disadvantaged receive a level of farm income at or below the level at which a family of two adults and two children of school ages 13 and 17 could expect to be entitled to family credit at the current rates.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information requested is not available.

  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the level of indebtedness among mostly sheep and sheep and beef farmers, respectively, in the severely disadvantaged areas for each year since 1978.

  Mr. Gummer
  The following table shows the average level of total external liabilities from a sample of mainly sheep and cattle and sheep farms in the severely disadvantaged areas of England, together with the proportion that these represent of total assets.
  505

  Average indebtedness of livestock farms wholly or partly in the severely disadvantaged area in England1

  Mainly sheep farms

  Cattle and sheep farms

  Accounting year2

  Total external liabilities £ thousands per farm

  External liabilities as a percentage of total assets Per cent.

  Total external liabilities £ thousands per farm

  External liabilities as a percentage of total assets Per cent.

  1979–80

  3—

  3—

  15.4

  9

  1980–81

  3—

  3—

  17.1

  9

  1981–82

  3—

  3—

  20.2

  10

  1982–83

  3—

  3—

  22.1

  12

  1983–84

  22.5

  13

  28.8

  10

  1984–85

  13.6

  8

  31.4

  11

  1985–86

  22.8

  11

  32.2

  12

  1986–87

  31.8

  14

  36.3

  14

  1987–88

  38.4

  17

  36.8

  14

  1988–89

  40.1

  17

  42.0

  14

  1989–90

  45.6

  18

  46.9

  14

  1990–91

  37.3

  15

  50.0

  14

  1991–92

  39.2

  16

  49.9

  16

  1 All data based on closing valuations.

  2 Ending on average mid-February.

  3 Sample too small to give reliable results.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by name the environmentally sensitive areas currently designated in England, and in respect of each state the area covered, the payment per hectare and the total annual payments which have been made each year since their introduction.

  Mr. Curry
  The environmentally sensitive areas in England are listed in the table with details of the areas covered by each designation. In each area there is a range of payments per hectare reflecting the different levels of environmental management which participants in the scheme agree to undertake. Details are set out in the relevant statutory instruments and in the published scheme literature. Total annual payments since the schemes were introduced were given in reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East (Dr. Strang) on 14 December 1992,Hansard column 66.

  Designated area (hectare)

  Pennine Dales

  46,371

  Broads

  35,820

  Somerset Levels and Moors

  27,717

  South Downs

  69,377

  West Penwith

  7,180

  Breckland

  94,032

  Suffolk River Valleys

  32,149

  Shropshire Borders

  21,000

  North Peak

  50,250

  Test Valley

  2,690

  North Kent Marshes

  14,700

  Avon Valley

  5,200

  South Wessex Downs

  45,900

  Exmoor

  81,000

  South West Peak

  33,900

  Lake District

  245,200

  Whisky and English Wine
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide financial assistance for the establishment of a sales point at Calais docks for English wine and Scotch whisky.

  Mr. Curry
  No.

  Irradiated Food
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that all irradiated food will be explicitly labelled to identify all food which has undergone irradiation.

  Mr. Soames
  Rules for the labelling of all foods and listed ingredients which have been irradiated have already been agreed by the EC and implemented in the United Kingdom. Further proposals on food irradiation currently before the Council of Ministers include more detailed rules on the labelling of irradiated ingredients. The Government are seeking to ensure that the further requirements on ingredient declarations are as comprehensive as practicable.

  EC Intervention Stocks
  Mr. Dover
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how large current intervention stocks of cereal and butter are within the European Community; and what were the levels in each of the past 15 years.

  Mr. Curry
  Tables showing current levels of all produce held in intervention within the European Community are deposited in the Library of the House at monthly intervals, most recently on 29 January. The information currently held in the House Library goes back to January 1985; it is not possible to provide earlier figures within the time available.

  Agriculture Returns
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 2 February,Official Report, column 134, whether the requirement of the Commission for agricultural returns to be in hectares applies to both (a) within the United Kingdom and (b) between the United Kingdom and European Commission; and if he will set out the text which gives effect to this requirement.

