Written Answers of 10 February 1993

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Privity of Contract and Estate
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when it is intended to introduce legislation to implement the Law Commission's report on "Privity of Contract and Estate"—Law Commission No. 95; and what representations the Lord Chancellor has received from the business community about legislation on this subject.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor is actively considering the recommendations of the Law Commission on this subject and hopes to be able to make an announcement in the near future. He has received representations from both tenants and landlords and is well aware of their respective interests.

  Parking Fines (Liverpool)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been the revenue from on-street parking fines in Liverpool for the past three financial years.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The fines, fees and fixed penalties collected by the magistrates courts are remitted to the Exchequer as an aggregate amount and the proportion relating to parking penalties cannot therefore be separately identified.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of the adult population in England is currently eligible for legal aid; and what is his estimate of the proportion of the adult population which after 1 April will be eligible for legal aid.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Estimates of eligibility that have been made are based on family expenditure survey data and relate to households. The proportion of households currently eligible for civil legal aid is estimated to be between 50 and 55 per cent. in England and Wales. I estimate that after the changes are introduced in April about 48 per cent. of households in England and Wales will be eligible for civil legal aid. There is no upper financial limit for criminal legal aid: all those whose financial resources are such that they require assistance in meeting their costs are eligible and will continue to be eligible.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Martial Arts Weapons
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ban the importation of martial arts knives and similar weapons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The importation of 14 types of offensive weapon, including certain martial arts knives, is already prohibited by virtue of an order made under section 141 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

  My right hon. and learned Friend will consider, in the light of all the evidence, whether further restrictions on the importation of any offensive weapon that is brought to his attention are necessary.

  Regulations
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. Kenneth Clarke
  A provisional list of regulations that impact on business has recently been put together by my Department. I shall place the list in the Library once it has been fully checked for accuracy and consistency of definition.

  Prison, Fazakerley
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a decision has yet been made on the proposal to build a prison at Fazakerley in Liverpool.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government believe that there is a clear need for more secure prison places in the north-west. A new prison at Fazakerley would enable us to locate many prisoners from Merseyside much closer to home than is now possible. I have looked into the concerns expressed against building a prison at Fazakerley, but have concluded that the site is suitable for such a use. In view of the planning authority's reservations the matter will now he referred to the Secretary of State for the Environment who will consider its request that the matter should be the subject of a public inquiry.

  Police Restructuring
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation he has had, or proposes to have, with the Greater Manchester police authority about the restructuring of police forces and police authorities.

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

  Drugs, Manchester
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new strategies he intends to promote to tackle drug problems in Greater Manchester.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government's overall strategy for tackling drug misuse is aimed at reducing both the supply of and the demand for drugs throughout the United Kingdom.

  Local drugs prevention teams have been set up in both Manchester and Salford under the Home Office drugs prevention initiative, and they will continue to work with the local community in finding effective ways of preventing the spread of drug misuse.

  Greater Manchester, like other areas, will also benefit from other aspects of the Government's drug strategy such as the assistance we are providing to other countries to help reduce the supply of drugs into this country and the tougher controls which we are introducing on precursor and essential chemicals.

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

  Youth Crime, Manchester
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he intends to take to deal with car crimes committed by young people in Greater Manchester.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government has encouraged the police and other agencies in the development of effective crime prevention programmes aimed at tackling youth crime and has funded a number of initiatives. The Home Office safer cities projects in the Greater Manchester area, Salford and Rochdale, have committed £120,000 and £18,000 respectively in 1992–93 to schemes aimed at diverting young people from crime, including car crime. We also established local drug prevention teams in Manchester and Salford in February 1992 with the aim of tackling the spread of drug misuse, particularly among the young. In addition the Home Office currently funds four projects which, in the main, are aimed at providing programmes of supervision or support for young offenders and defendants, in the Greater Manchester probation area through its probation supervision grant scheme. An application in respect of a go-kart project is in the early stages of consideration. The Department of Education announced recently that Manchester is to receive £147,000 in 1992–1993 under its grants for education support and training programme for youth crime prevention schemes. Five estates are targeted and the schemes will focus on car crime and burglary.

  As part of its programme of action on youth crime for 1993, Crime Concern is planning a series of regional seminars, one of which is to be held in the north-west, on best practice in diverting young people from crime.
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  The Government are also considering what means might be needed to reduce offending by the very small group of persistent juvenile offenders.

  Wolds Prison
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what grade of staff member has been appointed race relations liaison officer at the Wolds prison.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The post of race relations liaison officer at HM prison Wolds is held by the training manager. Staff at Wolds are not ascribed grades as such.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on staff there were at the Wolds prison between 1 July and 31 December 1992; and what was the average population of prisoners at the Wolds during this period.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  During the period in question there were 16 assaults on staff by prisoners. The average prisoner population was 195.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many disciplinary adjudications were carried out at the Wolds prison in the most recent convenient month; in how many cases prisoners were found guilty; in how many cases prospective loss of remission was ordered; and what was the average number of days' remission forfeited.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In December 1992, 71 adjudications were carried out at HM prison Wolds. Prisoners were found guilty in 62 cases and punishment of prospective added days was used in 22 cases. The average number of days forfeited was 3.8.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults by prisoners on other prisoners took place at the Wolds prison between 1 July and 31 December 1992.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Twelve incidents of assault by prisoners on other prisoners took place at HM prison Wolds during the period in question.

  Prison Staff (Ethnic Origins)
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) black and (b) female prison officers, there were in 1963, 1970, 1980, 1990 and at the latest available date; and what proportion these figures form of the total prison staff establishment;

  (2) how many (a) black and (b) female prison governors, there were in 1963, 1970, 1980, 1990 and at the latest available date; and what proportion these figures form of the total number of prison governors.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Prison Service is currently in the process of conducting a voluntary survey of the ethnic origins of its staff, and until that survey is complete we shall not have comprehensive data. However, the tables set out the information currently available on staff who have recorded their ethnic origin as other than white.
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  Prison officer grades

  Total number in officer grades

  Number of non-white officers

  Number of women number officers

  per cent.

  per cent.

  1 February 1993

  24,135

  173

  0·7

  2,106

  8·7

  1 January 1990

  20,710

  26

  0·1

  1,711

  8·3

  1 January 1980

  15,548

  1

  —

  629

  4·0

  1 Figures not available.

  Governor grades

  Total number in governor grades

  Number of non-white staff in governor grades

  Number of women officers in governor grades

  per cent.

  1 February 1993

  1,024

  0

  92

  9·0

  1 January 1990

  884

  0

  86·5

  9·8

  1 January 1980

  565

  1

  40

  7·1

  1 Figures not available.

  Figures for 1963 and 1970 are not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, if at all. Figures for prison officers relate to unified grades from prison officer to principal officer.

  Prison Officers
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers are working in prisons where the prisoners are of the opposite sex.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A total of 1,124 female prison officers work in establishments with male prisoners and 110 male prison officers work in establishments with female prisoners. One hundred and sixty-one female prison officers and 649 male prison officers work in establishments with prisoners of both sexes.

  Prisoners (Cardphones)
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons prisoners now have access to cardphones; and when inmates of all prisons will have access to cardphones.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Cardphones for prisoners' use are available in all establishments in England and Wales, except Durham prison and Wormwood Scrubs, where installation is due to take place by the end of February.

  Prisoners' Clothing
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons sentenced prisoners are allowed to wear their own clothes; and what plans he has to extend this to all prisoners.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Prisoners other than convicted male prisoners are allowed to wear their own clothes, and the Government aim progressively to allow convicted male prisoners to wear their own clothes.

  Prisoners at Belmarsh, High Down and Woodhill prisons have been allowed to wear their own clothes since they opened in 1991 and 1992. Formal trials are being held at Her Majesty's prison Wellingborough and in
  624
  Huntercombe and Finnamore Wood young offender institutions to assess the implications of a more general move towards prisoners wearing their own clothes. In addition, some other establishments allow male convicted prisoners to wear certain items of their own clothing.

  Prisoners in category C and D establishments, including open young offender institutions, are allowed to wear their own socks and underwear if adequate laundering or exchange arrangements are available and they may also be allowed to wear their own shoes.

  The scope for further relaxations will be considered later this year in the light of the trials.

  Prison Service Agency
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the framework agreement for the Prison Service Agency to be finalised.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I plan to publish the agency's framework document on 1 April, when the agency is launched.

  Remand Prisoners
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if all area criminal justice consultative committees have discussed the Criminal Justice Consultative Council paper on prisoners awaiting trial and reported back to the council.

  Mr. Jack
  All area committees are to discuss this paper which was published on 1 December 1992. Those that have not already dealt with this matter are scheduled to do so at their next meeting.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults by prisoners on other prisoners took place in male prisons holding remand prisoners in the most recent six-month period for which figures are available; and what was the average population of those prisons during that period.
  625
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The provisional figure for assaults by prisoners on other prisoners in male prisons holding remand prisoners during July to December 1992 is 460 and the average population was 17,162.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on staff there were in male prisons holding remand prisoners in the most recent six months period for which figures are available; and what was the average population of those prisons during that period.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The provisional figure for assaults on staff, including attempted assaults, in male prisons holding remand prisoners during July to December 1992 is 535 and the average population was 17,162.

  Criminal Justice Consultative Council
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how often the Criminal Justice Consultative Council has met; and what topics it has discussed;

  (2) what plans there are for the Criminal Justice Consultative Council to produce an annual report of its work; and when it will be published.

  Mr. Jack
  The Criminal Justice Consultative Council has met on five occasions. It has discussed the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1991; the establishment of area criminal justice liaison committees; projections for the criminal justice system; prisoners awaiting trial; race issues within the criminal justice system; the mode of trial decisions and sentencing; notification of guilty pleas at an early stage; the public expenditure survey 1992 as it relates to the criminal justice system; the criminal justice special conferences programme 1993–94 and its own programme of work.

  The council will produce a report of its first year's work which will be published after its next meeting on 22 April.

  Prisoners (Televisions)
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons prisoners are allowed television in their cells; and what plans he has to extend this to all prisons.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Following the announcement in the White Paper, "Custody, Care and Justice", a trial of battery-operated televisions began at HMP The Mount in December 1991 and of mains-powered sets at HMP Stocken in October 1992. Television in cells has also been allowed in some other establishments, including HMP Garth and HM young offenders institution, Feltham, and we are considering allowing televisions in cells in some other prisons.

  The trials are addressing a number of issues including safety, security, licensing, cost and effects on prisoners' behaviour and participation in regime activities. The trials are being evaluated and decisions on whether to extend the availability of in-cell television further will be taken as soon as possible.

  Prison Meals
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to serve meals in prisons at times of day which correspond more closely to mealtimes outside prison.
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  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A model regime for local prisons and remand centres was published in November 1992 which governors are expected to work towards. This sets out reasonable times at which meals should be served. A code of standards for the Prison Service is also being developed, for publication by the end of the year, and is expected to include provisions about mealtimes. At contracted prisons, there is a contractual obligation to provide meals at normal times.

  Prison Staff (Name Badges)
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons staff now wear name badges; and when staff in all prisons will be required to wear name badges.

  Mr. Jack
  It is a commitment by Her Majesty's Prison Service that all staff in both headquarters and establishments will be required to wear name badges from 1 April 1993 when they come in contact with the general public and prisoners. Many staff have already been issued with their name badges and are being encouraged to begin wearing them, but as the manufacture and issue of these name badges is a rolling programme aimed for completion by 19 March 1993, it is not possible at this point in the programme to indicate how many prison establishments have received their badges.

  Police Officers (Plumstead)
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the proposed number of police officers in the Plumstead division of the Metropolitan police for 1993.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: There are currently 257 officers in the Plumstead division.

  Allocation of officers in the Metropolitan police district is a matter for the Commissioner of the Metropolitan police. I understand that at present there are no plans to alter the number of officers stationed at Plumstead.

  Prison Education
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many potential contractors have bid to provide prison education services in 1993–94; how many bids are from local education authorities; and how many are from colleges of further education.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [pursuant to his reply, 11 January 1993, c. 597.]: A total of 154 bids have been received to provide future education services in one or a number of prison establishments. Of these, 113 are from colleges and institutions of further education, 28 from private sector organisations and 13 from local education authorities.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Science Budget
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the distribution of the science budget in 1993–94.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I have considered the Advisory Board for the Research Councils' recommendations on the
  627
  distribution of the science budget, and have decided to accept the advice that the £1,164.56 million for 1993–94 should, subject to approval by Parliament of the estimates in due course, be allocated as follows:

  Allocations for 1993–94

  £ million

  Agricultural and Food Research Council

  109·8

  Economic and Social Research Council

  53·5

  Medical Research Council

  256·9

  Natural Environment Research Council

  140·0

  Science and Engineering Research Council

  582·1

  The Royal Society

  18·5

  The Royal Academy of Engineering

  1·7

  Other, including OST initiatives, ABRC Science Policy Studies and CEST subscription

  2·0

  1,164·6

  I am publishing the board's advice today. Copies are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  European Bioinformatics Institute
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps the Government are taking to secure the establishment of the European Bioinformatics Institute in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I am delighted to announce that the United Kingdom has today submitted a bid to host the European Bioinformatics Institute at Cambridge. This presents an exciting and important opportunity for the United Kingdom to secure an international research facility at the forefront of modern science and in an area of great and increasing importance for health care and for industry.

  The EBI will be an out-station of the European molecular biology laboratory in Heidelberg. Its task will be to provide a database of biological information to researchers throughout Europe. The bid is being underwritten by the Medical Research Council, with support from the Wellcome Trust. Copies of the full text have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Scientists
  Mr. Temple-Morris
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what measures he is considering to provide incentives for scientists to continue to work within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Government provide substantial funding to maintain a healthy science base in this country and to ensure continuing opportunities for our scientists. The question of career structures for scientists is one which is being examined in the context of the forthcoming White Paper on science and technology.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  European Investment Bank
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the new projects that are to be submitted for financing by the European investment bank and their approximate cost.

  Mr. Nelson
  The European investment bank—EIB—is required by its statute to seek the opinion of EC member 628
  states in whose territory a project is situated before considering it for approval. The Government are, and will remain, in close contact with the EIB, to discuss proposals submitted by United Kingdom organisations for new investment projects. However, projects under consideration are classified by the EIB as commercially confidential and it would therefore be inappropriate for the Government to list those in the United Kingdom, before the loans had been approved by the bank's board of directors.

  Household Debt
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of debt per household for every £100 of disposable income for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Nelson
  Figures for the level of household debt outstanding are not available. The levels of debt of the personal sector, which includes apart from households, all unincorporated private businesses, sole traders, partnerships, non-profit-making bodies, serving persons and private trusts, per £100 of disposable income for the years 1979–91 were as follows:

  £

  1979

  57

  1980

  57

  1981

  62

  1982

  67

  1983

  74

  1984

  79

  1985

  85

  1986

  90

  1987

  98

  1988

  106

  1989

  111

  1990

  116

  1991

  116

  Charities (VAT Rebates)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received to date calling for the introduction of a VAT rebate scheme for charities within the next Budget.

  Sir John Cope
  A considerable number.

  Debt Payments
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) of 18 November,Official Report, column 225, when the new contracting terms for Government contractors to be paid within 30 days came into effect.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 9 February 1993]: Guidance was issued on 14 April 1992 to all Government Departments and executive agencies. For all contract award procedures initiated after that date, all Government contracts are to contain a clause requiring the supplier or contractor to pay subcontractors promptly. In the absence of normal practice to the contrary for that type of contract, or other special circumstances, the commitment should be to pay the subcontractor within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice or similar demand for payment as defined by the contract.

SCOTLAND

  Market Testing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. Lang
  Since November 1991 two firms of consultants have been used by my Department in connection with my market testing programme. Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte helped to undertake the initial scoping exercise to identify possible activities for market testing in my Department. Capita Management Consultancy is being used to assist my Department in undertaking the 1992–93 market testing programme. The total cost of these consultants up to the end of December 1992 has been £207,625 excluding VAT and expenses.

  Drinking Water
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the report on drinking water quality in Scotland in 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  A report has been published today by the Scottish Office Environment Department which gives an overview of drinking water quality in Scotland in 1991, under the Water (Scotland) Act 1980 and associated regulations. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library.

  The report shows that drinking water quality in 1991 has improved since 1990 as a result of the action taken by authorities to deal with water quality problems. In 1991, 98 per cent. of all regulatory determinands met the prescribed standards compared with 97 per cent. in 1990. Reported data also showed that for 48 out of 55 numerical standards, 99.8 per cent. of analytical results complied compared with 99.6 per cent. in 1990.

  The failures to meet quality standards fully did not represent a risk to public health.

  Ministers' Health
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice is given to Ministers in his Department(a) concerning their own personal fitness and (b) their role in promoting good health by example.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer of 21 January 1993]: Having published the policy statement "Scotland's Health: A Challenge To Us All", my right hon. Friend and his ministerial colleagues are fully aware of the life style factors which contribute to personal fitness and good health. We are also firmly committed to the undertaking in the statement that the Scottish Office will develop health promotion policies as exemplars for other employers, and this process has already begun.

