Written Answers of 23 February 1993

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation he has undertaken to date with the Magistrates Association on the way to deal with persistent juvenile offenders aged between 12 and 15 years.

  Mr. Jack
  We intend to consult widely, including with the Magistrates Association, before bringing detailed legislative proposals before Parliament.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the maximum custodial sentence available to the courts for a persistent juvenile offender aged(a) 14 years or under and (b) 17 years in (i) 1979 and (ii) 1992.

  Mr. Jack
  There is no legal definition of a persistent juvenile offender. The information in the table therefore relates to the maximum lengths of custodial sentences available for all juvenile offenders subject to statutory criteria being met. The maximum length of custodial sentences, other than detention under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, for the relevant ages in the specified years are as follows:

  Date

  Sentence

  1979

  Under 14

  No custodial sentence

  14 year old (males)

  Detention centre–6 months

  17 year olds

  Borstal training–2 years

  Imprisonment—maximum term was the same as a court could have imposed for the offence in the case of an adult

  Up to 1 October 1992

  Under 14

  No custodial sentence

  14 year old (males)

  Detention in young offender institution–4 months

  17 year olds

  Detention in young offender institution— maximum term was the same as a court could have imposed for the offence in the case of an adult

  After 1 October 1992

  Under 14

  No custodial sentence

  14 year olds

  No custodial sentence

  17 year olds

  Detention in a young offender institution –12 months

  At all relevant times, section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 has permitted courts:
  to impose long—term detention on 14 to 17—year—olds for any offence which carries a 14—year maximum sentence for adults; and,
  to impose long—term detention on 10 to 13 year olds following their conviction for murder or manslaughter.

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent re—assessment he has made 486
  of his Department's evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on the effect of custody in a penal setting on young offenders.

  Mr. Jack
  At the Committee's request, my Department is preparing a supplementary memorandum of evidence which will deal, inter alia, with the matter to which the hon. Member refers.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to bring forward firm proposals to tackle juvenile crime.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government have already introduced a wide range of measures which aim to prevent young people from committing crime. In the Criminal Justice Act 1991, which was implemented on 1 October 1992, we have recently strengthened the powers of the court in relation to defendants under the age of 18.

  Both in absolute terms and as a proportion of all known offenders, the number of juvenile offenders has declined in recent years. But the Government are not complacent. We are currently working on additional measures which should enable the courts to deal more effectively with the small number of juveniles who persistently re—offend and for whom existing measures appear not to be working. My right hon. and learned Friend will be announcing his proposals about this shortly.

  Sentencing
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effect of the restrictions on taking previous convictions into account when sentencing offenders.

  Mr. Jack
  The Criminal Justice Act 1991 introduced new provisions relating to previous convictions which reflected existing Court of Appeal guidance. It is too early yet to make a meaningful assessment of the effect of the Act, which came into force on 1 October 1992. However, we will be monitoring closely the effects of this new Act.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to revise upwards the minimum value of the sentencing unit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The principle of the unit fine scheme, which applies to offences committed on or after 1 October 1992, is that fines should cause equal hardship for the well-off and less well-off by depriving an offender of a number of units of his disposable weekly income. One unit is intended to represent a third of the sum left to an offender after essential living expenses have been deducted from his take-home weekly income. For those with very low incomes, who have £12 a week or less after essential living expenses are deducted, there is normally a minimum unit value of £4.

  The operation of the unit fine scheme is being carefully monitored. It is too early to say whether any aspect of it will need to be revised.

  European Forum on Refugees
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on matters discussed and decisions taken at the European forum on refugees held in Budapest on 15 and 16 February.
  487
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend attended the European conference on uncontrolled migration in Budapest on 15 and 16 February, which approved a series of recommendations for tackling illegal immigration from and through central and eastern Europe. I have placed a copy of the agreed document in the Library of the House. The conference also agreed, among other things, that an informal working party drawn from a small group of participating states should be established to monitor implementation of the recommendations and in particular to carry forward work on promoting readmission agreements.

  Football Grounds (Policing)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet the chairman of Port Vale football club to discuss consistency and clarity in police charging policy for attending football matches.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend has not received a request for such a meeting. Charges for policing football matches are a matter for the police authority concerned.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when and on what basis police charges were introduced for policing inside football league grounds.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Charging for additional police services is a long-standing principle, authorised by statutes going back at least to the 19th century. It is not known precisely when charging for policing football matches began, although the practice predated the Police Act 1964, section 15 of which provides the current authority for such charges.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the guidelines to ensure consistency and clarity in police charges for policing league football matches.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  A guidance circular on the subject was issued to all police authorities and forces in May 1991. That guidance recommended a basis for calculating police costs suggested by the Audit Commission and one of its main aims was to promote the consistency of practice recommended by Lord Justice Taylor.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the cost per spectator of policing football matches for each team in the second division.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Gloucestershire Constabulary
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of whether the level of the Gloucestershire constabulary's establishment takes sufficient account of the residence of members of the royal family in the county of Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement on the criteria used in making his assessment.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  It is for the chief constable to assess the level of officers needed to police royal residences in Gloucestershire. My right hon. and learned Friend looks to Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary for 488
  advice when considering applications for increases in police establishments. That advice takes account of any protection responsibilities which a force may have.

  Immigration Detention Centres
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) at which United Kingdom airports and sea ports his Department is extending current immigration detention facilities;

  (2) what plans his Department has for detention centres to house detainees under the Immigration Act 1971; and what construction is currently taking place.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  A vacant prison service establishment at Campsfield house, Kidlington, near Oxford will be redeveloped during 1993 to provide at least 120 additional places for Immigration Act detainees. Other possible sites, including sites close to Heathrow and Gatwick airports, are under consideration, but no final decision has yet been taken.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all detention centres or prisons in the United Kingdom in which people are currently detained under the Immigration Act 1971.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In addition to immigration service places of detention at Harmondsworth, the Queen's building at Heathrow, the Beehive at Gatwick, Stansted airport and Manchester airport, the following prison establishments currently hold persons detained under the Immigration Act 1971:

  Northern Ireland (as at 18 February 1993)

  Crumlin Road

  Scotland (as at 18 February 1993)

  Gateside

  Barlinnie

  Craiginches

  Saughton

  England and Wales (as at 31 December 1992)

  Bedford

  Belmarsh

  Birmingham

  Brixton

  Dorchester

  Durham

  Exeter

  Gloucester

  Haslar

  Holloway

  Holme House

  Leeds

  Leicester

  Lewes

  Lincoln

  Pentonville

  Woodhill

  Wormwood Scrubs

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently detained under the Immigration Act 1971; and what was the total number of people detained in(a) 1990, (b) 1991, (c) 1992 and (d) for the first month of the current year.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information is not available in the form requested, but on 18 February there were 558 people detained under the Immigration Act 1971, including those detained temporarily in police cells. The total number of
  489
  such people initially detained during 1992 and January 1993 was as shown in the table. Equivalent figures are not available for 1990 or 1991.

  Initially detained

  Number

  In 1992

  16,413

  In January 1993

  1510

  1 These figures exclude those detained at ports of entry who did not claim asylum and who were detained for fewer than seven days. Records of such cases are not kept centrally.

  Relate
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial support he will give to enable Relate to evaluate the effectiveness of its work in preventing marital breakdowns and in reducing the damaging consequences therefrom.

  Mr. Jack
  1 have recently offered Relate a sum of £33,000 towards the cost of extending the evaluative work so far undertaken.

  Publicity
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 June 1992 to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson),Official Report, column 406, what is his Department's (a) current outturn estimate for publicity expenditure for 1992–93 and (b) budgeted publicity expenditure for 1993–94.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  (a) The current outturn estimate for 1992–93 is £12,395; (b) The proposed publicity budget for 1993–94 is £8,962.

  Unemployed Offenders
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of offenders appearing before the courts in Wolverhampton was unemployed in 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Jack
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply gave to the hon. Member for Mansfield (Mr. Meale) on 15 January 1993,Official Report, column 826.

  Fraud Trials
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider the recommendations of the Roskill report about fraud trials following the conclusion of the case of R.v. Ward.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government have already accepted and implemented most of the recommendations of the Roskill report, in the Criminal Justice Acts of 1987 and 1988.

  Nevertheless, in the light of continuing concern about length and expense of some trials, on 3 December 1992, the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Home Office and the legal secretariat to the Law Officers issued a consultation paper seeking views on a number of proposals for the reform of practice and procedure in long criminal trials, particularly those involving fraud. The consultation paper asks for responses by 28 February 1993.

  Any further reforms in this area will also need to take account of relevant conclusions or recommendations from the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice, which is due to report later this year.

  Prison Staff (Assaults)
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults, major and minor, on prison staff have taken place at each prison establishment in England and Wales between April 1992 and February 1993.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information relates to offences of assault on prison officers, or other members of staff, which were punished under the prison discipline system and is given in the table. Data for offences punished in January and February are not yet available.

  Offences1 of assaulting a member of Prison Service staff2 proved at adjudications in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales in April to December 1992: by establishment at which punished.

  Establishment at which punished

  Assault

  Offence Attempted Assault3

  Total

  All establishments

  1,554

  153

  1,707

  All male establishments

  1,388

  148

  1,536

  Remand Centres

  168

  30

  198

  Brinsford

  15

  3

  18

  Cardiff

  4

  —

  4

  Dorchester

  1

  —

  1

  Exeter

  1

  1

  2

  Feltham

  37

  6

  43

  Glen Parva

  19

  2

  21

  Hindley

  13

  6

  19

  Holme House

  1

  —

  1

  Low Newton

  2

  —

  2

  Moorland

  43

  4

  47

  Norwich

  1

  —

  1

  Rochester

  20

  7

  27

  Stoke Heath

  8

  1

  9

  Swansea

  3

  —

  3

  Total Local Prisons

  557

  63

  620

  Bedford

  6

  —

  6

  Balmarsh

  74

  12

  86

  Birmingham

  35

  6

  41

  Bristol

  5

  2

  7

  Brixton

  26

  5

  31

  Bullingdon

  16

  1

  17

  Canterbury

  6

  1

  7

  Cardiff

  13

  2

  15

  Chelmsford

  12

  1

  13

  Durham

  26

  4

  30

  Exeter

  10

  2

  12

  Elmley

  26

  1

  27

  Gloucester

  3

  —

  3

  Highdown

  13

  —

  13

  Holme House

  15

  2

  17

  Hull

  8

  —

  8

  Leeds

  40

  4

  44

  Leicester

  6

  3

  9

  Lewes

  11

  —

  11

  Total short sentenced YOls

  4

  1

  5

  Hollesley Bay

  2

  —

  2

  Werrington

  2

  —

  2

  Wetherby

  —

  1

  1

  Total Juvenile YOls

  6

  1

  7

  Feltham

  2

  1

  3

  Onley

  3

  —

  3

  Werrington

  1

  —

  1

  Total Female establishments

  166

  5

  171

  Total Local Prisons

  118

  5

  123

  Holloway

  47

  2

  49

  Low Newton

  6

  —

  6

  New Hall

  15

  —

  15

  Pucklechurch

  8

  2

  10

  Risley

  42

  1

  43

  491

  Establishment at which punished

  Assault

  Offence Attempted Assault3

  Total

  Total Closed Training Prisons

  27

  —

  27

  Bullwood Hall

  7

  —

  7

  Cookham Wood

  5

  —

  5

  Styal

  15

  —

  15

  Total Closed YOIs

  21

  —

  21

  Bullwood Hall

  14

  —

  14

  New Hall

  1

  —

  1

  Styal

  6

  —

  6

  Parkhurst

  7

  2

  9

  Portsmouth (Kingston)

  1

  —

  1

  Ranby

  3

  —

  3

  Risley

  1

  —

  1

  Rochester

  1

  —

  1

  Shepton Mallett

  5

  —

  5

  Stafford

  34

  2

  36

  Stocken

  9

  —

  9

  Swaleside

  28

  3

  31

  The Verne

  5

  —

  5

  Wakefield

  8

  3

  11

  Wayland

  14

  —

  14

  Wellingborough

  1

  —

  1

  Whitemoor

  36

  9

  45

  Wymott

  7

  —

  7

  Total Open Prisons

  13

  1

  14

  Ford

  2

  —

  2

  Hewell Grange

  1

  —

  1

  Kirkham

  2

  —

  2

  North Sea Camp

  2

  —

  2

  Rudgate

  1

  —

  1

  Standford Hill

  1

  1

  2

  Sudbury

  4

  —

  4

  Total all YOIs

  167

  19

  186

  Total Closed YOIs

  157

  16

  173

  Aylesbury

  31

  3

  34

  Castington

  18

  1

  19

  Deerbolt

  9

  5

  14

  Dover

  15

  —

  15

  Feltham

  18

  3

  21

  Glen Parva

  9

  1

  10

  Hollesley Bay

  5

  —

  5

  Huntercombe

  2

  —

  2

  Moorland

  12

  1

  13

  Northallerton

  6

  —

  6

  Onley

  12

  1

  13

  Portland

  6

  —

  6

  Stoke Heath

  11

  1

  12

  Swinfen Hall

  3

  —

  3

  Total Open YOIs

  —

  1

  1

  Hatfield

  —

  1

  1

  Lincoln

  13

  —

  13

  Liverpool

  11

  —

  11

  Manchester

  7

  1

  8

  Norwich

  15

  1

  16

  Pentonville

  25

  2

  27

  Preston

  7

  1

  8

  Reading

  15

  —

  15

  Shrewsbury

  5

  —

  5

  Swansea

  2

  —

  2

  Wandsworth

  26

  5

  31

  Winchester

  27

  —

  27

  Wolds

  16

  —

  16

  Wood Hill

  1

  —

  1

  Wormwood Scrubs

  36

  7

  43

  Total Closed Training Prisons

  483

  35

  518

  Acklington

  18

  —

  18

  Albany

  9

  1

  10

  Aldington

  1

  —

  1

  Brockhill

  4

  —

  4

  Blundeston

  30

  1

  31

  492

  Establishment at which punished

  Assault

  Offence Attempted Assault3

  Total

  Camp Hill

  8

  —

  8

  Channings Wood

  3

  —

  3

  Coldingley

  9

  —

  9

  Dartmoor

  21

  3

  24

  Erlestoke

  3

  —

  3

  Everthorpe

  3

  —

  3

  Elmley

  1

  —

  1

  Featherstone

  5

  2

  7

  Frankland

  19

  2

  21

  Full Sutton

  66

  1

  67

  Garth

  33

  1

  34

  Gartree

  3

  —

  3

  Grendon

  3

  —

  3

  Haverigg

  3

  —

  3

  Highpoint

  7

  —

  7

  Lancaster

  4

  —

  4

  Lindholme

  10

  1

  11

  Littlehey

  7

  —

  7

  Long Lartin

  25

  3

  28

  Maidstone

  8

  —

  8

  Mount (The)

  9

  1

  10

  Norwich

  1

  —

  1

  Nottingham

  10

  —

  10

  1 Provisional figures.

  2 Includes prison officers and prison staff other than of Prisoner officer grade.

  3 Including attempting, inciting or assisting.

  Wolds Prison (Escape)
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the circumstances which led to the escape of an inmate from the Wolds prison on 23 January.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The prisoner was unaccounted for at a routine security check at 17.00 on 23 January. In accordance with standard procedures, the police were informed as soon as it was suspected that an inmate might be missing and an extensive search of the entire prison was undertaken, including roof spaces and roof tops. The prisoner appears to have used some items of women's clothing in order to leave in the guise of a female visitor. In this way he would avoid the security procedures to which all male visitors were subjected. The prisoner gave himself up to the prison two days later. An internal review of the incident and procedures has taken place and all the recommendations for immediate action to prevent a recurrence have been put in place. The Home Office deputy controller monitored the incident from the outset.

  Consultants
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to(a) Coopers and Lybrand management consultants, (b) Touche Ross management consultants, (c) Price Waterhouse management consultants, (d) Ernst and Young management consultants, (e) Chrichton Roberts Ltd., (f) KPMG management consultants and (g) Leopold Joseph management consultants, with the total cost of the contracts with each contractor, for (i) the past 12 months and (ii) 1991–92.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Details of the contracts awarded by my Department during the past 12 months and for 1991–92 to the specified companies are as follows:
  493

  Consultant

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Total value

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Restructuring of HMIC Matrix

  Triple CJS Pilots Project

  Market Testing Review

  PSIF MIS Project

  £420,000

  Touche Ross

  Consultancy work for catering contract

  Consultancy work for catering contract

  Study into effective shift systems for the Police Service

  Immigration service survey of staff attitudes

  Survey into motivation amongst police constables

  Review of shiftworking patterns in the Immigration Service

  Spectrum sizing survey

  TAC Project

  £332,713

  Price Waterhouse

  Systems Review

  —

  Systems Review

  Marketing Survey: Police activity sampling

  Mass software project

  £2,758,387

  Ernst and Young

  Validation of IT Strategy

  Police roles and responsibilities

  Court Escort: area survey

  Value and vision for the Prison Service

  Consultancy assistance in ensuring VFM from the Court Escort Service

  ICL Domain Review

  PROMIS Spits Survey

  Holmes Project

  —

  Chrichton Roberts Ltd.

  —

  —

  —

  KPMG

  Review of financial arrangements for the funding of Regional Crime Squad in England and Wales

  Study for PNCO

  £81,250

  Leopold Joseph

  —

  —

  —

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many contracts for consultancies were awarded to his Department over(a) the last 12 months and (b) 1991–92.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The number of contracts for consultancies awarded by my Department for the last 12 months was 113 and for 1991–92 the number was 202.

  Rule 43 Prisoners
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men and (b) women were on rule 43 in prisons in (i) England and Wales, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Northern Ireland on 12 February.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The following table shows the number of males and females, both adults and young persons, removed from association under rule 43 of the prison rules and rule 46 of the young offender institution rules on 12 February, in prison service establishments in England and Wales.

  Rule 43/46 own protection

  Rule 43/46 Good order and discipline

  Total

  Males

  1,570

  241

  1,811

  Females

  22

  7

  29

  Total

  1,592

  248

  1,840

  494
  The table does not include inmates in designated vulnerable prisoner units where rule 43 and 46 restrictions do not apply.

  Responsibility for prisons elsewhere in the United Kingdom rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Winchester Prison
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date X—ray and metal detection devices were installed at Winchester prison; and on what date they became fully operational.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  X—ray machines were delivered to Winchester on 1 May 1992 and 29 June 1992. One became operational on 20 October 1992. The second will be installed and brought into operation once the necessary alterations to the gate lodge building have been completed. These alterations are scheduled to commence in 1993–94.

  A metal detector portal has been operational at Winchester since 1980.

  Criminal Justice Act 1991
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for he Home Department when he expects to review the working of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 and its effectiveness in deterring crime; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The Criminal Justice Act which came into force on 1 October last year contained a range of
  495
  provisions designed to establish a coherent sentencing framework based on the principle that the sentence should match the seriousness of the offence. The effects of the Act are being carefully monitored and evaluated as information becomes available.

