Written Answers of 16 February 1993

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  South Georgia
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to collect payment from ex-Soviet fishing operations off South Georgia.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are actively pursuing, with some success, debts owed by vessel owners for the transhipment of their catches off South Georgia. The majority of outstanding debts are owed by vessels of the former Soviet Union.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many landings have occurred in prohibited areas by tourists in South Georgia over the last two years.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  There was one unsubstantiated report during 1992 that a cruise vessel had landed passengers in a prohibited area.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the sources of income for South Georgia for the last three years.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The main sources of income over the last three years have been transhipment fees paid by fishing vessels, port and harbour dues, investment income, money from the sale of stamps and income from tourist charges.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has had about the need for a tourism management plan for South Georgia;

  (2) if he will list the detailed requirements for a South Georgia management plan;

  (3) when he expects to publish a management plan for South Georgia.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We are studying the case for commissioning a detailed management plan for South Georgia and have received representations about the introduction of such a plan from various interested individuals and groups. Any plan would need to cover a range of issues, including the impact of tourism on the environment of South Georgia. In the light of advice from our environmental advisers we shall examine whether existing legislation should be updated and any further measures which may be necessary.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to introduce a charge for tourist visits to South Georgia.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  During 1992, a charge of US$50 per head was introduced for all tourists visiting South Georgia.
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  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to apply for a world heritage listing for South Georgia; and if he will list the advantages and disadvantages of obtaining a world heritage listing for South Georgia.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The World Conservation Union is considering which sub-antarctic islands meet the criteria for world heritage listing. We will examine the case for the listing of South Georgia in the light of their recommendations.

  Antarctica
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the reasons why the United Kingdom has delayed the extension of maritime zones in Antarctica.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The sea areas around the British Antarctic Territory are included within the scope of Antarctic treaty instruments to which the United Kingdom is a party. These instruments provide a legal regime for sustainable and non-sustainable resources. We see no advantage in extending maritime zones.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his officials have made of the Macquarie island plan.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We have studied the Macquarie island nature reserve management plan of 1991 prepared by the Tasmanian Government's department of Parks, Wildlife and Heritage. This provides a prescriptive framework which takes account of the conservation and management needs of that island.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to extend the maritime zones of the South Sandwich islands, the South Orkney islands, South Georgia, Gough islands and Shag rocks.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  A fisheries zone of 200 nautical miles has already been created around Gough island as part of the Tristan da Cunha island group. The territorial sea around South Georgia, which includes Shag rocks, and the South Sandwich islands was extended to 12 miles in 1989. The situation is kept under review. There are no plans to extend maritime zones off the British Antarctic Territory which includes the South Orkney islands.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list those Antarctic islands together with their parent country that have had their maritime zones extended; and from what date this took effect in each case;

  (2) if he will list those Antarctic islands and their parent country that have not had their maritime zones extended.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  On the basis of the published information available, it appears that the islands within the Antarctic treaty area and the following sub-Antarctic islands have the fishery zones or economic zones which are listed in the table, with effective dates indicated where available.
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  Island

  Nationality

  Zone

  Effective date

  Heard Island

  Australia

  200 mile fishing zone

  1979

  McDonald Island

  1979

  Macquaire Island

  1979

  Auckland Island

  New Zealand

  200 mile economic Zone

  1977

  Campbell Island

  1977

  Prince Edward Island

  Republic of South Africa

  1977

  Marion Island

  1977

  Crozet Island

  France

  1978

  Kerguelan Island

  1978

  Amsterdam Island

  1978

  Saint Paul Island

  1978

  Statutory Instruments
  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many statutory instruments were laid before Parliament by his Department in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The following number of statutory instruments were laid before Parliament by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the years 1980 to 1992:

  Number

  1980

  30

  1981

  45

  1982

  22

  1983

  21

  1984

  22

  1985

  28

  1986

  20

  1987

  27

  1988

  31

  1989

  24

  1990

  24

  1991

  10

  1992

  23

  Island Groups
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what studies he has made of the management plans for the Campbell and Snare island groups; and what input his officials have had into the plans for the Antipodes and Bounty island group.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We have not received copies of the management plans for the Campbell and Snares island groups and have not been asked to comment on the plans for the Antipodes and Bounty island group.

  Diplomatic Service
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning the recent decision by the diplomatic service to reduce the number of Rolls-Royce motor cars; and why this decision was taken.

  Mr. Goodlad
  A number of representations have been received since the decision was taken in 1990 to reduce the number of Rolls-Royce cars used in diplomatic posts overseas. The most recent of these approaches have been from my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mr. Mills) and from Mr. Nigel Cornelius, director of UK and Pacific operations Rolls-Royce Motor Company Ltd.
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  The decision was taken in the context of tightening financial constraints which made it necessary to make substantial savings in the provision of vehicles for overseas posts.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Rolls-Royce motor cars are currently owned and used by the diplomatic service overseas, and at which embassies, consulates and other units.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The diplomatic service at present owns and uses eight Rolls-Royce motor cars. These are in the following overseas posts.

  Bonn

  Canberra

  Moscow

  Paris

  Pretoria

  Riyadh

  Tokyo

  and Washington

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Overseas Affairs if he will make a statement of his policy on(a) providing assistance with the promotion of the products of United Kingdom manufacturers through the diplomatic service and (b) the criterion by which value for money in diplomatic service purchasing policy is assessed.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The promotion of Britain's economic interests overseas, including visible and invisible exports, is one of the basic aims of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. A variety of services is provided by our overseas posts and the Department of Trade and Industry for exporters of British goods and services.

  In accordance with Government guidelines, the purchasing policy of the FCO is based on obtaining value for money through competition. British suppliers are used where they are competitive on quality, price and delivery.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with other members of the UN Security Council and EC member states about sanctions against the former Yugoslavia; what decision has been taken as to the circumstances in which sanctions might be applied to Croatia; what assessment he has made of whether Russia will continue to support sanctions against Serbia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are in close contact with our European partners and members of the United Nations Security Council on this issue. No decision has been taken on what circumstances would require sanctions against Croatia. Russia has repeatedly made clear its full support for the enforcement of sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro.

  The Edinburgh European Council made clear that unless there were a radical change of policy in Belgrade, and genuine co-operation with the peace process, the international community would continue to take stern action against the authorities there, isolating Serbia for a long time to come.

  Visas
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the number of appeals in each of the last five years against refusal of visitor's visas to people visting the United Kingdom in order to visit relations or friends in Walthamstow; and how many were successful.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The information requested is not centrally recorded and could not be provided except at disproportionate expense.

  Serbia
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many identified detention centres have been set up by the Serbian administration; and what evidence he has of the prevailing conditions and the welfare of the prisoners.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The International Committee of the Red Cross has not been able to identify any detention camps set up by the Serbian administration. The ICRC has, however, identified five detention camps in Bosnia administered by Bosnian Serb authorities. It has access to all five.

  Foreign Policy
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department last conducted a general review of British foreign policy; and what were its conclusions.

  Mr. Hurd
  My Department keeps British foreign policy under almost constant review, adapting policies and redeploying resources whenever necessary. The FCO departmental report, which describes recent developments and future priorities, was published on 10 February. I have agreed with the Chancellor of the Exchequer that during this year we shall be studying ways in which this country's diplomatic and related work overseas can be enhanced.

  Diplomatic Missions
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals exist to close British diplomatic missions over the next 10-year period; in which countries these missions are scheduled for closure; and with what savings proportionate to his Department's total budget.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We are studying carefully a range of options for reducing expenditure in line with the public expenditure plans announced in the 1992 autumn statement. No decisions have yet been taken.

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the Government are giving to the Falkland Islands Government, GECO-PRAKLA and Spectrum to explore and survey for hydrocarbons in the waters around the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs approved 116
  the issue of licences to both companies to enable them to carry out seismic surveys in the Falkland Islands designated area. Surveying has begun.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the statement made by the Governor of the Falkland Islands to the executive council on 23 December 1992, with regard to seismic licences; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Meetings of the Falklands executive council are confidential.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he has done to counter the claims made by the Argentine Government over waters currently the subject of seismic licences held by GECO-PRAKLA and Spectrum to survey for hydrocarbons, since the granting of those licences.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Argentines are well aware of our position regarding the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands and their surrounding maritime areas. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. and noble Friend the Baroness Chalker of Wallasey in another place regarding our sovereignty of the Falkland Islands:"Sovereignty is not for negotiation. I cannot underline that too strongly".—[Official Report, House of Lords, 1 February 1993; Vol. 542, c. 8–9.]

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will issue a letter of comfort on behalf of the British Government to enable the oil industry to further explore for hydrocarbons in the waters around the Falkland Islands.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley) on 10 February 1993,Official Report, column 681.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with the Argentine Government, during his last visit to the Argentine, in respect of(a) the Falkland Islands continental shelf, (b) the exploration for hydrocarbons in the waters of the Falkland Islands and (c) the entry of the Argentine into the squid licensing market in waters around the Falkland Islands.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  During the visit of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to Argentina in January, he made clear to Foreign Minister di Tella our concerns about the potential over-fishing of the vulnerable illex squid stock as a result of extra fishing effort in Argentine waters and agreed with Dr. di Tella that we should work to achieve a long-term fisheries agreement. He also took the opportunity to update Dr. di Tella on the seismic surveying in the Falklands designated area. He gave no undertaking that oil exploitation can only go ahead after prior agreement with Argentina. Dr. di Tella understands this position fully.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the effect of Argentina's entry into the squid licensing market on squid stocks in waters around the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Increased fishing of illex squid in Argentine waters this season may put extra pressure on the vulnerable illex squid stock. The agreement we reached with Argentina in December whereby they will issue 45 permits in response to applications for more than twice that number will mean that the risk is considerably less than it would otherwise have been.

  Quangos
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies, for which his Department is responsible, which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.

  Mr. Goodlad
  None of the non-departmental public bodies for which I am responsible has such powers.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Trade Deficit
  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the main types of consumer goods which contribute to the United Kingdom trade deficit.

  Mr. Nelson
  Overseas trade statistics suggest that "apparel and clothing accessories", "passenger motor cars" and "household fixtures and fittings" contributed significantly to the deficit in our trade in consumer goods in 1992.

  Public Sector
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those industries, businesses and enterprises remaining in the public sector.

  Mr. Portillo
  The following enterprises are currently in the public sector:

  Audit Commission

  Bank of England Banking Department

  British Broadcasting Corporation

  British Coal

  British Railways Board

  British Waterways Board

  The Buying Agency

  Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd

  Central Office of Information

  Channel Four Television Company Ltd

  Civil Aviation Authority

  Commonwealth Development Corporation

  Companies House

  Covent Garden Market Authority

  Crown Agents and Crown Agents Holding and Realisation Board

  Crown Estate Office

  Development Board for Rural Wales

  Driving Standards Agency

  English Industrial Estates Corporation

  Export Credits Guarantee Department

  Forestry Enterprise

  Her Majesty's Stationery Office

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  Horserace Totalisator Board

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  Housing Action Trusts

  Housing Corporation

  Housing for Wales

  Industrial Training Boards

  Land Authority for Wales

  Local Authority Airports

  Local Authority Bus companies

  London Regional Transport

  National Health Service Trusts

  New Town Development Corporations and Commission

  Northern Ireland Electricity Service

  Northern Ireland Housing Executive

  Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company

  Northern Ireland Trust Ports

  Nuclear Electric plc

  Oil and Pipelines Agency

  Passenger Transport Executives

  Patent Office

  Post Office Corporation

  Remploy Ltd

  Royal Mint

  Scottish Enterprise

  Scottish Homes

  Scottish Nuclear Ltd

  Scottish Transport Group

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

  Urban Development Corporations

  Vehicle Inspectorate

  Welsh Development Agency

  Welsh Fourth Channel Authority

  Also included in the public sector are local authority enterprises other than those in the table. No comprehensive list is held centrally; however the information that is available is published in the Business Monitor MA23, "Sector Classification for the National Accounts", which is available in the House Library.

  Company Cars
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has recently received concerning the impact upon the purchase of company cars of uncertainty about the future arrangements for company car taxation; and what assessment he has made of the effect of that uncertainty upon company and fleet car sales by United Kingdom manufacturers.

  Mr. Dorrell
  United Kingdom car manufacturers have generally welcomed the proposal to move to a price-based system for taxing company cars. Some recent representations have noted the effects of future uncertainty on sales and sought decisions on the details and timing of the change at the earliest possible date. These effects are by their nature not directly measurable. We appreciate however the importance to the industry and others of certain and stable arrangements for company cars.

  Budget Proposals
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings he has had with hon. Members to discuss representations by their constituents on proposals being considered for his Budget.

  Mr. Lamont
  I have had several such meetings.

  Supply Estimates
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he will publish the 1993–94 supply estimates.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Tuesday 9 March.

  Redundancies
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, in respect of the current and next three financial years, the cost to the Exchequer of redundancy payments in respect of job losses and redundancies(a) in mining and related industries in the event that the proposals of 13 October 1992 are implemented, (b) in the armed forces under "Options for Change" and (c) in other fields; and what is his estimate of the overall cost of unemployment and other social security benefits to which those redundancies will give rise for each year that those made redundant remain unemployed.

  Mr. Portillo
  The amount and timing of grant payments to British Coal in respect of redundancies will depend on the pattern of voluntary redundancies and on the decisions about pit closures taken by the corporation in the light of the coal review, the outcome of which will be announced in a White Paper to be published shortly. The effect on related industries will depend on these decisions.

  Payments to the armed forces under "Options for Change" are:

  £ million

  1992–93

  160

  1993–94

  370

  1994–95

  350

  1995–96

  —

  (Rounded to the nearest £10 million.

  These figures are the sum of the special capital compensation payments to armed forces personnel made redundant as part of the transition to new force structures, together with the net present value of the extra costs associated with the early payment of both their pension lump sums and their annual pensions.

  It is not possible to estimate the costs of paying benefits for each year those made redundant remain unemployed; it is not known how quickly they will get jobs and the level of social security benefits payable depends on the characteristics of the individuals.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his current estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of a reduction of one penny in the basic rate of income tax.

  Mr. Dorrell
  About £16 billion in 1993–94, and £1.7 billion in 1994–95, if the reduction applied from the beginning of the 1993–94 tax year. The costs include the effect of the reduction in receipts of advance corporation tax, and the consequent effect on receipts of mainstream corporation tax. They are based on the same assumptions as those used in table 5.6 of the "Autumn Statement 1992", Cm. 2096 but have been corrected to allow for an error which applied only to these two figures.

  Developing Countries (Debt)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress Her Majesty's Government have made in tackling the problem of developing countries' external debt during 1992.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Government have made substantial progress in dealing with developing country debt issues during 1992.
  120
  The Government are directly responsible for official bilateral debts. Proposals for rescheduling or restructuring such debts are dealt with multilaterally through the Paris club of creditor countries.

  The Paris club reached agreements with 18 countries during 1992, involving the rescheduling or restructuring of over US$10½ billion of bilateral official debt. Three agreements were with middle-income countries— Argentina, Brazil and Bulgaria—and a further four were with lower middle-income countries—Cameroon, Ecuador, Jordan, and Morocco—which benefited from more generous rescheduling arrangments involving longer grace and repayment periods, known as "Houston" terms.

  I am delighted to announce, however, that the majority of agreements, 11 in all, were concluded on Trinidad terms. The countries concerned were Bolivia, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Republic, Honduras, Mali, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia. This follows from the Paris club's decision in December 1991 to begin implementing the initiative of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister for providing concessional relief to the very poorest indebted countries.

  In addition to the countries listed, Nicaragua and Benin benefited from Trinidad terms in 1991, and Mauritania in 1993, making 14 beneficiaries in all so far.

  Trinidad terms provide for the equivalent of cancellation of up to half the eligible debt consolidated by the agreements. Each agreement contains an undertaking by creditors to consider the case for a reduction in the whole stock of the debtor countries' eligible debt to the Paris club after a period of proven economic and financial responsibility. During 1992 Trinidad terms agreements covered over US$3 billion of debt entailing the forgiving of over US$1 billion over the life of the agreements. Including Nicaragua, Benin, and Mauritania, over US$4 billion of debt has been restructured under Trinidad terms, and about US$1½ billion forgiven over the life of the agreements.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Research Programmes
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 26 January to the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Duncan),Official Report, column 606, if he will place in the Library the Government's papers to the December European Community Council on the future management of research programmes and the evaluation of existing research programmes.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  A copy of the evaluation of the second framework programme was placed in the Library in October last year. The United Kingdom's paper "Excellence in EC Programme Management—Looking ahead to Framework Programme IV" was an informal discussion document. However, given the general interest, I have on this occasion placed a copy of the paper in the Library.

  Public Bodies
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what change there has been in the proportion of women being appointed to public bodies between the last year for which data are available and the previous year.
  121
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  The percentage of appointments to public bodies held by women has increased from 23 per cent, in 1991 to 26 per cent, at 1 September 1992. Further details are available in the 1992 edition of "Public Bodies" published recently, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Quangos
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible, which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No non-departmental public body for which my Department is responsible has such a power.

  Market Testing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 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. Waldegrave
  The market tests completed since November 1991 by the Office of Public Service and Science, including its agencies, Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the Central Office of Information and the outcome of these tests is as follows:

  Activity tested (and area)

  Outcome

  Conference and event management (CCTA)

  Contracted out to Viewplan Ltd

  Data preparation (Chessington Computer Centre)

  Contracted out to Alpha Numeric

  Reprographic services (COI)

  Contracted out to Williams Lea Ltd

  Security and reception services (Recruitment and Assessment Services)

  Retained in-house

  Training (Chessington Computer Centre)

  Contracted out to Skill Advance and to Data Training

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 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. Waldegrave
  There are seven full-time and 41 part-time staff currently engaged on market testing in the Office of Public Service and Science, including its Agencies, HMSO and COI The cost of market testing since November 1991 has been £705,000.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the amount of money paid out by the Legal Aid Board area offices at Newcastle upon Tyne and Leeds during the last financial year.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Legal Aid Board makes all payments centrally through its accounts office in London. It is therefore only possible to make estimates of the amount attributable to each area office. Estimates for the year ending 31 March 1992 for the area offices in question are as follows:

  £ million

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  40·7

  Leeds

  52·9

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Correspondence
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 14 December 1992,Official Report, column 25, when he expects to write with the details of the countries which have been subject to the United Kingdom's arms embargoes over the last 20 years.