  Shetlands (Oil Pollution)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice his Department took before authorising the use of chemical dispersants on the Braer oil slick off the Shetland Islands.
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  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 21 January 1993]: My Department's marine scientists have extensive knowledge of dispersants because of their long involvement with the North sea offshore oil industry. The limits on the sea area in which spraying could take place followed discussions which local fisheries and environmental interests.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what permission he has given for the use of Dispolene 34S and Enersperse dispersants to break up the oil slick from the Braer tanker accident off Shetland.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 21 January 1993]: My Department authorised the use of type 2 and type 3 dispersants, of which Dispolene and Enersperse are two varieties.

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, if he will make a statement on the preparedness of further education colleges to transfer from local authority control on 1 April 1993.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 January 1993]: Colleges are in a good state of readiness. New management structures are in place and the necessary management systems are being set up. Those working in colleges are to be congratulated on the good progress which has been made.

  Tree Planting
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hectares of(a) Forestry Commission planting, (b) private planting and (c) new trees have been planted in (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales and (iii) England each year since 1981; and what were the Government targets for these years.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: Information on the planting undertaken by the Forestry Commission and the private sector since 1981 is given in the tables.

  My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Scotland, Mr. Younger, stated on 10 December 1980, Official Report, column 927:
  "there should be scope for new planting to continue in the immediate future at broadly the rate of the past 25 years" that is about 30,000 hectares a year. In his statement on the rural economy made on 9 February 1987, Official Report, columns 38–39, my right hon. Friend the then Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mr. Jopling, announced that the Government's new planting aim would be changed to 33,000 hectares a year. This remains the indicative level.

  Forestry Commission planting

  hectares

  New planting

  Restocking

  Year ending 31 March

  broadleaves

  conifer

  broadleaves

  conifer

  Scotland

  1982

  36

  10,058

  14

  2,023

  1983

  50

  7,971

  15

  2,274

  1984

  36

  7,674

  15

  2,632

  1985

  42

  4,735

  16

  2,429

  1986

  41

  3,997

  71

  3,292

  631

  New planting

  Restocking Year

  Year ending 31 March

  broadleaves

  conifer

  broadleaves

  conifer

  1987

  221

  4,845

  212

  3,107

  1988

  297

  4,320

  382

  3,145

  1989

  243

  3,671

  283

  3,561

  1990

  224

  3,563

  298

  3,486

  1991

  191

  3,275

  211

  3,453

  1992

  223

  2,651

  270

  3,358

  Wales

  1982

  0

  326

  21

  1,503

  1983

  11

  425

  11

  1,471

  1984

  4

  271

  15

  1,524

  1985

  12

  149

  32

  1,268

  1986

  2

  47

  29

  1,749

  1987

  3

  135

  168

  1,767

  1988

  9

  148

  119

  1,922

  1989

  0

  61

  119

  1,617

  1990

  10

  86

  91

  1,273

  1991

  3

  12

  82

  1,390

  1992

  5

  50

  175

  1,599

  England

  1982

  15

  543

  125

  1,824

  1983

  23

  406

  178

  1,849

  1984

  11

  386

  211

  2,356

  1985

  7

  160

  88

  2,083

  1986

  13

  233

  206

  1,950

  1987

  46

  92

  374

  2,410

  1988

  67

  111

  323

  2,286

  1989

  31

  99

  376

  2,519

  1990

  27

  171

  433

  2,284

  1991

  7

  27

  323

  2,163

  1992

  17

  53

  345

  2,513

  Private sector planting

  Hectares

  Year Ending 31 March

  New Planting

  Restocking

  Broadleaves

  Conifer

  Broadleaves

  Conifer

  Scotland

  1982

  56

  10,607

  105

  1,234

  1983

  95

  9,991

  63

  905

  1984

  141

  13,988

  88

  931

  1985

  127

  14,008

  122

  1,055

  1986

  245

  17,047

  184

  1,375

  1987

  439

  16,781

  266

  1,281

  1988

  1,084

  20,113

  448

  1,212

  1989

  1,551

  20,882

  657

  1,591

  1990

  2,284

  9,204

  852

  1,132

  1991

  2,640

  7,923

  1,170

  1,670

  1992

  2,540

  7,285

  1,168

  2,042

  Wales

  1982

  41

  963

  36

  187

  1983

  60

  851

  48

  108

  1984

  90

  974

  29

  84

  1985

  34

  884

  46

  76

  1986

  41

  702

  72

  362

  1987

  134

  574

  51

  229

  1988

  262

  683

  134

  342

  1989

  213

  710

  104

  152

  1990

  232

  320

  161

  109

  1991

  228

  282

  153

  143

  1992

  218

  138

  219

  360

  England

  1982

  297

  498

  726

  1,162

  1983

  445

  1,069

  800

  1,194

  1984

  447

  1,033

  916

  1,019

  1985

  434

  542

  884

  883

  1986

  563

  421

  1,236

  1,110

  1987

  775

  444

  1,522

  1,122

  1988

  1,149

  530

  1,745

  973

  632

  Year Ending 31 March

  New Planting

  Restocking

  Broadleaves

  Conifer

  Broadleaves

  Conifer

  1989

  997

  755

  1,414

  916

  1990

  2,611

  755

  2,532

  1,339

  1991

  3,455

  908

  2,824

  1,146

  1992

  3,275

  691

  2,590

  1,452

WALES

  Wayne Darvell
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what reasons underlay his decision on the provision of community support for Wayne Darvell following his release after the quashing last year of his conviction for murder; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The assessment of need for, and provision of, services in the community for any individual is a matter for the relevant statutory authorities—including the social services authority and/or health authority—acting in consultation with one another. I am advised that West Glamorgan social services department had already sought to give help to Mr. Darvell when he was in their area. Most recently, I understand Mr. Darvell is now living in South Glamorgan where he has been seen by health and social services staff who are discussing his needs with him.

  Travellers and Displaced Persons
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the date on which his Department invited local authorities to bid for the specific grants for the education of travellers and displaced persons in the financial year 1993–94.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  No new bids have been invited for 1993–94. The programme for 1993–94 will support expenditure of £100,000 relating to ongoing projects in Gwynedd, Dyfed and South Glamorgan.

  Capital Expenditure
  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 give further details of the capital programme for the year 1993–94 and the percentage rate of increase thereof since the year 1987–88.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will publish figures for(a) the gross budget for capital expenditure and (b) net budget for capital expenditure in respect of his Department's programmes (i) for each year from 1987–88 to 1992–93 and (ii) planned for 1993–94;

  (2) if he will publish figures for (a) gross capital expenditure and (b) net capital expenditure in respect of his Department's programmes for each year from 1987–88 to 1992–93.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:
  633

  Capital expenditure within the responsibility of and allocated by the Welsh Office1

  £ million

  Gross expenditure

  Net expenditure

  21987–88

  981

  822

  21988–89

  1,050

  777

  21989–90

  1,206

  910

  21990–91

  1,220

  1,037

  21991–92

  1,288

  1,136

  31992–93

  1,369

  1,180

  41993–94

  1,497

  1,257

  1 The figures do not take account of changes in functional responsibilities.

  2 Outturn.

  3 1992–93—Forecast Outturn. The special package of housing measures announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 1992 Autumn Statement—£38 million—is additional to the forecast outturn shown.

  4 1993–94—Plans. Planned gross expenditure in 1993–94—£1,497 million—represents an increase of 52.6 per cent. over the outturn for 1987–88; an increase of 8 per cent. in real terms.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish the right of employees of statutory bodies in Wales to make claims for a specified number of work days each year for attending courses to assist with the reading, writing and speaking of Welsh.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The provision of opportunities for employees to learn Welsh is a matter for individual employers and organisations to consider.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much financial assistance has been provided by his Department to establish Welsh language learning centres in Wales in each of the last five years; and if he will list the amount granted to each centre.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Welsh Office awards grant aid to a number of organisations which support Welsh language learning, for example the Urdd, local authorities and the learners' organisation CYD. Figures for grants awarded in respect of learning centres run by these organisations are not kept separately. However, direct support for the Welsh language centres at Nant Gwrtheyrn and Canolfan Iaith Clwyd over the last five years has been as follows:

  Year

  Total

  1988–89

  49,000

  1989–90

  76,000

  1990–91

  105,000

  1991–92

  93,500

  1 1992–93

  103,000

  1 Provision.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money has been allocated by his Department in each of the last five years to assist directly the marketing of Welsh learners' courses for adults.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Direct Welsh Office support for teaching Welsh to adults over the financial years 1990–91 to 1992–93 is as follows. Figures for previous years were not kept separately.
  634

  Year

  £

  1990–91

  538,000

  1991–92

  645,000

  1992–93

  1697,000

  1 Provision.

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many hired consultants have been employed by(a) central and (b) local government and by the public sector excluding local government in Wales to advise on the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering to (i) professional and specialist services, (ii) executive and clerical operations, (iii) office services and (iv) estate and construction services since the publication of the "Competing for Quality" White Paper; and what was the total cost of hiring consultants according to (1) the type of work to be tendered and (2) the organisation conducting or partaking in the tendering process.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is not available in the form requested. Three firms of consultants have been employed by the Welsh Office to advise on the Department's own current market testing programme. The cost to date of employing these consultants is £25,000. Information on the employment of consultants by other parts of the public sector is not collected centrally.

  Air Quality
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on recent air quality audits conducted in Wales by the Warren Spring Laboratory on behalf of the Government.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Warren Spring Laboratory conducted a survey of nitrogen dioxide levels in the United Kingdom in 1991–92. All the readings for Wales were well below EC guideline limits.

  The laboratory is also currently taking measurements in Wales as part of a survey of toxic organic micropollutants in urban air and an interim report was published in September 1992. Monitoring is continuing and trends in readings are being analysed.

  Copies of the published reports of both surveys are held in the Library of the House.

  Contracting Out
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what specific processes have been established by his Department to monitor the effectiveness of contracted-out services in comparison to services undertaken prior to contractorisation in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Monitoring of contracted-out service delivery in the local authority and health service sectors is the responsibility of those sectors. Specifications for contracts let in respect of the Department's own current market testing programme will be performance-based and will form the basis for the monitoring of the service deliverer's performance.

  Credit Approvals
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 10, what is the estimated amount in the reduction of basic credit approvals (a) to Mid-Glamorgan and (b) to Welsh counties arising from the transfer of further education institutions.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Local authority credit approvals have been reduced in total by £8.915 million in 1993–94 compared with the level which would otherwise have been set to take account of the transfer of further education institutions. A deduction was not made as such for each individual county. Basic credit approvals are allocated according to a formula agreed with the local authority associations.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment is made of environmental factors in encouraging inward investment into Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The excellent environmental attractions of Wales continue to be a factor in encouraging high levels of inward investment.

  Astra Skillcentre
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the south Glamorgan training and enterprise council concerning the future of the Astra skilleentre at Gabalfa, Cardiff.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None.

  Recycling
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress made by local authorities in introducing recycling schemes in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  information relating to increases in the number of bottle banks will be published in the 1992 series of the "Environmental Digest for Wales". Definitive information on other aspects of recycling will not be available until district councils complete their recycling plans under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were employed in the coal industry in(a) Wales and (b) Clwyd in (i) deep mining and (ii) opencast mining in 1980, 1990 and at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The available information is presented in the following table:

  Number employed in coal mining

  1980

  1990

  1992

  Wales

  Deep-mined

  30,842

  4,669

  1,293

  Opencast

  2,265

  1,221

  1,311

  Clwyd

  Deep-mined

  1,322

  587

  437

  636

  1980

  1990

  1992

  North Wales1

  Opencast1

  165

  21

  11

  1 Separate figures for Clwyd are not available.

  Source: British Coal.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were employed in the steel industry in(a) Wales and (b) Clwyd in 1980, 1989 and at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The number of people employed in the steel industry in Wales in 1980, 1989 and 1992 were 32,200, 19,400 and 16,500 respectively. Comparable figures for Clwyd cannot be given, as to do so would breach rules of company confidentiality.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were employed in the aerospace industry in(a) Clwyd and (b) Wales in 1980, 1990 and at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. David Hunt
  According to the census of employment, in September 1981 there were 6,500 people employed in the aerospace industry in Wales. In the latest available census, in September 1989, this figure had risen to 9,300.

  Figures at county level cannot be given, as to do so would breach rules of company confidentiality.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many construction workers are currently unemployed in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The sample size for the labour force survey is not sufficiently large to allow a reliable estimate of unemployment by region and by previous industrial sector.

  Road Congestion and Accidents
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the cost to industry of road congestion and road accidents in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information on the cost to industry of road congestion and road accidents is not available. The total cost of road accidents in Wales in 1991 is estimated to be £230 million.

  Upland Areas
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning hill livestock compensatory allowances in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received representations from Welsh Members of Parliament, the Welsh fanning organisations and individual farmers in respect of hill livestock compensatory allowance payments in Wales. I have also recently had meetings with two Welsh Members of Parliament, some farmers and representatives from the Welsh farming unions to discuss this matter.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy for upland areas in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
  637
  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 19 June 1992, at column 711.

  Liverpool Bay Gas Reserves
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding the development in Clwyd of the Liverpool Bay gas reserves; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I have received many representations in relation to the application by Hamilton Oil for planning permission for a gas and oil terminal at Point of Ayr, Clwyd. A public local inquiry has been held and a decision will be issued as soon as possible.

  Hospital Incinerators
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the hospital incinerators in Wales that(a) burn less than 25 kg of clinical waste per hour and (b) burn less than 1 tonne of clinical waste per hour.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There are no hospital incinerators in Wales that burn less than 25 kg of clinical waste per hour. The hospital incinerators that burn less than 1 tonne of clinical waste per hour are as follows.

  District and location

  Number

  Clwyd

  Ysbyty Glan Clwyd

  1

  Wrexham Maelor General Hospital

  1

  East Dyfed

  West Wales General Hospital

  1

  St. Davids Hospital

  1

  Prince Phillip Hospital

  2

  Bronglais Geriatric Hospital

  2

  Gwent

  Nevill Hall Hospital

  1

  St. Woolos Hospital

  2

  Gwynedd

  Ysbyty Gwynedd

  2

  Llandudno General Hospital

  1

  Bryn-y-Neuadd Hospital

  1

  Eryri Hospital

  1

  Bryn Beryl Hospital

  1

  Bron-y-Garth Hospital

  1

  Dolgellau Hospital

  1

  Mid Glamorgan

  East Glamorgan General Hospital

  1

  Prince Charles Hospital

  1

  Aberdare General Hospital

  1

  Princess of Wales Hospital

  2

  South Glamorgan

  University Hospital of Wales

  2

  Lansdowne Hospital

  2

  Prince of Wales Hospital

  1

  Sully Hospital

  1

  Llandough Hospital

  1

  West Glamorgan

  Neath General Hospital

  2

  Singleton Hospital

  2

PRIME MINISTER

  Fisheries Decommissioning Scheme
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Prime Minister if the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will administer the fishing decommissioning scheme for the entire United Kingdom fishing fleet; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Yes. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will administer the decommissioning scheme on behalf of all four fisheries departments. The scheme is part of a package, including effort control measures, designed to conserve fish stocks and help to meet targets the United Kingdom as a whole under the European Community's multi-annual guidance programme.

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he has taken to co-ordinate the activities of Departments on the transportation of radioactive materials from and to Thorp; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  Transport arrangments are the responsibility of the consignor, subject to meeting the requirements of the Department of Transport on safety issues and the Department of Trade and Industry on export control and security issues. The two Departments co-ordinate as necessary.

  Youth Policy
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Prime Minister what consideration he has given to the establishment of a ministerial group to co-ordinate youth policy across Government Departments; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The interests of young people can best be served through action which addresses specific issues. Where action involves more than one Department, co-ordination between Ministers takes place. These arrangements work satisfactorily and there is currently no need to establish a formal ministerial group.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Financial Management
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to his answer of 11 January,Official Report, column 551, if he will outline the initiatives planned by the Director of Finance and Administration to improve financial management systems in House Departments.

  Mr. Beith
  In addition to the further development of measures already taken, the Director of Finance and Administration is planning to introduce an integrated payroll and personnel system for staff of the House early in the next financial year. A new computer system for the Fees Office is also under consideration.

EDUCATION

  Sanctuary Buildings, London
  Mr Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his estimate of the amount to be spent in 1993–94 in rent and other costs associated with the offices of his Department in Sanctuary buildings, Great Smith street, London.

  Mr. Boswell
  The estimated rent for Sanctuary buildings for the financial year 1993–94 is £10,368,823. This figure includes the service charge and VAT. The estimated contribution in lieu of rates to be made for Sanctuary buildings is £2,350,400.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish a table showing for each education authority the percentage cash increase between education standard spending assessments for 1992–93 and 1993–94; how much of this increase is due to changes in student numbers; how much this increase is in standard 1992–93 price terms, using the inflation estimate in the autumn statement; and what is the percentage relationship of the 1993–94 standard spending assessment with the 1992–93 budget.

