Written Answers of 22 July 1993

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Sports Council (Restructuring)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage, pursuant to his statement of 9 July,Official Report, column 599 (1) at what date and at what time he informed the chairmen-designate of the proposed United Kingdom Sports Commission and Sports Council for England of his decision to discontinue work to put these bodies in place of the current Sports Council for Great Britain from 1 October;

  (2) at what date he had consulted the chairmen-designate of the proposed United Kingdom Sports Commission and the Sports Council for England with regard to his decision to proceed no further with work to put those bodies in place of the current Sports Council of Great Britain from 1 October.

  Mr. Brooke
  I received in November 1992 the Sports Council's proposals for the detailed split of functions and resources between the bodies which the Government had proposed, in their December 1991 sports policy statement "Sport and Active Recreation", should succeed the present Sports Council of Great Britain.

  My officials subsequently had extensive discussions with the Sports Council, including the chairmen-designate of the proposed successor bodies, on its proposals for the allocation of resources, notably to staffing. I also consulted my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the Sports Council's proposals.

  As a result of these discussions, I informed the chairmen-designate of the proposed successor bodies on 8 July that the Government no longer intended to proceed with their original plans.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the annual report of the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency will be published.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The second annual report of the Recruitment and Assessment Servcies Agency was published yesterday and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.
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HEALTH

  Medical Services, Inner London
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the general medical services budgets for each inner London family health services authority for each year since 1988–89 and the amount in real terms from each budget spent on fund-holding.

  Mr. Sackville
  General medical services (GMS) expenditure for each year from 1988–89 to 1991–92 is shown in table A. Figures for 1992–93 will be available later this year. Expenditure on fund-holding within GMS expenditure is not separately identifiable. However, the total cost of general practitioner fund-holding expenditure for each inner London family health services authority (FHSA) is shown in table B.

  Table A

  Expenditure on General Medical Services

  £000s

  FHSA

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Brent and Harrow

  16,382

  18,438

  23,260

  28,990

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  11,639

  13,492

  18,281

  19,291

  Camden and Islington

  12,099

  13,674

  17,124

  19,226

  City and East London

  18,144

  21,019

  30,174

  33,901

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  22,482

  25,024

  31,906

  37,783

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  17,420

  19,639

  22,707

  26,916

  Source:

  Annual accounts of FHSAs and the predecessor bodies.

  Table B

  GP Fund holders' expenditure for 1991–92

  FHSA

  Total expenditure £s

  Brent and Harrow

  nil

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  789,923

  Camden and Islington

  1,406,503

  City and East London

  1,842,910

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  4,094,110

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  4,585,639

  Source: Annual accounts of FHSAs.

  Note:

  1. The above totals include expenditure for practice staff, hospital purchases, drugs and appliances.

  2. GP fund-holding expenditure is available only for 1991–92. Details for 1992–93 will be available later this year.

  GP Fund Holders
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the benefits to patients available from GP fund-holding practices relative to non-fund-holding practices.

  Mr. Sackville
  Fund-holding is one of the major successes of the national health service reforms and the improvements secured by fund-holders are extending widely to benefit patients in non-fund-holding practices. We are delighted at how both general practitioner fund-holders and district health authorities are seizing the opportunities of the new NHS to secure more appropriate, high-quality care for patients.
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  Among the benefits are shorter waiting times, better liaison between hospitals and community services when patients are discharged and more services provided in GP surgeries.

  Minimal Invasive Therapy
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to encourage the development of minimal invasive therapy.

  Mr. Bowis
  We shall shortly be announcing decisions on expanded training facilities for minimally invasive therapy, jointly funded by the Government and the Wolfson Foundation.

  British Orthopaedic Association
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she next expects to meet the British Orthopaedic Association; and what subjects she intends to discuss.

  Mr. Sackville
  There are currently no plans for Ministers to meet the British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) in the near future. However, the chief medical officer will be meeting the BOA's president on 17 August to discuss hip prostheses and the quality of care.

  Clothier Inquiry
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, following the publication of the White Paper on open government, if she will consider making the Clothier inquiry an open inquiry under the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1971.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The public interest will be better served by an investigative type of inquiry rather than an adversarial one, in other words, by the type of inquiry that Sir Cecil Clothier is now leading.

  NHS (Product Purchasing)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her policy on the use of inducements offered by manufacturers of drugs and hip and knee prostheses to NHS personnel to persuade them to buy their products.

  Mr. Sackville
  Unequivocal guidance issued to the health service in January—HSG(93)5—states that under

  Year ending:

  31 July 1991

  31 July 1992

  31 July 1993

  Students obtaining their first registerable qualification from medical schools in the United Kingdom

  3,573

  3,644

  n/a

  Year ending:

  30 June 1991

  30 June 1992

  30 June 1993

  Doctors joining general practice in the United Kingdom

  1,609

  1,510

  n/a

  The doctors covered by the two tables will not be the same, as a period of training follows first registerable qualification before admission to general practice. The second table will include doctors who qualified outside the United Kingdom.

  Fluoride Prescriptions
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to the NHS of fluoride prescriptions for each quarter of 1992 and the first three months of 1993.
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  no circumstances must purchasing decisions be influenced by inducements from suppliers or potential contractors. National health service employers and employees have a responsibility to ensure that at all times the interest of patients is paramount and that public funds are disbursed impartially and honestly.

  GP Practices
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 14 July,Official Report, column 532, how many (a) non-fund-holding practices and (b) fund-holding practices she has visited in the last year.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 14 July at column 532.

  General Practitioners
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the average earnings of(a) all general practitioners and (b) fund-holding general practitioners by the smallest geographical base for the most recent available period.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information about the geographical distribution of general practitioners' earnings or the earnings of general practitioner fund holders compared with non-fund holders is not available. The intended average net remuneration for an unrestricted principal providing general medical services in Great Britain in 1993–94 is £40,610. Payments for achieving higher levels of coverage for childhood immunisations and cervical screening and for administering the Hib meningitis vaccine are made in addition. The most recent information suggests these added an estimated £2,750 to the average general practitioner's remuneration in 1992–93.

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many students gained their final qualifications to practise medicine in the United Kingdom in 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93; and how many of them entered general practice in the United Kingdom from each of those years.

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

  Mr. Sackville
  The information for England is shown in the table.
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  Period

  Net ingredient cost (£'000s)

  1st Quarter 1992

  10·2

  2nd Quarter 1992

  10·3

  3rd Quarter 1992

  8·7

  4th Quarter 1992

  8·9

  1st Quarter 1993

  66·9

  Note: The net ingredient cost is the basic cost of the drug before any discount and not including dispensing costs or fees. The data cover prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors and dentists. Dental practitioners providing general dental services in the national health service have, from 1 January 1993, been able to prescribe fluoride supplements under the national health service.

  Needy Children
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to secure that the children of homeless families are classified as children in need and gain access to services provided under the Children Act.

  Mr. Bowis
  We have no plans to do so. The definition of "in need" in the Children Act 1989 is in terms of a child's health and development, including disablement. It is for local authorities to seek out the extent of children in need in their areas and to publish services available to help them and their families.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring has been undertaken by her Department into the definition of in need according to part III of the Children Act 1989 used in practice by local authorities; and what plans she has to introduce new guidelines.

  Mr. Bowis
  The first report to Parliament of the working of the Children Act 1989—Cm 2144—was published in January 1993. We are keeping the position under review, but have no reason to believe that the guidance on this subject in "The Children Act 1989: Guidance and Regulations Volume 2 Family Support, Day Care and Educational Provision for Young Children", a copy of which is available in the Library, is in need of amendment.

  Children's Residential Care
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will announce the final terms of reference and the membership of the support force for children's residential care.

  Mr. Bowis
  Further to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Esher (Mr. Taylor) on 24 June at columns 249–50, the terms of reference are as follows:

  1. (a) to offer advice to individual authorities on the interrelated issues of quality of care and management in children's residential care, with particular reference to the appointment and selection, personnel management, support, development and internal training of children's residential care staff.

  (b) to offer advice to individual authorities and, where appropriate, groups of authorities on suitable mechanisms for snatching needs and supply in their localities or regions, taking account of the
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  potential contributions of voluntary, private and public sectors; and on related commissioning and contractual issues. A particular focus of the work will be to assist authorities and the voluntary and private sectors to improve occupancy rates and hence reduce unit costs in children's residential homes where this is appropriate.

  (c) to prepare material for a code of employment practice, for discussion with employer and other interests.

  2. The support force for children's residential care will work under Department of Health auspices, and from time to time as requested, report on its programme and progress. It will work with social services and, as appropriate, other agencies by invitation in a consulting and facilitating role; by implication it will draw attention to and disseminate examples of good practice. The social services inspectorate's advice will be available to it. It will work within the framework of the Children Act 1989 and regulations and guidance issued following that and other relevant legislation; the Warner report and Government decisions on it; and other material that may be relevant. Its remit is for a period of two years from the summer of 1993. Ministers will then review the progress made.

  The members of the support force are:

  Adrianne Jones CBE

  Leader of the support force. Formerly director of social services for Birmingham and Hillingdon. Member of the Warner committee on the recruitment, selection and development of staff in children's homes.

  Louise Bessant

  Co-ordinator, Young People's Forum, Birmingham social services.

  James King OBE

  Former director of the Caldecott Community.

  Brendah Malahleka

  Service manager, children and families, London borough of Ealing.

  Steven Moss

  Assistant director, finance and administration, Manchester city council social services department.

  Robert Sykes

  Assistant director operations, Oxfordshire social services.

  Susan Thomas

  Chief personnel officer, London borough of Lewisham. Member of the Warner committee.

  Mike Nichol

  Formerly chief education officer for the Wirral, Cheshire. Now working as an educational consultant for Coopers and Lybrand.

  Sellafield
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if she will consult the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment in the event of any application being made to vary the discharge licence from British Nuclear Fuel's Sellafield installation;

  (2) what advice she has received from the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment concerning the health risk resulting from the proposed liquid and gaseous radioactive discharges from British Nuclear Fuel's Sellafield installation; and if she will publish the advice.

  Mr. Sackville
  Applications to dispose of radiactive waste from a licensed site are considered by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the Ministry of Agriculture,
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  Fisheries and Food—"the inspectorates". It is for them to decide who they should consult in any particular case, subject to any relevant statutory requirements.

  The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) commented to the inspectorates on British Nuclear Fuel's application for revised discharge authorisations at the Sellafield site. We have arranged for copies of COMARE's response to be placed in the Library. The inspectorates carefully considered all the responses made in the consultation including that from COMARE, before coming to the conclusion announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 28 June at column 392.

  Private Ambulances
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration she has given to the regulation of private ambulance operators.

  Mr. Sackville
  The code of practice recently agreed by the Department of Health's ambulance policy advisory group sets out minimum standards for non-national health service patient transport providers. It is for prospective purchasers of private ambulance services to satisfy themselves that operators are competent to provide the required service.

  Patients (Major Surgery)
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to ensure that patients entering(a) NHS and (b) private hospitals have all necessary facilities to safeguard them following major surgical procedures; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  A private hospital is required by law to register with the district health authority, which must satisfy itself that the statutory requirements, and any local conditions of registration, are being met at all times, including adequate medical, surgical and nursing equipment and adequate treatment facilties. It is for national health service providers to assess the level of service need to support surgical procedures, and to provide the staff and facilities to meet those needs. It is for NHS purchasers to satisfy themselves about the quality of the service provided to patients. We have no plans to alter the present arrangements.

  NHS Dental Treatment
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the average cost of a course of NHS dental treatment per patient liable to full charge in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.294

  General Dental Services (GDS)—England

  Year

  Patients liable to full charge

  Patients wholly exempt or remitted

  Average Cost (£)

  Average Cost (£)

  1979

  13·32

  15·48

  1980

  16·26

  19·20

  1981

  18·13

  26·14

  1982

  19·38

  27·71

  1983

  20·10

  34·42

  1984

  21·49

  37·07

  1985

  21·70

  39·19

  1986–87

  23·46

  42·64

  1987–88

  25·84

  45·13

  1988–89

  28·46

  49·23

  1989–90

  30·24

  47·48

  1990–91

  n/a

  n/a

  1991–92

  31·83

  51·69

  1992–93

  n/a

  n/a

  Notes:

  1. Data from 1979 to 1985 are shown in calendar years. Thereafter they are shown in financial years.

  2. Data for 1990–91 are not available as the introduction of the new dental contract interrupted the data series.

  3. Data for 1992–93 are not yet available.

  4. The small number of courses of treatment where charges were partly remitted has not been included in the calculations.

  5. Before 1 January 1989 dental examinations did not attract a patient charge. Therefore, a course of dental treatment which included only a dental examination did not attact a patient charge. Such courses of dental treatment have been allocated in this table to the appropriate category whether the patient was liable to charges or not.

  Medical Care (Proposed Authority)
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans she has to set up a medical/surgical equivalent to the Committee on Safety of Medicines;

  (2) what plans she has for the creation of an Office of Medicine as a statutory body to oversee standards of medical care;

  (3) what plans she has to introduce legislation to ensure that the NHS and the private medical sector are equally accountable and bound by the same regulations under one single regulatory authority.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have no such plans.

  Surgeons
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to ensure that surgeons do not undertake procedures for which they have not received specific training or accreditation.

  Mr. Sackville
  The accreditation of training posts and systems of postgraduate education, examination and training are matters for the responsible professional bodies. A doctor has a professional responsibility not to undertake a procedure which he or she is not competent to perform.
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EMPLOYMENT

  Occupational Hazards
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the 10 most frequent occupational related causes of death for the latest available period.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The most frequent causes of recorded occupationally related mortality in 1991 and/or 1992 were: mesothelioma; accidental trauma; pneumoconiosis; asbestosis; accidental poisoning and gassing; lung cancer due to asbestos; byssinosis; other cancers; and allergic alveolitis, including farmer's lung. There were only occasional deaths recorded from other causes.

  Social Charter
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in what manner Her Majesty's Government have published or publicised the text of the social charter of the European Economic Community as agreed by 11 of its member states at Strasbourg on 9 December 1989.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government have never published or publicised the text of the social charter agreed by the other 11 member states.

  Employment Rehabilitation Centre, Ingol
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the capital cost of the purpose-built employment rehabilitation centre at Ingol, Preston, at the time it was built, expressed in 1993 values; and what price has been agreed for its sale.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 20 July 1993]: Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Mrs. Audrey Wise, dated 22 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 capital cost of Preston (Ingol) Employment Rehabilitation Centre (ERC) when it was built and the price agreed for its sale. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

  The building of Preston ERC was completed in 1978 and the centre was opened in 1979. The work involved in retrieving the exact total capital costs of the ERC and converting these to 1993 prices would incur disproportionate costs. I am therefore unable to supply this information.

  The ERC was closed on 31 December 1992 and tenders were invited for its sale. A price has been agreed and the site has been sold subject to contract. You will appreciate that, until the sale is completed and contracts are exchanged, the price agreed is still classified as "Commercial in Confidence" and cannot be revealed.

  I am sorry to have to send you a disappointing reply. However, I am satisfied that all the correct tendering procedures have been followed to ensure we obtain the best possible price for the site.

  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.
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NATIONAL FINANCE

  Insurance
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what conclusions he has reached on the report by the Director General of Fair Trading on the marketing and sale of investment-linked insurance products.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Director General of Fair Trading (DGFT) reported to my predecessor in March about the rules on marketing and sale of investment-linked life insurance products1, made last July by the Securities and Investments Board (SIB) and the Life Assurance and Unit Trust Regulatory Organisation (LAUTRO). These rules had been drawn up in response to the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in December 1990, who asked for changes in the rules to meet the concerns raised in the report of April 1990 by the previous DGFT.

  1 The marketing and sale of investment-linked insurance products. The rules of the Securities and Investments Board and the Life Assurance and Unit Trust Regulatory Organisation. A report by the Director General of Fair Trading to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, March 1993.

  In his report under the Financial Services Act 1986 (FSA), the DGFT was of the opinion that four aspects of the new rules were likely to have significantly anti-competitive effects. Under the FSA, the Treasury must consider whether the rules are likely to have significant anti-competitive effects and, if it considers that they do, whether those effects are greater than necessary for investor protection.

  In April, the Treasury invited comments on the DGFT's report as well as on his separate report under the Fair Trading Act 19732. Many hon. Members have written to me about the reports, and a large number of written submissions have been received from interested parties, many of which have been discussed in detail with officials. I have taken account of the views and arguments put during this consultation process in reaching my conclusions.

  I endorse the director general's finding that four aspects of the rules have or are likely to have significantly anti-competitive effects. I do not find that these effects are necessary to protect investors. The Treasury is therefore directing SIB to develop a new approach to the regulation of the marketing of life insurance products through rules to rectify the deficiencies identified. My reasons, and the changes the Treasury now requires, are set out below.

  2 "Fair Trading and Life Insurance Savings Products: A Report by the Director General of Fair Trading", March 1993.

  There has been a good deal of justified criticism concerning the proportion of long-term policies surrendered early and the low surrender values of policies surrendered in the early years. The relevant SIB rules are designed to improve regulation and to help the investor by requiring life offices both to disclose surrender values for the first five years of life policies and to indicate the point at which the surrender value may equal or exceed the amount paid by the investor if the crossover point falls outside the first five years. The rules prevent life offices disclosing surrender values for a longer period.

  The DGFT has welcomed the rule changes in so far as they give the investor more information about the long-term and illiquid nature of these investments and about likely surrender values in the early years. However, the DGFT concludes that the absence of information

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  about surrender values in the later years of the policy limits the ability of investors to make properly informed choices among the products of different life offices and between life products and other investments; and hence is likely to restrict and distort competition to a significant extent.

  SIB and LAUTRO have concentrated on better disclosure of surrender values in the early years where the major concerns have arisen. Surrender values, however, do vary considerably between life offices in the later years and I agree with the DGFT that lack of information is likely significantly to restrict and distort competition. I have also taken into account other factors relevant to investor protection; in particular, the risk that disclosure of likely cash surrender values for each year of a policy could appear to offer guaranteed returns and could be in serious danger of overloading the investor with a huge array of figures. Any profile of figures which appeared to offer guaranteed returns would have investor disadvantages in so far as it altered life offices' investment behaviour and thus ultimately reduced the returns delivered or raised the cost of a given return; equally, a detailed array of figures, added to all the other quantitative information, could overload investors with complex and confusing details and thereby defeat the object of disclosure. I have examined these arguments and options and concluded that, through fuller disclosure of the implications of early surrender on the value of policies, it should be possible to remove the anti-competitive effect of non-disclosure of surrender values in later years in a way which avoids the danger of appearing to give guarantees and which does not overload the investor.

  The Treasury is therefore directing SIB to develop a new approach and to bring forward rules which will provide a clear and quantified account of the effect of life offices' intended surrender value practices on the value of the policy if cashed in early beyond the initial five years, without implying guaranteed projections or overloading the investor with figures. The new requirements should provide, in plain terms, a clear description of the effect on surrender values throughout the duration of the policy.

  While own charges—the charges currently levied by the particular life office—are required to be used in the calculations of likely surrender values during the first five years of a policy, SIB's and LAUTRO's rules require that illustrations of projected future returns on policies use standard—approximately average—assumptions about the charges levied by life offices. Illustrations are not mandated by the regulators but are a strong marketing tool. Requiring the use of standard charges prevents life offices from producing illustrations which demonstrate the relative merits of their products, thus restricting their ability to compete with others in the market. Use of own charges should also bring downward pressure on costs. I therefore agree with the DGFT that the requirement to use standard charges in illustrations is likely significantly to restrict and distort competition among life offices. Investor protection considerations also argue in favour of use of own charges. Use of standard charges can be misleading to investors by implying that charges do not affect performance when, in reality, charges of life offices to not alter rapidly and do influence total returns. In their joint submission to the Treasury commenting on the DGFT's report SIB, LAUTRO and the Financial Intermediaries, Managers and Brokers Regulatory Organisation accept that own charges ought now to be used in illustrations.
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  The Treasury is therefore directing SIB to bring forward rules which will require policy illustrations to use the life offices' own recent charges. This information should make clear to investors the full impact of product costs throughout the duration of the policy.

  Within the independent financial adviser sector, individual firms are allowed to and do rebate commission to investors. The final price to the investor can therefore take account of the costs of distribution, with the more efficient advisers being able to offer keener prices. Cost competitiveness is allowed to reign. In marked contrast, SIB/LAUTRO rules have the effect of preventing price competition for a life office's products between its tied channels and outlets. There is no direct rule preventing the rebating of commission by tied agents to their customers. But the best advice rule has been found in practice to prevent differential pricing because it would prevent a tied agent advising the purchase of a particular product if the product were available more cheaply through another tied outlet.

  The DGFT has concluded that rules which prevent some intermediaries from passing through to investors the benefits of cost differentials and efficiencies and which in practice require cross subsidisation between tied outlets are significantly anti-competitive. There has been no real attempt in the representations I have received to argue that the practice is anything other than anti-competitive and I agree with the DGFT's finding. The weight of the representations on this issue has been that the anti-competitive effects of the best advice rule are outweighed by investor protection benefits which also result from the best advice rule; in particular that an investor should be able to expect that if (s)he is buying a life office product through a tied channel, the same product could not be secured more cheaply through another tied outlet.

  I have considered all the countervailing investor protection arguments very carefully, but I do not find them sufficiently convincing to outweigh the competitive disadvantages or even in their own right. I can see no good reason why price competition between tied agents and outlets should not be compatible with the preservation of best advice as well as suitability, just as it is with IFAs. Introducing competition within the tied channels will, on the contrary, result in benefits to the investor.

  The Treasury is therefore directing SIB to adapt the best advice regime to allow differential pricing in the tied sector. As with IFAs, best advice would continue to pertain for the product and value for money/price within the range of products and prices offered by the particular tied outlet.

  SIB and LAUTRO rules require commission, in cash terms, to be disclosed by independent financial advisers if requested by the investor—so-called "soft" disclosure. No such requirement applies to other intermediaries such as tied agents and company representatives. Whether or not the amount of commission is requested by investors, it is disclosed automatically by the life office no later than the start of the cooling-off period, but is expressed as a percentage of premiums to be paid.

  The DGFT has concluded that these rules are likely to distort competition among IFAs and between them and other intermediaries to a significant extent. His reasoning rests mainly on the argument that the IFA sector is a market, separate from the tied agent and direct sales force sectors, in which commission is the price for the advice

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  which the investor receives. He therefore calls for the early automatic disclosure of commission, in actual cash amounts, to the investor, only by IFAs.

  I have considered carefully the enormous number of representations about the structure of the life insurance-linked investment market. Polarisation has introduced dichotomies into the marketplace and there are significant differences between the roles of IFAs on the one hand and the tied agents and company representatives on the other. But they are not two completely distinct and separate markets. Their roles and functions overlap and they are in competition with each other for much of the same business. Tied agents and life offices' direct sales forces are also in the business of giving advice, although their advice is restricted to the investment decision and to the choice of product within the range of a given life office. Similarly, commission cannot be regarded simply as the price of advice. I have concluded that to require early automatic disclosure of commission only by IFAs would distort the market further and would be likely to result in a significant reduction in competition by encouraging IFAs to become tied. IFAs offer a valuable range of choice and advice to investors as well as providing an essential element of competition within the industry: it is important that the IFA distribution channel is not disadvantaged in relation to the other distribution channels by the commission disclosure regime.

  The current rule on commission disclosure nevertheless remains a very serious concern in an industry where sales practices are often dominated and perceived to be dominated by the payment of commission. Up-front commissions are of significant size and vary substantially both for similar products between life offices and between different products supplied by the same life office. Especially where the investor is not fully aware of the level of commission received, there is a serious risk of advice being biased by the level of commission received. This risk of bias exists in both the tied and independent sectors. Where commission is not paid, the structure of remuneration and incentives can also create a risk of bias. The current rule discriminates unfairly between IFAs on the one hand and tied agents and company representatives on the other, to the former's disadvantage. By requiring "soft" disclosure only, the current rule also allows products to compete in practice other than on the basis of their price, quality and suitability. I have assessed the evidence and have concluded that the current rule is likely to have the effect of significantly distorting and restricting competition between life offices, distribution channels and products.

  In order not to distort the marketplace, it will be necessary to require automatic disclosure of commission in cash terms at an early stage by all distribution channels or broadly equivalent information in the cases of direct sales forces and bancassurance where commission is not paid. This, of course, should also enhance investor protection in that it will enable investors more easily to judge the extent to which the advice they receive could be biased. I have, however, had to consider carefully whether the likely quality and comparability of the information will be such as to be informative to the investor. I believe that it should be. But the construction of measures for all distribution channels which are meaningful, not open to manipulation and cost effective, requires detailed and expert consideration and a combination of definition and oversight by the regulatory bodies.
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  Accordingly, the Treasury is directing SIB to develop proposals for fuller disclosure of commission, as specified above, and the nearest equivalent for distribution channels where commission is not paid or forms only a small element of remuneration. In developing these proposals, I know that SIB will wish to work closely with the industry and other regulatory bodies and I look particularly to the industry to respond constructively to this remit. I am also asking SIB to see that the new regime on disclosure of commission and equivalents is firmly enforced.

  The regulation of the sale and marketing of life insurance policies has been the subject of lengthy—too lengthy—debate. The arguments on each of the points raised by the DGFT are complex, but it is now time to draw the debate to a rapid close so that both firms and regulators can settle down in a stable regime to plan with confidence. This must be in the best long-term interest of investors and the industry alike. Disclosure of more information to their clients, with proper explanation, should hold no fears for advisers, be they IFAs, tied agents or direct sales forces. Indeed, greater transparency should help increase consumer confidence in the life insurance industry and promote healthy competition in the market for long-term savings products.