  Mr. Needham
  I wrote to the hon. Gentleman on 13 January giving the information he requested.

  Ship Building
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment he has made of the future world demand for new merchant ships; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is not possible to make an accurate forecast of future world demand for merchant ships. However, it is generally expected that there will be an upturn in demand in the second half of the decade. It is likely that existing world merchant ship capacity will be adequate to meet the demand.

  Infrastructure Projects
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what provision his Department has made to approve infrastructure projects during the course of 1992.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has powers to approve the development of infrastructure in a number of areas. In 1992, following the merger of the Department of Energy with the DTI, he approved the construction of two power stations, the extension of three power stations, 954 overhead power lines, two cross-country gas pipelines and one gas pipeline landfall. The President also granted licences which will allow 12 companies to develop fixed telecommunications networks in the United Kingdom.

  Overseas Markets
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what studies have been made within his Department concerning the obtaining of access for British companies to overseas markets by way of goods, services and finance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  My Department continually monitors overseas market access for United Kingdom traders and takes action as and when appropriate.

  Government Contracts
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how his Department is monitoring the tendering of contracts by Governments of EC member states within the framework of the single market.

  Mr. Needham
  Responsibility for monitoring the application and effectiveness of EC law on public procurement lies with the European Commission in co-operation with member states. Her Majesty's Treasury represents the United Kingdom in that context and co-ordinates responses to alleged breaches of the rules in the United Kingdom. My Department's single market compliance unit is available to provide advice to any United Kingdom supplier who suspects that the rules are being broken by a purchaser in another member state. The principal means of enforcement, however, lies in the hands of potential suppliers and contractors who can take direct legal action if they are harmed by a purchaser's failure to follow the rules.

  Bicycles
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what occasion since February 1992 Her Majesty's Government have been consulted by the European Commission regarding the importation of Chinese bicycles; what representations were made to the Commission by the Government; what was the result of the Commission's preliminary investigation; when it was received by the Government; what action has been taken by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  Last December the Commission consulted member states about the preliminary findings of their anti-dumping investigation into bicycle imports from China and Taiwan. For China, dumping causing injury to European Community producers was established and the Commission proposed a provisional anti-dumping duty of 34·4 per cent, to prevent further injury while the investigation was completed. For Taiwan, dumping was found to be de minimis and so no action was proposed. The Government informed the Commission on 21 December that we accepted its conclusions. It is now for the Commission to decide whether to adopt its proposals.

  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received regarding the import of bicycles from China and Taiwan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  My Department has received representations from United Kingdom bicycle manufacturers arguing for restrictions on Chinese and Taiwanese imports as well as from United Kingdom importers and retailers 124
  who consider that trade should remain unimpeded. Other issues raised include the safety of imported bicycles as well as the customs duties imposed on both complete machines and their components.

  Access to British Markets
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what studies have been made within his Department concerning the control of access to the British market by way of goods, services and finance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  Import policy issues are regularly and frequently analysed by my Department.

  Military Equipment
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what capacity his Department has to evaluate the post-sale veracity of end-use commitments made in export licence applications for sensitive and dual-use military equipment.

  Mr. Needham
  My export control organisation has the capacity to evaluate information from a wide range of sources—not least from exporters themselves—about the actual end-use of controlled goods. This information is taken into account in considering what action should be taken against evasion of controls, and what decisions should be made on future export licence applications where similar evasion might be attempted.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to investigate which of the exports to the former Yugoslavia—listed by the Minister of Trade to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent in his letter of 5 February—were in fact sent to the former Yugoslavia having been awarded an export licence.

  Mr. Needham
  No.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish in the Official Report the schedule of licences granted for the export of military goods to Yugoslavia for the period 1 January 1989 to 31 December 1992 included in the letter of 5 February to the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent by the Minister of Trade.

  Mr. Needham
  Following is the schedule and my covering letter to the hon. Member:Dear Llew
  I am now able to let you have the attached schedule of licences granted for the export of military goods to Yugoslavia, as promised in the Prime Minister's reply to your Parliamentary Question (Hansard 23 November, column 456).
  Your request for quantities has necessitated an examination of individual licences, which is extremely time-consuming; to go back to 1979 as you requested would take too many staff off normal licensing duties for too long, and the schedule therefore gives full details for 1 January 1989–31 December 1992. In many instances the number and range of items involved in shipments made under a licence makes it impossible to state quantity and value has therefore been given. I should also emphasise that the issue of a licence does not mean that the export took place.
  Armaments and military equipment during that period fell within Group 1 of Part II of Schedule 1 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1991 or its predecessor, the 1989

  125
  Order. The 1992 Order came into force on 31 December 1992 and no licences for former Yugoslav Republics were issued on that day.
  All Group 1 licences were revoked on 3 July 1991 as a precautionary measure and any licensed goods not exported by that date would have been stopped from leaving the UK.
  Following UK action, the EC embargo on exports of military goods was imposed on 5 July 1991 and the UN

  Exports to the territories which comprise the former republic of Yugoslavia Military, security and para-military goods and arms, ammunition and related material

  Goods

  Quantity or value

  End-use/User

  AIRCRAFT PARTS AND SPARES

  1989

  Jet engine parts

  £1,500,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Oxygen equipment

  £231,500

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £69,500

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £1,500,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £1,500,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £100,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £150,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £200,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Aircraft parts

  £5,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Aircraft parts

  £5,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Aircraft parts

  £1,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Aircraft parts

  £300,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Air conditioning equipment

  £2,800

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £1,500,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £1,500,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Aircraft parts

  £300,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Tachometers

  168

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Turn and slip indicators

  85

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Air conditioning equipment

  £6,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Valves

  £41,200

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £250,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Oil pressure indicators

  1

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Tailplanes

  6

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Ailerons

  12

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Aircraft parts

  £15,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £1,680,700

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Oil pressure indicators

  58

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Ailerons

  18

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Various indicator equipment

  £313,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Oil pressure indicator

  1

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £25,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Navigation system parts

  5

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £69,500

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Test equipment for aircraft sighting system

  £142,250

  Testing of military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Ejector Seat Cartridges

  31

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Oxygen equipment test sets

  13

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  1990

  Aircraft spares

  £4,250

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Test equipment for jet engines

  £344,000

  Testing of jet engines/Yugoslav Air Force

  Autostabiliser computer

  12

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Navigational equipment

  £5,000,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £2,000,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Aircraft instrument spares

  5

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Aircraft spares

  £200,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Aircraft spares

  £300,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Parts for gyro platform system

  £1,000,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Ejector Seat spare cartridges

  232

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Spare parts for military aircraft

  £607,450

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Valves

  80

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Valves

  60

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Valves

  60

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Spare parts for military aircraft

  £10,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Oxygen equipment

  £97,750

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Starter generators adaptors

  20

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Oxygen supply test equipment

  £80,750

  For test purposes/Yugoslav Air Force

  Ejector seats and equipment

  £1,850,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Ejector seats and equipment

  £179,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £2,000,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £2,000,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £2,000,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £1,000,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £1,000,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Spare parts for military aircraft

  £250,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  126
  embargo on 25 September that year; UN sanctions on all trade with Serbia and Montenegro were imposed on 30 May 1992.
  Applications since 3 July 1991 for Group 1 goods destined for former Yugoslav Republics have been refused unless for lifesaving equipment, must of it for UN operations.
  127

  Goods

  Quantity or value

  End-use/User

  Temperature indicators

  3

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  1991

  Jet engine parts

  £2,000,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £2,000,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Tail planes

  6

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Ailerons

  18

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Ailerons

  12

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Aircraft indicator equipment

  £253,600

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £2,000,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Jet engine parts

  £2,000,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Aircraft indicator equipment

  £235,750

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Aircraft ignition and switchgear spares

  £100,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Ejector seats and equipment

  £800,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Ejector seat parts

  £2,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Oxygen equipment

  £25,500

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Oxygen equipment

  £223,750

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  Engine air inlet ice protection equipment

  £76,000

  For military aircraft/Yugoslav Air Force

  1992

  Ballistic blankets for helicopter seats

  30

  Helicopter seat protection/United Nations Forces

  AMPLIFIERS

  1990

  Various amplifiers and voltage stabilisers

  £38,250

  Development of electronic counter measures receiver/Institute of Microwave and Electronics

  BODY ARMOUR

  1990

  Armoured jackets, helmets, ceramic plates

  £24,120

  Personal protection/Yugoslav State Police

  1991

  Armoured jackets, helmets, ceramic plates

  £18,600

  Personal protection/Yugoslav State Police

  1992

  Armoured jackets, plates etc.

  £26,300

  Personal protection/Staff of United Nations High Commission for Refugees

  Armoured jackets, plates etc.

  £8,500

  Personal protection/Staff of United Nations High Commission for Refugees

  CAMERAS

  1989

  Cameras for aerial photography

  2

  For remote piloted vehicle/Federal Directorate of Supply and Procurement

  DETIONATORS

  1991

  Detonators and fuses

  500

  To activate fire detection/suppression systems in hazardous environment/rubber manufacturer

  COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT

  1989

  Spares for transceiver

  £2,500

  Radio communications/Yugoslav Army

  Spares for minehunting command and navigation systems

  £15,000

  Federal Secretariat of National Defence

  COMPASSES

  1989

  Tubular compasses

  40

  Attachment to surveillance equipment/ Yugoslav Ministry of Defence

  ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND COMPONENTS

  1989

  Hysteresis Motor

  45

  Manufacture of test equipment/Federal Secretariat of National Defence

  Hysteresis Motor

  16

  Manufacture of test equipment/Federal Secretariat of National Defence

  Torque Motors

  4

  For simulation training equipment/Federal Secretariat of National Defence

  128 129

  Goods

  Quantity or value

  End-use/User

  1990

  Hysteresis Motor

  44

  Manufacture of test equipment-Federal Secretariat of National Defence

  EXPLOSIVES DETECTION EQUIPMENT

  1989

  Explosives detector

  1

  Demonstration only/Yugoslav Institute of Security

  Explosives vapour detector

  2

  Yugoslav police

  INFRARED, THERMAL IMAGING AND IMAGE, INTENSIFIER EQUIPMENT

  2

  Yugoslav police

  1989

  Second generation image intensifier

  1

  Night vision goggles/optical manufacturer

  Passive driving periscope (2nd generation image intensifier tubes)

  1

  Demonstration/night optics manufacturer

  Second generation image intensifier

  1

  Night vision goggles/optical manufacturer

  Steady scope with night vision (second generation) attachment

  1

  Demonstration only/Yugoslav Police

  Processing equipment for second generation image intensifies

  £1,503,700

  Manufacture of night vision equipment/ Yugoslav Army

  Image intensifier tubes (second generation)

  6

  Night vision equipment/Yugoslav Ministry of Defence

  Second generation image intensifies

  150

  Night vision goggles/optical manufacturer

  Second generation image intensifies

  66

  Night vision goggles/Yugoslav Army

  Second generation image intensifies

  40

  Night vision goggles/optical manufacturer

  Second generation image intensifies

  60

  Night vision goggles/optical manufacturer

  Second generation image intensifies

  8

  Night vision goggles/optical manufacturer

  Second generation image intensifies

  200

  Night vision goggles/optical manufacturer

  Cryogenic equipment for thermal imaging equipment

  12

  Thermal imager/thermal electro-optics manufacturer

  1990

  Night vision goggles and equipment (second generation tubes)

  6

  Demonstration only/optical manufacturer

  Second generation image intensifers

  2

  For night vision goggles/optical manufacturer

  LIFESAVING EQUIPMENT

  1991

  Marine distress equipment (flares, Very pistols, etc.)

  £91,500

  Marine rescue/leisure and commercial shipyards

  1992

  Smoke canisters, cartridges, pistols

  £1,900

  Ground-air/ground-ground signalling marking for landing dropping zones/United Nations forces

  Marine distress equipment (flares, smoke canisters, etc.)

  £124,350

  Marine rescue/leisure and commercial shipyards

  Smoke signalling grenades

  £18,115

  Smoke signalling United Nations forces

  LITHIUM BATTERIES

  1990

  Lithium reserve batteries

  £10,000

  For mines, grenades, etc/Federal Directorate of Supply and Procurement

  LITHIUM BATTERIES

  1990

  Periscope spares

  £3,190

  Yugoslav Navy

  RADAR RQUIPMENT AND SPERES

  1989

  Miscellaneous spares for military mobile radar systems

  £22,700

  Spares for existing equipment/Yugoslav Air Force

  Miscellaneous spares for military mobile radar systems

  £755,500

  Spares for existing equipment/Yugoslav Air Force

  Switches

  270

  Radar simulation/Secretariat of National Defence

  Switches

  270

  Radar simulation/Secretariat of National Defence

  1990

  Miscellaneous Spares for military mobile radars—air defence

  £72,160

  Support spares for existing equipment/Federal Directorate of Supply and Procurement

  Isolators

  5

  Repair of radar equipment/Secretariat of National Defence

  130 131

  Goods

  Quantity or value

  End-use/User

  Miscellaneous radar equipment and spares

  £24,286,700

  For existing radar stations/Yugoslav Air Force

  1991

  C—Band magnetrons

  20

  Spares for existing radar equipment/Yugoslav army

  Isolators

  5

  Spares for existing radar equipment/air traffic control

  Gunn diode

  8

  Spares for existing radar equipment/Institute for Microwave Technology

  Miscellaneous spares for military mobile radar systems

  £755,500

  Spares for existing equipment/Yugoslav Air Force

  Spares for mortar-locating radar

  £25,000

  Spares for existing equipment/Yugoslav Army

  RANGEFINDERS (LASER)

  1989

  Hand held laser rangefinder

  1

  Evaluation purposes/Yugoslav defence contractor

  Hand held laser rangefinders (non-functioning)

  4

  Interface checks/Yugoslav defence contractor

  SMALL ARMS AND AMMUNITION

  1989

  Metal-filled plastic bullets (heads)

  Sample quantity

  Production of frangible training ammunition/ Federal Directorate of Supply and Procurement

  Smith & Wesson revolver

  1

  Target shooting/tourism company

  9mm sports pistol

  1

  Sporting use/private buyer

  Shotgun primers

  £10,000

  Sporting ammunition manufacture

  1990

  ·22 rifle barrels and actions

  2

  Sporting use private buyer

  Shotguns and blank ammunition

  £5,200

  Production of cinema film/film company

  MG34 7·9mm rifle

  1

  Production of cinema film/film company

  BAR 30·06 auto rifle

  1

  Production of cinema film/film company

  Sporting rifle, shotgun and pistol, and ammunition

  3

  Sporting use/private buyer

  1991

  Revolver (·357)

  1

  Personal protection/private buyer

  Smith & Wesson revolver

  1

  Sporting use/private buyer

  Sonar equipment spares

  1989

  Spares for sonar equipment

  £4,000

  Repair of equipment/Yugoslav Navy

  Spares for sonar equipment

  £15,700

  Repair of equipment/Yugoslav Navy

  Transistors

  1989

  Field effect transistors

  £3,000

  For instrumentation/Federal Secretariat National Defence

  Companies (Environmental Disclosure)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what response he intends to make to the proposal from his advisory council on business and the environment that all companies should adopt environmental disclosure as a requirement for listing on the stock exchange.

  Mr. Eggar
  The advisory committee's recommendation is directed at the stock exchange and it is for that body to consider and decide on its appropriateness. The recommendation has been brought to the attention of the stock exchange and I await its response with interest.

  Expo '92
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has received for the future use of the British trade pavilion used at the Expo '92 exhibition in Seville; and what decisions he has taken.
  132
  Mr. Needham
  Negotiations are now at an advanced stage with a private sector buyer for sale of the United Kingdom's Expo '92 pavilion. Subject to a satisfactory outcome, the purchaser intends to dismantle the pavilion and relocate it in the United Kingdom. It is hoped to bring the negotiations to a successful conclusion by the end of March 1993.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent communications he has received from HHL Publishing regarding its participation at the British pavilion at the Expo '92 exhibition in Seville.

  Mr. Needham
  Solicitors representing HHL Publishing wrote on 27 November 1992 about various aspects and received a detailed response to all points on 18 December.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent communications he has received from Farrow and Humphreys Ltd., in regard to services provided to the British pavilion at the Expo '92 exhibition in Seville.
  133
  Mr. Needham
  Farrow and Humphreys Ltd. wrote on 13 January concerning the loss incurred in supplying the company that ran the pavilion shop, which is now in voluntary liquidation. I replied on 31 January.

  Republic of China
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the total exports and imports between the United Kingdom and the Republic of China in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Needham
  Information on United Kingdom visible trade is published in the "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom" which is available in the Library of the House.

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the Insolvency Service expects to complete its review of its funding and fee charging policy.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The review is nearing completion and I will make known my conclusions in due course when I have had an opportunity to consider all the issues.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to publish the accounts of the Insolvency Service for 1991–92.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The statement of receipts and payments of the Insolvency Service's account for 1991–92 is expected to be published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office on 24 February.

  Steel
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to hold discussions with(a) the Luxembourg Government and (b) the European Commission concerning state aids to Messrs. Arbed, steel producers, of Luxembourg and its subsidiaries.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has no plans at present to hold discussions with the Luxembourg Government. Arbed has made applications for research grants which are permitted under the ECSC state aid code, and these have been discussed between member states and the Commission. However, if evidence exists to suggest that Arbed is benefiting from illegal subsidies, the Government will pursue the matter vigorously with the Commission.

