Written Answers of 8 July 1993

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Murder Cases
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will ensure that, in murder cases where hon. Members have raised the conviction with members of the Government, transcripts or notes of the trial are retained longer than the five year norm provided that the hon. Member is still seeking a review of the case, regardless of whether it has gone to appeal.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  If an hon. Member seeks a review of a murder case, he, or others, may purchase any transcript required within the five-year period. On request, the Department will supply details of the contractor responsible for keeping the particular record.

  Applications for leave to appeal are required to be lodged within 28 days and reasons to justify any extension of time are required. If there has been an application for leave to appeal, transcript relevant to the grounds of appeal will have been obtained and will be retained indefinitely in appeals against a murder conviction. The Royal Commission on criminal justice made no recommendation to extend the five-year period for the keeping of a verbatim record and I see no case to do so.

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements are made for the storage of transcripts or notes of the trials in murder cases which have gone to appeal.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The verbatim record is kept for five years after it was taken, regardless of whether there is an appeal. Transcripts are not automatically produced for cost reasons, but may be purchased if required within the five-year period.

  If there is an appeal against a murder conviction, any transcripts purchased by the Court of Appeal and the documents provided by the Crown court to the Court of Appeal are retained indefinitely by arrangement with the Public Record Office.

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy, in circumstances in which the Home Office has requested from an hon. Member representing the interests of a convicted murderer a statement concerning that case, to provide the hon. Member on request with a transcript of the relevant portions of the trial including the summings up by counsel for the defence, the prosecution and the trial judge.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Verbatim records of murder trials are retained for five years. If a transcript is required by an hon. Member, the Home Office, or another organisation or person, it must be purchased within the five-year period. The contractor responsible for keeping the records will be 204
  required to meet any such request. It would not be appropriate for my Department to meet the costs of such transcription.

  A verbatim record of the evidence and a trial judge's summing up is always taken, but prosecution and defence closing speeches are not matters of evidence or law which a jury are required to have regard to. A record of these may not be available as there is no requirement to record them.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Serious Fraud Office
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the rank of the officer or officers of the City of London police who on or about 1 April 1992 prepared letters purporting to have been written, respectively by the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Sir D. Steel) and Mr. D. W. Freeman in connection with a case under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office; what disciplinary proceedings have been taken; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  These are matters for the Commissioner of Police for the City of London.

  Police (Assaults)
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers in each police force in the United Kingdom have had to retire from their jobs as a result of injuries caused by assault in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is not held centrally for police forces in England and Wales. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that this is also the case for Scotland. If individual forces were able to provide the information requested, it could be collected only at disproportionate cost.

  I understand from my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland that his Department holds information about retirements from the Royal Ulster Constabulary from which the information requested could be extracted in respect of former RUC police officers. If my hon. Friend writes to him, he will provide the information.

  Police (Civilian Staff)
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he expects the recommendation in his White Paper that civilian staff employed for police purposes should be employed by the chief constable to work in practice.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  It is too early to say how the detailed arrangements for the employment of civilian staff in the police service will be managed. Civilian staff have an increasingly important part to play in the provision of a good quality police service. It therefore seems appropriate, and in the interests of all those working in the police service, that the civilian staff should be directly employed by the chief constable.

  Sunday Trading
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish his plans to reform Sunday trading law in England and Wales.

  Mr. Howard
  We intend to lay before Parliament next week and publish on 13 July a draft Sunday trading Bill together with a covering text describing the options for reform.

  Family Reunification
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what ways United Kingdom legislation will have to be changed to implement the resolution on family reunification adopted by the Ministers responsible for immigration at their meeting in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June; and what cost implications this will have.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There will be no need to amend primary legislation to implement the resolution on family reunification.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the international conventions and fundamental provisions in national legislation which the Ministers responsible for immigration indicated would be taken into account in their resolution on family reunification at their meeting in Copenhagen on 1 and 2 June; and which of these obligations are relevant to the implementation of this resolution in United Kingdom law.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  It is not possible to provide an exhaustive list of all the international conventions which the United Kingdom has ratified or the provisions in domestic legislation which might be relevant. However, the following are likely to be applicable:International Conventions

  (a) The United Nations Convention on Human Rights;

  (b) The European Convention on Human Rights;

  (c) The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child;

  (d) The European Convention on the Adoption of Children;

  (e) The United Nations Convention on Refugees.

  2. Domestic legislation

  (a) The Immigration Act, 1971;

  (b) The Marriage Act, 1949;

  (c) The Children Act, 1989;

  (d) The Adoption Act, 1976, together with the equivalent Act and Order for Scotland and Northern Ireland;

  (e) The Family Law Reform Act, 1987.

  Dogs (Tail Docking)
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures will be taken against those veterinary surgeons who continue to dock the tails of dogs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  It is a matter for the royal college to determine what controls to impose over veterinary surgeons.

  Drinking and Driving
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate for each year since 1967 the number of times a week people drive motor vehicles after consuming more than the legal limit for alcohol for drivers and the number of related deaths each year.
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  Mr. Maclean
  Such estimates are not available. However, the average weekly number of screening breath tests in England and Wales for the years 1968 to 1992 and the number of fatalities per year involving illegal alcohol levels are as follows:

  Average number of screening breath tests per week

  Annual number of fatalities in accidents involving illegal alcohol levels1

  1968

  980

  —

  1969

  1,130

  —

  1970

  1,400

  —

  1971

  1,860

  —

  1972

  2,310

  —

  1973

  2,540

  —

  1974

  2,380

  —

  1975

  2,580

  —

  1976

  2,580

  —

  1977

  2,520

  —

  1978

  2,730

  —

  1979

  3,150

  1,790

  1980

  3,460

  1,570

  1981

  3,400

  1,540

  1982

  3,980

  1,670

  1983

  4,630

  1,200

  1984

  4,000

  1,280

  1985

  4,810

  1,130

  1986

  5,830

  1,060

  1987

  7,690

  980

  1988

  8,520

  840

  1989

  10,400

  870

  1990

  11,480

  800

  1991

  10,810

  700

  1992

  10,210

  —

  1 Source: Department of Transport. Figures for years prior to 1979 not available. Figures for 1992 not yet available.

  Treason
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review United Kingdom legislation on treason.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government have no such plans.

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. Howard
  The following former Members have been appointed to Home Office non-departmental public bodies:

  David Bellotti

  Trustee of the Community Development Foundation

  Expenses only

  Appointed January 1992 for 3 years

  Liberal Democrat

  Right hon. Lord Carlisle of Bucklow, QC

  Chairman of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board

  Salary £31,350

  Appointed 1 March 1989 until 31 March 1995

  Conservative

  John Cartwright

  Member of the Police Complaints Authority

  Salary £38,020

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  Appointed for 3 years from October 1992

  SDP

  Sheila Faith

  Member of the Parole Board

  Fee Paid; £139 per attendance

  Appointed 1 June 1991 for 3 years

  Conservative

  Ben Ford

  Member of the Firearms Consultative Committee

  Expenses only

  Appointed 1989 for 2 years

  Labour

  Lord Kimball

  Chairman of the Firearms Consultative Committee

  Expenses only

  Appointed for 5 years from 1989

  Conservative

  Anna McCurley

  Member of the Horserace Betting Levy Board

  Salary £11,640

  Appointed 1988 for 3 years extended until 1994

  Conservative

  Michael Meadowcroft

  Trustee of the Community Development Foundation

  Expenses only

  Appointed 1986, extended until 1994

  Liberal

  Norman Miscampbell, QC

  Member of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board

  Fee £246 per day

  Appointed 22 March 1993 until 31 March 1995

  Conservative

  Lord Wyatt of Weeford

  Chairman of the Horserace Totalisator-Board

  Salary £90,918

  Appointed 1976; reappointed 1993 for 2 years

  Labour

  Information in respect of the parole local review committees is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information in respect of the Fire Services Examination Board is not available.

  Prison Security Guards
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current standard hourly rate for prison security guards.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the prison service. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. Jon Owen Jones, dated July 1993:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent question about the current standard hourly rate for prison security guards.

  Subsequent to the introduction of Fresh Start in 1987 prison officers receive an annual salary paid monthly. They are conditioned to an average week of 39 hours net, any additional hours worked are compensated for by time off in lieu as they are a non overtime grade.

  Prison Officers have a seven point pay scale with a 10 and 15 year increment. The hourly rate ranges from £7.42 at the minimum to £9.25 at the 15 year point. These salaries are part of the annual pay negotiations between the Treasury and the Prison Officers Association and will be uplifted from 1 April 1993. Any increase will be within the Government pay restraints and be limited to between 0 to 1.5 per cent. increase.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the former Members of this House who have been appointed 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. David Davis
  No former Members of this House have been appointed by my right hon. Friend to the non-departmental public bodies for which he has had responsibility since the creation of his Department in April 1992.

TRANSPORT

  Airports
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are being taken to improve the services offered by major United Kingdom international airports; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  The Government believe that increasing the scope for airport operators to respond to commercial pressures offers the best route for improving the services offered at all airports. This underlies the Government's policy of encouraging increased private sector involvement in the ownership and management of local authority-owned airports.

  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers used(a) Gatwick airport and (b) Heathrow airport in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Norris
  The numbers of passengers at(a) Gatwick airport and (b) Heathrow airport are shown in the table.

  Terminal passengers at Heathrow and Gatwick 1979–92

  Year

  Gatwick (000)

  Heathrow (000)

  1979

  8,965

  27,979

  1980

  9,703

  27,484

  1981

  10,725

  26,411

  1982

  11,155

  26,406

  1983

  12,471

  26,767

  1984

  13,953

  29,164

  1985

  14,885

  31,310

  1986

  16,309

  31,310

  1987

  19,381

  34,743

  1988

  20,744

  37,510

  1989

  21,149

  39,587

  1990

  21,043

  42,635

  1991

  18,690

  40,245

  1992

  19,842

  44,964

  Private Aircraft
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people flying in private aeroplanes have been killed in aviation accidents in United Kingdom air space in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Norris
  The Civil Aviation Authority's safety data analysis unit advises me that the number of people flying
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  in private aeroplanes that have been killed in aviation accidents in United Kingdom airspace since 1987 are as follows:

  Year

  Number of Fatal Accidents

  Fatalities

  Passengers

  Crew

  1987

  24

  23

  24

  1988

  10

  6

  9

  1989

  19

  4

  19

  1990

  19

  13

  19

  1991

  17

  4

  18

  1992

  16

  10

  14

  Trust Ports
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total receipts from the privatisation of trust ports to date.

  Mr. Norris
  The total receipts to the Exchequer from the five ports privatised last year under the Ports Act 1991 was £169 million.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the timetable for privatisation of the next wave of trust ports.

  Mr. Norris
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 12 March,Official Report, column 769. The power that the Secretary of State has under the Ports Act 1991, to require the larger trust ports. with a turnover above a specified threshold, to privatise themselves, will become available after 24 July 1993. The Secretary of State expects to make an announcement as soon as he has completed his consideration on the way in which he should use his power of compulsion.

  All trust ports can use the Act at any time to take action to privatise themselves. Five have already done so, we hope more will follow.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those trust ports with whom he has discussed privatisation.

  Mr. Norris
  The Secretary of State has not yet decided which trust ports he will formally consult, under the terms of the Ports Act 1991, in respect of his power to require privatisation.

  Piracy
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many(a) merchant ships and (b) British-owned merchant ships have been victims of piracy or other attacks in the last five years.

  Mr. Norris
  Shipowners, flag states and coastal states are encouraged to report incidents of piracy and armed robbery against vessels to the International Maritime Organisation. When we are advised of incidents involving British ships we report them to IMO. However, there is no requirement in international law to report attacks and masters and shipowners can he reluctant to do so. As a result, records are incomplete.

  Full information in the form requested is not available. The table, however, gives an indication of trends during the past five years on incidents of piracy affecting tankers.
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  Year

  All flags

  UK flags

  1988

  5

  0

  1989

  3

  0

  1990

  3

  0

  1991

  36

  2

  1992

  22

  0

  The Government are concerned about the under reporting of attacks. We have produced comprehensive advice in "Merchant Shipping Notice M1517" urging mariners to report any attack or attempted attack to the flag and coastal states concerned.

  South China Sea
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will hold talks with the National Union of Marine, Aviation and Shipping Transport Officers about providing armed escorts for all British or commonwealth vessels passing through the South China sea.

  Mr. Norris
  We are willing to consider any representations from NUMAST and other shipping interests. We treat the problems in the South China sea very seriously indeed and hope that the matter can be solved through multilateral and bilateral co-operation. At the present time, we do not believe there is a need for armed escorts.

  A1, Northumbria
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport at how many points between Morpeth and the Scottish border the A 1 is currently reduced to one-way operation by temporary traffic lights; how many of these interruptions result from works which will result in improvement to dual carriageway status; and which of these interruptions will continue through the Scottish and English bank holiday weekends.

  Mr. Key
  The A1 is currently reduced to one-way operation by temporary traffic signals at the following five locations:

  Bockenfield, south of Felton;

  Brownieside, north of Alnwich;

  Detchant, north of Belford;

  Scremerston, south of Berwick; and

  Marshall Meadows, north of Berwick.

  Of these, the works at Brownieside and Marshall Meadows will result in improvement to dual carriageway status.

  Traffic signals will continue to operate at Bockenfield, Brownieside and Detchant for the Scottish bank holiday weekend. Arrangements have been made to remove all traffic signals for the English bank holiday weekend.

  Central Line
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what proposals he is considering in respect of an alternative public transport service between Epping and Ongar should London Transport close this part of the Central line; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the current situation in respect of the Central line service between Epping and Ongar.

  Mr. Freeman
  On 5 May 1993, London Underground Ltd. published notice of its intention to seek closure of the
  211
  Central line between Epping and Ongar. Due to the Secretary of State's quasi-judicial role in the closure proceedings, it would not be appropriate for me to make any comments on the subject at this stage.

  Buses, Dorset
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passenger miles were travelled by bus in Dorset in each year since 1988–89.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 7 July 1993]: The Department does not collect information on passenger mileage from operators. National estimates are imputed from the passenger journey information collected in a survey and national estimates of average journey cost. The survey samples are selected to be representative at the national level and could not be used to produce county information.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Severe Hardship Payments
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the administration costs of the severe hardship payments.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Alan Simpson, dated 7 July 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what are the administration costs of the severe hardship payments.

  For the financial year 1992–93 the administration costs of the Severe Hardship Claims Unit in Glasgow were £676,714.

  Associated administration costs arise within the Benefits Agency District Offices. Those costs cannot be separately identified for the year 1992–93. However they are estimated at £1.5 million.

  I hope that you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also be placed in the Library.

  Fraud, Blackpool
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about social security fraud in Blackpool.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Harold Elletson, dated 7 July 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security requesting him to make a statement about social security fraud in Blackpool.
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  The investigation of potentially fraudulent claims was reorganised in January 1991 when Fraud Sectors were formed.

  The Blackpool Sector covers an area on the Fylde coast North to Fleetwood/Knott End, South to Lytham St. Annes and East to the outskirts of Preston.

  There are currently a total of 13.5 full time members of staff devoted to the investigation of suspect claims although three of these posts are clerical support rather than investigators.

  In the year ending 31 March 1993 Blackpool sector conducted 2,158 investigations. Of this total, 914 cases resulted in a weekly benefit saving and a further 304 cases produced an instrument of payment saving. In addition, an overpayment was detected in a further 304 cases. The total gross savings exceeded £2.5 million. Seven people were prosecuted in the same period and all were found guilty.

  In addition to the Sector fraud staff who have carried out the activities as detailed above, there has been an input from a mobile team who are based at Area level and who can be called on to assist Sector staff at times of staff shortage, high intake of work or to conduct pro-active investigations into larger scale fraudulent activities.

  In the past three months the Mobile Team has conducted a number of investigations, two of which were particularly successful.

  In the first exercise over 1,600 visits were made to check the addresses of people claiming benefits. It was confirmed that 267 people were not living at the quoted address. The full results of the savings are not yet known as the exercise is not yet completed but they are anticipated to be considerable.

  The second exercise involved the arrest by the Police of six people in connection with instrument of payment abuse. Over 100 people were interviewed by members of the Mobile Team and instrument of payment savings of £50,000 were recorded.

  I should stress that the vast majority of the Benefit Agency's customers are genuine and will never have any contact with any of our Investigators. The investigators exist to ensure that the honest customer's benefit goes to that customer.

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

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total cost of child benefit in each year since 1979 with the figures adjusted for inflation.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the table.

  Child benefit expenditure

  Cash (£ million)

  1992–93 prices (£ million)

  11978–79

  2,296

  6,479

  1979–80

  2,787

  6,762

  1980–81

  2,944

  6,036

  1981–82

  3,372

  6,305

  1982–83

  3,660

  6,389

  1983–84

  3,988

  6,653

  1984–85

  4,276

  6,793

  1985–86

  4,468

  6,727

  1986–87

  4,513

  6,579

  1987–88

  4,598

  6,357

  1988–89

  4,515

  5,821

  1989–90

  4,537

  5,489

  1990–91

  4,591

  5,133

  1991–92

  5,189

  5,423

  1992–93

  5,767

  5,767

  1 Figures include cost of Child Tax Allowance.

  Income Statistics
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide statistics similar to table A3, page 63, of the "Households Below Average Income
  213
  Statistical Analysis" 1979, 1990–91, to include the top 40 per cent., 30 per cent., 20 per cent. and 10 per cent. of income distribution for 1979, 1988–89 and 1990–91, for income before housing costs and income after housing costs.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the tables.

  Share of total income (per cent.) (including self-employed)

  1979

  1988–89

  1990–91

  Income before housing costs

  Top 40 per cent.

  58

  63

  64

  Top 30 per cent.

  47

  52

  53

  Top 20 per cent.

  35

  40

  41

  Top 10 per cent.

  21

  25

  26

  Percentage change 1979 to 1990–91 in real income by decile group.

  Decile Group Median

  Including self-employed

  Decile 6

  Decile 7

  Decile 8

  Decile 9

  Decile 10

  Income before housing costs

  27

  31

  36

  43

  58

  Income after housing costs

  28

  33

  38

  45

  62

  Decile Group Median

  Excluding self-employed

  Decile 6

  Decile 7

  Decile 8

  Decile 9

  Decile 10

  Income before housing costs

  27

  30

  36

  43

  56

  Income after housing costs

  28

  33

  38

  44

  61

  Note:

  Figures relate to the United Kingdom and are based on income equivalised for the household size and composition.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will respond to the report by the Social Security Select Committee's third report on the delivery of disability living allowance and disability working allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  The Government's response—Cm 2282—is published today. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  Crisis Loans
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest available information for the district covering Stockport and nationally on the number and applications for crisis loans dealt with by social fund officers because of re-alignment of unemployment benefit.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Ms Ann Coffey, dated 7 July 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking
  214

  Share of total income (per cent.) (including self-employed)

  1979

  1988–89

  1990–91

  Income after housing costs

  Top 40 per cent.