  The Treasury is therefore directing SIB to bring forward by the end of 1993 detailed new draft rules as described above, or in the case of commission disclosure detailed proposals for how commission and equivalents should be measured. To ensure that they are effective and durable, it is important that the new arrangements are consumer tested before they are introduced. I am also asking SIB to consider adjustments to supervision to secure compliance with the spirit as well as the letter of the new regime and to make an assessment of the potential cost of compliance to ensure that the burdens on business are no more than necessary to deliver fair competition and investor protection.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish his proposals to amend the tax system to allow for reserving in insurance business; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In his Budget speech my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Thames (Mr. Lamont) referred to representations made by the insurance industry and acknowledged that there may be a case for allowing tax relief on certain types of equalisation reserves covering occasional, exceptional losses. Such reserves would have to be within the regulatory framework for the industry. The Inland Revenue and the Department of Trade and Industry will next week be jointly issuing the consultation document which we promised. This looks at the issues in greater detail and invites comments on a number of matters by 29 October 1993.

  As my right hon. Friend said in his Budget speech, tax-deductible equalisation reserves would be a major departure for the British tax system. If there is a consensus that equalisation reserves for particular types of insurance business should become a regulatory requirement, and practical methods of isolating the business in question and of calculating the reserve can be found, we would need to consider carefully whether the introduction of a regulatory requirement, accompanied by tax relief, should be financed by compensating changes elsewhere. Given the

  301
  overall fiscal position, I am clear that it would not be appropriate for the Exchequer to suffer a net cost from the introduction of such a scheme.

  Central Statistical Office
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the Central Statistical Office performed against its key targets for 1992–93; and what changes have been made for 1993–94.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The Central Statistical Office's performance against its key targets for 1992–93 is described in the agency's annual report and accounts, which are being laid before the House and published today. The CSO met all 20 of its performance targets relating to the quality of economic statistics and overall met 30 out of 33 targets set for the year. There were significant reductions in the scale of revisions to key economic statistics and in balancing items in the sectoral accounts.

  These improvements continue the significant progress seen in the quality of economic statistics since the formation of the CSO as a separate department in 1989 and its establishment as an executive agency in 1991. The staff of the CSO are to be congratulated on seeing through these substantial developments.

  The CSO's key targets for 1993–94 are set out in the "CSO Programme Strategies 1993–96", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. As before, these targets cover the timeliness of published statistics, the size of revisions, the coherence of key economic statistics, the response rates for statistical inquiries, action to minimise the load on respondents, reponse times to public requests for information and the CSO's running costs, efficiency improvements and receipts. A number of the targets have been tightened for 1993–94 in recognition of the improvement in CSO performance.

  Incomes
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the research projects and reviews, including regression analyses, undertaken by the Central Statistical Office and other Government bodies to show the factors related to the trends in disposable income in the 1980s and 1990s at the top and the bottom of the distribution of income among the population of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Nelson
  The Central Statistical Office is currently reviewing all aspects of the annual article on "The effects of taxes and benefits on household income". The 1991 article, published in the May edition of "Economic Trends", announced the review and invited readers to comment on the current analysis.

  The Central Statistical Office is not sponsoring any research projects by outside bodies in this area at present.

  Relocation Costs
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the amount of(a) average, (b) lowest and (c) highest total costs of relocation incurred by an employee and reimbursed or paid directly by an employer in respect of civil servants in (i) Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, (ii) Her Majesty's Inland Revenue and (iii) Her Majesty's Treasury in the last two years.
  302
  Mr. Dorrell
  During the past two years, the total amounts of payments made to, or on behalf of, employees relocated by the departments specified—excluding additional housing cost allowances which are only paid to those employees moving to higher cost areas—are given in the table:

  Average £000

  Lowest £000

  Highest £000

  Customs and Excise

  32

  3

  1245

  Inland Revenue

  227

  1

  198

  Treasury

  17

  9

  26

  Notes:1 The highest total payments made are due to a combination of factors including the slump in the United Kingdom housing market, particularly in London and the south-east, and the fact that the employees concerned experienced long delay in disposing of their properties at their former locations. The bulk of the payments represent reimbursed bridging loan interest and special payments to relieve financial hardship of employees in respect of a fall in the value of their properties whilst they were on the market.

  2 This is the average figure of 1991–92, the latest year available.

  Occupational Pensions
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the proportion of(a) all pensioners, (b) single male pensioners, (c) single female pensioners, (d) pensioner couples, (e) single women aged 75 years or over and (f) single men aged 75 years or over, who are in receipt of an occupational pension on the basis of the most recent family expenditure survey data available; and for each group, what is the mean and median amount received.

  Mr. Nelson
  The figures in the table are from the 1991 family expenditure survey. Figures are subject to sampling variation. The amounts have been rounded to the nearest 10p.

  Proportion receiving an occupational pension

  Mean amount occupational pension per week

  Median amount occupational pension per week

  Per cent.

  £

  £

  All pensioners

  43·1

  46·90

  30·50

  Single male pensioners

  59·6

  45·80

  28·20

  Single female pensioners

  43·1

  35·50

  24·10

  Pensioner couples

  68·8

  67·50

  40·10

  Single women aged 75 years and over

  36·3

  35·80

  23·30

  Single men aged 75 years or over

  55·6

  40·70

  26·00

  Government Debt
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the distribution of Government debt between the banking and non-banking sectors in each month since the Budget.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 21 July 1993]: Estimates of gilt sales by sector are published in the Bank of England's monthly monetary statistics press release—public sector

  303
  funding table. Estimates of the sectoral distribution of the level of outstanding national debt are made quarterly and published in the November issue of the "Bank of England Quarterly Bulletin"—tables H and J in the 1992 edition.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the Government's policy on the proportion of Government debt to be sold to the banking sector.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 21 July 1993]: The Government's policy is to fully fund their borrowing needs. There is no policy as to the proportion of debt to be sold to any particular sector.

  Surplus Land Sales
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he has issued on maximising the financial return from the sale of surplus land.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Revised guidance on the disposal of land and buildings was issued to Government Departments and non-departmental public bodies on 23 July 1992. The guidance was circulated at the same time to members of the Public Accounts Committee, together with a note setting out the key points.

  VAT
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the liability of VAT of amateur sports and cultural activities in the public sector.

  Sir John Cope
  I am discussing with my right lion. Friend the Secretary of State for National Heritage a VAT exemption for the supply of certain services by non-profit-making organisations and local authorities to persons who take part in sport or physical education. This would be a limited exemption to be introduced by Treasury order. The precise scope of the exemption would be determined after we have discussed with the representative sports bodies the services and sports to be included.

  We shall also be holding discussions with a view to examining the case for exempting certain cultural services and associated goods supplied by public authorities.

  Sterling Deposits
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the gross figures for sterling deposits held in Switzerland by institutions other than the central bank.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 15 July 1993]: Neither the Bank of England nor the Treasury collects this information.

  Barlow Clowes
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what action he has taken to date against the third parties implicated in the Barlow Clowes collapse.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have been asked to reply.

  Responsibility for Barlow Clowes matters rests with the Treasury under the Transfer of Functions (Financial Services) Order 1992.
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  The Government continue vigorously to pursue any claims capable of reducing the cost to the taxpayer of the ex gratia payments scheme. Because of a number of outstanding actions, I cannot give details of recoveries made, as doing so might influence their outcome. However, as I said on 16 June, Official Report, columns 613–14, the Government have secured an order for damages against Mr. and Mrs. Clowes in the sum of £31. million.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Abu Dhabi (British Detainees)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the British detainees in Abu Dhabi.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  On 13 July 1993 all the Bank of Credit and Commerce International detainees in Abu Dhabi were either charged or conditionally released. Five British nationals in detention were charged. One British national, who had been detained, has been released but cannot leave the United Arab Emirates until investigations are completed. A British national who was previously released but unable to leave the UAE has been charged. The trial date has been set for 9 October 1993.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimates he has of the size of(a) regular forces of the Yugoslav army and (b) regular forces of the Croatian army currently present and operating in Bosnia-Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There is continuing evidence that Serbian and Croatian Government forces are operating in Bosnia-Herzegovina, but due to constant troop movements and the difficulties faced by international monitors, it is not possible to provide reliable estimates of their numbers.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to President Izetbegovic about the maltreatment of mentally handicapped adults and children at Fojnica hospital in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We share the United Nations High Commission for Refugees' concern about the desperate plight of the patients in the hospital in Fojnica. This is a further example of how innocent civilians have suffered as a result of the conflict in Bosnia. We have repeatedly urged all parties to respect the rights and interests of civilians.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress the United Nations Security Council has reported on investigations carried out by the United Nations Sanctions Committee into Croatian breaches of United Nations Security Council resolution 713 following investigations into this matter in September 1992; when Her Majesty's Government received a full report of the alleged violations contained in the case referred by the United Nations Sanctions Committee to the United Nations Security Council in September 1992; if he will publish this report; and if he will make a statement.
  305
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Following the discovery of arms consignments in Croatia by United Nations forces in September 1992, the United Nations Sanctions Committee asked the Croatian and Iranian Governments for an explanation. The Croatians denied prior knowledge of the consignment. The Iranian authorities have not satisfactorily explained why the arms concerned were being transported in an Iranian aircraft.

  The equipment has since been destroyed by the United Nations Protection Force on the instructions of the United Nations.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the issue of sanctions against Croatia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Foreign Ministers of the European Community agreed in Brussels on 19 July to consider withdrawing Croatia's preferential trading benefits with the European Community, in view of Croatia's continued involvement in the conflict in Bosnia.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from British forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina of atrocities having been carried out by Muslim forces within the territory of Bosnia-Herzegovina; and what representations have been made to the Bosnian presidency.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  British forces deployed in Bosnia under the auspices of UNPROFOR provide us with regular reports about events on the ground there. It is clear that all parties have been responsible for committing atrocities, but the record of the Bosnia Serbs is worst. We have repeatedly urged all parties to respect the rights and interests of civilians.

  Entry Clearance Posts
  Ms Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what posts have been designated for the purpose of receiving applications for entry clearance in(a) the states comprising the Indian sub-continent, (b) the states comprising the territories of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and (c) Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya; and what are the categories of applications applicable in each location.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I am arranging to send the hon. Member a full list showing which diplomatic and consular posts accept which kinds of application for entry clearance.

  Debt
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current total of outstanding official debt owed to the United Kingdom by countries in Sub-Saharan Africa; and how much of that debt is owned to(a) the Export Credits Guarantee Department, (b) the Overseas Development Administration and (c) the Commonwealth Development Corporation.

  Mr. Portillo
  I have been asked to reply.

  Total outstanding official debt owed to ECGD and ODA by countries in Sub-Saharan Africa is currently
  306
  £3·6 billion and £98 million respectively. Debt owed to the Commonwealth Development Corporation is not treated as official debt.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Judges' Notes (Murder Trials)
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy to make available to an hon. Member the judge's notes for a murder trial in which one of his constituents wishes him to inquire into his conviction.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Judge's notes are a closed record and not normally made available. The verbatim record of a murder trial is kept for five years, and I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question which appeared in Hansard of 8 July 1993, column 205.

  "A New Framework for Local Justice"
  Mr. Deva
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received from magistrates courts committees and their clerks on the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice" would lead to a better administration of summary justice.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  A list of all those who responded to each consultative document is contained in the relevant decision paper. An analysis of the responses received was published with each decision paper. There has also been regular correspondence and meetings with magistrates courts committee staff, magistrates and their representative organisations.

  Mr. Deva
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what account was taken in formulating the proposals in the White Paper, "A New Framework for Local Justice" of the policy of local management empowerment.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice" took account of a 1989 scrutiny which recommended that the magistrates courts service should be organised as an executive agency, but concluded that the service should continue to be managed locally. The White Paper addresses weaknesses in the service identified by the scrutiny, while leaving the management of the service in the hands of local committee of magistrates and enhancing the ability of the committees to manage strategically and exercise proper scrutiny of the organisation for which they are responsible.

  Mr. Deva
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimate he has made of the potential savings resulting from the implementation of the proposals contained in the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice".

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The White Paper announced wide-ranging changes to the organisational structure of the magistrates courts service. The purpose of these changes is to provide clearer lines of accountability, to secure maximum co-operation in the management of the service with other parts of the justice system, to guarantee the judicial independence of magistrates and their legal
  307
  advisers and to yield improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the service. Better value for money resulting from the new arrangements should when realised more than offset the transitional costs. The particular savings at local level will depend largely on the management decisions taken by magistrates' courts committees about the way they will implement the changes.

  Mr. Deva
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made as to the extent to which the changes envisaged in the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice" will lead to the better administration of summary justice in outer London.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The changes announced in the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice" will lead to a better administration of summary justice throughout England and Wales including outer London by providing clearer lines of accountability both locally and to the Lord Chancellor, by guaranteeing the judicial independence of magistrates and their legal advisers, by yielding improvements in efficiency and effectiveness and by securing maximum co-operation in the management of the service with other parts of the criminal justice system. The newly formed magistrates courts inspectorate will have a particular responsibility for helping to raise the performance standards of management and administration.

  Mr. Deva
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the effects of the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice" on the independence of justices' clerks.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I am entirely committed to the principle of judicial independence. This is why the legislation which, with Parliament's approval, will put the new statutory framework in place, will enshrine in statute a guarantee of judicial independence. Justices' clerks are not judicial officers, but their advice to magistrates in individual cases will not be subject to management direction. In respect of management responsibilities—a very substantial part of the justices' clerks' responsibility —it is important to have a proper framework of line management and accountability. The White Paper reforms will provide this.

  Mr. Deva
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the extent to which the proposed population criterion for magistrates courts committee areas contained in the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice".

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  We have concluded that the number of magistrates courts committees should be reduced in order to yield improvement in efficiency and effectiveness and to secure maximum co-operation with other parts of the criminal justice system. Population is one of a number of criteria developed in consultation with the service against which we will decide how this reduction should be effected.

  Mr. Deva
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which magistrates courts committees have(a) a weighted case load of over 90,000, (b) an annual outturn, at 1991–92 prices of over £2·5
  308
  million and (c) a population of over 750,000; and if he will make a statement on the extent to which these reach performance targets.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information is set out in the Magistrates Courts Consultative Council document No. 2 "Magistrates' Courts Committee Areas (excluding Greater London)", a copy of which I have arranged to be placed in the Library of the House. The reorganisation proposals for courts committees are intended to lead to improvements in local performance and accountability and these will be measured by performance standards which we are now developing.

  Appeals
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the number of cases heard by appeal courts in England and Wales where the original sentence has either been reduced or quashed in the last three years.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The table shows the total number of appellants dealt with during the last three years in the Court of Appeal, criminal division and the Crown court —on appeal from a magistrates' court—whose appeals against sentence have been allowed or allowed in part.

  Successful appeals against sentence to the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court during the years 1990 to 1992

  Court of Appeal

  Crown Court

  1990

  1,526

  3,157

  1991

  1,219

  2,941

  1992

  1,049

  2,883

  Judges (Dismissal)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been the number of judges dismissed in each of the last three years for incapacity.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  No judges have been removed from office on the ground of incapacity in the last three years.

  Judges (Criticism)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been the number of appeal court cases where the action of the trial judge has been criticised by the appeal court in each of the last three years.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  This information is not collected.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what procedures are followed when a judge is criticised by the appeal courts for the way in which he has handled cases appearing before them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr John M. Taylor
  In all cases heard at the Court of Appeal criminal division, copies of judgments of the Court of Appeal are sent to the Crown court centre at which the trial took place. A separate copy is sent direct to the trial judge.
  309

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Drinking Water
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what programme is in hand to enable drinking water of potable quality to flow to all water taps in the Palace of Westminster.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  Drinking water supplied direct from the mains is already available from all taps in the parliamentary estate which are so marked. Water supplied to other cold taps—for example, to wash hand basins—may or may not be of potable quality, since some of this water comes from storage cisterns. There are no plans to supply mains water to every cold tap.

  Vote Office
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the House of Commons Commission, which of the domestic Select Committees will have responsibility for the services provided by the Vote Office following the transfer of that office from the Library Department to the Clerk's Department with effect from 1 November.

  Mr. Beith
  The provision of documents and publications to Members by the Vote Office is a matter within the area of responsibility of the Administration Committee, but the Vote Office may need to be associated with the work of other committees as appropriate—for example with the Information Committee in respect of policy relating to information technology.

SCOTLAND

  Salmon
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he has given to the report of the Salmon Advisory Committee on factors affecting emigrating smolts and returning adult salmon, with particular reference to the provisions of the Salmon Act 1986 and other legislation relating to dams and weirs; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  This report has been extremely helpful. As a result, I propose to consult further in the autumn on the provision of fish passes and fish screens, with a view to making regulations under the Salmon Act 1986.

  Scottish Agricultural Science Agency
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the annual report and accounts of the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency for 1992–93.

  Mr. Lang
  I have today published the report, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Courts
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what targets have been set for completing office business in the sheriff courts and supreme courts; and what performance was secured in 1992–93.
  310
  Mr. Lang
  The targets set for completion of office business in the sheriff courts in 1992–93 are set out. These targets remain in force for 1993–94. The percentage figures following each target indicate the proportion of sheriff courts achieving the target figures or better in the course of the year. More detailed information on the performance of individual court offices will be made available to local court advisory committees. Similar targets are in force in the supreme courts and all of these were achieved in 1992–93.

  Targets for sheriff clerk offices and performance 1992–93

  Per cent.

  To issue the first deliverance in all ordinary writs, or return to sender, within two working days of receipt.

  95

  To issue the first deliverance in all summary cause actions—including small claims—or return to sender, within three working days of receipt.

  94

  To draft, in preparation for signature, all final ordinary decrees in absence—excluding divorce—within one working day of receipt of the minute craving decree.

  90

  To draft, within seven days of receipt of the affidavits, in preparation for signature, all final decrees in undefended ordinary actions of divorce or return the affidavits to the sender.

  87

  To draft, in preparation for signature, all decrees in actions of divorce under the simplified procedure within one working day of expiry of the period of notice.

  97

  To issue extract decrees in all ordinary actions— excluding divorce—within three working days of the date of ordering or the expiry of the days of appeal —whichever is the later.

  84

  To issue all summary cause/small claim extract decrees within one working day of the due date.

  95

  To issue extract decrees in all ordinary actions of divorce within one working day of the due date.

  84

  To issue extract decrees of divorce under the simplified procedure within one working day of the due date.

  89

  To issue the first deliverance in all petitions for sequestration/liquidation, or return to sender, within two working days of receipt.

  90

  To prepare for signature the first deliverance in all adoption petitions within one working day of a correct petition being received.

  90

  To scrutinise and accept or reject commissary petitions and inventories within two working days of receipt.

  93

  To issue confirmation within three working days of acceptance of inventory.

  90

  To conduct small estate interviews within seven days from the time an interview is requested.

  98

  To process juror claims for payment, or return to sender, within two working days of receipt.

  98

  To process postal fines—other than unidentified payments—on day of receipt.

  99

  To issue warning letters, means enquiry citations, warrants, extracts, etc., and transfer fines within seven days of the trawl.

  96

  311

  Per cent.

  To remit all non-Exchequer receipts to entitled parties within 14 days from the end of the last accountancy period.

  96

  To effect a card reconciliation of all outstanding financial penalties on a monthly basis.

  96

  To reply to letter pleas within one working day of the court.

  99

  To order social enquiry and other reports within one working day of the court.

  99

  To complete probation, community service, compensation and fines supervision orders within two working days of the court.

  99

  To issue juror citations in the first instance at least 21 days prior to a jury sitting/trial.

  99

  To reply to all letter inquiries except those which require extensive investigation within two working days of receipt.

  93

  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what objectives for reducing court waiting periods have been established; what targets have been set for 1993–94 in respect of court waiting periods for the supreme and sheriff courts; and if he will give details of the performance of the supreme courts and each of the sheriff courts in 1992–93.

  Mr. Lang
  The programming of court business is a matter for the judiciary. Acting in co-operation with the judiciary in the supreme and sheriff courts, the Government seek to provide the resources which will allow speedy access to justice. Having regard to the time required by parties to have their cases properly prepared, the following objectives have been adopted:the Lord President of the Court of Session has accepted the recommendations of a committee chaired by Lord Maxwell relating to the reduction of waiting periods in the supreme courts: the target is to reduce waiting periods to the recommended levels and, subject to any acceleration in the rate of increase in court work, maintain waiting periods at that level: for certain categories of hearing, additional targets involving much reduced waiting periods, have been set;
  sheriffs principal have agreed to overall targets of reducing waiting periods for summary criminal trials in the sheriff courts to 12 weeks or less by the end of 1993–94 and to hold them at that level thereafter; and to maintain waiting periods at 12 weeks or less for civil cases in the sheriff courts.

  The main targets for waiting periods for 1993–94 are set down—"waiting period" is the period between a trial or proof being requested or an appeal being received and the date assigned expressed in weeks. The same targets applied in 1992–93 and national performance for that year is noted in the second column.

  Target

  1992–93 performance

  Criminal Appeal Business

  Summary prosecutions:

  Notes of Appeal against Sentence and Stated cases (accused in custody)

  4

  4

  Court of Session

  (a) Ordinary proofs

  24

  20

  (b) Defended Consistorial proofs

  17

  17

  Sheriff Courts (national average)

  312

  Target

  1992–93 performance

  (a) Civil proofs/debates

  12

  11·6

  (b) Summary Criminal Trials

  12

  14·8

  In 1992–93, waiting periods of 12 weeks or less were achieved for civil debates/proofs in 84 per cent. of sheriff courts.

  Waiting periods of 12 weeks or less were achieved for summary criminal business in 72 per cent. of sheriff courts.

  Performance of individual sheriff courts at 31 March 1993 is set out in the table:

  Court

  Civil proofs

  Summary criminal trials

  Falkirk

  15

  17

  Kirkcaldy

  15

  12

  Dingwall

  14

  14

  Hamilton

  14

  15

  Airdrie

  14

  17

  Stirling

  14

  11

  Glasgow

  13

  22

  Dumbarton

  13

  10

  Dumfries

  12

  12

  Fort William

  12

  14

  Arbroath

  12

  12

  Stonehaven

  12

  16

  Wick

  12

  12

  Dornoch

  12

  12

  Stornoway

  12

  12

  Cupar

  11

  12

  Kirkcudbright

  11

  10

  Stranraer

  11

  11

  Rothesay

  11

  10

  Aberdeen

  11

  12

  Peterhead

  11

  11

  Kilmarnock

  11

  10

  Linlithgow

  11

  15

  Peebles

  10

  11

  Dunoon

  10

  12

  Inverness

  10

  11

  Tain

  10

  10

  Lanark

  10

  12

  Oban

  10

  9

  Campbeltown

  10

  6

  Selkirk

  10

  9

  Edinburgh

  9

  8

  Alloa

  9

  13

  Dunfermlin

  9

  15

  Jedburgh

  9

  9

  Banff

  9

  10

  Perth

  9

  12

  Duns

  9

  9

  Portree

  8

  8

  Lochmaddy

  8

  12

  Greenock

  8

  12

  Elgin

  8

  8

  Dundee

  8

  12

  Forfar

  8

  6

  Haddington

  8

  19

  Kirkwall

  8

  8

  Ayr

  7

  12

  Lerwick

  6

  6

  Paisley

  6

  14

  In addition, the sheriffs principal have agreed that sheriff court programmes should be designed to ensure that the number of trials adjourned due to lack of court time should not exceed 5 per cent of the total number set down, a target met in 87 per cent of sheriff courts.
  313

  Council Tax
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the entitlement of a disabled person to reduction of council tax.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 14 July 1993]: There are several provisions designed to ensure that the council tax payable in respect of a disabled person's sole or main residence is not higher than it would be if the house was not that person's residence. These operate whether or not the disabled person is liable for payment of the council tax.

  Any fixtures designed to make a house suitable for a person who is physically disabled must be ignored in the valuation of a house if they would tend to add to its value.

  Many people with disabilities require extra space in the form of a second kitchen or bathroom, an extra room of another type or wheelchair circulation space. These features might tend to increase the valuation of a house and hence its council tax bill. To avoid this, a disabled person's home with any of these features is taxed as if it was in the valuation band below that shown in the valuation list. As houses in band A already carry the minimum bill, their occupants are not facing any increase due to someone's disability and no reduction falls to be made in their case.

  Islands Shipping Services
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Robertson) of 26 May,Official Report, column 589, if he will list the consultants which his Department has invited to tender for the studies into the financial assistance which he provides for lifeline shipping services and the organisation and structure of Caledonian MacBrayne; if he will require them to declare any actual or potential conflict of interest and to give a commitment not to use for any other purpose the information gleaned during the course of the study; if he will publish the terms of reference of the study; and if he will publish the report.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 July 1993]: The consultants who have been invited to tender for the review of shipping subsidies and study of options for the future organisation and structure of Caledonian MacBrayne are as follows:

  Ash Consulting Group

  Coopers and Lybrand

  KPMG Management Consulting

  Noble and Company Ltd.

  PA Cambridge Economic Consultants Ltd.

  Price Waterhouse

  Quayle Munro Ltd.

  Touche Ross and Co.

  The consultants will be required to declare any actual or potential conflict of interest and due consideration will be given to this issue in deciding which consultants should be appointed to undertake the studies. The consultants will be bound by standard Scottish Office conditions of contract for consultancy services which require that confidential and commercially sensitive information

  Expenditure on discretionary awards (£000) in 1991–92 constant prices

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–90

  1990–91

  City of London

  —

  —

  —

  219·6

  Camden (1)

  —

  —

  —

  n/a

  Greenwich

  —

  —

  —

  377·2

  Hackney

  —

  —

  —

  1,244·0

  314
  obtained by reason of the contract shall not be disclosed for any other purpose. When the contract for this assignment is awarded, I shall arrange to place in the Library a copy of the terms of reference for the studies. The studies will necessarily involve examination of confidential and commerially sensitive information which it would not be appropriate to publish. However, the Scottish Office will discuss with the consultants the extent to which it would be possible to publish the findings and conclusions of the studies without breaching commercial confidentiality.

