Written Answers of 7 July 1993

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Immigration
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the 73 countries whose nationals require visas for all member states of the European Community referred to in the press release issued by Ministers responsible for immigration at the conclusion of their meeting in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The nationals of the following 73 countries at present require visas for all member states of the European Community.

  Afghanistan

  Kirgizstan

  Albania

  Laos

  Algeria

  Lebanon

  Angola

  Liberia

  Armenia

  Libya

  Azerbaijan

  Madagascar

  Bangladesh

  Mali

  Belarus

  Mauritania

  Bhutan

  Moldova

  Bulgaria

  Mongolia

  Burma

  Morocco

  Burundi

  Mozambique

  Cambodia

  Nepal

  Cameroon

  Nigeria

  Cape Verde

  Oman

  Central African Republic

  Pakistan

  Chad

  Philippines

  China

  Romania

  Comoros

  Russia

  Congo

  Rwanda

  Cuba

  Sao Tome-e-Principe

  Djibouti

  Saudi Arabia

  Egypt

  Senegal

  Equatorial Guinea

  Somalia

  Ethiopia

  Sri Lanka

  Gabon

  Sudan

  Georgia

  Syria

  Ghana

  Tajikistan

  Guinea

  Tunisa

  Guinea-Bissau

  Turkey

  Haiti

  Turkmenistan

  India

  Ukraine

  Indonesia

  Uzbekistan

  Iran

  Vietnam

  Iraq

  Yeman

  Jordan

  Zaire

  Kazakhstan

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many and what proportion of cases in each year since 1979 he and his predecessors have exercised their discretion outside the immigration rules where, on hearing an appeal under the Immigration Act 1971 the adjudicator has upheld the Home Secretary's decision to refuse indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom but made a recommendation for the exercise of such discretion; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is not available. All recommendations made by adjudicators receive careful consideration.

  Police
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many free copies of(a) the recent White Paper on the future of the police and (b) the report of the Sheehy inquiry have been made available to the superintendents' associations, the police federations, the trade unions and police associations representing officers in the (i) British Transport police, (ii) Ministry of Defence police, (iii) Atomic Energy police, (iv) Northern Ireland Airports police, (v) Royal Parks constabulary, (vi) Port of Tilbury police, (vii) Port of Dover police, (viii) Port of Liverpool police and (ix) Port of Bristol police;

  (2) how many free copies of the White Paper on the future of the police have been made available to (a) the superintendents' associations and (b) the police federa-tions of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Twelve complimentary copies of the White Paper on Police Reform were sent to the Superintendents Association of England and Wales. Six complimentary copies were sent to both the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Police Federation of England and Wales. The proposals contained in the White Paper relate to the police service in England and Wales and are concerned primarily with reforms to police forces maintained under the Police Act 1964 and the Metropolitan and City of London police forces. The Superintendents Associations and the Police Federations of Scotland and Northern Ireland were therefore not provided with complimentary copies. Nor were the trade unions and associations representing officers in the other forces mentioned.

  Each of the associations and forces mentioned received two complimentary copies of the report of the Sheehy inquiry into police responsibilities and rewards. The Superintendents Association of England and Wales subsequently requested, and received, a further 60 free copies.

  Heathrow (Passenger Questioning)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many intending passengers for Northern Ireland have been detained for questioning at Heathrow in the past 10 years; how many were subsequently charged with terrorist-related offences; and how many have been convicted.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, a search of records by the Metropolitan police reveals that in 1992 a total of 1,627 people were asked, during examination under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 at Heathrow, to complete an embarkation card in accordance with paragraph 5 of schedule 5 to the Act. One passenger en route to Northern Ireland was detained under paragraph 6 of the schedule. He was not subsequently charged with a terrorist-related offence.

  Belmarsh Prison
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the weekly cost of remanding an individual in Belmarsh prison.
  129
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange a reply.

  Letter from Mr. D. Lewis to Mr. Peter Bottomley, dated 7 July 1993:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Question about the weekly cost of remanding an individual in Belmarsh prison.

  The cost for 1992–93 is not yet available. It will be published in the Annual Report for 1992–93 on the work of the Prison Service in November 1993.

  The 1991–92 figure for the average weekly cost of holding an individual in Belmarsh prison was £673. A rise in the average weekly population from 558 in 1991–92 to 732 in 1992–93 is expected to reduce this cost considerably.

  Greater Manchester Chief Constable
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the chief constable for Greater Manchester; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend has not yet met the chief constable of Greater Manchester Police.

  Drug Squads
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are now employed in regional crime squad drugs wings.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There are currently 375 police officers employed in regional crime squad drugs wings.

  Tourist Resorts (Crime)
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about property-related crimes in tourist resorts.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Centrally held statistics of reported crime do not distinguish between tourist and other areas.

  Rochester Row Police Station
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cells at Rochester Row police station are available to hold prisoners; how many people have been held in those cells for more than 24 hours during the past three months; what is the average June temperature in those cells at 5 am; whether heating pipes are, in summer, increasing the temperature in those cells; and how those cells are ventilated or cooled in summer.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There are 10 cells and 12 detention rooms at Rochester Row police station. Not more than five prisoners have been held at Rochester Row for more

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police

  Burglary

  Theft of vehicle

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  4,512

  4,728

  4,630

  1,322

  1,534

  1,635

  Leicestershire

  16,057

  21,526

  23,251

  8,499

  10,751

  11,219

  Derbyshire

  12,527

  18,500

  22,225

  5,559

  7,410

  9,070

  Cleveland

  16,559

  17,278

  20,504

  11,712

  11,712

  12,498

  Greater Manchester

  87,855

  97,715

  103,390

  55,338

  55,338

  57,985

  130
  than 24 hours between 1 April and 30 June 1993. The average temperature in the cells and detention rooms is not recorded. There are no heating pipes. Ventilation is by air brick.

  Drug Traffickers
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest totals for assets confiscated from convicted drug traffickers and assets frozen pending trials for drug trafficking offences.

  Mr. Maclean
  For information regarding assets confiscated under the Drug Trafficking Offences Act 1986 I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) on 27 May at col.722.

  The 1992 data will not be available until the autumn. Information on assets frozen pending trials is not collected centrally.

  Police (Stress-related Illness)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) custody officers, (b) custody sergeants and (c) rota sergeants have taken five or more days off work through stress-related illness in (i) North Wales and (b) Dyfed Powys police force areas in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be collected from the forces in question only at disproportionate cost.

  National Firearms Board
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 26 February,Official Report, column 743, what progress is being made on establishing a national firearms board.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend is currently considering whether to establish a new civilian firearms control board. A comprehensive revision of the original feasibility study which was circulated with the consultation paper last year is currently under way.

  Crime Statistics
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the incidence of(a) burglary, (b) car theft and (c) assault for each year since 1990 for (i) Hammersmith and Fulham, (ii) Leicestershire. (iii) Derbyshire, (iv) Cleveland and (v) Greater Manchester.

  Mr. Maclean
  The available information relates to the numbers of notifiable offences of burglary and theft of a vehicle and is given in the table. Assault is now a summary offence and is not included in the notifiable offence series.

  Homicide
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 November 1992,Official Report, columns 104–5, if he will update the table for women homicide victims involving shotguns.

  Offences currently recorded as homicide in which the victim was female and a relationship between the suspect and victim was domestic and where a shotgun was used—England and Wales

  Police force area

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Avon and Somerset

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Bedfordshire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Cheshire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Cleveland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cumbria

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Derbyshire

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Devon and Cornwall

  —

  4

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Dorset

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  Durham

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Essex

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Gloucestershire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Greater Manchester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Hampshire

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Hertfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Humberside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Kent

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Lancashire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Leicestershire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  London, City of

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Merseyside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Metropolitan

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Norfolk

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northamptonshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northumbria

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Nottinghamshire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Yorkshire

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Staffordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Suffolk

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  Surrey

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Sussex

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Thames Valley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Warwickshire

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Mercia

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  West Midlands

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Yorkshire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Wiltshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Dyfed-Powys

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Gwent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  North Wales

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  South Wales

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  England and Wales

  10

  13

  10

  10

  9

  11

  9

  Notes:

  1. Offences currently recorded as homicide as at 14 September 1992.

  2. The term "domestic" includes the following relationships of victim to suspect: son or daughter; parent; spouse; cohabitant or former spouse or cohabitant; other family; lover or former lover including spouse's lover or lover's spouse or other associate.

  Information for 1992 is not yet available.

  Art Smuggling
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reduce the level of international art smuggling through London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The detection of attempted evasions of the United Kingdom's import and export regulations are matters for Her Majesty's Commissioners
  132
  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is given in the table.

  of Customs and Excise. The Government deplore the illegal export of works of art and other cultural goods and is working in international forums to reduce it.

  A recently agreed EC directive provides for the restitution of cultural objects unlawfully removed from the territory of one member state to that of another. The Government are also participating in the drafting of a possible UNIDROIT convention on the restitution of stolen and illegally exported cultural objects.

  The Government welcome the initiative by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to establish an artefacts classification and identification system, which has

  133
  already led to the recovery of stolen works of art, and support the continuing use of Interpol to trace stolen objects abroad.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for smuggling works of art were obtained in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  For England and Wales records held centrally from 1987 to 1989 show no prosecutions under the relevant sections of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979. Information collected centrally for 1990 and 1991 does not identify offences committed under the aforesaid Act from other summary offences.

  Similar information is not collected centrally for Northern Ireland and is not separately identifiable for Scotland.

  Icklingham Bronzes
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what legal investigation is to be carried out by his Department into the case of the Icklingham bronzes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  After an investigation by Suffolk Constabulary the Crown Prosecution Service decided that there was insufficient evidence to charge anyone with criminal offences. The question of ownership of the Icklingham bronzes is now a matter for the civil courts and not something in which the Home Office can intervene.

  Sheehy Inquiry
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many copies of the report of the Sheehy inquiry into "Police Responsibilities and Rewards" were released to the press before 9 am on Wednesday 30 June.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  None.

  Metropolitan Police (Empty Property)
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a list of empty residential properties in the London borough of Lewisham in the ownership of the Metropolitan police and the type of accommodation available; how long each property has been vacant; and what is the intended future use.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information is as follows:

  Property

  Type

  Period vacant (months)

  Future use

  16 Bearsted rise

  House

  3

  Under offer1

  Havelock house, Forest hill

  Flat

  27

  Awaiting allocation2

  Havelock house, Forest hill

  Flat

  11

  Awaiting allocation2

  Havelock house, Forest hill

  Flat

  6

  Under offer1

  Moore house, Willow way

  Flat

  25

  Under disposal3

  Moore house, Willow way

  Flat

  21

  Under disposal3

  Moore house, Willow way

  Flat

  17

  Under disposal3

  Moore house, Willow way

  Flat

  12

  Under disposal3

  134

  1 "Under offer"—allocated to a police officer.

  2 "Awaiting allocation"—available for offer.

  3 "Under disposal"—the flats at Moore house are being sold to a local housing association.

  Samuel Kulasingham and Premraj Sivalingham
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 July,Official Report, column 635, on what date a police inquiry began into the evidence surrounding the conviction of Samuel Kulasingham and Premraj Sivalingham; when the evidence was completed; on what date it was presented to him; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The police were asked in April 1992 to make inquiries into allegations that Samuel Kulasingham and Premraj Sivalingham had been wrongfully convicted. A report of these inquiries was received in March 1993. After considering further representations which were received on 22 June from the solicitors acting for Mr. Kulasingham and Mr. Sivalingham, my right hon. and learned Friend decided on 5 July to refer the cases back to the Court of Appeal.

  Health Care (Prisoners)
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to publish the first report of the director of health care for prisoners and the Health Advisory Committee's commentary on the report.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The report and commentary are published today. Copies are available from the Libraries of the House.

PRIME MINISTER

  Villages
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on arrangements made to co-ordinate policy between the Departments for Education, of the Environment and of Social Security, on the encourage-ment of village communities and village life.

  Mr. Newton
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Department of Environment has overall policy responsibility for rural affairs in England and liaises with other Government Departments, including the Departments for Education and Social Security, on matters affecting the social and economic well-being of rural England, and matters affecting village communities. The Government's countryside agencies also have a statutory duty to advise the Government. In particular, the Rural Development Commission, which is sponsored by the Department of Environment, has a number of programmes directed specifically to the enhancement of village life.

EDUCATION

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list the names of individuals who(a) are spouses of hon. Members, (b) are members of the

  135
  House of Lords, (c) are spouses of members of the House of Lords and (d) have been party candidates for Parliament, indicating for which party, who have been appointed by his Department since 1988 to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations giving, in each case, the title of the post, any salary payable, and the duration of the appointment.

  Name of NDPB and peer

  Post

  Remuneration

  Duration of appointment

  Council for National Academic Awards

  Baroness MacFarlane

  Member

  —

  4·5 years

  Lord Pearson

  Member

  —

  2 years

  National Council for Educational Technology

  Lady Parkes

  Chairman

  —

  3 years (served 1)

  Schools Examination and Assessment Council

  Lord Griffiths

  Chairman

  £275 per day (P/time)

  2 years

  Lord Skidelsky

  Member

  —

  3 years (served 1)

  University Commissioners

  Lord Butterworth

  Member

  £246 per day (P/time)

  4 years

  Universities Funding Council

  Lord Chilver

  Chairman

  £14,000 per annum (P/time)

  3 years

  Visiting Committee of the Cranfield Institute of Technology

  Lord Lewis

  Chairman

  —

  10 years

  Student Loans
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education in what circumstances the student loan scheme extends to European community students attending universities in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Boswell
  European Community students may be eligible for a student loan if they have been ordinarily resident in the British islands for three years before the start of their course; or are refugees; or have established migrant worker status.

  Student Unions
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what account he took, in preparing his statement of 1 July on student unions, of the court judgment in the case of the university of Greenwich; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  In its plans for the reform of student unions, the Government took into account the scope for abuse that exists in the current arrangements, illustrated by the judgment in the case of the university of Greenwich. Our proposed reforms are intended to curb politically motivated activity and strengthen accountability by limiting the purposes for which institutions can pass public funds to their campus unions.

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 17 May,Official Report, column 23, if he will list the research studies from the United States of America related to the impact of class sizes which have been considered in his Department in the last four years.
  136
  Mr. Boswell
  Information relating to those appointed to our non-departmental public bodies since 1988 who are members of the House of Lords is as follows. Appointments to these bodies are made solely on the basis of the aptitude, merit and suitability of the candidates concerned. Information relating to marital circumstances or possible party candidature for Parliament is not collected and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department has noted the findings of the STAR project in Tennessee.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Concessionary Television Licences
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) how many households covered by a concessionary television licence are(a) living in a residential or nursing home and (b) living in a sheltered scheme as defined by the relevant concessionary licence scheme regulations;

  (2) how many additional households would qualify for a concessionary television licence if the present scheme's definition of sheltered housing were replaced by the definition of sheltered housing in paragraph 10 of schedule 5 to the Housing Act 1985;

  (3) how many householders enjoy the benefit of a concessionary television licence due to preserved rights; and how many of these live in (a) residential or nursing homes and (b) in sheltered schemes;

  (4) how many additional households would be eligible for a concessionary television licence if the present requirement for all occupants of qualifying schemes to be both tenants and fully retired persons of state pensionable age or disabled were replaced by a requirement that only (a) 90 per cent. and (b) 75 per cent. of occupants need satisfy this criterion.

  Mr. Brooke
  I understand from TV Licensing that 490,203 households hold a concessionary television licence by virtue of meeting the criteria laid down in the current regulations (SI 1991/436). Of these, 86,582 households are in residential homes, nursing homes and almshouses, while 403,621 are in sheltered housing schemes managed by a local authority or housing association. A further 171,415
  137
  households qualify for preserved rights to a concessionary licence, although their accommodation no longer qualifies under the regulations. Statistics on preserved rights are not broken down by the type of accommodation occupied.

  The remaining information requested by the hon. Member is not available and could not readily be estimated.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage whether the licensing structure he proposes for the national lottery will require retailers or advertisers to have a licence under the Bill; and what effect those arrangements will have on the ability of Post Office Counters Limited to bid to sell tickets.

  Mr. Sproat
  The references in the National Lottery etc. Bill to the "promotion" of lotteries relate to the running of lottery games.

  The Bill provides that one body may be licensed to run the lottery business as a whole, and that the same, or additional, bodies may be licensed to run lottery games which are part of the national lottery. Any body licensed to run a game must have a contract with the single main licence holder. Licences are to be issued by the director general of the national lottery. Any other company or individual which provided a service to the lottery operator, for example by printing tickets, selling tickets or producing or displaying advertisments, would operate under a contract with the licence holder, and would not be directly subject to a licence condition.

  However, such a company, just as anyone else in the United Kingdom, would be required to abide by regulations which the Secretary of State will be able to make under clause 12 of the Bill (for example, governing the age at which a person may sell or be sold lottery tickets).

  If Post Office Counters Limited [POCL] wished to enter into an agreement with a licence holder to sell lottery tickets, a licence would not be required. POCL would require the formal consent of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to compete for such work. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs and Small Firms confirmed on 26 November 1992 that such a consent would be forthcoming, on condition that the Bill received Royal Assent.

HEALTH

  Child Care Facilities
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements are set down for the maintenance of workplace child care facilities for health service staff where facilities are provided for a number of different health units by one health unit if that unit acquires trust status.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This is a matter for local decision.

  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans she has to improve child care facilities for NHS staff;

  (2) how many day nurseries are provided for NHS staff; and what are their capacities and occupancies.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  It is for individual national health service authorities and trusts to provide for the child care 138
  needs of staff in the light of local recruitment and retention needs. Detailed information on the level of provision is not available centrally.

  HIV and AIDS
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how the figure of £150,000 as the maximum grant available to organisations in the HIV-AIDS field was calculated; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what new areas of work will now receive funding using money released by the reduction on grants previously made to HIV-AIDS organisations over the sum of £150,000.

  Mr. Sackville
  The substantial maximum grant of £150,000 provides scope for significant help to be given to a wide range of HIV and AIDS organisations. It also allows a balance to be struck between HIV and AIDS and other health priorities for example within the mental health field. The decision should also be seen in the context of the substantial sums made available to the HIV and AIDS voluntary sector—nearly £12 million since 1985–86.