  Mr. Maurice Bland
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Mr. Maurice Bland will be transferred from Lindholme to an open prison.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Secretary of State has accepted the recommendation by a discretionary lifer panel of the Parole Board that Mr. Bland should be transferred to an open prison. A decision on the most suitable location for Mr. Bland will be made within the next few days and he will be moved as soon as possible thereafter.

  Small Firms (Regulations)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all those regulations affecting small firms which have been abolished by his Department in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Such statistics have never been assembled before. My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is finalising a centralised record of Government regulations against which progress on deregulation will be monitored in future. The Home Office will contribute to this record.

  Vehicle Clamping
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement concerning the immobilisation of vehicles improperly parked on private land.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government are today publishing a consultation document on wheel—clamping on private land in England and Wales. It describes the current legal position as we understand it and canvasses a number of options for tackling the problems which have been brought to our attention. It indicates no preference for any of the options listed, but rather solicits as wide a range of opinions as possible, so that a proper balance my be struck between the interests of the landowner and those of the motorist. The document also seeks information on the extent and nature of wheel—clamping on private property and the problems associated with it.

  Copies of the paper have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and are being sent direct to right hon. and hon. Members, individuals and groups that have already expressed an interest, and to others with an identifiable interest in any of the options. Copies of the document may also be obtained free of charge by writing to C4 Division, Home Office, Room 339, 50 Queen Anne's gate, London SW1A 9AT.

  The document requests that observations of both fact and opinion should reach the Home Office no later than the end of May.

WALES

  Commons
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many areas are designated as commons in each local authority area of Wales; and what were the equivalent numbers in(a) 1975, (b) 1980, (c) 1985 and (d)

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information is not held centrally. However, the project "The Common Lands of Wales", undertaken for the Countryside Commission by the rural surveys research unit at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1988 indicated that the number of areas shown as common land in that year in each local authority area was:

  County

  Number of commons

  Clwyd

  323

  Dyfed

  488

  Gwent

  70

  Gwynedd

  279

  Mid Glamorgan

  53

  Powys

  290

  South Glamorgan

  24

  West Glamorgan

  67

  At the time of the survey some of the areas may not have been finally registered or may have been subject to deregistration.

  Consultants
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many contracts for consultancies were awarded by his Department(a) over the last 12 months and (b) in 1991–92.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department has awarded 88 consultancy contracts over the last 12 months and 75 in 1991–92.

  One—stop Shops
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish a series of one—stop shops to advise and support local community initiatives in each of the current district council areas in the south Wales valleys.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  A working group has been established to consider how to improve the delivery of enterprise and business support services across Wales. The group will report to the Department in May.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the estimated amounts to be collected in community charge within each local authority area in Wales for(a) 1991–92 and (b) 1992–93; and what are the estimates for the collection of council tax in each local authority area in the first year of its operation.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested for 1991–92 and 1992–93 is given in the following table. Comparable information is not available for 1993–94 since local authorities are still in the process of setting their budgets.
  497

  Amount of community charge budgeted to be collected by local authorities when the charge was set1

  £ million

  1991–92

  1992–932

  Alyn and Deeside

  5·8

  8·0

  Colwyn

  4·6

  5·4

  Delyn

  5·1

  6·7

  Glyndwr

  2·6

  3·4

  Rhuddlan

  4·8

  5·4

  Wrexham Maelor

  6·8

  10·5

  Carmarthen

  2·2

  4·6

  Ceredigion

  2·9

  6·2

  Dinefwr

  1·6

  2·9

  Llanelli

  3·8

  7·4

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  3·1

  6·2

  South Pembrokeshire

  2·1

  3·5

  Blaenau Gwent

  2·7

  2·8

  Islwyn

  3·2

  4·6

  Monmouth

  5·8

  8·3

  Newport

  9·9

  11·7

  Torfaen

  6·2

  7·7

  Aberconwy

  4·1

  5·4

  Arfon

  2·7

  3·5

  Dwyfor

  2·1

  2·7

  Meirionnydd

  2·8

  3·6

  Ynys Môn

  4·7

  6·7

  Cynon Valley

  2·3

  4·2

  Merthyr Tydfil

  2·4

  4·6

  Ogwr

  6·3

  9·7

  Rhondda

  1·3

  3·6

  Rhymney Valley

  5·4

  8·0

  Taff Ely

  5·6

  8·8

  Brecknock

  2·5

  3·5

  Montgomeryshire

  2·7

  4·4

  Radnorshire

  1·4

  2·1

  Cardiff

  18·6

  22·9

  Vale of Glamorgan

  7·8

  10·0

  Port Talbot

  2·1

  3·8

  Lliw Valley

  2·5

  4·9

  Neath

  3·2

  5·4

  Swansea

  12·4

  17·4

  Total Wales

  166·4

  240·3

  1 Net of deductions on community charge bills: ie community charge reduction scheme (CCRS), community charge benefit (CCB) and community charge grant(1991–92). Excludes arrears for earlier year(s).

  2 As reported by local authorities on form DAP3, but after deduction of CCRS and estimated CCB.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the estimated standard spending assessment levels for(a) 1992–93 and (b) 1993–94 in each local authority area in Wales (i) prior to and (ii) following the announcement of capping criteria.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The standard spending assessment for 1992–93 for each local authority in Wales is shown in tables 1.3 and 1.6 of the Welsh Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (No. 4) (HC 241). Assessments for 1993–94 are shown in tables 1.3 and 1.6 of the Local Government Finance Report (Wales) 1993–94 (HC 412). Copies of both reports are available in the Library of the House. Standard spending assessments are not altered by capping criteria.

  Community Development
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to issue guidelines to(a) the private sector and (b) the voluntary sector concerning their involvement in community development work in Wales.
  498
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  We have no plans to do so at present. The Welsh Office supports community development work through a variety of grant schemes; guidance to potential applicants is issued on each of these schemes.

  County Council Assets
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the worth of assets in pounds sterling held by each county council in Wales in each year since 1988.

  Mr. David Hunt
  This information is not held centrally.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what measures he proposes to improve work in the foundation subjects of the national curriculum;

  (2) if he will make a statement on standards in the national curriculum in foundation subjects.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In its review of educational provision in Wales for 1991–92, HMI (Wales) reported that teachers have responded to the challenge of the national curriculum with resilience, personal effort and commitment. HMI found that in 1991–92—a year in which two of the foundation subjects were introduced for the first time—work in the core subjects was satisfactory or better in three quarters of classes and there was satisfactory work in the foundation subjects in two thirds of classes. I congratulate teachers on this substantial achievement. I am also naturally concerned by those classes where performance needs to improve. As teachers become more familiar with the requirements of the orders and planning appropriate schemes of work, I have every confidence that standards will improve further.

  Reading Skills
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how he proposes to improve the progressive development of reading skills.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The teaching of English under the national curriculum places considerable emphasis on the development of reading skills. There is already evidence of improvement. Last year's national curriculum tests for seven—year—olds showed a higher proportion of pupils had achieved level 2 or above–77 per cent.—in reading compared with the previous year–74 per cent. Level 2 is the level expected of a typical seven—year—old. In July last year I approved specific grant expenditure of £348,000 for innovative projects which are designed to improve primary reading standards in five local education authorities. The projects are being closely monitored and there will be a full evaluation in order that the gains can be passed to other LEAs in Wales.

  Pharmacists
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how much his Department owes community pharmacists for periods of up to(a) 60 days and (b) 90 days;

  (2) on how many occasions, and to what extent, in each year since 1990–91 community pharmacists received payment in respect of NHS pharmacy services within (a) 30 days, (b) 60 days or (c) 90 days of the provision of these services.
  499
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Pharmacists receive some 80 per cent. of their NHS fees and payments within a month of submitting the prescriptions they have dispensed to the prescription pricing division. The balance is paid a month later when the authority has calculated the exact payment due.

  Anthrax
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of anthrax were treated in each of the health authorities in Wales in each year since 1980; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There were no notifications of anthrax in Wales in the years 1980 to 1992. This information remains subject to verification for 1991 and 1992.

  Deaths and Discharges with a diagnosis of Hepatitis B (ICD9 70.2 70.3): Hospital Activity Analysis 1980–901

  Year

  DHA of treatment

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Clwyd

  4

  2

  2

  20

  8

  12

  10

  7

  1

  10

  12

  East Dyfed

  1

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  4

  2

  3

  Gwent

  4

  4

  2

  0

  5

  16

  10

  5

  6

  3

  5

  Gwynedd

  0

  0

  0

  5

  1

  3

  1

  2

  1

  2

  1

  Mid Glamorgan

  2

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  2

  0

  2

  1

  Powys

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South Glamorgan

  2

  3

  4

  10

  3

  5

  2

  5

  2

  3

  6

  West Glamorgan

  3

  3

  3

  3

  4

  7

  1

  2

  4

  7

  3

  Pembrokeshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Not known

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  2

  TOTAL

  17

  14

  13

  40

  21

  45

  26

  25

  19

  30

  33

  1 The figures may understate the true position in that not all hospitals provide medical details relating to patient discharges and deaths. A patient admitted more than once in a year will be recorded each time he or she is admitted. Data for years after 1990 are not yet complete.

  Rural Roads
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent on the maintenance of rural roads in Wales in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Expenditure on the maintenance of roads is given in the following table. It is not possible to show separately spending relating to rural roads.

  Current expenditure on roads maintenance

  £ million

  Financial year

  Local Authorities1

  Central Government2

  1979–80

  62·9

  6·5

  1980–81

  70·0

  6·1

  1981–82

  89·3

  12·6

  1982–83

  83·0

  10·9

  1983–84

  88·1

  11·7

  1984–85

  89·0

  11·9

  1985–86

  89·7

  13·6

  1986–87

  96·8

  14·6

  1987–88

  109·1

  13·6

  1988–89

  115·7

  15·0

  1989–90

  123·8

  15·3

  1990–91

  3 134·4

  18·6

  1991–92

  n.a.

  20·9

  1 Includes all highways and bridge maintenance, street cleaning for highways purposes, lighting and associated professional and technical services. Includes net expenditure incurred on behalf of other local authorities under agency agreements.

  2 Expenditure on trunk roads and motorways. Figures from 1979–80 to 1982–83 are estimates.

  Hepatitis
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of hepatitis B were treated in each of the health authorities of Wales in each year since 1980; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information available from hospital activity analysis data, given in the following table, relates to the number of discharges and deaths from NHS hospitals in each health authority with a recorded diagnosis of hepatitis B. These data relate only to cases for which patients were treated as in-patients or day cases in hospital. Most cases of hepatitis B, however, are managed in the community and do not involve an admission to hospital. Information on the number of cases managed in the community is not identifiable from centrally held data.

  3 A new definition of current expenditure was introduced in 1990–91 and this figure is not therefore strictly comparable to those for earlier years.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people were employed in the maintenance of rural roads in Wales in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not available centrally.

EDUCATION

  Business Names
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 15 February,Official Report, column 51, (1) what steps he took, before approving the name Somerset University under the Business Names Act 1985, to satisfy himself that the degree-level courses provided met levels of educational quality recognised through validation by universities, the Council for National Academic Awards or other educational institutions;

  (2) what consultations he had with the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals, or other educational interests, before approving the name Somerset University under the Business Names Act 1985;

  (3) when he responded to the owner of the business wishing to trade under the name Somerset University under the Business Names Act 1985; what British

  501
  educational bodies or public representatives supported the application; and if he will publish his response to the request from the owner.

  Mr. Boswell
  The President of the Board of Trade approves names under the Business Names Act 1985. The appropriate regulations, requiring consent under the Act, do not apply to names in use before 1 January 1983. Since there was evidence that "Somerset University" was in use before that date, the opinion of the Secretary of State for Education and Science was not sought.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 15 February,Official Report, column 51, if he will list those business names, including either of the words university or polytechnic on the use of which his opinion is currently being sought.

  Mr. Boswell
  The opinion of my right hon. Friend is currently being sought on "Eastern International/Huron University, Inc." and "EIEA/Huron University, Inc." as the proposed business name of Lansdowne University Ltd., a South Dakota corporation.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 15 February,Official Report, column 51, if he will publish his criteria for approving the use of the word university under the Business Names Act 1985.

  Mr. Boswell
  The President of the Board of Trade, who approves names under the Business Names Act 1985, consults the Privy Council where it is proposed that "university" is included in a business name. The Privy Council normally seeks the advice of my right hon. Friend, who is concerned to protect the status of United Kingdom universities and their interests and to avoid any confusion which might arise in the minds of the public.

  Autism
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will give an estimate of the number of children classified as autistic in the United Kingdom who attend schools run by(a) local education authorities and (b) voluntary or charitable organisations.

  Mr. Forth
  1 refer the hon. Member to the replies that I gave to him on 8 February,Official Report, column 454. Under the Education Act 1981 it is the responsibility of LEAs to identify and make provision for children with special educational needs, including those with autism. The Department for Education and the Department of Health are currently sponsoring a research project into the education and treatment of children with autism in England and Wales. The researchers, applying European prevalence rates to this country, estimate that there are in the region of 7,800 children with autism in England and Wales. Of these, approximately 1,000 children attend schools or units which specialise in teaching children with autism. About 400 specialist places are provided by the voluntary sector. I have today placed a copy of the report of stage 1 of the research in the Library.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the amount of resources and manpower that has been made available for the education and treatment of children with autism.

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not available centrally. It is the responsibility of LEAs and schools to ensure that 502
  individual autistic pupils receive the special education they require. The Department for Education and the Department of Health are currently sponsoring a research project into the education and treatment of children with autism in England and Wales. The second stage of the research aims to evaluate the main types of provision for young autistic children.

  School Meals
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the local education authorities who have contracted out their school meals service to private companies; and what has been the change in employment as a result.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department does not collect this information. It is up to LEAs to decide whether they wish to delegate the funds for this service to schools. LEAs providing school meals directly are subject to the competition provisions of the Local Government Act 1988. A survey by the Local Government Management Board, published in November 1992, showed that local authorities' direct service organisations have won 91·6 per cent. by number of school catering contracts and 97·2 per cent. by value.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Consultants
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many contracts for consultancies were awarded by his Department over(a) the last 12 months and (b) 1991–92.

  Mr. Key
  (a) My Department, which was formed in April 1992, has funded 25 contracts for consultancies awarded in the last 12 months; its executive agency, the Historic Royal Palaces Agency, has awarded 29 contracts.

  (b) As my Department was not in existence in 1991–92, this part of the question does not apply.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to(a) Coopers and Lybrand management consultants, (b) Touche Ross management consultants, (c) Price Waterhouse management consultants, (d) Ernst and Young management consultants, (e) Chrichton Roberts Ltd., (f) KPMG management consultants and (g) Leopold Joseph management consultants, with the total cost of the contracts with each contractor, for (i) the past 12 months and (ii) 1991–92.

  Mr. Key
  (i) My Department which was formed in April 1992, has funded the following contracts in the past 12 months:

  (a) Coopers and Lybrand Management Consultants: nil.

  (b) Touche-Ross Management Consultants: two contracts have been awarded, one for a management review of the National Film and Television School and one for a market testing consultancy for catering operations at the British Film Institute. Total cost: £24,720.

  (c) Price Waterhouse Management Consultants: two contracts have been awarded, one to look at financial systems and controls for the British Library St. Pancras project, and one to undertake an investment appraisal for my Department's headquarters project. Total cost: £120,000.

  503

  (d) Ernst and Young Management Consultants: four contracts have been awarded; a report on market testing in the British Library, a feasibility study into the computerisation of the listing of historic buildings, which is ongoing, and two consultancies for the BFI, to look at computer facilities management and front-of house security at the National Film Theatre and Museum of the Moving Image. Total cost: £105,915.

  (e) Chrichton Roberts: nil.

  (f) KPMG Management Consultants: a contract was awarded to review British Screen Finance Ltd. Total cost: £38,000.

  (g) Leopold Management Consultants: nil.

  (ii) As my Department was not in existence in 1991–92, this part of the question does not apply.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Nuclear Reprocessing
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library an example of the contract signed by British Nuclear Fuels and its foreign customers for the reprocessing of irradiated spent fuel at the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. The reprocessing contracts in question are a commercial matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc and its customers.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library a copy of the Touche Ross report on the economic feasibility of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant commissioned by British Nuclear Fuels plc.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a commercial matter for the company.

  Small Firms
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what amount of funding his Department provided in each of the last three years for development work which aimed to benefit small firms and individual traders.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Department funded small firms development schemes at a cost of £89·3 million in 1990–91 and £90·8 million in 1991–92 with a forecast cost of £91.·2 million for 1992–93.

  Other small firms guarantee and support schemnes costing approximately £24·2 million in 1990–91, £34·4 million in 1991–92 and an expected £29·4 million in 1992–93 were, prior to their transfer to this Department in May 1992, funded by the Department of Employment.

  The training and enterprise councils provide business counselling and advice to small businesses from funds provided by the Department of Employment. These TEC activities will be funded by this Department from 1993–94.

  Misleading Prices
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when his Department intends to legislate against misleading price indications.

  Mr. Leigh
  Part III of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 makes it an offence to give a misleading price indication to consumers by any means.

  Fridges
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the production of domestic fridges by United Kingdom manufacturers, for both national and overseas markets, from 1986 to 1991.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Figures for United Kingdom manufacturers' production of domestic fridges are not available separately for the United Kingdom and overseas markets. Figures for manufacturers' sales of these items in total may be found in Business Monitor PAS3460 (Domestic Electrical Appliances), a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Insolvencies
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the number of(a) personal insolvencies and (b) company insolvencies in 1992 and in 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The relevant information was published on my Department's behalf by the Association of British Chambers of Commerce in the 5 February issue of "Business Briefing", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade who regulates insolvency practitioners in Britain.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Under the Insolvency Act 1986 only authorised persons may act as insolvency practitioners. Authorisation may be granted either by a professional body recognised by the Secretary of State or by the Secretary of State himself. The professional conduct of a person so authorised is regulated by the professional body or by the Secretary of State.

  In addition, the insolvency legislation contains a number of provisions under which those interested in a particular insolvency may have control over the actions of an insolvency practitioner, including power to make application to court for relief where there is dissatisfaction with any act, omission or decision of the practitioner.

  Company Inspectors
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on which dates inspectors were appointed for investigation into Maxwell, BCCI, Polly Peck and Levitt Group of companies.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Apart from the inspections into the Maxwell companies in the early 1970s, the only appointment of inspectors in respect of the cases mentioned by the hon. Member is the appointment of inspectors announced on 8 June 1992 to investigate and report on the affairs and on the membership of Mirror Group Newspapers plc.

  Auditor Regulation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will invite the public to submit evidence before completing his review of the auditor regulation regime introduced by part II of the Companies Act 1989.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I will bear in mind the hon. Member's suggestion.

  Department of Trade Inspectors
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what checks he makes on the fitness of individuals to act as inspectors for his Department before appointing such individuals.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  My Department makes such checks as are necessary and takes all relevant information into account.

  Auditing Practices Board
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when his Department was first informed of the plans to form the Auditing Practices Board.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  In November 1990.