EDUCATION

  General Studies
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his policy with respect to supporting general studies as a full A-level with equal status to other subjects as regards university requirements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  Admission requirements are a matter for individual higher education institutions.

  School Meals
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what research has been undertaken by his Department into the reintroduction of required standards for school meals.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department has not undertaken any research in this area.

  Discretionary Student Grants
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the oral answer to the hon. Member for Batley and Spen (Mrs. Peacock),Official Report of 13 July, column 822, if he will publish the figures held by his Department regarding discretionary grants; and if he will list the spending at 1992 prices on discretionary grant awards by each local education authority in the last five years for which figures are available, indicating the political control of each authority.

  Mr. Boswell
  Details of the numbers of and spending on discretionary awards by local education authorities are published in the Department's regular statistical bulletins, copies of which are in the Library. Information on expenditure on discretionary awards by each local education authority in England and Wales, at 1991–92 prices, for years between 1986–87 and 1990–91—the latest year for which a breakdown is available—is included in the table. Information for the academic year 1988–89 is not readily available and cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs. Details of the political control of each authority during that period can be found in the relevant volumes of the "Municipal Year Book", copies of which are in the Library.
  315

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–90

  1990–91

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  —

  —

  —

  3,246·0

  Islington

  —

  —

  —

  80·8

  Kensington and Chelsea

  —

  —

  —

  483·1

  Lambeth

  —

  —

  —

  1,050·3

  Lewisham

  —

  —

  —

  862·0

  Southwark

  —

  —

  —

  756·3

  Tower Hamlets

  —

  —

  —

  918·3

  Wandsworth

  —

  —

  —

  3,921·5

  City of Westminster

  —

  —

  —

  280·2

  ILEA/LRB [2]

  27,192·8

  28,991·6

  20,129·3

  8,871·6

  Barking

  672·9

  527·7

  835·7

  286·1

  Barnet

  1,017·4

  771·5

  522·7

  530·6

  Bexley

  563·3

  433·7

  352·1

  424·1

  Brent

  5,145·3

  4,447·8

  919·8

  886·4

  Bromley

  814·1

  920·6

  983·8

  980·3

  Croydon

  719·0

  773·8

  732·8

  746·2

  Ealing

  1,284·5

  1,451·7

  1,876·4

  1,331·8

  Enfield

  510·4

  588·8

  292·2

  566·8

  Haringey

  1,084·3

  937·6

  702·1

  112·9

  Harrow

  428·0

  340·2

  393·9

  398·5

  Havering

  438·7

  604·5

  494·1

  668·5

  Hillingdon

  780·9

  613·4

  671·4

  349·7

  Hounslow

  464·5

  467·6

  490·1

  373·1

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  332·1

  268·8

  276·4

  464·9

  Merton

  393·5

  308·5

  463·0

  519·7

  Newham

  887·7

  891·6

  1·123·6

  845·4

  Redbridge

  469·0

  449·6

  486·7

  988·1

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  606·1

  515·7

  567·5

  658·6

  Sutton

  308·6

  341·7

  341·6

  371·6

  Waltham Forest

  875·3

  1,128·2

  1,205·2

  970·3

  Birmingham

  1,754·5

  1,707·5

  1,907·5

  2·889·4

  Coventry

  799·7

  896·5

  794·0

  780·1

  Dudley

  473·3

  643·2

  744·1

  717·9

  Sandwell

  1,039·7

  1,019·8

  1,076·8

  957·8

  Solihull

  309·2

  283·9

  305·9

  379·8

  Walsall

  1,173·5

  1,261·2

  1,169·9

  1,715·7

  Wolverhampton

  247·9

  277·5

  273·5

  297·8

  Knowsley

  1,657·5

  1,729·7

  1·103·6

  1,257·8

  Liverpool

  2,999·2

  3,261·1

  6,787·0

  6,427·4

  St Helens

  858·9

  795·7

  814·4

  757·5

  Sefton

  662·8

  599·8

  791·6

  1,290·4

  Wirral

  1,644·9

  1,682·4

  1·908·1

  1,823·0

  Bolton

  1,389·4

  1,368·7

  1,193·7

  1,473·9

  Bury

  1,106·4

  1,239·6

  1,048·1

  1,047·9

  Manchester

  2,941·4

  2,991·8

  2,233·6

  2,156·1

  Oldham

  668·2

  688·5

  1,329·5

  862·1

  Rochdale

  659·5

  566·6

  626·9

  876·2

  Salford

  895·2

  830·7

  793·6

  815·6

  Stockport

  977·4

  986·6

  1,032·5

  813·8

  Tameside

  554·6

  511·6

  406·4

  496·0

  Trafford

  682·4

  779·4

  813·0

  0·0

  Wigan

  1,519·1

  1,281·9

  964·1

  725·8

  Barnsley

  882·2

  1,100·8

  1,343·4

  1,479·5

  Doncaster

  781·2

  785·7

  766·0

  927·5

  Rotherham

  834·3

  974·2

  855·6

  816·6

  Sheffield

  3,170·7

  3,041·8

  2,880·3

  2,563·4

  Bradford

  2,435·6

  3,008·4

  1,865·6

  2,071·4

  Calderdale

  444·8

  612·8

  667·6

  584·2

  Kirklees

  2,408·9

  2,592·1

  2,920·5

  3,149·8

  Leeds

  2,113·2

  2,723·8

  2,661·8

  2668·1

  Wakefield

  1,136·7

  1,348·0

  1,305·0

  1,318·8

  Gateshead

  391·3

  407·4

  607·9

  767·8

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  946·8

  848·8

  915·8

  1,078·4

  North Tyneside

  1,178·8

  1,320·1

  1,241·0

  994·1

  South Tyneside

  362·1

  449·0

  540·8

  503·1

  Sunderland1

  1,846·5

  1,584·4

  0·0

  n/a

  Isles of Scilly

  105·2

  112·4

  91·3

  0·0

  Avon·

  4,418·1

  4,321·4

  3,089·6

  n/a

  Bedfordshire

  1,787·4

  2,525·8

  1,525·0

  1,295·5

  Berkshire1

  1,474·7

  1,752·4

  1,441·2

  n/a

  Buckinghamshire

  1,198·1

  1,290·2

  1,288·9

  1,340·7

  Cambridgeshire

  1,417·4

  1,540·4

  1,813·7

  1,892·3

  Cheshire

  5,228·9

  5,210·2

  5,442·3

  8,112·1

  Cleveland

  2,053·1

  2,012·5

  2,021·2

  2,284·8

  Cornwall

  1,913·7

  1,723·5

  2,444·1

  2,638·8

  Cumbria

  3,083·6

  3,038·5

  2,744·3

  4,140·9

  Derbyshire

  3,796·4

  3,407·1

  3,888·7

  5,109·2

  Devon

  5,378·4

  5,640·1

  5,463·2

  5,481·5

  316 317

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–90

  1990–91

  Dorset

  2,408·4

  2,500·8

  2,847·1

  3,666·0

  Durham

  1,224·8

  1,038·6

  1,492·6

  2,006·0

  East Sussex

  1,811·6

  1,783·3

  1,027·6

  1,387·7

  Essex

  7,106·1

  8,467·7

  6,692·7

  6,789·0

  Gloucestershire

  3,385·5

  2,985·8

  3,058·5

  3,017·1

  Hampshire

  11,848·1

  11,201·1

  6,428·9

  6,899·6

  Hereford and Worchester

  1,475·5

  1,326·4

  1,447·0

  1,553·6

  Hertfordshire

  2,486·9

  2,780·6

  4,508·6

  3,639·8

  Humberside

  4,494·7

  4,585·6

  5,212·0

  5,691·6

  Isle of Wight

  551·1

  541·6

  562·5

  391·5

  Kent

  7,217·3

  6,877·8

  5,743·4

  6,185·6

  Lancashire

  7,343·6

  7,012·0

  9,899·8

  10,415·7

  Leicestershire

  4,976·2

  5,382·2

  5,484·3

  6,177·1

  Lincolnshire

  2,178·4

  1,971·3

  1,600·7

  1894·8

  Norfolk

  2,426·6

  2,443·2

  2,612·1

  3,073·6

  North Yorkshire

  6,182·0

  6,466·4

  5,826·1

  9,248·6

  Northamptonshire

  1,710·7

  1,264·9

  1,133·9

  1,712·0

  Northumberland

  1,851·0

  1,804·9

  2,233·0

  2,407·3

  Nottinghamshire

  4,016·3

  4,023·2

  4,509·4

  3,213·4

  Oxfordshire

  1,519·5

  1,260·1

  1,241·5

  1,339·1

  Shropshire

  1,751·8

  1,795·2

  1,689·0

  1,835·8

  Somerset

  1,328·3

  1,555·5

  1,907·3

  1,819·5

  Staffordshire

  2,220·0

  2,758·4

  1,856·4

  1,870·9

  Suffolk

  2,673·1

  2,527·5

  2,588·8

  3,263·7

  Surrey

  2,254·4

  2,220·1

  2,076·3

  2,094·4

  Warwickshire

  1,192·0

  1,858·3

  1,049·6

  1,212·7

  West Sussex

  1,161·8

  1,055·8

  1,256·6

  1,514·2

  Wiltshire

  2,129·1

  1,947·2

  1,898·1

  1,882·5

  Clywd

  1,693·2

  1,671·4

  2,041·1

  2,078·6

  Dyfed

  1,928·3

  1,744·5

  2,206·6

  2,608·0

  Gwent

  2,780·0

  2,975·0

  982·9

  882·2

  Gwynedd

  1,266·9

  1,127·1

  919·7

  1,130·4

  Mid-Glamorgan

  584·9

  479·3

  1,833·4

  1,578·7

  Powys

  786·6

  757·8

  904·4

  1,010·5

  South Glamorgan

  1,540·6

  1,502·0

  1,399·0

  1,608·5

  West Glamorgan

  1,058·4

  1010·3

  978·9

  1,108·4

  1LEAs unable to provide appropriate information·

  2ILBs took over responsibility from ILEA for most awards in 1990–91; some awards were made by the London residuary body·

PRIME MINISTER

  Bermuda
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the Bermuda Government about bringing the law on consensual sexual relations between adult men in private into line with the legislative position in Britain.

  The Prime Minister
  This is primarily a matter for the Government of Bermuda. Nevertheless, I expressed my concerns about this issue to the Premier of Bermuda when we met on 14 July. The Premier indicated that the Bermuda Government may look further at this issue after their general election to be held before May 1994.

  Name

  Minister(s) served

  Date of appointment

  Previous employer

  K. Adams

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  28 May 1993

  Rt. Hon. John Gummer

  P. Barnes

  Secretary of State for Social Security

  3 May 1993

  Boston Consulting Group

  C. Blunt

  Secretary of State for Defence

  15 February 1993

  PI Political Consultants

  Sir R. Braithwaite*

  Prime Minister

  1 June 1992

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  T. Burke*

  Secretary of State for the Environment

  10 April 1992

  Green Alliance

  J. Caine

  Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  17 June 1992

  Conservative Central Office

  D. Cameron

  Jointly to the three Ministers of State and the Under Secretary of State in the Home Office

  21 June 1993

  Conservative Central Office

  Dr. E. Cottrell

  Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  27 May 1993

  Conservative Central Office

  318

  Ministerial Advisers
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 18 November,Official Report, column 216, if he will publish the current list of special advisers attached to Ministers stating the Minister they work for, the date of their appointment and the name of their previous employer before their initial appointment as a special adviser attached to a Minister.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 20 July 1993]: There are currently 41 special advisers attached to Ministers. The names of the advisers, the Ministers they work for, the date of the appointment and the name of their previous employer before their initial appointment as a special adviser is as follows:
  319

  Name

  Minister(s) served

  Date of appointment

  Previous employer

  Dr. W. Eltis*

  President of the Board of Trade

  1 January 1993

  National Economic Development Office

  Sir C. Foster*

  Secretary of State for Transport

  1 June 1992

  Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte

  M. Fraser

  Minister of State for Overseas Development

  10 April 1992

  Conservative Central Office

  C. Grantham

  Secretary of State for Education

  11 April 1992

  Westminster Briefing

  J. Gray

  Jointly to the Ministers for Local Government and Inner Cities; Environment and Countryside; and Housing and Planning

  27 May 1993

  GNI Ltd.

  D. Green

  Prime Minister

  1 June 1992

  Business Television

  Professor P. Hall*

  Secretary of State for Environment

  27 May 1993

  University of California

  Mrs. S. Hogg

  Prime Minister

  10 April 1992

  Daily and Sunday Telegraph

  Ms S. Hole

  Chief Whip

  13 April 1992

  Lord Rothschild

  A. Kemp*

  President of the Board of Trade

  28 May 1992

  CDP Nexus Ltd.

  Mrs. T. Keswick

  Chancellor of the Exchequer

  28 May 1993

  Cluff Investments and Trading

  Mrs. E. Laing

  Secretary of State for Transport

  13 April 1992

  Shopping Hours Reform Council

  K. Leggett*

  Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  21 June 1993

  National Farmers Union

  D. Loehnis

  Secretary of State for National Heritage

  7 November 1992

  Sunday Telegraph

  G. Mackay

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  8 May 1992

  Pieda plc

  M. MacLay

  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  19 July 1993

  The European

  R. Marsh

  Secretary of State for Health

  21 April 1992

  Conservative Central Office

  Ms S. McEwen

  Chief Whip (House of Lords)

  29 June 1992

  Namara Cowan Ltd.

  M. McManus

  Secretary of State for Employment

  28 May 1993

  Conservative Central Office

  Dr. J. Nicholson*

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  1 September 1992

  John Nicholson Associates Ltd.

  Sir I. Pearce*

  Secretary of State for Transport

  16 June 1992

  Richard Ellis and English Estates

  Lord Poole

  Prime Minister

  13 May 1992

  James Capel

  Mrs. K. Ramsay

  Prime Minister

  2 June 1992

  Conservative Central Office

  P. Rock

  Home Secretary

  28 May 1993

  Conservative Central Office

  A. Rosling

  Prime Minister

  10 April 1992

  Hanson plc

  D. Ruffley

  Financial Secretary

  28 May 1993

  Clifford Chance

  R. Salmon*

  Secretary of State for Transport

  18 January 1993

  Cuff & Co. Ltd. and Fund Holdings Ltd.

  I. Stewart

  Lord President

  27 April 1992

  Conservative Central Office

  Lady Strathnaver

  President of the Board of Trade

  21 April 1992

  Haymarket Publishing Services Ltd.

  J. Swift*

  Secretary of State for Transport

  18 January 1993

  Barrister

  N. True

  Prime Minister

  10 April 1992

  Public Policy Unit

  I. Wilton

  Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  27 April 1992

  Conservative Central Office

  A. Young

  Secretary of State for Scotland

  8 May 1992

  —

  * Special advisers fall into two categories, political and those with specialised expertise relevant to their appropriate Secretary of State. The latter are indicated by an asterisk.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 22 July.

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 22 July.

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

  Olympic Bid
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister how many times (1) he has met the leaders of Manchester city council to discuss the bid to stage the Olympic games;
  320
  (2) how much financial support the Government have committed to the Manchester bid to stage the Olympics; and how much money has so far been paid over.

  The Prime Minister
  I have met the leader of Manchester city council with other members of the bid committee three times to discuss the British Olympic bid; I launched the formal bid document with the committee at Downing street on 17 February; and I have met them informally on a number of other occasions.

  Up to £75 million has been made available by the Government for the bid itself and for the construction of key facilities. Of that, some £22 million has been spent to date. If the bid is successful, the Government will ensure that all the necessary facilities are built by a mixture of private and public finances and that the funding necessary to stage and organise the games is provided.
  321

  Meetings
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister when he last met(a) Sheikh Zayed of Abu Dhabi and (b) the Pakistan high commissioner to the Court of St James.

  The Prime Minister
  I last met Sheikh Zayed of Abu Dhabi on 25 July 1989 when I was Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. I last met the Pakistan high commissioner on 29 March this year.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Prime Minister what pressures Her Majesty's Government are putting on the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina to attend and fully co-operate with the peace talks in Geneva; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  We are encouraging the Bosnian presidency to engage in direct negotiations with the other parties under the auspices of Lord Owen and Mr. Stoltenberg. We have repeatedly made clear that a lasting and equitable peace can be achieved only by a negotiated settlement freely agreed by all three parties. We will not accept a territorial solution for Bosnia dictated by the Serbs and Croats at the expense of the Bosnian Muslims.

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what plans he has to discuss the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds at the forthcoming United Kingdom/French summit; and if he will make representations to the French Government over the fulfilment of the directive's protection for migratory birds from netting, shooting and trapping;

  (2) what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister of France concerning the requirements under the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds to control the hunting and shooting of wild birds.

  The Prime Minister
  I am not aware of any proposals by the French Government for the admendment to the birds directive. Nor do I expect the matter to be raised at the meeting between Heads of State currently planned. There have been discussions by EC Environment Ministers on proposals by the Commission to amend annex III of the directive, but no agreement has yet been reached.

  Security Service
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the directive circulated to former members of the security service regarding the biographer of the late Sir Dick White.

  The Prime Minister
  There is no authorised biographer of Sir Dick White. Although the Government have recently taken a number of significant steps towards greater openness for the security and intelligence services, they continue to attach the highest importance to maintaining the principle that members and former members of those services are under a lifelong duty of confidence to the Crown in relation to information deriving from their employment.
  322

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Tourism
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the developments that have so far been completed under the terms of the EC tourism operational programme; what proportion of those projects were funded by(a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) from EC sources; how many developments are yet to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Those projects assisted under the tourism operational programme for Northern Ireland 1990–93 which have been completed by 30 June 1993 are listed. Her Majesty's Government did not fund the projects which were assisted by the European regional development fund.

  Capital Development

  Dunluce centre, Portrush

  The Navan centre, County Armagh

  The Tower museum, Londonderry

  18th century gaol block, Downpatrick

  Ballance house phase II, Glenavy

  Lough Neagh discovery centre

  Palace stables, Armagh

  Sinton's mill, Blackwater town

  Ulster and American streets, Ulster American folk park, Omagh

  Ulster history park visitor centre, Omagh

  Ballycastle seafront development

  Benone tourism complex phase III

  Banbridge gateway tourist information centre

  Lislap cottage restoration, Gortin

  Round lake, Fivemiletown

  Sixmilewater caravan park, Antrim

  Corn mill, Castleward

  Warrenpoint promenade, stage I, phase II

  International youth hostel, Londonderry

  Queen Mary's hostel, Belfast

  Glenada house, Newcastle

  Benone III, environmental improvements

  Margy bridge, Ballycastle

  Ardclennis activity centre, Co Fermanagh

  Bannview squash club, Craigavon

  Belleek and district development trust cruising project

  Belleekci pottery enhancement of visitor centre

  Portrush parascending project

  Lockside cruises, Co Fermanagh

  Lusty Beg island cruiser, Co Fermanagh

  Raspberry Hill health farm

  Rosskit slipway facilities, Co Fermanagh

  Down Royal racecourse visitor facilities

  Bushtown House hotel, leisure/conference facilities

  Glenavon House hotel, leisure/conference facilities

  Lough Erne yacht club

  Lough Beg leisure facilities, Co Londonderry

  Non Capital Developments: Studies

  Ballycastle marina

  Ballyleidy golf project

  Ballyronan tourism project development

  Belfast City centre hotel, Laganside

  Belfast science centre

  Bessbrook tramway

  Coalisland canal

  Coalisland heritage development

  Colebrook development

  Disabled access to tourist accommodation

  Down Royal racecourse

  Equestrian development

  Glens of Antrim

  Sustainable tourism

  Lecale/Down area

  Lough Neagh

  Newry/Portadown canal

  Roe Valley development

  South Armagh tourism development

  323

  South Down tourism development

  St Patrick's country heritage centre

  Strabane canal

  A further 55 capital and 35 non-capital projects were under way at 30 June.

  The European social fund is also supporting an on going programme of training for the tourism and hospitality industry. To date, a total of 1,162 people have benifited from this training.

  Select Committees
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the views given by the then Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to the Procedure Committee in its review of the working of Select Committees in Session 1989–90 on a Select Committee for Northern Ireland remain the Government's position.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  As the Government have repeatedly made clear, a Select Committee may, in principle, be desirable. But a number of issues, including the extent of support from elected representatives from both sides of the community in Northern Ireland, need to be considered. The Government keep the matter under review.

  Sight Tests
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the estimated savings made in 1992–93 as a result of the introduction of a charge for sight tests.

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 21 July 1993]: The sum is £2·3 million.

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many national health service eye examinations have been undertaken since 1985 in each health and social services board and in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding answer 21 July 1993]: The number of health service sight tests undertaken in each year is shown in the table.

  Thousands

  Health and Social Services Board

  Calendar year

  Eastern

  Northern

  Southern

  Western

  Northern Ireland Total

  1985

  100·8

  55·0

  31·7

  31·8

  219·3

  1986

  105·3

  57·2

  32·9

  33·2

  228·6

  1987

  113·5

  61·3

  34·9

  35·2

  244·9

  1988

  130·6

  67·2

  41·4

  40·4

  279·6

  11989

  86·0

  48·4

  28·3

  29·2

  191·9

  1990

  45·1

  30·0

  20·0

  19·8

  114·9

  1991

  52·3

  35·0

  23·9

  24·7

  135·9

  1992

  62·0

  39·2

  27·4

  28·6

  157·2

  1 From 1 April 1989 health service sight tests were restricted to certain groups in the population. The 1989 figures therefore include sight tests carried out under both the old and the new schemes. Consequently the 1989 figures are not directly comparable with those in 1990.

  Eye Disease
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the incidence of eye disease leading to blindness or hospital treatment in Northern Ireland giving the numbers of people involved.
  324
  Mr. Ancram
  [holding reply 21 July 1993]: Information on the incidence of all eye disease is not available centrally.

  Activity in the speciality of ophthalmology in Northern Ireland hospitals for the year from 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1993 is as set out below:

  Number

  Admissions

  5,992

  Day cases

  2,750

  Outpatient referrals

  21,832

  Cases operated on

  6,095

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were registered blind and partially sighted in each year since 1985; and what figures are projected for registrations in(a) five and (b) 10 years time.

  Mr. Ancram
  [holding reply 21 July 1993]: The information is not available in the form requested. The numbers of blind and partially sighted people in contact with, or known to, health and social services boards are presented in the tables below. This includes some people who are not registered. Information on projected figures in five and 10 years' time is not available centrally.

  Year

  Number of blind people

  Number of partially sighted people

  19851

  3,437

  1,285

  19861

  3,534

  1,304

  19871 3

  3,833

  1,383

  1988–892

  3,568

  1,167

  1989–902 4

  2,497

  869

  1990–912

  2,974

  1,087

  1991–922 5

  3,116

  1,254

  1Blind and partially sighted people known to health boards.

  2Blind and partially sighted people in contact with health boards.

  3Includes estimated data.

  4Boards were in contact with a further 579 visually impaired people who were not categorised.

  5Provisional data.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Newton
  The functions of the Privy Council Office do not include the provision of assistance to small businesses.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Salmon
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment she has made of the degree to which the provisions of section 14 of the Salmon
  325
  and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975, concerning the duties of proprietors of undertakings that take water to instal gratings of an approved type to prevent the passage of migratory fish, are being enforced; what consideration she has given in this context to the report of the Salmon Advisory Committee on factors affecting emigrating smolts and returning adults; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Responsibility for ensuring compliance with the requirements of section 14 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 rests largely with the National Rivers Authority. We will be discussing with it the question of enforcement of that provision in the light of the comments made by the Salmon Advisory Committee in its report.

  Melatonin
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement on the commercial use of melatonin in lamb production.

  Mr. Soames
  Melatonin is a naturally occurring substance which controls the ovulation cycle in ewes. Products containing melatonin can be administered to ewes to enable them to be mated earlier in the season before the usual peak of reproductive activity. Melatonin is classified as a veterinary medicine and all products containing it must be licensed under the Medicines Act 1968 before they can be made commercially available. One such product has been licensed, following a rigorous scrutiny of its efficacy, quality and safety, including safety to the animal. Melatonin is available on prescription only and must be used under the direction of a veterinary surgeon.

  The Farm Animal Wefare Council is currently undertaking a study of the sheep industry. It will offer advice to the Government on the welfare of sheep and is expected to consider the use of substances such as melatonin. The results of the study are due by the end of the year.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many new cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy have been reported in(a) England and (b) Lancashire since the end of April.

  Mr. Soames
  From 1 May to 16 July 1993, 6,748 suspected cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy have been reported in England to the Ministry. Of these, 327 have been reported in Lancashire.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr Dafis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list the current and planned programmes undertaken by her Department to monitor the effect of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant's aerial and marine discharges on(a) seals and other marine mammals and (b) sea birds; and if she will make it her policy to publish the results of the monitoring undertaken at regular intervals.

