Written Answers of 23 July 1993

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Knutsford Crown Court
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will give Mr. Ray Veal the opportunity to tender for the cleaning and caretaking facilities at Knutsford Crown court; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  It is not the policy of the Lord Chancellor's Department to employ caretakers for court buildings. In accordance with Government policy of securing value for money, cleaning contracts are awarded by competitive tender and the contract for Knutsford has already been let.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement concerning the compulsory redundancy of Mr. Ray Veal, the court keeper at Knutsford Crown court.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Mr. Ray Veal is an employee of Cheshire county council and his redundancy is a direct result of the county council's decision to sell Sessions house to the Lord Chancellor's Department. Negotiations with Cheshire county council for the freehold purchase of Sessions house proceeded on the basis of full vacant possession and it was clearly 'understood that Cheshire county council would identify suitable alternative accommodation for Mr. and Mrs. Veal. Further, the Lord Chancellor's Department made it clear to Cheshire county council that it would not be able to use the services of Mr. Veal as a caretaker. However, in an attempt to be helpful to both the county council and Mr. and Mrs. Veal, the Government property lawyers have been instructed to investigate and conclude an appropriate occupancy agreement to enable Mr. and Mrs. Veal to remain in their present accommodation.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many applications for legal aid have been made by solicitors acting on behalf of clients suffering from tranquilliser addiction and seeking to sue drug companies in the past 10 years; how much money has been paid to solicitors' firms over that period; how many such cases have been concluded in a court of law; and how many legal aid certificates have been issued, cases begun and legal aid subsequently withdrawn.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The only significant tranquilliser action to have received funding from the Legal Aid Board is the current Benzodiazepine action, for which 17,000 legal aid applications were made. These applications cover actions against the companies manufacturing the drugs together with the authorities prescribing them. The generic legal aid expenditure on all the Benzodiazepine drugs in 400
  the litigation amounts to approximately £3 million, though further, as yet unquantified, costs have also been incurred. In view of the numbers of individual cases involved, these costs may be considerable. None of the Benzodiazepine cases has yet been concluded. A total of 13,168 legal aid certificates were issued. The position on these is constantly changing, but at present more than 7,000 certificates have been discharged and several hundred are awaiting decisions on appeal. There have also been approximately 20 tranquilliser cases where legal aid was granted, but which were not part of the Benzodiazepine litigation. These have all been discharged and none of the cases was concluded in court.

  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Mr. Meacher
  asked the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list each of the executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Lord Chancellor's Department; to whom these bodies are responsible; whether the public bodies or their members in each case are subject to(a) surcharge, (b) investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner, (c) scrutiny by the National Audit Office, (d) statutory provisions for open Government, (e) performance indicators and (f) provisions under the citizens charters; and whether the chairpersons and members of the boards of each of these bodies are required to declare an interest.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Of the executive NDPBs listed in Public Bodies 1992, the Authorised Conveyancing Practitioners Board, which is responsible to the Lord Chancellor, was established to develop competition in the provision of conveyancing services and to supervise the provision of those services by authorised practitioners. In response to a parliamentary question on 13 March the Lord Chancellor announced that, due to a lack of demand to become authorised practitioners, he was postponing implementation of those provisions of the 1990 Act necessary to allow the board to begin the process of authorisation.

  Answers to specific questions:

  (a) No

  (b) Yes

  (c) Yes

  (d) Not applicable

  (e) No. The decision to postpone the authorised practitioner scheme was taken before the board's performance indicators had been finalised.

  (f) Yes. The chairman and the members of the board would be required to declare an interest.

  Legal Aid Board

  The responses for the Legal Aid Board, which is responsible to the Lord Chancellor are as follows:

  (a) No

  (b) Yes

  (c) Yes

  (d) Not applicable

  (e) Yes

  (f) Yes. The board is shortly to publish a statement of its charter standards.

  Before appointing a person to be a member of the board, the Lord Chancellor satisfies himself that the individual's financial and other interests will not prejudice his or her functions as a member of the board. The Lord Chancellor also from time to time satisfies himself as to the members continuing interests. In addition, a member must declare an interest at any time throughout their tenure

  401
  when a conflict of interest arises. The provisions governing members' interests are covered by schedule 1 of the Legal Aid Act 1988.

TRANSPORT

  Road and Railway Schemes
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average percentage difference in time taken for(a) roads and (b) railways between the initial consultative plan and the finally approved scheme.

  Mr. Freeman
  Road schemes completed in 1992–93 took on average 13·9 years to complete. We are currently looking at ways to reduce this figure and my right hon. Friend hopes to make an announcement shortly.

  Applications for orders for new rail schemes are now governed by the Transport and Works Act, which came into force on 1 January 1993. We have not yet received any applications regarding railway schemes under the provisions of this Act; it is not therefore possible to make comparisons with road schemes. The time scale between receipt of draft orders and approval would depend on the size of the scheme and the degree of controversy surrounding it.

  Computer Consultancies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the computer consultancies employed by his Department and agencies since November 1991, the tasks for which they were engaged, and the total cost to his Department.

  Mr. Norris
  Since November 1991, the Department of Transport and its agencies have engaged 55 computer consultancy companies. The tasks on which they were employed range from strategic analysis to systems review. The cost of the commissions is approaching £7 million.

  A550
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the M53/M56 alternative to the A550 improvement scheme was evaluated before or after the public consultation exercise; and if he will publish the results of the evaluation, including projected traffic flows.

  Mr. Key
  We do not believe that a route via the M53 and M56 presents a viable alternative. Although the question of this alternative was considered carefully prior to the preferred route announcement, no detailed evaluation is available.

  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment will be made of the traffic generated as a result of stages 1 and 2 of the A550 improvement scheme in considering whether to proceed with stage 3.

  Mr. Key
  This scheme is now being progressed in two stages. The technical appraisal for stage 2 (Ledsham to the M53) makes allowance for any additional traffic using the route as a result of the stage 1 improvement to the south.

  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment was made of the extent to which road usage on the Friday afternoon of a bank holiday weekend 402
  represented typical road usage for the purposes of photographs included in consultation on the A550 road improvement scheme.

  Mr. Key
  The photograph was used as an illustration of congestion that can occur. The A550 improvements have been evaluated against forecast annual average daily traffic flows in the design year 2012.

  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason a question asking for views on whether a new road was required did not form part of the public consultation for the A550 improvement scheme.

  Mr. Key
  To gauge the level of public support for a major improvement.

  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide full details of the rail schemes assessed as an alternative to the A550 improvement scheme, including the routes assessed, their cost, and the projected changes in rail traffic associated with each alternative.

  Mr. Freeman
  No rail schemes have been assessed as possible alternatives to the A550 improvement scheme. Rail would not be a practicable option given the alignment of existing track in the area, which does not run in parallel with the A550 to Ledsham and beyond.

  Road Fuel Duties
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reduction in road traffic volumes is expected to result from the increase in road fuel duties announced on 16 March.

  Mr. Key
  The increase in road fuel duties announced on 16 March is aimed at contributing toward the Government's commitment to return overall CO2 emissions from the United Kingdom in the year 2000 to the level recorded in 1990. By 2000, the increase in fuel duties is expected to have reduced road transport emissions of CO2 by about 1.5 million tonnes of carbon (mtC), roughly one-seventh of the required savings. That increase in duties will have a greater effect on fuel consumption (and thus CO2) than on traffic levels. This is because the reduction in traffic is just one of the effects likely to follow from higher fuel prices. We would also expect a variety of improvements in fuel economy to come about—for example, improved driver technique, changes in speed, choice of smaller cars and improvements in vehicle design. Under the minimum duty increases announced, the level of traffic (all motor vehicles) in 2000 would be about 500 bn vehicle km instead of the 510 bn vehicle km forecast using the mid-point of the National Road Traffic Forecasts—a 2 per cent. reduction.

