Written Answers of 11 January 1993

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Conduct of Inquiries
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations have been made to him about those conducting legal inquiries on behalf of Her Majesty's Government giving press briefings during the inquiry.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The hon. Member has omitted to mention the inquiry in which he is interested, and therefore I regret I am unable to answer his question without further detail being provided.

  Complaints Body
  Mr. French
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy to establish a body equivalent to the Solicitors Complaints Bureau as a statutory body.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Government believe that the maintenance of professional standards is, in the first instance, for the professional body concerned. The Law Society has since 1986 delegated its statutory powers in respect of professional misconduct to the Solicitors Complaints Bureau. Matters of discipline and serious breaches of the society's rules of professional conduct are for the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal, a statutory and independent body with a lay majority, to consider and act upon. In order to ensure that public confidence is maintained, the Government also established the Office of the Legal Services Ombudsman, under provisions in the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. The ombudsman acts as an effective independent scrutiny of the way in which the Law Society carries out its statutory duties; he also has the same powers in respect of the General Council of the Bar and the Council for Licensed Conveyancers.

  Legal Aid Leaflets
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the languages in which legal aid leaflets are available in courts or prisons in England and Wales.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Legal Aid Board produces leaflets in the following languages: English, Welsh, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Gujerati, Hindi, Italian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese. The board supplies leaflets in any of these languages to courts or prisons on request.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Butte Mining
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Attorney-General what is his current estimate of the date of completion of the inquiries by the Serious Fraud Office into share dealings in Butte Mining.

  The Attorney-General
  An SFO investigation into aspects of the affairs of Butte Mining plc commenced in June 1992. The SFO target for cases generally is one year from acceptance for investigation to transfer to Crown court. It is policy not to divulge operational details relating to the progress of particular investigations.

TRANSPORT

  Aircraft Noise
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the findings of the research commissioned in 1990 as to how aircraft noise affects people's sleep will be made available.

  Mr. Norris
  My noble Friend Lord Caithness has received a report on the field study into aircraft noise and sleep disturbance which describes the study and its results. This is published today by the Department of Transport. Copies will be placed in the House libraries.

  This has been one of the most comprehensive studies of the subject carried out anywhere in the world. The research has been carried out by teams led by Professor J. A. Horne, Loughborough University of Technology; Dr. K. I. Hume, Manchester Metropolitan University; and Professor I. D. Diamond, University of Southampton; under the overall direction of Dr. J. B. Ollerhead of the Civil Aviation Authority's Department of Safety, Environment and Engineering. I am grateful for the effort and expertise which they have devoted to this study.

  People vary greatly in how they react to noise. This is true also of the effect of aircraft noise on people's sleep. However, one of the conclusions of this study is that, once asleep, very few people living near airports are at risk of any substantial sleep disturbance due to aircraft noise.

  Road Building (Filler)
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the extent to which blast furnace slag has been approved for use in motorway embankments.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Blast furnace slag is approved in the Department's Specification for Highway Works for use as general fill, as selected granular fill and as a capping material in motorway embankments. A copy of the specification is in the Library.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what regulations govern the choice by contractors of the type of fill material for use in major road building projects.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Contractors are required to satisfy the specification for each particular scheme. This specification incorporates the Department's Specification for Highway Works and lays down additional requirements as necessary including any environmental constraints.
  517
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake and publish a comparative study of the costs of using(a) blast furnace slag and (b) freshly quarried stone as fill material for major road building projects.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  A study was carried out in 1991 by the Department of the Environment into the economics of using mineral and industrial waste materials as substitutes for naturally occurring aggregates. The study included a comparison of the costs of using steel blast furnace slag as a replacement for crushed rock. The report was published (ISBN 0 11 7524840) and a copy was placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Traffic Calming
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on traffic calming measures in each of the last three years; and what savings in deaths and serious injuries on roads are estimated to have resulted.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Traffic calming is one part of a range of measures used in undertaking accident remedial schemes. The information requested is not available centrally, and could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to introduce the regulations enabling local authorities to introduce traffic calming measures on class A roads.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We hope to lay traffic calming regulations before the House in the new year. These will apply to class A as well as to other roads.

  Channel Tunnel (Rail Freight)
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will name the parliamentary constituencies in Greater London through which channel tunnel rail freight services will run when the tunnel opens.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail expects channel tunnel freight services to run on railway lines in the following Greater London parliamentary constituencies:

  Battersea, Beckenham, Brent East, Brent North, Brent South, Chelsea, Chislehurst, Croydon Central, Croydon North East, Croydon North West, Croydon South, Dulwich, Ealing Acton, Ealing North, Ealing Southall, Enfield North, Enfield Southgate, Fulham, Hackney South and Shoreditch, Hammersmith, Hampstead and

  Contracts let in 1992

  Scheme

  Contractor

  £

  A46 Leicester Western bypass

  AMEC/Alfred McAlpine joint venture

  35,981,698

  A423 Benson roundabout improvement

  Amey Construction Ltd.

  253,857

  A650 Park Road, Bingley

  Amey Construction Ltd.

  4,054,039

  A27 Crossbush bypass

  Associated Asphalt Co. Ltd.

  2,951,714

  M5 Junction 27 hardshoulders

  Associated Asphalt Co. Ltd.

  721,702

  A1 Marshall Meadows dualling

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  2,244,952

  A1 Brownieside improvement

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  3,174,832

  A638 Doncaster North Bridge relief road

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  5,594,403

  A568 Widnes Eastern bypass (north section)

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  14,557,435

  A16 Spalding to Sutterton

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  22,639,443

  A42 construction of 18 laybys

  Charles Gregory (Civil Engineering) Ltd.

  1,239,028

  A339 Basingstoke bypass

  Costain Building & Civil Engineering Ltd.

  8,597,625

  M42 Junction 6 improvement

  Costain Building & Civil Engineering Ltd.

  252,031

  518
  Highgate, Harrow East, Harrow West, Hayes and Harlington, Holborn and St. Pancras, Hornsey and Wood Green, Islington North, Islington South and Finsbury, Kensington, Lewisham Deptford, Lewisham East, Lewisham West, Newham North West, Norwood, Orpington, Peckham, Streatham, Tooting, Tottenham, Uxbridge, Vauxhall.

  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects British Rail to receive for trialling on rails in Great Britain a pre-production series channel tunnel passenger service train.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand from British Rail that it hopes to begin trials in June 1993.

  Rear Seat Belts
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has of(a) the reduction in deaths and serious injuries resulting from the requirement for car passengers to wear rear seat belts and (b) the cost to the motor manufacturers of the requirement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It has been estimated that full compliance with the rear seat belt wearing requirements would save at least 100 lives and 1,000 serious injuries a year, but since the requirement has applied to adults only since July 1991, there is insufficient statistical evidence to demonstrate the actual savings. In the six months July to December 1991 deaths and serious injuries to adult rear seat passengers fell by 14 per cent. and to child rear seat passengers by 12 per cent. compared with the corresponding period in 1990, but it is not known how much of this reduction can be attributed to seat belt wearing.

  The wearing regulations impose no additional cost to motor manufacturers: all new cars since October 1987 have been required to be fitted with rear seat belts.

  Construction Contracts
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of state for Transport if he will list for each of the last 10 years major construction contracts awarded by his Department worth over £250,000 at current prices, indicating in each case which construction company was awarded the contract; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I regret that the full information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the following information shows, for each of the last five years, all new road construction contracts with award (cash) prices of £250,000 or more.
  519

  Scheme

  Contractor

  £

  M602 Junctions 2–3 central reserve

  Edmund Nuttall Ltd.

  286,551

  A420 Kingston Bagpuize

  Edmund Nuttall Ltd.

  4,296,787

  A40 Headington roundabout improvement

  Ernest Ireland Construction Ltd.

  529,040

  A21 Blackbrook Sedlecombe improvement

  ESCC Contract Services Ltd.

  264,628

  A27 Westhampnett bypass

  Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd.

  6,923,494

  A23 Pease Pottage to Handcross

  Fitzpatrick Contractors Ltd.

  8,160,560

  A59 Greengates to Gutteridge improvement

  Galliford (UK) Ltd.

  906,890

  M62 Junction 18 to M66 Junction 4

  Galliford (UK) Ltd.

  662,312

  M1 Junction 34 exit slip improvement

  Henry Boot Northern Ltd.

  327,084

  A40 Headington roundabout improvement

  John Mowlem Construction Ltd.

  529,040

  A11 Four Wentways to Newmarket

  Lilley Construction Ltd.

  9,251,976

  A40 Denham roundabout alterations

  M. J. Cagney (Civil Engineering) Ltd.

  290,475

  A11 Thetford to Bridgham Heath

  May Gurney & Co. Ltd.

  2,223,422

  A1 Haggerston to Bridgemill

  Northumberland County Council DLO

  279,681

  A43 Radstone Turn improvements

  Serco Contracting Ltd.

  411,133

  M3 Bar End to Compton

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  25,882,357

  M25 Junctions 15–16 widening (M4 to M40)

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  24,446,155

  M6 widening Junctions 20 to 21A

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  52,512,897

  A27 Brighton bypass contract 4

  Taylor Woodrow Civil Engineering Ltd.

  19,526,438

  A27 Shoreham Kingston roundabout

  Taylor Woodrow Civil Engineering Ltd.

  436,293

  A41 Edgware Way John Grooms footbridge

  Walcon Construction plc

  444,370

  A34 Redhill to Woodfarm

  Wrekin Construction Co. Ltd.

  595,878

  A663 Broadway to Whitegate Lane

  Wrekin Construction Co. Ltd.

  292,700

  Total 1992

  261,742,920

  Contracts let in 1991

  Scheme

  Contractor

  £

  A41 Kings Langley bypass

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  19,967,881

  A52 Sherwin Arms Junction improvement

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  463,108

  A167 Chester Moor improvement

  Alan Davison Construction Ltd.

  321,024

  A595 Egremont bypass

  Alfred McAlpine Construction Ltd.

  6,666,666

  A596 Wigton bypass

  Alfred McAlpine Construction Ltd.

  4,052,697

  A38 Two Watersfoot improvement

  Alfred McAlpine Construction Ltd.

  497,547

  A41 Berkhamsted bypass

  Amey Construction Ltd.

  18,139,479

  A421 Wendlebury to Bicester dualling

  Amey Construction Ltd.

  3,904,118

  M4 Severn Crossing Toll Plaza

  Avon Construction Ltd.

  206,010

  A1001 Park Plaza roundabout

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  355,053

  A39 Wadebridge bypass

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  8,305,268

  M20 Widening Junctions 5 to 8

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  68,804,939

  M62 Widening Junctions 17 to 18

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  3,752,243

  A406 Hangar Lane to Harrow Road

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  26,562,359

  A20 Folkestone to Court Wood Contract 2

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  11,550,041

  M25 Clacket Lane slip roads

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  3,896,152

  A6 Market Harborough bypass

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  7,866,660

  A12 Gisleham Roundabout

  Bovis Construction Ltd.

  494,436

  A3 Milford bypass

  Costain Civil Engineering Ltd.

  7,889,074

  A23 Warninglid Flyover to Sayers Common

  Costain Civil Engineering Ltd.

  15,685,563

  A585 Fleetwood Dock Street diversion

  Cumbrian Industrials Ltd.

  2,190,000

  A27/A26 Beddingham Roundabout approach

  East Sussex County Council DLO

  366,098

  M6 widening Junctions 20 to 21A advance works

  Edmund Nuttall Ltd.

  1,812,266

  M62 Junction 18 Turning Lane

  Edmund Nuttall Ltd.

  329,943

  A19 Blue Bridge Bends improvement

  Edmund Nuttall Ltd.

  775,492

  A40 Long Lane

  Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd.

  17,194,536

  A41 Friarscroft to Aylesbury

  Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd.

  994,758

  A47 Norwich Southern bypass Contract 1

  Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd.

  7,933,859

  A134 Fornham St. Martin bypass

  Fitzpatrick Contractors Ltd.

  2,670,577

  A47 East Dereham to North Tuddenham

  Fitzpatrick Contractors Ltd.

  6,895,877

  M27 Junction 7 improvements

  Fitzpatrick Contractors Ltd.

  250,018

  A604 (M1-A1 Link) Contract 5 North

  Fitzpatrick Contractors Ltd.

  3,752,268

  A41 Glendale Avenue Footbridge

  Gabriel (Contractors) Ltd.

  406,175

  A41 Edgwarebury Lane Footbridge

  Gabriel (Contractors) Ltd.

  398,675

  M67/A57 Junction improvement

  Galliford (UK) Ltd.

  256,579

  A5 Little Brickhill bypass

  Galliford (UK) Ltd.

  5,837,410

  A5 Kilsby diversion

  Galliford (UK) Ltd.

  830,878

  A604 (M1/A1 Link) Contract 8

  Henry Boot Southern Ltd.

  7,042,636

  A303 Stockton Wood to Chicklade

  HT Construction Ltd.

  1,295,105

  M5 widening Junctions 6 to 8

  John Laing Construction Ltd.

  59,368,900

  A40 Denham Viaduct improvement

  John Mowlem Construction Ltd.

  608,150

  A1 Gatenby Lane Junction improvement

  John Mowlem Construction Ltd.

  2,659,610

  M3 Bar End—Compton advance works

  John Mowlem Construction Ltd.

  1,300,324

  A1 Red Lodge to Newmarket

  Kier Construction Ltd.

  4,075,310

  A16 Stickford bypass

  Kimbell Construction Ltd.

  1,013,087

  A1 Girtford underpass

  Kimbell Construction Ltd.

  812,931

  520 521

  Scheme

  Contractor

  £

  A47 Narborough bypass

  May Gurney & Co. Ltd.

  2,244,845

  A423 Southam bypass

  Midland Oak Construction Ltd.

  2,224,307

  A590 Dalton-in-Furness bypass

  Miller Construction Ltd.

  7,908,250

  A453 Ratcliffe on Soar

  Monk Construction Ltd.

  1,159,587

  A20 Court Wood to Dover Contract 3

  Norwest Holst Construction Ltd.

  21,684,567

  A13 West India Dock Road improvement

  Percy Bilton plc

  999,412

  A13 Isle of Dogs/Cotton St. footbridge

  Roadworks (1952) Ltd.

  302,088

  A16 Ludborough bypass

  Shephard Hill Civil Engineering Ltd.

  1,233,511

  A12 Gorleston Relief Road

  Shephard Hill Civil Engineering Ltd.

  15,934,883

  A1 Alnwick bypass improvement

  Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons Ltd.

  326,120

  A604 (M1-A1 Link) Contracts 2 & 3

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  35,617,820

  A30 Okehampton-Launceston

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  26,809,215

  A604 (M1-A1 Link) Contract 9

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  16,364,732

  A23 Tilgate Forest Row footbridge

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  313,837

  M5 Warndon Maintenance Compound

  Thomas Vale Construction plc

  1,134,037

  A3 Beechcroft Drive footbridge

  Walcon Construction Ltd.

  386,590

  A420 Fyfield to Tubney improvement

  Walcon Construction Ltd.

  339,814

  A259 Shorncliffe Road

  Walker Bros. (Civil Engineering) Ltd.

  271,528

  Total 1991

  £475,506,923

  Contracts let in 1990

  Scheme

  Contractor

  £

  A35 Axminster bypass

  A. E. Farr Ltd.

  8,071,374

  A47 Norwich Southern bypass Contract 4

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  29,860,233

  A650 Drighlington bypass

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  4,987,347

  A47 Norwich Southern bypass Contract 2

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  8,586,288

  A38 Burnaston improvement

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  6,384,490

  A516 Etwall bypass

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  2,656,861

  A5 Telford to Shrewsbury Contract 2

  Alfred McAlpine Construction Ltd.

  38,596,977

  A23 Muddleswood to Patcham

  Alfred McAlpine Construction Ltd.

  14,322,344

  A16 Boston Algarkirk Diversion

  Amey Construction Ltd.

  8,961,439

  A23 Sayers Common to Muddleswood

  Amey Construction Ltd.

  10,466,746

  A27 Patcham to Coldean

  Amey Construction Ltd.

  14,766,437

  M4 Junction 12 improvements

  Associated Asphalt Ltd.

  1,265,236

  A34 Wytham Turn Stage 2

  Associated Asphalt Ltd.

  396,604

  A604 (Ml-A1 Link) Contract 5S

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  30,741,927

  A20 Folkestone to Court Wood Contract 1

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  27,305,364

  A6 Burton Latimer bypass

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  2,633,257

  A30 Plusha to Bolventor

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  10,673,774

  A49 Weaverham Diversion

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  4,230,071

  A423 Maidenhead Thicket

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  8,439,669

  A41 Whitchurch bypass

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  8,947,176

  A1079 Market Weighton bypass

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  3,360,937

  QEII Bridge Northern Approach Roads

  Cementation Construction Ltd.

  8,318,692

  A41 Ruscote Avenue improvement

  Charles Gregory (Civil Engineering) Ltd.

  381,604

  A16 Louth bypass

  Clugston Construction Ltd.

  4,995,421

  A23 Purley Cross Junction improvement

  Costain Civil Engineering Ltd.

  1,487,469

  A34 Robin Hood Roundabout

  Dean & Dyball Ltd.

  463,341

  A30 Zelah bypass

  Dean & Dyball Ltd.

  2,632,265

  A595 Hensingham bypass

  Eden Construction Ltd.

  4,285,308

  A1/A19 Testos roundabout improvement

  Eden Construction Ltd.

  795,388

  A59 Salmesbury to Skipton

  Eden Construction Ltd.

  1,943,322

  A5 Telford to Shrewsbury Contract 1

  Edmund Nuttall Ltd.

  25,858,870

  A523 Macclesfield Relief Road

  Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd.

  18,749,030

  A30 Penhale to Carland Cross

  Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd.

  9,140,689

  A12/M25 Brook Street

  Fitzpatrick & Son Ltd.

  309,567

  A46/A52 Weighbridge

  G. F. Tomlinson & Sons Ltd.

  291,367

  A43 Blisworth bypass

  Galliford Civil Engineering Ltd.

  15,074,800

  A36 Codford bypass Phase 2

  HT Construction Ltd.

  441,206

  A38 Marsh Mills

  Hochtief Ag

  22,478,528

  A614 Howdendyke Cross Roads

  Humberside County Council DLO

  357,786

  A140 Dickleburgh bypass

  J. Breheny (Contractors) Ltd.

  2,212,177

  A10 Brandon Creek

  J. Breheny (Contractors) Ltd.

  1,039,521

  A11 Red Lodge bypass

  J. Breheny (Contractors) Ltd.

  4,839,174

  A31 Picket Post Junction improvement

  John Mowlem Construction Ltd.

  1,791,225

  A4 Littlewick Green

  John Mowlem Construction Ltd.

  535,936

  A339 Roman Road Roundabout improvement

  Kimbell Construction Ltd.

  336,899

  A604 (M1–A1 Link) Contract 4

  May Gurney & Co. Ltd.

  4,410,721

  A47 Norwich Southern bypass Contract 3

  May Gurney & Co. Ltd.

  14,752,896

  A47 East Norton bypass

  Midland Oak (Contractors) Ltd.

  1,174,621

  M40 Maintenance Compound at Longbridge

  Midland Oak (Contractors) Ltd.

  1,097,303

  A66 Bowes bypass

  Miller Construction Ltd.

  8,978,565

  A27 Brighton bypass Contract 2

  M. J. Gleeson Group plc

  8,767,755

  522 523

  Scheme

  Contractor

  £

  M42/M40 Umberslade

  Monk Construction Ltd.

  1,504,780

  A1 Bramham to Wetherby

  Monk Construction Ltd.

  14,911,151

  A47 Etling Green Junction improvement

  Norfolk County Council DLO

  265,927

  A696/B6323 Callerton Lane Link Road

  Northumberland County Council DLO

  823,240

  A1 Shilbottle Junction

  Northumberland County Council DLO

  254,750

  A27 Lyons Farm Junction improvement

  P. Trant Ltd.

  581,058

  A23/M23 improvement (Gatwick Airport)

  Percy Bilton plc

  352,152

  A42 Castle Donington Contract 3

  Redland Aggregates Ltd.

  2,772,379

  A12 Capel St. Mary

  Roadworks (1952) Ltd.

  3,518,293

  A47 Caistor and Ailsworth bypass

  Roadworks (1952) Ltd.

  7,506,331

  A65 Draughton bypass

  Shand Construction Ltd.

  2,185,404

  A43/A423 Kidlington Roundabout

  SIAC Construction Ltd.

  296,674

  A604 (Ml-A1 Link) Contract 1

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  3,085,649

  A6 Quorn and Mountsorrel bypass

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  31,756,673

  A42 Castle Donington Contract 2

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  16,789,402

  A3 Liphook to Petersfield bypass

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  35,841,789

  M40 widening Junctions 4–5

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  35,818,203

  A120 Horsley Roundabout

  Watson Construction Ltd.

  252,536

  A303 Mere to Wincanton

  Wimpey Construction Ltd.

  15,275,717

  Total 1990

  587,388,105

  Contracts let in 1989

  Scheme

  Contractor

  £

  A604 (M1-A1 Link) Contract 6

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  25,660,650

  A42 Castle Donington

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  24,730,506

  A650 Airedale Route Contract 2

  A. Monk Building & Civil Engineering Ltd.

  536,180

  M40 Waterstock to Wendlebury

  Alfred McAlpine/Fairclough joint venture

  64,100,726

  A23 Waddon Marsh

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  1,000,000

  QEII Bridge Southern Approach Roads

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  27,690,340

  A19 Peterlee Junction Stage 2

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  3,239,909

  A66 Stockton Racecourse Interchange

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  5,466,972

  A47 Easton Hornstocks Bends

  Charles Gregory Civil Engineering Ltd.

  874,739

  A45 Barford Road Junction

  Clugston Construction Ltd.

  499,516

  A69 Brampton bypass

  Cumbrian Industrials Ltd.

  4,944,000

  A65 Addingham bypass

  Cumbrian Industrials Ltd.

  3,669,000

  A361 North Devon Link Road Stage 2

  Devon Contractors Ltd.

  365,992

  A406 Hanger Lane (Twyford Tip)

  Edmund Nuttall Ltd.

  10,304,298

  M62 Climbing Lane Junctions 21 and 22

  Edmund Nuttall Ltd.

  562,440

  A259 Glyne Gap roundabout

  East Sussex County Council DLO

  297,416

  A167 Pity Me roundabout

  Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd.

  253,754

  A41 Improvement at Chester

  Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd.

  17,491,969

  A500 Nantwich bypass

  Galliford Civil Engineering Ltd.

  5,094,318

  A27 Farlington bypass

  Geoffrey Osborne Ltd.

  1,206,591

  M3 Bassett to Compton advance works

  Geoffrey Osborne Ltd.

  489,250

  M3/A339 Basingstoke

  Hampshire County Council DLO

  399,107

  M3 Bassett to Compton widening

  John Mowlem Construction Ltd.

  41,662,080

  A41 Bicester bypass Stage 1

  John Mowlem Construction Ltd.

  4,731,992

  A604 (M1–A1 Link) Contract 6A

  Midland Oak Contractors Ltd.

  819,791

  A696 Woolsington bypass

  Miller Construction Ltd.

  10,358,496

  A1 Dualling South of Alnwick

  Northumberland County Council DLO

  622,018

  A60 Mansfield Road improvement

  Nottingham County Council DLO

  363,123

  A47 Eye bypass

  Redland Aggregates Ltd.

  5,199,976

  A23 Waddon Way Junction improvement

  Ringway Surfacing Ltd.

  803,964

  A36 Codford bypass

  Rush & Tompkins Ltd.

  2,084,710

  A49 Shrewsbury improvement

  Shropshire County Council DLO

  697,632

  A30 Launceston to Plusha

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  8,775,795

  A604 (M1-A1 Link) Contract 7

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  14,188,340

  A27/A22 Lewes Road

  Walker Brothers Civil Engineering Ltd.

  270,959

  A303 Ilchester to South Petherton

  Wimpey Construction Ltd.

  12,773,286

  M20 Maidstone to Ashford Contract 2

  Wimpey Construction Ltd.

  28,667,972

  A435 Alcester bypass

  Wrekin Construction Co. Ltd.

  8,780,768

  Total 1989

  339,678,575

  Contracts let in 1988

  Scheme

  Contractor

  £

  A35 Charmouth bypass

  A. E. Farr Ltd.

  10,725,435

  A36 Beckington bypass

  A. E. Farr Ltd.

  2,983,063

  A46/A17 Newark Relief Road

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  31,478,637

  A550 Ledsham Station diversion

  A. McFadden & Co. Ltd.

  880,938

  M5 Catshill & M42/M5 Northern Link

  A. Monk Building & Civil Engineering Ltd.

  20,572,186

  524 525

  Scheme

  Contractor

  £

  M62 Climbing Lane Greater Manchester

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  10,075,245

  A69 Newcastle Western bypass Contract 3

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  24,854,460

  M40 Banbury Contract 4

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  51,712,702

  M25 Junctions 10–13 widening

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  30,060,635

  A417 Birdlip bypass

  Biwater Construction Ltd.

  1,926,589

  A49 Frees bypass

  C. J. Pearce Ltd.

  1,193,125

  A406 Chingford to Hale End

  Cementation Construction Ltd.

  60,587,621

  A1 Coldstone Lane to B6267

  Colas Roads Ltd.

  316,743

  M62 Climbing Lane West Yorkshire

  Cumbrian Industrials Ltd.

  2,089,000

  A303 Sparkford bypass

  Davies Middleton & Davies Ltd.

  7,654,577

  A11(T) High Road Leytonstone

  Gabriel (Contractors) Ltd.

  597,872

  A34 Tidbury Ring improvement

  Hampshire County Council DLO

  852,773

  A1 Dishforth interchange

  Henry Boot (Northern) Ltd.

  6,790,485

  A41 Rodney House roundabout

  J. J. Gallagher Ltd.

  275,688

  M40 Banbury Contract 2

  John Mowlem Construction Ltd.

  17,910,558

  A47 Guyhirn diversion

  Kier Construction Ltd.

  3,656,000

  A16 South Haven Bridge diversion

  Kier Construction Ltd.

  2,567,174

  A19/A1290 Downhill Lane

  M. J. Gleeson Group plc

  1,238,401

  A21 Robertsbridge bypass

  M. J. Gleeson Group plc

  3,595,802

  A11 Thetford bypass

  May Gurney & Co. Ltd.

  8,545,654

  A435 Sedgeberrow

  Mowlem Regional Construction Ltd.

  1,738,362

  A23 Brighton Road/Purley Road improvement

  Percy Bilton plc

  312,538

  A35 Bridport Link

  R. C. & G. Coles Ltd.

  428,337

  M40 Gaydon Section

  R. M. Douglas Construction Ltd.

  33,985,302

  A36 Steeple Langford bypass

  Rush & Tomkins Ltd.

  1,324,847

  A565 Derby Road improvement

  Shand Northern Ltd.

  1,588,794

  A6 Barton Le Clay bypass

  Shanks & McEwan (Contractors) Ltd.

  6,959,596

  A52/A6005 improvement

  Shephard Hill & Co. Ltd.

  4,590,613

  M40 Banbury Contract 1

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  24,197,510

  M40 Banbury Contract 3

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  52,199,044

  M27 Swaythling Link

  Walcon Construction Ltd.

  326,125

  A41 Harwoods Close roundabout

  Wrekin Construction Co. Ltd.

  446,467

  Total 1988

  431,238,898

  Rail Privatisation
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 14 December,Official Report, column 32, if he will make it his policy to make the draft guidance to be given to the franchising authority available to hon. Members before the Second Reading debate on the British Rail privatisation legislation.

  Mr. Freeman
  We intend to make the draft guidance to be issued to the franchising authority available to hon. Members at the commencement of the Committee stage of the Bill.

  Expenditure (London Boroughs)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give his Department's expenditure, by London borough, for each of the past five years, on(a) major trunk roads, (b) local main roads via transport supplementary grant, (c) bus improvements, (d) rail improvements and (e) cycle facilities.

  Mr. Norris
  This information is not held in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Red Routes
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the expenditure, by borough, of funds from his Department on roads adjacent to red routes in London.

  Mr. Norris
  The latest estimates of expenditure on approved works on roads adjacent to the pilot red route are:
  526

  £

  (a) Haringey

  717,000

  (b) Islington

  690,000

  (c) Hackney

  229,000

  (d) Tower Hamlets

  954,000

  Private Car Ownership
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his Department's projections on the increase in private car ownership in(a) Greater London, (b) England and Wales and (c) Scotland over (i) the next five years, (ii) 10 years and (iii) 15 years.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The number of private cars alone is not forecast. The Department's forecasts of the number of cars normally kept in(a) Greater London and (b) England and Wales and (c) Scotland are:

  Millions

  (a)

  1(b)

  (c)

  1991

  2·4

  18·7

  1·5

  1997

  2·7 to 2·8

  21·1 to 22·0

  1·7 to 1·8

  2002

  2·9 to 3·1

  22·9 to 24·6

  1·9 to 2·0

  2007

  3·0 to 3·4

  24·5 to 26·9

  2·0 to 2·2

  1 (b) includes (a).

  The range in the forecasts is associated with the expected range in GDP growth and fuel prices.

  Cycles
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has held with(a) Westminster city council and (b) the City of London regarding their policies on cycling and parking of cycles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  My Department discusses cycling issues with the London boroughs collectively through the London Cycling Forum, chaired by the London Planning Advisory Committee. We have given advice in a series of local transport notes on provision for cyclists, including cycle parking.

  Parking
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's estimate of the number of(a) on-street, (b) public off-street and (c) private off-street parking facilities in inner London; what the figures were for 1988; and what he expects to be the provision in 1994.

  Mr. Norris
  My Department has not made any estimates of parking provision in inner London. However, a survey conducted for the London Planning Advisory Committee in 1990 found(a) 81,000 on-street parking places, and (b) 42,000 places in off-street public car parks. These estimates cover all boroughs in inner and central London except Islington and the London Docklands Development Corporation who did not respond to the survey, and Hackney who did not provide information about on-street parking. Information on (c) private off-street parking facilities is not available.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list(a) the total number of residential properties owned by his Department, (b) the number of such properties which are empty, and (c), (b) as a percentage of (a).

  Mr. Norris
  Yes. On 30 September 1992, when the last return was compiled:

  (a) the total number of residential properties was 3,283: apart from 15 used by coastguard services they were held as a result of road schemes;

  (b) 666 were empty; and

  (c) the empty properties were 20.4 per cent. of the total. However, of these, 597 (18.3 per cent.) either have been in the Department's ownership for three months or less; are awaiting demolition; are in the process of being sold or are vacant for other good reasons, for example, because they are uninhabitable or are specialised and particularly difficult to let. Only 69 properties (2.1 per cent.) remain unlet without good reason.

  British Rail Rolling Stock
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish details of all locomotives and rolling stock that British Rail(a) has moth-balled, (b) intends to declare surplus to requirements or to dispose of for scrap and (c) has disposed of, or sold for scrap, during the past year.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail has provided the following information:

  (a) InterCity has 40 coaches in store, with plans to store another 35; 40 surplus sleeper coaches are also in
  528
  store, and a purchaser is being sought for these; 74 damaged or defective locomotives are in store awaiting a decision.

  (b) About 300 locomotives have been withdrawn and are awaiting sale by competitive tender.

  (c) Sixty-seven locomotives were sold during 1992, of which 12 went to preservation societies or other private users. In the past two years InterCity has disposed of 235 life-expired coaches for scrap; a further 100 coaches have been sold to the private sector or transferred to other parts of BR.

  Some life-expired electric and diesel multiple units are becoming surplus as new rolling stock is introduced on Network SouthEast regional railways. Detailed figures are not readily available.

  BR is always interested to hear from those who wish to be included in tender lists for surplus rolling stock. Stock which contains asbestos may require the attention of a special contractor.

  Driving Tests
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons differing provisions apply in respect of the consequences of failure to pass a test within two years to(a) holders of provisional motorcyclist licences and (b) car drivers holding provisional licences; and what plans he has to bring the two provisional licences into line with each other.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  A provisional motorcycle licence is valid for a maximum period of two years and may not be renewed within a year of expiring. Provisional car driving licences remain valid until the holder reaches the age of 70. The reason for these differing provisions is that the holder of a provisional motorcycle licence is entitled to ride unaccompanied and, without this limitation on the period of validity of such a licence, there would be no incentive to attain the standard required to obtain a full licence.

  A2 (Dualling)
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of the design consultancy project for the dualling of the A2 between Lydden and Dover; and when, how, and for how long the public consultation process is to operate.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The design consultants are continuing to investigate route options for the A2 Lydden to Dover scheme. Public consultation is planned for late spring 1993. It will include the distribution of information leaflets with questionnaires, a press notice, advertisement in the local press and a public exhibition. A six-week period is proposed for receipt of comments from the public.

  Road Schemes
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those road schemes added to the Government's roads programme since the publication of the White Paper, "Trunk Roads: England into the 1990s."

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The 32 schemes which have been added to the national roads programme since the 1990 White Paper are as follows:

  National roads programme entries

  A303—Ilminster bypass

  529

  A41—Christleton bypass

  A428—Turvey bypass

  A39—Kilkhampton bypass

  A49—Woofferton bypass

  A65—West of Gargrave bypass

  A3—Thursley—Milford

  A65—Chelker Bends

  A1079—Bishop Burton bypass

  A39—Stratton diversion

  A31—Sturt Lane—Red Post

  A59—Skipton bypass—Low Lodge Skeffington Bends

  A64—Malton—Seamer

  A41—Aylesbury: prop. junction improvement

  A2—Honeywood junction

  A650—Airedale Route: section 4

  A259—Guestling Thorn/Icklesham bypass

  A205/A2212—Burnt Ash hill

  A1—Willow Burn—Denwick

  A1—Hitchcroft—Cawledge

  A1—Wetherby bypass

  A1—Bramham—Wetherby

  A1—Stamford—Newark

  A1—Newark—A1(M) south of Doncaster

  A49—Marshbrook improvement

  Manchester outer ring road re-signing

  M25—Slip road—Clacket lane motorway service area

  M5—Junction 29–30

  M23—Widening junctions 9–10

  M27—Widening junctions 4–12

  M25—Second stage widening

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the trunk road and motorway schemes that have been through a formal period of public consultation during the last 12 months and indicate those schemes where comments on a no-road option were specifically invited.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The following trunk road and motorway schemes have been through a period of formal consultation within the last 12 months:

  M1—Widening of junctions 6A–10.

  M1—Widening of junctions 10–15.

  M1–M62 link.

  M3—Widening of junctions 2–4.

  M6—Widening of junctions 11–16.

  M6—Widening of junctions 16–20.

  M25—Junctions 12–15 improvement.

  M40—Widening of junctions 1A–3.

  M56-M62—Greater Manchester western and northern relief road stage 2*.

  M62–M606 link.

  M63—Widening of junctions 6–9.

  A1(M)—Redhouse to Ferrybridge.

  A1—Gateshead western bypass.

  A2–A282—Dartford improvement.

  A3—Hindhead improvement.

  A3—M40 to B4031 improvement.

  A12—Pakefield to Kessingland.

  A16—East Keal bypass.

  A17—Leadenham to Sleaford improvement.

  A19—Norton to Parkway improvement.

  A19—Shipton-by-Beningbrough bypass.

  A19—Thormanby bypass.

  A21—Silverhill improvement.

  A26—Beddingham to Itford Farm diversion.

  A27—Lewes to Polegate improvement.

  A30—Woodleigh junction.

  A36—Beckington to east of Bath.

  A39—Allins to south Penlean improvement.

  A41—No Mans Heath and Macefen bypass.

  A41—Milton Green bypass.

  A46—Newark Widmerpool improvement.

  A49—Woofferton bypass*.

  A50—Blythe Bridge Queensway Meir section.

  A51—Improvement at Burford and the Green bypass.

  A52—Radcliffe-on-Trent to Grantham improvement.

  A54—Kelsall bypass to A556 improvement.

  A57–A628—Mottram/Hollingworth/Tintwistle bypass*.

  530

  A63—Castle street.

  A63—West of A1.

  A64—Malton-Seamer.

  A64—York-Malton.

  A65—Coniston Cold bypass.

  A66—Longnewton grade separated junction.

  A259—Walland Marsh improvement.

  A303—Ilminster bypass dualling.

  A516—North of Etwall improvement.

  A523—Improvements Poynton-Macclesfield*.

  A595—Duddon Bridge improvement.

  A1079—Shiptonthorpe bypass.

  A6120—Seacroft and Crossgates bypass.

  While none of the public consultations had a "no road" option, those schemes marked with an * did contain a question of whether a new road/bypass was necessary. It is, however, our policy to put forward only routes which we consider feasible and are prepared to build.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those road schemes deleted from the Government's road programmes on(a) economic, (b) environmental and (c) other grounds since the White Paper, "Trunk Roads: England into the 1990s".

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  One scheme, A59 Copster Green bypass, has been deleted from the national roads programme since the White Paper, "Trunk Roads, England into the 1990s". This was on economic grounds. The A6 Market Harborough to Desborough scheme has been transferred from the national programme to the regional programme of under £1 million schemes.

  National Parks
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made concerning transport policy implications in respect of the Countryside Commission's proposals to strengthen national parks for the 21st century; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Government made a full response to the Countryside Commission's national parks review in January this year.

  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Transport and for Wales are responsible for policy on trunk roads in national parks. The Government's policy remains as it has been: no new trunk roads will be constructed or an existing road upgraded unless there is a compelling need which cannot be met by any reasonable alternative means. This policy has been most recently reflected in our announcement in September that the A628/A616 would not be upgraded to dual carriageway through the Peak district national park.

  Other transport needs are a matter for local authorities, passenger transport executives and British Rail, in consultation with the national park authorities where appropriate.

  Nuclear Material
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply of 8 December,Official Report, column 599–600, relating to the transport of small quantities of plutonium, what was the mass of the largest single small quantity exported for which he has records; and whether his answer encompasses all nuclear materials transported from the United Kingdom since such transport began.
  531
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Individual shipments of small quantities of radioactive material are not notifiable to the Department.

  The previous response referred to shipments made by British Nuclear Fuels plc and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority since 1981.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to re-establish his Department's advisory committee on the safe transport of nuclear materials.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No: ACTRAM was disbanded because its work was completed. Any future issues relating to the transport of radioactive waste will be covered by the Department of the Environment's radioactive waste management advisory committee.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received over the transport of nuclear materials to, from and within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Norris
  Forty-three parliamentary questions (including this one).

  Freight Traffic
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about his plans to implement his policy of encouraging freight to transfer from road to rail.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Government want to see freight moving by rail wherever practical. If rail freight is to flourish it must be competitive with road and other forms of transport. The introduction of private sector skills and access to new sources of funding is the best means of securing an efficient and competitive rail freight industry in the United Kingdom.

  Heavy Lorries
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the increase in heavy lorries registered outside the United Kingdom on United Kingdom roads after the opening up of the single market; and if he will make a statement on the steps taken to ensure the roadworthiness of such vehicles.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The number of foreign lorries on our roads has risen by 19 per cent. in the past five years. This compares with a 52 per cent. increase in the number of British lorries travelling to the continent in the same period. British and foreign vehicles are checked at ports and at the roadside for compliance with the law on safety, weight limits and drivers' hours.

  Transport Supplementary Grant
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what level of financial support he will give to local authorities through the transport supplementary grant.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  As explained in my right hon. Friend's statement to the House on 15 December 1992, the funds available through transport supplementary grant for 1993–94 total £1,047 million. Of this, £431 million is transport supplementary grant and the rest is allocated as borrowing approvals.