  Auditing Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will propose legislation under which the recognised supervisory bodies would be required to publish the names and addresses of all auditing firms whose standards are considered to be low.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No.

  Batteries
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will include reference to the possibility of recycling batteries by using chargers in his Department's planned consultation document on the safe disposal of batteries.

  Mr. Eggar
  Rechargeable batteries, or accumulators, are among those covered by directive 91/157/EEC—batteries and accumulators containing certain dangerous substances—the implementation of which will be the subject of public consultation by my Department in due course. The directive encourages the separate collection, for controlled disposal or recycling, of batteries and accumulators which contain specified amounts of lead, mercury and cadmium. Implementation of the directive in the Community has been delayed by the lack of an agreed marking system for batteries caught by the directive, but resolution of this matter is expected shortly, and a United Kingdom implementation date of 1 January 1994 for the directive is now planned.

  Scott Inquiry
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many documents from Government Departments which have been asked for by the Scott inquiry have yet to be delivered.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The inquiry team has already received a great volume of documentation from Government Departments. It would be extremely difficult to quantify documents yet to be delivered since Departments are continuing to supply documents in response to ongoing requests from Lord Justice Scott.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has yet received from the Lord Justice Scott inquiry a timetable for oral evidence to the inquiry.
  506
  Mr. Heseltine
  Lord Justice Scott has not yet announced dates for the taking of oral evidence. He has, however, made it clear that he wishes to report as soon as possible.

  Vietnam
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the Export Credits Guarantee Department's cover for Vietnam.

  Mr. Needham
  ECGD is willing to consider applications for insurance of United Kingdom investments in Vietnam. Medium-term export credit cover has not been available since the early 1980s when Vietnam defaulted on her trade debts, giving rise to claims on ECGD which remain unrecovered. The availability of further cover will be dependent upon ECGD's assessment of the risks arid payment performance.

  Package Travel Industry
  Mr. Dickens
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has decided whether the Airtours bid for Owners Abroad raises questions of consumer choice which should be examined by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I shall take a decision on whether or not to refer this proposed acquisition to the MMC in due course, following advice from the Director General of Fair Trading. When taking that decision I shall take into account all relevant factors.

  Microwave Transmitters
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what evidence he has identified from published and as yet unpublished reports available to him pointing to ill effects on human and other life forms from the siting of microwave transmitters on multi-storey domestic premises.

  Mr. Leigh
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers I gave to earlier questions on 14 December 1992,Official Report, columns 26–27 and 22 January 1993, column 497. I am not aware of any unpublished information which would lead me to alter the terms of those answers.

  Company Accounts
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultations he has had on proposals to require the declarations of payment practices in company accounts and reports; and what conclusions he has reached.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  My Department issued on 25 January a consultative document on the options for taking forward our commitment that in future large companies will be required to state in their report and accounts how quickly they pay. The deadline for comments in 27 March. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the working of the current requirements for disclosure of research and development expenditure in company accounts; and what plans he has to extend disclosure.
  507
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I have no reason to believe that the current requirements, which are contained in the Companies Act 1985 and Statement of Standard Accounting Practice No. 13, are not being generally complied with. I have no plans to extend the statutory requirements.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the membership of the Association of Authorised Public Accountants; and who performs the monitoring arrangements required by the Companies Act 1989.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the association's first annual report under section 37 of the Companies Act 1989, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  Textiles
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has on the current Turkish import regime for textiles.

  Mr. Needham
  A new Turkish tariff was introduced on 1 January 1993 which takes account of the latest reductions in duty granted to EC products under the EC/Turkey association agreement and the abolition of all additional levies equivalent to customs duties, except the mass housing fund. A preliminary analysis of the new tariff regime for textiles has been produced by the European Commission delegation office in Ankara; this notes EC preferences for all textile chapters and a general reduction in overall levels of protection.

  Small Firms (Regulations)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list all those regulations affecting small firms which have been abolished by his Department in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Such statistics have never been assembled before. I am completing a centralised record of Government regulations against which progress on deregulation will be monitored in future.

  Coal and Energy Issues
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the counties he and his ministerial colleagues have visited to discuss coal and energy issues since taking office; how many days each visit took; and if he will name the collieries visited.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 17 February 1993]: As regards visits to collieries, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 4 November 1992, Official Report, column 314. No further visits have taken place since.

  Coal and energy are among the many issues my ministerial colleagues and I discuss in the course of the frequent visits we undertake. For example, I discussed these matters during my visits to the north-east on 27 July, 16 October and 10 December last year, in my role as sponsoring Minister for that region.

  Foam-filled Furniture
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what changes he has made to his advice given to charities and voluntary organisations in respect of the sale and distribution of non-compliant foam-filled furniture; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 18 February 1993]: The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, as amended, which were made under the Consumer Protection Act 1987, apply to transactions involving the "supply" of furniture which takes place
  "in the course of business"
  within the meaning of section 46 of that Act. My Department's view of the general position is that the simple distribution of furniture by a charity, in pursuance of its charitable objectives, either free of charge or at a nominal cost only, would be unlikely to constitute a business activity. Shops selling furniture to raise funds for charitable purposes would, in the Department's view, constitute a business activity.

  As charities may engage in a variety of activities which could have a bearing on the application of the regulations, my Department strongly recommends to inquirers that they should seek legal advice in the light of all the circumstances of the operation of the charity.

  EC Steel Industry
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what plans he has to consult(a) the British Independent Steel Producers Association, (b) the British Steel Corporation and (c) the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation on the Government's response to the Braun report on the restructuring of the European Community steel industry;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the Government's response to the European Commission report by Fernand Braun on the restructuring of the EC steel industry.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 18 February 1993]: I and my officials have discussed the Braun report and the Government's reaction with the British Iron and Steel Producers Association of which British Steel is now a member. There is broad agreement between Government and industry on the need for restructuring and permanent closures in other EC countries. The United Kingdom has alredy taken such steps. I have no plans to consult the Iron and Steel Traders Confederation, which is, however, represented on the European Coal and Steel Community's consultative committee. I am meeting my EC colleagues on 25 February to consider proposals for restructuring the EC steel industry.

  Post Office
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the cost of providing Post Office staff support to the royal family.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 22 February 1993]: The estimated annual cost of Post Office staff employed on a permanent or seconded basis on postal duties for the royal family is £200,000.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many Post Office staff are seconded(a) full-time and

  509
  (b) part-time from Howick place sorting office to the royal family at Buckingham palace and when the Queen is in residence elsewhere or aboard the royal yacht in harbour; and if he will make a statement on the arrangements.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 22 February 1993]: Five Post Office staff are seconded full time from Howick place sorting office for postal duties at Buckingham palace. When Her Majesty the Queen is in residence elsewhere, locally based post office staff are seconded on a temporary basis, as appropriate. No Post Office staff are seconded to the royal yacht.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what account his review of the Post Office is taking of the services provided to the royal family by the allocation of staff to process their mail.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 22 February 1993]: The Post Office review is considering all matters relating to the future organisation and structure of the Post Office.

  Power Stations
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the criteria presently employed by his Department in considering whether or not to grant section 36 consents to new power stations.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 22 February 1993]: It has been my right hon. Friend's policy in considering applications for his consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, as a general rule, to treat matters such as the need for a generating station, its capacity, choice of fuel to be used and type of plant as commercial matters for the applicant concerned.

  My right hon. Friend announced to the House on 26 October 1992 that he was reviewing the use of his consent powers under section 36. The outcome of this review will be included in the White Paper, which is to be published shortly.

TRANSPORT

  London Cycle Routes
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if his Department will help fund the proposed 1,000-mile strategic cycle route network for London: and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he expects work to start on the proposed 1,000-mile strategic route network for London;

  (3) what discussions his Department is having to ensure that each of the 32 London borough councils implement their part in the proposed 1,000-mile strategic cycle route network for London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  The 1,000-mile strategic cycle network for London was developed by, and is the responsibility of, the London Cycling Forum, a working party of the London Planning Advisory Committee. The Department is an active member.

  The strategic network has the full support of the Department. The majority of routes in London—about 96 per cent.—are on local roads and cycle facilities there will be for the London boroughs to provide. Cycle routes identified on trunk roads and crossing points on the trunk
  510
  road network will either be provided as part of the trunk road improvement programme or through the trunk road priority route local plans.

  From information available from LCF, approximately 125 miles of the cycle network is already in existence with 220 miles in preparation.

  Expenditure on the provision of cycle facilities on local roads is eligible for transport supplementary grant, although it is not separately identified in the annual settlement. The traffic director for London will also fund the development and introduction of cycle facilities which he approves as part of the priority—red—route local plan process.

  My Department and the traffic director for London participate in meetings of the borough cycling officer group, which was set up to discuss provision of the strategic cycle network and cycle matters in general.

  Roads Programme
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the priority given in his national roads programme to the widening and improvement of existing motorways and trunk roads as compared to the construction of completely new trunk roads and motorways; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  My right hon. Friend believes it right to continue the policy of his distinguished predecessors which placed the emphasis in the national roads programme upon upgrading the existing network.

  Exhaust Emissions
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he proposes to introduce to prevent motorists readjusting the exhaust systems of their vehicles after the annual vehicle test in such a way as to increase emissions.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  None. The primary purpose of the annual test is to encourage motorists to maintain their vehicles in a good state of tune. Having done so, there should be little incentive for the motorist to readjust the vehicle away from this optimum setting. Those owners who nevertheless might be so inclined would be committing an offence under regulation 61(7) of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986.

  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration was given to the inclusion of a test for levels of oxides of nitrogen in exhaust emissions in the annual vehicle test; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The MOT test measures emissions of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons at idle speed. This simple "no load" test is designed for non-catalyst cars and is quite adequate to check the correct tune state of these vehicles. To carry out a meaningful check on the emissions of oxides of nitrogen, which occur only when the engine is under load, would require every MOT station to be equipped with very expensive chassis dynamometer and associated control equipment. A modified test for catalyst cars will be introduced before 1997 in accordance with EC directive 92/55/EEC. This modified test will check the correct functioning of the catalyst to ensure that NOx controls are operating.

  Speed Limiters
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce speed limiters for privately owned motor cars.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  None. Speed limiters work at one preset maximum speed and most accidents involving cars occur in built-up areas where the speed limit is well below the maximum of 70 mph.

  Rail Freight
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the extra traffic flows carried by Trainload Freight and Railfreight Distribution since July 1992.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a commercial matter for British Rail.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will set new financial objectives for British Rail's freight businesses; how long those objectives will apply; and if they will be disaggregated by freight market.

  Mr. Freeman
  Shortly. We are currently considering fresh objectives to cover the interim period until our proposals in the Railways Bill take effect.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce measures to ensure that the transport of goods by rail in Wales is and remains commercially competitive.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is for BR to take whatever steps it feels appropriate in the light of prevailing market conditions. For the future, privatisation of BR's freight businesses and liberalisation of access to the rail freight network offer the best prospect for a rail freight industry keenly attuned to the needs of customers.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to introduce a subsidy in respect of the transport of oil by rail in Wales.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend recently announced our intention to introduce a new grant scheme to assist rail freight operators to pay their track charges, in cases where there is genuine need and where there are environmental and other wider benefits sufficient to justify it.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to British Rail of establishing shadow franchises along the lines announced by him on 2 February.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a matter for British Rail. I expect most of the work to be carried out by existing British Rail employees.

  Footpaths
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines his Department follows in effecting temporary diversions of footpaths as a consequence of the construction of trunk roads and motorways; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

  Mr. Carlisle
  My right hon. Friend does not rely upon guidelines. He follows the statutory procedures laid down 512
  in the Highways Act 1980. Section 14 empowers him to deal in various ways with affected footpaths by stopping them up, by altering or diverting them, and by providing new ones. On occasion the local highway authority exercise these powers on his behalf. The statutory procedures for making and confirming the requisite orders are set out in the first schedule to the Act; they require the publishing of draft orders, the consideration of objections and the holding as necessary of a local inquiry.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Vietnam
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to establish the British Council in Vietnam.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  None at present. The British Council has decided that, whilst Vietnam remains a priority, it cannot establish a presence in Hanoi for budgetary reasons.

  Thailand
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken to put to the Burmese authorities the plight of Burmese women and children who are trafficked to Thailand for prostitution.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The trafficking of women and children into Thailand for prostitution is a matter of serious concern.

  The Burmese authorities appear to be well aware of the problem and to be co-operating with UNICEF and WHO in tackling it. The embassy in Rangoon monitors the situation and is in regular contact with Burmese health officials and UN agencies based in Rangoon.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the penultimate paragraph of the letter of 4 February, ref. GV100/17123, from the migration and visa correspondence unit to the hon. Member for Ilford, South in a form which does not identify the individuals concerned.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The penultimate paragraph of the migration and visa correspondence unit letter of 4 February, ref. GV100/17123, was intended as background information only to the handling of a specific application within the requirements of the immigration rules.

  Immigration control policy, as implemented by entry clearance officers overseas, is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

  BBC World Service
  Mr. Raynesford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how his Department monitors the performance of the BBC world service and its effectiveness in promoting Britain throughout the world.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the world service regularly review the performance and cost-effectiveness of world service
  513
  broadcasts in meeting agreed objectives and targets, taking into account the audibility of broadcasts, the size and profile of their audiences and the impact and influence of programmes. Information comes principally from internationally recognised audience research data, reports from our diplomatic missions, and correspondence received by the world service.

  AIDS (Burma)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken to call for an investigation into the whereabouts of AIDS-infected Burmese prostitutes who have disappeared.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We are aware of allegations that HIV-positive Burmese prostitutes returned from Thailand have disappeared but we have seen no evidence to support these allegations. According to the Burmese authorities, prostitutes who are found to be HIV-positive are counselled, and treated for sexually transmitted diseases if appropriate, before being returned to their families.

PRIME MINISTER

  Mordechai Vanunu
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to raise the case of Mordechai Vanunu with President Herzog of Israel during his visit to the United Kingdom.

  The Prime Minister
  This matter has been raised informally with the Israeli Government. I do not plan to raise it formally with the President.

  Road Casualties
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish a table to show comparable data on road casualty rates for(a) Scotland and (b) England and Wales.

  The Prime Minister
  The latest comparable rates for these countries is published in tables 1, 4 and 8 of "Road Accident Statistics English Regions 1991", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Manufacturing Initiatives
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Prime Minister what further initiatives he is planning to rebuild the United Kingdom manufacturing base.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government fully appreciate the part played by manufacturing industry in securing the United Kingdom's long-term prosperity. I, and my Cabinet colleagues, will continue to pay close attention to manufacturing industry's concerns across the full range of the Government's decisions.

  Nuclear Weapons (Discussions)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to discuss with President Clinton(a) collaboration on the safety of nuclear weapons, (b) the negotiation of a competitive test ban treaty and (c) article 6 of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  There will be no formal agenda,514
  but I expect to have wide-ranging discussions with President Clinton and members of his administration.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 23 February.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 23 February.

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

ENVIRONMENT

  Property Values
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the number of households where the value of the property is less than the value of the mortgage.

  Sir George Young
  The number of owner-occupiers with mortgages larger than the value of their houses in the fourth quarter of 1992 is estimated at about 1 million, excluding any that have increased their mortgage indebtedness since buying their dwellings. There is insufficient information to estimate their number. The figure of 1 million is subject to considerable uncertainty, due to the very limited amount of information about house purchase loans from lenders other than building societies.

  LAMSAC
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what cost has been apportioned to each local authority association, and each local authority, to meet the debts of the Local Authorities Management Services and Computer Committee consequent upon its wind-up;

  (2) what contribution his Department made to the Local Authority Conditions of Service Advisory Board and the Local Government Management Board since 1988 to meet the costs of LAMSAC prior and subsequent to its wind-up;

  (3) what proportion of the top-slicing of rate support grant, made available to the local authority associations, was devoted in each year since 1989 to meet the debts of LAMSAC;

  (4) what involvement his Department has in the winding-up of LAMSAC.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  I will write to the hon. Member.

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

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Together with the Department of National Heritage, we have commissioned research into
  515
  the feasibility of obtaining better information on the numbers of day visitors, to assist the calculation of standard spending assessments. It is hoped that the results of this research will be available for incorporation into SSAs for 1994–95.

  Urban Needs
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what factors he proposes to take into account in his analysis of urban needs based on the 1991 census data; what weighting he proposes to give to each factor; and what additional data not contained in the census he will be seeking.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A report on this subject by the Centre for Urban Policy Studies will shortly be circulated to local authority associations and voluntary organisations. The report will consider the factors which might be taken into account in analysing urban needs in the light of the 1991 census and other data. A copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Water and Sewerage Services
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to the Ofwat report regarding discrepancies in the cost of water and sewerage services.

  Mr. Maclean
  None. The system established under the 1989 legislation is designed to encourage companies to become as efficient as possible. Some variation in unit costs between companies will result from their differing circumstances. The Director General of Water Services is continuing to examine differences in unit costs.

  Rent Rebates
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what payment of rent rebates on housing revenue account tenancies was paid to Lambeth council for February, March and April 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  A housing authority's expenditure on the rent rebates it grants to its housing revenue account tenants is one of several factors which are taken into account when determining its entitlement to housing revenue account subsidy. For each financial year, on-account payments of HRA subsidy are made to housing authorities by my Department in 10 instalments, from May to February. Payments are not made in March or April.

  Details of on-account payments of HRA subsidy to Lambeth borough council in respect of HRA rent rebate expenditure throughout 1992, were included in the answer given to the hon. Member by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security on 15 February, Hansard, Vol. 219, cols 100–01.

  British Waterways Bill
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what assessment he has made of the effect of the British Waterways Bill on commercial shipping;

  (2) if he will list the British waterways docks planned to be closed as a result of the British Waterways Bill.
  516
  Mr. Maclean
  The British Waterways Bill removes the statutory duty to make the Weston Points docks available to commercial traffic, but does not prevent navigation through the docks or their operation by another party. I understand that for some years there has been no such traffic through Weston Point docks. There should be no effect on commercial shipping. More generally the Bill seeks to enable the British Waterways Board to carry out its functions more efficiently to the benefit of all users, including commercial shipping.

  Ozone Depletion
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to inform the public about ozone depletion levels over the United Kingdom and the northern hemisphere for the winter and spring of 1992–93.

  Mr. Maclean
  Details of ozone levels over the United Kingdom and the northern hemisphere this winter and spring will be published in the autumn in the next report by the Department's stratospheric ozone review group. Dobson spectrophotomer data would be made available through the Meteorological Office in the event of significant deviations from the normal range of winter and spring ozone levels.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research his Department is funding to monitor the rate of ozone depletion over the United Kingdom for the winter and spring of 1992–93.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Department has supported atmospheric ozone measurements at Lerwick since 1991 and will continue to do so throughout the winter and spring of 1992–93 and beyond. In addition, the Department also supports the development of methods for monitoring ground level UVB irradiation at Reading university.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the latest available information on ozone depletion over the United Kingdom and northern hemisphere for the winter of 1992–93.