  Mr. Boswell
  Local education authorities' standard spending assessments—SSAs—for 1993–94 are not directly comparable with those for 1992–93: they will be lower in cash terms, mainly because local authorities will from this April hand over responsibility for most further education to the Further Education Funding Council, and will begin to relinquish responsibility for school inspections. When

  Adjusted 1992–93 total education SSA

  1993–94 total education SSA

  Actual change

  Percentage change

  Name

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  City

  0·315

  0·425

  0·110

  34·9

  Camden

  57·937

  63·990

  6·053

  10·4

  Greenwich

  98·375

  100·437

  2·062

  2·1

  Hackney

  99·671

  108·349

  8·678

  8·7

  Hammersmith

  48·660

  52·782

  4·122

  8·5

  Islington

  72·477

  76·064

  3·587

  4·9

  Kensington

  32·571

  33·301

  0·730

  2·2

  Lambeth

  115·784

  124·033

  8·249

  7·1

  Lewisham

  99·806

  104·392

  4·586

  4·6

  Southwark

  99·082

  99·952

  0·871

  0·9

  Tower Hamlet

  111·165

  115·580

  4·414

  4·0

  Wandsworth

  86·281

  88·261

  1·980

  2·3

  Westminster

  47·438

  50·212

  2·774

  5·8

  Barking

  57·580

  58·783

  1·203

  2·1

  Barnet

  99·224

  101·703

  2·479

  2·5

  Bexley

  78·775

  81·653

  2·877

  3·7

  Brent

  113·885

  118·569

  4·684

  4·1

  Bromley

  87·346

  89·805

  2·459

  2·8

  Croydon

  107·014

  109·660

  2·646

  2·5

  Ealing

  112·300

  117·801

  5·501

  4·9

  Enfield

  101·415

  104·134

  2·719

  2·7

  Haringey

  88·659

  95·091

  6·433

  7·3

  Harrow

  65·716

  67·112

  1·397

  2·1

  Havering

  78·761

  80·056

  1·294

  1·6

  Hillingdon

  80·024

  82·943

  2·920

  3·6

  Hounslow

  80·439

  81·775

  1·337

  1·7

  Kingston

  40·174

  41·367

  1·193

  3·0

  Merton

  50·246

  52·909

  2·663

  5·3

  Newham

  114·679

  120·318

  5·640

  4·9

  Redbridge

  83·824

  87·990

  4·166

  5·0

  640
  these changes of functions are taken into account, there is an underlying percentage cash increase in the national total of education SSAs of 2.9 per cent. This reflects falling inflation and the Government's policy that in the coming year public sector pay increases should be held to between nil and 1.5 per cent. It also acknowledges differing spending pressures on LEAs including demographic changes, and their general scope for obtaining further improvements in value for money.

  The table sets out for each local education authority the education component of the SSA for 1992–93, adjusted on an estimated basis, to remove the element relating to functions that the LEA will relinquish from next year; and compares this with the education component of the SSA for 1993–94.

  Local authorities' education SSAs for 1993–94 were not calculated by reference to further education student numbers because of the transfer of responsibility for most of further education to the new funding council. The differences in the percentage change in individual LEAs' education SSAs reflect differences between LEAs in the relative rate of growth or decrease of school pupil or client group numbers and changes in LEAs' relative positions on the indices for additional educational needs, sparsity of population, free school meals and area costs.

  The aggregate total of authorities' education budgets for 1992–93 is £19,013 million. The aggregate total of authorities' education SSAs for 1993–94 is £16,530.7 million, which is 13 per cent. less than this total budget figure. However the two figures are not comparable. LEAs' 1992–93 education budgets take account of expenditure on further education, for which local authorities will not be responsible in 1993–94, and expenditure supported by specific grant, which is excluded from the 1993–94 aggregate total of education SSAs.
  641

  Adjusted 1992–93 total education SSA

  1993–94 total education SSA

  Actual change

  Percentage change

  Name

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Richmond

  36·276

  36·953

  0·677

  1·9

  Sutton

  55·265

  57·953

  2·687

  4·9

  Waltham Forest

  88·723

  92·901

  4·178

  4·7

  Birmingham

  429·989

  446·733

  16·745

  3·9

  Coventry

  109·556

  111·417

  1·861

  1·7

  Dudley

  92·276

  93·914

  1·638

  1·8

  Sandwell

  107·961

  111·180

  3·219

  3·0

  Solihull

  60·981

  61·901

  0·920

  1·5

  Walsall

  96·959

  98·193

  1·234

  1·3

  Wolverhampton

  99·013

  100·591

  1·578

  1·6

  Knowsley

  69·951

  71·195

  1·245

  1·8

  Liverpool

  191·778

  198·796

  7·018

  3·7

  St· Helens

  61·859

  61·756

  -·103

  -0·2

  Sefton

  94·835

  95·630

  0·795

  0·8

  Wirral

  120·691

  121·804

  1·113

  0·9

  Bolton

  92·563

  95·090

  2·527

  2·7

  Bury

  52·885

  53·490

  0·605

  1·1

  Manchester

  174·399

  181·953

  7·554

  4·3

  Oldham

  83·168

  82·989

  -0·179

  -0·2

  Rochdale

  76·266

  78·519

  2·253

  3·0

  Salford

  72·810

  75·472

  2·662

  3·7

  Stockport

  84·014

  84·761

  0·747

  0·9

  Tameside

  72·331

  72·772

  0·441

  0·6

  Trafford

  66·897

  68·493

  1·595

  2·4

  Wigan

  98·254

  100·128

  1·874

  1·9

  Barnsley

  70·390

  71·339

  0·950

  1·3

  Doncaster

  109·416

  113·091

  3·675

  3·4

  Rotherham

  90·403

  91·171

  0·768

  0·8

  Sheffield

  154·546

  160·606

  6·061

  3·9

  Bradford

  205·863

  212·346

  6·483

  3·1

  Calderdale

  69·407

  71·397

  1·990

  2·9

  Kirklees

  135·726

  140·873

  5·147

  3·8

  Leeds

  233·570

  238·354

  4·783

  2·0

  Wakefield

  101·202

  101·798

  0·596

  0·6

  Gateshead

  66·353

  68·218

  1·866

  2·8

  Newcastle

  89·701

  92·166

  2·465

  2·7

  North Tyne

  64·449

  63·514

  -0·935

  -1·5

  South Tyne

  52·150

  52·248

  0·098

  0·2

  Sunderland

  104·697

  106·298

  1·601

  1·5

  Isle of Scilly

  1·174

  1·194

  0·020

  1·7

  Avon

  280·449

  290·419

  9·970

  3·6

  Bedfordshire

  197·921

  208·117

  10·196

  5·2

  Berkshire

  254·440

  261·858

  7·418

  2·9

  Buckinghamshire

  234·337

  242·179

  7·842

  3·3

  Cambridge

  212·245

  217·752

  5·507

  2·6

  Cheshire

  312·294

  319·277

  6·983

  2·2

  Cleveland

  214·700

  216·411

  1·712

  0·8

  Cornwall

  150·271

  152·770

  2·499

  1·7

  Cumbria

  155·855

  160·123

  4·269

  2·7

  Derbyshire

  290·215

  296·017

  5·801

  2·0

  Devon

  302·349

  314·363

  12·014

  4·0

  Dorset

  177·658

  185·549

  7·891

  4·4

  Durham

  199·555

  201·760

  2·205

  1·1

  East Sussex

  187·054

  202·200

  15·146

  8·1

  Essex

  512·144

  530·727

  18·614

  3·6

  Gloucestershire

  161·639

  166·832

  5·193

  3·2

  Hampshire

  466·023

  488·477

  22·454

  4·8

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  208·978

  211·588

  2·610

  1·2

  Hertfordshire

  331·486

  340·153

  8·667

  2·6

  Humberside

  299·924

  305·451

  5·528

  1·8

  Isle of Wight

  41·293

  42·695

  1·401

  3·4

  Kent

  514·163

  537·360

  23·197

  4·5

  Lancashire

  468·602

  473·160

  4·558

  1·0

  Leicester

  304·348

  311·210

  6·862

  2·3

  Lincolnshire

  194·521

  199·004

  4·483

  2·3

  Norfolk

  229·490

  233·013

  3·523

  1·5

  North Yorkshire

  209·175

  211·142

  1·967

  0·9

  Northamptonshire

  202·203

  206·165

  3·961

  2·0

  Northumberland

  103·897

  106·388

  2·491

  2·4

  Nottinghamshire

  336·427

  342·430

  6·003

  1·8

  Oxfordshire

  167·394

  175·758

  8·364

  5·0

  Shropshire

  131·831

  133·995

  2·164

  1·6

  Somerset

  135·244

  139·024

  3·780

  2·8

  642

  643

  Adjusted 1992–93 total education SSA

  1993–94 total education SSA

  Actual change

  Percentage change

  Name

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Staffordshire

  331·243

  339·638

  8·395

  2·5

  Suffolk

  195·386

  199·679

  4·293

  2·2

  Surrey

  273·254

  277·550

  4·296

  1·6

  Warwickshire

  149·024

  151·414

  2·390

  1·6

  West Sussex

  202·639

  209·127

  6·487

  3·2

  Wiltshire

  177·191

  181·284

  4·093

  2·3

  Total

  16,065·200

  16,530·700

  465·500

  2·9

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the per capita standard spending assessment for 1993–94 for(a) Wiltshire and (b) English education authorities on average.

  Mr. Forth
  For the purpose of determining standard spending assessments, the education component of standard spending, net of specific grants, is divided into five sub-blocks—under-fives, primary, secondary, 16 plus, and other education. Within each sub-block, the money available is distributed on the basis of the relevant pupil or other client group numbers. The per capita figures for each sub-block for 1993–94 are set out in the table.

  Some care must be taken in drawing conclusions from the figures. First, the figures are only notional allocations. The standard spending assessment system is a mechanism for distributing grant between authorities. Because authorities have discretion to decide their own spending priorities, the sub-blocks and the per capita figures in them have no meaning outside the framework of the distribution mechanism.

  Second, the per capita figures for primary, secondary and 16 plus pupils include provision for children in special schools, related central services and related functions such as home-to-school transport. Therefore they are not comparable with age weighted pupil units in LEAs' schemes of local management.

  Third, the control total for the 16 plus sub-block notionally reflects LEAs' residual responsibilities for 16 plus students in sixth form colleges, such as home to college transport, as well as their continuing responsibilities for pupils in school sixth forms. The main client group for this sub-block is the number of pupils aged 16 and over but part of the control total is distributed by reference to the number of pupils aged 11 to 15.

  The Other Education block is based on the population aged over 11 years, with an additional weighting for those aged 16 to 24 years to reflect LEAs' continuing responsibilities for some further education students after the transfer of responsibility for most further education to the Further Education Funding Council this April.

  Subject to these qualifications the figures in pounds are:

  Wiltshire

  England

  Under 5

  224

  279

  per head of under 5 population

  Primary

  1,787

  1,921

  per pupil aged 5 to 10

  Secondary

  2,590

  2,775

  per pupil aged 11 to 15

  16+ Other

  3,644

  3,864

  per pupil aged 16+

  644

  Wiltshire

  England

  (a) 11+

  13

  15

  per head of 11+ population

  (b) 16–24

  39

  43

  per head of 16–24 population

  English Teaching
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many representations he has received about key stage 3 English.

  Mr. Forth
  Since the beginning of the year my right hon. Friend has received about 1,500 letters on the subject of key stage 3 English assessment tests.

  Higher Education Funding Council
  Mr. Temple-Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are the Government's expenditure plans for the Higher Education Funding Council for such years as figures are available.

  Mr. Boswell
  Provision for recurrent grant for the Higher Education Funding Council for England is £2,465 million in 1993–94, £2,606 million in 1994–95 and £2,598 million in 1995–96. Provision for capital grant is £319 million, £322 million and £329 million.

  Market Testing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list all the market tests that have taken place in his Department since November 1991; whether the result was the maintenance of in-house provision or whether the service was contracted out; what was the name of the successful contractor where appropriate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department has completed two market tests since November 1991. Its publications dispatch service has been contracted out to Westex Ltd.; the Department's library service has remained in-house.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many staff in his Department are assigned to the market testing programme; how much the programme has cost his Department since November 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department's market testing programme is co-ordinated by six staff—1.5 full-time equivalent posts—who undertake this work within their
  645
  normal duties. Line management staff in the areas being market tested also contribute. The estimated cost of the programme, in direct staff costs and consultancy costs, since November 1991 is some £203,000.

  Research Course Degrees
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if, further to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 281, he will list those institutions which have applied to him for authority to award (a) taught and (b) research course degrees and have not yet been awarded it.

  Mr. Boswell
  Applications for degree-awarding powers are made to the Privy Council. The Privy Council receives advice on such applications from the Secretary of State who is advised by the Higher Education Quality Council —HEQC. The following institutions have made applications which are presently under consideration:

  Guildhall School of Music and Drama

  Royal Agricultural College

  Royal Northern College of Music

  Luton College of Higher Education

  The applications from the first three institutions did not specifically distinguish between taught course or research degree powers, and the HEQC is discussing with these institutions the appropriate scope of the applications. The application from Luton college is for research degree powers only, as the college already has taught course degree-awarding powers.

  Further and Higher Education Colleges
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if, pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 282, he will list those institutions who have applied
  646
  to him to be incorporated under sections 15 and 16 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 and which wish to designate themselves colleges of further and higher education.

  Mr. Boswell
  In addition to those institutions listed in my reply to the hon. Member on 20 January, the following colleges, which have been incorporated under section 15 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992, have applied to my right hon. Friend to adopt the title college of further and higher education:

  Grimsby College of Technology and Arts

  Guildford College of Technology

  Northbrook College of Design and Technology, Worthing.

  Medical School Applicants
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information he has on the percentage of United Kingdom resident medical school applicants accepted, broken down by sex and by ethnic origin, distinguishing(a) Asian-Bangladeshi, (b) Asian-Chinese, (c) Asian-Indian, (d) Asian-Pakistani, (e) Asian—other, (f) total Asian, (g) black, (h) white and (i) total; and what are the percentages for each medical school.

  Mr. Boswell
  Universities Central Council on Admissions statistics show that 51 per cent. of all accepted home applicants for undergraduate medical courses in autumn 1991 were women. The UCCA does not publish information on the ethnic origin of applicants by subject category, nor for individual universities.

ENVIRONMENT

  Structure Plan, Hampshire
  Mr. Malone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to approve the structure plan submitted by Hampshire county council.

  Mr. Baldry
  As soon as possible.

  Table showing the number of rejected proposals on the London boundary reviews

  Report Number

  Name of area

  Number of proposals

  Number rejected

  Name(s) of rejected proposals

  594

  Barnet

  13

  0

  —

  598

  Bexley

  16

  1

  Stanham Farm

  610

  Harrow

  26

  0

  —

  615

  Croydon

  80

  0

  —

  618

  Waltham Forest

  48

  0

  —

  620

  Bromley

  46

  1

  Stonehouse

  622

  Greenwich

  28

  4

  Thamesmead

  623

  Croydon

  12

  0

  —

  624

  Lambeth

  10

  0

  —

  632

  Crystal Palace

  20

  0

  —

  634

  Tower Hamlets

  5

  0

  —

  636

  City of London

  27

  0

  —

  637

  South wark

  17

  0

  —

  638

  Islington

  14

  0

  —

  641

  Bromley

  53

  0

  —

  642

  Greenwich

  14

  0

  —

  647

  Richmond upon Thames

  2

  0

  —

  648

  Redbridge

  21

  4

  Woodford Green, Grange Hill

  652

  Hounslow

  33

  0

  —

  653

  Lewisham

  28

  0

  —

  654

  Havering

  45

  1

  Rush Green

  656

  Camden

  22

  3

  Regents Park, Fitzrovia

  666

  Westminster

  5

  0

  —

  672

  Enfield

  46

  0

  —

  676

  Hillingdon

  16

  0

  —

  EC Environmental Directives
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional resources his Department will commit to providing the European Commission with data in regard to the annual report on implementation and enforcement of EC environmental directives and regulations.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Commission's plan to present to the Environment Council the findings of their annual report on environmental legislation arises from an initiative we took as presidency to encourage other member states and the Commission to take implementation and reporting as seriously as we do. The United Kingdom need commit no new resources.

  PM10 Particulates
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the major sources of PM10 particulates in the local atmosphere; what are the principal health effects; and whether he will set an air quality standard for PM10.

  Mr. Maclean
  The major sources of PM10 particulates in the local atmosphere are fuel conbustion—in towns and cities, principally diesel and petrol—wind-blown dusts both natural and man-made and aerosol particles formed

  Boundary Commission
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in how many cases he has overruled a Boundary Commission's recommendations in London since 1989; and if he will identify changes proposed by the commission in each case.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The table gives details of the decisions made so far on Local Government Boundary Commission reviews of London. None of the rejected proposals was referred back to the commission for a fresh review.

  by chemical reactions of primary pollution emissions. At high concentrations particulate material in conjunction with sulphur dioxide can exacerbate respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis, and can lead to reductions in lung function. Trace amounts of carcinogens can also occur in association with airborne particulates.

  My Department, in close collaboration with the Department of Health, has established the expert panel on air quality standards to develop recommendations for possible new standards and guidelines for air quality in the United Kingdom. The panel is considering several air pollutants, one of which is PM10, and will report on these in due course.

  Air Pollution
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many enhanced urban network air pollution monitoring stations he plans to establish in urban areas by 2000; which sites are already committed; what criteria will be used to prioritise commitments to future sites; and what resources he will make available to local authorities without enhanced urban network stations who wish to undertake quality-assured air quality monitoring.