  GP Contracts (Health Promotion)
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mr. Streeter) of 14 June,Official Report, columns 429–30, what estimate has been made of the volume increase in prescribing resulting from the Department's new initiative to encourage health pro-motion by general practitioners to improve prevention of coronary heart disease and strokes and to set up asthma and diabetes management programmes; and what assessment has been made of the consequent savings in other health care costs, such as hospital treatment, as a result of these new programmes.

  Mr. Sackville
  As part of our "Health of the Nation" initiative, some 90 per cent. of general practitioners are planning to run health promotion programmes with the aim of encouraging people to adopt healthier lifestyles and thus to reduce morbidity and mortality. It is not possible to quantify what effect this new initiative may have on prescribing or other health care costs separately from other health care improvements.

  Cancelled Operations
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the number of hospital operations which have been cancelled within three days of the agreed date for the operation in each of the four regional health authorities covering the Greater London area during the last 12 months.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available centrally.

  Deaths (Firearms)
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) suicides and (b) suicides of people under 16 years involved the use of (i) shotguns and (ii) other firearms in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.
  139

  Numbers of suicides involving firearms (ICD E955) in England and Wales from 1979 to 1992

  Year

  Shotgun (E955.1)

  Handguns (E955.0)

  Hunting rifle (E955.2)

  Military firearm (E955.3)

  Other firearm (E955.4 )

  Total (excluding shotguns)

  Total (including shotguns)

  All ages

  Under 16s

  All ages

  Under 16s

  All ages

  Under 16s

  All ages

  Under 16s

  All ages

  Under16s

  All ages

  Under 16s

  All ages

  Under 16s

  1979

  72

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  114

  0

  114

  0

  186

  3

  1980

  73

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  143

  2

  145

  2

  218

  2

  1981

  55

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  132

  1

  132

  1

  187

  1

  1982

  70

  0

  1

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  101

  0

  105

  0

  175

  0

  1983

  87

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  128

  1

  131

  1

  218

  1

  1984

  100

  0

  3

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  109

  2

  114

  2

  214

  2

  1985

  78

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  124

  1

  126

  2

  204

  2

  1986

  99

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  91

  1

  94

  1

  193

  1

  1987

  80

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  105

  0

  107

  0

  187

  0

  1988

  101

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  110

  0

  111

  0

  212

  0

  1989

  82

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  77

  0

  77

  0

  159

  0

  1990

  78

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  79

  0

  80

  0

  158

  0

  1991

  98

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  47

  0

  48

  0

  146

  0

  1992

  80

  1

  4

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  83

  0

  88

  0

  168

  1

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will provide a table listing the number of deaths

  Numbers of deaths involving firearms undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted (ICD E985), in England and Wales from 1979 to 1992

  Year

  Shotgun (E985.1)

  Handguns (E985.0)

  Hunting rifle (E985.2)

  Military firearm (E985.3)

  Other firearm (E985.8)

  Total (excluding shotguns)

  Total (including shotguns)

  All ages

  Under16s

  All ages

  Under16s

  All ages

  Under16s

  All ages

  Under16s

  All ages

  Under16s

  All ages

  Under16s

  All ages

  Under16s

  1979

  7

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  19

  0

  20

  0

  27

  0

  1980

  9

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  7

  0

  7

  1

  16

  1

  1981

  7

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  8

  0

  8

  0

  15

  0

  1982

  8

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  8

  0

  8

  0

  16

  0

  1983

  12

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  16

  0

  17

  0

  29

  0

  1984

  9

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  19

  1

  19

  1

  28

  1

  1985

  12

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  17

  1

  17

  0

  29

  2

  1986

  16

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  20

  0

  21

  0

  37

  0

  1987

  14

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  18

  0

  18

  0

  32

  0

  1988

  14

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  13

  0

  14

  0

  28

  2

  1989

  24

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  14

  1

  16

  0

  40

  0

  1990

  21

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  9

  0

  10

  0

  31

  1

  1991

  13

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  16

  0

  16

  0

  29

  0

  1992

  8

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  14

  1

  14

  1

  22

  1

  Numbers of accidental deaths involving firearms (ICD E922) in England and Wales from 1979 to 1992

  Year

  Shotgun (E922.1)

  Handguns (E922.0)

  Hunting rifle (E922.2)

  Military firearm (E922.3)

  Other firearm (E922.4)

  Unspecified (E922.9)

  Total (excluding shotguns)

  Total (including shotguns)

  Allages

  Under16s

  Allages

  Under16s

  Allages

  Under16s

  Allages

  Under16s

  Allages

  Under16s

  Allages

  Under16s

  Allages

  Under16s

  Allages

  Under16s

  1979

  6

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  5

  2

  8

  2

  14

  2

  1980

  6

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  7

  2

  9

  2

  15

  3

  1981

  9

  3

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1

  7

  1

  9

  3

  18

  7

  1982

  11

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  9

  1

  11

  1

  22

  4

  1983

  9

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  1

  5

  1

  14

  2

  1984

  2

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1

  9

  1

  12

  3

  14

  4

  1985

  10

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  4

  2

  8

  2

  18

  2

  1986

  6

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  10

  2

  10

  2

  16

  4

  1987

  7

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  5

  0

  12

  0

  1988

  4

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  1

  9

  1

  13

  2

  17

  2

  1989

  11

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  4

  0

  6

  0

  17

  0

  1990

  2

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  2

  0

  6

  0

  8

  0

  1991

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  3

  0

  5

  0

  1992

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  3

  0

  6

  0

  8

  0

  140
  other than suicides and homicides involving (a) shotguns and (b) other firearms in each year since 1979, listing separately the number of under-16s.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information available is shown in the tables.
  141

  Numbers of deaths due to legal intervention involving firearms in England and Wales from 1979 to 1992. ICD E970.

  Year

  Total

  all ages

  under 16s

  1979

  2

  0

  1980

  0

  0

  1981

  0

  0

  1982

  0

  0

  1983

  0

  0

  1984

  0

  0

  1985

  0

  0

  1986

  0

  0

  1987

  0

  0

  1988

  2

  0

  1989

  1

  0

  1990

  2

  0

  1991

  2

  0

  1992

  6

  0

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names of individuals who(a) are spouses of hon. Members, (b) are members of the House of Lords, (c) are spouses of members of the House of Lords and (d) have been party candidates for Parliament, indicating for which party, who have been appointed by his Department since 1988 to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations giving, in each case, the title of the post, any salary payable, and the duration of the appointment.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The information requested in points (a) to (d) is as follows:

  (a) None

  (b) (i) Lord Desai, Member of Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission, appointed August 1992 for three years, no salary payable.

  (ii) Lord Chorley, British Council Deputy Chairman, appointed April 1991 for three years, no salary payable.

  (iii)Baroness Flather, Governor, Commonwealth Institute, appointed January 1993 for three years, no salary payable.

  (c) Lady Howe JP, Governor of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, appointed March 1993 for three years, no salary payable.

  (d) This information is not held centrally (and could be provided only at disproportionate cost).

  EC Council of Ministers
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community's Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The following meetings are planned:

  12 July—ECOFIN Council

  19–20 July—Foreign Affairs Council

  19–20 July—Agriculture Council

  22 July—Budget Council

  The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

  ECOFIN Council—12 July

  Multilateral surveillance

  Follow-up to Copenhagen European Council

  Foreign Affairs Council—19–20 July

  Commission opinions on Cyprus and Malta

  142

  Structural Funds

  Relations with European Parliament

  GATT Uruguay Round

  Right to vote in and eligibility for EP elections

  Report on EC-Japan Summit

  Dual Use of Goods

  G7 Summit follow-up

  Ex-Yugoslavia

  TACIS

  Relations with the FSU

  Agriculture Council—19–20 July

  Greek islands (5946/93; 6981/93; 7184/93)

  GATT agriculture (poss) (5813/93; 6612/93)

  SLOM compensation (milk quotas) (5713/93)

  Minced meat quality (poss) (6953/93)

  Budget Council—22 July

  First reading of EC Budget for 1994

  The ECOFIN Council will meet on 12 July to have its usual six-monthly discussion of multilateral surveillance. The Council will also consider follow-up work arising from the conclusions of the Copenhagen European Council.

  The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 19–20 July to discuss the Commission opinions on Cyprus and Malta, a Dual Use of Goods regulation, the GATT Uruguay round and structural funds. Relations with the European Parliament and voting rights in European Parliament elections will also be discussed. Finally, discussions will take place on the report on the EC-Japan summit, ex-Yugoslavia, relations with the FSU, PECOS and the follow up to the G7 summit.

  The Agriculture Council will meet on 19–20 July. Ministers will discuss Greek islands and SLOM compensation. They may also discuss agricultural aspects of the GATT negotiations and minced meat.

  The Budget Council will meet on 22 July to establish the Council's first reading of the EC draft budget for 1994.

  Draft EC Legislation
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many items of draft EC legislation, within the categories listed in the House of Commons demand form for European printed papers, are currently being progressed by the European Commission.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The precise information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the Commission's work programme for 1993–94 (SEC(93)58 final) and its legislative programme for 1993 (COM(93)43 final), deposited in the House of Commons on 18 February and 1 March respectively, show the items on which the Commission intends to bring forward proposals.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Tools for Self Reliance
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on help given to the Tools for Self Reliance Group for Zimbabwe.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Tools for Self Reliance has not yet applied to the ODA for assistance. As I indicated in my
  143
  reply to my hon. Friend the hon. Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 22 March at column 607, it is welcome to apply.

  Aid and Trade Provision
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the terms of reference of the review of aid and trade provision and a list of the non-governmental organisations and commercial organisations that were contracted.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The review of aid and trade provision (ATP) covered the scheme's objectives, criteria, efficiency and effectiveness, value for money and management. It also considered the relationship between ATP and export credits, and the international rules.

  All companies which had undertaken projects supported by ATP since the scheme began in 1977 were contacted, along with a number of other companies with outstanding applications and interested trade associations.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to ensure the security of humanitarian supplies to Bosnia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The security of humanitarian aid supplies to Bosnia is kept under continuous review in concert with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees who coordinates the international community's response to the humanitarian crisis and the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) who are responsible for providing protection for the aid convoys.

  Malawi
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has towards gradual restoration of development aid to Malawi in the light of constitutional and political developments following the referendum.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 6 July 1993]: The constitutional and political developments since the referendum are encouraging. We are reviewing our policy on aid to Malawi, taking account of these developments and progress on economic reform.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing Association Grants
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what definition of affordability for housing association rents he uses in making decisions on the level of housing association grants.

  Sir George Young
  The Government do not define affordability. In setting grant levels each year, I make. a judgment based on various factors. In this I am assisted by a Housing Corporation model which enables us to calculate an affordability ratio representing the average model rent, at certain levels of cost and grant, as a proportion of earned income after tax, excluding housing benefit. The affordability ratio resulting from the grant 144
  rates set has remained unchanged since 1989–90 at around 35 per cent. of a working housing association household's net income before housing benefit.

  The model, however, is only a mechanism to test the impact of changes in grant rates. It is for housing associations to consider what rents are affordable taking account of all local circumstances. Outturn rents show that there is a considerable gap between the rents implied by the model and actual Sellafield rents on the ground.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State? for the Environment what requests he has received from the European Commission on the application by British Nuclear Fuels to construct a mixed oxide nuclear fuels fabrication plant at Sellafield in regard to its requirement to be covered by a full environmental impact assessment under the 1985 EC directive.

  Mr. Yeo
  None.

  Housing Associations
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the impact of reduced rates of housing association grant on the ability of households with incomes just above the housing benefit eligibility level to afford housing association rents.

  Sir George Young
  I have received advice on this and other issues, which I am currently considering.

  DSS Hostels
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider introducing planning regulations to limit the spread of bed-and-breakfast accommodation occupied mainly by claimants of income support.

  Mr. Baldry
  Local authorities continue to make progress in reducing their use of bed-and-breakfast accommodation. My right hon. Friend is reluctant to use the planning system to impose restrictions on where people choose to live. There are no immediate plans to amend the Use Classes Order 1987, although its operation is kept under continuous review.

  Priority Waste Streams Initiative
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of the European project priority waste streams initiative.

  Mr. Yeo
  Six priority waste streams projects have been launched by the European Commission. In a note to members of the various project groups issued on 1 July, the Commission stated that in the light of budgetary constraints, it had been decided to concentrate efforts on the work of the groups dealing with used tyres, chlorinated solvents, end of life vehicles and health care waste. These projects had been planned to finish towards the end of 1993 and early 1994. The outcome of the projects will be evaluated and used in guiding decisions about work on the remaining projects dealing with demolition waste and electronic and electrical waste.

  The United Kingdom has participated fully in this work, which is aimed at devising Community-wide action to reduce the environmental impact of difficult wastes. My

  145
  Department has provided the project leadership for the project on health care waste; the project group had its fourth meeting on 1 and 2 July and is accelerating its programme of work so as to be in a position to produce some results by the end of the year.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's policy for the management of radioactive waste in Britain with particular reference to spent advanced gas-cooled reactor fuel.

  Mr. Yeo
  The latest statement of Government policy for radioactive waste management is set out in chapter 15 of the 1990 White Paper "This Common Inheritance", and updated in chapter 14 of the 1991 first anniversary report and chapter 15 of the 1992 second anniversary report. Spent advanced gas-cooled reactor fuel is not a waste but a resource which may be reprocessed.

  Local Government Commission
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to give effect by order to the recommendations of the Local Government Commission without modification.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Local Government Commission has submitted its final report on only one area, the Isle of Wight, and the Secretary of State is still considering the recommendations. Final reports on other first tranche areas have yet to be submitted by the commission.

  THORP
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what planning conditions or consents relating to any part of the BNFL plant at Sellafield there are which assume or require operation of the proposed thermal oxide reprocessing plant;

  (2) how many planning conditions or consents relating to any part of the BNFL plant at Sellafield will require revision or renewal if the proposed thermal oxide reprocessing plant does not operate.

  Mr. Yeo
  Information about planning permissions issued in respect of BNFL's Sellafield plant is not held centrally.

  Pollution
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many times in the last 12 months Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has monitored airborne pollution in Barrow and Furness; and what were the results.

  Mr. Yeo
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution has not monitored airborne pollution in Barrow and Furness in the last 12 months. The monitoring of air quality is the responsibility of the local authority.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish equal opportunities policy guidelines to companies bidding to run Government services contracted out to the private sector.
  146
  Mr. Gummer
  EC Council Directive 92/50 lays down criteria for the award of contracts but prohibits the imposition of any non-commercial criteria. Nevertheless, companies invited to tender will be asked to state how equal opportunities policies would be reflected in the performance of their duties. In addition, the terms and conditions of any contract will include a requirement that the contractor shall not discriminate unlawfully within the meaning and scope of the Race Relations Act 1976 or the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and 1986.

  Redundant Workers
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from workers previously employed by local authorities who have been made redundant after their work has been contracted out to private companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend receives a great many representations about local authority compulsory com-petitive tendering matters, including representations from private firms which have won contracts to provide services and taken on new staff, as well as from former council employees.

  He also receives representations from members of the public who are grateful for the improvement in services which CCT has brought about.

  Waste Management
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reconsider proposed regulations to make exempt from waste management licensing suppliers of automotive paints storing waste flammable solvents who hold a petroleum licence.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 6 July 1993]: My Department issued consultation papers on waste management licensing in August 1992. These included draft regulations prescribing certain exemptions from the need to have a waste management licence. We did not then propose an exemption for waste solvents. Waste flammable solvents are categorised as "special waste" under the Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980, and are likely in due course to be categorised as "hazardous" under the EC Directive on Hazardous Waste (91/689/EEC). That directive constrains our freedom to exempt the management of such waste from the need to have a licence. This may only be done where the waste is destined for recovery. We have received representations from the vehicle paint spraying industry about the possibility of exempting the storage of small quantities of waste solvent destined for recovery. We will be considering their case very carefully in the context of finalising the waste management licensing regulations.

  Blackwall River Crossing
  Ms Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what environmental impact assessments have been obtained in connection with the proposed third river crossing at Blackwall in Tower Hamlets.

  Mr. Norris
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 29 June at columns 404–5.
  147
  Ms Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements he has made for compensation to property owners in the neighbourhood of the Blackwall tunnel, Tower Hamlets for loss of value to their properties blighted by the third river crossing proposals.

  Mr. Norris
  I have been asked to reply.

  Part I of the Land Compensation Act 1973 makes provision for compensation in such circumstances. In addition, the London borough of Tower Hamlets has been invited to consider measures to mitigate the effect of the crossing on local residents.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  THORP
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Government will prepare and publish a study of the alternative ways in which staff involved in the construction of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant could be re-employed on alternative cleaning up work on the Sellafield site or on work elsewhere.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. British Nuclear Fuels plc has advised me that operating the thermal oxide reprocessing plant is expected to support some 2,000 permanent jobs in West Cumbria. This major employment benefit is in addition to the employment arising from the decommissioning programme at Sellafield which is already under way and is appropriate to the requirements of the site.

  Isobutyl Nitrate
  Ms Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will ban the sale of isobutyl nitrate poppers.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government continue to keep this matter under review in order to access whether measures to control the misuse of isobutyl nitrate poppers might be appropriate in the future.

  EC Energy Council
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the matters discussed and decisions taken at the Energy Council in Luxembourg on 25 June.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 6 July,Official Report, columns 106–7.

  Steel Imports
  Ms Gordon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the import quota for steel from the Commonwealth of Independent States for the European Community for 1993; what proportion of this quota has been allocated to the United Kingdom; and what is the expected United Kingdom quota for 1993.

  Mr. Needham
  The European Community quota of 321,000 tonnes for steel imports in 1993 from the former Soviet Union (excluding the Baltic states) covers only heavy plate, coils, other flat-rolled products, beams and wire rods. All other products are liberalised. The quota is 148
  administered in three tranches, the distribution within each of which depends on the number of licence applications made and on past trade patterns. United Kingdom importers' share in total of the first and second tranches is 15,541 tonnes. It is not yet possible to determine what the total quantities available to United Kingdom importers for the year as a whole will be.

  Research and Development
  Ms Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those companies based in north Staffordshire which have received Government help with investment in research and development.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government offer assistance for research and development in a variety of forms from more than one Department. The details requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Citizens Advice Bureaux
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he has had with the citizens advice bureaux on the funding requirements of their advice service.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The funding of individual citizens advice bureaux is a matter for local authorities. The Department is responsible for the funding of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and Citizens Advice Scotland, which provide support services to local bureaux. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs and Small Firms met representatives of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux twice in the past year, on 12 October 1992, when funding for the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux was one of several issues discussed, and on 24 March 1993 when the issue of funding was not raised.