  Mr. Maclean
  The latest estimate of the average depletion of the ozone layer at British latitudes, based on the 1992 WMO/UNEP scientific assessment of ozone depletion, is 8 per cent. per decade in winter and early spring. I am advised by the Cambridge ozone research co-ordinating unit and the Meteorological Office that the levels of ozone measured over the United Kingdom during the current winter are consistent with the WMO/UNEP assessment of long-term depletion, but still within the previously observed ranges for the time of year.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the current ozone depletion levels for the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) earlier today.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how often the levels of ozone depletion are measured over the United Kingdom; and how the figures are made publicly available.
  517
  Mr. Maclean
  Total ozone measurements are made daily when meteorological conditions permit by the United Kingdom Meteorological Office and the results submitted to the provisional centre for the World Meteorological Organisation's ozone mapping project. The Department supports two ozone profile measurements per week at Lerwick and the results are disseminated through the scientific literature and by the reports of the Department's stratospheric ozone review group. I would also refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) earlier today.

  Business Rate Appeals
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many business rate appeals are currently outstanding.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  At the end of December 1992 valuation tribunals in England had outstanding some 460,000 non-domestic rating appeals.

  Following the revaluation on 1 April 1990, English tribunals initially received some 600,000 appeals, mostly towards the end of that financial year. Since then around 470,000 appeals have been resolved, and a further 330,000 received.

  Nitrous Oxide Emissions
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 15 February,Official Report, column 106, when he expects to publish estimates of nitrous oxide emissions in the United Kingdom during 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Maclean
  The best current estimate for emissions of nitrous oxide in the United Kingdom will be reported in my Department's Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics No. 15, which is due for release in April 1993.

  An estimate of emissions during 1992 will be released in Digest No. 16, which is due for publication in spring 1994.

  Water Disconnections
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for the Environment how many people in England had their water supplies disconnected in 1992 for non-payment of bills; and what percentage were pensioners.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on disconnections of water supplies to pensioners is not available. Total numbers of domestic disconnections for 1991–92 were given in my answer to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mrs. Jackson) on 4 November 1992,Official Report, columns 234–35. Information on domestic disconnections for the six-month period from 1 April to 30 September 1992 was given in my answer to the hon. Member for Bow and Poplar (Ms. Gordon) on 18 November 1992, Official Report, columns 204–5.

  Local Authority Tenants
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he intends to take to give local authority tenants, living in homes in serious disrepair, the same protection as is afforded to private sector tenants under the Housing Act 1985; and if he will make a statement.
  518
  Mr. Baldry
  None. I have seen no evidence to suggest that the law as it stands is in practice giving rise to any unfairness to council tenants.

  Capital Receipts
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the value of local authorities' capital receipts resulting from(a) sales of council housing and (b) sales of other assets made subsequent to the autumn statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Local authorities provide quarterly returns to the Department, giving their current estimates of capital receipts received to date. The first available information on cumulative receipts received up to 31 December 1992 is expected to be available during April.

  Water Metering
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many EC member countries currently have some system of water metering; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Some system of water metering exists in all EC countries. In England and Wales it is for water companies to decide on their preferred method of charging in the light of the circumstances in their operating area.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will order an inquiry into the Isle of Wight water metering project when it finishes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  No. Information on setting up and running the Isle of Wight water metering trial and the small-scale trials is contained in two interim reports, copies of which are in the Library. A final report is expected to be published in the spring. I will ensure that copies of this report are also placed in the Library.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the people of the Isle of Wight regarding the water metering project; if he will publish them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have received a small number of letters about meter installation and billing issues. I do not intend to make these public. For details of reports on the metering trial on the Isle of Wight I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him earlier.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the present extent of(a) volumetric and (b) pre-payment metering consumption in domestic properties in England and Wales, region by region.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer Monday 22 February]: The information requested is not held centrally. However, I understand that about 3 per cent. of households receive a metered water supply and that several small-scale trials of prepayment meters are being conducted. The second interim report of the water metering trials indicates that in the small-scale trials the average annual consumption per property was 137 cu m.

  Environment Agency
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made towards the establishment of the proposed environment agency.

  Mr. Maclean
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced the Government's plans for the environment agency on 15 July 1992. Consideration is now being given to the detailed provisions which would be necessary to establish such an agency and legislation will be introduced at the earliest opportunity.

  Packaging
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce legislation to reduce levels of packaging in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maclean
  We have no such plans at present. We have been discussing with the packaging industry ways in which the environmental impact of packaging can be reduced and are currently considering whether to introduce economic instruments to encourage the recovery of resources from waste.

  Small Firms (Regulations)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those regulations affecting small firms which have been abolished by his Department in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Since 1979 a series of measures has been taken to reduce and simplify the amount of regulation. All my Department's regulations which impact on business are currently being reviewed to ensure that, where they are necessary, they impose the minimum burden.

  Sellafield
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the alpha discharges were from the B204 stack at Sellafield for the last five years.

  Mr. Maclean
  Using the latest calibration factors the alpha releases from the B204 stack and for comparison the total for all schedule 1 stacks were:

  B204 stack

  All schedule 1 slacks

  MBq

  MBq

  11992

  113

  169

  1991

  158

  274

  1990

  193

  263

  1989

  262

  338

  1988

  376

  459

  1 The 1992 figures do not yet include the December returns.

  The present annual limit for all schedule 1 stacks is 4,300 MBq.

  These should be compared with the range in my answer to the right hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham), on 15 February, at column 21.

  Ward Boundaries, Brent
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce his decision regarding the Local Government Boundary Commission's recommendations for changes in the local ward boundaries of Brent.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 22 February 1993]: My right hon. and learned Friend has not yet reached his decision on the Local Government Boundary Commission proposals for changes to the local government boundaries around Brent. When a decision is reached on boundary changes, he will consult the Home Secretary on any electoral consequences.

  Disused Canals
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the protection of the lines of disused canals within local planning procedures.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 22 February 1993]: Our policy is set out in our planning policy guidance notesPPG4, paragraph 11, and more generally in PPG12. We will consult shortly on more detailed guidance in a revised PPG13, "Transport".

  Office of Water Services
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of the administration of OFWAT in each year from 1990–91, and projected for 1993–94.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 22 February 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) on 1 December 1992, Official Report, column 154. The Director General's "Annual Report 1990", a copy of which is in the Library, records OFWAT's expenditure in 1990–91 as £4.3 million. £9.7 million has been voted in estimates, class VII, vote 9, to cover the expenditure of OFWAT for 1993–94.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Veal
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee what steps he is taking to ensure that veal used by parliamentary caterers is produced by the Quantock method rather than by crating; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  The Director of Catering Services informs me that the veal used in the Refreshment Department is purchased only from suppliers who use the Quantock method of rearing veal calves.

  Sitting Hours
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will report progress on the reform of the sitting hours of the House.

  Mr. Newton
  I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer I gave on Monday 22 February, at column 679, to my hon. Friend the Member for Swindon (Mr. Coombs).

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Training and Employment Agency
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the assistance and programmes the Training and Employment Agency makes available to assist unemployed people look for work; what changes are planned in these programmes in 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. J. S. Crozier. I have asked him for a reply to be given.

  Letter from J. S. Crozier to Ms. Clare Short, dated 22 February 1993:
  You asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he would make a statement about the assistance and programmes the Training and Employment Agency makes available to assist unemployed people look for work and what changes are planned in these programmes in 1993–94. The Secretary of State has passed your questions to me, as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency, for reply.
  The Agency has a network of 31 local offices, linked by central computer, which delivers an all-age guidance and placement service. The full range of employment and training services is available through the network of "one stop shops" which, since April 1992, have helped around 35,000 adults to find jobs or a place on an Agency scheme.
  For those out of work for a lengthy period the Agency runs a Restart programme which is specifically designed to provide help and encouragement to those who have been unemployed for more than six months. In the course of the programme everyone in this category is invited to attend an interview in their local Agency office. During the interview each person is given advice on job vacancies or offered a place on an Action for Community Employment (ACE) Scheme, Jobclub or training course. Responsibility for the Restart Programme will transfer to the Social Security Agency from April 1993.
  The Training and Employment Agency also provides practical help with job-hunting for the long-term unemployed, through a network of 28 Jobclubs. Members are given advice on aspects such as the completion of application forms, CVs, preparation for interviews etc and the Jobclub provides photocopying, typing, telephone, stationery and postage facilities.
  In addition the Agency also provides training programmes for the unemployed. The Youth Training Programme (YTP) and the Job Training Programme (JTP) provide all entrants to the labour market and the adult unemployed respectively with the opportunity to obtain skills and qualifications to help them compete for suitable jobs.
  YTP offers 16 and 17 year olds a structured programme of directed and workplace training of up to 2 years' duration. JTP offers those aged 18 and under 60 an individually tailored programme of up to one year of directed training and practical workplace-based experience.
  The Action for Community Employment (ACE) Scheme provides temporary employment, with training, of up to one year's duration for long-term unemployed adults in a wide range of projects of benefit to the community. Each programme provides an element of jobsearch skills/interview techniques for participants.
  There are no changes planned for YTP/JTP and ACE during 1993–94. However the Agency is currently piloting a single, integrated scheme which may replace both YTP and JTP and which will offer training to entrants to the labour market and to the unemployed.
  I hope that this information is of help.

  Youth Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the most recent information he has on the destination of youth training programme leavers; and of those who found employment, how many were with the employer who provided their training.

  Mr. Atkins
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. J. S. Crozier. I have asked him for a reply to be given.

  Letter from J. S. Crozier to Ms. Clare Short, dated 22 February 1993:
  You asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the most recent information he has on the destination of Youth Training Programme leavers; and of those who found employment, how many were with the employer who provided the training.
  As the Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency which has Executive responsibility for these matters I have been asked to reply.
  The most recent information available on the destinations of participants leaving the Youth Training Programme is for the period 1 April 1992 to 31 January 1993. This shows that 6,264 (56%) leavers went into employment, 1,335 (12%) went into full time education and 3,651 (32%) became unemployed.
  Figures for YTP leavers who found employment with the employer who provided their training are not available.

  Job Plan Workshops
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce job plan workshops for the long-term unemployed; what effect this will have on entitlement to benefit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. J. S. Crozier. I have asked him for a reply to be given.

  Letter from J. S. Crozier to Ms. Clare Short, dated 19 February 1993:
  You asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce Jobplan Workshops for the long-term unemployed in Northern Ireland, what effect this would have on entitlement benefit and if he will make a statement.
  As Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency I have been asked to reply.
  The Training and Employment Agency currently provides practical help for long-term unemployed jobseekers through a network of 28 Jobclubs. Members are given advice on the completion of application forms and CVs and preparation for interviews etc. Jobclubs provide photocopying, typing, telephone, stationery and postage facilities.
  In addition assistance towards finding work or suitable training is provided to the long term unemployed through counselling under the Restart Programme.
  At present there are no plans in Northern Ireland to introduce Jobplan Workshops but consideration will be given to what action should be taken to be of further help to the long term unemployed in the light of developments in Great Britain and local circumstances.

  Action for Community Employment
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at the latest available date how many people were employed on action for community employment; how
  523
  many of them were employed (a) part time and (b) full time; and if he will divide the figures into males and females.

  Mr. Atkins
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. J. S. Crozier. I have asked him for a reply to be given.

  Letter from J. S. Crozier to Ms. Clare Short, dated 19 February 1993:
  You asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at the latest available date how many people were employed on Action for Community Employment; how many of them were employed (a) Part time, (b) Full time; and if he will divide the figure into males and females. As Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency which has executive responsibility for this matter in Northern Ireland I have been asked to reply.
  At 31 January there was a total of 9,660 people employed on the Action for Community Employment (ACE) programme. This figure was made up of 7,245 full time (4,347 males and 2,898 females) and 2,415 part time (676 males and 1,739 females).

  Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the eligibility rules for the job training programme and action for community employment schemes and on the training and income participants are entitled to when they participate in the programme; and what changes are planned in these schemes for 1993–94.

  Mr. Atkins
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. J. S. Crozier. I have asked him for a reply to be given.

  Letter from J. S. Crozier to Ms. Clare Short, dated 22 February 1993:
  You asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he would make a statement about the eligibility rules for the Job Training Programme and Action for Community Employment Schemes; the training and income participants are entitled to when they participate in the programme; and what changes are planned in these schemes for 1993–94.
  The Secretary of State has passed your questions to me, as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency, for reply.
  Applicants for the Job Training Programme (JTP) are eligible if they

  (a) are aged 18 and under 60; and

  (b) have been continuously unemployed for at least 26 weeks.

  The Programme is also open to certain other groups who are not registered as unemployed. A full list of those other groups is attached at Annex A.
  Participants in JTP follow individually tailored programmes of training and practical workplace based experience and have the opportunity to acquire vocational qualifications.
  Participants on JTP receive a training allowance equivalent to their normal Social Security benefit plus a premium of £10·00 per week.
  To be eligible for the Action for Community Employment (ACE) Scheme applicants must satisfy the following three conditions:

  (i) be at least 18 and under 64 years;

  (ii) have been unemployed without a break for at least 3 months immediately before starting on an ACE project; and

  (iii) have been unemployed for at least 12 months out of the last 15 months.

  524
  Exceptions to condition (iii) are listed in Annex B.
  Each ACE employee will spend on average 20 per cent. of their time in training. Training seeks to address two levels of need—training for the ACE job and training for future employment.
  All ACE workers are paid the local rate for the job, subject to normal deductions such as National Insurance and income tax.
  There are no substantive changes planned for either JTP or ACE during 1993–94. However the Agency is currently piloting a single integrated scheme called Jobskills which could eventually replace both the Job Training Programme and the Youth Training Programme.
  I hope that this information is of help.

  Training
    Annex A

      Eligibility for job training programme
      Special groups of unemployed people for whom exemptions to the normal 6 months unemployment conditions are applicable:

      (a) People with disabilities (registered or unregistered).

      (b) Single (lone) parents.

      (c) Ex-regular members of HM Forces.

      (d) Returners to the labour market.

      (e) People interested in business start-up or other enterprise training.

      (f) People wishing to train in skills that are in short supply.

      (g) Employees who have been made redundant.

      (h) People who need literacy and/or numeracy training.

    Annex B

      Eligibility for action for community employment (ACE) scheme
      Exceptions to the conditions that a person must have been unemployed for at least 12 months out of the last 15 months.

      (a) Unemployed 18–24 year olds who have been unemployed for over 6 months.

      (b) Young people who have been recently on the Youth Training Programme may count up to a maximum: of 3 months full time training on the programme as unemployment with the balance of the 6 months to be made up of normal unemployment.

      (c) Adults who have recently been on the Job Training Programme or at a course at a Training Centre or in Enterprise Ulster may count all of the time spent as unemployment.

      (d) Registered disabled people need only have been unemployed for at least 6 out of the last 12 months. They are also permitted to remain in ACE for 18 months instead of the usual 12 months.

      Ms. Short
      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the most recent information he has on the destination of people who leave action for community employment and the job training programme; how many leavers got jobs, became unemployed or went on to further training; and if he will make a statement.

      Mr. Atkins
      Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. J. S. Crozier. I have asked him for a reply to be given.

      Letter from J. S. Crozier to Ms Clare Short, dated 22 February 1993:
      You asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for information on the destination of people who leave Action for Community Employment and the Job Training Programme; and how many leavers got jobs, became unemployed or went on to further training.
      As the Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency which has executive responsibility for these matters I have been asked to reply.
      The most recent information available on the destination of people who left the Action for Community Employment scheme is based on a sample survey for the period 1 April 1992

      525
      to 31 January 1993. This shows that 28 per cent. moved into employment, 2 per cent. into further education or training, and 70 per cent. into unemployment. A full survey in 1991 showed 35 per cent. moving into employment, 4 per cent. into education and training and 61 per cent. into unemployment.
      Over the period 1 April 1992 to 31 January 1993 in the Job Training Programme 29 per cent. of leavers moved into employment. 16 per cent. into further education or training and 55 per cent. into unemployment.

  Electricity Works
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the nature and cost of major works carried out by Northern Ireland Electricity in the constituency of Newry and Armagh within the last 12 months.

  Mr. Atkins
  Major works carried out by Northern Ireland Electricity in the constituency of Newry and Armagh in the last 12 months were:

  (i) New substation adjacent to Drumalane Playing Fields—£347,000.

  (ii) Strengthening of system to substation at Carnbane Industrial Estate—£50,000.

  (iii) System improvements in Camlough area (continuing)—£195,000)

  Newry and Armagh
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the unemployment rates in each ward within the constituency of Newry and Armagh, or such relevant statistics as are available, for each of the last 12 months.

  Mr. Atkins
  Whilst unemployment rates are not available at ward level, current and historical information on the actual number of unemployed by age and duration of unemployment for each ward within the constituency of Newry and Armagh is available from the NOMIS database, which can be accessed on-line by House of Commons Library staff.

  Travellers
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost to public funds of the "With Not For" conference for travelling people on Monday 30 March 1992; and how many civil servants, district council officers, area health board officers, area education board officers and housing executive officers attended this conference.

  Mr. Atkins
  The total cost to public funds of the "With Not For" conference for travelling people was £18,604·87.

  A total of 160 delegates attended the conference, including 13 civil servants, 18 district council officers, 13 area health board officers, three area education board officers and two Northern Ireland Housing Executive officers.

  Motoring Offences
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing the number of motoring offences, by category, which incur a fixed penalty and the amount of the penalty in each case.
  526
  Mr. Atkins
  At present there are 153 offences which may be discharged by the payment of a fixed penalty. These have been broadly grouped in the table.

  Category

  Number of offences

  1. Speeding

  2

  Obstruction-waiting-parking

  21

  Pedestrian crossings

  8

  Lighting

  19

  Others

  10

  2. Vehicle or parts-dangerous condition

  46

  Noise

  6

  Neglect traffic directions

  5

  Miscellaneous

  9

  3. Driving licence-vehicle test certificate

  4

  Goods vehicle-PSV offences

  6

  Motor cycles

  5

  Length and width

  3

  Weight and load

  9

  Each offence currently carries a penalty of £20.

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration he has given to the report from the Comptroller and Auditor-General for Northern Ireland on the training and employment of disabled people; what action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. J. S. Crozier. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from J. S. Crozier to Mr. Alfred Morris, dated 18 February 1993:
  You asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what consideration he has given to the report from the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland on the Training and Employment of disabled people, what action he will be taking and if he will make a statement.
  As Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency (Northern Ireland) (T and EA), I have responsibility for the services on which the Comptroller and Auditor General for Northern Ireland has reported.
  We have carefully considered the report. We have noted, amongst other things, the acknowledgement of the improvements made since the Agency reorganised its services to people with disabilities in January 1991.
  The Agency is determined to maintain this improvement in its services available to disabled people and is drawing up a programme of further action to this end.

  Employment Statistics
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current percentage employment in the Belfast Education and Library board of Protestants and Roman Catholics in the various grades; and what are the corresponding figures in the 1981 and 1991 census returns covering the Belfast travel-to-work area.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information is as follows:
  527

  1. Belfast Education and Library Board Staff–1 January 1992 (extracted from the Belfast Education and Library Board's Fair Employment review.)

