Written Answers of 28 January 1993

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Justices of the Peace
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many justices of the peace are aged(a) under 30 years, (b) under 40 years, (c) under 50 years, (d) under 60 years (e) over 60 years.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information can be supplied only at disproportionate cost. The aim of the advisory committees which advise the Lord Chancellor and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on the appointment of justices of the peace is to find as many candidates as possible under the age of 55, and particularly those in their 30s and 40s, in order to maintain a balanced age structure.

  House Buying
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy to propose amendments to current legislation in order to secure that any commitment to buy or sell a house made orally, or in writing, is legally enforceable in England and Wales.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The law already allows any house buyer and seller to enter into a binding contract once the terms of that contract have been agreed. The Government do not propose to alter the legal requirement that contracts for the sale or other disposition of an interest in land shall be made in writing.

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects to publish his Department's proposals for the reorganisation of the magistrates courts service in outer London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  A consultation paper on the future geographical and structural organisation of the magistrates' courts service in the Greater London area will be published by my Department next month. decisions will be made following the three-month consultation period in the light of responses received.

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has received for removing the necessity for defendants to be represented at unopposed adjournment hearings in the magistrates courts; and what estimate he has made of the savings that might thereby be achieved.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Law Society has made such a proposal. The Lord Chancellor will be considering how best to take it forward. Estimates of the likely financial effect will be produced in the course of that consideration.

  Law Centres
  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Lord Chancellor's Department has to promote the development of law centres.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Law centres are primarily a local service and as such their development is primarily a local concern. However, the Legal Aid Board and the Law Centres Federation have recently established a working party to examine ways in which new arrangements could be made for the payment of legal aid work by law centres and other agencies which employ solicitors involved in providing advice, assistance and representation.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the amount of legal aid paid out in North Yorkshire for each of the last four years; and if he will give the number of cases supported in each of those years.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for York (Mr. Bayley), on 20 January, at columns 261–62. North Yorkshire is covered by two Legal Aid Board area offices at Newcastle-upon-Tyne and at Leeds. It is not possible to distinguish between assisted persons residing in North Yorkshire and other areas served by those offices.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has received for cost penalties to be imposed on legal aid matrimonial litigants when their non-co-operation has led to delays occasioning increased costs; and what estimate he has made of the savings that might thereby be achieved.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Law Society has made such a proposal, which it acknowledges needs further thought. Estimates of the likely financial effect will be produced in due course.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has received to limit the availability of legal aid for the costs of(a) counsel being attended by a solicitors' representative and (b) two counsel when a QC is assigned; and what estimate he has made of the savings that might thereby be achieved.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Law Society has made such proposals, though they have been under consideration in the efficiency commission for some time and it has hitherto been difficult to secure any restraint on costs as a result. The Lord Chancellor will be considering how best to take these proposals forward. Estimates of the likely financial effect will be produced in the course of that consideration.

  Legal Fees
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals his Department has received for fees for legal work to remain at the levels set in April 1992; and what estimate he has made of the savings that might thereby be achieved.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Both the General Council of the Bar and the Law Society have proposed that the statutory
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  rates for legal aid work in 1993–94 should remain at 1992–93 levels. This proposal formed part of a series of measures put forward by the professions as an alternative to measures to control legal aid expenditure announced by the Lord Chancellor. However, as the Lord Chancellor had not intended to propose an uprating for 1993–94 the professions' proposal would not achieve any savings other than those already considered by the Lord Chancellor.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Witness Protection
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review rules of evidence procedures, exchange of statutory requirements and court procedures in order to provide better protection of witnesses who are called to aid the prosecution of violent offenders.

  Mr. Jack
  A number of safeguards have been introduced to protect victims and other witnesses from intimidation or fear of intimidation. These include measures to prevent an individual's address appearing as a matter of course on witness statements; to delay, except in certain circumstances, disclosure of the address until the start of summary trial, full committal or Crown court trial; to allow child witnesses to give evidence in certain cases by closed-circuit television and to allow a video recording of an earlier investigative interview with a child witness to be accepted as evidence in chief; and to provide anonymity for victims of rape and other specified sexual offences. The operation of these, and other, safeguards is kept under general review, but we have no present plans for a more formal exercise.

  Bail Offences
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what figures he has on the level of offenders re-offending while on bail, for the latest convenient period.

  Mr. Jack
  Such figures are not held centrally. Our research indicates that although the absolute number of offences committed by people on bail has risen by about 26,000 between 1985 and 1990, as the number of people granted bail has increased, the proportion of those found guilty of offences committed while they were on bail has remained at about 10 to 12 per cent.—"Offending whilst on bail: a survey of recent studies", Home Office research and planning unit paper 65, February 1992.

  The incidence of offending on bail is a matter of concern and work is in hand to tackle the problem. This includes action research which is being undertaken in five areas and is designed to identify the scope for improving the bail decision-taking process, and thus minimising the risk of offending on bail.

  Leicestershire Police
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what asssessment he has made of the effects of reductions in funding of Leicestershire police force on the number of posts and the level of overtime; and what representations he has received on the subject.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The force is currently holding 29 vacancies against an authorised establishment of 1,853.784
  Overtime levels have been reduced as part of measures to keep within budgetary constraints. No representations have been received on this subject.

  Prison Transfers
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the prisoners transferred between 1982 and 1992 from prisons in Northern Ireland to prisons in Great Britain were convicted of scheduled offences.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on the nature of the offences of prisoners transferred between United Kindom jurisdictions is not held centrally.

  I will write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested.

  Immigration
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when an application for entry clearance made on 2 July 1992 to the Islamabad high commission can be processed; what is the average waiting time for an interview with the immigration service; and how long the average waiting time is for the report to be sent to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and for a decision to be made.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Where the entry clearance officer refers an application for inquiries in the United Kingdom by the immigration service, these inquiries should normally be completed within three months of receipt. If the hon. Member is concerned about the time taken to deal with any individual case, I shall be willing to look into it.

  President Clinton
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the new United States Administration concerning inquiries undertaken by his Department over whether Mr. Clinton had applied for United Kingdom citizenship.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  None.

  Prisoners' Complaints
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he can report progress on his plans for the independent review of prisoners' complaints.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I am pleased to announce that I have now agreed arrangements to appoint a prisons ombudsman to consider grievances from prisoners who have failed to obtain satisfaction from the present internal complaints system. He or she will have a wide remit to consider issues affecting individual prisoners. It will extend to grievances relating to contracted out prisons. It will not include complaints about non-prison bodies—the courts, the police and the Parole Board for example.

  The prisons ombudsman will be able to consider the merits of cases as well as the procedures involved. He or she will make recommendations to the chief executive of the Prison Service, and to myself as necessary. The ombudsman will publish an annual report which will be laid before the House.

  I will look to the prisons ombudsman to maintain good liaison with Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons and

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  with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. The rights of prisoners to approach the latter through a Member of Parliament will of course be unaffected by this new appointment. The post will be publicly advertised shortly. My aim is to announce an appointment in the spring in order to have the new office operating and considering grievances by the end of this year.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Mortgage Interest
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what analysis he has made of the benefits arising out of the operation of the scheme that gives tax relief for mortgage interest payments and of whether this represents value for the revenue forgone when compared with the cost of a scheme of universal housing benefits.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We keep the costs and benefits of all tax reliefs under continuous review. Mortgage interest relief helps some 9.8 million borrowers to buy their own homes, and is estimated to cost £5.2 billion in 1992–93.

  Cigarette Consumption
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the tax revenue implications of the target to reduce the consumption of cigarettes by at least 40 per cent. by the year 2000 in the Department of Health White Paper, "Health of the Nation".

  Sir John Cope
  As part of the "Health of the Nation" commitment to reduce the consumption of cigarettes, the Government have undertaken at least to maintain the real level of taxes on tobacco products. A 40 per cent. fall in consumption of tobacco products would produce a 40 per cent. fall in the tobacco excise duty base. For the present real level of excise duties on tobacco products, this would represent an annual loss to the Exchequer of around £2.4 billion, in 1992–93 prices.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what rate he intends to tax the national lottery.

  Sir John Cope
  My right hon. Friend will make an announcement about the rate in due course.

  Autumn Budget
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects purdah to commence for Treasury Ministers in advance of the autumn Budget.

  Mr. Lamont
  I shall be deciding that in due course.

  Value Added Tax (Charities)
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the income to the Treasury in each of the last five years as a result of VAT levied on registered charities.

  Sir John Cope
  Information about the amount of VAT borne by charities is not collated centrally, but it is estimated that charities now pay up to £250 million in VAT each year.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Aid
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries, for each of the last 10 years, where International Monetary Fund conditionality has been imposed for receipt of United Kingdom unilateral aid.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 11 January 1993]: It is not possible to list all those occasions on which individual British aid commitments were made in association with International Monetary Fund reform programmes. But British balance of payments aid is usually provided only to countries that have programmes of structural adjustment agreed with the International Monetary Fund and the World bank in place. In doing so, we often act in concert with other donors. The objective is to enable recipients to purchase urgently needed imports to sustain or improve production and assist economic recovery. Commitments of such aid in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available were made to the following countries:

  1982

  Sudan

  Zaire

  Jamaica

  Bangladesh

  Pakistan

  1983

  Kenya

  Sudan

  Uganda

  Zambia

  Zimbabwe

  Jamaica

  Bangladesh

  1984

  Ghana

  Malawi

  Sudan

  Uganda

  Zaire

  Zambia

  Zimbabwe

  Jamaica

  Bangladesh

  Maldives

  1985

  Ghana

  Mozambique

  Somalia

  Sudan

  Zimbabwe

  Bangladesh

  Jamaica

  1986

  Gambia

  Ghana

  Mozambique

  Somalia

  Tanzania

  Zaire

  Zambia

  Bangladesh

  Jamaica

  1987

  Gambia

  Ghana

  Mozambique

  787

  Somalia

  Tanzania

  Uganda

  Zaire

  Zimbabwe

  Bolivia

  Jamaica

  Bangladesh

  1988

  Gambia

  Ghana

  Kenya

  Malawi

  Mozambique

  Sudan

  Tanzania

  Uganda

  Bangladesh

  1989

  Gambia

  Ghana

  Kenya

  Malawi

  Mozambique

  Nigeria

  Senegal

  Tanzania

  Uganda

  Guyana

  Bangladesh

  1990

  Gambia

  Ghana

  Nigeria

  Tanzania

  Uganda

  Zambia

  Jamaica

  1991

  Ghana

  Malawi

  Mozambique

  Nigeria

  Tanzania

  Uganda

  Zimbabwe

  Jamaica

  Nicaragua

  Bangladesh

  India

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Iraq
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from Arab countries neighbouring Iraq about the recent bombing raids.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have received no formal representations from Arab countries neighbouring Iraq about the recent bombing.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the nuclear installations declared by Iraq to the International Atomic Energy Agency up to July 1990 and those subsequently identified by United Nations inspectors.
  788
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 25 January 1993]: Parts of Iraq's principal nuclear site, Tuwaitha, were declared to the IAEA before July 1990. These facilities were covered by a safeguards agreement.

  Details of nuclear installations subsequently identified by United Nations inspectors are contained in the reports of inspections carried out by the IAEA under the terms of Security Council resolution 687. Copies of these reports have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Japanese Labour Camp Survivors
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will support the claim of the Japanese Labour Camp Survivors Association for compensation from the Japanese Government.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Her Majesty's Government sympathise deeply with those who suffered so dreadfully as prisoners of war of the Japanese during the second world war. We owe a great debt of gratitude to them. However, the question of compensation was settled in the 1951 peace treaty with Japan.

  Although the Government could not directly associate itself with the private attempts of groups to obtain further compensation, we would not, of course, impede or obstruct these attempts, with whose aims we sympathise.

  Entry Clearance
  Mr. Peter Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many additional entry clearance officer posts it is planned to create in Dhaka in 1993 and 1994.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Entry clearance staffing at posts abroad is based on current and forecast demand for entry clearances. We review such staffing at all posts during the first quarter of each year, and in the case of larger posts such as Dhaka, at quarterly intervals thereafter.

  Mr. Peter Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the present waiting time for first interview for the four categories of applicants in Dhaka, Bangladesh; and what were the waiting times for the same categories one year and two years earlier.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The waiting time in months for first interview waiting times at the end of 1992, 1991 and 1990 were:

  Q1

  Q2

  Q3

  Q4

  1992

  3

  6

  7

  9

  1991

  3

  5

  6

  10

  1990

  2

  3

  3

  9

  Queue 1: Applicants with a claim to British citizenship, aged dependants over 70, compassionate cases;

  Queue 2: Spouses and dependent children under 18;

  Queue 3: Other dependants; fiance(e)s, others for settlement;

  Queue 4: Reapplicants.

  Mr. Peter Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current entry clearance officer staffing at the British high commission in Dhaka; and what is the full staffing complement.
  789
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The ideal entry clearance officer establishment in Dhaka is 12; there are currently 12 in post.

  Mr. Peter Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many entry clearance officers in Dhaka are immigration officers on secondment from the immigration service.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There are currently eight immigration officers on secondment as entry clearance officers in Dhaka.

TRANSPORT

  Fuel (Tax Differentials)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the decision at the last Budget to widen the tax differential between diesel and other fuels on the use of(a) diesel fuel and (b) diesel vehicles.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  At the last Budget the duties on diesel fuel and unleaded petrol were both increased in line with inflation—4.5 per cent.—while the duty on leaded petrol was increased by an extra 3 per cent. It is too early to assess the impact of the changes in duty. However, the number and proportion of cars and light vans using diesel fuel have increased rapidly over the last 10 years and this trend is expected to continue.

  Airports (Night Restrictions)
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what review he carried out of the night restrictions which currently apply at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The current night restrictions were set in 1988 for a five year period. They end this year and if the current regime is not extended or replaced there will be no night restrictions. I have therefore carried out a wide-ranging review.

  I have taken the opportunity to include Stansted in the review so that local people there should have the same level of protection against aircraft noise at night as people living around the other two airports.

  The proposals maintain the policy of continuing to protect local communities from excessive exposure to aircraft noise at night without imposing unnecessary restrictions on the airline industry.

  The aviation industry makes an important contribution to the economy of the south-east and to the United Kingdom as a whole. It is important for us to make reasonable provision for this—otherwise airlines and airports abroad will seize the business and the prosperity that goes with it. Equally, it is important that those who live around our airports should be able to enjoy a good night's sleep.

  Our proposals for a new regime of night restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted are set out in a consultation paper, issued today. The proposals seek to give more flexibility to airlines but have been designed expressly to favour movements by the quieter types.

  We are asking for comments on the proposals to be with us by Friday 30 April.

  Transport and Environment Ministers
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the outcome of the joint meeting of Transport and Environment Ministers in Brussels on 25 January.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The United Kingdom supported calls for an early meeting of EC Ministers to consider the implications of the oil pollution incidents at La Coruna and on Shetland and took a leading part in the proceedings. The United Kingdom was represented by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, my noble Friend the Minister for Shipping and myself.

  Prior to the meeting, the United Kingdom circulated a report on the Shetland oil spill. I am placing copies of this report in the Library. In it we drew attention to the work we have set in hand following this incident, including the accident investigation by the marine accident investigation board, the inquiry under Lord Donaldson of Lymington and the ecological steering group being set up in Scotland. We called for concerted action at national, European and global levels, emphasising the importance of the international Maritime Organisation—IMO—and by flag states throughout the world if real improvements in ship safety and pollution prevention are to be secured. We suggested early ratification by member states of the protocols to the international liability and fund conventions agreed at the diplomatic conference in London last year which provide for increased compensation amounts, and ratification of the salvage convention; and we encouraged early adoption of the EC directive concerning requirements for vessels carrying dangerous or polluting goods which was agreed last month during the United Kingdom presidency. We also suggested urgent examination of other possible measures including additional guidance to tanker operators and masters, routing measures, extension of radar coverage and vessel traffic service schemes, the role of salvage tugs and further port state control action.

  The Council commended the United Kingdom on its prompt and effective response to the Braer incident. It recognised that further concerted action at national and Community level and in the IMO is essential to minimise threats to the marine and coastal environments from oil and hazardous cargoes. It urges the Community and member states to support the on-going work in IMO relevant to this objective. The United Kingdom has been urging the Commission to bring forward as a matter of urgency its communication "A Common Policy for Safe Seas". This now now expected to issue next month. The full text of the Council conclusions will be placed in the Library when it is available.

  Station Car Parks
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ensure that the existing level of car parking spaces are maintained at railway stations following their sale, franchise or vesting in Railtrack.