  Computer Imports
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will estimate the percentage of the home market of electronic computers supplied by imports.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The United Kingdom production of electronic computers and parts in 1991 was £6·4 billion compared with domestic sales of £7·5 billion. Exports were £5·8 billion which accounted for 90 per cent. of United Kingdom manufacturers' sales. Imports were £6·.8 billion, of which 37 per cent. was attributed to parts. This gives an apparent import penetration of 91 per cent. It is likely that many of the imported computers were subsequently re-exported, but separate figures for re-exports are not available.

  High-technology Industries
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what initiatives he plans for the improvement of high-technology British industries.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Our policies contribute to high technology as well as other industries. In addition, as outlined in the recent Science and Technology White Paper, and my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade's statement of 26 May,Official Report,

  149
  columns 583–85, the Government are mounting a technology foresight programme, with the Office of Science and Technology in the lead and substantial assistance from DTI. This will establish priorities among generic technologies and encourage industrialists and academics to develop clear strategies for the contribution of emerging science to high technology industry. DTI will facilitate access to overseas technology and provide technology and innovation consultancy through the diagnostic and brokerage services planned to succeed the consultancy initiative.

  Insurance Companies
  Mr. French
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has about United Kingdom life insurance companies proposing to transfer business to Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The International Financial Services Centre, established in Dublin under EC state aid rules, offers certain tax incentives for financial services business conducted with non-residents. I am aware that one United Kingdom assurance company has set up business additionally in the centre. However, the benefits offered by the centre, in so far as the life assurance industry is concerned, affect only a narrow range of products, and

  Name

  Post

  Salary

  Duration

  Party

  John Corrie

  Chairman of the Transport Users Consultative Committee for Scotland

  £6,310

  6 years

  Conservative

  Robin Hodgson

  Member of the West Midlands Industrial Development Board

  Unpaid

  5 years

  Conservative

  Charles Longbottom

  Non-Executive Director of British Shipbuilders

  £5,000

  5 years

  Conservative

  Sir Julian Ridsdale

  Member of the Simpler Trade Procedures Board

  Unpaid

  2 years

  Conservative

  Regulations
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the terms of reference for his Department's inquiry into unnecessary regulations.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The seven deregulation task forces have the following terms of reference.

  To advise Ministers on priorities for the repeal or simplification of existing regulations and enforcement methods so as to minimise the costs on business; to advise Ministers on the best way of developing and maintaining consultation on the introduction and enforcement of new regulations including those arising from EC measures; bearing in mind the consideration of public health, safety and security which underlie the regulatory system.

  Nuclear Review
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he will take to ensure that the Government's 1993 nuclear review is wide-ranging and comprehensive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The scope, timing and format of the review of the future prospects for nuclear power are under consideration within Government. A further announce-ment will be made in due course.
  150
  I have received no indication that United Kingdom life assurance companies generally are proposing to transfer business there.

  Power Stations
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what special provisions apply to the proceeds accruing to National Power or PowerGen arising from the closure of any power station subsequent to privatisation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  All the privatised electricity companies are subject to provisions which, above certain thresholds, entitle the Government to half the gain resulting from property disposals. No payment is due from the disposal of a specialised property such as a power station as a going concern, provided that it continues in operational use until 31 March 2000.

  Quangos (Appointments)
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the former Members of this House who have been appointed since 1988 by his Department to quasi autonomous non-governmental organisations; and if he will list in each case the title of the post, the salary, the duration of the appointment, and the party which the former hon. Member represented.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested is as follows:

  Logic Control Systems Ltd
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to bring disqualification proceedings in the case of the move of Logic Control Systems Ltd of Clowne, Derbyshire into liquidation or to make an application under section 7(2) of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 for leave to extend the period for taking such disqualification proceedings.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  On present information, it is the Secretary of State's intention to commence disqualification proceedings against the principal director of Logic Control Systems Limited (In Liquidation) by 19 July 1993.

  RECHAR
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his Department's policy on the proposal for a second RECHAR; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 30 June 1993] I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Cummings) on 29 June, Official Report, column 439.

  British Nuclear Fuels
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on how many occasions his Department has(a) rejected and (b) required amendment of corporate plans produced by BNFL.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 22 June 1993]: My Department discusses the corporate plans produced by British Nuclear Fuels plc with the company and comments on them as appropriate.

  Warren Spring Laboratory
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library the report prepared by PA Consultants on the future of the Warren Spring Laboratory.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 15 June 1993]: Yes. I have today placed copies of the report in the Library of the House.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what guidelines his Department has introduced concerning visits by hon. Members to his Department's executive agencies.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 29 June 1993]: Each case is assessed in the light of the particular circumstances at the time. Where appropriate, Ministers should act as host to hon. Members in order to assist on matters of Government policy.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  EC Convergence Criteria
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to set policy in the medium term by reference to the convergence criteria of the treaty of Maastricht.

  Mr. Nelson
  There is a long-established practice in the United Kingdom of setting economic policy in a medium term framework. The Government's economic strategy, as set out in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report", is based on the principles of low inflation, stable monetary conditions and sound public finances. The convergence criteria are designed to achieve the same objectives.

  Decommissioning Levy
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contribution has been made to date to the national fund by the former Central Electricity Generating Board, Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear from their decommissioning levy; and what benefits accrue from this investment to the public sector borrowing requirement.

  Mr. Nelson
  In England and Wales, under orders made by the President of the Board of Trade, the regional electricity companies—RECs—are obliged to contract for a certain amount of non-fossil fuel generating capacity. Most of this is nuclear capacity owned and operated by Nuclear Electric. The additional costs to the regional 152
  electricity companies of meeting this obligation are met by a fossil fuel levy on consumers, set in 1993–94 at 10 per cent.

  Revenue to Nuclear Electric from selling electricity in the market and from the premium paid by the RECs and financed by the levy reduces the company's net external financing requirement. The impact of the arrangements to support non-fossil fuel generation is therefore to reduce the overall public sector borrowing requirement, although the precise impact cannot sensibly be calculated as it depends on the assumptions made about how the additional costs of non-fossil fuel generation would have otherwise been met.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on the control total for public expenditure in 1994–95 of restraining public sector pay to an increase of(a) 0 per cent., (b) 2 per cent., (c) 3 per cent., (d) 4 per cent. and (e) the latest estimate of the rate of inflation which will be used for the annual uprating of pensions and benefits.

  Mr. Nelson
  None. The Cabinet agreed on 17 June that the new control total in 1994–95 would be set by sticking to existing ceilings. Within these ceilings, a responsible approach to public sector pay will ensure the best outcome in terms of service delivery.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing(a) the proportion that public spending represented of the gross domestic product and (b) the level of unemployment in each year since 1976.

  Mr. Nelson
  The latest figures for general Government expenditure, excluding privatisation proceeds, as a percentage of money GDP are shown in table 2B.1 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report". The Central Statistical Office will be publishing revised figures for general Government expenditure in the July edition of "Financial Statistics".

  Figures for the level of unemployment are shown in "Economic Trends Annual Supplement" table 21 and "Economic Trends" table 20.

  Financial Advisers Commissions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to make his decision on the Office of Fair Trading report on disclosures of commissions for independent and tied financial advisers.

  Mr. Nelson
  As soon as is compatible with proper consideration of the issues and representations received during the consultation period.

  Employment Changes
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which commercial sectors the Inland Revenue has identified the greatest movement(a) from schedule D to schedule E and (b) from schedule E to schedule D.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I regret that this information is not available. But looking at the total work force, the proportion that are self-employed and paying tax under schedule D has risen from 7 per cent. in 1978–79 to 10 per cent. in 1992–93.

  Tax Inspectors
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many trained Inland Revenue tax inspectors were working for the Inland Revenue in each year since 1979; and how many were working in the areas of(a) capital gains tax, (b) schedule D tax, (c) corporation tax, (d) PAYE and (e) national insurance contributions in each year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Excluding inspectors employed on central administration and in specialist offices, the table sets out the total numbers of Inland Revenue staff in the Department's inspector grades working within its network of local offices for each year since 1978–79 and how many were working in the areas of(a) capital gains tax, (b) schedule D tax, (c) corporation tax, and (d) schedule E tax in each year. Under (d) figures have been provided for schedule E tax rather than PAYE, as PAYE is simply a mechanism for collecting schedule E tax. Inspector resource usage on national insurance contribution work is incidental to mainstream tax work. It is not separately recorded.

  Year

  Total

  Capital gains

  Schedule D tax

  Corporation tax

  Schedule E tax

  1978–79

  5,651

  343

  2,858

  1,397

  1,054

  1979–80

  5,654

  343

  2,860

  1,397

  1,054

  1980–81

  5,553

  337

  2,808

  1,372

  1,035

  1981–82

  5,421

  329

  2,742

  1,340

  1,011

  1982–83

  5,381

  326

  2,721

  1,330

  1,003

  1983–84

  5,497

  333

  2,780

  1,358

  1,025

  1984–85

  5,377

  326

  2,719

  1,329

  1,003

  1985–86

  5,440

  330

  2,751

  1,344

  1,014

  1986–87

  5,587

  339

  2,826

  1,381

  1,042

  1987–88

  5,788

  351

  2,927

  1,430

  1,079

  1988–89

  6,144

  356

  3,154

  1,511

  1,123

  Grade 3

  Grade 5

  Grade 6

  Grade 7

  Total Staff (all grades)

  1 April 1989

  Railways 1

  1

  3

  0

  9

  40

  Railways 2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1 April 1990

  Railways 1

  1

  4

  2

  10

  47

  Railways 2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1 April 1991

  Railways 1

  1

  4

  1

  12

  54

  Railways 2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1 April 1992

  Railways 1

  1

  5

  1

  13

  54

  Railways 2

  1

  3

  0

  4

  43

  1 April 1993

  Railways 1

  1

  4

  1

  11

  57

  Railways 2

  1

  5

  0

  10

  47

  Staff at grade 1, the permanent secretary, and grade 2, deputy secretary, have wider responsibilities which go beyond the Railways Directorate.

  A13
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what toxic waste, asbestos or related material has been excavated over the past two months during the course of construction and related works on the 154

  Year

  Total

  Capital gains

  Schedule D tax

  Corpora lion tax

  Schedule E tax

  1989–90

  6,365

  370

  3,284

  1,563

  1,148

  1990–91

  6,624

  382

  3,429

  1,652

  1,161

  1991–92

  6,737

  374

  3,434

  1,725

  1,205

  1992–93

  6,808

  372

  3,546

  1,721

  1,170

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the savings would be of taxing child benefit at the higher rate.

  Mr. Dorrell
  If child benefit were added to the father's —or lone mother's—taxable income and the part of it which came above the basic rate limit was taxed at 40 per cent., the revenue yield at 1993–94 levels would be about £250 million. The equivalent yield if it were added to the mother's—or lone father's—taxable income would be about £30 million.

TRANSPORT

  Railways Directorate
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff have been employed in the railways directorate (railways 1 and railways 2)(a) in grades 1 to 7 and (b) in total.

  Mr. Freeman
  The number of staff employed in the Railways Directorate at 1 April this year, and in the four preceding years, in grades 3 to 7, as well as the total number of staff, is set out in the following table.

  Wennington-Mar Dyke section of the part of the new A13 road stretching one mile either side of the boundary of the borough of Thurrock with the London borough of Havering.

  Mr. Norris
  On the Heathway-Wennington section, laboratory analysis continues of the samples collected for the chemical ground investigation. The exact content of the samples will not be certain until the results are available and these will be placed in the Library.
  155
  On the Wennington-Mar Dyke section, no toxic waste or asbestos was excavated. All other arisings were deposited at suitably licensed landfill sites in accordance with the latest regulations.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who was responsible for surveying and supervising the extraction of materials excavated over the past two months on that section of the Wennington-Mar Dyke section of the new A13 road stretching one mile either side of the boundary of the borough of Thurrock with the London borough of Havering.

  Mr. Norris
  On the Heathway-Wennington section, only samples were removed for analysis from pits and boreholes and all other materials were replaced. On the Wennington-Mar Dyke section, the work was supervised by the Department's consultants W. S. Atkins.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what quantity of materials extracted as part of the construction of the Wennington-Mar Dyke section of the new A13 road stretching one mile either side of the boundary of the borough of Thurrock with the London borough of Havering has been deposited in(a) Aveley No. 2 pit and (b) Aveley No. 3 pit; and what was the nature of those materials.

  Mr. Norris
  On the Heathway-Wennington section, only samples have been removed for analysis and no material deposited elsewhere.

  On the Wennington-Mar Dyke section, approximately 1,500 cu m of material was excavated for the advance works contract. Less than 500 cu m was landfill refuse material which was deposited in Aveley No. 2 pit.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requirements exist for a chemist, or other comparable analyst, to witness the excavation of materials of the nature of those moved as part of the construction of the Wennington-Mardyke section of the new A13 road stretching one mile either side of the boundary of the borough of Thurrock with the London borough of Havering; and which such officials and for what occasion and periods were present in the case of that road section.

  Mr. Norris
  On the Heathway-Wennington section of the proposed A13, an extensive chemical ground survey was carried out. A copy of the results will be placed in the Library of the House when they are available. Trial pits and boreholes were dug along the line of the proposed new road east of the London to Tilbury railway and across the marshes. Appropriately qualified personnel, including chemists, supervised the field work.

  On the Wennington-Mardyke section, the Department would consider, if appropriate, the appointment of a chemist or other analyst to witness the excavation of landfill materials on the road works contract. A chemist was not present during the recently completed advance works contract. The work involved some compaction of the landfill for part of a length of future temporary road diversion.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library the results of the geological and other surveys showing the composition of the soil and ground along the Wennington-Mardyke section of the new Al3 road; and what details are held by his Department that relate to the previous dumping of waste along this section.
  156
  Mr. Norris
  The results of the geological and other surveys in respect of the Wennington Mardyke section of the proposed A13 run to 23 volumes. It would not be practicable to place these in the Library. They may be viewed on request and by arrangement by writing to the Department's consultants, W. S. Atkins at Woodcote Grove, Ashley road, Epsom, Surrey KT18 5BW, telephone 0372 726140.

  The infill of the mineral extraction pits was uncontrolled and was carried out during the 1950s and 1960s. W. S. Atkins carried out a desk survey of the mineral workings in 1987 which included information provided by Essex county council, Thurrock borough council and London borough of Havering.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what provisions he has made in the railway privatisation proposals to ensure a high and sustained level of investment is maintained in infrastructure enhance-ments or renewal and the provision of new rolling stock and traction.

  Mr. Freeman
  From April 1994 Railtrack will have the lead responsibility for investment in track and related infrastructure and will make charges to operators allowing it to recoup investment expenditure and earn a rate of return on it. The Government will provide indirect support through subsidy for franchised passenger services, and direct support for investment in schemes not earning an adequate financial return but which provide a satisfactory cost-benefit return when wider benefits are taken into account.

  In last year's autumn statement the Government gave approval to British Rail to lease £150 million worth of new rolling stock. This and the establishment of three publicly owned rolling stock companies will encourage the development of a leasing market. The Government's intention is that provision of rolling stock should in future pass increasingly to the private sector and so be outside the constraints of public expenditure.

  Clause 46 of the Railways Bill is also designed to encourage investment in railway assets with an economic life longer than a franchise.

  Inter-rail
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had concerning the future of Inter-rail; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Discussions have taken place between British Rail and my advisers. As to future arrangements, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Member for Cunninghame, North on 25 June,Official Report, column 282.

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he will take to minimise the damage to Eltham and to Oxleas Wood of the road to the proposed east London river crossing.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Government remain fully committed to meeting the need for a new road link across the Thames in east London as a key element in the strategy
  157
  to regenerate the east Thames corridor. However, following a reappraisal we have been undertaking, the Transport Minister for London and I have decided that the current scheme, designed and chosen some time ago, fails to meet the high environmental standards we now apply to new road schemes.

  We have therefore decided not to proceed with current plans. We shall examine alternative solutions which meet the same strategic objectives, but which will have less impact on the local environment. We will bring forward new proposals for the scheme and in so doing will explore opportunities for greater involvement by the private sctor and a design competition for the bridge over the Thames, as suggested by the Royal Fine Arts Commission.

  This decision is quite independent of the infraction proceedings instigated by the European Commission. The Government remain clear that the environmental impact assessment directive should not apply to projects which were in the pipeline when it came into force, and it will continue to contest the proceedings brought by the Commission.

  Motorways
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has made for a system of permits for the use of motorways; and when he plans to publish his conclusions.

  Mr. Key
  The conclusions of the study that the Government have so far made of the use of permits for charging for motorways are included in the Green Paper "Paying for Better Motorways', Cm 2200, published on 26 May. Copies are available in the Library.

  Network SouthEast
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what has been the percentage increase in fares in cash terms in Network SouthEast over the whole period since May 1979; and what was the percentage increase in the retail prices index over the same period;

  (2) what has been the percentage increase in fares in Network SouthEast in real terms since May 1979.

  Mr. Freeman
  The overall cash increase in Network SouthEast fares between 1979 and 1992–93 was 234 per cent. The retail prices index increased by 146 per cent. over the same period, giving an overall fare increase in real terms of 36 per cent.

  School Buses
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to lower the age limit at which three children may share a double bus seat.

  Mr. Key
  The Department is currently considering, with the Department of Education, various aspects of school transport, including the Public Service Vehicles (Carrying Capacity) Regulations—the three-for-two concession. It would not be right to anticipate the outcome of this work.

  Residential Property
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many residential properties in the London borough of Lewisham are owned by his Department; and 158
  if he will publish a list of such residential properties which are currently empty, giving the type of accommodation available, the length of time each property has been vacant and the intended future use.

  Mr. Norris
  My Department owns 22 residential properties transferred from the London residuary body in 1987. These were acquired for trunk road improvements and all are currently let. In addition five residential properties were transferred to the Department from the National Bus Company on its dissolution in 1991. These are currently vacant, three are to be demolished to enable a housing development to take place and two are required for the trunk road improvements. Consideration is being given to the possibility of letting them in the meantime. It is not my Department's practice to publish the addresses of vacant properties.