  (a) Headquarters

  Job Title

  Total number of staff

  Protestant

  Roman Catholic

  Non-Determined

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Chief Executive

  24

  17

  70·84

  5

  20·83

  2

  8·33

  Head of Department

  Senior Assistant Education Officer

  Education Officer

  Assistant Advisory Officer

  Adviser

  Principal Psychologist

  13

  6

  46·16

  5

  38 ·46

  2

  15·38

  Senior Psychologist

  Psychologist

  Professional Architectural Posts

  31

  18

  58·06

  11

  35·49

  2

  6·45

  Chief Education Welfare Officer

  25

  12

  48·00

  13

  52·00

  —

  —

  Divisional Education Welfare Officer

  Education Welfare Officer

  Senior School Meals Organiser

  7

  5

  71·43

  —

  —

  2

  28·57

  School Meals Organiser

  Peripatetic School Meals Organiser

  Youth Officer

  6

  3

  50·00

  3

  50·00

  —

  —

  Divisional Youth Officer

  Principal Officer

  7

  5

  71·42

  1

  14·29

  1

  14·29

  Assistant Principal Officer

  Senior Administrative Officer

  6

  4

  66·67

  2

  33·33

  —

  —

  Administrative Officer

  8

  7

  87·50

  1

  12·50

  —

  —

  Senior Executive Officer

  12

  6

  50·00

  4

  33·33

  2

  16·67

  Executive Officer

  33

  20

  60·61

  12

  36·36

  1

  3·03

  Senior Clerical Officer

  56

  18

  32·14

  34

  60·71

  4

  7·15

  Clerical Officer

  61

  33

  54·1

  23

  37·7

  5

  8·2

  Clerk Typist

  Telephonist/Receptionist

  Comptometer Operator

  Technician/Assistant Technician

  (b) Library Headquarters

  Grade

  Total number of staff

  Protestant

  Roman Catholic

  Non-Determined

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Chief Librarian

  6

  3

  50·00

  1

  16·67

  2

  33·33

  Assistant Chief Librarian

  Senior Librarian PO1–7

  Librarian PO1 2–5

  22

  13

  59·09

  8

  36·36

  1

  4·55

  Librarian AP5

  Assistant Librarian AP3/4

  Senior Library Assistant (i)

  76

  41

  53·95

  30

  39·47

  5

  6·58

  Senior Library Assistant (ii)

  Library Assistant

  Administration/Technical

  8

  5

  62·5

  3

  37·5

  —

  —

  528 529

  (c) Library - Branches

  Grade

  Total number of staff

  Protestant

  Roman Catholic

  Non-Determined

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Librarian PO1 2–5

  2

  1

  50·00

  1

  50·00

  —

  —

  Librarian AP5/SO1

  Assistant Librarian

  14

  5

  35·72

  8

  57·14

  1

  7·14

  Senior Library Assistant II

  18

  6

  33·33

  9

  50·00

  3

  16·67

  Library Assistant

  54

  29

  53·70

  21

  38·89

  4

  7·41

  (D)School-Based Staff

  Grade

  Total number of staff

  Protestant

  Roman Catholic

  Non-Determined

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  AECP and T; includes nursery assistant clerical and technical grades

  470

  196

  41·70

  232

  49·36

  42

  8·94

  A and G staff, IE

  1,552

  634

  40·85

  755

  48·65

  163

  10·50

  Caretakers/cleaners

  Security posts

  Porter

  School meals

  616

  268

  43·51

  302

  49·02

  46

  7·47

  (E) Further education (non-teaching)

  Grade

  Total number of staff

  Protestant

  Roman Catholic

  Non-Determined

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Ancillary (eg cleaners, porters, tradesmen etc)

  144

  103

  71·53

  29

  20·14

  12

  8·33

  Administration/technical

  166

  92

  55·42

  64

  38·56

  10

  6·02

  Typist

  50

  28

  56·00

  16

  32·00

  6

  12·00

  Telephonist

  Receptionist

  Clerical

  (F) Further Education (Teaching Permanent)

  Grade

  Total number of staff

  Protestant

  Roman Catholic

  Non-Determined

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Lecturer

  395

  204

  51·64

  140

  35·44

  51

  12·92

  Senior Lecturer

  150

  89

  59·33

  46

  30·67

  15

  10·00

  Principal Lecturer

  27

  15

  55·56

  7

  25·92

  5

  18·52

  Head of School

  18

  11

  61·11

  5

  27·78

  2

  11·11

  Vice-Principal

  4

  2

  50·00

  —

  —

  2

  50·00

  2.Economically active population (aged 16 and over) in the Belfast travel-to-work area

  (Supplied by the Census Office, Department of Health and Social Services)

  1981 Per cent.

  1991 Per cent.

  Roman Catholic

  18·05

  24·80

  Protestant and others1

  63·78

  60·00

  Answered 'none'2

  —

  6·79

  Did not answer religion question

  18·17

  8·41

  1 A very small proportion of this category were members of non-Christian religions.

  2 This was a new category introduced in the 1991 Census.

  530
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the percentages of the working population in Northern Ireland of Protestants and Roman Catholics and others derived from the 1981 and 1991 census returns.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information, in relation to the economically active population aged 16 and over, is as follows:

  1981 per cent.

  1991 per cent.

  Roman Catholic

  25·70

  35·00

  Protestant and Others1

  56·28

  53·02

  Answered "None"2

  —

  4·69

  Did not answer religion question

  18·02

  7·29

  531

  1 A very small proportion of this category represented members of non-Christian religions.

  2 This was a new category introduced in the 1991 Census.

HEALTH

  GP Fund Holders
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in spreading the effects of the GP fund-holding initiative in Dorset to patients of GPs who are not fund holders.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  General practitioner fund holders are achieving real benefits for their patients by innovative and sensitive purchasing of health care. District health authorities can reflect the standards set by fund holders in contracting for the patients of other GPs. In Dorset this is being achieved through the Dorset Health Commission, set up by the Wessex regional health authority, which is taking account of all GP's views, including fund holders, in developing purchasing plans.

  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to extend the GP fund-holding scheme to smaller practices.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The minimum list size criteria for general practitioner fund holders is being lowered from 9.000 to 7,000 from 1 April 1993. We are enabling smaller practices to join either by linking with another practice, or through an agency arrangement with their local family health services authority or district health authority.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to ensure that patients on waiting lists of fund-holding and non-fundholding GPs are treated equally.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Guidance agreed with the joint consultants committee was issued to hospital consultants in June 1991. It set out the criteria for contracts between general practitioner fund holders and all national health service hospitals, and clearly states that common waiting lists should be used and the fund holders should not he offered contracts which would disadvantage other patients.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of how GPs' interest in the fund-holding initiative has changed since the scheme began.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham (Sir R. Moate) earlier today.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the 1992–93 budget allocation by region and family health service authority for hospital costs generated by general practitioner non-fund holders for those parts of the hospital and community health services that a general practitioner fund holder would have had allocated funds.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Regions give allocations to district health authorities on the basis of their resident population and not in relation to the number of non-fundholding general practitioners within the district. Furthermore 532
  district health authorities and family health services authorities are not usually coterminous. Information is not therefore available in the form requested.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 11 February,Official Report, column 752, what steps she has taken to ensure that the joint guidance issued to hospital consultants on general practitioner fund holding is being properly enforced; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We remain committed to the principles set out in the guidance. Providers should not offer contracts to one purchaser which would disadvantage the patients of another, and common waiting lists should apply for urgent and serious conditions. Equally, we stand by the principle that purchasers, both fund holders and district health authorities, should be able to purchase spare capacity if this becomes available. Regional health authorities are responsible for monitoring compliance with the guidance.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health further to her answer of 17 February,Official Report, column 203, what reasons underlie the different treatment of general practitioner fund holders and non-fund holders for sessions for tests and minor surgery.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Fundholding and non-fundholding general practitioners are not being treated differently. Regulations have been changed to allow fund holders to receive remuneration from the fund for treating their own patients, putting them in the same position as non-fund holders, who may already provide these services under contract to district health authorities.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list by region the allocation, for general practitioner fund holders in 1992–93, for prescribing.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is in the table.

  GP fund holder prescribing budgets, England 1992–93 First and second wave fundholders combined, in actual cost

  Region

  £ Million

  Northern

  26·1

  Yorkshire

  40·1

  Trent

  33·5

  East Anglian

  9·2

  North West Thames

  21·9

  North East Thames

  10·4

  South East Thames

  15·7

  South West Thames

  20 1

  Wessex

  21·8

  Oxford

  26·6

  South Western

  22·3

  West Midlands

  34·6

  Mersey

  26·7

  North Western

  19·3

  Tomlinson Report
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies she has instituted on the effects on health care in London of implementing the Tomlinson report.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  .We have announced our response to the Tomlinson report in the policy document "Making
  533
  London Better", after fully considering the evidence both in the report and in other studies. We have accepted the need for radical change and our policy will deliver the high-quality health service Londoners need.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the recommendations in the Tomlinson report which were not accepted.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Government have accepted the key principles of the Tomlinson report and 96 of its 106 recommendations. The Government's full proposals for improving London's health services are set out in "Making London Better".

  Hospitals (Costs)
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received suggesting national health service hospitals will be taking action to cut costs by reducing patient care during the current financial year.

  Mr. Sackville
  My colleagues and I have received and responded to correspondence from a range of sources concerning this.

  There is no reason why hospitals should not be able to plan their activity over the whole year, without cost cutting. We are spending more on health and treating more patients than ever before.

  Removal of Children (Essex)
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with Essex social services regarding their actions in removing children from their natural parents; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have been in contact with the chairman of Essex social services committee and discussions have taken place between the chief inspector of the social services inspectorate and the director of social services about two cases in which children in Essex were removed from their natural parents, one in 1989, the other last year. The local authority were asked to review current child care cases and consider what other action is necessary for the future.

  Primary Health Care (London)
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her proposals for improving primary health care in London.

  Mr. Sackville
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the Government's proposals for London's health services, including primary care, on 17 February. We are setting in place a major programme to develop higher-quality, more accessible primary health services at local level. Our aim is to bring primary care in London up to the high standards found elsewhere in the country and to equip it to face the challenges and opportunities of health care provision in the 21st century.

  Children Act 1989
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to issue further guidance to local authorities on the operation of the Children Act 1989 in the light of the report on the first year of the Act's implementation.
  534
  Mr. Yeo
  We have no immediate plans to do so, but we are keeping under review the Children Act guidance and will issue more as and when the need arises.

  International Adoption
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further discussions she intends to have with adoption agencies about international adoption; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  We will continue to discuss international adoption issues with adoption agencies as necessary, as part of our normal contact with them.

  Out-patient Appointments
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards reaching patients charter targets for waiting times for out-patient appointments.

  Mr. Sackville
  Under the patients charter, health authorities have already set and published local charter standards for first out-patient appointments. We shall develop these standards further in 1993–94.

  Community Treatment Orders
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received regarding the possibility of introducing community treatment orders.

  Mr. Yeo
  We have received views from many organisations and individuals. They will be taken fully into account by the departmental team which, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State stated in her reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) on 13 January at column 731, is reviewing the legal powers in this field. The team will be seeking further views as its work proceeds.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies her Department has made of the effect of the closure of Leyland-DAF on the ambulance service.

  Mr. Sackville
  Leyland-DAF has entered into administrative receivership with a view to operating the business as a going concern. National Health Service Supplies is currently in daily contact with the company to monitor the situation in respect of the placement of future orders for vehicles for the ambulance service.

  Community Care
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions are being made for the new community care programme to ensure that improvements are introduced into the care of the elderly and the disabled; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  The introduction of assessment of individuals' care needs will ensure that services are increasingly tailored to need rather than need to services. Improved responsiveness to need will lead to a wider choice of services being delivered by an increasing variety of
  535
  providers. A total of £565 million is being made available to local authorities in 1993–94 through a ring-fenced special transitional grant to enable them to implement the new arrangements.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she last met representatives of the British Association of Social Workers to discuss the implementation of the community care proposals.

  Mr. Yeo
  I met representatives of the British Association of Social Workers on 11 November 1992. A number of issues were discussed including the implementation of community care.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been released into the community from psychiatric institutions in each of the past three years; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  The table shows the estimated number of discharges into the community from national health service hospitals in England from 1987–88 to 1989–90. The figures do not reflect the number of patients leaving hospitals, as a person can be discharged more than once during the year.

  Discharges from national health service hospitals and units in England

  Year

  Number

  1987–88

  175,910

  1988–89

  182,903

  1989–90

  177,752

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received about the continuing closure of psychiatric hospitals and the finding of community care.

  Mr. Yeo
  We have received seven representations from interested organisations and 57 from individuals since 1 January 1993 about the closure of psychiatric hospitals and the funding of community care.

  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 8 February,Official Report, column 474, what information she has on the number of times permission was granted by the Secretary of State for the emigration of a child in care between 1967 and 14 October 1991.

  Mr. Yeo
  Archive papers are stored under the name of the individual child. As I explained in my answer of 8 February at column 474, information regarding the numbers involved could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Hospital Beds (London)
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the need to increase or reduce the supply of hospital beds in London.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The demand for hospital beds in London in the future will depend both on improvements in efficiency and primary services, and on how many patients are treated locally rather than being referred to London. While it is impossible to predict precisely the speed of these 536
  changes, in our policy document "Making London Better" we made a cautious estimate of 2,000 to 2,500 fewer acute beds in four to five years' time.

  Mental Health Services (Ethnic Minorities)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is being funded by her Department into the provision of mental health services to meet the needs of ethnic minority communities.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department is currently funding two research projects in respect of black and ethnic minorities. Both relate to aspects of psychosis in Afro-Caribbean people. The Medical Research Council is, however, the main route for funding research in psychiatry.

  Folic Acid
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the folic acid supplements recommended for women intending to have children in the recent report of the Chief Medical Officer's expert advisory group will be available without a prescription; and what charge will be made.

  Mr. Sackville
  The report recommended that to prevent a recurrence of neural tube defects women should be prescribed folic acid supplements until the 12th week of pregnancy at a dose of 5mg per day. As there are rare but potentially serious hazards of folic acid therapy at these levels in particular groups of people there are no plans to make this dose available without a prescription.

  To prevent a first occurrence of neural tube defect women planning a pregnancy are advised to take a supplement of 0.4mg folic acid from the start of trying to conceive until the 12th week of pregnancy. These supplements are available over the counter at many health food stores and chemists at a cost of around £1 for a month's supply.

  Consultants
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will list the contracts awarded by her Department to(a) Coopers and Lybrand management consultants, (b) Touche Ross management consultants, (c) Price Waterhouse management consultants, (d) Ernst and Young management consultants, (e) Chrichton Roberts Ltd., (f) KPMG management consultants and (g) Leopold Joseph management consultants, with the total cost of the contracts with each contractor, for (i) the past 12 months and (ii) 1991–92;

  (2) how many contracts for consultancies were awarded by his Department over (a) the last 12 months and (b) 1991–92.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information has been placed in the Library.

  Hartley Hospital, Colne
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Hartley hospital in Colne ceased to be used as an NHS hospital; what amount has since been spent on its maintenance; what valuation has been made of it; and what plans there are for an open market sale.
  537
  Mr. Sackville
  Hartley hospital was vacated in December 1989. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Bruce Martin, chairman of North Western regional health authority, for further details.

  Publicity
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 2 June 1992 to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson),Official Report, column 463, what is her Department's (a) current outturn estimate for publicity expenditure for 1992–93 and (b) budgeted publicity expenditure for 1993–94.

  Mr. Sackville
  Estimated expenditure on communications and publicity for 1992–93 is £22 million.

  The budget for 1993–94 is £23.7 million.

  "Caring for People"
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to issue further guidance to local authorities on charges to users of social services provided under "Caring for People".

  Mr. Yeo
  As envisaged in "Caring for People" we have issued guidance and made regulations about charges to people in residential and nursing homes from April 1993. Local social services authorities also have powers to charge users of day and domiciliary services where this is reasonable. The Government's long-established policy on the use of these powers is well known. we consider that further guidance will be more useful if it can reflect early experience of implementing "Caring for People". We plan to issue such guidance once that has been assessed.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further consideration she has given to calls from disability organisations for the implementation of sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  Most of the major provisions of the Act have now been implemented, bringing substantial benefits to disabled people and their carers. The requirements of the non-implemented sections of the Act are now, to a very large extent, reflected in the new and wide-ranging reforms of community care, which demonstrate our commitment to high-quality care responsive to the needs and wishes of service users and carers. The need to implement these sections will therefore be reviewed in the light of several years' experience of the community care arrangements.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of state for Health what representations she has received on the need to empower local authorities to enable them to make direct cash payments to disabled people to make their own personal assistance arrangements.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have received a number of representations. I have, however, no plans to amend long-standing legislation in this way.

  District Health Authorities (Funding)
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of state for Health how many district health authorities will receive less funding through the transfer to weighted capitation in 1993–94.

  Mr. Sackville
  In 1993–94 the following 24 district health authorities, all of which are currently receiving more than their share of their region's resources, will receive less funding, at constant prices, than in 1992–93.

  DHA's which will have their funding reduced in 1993–94

  Regional health authority and district health authority

  Amount £'s

  Northern RHA

  Newcastle

  1,000,000

  Yorkshire RHA

  None

  n/a

  Trent RHA

  None

  n/a

  East Anglian RHA

  None

  n/a

  North West Thames RHA

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  500,000

  Brent

  500,000

  Barnet

  1,500,000

  North East Thames RHA

  Hampstead

  400,000

  Bloomsbury and Islington

  900,000

  Haringey

  750,000

  Redbridge

  350,000

  Waltham Forest

  600,000

  South East Thames RHA

  Dartford and Gravesham

  463,000

  Tunbridge Wells

  59,000

  Greenwich

  452,000

  Bromley

  722,000

  South East London1

  6,000,000

  South West Thames RHA

  Wandsworth

  1,032,000

  East Surrey

  85,000

  Kingston and Esher

  50,000

  Wessex RHA

  None

  n/a

  Oxford RHA

  Aylesbury Vale

  1,069.000

  Wycombe

  499,000

  Oxfordshire

  44,000

  South Western RHA

  None

  n/a

  West Midlands RHA

  West Birmingham

  250,000

  South Warwickshire

  250,000

  Mersey RHA

  Liverpool

  2,000,000

  Macclesfield

  500,000

  North Western RHA

  None

  n/a

  1 New authority containing Camberwell, Lewisham/north Southwark and west Lambeth DHAs.

  Fluoridation
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities in England and Wales have requested fluoridation of water supplies in their region; and in which health authorities water is currently fluoridated.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally.

  Patients (Protection)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what quality assurance mechanisms she is considering to protect vulnerable groups of patients; and what assessment she has made of the appropriateness of BS5750 accreditation.

  Mr. Yeo
  Purchasers are required to set standards of quality in the contracts they place with providers.

  The Department is funding an evaluation of major accreditation and organisational audit schemes, including BS5750, to establish the benefits relevant to the national health service.