  Mr. Curry
  Council directive on the approximation of the laws of the member states relating to units of measurement No. 80/181 EC as amended by Council directive No. 89/617 EC states:"Whereas the laws which regulate the use of units of measurement in the Member States differ from one Member State to another and as a result hinder trade; whereas, in these circumstances, it is necessary to harmonise laws, regulations and administrative provisions in order to overcome such obstacles;"
  It goes on, in chapter 1, section 4 of the annex, to specify the units to be used in determining the area of farm land in the following terms:
  507

  Units and names of units permitted in specialised fields only

  Quantity

  Name

  Unit Symbol

  Value

  Vergency of optical

  dioptre*

  1 dioptre = 1m-1

  Mass of precious stones

  metric carat

  1 metric carat =2 x 10-4 kg

  Area of farmland and building land

  are

  a

  1 a=102 m2

  Mass per unit length of textile yarns and threads

  tex

  tex

  1 tex = 10-4kg m-1

  Note: The prefixes listed in 1.3 may be used in conjunction with the above units. The multiple 102 a is, however, called a 'hectare'.

  This directive is directly applicable in all Member States and therefore affects all returns completed with the United Kingdom and returns provided by the United Kingdom for the European Commission.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley) of 11 January,Official Report, column 623, what steps he is taking to ascertain the needs of United Kingdom areas which are dependent on fishing; what sort of appropriate assistance he is proposing to the European Commission; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Studies have been carried out by consultants engaged by the European Commission to help define fisheries-dependent areas and their economic needs. We are presently examining these studies and our officials will be seeking the views of the fishing industry. As far as any new measures are concerned, we shall be seeking to ensure that they properly recognise the needs of fisheries-dependent areas in the United Kingdom, as well as representing good value for money and providing for needs that could not be met through the mechanisms that are already available.

  Flooding (Evacuations)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to organise with all interested bodies and people affected a full-scale exercise of evacuation procedures in the event of river and sea flooding in the eastern counties; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The Department is responsible for ensuring that adequate warning procedures exist and are able to operate smoothly in the event of potential river or sea flooding. The National Rivers Authority holds regular reviews of emergency procedures and mounts exercises with the police and local authorities to test contingency plans and operational procedures. If the police and local authorities wished to test their emergency evacuation procedures in the event of flooding in a particular area this could be done in conjunction with an NRA exercise. However, a full-scale evacuation exercise involving members of the public in all the areas potentially at risk in 508
  the eastern counties would be extremely expensive and would not necessarily provide information that would be helpful in an actual emergency.

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the hill livestock compensatory allowance rates for each of the last five years in each EC country; and what information he has about plans for future changes to such rates.

  Mr. Curry
  Directly equivalent schemes to the hill livestock compensatory allowances do not exist elsewhere in the European Community. When member states change the rates of the schemes that they operate under the same EC provisions, they are required to notify the Commission but not other member states. The information requested is not therefore available in a readily accessible form. To compile a list of, and the rates applicable under, the various schemes for each of the past five years could be done only at disproportionate cost.

SCOTLAND

  Mr. Muir Russell
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the departmental responsibilities in which Mr. Muir Russell has been involved over the past five years.

  Mr. Lang
  Mr. Russell's departmental responsibilities over the last five years have been:

  Present position—Under Secretary Housing, The Scottish Office Environment Department.

  April 1990-August 1992—Under Secretary, Secretariat, Cabinet Office.

  February 1989-April 1990—Assistant Secretary, The Scottish Office Finance Division I (which deals in particular with the Public Expenditure Survey and The Scottish Office Administration Vote).