  The Department also owns 14 commercial properties, with integral living accommodation, all acquired for road schemes. Nine of these are let on a commercial basis and attempts are being made to find suitable commercial tenants for the other five.

  Repeater Signs
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the need to approve the use of repeater signs within 30 mph speed limit areas.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 5 July 1993]: There have been a number of such requests. I am currently considering the wider problem of vehicle speeds in villages.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Forged Letter
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his oral statement of 30 June,Official Report, column 975, if he will make a further statement on the source of the forged letter in the name of the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale; what inquiries were made as to the origins of the notepaper used; and what disciplinary action was taken against the offender.

  The Attorney-General
  The letter to which the right hon. Member refers was produced by an officer of the City of London police engaged on the Bank of Credit and Commerce International inquiry. It was a misguided April fools joke intended to be confined to those employed on the inquiry and not designed in any way to influence any aspect of the investigation.

  Disciplinary procedures relating to police officers are the responsibility of the chief officer of the force concerned. In October 1992 I suggested to the right hon. Member that if he wished to pursue the disciplinary aspect he should contact the Commissioner of the City of London police.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many charters make specific reference to the needs of disabled people.
  159
  Mr. Davis
  I should like to correct a minor error to the answer given to this question on Monday 8 March 1993 at column 657 by my hon. Friend the Member for Wantage (Mr. Jackson), the then Parliamentary Secretary, Office of Public Service and Science. On that date the number of charters that made specific reference to the needs of people with disabilities was 24, not 25. I apologise for this error.

  Today, 27 out of 32 published charters make a reference to people with disabilities.

WALES

  Minority Languages
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what further deliberations have taken place on the subject of the United Kingdom ratifying the European charter on minority languages; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Government Departments with an interest in the European charter for regional or minority languages have been considering its implications for the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom decision on ratification must take into account the situation of each of the indigenous minority languages spoken within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he has given to a ratification of the European charter on minority languages with a derogation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Article 21 of the European charter for regional or minority languages states that reservations to the charter may be made only to one or more of paragraphs 2 to 5 of article 7. The United Kingdom Government will announce their response to the charter in due course.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what will be the total salaries paid in 1993–94 to(a) chief executives, (b) executive members and (c) non-executive members of hospital trust boards in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on salaries paid to chief executives and executive members of NHS trust boards is not held centrally but will be included in the accounts and annual report which each trust is required to make publicly available.

  Trust chairmen receive remuneration of between £15,125 and £19,285 dependent upon the level of income of the trust. Each non-executive member receives remunera-tion of £5,000 per annum. In addition, travel and other expenses may be payable.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to advertise all NHS hospital trust(a) chief executive posts, (b) chairs and (c) non-executive posts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I am advertising for nominations for inclusion in the register the Welsh Office holds of candidates suitable for public appointment. This will enable anyone interested in undertaking work of public service, including chairmanship or non-executive membership of an NHS trust, to put their name forward for consideration. The post of chief executive must be advertised except when a trust is first established.

  GP Fund Holders
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the mechanisms that he has put in place or proposes for the patients of general practitioner fund holders to have an involvement in decisions about their doctors' health care purchasing priorities.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  It is generally recognised that GPs as the gatekeepers of the NHS are uniquely placed to improve patients' choice of good quality services. It would be inappropriate for me to interfere with this relationship.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the current level of unemployment among manufacturing workers in Wales; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what is the current level of unemployment among workers in the service industries in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Information is not available in the form requested. However, labour force surveys conducted between December 1992 and February 1993 reported that 20 per cent. of the 138,000 unemployed had a previous job in the manufacturing sector and 41 per cent. in the service sector. These percentages are likely to be underestimates, because 14 per cent. of unemployed respondents did not give a previous industry.

  These figures are based on the International Labour Organisation definition of unemployment. Labour force survey estimates, being derived from a sample of the population, are subject to sampling variability.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of TEC leavers went on to secure full employment from each of the TECs in Wales last year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The latest information available for leavers securing full-time employment is for the period September 1991 to August 1992 and is set out in the table. I encourage the training and enterprise councils to continue to improve performance in training for young people and the unemployed.

  Percentage of leavers1 going into full-time employment2

  TEC

  Youth training3

  Employment training

  Mid Glamorgan

  43

  34

  South Glamorgan

  38

  26

  Gwent

  37

  32

  Powys

  4n/a

  38

  North East Wales

  66

  22

  North West Wales

  4n/a

  4n/a

  West Wales

  32

  32

  Wales

  40

  34

  Source: YT and ET national follow-up surveys.

  Notes:

  1 All leavers from September 1991 to August 1992—the latest available 12 months.

  2 Full-time work including self employment.

  3 Includes youth credits.

  4 n/a: Too few responses to give a reliable figure.

  Job Vacancies
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many vacancies there were for jobs in service sector industries in each of the last 12 months in each county in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  (2) how many vacancies there were for jobs in manufacturing sector industries in each of the last 12 months in each county in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  This information, for those months for which data are available, can be accessed on-line by the staff of the Library of the House.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Common Fisheries Policy
  Mr. Lait
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the working of the common fisheries policy; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Article 38 of the treaty of Rome provides for a common fisheries policy (CFP). The CFP is principally concerned with managing and sustaining a limited resource in the common interest of all member states.

  The United Kingdom benefits from the CFP. The 1983 settlement, which established it, took good account of United Kingdom interests. We secured 37 per cent. of the quotas for the seven main species caught in the North European waters, a figure higher than our historical level of catches, and we reduced the access rights of other member states on our coastal waters by nearly three quarters.

  The CFP is subject to continuing assessment by the EC Fisheries Council and in order to fulfil its treaty of Rome requirements it continues to evolve and change when circumstances make this desirable. Improvements in the CFP, notably involving strategies for conservation, were introduced in the mid-term review of the CFP, which was brought to a successful conclusion at the end of 1992 under the United Kingdom Presidency. In last month's Council of Fisheries Ministers, agreement was reached on a new control regulation which will provide for better and more effective enforcement. This regulation is due to take effect on 1 January 1994 and will significantly strengthen the Commission's powers to ensure that Community rules are properly implemented in all member states.

  To be effective the CFP must include measures to prevent over-exploitation. Without such measures fish stocks would decline, which would be in no-one's long-term interest. Inevitably controls on fishing are unwelcome to fishermen. I understand that and will continue to defend United Kingdom interests in negotiations on the CFP while recognising the need for an effective CFP which is equitably applied and enforced in all Member States. I do not support calls for the United Kingdom to take unilateral action or withdraw from the CFP.

  Market Testing
  Ms Mowlam
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much the market-testing programme has cost her Department since November 1992.
  162
  Mr. Jack
  Over the period November 1992 to date the Department's market testing programme is estimated to have cost some £546,000 including external consultancy support.

  Live animals (Transport)
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures are being taken to ensure the transport of live animals from the United Kingdom to the EC is conducted in a humane fashion; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The Welfare of Animals during Transport Order 1992 places controls on the transport of animals to safeguard their welfare during all journeys, including those to destinations in other EC member states.

  Horses and Cattle (Diseases)
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what would be the estimated cost of reimbursing owners of horses and cattle testing sero-positive to equine viral arteritis and foot and mouth disease;

  (2) whether she will be authorising compensation to be paid to the injured parties for all direct and consequential losses arising from her Department's import checking procedures in connection with each incident of equine viral arteritis;

  (3) whether she will authorise compensation to be paid for direct and consequential losses arising from the importation of cattle testing sero-positive to foot and mouth disease.

  Mrs. Shephard
  The Ministry has no legal obligation nor statutory authority to pay any form of compensation in these circumstances, which is a commercial matter between the owners, importers and exporters.

  Abattoirs
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many abattoirs operating in England and Wales conform fully to EC standards;

  (2) how many authorised abattoirs operating in England and Wales currently fail to conform to EC standards; and by what date full conformity with these standards will be required.

  Mr. Soames
  In England and Wales 65 abattoirs fully comply with the EC standards, and 352 abattoirs are operating under temporary derogations from some of the EC structural standards. All premises comply in full with the hygiene standards. Temporary derogations may run for a three-year period up to 31 December 1995, but many premises are scheduled to complete upgrading work well before this date.

  Fish Farms
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fish farms use waste water generated by power stations.

  Mr. Jack
  There are currently two fish farms using water warmed by waste heat from power stations on the register of fish farm businesses held by Fisheries Departments.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Council Tax
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will change the current practice of taking each £250 of savings in excess of £3,000 to represent £1 of income per week when calculating council tax rebates for pensioners.

  Mr. Burt
  The rules on the treatment of capital are kept under review, but we have no plans to change the present arrangements.

  Sickness and Invalidity Benefit
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of people currently claiming invalidity benefit are women; and what percentage of these women head single-parent households.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  At 30 March 1991, the latest date for which information is available, 25 per cent. of invalidity benefit claimants were women1.

  There is no information available on what percentage of women claimants head single-parent households.
  1 Figure based on a 1 per cent. sample of claimants.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were found to be fraudulently claiming invalidity benefit in each year since 1980; and if he will give the figure so far for 1993.

  Mr. Scott
  I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency that the information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the number of people claiming(a) sickness and (b) invalidity benefit for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Scott
  Available information about the numbers claiming sickness and invalidity benefits is in the table.

  Date

  Sickness benefit claimants2

  Invalidity benefit claimants

  29 May 1982

  469,000

  684,000

  2 April 1983

  408,000

  737,000

  31 March 1984

  3247,000

  797,000

  30 March 1985

  225,000

  849,000

  5 April 1986

  237,000

  899,000

  4 April 1987

  3187,000

  968,000

  2 April 1988

  228,000

  1,047,000

  1 April 1989

  266,000

  1,126,000

  31 March 1990

  309,000

  1,209,000

  30 March 1991

  372,000

  1,306,000

  1991–924

  120,000

  1,365,000

  1992–934

  135,000

  1,490,000

  Notes:

  1 Figures based on a 1 per cent. sample of claimants, at a point in time, rounded to the nearest thousand.

  2 Figures include claimants who are not receiving sickness benefit but receive national insurance credits.

  3 Statutory sick pay introduced from 6 April 1983 for a maximum eight weeks sickness absence in a tax year. From 6 April 1986 statutory sick pay was payable for up to 28 weeks in any one period of incapacity for work.

  164
  4 Information is not yet available for later than March 1991. For 1991–92 and 1992–93 figures come from the estimates appearing in the departmental report 1993.

  Quangos (Appointments)
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the former Members of the House who have been appointed since 1988 by his Department to quasi autonomous non-governmental organisations; and if he will list in each case the title of the post, the salary, the duration of the appointment, and the party which the former hon. Member represented.

  Mr. Hague
  None to those bodies listed in "Public Bodies 1992".

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the names of individuals who(a) are spouses of hon. Members, (b) are members of the House of Lords, (c) are spouses of members of the House of Lords and (d) have been party candidates for Parliament, indicating for which party, who have been appointed by his Department since 1988 to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations giving, in each case, the title of the post, and salary payable, and the duration of the appointment.

  Mr. Hague
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is responsible for a large number of public appointments. The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Income Statistics
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the total weekly income including benefits of(a) a single unemployed person aged 21 years and paying £40 a week in rent and (b) a student of the same age on full grant and loan paying the same rent.

  Mr. Burt
  On the assumption that insufficient contributions had been paid to give title to unemployment benefit, a lone, unemployed 21-year-old with a rent liability of £40 per week would normally be entitled to income support of £34·80 per week and would, through housing benefit, receive up to 100 per cent. of his rent, less any ineligible items. This equates to about £74·80 per week.

  A 21-year-old student following a full-time course of higher education, but otherwise in the same circumstances, would not normally be eligible for income support or housing benefit but would receive support through the educational maintenance system. During the period of study the standard maintenance grant outside London, for the coming academic year, equates to £59·60 per week over 38 weeks, with income available from the full-year student loan of £15·38 per week. This equates to about £74·98 per week.

  In addition, if a student in higher education faces particular financial difficulties he may be able to receive assistance from the access funds. The access funds are administered on a discretionary basis by the educational establishments.

  It is not possible to estimate students' income during the long vacation because some students will find work during that period.

  Maxwell Pension Funds
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest position in relation to the recovery of Maxwell pension funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  The liquidators of Bishopsgate Investment Management Ltd., which managed Maxwell pension scheme funds, have located and secured assets presently worth some £300 million. The Maxwell pension scheme trustees are now cautiously optimistic about meeting their pension liabilities in full in the long term. Much now depends on claims against third parties. Sir John Cuckney and the Maxwell pensions unit are encouraging all concerned to an early resolution of disputes. They are available to facilitate this process with the consent of the parties concerned.

  Mais Lecture
  Mr. Deva
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he plans to publish the analysis and projection of social security provision to which he referred in his Mais lecture on 23 June.

  Mr. Lilley
  I will publish a document entitled "The Growth of Social Security" on Thursday 8 July. It contains the analysis of the growth of social security provision and projections up to the end of the century prepared in the course of the Government's long-term review of social security. It will be sent to all right hon. and hon. Members. Copies will be placed in the Library.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the cost would be of disregarding child benefit in the calculation for income support and family credit.

  Mr. Burt
  It is estimated that the cost of disregarding child benefit in income support would be £1,490 million. Child benefit is already disregarded in family credit. Disregarding child benefit in all the income-related benefits would cost around £1,680 million.

SCOTLAND

  West Coast Main Line
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will next meet the Scottish director of British Rail (ScotRail) to discuss the job implications for Scotland of future decisions on the west coast main line.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Regular contact is maintained with British Rail by Scottish Office Ministers and officials. Such contacts cover a wide range of topics relating to rail services in Scotland.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about the British Rail main line coast services; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has received a small number of representations about rail 166
  services on the west coast main line. Responsibility for railway matters however lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. The detailed operation of the railways, including the precise level of services to be offered on individual lines, is a matter for British Rail.

  Stobhill Hospital
  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many acute bed places were available in Stobhill hospital during the months of November 1992, December 1992 and January 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  For each month during the period November 1992 and January 1993 there were between 191 and 193 acute beds available at Stobhill hospital.

  Crown Estate Commissioners
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to give directions to the Crown estate commissioners as to the discharge of their functions in relation to fish farming in Scotland under section 1(4) of the Crown Estate Act 1961; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to give directions to the Crown Estate Commissioners as to the discharge of their functions in relation to fish farming in Scotland. These responsibilities have been reviewed most recently by the Agriculture Select Committee. Following that report, the Scottish Office issued draft guidance on the location of marine fish farms, which was widely welcomed.

  Rented Housing
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he will take to encourage the provision of low cost rented housing.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I am already encouraging considerable investment in low cost rented housing through the Government's funding of Scottish Homes. Over 70 per cent. of its development programme, amounting to some £230 million, will be spent in the current financial year on the provision of rented accommodation through the housing association and co-operative movement. This investment will result in over 5,000 new house starts in 1993–94.

  Scottish Enterprise
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the chief executive of Scottish Enterprise to discuss the underlying trends in the Scottish economy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  As I have indicated to the hon. Member for Renfrew, West and Inverclyde (Mr. Graham), my right hon. Friend and I frequently meet the chairman and chief executive of Scottish Enterprise to discuss a range of issues relevant to the Scottish economy. I am pleased to note that independent forecasters continue to predict that the present recovery in Scottish output will be sustained. I am also delighted that unemployment has fallen over the past four months. We continue to have an unemployment rate significantly below the United Kingdom average.

  Economy, Lanarkshire
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the Lanarkshire economy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend has received no recent representations regarding the Lanarkshire economy.

  Health and Education Spending
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the spending per head on(a) health and (b) education in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  The latest available figures for identifiable general government expenditure are for 1991–92. They show spending in Scotland of £787 per head on health and personal social services and £646 per head on education.

  Timex
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to meet representatives of Timex Electronics Corporation to discuss the grants made to its plant in Dundee.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend has met senior Timex management twice in recent weeks.

  Following the announcement of the Dundee factory's closure the company and the Scottish Office Industry Department have discussed grant assistance made to the plant.

  Local Authority Services
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what further steps he is taking to encourage local authorities to deliver high quality, low cost services.

  Mr. Stewart
  The Government are committed to the provision of high quality, low cost local services and have taken a number of steps to achieve this. These include:—our plans to reform the structure of local government:
  —the introduction of the citizens charter, the principles of which my right hon. Friend hopes will be adopted by all authorities;
  —the requirement that authorities subject certain services to competitive tendering;
  —support for action by the Accounts Commission to improve value for money in Scottish local government;
  —the provisions in the Local Government Act 1992 requiring local authorities to publish their standards of performance in delivering services in the light of a direction issued by the Accounts Commission.

  Timeshare
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about the imposition of business rates on timeshare dwellings.

  Mr. Stewart
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 31 March 1993 at col.153.

  In the period from 27 March, we have received representations concerning the regulations from a further 49 Members of Parliament and 228 other individuals.

  Forestry
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Government's review of the future of forestry policy in the United Kingdom.
  168
  Sir Hector Monro
  The review which my right hon. Friend announced on 30 March 1993 is progressing well, although it is still at an early stage in its task. As part of that review the Forestry Commission has issued a consultation paper seeking views on the effectiveness of the current incentives for forestry investment.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received about the Government's forestry review.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding his review of the options for the ownership and management of Forestry Commission woodlands.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Over 500 letters have been received offering comment on the work of the review which my right hon. Friend established on 30 March. Comment has come from all quarters, including hon. Members, organisations with interests in forestry, timber production, the environment and the recreational uses of forests.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will consider extending the review group on the Forestry Commission to include a representative from a conservationist group; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Forestry Review group already includes representatives from the Department of the Environment, the Welsh Office and the Scottish Office which are the Government Departments with responsibil-ity for nature conservation. In addition, the chairman and secretariat are provided by the Scottish Office Environment Department.

  The review group is working to a remit which requires it to make proposals for changes which would improve the effectiveness of the delivery of the Government's forestry policy objectives, having regard to the Government's other economic and environmental policies. Concern for nature conservation is an integral component of existing forestry policy.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what groups have been called on by the forestry review group to give external advice and assistance; and if he will put copies of their submissions in the Library.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 24 June 1993]: The Forestry Commission has asked Canopy Consultants to carry out an environmental survey of a sample of private woodlands which have received grant aid during the last 15 years. This survey will inform the review of the effectiveness of current incentives for forestry investment which is part of the work of the forestry review group. No other groups have been asked for external advice or assistance.