  Quangos
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Hearing Aid Council is the only non-departmental public body for which my Department is responsible which has these powers.

  Digital Audio Broadcasting
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to promote the introduction of digital audio broadcasting in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Digital audio broadcasting—DAB—is recognised as a very important development in sound broadcasting, and I am anxious to ensure that its benefits and opportunities are made available in this country. I am therefore establishing a United Kingdom DAB forum to co-ordinate and promote plans for the introduction of DAB in this country and to liaise with those with similar interests in other countries, particularly elsewhere in Europe.

  Participants will include broadcasters, equipment manufacturers, retailers, service providers and other interested parties. The aim is to enhance the potential benefit for United Kingdom industry and ensure that British people will be able to enjoy the benefits of DAB, including high-quality reception in cars and on portable receivers, and additional services that the new technology will make possible.

  My officials will continue their efforts to secure sufficient radio spectrum for the first terrestrial DAB transmissions to begin when the first receivers become available, which is expected to be around 1995.

  Ammonium Nitrate
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to prevent the dumping in the United Kingdom of low-quality ammonium nitrate by the former eastern bloc countries; and if he will ensure that imported ammonium nitrate is bagged and labelled correctly.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 11 February 1993]: Anti-dumping action is a matter for the European Commission, which is currently investigating a complaint by the Fertiliser Manufacturers Association that ammonium nitrate is being dumped in the United Kingdom by certain republics of the former Soviet Union. The Government have urged the Commission to complete its investigation quickly and will consider carefully any proposals for anti-dumping measures which the Commission then makes. As regards bagging and labelling of dangerous substances such as ammonium nitrate, imports must comply with the relevant United Kingdom legislation and inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive are responsible for checking on this during visits to ports.

  HOME DEPARTMENT
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the weekly budget allocation per prison inmate for breakfast, lunch, tea and supper on 1 January 1973, 1 January 1983 and 1 January 1993; and what account is taken of inflation in uprating the allowance.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There is no weekly budget allocation per inmate for food. Inmates are fed to a predetermined dietary scale which provides them with a set quantity of food and is therefore not affected by inflation. The items
  135
  on this scale are either purchased from centrally negotiated call-off contracts or provided by Prison Service farms and gardens group.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons which have contracted out their catering functions; what arrangements have been made for monitoring the carrying out of the contract; and what system is in place to respond to complaints about the service provided.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The catering function is contracted out in the following prisons:

  Belmarsh

  Bullingdon

  Down view

  Highdown

  Holme House

  Woodhill

  Lancaster Farms

  Prison Service area catering managers inspect and report on technical standards in all prisons. This includes monitoring contract caterers for their compliance with the contract. Contractors are responsible to governors for the satisfactory overall performance of the contract.

  The system for dealing with complaints about the service provided by a contract caterer is the same as for prisons with an in-house catering service.

  Wolds Prison
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names and previous employment of(a) the governor and deputy governor of Wolds remand prison, (b) the governor and deputy governor of Blakenhurst prison and (c) the director and assistant director of Group 4 Court Escort Services; Ltd.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A contracted-out prison is run by a director not a governor. The director of Wolds remand prison is Mr. Stephen Twinn. Wolds has no deputy director, but the head of custody is Mr. David McDonnell. The director of Blakenhurst is Mr. David Brooke, and the deputy director will be Mr. Bernard Higgins, who has yet to take up post. All were formerly members of HM Prison Service. Immediately prior to taking up his post at Blakenhurst, Mr. Brooke was on secondment to HM inspectorate of prisons. The director of Group 4 Court Services Ltd. in the east midlands and Humberside is Mr. Michael Hirst. There is no assistant director, but the two senior controllers are Mr. Ken Tuckwood and Mr. David Adams. All are former police officers.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the absconding of a man on remand at the Wolds on 9 February; and if he will institute an inquiry.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 9 February a prisoner escaped from Hull royal infirmary where he had been taken, under escort, from Wolds remand prison. He was re-arrested by the police during the night of 10 February.

  The contractor's staff are carrying out a full inquiry into the causes of the escape. I have also instructed the controller to initiate an inquiry into matters connected with the escape.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Group 4 pays for the cost of providing gas, electricity and water at the Wolds remand prison.
  136
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No, but these are met from within the £6·9 million estimated cost of running the prison published on Budget day last year. Because Wolds is of a unique design, it was not possible to set benchmark levels of energy and water consumption for inclusion in the contract, but the contractor's efficient use of public utilities is monitored by the Home Office controller based at the prison who is assisted by the Home Office energy efficiency unit. Once energy consumption for the Wolds buildings over a full year has been established, it is intended to amend the contract so that the cost of public utilities becomes the contractor's responsibility.

  Court Escort Service
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend the contracting out of the court escort service.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Invitations to tender for the contracting out of the court escort service in the Metropolitan police district are to be issued later this year. Subject to the tenders received demonstrating value for money, it is intended that contracted-out operations should commence in 1994. Next year, it is expected that tenders will be sought for three contract areas outside London, with the aim that the service should begin in those areas in 1995. It has not yet been decided which three areas will be covered.

  Metropolitan Police
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the total cost to public funds of the Metropolitan police in 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  As police authority for the metropolis, I have approved estimates which provide for net revenue expenditure of £1,597,684 million in 1993–94. There will be a cash limit on current expenditure of £1,555,397 million. This is an increase of 5–2 per cent, on the budget estimate for 1992–93. Capital expenditure is subject to separate control.

  I have also approved the issue of a precept of £128·15 per property in band D of the council tax valuation bands for Metropolitan police purposes.

  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what effect the applicability of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 has had on the time taken for the market testing of Strangeways prison.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The original deadline for receiving bids for the operating contract of Her Majesty's prison Manchester was 18 January 1993. This has been extended while we consider the implications of applying the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981. No new deadline has yet been set.

  Winston Silcott
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what examination he has given to the new evidence in the case of Winston Silcott presented to him on 16 June 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Following representations made to my right hon. and learned Friend on 16 June 1992 about Mr.
  137
  Silcott's conviction for the murder of Mr. Smith, the Metropolitan police were asked to make inquiries. These have since been extended to take account of further representations received on 27 October 1992 and 25 January 1993. My right hon. and learned Friend will give further consideration to the case once the police inquiries have been completed.

  Squatting
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when legislative proposals will be brought forward on the squatting of residential property.

  Mr. Jack
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 3 February, at column 203.

  MFV Pescado
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what occasions the salvage of the MFV Pescado has been attempted; and what is now the earliest expected date for raising the MFV Pescado.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There has been no attempt to raise the Pescado for the past two months because of bad weather conditions. A further attempt will be made as soon as the tide and weather conditions are synchronised in such a way that a lift would be possible.

  Immigration
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were detained by immigration officers on seeking to exit from the United Kingdom for a period in excess of one hour over the past 12 months; and what reasons were given for the detention.

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

  Mr. Hanson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of immigrants to, and emigrants from, the United Kingdom for each year for the period 1980 to 1992.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 15 February 1993]: For a description of the available information on migration to and from the United Kingdom, and data for 1991, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my

  Number and percentage of persons convicted of indictable drug offences and all indictable offences in the Northumbrian police force area by age 1982 to 1991

  Aged 10 and under 18

  All ages

  Year

  Indictable drug offences

  Total indictable offences (=100 per cent.)

  Indictable drug offences

  Total indictable offences (=100 per cent.)

  Number

  per cent.

  Number

  Number

  per cent.

  Number

  1982

  3

  0·1

  4,098

  121

  1·0

  12,037

  1983

  —

  —

  3,698

  82

  0·7

  11,830

  1984

  2

  0·1

  3,572

  111

  1·0

  11,599

  1985

  5

  0·2

  3,282

  118

  1·1

  10,621

  1986

  1

  0·0

  2,528

  90

  1·0

  8,985

  1987

  2

  0·1

  2,449

  115

  1·3

  9,076

  1988

  3

  0·1

  2,253

  86

  1·0

  8,880

  1989

  3

  0·2

  1,702

  113

  1·4

  7,815

  1990

  10

  0·6

  1,642

  132

  1·7

  7,760

  19911

  12

  0·8

  1,557

  137

  1·7

  7,991

  1 Provisional.

  138
  right hon. Friend the Member for Selby (Mr. Alison) on 15 February at columns 19·20. Data for 1980–90 are given in table 2·1 of the 1989 and 1990 issues of the OPCS publication "International Migration", copies of which are in the Library. Data for 1992 are not yet available.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the responsibilities and activities of the group of co-ordinators on the free movement of persons referred to in the report of the immigration and nationality department 1991–92.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The co-ordinators' group is a group of senior officials set up by the European Council in 1988 to co-ordinate member states' action relating to the free movement of persons. It also has direct oversight of the work of the horizontal group on data processing, which is looking at the creation of a European information system for the exchange of information of inadmissible aliens, missing persons, stolen vehicles and other goods. The group also has a remit from the Maastricht European Council to plan for the implementation of title VI of the treaty on European union. It reports direct to the European Council.

  Drugs, Northumbria
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being taken to prevent the flow of drugs into Northumbria.

  Mr. Jack
  Drug dealers and traffickers are the subject of investigations by the Northumbria police drug squad and by No. 2 regional crime squad, in liaison with Her Majesty's Customs, and supported by the drugs division of the National Criminal Intelligence Service. Additionally, divisional officers are trained to recognise and deal with drug problems at street level. The outcome in 1992 was a significant increase over 1991 in the number of arrests for drug-related offences in the Blyth area. Northumbria police also give regular briefings on drugs to teachers to assist in informing children of the dangers of drug misuse.

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of convictions in the Northumbrian police area involving under 18-year-olds and in total were for drug-related offences in each year since 1982.

  Mr. Jack
  The information is given in the table.

  Category A Prisoners
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates in prisons in(a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland who were held as category A prisoners on 1 January 1992 were removed from this category during 1992.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  During 1992, 56 category A inmates in England and Wales were downgraded to category B following review by the category A committee.

  The position in Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland respectively.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men and (b) women who were held in prisons in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Northern Ireland were category A prisoners during 1992.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 31 December 1992, there were 554 male and four female category A prisoners in prison custody in England and Wales.

  The position in Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland respectively.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how often the status of an inmate being held as a category A prisoner in(a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland is reviewed.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In England and Wales the security category of category A prisoners is liable to review at any time in the light of security or other information. Usually a category A prisoner is held in the category on a provisional basis until conviction and sentence, when the case is put to the category A committee for formal review. Cases are reviewed at least annually thereafter.

  The position in Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland respectively.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the longest period of time an inmate at present being held in prison in(a) England and Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland has been in category A status as at 1 February.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Twenty-six years in England and Wales. The position in Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland respectively.

  Bosnian Refugees
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are being applied in selecting areas for resettlement of Bosnian refugees once they leave reception centres.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The areas selected will be those where support can be made available from refugee and other voluntary organisations, and where there is suitable accommodation.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much he expects to spend in the next six,140
  12 and 18 months on resettlement programmes associated with Bosnian refugees; and how much local authorities will be expected to pay.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Firm forecasts are not yet possible and depend on how quickly the international organisations are able to arrange the arrival of further groups from Bosnian detention camps and the tracing of their dependants. The proposed settlement of the Bosnians in various parts of the country seeks to avoid imposing undue burdens on individual local authorities.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the destinations and the arrangements for catering for the Bosnian and other former Yugoslav refugees admitted to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The areas provisionally identified for the resettlement of both former detainees and their dependants accepted by the Government at the request of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees are listed in the table. The Government are providing funds to the Refugee Council and the British Red Cross to find suitable housing and to provide support to the Bosnian families in conjunction with refugee and other voluntary organisations in the areas concerned.

  Provisional resettlement areas

  The West Midlands

  The East Midlands/East Anglia

  The North

  The North-East

  Central Scotland

  London

  Immigration Rules
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the immigration rules which prescribe that a person wishing to set up a business in the United Kingdom must leave the United Kingdom to make the application as part of the exercise in looking at regulations which unnecessarily inhibit business.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to set aside the entry clearance requirement for non-EC nationals wishing to establish themselves in business or self-employment in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to modify the immigration rules so that under the European Community's association agreements with Czechoslovakia, Hungry and Poland self-employed persons from those countries who own and direct their own businesses will be free to establish themselves in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend is considering what changes will need to be made to the immigration rules in order to comply with the provisions in the EC association agreements with Hungary and Poland on the establishment of their nationals in this country once the agreements come into force.

  Police Radios
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take to counter the use of scanners by criminals to monitor police radios.
  141
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Specialist units already use encrypted radios and many police forces are now purchasing such radios for more general use. This is the most effective way of protecting police communications.

  East-West Migration
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what follow-up action the Government are taking on the conference on east-west migration arising from the Berlin conference referred to in the report of the Immigration and Nationality Department 1991–92.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend attended a ministerial conference in Budapest on 15 and 16 February. This was a follow-up to the Berlin conference, and among other things considered a series of recommendations for tackling illegal immigration from and through central and eastern Europe.

  Number and percentage of offenders cautioned and found guilty at all courts in the North West region and England and Wales by age and type of offence, 19911

  Aged under 21 years

  All ages [= 100 per cent.]

  Area/type of offence

  Cautioned

  Found guilty

  Total found guilty or cautioned

  cautioned

  Found guilty

  Total found guilty or cautioned

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  North West Region

  Indictable offences

  17,324

  68

  19,197

  36

  26,521

  46

  25,316

  53,917

  79,233

  Summary non-motoring offences

  6,364

  52

  10,023

  16

  16,387

  22

  12,169

  62,527

  74,696

  All offences (excluding summary motoring)

  23,688

  63

  29,220

  25

  52,908

  34

  37,485

  116,444

  153,929

  England and Wales

  Indictable offences

  119,424

  66

  115,376

  34

  234,800

  46

  179,885

  335,394

  515,279

  Summary non-motoring offences

  38,649

  39

  63,279

  14

  101,928

  19

  98,880

  450,558

  549,438

  All offences (excluding summary motoring)

  158,073

  57

  178,655

  23

  336,728

  32

  278,765

  785,952

  1,064,717

  1 Provisional.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Royal Art Collection
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will give details of the charitable trust set up to administer the royal art collection.

  Mr. Key
  This is a matter for the director of the royal collection, who is secretary of the Royal Collection Trust and to whom the hon. Lady may wish to write.

  Items in Lieu of Tax
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what offers in lieu of tax allocated there have been since his last announcement on 14 January,Official Report, column 774.

  Mr. Brooke
  Since my announcement on 14 January, I am pleased to inform the House of the allocation of items offered in lieu of taxation. A painting, "San Bernardino preaching in the Campo at Siena" by Domenico Beccafumi, together with a chalk study of the painting, will be allocated to the Fitzwilliam museum. Two diagrams by Michelangelo will be allocated to the British museum.

  Foreign Enlistment Act 1870
  Mr. Con way
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prosecutions under the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870 in the last 10 years.

  Mr. Jack
  Records available centrally show no prosecutions in England and Wales from 1979 to 1991, which is provisional, under the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of offenders in(a) the north-west and (b) England and Wales were aged under 21 years in the last year for which figures are avilable.

  Mr. Jack
  Information for 1991, which is provisional, is given in the table.

  Windsor Castle
  Mr. Trend
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a further statement on an independent fund for the restoration of Windsor castle to which he referred in his oral answer to the hon. Member for Shoreham (Mr. Stephen) on 25 January,Official Report, column 695.

  Mr. Brooke
  I am pleased to say that following inquiries from a number of people who wish to assist with the restoration of Windsor castle, Coutts and Company, bankers are establishing a trust fund to receive donations for that purpose. This fund will be entirely independent of the royal household and the Government.

  Contracting Out
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will provide figures for the reduction in numbers of posts as a result of contracting out since 1979 in his Department and agencies for which he has responsibility.

  Mr. Key
  The Department of National Heritage was established in April 1992 since when 27 industrial posts have been lost as a result of contracting out. There has been no loss of posts at the Historic Royal Palaces Agency in this period.

  Quangos
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.
  144
  Mr. Key
  My Department is responsible for five non-departmental public bodies which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions. These are:

  British Library

  Broadcasting Complaints Commission

  Broadcasting Standards Council

  Football Licensing Authority

  English Heritage

  Of these, the Broadcasting Complaints Commission recovers the costs incurred for adjudications from the broadcasters.

TRANSPORT

  Unseaworthy Vessels
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many ships' owners were gaoled for letting unseaworthy vessels sail as allowed for by the Merchant Shipping Acts in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Norris
  None.

  Inshore Waters Forecast
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what instructions he has given to Her Majesty's coastguard concerning issuing to the public, or answering telephone inquiries from the public about, the inshore waters forecast for the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Norris
  Each coastguard rescue centre broadcasts on marine VHF radio Marinecall inshore weather forecasts for their local areas at four-hourly intervals, or every two hours when a strong wind warning is in force. The Shetland isles is an exception and is covered by an inshore forecast especially provided by the Meteorological Office and paid for by the Department of Transport. Marinecall information is a commercial undertaking through a British Telecom recorded message service and is supplied free to Her Majesty's coastguard for promulgation by VHF radio only. Her Majesty's coastguard has undertaken not to compromise the service provided and, therefore, directs telephone callers to the Marinecall recorded service. However, BBC inshore waters forecasts, which are in the public domain, are given by Her Majesty's coastguard upon request via radio or telephone.

  MFV Pescado
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the precise position of MFV Pescado at the time of its sinking; and whether this position is outside British territorial waters.

  Mr. Norris
  The wreck lies at Lat 50° 00·5'N, Long 4° 43·9'W which is outside United Kingdom territorial waters.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to investigate possible submarine damage to MFV Pescado.

  Mr. Norris
  The marine accident investigation branch inspectors considered every possibility during their investigation.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the deadline for the submission of compensation claims arising out of the sinking of MFV Pescado; and who is entitled to claim compensation.