  Mr. Freeman
  Where stations are being managed by franchisees, any conditions about the level of car parking spaces could be imposed through the franchise contract. Otherwise, car parking arrangements will be subject to the general oversight of the independent regulator.
  791
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy that charges for car parking spaces at railway stations should not rise above the equivalent, in real terms, of charges as at February, following either their sale, franchise or vesting in Railtrack.

  Mr. Freeman
  Where stations are being managed by franchisees, any restrictions on car park charges could be imposed through the franchise contract. Otherwise, car parking charges will be subject to the general oversight of the independent regulator.

  London Underground
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the location of track, stations and ticket offices owned or managed by Briitsh Rail which provide facilities to London Underground on an agency basis;

  (2) if he will list the location of track, stations and ticket offices owned or managed by London Underground which provide facilities to British Rail on an agency basis.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that the information requested is as follows:

  Stations served jointly by London Underground and British Rail

  1. Stations owned and staffed solely by BR, but served by trains of both operators

  (a) BR and LUL trains on same tracks

  East Putney*

  Harrow and Wealdstone

  Kew Gardens

  South Kenton

  Wembley Central

  Wimbledon Park*

  Gunnersbury

  Kensal Green

  North Wembley

  Southfields*

  Willesden Junction

  Harlesden

  Kenton

  Richmond

  Stonebridge Park

  Wimbledon

  * No timetabled BR passenger service, but served by BR trains diverted onto the route.

  (b) BR and LUL trains on separate tracks but serving adjoining platforms.

  Barking

  New Cross Gate

  Upminster

  Kensington Olympia

  Paddington (Suburban)

  New Cross

  Stratford (also served by DLR)

  2. Stations owned and staffed solely by LUL, but served by trains of both operators

  (a) BR and LUL trains on same tracks

  Amersham*

  Harrow on the Hill*

  Chalfont and Latimer

  Rickmansworth

  Chorleywood

  (b) BR and LUL trains on separate tracks but serving adjoining plaforms.

  Barbican*

  Moorgate*

  Farringdon*

  Old Street*

  Greenford*

  * LUL also sells tickets for BR-only journeys on an agency basis

  792

  3. Interchange stations with separately owned (but physically interlinked) BR and LUL areas

  (a) BR and LUL each issue tickets at their own booking offices

  Balham

  Charing Cross

  Kings Cross St. Pancras*

  Paddington

  Blackfriars

  Euston

  Liverpool Street

  Victoria

  Cannon Street

  Finsbury Park

  London Bridge

  Waterloo

  (b) All tickets issued by BR at "joint" booking office

  Ealing Broadway

  Queens Park

  Walthamstow Central

  (c) All tickets issued by LUL at "joint" booking office Bank (also served by DLR)

  Kentish Town*

  South Ruislip*

  West Ruislip

  Blackhorse Road*

  Marylebone*

  Tottenham Hale*

  Highbury and Islington*

  Seven Sisters*

  West Ham*

  * LUL also sell tickets for "BR-only" journeys on an agency basis

  Track served jointly by London Underground and British Rail

  1. Track owned by BR, and served by trains of both operators.

  1.1 Wimbledon-East Putney1

  1.2 Richmond-Gunnersbury

  1.3 Queens Park-Harrow and Wealdstone

  1 No BR passenger service

  2. Track owned by BR but served by LUL trains only.
  2.1 Track running into New Cross and New Cross Gate stations (used by East London Line).
  2.2 Track running into Kensington Olympia station (used by District Line).

  3. Track owned by LUL, and served by trains of both operators.
  3.1 Amersham-Harrow on the Hill

  InterCity Rail Services
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what subsidy the Government propose to make to InterCity rail services following rail privatisation or franchising.

  Mr. Freeman
  Any subsidy required will be determined by competitive bidding for a franchise.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what subsidy the Government propose to make to Railtrack in respect of track, tunnels and bridges which are used by InterCity rail services following rail privatisation or franchising.

  Mr. Freeman
  We shall expect Railtrack to recover its economic costs in providing and maintaining the railway infrastructure from the track access charges it will levy on future rail service operators. Operators awarded franchises may require a subsidy as a condition of operating their services.
  793
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make it his policy that InterCity executive rail services are maintained for each route now existing north of Glasgow and Edinburgh following franchising or privatisation;

  (2) if he will make it his policy that InterCity executive rail services are maintained in respect of the whole of the west coast route from London to Glasgow, via Preston.

  Mr. Freeman
  Under our rail privatisation proposals, it will be for the franchising director to decide the precise specification of all services, including current InterCity services, to be offered for franchising in line with the guidance given to him by the Secretary of State. As we made clear in the consultation document "The Franchising of Passenger Rail Services" published in October, objectives for the franchising director will include basing the pattern of services to be provided on BR's existing service levels.

  A12/M12
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive and publish the consultant's report on the proposal to build the M12 or upgrade the existing A12; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We expect to receive a report from our consultant this summer. The report will provide information about route options on which we hope to consult the public in late 1993. Information about the scheme studies will be available for inspection during the consultation.

  A11
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make an announcement following the simultaneous inquiries into the improvements of the A11 to Abington and the A505/A11 and A604 junction; and when he expects work to commence.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I expect the announcement to be made in the next few weeks. Further progress will depend on the nature of the decisions, completion of the necessary statutory procedures and the availability of funds.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work to resume on the A11 improvement between Newmarket and Four Westways.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The work of dualling the A11 between Newmarket and Four Wentways was halted when the contractor, Lilley Construction Limited, went into administrative receivership. The receiver has received a number of offers from interested firms to complete the work. Until those negotiations are complete it is too soon to say when work can resume. The contractual completion date of the end of 1993 can still be met.

  Railways Bill
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will initiate a study of the operation of the railways run by the British Railways Board to identify those services or operations which can be made more effective or efficient consequent to the enactment of the Railways Bill.
  794
  Mr. Freeman
  All passenger and freight services should be capable of more effective or efficient operation as a result of our reform proposals.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will identify those requirements for transport by rail, by general character, or on specific routes, currently provided by the British Railways Board that will be capable of being provided under the provisions of the Railways Bill, indicating in each case if they would be capable of realising a commercial return or he a charge on public funds.

  Mr. Freeman
  All rail services currently provided by the British Railways Board could be provided under the provisions of the Railways Bill. The competitive tendering process will determine the amount of subsidy, if any, required for any franchise service. Freight services will be provided on a commercial basis.

  Jubilee Line
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if loans from the European investment bank will count towards the £400 million private sector contribution required for the Jubilee line extension.

  Mr. Norris
  It will be for the administrators of Olympia and York to determine sources of finance to enable them to make the agreed contribution.

  Rail Depots
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what method he expects to allocate passenger rolling stock maintenance and stabling depots which are compatible with competitive services on the routes currently served by the respective depots.

  Mr. Freeman
  Where the depot concerned is dedicated to a passenger service which is to be let as a single franchise, the depot will usually be leased for the period of the franchise to the incoming franchisee. Where one franchisee will be the predominant user of the depot, he will usually acquire the lease subject to conditions requiring him to make facilities available to other operators. In some cases, it may be feasible to divide a depot into separate parts for use by different operators, or to lease a depot to a third party maintenance operator.

WALES

  Elton Report
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to develop a post-school education strategy aimed at promoting socially responsible parenthood as recommended in the Elton report on discipline in schools.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  This is an issue to which further and higher education institutions should give consideration in their overall provision for students.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of how many local education authorities and schools in each of these LEAs communicate with parents in languages other than English or Welsh in accordance with the recommendations of the Elton report.
  795
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None. It is for local education authorities and schools to consider the need for communication with parents in languages other than English or Welsh in the light of local needs and circumstances.

  School Lunch (Supervision)
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local education authorities provide lunch-time supervision; what percentage of schools in each local education authority provide such supervision; how much is spent; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which this supervision meets the standards expected by his Department.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Arrangements for lunchtime supervision are the responsibility of local education authorities and the governing bodies of those schools with delegated budgets. Information about these arrangements is not held centrally.

  Primary Education
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what plans he has to propose greater use of specific subject teaching;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of teaching in relation to the time spent on various aspects of the curriculum;

  (3) what measures he proposes to achieve a match of work to pupil's needs;

  (4) if he will make a statement concerning the primary school curriculum and teaching methods;

  (5) if he will make a greater use of specialist teaching; and if he will make a statement;

  (6) what plans he has to introduce setting in schools; and if he will make a statement.

  (7) if he will make a statement on whole-class teaching.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In February of last year I launched a debate on primary education in Wales with the publication of a report by Her Majesty's inspectorate on classroom organisation and teaching methods. That report addressed, among other things, issues concerned with whole class and specialist teaching, classroom management and teaching methods appropriate to the needs of individual pupils and the national curriculum.

  The debate was taken forward by the Curriculum Council for Wales, CCW. Following a series of seminars attended by teachers throughout Wales, the Curriculum Council for Wales published in November a guidance document "Aspects of Primary Education in Wales". The document has been issued to all Welsh primary schools. I also sent a copy to all hon. Members in Wales. Further guidance is being prepared by the council on aspects of planning and managing the primary curriculum including teaching methods and the use of specialist staff. Schools will need to consider all this advice carefully and ensure that it is taken into account so that they can implement the national curriculum successfully.

  It is obviously important that we should keep under review how this is being taken forward to schools and provide further guidance as necessary. I have therefore asked Her Majesty's chief inspector for Wales to include, as part of his programme of work in 1993–94, a further investigation into primary education teaching methods and practices and report to me by April 1994. I have placed
  796
  a copy of my letter in the Library of the House. I will consider whether further action is necessary in the light of that report. I also intend to ask the Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales which, subject to parliamentary approval, will succeed the Curriculum Council for Wales, to take part with the Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority in the rolling review of national curriculum subjects which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education on 18 January.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new guidance he proposes to issue concerning primary education in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply my right hon. Friend the Minister of State gave to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones) on 28 January.

  Land Use
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to produce an annual policy paper on land use and infrastructure planning in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No. My right hon. Friend publishes policies on land use and infrastructure in a range of documents, including planning policy guidance notes and circulars. These documents are regularly reviewed and updated.

  Investors in People
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the companies within Wales which have(a) already been accredited and (b) pledged to work towards the targets outlined in the investors in people programme.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Nine companies have achieved the investors in people standard and 106 are committed to working towards it, but lists of individual companies are not collected centrally.

  Productivity
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to adopt a target of increasing productivity rates in Wales by at least 5 per cent. in each year for the forthcoming decade.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I intend to continue the policies that have created the framework within which manufacturing productivity in Wales has risen from 7 per cent. below the United Kingdom average, in 1980, to 6 per cent. above the United Kingdom average, in 1990. Over this same period, United Kingdom manufacturing productivity itself grew faster than in any other country in the G7, including Japan.

  Rural Areas
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money has been allocated by the Welsh Development Agency in 1992–93 to its rural affairs division for expenditure in the west Wales task force area; and how much is planned to be spent in 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  It is estimated that WDA expenditure within the task force area in 1992–93 will be £1·7 million.
  797
  For 1993–94, I announced earlier this week that the agency will spend a total of £3·7 million on its urban and rural activities. The agency will also administer a £250,000 programme under the EC Leader scheme in south Pembrokeshire.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total planned expenditure by the Welsh Development Agency on its rural affairs division programme in 1992–93; and what is the planned expenditure for 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The WDA's rural affairs division is expected to spend £4·55 million in 1992–93, and the allocation for 1993–94 is £6 million.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the planned expenditure by his Department on the rural initiative in Wales and each of the counties in Wales for 1993–94.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The budget provision of the rural initiative capital grants scheme in 1993–94 is £6·6 million. The 297 bids submitted by local authorities throughout Wales under the 1993–94 round are currently being assessed. I will make an announcement in due course.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the expenditure on the rural initiative programme in Wales in 1992–93 in each of the counties of Wales and in total.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Expenditure in the current year on projects approved under the 1992–93 round of the rural initiative capital grants scheme is not yet complete. The round has an allocation of £6 million shared as follows:

  Programme for the Valleys Expenditure

  £ million

  1988–89 Outturn

  1989–90 Outturn

  1990–91 Outturn

  1991–92 Outturn

  Urban Programme

  11·950

  16·000

  19·400

  23·800

  Urban Development/UIG1

  2·600

  7·200

  6·000

  4·500

  RIG1

  28·875

  16·100

  14·500

  16·140

  WDA

  Factories

  20·730

  20·950

  23·100

  18·500

  Land Reclamation

  11·900

  15·500

  14·700

  15·000

  Environmental

  0·780

  0·600

  0·600

  1·500

  Urban Renewal Unit

  0·700

  1·570

  3·260

  5·381

  Investment

  1·325

  1·750

  2·730

  0·530

  Business Development

  0·720

  1·000

  1·000

  0·980

  Corporate Planning/Research

  0·100

  0·100

  0·050

  0·040

  Roads

  11·100

  11·730

  15·270

  36·807

  Employment Department

  48·600

  49·670

  48·200

  48·000

  Total

  139·380

  142·170

  148·810

  2171·178

  Note: Figures exclude housing programmes.

  1 These programmes are demand-led.

  2(est).

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the pay review of the general manager and senior manager grades of NHS trusts in Wales, announced in the letter of 25 November 1992, from the Director of
  798

  £ million

  Dyfed

  3·30

  Gwynedd

  1·.12

  Powys

  0·73

  Clwyd

  0·44

  Gwent

  0·21

  Note: Figures are rounded.

  Environmental Protection
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for alignment of the eastern boundary of the Wales region of the Environment Protection Agency in Wales in the area of nonconformity of the National Rivers Authority water catchment area boundary with that of other statutory environmental protection agencies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Government have already said that there will need to be an appropriate presence by the agency in Wales. No decisions have been taken on the detailed regional structure of the agency, including its relationship to the England/Wales border.

  Valleys Programme
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a breakdown of the valleys programme spending by sub-programme for each year since 1988–89.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The table sets out the information requested.

  NHS Wales, to the chairmen of NHS trusts in Wales to be completed; how the current public sector pay policy will affect its implementation in 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The review of the pay arrangements, for NHS general and senior managers is ongoing
  799
  and is expected to be completed later this year. Any implementation of possible changes during the period of the current public sector pay policy would be subject to the overall limits on wage settlements for this group.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will announce his decision on the 1993–94 local government settlement and relevant notional amounts.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have given careful consideration to the representations I have received on my provisional settlement proposals. I have also chaired two meetings of the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance at which settlement issues were discussed.

  I acknowledge that my plans for 1993–94 will mean local authorities in Wales having to make hard budgeting decisions and rigorously pursuing efficiency savings. Having taken account of all the representations made to me on the settlement, I remain of the view that my proposals represent the most that the country and local taxpayers can afford in the present economic circumstances. I have therefore decided to set total standard spending—TSS—at £2,599.8 million and aggregate external finance—AEF—at £2,344.2 million for 1993–94. Both TSS and AEF will include the additional resources of £1.6 million that I announced to the House on 14 December 1992 to take account of changes in the independent living fund arrangements.

  AEF will comprise £1,669.3 million in revenue support grant, £470.2 million in distributable non-domestic rates, and £204.7 million in specific and supplementary grants. My decisions are, of course, subject to the approval of the House.

  The TSS I have announced for 1993–94 represents an increase of 3.1 per cent. on 1992–93 plus an additional
  800
  £35·9 million for care in the community. It means an increase of almost 29 per cent. for the three financial years since 1990–91. My plans mean that 90 per cent. of all local authority revenue expenditure in Wales would be met by central Government and should ensure a reasonable level of council tax for local taxpayers in Wales.

  I trust that local authorities will budget prudently and play their part in restraining public expenditure.

  On the matter of notional amounts in lieu of budgets for 1992–93 I have considered all the representations made to me by local authorities and have made amendments to the provisional figures issued in December where I have considered it appropriate to do so. My Department has today written to all local authorities informing them of their standard spending assessments for 1993–94 and their notional amounts. I have placed details of the figures in the Library of the House.

  I propose to lay the Local Government Finance Report (Wales) 1993–94 and the Limitation of Council Tax and Precepts (Relevant Notional Amounts) Report (Wales) 1993–94 before the House, for its approval, early next week.

  Alcohol Projects
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps will be taken to ring fence money for residential alcohol projects in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  [pursuant to his reply, 21 January 1993, c. 364]: Unfortunately, owing to a typing error, a word was omitted from the answer. The correct answer is as follows. Resources being transferred for residential facilities under the care in the community arrangements will not be ring fenced. The Department will continue to support individual projects aimed at combating alcohol misuse.