  Mental Illness
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what policy advice or guidelines she has issued concerning the treatment of those suffering from mental illness in secure units; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  The treatment of mental illness is the responsibility of the professionals involved. The code of practice issued under the Mental Health Act 1983 provides guidance on the operation of that Act. Current needs for treatment in secure conditions are among the issues considered in the reports of the joint Department of Health/Home Office review of services for mentally disordered offenders (Cm. 2088, 1992). In the light of the review's recommendations we have increased capital funding for medium secure services from £3 million in 1991–92 to £17 million in 1992–93 and £22·4 million in 1993–94.

  Health Advisory Service
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent changes there have been in the strategic brief, method of operation and independence of the health advisory service; and what announcements she has made of them.

  Mr Yeo
  Following a ministerial review in 1991, the national health service health advisory service now has a new remit compatible with the NHS reforms and the Government's new policies for care in the community. The HAS will continue to undertake reviews of local services, but a proportion of its resources will be allocated to examinations of particular aspects of the management of care and quality standards. These changes were announced in January 1992. The HAS remains independent and it retains the status of a non-departmental public body.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are made for the publication of annual reports by the health advisory service.

  Mr. Yeo
  Following the review of the national health service health advisory service and the appointment of the new director, all future annual reports will he published as soon as possible after receipt.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in discussions between the health advisory service and other monitoring bodies concerned with health and social services care.

  Mr. Yeo
  During his first months in office, the present director met many other monitoring bodies whose views 540
  have been taken into account in the formulation of the national health service health advisory service's forward programme.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many visits were completed by the health advisory service other than in respect of drug services; how many reports were published in each quarter since 1991; how many person/days were employed on these visits and subsequent report writing, for each quarter, in respect of(a) psychiatrists, psychogeriatricians and geriatricians, (b) nurses, (c) therapists representing the professions allied to medicine, (d) managers and (e) social service inspectors; how many visits are planned for the period 1 January to 31 March; and how many person/days of each of the professional groups it is planned to employ.

  Mr. Yeo
  No visits to review services for mentally ill and elderly people have taken place since 1991. Twelve reports were published during January-March 1992 and six during April-May 1992, relating to the final 18 of the 40 visits undertaken during 1991. No visits have been planned for the period January-March 1993.

  Nurses
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many enrolled nurses, working within the national health service, underwent professional development training(a) prior to and (b) following the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued to(a) directly managed hospitals and (b) national health service trusts with regard to funding for conversion courses for enrolled nurses; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Regional health authorities and employing authorities are aware of their responsibilities regarding enrolled nurse conversion.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to ensure that opportunities for professional development are open to all enrolled nurses irrespective of ethnic origin.

  Mr. Sackville
  We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all staff in the national health service. It is an employer responsibility to ensure that professional development opportunities are made available irrespective of ethnic origin.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to encourage enrolled nurses who are not in employment back into the nursing profession; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Responsibility for the recruitment of qualified nurses rests with employers.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans her Department has(a) to increase and (b) to standardise professional development opportunities for enrolled nurses working within the national health service; and if she will make a statement.
  541
  Mr. Sackville
  We are committed to increasing the number of places available for level two to level one conversion as part of the Project 2000 reforms. Central funding has been made available to facilitate this and on 12 February we announced additional funding for Project 2000 in 1993–94. However, it is for regional health authorities, in consultation with employers, to plan for enrolled nurse conversion.

  Chemists
  Mr. Hawksley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will arrange a meeting with the pharmaceutical industry to discuss whether chemists will check, in return for a small fee, the eligibility of those claiming free prescriptions.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Mechanisms already exist to check eligibility for prescription charge exemption and charge remission under the national health service low income scheme. The adequacy and operation of these arrangements is kept under review.

  "Making London Better"
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has of the cost of implementation of "Making London Better" for 1993–94.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in the House on 16 February, there will be some £158·;5 million funding for changes in London in 1993–94. An additional £43·5 million will be available for investment on improving primary and community health services, together with £105 million for changes in secondary care. We will also provide £10 million to ease waiting times in London.

  Thames Regional Health Authority
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the total activity levels in the Thames regional health authority for 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of finished consultant episodes in the general and acute specialties purchased in the four Thames regions in 1991–92 was 1,958,681. The corresponding number forecast for 1992–93 is 2,025,474.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 2 February,Official Report, column 153, if she will show for each trust into which band the chairman's salary falls.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 12 February 1993]: This information is not held centrally for national health service trusts in the first wave. These details can be obtained from the individual trusts. Remuneration bands for the second and third wave are as follows:

  SECOND WAVE TRUSTS

  Northern Region

  BAND 1

  South Tees Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  The RVI Infirmary and Associated Hospitals Trust

  BAND 2

  North Tees Health NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  542

  Cleveland Ambulance NHS Trust

  Gateshead Community Health NHS Trust

  Northgate NHS Trust

  Yorkshire Region

  BAND 1

  York Hospitals and Community Services

  BAND 2

  Airedale NHS Trust

  Harrogate Health Care NHS Trust

  Bradford Community Health NHS Trust

  Scarborough and North East Yorkshire Healthcare NHS Trust

  Northallerton Health Services NHS Trust

  Trent Region

  BAND 1

  Central Sheffield University Hospitals NHS Trust

  Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  Bassetlaw Hospital and Community Health Services

  Doncaster Healthcare NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Mulberry South Lincolnshire Mental Handicap Nottingham Community Unit

  Weston Park Hospital NHS Trust

  Sheffield Children's Hospital NHS Trust

  South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service

  Barnsley Community and Priority Services NHS Trust

  East Anglian Region

  BAND 2

  Hinchingbrooke Health Care NHS Trust

  Kings Lynn and Wisbech Hospitals NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Allington

  North West Thames Region

  BAND 1

  Parkside Health NHS Trust

  Wellhouse NHS Trust (Barnet and Edgware)

  St. Mary's NHS Trust

  East Hertfordshire Health NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  Ashford Hospital NHS Trust

  Ealing Hospital NHS Trust

  South Bedfordshire Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  Bedford Hospital NHS Trust (Formerly North Bedfordshire General Hospital)

  Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust

  Dacorum and St. Albans Community NHS Trust (Formerly North West Hertfordshire Priority)

  Horizon NHS Trust (Formerly North West Hertfordshire Mental Health)

  Barnet Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Harrow Community Health Services NHS Trust

  Hillingdon Community Health NHS Trust

  Harefield Hospital NHS Trust

  North East Thames Region

  BAND 1

  The Bart's NHS Trust

  Forest Healthcare NHS Trust

  Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust (North East Essex Acute)

  BAND 2

  Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust

  Southend Community Care NHS Trust

  Basildon and Thurrock General Hospitals NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Essex Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  North East Essex Mental Health NHS Trust

  New Possibilities NHS Trust (formerly Turner Village)

  South East Thames Region

  BAND 2

  South Downs Health NHS Trust (Brighton Community)

  Hastings and Rother NHS Trust

  West Lambeth Community Care NHS Trust

  543

  Ravensbourne Priority Health NHS Trust

  Optimum Health Services NHS Trust (Lewisham and North Southwark Community)

  Eastbourne Hospitals NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Thameslink Healthcare Services NHS Trust (Dartford and Gravesham Priority)

  Maidstone Priority Care NHS Trust

  South West Thames Region

  BAND 2

  Frimley Park Hospital NHS Trust

  St. Peters Hospital NHS Trust (North West Surrey Acute)

  BAND 3

  Weybourne Community NHS Trust (North West Surrey Community)

  Wessex Region

  BAND 2

  The Poole Hospital NHS Trust

  Wiltshire Healthcare NHS Trust

  Royal United Hospital, Bath NHS Trust

  Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Dorset Healthcare NITS Trust (East Dorset Community)

  Bath Mental Health Care NHS Trust

  The Bath And West Community NHS Trust (Avon and Somerset)

  Oxford Region

  BAND 2

  Milton Keynes General Hospital NHS Trust

  Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Milton Keynes Community Health NHS Trust

  East Berkshire NEIS Trust for People With Learning Disabilities

  Aylesbury Vale Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  South Western Region

  BAND 1

  Frenchay Healthcare NHS Trust

  The Royal Cornwall Hospitals and West Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust

  Southmead Health Services NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  Avon Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Plymouth Community Services NHS Trust

  Exeter and District Community Health Service NHS Trust

  Phoenix NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Devon Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Gloucestershire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  West Midlands Region

  BAND 2

  Premier Health NHS Trust (South East Staffordshire Community)

  Herefordshire Community Health NHS Trust

  East Birmingham Hospital NHS Trust

  Walsgrave Hospital NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  South Warwickshire Health Care NHS Trust

  Staffordshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Mersey Region

  BAND 1

  Aintree Hospitals NHS Trust

  The North Mersey Community NHS Trust (Liverpool Community and Priority)

  BAND 2

  Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Liverpool Obstetrics and Gynaecology Services NHS Trust

  Southport and Formby NHS Trust

  544

  BAND 3

  The Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery NHS Trust

  Clatterhridge Centre for Oncology NHS Trust

  St. Helens and Knowsley Community Health NHS Trust

  North Western Region

  BAND 1

  Burnley Health Care NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  The Oldham NHS Trust

  Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust

  Lancaster Priority Services NHS Trust

  Lancaster Acute Hospitals Trust

  BAND 3

  Wrightington Hospital NHS Trust

  THIRD WAVE TRUSTS

  Northern Region

  BAND 2

  Gateshead Hospitals NHS Trust

  South Tees Community and Mental Health NHS Trust

  South Tyneside Health Care NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Cumbria Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Durham County Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Northumberland Mental Health NHS Trust

  South Cumbria Community and Mental Health NHS Trust

  South West Durham Mental Health NHS Trust

  Westmorland Hospitals NHS Trust

  West Cumbria Health Care NHS Trust

  Yorkshire Region

  BAND 1

  Calderdale Health Care NHS Trust

  Huddersfield NHS Trust

  Grimsby Health NHS Trust

  Royal Hull Hospitals NHS Trust

  Leeds Community and Mental Health Services Teaching NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust

  Pinderfields Hospitals NHS Trust

  Pontefract Hospitals NHS Trust

  Wakefield and Pontefract Health NHS Trust

  Scunthorpe and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust

  West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Humberside Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  North Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Scunthorpe Community Health Unit NHS Trust

  Trent Region

  BAND 1

  Fosse Health, Leicestershire Community NHS Trust

  Leicester Royal Infirmary NHS Trust

  Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  Glenfield Hospital NHS Trust

  Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospital NHS Trust

  South Lincolnshire Community and Mental Health Services NHS Trust

  Rotherham General Hospitals NHS Trust

  Derby City General Hospital NHS Trust

  Leicester General Hospital NHS Trust

  Barnsley District General Hospital NHS Trust

  Central Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

  Community Health Services, Southern Derbyshire NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Gainsborough and District Health Care NHS Trust

  Nottinghamshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Rotherham Priority Health Services NHS Trust

  Southern Derbyshire Mental Health NHS Trust

  545
  East Anglian Region

  BAND 1

  Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust

  Addenbrookes NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  James Paget Hospital NHS Trust

  Northwest Anglia Healthcare NHS Trust

  West Suffolk Hospitals NHS Trust

  Peterborough Hospitals NHS Trust

  Lifespan Health Care Cambridge NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Mid Anglia Community Health NHS Trust

  East Suffolk Local Health Services NHS Trust

  Papworth Hospital NHS Trust

  North West Thames Region

  BAND 1

  Northwick Park Hospital NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  Riverside Mental Health NHS Trust

  West London Healthcare NHS Trust

  Hounslow and Spelthorne Community and Mental Health NHS Trust

  West Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Ambulance Services NHS Trust

  North West London Mental Health NHS Trust (Park side)

  North East Thames Region

  BAND 1

  Redbridge Healthcare NHS Trust

  Camden and Islington Community Health Services Trust

  Barking Havering and Brentwood Community Health Care NHS Trust

  Havering Hospitals NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  Enfield Community Care NHS Trust

  Chase Farm Hospitals NHS Trust

  Thameside Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  Whittington Hospital NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Mid Essex Community Health NHS Trust

  Bedford and Shires Health and Care NHS Trust

  Royal London Homeopathic Hospital NHS Trust

  South West Thames Region

  BAND 2

  Crawley and Horsham NHS Trust

  Merton and Sutton Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton Healthcare NHS Trust

  East Surrey Hospital and Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Worthing Priority Care NHS Trust

  Mayday Healthcare NHS Trust

  South East Thames Region

  BAND 1

  Bromley Hospitals NHS Trust

  Brighton Healthcare NHS Trust

  Greenwich Healthcare NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  Thanet Healthcare NHS Trust

  Mid Kent Healthcare NHS Trust

  Kent and Canterbury Hospitals NHS Trust

  Eastbourne and County Healthcare NHS Trust

  Canterbury and Thanet Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  Queen Mary's Sidcup NHS Trust

  Wessex Region

  BAND 1

  Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust

  Southampton Community Health Services NHS Trust

  Portsmouth Acute NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  St. Mary's Hospital NHS Trust (Isle of Wight Acute)

  North Hampshire, Loddon Community NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Isle of Wight Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  546

  Andover District Community Health Care NHS Trust

  Dorset Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Hampshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Wiltshire Ambulance Services NHS Trust

  Oxford Region

  BAND 1

  Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospitals NHS Trust

  South Buckinghamshire NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  East Berkshire Community Health NHS Trust

  West Berkshire Priority Care Service NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Horton General Hospital NHS Trust

  Oxford Learning Disability NHS Trust

  Radcliffe Infirmary NHS Trust

  Royal Berkshire Ambulance NHS Trust

  Two Shires Ambulance NHS Trust

  South Western Region

  BAND 1

  Gloucestershire Royal NHS Trust

  Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  Severn NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Avalon NHS Trust

  West Midlands Region

  BAND 1

  North Staffordshire Hospital Centre NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  North East Worcestershire Community Health Care NHS Trust

  Burton Hospitals NHS Trust

  Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust

  North Warwickshire Healthcare NHS Trust

  Mid Staffordshire General Hospital NHS Trust

  Walsall Community Health Services NHS Trust

  The Princess Royal NHS Trust

  Kidderminster Healthcare NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Shropshire Mental Health NHS Trust

  South Warwickshire General NHS Trust

  South Worcestershire Community NHS Trust

  Wolverley NHS Trust

  Mersey Region

  BAND 1

  East Cheshire NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  Warrington Community NHS Trust

  Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust

  Cheshire Community Healthcare NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Halton General Hospital NHS Trust

  Southport and Formby Community Health Services NHS Trust

  Warrington Acute Hospital NHS Trust

  North Western Region

  BAND 1

  Wigan and Leigh Health Services NHS Trust

  BAND 2

  Calderstone NHS Trust

  West Lancashire NHS Trust

  BAND 3

  Mancunian Community Health NHS Trust

  Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust

  Private Hospitals
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent in the last five years by district health authorities and regional health authorities on purchasing services from private hospitals.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money was spent on the purchase of private
  547
  health care for NHS patients in 1991–92 and the first three quarters of the financial year 1992–9293; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 15 February 19931: The annual accounts and financial returns of health authorities do not separately identify expenditure incurred specifically on the purchase of private health care. However, the summarised accounts of health authorities in England for 1991–9292 show that the total of health care and related services purchased from all non-national health service providers was some £182.3 million.

  This figure will include expenditure incurred under contracts with variously constituted nursing homes and hospices, voluntary organisations, local authorities and military hospitals in addition to those with private hospitals as such. Similar information is not collected on a quarterly basis.

  Optometry
  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what Government funding is made available annually towards the cost of the training course for optometry.

  Mr. Boswell
  I have been asked to reply.

  Funding for subjects and professions allied to medicine, including optometry, is the responsibility of the Universities Funding Council and the Polytechnics and
  548
  Colleges Funding Council. The UFC's teaching unit of resource for funded places in subjects allied to medicine is £4,614 in 1992–93. The PCFC's mean funding per full-time funded place in its health and social services programme is £3,079 in 1992–93. These categories cover different subjects and are not directly comparable. Funded places for optometry are not separately identified. It is for institutions to decide actual spending on each subject.

  Radiation
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration she has given to appointing a replacement chairman for the study on the links between the development of cancer and exposure to occupational radiation.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The study in question is funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its grant in aid from my Department.

  The MRC's environmental epidemiology unit is conducting a programme of research on occupational and environmental hazards. Included in this programme is the study to follow up the findings of an association between the risk of leukaemia and lymphoma and the father's occupational exposure to radiation. The director of the unit is Professor David Barker.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Infrastructure (Private Investment)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what response he has had from private business to his invitation on 9 December 1992 to come forward with proposals for private sector investment in Britain's infrastructure.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Numerous firms in the financial and construction sectors have put ideas to the Treasury, either in writing or in discussion with Ministers or officials.

  Beer Duty
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what representations he has had about the compliance costs for small brewers of the new collection system for beer duty; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what estimate he has of the compliance costs to the United Kingdom brewing industry arising from the requirements proposed in the Customs and Excise draft notice 226 on a new collection system for beer duty.

  Sir John Cope
  Studies when the change was under consideration indicated that end product duty would reduce compliance costs for brewers. A study of the costs of the new system has been commissioned but it is too early to estimate the results. Small brewers have generally welcomed the changeover to an end product duty and none has made representations about the cost of compliance.

  Windfall Tax
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of a windfall tax on United Kingdom companies on employment and on prices.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The precise impact of such a tax would depend on what form it took, but any increase in business taxation would be likely to impede job creation. Furthermore, the Government believe that excess profits should be avoided by encouraging competition and providing effective regulation of monopolies. We do not believe that excess profits should be tolerated in order to provide extra taxable capacity.

  Inland Revenue (Privatisation)
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will continue to require Inland Revenue staff to sign the Official Secrets Act when the work is put into private agencies.

  Mr. Dorrell
  All Inland Revenue staff and staff of contractors working for the Department who have access to information about taxpayers are, and will continue to be, required to sign an acknowledgement that improper disclosure may lead to imprisonment for up to two years, or a fine or both.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to arrange the sales of British Coal, Caledonian MacBrayne, Channel Four Television 550
  Company, Commonwealth Development Corporation, Covent Garden Market Authority, English Industrial Estates Corporation and Welsh Fourth Channel Authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Government remain committed to the privatisation of British Coal. However, no decisions on the form or timing of privatisation will be taken until after the coal review White Paper has been debated. The future status of the Commonwealth Development Corporation is currently under review. Ministers have announced their intention to dispose of the assets of the Covent Garden market authority as soon as practicable. There are no current plans to privatise Caledonian MacBrayne or English Industrial Estates Corporation. Channel Four and Welsh Channlel Four are private sector bodies.

  Value Added Tax
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement setting out the nature and extent of the obligations taken on by the United Kingdom in respect of its zero rates for VAT on 24 June 1991, and on 27 June 1992.

  Sir John Cope
  At the meeting of the Economic and Finance Ministers Council on 24 June 1991 the member states including the United Kingdom agreed that under transitional arrangements member states which at 1 January 1991 applied for zero rates for VAT to particular goods and services in accordance with the provisions of Community law in force, would have the option of retaining them.