  February 1986-February 1989—Assistant Secretary, The Scottish Office Local Government Finance Division.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how often Mr. Muir Russell of his Department has met representatives of Stagecoach plc in connection with his official duties in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Lang
  Before the first discussion of his possible appointment as a non-executive director, which was held on 1 December 1992, Mr. Russell had no meetings with representatives of Stagecoach Holdings plc.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by road user group the number of people(a) slightly injured and (b) killed or seriously injured on (i) built-up roads and (ii) non-built-up roads in each of the last three years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested for the latest available three years is as follows:
  509

  Casualties by road user group, severity, for built up and non built up areas: Years 1989 to 1991

  Built up

  Non built up

  Road user

  Year

  Fatal and serious

  Slight

  Total

  Fatal and serious

  Slight

  Total

  Pedestrians

  1989

  2,044

  3,627

  5,671

  187

  154

  341

  1990

  2,058

  3,861

  5,919

  168

  131

  299

  1991

  1,773

  3,425

  5,198

  159

  132

  291

  Pedal cyclists

  1989

  314

  1,030

  1,344

  77

  129

  206

  1990

  256

  975

  1,231

  76

  117

  193

  1991

  255

  892

  1,147

  53

  134

  187

  Motor cyclists

  1989

  461

  815

  1,276

  315

  309

  624

  1990

  335

  783

  1,118

  275

  288

  563

  1991

  238

  685

  923

  248

  234

  482

  Car users

  1989

  1,008

  5,221

  6,229

  2,490

  5,673

  8,163

  1990

  959

  5,497

  6,456

  2,140

  5,842

  7,982

  1991

  896

  5,513

  6,409

  2,000

  5,621

  7,621

  Taxi

  1989

  30

  310

  340

  13

  45

  58

  1990

  34

  204

  238

  6

  35

  41

  1991

  22

  193

  215

  1

  13

  14

  Minibus

  1989

  25

  94

  119

  46

  142

  188

  1990

  10

  89

  99

  39

  166

  205

  1991

  7

  35

  42

  33

  136

  169

  Bus or coach

  1989

  153

  1,158

  1,311

  25

  124

  149

  1990

  108

  1,105

  1,213

  18

  139

  157

  1991

  116

  1,048

  1,164

  21

  120

  141

  LGV

  1989

  68

  340

  408

  158

  406

  564

  1990

  65

  323

  388

  122

  465

  587

  1991

  59

  320

  379

  133

  387

  520

  HGV

  1989

  33

  111

  144

  69

  212

  281

  1990

  20

  68

  88

  72

  206

  278

  1991

  28

  83

  111

  58

  170

  228

  Other vehicle

  1989

  15

  41

  56

  19

  51

  70

  1990

  7

  60

  67

  32

  70

  102

  1991

  9

  36

  45

  22

  45

  67

  Total:

  1989

  4,151

  12,747

  16,898

  3,399

  7,245

  10,644

  all road user

  1990

  3,852

  12,965

  16,817

  2,948

  7,459

  10,407

  casualties

  1991

  3,403

  12,230

  15,633

  2,728

  6,992

  9,720

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland by how much gross expenditure on civil legal aid increased between 1987–88 and 1991–92.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Gross expenditure on civil legal aid in 1987–88 was £15.697 million. The figure for 1991–92 was £16.581 million. Projected expenditure in 1992–93 is £23.5 million.

  Stagecoach Group
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what forms of support the Stagecoach group of companies has received from the Scottish Development Agency and its successor bodies.

  Mr. Stewart
  The Scottish Development Agency invested £500,000 in Stagecoach in preference shares and convertible preference shares in 1989, in order to fill a funding gap to facilitate expansion of the company.

  Sheriff Courts (Cost)
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average cost of a sheriff court day(a) in criminal trials, giving details of (i) direct costs to Scottish courts administration, (ii) legal aid, (iii) Crown Office costs, (iv) the prison service and (v) the police and (b) in civil proofs, giving details of (i) direct costs to Scottish courts administration and (ii) legal aid costs.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The costs in 1992 of a sheriff court sitting day, averaged over summary criminal and civil business, was £784. This includes all direct costs borne by Scottish courts administration—staff salary costs, accommodation costs, central management costs and related adminstrative expenditure—but excludes judicial salaries which are borne on the Consolidated Fund. In addition, in criminal trials involving juries, there were additional costs for shorthand writers of £ 150 per day and payments to jurors of £631 per day.