  Mr. Norris
  Under the provisions of the Limitation Act 1980 claims in respect of death or personal injury have to be made within three years of the incident. Other claims in tort have to be made within six years. The dependants of any person who died may be in a position to make a claim; if they are minded to do so they should seek legal advice. If claims are made against the owner he cannot limit his liability in respect of crew members employed on the vessel.
  146
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to arrange for the MFV Pescado to be raised before the expiry of the deadline under which compensation claims must be made.

  Mr. Norris
  No.

  Speed Limits
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to introduce automatic speed limits in rural villages between village signs.

  Mr. Carlisle
  The Department issued a policy document on speed limits and revised guidance on the criteria for setting local speed limits on 13 January. There are no plans to introduce automatic speed limits between village signs, as used in some other countries. The factors which determine the best site for a village name sign invariably differ from those for deciding the start of a speed limit. Speed limits need to be seen by drivers as reasonable if they are to be obeyed and combining the village and speed signs could result in many instances in a speed limit being applied before it is appropriate. There are severe penalties for breaking limits and drivers should know when they enter a new speed limit zone by passing a sign displaying a speed limit roundel.

  MV Goldeneye
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what restrictions exist on a vessel of the type of MV Goldeneye attending a salvage outside United Kingdom territorial waters.

  Mr. Norris
  Restrictions on the salvage operations of vessels of the type of MV Goldeneye are governed by the terms of the load line or load line exemption certificate.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will publish further papers considered by the high-level forum for the channel tunnel rail link.

  Mr. Freeman
  Copies have been placed in the Library of the two papers considered by the high-level forum that I chaired in December. These are entitled "Proposed Consultation Arrangements" and "Developing Station and Junction Proposals".

  Shipping (Radar Surveillance)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what was the cost of operating radar surveillance of shipping in the English channel in each of the last three financial years;

  (2) what estimate his Department has made of the capital cost and annual running costs of installing radar surveillance equipment to monitor shipping traffic in the Fair Isle straits, the Minches, the Pentland firth and the North channel.

  Mr. Norris
  The operating costs of the channel navigation information service—CNIS—comprise extra manpower required by Her Majesty's coastguard at Langdon battery Dover and at the technical services unit at Highcliffe, the maintenance of the radar system and ancillary equipment, and an aircraft to identify vessels
  147
  infringing the traffic separation scheme. Figures for the last three years, in £000s, and the estimated outturn for 1992–93 are as follows:

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  11992–93

  Manpower

  87

  89

  101

  113

  Maintenance

  357

  303

  389

  550

  Aircraft

  129

  120

  139

  100

  1 Estimate.

  The manpower figures are estimated because they are not recorded separately within the budget for operating Langdon battery.

  The radar system is being overhauled, with a new computer system being installed, at a total cost of £4·5 million. The maintenance costs this year have been higher because of this exercise but are expected to fall sharply when the new system is commissioned in April 1993.

  The Department has not estimated the costs of installing and operating a similar system in any other area: this could be done only after a detailed study of the area concerned to determine what sites and equipment would be needed. The figures given for CNIS may not be indicative because some sites and equipment already available have been used, but they show the order of cost.

  Radio Transponders
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the International Maritime Organisation on the subject of equipping vessels with radio transponders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  No representations have been made to the International Maritime Organisation—IMO—with regard to equipping vessels with radio transponders. However, the Department is actively considering their use in vessel traffic services at the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities, which has been tasked to undertake this work by the IMO.

  Quangos
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible, which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.

  Mr. Norris
  None of the non-departmental public bodies for which my right hon. Friend is responsible has such power.

  Northern Ireland Railways
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 8 February,Official Report, column 418, if he will list the property owned by British Rail in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a matter for British Rail.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 8 February,Official
  148
  Report, column 418, if he will make a statement as to the implications for Northern Ireland of clause 132(3) of the Railways Bill.

  Mr. Freeman
  The implications for Northern Ireland of section 132(3) of the Railways Bill are minimal. The main provisions of part I of the Railways Bill do not extend to Northern Ireland. The restructuring provisions in part II and associated provisions in part III, which apply to the British Railways Board, are extended to Northern Ireland to enable the board to deal with any property, rights and liabilities it may have in Northern Ireland. Other provisions extend to Northern Ireland where they amend legislation which so extends.

  Vehicle Testing
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what advice he has issued to vehicle testing stations; and if he will place the full details in the Library;

  (2) what information he has on how many diesel cars have suffered engine damage as a result of the new smoke emission tests in the MOT test;

  (3) what steps he has taken to inform the public of the diesel engine new smoke emission tests; what evaluation of alternative test methods which are less liable to cause engine damage has been made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  MOT testing stations have been advised how to test diesel-engined vehicles, and with what equipment. They have been specifically instructed not to test vehicles where the engine is not in a satisfactory condition, and they have also been given guidance on how to establish this. I have placed in the Library a copy of the advice to MOT testing stations about the MOT diesel smoke check, together with the relevant extract from the MOT tester's manual about the test procedure.

  The test involves measuring smoke density while the enigine is run to its maximum governed speed so as to impose a similar sort of load on the engine as it experiences in normal driving conditions. The only alternative to measuring smoke density during a free acceleration test would require the use of a dynamometer. This would be a very much more expensive investment than the smoke meters which have been in use since 1 January.

  The purpose of the test and.the procedure are described in an advisory note which MOT testing stations have been providing to applicants with diesel-engined vehicles before tests have been carried out. As the note explains, the test procedure is not harmful to properly maintained engines, but an engine may well need prior attention where it has not been maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

  Unfortunately I have received reports that there have been some cases where light-duty diesel engines have suffered damage during the metered test of smoke levels while the engine is under load, and I have therefore decided to suspend that part of the test temporarily as from today pending an investigation into these matters.

  In the meantime motorists should continue to take diesel-engined vehicles only to MOT testing stations which have been authorised to test diesels, since they will still be continuing to check by eye that vehicles are not emitting excessive smoke or vapour at normal idling speed. Taken by itself, this visual check is not such an effective test because it does not indicate how an engine performs when

  149
  a vehicle is out on the road. However, it will at least identify those vehicles with serious in-service performance deficiencies.

  I hope that it will be possible to reinstate the metered test a little later in the year. Emissions testing during roadworthiness tests is an important feature of our policy on improving the environment, and if a diesel engine is putting out too much smoke we have a responsibility to ensure that the problem is rectified.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will require all vehicle testing stations to undertake MOT tests of diesel engines.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No, the decision on whether to invest in smoke-measuring equipment must be a matter for individual MOT testing stations to make. If we were to introduce a requirement that all stations should be able to test diesel-engined vehicles there would be substantial over-capacity, and a lot of equipment would be left standing idle for long periods of time.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to inform the owners of diesel cars and diesel light commercial vehicles of the need to ensure that their vehicles are serviced before being submitted for the Ministry of Transport test diesel smoke emission levels test.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Diesel-engined vehicles do not necessarily need to be serviced before the MOT test, although an engine may well need prior attention where it has not been maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. MOT stations have been providing an advisory note about this to all test applicants with diesel-engined vehicles before a test takes place. The note explains the purpose of the smoke check; the procedure involved; and it also advises against proceeding with a test in any case where an engine may not be in a fit state to be tested. In addition, testing stations have been instructed to review the service history of a vehicle with the applicant before starting the test, and to carry out a number of preliminary safety checks on the engine. I have placed a copy of the note and our instructions in the Library.

  Unfortunately, notwithstanding the various precautions which have been taken, I have nevertheless received reports that there have been some cases where light-duty diesel engines have suffered damage during the metered test, and I have therefore decided to suspend that part of the test temporarily as from today pending an investigation into these matters.

  East Coast Motorway
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the proposed east coast motorway from the Humber bridge towards London.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport to my hon. Friend the Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway) on 9 July 1992,Official Report, columns 321·22.

  Birmingham Northern Relief Road
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Birmingham northern relief road was expected to have been begun and completed before the tolling decision was taken.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  In May 1989, when it was announced that the Birmingham northern relief road would be privately financed, the Department estimated that a public sector scheme could not have opened until the mid-1990s, allowing for a three-year construction period. That estimate was however very tentative: the statutory procedures for the public scheme had not been completed; the implications of new national traffic forecasts had not been incorporated; and the availability of public finance could not be guaranteed.

  Behavioural Research
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the behavioural research programme announced in the 1980s and on its progress and interim results.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The behavioural studies research programme was initiated in 1986. Its aim is to quantify how the accident risk of individual drivers and motor cyclists depends on age, driving experience, gender and a range of social and psychological factors.

  The programme has identified those skills and attitudes which are important for safety on the road. It is now exploring the ways by which key skills such as hazard perception can be taught, and how attitudes and behaviours can be influenced. It is providing a sound basis for measures to help reduce the number of casualties on our roads, in particular those associated with young or inexperienced drivers.

  There is a continuing programme of work, involving the Transport Research Laboratory and 10 universities, which so far has resulted in more than 40 publications in the scientific press.

  Heathrow Express
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the current forecast timetable for(a) the rail track charges for the Heathrow express to be agreed and (b) the Heathrow express to start operating.

  Mr. Norris
  I hope that negotiations between the British Airports Authority and British Rail on track access charges and other matters will be concluded shortly. It ought then to be possible for the service to begin operating in 1997.

  Rail Improvements
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the capital cost and the net present value of the proposed rail improvements at Borough Market and of the Thameslink 2000 project.

  Mr. Norris
  Preliminary estimates by British Rail suggest that the net capital cost of the Thameslink 2000 project as a whole would be about £1 billion; that it would have a negative financial net present value, discounted at
  151
  8 per cent., of about £600 million but positive net present value of about £1 billion if non-priced benefits were taken into account.

  The element of capital costs in the Borough Market area is estimated to be in the order of £80 million to £90 million; no meaningful net present value can be attached to this element of the project in isolation.

  British Rail is continuing its appraisal work.

  Disabled Employees
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of employees in his Department are registered disabled.

  Mr. Norris
  At 1 July 1992, the latest date for which figures are available, 1.3 per cent, of the total work force of the Department of Transport and its agencies were registered as disabled. It is not possible to establish the total number of departmental staff with disabilities because many people with disabilities prefer not to register.

  Plutonium
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the transportation by air of plutonium in containers which do not meet the standards stipulated by the International Atomic Energy Agency; when this method of transporting plutonium began; why this method of transportation was chosen; and what assessment has been made of the likely effects if any of the aeroplanes which are used to transport plutonium were to be involved in a crash.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I know of no instance when plutonium has been transported in or over the UK in containers that did not meet the standards stipulated by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

  In its report "The Transport of Civil Plutonium by Air", published in 1988, the advisory committee on the safe transport of radioactive material concluded that the health risk to people from the current transport of civil plutonium by air to and from the United Kingdom is not only extremely remote but also acceptable.

  Contracting Out
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide figures for the reduction in numbers of posts as a result of contracting out since 1979 in his Department and agencies for which he has responsibility.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I regret that the information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. We will, however, be reporting on the outcome of this year's market testing programme.

  Statutory Instruments
  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many statutory instruments were laid before Parliament by his Department in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The number of statutory instruments laid before Parliament by my Department in each of the years 1980 to 1992 was as follows:
  152

  Number

  1980

  66

  1981

  76

  1982

  57

  1983

  64

  1984

  98

  1985

  99

  1986

  148

  1987

  74

  1988

  86

  1989

  114

  1990

  85

  1991

  123

  1992

  127

  Air Freight Facilities
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve air freight facilities between Scotland and EC member states; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  The third package of aviation liberalisation measures, which came into effect on 1 January, has introduced a fully liberal air freight market in the EC. This means that routes between the United Kingdom and other EC member states can be operated by any EC licensed air carrier. The provision of facilities for such operations is for the carriers and airports concerned.

  Oil Tankers
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of how much time it would take for a sea-going tug to render assistance in the event of a tanker getting into trouble in the Minch.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 12 February 1993]Such an assessment is not possible without defining the particular circumstances of the case including weather and the location of the casualty. Provision of emergency tug assistance is a matter between the owner or master of the casualty and tug suppliers.

  Tankers
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment he has made of the environmental impact of tankers flushing out their tanks in the North sea.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 15 February 1993]: Efforts continue to deter tankers from illegally flushing their tanks in the North sea and to detect tankers that may do so. It is impracticable to undertake an assessment of the environmental impact of such flushing because of the difficulties of distinguishing between traces of hydrocarbons present in sea water due to tank flushing and those from other sources.

  Bicycles
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidance his Department has given regarding implementation of the requirement of imported bicycles to meet current trading standards regulations.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  As the question falls to the Department of Transport, I have been asked to reply.

  The sale of bicycles is regulated by the Pedal Bicycles (Safety) Regulations 1984 (SI 1984/145 as amended by

  153
  SI 1984/1057) made under what is now the Consumer Protection Act 1987. These apply the relevant British Standard—BS—and will shortly be updated in line with the latest BS published last year. The regulations, which are enforceable by trading standards officers, cover the supply of all bicycles, whether imported or not.

  Radioactive Substances
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of the proposal for a Council regulation on shipments of radioactive substances within the European Community (Com (92) 520 final) delivered by the European Commission to the United Kingdom Presidency of the European Council on 7 December 1992.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer the hon. Member to the explanatory memorandum number 11035/92 submitted by the Employment Department on 10 December 1992. A further supplementary explanatory memorandum will be submitted shortly.

EDUCATION

  Further Education Colleges (Auditors)
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what restrictions there are on colleges of further education after 1 April appointing the same firm of auditors to undertake both internal and external audit functions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  Colleges entering the new further education sector on 1 April may use one firm to provide internal and external audit services. The Further Education Funding Council has advised colleges intending to use only one firm that they should satisfy themselves that the arrangements will provide an effective service; and that they should be able to satisfy the council's audit service that each role is clearly defined, that both sets of reporting requirements are fully met and that the internal audit coverage will not be limited to an assessment of the systems and controls that are carried out by an external auditor in forming an opinion. Colleges have also been advised by the council to ensure that their selection process ensures real competition.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what arrangements he is making to extend the responsibilities of the Audit Commission to encompass colleges of further education and grant-maintained schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Education Bill currently before Parliament includes proposals to allow the Audit Commission to carry out value-for-money studies for the Funding Agency for Schools. The commission is already empowered to undertake similar work for the Further Education Funding Council. The district audit service may, under current arrangements, compete with other companies to provide audit services for grant-maintained schools and, after 1 April, further education corporations, if it chooses to do so.

  Primary and Secondary Education (Funding)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the basis for the difference between funding of primary and secondary school children; if he will make it his policy to fund children from the ages of five to 16 years on a national curriculum basis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The current balance of funding between the primary and secondary phases reflects local education authorities' decisions about relative needs and priorities. Similarly, it is for local education authorities—LEAs—to decide the basis of funding for compulsory school education, within the resources available to them. Spending available per pupil in nursery, primary and secondary schools increased in real terms by over
  45 per cent, between 1979–80 and 1990–91. LEAs' planned spending in 1992–93 was around 5 per cent, higher in real terms than LEA spending in 1990–91.

  GCSE (Science)
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of pupils achieved the highest grades in Sc 1, Sc 2, Sc 3 and Sc 4 in the recent pilot studies for the new GCSE science exam.

  Mr. Forth
  The purpose of these pilots was to test the examining and awarding processes, not the pupils. Those who took part will be taking GCSE examinations this summer, and had not completed the GCSE syllabus at the time of the trials. The marks are not therefore significant as predictors of GCSE grades.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will review the criteria to be applied in assessing Sc 1 —the practical investigations—GCSE science.

  Mr. Forth
  Criteria for GCSE syllabuses in science were published by the School Examinations and Assessment Council in June 1992. I know of no reason why my right hon. Friend should review those criteria.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consultations his Department had with organisations representing experienced teachers before introducing GCSE science.

  Mr. Forth
  Before the GCSE was introduced for all subjects in 1986, the Department undertook extensive consultations with a wide range of organisations and individuals, including teachers and their representative bodies.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the estimated annual cost of providing the helpline to answer questions from the public on grant-maintained status for schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The helpline is a pilot scheme which began on 1 February and will run for at least six weeks. Decisions about extending the service will be made in due course in the light of experience of the pilot.

  The estimated running costs of the pilot are £25,000. A further sum, estimated at £200,000, is being spent to inform the public of the availability of the service in the national press and magazines.

  Quangos
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies, for which his Department is responsible, which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions at the expense and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.

  Mr. Boswell
  None of the non-departmental public bodies for which this Department is responsible may compel anyone to carry out instructions at their own expense while at the same time charging fees to cover costs incurred for assessing work deemed necessary by a public body.

  Academic Results
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will set out academic results as indicated by five GCSE A-C grades, aggregated for grant-maintained schools and aggregated for non-grant-maintained schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  In England, the proportion of pupils aged 16 at the end of the academic year 1991–92 in grant-maintained secondary schools gaining five or more grades C or better at GCSE was provisionally 45.2 per cent. The corresponding proportion for other maintained schools was 35 per cent.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what statistics are available on the educational achievements of children who received pre-school nursery education relative to children who did not receive nursery education.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department does not collect statistics on this issue. Various research findings suggest that nursery education has benefits in preparing many children for their primary schooling. There is no conclusive evidence of its longer-term benefits or of its cost effectiveness relative to that of other forms of under-five provision.

PRIME MINISTER

  Royal Family (Taxation)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement of 11 February,Official Report, column 1111, at which tax office the tax affairs of Her Majesty the Queen and the Prince of Wales will be administered; if any additional (a) training and (b) security measures are proposed; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The chairman of the Board of Inland Revenue, who is a signatory of the memorandum of understanding, is responsible for the administrative arrangements relating to the tax affairs of Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. I have no doubt that he will ensure appropriate levels of training and security.
  156
  As with other taxpayers, confidentiality and security are important considerations. That is why details relating to where the tax affairs of the Queen and Prince of Wales will be administered will not be released.