  Mr. Maclean
  In the second year report on the environment White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", we announced our intention to continue the expansion of the urban network to cover all major cities by 1997. The
  649
  precise number of stations will depend on the availability of resources. Stations are already operating or expected to come into operation this year in London, Cardiff, Belfast, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Newcastle, Leeds, Bristol, Liverpool, Hull, Leicester and Southampton.

  In determining priorities for future sites my Department will take account of factors such as population and associated traffic activity, other significant local sources of pollution and any other local features, such as topography, that may be of relevance.

  My Department will issue a discussion paper later this year on how central and local monitoring efforts can best be integrated and supported, taking account of the need for adequate quality assurance and control. Meanwhile, my Department is pleased to help local authorities with documentation and advise on these matters so far as resources permit.

  Local Authority Debts
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the methodology for the future treatment of accumulated local authority debt, in circumstances where an authority ceases to exist as a result of local government reorganisation.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I would expect the assets and liabilities of such local authorities to be transferred to successor authorities, as in previous reorganisations of local government. But the detailed financial implications of reorganisation are still under consideration.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to publish the proceedings of the seminar on sustainable development policies for Britain which his Department is holding in Oxford in March.

  Mr. Maclean
  My Department will hold a seminar at Green college, Oxford, from 18 to 20 March with a range of people from other Departments and outside government to inform our thinking about the report which the United Kingdom must submit to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development this year. Green college will produce a summary of highlights from the discussion which will be distributed to many people with whom we are discussing the preparation of the report. I shall place a copy in the Library of the House. The seminar itself is just one part of a wide public consultation exercise.

  Environmental Policy
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from among the United Kingdom research community and environmentalists on the level of Government funding for research on international environmental policy issues; and what assessment he has made of the performance of Economic and Social Research Council and other Government-funded research programmes in this area.

  Mr. Maclean
  My Department is in frequent contact with the United Kingdom research community and environmentalists on the levels and direction of research on international environmental policy issues.650
  Responsibility for assessing the performance of ESRC and other Government-funded research programmes rests with the funding bodies concerned.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to set up a consultation process with academic specialists, environmental groups and other expert parties in order to establish national and international environmental research programmes, along the lines of that operated in the Netherlands.

  Mr. Maclean
  My Department already operates a well-established, comprehensive system of consultation on its research programmes.

  East Thames Corridor
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made on the proposed development of the east Thames corridor; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The report by the consultants commissioned by my right hon. Friend the Member for Henley (Mr. Heseltine) in 1991 into the potential of the east Thames corridor for development and environmental enhancement was received in November 1992. Consideration is being given to the findings of that study in the context of the wider planning guidance for the south-east, which is under review. It is hoped to publish consultation papers on the regional guidance and the east Thames corridor in the near future.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received about air quality and air pollution along the east Thames corridor.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Department has received three representations in the last three months.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received about the proposed east Thames corridor development.

  Mr. Baldry
  Frequent representations are received from local authorities, business interests, the development industry, organisations concerned with the conservation of the natural and built environment and others about the studies which are being undertaken of the east Thames corridor and about future planning policy for the area.

  Parliament Square (Air Quality)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what records his Department has of the results of monitoring air quality at Parliament square, Westminster.

  Mr. Maclean
  My Department has no records of air quality at Parliament square, Westminster.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make an announcement about his Department's spending plans for the years 1993–94 to 1995–96.
  651
  Mr. Howard
  Yes. I have today published my Department's annual report for 1993, Cm 2207. This sets out in detail the outcome of the public expenditure survey announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's autumn statement on 12 November 1992. It also provides the policy background to each of the spending programmes and policies and information on performance targets, output measures and value for money.

  The report sets out what we are doing to improve the quality of life internationally, nationally and locally. This is the central thread which ties all our policies together.

  This is true whether the policies and programmes are aimed at protecting the environment; enhancing, and improving access to, the countryside; regenerating the inner cities; helping every family to have a decent home or improving the framework for the delivery of local government services.

  The environment is at the forefront of the agenda for each of these areas, and details of how environmental objectives are integrated into the Department's work are provided throughout the report.

  The report plays a key part in the Department's accountability to Parliament and to the public—a significant theme of the citizens charter—with its performance and plans laid out for all to see.

  Rural Petrol Stations
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the implications of the EC directive on vapour recovery for the operation of rural petrol stations.

  Mr. Maclean
  A draft EC directive is under consideration which would require the recovery of vapour from the storage and distribution of petrol in order to minimise emissions of volatile organic compounds. We welcome this in principle. However, our consultations with industry, including the operators of petrol stations, suggest that the costs of compliance with the proposed directive in its present form could represent an unreasonable burden on small stations in rural areas for very little environmental benefits. We are therefore seeking an exemption for such stations from the requirement to fit vapour recovery equipment.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Rubber Bullets
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on which date rubber bullets were first issued to security forces in Northern Ireland; and whether rubber bullets were available to soldiers in Northern Ireland in January 1972.

  Mr. Mates
  Rubber bullets were first made available to members of the security forces in Northern Ireland in 1970 and remained in use until 1975, when they were replaced by plastic baton rounds.

  Market Testing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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.
  652
  Mr. Mates
  The following firms of consultants have been used to advise on the Northern Ireland market testing programme since November 1991:

  BET FM Ltd.

  CAPITA

  Coopers & Lybrand Deloitte

  Helm Corporation

  Leopold Joseph & Sons

  Logicom

  Michael Willacy Associates

  MVM Consultants Plc

  SERCO

  Symonds Facilities Management Plc

  Witt Thornton (Management Services)

  The total cost was £348,549.

  In line with the White Paper "Competing for Quality", private sector consultancies have helped to determine the most promising new areas for market testing and contracting out and have also been used to strengthen Northern Ireland Departments' market testing capability.

  Suckler Cow Premium
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. Hanley
  The information is as follows:

  1990

  1991

  Number of late applications received

  124

  74

  (a) Number paid in full

  —

  —

  (b) Number paid in part

  85

  51

  (c) Number refused

  39

  23

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

  Mr. Hanley
  Two hundred and thirty-three to date.

TRANSPORT

  Airports (Credit Approvals)
  Sir Jerry Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now announce the 1993–94 supplementary credit approvals for public airport companies and local authority airports.

  Mr. Norris
  Supplementary credit approvals totalling £12 million will be available for public airport companies and local authority airports for 1993–94. These credit approvals, together with other resources which public airport companies expect at this stage to invest, will assist the airports concerned to provide facilities which they estimate could cost some £83 million in 1993–94.

  We have today agreed to supplementary credit approvals totalling £4 million at this stage. The projects concerned include the continuation of work on the south apron and taxiway and on the new control tower and fire station at Coventry airport, runway resurfacing at Exeter airport and lighting schemes at Biggin Hill airport. Formal supplementary credit approvals for these and other projects will be issued to the local authorities shortly.
  653
  The £12 million supplementary credit approval provision for local authority airports, used in conjunction with airports' internal resources, will ensure that safety and security schemes can proceed. We look to the private sector to play the major role in financing significant airport expansion.

  Tanker Routes
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to ensure that tankers and owners use a shipping route west of St. Kilda.

  Mr. Norris
  Tanker routeing around the United Kingdom coast, including St. Kilda, will be considered by Lord Donaldson in his inquiry. Pending the outcome of that inquiry, a voluntary code is being developed which will place restrictions on tankers navigating through sensitive areas.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has submitted proposals for the attention of the EC Council of Transport and Environmental Ministers in respect of tanker exclusion zones on environmental and safety grounds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  As my noble friend the Minister for Shipping announced on 4 February, agreement in principle has been reached with organisations representing oil companies, tanker operators and shipping interests on voluntary measures in the form of a code to be promulgated by mid-March, which it is intended will include restrictions on tankers operating in sensitive areas. The code will be transmitted by the Government to the International Maritime Organisation for consideration and endorsement by the maritime safety committee in May with a view to publication internationally as an addition to the "Ship Routeing" document issued by the IMO. I will draw these developments to the attention of the European Commission.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what was the outcome of the EC Council of Transport and Environment Ministers on 25 January concerning tanker exclusion zones; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what timetables have been agreed by (a) the EC Council of Ministers and (b) the United Nations International Maritime Organisation for the consideration of submissions for tanker exclusion zones; and what is the relationship between the two timetables.

  Mr. Norris
  The EC Council of Transport and Environment Ministers urged the Commission to bring forward its communication on maritime safety so that a first discussion of it can take place at the March meeting of the Transport Council. Among other matters to be examined in the communication is identification of areas of ecological interest for which restrictions, such as routeing measures or areas to be avoided, might be appropriate. No timetable has been agreed either in the EC or in the IMO for consideration of any proposals that may emerge.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which sensitive areas around the coast of Northern Ireland are included in the areas to be avoided by tankers; and which fishermen's organisations were consulted in preparation of the voluntary agreement between his Department and the oil companies.
  654
  Mr. Norris
  It is too early to anticipate the detailed provisions of the voluntary agreement, including the designated sensitive areas, that is being developed by industry. The following fishermen's organisations attended the meeting on 4 February that led to the concept of the code:National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations.
  Scottish Fishermen's Federation.

  Marine Safety
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the new areas which he will propose to the May meeting of the International Maritime Organisation marine safety committee as recommendations for the status of areas to be avoided; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  No decision has yet been taken to propose any new "areas to be avoided" to the IMO. The routeing of tankers, among other issues, is within the terms of reference of the inquiry to be conducted by Lord Donaldson. Pending the outcome of that inquiry, officials met with organisations representing oil companies, tanker operators and shipping interests on 4 February and agreed in principle voluntary measures in the form of a code to be promulgated by mid-March, which it is intended will include restrictions on tankers operating in sensitive areas. The code will be transmitted by the Government to the IMO for consideration and endorsement by the maritime safety committee in May with a view to publication internationally as an addition to the "Ship Routeing" document issued by the IMO.

  Model Aircraft (Air-misses)
  Mr. Malone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the air-miss incidents involving model aircraft flying(a) within and (b) outwith controlled air space which have been reported to the Civil Aviation Authoirity since reporting of such incidents was made mandatory.

  Mr. Norris
  The records of the Civil Aviation Authority's safety data and analysis unit show that between April 1977 and December 1992 there have been 12 reports of air misses between model aircraft and real aircraft. Of these six took place in controlled air space. The other six took place outside controlled air space, but of these three were in aerodrome traffic zones.

  In addition, between June 1979 and May 1992, there have been four collisions between full size aircraft and other airborne objects which are believed to have been model aircraft. Also since 1987 there have been three fatal accidents involving model aircraft; in one case a hang glider pilot was killed and the other two each resulted in the death of a person on the ground.

  Vehicle Inspectorate
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to privatise the Vehicle Inspectorate agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  My right hon. Friend has consulted publicly on the future of the Vehicle Inspectorate's heavy goods and passenger-carrying vehicle testing functions, including the scope for private sector
  655
  involvement; the consultation document made clear that he does not consider the inspectorate's enforcement functions appropriate for privatisation. He is considering a decision in the light of the consultees' responses and will make an announcement in due course.

  Maritime Emergency Oganisation
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the timetable of his proposals in respect of the privatisation of the Marine Emergency Organisation.

  Mr. Norris
  We have no plans to privatise the MEO. We are currently considering the possibility of executive agency status.

  DVOIT
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the timetable for the privatisation of the Driver, Vehicles and Operators Information Technology agency.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  My right hon. Friend announced proposals for the privatisation of DVOIT on 19 October 1992,Official Report, column 209. I expect that DVOIT will move into the private sector by about the end of 1993.

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the timetable of his proposals in respect of the privatisation of the DVLA.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 20 November 1992,Official Report, columns 406–7.

  Driving Standards Agency
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the timetable of his proposals in respect of the privatisation of the Driving Standards Agency.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 20 November 1992,Official Report, columns 406–7.

  Surveyors General Organisation
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Transport if he will make a statement on the timetable of his proposals in respect of the privatisation of the Surveyors General Organisation.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) on 10 November 1992,Official Report, column 675. The Surveyors General Organisation is not being privatised. A consultation document on the scope for increased private sector participation in respect of that part of its work relating to survey and certification was issued on 14 December 1992; the deadline for responses is 12 March 1993.

  Transport Research Laboratory
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the timetable of his proposals in respect of the privatisation of the Transport Research Laboratory.
  656
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Transport Research Laboratory became an executive agency in April 1992. At the same time the control of research budgets passed to departmental customers; TRL now must compete for an increasing proportion of the Department's research business. I keep the future of the agency, as with all parts of my Department, under constant review and any plans for privatisation would, of course, be notified to Parliament and be the subject of consultation with staff.

  London-Portsmouth Railway Line
  Mr. Peter Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his policy on the future of the railway line between Portsmouth and London Victoria via the south coast, Barham and Gatwick airport.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is our intention to franchise, in due course, the operation of all passenger services currently run by British Rail. The franchising director will base the initial franchises on the timetable operated by British Rail prior to franchising. Subsidy will be available for all socially necessary services.

  West London Rail Links
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the privatisation of British Rail on the residents of Northolt, Perivale, Greenford, Hanwell and Ealing.

  Mr. Norris
  We expect that the privatisation of BR will lead to an improvement in the quality of all rail services.

  Bristol Harbour Revision Order
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will postpone his Department's public inquiry into the Port of Bristol Harbour Revision Order until the House has debated and reached a decision on the recommendations in the First report of the Trade and Industry Committee on energy policy and the market for coal.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer to my written reply to the hon. Member for Coventry, North-West (Mr. Robinson) on 14 January 1993, at column 816.

  Oil Pollution
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessments he has made of the arrangements for preventing a casualty such as the Braer, or mitigating the effects of such a casualty, off the south coast of England.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 14 January 1993]: The Secretary of State for Transport announced in his statement to the House of 11 January, Official Report, columns 609–10, an inquiry under the chairmanship of Lord Donaldson to advise on whether any further measures are appropriate and feasible to protect the United Kingdom coastline from pollution from merchant shipping.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Tourism
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps his Department has taken to implement the recommendations of "Tourism in the UK: Realising the Potential", as it applies to his Department's responsibilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Most of the action points in "Tourism in the UK: Realising the Potential" which come under the remit of my Department have been taken forward, in most cases via the statutory tourist board.

  The British Tourist Authority held a successful conference in October last year to encourage foreign language training in the tourism industry; the British Tourist Authority, the English tourist board—ETB—and the regional tourist boards are working to promote training opportunities within the industry; my Department's proposal for an initiative to disseminate information on facilities for tourists with disabilities was incorporated in the European Community tourism action plan; in November last year we hosted, with the English tourist board, an international Tourism and the Environment conference with speakers and delegates from the United Kingdom and other EC member states; together with the Department of the Environment—DoE—we have commissioned research into the feasibility of obtaining better information on the numbers of day visitors, to assist the calculation of standard spending assessments; we collaborated with the Department of the Environment on the production of the planning policy guidance note on tourism development; the English tourist board will launch Industrial Heritage Year in February; industry leaders have had the chance to comment on the JICTOURS working group's report, and a more permanent user forum is being established.

  My Department continues to work with other Departments to take forward issues under their control which were mentioned in "Tourism in the UK" and which affect the tourism industry.

  Ms. Rachel Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he intends to meet the chairman of the British Tourist Authority to discuss the future of tourism in Great Britain.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend and I have regular meetings with the chairman of the British Tourist Authority. I expect to discuss the authority's corporate plan with the chairman when it is submitted in the spring.

  Museums and Galleries
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the cost per visitor for each museum and gallery in receipt of funding deriving from his Department.

  Mr. Key
  The estimated cost per visitor is as follows, taken to one decimal place for figures for the grant-in-aid and number of visitors:658

  Grant-in-aid (financial year 1992–93) £ million

  No. of visitors (1992) million

  Cost per visitor £

  British Museum

  32·4

  6·7

  4·84

  Natural History Museum

  28·9

  1·6

  18·1

  Imperial War Museum

  11·0

  1·1

  10·0

  National Gallery

  17·9

  4·3

  4·20

  National Maritime Museum

  11·6

  0·5

  23·20

  National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside

  13·4

  1·2

  11·20

  National Portrait Gallery

  5·6

  0·8

  7·00

  Science Museum

  22·4

  2·6

  8·62

  Tate Gallery

  16·6

  2·2

  7·55

  Victoria and Albert Museum

  30·1

  1·5

  20·07

  Wallace Collection

  1·9

  0·2

  9·50

  Manchester Museum of Science and Industry

  2·2

  0·3

  7·33

  Museum of London

  4·1

  0·3

  13·70

  Sir John Soane's Museum

  0·6

  0·04

  15·00

  Geffrye Museum

  0·9

  0·05

  18·00

  Horniman Museum

  2·6

  0·2

  13·00

  Royal Palaces (Entrance Fees)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the total amount of the entrance fees collected at those royal palaces open to the public for the latest year for which figures are available; and to what purposes the revenues are applied.

  Mr. Key
  This is an operational matter for the Historic Royal Palaces agency which is responsible for managing those royal palaces open to the public. I have therefore asked the chief executive of the agency to reply to the hon. Member and will arrange for his reply to be published in the Official Report.

  Letter from David Beeton to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 5 February 1993:
  The Minister has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about entrance fees collected at the Royal Palaces. My Agency is responsible for the management of the Historic Royal Palaces.
  The Agency's income and expenditure for 1991–92 was:-

  £ million

  £ million

  Total Expenditure (net of VAT refunds)

  —

  23.5

  Entrance Charge income

  10.1

  —

  Other Business income

  5.7

  15.8

  Borne by the taxpayer

  —

  7.7

  You may be interested in the enclosed copy of our latest Annual Report and Accounts, which includes full details of our income and expenditure in 1991–92. Copies of this report may also be found in the House of Commons Library.

