Written Answers of 9 February 1993

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Housing
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vacant homes are being acquired in each district council area under the Government's housing initiative announced in the Chancellor's autumn statement by(a) the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, (b)the Northern Ireland Co-ownership Housing Association and (c) the other housing associations.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  At 3 February 1993 the number of proposals to acquire property with vacant possession in each district council area is as follows:

  Council

  (a) Northern Ireland Housing Executive

  (b) Northern Ireland Co-ownership Associations

  (c) Other Housing Associations

  Antrim Borough

  —

  12

  —

  Ards Borough

  6

  14

  —

  Armagh District

  4

  9

  11

  Ballymena Borough

  3

  9

  6

  Ballymoney Borough

  3

  6

  —

  Banbridge District

  2

  4

  —

  Belfast City

  50

  3

  89

  Carrickfergus Borough

  8

  25

  —

  Castlereagh Borough

  5

  5

  —

  Coleraine Borough

  2

  26

  4

  Cookstown District

  —

  9

  1

  Craigavon Borough

  7

  21

  28

  Derry City

  7

  15

  19

  Down District

  7

  19

  —

  Dungannon District

  1

  5

  2

  Fermanagh District

  3

  8

  6

  Larne Borough

  4

  5

  21

  Limavady Borough

  5

  12

  —

  Lisburn Borough

  9

  7

  —

  Magherafelt District

  2

  11

  —

  Moyle District

  1

  3

  —

  Newry and Mourne District

  8

  24

  —

  Newtownabbey Borough

  4

  1

  —

  North Down Borough

  2

  6

  —

  Omagh District

  4

  5

  —

  Strabane District

  3

  —

  —

  Totals

  150

  264

  187

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at what stage(a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his responsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  Draft letters are not submitted to Ministers, but for information purposes they receive a copy of the chief executive's reply once it has issued and prior to the parliamentary question being answered.

  Fair Employment Tribunal
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the ruling of the president of the Fair Employment Tribunal, on the disclosure of documents to the Fair Employment Commission in the cases of McKernan v. DoE and McConnell v. Police Authority for Northern Ireland, will be appealed; and on what date the Commission will be given the relevant documents in the McConnell case.

  Mr. Mates
  There was no appeal in the case of McKernan v. DoE. In the case of McConnell v. Police Authority for Northern Ireland, a requisition to state a case to the Court of Appeal was lodged with the Fair Employment Tribunal on 14 January 1993.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Visas
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which member nations of the European Community have statutory appeal procedures comparable with those currently in force in the United Kingdom concerning appeals from persons refused visitor's visas to the respective states.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  None of the other member states of the European Community has an independent, specialised immigration appeals system.

  Prison Construction
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in favour of construction of more prison space to accommodate offenders for whom custodial sentences are appropriate.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No formal representations have been made, but, from time to time, we are approached by companies interested in the construction of new prisons.

  Interception of Communications
  Mr. Cordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many warrants he has signed under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 for each year since 1986.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I refer the hon. Member to the annexes to the reports of the Interception of Communications Commissioner for 1990 and 1991—Cm. 1489 and Cm. 1942

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those who, other than himself, are empowered to sign warrants to intercept communications.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  By virtue of section 4 of the Interception of Communications Act 1985, warrants may be issued only under the hand of the Secretary of State or, in an urgent case where the Secretary of State has expressly authorised its issue, under the hand of an official of his department of or above the rank of Assistant Under-Secretary of State. In practice, warrants are usually
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  issued by the Home Secretary, the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Alcohol (Licensing)
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications were made in the last year for (i) new licences, (ii) the renewal of licences and (iii) for the transfer of licences to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises; and what proportion of these were(a) approved, (b) approved subject to conditions and (c) rejected.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Provisional figures show that in the year ending 30 June 1992 in England and Wales, there were 2,136 new applications for licences to sell intoxicating liquor for consumption off the premises, of which 1,712 —80 per cent.—were granted. Information about the number of applications for the renewal or transfer of off-licences is not collected centrally. Licensing justices have no power to attach conditions to the grant of an off-licence.

  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost to the public administration, including the cost of licensing justices and policing of operating the system of licensing for premises selling alcohol for consumption off the premises and of the compliance costs for businesses involved with the operation of this system.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  As to compliance costs, a fee of £.12.50 is payable on the initial grant and subsequent triennial renewal of an off-licence. The other information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

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

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Details of all the appointments for which the Home Department has been responsible since 1 November 1992 could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. Information about the appointments for which the Home Department was responsible last year up to 30 September 1992 is given in "Public Bodies", a copy of which is in the Library. Information on the political affiliations of those appointed is not sought by my Department.

  Naturalisation
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 861, if he will place in the Library a comparative description of the processes and qualifications used in each member state of the European Community in respect of applications to them for naturalisation from citizens of non-member nations.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Yes. I will place in the Library the information available to me about naturalisation procedures in the member states.

  Ram-raiding
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he proposes to take to reduce the incidence of ram-raiding.

  Mr. Jack
  Encouraging owners and car manufacturers to make cars more secure—thus reducing the opportunities for vehicle related crime, including ram-raiding —is a central feature of the Government's car crime prevention strategy. At a local level, police crime prevention officers are always ready to provide retailers with specialist advice, drawn from their own experiences and that of the Home Office crime prevention centre at Stafford, on what measures they can take to protect their premises against this type of offence.

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what stage(a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his responsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Chief executives of agencies within my responsibility reply direct on matters delegated to them, although it is, of course, open to them to seek my advice before replying.

  I have the opportunity to see the replies when they are published in Hansard.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) for what purpose category subsections A: high risk and A: exceptional risk were introduced; and how many prisoners there have been in each category to date;

  (2) how many categories of security there are within category A; and for how long there has been no more than one subsection.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There are three levels of escape risk classification for category A prisoners: standard, high and exceptional. This arrangement was introduced in its present form in 1988 in order to assist operational management. On 31 December 1992, there were 558 category A prisoners in custody. Of these, 457 were classified as standard escape risk, 79 as high escape risk and 22 as exceptional escape risk. Information on the numbers of prisoners held in each escape risk classification since 1988 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time prisoners spend in each of the A categories.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information in the form requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Merseyside Fire and Civil Defence Authority
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the capacity of the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority to cope with fire, emergency and other demands on their time in 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.
  527
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The standard of service provided by the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority was examined in the course of an inspection of the service by Her Majesty's inspectorate of fire services between 25 and 29 January 1993. My right hon. and learned Friend will want to examine carefully the report of that inspection, which will be published later this year. It is for the authority, in the light of its standard spending assessment and the intended criteria for designation for council tax capping, to set a budget for 1993–94 which will allow it to comply with its duties under the Fire Services Act 1974, and with the nationally recommended minimum standards of fire cover.

  Betting Shops
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what means were used to gather comments from interested parties in response to his Department's

  Period 14 October 1991 to 18 January 1993

  Paragraph reference in consultation document

  Subject

  Number of responses

  28(i)

  Views on effects on excessive gambling

  17

  28(ii)

  Views of local authorities on effect of planning controls

  8

  28(iii)

  Views of police and licensing authorities as to whether evening opening would cause them any practical difficulties

  9

  28(iv)

  Views of the horseracing industry

  6

  28(v)

  Views of bookmakers

  202 (plus 1 petition with 204 signatures and 1 survey with 439 respondents)

  28(vi)

  Views of the greyhound racing industry

  369 (plus 3 petitions with over 2,000 signatures)

  Others

  Include employees, members of the public and letters where correspondents' interest not identified

  381

  29(i)

  Whether opening hours should be entirely left to the discretion of each business

  48

  29(ii)(a)

  Whether the latest permitted closing time should be specified

  32

  29(ii)(b)

  Whether evening opening should be allowed on Monday to Friday only, or only on certain days

  18

  Whether evening opening should be allowed all year or only for certain months

  15

  Fire Regulations
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to implement new fire regulations as required under the EC framework and workplace minimum requirements; and what plans he has to amend the regulations.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to issue revised proposals for Fire Precautions (Places of Work) Regulations and associated guidance for
  528
  consultation document of October 1991 on evening opening of betting shops; who responded; and how many submissions were received in responding to each of the issues highlighted in paragraph 28(i)—(vi) and paragraph 29(i)—(ii) (a)—(c).

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A press release was issued on 14 October 1991 announcing the issuing of the consultation document. Copies of the document were made available to the press. Some 58 copies of the document were sent direct to various interest groups such as the police, local authority associations and bodies representing the horseracing, greyhound and bookmaking industries. In addition, copies were made available to inquirers on request. In those cases where organisations had not responded by the closing date, they were contacted and invited to consider responding.

  The details of the representations received were as follows:

  consultation in the summer. This will enable him to consider any comments which he has received and to make the regulations to take effect on or after 1 April 1994.

  We have already decided to exclude from the regulations all premises which are occupied only by the self-employed because they are not subject to the directives, and we are considering what other changes should be made.

  Police Restructuring
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had or proposes to have with the Merseyside police authority with regard to proposals to restructure police forces and police authorities.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend has not held discussions with individual police authorities. He is considering what reforms in police organisation and structure may be needed and will announce his proposals as soon as possible. The interested parties will be consulted before final decisions are reached.

  Safer Cities Project, Bradford
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the future of the safer cities project in Bradford; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  I have received written representations on the future funding of the Bradford safer cities project from the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer), from the chairman of the steering committee of the project and the chair of the community safety strategy group of Bradford city council.

  As I explained in my statement of 7 January, Home Office grant funding to 16 of the existing 20 projects, including Bradford, will be reduced from £250,000 to £100,000 in 1993–94 and will end in March 1994. This will release funds for the new phase of safer cities. Some additional funding will be available in 1993–94 from a central budget of £500,000 to assist work aimed at leaving in place satisfactory continuing arrangements for the maintenance and development of local multi-agency crime prevention work.

  Although safer cities funding is to come to an end after March 1994, there are other sources of Government funding for crime prevention. Bradford is one of the city challenge pacemaker authorities, and has formulated extensive community safety proposals in its action plan. I understand that more than £390,000 is being spent on a wide range of activity, which is beginning to have a real impact on crime prevention in the challenge area.

  There is also a local drugs prevention team in Bradford, which has a budget of £75,000 per year for grant aid to local drugs prevention projects.

  Drug Problems, Liverpool
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with organisations in the Liverpool area in respect of ways of combating drug problems; what proposals he has put forward for central Government assistance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  A drugs prevention team was set up in Liverpool in December 1990 under the Home Office drugs 530
  prevention initiative and continues to work with the local community in finding effective ways of preventing the spread of drug misuse.

  In May 1992 I visited the team to launch the educational video which they have produced in conjunction with the "Brookside" television company. During European Drug Prevention Week in November I visited again, to talk to local business people about drugs prevention in the workplace, to open the drugs prevention fayre at the Everyman theatre, and to speak to local drugs prevention workers.

  The Home Office provides £75,000 a year to the team to spend on grant aid to local agencies and groups engaged in drugs prevention work and £10,500 to spend on prevention publicity. These budgets have been supplemented considerably by private donations and sponsorship and some 60 projects have been undertaken to date. We also provided an extra £15,000 for specific drugs projects in the Liverpool area during European Drug Prevention Week.

  A steering committee of representatives from organisations in the local community, including statutory and voluntary drugs services, the local authority, police and the chamber of commerce, supervise the work of the team. I announced recently that the life of the team, like the other teams set up under the drug prevention initiative, would be extended to March 1995.

  Prison Populations
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the total prison population in each EC country, including the United Kingdom, and the United States of America in 1979 and 1992 respectively; what proportion that number formed of the total population; and how many of that number were young offenders.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 2 February 1993]: Information for EC countries has been collated by the Council of Europe only since 1983; and the latest available information published by them relates to 1 September 1989. The data requested for these two years can be found in "Prison Information Bulletin" No. 2, table 1; and No. 14, table 2. A copy of both documents are in the Library.

  Data on the total prison population in 1979 are given in an article in issue No. 15 of the above publication; and more recent information has been collected independently from some EC countries and from the USA. These data are given in the table.

  An article on "International comparisons of prison populations" by Collier and Tarling—Home Office research bulletin No. 23, pages 48 to 54—showed that the figures for different countries are unlikely to be strictly comparable because the definitions of prisons and prisoners vary from one country to another, reflecting different legal and administrative systems. Examples of differences in the definitions are the inclusion or exclusion in a country's figures of juvenile offenders and mentally disordered offenders.
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  11979 Total prison population

  Total prison population

  21991 Prison population per 100,000 inhabitants

  Total population of young offenders

  Belgium

  6,137

  —

  —

  —

  Denmark

  2,291

  3,506

  68

  —

  France

  34,640

  48,675

  84

  6 5,072

  Germany3

  50,395

  49,658

  79

  —

  Greece

  3,221

  —

  —

  —

  Ireland

  1,140

  —

  —

  —

  Italy

  26,424

  —

  —

  —

  Luxembourg

  223

  —

  —

  —

  Netherlands

  —

  7,233

  48

  71,185

  Portugal

  5,054

  8,092

  82

  6625

  Spain

  10,463

  —

  —

  —

  United Kingdom, of which:

  —

  52,874

  92

  610,046

  England and Wales

  42,220

  46,310

  91

  68,850

  United States of America

  4500,000

  51,118,000

  5450

  —

  1 Figures at 1 January, except Greece—1 December; Ireland and United Kingdom—annual averages.

  2 Figures at 1 September.

  3 Former Federal Republic territory only.

  4 Approximate estimate based on the available data, which relates to the local jail population in 1978 and the State and Federal prison population in 1980.

  5 1990.

  6 Age under 21.

  7 Age under 23.

WALES

  Certificate of Education
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated entrance number of pupils for the current certificate of education.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  So far, 9,436 candidates have been entered for the certificate of education in 1993. Candidates may still be entered up to the date of the examination.

  Further and Higher Education
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money will be allocated for extension and rebuilding work at each college of further and higher education in Wales during the next three years.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  From 1 April 1993 the Further and Higher Education Funding Councils for Wales will assume responsibility for providing funds for extension and rebuilding work for institutions of further and higher education. The funding councils have yet to announce their allocations to institutions for 1993–94.

  Wages
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average wage of employed persons in Wales for each of the last 14 years; and if he will express these figures as a percentage of(a) the United Kingdom and (b) the European average.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is given in the table. Comparable figures for Europe as a whole or the European Community are not available.
  532

  Average gross weekly earnings of full time employees in Wales whose pay was not affected by absence for the survey pay period.

  Year

  £ per week

  Percentage of United Kingdom

  11979

  87.6

  98.0

  11980

  106.4

  96.7

  11981

  119.4

  95.8

  11982

  130.2

  95.5

  11983

  140.0

  94.7

  21983

  139.4

  94.8

  21984

  149.2

  93.8

  21985

  160.3

  94.0

  21986

  170.3

  92.5

  21987

  183.4

  92.4

  21988

  196.5

  90.3

  21989

  215.9

  90.4

  21990

  232.1

  88.5

  21991

  252.2

  88.9

  21992

  270.9

  89.2

  Source: New Earnings Surveys, Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

  1 From 1979 to 1983, men aged 21 and over and women aged 18 and over.

  2From 1983 onwards, men and women on adult rates of pay irrespective of age.

  Unfit Dwellings
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of unfit dwellings in(a) local authority and (b) private ownership for each of the last five years.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The data requested are not available. Information about levels of unfitness is being obtained through the current Welsh house condition survey. The results will be published after the survey is complete at the end of the year.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has concerning the number of workers in Wales holding more than one paid occupation;
  533
  and if he will make a statement on how these are counted in his calculation of the number of employed people in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The summer 1992 labour force survey shows an estimated 45,000 people in Wales with a second job, either as an employee or self-employed.

  The Employment Department's employer-based surveys count jobs, not people. The labour force surveys provide estimates of the numbers of people employed in Wales.

  Nitrogen Dioxide (Monitoring)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sites for monitoring nitrogen dioxide there are in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There is one site at Cardiff at which nitrogen dioxide is measured continuously. In addition, current Government surveys involve regular measurements at more than 100 sites throughout Wales.

  "2002 Horizon"
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the implications for Wales of the European Commission plan, "2002 Horizon", outline programme for a trans-European road network; and what discussions on the plan he has held with officials of national parks in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The proposals for a trans-European road network are indicative only, and are being considered by member states. Plans for developing the road network in Wales are set out in the 1992 supplement to "Roads in Wales". My right hon. Friend and I have made it clear that our plans will not include upgrading the A5 through Snowdonia to motorway or dual-carriageway standard, and we have not discussed these proposals with national park officials.

  Smoke and Sulphur Dioxide Discharges
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the implementation in Wales of EC directives on smoke and sulphur dioxide discharges.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  EC directive 80/779/EEC, setting air quality standards for smoke and sulphur dioxide, is implemented in Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom by means of the Air Quality Standards Regulations—SI 1989 No. 317; copies are held in the Library of the House.

  Government monitoring indicates that the limits set under the directive are not being exceeded in Wales.

  Derelict Land
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much industrially derelict land has been reclaimed in Wales since 1990; and what methods have been used.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Since 1990 a total of 3,127 acres of industrially derelict land have been reclaimed in Wales through schemes funded by the Welsh Development Agency. Reclamation methods vary from site to site depending upon the nature of the dereliction and the site's proposed end use.

  Construction
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the level of construction in Wales in each quarter of 1992.

  Dr. David Hunt
  The Welsh index of construction is available for the first three quarters of 1992. Taking the average quarterly output in 1985 to be 100, the levels were 143.1, 141.3 and 136.1 in the first three quarters of 1992 respectively.

  John Bennett and Keith Wilson
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 22 January,Official Report, column 454, on what date the fraud squad arrested John Bennett and Keith Wilson.

  Mr. David Hunt
  This is a matter for the police.

  Drug and Alcohol Misuse Centres
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received on residential drug and alcohol misuse centres since April 1992; and how many such representations have expressed concern about future funding arrangements.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I have received 25 such representations, all of which have expressed concern about future funding arrangements.

  Opportunity 2000
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the effects upon female employment in Wales of the Opportunity 2000 scheme.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Opportunity 2000 is a Business in the Community initiative, which receives support from the Welsh Office. It was launched in Wales in May 1992. At the end of the first six months 13 Welsh employing organisations had taken up membership, but it is too early to assess the impact the initiative is having on female employment.

  Voluntary Sector Organisations
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what meetings or communications he has had with the Wales Council for Voluntary Action in regard to the level of grant provision by his Department to voluntary sector organisations.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  None. However my officials maintain close links with the Wales Council for Voluntary Action on many issues relevant to the voluntary sector, including funding, and will continue to do so.

  Women (Business Incentive Schemes)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what incentive schemes his Department sponsors in Wales to assist women to establish their own businesses.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Support for women who wish to establish their own business is provided by the training and enterprise councils and our strategic guidance to them stresses the importance of advancing equal opportunities
  535
  to help people realise their potential. TECs tailor their provision to meet local needs. Local enterprise agencies also offer help to people setting up in business.

  The department also supports initiatives such as the Chwarae Teg/Fair Play consortium and Opportunity 2000, both of which aim to expand the role of women in the work force.

  Job Creation
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards),Official Report, 1 February, column 3, if he will provide a breakdown by company of the 12,690 jobs created.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Regional selective assistance is intended to aid companies carry out industrial projects which will create or safeguard jobs. Details of individual projects are however, a matter of commercial confidentiality.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from local authorities concerning the allocation of revenue support grant for the coming financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received representations from 13 local authorities on settlement related issues. The Local Government Finance Report (Wales) 1993–94 and The Limitation of Council Tax and Precepts (Relevant Notional Amounts) Report (Wales) 1993–94, which set out my settlement proposals for the coming year, were approved by the House on 8 February.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to make changes to minerals planning policy guidance note 3 in relation to Wales, in the light of current reviews of opencast mining proposals.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, announced on 15 July 1992 the Government's proposal to bring forward for public consultation draft revised planning guidelines on coal extraction generally. The intention is to proceed to public consultation as soon as practicable once the results of the coal review have been announced.

  Local Government Reform
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to publish his White Paper on local government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I propose to publish my White Paper shortly, but not until after a further meeting of the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government on 17 February.

  Railway System
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail concerning the future of the railway system in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
  536
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend regularly meets Sir Bob Reid to discuss a wide range of Welsh rail issues. The most recent of these meetings was held on 7 September.

  NHS Staff (Redundancies)
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of redundancies among NHS staff for each year since 1989–90, dividing the figures by region.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This information is not available centrally.

  Capital Programme
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer on 1 February,Official Report, columns 2–3, what proposals he has to use a global settlement framework for the construction of the Pen-y-Clip tunnels on the A55; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There are no such proposals.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer of 1 February,Official Report, columns 2–3, to the hon. Member for Clwyd, North-West (Mr. Richards), if he will give the corresponding figure for the total value of capital expenditure projects starts in 1991–92, 1992–93 and his estimate for 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Information for all project starts is not available. Details of the planned major project starts for the central Government roads, transport grant, hospitals and arts programmes and for the Welsh Development Agency, in 1991–92 and 1992–93 are set out in the long-term projects tables appended to votes 2, 5 and 8 of the relevant supply estimates booklets for Wales—HC 236–XVI and HC 373–XVI—and in "Roads in Wales", 1992 supplement.

  Equivalent information for 1993–94 will be available from the 1993–94 supply estimates and the 1993 supplement to "Roads in Wales."