  Jubilee Line Extension
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the most recent state of the arrangements for the commencement of work on the Jubilee line extension; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Roads (Private Investment)
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a further statement on the measures which he is taking to attract private investment in capital spending on roads.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I shall publish this year a Green Paper on the basis for charging for the use of inter-urban roads. One option to be considered is direct charging, for use of such roads, which would greatly increase opportunities for private investment. The Green Paper will also examine the scope for attracting more private finance through joint ventures and through contracts for the design, build and operation of roads.

  Rail Fares
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take the necessary steps to ensure that the fares charged for travel on British railways are broadly in line with those which apply in other EC member states; and what assessment he has made of the service provided by such railways.

  Mr. Freeman
  Meaningful comparisons are difficult to make, given the very different operating conditions in each country. However, it is clear that fares could be reduced only if subsidies were increased. It would be wrong to ask taxpayers to fund bigger subsidies. Passengers, who are the main beneficiaries of rail services, should bear as much as possible of the costs.

  Passengers Charter
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to meet the chairman of British Rail to assess the effectiveness of the passengers charter.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the British Rail chairman frequently and discuss a range of issues including the operation of the passengers charter.

  InterCity Services (Gloucestershire)
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effects of British Rail privatisation on InterCity services to and from towns in Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Roger Freeman
  Involving the private sector in the operation of the railways through franchising will lead to an improvement in the quality of all passenger rail services, including InterCity services to and from Gloucestershire.

  Road Lighting
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to reduce the level of pollution from road lights in rural areas.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  In future, trunk road lighting in rural areas will use lanterns designed to limit light pollution. General guidance will be published to make lighting more environmentally sensitive.

  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the increased energy costs that will arise as a result of increased street, road and motorway lighting over the next five years.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The energy costs for road lighting over the next five years will depend on a number of factors such as the type of lamp used, increases in the road length lit, and any changes in the unit costs of electricity.

  By far the largest users of energy for street and road lighting are local highway authorities and no central records are kept. On all-purpose trunk roads and motorways, detailed plans are subject to change according to circumstances, but on present assumptions the overall energy consumption seems likely to rise in the order of 20 per cent. over the next five years.

  Networker Trains (Kent)
  Sir Roger Moate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail about the ordering of the proposed networker express trains for the Kent coast services.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman of British Rail regularly to discuss current issues. The Chancellor's autumn statement enables BR to order on lease an additional £150 million of new rolling stock over the next three years. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Thanet, North (Mr. Gale) on 17 December,Official Report, c. 337–38.

  Drink-driving
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress in reducing deaths linked to drink-driving.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Considerable progress has been made in our continuing campaign against drinking and driving in changing public attitudes and so reducing the number of deaths caused by those who drink and drive.

  The percentage of drivers/riders killed who were over the legal limit has fallen from 30 per cent. in 1981 to 19 per cent. in 1991. In 1991 some 700 people were killed in accidents where a driver or rider was over the legal limit compared with 1,540 in 1981 and 800 in 1990.

  London Buses Ltd.
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements he has made for the disposal of assets held by London Buses Ltd.

  Mr. Norris
  Following my announcement on 4 December that we intend to proceed with early privatisation of London Buses Ltd., we shall be working 534
  up our proposals in more detail, including their implications for the assets held by the company, over the coming months.

  EC Environmental Rules
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last had discussions with the European Commissioner for the Environment on the application of the Community's environmental rules to the United Kingdom road programmes.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  During the United Kingdom presidency, my right hon. Friend met Mr. van Miert, then Commissioner for Transport and the Environment, on a number of occasions to discuss various matters including the national road programme in England. Trunk roads in the rest of the United Kingdom are the responsibility of the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland.

  A20 (Dualling)
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the current progress of the A20 road dualling between Dover and Folkstone and the expected date for completion.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The A20 Folkestone-Dover scheme is being constructed in three contract lengths. The scheme is expected to be completed by late summer 1993.

  Submarine Notification Scheme
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the responsibility of Commander Ancona with respect to the Subfacts scheme; to whom he is directly responsible; and what is the working relationship of Her Majesty's Coastguard with the Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence in the operation of the scheme;

  (2) what representations he has received concerning the comments of Commander Ancona of Her Majesty's Coastguard regarding the operation of the Subfacts notification scheme; what action he has taken as a result; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  Commander Ancona as Chief Coastguard is head of Her Majesty's Coastguard which, as part of marine directorate of the Department of Transport, is responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of civil maritime search and rescue (SAR). He is directly responsible to the director of marine emergency operations. Responsibility for fishing vessel safety rests with the surveyor general's organisation within the Department.

  Following the sinking of the fishing vessel Antares in November 1990, the Chief Coastguard, agreed to HM Coastguard broadcasting Subfacts information for the inner Clyde submarine exercise areas on behalf of MOD. The scheme was subsequently extended to the outer Clyde, and Rona and Raasay exercise areas. The Royal Navy under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence provides HM Coastguard rescue centres Clyde, Oban and Belfast with Subfacts information, which is broadcast on marine VHF 6 times per day at staggered four-hourly intervals from several aerials. Subsequently consideration has been given to the most appropriate way of continuing to promulgate this information to fishermen.

  Infectious Waste (Imports)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of all shipments of infectious clinical waste for disposal from Germany to the United Kingdom in the last 12 months, including tonnage, port of entry, packaging, labelling and temperature-controlled conditions.

  Mr. Norris
  The details of individual shipments of clinical waste are not normally recorded by the Department. In these instances, permission has been given for the importation of certain goods subject to stringent conditions.

  The packages are of a type designed and tested to comply with standards laid down by the United Nations Economic and Social Council's Committee of Experts' Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and those of the German Federal Institute for Material Research and Material Tests. Packages are labelled and marked "WASTE, INFECTIOUS SUBSTANCES AFFECTING HUMANS" UN 2814, Class 6.2 and carried in refrigerated containers where the temperature is kept below 5 deg. C. We have been informed that about 400 tonnes have been shipped through Harwich during the last 12 months.

  Baggage Reconciliation
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with the airlines on baggage reconciliation.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department has had considerable discussion and consultation with the airlines and their representative bodies over a number of years.

  Manchester Airport
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the ownership of Manchester airport.

  Mr. Norris
  It is for the local authorities who own the airport to decide, taking into account the needs of those who live in the area and the customers who use the airport. Manchester airport has developed over the last decade into one of the major world airports. We understand the airport company has plans for substantial further development, including in particular a second runway and the second phase of the new terminal. In view of our desire to see more private sector participation in airport provision, supplementary credit approvals will not be granted for such development work. So if the owners wish to see the airport continue to develop, they will need to use their own resources or look to the private sector to fund major expansion, either through a joint venture or outright sale.

  Harrogate Western Bypass
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will order an official environmental impact assessment of the chosen route for the western bypass for Harrogate adopted by the North Yorkshire county council.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I understand that an environmental statement will accompany a planning application 536
  for the Harrogate western bypass to the county planning authority. In the event that no statement is provided, reserve powers are available to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to require As preparation. A decision on the use of such powers would be taken at the time.

  Loan Capital
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the extent to which local authorities plan to obtain capital receipts from the sale of share or loan capital in airport companies between 13 November and 31 December 1993.

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friend has made no estimates. All capital receipts by local authorities from the disposal of share or loan capital in public airport companies realised during the period referred to will be usable to finance expenditure for capital purposes.

  West Coast Main Line
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the estimated cost of the British Rail proposals of essential investment in the west coast main line over the next three years.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that British Rail intends to commence work soon on renewing infrastructure on the west coast main line. The timing of this work, and therefore the cost over the next three years, will be decided in the spring when British Rail have completed its next corporate plan.

  Compulsory Purchase
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account he takes of householders' mortgage debts in the compulsory purchase of property required for road schemes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Mortgage debts are not a factor. Compensation is assessed at full market value and may be used to release an outstanding mortgage debt. My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning is actively reviewing what action might be necessary in the event of compensation for properties acquired by compulsory purchase orders falling short of the mortgage debt. We have no evidence of such cases at present.

  Coach Accidents
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the statistics for(a) serious injuries and (b) minor injuries incurred in accidents involving coaches in the last 10 years.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The attached table shows the number of people killed, seriously injured and slightly injured in road accidents involving buses and coaches in Great Britain from 1982 to 1991.

  Casualties in accidents involving bus and coaches, by severity: Great Britain 1982–1991

  Casualties

  Killed

  Seriously injured

  Slightly injured

  Total

  1982

  279

  2,508

  13,803

  16,590

  1983

  263

  2,376

  13,669

  16,308

  1984

  245

  2,263

  13,867

  16,375

  537

  Killed

  Seriously injured

  Slightly injured

  Total

  1985

  211

  2,397

  13,666

  16,274

  1986

  227

  2,204

  13,234

  15,665

  1987

  199

  2,179

  13,040

  15,418

  1988

  188

  2,214

  13,321

  15,723

  1989

  223

  2,088

  14,467

  16,778

  1990

  225

  2,000

  14,232

  16,457

  1991

  189

  1,771

  12,637

  14,597

  M6
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the estimated cost of the widening of the M6 motorway from junctions 11 to 20.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The estimated works cost is £570 million.

  Electric-powered Cars
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his policy towards the Coventry city council plans to introduce a public network of electric-powered cars.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 17 December 1992]I welcome Coventry city council's efforts to seek involvement in a trial of a limited rental fleet of electric cars under the collaborative European THERMIE programme.

  The results of such trials should help inform customers, who ultimately determine the success of any vehicle development, and give useful data to those with specific technical, research and commercial interests.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Market Testing
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will undertake a review of market testing in the light of the European Court of Justice rulings on the validity of Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 on public sector activities which have been or could be contracted out.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No. The general position in relation to the services which are being market tested by central Government Departments and agencies is unaffected by recent decisions of the European Court of Justice it remains the case that in some cases the regulations will apply if the service is subsequently supplied by an outside contractor; in others they will not.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list(a) the total number of residential properties owned by his Department, (b) the number of such properties which are empty and (c), (b) as a percentage of (a).

  Mr. Jackson
  The Office of Public Service and Science does not own any residential properties.

  AIDS
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the present and past members of the AIDS-directed programme committee.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  The present members of the Medical Research Council AIDS-directed programme steering committee are:

  Dr. G. C. Schild (Chairman)

  Dr. J. Karn

  Professor J. Neil

  Dr. D. Tyrell FRS

  Professor A. J. McMichael

  Professor J. Almond

  Professor G. Dodson

  Dr. J. Darbyshire

  Professor A. C. Minson

  Professor A. Rickinson

  There are three vacant positions on the Committee at present in the process of being filled.

  Past members of the Committee are:

  Professor T. Blundell

  Dr. M. Crumpton

  Dr. R. Dwek

  Professor W. Jarrett

  Professor K. Murray

  Dr. M. Perutz

  Dr. D. A. Rees

  Professor C. B. Reese

  Dr. P. Greenaway

  Dr. J. Skehel

  Professor A. Williams

  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the total spending on the Medical Research Council AIDS-directed programme; to which research projects grants have been made under this programme; what is the amount of each grant awarded; and who are the heads of the research groups for each project funded by this programme.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  Between 1987–88 (when the programme began) and 1991–92, the Medical Research Council has spent £27·8 million on its AIDS-directed programme.

  A list of research project grants made under this programme, the amount of each grant awarded and the heads of the research groups for the projects funded by this programme has been placed in the Library.

  Research Vessels
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what consultations he has had with the Natural Environmental Research Council on(a) the deficit in the budget of the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences, (b) the laying up of research vessels and (c) the proposed relocation of the research vessels service from Barry to Southampton; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  None. These are matters for the Natural Environment Research Council.

  Civil Service
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will provide, by outlet, a breakdown of the amount spent on recruitment advertising for the civil service in the ethnic minority media in the last year for which figures are available.
  539
  Mr. Jackson
  This information is not centrally held. The majority of civil service recruitment is undertaken by individual departments and agencies who are responsible for selecting their own advertising media.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the guidelines governing the appointment of full-time civil servants to be non-executive directors of private companies; how many full-time civil servants are non-executive directors of private companies; what studies he has undertaken into potential conflicts of interests involving such appointments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  One of the principles of conduct which binds the civil service, set out in the personnel management handbook, is that civil servants must not take part in activities which might conflict with the interests of their Departments; or impair their usefulness as public servants; or be inconsistent with their position as public servants. It is for the Departments and individuals concerned to ensure that these requirements are met in each case.

  In addition, my Department is publishing this month a new guidance note on the appointment of civil servants as non-executive directors to supplement the rules and procedures followed in departments. I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The Government continue to support and encourage this and other forms of interchange between the civil service and outside organisations. Approximately 65 full-time civil servants are currently non-executive directors of private companies.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  English Tourist Board
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the reasons underlying the decision to reduce the English tourist board's grant for the coming financial year.

  Mr. Key
  I refer to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn, Hatfield (Mr. Evans) on 13 November 1992,Official Report, columns 997–98. I believe that the case is now much less strong for central Government funding of the promotion of tourism in England. The English tourist board (ETB) has done a great deal over the years to raise standards, to improve access to information, and to show the industry how their products can be developed and marketed. As the industry matures, and the regional tourist boards develop, it is appropriate for other bodies to carry on many of the ETB's central activities. That is reflected in the allocations of Exchequer grants for tourism over the next three years.

  However, I also believe that central Government support for the regional tourist boards should continue. I believe that this support should be targeted much more closely than at present on areas of need where tourism might be an instrument of economic regeneration. The English tourist board is currently working on proposals for support to the regional tourist boards.

  Works of Art
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) pursuant to his answer, 30 November 1992,Official Report, column 43, what definition is used of works of art;

  (2) pursuant to his answer, 30 November 1992, Official Report, column 43, when the computerised inventory of the works of art in the occupied royal palaces was begun; and when it is expected that the exercise will be completed;

  (3) if he will publish an inventory of the contents of the occupied royal palaces, excluding works of art, which are public property and not owned by the sovereign.

  Mr. Brooke
  Work on preparing a computerised inventory of the royal collection, which is being carried out by the royal collection department of the royal household, began in early 1991, and it is expected that the exercise will be completed in 1997. This is a major undertaking, involving the individual inspection, numbering and recording of every object. Information about the contents of the royal palaces, other than works of art, is not available.

  The inventory will cover pictures, drawings, books, furniture, sculpture, metalwork, textiles and ceramics.

  Sports Fields
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what information he has in regard to the number and areas of public sports fields that have been sold to the construction of buildings over the past two years.

  Mr. Key
  No such information is held centrally. That is why the Great Britain Sports Council's grant in aid settlement from the Government for 1991–92 included £500,000 to enable the establishment of a register of recreational land, in conjunction with the National Playing Fields Association, and Central Council for Physical Recreation. We will then, for the first time, know the number and size of playing fields in England. The register should be up and running by June 1993.

  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Wales will be considering with the Welsh Sports Council whether the register of recreational land should be extended to Wales.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Benefits
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing the number and proportion of people who were(a) claiming and (b) receiving supplementary benefit or income support in 1979 and 1991 in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie, who replied to the hon. Member on 23 December 1992.

  Letter from Mr. Wylie, to Mr. Graham Allen, dated 23 December 1992:
  As I am responsible for social security operational matters your recent Parliamentary Question on the number and

  541
  proportion of people who were claiming and receiving Supplementary Benefit or Income Support in 1979 and 1991 has been passed to me for reply.

  Year

  Number of new and repeat claims for supplementary benefit or income support

  Number of customers receiving supplementary benefit or income support

  Proportion of population receiving supplementary benefit or income support Percentage

  1979

  42,098

  115,359

  110·75

  1991

  146,563

  201,265

  17·00

  1 Estimated figures can only be given for 1979 as there was no census held that year.

  A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report and copies will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing the number and proportion of children who were in families receiving supplementary benefit or income support in 1979 and 1991 in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. However, I understand that the information is not available in the form requested.

  Waterways
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to develop(a) the Newry canal and (b) other waterways in Northern Ireland for recreational and tourist use; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The future development of the Newry canal for tourism and leisure use will be considered upon completion of the feasibility study which I understand is to be commissioned shortly by the four councils through whose area the canal flows. The Department of Agriculture, as the drainage authority for Northern Ireland, and the Northern Ireland tourist board will contribute to the cost of the study. The tourist board is prepared to consider reasoned proposals for the tourism and leisure development of Northern Ireland's heritage waterways where the investment of public funds will yield commensurate benefit to the local economy without damage to the environment.

  Ferry Service (Ballycastle)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made towards provision of roll-on, roll-off facilities at Ballycastle; and if it will make it his Department's policy to introduce ferry services between Ballycastle and Scotland.

  Mr. Atkins
  Ballycastle harbour is owned by Moyle district council. Subject to the availability of a Government grant the council hopes to undertake improvements at both Ballycastle and Rathlin harbours to enable the upgrading of the Rathlin island ferry service. The council's plans include the construction of a roll-on/roll-off ramp at Ballycastle. It has not been possible to allocate the necessary resources to these proposals within the current public expenditure round.

  It is the Government's view that the introduction of ferry services between Ballycastle and Scotland is a matter for the commercial judgment of ferry operators.
  542
  I regret that there are no statistics available on the number and proportion of people who were claiming Supplementary Benefit or Income Support as the data held does not distinguish new claims from repeat claims. I hope however that the following information will be helpful.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in how many cases, where income support is being paid to a single mother, the absent parent is paying maintenance.

  Mr. Hanley
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie, who replied to the hon. Member on 5 January 1993.

  Letter from Mr. Wylie to Mr. Seamus Mallon, dated 5 January 1993:
  As I am responsible for Social Security operational matters your recent Parliamentary Question on the number of cases where income support is being paid to a single mother and the absent parent is paying maintenance, has been passed to me for reply.
  The most recent information available is set out below.

  Year

  Court Order paid direct to single parent

  Voluntary Payment paid direct to single parent

  Court Order diverted to Department

  Voluntary Payment diverted to Department

  Total

  1990

  3,640

  660

  580

  80

  4,960

  These figures include a small number of single fathers for whom there is no separate data available.

  I hope you find this information helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report and copies will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many single parents are in receipt of income support; and how many of these are(a) male and (b) female.

  Mr. Hanley
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie, who replied to the hon. Member on 5 January 1993.

  Letter from Mr. Wylie to Mr. Seamus Mallon, dated 5 January 1993:
  As I am responsible for Social Security operational matters your recent Parliamentary Question on the number of single parents in receipt of Income Support and how many of these are (a) male and (b) female has been passed to me for reply.
  The most recent information available is set out below.
  543

  Year

  Total number of one parent families

  Total fatherless families1 (female claimants)

  Total male claimants2

  1990

  27,060

  26,020

  1,040

  Notes:

  1 the total number of female single parents includes 860 widows and 160 partners of prisoners, and

  2 the total number of male single parents includes those who are widowed or divorced, for which there are no separate statistics.

  I hope you find this information helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report and copies will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to ensure that single parents, in receipt of state benefit, will not be penalised either because the absent parent fails to pay maintenance, or because the absent parent cannot be identified because of a perceived threat to the child or its mother.

  Mr. Hanley
  It already is Government policy to ensure that whenever the child support scheme is introduced in April 1993, parents with care who are in receipt of benefit and who have co-operated with the Child Support Agency in providing information about the absent parent, will not be penalised as a result of the absent parent failing to pay maintenance.

  Similarly it is already Government policy to ensure that parents with care in receipt of income support, family credit or disability working allowance are not penalised for refusing to name the father of the child if they can show to the satisfaction of the Child Support Agency that to do so would carry the risk of causing harm or undue distress to the parent with care or to the child.

  Electricity
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what statutory right of access for third parties there will be to the proposed Scotland-Northern Ireland electricity interconnector.

  Mr. Atkins
  During the first 15 years the capacity of the interconnector is reserved to NIE plc. Thereafter, subject to the interconnector having spare capacity and the regulator establishing a suitable trading system, direct trade across the interconnector will be possible.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what capacity in megawatts is presently proposed for the Scotland-Northern Ireland electricity interconnector; and to what extent this proposed capacity is sufficient to allow third party access.

  Mr. Atkins
  The capacity of the proposed interconnector is 250 megawatts. All the available capacity is reserved to NIE plc during the first 15 years. Thereafter, subject to the regulator establishing a suitable trading system, generators, NIE and its supply competitors will be able to trade across the interconnector up to its maximum capacity.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the agreement between Northern Ireland Electricity and Scottish Power on the proposed Scotland-Northern Ireland electricity interconnector constitutes a formal contract.
  544
  Mr. Atkins
  NIE and Scottish Power have entered into legally binding heads of agreement and formal contracts are being drawn up.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what calculation his Department has made of the differential in electricity prices for large industrial users in Northern Ireland as opposed to the rest of the United Kingdom following(a) the introduction of the new bulk supply tariff, (b) the application of the transitional arrangements to the BST and (c) the expiry of these arrangements in 1994–95.

  Mr. Atkins
  Terms to supply consumers using more than 1MW of electricity are contained in individual commercially confidential contracts. It is not, therefore, possible for the Department to make such comparisons.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Birmingham Airport
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase the numbers of customs officers at Birmingham airport engaged in anti-smuggling activities in 1993; and what plans he has to respond to the proposed introduction of flights from the United States of America.

  Sir John Cope
  The Birmingham collection executive unit, as part of its ongoing analysis of staffing needs, has increased from 1 January 1993 the anti-smuggling staff based at Birmingham international airport. This is to take into account the perceived increase in risks in relation to the new American traffic.

  Discussions are also taking place with both the airport authority and the major operator of transatlantic flights for provision by Customs of the appropriate number of staff for duties other than anti-smuggling.

  Eurofed
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what stage are negotiations on the location of the Eurofed; when a final decision is to be made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  No decision has been taken on the location of the European Monetary Institute or the European Central Bank and there is no firm timetable for this decision.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what efforts he has made to support the case for locating all or part of the proposed Eurofed, or the EMI which precedes it, in Edinburgh; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have consistently drawn the attention of my EC colleagues to the advantages for the Community in establishing the new monetary institutions in the United Kingdom.

  Alcohol Tax
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to move towards a uniform method of drinks taxation, and to eliminate the higher rates of duty on Scotch whisky and other United Kingdom spirits.
  545
  Mr. Lamont
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mr. Streeter) on 17 December 1992,Official Report, col. 377.

  Bonus Payments
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce proposals for higher rate tax bands for bonus payments in excess of £6 million per year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No.

  Family Incomes
  Mr. Wicks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table which sets out for a two-child family on(a) half average earnings, (b) three quarters average earnings, (c) average earnings, (d) one and a half average earnings, (e) twice average earnings, (f) five times average earnings and (g) 10 times average earnings the increase in net income to be derived from (i) a 1p cut in the standard rate of income tax in the 1993–94 financial year, (ii) an increase in personal allowances, over and above indexation, which incurred the same cost as a 1p cut in the

  Increase in income after tax1 (£ per week) compared with indexation2 in 1993–94 for a married man3 with two children

  Multiple of average earnings4

  ½

  ¾

  1

  1½

  2

  5

  10

  Increase derived from

  (i) 1p cut in basic rate

  0·39

  1·29

  2·20

  4·02

  4·31

  4·31

  4·31

  (ii) 10·25 per cent· increase in personal allowances

  1·16

  1·16

  1·16

  1·16

  1·84

  1·84

  1·84

  (iii) increase in child benefit

  (a) £3·35 per week per child5

  6·70

  6·70

  6·70

  6·70

  6·70

  6·70

  6·70

  (b) £2·15 per week per child6

  4·30

  4·30

  4·30

  4·30

  4·30

  4·30

  4·30

  Notes:

  1 Disregarding any change to entitlement to social security income—related benefits except in item (iii)b.

  2 Calculations based on the standard assumption that 1992–93 allowances' lower rate band and the basic rate limit have been indexed by 3.25 per cent. for 1993–94.

  3 Assumed to have no tax reliefs and allowances other than the personal allowance and the married couple's allowance.

  4 Average earnings assumed to be £363.3 per week.

  5 Assuming no change in income support and family credit children's rates.

  6 Assuming corresponding changes in income support and family credit children's rates.

  Mr. Wicks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide figures for 1979 and 1989 showing, on an equivalent income basis, the proportion of households consisting of(a) one adult with children, (b) two adults with children, (c) non-retired without children and (d) retired in each quintile of (a) original income and (b) post-tax income, as defined in the annual articles in Economic Trends on the effects of taxes and benefits.

  Percentage of household types within each quintile group of eqivalised disposable income, 1979 and 1989

  Quintile groups of equivalised disposable income

  Household type

  Bottom

  2nd

  3rd

  4th

  Top

  All households

  1979

  1 adult with children

  6

  3

  2

  2

  1

  3

  2 adults with children

  16

  32

  43

  33

  18

  28

  Non-retired without children

  11

  23

  33

  51

  73

  38

  Retired

  65

  33

  10

  4

  4

  23

  3 or more adults with children

  2

  8

  12

  10

  5

  8

  100

  100

  100

  100

  100

  100

  1989

  1 adult with children

  10

  6

  3

  1

  1

  4

  2 adults with children

  15

  20

  33

  29

  22

  24

  Non-retired without children

  19

  24

  40

  55

  67

  41

  Retired

  52

  45

  17

  9

  7

  26

  546
  standard rate of income tax and (iii) an increase in child benefit which incurred the same cost as a 1p cut in standard rate income tax, both assuming and not assuming similar increases in the income support and family credit children's rates separately.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate, on the same basis as the ready reckoner published in the autumn statement, what is the effect on a one-earner, two-child family of spending in 1993–94 the same sum on(a) a 1p cut in the basic rate of income tax, (b) raising income tax thresholds above their indexed levels, (c) raising child benefits assuming (i) no change in income support and family credit rates and (ii) corresponding changes in income support and family credit rates.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The effects of the various changes to income tax and child benefit on a married man with two children are shown in the table. Each of the changes would cost £1.5 billion a year, that is the cost in a full year of a 1p cut in the basic rate of income tax. Estimates are based on projections of the 1990–91 survey of personal incomes.

  Mr. Nelson
  The information is not available in the precise form requested because only one method of ranking is used to produce the annual article in Economic Trends and this uses equivalised disposal income. The data for 1979 were first published on an unequivalised basis and have been reworked on an equivalised basis. The figures are given in the table:
  547

  Quintile groups of equivalised disposable income

  Household type

  Bottom

  2nd

  3rd

  4th

  Top

  All house holds

  3 or more adults with children

  3

  6

  7

  6

  3

  5

  100

  100

  100

  100

  100

  100

  The figures in the table are rounded and may not add up to 100.

  Source: Central Statistical Office, based on Family Expenditure Survey.

  Mr. Wicks
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) working families with children and (b) childless people in work had incomes below the tax threshold at the latest date for which information is available.

  Mr. Dorrell
  There are an estimated 450,000 working families with children and 1.1 million childless people at work who have incomes below the income tax threshold and are therefore not liable to income tax in 1992–93. For this purpose, income is calculated as total income for income tax purposes, excluding any non-taxable social security benefits, less tax reliefs and is compared witht he appropriate levels of personal tax allowances. The estimates are based on information projected from the 1990 and 1991 family expenditure surveys and are therefore provisional.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of the effect on levels of employment and prices and on the balance of payments of(a) an additional £2 billion of local authority revenue expenditure financed by (i) local taxation and (ii) additional revenue support grant and (b) an additional £2 billion of local authority capital expenditure financed by (1) the use of set aside capital receipts and (2) borrowing.

  Mr. Portillo
  The effects on levels of employment, prices and on the balance of payments of the measures mentioned would depend on a number of assumptions about economic behaviour at both local and national level, as well as the precise details of these measures.

  EC Spending
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of spending by the EC, expressed in pounds sterling in 1992; and what percentage increase in this spending is envisaged by 1999 following the Edinburgh Council of 11–12 December.

  Sir John Cope
  Following the adoption of the third supplementary and amending budget, the budget of the European Communities for 1992 amounts to 63,907 million ecu in commitment appropriations, or £52 billion, at the exchange rate prevailing on 30 November 1992 (£1 = ECU 1·2290) and 61,097 million ecu in payment appropriations, or £49·7 billion. The Edinburgh European Council agreed a financial perspective for the next seven years which provides ceilings for spending in 1999 of 84,089 million ecu, £68·4 billion, for commitment appropriation and 80,114 million ecu, £65·2 billion, for payment appropriations—all in 1992 prices. These represent increases of 31·6 per cent. and 31·1 per cent. respectively over spending in 1992.

  However, the 1999 figures are ceilings for the budget, not targets for spending levels. Actual spending in 1999
  548
  will be set in the budgetary procedure for that year and will reflect the rate of economic growth achieved in the next seven years, as well as other factors such as enlargement of the Community. Spending is constrained by the legally binding ceiling on own resources for payment appropriations, which will be 1·27 per cent. of Community GNP in 1999.

  Personal Taxation
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much in real terms the average annual tax payments of a man with no allowances and reliefs other than the married couple's allowance earning(a) £5,000, (b) £10,000, (c) £15,000 and (d) £20,000 have changed since 1978–79.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Income tax for a married man as a percentage of gross income is as follows:

  Income in 1992–93 £

  Income tax1

  1992–93 per cent.

  1978–792

  5,000

  0

  0

  10,000

  11·1

  11·9

  15,000

  15·7

  18·9

  20,000

  18·0

  22·4

  1 Assuming that the only allowances and reliefs available are the married man's allowance in 1978–79 and the personal allowance plus the married couple's allowance in 1992–93. In each case the wife is assumed to have no income.

  2 Calculations for 1978–79 are based on the income tax regime for that year applied to levels of income adjusted from the 1992–93 figures in line with the change in average male earnings.

  Trade Statistics
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements are to be made for the publication of statistics of trade with the European Community in 1993.

  Mr. Nelson
  With the completion of the single market on 1 January, most border formalities for goods traded with other member states are abolished. As the associated documentation forms the source of the current visible trade statistics, normal publication of figures for trade with the European Community will be suspended while a new system for the collection of the statistics, Intrastat, becomes established. The monthly press notice published on 28 January, showing December's trade figures, will be the last in the present form. Details of our trade with non-EC countries will continue to be published monthly.

  Aggregate figures for whole world trade, including that with the European Community, for the first quarter 1993 balance of payments and GDP will be published in mid-June 1993. Shortly thereafter it is planned to resume the publication of the monthly "Balance of Payments—Current Account" press notices with aggregate figures for intra-Community trade.
  549
  The initial pattern of publication of detailed figures for visible trade with the European Community will be a quarterly volume containing monthly details at eight-digit commodity code level, which should be available shortly after the resumption of the monthly press notices. The monthly information will also be available from Customs and Excise-approved marketing agents.

  This initial delay in the publication of figures is planned to be reduced as the year progresses.

  Unit Trust Holdings
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the tax rules which apply to unit trust holdings owned by life assurance companies.

  Mr. Dorrell
  On 30 December 1992 I announced changes to the new charge to tax on life assurance companies brought in by the Finance Act 1990. The charge arises on the deemed disposal of their holdings in authorised unit trusts and certain offshore funds.

  For most companies the charge is due to come into effect for accounting periods beginning on 1 January 1992. We propose to defer the charge for one year so that it relates first to accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 1993.

  The existing measures can, however, produce a higher tax charge than was intended; and we propose to bring forward amending legislation in the 1993 Finance Bill to counter this effect. There will also be amendments to the transitional provisions.

  The Inland Revenue press release of 30 December 1992 containing the text of my announcement, and further details of the proposals, has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Employee Share Schemes
  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how soon he expects to announce details of the introduction and operation of approved employee share schemes up to the end of March 1992.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Estimated figures for the year ended March 1992 will be issued shortly in an Inland Revenue press release.

  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Inland Revenue next intends to revise and update its booklets and leaflets on approved employee share schemes to include in particular reference to buy one get one free matching share offers and the single company PEPs facilities.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Inland Revenue is planning to issue revised versions of these booklets and leaflets, reflecting recent changes in legislation, in the course of this year.

  Matrix Churchill
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the actions of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in respect of its dealings with Matrix Churchill to assess whether compensation should be paid to the ex-employees of Matrix Churchill.

  Sir John Cope
  The Government have already established an independent inquiry under Lord Justice Scott with broad terms of reference which will enable Her 550
  Majesty's Customs and Excise actions in the Matrix Churchill case to be fully examined. It would be inappropriate for me to undertake a separate review.

  As regards the issue of compensation, I would draw the hon. Member's attention to the advice of my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General to the House on 10 November 1992, Official Report, c. 746–47, that if there is a prosecution which subsequently fails or is withdrawn for any particular reason, representations can be made, but is has never been the policy for there to be formal compensation in these circumstances.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list(a) the total number of residential properties owned by his Departments, (b) the number of such properties which are empty and (c), (b) as a percentage of (a).

  Sir John Cope
  The only residential properties owned by the Chancellor's Departments are two owned by Customs and Excise. Both are fully occupied.

  Inland Revenue
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the implications for staffing levels and confidentiality of Inland Revenue services being offered to private tender; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We have received a number of representations about the market testing of services in the Inland Revenue. Any implications for staffing levels will depend on the outcome of particular market tests; we believe that, if work is contracted out, there are sufficient safeguards to ensure that the privacy of information about taxpayers will continue to be properly protected.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claims have been submitted in the former deposits of BCCI under the provisions of the Deposit Protection Board; how much has so far been paid to them; and how much is to be paid.

  Mr. Nelson
  As at 7 January 1993 some 16,700 claims had been lodged with the Deposit Protection Board. Of these the claims so far processed have given rise to compensation payments totalling £60.5 million. The size of the eventual payment to these claimants will depend on the scale and nature of claims still to be processed.

  Redundancy
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidelines he has established for the use of non-disclosure agreements as part of redundancy and early retirement settlements in the public service; if he will set up a study into how many former officials of non-departmental public bodies have signed such agreements in such circumstances; and what premium was paid to them for signing such agreements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  Employees generally have an implied duty not to misuse confidential information which they have
  551
  obtained in the course of their employment. In most situations, this would restrict disclosure of confidential information without proper authority. The duty continues to apply even after they have left.

  There are no central guidelines or instructions which require former employees of non-departmental public bodies not to disclose the terms of their redundancy or early retirement settlements. My right hon. Friend has no plans to set up a study of the kind suggested. I should not expect redundancy or early retirement arrangements to include an agreement restricting disclosure of the terms of any financial settlement. Details of such settlements will in any event be available to the Comptroller and Auditor General in the course of any audit or inspection he undertakes of a body's records.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Financial Management
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, what developments have taken place in financial management and scrutiny of House expenditure in the current financial year.

  Mr. Beith
  As well as the establishment of the domestic committees and the Finance and Services Committee, good progress has been made in improving financial management systems in House Departments. These include the allocation of departmental budgets and delegation of authority to incur expenditure and approve payments. Further improvements are planned by the Director of Finance and Administration.

  Contracting Out
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will make a statement on policy towards contracting out of House of Commons services.

  Mr. Beith
  Services are contracted out where this can meet the requirements of the House and provide benefits in quality, efficiency and value for money.

  Next Steps Agencies
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission if he will make a statement on the resources available to the National Audit Office to undertake effective auditing of all projected next steps agencies.

  Sir Peter Hordern
  The Comptroller and Auditor General is the statutory auditor of all the agencies. The National Audit Office's corporate plan for 1993–94 to 1997–98, considered and approved by the commission in July 1992, includes resources for the audit of existing agencies and those expected to be established over the next five years.

  Domestic Committees (Oral Questions)
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans he has to allow time for answering of oral questions by Chairmen of the domestic Committees.
  552
  Mr. Newton
  None. Oral questions are already answered on behalf of the House of Commons Commission, and now that the Finance and Services Committee has been nominated, arrangements will be made for its Chairman also to answer oral questions as appropriate. For the other domestic committees, there are no plans to go beyond the existing provision for their Chairmen to answer written questions.

PRIME MINISTER

  Scottish Constitution
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the people whom he has consulted in connection with his stocktaking exercise about Scotland's constitutional position.

  The Prime Minister
  I have had frequent opportunities to hear views from people of all political persuasions and from many backgrounds, including the church, the law, business, academic life, the arts and the media.

  India
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister which cities he intends to visit on his next visit to India.

  The Prime Minister
  I shall visit Delhi as a guest of the Indian Government on republic day on 26 January. I shall also visit Bombay.

  UN Population Conference
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) in which country the United Nations conference on world population will be held; and on what dates;

  (2) what proposals the Government have to involve relevant non-governmental organisations in preparation for the 1994 United Nations conference on world population;

  (3) what proposals the Government have to enable (a) relevant non-governmental organisations and (b) hon. Members to attend the 1994 United Nations conference on world population;

  (4) which Government Department is to be responsible for the 1994 United Nations population conference.

  The Prime Minister
  The international conference on population and development will take place in Cairo from 5 to 13 September 1994. A decision will be taken shortly on which Government Department will also take prime responsibility for United Kingdom preparations for the conference. The Government will make proposals shortly for how hon. Members and relevant non-governmental organisations might be involved in the preparations.

  Committee of Permanent Representatives
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has to apply the decision to improve transparency in the activities of the European Council to the availability to Parliament of(a) the minutes of COREPER and (b) proposals prepared by COREPER for the Council prior to their consideration by the Council.

  The Prime Minister
  There are no such plans.

  EC Monetary Reserve
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister why the European Council in Edinburgh concluded that the EC's monetary reserve should be halved between 1994 and 1995; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The decision was taken in the light of the recent reform of the CAP, which involves a shift away from price support towards direct payments to producers. That should make CAP expenditure progressively less susceptible to the impact of fluctuations in the dollar/ecu exchange rate.

  EC Agriculture Spending
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister why the European Council concluded on 11–12 December that agriculture spending by the EC would fall between 1993 and 1994; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The figures to which my hon. Friend refers are those for the agricultural guidelines in constant 1992 prices. The guideline is calculated in real terms by up-rating the 1988 baseline figure by 74 per cent. of the estimated growth in real Community gross national product (GNP) between 1988 and the year in question. This calculation takes place when the Commission submits its preliminary draft budget. For 1993, therefore, the guideline was calculated in May 1992. Subsequently, the estimate of Community GNP was revised downwards. Although the decision was too late to affect the 1993 figure it will be reflected in the guideline for 1994 and thereafter. The estimate for the guideline for 1994 to 1999, used by the European Council in its future financing plans, takes account of this latest information.

  European Environmental Agency
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements were agreed at the Edinburgh summit for the siting of the European Environmental Agency.

  The Prime Minister
  It was agreed at the European Council that the siting of the European Environmental Agency will be decided by common agreement between member states at a forthcoming European Council, giving appropriate priority to member states who do not at present provide the sites for Community institutions.

  Edinburgh Summit
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if section A (Citizenship) on page 5 B of part B of the "Conclusions of the Presidency" in Edinburgh was designed by the Council to apply to all member states.

  The Prime Minister
  The section referred to by the hon. Member was designed to meet Danish concerns but it represents an interpretation of the provisions of the Maastricht treaty relating to citizenship of the union which was agreed by all member states and is true for all of them.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister what procedures he proposes for ratification of the intergovernmental agreement reached at Edinburgh on Danish qualifications to the Maastricht treaty.

  The Prime Minister
  The decision does not require ratification.
  554
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on how Her Majesty's Government propose to implement the decision set out at paragraph 7 of the Edinburgh declaration on the conclusions of the United Kingdom presidency of the European Council to increase public investment in decision-making.