  There are no plans to publish the Canopy Consultants report in advance of the review group making its report to Ministers.

  Local Government
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the new single-tier local authorities in Scotland to be up and running.

  Mr. Stewart
  Subject to the necessary legislation being in place, it is intended that elections to the new authorities
  169
  should be held in spring 1995, with the new councils assuming responsibility from existing authorities on 1 April 1996.

  Status Definitions
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of the European Community to discuss objective 1 and objective 5b status definitions of areas in Scotland; and if he will make a statement on progress.

  Mr. Stewart
  Negotiations on revised regulations for the EC structural funds made excellent progress on 3 July, thanks to the considerable efforts of United Kingdom negotiators and in particular my right hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Department of Trade and Industry.

  I am very pleased that, subject to final agreement in the Council later this month, the whole of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise area will now be granted objective 1 status. This demonstrates the advantage for Scotland of relying on the considerable weight which the United Kingdom as a whole can bring to bear in EC negotiations.

  The process of designating objective 5b areas in Scotland will begin as soon as the regulations have been adopted. It is as yet too early to say what areas might qualify.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what further representations he has received from west coast fishermen about fishing quotas and days at sea.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I receive regular representations from west coast fishermen and their representative organisations on these and other issues.

  Engineering Industry
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on employment, export and manufacturing order figures for the engineering sector in Scotland for the most recent quarter for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  The most recent census of employment, carried out in September 1991, identified a total of 104,900 employees in the engineering sector in Scotland. Official figures on exports and manufacturing orders are not disaggregated on a regional or national basis.

  There are encouraging signs of an increase in confidence in the Scottish engineering sector, and many companies have reported an increase in total orders as well as export sales.

  Water Fluoridation
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for the fluoridation of public water supplies.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend regrets that Strathclyde Regional Council has decided not to proceed with fluoridation, despite the potential benefits to dental health and the strong support for fluoridation expressed by the hon. Member for Strathkelvin and Bearsden among 170
  others. The Department stands ready to consider providing assistance to the capital costs involved when and as decisions to fluoridate water supplies are taken locally.

  Renewables Order
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 21 April,Official Report, column 113, when he now expects to publish the Scottish renewables order; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member on 21 April 1993 at column. 113.

  Prosecutions
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the criteria used by the Lord Advocate in deciding whether a prosecution is in the public interest.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is not possible to list the criteria for deciding whether the public interest requires a prosecution in a particular case. The prosecutor considers whether there is sufficient reliable evidence and whether, having regard to all the relevant factors, the circumstances make a prosecution appropriate.

  National Health Service Trusts
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hospitals have been granted trust status.

  Mr. Stewart
  Seventeen NHS trusts are now operational in Scotland.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all appointments made as chairmen, members, chairmen designate and members designate of all NHS trusts and trusts designate as at 30 June.

  Mr. Stewart
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Argyll and Bute (Mrs. Michie) on 22 June 1993 at columns 145–56. No further appointments were made up to 30 June 1993.

  Licensing Hours
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to introduce legislation to change the licensing hours in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Liquor licensing hours in Scotland were amended by Part III of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990 following a consultative review of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976; no further changes are proposed at present.

  River Clyde
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about funding for the dredging of the River Clyde.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It remains the Government's policy that port authorities, including Clyde Port Ltd, should manage their businesses on a commercial basis and that the costs of dredging should be met by charges to the users of ports, or by other parties who benefit from the dredging.

  Episiotomies
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the frequency of episiotomies in maternity units in all health board areas since 1983.

  Mr. Stewart
  This information is not held centrally.

  Wheelchairs (Children)
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list per health board and trust board area the average waiting time for physically handicapped children to be(a) measured for and (b) supplied with wheelchairs adapted to their needs.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is not available.

  The five artificial limb and appliance centres responsible for the supply and maintenance of wheelchairs in Scotland have been asked by my noble Friend the Minister of State to collect this information in future in respect of all new wheelchair patients.

  Speech Therapists
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list per health board and trust board area the number of full-time(a) occupational and (b) speech therapists employed in paediatric services.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by regional council areas the length of time taken by education departments to open a record of need for children with(a) physical and(b) special learning needs; and what is the average time for completion of such records.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not collected centrally. However, a research report (Children with Special Educational Needs: Thomson et al: August 1989) showed that in Scotland just over half of all Records of Needs are completed in under six months and nearly three-quarters within eight months.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the existing school rolls in Scotland has been identified as involving children with special educational needs over each of the past five years; and if he will give a breakdown per regional education department.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on the percentage of education authority school pupils for whom a record of needs was opened and in force in terms of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, as amended, is shown in the table.

  Percentage of pupils in education authority schools and departments with a record of needs as at September 1988–921

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Scotland

  1·0

  1·0

  1·1

  1·2

  1·3

  Borders

  1·3

  1·1

  1·2

  1·4

  1·7

  Central

  1·2

  1·1

  1·2

  1·3

  1·5

  172

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1·0

  1·0

  1·3

  1·2

  1·4

  Fife

  0·8

  0·8

  0·8

  0·8

  0·9

  Grampian

  1·1

  1·1

  1·2

  1·2

  1·3

  Highland

  1·5

  1·4

  1·5

  1·6

  1·7

  Lothian

  0·6

  0·6

  0·6

  0·6

  0·7

  Strathclyde

  1·1

  1·1

  1·2

  1·4

  1·5

  Tayside

  0·7

  0·5

  0·7

  0·7

  0·9

  Orkney

  0·4

  0·6

  0·5

  0·7

  0·7

  Shetland

  0·6

  0·5

  0·7

  0·7

  0·7

  Western Isles

  0·6

  0·6

  0·7

  0·6

  0·8

  1 Excluding nursery schools and departments.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the existing school rolls in Scotland have had records of needs(a) opened and (b) completed in each of the past five years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The total number and percentage of children attending education authority schools (excluding nursery) in Scotland with records of needs at September in the last five years is:

  Year

  Number of pupils with record of needs

  Percentage of school roll

  1988

  7,628

  1·0

  1989

  7,236

  1·0

  1990

  7,998

  1·1

  1991

  8,669

  1·2

  1992

  9,660

  1·3

  Information on how many of these records were opened within any particular year is not collected, but a recent research report (Children with Special Educational Needs: Policy and Provision: Thomson et al: August 1989) showed that 950 records were opened in 1988, which equalled the average for the two preceding years.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment has been made of the number of children with speech and language difficulties in Scotland; and how many of these attend residential schools(a) in Scotland and (b) furth of Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In 1991, the latest year for which figures are available, 1,949 children with records of needs had language and communication difficulties, though these would not necessarily be a child's sole or main learning difficulty. Sixty seven pupils attended residential special schools in Scotland. The number of those attending residential schools furth of Scotland is not held centrally.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will publish details of the regional breakdown for the successful applications for the local authority mortgage-to-rent scheme;

  (2) how many applications have been received in Scotland for the local authority mortgage-to-rent scheme; how many of these applications have been successful; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Local authorities are able to operate mortgage-to-rent schemes on a voluntary basis. The information requested is not held centrally.

  Mortgages
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent announcement relating to negative equity on housing mortgages in Scotland; if he will publish details of this assessment; and how many mortgagors in Scotland have taken advantage of the regulation.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The problem of negative equity is less pronounced in Scotland than in other regions of the United Kingdom, affecting only an estimated 1 per cent. of recent home buyers. It is open to anyone in that position to discuss their situation with their mortgage lender.

  Swimming
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department, in conjunction with the Scottish Consultative Committee for the Curriculum will conduct a survey into existing provisions for the tuition of swimming and water awareness in Scottish primary schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 23 June 1993]: I have no plans to carry out such a survey. The responsibility for provision of swimming tuition and water awareness in Scottish primary schools rests with local authorities. The Government published national guidelines in 1992 on expressive arts for five to 14-year-olds for use by schools. This sets out guidance on the provision of physical education including swimming and water safety. Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools monitors the provision of education in primary schools.

  1988–89 (£000)

  Administration and Clerical

  Nursing and Midwifery

  Medical

  Ancillary

  Other

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  9,430

  54,966

  11,997

  10,954

  10,656

  98,003

  Ayrshire and Arran

  6,667

  39,423

  9,357

  8,657

  9,360

  73,464

  Borders

  1,911

  13,459

  2,594

  2,417

  2,707

  23,088

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2,897

  21,722

  4,248

  4,410

  4,333

  37,610

  Fife

  5,747

  39,744

  8,094

  7,727

  8,241

  69,553

  Forth Valley

  5,133

  39,433

  7,115

  7,250

  7,882

  66,813

  Grampian

  11,263

  68,392

  17,523

  13,750

  14,316

  125,244

  Greater Glasgow

  27,357

  174,308

  55,024

  38,742

  48,508

  343,939

  Highland

  4,345

  29,741

  7,044

  5,072

  6,435

  52,637

  Lanarkshire

  8,205

  61,555

  14,933

  13,887

  13,208

  111,788

  Lothian

  18,674

  111,384

  35,056

  22,827

  29,938

  217,879

  Orkney

  266

  2,555

  302

  445

  337

  3,905

  Shetland

  362

  2,903

  347

  499

  680

  4,791

  Tayside

  11,031

  67,829

  17,642

  16,927

  15,969

  129,398

  Western Isles

  556

  3,992

  676

  809

  961

  6,994

  Total

  113,844

  731,406

  191,952

  154,373

  173,531

  1,365,106

  Note: "Other" includes dental staff, professions allied to medicine, other technicians, tradesmen and engineers, pharmacists, opticians and chaplains.

  1989–90 (£000)

  Administration and Clerical

  Nursing and Midwifery

  Medical

  Ancillary

  Other

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  10,589

  58,427

  12,942

  11,140

  11,583

  104,651

  Ayrshire and Arran

  7,655

  42,854

  10,186

  8,924

  10,157

  79,776

  Borders

  2,217

  14,664

  2,986

  2,444

  2,978

  25,289

  Dumfries and Galloway

  3,275

  23,266

  4,491

  4,385

  4,487

  39,904

  Fife

  6,674

  42,636

  8,922

  7,150

  8,942

  74,324

  Forth Valley

  5,905

  41,912

  7,795

  7,290

  8,527

  71,429

  Grampian

  12,837

  73,941

  19,521

  12,279

  15,884

  134,462

  Greater Glasgow

  31,142

  185,296

  59,792

  31,946

  51,533

  359,709

  Highland

  5,005

  31,746

  7,797

  5,073

  7,047

  56,668

  174
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funding support his Department has given in each of the last three financial years for the promotion of swimming and water safety education in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 23 June 1993]: Responsibility for swimming and water safety generally rests with Scottish local authorities in respect of swimming and water facilities which they operate. Safety at private sector swimming and water facilities rests with the operators in terms of their duties under the Health and Safety at Work, &c. Act 1974. Responsibility for water safety education in schools rests with the education authorities and headteachers. The Scottish Office Education Department issued in June 1992 programme guidelines on expressive arts for five to 14-year-olds which includes recognition of the importance of swimming and water safety education.

  Health Boards
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what have been the salary and wage costs for each health board for each financial year from 1988–89, in respect of(a) general and senior managers, (b) administration and clerical staff, (c) nursing and midwifery staff, (d) medical staff, (e) ancillary staff and (f) all other staff; and what has been the total cost of each category to the NHS.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is given in the following tables. Details have been taken from health boards' annual accounts. General and senior managers costs are not held separately but are included within the administration and clerical staff category. Figures for 1992–93 are not yet available.
  175

  Administration and Clerical

  Nursing and Midwifery

  Medical

  Ancillary

  Other

  Total

  Lanarkshire

  9,325

  65,524

  16,150

  13,609

  14,489

  119,097

  Lothian

  21,668

  116,645

  37,983

  20,067

  32,441

  228,804

  Orkney

  298

  2,765

  328

  457

  389

  4,237

  Shetland

  471

  3,018

  405

  559

  731

  5,184

  Tayside

  12,311

  72,057

  19,008

  16,956

  17,228

  137,560

  Western Isles

  483

  4,170

  671

  787

  1,040

  7,351

  Total

  130,055

  778,921

  208,977

  143,066

  187,426

  1,448,445

  Note: "Other" includes dental staff, professions allied to medicine, other tradesmen and engineers, pharmacists, opticians and chaplains.

  1990–91 (£000's)

  Administration and Clerical

  Nursing and Midwifery

  Medical

  Ancillary

  Other

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  12,064

  62,540

  13,931

  10,845

  12,732

  112,112

  Ayrshire and Arran

  8,849

  46,665

  11,442

  9,306

  11,208

  87,470

  Borders

  2,576

  15,522

  3,201

  2,600

  3,196

  27,095

  Dumfries and Galloway

  3,919

  25,098

  5,324

  4,550

  4,948

  43,839

  Fife

  8,047

  46,572

  9,719

  7,173

  10,273

  81,784

  Forth Valley

  7,016

  45,457

  8,438

  7,549

  9,320

  77,780

  Grampian

  14,963

  79,033

  21,825

  11,642

  17,103

  144,566

  Greater Glasgow

  36,734

  194,991

  64,174

  27,922

  54,851

  378,672

  Highland

  6,086

  34,467

  8,524

  5,198

  7,990

  62,265

  Lanarkshire

  11,246

  71,325

  17,324

  12,933

  15,913

  128,741

  Lothian

  24,765

  123,594

  41,180

  16,780

  35,068

  241,387

  Orkney

  402

  3,052

  382

  496

  444

  4,776

  Shetland

  653

  3,286

  411

  616

  810

  5,776

  Tayside

  14,421

  77,900

  20,265

  17,697

  19,115

  149,398

  Western Isles

  805

  4,591

  818

  795

  1,212

  8,221

  Total

  152,546

  834,093

  226,958

  136,102

  204,183

  1,553,882

  Note: "Other" includes dental staff, professions allied to medicine, other technicians, tradesmen and engineers, pharmacists, opticians and chaplains.

  1991–92 (£000)

  Administration and Clerical

  Nursing and Midwifery

  Medical

  Ancillary

  Other

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  14,178

  69,888

  15,663

  11,283

  14,522

  123,534

  Ayrshire and Arran

  10,118

  50,042

  13,395

  10,098

  13,315

  96,968

  Borders

  2,105

  16,971

  3,577

  2,135

  3,150

  27,938

  Dumfries and Galloway

  4,277

  27,745

  5,474

  4,732

  4,616

  46,844

  Fife

  9,508

  50,734

  11,729

  7,784

  11,386

  91,141

  Forth Valley

  8,381

  50,044

  9,536

  8,026

  10,575

  86,562

  Grampian

  17,061

  87,057

  25,528

  12,364

  18,293

  160,303

  Greater Glasgow

  41,749

  207,025

  71,012

  28,501

  59,172

  407,459

  Highland

  7,263

  38,328

  9,695

  5,660

  9,375

  70,321

  Lanarkshire

  13,350

  78,837

  19,518

  10,849

  17,172

  139,726

  Lothian

  28,451

  135,489

  45,439

  16,317

  39,176

  264,872

  Orkney

  480

  3,563

  425

  545

  506

  5,519

  Shetland

  770

  3,650

  545

  709

  886

  6,560

  Tayside

  17,108

  85,761

  24,333

  16,678

  21,378

  165,258

  Western Isles

  919

  5,192

  929

  866

  1,465

  9,371

  Total

  175,718

  910,326

  256,798

  136,547

  224,987

  1,704,376

  Note: "Other" includes dental staff, professions allied to medicine, other technicians, tradesmen and engineers, pharmacists, opticians and chaplains.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all health board members and the names or organisation of those who nominated them.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 5 July 1993]: All non-executive members of health boards are listed below with the names of nominating bodies if any. A number of members were appointed after applying personally or after consultation with the health board concerned.
  176

  Nominating organisation if any

  Argyll and Clyde Health Board

  Mrs. E. S. Lander

  CBI

  Mrs. J. C. Le Roux

  Cancer Research Committee

  Mr. C. H. Parker, OBE

  CBI

  Mr. M. D. Jones

  Renfrewshire Enterprise Ltd.