EDUCATION

  Under-fives
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what percentage of children under five years received nursery education(a) in 1979 and (b) in 1992.

  Mr. Forth
  In January 1979, 18 per cent. of three and four-year-olds were in maintained nursery schools or nursery classes in maintained primary schools in England. In January 1991, the latest year for which information on participation rates is available, the proportion was 25 per cent.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the number of three and four-year-olds in each local authority who were attending a primary school in January 1992.

  Mr. Forth
  The numbers of three and four-year-olds in nursery classes and infant classes in maintained primary schools in each local education authority in England in January 1992 are shown in the table.

  Pupils aged three and four in maintained nursery and infant
  classes in maintained primary schools in England—January 1992

  LEA

  Pupils in nursery classes

  Pupils in infant classes

  Total pupils in primary schools

  City

  29

  10

  39

  Camden

  821

  961

  1,782

  Greenwich

  2,421

  990

  3,411

  Hackney

  2,047

  836

  2,883

  Hammersmith

  935

  545

  1,480

  Islington

  1,529

  689

  2,218

  Kensington and Chelsea

  563

  345

  908

  Lambeth

  1,847

  946

  2,793

  Lewisham

  2,338

  1,045

  3,383

  Southwark

  2,223

  1,033

  3,256

  Tower Hamlets

  1,992

  925

  2,917

  Wandsworth

  2,002

  1,605

  3,607

  Westminster

  884

  429

  1,313

  Barking

  1,750

  1,391

  3,141

  Barnet

  1,839

  2,116

  3,955

  Bexley

  947

  907

  1,854

  Brent

  2,151

  2,120

  4,271

  Bromley

  154

  1,101

  1,255

  Croydon

  706

  2,640

  3,346

  Ealing

  2,657

  2,383

  5,040

  Enfield

  1,484

  2,186

  3,670

  Haringey

  2,332

  1,755

  4,087

  Harrow

  958

  1,557

  2,515

  Havering

  247

  1,892

  2,139

  Hillingdon

  3,030

  133

  3,163

  Hounslow

  2,469

  1,748

  4,217

  Kingston upon Thames

  931

  962

  1,893

  Merton

  2,593

  911

  3,504

  Newham

  3,498

  2

  3,500

  Redbridge

  987

  1,050

  2,037

  Richmond upon Thames

  635

  1,052

  1,687

  Sutton

  1,444

  44

  1,488

  Waltham Forest

  2,181

  868

  3,049

  Birmingham

  7,975

  9,806

  17,781

  Coventry

  1,968

  2,891

  4,859

  Dudley

  2,810

  1,281

  4,092

  Sandwell

  4,424

  2,769

  7,193

  Solihull

  1,728

  1,739

  3,467

  Walsall

  3,431

  2,481

  5,912

  Wolverhampton

  3,089

  1,074

  4,163

  Knowsley

  2,477

  1,577

  4,054

  Liverpool

  5,789

  4,452

  10,241

  St Helens

  1,557

  1,527

  3,084

  802

  LEA

  Pupils in nursery classes

  Pupils in infant classes

  Total pupils in primary schools

  Sefton

  2,155

  2,364

  4,519

  Wirral

  1,999

  2,960

  4,959

  Bolton

  2,558

  2,407

  4,965

  Bury

  1,295

  1,566

  2,861

  Manchester

  6,778

  2,346

  9,124

  Oldham

  2,386

  2,195

  4,581

  Rochdale

  1,085

  2,016

  3,101

  Salford

  2,473

  2,026

  4,499

  Stockport

  822

  2,374

  3,196

  Tameside

  2,150

  2,090

  4,240

  Trafford

  1,820

  1,757

  3,577

  Wigan

  1,929

  2,786

  4,715

  Barnsley

  2,771

  1,045

  3,816

  Doncaster

  3,326

  2,849

  6,175

  Rotherham

  2,601

  1,125

  3,726

  Sheffield

  4,967

  2,426

  7,393

  Bradford

  5,517

  3,047

  8,564

  Calderdale

  1,799

  1,759

  3,558

  Kirklees

  3,902

  2,087

  5,989

  Leeds

  7,996

  3,542

  11,538

  Wakefield

  3,846

  1,795

  5,641

  Gateshead

  1,728

  1,600

  3,328

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  2,302

  2,232

  4,534

  North Tyneside

  2,356

  1,691

  4,047

  South Tyneside

  1,448

  1,380

  2,828

  Sunderland

  2,131

  2,681

  4,812

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  13

  13

  Avon

  3,304

  7,726

  11,030

  Bedfordshire

  3,733

  2,149

  5,882

  Berkshire

  3,653

  512

  4,165

  Buckinghamshire

  2,177

  2,784

  4,961

  Cambridgeshire

  1,480

  5,837

  7,317

  Cheshire

  4,621

  8,113

  12,734

  Cleveland

  9,279

  5,600

  14,879

  Cornwall

  1,498

  3,453

  4,951

  Cumbria

  2,204

  3,839

  6,043

  Derbyshire

  7,444

  5,210

  12,654

  Devon

  2,450

  3,902

  6,352

  Dorset

  805

  4,636

  5,441

  Durham

  4,159

  4,571

  8,730

  East Sussex

  1,162

  4,879

  6,041

  Essex

  2,180

  6,350

  8,530

  Gloucestershire

  0

  4,340

  4,340

  Hampshire

  1,655

  6,679

  8,334

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,274

  2,544

  3,818

  Hertfordshire

  6,724

  4,520

  11,244

  Humberside

  7,627

  5,073

  12,700

  Isle of Wight

  186

  914

  1,100

  Kent

  1,893

  12,041

  13,934

  Lancashire

  3,477

  12,281

  15,758

  Leicestershire

  5,322

  4,414

  9,736

  Lincolnshire

  1,109

  4,393

  5,502

  Norfolk

  460

  5,107

  5,567

  North Yorkshire

  3,110

  4,998

  8,108

  Northamptonshire

  2,296

  5,289

  7,585

  Northumberland

  2,677

  2,403

  5,080

  Nottinghamshire

  12,730

  1,990

  14,720

  Oxfordshire

  1,492

  772

  2,264

  Shropshire

  1,224

  2,063

  3,287

  Somerset

  239

  3,635

  3,874

  Staffordshire

  4,531

  8,746

  13,277

  Suffolk

  2,852

  2,572

  5,424

  Surrey

  2,422

  3,573

  5,995

  Warwickshire

  1,366

  4,057

  5,423

  West Sussex

  143

  2,601

  2,744

  Wiltshire

  561

  2,476

  3,037

  Total

  277,531

  299,976

  577,507

  Surplus School Places
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he has included places located within(a) temporary or mobile classrooms, (b) other temporary accommodation and (c) laboratories or workshops in the figures he has published for each local education authority concerning surplus places in schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The survey of school capacity, carried out during the 1990–91 academic year, measured surplus places in schools using the more open enrolment formula promulgated for primary and secondary schools in, respectively, circulars 6/91 and 11/88, both of which are available in the Library. The formula for primary schools contained in circular 6/91 took account of both permanent and temporary accommodation, including mobiles. Workshops or laboratories deemed by the admissions authority to be unsuitable for general teaching purposes were omitted. The formula for secondary schools contained in circular 11/88 took account of all available teaching space, whether permanent or temporary, including mobile classrooms. Laboratories and workshops were also included, but the formula allowed each workplace in such rooms to be a greater area than in a general teaching space in recognition of the additional space requirements of practical subjects.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Bowls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what evidence he has about the buying of books by grant-maintained schools following the grant of grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  The results of surveys of grant-maintained schools conducted by the grant-maintained schools centre suggest that schools are able to spend substantially more on books following incorporation. The annual report of HM senior chief inspector of schools, "Education in England 1990–91" referred to the improved book stock in many grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what level he has decided for the annual maintenance grant payable to grant-maintained schools(a) in Cambridgeshire and (b) elsewhere; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The consultation period on the proposals for calculating annual maintenance grant for grant-maintained schools in 1993–94 closed on 7 January. We are now considering the responses received and will make our final decisions as soon as possible. I will write to my hon. Friend when the decisions are announced.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what representations he has received from the headmaster of George Dixon school in Birmingham about the benefits of grant-maintained status for black pupils at inner city schools; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has received no such representations from the headmaster of George Dixon school in Birmingham. The advantages of grant-maintained status are becoming increasingly obvious as more schools opt for the autonomy it brings, as evident 804
  not least, from schools which have become grant-maintained in Birmingham. Pupils from all ethnic and social backgrounds in inner city schools can and do benefit from their schools becoming grant-maintained.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many Roman Catholic schools have(a) been approved for grant-maintained status, (b) applied for such status and (c) expressed interest in such status.

  Mr. Forth
  Full information is not collected centrally. Aggregated figures for voluntary aided, voluntary controlled and special agreement schools are as follows: 97 are operating or have been approved for grant-maintained status; 43 more have published proposals which are before the Secretary of State for his consideration; 28 have voted yes in parental ballots but not yet published proposals; 23 have ballots pending. Of the 97 operating or approved for grant-maintained status, 20 are Roman Catholic.

  Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he will announce the appointment of the chairman and chief executive of the Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend hopes soon to announce his choice for the chairmanship of the Schools Curriculum and Assessment Authority. The selection of the chief officer will follow. Both appointments will be subject to the passage of the Education Bill now before Parliament.

  St. Mary's School, Rawtenstall
  Ms. Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish details of the supplementary credit approval granted to Lancashire county council in respect of St. Mary's Church of England primary school, Rawtenstall; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  A supplementary credit approval of £76,000 was issued to Lancashire county council in 1991 in recognition of its expenditure needs at St. Mary's Church of England primary school, Rawtenstall. A further £906,000 within annual capital guidelines was allocated in 1992–93, followed by £556,000 for 1993–94, making a total sum of £1,538,000. These resources were allocated in respect of St. Mary's in response to a delegation to the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Mr. Fallon, from representatives of the school expressing concern about the state of the building. The allocation given was in line with the authority's cash bid. I am very concerned that the resources we have allocated have not so far been used for the urgent purpose of rebuilding the school.

  Primary Schools, Charlesworth
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he expects to make a decision on the request from Charlesworth primary school and St. John's Church of England primary school, Charlesworth, to merge.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend hopes to announce a decision shortly.

PRIME MINISTER

  Business Regulation
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Prime Minister if his inquiries into regulation as a burden on business will extend to(a) the rules which require a business person to be or remain outside the United Kingdom in order to obtain leave to set up a business in the United Kingdom and (b) the removal of rights of appeal from business visitors refused leave to do business in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  As announced by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Corporate Affairs, on 12 January 1993, Official Report, columns 711–12, Government Departments are examining the whole body of regulation for which they are responsible. All measures with an impact on business will be covered.

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 28 January.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 28 January.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is making official visits to India, Saudi Arabia and Oman. I am pleased to advise the House that following discussions with the Sultan of Oman, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that Oman is to purchase the Challenger 2 as its new main battle tank, together with its armoured repair and recovery vehicle. I am sure the whole House will want to join me in congratulating Vickers Defence Systems on this well-deserved success, which is the first export order for the Challenger 2.

  Edinburgh Summit
  Ms. Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Prime Minister how many letters he received from individuals concerned that third world needs would not be discussed at the Edinburgh summit.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister received a number of representations. Issues of major concern to developing countries were discussed, including the need for a successful conclusion to the GATT negotiations and for renewed growth in the economies of the European Community. Both of these would help to increase the export earnings of many developing countries significantly.

HEALTH

  Hospital Care, Northumberland
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the cost to the national health service, per patient per night, for each of the five regions in Northumberland, during the last five years, of patients staying at least one night in hospital.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information in the precise form requested is not collected centrally. Information derived 806
  from annual financial returns submitted to the Department by the Northumberland district health authority is shown in the table:

  Northumberland district health authority

  Average daily cost per patient using a bed1 £ (cash)

  1987–88

  30

  1988–89

  39

  1989–90

  43

  1990–91

  48

  1991–92

  Northern and Mental Health Unit

  85

  Northgate Unit

  59

  South East Northumberland Unit

  130

  Tynedale Unit

  81

  1 Inpatients and day cases.

  Notes:

  1. The figures are average costs for all specialties provided. Those for 1991–92 are provisional.

  2. There are discontinuities between the data for 1991–92 and those for earlier years. For the years 1987–88 to 1990–91 specialty cost returns were submitted on a district basis and covered treatment arid diagnostic costs only. For 1991–92 the returns were submitted on a Directly Management Unit (DMU) basis and covered total costs (ie inclusive of estate and support services costs which were formerly excluded).

  3. Daily costs will inevitably vary widely between specialties and individual patients. The average costs of particular DMUs will also be influenced by the range of specialties provided by the Unit and other local factors.

  Smoking
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her estimate of the number of cases of peripheral vascular disease, leading to amputation, that were caused by smoking.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally.

  Electromagnetic Radiation
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies have been sponsored by her Department on modifications introduced in melatonin production in human cells arising from exposure to electromagnetic radiation.

  Mr. Sackville
  No such studies have been sponsored by the Department. However, the National Radiological Protection Board's advisory group on non-ionising radiation proposes to monitor any developments in this area in the light of recent work carried out in the United States.

  Abortion
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what follow-up studies concerned with physical complications associated with abortion have been undertaken or funded by her Department;

  (2) what information she has regarding abortion as a cause of (a) infertility in women and (b) spontaneous miscarriage in subsequent pregnancies.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department has funded a major long-term study of the short and long-term sequelae of
  807
  abortion. This has been undertaken by the Manchester research unit of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

  In an article published in the "British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, October 1991", volume 98, pages 1015–24, the researchers concluded that
  "Overall, induced abortion was not associated with any important effect on the three measures of adverse outcome in the subsequent pregnancy".
  The three main outcome measures were: non-viable outcome—spontaneous or missed miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy or stillbirth—birthweight and length of gestation.

  In their study on the effect of induced abortion on subsequent fertility, the researchers concluded that
  "Induced abortion was not related to future fertility".

  Cancer Treatment
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultant cancer physicians are employed by the national health service; if she will list their location by hospital and region; and what is their average salary.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The medical and dental census records the following number of consultant medical oncologists and radiotherapists and general surgeons in England in whole-time equivalents, as at 30 September 1991:

  Medical oncologists

  Radiotherapists

  General surgeons

  Northern

  1·0

  10·0

  74·9

  Yorkshire

  2·5

  13·3

  64·6

  Trent

  0·0

  19·1

  73·7

  East Anglia

  0·5

  10·5

  37·1

  North West Thames

  7·4

  14·0

  61·9

  North East Thames

  5·8

  18·2

  75·1

  South East Thames

  2·8

  17·2

  71·8

  South West Thames

  0·0

  7·9

  49·6

  Wessex

  2·1

  11·4

  48·7

  Oxford

  2·5

  9·3

  46·7

  South Western

  0·0

  16·3

  60·5

  West Midlands

  1·0

  17·0

  100·04

  Mersey

  1·6

  10·7

  47·8

  North Western

  2·2

  16·2

  88·4

  SHAs

  2·2

  10·7

  9·6

  Total

  31·6

  202·6

  910·8

  Information on their average salary and the number of consultants in individual units is not held centrally.

  Cardiac Specialists
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cardiac specialists were employed in the NHS for the years 1979, 1989 and 1992.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Numbers of doctors of all grades in the cardiology and cardiothoracic specialties in England for 1979, 1989 and 1991, by whole-time equivalent are given in the table. Data for 1992 are not yet available; figures supplied relate to 1991.

  1979

  1989

  1991

  Cardiology

  260·0

  427·5

  475·1

  Cardiothoracic surgery

  284·9

  352·0

  375·7

  Total

  544·9

  779·5

  850·8

  808
  This represents a 43 per cent. increase over the 10 years to 1989 and a further increase of 9.1 per cent. in the last two years.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many secure premises places are currently available for juvenile offenders; and what plans she has to increase the numbers of such places.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Elmet (Mr. Batiste) on 20 January 1993 at columns 318–19.

  South East Thames RHA
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answers given to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Milburn), of 17 December, 1992,Official Report, column 421, and to the hon. Member for Greenwich, 27 October 1992, Official Report, column 618, if she will make a statement on the number of administrative and clerical staff in the South East Thames region as at 30 September 1991; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 27 October 1992 at column 618.