  Public Transport
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 24 May,Official Report, column 418, how many passenger miles are expected to transfer from private car to public transport as a result of the public transport initiatives described.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is not possible to estimate the number of passenger miles likely to transfer from private car to public transport. In the case of buses, much of the success of the measures depends on action being taken by local authorities.
  403

  Diversions
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average diversion in road miles over original routes provided by trunk road bypasses of motorway or express road standard over the past five years and planned for the next five years.

  Mr. Key
  This information is not readily available, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  M53
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Hooton spur of the M53, north of junction 5, was built as part of a road scheme linking the M53 to a projected Dee barrage.

  Mr. Key
  The spur at junction 5 of the M53 was constructed in the 1970s for a possible link with the M56 to the west of Ellesmere Port.

  Wirral-North Wales Corridor
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish details of the public transport schemes currently being assessed for the Wirral-North Wales corridor as part of the public transport initiatives contained in his answer of 24 May,Official Report, column 418.

  Mr. Freeman
  Improvements to public transport will in many cases be the responsibility of the operators concerned; but it is open to local authorities to bring forward proposals for public transport improvements in their area. The Government can assist by making resources available to local authorities where appropriate. For example, we have made £6·4 million available to Merseyside PTA and Cheshire county council for railway electrification between Hooton, Chester and Ellesmere Port; £2·2 million to Merseyside PTA in 1993–94 for city challenge schemes some of which are in Wirral; and £300,000 to Wirral borough council in 1993–94 for bus priority measures. Local authorities have been invited to put forward further proposals in their transport policies and programmes.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to publish details of the highway engineering measures his Department is taking to achieve the trunk road share of the national target of reducing road accident casualties by one third by the year 2000.

  Mr. Key
  I am arranging for copies of the departmental trunk road safety plan to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament, along with copies of the regional safety plans that are separately produced in the Department's regional offices.

  These plans detail the many actions and resources the Department is putting into highway engineering measures to reduce accident casualties on trunk roads. I am pleased to say that these measures are reducing deaths and injuries and are working towards meeting our share of the national target.
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  Amesbury-Berwick Down Improvements
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received objecting to(a) the yellow route and (b) the grey route for the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down improvement scheme.

  Mr. Norris
  I have received various representations supportng or opposing the yellow route and grey route options for this improvement scheme near Stonehenge. We are now considering responses to the recent public consultation.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what would be the cost of putting the yellow route for the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down improvement scheme in a cutting rather than a tunnel.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department did not offer at the recent public consultation an option for a scheme in cutting along the line of the present A303 as we considered such a n option to be unacceptable environmentally, given the importance of Stonehenge. No estimate of cost is available, comparable with those of options offered.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what response he is giving to the National Trust's request for more information on alternative routes for the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down improvement scheme; and if he will make a statement about the effect of his plans of the inalienability of National Trust land involved.

  Mr. Norris
  The Department is seeking clarification of what further information the National Trust requires. One main purpose of both the Department's consultation options near Stonehenge is to improve conditions for Stonehenge and its surrounding monuments. The tenure of National Trust land and the terms on which it might be made available are matters for the National Trust.

  Criminal Offences
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criminal offences he has introduced in the last five years under delegated legislation.

  Mr. Norris
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Jubilee Line Extension
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total expenditure incurred on the Jubilee line extension project to date; what obstacles now remain before the principal construction works can be started; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  Around £180 million. Leaving aside the exit from administration of the Olympia and York Company, before we can give authorisation for construction work to begin the precise terms of the funding agreement between London Underground Limited and London Transport and the parties involved with the financing of Canary wharf must be satisfactorily settled.

  Aircraft Ventilation
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what discussions he has held with United Kingdom airline operators about the quality of air in ventilation systems during flights;
  405
  (2) what discussions he has held with the Civil Aviation Authority about the quality of cabin air on board British airlines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  The European joint aviation authorities' airworthiness standards include requirements for minimum fresh air ventilation flows expressed in terms of fresh air quantity per minute per person. These minimum flows must be provided in the event of a failure in the air supply system; normal flow rates would be appreciably higher. The Civil Aviation Authority sees no reason to review these standards.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Sir Keith Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the advice he has received from the merchant banker retained by his Department about finance for the channel tunnel rail link.

  Mr. Freeman
  The independent review of Union Railways' work on the rail link was published in March 1993. We shall make an announcement in due course on the Government's conclusion following the consultation on private sector involvement, taking into account the advice provided by Samuel Montagu.

  DVOIT Swansea
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for representatives of the work force of DVOIT Swansea to meet each of the five bidders in the privatisation process before a final choice has been made by his Department.

  Mr. Key
  Representatives of the DVOIT staff have been offered the opportunity of meeting the prospective purchasers of the agency once a, shortlist has been selected. This stage is likely to be reached in the second half of August.

  Motor Vehicle Licensing Applications
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what considerations govern the number of sub-post offices permitted to conduct motor vehicle licensing applications.

  Mr. Key
  The aim is to provide an across-the-counter service within reasonable travelling distance for motorists with an option to relicense by post if this is more convenient.

  Vehicle licences are issued by 4,000 of the 20,000 post offices in Great Britain. For this service the Driver and Vehicle- Licensing Agency (DVLA)—effectively the taxpayer—pays a substantial sum of money to Post Office Counters Ltd. (POCL). Any increase in the number of licence-issuing post offices would increase the cost of collection without increasing the overall sum paid into the Exchequer.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Immigration Offences
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were received into prison department establishments under Immigration Act powers 406
  during (a) 1992 and (b) 1993 to the latest convenient date, by individual prison establishment; what was the average daily population of persons so detained in each of those years; what was the average length of time spent in detention by persons so detained in each of those years; and whether he will give a breakdown by nationality of persons so detained for each of those years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The number of detainees received into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales under the Immigration Act 1971 is given by establishment of initial reception in table 1 for the first half of 1992. Information for receptions for the second half of 1992 and for 1993 is not yet available.

  The average population in 1992, including persons originally received for a criminal offence, was 227. The average for January to May in 1993 is 382. A breakdown of the prison population by nationality is given for June 1992 and May 1993 in table 2.

  The average period of detention for detainees released in the first half of 1992 is provisionally estimated as nearly 12 weeks. No later information for discharges is yet available.

  Table 1

  Receptions of persons detained under the Immigration Act 1971 into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales: by establishment 1 January to 30 June 1992

  Establishment

  Number of persons1 2

  Remand centres

  Brinsford

  2

  Dorchester

  8

  Exeter

  1

  Feltham

  13

  Glen Parva

  1

  Haslar

  179

  Low Newton

  3

  Moorland

  1

  Local prisons

  Bedford

  3

  Belmarsh

  7

  Birmingham

  55

  Bristol

  8

  Brixton

  4

  Bullingdon

  4

  Canterbury

  14

  Dorchester

  9

  Durham

  2

  Exeter

  12

  Elmley

  1

  Gloucester

  3

  Holloway

  23

  Hull

  6

  Leeds

  13

  Leicester

  15

  Lewis

  8

  Lincoln

  5

  Liverpool

  4

  Norwich

  3

  Pentonville

  158

  Preston

  17

  Pucklechurch

  1

  Shrewsbury

  2

  Winchester

  2

  Wormwood Scrubs

  11

  Closed training prisons

  Full Sutton

  1

  All establishments

  599

  407
  1The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate: detailed checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost.