  58

  64

  65

  Top 30 per cent.

  48

  53

  55

  Top 20 per cent.

  35

  41

  43

  Top 10 per cent.

  21

  26

  27

  Note:

  The figures in the tables are based on equivalised income for household size and composition.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide similar statistics to table A1, page 60, of "Households Below Average Income" 1979, 1990–91, to include decile 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 including the self-employed, before housing costs and after housing costs, and excluding self-employed before housing costs and after housing costs.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the tables.

  what is the latest available information for the district covering Stockport and nationally on the number of applications for crisis loans dealt with by Social Fund Officers because of re-alignment of unemployment benefit.

  I am unable to give the information you requested because the statistical information kept does not identify the individual benefits involved in such applications. I can, however, provide details of the number of crisis loans awarded to applicants whose benefit is paid in arrears. For the period 1 April 1993 to 30 May 1993 (latest available data) the figure for the Stockport District is 323. The national figure for the same period is 39,350.

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

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Burma
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what deputations his Department has recently received from Burma; what trade matters were discussed; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards trade with Burma.

  Mr. Needham
  My Department has received no deputations from Burma recently. The Government's policy is to provide no specific encouragement to British firms to trade or invest in Burma in view of the current political and economic situation there. The United Kingdom does not sell arms to Burma and our aid programme, like that of other donors, has been suspended since 1988. British business visitors to Rangoon can of
  215
  course look to our embassy there for advice and support. Firms seek advice on trading with Burma are always made aware of the Government's policy.

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade 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. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade is responsible for a total of more than 800 public appointments. Of these:

  (a) James Roe (spouse of Marion Roe, Conservative MP for Broxbourne) has been appointed as a reserve member of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission at a salary of £8,490 per annum for the period 1 February 1993 to 31 January 1996.

  (b) Viscount Chelmsford has been appointed as a member of the Simpler Trade Procedures Board for the period 1 November 1992 to 31 October 1995. The post is unpaid.

  (c) Lady Jane Forbes (spouse of Lord Forbes, KBE) was re-appointed as a member of the Post Office Users Council for Scotland for the period 1 October 1991 to 30 September 1995 and as a member of the Scottish Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for the period 1 October 1991 to 30 September 1993. Both appointments are unpaid.

  We do not collect information on the political affiliations of those appointed or details of those who have been party candidates for Parliament.

  Beer
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the effects of the Beer Orders on the brewing industry and consumers.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  There have been considerable changes in the brewing industry since the implementation of the orders. However, it is difficult to separate the effects of the orders from other developments within the industry, some of which are part of long term trends beginning before the Monopolies and Mergers Commission review.

  We believe that it is too soon to make an assessment of the impact of the orders. The overriding need now is for a period of stability for both brewers and tenants/lessees. The Agriculture Select Committee's report on the effects of the Beer Orders on the brewing industry and consumers supported this view.

  Telecommunications Council
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the President of the Board of 'Trade, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Norwich, North (Mr. Thompson) of 30 June,Official Report, columns 511–12, what were the voting figures for each decision taken at the European Community's Telecommunications Council held on 16 June; and if he will make it his policy to include in future statements on Council meetings information on whether formal votes were taken and which member states voted in favour, against or abstained on particular measures.
  216
  Mr. McLoughlin
  No formal votes were taken at the European Community's Telecommunications Council held on 16 June. I regret that this was not made clear in my answer of 30 June, in accordance with the undertaking given to the hon. Member that statements to the House following meetings of the Council of Ministers will either include details of the record of the vote whenever a formal vote is taken, or report that no formal votes were taken.

  Civil Nuclear Sites
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the civil nuclear sites in the United Kingdom, together with the expiry dates of their current operational site licences.

  Mr. Eggar
  The table shows the civil nuclear sites in the United Kingdom, all of which are licensed by the Health and Safety Executive under the provisions of the Nuclear Installations Act 1965, as amended.

  A nuclear site licence is issued without limit of time, but may at any time be revoked by the Health and Safety Executive or surrendered by the licensee with the executive's agreement. The licensee continues to be responsible for the site, and subject to direction by the Health and Safety Executive, until in the opinion of the executive there has ceased to be any danger from ionising radiations from anything on the site, or until a new nuclear site licence is issued to some other person.

  List of nuclear licensed sites

  Site

  Operator

  Berkeley Power Station

  Nuclear Electric plc

  Berkeley

  Gloucestershire GL13 9PA

  Bradwell Power Station

  Nuclear Electric plc

  Bradwell-on-Sea

  Southminster

  Essex CM 10 7HP

  Dungeness Power Station

  Nuclear Electric plc

  Romney Marsh

  Kent TN29 9PP

  Hartlepool Power Station

  Nuclear Electric plc

  Tees Road

  Hartlepool

  Cleveland TS25 2BZ

  Heysham Power Station

  Nuclear Electric plc

  Heysham

  Morecambe

  Lancashire LA3 2XQ

  Hinkley Point Power Station

  Nuclear Electric plc

  Nr. Bridgwater

  Somerset TA5 IND

  Oldbury Power Station

  Nuclear Electric plc

  Oldbury-on-Severn

  Avon BR 12 1RQ

  Sizewell Power Station

  Nuclear Electric plc

  Leiston

  Suffolk 1P16 4UE

  Trawsfynydd Power Station

  Nuclear Electric plc

  Trawsfynydd

  Blaenau Ffestiniog

  Gwynedd LL41 4DJ

  Wylfa Power Station

  Nuclear Electric plc

  Camaes Bay

  Gwynedd LL67 0DH

  217

  Site

  Operator

  Capenhurst Works

  British Nuclear Fuels plc

  Capenhurst

  Chester CH1 6ER

  Capenhurst Works

  Urenco (Capenhurst) Ltd.

  Capenhurst

  Chester CHI 6ER

  Drigg Storage Site

  British Nuclear Fuels plc

  Drigg

  Cumbria

  Sellafield Works

  British Nuclear Fuels plc

  Seascale

  Cumbria CA20 1PG

  Springfields Works

  British Nuclear Fuels plc

  Salwick

  Nr. Preston

  Lancashire PR4 0XJ

  Amersham International

  Amersham International plc

  White Lion Road

  Amersham

  Buckinghamshire HP7 9LL

  Radiation Sources (Harwell)

  Amersham International plc

  Isotope Production Unit

  Didcot

  OxonOXll 0RA

  Forrest Farm

  Amersham International plc

  Whitchurch

  Cardiff CF4 7J2

  AEA Technology

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

  Harwell Laboratory

  Didcot

  Oxfordshire OX 11 0RA

  AEA Technology

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

  Winfrith Technology Centre

  Dorchester

  Dorset DT2 8DH

  AEA Technology

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

  Springfields Works

  Salwick

  Nr. Preston

  Lancashire

  AEA Technology

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

  Windscale

  Cumbria

  TRIGA Reactor

  ICI Chemicals and Polymers Ltd.

  Billingham

  Cleveland ST23 2JB

  Rolls-Royce

  Rolls-Royce

  Raynesway

  POBox31

  Derbyshire DE2 8BJ

  Manchester University

  Manchester University

  Research Reactor

  Risley

  Warrington

  Cheshire WA3 6AT

  University of London Reactor

  Imperial College

  Imperial College Field Station

  Silwood Park

  Ascot

  Berkshire SL5 7PY

  218

  Site

  Operator

  Barrow Shipyard

  Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd.

  PO Box 6

  Barrow in Furness

  Lancashire LA 14 1AF

  Devonport Royal Dockyard

  Devonport Management Ltd.

  Devonport

  Plymouth PL1 4SR

  2.SCOTLAND

  Hunterston Power Station

  Scottish Nuclear Ltd.

  West Kilbride

  Ayrshire KA23 9QT

  Torness Power Station

  Scottish Nuclear Ltd.

  Dunbar

  East Lothian EH42 1QZ

  Chapelcross Works

  British Nuclear Fuels plc

  Annan

  Dumfries and Galloway DG12 6RF

  Scottish Universities

  University of Glasgow

  Research Reactor

  East Kilbride

  Nr. Glasgow G75 0QU

  Rosyth Royal Dockyard

  Babcock Thorn Ltd.

  Rosyth

  Fife KY11 2YD

  AEA Technology

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority

  Dounreay

  Thurso

  Caithness KW14 7TZ

  THORP
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish the residues specification issued to overseas customers for THORP, to which reference is made at page six of the report of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee appended to the chairman of that Committee's reply of 10 October 1992 to the letter of 11 March 1992 from the Secretary of State.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for the companies concerned.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade to whom each of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by his Department is responsible: whether the public bodies or their members in each case are subject to(a) surcharge, (b) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (c) scrutiny by the Audit Commission or National Audit Office, (d) the statutory provisions for open government which apply to local authorities, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charters; and whether the chairpersons and members of the boards of each of these bodies are required to declare an interest.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 6 July 1993]: All the executive NDPBs sponsored by the Department are accountable to DTI Ministers for their use of public funds and we are accountable to Parliament. The specific answers to the questions are:

  219

  (a) No.

  (b) No.

  (c) Yes, where the body receives grant or grant-in-aid.

  (d) No.

  (e) Yes, where appropriate.

  (f) The citizens charter applies to all NDPBs which provide a public service.

  The chairmen and members of the boards are expected to declare an interest where relevant.

  Science Base Funding
  Ms Walley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to increase the science base funding for industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Davis
  I have been asked to reply.

  As explained in the White Paper on science, engineering and technology, "Realising our Potential", the Government intend that decisions on priorities for support of the science and engineering base should be much more clearly related to meeting the country's needs and enhancing its wealth creating capacity. To this end: it is establishing a technology foresight capability; it is creating two new research councils to cover biotechnology and biological sciences, and engineering and physical sciences; it has provided all research councils with a mission statement which recognises the importance of research undertaken to meet the needs of users; and it is taking measures to improve the links between the councils and cognate Government Departments. Moreover, the LINK scheme will continue to be an important vehicle for the research councils collaboration with industry, and the Office of Science and Technology will now take lead responsibility for the scheme, with the LINK steering group reporting jointly to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the President of the Board of Trade.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Burma
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the involvement of United Nations, the United Nations Development Programme, UNICEF, the World Health Organisation, the UNDCP and the Food and Agriculture Organisation in Burma.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Nations Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs is involved in talks with the Burmese authorities about the return of the Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh'. The involvement of UN agencies in Burma is as follows.UNDP: Since the 1992 Governing Council, all UNDP assistance in Burma has been targeted specifically at grassroots level. Projects are approved on a case-by-case basis by the UNDP Administrator, and funding is only being released on a strictly limited basis.
  UNICEF: The programme in Burma concentrates on mother and child health care, basic education and access to safe drinking water.
  220
  WHO: The programme has been reduced since July 1992 in response to UNDP's directive to limit activities. It now concentrates on nursing training and AIDS.
  UNDCP: A number of projects both in Burma and in the border areas of neighbouring states are funded to encourage the reduction of drug trafficking, and of demand, supply and abuse of drugs. Specific activities include the replacement of opium based economic activity by income substitution programmes, and demand reduction through community based education and training.
  FAO: Activities in Burma are largely rural based agricultural projects, including research and training. Many are UNDP funded and fall within the restrictions placed on the UNDP programme.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what accountability there is for United Nations activity and that of related organisations for their work in Burma; and if he will place reports on this subject by such organisations in the Library.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Nations and related organisations operating in Burma are accountable, through their headquarters management, to their governing bodies. Members of these bodies, including the United Kingdom, monitor closely the activities of these organisations.

  There are no relevant reports which could be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what checks there have been to ensure that international aid to Burma has not been used for military purposes.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have no evidence that international aid is being diverted for military purposes. The mandates of the United Nations, its funds and programmes and the specialised agencies in the economic and social fields preclude any assistance for military purposes. In the case of Burma, the work of the United Nations system is being scrutinised with special care to ensure that none of its assistance is diverted to military uses. The international financial institutions do not grant loans for military purposes, and carry out the normal financial and audit checks on the use of their funds.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Taxation
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the amounts remitted as a result of(a) hardship, (b) equity and (c) miscellaneous and the amounts written off as a result of (d) insolvency, (e) composition settlements and (f) taxpayer gone abroad or untraceable, for each of capital gains tax, schedule D tax, corporation tax, pay-as-you-earn and national insurance for each year since 1979 as cash figures and as a percentage of each tax collected.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is shown in the tables.

  The amounts of corporation tax remitted or written off as irrecoverable for the reasons outlined are as follows:
  221

  Amounts £ thousands

  Year

  Hardship remitted

  Percentage of total CT paid

  Equity remitted

  Percentage of total CT paid

  Miscellaneous remitted

  Percentage of total CT paid

  Insolvency remitted

  Percentage of total CT paid

  Composition settlements remitted

  Percentage of total CT paid

  Taxpayer gone abroad/away remitted

  Percentage of total CT paid

  1979

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1980

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1981

  0

  0.00

  435

  0.01

  237

  0.01

  19,781

  0.68

  0

  0.00

  235

  0.01

  1982

  0

  0.00

  249

  0.01

  200

  0.01

  33,061

  0.86

  7

  0.00

  879

  0.02

  1983

  0

  0.00

  274

  0.01

  268

  0.01

  39,395

  0.97

  30

  0.00

  945

  0.02

  1984

  0

  0.00

  145

  0.00

  352

  0.01

  57,553

  1.22

  1

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  1985

  0

  0.00

  225

  0.00

  236

  0.00

  74,802

  1.26

  6

  0.00

  73

  0.00

  1986

  0

  0.00

  374

  0.00

  995

  0.01

  88.962

  1.09

  71

  0.00

  963

  0.01

  1987

  5

  0.00

  498

  0.01

  817

  0.01

  91,441

  0.91

  15

  0.00

  54

  0.00

  1988

  0

  0.00

  349

  0.00

  2,360

  0.02

  222,725

  1.90

  2

  0.00

  161

  0.00

  1989

  0

  0.00

  478

  0.00

  1,011

  0.01

  149,791

  1.04

  6

  0.00

  82

  0.00

  1990

  0

  0.00

  389

  0.00

  1,981

  0.01

  182,249

  1.15

  35

  0.00

  71

  0.00

  1991

  0

  0.00

  455

  0.00

  2,065

  0.01

  317,864

  2.07

  529

  0.00

  16

  0.00

  1992

  0

  0.00

  307

  0.00

  2,450

  0.02

  539,126

  4.61

  300

  0.00

  50

  0.00

  Amounts £ thousands

  Year

  Hardship remitted

  Percentage of total CGT paid

  Equity remitted

  Percentage of total CGT paid

  Miscellaneous remitted

  Percentage of total CGT paid

  Insolvency remitted

  Percentage of total CGT paid

  Composition settlements remitted

  Percentage of total CGT paid

  Taxpayer gone abroad/away remitted

  Percentage of total CGT paid

  1979

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1980

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1981

  20

  0.00

  83

  0.02

  337

  0.07

  950

  0.21

  97

  0.02

  1,247

  0.27

  1982

  61

  0.01

  69

  0.01

  346

  0.06

  2,160

  0.35

  414

  0.07

  1,818

  0.29

  1983

  39

  0.01

  74

  0.01

  494

  0.08

  2,459

  0.39

  8

  0.00

  3,422

  0.54

  1984

  34

  0.00

  34

  0.00

  519

  0.07

  2,075

  0.29

  9

  0.00

  3,327

  0.47

  1985

  8

  0.00

  181

  0.02

  822

  0.10

  1,702

  0.21

  18

  0.00

  4,831

  0.60

  1986

  19

  0.00

  68

  0.01

  722

  0.07

  1,869

  0.19

  21

  0.00

  7,365

  0.73

  1987

  38

  0.00

  169

  0.02

  1,386

  0.12

  2,714

  0.24

  16

  0.00

  4,497

  0.40

  1988

  30

  0.00

  58

  0.00

  1,778

  0.11

  5,510

  0.35

  61

  0.00

  5,244

  0.33

  1989

  32

  0.00

  114

  0.00

  1,698

  0.07

  3,948

  0.17

  166

  0.01

  4,898

  0.21

  1990

  5

  0.00

  70

  0.00

  2,308

  0.12

  3,821

  0.21

  132

  0.01

  5,740

  0.31

  1991

  34

  0.00

  149

  0.01

  3,980

  0.21

  13,929

  0.75

  116

  0.01

  11,513

  0.62

  1992

  36

  0.00

  119

  0.01

  7,322

  0.62

  37,195

  3.16

  84

  0.01

  13,080

  1.10

  Amounts £ thousands

  Year

  Hardship remitted

  Percentage of total CGT paid

  Equity remitted

  Percentage of total CGT paid

  Miscellaneous remitted

  Percentage of total CGT paid

  Insolvency remitted

  Percentage of total CGT paid

  Composition settlements remitted

  Percentage of total CGT paid

  Taxpayer gone abroad/away remitted

  Percentage of total CGT paid

  1979

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1980

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1981

  1,575

  0.03

  1,804

  0.03

  6,447

  0.12

  10,618

  0.19

  211

  0.00

  22,924

  0.42

  1982

  1,868

  0.03

  2,008

  0.03

  8,052

  0.13

  16,029

  0.26

  110

  0.00

  26,791

  0.43

  1983

  2,331

  0.04

  1,827

  0.03

  10,146

  0.16

  18,676

  0.29

  30

  0.00

  38,083

  0.59

  1984

  1,943

  0.03

  1,960

  0.03

  13,418

  0.20

  30,010

  0.44

  87

  0.00

  46,160

  0.67

  1985

  1,374

  0.02

  2,375

  0.03

  11,454

  0.15

  35,567

  0.47

  26

  0.00

  40,974

  0.54

  1986

  1,681

  0.02

  2,853

  0.03

  16,589

  0.18

  51,325

  0.54

  36

  0.00

  53,686

  0.57

  1987

  1,851

  0.03

  3,183

  0.05

  21,253

  0.30

  55,260

  0.79

  79

  0.00

  54,028

  0.77

  1988

  1,933

  0.02

  4,370

  0.05

  58,292

  0.73

  109,841

  1.37

  142

  0.00

  79,753

  1.00

  1989

  1,468

  0.02

  4,560

  0.05

  60,755

  0.65

  101,482

  1.09

  212

  0.00

  75,160

  0.80

  1990

  1,606

  0.02

  5,302

  0.05

  52,834

  0.50

  98,746

  0.93

  474

  0.00

  98,740

  0.93

  1991

  2,896

  0.02

  6,294

  0.05

  94,986

  0.81

  166,935

  1.42

  423

  0.00

  117,025

  1.00

  1992

  4,605

  0.04

  6,395

  0.05

  179,892

  1.39

  361,372

  2.80

  303

  0.00

  156,484

  1.21

  Amounts £ thousands

  Year

  Hardship remitted

  Percentage of total PAYE paid

  Equity remitted

  Percentage of total PAYE paid

  Miscellaneous remitted

  Percentage of total PAYE paid

  Insolvency remitted

  Percentage of total PAYE paid

  Composition settlements remitted

  Percentage of total PAYE paid

  Taxpayer gone abroad/away

  Percentage of total PAYE paid

  1979

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1980

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1981

  5

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  343

  0.00

  10,885

  0.05

  0

  0.00

  208

  0.00

  222
  The amounts of capital gains tax remitted or written off as irrecoverable for the reasons outlined are as follows:

  The amounts of Schedule D tax remitted or written off as irrecoverable for the reasons outlined are as follows:

  The amounts of PAYE remitted or written off as irrecoverable for the reasons outlined are as follows:
  223

  Year

  Hardship remitted

  Percentage of total PAYE paid

  Equity remitted

  Percentage of total PAYE paid

  Miscellaneous remitted

  Percentage of total PAYE paid

  Insolvency remitted

  Percentage of total PAYE paid

  Composition settlements remitted

  Percentage of total PAYE paid

  Taxpayer gone abroad/away

  Percentage of total PAYE paid

  1982

  3

  0.00

  2

  0.00

  487

  0.00

  14,495

  0.06

  53

  0.00

  245

  0.00

  1983

  1

  0.00

  5

  0.00

  508

  0.00

  21,637

  0.08

  20

  0.00

  457

  0.00

  1984

  3

  0.00

  4

  0.00

  652

  0.00

  32,180

  0.11

  0

  0.00

  487

  0.00

  1985

  0

  0.00

  50

  0.00

  907

  0.00

  45,222

  0.14

  9

  0.00

  511

  0.00

  1986

  1

  0.00

  13

  0.00

  1,124

  0.00

  59,164

  0.17

  21

  0.00

  594

  0.00

  1987

  1

  0.00

  7

  0.00

  1,367

  0.00

  90,439

  0.24

  13

  0.00

  739

  0.00

  1988

  0

  0.00

  24

  0.00

  2,979

  0.01

  126,434

  0.32

  56

  0.00

  1,201

  0.00

  1989

  0

  0.00

  69

  0.00

  2,715

  0.01

  118,962

  0.28

  77

  0.00

  1,083

  0.00

  1990

  11

  0.00

  64

  0.00

  2,955

  0.01

  102,775

  0.21

  52

  0.00

  1,302

  0.00

  1991

  0

  0.00

  95

  0.00

  4,973

  0.01

  128,570

  0.25

  109

  0.00

  1,511

  0.00

  1992

  2

  0.00

  49

  0.00

  10,167

  0.02

  368,325

  0.69

  67

  0.00

  2,566

  0.00

  Amounts £ thousands

  Year

  Hardship remitted

  Percentage of total NIC paid

  Equity remitted

  Percentage of total NIC paid

  Miscellaneous remitted

  Percentage of total NIC paid

  Insolvency remitted

  Percentage of total NIC paid

  Composition settlements remitted

  Percentage of total NIC paid

  Taxpayer gone abroad/away remitted

  Percentage of total NIC paid

  1979

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1980

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1981

  3

  0.00

  1

  0.00

  227

  0.00

  752

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  175

  0.00

  1982

  3

  0.00

  2

  0.00

  410

  0.00

  623

  0.00

  6

  0.00

  217

  0.00

  1983

  1

  0.00

  2

  0.00

  441

  0.00

  668

  0.00

  18

  0.00

  425

  0.00

  1984

  4

  0.00

  5

  0.00

  599

  0.00

  892

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  472

  0.00

  1985

  1

  0.00

  27

  0.00

  781

  0.00

  864

  0.00

  6

  0.00

  534

  0.00

  1986

  1

  0.00

  11

  0.00

  1,033

  0.00

  2,623

  0.01

  28

  0.00

  681

  0.00

  1987

  1

  0.00

  6

  0.00

  1,662

  0.01

  6,114

  0.03

  11

  0.00

  720

  0.00

  1988

  0

  0.00

  15

  0.00

  2,942

  0.01

  11,914

  0.04

  55

  0.00

  968

  0.00

  1989

  0

  0.00

  58

  0.00

  2,829

  0.01

  11,048

  0.04

  109

  0.00

  1,083

  0.00

  1990

  0

  0.00

  30

  0.00

  2,971

  0.01

  13,284

  0.04

  54

  0.00

  971

  0.00

  1991

  0

  0.00

  348

  0.00

  4,258

  0.01

  15,847

  0.05

  184

  0.00

  1,007

  0.00

  1992

  0

  0.00

  40

  0.00

  7,205

  0.02

  23,821

  0.07

  59

  0.00

  1,445

  0.00

  Life Insurance Companies
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about expenses disclosure as it applies to direct sales forces and tied agents of life insurance companies.

  Mr. Nelson
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of such representations in the context of the consultation exercise on the Office of Fair Trading report on the marketing and sale of investment-linked insurance products.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will establish an advisory group of British manufacturers to make recommendations as to how best to modify the taxation system so as to encourage British manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Treasury Ministers meet regularly with key individuals and representative bodies in manufacturing industry, and will continue to do so in the period leading up to the Budget in November. Ministers also consider each year a large number of detailed written representations for changes to the tax system as it affects industry. I am not convinced that a further advisory group is needed to supplement these existing channels of communication.
  224
  The amounts of NIC classes 1–1A remitted or written off as irrecoverable for the reasons outlined are as follows:

  Uncollected Tax
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount currently owed in uncollected tax by individuals against whom the Inland Revenue is taking legal proceedings or has proceedings outstanding; and if he will disaggregate that estimate into the amount owed by(a) those currently residing in the United Kingdom and (b) those currently residing abroad in (i) other EC countries, (ii) OECD countries other than the EC and (iii) all other countries.

  Mr. Dorreil
  The information required is not available in the form requested.

  Taxes Act 1988
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the yield to the Exchequer for 1993–94, if subsections (4) to (9) of section 65 of the Taxes Act 1988 were repealed.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I regret that the information to answer this question is not available.

  Tax Residents
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the additional revenue to the Exchequer for 1993–94, if, in determining whether an individual is tax resident in the United Kingdom, a day spent in the United Kingdom is deemed to include any day in which the person spends more than three hours of that day in the United Kingdom.
  225
  Mr. Dorrell
  I regret that the information to answer this question is not available.

  Available Accommodation Rule
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of taxpayers who will cease to be liable for United Kingdom tax in 1994–95 following the abolition of the available accommodation rule.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Several hundred.

  Tax Returns
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what circumstances he requires(a) non-domiciled and (b) non-resident people working in the United Kingdom to complete tax returns.

  Mr. Dorrell
  An individual would be required to complete a tax return in circumstances where there is a liability to United Kingdom tax.

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer from how many people who are non-domiciled and resident or ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom the Inland Revenue collected tax returns for the latest year available.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I regret that the information to answer this question is not available.

  Chargeable Gains
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the yield to the Exchequer for 1993–94 if section 62(1) of the Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 did not apply to assets which qualified either for business property relief within section 104 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 or for agricultural property relief within section 116 of the Inheritance Tax Act 1984 at the time of the person's death.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Assuming that the normal business reliefs against capital gains tax such as holdover relief and retirement relief would be made available on death, the estimated yield from introducing a capital gains charge on death in respect of assets which qualify for business property or agricultural property relief under the inheritance tax provisions in 1993–94 is negligible.

  Worldwide Income
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the yield in 1992–93 or the latest year available of taxing non-domiciled resident of ordinarily resident people on worldwide income and capital gains.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I regret that the information to answer this question is not available.

  Securities and Investments Board
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy on the number of public interest members of the Securities and Investments Board; and if he will make a statement.
  226
  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 7 July 1993]: The Chairman of SIB mentioned in his review that he wished to rebalance the composition of the SIB board. My right hon. and learned Friend has accepted these proposals.

ENVIRONMENT

  Home Improvements
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what details he has as to the number of each type of grant given for home improvement in each of the last 10 years; and if he will give the cash total of each grant, in each case on a constant value cash basis.

  Sir George Young
  The values of payments and the numbers of dwellings involved for each type of grant for home improvement over the period 1982 to 1992 are shown in the tables.

  Tables 1 and 2 cover, respectively, numbers of dwellings on which grants were paid to private owners and tenants under the Housing Act 1985 for the whole period, and numbers of grants paid under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 for 1990 onwards.

  Tables 3 and 4 give the respective total values of grants paid, and tables 5 and 6 show them expressed on a constant value basis at 1982 prices.

  Table 1

  Grants paid to private owners and tenants under Housing Act 19851 2

  England

  Number of dwellings

  Conversion and improvement

  Intermediate and special

  Repairs

  All

  1982

  54,732

  20,600

  28,696

  104,028

  1983

  79,529

  27,236

  113,061

  219,826

  1984

  83,958

  29,003

  116,146

  229,107

  1985

  52,989

  29,012

  54,411

  136,412

  1986

  46,994

  24,629

  41,705

  113,328

  1987

  49,383

  19,661

  39,864

  108,908

  1988

  48,213

  17,107

  39,983

  105,303

  1989

  48,711

  14,027

  35,479

  98,217

  1990

  51,031

  12,688

  25,361

  89,080

  1991

  15,477

  4,233

  6,510

  26,220

  1992

  2,460

  646

  745

  3,851

  1 The system of grants to private owners and tenants under the Housing Act 1985 ended at the end of June 1990. Although no more grants were approved after that date, payments will continue for grants approved earlier.

  2 Includes grants paid to housing associations under private owner legislation and grants to tenants in both private and public sectors.

  Table 2

  Grants paid to private owners and tenants under the Local Government and Housing Act 19891

  England

  Number of Grants

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Renovation Grants

  Mandatory

  259

  14,986

  29,588

  Discretionary

  255

  3,206

  5,157

  Disabled Facilities Grants

  Mandatory

  360

  10,790

  16,261

  Discretionary

  13

  180

  287

  HMO2 Grants

  Mandatory

  5

  361

  757

  Discretionary

  —

  22

  58

  227

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Common Parts Grants

  Mandatory

  4

  51

  122

  Discretionary

  —

  17

  27

  Minor Works Assistance3

  Mandatory

  6,667

  29,042

  28,969

  All

  Mandatory

  628

  26,188

  46,728

  Discretionary

  6,935

  32,467

  34,498

  1 The new system of grants under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 came into operation from July 1990 in England and Wales, apart from Minor Works Assistance (April 1990).

  2 HMO stands for Houses in Multiple Occupation.

  3 Grants for Minor Works Assistance are discretionary.

  Table 3

  Grants paid to private owners and tenants under Housing Act 19851 2

  England

  £ thousands

  Conversion and improvement

  Intermediate and special

  Repairs

  All

  1982

  185,867

  42,108

  54,184

  282,159

  1983

  318,712

  65,453

  271,325

  655,490

  1984

  413,840

  83,619

  341,924

  839,383

  1985

  271,996

  86,751

  166,352

  525,099

  1986

  208,771

  72,368

  113,783

  394,921

  1987

  199,977

  54,482

  107,554

  362,013

  1988

  190,908

  46,658

  109,508

  347,074

  1989

  188,092

  39,683

  100,881

  328,656

  1990

  202,655

  34,628

  74,545

  311,828

  1991

  91,083

  14,701

  21,004

  126,788

  1992

  15,700

  2,529

  2,473

  20,702

  1 The system of grants to private owners and tenants under the Housing Act 1985 ended at the end of June 1990. Although no more grants were approved after that date, payments will continue for grants approved earlier.

  2 Includes grants paid to housing associations under private owner legislation and grants to tenants in both private and public sectors.

  Table 4

  Grants paid to private owners and tenants under the Local Government and Housing Act 19891

  England

  £ thousands

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Renovation Grants

  Mandatory

  1,144

  124,766

  289,562

  Discretionary

  309

  12,536

  20,829

  Disabled Facilities Grants

  Mandatory

  656

  31,911

  58,342

  Discretionary

  37

  624

  1,182

  HMO2 Grants

  Mandatory

  29

  2,093

  5,805

  Discretionary

  —

  123

  598

  Common Parts Grants

  Mandatory

  16

  390

  694

  Discretionary

  —

  121

  151

  Minor Works Assistance3

  Discretionary

  3,541

  17,115

  18,422

  All

  Mandatory

  1,845

  159,160

  354,403

  Discretionary

  3,887

  30,519

  41,182

  1 The new systen of grants under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 came into operation from July 1990 in England

  228

  and Wales, apart from Minor Works Assistance (April 1990).

  2 HMO stands for Houses in Multiple Occupation.

  3 Grants for Minor Works Assistance are discretionary.

  Table 5

  Value of grants paid under Housing Act 1985, at constant 1982 prices1, 2, 3

  England

  £ thousands

  Conversion and improvement

  Intermediate and special

  Repairs

  All

  1982

  185,867

  42,108

  54,184

  282,159

  1983

  304,870

  62,610

  259,541

  627,022

  1984

  376,976

  76,170

  311,466

  764,613

  1985

  233,645

  74,519

  142,896

  451,060

  1986

  173,437

  60,120

  94,526

  328,082

  1987

  159,499

  43,454

  85,784

  288,736

  1988

  145,124

  35,468

  83,245

  263,838

  1989

  132,653

  27,987

  71,147

  231,786

  1990

  130,593

  22,315

  48,038

  200,945

  1991

  55,450

  8,950

  12,787

  77,187

  1992

  9,212

  1,484

  1,451

  12,147

  1 The system of grants to private owners and tenants under the Housing Act 1985 ended at the end of June 1990. Although no more grants were approved after that date, payments will continue for grants approved earlier.

  2 Includes grants paid to housing associations under private owner legislation and grants to tenants in both private and public sectors.

  3 Value of grants paid converted to constant prices using the Retail Prices Index.

  Table 6

  Value of grants paid under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, at constant 1982 prices1 2

  England

  £ thousands

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Renovation Grants

  Mandatory

  737

  75,956

  169,900

  Discretionary

  199

  7,632

  12,221

  Disabled Facilities Grants

  Mandatory

  423

  19,427

  34,232

  Discretionary

  24

  380

  694

  HMO3 Grants

  Mandatory

  19

  1,274

  3,406

  Discretionary

  —

  75

  351

  Common Parts Grants

  Mandatory

  10

  237

  407

  Discretionary

  —

  74

  89

  Minor Works Assistance4

  Discretionary

  2,282

  10,419

  10,809

  All

  Mandatory

  1,189

  96,895

  207,945

  Discretionary

  2,505

  18,580

  24,163

  1 The new system of grants under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 came into operation from July 1990 in England and Wales, apart from Minor Works Assistance (April 1990).

  2 Value of grants paid converted to constant prices using the Retail Prices Index.

  3 HMO stands for Houses in Multiple Occupation.

  4 Grants for Minor Works Assistance are discretionary.

  Urban Policy
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to recognise the requirement for long-term planning of urban regeneration.
  229
  Mr. Baldry
  The Government will continue to encourage and sustain long-term investment to improve the quality of life in our city areas, both through existing programmes and new initiatives. Urban development corporations will continue to attract private investment, which has so far totalled £12 billion. City challenge will continue to promote lasting regeneration and encourage partnership between central and local government, the private sector and local people. The Urban Regeneration Agency will draw together the present programmes of city grant, derelict land grant and English Estates to create a new unified approach to the regeneration of land in and around urban areas. All urban areas will benefit from substantial main programme spending.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when the index of urban deprivation will now be published;

  (2) if he will list each of his orginal and revised estimates of the date of the publication of the index of urban deprivation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  We have made no formal estimates of the date of publication of the results of our analysis of 1991 census data. The precise timing will depend on the outcome of continuing consultation with the local authority associations and other bodies, and on the finalisation of indicators.

  Name of body

  Post holder

  Position

  Annual salary (£)

  First appointed to board

  Present appointment

  From

  To

  Commission for the New Towns

  Lord Finsberg

  Deputy Chairman

  9,790

  1 September 1992

  1 September 1992

  31 August 1996

  Lord Bellwin

  Member

  6,310

  1 April 1985

  1 April 1993

  31 March 1995

  Countryside Commission

  Earl of Swinton

  Member

  5,050

  1 July 1987

  1 July 1990

  30 June 1993

  English Nature

  Earl of Cranbrook

  Chairman

  35,150

  5 November 1990

  5 November 1990

  31 March 1994

  Earl Peel

  Member

  6,310

  5 November 1990

  1 April 1993

  31 March 1996

  Joint Nature Conservation Committee

  Lord Selborne

  Chairman

  23,435

  4 September 1991

  4 September 1991:

  31 March 1994

  National Rivers Authority

  Lord Crickhowell

  Chairman

  52,945

  10 July 1989

  10 July 1989

  30 June 1994

  Lord Gregson

  Member

  8,090

  1 July 1991

  1 November 1992

  31 October 1995

  Rural Development Commission

  Lord Shuttleworth

  Chairman

  31,360

  1 May 1990

  1 May 1990

  30 April 1994

  Urban Development Corporation Leeds

  Baroness Lockwood

  Member

  5,030

  30 June 1988

  30 June 1991

  29 June 1994

  Urban Development Corporation London Docklands

  Lord Cocks

  Deputy Chairman

  23,175

  1 November 1988

  2 March 1992

  1 March 1995

  Urban Development Corporation

  Lord Dormand

  Deputy Chairman

  8,590

  22 June 1987

  22 June 1991

  21 June 1993

  Teesside

  Baroness Eccles

  Member

  5,030

  22 June 1987

  22 June 1991

  21 June 1993

  Sellafield (Radioactive Discharges)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the views of the Government of the Republic of Ireland on the pollution inspectorate's recommendations on the new authorisations for radioactive discharges from the Sellafield site in Cumbria.