  The average cost to the Crown Office of a procurator fiscal depute's time is £250 per day. The average cost of the time spent by a procurator fiscal depute in court is £150 per day. To this figure falls to be added the cost of witness expenses, administrative costs of witness citations and the overheads associated with case preparation.
  511
  Information about legal aid costs is not available in the form requested. In 1991–92 the average cost per case for providing legal aid in a sheriff court solemn trial was £2,049; in a sheriff court summary trial £798 and in a sheriff court civil case £699. These costs include fees paid to solicitors and counsel and outlays, including witness expenses.

  Information in regard to the costs borne by the prison and police service for the provision of services in respect of daily sheriff court sittings is not available in the form requested. The Commission for Local Authority Accounts in Scotland has assessed the annual cost of police officers attending all the Scottish courts on, exclusively, witness duty as £7.8 million.

  ESA

  Total Area Hectares

  Annual Payments

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Breadalbane

  181,000

  16,270

  126,150

  203,600

  221,350

  264,670

  271,110

  Loch Lomond

  50,000

  —

  24,350

  48,750

  58,920

  92,240

  89,270

  Stewartry

  42,000

  —

  17,800

  200,640

  422,410

  507,620

  511,910

  Whitlaw and Eildon

  8,000

  —

  900

  26,350

  39,000

  47,460

  59,460

  Machair of the Uists, Benbecula, Barra and Vatersay

  7,000

  —

  17,570

  105,390

  155,630

  182,480

  234.250

  Severely Disadvantaged Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farmers were in receipt of hill livestock compensatory allowances in the severely disadvantaged areas according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The information requested is set out in the following table:

  Year

  Number of HLCA recipients in Severely Disadvantaged Areas of Scotland

  1978

  19,802

  1979

  19,164

  1980

  19,198

  1981

  19,072

  1982

  18,760

  1983

  18,610

  1984

  18,343

  1985

  18,203

  1986

  17,857

  1987

  17,788

  1988

  17,783

  1989

  17,596

  1990

  17,506

  1991

  17,403

  1992

  17,260

  Geese
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many licences have been granted under section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for the shooting in the winter of 1992–93 of(a) barnacle geese and (b) Greenland white-fronted geese; what assessement he has made of the implications of such licences for the management scheme for Islay geese; and if he will make a statement.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by name the environmentally sensitive areas currently designated in Scotland, and in respect of each, state the area covered, the payment per hectare and the total annual payments which have been made each year since their introduction.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The environmentally sensitive areas in Scotland are listed in the table, together with details of the areas covered by each designation and the annual payments made since the schemes were introduced. In each area there is a range of hectarage payments reflecting the different levels of environmental management which participants in the scheme agree to undertake. Details are set out in the relevant statutory instruments and in the published scheme literature.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Six licences to shoot barnacle geese and three to shoot Greenland white-fronted geese were issued in November 1992 prior to commencement of the Islay goose management scheme. Four barnacle licences and two white-front licences were subsequently revoked upon the decision of the licence holders to participate in the management scheme.

  I am encouraged by the rate of voluntary participation in the scheme. I am also content that those not participating should continue to be able to seek licences to protect their crops.

  Nurses
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will establish a national database for nursing vacancies.

  Mr. Stewart
  No. The changes in funding arrangements for nurse education and training in Scotland which will take place on 1 April 1993 mean that health boards will have the responsibility for assessing the demand for pre-registration nursing, midwifery and health visiting education and training of all employers within their areas. The matching of newly qualified nurses to vacancies is best handled at local level. In addition the Employment Service, through its jobcentres, can advertise vacancies for any occupational group in any locality on its national computer network provided that they are notified by employers.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the savings in the financial year 1993–94 which will result from the changes he has announced in financial elegibility for civil legal aid.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The purpose of the proposed changes announced on 16 November is to ensure
  513
  the continuation of reasonable access to legal aid for the most needy, while at the same time taking action to control the rate of growth in legal aid expenditure. The proposed changes are expected to reduce forecast expenditure on civil legal aid by between £2 million and £3 million in 1993–94. Expenditure on civil legal aid is, however, expected to continue to increase.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the number of people who were granted civil legal aid in 1992–93 who would not have been granted legal aid if the changes in financial eligibility being introduced from 1 April 1993 had been in force in 1992–93

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The proposed changes would not have affected the number of those eligible for civil legal aid. However, some people who did not pay a contribution would have been required to do so and those who did would have had to pay an increased contribution.