  2 Provisional figures.

  Table 2

  Population of persons detained under the Immigration Act 1971 in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on 30 June 1992 and 31 May 1993: by nationality

  Nationality

  Number of persons1 2

  30 June 1992

  31 May 1993

  Afghanistan

  —

  1

  Algeria

  8

  15

  Angola

  7

  13

  Argentina

  —

  1

  Ascension Islands

  —

  1

  Australia

  1

  —

  Bangladesh

  5

  13

  Belgium

  —

  1

  Brazil

  —

  1

  Canada

  1

  2

  Cape Verde

  —

  1

  Central African Republic

  —

  2

  Chile

  1

  1

  China

  2

  5

  Colombia

  1

  3

  Congo

  1

  —

  Cyprus

  2

  3

  Egypt

  1

  3

  Ecuador

  —

  1

  France

  3

  6

  Gambia

  1

  1

  Germany

  —

  3

  Ghana

  7

  28

  Guyana

  1

  3

  Hong Kong

  1

  1

  Hungary

  1

  1

  India

  43

  99

  Indonesia

  —

  1

  Irish Republic

  3

  1

  Israel

  2

  2

  Italy

  —

  1

  Ivory Coast

  1

  4

  Iran

  2

  2

  Jamaica

  10

  20

  Jordan

  —

  1

  Kenya

  1

  4

  Lebanon

  6

  2

  Liberia

  3

  5

  Libya

  —

  1

  Malaysia

  1

  1

  Morocco

  3

  3

  Mauritius

  1

  1

  Mexico

  —

  1

  Namibia

  1

  —

  Netherlands

  2

  1

  Nepal

  1

  —

  New Zealand

  —

  1

  Nicaragua

  1

  1

  Niger

  1

  —

  Nigeria

  36

  54

  Pakistan

  12

  14

  Peru

  —

  3

  Philippines

  1

  —

  Poland

  —

  2

  Portugal

  1

  —

  Romania

  —

  9

  Saudi Arabia

  2

  1

  Sierra Leone

  1

  5

  Somalia

  —

  1

  South Africa

  2

  1

  Spain

  —

  1

  Sri Lanka

  1

  2

  St. Lanka

  —

  1

  St. Vincent and Grenadines

  1

  —

  Sudan

  1

  2

  Tanzania

  —

  3

  Trinidad and Tobago

  1

  —

  Turkey

  9

  24

  408

  Nationality

  Number of persons1 2

  30 June 1992

  31 May 1993

  Uganda

  1

  2

  United States of America

  3

  3

  Vietnam

  1

  —

  Yugoslavia

  1

  1

  Zambia

  1

  1

  Zaire

  25

  17

  Zimbabwe

  —

  1

  Nationality not recorded

  42

  30

  Refusal

  1

  2

  All establishments

  268

  441

  1The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate: detailed checking of individual case would involve disproportionate cost.

  2 Provisional figures.

  Doctors (Work Permits)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many overseas doctors have been issued with notices to leave the country; how many of them are waiting for their appeals to be heard; and what are the reasons for asking them to leave.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The information requested is not available.

  Civil Defence Grant Aid
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has any plans to relax the current rules concerning the effect on local authorities' civil defence grant aid allocations of authorities' success in obtaining income from emergency planning activities.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Officials are considering ways in which local authorities can retain any such income obtained and a further announcement will be made shortly.

  Probation and Bail Hostels
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) the bail hostels and (b) the combined probation and bail hostels in England and Wales at present; how many places there are in each hostel; and how many additional places the Government aims to provide (i) in each of these hostels and (ii) elsewhere by 1995.

  Mr. Maclean
  There are currently 30 approved bail hostels in England and Wales, as follows:

  Bail hostels in England and Wales in 1993

  Probation Area

  Hostel

  Beds

  Cheshire

  Bunbury House

  22

  Cheshire

  Linden Bank

  22

  Cleveland

  South Bank

  24

  Devon

  Dudley Centre

  22

  Greater Manchester

  Chorlton Hostel

  27

  Gloucestershire

  Ryecroft

  16

  Hampshire

  Dickson House

  28

  Hampshire

  Southampton

  22

  Kent

  Dover Bail

  18

  Lancashire

  Blackburn

  18

  Leicestershire

  Howard House

  20

  409

  Probation Area

  Hostel

  Beds

  London Inner

  Canadian Avenue

  23

  London Inner

  Kelley House

  28

  London Inner

  Tulse Hill

  27

  London Middlesex

  Corfton Road

  20

  London South West

  Kew

  14

  Merseyside

  Merseybank

  28

  North Wales

  Ty Newydd

  12

  Northumbria

  Cuthbert House

  22

  Northumbria

  Pennywell

  22

  Oxfordshire

  Clarks House

  27

  Staffordshire

  Lichfield Road

  20

  West Glamorgan

  Emroch House

  15

  West Midlands

  Marshall House

  22

  West Midlands

  Stonnall Road

  12

  West Midlands

  Sycamore Lodge

  32

  West Midlands

  Welford

  26

  South Yorkshire

  Town Moor

  25

  West Yorkshire

  Howden House

  27

  West Yorkshire

  Walmer Villas

  18

  Beds

  659

  Hostels

  30

  There are currently 84 approved probation/bail hostels in England and Wales as listed below:

  Probation/bail hostels in England and Wales 1993

  Probation Area

  Hostel

  Beds

  Avon

  Ashley House

  20

  Avon

  Brigstocke Road

  29

  Avon

  Bridge House

  15

  Bedfordshire

  Bedford

  25

  Bedfordshire

  Napier Road

  23

  Berkshire

  Elizabeth Fry

  20

  Berkshire

  Manor Lodge

  27

  Berkshire

  St. Leonards

  23

  Berkshire

  Wellesley House

  18

  Buckinghamshire

  Milton Keynes

  16

  Cambridgeshire

  Peterborough

  26

  Cheshire

  Bewsey Street

  20

  Cleveland

  The Crescent

  25

  Cornwall

  Meneghy House

  18

  Cumbria

  Bowling Green

  24

  Derbyshire

  Burdett Lodge

  25

  Devon

  Lawson House

  20

  Dorset

  Bournemouth

  25

  Dorset

  Weston

  27

  Durham

  Fir Tree Grange

  28

  East Sussex

  Brighton

  15

  Essex

  Basildon

  32

  Essex

  Windyridge

  30

  Greater Manchester

  Bradshaw

  27

  Greater Manchester

  Hopwood

  18

  Greater Manchester

  Ascot House

  22

  Greater Manchester

  St. Josephs

  29

  Greater Manchester

  Wilton Place

  29

  Greater Manchester

  Withington Road

  37

  Hampshire

  The Grange

  18

  Hereford and Worcester

  Braley House

  23

  Hertfordshire

  St. Albans

  26

  Humberside

  Queens Road

  19

  Kent

  Fleming House

  23

  Kent

  Hollywood Manor

  30

  Lancashire

  Highfield House

  18

  Lancashire

  Hoole House

  24

  Leicestershire

  Charnwood House

  18

  Leicestershire

  Kirk Lodge

  35

  Lincolnshire

  Wordsworth House

  28

  London Inner

  Bedford/Shenley

  30

  London Inner

  Camden House

  29

  London Inner

  Ellison House

  25

  London Inner

  KPH

  19

  London Inner

  St. Edmunds

  25

  London Inner

  St. Mungo

  25

  London Inner

  St. Vincents

  24

  London Inner

  West Park

  22

  410

  Probation Area

  Hostel

  Beds

  London Middlesex

  Seafield Lodge

  14

  London North East

  Westbourne House

  40

  London South East

  Beckenham Road

  20

  Merseyside

  Adelaide House

  22

  Merseyside

  Canning House

  27

  Merseyside

  Southwood

  23

  North Wales

  Plas-y-wern

  12

  Norfolk

  John Boag House

  29

  Northants

  Bridgewood

  23

  Northants

  Stone House

  24

  Northumbria

  Ozanam House

  27

  Northumbria

  St. Christophers

  22

  Nottinghamshire

  Astral Grove

  15

  Nottinghamshire

  Southwell House

  16

  Nottinghamshire

  Trent House

  22

  Oxfordshire

  Abingdon Road

  22

  South Glamorgan

  Mandeville House

  26

  Somerset

  Glogan House

  16

  Staffordshire

  Wenger House

  42

  Suffolk

  Lightfoot House

  22

  Suffolk

  The Cottage

  18

  Surrey

  St. Catherines

  19

  West Midlands

  Bilston

  15

  West Midlands

  Carpenter House

  16

  West Midlands

  Crowley House

  18

  West Midlands

  Stoke Green

  22

  Warwickshire

  Kenilworth Road

  18

  Warwickshire

  Mclntyre House

  18

  South Yorkshire

  Centre 45

  36

  South Yorkshire

  Norfolk Park

  49

  South Yorkshire

  Rookwood

  37

  West Yorkshire

  Albion Street

  24

  West Yorkshire

  Cardigan House

  23

  West Yorkshire

  Elm Bank

  17

  West Yorkshire

  Ripon House

  17

  West Yorkshire

  St. Johns House

  28

  Beds

  1,993

  Hostels

  84

  The approved hostel expansion programme aims to provide 1,365 additional places between April 1988 and March 1996. Of these, 914 are already on stream and are included in the tables. The remaining places have been provisionally allocated, but until the appropriate properties or sites are identified the precise numbers cannot be determined.

  Sheehy Report
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many copies of the executive summary of the Sheehy report on police responsibilities and rewards have been produced; to whom they have been circulated; and at what total cost.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  A total of 170,000 copies of the executive summary of the Sheehy report on police responsibilities and rewards were produced. A copy was circulated by the inquiry to every police officer in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; to the clerk to the police authority for each force in the United Kingdom; and to the organisations and individuals who gave oral evidence to the inquiry. The cost of production and distribution was £25,965.

  Youth Organisations
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will institute an independent evaluation into the performance of the Weston Spirit,
  411
  Drive for Youth, Fairbridge and other similar charitable organisations specialising in diverting young people from crime; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  A number of local diversionary projects run by charitable organisations, including Fairbridge, receive Home Office funding. Those projects are therefore subject to monitoring and evaluation.

  Deportees
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men and (b) women have been deported from the United Kingdom in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 5 July 1993]: The numbers of those deported from the United Kingdom are as follows:

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Male

  1,693

  1,968

  2,008

  Female

  470

  601

  568

  The figures include those who made a supervised or voluntary departure having been served with a notice of the intention to deport them, as well as those who were the subject of a deportation order.

EMPLOYMENT

  Disability
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for employment what assessment he has made of the net Exchequer flowback of the personal reader service.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The most recent assessment of net Exchequer costs for the personal reader service was published in the consultative document "Evaluation of Special Schemes for People with Disabilities: Summary Paper" in November 1990. The figures are shown in the following table:

  Assessment

  Gross costs (1988–89) (£000s)

  387

  Number helped (1988–89)

  472

  Gross cost per person helped (£s)

  820

  Estimated range of costs to Exchequer (£000s)

  370–510

  Estimated range of net costs per person helped (£s)

  700–1,000

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage level of employment of(a) blind people and (b) all disabled people.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Labour Force Survey (LFS) asks people of working age if they currently have any health problem or disability which limits the kind of paid work they can do. Estimates based on answers to this question will include people with short-term health problems and disabilities as well as those registered as disabled.

  LFS estimates for winter 1992–93, not seasonally adjusted, show that in Great Britain 38·2 per cent. of working age people with such health problems and disabilities were in employment. Of those who reported that their main health problem was with difficulty in seeing, 45·2 per cent. were in employment.
  412
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the extent to which employers take account of the cost of special equipment in deciding whether to employ(a) blind workers or (b) people with other disabilities.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  An assessment of the extent to which employers take account of the cost of special equipment was published in the consultative document "Evaluation of Special Schemes for people with disabilities: Summary Paper", in November 1990. The paper provided details of employer responses to a question which asked whether they would have taken or kept their disabled employees on, without help from the special schemes for people with disabilities. The question was asked in relation to all disabled people, regardless of disability although one third were classified as totally blind. The following table shows employer responses with reference to the special aids to employment scheme:

  Would you have taken/kept him/her on without help from the scheme?'

  Base—175

  Response

  Per cent.

  Definitely

  75

  Possibly

  16

  No

  9

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average cost of equipment given under the special aids to employment schemes(a)£906 for all recipients and (b)£1,373 for blind workers.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The average cost of equipment supplied under the special aids to employment scheme is(a) £906 for all recipients and (b) £1,373 for blind workers.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has for the personal reader service scheme.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The assistance currently provided by the personal reader service will continue to be available under access to work from April 1994, and will be extended to include support beyond reading.

  Employment Agency
  Mr. Roger Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the main results of the work of the employment service as a next steps agency in 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I am pleased to announce that the Employment Service achieved excellent results in 1992–93. It placed over 1·42 million unemployed people into jobs, of whom 24 per cent. had been out of work for six months or more. It also exceeded its targets for paying benefit accurately and promptly to those entitled to it. The Chief Executive of the Employment Service has provided my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State with the annual report and accounts for 1992–93. Copies have been placed in the Library today.
  413

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Football
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what visits have been made by Ministers in his Department since April 1992 to(i) Premier League football grounds and (ii) Football League grounds.

  Mr. Brooke
  Ministers have made official visits to one Premier League and two Football League grounds since April 1992.

  Angling
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heriage what grants from public funds have been made to the sport of angling since April 1991.

  Mr. Brooke
  Most of my Department's funding for sport is made through the Sports Council. In 1991–92 it paid grant of £71,749 to angling bodies, including £20,660 to the National Angling Council which was disbanded at the end of that year. In 1992–93 grant paid by the Sports Council to angling's remaining governing bodies was £46,800.

PRIME MINISTER

  Foreign Heads of State (Visits)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Prime Minster whether the itinerary of a foreign head of state on an official visit to the United Kingdom is set by Her Majesty's Government.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 13 July 1993]: For an official visit to Britain by a foreign head of state the itinerary is agreed between the British Government and the visitor.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Tourism
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department invested in marketing and promoting Northern Ireland as a tourist destination during 1991 and 1992; how much his Department intends to have spent on marketing and promotion by the end of the current financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  Funded by the Government, the Northern Ireland tourist board has spent the following amounts (excluding salary and wages costs) on the marketing and promotion of Northern Ireland as a tourist destination:

  £000's

  1990–91

  2,797

  1991–92

  1,821

  1992–93

  3,515

  1993–94

  3,410

  1 Budget.

  Increased Government funding for tourism has enabled the tourist board to run a major television campaign in parts of Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland in addition to its normal marketing activities.
  414
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many visitors to Northern Ireland in 1992 stated holiday as their main reason for visiting; and what proportion of the total number of visitors that represented during the year.

  Mr. Atkins
  In 1992, 247,200 pure holiday visitors came to Northern Ireland. This represents 20 per cent. of the total visitors.