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer of 1 February,Official Report, columns 2–3, if he will provide equivalent budget details derived prior to April 1992, for the capital programme for 1992–93 for (a) local authority gross capital expenditure, (b) his Department's roads and transport, (c) his Department's health and hospitals including NHS trusts, (d) Housing for Wales, (e) the Welsh Development Agency and (f) the European regional development fund.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  Gross capital expenditure plans for 1992–93 within the responsibility of and allocated by the Welsh Office, for:

  £ million

  (a) Local authority gross capital

  1631

  (b) Central Government roads and transport

  178

  (c) Health

  137

  (d) Housing for Wales

  127

  (e) Welsh Development Agency

  122

  (f) European Regional Development Fund

  3

  1 The 1992–93 forecast for gross capital expenditure by local authorities (£631 million) is not comparable with that for 1993–94 (£620 million) because the 1993–94 figure excludes:

  537

  (i) the provision for further education (which has been transferred to the central Government programme) and

  (ii) the separate provision made for ERDF grants.

  PCB Contamination, Pontypool
  Mr. Roger Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish the results of the study by the university of East Anglia into polychlorinated biphenyl levels in the Panteg area of Pontypool.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In line with the contract with my Department, I expect the university of East Anglia to report to me shortly. I shall publish the university's findings as quickly as possible thereafter, as soon as I have had an opportunity to consider its conclusions and the advice of my special adviser for this project, Professor Lewis Roberts.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the(a) number of properties, (b) their square footage and (c) the rental income in the ownership of the Welsh Development Agency in each of the last five years in (i) the Bridgend constituency, (ii) the Ogwr district, (iii) Mid Glamorgan and (iv) all other counties.

  Mr. David Hunt
  This is a matter for the Welsh Development Agency. I have arranged for the chief executive of the agency to write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Operation Wizard>
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) pursuant to his answer of 14 January,Official Report, column 771, if he will give the total sum in consultancy fees paid by the Welsh Development Agency under Operation Wizard to each of (a) Barclays de Zoete Wedd, (b) Outram Cullinan and Co. and (c) Touche Ross;

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 14 January, Official Report, column 771, if he will place in the Library copies of the terms of reference agreed for the consultancy work done for Operation Wizard by (a) Barclays de Zoete Wedd, (b) Outram Cullinan and Co. and (c) Touche Ross.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have asked the chief executive of the agency to write to the hon. Gentleman.

NATIONAL FINANCE

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

  Cigarette Duty
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conclusion the October 1992 ECOFIN meeting reached on the cigarette duty structure; and how 538
  this is reflected in the Council and Commission minute statement on the target rates set out in the amended proposal for a Council directive (9776/89 fisc 167).

  Sir John Cope
  ECOFIN agreed that from 1 January 1993 the minimum excise duty incidence on cigarettes would be 57 per cent. of the retail selling price, inclusive of all taxes, of the price category most in demand. This agreement is reflected in the Council's adoption of directive 92/79/EEC.

  The Commission's original proposal for cigarette taxation had envisaged a target rate towards which member states' rates would converge over time. In Council discussion of the proposal, it was agreed that the target rates would be retained for reference purposes only. In the joint statement for the Council minutes it was agreed that member states would take account of them each time they amend national rates of duty, but there is no obligation to move towards them.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he proposes to take to follow up the concerns expressed in the minutes of the October 1992 ECOFIN meeting that the agreed formula for cigarette tax harmonisation would perpetuate the wide tax differentials in the EC.

  Sir John Cope
  In the run-up to the first review of the structure and minimum rates of tobacco duties, which is due not later than 31 December 1994, we shall monitor any evidence of distortions of trade within the EC and will fully consult the tobacco industry. We have made it clear that we would prefer an EC cigarette duty structure incorporating a minimum cash duty and a greater reliance on the specific duty share.

  We are also taking every opportunity to encourage low-tax member states to increase their tobacco taxes on health grounds. For example, during the United Kingdom presidency of the Community we held a seminar in London for health and tax officials which produced useful conclusions on the support that tax can give to health policy.

  Football Pools
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer by the Secretary of State for National Heritage of 2 February Official Report, column 109, if he will make it his policy to reduce the regime for tax on football pools to the level of tax to be imposed on the national lottery, subject to agreement that the funds given back are dedicated to the Foundation for Sport and the Arts.

  Sir John Cope
  I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's decision on the taxation of the national lottery.

  Alcohol and Tobacco (Taxation)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has for the financial year 1993–94 of the losses to the revenue arising from the disparities in taxation on alcohol and tobacco in the other countries of the European Community; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  We have no reason to change the estimate given in the 1992 "Financial Statement and
  539
  Budget Report" that in 1993–94, there will be a total revenue loss to the United Kingdom Exchequer of around £250 million from increased cross-border shopping. This arises from the abolition of duty-paid allowances within the EC from 1 January 1993.

  Offshore Trusts
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the loss of capital gains tax revenue by the use of offshore trusts; and what steps he is taking to investigate the extent of this loss and to correct it.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I remind the hon. Member that in 1991 the Government introduced a comprehensive system for the taxation of those setting up, and receiving benefits from, offshore trusts. In introducing these measures in his Budget Statement, the Chancellor indicated that this was designed to prevent a revenue loss of up to £100 million in a full year. These measures were welcomed by the Opposition. The Government will keep these provisions under review to ensure that the objective of a fair and comprehensive system of taxation in this complex area continues to be met.

  Pensioners (Income Tax)
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pensioners pay income tax; how many pay at 40 per cent; and how much is raised in direct taxation from pensioners' incomes.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is estimated that, in 1992–93, 2.9 million individuals aged 65 or over will be liable to income tax. Of these 0.1 million will be liable at the higher rate. The total income tax liability of people aged 65 or over is estimated to be just over £5 billion.

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what stage(a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his reponsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.

  Mr. Portillo
  Chief executives of the executives agencies for which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor is responsible are authorised to reply directly on matters delegated to them.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to allow companies exporting to the EC 30 working days to submit their statistical declarations to the VAT offices.

  Sir John Cope
  The maximum time limit of 10 working days for submission of statistical declarations is set by EC regulation. The United Kingdom was successful in negotiating an improvement from the Commission's original proposal of five working days.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases serious misdeclaration penalties were levied in respect of claims of VAT relief on bad debts before the 12-month holding period was up; and what was the total size of those penalties in the last four financial years.
  540
  Sir John Cope
  I regret that this type of information on the reasons alleged by traders for incurring serious misdeclaration penalty is not recorded.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department at what stage(a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his responsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Chief executives reply direct on matters of operational responsibility delegated to them. Their replies are, therefore, primarily a communication between the chief executive and the Member of Parliament who asks the question. Unless a chief executive chooses to ask me for advice on an operational matter, I never clear or check the detailed replies given by chief executives in answer to parliamentary questions.

  The Lord Chancellor and I receive copies of chief executives' letters once the letters have been sent to Members of Parliament and we have the opportunity to see them when they are published in Hansard, unless their personal or confidential nature precludes their publication in this way.

  Debt Payments
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) of 18 November,Official Report, column 225, what improvements to court procedures for debt recovery are to be made; how they will be implemented; and by what date.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Both the Lord Chancellor and I are committed to a programme of reforms aimed at simplifying and streamlining debt recovery procedures. In my answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central on 25 January, I described many of the initiatives that have been introduced to date. These include the establishment of a computerised summons production centre in 1990 and of the county court bulk centre in March 1992. A package of more general measures was implemented in July 1991. This package included changes to the rules where cases may be commenced, provision for replies to summonses to be sent directly to plaintiffs and the devolution of some formerly judicial functions to experienced administrative staff. These and other reforms introduced in July 1991 are currently being evaluated and any improvements to procedures as a result of the evaluation will be implemented later this year. Most recently, in October 1992, reforms were made to the small claims procedure.

  Further changes are planned. For example, it is recognised that the small claims limit, doubled to £1,000 in July 1991, is still relatively low. The limit will, therefore, remain under review with the intention to propose an increase as soon as practicable. Changes to the way in which administration orders are dealt with will be implemented in April 1993 and improvements to oral examination procedures are planned for later in the year. In addition to a forthcoming series of leaflets which explain the various methods of enforcement, it is intended to introduce a guidance leaflet which focuses specifically on the recovery of business debts through county courts.
  541
  Before the implementation of any significant changes to court procedures, there is always wide consultation. Courts, court user organisations, the judiciary, the legal profession and others are all given the opportunity to comment and their responses are carefully considered before any changes are introduced. Court staff are provided with training about the changes before they are introduced, and publicity material explaining the changes is produced for court staff and court users.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Correspondence
  Mr. Austin Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement regarding the constituent of the hon. Member for Woolwich who has not been permitted to leave India and about whom the hon. Member for Woolwich wrote to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on 21 January.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I replied on 8 February to the hon. Member's letter of 21 January about his constituent. Mrs. Kaur has been invited to call at the high commission in New Delhi to collect her entry clearance.

  Israel
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the United States of America on the appropriateness of using sanctions against Israel to ensure compliance with United Nations Security Council resolution No. 799 regarding the Palestinian deportees.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has discussed the deportations with the new United States Secretary of State. We do not believe that sanctions would be helpful at this stage. They would not help our main objective which is to secure the resumption of the peace negotiations.

  Human Rights
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what applications by British citizens have been made to the European Commission on Human Rights regarding the imposition of customs fines and subsequent imprisonment for non-payment on those imprisoned in France.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  No such applications have been communicated to the Government by the European Commission on Human Rights.

  Council of Ministers (Filming)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to recommend that cameras be permitted access to all future Council of Ministers meetings and to ad hoc council meetings including those of the Trevi group.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Government will support proposals by the presidency for further open sessions of the Foreign Affairs Council or of other specialist Councils.542
  For example, the ECOFIN Council on 15 February will begin with an open session. But all Council members must agree before any such arrangements apply. These arrangements only apply to European Community institutions. Intergovernmental co-operation—such as Trevi—is a different matter.

  Customs Fines, France
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many cases have been brought to his attention of British citizens being held in French prisons and refused parole due to imposition of customs fines.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Two since 1991. But there are 213 British citizens detained in France of whom 93 are serving sentences for drugs offences. Some three quarters of these are known to have customs fines. The exact number of those serving time in prison for non-payment of customs fines is not known, but we believe there are at least 13.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is given to British citizens who are detained in French prisons and to their families in regard to the imposition of customs fines and imprisonment for non-payment.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Information on the French system of customs fines is included in the leaflet "Detainees in France" sent in advance of the first consular visit to each detainee. If a person is convicted and a customs fine imposed he or she is told of the possibility of negotiating a reduction of the fine and that the organisation Prisoners Abroad may be able to help in gathering together the necessary documents.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the French authorities about the imposition of customs fines on British citizens imprisoned in France.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  None. The imposition of customs fines is a matter for the French authorities alone. The fines are applicable to all nationalities including French.

  Market Testing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. Goodlad
  The diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has employed Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte and Capita Management Consultancy in support of its market testing programme. The total cost so far has been £27,000. The Overseas Development Administration and the Natural Resources Institute have employed Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte and KPMG management consultants at a cost so far of £23,000.

  Immigration Section, Islamabad>
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the new immigration section at the British post in Islamabad is due to be completed; and if he will make a statement.
  543
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The new immigration section in Islamabad is due to be completed in September this year.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Croatia in respect of the attacks launched by Croatian forces in the Krajina in contravention of the cease fire agreement; and what response he has received.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Our ambassador in Zagreb delivered a démarche to the Croation Government on 25 January and the Croation ambassador was called to the Foreign Office on 26 January. We have also supported a condemnatory statement by the UN Security Council and the EC presidency message to President Tudjman. In response, the Government of Croatia claimed that the attacks were a limited action to secure specific strategic locations. President Tudjman has since made it clear that Croatia will withdraw her troops from the newly recaptured territory only if the Krajina Serbs return their heavy weapons to UNPROFOR control and disband their militias.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the precise measures required of the Serbian Government in order to end sanctions against them.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  United Nations Security Council resolution 752 of 1992 calls on all parties to the conflict to meet various requirements. These include a number which Serbia has clearly not yet met, or exercised enough pressure on the Bosnian Serbs to meet—for example, disbanding of irregular forces in Bosnia; an end to forcible expulsions of populations; and ensuring that deliveries of humanitarian aid are not hindered. UN Security Council resolution 757 of 1992 requests the UN Secretary-General to keep the sanctions under continuous review, with a view to suspending or terminating them when Serbia and Montenegro had complied with UNSCR 752. The Edinburgh European Council made it clear that if there were a radical change of policy and genuine co-operation in the peace process, Serbia would be gradually readmitted to the international community.

  Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council held on 1 and 2 February.

  Mr. Hurd
  My right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry and I represented the United Kingdom at the Foreign Affairs Council from 1 to 2 February.

  The council began with a debate on the Danish presidency's work programme. For the first time a substantive item of Council business was taken in open session, with television cameras present. It thus put in practice an important part of the conclusions of the Edinburgh European Council on openness. In the debate I stressed the importance of making progress on enlargement and on strengthening the Community's
  544
  relations with central and eastern Europe. I also reiterated the need for a peaceful solution in former Yugoslavia and for a rapid conclusion to the Uruguay round.

  In the margins of the Council, EC and Austrian, Swedish and Finnish Foreign Ministers launched new accession negotiations. These, too, were held in open session. Much of the preparatory work was carried out during the United Kingdom presidency.

  The rest of the Council was held in closed session. The Danish Foreign Minister briefed the Council on Denmark's plans to hold a conference in Copenhagen in April to discuss developments in central and eastern Europe, Albania and the Baltic states. The Council agreed a mandate for the Commission to negotiate amendments to the European Economic Area agreement following Switzerland's decision not to participate.

  The presidency reported on its meeting with the Presidents of the European Parliament and of the Commission which marked the start of negotiations on inter-institutional agreements on subsidiarity and budget discipline. The Council discussed the appointment of Commission Vice-Presidents and remitted this for further examination by the Committee of Permanent Representatives. It continued its discussion of a Commission proposal to change the decision-making procedures for Community anti-dumping and other Commercial Defence measures. It also reviewed the Commission's mandate for the negotiation of a new international cocoa agreement. The Commission reported to the Council on the prospects of concluding the Uruguay round rapidly with the new US Administration and other GATT parties. The Council discussed the US decision to impose new duties on steel imports and invited the Commission to undertake consultations in Geneva on possible GATT action.

  Ministers discussed latest developments in the former Yugoslavia and issued statements supporting the peace proposals put forward by Lord Owen and Mr. Vance and welcoming the report by Dame Anne Warburton on the treatment of Muslim women. Ministers deplored the recent outbreak of violence in Zaire and the death of the French ambassador in Kinshasa.

  A Co-operation Council with Israel was held in the margins of the Council. Ministers reiterated their support for the peace process and their condemnation of Israel's deportation of more than 400 Palestinians. An EC association agreement with Romania was signed in the margins of the Council.

ENVIRONMENT

  Light Pollution
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he is planning to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 with respect to minimising light pollution; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Light pollution is a rather vague term for the indiscriminate use of lighting. The Government's general approach is to encourage economy in the use of light energy and to discourage the nuisance that can be caused to neighbours by over intensive lighting systems.

  This issue is one of several included in a recent consultation paper "Temporary uses of Land, External

  545
  Lighting and Miscellaneous Amendments to the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988", responses to which are currently being considered.

  Refrigeration Technology
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures his Department is taking to encourage British companies to develop ozone-friendly refrigeration technology following the German prototypes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government welcome any development of safe ozone-friendly refrigeration and is seeking to encourage chlorofluorocarbon users to switch to suitable alternatives as quickly as possible.

  Council Tax
  Sir Terence Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has of the total cost of collecting and administering the council tax as a percentage of the expected yield.

  Mr. Redwood
  Although local authorities have yet to set their budgets, I would expect collection costs for the council tax to be under 5 per cent. of budgeted yield.

  Sir Terence Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the number of people likely to be employed in collecting, administering and valuing property, respectively, in order to implement the council tax.

  Mr. Redwood
  The administration and collection of the council tax will be carried out by local authorities and their agents. This Department does not have records of the numbers of staff employed on these tasks.

  The banding of property has been carried out by the Valuation Office agency—VOA—and contracted private sector companies. The total cost of the banding exercise will be some £70 million. Some 512 private sector firms were contracted to carry out banding work under the supervision of the VOA but the Department holds no record of the number of private sector staff involved. To date, some 565 man years have been spent on the banding exercise by the VOA.

  Opencast Mining
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now take steps to suspend the planning permission granted for the Bleak House opencast site in Staffordshire until his review of the coal industry is completed.

  Mr. Baldry
  Once the Secretary of State has given his decision on an appeal, he has no further jurisdiction in the matter. The coal review is, of course, being conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry.

  Coalite Chemicals Plant
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the survey of dioxins in soils in the area around the Coalite chemicals plant near Bolsover in Derbyshire will be released.

  Mr. Maclean
  The report is nearing completion and will be released as soon as reasonably practicable.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the impact on the future standard spending assessments of local authorities of projections of future population structures.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Standard spending assessments are calculated using the latest information available compiled on a consistent basis for all relevant authorities. For 1993–94 the assessments are based in part on estimates of population size and age structure relating to 30 June 1991 prepared by the Registrar General. Projections of population size and age structure for each local authority relating to a more recent period are not available on an equivalent basis and it is not possible, therefore, to assess their impact on future assessments. However, trends in population size and structure at the national level are taken into account with many other factors in determining the level of spending which the Government consider is appropriate for all authorities to incur in any one year.

  Housing Repossessions
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council homes sold under the right-to-buy legislation have been repossessed in each region in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department does not hold the information requested.

  National Sustainability Plan
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to include sectoral targets for environmental quality within the national sustainability plan.

  Mr. Maclean
  The United Kingdom has promised to report on a sustainable development plan by the end of 1993 to the new United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development. The Department is currently consulting on the report and decisions on scope and content will be taken later.

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment at what stage(a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his responsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.

  Mr. Howard
  Chief executives of agencies within my responsibility reply direct to parliamentary questions on matters for which they have delegated operational responsibility. Normally such replies are not seen in draft by me or my ministerial colleagues, but we see copies after they have been sent by the chief executives.

  Housing and Urban Development Bill
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria will apply to authorities wishing to be included in the 1993–94 programme for housing disposals, as proposed in the Housing and Urban Development Bill; what will be the size of the programme; and if he will make a statement.
  547
  Sir George Young
  My Department is today writing to all housing authorities, other than those which have already disposed of their housing, inviting them to apply if they wish to be considered for a place in the 1993–94 disposals programme. Applications should be received by Friday 19 March.

  The Department's expenditure estimates for the three years of the public expenditure survey make provision for the costs of housing disposals. A sum has been provisionally allocated within the overall totals for these years which would allow for the transfer of about 25,000 houses in the first year's programme under the new provisions, assuming that the average exchequer costs of disposals remain broadly similar to those which have taken place in recent years. Larger programmes may be possible in later years.

  I set out below the policy guidelines we propose to adopt for the first programme. The benchmark size for disposal applications will be between 3,000 and 4,000 properties, with preference being given to transfers at and below the lower end of this range. In particular circumstances, for example when an authority with large stocks is making a split disposal, transfers exceeding this benchmark will be considered, subject to an overriding limit of 5,000 properties in any one disposal to a single landlord or linked associates. It will be for transferring authorities to determine the ways in which they split their stock.

  For the first year, disposals will be accepted for the programme only if they are to be made to registered housing associations. In assessing whether the disposal contributes to diversity of ownership in an area, consideration will be given to whether the recipient organisations are existing registered housing associations, or associations newly formed for the purposes of the disposal.

  Proposals for transfers to associations associated within a group structure will be considered on their merits and in the light of the overall housing strategy for the area. There will be an overriding proviso that members associated in a group structure may not together acquire more than 5,000 properties from any one local authority.

  Authorities accepted for inclusion in the 1993–94 programme will not be expected, while they remain in the programme, to continue to prepare their housing management function for compulsory competitive tendering—CCT—in respect of the properties to be transferred. Should a transfer not take place as planned during 1993–94, the authority will be expected to comply with the statutory requirements for housing management CCT and to make the necessary preparations.

  For disposals accepted for the 1993–94 programme, it is intended that the existing discounted cash-flow method will continue to be used to determine the transfer price of the stock. Rent guarantees will be a matter for local discretion, but should not exceed five years. As with past transfers, purchasing associations will be expected to fund the transfer wholly from private sector sources.

  In considering the acceptability of a proposed disposal for inclusion in the programme, the Secretary of State will take into account the estimated Exchequer costs of that disposal, and whether a majority of the tenants who would be affected by the disposal are in his opinion likely to oppose it. In reaching an opinion on the second of these issues, he will take account of any relevant systems an authority may have for consulting its tenants, and any
  548
  planned exercises for further tenant involvement. He will also take into account the criteria set out in section 34(4A) or section 43(4A), as appropriate, of the Housing Act 1985.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales will be making an announcement in due course on the arrangements that will apply to disposals in Wales.

  Landfill Costs
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the report commissioned by his Department last year on landfill costs and pricing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have today published a report commissioned by my Department from Coopers and Lybrand on "Landfill Pricing: Correcting Possible Market Distortions".