  Oral Contraceptives
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will retain all the oral contraceptive brands currently listed for prescription.

  Mr. Stewart
  Changes to the range of oral contraceptive available on national health service prescription will be made only on the recommendation of the advisory committee on NHS drugs. The committee will ensure that all the real clinical needs of patients continue to be met.

  Skye Bridge
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library a copy of the joint geological investigation relating to the Skye bridge.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has made arrangements to have a copy of the factual report from the joint geological investigation lodged in the Library. The designers will collate the various volumes of the factual report as quickly as possible.

  Heritable Property
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy towards the disposal of heritable property which he regards as no longer required as for civil defence purposes.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: The Government's policy towards the disposal of such properties is set out in chapter 32, paragraph 1 of "Government Accounting", which requires Departments to ensure that they obtain the best possible price so as to protect the taxpayers' interests.

  Civil Defence Facility (Anstruther)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what factors influenced his decision to offer for sale the civil defence facility at Anstruther.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: In view of the continuing reduction in the threat of attack on the United Kingdom the Government
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  have concluded that it is no longer necessary to retain a number of sites containing special protected administrative centres known as regional government headquarters or zone headquarters. Anstruther is one such site.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums have been spent on the civil defence facility at Anstruther in each of the last 10 years for which information is available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: The Scottish Office Home and Health Department have spent the following sums on the running costs and maintenance of the civil defence facility at Anstruther.

  £

  1992–93

  70,000

  1991–92

  90,000

  1990–91

  100,000

  1989–90

  75,000

  1988–89

  70,000

  Note: Information for previous years is not available in the form requested.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what value has been placed by the district valuer on the civil defence facility at Anstruther currently being offered for sale.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: The district valuer advised that the minimum open market value for sale purposes could be fairly stated at £25,000, but that given the right conditions at the date of sale a sum in excess of that figure might be realised.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the quasi autonomous non-governmental organisations which he consulted before offering for sale the civil defence facility at Anstruther.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: No such organisations were consulted before the civil defence facility at Anstruther was offered for sale.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he made of the historical significance of the civil defence facility at Anstruther before offering it for sale.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: The Scottish Office notified the Royal Commission for Ancient and Historic Monuments of Scotland, which made a photographic record of the property.

  Population
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the latest estimates by the Registrar General of Populations of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each district council area and parliamentary constituency in Scotland, together in each case with the equivalent year's electoral registration figures expressed in numbers and as a percentage of relevant population.
  515
  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: The latest estimates are those for mid-1991 set out in the answer that I gave to the hon. Member on 26 October 1992, Official Report, columns 527–30. The Registrar General's mid-1992 population estimates will not be available until July 1993. Electoral registration figures for 1993 will be available in April 1993.

  Motorways
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many miles of motorway in Scotland are currently(a) open, (b) under construction and (c) planned either (i) as completely new motorway or (ii) as existing motorway being widened.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: In Scotland there are 154 miles of trunk road motorway and a further 15 miles of non-trunk motorway, responsibility for which lies with local authorities.

  Twenty-one miles of new motorway is currently under construction with a further 63 miles of new motorway planned.

  Much of the motorway network constructed in the 1960s and 1970s is reaching the end of its structural life and requires major maintenance or reconstruction. Some of this work may involve widening.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what calculations underlay his estimate of the amount to be gathered from council house sales receipts in 1993–94 in Edinburgh district.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer of 5 February 1993]: The provisional estimate of capital receipts on Edinburgh district council's housing revenue account block in 1993–94 is £17.860 million, including £15.061 million from the sale of council houses under the right to buy.