  Mr. Jack
  A decision on whether THORP should be allowed to operate will not be made until after the further 326
  consultation announced on 28 June by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has been completed. In the light of that decision, I will review the need, if any, for changes to my Department's already extensive environmental monitoring programmes. The results of these programmes are reported annually and copies are placed in the Library of the House.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met representatives from the Pesticide Exposure Group of Sufferers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  I met representatives of the Pesticide Exposure Group of Sufferers on 3 September 1992. A number of incidents relating to the safety of pesticides and sheep dips were discussed. I emphasised that it was important that those who discussed. I emphasised that it was important that those who believed themselves to have been adversely affected by exposure to pesticides should report the incident immediately to their local Health and Safety Executive office or, in the case of sheep dips, to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate—telephone No. 0932 336911 Ext 3040—and provide as much evidence as possible. It was only in this way that an incident could be properly investigated.

  Sheep Dips
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many incidents arising from exposure to organophosphate sheep dips have been reported in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992; and what were the occupations of the people involved.

  Mr. Soames
  The following numbers of suspected adverse reaction reports to organophosphorus sheep dips involving humans have been received by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate:

  Number

  1991

  132

  1992

  133

  The occupations of the people involved were:

  Farmer

  Farm worker

  Contract dipper

  Lorry driver

  Housewife

  Animal health inspector

  Builder

  Police constable

  Trading standards officer

  A number of reports also involved children, while others did not include information on the occupation of the person involved.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list the sheep dips currently granted approval by her Department, indicating which ones contain organophosphates.

  Mr. Soames
  The information requested is as follows:
  327

  Product name

  Product licence holder

  ORGANOPHOSPHORUS SHEEP DIPS

  1. Paracide Plus

  Battle Hayward and Bower Ltd.

  Also known as Paracide Plus when sold by:

  Downland Marketing Ltd.

  Chapman and Frearson Ltd.

  Messrs J. Todd and Son

  The Vale of Tivy Agriculture Society Ltd.

  Messrs J. S. Hubbuck and Son

  H&G Farm Feeds

  Ray Green Animal Health

  Colin Henderson

  Metcalf Feed Formulations

  Agripharm Animal Health

  Yorkshire Animal Health

  Also known as Summer Fly Dip when sold by:

  Battle Hayward and Bower Ltd.

  2. Diazadip All Seasons Scab Approved Dip

  Bayer UK Ltd.

  3. Topclip Gold Shield Scab Approved Sheep Dip

  Ciba-Geigy Agriculture

  Also known as Paracide Fly and Scab Dip when sold by:

  Battle, Hayward and Bower Ltd.

  Also known as Diazadip Scab Approved All-purpose Sheep Dip when sold by:

  Bayer UK Ltd.

  4. Coopers Powerpack Winter Dip

  Coopers Animal Health Ltd.

  5. Coopers Powerpack Summer Dip Scab Approved

  Coopers Animal Health Ltd.

  6. Osmonds Gold Fleece Sheep Dip

  Osmond and Son (Dublin) Ltd.

  Also known as Golden Fleece Sheep Dip when sold by:

  Bimeda UK Ltd.

  Also known as Deosan Diazinon Sheep Dip when sold by:

  Suicides among farmers and farm workers by month of occurrence, sex and age, 1989

  Males

  Females

  16+

  16–64

  65+

  16+

  16–59

  60+

  January

  7

  7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  February

  4

  4

  —

  1

  1

  —

  March

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  April

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  May

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  June

  6

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  July

  5

  2

  3

  1

  1

  —

  August

  5

  3

  2

  —

  —

  —

  September

  7

  5

  2

  —

  —

  —

  October

  7

  7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  November

  6

  5

  1

  —

  —

  —

  December

  4

  3

  1

  1

  1

  —

  Total

  58

  46

  12

  3

  3

  —

  Suicides among farmers and farm workers by month of occurrence, sex and age, 1990

  Males

  Females

  16+

  16–64

  65+

  16+

  16–59

  60+

  January

  7

  4

  3

  —

  —

  —

  February

  3

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  March

  5

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  328

  Product name

  Product licence holder

  Deosan Ltd.

  Also known as Downland Scab Approved Fly Dip when sold by: Osmond and Son (Dublin) Ltd.

  7. Young's Scab Approved Summer Dip

  Robert Young and Co. Ltd.

  8. Young's Scab Approved Flyte 1250 Sheep Dip

  Robert Young and Co. Ltd.

  Also known as Seraphos Scab Approved Sheep Dip when sold by:

  Crown Vet Pharmaceuticals

  Also known as Downland Seraphos when sold by:

  Downland Marketing Ltd.

  9. Rycovet Sheep Dip (Scab) Approved

  Robert Young and Co. Ltd.

  NON-ORGANOPHOSPHORUS SHEEP DIPS

  1. Bayticol Scab and Tick Dip (Scab Approved)

  Bayer UK Ltd.

  2. Coopers Green Label Scab and Tick Dip

  Coopers Animal Health Ltd.

  3. Taktic

  Hoechst UK Ltd.

  Farmers (Suicides)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is she will publish figures showing the number of suicides occurring monthly within the farming population in the United Kingdom within each of the last four years.

  Mr. Sackville
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information shown in the tables is for England and Wales. Information relating to Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and Learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
  329

  Males

  Females

  16+

  16–64

  65+

  16+

  16–59

  60+

  April

  7

  6

  1

  —

  —

  —

  May

  2

  1

  1

  2

  2

  —

  June

  5

  2

  3

  —

  —

  —

  July

  4

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  August

  5

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  September

  8

  6

  2

  —

  —

  —

  October

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  November

  2

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  December

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  51

  38

  13

  2

  2

  —

  Suicides among farmers and farm workers by month of occurrence, sex and age, 1991

  Males

  Females

  16+

  16–64

  65+

  16+

  16–59

  60+

  January

  3

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  February

  5

  3

  2

  1

  —

  1

  March

  10

  6

  4

  1

  1

  —

  April

  11

  9

  2

  —

  —

  —

  May

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  June

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  July

  4

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  August

  5

  3

  2

  —

  —

  —

  September

  7

  6

  1

  —

  —

  —

  October

  6

  4

  2

  —

  —

  —

  November

  4

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  December

  1

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Total

  61

  43

  18

  3

  2

  1

  Suicides among farmers and farm workers by month of occurrence1, sex and age, 1992

  Males

  Females

  16+

  16–64

  65+

  16+

  16–59

  60+

  January

  4

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  February

  8

  6

  2

  —

  —

  —

  March

  4

  4

  —

  1

  —

  1

  April

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  May

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  June

  4

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  July

  5

  2

  3

  —

  —

  —

  August

  6

  2

  4

  —

  —

  —

  September

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  October

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  November

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  December

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  46

  36

  10

  1

  —

  1

  1 This table does not include those deaths that occurred in 1992 but not registered until 1993.

TRANSPORT

  Motorways
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects(a) the M65 to M6/M61 link, (b) the widening of the M6 between junctions with the M61 and M55 and (c) the widening of the M6 between the junctions with the M56 and M62 to be completed.

  Mr. Key
  For(a) construction is planned to start early next year and is expected to take three years to complete; for (b) work is in progress and is expected to be completed by December 1994; and for (c) work is again in progress with completion expected in spring 1996.
  330

  Continental Freight Depots
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which sites have been designated as continental freight depots; and when construction will commence.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail has selected nine sites, at Glasgow (Mossend), Teesside (Wilton), Wakefield, Manchester (Trafford Park), Liverpool, Birmingham (Landor Street), Cardiff, London (Stratford) and London (Willesden).

  Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool and Teesside are existing terminals. Trafford Park and Willesden are all but completed. Work at Glasgow is expected to start within the next two months. Construction of the terminal at Wakefield will commence once agreement is reached

  331
  between BR and its development partners. Stratford will come on stream once demand warrants a second terminal to serve London and the south-east.

  Disabled Passenger Scheme
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Transport, what are the expected savings to be made from the repeal of the disabled passenger scheme.

  Mr. Key
  I understand the saving will be in the region of £500,000 in the first year, based on the approximate annual number of new applications.

  Current beneficiaries under this scheme will not lose their entitlement to exemption from vehicle excise duty as a result of the repeal.

  Severn Bridge
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the changes in transport movements across the Severn bridge in each of the last three years; and what assessment he has made on the effects of price increases.

  Mr. Key
  The following figures are for traffic crossing the bridge westbound from England to Wales:

  Period

  Number of vehicles (millions)

  May 1990 to April 1991

  9·3

  May 1991 to April 1992

  9·5

  May 1992 to April 1993

  8·8

  It is not at present possible to isolate the effects of toll increases. The increases in April 1992 coincided with the introduction of one-way tolling. It is likely that this will have reduced westbound traffic and increased eastbound traffic.

  Arrangments are in hand to monitor traffic from Wales to England.

  World Heritage Sites
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new roads have been built across world heritage sites in Britain in the past five years.

  Mr. Key
  None in England. Roads in Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Secretary of State for Wales respectively.

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 15 July,Official Report column 587, what is the average cost to the DVLA of supplying a printout to a magistrates court of a driver's licence history needed to assist in sentencing; what is the average delay between receipt of a requests from a magistrate's court and the printout being supplied; and what would be the capital and running costs of supplying magistrates courts with live terminals to enable them to obtain the information themselves.

  Mr. Key
  The current average cost to DVLA for a driver licence printout is £1. Most printouts are despatched from DVLA within five working days of 332
  receipt of the request. The cost of supplying magistrates courts with terminals to enable them to obtain the information direct is a matter for My right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor. Such a system would add approximately £0·5 million to DVLA's annual running costs.

  Airports
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he received the report of the RUCATSE working group into south-east runway capacity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have now received the report. It is a thorough and useful piece of work which will help set the framework for an informed debate on this important subject. The report deals with the issue of the possible need for more runway capacity in the south-east; the timing of that need; and sets out the advantages and disadvantages of development at a number of sites. It makes no recommendations about which site should be developed.

  A feature of the working group was its particularly wide-ranging membership. Local area representatives, environmental groups and the air transport industry have all been associated with the analysis set out in the report. I am sure that this diversity will make the report all the more useful. I therefore want to thank all those involved for the time and energy they have devoted to the work.

  I am today putting a copy of the report in the Library of the house and will send copies to members with constituencies near those sites subject to detailed assessment.

  Given the importance of this subject, I will attach particular weight to the consultation process which begins today. I invite all those with an interest in the subject to let my Department know their views on the issues raised in this report by the end of May 1994.

  Motorway Charging
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made by his Department in technological methods of charging cars for the use of motorways, with particular reference to electronic charging on motorways funded by the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The Green Paper, "Paying for Better Motorways" (Cm 2200), which was published on 26 May, describes a number of possible systems of electronic charging for motorways. We keep in close contact with technological developments in this country and abroad. In particular Department of Transport representatives participate in the relevant European bodies undertaking research and development standards for possible future applications.

  M25
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has anything to add to his answer of 19 July concerning the additional flows of vehicles on the M25 motorway expected from the construction of a single additional lane; and what approximate increase he expects in vehicle flows in vehicles per hour and in overall percentage terms.
  333
  Mr. Key
  I have nothing to add to my answer of 19 July,Official Report, columns 75–76.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies he has made of delays on motorways occasioned by various factors, other than traffic demand; and if he will now make a comprehensive study of all causes of delay on the M25 before authorising public expenditure on additional lanes or new parallel roads.

  Mr. Key
  Studies have been made of roadworks sites from which estimates of delays can be made. We also currently have a research contract running to study the effects of incidents, for example, accidents and breakdowns, on the operation of motorways generally which will enable delays due to such incidents to be estimated.

  I have no plans for a study of delays for the M25.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measurements have been made of delays to vehicles wishing to join the M25 motorway between its intersections with the M3 and M40, other than those occasioned by accidents, shed loads, roadworks or other non-demand factors.

  Mr. Key
  No measurements have been made of delays to traffic wishing to join the M25 between its junctions with the M3 and M40 from any causes.

  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about his plans for improving the M25.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The M25 is the hub of the national motorway network. Many other motorways—M1, M40, M4, M3, M23, M20, M11 and Al(M) lead off it. It is, therefore, a key component in the movement of long-distance national and international traffic, in particular by enabling traffic from the midlands and the north of England to reach the south-east and the channel without going through London. It is essential for our industry and commerce, upon which we depend for our further economic prosperity, that it should work effectively. Besides its national importance, it is also very important at the regional level, playing a major part in the economic development of the south-east.

  This importance is reflected in its very heavy use. The White Paper "Roads for Prosperity", published in May 1989, announced plans to widen the whole of the motorway to dual four-lane standard as part of the motorway widening programme. Work on this is proceeding. Widening between junctions 15 and 16 is currently in progress and earlier this year we consulted local interests on our proposals for widening within existing highway boundaries between junctions 7 and 8 and 10 and 11.

  However, it has become clear that on certain sections in particular traffic volumes have been rising and will continue to rise to the point where dual four lanes will not be enough to prevent chronic congestion. This problem is particularly acute on the section between junctions 12 and 15—between the M3 and the M4. That is why, as a first phase, we published in June 1992 proposals for dual three-lane link roads to augment the existing dual four-lane road. Although these proposals were welcomed in some quarters, they attracted understandable concern in others, particularly from those living near the motorway.
  334
  I have, therefore, considered very carefully all the issues raised by those who question the justification for these proposals. My conclusion is that the balance of public interest lies in taking these proposals forward and that the link roads should proceed to the next stage in the statutory process.

  In reaching my conclusion, I have looked particularly carefully at alternatives to the link road proposals. I do not believe that any of these would be an adequate response to the magnitude of the problem. Even with improved traffic management, such as the pilot scheme I have recently announced for controlled motorway operation, additional capacity will be needed. Without it, heavy lorries and other long-distance traffic will increasingly divert to the local road network to the point where conditions become intolerable for local people. Nor is increased use of rail transport a feasible option; there are no existing lines able to cope with the variety of journeys of those using the motorway and it is unrealistic to consider building new lines, nor would they match up to requirements. The link roads, moreover, are designed for purposes other than commuting and other journeys into London.

  Junctions 12 to 15 present the most pressing problem, which we have addressed first. But junctions 15 to 16 between the M4 and the M40 will also present a serious congestion problem in future, even after current widening to four lanes is completed. I am therefore today launching a public consultation on link roads on this stretch as well.

  However, in deciding to proceed to public inquiry for junctions 12 to 15 and to launch a public consultation for junctions 15 to 16, I can give a number of assurances.

  First, I have no plans for similiar link roads around the whole of the motorway. I forsee no need at all for widening beyond D4 between junctions 3 to 10 and junctions 21 to 30. I cannot rule out the need for widening beyond D4 on the remaining stretches—junctions 10 to 12, junctions 16 to 21 and junctions 30 to 3. The need for this will not become clear until future work has been carried out by consultants and any proposals would not necessarily be in the form of dual three-lane link roads. A solution involving fewer additional lanes might be acceptable.

  Secondly, I am determined that the greatest attention should be given to the environmental aspects of the proposals. The fact that we are intending to devote some two thirds of the land taken on junctions 12 to 15 to mitigation measures, including extensive landscaping and planting, not only shows my enthusiam for this but means that there will be considerable landscaping and noise barrier improvements over the existing section. And the proposals will naturally be subject to a very full environmental impact assessment in conformity with EC directives and the Department's new manual of environmental assessment, which can be considered at the inquiry.

  Thirdly, my intention to proceed with the link roads does not imply any diminution in the Government's committment in the regional strategy for the south-east to encourage investment to the east of London. We have a very substantial programme of investment in road improvements to the east to which we shall continue to give high priority within the public spending constraints we face. For example, work is starting this year on the £200 million Hackney-M11 link.

  Fourthly, the Government continue to be strongly committed to improving conditions for rail users on Network SouthEast and users of other public transport.

  335
  Last year, investment in London Transport and Network SouthEast was running at three times that in roads in London. The citizens charter commits us to improving conditions for both road and rail users and I intend to honour this commitment.

  The Government are currently consulting on the introduction of charges or tolls for the motorway network — "Paying for Better Motorways", Cm. 2200. No decisions have yet been taken, but if the Government decide to pursue a policy of charging or tolling and the necessary legislation is passed by Parliament, the M25, including the link roads, could be part of the charged network. I do not expect any motorway charging system that might be introduced in the future to remove the urgent need to increase the capacity of these already over-used sections of the M25. Depending on the results of the consultation exercise and subsequent decisions and legislation, these and other motorways widening schemes could also be candidates for private financing.

  A copy of the detailed departmental response to the proposals for junctions 12 to 15 has been placed in the Library. Copies have already been circulated to those who commented and other interested parties. Copies of the public consultation document on junctions 15 to 16 are also available.

  Crossrail
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the reactivation, or construction of additional stations on the proposed alignment of the Crossrail link between Westbourne Park and Wembley Park, with particular reference to those providing interchange with main bus routes.

  Mr. Norris
  It is for the promoters of the CrossRail Bill to consider whether such stations would be justified in operational and financial terms. I understand that several possible station sites are being considered.

  Land Compensation Act 1973
  Sir Keith Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much compensation has been paid by his Department under part I of the Land Compensation Act 1973 for each of the past five years.

  Mr. Key
  The amounts paid in recent years are £9·6 million in 1989–90, £36·1 million in 1990–91, £31·1 million in 1991–92 and £36·5 million in 1992–93. I regret that information for 1988–89 and earlier years is not readily available.

  Rail Tracks
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what safety training is given to contractors' staff working on British Rail tracks; and what assessment he has made as to the adequacy of these arrangements.

  Mr. Freeman
  Contractors' staff working on British Rail tracks receive the same thorough safety training as British Rail employees exposed to the same risks. Improving the safety of all personnel working on tracks is a strategic objective in British Rail's safety plan. The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate monitors the safety arrangements for railway employees and contractors.
  336

  Alcohol-related Offences
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what circumstances(a) EC nationals and (b) non-EC nationals may legally drive in the United Kingdom while banned from driving for alcohol-related offences in their own countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The removal of the right to drive in another member state or other non-EC country applies only in that jurisdiction. Drivers banned in other countries may drive here provided they are not banned in the United Kingdom. Work has recently started under European political co-operation in the judicial co-operation working group on criminal matters to explore the possibility of an agreement which would mean that a driver disqualified from driving in one member state would not be able to drive elsewhere in the Community.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in what circumstances persons banned from driving by British courts for alcohol-related offences may legally drive in other EC countries during the period of their suspension; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The jurisdiction of the British courts only applies to this country. Drivers banned here may legally drive elsewhere in the European Community.

  Peter and Michael Whiting
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the deaths of Peter and Michael Whiting at Ospringe bridge on 14 July.

  Mr. Freeman
  I much regret to report that at 14.45 on Wednesday 14 July two contractors were struck and killed by the 13.35 Victoria to Dover Western Docks train while working at Ospringe Road bridge, Faversham. The contractors were employed by Lowery of Ashford. Network SouthEast is conducting an internal inquiry into the accident. An inspecting officer from the Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate also attended the scene and made inquiries. HSE will consider the findings of these investigations and decide whether any action is necessary.

  British Rail
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many(a) British Rail staff and (b) contractors' staff have been killed in the course of their duties in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate maintains records of railways accidents and casualties. However, its records do not differentiate between railway operator and contractors' staff, nor do they readily differentiate between railway operators.

  Fatalities in respect of railway and contractors' staff for the latest available five-year period are:

  Number

  1987

  16

  1988

  16

  1989

  18

  1990

  22

  1 1991–92

  17

  337
  1The 1991–92 period runs from April 1991 to March 1992. There were five fatalities in the first three months of 1991.

WALES

  Disabled Children
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement outlining the progress made to date by local authorities in Wales on maintaining registers of disabled children; and when he expects the first registers to be completed.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Two local authorities indicate that registers have been established. Two authorities hope to complete the register within six to nine months. Another is writing to parents seeking consent to inclusion of children's names on the register and cannot predict the date of completion. Three authorities plan inter-agency consultation later this year to establish unified registers.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research has been undertaken by his Department concerning the availability of locally based respite care facilities for children with disabilities in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The range of local respite care services in Wales was identified in paragraphs 3.11–3.14 of the report of a survey undertaken by social services inspectorate, Wales in August 1991 on "Organisation of Services to Children with a Disability".

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the number of local authorities in Wales which(a) provide advice and counselling to children with disabilities and their parents, (b) prepare children with disabilities for independence, (c) provide respite care for children with disabilities and (d) provide full-time accommodation for children with disabilities.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  All authorities have indicated that they provide these services.

  Organophosphate Poisoning
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the number of patients treated within hospitals in Wales for organophosphate poisoning by health authority area in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Based on information supplied by hospitals, the number of discharges and deaths of people treated as in-patients or day cases in NHS hospitals in Wales for toxic effects of organophosphate and carbamate for the years requested is given as follows:

  Discharges and deaths of in-patients and day cases treated for toxic effect of organophosphate and carbamate1

  Health Authority of residence

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Clwyd

  2

  1

  —

  —

  Gwent

  2

  —

  —

  1

  Mid Glamorgan

  —

  —

  —

  1

  South Glamorgan

  1

  —

  —

  1

  West Glamorgan

  2

  1

  —

  —

  1 Figures may understate the true position in that not all hospitals supply complete medical details on patient discharges and deaths.

  338

  Speech Therapists
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the ratio of schoolchildren aged between three and 19 years to speech therapists in each local education authority in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not centrally available.

  Respite Care
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the local authorities in Wales who provide respite care(a) within the context of planned packages of care, (b) as relief care only and (c) on an emergency basis.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  All local authorities in Wales arrange respite care as(a) planned packages of care, (b) relief care only and (c) on an emergency basis, and all identified respite care in different forms as part of their social care plans and within their plans under the mental handicap and mental illness strategies.

  Village Halls
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide additional funds to assist village halls in Wales to implement the requirements of(a) the Children Act 1989 and (b) EC directives on hygiene.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Financial support to village halls is available under a number of schemes, including the strategic development scheme, the capital grants to voluntary youth services, village halls and community centres programme, and the social grants scheme operated by the Development Board for Rural Wales. Expenditure incurred for the purposes of compliance with the Children Act and EC directives on food hygiene is eligible for consideration under these schemes; and is funded from within existing provision.

  Decisions on resources available under these schemes for 1994–95 have not yet been taken.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to introduce measures enabling patients awaiting hospital treatment to transfer from hospitals with longer waiting lists for that particular treatment, to hospitals with shorter waiting lists.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  General practitioners already have the ability to refer patients to hospitals, or consultants, with the shortest waiting lists. The waiting times information service and Health Line Wales have been established to provide patients and GPs with accurate and up-to-date information on waiting times.

  The decision to refer a patient to a particular hospital or consultant depends upon many factors, however. These include not only the length of the waiting list but also the suitability of the treatment available and the patient's own wishes. Where appropriate, I hope that general practitioners will seek to pursue the shortest waiting lists for their patients.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons of pensionable age were revealed in the 1991 census in Wales.
  339
  Mr. Redwood
  The 1991 census recorded 570,932 persons of pensionable age resident in Wales.

  Secure Unit Report
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 8 July,Official Report, column 273, whether the consultant's report on the proposed new secure unit in south Wales has now been received; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The joint Welsh Office and local authority working party has wholeheartedly adopted the feasibility report of its consultants, submitted to it at its meeting on 16 July. The report clearly recommended a site in west Glamorgan for the location of the proposed regional secure unit and it is now for that authority to consider the report before submitting a grant application to the Welsh Office. I very much hope that they come to an early decision to proceed so that work on the new unit can commence as quickly as possible.

  Development Board for Rural Wales
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to lay before Parliament regulations to govern the disposal of the housing stock owned by the Development Board for Rural Wales.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 empowers me to make regulations to govern the disposal of housing stock owned by the Development Board for Rural Wales. I have today laid such regulations before the House.

  In December 1991, draft regulations for this purpose were subject to public consultation. In framing these proposals, due consideration was given to existing provisions for disposal of new town housing in England, but also to the fact that the board owns houses in four different local authority areas; to the very sizeable proportion of the total social rented housing stock in Mid-Wales that the board's stock represents; to matters of timing; and to the likelihood of a continued role for the board in promoting development in its areas after the disposal of its housing stock.

  Views were sought on the questions of the appropriate way to decide the outcome of any formal consultation, that is to say whether the outcome should reflect the majority view or the individual preference of all who vote.

  All the responses to the public consultation have been carefully considered.

  I have decided upon some changes to the draft regulations featured in that consultation, and to act upon certain comments through administrative means as and when appropriate.

  A list of those who responded has been placed in the Library of the House. Most respondents who commented on the matter believed that the outcome of a formal consultation should reflect the majority view. Having considered this, I, too, am now persuaded by arguments that this will be appropriate in the mid-Wales context, will be simple, and will encourage serious prospective landlords to come forward, thus giving tenants the greatest choice reasonably possible. The regulations which I have laid before Parliament provide for this.

  I expect the disposal process to take approximately two years to complete and shall task the board to publish a proposed timetable.
  340
  Under the regulations, the board's housing will be sold to social landlords—housing associations or local authorities—and will be available for social renting. Housing associations will be able to meet the price by borrowing against the expected net income. Local authorities will be issued with supplementary credit approvals to cover the purchase price, if they are successful.

  In all this, tenants' interests will be respected. Those who transfer to local authorities will remain secure tenants, benefiting from the rights described in my council tenants charter. Those who transfer to housing associations will become assured tenants, and benefit from the rights secured through the tenants guarantee issued by Housing for Wales. Existing tenants' right to buy will continue in each case.

  The flexi-ownership scheme operated by the board will be discontinued. An earlier consultation on proposals to introduce a national rents-to-mortgages scheme for council tenants, sought views on whether it should extend to secure tenants who transfer to housing associations. Our conclusion in the light of the responses we received was that it should not, so the statutory scheme will apply only to tenants who transfer to local authorities.

  I do not expect that all the board's stock will be disposed of to a single new landlord; its geographical spread makes this unlikely. Terms of all disposals will be subject to negotiations between board and prospective new landlords.