  The Prime Minister
  The United Kingdom will work closely with other members of the Council, the Commission and Parliament to ensure that the measures on transparency agreed in Edinburgh are put into practice as soon as possible.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister why the European Council in Edinburgh concluded that there should be no increase in the provision of loan guarantees between 1993 and 1999; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The Edinburgh European Council endorsed the conclusions of the ECOFIN Council in October that the Community's growing international responsibilities had led to an increase in the level and scope of lending to non-member states backed by guarantees on the EC budget, and that considerations of prudent budgetary management and financial discipline called for the establishment of a new financial framework, including an appropriate form of provisioning. The European Council accordingly agreed that a guarantee fund should be established, with a target size of 10 per cent. of the Community's outstanding liabilities arising from external loans and guarantees; and that this should be financed by a reserve in the financial perspective not exceeding 300 million ECU in each year from 1993 to 1999 (in 1992 prices), from which payments would be made into the fund in proportion to the value of new loans agreed. This framework will be sufficient to allow continuing significant levels of new lending to non-member states guaranteed on the EC budget.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will give the names of the persons signing their names as plenipotentiary of each relevant state to the intergovernmental decision relating to Denmark at the European Council meeting in Edinburgh.

  The Prime Minister
  The decision relating to Denmark was not signed. This does not affect its character as an agreement binding in international law between the parties to the treaty on European union on how certain of its provisions are to be interpreted and applied.

  Princess of Wales
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Prime Minister what advice he received from sources outside the Government concerning the constitutional position of the accession to the throne of the Princess of Wales, before making his statement to the House of 9 December.

  The Prime Minister
  The advice which I took on this matter is confidential.

  Gambling
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will describe the process by which concerned people can contribute to and respond to Government ideas on maintaining, abolishing or changing the restrictions on stimulation of gaming or gambling.
  555
  The Prime Minister
  The processes are the same as those for any other aspect of Government policy. As necessary, the Government issue consultation documents on particular aspects of the gambling controls. In addition, interested parties may at any time make their views known direct to Government or via Members of Parliament.

  Iraq (Equipment)
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Prime Minister what information he has on the comparative sales of machine tools to Iraq from(a) the United Kingdom, (b) the United States of America, (c) France, (d) Italy and (e) COMECON countries in 1987, 1988 and 1989.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 24 November 1992]: The information requested for the first four countries is set out in the following table:

  US $000s

  SITC (Standard International Trade Classification)

  Code

  United Kingdom

  United States of America

  France

  Italy

  1987

  728·1

  359

  116

  63

  208

  7361

  5,130

  33

  1,161

  5,224

  Total

  5,489

  149

  1,224

  5,432

  1988

  728·1

  529

  168

  111

  1,287

  731

  53,951

  n/a

  239

  10,920

  733

  2,160

  n/a

  5,922

  7,306

  735

  6,436

  n/a

  4,711

  2,754

  Total

  63,076

  168

  10,983

  22,267

  1989

  728·1

  991

  43

  61

  1,601

  731

  18,990

  2,272

  609

  1,545

  733

  1,208

  1,857

  1,385

  6,890

  735

  3,138

  7,080

  2,637

  4,391

  Total

  24,327

  11,252

  4,692

  14,427

  Code

  Description

  728·1

  Machine tools specialised for particular industries.

  731

  Machine tools operated by laser or other light beam process.

  733

  Forging or die-stamping machines (including presses) and hammers.

  735

  Tool holders and self opening dieheads.

  736

  Metal working machine tools.

  1 Replaced by codes 731, 733 and 735 from 1988 onwards.

  Source: OECD.

  The corresponding information for COMECON countries is not available.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  St. Helena
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will be responsible for paying compensation as a result of the late delivery to St. Helena of a new power generator.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  A 1 MW diesel generator was provided last year for the use of St. Helena's public works and services department at a cost of £562,000 to aid funds. It was supplied by Mirrlees Blackstone Ltd., shipped on schedule abord the RMS St. Helena arriving on 4 May 1992, and taken over by the public works and services 556
  department on 21 July 1992 following installation and commissioning tests. No delay in delivery occurred and the question of compensation does not arise.

  Southern Africa
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the current and forecast rains on the prospects for the drought-affected areas of southern Africa; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I have been asked to reply.

  Initial reports of the rains are encouraging for most parts of the region, but good rains over the next two months are critical. We shall continue to monitor the situation closely with the relevant international organisations and NGOs; and are ready to assist, particularly in areas where the rains have failed or where for other reasons people have been unable to plant.

  Timber
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that timber imported into the United Kingdom has not been logged from tribal people's land without their free and informed consent.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Except as provided for under the convention on international trade in endangered species, the United Kingdom does not restrict timber imports and has no plans to do so. Questions of land and forest ownership rights are primarily the responsibility of the Governments of the countries where the forest lie. We are prepared to consider requests from developing countries for aid in forest resource conservation and management.

  Malagasy Republic
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress the Minister for Overseas Development has made in sourcing the most appropriate items of equipment, and identifying suitable people to fill the supporting personnel requirements, to implement the Food and Agriculture Organisation consultant's recommendations on locusts in the Malagasy Republic.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Sources for the provision of equipment have been identified. The specification and frequency acceptability of the telecommunications equipment is still being cleared with the Food and Agriculture Organisation co-ordinator and the Madagascan authorities. As soon as these matters are formally cleared procurement of all the equipment will be undertaken and the associated training input put in hand.

  Debtor Countries
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total amount of debt interest payments made to the United Kingdom in the past 10 years by each of the severely indebted countries, according to the UN definition; and how much was received by each of them in aid over the same period.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will write to the hon. Member.

  Forests
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how he plans to address the question of tribal people's ownership of their land and resources in the United Kingdom's national plan for forests.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Questions of the ownership of land and resources by tribal peoples are primarily the 558
  responsibility of the Governments of the countries in which they live. The United Kingdom national plan for forests will concentrate on activities within this country.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Argentina (Fisheries)
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it the policy of Her Majesty's Government to oppose the proposed fishery agreement between the European Community and the Argentine Government unless and until it has agreed to the joint management by Britain and Argentina of stocks of illex squid in the waters of the south west Atlantic.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We support the principle of an EC fisheries agreement with Argentina. We have obtained several improvements to the original proposals and shall discuss them further with Community partners. We have now reached a bilateral interim agreement on fisheries management with the Argentine Government. We shall continue our dialogue with them to achieve adequate conservation measures which protect the economic interests of the Falkland Islands.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of contributing to the 28 million ecu financial assistance programme to Argentina under the proposed EC fishery agreement to enable Spanish and Portuguese vessels to fish in Argentinian waters.

  Mr. Curry
  I have been asked to reply.

  The draft EC/Argentina Fisheries Agreement provides for the granting of 27.5 mecu in technical and scientific assistance to Argentina over a five year period; at the normal rate of United Kingdom contributions to the Budget the cost to the Exchequer would be about £800,000 per annum. Additional sums will be paid to EC vessel owners and their Argentinian partners for joint ventures involving EC vessels fishing in Argentinian waters and the cost would depend upon the number of boats taking up the opportunities. The fishing opportunities available under the draft agreement are not confined to Spain and Portugal but are available to vessel owners throughout the Community.

  British Consular Offices
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British consular offices there are in each Latin American country; if he will list their locations; and what was the number of such offices in 1987.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In Latin America there are currently 41 British consular offices, including honorary consular offices. A list follows. In 1987 there were 33 such offices. The increase in the number of consular offices is the result of the extension of the honorary network. Honorary consuls provide assistance and advice to British national at minimal cost.

  British Consular Offices in Latin America—1992

  Country

  Location

  Position

  Paraguay

  1

  Ascuncion

  Columbia

  4

  Bogota

  Columbia

  Barranquilla

  Honorary Consul

  Columbia

  Cali

  Honorary Consul

  Columbia

  Medellin

  Honorary Consul

  560

  Country

  Location

  Position

  Brazil

  13

  Brasilia

  Brazil

  Belem

  Honorary Consul

  Brazil

  Manuas

  Honorary Vice Consul

  Rio De Janeiro

  Brazil

  Belo Horizonte

  Honorary Consul

  Brazil

  Fortaleza

  Honorary Consul

  Brazil

  Recife

  Honorary Consul

  Brazil

  Salvador

  Honorary Consul

  Brazil

  Sao Paulo

  Brazil

  Porto Alegre

  Honorary Consul

  Brazil

  Rio Grande

  Honorary Consul

  Brazil

  Santos

  Honorary Consul

  Brazil

  Curitiba

  Honorary Consul

  Venezuela

  3

  Caracas

  Venezuela

  Maracaibo

  Honorary Vice Consul

  Venezuela

  Merida

  Honorary Vice Consul

  Guyana

  1

  Georgetown

  Bolivia

  2

  La Paz

  Bolivia

  Santa Cruz

  Honorary Consul

  Peru

  6

  Lima

  Peru

  Arequipa

  Honorary Consul

  Peru

  Cusco

  Honorary Consul

  Peru

  Iquitos

  Honorary Consul

  Peru

  Piura

  Honorary Consul

  Peru

  Trujillo

  Honorary Consul

  Uruguay

  1

  Montevideo

  Ecuador

  4

  Quito

  Ecuador

  Guayaquil

  Honorary Consul

  Ecuador

  Cuenca

  Honorary Consul

  Ecuador

  Galapagos

  Honorary Consul

  Chile

  5

  Santiago

  Chile

  Arica

  Honorary Consul

  Chile

  Concepcion

  Honorary Consul

  Chile

  Punta Arenas

  Honorary Consul

  Chile

  Valparaiso

  Honorary Consul

  Argentina

  1

  Buenos Aires

  TOTAL

  41

  Kazakhstan
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings he, or his officials, have had with the President of Kazakhstan; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met President Nazerbayev of Kazakhstan during his visit to Britain in October 1991 and during his visit to Alma Ata in January 1992. The development of relations between the United Kingdom and Kazakhstan, including the good prospects for trade and other matters, including regional and security matters, were discussed.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current diplomatic link between the United Kingdom and Kazakhstan; and when he expects to appoint a British ambassador to Kazakhstan.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom recognised Kazakhstan on 31 December 1991. Sir Brian Fall, who resides at Moscow, is accredited as Her Majesty's
  561
  ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan and presented his credentials in Alma Ata on 27 October 1992. We have established a small British embassy in Alma Ata, headed by a resident chargé d'affaires.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress made in implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 789 of 24 November on Cyprus; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on Cyprus.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Inter-communal negotiations chaired by the United Nations Secretary-General will resume in New York in March. Security Council Resolution 789 sets out a series of confidence-building measures. These have been accepted in principle by President Vassiliou of Cyprus, but not yet by the Turkish side.

  We continue to play a full part in supporting the efforts of the United Nations to achieve a negotiated settlement to this tragic dispute.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to station British forces in Macedonia in former Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom was not asked to contribute forces to this operation and has no plans to do so. United Nations Security Council resolution 795 authorised deployment of troops and observers in Macedonia which has initially involved Canadian troops pending the arrival of Scandinavian forces.

  CSCE
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the conference on security and co-operation in Europe Council meeting in Stockholm of 15 and 16 December.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, represented the United Kingdom at the Council Meeting of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe which took place on 14 and 15 December in Stockholm.

  The Stockholm meeting marked a further stage in the transition of the CSCE from an organisation primarily involved with setting standards of behaviour in the fields of human rights and international security to one whose task is also to prevent and if necessary end conflicts.

  The Council endorsed the work of the international conference on former Yugoslavia. It agreed a detailed policy intended to help prevent the spread of the fighting into other parts of the former Yugoslavia and to tighten sanctions. The CSCE missions in Kosovo, Sandjak and Vojvodina will be reinforced.

  The Council took steps to promote long-term solutions to the conflict in Moldova. The CSCE will continue to press for agreements to be concluded on the early and complete withdrawal of foreign troops from the territories of the Baltic states and will also dispatch a mission to Estonia to address human rights issues between the different communities in Estonia.

  Plutonium Shipments
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations from other Governments the United Kingdom Government have received concerning the sea shipment of plutonium from the European Community.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom has received few such representations from other Governments. It is for those Governments to decide whether to make their views public. Any shipments of plutonium from the United Kingdom would meet or exceed the relevant international safety standards.

  UNESCO
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government now have to rejoin UNESCO; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  No decision has yet been taken on a possible resumption of membership.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 16 June 1992,Official Report, columns 490–91, if he has signed a certificate under section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984 since his answer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has signed no such certificate since my previous answer, Vol. 209, c.491.

  Turkey
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the British Government are making to the Government of Turkey on the recognition of the rights of minorities and people of non-Turkish origin.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are in regular contact with the Turkish Government on the subject of human rights.

  The issue was more recently discussed during the visit of the Turkish Prime Minister in November. Mr. Demirel reiterated his Government's commitment to their programme of reforms which aims at improving human rights, including those of members of minorities, and increasing democratisation in the country.

  We welcome this commitment on the part of the Turks and look forward to the early implementation of the Government's programme.

  Russia
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what complaints have been received from United Kingdom students now studying in Russia; and what action has been taken by the British embassy.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In May 1992, during a routine visit by the student liaison officer of the British embassy in Moscow, British students studying at Voronezh state
  563
  university complained about poor conditions at their hostel. Representations were duly made to the university in May, and again in September by the student liaison officer.

  The student liaison officer next visited the university on 9 December 1992, accompanied by the embassy doctor. The doctor judged that the repairs satisfied the minimum requirements for student accommodation.

  Angola
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current situation in Angola.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Nations is continuing its efforts to secure full implementation of the Bicesse peace accords. We strongly support these efforts and deplore the recent violence in Lubango and elsewhere in Angola. Dialogue between the government of Angola and UNITA based on respect for the Bicesse accords and the outcome of the elections of 29 and 30 September is now essential if progress is to be made towards peace and democracy in Angola.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current state of relations between Her Majesty's Government and Angola; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have a good working relationship with the Government of the Republic of Angola.

  Somalia
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held with the current and incoming United States Administration on the role and objectives of the United States and other troops in Somalia, their command structure, and their date of evacuation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We maintain close contact with United States authorities and the coalition forces on all aspects of the Somali crisis. The United States authorities have made clear that United States troops will not be withdrawn until the objectives of Security Council resolution 794 have been achieved.

  EC Summits
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the(a) security costs and (b) total costs of holding the (i) Birmingham and (ii) Edinburgh summits.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The costs for the two European Councils are as follows:

  £ million

  (a) Security costs:

  Birmingham

  0·35

  Edinburgh

  2·50

  (b) Total costs:

  Birmingham

  2·65

  Edinburgh

  9·30

  564
  These figures are approximate as not all bills have been received.

  Maastricht Treaty
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each of the subject areas of EC legislation that may fall within the negative assent procedure under the Maastricht treaty.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Under the Maastricht treaty the negative assent procedure applies to the following areas:

  Article 49:

  Free movement of workers

  Article 54(2):

  Right of establishment

  Article 56(2):

  Treatment of foreign nationals

  Article 57(1):

  Mutual recognition of qualifications

  Article 57(2):

  Right of establishment

  Article 100a(1):

  Single market legislation

  Article 126(4):

  Education incentive measures

  Article 128(5):

  Culture (with unanimity)

  Article 129(4):

  Public health

  Article 129a(2):

  Consumer Protection

  Article 129d:

  Trans-European networks

  Article 130i:

  R & D framework programmes (with unanimity)

  Article 130s(3):

  Environment multiannual action programmes

  Thailand
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current position relating to Karyn Smith, convicted of drug smuggling in Thailand.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Karyn Smith is serving a 25-year prison sentence in Klong Prem women's prison, Bangkok. She was sentenced on 20 December 1990. With the support of our embassy in Bangkok, Miss Smith has submitted an appeal for clemency to the King of Thailand.

  EC Legislation
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list each of the subject areas of EC legislation that are now subject to qualified majority voting.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The articles under which the Council of Ministers may currently act by qualified majority, together with the subject areas to which they apply, are set out in the treaty of Rome as amended by the Single European Act.

  Alois Brunner
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Prime Minister's answer of 10 December,Official Report, column 755, what representations he has received calling for actions by the United Kingdom Government in respect of Alois Brunner.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Apart from the hon. Member's previous question, we have received no recent representations in respect of Alois Brunner. Brunner was recently reported to have died, although we have no confirmation of this.

  Visas
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visas at each British overseas post have been(a) applied for, (b) granted, (c) refused and (d) have a decision pending since visa requirements were introduced upon certain former Yugoslav nationals wishing to visit the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The method of collecting statistics at posts worldwide does not normally allow us to establish the number of applications by nationality. For an initial period, however, we are monitoring the effect of the visa regime on former Yugoslav nationals on the visa sections at Belgrade, Vienna, Zagreb, Budapest, Sofia, Rome, Milan, Florence, Naples, Dusseldorf and Paris. At these posts 1,715 applications were received from former Yugoslav nationals: 1,251 were granted, 238 were refused and 203 have a decision pending.

  Spain
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff of the British embassy in Madrid monitor the enforcement of EC legislation relating to animal welfare in Spain.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There is one agricultural attache in the British embassy in Madrid who is responsible for the full range of agricultural matters, including animal welfare.

  St. Helena
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 17 December 1992,Official Report, column 357, in how many instances the Governor of St. Helena has refused a request to enable any public officer to be qualified for election to the Legislative Council.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  None.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what arrangements fishing vessels from member states of the European Community can fish in St. Helena waters; and what reciprocity there is for British fishermen.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There are no arrangements for European Community vessels to fish within the fishery limits of St. Helena. There is no agreement with the Community over fishing rights in these waters.

  Chile
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his discussions in Santiago on the case of Jonathan Moyle during his official visit to Chile.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is in Santiago today. He intends to discuss the Moyle case with the Chilean Government.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requests he has received 566
  for co-operation with the inquiry handled by Judge Alejandro Solis in relation to the death of Jonathan Moyle.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have been in regular contact with Judge Solis since the beginning of his inquiry. On 9 December 1992 the judge expressed his gratitude to our embassy in Santiago for the help he had received. On 4 January 1993 Her Majesty's ambassador asked the judge whether there was anything we could do to assist him. Judge Solis expressed his thanks but had no request for further assistance.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will represent the United Kingdom at the chemical weapons convention signing conference in Paris; what is Her Majesty's Government's attitude toward the preparatory commission and its method of operation; what initiatives are proposed by the United Kingdom to advance the elimination of chemical weapons at the conference; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My noble Friend Baroness Chalker of Wallasey will represent the United Kingdom at the chemical weapons convention signing ceremony in Paris. We look forward to the establishment of the preparatory commission and expect to make a full and positive contribution to its work.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Nuclear Reprocessing
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Cambridge (Mrs. Campbell), 4 November,Official Report, column 308, what will be the proportional increase over current stockpiles of (a) reprocessed uranium and (b) plutonium by 2000 over the current stockpiles; and to what use the additional plutonium and uranium to which he refers will be put.

  Mr. Eggar
  The quantities of uranium and plutonium that will arise from the reprocessing in the thermal oxide reprocessing plant of spent fuel from nuclear power stations in the United Kingdom represents some 20 per cent. of stocks currently held by British Nuclear Fuels plc on behalf of the generating companies as owners of the material. It is expected that the material will ultimately be burnt in reactors to generate electricity.

  Greenhouse Gases
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what resources have been made available to the British Coal Corporation to assist in the retention of methane gas from mines to avoid adding to the release of greenhouse gases.

  Mr. Eggar
  The process of mining frees the methane contained in coal; for reasons of mine safety, it has to be released from the mines. British Coal work to the practical limits of current technology and make use of about 10 per cent. of this methane. Availability of finance is not a limitation.

  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to propose amendments to the existing proposals to establish a multilateral trade organisation set out in the draft final act of the Uruguay round of GATT to secure(a) explicit commitments to the protection of the environment and incomes of the poor in Third-world countries and (b) revisions to the dispute procedures enabling increased accountability of panel members.

  Mr. Needham
  The GATT already allows for measures to be taken to protect the environment. The proposed Multilateral Trade Organisation (MTO), which is intended to provide the vehicle for the implementation of the results of the Uruguay round, would strengthen the ability of the international trading system to respond to environmental concerns. The Community has made proposals to improve the references to the environment, including wording on sustainable development in the preamble, a ministerial declaration on the environment with a work programme, and giving permanent status to the working party on trade and environment. The members of GATT dispute settlement panels do not act in their own right, but advise the GATT contracting parties, and are accountable in this way to national Governments.

  Matrix Churchill
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the documents released to the defence at the Matrix Churchill trial.

  Mr. Needham
  No.

  Record Industry
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimates his Department have made as to the contribution made by the British record industry to British exports.

  Mr. Needham
  Such estimates are not made by the Department. Exports of the finished product reported by Customs and Excise and published by the British Phonographic Industry Ltd. (BPI) were £196.3 million in 1991. Invisible earnings in the form of royalties returning from overseas were assessed in a report published by British Invisibles to be £486 million in 1988–89. Figures for all exports are shown in the Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics published by the Central Statistical Office.

  Toy Imports
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer on 11 December,Official Report, column 838, if he will name the two member states of the EC who impose national quotas on the import of toys made in China.

  Mr. Needham
  The two member states are Germany and Spain.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to publish his estimate of the average avoidable costs of electricity generation by different means.
  568
  Mr. Eggar
  The relative costs of electricity generated from different sources are being considered as part of the coal review. The Government intend to publish the conclusions of the review in a White Paper shortly.

  Caminus Energy
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when Caminus Energy was appointed as consultants to his Department's energy review; what are its full terms of reference; when he expects to receive their report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Mr. Porter) on 20 November 1992,Official Report, column 433.

  Industrial Competitiveness
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to announce the results of the review being conducted by the industrial competitiveness division of his Department into lessons that can be learnt from other leading industrialised countries.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade receives frequent reports from the industrial competitiveness division, and these are taken into account when considering Government policy.

  Trawsfynydd Power Station
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many representations he has had on matters concerning Trawsfynydd nuclear power station; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have received some 10 letters from hon. Members forwarding representations from their constituents about the safety of Trawsfynydd nuclear power station. As I have made clear in my replies there is no question of the power station commencing operation until the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate are convinced that it is safe to do so.

  Coal Mines
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the amount of investment in new capital machinery at each of the 10 pits currently in the 90-day consultation period in the financial year 1990–91 to 1991–92 and April to September 1992.

  Mr. Eggar
  The amount of investment in new capital machinery at individual pits is a matter for British Coal.

  Miners' Redundancy Payments
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Coal about extending the corporation's present redundancy terms beyond 31 March 1993.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend has had no such discussions. British Coal's redundancy terms are a matter for British Coal. It would, however, seem reasonable for the corporation not to determine their redundancy arrangements from 1 April 1993 until at least the outcome of the coal review is known.

  Colliery Visits
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the collieries that he and his ministerial colleagues have visited, and the date upon which the visits were made, since taking their present offices.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I 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.

  Waste-to-energy Schemes
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment his Department has made in his review of energy policy of the economic contribution in terms of job creation and private capital investment which waste-to-energy schemes could make.

  Mr. Eggar
  The coal review is taking full account of the contribution renewable energy sources can make to meeting the United Kingdom's energy needs.

  Personal Protective Equipment
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he will establish the necessary validation procedures to enable United Kingdom manufacturers of personal protective equipment to obtain a CE mark for their products as required under directive 89/686/EC which came into effect on 1 January 1993.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Personal Protective Equipment (EC Directive) Regulations 1992, Statutory Instrument 3139, came into force on 1 January 1993. Bodies approved to undertake testing and certification work in relation to the categories of personal protective equipment (PPE) required under the Directive to undergo type examination, will be appointed and notified to the EC Commission in Brussels very shortly. Manufacturers of PPE of simple design protecting against minimal risks are able to self-certify conformity and do not need third party approval to affix the CE mark to such products.

  Exporters
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assistance his Department provides for exporters in the north east; how many firms benefit from such assistance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Under overseas trade services my Department provides a wide range of assistance to companies. In conjunction with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office we are able to offer exporters access to market information facilities and a range of services designed to meet precisely the requirements of business. In the North East there is close co-operation with the chamber movement which has benefited from extra resources through the Department's active exporting initiative and with the Northern Development Company which is responsible for a DTI assisted outward missions programme.

  Northern companies may also access the Department's overseas trade divisions, particularly its country desks, its market information services and its major project sections in London. The Department's overseas trade service
  570
  operates throughout the United Kingdom with various access points, and therefore separate figures are not readily available for take-up by North East firms.

  Coal/Water Mixtures
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider applying for funds under the European Commission's THERMIE programme to finance further research into coal/water mixtures as fuel.

  Mr. Eggar
  It is for industry, rather than member state Governments, to apply for financial support for projects under the THERMIE programme. The Commission may invite proposals for demonstration projects using coal/water mixtures later this year in the last call for proposals under the THERMIE programme.

  Export Licences
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many applications his Department received since 1990 for export licences of(a) machine tools and (b) weapons; and how many of these were (i) approved and (ii) covered by export credit guarantees.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 7 December 1992]: Following is the information:

  Applications from 1 January 1990 to 8 December 1992

  Received

  Licences issued

  Machine tools

  1,028

  926

  Weapons

  29,670

  27,937

  Note: For this purpose "machine tools" is taken to cover any applications falling within headings IL 1075, IL 1088, IL 1091, IL 1370, PL 7027 or ML 18 of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1991 as amended. "Weapons" is taken to cover all ML headings in the Order except ML 18.

  Under arrangements applying up to privatisation of ECGD's Insurance Services Group in December 1991, the vast bulk of ECGD's business was underwritten on a basis which did not involve identification of the nature of the goods. It is therefore not possible to provide the information requested in respect of export credit guarantees.

  Weapons Exports
  Mr. Peter Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount of weapons exported to(a) Iraq and (b) Iran in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 8 December 1992]No lethal defence equipment was exported to either country in 1991, the latest year for which figures are available.

  Official Engagements
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the official engagements he attended in October and November before 9 am.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]The engagements were as follows: on 13 October a Cabinet Committee meeting; on 14 October a meeting with United States trade representatives; on 15 October a Cabinet Committee meeting; on 6 November a meeting with the
  571
  head of the efficiency unit; on 9 November a regional visit to Folkestone; on 10 November a visit to Yorkshire and Humberside; on 11 November departure for the Anglo-German Summit; on 17 November a regional visit to Liverpool and Manchester; on 24 November departure for Brussels and a briefing session for the Industry Council; and on 25 November a working breakfast with business men in the North West.

EDUCATION

  Secondary Heads Association
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to meet the Secondary Heads Association; and how many times he has met the Secondary Heads Association since April.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend expects to meet representatives of the Secondary Heads Association in due course to hear their views on the second report of the School Teachers Review Body. Since April 1992 he has met representatives of the Secondary Heads Association on at least three occasions.

  School Visits
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for of Education how many(a) county infant schools, (b) county primary schools and (c) high schools he has visited since April.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has visited a total of 16 maintained schools since April, including one special school and:

  (i) First/Infants

  1 county; 1 voluntary controlled

  (ii) Primary

  2 county; 3 voluntary aided

  (iii) Middle

  1 voluntary aided

  (iv) 3 county; 3 voluntary aided; 1 grant-maintained.

  Teacher Organisations
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the teacher organisations he has met since April.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has met representatives from each of the six main school teacher associations: the Assistant Masters and Mistresses Association; the National Association of Head Teachers; the National Association of School Masters/Union of Women Teachers; the National Union of Teachers; the Professional Association of Teachers; and the Secondary Heads Association.

  Education Staff
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many full-time and part-time staff are available to each local education authority for education other than at school.

  Mr. Forth
  The total number of staff employed by local education authorities in England to provide education other than at school is estimated at 2,600 full-time equivalents in January 1992. Reliable figures for individual authorities are not available.

  Examinations
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what methods and standards will be used to select pupils for the proposed level 10 examinations in 1994.

  Mr. Forth
  From 1994, all GCSE examination results will be awarded in terms of levels 10 to 4 instead of the present grades A to G. For each subject, there will be a set of tiered question papers each targeted on a range of levels between 10 to 4. Decisions on the appropriate tier of entry for each candidate will be matters for teachers' professional judgment.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of pupils passed(a) 0-levels and (b) CSE for each year from 1980 to 1987; and what percentage passed GCSE in each year since 1988.

  Mr. Forth
  The available information is as follows.

  The estimated percentages of school leavers in England who passed 0-level and or CSE from 1980 to 1987 are shown in the table, together with the percentages for GCSE from 1988.

  Percentages of leavers who passed O-level and/or CSE1

  Percentages of 16 year olds who passed GCSE1

  1980

  87·7

  —

  1981

  88·5

  —

  1982

  89·3

  —

  1983

  90·1

  —

  1984

  90·2

  —

  1985

  90·3

  —

  1986

  90·0

  —

  1987

  90·2

  —

  21988

  89·9

  —

  31989

  90·9

  92·5

  1990

  91·5

  92·7

  1991

  91·8

  93·2

  1 The figures from 1980 to 1991 are based on sample surveys. For the years 1980 to 1987 the percentages relate to those school leavers who gained grades A to E in O-level and/or grade 1 to 5 in CSE examinations.

  2 The GCSE examination was introduced in 1988 and therefore the percentages from that year onwards include leavers who gained grades A to G in that examination and/or O-level or CSE.

  3 From 1989, the school examination survey also collected data for the 16 year old cohort. For these years the percentages of 16-year-olds are also shown.

  Ethnic Minorities (Local Government Grants)
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will introduce a grant designed to meet the educational needs of the ethnic minority population of all ages similar to the previous section 11 funding.

  Mr. Forth
  The assumption that Home Office section 11 grant is to cease is incorrect. Section 11 grant will continue to support existing projects in 1993–94 at the current grant rate of 75 per cent. Thereafter, on current planning assumptions, grant will be available to support the same volume of posts albeit at a reduced rate.

  A-level Appeals
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many appeals against A-level results were lodged in the last year for which figures are available; and what were their outcomes.

  Mr. Boswell
  Appeals against A-level results are made in the first instance to the GCE examination boards. Information on such appeals is not held centrally. If appellants remain dissatisfied they may pursue their concerns with the Independent Appeals Authority for School Examinations, IAASE. In 1991–92 the IAASE heard eight formal appeals on A-level matters. It rejected three, and required the relevant board to reconsider its decision in five.

  Parent-Governor Meetings
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools in England hold annual parent-governor meetings which are attended by fewer than 10 per cent. of the parents entitled to attend.

  Mr. Forth
  All parents of pupils registered at a school are eligible to attend the annual parents' meeting. Information as to the numbers of parents attending annual parents meetings is not collected by the Department.

  Further Education
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will set out the actual spending by Nottinghamshire county council on further education and sixth form colleges for the financial year 1991–92 and the planned expenditure for 1992–93.

  Mr. Boswell
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my predecessor gave to him on 8 December 1992,Official Report, cols. 563–65, where the provisional further education adjustment in respect of Nottinghamshire county council is given as £50.874 million. Its actual expenditure in respect of 1991–92 is not available.

  Teacher Education
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about the future of existing teacher education in higher education institutions.

  Mr. Boswell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Hawkins) on 17 November 1992,Official Report, column 123.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the bids for capital allocations from grant-maintained schools and the actual allowances for the 1993–94 financial year.

  Mr. Forth
  The information is contained in the following tables. Table A lists the applications received for named capital projects from schools with grant-maintained status as at December 1992. Decisions on allocations to these schools have not yet been taken. Table B gives details of the bids received and the actual allocations made to grant-maintained schools under the 574
  technology schools initiative. Schools which became grant-maintained on 1 January 1993 have been invited to submit bids by 25 January 1993 for named capital projects and for resources under the technology schools initiative.

  Table A Grant-maintained schools capital bids for named projects 1993–94 Complete list of bids