  Mr. Yeo
  The views expressed by all respondents, including the Irish Government, were taken into account by the chief inspector of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the radiological inspectorates of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in their report on the public consultation on their proposed draft

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. Gummer
  Such information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. Gummer
  The following members of the House of Lords are currently serving on the boards of executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by my Department. The other information requested is not available.

  authorisations for British Nuclear Fuels' Sellafield site. The inspectorates' report has been carefully considered by my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. They intend to carry out a further round of public consultation which will include the Irish Government.

  Property Services Agency
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the value of the land and buildings in the ownership of the Property Services Agency.

  Mr. Curry
  The value of freehold land and buildings on the PSA Services' departmental estate is estimated as £4 million.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the relative effectiveness of(a) dry storage of spent AGR fuel as waste in a store such as that proposed for Torness by Scottish Nuclear or (b) reprocessing of the spent fuel as low as reasonably advisable in implementing the principle on minimising exposure to radiation.

  Mr. Yeo
  Dry storage of spent nuclear fuel is not to be regarded as an alternative to reprocessing but rather as a measure which enables the owners of the spent fuel to defer any decision on whether to reprocess the fuel or to dispose of it directly. Unless a decision has been taken to dispose of it directly, the spent fuel in store is not to be regarded as a waste but as a resource from which uranium and plutonium can be extracted by reprocessing. It is for the owners of the spent fuel to determine whether they wish to implement dry storage and, if so, to satisfy the planning and regulatory authorities that their proposals are acceptable.

  Environment Council
  Mr. Congdon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Environment Council on 28 and 29 June.

  Mr. Gummer
  I and my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside represented the United Kingdom at the Environment Council in Luxembourg on 28 and 29 June. The Council discussed a lengthy agenda and achieved positive results.

  The Council adopted a common position, by qualified majority—QMV—on a directive on the control of volatile organic compound—VOC—emissions resulting from the storage of petrol and its distribution from terminals to service stations—the so-called "stage I" directive. This will control VOC emissions which contribute to the formation of ozone at ground level. Ozone is the main constituent of photochemical smog and a damaging pollutant. The directive will introduce a closed system of petrol distribution under which petrol vapours are recovered and regenerated into a petroleum product instead of being vented into the air as at present. The agreed text meets the Government's concerns, including the need to protect small service stations in rural areas; to allow the continued use of existing vapour recovery units; and to allow the continued use of measuring dipsticks for existing road tankers.

  The Council agreed unanimously a directive on hazardous waste incineration which sets combusion conditions and emission limits for incineration plant and other plants using hazardous waste as a fuel. The directive is an important contribution to securing incineration as an environmentally acceptable waste disposal route. The Government secured a number of important changes to the text which are intended to achieve a proper balance of costs and benefits. These relate in particular to the scope of the directive, emissions limits and the discharge of waste water. The directive will come into force for new plant two years after its publication in the Official Journal of the Communities and for existing plant three and a half years thereafter.

  The Council discussed two measures on vehicle emissions. Ministers agreed by QM V the text of a
  232
  directive, amending directive 70/220/EEC, which will set new exhaust emission standards for light commercial vehicles below 3.5 tonnes maximum weight. The new directive will require the same catalyst technology introduced for cars in 1992 to be applied to light duty vans and trucks, and will result in a significant reduction in traffic pollution from these vehicles. The standards will come into effect in October for the approval of new types and will apply to all models sold from 1 October 1994. In the text, the Council also agreed that additional provisions should be applied in a further stage for introduction in 1996–97. Ministers also made substantial progress towards agreement on a further directive on standards for passenger car emissions. This would introduce new limits for implementation in 1996–97, and provide for further measures to be considered for the year 2000.

  The Council agreed unanimously that the Community and its member states intend to ratify the biodiversity convention by the end of the year. The decision to do so is dependent on achieving essential safeguards concerning the financial provisions of the convention and will be kept under review

  The Council discussed proposed minor revisions to the annexes to the wild birds directive, but was unable to reach agreement. The issue has been referred back to the Committee of Permanent Representatives—COREPER—for further discussion, with a view to early adoption in the future.

  The Commission presented to the Council new proposals for the implementation in the Community of the Montreal protocol on ozone depleting substances with references to HCFCs and methyl bromide, and for Community ratification of the relevant amendments to the Montreal protocol. The Government welcomed the Commission's presentation, but will wish to consider the proposals in detail, especially as regards methyl bromide. In discussion, however, we were able to support the proposed cap on HCFC supply at 2.5 per cent. and a phase-out by 2015.

  The Council held a full discussion of the problems caused by the German packaging ordinance for the paper and plastics recycling industries in other member states, based on an oral report by the Commission. The majority of member states agreed that early action was necessary on a Community-wide basis. They welcomed the intention of the incoming Belgian presidency to give high priority to the proposed packaging and packaging waste directive. The Commission will be bringing forward a revised draft to take account of amendments proposed by the European Parliament.

  Among other matters, the Council formally adopted the regulation establishing a voluntary Community scheme on eco-management and audit; noted the good progress which had been made on the Commission's proposal for a revision of controls on the wildlife trade —the CITES regulation—and invited COREPER to take the discussion forward; adopted conclusions on follow-up to UNCED and to the conference of European Ministers for the Environment held in Lucerne in April; heard a report from the presidency on progress over the last six months on a number of proposals relating to climate change; adopted conclusions welcoming follow-up action in accordance with the Commission's communication on a "Common Policy on Safe Seas"; heard a report from the Commission on its preparations for a possible Community strategy on coastal zones; and welcomed a presentation by

  233
  the Commission of new internal measures that it has introduced to improve the integration of environmental concerns into other Community policies.

  The Commissioner announced that the Commission had adopted criteria for the award of Community eco-labels for the first two product groups under the Community scheme—washing machines and dishwashers —and that the scheme was now in operation.

  Church Urban Fund
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Church Commissioners and the Church of England about the use of urban deprivation index to assess the appropriate level of grants from the church urban fund.

  Mr. Baldry
  Officials from the Department of the Environment met Church of England officials on 6 May and there have been subsequent contacts and correspondence. The Church of England has made helpful comments on our contractors' proposals for assessing urban conditions.

  THORP
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list his statutory responsibilities and functions under the Radioactive Substances Acts in respect of considering justification for operating a thermal oxide reprocessing plant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  Under section 12A of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has power to direct the chief inspector to refuse an application for an authorisation to dispose of radioactive waste, or to direct him to grant such an authorisation subject to limitations or conditions, if any, as my right hon. Friend may specify in the direction. Under section 12B my right hon. Friend has power to require the chief inspector to refer an application to him so that he may determine it.

  The Act does not refer to the matters which my right hon. Friend is to take into account in considering whether, and if so how, to exercise these powers.

  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the period of consultation over the justification for operating THORP will formally begin; when it will end; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will go out to consultation when they have the further information and material referred to in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, North (Mr. Thompson) on 28 June,Official Report, column 392. The consultation period is expected to last two months.

  Water Disconnections
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many domestic water disconnections took place in Severn-Trent during the last 12 months and in each of the previous five years.

  Mr. Yeo
  The information requested is given in the table, and relates to Severn Trent Water's supply area, and 234
  that of the former Severn Trent water authority. Information on disconnections prior to privatisation includes total disconnections, domestic and non-domestic.

  Number

  1987–88

  1932

  1988–89

  11,101

  1989–90

  985

  1990–91

  286

  1991–92

  1,284

  1992–93

  1,215

  1 Domestic and non-domestic.

  Sellafield (Radioactive Discharges)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his report will be published into the incident which involved the discharge of elevated levels of radioactivity from Sellafield on 12 February.

  Mr. Yeo
  The report is published today by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. I have placed a copy of the report in the Library of the House.

  The report concludes, in particular, that the discharge occurred because a ventilation system from a cell area was unfiltered. Steps have been taken to guard against a recurrence. The radiation dose to the most exposed member of the public from the incident would not have exceeded one thousandth of the average radiation dose to such a person from natural radiation in a year in the United Kingdom. There was no contravention of the Sellafield nuclear site licence conditions or of the current authorised discharge limits for aerial discharges in connection with the incident.

  The regulating authorities are to audit Sellafield's facilities on the site to ensure that the possibility of a recurrence of similar incidents is minimised.

EDUCATION

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 6 November,Official Report, column 513, how many grant-maintained schools folders have now been produced for the distribution of booklets; and what was the cost of (a) the production and (b) the distribution.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A total of 210,000 folders have been produced to date, at a cost of £51,181, excluding the cost of the booklets they normally contain. The cost of distributing these folders forms part of a general charge to the Department and cannot be disaggregated.

  Young People
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total number of(a) 18-year-olds, (b) 17-year-olds and (c) 16-year-olds in January (i) 1991, (ii) 1992 and (iii) 1993; and if he will list for each year the number in full-time education in (1) school including maintained, independent and special schools and (2) further education, excluding those on youth training schemes in colleges.
  235
  Mr. Boswell
  The numbers of 18, 17 and 16-year-olds in England and the numbers in full-time education are shown in the table.

  (Academic years, thousands)

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Population aged

  18

  678.3

  636.7

  604.9

  17

  634.5

  602.2

  579.4

  16

  599.0

  577.3

  554.8

  Pupils in full-time education in school (excluding sixth form colleges)1 aged

  18

  14.8

  15.9

  16.5

  17

  130.1

  135.3

  138.7

  16

  185.6

  195.3

  195.6

  Students in full-time further education (including sixth form colleges but excluding those on youth training schemes in colleges)1 aged

  18

  67.2

  77.8

  89.2

  17

  136.2

  152.9

  174.2

  16

  161.7

  180.7

  193.1

  1 The figures for 1992–93 are provisional estimates based on partially processed returns from schools and colleges.

  Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about the new general national vocational qualifications.

  Mr. Patten
  I have today announced that the three levels of GNVQ should in future be known by names rather than numbers:

  "Advanced" for Level 3,

  "Intermediate" for Level 2, and

  "Foundation" for Level 1.

  "Advanced" GNVQs—or "vocational A Levels" will help pupils, students, parents, teachers, higher education and employers to understand that these GNVQs require a level of achievement equivalent to two GCE A-Levels.

  Bradford City Technology College
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what total financial assistance has been given to Bradford city technology college, to date, by(a) the private sector and (b) the public sector; how much will be given to the college by each sector in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list the names of all persons, companies or other organisations in the private sector who, to date, have given financial assistance to Bradford city technology college to support its capital or revenue expenditure; and if he will list the names of all persons, companies or other organisations in the private sector who have indicated their intention to offer financial assistance to the college over the next three years.

  Mr. Forth
  The initial capital cost of establishing Bradford city technology college totalled £9.16 million of which the Department for Education contributed £7.33 million and sponsors £1.83 million. The major sponsors were: Dixons Group plc, Mr. H. Wong and Kodak plc.

  The directors of the college are committed under the terms of their funding agreement with the Secretary of State to provide a minimum of 20 per cent. of any further
  236
  capital expenditure. Revenue expenditure of CTCs is met from recurrent grant provided by the Secretary of State. As with other schools, individuals and organisations make voluntary contributions from time to time; these are matters for the directors of the college concerned.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Baltimar Zephyr
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) of 16 June,Official Report, columns 644–45, what information he has on whether the Indonesian Government have tried any crew members of the Baltimar Zephyr for mutiny.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are not aware that any crew members of the Baltimar Zephyr have been tried for mutiny.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the extent of mobilisation of Bosnian-Croat citizens in Bosnia-Herzegovina on 30 June; what action he plans in the event of fighting by these forces: if he will bring forward plans to impose economic and diplomatic sanctions against the Republic of Croatia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are aware of reports that all three parties in the conflict in Bosnia are taking further steps to mobilise their citizens. We are pressing all parties to stop fighting and to support the peace process. We are also pressing the Croatian Government to co-operate fully in this. Croatia was put on notice by the 8 June meeting of EC Foreign Ministers that restrictive measures would he initiated against it if the situation so required.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times representatives of Her Majesty's Government have met President Franjo Tudjman of Croatia since January 1991; and what was the purpose of each meeting.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Representatives of Her Majesty's Government have met President Tudjman and his staff on numerous occasions since January 1991, most recently on 30 May when Her Majesty's ambassador in Zagreb met the President. The main purpose of our representations on this and previous occasions has been to press President Tudjman to co-operate fully with the efforts of the international community to achieve lasting and equitable settlements to the conflict in Bosnia, based on the principles established by the London conference, and to urge restraint in trying to restore Croatian sovereignty in the Serb-occupied Krajinas.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times representatives of Her Majesty's Government have met President Izetbegovic of Bosnia-Herzegovina since January 1991; and what was the purpose of each meeting.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Representatives of Her Majesty's Government have met President Izetbegovic and his staff
  237
  on numerous occasions since January 1991, most recently on 14 June 1993 when he visited London for talks with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. The main issues raised by President Izetbegovic were the arms embargo on the former Yugoslavia and the fighting in central Bosnia. My right hon. Friend set out British policies and encouraged President Izetbegovic to engage in negotiations to achieve a lasting and equitable settlement to the conflict in Bosnia, based on the principles of the London conference.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber (Sir R. Johnston) of 14, April,Official Report, column 581, what assessment he has made of the relation between that answer, his answer to that hon. Member in the Official Report, column 580 and information contained in United Nations Security Council note verbale, dated 16 March 1993, Ref. S/24900/Add. 27; on what basis the assumption was made that aircraft crossing the borders of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia into Bosnia-Herzegovina were flown by Bosnian Serbs; and what subsequent information he has received about the incident.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information referred to in the written answer given on 14 April to the hon. Member for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber by my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is contained in note verbale S/24900/Add. 30 of 26 March from the United Nations Secretary-General to the president of the Security Council. The aircraft observed at Gladovici on 13 March were seen to withdraw towards the Bosnian/Serbian border following the incident, but have not been definitively attributed to any party.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to urge the Security Council to defer decisions on actions in the former Yugoslavia until reliable evidence is available on which to make decisions.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In taking decisions on the former Yugoslavia, as on other areas of the world where there is a need to maintain international peace and security, Security Council members take account of the views of the United Nations Secretary-General as set out in his reports, as well as their own knowledge and assessment of a situation.

  Piracy
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will make representations to the Government of Indonesia for them to undertake to set up a full investigation of all acts of piracy and murder in Indonesian waters.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Her Majesty's embassy in Jakarta has on a number of occasions raised with the Indonesians the issue of attacks at sea. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised the subject during his visit there in April.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold talks with the Association of South-East Asian Nations about 238
  the establishment of multilateral agreements by their member states towards the prevention of piracy in the region.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There are no current plans for talks on piracy with ASEAN. The International Maritime organisation is the best forum in which to address this issue. The IMO has recently produced a report covering piracy in south-east Asia.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will hold talks with ASEAN about providing intelligence data relating to piracy and safety to merchant vessels travelling on the seas of that region.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The International Maritime Organisation is responsible for collating and disseminating information relating to attacks on shipping in the ASEAN region and elsewhere.

  Iran
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made, directly to the Government of Iran, or at the United Nations, concerning violation of women's human rights in Iran.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are concerned about all human rights abuses in Iran, including those against women. We regularly underline our concerns to the Iranians, both bilaterally and with our EC partners. The latest report of the United Nations Secretary-General's special representative on human rights in Iran includes information about the situation of women in Iran. We and our EC partners co-sponsored the resolution adopted by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on 10 March reflecting the special representative's concerns.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government of Iran have sought to impose restrictions on the dress of female United Kingdom diplomatic personnel in Iran; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Islamic dress code has to be observed in public by all women in Iran, including female foreign diplomats.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received in respect of Iranian attacks upon People's Mojahedin bases in Iraq; what his response has been; if he regards such attacks as being in contravention of Security Council resolution 598; what action Her Majesty's Government are taking on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have received a number of representations about the air raids carried out by Iran on 25 May inside Iraq. The possible contravention of UN Security Council resolution 598 is a matter for the Security Council which is permanently seized of this issue. We have expressed our serious concern at these air raids to the Iranian authorities.

  Cyprus
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on extradition arrangements between the United Kingdom and Cyprus.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Until 1990, extradition between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Cyprus was possible under the Commonwealth scheme for the rendition of fugitive offenders. Since 1990, extradition arrangements with the Republic of Cyprus are under the Extradition Act 1989 and the European convention on extradition.

  Murders (Holidaymakers)
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom citizens have been murdered on overseas holidays in each year since 1985; and if he will list the countries the murders occurred in.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The number of United Kingdom citizens murdered abroad since 1985, and reported to the FCO, is as follows:

  Numbers

  1985

  18

  1986

  26

  1987

  45

  1988

  55

  1989

  39

  1990

  50

  1991

  49

  1992

  51

  1993

  127

  1 First six months.

  Murders took place in 75 countries, as shown in the list. FCO records do not distinguish between holidaymakers, business people and residents abroad.

  Afghanistan

  Ireland

  Antigua

  Israel

  Argentina

  Italy

  Australia

  Jamaica

  Bahamas

  Jerusalem

  Belgium

  Kenya

  Belize

  Lebanon

  Bermuda

  Liberia

  Bolivia

  Malawi

  Brazil

  Malta

  British Virgin Islands

  Mexico

  Canada

  Morocco

  Canary Islands

  Mozambique

  Caymen Islands

  Netherlands

  Colombia

  New Zealand

  Cyprus

  Nigeria

  Czechoslovakia

  Pakistan

  Denmark

  Papua New Guinea

  Djibouti

  Peru

  Dominican Republic

  Philippines

  Egypt

  Portugal

  El Salvador

  Saudi Arabia

  France

  Somalia

  Gambia

  South Africa

  Germany

  Spain

  Ghana

  St. Lucia

  Greece

  St. Maarten (Netherland Antilles)

  Guatemala

  Guyana

  Sudan

  Honduras

  Swaziland

  India

  Sweden

  Indonesia

  Switzerland

  Iraq

  Tanzania

  240

  Thailand

  Venezuela

  Turkey

  Yugoslavia (Belgrade)

  Tunisia

  Zaire

  Togo

  Zimbabwe

  USA

  Uganda

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to his statement of 28 June,Official Report, column 657, what independent evidence he sought about the competence as saboteurs of the alleged conspirators against ex-President Bush before coming to his conclusion that the United States response was justified and proportionate.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United States have made it clear that they had evidence of Iraqi intelligence involvement in the attempt on the life of ex-President Bush in Kuwait. The United States briefed the Security Council about the evidence on 27 June.