  Official Visits
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister when he next plans an official visit to Southwark or Bermondsey.

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

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 16 February.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 16 February.

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

  Ministers (Resignation)
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Prime Minister what are the circumstances in which he would require Ministers to resign.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 9 February 1993]: I would not expect to have to do so. All ministerial offices are at the disposal of the Prime Minister.

HEALTH

  Regional Allocations
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when her Department will undertake the review of weighted capitation for regional allocations referred to in paragraph 232 of the report of the inquiry into London's health service, medical education and research; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The review will take place during 1993–94 with a view to implementing any agreed changes to the formula in 1995–96 allocations.

  Brook Hospital
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the constituent of the hon. Member for Woolwich, national insurance No. PW13O335D, cannot be discharged from the Brook hospital to appropriate care in the community.

  Mr. Yeo
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Magnetic Resonance Scanners
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish a table showing the number of magnetic resonance scanners in each NHS region per 1,000 population and the number of procedures carried out on each scanner between April and October 1992.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of magnetic resonance scanners, including both national health service and private in each NHS region per million population is as follows:
  157

  England:

  Number

  East Anglian

  0·96

  Mersey

  1·25

  Northern

  1·30

  North East Thames

  3·17

  North West Thames

  3·63

  North Western

  1·75

  Oxford

  1·95

  South East Thames

  1·09

  South West Thames

  2·69

  South Western

  1·84

  Trent

  1·28

  Wessex

  0·68

  West Midlands

  1·15

  Yorkshire

  0·82

  Scotland:

  2·16

  Wales:

  1·04

  Northern Ireland:

  0·35

  Details of the number of procedures carried out on each scanner between April and October 1992 is not held centrally.

  Limited List Prescribing
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 2 February,Official Report, column 152, if she will name the pharmaceutical companies on whose behalf assurances were sought that the limited list regulations would not be extended; and on what dates the inquirers were informed by her Department that at that time there were no plans to extend the selected list scheme.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Such detailed information about correspondence between the Department and individual pharmaceutical companies is treated in confidence.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to make a statement on the precise arrangements for the inclusion of a further 10 therapeutic categories of drugs which may now be included on the selected list.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We shall make an announcement after we have received advice from the advisory committee on national health service drugs.

  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many drugs are on the market in each of the 10 categories proposed for addition to the limited list.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information available relates to the number of different preparations dispensed in 1991 under the national health service in England in each of the categories. The following figures are for items dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors and personal administration.

  Number

  Antidiarrhoeal drugs

  43

  Antihistamines, hyposensitisation, and allergic disorders

  156

  Hypnotics and anxiolytics

  156

  Appetite suppressants

  12

  Treatment of vaginal and vulval conditions

  52

  Contraceptives

  60

  Anaemias and some other blood disorders

  146

  Drugs for the relief of soft-tissue inflammation

  112

  Drugs acting on the ear and drugs acting on the nose

  130

  Skin

  1,776

  Road Accidents (Charges)
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what statistics she keeps on the extent to which health authorities levy a charge for treating patients involved in a road accident.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information concerning charges levied under the Road Traffic Act 1988 is contained in the summarised accounts of health authorities and national health service trusts.

  Psychiatric Beds
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many psychiatric beds there were in 1986 and at the most recent date in(a) rural areas and (b) urban areas.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  NHS Trusts
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to respond to the first report from the Health Committee of Session 1992–93 on "NHS Trusts: Interim Conclusions and Proposals for Future Inquiries", House of Commons Paper No. 321.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We expect to respond shortly.

  Contracting Out
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of cumulative savings to the national health service from the contracting out of support services; and what plans she has to extend contracting out.

  Mr. Sackville
  Support services in the national health service have been contracted out since the earliest days and we have no estimate of the cumulative savings involved. It is estimated that in 1990–91 there were savings in excess of £125 million as a result of the market testing initiative started in 1983.

  The plans for extending market testing in the NHS were set out in chapter 4 of the White Paper "Competing for Quality", Cm 1730 November 1991.

  Statutory Instruments
  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many statutory instruments were laid before Parliament by her Department in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Sackville
  The available information is shown in the table. Information relating to previous years is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Number of statutory instruments laid

  1991

  1992

  91

  112

  Mentally Ill Patients
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds were available in locked wards for mentally ill patients in(a) 1984 and (b) 1992–93.
  159
  Mr. Yeo
  This information is not collected centrally. Reports from health authorities suggest that there were 639 such beds in local district facilities in 1991, compared with 1,163 in 1986. This excludes places in regional secure units and other facilities for patients needing care in conditions of medium security.

  Home Helps
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for health what is the percentage change in the number of home helps in Northumberland since 1979.

  Mr. Yeo
  The latest available information, at 30 September 1991, shows 513 whole-time equivalent home helps employed by Northumberland social services, an increase of 33 per cent, since 1979.

  Schizophrenia
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training is given to GPs in diagnosing schizophrenia.

  Mr. Yeo
  During basic medical education and vocational training, general practice trainees are trained to recognise psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. Of the three years of formal general practice vocational training, two years are hospital-based. During this lime over 40 per cent, of trainees currently choose a six-month period in a psychiatric department as a senior house officer.

  Principals in general practice update and extend their knowledge of psychiatric disorders under the system of continuing education funded in all national health service regions.

  All general practioners can refer patients for specialist attention both to confirm a diagnosis of schizophrenia and to obtain assistance in the management of this disorder.

  Additionally community psychiatric nursing posts have been established in many districts to provide a psychiatric input into primary health care and can act as a resource for all members of the primary health care team, including GP trainees.

  Contraceptive Pill
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has done into the medical effects to women of restricting the prescription of the oral contraception pill to the cheaper varieties.

  Mr. Sackville
  In advising the Health Departments on which contraceptives should not be available for prescription under the national health service, the advisory committee on NHS drugs will be required to ensure that all clinical need can be provided as economically as possible. In formulating its advice, I would expect the committee to have regard to the findings of relevant research.

  Merseyside Ambulance Service
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the operation of Merseyside ambulance service.

  Mr. Sackville
  Mersey regional ambulance service national health service trust consistently achieves the national standard laid down for emergency call response times. The trust is constantly striving to improve services to patients.
  160
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital calls were made by the Merseyside ambulance service in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on hospital calls is not held centrally. Information is available on patient journeys conducted by the Mersey regional ambulance service as follows:

  Patient Journeys (thousands)

  Emergency

  Urgent

  Special Planned

  Total

  1987–88

  108·5

  29·0

  649·0

  786·5

  1988·89

  101·4

  28·0

  641·3

  770·7

  11989·90

  101·4

  24·0

  433·0

  558·5

  1990·91

  103·4

  27·2

  576·0

  706·5

  21991·92

  102·1

  38·4

  561·0

  701·5

  1 Due to industrial action during this period, 1989–90 figures do not reflect the total activity in the year.

  2 Figures are provisional.

  Rehabilitation Facilities Elderly People (Care)
  Mrs. Dun woody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will lay down guidelines on basic minimal standards of service for elderly patients discharged into community care;

  (2) if she will establish a policy of active rehabilitation for those people who require a short period of more integrated and intensive care than is possible in their homes.

  Mr. Yeo
  A wide range of rehabilitation facilities exists within the national health service and local social services authorities. Decisions about rehabilitation services are for the professional judgment of those concerned with the individual case.

  Free Prescriptions
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many free prescriptions were dispensed in the year 1991–92; what was the figure in 1978–79; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information is not available in the precise form requested. In 1979 an estimated 185·5 million prescribed items—about 60 per cent, of the total number —were dispensed free of charge by community pharmacists and appliance contractors. By 1992 the number had risen to 311.9 million—about 80 per cent, of the total.

  Hearing Impairment
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice she has given local authorities about their duty in law to instal minicoms in the homes of people with severe hearing impairment where need is being assessed and irrespective of whether the individual disabled person already has a telephone; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  We expect local authorities to be aware of their statutory duty, under section 2(1)(h) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, to provide assistance to disabled people with the provision of a telephone, and any special equipment needed to use it, irrespective of whether the individual disabled person

  161
  already has a telephone, where they accept that there is an assessed need. Each case is assessed on its own merits by the local authority.

  Quangos
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all those non-departmental public bodies, for which her Department is responsible, which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There are two non-departmental public bodies for which the Department is responsible which have such powers. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, under section 16 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, has the power to charge a fee for granting licences. Licences are required by centres providing treatments involving IVF, AID, egg and embryo donation and centres undertaking embryo research and storage of gametes and embryos.

  The National Radiological Protection Board, under section 1 of the Radiological Protection Act 1970, has the power to charge for providing technical services to persons concerned with radiation hazards, but no power to compel such persons to comply with that advice.

  West Midlands RHA
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of severance payment was approved by her Department in connection with the resignation of Sir James Ackers as chairman of the West Midlands regional health authority; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Warley, West (Mr. Spellar) on 15 February at column 81.

  Wessex RHA
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to hold a full investigation of mismanagement in the Wessex regional health authority; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Like any other regional health authority, Wessex regional health authority is held to account through the national health service management executive which monitors its performance throughout the year.

  Health Authority Chairmen
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all regional health authority chairmen who have received payments on retirement additional to their salary in the last five years, and the amounts of such payments in each year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  With the agreement of the Treasury, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has decided to make a payment of £10,000 to Sir James Ackers under the provisions of paragraph 9(3) of schedule 5 to the National Health Service Act 1977. There have been no other such payments in the last five years.

  Extra-contractual Referrals
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the recent guidance issued by the management executive on extra-contractual referrals and the information to be made available to patients in the light of any deferral of treatment.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No. It is not appropriate to publish guidance which simply deals with the administrations of the extra-contractual referrals system. Current good practice requires patients to be kept informed of decisions affecting their treatment.

  All health authorities have set local charter standards and many have published their own local charters. These include access to detailed information about local health services including waiting times for treatment.

  GP Practices (Staff)
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of(a) community nurses, (b) health visitors and (c) social workers employed in (i) fund-holding general practitioner practices and (ii) non-fund holding general practitioner practices.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally. Data on practice staff employed by all general practitioner practices are available, but the categories of staff are differently defined. The total whole-time equivalent numbers in England in these categories as at 1 April 1992 are given in the table.

  Number

  Management and Administration

  6,069

  Secretariat and Clerical

  12,539

  Receptionist

  19,508

  Computer Operator

  1,133

  Practice Nurse

  8,945

  Dispenser

  1,014

  Physiotherapist

  77

  Chiropodist

  9

  Interpreter/Link Worker

  24

  Counsellor

  168

  Message Taking

  38

  Other Duties

  615

  Total

  50,139

  Hygiene Regulations
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure sensitive and appropriate enforcement of hygiene regulations.

  Mr. Sackville
  In 1991 the Department of Health issued statutory code of practice No. 9 advising environmental health officers to conduct food hygiene inspections according to the relative risk posed to public health. A copy is available in the Library.

  The Department works closely with the Local Authorities Co-ordinating body on Food and Trading Standards—LACOTS—a local government central body whose purpose is to co-ordinate trading standards and food hygiene activity throughout the United Kingdom. It gives advice to local authorities on common enforcement problems.

  LACOTS has, with our encouragement, recently issued a circular to all environmental health departments giving

  163
  advice on the enforcement of hygiene requirements in premises run by voluntary and charitable organisations. The circular advocates sensible enforcement based on assessment of risk to public health. A copy will be placed in the Library.

  NHS Capital Expenditure
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the value of capital expenditure in the NHS in the years 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93; and what was the split between hospital building and equipment.

  Mr. Sackville
  [pursuant to his reply, 1 February 1992, c. 72]: I regret that there was an error in my previous reply. The corrected and updated figures are as follows.

  Gross NHS capital expenditure in 1990–91,1991–92 and 1992–93 was £1,603 million, £1,645 million and £2,089 million respectively—the figure for 1992–93 is the estimate made for spring supply.

  In 1990–91 capital spending within hospital and community health services was divided as follows:

  Per cent.

  Building and engineering works

  61·3

  Equipment and furniture

  12·8

  Vehicles

  1·6

  Other

  24·4

  Figures for later years are not yet available.

SCOTLAND

  GP Fund Holders
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what new services will be provided by fund-holding general practitioners; and if he will publish the proposed remuneration scales.

  Mr. Stewart
  The regulations providing for the new services announced by my noble Friend the Minister of State on 26 January are in the process of being compiled. In broad terms they will permit GP fund holders, where appropriate and qualified and with the prior approval of the health board, to be reimbursed from the fund for providing certain specified diagnostic and minor surgical procedures for their own patients. There will be further discussion with health boards and the profession before the details of how the new services will operate are finalised

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many general practitioner fund holders he expects there to be in each health board area by January 1994; and how many there are currently in each area.

  Mr. Stewart
  Latest information from health boards indicates the expected numbers of general practitioner fund holders from January 1994 will be as set out in the table.

  Number of GP fund-holders

  Health board

  Currently

  Expected by January 1994

  Argyll and Clyde

  1

  5

  Ayrshire and Arran

  Nil

  3

  Borders

  Nil

  1

  164

  Number of GP fund-holders

  Health board

  Currently

  Expected by January 1994

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Nil

  Nil

  Fife

  Nil

  3

  Forth Valley

  Nil

  5

  Grampian

  5

  25

  Greater Glasgow

  2

  4

  Highland

  Nil

  1

  Lanarkshire

  Nil

  14

  Lothian

  1

  7

  Orkney

  Nil

  Nil

  Shetland

  Nil

  Nil

  Tayside

  1

  8

  Western Isles

  Nil

  Nil

  Total

  10

  76

  Hospitals
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will review the admission policies of intensive care units to ensure surgical patients are not deferred or transferred to another hospital pre-operatively because of budget requirements.

  Mr. Stewart
  Admission policies for intensive care units are primarily the responsibility of the relevant health board. Admission to an intensive care unit or transfer to another hospital should be determined by clinical decision.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what evidence he has received of general practitioners using the emergency bed service for obtaining admissions because of ward closures by providers.

  Mr. Stewart
  None. The admission procedures employed by the health boards in Scotland work well.

  Health Service Property
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate has been made of the cost of undertaking all the identified backlog in repairs and maintenance to health service properties.

  Mr. Stewart
  Health boards estimate that at 31 March 1992 the expenditure required to put the essential estate in a sound physical condition was £240 million. This figure embraces backlog maintenance and such other work as the replacement of building elements which have reached the end of their useful life.

  Contracting Out
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide figures for the reduction in numbers of posts as a result of contracting out since 1979 in his Department and agencies for which he has responsibility.

  Mr. Lang
  Information on the reduction in personnel as a result of contracting out work for the period 1979 to 1986–87 is not readily available. In the years 1987–88 to 1991–92 there was a reduction of 117–5 full-time equivalent posts in my Department and agencies as a result of contracting out.

  Quangos
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.

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

  Genetic Fingerprinting
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what facilities are available to Scottish police forces in relation to genetic fingerprinting techniques; what plans he has to increase or develop these facilities; if he will list the resources he has allocated to(a) research and development and (b) provision of such services in the current financial year; what consultations he has had with chief police officers about genetic fingerprinting; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: Scottish police forces have access to DNA testing or "genetic fingerprinting" facilities provided by police forensic laboratories, the Forensic Science Service for England and Wales and the private sector. Police authorities determine the resources allocated to their forces, on which police grant is paid at 51 per cent, of net expenditure. It is for chief constables to decide how the resources available to them are deployed. Scottish Office officials have discussed the issues relating to the holding of DNA test records with chief constables in the Scottish criminal record office controlling committee.

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

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]These regulations, in so far as they embrace Scotland, apply to employers who conduct undertakings in relation to which a radiation emergency is reasonably foreseeable, and to regional and islands councils. The Scottish Office has no direct responsibility for their implementation.

  Ambulance Services
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will authorise an inquiry into the management of the ambulance services in Renfrewshire.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 4 February 1993]No.

  EC Initiatives
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 17 December 1992,Official Report, columns 465–66, if he will list the projects.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 4 February 1993]: The information requested is given in the tables:
  166

  £

  Approximate per cent, of Strathclyde allocation

  Inverclyde

  World Yachting Grand Prix

  211,000

  1·2

  Property Improvement Grants

  205,000

  1·2

  Industrial Units at Larkfield Industrial Estate

  131,500

  0·8

  Small Business Assistance Scheme

  94,000

  0·5

  Capping Blairmore Road Tip

  34,500

  0·2

  Custom House Quay:

  Environmental Improvement Phase 1

  215,000

  1·3

  East India Harbour: Improvement Phase 1

  50,000

  0·3

  East India Harbour: Infrastructure Works Phase 1

  470,000

  2·8

  Custom House Quay:

  Infrastructure Works Phase 2

  324,000

  1·9

  Srathclyde Business Centre, Ladyburn

  350,000

  2·0

  TOTAL

  2,085,000

  12·2

  Strathclyde excluding Inverclyde

  Clydebank Environmental Improvements

  741,000

  4·3

  Geotechnical Survey

  20,000

  0·1

  Linthouse Workspace

  365,500

  2·2

  TOTAL

  1,126,500

  6·6

  As yet unattributed

  13,896,793

  81·2

  Total Strathclyde Allocation

  17,108,293

  100·0

  £

  Approx percent of Fife allocation

  Fife

  Burntisland Environmental Imp Phase 1

  344,000

  12·5

  Regional Enterprise Grant

  187,500

  6·8

  Robinson Crusoes Underwater World

  175,000

  6·4

  KDC Small Firms Assistance Schemes

  100,000

  3·6

  Business Development Grants

  94,500

  3·5

  Enterprise Levenmouth

  93,000

  3·4

  Regional Enterprise Grant

  33,433

  1·2

  Start-up Business Assistance Grant

  30,000

  1·1

  Forth Rail Bridge North Cantilever Env Imp

  28,000

  1·0

  Meadowfield—Refurbishment of Administration Block

  3,500

  0·1

  TOTAL

  1,088,933

  39·6

  As yet unattributed

  1,660,986

  60·4

  TOTAL FIFE ALLOCATION

  2,749,919

  100·0

  Note: The authentic figures for allocations are expressed in Ecu. The totals expressed in sterling at the exchange rate of £1 = 1.23 Ecu are for illustrative purposes only. The final sterling sums available to the programmes will depend on the exchange rates at the time payments by the Commission are received.