  Undergraduate Education and Research
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the third (interim) report of the steering group on undergraduate medical and dental education and research will be published; and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The report is published today, and copies are available in the Library. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and I are sending copies of the third (interim) report to all interested parties under cover of a message welcoming and endorsing the report's conclusions and recommendations. The steering group brings together all the main bodies involved in the organisation and delivery of undergraduate teaching and research, and we are grateful to the representatives of these bodies who have served on the group. This phase of the group's work has involved consideration of the arrangements for undergraduate medical and dental education and research against the background of the introduction of the national health service reforms, and we welcome the group's continuing emphasis on the need for close and effective co-operation between the universities, the NHS and research interests in order to achieve the common purpose of maintaining and improving standards of education and research. We have endorsed the report's recommendation that there should be a successor group to take forward the report's recommendations, which include extending the remit to enable it to consider additional issues which are likely to have an impact on undergraduate medical and dental education and research in the near future.

  In Vitro Fertilisation
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the global NHS budget for IVF treatment annually;
  809
  (2) what level of financial contribution was made by couples on IVF programmes in the last year for which figures are available;

  (3) what was the expenditure level for each regional health authority for IVF treatments in the last year for which figures are available;

  (4) how many women were placed on IVF programmes within the NHS for each regional health authority, in the last year in which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally.

  Ambulance Service, Greater Manchester
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish in the Official Report correspondence from Mr. P. A. Green, 45 Warwick avenue, Whitefield, Manchester, dated 18 January concerning the Greater Manchester ambulance service and her reply.

  Mr. Sackville
  Mr. Green's letter was received in the Department on 25 January 1993. A reply will be sent as soon as possible. Correspondence received by the Department is treated as confidential, but it is open to the recipient to make public the response he receives.

  Gender Clinics
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to curb the activities of clinics which assist parents to determine the sex of their children.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what action she intends to take to stop the genetic techniques in use at the gender clinic, London; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what guidelines she intends to issue governing the development and introduction of genetic techniques to determine the sex of children.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 already controls clinics where sex selection involves in-vitro fertilisation or artificial insemination by donor. The need for controls on other activities of clinics which claim to be able to offer this service is under consideration. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has issued a consultation document on the various issues raised by sex selection and the Government will carefully take the results of this exercise into account in deciding whether further action by the Government may be needed.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Tobacco Advertising
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has of the amount of money spent by the tobacco industry each year on advertising and promoting tobacco.

  Mr. Leigh
  The "Advertising Statistics Yearbook", published by the Advertising Association, contains figures on the amount of money spent on advertising tobacco products, excluding expenditure on sponsorship, sales promotion and billboard advertising.

  The 1992 edition of the yearbook gives expenditure, at current prices, on tobacco advertising over the last five years as follows:
  810

  £ million

  1987

  47·5

  1988

  47·1

  1989

  44·0

  1990

  50·0

  1991

  42·9

  EC Energy Tax
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what assessment his Department is making of the relationship between(a) the balance between the carbon and energy elements of the proposed EC tax on carbon dioxide and energy, (b) the treatment of electricity and (c) the future market for British coal; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what analysis his Department is undertaking of the consequences of the proposed EC tax on carbon dioxide and energy in respect of (a) energy consumption, (b) economic activity and competitiveness and (c) social impact.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government continue to examine carefully the European Commission's proposed directive on a tax on carbon dioxide emissions and energy. This is without prejudice to a decision on its eventual adoption.

  Further clarification of a number of important aspects of the proposal, including the treatment of electricity and the question of exemptions in the industrial sector, is required before a full assessment can be made of the potential impact of the tax. These issues are the subject of continuing discussions with other member states and the European Commission, in which my Department is assisting.

  However, preliminary analysis undertaken by my Department last year indicates that a carbon/energy tax along the lines proposed by the Commission, but assuming no exemptions for industry, could reduce energnergy demand by around 5 per cent., and CO2, emissions by around 7 per cent. in 2,000, compared with projections set out in "Energy Paper 59". Different assumptions about the balance of the carbon and energy elements of the proposed tax would lead to different conclusions, with greater potential reductions coming from taxes weighted more towards carbon. Similarly, different bases for the treatment of electricity could lead to different effects.

  The preliminary analysis also indicates that as coal is the most carbon-intensive fuel, the market for coal would bear a substantial share of any reduction in CO2, emissions arising from the proposed tax. However, the analysis, which was carried out prior to the coal review, does not indicate the impact on coal mining in the United Kingdom because it does not distinguish between indigenous and imported coal.

  The industrial competitiveness and social impacts of the proposed tax would depend on a number of factors. These would include the use made of the tax revenues, the extent to which other countries outside the Community introduced similar measures and the extent of any exemptions from the tax for industries which are disadvantaged by imports from countries without similar measures. In considering whether such a tax should be introduced, the Government would need to be satisfied that it would not have unacceptable impacts on any particular groups of households or on the competitive

  811
  position of United Kingdom industry. My Department has separately sought the views of industry on the Commission's proposals: among the wide range of issues raised, the likely impact on industrial competitiveness was the main concern.

  Timber and Paper Products
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many prosecutions have been brought under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, concerning claims of the environmental friendliness and sustainability of timber and paper products in each of the last five years; and how many such prosecutions have been successful in each year.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Office of Fair Trading has been notified of 16 prosecutions by local authorities under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 concerning claims of the environmental friendliness and sustainability of timber and paper products over the last five years, all of which were successful. The number of convictions in each year was as follows:

  Number

  1988

  6

  1989

  5

  1990

  3

  1991

  1

  1992

  1

  Textiles
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps the Government are taking to protect and encourage the textile industry in north-east Lancashire.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Under the United Kingdom presidency, the EC concluded extensions to all its bilatural multi-fibre arrangement agreements, which regulate textile imports. These extensions will last until it is possible to implement a GATT agreement on trade in textiles and clothing which would phase out quantitative restrictions over 10 years.

  More generally, it is the Government's policy to assist British business to become and remain more competitive, both nationally and internationally. To that end, they have created an environment in which business can flourish, characterised by low inflation, low interest rates, competitive exchange rates and reduced administrative burdens on businesses.

  Export Contracts
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the export contracts which have been secured through the involvement of Government since May 1992; and if he will indicate how much each export contract is worth in pounds sterling.

  Mr. Needham
  It is companies which secure export contracts, not the Government, but the excellent services provided by my Department, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other Departments, are regularly used by large numbers of companies in identifying opportunities and obtaining contracts abroad.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the accident early in January at British Nuclear Fuels' Sellafield plant involving spillage of a litre of plutonium-contaminated solvent; when his Department was informed of the incident; and what radiological contamination occurred.

  Mr. Eggar
  The incident in question occurred in the Magnox reprocessing plant at Sellafield on 12 January when liquor overflowed into an instrument feed cabinet. Approximately one litre of the liquor, containing about a gramme of plutonium, leaked out of the cabinet and on to the floor below. The leak affected a small area of the workplace and was subsequently cleaned up. No worker was contaminated and there was no release of airborne activity.

  The incident was reported to this and other interested Departments and relevant regulatory bodies on 13 January.

  Details of the incident are contained in the Sellafield site's weekly newsletter, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Iraq
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information Her Majesty's Government have on the engineering equipment originating in the United Kingdom installed in the Zaafaraniyah plant in Iraq.

  Mr. Needham
  The Government have asked the United Nations special commission and the International Atomic Energy Authority for confidential details of any evidence of involvement by British companies in Iraq's weapons for mass destruction programmes. Any indication of wrongdoing will be urgently investigated and if export controls have been breached, it will, if appropriate, be a matter for the courts.

  Sizewell B
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations his Department has received concerning the safety of computer software for the proposed Sizewell B nuclear power station.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have received six letters from hon. Members forwarding representations from their constituents about the safety of the computerised primary protection system proposed for Sizewell B. In addition, my officials have replied to about 300 pre-printed postcards on this subject.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will require the nuclear installations inspectorate to conduct an independent investigation into the computer software system for the proposed Sizewell B power station.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate will ensure that any proposed software is fully validated as part of its independent assessment of Nuclear Electric's safety case for Sizewell B.

  Standing Charges
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what would be the cost of abolishing standing charges for gas, electricity and British Telecom for(a) all pensioner

  813
  households, (b) pensioner households on income support,(c) all households on income support and (d) all households on family credit.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 27 October 1992—(Official Report, column 562.)

  Shipbuilding
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which British shipyards and dockyards have the physical layout and capacity to build a ship of 70,000 gross registered tonnes and above.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Depending on the specification and dimensions, a vessel of 70,000grt and above could be built by Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Limited, Birkenhead, Harland & Wolff Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Limited, Belfast, Swan Hunter Shipbuilders Limited, Newcastle Upon Tyne and Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited, Barrow in Furness.

  High Voltage Cables
  Mr. Bowls
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the most recent advice he has received about the health risks of high voltage overground or underground cables.

  Mr. Eggar
  The most recent advice received about the alleged hazards to health from electric and magnetic fields associated with high voltage electric power lines or cables is the report of the advisory group on non-ionising radiation, chaired by Sir Richard Doll, issued in March 1992. However, two reports of Swedish studies released in October 1992 have been referred to the advisory group and further advice from them is awaited.

  Japanese Investment
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what data he has available on the number, value and employment creation of Japanese inward investment projects in manufacturing industry in(a) the United Kingdom. (b) Germany. (c) France, (d) Italy and (e) Spain in the latest 12-month period for which data is available.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  According to Japanese Ministry of Finance figures, the number and value of Japanese inward investment projects in manufacturing industry in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) Germany, (c) France, (d) Italy and (e) Spain from April 1991 to March 1992. the latest 12-month period for which data is available, are as follows:

  April 1991-March 1992

  Number

  Value (US$ million)

  United Kingdom

  77

  904

  Germany

  18

  340

  France

  38

  237

  Italy

  13

  147

  Spain

  12

  286

  Source: Japanese Ministry of Finance.

  Information on the employment creation of these investment projects is not available.

  British Coal
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the current directors of British Coal; when they were appointed to their current contracts and when these will terminate; if he will give details of their salary and other remunerations; and if he intends to review these contracts.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 26 January 1993]: The information is as follows:

  Current period of appointment/re-appointment

  Salary

  £

  Mr· John Neil Clarke (Chairman)

  1 January 1991 to 31 December 1995

  234,360·00

  Mr· Albert Wheeler CBE (Deputy Chairman)

  1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993

  110,000·00

  Mr· Michael Howard Butler (Finance Director)

  1 April 1991 to 31 March 1993

  93,744·00

  Mr· Kevan Hunt (Employee Relations Director)

  1 April 1991 to 31 March 1993

  88,536·00

  Part-time Members

  Dr· Thomas John Parker

  1 September 1992 to 31 August 1993

  7,499·50

  Dr· David Valentine Atterton

  1 September 1992 to 31 August 1994

  7,499·50

  Mr· David Bruce Walker

  1 July 1991 to 30 June 1994

  7,499·50

  Mr· Johannes Petrus Erbe

  1 June 1992 to 31 May 1995

  7,499·50

  Mr· Antony Peverell Hichens

  6 December 1991 to 5 December 1994

  7,499·50

  Apart from the normal process of consideration in respect of appointments which are due to expire, and to agree annual reviews of salary, I have no present plans to review these appointment.

  Fraud
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to introduce a system whereby his Department should be able to bring proceedings in the civil courts to recover(a) compensation for victims, (b) punitive damages for dishonesty and (c) reimbursement of the costs of the proceedings in cases falling within certain categories of allegedly fraudulent conduct; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  [holding answer 26 January 1993]: Sections 6 and 61 of the Financial Services Act 1986 provide for application to the court for restitution on behalf of the victims of certain contraventions and offences under that Act. In addition, section 438 of the Companies Act 1985 permits the Secretary of State to bring proceedings in the public interest in the name and on behalf of a company if it appears to him from an inspector's report or information obtained under the investigation powers of the Act, the civil proceedings ought to be brought. I have no plans for further legislation along these lines.

  Scotts Greys Travel Ltd
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action had been taken by his Department to investigate repeated late filing of accounts by Scotts Greys Travel Ltd., from 1985 prior to the company's collapse in 1992.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the chief executive of Companies House executive agency for which my Department is responsible. I have, therefore, asked Mr. David Durham to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from David Durham to Mr Alan Milburn. dated 26 January 1993:
  I refer to your Parliamentary Question concerning the action taken by Companies House Executive Agency to investigate repeated late filing of accounts by Scotts Grcys Travel Limited from 1985 prior to the company's collapse in 1992. I have been asked to reply as Chief Executive and Registrar of Companies House Executive Agency.
  If companies fail to file on time Companies House instigate a procedure for achieving compliance. This system has changed considerably over the last two years, and coupled with the introduction of late filing penalties in July 1992, has resulted in a marked improvement in timeliness.
  Prior to July 1992 once companies filed, albeit late, all pursuit action ceased. This would have been the case in respect of this company.
  The company's accounts for the period ending 31 December 1991 should have been delivered to me by 31 October 1992. No accounts were received and on 16 November a letter warning that the accounts were overdue was issued to the company at its Registered Office. No response was received and on 29 December 1992 a notice was issued to Mr David Scott at his home address warning him that if the document was not received within the next 28 days, criminal proceedings would he instituted against him.
  However, on 19 January the Registrar received a copy of an order for the compulsory winding up of the company. The Official Receiver is now dealing with the liquidation and in the circumstances, Companies House will not pursue the outstanding accounts.
  The role of Companies House is to maintain an up-to-date company register, to ensure that companies comply with the filing requirements of the Companies Act 1985 and to make this information available to the public. Companies House does not investigate the reasons for late filing once the document in question has been filed. It is not the responsibility of Companies House to scrutinise accounts filed beyond establishing that they comply with legal requirements. The records that Companies House make available to the public exist to provide anyone doing business with a limited company, information about its structure, ownership and financial standing. The absence of statutory documents on the file should be a warning to potential creditors.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he is proposing to take following the collapse of Scotts Greys Travel Ltd.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: Scotts Greys Travel Ltd. was wound up by the court on 7 January 1993. The Official Receiver, who is also the liquidator, has a duty to investigate the causes of the company's failure and report any misconduct to the Secretary of State.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his estimate of how many customers have been affected by the collapse of Scotts Greys Travel Ltd.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: The Official Receiver has not yet obtained details of the total number of customers who have been affected by the liquidation of this company.

  Offshore Licences
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Pembroke of 21 January,Official Report, column 336, if he will give details of the special conditions that have been agreed with the Department of the Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Joint Nature Conservation Council relating to blocks 103/2, 103/3, 103/6, 103/7, 106/25, 106/29, 107/21, 104/16, 104/17, 104/18, 104/19 and 104/21;

  (2) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Pembroke of 21 January, Official Report, column 336, if he will now place in the Library copies of the advice he received from the Countryside Council for Wales and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on blocks 103/2, 103/3, 103/7, 106/25, 106/29, 107/29, 107/21, 104/16, 104/17, 104/18, 104/18, 104/19, and 104/21 prior to their inclusion in the 14 round of offshore drilling licensing.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: Consultation with other Departments and interested bodies, such as the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Countryside Council for Wales, was on the basis that the information they provided would be treated in confidence. As I have already indicated in my answer of 21 January, their comments were taken into account, and are reflected in conditions to be attached to these blocks if awarded. A copy of the indicative conditions for blocks 103/2, 103/3, 103/6, 103/7, 106/25, 106/29, 107/21, 104/16, 104/17, 104/18, 104/19 and 104/21 will be placed in the Library of the House.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Parliamentary Expenses
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the information available to him on the(a) salary, (b) various office costs allowances, (c) travel allowances and entitlements, (d) postage and telephone allowances, (e) entertainments allowances and (f) other free or subsidised facilities available to elected members of the parliamentary assemblies of (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) Germany, (iii) France, (iv) the United States of America, (v) Australia, (vi) Spain, (vii) Eire, (viii) Denmark and (ix) the European Parliament, basing his comparison on the exchange rates at the close of business on 1 January.

  Mr. Newton
  The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, last year the review body on top salaries carried out a review of the House of Commons office costs allowance (Report No. 32, Cm 1943, July 1992) which included in appendix E"The secretarial, research and office accommodation an expenses of legislators in thirteen countries: a comparativ, survey 1991".
  Calculations for this survey were based on the rate o exchange prevailing on 15 April 1991. This report i available in the House of Commons Library.

  Select Committee Reports
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the(a) titles and (b) publication dates of reports by Select Committees which have not yet been debated by Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

  Committee

  HC Paper No.