  In the regulations, I have provided for tenants' views to be taken into account in drawing up the short-list of prospective landlords for each parcel of stock, and in deciding how the stock should be divided; and, of course, for their collective wishes to decide the outcome of any contest between prospective landlords. I propose to provide funds for the tenants to receive professional advice throughout the process of disposal to underpin the exercise of their legal rights.

  The development board will have the responsibility, under the regulations, to transact the business of disposal, but all disposals will be subject to my consent, as the statute requires.

  Subsequent disposals of stock by a new landlord will also be subject to my consent, other than exempt disposals such as to a sitting tenant with the right to buy. My consent for a subsequent disposal will be given only if there is good reason for it.

  The board will remain able to promote mid-Wales development effectively after disposal of its housing. We shall continue to address requirements for new social housing in mid-Wales, primarily through Housing for Wales and locally active housing associations, whatever the outcome of the disposal process.

  The provisions which I have laid before the House will ensure expeditious and appropriate disposal of the board's stock; will secure tenants' interests, offer them the greatest choice reasonably possible, and respect their collective wishes; and will permit continued effective promotion of mid-Wales development.
  341

ENVIRONMENT

  Composting Scheme, Kirklees
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to monitor the composting scheme introduced by Kirklees council.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Kirklees scheme, which has been supported by my Department's supplementary credit approvals programme, is one of a number of imaginative composting schemes being run by local authorities and other organisations throughout the country.

  We are currently reviewing our programme of work on monitoring pilot recycling collection schemes. As part of this review, we will consider whether to include composting schemes such as the one introduced by Kirklees council.

  Council Rents
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the increase in average council rents between 1989–90 and 1993–94.

  Mr. Baldry
  The estimated average weekly unrebated rent for local authority dwellings in England in 1989–90 was £20·86 and the provisional figure for 1993–94 is £33·54, an increase of 61 per cent.

  Thermal Oxide Reprocessing Plant
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local authorities which have written to his Department in support of a new public inquiry into any proposed discharge authorisation associated with the development of THORP.

  Mr. Yeo
  The information which the hon. Member requests is not readily available. I assure him, however, that all the relevant correspondence has been read and considered and the views expressed will be taken into account in the deliberations of my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for the Environment and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Disabled Facilities Grant
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to extend the scope of works covered by the disabled facilities grant.

  Mr. Baldry
  None. Disabled facilities grants are already available for a wide range of mandatory and discretionary adaptation works to benefit disabled people.

  Outer-city Areas
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research his Department has commissioned or conducted into the specific problems encountered by outer-city areas.

  Mr. Baldry
  In managing its sizeable research effort the Department recognises the need to identify problems wherever they occur. Much of the research it commissions on housing renewal and urban regeneration as well as land use planning is relevant to the various problems encountered in outer-city areas. Individual studies are listed in the Department's annual newsletters, which are available in the House of Commons Library.
  342

  Organochlorines
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what research has been undertaken by his Department upon the effect of organochlorines on aquatic ecosystems.

  Mr. Yeo
  Organochlorines have an extremely wide diversity of forms and uses and many occur naturally. Environmental concern about their aquatic effects relates to those substances which might be particularly toxic, persistent or bioaccumulative, as reflected in lists I and II of EC directive 76/464 on dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment and in the new north-east Atlantic convention.

  The Department has a programme of research directed at establishing environmental quality standards for priority substances of this nature where these have not been suitably researched within the EC programme of work. This includes consideration of a variety of organnochlorines. Reports of the research studies are widely available through the Department Library.

  Housing (Disabled People)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what instruction will be issued by his Department to local authorities to meet the housing needs of disabled people in their arrangements for community care.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department and the Department of Health jointly issued guidance to English local authorities about their role under the community care arrangements in circular 10/92, "Housing and Community Care", on 24 September 1992. A copy of the circular is in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action has been undertaken to date by his Department resulting from the Ernst and Young research report into the housing needs of disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The study of the housing needs of elderly and disabled people commissioned by the Department from Ernst and Young management consultants has now been completed and a series of reports on discrete elements of the project are being prepared. The intention is to publish a summary report later this year and provide the individual reports on request. It is also proposed to produce guidance to local housing authorities on methods for assessing the housing needs of elderly people and the comparative costs of different housing and housing with care options to meet their needs.

  My Department will also be publishing the findings from a separate but related study, to which Ernst and Young contributed, on the role of housing agency service in enabling disabled people to remain in the community or transfer out of institutions. It is planned to publish this report next month.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional resources have been made available to local authorities towards meeting the housing needs of disabled people resulting from the implementation of community care.

  Mr. Baldry
  Community care in itself creates no new category of entitlement to housing and housing needs
  343
  which are identified by community care planning and individual assessments should be considered alongside existing processess and local priorities. The resources available to authorities should allow the proper discharge of their responsibilities to all sections of the community.

  City Grant
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those projects in the west midlands region that have received city grant funding in each year since 1988.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information requested is shown:

  Approved Grant (£)

  1988–89

  Birmingham

  Startpoint industrial units

  283,000

  Kings Norton business centre

  1,260,000

  The Bond office

  361,355

  Coventry

  Seven Stars industrial estate

  1,627,000

  Sandwell

  Windmill Lane housing

  775,000

  Total

  4,306,355

  1989–90

  Birmingham

  Bordesley village housing, phase 1

  1,401,257

  Waterlinks mixed development (Aston Cross)

  6,200,000

  Browning street housing

  902,000

  Constitution hill indian restaurant

  67,933

  Jewellery business centre

  934,271

  Arcadian centre mixed development

  3,200,000

  Garrison Lane industrial units

  570,000

  Coventry

  Hay lane offices and shops

  624,000

  Dudley

  Washington centre

  3,500,000

  Sandwell

  Batmans hill housing

  1,399,431

  Walsall

  Davenport warehouse and offices

  110,000

  Walsall chamber of commerce offices

  68,377

  Wolverhampton

  St Marks church offices

  368,865

  Total

  19,346,134

  1990–91

  Birmingham

  Holford phase II

  6,329,000

  Bordesley village housing

  3,720,603

  Europa distribution depot

  175,000

  Coventry

  Harnall lane housing

  592,000

  Dudley

  Sandhar's discount store

  85,000

  Bloomfield Park Tipton trading estate

  1,660,000

  Sandwell

  Kings hill business park

  1,388,500

  Wolverhampton

  Old Heath road units

  154,421

  344

  Approved Grant (£)

  Total

  14,104,524

  1991–92

  Birmingham

  Crosby works offices

  126,350

  Birmingham Cable Ltd. HQ

  345,650

  Scott house media workspace

  800,000

  Waterlinks house offices

  1,133,000

  Trafalgar road housing

  595,985

  Dudley

  Grazebrook industrial park

  3,736,020

  Colonial works industrial units

  1,195,290

  Waterfront Cophorne hotel

  1,139,000

  Waterfront west office development

  899,500

  Charlotte streets units

  197,082

  New road industrial units

  475,885

  Waterfront west offices phase II

  705,870

  Sandwell

  Sandwell Golf Centre

  40,500

  Regis court offices

  60,000

  Tipton office development

  125,462

  Walsall

  Tame works managed workspace

  431,000

  Wolverhampton

  Lanesfield drive industrial units

  1,480,062

  Tettenhall road offices

  740,300

  Wrekin

  Telford exhibition centre

  371,000

  Total

  14,597,956

  1992–93

  Birmingham

  Bordesley village housing Phase III

  206,000

  Coventry

  Parkside offices phase I

  580,000

  Dudley

  Waterfront point north offices

  2,903,025

  Waterfront west business park

  2,432,420

  Wollaston road housing

  1,302,612

  Wolverhampton

  Shaw park offices Mk 2

  112,000

  Springvale industrial units

  2,282,000

  Spring road industrial units

  670,680

  Wolverhampton racecourse redevelopment

  3,037,000

  Bushbury lane industrial units

  113,000

  Total

  13,638,737

  1993 to date

  Dudley

  Addison road housing

  760,000

  Kings court offices/shops

  250,000

  Wrekin

  Station road housing, Telford

  434,000

  Total

  1,444,000

  Grand Total

  67,437,706

  345

  Building and Fire Advisory Committees
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes of meetings of the Buildings Regulations Advisory Committee and the Fire Advisory Panel.

  Mr. Baldry
  No. Both the Buildings Regulations Advisory Committee and the Fire Advisory Panel are appointed to advise my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on matters relating to the Building Regulations. Such advice is confidential, as are the minutes of their meetings recording the discussions leading to that advice.

  Local Authority Housing
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authority-owned houses were empty at the last date at which figures were available; what information he has on the length of time they had been vacant; what is his estimate of the rent forgone for each local authority during the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  At 1 April 1992 the number of local authority owned properties in England that were empty and available for letting, either immediately or after minor works—that is, excluding dwellings awaiting major works or due to be sold or demolished—was 40,400, representing 1·1 per cent. of all local authority dwellings.

  The available information on the length of time these dwellings had been vacant is as follows:

  Time vacant

  Number of dwellings vacant

  Three weeks or less

  15,400

  Over three weeks but not more than six weeks

  8,900

  Over six weeks but not more than six months

  10,600

  Over six months but not more than one year

  2,400

  Over one year

  3,200

  Total

  40,400

  The number of empty local authority dwellings available for letting, either immediately or after minor works fell substantially between April 1990, when it stood at 51,500–1·3 per cent. of all dwellings—and April 1992 as a result of improved management performance by local authorities.

  Estimates are not compiled centrally of the rent forgone while dwellings are vacant.

  Accessible Housing
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what instructions will be issued to housing departments' building control and planning authorities by his Department to clarify their relationships and respective responsibilities with regard to the provision of accessible housing.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Building Regulations Advisory Committee is currently studying the desirability and practicability of extending part M of the Building Regulations, covering access for disabled people, to cover dwellings. Once I have received that advice I will consider what further guidance is given to local authorities.
  346

  Local Authorities (Gas Supplies)
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he holds as to how many local authorities in England now receive all or part of their gas supply from a supplier other than British Gas.

  Mr. Baldry
  None.

  Councillors—Electors Ratio
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines have been given to the Commission reviewing local government about the optimum councillor/elector ratio.

  Mr. Baldry
  None. The ratio of councillors to electors must be as nearly as possible the same in every electoral division or ward in an authority. Beyond that, it is a matter for the commission's judgment in each review area.

  Local Government Review, Durham
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will ensure the results of the MORI poll commissioned by the Local Government Commission in relation to Durham are published immediately upon completion of the poll.

  Mr. Baldry
  Decisions on publication are for MORI and the Local Government Commission.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the environment (1) what is his latest estimate of the total number in each council tax band in England of(a) dwellings, (b) exempt dwellings, (c) chargeable dwellings that are subject to a disabled reduction, (d) diplomats dwellings, (e) chargeable dwellings entitled to a single discount for the purposes of council tax, (f) chargeable dwellings that are entitled to two discounts for the purposes of council tax and (g) total equivalent number of dwellings after discounts, exemptions, and disabled relief;

  (2) what is his latest estimate of the number of band D equivalents in each council tax band in England;

  (3) what is his latest estimate of the number of dwellings on the valuation list in England that were exempt in each class A to Q.

  Mr. Gummer
  The statistical returns from local authorities which contain the information requested are currently being processed. I will provide the information as soon as it is available.

  Rent-a-room Scheme
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many rooms have been let under the rent-a-room scheme; and how many of these rooms have come into letting since the scheme began;

  (2) if he will identify the cost of the rent-a-room scheme in its first year of operation; and what the anticipated cost is for 1993–94.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information about the number of rooms let under the rent-a-room scheme can only be obtained from housing surveys. Information about the cost of the scheme can only be obtained from a special analysis of tax returns. Data are not available from either source yet.
  347
  There are no forecasts of the costs in either 1992–93 or 1993–94.

  City Challenge
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many city challenge projects he has visited.

  Mr. Baldry
  Since he took up office, the Secretary of State has visited a number of city challenge projects. City challenge partnerships also receive regular visits from the sponsor Minister and other Ministers in this Department.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many city challenge authorities have now initiated exit strategies.

  Mr. Baldry
  Many city challenge partnerships have begun to plan their exit strategies. My Department will be issuing guidance on this in due course, and we expect partnerships to consider their strategies in the light of that.

  Social Housing
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the space and standard requirements for new social housing development schemes.

  Mr. Baldry
  There are no space requirements for new social housing development schemes. Other standards, which the Housing Corporation requires as a condition of grant or loan to housing associations, are set out in part 4 of the Housing Corporation's procedure guide. A copy of this guide has been placed in the Library.

  Housing Corporation
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to respond to the recommendations made by the Environment Committee in its second report of Session 1992–93 on the Housing Corporation, HC 466.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend is currently considering the Select Committee's report and expects to produce a full response shortly after the summer recess.

  Nuclear Waste
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates have been made of the health risks to the United Kingdom population from the proposal by British Nuclear Fuels for substitution of wastes equivalent to quantities of high-level waste.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee's views were sought on the likely radiological and environmental impact for the United Kingdom of British Nuclear Fuels' proposals for waste substitution. As I have said in the answer I gave on 28 June to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith),Official Report, columns 387–88, RWMAC has been asked to do further work.

  Water Prices
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what has been the increase in water prices in England in(a) cash and (b) real terms since water privatisation;
  348
  (2) what has been the increase in water prices in England in (a) cash and (b) real terms since 1979.

  Mr. Yeo
  Between 1979–80 and 1989–90 the average domestic water rate bill increased nationally by 187 per cent. in cash terms—a real terms increase of 45·2 per cent.

  Since privatisation, the weighted average increase in water charges in England in cash terms has been 52·1 per cent.—a real terms increase of 21·2 per cent.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the increases in water prices in the areas served by(a) the Mid Kent Water Company and (b) the West Kent Water Company in (i) cash and (ii) real terms since water privatisation.

  Mr. Yeo
  Since privatisation, the increase in water charges in Mid Kent Water Company's area in cash terms has been 55·3 per cent.—a real terms increase of 24·2 per cent. The increase in water charges in West Kent Water Company's area in cash terms has been 84·9 per cent.—a real terms increase of 49·8 per cent.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to change the guidelines for the current review of local government structure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  We are always ready to consider whether the guidance which we have issued to the Local Government Commission needs updating or clarifying.

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the timetable for implementing local government reorganisation in the first tranche of local authorities.

  Mr. Baldry
  We have announced that any new structure for the Isle of Wight would be implemented on 1 April 1995. The timing of implementation in other first tranche areas will depend on the nature of the final recommendations.

  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the future of the review and reorganisation of local government in Cleveland.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Local Government Commission is currently preparing its final report on the review of Cleveland and Durham, which is due to be submitted by 21 November. The Secretary of State will then consider whether the recommendations should be implemented. The final decision on any changes rests with Parliament.

  Water Quality
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list each of the items of EC legislation concerning the cleanliness of water that the United Kingdom is legally bound to implement; and if he will list for each item whether the United Kingdom supported or opposed it at a vote in the EC.

  Mr. Yeo
  With one exception, the directives relating to water quality listed below were adopted by unanimity under the provisions of the treaty of Rome. The titanium
  349
  dioxide directive (92/112/EEC) was adopted by a qualified majority with United Kingdom support. In many, if not all, cases, changes will have been made in negotiation at the request of the United Kingdom.

  Water Directives (July 1993)
  1. Detergents (73/404/EEC of 22 November 1973)

  2. Testing of anionic surfactants (73/405/EEC of 22 November 1973)

  3. Quality of surface water abstracted for drinking (75/440/EEC of 16 June 1975)

  4. Quality of bathing water (76/160/EEC of 8 December 1975)

  5. Discharges of dangerous substances (76/464/EEC of 4 May 1976)

  6. Exchange of information on surface water quality (as amended) (77/795/EEC of 12 December 1977, and 86/574/EEC of 24 November 1986)

  7. Waste from Ti01 industry (78/176/EEC of 20 February 1978)

  8. Quality of fresh waters for fish life (78/659/EEC of 18 July 1978)

  9. Methods of measurement etc, of surface water for drinking (79/869/EEC of 9 October 1979)

  10. Quality of shell fish waters (79/923/EEC of 30 October 1979)

  11. Protection of groundwater (80/68/EEC of 17 December 1979)

  12. Exploitation and marketing of natural mineral waters (80/777/EEC of 15 July 1980)

  13. Quality of water for human consumption (80/778/EEC of 15 July 1980)

  14. Methods of testing the biodegradability of anionic surfactants (82/243/EEC of 31 March 1982)

  15. Methods of testing the biodegradability of non-ionic surfactants (82/242/EEC of 31 March 1982)

  16. Mercury from the chlor-alkali electrolysis industry (82/176/EEC of 22 March 1982)

  17. On the major accident hazards of certain industrial activities [Seveso] (82/501/EEC of 5 August 1982)

  18. Titanium dioxide monitoring (82/883/EEC of 3 December 1982)

  19. Titanium dioxide (timetable) (83/29/EEC of 24 January 1983)

  20. Limit values and quality objectives for cadmium discharges (83/513/EEC of 26 September 1983)

  21. Laying down a procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations (83/189/EEC of 28 March 1983)

  22. Limit values and quality objectives for mercury discharges—sectors other than the chlor-alkali electrolysis industry (84/156/EEC of 8 March 1984)

  23. Limit values and quality objectives for HCH discharges (84/491/EEC of 9 October 1984)

  24. Second amendment of 73/404/EEC—detergents (86/94/ EEC of 10 March 1986)

  25. Use of sewage sludge in agriculture (86/278/EEC of 12 June 1986)

  26. Limit values and quality objectives for discharges of certain dangerous substances included in List I of the Annex to Directive 76/464/EEC [CTC, DDT, PCP] (86/280/EEC of 12 June 1986)

  27. Prevention and reduction of environment pollution by asbestos (87/217/EEC of 28 March 1987)

  28. Amending annex II to directive 86/280/EEC: discharges of drains, HCB, HCBD, chloroform (88/347/EEC of 16 June 1988)

  29. Titanium dioxide (harmonisation of programmes)—annuled by decision of the ECJ 11 June 1991 and replaced by 92/112/EEC (89/428/EECf 21 June 1989)

  30. On the freedom of access to information on the environment (90/313/EEC of June 1990)

  31. Amending annex II to directive 86/280/EEC: discharges of EDC, TRI, PER, TCB (90/415/EEC of 27 July 1990)

  32. Concerning urban waste water treatment (91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991)

  33. Concerning the protection of fresh, coastal and marine waters against pollution caused by nitrates from diffuse sources (91/676/EEC of 12 December 1991)

  350

  34. On standardising and rationalising reports on the implementation of certain directives relating to the environment (91/692/EEC of 23 December 1991)

  35. On procedures for harmonising the programmes for the reduction and eventual elimination of pollution caused by waste from the titanium dioxide industry (92/112/EEC of 15 December 1992)

  Companies (Local Authority Interests)
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to take powers to regulate companies in which local authorities have interests under part V of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend will be going out to consultation shortly on proposals designed to implement the provision of part V of the 1989 Act on this subject.

  Local Government Commission
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to amend the terms of reference, working methods or personnel of the Local Government Commission.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Local Government Commission's terms of reference are laid down in the Local Government Act 1992. In carrying out its reviews, the commission must have regard both to the requirements of section 15 of the Act, and of the procedural guidance which we have issued to it. It is otherwise free to determine its own working methods. The commission is responsible for making its own staffing arrangements. We have no current plans to make fresh appointments to the commission.

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the French authorities regarding any relaxation of controls on the hunting and trapping of wild birds.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to him earlier today.

  Cornwall (Storm Damage)
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide financial assistance to local authorities in Cornwall to compensate them for emergency work undertaken as a result of damage caused by storms and floods during the period 9 to 12 June.

  Mr. Baldry
  Yes. My right hon. Friend is satisfied that financial relief under the Bellwin scheme would be justified in this case because of the exceptional nature of the flooding in Cornwall. Accordingly, the Secretary of State has decided, with the consent of the Treasury, to establish a scheme of assistance under section 155 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 in respect of expenditure relating to damage caused by the storms and floods in Cornwall in June 1993. Grant will be paid to reimburse local authorities for 85 per cent. of eligible costs incurred above threshold. North Cornwall district council had advised the Department that it has incurred expenditure above its threshold. It is expected that grant to that authority is likely to be in the region of £16,000.
  351

  Crown Office Buildings, Edinburgh
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to sell, or otherwise dispose of, the Crown Office building, the Old Royal high school, in Edinburgh.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 9 June 1993]: The future use of the Old Royal high school in Edinburgh is being given active consideration by Property Holdings which is in discussion with the Scottish Office on the possibility of its continued use by the Scottish Grand Committee. No decision has yet been taken.

DEFENCE

  Infantry Battalions
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future location of the two additional infantry battalions he announced on 3 February,Official Report, column 320.

  Mr. Hanley
  A number of options for providing sufficient accommodation to house the two additional infantry battalions have been examined. I am pleased to announce I have decided that Sir John Moore barracks, Shorncliffe, which would otherwise have been disposed of as a result of the cessation of infantry junior leaders training there, will be retained in the Army estate as one of the two new permanent infantry barracks required.

  Possible locations for a second infantry barracks are still under review.

  Training
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on improving provision for Army special-to-arm and service, and career, training.

  Mr. Hanley
  My right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Mr. Hamilton) announced on 16 December 1992,Official Report, column 335–36, the principles for further restructuring the training organisation and improving provision for special to arm and service and career training. It is our intention, where possible, that such training will be concentrated in single centres with any further training done at the minimum number of wings. This part of the review is nearly complete and we now need to begin detailed planning.

  We propose that the training of the Royal Armoured Corps should be concentrated at Bovington, although gunnery training would continue to be carried out at Lulworth and Castlemartin. Training of the Royal Artillery would be concentrated at Larkhill, with firing training being carried out, as at present, at the ranges at Manorbier and the Hebrides. Training of the Royal Engineers would be concentrated at Chatham with a wing at Minley and some minor facilities at Chattenden. Training of the Royal Signals would, as outlined on 16 December 1992, be concentrated at Blandford and as a result the operational signals regiment currently located there would transfer to Bramcote and the defence automatic data processing training centre would move in the short term to the Royal College of Military Science at Shrivenham. The transfer of the Royal Signals from
  352
  Catterick would allow the infrantry to concentrate special to arm training there with subsequent career and instructor training being carried out at both Warminster and Brecon.

  Training of the Royal Logistic Corps would be mainly done at Deepcut, with apprentice and catering training at Aldershot. The training of drivers would be concentrated at Leconfield. Training of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers would be concentrated at Arborfield with a wing at Bordon. This would also include the relocation of the School of Aeronautical Engineering from Middle Wallop to Arborfield. The training of Army medical services would be carried out at Mytchett. Further work is in hand on the location of training for the Adjutant Generals Corps and of adventurous training.

  Changes resulting from earlier measures to rationalise Army training at a smaller number of centres, thus reducing overheads, are already under way and we propose that this next phase should begin in early 1994. It is planned that some barracks affected by these proposals would pass to the Field Army, but the training facilities at Harrogate, Ouston, Strensall and Church Crookham and parts of Chattenden, Netheravon and Deepcut would no longer be required. We will be examining the potential for alternative defence uses for these establishments. It is not therefore possible at this stage to say what the detailed implications for civilian staff might be.

  Full consultation with the trade unions on the above proposals will take place in the normal way before final decisions are taken.

  AWE Aldermaston
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research AWE Aldermaston is conducting into methods for decommissioning radioactive plant and buildings on site.

  Mr. Aitken
  AWE has a continuing research and development programme to define and improve techniques and equipment for decommissioning radioactive plant and buildings on site. The work ranges from developing decontamination and size reduction techniques through to applications involving equipment for waste classification.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the toxic chemicals used and discharge into the environment by AWE Aldermaston that appear on the AEC black list and the United Kingdom Government's Red List of toxic chemicals.

  Mr. Aitken
  Of the toxic chemicals included in the black and red lists, AWE Aldermaston discharges into the environment cadmium and its compounds and mercury and its compounds. The amounts discharged are within the limits prescribed by the relevant regulatory authorities using approved waste disposal routes.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to this answer of 25 June,Official Report, columns 307–8, if he will place copies in the Library of the annual revisions of AWE Aldermaston decommissioning and radioactive waste management policies and programmes of work.

  Mr. Aitken
  The documents referred to are confidential management publications and cannot therefore be made available to the Library.
  353
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether AWE Aldermaston has disposed of any waste thought to contain plutonium contaminated material to(a) the British Nuclear Fuels disposal site at Drigg, (b) the Atomic Energy Authority low-level waste pits at Dounreay or (c) the Atomic Energy Authority intermediate-level waste store at Dounreay.

  Mr. Aitken
  Under a management certificate of authority, AWE Aldermaston sends plutonium contaminated, low-level waste in the form of solidified sludge to the disposal site at Drigg. This constitutes approximately 20 gms per annum. No plutonium contaminated waste is sent to the other two sites referred to.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much radioactive waste is at present stored at the former royal dockyards HMS Chatham or HMS Gillingham; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  No radioactive waste is currently stored at the former Chatham dockyard.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research AWE Aldermaston is conducting into(a) the updating of the WE177, Chevaline or Trident and (b) a warhead for a tactical air-to-surface missile.

  Mr. Aitken
  A continuing research programme is maintained at the Atomic Weapons Establishment which is applied to specific warhead programmes as necessary. As regards a warhead for a tactical air-to-surface missile, I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 12 November 1992,Official Report, col 882.