  Market Testing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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.
  167
  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 15 February 1993]: A new division was established in my Department in August 1992 to co-ordinate the market testing programme. The six staff in the division are not exclusively assigned to market testing work. The division calls on the assistance of other Scottish Office staff and external consultants when required. The cost of the programme, including staff costs and fees for consultancy work, for the period November 1991 to the end of December 1992, is estimated at £425,000.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. Lang
  [holding answer 15 February 1993]: The information requested is set out in the table.

  Market tested activity

  Result

  Name of contractor

  Property management at Scottish Police College

  Contracted out

  Povall Worthington

  Toll collection at Erskine Bridge

  Contracted out

  Apcoa Parking (UK) Ltd

  Management and Maintenance of Court Houses (5 contracts)

  Contracted out

  Webster and Company Bernard Thorpe Ryden (3 contracts)

  Solicitor's Office: conveyancing, debt recovery and court work (part)

  Retained in house

  Building and plan maintenance for the Scottish Fire Service Training School

  Contracted out

  Bell-Ingram

  Property management, Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen

  Contracted out

  Bell-Ingram

  Audit of 2 National Health Service Trusts (2 contracts)

  Contracted out

  Coopers and Lybrand KPMG

  (i) Expenditure (£ millions)1

  Region

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  South East (excluding London)

  183

  186

  361

  245

  London

  213

  225

  290

  209

  North (including Cumbria)

  90

  97

  181

  130

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  117

  128

  217

  164

  East Midlands

  87

  87

  182

  136

  East Anglia

  35

  38

  80

  70

  South West

  74

  82

  173

  126

  West Midlands

  149

  159

  273

  209

  North West (excluding Cumbria)

  212

  234

  372

  279

  England

  1,160

  1,237

  2,131

  1,568

  Wales

  48

  51

  94

  44

  Scotland

  170

  209

  224

  168

  Note:

  1 The expenditure figures are from information supplied by local authorities and represent the authorities' claim for benefit paid and not subsidy received. The 1991–92 are mainly from pre-audit claims.

  Councillors' Allowances
  Mr. McMasterster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the advantage allowance(a) including and (b) excluding expenses paid to elected members of (i) regional and (ii) district councils in Scotland in the last financial year; what is the projected average in each of the same categories in the current financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 20 January 1993]: The Scottish Office Environment Department does not hold details of the allowances paid to individual local authority members. Each authority decides on its own scheme within the requirements of the Local Authorities Etc (Allowances) (Scotland) Regulations 1991, as amended. Similarly, the Department does not hold details of the payment of travelling, day or night subsistence allowances to members which are payable outwith the scheme.

  Rates of all allowances will continue to be reviewed on a regular basis.

  KS Properties
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 17 December 1992,Offical Report, column 457, what information his Department had on sales by KS Properties Ltd. of extensive land and buildings assets immediately prior to approving the writing-off of moneys due under mortgage deed by that company to the Scottish Development Agency.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 22 January 1993]: I shall write to my hon. Friend.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list (i) the expenditure on housing benefit rate rebates or poll tax benefit or community charge benefit in each region and nation for 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92 and (ii) the number of claimants of each benefit in each region or nation; and if he will express the payments as a figure of expenditure per head in each region or nation.

  Mr. Burt
  The available information is in the tables:
  169

  (ii) Caseload (Number of claimants)1

  Region

  1988–89

  21989–90

  31990–91

  1991–92

  South East (excluding London)

  666,200

  637,200

  929,000

  891,000

  London

  645,300

  620,800

  724,400

  732,700

  North (including Cumbria)

  365,900

  356,500

  504,200

  446,500

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  504,500

  493,300

  664,500

  635,100

  East Midlands

  325,000

  313,000

  430,300

  392,100

  East Anglia

  148,200

  141,700

  279,000

  257,700

  South West

  326,300

  319,300

  477,100

  453,400

  West Midlands

  522,400

  498,900

  687,800

  691,000

  North West (excluding Cumbria)

  700,200

  694,100

  960,300

  875,500

  All England

  4,204,000

  4,074,700

  5,656,600

  5,734,900

  Wales

  253,700

  251,800

  383,700

  324,600

  Scotland

  624,700

  850,300

  690,600

  640,300

  1 The numbers given are in benefit units and are averages of the four quarters figures for each year, including estimates for non responding authorities. A benefit unit may be a single person or a couple.

  2 The Community Charge was introduced in Scotland in April 1989. The figure given for Scotland for 1989–90 is the Community Charge rebate caseload.

  3 The Community Charge replaced domestic rates in England and Wales in April 1990. AH figures for 1990–91 and 1991–92,therefore, refer to Community Charge Benefit.

  (iii) Expenditure per case (£/year)1

  Region

  1988–89

  21989–90

  31990–91

  1991–92

  South East (excluding London)

  270

  290

  390

  280

  London

  330

  360

  400

  280

  North (including Cumbria)

  250

  270

  360

  290

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  230

  260

  330

  260

  East Midlands

  270

  280

  420

  350

  East Anglia

  240

  270

  290

  270

  South West

  230

  260

  360

  280

  West Midlands

  280

  320

  400

  300

  North West (excluding Cumbria)

  300

  340

  390

  320

  England

  280

  300

  380

  290

  Wales

  190

  200

  240

  140

  Scotland

  270

  250

  320

  260

  1 The caseloads and expenditures from which the average amounts per case are derived are not measured in the same way. The caseloads are from four point in time counts for each year.

  Expenditure figures refer to the whole year.

  Amounts of benefit refer to the benefit unit (including couples)
  and, therefore, in 1990–91 and 1991–92, should not be linked with average Community Charges, which are expressed as the charge per person.

  2 Due to the introduction of Community Charge in Scotland in April 1989, the 1989–90 figure for Scotland is for Community Charge rebate.

  3 All figures for 1990–91 and 1991–92 refer to Community Charge Benefit.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has on the changes in income each year of pensioners who retired in 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Data on the average incomes of the same cohort of pensioners for successive years are not available.

  Contracting Out
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide figures for the reduction in numbers of posts as a result of contracting out since 1979 in his Department and agencies for which he has responsibility.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Disabled Employees
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of employees in his Department is registered disabled.
  170
  Mr. Burt
  On 1 July 1992, 1–7 per cent, of staff employed in the Department of Social Security were registered disabled. This figure excludes staff with disabilities who choose not to register.

  National Insurance Contributions
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the additional revenue generated in a full year from the abolition of employees' national insurance contributions upper earnings limit.

  Miss Widdecombe
  If the upper earnings limit for employees' contributions was abolished, the additional revenue yield for 1993–94 would be about 2·9 billion. About 3 million employees would have to pay extra national insurance contributions as a result.

  Pensions
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the value of the basic state pension as a proportion of gross average earnings in the United Kingdom for each year since 1978.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested in relation to Great Britain is in the table.
  171

  Basic State Pension as a per cent. of gross average earnings1

  Year

  Age

  Single per cent.

  Couple per cent.

  November 1978

  under 80

  23·2

  37·1

  80 and over

  23·5

  37·7

  November 1979

  under 80

  23·2

  37·1

  80 and over

  23·4

  37·6

  November 1980

  under 80

  22·6

  36·1

  80 and over

  22·8

  36·6

  November 1981

  under 80

  22·4

  35·8

  80 and over

  22·5

  36·1

  November 1982

  under 80

  23·1

  36·9

  80 and over

  23·2

  37·3

  November 1983

  under 80

  21·7

  34·8

  80 and over

  21·9

  35·1

  November 1984

  under 80

  21·4

  34·3

  80 and over

  21·6

  34·6

  November 1985

  under 80

  21·4

  34·3

  80 and over

  21·6

  34·6

  July 1986

  under 80

  20·5

  32·8

  80 and over

  20·6

  33·0

  April 1987

  under 80

  19·9

  31·8

  80 and over

  20·0

  32·1

  April 1988

  under 80

  18·8

  30·2

  80 and over

  19·0

  30·4

  April 1989

  under 80

  18·2

  29·1

  80 and over

  18 3

  29·3

  April 1990

  under 80

  17·8

  28·5

  80 and over

  17·9

  28·7

  April 1991

  under 80

  18·3

  29·2

  80 and over

  18·4

  29·4

  April 1992

  under 80

  17·8

  28·5

  80 and over

  17·9

  28·6

  1 Average earnings are derived from the Department of Employment's New Earnings Survey (Great Britain) estimates of all adult earnings. Equivalent figures for the UK are not readily available.

  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has about the value of state pensions as a proportion of gross average earnings in each member state of the European Community.

  Miss Widdecombe
  There are no comparable statistics available on average earnings for the United Kingdom and the other member states of the European Community. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the information requested.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people aged 60 years and over began employment in his Department in 1992.

  Mr. Burt
  A total of 25 such people started employment in the Department and its agencies in 1992. This figure excludes casual staff, but includes nine staff who transferred from other Government Departments.

  Carers
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to raise the earnings limits on benefits available to carers.

  Mr. Scott
  The earnings limit for invalid care allowance will be increased from £40 to £50 per week from April 1993. This will be the fourth substantial increase in successive years. Also from April, a £15 earnings disregard will be introduced for all carers receiving income-related benefits.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Olner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of income that the compensation recovery unit will lose as a result of the Lord Chancellor's proposed changes in eligibility for legal aid.

  Miss Widdecombe
  This information is not available. Details held by the compensation recovery unit do not distinguish between those cases which have the benefit of legal aid and others.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many grants and loans have been made from the social fund in Walthamstow in each of the last three years for which figures are available; how many applications were made; and what were the total sums involved.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is available in the Library for the years 1989–90, and 1990–91 by former departmental local office. Information is also in the Library for 1991–92 for the Benefits Agency's Lea-Roding district, of which Walthamstow is part.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the ability of the social fund to meet the needs of the poorest claimants.

  Mr. Scott
  The operation of the social fund is closely monitored by the Department. We also commissioned detailed research from the university of York's social policy research unit, which we are currently considering along with other recent reports about the scheme.

  Income support is the main help which the Government give to people who have insufficient income to meet their general needs. The social fund complements income support by helping people with specific expenses in certain circumstances, which may not necessarily be related to their general financial circumstances alone.

  Sick and Maternity Pay
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about current arrangements for the payment of statutory sick pay and maternity pay; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  Following publication of the National Audit Office report on the operation of the statutory sick pay and statutory maternity pay schemes, two parliamentary questions have been tabled by hon. Members and a letter about the schemes has been received from the general secretary of the TUC.

  Since the EC pregnant workers directive was adopted last October, one hon. Member has tabled three parliamentary questions about the maternity pay aspects of the directive. Correspondence raising or referring to issues contained in the directive have been received from three hon. Members and one MEP, and a number of employers, employers' organisations and members of the public have asked questions about particular aspects of the directive's requirements. The Government are considering the maternity pay aspects of the directive.

  Quangos
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Certain occupational and personal pension schemes are required to register, at their own expense, with the Occupational Pensions Board acting as pensions registrar and to pay a levy which is collected by the registrar to meet part of the cost of various consumer protection measures.

  Voluntary Workers
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social security applicants had applications refused or reduced because of the number of hours worked in the voluntary sector in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Burt
  There is no legislation limiting the amount of hours an unemployed person may spend working in the voluntary sector. Unemployed people who undertake unpaid voluntary work in this country may continue to receive benefits provided they satisfy the conditions of entitlement. These are that a person must be available for work and take reasonable steps, each week, to seek work.

  Independent Living Fund
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what proposals he has to provide financial assistance for domiciliary care for those who would be in principle eligible for assistance from the independent living fund for the first time between 31 December 1992 and 31 March; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the provision of domiciliary care comparable to that provided by the independent living fund to those of pensionable age after 31 March.

  Mr. Scott
  The provision of domiciliary care is a matter for local authorities and for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

  Income Support
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of Social Security what elements of water charges have been included in the Rossi index for each year since April 1988.

  Mr. Burt
  Since April 1992 variations in the cost of water, sewerage and environmental charges have been included in the Rossi index.

WALES

  One-stop Shops
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with Wales Enterprise regarding the development of one-stop shops for business and technology support in Wales.
  174
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The chairman of Wales Enterprise is a member of the enterprise and business support working group and therefore takes part in the discussions regarding the development of a co-ordinated approach to business and technology support in Wales.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total accumulated surplus of the seven Welsh training and enterprise councils since 1990.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The latest published annual accounts of the seven Welsh TECs show that at 31 March 1992 there were accumulated surpluses of £15,599,643. The TECs have plans to spend over £13·5 million of accumulated surpluses in the 1993–94 financial year in support of a range of training and enterprise measures.

  Disabled Employees
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of employees in his Department are registered disabled.

  Mr. David Hunt
  As at 1 January 1993 1·7 per cent, of staff in my Department had registered as disabled. These are the latest available details.

  My Department also employs several unregistered disabled people.

  Selective Assistance
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total of regional selective assistance offered to the projects listed in his press release of 1 February; and when he intends to publish the details of the individual offers to the companies concerned.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The total of regional selective assistance offered is commercially confidential although details will be published in due course in the Employment Gazette, as indeed will details of all offers of RSA of £75,000 or more, but only when the first payments of grant have been made.

  Housing Statistics
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many housing units have been built in Wales in each year since 1979.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The available information is published in "Welsh Housing Statistics No. 12 1992", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the number of homeless people in Wales in each year since 1979.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Information is available for those persons accepted as homeless by local authorities for each year since 1979 and are shown in table 7.1 of "Welsh Housing Statistics No. 12 1992", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Sheep Scab
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of outbreaks of sheep scab, by county and divided into less-favoured areas, in each month from October 1991 to the last month for which figures are available.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Details of the distribution of sheep scab outbreaks in favoured and non-favoured areas could be supplied only at disproportionate cost. Information on sheep scab outbreaks is available up to May 1992; the figures between October 1991 and May 1992 are as follows:

  Month

  County

  Number of outbreaks

  October 1991

  —

  0

  November 1991

  —

  0

  December 1991

  Dyfed

  1

  Gwynedd

  1

  January 1992

  Clwyd

  1

  Dyfed

  2

  Gwynedd

  3

  February 1992

  Dyfed

  2

  March 1992

  Dyfed

  2

  Gwynedd

  1

  April 1992

  Clwyd

  1

  Powys

  1

  May 1992

  —

  0

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of sheep affected by sheep scab, by county and divided into less-favoured areas and non less-favoured areas, in each month from October 1991.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Information on the number of sheep affected in outbreaks of sheep scab is not available.

  Quangos
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.

  Mr. David Hunt
  A number of the 16 Welsh Office-sponsored executive non-departmental public bodies have statutory powers to require action by individuals, firms, companies or other institutions. This may involve some additional expense to those concerned, for which compensation is sometimes payable. In practice it is rarely necessary for the bodies to invoke such powers, and none charges fees for the cost to the NDPB of assessing any associated work.

  Manufacturing Statistics
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the change in the value of manufacturing(a) production, (b) employment and (c) investment in Wales from 1979–80 to 1991–92, in money and percentage terms after allowing for inflation.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Changes in manufacturing production are best measured by the Welsh index of production.176
  Average quarterly manufacturing output rose by 23·9 per cent, between 1979–80 and 1991–92. The index of manufacturing production in the third quarter of 1992 stood at 126·3. The comparable figure for 1979 was 100·7.

  The average number of employees employed in manufacturing fell by 91,000, 29 per cent., between 1979–80 and 1991–92. The estimated income from employment in manufacturing in Wales in 1979 was £1,728 million and in 1991 was £3,639 million, a rise of 110.6 per cent. Regional deflators are not available.

  The available information on gross domestic fixed capital formation in Wales, by industry, was published by the Central Statistical Office in "Economic Trends No. 470, December 1992", which is available from the Library of the House.

  Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his oral answer of 1 February,Official Report, columns 2–3, corrected by corrigendum on 8 February, Official Report, columns 785–88, (1) what consultations he has had with the chairmen of (a) British Coal Enterprise, (b) British Steel Enterprise, (c) the Land Authority for Wales (d) the Cardiff Bay development corporation, (e) the Development Board for Rural Wales and (f) the Welsh Development Agency, in relation to accessing the £70 million European regional development fund gross capital expenditure allocation in Wales in 1993–94;

  (2) which agencies and which main projects will provide the principal components of the £70 million European regional development fund gross capital expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The amount of ERDF available to Wales is determined by the European Commission under the agreed operational programmes.

  In October last year my officials wrote to all public sector bodies in Wales notifying them of the new arrangements for ERDF grants. However, ERDF is available to a wide range of local and other public authorities, charities and voluntary organisations and it is too early to estimate the distribution of this grant between those bodies, or to say which projects will be funded, since it is for the relevant monitoring committees, comprising representatives of the sponsors concerned, to decide during the remainder of 1993 how to allocate the available resources.

  I will make available full public expenditure cover for any sponsor receiving an allocation of ERDF from the programme monitoring committees.

  A55, Pen-y-Clip
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will specify the main elements of overspending on the A55 Pen-y-Clip tunnels construction contract.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There are no elements of overspending on the A55 Pen-y-Clip tunnel construction contract. All payments on this contract have been made within the provisions of the contract.

  Contracts lasting more than two years, as in this case, are subject to an allowance for the increase in cost of plant, labour and materials throughout the period of the works. The contract also allows for variations and additions to overcome any problems or difficulties encountered during the execution of the works.

  Independent Living Fund
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 4 February,Official Report, column 341, what proposals he has to provide financial assistance for domiciliary care for those who would be in principle eligible for assistance from the independent living fund for the first time between 31 December and 31 March 1993.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The provision of domiciliary care is a matter for local and health authorities.