  The Government has no funding or supervisory responsibility for entrance charges at the occupied Royal Palaces.

  Market Testing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list all the market tests that have taken place in his Department since November 1991; whether the result was the maintenance of in-house provision or whether the service was contracted out; what was the name of the successful contractor where appropriate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  My Department is currently in the process of contracting out a range of central services, including mailroom services, minor maintenance, office cleaning, porterage, reprographics, security, central typing and secretarial cover. No contracts have yet been awarded for these. The Department has awarded a contract to Sema Group Limited for the supply of computer equipment and associated services.

  Royal parks division contracted out grounds maintenance work in February 1992. The successful contractors were: Brophy plc, Glendale Industries Limited, Serco plc, Turfsoil Limited and Tyler Environmental Services Limited. The division is currently market testing building agent services and estates management.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many staff in his Department are assigned to the market testing programme; how much the programme has cost his Department since November 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  A small number of staff in my Department have been assigned to work on the market testing programme amongst their other duties. The total cost of the programme since November 1991 would include staff costs and associated overheads, plus consultancy fees of £541,198. It is not readily possible to separate the cost of the relatively minor staff involvement and overheads to give an overall total.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage 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 she will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Five firms of consultants have been used to advise on areas which are now the responsibility of my Department since November 1991: PE International have advised on the provision of central services in the Department; Cluttons, Watts and Partners and Gillhespies have advised my Department's Royal Parks Division; and Land Use Consultants have advised the Historic Royal Palaces agency. The total cost of consultancies is £541,198. A proportion of this cost would have been met by the Department of the Environment, which was responsible for the royal parks and the Historic Royal Palaces agency until April 1992.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Africa
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the conclusions of the World Bank report "Sub-Saharan Africa: from Crisis to Sustainable Growth" about 660
  the amount by which real levels of official aid to Africa need to increase per year through the 1990s; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: The World Bank report concludes, on certain assumptions, that to achieve 5 per cent. per annum GDP growth, additional development assistance to Africa needs to grow at 4 per cent. per annum in real terms.

  We agree that Africa will require a sustained high level of concessionary external assistance. However, the provision of such assistance will only have lasting impact if it is accompanied by the successful implementation of economic and political reform in individual African countries, enabling domestic resources to be used efficiently and encouraging the private sector.

  We aim to maintain a significant level of development assistance for sub-Saharan Africa in the years ahead both bilaterally and through multilateral and EC channels. We have also been prominent among those calling for more generous relief of official debt and we are pleased that 11 African countries have now benefited from Trinidad terms.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the bilateral and multilateral aid programme spent in Africa has been(a) project aid and (b) programme aid for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: The figures requested are as follows:

  Project and programme aid to Africa 1979 to 19911

  Gross British bilateral aid to Africa

  Year

  £ millions

  Project aid2 Per cent.

  Programme aid Per cent.

  1979

  231

  42·1

  16·8

  1980

  257

  35·7

  13·6

  1981

  300

  38·6

  10·5

  1982

  247

  43·1

  13·4

  1983

  237

  42·4

  8·9

  1984

  268

  46·9

  6·1

  1985

  315

  32·1

  9·2

  1986

  285

  31·4

  15·2

  1987

  308

  26·6

  17·2

  1988

  427

  22·7

  26·2

  1989

  514

  27·3

  30·9

  1990

  389

  32·3

  13·2

  1991

  521

  29·2

  21·2

  1 Data are not readily available on multilateral disbursements by project and programme aid.

  2 Project aid also includes disbursenment from the Aid and Trade Provision and CDC project expenditure; it does not include Technical Co-operation projects.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the bilateral aid programme was spent in Africa for each year since 1979; and what the amount was in cash terms and in constant terms since 1979.

  Mr. Lennox Boyd
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: The figures requested are as follows:

  661

  Gross bilateral aid to Africa 1979–91

  Year

  Cash terms

  Constant terms (1991 prices)

  Percentage of total bilateral aid allocable by continent Per cent.

  1979

  231

  551

  38·3

  1980

  257

  513

  42·3

  1981

  300

  538

  40·7

  1982

  247

  411

  43·2

  1983

  237

  375

  40·6

  1984

  268

  405

  40·0

  1985

  315

  451

  45·3

  1986

  285

  394

  40·5

  1987

  308

  406

  49·5

  1988

  427

  528

  50·3

  1989

  514

  593

  53·8

  1990

  389

  417

  46·0

  1991

  521

  521

  49·4

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to increase bilateral and multilateral aid to Africa in the next financial year.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: Africa remains a priority for the overseas aid programme. Almost half of our bilateral aid is directed to Africa. The precise level of spending varies from year to year and depends upon the progress of individual projects and programmes. We will aim to make available substantial support to poorer countries in Africa with which we have close connections and which are pursuing sound development policies. We take the same view in the multilateral agencies to which we contribute.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the multilateral aid programme was spent in Africa for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: The information requested is in the table.

  United Kingdom share of multilateral aid to Africa 1979 to 1990

  Year

  United Kingdom share of multilateral aid to Africa £ million

  Total allocable multilateral aid £ million

  Allocable multilateral aid spent in Africa Per cent.

  1979

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  1980

  116

  242

  48

  1981

  147

  316

  46

  1982

  173

  371

  47

  1983

  189

  429

  44

  1984

  227

  479

  47

  1985

  232

  432

  54

  1986

  233

  462

  50

  1987

  239

  478

  50

  1988

  301

  587

  51

  1989

  334

  615

  54

  1990

  366

  626

  58

  Notes:

  1. The figures given are estimated by the Overseas Development Administration Statistics Department using data provided by the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD on the spending patterns of multilateral agencies, and United Kingdom contributions to multilateral organisations.

  2. Estimates were first calculated for 1980 and are not available for 1979.

  3. The 1990 figure is a provisional estimate.

  Multilateral Aid (Contracts)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the value of contracts won by United Kingdom companies in competition for contracts financed through multilateral aid and how many jobs are created or secured; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: Aggregate figures for the value of contracts awarded through multilateral aid agencies, including multilateral development banks, are difficult to estimate because not all agencies compile statistics on contracts awarded by nationality; and for those which do, there are significant differences in the way data are reported. Because of these limitations, it is not possible to estimate the total value of business secured by United Kingdom firms through multilateral aid agencies. As I told the hon. Member on 26 January, at column 636, our best estimate is that for every £1 we contribute to multilateral agencies, they spend on average £1.40 on British goods and services. This is based on incomplete data averaged over several years. No estimate has been made of the employment impact of such business.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance has been provided by Her Majesty's Government to provide for displaced persons in Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: We have committed over £70.5 million in humanitarian relief to displaced people and other victims of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. £41 million has been committed through the EC. The remaining £29.5 million is in direct bilateral assistance, nearly all of which is focused on Bosnia-Hercegovina where the needs are greatest. This bilateral assistance has been spent on such things as the rehabilitation of buildings to provide accommodation for 20,000 displaced people in the Zenica area, the provision of 43 trucks and support staff to deliver relief goods, and the restoration of electricity supplies.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Agencies (Performance Measures)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the current primary and secondary performance measures for(a) the Warren Springs Laboratory Agency, (b) the National Engineering Laboratory Agency, (c) the Laboratory of the Government Chemist Agency and (d) the National Physical Laboratory Agency; and what steps are taken to keep the measures under review.

  Mr. Leigh
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 13 January 1993,Official Report, column 739 in respect of the Warren Spring Laboratory agency; the answer given on 15 December 1992, Official Report, columns 144–45 in respect of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist agency; the answer given on 16 July

  663
  1992, Official Report, column 992 in respect of the National Engineering Laboratory agency; and the answer given on 3 July 1990 Official Report, columns 499–500 in respect of the National Physical Laboratory agency. All the agencies' targets are reviewed annually, including the National Physical Laboratory agency's longer-term targets, as part of their corporate planning processes.

  SMART (Small Firms Merit Award for Research and Technology)

  Region/Office

  Applications

  Acceptances

  Grants Awarded £ million

  Grants paid £ million

  East

  160

  22

  1·02

  0·58

  East Midlands

  90

  24

  1·16

  0·49

  North East

  42

  9

  0·38

  0·32

  North West

  110

  16

  0·68

  0·71

  South East

  374

  33

  1·45

  1·14

  South West

  158

  25

  1·18

  0·74

  West Midlands

  121

  22

  0·96

  0·55

  Yorkshire/Humberside

  79

  22

  1·03

  0·52

  Welsh Office

  70

  15

  0·67

  0·55

  Scottish Office

  111

  18

  0·80

  0·79

  Northern Ireland Office

  28

  6

  0·24

  0·23

  Total

  1,343

  212

  9·57

  6·62

  SPUR (Support for Products Under Research)

  Region/Office

  Applications

  Acceptances

  Grants Awarded £ million

  Grants paid £ million

  East

  9

  3

  0·18

  0·10

  East Midlands

  4

  2

  0·08

  0·20

  North East

  3

  2

  0·09

  0·07

  North West

  27

  21

  1·86

  0·22

  South East

  19

  17

  1·80

  0·35

  South West

  10

  5

  0·20

  0·15

  West Midlands

  7

  4

  0·31

  0·12

  Yorkshire/Humberside

  17

  7

  0·46

  0·35

  Welsh Office

  8

  4

  0·40

  0·08

  Scottish Office

  5

  5

  0·61

  0·34

  Total

  109

  70

  5·99

  1·98

  Premium Rate Phone Calls
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what protection parents have from the excessive use of premium rate phone calls by children responding to magazine competitions.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services—ICSTIS—recognises that children are a vulnerable audience for premium rate telephone services and are not responsible for paying for them. The ICSTIS code of practice therefore contains a number of measures which help to protect children and their parents. No children's service may exceed seven and half minutes in length and all children's services must terminate automatically. Promotional material must feature a clear and prominent statement giving the maximum cost of the call and stressing that the service should only be used with the permission of the bill payer. In addition, any children's

  SMART and SPUR Grants
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many applications and acceptances for SMART and SPUR grants were made in each region in the first six months of the current financial year; and what was the value of(a) grants awarded and (b) grants paid.

  Mr. Leigh
  The number of applications and acceptances, and the grants awarded and paid under the small firms merit award for research and technology—SMART—and support for products under research—SPUR—schemes from 1April 1992 to 30 September 1992 are as follows:

  service which exceeds one minute in length must begin with a statement which urges the caller to seek the permission of the bill payer before using the telephone. There are a number of other conditions in the ICSTIS code relating to games and competition services, including rules on the clarity of the promotional material and the requirement not to exaggerate the chances of winning.

  In addition to these controls, BT customers served by digital exchanges can request that access to all premium rate services from their line is barred. This "call-barring" is available free of charge and is now available to some 60 per cent. of BT's customers.

  Intellectual Property Rights
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what measures will be taken by his Department in order to implement the European directive on rental right and lending right.
  665
  Mr. Leigh
  This directive will be implemented by means of a statutory instrument amending the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Member states have until 1 July 1994 to comply with the directive. In view of the complexity of the directive and the options which it makes available to member states, my Department intends to consult widely before finalising the amending legislation. I expect consultations to begin in the next few months.

  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what actions and consultation his Department is undertaking with regard to a possible instrument on the protection of the rights of performers and producers of phonograms by the World Intellectual Property Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  The United Kingdom has been at the forefront in urging the World Intellectual Property Organisation—WIPO—to draw up a new international agreement on the protection of performers' and record producers' rights. WIPO has now begun preparatory work on such an agreement. This is a development of an earlier WIPO initiative on a possible protocol to the Berne convention on authors' rights, on which work is continuing. More than 50 organisations representative of United Kingdom copyright interests have already been consulted on the protocol, and there will be similar consultation on the new instrument when WIPO makes this available in draft form. United Kingdom officials also take part in regular informal discussions on these matters involving the European Commission, the United States, Japan and other major countries.

  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those EC directives related to copyright and intellectual property presently under consideration by his Department; and if he will list those individuals and organisations who have been consulted with regard to them.

  Mr. Leigh
  Four draft directives in the intellectual property field are currently under consideration: a proposal for a Council directive on the co-ordination of certain rules concerning copyright and neighbouring rights applicable to satellite broadcasting and cable retransmission; a proposal for a Council directive harmonising the term of protection of copyright and certain related rights; a proposal for a Council directive on the legal protection of databases; and a proposal for a Council directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions. In addition, the Department is considering the implementation into United Kingdom law of two adopted directives —directive 89/104/EEC to approximate the laws of the member states relating to trade marks, and directive 92/100/EEC on rental right and lending right and on certain rights related to copyright in the field of intellectual property.

  Numerous organisations and individuals have been consulted in connection with these measures. In general, consultation has taken place through bodies representing particular interest groups, where these exist. Organisations consulted in relation to the measures listed above include the following.

  Copyright

  Arts Council

  Association of County Councils

  Association of the Electronics Telecommunications and Business Equipment Industries (EEA)

  666

  Association for Geographic Information

  Association of Independent Radio Companies

  Association for Information Management (ASLIB)

  Association of Metropolitan Authorities

  Association of Photographers

  Authors Licensing and Collecting Society

  British Academy

  British Academy of Film and Television Arts

  British Actors Equity Association

  British Broadcasting Corporation

  British Computer Society

  British Copyright Council

  British Film Institute

  British Library

  British Microcomputer Federation

  British Office Technology Manufacturers Alliance

  British Photographers Liaison Committee

  British Phonographic Industry

  British Retail Consortium

  British Screen Advisory Council

  British Sky Broadcasting

  British Telecom

  British Videogram Association

  Broadcasting, Entertainment, Cinematographic and Theatre Union

  Business Equipment and Information Technology Association

  Business Software Alliance

  Cable Television Association

  Centre for Commercial Law Studies

  Channel Four Television

  Cinema Exhibitors Association

  Committee of Directors of Polytechnics

  Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the United Kingdom

  Common Law Institute of Intellectual Property

  Computer Users of Europe

  Computing Services Association

  Confederation of British Industry

  Confederation of Information Communication Industries

  Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities

  Consumers Association

  Copyright Licensing Agency

  Council of Polytechnic Librarians

  Design and Artists Copyright Society

  Direct Marketing Association

  Directors and Producers Rights Society

  European Information Industry Association

  European Information Researchers Network

  Federation Against Software Theft

  Federation of Local Authority Chief Librarians

  Independent Television Association

  Independent Television Commission

  Institute of Electrical Engineers

  International Association of Music Libraries (UK)

  International Federation of the Phonographic Industry

  Law Society

  Law Society of Scotland

  Library Association

  Mechanical Copyright Protection Society

  Museums and Galleries Commission

  Music Copyright Reform Group

  Music Publishers Association

  Musicians Union

  Music Users Council

  National Computer Users Federation

  National Council for Education Technology

  Newspaper Publishers Association

  Newspaper Society

  Ordnance Survey

  Performing Right Society

  Periodical Publishers Association

  Phonographic Performance Limited

  Post Office

  Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television

  Public Lending Right Office

  Publishers Association

  Radio Authority

  Royal Society

  Scottish Software Federation

  667

  S4C

  Society of Authors

  Society of Film Distributors

  Standing Conference of National and University Libraries

  Writers Guild of Great Britain

  Patents and Trade Marks

  Association of British Chambers of Commerce

  Bar Council

  BioIndustry Association

  British Agrochemicals Association

  British Association of Rose Breeders

  British Poultry Breeders and Hatcheries Association

  British Retail Consortium

  British Sugar Beet Seed Producers Association

  Centre for Commercial Law Studies

  Chartered Institute of Patent Agents

  Chartered Society of Designers

  Compassion in World Farming

  Confederation of British Industry

  Consumers Association

  Federation of Small Businesses

  Food and Drink Federation

  Greenpeace

  Incorporated Society of British Advertisers

  Institute of Patentees and Inventors

  Institute of Trade Mark Agents

  Law Society

  Law Society of Scotland

  Licensing Executives Society of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

  Meat and Livestock Commission

  Medical Research Council

  Milk Marketing Board

  National Consumer Council

  National Federation of Womens Institutes

  Patent Concern

  Plant Variety Rights Office

  Potato Marketing Board

  Trade Marks Patents and Designs Federation

  Worldwide Fund for Nature (UK)

  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the developments in copyright matters made under Britain's Presidency of the European Community.

  Mr. Leigh
  One directive in the copyright field was adopted during the United Kingdom presidency of the European Community—directive 92/100/EEC of 19 November concerning rental and lending rights and certain rights related to copyright. The United Kingdom also sought agreement at the December Internal Market Council on a draft directive dealing with copyright and related rights in the field of cable and satellite broadcasting, but a minority of member states resisted this. Regular discussions were held at Council working group level on a draft directive on the duration of copyright and neighbouring rights protection. The United Kingdom also played a leading role in Community efforts to further the work of the World Intellectual Property Organisation in the copyright field.

  Assisted Areas
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to announce his review of the assisted areas map; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he intends to make a decision on Coventry and Warwickshire's application for continued assisted area status.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Gentleman and my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) on 2 December 1992, at column 260

  Export Insurance
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultations he has had with organisations representing British exporters concerning the provision of public funds for insuring exports against political risk.