  School

  Project

  Total cost £K

  Acle

  Conversion to provide technology facilities

  145

  Single Classroom extension

  75

  Adams

  Repair support & facade of main entrance

  105

  Replace 2 temporary classrooms

  100

  Ancaster High

  Roof conversion

  106

  Angley

  Re-modelling of design/technology department

  599

  Archbishop's

  Refurbishment of laboratories and classrooms

  657

  4 new classrooms

  147

  Ash Green

  Replacement of boilers

  150

  Audenshaw

  2 new classrooms

  120

  4 new classrooms

  260

  Avonbourne

  Adaptations to technology and science departments

  440

  Avon Valley

  Extension of science and technology facilities and refurbishment

  457

  Refurbishment of sports hall/gymnasium

  207

  Aylesford

  New 2-storey technology/art block

  345

  Bacup and Rawtenstall

  Technology/science laboratory

  66

  Convert solid fuel boilers to gas

  68

  Baines

  New technology block and upgrade science facilities

  750

  Balcarras

  Re-roofing of part of school

  91

  Bankfield

  Re-fenestration

  604

  Upgrade 6 science laboratories

  275

  Barnehurst Infants

  2 new classrooms to replace mobiles

  122

  Barnehurst Junior

  1 new classroom to replace mobile

  66

  Bassingbourne

  Reorganisation and refurbishment to provide technology facilities

  136

  Baverstock

  Design and technology centre

  499

  Re-roofing of existing building

  225

  Beacon

  Extend canteen facilities

  34

  New cloakroom and office

  38

  Beaconsfield

  Re-cover flat roofs of main building

  190

  Replace 10 temporary classrooms

  1,375

  Beauchamps

  Boiler replacement and energy conservation

  118

  Upgrade design and technology rooms

  90

  Beaverwood

  New technology block

  348

  Beechen Cliff

  Refurbish and alter science block

  1,161

  575

  School

  Project

  Total cost £K

  Urgent drainage to prevent subsidence

  139

  Belmont Primary

  New hall, stores and changing rooms

  178

  Replace school

  2,227

  Bingley

  Phase 2 of science wing

  400

  Bishopshalt

  Replace old boiler with gas heating system

  46

  Borough Green

  2 additional infant classrooms

  156

  Borrows Wood Junior

  Health and safety improvements

  65

  Resource area

  45

  Boswells

  New technology block and link

  306

  New technology block and refurbish CDT block

  607

  Bourne Abbey

  2 additional classrooms, science/technology room and toilets

  198

  Replace 7 flat roofs

  60

  Bournemouth

  Replace technology facilities

  487

  Bournemouth School for Girls

  New technology/business centre/IT block

  1,050

  Bradbourne

  Technology provision

  62

  Main network PC system

  25

  Bridgewater Hall

  Redevelopment of technology block

  128

  Bridgewater Hall with Brindley Hall

  Replace shared boiler

  264

  Bromsford

  Major repairs to roof and walls

  499

  Brookmead

  Shower block

  53

  Bruton Primary

  Phase 2 of classroom extension

  80

  Budmouth

  Refurbish science department

  559

  Bullers Wood

  5 new laboratories

  466

  Burgate

  2 new science laboratories

  266

  Burntwood

  Replace rotten windows

  453

  Upgrade science classrooms and fire escape

  458

  Caistor

  2 new rooms for design technology and IT

  265

  Canterbury

  New block of laboratories and toilets

  383

  New block of laboratories, toilets and refurbishment of 3 laboratories

  512

  Cardinal Vaughan

  Technology unit

  408

  Carres

  Re-roof laboratory and main blocks

  67

  Castle Hills

  Extend technology block and science laboratory alteration

  404

  Kitchen and dining room extension

  105

  Chalfonts

  Extension of science laboratories

  312

  Chalvedon

  Phase 3 of middle school refurbishment

  850

  576

  School

  Project

  Total cost £K

  Charles Darwin

  Phase 3 of re-wiring of school

  120

  Chatham Girls

  New technology block

  327

  Cheam

  New technology block

  306

  Chelmsford Girls

  New science department

  1707

  Chosen Hill

  Alterations to form science laboratories

  250

  Christchurch

  New classroom

  90

  City of Portsmouth

  Refurbish 4 science laboratories

  220

  Convert 2 classrooms to science laboratories

  75

  Claremont High

  Phase 2 technology block to relieve temporary accommodation

  350

  Refurbish home economics and CDT accommodation

  200

  Clitheroe Royal Grammar

  New science block and 6 classrooms

  820

  Collingwood

  External fabric refurbishment

  294

  Refurbishment laboratory and science block

  432

  Colyton

  Replace central heating system

  145

  Coopers

  New technology block

  335

  Copland

  Refurbish 4 science laboratories

  173

  Cornwallis

  Refurbish science laboratories

  310

  Costessey High

  Extend and adapt technology suite

  350

  Extension for 2 science labs

  240

  Cotswold

  Boiler replacement

  113

  Insulation and heater replacement

  42

  Cranbrook

  Alterations for English and History departments

  46

  Crofton, Hampshire

  8 new science laboratories to replace temporary accommodation

  750

  6 new science laboratories to replace temporary accommodation

  590

  Crofton, Kent

  New science room

  96

  Cromer Hill

  Improvements to technology facilities and conversion to science laboratories

  255

  Improvements to technology facilities

  205

  Crompton Fold

  New classroom and changing room to replace temporary accommodation

  125

  Repairs to heating installation

  95

  Crossgates Primary

  New classroom base

  50

  Crossley Heath

  Total refurbishment of laboratories

  239

  Extension and alterations to technology block

  417

  Crypt

  Extension for science/technology

  475

  Dartford Boys

  New technology and science block

  350

  Roof and guttering repairs

  218

  Dartford Girls

  New technology block and adaptations

  635

  577

  School

  Project

  Total cost £K

  New technology block and classrooms and adaptations

  750

  Denefield

  New science laboratories

  86

  Dereham First

  New classroom

  63

  Desborough

  Refurbish and convert laboratories

  332

  de Stafford

  Refurbish maths and science block

  1,700

  Re-roof design and technology wing

  91

  Downham Market

  Technology wing to replace mobiles

  806

  Downs

  New laboratories and teaching wing to replace mobiles

  476

  Drayton Manor

  Repair roof

  77

  Eastwood

  Re-model and refurbish technology block

  124

  Ecclesbourne

  Phase 2 of technology block

  342

  Replace temporary accommodation with new build

  591

  Ellen Wilkinson

  Replace window units in tower block

  105

  Phase 1 refurbishment to extend science area

  103

  Elliot

  Science accommodation and new corridors

  548

  As above

  327

  Elmwood Primary

  Replace temporary accommodation

  832

  Replace temporary accommodation

  514

  Epsom and Ewell

  IT development

  219

  Ermine Junior

  New science and technology classroom

  52

  Francis Bacon

  Refurbish science laboratories

  238

  Up-grade fire resistance

  68

  Furtherwick Park

  Replace boiler system

  149

  Refurbish toilets and changing rooms

  72

  Gamlingay Village

  Replace 4 temporary classrooms

  234

  Re-model and refurbish science/technology facilities

  178

  Gartree

  Additional science laboratory and fire exit

  223

  Gleed Girls

  Phase 1 of improvement works

  423

  Glyn

  Phase 2 of new technology block

  380

  Gordons

  Gymnasium

  275

  Great Barr

  Fire prevention for 4 floor block

  370

  Great Tothyam Primary

  Demolish temporary classroom, conversion and new block

  308

  Greenford High

  Conversion and extension to teaching accommodation

  1,076

  Repair and extend technology accommodation

  510

  Gresham Village

  4 new classrooms and inside toilets

  331

  578

  School

  Project

  Total cost £K

  Handsworth

  Specialist technology rooms

  284

  General teaching space

  334

  Hardley

  2nd phase of heating system

  184

  Re-covering of flat roofs

  176

  Hartshill

  Re-wire whole school

  262

  Haydon

  New technology block/extend technology facilities/additional classroom

  380

  Extend technology facilities/additional classrooms and additional laboratories

  740

  Hayes

  Refurbish technology accommodation

  277

  Refurbish science accommodation

  146

  Hayes Manor

  Fire protection and ventilation

  132

  Refurbish technology accommodation

  440

  Hayton

  Extension and alteration to replace temporary accommodation

  224

  Heacham Middle

  New technology room

  75

  Heathside

  Refurbish 3 science laboratories

  165

  Heckmondwike

  Phase 2 of repairs to old block

  189

  Hendon

  Conversion for science/technology and maths

  463

  Herschel

  Fire doors, alarms and replace fume cupboards

  177

  Phase 2 of technology block and up-grade art

  98

  Highams Park

  Refurbish gymnasium and changing rooms

  56

  Re-route heating system

  33

  Highcliffe

  Fire doors, escapes, alarms, fume extraction

  165

  Holy Trinity Primary

  Classroom renovation

  187

  Homewood

  New technology rooms

  587

  John Fisher

  Additional storey to existing building

  853

  Additional 2 storeys to existing building

  1,175

  Katherine Lady Berkeley

  Major roof repairs

  161

  Katherines Primary

  Conversion of teaching areas

  92

  Kelsey Park

  New technology block

  338

  King Edward VI

  Replace temporary accommodation by technology/art block

  299

  King Harold

  Re-roofing and renew curtain wall sealing

  210

  King John, Northants

  Replace slate roof and repair curtain walling

  55

  King John, Essex

  Refurbish laboratories and prep rooms

  193

  Kings

  Extension to science/IT block

  475

  579

  School

  Project

  Total cost £K

  Kingsley Park

  Alteration of basement to kitchen/canteen facilities

  245

  Kingswood

  Replacement of main heating system

  347

  Kirbie Kendal

  Phase 1 for science/technology facilities

  950

  Lancaster Girls

  Replace temporary classrooms and new science/technology facilities

  925

  Roof repairs

  42

  Langley Grammar

  Extension for 2 science laboratories

  252

  Langley Park

  Re-model and refurbish craft block

  269

  La Retraite

  Final stage of kitchen refurbishment

  69

  Conversion to music room

  54

  Lincoln Christ Hospital

  Demolish temporary accommodation and extend technology/science facilities

  199

  Alter and refurbish shower block

  48

  Loddon Middle

  Conversion to create science room

  24

  Improve administration accommodation

  18

  Lodge Park

  Replacement of mobiles and refurbishment

  675

  London Nautical

  Replace boiler and central heating system

  399

  Refurbish design/technology facilities

  218

  London Oratory

  Up-grade kitchen/dining facilities

  453

  Longfield High

  Conversion to science laboratory and 2 classrooms

  166

  Phase 3 of re-roofing

  70

  Manor

  Replace oil with gas central heating system

  125

  Renew roof covering

  82

  Manor High

  Proposed technology suite

  596

  Manshead High

  Replace oil with gas central heating

  110

  Magdalen

  Heating system

  65

  Upgrade of kitchen

  29

  Mailing

  Re-model technology block

  357

  Maplesden Noakes

  Replace boilers

  200

  Conversion to science laboratory and technology room

  100

  Marling

  New science block

  781

  Marshland High

  Extension and adaptations to technology suite

  335

  New science laboratories and adaptations for art room

  260

  Mellow Lane

  Major repairs and health and safety work

  382

  New technology block

  827

  Meopham

  Gas supply and new heating system

  315

  Build caretaker's house

  75

  Minster College

  Refurbish technology facility

  364

  Mosely Park

  New science laboratories

  283

  580

  School

  Project

  Total cost £K

  Moulton

  Phase 3 replacement of mobiles

  200

  Myton

  Extend and refurbish existing workshops for design & technology

  562

  Science extension and adaptations

  1,163

  Netherthorpe

  Replace temporary accommodation by 4 room modern language block

  345

  Re-construct 1801 teaching block

  489

  Newent Community School

  Refurbish home economics

  235

  Refurbish science laboratories

  212

  Newlands Spring Primary

  Replacement of temporary classroom

  49

  Newstead Wood

  New technology block

  325

  Newton Bluecoat

  New changing rooms, medical inspection room and disabled toilet

  55

  Nonsuch

  New classroom and re-model science labs

  412

  Northampton Boys

  Improve science/technology facilities

  343

  2 new laboratories and 2 new classrooms

  596

  North Crescent Primary

  3 new classrooms

  194

  North Halifax

  Technology suite

  298

  Essential cladding repairs

  164

  North Kesteven

  Re-wiring of lower school block

  175

  Re-roofing

  301

  Northlands Junior

  Essential perimeter security fencing

  35

  Northolt High

  Partial re-roofing

  344

  Northwood

  Re-roofing and repairs to rainwater goods

  225

  Conversion of science laboratories and classrooms

  65

  Norwich Road

  Roof renewal of main block

  121

  Renewal of main boilers

  45

  Oakwood Park

  Conversion and refurbishment for technology suite

  615

  Oldfield

  2 new science laboratories and refurbishment of laboratories

  363

  Park Lane Primary

  Re-roof

  183

  Parkside 1st

  Phase 1 and 2 of front extension

  184

  Phase 1 of front extension

  141

  Parkstone Grammar

  New technology extension and re-model science facilities

  1,191

  Parmiters

  IT building and conversion to science laboratories

  1,663

  Pates

  Phase 3 of replacement building

  1,986

  Phase 4 of replacement building

  1,679

  Philip Morant

  Conversion to provide 3 laboratories

  179

  581

  School

  Project

  Total cost £K

  Plume

  Re-model upper school and technology block

  148

  Priory

  Resources unit, 4 classrooms and toilets

  341

  Queen Elizabeth, Aldford

  Replace temporary wooden accommodation

  495

  Queen Elizabeth, Atherstone

  Re-roof part of building

  118

  Refurbish laboratory

  84

  Queen Elizabeth, Barnet

  Replace windows in main block

  99

  Upgrade water system

  30

  Queen Elizabeth, Penrith

  Adaptations for new technology provision

  400

  New laboratory building

  462

  Queen Elizabeth, Horncastle

  New laboratory and re-model adjacent laboratories

  154

  Re-roof flat roof

  90

  Queen Katherine

  Roof and cladding repairs to 2 blocks

  104

  Re-model and refurbish home economics block

  50

  Queens

  Science department extension

  303

  Queensbury

  Adapt and convert to reorganise science/technology

  200

  Queensmead

  New technology block and re-model technology provision

  300

  Raines Foundation

  New science laboratory

  977

  Repairs and replace roofing

  161

  Rainham

  New science block

  344

  Rauceby

  Extension to provide classrooms, resource facilities and toilet

  191

  Reavensdale Middle

  Structural repairs to craft areas

  40

  Upgrade science laboratories and administration

  140

  Ravens Wood Boys

  Technology extension

  246

  Reading

  Conversion to biology laboratories

  240

  Rednock

  New build and conversion to provide science laboratories and classrooms

  665

  New build and conversion to provide science laboratories

  395

  Ribston Hall

  New build to replace temporary accommodation

  279

  Replace glazed aluminium cladding

  197

  Rickmansworth

  New art and design block

  510

  Remove asbestos, re-cladding and re-roof

  217

  Rickstones

  Technology suite

  450

  Riddlesdown

  Health and safety works

  405

  582

  School

  Project

  Total cost £K

  Robert Kett Middle

  Repairs to roof and chimneys

  90

  Extension and adaptation for 2 technology rooms

  67

  Robert Napier

  New technology accommodation

  358

  Robert Pattinson

  New science laboratories and re-model technology unit

  530

  As above

  290

  Robinswood Primary

  Waterproof school roof

  26

  Rewire/update electrical system

  78

  Royal Grammar Lancaster

  2 classroom block

  124

  Replace water system

  48

  St. Aidan's

  Re-model and refurbish science laboratories

  300

  Refurbish food technology rooms

  80

  St. Augustine's

  New technology block

  338

  St. Bartholomew's

  Re-model to provide IT and business studies

  282

  St. Francis Xavier's

  Phase 1 of 3 floor block for technology provision

  1,173

  Phase 1 of 2 floor block for technology provision

  802

  St. George's CE

  Modify technology block

  329

  Alternative means of escape

  40

  St. George's Sleaford

  Major repairs to 16 mobiles

  110

  Replacement of 2 mobiles

  236

  St. Helen's Primary

  Replace mobile with 2 classrooms and toilets

  132

  New toilet block

  53

  St. James's

  Re-roof flat roof of main block

  135

  St. Mary's Primary

  Refurbish outdated toilets

  31

  St. Thomas More

  New science block

  695

  New technology block

  702

  Saffron Walden

  Replace asphalt roofs and parapets

  447

  Improve technology facilities

  155

  Salterlee

  New toilets and storage

  66

  Re-roofing in slate

  44

  Scotby Primary

  Technology extension

  40

  Senacre

  New technology block

  325

  Send First

  3 classrooms and toilets

  210

  Enclosure to provide IT room

  55

  Sexeys

  Science department development

  285

  Business studies and IT block

  280

  Sheringham High

  Refurbish existing technology facilities

  295

  Simon Langton Grammar

  Re-model art, design and technology centre and workshop

  475

  Sir Roger Marwood

  Extension and improvements to laboratories

  595

  583

  School

  Project

  Total cost £K

  New technology suite and improvements to existing laboratories

  500

  Skegness

  Replace temporary classrooms and technology provision

  605

  Increase in boarding accommodation

  300

  Skinner's

  Technology building

  203

  Small Heath

  Replace heating boiler and controls

  55

  Snodland Primary

  New classroom block to replace mobiles

  332

  Southfield

  Repairs to concrete frame, flat roofs and toilets

  162

  Southlands, Kent

  Extension to replace maths accommodation

  658

  Southlands, Berkshire

  Refurbish science laboratories

  90

  Replace roofs

  15

  Stoneleigh

  Replace classroom windows

  46

  Stratford

  Re-roof upper school

  231

  Streetly

  New technology block and staircase

  396

  Repairs to flat roofs

  87

  Stroud

  New technology block and adaptions

  510

  Sutton Grammar

  New science laboratory block

  419

  Tewkesbury

  Replacement boilers

  258

  Design/technology facilities

  388

  Thamesview

  Asbestos removal and boilder replacement

  95

  Re-model technology and business studies

  172

  Thurstable

  Re-model and extend technology department

  460

  Torells

  New technology suite

  289

  Trinity

  New science block

  345

  Re-model technology suite and classrooms

  198

  Uxbridge

  Phase 1 of structural and roof repairs

  490

  Watford Boys

  New science/technology facilities

  813

  Renewal of lead lined cornice and guttering

  88

  Watford Girls

  Repairs to gym, swimming pool and 6th form

  113

  Westcliff Boys

  Science room

  170

  Music accommodation

  88

  West Flegg Middle

  Adaptions to 6 classrooms

  78

  Build 2 new classrooms to replace mobiles

  130

  William Farr

  Refurbishment of computer room, science laboratories and classrooms

  295

  As above

  560

  Wilmington Boys

  Science block refurbishment

  380

  584

  School

  Project

  Total cost £K

  Wilmington Girls

  New science laboratory and CDT room

  376

  New CDT room

  203

  Wilsons

  Food technology, design and art area

  222

  Wold Newton

  Additional new classroom

  59

  Wolverhampton

  Additional storey to existing blocks

  386

  Woodroffe

  Science and technology expansion

  1,150

  Partial expansion of science and technology

  325

  Wrotham

  New technology building

  484

  Refurbish Horsa huts

  52

  Wymondham College

  Technology centre to replace temporary accommodation

  488

  Technology schools initiative 1993–94 bids from grant-maintained schools

  School

  Amount bid for £K

  Amount allocated £K

  Ash Green School

  200

  —

  Baines School

  205

  205

  Beacon School

  185

  185

  Budmouth School

  224

  —

  Charles Darwin School

  238

  —

  Cornwallis School

  208

  207

  Eastwood High School

  213

  —

  Fulston Manor School

  41

  —

  Furtherwick Park School

  266

  —

  Gleed Girls School

  100

  —

  Graveney School

  300

  300

  Heathside School

  316

  —

  Heckmondwyke School

  266

  —

  Hendon School

  190

  —

  Homewood School

  176

  176

  King Harold School

  197

  —

  Manshead School

  252

  252

  Northolt High School

  200

  200

  Oldfield School

  755

  —

  Queensmead School

  300

  —

  Ravenswood School for Boys

  244

  244

  St. James CE School

  200

  —

  Senacre School

  193

  —

  Small Heath School

  211

  211

  Southlands School

  223

  223

  Stratford School

  300

  300

  West Hatch High

  192

  —

  Wymondham College

  200

  200

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools in England have held a ballot which resulted in a vote in favour of seeking grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Patten
  To date 640 schools have voted in favour of applying for grant-maintained status, on the basis of figures supplied by the Electoral Reform Society.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to ensure an appropriate number of suitably qualified teachers for pupils with severe learning difficulties and sensory impairment.
  585
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to increase the supply of specially trained teachers for children with severe multiple and profound handicap and with acute learning disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  Identification of the numbers and the training needs of teachers of children with special educational needs is best done by local education authorities, which can determine which categories of special educational needs training are required in their areas.

  It is for the Department to provide funds to local education authorities under the grants for education support and training programme to support them with the costs of training. In 1993–94 grant support expenditure will be increased by almost 40 per cent. to £10 million and the previous restrictions on what the grant could cover will be relaxed.

  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will now earmark a special element in the overall sum of grants for education support for training to be allocated to the training of teachers for children with severe learning disabilities.

  Mr. Forth
  The responsibility for training teachers of all children with special educational needs rests with the local education authorities. They are in the best position to determine their own teaching needs. The Government have provided for an increase of 40 per cent. from £7.2 million to £10 million in expenditure which may be supported in training teachers of children with special educational needs.

  Schools (Capital Allocations)
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the capital allocations to(a) county schools and (b) voluntary-aided schools for 1993–94.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 16 December 1992 to my hon. Friend the Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Evans),Official Report, columns 267–77. This sets out for each local education authority in England its annual capital guideline for education expenditure in 1993–94, along with the limit of capital expenditure by the governors of voluntary-aided and special agreement schools in each authority's area on which the Secretary of State will be prepared to pay grant in 1993–94.

  The annual capital guideline figures provided then did not include supplementary credit approvals to be issued to local education authorities during the course of the financial year. Nor did they include SCAs and grant allocations made under the technology schools initiative. Annex A sets out the SCAs to be given to local education authorities under the technology schools initiative for county and controlled schools and local education authority liability arising from successful voluntary-aided projects. Annex B sets out allocations for voluntary-aided schools.
  586

  Annex A

  SCAs arising from awards under the technology schools initiative 1993–94

  LEA

  £000s

  Barking

  185

  Barnet

  270

  Bedfordshire

  190

  Berkshire

  395

  Bexley

  149

  Birmingham

  407

  Bradford

  330

  Brent

  385

  Buckinghamshire

  193

  Calderdale

  170

  Cambridgeshire

  466

  Cheshire

  198

  Cleveland

  407

  Cornwall

  210

  Coventry

  260

  Cumbria

  285

  Derbyshire

  207

  Devon

  888

  Doncaster

  438

  Durham

  221

  East Sussex

  205

  Essex

  682

  Gloucestershire

  185

  Hampshire

  141

  Haringey

  200

  Harrow

  210

  Hereford and Worcester

  186

  Hertfordshire

  200

  Hounslow

  147

  Humberside

  395

  Kent

  389

  Kingston upon Thames

  200

  Kirklees

  155

  Knowsley

  114

  Lancashire

  692

  Leeds

  580

  Leicestershire

  431

  Lcwisham

  180

  Manchester

  200

  Newcastle

  225

  Newham

  273

  Norfolk

  419

  Northamptonshire

  589

  Northumberland

  711

  North Tyneside

  170

  North Yorkshire

  370

  Oldham

  180

  Oxfordshire

  145

  Rochdale

  200

  Rotherham

  180

  Salford

  150

  Sandwell

  185

  Sefton

  285

  Sheffield

  410

  Shropshire

  338

  Somerset

  284

  St. Helens

  336

  Staffordshire

  150

  Stockport

  235

  Suffolk

  415

  Sunderland

  185

  Surrey

  260

  Tameside

  205

  Trafford

  220

  Wakefield

  188

  Waltham Forest

  375

  Warwickshire

  200

  Wigan

  170

  Wiltshire

  103

  Wolverhampton

  244

  Total

  20,146

  Notes:

  1. The figures include awards to be issued by means of supplementary

  587
  credit approvals to LEAs for successful county and voluntary controlled schools and awards for LEA liability in respect of voluntary aided schools.

  Annex B Awards for voluntary-aided schools under the technology schools initiative

  School name

  LEA

  Award £000s

  Bishop Reindorp School

  Surrey

  70

  William Temple CE School

  Lancashire

  120

  St. Peter's Collegiate

  Wolverhampton

  140

  St. Benedicts' RC School

  Cumbria

  75

  St. Robert Newminster

  Sunderland

  20

  TOTALS

  425

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the bids for capital allocations from(a) county schools and (b) voluntary-aided schools for 1993–94.

  Mr. Forth
  Copies of lists of capital bids for county and voluntary controlled schools, voluntary aided and special agreement schools and for awards under the technology schools initiative have been placed in the Library.

  School Transport
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to exercise his powers under section 55(1) of the Education Act 1944 to make directions with regard to the withdrawal of free school transport by Norfolk county council for many Norfolk children in respect of the failure of the council's information booklet for the year 1992–93 to carry a warning that changes to the arrangements may occur at a later stage.

  Mr. Forth
  None.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to require all local authority and grant-maintained schools to publish details of home-to-school transport facilities before each school term.

  Mr. Forth
  No.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to expand the system of collective home-to-school transport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  None.

  GCSE Results
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment his Department has made of the correlation between surplus places in schools, expenditure per pupil, and GCSE results.

  Mr. Forth
  As my right hon. Friend told the House on 15 December 1992,Official Report, columns 284–85, the
  588
  Department is investigating these figures and their relationships. I will write to my hon. Friend when that analysis is available.

  National Union of Students
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what responses he has had to the consultation exercise with higher education on changing the contribution arrangements of the National Union of Students; and if he will make these available to hon. Members;

  (2) what further action he is proposing to take to change the basis on which contributions are made to the National Union of Students.

  Mr. Boswell
  In the course of the consultations initiated by the Government on student unions, my right hon. Friend has received a number of responses on campus unions and the National Union of Students. In the light of the consultations, the Government are now considering proposals for action. Affiliation arrangements to the National Union of Students are being considered within this framework.

  Nursery Education
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list by local education authority the latest figures for the proportion of three and four-year-olds in nursery education.

  Mr. Forth
  The percentages of three and four-year-olds attending maintained nursery schools or nursery classes in maintained primary schools in each local education authority in England in January 1991, the latest date for which information is readily available, is given in Statistical Bulletin 5/92, copies of which are in the Library.

  Youth Service
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish figures showing expenditure by each local education authority on the youth service for each year from 1988.

  Mr. Boswell
  The latest year for which information on actual expenditure is available is 1990–91. The table shows expenditure on the youth service by each local authority in each of the three years from 1988–89 to 1990–91.

  Net recurrent expenditure on the youth service

  (£000)

  LEA

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  ILEA

  35,377

  40,408

  —

  City

  —

  —

  28

  Camden

  —

  —

  2,041

  Greenwich

  —

  —

  1,909

  Hackney

  —

  —

  3,418

  Hammersmith

  —

  —

  1,563

  Islington

  —

  —

  4,664

  Kensington

  —

  —

  1,744

  Lambeth

  —

  —

  2,701

  Lewisham

  —

  —

  977

  Southwark

  —

  —

  2,087

  Tower Hamlets

  —

  —

  5,238

  Wandsworth

  —

  —

  2,444

  Westminster

  —

  —

  3,117

  Barking

  697

  842

  652

  Barnet

  966

  919

  1,039

  Bexley

  758

  884

  874

  589

  LEA

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Brent

  2,377

  2,023

  2,147

  Bromley

  894

  1,037

  1,051

  Croydon

  1,054

  1,207

  1,594

  Ealing

  1,804

  1,953

  1,017

  Enfield

  796

  960

  999

  Haringey

  n/a

  n/a

  1,580

  Harrow

  648

  791

  611

  Havering

  845

  1,025

  1,060

  Hillingdon

  1,018

  1,175

  1,475

  Hounslow

  737

  n/a

  1,980

  Kingston upon Thames

  580

  682

  734

  Merton

  459

  589

  646

  Newham

  1,104

  1,152

  1,136

  Redbridge

  1,078

  1,132

  1,157

  Richmond upon Thames

  514

  612

  684

  Sutton

  517

  576

  768

  Waltham Forest

  1,336

  1,579

  1,544

  Birmingham

  4,396

  5,252

  3,056

  Coventry

  1,095

  1,382

  3,327

  Dudley

  983

  1,137

  1,342

  Sandwell

  736

  826

  1,004

  Solihull

  430

  432

  541

  Walsall

  2,305

  2,917

  4,204

  Wolverhampton

  2,070

  2,477

  1,982

  Knowsley

  666

  980

  2,100

  Liverpool

  2,392

  2,846

  3,138

  St. Helens

  328

  287

  260

  Sefton

  843

  1,019

  1,315

  Wirral

  1,512

  1,813

  1,793

  Bolton

  1,057

  1,291

  1,326

  Bury

  916

  1,009

  865

  Manchester

  n/a

  n/a

  2,557

  Oldham

  683

  911

  936

  Rochdale

  1,453

  2,028

  1,415

  Salford

  538

  561

  751

  Stockport

  598

  747

  645

  Tameside

  1,149

  1,339

  1,674

  Trafford

  677

  834

  991

  Wigan

  876

  1,678

  1,188

  Barnsley

  551

  458

  435

  Doncaster

  1,305

  1,604

  1,599

  Rotherham

  1,029

  1,172

  1,336

  Sheffield

  3,038

  3,802

  4,047

  Bradford

  3,127

  3,225

  3,751

  Calderdale

  1,103

  1,274

  1,363

  Kirklees

  1,426

  1,600

  1,769

  Leeds

  6,860

  6,672

  7,336

  Wakefield

  N/A

  N/A

  1,091

  Gateshead

  722

  1,055

  1,125

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  659

  746

  860

  North Tyneside

  585

  N/A

  664

  South Tyneside

  1,855

  1,951

  500

  Sunderland

  1,010

  1,272

  1,521

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  2

  2

  Avon

  5,269

  6,129

  4,697

  Bedfordshire

  1,131

  1,320

  1,771

  Berkshire

  2,185

  2,436

  3,882

  Buckinghamshire

  2,370

  3,166

  4,016

  Cambridgeshire

  1,780

  2,011

  2,371

  Cheshire

  2,005

  2,081

  3,479

  Cleveland

  2,629

  4,012

  4,351

  Cornwall

  787

  1,113

  1,226

  Cumbria

  1,333

  1,320

  1,597

  Derbyshire

  5,066

  8,739

  10,928

  Devon

  2,913

  3,548

  3,469

  Dorset

  1,722

  2,358

  2,627

  Durham

  1,263

  1,381

  1,569

  East Sussex

  1,089

  1,207

  1,627

  Essex

  4,026

  4,932

  7,010

  Gloucestershire

  2,147

  2,771

  2,581

  Hampshire

  3,230

  3,651

  3,169

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  1,201

  1,630

  1,706

  Hertfordshire

  2,782

  3,395

  4,064

  Humberside

  3,839

  4,584

  5,211

  Isle of Wight

  467

  499

  559

  Kent

  2,708

  2,925

  3,072

  Lancashire

  5,179

  6,222

  6,954

  Leicestershire

  2,946

  3,267

  3,692

  590

  LEA

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Lincolnshire

  1,096

  1,155

  1,565

  Norfolk

  1,870

  2,296

  2,462

  North Yorkshire

  1,587

  1,743

  2,316

  Northamptonshire

  1,706

  1,864

  2,192

  Northumberland

  681

  913

  2,533

  Nottinghamshire

  5,233

  5,643

  6,113

  Oxfordshire

  1,325

  1,583

  1,979

  Shropshire

  1,788

  2,264

  2,538

  Somerset

  2,478

  1,913

  1,201

  Staffordshire

  2,599

  3,188

  3,961

  Suffolk

  2,124

  2,404

  1,034

  Surrey

  2,420

  2,852

  3,526

  Warwickshire

  1,434

  1,584

  1,774

  West Sussex

  1,599

  1,872

  2,164

  Wiltshire

  1,480

  2,934

  2,243

  Note:

  1. N/A indicates not received from local authority.

  2. Net recurrent expenditure includes gross expenditure other than on capital, less income other than from specific grants. Figures are taken from local authorities' returns of their actual spending to the Department of the Environment.

  Statutory Provision
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the total spending on statutory education provision per inner London borough for each year since 1988; what it is projected to be in 1993; and what the equivalent figure would have been if uprated by inflation from the 1989–90 figure.

  Mr. Forth
  The latest year for which information on actual expenditure on education is available is 1990–91. The table gives information for each of the three years from 1988–89 to 1990–91. It is for each inner London borough to determine its spending plans for 1993–94.

  Net recurrent expenditure1 on education

  1988–89 (£million)

  1989–90 (£million)

  1990–91 (£ million)

  ILEA

  1,086

  1,085

  —

  City

  —

  —

  5

  Camden

  —

  —

  66

  Greenwich

  —

  —

  103

  Hackney

  —

  —

  107

  Hammersmith

  —

  —

  57

  Islington

  —

  —

  83

  Kensington

  —

  —

  41

  Lambeth

  —

  —

  122

  Lewisham

  —

  —

  109

  Southwark

  —

  —

  104

  Tower Hamlets

  —

  —

  106

  Wandsworth

  —

  —

  103

  Westminster

  —

  —

  80

  1 Net recurrent expenditure covers all spending other than on capital, less income other than from specific grants. Figures are taken from local authorities' returns of their actual spending to the Department of the Environment.

  Medical Education
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what plans he has to enhance the levels and quality of medical education in the United Kingdom;

  (2) what arrangements are in place to monitor (a) the relative cost-effectiveness and (b) the relative quality levels of medical education courses in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Boswell
  It is for universities as autonomous institutions to take steps to maintain and enhance the
  591
  quality of medical and other higher education. The General Medical Council has a statutory role to promote high standards of medical education through recommendations on the curriculum and monitoring of courses. The GMC has recently produced a consultation document on a revised medical curriculum. It will be for institutions to develop their courses within this framework.

  The Higher Education Funding Council for England has a statutory duty to secure quality assessment of the higher education which it supports, including medical education. The council is taking forward work on the introduction of assessment across higher education and on the development of a range of performance indicators for all subjects, including indicators of relative costs.

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what estimates his Department has made of the relative costs of medical education courses provided in London and at other centres of medical education in the United Kingdom;

  (2) what study Sir Bernard Tomlinson's committee made in the course of the preparation of its recent report of the relative costs of medical education courses in London and the United Kingdom regions.

  Mr. Boswell
  Details of the costs of medical and other courses for each university in the United Kingdom are shown in the latest volume of "University Management Statistics and Performance Indicators in the United Kingdom", published jointly by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and the Universities Funding Council in October 1992. Copies are available in the Library. Sir Bernard Tomlinson's report draws on the CVCP/UFC data on university costs in London and elsewhere.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list(a) the total number of residential properties owned by his Department, (b) the number of such properties which are empty and (c), (b) as a percentage of (a).

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department owns no residential properties.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the schools which he and his ministerial colleagues have visited since April 1992.

  Mr. Patten
  I, my noble Friend the Minister of State and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Worcestershire (Mr. Forth), have visited 71 schools so far during our periods in office, made up of

  1 Nursery school;

  19 Primary schools, including 1 middle school;

  43 Secondary schools, including 8 grant-maintained schools and 9 independent schools;

  3 Special Schools;

  5 CTCs.

  The list of schools is as follows:
  Secretary of State's Visits

  Appleton CE Primary School, Abingdon, Oxford

  Dunmore Infants School, Abingdon, Oxford

  Greenvale Primary School, Croydon

  Lyne & Longcross First School, Surrey

  592

  St. Edmund's RC Primary, Abingdon, Oxford

  Thomas Reade Primary School, Abingdon, Oxford

  Frideswide Middle School, Oxford

  Archbishop Tenison's Secondary School, Croydon

  Bishop David Brown Secondary School, Surrey

  Cardinal Newman School, Hove, East Sussex

  Cockshut Hill Secondary School, Birmingham

  Compton Secondary School, Finchley

  Culham European School

  St. Peter's C of E School, Wootton, Oxford

  Wimbledon College, Merton

  Small Heath GM School, Birmingham

  Marymount International Secondary School, Kingston

  Mayville High School, Portsmouth

  Nottingham High School, Nottingham

  Radley College, Oxford

  School of St. Helen & St. Katherine, Abingdon, Oxford

  Netherlands Avenue Special School, Bradford

  Bradford CTC, Bradford

  Djanogly CTC, Nottingham

  Minister of State's Visits

  Caverstede Nursery School, Peterborough

  Appleton Primary School, Humberside

  Davenant Foundation School, Essex

  Dean Grange Prep School, Cambridgeshire

  Even Swindon Infant and Junior Schools, Wiltshire

  Kingston Park Primary School, Newcastle

  Wittering County Primary School, Peterborough

  Aylward School, Enfield

  Calderstones Community School, Liverpool

  Chantry High School, Suffolk

  Eastholm School, Peterborough

  Gosforth High School, Newcastle

  Hinchingbrooke School, Cambridgeshire

  Keldholme School, Cleveland

  Kesgrave High School, Suffolk

  King David High School, Liverpool

  Latymer School, Enfield

  Verulam School, Hertfordshire

  Beechen Cliff GM School, Bath

  Christ Church GM School, Hertfordshire

  Jack Hunt GM School, Peterborough

  London Oratory GM School, Fulham

  Sawtry Village GM College, Cambridgeshire

  Southfield Girls GM School, Kettering

  Bedford School, Bedfordshire

  Reed's School, Surrey

  Teesside High School for Girls, Stockton

  Frederick Holmes Special School, Humberside

  John Cabot CTC, Bristol

  Macmillan CTC, Cleveland

  Eric Forth's Visits

  Balby Street County Primary School, Doncaster

  Nabbotts County Infant and Junior Schools, Essex

  Pott Shrigley CE Primary School, Cheshire

  Puss Bank County Infant and Junior Schools, Cheshire

  St. Stephen's CE First School, Hereford and Worcester

  Winton County Infant and Junior Schools, Dorset

  Abbey County High School, Hereford and Worcester

  Droitwich High School, Hereford and Worcester

  Ducie Central Boys' High School, Manchester

  Glenmoor County Secondary School for Girls, Dorset

  Hungerhill County Secondary School, Doncaster

  King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys, Birmingham

  Light Hall County Secondary School, Solihull

  Chalvedon GM School, Essex

  Maple Hayes Hall Independent Special School, Staffordshire

  Wycliffe Independent College, Gloucestershire

  Kingshurst CTC, Solihull.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the Government's policy on the European Commission's proposals on data protection in
  593
  relation to (a) manual files, (b) data subject consent, (c) first communication of personal data and (d) transfers to third countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government are opposed to provisions in the revised draft directive which go beyond the 1981 Council of Europe convention on data processing (Miscellaneous No. 19 (1981) Cmnd 8341) which it considers to represent a principled and practical balance between the interests of data users, data subjects and others. It is opposed to the inclusion of manual data within the scope of the draft directive and to the requirement that in certain specified circumstances data subject consent be obtained before data are processed or first communicated to others. It is broadly content with the provisions on transfers to third countries, but considers that they require further drafting amendments.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many copies of the revised proposal for a data protection directive from the Commission he has sent out; how many were sent to organisations representing data users and organisations representing data subjects; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Nearly 400 copies of the draft Directive have been sent to organisations outside the public sector. The consultation list is based on the Data Protection Registrar's standard list, together with those bodies which have approached the Home Office. It is not possible to say, in every case, whether the body primarily represents the interests of data users or data subjects, or both.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what elements in the Commission's proposals for a data protection directive are additional to the Council of Europe convention on data protection; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The revised draft directive goes beyond the Council of Europe convention by placing extra restrictions on data users most importantly in the following respects: the application of the data protection provisions to manual files; restrictions on the processing of sensitive data; and the requirement for the data subject's informed consent in various circumstances before data are obtained, processed or communicated to third parties. The Government are opposed to these additional provisions, which they consider would place unnecessary and unjustifiable burdens on data users, with little compensating benefit and in some cases added inconvenience for data subjects.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 19 June,Official Report, column 700, if he has signed a certificate under section 27 of the Data Protection Act 1984 since his answer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has signed no such certificate.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek permission from the respondents to place in the Library their contributions to his consultation exercise on the revised proposal for a data protection directive from the Commission.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The presumption is that responses to the consultation exercise are confidential between the 594
  contributor and Government, but I shall place a list of respondents in the Library when the consultation is complete, and the hon. Member may wish to approach them direct to ask for a copy of their submission.

  Betting Shops
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will receive a delegation of betting shop employees before making any decision on the relaxation in licensing hours for betting shops.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have no present plans to do so. The views submitted by betting office staff following the consultation document published in October 1991 will be taken into account, along with those of all other interested parties.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the evening opening of betting shops on attendances at evening greyhound meetings.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The likely impact is uncertain and would depend on many variable factors. This is one of the issues to which we have been giving careful consideration in the light of the views submitted by greyhoud racing and others during the consultation process.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many meetings Ministers or officials have had with members of the Betting Office Licensees Association since April.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There have been no meetings with Ministers since April 1992, but one has been arranged for 13 January 1993. There have been two meetings with officials.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has had from employees of betting shops about the proposals to extend opening hours into the evening.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since the consultation document was issued in October 1991, we have received 213 representations from betting office staff. In addition, we have received the results of a survey by A. R. Dennis bookmakers in which 4,167 betting office staff took part.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many copies of the consultative document on the evening opening of licenced betting offices were sent out in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992; how many respondents there have been to the document; how many were in favour and how many were against.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Fifty-eight copies of the consultation document were issued in October 1991. No record has since been kept of the number of copies issued on request. Since October 1991, we have received 824 representations, of which 775 were against evening opening and 49 were in favour. We have also received three petitions with more than 2,000 signatures from greyhound racing supporters opposed to evening opening.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration has been given to the petition from Gordon Dennis and the survey carried out by A. R. Dennis among betting office staff concerning evening opening; and if he will make a statement.
  595
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The material submitted by A. R. Dennis is being considered alongside the representations from all other interested parties. We will announce our conclusions as soon as possible.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received from members of the public since April over extending the licensing hours of betting shops; how many have been in favour; and how many against.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since April, we have received 199 representations from members of the public, mainly bookmakers, their staff, or those with an interest in greyhound racing. Of these, five were in favour and 194 were opposed. We have also received the results of a survey by A. R. Dennis bookmakers. Of 475 bookmakers who took part, 439 were opposed. Of 4,167 betting office staff who took part, 4,046 were opposed to evening opening.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that agreement should be reached amongst all affected parties before any relaxation in the licensing hours of betting shops takes place.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I do not consider that such a policy would be either practicable or reasonable.

  European Parliament
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the six additional European Parliament seats will be allocated between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government are developing proposals on how the additional seats allocated to the United Kingdom could best be allocated.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what boundaries the 1994 European elections will be fought following the allocation of six additional seats to the United Kingdom at the Edinburgh summit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Consideration is currently being given to how the European parliamentary constituency boundaries may be re-drawn to accommodate the six additional seats allocated to the United Kingdom in time for the 1994 European parliamentary elections.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) adult and (b) juvenile remand prisoners are currently in prison establishments in County Durham.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The following table shows how many adults, young adults and juveniles held in Prison Service establishments in County Durham on 22 December, which is the latest date for which information is available in County Durham.
  596

  Male establishments

  Adults

  Establishment

  A

  B

  C

  D

  Deerbolt

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Durham

  279

  44

  80

  96

  Frankland

  299

  0

  0

  0

  Low Newton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  TOTAL

  578

  44

  80

  96

  Key:

  A Convicted sentenced inmates.

  B Convicted unsentenced inmates.

  C Unconvicted remand inmates.

  D Unconvicted trial inmates.

  Young persons

  Establishment

  A

  B

  C

  D

  Deerbolt

  302

  0

  0

  0

  Durham

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Frankland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Low Newton

  26

  24

  31

  23

  TOTAL

  329

  24

  31

  23

  Key:

  A Convicted sentenced inmates.

  B Convicted unsentenced inmates.

  C Unconvicted remand inmates.

  D Unconvicted trial inmates.

  Juveniles

  Establishment

  A

  B

  C

  D

  Deerbolt

  32

  0

  0

  0

  Durham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Frankland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Low Newton

  4

  7

  7

  3

  TOTAL

  36

  7

  7

  3

  Key:

  A Convicted sentenced inmates.

  B Convicted unsentenced inmates.

  C Unconvicted remand inmates.

  D Unconvicted trial inmates.

  Female establishments

  Adults

  Establishment

  A

  B

  C

  D

  Durham

  16

  0

  0

  0

  Low Newton

  10

  5

  5

  1

  TOTAL

  26

  5

  5

  1

  Key:

  A Convicted sentenced inmates.

  B Convicted unsentenced inmates.

  C Unconvicted remand inmates.

  D Unconvicted trial inmates.

  Young persons

  Establishment

  A

  B

  C

  D

  Durham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Low Newton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  TOTAL

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Key:

  A Convicted sentenced inmates.

  B Convicted unsentenced inmates.

  C Unconvicted remand inmates.

  D Unconvicted trial inmates.
  597

  Juveniles

  Establishment

  A

  B

  C

  D

  Durham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Low Newton

  0

  0

  1

  0

  TOTAL

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Key:

  A Convicted sentenced inmates.

  B Convicted unsentenced inmates.

  C Unconvicted remand inmates.

  D Unconvicted trial inmates.

  Prostitution
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the laws on prostitution; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  We consider that the criminal law is well placed to deal with the nuisance caused by prostitution and have no present plans to review the law in this area.

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

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A total of 155 bids have been received to provide future education services in one or a number of prison establishments. Of these, 121 are from colleges and institutions of further education, 30 from private sector organisations and four from local education authorities.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the consultancy study undertaken into the prison education service by staff from Coombe Lodge and others, earlier in the current year.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) on 23 November 1992,Official Report, column 476.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by individual prison establishment which contractor has been successful in winning the bid to provide education services in 1993–94.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The contracts for the provision of educational services in prisons and young offender institutions from 1 April 1993 have not yet been let.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the budgets on a constant price basis for the prison education service for the financial years 1991–92, 1992–93 and the proposed budget for 1993–94.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Expenditure on prison education services in England and Wales is shown in the table, at 1991–92 prices.
  598

  1991–92 £ million

  1992–93 £ million

  1993–94 £ million

  29·5 Outturn

  30·4 Budget

  30·9 Provisional budget

  United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the latest position regarding the management and funding of the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The position remains as set out in my reply to a question from the hon. Member on 19 October 1992,Official Report, column 54.

  Yugoslav Nationals
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 150 and 1,000 former Yugoslav nationals released from detention, and their dependants, announced by the Home Secretary last year, have, to date, been received in the United Kingdom; what arrangements his Department has made to accommodate these families; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Government have undertaken, in response to a request from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to accept a total of 1,000 former Yugoslav nationals who have been released from detention camps and their dependants. An initial group of 79 former detainees together with 49 of their dependants arrived on 17 December. We are awaiting confirmation from the UNHCR of the size and timing of arrival of further groups.

  We have invited the Refugee Council and the British Red Cross to provide initial reception accommodation for those who wish to take advantage of it. This is being funded by the Government. Following this initial reception period the Refugee Council will arrange more permanent accommodation in the community for the former detainees and their dependants. Some have joined friends or relatives who are already in the United Kingdom, either on arrival or after a short period in reception accommodation.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many former Yugoslav nationals visiting the United Kingdom have applied to extend their visit in the last six months, including applying to extend their visa; how many such applications(a) have been granted, (b) have been refused and (c) a decision is still pending; how many such visitors he now regards as overstaying; and how many such visitors have been removed from the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Available information is given in the table. Comprehensive reliable information on the number of applications for extension of stay in this period, and on overstaying, is not available.