  Title

  Date of formal report (in Votes and Proceedings)

  Date of Publication

  Agriculture First

  258

  Arrangement for the importation of bananas into the United Kingdom—interim report

  9 December 1992

  12 January 1993 1

  Defence First

  218

  Statement on the Defence Estimates 1992

  11 November 1992

  30 November 1992

  Second

  306

  Britain's Army for the 90s: Commitments and Resources

  14 January 1993

  [not yet published]

  Employment First

  308

  Employment in the horseracing industry and the new VAT regime after 1 January 1993

  9 December 1992

  16 December 1992

  Second

  263

  Employment consequences of British Coal's Proposed Pit Closures

  13 January 1993

  21 January 1993

  Foreign Affairs First

  205

  Europe after Maastricht—interim report

  4 November 1992

  19 November 1992

  Health First

  321

  NHS Trusts—interim conclusions and proposals for further inquiries

  30 November 1992

  16 December 1992

  Second

  221

  The European Commission's Proposed Directive on the Advertising of Tobacco Products

  14 December 1992

  20 January 1993

  Home Affairs First

  265

  Accountability of the Security Service

  14 December 1992

  13 January 1993

  National Heritage First

  249-I

  Export of Works of Art

  3 November 1992

  11 January 19932

  Second

  249-II

  Export of Works of Art

  12 November 1992

  11 January 1993

  Third

  389

  National Lottery etc. Bill

  14 January 1993

  20 January 1993

  Science and Technology First

  228

  The policy and organisation of the Office of Science and Technology

  10 December 1992

  17 December 1992

  Social Security First

  189

  The operation of pension funds—the recovery of assets

  15 December 1992

  12 January 1993

  Second

  359

  Low income families 1979–1989

  15 December 1992

  14 January 1993

  Transport First

  375

  Future of the Railways in the Light of the Government's White Paper Proposals: Interim Report

  13 January 1993

  20 January 1993

  Treasury and Civil Service First

  210

  The 1992 Autumn Statement and the conduct of economic policy

  16 December 1992

  13 January 1993

  1 Published in typescript on 9 December 1992.

  2 Published in typescript on 3 November 1992 and in printed form in one volume with Second Report.

  The following select committee reports have been debated this session:

  1. Second Report of the Environment Committee 1991–92 HC 17 on Coastal Zone Protection debated on Estimates day on 10 December 1992.

  2. Public Accounts Committee: 36th to 43rd Reports 1990–91, 1st to 24th Reports 1991–92 and 1st to 11th Reports 1992–93 on 28 October 1992.

  3. Report of the Sittings of the House Committee 1991–92 HC 20-I on 13 July 1992.

  4. Members' Interests: First Report 1990–91 and Second Report 1991–92 on 23 June 1992.

  In addition, the following committee reports have been listed as relevant for debate on the Order Paper on the dates shown below: Treasury and Civil Service Committee: 6 November 1992; BCCI Bingham Report, Second Report (HC26 1991–92) and Fourth Report
  818
  Mr. Newton
  Details of the debates on select committee reports are given in the Sessional Returns for each Session from 1987–88 to 1991–92, copies of which are in the Library.

  The substantive reports from departmentally-related select committees this Session up to 25 January 1993 are as follows:
  819
  (HC177 1991–92), Third Special (HC302 1991–92), First Special Report (HC178 1992–93), Second Special (HC248 1992–93) National Heritage Committee: 25 January 1993: Third Report on the National Lottery etc. Bill.

  There remain in the current session two and a half Estimates days on which select committee reports will be debated.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Ozone-depleting substances
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what proportion of his Department's consumption of ozone-depleting substances become controlled waste in terms of section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990;

  (2) what action has been taken to ensure that ozone-destroying substances consumed by his Department are identified as controlled wastes when they are no longer in use.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Environmental Protection Act 1990 does not extend to Northern Ireland. Ozone-depleting substances which become waste are disposed of in an environmentally acceptable way.

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

  Mr. Atkins
  None.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many chlorofluorocarbon domestic fridges are contained within his Department's buildings;

  (2) how many CFC and HCFC installations are contained within his Department's buildings.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

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

  Mr. Atkins
  All relevant equipment is checked for leakage during routine planned maintenance.

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

  Mr. Atkins
  None.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide details from the maintenance and servicing record of the quantity and type of ozone-destroying chemicals used annually in his Department's refrigeration and air conditioning equipment for servicing and in leakages; and what proportion is removed for recycling.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information sought is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much funding has been allocated or 820
  spent to specifically deal with measures to reduce his Department's consumption of ozone-depleting substances.

  Mr. Atkins
  Funding is not specifically allocated for measures to reduce the Department's consumption of ozone-depleting substances. Where plant can be modified or is replaced zero or low ozone-depleting substances are used.

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

  Mr. Atkins
  Use in certain refrigeration plant and refrigerators which have not yet reached the end of their useful lives.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the quantity of ozone-depleting substances recycled within his Department and returned to the manufacturer;

  (2) what quantity of HCFC 22 is purchased by his Department per annum;

  (3) what the latest figures are for his Department's total purchase of CFCs and HCFCs.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information sought is not available.

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

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department's policy is to eliminate the use of ozone depleting chemicals if possible in advance of the dates set out in the EC regulation and the Montreal protocol.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to purchase only ozone-friendly fridges that do not contain CFCs or HCFCs for his Department.

  Mr. Atkins
  Department policy is to purchase only those fridges which contain ozone-friendly refrigerants.

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

  Mr. Atkins
  Guidance on alternatives or substitutes to ozone-destroying chemicals is obtained from the chemical and refrigeration industries, appropriate professional institutions, relevant official publications and the Building Research Establishment.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State fo Northern Ireland how many portable halon fir extinguishers are contained within departmental buildings; and what measures are being taken to ensure the recycling and replacement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Information on the number of Halon extinguishers is not held centrally and could only he obtained at disproportionate cost.
  821
  Where a Halon extinguisher has been discharged, damaged or reached the end of its recommended working life it is replaced with a carbon dioxide extinguisher.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many refrigeration and air conditioning systems in his Department are equipped with automatic leak detection systems.

  Mr. Atkins
  None.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how the Departmental green Minister has promoted protection of the ozone layer with specific policy measures; which possible measures have been considered and rejected; and on what grounds.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have promoted protection of the ozone layer by specific policy measures relating to the recovery and recycling of ozone-depleting chemicals. Other measures to reduce the use of these chemicals, or products containing them, include a purchasing requirement—whether for goods or services—to seek out and use suitable substitutes. A measure which has been rejected is the complete replacement of existing plant or supplies containing these substances, which would be cost prohibitive.

  Environmental Information
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to introduce legislation to transpose EC directive 90/313 on freedom of access to information on the environment into law.

  Mr. Atkins
  Regulations to introduce the directive will be introduced on 1 March 1993.

  Prevention of Terrorism Acts
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons are at present excluded from Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Acts.

  Mr. Mates
  Two.

  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been excluded from Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Acts in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Mates
  The information is as follows:

  Number of persons excluded from NI under section 6 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1989 (or its predecessors)

  Year

  Numbers

  1974

  —

  1975

  —

  1976

  —

  1977

  —

  1978

  —

  1979

  —

  1980

  1

  1981

  6

  1982

  —

  1983

  —

  1984

  —

  1985

  —

  1986

  —

  1987

  1

  1988

  —

  822

  Year

  Numbers

  1989

  1

  1990

  —

  1991

  —

  1992

  —

  School Pupils
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many pupils are at each of(a) the primary and (b) the secondary schools in the constituency of Newry and Armagh in (i) the maintained, (ii) the controlled and (iii) the integrated sectors of education;

  (2) how many pupils are at each of (a) the primary and (b) the secondary schools in the constituency of Strangford in (i) the maintained, (ii) the controlled and (iii) the integrated sectors of education.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the right hon. Gentleman to answers that I gave him on 15 and 16 June 1992,Official Report, columns 382–83 and 465–67. I will write as soon as the information in respect of 1992–93 becomes available.

  Local Authority Performance Indicators
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to make local authorities publish performance indicators; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Local Government Auditor will issue a consultation paper to all district councils in February 1993 setting out proposals for the introduction and use of performance indicators. Once decisions have been taken on the indicators to be used, councils—in common with local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland—will be required to publish the results. It is anticipated that publication of the first results will relate to the financial year 1993–94.

  I am convinced that the publication of such information will benefit councils and ratepayers alike. Councils will set standards and targets to he achieved and ratepayers will be able to assess the performance not just of their own council but also how it compares with other councils.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Local Government Finance
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to disregard all income from compensation payments paid to people who had been held in Nazi concentration camps in calculations for community charge benefit and council tax benefit.

  Mr. Burt
  People who have suffered from National Socialist persecution already receive special recognition in all of the income-related benefit schemes, including community charge benefit and, from April 1993, council tax benefit. The first £10 a week of the pension they receive as a consequence of their persecution is completely ignored. We have no plans to change these rules.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what proportion of social fund applications to visit a sick child in hospital were refused(a) in each district area and (b) nationally, for the latest year for which figures are available.

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

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest available figures for expenditure on housing benefit to tenants in private rented accommodation and the level of income since the previous year.

  Mr. Burt
  The estimated outturn of expenditure for 1991–92 is £2,115 million. Planned expenditure for 1992–93 is £2,522 million.

  Notes: The source of information is the 1992 Department Report published in February 1992. The 1993 Departmental Report, due to be published no later than 12 February 1993, will update the information contained in the reply. A copy will be placed in the Library.

  Benefit Schemes
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 18 January,Official Report, column 101, what method was used to assess the value of a universal housing benefit scheme; and what other means are used in his Department to assess the benefits of proposals for social security schemes.

  Mr. Burt
  The Department has received various proposals for extending the housing benefit scheme. Departmental analysts assess the financial impact of a policy by using micro-simulation models to compare, for a sample of the population, estimated benefit entitlement before and after the proposed change.

  The main data sources used are the Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiry, the Family Expenditure Survey, and forecasts produced by the Government Actuary's Department for caseloads of non income-related benefits.

  Income Support
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Mr. Hogg) of 18 January,Official Report, column 103, if he will publish an estimate of the regional and national distribution of claimants and payments of income support for mortgage interest.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the table.

  Regions

  Number of income support recipients with mortgage interest added in the assessment

  Annual amount of mortgage interest added in the assessment £ millions

  North Eastern

  52,000

  81

  London North

  80,000

  247

  South Western

  40,000

  107

  Wales

  27,000

  49

  824

  Regions

  Number of income support recipients with mortgage interest added in the assessment

  Annual amount of mortgage interest added in the assessment £ millions

  Midlands

  69,000

  127

  North Western

  58,000

  86

  Scotland

  18,000

  33

  London South

  67,000

  220

  Great Britain

  411,000

  949

  Notes:

  1. Due to rounding the sum of the individual amounts for each region does not equal the total for Great Britain.

  2. The regions are DSS administrative regions prior to 1991.

  Source: Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiry, May 1991.

  Local Offices, Paisley
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to develop and construct new premises in the Paisley area for the executive agencies responsible to his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  Plans to develop new premises in the Paisley area for the executive agencies of the Department of Social Security are matters for the chief executives of those agencies. Mr Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency will reply on their behalf to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Gordon McMaster, dated 27 January 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency (BA), it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about plans to develop and construct new premises in the Paisley area for the Department's Executive Agencies.
  Of all the Department's Executive Agencies, including the planned Child Support Agency from April 1993, only the BA has plans to construct new premises in the Paisley area. It is planned that the building, in addition to BA staff, will also house staff from the Contributions Agency and Child Support Agency.
  An application for planning consent has been lodged with Renfrew District Council and, subject to a satisfactory outcome, the sale of the site for the new office in Paisley, to replace the existing Social Security office, will then be concluded. It is hoped that matters will be cleared within the next six to eight weeks.
  Funds are available for the construction of the new building and a start on site is expected immediately the site purchase is completed.
  On current estimates the building should be ready for occupation by late 1994.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Disability Allowances
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when Mrs. Elizabeth Snoxall (Ref. WA 237496B) can expect to receive a decision on her disability living allowance application.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr Robert B. Jones, dated 247 27 January 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational

  825
  matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about Miss Elizabeth Snoxall's application for Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
  I can confirm that outstanding action has now been completed on Miss Snoxall's claim which has been notified to her. The DLA Unit replied separately on 24 January to your earlier correspondence to them about the case.
  Clearly your constituent has not received the standard of service which she has every right to expect from the Agency. I offer my sincere apologies for the delay in dealing with her claim and for the distress and frustration this must have caused. My letter of 19 October 1992 to all MPs explained the problems the Agency has faced since the successful launch of the new benefits and the positive steps taken to improve the situation. I can assure you that every effort is being made by staff and management to improve the response time and service to our customers.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will apper in the Official Report. A copy will also he placed in the Library.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of how many people qualify for cold weather payments in each district.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Richard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and a copy will he placed in the Library.

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Alan Milburn, dated 27 January 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking for an estimate of how many people qualify for Cold Weather Payments in each District.
  An estimate of the number of Income Support recipients in each Benefits Agency District, based on figures for those claiming Income Support in November 1992, who may qualify for a Cold Weather Payment should the area be triggered is in the attached annex.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report. A copy will also he placed in the Library.

  Annex

  District

  Qualifying IS recipients

  Newcastle

  20,602

  North Durham

  16,965

  North Tees

  15,110

  North Tyneside

  8,953

  Northumberland

  11,101

  South Durham

  13,659

  South Tees

  18,822

  South Tyneside

  20,592

  Wearside

  18,887

  Barnsley

  9,742

  Doncaster

  13,569

  East Yorkshire

  10,966

  Hull

  24,494

  Rotherham

  16,851

  Sheffield East

  16,243

  Sheffield West

  15,672

  South Humberside

  17,431

  Bradford

  21,048

  Halifax

  14,700

  Kirklees

  16,834

  Leeds North

  15,275

  Leeds South

  18,891

  North Yorkshire

  14,088

  Wakefield

  14,160

  Glasgow Anniesland

  8,625

  Glasgow City

  9,345

  826

  District

  Qualifying IS recipients

  Glasgow East

  15,888

  Glasgow Laurieston

  15,941

  Glasgow South West

  11,318

  Renfrew

  11,331

  Springburn and Cumbernauld

  11,160

  Clyde Coast and Cowal

  7,881

  Coatbridge

  9,632

  Forth Valley

  11,344

  Highlands and Islands

  14,355

  Irvine and Kilmarnock

  10,765

  Lomond and Argyll

  8,840

  Motherwell

  13,552

  South West Scotland

  13,040

  East Lowlands

  14,171

  Fife

  13,567

  Grampian and Shetland

  12,432

  Lothian Central

  10,183

  Lothian West

  11,603

  Tayside

  18,353

  East Lincolnshire

  16,511

  East Nottinghamshire

  15,258

  Chesterfield and Worksop

  14,517

  North Leicestershire

  17,416

  North Nottinghamshire

  12,131

  South Leicestershire

  16,659

  West Lincolnshire

  15,524

  West Nottinghamshire

  15,017

  Birmingham Chamberlain

  17,127

  Birmingham Heartlands

  15,192

  Birmingham North West

  16,476

  Birmingham South East

  15,070

  Birmingham South West

  15,809

  Coventry

  19,011

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  19,203

  Warwickshire

  15,819

  Central Derbyshire

  14,484

  Central Staffordshire

  14,024

  North Staffordshire

  19,551

  North Worcestershire

  18,548

  Sandwell

  19,270

  Shropshire

  15,453

  South Derbyshire

  10,918

  Walsall

  15,224

  Wolverhampton

  18,387

  Cynon Merthyr & Rhymney Valley

  13,525

  Gwyneddigion

  11,675

  Mid Wales and Maelor

  10,408

  North Gwent and Brecon

  11,131

  North Wales Coast

  13,435

  Ogwr Afan Nedd

  12,460

  South Glamorgan

  22,312

  South Gwent and Islwyn

  11,846

  Swansea

  13,875

  Taff Rhondda

  9,489

  West Wales

  13,703

  Knowsley

  15,410

  Liverpool Central

  10,942

  Liverpool North

  13,764

  Liverpool South

  16,323

  Sefton

  17,559

  South Cheshire

  17,408

  South West Lancashire

  14,407

  Wirral

  19,736

  Manchester Central

  11,960

  Manchester North

  8,626

  Manchester Salford

  12,760

  Manchester South

  18,257

  North Cheshire

  16,353

  Oldham

  15,869

  Sale and East Cheshire

  11,615

  Stockport

  12,635

  Tameside

  11,341

  Blackburn

  12,251

  Blackpool

  14,904

  Bolton

  16,003

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

  11,179

  Lancaster and South Cumbria

  12,016

  827

  District

  Qualifying IS recipients

  North Cumbria

  10,989

  Preston

  13,968

  West Pennine

  18,790

  Wigan and Leigh

  14,205

  Cambridgeshire

  20,813

  Leaside

  30,302

  Northamptonshire

  21,303

  North and East Hertfordshire

  12,541

  Norwich

  22,549

  Suffolk

  20,484

  West Hertfordshire

  13,645

  Barnet

  16,257

  Bedfordshire

  20,337

  Buckinghamshire

  18,423

  Ealing

  26,368

  Euston

  34,092

  Harrow and Hillingdon

  15,361

  Oxford

  15,169

  Bankside

  11,947

  London Central

  5,838

  North Surrey

  25,250

  Palace

  29,940

  South Downs

  18,846

  South West Thames

  26,151

  West Sussex

  23,026

  Bristol Brunel

  19,468

  Bristol Severnside

  22,093

  Cornwall

  22,229

  Dorset

  25,553

  Exeter and North Devon

  21,680

  Gloucester

  18,568

  Somerset

  15,621

  South Devon

  25,876

  Barking and Havering

  17,124

  City East

  14,975

  Essex South East

  16,927

  Essex South West

  23,382

  Hackney and Islington

  27,877

  Lea Roding

  26,905

  Newham

  21,559

  North Essex

  17,182

  Canterbury and Thanet

  12,956

  Channel

  12,112

  East Sussex

  15,958

  Lewisham and Brixton

  27,105

  Neasden

  20,534

  North Kent

  25,432

  Thameside

  20,600

  West Kent

  19,025

  Berkshire

  23,456

  Hampshire North

  16,330

  Hounslow and Kingston

  20,767

  Solent and New Forest

  24,107

  South East Hants and Wight

  22,609

  Surrey Downs

  20,160

  Wiltshire

  18,566

  Registered Homes (Amendment) Act
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment has been made of the effect of the Registered Homes (Amendment) Act 1991 on the benefits of those who are currently part of adult fostering schemes, supported lodgings or adult placement schemes.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen), 20 January 1993,Official Report, columns 294–95.