  We indicated in the 1992 environment White Paper, "This Common Inheritance: the Second Year Report", Cm. 2068, that we would in future make a presumption in favour of using economic instruments rather than regulation to achieve environmental objectives. This report forms part of the Government's programme of work to explore the use of economic instruments in environmental policy. It also constitutes a preliminary response to a recommendation by the advisory committee on business and the environment that the price of landfill should be increased substantially.

  The report examines current and projected waste disposal costs; assesses the impact of introducing a levy on waste going to landfill; and considers ways of implementing it. It predicts that landfill costs will rise substantially before the year 2000 even in the absence of a levy. It concludes that the introduction of a levy would be feasible. Its main effect, in the longer term, would be to increase the incentive to send waste to incinerators rather than landfill, but it would also make materials recycling more commercially attractive.

  We are considering the findings of the report, along with those of a parallel study of "Economic Instruments and the Recovery of Resources from Waste", published by my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry in December 1992. My Department is inviting comments on the landfill levy report by 26 March 1993.

  I have arranged for a copy of the report to be placed in the Library of the House.

PRIME MINISTER

  Eastbourne
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to make another official visit to Eastbourne.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no immediate plans to do so.

  Railways (Capital Investment)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish an analysis of the economic and employment effects of £500 million extra capital investment in railways compared with the same sum spent on supporting deep coal mining.

  The Prime Minister
  The economic and employment effects of £500 million extra capital expenditure on the
  549
  railways would depend on the nature of the investment and on its economic return. The effect of spending the same amount on supporting deep coal mining would depend on the industry's ability to exploit the opportunity for subsidised sales in the market circumstances it faced. In either case, account would of course need to be taken where the money would be found as well as how it would be spent.

  Public Inquiries
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he has taken to ensure co-operation between the Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Transport in respect of public inquiries into harbour revision orders and on energy policy; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  It is normal practice for the Department of Transport to consult other Departments, where appropriate, in respect of proposals for the making of harbour revision orders.

  Republic of Ireland
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Prime Minister what current discussions are taking place with the Government of the Republic of Ireland about the events of February 1970 involving the Government of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions are taking place with the Government of the Republic of Ireland on state-sponsored terrorism.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government are fully committed to close co-operation with the Government of the Republic of Ireland against all forms of terrorism which threaten our two countries. Both countries are in regular contact on matters of mutual concern.

  Departmental Library
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will obtain for his Office's library a book, the title of which has been supplied to him by the hon. Member for Linlithgow.

  The Prime Minister
  My office has a copy.

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 9 February.

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

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Badgers
  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current estimate of the badger population in the United Kingdom; and what is the source of this estimate.

  Mr. Soames
  It is currently estimated that there are about 250,000 adult badgers in mainland Britain. The 550
  source of this information is "The History, Distribution, Status and Habitat Requirements of the Badger in Britain" by Cresswell, Harris and Jefferies (1990), commissioned by the Nature Conservancy Council.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will suspend the culling of badgers pending completion of his Department's review of controlling bovine tuberculosis.

  Mr. Soames
  I have no plans to do so.

  Appointments
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what public appointments he has made since 1 November 1992; and what information he has on the political affiliation of those appointed.

  Mr. Curry
  Since 1 November 1992, my right hon. Friend has made 56 appointments or re-appointments to the bodies listed in "Public Bodies 1992".

  Appointments are generally made on the basis of suitability, merit and expertise; details of political affiliation are not held centrally.

  Bovine Tuberculosis
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what current scientific data his Department has on the transmission by badgers of bovine tuberculosis to cattle.

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davis) on 19 January 1993,Official Report, column 209.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how his Department is currently reviewing existing policy on the control of bovine tuberculosis in Britain; when he expects that review to be completed; and if he will place a copy of the review in the Library.

  Mr. Soames
  There is at present no call for a fundamental review of control measures for bovine tuberculosis because these depend largely on community requirements and because they have been outstandingly successful in reducing disease to its current very low level. The Department is considering the possible role in our control strategy of a test to detect disease in live badgers. It is not possible to say when this process will be complete because it depends on continuing scientific studies.

  Disadvantaged Areas
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the(a) percentage of the less-favoured areas flock in the severely disadvantaged areas, (b) percentage of the less-favoured areas flock in the disadvantaged areas and (c) the total less-favoured areas flock in (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) England and (iv) Northern Ireland in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Curry
  The information in respect of the number of sheep on which hill livestock compensatory allowances payments were made is as follows:
  551

  Year

  Scotland

  Wales

  England

  Northern Ireland>

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  1979

  36

  —

  2,943

  34

  —

  2,805

  26

  —

  2,158

  4

  —

  358

  1980

  35

  —

  2,991

  34

  —

  2,890

  26

  —

  2,231

  5

  —

  383

  1981

  35

  —

  2,993

  34

  —

  2,946

  27

  —

  2,292

  5

  —

  407

  1982

  35

  —

  3,147

  34

  —

  3,011

  26

  —

  2,356

  5

  —

  428

  1983

  35

  —

  3,205

  34

  —

  3,058

  27

  —

  2,425

  5

  —

  427

  1984

  35

  —

  3,251

  33

  —

  3,102

  27

  —

  2,468

  5

  —

  483

  1985

  32

  (x)

  3,335

  30

  4

  3,560

  24

  3

  2,863

  5

  1

  640

  1986

  32

  (x)

  3,393

  29

  5

  3,545

  24

  4

  2,958

  5

  1

  714

  1987

  31

  (x)

  3,460

  29

  5

  3,755

  24

  4

  3,130

  5

  2

  762

  1988

  30

  1

  3,516

  28

  6

  3,873

  24

  4

  3,237

  5

  2

  823

  1989

  30

  1

  3,621

  28

  6

  3,986

  23

  4

  3,251

  6

  2

  885

  1990

  29

  1

  3,676

  27

  6

  4,141

  23

  5

  3,462

  6

  2

  986

  1991

  30

  1

  3,750

  27

  6

  4,137

  23

  5

  3,425

  6

  2

  993

  19921

  29

  1

  3,684

  28

  7

  4,219

  23

  5

  3,418

  6

  2

  1,018

  Notes:

  (a) Percentage of sheep receiving HLCAs at rates applicable in the severely disadvantaged areas (or the corresponding area before the extension of the less favoured area in 1985).

  (b) Percentage of sheep receiving HLCAs at rates applicable in the disadvantaged areas.

  (c) Total number of sheep('000) receiving HLCAs.

  (x) Less than 0.5 per cent.

  Percentage figures may not always total 100 per cent. due to roundings.

  1 Provisional.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received, and what discussions he has had, about continuing CAP reform compensatory payments after CAP reform has been phased in; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The CAP reform agreement reached in May 1992 agreed levels of compensatory payments over a three-year period up to and including the 1995–96 marketing year. In the longer term, I believe that compensation for support price reductions should be phased out over a fixed period.

  Live Exports
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what lairage facilities are available at each ferry port to cope with ferry delays caused by adverse weather;

  (2) how many officials involved with the inspection of live exports he has at Dover; and what percentage of live animal transporters have been inspected along with the relevant animal health documents since 1 January:

  (3) what steps he has taken to ensure that inspection procedures at each port are carried out by licensed veterinary inspectors according to consistent guidelines;

  (4) what facilities his Department has for inspecting live animal exports that use night ferries; and how many staff are on duty.

  Mr. Soames
  The Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1992 places a duty on the transporter to ensure that suitable arrangements for the care of animals are made in advance of any journey and that the arrangements include plans to deal with any disruptions. In respect of sailings from British ports to ports in other member states, facilities to rest, feed and water animals exist within a reasonable distance of each ferry port in Great Britain.

  In the single market, Community law does not pennit systematic checks on livestock at the Community's internal frontiers. However, it is entirely in accordance with EC law that checks take place to ensure that animals
  552
  are healthy and being transported in conditions that protect their welfare. At Dover, state veterinary service (SVS) staff liaise closely with the Dover harbour board animal watch scheme staff who operate a continuous quayside cover. The SVS is also available on a 24-hour basis. For journeys to other member states local veterinary inspectors, appointed by the Government, are required to certify the health of the animals and their fitness to travel. These inspections take place either at the place of origin or where the journey commences.

  Suckler Cow Premium
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many late applications for suckler cow premium in respect of 1992 he has received to date.

  Mr. Curry
  The number of late applications received to date under the 1992 suckler cow premium scheme is 1,181.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agiculture, Fisheries and Food 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. Curry
  The information requested is as follows:

  1990

  1991

  (a) Paid in full

  0

  3

  (b) Paid in part

  149

  147

  (c) Refused

  16

  22

  Total

  165

  172

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. Curry
  The number of applications processed in 1992 is as follows:
  553

  Number

  January

  4,354

  February

  3,195

  March

  1,850

  April

  233

  May

  92

  June

  109

  July

  299

  August

  440

  September

  547

  October

  401

  November

  1,442

  December

  4,057

  The information on the shortest period and the longest period to elapse between receipt of the application and payment of the claim could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.

  Farmers and Farm Workers
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of (1) farm workers and (2) farmers in(a) less-favoured areas, (b) severely disadvantaged areas and (c) disadvantaged areas who (i) also did other jobs or (ii) claimed income support in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Curry
  The table shows, for 1985, 1987 and 1990 the number of farmers (occupiers) and other family workers on main holdings in less-favoured areas in England who also had other paid work. Data are only available for these years as the source is the EC farm structure survey which is held every two or three years.

  Numbers of part-time workers and part-time farmers on holdings1 in less-favoured areas, severely disadvantaged areas and disadvantaged areas England

  Thousands

  Part-time workers

  Part-time farmers

  Less-favoured areas

  Severely disadvantaged areas

  Disadvantaged areas

  Less-favoured areas

  Severely disadvantaged areas

  Disadvantaged areas

  1986

  4.0

  2.8

  1.2

  7.2

  5.0

  2.2

  1987

  4.0

  2.8

  1.2

  7.3

  5.1

  2.2

  1988

  3.9

  2.8

  1.2

  7.2

  5.0

  2.3

  1989

  3.9

  2.7

  1.2

  7.4

  5.0

  2.4

  1990

  3.9

  2.7

  1.2

  7.6

  5.2

  2.4

  1991

  4.0

  2.7

  1.3

  8.0

  5.4

  2.6

  1992

  3.9

  2.7

  1.2

  8.1

  5.5

  2.7

  1 Including minor holdings.

  Source: June agricultural censuses.

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at what stage(a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his responsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.

  Mr. Curry
  The chief executives of agencies within the responsibility of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food reply directly to questions on operational matters delegated to their agency in its framework document.
  554
  Separate figures for severely disadvantaged and disadvan-taged areas are not available for 1985. There is no information on farmers or workers claiming income support.

  England Number of persons with other paid work on main holdings within the LFA1

  Occupiers2 ("000)

  Other family workers3 ('000)

  1985

  Total LFA

  4.13

  5.67

  1987

  DA

  1.33

  2.24

  SDA

  3.27

  5.13

  Total LFA

  4.60

  7.37

  1990

  DA

  1.56

  1.96

  SDA

  3.77

  4.46

  Total LFA

  5.33

  6.42

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

  2 Only occupiers who are also manager of the holding.

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

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of part-time(a) farm workers and (b) farmers in (i) less-favoured areas, (ii) severely disadvantaged areas and (iii) disadvantaged areas in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Curry
  The number of part-time(a) farm workers and (b) farmers in (i) less-favoured areas (ii) severely disadvantaged areas and (iii) disadvantaged areas in England in each year since 1985 is shown in the table.

  Drafts of such letters are not shown to Ministers but Ministers do, of course, have the opportunity to see letters when they are published in Hansard.

  Eggs
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further advice he has on salmonella in eggs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government are today publishing the report of the advisory committee on the microbiological safety of food (ACMSF) on "Salmonella in Eggs". It provides a valuable assessment of the role of eggs as a
  555
  source of human salmonella infection, taking account of knowledge gained in the past few years. I am grateful to Professor Heather Dick and her committee for their work.

  The committee considers that while eggs must be regarded as an important source of human salmonella infection, the contribution they make to current levels of human salmonellosis cannot be quantified precisely. Only a small percentage of eggs are considered to be contaminated with salmonella enteritidis and studies have shown that the number of organisms they contain when laid is very low. The Committee therefore makes a number of recommendations for the storage and handling of eggs which it believes will help limit the chances of salmonellas multiplying and so further reduce any risk of salmonella infection from eggs. To this end, it recommends that eggs should be consumed within three weeks of lay and that use-by dates should be provided on egg packs and the eggs themselves; that industry and retailers should draw up codes of practice for the shortage and handling of eggs; and that once purchased, eggs should be stored in a refrigerator. The report also advocates the use of pasteurised egg in dishes containing egg which are eaten raw or lightly cooked, and endorses previous advice by the Chief Medical Officer that people should avoid eating raw eggs and vulnerable groups should eat only eggs that have been cooked until the yolk and white are solid.

  The Committee noted the decline that had taken place in the number of large commercial egg laying flocks in which salmonella enteritidis infection had been confirmed since control measures were introduced in 1989. It recommends that the Government should review the continuing need for the compulsory slaughter of laying flocks infected with salmonella enteritidis and in consultation with industry, update existing codes of practice for control of salmonella in laying flocks. It also recommends the formation of a liaison team to monitor the industry's progress in reducing the incidence of salmonella in poultry. Finally, it considers that periodic surveys should be undertaken to monitor trends in salmonella infection in eggs and identifies topics for future research.

  The publication of the ACMSF report is timely in relation to the recent adoption by the Council of Ministers of the EC Zoonoses Directive (92/117/EEC) laying down harmonised rules for the control of salmonella in poultry. This was an important achievement during the United Kingdom presidency and the Government intend bringing its existing measures for the control of salmonella in poultry into line with those required under the directive as soon as possible. Breeding flocks of domestic fowl comprising 250 or more birds will be required to be tested every two weeks by the owner with official samples being taken every eight weeks. Flocks found to be infected with salmonella enteritidis or salmonella typhimurium would continue to be compulsorily slaughtered. The directive does not include harmonised measures for the control of salmonella in commercial egg laying flocks. Having considered the findings of the ACMSF report the Government consider there is no longer a need to monitor laying flocks and to require the compulsory slaughter of those found to be infected with salmonella enteritidis.

  The Government accept the committee's other recommendations and will now consult with industry, consumers and enforcement bodies on their implementation. Detailed proposals for implementing the recommendations of the ACMSF report and for
  556
  implementing Directive 92/117/EEC are set out in a consultation document which is today being sent to all interested organisations for their comments. A copy of this document together with the ACMSF report, and the Government's response is being placed in the Library of the House. Egg industry and other organisations are already being consulted about possible changes to the EC Egg Marketing Standards Regulations which cover date marking and recommendations about storage facilities.

  The Government are committed to firm but proportionate action against salmonella. Our approach is based on co-operation of Government, the poultry industry, food manufacturers and retailers and consumers, taking account of the latest expert advice and of developments in the European Community. I believe that this package of proposals provides continued protection for the consumer of egg and egg products while avoiding disproportionate burdens on producers.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Country Houses Association (Exhibition)
  Mr. Lord
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Country Houses Association to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 8 to 12 March 1993.

  Special Views of Newcastle (Exhibition)
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating to "Special Views of Newcastle" to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee, arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 8 to 12 February 1993.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster at what stage(a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his responsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The chief executives of the agencies for which I am responsible normally reply direct on matters delegated to them. Copies of their replies are brought to Ministers' attention where appropriate.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he intends to reply to Mr. Eric Christopher-Walsh of Modbury, Devon, who wrote to him on 16 November.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The citizens charter unit replied to Mr. Christopher-Walsh's letter on 7 December 1992. I
  557
  have since replied to a follow-up letter from Mr. Christopher-Walsh, and written to my hon. Friend on the matters that it raised.

  Charter Programme
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West, (Mr. Banks)Official Report, 25 January 1993 column 704, if he will provide a breakdown of the charter unit's spending in 1991–92.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  During 1991–92 the charter unit spent £1–6 million on the following:

  £

  The launch of the Citizen's Charter, including producing, publicising and distributing the Citizen's Charter White Paper (Cm 1599) and the Guide to the Citizen's Charter

  916,000

  The launch of 1992 Charter Mark scheme

  320,000

  Staff, general administrative expenses and capital expenditure

  364,000

  Science and Technology
  Mr. Temple-Morris
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the Government expect to publish their White Paper on the future of science and technology in the United Kingdom; what will be the consultation period for that White Paper; and what will be its remit.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The White Paper will set out the Government's policy on science, technology and engineering. I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Sir G. Shaw) on 7 December at column 466.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to extend the next steps programme.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  To date, 76 executive agencies have been launched. The 30 executive units of HM Customs and Excise and the 34 executive offices of the Inland Revenue are also operating fully on next steps lines. Over half the civil service is now working in organisations covered by the programme. A further 29 activities employing almost 70,000 civil servants have been identified as candidates for executive agency status. It is my aim that by the end of this year all the candidates for agency status will have been identified. These candidates will be announced to the House by the appropriate departmental Minister in due course. It is my expectation that by mid 1995 around 75 per cent. of the civil service will be working in organisations operating on next steps lines.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will introduce a charter setting the maximum period for Government Departments to reply to letters from(a) hon. Members and (b) constituents.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Each Department has set its own target for replying to hon. Members' correspondence.558
  A table showing performance against targets for 1991 was published on 3 August 1992, Official Report, column 711; a similar table showing ministerial correspondence in 1992 will be published shortly.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Nuclear Generation (Costs)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received the study on the costs of nuclear generation commissioned from Ernst and Young as part of the coal review.

  Mr. Eggar
  A copy of this report was sent to the Chairman of the Trade and Industry Select Committee yesterday, and a copy of the accompanying letter together with copies of the report, but without its commercially confidential material, has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses today.

  Civil Servants (Performance Payments)
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to make provision for civil servants to be eligible for bonus performance payments for their work in promoting successfully the programme of deregulation throughout Whitehall.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Civil servants promoting the programme of deregulation are eligible for payments under a departmental scheme which allows the award of special bonuses for exceptional performance.

  Regulations
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will seek to ensure that in future a publicly announced compliance cost assessment will be obligatory when announcing new Government regulations.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Since 1986 the Government have placed a general requirement on all departments to prepare and publish compliance cost assessments (CCAs) when developing proposals likely to affect business. Draft CCAs feature increasingly in consultation between Government and business. We are reinforcing our commitment to the CCA process. From now on, as agreed at the Prime Minister's seminar on 2 February 1993, there is a more stringent requirement that a CCA must be published alongside any Government legislative proposals having an impact on business.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement giving details of the progress being made in promoting deregulation throughout the Government.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the Prime Minister on Thursday 4 February 1993,Official Report, column 470, in which he outlined the conclusions of his seminar on 2 February. My Department is pressing ahead with the arrangements for the review of the 7,000 regulations which impact on business. We have issued guidance throughout Whitehall on compliance cost assessment, and are instituting arrangements to ensure

  559
  that these are published for all measures which impact on business. We are beginning to see evidence of success in decisions to review regulatory proposals to minimise the burden these impose on business.

  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for the Government's deregulation programme to include the requirement of a publicly announced risk assessment when announcing new Government regulations.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  We are encouraging the wider use of risk assessment techniques in determining the need for regulation. This is to ensure that problems are correctly defined and the measures proposed to deal with them are correctly targeted and in proportion. We shall consider my hon. Friend"s suggestion.

  Coal Industry (Report)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask he President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the report on the coal industry prepared by European public policy advisers for the European Parliament and given to him on 14 January.

  Registered unemployed in constituencies where collieries have closed

  Change

  June 1987

  December 1992

  Per cent.

  Jobs lost through colliery closures since June 1987

  England

  158,405

  136,791

  -13.6

  22,530

  Wales

  32,657

  26,912

  -17.6

  5,072

  Scotland

  23,526

  17,752

  -25.4

  2,180

  Sources:

  Employment data—Department of Employment NOMIS database.

  Job losses due to colliery closures—British Coal.

  Notes:

  1. The constituencies listed are those where closures of coal mines have been identified. Colliery employees would not necessarily have resided in the same constituency.

  2. The number of jobs lost through colliery closures may not reflect jobs lost in the run-down prior to closure.

  3. The figures do not include reductions in employment at coal mines which remain open.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if staff can be transferred or seconded between central policy divisions and agencies without internal recharges.

  Mr. Eggar
  Yes.

  CONVER Programme
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the CONVER programme of the EC has been approved; whether the United Kingdom Government have given it approval; and what total sum in pound sterling and ecu has been recommended for the programme by the European Commission.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  At the instigation of the European Parliament 130 million ecu (about £100m) was entered into the European Community budget for 1993 for a programme to be called CONVER to assist regions affected by the decline in the armaments industry and the
  560
  Mr. Eggar
  I understand the report is a factual summary of the Community coal industry. The report is, however, a matter for the European Parliament.

  Owners Abroad (Takeover)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will refer to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission the proposed take over bid by Airtours for Owners Abroad.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Director General of Fair Trading is currently investigating this proposed merger and he will advise the President of the Board of Trade in due course. A decision on whether or not it should be referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission will be taken once that advice is received.

  Colliery Closures (Job Losses)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list for Scotland, Wales and England the number of jobs lost through colliery closures since June 1987, the total number of registered unemployed in the constituencies concerned from June 1987 and December 1992 and the percentage changes.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information is given in the table:

  closure of military bases. The Government will give careful consideration to the Commission's proposals for the implementation of this programme when they are received.