  Dr. J. Moffat

  Royal College of Psychiatrists

  Mrs. S. Nelson

  —

  Ayrshire and Arran Health Board

  Dr. K. G. Fegan

  —

  Mr. J. H. Greene

  —

  Miss M. W. Grosset

  —

  Miss K. A. Paterson

  —

  177

  Nominating organisation if any

  Mrs. E. Reid

  —

  Mr. W. Young

  —

  Borders Health Board

  Miss M. C. M. Marshall

  Scottish Association for Mental Health

  Mr. J. P. Metcalfe

  —

  Rev. A. G. Bennett

  —

  Dr. A. G. P. Paton

  BMA

  Lady F. E. Sanderson

  Borders Local Health Council

  Mr. H. S. U. Steven

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway Health Board

  Mr. H. S. McFadzean

  —

  Mrs. J. D. Tulloch

  Western Joint Ophthalmic Committee

  Dr. A. P. D. Wilkinson

  BMA

  Mrs. V. M. I. Jardine-Paterson

  —

  Dr. J. R. C. Stubbs

  BMA

  Mrs. M. J. Thomson

  —

  Fife Health Board

  Dr. A. G. A. Alexander

  —

  Mr. F. J. R. Craig

  —

  Mr. G. M. Thomson

  —

  Mrs. S. L. Aitken

  —

  Mrs. C. Stenhouse

  —

  Mrs. M. Steedman, OBE

  —

  Forth Valley Health Board

  Mr. E. T. M. Bell-Scott

  —

  Dr. G. B. Hastings

  Strathclyde University

  Mrs. K. A. Smith

  WRVS

  Mr. K. Harding

  —

  Mr. P. A. Joynson

  Scottish Branch, British Red Cross Society

  Mr. C. S. R. Stroyan

  —

  Grampian Health Board

  Mrs. J. G. A. Wisely, JP

  Women into Public Life Campaign

  Mrs. C. I. Ferguson

  —

  Professor D. Ogston

  University of Aberdeen

  Mr. J. K. O. Arbuthnott

  —

  Mr. G. McLellan

  —

  Mrs. E. M. L. Park

  —

  Greater Glasgow Health Board

  Mr. P. W. Holst

  BMA; Western Joint Ophthalmic Committee

  Mr. W. C. McCreath

  —

  Mr. A. Sobbie

  —

  Rev. R. D. M. Campbell

  —

  Mr. H. L. I. Runciman, CBE

  —

  Mrs. Joan S. Mackenzie

  —

  Professor R. M. Mackie

  University of Glasgow

  Highland Health Board

  Mr. J. G. Ligertwood

  —

  Mrs. A. MacPherson

  Ross and Cromarty Council of Voluntary Service

  Mrs. C. Thomson

  Ross and Cromarty Local Health Council

  Dr. J. D. MacDonald

  BMA

  Mr. D. J. Mackay

  CBI

  Mr. C. Neilson, JP

  Lochaber District Council; Lochaber Local Health Council

  Lanarkshire Health Board

  Dr. W. R. Criggie

  —

  Mrs. A. S. Hinshalwood

  —

  Mr. J. P. Robison, JP

  Strathclyde Regional Council

  Mrs. M. Melvin

  Lanarkshire Local Health Council

  Mr. D. A. Millar

  —

  Mr. J. Thomson, MBE

  Voluntary Association for Mental Welfare

  178

  Nominating organisation if any

  Lothian Health Board

  Mr. J. A. Campbell

  —

  Mr. R. Findlay

  —

  Councillor Mrs. M. B. M. Knox

  —

  Professor R. C. B. Aitken

  University of Edinburgh

  Mrs. G. Barton

  Lothian Regional Council; Edinburgh District Council

  Mr. G. S. Millar

  Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

  Orkney Health Board

  Mr. J. Flett

  —

  Mr. E. M. Gibson, MBE

  —

  Mr. J. Rendall

  Voluntary Services, Orkney

  Captain M. Gunn

  CBI

  Mrs. E. Kerr

  Orkney Local Health Council

  Dr. J. S. Walker

  BMA

  Shetland Health Board

  Mrs. M. U. Colligan

  Shetland Islands Council

  Squadron Leader B. P. Gregson

  —

  Mr. R. L. Johnson

  —

  Mrs. T. A. Leslie

  —

  Dr. M. D. Hunter

  BMA

  Mr. J. Telford

  —

  Tayside Health Board

  Rev. K. Campbell

  —

  Mr. D. W. M. Davidson, JP

  Area Pharmaceutical Committee

  Mrs. V. Joiner

  Dundee and Tayside Chamber of Commerce and Industry

  Mr. H. C. Nicoll

  —

  Professor R. E. Olver

  University of Dundee

  Mr. I. Sandison

  —

  Western Isles Health Board

  Mrs. C. R. MacAskill

  —

  Mr. J. A. Harrison

  —

  Dr. S. M. Bryden

  —

  Mr. A. W. Hay

  CBI

  Mrs. F. T. M. MacDonald

  Scottish Trades Union Congress

  Mr. M. Maclennan

  —

  NHS Managers
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the average cost of employing each managerial staff member in the NHS for each financial year since 1988–89.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 30 June 1993]: The information requested is not available centrally. From data for the earnings of around one third of managerial staff in Scotland, an approximate figure may be calculated for the average cost of employing a manager for each year since 1989–90 and this is shown in the table:

  Estimated cost of employing a manager in the NHS in Scotland.

  Year1

  Average cost2 (£000)

  31989–90

  23·1

  1990–91

  25·6

  1991–92

  27·9

  1992–93

  28·0

  1 Information is not available for 1988–89.

  2 The cost includes all salary costs plus employers' contributions for superannuation and national insurance. The averages are based on general managers, senior managers and administrative and clerical grades 7–10 (grade 18 and above in 1989–90).

  3 1989–90 data are estimated using the midpoint salary scales.

  Home Improvement Grants
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial controls operate in connection with the payment to local authorities and the payment to claimants of home improvement grants in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 6 July 1993]: Local authorities finance the payment of improvement and repairs grants from their annual non-housing revenue account capital allocations, the amounts of which are subject to the consent of the Secretary of State.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on housing improvement grants in Scotland including the total amount paid in the last five financial years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 6 July 1993]: House improvement grants play an important part in maintaining the condition of the stock generally. Local authorities' expenditure on improvement grants is as follows:

  Year

  Amount £ million

  1987–88

  52·6

  1988–89

  59·9

  1989–90

  60·9

  1990–91

  51·7

  1991–92

  63·2

  Expenditure on repairs, conversion and standard amenity grants have not been included in the figures given above. Expenditure on these grants in 1991–92 was £50·2 million.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Nurses' Pay
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the average gross weekly earnings and make-up of pay by type of pay or allowances for each of the clinical grades for nursing and midwifery staff in 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information requested is provided in the tables.

  Average gross weekly earnings for clinical nursing grades (full-time) in Northern Ireland

  Clinical grade

  Gross pay £

  Basic pay £

  allowances £

  1991–92

  Scale A

  165·82

  139·85

  25·85

  Scale B

  179·30

  158·45

  20·85

  Scale C

  225·50

  190·61

  34·89

  Scale D

  235·97

  200·78

  35·19

  Percentage distribution of average gross weekly earnings for clinical nursing and midwifery grades in Northern Ireland 1991–92.

  Clinical Grade

  Scale A Per cent.

  Scale B Per cent.

  Scale C Per cent.

  Scale D Per cent.

  Scale E Per cent.

  Scale F Per cent.

  Scale G Per cent.

  Scale H Per cent.

  Scale I Per cent.

  <140

  11·9

  05·1

  02·3

  10·8

  01·5

  01·8

  00·6

  01·1

  00·0

  <150

  08·1

  01·7

  00·3

  00·9

  00·1

  00·0

  00·1

  00·5

  00–0

  <160

  15·5

  12·8

  00·3

  00·6

  00·1

  00·0

  00·2

  00·0

  00·0

  <170

  12·7

  20·5

  00·6

  01·6

  00·2

  00·3

  00·8

  00·0

  00·0

  <180

  18·9

  14·5

  01·5

  01·7

  00·1

  00·0

  01·1

  00·0

  00·0

  180

  Clinical grade

  Gross pay £

  Basic pay £

  Allowances £

  Scale E

  283·90

  241·49

  42·41

  Scale F

  329·66

  284·24

  45·42

  Scale G

  350·80

  320·42

  30·38

  Scale E

  380·62

  353·46

  27·16

  Scale I

  415·72

  395·24

  20·48

  1992–93

  Scale A

  179·12

  151·01

  28·11

  Scale B

  205·07

  176·55

  28·52

  Scale C

  242·84

  205·49

  37·35

  Scale D

  258·43

  219·45

  38·98

  Scale E

  303·88

  258·20

  45·68

  Scale F

  349·66

  306·84

  42·82

  Scale G

  380·61

  348·46

  32·15

  Scale H

  409·15

  383·41

  25·74

  Scale I

  446·17

  428·20

  17·97

  Nursing Staff
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will give details of the numbers of unqualified national health service nursing staff joining the NHS in 1990, 1991 and 1992 who were(a) joining directly after completing full-time education, (b) aged under 21 years, (c) joining from other NHS units, (d) joining from other care sector employment, (e) joining from other employment, (f) joining from non-activity in the labour market and (g) joining from unemployment;

  (2) if he will give details of the numbers of qualified nursing or midwifery staff joining the NHS in 1990, 1991 and 1992 who were (a) newly qualifying student nurses with employed status, (b) newly qualifying Project 2000 students, (c) registered nurses entering the NHS after a period of non-employment, (d) joined NHS units directly after being employed by another NHS unit and (e) joined NHS units directly after being employed in other nursing, such as general practitioner nursing, nursing homes, independent hospitals etc;

  (3) if he will give details of the numbers of qualified, unqualified and learner nursing staff who joined the national health service in 1991 and 1992.

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

  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the distribution of average gross weekly earnings per person for each of the national health service clinical nursing and midwifery grades, listing the percentages of each grade earning under £140, £150, £160, £170, £180, £190, £200, £ 210, £220, £230, £240, £250, £275, £300 and those earning £300 and over in 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information requested is provided in the tables.
  181

  Clinical Grade

  Scale A Per cent.

  Scale B Per cent.

  Scale C Per cent.

  Scale D Per cent.

  Scale E Per cent.

  Scale F Per cent.

  Scale G Per cent.

  Scale H Per cent.

  Scale I Per cent.

  <190

  15·9

  11·9

  02·2

  01·8

  00·3

  00·0

  00·2

  01·1

  00·6

  <200

  06·5

  10·2

  05·0

  02·1

  00·3

  00·3

  00·2

  01·1

  00·6

  <210

  05·1

  09·4

  09·4

  04·6

  00·6

  00·0

  00·1

  00·0

  00·6

  <220

  03·1

  03·4

  11·6

  12·8

  00·5

  00·3

  00·0

  00·0

  00·0

  <230

  00·7

  03·4

  19·9

  27·1

  00·9

  00·0

  00·2

  00·0

  00·0

  <240

  00·6

  01·7

  21·0

  31·0

  01·8

  00·9

  00·3

  00·0

  00·0

  <250

  00·2

  02·5

  10·0

  29·9

  02·7

  02·4

  00·1

  00·0

  00·0

  <275

  00·1

  00·8

  11·4

  47·1

  21·1

  02·1

  00·7

  00·0

  00·6

  <300

  00·0

  00·8

  03·3

  17·3

  40·9

  08·2

  02·2

  00·0

  00·0

  300+

  00·1

  00·8

  00·6

  9·4

  27·9

  83·5

  92·6

  95·9

  97·2

  1 Totals may not add up due to rounding

  Percentage distribution of average gross weekly earnings for clinical nursing and midwifery grades in Northern Ireland 1992–93.

  Clinical Grade

  Scale A Per cent.

  Scale B Per cent.

  Scale C Per cent.

  Scale D Per cent.

  Scale E Per cent.

  Scale F Per cent.

  Scale G Per cent.

  Scale H Per cent.

  Scale I Per cent.

  <140

  05·5

  02·2

  01·8

  07·2

  01·4

  01·2

  00·3

  01·4

  00·0

  <150

  03·1

  00·5

  00·1

  00·5

  00·1

  00·0

  00·1

  00·0

  00·0

  <160

  08·9

  00·0

  00·3

  00·2

  00·1

  00·0

  00·0

  00·0

  00·0

  <170

  15·7

  07·4

  00·3

  00·5

  00·3

  00·6

  00·0

  00·0

  00·0

  <180

  13·2

  06·2

  00·1

  00·4

  00·1

  00·0

  00·2

  00·0

  00·0

  <190

  17·2

  17·7

  00·5

  00·8

  00·1

  00·0

  00·0

  00·0

  00·0

  <200

  16·2

  06·8

  01·3

  01·5

  00·3

  00·0

  00·1

  00·0

  00·0

  <210

  08·1

  10·8

  02·7

  02·3

  00·3

  00·0

  00·1

  00·0

  00·0

  <220

  04·9

  17·1

  05·8

  02·3

  00·3

  00·0

  00·0

  00·0

  00·0

  <230

  03·7

  12·5

  09·7

  05·6

  00·3

  00·3

  00·1

  00·0

  00·0

  <240

  01·8

  06·8

  13·2

  16·2

  00·8

  00·0

  00·0

  00·0

  00·0

  <250

  00·6

  05·1

  21·4

  28·4

  00·8

  00·0

  00·0

  00·4

  00·0

  <275

  00·4

  05·1

  31·7

  71·5

  06·7

  02·7

  00·8

  00·0

  00·0

  <300

  00·0

  00·5

  08·5

  36·0

  22·6

  04·6

  00·4

  00·9

  00·0

  300+

  00·0

  00·5

  01·7

  25·5

  65·0

  90·4

  97·4

  97·1

  100·0

  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the number of NHS nursing and midwifery staff by pay grades within the groups of senior nursing and midwifery staff, educational

  1990

  1991

  Percentage Change

  1992

  Percentage Change

  Senior nursing staff

  78

  66

  -15·38

  67

  +0·01

  Educational staff

  298

  300

  +0·67

  295

  -1·67

  Scale A

  3,084

  3,256

  +5·58

  3,177

  -2·43

  Scale B

  318

  463

  +45·60

  609

  +31·53

  Scale C

  1,354

  1,222

  -9·75

  1,137

  -6·95

  Scale D

  4,034

  4,415

  +9·44

  4,536

  +2·74

  Scale E

  6,030

  5,898

  -2·19

  5,711

  -3·17

  Scale F

  453

  446

  -1·54

  467

  +4·70

  Scale G

  2,295

  2,218

  -3·35

  2,117

  -4·55

  Scale H

  184

  224

  +21·74

  243

  +8·48

  Scale I

  185

  166

  -10·27

  156

  -6·02

  Student nursing

  2,121

  1,362

  -35·78

  631

  -53·67

  Project 2000 Student nurses

  188

  861

  +358·00

  1,441

  67·40

  Notes: Information for 1989 is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Project 2000 nurses scheme started in September 1990.

  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will give details of the total number and whole-time equivalent number of health care assistants or health care support workers employed wholly or primarily in nursing roles by the national health service in 1990, 1991 and 1992;
  182
  staff, clinical nursing and midwifery staff, learners, and other staff, and to list the number of Project 2000 nursing students, in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992 and the percentage change between each year.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  (2) if he will give details of the total number and whole-time equivalent numbers of health care assistants or health care support workers employed by the national health service in 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Ancram
  There are no health care assistants or health care support workers employed in the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland.
  183
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the whole-time equivalent numbers of(a) agency and (b) bank nursing and midwifery staff employed in the national health service for each year from 1987 to 1992.

  Mr. Ancram
  There are no agency nurses employed in the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland.

  The numbers of bank nurses (whole-time equivalent) are:

  Number

  1987

  1—

  1988

  1—

  1989

  1—

  1990

  40·38

  1989

  1990

  1961

  1992

  WTE

  Percentage of total

  WTE

  Percentage of total

  WTE

  Percentage of total

  WTE

  Percentage of total

  Total nursing midwifery

  18,096·12

  100·0

  17,996·93

  100·0

  17,526·67

  100·0

  16,554·05

  100·0

  Trained nursing

  12,507·94

  69·1

  12,471·98

  69·3

  12,506·44

  71·3

  12,343·90

  74·6

  Student nursing

  2,733·03

  15·1

  12,578·24

  14·3

  21,766·30

  10·1

  3942·40

  5·7

  Other nursing

  2,855·15

  15·8

  2,946·71

  16·4

  3,253·93

  18·6

  3,267·75

  19·7

  Notes:

  WTE = whole-time equivalents.

  1 Excludes 188 Project 2000 student nurses.

  2 Excludes 861 Project 2000 student nurses.

  3 Excludes 1,441 Project 2000 student nurses.

  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the numbers of

  Number of pre-registered students by parts of register Part of register1

  Year2

  1

  1/degree

  3

  5

  7

  8

  1/8

  10

  11

  12/degree

  12

  13

  14

  15

  1989

  1,959

  77

  411

  88

  41

  60

  95

  162

  35

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1990

  1,937

  811

  415

  101

  —

  31

  126

  153

  23

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1991

  1,694

  85

  353

  65

  —

  24

  110

  149

  31

  27

  214

  34

  17

  16

  1992

  1,221

  38

  262

  62

  —

  15

  94

  139

  30

  59

  627

  122

  58

  45

  1 Register is the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting Register.

  2 At 31 March.

  The information sought on academic qualifications is not held in a form that can be separately identifiable, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the numbers of whole-time equivalent national health service nursing and midwifery staff employed on each grade and pay point of the clinical grades, educational grades and senior nursing and midwifery pay spine in 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Ancram
  Details of the number of whole-time equivalent nursing and midwifery staff are as follows:

  1991

  1992

  Senior nursing staff

  74·11

  65·00

  Scale A

  2,737·79

  2,899·24

  Scale B

  226·68

  342·47

  Scale C

  1,124·27

  995·37

  Scale D

  3,448·58

  3,798·34

  Scale E

  4,884·96

  4,733·83

  Scale F

  430·92

  419·23

  Scale G

  2,221·14

  2,142·14

  184

  Number

  1991

  47·40

  1992

  42·46

  1 Information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the numbers of qualified national health service nurses and midwives, unqualified NHS nursing staff, and nursing learners, and represent these as a percentage of the total NHS nursing and midwifery staff, for the years 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:

  entrants to initial pre-registration nursing education by course of study and by the academic qualifications possessed by entrants in 1989, 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Ancram
  Details are as follows:

  1991

  1992

  Scale H

  183·40

  223·40

  Scale I

  184·64

  165·67

  Educational grades

  284·73

  288·80

  Note: Information for 1990 and details of nurses on pay points is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  National Health Service Staff
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the numbers of health service directly-employed staff by main staff group for each year from 1987 to 1992 and give the changes between each year and over the whole period in numbers and percentages.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:
  185

  HPSS work force by staff group (whole-time equivalents)

  Main Staff Groups

  1988 Compared with 1987

  1989 Compared with 1988

  1990 Compared with 1989

  1987

  1988

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  1989

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  1990

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  Medical

  2,007·66

  2,036·91

  + 20·25

  + 1·46

  2,073·52

  + 36·51

  + 1·8

  1,997·57

  95·95

  -4·63

  Trained Nursing

  12,293·16

  12,581·10

  + 287·94

  + 2·34

  12,507·94

  -73·16

  -0·58

  12,471·98

  -35·96

  -0·29

  Student Nursing

  2,924·00

  2,841·90

  -82·10

  -2·81

  2,733·03

  -108·87

  -3·83

  11,678·24

  -154·79

  -5·66

  Other Nursing

  2,747·84

  2,776·61

  + 28·77

  + 1·05

  2,855·15

  + 78·54

  + 2·83

  2,946·71

  + 91·56

  + 3·21

  Paramedical

  2,365·76

  2,440·54

  + 74·78

  + 3·16

  2,484·12

  +43·58

  + 1·79

  2,564·08

  + 69·96

  + 2·82

  Admin and Clerical

  5,787·98

  5,944·29

  + 156·31

  + 2·70

  6,257·90

  + 313·61

  + 5·28

  6,748·95

  + 491·05

  + 7·85

  Domestic and Allied

  8,927·95

  8,510·79

  -417·16

  -4·67

  7,905·80

  -604·99

  -7·11

  7,127·49

  -778·31

  -9·84

  Tradesmen

  951·61

  927·00

  -24·61

  -2·59

  913·00

  -14·00

  -1·51

  878·00

  -35·00

  -3·83

  Other Grades

  611·73

  596·97

  -14·76

  -2·41

  556·78

  -40·19

  -6·73

  526·78

  -30·00

  -5·39

  Social Services

  4,380·29

  4,463·17

  + 82·88

  +1·89

  4,552·56

  + 89·39

  + 2·00

  4,624·16

  + 71·60

  + 1·57

  Dental

  361·24

  355·71

  -5·53

  -1·53

  344·80

  -10·91

  -3·07

  339·84

  -4·96

  -1·44

  Pharmacy

  235·09

  237·60

  + 2·51

  + 1·07

  247·70

  + 10·10

  -4·25

  250·39

  + 2·96

  + 1·09

  Ambulance

  579·25

  575·75

  -3·50

  -0·60

  567·84

  -7·91

  -1·37

  588·43

  + 20·59

  + 3·63

  Home Helps

  2,965·81

  2,758·82

  -206·99

  -6·98

  2,703·14

  -55·68

  -2·02

  2,373·48

  -329·66

  -12·20

  Total

  47,139·37

  47,047·16

  -92·21

  -0·20

  46,703·28

  -343·88

  -0·73

  45,986·10

  -717·18

  -1·51

  Excludes 188 Project 2000 Student Nurses

  HPSS work force by staff group (whole-time equivalents)

  Main Staff Groups

  1991 Compared with 1990

  1992 Compared with 1991

  1992 Compared with 1987

  1991

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  1992

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  Numbers

  Per cent.