  Retirement Pensioners
  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number of people in receipt of the state retirement pension; what percentage of this figure(a) pays income tax, (b) pays no income tax but is not in receipt of income support and (c) is in receipt of income support.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is not available in the form requested as the data are not directly comparable. Figures for (b) are not available.

  At 31 March 1992 (the latest date for which figures are available) 10,005,570 persons were in receipt of a contributory state retirement pension, 592,720 of whom were resident outside Great Britain.

  I understand from the Inland Revenue that it is estimated that in the 1990–91 tax year 3.5 million persons in Great Britain in receipt of state retirement pension were liable to pay income tax.

  At 31 May 1991 (the latest date for which figures are available) the number of income support claimants and partners in receipt of state retirement pension was (rounded to the nearest thousand) 1,383,000.

  Care Allowances
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people would benefit and what is his estimate of the cost of extending entitlement to the carer premium to carers over retirement age who could establish underlying entitlement to invalid care allowance.

  Mr. Burt
  It is not possible for a person who becomes a carer after age 65 to establish entitlement to invalid care allowance. Information is not available on which to base a reliable estimate of the additional numbers who would qualify for the carer premium and the consequential cost.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the hon. Member for Chelmsford can expect a substantive reply to his letters of 14 August, 5 November and 11 December 1992 to the chief executive of the Benefits Agency concerning his constituent, reference number DB103964.

  Mr. Scott
  I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that he replied in full to my hon. Friend on 27 January 1993 and apologised for the delay.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  GATT
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has made of the effects on British agriculture of the agreements so far reached in GATT.

  Mr. Gummer
  The agreement reached between EC and US negotiators last November takes full account of the common agricultural policy reforms agreed last May. A GATT deal based on that agreement would assure the future of the CAP support arrangements.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library a detailed analysis of the effect of the GATT agreement on each sector of agriculture.
  829
  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) on 30 November 1992 (Official Report, column 59). The Commission's paper has since been deposited in the Library of the House.

  Battery Hens
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what procedures he intends to implement in order to improve the conditions under which battery hens are kept.

  Mr. Soames
  The Government's policy is that welfare standards for all systems of keeping hens should be set on a Community basis. We are pressing for major improvements in the current Community directive on battery hens.

  Set-aside
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of the set-aside scheme.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in the new set-aside rules.

  Mr. Curry
  On 13 January, agriculture departments announced further details of the new arable payments scheme including claim procedures, rules on land transfers, a relaxation of the rules on set-aside in different yield regions and a more detailed EC regulation on non-food crops.

  Tobacco
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how large are the current intervention stocks of tobacco held(a) in the European Community as a whole and (b) in the United Kingdom; and how much it costs (i) the European Community and (ii) the United Kingdom Government to purchase and store these stocks of tobacco.

  Mr. Curry
  The European Commission's most recent figures show 8,313 tonnes of tobacco held in intervention stores in Greece and Italy, the Community's main tobacco producers.

  In 1991, the Community spent £37 million [54 million ecu] on storing tobacco, around 4 per cent. of CAP expenditure on tobacco for that year.

  The United Kingdom does not produce or store tobacco. Our budgetary contribution is made to the EC budget as a whole.

  Arable Aids Scheme
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning his Department's booklet on the arable aids scheme.

  Mr. Curry
  None.

  Promotion of Agricultural Products
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last attended an exhibition in the United Kingdom for the promotion of agricultural products.
  830
  Mr. Gummer
  Two days ago.

  Milk Marketing Board
  Mr. Bates
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received on the proposals for the reform of the Milk Marketing Board.

  Mr. Curry
  The future of the Milk Marketing Board has been debated in detail during consideration of the Agriculture Bill in another place.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will detail the number of animal welfare officers in his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  There are 239 veterinary officers in the state veterinary service whose duties include the monitoring of livestock welfare on farms.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on developments relating to animal welfare and the EC.

  Mr. Soames
  The Government continue to press for improvements to welfare standards in the Community. Commission proposals are currently awaited on further rules to protect animals in transport and on welfare of laying hens.

  Food Marketing
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the recent food marketing seminar held at 10 Downing street.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the recent food marketing seminar held at 10 Downing Street.

  Mr. Curry
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister chaired a seminar with leaders of the agriculture and food industries on 13 January. This considered ways to improve opportunities for British food suppliers to encourage our industries to become more competitive and to encourage investment in the UK.

  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to meet representatives of the British food industry to discuss the sale of food produced in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Curry
  We meet the industry constantly. Last week alone there were three meetings specifically devoted to promote export and food marketing.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will next meet representatives of British supermarkets to discuss food marketing.

  Mr. Curry
  My ministerial colleagues and I and our officials frequently meet supermarket representatives to discuss current issues of concern, including food marketing.

  Badgers Act 1991
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning the Badgers Act 1991.

  Mr. Soames
  In addition to the responses to the consultation exercise on licensing under the Badgers Act 1991, more than 150 letters from hon. Members and more than 320 letters from members of the public have been received on the licensing arrangements which will permit interference with badger setts.

  Food Prices
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about the price of food in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Curry
  We have received a number of representations about the effects of the recent green pound devaluations on the price of food in the United Kingdom.

  Pig Industry
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met representatives of the British pig industry to discuss problems relating to the industry.

  Mr. Curry
  All Ministers meet representatives of the industry.

  Suckler Cow Premium
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when suckler cow premium payments will be made to farmers in North Yorkshire.

  Mr. Curry
  The Northallerton regional service centre, which covers North Yorkshire, has to date processed a third of the claims received for suckler cow premium under the 1992 scheme for payment. The remainder are being processed as quickly as possible.

  Industrial and Marine Bacteria
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 17 December 1992,Official Report, columns 341–42, if he will give a breakdown of the use of the further £140,000 allocated to the work of the National Collections of Industrial and Marine Bacteria Ltd. for 1993–94; and what assessment he has now made of the long-term value of the collections as a national scientific resource.

  Mr. Curry
  The further £140,000 provided for NCIMB Ltd. is a reduction on the previous allocation but is the level of aid which will enable the company to remain in operation until March 1994. The Ministry has not stipulated the precise apportionment of this money between the various operating costs of the company but I understand the bulk of these funds will be used to pay the staff who maintain the collections.

  The long-term value of the collections as a national scientific resource is being considered by the Office of Science and Technology and I refer the hon. Member to the answer that he received on 17 December from my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Office of Public Service and Science (Official Report, column 351).

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received on common agricultural policy costs to the United Kingdom in the last 12 months.

  Mr. Curry
  I receive numerous representations on all aspects of the CAP.

  Forestry
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to develop a unified grant scheme to encourage and reward forest owners for developing conservation benefits to new and existing woods in the United Kingdom.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 25 January 1993]: I have been asked to reply.

  The Government encourage forest and woodland owners to develop plans under the woodland grant scheme, which provides grants for the creation and management of woodlands to ensure that they yield a wide range of benefits, including conservation.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement outlining the timetable for the adoption of the Government's forestry strategy with special reference to restocking and replanting.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 25 January 1993]: I have been asked to reply.

  The Government's aims and objectives for forestry, which include new planting and restocking, are described in the booklet "Forestry Policy for Great Britain", a copy of which is in the Library.

  A number of forestry and environmental interests have suggested that the Government should prepare a forestry strategy which would set out how these aims and objectives are implemented. The Government will be considering the merits of preparing such a document in the light of discussions that the Forestry Commission are having with interested organisations.

SCOTLAND

  Salmon
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the figures for the number of salmon caught in Scotland during the season 1991 and the season 1992, on rod and line and by commercial nets.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Details of reported catches of salmon in Scotland arc published annually in The Scottish Office Statistical Bulletin—Fisheries Series. Copies of this publication are available in the Library. The reported catches of salmon in the 1991 season by method of catch (net and coble and fixed engine for netsmen and rod-and-line for anglers) are set out below.

  Reported Catches of Salmon in Scotland–1991

  Method

  Reported Catch

  Net and coble

  9,528

  Fixed engine

  10,529

  Rod-and-line

  45,136

  833
  Figures for the 1992 season are currently being collated ready for publication in the summer of this year.

  Child Abuse
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will produce an information leaflet on child abuse, setting out such matters as(a) the law on child abuse, (b) organisations that provide counselling and/or support, and (c) what a responsible adult should do if he/she suspects a child has suffered abuse.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In guidance to local authorities and other agencies, my right hon. Friend has provided information on a wide range of aspects of child protection. He also provides direct financial suport for organisations such as Childline (Scotland) which provide information, advice and counselling about child abuse. In addition, local authorities produce public information on child care matters, including child protection.

  Mr. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance is provided by his office on the circumstances under which child abusers may or may not apply for access to the children they have abused.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  When a child is referred to a children's hearing and grounds which include abuse have either been accepted or found proved by the sheriff, the hearing has responsibility to determine in the light of the information before them whether the child needs compulsory measures of care to protect him or her from harm. If the hearing decides to make a supervision requirement, it has discretion to regulate access to the child according to its view of the child's best interest. It is open to the parents or the child to appeal to the sheriff against the terms of a supervision requirement.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to end plea bargaining in cases of child abuse.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Decisions as to which pleas, if any, to accept in criminal cases, including cases of child abuse, are a matter for Crown counsel and procurators fiscal in the exercise of their independent discretion and having regard to all the circumstances. It would not he proper for the Secretary of State to attempt to interfere with the exercise of this discretion.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide guidance to social workers on avoidance of coercion when attempting reconciliation between victims of abuse and the offenders.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Cases of child abuse are often complex and give rise to conflicting interests and emotions, but social workers have to give primary consideration to the best interests of the child and to take account of the child's wishes and views. My right hon. Friend has recently established a working party to produce practice guidance to assist social workers engaged in all aspects of child protection.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will review the application of interdicts preventing access of abusers to child victims in order to estimate how successful they have been in protecting their safety.
  834
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Law Commission has considered the working of section 141 of the Matrimonial Homes (Family Protection) (Scotland) Act 1981 relating to matrimonial interdicts in their Report on Family Law (Scot Law Corn No. 135). Among other matters the commission recommends extension of the circumstances in which matrimonial interdicts and powers of arrest under the 1981 Act can provide protection for an applicant spouse or child of the family against domestic violence. The commission's recommendations are being considered.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how the salaries of special advisers in his Department are determined; how this relates to the civil service pay structure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  The salaries of the special advisers in my Department are determined from guidance set out by the Cabinet Office and approved by HM Treasury. They do not relate to the civil service pay structure.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which of his special advisers are engaged in other remunerated employment outwith the civil service.

  Mr. Lang
  Two special advisers have been appointed to my Department; neither is engaged in other remunerated employment outwith the civil service.

  Indigenous Plants
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to make available additional resources for the planting of indigenous species along the M8 corridor; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is the policy of the roads directorate of the Scottish Office Industry Department to appoint landscape consultants as part of the design team on motorway and trunk road schemes to ensure that all environmental aspects are considered and that, as far as possible, the planting is harmonious with the natural character of the local area. A strategy for enhancing the landscape of the M8 corridor between Newbridge and Newhouse was prepared in 1988. The roads directorate in partnership with a wide range of interests, including the local authorities, the Central Scotland Countryside Trust and Scottish Enterprise implemented a phased annual planting programme of predominately indigenous species. It is planned to spend £160,000 in Phase V in spring 1993. Further expenditure will be determined by the outcome of the "Future Strategy for the M8" study commissioned in December 1992.

  Following consultation with the Royal Fine Arts Commission for Scotland and the local district council it has been decided to significantly expand the planting programme on the M8 to the west of Glasgow at the St. James interchange scheme. Detailed proposals have yet to be finalised but it is anticipated that indigenous species will be included where these are compatible with the aims of the design philosophy. The estimated cost is £500,000 and will be funded by the roads directorate and Strathclyde regional council.

  Construction Industry (Taylor Report)
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many jobs have been created in the construction industry in Scotland as a result of implementation of the recommendations of the Taylor report on football stadium safety.

  Sir Hector Monro
  This information is not available centrally.

  MV Braer
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has carried out an environmental impact study of the sinking of the M V Braer.

  Sir Hector Monro
  A range of specialist studies on the environmental effects is already underway. I understand that the Shetland Islands council is undertaking a substantial impact assessment. My right hon. Friend announced on 26 January the setting up of an ecological steering group under the chairmanship of Professor Bill Ritchie. One of its tasks will be to oversee these studies.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many veterinary checks have been carried out on Shetland livestock following the MV Brear oil spillage.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: A number of sheep which have been on contaminated grazing have been acquired for slaughter and laboratory examination for hydrocarbon residues in the flesh.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his current estimate of the number of livestock affected and the number destroyed as a result of oil contamination in Shetland.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: My Department has estimated that some 2,000 sheep were on grazings contaminated by oil from the MV Braer; the majority have been moved to cleaner grazing or out of the affected area altogether; the remainder are being fed hay or other fodder; and none have had to be destroyed.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies he has commissioned on the aftermath of the Shetland oil spill.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: Work has begun on the systematic monitoring of fish, shellfish, seawater, soils, herbage, crops and livestock. Shetland Health Board and the Environmental health (Scotland) unit have in hand a detailed health survey, which includes the offer of a general clinical examination to some 600 people living near the wreck, with funding from the Scottish Office. Among the other bodies already active in this field are the Scottish agricultural colleges, Scottish Natural Heritage, the Royal Botanic Gardens (Edinburgh), the Institute for Terrestrial Ecology and Shetland Islands council. All these strands will he drawn together by the ecological steeing group which my right hon. Friend announced on 11 January.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what long-term studies of the ecotoxicology of oil are planned by his Department in relation to birds, fish, invertebrates, marine mammals and others.
  836
  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: My right hon. Friend announced on 11 January that he intends to set up an ecological steering group to oversee studies of the ecological effects of the oil pollution caused by the wreck of MV Braer on the coast of Shetland. The chairman and terms of reference of the group will be announced shortly. It will certainly be taking an expert view on what long-term studies should be undertaken.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the sites of special scientific interest affected by the Shetland oil spill and the species found in them.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: The information is set out in the table. Many common species are found in these sites in addition to those which led to their notification. St. Ninian's is a site notified for its physiographical interest.