  Variation of leave decisions1 on, and removals under enforcement powers of, nationals of the former Yugoslavia, 1 April—30 September 1992

  Number

  Extensions of stay as visitor2

  Granted

  76

  Refused

  19

  599

  Number

  Extensions of stay on other basis23

  Granted4

  1,117

  Refused

  93

  Removed as illegal entrants5

  3

  Removed under deportation process because of a breach of conditions of leave to enter or remain5

  2

  1 Excluding dependants.

  2 Figures may understate a little because of recording problems.

  3 Mainly as students, au pairs or on the basis of marriage.

  4 Excluding grants of settlement.

  5 Figures relate to all persons and not just those who have sought an extension of stay.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many former Yugoslav nationals have applied for political asylum on arrival in the last six months in the United Kingdom; how many such applications have been(a) granted, (b) refused and (c) are being considered; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In the six months June to November 1992 a total of 2,040 nationals of the former Yugoslavia (excluding dependants), applied for asylum in the United Kingdom at ports of entry. Aside from 40 applications refused on the grounds that they arrived from safe third countries, the remainder of the applications are still under consideration.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many former Yugoslav nationals have been removed or deported from the United Kingdom since August 1992; if he will list in each case the country to which the person was removed or deported; in how many cases the country had indicated prior to removal or deportation it was prepared to accept the person concerned; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  In the period August to October 1992, 29 former Yugoslav nationals were refused leave to enter and removed at United Kingdom ports. The majority of these persons were seeking entry as visitors. The information requested on the receiving countries is not available centrally, except in respect of the asylum seekers removed. No asylum seekers have been returned to Yugoslavia since August; seven were removed to safe third countries—three to Germany and four to Sweden—in the period August to December 1992. It is not the usual practice to seek the receiving country's agreement to accept a person refused entry. No former Yugoslav nationals were removed as illegal entrants or under the deportation process in August or September 1992. Data for subsequent months are not yet available.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many former Yugoslav nationals, permitted to enter the United Kingdom as visitors since August 1992, have applied for political asylum; how many such applications have been(a) granted and (b) refused; how many are being considered; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The available information is that in the period August to November 1992 a total of 1,490 nationals of the former Yugoslavia (excluding dependants) applied for asylum after entry to the United Kingdom.600
  Comprehensive information on their immigration status on application, or date of arrival in the United Kingdom, is not available.

  The large majority of these applications are still under consideration.

  Probationers
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his plans for tackling unemployment levels amongst offenders under supervision by the probation service in the current financial year, 1993–94 and 1994–95.

  Mr. Jack
  The three-year plan for the probation service issued by my Department in December sets an objective for 1993–94 of ensuring effective provision for offenders in relation to employment, partnership with the independent and voluntary sector and others in the local community. Guidance issued in 1990 had already emphasised the importance of working with training and enterprise councils, the Employment Service and others, and in monitoring locally the employment status of offenders at the start and end of probation supervision.

  It is for each of the 55 area probation services in England and Wales to draw up detailed plans to achieve this objective which best fits local circumstances within the resources available.

  The Association of Chief Officers of Probation operates regional employment forums to discuss best practice in work with offenders to secure employment and training. The Home Office regularly discusses in a national forum with probation service representatives, the Employment Department and the voluntary sector ways of mobilising effective practical assistance for offenders. Discussions with the association and other interested bodies are also in progress about ways in which performance indicators for the work of the probation service should reflect success in ensuring assistance towards employment and training while under probation supervision.

  Entry Clearance Officers
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will issue instructions to United Kingdom entry clearance officers regarding his proposed allowance of up to two consecutive applications per person; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The necessary instructions to give effect to the measures, which I announced on 8 December, to protect the interests of visitors when rights of appeal are removed will be issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office before the relevant provisions of the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Bill are brought into force.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) the total number of residential properties owned by his Department, (b) the number of such properties which are empty and (c), (b) as a percentage of (a).

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The number of Home Office residential properties as at 1 January 1993 are as follows:

  (a) 2,594 properties are owned by the Department.

  (b) 290 (11.18 per cent.) properties are vacant for various

  601
  reasons. Of this number 209 (8.06 per cent.) are retained for redevelopment or security reasons, retained for essential reallocation or to be demolished and are not, therefore, available for disposal. The remaining 81 (3.12 per cent.) vacant properties are on the open market for sale.

  The above figures do not include properties owned by the Metropolitan police or other police authorities.

  Ex-offenders
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what correspondence he has had with the South Glamorgan Probation Service Ex-offenders Employment Forum; what report he has received of the Minister of State's visit to the forum on 11 November; if he will place a copy of such correspondence and report in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  After receiving a letter from the chief probation officer of South Glamorgan I was happy to visit his offices and Her Majesty's prison Cardiff in order to meet members of the offender employment forum and launch the future skills project.

  I was most impressed by the successful initiative and co-operation by those involved locally and have thanked the chief probation officer on behalf of all those involved.

  Drink Driving
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider increasing periods of driving disqualification and sentences available to the courts for those found guilty of driving motor vehicles with an alcohol content in their blood that exceeds the statutory limit.

  Mr. Jack
  There is no upper limit on the length of disqualification that a court can impose for offences relating to driving while under the influence of alcohol. We have no present plans to change the existing penalties which permit courts to impose prison sentences of up to six months and fines of up to £5,000 thus giving the courts the powers to impose appropriate sentences on those convicted of driving with excess alcohol in the blood. For the offence of causing death by drink driving we have announced our intention to raise the maximum penalty from five to 10 years imprisonment as soon a suitable legislative opportunity is available.

  Crime Prevention
  Mrs. Angela Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's crime prevention policy.

  Mr. Jack
  During the past decade, the Home Office crime prevention unit set up by this Government has generated many initiatives leading to successful crime prevention activity. This has been undertaken by individual people and individual businesses; by community groups like crime prevention panels and neighbourhood watches; by the police, local authorities and other statutory agencies; by multi-agency partnerships; and within specific Government schemes. These include not only the Home Office's safer cities programme, but also the urban programme and city challenge. All this activity is linked by the common thread of the partnership, or 602
  multi-agency, approach in which a diversity of interests work together in a local community or for a common cause.

  The Government intend to build on this good foundation to develop a clear strategy for crime prevention involving all sections of the community.

  The four key areas of activity will be as follows:
  the number of safer cities projects will be doubled, with a broader management base to bring in a wider range of interests;
  a new National Board for Crime Prevention will be set up, after wide consultation with business and voluntary sectors, industry, commerce and the retail world. This should generate new ideas for preventing crime and enable a wide range of expertise to be mobilised, while providing a focal point for smaller groups addressing specific problems. Car crime prevention year has shown how much can be achieved by this kind of approach; the Ministerial group on crime prevention, reconvened with new membership, will be tasked with overseeing the Government's crime prevention strategy and helping to ensure that Government Departments pursue crime prevention objectives in the implementation of their own policies.
  there will be support for crime prevention initiatives which do not fall within the scope of safer cities and other Government programmes. The Government will continue to fund Crime Concern to provide a consultancy service for those who wish to set up crime prevention projects, to promote neighbourhood watch, to develop youth crime prevention and other similar activities; we will produce a good practice guide for local crime prevention practitioners; we will fund a number of innovative local projects intended to reduce the likelihood of people turning to crime; and we will encourage all sections of the community to work with the police to prevent crime.

  I have placed in the Library of the House a statement providing further details of these new policies.

  NHS Premises (Fire Safety)
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plan he has to remove Crown immunity from national health service buildings with respect to fire safety legislation; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what research his Department has carried out into the cost of bringing national health service premises up to the standards required by fire safety legislation; and what cost was estimated.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [pursuant to his reply, 17 December, c. 437]: The Home Office has conducted no research into the cost of bringing national health service premises up to the standards required by the safety legislation. Individual health authorities and trusts are responsible for estimating and meeting the cost of remedial work.

HEALTH

  Mental Illness
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance was given to district health authorities in each financial year since 1981–82 regarding the provision of community facilities for the severely mentally ill.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department has issued the following guidance to district health authorities on the development of services for mentally ill people. Copies are available in the Library.
  603

  Date

  HC(84)2

  Health Services Development January 1984 Resource Distribution for 1984–85 Service Priorities, Manpower and Planning

  January 1984

  HC(85)5

  Health Services Development Resource Assumptions and Planning Guidelines

  January 1985

  HC(86)2

  Health Services Development Resource Assumptions and Planning Guidelines

  January 1986

  HC(88)43

  Health Services Development Resource Assumptions and Planning Guidelines

  July 1988

  HC(89)5

  Discharge of Patients from Hospital

  February 1989

  HC(90)23

  Health and Social Services Development 'Caring for People' The Care Programme Approach for People with a Mental Illness referred to the Specialist Psychiatric Services

  September 1990

  HC(90)24

  Specific Grant for the Development of Social Care Services for People with a Mental Illness

  September 1990

  HC(90)32

  Supplementary Credit Approval for the Development of Social Care Services for People with a Mental Illness

  December 1990

  HSG(91)23

  People with a Mental Illness: Local Authority Specific Grant for 1992–93

  November 1991

  HSG(91)25

  People with a Mental Illness: Supplementary Credit Approval for Capital Funding in 1992–93

  December 1991

  EL(92)13

  Implementing 'Caring for People'

  March 1992

  EL(92)65

  Implementing 'Caring for People' Guidelines

  September 1992

  HSG(92)51

  People with a Mental Illness Local Authority Specific Grant for 1993–94

  December 1992

  HSG(92)52

  People with a Mental Illness Supplementary Credit Approval for Capital Funding in 1993–94

  December 1992

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the different forms of support for the severely mentally ill which packages of community care can comprise.

  Mr. Yeo
  These are listed in paragraph 5 of "Development of Services for People with Learning Disabilities (Mental Handicap) or Mental Illness in England", the fourth report prepared pursuant to section 11 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 (House of Commons paper 342).

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were living in hospitals for the mentally ill in England in each district in each financial year since 1981–82.

  Mr. Yeo
  The information is not readily available centrally in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community psychiatric nurses there were in England in each financial year since 1981–82; and how many of these were employed wholly or mainly in caring for the severely mentally ill in the community.
  604
  Mr. Sackville
  Information on the number of community psychiatric nurses as at 30 September each year is given in the table.

  Whole-time equivalents

  Community psychiatric nurses

  1981

  1,080

  1982

  1,240

  1983

  1,430

  1984

  1,880

  1985

  2,310

  1986

  2,530

  1987

  2,770

  1988

  3,080

  1989

  3,380

  1990

  3,600

  1991

  3,760

  Note: Figures have been independently rounded to the nearest 10 whole-time equivalents.

  Data are not collected centrally on the number employed wholly or mainly in caring for the severely mentally ill.

  Child Care
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she is taking to improve the effect of the day care registration system introduced in the Children Act 1989; and if she will issue more guidance to local authorities on this subject.

  Mr. Yeo
  A circular LAC(93)1 has been issued today to local authorities in England urging them to use the discretion that the legislation allows them to be less rigid in their approach to the regulation of private and voluntary day care services and childminders and to work to encourage increases in the supply of these services. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  The circular sets a new climate for providers and registration authorities, emphasising that, in the interests of children and families, authorities must strike the right balance between ensuring standards and encouraging development of provision. In particular, authorities are reminded, first, that underlying the legislation is a presumption that registration should be granted unless the authority has good reason not to register; and, secondly, that the standards set in the Department of Health's earlier guidance are not legally prescriptive. They are points of reference to be taken into account by the registering authority in deciding whether an applicant and his/her premises are fit for the care of young children and, if they are to be registered, what conditions should be imposed.

  The circular also announces that the Government propose to amend the Food Premises (Registration) Regulations 1991 to exempt childminders registered under the Children Act 1989 from the requirement also to register their premises with Environmental Health Departments.

  Intensive Care Beds
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has carried out into computer systems for the allocation of intensive care beds; which systems have been identified as the most satisfactory; what guidance is given to health authorities and trusts; and if she will make a statement.
  605
  Mr. Sackville
  The allocation of intensive care beds, where carried out by computer, is usually a function of the hospital patient administration system. The investigation of this area forms part of the on-going work of the Department.

  Psychiatric Patients
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the Boyd inquiry on the homicides and suicides of discharged psychiatric patients.

  Mr. Yeo
  An up-to-date account of the confidential inquiry into homicides and suicides by mentally ill people is contained in paragraph 23 of the fourth report prepared pursuant to section 11 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 entitled "Development of Services for People with Learning Disabilities (Mental Handicap) or Mental Illness in England" which was laid before the House on 16 December 1992. Copies are available in the Library.

  Oral Contraceptives
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate how many women have received prescriptions for oral contraceptives in each of the past five years for which figures are available.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the(a) lowest, (b) highest and (c) average cost per month of oral contraceptives prescribed by the national health service;

  (2) what is the cost to the health service of all the oral contraceptives prescribed which cost more than the average;

  (3) what is the total cost to the health service of oral contraceptive prescriptions per month.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information is not available in the form requested.

  Figures are based on the net ingredient cost of oral contraceptives dispensed by; community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescribing doctors in England in 1991. The lowest net ingredient cost per prescription was £0·62, the highest £9·12 and the average £5·01. The annual net ingredient cost of oral contraceptives with a cost per prescription greater than £5·01 was £23·79 million.

  The total cost of oral contraceptives to the health service per month was£3·14 million.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost to the health service for oral contraceptives for the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the annual net ingredient cost for oral contraceptives from 1987 to 1991. Figures for 1987 to 1990 are estimates based on a sample of about one in two hundred prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors. Figures for 1991 are actual costs and include all prescriptions dispensed by; community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescribing doctors.
  606

  Estimated Net Ingredient Cost for Oral Contraceptives For England from 1987 to 1991

  Year

  £ Million

  1987

  20·01

  1988

  23·97

  1989

  27·27

  1990

  32·09

  1991

  37·65

  Immunisation
  Sir Malcolm Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide the figures for the volume of medicines required by the NHS, the costs in administrative terms and the actual costs of the medicines in order to meet the immunisation targets for children for each year since the introduction of the general practitioners' contract; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Under central purchasing arrangements introduced on 1 April 1992, expenditure on vaccines for childhood immunisation is estimated at £40 million in the year 1992–93. This expenditure covers immunisation carried out in general practitioners' surgeries as well as in local clinics. Details of expenditure on childhood vaccines in the years 1990–91 and 1991–92 are not held centrally because prior to 1 April 1992 individual health authorities made their own purchasing arrangements.

  Approximately 650,000 children enter the immunisation programme annually. From birth to five years, each child requires four doses of diphtheria, tetanus and polio vaccine, three doses of whooping cough and Hib vaccine and one dose of measles/mumps/rubella vaccine. Contracts are placed with vaccine manufacturers to ensure the required total volumes of vaccine are available to immunise each child.

  Progress with the childhood immunisation programme since the GPs' new contract was introduced is set out in the table. These figures cover immunisation carried out in GPs' surgeries and in local clinics. Separate figures in this format are not available.

  Number of children immunized (England)

  Immunisation against:

  1990–91

  1991–92 (provisional)

  Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio

  587,000 (92)

  594,000 (93)

  Measles, Mumps and Rubella

  552,000 (86)

  578,000 (90)

  Whooping Cough

  539,000 (84)

  562,000 (88)

  Note: The figure in brackets is the percentage of all children aged two who have been immunised.

  Expenditure in England on payments to general practitioners for reaching immunisation targets amounted to £41·138 million in 1990–91 and £49·804 million in 1991–92. Administrative costs associated with the immunisation programme cannot be disaggregated from other NHS administrative costs.

  The childhood immunisation programme has been one of the country's major successes in disease prevention. The most recent estimates from the Public Health Laboratory Service's survey show that 95 per cent. of all children by the age of 18 months have been immunised against diptheria, tetanus and polio, 91 per cent. at the same age against whooping cough, and 93 per cent. by the age of 24 months against measles, mumps and rubella. East Anglian

  607
  region has achieved the "Health of the Nation" target of 95 per cent. cover by 1995 for all diseases, and Oxford, South Western and Wessex have done so for all except whooping cough. There has been no reported death from acute measles since 1989, and reports of all the diseases for which immunisation is available are at record low levels.

  Complementary Medicines
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been or is being done under EC programmes on how complementary medicines can be integrated within existing systems of health care delivery; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The scope of the current EC programme on biomedical and health research does not provide for such research and there are no plans to widen the remit of future EC health and medical research programmes to enable the consideration of such proposals. The United Kingdom Government have agreed to sign the memorandum of understanding for the implementation of a European research project on unconventional medicine sponsored by the co-operation on science and technology programme which involves EC and other European states. This project—which is designed to last for five years—will examine procedures for establishing the efficacy of complementary medicines.

  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the single European market will affect complementary medicines.

  Mr. Sackville
  The United Kingdom's medicines licensing controls, including those for complementary medicines, are not immediately affected by the launch of the single market on 1 January 1993.

  The European Council of Ministers adopted directives 92/73/EEC and 92/74/EEC in September 1992 and these provide for the partial harmonisation of the rules relating to the regulation of homoeopathic medicinal products for use by humans and in animals, respectively. These directives, which are due to be implemented in member states by 31 December 1993, will ensure the continuing availability of homoeopathic medicines within the United Kingdom while making it easier for manufacturers to market their products in other member states. The arrangements for implementing the directives within the United Kingdom will shortly be the subject of wide consultation by the Government with interested parties.

  Hospital Admissions
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information she has concerning the imposition by coronary care units of age limits on admission;

  (2) what guidelines her Department issues on the operation of age limits on admissions to hospital services.

  Mr. Sackville
  Decisions concerning the assessment and treatment of national health service patients are matters for the professional judgment of the clinicians involved in the individual case. A number of factors will influence such decisions, including the patient's ability to benefit from medical intervention; but we have always made it clear that treatment should not be withheld on the basis of age alone.

  Free Prescriptions
  Ms. Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines exist for deciding which patients are entitled to free prescriptions.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Entitlement to free prescriptions is governed by the provisions of paragraph 1 of schedule 12 to the National Health Service Act 1977, the National Health Service (Charges for Drugs and Appliances) Regulations 1989 [SI 1989 No. 419], as amended,. and the National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) Regulations 1988 [SI 1988 No. 551], as amended, copies of which are in the Library.

  Smokers
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will estimate the total number of habitual smokers in each regional health authority; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The estimated number in each regional health authority of people aged 16 and over who said in 1990, the latest year for which figures are available, that they "smoke cigarettes nowadays" is given in the table.

  Estimated number of people aged 16 or over smoking cigarettes England 1990

  Regional Health Authority

  Thousands

  England

  11,280

  Northern

  790

  Yorkshire

  850

  Trent

  1,060

  East Anglian

  430

  North West Thames

  730

  North East Thames

  880

  South East Thames

  990

  South West Thames

  700

  Wessex

  670

  Oxford

  550

  South Western

  720

  West Midlands

  1,220

  Mersey

  610

  North Western

  1,090

  Notes: Estimates rounded to nearest 10,000.

  Schizophrenia
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on her policy on the provision of long-term hospital and hostel places for schizophrenia sufferers; and on what basis the number of hospital beds and hostel places has been calculated.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Government recognise that there will continue to be a number of patients suffering from schizophrenia who will require sanctuary or long-term asylum. The national health service's responsibilities for providing continuing care have been clearly set out in the White Paper "Caring for People" and strongly re-iterated last year in letters to regional health authorities and social services departments from the deputy chief executive of the national health service management executive and the chief inspector of social services.

  The form this continuing care should take and the number of places provided is a matter for local decision. Under the terms of the White Paper it is the responsibility of each health authority to agree with the relevant local

  609
  authorities the level of continuing care it proposes to provide or arrange for its own population so that health and local authority plans are compatible and comprehensive. Authorities should then publish their proposals as part of the local authority community care plans.

  Human Growth Hormone
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Wallasey of 15 December,Official Report, column 184, by what method pituitary-derived human growth hormone was extracted from the glands; how and when the method of extraction of human growth hormone changed between
  1959 and 1985; and for what reasons, and on whose recommendations, each change took place.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I am advised that all the processes followed the same basic principle involving the homogenisation of the pituitary glands in order to release the growth hormone which is found in the pituitary cells. Initially at Cambridge the Raben method was used whereby the pituitary glands were acetone dried, extracted in an acid solution and precipitated differentially with ammonium sulphate. Then, later in the 1960s with the adoption of the Wilhelmi-Hartree method, the pituitaries were extracted in a strong alkaline solution (pH 10). The Lowry method, developed at St. Bartholomew's, used frozen glands with extraction at pH 8.5, a Sephadex G-100 column stage, ion-exchange chromatography and iso-electric precipitation. The Centre for Applied Microbiological Research at Porton Down modified the Cambridge process by the introduction of a G-100 column stage. Kabi also received frozen glands and initially used a process based upon the Roos method which involved extraction at pH 6.5 and a G-100 column stage. From 1982, they moved closer to the Lowry method with a higher pH for initial extraction and an additional chromatography stage.

  The changes were authorised by the Medical Research Council and, from 1977, the Department of Health and Social Security after consultation with the joint DHSS/MRC advisory committee for the national pituitary collection and the health services human growth hormone committee. They were intended to increase the yield, potency and safety of the growth hormone product.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Wallasey (Ms Eagle) of 15 December,Official Report, column 184, where the manufacture of the human growth hormone extracted from the pituitary glands obtained in mortuaries took place; between which dates the manufacture of human growth hormone from human glands took place in each location; and what steps were taken by the Medical Research Council and by the health services pituitary collection committee to prevent infected or diseased organs being used in the manufacturing processes in each location.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Pituitary glands were processed to produce human growth hormone treatment at the following locations:

  1959 to 1980
  The laboratory of the Department of Biochemistry of Cambridge University

  1977 to 1980
  The biochemistry laboratory at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London
  610
  1980 to 1985
  The Centre for Applied Microbiological Reaserch at Porton Down.

  1980 to 1985
  By Kabi A. B. (Sweden) at their laboratory in Stockholm.

  Action intended to prevent the use of infected glands in the manufacture of the growth hormone treatment was required of hospital pathology departments. The Medical Research Council first issued guidance to pathology departments on the glands to be excluded from collection in 1958 and then laid down more stringent criteria in 1977. The joint DHSS/MRC advisory committee for the national pituitary collection issued its criteria in 1981.

  Child Abuse
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many private advice organisations specialising in investigating child abuse and training such investigators are operating;

  (2) what is the current system of regulation or accountability to public authority for private agencies specialising in advising on child abuse; and what plans she has for changes;

  (3) what guidance she issues on the minimum qualifications necessary to practise as an advice agency to children who are being abused or adults who were abused in childhood;

  (4) whether she will make it her policy to establish a national register of private agencies that carry out investigations of child abuse, training for investigators, or advice to persons who have been abused;

  (5) if she will bring forward proposals to set up a general social services council with the responsibility of setting standards for private agencies offering advice or training in areas such as child abuse, and with powers similar to other professional bodies to suspend or expel members who fail to maintain acceptable professional standards.

  Mr. Yeo
  It is for the local authority, which has a duty to investigate under section 47 of the Children Act 1989, or for the National Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Children when authorised to act on behalf of the local authority under that provision, to satisfy itself that any person it employs to investigate allegations of child abuse, train investigators, or give advice to persons who have been abused, is appropriately qualified and trained.

  There is no additional need for a separate system of regulation or national registration for private agencies involved in such activities. Information is not available centrally on the number of these agencies.

  "The Health of the Nation"
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what budgetary provision has been made for 1992–93 and 1993–94 for the publication of the "Health of the Nation" targets.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The cost of producing "The Health of the Nation" White Paper, together with nine other supporting and subsequent publications, and making these widely available will be around £2.4 million in 1992–93. This includes the cost of implementation activity such as the forthcoming publication of guidance on each of the key areas and 14 regional conferences taking place from January to March this year.
  611
  Allocations for publications, communications and publicity in 1993–94 have yet to be decided.

  Bart's Hospital
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she intends to respond to the request made by letter by the hon. Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch to meet a delegation of Conservative, Liberal and Labour councillors from Hackney to discuss the future of Bart's hospital.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My office has written to the hon. Member to make arrangements for a meeting.

  Medical Services
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the regulations which apply specifically to the work of chiropodists, dieticians, medical laboratory scientific officers, occupational therapists, orthoptists, physiotherapists and radiographers; and what plans she has to review them.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  State registered practitioners are subject to the provisions of the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act 1960. State registration is a requirement for direct employment in these capacities in the national health service and local authority social services departments, by virtue of directions given under the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 and the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970. We have at present no plans to review these arrangements.

  Laparoscopic Surgery
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many surgeons practising laparoscopic surgery are certificated in the competence of such techniques;

  (2) what representations from and discussions with the Royal College of Surgeons she has had concerning certification of competence for the practice of laparoscopic surgery;

  (3) if she will consider the need for regulations to govern the practice of laparoscopic surgery; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There is no central certification scheme for surgeons using laparoscopic or other minimally invasive techniques. There have been no discussions with the Royal College of Surgeons concerning any such certification and we have no plans to introduce regulations to govern the practice of this surgery.

  Pharmaceutical Prices
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations she has received from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry during the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme negotiations;

  (2) what proposals she has made in her negotiations with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry on the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme; and when she expects the negotiations to reach a conclusion.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Negotiations are now taking place between the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and my Department on a successor agreement to 612
  the 1986 pharmaceutical price regulation scheme. Both sides have put forward various proposals and these are under discussion. Our aim is to reach an agreement which will provide a fair deal for the industry and for the taxpayer and it is not possible at present to predict how long the negotiations will take. In the meantime, the 1986 agreement continues to operate.

  Tropical Diseases
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans she has to provide specialist facilities for the diagnosis and treatment of tropical diseases in London and the south-east of England when St. Pancras hospital for tropical diseases is closed;

  (2) what change is proposed in the number of beds and availability of specialist staffing for the diagnosis and treatment of tropical diseases in London;

  (3) what estimate was made, in considering the future of St. Pancras hospital for tropical diseases, of the implications for the incidence of tropical diseases of the amount of travel by British citizens to tropical countries and the availability of making early diagnoses.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The report of the inquiry into London's health service by Sir Bernard Tomlinson and his team recommended that the London hospital for tropical disease at St. Pancras be merged with University college hospital. I understand that his recommendation has been welcomed by the LHTD and its parent institute, the London school of hygiene and tropical medicine as offering significant medical and research advantages.

  This, and the other recommendations of the Tomlinson report, is advice to Government. We will announce our response to the report shortly. All proposals on hospital closures or mergers arising from Sir Bernard's report will be subject to established national health service consultation procedures.

  Mental Illness
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specific provision has been made in the draft local authority care plans so far received for the care of those in the 16 to 25 years age group suffering from mental illness.

  Mr. Yeo
  Local authorities are not required to send copies of their draft plans to the Department.

  Care Homes
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what sources of financial support the Government have provided for care home proprietors so that they can train their staff to the NVQ standards required from April 1993; and how much money is available from each of those sources.

  Mr. Yeo
  There is no requirement for staff of care homes in the independent sector, or the statutory sector, to have achieved national vocational qualifications by April 1993.

  It is for employers to determine what training and qualifications are necessary for staff to carry out their duties to acceptable standards.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to reply to the letters dated 27 October 1991, 18 December 1991, 19 February 1992, 17 July 1992 and 7 October 1992 from Dr. S. G. Bennett of The Surgery, 51 Hawthorn Drive, Wembury, Plymouth, Devon, about single-handed locum allowances for rural practitioners; why has he received no acknowledgement to any of these letters; for what reasons the letters have not yet been replied to; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Officials from the Department have replied to Dr. Bennett and I have written to my hon. Friend.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will state the average net ingredient cost of prescription items charged at the standard rate of £3.75, exclusive of prescriptions which are subject to charge exemption, charge remission or the use of prescription pre-payment certificates.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The average net ingredient cost of chargeable prescriptions, excluding those covered by pre-payment certificates, in the family health services in England amounted to £8·37 in the six-month period ending 30 September 1992.

  Auditors' Report
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all reports issued by auditors under section 20(3) of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 in the last six months; and if she will make a statement on the action she has taken in each instance.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received one auditor's report under section 20(3) of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990. This relates to loans made by West Midlands regional health authority to a charitable company, Health Management Trust, to assist a subsidiary company, FIP Ltd. The report raises issues concerning the legal status of the loans, on which we are taking advice.

  Hospital Beds
  Ms. Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital beds were closed in London teaching hospitals in 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Aids Unit
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many organisations requested funding under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 from her Department's aids unit, for the current and previous financial years; what was the total amount of money requested; which organisations received section 64 funding; how much money the unit distributed in total; and what was the total money available for all projects from section 64 funding.

  Mr. Sackville
  Forty-one organisations requested section 64 funding from the Department of Health Aids 614
  unit in 1992–93, and 32 in the previous year. The total amount requested was £4·172 million in 1992–93 and £4·161 million in the previous year.

  The following organisations received section 64 funding in 1991–92 and 1992–93: AIDS Ahead, AIDS and Housing Project, ACET, Aled Richards Trust (91–92 only), Barnardos, BHAN, Blackliners, Body Positive, CARA, Frontliners (91–92 only), Globe Centre, ISDD, Landmark, London East AIDS Network, London Lighthouse, LVSC, Mainliners, Mildmay Mission, National AIDS Trust, National AIDS Manual (92–93 only), NAZ project (92–93 only), Positively Women, SCODA, Streetwise Youth, Strutton Ground Housing Association, Terrence Higgins Trust, Turning Point.

  The unit distributed £1.987 million in 1992–93 and £1.892 million in 1991–92.

  The total amount of money available for all projects from section 64 was £17.8 million in 1992–93 and £15.855 million the previous year.

  Motor Neurone Disease
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the evidence linking abnormally high levels of motor neurone disease to a high concentration of nitrates in tap water.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department is not aware of any evidence of such a link.

  Myodil
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps have been taken to ensure that general practitioners are aware of the possible side effects of the use of Myodil and its links with the disease arachnoiditis;

  (2) what plans she has to withdraw the product licence for Myodil.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Myodil was withdrawn from the market by the manufacturers in 1987 for commercial reasons and the product licence is no longer in force. Myodil would only have been administered by specialists. The product information for Myodil warned of the occurrence of post-myelography arachnoiditis. In view of this, and the fact that arachnoiditis is rare, it has not been considered necessary to issue additional warnings to general practioners about the side effects of Myodil and the possible association with arachnoiditis.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support is being given to research efforts to determine the percentage of cases of arachnoiditis which arise from the use of the dye Myodil in myelography treatment.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We are not currently funding research in this particular area.

  Bloomfield Report
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she has yet received the Bloomfield report;

  (2) on what date she will make the Bloomfield report available to hon. Members.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has now received the report and will inform the House of its contents shortly.

  Abortion
  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on how many and which district health authorities in England have run a centralised abortion referral service through community family planning clinic services; and what was the average waiting time between general practitioner referral and hospital appointment, where such centralised services existed, for the last available year.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not held centrally.

  EC Doctors and Dentists
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to encourage doctors and dentists from European countries to seek employment in England.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Employment and recruitment of doctors and dentists are matters for the individual employing authorities. A 1991 survey of doctors from other EC countries showed that around 30 per cent. were actively recruited by English health authorities or trusts.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list(a) the total number of residential properties owned by her Department, (b) the number of such properties which are empty and (c), (b) as a percentage of (a).

  Mr. Sackville
  Information is not held centrally on the properties in the ownership of the national health service. A survey in 1990 indicated that the NHS had some 93,000 units of accommodation, of which 14,000, 15 per cent., were vacant. 90 per cent. of the vacant units were rooms in hospital hostels or shared flats. A further survey is now being undertaken and the results will be made available to the Government's task force on empty residential property.

  Raynaud's Disease and Scleroderma
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has to improve facilities for research in to and treatment of Raynaud's disease and scleroderma: what representations she has received from the Raynaud's Disease and Scleroderma Society in relation to the future of the Brompton hospital unit; what consultations she has had concerning the impact of the Tomlinson report on non-London originating patients suffering from Raynaud's disease and scleroderma; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department has no current plans for research into Raynaud's disease and scleroderma. The main Government agency for the promotion of medical and related research is the Medical Research Council which receives its grant-in-aid through the Office of Science and Technology. We have recently received two representations regarding the Raynaud's Disease and Scleroderma Society in relation to future of the Royal Brompton hospital to which I will be replying. The views of the society will be taken into account, along with others relating to the specialist hospitals such as the Brompton,616
  when decisions are made on the recommendations of the Tomlinson report. Those decisions will also take into account the implications for non-London originating patients for these and other diseases.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Quantock Staghounds
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the terms and conditions of the permit issued to the Quantock staghounds to hunt on Forestry Commission land.

  Mr. Curry
  The terms and conditions set out in the permission given to the Quantock staghounds hunt by the Forestry Commission are as follows:

  1. The permission is limited to scheduled hunting days only.

  2. Vehicles may only be taken into the Great Wood on specified routes, and subject to a speed limit of 15 mph.

  3. Priority of passage is given at all times to forestry and other traffic, and to pedestrians.

  4. The Quantock staghounds hunt to indemnify the Forestry Commission in the sum of £500,000 in respect of claims for damage, loss, or injury to Forestry Commission employees and property, similarly third party claims arising from exercise of the permission.

  5. The Forestry Commission cannot accept any responsibility for loss, damage or injury suffered by the hunt or their followers during their exercise of the permission—which is given on the basis that it is at the user's own risk.

  6. The permission does not give or imply any exclusive or permanent user rights by the hunt and their followers.

  7. Hunt followers to carry windscreen stickers or other means of identification.

  8. Smoking to be prohibited.

  9. No carcase to be gralloched within 30 ft of running water.

  10. One landrover or similar vehicle will be allowed to travel on the general road network to collect carcasses as an exception to the general rule but for no other purpose.

  11. The staghounds to be responsible for the observance of the commission's byelaws by members of the hunt and their followers.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many vehicle permits have been issued to hunt followers in the Quantocks area to enable them to follow the hunt on Forestry Commission land.

  Mr. Curry
  Somerset county council, in liaison with the Forestry Commission, has issued 126 vehicle permits to hunt staff and followers for the 1992–93 season. No separate record is kept of permits issued to hunt followers.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provisions are made for the ownership of the carcase or for payment when a deer is killed by the Quantock staghounds on Forestry Commission land.

  Mr. Curry
  The ownership of the carcase passes to the Quantock staghounds hunt without any payment.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what monitoring arrangements and procedures are in place to ensure that the conditions of the permit held by the Quantock staghounds are adhered to.

  Mr. Curry
  Senior members of the Quantock staghounds hunt attend at least one formal meeting each year with Forestry Commission staff. Contacts are also maintained, as necessary, between the commission and the hunt's vehicle steward. In addition, Forestry Commission staff carry out random checks on hunt days to ensure that the conditions of the permit are being followed.

  Dairy Farmers
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the level of indebtedness among dairy farmers in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Gummer
  The following table shows the average level of total liabilities on dairy farms in England, together with the proportion that these represent of total assets, for each year from 1978–79. Comparable information for earlier years is not available. Data for 1991–92 will be published in "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom".

  Dairy Farms in England: Indebtedness1

  Accounting year ending on average mid-Feb

  Total External Liabilities (£ per farm)

  External Liabilities as a percentage of Total Assets

  1978–79

  15·4

  8

  1979–80

  20·7

  11

  1980–81

  24·6

  12

  1981–82

  29·6

  13

  1982–83

  32·6

  13

  1983–84

  42·2

  16

  1984–85

  43·3

  16

  1985–86

  51·8

  18

  1986–87

  54·2

  19

  1987–88

  49·5

  16

  1988–89

  50·1

  15

  1989–90

  57·0

  14

  1990–91

  63·1

  14

  1 All data based on closing valuations.

  Farm Incomes
  Mr. Jonathan Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his Department's assessment of the impact of sterling devaluation on farm incomes in 1992 in each sector of agriculture.

  Mr. Curry
  It is not possible yet to estimate the impact of the recent depreciation in the value of sterling on farm incomes in 1992. However, it is estimated that the fall in the value of sterling and the associated devaluation of the green pound should increase agricultural net product by around £700 million or 14 per cent. in a full year.

  Veterinary Inspection Fees
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what consultation his Department had with abattoirs in the north west region prior to announcing the recent increase in veterinary inspection fees;

  (2) what recent representations he has received from farmers in the north west region about increases in veterinary inspection fees and their impact upon competition in the meat trade.

  Mr. Soames
  Consultation took place earlier this year with interested parties, including organisations representing the interests of abattoirs and farmers, on the proposed Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1992, in accordance with section 48 of the Food Safety Act 1990.

  In the last five months the Department has received seven letters from Members of Parliament within its northern region about veterinary inspection costs. One of these concerned representations from two farmers. We have received no direct representations from farmers in
  618
  northern region about increases in veterinary inspection fees and their impact on competition in the meat trade, but a number of representations have been made by other interests including abattoir owners and livestock auctioneers.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food by how much in both cash and percentage terms veterinary inspection fees for abattoirs have recently been increased; what was the reason for that increase; upon what basis the fees for individual abattoirs are calculated: what estimate he has made of the net effect in overall annual average payments of such fees in both cash and percentage terms for an average-sized abattoir; what form the notification of the recent increase in veterinary inspection fees took to individual abattoirs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Veterinary inspection fees are charged to abattoirs under the Fresh Meat and Poultry Meat (Hygiene, Inspection and Examinations for Residues) (Charges) Regulations 1990, which provide for the recovery of costs incurred by local authorities in providing for inspection and supervision of abattoirs. Detailed information on charges for individual abattoirs is not available, but work carried out by independent consultants earlier this year on behalf of this Department estimated the cost of implementing the supervision requirements in the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1992 as £33 million per annum, compared with £25 million previously. Both figures are based on 1991 costs and slaughterhouse numbers. The additional cost of veterinary supervision in medium-sized slaughterhouses was estimated to represent £5.4 million of this increase. However, we estimate that the guidance on veterinary supervision levels issued by the Department on 30 November would reduce this to £3.4 million. A copy of this guidance was placed in the Library of the House.

  Local authorities are required to consult abattoir operators about the proposed charges at individual premises and to consider any representations made by the operator before determining the amount of the charge.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what implications the decisions taken at the Edinburgh summit in connection with the principle of subsidiarity have for the arrangements and fees for veterinary inspection of abattoirs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The basic principles and guidelines on subsidiarity which were agreed by the Edinburgh Council will apply to future Community action on the arrangements and fees for veterinary inspection of abattoirs, and in particular to Community discussions on proposals for amending EC directive 85/73 on the harmonisation of inspection costs.

  Animal Transportation
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek a derogation from the single market to permit the maintenance of the existing United Kingdom minimum standards on animal transportation from 1 January 1993.

  Mr. Soames
  As explained in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Brighton, Kempton (Mr. Bowden)
  619
  on 10 December 1992, the United Kingdom will be maintaining national rules on protection of animals in transport, in the areas where further Community rules remain to be adopted.

  Food Prices
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the Government's estimate of the effect upon the food group retail prices index of the recent devaluation of the green pound.

  Mr. Gummer
  It is estimated that the devaluations of the green pound which took place between mid-September 1992 and 1 January 1993 may increase the food component of the retail prices index by about 2 per cent., once the effects of the increases in CAP support prices have worked through.

  Broiler Hens
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what proportion of broiler hens stunned in United Kingdom slaughterhouses have both their carotid arteries severed;

  (2) what proportion of broiler hens stunned in United Kingdom slaughterhouses are currently stunned using an average current of at least 150 milliamperes.