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of the target numbers set out in the corporate plan 1992–95 by the Northern Ireland tourist board were achieved in 1992 in respect of(a) visits to friends and relatives, (b) holidays and (c) businesses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The number of business visitors to Northern Ireland in 1992 achieved and significantly exceeded the target, with 380,000 visitors as against a target of 336,000. In a difficult year for international tourism and despite achieving a 6 per cent overall increase in visitors, which produced the fourth successive record year for Northern Ireland tourism, the other two targets were not reached.

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of tourists visiting Northern Ireland in 1992 also visited the Republic as a component part of their trip; what proportion of those were from(a) EC countries, (b) the United States of America and (c) elsewhere; and what was the average length of stay in both the north and the Republic.

  Mr. Atkins
  An estimated 21 per cent. of the visitors to Northern Ireland in 1992 also visited the Republic of Ireland. The form of the tourist data collected is such that the information requested about origin and length of stay is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total expenditure by Northern Ireland residents on(a) leisure day trips and (b) domestic vacations during 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The total expenditure by Northern Ireland residents on domestic vacations in 1992 was £44·63 million. Expenditure on leisure day trips is not collected on a regular basis although experimental surveys are being pursued to assess methodology of collection and the value of such data.

  Strategic Planning Unit
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what work is carried out by the strategic planning unit in the Department of Economic Development.

  Mr. Atkins
  The unit, which includes the Department's economists and statisticians, has responsibilities which include the provision of strategic advice on all aspects of economic development policy, policy evaluation, economic research and the collation and interpretation of statistics.
  415

EDUCATION

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education 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. Boswell
  The Government continue to place a high priority on helping businesses, through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and through specific programmes of support and assistance.

  Measures operated by the Department to assist small business include encouragement of small firms to tender for its contracts; each contract also includes a requirement to ensure sub-contractors are paid promptly.

  The Department monitors both the number and value of its contracts let to small firms. In the first four months of 1993–94, 43 per cent. of contracts were placed with such firms (28 per cent. by value); the corresponding figures for the previous 12 months are 39 per cent. and 29 per cent.

  Open University (Tuition Fees)
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students studying with the Open University have had their tuition fees grant-aided by North Yorkshire county council in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Boswell
  This information is not collected centrally. Under the Education Act 1962, it is entirely for local education authorities to determine how much to spend on discretionary awards and which students to support.

  Elton Report
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement outlining the progress made to date by his Department on implementing the recommendations of the Elton report.

  Mr. Forth
  The report of the committee of inquiry into discipline in schools chaired by Lord Elton was published in March 1989 and copies were sent by the Department to all schools and local education authorities in England. The report contained recommendations not only to the Government, but also to local education authorities, governing bodies, head teachers, teacher training institutions and other bodies. For its part, the Department has:supported through education support grants (ESG) 24 LEA projects designed to improve support services for the most difficult pupils (expenditure of £7·3 million over a three year period ending March 1993);
  supported through ESG 31 projects designed to improve school attendance (£7·4 million over a three-year period ending March 1993). Similar projects to a value of some £9·6 million are being supported in 71 LEAs under the grants for education support and training (GEST) scheme 1993–94;
  monitored permanent exclusions at maintained schools over a two-year period, starting with summer term 1990, under the national exclusions reporting system (NERS). The key findings from the two-year exercise were published on 23 April 1993;
  supported research at Sheffield university designed to
  416
  identify good practice in relation to discipline in inner-city schools and further work on the evaluation of intervention strategies used to combat bullying;
  required that all initial teacher training courses should include separate, compulsory elements of practical training in how to manage pupil behaviour, and that these skills should be a key factor in assessing a student's performance and competence to teach.

  Youth Services
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to impose a statutory obligation on local authorities to develop youth services.

  Mr. Boswell
  Local education authorities already have a duty under section 41 of the Education Act 1944 as substituted by section 11 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992 to secure provision for further education. Further education is defined as including vocational training, social physical and recreational training and organised leisure time occupation. Section 53 of the 1944 Act also provides that the facilities provided by an LEA for primary, secondary and further education must include adequate faclities for recreation, social and physical training.

  These provisions cover the youth service and it is for individual authorities to decide how they fulfil their duty.

  Pupil Exclusions
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish figures showing the number of pupil exclusions in(a) the primary sector and (b) the secondary sector within each local education authority in England in each year since 1987; and what has been the percentage of excluded pupils within the general school population in each local authority area in each year.

  Mr. Forth
  Information on fixed term and indefinite exclusions has not been collected centrally. Information on permanent exclusions from maintained schools in England was collected by the Department over a two year period, starting with summer term 1990, under the national exclusions reporting system (NERS). The results of the survey were published on 23 April 1993 and showed that a total of 6,743 permanent exclusions had been reported with 2,910 in year one and 3,833 in year two. Exclusions in the primary phase accounted for 13 per cent. of the total in year one and 14 per cent. in year two. The information was gathered for purposes of national aggregation and it is not possible to provide a breakdown of the figures by area because of assurances given as to confidentiality.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many ballots in England on grant-maintained status have resulted in participation rates(a) above 79 per cent., (b) between 70 and 79 per cent., (c) between 60 and 69 per cent., (d) between 50 and 59 per cent. and (e) below 50 per cent.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is as follows, correct as of 21 July.

  Participation rates

  Number of ballots

  80 per cent. or over

  126

  70 per cent. to less than 80 per cent.

  294

  60 per cent. to less than 70 per cent.

  456

  417

  Participation rates

  Number of ballots

  50 per cent, to less than 60 per cent.

  332

  Less than 50 per cent.

  33

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 6 November 1992,Official Report, column 478, how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each local education authority in England are or have been eligible to apply for grant-maintained status; how many in each case have held ballots under section 61 of the Education Act 1988; how many ballots in each case resulted in votes to seek grant-maintained status, and how many of these have been

  Table of the SG(GM) Voting Patterns by Local Education Authority Primary Schools (As at 21 July 1993)

  LEA

  Total Number of schools in LEA1 (LEA or SG(GM))