  Site affected and species for which the site has been notified Lochs of Spiggie and Brow

  Ncomysis integer (crustacean)

  Potamopyrgus jenkinski (gastropod)

  Diaptomus wierzejskii (zooplankton)

  Chara aspera (macrophyte)

  Potamogeton iliformis (macrophyte)

  Nitella opaca (stoncwart)

  Fontinalis antipyretica (moss)

  Whooper swans

  Goldeneye

  Pochard

  Tufted Duck

  Pool of Virkie

  Arenicola marina (lug-worm)

  Seabirds and seaduck

  Waders

  Sumburgh Head

  Kittiwake

  Guillemot

  Puffin

  Shag

  Arctic Tern

  Quendale

  Marram

  Moonwart

  Curved Sedge

  Felwort

  Potamogeton friesii (pondweed)

  Water Crowfoot

  Waterfowl

  St. Ninian's Tombolo

  Physiographical features only

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has about the risk of pollutants from the MV Braer oil spillage being passed via livestock to human beings through the food chain.

  Sir Hector Munro
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: The livestock in the affected area are cattle and sheep. The cattle are housed indoors at this time of year and it is unlikely that any contamination will reach them. However, the milk and the water supplies to the dairy farms are being regularly sampled and analysed and to date these results show that there has been no contamination. Very few, if any, of the sheep in the area would normally be going for slaughter at this time of year, and farmers have been advised not to send sheep for slaughter at present. In any case, post mortem inspection at the abattoir would reveal any pronounced taint in the meat and would be grounds for condemnation. In order to ascertain whether significant hydrocarbon residues remain

  837
  in the tissues of sheep exposed to this contamination a sample number of animals have been obtained for slaughter and laboratory examination.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his best estimate of how long it will be before pasture vacated following oil contamination may safely be used for grazing.

  Sir Hector Munro
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: It is not yet possible to provide such an estimate. Much will depend on the extent of the contamination and the information arising from the programme of testing of sheep, herbage and soil samples now in progress. Monitoring and testing will continue as long as is necessary. The Scottish Office agriculture and fisheries department will provide advice with regard to safety in the light of the scientific evidence.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he has taken to date, and what action he intends to take, to set up ecological studies into the short and long-term effects of the oil spill from the MV Braer oil tanker.

  Sir Hector Munro
  [holding answer 15 January 1993]: My right hon. Friend announced in his statement to the House on 11 January that an ecological steering group was being established. He announced the terms of reference of that group, under the chairmanship of Professor Bill Ritchie, on 26 January. The group's immediate task will be to develop urgently the best strategies, both in the short and longer terms, for dealing with the implications of the incident for the natural environment of Shetland. The group will oversee special studies of the ecological effects of the incident and will advise on more general lessons which may he drawn for the future.

  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what precautionary measures are being taken by his Department to ensure that foodstuffs are not being sold to the public which have been contaminated by the oil spill in the Shetland Islands.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The primary responsibility for the safety of foodstuffs on Shetland rests with Shetland Islands Council, as food authority. My Department has maintained contact with the Islands Council continuously since the grounding of the M V Braer, and I am satisfied that the council has taken all necessary steps within its power, for example by ensuring that contaminated vegetable crops do not reach the market and that milk supplies are monitored. In addition the Government has made an order under Part I of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 defining an area within which fishing and harvesting of farmed fish are prohibited. This designated area is constantly being kept under review on the basis of test results from water and fish sampling.

  My Department has advised farmers not to send sheep for slaughter meantime, and has purchashed a sample number of sheep for slaughter and laboratory examination to assess whether any significant hydrocarbon residues remain in their tissue.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are being taken to protect wildlife sites in the Minches against possible oil contamination.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: Coastal local authorities have agreed emergency contingency plans with the marine pollution control unit at the
  838
  Department of Transport to deal with contamination by sea borne oil. In addition Scottish Natural Heritage stands ready to provide advice and practical assistance in any case where wildlife and wildlife habitats are affected by oil pollution. Similar help would also be available to those voluntary bodies who assist with the recovery and rehabilitation of wildlife in such circumstances. The Ecological Steering Group which is being established by my right hon. Friend following the grounding of the MV Braer will study the effects on wildlife habitats in the Shetland Islands of that incident and advise on the lessons to be learned which could be applied should a similar incident take place in future in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans have been drawn up for compensation payments in the event of delay in the slaughter of fatstock due to contamination by toxic residues arising from the MV Braer oil spillage.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: The Government have made available assistance to producers who are suffering economic hardship through a bridging fund, which will be operated for the Government by Shetland Islands council. Details of the Fund's operation were announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland in answer to a question from the hon. Member from Aberdeen, South (Mr. Robertson) on 21 January.

  Sandeels
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will continue the ban on the industrial fishing of sandeels in Shetland waters into the 1993 season; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 26 January 1993]: The decision on whether to continue the closure of the Shetland sandeel fishery will be taken on the basis of the latest scientific analysis of the state of the stocks. I expect to receive the scientific advice within the next few weeks. We shall also have to take account of any implications of the recent oil spill from the MV Braer. The final decision will be taken after full consultation with all interested parties.

  KPMG Management Consultants
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to KPMG Management Consultants over the past 12 months.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 January 1993]: Two contracts were awarded by The Scottish Office to KPMG Management Consultants in the 12 months to 31 December 1992:
  Evaluation of NHS trusts; and
  Advice on future administrative and information technology systems and procurement of IT systems for the Scottish Office superannuation division.

  Scotland in Bloom Competition
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what support and assistance he provides to the Scotland in Bloom competition; and if he will make a statement.
  839
  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 27 January 1993]: The Beautiful Scotland in Bloom competition is run by Keep Scotland Beautiful and is funded through commercial sponsorship.

EMPLOYMENT

  Disabled People
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements are in place to monitor the implementation of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944; how many complaints there have been in each year since 1985 alleging contravention of section 9(5) of the Act; how many of these have led to prosecutions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The provisions of the 1944 Act are monitored in a number of ways:

  (i) by a rolling programme of inspections of employers quota records;

  (ii) by undertaking an annual postal survey into the quota position of employers;

  (iii) by reminding employers of their duties and obligations;

  (iv) by maintaining records locally of employers who are subject to quota and of their quota positions;

  (v) as part of the work helping people with disabilities find suitable employment and by promoting the employment of disabled people generally.

  The employment service receives a small number of complaints each year from registered disabled people who consider that their dismissal contravenes section 9(5) of the 1944 Act. Precise figures are not available. All complaints are investigated and, in the period since 1985, none have led to the prosecution of an employer.

  The employment service continues to administer the quota scheme in accordance with legal requirements. It is generally accepted that the scheme is not working as originally intended and we are keeping the position under review.

  Employment Training
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of people with disabilities in(a) London and (b) the south-east, found jobs on leaving employment training in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. McLouglin
  The percentage of people with disabilities going into jobs after leaving employment training was 16 per cent. in London and 23 per cent. in the south-east. These figures are for all leavers who said they had a disability in the period April 1991 to March 1992, the latest period for which information is available.

  Partially Sighted People
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when she next plans to meet representative of the Partially-Sighted Society to discuss the needs and rights of the partially sighted; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of States has no plans at present to meet the Partially-Sighted Society.

  Youth Training
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of young people graduating from youth training schemes in(a) the London borough of Lewisham and (b) south-east London secured full-time permanent employment related to their training within (i) six months and (ii) one year of the completion of their course, in the latest period for which figures are available.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many eligible young people in Hampshire have currently been unable to obtain a place on a youth training scheme.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 21 January 1993]: Information on the total number of young people eligible for youth training is not available.

  Sellafield
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will give details concerning the leak of radioactive plutonium at the Sellafield reprocessing plant in September; and what assessment she has made of the effect on the health of workers at the plant and those who live in close proximity to it in the short and long term.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This incident was fully investigated by the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate who considered that there was no escape of radioactivity to the environment and there was no additional radiation exposure to workers on the site at the time of the incident. Doses to workers engaged on remedial activities have been controlled within statutory dose limits and to be as low as reasonably practicable. A statement of the incident was published in HSE's quarterly statement on incidents at nuclear installations on 4 January 1993, and also in BNFL's Sellafield site newsletter. Copies of the statement and the site newsletter have been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information is available regarding the lengths of periods of unemployment benefit disqualification imposed by adjudication officers in the area which includes Stockton, North.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Frank Cook, dated 28 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 the length of periods of unemployment benefit disqualifications in the Stockton North area. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit arc made by the independent adjudicating authorities.
  Information about the length of disqualification periods imposed is not collated or published as each is decided in the light of the circumstances surrounding the individual case. Without knowledge of these circumstances no meaningful interpretation of the information could be made.

  841
  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.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has regarding the lengths of periods of unemployment benefit disqualification imposed by adjudication officers fist the unemployment office which covers the Workington constituency.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. D. N. Campbell-Savours, dated 28 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 the length of periods of unemployment benefit disqualifications in Workington. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit are made by the independent adjudicating authorities.
  Information about the length of disqualification periods imposed is not collated or published as each is decided in the light of the circumstances surrounding the individual case. Without knowledge of these circumstances no meaningful interpretation of the information could be made.
  I hope this is helpful.
  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  London and South Eastern
  Region—Disqualifications

  Year ending March 1992

  Quarter ending March 1991

  Year ending December 1990

  Year ending December 1989

  Left voluntarily

  48,019

  11,647

  20,813

  54,115

  Misconduct

  18,805

  3,563

  7,618

  18,287

  Refusal of employment

  201

  89

  929

  1,279

  Refusal of premature termination of training

  —

  4

  32

  91

  Neglect to avail of on offer of employment

  121

  27

  163

  626

  Refusal or failure to comply with written instructions

  574

  175

  114

  9

  Trade dispute

  151

  nil

  nil

  134

  Notes:

  1. Starting with April 1991 the stastical year from April to March.

  2. Decisions on absence from Great Britain; imprisonment or detention in legal custody; and, from April 1991, those relating to training are not separately identified in the statistical summary of decisions made and have not been included above.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information is available regarding the lengths of periods of unemployment benefit disqualification imposed by adjudication officers in the area which includes St. Helens, North parliamentary constituency.

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

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information is available regarding the lengths of periods of unemployment benefit imposed by adjudication officers on people living in the London borough of Wandsworth; and how many people have been affected by such decisions in each of the last three years.

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

  Letter front M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Toni Cox, dated 28 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 adjudication decisions affecting people in the London Borough of Wandsworth and, although your question does not specifically say so, I am assuming that you are seeking information about disqualifications. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit are made by the independent adjudicating authorities.
  Information about the length of disqualification periods imposed is not collated or published as each is decided in the light of the circumstances surrounding the individual case. Without knowledge of these circumstances no meaningful interpretation of the information could he made.
  The maximum period of disqualification for receiving unemployment benefit is 26 weeks.
  Unfortunately, information is not available in the form you have requested. We compile information on disqualification by region and the Wandsworth area is included in our London and South Eastern Region. The statistical table attached gives the figures for the number, but not the lengths, of disqualifications imposed in that region.
  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 he published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. John Evans, dated 28 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 the length of periods of unemployment benefit disqualifications in the St Helens North area. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit are made by the independent adjudicating authorities.
  Information about the length of disqualification periods imposed is not collated or published as each is decided in the

  843
  light of the circumstances surrounding the individual case. Without knowledge of these circumstances no meaningful interpretation of the information could be made.
  I hope this is helpful.
  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (I) how many claimants(a) nationally and (b) in the area containing Nottingham, North have been subject to unemployment benefit disqualification imposed by adjudication officers in each of the last five years;

  (2) what information is available regarding the lengths of periods of unemployment benefit disqualification imposed by adjudication officers in the area which includes Nottingham, North;

  (3) what guidance exists for adjudication officers when imposing unemployment benefit disqualification; as to the length of time of that disqualification; what is the maximum period of such disqualification; and how often it was imposed (a) in area containing Nottingham, North and (b) nationally in each of the last five years.

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

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mr Graham Allen, dated 28 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 three Parliamentary Questions to her about the guidance available to adjudication officers and the numbers and length of periods of unemployment benefit disqualifications in the Nottingham North area and nationally. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  All decisions on claims for unemployment benefit are made by the independent adjudicating authorities.
  Although adjudication officers are employed by us, they arc appointed by the Secretary of State specifically to give independent decisions on questions relating to benefit entitlement. These decisions must comply with Social Security legislation and established case law.
  Adjudication officers are assisted in their decision making by guidance contained in the Adjudication Officers Guide. This brings together the law and case law, both of which are also published and available to them, and provides further guidance based on precendent and legal advice. The Guide is written by the Office of the Chief Adjudication Officer (Central Adjudication Services) for all adjudication officers who handle questions and appeals related to social security benefits. It is hoped that its publication by Her Majesty's Stationery Office will he of help to others interested in social security, such as welfare rights groups. However, the guide is primarily designed for the use of adjudication officers and this is reflected in the way it is written and presented.
  Information about the length of disqualification period imposed is not collated or published as each is decided in the light of the circumstances surrounding the individual case. Without knowledge of these circumstances no meaningful interpretation of the information could be made.
  The maximum period of disqualification for receiving unemployment benefit is 26 weeks. Unfortunately because we do not collect the information about the length of disqualificaiton imposed I am unable to provide the details you requested on how often the maximum period of disqualification is imposed.
  Unfortunately, the information we have is not available in the form you have requested. We compile information on disqualificaions by region and nationally. The Nottingham
  844
  North area is included in our East Midlands and Eastern Region. The statistical tables attached give the number of disqualifications imposed both for that region and nationally.
  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.

  The number of people disqualified nationally and in the East Midlands and Eastern region during the past five years is as follows:

  Year ending 31 December

  National

  East Midlands and Eastern Region

  Leaving voluntarily:

  1987

  329,516

  14,727

  1988

  261,838

  12,593

  1989

  202,328

  21,580

  1990

  174,786

  19,025

  Quarter ending March 1991

  37,226

  4,007

  Year ending 31 March 1992

  140,725

  13,392

  Misconduct:

  1987

  98,317

  3,565

  1988

  80,659

  3,269

  1989

  65,495

  7,103

  1990

  53,765

  5,931

  Quarter ending March 1991

  12,937

  1,725

  Year ending 31 March 1992

  54,005

  5,951

  Refusal of employment:

  1987

  2,320

  135

  1988

  2,291

  121

  1989

  2,799

  336

  1990

  2,224

  244

  Quarter ending March 1991

  186

  24

  Year ending 31 March 1992

  458

  51

  Neglect to avail oneself of an offer of employment:

  1987

  2,036

  129

  1988

  3,114

  241

  1989

  2,941

  779

  1990

  1,443

  402

  Quarter ending March 1991

  328

  92

  Year ending 31 March 1992

  1,307

  424

  Refusal to comply with written instructions:

  1987

  61

  Nil

  1988

  78

  2

  1989

  101

  13

  1990

  1,138

  2

  Quarter ending March 1991

  2,354

  Nil

  Year ending 31 March 1992

  575

  Nil

  Trade disputes:

  1987

  496

  6

  1988

  299

  1

  1989

  313

  Nil

  1990

  598

  Nil

  Quarter ending March 1991

  32

  Nil

  Year ending 31 March 1992

  353

  1

  Refusal or premature termination of training:

  1987

  6,607

  333

  1988

  3,987

  252

  1989

  881

  136

  1990

  748

  75

  Quarter ending March 1991

  33

  2

  Note:

  1. Starting with April 1991 the statistical year runs from April to March.

  2. Decisions on absence from Great Britain; imprisonment or detention on legal custody; and, from April 1991, those relating to training are not separately identified in the statistical summary of decisions made and have not been included above.

  Unemployment, Ashfield
  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for the total number of people unemployed in Ashfield.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In December 1992, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 5,623 claimant unemployed people in the Ashfield local authority district.

  Training, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the Liverpool travel-to-work area are currently being trained on Government financed schemes; what percentage of trainees leaving schemes last year are known to have found employment; and if she will express these figures as a proportion of the total number of people registered for employment benefit in Liverpool.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  At November 1992, the latest date for which information is available, there were about 12,600 people on employment and youth training in the Merseyside training and enterprise council area. Estimates are not available for the Liverpool travel-to-work area. In the latest full year to March 1992, 22 per cent. of employment training leavers and 33 per cent. of youth training leavers were in a job after leaving their programme. People on Government training schemes are not included in the monthly unemployment figures.

  Training (Homeless People)
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research her Department has comrnissioned into training initiatives for homeless people.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In May 1992 a report was produced by Conran Roche Planning for the employment service regional office in Birmingham called "Access Needs of Homeless People into Employment and Training". I will arrange for a copy to be sent to the hon. Member.