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested is not available.

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from hill farming interests following his announcement to cut hill livestock compensatory allowances for sheep on 12 December.

  Mr. Curry
  A number of representations have been received on this matter from farming interests following

  Name

  Position

  Date of appointment

  Length of appointment

  Qualifications and organizations represented

  Payment from public funds

  Andrew Stewart

  Chairman

  1 October 1992

  2½ years

  Farmer with extensive political and industrial experience.

  £7,580/year if works an average of 1 day per week and travel and subsistence allowances.

  Michael Curtis

  Deputy Chairman

  1 April 1992

  3 years

  Extensive industrial experience.

  £6,950/year if works an average of 1 day per week and travel and subsistence allowances.

  Rosemary Berry

  Employment Act Appointee

  1 April 1992

  3 years

  Practical farming background and Women?s Farming Union Member.

  Travelling and subsistence

  Janet Buchanan-Smith

  Employment Act Appointee

  1 April 1992

  3 years

  Practical farming background and familiar with Scottish issues.

  Travelling and subsistence

  John Harries

  Welsh Education Representative

  1 April 1992

  3 years

  Senior Lecturer at Welsh Agricultural College

  Travelling and subsistence

  Victor Hughes

  Employment Act Appointee

  1 April 1992

  3 years

  Former Principal at the Royal Agricultural College.

  Travelling and subsistence.

  Tom Jones

  Employment Act Appointee

  1 April 1992

  3 years

  Practical hill farming back-ground in Wales.

  Travelling and subsistence

  620
  my announcement on 10 December of the conditions for the 1993 HLCA scheme. The reductions in HLCAs were taken in the light of increased incomes in the hill sheep sector and will in any case be more than offset by increases in ewe premium payments next April resulting from green pound devaluations and decisions taken at the December Agriculture Council.

  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the impact in the reduction of HLCA payments on sheep farmers in(a) Northumberland and (b) Tynedale; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The conditions of the HLCA scheme are determined on the basis of national statistical data and it is not possible to measure the impact on different localities. I have no reason to believe conditions for sheep farmers in Northumberland and in Tynedale are materially different from those obtaining elsewhere in the less-favoured areas in England. The HLCA reductions were taken in the light of increased incomes in the hill sheep sector and will in any case be more than offset by incrtases in ewe premium payments next April resulting from green pound devaluations and decisions taken at the December Agriculture Council.

  Agricultural Training Board
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the present members of the Agricultural Training Board, their dates of appointment and length of appointment, relevant qualifications, any organisations they represent and the payments they receive from public funds in respect of these duties.

  Mr. Curry
  The national board of the Agricultural Training Board comprises a chairman, deputy chairman and nine members, one each representing employers and employees, three educational members and four members appointed under the Employment Act 1988. The details are as follows:
  621

  Name

  Position

  Date of appointment

  Length of appointment

  Qualifications and organizations represented

  Payment from public funds

  Nicholas Mallett

  Employer Member

  1 April 1992

  3 years

  Farmer. NFU representa-tive on several education and training committees. NFU nominee.

  Travelling and subsistence.

  Ivan Monkton

  Employee Member

  1 April 1992

  3 years

  Represents Agriculture Agriculture Trade Group on TGWU General Executive Council. TGWU nominee.

  Travelling and subsistence.

  Michael Pollard

  English Education Representative

  1 April 1992

  3 years

  Principal of Askham Bryan College of Agriculture and Horticulture.

  Travelling and subsistence.

  Philip Thomas

  Scottish Education Representative

  1 April 1992

  3 years

  Principal and Chief Executive of the Scottish Agricultural Colleges.

  Travelling and subsistence.

  Pig Disease Eradication Fund Ltd.
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of whether the terms of his recent announcement concerning the use of remaining funds collected by levy by the Pig Disease Eradication Fund Ltd. to compensate producers of pigs slaughtered to eradicate Aujeszky's disease requires amendment to paragraph 2(a)and(b)and paragraph 8 of the agreement between his predecessor and the Pig Disease Eradication Fund Ltd. on 11 March 1983; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The agreement of 11 March 1983 concerns the detailed operation of the financial arrangements for fulfilling the primary purpose of the Pig Industry Levy Act 1983, which was to meet the costs of eradication of Aujeszky's disease. It does not deal with the situation envisaged in subsection 2(b), (3) and (7) of the Act, where sums collected under the levy are surplus to the primary requirements of the scheme.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he expects animal welfare regulations to fall within the scope of the subsidiarity agreement reached at the Edinburgh summit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Thanet, North (Mr. Gale) on 17 December,Official Report, column 353.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take to seek advice on the suitability of any transgenic animals produced for commercial keeping and rearing in terms of their health and welfare.

  Mr. Soames
  The Department is responsible for the health and welfare of all livestock on agricultural land. In our election manifesto we indicated that we would establish an ethical committee to look at the effects of advanced techniques in animal breeding, and we shall make an announcement about this as soon as possible.

  Fish Inspectors
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fish inspectors are employed in the United Kingdom; and what information he has on the numbers employed in Holland, France, Germany and Spain.

  Mr. Curry
  The current total number of land-based sea fisheries inspectors employed by United Kingdom Agricultural Departments is 159. A further 65 officers carry out fisheries protection duties through aerial and surface surveillance operations.

  Comparison with other member states is not straightforward. In some cases responsibility is devolved to regional authorities; in other cases, fisheries inspection duties are carried out by staff with other functions, such as police and customs officers. The following information on numbers of fish inspectors employed in the Netherlands, France, Germany and Spain is contained in a Commission report on monitoring implementation of the common fisheries policy, published in March 1992. The information relates to land-based staff; no figures are available for those carrying out duties at sea.

  Port-based

  HQ

  United Kingdom

  132

  27

  Netherlands

  180

  2—

  France

  2—

  2—

  Germany

  47

  2—

  Spain

  2—

  132

  1Includes recruitment of 15 inspectors which was taking place at the time the data was collected.

  1Not available.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that imported pesticides are identical in all respects to United Kingdom products that have approval under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986.

  Mr. Soames
  A consultation paper was issued on 16 November 1992 seeking views on the proposed control arrangements for indentical imports of pesticides. All views received will be considered carefully and an announcement made in due course.

  Fishing Communities (Assistance)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the decision reached at the Edinburgh summit on the package of measures to assist fishing communities known as objective 6.

  Mr. Curry
  The Edinburgh Council decided not to introduce a new objective 6, but agreed that "Appropriate attention should be given to the needs of areas dependent on fishing, within the relevant objectives"—that is, the existing objectives of the European structural funds.

  The European Commission's proposals for revised structural funds regulations are expected in the near future and should include proposals to bring the European Council's decision into effect. The regulations are clue to enter into force on 1 January 1994.

  During negotiation of the regulations, the Government will seek to ensure that proper account can be taken under the objectives of the needs of United Kingdom areas which are dependent on fishing.

  British Embassy, Madrid
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff of the British embassy in Madrid have been seconded from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Mr. Curry
  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food currently has one member of staff on loan to Her Majesty's diplomatic service and based in the British embassy in Madrid.

  Spanish Slaughterhouses
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make representations to the European Commission to make supervision of welfare standards in Spanish slaughterhouses more effective.

  Mr. Soames
  The Commission's attention is drawn to any evidence of contraventions of Community animal welfare legislation in other member states.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to ensure that British live animal exports to Spanish slaughterhouses meet all current standards on transport and slaughter regulations in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Soames
  All member states are required to implement directive 91/628/EEC on the protection of animals in transport and directive 74/577/EEC on the humane slaughter of animals. As announced in the reply given to my hon Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) on 16 December, specific safeguards have been agreed with the Spanish authorities for ensuring that animals exported for slaughter in Spain are slaughtered in accordance with Community welfare legislation.

  Dietary Supplements Directive
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what implications the agreement at the Edinburgh summit about the dropping by the Commission of proposals for a number of measures have for the proposed directive on dietary supplements; and if he will make a statement;
  624
  (2) what steps he took at the recent Agriculture Council to seek the support of Ministers in other member Governments for his position on the forthcoming European directive on dietary supplements.

  Mr. Soames
  At the Edinburgh European Council the Commission presented the first fruits of its review of a range of Community legislation. The Commission's list will be subject to further discussion. Dietary supplements were not considered at the December Agriculture Council. Discussion, if and when it takes place, would be, as for other food matters, in the Internal Market Council.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the implications of the preliminary ruling of the European Court given on 28 October, published in the Official Journal on 21 November, on the meaning of medicinal product for the proposed directive on dietary supplements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The Commission has put forward no proposal on dietary supplements. The ruling of the European Court in case C219/91 has the effect of applying the law relating to medicinal products to products which are described as having prophylactic or therapeutic properties, even if they are generally regarded as foodstuffs and have no known effect in the light of the current state of scientific knowledge. The ruling may narrow the scope of a proposal on dietary supplements should the Commission choose to make one.

  Agricultural Products
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list exports of(a) grain and (b) all agricultural products from each EC country and the USA for each year since 1973.

  Mr. Curry
  Comparable statistics on the trade of EC member states and the USA are given in the Food and Agriculture Organisation trade yearbooks, which are available in the House of Commons Library.

  Fishing Quotas
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with representatives of the Northern Ireland Fish Producers Organisation and the Anglo North-Irish Fish Producers Association concerning quota allocations and the application of the Hague preference; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Although I am aware of their concerns, these organisations have not contacted me directly, but Lord Arran, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for fisheries in Northern Ireland, has been in close touch with me concerning these matters.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list(a) the total number of residential properties owned by his Department, (b) the number of such properties which are empty and (c), (b) as a percentage of (a).

  Mr. Curry
  At 1 January 1993 the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food owned 143 houses of which nine, 6 per cent., were vacant.

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the Forestry Commission.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer of 17 December 1992]: I have been asked to reply.

  The Forestry Commission was reorganised in April 1992 with the aim of achieving a clearer distinction between its regulatory and advisory roles as a Government department and the management of its forests. The Government have no plans at present to make any further changes.

EMPLOYMENT

  Energy Employment
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information she has on the number of people employed in(a) deep mining and (b) the offshore oil and gas industry in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The available information is as follows:

  Employees in employment: Great Britain October 1992

  Number

  Deep coal mines

  53,000

  Extraction of mineral oil and natural gas

  48,000

  Unemployment
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will give the number and percentage of those unemployed and the numbers and percentage of those unemployed for 12 months and more in the west midlands and the Walsall travel-to-work area and the corresponding or nearest available information for May 1979.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library. Data relating to the numbers of claimant unemployed by duration, is available from October 1983 and only on a quarterly basis.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment is she will set minimum conditions for the training and enterprise councils in England in relation to representation of manufacturing industry on the boards of the TECs; what proposals she has to encourage competition in the formation of the boards of TECs; what studies she has made of the representation of different sections of business on the boards of all the TECs; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  We expect the private sector directors of training and enterprise council (TEC) boards broadly to reflect the pattern of employment in their area and this includes the manufacturing industry. It is for individual TECs to appoint directors in accordance with the broad criteria which my right hon. Friend has set out in the 626
  contract with the TECs. Regional directors cooperate with TECs to ensure that the needs of each local community are adequately represented.

  Women's Earnings
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of women who have earnings below(a) the tax threshold and (b) the national insurance threshold, broken down into married women, lone parents and single women at the latest date.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Broad estimates, based on the new earnings survey and estimates of the number of employees in employment, are as follows: in April 1992 there were 2·75 million women employees earning less than the PAYE threshold; of whom 2·25 million earned less than the national insurance lower earnings limit. Using the results of the family expenditure survey it is estimated that approximately 75 per cent. of each of these categories were married women, 5 per cent. lone parents and 20 per cent. single women.

  Social Affairs
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the social affairs achievements of the United Kingdom presidency of the European Community.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The overall theme for the United Kingdom's Presidency in employment and social affairs was "A Community at Work".

  Our key Presidency priority was to focus the attention of the Social Affairs Council more on the problem of rising unemployment throughout the European Community. As a result, a formal resolution on employment growth, proposed by the Presidency, was adopted unanimously by Employment Ministers at the Social Affairs Council in December, which is intended to pave the way for future discussions in the Council. The key elements of the resolution were:

  a commitment to economic growth, competitiveness and efficiency;

  a commitment not to impose unnecessary regulation which would hold back the creation and development of jobs;

  Community-wide practical help for unemployed people and the removal of obstacles to labour mobility;

  various ways in which the EC institutions and Member States can identify effective practice in tackling unemployment.

  During the Presidency, we were also able to secure final agreement on the Directive on the Protection of Pregnant Workers, which will bring increased benefits to working women throughout the EC.

  In addition, the following proposals were agreed or adopted by the Social Affairs Council: a Resolution on the acceptance of Member States' vocational qualifications throughout the Community; two Directives on minimum health and safety requirements in the extractive industries; a proposal for the introduction of a new, improved information system for the Community covering job vacancies, applications for work and living and working conditions in the EC; the introduction of a Community-wide labour force survey; and a Recommendation on promoting employees' financial participation in organisations for which they work.
  627
  The Social Affairs Council also agreed conclusions on the proper implementation and enforcement of Community legislation, which was another important theme of the United Kingdom Presidency.

  Useful progress was also made on proposals on the free movement of workers, posted workers, the HELIOS II community action programme for people with disabilities, health and safety in work with biological agents, and work on board fishing vessels.

  In addition, the United Kingdom Presidency hosted a productive Informal meeting of EC Employment and Social Affairs Ministers in Wales in October, at which employment and unemployment, implementation and enforcement, subsidiarity and the Pregnant Workers Directive were discussed; and also hosted a wide range of successful conferences and special events in many different parts of the United Kingdom, reflecting the United Kingdom's Presidency themes.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list(a) the total number of residential properties owned by her Department, (b) the number of such properties which are empty and (c), (b) as a percentage of (a).

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Employment Department at present has 21 residential properties. Thirteen of these properties are currently empty, representing 62 per cent. of the total.

  Training
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations she has had with the chairmen and women of the training and enterprise councils concerning the 16 and 17-year-olds not on training schemes, or in full-time education; what statistics she has in relation to the numbers of such young people; how many were(a) on a waiting list for youth training places, (b) have already started and left a youth training place and (c) other; and what proposals she has to widen the coverage of youth training placement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Departmental officials are carrying out reviews on a weekly basis with TECs which are responsible for the delivery of YT. We receive regular reports on TEC performance in the delivery of the YT guarantee. My right hon. Friend announced the estimated numbers of young people seeking training at national level in a reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Mitchell) on 1 December 1992,Official Report, columns 127–28. More recent figures will be published when they are available.

  All restart course attenders January 1991 to 1992

  Northern

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  East Midlands and Eastern

  London and South East

  South West

  Wales

  West Midlands

  North West

  Scotland

  Total

  1.People referred to restart courses

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  2.Starters

  17,672

  20,420

  13,681

  31,671

  9,612

  10,029

  22,302

  36,248

  27,006

  188,641

  3.Total completes

  16,617

  18,783

  12,103

  28,134

  8,344

  8,906

  19,073

  33,018

  24,207

  169,185

  Completers who agreed to follow up:

  Jobs

  3,707

  4,638

  3,531

  5,617

  1,552

  2,209

  4,645

  6,800

  12,647

  45,346

  ET

  1,605

  2,170

  1,584

  5,718

  1,404

  1,627

  4,818

  5,024

  2,881

  26,831

  Jobclub

  1,312

  1,541

  1,410

  5,274

  1,184

  1,484

  2,225

  3,820

  1,688

  19,938

  Other employment, training and related opportunities

  9,765

  10,327

  7,209

  16,360

  4,374

  4,530

  8,630

  16,379

  9,865

  87,439

  Restart
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, for each region and for Great Britain as a whole how many unemployed people have been referred to Restart courses by Employment Service counsellors since January 1991; how many of them were unemployed for over two years; how many attended and completed the course; what were the outcomes of the participants; how many had benefit penalties imposed for not attending or failing to complete their attendance at the Restart course; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [pursuant to his answer, 29 October 1992, c. 835–36]: The Chief Executive of the Employment Service has written further to the hon. Member.

  Letter from M. Fogden to Ms. Clare Short, dated 11 January 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 Restart Courses. These are matters which fall within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  Unfortunately, due to an administrative error, our reply of 29 October did not include the figures about Restart Courses. This reply now contains the tables; please accept my apologies for any inconvenience this has caused.
  As you will know from previous correspondence Restart Courses are short courses aimed at helping people who are having the most difficulty returning to work. They are not an alternative to regular job search or other employment or training programmes. Essentially they provide people with the opportunity to explore all the options open to them and give them confidence to take the next step back to work.
  Since December 1990 people who have been unemployed for two years or more who at their Restart interview refuse or fail to take up a place on an Employment Department employment or training programme are required to attend a Restart Course.
  As your question has raised a number of specific points, I am setting out the information you have asked for in the two tables attached—one deals with all Restart Course attenders, the other just those covered by the requirement to attend. As explained in my previous answer, we collect at a Regional level the number of people who are referred to the course who are also unemployed for years or more. We have however not felt it necessary to keep similar figures for all those referred. The Benefits Agency make the decision on whether an individual's benefit should be reduced for failure to attend or complete the course. Their figures are compiled by their Districts which have different boundaries from those of our Regions. To avoid confusion, I have given the national figure only.
  I hope this is helpful.

  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.
  629

  Northern

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  East Midlands and Eastern

  London and South East

  South West

  Wales

  West Midlands

  North West

  Scotland

  Total

  4. Total number of people with an outcome to follow up

  14,396

  15,317

  10,714

  24,925

  6,930

  7,533

  17,026

  28,341

  21,516

  146,698

  1Not available.

  Restart course attenders unemployed for two years or more January 1991 to June 1992

  Northern

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  East Midlands and Eastern

  London and South East

  South West

  Wales

  West Midlands

  North West

  Scotland

  Total

  1.People referred lo restart courses

  24,293

  30,047

  16,388

  35,941

  9,626

  12,341

  23,737

  60,852

  44,948

  258,173

  2.Starters

  15,800

  17,974

  9,321

  20,207

  5,741

  6,885

  14,170

  31,823

  24,136

  146,057

  3.Total computers

  14,930

  16,619

  8,252

  17,900

  5,042

  6,176

  12,290

  29,071

  21,764

  132,044

  Complctcrs who had agreed to follow up:

  Jobs

  3,291

  3,970

  2,433

  3,394

  784

  1,473

  2,911

  5,845

  11,402

  35,503

  ET

  1,348

  1,834

  944

  3,266

  634

  913

  2,637

  4,249

  2,432

  18,257

  Jobclub

  1,142

  1,268

  780

  2,930

  417

  864

  1,146

  3,289

  1,371

  13,207

  Other employment, training and related opportunities

  8,819

  9,379

  4,927

  10,284

  2,226

  3,185

  5,531

  14,430

  8,771

  67,552

  4.People for whom a reduction in income support was made by benefits agency

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  5.Total number of people with an outcome to follow up

  12,876

  13,397

  7,138

  15,593

  3,978

  5,004

  10,628

  24,341

  19,080

  112,035

  1 Not available by ES region.

DEFENCE

  Somalia
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom forces personnel are being made available to assist the United States humanitarian intervention in Somalia: and what is the total cost and time scale of the United Kingdom's military contribution.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The British contribution has taken the form of two RAF Hercules transport aircraft, accompanied by about 90 supporting personnel. Our aircraft are based at Mombasa in Kenya, and have been operating with US aircraft since 12 December in transporting humanitarian aid from Kenya to Somalia.

  This deployment is based on an initial three-month period. It is too early to provide an accurate estimate as to the total cost of our military contribution.

  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the extent of United Kingdom armed forces commitment to the United Nations sponsored multinational relief operation in Somalia.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The United Kingdom contribution is in the form of two RAF Hercules transport aircraft, accompanied by about 90 supporting RAF personnel.

  Our aircraft are based at Mombasa, Kenya and are engaged in the transport of humanitarian aid to affected areas inside Somalia.

  Overseas Exercises
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the overseas Army exercises in each of the past three years, and for 1992–93 to date, for which chartered airlift was used, showing the costs, the budget on which they were borne, and the reasons for the use of commercial aircraft.
  630
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is set out in the table. All costs, except for one exercise, were borne in the centrally managed air charter budget. The exception was Exercise Medman, in May 1992, which was funded by the Army. Ordinarily airlift is provided by the RAF air transport force (ATF) although demand does exceed supply. Exercises which do not secure ATF support are, in most cases, not considered sufficiently important to warrant civil airlift.

  Exercise name

  £million

  Reasons

  1990

  Ex Western Tamu

  0·090

  A

  Ex Union Pacific

  0·642

  A

  Ex Medman

  0·840

  B

  Ex Holdfast/Lutzon Hunt

  0·310

  A

  Ex Trumpet Dance

  0·820

  B

  Total

  2·702

  1991

  Ex Hutan Labi

  0·0170

  A

  Ex Crossed Belt

  0·470

  A

  Ex Holdfast

  0·100

  A

  Ex Grand Prix

  1·336

  B

  Ex Blue Flyer

  0·105

  A

  Ex Eastern Tamu

  0·170

  A

  ExSeatrout

  0·190

  B

  Ex Waterleap

  0·070

  B

  Ex Warpaint

  0·150

  B

  Ex Trumpet Dance 2

  0·450

  B

  Ex Bass Rock

  0·089

  C

  Ex Medman

  1·075

  B

  Ex Grand Prix

  0·26

  B

  Total

  4·635

  1992

  Ex Kauri Pine

  0·215

  A

  Ex Western Tamu

  0·130

  A

  Ex Crossed Belt

  0·120

  A

  Ex Union Pacific

  0·201

  A

  Ex Kauri Pine

  0·130

  A

  Ex Long Summer

  0·130

  D

  Ex Medman

  0·87

  E

  Total

  1·013

  631
  Note:

  A= Far East—out of theatre training

  It is less expensive to use local airlines for exercises in the Far East than to position ATF aircraft from the United Kingdom.

  B = Operation Granby

  The ATF was fully committed throughout the Gulf conflict and the subsequent withdrawal, necessitating use of commercial charter flights to meet exercise commitments.

  C = Substitution

  An unplanned VIP task for the then Secretary of State for Defence was met by the ATF, and a substitute aircraft was obtained from commercial sources for the exercise.

  D= Outsize load

  Civil Charter was procured to move an outsize load. The task was beyond the capability of ATF aircraft.

  E = Priority of exercise

  HQ British Army of the Rhine considered that the priority of the exercise, which had failed to secure ATF airlift, warranted air charter and met the costs from their own resources.

  Regimental Bands
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received concerning the future of regimental bands; if he will make it his policy to encourage regiments to retain their regimental bands; and what is his policy on the future of the regimental system for the Army.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have received a small number of representations on the future of regimental bands. Consideration is being given to the future organisation of Army hands, but no decisions have yet been taken. We are fully committed to the preservation of the regimental system, which is so important to the fighting efficiency and morale of the units within it.

  Bosnia
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision has been made to equip the British forces in Bosnia with clothing and protection to enable them to operate and survive in sub-zero temperatures.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  British forces deployed with the UN in the former Yugoslavia have been provided with clothing and equipment appropriate to the conditions in country. Tented accommodation used on initial deployment is currently being replaced with portacabin-type facilities that can withstand the winter conditions. Action has also been taken to ensure that, if the weather conditions in Yugoslavia become harsher than expected, we can quickly provide troops with additional clothing and equipment.

  Army Pensions
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many attributable pensions have been paid to former Army personnel by his Department in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is understood that this question was raised in connection with multiple sclerosis.

  The number of soldiers medically discharged due to multiple sclerosis in each of the last three years is:

  Number

  1990

  4

  1991

  nil

  1992

  4

  632
  The number of soldiers awarded attributable pensions following medical discharge due to multiple sclerosis in each of the last three years is:

  Number

  1990

  4

  1991

  nil

  1992

  12

  1 Final awards in 2 cases remain under consideration.

  Trident Submarines
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consult the nuclear installations inspectorate before taking a decision on the siting of the facilities for the refitting of Trident submarines.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Consultation with the nuclear installations inspectorate on the reprovision of facilities for refitting nuclear submarines will take place once a decision has been taken on where the facilities should be sited and when a licencing application has been formally submitted.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the proposals from Devonport Management Ltd. for the upgrading of existing facilities at Devonport dockyard for the refitting of Trident submarines have been approved by the nuclear installations inspectorate.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Neither the proposal made by Devonport Management Limited or that by Babcock Thorn Limited for provision of Trident facilities at Devonport or Rosyth have yet been formally submitted for approval by the nuclear installations inspectorate, nor would we expect them to be submitted until such time as a final decision is made on the future venue for refitting of nuclear submarines.

  Service Pensions
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the cost to Her Majesty's Government of raising henceforth the service retired pay of those servicemen who retired between 1950 and 1959, inclusive, to the level of the 1960 pension code.

  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the cost to Her Majesty's Government of raising henceforth the forces family pensions and attributable forces family pensions of widows of servicemen who retired or died between 1950 and 1959, inclusive, to the level of widows of servicemen who retired under the 1960 pension code.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The 1960 pension code is applicable only to officers and their dependants. It is estimated that the cost of increasing the service retired pay of officers would be in the region of £6 million to £7 million per annum and that the cost of increasing the pension payable to widows would be in the region of £2 million to £2.5 million per annum.

  Otterburn Camp
  Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many jobs are directly and indirectly dependent on the Otterburn camp.
  633
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Some 143 civilian (including 15 seasonal casual) posts and six military posts are directly dependent on the Otterburn training area. A further eight civilians are employed by contractors, and there are 76 adult civilians on tenanted farms.

  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to upgrade existing roads in the Otterburn camp to cope with increased activity.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  While there are no plans to upgrade roads within Otterburn camp itself my Department is considering a number of options for the roads in the training area as a whole. It is too early to say what our eventual requirements will be, but we will be consulting the Northumberland national park authority on these.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) the total number of residential properties owned by his Department, (b) the number of such properties which are empty and (c) (b) as a percentage of (a), showing separate figures for service and civilian properties.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As at 30 September 1992, the latest date for which figures are available, the stock and vacancy position of residential properties in MOD ownership was as follows:

  Stock

  Vacancies

  Percentage vacant

  Service married quarters

  72,202

  9,167

  12·7

  Civilian houses

  744

  154

  20·7

  Total

  72,946

  9,321

  12·8

  Many of these properties were either undergoing or awaiting major maintenance work or modernisation, some were already allocated to Service families who were due to move in shortly and others were being considered for disposal. Of the vacant civilian houses 88 were leased properties at Faslane awaiting return to Dumbarton district council. In addition some 1,800 married quarters and some 780 civilian houses, mostly occupied, were in the process of being sold.

  Submarine Notification Scheme
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what discussions his Department has had with fishermen and the coastguard service regarding the extension of the Subfacts notification scheme to all fishing areas; when he expects the extensions to take place; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) why the extension of the Subfacts submarine notification scheme to the Minches and Hebrides has been delayed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The notification scheme has been operating successfully in the inner Clyde since December 1990 and has subsequently been extended to cover submarine exercise areas in the outer Clyde and at Rona and Raasay. Following discussions with representatives of the fishing industry in the fishing industry safety group, we 634
  are planning a further extension of the scheme to cover other regularly used submarine exercise areas off the west coast of Scotland and in the English channel. We are considering, in consultation with HM Coastguard and others, the detailed operating arrangements for the extended scheme, and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

  Defence Research Agency
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the rationalisation of the Defence Research Agency.

  Mr. Aitken
  [pursuant to his answer, 17 December 1992, c. 361]: As I informed the House on 27 October, Official Report, column 851, the Defence Research Agency has proposed a major rationalisation programme with a view to saving £90 million per annum in its running costs and releasing substantial areas of land for other uses. The DRA's support costs are disproportionately high and must be reduced to preserve the research capabilities we need to support smaller, better equipped armed forces. Following consultations with trade unions, a programme for rationalisation of the DRA's sites and services has been agreed. This includes:

  a. Substantial DRA investment at:

  Farnborough

  Pyestock

  Fort Halstead

  Malvern

  Bincleavcs

  Chertscy

  Haslar

  Portsdown West

  West Drayton

  Aquila

  Rosyth (South Arm)

  Winfrith

  b. DRA withdrawal from:

  Alverstoke

  Bedford Airfield (enclave retained)

  Christchurch (enclave retained)

  obham

  Dunfermline (St. Leonards)

  Empress State Building

  Funtingdton (South)

  Holton Heath

  Horsea Island

  Portland (North and Southwell)

  Portsdown (Main)

  Royal Arsenal Woolwich (East and West)

  Slough

  Swynnerton

  Teddington

  The planned dates for site closures and DRA withdrawal remain as set out in the DRA consultative document.

  The Government are committed to developing the DRA as a centre of scientific excellence offering value for money. Rationalisation will involve a major upheaval but is essential to secure the DRA's future. Implementation of the programme will start immediately.

SCOTLAND

  Peebles High School
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what provision has been made for the updating of hutted accommodation at Peebles high school.
  635
  Mr. Lang
  Decisions on the updating of accommodation at Peebles high school are for Borders regional council as the education authority.

  Business Rate
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to implement a Scottish business rate comparable to that of England and Wales.

  Mr. Lang
  Our policy is to phase in aScottish business rate comparable to that in England and Wales in parallel with the phasing in of the effects of the 1990 revaluation and the national non-domestic rate in England and Wales. This is expected to he completed by 1995 or shortly thereafter. The value of the reduction made in Scottish rate poundages since 1990–91 is equivalent to a reduction of £280 million in this year's rates bill for non-domestic subjects and a further £68 million reduction will be made in 1993–94.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment has been made of the current and future financial implications for Scottish Nuclear Ltd. and for his Department in the future, of the establishment of a temporary store for waste nuclear fuel at Torness power station.

  Mr. Stewart
  I understand from Scottish Nuclear Ltd. that it expects that establishment of spent fuel storage facilities at Torness and Hunterston power stations would reduce charges to the profit and loss account by around £45 million next year. My right hon. Friend will not take a decision on SNL's proposals until he has considered the reporter's recommendations following the public inquiry now being held. The setting of SNL's external financial limit, which is a charge on the Scottish Office programme, takes account of the company's operating and other costs.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many homeless households are currently living in temporary accommodation in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The latest complete information on numbers of homeless households living in temporary accommodation in Scotland is published in table 11 of the statistical bulletin HSG/1992/6, "Operation of the Homeless Persons Legislation in Scotland 1980/81 to 1991/92". The bulletin is available in the House Library.

  Skye Bridge
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those bodies and individuals who have made representations to him in support of(a) the design of and (b) the high-toll principle on the proposed Skye bridge.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  From extensive consultations conducted by means of presentations and public exhibitions attended by environmental bodies, elected bodies and the public there was clear evidence of support for the design of the Skye bridge. Highland regional council, Skye and Lochalsh district council, the Countryside Commission for Scotland and the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland all favoured the box-girder design, as did the public with a majority of two to one preferring the present design.
  636
  Before tendering for a privately funded toll bridge, with the level of tolls set no higher than existing ferry fares for a duration of up to 20 years, support was given by HRC, Skye and Lochalsh district council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise—formerly Highlands and Islands Development Board—and the majority of community councils of Skye and Lochalsh. Before accepting the winning tender in September 1991 the project was again presented to Highland regional council, which voted by a substantial majority to proceed with the toll bridge in preference to continuing with the ferries.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what circumstances it will be possible for the concessionaire of the proposed Skye bridge to increase tolls by more than the annual rate of inflation.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 14 December 1992]: The concessionaire cannot increase the tolls above the rate of inflation except in the unlikely event that the average annual revenues, measured over a full three-year period, were to fall below the 1990 level. In such circumstances the concessionaire is permitted to increase the tolls above inflation by the same percentage as the revenue falls below the 1990 figure. Under no circumstances can the tolls be raised above the rate of inflation by more than 30 per cent. If traffic levels then return to 1990 levels or above, the increase over inflation requires to be removed. No increases above inflation can be introduced prior to November 1997. The full details of the arrangement are described in the made toll order for the scheme a copy of which my right hon. Friend has arranged to be placed in the Library.

  Toll Bridges
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the current level of tolls in Scotland, on bridges for which he has a responssibility.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The current level of tolls in Scotland, on bridges for which my right hon. Friend has a responsibility is as follows:

  Bridges

  Tolls

  Erskine Bridge1

  60p

  Forth Road Bridge1

  Cars

  40p

  Buses

  70p

  Heavy Vehicles

  £1·00

  Tay Road Bridge2

  Cars, light vehicles and scheduled buses

  80p

  Heavy Vehicles

  £2·00

  Motor cycles cross all 3 bridges free of toll.

  1 Concessions available for regular users.

  2 One-way toll (southbound)—northbound is free.

  The Forth Road Bridge Joint Board and Tay Road Bridge Joint Board have statutory responsibility for their respective bridges. Erskine bridge is the responsibility of the Secretary of State.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secreiary of State for Scotland if he will state the toll levels on bridges in Scotland for which he is responsible at the time of their opening(a) in cash terms and (b) at current value, taking account of inflation.
  637
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is as follows:

  (a) Actual toll levels in cash terms on bridge opening

  (b) Estimated toll levels at opening at current value (November 1992)

  Erskine Bridge—Opened 2 July 1971

  Cars, light passengers and goods vehicles

  15p

  £1·05

  Scheduled buses

  25p

  £1·75

  Heavy vehicles

  50p

  £3·50

  Forth Road Bridge—Opened 4 September 1964

  All vehicles (flat rate)

  2s 6d(12½p)

  £1·28

  Toy Road Bridge—Opened 18 August 1966

  Motor cycles and cars

  2s 6d(12½p)

  £1·18

  Buses and heavy vehicles

  10s 0d(50p)

  £4·71

  Ferry Services
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will define the ownership of, and rights of access to, the ferry terminals at Kyle and Kyleakin.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The roads leading up to, and including, the slipways at Kyle of Lochalsh and Kyleakin are owned by my right hon. Friend and Highland regional council respectively. Traffic management, including the application of restrictions on the use of the slipways, is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend, as trunk roads authority, at Kyle of Lochalsh and of Highland regional council, as local roads authority, at Kyleakin. Additionally, Highland regional council, as harbour authority, may regulate the use of the slipways under the powers of the Highland Regional Council (Harbours) Order Confirmation Act 1991.

  Criminal Inquiries
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidelines the Lord Advocate lays down for those conducting criminal inquiries, in substance, on his behalf, on the practice of giving interviews to the press.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The then Lord Advocate issued guidelines to chief constables on dealings with the press in relation to criminal inquiries in July 1983. These guidelines were also issued to procurators fiscal. They are kept under review in the light of changes and developments in the law. They cover what may be said at various stages of inquiries.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action the Lord Advocate intends to take as a result of the premature disclosure of the conclusions of the inquiry conducted by Mr. Nimmo Smith.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The conclusions of Mr. Nimmo Smith and Mr. Friel following their inquiry have not been disclosed. It is intended that their report will be published before the end of January, as my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate has already made known.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether it was with the authority of the Lord Advocate 638
  that Mr. Nimmo Smith QC gave interviews to journalists about the inquiry that he is currently conducting for the Lord Advocate.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The remit of my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate to Mr. Nimmo Smith and Mr. Friel was that they should exercise the fullest possible independence of judgment in conducting their investigation. Authority to speak to journalists was not therefore sought by them.

  Children (Special Needs)
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a list setting out the percentage of children recorded as having special needs in primary schools in each local education authority area in 1990,1991 and 1992.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 30 November 1992]: Information on the percentage of education authority primary school pupils for whom a record of needs is maintained is shown in the table. Information for 1992 is not yet available.

  Percentage of recorded pupils in education authority primary schools as at September

  1990 per cent.

  1991 per cent.

  Scotland

  0·3

  0·4

  Borders

  0·3

  0·5

  Central

  0·4

  0·4

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1·1

  1·0

  Fife

  0·1

  0·1

  Grampian

  0·2

  0·4

  Highland

  0·7

  0·8

  Lothian

  0·2

  0·1

  Strathclyde

  0·3

  0·4

  Tayside

  0·2

  0·3

  Orkney

  0·2

  0·2

  Shetland

  0·4

  0·3

  Western Isles

  0·4

  0·3

  Strathclyde divisions

  Argyll and Bute

  0·9

  0·8

  Ayr

  0·5

  0·8

  Dunbarton

  0·1

  0·1

  Glasgow

  0·2

  0·3

  Lanark

  0·2

  0·3

  Renfrew

  0·4

  0·5

  Prison Service
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total expenditure by the Scottish Office in the training and recruitment of professional staff for the Scottish prison service in each of the past three financial years; what innovations have been implemented in training and recruitment; and if he will make a statement on future plans and expenditure.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 7 December 1992]: Major changes have been made in training policy with substantially increased investment in prison staff training and innovative training programmes. Future expenditure plans for the Scottish prison service will be announced next February in the Scottish Office departmental report. No diminution is planned in the Scottish prison service's investment in training.

  Total expenditure on training and recruitment of prison staff in each of the last three financial years:
  639

  1990–91

  1991–92

  £000 1992–93 (budget

  Training costs (trainer staff cosls and GAE)

  2,747

  2,297

  3,609

  Staff time devoted to training person weeks (approx)

  2,750

  3,900

  14,250

  Recruitment (staff and GAE)

  451

  72

  158

  (Numbers recruited)

  (149)

  (374)

  2(362)

  1 (estimated)

  2 (projected)

  Total prison staff numbers have increased from 3,966 on 1 April 1990 to 4,405 (projected) on 1 April 1993 (excluding HQ staff).

  Care and Repair Schemes
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what evaluation has been made by the Scottish Office of care and repair projects in Scotland; and what budget has been allocated by the Scottish Office for the continuation of such projects in the current and next financial year.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 9 December 1992]: I am pleased to say that on 7 December the Scottish Homes board agreed to take over central responsibility for care and repair from 1 April 1993, including the funding of local projects. This transfer was recommended in the consultants' evaluation report on the initiative, published in February 1992, and by the independent National Advisory Committee on Care and Repair. Scottish Homes' allocation for 1993–94 includes an estimated £70,000 for transitional costs relating to care and repair including £10,000 for a good practice guide.

  Councillors
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many elected councillors in Scottish local author: ties there are at present; and how many he plans there should be after the proposed changes to unitary councils.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 16 December 1992]: There are presently 1,682 councillors in local authorities in Scotland—445 regional councillors, 79 islands councillors and 1,158 district councillors. No decision has been taken on how many councillors will he required following the restructuring of local government. That will depend in part upon the size and number of single-tier authorities which are created. Before he reaches a decision on the appropriate number of councillors for the new structure my right hon. Friend will he considering carefully all the views which are expressed in response to the consultation paper "The Structure of Local Government in Scotland: Shaping the New Councils".

  European Council, Edinburgh
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish(a) his estimate of expenditure on security and police expenditure in connection with the European summit to be held in Edinburgh on 10 to 12 December and (b) the eventual total expenditure; if he will reconsider his decision not to provide additional funding for Lothian and Borders police board to cover this additional expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 17 December 1992]: Lothian and Borders police estimate
  640
  that the cost of providing security and policing for the European summit will be £2.5 million. Total expenditure will not be known until around February 1993.

  The Government will contribute to the costs of policing the summit through police specific grant. This is the usual arrangement and my right hon. Friend has no plans to review the financing of the policing of such major events. The rate of specific grant is 51 per cent., except in London where it is 52 per cent.

  Ex-psychiatric Patients (Offences)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each year since 1980 the number of people charged with criminal offences who were formerly in-patients of psychiatric hospitals.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 17 December 1992]: The information requested is not collected centrally.