  Mr. Needham
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and I have had frequent consultations on political risk insurance with organisations representing British exporters and banks.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what representations he has received, and what discussions he has had, concerning the planned discontinuation of export reinsurance for political risk in 1994; and if he will give details;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the Export Credits Guarantee Department's capacity to provide export reinsurance, particularly for political risk;

  (3) what was the total level of export reinsurance provided by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in each of the last 10 years; and what proportion specifically related to reinsurance for political risk, in each export sector and for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England;

  (4) what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect of the planned discontinuation of export reinsurance for political risk, in 1994, for United Kingdom exports, exporters and the balance of trade, in each export sector and for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.

  Mr. Needham
  The Export Credits Guarantee Department is able to provide reinsurance, subject to Treasury consent, under the terms of the Export and Investment Guarantees Act 1991.

  The ECGD currently supplements the private sector reinsurance treaties, for both commercial and political risk, of the privatised successor of the insurance services group. This support will be available for up to December 1994 in order to give time for the new company to arrange to source its full reinsurance requirement from the private market. The new company is working to achieve this outcome. Over 90 per cent. of its needs are currently being met by the private market.

  Quite separately, the Export Credits Guarantee Department provides the new company with 100 per cent. reinsurance of the risks arising on certain higher risk markets for which no capacity has been made available by the private market. This facility is not time limited. Subject to satisfactory financial performance, it will continue for as long as the Government consider it essential to meet the reasonable needs of United Kingdom exporters.

  I believe that the combined effect of these arrangements will be to maintain a good level of short-term export credit insurance support for United Kingdom exporters.

  These reinsurance facilities have only been available since December 1991 and apply to less than 10 per cent. of the new company's reinsurance exposure for standard short-term business. The Export Credits Guarantee Department reinsurance is provided on a global basis and it is not possible to provide a breakdown between the risks, goods or geographical location of exporters reinsured.

  Representations have been made to me by interested parties about the likely adequacy of the reinsurance

  669
  market to meet future demand and any implications this may have for Government policy. I am considering these representations.

  Incentives to Industry
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has set up a committee in his Department to examine the flow of incentives towards industry.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My Department carefully examines each year the balance of priorities, and value for money, of our spending on grants to industry.

  Research and Industrial Support
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what has been the allocation of funds for research and industrial support within his Department during the course of 1992.

  Mr. Eggar
  Information on the Department's allocation of funds on research and industrial support in 1992 was given in the regional and general industrial support and other support for industry sections of "Trade & Industry; The Government's Expenditure Plans 1992–93 to 1994–95", Cm 1904. Further information was included in the selective assistance to industry and research and development and other programmes sections of "The Government's Expenditure Plans within the Energy Sector 1992–93 to 1994–95" Cm 1905. The supply estimates— 1991–92 HC273-IV & V—as subsequently updated by the supplementary estimates—1992–93 HC45, HC231 and HC434—contain detailed information on expenditure in 1992–93. The Department's latest plans are given in "Trade & Industry; The Government's Expenditure Plans 1993–94 to 1995–96", Cm 2204, published on 10 February 1993.

  Oil and Gas Industry
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many people are directly or indirectly employed in the oil and gas industry(a) in Scotland and (b) in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Eggar
  A survey by the Scottish Office and what is now Scottish Enterprise estimated that in 1990 direct and indirect employment by the oil and gas industry in Scotland was some 97,400. A similar, but less comprehensive, survey covering employment in 1992 is in preparation. No comparable survey exists for the United Kingdom as a whole, but the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association has estimated that direct and indirect employment could be 300,000.

  Market Testing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many staff in his Department are assigned to the market testing programme; how much the programme has cost his Department since November 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Eight staff in my Department are assigned to the market testing programme. Since November 1991, the programme has cost the Department £460,000. This covers direct staff costs and consultants brought in to add private sector skills in line with the principles of the "Competing for Quality" White Paper.
  670
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all the market tests that have taken place in his Department since November 1991; whether the result was the maintenance of in-house provision or whether the service was contracted out; what was the name of the successful contractor where appropriate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Following publication of the White Paper "Competing for Quality", I put forward a programme of market tests for completion by September 1993. While a number of these tests are at an advanced stage, none has yet completed the full process.

  In the period in question, there have been numerous instances of contracting out services for management or policy reasons, but in these cases the formal testing of the market against internal provision has not been necessary.

  Trade Statistics
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give for Standard Industrial Classification Orders 3302 and 3341(a) annual output, (b) United Kingdom market size and (c) balance of trade for each year since 1987; and if he will give the figures on a similar basis for Standard Industrial Classifications 3302 and 3341, together with Standard Industrial Classifications 3301, 3443, 3453 and 3454.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The figures may be obtained readily from the summary tables of Central Statistical Office "Business Monitors" PAS3301, PQ3302, PAS3441, PAS3443, PQ3453, and PAS3454, copies of which are available in the Library. The best estimate of the United Kingdom market size may be calculated by adding imports to, and subtracting exports from, the figures for sales of principal products shown in these tables.

  Offshore Oil and Gas
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of actual capital expenditure on current petroleum and natural gas development in the United Kingdom continental shelf in each of the last 15 years; if he will forecast the level of future capital expenditure in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Details of actual capital expenditure on petroleum and natural gas development in the United Kingdom continental shelf are given in my Department's report to Parliament, the "Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom", the Brown Book, copies of which are available in the Library. A survey conducted by my Department during 1992 shows company intentions to invest some £4.7 billion in each year from 1993 to 1995, £4.1 billion in 1996, and £3.2 billion in 1997. The decline shown in the intended expenditures over the later years of the survey period is usual in these surveys, since companies cover only projects which are sufficiently advanced to enable reasonable estimates of expenditure to be made. However, if these intentions are realised real annual expenditure will remain higher than in any of the years between 1987 to 1989.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will forecast the number of orders for platforms for United Kingdom oil and gas production development
  671
  in each of the next five years and the estimated level of capital expenditure this represents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  A survey conducted by my Department during 1992 shows company intentions to order some 44 platforms over the next five years, on which intended expenditure is some £8.3 billion for the structures, decks, modules and equipment alone. The survey does not collect the number of orders in each year, and only includes projects where company plans are sufficiently advanced to enable reasonable estimates of expenditure to be made.

  Gas-fired Power Projects
  Mr. Sahnond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many licence applications have been received in each of the last five years for gas-fired power projects; and if he will give details of their generation capacity.

  Mr. Eggar
  The following is the information requested.

  Year

  Number

  Capacity (MW)

  1988–89

  0

  0

  1989–90

  4

  3,280

  1990–91

  11

  9,485

  1991–92

  15

  8,508

  11992–93

  4

  989

  1 To date.

  Notes:

  1. Prior to section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 coming into effect on 31 March 1989 application for consent for power stations, other than those made by the Central Electricity Generating Board, were made to local planning authorities under the Town and Country Planning Acts.

  2. Applications for consent for power stations with a capacity of 50 MW or less are dealt with under the Town and Country Planning Acts and my Department does not have information on such applications.

  3. Power stations in Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends, the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many gas-fired power projects are(a) currently under construction or (b) already in operation; and what is the output/generation capacity of each.

  Mr. Eggar
  Major—above 50MW—gas-fired generating stations in England and Wales are as follows:

  Station

  Location

  Proposer

  Capacity

  Commissioned

  Killingholme

  South Humberside

  PowerGen

  900MW

  Roosecote

  Cumbria

  Lakeland Power

  230MW

  Under construction

  Barking

  London

  Barking Power

  1,000MW

  Brigg

  South Humberside

  Regional Power Generators

  240MW

  Calder Hall

  Cumbria

  British Nuclear Fuels

  160MW

  Corby

  Northamptonshire

  Corby Power

  350MW

  Deeside

  Clwyd

  Deeside Power Development Company (National Power)

  450MW

  Keadby 1

  Near Scunthorpe

  Keadby Power

  680MW

  Killingholme"A" (phase 1)

  South Humberside

  National Power

  650MW

  Little Barford

  Bedfordshire

  National Power

  680MW

  672

  Station

  Location

  Proposer

  Capacity

  Medway

  Kent

  Medway Power

  660MW

  Peterborough

  Cambridgeshire

  Peterborough Power

  355MW

  Rye House

  Hertfordshire

  PowerGen

  680MW

  Spondon

  Near Derby

  Derwent Cogeneration

  318MW

  Wilton

  Teesside

  Teesside Power

  1,750MW

  Power stations in Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, respectively.

  ECGD
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will give details of the role and functions of the Export Credits Guarantee Department; which functions have been privatised and on what basis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  The Export Credits Guarantee Department's 1991–92 annual report and trading accounts, which were laid before the House on the 28 January 1993, provide full details of the Department's role and functions. These documents have been placed in the Library.

  The Insurance Services Group of ECGD was privatised on 1 December 1991. I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Member for St. Albans (Mr. Lilley) on 2 December 1991, Official Report, columns 11–12 in which he set out the terms of the sale.

  Leyland DAF
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what considerations he has given to the implications for the British Army of the cessation of the supply of Leyland DAF military trucks; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: This is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. I understand that the Ministry of Defence is in contact with the receivers.

  Red Star Parcels
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his latest estimate of the date of the publication of the memorandum of sale for Red Star parcels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply.

  The British Railways Board at present hopes to issue a memorandum of sale for Red Star in March of this year.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what will be the effect of the Government's proposals for rail privatisation on the pension of existing Red Star employees, who(a) lose their jobs as a result of privatisation and (b) remain in the employ of the new company following privatisation.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply.

  The British Railways Board, which is handling the sale of Red Star, is considering appropriate arrangements for the pensions of all existing Red Star employees.

  BNFL (Accidents)
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all reportable accidents and incidents that have occurred at(a) BNFL Chapel Cross, (b) BNFL Calderhall, (c) BNFL Sellafield, (d) BNFL Springfield and (e) BNFL Capenhurst since 1962; and if he will provide a breakdown of the annual totals into the number of (i) fatalities, (ii) major injuries, (iii) other injuries, (iv) dangerous occurrences and (v) disease.

  Occupational injuries and dangerous occurrences reported to Health and Safety Executive's factory inspectorate as occurring in specified BNFL establishments

  Year1

  Fatal injuries

  Major injuries2

  Over three day injuries3

  Dangerous occurrences2

  Chapel Cross

  1986–87

  —

  1

  3

  —

  1987–88

  —

  1

  8

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  8

  —

  1989–90

  —

  2

  12

  —

  1990–91

  —

  2

  12

  —

  1991–925

  —

  —

  5

  1

  Calderhall4

  1986–87

  —

  1

  8

  —

  1987–88

  —

  1

  4

  —

  1988–89

  —

  1

  —

  2

  1989–90

  —

  3

  6

  —

  1990–91

  —

  1

  23

  —

  1991–925

  —

  —

  26

  1

  Sellafield

  1986–87

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  4

  —

  1989–90

  —

  4

  193

  3

  1990–91

  —

  5

  132

  4

  1991–925

  —

  4

  108

  3

  Springfield

  1986–87

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1989–90

  —

  5

  70

  1

  1990–91

  —

  3

  44

  —

  1991–925

  —

  2

  42

  1

  Capenhurst

  1986–87

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987–88

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1988–89

  —

  —

  3

  —

  1989–90

  —

  2

  20

  —

  1990–91

  —

  —

  16

  —

  1991–925

  —

  2

  16

  1

  1 Year commencing 1 April.

  2 As defined under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985.

  3 Injuries causing incapacity for normal work for more than three days.

  4 Also includes injuries and incidents reported as occurring at BNFL's Calder Tip, and Windscale and Calder sites.

  5 Provisional.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Macedonia
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will support Macedonia's application to become a member of the United Nations.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are in close consultation with fellow members of the Security Council on Macedonia's United Nations application. Our decision will be taken in the light of these consultations.
  674
  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have been asked to reply.

  The full answer to the question can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Incidents at nuclear installations reported to the President of the Board of Trade or Secretary of State for Scotland are published by the Health and Safety Executive in its quarterly statements of incidents at nuclear installations. Copies of these are held in the House of Commons Library along with the site newsletters. The available information on conventional accidents at these sites is given in the table:

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to persuade the United Nations to lift sanctions against Iraq.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There can be no question of lifting sanctions against Iraq at present. Iraq is not in compliance with its obligations under all relevant United Nations resolutions.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are his current plans to place the Iraqi question before the United Nations Security Council; and if he will make a statement.
  675
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Security Council frequently discusses Iraq, both in formal and informal sessions. On 25 January the Security Council concluded that there was no basis for the lifting of economic sanctions. Discussions are continuing on the Secretary-General's proposals for the reinforcement of the United Nations Iraq/Kuwait observer mission.

  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications or other approaches on the recent attack on Iraq he has had from countries which formed the UN alliance during the Gulf war, other than the USA and France; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are in close touch with our coalition partners. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed Iraq with the Sultan of Oman and King Fand during his recent visit to the Gulf.

  European Foreign Policies
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next proposes to have discussions with his European Community partners concerning the development of common European foreign policies.

  Mr. Hurd
  I meet my European Community partners regularly to discuss the strengthening of intergovernmental co-operation on foreign policy issues.

  Serbia
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Serbian Government about the persecution of Muslims in the Sandzak region of Serbia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We and our European Community partners have repeatedly condemned the Serbian Government's treatment of minorities, including Muslims in Serbia.

  South Africa
  Mr. John Carlisle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives he is considering to encourage sporting, cultural and trading links with South Africa.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We support sporting and cultural contacts with South Africa. The British Overseas Trade Board has designated South Africa as one of its targets for trade promotion. A programme of events is planned to draw the attention of United Kingdom exporters to opportunities in South Africa.

  Kuwait
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received in respect of the current situation in Kuwait.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are in regular touch with our allies about the threat to Kuwait's security.

  Abu Dhabi
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations between Britain and Abu Dhabi.
  676
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As I said in reply to the hon. Gentleman's question on 3 June 1992, at column 825, relations are excellent.

  Maastricht
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the timetable for ratification of the Maastricht treaty in each other EC country.

  Mr. Hurd
  Nine member states have ratified the treaty. Germany has completed the ratification process but has yet to deposit its instrument of ratification in Rome, pending resolution of a private action brought in the constitutional court.

  A second Danish referendum will be held on 18 May.

  Palestine Liberation Organisation
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will reconsider his policy on meeting officials of the Palestine Liberation Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We maintain regular contacts with the Palestine Liberation Organisation at senior official level. Ministerial contacts were broken off because of PLO support for Saddam Hussein. Our policy remains under review.

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Israel regarding recognition of the PLO.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is up to the Israeli Government to decide whether to recognise the Palestine Liberation Organisation.

  Balkans
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about British policy in the Balkans.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Our policy is to support the international effort to find peaceful solutions to the area's problems, notably by the international conference for the former Yugoslavia; to prevent the conflict spilling over into Kosovo or Macedonia; and to provide humanitarian reflief to those caught up in the fighting.

  Kashmir
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Indian Government on self-determination for the people of Kashmir; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister discussed Kashmir with the Indian Prime Minister when he visited New Delhi recently. He made clear that the best way forward should involve simultaneous progress on dialogue between India and Pakistan, an improvement in human rights and a genuine political process in Kashmir in which the political aspirations of the population there can be accommodated; and a cessation of all external support for violence in Kashmir.
  677
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by him recently to the Government of India about human rights in Kashmir.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister raised British concerns about human rights in Kashmir with the Indian Prime Minister during his visit to India last month. He also encouraged the Indian Government to allow independent human rights organisations and others to visit Kashmir. Mr Narasimha Rao assured us of his Government's commitment to respect human rights and determination to take action against wrongdoers.

  Turkey
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet the Turkish ambassador to discuss human and civil rights in Turkey.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no plans for such a meeting.

  We have been in regular contact with the Turkish Government on the subject of human rights.

  The issue was most recently discussed during the visit to the United Kingdom of the Turkish Prime Minister in November. During the visit Mr Demirel reiterated his Government's commitment to its programme of reforms which aims at improving human rights and increasing democratisation in the country.

  We welcome this clear commitment to human rights by the Turkish Government and look forward to the implementation of their programme.

  UN Security Council
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Britain's continuing permanent membership of the UN Security Council.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 2 February, at column 81.

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received concerning the constitutional position of the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  None.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will issue a letter of comfort to oil companies currently prospecting in water around the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The question of a "letter of comfort" is under active consideration.

  Japan
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to strengthen United Kingdom relations with Japan.
  678
  Mr. Goodlad
  Relations with Japan are excellent. We intend to maintain the momentum of regular ministerial and other visits. Subject to final confirmation from the Japanese Government, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs plans to visit Tokyo in April. The Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Foreign Secretary will visit Tokyo in July for the economic summit. Both Governments actively encourage a range of cultural, educational, scientific and academic exchanges to expand knowledge of each other's societies. We warmly welcome Japanese investment in this country. The meeting in Japan next month of the UK-Japan 2000 Group will continue the valuable contribution made by that group. Trading relations have greatly improved under the impetus of the Opportunity and Priority Japan campaigns, but both sides recognise the need to address the growing imbalance.