  Electricity
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Office of. Fair Trading will review the retail activities of the regional electricity companies; and when the Office of Fair Trading last reported to him on this matter.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Office of Fair Trading is currently reviewing the retail activities of the regional electricity companies in conjunction with the Office of Electricity Regulation (OFFER) in response to a complaint from a major competitor. The Director General of Fair Trading made a reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission (MMC) in 1982 about the direction and management by the London Electricity Board of its business of retailing domestic electrical goods, spare parts and ancillary goods. The MMC reported to the President of the Board of Trade in March 1983.

  Coal
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount of coal won by opencast means that was used for blending with deep mine coal to provide coal of an overall quality acceptable to customers for each of the years since 1983; and if he will express this in absolute terms and as a percentage of total United Kingdom coal production.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department of Trade and Industry routinely publishes figures for total production of deep-mined and opencast coal in "Energy Trends", but the amounts used for blending are an operational matter for coal producers including British Coal.

  Engineering Employers Federation
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for a meeting with the Engineering Employers Federation to discuss industrial policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, North East (Mr. Leighton) on 8 February 1993,Official Report, column 451.

  Business Names Act
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those business names he has approved under the Business Names Act 1985 to include either of the words university or polytechnic.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The following business names including the words "University" or "Polytechnic" have been approved under the Business Names Act 1985:

  University Holidays

  Liverpool University China Business Consultancy

  Somerset University

  Eula Wesley University USA

  ECGD
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much of the extra £700 million made available for the Export Credits Guarantee Department in 1992 has been allocated.

  Mr. Needham
  The additional £700 million announced in the autumn statement increased ECGD's capacity to give new commitments of cover. Of the £200 million allocated to the current financial year, nearly half has been used and ECGD anticipate that it will be fully utilised. As the cover relates to the provision of new commitments all of the £500 million allocated to 1993–94 remains available.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when his Department's review of Export Credits Guarantee Department cover for Lithuania will be complete; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  ECGD keeps its position on Lithuania under constant review. However, it is not yet considered appropriate to introduce medium-term export credit cover.

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade at what stage(a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his responsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.

  Mr. Eggar
  The practice in my Department is for agency chief executives to send substantive replies direct by letter to written parliamentary questions on matters which have been delegated to them. A copy of the chief executive's letter is generally submitted to Ministers when they consider the written answer.

  Wood Products
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been for each year since 1979,(a) the total volume of and (b) the proportion of total export income represented by export of wood products.

  Mr. Needham
  The available information is given in the following table. Volume information is not available.

  Value of exports of wood products as a proportion of value of total exports

  Per cent.

  1979

  0.63

  1980

  0.56

  1981

  0.48

  1982

  0.48

  1983

  0.47

  1984

  0.46

  1985

  0.48

  1986

  0.49

  1987

  0.51

  1988

  0.43

  1989

  0.42

  1990

  0.46

  1991

  0.47

  Note: Wood products are defined as the principal products of class 46 less group 466 of the Standard Industrial Classification.

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

  Offshore Oil and Gas
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of the advice received by the Nature Conservancy Council and its successor bodies in respect of oil exploitation adjacent to the Bristol Channel, Cardigan Bay, Lyme Bay, Portland Bill, Moray Firth and the Wash; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Lady to the response that I gave to the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger) on 28 January 1993,Official Report, column 822.

  Environmental Technology
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade for how long his Department's environmental technology innovation scheme has been in existence; what is its budget for the current financial year; and what its budget will be in the next financial year.

  Mr. Eggar
  The environmental technology innovation scheme was launched by DTI and DoE in October 1990 for a three-year period.

  Forecast expenditure on DTI"s element of the scheme in the current financial year is £1.59 million. The budget allocation for the next financial year has not yet been finalised.
  563
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the companies and organisations which have applied for financial assistance from the environmental technology innovation scheme; how many applications were granted; what was the grant paid for each scheme; how many applications were rejected; and what was the reason for refusal of assistance, in each case.

  Mr. Eggar
  The environmental technology innovation scheme has attracted 503 initial first stage applications of which 101 have been rejected. To list the companies which have applied and the reasons for rejecting individual applicants would incur disproportionate costs and disclose information which is commercially confidential. However, all applications are considered carefully by my Department's technical consultants and appraised according to their ability to meet the scheme criteria.

  One hundred and nineteen applicants have been invited by my Department to submit more detailed second stage proposals, and 141 by the Department of the Environment. Of those who have submitted proposals, the following have been awarded grant:

  Grant £

  Companies awarded ETIS grant by DTI

  Pollution Control and Measurement Ltd.

  58,025

  Steel Castings Research and Trade Association

  295,500

  British Glass Manufacturers Confederation

  100,500

  Anaplast Ltd.

  835,120

  British Ceramic Research Ltd.

  51,500

  Keele University

  148,900

  British Ceramic Research Ltd.

  43,142

  M Squared Technology Ltd.

  119,550

  Fuel and Combustion Technology Ltd.

  268,900

  University of Southampton

  323,050

  Rover Group

  576,090

  Kalsep Ltd.

  140,250

  Total

  2,960,527

  Companies awarded ETIS grant by DoE

  Alpha Process Controls (International) Ltd.

  24,186

  University of Leeds

  202,789

  John Ashworth and Partners

  140,890

  Autotype International Ltd.

  136,337

  UKAEA Industrial Technology

  264,450

  BHR Group Ltd.

  289,450

  Coates Lorilleux International

  211,375

  Ciba-Geigy Dyestuffs and Chemicals

  206,570

  Manchester Airport plc

  56,085

  PERA International

  80,000

  Pilkington Insulation Ltd.

  42,725

  Marston Bentley Ltd.

  23,000

  ICI Paints

  77,550

  Shipowners Refrigerated Cargo Research Association Ltd.

  14,880

  Total

  1,770,287

  The remaining applicants have either withdrawn, transferred to other schemes or been asked to provide more information.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade for the last year for which figures are available, how many collieries produced coal which sold for, on average(a) below £35 per tonne, (b) between £35–£40, (c) £41–£45 and (d) £45–£50; and if he will make a statement.
  564
  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 21 January 1993]: This is a matter for British Coal.

  Furniture (Safety)
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the implications of the use of second-hand furniture by the Salvation Army and other charities following publication of his guidelines on fire safety.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 28 January 1993]: The fire resistance requirements of the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended in 1989) which will come into force for secondhand upholstered furniture on 1 March 1993, and apply only to transactions involving the "supply" of furniture which takes place "in the course of business" within the meaning of section 46 of that Act. In my Department's view, the simple distribution of secondhand furniture by a charity, in pursuance of its charitable objectives, either free of charge or at a nominal cost only would be unlikely to constitute a supply in the course of business. Shops selling furniture to raise funds for charitable purposes would constitute a business activity.

  It is also my Department's view that the furniture regulations do not apply to furniture used, for example, in Salvation Army hostels. However, guidelines for the fire safety of multiple occupancy premises have been issued by the Department of the Environment. My Department has also published two guidance documents—one for suppliers of domestic upholstered furniture, and the other aimed at consumers—explaining the requirements of the furniture regulations and the level of fire protection they provide. These give useful information and the Department would expect that charities will be guided by the fire safety considerations in the interests of those whom they assist.

  My Department strongly advises that any charity should discuss its particular position with its legal advisers in the light of all the circumstances of its operation.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what account his Department has taken of the "Guide to Compliance Cost Assessment" published by the deregulation unit in relation to the draft Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1992 concerning the letting of furnished accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 2 February 1993]: The compliance cost assessment for the draft amendment regulations was prepared in accordance with the guide to compliance cost assessment published by the deregulation unit and was made available for comment by consultees.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many responses he has had from the self-catering industry on the cost to individual businesses of implementing the draft Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 1992; and when he expects to complete his consultations on the regulations.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 2 February 1993]: Some 30 consultees from the self-catering industry made comments about the costs to individual businesses. The period for consultation on the draft amendment

  565
  regulations has been completed and the amendment regulations will be laid before Parliament in the near future.

  Small Firms
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the measures taken since 1979 to support small firms.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: The measures of support for small firms operated by my Department, together with the original dates of commencement, are as follows:

  the Enterprise Initiative Consultancy Scheme (commenced January 1988);

  the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme (commenced June 1981);

  the Small Firms Merit Award for Research and Technology (commenced early 1988);

  Support for Products Under Research (commenced February 1991);

  Regional Enterprise Grants (commenced April 1988);

  the Export Marketing Research Scheme (commenced 1969);

  Your Business Success (commenced August 1987);

  Graduate Enterprise (commenced November 1985);

  My Department also provides funding for development work which aims to benefit small firms and produces a wide range of publications aimed at small businesses.

  In 1985 the Government launched the deregulation initiative which aims to reduce burdens on business, particularly small firms.

  During 1993 my Department will start support for up to 15 pilot schemes which will provide businesses with a single point of access to information and advice.

  From April 1993 my Department will take over responsibility from the Employment Department for funding training and enterprise councils (TECs) to provide a wide range of business support services to help small businesses.

  In addition, small businesses can, of course, take advantage of other business support programmes provided for firms of all sizes and by other Departments.

  For example, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food runs the farm and conservation grants scheme, which provides grants for renewal or replacement of certain capital items to eligible businesses.

  Under the action for cities initiative, the Department of the Environment provides grants and loans to eligible small businesses for a variety of purposes.

  The Defence Research Agency, an agency owned by the Ministry of Defence, recently launched "Pathfinder" which encourages industry to come forward with research proposals that meet both the Ministry's needs and firms' own research priorities.

  The Rural Development Commission provides assistance to small businesses in certain geographical areas. For example, grants are available to eligible businesses in priority locations for converting disused and redundant buildings into premises for providing jobs, or for ensuring that the infrastructure is adequate for work space; and small amounts of grant are also available for marketing consultancy and for attending trade shows and exhibitions.

  Smoke Detectors
  Mr. Garrett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the voluntary testing scheme for smoke detectors containing radioactive isotopes imported from third world countries.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 4 February 1993]: I have no plans for changing in the immediate future present arrangements for the National Radiological Protection Board's testing of smoke detectors containing radioactive isotopes.

  Electricity Supply Industry
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, col. 58 relating to state aid to the electricity supply industry, if he will give details of the state aid to the energy sector within the United Kingdom as notified to the European Commission.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 4 February 1993]: The energy sector in Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and the electricity sector in Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. Within my right hon. Friend"s responsibilities, a number of arrangements have been notified to the Commission under the provisions of EC competition law since 1973. Arrangements notified in the course of the electricity privatisation exercise specifically include the state aid inherent in the fossil fuel levy.

  Directors (Conduct)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many reports and complaints of the unfit conduct of directors were submitted to the insolvency service in 1991 and 1992; and how many disqualification orders against directors were made in 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: The figures requested by the hon. Member are:

  1991

  1992

  Unfitted conduct reports

  5,747

  6,607

  Disqualification orders made

  317

  409

  The figures are not comparable on a year by year basis because of the interval between receipt of an unfitted report and the making, in appropriate cases, of a disqualification order.

  Owners Abroad (Airtours Bid)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the possible referral of the bid by Airtours for Owners Abroad to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: The Director General of Fair Trading is currently investigating this proposed merger and he will advise the President of the Board of Trade in due course. A decision on whether or not it should be referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission will be taken once that advice is received.

  Springram Ltd.
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much grant assistance has been paid to Springram Ltd. for the construction of the new factory at the Euroway estate in Bradford.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: Details of grant assistance for investment projects are treated as commercial in confidence. However, grants of over £75,000 are normally published in the Employment Gazette, together with a brief description of the project, in the quarter following the first payment.

  Hospital Radio
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what recent discussions he has had with the National Association of Hospital Broadcasting Organisations about the allocation of a freely radiating FM frequency for use by hospital radios; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will publish the findings of the hospital radio trial at Radio Redhill to evaluate the possibility of a freely radiating FM frequency for hospital radio use;

  (3) if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's proposals to allow hospital radios future access to freely radiating FM frequencies to provide radio services to individual hospitals.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave on 2 November 1992, Official Report, columns 60–61. I hope to be able to see the National Association of Hospital Broadcasting Organisations in the near future to discuss my Department"s involvement in the work of the Radio Authority to evaluate the technical feasibility of hospital radio.

  The Redhill experiment showed that although it may be technically feasible to deliver an effective freely radiating FM service within a particular hospital, depending on the nature of the site to be served, signal overspill beyond the site could be significant.

  The Radio Authority has the responsibility to determine the priority to give to hospital radio among other possible uses of the radio frequencies available for independent sound broadcasting.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the measures he is taking to assist small businesses and individual traders in the light of the current economic climate.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: My Department operates the following measures of support:

  the Enterprise Initiative Consultancy Scheme;

  the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme;

  the Small Firms Merit Award for Research and Technology;

  Support for Products under Research;

  Regional Enterprise Grants;

  the Export Marketing Research Scheme;

  Your Business Success;

  Graduate Enterprise;

  My Department also provides funding for development work which aims to benefit small firms and individual traders and produces a wide range of publications.

  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has been charged by the Prime Minister with driving
  568
  forward a new initiative to cut red tape across Whitehall. The aim of this work is to cut significantly the burdens on business of all sizes, but especially small businesses.

  During 1993 my Department will start support for up to 15 pilot schemes which will provide businesses with a single point of access to information and advice.

  From April 1993 my Department will take over responsibility from the Employment Department for funding training and enterprise councils (TECs) to provide a wide range of business support services to help small business.

  Consultants
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. Eggar
  The following consultants have been used at a total cost of £308,000.

  Capita Management Consultancy

  Coopers and Lybrand

  SRU

  These private sector consultancies have served to strengthen the Department's market testing capability.

  Business Expansion Scheme (Shipping Companies)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list each grant awarded under the business expansion scheme to shipping companies which have subsequently flagged out and replaced British crews with non-British crews.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have been asked to reply.

  The BES provides tax relief for investors and not grants for companies. Information about particular companies in respect of which BES relief has been given is not available.

DEFENCE

  Contractors (West Midlands)
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of the defence procurement budget for the last available year was spent on contractors based in the west midlands.

  Mr. Aitken
  We estimate that, in 1990–91, about £450 million was paid to contractors based in the west midlands for defence equipment.

  Job Transfers
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to relocate some additional MoD civilian jobs to Imphal barracks, York, to make use of the office space occupied currently by Army manning and records staff prepared for relocation to Glasgow.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The proposal to establish a new Army personnel centre in Glasgow is the subject of consultation with the trade unions. In the event that we proceed with this proposal all personnel will be offered the possibility to tranfer to Glasgow at public expense. Every effort will be made to find employment for those unable or unwilling to transfer, at other Ministry of Defence
  569
  establishments or with other Government Departments in the area. Other defence uses of the site will be considered once a final decision has been taken.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of United Kingdom operations in the former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The additional cost of participation to date amounts to some £60 million. The cost of peacekeeping operations will be met by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future of the United Kingdom contribution to the UN relief operation in Bosnia.

  Mr. Rifkind
  As I said in the House on 14 January, we are committed to continuing our contribution to the United Nations humanitarian effort so long as conditions on the ground permit.

  Dockyards
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Her Majesty's Government expect to make an announcement on the future of the royal dockyards.

  Mr. Rifkind
  It is not yet possible to make an announcement on where the refitting of Trident submarines will take place.

  We have received offers from Devonport Management Limited and from Babcock Thorn Limited for developing facilities for nuclear refitting at Devonport dockyard and Rosyth dockyard respectively. We are at present concerned that the prices quoted in the offers may significantly understate the likely eventual cost of the work. Before we can decide between them we need to be absolutely sure that we can be confident of the prices quoted. We are not yet in this position.

  We shall be scrutinising these offers, and studying other related matters further, before coming to a final decision, which we hope to do as soon as possible.

  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of Rosyth naval dockyard.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The Government's aim is to achieve a healthy competitive structure to ensure that the future interests of the taxpayer are safeguarded. The Royal Navy will have a continuing and substantial programme of refit work for its surface fleet of frigates, destroyers, carriers, mine counter measure vessels and other ships, as well as its submarine fleet. Although the private shipbuilders can and will continue to do some refit work, they of themselves cannot ensure effective competition. It is through competition that refit prices will provide the best value to the Royal Navy and protect the taxpayer.

  As I indicated to the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham), the prices quoted in the tenders for nuclear refitting at Rosyth and Devonport may significantly understate the likely eventual cost of the work. The scope and nature of nuclear refitting work are such that it must be allocated to one dockyard. However, for the reasons of competition in other work which I have described, we plan to continue with two royal dockyards.

  Transport of Forces
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the armed services in transporting forces speedily to any area.

  Mr. Aitken
  Recent operations have confirmed that our armed forces have the ability to move speedily to any area.

  Royal Irish Regiment
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current complement for the part-time element of the Royal Irish Regiment; and what were the corresponding figures for the previous three years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  For security reasons it is not our practice to disclose the complement of any regiment in the British Army however, as at 1 December 1992 the strength for the part-time element of the Royal Irish Regiment (home service) was 136 officers and 2,618 soldiers.

  Corresponding figures for 1 December 1991 were 147 officers and 2,855 soldiers, for 1 December 1990, 148 officers and 2,939 soldiers, and for 1 December 1989, 154 officers and 3,283 soldiers.

  Defence Lands
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he intends to take to improve the management of defence lands.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The general arrangements for managing the Defence Estate are working well, but we are always looking for improvements. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence has set in hand a management review.

  United Nations Operations
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British service personnel are currently involved in United Nations operations worldwide.

  Mr. Rifkind
  As at 1 February there were 3,570 British service men participating in United Nations operations world wide, making us the second largest troop contributor to the United Nations. This figure excludes those operating in association with United Nations operations, such as the Royal Naval presence in the Adriatic and the Royal Air Force contribution to Operation Restore Hope in Somalia.

  "Options for Change"
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce the implication of implementing "Options for Change" for service establishments in Wiltshire.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Some measures have already been announced for establishments in Wiltshire; any further changes will be announced as soon as decisions have been taken.

  North Atlantic Treaty Alliance
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the future role of NATO; and if he will make a statement.
  571
  Mr. Rifkind
  The basis of the alliance's future security policy was set out in the strategic concept issued by the NATO heads of state at a summit in Rome in November 1991. The principles it contains will shape the further development of the alliance's defence policy, operational concepts and force posture.

  Trident
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of defence expenditure is taken up by the Trident programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  The Trident programme is expected to absorb, on average, less than 2.5 per cent. of the defence budget over its procurement period. The Government consider that Trident represents a highly cost-effective contribution to deterrence.

  Nuclear Test Veterans
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will meet a delegation of hon. Members to discuss compensation for nuclear test veterans.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Yes, but I see no advantage in doing so until the National Radiological Protection Board has published its updated study. The evidence available to date shows that the total incidence of death and malignant disease among nuclear test veterans has been no worse than among the population in general.

  Royal Navy (Amphibious Capability)
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the current state of plans to maintain the Royal Navy's amphibious capability.

  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to improve the capability of the Royal Navy to conduct amphibious operations.

  Mr. Aitken
  Evaluation of tenders for the new landing platform helicopter vessel, received in October, will be complete this summer. An order would be dependent upon the outcome of our evaluation of tenders and the competing demands within the defence programme at the time. On completion of project definition studies, invitations to tender are planned to be issued for the first of the replacement assault ships. Design studies are under way for the refurbishment and re-equipment of the three older landing ships logistic.

  Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Queen Elizabeth military hospital will become available to the national health service.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The future of the Queen Elizabeth military hospital is being considered as part of a wider review of service hospital requirements, and I am not yet in a position to announce the outcome of the review.

  Defence Exports
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed by his Department in matters relating to defence exports; and if he will make a statement.
  572
  Mr. Aitken
  In 1993–94 the following staff funded by my Department will be employed on matters relating to defence exports:

  Staff

  Export assistance to industry

  271

  Export policy and control

  45

  In addition, a further 254 staff will be employed on project management activities financed by overseas customers.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the European fighter aircraft project.

  Mr. Aitken
  The agreement reached by the Defence Ministers of the four partner nations on 10 December means the development of a new fighter, to be known as Eurofighter 2000, will go ahead, though with some changes to adapt the design to the new international situation and to make it affordable to all four partner nations. Deliveries to the RAF are planned to commence in 2000. Officials of the four nations are now discussing with the contractors the precise programme and specification changes necessary to give effect to the ministerial decision.

  "Options for Change"
  Mr. Boyce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many compulsory and voluntary redundancies have so far occurred in the armed forces as a result of "Options for Change".

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As at 31 December 1993, 5,969 service personnel have been selected for redundancy so far, as a result of our restructuring plans for the armed forces. Apart from 227 officers and 127 non-commissioned personnel, all of these redundancies are voluntary.

  RAF Greenham Common
  Mrs. Chaplin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of RAF Greenham Common; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Following the withdrawal of the United States forces from RAF Greenham Common last year, and after careful consideration of potential alternative defence uses, we have decided that we have no long-term requirement for the bulk of the site. With the exception of a few small enclaves, which we shall have to retain for the time being due to inspection obligations under the terms of the intermediate nuclear forces treaty, the site will be disposed of.

  Discussions have started with the local authorities to establish a strategy for the sale of the site in accordance with the normal planning process. As part of this process we will seek to agree the nature of any development of the site although we envisage that existing open space will be preserved for public amenity.