  Belize
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to discuss future Central American and Caribbean issues with the new Prime Minister of Belize; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no such plans, but Her Majesty's high commissioner in Belmopan, who is in regular touch with the Belize authorities on a wide range of issues, called on the new Prime Minister shortly after the recent election.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Irish Language
  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) which experts in Irish-medium education advised the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education on the appropriateness of the courses in subject application, education and professional studies in the BEd degree at St. Mary's college, Belfast and in the PGCE course at Queen's university, Belfast to the needs of teachers of Irish in Irish-medium primary and secondary schools in Northern Ireland and of his Department;

  (2) what action his Department intends to take in relation to the training of teachers of the Irish language;

  (3) if the written advice of the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education is available to the public;

  (4) what criteria were adopted by the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education in determining the appropriateness of courses in subject application, education and professional studies in the BEd degree at St. Mary's college, Belfast and in the PGCE course at the Queen's university of Belfast to the needs of teachers of Irish in Irish-medium primary and secondary schools in Northern Ireland;

  (5) who are the experts in (i) the teaching of Irish and (ii) modern language teaching methodology who advised the Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education on the appropriateness of the course in Celtic for the BEd degree

  241
  at St. Mary's college, Belfast to the needs of student teachers of Irish in Northern Ireland and of his Department;

  (6) what criteria were adopted by the Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education in determining whether the Celtic course in the BEd degree at St. Mary's college, Belfast is suitable for the needs of student teachers of Irish in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  As a precondition of approval by the Department of Education, courses of initial teacher training—ITT—in Northern Ireland are considered by the Council for the Accreditation of the Teacher Education —CATE—and required to meet certain defined Government criteria. The form and nature of these criteria are currently set out in the Department's circular 1989/40 "Initial Teacher Training Approval of Courses" which replaced circular 1985/20. Bachelor of education courses at St. Mary's college of education and post-graduate certificate of education courses at St. Mary's and Queen's university, with a main subject option of Celtic which student teachers of Irish undertake, were considered against Government criteria set out in circular 1985/20 and were approved as suitable courses of teacher training in December 1989. To help CATE in its work, all ITT institutions in Northern Ireland were visited and reported on by the Department's inspectorate. Circulars 1985/20 and 1989/40 are in the public domain, but the advice given by CATE to the Department in respect of courses at individual institutions is confidential. A review of ITT in Northern Ireland is currently under way. Developments emanating from this review are likely to affect the mode and content of all ITT courses; include an increase in school-based initial teacher training and a clearer definition of the competences which successful teachers would be expected to have as they progress through initial teacher training, induction and the more advanced stages of their careers. After a period of consultation, any changes resulting from the review will be announced later this year.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the nature and scope of research into the teaching of Irish carried out by the staff of St. Mary's college and of the department and school of education of the Queen's university of Belfast since 1980.

  Mr. Ancram
  The emphasis in recent years has not been on research into the teaching of modern languages, including Irish, but on the provision of professional support and production of learning materials for use in the classroom. St. Mary's college of education, in conjunction with my Department and the education and library boards, has been actively involved in this area. One notable result has been the production of a graded reading scheme for children learning to read through the medium of Irish.

  At Queen's university, research into the teaching of Irish has been part of on-going research into the teaching of modern languages.

  Dr. Hendron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times inspectors from his Department have furnished him and his predecessors with reports on the teaching of Irish in higher education in the past 20 years; and what arrangements exist to make these reports available to the public.
  242
  Mr. Ancram
  There has been one substantive report on the teaching of Irish in St. Mary's college of education, which formed part of a general inspection of the college in 1987.

  This report was not a published document. It was supplied in confidence to the college authorities and to the Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

  Structural Funds
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the consultative draft of the "Northern Ireland Structural Funds Plan 1994 to 1999" was issued for consultation; and when he will make it available to right hon. and hon. Members elected for Northern Ireland constituencies.

  Sir John Wheeler
  The Department of Finance and Personnel circulated a consultation draft of the key sections of the "Northern Ireland Structural Funds Plan 1994 to 1999" to local interest groups on 25 June 1993. The closing date for the receipt of comments is 31 August. The interest generated in the draft plan has been much greater than anticipated with over 700 copies issued so far. Copies have already been issued to the Northern Ireland MEPs and main political party leaders, but I welcome the right hon. Gentleman's interest in the draft plan and would, of course, be pleased to send a copy to any of the Members elected for Northern Ireland constituencies if they request it.

  Water Main, Ballygowan
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he first received a complaint about a burst water main opposite 21–23 Saintfield road, Ballygowan; on what date the water main was repaired; why the water service was unable to repair the mains earlier; what is the estimated total loss of water in gallons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department of the Environment was notified on 21 June 1993 about a leaking hydrant opposite 21–23 Saintfield road, Ballygowan, and the repair was carried out on 1 July. During the period from 21 June to 1 July there were six burst mains, 25 burst service pipes and 16 leaking valves in the area requiring urgent repair as they were causing loss of water pressure and supply to consumers; the leaking hydrant was causing neither. It was not seen as a hazard to vehicular or pedestrian traffic and the other repairs were given priority. The estimated loss of water was 72,000 gallons.

  Homeless Young People
  Ms Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what help is given to those young people from Northern Ireland who find themselves homeless in Britain and wish to return to Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Northern Ireland Housing Executive has a statutory duty to respond to those persons who are homeless in Northern Ireland. Young people who are homeless in Britain do not come within its responsibility until they arrive in Northern Ireland.

  Road Safety, Ballygowan
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received about road safety on the main Belfast road, Ballygowan in the vicinity of the bus stop near Ballygowan Pharmacy, 15 The Square, Ballygowan; what consideration he has given to the provision of a pedestrian crossing at this location across the main Belfast road to unit 6; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  In the past six years, two requests have been received for the provision of a pedestrian crossing at this location. A survey will be carried out in September to determine whether a pedestrian crossing is needed.

  Young Migrants
  Ms Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial support is given to housing associations in Northern Ireland who wish to work specifically in advice and support to young people wishing to migrate to other parts of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Atkins
  None. In 1989–90, however, the Department of Health and Social Services grant aided the production of a leaflet "Second Thoughts—A Closer Look at Emigrating to London" which was jointly produced by a number of organisations, including one registered housing association. A copy of the leaflet will be placed in the Library.

  A further grant has been made available to produce an updated version of the leaflet, which is expected to be available in the autumn.

  Industrial Development Board
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what lists are held by the IDB of architects, quantity surveyors, mechanical and electrical contractors and structural engineers for engagement in design teams for capital projects or invitations to tender; and how such lists are compiled and reviewed.

  Mr. Atkins
  The IDB holds separate lists of architects; quantity surveyors; mechanical and electrical engineers; and civil and structural engineers. These lists are compiled on the basis of practice information supplied by applicant firms. The lists are not reviewed as it is the responsibility of applicant firms to update the practice information supplied to the IDB.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide a list of IDB construction contracts for the last four years indicating the total value of each contract, the names of firms in the respective design teams, the names of contractor firms and the names of those invited to tender.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information requested is being compiled and will be placed in the Library in due course.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement regarding the IDB's use of consultants in capital projects indicating whether they are appointed by rota, by free bid, by client preference or IDB preferences.

  Mr. Atkins
  The IDB assesses and selects professional practices for appointment as design consultants in capital 244
  projects. The assessment is based on the practice information submitted to it by firms seeking inclusion in IDB's select lists. Selection for particular projects is based on professional expertise, past performance, and the availability of resources to cope with the scale of design work within the project timescale. Account is taken also of any views stated by the IDB client company for whom the project is being built. There is no rota system, but the IDB does seek to spread work among consultants. Whenever possible, preference is given to local professional practices capable of undertaking the work.

  From 1 July 1993, the procurement of professional services will be governed by EC legislation as contained in the Public Services Contracts Regulations 1993.

  Emergency Provisions Act
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the exercise of the powers contained in section 57 of and schedule 5 to the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  During 1992, I received 24 applications from the Royal Ulster Constabulary for the appointment of persons to exercise the powers conferred by schedule 5 to the 1991 Act.

  The following statistics indicate the extent of the use of these powers during the 1992 calendar year.

  Number

  (a) number of applications for appointment

  124

  (b) number of appointments made

  123

  (c) number of notices to attend issued

  130

  (d) number of interviews conducted

  123

  (e) number of search warrants obtained

  10

  (f) number of persons charged with Schedule 5 offences

  11

  (g) number of persons convicted of Schedule 5 offences

  11

  (h) number of search warrants or orders obtained

  20

  (i) number of production orders obtained

  20

  (j) number of explanation orders obtained

  20

  1 Under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) act 1991.

  2 Under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989.

  I am satisfied that the powers have been used to good effect and that they are extremely useful in the continuing efforts to disrupt and curtail terrorist fund raising and to bring offenders to justice.

  Bus Services
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progresss has been made towards implementation of the recommendations contained in the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report of June 1989 on the bus services in Northern Ireland provided by Ulsterbus Ltd. and Citybus Ltd.; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have today placed in the Library of the House, the third and final response to the report which has been prepared by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland in consultation with the bus companies and the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company. I am glad to confirm that good progress has been made on the implementation of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's recommendations since this matter was last reported to the House in March 1991. The response now indicates that 42 of the 58 recommendations made by the
  245
  MMC have been implemented in full and that the remaining 16 recommendations have been accepted and their implementation is continuing.

  I am pleased to inform the House that research published recently by the General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland has shown that there has been a significant improvement in services provided by the bus companies since the council carried out similar research in 1987. This reflects in some measure the steps taken by companies in response to the MMC recommendations and the oversight of their implementation by the Transport Holding Company and the Department. In February 1993, the companies fulfilled the commitment in the Northern Ireland citizens charter by publishing their bus passengers charter. I am confident that the companies will meet the targets it sets for standards and quality of service and that, over time, will strive to improve standards even further, achieve better value for money and, in consultation with their customers, provide greater choice and a better and more attractive service which the public are entitled to expect.

  Industrial Electricity
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the transitional relief to monthly billed industrial electricity consumers in Northern Ireland, announced by him on 25 March, is in place; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Yes. Transitional relief in the form of rebates on electricity bills, will be paid to about 3,800 monthly billed industrial and commercial customers. This will enable the tariff increase for those customers, which took effect from 1 April 1993, to be reduced from an average of 15 per cent. to 9 per cent. The relief will be paid out of a trust fund of £12.9 million which has been established and funded out of the dividend of £16.5 million declared by NIE in respect of the year to 31 March 1993. A subsidiary company of Northern Ireland Electricity plc will act as trustee. These arrangements have been notified to and cleared by the European Commission.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to whom each of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Northern Ireland Office is responsible; whether the public bodies or their members in each case are subject to(a) surcharge, (b) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (c) scrutiny by the Audit Commission or National Audit Office, (d) the statutory provisions for open government which apply to local authorities, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charters; and whether the chairpersons and members of the boards of each of these bodies are required to declare an interest.

  Sir John Wheeler
  [holding answer 6 July 1993]:Available information can be obtained from the following publications, copies of which are held in the Library.

  (i) "Public Bodies 1992" lists the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments and includes the audit arrangements for each executive non-departmental public body.

  The responsibilities of the Audit Commission or National Audit Office do not extend to the six
  246
  Northern Ireland Departments, which have their own similarly appointed body—the Northern Ireland Audit Office.

  (ii) The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints is responsible for undertaking the investigation of complaints against non-departmental public bodies. The Commissioner for Complaints (Northern Ireland) Act 1969 and the "Statutes Revised (2nd edition) Cumulative Supplement" list the non-departmental public bodies subject to investigation by the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints.

  All public servants are subject to the citizens charter and non-departmental public bodies are therefore encouraged through their sponsor Departments to adopt charter principles.

  The other information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  School Drama Departments
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many school drama departments he has visited in his official capacity.

  Mr. Brooke
  Although invitations to school drama departments are more likely to go to Ministers in the Department for Education, I visited the Guildhall School of Music and Drama on 3 March.

  Theatre in Education
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many representations he has received regarding the future of theatre in education provision.

  Mr. Brooke
  Since the start of the current campaign on behalf of theatre in education, I have received more than 30 such representations.

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consultation he has had with(a) the Arts Council of Great Britain, (b) the regional arts boards, (c) the Department for Education and (d) local authority associations regarding the future of theatre in education provision.

  Mr. Brooke
  My Department has discussed theatre in education provision with the bodies listed in(a), (b), and (c), and additionally with the Welsh arts council.

  Regional Arts Boards
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage which education officers working with regional arts boards he has met in his official capacity.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have met no regional arts board—RAB —education officers for formal discussions. During regional visits, I have met informally several RAB officers whose responsibilities include educational issues.

  Tourist Accommodation
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what consideration has been given to a pan-European standard scheme for classifying and grading tourist accommodation; and if he will make a statement.
  247
  Mr. Sproat
  None. There is little industry support for such a proposal.

  Tourism
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage (1) how many full and part-time civil servants are employed in his Department on monitoring the activities of the British Tourist Authority; and what will be the cost of the salaries in the current financial year;

  (2) how many full and part-time civil servants are employed in his Department monitoring the activities of the English tourist board; and what will be the cost of their salaries in the current financial year.

  Mr. Sproat
  There are 20 staff employed in my Department's tourism division, including two who work part-time. It is part of the division's role to ensure that the British Tourist Authority and the English tourist board make effective and efficient use of the money voted to them by Parliament. The division's salary budget for 1993,–94 is £448,820.

HEALTH

  Nurses
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses were at work in the areas served by(a) the Trent regional health authority and (b) the Doncaster district health authority in the years 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  Figures for 1992 are not yet available.

  Nursing and midwifery staff (excluding agency) in Trent Regional Health Authority and Doncaster District Health Authority as at 30 September 1991: whole-time equivalents

  1991

  Number

  Trent Regional Health Authority

  37,950

  Doncaster District Health Authority

  2,630

  Notes:

  Figures are rounded to the nearest ten whole-time equivalents.

  Trusts are included in the totals.

  Ophthalmology
  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what were the average waiting times for in-patient and out-patient treatment for ophthalmology in each year since 1985 for each regional health authority and in England;

  (2) what was the year end waiting list for (a) in-patient and (b) out-patient treatment in ophthalmology for each regional health authority and in England in each year since 1985.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information available is shown in the table. Information about waiting times for ophthalmology treatment—in-patients and day cases—is not available prior to March 1988. Figures for March 1993 are not yet finalised, but provisional figures show that no one was waiting more than two years at 31 March 1993 in any region for hospital in-patient or day case treatment. Information on the number of people waiting for out-patient appointments is not available centrally.248

  Numbers waiting for Ophthalmology treatment—in-patients and day cases combined by Regional Health Authority for each year end since March 1988.

  Number waiting—by months waiting

  Region

  Total waiting

  0–11

  12–23

  24 plus

  March 1988

  Northern

  4,480

  3,884

  491

  105

  Yorkshire

  5,340

  4,538

  615

  187

  Trent

  4,903

  4,472

  343

  88

  East Anglian

  3,123

  2,616

  418

  89

  North West Thames

  4,746

  3,976

  582

  188

  North East Thames

  2,789

  2,350

  266

  173

  South East Thames

  5,016

  4,438

  487

  91

  South West Thames

  4,909

  3,362

  975

  572

  Wessex

  5,025

  4,216

  609

  200

  Oxford

  2,706

  2,537

  150

  19

  South Western

  5,436

  4,628

  714

  94

  West Midlands

  7,958

  6,533

  930

  495

  Mersey

  3,523

  3,057

  396

  70

  North Western

  8,741

  6,898

  1,529

  314

  SHAs

  2,413

  2,365

  42

  6

  England

  71,108

  59,870

  8,547

  2,691

  March 1989

  Northern

  4,881

  3,997

  600

  284

  Yorkshire

  5,936

  5,021

  749

  166

  Trent

  6,207

  5,547

  581

  79

  East Anglian

  3,872

  2,967

  756

  149

  North West Thames

  5,620

  4,637

  809

  174

  North East Thames

  3,428

  2,746

  358

  324

  South East Thames

  5,211

  4,559

  511

  141

  South West Thames

  5,335

  3,712

  1,041

  582

  Wessex

  5,084

  4,626

  367

  91

  Oxford

  2,978

  2,709

  231

  38

  South Western

  6,070

  5,254

  710

  106

  West Midlands

  8,829

  7,251

  1,188

  390

  Mersey

  4,335

  3,641

  621

  73

  North Western

  9,922

  8,130

  1,553

  239

  SHAs

  2,746

  2,534

  170

  42

  England

  80,454

  67,331

  10,245

  2,878

  March 1990

  Northern

  5,037

  4,340

  576

  121

  Yorkshire

  6,567

  5,767

  727

  73

  Trent

  7,396

  6,350

  921

  125

  East Anglian

  4,336

  3,677

  529

  130

  North West Thames

  5,088

  4,322

  654

  112

  North East Thames

  3,562

  3,299

  192

  71

  South East Thames

  6,268

  5,813

  328

  127

  South West Thames

  5,631

  3,587

  1,431

  613

  Wessex

  5,454

  5,111

  305

  38

  Oxford

  3,281

  2,859

  407

  15

  South Western

  6,854

  5,926

  836

  92

  West Midlands

  9,430

  7,838

  1,318

  274

  Mersey

  4,695

  4,412

  283

  0

  North Western

  11,953

  8,869

  2,493

  591

  SHAs

  2,904

  2,379

  434

  91

  England

  88,456

  74,549

  11,434

  2,473

  March 1991

  Northern

  5,412

  5,045

  325

  42

  Yorkshire

  7,997

  6,563

  1,236

  198

  Trent

  8,207

  7,011

  1,183

  13

  East Anglian

  5,323

  4,278

  908

  137

  North West Thames

  5,991

  4,935

  887

  169

  North East Thames

  3,900

  3,694

  179

  27

  South East Thames

  6,987

  6,309

  609

  69

  South West Thames

  4,360

  3,629

  603

  128

  Wessex

  5,639

  5,266

  336

  37

  Oxford

  4,289

  3,898

  367

  24

  South Western

  8,075

  7,202

  792

  81

  West Midlands

  9,495

  8,338

  996

  161

  Mersey

  4,875

  4,794

  81

  0

  North Western

  11,809

  9,150

  2,353

  306

  249

  Number waiting—by months waiting

  Region

  Total waiting

  0–11

  12–23

  24 plus

  SHAs

  2,851

  2,467

  239

  145

  England

  95,210

  82,579

  11,094

  1,537

  March 1992

  Northern

  6,260

  5,967

  293

  0

  Yorkshire

  8,798

  7,560

  1,238

  0

  Trent

  8,393

  7,456

  937

  0

  East Anglian

  5,137

  4,447

  690

  0

  North West Thames

  6,563

  5,534

  1,029

  0

  North East Thames

  5,245

  4,883

  360

  2

  South East Thames

  7,831

  7,129

  702

  0

  South West Thames

  4,787

  4,559

  228

  0

  Wessex

  5,712

  5,623

  89

  0

  Oxford

  3,705

  3,353

  352

  0

  South Western

  8,357

  8,233

  124

  0

  West Midlands

  10,107

  9,354

  746

  7

  Mersey

  6,380

  6,380

  0

  0

  North Western

  11,104

  9,747

  1,357

  0

  SHAs

  2,139

  1,918

  221

  0

  England

  100,518

  92,143

  8,366

  9

  EC Health Care
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has on total health care per head of population expressed in purchasing power parities in each EC country.