  Capital Programme
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the oral answer of 1 February,Official Report, columns 2–3 and Official Report, 8 February, columns 785–88, what consultations he has had with the local authority associations in Wales concerning the estimate for local authority gross capital expenditure in 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Under long-standing arrangements the local authority associations in Wales assess the level of provision needed in the settlement year to support the range of services which they provide. I take account of that assessment when deciding how much central Government support should be made available to them out of the Welsh block. My decision also takes into account my assessment of the ability of local authorities to finance expenditure from their own resources as demonstrated by outturn data for earlier years. For 1993–94 I further took into account the additional receipts available to authorities as a result of the temporary relaxation in controls on the use of capital receipts.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he had for tolls to be charged on each of the roads listed as major projects in his announcement of 1 February,Official Report, columns 2–3.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Government expect to publish a Green Paper on road pricing in the spring of this year. It is too soon to speculate on the content.

  "Roads in Wales"
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he estimates he will publish the 1993 supplement to "Roads in Wales".

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Soon.

  Cardiff Bay Barrage
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made on the feasibility study commissioned by Cardiff Bay development corporation into the possibility of creating a major bird reserve on the Gwent levels to compensate for the loss of feeding grounds associated with the proposed barrage.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I have now received the report of the feasibility study, copies of which are in the Library of the House. It concludes that the proposed freshwater habitats at Redwick and salt water ponds at Goldcliff have the potential to create an area of wetland of outstanding value for wintering and breeding waterfowl and for other rare or threatened bird species.
  178
  It is very encouraging that the consultants assessed the proposals to have such significant potential for wild birds. We are grateful to the Countryside Council for Wales and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, which have given constructive advice throughout this exercise. Planning permission will now have to be sought and the land acquired and, if this is successful, the Government will be making the necessary funding available.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the expected contribution from the Exchequer towards the cost of a decommissioning scheme; and what part of this will be paid for from EC funds.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government have made provision of £25 million for the decommissioning scheme over a period of three financial years commencing April 1993. Council regulation (EEC) 4028/86 as amended provides for 70 per cent, of eligible expenditure to be reimbursed by the Community if vessels are scrapped and 50 per cent, in other cases. However, the operation of the Community budget means that the greater part of any such reimbursement is funded by the Exchequer.

  Statutory Instruments
  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many statutory instruments were laid before Parliament by his Department in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Curry
  The information requested is as follows:

  Calendar year

  Number of statutory instruments laid before Parliament

  1985

  67

  1986

  100

  1987

  87

  1988

  73

  1989

  95

  1990

  108

  1991

  84

  1992

  106

  Details for the years 1980 to 1984 are not readily available.

  Disabled Employees
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of employees in his Department is registered disabled.

  Mr. Curry
  Counting part-time staff as whole units, MAFF and its agencies currently employ 155 registered disabled staff. This represents 1·5 per cent, of total staff but does not take into account staff with disabilities who have chosen not to register.

  Dangerous Animals
  Mr. Peter Griffiths
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions in each year since 1980 licences issued under the Dangerous Imported Animals Act 1932 have been revoked or individual farmers prosecuted.

  Mr. Soames
  Since 1980, no licences, issued under the Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932, have been revoked and no prosecutions have been taken.

  Live Exports
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect the European Commission proposals on the transport of live animals are expected to have on maintaining the United Kingdom transportation of live animals regulations.

  Mr. Soames
  Directive 91/628/EEC on the protection of animals during transport sets a framework of controls which are to be supplemented by additional Community rules. Commission proposals for these additional rules are still awaited. In the meantime the directive permits national measures to apply in the relevant areas. Such measures are contained in the Welfare of Animals During Transport Order 1992 which came into force on 1 January 1993.

  Suckler Cow Premium
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what basis he exercises his discretion in(a) paying in full, (b) paying in part and (c) refusing late applications for suckler cow premiums.

  Mr. Curry
  Suckler cow premium is paid under Council regulation (EEC) 1357/80 as amended and Commission regulation (EEC) 1244/82, as amended. The time limits are strict. Applications received 10 working days after the closing date, which are otherwise eligible, may be admitted but premium is reduced by 30 per cent. Applications received after this 10 working day "period of grace" cannot be accepted unless there are valid force majeure reasons for doing so.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on how his Department will pursue the deregulation initiative with regard to regulations affecting the fishing industry; and what resources he has devoted to it;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the scope for reduction in the number of regulations affecting the fishing industry and of the consequent effect on the manpower of his Department.

  Mr. Curry
  Each of the policy areas for which my Department has responsibility is being studied with a view to identifying where the burden of regulation is heaviest and can most easily be relieved. The fisheries sector is currently being studied within this overall review.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under what treaty basis the common fisheries policy is established; how that basis will be changed under the treaty of Maastricht; and if he will make a statement.
  180
  Mr. Curry
  The common fisheries policy is established under article 43 of the treaty establishing the European Economic Community. This treaty basis would not be affected by the treaty of Maastricht.

  Quangos
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies, for which his Department is responsible, which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.

  Mr. Curry
  The following non-departmental public bodies—NDPBs—are funded primarily from industry levies and have powers to compel individuals etc. to carry out instructions:

  Apple and Pear Research Council

  Horticultural Development Council

  Home Grown Cereals Authority

  Meat and Livestock Commission

  Sea Fisheries Industry Authority

  In addition, Food From Britain, through its subsidiary body, the United Kingdom register of organic food standards, is designated as the authority responsible for the inspection system and the approval of private inspection bodies under EC regulations on organic food standards. Producers, processors and importers who wish to market their goods as organic must comply with EC standards and bear the inspection costs. The following NDPBS have power to compel but have no powers to charge:

  Agricultural Wages Board

  Agricultural Wages Committees

  Wine Standards Board

  Agricultural Land Tribunals

  Apple Juice
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what dates the matter of patulin in apple juice was considered by the Food Advisory Committee.

  Mr. Soames
  The Food Advisory Committee considered this matter at its meetings on 18 September and 29 October 1992.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response was given by officials in his Department in September 1992 to outside inquirers relating to the finding of patulin in apple juice.

  Mr. Soames
  The Ministry published on 3 September the agenda for the Food Advisory Committee meeting on 18 September. The agenda made clear that patulin in apple juice was an item for discussion by the committee. On 14 October the Ministry published a short note recording the points discussed by the committee at this meeting. The Ministry has no record of receiving any inquiries about patulin during this period.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date in December 1992 he or his officials met representatives of the fruit juice producers to discuss the advice of the Food Advisory Committee in relation to apple juice.
  181
  Mr. Soames
  I met representatives of the fruit juice producers on 17 December 1992.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the scale of the testing of all batches of apple juice to the limits laid down for patulin following upon the finding of four contaminated samples.

  Mr. Soames
  The United Kingdom producers and retailers have undertaken to ensure that all supplies of apple juices meet the advisory level. The major producers have been testing every batch of apple juice.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date the British Soft Drinks Association was first informed of the finding of patulin in samples of apple juice.

  Mr. Soames
  The British Soft Drinks Association was first informed of the findings in a letter dated 21 July 1992 summoning the industry to a meeting with scientific and medical officials of the Ministry and the Department of Health.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what dates(a) samples of apple juice were found to contain higher than acceptable levels of patulin, (b) the samples were referred to the committee on toxicity and (c) the committee decided that there was no need to withdraw apple juice from sale.

  Mr. Soames
  The Ministry received the results on 5 June 1992 and referred them to the next meeting of the committee on toxicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment on 21 July 1992. The results had meanwhile been assessed by the scientific and medical staff of the Ministry and the Department of Health who had concluded that there was no risk to health. The committee's advice was passed to officials of the two Departments on the day of the meeting. The results and the committee's comments were subsequently considered by the Food Advisory Committee at its meetings in September and October 1992.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions relating to press inquiries on the incidence of patulin in apple juice took place at the meeting in August of departmental officials and the British Soft Drinks Association.

  Mr. Soames
  A meeting between officials from my Department and trade representatives, including the British Soft Drinks Association, took place on 23 July 1992.

  At the conclusion of that meeting my officials told the trade that they had no plans to issue a press notice at that time, but that the results would be published as a food surveillance paper in the usual way, following consultation with the Food Advisory Committee.

  There was no other such meeting, until my officials and I met the industry to discuss this matter further on 17 December 1992.

  Milk Marketing
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for arbitration in the case of disputes between successor bodies to the Milk Marketing Board and the Dairy Trades Federation.

  Mr. Curry
  On the ending of the milk marketing scheme all parties engaged in milk trading will operate within the legal framework applying to commercial trading bodies generally. The normal procedures for settlement of disputes, through the courts or by arbitration, will apply.

  Food Additives
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what facilities are available to his Department in Harpenden for the testing of food additives and related drugs.

  Mr. Gummer
  The testing facilities I have at Harpenden are within the Central Science Laboratory. They are dedicated to the analysis of commodities for pesticide residues and preservatives.

  Fruit Juice
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what testing takes place of imported fruit juice for toxic substances including patulin.

  Mr. Soames
  Responsibility for the general safety of imported food lies with the port health authorities and local authorities. Imported fruit juices are included in food surveillance programmes undertaken by the Ministry.

EMPLOYMENT

  Betting Shops (Evening Opening)
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what protection is available to employees of betting shops who are faced with unilateral changes to their contract of employment as a result of evening opening hours being introduced.

  Mr. Michael Fosyth
  Employees could seek redress in the civil courts by suing for damages for breach of contract, or through an industrial tribunal for infringement of statutory rights, depending on the circumstances.

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations she has received on plans to abolish the wages councils; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend has continued to receive representations both for and against abolition of the councils.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Connarty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the rate of unemployment in the United Kingdom; and what is the average rate in European Community member states.
  183
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  10·7 per cent, and 9·6 per cent. respectively, excluding Denmark, Greece and Luxembourg.

  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed people were placed by the Employment Service during each quarter of 1992; and what were the targets set for the year.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I am delighted to be able to tell my hon. Friend that the Employment Service placed 312,000 unemployed people in the first quarter of 1992; 350,000 in the second quarter; 379,000 in the third quarter; and 367,000 in the fourth quarter. This is 10 per cent, more than the planned level. The agency is well on course to achieve its 1992–93 target of more than 1·4 million job placings by March this year.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures for Cornwall.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In December 1992 there were 28,606 claimant unemployed people in the county of Cornwall. This figure is on the unadjusted basis.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the level of unemployment in the Carlisle travel-to-work area.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In December 1992 there were 4,133 unemployed claimants in the Carlisle travel-to-work-area. This figure is on the unadjusted basis.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unemployed in Ilford, South in January 1979, January 1990, January 1991, January 1992 and January 1993; and how many registered job vacancies there were on the same dates; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Unadjusted claimant unemployed in the Ilford, South constituency was 1,762 in January 1990, 2,615 in January 1991 and 4,259 in January 1992. The corresponding numbers of jobcentre vacancies were 102, 42 and 42 respectively. However, the latter represent only a minor proportion of the total number of jobs available to the unemployed of Ilford, South.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently unemployed in the United Kingdom; and if she will provide a breakdown by age.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  In December 1992, on the seasonally adjusted basis, there were 2,973,500 unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom. In October 1992, the latest date for which figures by age are available, those aged 24 and under, and those aged 40 and over each constituted just under one third of the total. More details can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in Lambeth have been unemployed for(a) more than six months, (b) more than 12 months and (c) more than two years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is contained in the table and can also be obtained from the NOMIS database system in the Library.
  184

  Duration of unemployment in the Lambeth local authority district (October 1992)

  Duration of Unemployment

  Number of Claimant Unemployed

  Over 6 months

  15,119

  Over 12 months

  9,824

  Over 2 years

  4,225

  Note:

  Claimant unemployment figures by duration are available on a quarterly basis for the months of January, April, July and October and are not adjusted for seasonal influences.

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the(a) number and (b) rate of long-term unemployed for more than one year in the Blyth Valley area.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In October 1992, the latest date for which claimant unemployment figures by duration are available, 1,243 people—or 33 per cent. of all unemployed claimants—in the Blyth Valley parliamentary constituency had been unemployed for over one year. An official unemployment rate is not available.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate has been made of the effect of United Kingdom employment legislation on inward investment.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No such estimates have been made. However, we believe that the United Kingdom's employment legislation is one of many factors contributing to our good record in attracting inward investment.

  Unemployment (Greater London)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what initiatives she has taken this year specifically aimed at reducing unemployment in Greater London.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Employment Service and training and enterprise councils deliver a wide range of employment, enterprise and training programmes to help unemployed people find the best and quickest route back to employment. These programmes are available for unemployed people in Greater London, as elsewhere.

  Prince's Youth Business Trust
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much her Department has given to the Prince's Youth Business Trust in each of the last three years; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Expenditure by the Department on the Prince's Youth Business Trust was £2·7 million in 1989–90, £4 million in 1990–91 and £3·2 million in 1991–92. The Department's expenditure matches funding raised by the private sector.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps she is taking to investigate the effect on wages and conditions of employees of companies which win contracts for public services under the compulsory competitive tendering regulations.
  185
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None; pay and conditions in private companies are matters for the employers and employees concerned.

  Employment Growth
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment she has made as to which sectors of employment show the most potential for employment growth in 1993.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government do not forecast employment or unemployment.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the levels of funding for training and enterprise councils in London in 1993–94.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The regional director for London is currently discussing levels of funding for 1993–94 with the London TECs.

  Unemployed People
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when she last met a representative group of unemployed workers.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  During the course of our work, my ministerial colleagues and I regularly meet, or receive representations from, individuals and organisations concerned with the problems of unemployment and those it affects.

  Job Advertisements (Pay)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will make it a requirement for job centres to include in all job advertisement details of pay.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Details of rates of pay are important to jobseekers considering vacancies. Jobcentres always encourage employers to state the rates of pay, together with other information about the job. However, some employers prefer to discuss and agree exact rates of pay with the applicant and I believe they must have this flexibility.

  Youth Training
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what monitoring has taken place(a) in London and (b) elsewhere of young people graduating from youth training schemes to establish how useful these schemes have been in enabling young people to find employment.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  A variety of information is collected about what happens to young people after leaving their youth training scheme. Information is collected from both training providers and from the trainees themselves. Local training and enterprise councils—TECs—may collect further information about their trainees but this is not held centrally. A regular monthly report containing information at national and regional level about the success of youth training trainees obtaining employment and qualifications is placed in the Library.
  186
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what statistics her Department collates with respect to youth training schemes.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Responsibility for the organisation of youth training lies with TECs and information about individual training schemes is not held centrally. TECs are required through their contract with the Secretary of State to provide only summary information. A copy of this contract is available in the Library. Although information on schemes is not available, information about trainees and their training is collected and held centrally.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment she has made of whether youth training schemes nationwide are achieving the goals for which they were established; and what criteria the Government use to determine the success or failure of youth training schemes.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department's annual report, Cm 2205, explains the objectives of YT and how progress towards achieving these is measured. A copy of the current report is available in the Library.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people in(a) London and (b) England are currently registered on youth training schemes.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  At December 1992, the latest date for which information is available, it is estimated that there were 19,300 people registered on youth training in London and 242,000 people registered on youth training in England. Both figures include youth credits.

  Industrial Accidents
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to her answer of 2 December 1992,Official Report, columns 221–22, how many accidents were reported to the Health and Safety Executive under the provisions of regulation 5(1) of the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazard Regulations 1984 in each year since 1984; and if she will list for each accident the dangerous substances involved and for each substance the number of accidents in which it was involved; in which accidents members of the public were (a) requested to remain in their homes or (b) asked to leave their homes for the duration of the incident; and in which accidents restrictions were placed on (i) the consumption of foodstuffs, (ii) the consumption of drinking water and (iii) the use of water for agricultural or industrial purposes.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The table shows the number of accidents which occurred between 1985 and 1992 that were reported to the Health and Safety Executive—HSE— under the provisions of regulation 5(1) of the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984 and the dangerous substances involved in each accident:

  Year

  Accident

  Dangerous substances involved in accident

  1985

  1 accident:

  this involved:

  methane

  1986

  7 accidents:

  2 involving:

  cholorine

  1 each involving:

  isoprophylalcohol and methylalcohol

  187

  Year

  Accident

  Dangerous substances involved in accident

  hydrogen peroxide ethylene oxide and isobutane toluene

  compound fertilisers containing super Phosphate and ammonium nitrate substances

  1987

  5 accidents

  1 each involving:

  hydrogen gas, petroleum gas and hydrocarbon liquids propylene oxide

  petroleum liquids and spirits carbon disulphide methane

  1988

  2 accidents:

  1 each involving:

  300 different chemicals including oxidising materials, highly flammable liquids, chlorinated hydrocarbon solvent

  ortho-nitro-benzaldehyde

  1989

  3 accidents:

  1 each involving:

  ammonium nitrate fertilisers

  ammonia

  propane

  1990

  6 accidents:

  1 each involving:

  2, 4, dichloronitrobenzene, potassium fluoride, dimethylacetamide, tetramethylammonium chloride and xylene

  isobutane and hydrofluoric acid white phosphorus toluene

  natural gas/methane propane, propylene, butane and butylene

  1991

  5 accidents:

  2 involving:

  methane

  1 each involving:

  acetone

  naphtha dimethyl aniline, toluene, dimethyl amino acid

  1992

  4 accidents:

  1 each involving:

  azodiisobutyronitrile (AZDN), ammonium persulphate and sodium persulphate

  hydrogen fluoride, chlorine, hydrogen chloride and trichloro-trifluoroethane ethylene

  aluminium silicate catalyst gave rise to hydrogen light hydro-carbon gases and carbon monoxide

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

  Youth Statistics
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of people aged 16 and 17 years old in Walthamstow are(a) on youth training schemes, (b) in full-time education and (c) in employment.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information on the status of young people in Waltham Forest is not available from the Department in the form requested.