  The estimate of RTB receipts has been compiled by multiplying the expected number of RTB sales—1,141—by the expected average RTB selling price of £13,200. The number of RTB sales has been derived by applying a take-up percentage—68 per cent.—to the number of RTB applications—1,678—expected to be made to the district council during the period from 1 October 1992 and 30 September 1993. The expected number of RTB applications to be made during this period is based on the of such applications—859—made between 1 April 1992 and 30 September 1992 which has been grossed up to an annual basis taking account of seasonal variations. The expected average RTB selling price and the take-up percentage are projections of the trends in such factors for the district council in recent years.

  The provisional estimates for 1993–94 will be reviewed before the end of March in the light of representations received from local authorities and in the light of the latest available information on RTB trends.

ENVIRONMENT

  Education and Personal Social Services
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing standard spending assessments for education and personal social services for each relevant authority for 1993–94 relative to 1992–93, disregarding in the case of personal social services the effect of community care changes, and showing in the case of education the effect of change in pupil numbers.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I have today placed in the Library two tables containing the following information:

  (i) The standard spending assessment (SSA) for 1992–93, that for 1993–94 and the difference between the two in £ million and as a percentage change;

  (ii) The SSA element for education in 1992–93 adjusted for those functions which will no longer be the responsibility of local authorities in 1993–94, particularly further education, the education SSA for 1993–94 and the difference between the two in £ million and as a percentage.

  For 1993–94 expenditure on community care will be funded by means of a special transitional grant. It is riot possible to show the effects of changes in pupil numbers because of the changes in function between 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Radiation Emergencies
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional resources he proposes to make available to local authorities to enable them to implement the Public Information for Radiation Emergencies Regulations 1992.

  Mr. Maclean
  Any additional costs to local authorities arising from the provision of public information under the Radiation Emergencies Regulations 1993 will be de minimis. Local authorities are already required to maintain emergency planning procedures and adequate resources for this purpose are provided in the local authority finance settlement.

  Drinking Water Inspectorate
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each regional water company the number of tests carried out by the drinking water inspectorate, for the last year for which figures are available, and the pass rate for each test for each company; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Water companies are required by the Water Quality Regulations to take samples of the water they supply and to analyse them. The drinking water inspectorate checks the manner in which companies carry out this function but it does not carry out tests itself. Information on the quality of drinking water supplied by each company in England and Wales during 1990 and 1991, including that sought by my hon. Friend, is contained in the annual reports of the chief inspector, copies of which have been placed in the Library.

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his letter to the hon. Member for Leicester, East of 26 January, about correspondence
  517
  from his Department on urban programme funding, how many circular letters to all eligible authorities were sent between 15 October and 13 November.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I wrote to each local authority on 13 November 1992 explaining the new arrangements for the urban programme in 1993–94.

  Housing
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence he has of the extent of overcrowding in(a) owner-occupied property and (b) low-cost home ownership schemes.

  Mr. Baldry
  Current information is available from surveys relating measures of space to household size and composition, but this has no statutory force.

  The most recent figures available come from the 1991 labour force survey housing trailer which uses a criterion, widely used in surveys, of one bedroom for:

  — each married couple;

  — any other person aged 21 or over;

  — each adolescent aged 10 to 20 or pair of adolescents if of the same sex; and

  — each pair of children under 10

  The LFS housing trailer shows that in 1991 an estimated 3 per cent. of owner-occupier households in England had fewer bedrooms than indicated by this criterion.

  No reliable information is available separately on overcrowding of households in low-cost home ownership schemes.

  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes there have been in the proposed allocation of moneys held back from the scheme to allow housing associations to purchase homes since his statement announcing the scheme.

  Mr. Baldry
  About £427 million of the £577 million allocated to the Housing Corporation in the autumn statement to enable housing associations in England to purchase new, empty, repossessed and second-hand homes was allocated in November to 27 selected "zoned" housing associations.

  The remainder was held back in order to make further allocations reflecting the success of these housing associations in meeting the objectives of the package and to allow other associations to come forward with proposals offering exceptional value for money. Further allocations were made on 13 January; 28 "non-zoned" associations received allocations worth some £28 million.

  About half the initial allocation was targeted on London and the south-east. In the second tranche this proportion was increased to three quarters, in recognition of the particular difficulties of the property market in this region.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 3 December 1992,Official Report, columns 296–300, what was the number and value of council house sales by region for the latest available quarters (a) at current prices and (b) at 1981 prices.