  The transitional period will continue at least until the end of the 1996 and thereafter until there is unanimous agreement on the definitive (origin) VAT system to operate after that. The United Kingdom has made clear that such agreement will not be forthcoming unless, among other conditions, our right to continue with our zero rates is fully protected.

  No obligations were taken on by the United Kingdom in respect of its zero rates for VAT on 27 June 1992.

  Drug Smuggling
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration he has given to the information concerned with drug smuggling sent to the Attorney-General since 7 February by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Garston; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 19 February 1993]: I understand from the Attorney-General's Department that it has no record of having received any such correspondence.

  Friendly Societies Commission
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the criteria he applies when appointing members of the Friendly Societies Commission; and if he will list the relevant experience and professional qualifications of its current members.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 22 February 1993]: The factors which the Treasury takes into account in making appointments to the Friendly Societies Commission include: the requirement for a mix of relevant skills and

  551
  experience; the need to ensure that there are no conflicts of interest which might prevent prospective commissioners from carrying out their statutory duties; the importance of having a commission which can work as a team; and the need for enough commissioners to carry out the commission's statutory functions.

  The relevant experience and professional qualifications of the current commissioners is:

  Mr. D. W. Lee (Chairman)
  Full-time civil servant for last four years. Registrar of Friendly societies since December 1989. Formerly with Lloyds Bank and Barclays; Director of various companies in financial services and other sectors. Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, with a degree in law, LL.B (Hons.) London.

  Mr. P. E. Couse, FCA
  Retired Chartered Accountant. Formerly partner, Coopers and Lybrand and President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

  Mr. F. da Rocha
  Civil servant for 24 years (18 years in the Registry of Friendly Societies).

  Dr. J. Dine
  Barrister. Reader in Law at Essex University, with a doctorate in law.

  Mr. J. A. Geddes
  Actuary—Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries (retired). Formerly partner, R. Watson and Sons.

  Mr. A. Wilson
  Retired Civil Servant—formerly Registrar of Friendly Societies—and a qualified solicitor.

  Brian Charrington
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the circumstances surrounding the release of Brian Charrington, arrested on a charge connected to the illegal import of cocaine, at the Manchester magistrates court in January.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 19 February 1993] On counsel's advice the Commissioners of Customs and Excise agreed that the proper course of action was to drop the prosecution against Mr. Charrington on the basis that the evidence against him would not secure a conviction.

SCOTLAND

  Legal Aid
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the claims made by solicitors for payment by the legal aid fund in 1991–92 were settled within one month.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The numbers of accounts submitted under each category of legal aid in 1991–92, and the percentage paid within one month, are as follows:

  Number

  Per cent. paid within one month

  Civil legal aid

  21,015

  35.4

  Criminal legal aid

  61,777

  61.0

  Advice and assistance

  209,043

  47.4

  TOTAL

  291,835

  49.5

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons received help under the legal aid advice 552
  and assistance scheme with a nil contribution in the latest year for which figures are available; what percentage this was of the total number receiving advice under the scheme; and what he estimates that percentage would have been if the changes in eligibility for civil legal aid had been in effect in that year.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 8 February 1993]: In 1991–92, 271,759 grants were made under the advice and assistance scheme. Of these, approximately 980 per cent. (244,000) had no contribution to pay.

  Since there would have been no contributory band, the number of grants would have been smaller had the proposed changes in legal aid eligibility announced on 16 November been in force in 1991–92. All of those who qualified for assistance would have received it free of contributions.

  Fishermen
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many deep sea and inshore fishermen were employed full time in Scotland in(a) 1972, (b) 1982 and (c)

  Sir Hector Monro
  The number of fishermen regularly employed in Scotland in each of the years requested are as follows. Separate figures for inshore and deep sea fishermen are not available. Part-time fishermen and crofters are excluded from the figures.

  Fishermen regularly employed in Scotland

  Year

  Number

  1972

  8,110

  1982

  7,247

  1992

  17,181

  1 Provisional.

  Nurse Gradings
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of appeals against nurse clinical grading are outstanding in each of the health boards and at the national level.

  Mr. Stewart
  I understand that virtually no nurse clinical grading appeals submitted under section 32 of the General Whitley Council conditions of service are outstanding at health board level. On 1 February 1993 there were 729 appeals to the Scottish Appeals Committee outstanding. On the same date 586 appeals at national level remitted by the Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council to the Scottish appeal team secretariat were outstanding; the breakdown of these by health board is given in the table.

  Health board

  Appeals outstanding

  Argyll and Clyde

  37

  Ayrshire and Arran

  47

  Borders

  14

  Dumfries and Galloway

  8

  Fife

  35

  Forth Valley

  70

  Grampian

  39

  Greater Glasgow

  77

  Highland

  25

  553

  Health board

  Appeals outstanding

  Lanarkshire

  72

  Lothian

  58

  Orkney

  —

  Shetland

  3

  Tayside

  81

  Western Isles

  8

  CSA

  12

  State Hospital

  —

  TOTAL

  586

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to designate further areas within Scotland as environmentally sensitive areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 19 February 19931: Five areas selected for further designation as environmentally sensitive areas in Scotland were announced by my hon. Friend, Lord Strathclyde, on 6 March 1992 and will be introduced during 1993. They are the Argyll Islands, the Cairngorms Straths, the Central Southern Uplands, the Shetland Islands and the Western Southern Uplands. There are, at present, no plans to designate any further areas in Scotland.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total area within Scotland currently designated as environmentally sensitive areas; and what is the total size of the additional areas whose designation comes into effect on 1 April.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 19 February 1993]: The total area currently designated in Scotland as environmentally sensitive area is 288,000 hectares. This area will be increased by a further 1,098,000 hectares when the third round of environmentally sensitive areas is implemented during 1993.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland by what percentage his Department's budget for payments to farmers in environmentally sensitive areas is due to change in 1993–94.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 19 February 1993]: The provision for environmentally sensitive areas in Scotland for the financial year 1993–94 is £5.3 million. This is an increase of approximately 36 per cent. over that for 1992–93.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland by what date he expects all contracted-status ambulances to be phased out within the Highlands; and how much money has been made available for such purposes since such a policy was instituted.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 19 February 1993]: It is the policy of the Scottish ambulance service to phase out the use of ambulance contractors where demand justifies such a change and where it would be economical to do so. No specific date has been set, but the position is kept under review.

  Mineral Rights
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all the sites owned or formerly owned by the Forestry Commission where mineral rights have been sold in each of the last 10 years, giving the name of the site, the country in which it is located, and the amount received for the sale of those rights; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 22 February 19931: The Forestry Commission does not sell mineral rights; it grants licences and leases permitting the extraction of minerals, subject to the licensee or lessee obtaining planning permission. Details of individual licences and leases are not kept centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The Forestry Commission has received over £5 million from these licences and leases in the last 10 years.

  Scottish Students
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish students are in(a) full-time and (b) part-time education within the United Kingdom.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 February 1993]: The available information is given in the table. Full information is available for Scottish students in Scotland. No information is available for Scottish students on courses of further education outside Scotland, nor for those on part-time courses of higher education outside Scotland. The figures for Scottish students on full-time courses outside Scotland include only those studying in the traditional university sector in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and those studying part-time in Scotland are assumed to be Scots-domiciled.

  Scottish Domiciled Students in 1991–92

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Higher education in Scotland

  80,036

  43,010

  Higher education elsewhere in United Kingdom

  3,462

  n.a.

  Further education in Scotland (provisional)

  35,895

  188,645

  Further education elsewhere in United Kingdom

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many students have been in(a) full-time and (b) part-time higher education in Scotland in each year since 1985.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 February 19931: The information requested is given in the table. The table includes figures for all higher education institutions which will be funded by the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council from April this year. The figures given are for students on courses of higher education; in addition, some of the institutions have some students undertaking courses of further education.
  555

  Students on higher education courses at higher education institutes in Scotland 1985–86 to 1991–92

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Name

  Full time

  Part time

  Full time

  Part time

  Full time

  Part time

  Full time

  Part time

  Full lime

  Part time

  Full time

  Part time

  Full lime

  Part time

  Aberdeen University

  5,482

  411

  5,629

  549

  5,690

  575

  5,681

  570

  6,087

  631

  6,374

  687

  7,180

  728

  Dundee University

  3,222

  161

  3,300

  180

  3,444

  203

  3,613

  213

  3,762

  214

  4,166

  285

  4,482

  357

  Edinburgh University

  10,039

  707

  10,127

  764

  10,162

  775

  10,403

  922

  10,862

  971

  11,395

  1,016

  12,550

  1,115

  Glasgow University

  10,412

  2,505

  10,521

  2,587

  10,810

  2,533

  11,049

  2,097

  11,523

  1,970

  12,226

  1,632

  12,798

  1,485

  Heriot-Watt University

  3,319

  444

  3,487

  508

  3,798

  450

  4,108

  512

  4,396

  547

  3,570

  512

  3,733

  517

  St. Andrews University

  3,560

  112

  3,627

  116

  3,619

  144

  3,782

  121

  3,939

  108

  4,187

  106

  4,225

  80

  Stirling University

  2,589

  335

  2,897

  432

  3,059

  410

  3,207

  525

  3,416

  577

  3,472

  507

  3,972

  618

  Strathclyde University

  7,586

  943

  7,642

  1,291

  7,759

  1,226

  7,936

  1,355

  8,368

  1,558

  8,652

  1,666

  9,588

  1,948

  Duncan of Jordanstone

  1,006

  26

  1,026

  41

  1,059

  9

  1,073

  12

  1,188

  10

  1,272

  9

  1,312

  11

  Dundee Institute

  2,022

  199

  2,041

  179

  2,009

  198

  1,983

  199

  2,088

  290

  2,194

  343

  2,498

  498

  Edinburgh College of Art

  968

  142

  970

  139

  973

  165

  978

  180

  1,062

  152

  1,236

  35

  1,308

  77

  Glasgow Polytechnic

  3,370

  3,513

  3,376

  3,310

  3,352

  2,700

  3,535

  2,542

  3,749

  2,657

  4,503

  2,855

  5,013

  2,681

  Glasgow School of Art

  848

  120

  865

  268

  776

  270

  816

  162

  920

  202

  990

  211

  1,084

  174

  Napier

  4,301

  3,346

  4,572

  3,622

  4,741

  3,794

  5,221

  3,807

  4,905

  3,510

  5,091

  3,512

  5,595

  3,392

  Paisley

  2,861

  291

  2,860

  1,507

  2,870

  1,386

  2,971

  1,345

  3,072

  1,902

  3,242

  2,000

  3,899

  2,017

  Queen Margaret College

  1,225

  91

  1,263

  96

  1,283

  60

  1,376

  88

  1,522

  204

  1,588

  233

  1,712

  279

  Queens College

  837

  20

  851

  0

  884

  32

  981

  47

  1,260

  116

  1,369

  115

  1,679

  197

  Robert Gordons

  3,197

  475

  3,261

  450

  3,284

  442

  3,444

  437

  3,906

  622

  4,213

  825

  4,519

  1,008

  Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama

  360

  0

  347

  0

  364

  0

  375

  0

  425

  0

  378

  0

  402

  0

  Scottish College of Textiles

  597

  63

  625

  48

  640

  100

  665

  52

  642

  41

  679

  31

  755

  30

  Craigie

  226

  37

  244

  47

  286

  0

  278

  0

  327

  0

  406

  0

  453

  0

  Jordanhill

  1,372

  757

  1,447

  698

  1,321

  658

  1,286

  675

  1,518

  669

  1,813

  673

  1,976

  653

  Moray House

  1,390

  257

  1,387

  197

  1,539

  9

  1,388

  150

  1,563

  60

  1,833

  55

  1,925

  42

  Northern

  872

  146

  929

  228

  883

  81

  866

  104

  1,055

  73

  1,318

  43

  1,438

  59

  St. Andrews

  573

  182

  608

  134

  581

  0

  555

  0

  669

  0

  858

  0

  1,005

  0

  Total

  72,234

  15,283

  73,902

  17,391

  75,186

  16,220

  77,570

  16,115

  82,224

  17,084

  87,025

  17,351

  95,101

  17,966

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time students have attended each separate higher education institute in Scotland in each year since 1985.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 February 1993]: The information requested is given in the table. 1991–92 is the latest year for which figures are available. The figures exclude students studying with the Open university. Sandwich students are included in the full-time figures. Part-time in-service teacher training students are excluded from the part-time figures.

  Year

  Full-time

  Part-time

  1985–86

  79,761

  39,192

  1986–87

  81,640

  40,022

  1987–88

  83,551

  40,136

  1988–89

  84,968

  39,757

  1989–90

  90,712

  40,886

  1990–91

  96,844

  41,084

  1991–92

  108,079

  43,010

  Student Grants
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish students receive a full grant for(a) living at home and (b) living away from home.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 February 19931: As at 17 February 1993, the number of Scottish students who had been offered a full grant at the home rate for session 1992–93 was 10,775, of whom 469 subsequently withdrew. A further 27,162 were offered a full grant at the away from home rate, of whom 1,087 subsequently withdrew.

  GP Fund Holders
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many general practitioner fund holders within Lanarkshire health board have applied for and been granted fund holding status.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 29 January 1993]: Latest information received from Lanarkshire health board indicates that 14 practices have applied to become fund holders and have been granted formal approval by the board. Eight of these practices will commence fund holding from 1 April 1993. The other six will commence as soon as practicable.

  Overseas Trade
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to encourage trade between Scotland and(a) Australia, (b) Canada, (c) New Zealand and (d) the United States of America; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 5 February 19931: My right hon. Friend established Scottish Trade International in December 1991 in order to offer Scottish companies one-door access to the wide range of export services and assistance available from the Scottish Office and Scottish Enterprise. These include the Government's overseas trade services (OTS) which STI promote and administer in Scotland on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry. OTS can assist companies enter the markets of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. Complementing OTS, STI has its own north American business development programme.

  In addition, particular events and promotions are planned. This month STI is co-operating with the Australia and New Zealand Trade Advisory Committee in the organisation of a seminar on the Australian and New

  557
  Zealand markets. STI will also participate in a campaign to be launched in March which will aim to increase sales into the north American market.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance is given to health boards on the European Acquired Rights directive 77/187 in relation to compulsory competitive tendering; and what plans he has to issue further guidance.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 5 February 1993]: The existing guidance to health boards on competitive tendering does not specifically refer to the 1977 directive. However health boards have been advised to consult the central legal office where they are uncertain about the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 which are derived from this directive.

  Further guidance on best practice and procedures for market testing will be issued to health boards in the near future in line with the Government's White Paper "Competing for Quality" (Cmnd. 1730).

  Fish Landings
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the total landings of(a) haddock, (b) whiting, (c) cod and (d) monkfish at each Scottish port in January; and if he will list the corresponding figures for the same month for each of the past five years.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 10 February 1993]: Figures for January 1993 are still too incomplete to alow meaningful comparisons with earlier years. Reasonably firm figures should be available by 25 February. As soon as possible thereafter I will arrange for copies of all the figures to be placed in the Library and I will send a set to the hon. Member.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) burglaries of a dwelling, (b) burglaries other than of a dwelling and (c) burglaries in total were reported (i) in each police force area and (ii) in total for Scotland in each calendar year since 1979, and in the 12 months ended June 1992.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 4 February 1993]: The available information collected centrally for calendar years 1979–1991, was given in my reply to the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. McLeish) on 3 February 1993 at column 231.

  The available information collected centrally, for the 12 months ended June 1992, is given in the table.

  Number of cases of housebreaking1 recorded by the police in Scotland, 12 months ended June 1992

  Police Force

  12 months to June 19922

  Central

  4,517

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2,254

  Fife

  8,710

  Grampian

  7,132

  Lothian and Borders

  17,837

  Northern

  31,531

  Strathclyde

  69,802

  Tayside

  9,183

  558

  Police Force

  12 months to June 19921

  Scotland

  3120,966

  Notes:

  1 Includes cases of attempted housebreaking and housebreaking with intent to steal.

  2 Provisional.

  3 Estimated.

  Police Overtime
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the expenditure on overtime for the police force in(a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole in each of the past four years; and what is the estimated expenditure for overtime in 1992–93.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 4 February 1993]: The information requested is set out in the following table:

  Year

  Strathclyde £

  Scotland £

  1988–89

  12,819,000

  21,588,000

  1989–90

  14,407,000

  24,517,000

  1990–91

  12,897,000

  23,166,000

  1991–92

  112,923,000

  123,679,000

  1992–93

  214,737,000

  227,336,000

  1 Provisional.

  2 Estimated.

  Private Roads
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the ways by which individuals may challenge, or seek to change, the status of a road which is held by the local roads authority to be a private road in terms of the the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 in circumstances where there is evidence that the road in question should be a public road in terms of the 1984 Act.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 9 February 1993]: The procedures by which individuals may seek to change the status of a private road to a public road, for which a local roads authority would have responsibility, is set out in section 16 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. Briefly this obliges the local roads authority to adopt a private road, on request, where the road is of a satisfactory standard in accordance with that authority's requirements. This section of the Act makes provision for any disputes to be determined by arbitration by a single arbiter, appointed in default of agreement by the sheriff on application by either party.

  Additionally section 1(4) of the 1984 Act gives authorities a discretionary power to add roads to their list of public roads. An individual with sufficient title and interest in the matter may challenge the acts or omissions of a local roads authority in the discharge of its functions, with respect to the inclusion or exclusion of a road in its list of public roads, by means of an application to the Court of Session for judicial review.

  Forestry Commission
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will outline the aims and duties of each branch of the Forestry Commission; and what plans he has to split the two branches of the Forestry Commission into separate organisations.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 9 February 1993]: The Forestry Commission carried out an internal reorganisation in April 1992 to distinguish clearly between its functions as a Government Department (the Department of Forestry) and its role in managing publicly owned forests (Forest Enterprise). The Department of Forestry comprises a policy and resources group and the Forestry Authority.

  The policy and resources group is responsible for providing support to forestry Ministers on parliamentary matters, developing and monitoring forestry policy, dealing with European and international forestry matters, and providing central services for the commission as a whole.

  The Forestry Authority is responsible for administering the commission's grant schemes for private woodlands, controlling the felling of trees and woods, administering regulations to prevent the introduction of potentially harmful forest pests and diseases, and conducting research. These functions are carried out with the aim of ensuring that trees, woodlands and forests in Great Britain are protected, managed, extended and promoted in ways which best serve the public interest in accordance with Government policy.

  Forest Enterprise is responsible for managing the commission's estate in Great Britain as a multi-use resource for recreation, wildlife, landscape and conservation, as well as for timber production. This is done with the aim of creating and maintaining attractive and productive woodlands and managing them for public benefits.

  The Government have no plans at present to split the two parts of the Forestry Commission into separate organisations.

  Potatoes
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any details on the number of times other EC member states' Governments have intervened in their domestic potato market in each year since 1988; and what was the tonnage and cost.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 9 February 1993]: The information is not available.