  Hunting-BRAE
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the role and powers of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution concerning the company Hunting-BRAE in respect of the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

  Mr. Aitken
  HMIP regulates activities at the four AWE sites—Aldermaston, Burghfield, Foulness and Cardiff—in precisely the same manner as it would for any other premises that are subject to relevant legislation, primarily the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. It has the power of access to all AWE sites and can take action to require compliance. Its powers include the ability to bring prosecutions against those formally authorised to make discharges and disposals; in the case of AWE this would be Hunting-BRAE.

  The following information has been extracted from the Monthly Weather Report for the latest three years for which complete data are available:

  District

  Wettest mm

  Average mm

  Driest mm

  Days of rain

  Days of snow fall

  Days of snow cover

  1989:

  0

  2,988

  1,452

  544

  250

  40

  12

  1

  1,373

  620

  385

  190

  22

  9

  2

  1,289

  584

  342

  140

  13

  2

  3

  642

  522

  433

  135

  9

  2

  4

  1,659

  639

  522

  140

  10

  3

  5

  902

  644

  450

  130

  5

  1

  6

  2,537

  1,427

  748

  205

  25

  7

  7

  2,353

  1,018

  628

  175

  11

  4

  354

  Red Arrows
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what communications he had with the Dutch defence ministry on its request to the Red Arrow display team to curtail their appearance at an air show in Eindhoven on safety grounds; and what Dutch safety guidelines would have been broken if they had participated.

  Mr. Hanley
  There were no such communications. The invitation for the Red Arrows to display at Eindhoven was accepted as it was understood that the Netherlands authorities were planning to waive some aspects of their regulations on display flying to enable the team to perform their standard display routine. This routine involves a small number of overflights of the spectators at a minimum height of 1,000 feet, but no aerobatic manoeuvres towards or above the crowd. It is understood that it is this aspect of the display routine that does not accord with the Netherlands regulations. The waiver was not granted, so the team withdrew from the event.

  Nuclear Tests
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his plans in regard to future nuclear tests.

  Mr. Aitken
  I refer the hon. Member to the response that I gave to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 13 July,Official Report, column 470.

  Weather Conditions
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each region of the United Kingdom the(a) highest, (b) lowest and (c) average annual precipitation for each of the last three years, and also show how many days there was precipitation in each region, on how many days snowfall was recorded and on how many days there was snow cover on arable land and land below the 500 ft contour.

  Mr. Aitken
  This is a matter delegated to the Meteorological Office under its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

  Letter from J. C. R. Hunt to Mr William Ross, dated 19 July 1993:

  The information requested in your Parliamentary Question concerning weather conditions in the United Kingdom is attached.
  355

  District

  Wettest mm

  Average mm

  Driest mm

  Days of rain

  Days of snow fall

  Days of snow cover

  8

  1,843

  878

  614

  155

  5

  2

  9

  1,605

  960

  652

  200

  10

  5

  1990:

  0

  3,307

  1,812

  795

  250

  40

  16

  1

  1,829

  854

  603

  195

  30

  10

  2

  1,797

  682

  414

  150

  17

  5

  3

  598

  464

  367

  130

  12

  1

  4

  1,781

  578

  431

  160

  15

  4

  5

  882

  629

  381

  130

  6

  1

  6

  3,326

  1,817

  958

  225

  15

  8

  7

  2,540

  1,083

  633

  195

  9

  3

  8

  2,147

  912

  609

  160

  6

  2

  9

  1,825

  1,044

  775

  230

  18

  9

  1991

  0

  2,663

  1,278

  501

  220

  25

  15

  1

  1,367

  733

  503

  175

  20

  14

  2

  1,725

  673

  391

  150

  17

  13

  3

  636

  484

  385

  145

  14

  10

  4

  1,590

  564

  394

  155

  13

  12

  5

  891

  643

  486

  145

  9

  8

  6

  2,580

  1,467

  775

  200

  18

  16

  7

  2,276

  996

  472

  170

  15

  6

  8

  1,559

  857

  691

  160

  11

  6

  9

  1,585

  1,012

  670

  205

  18

  10

  Key to Districts:

  0 Scotland North

  1 Scotland East

  2 Scotland East and North East

  3 East Anglia

  4 Midland Counties

  5 England South East and Central South

  6 Scotland West

  7 England North West and Wales North

  8 England South West and Wales South

  9 Northern Ireland

  Notes: Figures given for days of rain, snowfall, etc. are estimates based on figures from a range of stations.

  Precipitation
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much precipitation fell in each month of 1985, 1990, 1991 and 1993 to the latest available date; what is the long-term average for each month; and what was the number of days recorded as having no precipitation in each of these months.

  Mr. Aitken
  This is a matter delegated to the Meteorological Office under its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

  Letter from J. C. R. Hunt to Mr. William Ross, dated 19 July 1993:

  Information on rainfall for Belfast Airport is attached. Further information can be supplied if requested.

  The only place in Northern Ireland for which a complete set of data is readily available is Belfast (Aldergrove) Airport

  Month

  1985

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Monthly Rainfall in mm at Aldergrove

  January

  58·8

  104·3

  88·3

  57·3

  98·2

  February

  30·3

  132·0

  46·4

  61·9

  28·4

  March

  58·8

  38·8

  74·4

  97·2

  52·3

  April

  58·2

  50·6

  81·7

  92·4

  103·3

  May

  87·3

  47·5

  7·5

  32·5

  130·9

  June

  55·8

  117·6

  75·9

  43·2

  76·4

  July

  90·3

  50·3

  72·9

  67·4

  —

  356

  Month

  1985

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  August

  128·4

  91·4

  29·1

  149·9

  September

  131·5

  37·3

  54·1

  71·9

  —

  October

  38·0

  164·7

  106·1

  58·1

  —

  November

  73·8

  73·4

  109·4

  89·7

  —

  December

  72·8

  74·8

  78·3

  68·7

  —

  Monthly Number of Days Without Rain at Aldergrove

  January

  8

  0

  6

  9

  3

  February

  12

  1

  4

  3

  4

  March

  4

  4

  10

  0

  2

  April

  2

  3

  8

  2

  8

  May

  9

  12

  8

  11

  6

  June

  5

  5

  3

  11

  5

  July

  0

  11

  7

  5

  —

  August

  1

  1

  8

  2

  —

  September

  4

  9

  11

  3

  —

  October

  14

  3

  4

  8

  —

  November

  3

  10

  0

  3

  —

  December

  2

  6

  9

  8

  —

  Long-term average monthly rainfall in mm at Aldergrove

  Month

  January

  85·8

  February

  57·8

  March

  68·8

  April

  52·9

  May

  59·9

  June

  62·6

  July

  63·9

  August

  79·8

  September

  84·8

  357

  Month

  October

  87·6

  November

  77·8

  December

  77·8

  Note: The Average has been calculated over the period 1961 to 1990.

  RAF Leeming
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his future plans for RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire.

  Mr. Hanley
  There are three Tornado F3 squadrons, an Air Defence RAF Regiment squadron, an Air Experience Flight and a University Air Squadron at RAF Leeming. As announced, in the 1993 Statement on the Defence Estimates "Defending Our Future (CM 2270) the Tornado F3 force will be reorganised into six squadrons, rather than seven as at present. As a result one of the Tornado F3 squadrons (No. 23 Squadron) at RAF Leeming will disband on 1 April 1994.

  There are no current plans for further changes at RAF Leeming.

  Jaguar Aircraft
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 14 July, if he will set out the numbers and tasks of ground crew associated with deployment of Jaguars to Italy; where in Italy the Jaguars will be based; at what annual cost; which department will meet the cost; under whose operational command(a) the Jaguars and (b) the RN Sea Harriers will fall; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  188 ground crew have deployed with the Jaguars to Gioia del Colle. The annual extra costs associated with the deployment of these aircraft are estimated to be £30,000,000, and will be met from defence votes. The Jaguars will be under the operational command of Air Officer Commander-in-Chief Strike Command. The Royal Navy Sea Harriers will be under the operational command of Commander-in-Chief United Kingdom Land Forces. Operational control of both Jaguar and Sea Harrier aircraft involved in close air support operations will be delegated to the appropriate NATO commander.

  Army Air Corps
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the additional works required for occupation by the Army Air Corps of RAF Wattisham, showing separately all those costing over £1 million; which RAF facilities will not be used by the AAC, and associated engineering and support units, and why; what additional works are required for the operation or the support of the two search-and-rescue helicopters; what the total cost of the works will be; how much of the construction to date at Dishforth for the Army Air Corps will be required; what has been the cost of works at Dishforth to date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  I will write to the hon. Member.
  358

  RD57 Site, Rosyth
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his plans for the future of the RD57 site; what would be the cost of reinstating the site if no alternative use can be made of it; and what would be the cost of finishing work at the site to render it safe and useable for another purpose.

  Mr. Aitken
  Options for the future of RD57 remain under consideration. We estimate the cost of reinstating the site to be in the order of £15 million; this was taken into account in the comparative assessment of the nuclear facility proposals. The cost of converting the site to another purpose would depend on the purpose.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what volume and tonnage of material has been excavated from the site of the RD57 facility.

  Mr. Aitken
  The total volume of material excavated from the RD57 site amounted to 185,000 cu m of silt, clay and rock. We do not maintain records of tonnage.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a summary of the costs incurred on the RD57 facility at Rosyth, showing expenditure in each year since the project started.

  Mr. Aitken
  This is as follows:

  £ million

  1985–86

  0·405

  1986–87

  2·530

  1987–88

  3·900

  1988–89

  4·095

  1989–90

  15·785

  1990–91

  17·896

  1991–92

  25·422

  1992–93

  27·386

  11993–94

  0·507

  23·657

  1 To end of June 1993.

  2 Committed but not yet paid.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cubic metres of concrete have been poured for the development of the RD57 site.

  Mr. Aitken
  A total of 105,415 cubic metres.

  Army Personnel Centre
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will make an announcement about the proposed new Army personnel centre.

  Mr. Hanley
  The consultation period on our proposals for the establishment of an integrated Army personnel centre ended only on 9 July. I have seen a number of delegations about our proposals, including one last week, and a large number of representations and comments have been received. I shall be considering all these representations very carefully indeed. This will take a little time, but I hope to make a decision in the first half of September.

  OSEX 93
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what live ammunition is being used during the OSEX 93 war games manoeuvres in mid-Wales; and if he will make a statement.
  359
  Mr. Hanley
  The Offensive Support Exercise took place in mid-Wales from 12 to 16 July. Attacks against inflatable targets were simulated and therefore no ammunition was used. Sorties were conducted at the MOD ranges at Pembrey Sands where 3 kg practice bombs were used and at Sennybridge where 3 kg practice bombs and 30 mm practice ammunition was fired.

  Low-flying Aircraft
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations he has received regarding low-flying aircraft in the mid-Wales area in each of the last five months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The numbers of representations about low-flying training which my Department has received in each of the last five months from addresses in the county of Powys are as follows:

  Month

  Number

  February

  4

  March

  8

  April

  9

  May

  13

  June

  17

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many incidents of low-flying aircraft were recorded by the RAF in the area between Dolgellau and Llandovery in each of the last five months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The United Kingdom low-flying system is divided into 19 low-flying areas for administrative purposes. All military aircraft wishing to fly in the system must first book into each LFA in which they intend to operate. Records are not maintained, however, of the exact route flown.

  Nimrod
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the number of Nimrod aircraft(a) in each of the three squadrons at RAF Kinloss, (b) in the Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Kinloss, (c) in 51 Squadron at RAF Wyton and (d) in store or in maintenance facilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Royal Air Force currently has 33 Nimrod aircraft. At RAF Kinloss there are seven Nimrod MR2 aircraft in each of the three squadrons, three aircraft in the operational conversion unit, and two in-use-reserves. At RAF Wyton there are three Nimrod R1 aircraft. Four Nimrod aircraft are in store.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what report he has received of an incident on Sunday 10 July involving British forces serving in Bosnia-Herzegovina being stopped by middle eastern mujaheddin; how many mujaheddin were involved; what action British forces took; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  I have received no report of any such incident.
  360
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) pursuant to his answer of 16 July,Official Report, column 720, if he will detail the media reports he is aware of which indicate the presence of (a) Serbian regular forces and (b) Croatian regular forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina;

  (2) what reports he has received from British forces serving in Bosnia-Herzegovina of the sighting of (a) Serbian regular forces and (b) Croatian regular forces operating within the terrority of Bosnia-Herzegovina; on how many occasions there have been sightings of (i) Serbian regular forces and (ii) Croatian regular forces; and what estimates of the size of each of these forces have been made;

  (3) what reports he has received from British forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina of atrocities having been carried out by Muslim forces within the territory of Bosnia.-Herzegovina; and what representations have been made to the Bosnian presidency.

  Mr. Hanley
  There have been a wide variety of media reports. Information gathered by British and other UNPROFOR troops about force composition is passed on to the United Nations. The United Nations Secretary General forwards situation updates to the Security Council. Example copies are available in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 July,Official Report, column 720, what information he has received from UNPROFOR on the presence of (a) Serbian regular forces and (b) Croatian regular forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina; if he will list what those reports have claimed; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the number of sites of special scientific interest within his Department's estate which will cease to be operational within the next five years.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is my Department's policy to seek to maximise the return for the taxpayer when disposing of surplus sites. This is normally best achieved through open market competitive sale once the full planning potential of the property has been explored.

  Service Units
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the approximate number of personnel deployed with each of the units listed in Cm. 2270, page 22, table 3.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 16 July 1993]: The exact number of personnel deployed at any time will depend upon the task being performed by, and the readiness state of, the unit in question. Approximate peacetime personnel establishments, which do not include the supporting and logistic units needed to sustain operational deployments, for the force elements listed are as follows:

  361

  Force element

  Number of personnel

  Aircraft carriers

  1680–1,200

  Destroyers and Frigates

  2163–260

  Amphibious ships

  354–540

  Mine countermeasures vessels

  230–42

  Royal Fleet auxiliary vessels

  240–116

  RM Commandos

  4530–660

  Strategic deterrent submarines

  2124–147

  Nuclear-powered fleet submarines

  2129–137

  Army Air Corps regiments5

  119–309

  Armoured and reconnaissance regiments

  465–470

  Artillery regiments (regular)6

  172–589

  Artillery regiments (TA)

  495–512

  Engineer regiments (regular)7

  39–488

  Engineer regiments (TA)

  17–743

  Infantry battlions (regular)

  193–806

  Infantry regiments (TA/Royal Irish Home Service)

  508–1,156

  Reconnaissance regiments (TA)

  357–470

  Transport, tanker and SAR aircraft

  82,630

  Airborne early warning

  8165

  Canberra PR9

  8103

  Harrier

  8416

  Jaguar

  8446

  Nimrod R & MR

  8551

  Rapier fire units

  8500

  Tornado F3

  8930

  Tornado GR1

  81,455

  1 1,200 when the carrier's Air Group is embarked.

  2 Numbers vary depending on class of vessel.

  3 Excludes any embarked forces.

  4 Includes Comacchio group.

  5 Including sub-units in Northern Ireland.

  6 Includes Kings Troop RHA.

  7 Includes Military Survey, Military Works forces and Command Engineer Squadron.

  8 Figures relate to squadron personnel for each aircraft fleet, but do not include Operational Conversion Unit/Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit personnel.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Machine Tools
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what were the sales of machine tools in the United Kingdom in(a) 1990 and (b)

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Sales of machine tools in the United Kingdom, estimated from CSO figures for sales by United Kingdom manufacturers minus exports plus imports, were(a) £1,304 million in 1990 and (b) £944 million (provisional estimate) in 1992.

  However these figures include sales of machine tools, parts and associated equipment. The Machine Tools Technologies Association estimates that sales of machine tools alone were (a) £974 million in 1990 and (b) £675 million in 1992.

  Warren Spring Laboratory
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the reasons for the timing of the publication of the fact that he had called for a review of Warren Spring Laboratory in relation to his announcement of his decision to(a) review his Department's laboratories and (b) close Warren Spring Laboratory.
  362
  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have nothing to add to the earlier announcements which my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade made and to which the hon. Member refers.

  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the future of competition among environmental technology establishments following the closure of Warren Spring Laboratory.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I expect competition amongst the many public and private sector environmental technology establishments to remain vigorous.

  Hearing Aid Council
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade who may nominate candidates for appointment to the Hearing Aid Council.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Anyone may make a nomination who has a genuine involvement whether as a dispenser, as a medical or audiological specialist, or as a hearing aid user. Nominations are also welcome from their representative organisations, relations and advisers.

  Those appointed as trade members must be capable of representing the interests of those registered with the Hearing Aid Council and either be so registered or directors or managers of a registered employer. Those appointed as medical/technical members must have specialised medical knowledge of deafness or audiological technical knowledge and must not be eligible for appointment as trade members. Those appointed as consumer members must be capable of representing the interests of persons with impaired hearing and must not be eligible for appointment as trade or medical/technical members.

  Nomination forms for the 1994 appointments are available from:

  Anne Scrope

  Consumer Affairs Division 3b

  Department of Trade and Industry

  Room 411

  10–18 Victoria Street

  LONDON SW1H ONN

  and should be returned by 26 August 1993.

  Accounts Services Agency
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has set his Department's Accounts Services Agency for 1993–94.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I congratulate the chief executive and his staff on the improvements in performance they have made since the agency was established. It is essential that the agency sustains these improvements and builds on them. I have therefore set the agency the following performance targets for 1993–94:

  to recover the full costs from income for customer work:

  to fulfil its operational commitments within a net cash requirements in Vote terms of £90,000 or less;

  to achieve a 4·8 per cent. unit cost reduction over last year based on a mix of services;

  to make 97 per cent. of all payments within three working days of receipt of the authorisation to pay;

  to bank all cheques within 36 hours of receipt by the agency, with at least 75 per cent. of them being banked within eight hours of receipt;

  at the end of each month to ensure that all notified transactions are properly recorded on the Departments

  363
  financial management information system by the start of the fifth working day of the following month; that operating statements are produced and despatched by the start of the sixth working day of the following month.

  In addition, I have set the chief executive of the agency the targets of replying within 10 working days to letters from Members of Parliament delegated to him for reply; and producing auditable commercial-style accounts for the agency for 1993–94.

  Insolvency Service
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the future of the Insolvency Service.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Insolvency Service became an executive agency of the DTI in March 1990. I am now undertaking a review to consider the scope for improving the way in which the Insolvency Service performs its functions, and achieving better value for money, by making more use of the private sector in the work currently carried out by the Insolvency Service and its official receivers. In particular, the review will look at ways in which official receivers can concentrate more on their important investigatory role by involving the private sector to a larger extent in mechanical processing work in insolvencies.

  I will be asking independent consultants to consider: the extent to which official receivers' functions and tasks could be carried out in the private sector; the extent to which official receivers could withdraw from these functions and tasks and the consequences of such withdrawal; whether a market exists to carry out the work and what are the risks; value for money; how the division of work might be organised; and quality control. A number of consultancy firms have been invited to submit proposals. Once the chosen firm has identified the options I shall decide which, if any, to pursue, and will report to the House on my conclusions.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he has received the report of the elections to the statutory committee of the creditors of BCCI; and if he will publish the results.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  My officials have received a copy of Mr. Morris's letter of 23 June 1993 which was sent to all creditors of BCCI and which enclosed his report of the creditors meeting held on 27 May together with a report from Electoral Reform Ballot Services on the election of the liquidation committee.

  Further publication is a matter for the liquidators.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last met the liquidators of BCCI.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  There have been no meetings between my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and the joint liquidators of BCCI.

  Shipbuilding
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his Department's estimate of the total EC expenditure on aid to the European shipbuilding industry 364
  under the seventh directive in each of the last three years; and what is the United Kingdom's share of this expenditure.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The latest figures available from the European Community on aid to the European shipbuilding industry relate to 1991 and earlier and are incomplete, as shown in the table.

  1989 (Mecu)

  1990 (Mecu)

  1991 (Mecu)

  Total expenditure on aid to european shipbuilding by EC member states

  1547·7

  21,303·3

  3534·1

  United Kingdom expenditure on aid to shipbuilding

  42·9

  50·5

  47·6

  1 Excluding Italy, Portugal and Greece.

  2 Excluding Greece.

  3 Excluding Italy and Greece.

  Small Businesses
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what help the Government are giving to small firms to recover debts due to them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government are actively addressing the problem of late payment to small firms. We have initiated a wide range of measures including:

  (a) providing financial support for three trade associations to operate pilot prompt payment initiatives;

  (b) new Government contracting terms have been introduced requiring companies awarded Government contracts to pay their subcontractors promptly, normally within 30 days;

  (c) Government Departments are monitoring the percentage of their bills which are paid within the agreed contract period and we will publish performance;

  (d) promoting improvements to court procedures for debt recovery;

  (e) in his spring Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Thames (Mr. Lamont), announced a reduction in the waiting time for VAT bad debt relief; an increase in the threshold for VAT cash accounting and changes to the VAT penalties and surcharge regime;

  (f) consulting on proposals to require large companies to state in their reports and accounts how quickly they pay;

  (g) distributing the DTI publication: "Making the Cash Flow" which contains advice for small firms on credit management.

  Furthermore, my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Consumer Affairs and Small Firms has given her personal commitment to take up on their behalf complaints small firms have of experiencing late payment by large companies or public bodies.

  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what study his Department has made of the principle of statutory right to interest on debts due to small firms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government are very aware of the difficulties faced by small firms who suffer from late payments and has initiated a wide range of measures to help with the problem. My Department has examined information from other countries on the operation of legislation designed to effect prompt payment and keeps in close touch with the view of representative organisations in
  365
  this country. We remain to be convinced that legislation to introduce a statutory right to interest would be effective in combatting late payment.

  We continue to be interested in views on how an effective legislative framework might operate while through action and example working to impress the message of prompt payment to businesses of all sizes.

  Patent Office
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his latest estimate of the cost of the consultants' examination of the Patent Office that is now taking place.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The consultants' contract for the Patent Office study is commercially confidential. It is not, therefore, appropriate to disclose the estimated cost.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the timescale for the work of the consultants on the Patent Office, including the date when the consultants expect to(a) conclude and (b) publish their report.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 20 July 1993]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 20 July 1993, Official Report, column 136, and the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Norwich, North (Mr. Thompson) on 30 June 1993, Official Report, column 512.

  Mr. Paul Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, if he will list those groups and individuals in the Patent Office who were offered assistance from consultancies in the current market testing exercise.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Consultancy help was offered to, and accepted by, the in-house reprographics team, which received assistance from a firm of management consultants in formulating its bid.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out the arrangements he made for in-house bids for the market testing programme at the Patent Office.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The terms of reference of the market test were set out in a notice to all staff on 6 November 1992, following consultation with the local trade unions. This drew specific attention to the opportunity for making in-house bids.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which categories of work at the Patent Office are(a) currently being market tested and (b) being considered for future market testing.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The current programme which is nearing completion, having entered the consultation phase, includes reprographics, messenger and post despatch services, file repository, stationery, trade marks data capture and trade marks referencing. Market testing will be applied in due course to other Patent Office work, but no decisions have been taken on the context of next year's programme.

  Japanese Companies (Turnover)
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, what has been the annual turnover of Japanese companies in the United Kingdom each year since 1983.
  366
  Mr. Sainsbury
  Estimates of turnover of Japanese manufacturing companies based in the United Kingdom for 1983–90 are shown in the table. No reliable information is available for Japanese companies outside the manufacturing sector.

  Total value of sales and work done by Japanese enterprises based in the United Kingdom classified to manufacturing 1983–90

  Value of sales £ million

  1983

  193·0

  1984

  321·6

  1985

  447·8

  1986

  595·5

  1987

  1,040·0

  1988

  1,788·3

  1989

  2,916·3

  1990

  4,631·6

  Source: Report on the Annual Census of Production. PA 1002. Central Statistical Office. Various issues.

  Notes:

  (i) The table refers to enterprises controlled by companies incorporated in Japan.

  (ii) Manufacturing refers to activities in Divisions 2 to 4 of the Standard Industrial Classification.

  (iii) 1990 is the most recent published estimate.

  (iv) All data are expressed in current prices.

  Home Contents Insurance
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has as to what proportion of state pensioners in(a) Great Briatin and (b) York have home contents insurance.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Department does not collect data on the take-up of insurance policies. The latest Family Expenditure Survey indicates that 77·3 per cent. of those households in Great Britain whose heads are of pensionable age have household contents insurance. The equivalent figure for Yorkshire and Humberside is 76 per cent. The figure for the city of York cannot be isolated.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he is proposing to hold with foreign customers or Governments regarding the return of waste arising from the lifetime operation of THORP.

  Mr. Eggar
  The arrangements for the return of waste are primarily for British Nuclear Fuels plc and its customers in accordance with the contracts between them. These are supported by intergovernmental letters exchanged at the appropriate time.

  Environmental Technology Centre
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the reasons for preferring the creation of the National Environmental Technology Centre to the relocation of Warren Spring Laboratory to the Welwyn Garden City site acquired in July 1992.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 13 July 1993]: The reasons were given in the reply which my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan) on 10 June, Official Report, columns 303–4. A copy of the PA report has since been placed in the House of Commons Library.
  367

  Regional Aid
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many firms that have received regional selective assistance in the northern region in each of the last five years have ceased trading; and how many jobs were lost as a consequence.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 19 July 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 12 July 1993, Official Report, columns 346–47. Figures on firms ceasing to trade and jobs lost are not available. However, the number of firms in the Northern region having received RSA and which are known to have become subject to insolvency proceedings, are given below.

  Number of firms

  1988–89

  21

  1989–90

  29

  1990–91

  23

  1991–92

  15

  1992–93

  3

  Note: The firms are included in the year in which grant was last paid.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Secure Training Orders
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for implementation of the secure training orders proposal.

  Mr. Howard
  I intend to bring legislative proposals before the House as soon as possible.