  Number of ballots held

  Number of ballots that resulted in "yes" votes

  votes

  201 Corporation of London

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  202 Camden

  41

  —

  —

  —

  —

  203 Greenwich

  77

  1

  1

  —

  —

  204 Hackney

  70

  1

  1

  1

  —

  205 Hammersmith

  39

  1

  1

  1

  —

  206 Islington

  57

  —

  —

  —

  —

  207 Kensington

  27

  2

  2

  —

  —

  208 Lambeth

  78

  3

  3

  —

  —

  209 Lewisham

  74

  1

  1

  —

  —

  210 Southwark

  77

  3

  3

  —

  —

  211 Tower Hamlets

  73

  —

  —

  —

  —

  212 Wandsworth

  70

  5

  3

  1

  2

  213 Westminster

  42

  —

  —

  —

  —

  301 Barking

  54

  —

  —

  —

  —

  302 Barnet

  89

  5

  2

  —

  3

  303 Bexley

  67

  3

  2

  —

  1

  304 Brent

  65

  2

  2

  1

  —

  305 Bromley

  78

  4

  3

  —

  1

  306 Croydon

  99

  1

  1

  —

  —

  307 Ealing

  92

  4

  4

  2

  —

  308 Enfield

  69

  3

  1

  —

  2

  309 Haringey

  77

  —

  —

  —

  —

  310 Harrow

  53

  —

  —

  —

  —

  311 Havering

  74

  —

  —

  —

  —

  312 Hillingdon

  73

  11

  11

  —

  —

  313 Hounslow

  63

  —

  —

  —

  —

  314 Kingston on Thames

  36

  1

  1

  —

  —

  315 Merton

  49

  1

  —

  —

  1

  316 Newham

  67

  —

  —

  —

  —

  317 Redbridge

  56

  —

  —

  —

  —

  318 Richmond on Thames

  40

  —

  —

  —

  —

  319 Sutton

  42

  3

  3

  —

  —

  320 Waltham Forest

  61

  —

  —

  —

  —

  330 Birmingham

  337

  10

  5

  —

  5

  331 Coventry

  110

  1

  —

  —

  1

  332 Dudley

  83

  1

  1

  —

  —

  333 Sandwell

  112

  —

  —

  —

  —

  334 Solihull

  70

  1

  1

  —

  —

  335 Walsall

  106

  3

  2

  —

  1

  336 Wolverhampton

  103

  1

  —

  —

  1

  340 Knowsley

  64

  —

  —

  —

  —

  341 Liverpool

  186

  —

  —

  —

  —

  342 St. Helens

  73

  1

  1

  1

  —

  343 Sefon

  94

  —

  —

  —

  —

  344 Wirral

  106

  —

  —

  —

  —

  350 Bolton

  107

  1

  1

  —

  —

  351 Bury

  72

  2

  1

  —

  1

  352 Manchester

  174

  —

  —

  —

  —

  353 Oldham

  101

  —

  —

  —

  —

  354 Rochdale

  76

  5

  4

  —

  1

  355 Salford

  89

  —

  —

  —

  —

  418
  subject to section 12 or 13 notices; and how many ballots in each case resulted in votes against seeking grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is listed in the table. Column 2 gives the total number of maintained schools in each LEA in January 1992 (other than special schools and nurseries). Column 5 gives the number of schools which were subject to section 12 or 13 proposals when they published proposals for self-governing (GM) status. Information on schools subject to section 12 or 13 proposals which have voted against self-governing (GM) status, or which have voted in favour of self-governing (GM) status but not yet published proposals is not held centrally.
  419

  LEA

  Total Number of schools in LEA1 (LEA or SG(GM))

  Number of ballots held

  Number of ballots that resulted in "yes" votes

  votes

  356 Stockport

  110

  —

  —

  —

  —

  357 Tameside

  83

  —

  —

  —

  —

  358 Trafford

  78

  —

  —

  —

  —

  359 Wigan

  124

  —

  —

  —

  —

  370 Barnsley

  98

  1

  1

  1

  —

  371 Doncaster

  127

  4

  3

  2

  1

  372 Rotherham

  116

  —

  —

  —

  —

  373 Sheffield

  181

  14

  12

  5

  2

  380 Bradford

  165

  2

  1

  —

  1

  381 Calderdale

  94

  3

  3

  —

  —

  382 Kirklees

  161

  2

  —

  —

  2

  383 Leeds

  224

  3

  1

  —

  2

  384 Wakefield

  131

  1

  1

  1

  —

  390 Gateshead

  85

  —

  —

  —

  —

  391 Newcastle

  85

  1

  —

  —

  1

  392 North Tyne

  62

  2

  1

  —

  1

  393 South Tyne

  61

  —

  —

  —

  —

  394 Sunderland

  106

  —

  —

  —

  —

  420 Isles of Scilly

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  901 Avon

  369

  4

  —

  —

  4

  902 Bedfordshire

  218

  3

  3

  —

  —

  903 Berkshire

  275

  9

  7

  —

  2

  904 Buckinghamshire

  287

  8

  6

  —

  2

  905 Cambridge

  264

  9

  7

  —

  2

  906 Cheshire

  460

  7

  5

  3

  2

  907 Cleveland

  202

  —

  —

  —

  —

  908 Cornwall

  250

  1

  1

  —

  —

  909 Cumbria

  312

  19

  17

  —

  2

  910 Derbyshire

  450

  13

  7

  —

  6

  911 Devon

  444

  5

  2

  1

  3

  912 Dorset

  199

  2

  1

  —

  1

  913 Durham

  297

  —

  —

  —

  —

  914 East Sussex

  218

  —

  —

  —

  —

  915 Essex

  579

  69

  65

  —

  4

  916 Gloucestershire

  264

  10

  9

  —

  1

  917 Hampshire

  581

  20

  18

  7

  2

  918 Hereford and Worcester

  288

  2

  —

  —

  2

  919 Hertfordshire

  440

  11

  8

  —

  3

  920 Humberside

  354

  5

  3

  —

  2

  921 Isle of Wight

  46

  —

  —

  —

  —

  922 Kent

  575

  22

  20

  2

  2

  923 Lancashire

  601

  3

  2

  —

  1

  924 Leicester

  331

  —

  —

  —

  —

  925 Lincolnshire

  293

  27

  24

  —

  3

  926 Norfolk

  398

  18

  14

  —

  4

  927 North Yorkshire

  395

  2

  —

  —

  2

  928 Northamptonshire

  270

  13

  10

  —

  3

  929 Northumberland

  143

  —

  —

  —

  —

  930 Nottinghamshire

  423

  1

  —

  —

  —

  931 Oxfordshire

  240

  1

  1

  —

  —

  932 Shropshire

  216

  3

  3

  2

  —

  933 Somerset

  233

  4

  2

  —

  2

  934 Staffordshire

  412

  2

  2

  —

  —

  935 Suffolk

  255

  —

  —

  —

  —

  936 Surrey

  373

  19

  17

  8

  2

  937 Warwickshire

  244

  —

  —

  —

  —

  938 West Sussex

  244

  —

  —

  —

  —

  939 Wiltshire

  295

  12

  10

  —

  2

  Totals

  18,926

  438

  348

  39

  90

  1 January 1992 totals.

  420 421

  Table of the SG(GM) Voting Patterns by Local Education Authority Secondary Schools (As at 21 July 1993)

  LEA

  Total Number of schools in LEAl (LEA or SG(GM))

  Number of ballots held

  Number of ballots that resulted in "yes" votes

  votes

  201 Corporation of London

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  202 Camden

  11

  3

  2

  —

  1

  203 Greenwich

  15

  1

  —

  —

  1

  204 Hackney

  10

  1

  —

  —

  1

  205 Hammersmith

  9

  1

  1

  —

  —

  206 Islington

  9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  207 Kensington

  4

  1

  1

  1

  —

  208 Lambeth

  10

  5

  5

  —

  —

  209 Lewisham

  14

  2

  —

  —

  2

  210 Southwark

  15

  5

  5

  1

  —

  211 Tower Hamlets

  14

  2

  1

  —

  1

  212 Wandsworth

  10

  8

  7

  1

  1

  213 Westminster

  8

  —

  —o

  —

  —

  301 Barking

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  302 Barnet

  20

  11

  10

  1

  1

  303 Bexley

  17

  5

  4

  —

  1

  304 Brent

  14

  11

  9

  2

  2

  305 Bromley

  17

  13

  12

  1

  1

  306 Croydon

  20

  8

  6

  —

  2

  307 Ealing

  13

  8

  6

  6

  2

  308 Enfield

  17

  6

  5

  —

  1

  309 Haringey

  9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  310 Harrow

  10

  2

  1

  —

  1

  311 Havering

  18

  5

  4

  —"