  Mitsubishi
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the negotiations taking place with Mitsubishi in respect of its proposed semi-conductor plant; and what account is being taken of offers of assistance being made by other countries.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 9 February 1993]: Discussions that my officials may have with individual companies are held on a commercial in confidence basis.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disability Allowances
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington can expect a reply to his letter of 21 December 1992 about the operations of the Benefits Agency attenance allowance unit at Norcross, Blackpool, the disability benefits centre, Birmingham and the disability living allowance unit at Warbeck house, Blackpool.

  Mr. Scott
  A reply was sent to my hon. Friend on 22 February 1993.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to advertise his Department's policy on compensation and to take steps to identify and inform claimants who might be entitled to compensation, either because they have waited over 12 months to hear the outcome of a disability living allowance or attendance allowance claim or because an existing award has been interrupted for longer than three months; and what is the total number of cases where compensation has already been awarded by his Department on either of these grounds.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Paul Flynn, dated 22 February 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security, about his plans to advertise his Department's policy on compensation, and to take steps to identify and inform claimants of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or attendance Allowance (AA) who might be entitled to compensation and the total number of cases where compensation has been awarded.
  There are no plans for specific advertising of the Department's policy on compensation. The Benefits Agency Customer Charter informs people that a payment can be considered if someone suffers financial loss as a result of our mistake and it guides customers to make contact with their local customer service manager.
  The staff at the DLA Unit are aware of the compensation arrangements and we regularly remind staff about the procedure for identifying and referring cases for compensation.
  Up to the 18 February 1993, one hundred and forty-two (142) DLA customers and two (2) AA customers received such compensation payments.
  I hope you find this rreply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Consultants
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to(a) Coopers and Lybrand management consultants, (b) Touche Ross management consultants, (c) Price Waterhouse management consultants, (d) Ernst and Young management consultants, (e) Chrichton Roberts Ltd., (f) KPMG management consultants and

  561
  (g) Leopold Joseph management consultants, with the total cost of the contracts with each contractor, for (i) the past 12 months and (ii) 1991–92.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested for the years 1992–93 and 1991–92 can be obtained from the DSS management consultancy contracts, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many contracts for consultancies were awarded by his Department over(a) the last 12 months and (b) 1991–92.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Department of Social Security has awarded 127 management consultancy contracts in 1991–92 and 126 to date in 1992–93.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to amend the regulations regarding availability for work and actively seeking work in the social security regulations so as to encourage those on unemployment benefit to seek work experience in the voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  Unemployed people can take part in voluntary work as long as they are available for, and actively seeking, work. Within these conditions there are no set limits on the amount of voluntary work that they can do.

  These conditions also include easements for volunteers whereby volunteers may be allowed 24 hours' notice in which to make the necessary arrangements to give up or rearrange voluntary responsibilities before taking up an offer of employment. Voluntary workers attending work camps away from their home area may be deemed to be available for work for a period of 14 days in any year.

  The adjudicating authorities will look positively at the time spent on voluntary work when deciding whether a person has taken reasonable steps to find work.

  We are considering measures to help the long-term unemployed to use their time constructively in a range of activities including voluntary work.

EMPLOYMENT

  Construction Industry Training Board
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when she will make a statement on the future of the construction industry training board.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am pleased to announce that the review of the construction industry training board has now been completed.

  While it remains Government policy that sector training arrangements should normally be non-statutory, the Government are persuaded that different considerations apply in the building and civil engineering industries. My right hon. Friend has therefore decided that the CITB will be reconstituted as a statutory training board for a five-year period with effect from 1 May 1993.

  Disabled People (Special Schemes)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many places will be available in 1993–94 in the special schemes provided by the Employment 562
  Service for people with disabilities; what changes are planned in those programmes; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Employment Service's special assistance schemes for people with disabilities provide a wide range of help to overcome different kinds of problems faced by disabled people in obtaining and retaining employment. It is not possible to predict with precision the numbers of people with disabilities who will be helped or the kind of help they will need. However, in 1993–94, it is forecast that 13,140 grants to people with disabilities will be made under the main three schemes—special aids to employment, adaptations to premises and equipment and help with fares to work.

  The Employment Service's planned expenditure for 1993–94 on special schemes for people with disabilities is £14.8 million.

  The special schemes for people with disabilities are currently under review; an announcement about their future development will be made as soon as possible.

  Trade Unions (Training)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money is paid to trade unions for training.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 16 December 1992,Official Report, columns 254–55.

  Chemical Manufacturing Sites
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to review the regulations and guidance on the design and location of control rooms and office accommodation at chemical manufacturing sites in the light of the explosion in September 1992 at Hickson and Welch of Castleford.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  On 22 September 1992 the Health and Safety Commission directed the Health and Safety Executive, under section 14(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, to hold a formal investigation into the incident at Hickson and Welch and to make a report. Once this has been concluded, the Health and Safety Executive will decide what action may then be appropriate.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many non-manual workers are unemployed on the basis used in the answer given on 30 October 1992,Official Report, column 911; and what percentage of the work force this represents.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The most recent figures from the summer, June to August, 1992 Labour Force Survey show 822,000—not seasonally adjusted—non-manual workers unemployed on the internationally agreed ILO definition. This represented 5.4 per cent. of all economically active non-manual workers in Great Britain.

  Jobcentres
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) casual staff, (b) temporary staff and (c) permanent staff she plans to shed from jobcentres; and if she will list the locations of the jobcentres affected.
  563
  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 22 February 1993]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Richard Burden, dated 23 February 1993:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the adjustment of staffing levels in Job Centres. This is something which falls within responsibilities she has delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  I must point out that the level of our workforce regularly fluctuates during the year to reflect local circumstances and seasonal trends in unemployment. Casual and temporary employees are always told that their appointments may be terminated at short notice, according to the local needs of the Employment Service.
  We have no plans to cut the overall annual number of people employed to provide our services. Indeed, next year will see an increase in the number of people employed to provide our customers with a range of services to help them return to work. In 1993–94, we are funding our regions to employ some 47,800 people compared with some 44,500 at the start of 1992–93. This illustrates our firm commitment to meeting our clients needs.
  I hope this is helpful.
  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, the Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Workers (Social Rights)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to improve the availability in the United Kingdom of the second report of the European Commission on the application of the Community charter on fundamental social rights for workers; and what is the current price of the document.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 22 February 1993]: The report in question is a Commission publication. In the United Kingdom the main agent for Commission documents is HMSO. The price of the report is £49.60. A copy of the report is available in the Library. The report can also be consulted free of charge at any of the four Commission offices, 47 European documentation centres or 26 European information centres in the United Kingdom.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Publicity
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 2 June 1992 to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson),Official Report, column 430, what is his Department's (a) current outturn estimate for publicity expenditure for 1992–93 and (b) budgeted publicity expenditure for 1993–94.

  Mr. Curry
  This Department's forecast outturn for paid publicity for 1992–93 is £4.5 million. Planned paid publicity expenditure for 1993–94 has been set at £4·8 million.

  Pay Rates
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to retain the statutory basis for the system for determining pay in agriculture.

  Mr. Curry
  The agricultural minimum pay arrangements are scheduled for review later this year. On the basis of the outcome of the review, Agriculture Ministers will decide on the future of these arrangements, including their statutory basis.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make available a freephone line for complaints and inquiries about toxic incidents involving pesticides.

  Mr. Soames
  The Health and Safety Executive is preparing a free leaflet for the general public explaining how to report incidents involving pesticides. The draft will be issued for external consultation shortly with a view to publication by the summer.

  A freephone is available for reporting wildlife-related incidents. There are at present no plans to extend this facility.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what guidelines he has given to the Health and Safety Executive concerning dealing with complaints of ill effects stemming from pesticide handling.

  Mr. Soames
  The Department has not given the Health and Safety Executive any guidelines concerning dealing with complaints of ill effects stemming from pesticide handling. Procedures for dealing with such complaints are a matter for the Health and Safety Executive.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest estimate of the number of staff and contracted consultants that will be required in the United Kingdom to administer schemes under the reformed common agricultural policy.

  Mr. Curry
  Information on administration—staff numbers and running costs—for MAFF and the Intervention Board is set out in the departmental report on the Government's expenditure plans 1993–94 to 1995–96 which was published earlier this month. A copy has been placed in the Library. It is not possible to allocate a figure to the number of departmental staff purely working on duties connected with the common agricultural policy, including the reformed schemes, as the work of the Department is not recorded in a way which would enable the extraction of this figure without disproportionate cost. Almost all the staff in the Intervention Board executive agency, approximately 1,000, are directly involved in administering schemes under the CAP. Furthermore the Agriculture Departments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland also have responsibilities for certain CAP schemes. It is possible that contracted consultants may be employed to deal with some of the work involved with the CAP. The extent of such involvement has not yet been decided.

  Sheep Annual Premium
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what would be the effect on the level of sheep annual premium of movements in the pound sterling/ecu exchange rate in the coming year to(a) 1.20 ecu, (b) 1.25 ecu or (c) 1.30 ecu.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 22 February,Official Report, columns 472–73.

  Contracting Out
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. Curry
  In considering the effect on staff numbers a distinction has to be made between contracting out work previously carried out in-house and the contracting out of new work for which in-house staff would otherwise have had to be employed. Moreover, changes in workload in other areas may mean that staff from a contracted-out area are redeployed elsewhere without any overall reduction in numbers.

  Since 1979 it is estimated that some 240 posts have been lost as a direct result of contracting out, but that potential increases of several hundred staff have also been avoided.

  Abattoirs
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate his Department has made of the number of abattoirs that cannot afford to meet current meat hygiene regulations which will cease business in the next two years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Any premises which could not comply with the structural requirements of the regulations on 1 January was able to apply for aid temporary derogation to enable it to continue to operate whilst it upgraded. These derogations may last until 31 December 1995, some four and a half years after the EC directive was published. My right hon. Friend the Minister and I have ensured that the regulations have been interpreted as flexibly and sensibly as possible without compromising hygiene.

  So far some 544 slaughterhouses in the United Kingdom have applied for temporary derogations for varying times. We believe the applicants are committed to upgrading their structure and would expect them to have made adequate financial provision to finance the work. We have not been advised by any of them that they intended ceasing business in the next two years.

  Levels of veterinary inspection are now considerably less than abattoirs would have expected them to be when they were drawing up their temporary derogation applications. We would expect the associated costs to have been a significant consideration in their financial projections.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will apply the criteria of the deregulation initiative to hygiene regulations governing abattoirs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  My right hon. Friend the Minister and I have sought always to ensure that the EC red meat 566
  directive has not been interpreted in Great Britain in an over-zealous or over-regulatory manner. We are both well seized of the need to apply the Fresh Meat Regulations pragmatically and sensitively; balancing the essential requirement of maintaining public confidence in the integrity of the food supply against the equally important responsibility to ensure that excessive burdens are not imposed on industry.

  Departmental Fishery Vessels
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the vessels and tonnage of vessel owned or operated by his Department; and which are registered on the United Kingdom fishery register.

  Mr. Curry
  There are two vessels owned, and operated, by this Ministry on the fishing vessels register, namely research vessels Corystes of 1,280 gross registered tonnes and Cirolana of 1,759 gross registered tonnes, both engaged in fishery research and monitoring work.

  Flooding
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food pursuant to his answer of 11 February,Official Report, column 783, to the hon. Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Hawkins) on high tides in March, if he will now reconsider his policy on an evacuation exercise in the eastern counties set out in his answer of 8 February, Official Report, column 509.

  Mr. Curry
  No. The points made in my answer of 8 February,Official Report, column 509, remain valid.

DEFENCE

  Ozone-depleting Chemicals
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which current uses of ozone-depleting chemicals by his Department are considered essential.

  Mr. Aitken
  Only a few critical applications of the ozone depleting substances within the Department are considered essential. These applications were rigorously selected in accordance with international criteria.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence by what date his Department's use of ozone-depleting chemicals will conform to EC Regulations on limits on these chemicals.

  Mr. Aitken
  Current EC regulations govern the supply of ozone-depleting substances, through production and consumption controls, to the market. No constraints are placed, other than by supply, on users such as the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance has been sought and received on alternatives or substitutes to the ozone-depleting chemicals in use by his Department.

  Mr. Aitken
  The Department has sought and received guidance on alternatives or substitutes to the ozone-depleting substances it employs from a wide range of sources both at home and abroad. These include commercial specialists, Government Departments and agencies, consultants and British and foreign service users.
  567
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the Department's consumption of ozone-depleting substances become controlled waste in terms of section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Aitken
  All those ozone-depleting substances consumed by this Department, once removed from their existing systems, become Controlled Waste under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what targets have been set for the recycling of ozone-depleting chemicals within departmental buildings.

  Mr. Aitken
  Most of the applications using such chemicals will be converted to use non-ozone-depleting alternatives. Any material withdrawn will be recycled.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the quantity of ozone-depleting substances recycled within his Department and returned to the manufacturer.

  Mr. Aitken
  The Department returns ozone-depleting substances to suppliers for recycling under a number of individual supply and maintenance contracts. Information on the quantities transferred could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding has been allocated or spent to specifically deal with measures to reduce his Department's consumption of ozone-depleting substances.

  Mr. Aitken
  The cost of our programme to phase out usage of ozone-depleting substances is being evaluated. However, £10 million has already been allocated for recycling and banking.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many catastrophic leaks of ozone-depleting substances have occurred within his Department's buildings in the last five years.

  Mr. Aitken
  Releases of ozone-depleting substances to the atmosphere have been monitored by my Department for the past three years. No major releases have been reported over that period.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures have been taken to ensure that ozone-destroying substances in use by his Department identified as controlled waste under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 do not reach the atmosphere.

  Mr. Aitken
  It is this Department's policy to prevent emissions of ozone-depleting substances to the atmosphere during maintenance, servicing, decommissioning and disposal. This is achieved through a wide range of measures, including the use of reclamation equipment and the provision of secondary seals.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide details from the maintenance and servicing record of the quantity and type of ozone-destroying chemicals used annually in the Department's refrigeration and air conditioning equipment for servicing and in leakages; and what proportion is removed for recycling.
  568
  Mr. Aitken
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action has been taken to ensure that ozone-destroying substances consumed by the Department are identified as controlled wastes when they are no longer in use.

  Mr. Aitken
  It is my Department's policy that all ozone-depleting substances when no longer required are treated as controlled waste, and disposed of in an environmentally acceptable manner.

  Fire Extinguishers
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many portable halon fire extinguishers are contained within departmental buildings; and what measures are being taken to ensure their recycling and replacement.

  Mr. Aitken
  It would require a disproportionate cost and effort to establish the number of hand held Halon fire extinguishers currently in my Department's buildings. My Department has a programme to replace these fire extinguishers with non-ozone-depleting alternatives; withdrawn material will be recycled.

  Ozone Layer (Protection)
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the Departmental Green Minister has promoted protection of the ozone layer with specific policy measures; and which possible measures have been considered and rejected, and on what grounds.

  Mr. Aitken
  This Department's major protection initiatives include the cessation of venting to atmosphere and a programme to phase out uses of ozone-depleting substances. Only those critical uses which cannot be substituted will continue to be supported for a limited period.

  Refrigerators
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many CFC domestic fridges are contained within his Department's buildings.

  Mr. Aitken
  There is no central register of domestic fridges held in departmental buildings. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give an undertaking to purchase only ozone-friendly fridges that do not contain CFCs or HCFCs for his Department.

  Mr. Aitken
  Domestic fridges are replaced on an individual basis to the prevailing commercial standards. Bulk food storage facilities are to be redesigned to comply with the latest EC food storage requirements, and use of a non-ozone-depleting substance will be specified.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many refrigeration and air conditioning systems in his Department are equipped with automatic leak detection systems.
  569
  Mr. Aitken
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  CFCs and HCFCs
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the latest available figures are for his Department's total purchase of CFCs and HCFCs.

  Mr. Aitken
  The information requested is not held centrally and could not be provided without disproportionate cost and effort. However, a total of 114,300 kgs of CFCs and HCFCs have been procured through contracts let by my Department since January 1992.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many CFC and HCFC installations are contained within his Department's buildings.

  Mr. Aitken
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Asbestos (Compensation Claims)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel who served with the Royal Navy during the second world war have made successful claims for compensation as a result of exposure to asbestos.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Submarines
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to extend the subfacts scheme into the Minches; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is planned to extend the subfacts scheme to cover the Minches and the Sea of Hebrides. At present, we are considering, in consultation with the chief coastguard and others, the detailed practical arrangements for the operation of the scheme in these areas. An announcement will be made as soon as these arrangements have been decided.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to alter the code of conduct for submarines following the Lupina incident in September 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We shall consider whether changes to the arrangements governing the conduct of dived submarine operations in waters frequented by fishing vessels are warranted once the report by the United States authorities into the incident has been received and studied.

  Armaments Exports
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the amount of military armaments exported by the United Kingdom in each year since 1979; what percentage was exported to(a) Africa, (b) Asia, (c) central America and (d) south America in each year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  A breakdown of the total value of defence exports by geographical region for 1975, 1980 and between 1985 and 1991 is given in the "Defence Statistics 1992 Edition", table 1.12, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  Military Land Byelaws
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many persons have been prosecuted under military land byelaws at(a) Fylingdales, (b) Molesworth, (c) Lakenheath, (d) Mildenhall, (e) Burghfield and (f) Aldermaston in (i) 1990, (ii) 1991 and (iii) 1992; what signs are displayed on this land warning citizens that byelaws will be enforced; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many persons were arrested under Her Majesty's Forest Moor and Menwith Hill station byelaws 1986 in (a) 1990, (b) 1991 and (c) 1992; how many such persons were convicted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State will write to the hon. Member.

  Surplus Equipment
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the current arrangements for disposal of his Department's equipment which is surplus to requirements; how decisions about which equipment is surplus are arrived at; who decides on the arrangements for disposal; what procedures there are for fixing reserve prices; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  Decisions on whether equipment is surplus to my Department's requirements take into account the required levels of spares holdings and the defence equipment programme. Authority for day-to-day decisions rests with the appropriate service commodity and supply manager in consultation with the technical and engineering authorities and operational sponsors. The directorate of sales (disposals) arrange sales of surplus equipment through Government-to-Government and Government-to-industry contracts, competitive tenders and public auctions. These take into account the type and condition of the equipment and the available market opportunities. Sales prices are determined by competition. Auction reserve prices are based on a technical assessment by the directorate's staff of expected saleability. Unsold and unsellable items are disposed of under waste contract arrangements.

  TREATY ON EUROPEAN UNION: EFFECT OF SOCIAL POLICY PROTOCOL
  TREATY ON EUROPEAN UNION: EFFECT OF SOCIAL POLICY PROTOCOL
  SOCIAL CHARTER
  SOCIAL CHARTER
  WHEELCLAMPING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY
  WHEELCLAMPING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY
  DISPENSING DOCTORS: FEE INCREASE
  DISPENSING DOCTORS: FEE INCREASE
  REGIONAL GOVERNMENT
  REGIONAL GOVERNMENT