  EC Acquired Rights Directive
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the EC Acquired Rights directive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: I have received a small number of representations on the EC acquired rights directive 77/187 and the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations which implement this directive in the United Kingdom. The directive and regulations can apply to the contracting out of public sector services where it can be shown that there has been a transfer of undertaking. This has to be considered against the facts of each particular case.

  SSSIs
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current number of sites of special scientific interest in Scotland: and how many proposed designations for sites of special scientific interest are currently pending.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: A total of 1,353 sites of special scientific interest have been notified in Scotland. A further 11 cases are currently proposed for notification.

  Betting Offices
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the evening opening of betting offices in Scotland(a) in general and (b) from Scotland's senior police officers.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]:Eight Scottish organisations submitted responses to the Home Office consultation document, "Evening Opening of Licensed Betting Offices", published in October 1991. Three further Scottish organisations made representations via Members of Parliament. The 11 organisations are listed in the table:

  The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

  Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland)

  Association of Scottish Police Superintendents

  Scottish Police Federation

  Scottish SP Bookmakers' Association

  Scottish Consumer Council

  City of Glasgow Licensing Board

  641

  Wishaw Greyhound Stadium

  Edgar Ramsay Bookmakers

  East of Scotland Bookmakers Association

  Shawfield Greyhound Racing and Leisure Company.

  Hospital Closures
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list hospitals which have(a) partially and (b) wholly closed, during 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 15 December 1992]: The information requested on hospitals wholly closed is as detailed in the table. During the same period 31 health service buildings were opened at a total capital cost of £178 million. The information requested on partial closures is not available centrally.

  1989

  Braeholm Hospital

  Bruntsfield Hospital

  Beechmount Hospital

  Cambusavie Hospital

  Kilmarnock Maternity Hospital

  Culduthel Hospital

  1990

  Drumshorcland Hospital

  Fonthill Maternity Hospital

  1991

  Dunlophouse Hospital

  Ayr County Hospital

  Seafield Sick Children's Hospital

  Thornyflat Maternity Hospital, Ayr

  Heathfield Hospital

  Drumlanrig Hospital, Hawick

  Craigtoun Hospital

  Summerfield Maternity Hospital

  Duntocher Hospital, Clydebank

  Wishaw Hospital

  Longmore Hospital

  642
  1992

  Stoneyctts Hospital, Chryston

  David Elder Hospital, Glasgow

  Darnley Hospital

  Bangour General Hospital

  Kelso Cottage Hospital

  Lewis Hospital

  County Hospital, Stornoway

  Philipshill Hospital, Glasgow

  Empty Office Buildings
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated number of empty office buildings in(a) Glasgow and (b) Edinburgh on 30 November; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 15 December]: No record is kept of the number of empty office buildings in city or town centres, but my right hon. Friend is kept abreast of general market trends drawing on sources such as external published research by property agents, developers and others. This indicates that available office floorspace is currently approximately as follows:

  Glasgow City Centre—1·2m square feet

  Edinburgh City Centre—1·87m square feet

  Asbestos
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing(a) asbestos-related deaths and (b) asbestos-related disorders for each regional and island area since 1979.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 15 December 1992]: Since the tabulated information will be lengthy, I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

  Health Service Contracts
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list each contract made with NHS trusts by(a) the Scottish Office and (b) the health boards for the most recent available year.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 15 December 1992]: The contracts made between NHS trusts and the Scottish Office in the financial year 1992–93 are:

  Cardiac Surgery

  Aberdeen Royal Hospitals Trust

  The Reference Laboratory Services

  Type of contract

  Year

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1A

  B

  A

  B

  A

  B

  A

  B

  Hotel services2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Domestic

  —

  9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  Catering

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Portering

  2

  1

  —

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Painterwork

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  2

  4

  6

  Grounds maintenance

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  6

  Totals

  2

  11

  —

  8

  3

  2

  6

  15

  1A—Argyll and Clyde Health Board.

  B—Greater Giasgow Health Board.

  2Hotel services is used in this contexst to describe a combined contract covering domestic, catering and portering services.

  Since the introduction of the competitive tendering initiative in the NHS, Argyll and Clyde health board has awarded 40 contracts of which 11, 28 per cent., have been won by private contracts. Greater Glasgow health board has let 78 contracts of which 39, 50 per cent., were to outside firms. Throughout Scotland 86 out of a total of 351 contracts, 25 per cent., have been awarded privately.

  The Government's White Paper "Competing for Quality" (Command Paper 1730), sets out a programme for extending market testing to a wider range of activities. As a result of market testing in the NHS in Scotland, over £90 million has been saved. This money has been retained by health boards for re-investment in patient care.

  Ambulance Service
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table of ambulance services' response rates in relation to the patients charter; by what other criteria these services are assessed for effectiveness and efficiency; and if he will make a statement.

  Target

  Achievement

  Target

  Achievement

  High population density

  50 per cent of calls within 7 minutes

  44 per cent.

  95 per cent of calls within 14 minutes

  87 per cent.

  Medium population density

  50 per cent. of calls within 8 minutes

  53 per cent.

  95 per cent. of calls within 18 minutes

  94 per cent.

  Sparse population density

  50 per cent. of calls within 8 minutes

  47 per cent.

  95 per cent. of calls within 21 minutes

  89 per cent.

  Response rates are currently the main measure of performance but level and nature of complaints is also an important indicator of the quality of service. The general manager of the Scottish Ambulance Service has been asked to consider devising further performance indicators which will measure effectiveness, efficiency and economy. In addition, the new consultant medical director will be conducting a medical audit of the outcome of pre-hospital care provided by ambulance staff.
  644

  Aberdeen Royal Hospitals Trust

  Details of contracts between health boards and NHS trusts are not held centrally.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the contracts awarded by(a) the Argyll and Clyde health board and (b) the Greater Glasgow health board to outside parties in relation to the process of compulsory competitive tendering, in each of the past four yeaers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 15 December 1992]: The contracts awarded were as follows:

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 15 December 1992]: The Scottish Ambulance Service measures its performance against national targets, often referred to as the ORCON standards. The targets in response to emergency and 999 calls have been set having regard to population density and are as follows:

  Population density

  50 per cent. of calls responded to within (minutes)

  95 per cent. of calls responded to within (minutes)

  High

  7

  14

  Medium

  8

  18

  Sparse

  8

  21

  For the period 1 April to 30 September 1992 the Scottish Ambulance Service achieved the following response rates:

  During the last year the Scottish Ambulance Service has made significant improvements to the quality arid speed of its accident and emergency response by the introduction of paramedic rapid response units mounted in either LandRover Discoverys or on motor cycles. Furthermore, recognising the special problems the service has in responding to calls in Greater Glasgow, the accident and emergency service has recently been enhanced by an additional 14 full-time qualified ambulance personnel.
  645
  From 1 April 1993, the service will be improving its overall level and speed of response across Scotland, particularly in rural areas, by introducing the United Kingdom's first integrated air ambulance service, which will employ three air ambulance helicopters and three fixed-wing aircraft.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice his officials give to those ambulance services which are deemed to be inefficient in relation to(a) the patients charter and (b) ORCON in relation to response rates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 15 December 1992]: The general manager of the Scottish Ambulance Service is accountable to the Common Services Agency for the performance of the Scottish Ambulance Service. However, my officials in the Scottish Office Home and Health Department hold regular meetings with senior staff of the Common Services Agency and encourage measures aimed to improve response rates having regard to the resources made available.

  Drugs
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums of money were expended by the Scottish Office in relation to the European Drugs Prevention Week,(a) additional to those in existing annual programmes and (b) in total; and for what specific purposes in each case.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 15 December 1992]: Final payments have not yet been made in respect of some activities, but total Scottish Office expenditure on European Drug Prevention Week is expected to be about £225,000. This includes expenditure on local activities and

  Deaths with any mention of hypothermia on the death certificate 1987–91

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Parliamentary constituency of

  Male

  1

  4

  1

  1

  1

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  Female

  1

  —

  2

  1

  —

  Strathclyde

  Male

  39

  36

  35

  35

  21

  Female

  41

  36

  33

  32

  23

  Scotland

  Male

  77

  62

  66

  63

  49

  Female

  76

  76

  86

  74

  52

  Water Authorities
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much grant assistance was given to each water authority in Scotland in each financial year since 1989–90.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 16 December 1992]: Details of grant assistance to water authorities in the period from 1989–90 to 1991–92 under the Rural Water Supply and Sewerage Acts 1944 to 1970 and the Industrial Development Act 1982, and payment to water authorities under the European regional development fund are given in the tables. The table for ERDF includes payments to the Central Scotland Water Development Board.

  (a) Grant payments to water authorities under Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Acts 1944–70

  1989–90 £ thousand

  1990–91 £ thousand

  1991–92 £ thousand

  Borders

  251

  246

  262

  Central

  107

  90

  102

  Dumfries and Galloway

  431

  476

  475

  646
  events organised by health boards and others (£75,000); the production by Strathclyde Education Department of an updated video package for use in Scottish schools entitled "Drugwise Too" (£50,000); television advertising before and during the week (£41,000); the production and provision of publicity and information materials for use during the week (£27,750); three Scottish conferences held during the week (£22,500); and the production and distribution of an information booklet entitled "Drugs —A Guide for Young People in Scotland" (£10,500). The costs were met from provision for publicity about the risks of drug misuse and printing of associated materials; no additional funds were provided.

  Local Authority Contracts
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the contracts awarded to outside parties in relation to compulsory competitive tendering by(a) Inverclyde district council and (b) Strathclyde regional council in each of the past four years.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 15 December 1992]: This information is not held centrally.

  Hypothermia
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) men and (b) women have died of hypothermia in (i) the parliamentary constituency of Greenock and Port Glasgow, (ii) Strathclyde and (iii) Scotland in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 15 December 1992]: The figure requested are given in the table.

  1989–90 £ thousand

  1990–91 £ thousand

  1991–92 £ thousand

  Fife

  35

  31

  28

  Grampian

  999

  1,000

  1,196

  Highland

  757

  913

  1,039

  Lothian

  462

  452

  467

  Strathclyde

  321

  356

  297

  Tayside

  269

  262

  266

  Orkney

  167

  165

  165

  Shetland

  157

  239

  191

  Western Isles

  212

  199

  191

  Total

  4,168

  4,429

  4,679

  (b) Grants to water authorities under Industrial Development Act 1982

  1989–90 £ thousand

  1990–91 £ thousand

  1991–92 £ thousand

  Highland

  0

  0

  10

  647

  (c) Payments to water authorities and the central Scotland water development board in respect of European regional development fund

  1989–90 £ thousand

  1990–91 £ thousand

  1991–92 £ thousand

  Borders

  0

  0

  2

  Central

  393

  0

  0

  Dumfries and Galloway

  4

  0

  684

  Fife

  47

  397

  0

  Grampian

  2

  71

  41

  Highland

  933

  1,187

  838

  Lothian

  453

  910

  274

  Strathclyde

  589

  7,478

  1,716

  Tayside

  0

  786

  0

  Orkney

  456

  332

  41

  Shetland

  41

  382

  33

  Western Isles

  4

  22

  15

  Central Scotland Water Development Board

  558

  1,352

  1,140

  Total

  3,480

  12,917

  4,784

  A96
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will announce the route and commencement date for the Fochabers bypass on the A96.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 16 December 1992]: The Government have a very large rolling programme of improvements on the A96. An important element within this is the construction of major bypasses. Bucksburn is currently under construction and Kintore and Keith have also been announced as planned starts. The Government wish to target the maximum resources possible at construction, so preparation for further bypasses is, and will be, pursued in line with expectations for construction funding. The entry of Fochabers to the trunk road preparation programme will continue to be kept under review.

  1987–88 (£)

  1988–89 (£)

  1989–90 (£)

  1990–911 (£)

  1991–921 (£)

  Grant allocation for 1992–932

  Skye and Lochalsh

  4,000

  9,500

  14,000

  —

  —

  15,500

  East Lothian

  5,000

  7,000

  13,000

  —

  —

  18,500

  Aberdeen

  3,500

  8,500

  11,500

  —

  —

  14,500

  Renfrew

  4,500

  8,000

  9,000

  —

  —

  13,500

  Falkirk

  3,500

  8,500

  10,000

  —

  —

  13,000

  Orkney

  2,000

  9,500

  10,500

  —

  —

  15,500

  Glasgow

  Nil

  8,000

  8,500

  —

  —

  12,500

  Clydesdale

  Nil

  4,000

  8,500

  —

  —

  12,500

  National Co-ordinators Office

  15,000

  27,500

  24,000

  52,000

  63,000

  58,500

  Total

  37,500

  90,500

  109,500

  115,500

  125,000

  174,000

  1 Breakdown of expenditure between projects not available centrally for these years.

  2 Grant not allocated between projects in earlier years.

ENVIRONMENT

  Water
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the current EC directives relating to water quality and the compliance rates of each member state.
  648
  That said, Grampian regional council is currently undertaking a study to determine traffic management arrangements best suited to minimise delays to through traffic in Fochabers and Mosstodloch and also to consider the complementary need for traffic calming measures to establish an environment which supports pedestrian activity.

  Private Finance
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what areas of his Department's responsibilities he has introduced, or may introduce, private finance; and if he will describe in each case the procedures by which private finance is sought.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 17 December 1992]: The combined use of public and private funds is of long standing in certain areas within my responsibility, for example, some of the functions of Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Homes. My Departments are now considering how, most effectively and most fully, to apply the private finance initiatives to other services on the basis of the guidance which has recently been published by the Treasury.

  Care and Repair Schemes
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total Scottish Office funding allocation to date to care and repair schemes organised by Shelter in Scotland, listed on an annual basis per project.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 9 December 1992]: The Scottish Office pays 100 per cent. of the costs of the national co-ordinating office for the care and repair initiative run by Shelter and 50 per cent. of the administrative costs of the local projects. The figures requested are as follows to the nearest £1,000:

  Mr. Maclean
  Current EC directives are listed in the Directory of Community Legislation in Force and Other Acts of the Community Institutions, which is available in the Library of the House. This includes those on water quality. Information on member states' progress in transposing environmental (including water quality) directives into national law was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities (No. C 250)on 28 September 1992.

  Joint Nature Conservation Committee
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the findings of the recent Treasury review of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The review of the committee's staff support unit was commissioned by English Nature, the Countryside Council for Wales, and Scottish National Heritage. The report's findings are available to all the staff concerned, but it is an internal management document and the councils have no plans to publish it more widely.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those conservations projects, programmes or contracts which were due to be carried out by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee in 1992–93 or 1993–94 which will no longer be carried out by the committee.

  Mr. Maclean
  These are matters for the committee and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member in respect of the 1992–93 work programme. The committee will decide its programme for 1993–94 when its budget for that year has been determined.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to visit the homeless in(a) London and (b) Folkestone during the Christmas period.

  Mr. Howard
  I have visited and met homeless people in the past, and did so again during the Christmas period. But in general I do not consider it appropriate to publicise such visits.

  Both Ministers and officials from this Department make regular visits to projects throughout England which give practical help to homeless people, with financial support from the Government.

  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost to local authorities in England and Wales of providing bed-and-breakfast accommodation for those families officially registered as homeless in 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Baldry
  The final estimate of the net cost to local authorities of providing bed-and-breakfast accommodation to homeless households in England in 1990–91 was £66.6 million. Information for 1991–92 is not yet available.

  For information about Wales, I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the total number of homeless households recorded as living in bed-and-breakfast accommodation in each of the following years: 1989, 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Baldry
  Estimates for calendar years of the average number of households who were being dealt with under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985 and were temporarily placed in bed-and-breakfast accommodation are as follows:
  650

  Average for year ending December

  Households in bed and breakfast

  1989

  11,500

  1990

  11,810

  1991

  12,470

  For the year ending September 1992 the average number of households in bed and breakfast accommodation had fallen to 11,880.

  Local Authority Accommodation
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the average cost to a local authority per household in(a) bed-and-breakfast accommodation, (b) local authority hostels, (c) local authority short-life accommodation and (d) temporary accommodation.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the average cost per unit of accommodation in(a) bed-and-breakfast accommodation, (b) local authority hostels, (c) local authority short-life accommodation and (d) temporary accommodation, to a local authority (i) in the Greater London area and (ii) elsewhere in England.

  Mr. Baldry
  Annual costs for bed-and-breakfast accommodation used and hostel places provided by local authorities, together with the related numbers of accommodation units, can be derived from the information published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) in "Homelessness Statistics 1990–91 Actuals", a copy of which is in the Library.

  The CIPFA publication contains insufficient information on short-life and other temporary accommodation to derive average costs per household.

  Expenditure information on homeless households in other forms of temporary accommodation is not available centrally and my Department has no estimates.

  Coal-fired Power Stations
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the tonnage of fly ash emitted daily to the environment from a typical 2000 MW coal-fired power station.

  Mr. Maclean
  Approximately 23 tonnes.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by district authorities the number and value of council house sales in Nottinghamshire in each year since 1983 and for the first two quarters of 1992–93.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information on sales of council houses reported by local authorities in Nottinghamshire in the period April 1983 to September 1992 is given in the table.
  651

  Number of sales and undiscounted value in Nottinghamshire (£000)

  Ashfield

  Bassetlaw

  Broxtowe

  Gedling

  Mansfield

  Newark and sherwood

  Nottingham

  Rushcliffe

  1983–84

  Number of sales

  381

  467

  231

  247

  306

  341

  1,267

  179

  Undiscounted value of sales

  5,214

  5,985

  3,852

  3,822

  3,524

  5,107

  18,202

  3,010

  1984–85

  Number of sales

  184

  139

  239

  214

  162

  225

  767

  183

  Undiscounted value of sales

  n.a.

  1,953

  4,173

  4,521

  2,062

  3,783

  12,002

  3,243

  1985–86

  Number of sales

  245

  202

  191

  200

  157

  160

  827

  123

  Undiscounted value of sales

  2,753

  2,892

  3,489

  3,685

  2,065

  2,794

  13,636

  2,408

  1986–87

  Number of sales

  198

  209

  235

  220

  137

  153

  893

  118

  Undiscounted value of sales

  3,134

  3,219

  4,684

  4,080

  1,881

  2,928

  14,570

  2,420

  1987–88

  Number of sales

  242

  203

  224

  238

  246

  162

  1,075

  177

  Undiscounted value of sales

  4,350

  3,356

  4,662

  4,887

  3,871

  3,366

  n.a.

  3,710

  1988–89

  Number of sales

  347

  348

  351

  342

  349

  314

  1,641

  194

  Undiscounted value of sales

  6,829

  6,719

  5,144

  8,095

  5,545

  8,448

  n.a.

  5,410

  1989–90

  Number of sales

  438

  332

  322

  238

  406

  261

  1,754

  102

  Undiscounted value of sales

  9,580

  8,660

  10,009

  n.a.

  9,395

  9,365

  48,316

  4,014

  1990–91

  Number of sales

  160

  77

  76

  110

  160

  78

  n.a.

  51

  Undiscounted value of sales

  5,364

  2,536

  2,748

  3,640

  3,968

  2,439

  n.a.

  2,199

  1991–92 (Provisional)

  Number of sales

  90

  78

  67

  93

  n.a.

  56

  344

  37

  Undiscounted value of sales

  3,038

  2,584

  2,528

  3,251

  n.a.

  2,183

  12,838

  1,611

  April to September 1992 (Provisional)

  Number of sales

  34

  32

  30

  56

  34

  27

  n.a.

  18

  Undiscounted value of sales

  1,126

  1,095

  1,210

  1,458

  842

  1,037

  n.a.

  799

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the basis for calculating capital receipts of council house and other asset sales for the next 12 months.

  Mr. Baldry
  Estimates of local authorities' capital receipts are based on information which authorities themselves supply to my Department. This information is provided in relation to financial years and no estimate has been made of receipts likely to arise over the next 12 months.

  Housing
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account is taken in determining the housing investment programme allocation of the west midlands region, of the number of unsatisfactory houses in multiple occupation and unfit owner-occupied properties.

  Mr. Baldry
  Specified capital grant (SCG) resources for private sector renewal in local authority housing investment programmes (HIPs) are allocated to the west midlands and other regions using a formula based on the numbers of private dwellings classified as unfit or lacking basic amenities. These dwellings include both houses in multiple occupation and owner-occupied properties. Forty per cent. of SCG resources at regional level are then 652
  distributed to individual local authorities within the region using the same measures, with the remaining 60 per cent. of resources allocated at Ministers' discretion.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is(a) the number and (b) the proportion of (i) houses in multiple occupation and (ii) single household homes in England lacking adequate fire precautions or means of escape in case of fire.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information is not available.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total of capital and revenue expenditure by local authorities in England in respect of dealing with unsatisfactory houses in multiple occupation in 1991–92.

  Mr. Baldry
  In 1991–92 a total of £6.7 million was approved by local housing authorities in England for capital expenditure on mandatory grants for houses in multiple occupation (HMO), and £0.3 million on discretionary HMO grants. Figures for revenue expenditure incurred by local authorities in dealing with HMOs are not available.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect the existence of mandatory housing in multiple occupation grants has had on
  653
  improving conditions within multi-occupied houses and on the activities of local authorities in respect of the implementation of part XI of the Housing Act 1985.

  Mr. Baldry
  Grants for houses in multiple occupation (HMO) are mandatory where a statutory notice has been served. Since the new grant system was introduced in July 1990, mandatory grants for repairs and improvements to more than 1,750 HMOs at a total cost of £13.6 million have been approved by local authorities.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is the number of houses in multiple occupation in the west midland region; and how many of these are below the standards set out in the Department of the Environment circular 12/92;

  (2) how many people are currently living in houses in multiple occupation in England;

  (3) how many houses in multiple occupation there were in England (a) in 1984–85 and (b) at the last date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Baldry
  The results of the 1991 Census, which provides information on the total number of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), are not yet fully available. However, based on the 1981 Census results, the number of HMOs in the West Midlands is estimated at 5,250. This covers the counties of Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Hereford and Worcester and the Birmingham conurbation. Information is not held centrally on the numbers which are below the standards set out in circular 12/92.

  There are no reliable figures for the total number of HMOs or for the total number of people living in HMOs. Research carried out for the Department showed that in 1983–84, local authorities in England and Wales estimated that there were approximately 300,000 HMOs. Figures from the 1991 census show that there were 59,000 "shared dwellings" in England and Wales.

  As for the number of HMO residents, research carried out for the Department in the mid-1980s produced estimates of between 1.25 and 2.6 million in England and Wales.

  More up-to-date figures on the number of HMOs and the number of HMO residents will be available from the 1991 English House Condition Survey, to be published later in 1993. Figures from the 1991 census on the number of HMO residents will be available in due course.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many notices were served by local authorities in England in the 12 months to June 1992 under sections 352, 358 and 372 of the Housing Act 1985; how many directions under section 354 were made in that period; how many of these notices were complied with; in how many cases local authorities carried out work in default of compliance with the notices; and how many prosecutions were taken as the result of failure to comply with notices.

  Mr. Baldry
  The following figures arc taken from the Institution of Environmental Health Officers Annual Report 1990–91 survey of local authorities in England and Wales. 2,309 notices were served under section 352.719 notices were served under section 372, 403 of which were complied with (including those complied with by means of the local authority carrying out the works). 90 convictions were obtained for failure to comply with section 369, and 654
  12 for failure to comply with a notice requiring works under section 372. Of the directions in force under section 354 at 21 March 1991, 4,202 were complied with and 618 were not complied with. 640 directions were revoked by the local authority or by a county court, and 653 directions were made during the year. No figures are available centrally on the number of notices served under section 358.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the Estate Action, priority estatesproject and housing action trust budgets for each year from 1989 to 1993.

  Mr. Baldry
  Provision for the estate action and housing action trust programmes for the years in question is as follows:

  £ million

  Estate action

  HATs

  1989–90

  190

  —

  1990–91

  190

  —

  1991–92

  268

  10·3

  1992–93

  364

  40·1

  1993–94

  356

  86·8

  PEP is a company limited by guarantee. The value of work funded by my Department is as follows:

  £ million

  1989–90

  1·1

  1990–91

  1·2

  1991–92

  0·9

  1992–93

  0·9

  Discussions with PEP are currently taking place with regard to applications for grant in 1993–94.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many comments he has received on the draft guidance manual for local authorities on how to develop and manage strategies for dealing with unsatisfactory houses in multiple occupation and when the final version will be published.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department has received 48 written responses to the draft Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Management Guide. The guide is currently being revised and the final version will be published as soon as possible.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he is monitoring compliance with the duty under section 605 of the Housing Act 1985, periodic inspection of district by local housing authority, in particular as it applies to part XI of the Act: and whether he proposes to make any directions as to how local authorities should comply with that duty.

  Mr. Baldry
  Section 605 of the Housing Act 1985, as amended by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, requires local authorities to consider the housing conditions in their districts at least once a year. It is for each authority to determine how it meets this duty and this is not monitored by the Department. We have no plans to issue directions in relation to the duty.

  Radon
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research Her Majesty's Government have carried our or commissioned into the risk of high radon levels in areas of Derbyshire where the geological profile includes carboniferous age shales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Following a survey of Derbyshire commissioned by my Department, the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) has designated parts of Derbyshire as radon-affected areas. The areas most affected are associated with carboniferous limestones. A copy of the relevant NRPB publication, "Documents of the NRPB", vol. 3, No. 4, was placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate, by regional health authority area, the total number of houses which may exceed(a) a radon level of 200 bq/sq m and (b) 20 bq/sq m; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The survey of radon in homes in England does not provide data in the form requested. A summary of the survey results by county, district and postcode sector is given in the NRPB report "Radon in Dwellings in England", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The NRPB estimates that there are about 100,000 homes in England above 200 bq/sq m and about 5·5 million above the average level of 20 bq/sq m.

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environnment how many representations he has had concerning his decision to reduce future funding for the urban programme.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Up to and including 4 January 1993, my Department received 97 letters about the new arrangements for the urban programme (UP). In 1993–94 there will be a substantial UP amounting to £176 million to enable us to honour existing commitments on approved UP projects and to provide £20 million for the urban partnership fund which will work alongside local authorities' newly released capital receipts to promote urban regeneration.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will update the table published in his answer of II February,Official Report, columns 434–35.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 17 December 1992]: The table incorporates the new urban programme plan figures following the autumn statement:

  Year

  Urban programme provision—outturn £million

  Urban programme as percentage of urban block

  1995–96

  plan 80

  10

  1994–95

  plan 91

  11

  1993–94

  plan 176

  18

  1992–93

  plan 245

  24

  1991–92

  outturn 237

  24

  656
  The provision for 1992–93 includes £11 million for the urban crime fund.

  My Department's urban group of programmes are continuing to evolve to reflect current priorities.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much funding each urban programme authority received at 1992 prices for each of the last three years; how many projects have been supported; and how many people have been employed by them in jobs and in training schemes.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 17 December 1992]: The funding figures are as follows:

  Urban programme (UP) Funding

  Local authority

  1990–91 £ million

  1991–92 £ million

  1992–93 £ million

  Newcastle/Gateshead

  18·4

  16·9

  15·6

  Hartlepool

  2·0

  2·0

  1·9

  Langbaurgh

  2·2

  2·0

  1·9

  Middlesbrough

  5·8

  5·4

  5·0

  North Tyneside

  4·0

  3·5

  3·3

  South Tyneside

  5·6

  5·0

  4·8

  Stockton-on-Tees

  1·7

  1·7

  1·6

  Sunderland

  5·9

  5·5

  4·9

  Manchester/Salford

  21·9

  19·5

  19·7

  Blackburn

  4·5

  4·2

  3·8

  Bolton

  4·6

  4·2

  3·8

  Burnley

  2·2

  2·2

  2·0

  Oldham

  4·2

  4·0

  3·7

  Preston

  2·8

  2·6

  2·3

  Rochdale

  4·3

  3·6

  3·7

  Wigan

  2·9

  2·8

  2·5

  Liverpool

  19·2

  18·7

  17·1

  Halton

  1·8

  1·6

  1·5

  Knowsley

  4·5

  4·4

  3·9

  St· Helens

  2·2

  2·0

  1·8

  Sefton

  1·9

  1·5

  1·6

  Wirral

  4·0

  3·7

  3·4

  Merseyside Special Allocation

  1·3

  2·0

  1·0

  Birmingham

  24·2

  22·3

  20·4

  Coventry

  5·2

  4·8

  4·6

  Dudley

  1·9

  1·7

  1·6

  Sandwell

  5·2

  4·9

  4·4

  Walsall

  2·1

  1·9

  1·6

  Wolverhampton

  6·3

  5·8

  4·9

  The Wrekin

  1·1

  1·0

  1·0

  Derby

  4·2

  1·3

  1·3

  Leicester

  5·4

  5·3

  4·7

  Nottingham

  5·8

  5·0

  4·7

  Barnsley

  2·1

  2·2

  2·1

  Bradford

  4·5

  5·0

  4·5

  Doncaster

  2·2

  2·4

  2·2

  Hull

  5·4

  5·1

  4·8

  Kirklees

  1·2

  1·2

  1·1

  Leeds

  5·9

  5·7

  5·1

  Rotherham

  2·2

  2·3

  2·2

  Sheffield

  7·4

  11·4

  5·9

  Hackney

  4·2

  4·8

  4·6

  Islington

  8·8

  9·2

  8·1

  Lambeth

  8·1

  7·8

  7·9

  Brent

  2·6

  2·7

  2·5

  Greenwich

  1·4

  1·3

  1·4

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  2·7

  2·5

  2·3

  Haringey

  3·2

  3·4

  2·9

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1·8

  1·8

  1·6

  Lewisham

  2·2

  2·1

  2·4

  Newham

  3·2

  3·1

  3·0

  Southwark

  2·3

  2·9

  2·6

  Tower Hamlets

  5·0

  3·3

  4·1

  Wandsworth

  2·3

  3·7

  2·9

  657

  Local authority

  1990–91 £ million

  1991–92 £ million

  1992–93 £ million

  Bristol

  1·6

  1·7

  1·6

  Plymouth

  1·4

  1·4

  1·3

  Total

  271·0

  260·0

  237·1

  Notes:

  1. Up funding figures for 1990–91 and 1991–92 are actuals, adjusted by GDP deflator indices. UP funding figures for 1992–93 are initial allocations, excluding District Health Authority projects.

  2. The totals for these years have altered slightly from the figures given in the answer of 30 November 1992, Official Report,column 14, due to a recent revision of the GDP deflator indices.

  The total number of projects supported in 1990–91 was 9,855. The local authorities' forecasts for 1991–92 and 1992–93 are 6,911 and 8,782 respectively.

  We do not have information on the numbers employed by urban programme authorities themselves on managing the urban programme or running training schemes. A total of 29,660 jobs were created or preserved through the urban programme in 1990–91, and 86,528 training places were supported. Local authorities forecast the following outputs in 1991–92 and 1992–93:

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Number of jobs created/preserved

  34,242

  33,973

  Number of training places supported

  68,551

  74,097

  Note: Figures for 1990–91 are obtained from UP annual reports from local authorities; those for 1991–92 and 1992–93 are derived from annual UP submissions from local authorities.

  Councils (Capital Receipts)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines have been given to local authorities as to how expenditure on capital receipts should be distributed as between debt reduction and housing investment.

  Mr. Baldry
  Local authorities are normally allowed to spend 25 per cent. of their receipts from council house sales and 50 per cent. of most other receipts, the balance being set aside as provision for credit liabilities, including debt redemption. Under a temporary relaxation in these rules, announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's autumn statement, local authorities may spend virtually all of the capital receipts they receive between 13 November 1992 and 31 December 1993. Local authorities are free to spend such receipts on any kind of capital project, or to use them to make provision for credit liabilities.

  Sewage (Phosphates)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what quantity of phosphate was recovered annually from United Kingdom sewage, each year since 1982; and what action he will take to encourage the recovery of phosphate from United Kingdom sewage.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information about the amount of phosphate recovered annually from United Kingdom sewage is not held centrally. Implementation of the recently adopted EC Directive concerning Urban Waste Water Treatment will require, in certain circumstances, the reduction of phosphorus in sewage discharges.

  Local Government Pensions
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will delay implementation of the Local Government Superannuation (Membership) Regulations 1992 until the results of the Goode report on pension security are made known.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  If changes to the local government superannuation scheme are required following the publication of the pension law review committee report, statutory consultations will take place with the interested parties. Meanwhile, necessary amendments to the scheme will proceed.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in deciding when to commence implementation of the Local Government Superannuation (Membership) Regulations 1992, he will assess(a) the time required to set up mirror image funds, (b) the loss of rights experienced by employees resulting from any changeover, (c) the extent to which preserved benefits have been adequately indexed to reflect increases in earnings and (d) the extent to which transfer values represent the total worth of members' investments.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  These matters, together with the other representations received following the recent statutory consultation exercise, will be given careful consideration before decisions are taken on the final form and content of our amending regulations.

  Newland System Homes
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total amount of investment made by each local authority in repairs to Newland system homes since 1979.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total number of Newland system properties currently owned by local authorities.

  Mr. Baldry
  From local authority returns it is estimated that as at April 1992 there were 1,200 Newland properties in the ownership of local authorities in England.

  Caravan Sites Act
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to introduce legislation to reform the Caravan Sites Act 1968.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave on 9 December to my hon. Friend the Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Clifton-Brown),Official Report, column 833.

  Poll Tax Registers
  Ms. Jowell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many adults appear on the poll tax register in each of the London boroughs.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The latest information available to the Department on the number of adults, including students, shown on community charges registers is given in the table.
  659

  London borough

  Number of adults subject to a personal community charge on 1 June 1991

  Barking and Dagenham

  109,220

  Barnet

  213,447

  Bexley

  165,383

  Brent

  184,478

  Bromley

  225,220

  Camden

  139,904

  City of London

  3,474

  Croydon

  238,094

  Ealing

  210,382

  Enfield

  197,341

  Greenwich

  157,987

  Hackney

  128,784

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  121,182

  Haringey

  163,062

  Harrow

  149,521

  Havering

  174,137

  Hillingdon

  178,527

  Hounslow

  151,694

  Islington

  127,379

  Kensington and Chelsea

  105,926

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  103,036

  Lambeth

  191,707

  Lewisham

  172,212

  Merton

  130,898

  Newham

  156,645

  Redbridge

  172,561

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  123,850

  Southwark

  172,538

  Sutton

  127,798

  Tower Hamlets

  118,765

  Waltham Forest

  161,679

  Wandsworth

  192,574

  Westminster

  140,013

  Planning Inquiries
  Mr. Hew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the implications for the disclosure of public information at public planning inquiries of section 4(5) of the Environmental Information Regulations 1992.

  Mr. Baldry
  The procedure rules for planning inquiries are already designed to ensure maximum disclosure of information. The Environmental Information Regulations 1992 do not change these arrangements.

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the impact of the operation of the NFFO-non-fossil fuel obligation on the privatisation of local authority waste disposal functions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Tenders for the provision of privatised waste disposal contracts under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 are a matter for the tenderers and the waste disposal authority concerned. I refer my hon. Friend to the detailed advice given in my Department's circular 8/91 "Competition for Local Authority Waste Disposal Contracts and New Arrangements for Disposal Operations". Renewable energy policy and the future of the non-fossil fuel obligation are matters for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

  Urban Development Corporations
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the occasions on which each urban development corporation in England has used its planning designation powers, giving details of the dates on which such powers were used and the nature of the development to which they were applied in each case.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Urban development corporations are each planning authorities and consider all planning applications in their designated areas.

  CITES
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of discussions between officials of EC Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and the Indonesian Government relating to the CITES appendix II ban affecting Indonesia.

  Mr. Maclean
  The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is still discussing with the Indonesian authorities the management and sustainable use of the country's wildlife. The European Commission has not yet received sufficient information to enable an assessment to be made of the conservation status of the species covered by the current import ban.

  Local Government Commission
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what budget has been allocated to the Local Government Commission; how much has been spent; and how many officers are in post.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  For 1992–93, some £2.63 million is available for payment of grant-in-aid to the Local Government Commission. Of this amount some £724,600 has been paid to the commission to date. The commission currently has 28 staff in post.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the names, remuneration, political affiliation and former or current occupation of each of the members of the Local Government Commission.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The names of the members of the Local Government Commission and their annual rates of remuneration are as follows:

  £

  Chairman

  Sir John Banham

  32,240

  Members

  David Ansbro

  4,510

  Michael Chisholm

  19,550

  Ken Ennals CB

  19,550

  Malcolm Grant

  4,510

  Howell Harris Hughes

  4,510

  Brian Hill CBE DL

  19,550

  Mary Leigh

  19,550

  Ann Levick

  19,550

  Robert Scruton

  4,510

  David Thomas

  19,550

  Clive Wilkinson

  19,550

  Lady Wilcox

  4,510

  661
  Details of the occupational background and political affiliation (where known) of the commission's members are available from my Department's press notice of 3 July 1992, a copy of which I have placed in the Library.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the cost of establishing and running the Local Government Commission to date, the cost of consultations undertaken by the commission, the total budget for the commission in the current year and the expected cost of the commission for the review as a whole.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Some £2.63 million is available for payment of grant-in-aid to the commission in 1992–93, of which some £724,600 has been paid to date. We have announced provision of £3.259 million, £3.300 million and £3.439 million for the years 1993–94 to 1995–96. The cost of consultations undertaken by the commission is a matter for the commission itself.

  Cooking Facilities
  Ms. Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the numbers of units with self-contained cooking facilities in(a) local authority hostels, (b) private sector leasing accommodation, (c) temporary accommodation and (d) local authority short-life housing.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department does not collect this information.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate how many units in bed-and-breakfast accommodation used for accommodating homeless families have self-contained cooking facilities.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information is not held centrally and my Department does not make estimates.

  City Challenge
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the ministerial visits made to each city challenge winner.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  City challenge partnerships receive regular visits from their sponsor Minister—the Minister of State for Inner Cities—and me.

  Revenue Support
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 15 December,Official Report, column 99, what assessment he has made of the revenue forgone by each local authority as a result of council tax exemption for student-only dwellings; how the revenue support grant system provides specific compensation for revenue forgone by local authorities as a result of student-only dwellings from the council tax; and what amounts have been provided from the revenue support grant for 1993–94 in this respect for each county, district and metropolitan borough council.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The revenue foregone by each local authority as a result of council tax exemption for student-only dwellings cannot be calculated until authorities have set their council taxes.
  662
  The revenue support grant system does not provide specific compensation for loss of revenue resulting from the exemption of student-only dwellings. The calculation of revenue support grant for individual authorities involves an assessment of the amount that each authority can raise through council taxes, based upon its local taxbase. The taxbase, and the local government finance settlement generally, takes into account, among other things, exemptions of student-only dwellings. There is no merit in speculating about the amounts of revenue support grant that would have been provided if a different system, without exemption of student-only dwellings, had applied.

  Local Government Review
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out his estimates of costs or savings arising from the present review of local government in England; and how far these savings differ from estimates previously made by his Department.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  It will be for the Local Government Commission to assess area by area the costs and benefits of possible changes to the structure of local government in England. It is not possible at this stage to give precise estimates, but the Government's guidance to the commission makes it clear that any changes to the structure of local government should be worthwhile and cost-effective over time.

  Rate Relief
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total rateable value of non-domestic properties given rate relief for unoccupation in each year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is not available.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total current Curie content of long-lived radioactive waste stored in high-activity storage tanks at Sellafield; and what notification of the status of the radioactive waste storage facilities Her Majesty's Government are required to give Euratom on a routine basis.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been asked to reply.

  The long-lived radioactive waste stored in high activity storage tanks at Sellafield contains 920 million Curies of radioactivity. Highly active waste contains small quantities of uranium and plutonium. In line with the requirements of the Euratom safeguards authorities, such arisings from reprocessing are reported by British Nuclear Fuels plc in its inventory change reports to Euratom which are made via my Department's safeguards office.