  1

  312 Hillingdon

  17

  15

  14

  2

  1

  313 Hounslow

  14

  2

  2

  —

  1

  314 Kingston on Thames

  10

  4

  4

  —

  —

  315 Merton

  11

  1

  —

  —

  1

  316 Newham

  14

  1

  1

  1

  —

  317 Redbridge

  14

  2

  1

  —

  1

  318 Richmond on Thames

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  319 Sutton

  14

  8

  8

  —

  —

  320 Waltham Forest

  16

  2

  2

  —

  —

  330 Birmingham

  79

  24

  17

  —

  7

  331 Coventry

  19

  —

  —

  —

  —

  332 Dudley

  22

  9

  7

  1

  2

  333 Sandwell

  23

  3

  1

  —

  2

  334 Solihull

  14

  2

  1

  —

  1

  335 Walsall

  22

  11

  7

  —

  4

  336 Wolverhampton

  20

  6

  5

  2

  1

  340 Knowsley

  11

  3

  1

  —

  2

  341 Liverpool

  36

  4

  3

  —

  1

  342 St. Helens

  12

  1

  —

  —

  1

  343 Sefton

  22

  1

  —

  —

  1

  344 Wirral

  22

  4

  2

  —

  2

  350 Bolton

  16

  3

  3

  1

  —

  351 Bury

  14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  352 Manchester

  28

  1

  —

  —

  —

  353 Oldham

  15

  1

  —

  —

  —

  354 Rochdale

  14

  3

  1

  —

  2

  355 Salford

  18

  4

  1

  —

  3

  356 Stockport

  14

  2

  —

  —

  2

  357 Tameside

  18

  5

  3

  1

  2

  358 Trafford

  16

  6

  4

  —

  2

  359 Wigan

  22

  1

  1

  1

  —

  370 Barnsley

  15

  2

  —

  —

  2

  371 Doncaster

  34

  1

  —

  —

  1

  372 Rotherham

  17

  —

  —

  —

  —

  373 Sheffield

  32

  7

  5

  2

  2

  380 Bradford

  87

  8

  6

  —

  2

  381 Calderdale

  17

  7

  6

  2

  1

  382 Kirklees

  36

  5

  3

  1

  2

  383 Leeds

  97

  1

  1

  —

  —

  384 Wakefield

  38

  —

  —

  —

  —

  390 Gateshead

  13

  1

  —

  —

  1

  391 Newcastle

  22

  1

  —

  —

  1

  392 North Tyne

  27

  3

  2

  1

  1

  393 South Tyne

  11

  —

  —

  —

  —

  394 Sunderland

  17

  —

  —

  —

  —

  420 Isles of Scilly

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  422 423

  LEA

  Total Number of Numbe schools in LEA1 (LEA or SG(GM))

  Number of ballots held

  Number of ballots that resulted in "yes" votes

  votes

  901 Avon

  60

  4

  2

  1

  2

  902 Bedfordshire

  71

  16

  10

  1

  6

  903 Berkshire

  59

  12

  10

  1

  2

  904 Buckinghamshire

  45

  11

  10

  —

  1

  905 Cambridge

  44

  25

  17

  1

  8

  906 Cheshire

  69

  11

  4

  2

  7

  907 Cleveland

  44

  3

  —

  —

  3

  908 Cornwall

  31

  —

  —

  —

  —

  909 Cumbria

  43

  13

  13

  4

  —

  910 Derbyshire

  61

  22

  14

  1

  8

  911 Devon

  69

  9

  6

  —

  3

  912 Dorset

  59

  14

  13

  4

  1

  913 Durham

  44

  1

  —

  —

  1

  914 East Sussex

  34

  1

  —

  —

  1

  915 Essex

  105

  72

  69

  1

  3

  916 Gloucestershire

  42

  33

  27

  2

  6

  917 Hampshire

  94

  20

  17

  2

  3

  918 Hereford and Worcester

  76

  7

  5

  —

  2

  919 Hertfordshire

  88

  27

  22

  2

  5

  920 Humberside

  60

  3

  —

  —

  3

  921 Isle of Wight

  21

  —

  —

  —

  —

  922 Kent

  138

  70

  66

  10

  4

  923 Lancashire

  107

  16

  9

  1

  7

  924 Leicester

  79

  9

  5

  1

  4

  925 Lincolnshire

  63

  27

  27

  2

  —

  926 Norfolk

  52

  16

  12

  —

  4

  927 North Yorkshire

  59

  2

  —

  —

  2

  928 Northamptonshire

  65

  20

  14

  3

  6

  929 Northumberland

  61

  3

  1

  —

  2

  930 Nottinghamshire

  85

  8

  3

  1

  5

  931 Oxfordshire

  43

  2

  —

  —

  2

  932 Shropshire

  36

  6

  6

  1

  —

  933 Somerset

  39

  1

  1

  —

  —

  934 Staffordshire

  85

  10

  5

  —

  5

  935 Suffolk

  77

  1

  —

  —

  1

  936 Surrey

  51

  13

  13

  2

  —

  937 Warwickshire

  36

  9

  8

  1

  1

  938 West Sussex

  41

  3

  —

  —

  3

  939 Wiltshire

  44

  20

  15

  —

  5

  Totals

  3,731

  803

  615

  73

  188

  1 January 1992 totals excluding 6th Form Colleges.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education in how many ballots in England under section 61 of the Education Reforms Act 1988, where a simple majority of parents voted in favour of seeking grant-maintained status, the proportion of such parents was(a) above 69 per cent., (b) between 60 and 69 per cent., (c) between 50 and 59 per cent., (d) between 40 and 49 per cent., (e) between 30 and 39 per cent. and (f) below 30 per cent. of the number of parents eligible to vote.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is as follows, correct as of 21 July.

  Percentage of eligible parents voting "yes"

  Number of ballots

  70 per cent, or over

  104

  60 per cent.—less than 70 per cent.

  138

  50 per cent.—less than 60 per cent.

  242

  40 per cent.—less than 50 per cent.

  287

  30 per cent.—less than 40 per cent.

  167

  less than 30 per cent.

  25

  424
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list those grant-maintained schools which have been required to repay any or all of any grant under section 79 of the Education Reform Act 1988.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list, by local education authority, those grant-maintained schools for which the final budgets for the financial year 1993–94 were below the value of the proposed final annual maintenance grant, in each case stating(a) the proposed final AMG and (b) the final AMG.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is given in the table.