  Mr. Sackville
  The national health service will be spending £647 for every man, woman and child in the United Kingdom in 1993–94. Figures for the European Community are not available on a comparable basis.

  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects to publish the report of the task force on myalgic encephalomyelitis.

  Mr. Sackville
  A task force chaired by Dr. David Tyrrell has been established involving medical and scientific experts, representation from the myalgic encephalomeylitis voluntary organisations and an observer from the Department of Health. The task force will look at the existing literature and research with a view to disseminating the information to health care professionals. It will be for the task force to advise on whether its findings should be published.

  Abortions
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to issue guidance to health authorities on the appropriate provision for payment for abortions carried out in their area.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. It is the responsibility of individual health authorities to decide how best to provide and fund local health services.

  NHS Numbers
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total estimated cost of issuing new national health service numbers.
  250
  Mr. Sackville
  The costs of implementing the national health service number replacement programme are estimated at £22 million at today's prices, over the period 1992 to 1995.

  Out-patients Departments
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what surveys have been taken as to the number of people who have had to wait more than 30 minutes before seeing a doctor in an out-patients department during each of the last 12 months.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Performance against the patients charter, including the standard on 30 minutes waiting time in out-patient clinics, is monitored on a quarterly basis. A variety of methods can be used to obtain data, including surveys.

  Every purchasing authority is in the process of producing their first annual report on their providers' performance against all aspects of the patients charter.

  Information Management
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total estimated cost of the information management and technology strategy for the national health service.

  Mr. Sackville
  The major thrust of the information management and technology strategy for the national health service is that the implementation of computer systems is a local responsibility. Local managers take investment decisions in line with their business require-ments and are expected to obtain best value for money. Comprehensive details of estimated investments are not available centrally.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total estimated budget of the information management group of the national health service management executive for the financial year 1993–94.

  Mr. Sackville
  The total budget for the information management group for 1993–94 is £51,408,132.

  NHS Administrative Registers
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will make it her policy that no other Government Department or body will have access to information stored on national health service administrative registers;

  (2) what action the Government will take to ensure that information stored on national health service administra-tive registers will be used only for the purposes for which it is intended.

  Mr. Sackville
  Administrative registers are being developed in the national health service to enhance the care of patients and improve the management efficiency of the service. Any access to and use of information on the registers by other bodies will be strictly controlled for those purposes in accordance with agreements reached with the Data Protection Registrar.

  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total estimated cost of establishing the national health service administrative registers.

  Mr. Sackville
  There are five pilot projects in England to trial the establishment of local national health service
  251
  administrative registers. These sites are due to complete their work in late 1994 and the lessons learnt, including information on costs, will be the basis for decisions on national implementation.

  Drugs Expenditure
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of national health service spending in each year since 1979 has been spent on drugs.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is shown in the table.

  Year

  Total NHS drugs bill as a percentage of total NHS expenditure Per cent.

  1979–80

  10.2

  1980–81

  9.4

  1981–82

  9.6

  1982–83

  10.2

  1983–84

  10.7

  1984–85

  10.4

  1985–86

  10.5

  1986–87

  10.6

  1987–88

  10.7

  1988–89

  10.8

  1989–90

  11.2

  1990–91

  10.7

  1991–92

  10.9

  Note: 1992–93 expenditure figures are not yet available.

  Healthy Eating
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are being taken to promote healthier eating habits in the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The nutrition task force, set up under the "Health of the Nation" White Paper, has this week issued, for public consultation, its outline programme for co-ordinated action to address the dietary targets in the strategy. The programme covers the areas of education and information; catering; the food chain; and, the role of the national health service and health professionals. Copies of the programme will be placed in the Library.

  Information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Slimming Illnesses
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were admitted to hospitals in England and Wales suffering from the acute effects of anorexia and other slimming illnesses in the latest available year.

  Mr. Bowis
  The latest available figures for —England1989–90—show that there were 1,420 recorded finished consultant episodes with diagnoses of anorexia nervosa and a further 180 finished consultant episodes with the diagnosis of bulimia. Episodes involving the acute effects of these diseases are not separately identifiable. Information relating to Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.
  252
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are being introduced to help people suffering from anorexia and other slimming-related illnesses; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  Health Authorities are responsible for meeting the needs of people with eating disorders but the Department has advised on and drawn attention to the importance of such disorders in the "Mental Illness Key Area Handbook", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Hospital Services, Liverpool
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to discuss the future of hospital services in Liverpool with the relevant community health councils; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Liverpool Central and Southern community health council and Liverpool Eastern CHC have both responded to the consultation exercise carried out by Liverpool district health authority on proposals for the future development of health services in Liverpool.

  The responses have been referred to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State who will consider them carefully in deciding on Liverpool DNA's proposals.

  Paediatric Services
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated by paediatric services, in each year since 1988 in the north western and Mersey regions, broken down by hospital.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Bruce Martin, chairman of North Western regional health authority and Sir Donald Wilson, chairman of Mersey health authority, for details.

  Merseyside Hospitals
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will visit the Broadgreen, Alder Hey and Royal Liverpool University hospitals in the near future to discuss with the staff of those hospitals possible developments in the services they provide; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be meeting all the trust chairmen, in Mersey region, at Alder Hey hospital, as well as meeting district health authority and family health services authority chairmen.

  Provision of services at these hospitals are a matter for the trusts concerned together with their purchasing health authorities.

  Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received about the future financing of Broadgreen hospital, Liverpool; and if she will carry out a review of the present arrangements.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have received a number of letters from the general public about the future of Broadgreen hospital over the past few months, but none specifically about future financing. I shall be meeting with local Members of Parliament to discuss the future of Broadgreen next week.
  253
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will shortly be considering the proposals of Liverpool health authority for the future development of health services in Liverpool, which affect Broadgreen, and which have been referred to her for a decision.

  Dysentery
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of dysentery were reported in Nottingham during the last 12 months and in each of the previous five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Reported cases of dysentery in Nottingham 1987–1991

  Year

  Number

  1987

  8

  1988

  5

  1989

  148

  1990

  23

  1991

  38

  Note:

  The total number of reported cases in Nottingham for the last 12 months is 1101.

  1 Week ending 19 June 1992 to week ending 18 June 1993.

  There was a national increase in notifications of dysentry in 1991 and early 1992 with a subsequent fall in notifications in the second half of 1992. In addition to its usual role of surveillance and giving advice on the control of outbreaks of the disease, the Public Health Laboratory Service has established a working group of people with expertise in this area to determine whether any additional steps should be taken.

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she has approved the Human Fertilisation and Embryology authority's revised code of practice.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's revised code of practice was approved and laid before the Houses of Parliament today. Copies of the code of practice have been placed in the Vote Office.

  Nurses and Midwives
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish details of the numbers of NHS and midwifery staff by pay grades withn the groups of senior nursing and midwifery staff, educational staff, clinical nursing and midwifery staff, learners and other staff; if she will list the number of Project 2000 nursing students, in(a) 1989, (b) 1990, (c) 1991 and (d) 1992; and if she will give the percentage change between each year.

  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 23 June 1993]: The information for 1992 is not currently available. The information for 1989–91 will be placed in the Library.

  The fall in nurse numbers is a result of the continuing transfer of senior nursing staff to the managerial grades and the growing numbers of Project 2000 trainees who are not counted in the manpower figures.

SCOTLAND

  Kirkcudbright (Food Warnings)
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list details of all incidents where the local population at Kirkcudbright have been advised not to drink water or eat shellfish, the time scale involved in each case and the reason given for the advice in each case, for the last five years.

  Sir Hector Monro
  Since 1988, Dumfries and Galloway regional council has not issued any advice to Kirkcudbright consumers not to drink water from the public supply. There are a number of private water supplies in the area; Stewartry district council monitor these routinely and from time to time have advised individual owners of poor quality private supplies to boil the water before drinking it pending improvements. Records of these cases are not held centrally.

  Advising the general public not to eat shellfish is a matter for the appropriate district council's environmental health department. Stewartry district council has done this once—June 1993, Dhoon bay—following notification to the council by the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department that paralytic shellfish poison toxin levels were above the agreed safety limit. The Department does not have records of similar advice being given for any other reasons.

  Waiting List Initiative
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will identify, for each health board, the amount of money that has been spent in the private sector through the waiting list initiative each year since 1990.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information is as follows:

  £000

  Health board

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Argyll and Clyde

  406

  54

  136

  Ayrshire and Arran

  376

  26

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  19

  22

  Forth Valley

  50

  37

  33

  Grampian

  47

  —

  —

  Greater Glasgow

  1,742

  165

  —

  Lothian

  206

  —

  154

  Scottish Tourist Board
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many full and part-time civil servants are employed in his Department on monitoring the activities of the Scottish tourist board; and what will be the cost of their salaries in the current financial year.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Four full-time staff and one with part-time tourism responsibilities. Total salary costs are £107,660.

  Voluntary Organisations (Funding)
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total funding to voluntary organisations in Scotland(a) through local authorities and (b) through the Scottish Office direct in the last full year for which figures are available.
  255
  Mr. Stewart
  The figures for grants paid to voluntary organisations in Scotland by local authorities are not available centrally. Direct grants paid to voluntary organisations by the Scottish Office in 1992–93 totalled £.25.7 million.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many designated sites of special scientific interest are in(a) Inverclyde district and (b) Renfrew district; and if he will list them.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 7 July 1993]; The information is set out in the table. Some of these sites also lie within other districts as indicated.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest

  Site

  Other districts containing part of site

  (a) Inverclyde District

  Dargavel Burn

  Refrew

  Dunrod Hill

  Erskine Langbank

  Renfrew

  Glen Moss

  Renfrew

  Shielhill Glen

  Knocknairs Hill

  (b) Renfrew District

  Barmufflock Dam

  Boylestone Quarry

  Castle Semple and Barr Lochs

  Clochodrick Stone

  Dargavel Burn

  Inverclyde

  Erskine Langbank

  Inverclyde

  Formakin

  Glen Moss

  Inverclyde

  Lock Libo

  Shovelboard

  Walkmill

  Glasgow and Eastwood

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many of the functions of the Scottish tourist board are to be relocated from Edinburgh to Inverness by 1 April 1995; and if he will list them;

  (2) what assessment he has carried out of the costs of relocating Scottish tourist board staff and functions to Inverness by 1 April 1995; how many staff will be involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 7 July 1993]: I expect the Scottish tourist board to establish a substantial office presence in Inverness, representative of the range of its functions. The numbers of staff involved and precise costs can be determined only once the STB has identified which jobs are to be transferred; I expect, however, overall expenditure to be kept within existing resources.

  Tourism
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce the reduction in the number of area tourist boards envisaged as part of the tourism support arrangements announced on 29 June; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 7 July 1993]: I am asking the Scottish tourist board to consult local interests and to make recommendations. I anticipate that this will take a
  256
  period of some months. Thereafter, I shall consider its proposals carefully and make an announcement as soon as I can.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he intends to take to strengthen the composition of the Scottish tourism co-ordinating committee; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 7 July 1993]: I am consulting members of the group and shall make an announcement as soon as I can. My aim is to ensure that the group represents the interests of the tourist industry in all its facets.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how the board level appointments envisaged as part of the tourism support arrangements announced on 29 June will be made to represent geographic spread within Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 7 July 1993]: I intend to make cross-board appointments to the boards of the Scottish tourist board, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The purpose of these appoint-ments is to ensure collaboration between the bodies rather than to represent geographic spread of membership.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the implications of local government reorganisation for the role of local authorities in tourism support arrangements following his review of Scottish tourism; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 7 July 1993]: The arrangements which I have announced will ensure that local authorities remain, both before and after local government reorganisation, major players in the develop-ment of Scotland's tourist industry.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the organisations and individuals who responded to the Scottish Office tourism review indicating which of them expressed a view on(a) the relocation of staff and functions from Edinburgh to Inverness and (b) the requirement for an annual strategic plan for Scottish tourism; what plans he has to publish a summary of the responses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 7 July 1993]: Responses were received from:

  Number

  Statutory agencies

  8

  Tourist industry representative organisations

  25

  Tourism businesses

  195

  Area Tourist Boards and representative organisations

  34

  Local authorities (plus COSLA)

  54

  Local Enterprise Companies

  17

  Other organisations and individuals

  88

  The need for a national strategy which set out clear objectives and operational arrangements for the industry was a theme which ran through many of the responses, although differing opinions were expressed as to how this might be achieved. The decision to relocate Scottish tourist board staff to Inverness was taken because the Government concluded that it was in the interests of tourism businesses in the highlands and islands that the Scottish tourist board should have representation there.
  257
  In accordance with normal practice, all responses to the review have been made available to the public. I have no plans to publish a summary.

EMPLOYMENT

  Employment Rehabilitation Centre, Preston
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the future of the residential employment rehabilitation centre in Ingol, Preston.

  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 M. E. G. Fogden to Mrs. Audrey Wise, dated 8 July 1993:

  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to him about the future of the residential employment rehabilitation centre in Ingol, Preston. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

  As you will know from previous correspondence, the decision to close the Employment Rehabilitation Centre at Ingol resulted from our plans to improve the quality and accessibility of employment assessment and rehabilitation for people with disabilities. The decision was taken only after we were satisfied that a network of agents was in place which could provide at least as good a service as that offered by Ingol.

  The centre was closed on 31 December 1992. Tenders were invited and the site has now been sold subject to contract. Until the sale is concluded, you will appreciate that it would not be right for me to comment on possible future uses.

  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.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many early leavers on youth training in each of the last five years in the London East area had completed(a) 10, (b) 20, (c) 30, (d) 40, (e) 50, (f) 60, (g) 70, (h) 80, (i) 90 and (j) 104 weeks of their course.

  Persons employed full/part-time and self-employedGreat Britain

  (thousands)

  Employment status in main job

  Spring 1990

  Spring 1991

  Spring 1992

  Winter 1992/93

  Employees

  Full-time1

  17,199

  16,758

  16,234

  15,983

  Part-time1

  5,055

  5,117

  5,159

  5,145

  Self-employed

  3,472

  3,318

  3,131

  3,046

  People with two jobs: one as self-employed and one as employee2

  308

  309

  281

  272

  1 The definition of full and part-time is based on respondents own assessment.

  2 Self-employed job may be either main or second job.

  Source: Labour Force Survey (not seasonally adjusted).
  258
  Miss Widdecombe
  Information is not available in the exact form requested. The following table gives a breakdown of early leavers by length of stay in weeks for the London East area for the last five years.

  Youth training—duration on scheme of early leavers1 East London training and enterprise council area April 1988 to March 1993

  Percentage

  Weeks

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  21992–93

  0–4

  14

  14

  17

  18

  16

  5–8

  12

  15

  11

  11

  14

  9–13

  11

  12

  10

  11

  11

  14–26

  19

  21

  19

  22

  18

  27–39

  13

  11

  14

  11

  12

  40–47

  7

  6

  6

  5

  7

  48–52

  4

  3

  3

  3

  3

  53–65

  8

  8

  7

  7

  6

  66–78

  5

  4

  4

  4

  5

  79–91

  4

  3

  5

  4

  4

  92–99

  3

  2

  3

  2

  3

  100–104

  4

  0

  4

  4

  4

  105+

  4

  4

  1

  2

  2

  DK/NA3

  0

  0

  4

  4

  0

  Source: YT Leavers Database.

  Notes:

  1 Early leavers are those whose actual completion date was earlier than anticipated at the time they started training. This group will include those starting employment and those who subsequently take up another youth training course or a full-time course elsewhere.

  2 1992–93 figures are provisional.

  3 DK/NA stands for not known or not answered. A very small proportion of returned leavers certificates are not fully completed. In this case a very few certificates did not have sufficient information to work out the length of stay in training.

  4 Less than 0.5 per cent.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give for the last three years(a) the number of people in full-time employment, (b) the number of people in part-time employment, (c) the number of self-employed and (d) the number of people simultaneously employed and self-employed.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The available information from the labour force survey is given in the table.

  Age Discrimination
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made by his advisory group for older workers on the issue of employment discrimination; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  My advisory group is studying good practice with a view to issuing guidance to employers; I have issued a challenge to employers who discriminate on grounds of age to justify their policies; the group is seeking ways of raising public consciousness on this issue; the group has met twice and agreed a programme of work. It is actively advising me on the best ways to disseminate the message that age discrimination is harmful to the individual, to business and to the economy.

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment 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, arid the duration of the appointment.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Disallowed Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list by month for the last 12 months and by employment region in England the number of people disallowed unemployment benefit;

  (2) if he will list by month for the last 12 months and by employment region in Scotland the number of people disallowed unemployment benefit;

  (3) if he will list by month for the last 12 months and by employment region in Wales the number of people disallowed unemployment benefit.

  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 M. E. G. Fogden to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 8 July 1993:

  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Questions about the number of people disallowed unemployment benefit in each of the past 12 months in the employment regions in England, Scotland and Wales. This is something which falls within the responsibilities he has delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

  Unfortunately, the information you asked for is not available in the format you have requested. The statistics relating to adjudication officers decisions are not collated on a monthly basis but are compiled quarterly. This information, which includes an analysis of the grounds for disallowance, is published in a document, the "Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions". Copies of this document are held in the
  260
  Library. The latest available information is for the quarter ending 31 December 1992. The report for the quarter and year ending 31 March 1993 will be published by the end of July.

  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will not be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many complaints he has received about telephone access to advice from the Health and Safety Executive using the single public inquiry point in Sheffield or via the HSE free leaflet line.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In the six-month period from 1 January 1993 a total of 18 written complaints have been received. During this time, 55,338 telephone inquiries from members of the public were dealt with by the enquiry point. Most inquiries are addressed to the Health and Safety Executive area offices.