  Crime
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new initiatives his Department is taking to tackle crime; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new initiatives he will be taking to tackle crime; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We are strengthening the powers of the courts to deal with offenders. We are setting up the National Board for Crime Prevention and expanding the safer cities programme. We shall also be issuing shortly a new good practice guide to help local communities develop their own crime prevention strategies.

  Metropolitan Police
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have for changes in the structure and functions of the Metropolitan police; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There are no plans for any change in the function of the Metropolitan police. Our proposals for the Metropolitan police are set out in chapter 11 of the White Paper on police reform, published on 28 June.

  Remand in Custody
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in reducing the time spent on remand in custody awaiting trial.
  368
  Mr. Maclean
  The average time spent in custody on remand, from the prisoner's first appearance in the magistrates court to his arraignment before the Crown court, was 125 days in 1992. This compares with 119 days in 1991.

  Policing Decisions (Devolution)
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he intends to devolve responsibility for policing decisions to local level.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We intend to abolish unnecessary central controls on police manpower and capital expenditure. Stronger local police authorities will set clear local objectives. Chief constables will then be free to decide how to deploy the available resources to meet the policing needs of their area.

  Lenient Sentences
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received regarding lenient sentences; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I receive a number of letters on lenient sentences.

  The Attorney-General can now refer lenient sentences to the Court of Appeal and the courts now have powers to impose longer sentences on violent and sexual offenders.

  Mr. Mark Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the measures allowing an appeal against lenient sentencing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what view he has formed of the effectiveness of the power of appeal against lenient sentences; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The power for the Attorney-General to refer to the Court of Appeal sentences which he considers to be unduly lenient is both important and necessary. The discerning use of this power has repeatedly demonstrated the wisdom of the Government's decision to introduce it.

  Independent Criminal Cases Review Authority
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Independent Criminal Cases Review Authority to be in place; when he expects it to start dealing with cases; and if this will involve existing prisoners, or only newly convicted people.

  Mr. Maclean
  We are considering urgently and carefully all the recommendations of the Royal Commission on criminal justice, including those relating to appeals and miscarriages of justice; and will decide in due course what action is needed and in what time scale.

  Drink-driving
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department is taking to deal with drink-driving.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The enforcement of the law on drinking and driving is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police.
  369

  Burglary
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what priority he attaches to bringing forward new measures for dealing with burglary.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Chief officers of police attach a high priority to measures aimed at tackling burglary. The Home Office will continue to encourage police forces to develop effective anti-burglary initiatives and will support the police through its crime prevention training, publicity and research programmes.

  Police Staff Associations (Elected Officers)
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will maintain the present arrangements whereby police officers are regarded as being on duty when attending meetings and conferences connected with their duties as elected officers of police staff associations.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend will consider whether this facility should continue in the light of comments which he receives in response to recommendation 143 of the report of the inquiry into police responsibilities and rewards.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the efficacy of current measures to deal with persistent juvenile offenders.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 24 June,Official Report, column 255.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about measures he is taking to deal with offenders under the age of 18 years.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made to the House by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Clarke) on 2 March,Official Report, columns 139–50, in which he announced the Government's intention to provide courts with a new sentence, provisionally entitled a secure training order, to assist them in dealing with persistent juvenile offenders. Further measures are under consideration to bring the necessary legislation before the House as soon as possible.

  Racist Attacks (London)
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the policing of racist attacks in London.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The policing of racial attacks in London is the responsibility of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, who has made it clear that eliminating racial attacks is one of his priorities. The Government fully support the efforts of the police in London, and throughout the country, to tackle racially motivated crime, and to provide support to the victims of it.
  370

  Derek Bentley
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to give a posthumous pardon to Derek Bentley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  My right hon. and learned Friend is considering the recent judgment of the divisional court and will announce his conclusions shortly.

  Crossbows
  Sir John Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to make it a criminal offence to own a crossbow.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to extend the existing restrictions on the sale and possession of crossbows.

  Bail
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of suspects failed to answer (i) police bail, (ii) bail before magistrates courts and (iii) bail to appear in the Crown court in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is published annually in "Criminal statistics, England and Wales", chapter 8. In 1991, 7 per cent. of persons bailed by the police, 7 per cent. of those bailed by magistrates courts and 9 per cent. of those bailed to appear at the Crown court, failed to appear.

  Immigration
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received concerning immigration cases from hon. Members since his appointment.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Nearly 1,200 written representations have been received over that period.

  Firearms
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail the notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used by offence group for the years 1979, 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Maclean
  Figures for notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used, by offence group, for the years 1979, 1990 and 1991 are published in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", Table 3.1. Figures for 1992 are not yet available.

  Copies of these publications can be found in the Library.

  Maritime Detention
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy towards the use of maritime detention facilities for category C prisoners; what consideration he has given to the location of such facilities; and if he will make a statement.
  371
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Martime detention facilities are one of the options being considered as part of a Prison Service contingency planning exercise. This exercise is intended to identify options for coping with levels of prisoner population that exceed the available prison accommodation. A number of sites with the necessary docking facilities are being considered, but no final decision has been taken on the feasibility of this option.

  Security Services
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is now his policy on parliamentary accountability of the security services.

  Mr. Howard
  I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a similar question from him on 24 June,Official Report, column 255.

  Raves
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding illegal raves; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Following events last year, in particular at Castlemorton Common, Malvern and Newtown, Powys, we have received many representations about the powers which are available to deal with illegal rave parties on land.

  On 31 March, my right hon. and learned Friend the then Home Secretary announced our proposals to give the police new powers to prevent illegal rave parties on land.

  Welsh Boundary Commission
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce who will be deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Lord Chancellor has appointed the Hon. Sir Malcolm Pill to serve as deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales. This appointment is effective until 31 December 1996.

  European Constituencies Committees
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce the membership of the European parliamentary constituencies committees for England and Wales.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have appointed the following people to serve on the European parliamentary constituencies committees:

  ENGLAND

  Chairman:

  Miss Sheila Cameron, QC

  Members:

  Mr. David Macklin, CBE

  Mr. Michael Lewer, QC

  WALES

  Chairman:

  The Honourable Sir Malcolm Pill

  Members:

  Mr. Peter Davey, CBE

  Mr. Murray McLaggan, JP, DL, MA

  The appointments will be effective until February 1994.
  372

  Fire Precautions
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to implement the recommendation in the Bickerdike Allen report of 1990 that a national network of professional development courses be established in universities and colleges of higher education targeted at the various professionals concerned with fire precautions.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  A national core curriculum in fire safety studies by design has been developed by the fire safety studies group which comprises representatives of the concerned professional bodies and Government Departments. The curriculum provides a common body of knowledge from which each profession can take what is needed for its members' development in fire safety studies. The curriculum was formally launched at the Palace of Westminster on 21 June. It has already been adopted as part of the entrance examinations of some of the professional bodies. Courses, up to degree level, based on the curriculum are already running in a number of institutions. These, with others, will form the national network recommended by the Bickerdike Allen report. I have arranged for copies of the national core curriculum in fire safety studies to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Prison Facilities
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons in England and Wales inmates have not had the opportunity to shower and receive a change of clean kit at least once a week during the last six months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from D. Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated July 1993.

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of prisons in England and Wales, where in the last six months, inmates have not had the opportunity to shower and receive a change of clean kit, at least once a week.

  Standing Orders require that inmates be given the opportunity of a shower or bath at least once a week and that adequate supplies of clean clothing are supplied. In very many cases baths or showers and changes of clothing are available more frequently than once a week. I regret that detailed information on frequency at individual establishments is not currently held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Immigration Quota Vouchers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were waiting for special quota vouchers in(a) India, (b) east Africa and (c) the rest of the world in (i) May 1992 and (ii) December 1992; when those issued with vouchers on those dates had applied; how many vouchers were issued in (1) India, (2) east Africa and (3) the rest of the world in (A) 1992 and (B) the first quarter of 1993; when those applying now can expect to receive vouchers; and how many applicants there were for vouchers in (v) India, (w) east Africa and (x) the rest of the world in (y) 1992 and (z) the first half of 1993.
  373
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information which is currently available is given in the tables.

  Table 1. Persons applying for a special voucher for entry to the United Kingdom

  Application newly received1

  Vouchers issued

  Applications awaiting a decision at end of

  Country

  1992

  1993 1st quarter

  1992

  1993 1st quarter

  Quarter 2 1992

  Quarter 4 1992

  India

  320

  50

  490

  70

  270

  200

  Kenya

  220

  60

  200

  50

  550

  540

  Tanzania

  20

  2—

  10

  2—

  60

  60

  Malawi

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  —

  Zambia

  20

  2—

  20

  2—

  2—

  10

  Rest of the world

  10

  —

  10

  2—

  —

  2—

  Total

  580

  120

  730

  130

  890

  820

  1 Including applications subsequently withdrawn or lapsed. Figures rounded to nearest ten.

  2 Fewer than five.

  Table 2. Waiting times for persons applying for a special voucher

  Months

  Waiting time to main interview for Persons interviewed at end of

  Persons applying at end of

  Country

  Quarter 2 1992

  Quarter 4 1992

  Quarter 1 1993

  1Quarter 1 1993

  India

  4·00

  4·00

  3·00

  3·00

  Kenya

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  2·00

  Tanzania

  1·00

  3·00

  1·50

  1·50

  Malawi

  0·25

  0·25

  0·25

  0·25

  Zambia

  1·00

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Rest of the world

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Data relates to expected waiting time.

  2 Data relates to non-priority applicants. Priority applicants—widows with child in United Kingdom, heads of household aged 65 or over and compassionate cases—are interviewed within three months.

  n/a = Not available.

  Immigration Offences
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were detained under Immigration Act powers for a period of more than two months on completion of a custodial sentence during 1992.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Thirty-nine people who completed a custodial sentence in 1992 were detained for more than two months under deportation powers. This figure does not include those subject to removal as illegal entrants, in relation to whom the information is not readily available. The same caveat should have applied to the replies given to similar questions from the hon. Member for Edinburgh Central (Mr. Darling) on 14 October 1991, column 21 and 13 July 1992 column 492. I regret that this was not made clear at the time.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the(a) passengers in total and (b) persons treated as illegal entrants who were granted temporary admission/release in 1992 subsequently absconded; and how many (i) later reported voluntarily to the immigration authorities and (ii) were rearrested.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The available information relates to the number of persons who absconded, either from detention or by failing to respond to the terms of temporary admission/release, and is given in the table. The other information requested is not available.
  374

  Absconders in 1992

  Category of person

  Numbers of persons

  Passengers1

  530

  Illegal entrants

  223

  1 May include some absconders recorded as "illegal entrants"

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for naturalisation made under the provisions of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990 were(a) decided, (b) granted, (c) refused and (d) withdrawn, under each class and category of the scheme, in each quarter since January 1992 and in total throughout the existence of the scheme; and how many of these applications were from (i) heads of households or (ii) family members.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information about family members is not available for refusals or withdrawals of applications. The remaining information requested is shown. The equivalent information I gave last year is answer to a question from the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling) on 13 July 1992, columns 477–80, omitted grants of citizenship to "other teaching personnel" in the period April-June 1992. I regret this omission, which has been corrected in the following tables.
  375

  Class

  Decided Principal beneficiaries

  Granted

  Refused Principal beneficiaries

  Principal beneficiaries

  Dependents

  January-March 1992

  General occupation

  Managers and administrators

  430

  12

  26

  418

  Business professionals

  297

  0

  0

  297

  Business and administration associate professionals

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Accountants and auditors

  861

  0

  0

  861

  Accounting associate professionals

  309

  0

  0

  309

  Engineers and related professionals

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Architects, planners and surveyors

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Engineering associated professionals

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Information science professionals

  24

  24

  41

  0

  News editors and journalists

  120

  35

  55

  85

  Medical doctors

  505

  57

  128

  448

  Physical & life science

  98

  25

  44

  73

  Nurses and midwives

  885

  527

  967

  358

  Other medical professionals

  120

  0

  0

  120

  Health associated professionals

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Legal professionals

  10

  10

  23

  0

  Legal associate professionals

  109

  0

  0

  109

  Teaching professionals

  206

  96

  162

  110

  Educational adminstrators

  232

  73

  143

  159

  Other teaching personnel

  758

  0

  0

  758

  Approved occupations

  Computing equipment controllers

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Life science technicians

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Physical science technicians

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Social work professionals

  29

  29

  60

  0

  Statistical assistants

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Translators/Interpreters

  3

  3

  7

  0

  Disciplined Services

  Correctional Services Department

  332

  332

  711

  0

  Customs and Excise Service

  59

  59

  121

  0

  Fire Services Department

  386

  386

  869

  0

  Immigration Service

  22

  22

  45

  0

  Operation Department, ICAC

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Royal Hong Kong Police Force

  31

  31

  82

  0

  Garrison (Army)

  83

  83

  193

  0

  Garrison (Navy)

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Entrepreneurs

  25

  25

  48

  0

  Sensitive Service

  309

  290

  535

  19

  Class

  Decided Principal beneficiaries

  Granted

  Refused Principal beneficiaries

  Principal beneficiaries

  Dependents

  April June 1992

  General occupational

  Managers and administrators

  775

  38

  80

  737

  Business professionals

  775

  315

  459

  460

  Business and administration associated professionals

  2,133

  0

  0

  2,133

  Accountants and auditors

  1,896

  409

  731

  1,487

  Accounting associate professionals

  576

  0

  0

  576

  Engineers and related professionals

  2,900

  0

  0

  2,900

  Architects, planners and surveyors

  1,088

  171

  325

  917

  Engineers associated professionals

  2,894

  63

  121

  2,831

  Information science professionals

  1,778

  834

  986

  944

  News editors and journalists

  207

  15

  19

  192

  Medical doctors

  748

  21

  50

  727

  Physical & life science

  125

  0

  0

  125

  Nurses and midwives

  939

  440

  788

  499

  Other medical professionals

  205

  0

  0

  205

  Health associate professionals

  481

  0

  0

  481

  Legal professionals

  928

  17

  35

  911

  Legal associate professionals

  213

  0

  0

  213

  Teaching professionals

  217

  38

  65

  179

  Educational adminstrators

  326

  0

  0

  326

  376 377

  Class

  Decided Principal beneficiaries

  Granted

  Refused Principal beneficiaries

  Principal beneficiaries

  Dependents

  Other teaching personnel

  1,247

  108

  197

  1,139

  Approved occupations

  Computing equipment controllers

  9

  0

  0

  49

  Life science technicians

  17

  0

  0

  17

  Physical science technicians

  92

  0

  0

  92

  Social work professionals

  435

  19

  35

  416

  Statistical assistants

  76

  0

  0

  76

  Translators/Interpreters

  214

  0

  0

  214

  Disciplined Services

  Correctional Services Department

  322

  246

  482

  76

  Customs and Excise Service

  126

  22

  44

  104

  Fire Services Department

  442

  174

  429

  268

  Immigration Service

  588

  74

  133

  514

  Operation Department, ICAC

  105

  0

  0

  105

  Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

  3

  0

  0

  3

  Royal Hong Kong Police Force

  402

  402

  906

  0

  Garrison (Army)

  471

  31

  85

  440

  Garrison (Navy)

  36

  0

  0

  36

  Entrepreneurs

  42

  8

  9

  34

  Sensitive Service

  92

  92

  166

  0

  Class

  Decided Principal beneficiaries

  Granted

  Refused Principal beneficiaries

  Principal beneficiaries

  Dependents

  July-September 1992

  General occupational

  Managers and administrators

  1,617

  1,600

  2,780

  17

  Business professionals

  112

  110

  151

  2

  Business and administration associated professionals

  324

  308

  557

  16

  Accountants and auditors

  219

  216

  401

  3

  Accounting associate professionals

  50

  49

  81

  1

  Engineers and related professionals

  203

  188

  407

  15

  Architects, planners and surveyors

  144

  141

  227

  3

  Engineering associate professionals

  152

  148

  317

  4

  Information science professionals

  144

  138

  175

  6

  News editors and journalists

  4

  2

  3

  2

  Medical doctors

  39

  37

  31

  2

  Physical & life science

  4

  4

  5

  0

  Nurses and midwives

  79

  76

  135

  3

  Other medical professionals

  44

  43

  61

  1

  Health associate professionals

  41

  41

  90

  0

  Legal professionals

  2

  0

  0

  2

  Legal associate professionals

  14

  13

  25

  1

  Teaching professionals

  38

  36

  62

  2

  Educational administrators

  26

  25

  48

  1

  Other teaching personnel

  276

  264

  522

  12

  Approved occupations

  Computing equipment controllers

  46

  45

  96

  1

  Life science technicians

  19

  18

  31

  1

  Physical science technicians

  11

  11

  22

  0

  Social work professionals

  18

  18

  36

  0

  Statistical assistants

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Translators/Interpreters

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Disciplined Services

  Correctional Services Department

  83

  80

  180

  3

  Customs and Excise Service

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Fire Services Department

  36

  34

  55

  2

  Immigration Service

  162

  161

  260

  1

  Operation Department, ICAC

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Royal Hong Kong Police Force

  1,453

  1,453

  2,877

  0

  Garrison (Army)

  11

  11

  33

  0

  Garrison (Navy)

  8

  8

  12

  0

  378 379

  Class

  Decided Principal beneficiaries

  Granted

  Refused Principal beneficiaries

  Principal beneficiaries

  Dependents

  Entrepreneurs

  19

  19

  18

  0

  Sensitive Service

  341

  197

  333

  144

  Class

  Decided Principal beneficiaries

  Granted

  Refused Principal beneficiaries

  Principal beneficiaries

  Dependents

  October-December 1992

  General occupational

  Managers and administrators

  2,309

  2,227

  3,115

  82

  Business professionals

  121

  119

  105

  2

  Business and administration associate professionals

  738

  725

  1,128

  13

  Accountants and auditors

  114

  112

  163

  2

  Accounting associate professionals

  46

  44

  68

  2

  Engineers and related professionals

  510

  504

  1,019

  6

  Architects, planners and surveyors

  20

  18

  42

  2

  Engineering associate professionals

  213

  211

  450

  2

  Information science professionals

  218

  213

  158

  5

  News editors and journalists

  27

  25

  35

  2

  Medical doctors

  29

  29

  53

  0

  Physical and life science

  1

  1

  1

  0

  Nurses and midwives

  105

  103

  200

  2

  Other medical professionals

  51

  50

  87

  1

  Health associate professionals

  177

  177

  355

  0

  Legal professionals

  40

  30

  46

  10

  Legal associate professionals

  24

  23

  31

  1

  Teaching professionals

  49

  48

  80

  1

  Educational administrators

  35

  33

  82

  2

  Other teaching personnel

  351

  351

  638

  0

  Approved occupations

  Computing equipment controllers

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Life science technicians

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Physical science technicians

  6

  6

  12

  0

  Social work professionals

  7

  7

  16

  0

  Statistical assistants

  6

  6

  12

  0

  Translators/Interpreters

  7

  4

  6

  3

  Disciplined services

  Correctional Services Department

  105

  104

  172

  1

  Customs and Excise Service

  73

  73

  144

  0

  Fire Services Department

  131

  131

  235

  0

  Immigration Service

  136

  135

  209

  1

  Operational Department, ICAC

  3

  3

  11

  0

  Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

  7

  7

  15

  0

  Royal Hong Kong Police Force

  1,071

  1,053

  1,571

  18

  Garrison (Army)

  9

  0

  0

  9

  Garrison (Navy)

  17

  13

  31

  4

  Entrepreneurs

  2

  0

  0

  2

  Sensitive Service

  82

  77

  137

  5

  Class

  Decided Principal beneficiaries

  Granted

  Refused Principal beneficiaries

  Principal beneficiaries

  Dependants

  January-March 1993

  General occupation

  Managers and administrators

  2,603

  2,527

  3,433

  76

  Business professional

  150

  150

  157

  0

  Business and administration associate professionals

  850

  749

  955

  101

  Accountants and auditors

  150

  148

  188

  2

  Accounting associate professionals

  77

  77

  122

  0

  Engineers and related professionals

  400

  399

  733

  1

  Architects, planners and surveyors

  57

  57

  104

  0

  Engineer associate professionals

  185

  185

  387

  0

  Information science professionals

  150

  141

  98

  9

  380 381

  Class

  Decided Principal beneficiaries

  Granted

  Refused Principal beneficiaries

  Principal beneficiaries

  Dependants

  News editors and journalists

  3

  3

  6

  0

  Medical doctors

  2

  2

  6

  0

  Physical & life science

  4

  4

  6

  0

  Nurses and midwives

  30

  30

  70

  0

  Other medical professionals

  23

  22

  42

  1

  Health associate professionals

  116

  116

  195

  0

  Legal professionals

  8

  8

  9

  0

  Legal associate professionals

  20

  20

  27

  0

  Teaching professionals

  12

  11

  21

  1

  Educational administrators

  14

  14

  24

  0

  Other teaching personnel

  439

  434

  815

  5

  Approved occupations

  Computing equipment controllers

  61

  52

  70

  9

  Life science technicians

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Physical science technicians

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Social work professionals

  9

  8

  21

  1

  Statistical assistants

  6

  5

  6

  1

  Translators/Interpreters

  8

  8

  9

  0

  Disciplined Services

  Correctional Services Department

  17

  17

  36

  0

  Customs and Excise Service

  21

  21

  51

  0

  Fire Services Department

  35

  35

  61

  0

  Immigration Service

  18

  18

  38

  0

  Operational Department, ICAC

  11

  11

  28

  0

  Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Royal Hong Kong Police Force

  133

  126

  233

  7

  Garrison (Army)

  19

  18

  39

  1

  Garrison (Navy)

  20

  16

  41

  4

  Entrepreneurs

  59

  50

  78

  9

  Sensitive Service

  146

  141

  240

  5

  Class

  Decided Principal beneficiaries

  Granted

  Refused Principal beneficiaries

  Principal beneficiaries

  Dependents

  April—June 1993

  General occupation

  Managers and administrators

  2,683

  2,659

  3,983

  24

  Business professional

  103

  96

  101

  7

  Business and administration associated professionals

  969

  945

  1,001

  24

  Accountants and auditors

  120

  112

  169

  8

  Accounting associate professionals

  60

  60

  90

  0

  Engineers and related professionals

  421

  408

  657

  13

  Architects, planners and surveyors

  25

  16

  35

  9

  Engineering associate professionals

  199

  198

  404

  1

  Information science professionals

  222

  215

  188

  7

  News editors and journalists

  12

  0

  4

  12

  Medical doctors

  8

  5

  34

  3

  Physical & life science

  3

  2

  5

  1

  Nurses and midwives

  66

  66

  149

  0

  Other medical professionals

  7

  5

  12

  2

  Health associate professionals

  94

  93

  134

  1

  Legal professionals

  11

  4

  21

  7

  Legal associate professionals

  11

  11

  15

  0

  Teaching professionals

  28

  26

  51

  2

  Educational adminstrators

  14

  14

  23

  0

  Other teaching personnel

  505

  504

  878

  1

  Approved occupations

  Computing equipment controllers

  33

  33

  27

  0

  Life science technicians

  7

  7

  16

  0

  Physical science technicians

  5

  5

  11

  0

  Social work professionals

  19

  18

  34

  1

  Statistical assistants

  2

  2

  9

  0

  Translators/Interpreters

  13

  4

  6

  9

  Disciplined Services

  Correctional Services Department

  9

  9

  33

  0

  382 383

  Class

  Decided Principal beneficiaries

  Granted

  Refused Principal beneficiaries

  Principal beneficiaries

  Dependents

  Customs and Excise Service

  13

  13

  40

  0

  Fire Services Department

  28

  28

  80

  0

  Immigration Service

  17

  16

  36

  1

  Operation Department, ICAC

  5

  5

  17

  0

  Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Royal Hong Kong Police Force

  28

  18

  89

  10

  Garrison (Army)

  6

  6

  20

  0

  Garrison (Navy)

  2

  2

  9

  0

  Entrepreneurs

  15

  15

  22

  0

  Sensitive Service

  64

  50

  119

  14

  Class

  Decided Principal beneficiaries

  Granted

  Refused Principal beneficiaries

  Principal beneficiaries

  Dependents

  Cumulative total up to 30 June 1993

  General occupational

  Managers and administrators

  10,455

  9,101

  13,500

  1,354

  Business professionals

  1,558

  790

  973

  768

  Business and administration associate professionals

  5,014

  2,727

  3,641

  2,287

  Accountants and auditors

  3,360

  997

  1,652

  2,363

  Accounting associate professionals

  1,118

  230

  361

  888

  Engineers and related professionals

  4,434

  1,499

  2,816

  2,935

  Architects, planners and surveyors

  1,334

  403

  733

  931

  Engineering associate professionals

  3,643

  805

  1,679

  2,838

  Information science professionals

  2,536

  1,565

  1,646

  971

  News editors and journalists

  431

  138

  210

  293

  Medical doctors

  1,605

  425

  938

  1,180

  Physical & life science

  235

  36

  61

  199

  Nurses and midwives

  2,104

  1,242

  2,309

  862

  Other medical professionals

  450

  120

  202

  330

  Health associate professionals

  909

  427

  774

  482

  Legal professionals

  1,108

  178

  311

  930

  Legal associate professionals

  391

  67

  98

  324

  Teaching professionals

  593

  298

  492

  295

  Educational administrators

  671

  183

  366

  488

  Other teaching personnel

  3,576

  1,661

  3,050

  1,915

  Approved occupations

  Computing equipment controllers

  189

  130

  193

  59

  Life science technicians

  43

  25

  47

  18

  Physical science technicians

  114

  22

  45

  92

  Social work professionals

  517

  99

  202

  418

  Statistical assistants

  124

  47

  92

  77

  Translators/Interpreters

  266

  40

  68

  226

  Disciplined Services

  Correctional Services Department

  868

  788

  1,614

  80

  Customs and Excise Service

  493

  389

  810

  104

  Fire Services Department

  1,210

  940

  2,058

  270

  Immigration Service

  943

  426

  721

  517

  Operation Department, ICAC

  181

  76

  184

  105

  Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

  13

  10

  22

  3

  Royal Hong Kong Police Force

  3,118

  3,083

  5,758

  35

  Garrison (Army)

  599

  149

  370

  450

  Garrison (Navy)

  83

  39

  93

  44

  Entrepreneurs

  193

  143

  199

  45

  Sensitive Service

  2,258

  2,071

  3,817

  187

  Applications withdrawn up to 30 June 1993

  Class

  Principal beneficiaries

  General occupational

  Managers and administrators

  421

  Business professionals

  29

  384

  Class

  Principal beneficiaries

  Business and administration associate professionals

  137

  Accountants and auditors

  38

  Accounting associate professionals

  10

  Engineers and related professionals

  71

  Architects, planners and surveyors

  10

  385

  Class

  Principal beneficiaries

  Engineering associate professionals

  49

  Information science professionals

  102

  News editors and journalists

  9

  Medical doctors

  10

  Physical and life science

  1

  Nurses and midwives

  53

  Other medical professionals

  7

  Health associate professionals

  28

  Legal professionals

  1

  Legal associate professionals

  3

  Teaching professionals

  15

  Educational administrators

  10

  Other teaching personnel

  98

  Approved occupations

  Computing equipment controllers

  8

  Life science technicians

  0

  Physical science technicians

  1

  Social work professionals

  2

  Statistical assistants

  4

  Translators-Interpreters

  4

  Disciplined Services

  Correctional Services Department

  25

  Customs and Excise Service

  4

  Fire Services Department

  30

  Immigration Service

  8

  Operation Department, ICAC

  1

  Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force

  0

  DNA tests on children under the Government scheme, results received and outcomes 1991–92

  Number of children

  Country/post where application made

  Number of tests carried out

  Tests offered but not taken

  Number awaiting results at end of period

  Number of results received

  Related as claimed to both parents

  Outcomes Related as claimed to one parent but not other

  Not related as claimed to either parent

  1992

  Indian sub-continent1

  Bangladesh (Dhaka)

  1,043

  8

  465

  889

  741

  64

  84

  Pakistan (Islamabad, Karachi)

  2578

  98

  389

  429

  348

  49

  32

  India (Bombay, New Delhi)

  19

  1

  38

  9

  9

  —

  —

  Outside of Indian sub-continent

  Ethiopia (Addis Ababa)

  4

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  Ghana (Accra)

  18

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  Nigeria (Lagos)

  20

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  Philippines (Manilla)

  25

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  United Arab Emirates (Dubai)

  4

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  Yemen (Sana'a)

  2

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  Zambia (Lusaka)

  3

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  1993 Quarter 1

  Indian sub-continent1

  Bangladeshi (Dhaka)

  253

  4

  435

  283

  249

  11

  23

  Pakistan (Islamabad, Karachi)

  2151

  4

  426

  110

  97

  8

  5

  India (Bombay, New Delhi)

  6

  —

  41

  3

  3

  —

  —

  Outside of Indian sub-continent3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Four tests were carried out in Calcutta in 1992. There have been no tests in Madras.