  Private Finance
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in what areas of his Department's responsibilities he has introduced, or may introduce, private finance; and if he will describe in each case the procedures by which private finance is sought.
  663
  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 17 December 1992]: I welcome any suggestions for private finance that the private sector puts forward, provided they are consistent with the Treasury guidance published on 9 December.

  Much inner cities spending is targeted on levering in private finance through grant applications and competition between developers. The Minister for Local Government and Inner Cities expects to issue shortly a list of further opportunities. The Rural Development Commission and other countryside bodies draw in private finance in their areas through both loan and grant applications. All these applications both have to meet testing criteria, and to compete for limited available public funds. In Property Holdings civil estate business, private finance is used through property leasing. In social housing, the housing association movement uses leading city firms to draw in loan finance from financial institutions.

  Birds
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many bird species currently subject to United Kingdom conservation licensing controls under the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976 will not be subject to import licensing under current European Community/Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species regulations after I January 1993; if he will list them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 17 December 1992]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Dr. Twinn) on 1 December 1992, Official Report, cols 153–54. About 8,000 species of bird will no longer be subject to import licensing after 1 January 1993. A list of these could only, he produced at disproportionate cost. To ensure their continued protection, 83 of these species will be made subject to sales licensing. Only a minority of the remaining species are traded, and licensing of imports of them has been primarily for monitoring. We are pressing for more extensive monitoring to be introduced throughout the European Community in future.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the cash and real terms increases for total standard spending in England in 1993–94, after adjusting for changes in local authority functions, compared with(a) total standard spending for 1992–93 and (b) local authorities' budgets for 1992–93.

  Mr. Howard
  [holding answer 27 November 1992]: I wrote to the hon. Member on 22 December 1992.

  Further Education
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the representations he has received from local education authorities about the amount of finance allocated and methodology used to calculate each authority's national spending on further education and sixth form colleges for 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Up to 8 January, my right hon. and learned Friend had received 40 written representations from local education authorities on the finance allocated 664
  to further education and the methodology employed in his provisional calculations. The issue has also been raised by a further four authorities in meetings with Ministers in this Department. Many such representations have been on the calculation of relevant notional amounts reflecting that from 1993–94 local education authorities have no responsibility for sixth form colleges and their responsibility for post-16 education is limited to schools with sixth form intakes and to some adult education. My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to announce to this House his decisions on the revenue support grant settlement in the light of consultation before the end of the month.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Archy Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to set a target time in which valuation tribunals will complete a council tax appeal.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 16 December 1992]: I have been asked to reply.

  Council tax appeals in Scotland will be heard by valuation appeal committees. How many appeals will arise is obviously unknown at this stage. It would not be practicable at present to set a time within which committees will aim to complete their consideration of such appeals. The Government will, however, keep under review the progress of committees in disposing of appeals.

WALES

  Heritage Coastline
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which areas in Wales have been designated heritage coasts; how many kilometres have been so designated; and what proportion this represents of the total Welsh coastline.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The areas listed have been defined as heritage coasts in Wales.

  kilometers

  North Anglesey

  28·66

  Holyhead Mountain

  12·88

  Aberffraw Bay

  7·73

  Great Orme

  7·08

  Lleyn

  88·39

  Ceredigion

  33·80

  St. Dogmaels and Moylegrove

  22·54

  Dinas Head

  17·71

  St. David's Peninsula

  82·11

  St. Brides Bay

  8·05

  Marloes and Dale

  43·47

  South Pembrokeshire

  66·01

  Gower

  55·06

  Glamorgan

  21·74

  495·23

  495·23 kilometres represents 42 per cent. of Welsh coastline.

  Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the closure of the Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni lower school.

  Mr. David Hunt
  This is a matter for Mid Glamorgan county council.

  Parent-Governor Meetings
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many schools in Wales hold annual parent-governor meetings which are attended by fewer than 10 per cent. of the parents entitled to attend.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  This information is not available centrally.

  £million

  Allocation1 excluding national garden festival

  Allocation/expenditure national garden festival

  Actual outturn

  1988–89

  14·442

  0·458

  11·9

  1989–90

  15·200

  2·600

  16·0

  1990–91

  15·657

  5·043

  19·4

  1991–92

  15·985

  9·915

  23·6

  1992–93

  19·646

  1·354

  —

  1 Includes supplementary allocations approved during the year.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will show expenditure on the urban programme since 1985 to 1989 in Wales as(a) budgeted and (b) actual outturn, expressed in (i) cash terms for 1988–89 and (ii) cash terms for 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Expenditure on urban programme between 1985–86 and 1989–90 in cash terms is:

  £ million

  Allocation

  Actual outturn

  1985–86

  19·2

  18·0

  1986–87

  23·7

  21·6

  1987–88

  23·1

  20·4

  1988–89

  24·6

  20·5

  1989–90

  27·6

  25·0

  Smokers
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the total number of habitual smokers in Wales by health authority area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The latest information on the percentage of the population in Wales in the age group 18 to 65 who reported that they smoked to any extent is given in the following table:

  Percentage of population who were smokers

  Clwyd

  33·8

  East Dyfed

  28·8

  Pembrokeshire

  29·1

  Gwent

  31·3

  Gwynedd

  32·8

  Mid Glamorgan

  35·4

  Powys

  27·4

  South Glamorgan

  30·2

  West Glamorgan

  29·2

  Source: Heartbeat Wales Technical Report No. 25 published in 1992 by the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will show expenditure on the urban programme since 1988–89 in the valleys programme area as(a) budgeted and (b) actual outturn expressed in (i) cash terms for 1988–89 and (ii) cash terms for 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Urban programme expenditure in the valleys programme area since 1988–89 in cash terms is:

  Special Needs Housing
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the implications of the Tai Cymru's consultation paper for special needs housing in Wales; how he intends to respond to the needs of women and children escaping domestic violence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The board of housing for Wales are giving careful consideration to all the responses received following the issue of its consultation paper entitled "Improving the Effectiveness of Housing Association Development and Management". Decisions will be made known shortly.

  TECs
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to review the(a) membership and (b) membership qualifications of the boards of Welsh training and enterprise councils; if he will set minimum criteria for the representation of manufacturing industry on each of these TECs; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The appointment of directors to training and enterprise council boards is a matter for individual TECs in accordance with the broad criteria set out in the TEC operating agreement. We expect the private sector directors of individual TEC boards to reflect broadly the pattern of employment in their area. We have no plans to alter this arrangement.

  The manufacturing sector is represented on all TEC boards in Wales; five of the seven Welsh chairmen of TEC boards are from manufacturing industry.

  Right-to-buy Schemes
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Tai Cymru concerning the issuing of new right-to-buy guidelines for the tenants of housing association schemes.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  None.

  Radon
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate how many houses in each Welsh health authority area exceed(a) the radon action level of 200 Bq/m3 and (b) 20 Bq/m3; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  It is not possible to provide the estimates requested until the full results of the National Radiological Protection Board survey in Wales are known.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will he publishing the Welsh local government financial statistics for 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  It is anticipated that the next edition of Welsh local government financial statistics, which will include details of 1993–94 budgets, will be published in December 1993.

  Trawsfynydd Power Station
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what monitoring he undertakes of the surrounding area of Trawsfynydd; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The food science division and the fisheries radiological inspectorate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food undertake monitoring in the Trawsfynydd area on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales. The FSD monitoring covers food and agricultural products whilst that undertaken by FRI involves aquatic environmental monitoring of Lake Trawsfynydd. The results are regularly published in the terrestrial radioactivity monitoring programme and aquatic environment monitoring reports, copies of which are held in the Library of the House. In addition, Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has a programme of environmental monitoring linked to its regulatory responsibility for the nuclear power station.

  This monitoring shows that levels of radioactivity found in the environment as a result of discharges from the Trawsfynydd nuclear power station are within international and national guidelines.

  Part of the area near Trawsfynydd falls within the designated area which is subject to controls on the movement and slaughter of sheep following the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. The Welsh Office monitors radioactivity levels in sheep from the area as part of those controls.

  Agricultural Training Board
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the future funding and structure of the Agricultural Training Board for Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My ministerial colleagues and I are considering the funding and structure of the Agricultural Training Board in the light of the responses to our consultation paper.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list(a) the total number of residential properties owned by his Department, (b) the number of such properties which are empty, and (c), (b) as a percentage of (a).

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  Number

  (a) Properties/units1 owned by the Welsh Office

  4,904

  (b) Number of properties/units vacant

  389

  per cent.

  (c) (b) as a percentage of (a)

  7·93

  1 The figures included for the national health service are based on units and a property may contain more than one unit.

  Health Service
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the methods his Department used to allocate places to district health authorities at the treatment centres in the financial year 1991–92.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In 1991–92 the Department allocated an initial tranche of places to the district health authorities in which the treatment centres are located. The other authorities negotiated their places direct with the centres which agreed the final allocations with the Department.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what correspondence he has had with the World Health Organisation in relation to(a) NHS Wales's relative position in the European health care systems management efficiency league table and (b) the relative international position of Wales in 1980 and 1990 in respect of infant mortality rate, incidence of heart disease and cancer; if he will place a copy of such correspondence in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I am not aware of a European league table of the efficiency of health care management.

  Correspondence with the regional office of the World Health Organisation on Wales' relative position in terms of key health status indicators, for inclusion in "Caring for the Future", was limited to short technical exchanges between statistical advisers.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will fund the treatment centres in Wales on the same basis in 1993–94 as in the current financial year.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Health authorities will be notified of the funding arrangements for 1993–94 in due course.

  Butte Mining
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his Department's actions in respect of investigations into share dealings in Butte Mining.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department is not involved in ally such investigations.

  Development Boards
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to debar members of the board of the Welsh Development Agency from sitting on the Welsh Industrial Development Advisory Board.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No.

  Water Fluoridation
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will delete the section on Page iv of the Oral Health Protocol issued in November 1992 referring to co-ordinated action by family health service authorities and district health authorities in Wales to encourage fluoridation of water sources covering 60 per cent. of the Welsh population by 1997.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No.

  Baby Milk
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to change the guidelines on the distribution of welfare food baby milk; what consultations he has had with the chairmen and women of the family health service authorities and health authorities in Wales in relation to such guidelines, present and proposed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Government are currently looking at methods of welfare food distribution to identify scope for improvement in service and value for money. We will consult relevant authorities and agencies before any changes are made to present arrangements.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps were taken to inform all recipients of mobility allowance under the age of 66 years of the new disability living allowance; and what instructions he has issued to adjudication officers in respect of late claims.

  Mr. Scott
  [pursuant to his reply, 16 November 1992, Official Report, c. 77]: I regret that some of the information given was incorrect.

  Since January 1992, tailored letters have been issued to some 1.5 million beneficiaries of attendance allowance and mobility allowance, giving advice about disability living allowance. These letters were in a series of 16, eight of which were designed for mobility allowance recipients and people who had been refused mobility allowance. The letters enclosed an explanatory leaflet which set out how the changes would affect individuals and, where appropriate, recipients were invited to claim extra benefit available through disability living allowance. Regulations allow awards of this extra benefit to be backdated to 6 April, if the person was entitled to attendance allowance or mobility allowance at that date.

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consideration he has given to making mobility living allowance available to children under five years of age.
  670
  Mr. Scott
  We have considered this issue carefully. We have no plans to change the age limit for the mobility component of disability living allowance which is set at age five. The care component is, where appropriate, payable to under five-year-olds.

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement indicating what advance notification was given to Mrs. S. Guest of 4 Clay road, Bury St. Edmunds of(a) when her son's attendance allowance had to be reviewed and (b) when it was to cease; and what advice she was given about how to reclaim the allowance.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Richard Spring, dated 17 December 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what advance notification was given to Mrs.S. Guest of 4 Clay Road, Bury St. Edmunds of (a) when her son's Attendance Allowance (AA) had to be reviewed, (b) when it was to cease; and what advice she was given about how to reclaim the allowance.
  I should explain that, from 6 April 1992, Disability Living Allowance replaced and extended both Mobility Allowance and AA. Mrs. Guest claimed AA on behalf of her son and was notified of the duration of each award when the decision was made. About five months before the expiry of the last award Mrs. Guest was invited to make a renewal claim. This invitation included a set of notes explaining why the claim pack had been sent and how to complete the forms.
  Normally, Mrs. Guest would have been notified in writing of the outcome of the renewal claim before the expiry of the existing award. I regret, in this instance, Mrs. Guest was not notified until after the award expired. The notification letter advised Mrs. Guest she had the right to apply for a review of the decision if she was dissatisfied and how to exercise that right.
  Clearly, in view of the late notification of the outcome of the renewal claim, Mrs. Guest has not received the standard of service which she has every right to expect from the Agency and I offer my sincere apologies to her for the inconvenience this must have caused. You will be aware from my letter of 19 October to all MPs of the problems we have encountered since the successful launch of the new benefit and the positive steps taken to improve the situation.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report. A copy is also being placed in the Library.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what criteria are used in the selection of doctors chosen to assess claimants of attendance allowance; what specific training they receive; and what remuneration they receive.

  Mr. Scott
  The selection, training and payment of doctors who assess claimants of attendance allowance are matters 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.
  671
  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. David Blunkett, dated 17 December 1992:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what criteria are used in the selection of doctors chosen to assess claimants of Attendance Allowance; what specific training they receive; and what remuneration they receive.
  Examining Medical Practitioners (EMPs) chosen to assess people claiming Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance are selected by the Senior Medical Officer of the Disability Benefits Centre which processes the claims. Applicants for this work are normally doctors in active clinical practice or recently retired. They are chosen on the basis of a letter of application from the doctor and a subsequent interview with the Senior Medical Officer. Due regard is also given to the need for the services of an EMP in the doctors particular area.
  Applicants are trained in the basic principles of the allowances and in the completion of EMP report forms by one of our Medical Officers. This training is usually carried out on a one to one basis. The standard of their reports is monitored by the medical staff, who arrange further training if necessary.
  Remuneration is based on a national scale agreed between the Treasury and the British Medical Association, and depends on the time required to complete the report as shown overleaf:

  £

  Up to and including 1·5 hours

  37·90

  More than 1·5 but less than 2 hours

  56·90

  More than 2·5 hours

  88·40

  Since all these examinations are carried out at the home of the customers the doctors are also paid a mileage allowance to cover their travelling expenses.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy is also being placed in the Library.

  Boarder Premium
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a breakdown of the estimate of the cost of a boarder premium of £10 for each member of a homeless family living in temporary accommodation without the use of self-contained cooking facilities.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is not available. There is no accepted definition of "self-contained cooking facilities" and no valid estimate of the total number of families in temporary accommodation that would allow the analysis sought. The published estimate was for £10 extra per week for each boarder claim unit. The cost of that is currently estimated to be around £45 million per annum; the cost of a £10 premium to each member of a boarder family would be considerably higher.

  Furnishings (Fire Safety)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer 6 November,Official Report, column 459, if he will publish the guidance issued to social fund officers in respect of the broad range of prices that would be considered reasonable for essential items of furniture compliant with foam furniture regulations.

  Mr. Scott
  The Secretary of State's directions, and his guidance to social fund officers are published in the Social Fund Guide, a copy of which is available in the Library.672
  This guidance encourages social fund officers to look at a broad range of prices offered by various suppliers, when considering the amount of an award.

  There is no guidance to social fund officers, either in the guide or elsewhere, which suggests specific amounts for items of furniture.

  Child Support
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will seek to amend the Child Support Act 1991 to make provision for single caring parents who do not wish to disclose the name of their child; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  The Child Support Act already contains safeguards to ensure that if there would be a risk of harm or undue distress to the parent with care of any child living with her, she will not have to seek maintenance from the absent parent.

  The Government believe it right that a parent who has no such good grounds should be expected to co-operate so that the absent parent can be approached about meeting his responsibility to support his child. It is a widely accepted principle that parents should support their children when they can afford to do so, rather than transfer that responsibility to other taxpayers who may have families of their own to support.

  We have no plans to change our policy on this matter.

  Benefit Statistics
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many households are currently in receipt of(a) the disabled, (b) the child, (c) the carer's and (d) the enhanced pensioner premium.

  Mr. Scott
  Information as to the numbers of recipients of the disability, disabled child, carer and enhanced pensioner premiums is shown in the table below. The disabled child and carer premiums can be awarded in addition to other premiums. There is some overlap between housing benefit and community charge benefit recipients.

  Recipients (thousands)

  Premium

  Income Support1

  Housing Benefit2

  Community Charge Benefit2

  Disability Premium

  375

  163

  217

  Disabled Child Premium

  22

  2

  4

  Carer Premium

  28

  6

  10

  Enhanced Pensioner Premium

  243

  226

  402

  1Source: Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiry May 1991.

  2Source: Housing Benefit and Community Charge Management Information System annual 1 per cent. sample for May 1991.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the total number of people claiming and dependent on income-related benefits in 1979 and 1991, broken down into the relevant benefits.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The available information is in the tables. The figures cannot be added together as a claimant could be receiving more than one benefit. Comparisons between 1979 and 1991 are difficult; the basis of assessment changed substantially during the period.
  673

  (a) Number of claimants, partners and dependents receiving income-related benefits

  Thousands

  1979

  1991

  Income support

  14,371

  7,747

  Family credit

  2301

  1,267

  (b) Housing benefit/Community charge benefit (1991–92 only)

  Benefit

  Average number of cases3

  Housing benefit

  4,120

  Community charge benefit

  6,340

  1 Supplementary benefit.

  2 Family income supplement.

  3 1991–92 only.

  Notes:

  1. All figures in thousands, rounded to the nearest thousand.

  2. Figures quoted in table (b) (Housing benefit and Community charge benefit) are for recipients only, information is not available for totals dependent on these benefits.

  3. No information is available for Housing benefit/Community charge benefit in 1979 as the current Housing benefit scheme did not commence until 1988 and Community charge benefit was not introduced until 1990 (1989 in Scotland).

  Sources:

  Table (a) Supplementary benefit/Income support; Annual Statistical Enquiries, 1979 and 1991; Social Security Statistics, 1980 and 1991.

  Table (b) Averages of four quarters caseload information for 1991–92, including estimates for non-responding local authorities.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the proportion of people claiming and dependent on supplementary benefit or income support in 1979 and 1991 in(a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Burt
  The available information is in the table. Comparison between income support and supplementary benefit are difficult since the conditions of entitlement and the basis of the assessments.

  (A) Percentage of population in Scotland receiving supplementary benefit/income support

  (B) Percentage of population in Great Britain receiving supplementary benefit/income support

  1979

  8·67

  7·99

  1991

  15·78

  13·82

  Notes:

  Source: Supplementary Benefit/Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiries 1979 and 1991; Office of Population Censuses and Surveys 1979 and 1991.

  2. The figures in column (b) of the table relate to Great Britain, not the United Kingdom. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is responsible for statistics relating to the province.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the numbers and proportion of children in families on supplementary benefit in 1979 and income support in 1991 broken down into England, Scotland and Wales.
  674
  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is in the table:

  Country

  Number of Children

  Proportion of Population (per cent.)

  1979

  England

  757

  6·62

  (Supplementary Benefit)

  Scotland

  109

  8·09

  Wales

  57

  8·21

  1991

  England

  1,998

  19·42

  (Income Support)

  Scotland

  239

  21·97

  Wales

  131

  20·89

  Notes

  1. Figures are thousands rounded to the nearest thousand.

  2. Sources:

  Supplementary Benefit statistics annual enquiry May 1979.

  Income Support statistics annual enquiry May 1991.

  Office of Population Censuses and Surveys 1979 and 1991.

  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the numbers of claimants on(a) income support and (b) housing benefit as a proportion of the population in each local authority in England, Wales and Scotland.

  Mr. Burt
  [holding answer 11 December 1992]: Income support information is not available in the form requested. The available information relating to housing benefit is in the tables:

  Proportion of households in receipt Housing Benefit (HB) by Local Authority in Great Britain1

  per cent.

  Adur

  11

  Allerdale

  17

  Alnwick

  17

  Amber Valley

  12

  Arun

  10

  Ashfield

  16

  Ashford

  13

  Aylesbury Vale

  9

  Babergh

  12

  Barking

  25

  Barnet

  11

  Barnsley

  25

  Barrow in Furness

  15

  Basildon

  18

  Basingstoke

  9

  Bassetlaw

  16

  Bath

  18

  Benvick-upon-Tweed

  17

  Beverley

  7

  Bexley

  10

  Birmingham

  25

  Blaby

  5

  Blackburn

  19

  Blackpool

  18

  Blyth Valley

  23

  Bolsover

  20

  Bolton

  19

  Boothferry

  13

  Boston

  17

  Bournemouth

  21

  Bracknell

  11

  Bradford

  18

  Braintree

  13

  Breckland

  12

  Brent

  18

  Brentwood

  9

  Bridgnorth

  11

  Brighton

  24

  Bristol

  20

  Broadland

  7

  Bromley

  10

  675

  per cent.

  Bromsgrove

  8

  Broxbourne

  10

  Broxtowe

  12

  Burnley

  17

  Bury

  13

  Calderdale

  16

  Cambridge

  17

  Camden

  29

  Cannock Chase

  17

  Canterbury

  13

  Caradon

  11

  Carlisle

  17

  Carrick

  13

  Castle Morpeth

  13

  Castle Point

  6

  Charnwood

  11

  Chelmsford

  11

  Cheltenham

  16

  Cherwell

  10

  Chester

  16

  Chester le Street

  20

  Chesterfield

  21

  Chichester

  14

  Chiltern

  7

  Chorley

  11

  Christchurch

  10

  City of London

  26

  Cleethorpes

  12

  Colchester

  11

  Congleton

  8

  Copeland

  17

  Corby

  22

  Cotswold

  10

  Coventry

  19

  Craven

  9

  Crawley

  15

  Crewc and Nantwich

  13

  Croydon

  13

  Dacorum

  12

  Darlington

  17

  Dartford

  13

  Daventry

  10

  Derby

  18

  Derbyshire Dales

  9

  Derwentside

  27

  Doncaster

  20

  Dover

  14

  Dudley

  18

  Durham

  20

  Ealing

  16

  Easington

  32

  East Cambridgeshire

  12

  East Devon

  10

  East Dorset

  7

  East Hampshire

  8

  East Hertfordshire

  9

  East Lindsey

  12

  East Northampton

  11

  East Staffordshire

  11

  East Yorkshire

  13

  Eastbourne

  16

  Eastleigh

  10

  Eden

  8

  Ellesmere Port

  15

  Elmbridge

  9

  Enfield

  14

  Epping Forest

  13

  Epsom and Ewell

  7

  Erewash

  14

  Exeter

  16

  Fareham

  6

  Fenland

  14

  Forest Heath

  10

  Forest of Dean

  10

  Fylde

  9

  Gateshead

  31

  Gedling

  10

  Gillingham

  10

  676

  per cent.

  Glanford

  9

  Gloucester

  16

  Gosport

  14

  Gravesham

  15

  Great Yarmouth

  18

  Greenwich

  22

  Grimsby

  23

  Guildford

  10

  Hackney

  33

  Halton

  23

  Hambleton

  10

  Hammersmith

  25

  Harborough

  7

  Haringey

  39

  Harlow

  23

  Harrogate

  9

  Harrow

  9

  Hart

  6

  Hartlepool

  29

  Hastings

  18

  Havant

  6

  Havering

  11

  Hereford

  18

  Hertsmere

  12

  High Peak

  13

  Hillingdon

  11

  Hinckley and Bosworth

  8

  Holderness

  10

  Horsham

  9

  Hounslow

  11

  Hove

  16

  Huntingdon

  9

  Hyndburn

  13

  Ipswich

  18

  Isles of Scilly

  9

  Islington

  31

  Kennet

  12

  Kensington and Chelsea

  19

  Kerrier

  13

  Kettering

  13

  Kingston-upon-Hull

  34

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  10

  Kingswood

  8

  Kirklees

  16

  Knowsley

  36

  Lambeth

  30

  Lancaster

  15

  Langbaurgh

  22

  Leeds

  22

  Leicester

  23

  Leominster

  10

  Lewes

  9

  Lewisham

  34

  Lichfield

  9

  Lincoln

  26

  Liverpool

  39

  Luton

  14

  Macclesfield

  9

  Maidstone

  10

  Maldon

  9

  Malvern Hills

  10

  Manchester

  46

  Mansfield

  20

  Medina

  19

  Melton

  9

  Mendip

  12

  Merton

  14

  Mid Bedfordshire

  9

  Mid Devon

  12

  Mid Suffolk

  10

  Mid Sussex

  9

  Middlesbrough

  32

  Milton Keynes

  13

  Mole Valley

  9

  New Forest

  9

  Newark

  13

  Newbury

  8

  Newcastle under Lyme

  14

  677

  per cent.

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  34

  Newham

  35

  North Bedfordshire

  11

  North Cornwall

  12

  North Devon

  16

  North Dorset

  10

  North East Derby

  16

  North Hertfordshire

  14

  North Kesteven

  9

  North Norfolk

  11

  North Shropshire

  11

  North Tyneside

  27

  North Warwickshire

  13

  North West Leicester

  12

  North Wiltshire

  10

  Northampton

  15

  Northavon

  8

  Norwich

  31

  Nottingham

  32

  Nuneaton

  14

  Oadby and Wigston

  6

  Oldham

  21

  Oswestry

  14

  Oxford

  25

  Pendle

  13

  Penwith

  15

  Peterborough

  19

  Plymouth

  21

  Poole

  10

  Portsmouth

  24

  Preston

  20

  Purbeck

  9

  Reading

  15

  Redbridge

  11

  Redditch

  16

  Reigate and Banstead

  9

  Restormel

  13

  Ribble Valley

  6

  Richmondshire

  10

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  11

  Rochdale

  19

  Rochester on Medway

  13

  Rochford

  8

  Rossendale

  17

  Rother

  9

  Rotherham

  22

  Rugby

  11

  Runnymede

  10

  Rushcliffe

  9

  Rushmoor

  12

  Rutland

  8

  Ryedale

  7

  Salford

  32

  Salisbury

  13

  Sandwell

  28

  Scarborough

  15

  Scunthorpe

  21

  Sedgefield

  27

  Sedgemoor

  13

  Sefton

  17

  Selby

  9

  Sevenoaks

  10

  Sheffield

  29

  Shepway

  14

  Shrewsbury and Atcham

  12

  Slough

  16

  Solihull

  13

  South Bedfordshire

  11

  South Buckinghamshire

  9

  South Cambridgeshire

  9

  South Derbyshire

  10

  South Hams

  10

  South Herefordshire

  9

  South Holland

  11

  South Kesteven

  14

  South Lakeland

  9

  South Norfolk

  10

  South Northants

  9

  678

  per cent.

  South Oxfordshire

  9

  South Ribble

  9

  South Shropshire

  12

  South Somerset

  16

  South Staffordshire

  10

  South Tyneside

  33

  South Wight

  11

  Southampton

  19

  Southend on Sea

  14

  Southwark

  28

  Spelthorne

  8

  St. Albans

  9

  St. Edmundsbury

  12

  St. Helens

  21

  Stafford

  11

  Staffordshire Moorlands

  7

  Stevenage

  19

  Stockport

  13

  Stockton on Tees

  21

  Stoke on Trent

  19

  Stratford-on-Avon

  10

  Stroud

  10

  Suffolk Coastal

  9

  Sunderland

  30

  Surrey Heath

  6

  Sutton

  12

  Swale

  12

  Tameside

  19

  Tamworth

  18

  Tandridge

  8

  Taunton Deane

  14

  Teesdale

  12

  Teignbridge

  11

  Tendring

  9

  Test Valley

  10

  Tewkesbury

  9

  Thamesdown

  13

  Thanet

  14

  The Wrekin

  20

  Three Rivers

  11

  Thurrock

  17

  Tonbridge and Mailing

  11

  Torbay

  14

  Torridge

  11

  Tower Hamlets

  40

  Trafford

  11

  Tunbridge Wells

  10

  Tynedale

  12

  Uttlesford

  8

  Vale of White Horse

  8

  Vale Royal

  12

  Wakefield

  23

  Walsall

  25

  Waltham Forest

  18

  Wandsworth

  24

  Wansbeck

  27

  Wansdyke

  10

  Warrington

  16

  Warwick

  13

  Watford

  13

  Waveney

  17

  Waverley

  10

  Wealden

  6

  Wear Valley

  25

  Wellingborough

  16

  Welwyn Hatfield

  16

  West Devon

  11

  West Dorset

  11

  West Lancashire

  20

  West Lindsey

  13

  West Norfolk

  13

  West Oxfordshire

  9

  West Somerset

  14

  West Wiltshire

  11

  Westminster

  21

  Weymouth and Portland

  15

  Wigan

  19

  Winchester

  12

  679

  per cent.

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  11

  Wirral

  19

  Woking

  9

  Wokingham

  5

  Wolverhampton

  28

  Woodspring

  10

  Worcester

  15

  Worthing

  10

  Wychavon

  10

  Wycombe

  9

  Wyre

  8

  Wyre Forest

  13

  York

  19

  Aberconwy

  14

  Alyn and Deeside

  13

  Arfon

  23

  Blaenau Gwent

  27

  Brecknock

  12

  Cardiff

  22

  Carmarthen

  13

  Ceredigion

  13

  Colwyn

  16

  Cynon Valley

  21

  Delyn

  16

  Dinefwr

  14

  Dwyfor

  15

  Glyndwr

  14

  Islwyn

  18

  Llanelli

  20

  Lliw Valley

  17

  Meirionnydd

  14

  Merthyr Tydfil

  29

  Monmouth

  11

  Montgomery

  11

  Neath

  20

  Newport

  24

  Ogwr

  17

  Port Talbot

  23

  Preseli

  17

  Radnor

  12

  Rhondda

  19

  Rhuddlan

  17

  Rhymney Valley

  24

  South Pembrokeshire

  17

  Swansea

  23

  Taff-Ely

  17

  Torfaen

  24

  Vale of Glamorgan

  15

  Wrexham Maelor

  21

  Ynys Mon

  18

  Aberdeen

  19

  Angus

  17

  Annandale and Eskdale

  16

  Argyll-Bute

  19

  Badenoch

  16

  Banff and Buchan

  16

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  6

  Berwickshire

  16

  Caithness

  18

  Clackmannan

  37

  Clydebank

  36

  Clydesdale

  20

  Cumbernauld

  26

  Cumnock and Doon

  30

  Cunninghame

  26

  Dumbarton

  23

  Dundee

  32

  Dunfermline

  21

  East Kilbride

  19

  East Lothian

  21

  Eastwood

  5

  Edinburgh

  22

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  14

  Falkirk

  25

  Glasgow

  42

  Gordon

  9

  Hamilton

  28

  Inverclyde

  31

  680

  per cent.

  Inverness

  24

  Kilmarnock

  28

  Kincardine and Deeside

  7

  Kirkcaldy

  26

  Kyle and Carrick

  21

  Lochaber

  19

  Midlothian

  16

  Monklands

  38

  Moray

  16

  Motherwell

  33

  Nairn

  16

  Nithsdale

  17

  North East Fife

  25

  Orkney

  11

  Perth and Kinross

  15

  Renfrew

  25

  Ross and Cromarty

  19

  Roxburgh

  18

  Shetland

  12

  Skye and Lochalsh

  15

  Stewartry

  14

  Stirling

  21

  Strathkelvin

  14

  Sutherland

  17

  Tweeddale

  14

  West Lothian

  23

  Western Isles

  11

  Wigtown

  25

  1 Percentages for England and Wales refer to 1990;

  Scottish figures refer to 1991.

  Sources:

  Caseload figures from Housing Benefit and Community Charge Benefit Management Information System caseload counts for 1990 and 1991, including estimates for non responding authorities.

  Number of Households from the Building Research Establishment and the Scottish Office.

  Homelessness
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that housing benefits and income support is available to homeless people using half-way houses.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Homeless people are entitled to income support, and to housing benefit when they find accommodation and incur a liability to pay rent. Housing benefit is also available on the same basis to people who secure temporary or permanent housing.

  Eating Out Allowance
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of re-introducing the eating out allowance, at the level payable in 1989, for the financial year 1993–94.

  Miss Widdecombe
  It is not possible to produce a reliable estimate from the data available.

  War Pension Scheme
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations his Department has received about the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State's announcement of 12 November about the introduction of a threshold for noise-induced hearing impairment into the war pension scheme; what replies have been sent; what action is being taken; what
  681
  consultation there was prior to the press announcement with the Royal British Legion and other ex-service organisations; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Consultation over the package of proposals, involving a threshold for noise induced hearing loss and an increase in war disablement pensions, commenced after the announcement of 12 November 1992. Since then, several letters have been received from representatives of the ex-service organisations. Full and careful account has been taken of the comments made in those letters, and of the comments made on 3 December during discussions of the proposals at the meeting of the Central Advisory Committee on War Pensions. As announced in my reply of 17 December 1992,Official Report, column 369–70, after full consideration, we have concluded that they are in the best interests of war pensioners and are proceeding with them. My noble Friend Lord Henley has written to members of the central advisory committee and others representing the interests of war pensioners, advising them of our decision.

  Compensation Payments
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much compensation has been paid to social security claimants in the current year for late payment of benefit, for benefit interruptions, or in ex-gratia payments.

  Mr. Burt
  During the six-month period ending 30 September 1992, a total of £1,499,236 was disbursed as ex-gratia payments, of which £1,113,367 represented compensation payments. The records kept do not distinguish between payments made for delay in payment of benefit and payments made for interruption of benefit.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of pensioners had an income of less than £5,000 a year, at the latest available date.

  Miss Widdecombe
  It is estimated1 that 61 per cent. of single pensioners2 had an income of less than £5,000 per year in 1988 (the latest available date).

  1 Family Expenditure Survey 1988.

  2 Based on pensioner units—i.e., single people over state pension age and couples where the husband is aged 65 or over, regardless of whether they are drawing state pension.

  Income Statistics
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the numbers and proportion of people who fell below 50 per cent. of average income before and after housing costs in(a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland in 1979 and in 1988–89.

  Mr. Burt
  Reliable information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information for the United Kingdom as a whole is available in Households Below Average Income: a Statistical Analysis 1979–1988–89 (HMSO 1992), a copy of which is in the Library.

  Share Fishermen
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will allow share fishermen to sign on for unemployment benefit by postal slips; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  Postal signing is offered to all claimants who would find it difficult to attend their local benefit office regularly.

  The Employment Service, which administers the scheme on behalf of the Secretary of State for Social Security, has issued guidelines to local offices describing the circumstances in which this facility should be offered. People who live more than six miles from their local benefit office, people with disabilities who would suffer hardship through regular attendance, and people who live in areas where local transport is inadequate, can all be excused from regular attendance. We have no plans to offer postal signing to any specific occupational group.

  Carers
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he proposes to review the present qualifying roles for the carer premium.

  Mr. Burt
  We have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will extend payment of invalid care allowance for a period beyond the time that a person's caring responsibilities come to an end.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many carers he expects to benefit from changes to invalid care allowance and carer premium from next April; and at what cost.

  Mr. Scott
  All carers currently in receipt of invalid care allowance and the carer premium will benefit from the uprating of benefits which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 12 November 1992.

  We expect a further 3,000 carers to benefit from the increase in the invalid care allowance earnings limit at a cost of £3 million.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current annual cost of benefits for carers.

  Mr. Scott
  We estimate that the cost of invalid care allowance for the year 1992–93 will be £301 million. Separate figures are not held on the cost of the carer premium.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will extend eligibility for invalid care allowance to carers providing care and support for someone in receipt of the lower care component of disability living allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no plans to do so.

  The purpose of invalid care allowance is to provide a measure of financial assistance to those who forego the opportunity of full-time work to provide regular and substantial care to a severely disabled person. It is doubtful whether a person receiving the lower rate care component of disability living allowance would require such substantial care.
  683
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has for increasing the level of take-up of the carer premium on means tested benefits.

  Mr. Burt
  The carer premium is already well-publicised in a number of ways and we continually monitor the provision of information about benefits. Information about the whole range of premiums is given in a number of leaflets about income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit. In addition specific information about the carer premium is contained in leaflet FB31 (Caring for someone?), which has been well received by carers and their organisations, in the ICA claim pack and award notices and in the income support claim pack.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has further to improve financial support for carers.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend, the Member for Hertfordshire, West (Mr. Jones) on 12 November 1992 at columns 906–24 and, in particular cols 910–11.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to increase the basic rate of invalid care allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, West (Mr. Jones) on 12 November 1992 at columns 906–24. Apart from this, we have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress has been made in implementing the specific improvements in financial support for carers proposed by the fifth report from the House of Commons Social Services Committee of 1989–90, "Community Care: Carers" (HC 410).

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Government's reply to the report was contained in "The Government's Plans for the Future of Community Care" (Cm 1343) a copy of which is in the Library.

  Income Support
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what account he takes of fluctuations in interest rates paid to savers on the notional income received by income support claimants with savings.

  Mr. Burt
  Treatment of notional income support claimants is designed to give most help to people with the least savings. The formula is not linked to, nor is it meant to imply, any particular rate of return which would be secured from investment.

  Consequently, while the formula is kept under review, it would not be appropriate to amend it to reflect directly fluctuations in interest rates paid to savers.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he replied to a letter from the European Commissioner responsible for Social Affairs and Employment in connection with the United Kingdom's obligations under European Council directive (EEC) 80/987; and if he will make a statement.
  684
  Miss Widdecombe
  The United Kingdom Government responded on 11 September 1992 to a letter from the Director General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Employment, Industrial Relations and Social Affairs about European Council Directive 80/987. We believe the Government have done all that is required to comply with this directive.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list(a) the total number of residential properties owned by his Department, (b) the number of such properties which are empty, and (c), (b) as a percentage of (a).

  Miss Widdecombe
  There are 18 properties on the Department's estate which could be described as residential properties. Three of these properties are empty: 16.7 per cent. of the total.

  Pension Funds
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will amend company pension fund law so as to oblige companies suspending employer contributions to suspend employee contributions for a parallel period;

  (2) if he will make it an offence under company pension fund law to suspend company employer contributions without full consultations with all employees;

  (3) what proposals he has to amend company pension fund law to assist the transfer of small company pension funds, in the event of receivership, to larger ongoing pension funds;

  (4) if he will make it a criminal offence under company pension fund law to deduct employee pension contributions and fail to transfer them into the pension fund;

  (5) what proposals he has for changes in company pension fund law to protect the pension rights of employees, where their contributions were deducted from wages, but not transferred with the pension fund in the event of receivership; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security announced on 8 June 1992 that a pension law review committee was being set up to carry out a wide ranging review of the framework of law and regulation within which occupational pension schemes operate. Questions relating to securing pension rights are fundamental to that review, and we have no proposals for amendments to legislation that might preempt the committee's report. Protections exist in employment protection legislation for unpaid contributions to occupational pension schemes, up to certain limits, where the employer is insolvent.

  Arachnoiditis
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security to which benefits sufferers of arachnoiditis may be entitled; and what steps are being taken to publicise such eligibility.

  Mr. Scott
  A wide range of benefits is available to sick and disabled people, including sufferers of arachnoiditis, provided they meet the conditions of entitlement. Information about eligibility to benefits is made widely
  685
  available by the Benefits Agency in a variety of forms including leaflets and various confidential free telephone advice lines.

  National Welsh Bus Company
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set up an inquiry into the administration of the company pension fund of the National Welsh Bus Company.
  686
  Miss Widdecombe
  An independent trustee has been appointed to the National Welsh Omnibus scheme, as required by the Social Security Act 1990, and is taking the steps necessary to safeguard the pension position of members.