  Part-time Workers
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the proportion of female part-time workers on adult rates in Great Britain in April 1992, whose hourly earnings, exclusive of overtime, fell below(a) £3.95, (b) £5.26 and (c) £5.52; and what is the nearest equivalent information held in respect of part-time male workers.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested can be found in the table:

  Part-time employees on adult rates—pay unaffected by absence Proportion with hourly earnings excluding overtime below the following amounts:

  April 1992 (Per cent.)

  £3.95

  £5.26

  £5.52

  Women

  49.40

  75.90

  78.90

  Men

  49.20

  70.60

  72.60

  Source: New Earnings Survey.

  Youth Cohort Study
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the percentage of the first sweep of each cohort of the youth cohort study who were in (i) full-time education, (ii) a full-time job, (iii) on youth training or other scheme, (iv) unemployed or (v) other.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Youth cohort study, sweep 1, cohort 1 to cohort 6 Activities of 16 and 17 year-olds, England and Wales

  (Per cent.)

  Proportion of cohort in

  Cohort

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  Full-time education

  37

  39

  42

  50

  58

  66

  Full-time job

  29

  22

  23

  24

  18

  13

  Youth training scheme

  17

  28

  26

  22

  14

  11

  Unemployed

  15

  10

  8

  3

  7

  7

  Other

  2

  1

  1

  2

  2

  2

  Notes:

  1. Cohorts 1 and 2 covered pupils in state schools only;

  261
  independent schools were included from cohort 3 onwards.

  2. Definition of unemployment does not follow ILO definitions as used in the Labour Force Survey. The unemployed exclude young people in full-time education.

  Source: Youth Cohort Study.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the percentage of those who hold (i) GCSE/GCE O-level A-C, (ii) other GCSE/GCE and (iii) no qualifications in each sweep of each cohort of the youth cohort study who were in(a) full-time education, (b) a full-time job, (c) on youth training or other scheme, (d) unemployed or (e) other.

  Miss Widdecombe
  As the information is contained in a considerable number of tables, I will write to the hon. Member.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of(a) 18-year-olds, (b) 17-year-olds and (c) 16-year-olds in January (i) 1991, (ii) 1992 and (iii) 1993 who were on youth training schemes.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information is collected when a trainee leaves youth training. As some trainees who were on schemes in January 1992 and January 1993 will not yet have left, reliable figures are not available. In January 1991, of those on youth training schemes in Great Britain 27 per cent. were aged 16, 46 per cent. were 17 and 27 per cent. were 18 or over.

  Redundancy
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated total amount spent on redundancy pay since 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Primary responsibility for the payment of statutory redundancy payments lies with employers. Information is not available on the number or costs of payments made by employers.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State may make payment from the national insurance fund to employees whose employer is unable to pay. The redundancy fund was merged with the national insurance fund in February 1991. The cost of payments for each available year is as follows:

  £ million

  Year

  Cost

  1979–80

  19.3

  1980–81

  42.0

  1981–82

  53.0

  1982–83

  72.2

  1983–84

  69.0

  1984–85

  57.1

  1985–86

  54.6

  1986–87

  50.2

  1987–88

  34.9

  1988–89

  32.4

  1989–90

  25.7

  1990–91

  67.6

  1991–92

  131.8

WALES

  Accident and Emergency Hospital Units
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for the latest year, for each accident and emergency hospital unit in Wales,(a) the total number of patients admitted for treatment, (b) the number of patients admitted at night and (c) the number of nights that the unit was closed for admissions.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on the number of patients admitted to a hospital bed as an in-patient following treatment at an accident and emergency department, the number admitted at night and the number of nights that each unit is closed for admissions is not available centrally.

  The available information relates to the number of out-patient attendances at accident and emergency departments and is given in the table:

  Total out-patient attendances at accident and emergency depart-ments 1991–92

  Ysbyty Glan Clwyd

  36,957

  H M Stanley

  2,942

  Ysbyty Maelor

  52,039

  Flint Community

  4,119

  Holywell Community

  9,519

  Llangollen

  1,927

  Mold Community

  18,558

  Ruthin Community

  2,806

  Chirk Community

  2,458

  Colwyn Bay Community

  2,624

  Denbighshire Infirmary

  5,818

  West Wales General

  21,920

  Llandovery

  1,548

  Cardigan

  4,689

  Aberaeron

  542

  Bronglais

  14,497

  Tregaron

  231

  Prince Phillip

  37,005

  Nevill Hall

  41,702

  Blaenavon H C Unit

  3,802

  Monmouth

  2,053

  Tredegar

  3,904

  Blaina

  1,859

  Ebbw Vale

  1,857

  Royal Gwent

  65,410

  County, Griffithstown

  10

  Mt Pleasant, Chepstow

  4,178

  Pontypool

  8,068

  Ysbyty Gwynedd

  24,530

  Llandudno General

  14,994

  Bryn Beryl

  1,835

  Dolgellau and Barmouth

  2,813

  Ffestiniog Memorial

  4,660

  Stanley Sailors

  6,186

  Tywyn and District War Memorial

  3,714

  Bronygarth

  2,358

  Prince Charles

  49,380

  Aberdare

  18,162

  Mountain Ash

  12,754

  Princess of Wales

  47,294

  Bridgend General

  676

  Maesteg

  1,518

  Llwynypia

  18,967

  Treherbert

  31

  Caerphilly District Miners

  14,625

  Aberbargoed

  3,130

  Redwood

  2,772

  East Glamorgan

  44,641

  Withybush

  27,278

  Tenby

  3,540

  263

  Total out-patient attendances at accident and emergency depart-ments 1991–92

  South Pembrokeshire

  6,444

  Llandrindod Wells

  7,577

  Llanidloes

  1,761

  Montgomery CI

  4,399

  Victoria Memorial

  4,161

  Bro Ddyfi Community

  4,280

  Breconshire War Memorial

  8,850

  Builth Cottage

  4,868

  Ystradgynlais

  2,962

  University Hospital of Wales

  394

  Cardiff Royal Infirmary

  90,037

  Barry Community

  8,127

  Whitchurch

  347

  Singleton

  30,510

  Morriston

  65,841

  Glydach War Memorial

  34

  Gorseinon

  317

  Neath General

  35,401

  Total

  935,120

  National Health Service (Incident Reports)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information his Department collects on the volume of untoward incident reports at national health service provider units in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office does not routinely collect information of this general nature.

  Economically Inactive People
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many and what percentage of(a) men between 16 and 65 years and (b) women between 16 and 60 years were recorded by the 1991 census in Wales as economically inactive;

  (2) how many people, and what percentage of adults aged between 16 years and the pensionable age, were recorded by the 1991 census in Wales as economically inactive.

  Mr. Redwood
  The numbers and percentages of(a) males, (b) females and (c) adults in Wales aged between 16 years and the pensionable age recorded by the 1991 census as economically inactive are given in the table. "Economically Inactive" includes housewives, students and others who are making an important contribution to community life.

  Notifications of food poisoning—(data are for weeks ending)

  1993

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  8 January to 29 January

  5 February to 26 February

  5 March to 2 April

  9 April to 30 April

  7 May to 28 May

  Clwyd

  31

  28

  29

  35

  89

  Dyfed

  31

  14

  33

  15

  61

  Gwent

  20

  19

  38

  28

  32

  Gwynedd

  3

  8

  8

  4

  17

  Mid Glamorgan

  50

  42

  37

  38

  66

  Powys

  8

  7

  14

  11

  11

  South Glamorgan

  102

  83

  98

  86

  155

  West Glamorgan

  34

  37

  29

  32

  65

  Wales

  279

  238

  286

  249

  496

  264

  Economically inactive

  Percentage of resident population aged 16 to 59/64 per cent.

  Males aged 16 to 64

  164,933

  18.8

  Females aged 16 to 59

  303,722

  37.5

  Persons aged 16 to 59/64

  468,655

  27.8

  Source: Aggregated from 1991 Local Base Statistics.

  Note: Information for age-groups 16 to 65 and 16 to 60 for men and women respectively are not available.

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current value of the assets of the Forestry Commission in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The latest valuation of the Forestry Commission's assets in Wales, as at 31 March 1992, was £651.6 million.

  Hospital Infection Control
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of directly-managed hospital units and hospital trusts in Wales indicating whether or not they have established an infection control committee and an infection control team.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Welsh Office guidance issued in 1990 required all Welsh health authorities to establish infection control committees and infection control teams for all hospitals.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the cost to the NHS of hospital-acquired infection in Wales and the number of lost bed days from such infection.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This information is not held centrally.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has by county of the number of cases of food poisoning for each month of 1993 to date; and what were the figures in 1992 and 1991 for the comparable period.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is given in the table:
  265

  1992

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  10 January to31 January

  7 February to28 February

  6 March to3 April

  10 April to1 May

  8 May to 29 May

  Clwyd

  36

  35

  29

  14

  84

  Dyfed

  11

  38

  31

  51

  47

  Gwent

  25

  28

  42

  42

  29

  Gwynedd

  5

  4

  7

  5

  10

  Mid Glamorgan

  31

  22

  41

  30

  81

  Powys

  4

  4

  3

  3

  10

  South Glamorgan

  22

  10

  18

  37

  36

  West Glamorgan

  30

  28

  35

  30

  56

  Wales

  164

  169

  206

  212

  353

  1991

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  11 January to1 February

  8 February to1 March

  8 March to5 April

  12 April to3 May

  10 May to 31 May

  Clwyd

  29

  17

  42

  42

  78

  Dyfed

  12

  12

  34

  20

  43

  Gwent

  6

  10

  5

  7

  5

  Gwynedd

  4

  8

  12

  6

  5

  Mid Glamorgan

  27

  32

  23

  19

  18

  Powys

  7

  6

  2

  6

  8

  South Glamorgan

  19

  17

  46

  20

  23

  West Glamorgan

  44

  31

  25

  23

  42

  Wales

  148

  133

  189

  143

  222

  Notifications for 1993 are weekly figures combined to represent months. For prior years, similar groupings are presented to provide comparative data. Figures may have been corrected in the quarterly and annual updates.

  Source: Registrar General's Weekly Return (Office of Population Censuses and Surveys).

  Day Surgery
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance his Department issues to(a) general practitioner fund-holders and (b) health authorities on the specifica-tions they should include in their contracts with providers of day unit surgery to reduce the special risks attendant upon day surgery.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office has not issued any guidance on this matter to commissioners of health care as, in general, service specifications for developments of this kind are for local agreement, drawing on examples of best practice and professional advice.

  Optical Appliances Vouchers
  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the total number of optical appliances vouchers redeemed in Wales in each year since 1986; and what was the total cost of the optical appliances voucher scheme in Wales in each year since 1986.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information is given in the table:

  Optical appliance vouchers redeemed1

  Total cost of the optical appliance voucher scheme(£000)2

  1986–87

  3107,000

  2,087

  1987–88

  180,380

  3,341

  1988–89

  158,000

  3,265

  1989–90

  152,710

  3,595

  1990–91

  176,350

  4,278

  266

  Optical appliance vouchers redeemed1

  Total cost of the optical appliance voucher scheme(£000)2

  1991–92

  205,260

  5,597

  1992–93

  4227,170

  —

  1 Number of vouchers paid for by Family Health Service Authorities during the financial year. Figures are based on a two per cent. sample.

  2 Accrued expenditure relating to payments to opticians for value of vouchers excluding replacement and repair costs under the voucher scheme.

  3 The voucher system came into operation on the 1 July 1986.

  4 Provisional.

  Chemist Shops
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the number of small chemist shops or pharmacies located in each local authority area in the counties of Gwynedd and Clwyd in(a) 1980, (b) 1985 and (c)

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The number of pharmacies in each of the counties in question as well as the number of pharmacies receiving essential small pharmacy scheme payments is given in the table. The information is not available at local authority area level.

  Number of pharmacies

  Total1

  Receiving essential small pharmacy scheme payments2

  Clwyd

  1980

  89

  n/a

  1985

  83

  8

  267

  Total1

  Receiving essential small pharmacy scheme payments2

  1992

  88

  5

  Gwynedd

  1980

  63

  n/a

  1985

  59

  9

  1992

  62

  4

  1 As at 31 December for 1980 and 1985 and at 31 March 1992.

  2 As at October 1985 and September 1992.

  n/a Not available.

  Rate per 1,000 population aged 65 and over

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Clwyd

  41.5

  42.2

  41.5

  40.6

  40.4

  36.8

  Dyfed

  28.6

  29.0

  30.9

  30.5

  30.4

  30.3

  Gwent

  19.5

  21.1

  19.9

  18.7

  18.2

  16.8

  Gwynedd

  36.5

  39.7

  41.1

  39.9

  39.3

  38.3

  Mid Glamorgan

  20.9

  22.4

  23.1

  23.3

  24.5

  22.7

  Powys

  30.3

  31.6

  31.6

  31.8

  32.9

  30.8

  South Glamorgan

  32.5

  33.9

  34.7

  34.7

  32.7

  31.3

  West Glamorgan

  20.4

  20.3

  19.1

  18.3

  16.7

  15.9

  Wales

  28.1

  29.3

  29.4

  28.9

  28.5

  27.0

  House Renovation Grants
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what statistics he has collected on the level of expenditure on house renovation grants by each Welsh district council in the present financial year; which authorities have confined themselves to grants aiding unfit houses only; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The forecast gross capital expenditure on house renovation grants in 1993–94 for each Welsh district council is given in the table. The authorities whose April forecast does not include expenditure on discretionary renovation grants are Delyn borough council, Islwyn borough council, Radnorshire district council and Lliw Valley borough council.

  Local authorities' April forecast of expenditure on renovation grants1993–941

  £000

  Alyn and Deeside

  2,784

  Colwyn

  3,136

  Delyn

  1,817

  Glyndwr

  1,494

  Rhuddlan

  1,894

  Wrexham Maelor

  3,503

  Carmarthen

  4,486

  Ceredigion

  5,767

  Dinefwr

  2,898

  Llanelli

  4,796

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  6,268

  South Pembrokeshire

  4,787

  Blaenau Gwent

  6,501

  Islwyn

  5,700

  Monmouth

  1,640

  Newport

  5,068

  Torfaen

  2,961

  Aberconwy

  2,099

  Arfon

  3,816

  Dwyfor

  2,979

  Meirionnydd

  1,613

  Ynys Mon

  5,163

  Cynon Valley

  6,947

  Pensioners
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of pensioners in each district authority area in Wales were in(a) sheltered housing and (b) residential care in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The proportions of persons aged 65 and over living in residential care homes in each year since 1987 are shown in the table. Data at district level are not readily available. Information on the numbers living in sheltered housing is not held centrally.

  £000

  Merthyr Tydfil

  4,285

  Ogwr

  6,742

  Rhondda

  9,163

  Rhymney

  6,103

  Taff Ely

  3,879

  Brecknock

  2,389

  Montgomeryshire

  4,773

  Radnorshire

  1,997

  Cardiff

  23,820

  Vale of Glamorgan

  4,681

  Port Talbot

  3,796

  Lliw Valley

  3,728

  Neath

  3,974

  Swansea

  9,848

  Total

  177,295

  1 Local authorities' April forecast of expenditure. Includes discretionary and mandatory renovation grants.

  GP and GDP Surgeries
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the dental surgeons practising under the national health service in each local authority area in the counties of Gwynedd and Clywd in(a) 1980, (b) 1985 and (c) in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list the general practitioner surgeries located in each local authority area in the counties of Gwynedd and Clwyd in (a) 1980, (b) 1985 and (c)

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Lists of individual general dental surgeons and general practitioner surgeries are not maintained centrally. Each family health service authority maintains local directories of dentists and doctors.

  Welsh Language Projects
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the specific Welsh language projects which he has funded since 1987 under section 21 of the Education Act 1980; and what plans he has to fund further such projects.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  A wide variety of activities has been funded under section 21 of the Education Act 1980 since April 1987. These activities range from long-term programmes extending over many years to the production of a single school book. While it is not possible to define these important activities as separate projects, the list sets out all the organisations which have been funded under this scheme.County councils

  Clwyd

  Dyfed

  Gwent

  Gwynedd

  Mid Glamorgan

  Powys

  South Glamorgan

  West Glamorgan

  Resource Centres

  Canolfan Astudiaethau Iaith, Bangor

  National Language Unit, Treforest

  UC Aberystwyth—Resources Centre

  Welsh Joint Education Committee

  Welsh Language Education Development Committee (PDAG)

  Theatre in education TIE companies

  Clwyd TIE

  Coracle

  Crwban

  Cyfri 3

  Fran Wen

  Gwent TIE

  Iolo Morgannwg

  Man a Man

  Powys TIE

  West Glamorgan TIE

  Other organisations

  Acen

  Agricultural Training Board

  BBC Educational Broadcasts

  Cardiff Institute of Higher Education

  Centre for Alternative Technology

  Clwyd Language Centre

  270

  Coleg Normal Bangor

  Consortium for Assessment and Testing in Schools (CATS) Cymru

  Council for Education in World Citizenship (CEWC)

  Cyngor y Dysgwyr (Welsh Learners Council)

  David Watson (Computer Project)

  Eisteddfod yr Urdd Taff Elai (Urdd Eisteddfod at Taff Ely)

  Gwent College of Higher Education

  Gwynedd Health Authority

  Keep Wales Tidy

  London Welsh School

  Media Education Centre (MEC)

  Microelectronics Unit (MEU) Cymru

  Mid Glamorgan Fire Service

  National Centre for Religious Education

  National Educational Resources Information Service (NERIS)

  National Language Centre, Nant Gwrtheyrn

  National Museum Schools Service

  National Scientific Association

  North East Wales Institute

  Pili Palas

  Pioneers

  Rhieni Dros Addysg Gymraeg (Parents for Welsh Medium Education)

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  School Broadcasting Council for Wales

  School Curriculum Development Council

  School Curriculum Industry Partnership

  South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education

  Student Bursary Scheme

  Techniquest

  The Welsh Collegium

  Trinity College, Carmarthen

  UC Aberystwyth

  UC Bangor

  UC Cardiff

  UC London (Speech Therapy project)

  UC Swansea

  University of Glamorgan (formerly Polytechnic of Wales)

  University of Wales Registry

  University of Wales Welsh Language Teaching Centre

  Urdd Gobaith Cymru

  Wales Youth Work Partnership

  Welsh Books Council

  Welsh College of Music and Drama

  West Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education

  Women into Science and Engineering (WISE)

  Workers Education Association

  Zoological Society of Wales

  A circular inviting applications for funding next year will be issued shortly.