  In addition, we shall seek to return specific assets for the benefit of the local community as quickly as possible. In this connection, we anticipate selling the school complex

  573
  and Greenham Lodge, with its associated outbuildings, after consultations with the appropriate local authorities. Although we will retain the housing stock associated with the airfield, the surplus barrack block accommodation at Greenham Close is available for sale to meet local housing needs.

  Some minor defence activities will occasionally take place at the site until it is sold and the security of the airfield will be maintained for the time being although we hope to introduce arrangements to allow public access as soon as possible.

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what stage(a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his responsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.

  Mr. Aitken
  When agency chief executives write to a Member in response to a parliamentary question, which falls within their area of responsibility, they are authorised to do so direct and do not submit drafts to Ministers. A copy of the letter will be passed to the Minister's private office as it goes out.

  Departmental Library
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain for his departmental library a book, the title of which has been supplied to him by the hon. Member for Linlithgow.

  Mr. Aitken
  A copy of the book was obtained on 25 January 1993 and is held in the Ministry of Defence library.

  HMS Valiant
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on refitting HMS Valiant.

  Mr. Aitken
  The total estimated cost of refitting work on HMS Valiant (including the current docking and essential defects period) since the introduction of commercial management into the dockyards, in April 1987, is £90 million.

  Refitting expenditure prior to April 1987 could be identified accurately only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the deployment of HMS Valiant.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  HMS Valiant is currently undergoing routine repairs at Rosyth. It is not our practice to disclose details of the operational deployment of Royal Navy submarines.

  Lynx Helicopter
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many attack helicopter aircraft he plans to procure to replace the Lynx.

  Mr. Aitken
  We recently announced that the invitation to tender for the attack helicopter competition had been issued to potential bidders. The number of aircraft eventually purchased will depend upon the capabilities and effectiveness of the system offered by the successful bidder as well as its affordability.

TRANSPORT

  Car Crash, M40
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were in the two cars involved in the crash on the road from Bicester to the M40 at 6 pm on Sunday 10 January; how many wore seat belts; and how many survived.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The accident is being investigated by Thames Valley police. Preliminary reports indicate that there were four people in one car and three people in the other; that six people were wearing seat belts; and that six people survived the accident.

  A49–465 Bypass
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the relationship between his Department's current assessment of the comparative construction costs of the A49–465 Hereford bypass(a) published route and (b) western alternative route 1C and the cost assessment stated by his Department in public inquiry document 11/3 on route 1C; if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the components of the cost assessments in each case; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what number of farms would suffer from severance under (a) the published route for the A49-A465 bypass and (b) the western alternative route 1C; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what representations he received from English Nature and its predecessor organisations concerning the relative merits of the A49–465 Hereford bypass eastern or western routes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on Friday 5 February 1993, Vol. 218, column 390.

  Bridges (Grouted Duct Tendons)
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy in respect of the use of grouted duct tendons as part of box-girder bridges; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Department announced on 25 September 1992 that until new standards are available no new bridges using grouted duct post-tensioned prestressed concrete will be commissioned. The announcement covered all types of this form of bridge construction including concrete box-girder bridges.

  Bridges which are already being designed are being reviewed on a case-by-case basis and decisions taken whether to continue with the design of the bridge as a post-tensioned structure. Those bridges at an advanced stage of design or under construction when the announcement was made are continuing, although where necessary additional quality control is being adopted during their construction.

  Vehicle Emissions
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to introduce an MOT compliance standard on vehicle emissions based on manufacturers' own conformity of production standards.
  575
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  An amendment to the EC roadworthiness directive made last year means that emissions standards may be based either on vehicle manufactures' stated maximum limits or on fixed common limits. This directive will take effect on 1 January next year for vehicles with conventional petrol engines, 1 January 1996 for vehicles with diesel engines and 1 January 1997 for petrol-engined vehicles with catalytic converters. I will consider the hon. Member"s suggestion and the Department will consult interested parties with draft regulations implementing the directive.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to bring forward proposals for additional powers to his Department's vehicle inspectorate to enable them(a) to make a visual assessment of smoking vehicles in use on roads and (b) to impose a legal requirement on vehicle owners of a detected smoking vehicle to have the vehicle checked at an MOT testing station following detection.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The vehicle inspectorate"s examiners already have the power to assess smoke from a vehicle stopped at a roadside check and to prohibit the use of that vehicle if the smoke is excessive. Such a prohibition can be cleared only when an examiner is satisfied that the emission of smoke has been reduced to an acceptable level and this may require that the vehicle is first inspected at a testing station.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many instances of vehicles emitting excess smoke were reported to each of his Department's area offices during each of the last three years.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  This information is available for the period from 1 April 1991:

  Traffic area

  1991–92

  11992–93

  South Eastern and Metropolitan

  636

  468

  North Western

  154

  178

  Scottish

  36

  41

  North Eastern

  86

  114

  West Midland and South Wales

  114

  156

  Eastern

  159

  172

  Western

  298

  949

  TOTAL

  1,483

  2,078

  1 April to December.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action has been taken to date(a) to publicise his Department's area offices to whom complaints on vehicles emitting excessive smoke should be made, including contact names and telephone numbers and (b) to publicise the courses of action open to his Department to deal with such complaints.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Department of the Environment's leaflet "Wake up to what you can do for the environment", issued in 1990, gave advice on how members of the public could help to tackle environmental nuisance, including reporting excessively smoking vehicles to traffic area offices. We hope that a separate leaflet dealing specifically with smoky vehicles will be issued shortly. This will include the addresses and telephone numbers of the relevant offices and it will also outline what follow-up action is taken in response to complaints.

  Incident Detection and Signalling Technology
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps have been taken to date to secure that(a) the motorway network and (b) the trunk road network in the United Kingdom are equipped with automatic incident detection and signalling technology.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  With only minor exceptions the motorway network in England is equipped with signals. The provision of signalling technology on all purpose trunk roads is governed by safety-related needs.

  The installation of automatic incident detection and signalling on sections of motorway where traffic flows are heavy has been approved in principle and a programme for installation is being identified. I have no plans to provide automatic incident detection and signalling technology on all-purpose trunk roads.

  A21 (Report)
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the report from East Sussex county council on the A21.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  East Sussex county council has submitted its report on the study into possible need for further improvements to the A21 trunk road within the county and we are now considering it.

  "Good Roads Guide"
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date he issued the press release announcing the publication of the "Good Roads Guide"; and on what dates a complete copy of the "Good Roads Guide" was(a) placed in the Library and (b) placed on sale to the general public.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  A press release to announce the launch of the "Good Roads Guide" in England was issued on 6 January 1993.

  The "Good Roads Guide" is the name given to a collection of nine United Kingdom advice notes for inclusion in the new United Kingdom design manual for roads and bridges. This is a technical publication and copies are not normally deposited in the Library. A limited number of specially bound editions were produced for the press release. These are no longer available.

  The nine United Kingdom advice notes will be available for sale to the general public at the end of the month.

  London Transport (Capital Investment)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the capital investment at constant prices by(a) London Transport and (b) London Underground, excluding the Jubilee line extension in 1991–92, 1992–93 and planned for 1993–94 and 1994–95 in the 1991 autumn statement and now proposed for 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  Mr. Norris
  The table sets out LT"s investment plans following the 1991 autumn statement. The investment budgets for London Transport and London Underground Ltd. in the light of the 1992 autumn statement have not yet been decided.
  577

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  LT total excluding Jubilee line extension

  370

  6501

  870

  830

  LUL total excluding Jubilee line extension

  310

  5801

  820

  765

  1 Latest outturn forecasts.

  All figures at 1992–93 prices.

  Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement outlining his Department's position on proposals for a common EC motorway usage charge for goods vehicles.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No such proposals have been made. The Transport Council has, however, been considering a draft directive which among other things sets out the conditions on which individual member states may, if they wish, levy tolls or other user charges on heavy goods vehicles for the use of their motorways. At its last meeting on 21 December the Council was unable to reach any agreement on this draft.

  Car Crashes
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 2 February Official Report, column 117, on injury crashes, if he will express the estimates as incidence rates.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Comparable injury accident rates for drivers aged 17, 18 and 19 in relation to the number of full and provisional car driving licence holders in 1991 within these age groups, are available only for Northern Ireland and Great Britain and are shown in the table:

  Accident Rates (Per 100 driving licence holders within each age group) Accident Rates: Full and Provisional Licence Holders

  Age

  Northern Ireland

  Great Britain

  17

  1.3

  2.7

  18

  1.9

  2.8

  19

  1.9

  2.3

  Total (17 to 19)

  1.8

  2.6

  It would have been preferable to calculate rates in relation to mileage, which is a better measure of exposure to risk than numbers of licence holders, but this information is not available.

  Variable Message Signs
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps are currently undertaken by his Department to enhance the usage of variable message signs on the motorway network and non-motorway road network in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The use of variable message signs on English motorways and all-purpose trunk roads has increased in recent years, most notably around the Manchester and Birmingham conurbations. A new design of motorway signal incorporating a variable message 578
  capability has been trialled on the M25 and approved for installation on all English motorways that are to be widened to dual four lanes.

  My Department is preparing to install a traffic management VMS scheme on roads in Kent comprising the M20 and M26 from the M25 to Folkestone and the A2/M2/A2 route from Dartford—M25—to Dover. Further applications for use of VMS are being considered.

  Motorways (Productivity Targets)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to(a) establish clear productivity targets for each United Kingdom motorway and (b) appoint network managers for individual motorways or groups of motorways.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Motorway performance depends on a wide range of factors, including particularly the traffic volumes at the time, maintenance requirements and accidents. Investment is carefully targeted to produce maximum return in reducing delay and accidents, subject to full environmental appraisal. The economic assessment of English motorway schemes continues to produce an overall benefit-to-cost ratio of 2.6:1.

  The growing pressures of managing the network of motorways and other trunk roads in England were recognised in the reorganisation of responsibility within my Department in 1990 when regional network management divisions were established.

  Motorways (Lighting)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to establish a target date for all motorways in the United Kingdom to be wholly lit.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It is not planned to light the whole of the motorway network in England. Lighting is provided, subject to environmental appraisal, where it can be justified on safety grounds, taking account of the savings in night-time accidents.

  Concessionary Rail Travel
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 869, if he will list the number of dependants in each of the categories of people listed in his answer who receive (a) free unrestricted travel and (b) restricted concessionary travel.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that no recipients of British Rail staff travel facilities have unrestricted free travel on BR train services. All concessionary arrangements exclude specific services which are subject to heavy public demand.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those categories of people entitled to concessionary(a) unlimited first-class travel,
  (b) restricted first-class and second-class travel and
  (c) second-class travel on British Rail services, stating the number in each category and the annual total cost.

  Mr. Freeman
  The figures requested are not readily available. However, it is estimated that approximately 5 per cent. of British Rail staff are granted first-class travel facilities, excluding use only for specific services subject to heavy public demand.

  Garage Equipment
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to require garage proprietors to maintain air lines and pressure gauges in good working order.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No. Although it is important that correct tyre pressures are maintained, a new regulatory or other requirement on garage proprietors could not be justified.

  Consultants
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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. Kenneth Carlisle
  Two consultancy advisory commissions have been awarded at a total cost of £26,650 plus VAT.

  Mr. R. C. D. Walker, ICI Specialties, was appointed as a consultant to advise on the Department's proposed market testing and contracting-out programme. The appointment commenced on 31 January 1992 and was completed by 31 March 1992.

  CSL Group Ltd. was appointed to provide advice for certain customers of the Driver, Vehicles and Operators Information Technology Agency in preparation for changed contractual arrangements resulting from the privatisation of DVOIT. The appointment commenced on 22 January 1993.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish the details of the access and charging regime that will apply under his proposals for the privatisation of British Rail.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have today published a document entitled "Gaining Access to the Railway". Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much expenditure he intends to incur under the provisions of the British Coal and British Rail (Transfer Proposals) Act 1993 in preparation for rail privatisation.

  Mr. Freeman
  None.

  British Rail Timetable
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who will be responsible for maintaining services covered by table 51 in the current BR timetable under his proposals for the railways; whether a national railway timetable will be published twice a year as at present; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Following privatisation it will be for the franchising director to specify the passenger services to be provided by franchisees. His specification will be based on the timetable being operated by British Rail prior to franchising. BR will continue to run passenger services until they have been franchised. Railtrack will be required to ensure the publication of a national timetable. We expect that the frequency of publication will coincide with major timetable changes.

  Paddington-Fishguard Rail Service
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with(a) his opposite number in the Irish Republic and (b) the EC Transport Commissioner in relation to the timing of rail passenger services from Paddington to Fishguard.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have discussed transport links between the island of Ireland and Great Britain with Ministers of the Irish Republic and the EC Transport Commissioner on a number of occasions. These discussions have not, however, included such detailed matters as the timing of individual rail passenger services.

  MV Braer (Oil Spillage)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received arising out of the MV Braer oil incident on the desirability of establishing a tanker exclusion zone.

  Mr. Norris
  A number of representations have been received calling for tanker exclusion zones in certain areas. This will be covered by Lord Donaldson in his inquiry which in its terms of reference will give due consideration to the international implications of any measures.

  Night Flights
  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish a table showing the total number of night flights permitted at Heathrow and Gatwick in the past winter and summer; and what number would be permitted in 1993–94 under the proposals in the recent consultation paper(a) on the assumption that airlines use the same mix of aircraft as in the past year and (b) on the assumption that airlines choose to use quieter aircraft one quota lower than in the past year and assuming also that in the unlimited zero-rated category there are an additional 25 landings plus 25 take-offs per night; and if he will indicate in each case whether the average volume of noise per year will be greater or less than in the past year.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department does not specify the total number of aircraft that may operate at night at Heathrow and Gatwick. Under the present night restrictions, the noisiest aircraft are not allowed to operate at night except for a small number of delayed departures. The less noisy aircraft may operate subject to quotas, but some aircraft are exempt. At Gatwick, the quotas were 2,250 movements for winter 1991–92 and 5,190 for summer 1992. At Heathrow, the quotas were 3,000 for winter 1991–92 and 2,750 for summer 1992.

  The new quota levels proposed for the next five years in the consultation paper are designed to keep the overall noise levels below those in 1988. If the proposed new quotas were used by aircraft counting 1 or more under the new system, in the same mix as flew in summer 1992, the proposed summer quota of 9,000 for Gatwick would translate into 4,900 movements and 7,000 for Heathrow would translate into 2,550 movements. In addition to aircraft currently exempt, there would have been about 1,200 movements at Gatwick during the summer season by zero-rated aircraft—about six a night—and about 400 at Heathrow—about two a night. Even though the mix of aircraft using the new quotas may change, overall noise levels should not get worse.

  M62
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if the widening of the M62, junctions 14 to 17, included in the national roads investment plans for 1993–94 is intended to form part of the proposed greater Manchester western and northern relief road.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No. This widening will bring early, but short-term, relief to this busy motorway. Long-term relief would be provided by the proposed greater Manchester western and northern relief road.

  Radioactive Materials
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of his assessment of the environmental hazards involved in the transport of radioactive materials by air, assuming a worst-case scenario of an aircraft carrying the highest permitted level of radioactive materials crashing on a main population centre; and what contingency plans are in place to deal with such an emergency.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: In its report to the Secretary of State in 1988, the Advisory Committee for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material estimated that the consequence of a super-severe accident resulting from a plane crash in a suburban area—1,400 people/km2—would result in a mean value of very much less than one fatal cancer in 50 years, assuming that no counter-measures were taken.

  Following such an accident, the police will activate the national arrangements for incidents involving radioactivity. Resources available to the police include experts from British Nuclear Fuels plc who are skilled in the handling of plutonium.

  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many air movements took place in 1992 conveying radioactive materials in or out of(a) Manchester, (b) Liverpool and (c) other north west or northern airfields; what is the highest permissible level of radioactivity in respect of such flights; what was the actual highest level so transported; and what percentage change he expects to the number of such flights over the coming five years.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: The Department does not keep a database of individual movements.

  The quantity of radioactive material which may be transported is limited by permitted radiation levels from the type of package and by criticality safety considerations if the material is fissile.

  The percentage change in the number of flights in future will depend on commercial considerations.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many movements of radioactive material have been notified to his Department in each of the past five years; and if he will place a list of such movements in the Library.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: The Department does not keep a database of individual movements.

  M4
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the widening of the M4 between London and Swindon to begin.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: A contract for widening to four lanes of the short length of M4 between junctions 4B, M25, and 5, A4, has just been let and work will start shortly. Four other commissions to study the need and options for increasing capacity on the M4 between the M25 and junction 15 are proceeding satisfactorily and we expect to be in a position to start public consultation about further sections in the course of this year. Subsequent progress will depend on the outcome of public consultation and of any statutory procedures necessary and the availability of funding.

  M1
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when major repairs between junctions 9 and 10 on the M1 were last completed; why further repairs are now necessary; why such repairs will last from March to December; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: The last substantial repairs on this section were completed in March 1991 and involved extensive patching to maintain the safety of the carriageway until the proposed widening of the motorway.

  The works planned for this year are improvement works to widen the motorway to four lanes. At the same time major maintenance works will be carried out to extend the residual life of the existing carriageway. The extensive nature of these works is reflected in the contract period.

  Shipping Routes
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the Government"s policy on each of the recommendations of the European Parliament relating to tanker movements made in response to the MV Braer oil incident in Shetland.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: The recommendations of the European Parliament relating to tanker movements raise a number of complex issues which can be effectively resolved only through international agreement at the International Maritime Organisation and elsewhere. Matters relating to radar coverage and pilotage will fall within the terms of reference of the inquiry that Lord Donaldson will hold.

  Rail Staff (Deaths)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the numbers and circumstances of deaths at work of rail staff over the past five years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have been asked to reply.

  The numbers of fatal accidents to railway and contractors staff for each year since 1987 is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1987

  16

  1988

  16

  1989

  18

  583

  Year

  Number

  1990

  22

  11991–92

  17

  1 This report covers a 15-month period 1 January 1991 to 31 March 1992.

  Details of the circumstances of the deaths are given in the annual reports on railway safety in Great Britain for each year. Copies are available in the House Library.

SCOTLAND

  Skye Bridge
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he proposes to prohibit Caledonian MacBrayne from running a vehicle-carrying ferry between Kyle of Lochalsh and Kyleakin following the completion of the Skye bridge; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend will not permit Caledonian MacBrayne to provide such a service. At the time when it became necessary to introduce new vessels on the Kyle of Lochalsh-Kyleakin service in 1991, approval was given by the Department on the basis that, when the bridge was completed, the ferry service would be withdrawn and Caledonian MacBrayne would redeploy the vessels elsewhere in the network.

  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what his policy will be, following construction of the Skye bridge, towards the existing piers at Kyle of Lochalsh and Kyleakin(a) in respect of allowing vehicular access to the piers for the purposes of (i) enabling regular vehicle-carrying ferry service to operate in competition with the bridge and (ii) providing an emergency vehicle-carrying ferry service at times of emergency closure of the bridge and (b) in other respects; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has no authority over the existing Kyleakin pier which is owned by the Highland regional council.

  (a) (i) should a private vehicle ferry service wish to operate between Kyle and Kyleakin, an operator could do so providing the necessary approvals and licences were obtained and the appropriate facilities were available.

  (ii) as the bridge will be open at all times, except on occasions to high sided vehicles, there will be no need for an emergency vehicle ferry service.

  (b) The Scottish Office are co-operating with Highland regional council to develop a package of measures aimed at improving the environment and amenity in Kyle to make the maximum use of the opportunity offered by the Skye bridge.

  European Year of Older People
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the events organised by, or with the co-operation of, his Department for the European Year of Older People; what arrangements he has made for informing and involving hon. Members of events for the year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  My Department is participating fully with other Government Departments and voluntary organisations to plan and promote a wide-ranging programme of 584
  events for the European Year of Older People and Solidarity between Generations. The programme of events for the Year is relevant to all parts of the United Kingdom. Events being developed as part of the Scottish contribution to the year include a three year project to support volunteering by older people and a project to examine the experiences of ethnic minority older people in selected European Community countries. I will write to the hon. Member with a full list of events which have been organised so far.

  Officials of the Department of Health, the lead organising Department for the Year, recently met with the all party parliamentary group for pensions. In addition honourable Members will be able to learn more about the European Year of Older People from an exhibition to be mounted in the Upper Waiting Hall from 22 to 28 February. Madam Speaker has graciously agreed at the request of the all party group to host a reception on 30 June at the Speaker's House to mark the Year.

  Age Concern Scotland has written to all Scottish hon. Members to inform them of the exhibition and to encourage them to support the year. A similar letter will be issued to all other hon. Members shortly.

  Caledonian MacBrayne"s
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to respond to Caledonian MacBrayne's corporate plan for 1992 to 1995; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has already responded to Caledonian MacBrayne's corporate plan for 1992 to 1996 in approving the company's capital expenditure proposals for 1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96, increasing the company's external financing limit over the three years by a total of £10.5 million and fixing the level of deficit subsidy for 1993–94 at £7.165 million.

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland at what stage(a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his responsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.

  Mr. Lang
  The chief executives of my four agencies reply direct to parliamentary questions on matters delegated to them. It is not normal practice for chief executives" letters to be submitted to my office prior to reply. I do, of course, see chief executives" replies when they are published in the Official Report.