  2 Statistics for tests in Pakistan are mainly for Islamabad: There were six tests carried out in Karachi in 1992 and a further four tests there in the first quarter of 1993.

  3 There were no DNA tests carried out outside the ISC in the first quarter of 1993.

  .. not available.

  — nil.

  Working Holidaymakers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for variation of grant of leave to remain as working holidaymakers have been
  386

  Class

  Principal beneficiaries

  Royal Hong Kong Police Force

  94

  Garrison (Army)

  6

  Garrison (Navy)

  2

  Entrepreneurs

  4

  Sensitive Service

  28

  Immigration (DNA Tests)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many DNA tests to prove a family relationship for immigration purposes have been carried out under the Home Office-funded scheme during(a) 1992 and (b) the first quarter of 1993, listed by country of origin; what was the average waiting period for the test and for its results; and in how many of those tests the family relationships were proved to be as claimed by the applicants.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The available information for 1992 and the first quarter 1993 is given in the table.

  The average waiting time from the taking of a blood sample to a decision being made on the result of a DNA test is six to eight weeks.

  (a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused in relation to nationals of (i) India, (ii) Bangladesh, (iii) Pakistan, (iv) Australia, (v) Canada, (vi) Ghana, (vii) Nigeria, (viii) Malaysia and (ix) in total, during 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information is given in the table.
  387

  Working holidaymaker variation of leave decisions, excluding dependants

  1992

  1993 Quarter 1

  Citizens of

  Grants

  Refusals

  Grants

  Refusals

  All countries

  11,410

  790

  2,600

  230

  of which:

  India

  280

  30

  70

  10

  Bangladesh

  140

  10

  40

  1—

  Pakistan

  540

  50

  110

  10

  Australia

  2,120

  20

  500

  10

  Canada

  270

  1—

  50

  1—

  Ghana

  1,140

  90

  220

  20

  Nigeria

  1,650

  280

  240

  60

  Malaysia

  750

  40

  140

  10

  1— Five or fewer.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for entry clearance as working holidaymakers have been(a) received, (b) granted and (c) refused in (i) India, (ii) Bangladesh, (iii) Pakistan, (iv) Australia, (v) Canada, (vi) Ghana, (vii) Nigeria and (viii) Malaysia, during 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Prisoners (Restraints)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of times that restraints have been used on inmates during the 12 months from 1 July 1992, in each prison in England and Wales.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from P. Drew to Mr. Tom Cox, dated July 1993:

  Restraints used in Prison Service Establishments

  The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your Question about the number of times that restraints have been used on inmates during the 12 months from 1 July 1992 in each Prison Service establishment in England and Wales.

  The number of applications of restraints under Rule 46 of the Prison Rules 1964 and Rule 49 of the Young Offender Institution Rules 1988 are given in the table.

  Restraints1 applied to violent or refractory inmates of Prison Service establishments in England and Wales: by establishment, July 1992-July 1993

  Establishment and type

  Number of applications1

  Local prisons/remand centres

  Belmarsh

  4

  Birmingham

  2

  Bristol

  1

  Brixton

  19

  Bullingdon

  1

  Canterbury

  1

  Chelmsford

  1

  Elmley

  3

  Fletham

  18

  Gloucester

  1

  Highdown

  1

  Highpoint

  3

  Holme House

  3

  Hull

  4

  Leicester

  1

  Lewes

  1

  Lincoln

  3

  Liverpool

  6

  Pentonville

  18

  388

  Establishment and type

  Number of applications2

  Preston

  2

  Reading

  2

  Rochester

  5

  Shrewsbury

  3

  Woodhill

  5

  Wormwood Scrubs

  10

  Training Prisons

  Acklington

  1

  Albany

  2

  Camp Hill

  2

  Down view

  1

  Frankland

  4

  Full Sutton

  28

  Garth

  9

  Long Lartin

  2

  Maidstone

  3

  Nottingham

  2

  Stafford

  1

  Standford Hill

  1

  Swaleside

  3

  Wakefield

  2

  Wayland

  2

  Wellingborough

  1

  Whitemoor

  6

  Closed Young Offender Prisons

  Aylesbury

  1

  Castington

  2

  Deerbolt

  1

  Onley

  2

  All establishments

  194

  1 Loose canvas jacket, body belt, handcuffs, ankle straps and leather wrist straps.

  2 Provisional figures.

  Vagrancy Act
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824.

  Mr. Maclean
  None.

  Immigration (Medical Examinations)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people during 1992 and the first quarter of 1993 were(a) required to undergo a medical examination and (b) refused entry clearance abroad, in which countries, for (i) settlement and (ii) other purposes on medical grounds; and what are the most common medical grounds for refusal.
  389
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Immigration (Extension Refusal)
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) husbands, (b) wives and (c) dependent children have been refused (i) extension of stay and (ii) settlement in the United Kingdom on the

  Refusals1, on grounds of maintenance and accommodation, of after-entry applications by husbands and wives (numbers of persons)

  Refusals to grant probationary year on grounds of:

  Accommodation

  Maintenance

  Maintenance and accommodation

  Refusals of settlement after probationary year2

  1992

  Quarter 1

  Husbands

  1

  —

  —

  8

  Wives

  1

  1

  1

  12

  Quarter 2

  Husbands

  1

  1

  1

  4

  Wives

  —

  —

  1

  4

  Quarter 3

  Husbands

  —

  —

  —

  6

  Wives

  —

  3

  1

  13

  Quarter 4

  Husbands

  —

  1

  3

  12

  Wives

  1

  2

  2

  12

  1993

  Quarter 1

  Husbands

  —

  1

  —

  14

  Wives

  —

  1

  —

  17

  1 Excluding dependents.

  2 Refusals of settlement after probationary year on general considerations, including recourse to public funds.

  Prison Governors
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what checks are made by his Department to ensure that governor grades in prisons in England and Wales spend time within wings and are regularly available to be seen by inmates.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the Prison Service who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from D. Lewis to Mr. Tom Cox, dated July 1993:

  The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about checks made by his Department to ensure that governor grades in prisons in England and Wales spend time within wings and are regularly available to be seen by inmates.

  Governor grades are expected to maintain a regular presence on prison wings to provide access for prisoners in the

  Fatal and serious assaults on Police by Sex of Victim 1984 to 1992

  Year

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Sex

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  Lewisham

  Fatal

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1—

  1—

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Serious Injury

  0

  0

  3

  0

  2

  0

  1

  1

  2

  0

  1—

  1—

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  0

  0

  3

  0

  2

  0

  1

  1

  2

  0

  1—

  1—

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  390
  grounds that he is not satisfied that they can be maintained and accommodated without recourse to public funds, in each quarter since January 1992, and in total.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The available information relating to after entry cases is given in the table. Information on dependent children is not readily available.

  exercise of their management and supervisory role. There is no set period of time during which governors are obliged to be present on the wings, and their attendance will depend upon day to day circumstances and the priorities at the time. In many prisons, though, a governor will be based in an office on each wing and in all prisons a governor grade is available usually on a daily basis, to hear applications from prisoners.

  The way in which governors carry out their duties is monitored in a number of ways: their accessibility to prisoners will be one of the many aspects which area managers will seek to cover during their frequent visits to establishments.

  Mrs. Bridgit Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) male and (b) female, Metropolitan police officers have suffered (i) violent injury and (ii) death while performing their professional duties, for each year from 1980 to 1992; and how many in each case were stationed in Lewisham.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is readily available from 1984 and is contained in the table.
  391

  Year

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Sex

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  M

  F

  Metropolitan Police District

  Fatal

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1—

  1—

  1

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  Serious injury

  47

  1

  77

  2

  73

  3

  46

  5

  67

  5

  1—

  1—

  46

  4

  86

  8

  64

  5

  Total

  47

  2

  78

  2

  73

  3

  47

  5

  67

  5

  1—

  1—

  47

  4

  89

  8

  64

  5

  1 Not currently available

  Figures prior to 1991 include attacks on prison officials etc. by prisoner in custody.

  Asylum
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what third countries are expected to participate in meetings of common interest referred to at item 10 of the recent report of the Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No decisions have yet been made on participation by third countries.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the detailed analysis of the use by member states of terms to express definite concepts of asylum statistics referred to in the recent report of the Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the funding implications for the Government of participation in the Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  None, apart from travelling and subsistence allowances.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the documents on compilation of texts on European asylum practice, the schedule for the purpose of an improved oral exchange of data at the Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum meetings, the principles for the dissemination of information from CIREA, and reports on the context of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees database which are referred to in the recent report of the Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  I am placing in the Library copies of the compilation of texts on European asylum practice and the schedule for the purpose of an improved oral exchange of data. The other material requested has not been made public.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library all joint reports from the local diplomatic representations of the European countries referred to at item 6 of the recent report of the Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many passengers seeking political asylum in(a) 1992 and (b) 1993 to the nearest available date were granted temporary admission;
  392
  (2) if he will provide a breakdown by nationality of the number of people seeking political asylum who were detained under Immigration Act powers in 1992 and 1993 to the latest convenient date in (a) prison department establishments and (b) immigration detention accommodation, for (i) under a week, (ii) one to four weeks, (iii) one month to six months, (iv) six months to a year and (v) over a year.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested on temporary admission is not available centrally.

  The information on detention is not available in the form requested, but the tables provide relevant information on people seeking asylum who, on 19 July 1993, had been detained for seven days or more.

  Asylum seekers1 detained as at 19 July 1993 by length and place of detention

  Prison detention

  IS detention

  Total

  Asylum seekers detained for one to four weeks

  Algeria

  3

  —

  3

  Afghanistan

  —

  1

  1

  Angola

  —

  1

  1

  Columbia

  1

  3

  4

  Ecuador

  1

  —

  1

  Ethiopia

  —

  1

  1

  Ghana

  2

  6

  8

  India

  9

  3

  12

  Iran

  3

  —

  3

  Kenya

  —

  1

  1

  Liberia

  1

  —

  1

  Nigeria

  1

  7

  8

  Pakistan

  2

  1

  3

  Romania

  4

  —

  4

  Sierra Leonne

  1

  —

  1

  Somalia

  —

  1

  1

  Sri Lanka

  —

  1

  1

  Tanzania

  —

  1

  1

  Turkey

  1

  —

  1

  Uganda

  —

  3

  3

  Zaire

  —

  1

  1

  Total

  29

  31

  60

  Asylum seekers detained for one to six months

  Algeria

  11

  5

  16

  Angola

  4

  7

  11

  Bangladesh

  1

  1

  2

  Cameroon

  —

  1

  1

  China

  4

  —

  4

  Columbia

  —

  5

  5

  Congo

  —

  1

  1

  Egypt

  1

  1

  2

  Gambia

  —

  1

  1

  Ghanaian

  6

  11

  17

  India

  50

  11

  61

  Iran

  1

  —

  1

  Iraq

  1

  —

  1

  Ivory Coast

  —

  5

  5

  Kenya

  3

  3

  Lebanon

  1

  1

  2

  Liberia

  —

  1

  1

  Libya

  1

  —

  1

  Malawi

  —

  1

  1

  393

  Prison detention

  IS detention

  Total

  Morocco

  2

  —

  2

  Niger

  —

  1

  1

  Nigeria

  9

  5

  14

  Pakistan

  3

  3

  6

  Peru

  1

  —

  1

  Somali

  —

  1

  1

  Romania

  6

  1

  7

  Sierra Leonne

  1

  7

  8

  Sudan

  1

  —

  1

  Tanzania

  1

  2

  3

  Tunisia

  —

  1

  1

  Turkey

  7

  2

  9

  Uganda

  1

  2

  3

  Zaire

  11

  12

  23

  Nationality doubtful

  1

  1

  2

  Total

  125

  93

  218

  Asylum seekers detained for six to 12 months

  Algeria

  1

  2

  3

  Angola

  —

  1

  1

  Columbia

  1

  —

  1

  Egypt

  —

  1

  1

  Ghana

  1

  3

  4

  India

  5

  6

  11

  Lebanon

  1

  —

  1

  Nigeria

  3

  2

  5

  Pakistan

  —

  2

  2

  Sierra Leonne

  2

  —

  2

  South Africa

  1

  —

  1

  Sri Lanka

  1

  —

  1

  Tanzania

  —

  1

  1

  Zaire

  2

  1

  3

  Total

  18

  19

  37

  Asylum seekers detained for more than one year

  India

  1

  —

  1

  Zaire

  1

  —

  1

  Total

  2

  —

  2

  Total asylum seekers detained as at 19 July 1993

  Total

  174

  143

  317

  1 Persons detained solely under the powers contained in schedule 2 or 3 to the Immigration Act 1971. In some cases the asylum application will have been lodged subsequent to the application being detained. The figures include both detained asylum applicants who applied at ports and those detained in the course of after-entry enforcement work or prior to deportation or removal as an illegal entrant.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum is funded.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  There is no specific funding for CIREA. Its activities are supported by a small number of officials in the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Communities, who also have other duties, and accommodation is provided within the offices of the Council.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefit Claimants (Savings)
  Ms Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what interest rate is assumed by his Department when calculating income from claimants's for social security benefits.
  394
  Mr. Burt
  None. In all the income-related benefits, capital up to £3,000 is ignored. Deductions from benefit of £1 a week are made for each £250, or part of £250, of capital between £3,000 and the upper capital limit for the particular benefit. This formula does not imply any particular rate of investment. It is designed to ensure that help is targeted on those who need it most, while not denying benefit to those with only a moderate amount of capital. The rules are kept under review, but we have no plans for change.

  Dementia
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to secure statutory protection of pension rights for those developing dementia while at work.

  Mr. Hague
  National insurance contribution credits are awarded to those submitting evidence of incapacity to safeguard their entitlement to the basic state pension. Additionally, members of occupational pension schemes who leave with at least two years pensionable service already benefit from the statutory right to a preserved pension. Those with less than two years pensionable service in a scheme which is contracted out of the state earnings-related pension scheme can be reinstated in SERPS for that period. We have no plans to change these arrangements.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many carers have been in receipt of invalid care allowance in Wales in each year since 1986; and what percentage of total carers within Wales have been successful claimants in each year.

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

  Social Fund (Hospital Visit Grants)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications have been made by parents for social fund grants towards the cost of visiting children in hospital to each social fund office in Wales in the latest year for which information is available; how many grants and loans were made; and what was the average level of grants and loans.

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

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are in receipt of invalidity allowance in the Seaham and Peterlee areas; and what were the numbers of recipients in 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Scott
  I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  395

  Boarder's Premium
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to reintroduce boarder's premium for people currently housed in bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 21 July at col.205.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many lone parents there are in Darlington; and how many and what proportion of income support claimants are lone parents in Darlington.

  Mr. Burt
  A provisional estimate of the number of lone parent families in the local government district of Darlington in 1991 is 3000.1

  Data on the number of lone parent families in receipt of income support in individual locations are not available. However, the total number of lone parents on income support in Great Britain in 1992 was 985,0002, representing 19 per cent. of all income support claimants.

  1 1991 Population Census, provisional estimate.

  2 1992 Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiry.

  The definition of lone parents used excludes the temporarily separated.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what percentage of single parents had social security payments as their main source of income in(a) 1979 and (b) 1991 in (i) Strathclyde and (ii) Scotland as a whole.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the

  Thousands

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Great Britain

  (a) Total number of lone parents, provisional 1991

  1046

  130

  67

  1240

  (b) Total number of lone parents on income support, 1992

  823

  106

  57

  985

  (c) Proportion of IS claimants who are Lone Parents per cent. 1992

  19

  20

  20

  19

  Note: Totals may not sum due to rounding.

  Source: (a) 1991 Population Census, provisional estimates.

  (b) and (c) 1992 Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiry. The definition of lone parents used excludes the temporarily separated.

  Benefits
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the regional expenditure on(a) retirement pensions, (b) sickness and invalidity benefits, (c) housing benefits, (d) unemployment benefit, (e) family credit, (f) income support, (g) social fund and (h) child benefit as (i) a total and (ii) per head for each of the last five years for which figures are avaialble.

  Mr. Scott
  Information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the value of unclaimed(a) income support, (b) housing benefit, (c) family credit and (d) invalidity benefit, giving the estimated number of
  396
  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 Dr. Norman Godman, dated 21 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 how many and what percentage of single parents had social security payments as their main source of income in (a) 1979 and (b) 1991 in (i) Strathclyde and (ii) Scotland as a whole.

  The complete range of information requested is not available as statistics that reflect the number of single parents in receipt of each Social Security benefit are not routinely collected. It is also likely that many of the relevant records will have been routinely destroyed since 1979.

  Below I have given the number of single parents in Scotland who were in receipt of Supplementary Benefit in 1979 and Income Support in 1991.

  This information is obtained from an annual statistical sampling exercise. It is not possible to provide figures separately for Strathclyde.

  (1) Single parents in Scotland in receipt of Supplementary Benefit at November 1979–34,000

  (2) Single parents in Scotland in receipt of Income Support at May 1991–102,000

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

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is(a) the number of lone parents, (b) the number of income support claimants who are lone parents and (c) the proportion of income support claimants who are lone parents in each region.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is in the table.

  non-claimants involved; and the proportion of each benefit entitlement unclaimed, for each of the last three years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Burt
  Estimates of the take-up of income support, family credit and the new unified housing benefit were published in "Income Related Benefit Estimates of Take-up in 1989" in January this year. Take-up estimates for the income-related benefits that were available before the 1988 benefit reforms are for 1985 and 1987 and are provided in Social Security Statistics 1990 (Table 48) and Social Security Statistics 1991 (Table H.5) respectively. Copies of these publications are in the Library.

  Information for invalidity benefit is not available.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what effect steepening the housing benefit taper from 65 per cent. to 80 per cent. would have on the proportion of income retained per £1 a week increase in
  397
  gross earnings for (a) a lone parent earning £136 per week, (b) a single adult earning £132 per week and (c) a two adult family earning £196 per week, paying an average weekly rent of £48 per week.

  Mr. Burt
  Such an increase would have the effect of increasing the proportion of each £1 a week increase in gross earnings retained from 23p to 66p—that is, £1 less tax and national insurance contributions—in cases(b) and (c) but would take people in these circumstances out of housing benefit entitlement. For case (a) housing benefit entitlement would be retained and the proportion of income retained per £1 a week increase in gross earnings would reduce from 7p to 4p.

  Note: Figures provided from tax benefit model 1993. The benefit rates are as at April 1993. Assumptions are for (a) lone parent with one child; (b) single adult over age 25; (c) two adult family with two children aged 4 and 6.

  Bus Passes
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if his Department has now concluded discussions with Walsall council over the bus pass concession for blind people in receipt of the disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  On 8 July, the council wrote to the Department with its further observations. The Department is considering the points made and remains in discussion with the council.

  Mortgage Costs
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures are being taken against people in Wales receiving benefit to cover their mortgage costs who failed to inform his Department when their payments dropped; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of social security is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the 398
  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 Mr. Rod Richards, dated 21 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 measures are being taken against people in Wales receiving benefit to cover their mortgage costs who failed to inform his Department when their payments dropped; and if he will make a statement.

  I acknowledge that administrative difficulties have arisen for some customers who have chosen to obtain a mortgage which is reviewed annually. Such 'annual review' mortgages are arranged by the mortgage lender so that, although the interest being charged to the borrower's account may change in the course of the year, the repayments that the borrower is required to make are not adjusted to reflect this until the end of the lender's accounting year.

  Although Income Support (IS) may include an amount to cover mortgage interest payments, it is calculated with reference to the rate of mortgage interest being charged to the customer's loan account.

  Since mortgage interest payments on 'annual review' mortgages are not calculated on this basis there can, in certain circumstances, be a difference between the amount of IS paid compared with what the lender would expect to receive under the annual review arrangement. The Benefits Agency has held meeting with the Council of Mortgage Lenders about this difficulty. In the meantime, mortgage lenders will normally look sympathetically at requests from customers to be taken off the annual review arrangement. My advice to customers who find themselves in difficulty would be to immediately contact their mortgage lender to discuss the situation.

  However, it remains the responsibility of the customer to inform the Benefits Agency of any changes in their circumstances. This includes any change in the rate of interest charged to their mortgage account.

  A customer residing in any part of Great Britain, who fails to inform the Department of a decrease in their rate of mortgage interest can be asked to repay the IS overpaid.

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

  CENTRAL STATISTICAL OFFICE: PERFORMANCE TARGETS
  CENTRAL STATISTICAL OFFICE: PERFORMANCE TARGETS
  CAR EXHAUST EMISSIONS
  CAR EXHAUST EMISSIONS
  OIL WASTES: PORT FACILITIES
  OIL WASTES: PORT FACILITIES
  RUNWAY CAPACITY: SOUTH EAST
  RUNWAY CAPACITY: SOUTH EAST
  CIVIL SERVICE: PERFORMANCE RELATED PAY
  CIVIL SERVICE: PERFORMANCE RELATED PAY
  ROAD TRAFFIC GROWTH
  ROAD TRAFFIC GROWTH
  RAILWAY PENSIONS
  RAILWAY PENSIONS
  BRITISH RAIL MAINTENANCE LTD.
  BRITISH RAIL MAINTENANCE LTD.
  M25 IMPROVEMENT PROPOSALS
  M25 IMPROVEMENT PROPOSALS
  ARMY TRAINING
  ARMY TRAINING
  INFANTRY BATTALIONS: ACCOMMODATION
  INFANTRY BATTALIONS: ACCOMMODATION
  SOCIAL SECURITY BUDGET (WORK INCENTIVES)
  SOCIAL SECURITY BUDGET (WORK INCENTIVES)
  PENSIONERS' INCOME SUPPORT
  PENSIONERS' INCOME SUPPORT
  SICK PAY
  SICK PAY
  SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS (PROJECTIONS)
  SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS (PROJECTIONS)
  SOCIAL SECURITY: LONE PARENT EXPENDITURE
  SOCIAL SECURITY: LONE PARENT EXPENDITURE
  SOCIAL SECURITY SPENDING (GROWTH)
  SOCIAL SECURITY SPENDING (GROWTH)
  AGRICULTURE COUNCIL, 19th JULY
  AGRICULTURE COUNCIL, 19th JULY
  DEER IN VELVET: TRANSPORTATION
  DEER IN VELVET: TRANSPORTATION
  BRITISH FILM COMMISSION (GRANT)
  BRITISH FILM COMMISSION (GRANT)
  BELOW LOW-WATER MARK REGULATIONS
  BELOW LOW-WATER MARK REGULATIONS