  Wales Tourist Board
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many full and part-time civil servants are employed in his Department on monitoring the activities of the Wales tourist board; and what will be the cost of their salaries in the current financial year.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Two staff are employed full time and four employed part-time in the Welsh Office on monitoring the activities of the Wales tourist board. Their total salary costs for these responsibilities amount to £76,767.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to ensure that there is secure accommodation for young offenders in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The provision of secure accom-modation is a local authority responsibility and no authority in Wales currently provides long-term secure accommodation. In order to facilitate the appropriate development of this provision, the Welsh Office undertook a review, the report of which was published in August 1991. The main recommendation of this report, the provision of an 18-place regional secure unit, has since been taken forward by a joint Welsh Office and local authority working party comprising representatives of all the South Wales county councils except South Glamorgan which opposes the development. The working party is currently awaiting a report from the consultants who have been appointed to take forward work on the design of the unit as well as a site option appraisal. I very much hope that the consultants' reports, which is expected imminently, can be endorsed quickly by the working party so that work on the new unit, which is intended will be in place in 1995, can commence as soon as possible. We have already announced that we are prepared to make available grant of up to £4,500,000 to meet the capital cost of the new unit.

  Radiographers
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what level of funding he proposes for post-qualification training for radiographers; what structural changes he proposes to permit such training to take place; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  None. Post-qualification training is a matter for the individual employers.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. 'Mans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals she has to strengthen the incentives for environmentally sensitive ares in the north-west.

  Mr. Jack
  A new environmentally sensitive area was launched in the Lake District in January this year. Covering some quarter of a million hectares, it is by far the largest ESA in England.
  272
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has to give the public greater access to environmentally sensitive areas in East Anglia.

  Mr. Jack
  Our consultation document on the implementation of the EC agri-environment package was designed to demonstrate the possibilities for greater access to ESAs in East Anglia.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has to promote more environmentally sensitive areas in Mid Essex.

  Mr. Jack
  We have looked at the possibility of introducing new environmentally sensitive areas in Essex and have issued proposals for such an area stretching from the River Stour in the north to Canvey Island in the south.

  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress she has made in identifying and protecting environmentally sensitive areas of the Essex coastline.

  Mr. Jack
  We have issued proposals for a new environmentally sensitive area covering parts of the Essex coast from the River Stour in the north to Canvey Island in the south.

  Genetically Modified Organisms
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has received about the release of genetically modified organisms into the atmosphere in connection with research undertaken on behalf of her Department.

  Mr. Soames
  None, but all releases of genetically modified organisms for research purposes are subject to consent under the appropriate regulations to ensure safety to human health and the environment.

  Scotch Whisky
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will meet representatives of the Scotch whisky industry to discuss the prospects of the industry and the workers employed in it.

  Mr. Jack
  My right hon. Friend will be happy to meet representatives of the industry to discuss any relevant issues.

  Plant Breeders
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will consult British plant and seed producers about the proposed EC plant breeders rights and restrictions.

  Mr. Jack
  The Government continue to be in regular contact with organisations representing plant breeders, seed producers and growers on matters relating to the proposal.

  Food Labelling
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals she has to define and police meat contents in food labelling.
  273
  Mr. Soames
  The composition and labelling of meat products are already controlled in some detail in regulations made under the Food Safety Act 1990. They are enforced by local authority trading standards officers.

  Lime Fertiliser
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food how many representations she or her predecessor has received over the last 18 months on the subject of introducing financial assistance to farmers who wish to fertilise land using lime; and if she will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  None. However, my officials have regular liaison meetings with the Agricultural Lime Producers Council, the latest of which was on 27 May 1993.

  Bananas
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on the future of the EC regime for banana imports.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The new harmonised arrangements for the import of bananas into the Community came into force on 1 July.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food what is her assessment of the effect of the expansion of the common agricultural policy on European finances.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The implications for the Community budget of enlarging the European Community depends on the individual circumstances of the countries concerned. However, all the countries for which accession negotiations are currently in progress are expected to be net contributors to the Community budget.

  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans she has for the reform of common agricultural policy finances in light of proposals to increase the membership of the European Community.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Edinburgh European Council agreed the arrangements for financing the Community's expenditure, including expenditure on the CAP, until 1999. The enlargement of the Community is not expected to lead to any significant change in these arrangements.

  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals she has for reforming the common agricultural policy finances.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Edinburgh European Council agreed the arrangements for financing Community expenditure, including expenditure on the CAP, until 1999. Under this agreement the agricultural guideline will be retained in its existing form.

  Foxes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been undertaken into the methods of controlling foxes.
  274
  Mr. Soames
  The ministry is not currently undertaking any research on the control of foxes to prevent damage to agriculture.

  Research on foxes has been directed at methods of control to be used should an outbreak of rabies occur in the United Kingdom. This work has concentrated on developing a method of controlling foxes by poison baits whilst minimising the risks to other wildlife and to domestic animals.

  Balance of Trade
  Mr. Bates
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action she is taking to reduce the balance of trade deficit in food and drink.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We have introduced several initiatives to encourage the industry to produce and market the goods which customers want both at home and abroad.

  Set-aside Land
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of land farmers will be able to set aside under the new schemes in the United Kingdom under the EC.

  Mr. Jack
  Under the arable area payments scheme, the set-aside requirement is 15 per cent. for rotational set-aside and 18 per cent. for non-rotational. The Commission is expected to bring forward further proposals allowing farmers to set aside additional land on a voluntary basis.

  Food Hygiene
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations she has received on the subject of food hygiene.

  Mr. Soames
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health takes the lead on the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970, as amended, and the hygiene of foodstuffs directive. This Department does, however, receive representations on food hygiene from time to time.

  Most recent representations include comments from a cash and carry company about the temperature control requirements and from a large retailer about the European Community's approach to food hygiene legislation.

  Dogs (Livestock Killing)
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the estimated cost to farmers in England of the losses they have suffered as a result of livestock being killed by dogs for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Soames
  Such statistics are not collected by the Ministry. However, the National Farmers Union estimates that up to 10,000 livestock are killed or injured every year in England and Wales as a result of attacks by dogs.

DEFENCE

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much radioactive waste the Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston has sent to the Atomic Energy Authority site at Dounreay; and what the waste consisted of.

  Mr. Aitken
  The Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston does not send waste to the Atomic Energy Authority site at Dounreay.

  Iraq
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 18 November 1992,Official Report, column 250–51, which countries provided Iraq with dual-use technology since 1981 which could have been used to manufacture artillery; and if he will provide details of the dual-use technology provided by the United Kingdom to Iraq since 1981.

  Mr. Aitken
  Details of all United Kingdom products licensed for export to Iraq for the years 1987 to 1990 were

  RAF station

  Primary Role

  Secondary Role(s)

  Boddington

  Communications centre

  None

  Bracknell

  Command and staff training

  RAF Presentation team

  Director defence studies

  Regional home defence liaison

  Brampton

  Headquarters RAF Support Command

  Royal Auxiliary Air Force Defence unit

  MOD Weapons standardisation team

  Cardington

  Cyrogenic and compressed gas supply

  None

  Carlisle

  Equipment supply depot

  None

  Chilmark

  Ammunition supply depot

  None

  Chivenor

  Advanced flying training

  Search and rescue unit

  Hawk aircraft defect investigation

  Cosford

  Ground training

  Voluntary gliding school

  Birmingham University air squadron

  Air Cadets Wing headquarters

  Cranwell

  Flying and ground training

  RAF College

  RAF College Band

  Headquarters University Air Squadrons

  Directorate of recruiting and selection

  Digby

  Signals unit

  Aerial erector school

  Finningley

  Flying training

  Yorkshire University Air Squadron

  Air experience flight

  Halton

  Ground training

  RAF Hospital

  Medical training

  Dental training

  Institute of pathology and tropical

  medicine

  Voluntary gliding schools x 2

  Headly Court

  Medical rehabilitation

  None

  Henlow

  Signals engineering

  Headquarters RAFSC Signals Staff

  Officers command school

  Radio introduction unit

  MOD Civilian technical training

  Air Cadets regional headquarters

  Test equipment engineering

  Voluntary gliding school

  Hereford

  Ground training

  None

  Innsworth

  RAF Personnel management centre

  None

  Lingholme

  Communications centre

  None

  276
  provided to the Trade and Industry Select Committee and published—Trade and Industry Select Committee, Minutes of Evidence on Exports to Iraq HC86-i, Tuesday 26 November 1991. Further information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost and effort. As to exports to Iraq from other countries I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Gentleman on 18 November 1992, Official Report, column 250.

  SA80 Weapon
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to review the issue of the SA80 weapon to the infantry.

  Mr. Aitken
  No.

  RAF Support Command
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current operational role, including auxiliary roles, of each RAF station in Support Command.

  Mr. Hanley
  The primary and secondary roles of RAF Support Command stations are as follows:
  277

  RAF station

  Primary Role

  Secondary Role(s)

  Linton-on-Ouse

  Flying training

  Air Cadet regional headquarters

  Air Cadet Wing headquarters

  Voluntary gliding school

  Locking

  Ground training

  RAF South West Band

  Air Cadet regional headquarters

  Newton

  Ground training

  Headquarters Air Cadets

  Training development

  Glider examining wing

  Air experience flight

  Regional provost and security unit

  North Luffenham

  Ground radio engineering

  Ground radio defects investigation

  Training development

  Fire service training

  Language training

  Explosive ordnance demolition training

  Rapier project development

  Oakhangar

  Communications centre

  None

  Quedgeley

  Equipment supply depot

  Air Cadet Wing Headquarters

  Rudloe Manor

  Communications Centre

  Regional provost and security unit

  St. Athan

  Aerosystems maintenance and storage

  Ground training

  Wales University Air Squadron

  Voluntary gliding school

  Air Cadet regional headquarters

  Royal Auxiliary Air Force Defence

  Force

  Scampton

  Flying training

  Joint arms control implementation group

  Engineering management training

  Tucano defect investigation

  Tucano logistic support

  Sealand

  Electronics maintenance

  MOD Civilian technical training

  Air Cadet regional headquarters

  Voluntary gliding school

  Shawbury

  Flying training

  Air traffic control training, examination and evaluation

  Air experience flight

  Stafford

  Equipment supply depot

  Tactical supply wing

  Stanbridge

  Joint Service Air Trooping centre

  Supply computer centre

  Swanton Morley

  Central servicing development

  Maintenance computer center

  Voluntary gliding school

  Swinderby

  Recruit training

  None

  Syerston

  Air Cadets gliding

  None

  Uxbridge

  Management of dispersed units and personnel

  Ceremonial (The Queen's Colour Squadron)

  Headquarters music services

  Air traffic control staffs

  Valley

  Flying training

  Search and rescue unit and Mountain

  rescue team

  Search and rescue training

  Air to air missile training

  Signals unit

  Wroughton

  RAF Hospital

  None

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names of commanding officers of each RAF station in Support Command.

  Mr. Hanley
  For personal security reasons the names of those holding official appointments of air commodore rank and below are not generally released to the public domain.

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the former Members of this House who have been appointed since 1988 by his Department to 278
  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. Hanley
  Former membership of the House of Commons is not a relevant qualification for appointment and is not centrally recorded. We are aware of only one example. Sir Antony Buck QC, the then Member for Colchester, North, served on the independent board of visitors for the military corrective centre, Colchester from 1980 to 1992. At that date he stood down as a Member of Parliament and relinquished his appointment.
  279
  Appointments are reviewed every three years and Sir Antony's last reappointment was in 1989. The post was as a member of the board and was not salaried.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. Hanley
  There is no requirement for my Department to hold such information.

  Burma
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what links his Department has with the defence forces of Burma.

  Mr. Hanley
  There are currently no substantive defence links between the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces of Burma.

  Depleted Uranium Ammunition
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond), of 1 July,Official Report, column 632, when he was informed of the concerns expressed by the three military personnel regarding fears of inhalation of depleted uranium dust.

  Mr. Hanley
  The exact date on which these personnel first sought medical advice is not recorded in their medical records, but it is understood to have been after their return to the United Kingdom from the Gulf on 21 January 1991. The monitoring showed no detectable depleted uranium contamination.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond) of 1 July,Official Report, column 632, at which hospital or medical centre was the monitoring to which he refers conducted.

  Mr. Hanley
  The monitoring was carried out by the Defence Radiological Protection Service at the Institute of Naval Medicine, Gosport, on 8 February 1991.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the depleted uranium shells fired at the Ministry of Defence range at Kirkcudbright between 1982 and June 1993 were subsequently recovered.

  Mr. Aitken
  Two complete rounds and one fragment have been recovered.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department's memorandum on anti-armoured ammunition with depleted uranium penetrators placed in the Library of the House in March 1979 is still applicable.

  Mr. Aitken
  Clearly the strategic environment has changed radically since the publication of the memoran-dum, but the statements of the underlying principles of the programme and the means by which it is carried out remain valid.

  Swan Hunter
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Tynemouth (Mr. Trotter) of 2 July,Official Report, column 642, whether the Ministry of Defence will now be paying Swan Hunter more than the agreed successful tender for the work on the three Type 23 frigates.

  Mr. Aitken
  We have agreed an incentivised arrangement with the receiver under which any cost under or overrun will be shared between the receiver and my Department on a pre-determined ratio subject to an upper cost ceiling, which does exceed the original contract price. It is too soon to say whether the original contract price will be exceeded.

  Peacemaking Operations
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to a system of dual contract for personnel in Her Majesty's services to enable volunteers to make a standing commitment to international peacemaking operations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  We do not believe that a system of dual contract as described would improve the United Kingdom's ability to provide armed forces for international peacekeeping operations.

  Royal Military Schools
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the chief executive of the Duke of York's royal military school in 1993–94.

  Mr. Hanley
  The following key targets have been set for the chief executive of the Duke of York's royal military school in 1993–94:Curriculum

  To achieve at least 5 GCSE passes at Grades A to C for 80 per cent. of pupils by August 1993.

  To achieve 90 per cent. of A Level passes at Grades A to E by August 1993.

  To achieve 35 per cent. of A Level passes at Grades A and B by August 1993.

  To achieve 100 per cent. award rate for BTEC National Diploma courses by August 1993.

  Pastoral

  To list minimum boarding standards for all houses by April 1994.

  To formulate a policy on extra-curricular activities by July 1993.

  To formulate a policy on assessing, monitoring and reporting by March 1994.

  Finance and Administration

  To prepare a 5 year financial plan to meet per capita goal by October 1993.

  To maximise efficiency in works property management.

  To save £150,000 on the school's in year LTC 93 bid by March 1994.

  Development

  To carry out a pay and conditions review for all school staff by April 1994.

  To produce and market the school prospectus effectively to the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and Royal Air Force by July 1993.

  To complete preparations for co-education by April 1994.

  281
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the chief executive targets of the Queen Victoria royal military school in 1993–94.

  Mr. Hanley
  The following key targets have been set for the chief executive of the Queen Victoria school in 1993–94:Academic and Curriculum

  To achieve at least 3 Standard Grade passes at Credit and General Levels (1–4) for 90 per cent. of S4 pupils.

  To achieve at least 5 Standard Grades (1–3) for 60 per cent. of S4 pupils.

  To achieve 3 Higher Passes at A-C Grades or Scottish Vocational Education Council (SCOTVEC) equivalents for 60 per cent. of S5/S6 pupils.

  To continue the phased implementation of the National 5–14 Programme in line with Scottish Office Education Department (SOED) recommendations, with full co-ordination between Primary and Secondary Departments by 1 September 1994, including a system for parental responses on quality.

  Pastoral

  To monitor the effectiveness of the School Pastoral Policy and Organization Document and complete its review by 1 September 1993.

  Extra Curricular Provision

  To maintain and improve at least 50 extra-curricular activities, both physical and cultural, involving pupils aged 10–15 in at least 3 per week and those aged 16–18 in at least 2.

  Management and Development

  By June 1993, to report on the feasibility of admitting girls and fee-paying pupils, and the extent of provision required for them.

  282
  By June 1993, to develop and implement a strategy for income generation using the School's facilities, thereby achieving a level of income of 1 per cent. of the total School budget.

  By April 1994 to confirm the pay and grading structures in the school and associated allowances and rents.

  By April 1994 to instigate job descriptions for all teaching staff.

  To implement teacher appraisal and development procedures in line with SOED guidelines and timetable including a pastoral element.

  By April 1994 to have in place a report on management and financial information systems.

  By April 1994 to continue and enhance efficiency measures effected in Financial Year 1993–94 in order to absorb increased costs associated with developments in the School curriculum without increasing pupil per capita costs.

  Warship Refits
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his oral statement of 24 June,Official Report, columns 446–50, how he will consult those affected by his proposals for warship refitting.

  Mr. Aitken
  A consultation document has been issued today.

  The document will be provided to representatives of those of my Department's staff who may be affected by the proposals, hon. Members with a constituency interest, the relevant local authorities, the dockyard management companies and other interested parties. Copies of the document have also been placed in the Vote Office and in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Comments on the proposals are to be made to my Department by no later than 10 September.

  ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL, 28th—29th JUNE
  ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL, 28th—29th JUNE
  THORP: CONSULTATION
  THORP: CONSULTATION
  YOUTH TRAINING SERVICES: DEBATE, 23RD JUNE
  YOUTH TRAINING SERVICES: DEBATE, 23RD JUNE
  EC COHESION FUND
  EC COHESION FUND
  HIGHER EDUCATION DRAFT CHARTER: CONSULTATIONS
  HIGHER EDUCATION DRAFT CHARTER: CONSULTATIONS
  PENSIONS PAYMENTS INTO BANK ACCOUNTS: CHARGES
  PENSIONS PAYMENTS INTO BANK ACCOUNTS: CHARGES
  EC DRIVING DISQUALIFICATIONS: RECOGNITION AND IMPOSITION
  EC DRIVING DISQUALIFICATIONS: RECOGNITION AND IMPOSITION
  DUTCH BANKS IN UK: REGULATION
  DUTCH BANKS IN UK: REGULATION
  BANK OF ENGLAND: REGULATION
  BANK OF ENGLAND: REGULATION
  KONVER SCHEME: GRANTS
  KONVER SCHEME: GRANTS
  QUEEN VICTORIA SCHOOL: TARGETS
  QUEEN VICTORIA SCHOOL: TARGETS
  DUKE OF YORK'S ROYAL MILITARY SCHOOL: TARGETS
  DUKE OF YORK'S ROYAL MILITARY SCHOOL: TARGETS
  CLINICAL SPECIALTIES IN LONDON: REVIEW TEAMS
  CLINICAL SPECIALTIES IN LONDON: REVIEW TEAMS