  In October 1992 my Department commissioned the production of a good practice guide for training and enterprise councils based on initiatives to help homeless people find suitable training and employment. I will ensure a copy of the guide is sent to the hon. Member when it is issued.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 16 and 17–year-olds are waiting for a youth training place(a) nationally, (b) in Nottinghamshire and (c) in the city of Nottingham.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 11 January 1993]: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has already 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, at columns 127–28.

  Changes have been introduced to improve the estimates of demand for places at local level. My right hon. Friend is considering what further information to make available in the light of advice on the reliability of the statistics.

  Management Charter Initiative
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what efforts are currently undertaken by her Department to promote the management charter initiative code of practice, specifically among small and medium-sized enterprises.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government have been instrumental in helping the management charter initiative (MCI) to become established and fully support its efforts to promote the code of practice to all enterprises, including the small and medium sized. With the Department of Trade and Industry and Scottish Enterprise, the Employment Department is sponsoring an MCI development project to help training and enterprise councils, local enterprise councils and chambers of commerce better ensure that the management development needs of small and medium sized enterprises are met.

  Pit Closures
  Ms. Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on what date she was informed of the extent of the job losses announced in the recent British Coal pit closure programme.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information on consultation with the Department on pit closures is set out in a memorandum and supplementary memorandum to the Employment Seclect Committee which the Committee has published.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Children's Play
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what progress has been made on discussing Sports Council funding for the national children's play and recreation unit; and what measures will be implemented to fund children's play after March 1993 pending the completion of these talks.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Sports Council's budget proposals for 1993–94 include provision for some continuing work on children's play. I shall make a further statement in due course.

  National Lottery
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what estimate he has made of the annual costs incurred in connection with administering the national lottery by(a) the Office of the National Lottery, (b) the National Heritage Memorial Fund, (c) the National Lottery Charities Board, (d) the Millenium Commission, (e) the Arts Councils of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and (f) the Sports Councils of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as a percentage of turnover.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have estimated that the annual costs of Oflot will be £1.5 million in 1993–94, and around £2 million thereafter. The percentage of turnover which these figures represent will depend on the success of the national lottery. It is not possible to say with any exactness what proportion of the funds allocated to each distributor will be spent on administration, since this will largely be
  847
  determined by the volume of funds generated for distribution, and the volume of applications to be processed. The national lottery administration costs of the distributive bodies will be voted by Parliament annually in the normal way, and fully covered by receipts from national lottery proceeds.

  Minority Languages
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when he expects to make a final decision regarding his Department's position on the Council of Europe convention on regional or minority languages.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I have been asked to reply.

  The United Kingdom decision on whether to ratify the Council of Europe convention on regional or minority languages will be taken by the Government as a whole. The Government hope to be able to announce their decision shortly.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the organisations and individuals with whom he has had consultations on the Council of Europe convention on regional or minority languages since 5 November 1992.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Council of Europe convention on regional or minority languages places obligations on national Governments. Consultations on the implications of the convention have therefore taken place within the Government.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing Stock
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of housing stock is unfit for habitation or in serious disrepair, in each standard region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The latest reliable figures on the percentage of unfit dwellings in each English standard region arc presented in the table. The figures are from the 1986 English house condition survey and relate to the fitness standard in operation prior to the changes made in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Data on the percentage of dwellings in serious disrepair are not available at standard region level from this survey.

  Region

  Percent Unfit

  North

  5·4

  Yorkshire/Humberside

  5·8

  North West

  6·1

  East Midlands

  4·8

  West Midlands

  6·7

  South West

  4·1

  East Anglia

  4·3

  Inner London

  5·5

  Outer London

  3·9

  Rest of the South East

  3·1

  Total England

  4·8

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total level of local authority debt for each financial year since 1980.
  848
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The toal external debt (temporary and longer-term) of local authorities in the United Kingdom at 31 March each year was as follows:

  £ billion

  1980

  33·5

  1981

  35·8

  1982

  35·9

  1983

  36·0

  1984

  37·3

  1985

  40·2

  1986

  42·7

  1987

  45·0

  1988

  47·8

  1989

  50·8

  1990

  51·7

  1991

  53·7

  1992

  54·4

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the outcome of the consultation on the local government finance settlement for 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  I am today laying before this House the Local Government Finance Report (England) 1993–94, the Limitation of Council Tax and Precepts (Relevant Notional Amounts) Report (England) 1993–94, and the Special Grant Report (No. 5). These reports establish the amount of grant to be paid to local authorities and the basis of its distribution for 1993–94, and specify the amounts which are to be used as the basis of comparison for measuring increases in local authorities' budget in 1993–94 for the purposes of capping. I shall be sending copies of these reports to all authorities, together with a table showing the standard spending assessments and grant entitlement of each authority; these will be placed in the Library and have been placed in the Vote Office. I also reaffirm the provisional capping criteria that I announced last November.

  Marston Moor Airfield
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to respond to the inspector's report following the public inquiry on the planning proposal to permit flying on the Marston Moor airfield near York.

  Mr. Baldry
  The planning inspector's formal report of the local inquiry, held on 8 to 11 September last year, was submitted to my right hon. and learned Friend at the beginning of this month and is being considered urgently. Unless there are unforeseen difficulties, my Department expects to issue the appeals decision within eight weeks of receiving the inspector's report.

  Refugees
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government will make a decision as to the distribution of the special grant for local authorities faced with exceptional costs arising from the influx of refugees from former Yugoslavia, announced on 16 November 1992; and what criteria will be applied in the making of that decision.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is today laying the
  849
  Special Grant Report (No. 5). That report, inter alia, sets out the determination of the amounts of Yugoslav displaced persons grant to he paid to certain charging authorities in support of expenditure incurred in the financial year 1992–93. The criteria applied in making the determination are set out in the report.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will tabulate the 10 highest spending borough or district councils in the year 1991–92, or forecast for 1992–93, or 1993–94. in their statutory duties for homelessness(a) by sum involved and (b) by amounts per head of adult population, giving the figures in each case.

  Mr. Baldry
  The available information is as follows:

  Budgeted expenditure on homelessness1
  1992–93

  Highest spending local authorities

  £ million

  1. Haringey

  11·7

  2. Hackney

  11·5

  3. Tower Hamlets

  10·2

  4. Westminster

  9·6

  5. Lambeth

  7·0

  6. Newham

  7·0

  7. Camden

  6·1

  8. Southwark

  5·1

  9. Hammersmith and Fulham

  5·1

  10. Hounslow

  4·2

  2£/head

  1. Hackney

  90·4

  2. Tower Hamlets

  86·9

  3. Haringey

  73·1

  4. Westminster

  70·5

  5. Newham

  45·0

  6. Camden

  44·9

  7. Hammersmith and Fulham

  42·7

  8. Lambeth

  37·2

  9. Southwark

  30·4

  10. Hounslow

  27·7

  1 From General Fund Revenue Account·

  2 Relevant Population·

  Homelessness
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people were turned down as not being officially homeless under the provisions of the Housing Act 1985 in Nottingham, and not offered temporary accommodation, in the last year for which figures are available; and how many were accepted.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 26 January 1993]: The available information for 1991 is contained in edition No. 102, table 9(b) of "Local Housing Statistics: England and Wales", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Urban Air
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the report of the quality of urban air review group will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The executive summary of the report was published last December. The full report is published today. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the 850
  Library. I am grateful to Professor Roy Harrison and his colleagues for their thorough assessment of the current state of knowledge on urban air quality. We will study their recommendations with care.

  Controlled Waste
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals have been made again it the refusal by waste regulation authorities to register applicants as carriers of controlled waste; and whether he has issued any decisions.

  Mr. Maclean
  Carriers of controlled waste are required to register with waste regulation authorities under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 and the Controlled Waste (Registration of Carriers and Seizure of Vehicles) Regulations 1991. The registration system is an important part of the measures being introduced by the Government to improve the handling and disposal of waste. The legislation provides for applicants to appeal to the Secretary of State against a decision to refuse to register them. To date 25 appeals have been made.

  The first decision letter on such an appeal was issued on 22 December 1992. The appeal was made on the grounds that it was unreasonable for the waste regulation authority to conclude that, in the light of the appellant's convictions for prescribed offences, it was undesirable for him to he authorised to transport controlled waste. The appellant argued that steps had been taken to ensure that the offences are not repeated. The Secretary of State's decision in this case was to uphold the appeal and direct the waste regulation authority to register the appellant.

  The Secretary of State does not consider that operators should he forced out of business unnecessarily as a result of the registration system. He is of the opinion that waste regulation authorities should normally register operators who have taken steps to ensure that there is no repetition of the offences for which they have been convicted. Powers are available to regulation authorities to revoke a person's registration if' that person is subsequently convicted of a prescribed offence and the authority considers that it is undesirable for the registered carrier to continue to be authorised to transport controlled waste.

  Construction Industry Training Board
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to establish a statutory construction industry training hoard.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have been asked to reply.

  There has been a statutory industry training board since 1964.

DEFENCE

  Nuclear Testing
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to discuss with the United States Secretary of State for Defence the future access to the Nevada test site that will be afforded to the United Kingdom for safety tests of nuclear warheads.

  Mr. Aitken
  My right hon. and learned Friend looks forward to discussing a range of subjects of mutual interest with Mr Aspin.

  Maritime Defence Exhibition
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution his Department plans to make to the international maritime defence exhibition and conference to be held in Brighton on 31 March to 2 April.

  Mr Aitken
  This is a matter delegated to the Defence Research Agency under its framework document. i have therefore asked the chief executive to reply directly to the hon. Member.

  Letter front J.A.R. Chisholm to Mr Llew Smith, dated 28 January 1993.
  In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying directly to your question regarding the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference.
  The event is being organised by a private company, Spearhead Exhibitions Ltd., and sponsored by the Defence Research Agency. The MOD and the DRA both plan to have stands at the Exhibition. They will also be members of the Conference Committee and will almost certainly he presenting papers at the Conference.
  I hope you will find this helpful.

  RAF Boulmer
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF Boulmer married quarters are currently vacant in the village of Longhoughton, Northumberland.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As at 31 December 1992 there were 14 vacant RAF Boulmcr married quarters in Longhoughton. Five of these properties were already allocated to service families who were due to move in shortly and the remainder were either undergoing or awaiting major works services. In addition a further 40 houses were emptied between September and December 1992 to allow extensive modernisation and refurbishment to take place. Once this work is completed the properties will be used to accommodate service families.

  Retired Personnel
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what applications have been received from personnel in his Department for permission to transfer to the private sector on retirement.

  Mr. Aitken
  Between 300 and 600 applications seeking permission to take up employment in the private sector are made by crown servants in my Department each year. These represent all applications required under the business appointment rules, in respect of crown servants who retire, resign or are made redundant from crown service. In 1992, of 403 applications made under these rules, 364 were submitted because the applicant had retired.

  Rosyth and Devonport Dockyards
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Devonport Management Ltd. was first invited to file its original tender for nuclear refit work.

  Mr. Aitken
  In July 1991, both contractors at the royal dockyards were invited to make proposals to the Ministry of Defence for concentrating all nuclear refitting, refuelling and decommissioning work at the dockyard each manages. No tenders have yet been sought for this work.
  852
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he made before 6 January of Babcock Thorn's second bid, entitled "Scheme IV", for nuclear refit work at Rosyth.

  Mr. Aitken
  Babcock Thorn Ltd.'s proposals to upgrade docks at Rosyth were given appropriate consideration.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement about the future of Rosyth and Devonport dockyards.

  Mr. Aitken
  As soon as possible.

  Mr. McLeih
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assurances were given to Babock Thorn Ltd. on the evaluation of "Scheme IV" for the nuclear refit work at Rosyth dockyard, submitted on 10 December 1992.

  Mr. Aitken
  BTL asked my Department if it would consider a proposal to upgrade docks at Rosyth as an alternative to its previous proposals. In acceding to this request, my Department gave no assurances on the evaluation of the response.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to ensure that officials working on the future of Rosyth and Devonport dockyards have no conflicts of interest.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I am confident that officials working on the future of the royal dockyards have no conflict of interest.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedure he will adopt for the assessment of Rosyth's second nuclear docks proposal entitled "Scheme IV."

  Mr. Aitken
  The proposal will be given fair and equal assessment against the same criteria used to assess other proposals submitted for nuclear refitting. All relevant factors will he taken into account.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what experience each of the officials concerned with the evaluation of tenders submitted by Rosyth and Devonport dockyards has of working in the private sector.

  Mr. Aitken
  It is Government policy to encourage the interchange of civil servants with the private sector in order to broaden their experience. Given the number of officials concerned with providing advice on the future of the royal dockyards, it would take disproportionate time and effort to provide the information sought.

  Proof and Experimental Sites
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimates he has made of the possible cost of making each proof and experimental establishment site environmentally safe and suitable for alternative use.

  Mr. Aitken
  This matter is being addressed by the director general of test and evaluation in his overall review of test and evaluation facilities within the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contractors involved at each of
  853
  the proof and experimental establishments (land); and what was the volume and value of their work in 1991–92 and in the current financial year.

  Mr. Aitken
  The site contracts at the proof and experimental establishments at Cold Meece, Eskmeals and Shoeburyness (including Lavington) are currently with SERCO; the contract for the environmental test centre at Foulness is with Assessment Services Ltd; and that for the proof and experimental establishment at Pendine is with Airworks Ltd. The volumes of work and their value are a matter of commercial confidentiality between the Department and the relevant contractors.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide economic comparisons of the cost effectiveness of each of the proof and experimental establishments (land) including the financial turnover per year, the number of employees, details of profit and loss-making facilities and any other direct quality and efficiency comparisons; and if he will make the information available for public scrutiny.

  Mr. Aitken
  The cost-effectiveness of all Ministry of Defence test and evaluation facilities is an important part of the overall review that is being undertaken by the director general of test and evaluation; the results of this will not be known until May. Any proposals that emanate from this review which have an impact on the size or location of the civilian work force will be subject to consultation with the trades union and other interested parties. Any consultation document will contain relevant financial information.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline the Government's proposals for market testing the work now being carried out by the proof and experimental establishments (land).

  Mr. Aitken
  In line with Government policy, the Ministry of Defence is committed to a substantial rolling 854
  programme of market testing to demonstrate that it provides good quality services that represent value for money to the taxpayer. As part of this exercise, the directorate general of Test and evaluation is required to market test activity amounting to £45 million. Plans for doing this will be finalised after decisions on the rationalisation of facilities have been completed.

  Procurement Executive
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress there has been in his plans to allocate his Department's procurement executive at a site near Bristol; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  I am pleased to announce to the House that, following a careful review, the Government have decided to proceed with the construction phase of this important project.

  A detailed planning statement was registered with Northavon district council, the local planning authority, on 22 January 1993. Following completion of the formal consultation process, we expect that the construction of the development will commence with the site infrastructure works in the spring of this year, with construction of the buildings starting in late summer. The site has been designed to accommodate a total population of some 5,500, including support staff. Occupation is scheduled to start in the autumn of 1995 and I expect all PE HQ business operations to be managed from Abbey Wood by the late autumn of 1996.

  This ambitious project will provide not only a considerable stimulus to the local economy but also to the hard pressed construction industry who will be competing for work. We expect that up to 1,500 jobs will be created during the construction phase; in the longer term, up to 1,000 posts at the new headquarters will be filled by local recruitment, together with further job opportunities to meet the need for efficient running and support of the complex.

  A.1 MORPETH-EDINBURGH TRUNK ROAD
  A.1 MORPETH-EDINBURGH TRUNK ROAD
  AIRPORT NIGHT RESTRICTIONS: CONSULTATION PAPER
  AIRPORT NIGHT RESTRICTIONS: CONSULTATION PAPER
  OIL SPILLS: EC TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTERS' MEETING
  OIL SPILLS: EC TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT MINISTERS' MEETING
  FINE DEFAULTERS: ALTERNATIVES TO PRISON SENTENCES
  FINE DEFAULTERS: ALTERNATIVES TO PRISON SENTENCES
  SHEEHY INQUIRY: REPORT
  SHEEHY INQUIRY: REPORT
  DISPENSING APPLICATIONS: APPEALS
  DISPENSING APPLICATIONS: APPEALS
  URBAN AIR QUALITY: REPORT
  URBAN AIR QUALITY: REPORT
  SEA LEVEL RISE
  SEA LEVEL RISE
  GENETIC RESOURCES AND VALUE FOR MONEY
  GENETIC RESOURCES AND VALUE FOR MONEY
  DEER IN VELVET: TRANSPORT CONTROLS
  DEER IN VELVET: TRANSPORT CONTROLS