  Medical

  2,027·22

  +49·65

  + 2·51

  1,943·82

  -8·34

  -4·11

  + 63·84

  -3·18

  Trained Nursing

  12,506·44

  + 34·46

  + 0·28

  12,343·90

  -162·54

  -1·30

  + 50·74

  + 0·41

  Student Nursing

  11,786·30

  -811·94

  -31·49

  2942·40

  -823·9

  46·65

  -1,998·60

  -67·77

  Other Nursing

  3,253·93

  + 307·22

  +10·43

  3,267·75

  + 13·82

  + 0·43

  + 519·91

  + 18·92

  Paramedical

  2,679·21

  + 125·13

  +4·9

  2,746·00

  + 66·79

  + 2·49

  + 380·24

  + 16·07

  Admin and Clerical

  7,379·17

  + 630·22

  + 9·34

  7,632·45

  + 253·28

  + 3·43

  + 1,844·67

  + 31·87

  Domestic and Allied

  6,215·58

  -911·91

  -12·79

  5,678·67

  -536·91

  -8·64

  -3,249·28

  -36·39

  Tradesmen

  839·00

  -39·00

  -4·44

  801·00

  -38·00

  -4·53

  -150·61

  -15·83

  Other Grades

  476·85

  -49·93

  -9·48

  480·15

  + 3·30

  + 0·69

  -131·58

  -21·51

  Social Services

  4,628·71

  + 4·55

  + 0·10

  4,596·99

  -31·72

  -0·69

  + 216·70

  + 4·95

  Dental

  325·50

  -14·34

  -4·22

  321·02

  -4·48

  -1·38

  -40·22

  -11·13

  Pharmacy

  255·11

  + 4·72

  +1·89

  253·88

  -1·23

  -0·48

  + 18·79

  + 7·99

  Ambulance

  579·75

  -8·68

  -1·48

  673·24

  + 93·39

  + 16·13

  +93·99

  + 16·23

  Home Helps

  2,268·62

  -104·86

  -4·42

  2,085·85

  -182·77

  -8·06

  -879·96

  -29·67

  Total

  45,201·40

  -784·70

  -1·71

  43,767·12

  -1,434·28

  -3·17

  -3,372·25

  -7·15

  1Excludes 861 Project 2000 Student Nurses.

  2 Excludes 1,441 Project 200 Student Nurses.

  Rural Housing Association
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many potential sites for rural housing developments in the eastern part of Northern Ireland have been identified by the Omagh-based Rural Housing Association; and if he will publish details.

  Mr. Atkins
  Rural Housing Association has identified four such sites at Glenarm, Armoy, Annalong and Strangford. The scheme at Glenarm for five units of general family housing is currently programmed to go on site in 1994–95. None of the other projects is yet in the association's three-year programme.

  Criminal Injuries (Compensation)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what plans he has to establish a Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to determine compensation for people in Northern Ireland injured by terrorism;

  (2) what plans he has to reduce recourse to the courts in cases of compensation for criminal injuries suffered by (a) civilians or (b) serving military personnel;
  186
  (3) if he will make it his policy to maintain the entitlement of serving military personnel injured by terrorist action in Northern Ireland to pursue in court within the normal rules for eligibility for legal aid claims against the Government for compensation.

  Sir John Wheeler
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary proposes to issue a White Paper shortly outlining proposals for a new tariff-based compensation scheme in Great Britain. I will study the White Paper carefully before considering whether there are lessons to be learnt for Northern Ireland. If changes are, in consequence, proposed to the current Northern Ireland criminal injuries compensation scheme, I will then consult widely with all interested parties.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claims for compensation as a result of injuries caused to(a) civilians and (b) serving military personnel by terrorist action in Northern Ireland were settled (i) by judicial decision and (ii) out of court in the most recent year for which figures are available.

  Sir John Wheeler
  I am advised by the chief executive of the Northern Ireland Compensation Agency that the information requested is as follows:
  187

  Settled by court (c)

  Settled out of court

  1992–93

  Civilians (a)

  88

  1,502

  Military personnel (b)

  3

  153

  Notes:

  (a) Includes members of the RUC and RUC(R).

  (b) Comprises Army and UDR/RIR (full and part-time).

  (c) Settled by county courts and the High Court.

  Local Enterprise Development Unit
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been written off in bad debt by LEDU since it was created.

  Mr. Atkins
  Since its creation in 1971 up to 31 March 1993, LEDU has written off a total of £6,241,640 in bad debt.

  Fair Employment
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prosecutions have been brought under the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989; and if he will list the employers who have been prosecuted.

  Mr. Atkins
  At 2 July 1993, 53 prosecutions had been brought by the Fair Employment Commission under the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1989.

  The list of employers who have been prosecuted is as follows:

  Adamsez NI Ltd.

  Aircraft Furnishing Ltd.

  Allingham Transport

  Anglo Beef Processors Ltd.

  ATS Northern Ireland Ltd.

  Audio Times Ltd.

  Baird Joseph

  Barret Electrical Contracts Ltd.

  Business and Scientific Services Ltd.

  Carna Transport (Ireland) Ltd.

  Carr Charles

  Circuits and Systems Design Ltd.

  Connor Freight

  Cootes (Concrete Products) Ltd.

  Dennison Storage Ltd.

  Devine B.

  Dromore Properties Ltd.

  Dunellen Ltd.

  Fortfield Motors (Carrickfergus) Ltd.

  Gordon Norman

  Greenan Inns Ltd.

  Hamilton Alex M. and Co. Ltd.

  Hogg R. and Sons Ltd.

  Hughes Joseph

  Industrial Estates Management

  Kernan (Compost) Ltd.

  Knock Na Moe Hotel Ltd.

  Laser Electrical Ltd.

  Limavady Autopoint

  188

  Logan's Coach and Minibus

  Loughside Garage Ltd.

  Lovell and Christmas

  McAnerney Sean

  McLaughlin William and Sons Ltd.

  McParland and Gordon Ltd.

  Motorway Tyres and Accessories Ltd.

  Moyola Glazing

  Newington Cavehill Community Services

  Otis Elevator plc

  Quinn AA (Builders) Ltd.

  Roulston and McLaughlin NI Ltd.

  Sands and Toner (Newry) Ltd.

  Square One Fashions Ltd.

  Starplan Furniture

  Tensator (NI) Ltd.

  Tohani R. R. and Sons

  Tracey Kitchens Ltd.

  Turkington Raymond Decorations Ltd.

  Turven Construction Ltd.

  Universal Cleaning Supplies Ltd.

  Wilson Liam

  Wilson Robert

  Wilsons of Rathkenny Ltd.

  Industrial Development Board
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been written off by the IDB and its predecessors in bad debt since 1974.

  Mr. Atkins
  From 1982–83, when IDB was set up, to 1991–92 a total of £518·1 million has been written off in accordance with government accounting procedures. A substantial portion of this sum, including £414·9 million in respect of Harland and Wolff plc, relates to the voluntary waiver of claims as opposed to bad debts. It is not possible to provide precise, disaggregated figures for these two elements. In addition, in 1989–90, before responsibility for the company was transferred to IDB, the Department of Economic Development wrote off a waiver of £390 million in connection with the privatisation of Short Brothers plc. For the period prior to 1982–83 information in respect of IDB's predecessors is either not available in the form requested or cannot be sufficiently disaggregated to provide comparable figures.

  Fair Employment
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those employers who have been debarred from public service contracts or from receiving Government grants under the provisions of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989.

  Mr. Atkins
  Only one company, Dunellen Ltd., has been subject to disqualification under the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989. This disqualifi-cation was lifted after the company complied with its obligations under the Act.

EMPLOYMENT

  Youth Training
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration he has given to keeping figures for youth training participation in the London borough of Newham separately.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Training and enterprise councils (TECs) are required to provide information at four-weekly intervals of the number of young people in youth training. We have no plans to require information to be provided at a more local level.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment within what time it is guaranteed to find a youth training placement for each person who wants one.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Training and enterprise councils (TECs) are contractually required to offer entry into youth training (YT) for young people in the guarantee groups within certain specified periods of time.

  For young people leaving school and registering for YT for the first time this summer, this will mean a start in training within the period up to the first working day in January (that is, no later than when their parents' entitlement to the extended child benefit runs out).

  For those who have already been in YT or a job, the entitlement is the offer of a start in training within eight weeks of registering for YT with the Careers Service (that is, within the period for which they may be eligible to claim YT bridging allowance).

  Full details of the entitlements of those covered by the YT guarantees are contained in clauses B7–15 of annex B to the TEC operating agreement 1993, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will increase the youth training allowances.

  Miss Widdecombe
  There are no set allowances for youth training. The Government provide a minimum allowance which I believe is sufficient to meet the normal requirements of trainees living in the parental home.

  However, employers are the main beneficiaries of the Government's investment in training and are strongly encouraged to supplement trainee incomes.

  In addition, trainees who live independently may apply for income support if they consider their income is insufficient to meet their needs.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people are seeking youth training for the second time.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information on the total number of young people seeking youth training (YT) for the second time is not available. However, the latest information (June) on the number of 16 and 17-year-olds covered by the YT guarantee in England showed that 37 per cent. of those waiting for eight weeks or more had already had YT on one or more occasion.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many 16 and 17-year-olds in Nottinghamshire are without a job, or a place on a training scheme and are not in full-time education.
  190
  Miss Widdecombe
  In April 1993 there were 358 unemployed cliamants aged 16 and 17 years in the Nottinghamshire county.

  Changes to the benefit regulations in September 1988 coincided with the extension of a guaranteed youth training scheme (YTS), now youth training (YT), place to all those aged under 18 not in full-time education or employment, which meant that those who declined an offer of a YTS place were no longer entitled to benefit. However, there are still a small number of under 18-year-olds entitled to benefit due to special circumstan-ces, such as severe hardship or by virtue of their being orphans.

  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of young people leave youth training to enter full-time employment.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The latest figures show that 47 per cent. of all young people in Great Britain were in full-time employment six months after leaving youth training.

  Quangos (Appointments)
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the former Members of this House who have been appointed since 1988 by his Department to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations; and if he will list in each case the title of the post, the salary, the duration of the appointment and the part which the former hon. member represented.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The following two appointments have been made:Christopher Chope—Health and Safety Commissioner. Annual fee of £1,060 plus an attendance allowance of £105 for each fortnightly meeting attended. Appointment for three years from 1 April 1993.
  Former Conservative MP.
  William S. Hilton—Employer Member to the Board of the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). (Also a member of the CITB Administration Committee.) Eligible for allowances for loss of remunerative time. Appointment for the period November 1984 to April 1990, (re-appointed in July 1988).
  Former Labour MP.

  It is not possible on the grounds of disproportionate cost to include details of any appointments to the Committees for the Employment of People with Disabilities, the Industrial Tribunals, and the Employment Appeal Tribunal, with a total of over 2,250 appointees.

  Job Clubs
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the expenditure of job clubs nationally, regionally and by area for 1992–93; and what is the budget for job clubs nationally, regionally and by area for 1993–94.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  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 Mr. M. Fogden to Mr. Ron Leighton, dated 7 July 1993:
  191
  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 him about the level of expenditure of Jobclubs nationally, regionally and by area for 1992–93; and the budget for Jobclubs nationally, regionally and by area for 1993–94. This is something which falls within the responsibilities he has delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

  The Jobclub programme is delivered by both external providers as well as internally by Jobcentre staff. This means I am unable to provide you with the total actual expenditure on Jobclubs for 1992–93 because we do not monitor internal expenditure by function. Most internal jobclubs are situated within a jobcentre and any expenditure will be set against the office cost of staffing, post and telecommunications etc. However, I am able to provide you with details of the total budget allocated. The tables attached provide this informa-tion together with details of the Jobclub budget for 1993–94.

  As decided by the Administrative 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.

  Job club budgets area information region by region

  Budget allocation £ million

  Area

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Northern Region

  Cleveland

  0·622

  0·586

  County Durham

  0·405

  0·534

  South Tyne

  0·918

  1·116

  North Tyne

  0·679

  0·840

  Regional Office

  0·019

  0·018

  Total

  2·643

  3·094

  Yorkshire and Humberside Region

  Humberside

  0·613

  0·960

  Sheffield and Rotherham

  0·695

  0·846

  Leeds and North Yorkshire

  0·622

  0·824

  Bradford

  0·657

  0·899

  Wakefield

  0·441

  0·724

  Regional Office

  0·040

  0·581

  Total

  3·068

  4·834

  East Midlands and Eastern region

  Norfolk and Suffolk

  0·710

  0·721

  Nottinghamshire

  0·851

  1·192

  Derbyshire

  0·849

  0·875

  Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire

  0·915

  0·939

  Leicestershire and Lincolnshire

  1·057

  1·113

  Regional office

  0·071

  0·552

  Total

  4·453

  5·392

  London and South East region

  Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, North Buckinhamshire

  0·860

  1·475

  Essex

  0·805

  1·873

  Berkshire, Oxfordshire, South Buckinghamshire

  0·676

  1·233

  Central London

  0·859

  0·967

  North East London

  0·766

  1·012

  East London

  0·795

  1·049

  North London

  0·971

  1·557

  North West London

  0·716

  1·124

  Hampshire, Isle of Wight

  0·992

  1·358

  Sussex and Surrey

  0·963

  1·832

  Kent

  1·112

  2·163

  West London

  0·750

  1·301

  South East London

  0·748

  0·962

  South London

  0·826

  1·430

  South West London

  0·931

  1·396

  Regional office

  0·044

  0·285

  Total

  12·814

  21·017

  192

  Budget allocation £ million

  Area

  1992–93

  1993–94

  South West Region

  Cornwall and Plymouth

  0·631

  0·981

  Somerset and Dorset

  0·544

  0·907

  Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

  0·608

  0·882

  Devon

  0·596

  0·753

  Avon

  0·780

  1·295

  Regional office

  0·026

  0·034

  Total

  3·185

  4·852

  Office for Wales

  North Wales

  0·460

  0·471

  South East Wales

  0·665

  0·754

  Mid/South Wales

  0·674

  0·722

  South West Wales

  0·644

  0·693

  Office for Wales

  0·013

  0·013

  Total

  2·456

  2·653

  West Midlands Region

  Birmingham and Solihull

  1·165

  1·375

  Coventry and Warwicks

  0·747

  0·935

  Dudley and Sandwell

  0·502

  0·747

  Wolverhampton and Walsall

  0·549

  0·850

  Staffs

  0·618

  0·809

  Marches

  0·864

  1·053

  Regional Office

  0·012

  0·104

  Total

  4·457

  5·873

  North West Region

  Cheshire

  0·817

  0·989

  Cumbria

  0·264

  0·430

  Lancashire

  0·798

  1·088

  Liverpool and Wirral

  0·840

  0·848

  Manchester Central

  0·793

  0·913

  Manchester East

  0·621

  0·758

  Manchester West

  0·751

  1·006

  Merseyside Outer

  0·764

  1·131

  Regional Office

  0·032

  0·030

  Total

  5·680

  7·113

  Office for Scotland

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Inverclyde and Argyll

  0·454

  0·593

  Glasgow North and Dunbarton

  0·638

  0·773

  Glasgow South and Renfrew

  0·591

  0·815

  Highlands Islands and Grampian

  0·432

  0·401

  Lothian and Borders

  0·440

  0·751

  Lanarkshire and Central

  0·780

  0·769

  Tayside and Fife

  0·458

  0·568

  Office for Scotland

  0·011

  Nil

  TOTAL

  3·804

  4·670

  Job club budgets national and regional totals

  £ million

  Budget allocation

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Regions

  Northern

  2·643

  3·094

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  3·068

  4·834

  East Midlands and Eastern

  4·453

  5·392

  London and South Eastern

  12·814

  21·017

  South West

  3·185

  4·852

  Office for Wales

  2·456

  2·653

  West Midlands

  4·457

  5·873

  North West

  5·680

  7·113

  Office for Scotland

  3·804

  4·670

  National Total

  42·560

  59·498

  193
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the actual throughflow of clients through job clubs nationally, regionally and by area for 1992–93; what is the targeted throughflow for 1993–94; what was the actual job entry rate for job clubs nationally, regionally and by area for 1992–93; and what is the targeted job entry rate for 1993–94.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  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 Mr. M. Fogden to Mr. Ron Leighton, dated 7 July 1993:

  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write direct to you to respond to your Parliamentary Question to him about the performance of jobclubs in 1992–93 and the targets for

  Job club performance information

  Throughflow

  Entrants

  Job entry rate

  1992–93 actual

  1993–94 target

  1992–93 actual (per cent.)

  1993–94 actual (per cent.)

  Northern

  14,003

  18,246

  40

  44

  Yorkshire & Humberside

  18,477

  23,930

  47

  50

  East Midlands and Eastern

  19,426

  25,425

  48

  50

  London and South East

  63,769

  79,359

  41

  45

  South West

  15,301

  21,004

  48

  46

  Office for Wales

  12,084

  14,970

  53

  52

  West Midlands

  21,198

  28,879

  44

  48

  North West

  31,530

  35,235

  44

  46

  Office for Scotland

  20,891

  26,296

  49

  50

  National

  216,679

  273,344

  45

  47

  Job club performance information

  Through flow

  Entrants

  Job entry (per cent.)