  Mr. Baldry
  The latest available information, which is for the period July to September 1992, is given in the table.518
  The table also gives updates of the figures for the April to June quarter given previously. These figures exclude some 12,300 dwellings, valued at about £120 million, transferred from Bromley borough council to Broomleigh Housing Association in April 1992.

  Number of council house sales and value by region (£000)

  April to June 1992 (provisional)

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  Value 1981 prices

  DOE Regions

  North (Exc. Cumbria)

  1,080

  30,538

  16,240

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  988

  33,072

  17,588

  East Midlands

  681

  24,284

  12,914

  Eastern

  1,179

  57,089

  30,360

  London Boroughs

  2,208

  131,222

  69,784

  South East

  1,045

  53,133

  28,256

  South West

  715

  30,308

  16,118

  West Midlands

  1,066

  40,314

  21,439

  North West (Inc. Cumbria)

  1,304

  39,448

  20,978

  ENGLAND

  10,266

  439,408

  233,677

  July to September 1992 (provisional)

  Number of sales

  Undiscounted value of sales

  Value 1981 prices

  North (Exc. Cumbria)

  1,249

  33,753

  17,866

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1,078

  36,817

  19,488

  East Midlands

  823

  28,063

  14,855

  Eastern

  1,607

  78,781

  41,701

  London Boroughs

  2,802

  180,882

  95,746

  South East

  1,479

  76,212

  40,341

  South West

  913

  38,770

  20,522

  West Midlands

  1,085

  40,798

  21,596

  North West (Inc. Cumbria)

  1,641

  38,836

  20,557

  ENGLAND

  12,677

  552,912

  292,673

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to publicise the effects of the changes being made to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 on compulsory competitive tendering.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill currently before Parliament amends the Transfer of Undertakings Regulations to bring them into line with the EC acquired rights directive, by removing the distinction between commercial and non-commercial undertakings. It is not the case that the amendment has the effect of extending the regulations to the public sector. My Department's view remains that the regulations will not normally apply where local authority services are contracted out, that is, where a private company contracts to provide a service in consideration of a fee. Such a transaction does not normally, in our opinion, involve the transfer of an undertaking within the meaning of the regulations.

  Urban Regeneration Agency
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the recruitment of a chief executive designate for the proposed urban regeneration agency.

  Mr. Redwood
  The main aim of the urban regeneration agency will be to secure the reclamation and reuse of vacant, derelict and underused land and buildings in urban areas. It will also promote land reclamation nationally and encourage the provision of industrial and commercial premises in areas of need. We want the agency to begin this important work as soon as is practicable after the enactment of the Housing and Urban Development Bill which provides for its establishment. To this end, we intend shortly to advertise the post of chief executive. Subject to the enactment of the Bill, the successful candidate will be appointed as chief executive by the agency when established. Lord Walker of Worcester, who will be the agency's first chairman, will play a leading role in the selection process. Pending enactment of the Bill expenditure on the recruitment exercise, estimated at £60,000 will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund. Repayment to the fund will be made from the Department of the Environment administration vote (class VIII vote 8).

  Earth Summit
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress made in Britain in the past eight months in implementing the agreements of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

  Mr. Maclean
  The United Kingdom is working towards ratification of the climate change convention and to establish the basis for ratification of the convention on biological diversity by the end of 1993. We intend to publish national action plans on biodiversity, the climate change convention and for the implementation of the forest principles and submit a report on sustainable development to the new UN Commission on Sustainable Development on the same time scale.

  Local Authorities, Suffolk and Norfolk
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest estimate of the timetable for the Local Government Commission's review of Suffolk and Norfolk local authority areas.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  We intend that the Local Government Commission should review Suffolk and Norfolk in separate reviews in the fourth tranche of its work programme. It is too early to give a firm estimate for the starting dates of the later reviews, but it is likely that those of Suffolk and Norfolk will be started in 1995.

  Farm Houses (Council Tax)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to alter the council tax banding status of farmhouses from residential to business; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  None.