  Norway
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made on considering Norway's application to join the European Community.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Edinburgh European Council invited the Council of Ministers to decide on the opening of negotiations with Norway once the Commission's opinion, a detailed assessment of Norway's suitability for membership, is available. If the opinion is favourable, we expect negotiations with Norway to start soon after.

  Overseas Representatives (British Cars)
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on buying British cars for use by overseas representatives.

  Mr. Goodlad
  In accordance with Government guidelines the policy of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is to purchase cars for use by overseas representatives on a value-for-money basis.

  British manufacturers are used where they are competitive on quality, fitness for purpose, price and delivery.

  Angola
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards Angola.

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking through the international community to end the violence in Angola.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Government supported Security Council resolution 804 and will continue to support the efforts of the United Nations to promote dialogue between the Government of Angola and UNITA with a view to agreeing a ceasefire and full implementation of the Bicesse peace agreements. We therefore welcome the meeting, held under UN auspices, at Addis Ababa last month between the two parties and hope that this will be followed by further dialogue.
  679
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs further to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 30, what further action he is taking to secure the release of three British citizens held by UNITA forces in Angola; what joint action he proposes with other governments with citizens similarly held; whether this issue will be raised at the UNITA/government talks in Addis Ababa; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 9 February 1993]: Since first hearing of the detention of three British citizens by UNITA in Angola, we have made strong representations to UNITA for their release. I am pleased to say that all three were released on 7 February together with a number of other foreign detainees, and have now left Angola.

  Former Soviet Republics
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the assistance being given by the United Kingdom to the former Soviet republics.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The purpose of British assistance to the states of the former Soviet Union and the Baltics is to support economic and political reform. We have pledged bilateral aid totalling over £131 million, including £100 million for the know-how fund. So far, we have spent £35.7 million, and a further £11 million is already committed to specific activities. Our assistance is directed to priority sectors, mainly small business development, financial services, energy and food production and distribution. There is £280 million in medium-term export credit cover for the region, for which only Russia at present qualifies. We also contribute about 18 per cent. of European Community grant aid to the region, totalling 1,305 mecu in 1991 and 1992. The European Community has also made available 1.75 billion ecu in loans and credits. We provide further support through the World bank, the European bank for reconstruction and development and the Asian development bank.

  Customs Fines
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what rulings have been made by the European Court of Justice regarding the illegality of customs fines; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  I have been asked to reply.

  My attention has not been drawn to any rulings by the European Court of Justice regarding the illegality of Customs fines.

  Market Testing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff in his Department are assigned to the market testing programme; how much the programme has cost his Department since November 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Neither the diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office nor the Overseas Development Administration have staff assigned specifically to market testing. Since November 1991, however,680
  market testing has accounted for a significant proportion of the time of some 25 diplomatic wing staff and 11 staff of the Overseas Development Administration. The cost, including direct staff costs, of the diplomatic wing's market testing programme up to 31 December 1992 was approximately £170,000; the cost of the Overseas Development Administration's programme was approximately £93,000.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all the market tests that have taken place in his Department since November 1991; whether the result was the maintenance of in-house provision or whether the service was contracted out; what was the name of the successful contractor where appropriate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  In following up the requirements of the White Paper "Competing for Quality", Cm 1730, the diplomatic and ODA wings of the FCO each agreed a programme of market testing with the efficiency unit.

  Market testing exercises for the implementation of this programme are in hand but none has yet been completed.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Sri Lankan high commissioner.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has not met the Sri Lankan high commissioner recently. I last met the high commissioner on 19 January.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Government of Sri Lanka concerning the human rights situation in that country; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We frequently discuss our concerns on human rights with the Sri Lankan Government. We take every opportunity to stress the importance we attach to respect for the rule of law.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings Foreign Office officials or Ministers have had with representatives of the Tamil Tigers in(a) Sri Lanka, (b) the United Kingdom and (c) elsewhere, and on what dates.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We try to keep in touch with all shades of Sri Lankan opinion. This is consistent with our frequent offer of good offices if all sides would find it useful to help negotiations take place.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings his Department's officials or Ministers have had with representatives of the Tamil community in the United Kingdom to discuss human rights in Sri Lanka in the last year.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Before I visited Sri Lanka in October 1992, I met a group of representatives of human rights organisations, including those representing Tamil concerns. FCO officials are in frequent contact with both governmental and non-governmental human rights organisations in the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka.
  681
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to visit Sri Lanka.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no plans to visit Sri Lanka. I visited Sri Lanka from 12 to 18 October last year.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will estimate(a) the number of barges on the River Danube which have broken United Nations sanctions by delivering oil or oil products to the territory of the former Yugoslavia, (b) the number of tankers in the Adriatic which have done so and (c) the number of aircraft originating in Iran which have done so.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We know of at least five barges that have breached UN Security Council resolution 757 of 1992 by delivering oil or oil products to Serbia on the Danube since the imposition of sanctions. We are aware of six tanker deliveries of oil to Montenegro via the Adriatic. No plane originating in Iran has yet been suspected of carrying oil or oil products to the former Yugoslavia. However, we know of at least one attempt by an Iranian plane to deliver arms to one of the parties to the Yugoslav conflict, in breach of UN Security Council resolution 713 of 1991.

  Weapons Convention
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government propose to ratify the 1981 convention on the use of weapons which may be excessively injurious or indiscriminate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We are currently considering ratification of the convention by the United Kingdom, and expect to reach a decision soon.

  Global Environmental Change
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what detailed studies his Department has made or commissioned over the past three years in the foreign policy implications of global environmental change; and if he will make them available in whole or in part to the House.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We keep the foreign policy implications of global environment change under continuous review within the FCO. The Department has not commissioned specific external studies in this area.

  Environmental Policy
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his plans for developing a dialogue with national non-governmental organisations and academic bodies in areas of international environment policy where his is the lead Department.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have regular dialogue with non-governmental organisations and academic bodies covering a range of international environmental policy 682
  issues. We also maintain close contact with nongovernmental organisations on international aspects of a range of specific environmental issues.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fisheries Decommissioning Scheme
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out for each fishing fleet within England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland the payments made under the fishing decommissioning scheme of 1984.

  Mr. Curry
  Payments made in respect of vessels in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland under the Fishing Vessels (Financial Assistance) Scheme 1983 were as follows:

  £ million

  England

  15·54

  Scotland

  2·24

  Wales

  0·46

  Northern Ireland

  0·26

  Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1992
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made on the implementation of the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1992.

  Mr. Curry
  I shall shortly be laying before Parliament an order setting out the principles on which days-at-sea allocations will be worked out. On the basis of this order, Fisheries Departments will issue provisional days-at-sea figures to fishermen, who will have an opportunity to comment on them before days-at-sea restrictions start to operate. All fishermen will have a further opportunity to make a formal appeal to the Sea Fish Licence Tribunal which is now being set up.

  I am placing in the Library of the House today an information note giving further details.

EMPLOYMENT

  Bridging Allowances
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers of 16 and 17-year-olds in receipt of bridging allowances for October, November and December 1992 on a comparable basis to the figures given in the answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short), of 29 October,Official Report, columns 832–34.

  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. Jim Cousins, dated 10 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

  683
  numbers of 16 to 17-year-olds in receipt of bridging allowance for October, November and December 1992. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  The information you have requested is provided in the attached tables.
  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 place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Number of males and females in receipt of bridging allowance—by ES region October 1992-December 1992

  October

  November

  December

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  Northern

  316

  174

  255

  133

  247

  121

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  452

  250

  421

  197

  455

  217

  East Midlands and Eastern

  566

  274

  460

  268

  463

  237

  London and South East

  1,264

  707

  1,149

  622

  1,242

  635

  South West

  418

  193

  356

  184

  423

  197

  Wales

  293

  146

  257

  127

  252

  155

  West Midlands

  581

  327

  450

  237

  544

  274

  North West

  784

  405

  571

  284

  697

  359

  Scotland

  732

  422

  510

  303

  533

  273

  Total

  5,406

  2,898

  4,429

  2,335

  4,856

  2,468

  Numbers in receipt of extended child benefit October 1992-December 1992

  Weekly average per month

  October

  26,581

  November

  26,343

  December

  25,691

  Restart Interviews
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will publish a table showing the results of Restart interviews for the period 1 April 1992 to 1 December 1992 on the same basis as the answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short), of 29 October,Official Report, columns 834–36.

  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. Jim Cousins, dated 10 February 1993:

  Outcomes of Restart interviews April 1992—December 1992

  Region

  Interviews

  Job placings

  ET

  Jobclub

  Restart courses

  EAS

  Northern

  126,957

  557

  3,938

  4,454

  5,995

  112

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  152,981

  1,683

  6,301

  4,840

  7,857

  518

  East Midlands and Eastern

  181,669

  2,345

  4,868

  7,075

  6,524

  507

  London and South East

  624,657

  9,826

  14,988

  27,755

  19,079

  2,087

  South West

  141,185

  1,211

  4,770

  5,467

  4,874

  512

  Office for Wales

  106,575

  1,518

  3,648

  3,884

  4,133

  250

  West Midlands

  190,619

  2,333

  5,875

  6,881

  9,287

  552

  684

  Numbers in receipt of bridging allowance—by ES region October 1992-December 1992

  October

  November

  December

  Northern

  490

  388

  368

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  702

  618

  672

  East Midlands

  840

  728

  700

  London and South East

  1,971

  1,771

  1,877

  South West

  611

  540

  620

  Wales

  439

  384

  407

  West Midlands

  908

  687

  818

  North West

  1,189

  855

  1,056

  Scotland

  1,154

  813

  806

  Total

  8,304

  6,764

  7,324

  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 results of Restart interviews conducted during the period April to December 1992. This is something which falls with the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

  The information you asked for is given in the attached annex. As you will appreciate, these figures reflect only the direct results of Restart. We do not know how many people subsequently take up a job or place on an employment or training programme as a result of the guidance given to them at their interview. It is through these indirect results of the help which advisers give clients in reviewing their options for returning to work that Restart has its effect.

  An indication of the scale of that effect is provided by the report "The Restart Effect" which was recently published by the independent Policy Studies Institute. It is based on an analysis of the largest survey of unemployed people in the United Kingdom since 1980. This showed conclusively that the programme had a major effect in reducing the time it takes people to leave unemployment, to get a job and to enter Employment Training, particularly for those people who were at a disadvantage within the labour market.

  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.
  685

  Region

  Interviews

  Job placings

  ET

  Jobclub

  Restart courses

  EAS

  North West

  320,600

  3,003

  7,369

  10,900

  13,483

  535

  Office for Scotland

  208,639

  3,305

  5,944

  7,296

  8,071

  424

  Great Britain

  2,053,882

  25,781

  57,701

  78,552

  79,303

  5,497

  Temporary Employment
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the numbers of people who have been employed in temporary employment in each year since 1979.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Available information based on estimates from the labour force survey is given in the following table.

  People employed in temporary employment Great Britain

  Spring

  Numbers (thousands)

  1983

  1,345

  1984

  1,497

  1985

  1,403

  1986

  1,439

  1987

  1,547

  1988

  1,529

  1989

  1,465

  1990

  1,442

  1991

  1,450

  1992

  1,185

  Construction Industry
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the rate of unemployment among construction workers in each year since 1979; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Available information for Great Britain based on estimates from the labour force survey is given in the following table.

  Spring each year

  ILO Unemployment rate for construction workers (Per cent)

  1984

  11·6

  1985

  11·8

  1986

  12·0

  1987

  11·0

  1988

  6·7

  1989

  7·9

  1990

  7·1

  1991

  12·6

  1992

  17·6

  Source: labour force survey.

  Note: ILO unemployment rates obtained from the labour force survey are defined following internationally standard guidelines. Comparable information on this basis is not available for years prior to 1984.

DEFENCE

  Atomic Weapons Establishments
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all reportable accidents and incidents that have occurred at AWE Burghfield and AWE Cardiff since 1962; and if he will provide a breakdown of the annual totals into the number of (i) fatalities, (ii) major injuries, (iii) other injuries, (iv) dangerous occurrences and (v) disease.

  Mr. Aitken
  The breakdown of figures for reportable accidents and incidents for AWE Burghfield and AWE Cardiff during the period 1962 to 1992 is not readily available in the form requested. I shall write to the hon. Member when they are available.

  Regulations
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. Aitken
  A provisional list of regulations that impact on business has recently been compiled. It will be fully checked for accuracy and placed in the Library as soon as possible.

  Trident
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average weight of a Trident submarine.

  Mr. Aitken
  The submerged displacement of the Vanguard class Trident missile submarine is some 16,000 tonnes.

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

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Three appointments have been made to Ministry of Defence executive non-departmental bodies since 1 November 1992. Appointments are made on the basis of aptitude and merit, and political affiliation, if any, is not relevant or recorded.

  UN (Military Secretariat)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to send a retired senior officer to the United Nations to advise on the establishment of a military secretariat there; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on Monday 8 February,Official Report, column 498.

  Army Redundancies
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the redundancies in the British Army in 1993–94 will be compulsory.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A total of 9.6 per cent. of Army redundancies, all of whom will be officers, will be compulsory.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what levels of redundancies are to be made in the British Army in the year 1993–94; and what is the estimated cost to the Exchequer of those redundancies.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The position on planned redundancies remains as set out in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wimbledon (Dr. Goodson-Wickes) on 10 December 1992,Official Report, column 800; the estimated cost of the redundancy payments—special capital payments—is £188 million.

  Royal Yacht Britannia
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place about the replacement of the royal yacht Britannia.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave on 26 January,Official Report, column 646.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what current discussions he has had with the German Government about prospects for German participation in the European fighter aircraft project.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Pollock (Mr. Dunnachie) on 9 February.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Cormack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost, and how many people would benefit, if the earnings limit for invalid care allowance was(a) raised to the lower earnings limit for paying national insurance contributions or (b) abolished.

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

  War Disablement Pensions
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in receipt of war disablement pensions have made a claim for loss of hearing below the 20 per cent. level in 1990, 1991 and 1992; and how many are currently outstanding.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, claims for war disablement pension have increased significantly during the period as follows.

  Claims

  1990

  27,004

  1991

  42,881

  1992

  133,972

  688
  Note: Records do not show how many of these claims were for noise induced hearing loss.

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claimants received income support in respect of costs for(a) nursing care homes and (b) residential care homes in (i) May 1991 and (ii) May 1992; and if he will provide a regional and social services authority based breakdown of these figures.

  Mr. Burt
  Information in the form requested is not available. Such information as is available is in the table.

  May 1991

  Residential Care People receiving income support in (thousands)

  Nursing Homes-People receiving income support in (thousands)

  England

  123

  76

  Scotland

  8

  9

  Wales

  7

  9

  Great Britain

  139

  94

  May 1992

  Residential Care (thousands)

  Nursing Homes (thousands)

  England

  135

  95

  Scotland

  10

  12

  Wales

  7

  10

  Great Britain

  152

  116

  Notes:

  All data rounded to nearest thousand.

  Source: Quarterly statistical inquiry.

  Industrial Injuries
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will amend the relevant regulations to allow claims for vibration white finger in circumstances where the claimant has been mainly working with wood; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  There are no plans at present to amend the industrial injuries benefit regulations relating to claims for vibration white finger. The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council is currently studying the scientific evidence relating to hand/arm vibration syndrome, which includes vibration white finger, and will report in due course.

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will instruct the Benefits Agency to cease to refer to members of the public eligible for benefits of any sort as customers and to substitute applicants or other words or phrases appropriate to the context.

  Mr. Burt
  Ministers fully support the Benefits Agency's use of the word "customer" where appropriate. I have asked Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, to write with a full reply to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Nigel Spearing, dated 9 February 1993:

  689
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking if the Agency will cease to refer to members of the public eligible for benefits as customers and substitute the word applicant or some other words or phrases.
  At the launch of the Benefits Agency in April 1991 one of the four Core Values on which the Agency was to conduct its business was Customer Service. The term "customer" was introduced in an attempt to focus our attention on the people we serve and to break down long standing barriers often implied in the use of other terminology. People who use the services of the Benefits Agency are entitled to be treated with the care and respect which is normally denoted by the term customer.
  "Customer" is also a more useful and all-embracing term than either claimant or applicant. The Benefits Agency deals not only with people who are claiming (or in the process of claiming) benefit, but also with their relatives, people acting on behalf of those claiming benefits, employers, welfare rights officers, other government departments and agencies. We use the term "internal customer" when describing the relationship between the links in the organisation, and this is a principle common to many organisations. The term reflects the attitude we should adopt and we have no plans to change it at the present time.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Income Support
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make an estimate of the number of(a) individual claimants and (b) households in Lambeth dependent upon income support at any one time.

  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 Michael Bichard to Mr.Jhon Fraser, dated 9 February 1993:
  As chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matter. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking for an estimate of the number of (a) individual claimants and (b) households in Lambeth dependent upon Income Support at any one time.
  The information requested could be obtained only at disprotionate cost. However, I have listed below the available information, as at 30 Novermber 1992, of the number of Income Support recipients at the Benefits Agency Districts covering the London Borough of Lambeth. Benefits Agency District boundaries do not correspond wth those of individual boroughs and some may, therefore, live outside the borough of Lambeth. This information has been obtained form the Income Support Management Information Statistics.