  Area

  1992–93 actual

  1993–94 target

  1992–93 actual

  1993–94 target

  Northern Region

  Cleveland

  2,578

  3,524

  37

  44

  County Durham

  2,782

  3,347

  39

  44

  South Tyne

  4,466

  6,060

  44

  44

  North Tyne

  4,177

  5,315

  39

  44

  Total

  14,003

  18,246

  40

  44

  Yorkshire and Humberside Region

  Humberside

  3,649

  5.010

  50

  50

  Sheffield and Rotherham

  4,180

  4,741

  42

  50

  Leeds and North Yorkshire

  3,380

  4,719

  50

  50

  Bradford

  4,132

  5,010

  47

  50

  Wakefield

  3,136

  4,450

  48

  50

  Total

  18,477

  23,930

  47

  50

  East Midlands and Eastern Region

  Norfolk and Suffolk

  3,062

  3,260

  40

  50

  Nottinghamshire

  3,750

  7,351

  46

  50

  Derbyshire

  4,050

  4,675

  47

  50

  Cambridgeshire and Northants

  3,727

  4,304

  54

  50

  Leicestershire and Lincolnshire

  4,837

  5,835

  51

  50

  Total

  19,426

  25,425

  48

  50

  194
  1993–94. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

  The information you asked for is given in the attached tables. They show the actual throughflow, ie numbers leaving jobclub, in 1992–93. The figures for 1993–94 are the planned number of entrants, ie numbers joining the programme, as throughflow information is not available. Although there are differences in the definitions, the numerical differences will in practice be small and year on year comparisons can be made.

  The jobclub programme is being expanded in 1993–94 and 295,000 places are available of which 273,344 have so far been allocated. The remaining allocation of places is currently in the planning stage. This is because the results of evaluation exercises linked to specialist and supportive jobclub provision are being considered before further expansion can be finalised.

  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.

  Through flow

  Entrants

  Job entry (per cent.)

  Area

  1992–93 actual

  1993–94 target

  1992–93 actual

  1993–94 target

  South West Region

  Cornwall and Plymouth

  2,853

  3,760

  46

  47

  Somerset and Devon

  2,761

  4,022

  41

  46

  Gloucestershire and Wiltshire

  3,028

  4,378

  44

  46

  Devon

  3,529

  3,865

  53

  47

  Avon

  3,130

  4,979

  52

  46

  Total

  15,301

  21,004

  48

  46

  London and South East Region

  Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, North Buckinghamshire

  4,117

  5,466

  41

  45

  Essex

  3,856

  5,580

  42

  45

  Berkshire, Oxfordshire, South Buckinghamshire

  3,652

  5,210

  44

  45

  Central London

  4,595

  4,311

  40

  45

  North East London

  3,747

  4,370

  49

  45

  East London

  3,483

  4,460

  38

  45

  North London

  4,984

  5,937

  35

  45

  North West London

  4,911

  5,040

  36

  45

  Hampshire, Isle of Wight

  5,777

  6,692

  40

  45

  Sussex and Surrey

  4,368

  7,254

  41

  45

  Kent

  5,183

  6,278

  41

  45

  West London

  3,387

  4,548

  50

  45

  South East London

  3,362

  4,104

  39

  45

  South London

  3,066

  4,550

  40

  45

  195

  Through flow

  Entrants

  Job entry (per cent.)

  Area

  1992–93 actual

  1993–94 target

  1992–93 actual

  1993–94 target

  South West London

  5,281

  5,559

  39

  45

  Total

  63,769

  79,359

  41

  45

  Office for Wales

  North Wales 2,278

  3,075

  53

  54

  South East Wales

  3,484

  4,395

  61

  55

  Mid/South Wales

  3,022

  3,685

  42

  46

  South West Wales

  3,300

  3,815

  53

  55

  Total

  12,084

  14,970

  53

  52

  West Midlands Region

  Birmingham and Solihull

  5,139

  6,807

  39

  45

  Coventry and Warwicks

  3,416

  4,397

  47

  47

  Dudley and Sandwell

  2,744

  3,982

  47

  50

  Wolverhampton and Walsall

  2,444

  4,179

  50

  55

  Staffs.

  3,487

  4,517

  40

  47

  Marches

  3,968

  4,997

  48

  48

  Total

  21,198

  28,879

  44

  48

  North West Region

  Cheshire

  4,574

  4,743

  46

  45

  Cumbria

  1,885

  2,078

  39

  42

  Lancashire

  5,092

  5,209

  46

  48

  Liverpool and Wirral

  3,940

  4,453

  47

  48

  Manchester Central

  3,427

  4,538

  38

  42

  Manchester East

  3,833

  4,147

  45

  45

  Employees in employment in manufacturing industries

  (Thousands)

  North West

  Lancashire

  Burnley travel-to-work area

  June 1979

  971

  n/a

  n/a

  September 19811

  800

  183

  18

  June 1983

  694

  n/a

  n/a

  September 19841

  671

  154

  14

  September 19871

  663

  161

  17

  September 19911

  576

  144

  14

  December 1992

  525

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a = not available

  1 Census of employment information

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the budget for each TEC for 1993–94.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Training, Enterprise and Education Directorate regional offices are currently finalising contracts with training and enterprise councils (TECs) for 1993–94 budgets and the information is not yet available.

  We have decided that TEC level information should only be released publicly six months after the beginning of the contracting year. The information must remain commercially confidential while TECs are negotiating with their providers. The information requested on TEC budgets for 1993–94 will therefore be publicly available on 1 October 1993.
  196

  Through flow

  Entrants

  Job entry (per cent.)

  Area

  1992–93 actual

  1993–94 target

  1992–93 actual

  1993–94 target

  Manchester West

  4,020

  4,560

  40

  45

  Merseyside Outer

  4,759

  5,507

  47

  46

  Total

  31,530

  35,235

  44

  46

  Office for Scotland

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Inverclyde and Argyll

  2,412

  3,339

  45

  50

  Glasgow North and Dunbarton

  3,624

  5,006

  54

  50

  Glasgow South and Renfrew

  2,768

  3,980

  54

  50

  Highlands, Islands and Grampian

  2,013

  2,231

  48

  50

  Lothian and Borders

  2,810

  3,556

  46

  50

  Lanarkshire and Central

  4,243

  4,439

  44

  50

  Tayside and Fife

  3,021

  3,745

  53

  50

  Total

  20,891

  26,296

  49

  50

  Manufacturing Sector
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were employed in the manufacturing sector in 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1992 in(a) the north-west region, (b) Lancashire and (c) Burnley travel-to-work area.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The available information is as follows:

  Social Chapter
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on what data, in regard to the effects on United Kingdom employment and wages, Her Majesty's Government made a decision to exempt the United Kingdom from the social chapter.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The proposed social chapter would have given the Community greatly increased scope to legislate in the areas of employment and social policy and to introduce such legislation through qualified majority voting. It is already clear that inappropriate Community legislation of this kind can greatly increase the costs and burdens on business with an inevitable cost in lost jobs. To have accepted greater Community powers in this area would have been irreconcilable with the need to maintain the competitiveness of British business and the jobs of British employees.

  Nursery Places
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the initiative of the CBI in trying to increase workplace nursery places.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We welcome the Employers for Childcare forum, which proposes a national child care strategy based on partnership between parents, employers and Government. The forum clearly has a valuable contribution to make to the child care debate and we are pleased that major and prestigious companies have recognised child care as an important business issue. The Government is putting £45 million into an initiative to create some 50,000 new child care places for school aged children over the next three years. Employers will have a key role to play in this initiative. We also encourage all employers to adopt family-friendly employment policies such as flexible working and help with child care. In 1990 we introduced tax relief on workplace nurseries to stimulate this type of child care.

  Unemployment, Burnley
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been unemployed in(a) the Burnley borough council area and (b) the Burnley travel-to-work area for more than one year in each of the last three years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Claimant unemployment data by duration is available quarterly for the months of January, April, July and October and can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  Life Insurance Industry
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of people in the United Kingdom life insurance industry who are(a) employed and (b) self-employed.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is available only for the whole of the insurance industry (excluding compulsory social security). Latest estimates from the Labour Force Survey, for the United Kingdom, show that there were 277,000 employees and 10,000 self-employed people in this industry in spring 1992.

  Employment Advice
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much was spent by the Benefits Agency in each region and in the district covering Stockport in each year since 1989–90 on contracts with organisations to provide job shops, job review workshops and advice for the unemployed on applying for employment.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  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 Mr. M. Fogden to Ms Ann Coffey, dated 7 July 1993:

  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to
  198
  respond to your Parliamentary Question to him about contracted out programme expenditure. This responsibility rests with the Employment Service and not the Benefits Agency. It is something which the Secretary of State has delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Employment Service (ES).

  There are a range of jobsearch and advisory programmes which are run on behalf of the ES by organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors. In the attached tables I have set out details of the programme expenditure for the main Employment Service programmes delivered by external providers for the period April 1989-March 1993. These are Restart Courses, Jobclubs, job search seminars and Job Review Workshops.

  The figures given include fares to participants. This is because people who attend programmes are re-imbursed the cost of travelling from their homes to the seminars, workshops or courses. The providers then recover this money from the Employment Service.

  A regional breakdown of figures is available for the last two years only. Table 1 therefore gives the total national expenditure on contracts for these programmes between 1989 and 1991. Tables 2 and 3 list the spend by region for 1991–92 and 1992–93. Table 4 lists the expenditure from April 1989 for the Manchester East Employment Service area, which includes Stockport. It has not been possible to separate out Jobclub and job search seminar payments.

  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.

  Table 1

  Expenditure on programme contracts National totals 1989–90 and 1990–91

  £000's

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Restart courses

  6,093

  6,204

  Jobclubs

  16,455

  19,215

  Job search seminar

  Nil

  Nil

  Job Review Workshops

  Nil

  Nil

  Notes:

  Expenditure by region is not available.

  Job search seminars and Job Review Workshops commenced August 1991.

  All figures are inclusive of VAT and fares.

  Table 2

  Expenditure on programme contracts 1991–92 regional totals

  £000's

  Region

  Restart courses

  Jobclubs and Job search seminars

  Job review workshop

  Northern

  936

  2,036

  44

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  947

  2,305

  72

  East Midlands and Eastern

  873

  2,941

  69

  London and South East

  2,051

  9,538

  543

  South West

  793

  2,225

  119

  Office for Wales

  560

  1,456

  68

  West Midlands

  1,615

  3,487

  62

  North West

  1,877

  4,387

  80

  Office for Scotland

  1,277

  3,140

  80

  Total

  10,929

  31,515

  1,147

  Note:

  All figures are inclusive of VAT and fares.

  199

  Table 3

  Expenditure on programme contracts 1992–93 regional totals

  Restart courses

  Jobclubs and job search seminars

  Job review workshop

  Region

  £ thousands

  £ thousands

  £ thousands

  Northern

  725

  2,494

  109

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  746

  3,193

  299

  East Midlands and Eastern

  838

  4,091

  264

  London and South East

  2,683

  14,307

  1,633

  South West

  667

  3,479

  374

  Office for Wales

  576

  2,060

  133

  West Midlands

  1,537

  4,456

  231

  North West

  1,508

  5,908

  352

  Office for Scotland

  824

  3,647

  266

  TOTAL

  10,104

  43,635

  3,661

  Note:

  All figures are inclusive of VAT and fares.

  Table 4

  Expenditure on programme contracts Manchester East employment service area

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Restart courses

  81,208

  135,936

  206,741

  221,823

  Jobclubs and job search seminars

  263,733

  384,388

  563,245

  692,805

  Job review workshops

  Nil

  Nil

  18,662

  58,163

  Notes:

  Manchester East area covers the three metropolitan boroughs of Oldham, Rochdale and Stockport.

  Job search seminars and Job Review Workshops commenced August 1991.

  All figures are inclusive of VAT and fares.

  Defence Diversification
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Employment (1) if he will make a statement about the assistance being provided through his Department to help defence-related industries in the Chelmsford parliamen-tary constituency to retrain staff in non-defence-related fields;

  (2) if he will make a statement about the assistance being provided by his Department to help redundant defence-related workers in the Chelmsford parliamentary constituency find alternative employment in (a) defence-related and (b) non-defence-related industries.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 5 July 1993]: I fully understand my hon. Friend's concerns about the needs of those affected by changes in the defence industries. Through the training and enterprise councils and the Employment Service, the Department funds a broad range of programmes to help these people.

  The Government will participate fully in the new European Community KONVER initiative, designed to assist areas affected by the decline in the defence industry. Some £5 million has been allocated to the United Kingdom under the European social fund to assist through training and re-training. This assistance will be available throughout the United Kingdom without geographical restriction.
  200
  The precise allocation of these new funds is yet to be decided, but they will be directed towards those parts of the country where the need is greatest. Details of how the scheme will operate in the United Kingdom will be made available by the end of July.

DEFENCE

  Dockyards
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those dockyard facilities in the United Kingdom owned and operated by his Department, indicating the type of work undertaken and the numbers of people directly employed.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department's only such facility is the Fleet Maintenance and Repair Organisation at Portsmouth, which undertakes ship repair, maintenance and enhancement work. It employs 2,100 civilians and 550 naval personnel.

  Residential Property
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what average purchase price has been obtained for surplus Ministry housing, for one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom accommodation within the Plymouth city council area and each of the six Cornish districts, for the six-month period October 1992 to March 1993; and what were the comparable figures for the previous six months.

  Mr. Hanley
  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member.

  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many residential properties in the London borough of Lewisham are owned by his Department; and if he will publish a list of such residential properties which are currently empty, giving the type of accommodation available, the length of time each property has been vacant and the intended future use.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Ministry of Defence currently owns 18 residential properties, all flats, situated in two locations in the London borough of Lewisham. Five dwellings are currently vacant. These properties have been vacant for three months awaiting new service occupants who are expected to arrive by September.

  The answer given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Mr. Hamilton) to the hon. Member on 15 July 1992 at column 615 did not include six properties that had been incorrectly attributed to the neighbouring borough of Greenwich.

  Satellite Centre, Spain
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the progress being made by the Western European Union satellite centre at Torrejon, Spain; and what additional efforts he is making to further this project.

  Mr. Hanley
  Good progress is being made in the development of the WEU satellite centre at Torrejon. The centre has been established for a three year experimental period, and its formal inauguration, attended by my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom
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  and Ewell (Mr. Hamilton), took place in April this year. The United Kingdom contribution to the cost of the experimental phase is some £4,600,000 over three years. In addition, the United Kingdom is playing a full part in the activities of the centre. The contract for the provision of technical equipment was awarded to a United Kingdom-led consortium and the staff of the centre currently includes a number of United Kingdom personnel.

  Desert Storm Syndrome
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek information from(a) the United States authorities and (b) other sources on Desert Storm syndrome and on the effect on service men of the use of uranium-depleted shells.

  Mr. Hanley
  My Department is liaising with the United States authorities and is already in receipt of United States information which indicates that depleted uranium has not caused the unexplained symptoms associated with the so called Desert Storm syndrome. As with any other possible threat to the health of service personnel, my Department continues to monitor the full range of information on the alleged syndrome from all available sources.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received any correspondence from hon. Members on behalf of constituents who allege they are suffering from unexplained illnesses that they put down to their service with the armed forces in the Gulf during Operation Granby.

  Mr. Hanley
  I am only aware of one such letter, which the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Enright) raised as a point of order yesterday at column 185. This letter merely provided the name of a constituent and listed some of the health problems he was experiencing. There was no mention of his address or other identifying information or details of his military service or corroborating medical evidence. I have therefore written to the hon. Member for Hemsworth advising that his constituent consult his GP and that if the GP wished to refer the case to the MOD as being one where there were unexplained symptoms which could be attributable to service in the Gulf I would be more than happy to ensure that the matter was fully investigated. This advice applies to all hon. and right hon. Members who may have constituents in similar situations.

  Maralinga Nuclear Test Site
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 24 June,Official Report, columns 276–77, if he has now heard from the
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  Australian Government in regard to the proposals made by Her Majesty's Government as to additional financial compensation for the clean-up of the Maralinga nuclear test site.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman) on 30 June at columns 548–49.

  F3 Tornados
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 17 June,Official Report, column 1082, whether legal proceedings have now been instituted against Airwork in respect of the collateral damage to F3 Tornados; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  No. My Department intends to claim against Airwork for the cost of rectifying the damage for which they are responsible and other consequential costs. It would be inappropriate in present circumstances for me to say anything about potential proceedings—whether legal or arbitral—between the Secretary of State and Airwork Ltd.

  Rosyth Dockyard
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the names of the nuclear submarines and surface ships which have been refitted at the Rosyth dockyard in the last 10 years; and if he will give details of the man weeks taken to complete the refit work on each vessel.

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

  Tigerfish Torpedo
  Dr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what difficulties have arisen with respect to the development of the depth automatic test equipment required for the Tigerfish torpedo; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  The development of replacement auto-matic test equipment for the Tigerfish torpedo has presented a significant challenge, partly due to the difficulty of integrating the old technology of the torpedo and the associated test specification with the current technology of modern test equipment. There have been some programme delays and the Ministry of Defence is currently working with the contractor to bring the equipment into service as quickly as possible.

  UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS AND SALE OF MISSILES BY MEMBER STATES
  UN SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS AND SALE OF MISSILES BY MEMBER STATES
  UN CHARTER: STATES' RIGHT TO SELF DEFENCE
  UN CHARTER: STATES' RIGHT TO SELF DEFENCE
  BAGHDAD MISSILE ATTACK: PRIME MINISTER'S COMMENTS
  BAGHDAD MISSILE ATTACK: PRIME MINISTER'S COMMENTS
  BAGHDAD MISSILE ATTACK; US SELF- DEFENCE CLAIM
  BAGHDAD MISSILE ATTACK; US SELF- DEFENCE CLAIM
  BAGHDAD MISSILE ATTACK: JUSTIFICATION UNDER UN CHARTER
  BAGHDAD MISSILE ATTACK: JUSTIFICATION UNDER UN CHARTER
  INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
  INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM
  REFUGEES FROM FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
  REFUGEES FROM FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
  EAST LONDON RIVER CROSSING ROAD LINK
  EAST LONDON RIVER CROSSING ROAD LINK