  Appointments
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will update the information given in his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 5 November 1992,Official Report, column 351; and if he will state the political affiliation of the appointees where known.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 4 February 1993]: The central data on appointments is updated once a year, at 1 September, and the information given in the answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 6 November 1992 is the latest available. Information not

  585
  held centrally could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. On the question of political affiliation I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Paisley, South (Mr. McMaster) on 26 November 1992, Official Report, column 711.

  Mr. Muir Russell
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps have been taken to ensure that the appointment of Mr. Muir Russell as a non-executive director of Stage Coach plc is compatible with his position as a civil servant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: Mr. Russell"s appointment is one of many made nationally to build bridges between the civil service and the business community. There is now within the Scottish Office a substantial bank of experience of such appointments, which must comply with the normal principles of conduct for civil servants. In addition new guidance has been published by the Office of Public Service and Science to supplement departmental rules and procedures on such appointments. Mr. Russell's appointment is entirely compatible with the guidance.

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

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 3 February 1993]: The planned 1993–94 expenditure budget for the Departments within my responsibility but excluding the Forestry Commission is 5.0 per cent. in real terms and 7.9 per cent. in cash terms more than planned 1992–93 expenditure as amended by classification changes. After allowing for additional responsibilities of my Departments in care in the community and higher education, the increases are 2.7 per cent. in real terms and 5.6 per cent. in cash terms.

  Departmental Press Releases
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to distribute his Department's press releases by electronic mail.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: I intend to continue my practice of distributing news releases from my Department by electronic mail to principal media outlets which have the facilities to receive them. Development of the service is kept under review.

  MV Braer (Oil Spillage)
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial provision has been made, and by whom, for the long-term monitoring of the impact on both land and the marine environment of the oil spillage from the tanker Braer.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: Various Government Departments and public bodies are already engaged in monitoring the impact of the oil spill. Their programmes and priorities will be reviewed by the ecological steering group which was announced by my right hon. Friend on 26 January 1993. Since the long-term
  586
  monitoring requirements have still to be assessed, it is too early to take a view on the financial arrangements for them.

  Severely Disadvantaged Areas
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland according to the most recent figures for each year since 1978, how many farmers within the 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 rate.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: The information requested is not available.

  Scottish Bus Group Companies
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the purchasers of former Scottish Bus Group companies under the terms of the Transport (Scotland) Act 1989.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dumfries (Sir Hector Monro) on 2 December 1991, Official Report, columns 45–46.

EMPLOYMENT

  Job Applicants (Drug Tests)
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what estimates her Department has made of the number of companies requiring drug testing for job applicants; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department does not produce estimates of the number of companies requiring drug testing for job applicants and has no plans to do so.

  Ship Building
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been declared in the United Kingdom shipbuilding industry each year since 1979; and what has been the average redundancy payment in constant prices.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The specific information requested is not available and no information is held on payments made by employers to redundant employees.

  Black Workers
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate she has made of the average pay of black workers as a percentage of the average pay of white workers.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  These estimates are not made.

  Check-off Deductions
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will estimate the cost per thousand to employers of meeting requirements for renewed check-off deductions.
  587
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The cost to those employers who choose to operate check-off arrangements of the new requirements in the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill will depend on their particular circumstances. Employers may agree, as part of the arrangements, to recoup some or all of the cost from the trade unions on whose behalf they operate the check-off.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment who proposed to Government the requirement that employers would be required to seek renewed consent to check-off deductions from their employees every three years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This proposal is based on a recommendation in the response of the Institute of Personnel Management to the Green Paper, "Industrial Relations in the 1990s".

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if employers are presently prohibited from checking at any time and at any interval whether any employee maintains consent previously given for deductions of union subscriptions.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No. Existing law on the operation of the check-off offers little protection to employees who pay their union subscriptions through the check-off.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which bodies have supported the proposed requirement for renewed consent to check-off deductions.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Responses to legislative proposals are automatically treated as confidential. Bodies that have publicly supported the principle of periodic renewal of consent include the Confederation of British Industry and the Institute of Directors.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of people graduating from employment training courses in Blyth Valley have gone on to full-time work in each year since 1987.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is not available. Information on employment training is riot held centrally below training and enterprise council level.

  Job Shops (Vetting)
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what vetting is carried out when potential employers place advertisements for vacancies in job shops.

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

  Letter from M. Fogden to Mr. Bill Michie, dated 9 February 1993.
  588
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the vetting carried out when potential employers place advertisements in job shops. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  The vast majority of vacancies notified to Jobcentres are from employers who are well known to my local people and give no cause for concern. Where an employer is not known we take extra care to ensure the vacancy is from a genuine employer. If we have any doubts we will normally make local enquiries or arrange to visit the employer.
  Any complaints from jobseekers are always followed up and my managers have discretion to refuse to handle recruitment business if they have concerns about the potential vacancy.
  I hope this is helpful.
  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make an assessment of the health and safety of those who work in opencast coal mining.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Prime responsibility for health and safety at work including assessment rests with employers and self employed persons, where appropriate. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) encourages and promotes health, safety and welfare at work at those places for which it is the enforcing authority, which includes opencast coal sites. HSE inspectors seek to ensure that employers and others comply with health and safety legislation and if necessary take appropriate action to ensure legal requirements are met.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many constituencies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have higher registered unemployment at the present time than in June 1987.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest estimates of unemployment rates(a) by ethnic origin, broken down into (i) white, (ii) West Indian, (iii) Indian, (iv) Pakistani and (v) Bangladeshi, (b) separately by sex and ethnic origin and
  (c) by 16 to 24 year age group, sex and ethnic origin.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The latest available estimates for Great Britain of unemployment rates on the internationally standard ILO definition are given in the following table:
  589

  ILO unemployment rates by ethnic origin, Sex and age: Great Britain, summer (June-August) 1992 (not seasonally adjusted)

  Percentage

  all persons

  Males

  Females

  all 16 and over

  aged 16–24

  all 16 and over

  aged 16–24

  all 16 and over

  aged 16–24

  All persons2

  10

  18

  12

  21

  8

  14

  White

  9

  17

  11

  20

  7

  13

  Ethnic minority groups3

  20

  35

  23

  40

  17

  28

  Black-Caribbean

  24

  39

  32

  49

  15

  1—

  Indian

  15

  28

  15

  32

  15

  25

  Pakistani

  28

  44

  29

  48

  1—

  1—

  Bangladeshi

  38

  1—

  37

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1 The source of the estimates in the table (Labour Force Survey) is a sample survey and all estimates from it are subject to sampling variability, particularly in the case of smaller groups. Following established practice, estimates where the numerator is less than 10,000 are now shown in the table, but the estimates for other small groups, for example some of those within the 16–24 age-bands, should be treated with caution.

  2 Includes people who did not state their ethnic origin.

  3 Includes those of black-African, other black non-mixed (including black-British) and those of mixed and other origins.

  Source: Labour Force Survey.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information is available regarding the lengths of periods of unemployment benefit disqualification imposed by adjudication officers in the area which includes Falkirk East constituency.

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

  Letter from M. Fogden to Mr. Michael Connarty, dated 9 February 1993:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the length of periods of unemployment benefit disqualifications in the Falkirk East area. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

  Occupational injuries occurring in the construction industry1 in Wales as reported to HSE"s Factory and Agricultural Inspectorates and Local Authorities, 1987–88 to 1991–926

  Fatal Injuries

  Major Injuries3

  Year2

  Employees

  Self employed

  Members of public4

  Employees

  Self employed

  Members of public4

  1987–88

  9

  3

  —

  158

  11

  15

  1988–89

  8

  1

  —

  154

  23

  10

  1989–90

  5

  4

  —

  200

  34

  5

  1990–915

  6

  1

  2

  189

  39

  1

  1991–925

  8

  2

  1

  96

  22

  8

  1 As defined by Standard Industrial Classification 1980 Division 5.

  2 Year commencing 1 April.

  3 Major injuries as defined under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985.

  4 Injured as a result of someone else's work activity.

  5 Includes reports made to HSE's Quarries Inspectorate.

  6 Provisional

  Training
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of those referred by the employment service to employment training actually started in the valleys initiative area between April 1991 and March 1992.
  590
  All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit are made by the independent adjudicating authorities.

  Information about the length of disqualification periods imposed is not collated or published as each is decided in the light of the circumstances surrounding the individual case. Without knowledge of these circumstances no meaningful interpretation of the information could be made.

  I hope this is helpful.

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

  Construction Sites (Accidents)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the number of(a) deaths and (b) serious accidents at construction sites in Wales in each of the last five years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The numbers of deaths and major injuries occurring in the construction industry in Wales over the past five years are provided in the table:

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

  Letter from M. Fogden to Mr. Ron Davies, dated 9 February 1993:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the

  591
  percentage of those referred by the Employment Service to Employment Training, in the Valleys Initiative area, who actually started between April 1991 and March 1992. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  Although we do not collect information in the format you asked for we have found a way to provide a close alternative, which is based on returns from our local offices located in the Valleys Initiative area. This gives a figure of 39% which is almost exactly equivalent to 1 person starting for every 2.5 who are referred.
  I hope this is helpful.
  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current numbers of employment trainees by ethnic origin.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The following table gives the latest percentage breakdown of entrants to employment training in Great Britain by ethnic origin.

  Table 1 Employment training: characteristics of entrants April 1992 to September 19921

  Per cent.

  Region

  Ethnic origins2

  Sex

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  Male

  Female

  Sheffield TEC

  86

  6

  2

  4

  1

  70

  30

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  91

  2

  4

  1

  1

  68

  32

  England and Wales

  88

  5

  4

  2

  1

  67

  33

  Source: Employment Training Starts Database.

  Table 2 Youth training: characteristics of leavers April 1992 to October 19921

  Per cent.

  Region

  Ethnic origins2

  Sex

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  Male

  Female

  Sheffield TEC

  93

  3

  3

  1

  1

  61

  39

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  94

  1

  4

  1

  4—

  60

  40

  England and Wales

  94

  2

  3

  1

  1

  57

  43

  Source: Youth Training Leavers Database.

  Table 3 Job club: characteristics of leavers April 1991 to March 19921

  Per cent.

  Region

  Ethnic origins2

  Sex

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  Male

  Female

  Sheffield area3

  94

  1

  2

  2

  1

  85

  15

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  91

  1

  7

  1

  4—

  82

  18

  England and Wales

  86

  6

  7

  1

  1

  80

  20

  Source: Employment Service Management Information System.

  Notes to tables:

  1 The latest period for which information is available.

  Notes of tables:

  1 The latest period for which information is available.

  2 1=White;

  2=Black/African/Caribbean;

  3=Indian/Pakistan/Bangladeshi/Sri Lankan;

  4=None of these;

  5=Prefer not to say.
  592

  Employment training April 1992 to September 1992—Great Britain Starts by ethnic origin

  per cent.

  White

  89

  Black/African/Caribbean

  4

  Asian

  4

  Other

  2

  Not stated (including prefer not to say)

  1

  Source ET starts database.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest statistics for 1992 on numbers of(a) employment trainees, (b) youth trainees and (c) job club leavers, by ethnic origin and sex for (i) England and Wales, (ii) Yorkshire and Humberside and (iii) Sheffield.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is not available in the exact format asked for. Information is only available about the percentage of entrants or leavers by characteristics. The following tables give the latest data.
  593
  3 Sheffield area does not cover exactly the same area as Sheffield TEC.

  4 Less than 0.5 per cent.

  Percentages may not add up to 100 due to independent rounding.

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

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  As part of the Government's deregulation initiative, the Department has compiled a provisional list of regulations for which it is responsible, which impact on business. It is currently being fully checked for accuracy and will be placed in the Library by early March.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many black adults in England and Wales are on training schemes operated by training and enterprise councils in the current year; what was the figure for 1992; and what percentage this is of the total number of trainees on schemes operated by the training and enterprise councils.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  During April to September 1992, the latest period for which information is available, 5 per cent. of adults on employment training in England and Wales were of Black/African/Caribbean descent, the same as in the full financial year 1991–92.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the members of each training and enterprise council in the Northern region, together with their remunerations, for 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The current board members of TECs in Northern region are listed in the table. Directors of TEC boards do not receive any remunerations other than incurred expenses unless they hold the office of TEC chief executive.

  Chief executives who are seconded civil servants are paid the appropriate civil service salary; those who are direct employees of the TEC are paid a salary which is determined by the TEC.

  Co. Durham TEC

  Mr. B. Robinson

  Mr. J. Hamilton

  Mr. R. McKechnie

  Mr. T. Edge

  Mr. D. King

  Mr. D. Clifford

  Mrs. M. Todd

  Mr. D. Gatfield

  Mr. L. Aviss

  Mr. A. MacConachie

  Mr. J. Creaby

  Mr. G. McLearie

  Mr. K. Mitchell

  Mr. F. Crow

  Teesside TEC

  Mr. L. Bell

  Mr. P. C. Kerr

  Mr. M. D. Ward

  Mr. A. B. Anderson

  Mr. P. G. Yuill

  Mr. D. Hall

  594

  Mr. D. Warnock

  Mr. G. E. Penketh

  Mr. A. G. Arkley

  Mr. P. A. Gate

  Mr. K. Robinson

  Mr. J. Sefton

  Mr. P. McGee

  Mr. J. R. Howell

  Northumberland TEC

  Mr. B. Best

  Mr. J. Teward

  Mr. P. R. Harding

  Mr. C. Tipple

  Mr. D. J. R. Smail

  Dr. D. Francis

  Mr. G. Robinson

  Mr. A. Haslam

  Mr. P. Wood

  Mr. B. Gott

  Mr. R. Moules

  Miss E. Redpath

  Wearside TEC

  Mr. J. N. Anderson

  Mr. R. Bater

  Mr. D. Grabham

  Mr. G. P. Key

  Mr. K. Raine

  Mr. A. Scott

  Mr. A. J. Ward

  Mr. G. Armstrong

  Mr. A. Cass

  Mr. H. Moyes

  Mr. R. W. Linden

  Mr. J. Riddle

  Mrs. A. Tye

  Mr. P. Wickens

  Mr. T. C. Preston

  Tyneside TEC

  Dr. R. Iley

  Mrs. C. Howells

  Mr. J. H. Marris

  Mr. W. S. Jones

  Mr. G. M. Rowarth

  Mr. J. C. Sharp

  Mr. L. Elton

  Mr. P. Vaughan

  Mr. R. Howard

  Mr. H. Biddle

  Mr. S. Clark

  Mr. M. Morris

  Mrs. O. Grant

  Mr. M. Higson

  Mr. A. J. G. Winter

  Redundancy Payments and Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average(a) statutory minimum redundancy payment and (b) monthly unemployment benefit paid by her Department in the most recent available year.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The average payment made under the direct payment provisions of the statutory redundancy payments scheme in the 1991–92 financial year was £1,375.00.

  I understand from the Department of Social Security that no figure is available for the average amount of monthly unemployment benefit paid. The average weekly amount of unemployment benefit (excluding income

  595
  support) paid to each recipient based on 5 per cent. samples taken in May 1991 was £44.64 a week, and in November 1991 was £44.49 a week.

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment at what stage(a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within her responsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The chief executive of the Employment Service Agency replies direct on matters delegated to him. I have an opportunity to see the replies when they are published in the Official Report.

  Compliance Cost Assessments
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many compliance cost assessments were sent to her Department in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There were none.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefits
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will reduce the sum of £4 assumed income per week per £1,000 savings which is applied in determining benefits; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  In all the income-related benefits, savings up to £3,000 is ignored. Deductions from benefit for capital in excess of this amount are designed to ensure that help is targeted on those who need it most, while not denying benefit to those with only a moderate amount of capital. The rules are kept under review, but we have no plans for change.

  Pensions
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what basis he has calculated the 25p rise in pensions paid to those over 80 years of age; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The 25p age addition paid to people who are over 80 was introduced in 1971. No Government have ever increased the age addition since its introduction and there are no plans to do so. Instead, we have chosen to target extra resources towards pensioners on income-related benefits.

  Artificial Insemination by Donor
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of children conceived by AID who will be entitled to maintenance from their biological father.

  Mr. Burt
  Where a donation of sperm is made to a licensed treatment centre, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 safeguards the donor's identity. Consequently, where a child is born as a result of artificial insemination by donor, the question of seeking 596
  maintenance from the biological father will arise only where the donation is made by private arrangement without the services of a licensed treatment centre. There is no centrally available information on the numbers that might be involved.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the numbers of additional claimants and the cost if disability living allowance was extended to children under the age of five years; and if he will estimate these numbers and costs for the northern region.

  Mr. Scott
  We estimate that for Great Britain the number is 25,000 at a cost of £35 million a year. It is not possible to estimate these numbers and costs for the northern region.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the medical report from Mrs. Elizabeth Pinnock of 45 South Furzeham road, Brixham, mentioned by Michael Bichard in his letter of 11 January to the hon. Member for South Hams, was obtained by the disability living allowance unit from Dr. Sheena, Mrs. Pinnock's general practitioner.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 8 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 date on which the Disability Living Allowance Unit obtained the medical report from Dr. Sheena, Mrs. Pinnock's General Practitioner.
  The medical report to which you refer was requested on 27 November 1991 and completed by Dr. Sheena on 30 November 1991. It was received in the Mobility Allowance Unit on 4 December 1991.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Carers
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what evidence it was decided that carers of people in receipt of the lower rate care component of disability living allowance should not be entitled to invalid care allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  Disability living allowance was introduced following surveys of the disabled carried out in 1985–1988 by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. We introduced the new lower rates of disability living allowance to help people with less severe disabilities who were unable to qualify for benefit previously.

  The purpose of invalid care allowance is to provide a measure of financial assistance to those who forgo the opportunity of full-time work in order to provide regular and substantial care to a severely disabled person. It is doubtful that a person receiving the lower rate of the disability living allowance care component would require such substantial care.
  597
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will consider allowing the record of contributions made by carers in any tax year to count towards unemployment benefit.

  Mr. Burt
  We have no plans to change the current contribution conditions.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will extend entitlement to the carer premium to carers over the age of 65 years who can establish underlying entitlement to invalid care allowance on the same basis as their younger counterparts.

  Mr. Scott
  Since it is not possible for people who become carers over age of 65 to establish entitlement to invalid care allowance there can be no question therefore of extending carer premium to this group.

  Carer Premium
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total number of people in receipt of the carer premium as a percentage of those who are eligible.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. Burden) on 25 January 1993,Official Report, columns 585–86.

  Income Support
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what evidence he has on the number of income support claimants in residential and nursing homes who use their personal expenses allowance to pay the fees;

  (2) what steps he proposes to take to ensure that under the new community care arrangements from April 1993 the personal expenses allowance for people on income support in residential and nursing homes is not taken to pay home fees.

  Mr. Burt
  Personal allowances are intended to be used by residents for their needs as they see best. The fees charged for residential and nursing homes are a matter for agreement between the parties involved. Some residents contract for charges higher than the Income Support limits and may use the personal expenses allowance to meet the shortfall. The numbers using their allowance in this way is not known.

  From April 1993 all residents placed in residential care or nursing homes by local authorities will retain an amount for personal expenses.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current number of people in receipt of income support in the smallest available area which includes Consett.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Ms. Hilary Armstrong, dated 8 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
  598
  recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what is the current number of people in receipt of Income Support in the smallest available area which includes Consett.
  The information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, from latest information available, the Agency's Stanley office, which covers the area of Consett, had approximately 11,000 customers who were in receipt of Income Support at 30 November 1992.
  This information has been supplied by the Income Support Management Information Statistics.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the effect on the number of unemployment benefit claimants of the abatement at 55 years introduced on 1 January 1989 for occupational pensioners, and 9 October 1989 for personal pensioners(a) at the point of introduction and (b) currently.

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

  However, the numbers of persons aged 55 years and over whose unemployment benefit is abated in full due to their receipt of an occupational and/or personal pension is shown in the table.

  Unemployment Claimants whose Entitlement to Unemployment Benefit is Abated in Full an Occupational and/or Personal Pension

  Date

  Total (Thousands)

  May 1989

  6.0

  November 1989

  5.0

  May 1992

  9.2

  Notes:

  Source: Half-yearly Analysis of Unemployed Claimants, 5 per cent. sample.

  2. Figures shown are for all claimants whose entitlement to UB is abated in full due to receipt of an occupational and/or personal pension. No separate figures are maintained of persons affected solely by the legislation introduced on 1 January 1989 and 9th October 1989.

  3. Figures are not available for the points of introduction or present date. Those shown for May and November 1989 are for the first half yearly analysis following introduction. Those for May 1992 are the latest available.

  Consultants
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security 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.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Names of firms of consultants used by the Department as part of the market testing programme since November 1991 are as follows:

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Kodak

  KPMG

  Hemsley Miller and Co.

  PA Consultancy

  PMMS Consulting

  Price Waterhouse

  SEMA Consultants

  Symonds Facilities Management

  Touche Ross

  599
  The total cost of consultancy support to the end of December 1992 has been some £610,000.

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security at what stage(a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within his responsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The chief executives of our agencies reply direct on the operational matters which have been delegated to them. Ministers receive a courtesy copy of replies on the day before they are answered.

  War Pensioners
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to establish an executive agency for war pensioners.

  Mr. Lilley
  A new War Pensions Agency will be established on 1 April 1994. The agency will be responsible for the assessment and payment of war pensions, the war pensioners welfare service, and the Ilford Park Polish Home in Devon. I am pleased to be able to announce this fulfilment of the Government's election manifesto pledge.