  District

  Number of Recipients

  Bankside

  25,616

  Lewisham and Brixton

  57,393

  Palace

  65,007

  South West Thames

  55,474

  Total

  203,490

  690
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support claimants who have lost their benefit books have been refused a replacement in the 1991–92 financial year and from April 1992 to date; and where there has been a previously lost book, how many have been subject to unauthorised encashments.

  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 Michael Richard to Dr. Lynne Jones, 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 asking how many Income Support claimants have lost their benefit books and were then refused a replacement in the 1991–92 financial year and from April 1992 to date; and where there has been a previous lost book, how many have been subject to unauthorized enacashments.
  The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, I should explain that the number of cased where a customer reported an Income Support order book lost in 1992–92 and up to the quarter ending 30 June 1992, the latest date for which figures are available, were:

  1991–92

  Q/E 30 June 1992

  Number of IS books issued:

  6,472,016

  1,337,865

  Number of IS books reported lost:

  66,594 (1.03 per cent.)

  19,873 (1.48 per cent.)

  Number of IS books reported lost, stolen, destroyed after receipt:

  28,004 (0.4 per cent.)

  10,559 (0.8 per cent.)

  When customers report that they have lost an order book, they will he asked about the circumstances of the loss, and a replacement will be issued. The interviewing officer will have to be satisfied that reasonable efforts to trace the book have been made. The customer may not automatically receive a replacement book, but could be paid benefit temporarily by girocheques on a weekly basis.

  The overall number of payment transactions makes a full reconciliation of order books by weekly counterfoils impracticable and not cost effective. It is therefore not possible to readily identify how many of those missing order books have subsequently been cashed.

  I hope that you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. Copies are also being placed in the Library.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to begin paying Mrs. Shirley Wakeham of The Nook, Ugborough, Ivybridge, South Devon, the disability living allowance awarded to her on 26 February 1992; if he will make a statement as to the reasons for the delay; and if he will consider the payment of interest to reimburse Mrs. Wakeham for the unpaid benefit.
  691
  Mr. Scott
  The administration of disability living allowance is a matter for Mr Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr Anthony Steen, dated 9 February 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions raised 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 when paymerts of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) awarded to Mrs Shirley Wakeham of The Nook, Ugborough, Ivybridge, South Devon, will begin, the reasons for the delay, and whether he will consider the payment of interest to reimburse Mrs Wakeham for the unpaid benefit.
  Outstanding payments of DLA were made to Mrs Wakeham on 5 February 1993. Payment was unfortunately delayed due to a clerical error made in recording the Adjudication Officer's (AO) decision onto the DLA computer system.
  The rules governing the payment of compensation for loss of interest are quite specific and require that delay in making payment on a claim must amount to 12 months or more before compensation can be considered. In Mrs Wakeham's case the delay amounts to less than 12 months therefore compensation cannot be paid.
  Clearly her payments have not been handled with the efficiency I would expect and I offer my sincere apologies for any distress or inconvenience caused.
  I have separately replied to you in greater detail about this case. I hope that you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to make a decision on the application for attendance allowance submitted by Graham Peter Barton of 7 Churchill Cottages, Ugborough, Ivybridge, South Devon, NI No. NZ 46 58 27 A; and if he will make a statement as to the reasons for the 13 month delay in settling this matter.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Anthony Steen, 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 when he expects to make a decision on the application for Attendance Allowance (AA) submitted by Graham Peter Barton of 7 Churchill Cottages, Ugborough, Ivybridge, South Devon NI No NZ 46 58 27 A; and if he will make a statement as to the reasons for the 13 month delay in settling this.
  A decision was made on Mr. Barton's AA claim on 24 June 1992 and notified to him on 30 June 1992. The subsequent review decision was made on 26 January 1993 and notified to him on 3 February 1993. Unfortunately Mr Barton's original AA claim made on 5 December 1991 was mislaid. A further claim was not obtained until 19 March and subsequent delays have resulted from the heavy volumes of work following the successful launch of Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
  My letter of 19 October 1992 to all MPs explained the problems the Agency has faced since the successful launch of DLA and the positive steps I have taken to improve the situation. Further steps are being taken to recruit additional, and redeploy existing resources to clear the backlog of reviews.
  692
  I must apologise for the delay in dealing with Mr Barton's case. Such matters are not taken lightly when they fail to come up to the standard of service the Benefits Agency is trying to give all its customers and in this instance Mr Barton has clearly not received the standard of service to which he is entitled.
  I have separately replied to you in greater detail about Mr Barton's case. I hope that you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Benefits Agency (Customer Charter)
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number of claimants who have applied for compensation under the Benefits Agency's customer charter; and what is the number of successful claims.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of compensation under the Benefit Agency's customer charter 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 Michael Bichard to Ms. Mildred Gordon, 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 asking, what is the number of claimants who have applied for compensation under the Benefit Agency's Customer Charter; and what is the number of successful claims.
  I would like to explain that the Department has operated Special Payment arrangements for many years and not solely as a result of the Benefits Agency's Customer Charter.
  However, the information you require is not available in the precise form requested. This is because, although some customers request compensation themselves, cases are normally forwarded for consideration as a result of identification by Benefits Agency office staff.
  I am able to state that, in the period 1 April 1992 to 30 September 1992, compensation for delay in payment of benefit was agreed in 3,085 cases.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the arrangements detailed in Mr. Michael Bichard's letter of 6 January, whereby Mr. James Johnston of 17 Summerlands Court, Brixham, will receive his disability living allowance each month by automatic credit transfer, will be activated; and when Mr. Johnston may expect to receive the next instalment of disability living allowance.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 9 February 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions raised 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 when the Disability Living

  693
  Allowance awarded to Mr. James Johnston will be paid by automated credit transfer and when may he expect to receive the next instalment of his benefit.
  Mr. Johnston's benefit has been paid by automatic credit transfer since 14 September 1992 and the next payment is due on 24 February 1993. I have written to you separately and in greater detail regarding Mr. Johnston's claim.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.

HEALTH

  Drugs
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations her Department has received from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry regarding membership of the Advisory Committee on National Health Service Drugs; what was the date of any representations; and what was her Department's response.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Director of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry wrote to me on 11 December on this matter. A reply was sent on 25 January. I can now announce the names of the new members. They are as follows:

  Number of in-patients and day cases treated by RHA, all specialties, 1987–88—1991–92

  Regional health authority

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1 1991–92

  2 1989–90

  Northern

  546,101

  587,167

  600,986

  628,583

  655,287

  3,998

  Yorkshire

  624,780

  686,425

  702,691

  722,130

  751,428

  4,321

  Trent

  680,756

  756,151

  779,796

  809,186

  858,823

  4,116

  East Anglian

  293,072

  334,814

  356,003

  360,934

  379,294

  5,563

  North West Thames

  471,673

  531,953

  551,817

  536,203

  576,714

  8,952

  North East Thames

  579,509

  649,472

  688,821

  695,279

  746,633

  7,918

  South East Thames

  553,521

  616,953

  626,075

  629,250

  673,068

  7,055

  South West Thames

  405,323

  443,537

  454,287

  457,600

  500,588

  4,937

  Wessex

  436,368

  492,741

  510,516

  526,284

  562,571

  2,215

  Oxford

  344,225

  373,247

  388,680

  383,333

  404,923

  7,505

  South Western

  498,485

  578,399

  591,880

  588,049

  617,689

  4,864

  West Midlands

  768,725

  890,262

  925,209

  959,648

  1,006,699

  6,141

  Mersey

  425,392

  455,411

  479,831

  487,107

  523,515

  2,594

  North Western

  764,908

  844,152

  868,505

  887,029

  927,034

  6,401

  SHAs

  107,368

  111,091

  114,223

  114,637

  122,441

  6,898

  England

  7,500,206

  8,351,775

  8,639,320

  8,785,252

  9,306,707

  83,478

  1 Provisional.

  2 Private patients.

  Source:

  1987–88 form SH3. NB In-patients are discharges and deaths and are not comparable with finished consultant episodes.

  1988–89 to 1991–92 In-patients and day cases form KP70. NB In-patient finished consultant episodes are not comparable with discharges and deaths.

  Private Episodes from the Hospital Episode System.

  1989–90

  NHS episodes

  Private episodes

  Northern

  600,986

  3,998

  Yorkshire

  702,691

  4,321

  Trent

  779,796

  4,116

  East Anglia

  356,003

  5,563

  North West Thames

  551,817

  8,952

  North East Thames

  688,821

  7,918

  South East Thames

  626,075

  7,055

  South West Thames

  454,287

  4,937

  Wessex

  510,516

  2,215

  Oxford

  388,680

  7,505

  South Western

  591,880

  4,864

  West Midlands

  925,209

  6,141

  Mersey

  479,831

  2,594

  North Western

  868,505

  6,401

  SHAs

  114,223

  6,898

  694
  Dr. P. R. Fellows—General practitioner, Gloucestershire and chairman of Gloucester local medical committee.

  Miss A. F. Glasier—Consultant gynaecologist and director of family planning, Lothian health board.

  Dr. C. Grattan—Consultant dermatologist, Norfolk and Norwich hospital.

  Dr. G. Hargreaves—Former GP with experience of the pharmaceutical industry.

  Professor S. Holgate—Specialist in allergic disorders, Southampton university.

  Mrs. S. Noyce—Pharmacist adviser to Sefton FHSA.

  Hospital Patients
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated in each of the last five years per regional health authority(a) as national health service patients and (b) as private patients within the national health service.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information that is available is set out in the table. The latest information on private patients is for 1989–90. Information for earlier years is not available.

  Source: Hospital Episode System.

  Schizophrenia
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital admissions there were for patients with schizophrenia in each year since 1986; and how many of these in each year were re-admissions.

  Mr. Yeo
  The table gives the number of admissions and re-admissions in England where a diagnosis of schizophrenia was made. 1989–90 is the only year where the quality of information permits publication.
  695

  Number of hospital admissions in England for patients with schizophrenia and number of re-admissions (HES) 1989–90

  Number

  Number of admissions

  38,180

  of which number of re-admissions

  18,550

  Community Care
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action is being undertaken by her Department to ensure the financial security of short-stay residential projects after the introduction of community care arrangements.

  Mr. Yeo
  From April local authorities will be responsible for assessing individuals' needs and arranging care, including short-stay residential care if appropriate. The money that the Department of Social Security would otherwise have spent supporting people in residential care will be transferred to local authorities to enable them to meet these new responsibilities. Particular encouragement has been given to local authorities to make suitable arrangements for respite care. We will be monitoring carefully how authorities fulfil their new responsibilities.

  London Hospitals
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make it her policy in coming to decisions in the Tomlinson proposals to establish schemes under which medical and nursing staff in London hospitals can be redeployed to(a) acute services outside London and (b) primary and community care services in London.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We intend to announce our proposals for the future of the health service in London shortly. This statement will make clear the Government's response to Tomlinson's proposals and will set out how we wish to see the national health service in London evolve and improve.

  Extra-contractual Referrals
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring is undertaken and which statistics are kept by her Department to ensure a national consistency in decisions affecting extra-contractual referrals.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. Decisions about extra-contractual referrals should reflect "Guidance on Extra Contractual Referrals" (EL (92) 60) which should ensure national consistency. Copies are available in the Library.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines are issued by her Department about the grounds on which an extra-contractual referral can be derived.

  Mr. Sackville
  An extra-contractual referral is a referral made to a provider unit outside an existing contract with the patient's district health authority. "Guidance on Extra Contractual Referrals" was issued under cover of EL(92)60, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Hospital Trusts
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many applications have been received from units or hospitals seeking trust status in Northumberland; and if she will make a statement.
  696
  Dr. Mawhinney
  We have received three expressions of interest from units in Northumberland seeking trust status in the fourth wave. If all are successful it will bring the total number of national health service trusts in Northumberland to five.

  Mental Health Review Tribunals
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many hearings mental health review tribunals have had in each year since 1987;

  (2) how many applications there have been to mental health review tribunals in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Yeo
  The number of applications for and hearings of mental health review tribunals in each year since 1987 is as follows:

  Applications

  Hearings

  1987

  5,001

  2,928

  1988

  5,581

  3,168

  1989

  6,378

  3,731

  1990

  7,293

  4,378

  1991

  8,137

  4,728

  1992

  9,073

  4,935

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many mental health review tribunal hearings patients have had legal representation in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Yeo
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mental Health Act 1983
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many times sections 2, 3 and 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983 have been used in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Yeo
  The information is given in the table.

  Mental Health Act 1983

  Section:

  Year and Source:

  2

  3

  37

  1987–88

  Admissions1

  8,867

  2,568

  982

  Changes to2

  5,998

  4,512

  154

  Total

  14,865

  7,080

  1,136

  1988–89

  Admissions1

  9,517

  2,889

  883

  Changes to2

  6,484

  5,070

  218

  Total

  16,001

  7,959

  1,101

  1989–90

  Admissions1

  9,534

  3,031

  1,042

  Changes to2

  6,345

  5,004

  222

  Total

  15,879

  8,035

  1,264

  1 Admissions to special hospitals relate to calendar years.

  2 Patients in NHS facilities only.

  Hospital Broadcasting
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy toward the use by hospital broadcasting organisations of a freely radiating FM frequency.
  697
  Mr. Sackville
  Patient audio entertainment is readily available by using proven cabled (hard wire) systems delivered to the bedhead. The quality of properly designed systems is excellent, they afford privacy, and there is little risk of interference with sensitive equipment within the hospital. It should not be necessary for hospital entertainment to be broadcast on FM.

  Dentists
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of dentists receiving national health service remuneration; and of these how many(a) hold regular Saturday surgeries for NHS registered patients, (b) undertake specialist services for children and (c) provide out-of-hours emergency services.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  At 30 September 1992 there were 15,411 general dental practitioners (GDPs) in England receiving remuneration for providing dental care and treatment under the national health service.

  The other information requested is not held centrally. However, information based upon a sample of GDPs, used in conducting a workload survey in 1991, suggests that some 33 per cent. of GDPs held Saturday morning sessions in 1991. Very few held Saturday afternoon sessions, and most of those who did also held Saturday morning sessions.

  The same survey shows that 78 per cent. of GDPs personally provided out-of-hours emergency cover. (All GDPs with continuing care or capitation patients are required to make reasonable arrangements to provide emergency cover for such patients, but need not necessarily provide the cover personally.)

  Information on specialist services provided by GDPs for children is not collected centrally.

  Wessex RHA (Computer)
  Mr. Milligan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest estimate of the money lost by the Wessex regional health authority in attempting to install a new computer system; and if she will make a statement on the current situation.

  Mr. Sackville
  The district auditor estimated that about £43 million has been spent by the Wessex regional health authority on the RISP computer project. The Wessex RHA's regional general manager has publicly stated that the RHA has derived no benefit from about £20 million of that expenditure.

  Community Pharmacists
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much her Department owes to community pharmacists for periods of up to(a) 60 days and (b) 90 days;

  (2) if she will set out her Department's policy towards the timing of payments to community pharmacists in respect of the NHS pharmaceutical services they provide; and what steps have been taken to implement the objective of ensuring that large companies or organisations pay their debts to small suppliers within a 30-day period;

  (3) on how many occasions, and to what extent in 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93, community pharmacists received payment in respect of NHS pharmaceutical services within (a) 30 days, (b) 60 days or (c) 90 days of the provision of these services.
  698
  Dr. Mawhinney
  Pharmacists receive some 80 per cent. of their national health service fees and payments within one month of submitting the prescriptions they have dispensed to the prescription pricing authority. The balance is paid a month later when the authority has calculated the exact payment due. In practice this means that, in any one month, pharmacists are receiving the equivalent of a full month's payment for their work.

  Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the Royal College of Physicians' report commissioned by her Department which examines the recommendations for guidelines on hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health did not commission the report on hyperbaric medicine. The working party was set up by the faculty of occupational medicine. Publication of the report is a matter for the Royal College of Physicians.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will consider issuing a health notice giving guidelines on the value of hyperbaric oxygen as a treatment for gas gangrene and carbon monoxide poisoning.

  Mr. Sackville
  I have no such plans at present.

  Prison Mother and Baby Units
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the cost of the visits by the social services inspectorate to the mother and baby units in prisons in each year since 1990; and which budget bore the cost of the visits;

  (2) what plans she has to transfer the inspection of mother and baby units in prisons from the social services inspectorate to the chief inspector of prisons; and if she will make a statement;

  (3) how many times the social services inspectorate visited the mother and baby units in prisons during 1990, 1991 and 1992, respectively; how many members of the inspectorate made each inspection; and what was the duration of each visit.

  Mr. Yeo
  At the request of my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary, the Department of Health is conducting a programme of three inspections of the mother and baby units in prison at two-year intervals between 1990 and 1994. The first two inspections took place in 1990 and 1992 and a third is planned for 1994. The position will be reviewed after the 1994 inspection.

  The Department set up a multi-disciplinary team led by a social services inspector to conduct the inspections. There were five members of the team; two social services inspectors, one nurse, one paediatrician and a psychiatrist. In 1990 the team allotted three days to inspect each unit and in 1992 four days.

  The Department of Health met the costs of these inspections. The costs cannot be identified separately.

  Child Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with representatives of voluntary organisations with regard to their taking over
  699
  wholly or partially the statutory child care functions of individual local authorities; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  None.

  Hospital Incinerators
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the hospital incinerators in England that(a) burn less than 25 kg of clinical waste per hour and (b) burn less than 1 tonne of clinical waste per hour.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

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