  Waste Incinerator, Stockton
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library the reasons for refusal of permission for Northumbrian Water to construct a waste incinerator at Portrack in Stockton-on-Tees, and the submission made to the inquiry inspector by Cleveland county council in respect of the same.

  Mr Maclean
  Yes. I am arranging for a copy of the decision letter issued on 2 November 1992 to be placed in the Library. While Cleveland county council made no submissions to the site-specific inquiry for the Portrack incinerator appeal, the council did submit evidence to the plenary session of the linked inquiries of which the Portrack inquiry was part. I will arrange for a copy of the council's submissions to the plenary session to be placed in the Library.

  City Challenge
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria he will apply to the 1991 census data in choosing candidates for the third round of city challenge; what are the current criteria; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  I have yet to receive the results of research based on 1991 census data which will help to inform future decisions on urban policy, including setting the criteria for the choice of candidates for a possible third round of city challenge. The current city challenge areas are included in the list of urban priority areas which was drawn up following the 1981 census and amended in the light of subsequent information about urban needs.

  Coventry
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what concrete financial assistance he plans to offer the residents of areas in Coventry which experienced disturbances in 1992.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 26 January 1993]: The financial assistance available from my Department is not distrubuted on the basis of the location of disturbances. However, Coventry will continue to benefit from a range of housing and inner city programmes. Additionally, we are currently considering a bid from Coventry under the urban partnership fund.

  New Earnings Survey
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Clifton-Brown) of 27 January,Official Report, column 765, what were the sample sizes used in the new earnings survey for each county council and the Scilly Isles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 4 February 1993]: I have place in the Library a table showing, for each local authority, the total sample size in the New Earning Survey for those occupational groups used in the calculation of the area cost adjustment. The occupational groups included are those thought to be most relevant to the labour markets in which local authorities operate. Because

  521
  of the need to standardise the results to avoid any distortions which might otherwise arise from differences in the mix of occupations between different local authorities, average wages are calculated for each of 16 occupational groups. The effective sample sizes used in the detailed calculations are, therefore, much smaller than those shown in the table. These samples are too small to allow reliable estimates to be made for individual counties.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what provision exists for registered disabled people living in adapted accommodation to receive a reduction in their valuation band in cases where the property is already in band A.
  522
  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 4 February 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Ms. Anderson) on 5 November 1992, Official Report, column 370.

  Council Tax
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage collection rate for the council tax the Government are assuming for the operation of transitional relief.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The scheme assumes a collection rate of 98 per cent.

  WAR CRIMES ACT 1991
  WAR CRIMES ACT 1991
  PRISON SERVICE OFFICERS
  PRISON SERVICE OFFICERS
  HOME OFFICE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: FEE
  HOME OFFICE TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: FEE
  OCCUPATIONAL PENSIONS: TRANSFER VALUES
  OCCUPATIONAL PENSIONS: TRANSFER VALUES
  OCCUPATIONAL PENSIONS: TRANSFER TO PERSONAL PROVISION
  OCCUPATIONAL PENSIONS: TRANSFER TO PERSONAL PROVISION
  PERSONAL PENSIONS: CONTROL OF COSTS
  PERSONAL PENSIONS: CONTROL OF COSTS
  WATER CHARGES: ASSISTANCE WITH PAYMENT
  WATER CHARGES: ASSISTANCE WITH PAYMENT
  BANKS: COMPLAINTS FROM SMALL BUSINESSES
  BANKS: COMPLAINTS FROM SMALL BUSINESSES
  WATER METERS: ACCURACY
  WATER METERS: ACCURACY
  GAS (EXEMPT SUPPLIES) ACT 1993
  GAS (EXEMPT SUPPLIES) ACT 1993
  ALDERMASTON: SAFETY
  ALDERMASTON: SAFETY
  US EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT
  US EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT
  ANIMAL KIDNEYS: DISEASE
  ANIMAL KIDNEYS: DISEASE
  GRANT-MAINTAINED SCHOOLS: ELECTION OF GOVERNORS
  GRANT-MAINTAINED SCHOOLS: ELECTION OF GOVERNORS