  The establishment of a separate agency for war pensions will lead to greater efficiency in the administration of these benefits and provide a higher quality service for war pensioners and war widows, in keeping with the citizens charter.

  Recruitment of a chief executive is beginning immediately.

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many letters addressed to the Benefits Agency by hon. Members, on the subject of attendance allowance and disability living allowance, have taken longer than seven months to secure a reply; when he first assessed the time taken to reply to hon. Members' correspondence; and what action he has taken to reduce delays.

  Mr. Scott
  The arrangements for replying to correspondence from hon. Members to the Benefits Agency is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. David Nicholson, dated 9 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 time taken to reply to honourable Members' correspondence about Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA).
  You ask how many letters addressed to the Benefits Agency on these subjects have taken longer than seven months to secure a reply. I am aware of 13 cases, where letters about DLA have been sent direct to me or have been referred to me by Ministers and a reply has not been sent within seven months. I very much regret that such long delays have occurred. As I explained in my letter to you of 19 January on an individual case you had raised, the delays are due to the
  600
  backlog of correspondence that has built up in the DLA Unit following the greater than expected workload faced by Unit in the early months of the DLA scheme. In 1992 I replied to 4,461 letters on all subjects from Members.
  The delay in replying to Members' letters about DLA does not, of course, mean that action is not proceeding on a customer's claim. In fact in most cases where there is a long outstanding reply the claim will have been resolved much earlier. You will recall that in the case discussed in my letter of 19 January, benefit was awarded in August 1992. Clearly you should have been notified of this very much sooner than you were and I apologise for this.
  The Benefits Agency monitors the amount of correspondence received and the time taken to reply on a regular basis. Since December 1992 this has been monitored on a weekly basis; prior to that the position was monitored monthly. The substantial increase in correspondence (80 per cent. up on 1991) and the consequent delays in response time began to become clear from mid 1992 onwards.
  As you will understand, the initial impetus was to clear the backlog of claims thus ensuring that decisions were given and payments made to customers as quickly as possible. I wrote to all Members explaining the steps I had taken to tackle this on 19 October 1992.
  Since November 1992 additional staff have been taken on in the correspondence sections both centrally and in the DLA Unit and substantial overtime is also being worked. A recovery plan for clearing the backlog of correspondence is now in operation at the DLA Unit with a view to substantially reducing the number of letters awaiting reply by the end of this month. Once the backlog is cleared it will be our aim to respond to all future correspondence within the Agency's target of twenty working days.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.

HEALTH

  Nurses, Merseyside
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide increased funds for skilled nurses on Merseyside, in respect of the community care, hospital in the home, health of the nation, and the patients charter initiatives.

  Mr. Sackville
  The allocation of national health service funding in Merseyside is the responsibility of Mersey regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman, Professor A. M. Breckenridge, for details.

  Nurse Prescribing
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the(a) implementation costs, (b) annual running costs and (c) potential time saved per year for general practitioners, nurses, carers and patients in hours, associated with nurse prescribing.

  Mr. Sackville
  The cost benefit study on nurse prescribing carried out for the Department by Touche Ross estimated that the costs of implementation would be approximately £11 million in 1991–92 prices. Running costs would depend substantially on the extent to which nurse prescribing resulted in an increase in the total drugs prescribed. The report made a central estimate of £15 million per year. It estimated possible theoretical savings of 170,000 hours of GP time per year, 650,000 hours of district nurse, health visitor and practice nurse time per year and 590,000 hours of patients' and carers' time. A copy of the report is available in the Library.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals in each region are on(a) yellow alert and (b) red alert.

  Mr. Sackville
  Health authorities and trusts all have arrangements for managing their resources to cope with particularly high and unexpected levels of admissions. The action which is needed will vary according to local circumstances and there is not therefore a nationally agreed definition of "red" and "yellow" alerts.

  NHS qualified nursing and midwifery staff (excluding agency) by area of work, by RHA at September 1989 Within hospital services

  Midwifery/maternity:

  RHA area

  General nursing

  Care of elderly

  Paediatric

  Mental illness

  Mental handicap

  Midwifery staff

  Nursing staff

  Education

  Other

  Hospital total

  Northern

  6,830

  2,110

  490

  2,430

  910

  1,060

  240

  290

  220

  14,580

  Yorkshire

  7,360

  2,240

  550

  2,610

  850

  1,320

  240

  380

  140

  15,690

  Trent

  8,290

  2,610

  920

  3,280

  1,330

  1,390

  450

  450

  130

  18,840

  East Anglia

  3,670

  1,270

  190

  1,360

  600

  620

  180

  160

  160

  8,220

  North West Thames

  5,380

  1,610

  390

  2,770

  960

  980

  260

  340

  130

  12,820

  North East Thames

  7,920

  1,920

  370

  2,820

  820

  1,310

  300

  550

  410

  16,440

  South East Thames

  5,290

  1,040

  480

  1,910

  270

  670

  440

  190

  6,970

  17,270

  South West Thames

  4,750

  1,450

  350

  2,460

  1,390

  860

  150

  330

  50

  11,780

  Wessex

  5,330

  1,600

  370

  1,890

  750

  930

  190

  300

  90

  11,440

  Oxford

  4,130

  1,090

  350

  1,230

  620

  820

  220

  240

  80

  8,770

  South Western

  6,150

  1,660

  400

  2,250

  1,220

  990

  210

  300

  50

  13,230

  West Midlands

  9,540

  2,850

  760

  3,420

  1,460

  1,820

  410

  520

  170

  20,940

  Mersey

  4,830

  1,540

  680

  2,160

  620

  870

  180

  260

  40

  11,170

  North Western

  8,450

  2,550

  900

  2,940

  1,270

  1,670

  300

  490

  270

  18,860

  Special Health Authorities

  1,670

  60

  600

  350

  —

  140

  60

  90

  370

  3,350

  England

  89,600

  25,610

  7,800

  33,870

  13,070

  15,470

  3,830

  4,880

  9,300

  203,420

  National health service qualified nursing and midwifery staff (excluding agency) by area of work by regional health authority September 1989

  Within primary health care

  Regional health authorities

  Health visitors

  Other health visiting

  District nurses

  Other district nursing

  Midwifery

  Education

  Other

  Primary health care total

  Admin. nurses

  Centrally based services

  Total qualified nurses

  Northern

  670

  60

  770

  400

  260

  —

  320

  2,480

  90

  110

  17,260

  Yorkshire

  790

  120

  730

  480

  350

  10

  330

  2,800

  70

  110

  18,670

  Trent

  950

  100

  970

  700

  490

  20

  370

  3,600

  160

  120

  22,720

  East Anglia

  360

  60

  340

  250

  210

  —

  180

  1,400

  40

  60

  9,720

  North West Thames

  650

  250

  520

  630

  250

  10

  410

  2,710

  100

  220

  15,850

  North East Thames

  650

  150

  580

  620

  300

  10

  530

  2,830

  130

  160

  19,570

  South East Thames

  230

  140

  240

  330

  170

  10

  520

  1,640

  60

  120

  19,070

  South West Thames

  590

  90

  580

  410

  210

  10

  310

  2,190

  80

  100

  14,150

  Wessex

  590

  90

  580

  340

  250

  —

  240

  2,080

  60

  80

  13,660

  Oxford

  540

  50

  520

  200

  180

  —

  290

  1,790

  60

  70

  10,680

  South Western

  640

  40

  710

  400

  240

  —

  380

  2,410

  120

  100

  15,870

  West Midlands

  1,060

  160

  990

  670

  480

  10

  540

  3,900

  150

  140

  25,140

  Mersey

  540

  30

  530

  320

  230

  —

  280

  1,940

  40

  110

  13,260

  North Western

  1,100

  120

  980

  750

  460

  —

  540

  3,950

  170

  190

  23,160

  Special health authorities

  0

  0

  10

  0

  —

  0

  0

  20

  20

  10

  3,390

  England

  9,340

  1,470

  9,050

  6,480

  4,080

  80

  5,230

  35,730

  1,340

  1,700

  242,190

  Nurses
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the number of qualified nursing staff by specialty for each region in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 18 January 1993]: The information requested is shown in the tables. The source of the data is the Department's non-medical manpower census. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten. The England totals include figures for family health service authorities and other statutory authorities. The special health authorities figures in 1991 include staff from the special hospitals services authority.
  603

  NHS qualified nursing and midwifery staff (excluding agency) by area of work, by RHA at September 1990 Within hospital services

  Midwifery/maternity:

  RHA area

  General nursing

  Care of elderly

  Paediatric

  Mental illness

  Mental handicap

  Midwifery staff

  Nursing staff

  Education

  Other

  Hospital total

  Northern

  6,680

  1,910

  480

  2,340

  860

  1,030

  260

  270

  520

  14,340

  Yorkshire

  7,390

  2,160

  570

  2,610

  790

  1,310

  250

  370

  180

  15,630

  Trent

  8,480

  2,790

  970

  3,230

  1,290

  1,410

  450

  490

  140

  19,250

  East Anglia

  3,560

  1,260

  160

  1,360

  590

  610

  170

  160

  430

  8,310

  North West Thames

  5,290

  1,620

  380

  2,660

  970

  970

  260

  320

  120

  12,600

  North East Thames

  7,930

  1,930

  400

  2,960

  840

  1,350

  290

  560

  450

  16,710

  South East Thames

  6,290

  1,650

  590

  2,450

  570

  1,080

  250

  60

  2,780

  15,710

  South West Thames

  4,520

  1,410

  330

  2,440

  1,380

  790

  150

  310

  100

  11,420

  Wessex

  5,470

  1,650

  360

  1,900

  800

  910

  220

  310

  120

  11,740

  Oxford

  4,310

  1,130

  360

  1,270

  650

  830

  210

  230

  130

  9,130

  South Western

  6,420

  1,640

  450

  2,320

  1,240

  950

  220

  380

  40

  13,670

  West Midlands

  9,730

  2,760

  820

  3,430

  1,470

  1,880

  440

  540

  250

  21,320

  Mersey

  4,810

  1,380

  690

  2,060

  590

  880

  180

  250

  50

  10,890

  North Western

  8,400

  2,410

  950

  3,020

  1,200

  1,690

  300

  480

  150

  18,610

  Special Health Authorities

  1,740

  90

  560

  350

  10

  60

  130

  50

  340

  3,340

  England

  91,030

  25,800

  8,090

  34,400

  13,250

  15,730

  3,790

  4,790

  5,850

  202,730

  National health service qualified nursing and midwifery staff (excluding agency) by area of work by regional health authority September 1990

  Within primary health care

  Regional health authorities

  Health visitors

  Other health visiting

  District nurses

  Other district nursing

  Midwifery

  Education

  Other

  Primary health care total

  Admin. nurses

  Centrally based services

  Total qualified nurses

  Northern

  660

  60

  760

  410

  240

  10

  300

  2,440

  70

  110

  16,950

  Yorkshire

  770

  110

  700

  480

  350

  10

  300

  2,720

  70

  120

  18,540

  Trent

  950

  100

  920

  740

  480

  10

  380

  3,570

  150

  120

  23,090

  East Anglia

  330

  50

  310

  250

  210

  —

  190

  1,350

  40

  60

  9,760

  North West Thames

  640

  250

  510

  620

  250

  10

  410

  2,680

  100

  210

  15,590

  North East Thames

  660

  160

  560

  640

  270

  10

  530

  2,830

  120

  150

  19,800

  South East Thames

  710

  80

  760

  450

  330

  10

  510

  2,840

  80

  110

  18,740

  South West Thames

  590

  80

  550

  430

  190

  10

  320

  2,150

  80

  110

  13,760

  Wessex

  600

  110

  550

  350

  240

  —

  250

  2,090

  60

  80

  13,970

  Oxford

  540

  50

  520

  190

  180

  —

  300

  1,780

  60

  70

  11,030

  South Western

  690

  50

  660

  380

  280

  —

  360

  2,430

  120

  100

  16,320

  West Midlands

  1,020

  150

  970

  660

  460

  10

  570

  3,850

  150

  150

  25,460

  Mersey

  500

  40

  500

  330

  230

  —

  280

  1,890

  50

  100

  12,930

  North Western

  1,090

  120

  960

  780

  470

  0

  520

  3,940

  170

  210

  22,920

  Special health authorities

  0

  0

  0

  0

  20

  0

  0

  20

  20

  10

  3,390

  England

  9,740

  1,400

  9,230

  6,700

  4,200

  80

  5,220

  36,570

  1,320

  1,720

  242,340

  NHS qualified nursing and midwifery staff (excluding agency) by area of work, by RHA at September 1991 Within hospital services

  Midwifery/maternity:

  RHA area

  General nursing

  Care of elderly

  Paediatric

  Mental illness

  Mental handicap

  Midwifery staff

  Nursing staff

  Education

  Other

  Hospital total

  Northern

  6,550

  1,960

  450

  2,290

  820

  1,050

  240

  280

  730

  14,360

  Yorkshire

  7,050

  2,000

  640

  2,660

  790

  1,290

  330

  410

  270

  15,420

  Trent

  8,770

  2,650

  1,020

  3,200

  1,250

  1,400

  450

  520

  220

  19,480

  East Anglia

  3,660

  1,180

  170

  1,360

  600

  580

  240

  200

  330

  8,330

  North West Thames

  5,810

  1,760

  460

  2,660

  990

  920

  340

  330

  190

  13,470

  North East Thames

  7,950

  2,030

  420

  3,040

  830

  1,370

  320

  540

  570

  17,070

  South East Thames

  5,790

  1,500

  460

  2,220

  570

  1,030

  250

  170

  1,930

  13,920

  South West Thames

  5,350

  1,490

  310

  2,140

  1,160

  860

  190

  330

  100

  11,930

  Wessex

  5,620

  1,640

  400

  1,910

  770

  910

  220

  320

  120

  11,900

  Oxford

  4,330

  1,200

  360

  1,320

  660

  850

  250

  190

  210

  9,360

  South Western

  6,180

  1,780

  470

  2,300

  1,210

  860

  290

  210

  160

  13,460

  West Midlands

  9,560

  2,570

  920

  3,420

  1,430

  1,820

  400

  560

  420

  21,090

  Mersey

  4,830

  1,300

  720

  1,920

  530

  880

  180

  190

  80

  10,630

  North Western

  8,700

  2,420

  990

  3,070

  1,170

  1,720

  290

  470

  140

  18,970

  Special Health Authorities

  1,830

  90

  600

  1,700

  10

  70

  140

  90

  470

  4,990

  604 605

  Midwifery/maternity:

  RHA area

  General nursing

  Care of elderly

  Paediatric

  Mental illness

  Mental handicap

  Midwifery staff

  Nursing staff

  Education

  Other

  Hospital total

  England

  92,000

  25,560

  8,400

  35,210

  12,790

  15,590

  4,120

  4,800

  5,920

  204,390

  National health service qualified nursing and midwifery staff (excluding agency) by area of work by regional health authority September 1991

  Within primary health care

  Regional health authorities

  Health visitors

  Other health visiting

  District nurses

  Other district nursing

  Midwifery

  Education

  Other

  Primary health care total

  Admin. nurses

  Centrally based services

  Total qualified nurses

  Northern

  650

  50

  720

  410

  240

  10

  290

  2,360

  60

  100

  16,880

  Yorkshire

  770

  130

  560

  470

  340

  —

  380

  2,660

  270

  130

  18,480

  Trent

  940

  100

  880

  740

  490

  10

  400

  3,560

  130

  120

  23,290

  East Anglia

  350

  40

  280

  290

  210

  10

  230

  1,390

  30

  60

  9,810

  North West Thames

  630

  260

  460

  630

  220

  10

  370

  2,570

  70

  180

  16,280

  North East Thames

  650

  150

  550

  580

  240

  10

  520

  2,710

  120

  160

  20,050

  South East Thames

  650

  70

  650

  390

  280

  10

  490

  2,540

  60

  100

  16,620

  South West Thames

  520

  70

  560

  280

  180

  —

  290

  1,910

  150

  130

  14,120

  Wessex

  580

  120

  540

  340

  240

  —

  270

  2,100

  50

  80

  14,130

  Oxford

  550

  50

  530

  190

  180

  —

  340

  1,830

  60

  70

  11,320

  South Western

  610

  80

  560

  450

  320

  10

  400

  2,430

  120

  120

  16,130

  West Midlands

  1,010

  140

  950

  690

  420

  10

  620

  3,840

  140

  140

  25,210

  Mersey

  490

  40

  480

  350

  220

  0

  280

  1,650

  40

  100

  12,620

  North Western

  1,100

  80

  950

  790

  490

  20

  510

  3,930

  160

  170

  23,230

  Special health authorities

  0

  0

  0

  0

  20

  0

  0

  20

  30

  10

  5,050

  England

  9,490

  1,390

  8,680

  6,590

  4,090

  90

  5,380

  35,710

  1,470

  1,680

  243,250

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to include a question on the number of Welsh speakers residing in the United Kingdom as a whole within the next census.

  Mr. Sackville
  Full consideration will be given to the case for including a language question in the next census which would count people living outside Wales who speak Welsh.

  The topic content of the censuses of population in the United Kingdom, planned for 2001, will need to be approved by Parliament, around the end of 1999.

  Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy to introduce ring-fenced funding for residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation services.

  Mr. Yeo
  On 2 October 1992 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced her decision that a ring-fenced community care special transitional grant would be made available to local authorities in England in 1993–94 for the implementation for community care, including for the purchase of residential care for people who misuse alcohol and/or drugs.

  West Midlands Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the financial terms of the appointment of the temporary chairman of the West Midlands regional health authority; what provisions there are for extending his contract; and what financial provisions cover the termination of his contract.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  All regional health authority chairmen receive annual remuneration of £20,925. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made no decision to extend the appointment of Sir Donald Wilson beyond 30 April 1993 nor are there contractual provisions which cover the termination of such an appointment.

  National Health Service Trusts
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the auditors and legal advisers of each trust in the Gateshead and Newcastle, Northumberland and North Tyneside health authority areas.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The appointment of legal advisers is a matter for each National Health Service trust, and this information is not held centrally. The external auditors of health bodies are appointed by the Audit Commission. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the Audit Commission for details of auditors of the relevant trusts.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the membership, remuneration and place of residence of hospital trust board non-executive members in the northern region; and whether she proposes to increase the remuneration scales in the next financial year.
  607
  Dr. Mawhinney
  A list of all trust non-executive appointees in the Northern region, together with their place of residence, is as follows.

  National health service trust non-executive directors are entitled to remuneration of £5,000 per annum. No decision has been made to increase the remuneration of chairmen or non-executive directors.