  Tribunal Decisions
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what time the 10 and 90 percentiles and median cases for(a) industrial tribunal and (b) employment appeal tribunal decisions took from first application, in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I regret that the information is not readily available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The average length of time for an appeal to come to hearing at the employment appeal tribunal in England and Wales is two years and in Scotland five months. The table shows the percentage of cases coming to first hearing at the industrial tribunals in various given periods of time for the 12 months ended 31 March 1992:

  Percentage

  Less than

  England and Wales

  Scotland

  10 weeks

  10

  8

  12 weeks

  20

  24

  16 weeks

  41

  55

  20 weeks

  61

  75

  26 weeks

  80

  90

  Engineering
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what figures she has for the numbers employed in the engineering sector.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The available information is as follows:

  Employees in employment in the engineering industries in Great Britain: November 1992

  (Not seasonally adjusted)

  Thousands

  Mechanical engineering

  626

  Electrical and electronic engineering

  471

  Instrument engineering

  88

  Statutory Instruments
  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many statutory instruments were laid before Parliament by his Department in each year since 1980.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The number of statutory instruments laid before Parliament by the Department of Employment in each year of the years 1980 to 1992 is as follows:

  Year

  Total number of Statutory Instruments

  1980

  41

  1981

  48

  1982

  49

  1983

  34

  1984

  29

  1985

  31

  1986

  25

  1987

  30

  189

  Year

  Total number of Statutory Instruments

  1988

  40

  1989

  41

  1990

  30

  1991

  35

  1992

  41

DEFENCE

  Naval Engineering College, Manadon
  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-engineering Royal Navy officers attended courses at Manadon in maritime technology in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In the academic year 1992–93, 45 non-engineering Royal Navy officers and one Royal Marines officer are studying courses in maritime technology.

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current student enrolment at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon; what was the annual intake in 1992–93; what is the current complement of(a) civilian and (b) service personnel; and what are the current annual running costs categorised as appropriate.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  For the academic year 1992–93 there are 444 students at Manadon, excluding students who attended short courses of less than one year's duration. The new intake comprised 291 students, excluding short courses. The current complement of the college is 176 civilians–67 industrials and 109 non-industrials—and 148 service personnel–102 officers and 46 ratings. The current annual running costs are £10 million broken down as follows:

  £ million

  Service pay

  4·00

  Civilian pay

  2·40

  Duty travel and subsistence

  0·20

  Utilities and fuels

  0·50

  Education fees

  0·30

  Office machinery, stationery and telephones

  0·15

  Works

  1·20

  Repairs/maintenance

  0·60

  Accommodation services

  0·80

  Computer software, stores and miscellaneous

  0·05

  10·20

  Less income from research

  0·20

  TOTAL

  10·00

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many foreign students are currently enrolled at Manadon; and what was the fee income from such students in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As at 9 February 1993 there were 53 foreign and commonwealth students enrolled at Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon. The income from the tuition of foreign students in the financial year 1991–92 was just under £500,000.
  190
  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what higher-level degrees or their equivalent are awarded as a result of study at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon; how many were awarded in 1991–92; and what is the normal period of study for such degrees.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Royal Naval Engineering College, Manadon awards two MSc degrees—the advanced marine engineering course—AMEC—and the advanced marine defence technology course—AMDTC. Fourteen AMEC and seven AMDTC degrees were awarded in the academic year 1991–92. The normal period of study for MSc degrees is 54 weeks, including leave periods.

  Sandhurst
  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total student intake into Sandhurst in academic year 1991–92; what were the target intakes for(a) school-leavers and (b) graduates at each point of entry in academic year 1992–93; what have been the actual figures to date; how much has been spent on unprogrammed advertising for entrants to Sandhurst in 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr Archie Hamilton
  The total student intake into Sandhurst in academic year 1991–92 was 808. Since September 1992 when the common commissioning course was introduced officer recruiting targets are set for the year as a whole and do not distinguish between graduates and school leavers. A total of 537 officer cadets entered Sandhurst during 1992–93 against an annual entry target of 611. No money has been spent on unprogrammed advertising for entrants to Sandhurst in 1992–93, although £186,000 was spent last November on an advertising campaign directed at the May intake.

  Quangos
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies, for which his Department is responsible, which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other insititutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Oil and Pipelines Agency is the only Ministry of Defence executive non-departmental public body which has powers—under the Land Powers Act 1958—to compel third parties to carry out its instructions and to raise fees, in connection with preparation and organisation, for the directed work.

  Tay House, Glasgow
  Sir John Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what day a conditional missive was finalised between his Department and the vendors of Tay House, Glasgow; and if a financial penalty to his Department is incurred if the purchase is not completed.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No conditional missive has been finalised, nor any other form of legal agreement reached,
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  with the vendors of Tay House or any other building in Glasgow or elsewhere which might meet the Army personnel centre requirement. No binding agreement on any building will be reached until consultation has been completed and final decisions have been made. There would be no financial penalty if, in the event the final decision were not to locate the centre in Glasgow. All speculation to the contrary is mistaken.

  Barracks
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the potential additional accommodation available to soldiers in barracks which are not currently used by the Regular Army; and which barracks these are.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  [holding answer 11 February 1993]: In general, empty barrack accommodation in the United Kingdom is either not required and therefore in the process of disposal, or is being prepared for, or awaiting occupation by, incoming units. In addition, barracks at training camps will be empty from time to time when no units are undergoing training at those sites. As at 12 February 1993 the following barracks were empty:

  Barracks

  Remarks

  Scotland

  Edinburgh

  Redford

  Under refurbishment

  Lanark

  Winston

  Awaiting disposal

  Kirkcudbright

  Kings

  Awaiting disposal

  Eastern

  Strensall

  Training Camp

  Wathgill Camp

  Training Camp

  Southern

  Deepcut

  Alma/Dettingen

  Under consideration

  Aldershot

  Lands Yard

  Awaiting refurbishment

  Aldershot

  Mons

  Awaiting refurbishment

  Arborfield

  Rowcroft

  Under consideration

  Dover

  Old Park

  Awaiting disposal

  Tidworth

  Mooltan

  Under refurbishment

  Wales and West

  Crickhowell

  Training Camp

  London

  Horse Guards

  Under refurbishment

  Windsor

  Victoria

  Under refurbishment

  Small Firms Research Initiative
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the small firms research initiative.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department has for many years used the services of small firms, particularly to aid its applied research programme. One vehicle developed to foster such connections was the small firms research initiative—SFRI —launched in 1987 as part of the Government's small firms initiative and with an annual budget of some £1 million. Since then, however, a number of developments have occurred, in particular the formation of the Defence Research Agency—DRA. This organisation is already being run under commercial disciplines, introducing primary competition and more significantly secondary —sub-contract—competition.

  The DRA has recently launched a new scheme, Pathfinder, through which it invites industry to put
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  forward research proposals that meet both MOD customer needs and firms' own research priorities for up to 100 per cent. funding. The aim is to achieve a better return on the total research expenditure made by MOD and industry, to mutual benefit. Pathfinder embodies the concept of strategic alignment with industry and aims to improve the capability of industry as a supplier of defence equipment while simultaneously providing a degree of competition at research team level to stimulate cost efficiency.

  The Government's policy on the support of small firms remains unchanged. But in the particular circumstances no useful purpose would be served by continuing with the SFRI given the launching of the new Pathfinder scheme, and no further funds will be allocated to it.

ENVIRONMENT

  Council Property
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish for each local authority(a) the amount spent on council house repairs and maintenance, (b) the number of council-owned properties and (c) the average spent on repairs and maintenance per council-owned property in the latest available year.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have deposited a copy of a table showing the information requested by the hon. Member in the Library of the House. The table shows for 1992–93 each authority's estimated expenditure on repairs and maintenance debited to the housing revenue account including, where applicable, any expenditure via the housing repairs account; the average number of properties owned by each council during 1992–93; and the amount of repairs and maintenance expenditure per property.

  Housing Investment, Waltham Forest
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the housing investment programme allocation for the London borough of Waltham Forest for each of the last 10 years, expressed at constant prices.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information requested is given in the table. The figures for 1990–91 and subsequent years are not directly comparable with those for earlier years because of the revisions to the capital finance system introduced in April 1990.

  Housing investment Programme (HIP) allocations by Waltham Forest borough council and capital expenditure, 1983–84 to 1992–93

  £ thousands

  HIP allocations1

  Housing capital expenditure

  Cash

  1992–93 prices2

  Cash

  1992–93 prices2

  1983–84

  8,627

  14,323

  13,279

  22,047

  1984–85

  8,945

  14,134

  16,135

  25,495

  1985–86

  8,270

  12,391

  12,739

  19,087

  1986–87

  7,971

  11,571

  14,462

  20,993

  1987–88

  7,600

  10,458

  18,568

  25,550

  1988–89

  9,651

  12,379

  21,881

  28,065

  1989–90

  6,926

  8,335

  35,921

  43,231

  New capital finance system3

  1990–91

  17,138

  19,101

  23,744

  26,463

  1991–92

  13,859

  14,448

  418,881

  419,683

  1992–93

  17,752

  17,752

  524,827

  524,827

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  1 Allocations for the years up to and including 1989–90 are final allocations, i.e., the initial allocation plus any increases to the initial allocation made in-year. The allocations figures for 1990–91 and subsequent years are the HIP allocations (housing annual capital guidelines plus specified capital grants) issued prior to the start of the financial year. These figures do not include any supplementary credit approvals issued during the year.

  2 Cash figures have been converted to 1992–93 price levels by excluding the effect of general inflation as measured by the GDP market prices deflator.

  3 From 1990–91, under the new capital finance system, the HIP allocation is an assessment or relative need for housing capital expenditure rather than a direct borrowing approval. Borrowing approval is now conveyed by the single, all service, basic credit approval.

  4 Provisional.

  5 Estimated.

  Local Authority Housing
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the responses to the consultation paper "Local Authority Housing in England-Voluntary Transfer".

  Sir George Young
  Approximately 200 responses to the consultation paper have been received to date, some of which were submitted in confidence. A list of the responses will be placed in the House Libraries this week. The responses will be held for six months in the Department's central library, where inquirers may get access to them.

  Primary and Secondary Education (Funding)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the basis for the difference between funding of primary and secondary children; what weight he gives to different age children in determining education standard spending assessments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The methods used for calculating the standard spending assessment (SSA) for primary and secondary children are set out in the "Local Government Finance Report (England) 1993–94" which was approved by the House on 3 February—copies are in the Library.

  Quangos
  Mr. Sproat
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those non-departmental public bodies, for which his Department is responsible, which have the power to compel individuals, firms, companies or other institutions to carry out their instructions at the expense of the individuals, firms, companies or other institutions, and also to charge fees for the cost to the non-departmental public bodies of assessing the work which needed to be done.

  Mr. Howard
  None of the NDPBs sponsored by my Department has this combination of powers. Within the Department, however, Her Majesty's chief inspector of pollution exercises powers of this kind in the authorisation and regulation of industrial processes and of the use, storage and disposal of radioactive material.

  Departmental Annual Report
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many copies of his departmental annual report 1993, Cm 2207, have been printed; at what cost; and to whom it has been distributed.
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  Mr. Howard
  A total of 3,750 copies of the Department of the Environment annual report 1993 (Cm 2207) were printed. The costs of printing and publication were borne by HMSO, which aims to recover its costs from sales revenue. In addition to commercial sales and distribution within Parliament, copies of the report were sent to the chairmen and chief executives of the Department's non-departmental public bodies, to the chief executives of every English principal local authority and to a number of other interested bodies.

  Leicestershire Structure Plan
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the validity of the advice from Leicestershire county council to his Department's inspector for the Leicestershire structure plan inquiry in October and November 1992 to consider the planning and transport submission as a whole rather than individual road schemes; what further action is planned; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as amended by the Planning and Compensation Act 1991, it is for a county planning authority to select matters for disucssion at an examination in public of its structure plan, in consultation with the chairman of the EIP panel. It is then for the county council to consider the report of the panel before deciding whether to modify the plan. In the recent EIP for its replacement structure plan, Leicestershire county council chose to examine its overall strategy for transport rather than any individual road schemes. The Department was not requested to intervene in the matter and will not be further involved until the county council publishes its proposed modifications later this year.

  Empty Properties (Manchester)
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the percentage of empty properties in Manchester's housing stock.

  Mr. Baldry
  Based on Manchester city council's most recent housing investment programme return, 5.4 per cent, of council housing stock was empty at 1 April 1992.

  Construction Industry
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report, column 762 when the proposed Government/industry review of contracting and procurement arrangements in the construction industry is expected to report.

  Mr. Baldry
  Once an independent expert is appointed and begins work, I hope the report will be available within 12 months.

  Property Services Agency
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what type of computing system is used by the Property Services Agency accounts department; when it was installed; at what cost; and how has it affected the time taken to deal with accounts.

  Mr. Redwood
  The PSA services runs the Ross systems integrated accounting package on a developed DEC VAX
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  hardware platform. The new systems, providing fully auditable commercial and vote accounting, went live on a phased basis for resource accounting between January and April 1991. Works bill payment and recovery was also transferred onto the Ross systems from the agency's centralised accounts division on a phased programme, which was completed in February 1992. The full strategic accounting system project cost £10·3 million; the later works bill payment project cost £1·5 million.

  The new systems enable the PSA businesses to operate on an autonomous basis and improve financial discipline in PSA. The advantages of the new devolved accounting systems include the improved quality of local invoicing and the elimination of any delay in moving paperwork to a central location. Improvements in the payment cycle rely as much on the certification procedures and handling processes involved as on the systems themselves. The businesses are working to ensure that subcontractors are paid within 30 days of validation.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much the Property Services Agency owes Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance Ltd., of Trescan, Wembury Road, Wembury, Plymouth; if he will instruct the Property Services Agency to pay its outstanding debt; what is his policy on late payment of debts by the Property Services Agency; when the Property Services Agency last paid the company; and for what period of work.

  Mr. Redwood
  Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance Ltd. will be paid £30,590 later this week in respect of work let under a measured term contract. The company was last paid on 4 February 1993 for work done up to the end of November 1993. New payment arrangements are being implemented by the PSA building management businesses, where it is acting as agents for the Ministry of Defence for payment purposes under MOD property management contracts, such that subcontractors are paid no later than seven days following receipt of payment from the client, MOD. There is an existing obligation on the MOD to pay promptly and this together with the new payment arrangements being adopted by the PSAS will ensure that subcontractors should be paid within 30 days from validation.

  The development of appropriate systems and procedural changes is underway so that by 1 April 1993 the five BM businesses are operating on this new basis. As these arrangements are introduced, I am demanding better performance from PSA in reducing delays in payments to contractors by getting invoices to MOD more promptly.

  These arrangements create a contractual commitment on the managing contractor to make payment to subcontractors whose invoices have been accepted for
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  payment by MOD and should be distinguished from other forms of "pay when paid" for capital works contracts whereby main contractors may withhold payments to subcontractors. This latter practice is inconsistent with the Government's prompt payment policy.

  While the building management businesses are still in Government ownership, and they retain the obligations of the Government's prompt payment policy in their own right, a safety net will be in place so that PSA can ensure prompt payment to its contractors even where MOD had not paid PSA.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, if he will provide details of the pay when paid policy of the Property Services Agency and of its purpose and origins; and if he will make a statement on the application to this policy of the Government's requiring Departments to pay their private contractors as quickly as possible.

  Mr. Redwood
  New payment arrangements are being implemented by the PSA building management businesses, where they are acting as agents for the Ministry of Defence for payment purposes under MOD property management contracts, such that subcontractors are paid no later than seven days following receipt of payment from the client, MOD. There is an existing obligation on the MOD to pay promptly and this together with the new payment arrangements being adopted by the PSA will ensure that subcontractors should be paid within 30 days from validation.

  The development of appropriate systems and procedural changes is under way so that by 1 April 1993 the five BM businesses are operating on this new basis. As these arrangements are introduced, I am demanding better performance from PSA in reducing delays in payments to contractors by getting invoices to MOD more promptly.

  These arrangements create a contractual commitment on the managing contractor to make payment to subcontractors whose invoices have been accepted for payment by MOD and should be distinguished from other forms of "pay when paid" for capital works contracts whereby main contractors may withhold payments to subcontractors. This latter practice is inconsistent with the Government's prompt payment policy.

  While the building management businesses are still in Government ownership, and they retain the obligations of the Government's prompt payment policy in their own right, a safety net will be in place so that PSA can ensure prompt payment to its contractors even where MOD had not paid PSA.

  MAASTRICHT TREATY
  MAASTRICHT TREATY
  A.3 KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES BYPASS: ACCIDENTS
  A.3 KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES BYPASS: ACCIDENTS
  LIFE SENTENCE PRISONERS: LICENCES FOR RELEASE
  LIFE SENTENCE PRISONERS: LICENCES FOR RELEASE
  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS INVOLVING CHARITIES: NECESSARY PARTIES
  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS INVOLVING CHARITIES: NECESSARY PARTIES
  COPYRIGHT AND NEIGHBOURING RIGHTS: PROGRESS ON EC DIRECTIVES
  COPYRIGHT AND NEIGHBOURING RIGHTS: PROGRESS ON EC DIRECTIVES
  MINERS' PENSION SCHEMES: SURPLUSES
  MINERS' PENSION SCHEMES: SURPLUSES
  COAL PRODUCTION SUBSIDIES IN THE EC
  COAL PRODUCTION SUBSIDIES IN THE EC
  DTI STANDARDS POLICY UNIT
  DTI STANDARDS POLICY UNIT
  EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE DIVISION
  EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE DIVISION
  EMPLOYMENT LEGISLATION
  EMPLOYMENT LEGISLATION
  NATIONAL VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS: DEFINING BODIES
  NATIONAL VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS: DEFINING BODIES
  ARMY MANPOWER: COST OF INCREASE
  ARMY MANPOWER: COST OF INCREASE