  First wave trusts Northern region

  The Freeman Group of Hospitals NHS Trust

  Mrs. M. Border—Newcastle

  Mr. R. Middleton—Wylam

  Mr. J. Ward—Newcastle

  Miss H. Goodworth—Newcastle

  Dr. R. Freeman—Newcastle

  Newcastle Mental Health Services NHS Trust

  Mrs. I. Cheyne—Newcastle

  Mr. D. Wilsoner—Newcastle

  Professor I. Ferrier—Newcastle

  Mr. B. Roycroft—Newcastle

  Mr. N. Price—Newcastle

  Northumbria Ambulance NHS Trust

  Mr. P. Moth—Newcastle

  Dr. J. Higson—Newcastle

  Mr. A. Ferguson—Ashington

  Mr. A. Knight—Hexham

  Mr. D. Smith—Newcastle

  Second wave trusts Northern region Northern Tees Health NHS Trust

  Ms. Jean Slater—Stockton-on-Tees

  Mr. Paul Jackson—Stockton-on-Tees

  Mr. Nevile Tate—Stockton-on-Tees

  Mr. Robert Stewart—Guisborough

  Mr. Charles Porter—Stockton-on-Tees

  South Tees Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  Mr. David Collier—Richmond

  Mr. John Webster—Redcar

  Mr. Roger Kingdon—Stockton-on-Tees

  Mr. Simon Still—Darlington

  Mrs. H. Thompson—Middlesborough

  Cleveland Ambulance NHS Trust

  Mr. Terry Weastell—Northallerton

  Ms. Susan Bush—Northallcrton

  Mr. Kevin Fletcher—Middlesbrough

  Mr. Keith Hellawell—Saltburn

  Mrs. Patricia Campbell—Guisborough

  Gateshead Community Health NHS Trust

  Mrs. Penny Remfry—Whitley Bay

  Mr. Malcolm Scott—Gateshead

  Mr. David Mitford—Newcastle

  Mr. Ronald Dixon—Blaydon

  Dr. R. Jackson—Blaydon

  Northgate NHS Trust

  Ms. Susan Adams—Wall

  Mrs. Jocelyn Stephenson—Morpeth

  Mr. Jeremy Handley—Morpeth

  Professor John Rear—Newcastle

  Mr. G. Rutherford—Morpeth

  The RVI Infirmary and Associated Hospitals Trust

  Professor John Davison—Newcastle

  Mrs. Susan Wilson—Whalton

  Miss Audrey Willis—Hexham

  Mr. P. Stoddart—Sunderland

  Mrs. K. Brunton—Corbridge

  Third wave trusts Northern region

  Cumbria Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Mr. David Dickinson—Whitehaven

  Rear Admiral Ian Pirnie—Ulverston

  Mr. J. Clayton—Carlisle

  608

  Mrs. Fiona Cartnell—Kendal

  Mr. Peter Simpson—Penrith

  Durham County Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Mr. Michael Hemingway—Barnard Castle

  Mr. John McIndoe—Ponteland

  Professor Charles Baker—Durham City

  Mr. Neville Martin—Durham City

  Gateshead Hospitals NHS Trust

  Mrs. Nancy Cookson—Sunderland

  Mrs. Ann Cooper—Newcastle

  Mr. David Irwin—Newcastle

  Dr. James Dalgleish—Gateshead

  Miss Mary Davies—Newcastle

  Northumberland Mental Health NHS Trust

  Mrs. Jean Turner—Whitley Bay

  Mr. John Herron—Hexham

  Professor Mary Bromly—Whittingham

  Mr. Stephen Gibson—Blyth

  Mr. Dennis Davison—Ryton

  South Cumbria Community and Mental Health NHS Trust

  Mrs. Madeline Davies—Kendal

  Mr. Linden Davies—Windermere

  Mr. Julian Davies—Grange-over-Sands

  Mrs. Susan Godfrey—Waberthwaite

  Dr. Rodney Leach—Windermere

  South Tees Community and Mental Health NHS Trust

  Mr. David Bowles—Sedgefield

  Mr. Geoffrey Crispin—Middlesborough

  Mrs. Hillary Sillars—Middlesborough

  Dr. Susan Miller—Northallerton

  Mr. James Wilson—Darlington

  South Tyneside Health Care NHS Trust

  Mrs. Frances Walker—Sunderland

  Mr. Martin Wright—Cleadon

  Mr. Edward Russell—South Shields

  Mr. Robert Graham—Jarrow

  Mrs. Margaret Mills—South Shields

  South West Durham Mental Health NHS Trust

  Mr. John Scally—Shotley Bridge

  Mrs. Caroline Hillery—Bishop Auckland

  Mr. Norman Hart—Durham City

  Mr. Paul Briggs—Durham City

  Mr. David Bright—Durham City

  Westmorland Hospitals NHS Trust

  Mrs. Claire Hensman—Kendal

  Mrs. Shirley Evans—Grange-over-Sands

  Mr. Morten Lund—Kendal

  Mr. David Hawkes—Kendal

  Mr. George Turnbull—Silverdale

  West Cumbria Health Care NHS Trust

  Mrs. Rosemary Porter—Millom

  Mr. David Gill—Cockermouth

  Dr. Peter Inglis—Cockermouth

  Mr. Graham Lamont—Cockermouth

  Mrs. Claire Madden—Cockermouth

  General Practitioners
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of whole time equivalent general practitioners and the total number of general practitioners in each regional health authority in each year since 1990.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is shown in the tables.
  609

  Whole time equivalent unrestricted principal GPs by RHA

  RHA

  October 1990

  October 1991

  April 1992

  Northern

  1,609.00

  1,607.25

  1,609.00

  Yorkshire

  1,919.25

  1,917.50

  1,913.50

  Trent

  2,360.00

  2,370.75

  2,385.50

  East Anglia

  1,085.75

  1,095.00

  1,106.50

  North West Thames

  1,959.00

  1,922.25

  1,924.75

  North East Thames

  2,013.25

  1,991.25

  1,994.75

  South East Thames

  1,920.00

  1,923.25

  1,928.25

  South West Thames

  1,547.50

  1,534.25

  1,531.75

  Wessex

  1,553.75

  1,553.25

  1,563.50

  Oxford

  1,322.75

  1,331.00

  1,329.50

  South Western

  1,926.00

  1,922.75

  1,941.00

  West Midlands

  2,694.50

  2,661.00

  2,663.50

  Mersey

  1,231.00

  1,223.50

  1,221.00

  North Western

  2,007.25

  1,986.50

  1,995.75

  Number of unrestricted principal GPs by RHA

  RHA

  October 1990

  October 1991

  April 1992

  Northern

  1,639

  1,652

  1,657

  Yorkshire

  1,953

  1,964

  1,968

  Trent

  2,402

  2,424

  2,445

  East Anglia

  1,112

  1,128

  1,142

  North West Thames

  1,998

  1,968

  1,975

  North East Thames

  2,050

  2,042

  2,046

  South East Thames

  1,947

  1,965

  1,980

  South West Thames

  1,576

  1,575

  1,578

  Wessex

  1,591

  1,605

  1,624

  Oxford

  1,357

  1,374

  1,377

  South Western

  1,980

  1,994

  2,018

  West Midlands

  2,736

  2,721

  2,725

  Mersey

  1,249

  1,250

  1,249

  North Western

  2,032

  2,024

  2,039

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have been removed from their general practitioner's lists in each month from January 1992 to January 1993; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally.

  Executive Agencies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health at what stage(a) drafts and (b) copies of letters from chief executives of agencies within her responsibility, in response to parliamentary questions, are submitted to Ministers.

  Mr. Sackville
  Chief executives reply directly to hon. Members on matters delegated to them. Ministers have the opportunity to see replies when they are published in Hansard.

  Haemophiliacs
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has had in regard to compensating people with haemophilia who have contracted hepatitis in the course of treatment under the NHS; what reply she is sending; what action she will be taking; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  I shall be writing to the right hon. Member in response to his representations soon.

  The Government recognised the special case for making payments to haemophiliacs and recipients of blood or
  610
  tissue infected with HIV through medical treatment within the United Kingdom. There are no plans to extend these special payments.

  Drugs
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on drug costs in each member state of the European Community.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department of Health does not formally monitor the levels or movement of prices for individual drugs in the other member states.

  The consensus which emerges from various independent studies carried out in this field is that prices in the United Kingdom are slightly above the average for the EC. The most recent information available is for 1990 and is taken from a study by Dr. Diener of the German Pharmacists Association, ABDA. He in turn based his work on a 1988 study by BEUC, an umbrella grouping for European consumer organisations.

  If the price of a basket of commonly-used pharmaceuticals is adjusted for local factors, such as varying rates of VAT, prices were higher in Germany, Netherlands, Denmark and Ireland. The adjusted price, for the same basket of drugs, was lower in all the other member states.

  Many member states are currently taking steps to reduce central government expenditure on drugs, by a variety of means such as across-the-board price reductions, limiting the availability of certain products, increasing patient co-payments and encouraging more rational prescribing.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the composition of the advisory committee on NHS drugs; for how long appointees have served on the committee; and what was the level of remuneration, where appropriate.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The names of the members and the dates they were appointed are as follows:

  First appointed

  Chairman

  Dr. Jeremy Metters

  1989

  Members

  Professor Alasdair Breckenridge

  1985

  Professor Mark Castleden

  1990

  Mr. David Coleman

  1985

  Professor Hugh Edmondson

  1987

  Professor David Ganderton

  1985

  Dr. Iona Heath

  1990

  Dr. Derwyn Jones

  1992

  Professor Ronald Jones

  1990

  Mr. Alan Kerr

  1990

  Dr. Elizabeth Poskitt

  1989

  Dr. Jane Richards

  1989

  Dr. Charles Swan

  1991

  Professor Peter Tyrer

  1989

  Dr. Dorothy Ward

  1991

  Members other than the Chairman receive a fee of £100 for attending each meeting.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list what is the procedure for(a) pharmaceutical companies and (b) those who prescribe drugs to (i) ask for a particular drug to be included in the selected list and (ii) overturn a decision to blacklist a drug from the selected list.
  611
  Dr. Mawhinney
  Manufacturers are notified before their products are reviewed by the advisory committee on national health service drugs and given a further opportunity to make representations against any decision to add a product to the list of drugs which cannot be prescribed under the NHS before it is finalised. Prescribers can also make their views known to the committee.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the representations she has received from(a) the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, (b) those who prescribe drugs and (c) others, to extend the number of drugs on the current selected list.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I have received no such representations.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with(a) representatives of the pharmaceutical industry and (b) the advisory committee on NHS drugs, about research and development into new products and medicines that may be affected by the selected list.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met representatives of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry on 19 November and discussed the implications of extending the selected list scheme. The advisory committee on national health service drugs is able to take into account any matters brought to its attention by the manufacturers of individual products, in the light of its remit to ensure that drugs to meet all clinical need in the specified categories can be provided as economically as possible under the NHS.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what procedures are in place to ensure the effectiveness of the advisory committee on NHS drugs;

  (2) what consultations there have been on the effectiveness of the advisory committee on NHS drugs since its introduction.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The committee has demonstrated its effectiveness by enabling downward pressure to be applied to the growth of the drugs bill without patient care being prejudiced. We expect it to continue to do so.

  Drug Prescription
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list those drugs which have been deleted from the current selected list and their manufacturers;

  (2) if she will list the drugs that have been included on the selected list since 1985; and if she will list them and their manufacturers.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The selected list scheme specifies those categories of drugs which are to be reviewed by the advisory committee on national health service drugs, with a view to advising the Health Departments which particular products within those categories should not be available for NHS prescription. The list of drugs which currently cannot be prescribed by general practitioners under the NHS is published in the NHS (General Medical Services) Regulation 1992. Names of the relevant manufacturers could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Over-the-Counter Medicines
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to extend the availability of over-the-counter medicines.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We intend to extend the range of medicines which may be supplied over the counter without prescription where this can be done safely. We have recently revised our procedures to facilitate and speed up reclassification of medicines from prescription only to over the counter status.

  Wessex Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has held with the Wessex regional health authority on the confidential district auditor's report on the Wessex RHA RISP—regional information systems plan—project; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The National Health Service Management Executive have held a number of discussions with the Wessex regional health authority about the RISP project and the findings of the district auditor.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role her Department played in the decision of the Wessex regional health authority not to take legal action against IBM and Andersen regarding the RISP project.

  Mr. Sackville
  This was and remains a matter for the regional health authority.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role her Department played in the settlement obtained by the Wessex regional health authority with AT and T Istel, in connection with the RISP project; and what sums were paid to the Wessex regional health authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  The settlement reached between AT and T Istel in connection with the RISP computer project was entirely a matter for the Wessex regional health authority and AT and T Istel.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date she received the district auditor's confidential report on the Wessex regional health authority RISP project; what action she took; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Wessex regional health authority supplied the Department with a copy of certain confidential material provided by the district auditor in July 1992. The RHA is taking action to follow up that material and the Department is closely monitoring the position.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action has been taken on the report of the district auditor into losses on computer contracts by Wessex regional health authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  Remedial action has been taken by the Wessex regional health authority to address many of the problems associated with RISP. These have included:

  (i) bringing the IBM 3090 computer into use on the basis of independent advice, and the disposal of surplus computing equipment;

  (ii) an investigation of payments made to some contractors;

  613

  (iii) an investigation of allegations of fraud;

  (iv) a review of IT contracts and the procedures used to negotiate them;

  (v) the creation of an IT directorate and the provision of effective contract management;

  (vi) a comprehensive review and overhaul of all financial systems. Standing Orders have been revised;

  (vii) legal action to recover amounts overpaid to contractors;

  (viii) seeking competitive tenders and letting contracts for the provision of computing services on the basis of independent advice;

  (ix) a move away from central control of IT towards a more client orientated/partnership approach;

  (x) the commissioning and implementation of new procedures for the control and letting of contracts together with improved monitoring procedures;

  (xi) rationalisation of future computer usage; and

  (xii) improvements in the standard and style of reporting on all major issues to all members of the WRHA.

  This action is reported and commended in the district auditor's report.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will publish the confidential district auditor's report on the Wessex regional health authority RISP project;

  (2) what plans she has to publish the district auditor's report on Wessex regional health authority; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The district auditor undertook an investigation of the RISP computer project at the invitation of the Wessex RHA's regional general manager. A report in the public interest was published on 24 July 1992.

  The publication of any additional confidential material is entirely a matter for the RHA. As the district auditor made clear in his statement of 4 February 1993. the information he provided, outside of the report in the public interest, if published, may prejudice police inquiries and civil proceedings.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 14 December,Official Report, column 46, to whom in the Wessex regional health authority advice was given regarding the inclusion of penalty and performance targets in the contract between the RHA and Wessex Integrated Systems; what reply was received; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Advice on contractual matters was given to the then regional general manager, who indicated that the regional health authority would consider the Department's advice when reviewing the contract between the RHA and WIS.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 14 December,Official Report, column 46, to what extent action taken by Wessex regional health authority officials regarding the inclusion of penalty and performance contracts in the regional health authority's contract with WIS was in accordance with her Department's advice.

  Mr. Sackville
  Detailed information about the contract entered into by the Wessex regional health authority with WIS is entirely a matter for the RHA.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to improve the management of Wessex regional health authority; and if she will make a statement.
  614
  Mr. Sackville
  The national health service in Wessex delivers a good service to patients in the region and I am confident that management in the regional health authority is discharging its role properly.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what instructions have been given to senior staff at Wessex regional health authority about discussing losses on computer contracts with the press and hon. Members.

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Drugs Advisory Committee
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the representations there have been from pharmaceutical manufacturers regarding the new posts on the advisory committee on NHS drugs.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Director of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry wrote to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 11 December on this matter. A reply was sent on 25 January.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria appointees to the advisory committee on NHS drugs have to meet.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Members are appointed to the advisory committee on national health service drugs on the basis of their professional expertise and experience in relevant areas, following consultation with appropriate professional bodies.

  Chemical Entity Products
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those new chemical entity products that were made available to the NHS since 1985 that would have been covered by the areas on the original selected list.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The United Kingdom licensing authority has no information as to whether products have been made available to the national health service. Product licences for the following new chemical entities have been granted by the United Kingdom licensing authority since 1985 in the therapeutic categories originally covered by the selected list scheme.

  Therapeutic category

  Product name

  Drug name

  Indigestion remedy

  Prepulsid

  Cisapride

  Laxative

  Importal

  Lactitol Monohydrate

  Vitamin

  Elcarn

  L-carnitine

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list those new chemical entity products covered by the areas on the new selected list that have been made available to the NHS.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The United Kingdom licensing authority has no information as to whether products have been made available to the national health service. Product licences for the following new chemical entities have been granted by the United Kingdom licensing authority in the therapeutic categories to which the selected list scheme has recently been extended.

  Therapeutic category

  Product Name

  Drug Name

  Anti-Diarrhoeal

  Imodium

  Loperamide

  Allergic Disorders

  Zirtex

  Cetirizine

  615

  Therapeutic category

  Product Name

  Drug Name

  Semprex

  Acrivastine

  Tavegil

  Clemastine

  Tinset

  Oxatomide

  Hismanal

  Astemizole

  Triludan

  Terfenadine

  Hypnotics and Anxiolytics

  Rohypnol

  Fluntrazepam

  Lexotan

  Bromazepam

  Xanax

  Alprazolam

  Noctamid

  Lormetazepam

  Zimovane

  Zopiclone

  Buspar

  Buspirone

  Frisium

  Clobazam

  Loprazolam

  Loprazolam

  Appetite Suppressants

  Adifax

  Dexfenfluramine

  Vaginal and Vulval conditions

  Gyno-Pevaryl

  Econazone

  Contraceptives

  Femodene

  Gestodene and Ethinyloestradiol

  Cilest

  Norgestimate and Ethinyloestradiol

  Ovran

  Levo Norgestrel and Ethinyloestradiol

  Noristerat

  Norethisterone Enanhate

  Marvelon

  Desogestrel and Ethinyloestradiol

  Drugs used in Anaemia

  Eprex

  Epoetin

  Topical Antirheumatics

  Difflam

  Benzydamine

  Drugs acting on the Ear and Nose

  Exterol

  Urea Hydrogen Peroxide

  Syntaris

  Flunisolide

  Flixonase

  Fluticasone

  Rhinolast

  Azelastine

  Drugs Acting on the Skin

  Retin A

  Tretinoin

  Visderm

  Amcinonide

  Daktarin

  Miconazole

  Sulcosyn

  Sulconazole

  Decoderm

  Fluprednidene

  Iodosorb

  Cadexomer Iodine

  Bactroban

  Mupirocin

  Exelderm

  Succonazole

  Modrasone

  Alclometasone

  Mycospor

  Bifonazole

  Epogam

  Gamolenic Acid

  Lyclear

  Permethrin

  Loceryl

  Amorolfone

  Neotigason

  Acitratin

  Dovonex

  Calcipotriol

  Travase

  Sutilaine

  Lamisil

  Terbinafine

  Dermovate

  Clobetasol

  Eumovate

  Clobetasone

  Debrisan

  Dextranomer

  Tigason

  Etretinate

  Roaccutane

  Isotretinoin

  Halciderm

  Halcinonide

  Trosyl

  Ticonazole

  Exoderil

  Naftifine

  Skinoren

  Azelaic Acid

  Efalith

  Lithium Succinate and Zinc Sulphate

  Elocon

  Mometasone

  Community Care Support Force
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his reply of 2 February, if he will list those local health authorities that have invited the assistance of the community care support force.

  Mr. Yeo
  The community care support force has visited 27 local authorities. It is not appropriate to list these authorities by name.

  Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the level of capital expenditure on the new ward block at the Royal Victoria infirmary, Newcastle after the completion of the initial contract in July 1991;

  (2) when she expects the obstetrics and gynaecology wards to open at the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary Trust new ward block; and what further additional capital cost will be involved;

  (3) pursuant to her answer of 2 February, col. 155, if she will list the value and purpose of the additional contracts, capital spending or post-contract variations at the Newcastle Royal Victoria infirmary's new ward block.

  Mr. Sackville
  The post-contract modifications to implement the decision to amalgamate obstetrics and gynaecology at the new ward block, are expected to cost £6.2 million. The gynaecological ward will open on schedule on 29 March 1993, and the obstetric ward is planned to open on 8 November 1993. Additionally, the antenatal clinic on the site is expected to cost £2.1 million and is also planned to open on 8 November 1993. No additional capital costs are anticipated.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the original estimated capital cost for the unified ophthalmology service at the Royal Victoria infirmary, Newcastle when selected by her for special funding; when this estimated cost was submitted; and what the cost is now.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The estimated capital cost of unifying ophthalmology services at the Royal Victoria Infirmary when the scheme was submitted to the Secretary of State on 2 May 1992 was £7.6 million. The final cost should be contained within this sum.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the ward and other facilities for kidney treatment in-patients to open at the Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary Trust new ward block; and what further additional capital cost will be involved.

  Mr. Sackville
  Ward 36 for renal medicine and transplant services was opened as planned on 5 January 1993. Ward 37, for dialysis of both in-patients and out-patients is open and in partial use. No further capital costs will be incurred in commissioning these facilities.

  Hepatitis B Vaccination
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will review her Department's guidelines on the screening and vaccination of health care workers in relation to the hepatitis B virus.

  Mr. Sackville
  The 1992 edition of "Immunisation against Infectious Disease", issued to all doctors and to
  617
  other health professionals with immunisation responsibilities, contains advice on immunisation against hepatitis B for risk groups, including health care personnel.

  The advisory group on hepatitis, which advises United Kingdom health departments, has produced revised guidelines designed to prevent transmission of hepatitis B from health care workers. These have gone out to consultation with professional bodies and the national health service, and they should be available for distribution later this year.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many family health service authorities have used their capital reserves to maintain dental services since July 1992; and how much they are spending from the reserves.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I have no reason to believe that any family health service authority is using capital reserve funds for this purpose.

  Computerisation
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to review the computerisation of each region of the national health service; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  There is no specific plan to review computerisation of each region of the national health service. There is a national strategic framework for the development of information management and technology which contains major computing elements.

  Individual regions will make plans within that strategy and the NHS management executive will monitor the approach of each region against nationally defined standards.

  Juveniles (Secure Accommodation)
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date she asked local authorities to bid for the available capital funds to provide secure accommodation for juvenile offenders; and if she will place a copy of the invitation in the Library.

  Mr. Yeo
  Following the national steering group's assessment of demand for an additional 60–65 places 618
  nationally, last summer, local authorities were approached collectively and individually to consider how they would respond to meet the national steering group's assessment.

  Regional Health Authority Services
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to review the contracting out of services undertaken by each regional health authority; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The White Paper "Competing for Quality" published in November 1991 set out the case for the use of market testing procedures to test the quality and cost effectiveness of services in central Government and the national health service.

  Revised guidance on market testing will be published shortly. Regional health authorities will be asked to follow the guidance where they undertake market testing of their own headquarters and other services.

  District Health Authorities
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many district health authorities have used their reserves in the last quarter of the financial year 1992–93 or have plans to use their reserves, and by what amount; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Oral Contraceptives
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on the effects of high doses of hormones on women taking oral contraceptives.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: Oral contraceptives containing high doses of hormones are more likely than low-dose preparations to cause side-effects. The most serious side-effects include high blood pressure, thrombosis and thromboembolism involving the heart and lungs, but occur rarely in women without predisposing factors. To minimise side-effects doctors are advised to use the lowest effective dose and the use of oral contraceptives in those with significant predisposing factors for cardiovascular disease is discouraged.

  COASTAL POLLUTION: DONALDSON INQUIRY
  COASTAL POLLUTION: DONALDSON INQUIRY
  TAXICARD SCHEME
  TAXICARD SCHEME
  THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE
  THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE
  SEA FISH (CONSERVATION) ACT 1992: IMPLEMENTATION
  SEA FISH (CONSERVATION) ACT 1992: IMPLEMENTATION
  LOCAL AUTHORITY RECYCLING PLANS
  LOCAL AUTHORITY RECYCLING PLANS