  GM AMG—1993–94

  School

  Proposed final AMG

  Final AMG

  £

  £

  Barnet

  Queen Elizabeth's GM School For Boys

  2,685,434

  2,675,943

  425

  School

  Proposed final AMG

  Final AMG

  £

  £

  Bedfordshire

  Thomas Whitehead CE School

  326,490

  318,337

  Manshead CE Upper School

  1,819,281

  1,804,759

  Berkshire

  Southlands School

  1,388,715

  1,336,886

  Desborough Comprehensive School

  2,374,578

  2,326,426

  Whitelocke Infant and Nursery School

  268,260

  267,466

  Bexley

  St. Columba's RC Boys School

  1,728,391

  1,598,267

  St. Mary and St. Joseph's School

  1,604,686

  1,522,403

  Bolton

  George Tomlinson School

  1,502,743

  1,340,663

  Bradford

  Bingley Grammar School

  2,107,250

  2,078,799

  Oakbank School

  2,463,211

  2,391,363

  Cambridgeshire

  Bassingbourn Village College

  902,676

  858,366

  Gamlingay Village College

  415,101

  412,435

  The Queen's School, Wisbech

  3,067,674

  3,024,982

  Sawtry Village College

  1,354,921

  1,291,906

  Wheatfields Junior School

  505,856

  498,875

  The King's School, Peterborough

  1,834,790

  1,782,920

  Jack Hunt School

  3,071,177

  3,011,650

  Longsands Community College

  2,834,472

  2,813,248

  Sawston Village College

  2,339,941

  2,315,722

  Derbyshire

  The Merrill Community School

  2,296,888

  2,142,353

  John Port School

  3,466,400

  3,455,267

  Murray Park Community School

  2,020,900

  1,961,579

  Noel Baker School

  2,772,186

  2,691,008

  Repton Primary School

  286,568

  272,386

  Dudley

  Old Swinford Hospital School

  1,353,932

  1,333,690

  Essex

  Beauchamps School, Wickford

  1,632,598

  1,500,912

  King Edward VI Girls School, Chelmsford

  1,668,285

  1,645,444

  King Harold School

  1,654,751

  1,611,949

  North Crescent Primary School

  331,361

  309,353

  Rickstones School

  1,354,346

  1,304,412

  Torells Comprehensive School

  1,348,562

  1,323,256

  The Appleton School

  2,403,831

  2,351,509

  The Hedley Walter School

  2,039,499

  1,914,949

  Westcliff High School For Girls

  1,979,784

  1,963,536

  Belfairs Community College

  2,668,155

  2,601,882

  Northwick Park County Infant School

  331,619

  329,561

  The Eastwood School

  1,772,834

  1,748,207

  Hampshire

  Abbotswood Middle School

  844,731

  826,691

  Bay House Grant-maintained School

  3,276,655

  3,203,364

  Blackfield Middle School

  586,385

  578,966

  Hertfordshire

  Parmiters School

  2,333,813

  2,322,198

  Christ Church CE JMI School, Chorley

  319,139

  311,975

  Hertingfordbury School

  244,250

  240,010

  Bushey Hall School

  2,571,885

  2,397,349

  Hillingdon

  Hayes Manor School

  1,747,694

  1,727,799

  Mellow Lane School

  2,372,797

  2,318,510

  Northwood School

  2,278,887

  2,201,048

  426

  School

  Proposed final AMG

  Final AMG

  £

  £

  Swakeleys School

  1,856,814

  1,833,869

  Vyners School

  2,161,804

  2,004,307

  Hounslow

  Gumley House Convent School

  2,251,140

  2,220,884

  Kent

  Thamesview School

  2,280,985

  2,254,247

  Oakwood Park Grammar School

  1,077,926

  1,005,749

  Sir Roger Manwood's School

  1,505,123

  1,451,715

  Mascalls School

  2,868,192

  2,848,129

  Meopham School

  986,030

  935,095

  The Wildernesse School

  1,456,554

  1,389,844

  Oldborough Manor High School

  1,537,167

  1,535,140

  Kingston

  Richard Challoner School

  1,569,710

  1,534,475

  Tiffin School

  2,369,820

  2,258,964

  Lincolnshire

  Skegness Grammar School

  1,505,727

  1,482,438

  The Kings School, Grantham

  1,916,942

  1,891,740

  Carre's Grammar School

  1,091,103

  1,078,102

  Yarborough High School

  2,415,986

  2,364,073

  North Kesteven School

  2,648,988

  2,586,321

  Robert Pattinson School

  2,444,092

  2,415,355

  Ancaster High School

  1,267,502

  1,262,259

  William Farr CE School

  1,735,540

  1,679,426

  Gleed Girls School

  1,208,925

  1,130,082

  Monks' Dyke School

  1,504,824

  1,504,382

  Lacey Gardens Junior School

  592,816

  587,612

  Norfolk

  Acle High School

  1,175,358

  1,144,641

  Cromer High School

  1,285,699

  1,244,563

  Great Yarmouth High School

  1,616,159

  1,585,705

  St. Clements High School

  1,196,556

  1,170,746

  West Flegg Middle School

  678,538

  660,604

  Wymondham College

  2,341,738

  2,303,400

  Gresham County Primary School

  175,466

  161,864

  Heacham Middle School

  390,702

  363,868

  Redgate Middle School, Hunstanton

  309,338

  289,155

  Northamptonshire

  Lodge Park School

  1,876,194

  1,810,351

  Windmill Primary School

  617,400

  578,154

  Sandwell

  Manor High School

  1,848,555

  1,789,513

  Sheffield

  Clifford First School

  144,612

  120,602

  Southwark

  London Nautical School

  1,495,297

  1,491,358

  Surrey

  Gordon's School

  787,666

  756,557

  Hawkedale First School

  182,746

  161,194

  Manor First School

  259,389

  240,411

  Send CE First School

  243,980

  232,999

  Walsall

  Shire Oak Community School

  1,459,790

  1,400,817

  The Steetly School

  2,385,678

  2,321,781

  Warwickshire

  Avon Valley School

  730,195

  727,515

  Ash Green School (Exhall)

  1,111,820

  1,103,673

  Hartshill School

  1,350,262

  1,346,854

  Queen Elizabeth School Atherstone

  1,554,124

  1,552,689

  Myton School

  2,235,952

  2,226,965

  Rugby High School For Girls

  1,230,469

  1,226,666

  427

  School

  Proposed final AMG

  Final AMG

  £

  £

  Wiltshire

  Highbury School

  1,158,555

  1,093,707

  Lavington School

  11,077,939

  1,056,388

  1 Updated from previous answer to exclude adjustments in respect of 1992–93.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list, by local education authority, those schools which will be operating with grant-maintained status from September.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The schools which have been approved for self-governing status as of 21 July, or which my right hon. Friend is minded to approve, and which will be operating as self-governing (GM) state schools in September are listed. Further applications with proposed start dates in September are still under consideration.

  Avon

  Oldfield School

  Beechen Cliff School

  Barnet

  Queen Elizabeth's GM School for Boys

  Mill Hill Grant-Maintained High School

  St. Mary's CE High School

  Hendon School

  Bedfordshire

  Lea Manor High School and Community College

  Crawley Green Grant Maintained Infant School

  Holywell School

  Thomas Whitehead CE School

  Ashcroft High School

  Queensbury School

  Ashton St. Peters (VA) Lower School

  Sharnbrook Upper School

  Icknield High School

  Manshead School

  Stopsley High School and Community College

  Wootton Upper School

  Lincroft Middle School (Grant Maintained)

  Berkshire

  Herschel Grammar School

  Slough Grammar School (Formerly Upton Grammar)

  The Downs School

  Denefield School

  Priory School

  Cippenham Middle School (Grant Maintained)

  Reading School

  Whitelocke Infant and Nursery School

  Langley Grammr School

  Desborough Comprehensive School

  Holy Family RC School

  Castlevitw Combined School

  St. Bartholomew's School

  Westgate School

  Southlands School

  Bexley

  St. Columba's RC Boys School

  St. Catherine's RC School for Girls

  Bexley Erith Technical High School for Boys

  St. Mary & St. Joseph's Grant Maintained School

  Barnehurst Infant Grant-Maintained School

  Barnehurst Junior Grant-Maintained School

  Birmingham

  Handsworth Grammar School for Boys

  King Edward VI Handsworth School

  Ninestiles School

  428

  King Edward VI Aston School

  Hall Green School

  Baverstock Grant-Maintained School

  King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls

  Small Heath School

  Great Barr Grant-Maintained School

  The Fairfax School

  Deanery Junior School

  Deanery Infant School

  King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys

  King Edward VI Five Ways School

  Bolton

  George Tomlinson School

  St. James' CE School

  Canon Slade School

  Crompton Fold Primary School

  Bradford

  Oakbank School

  Bingley Grammar School

  Laisterdyke Grant-Maintained Middle School

  Thornton School

  Hanson Grant-Maintained School

  Killinghall School

  Brent

  Claremont High School (Grant-Maintained)

  Kingsbury High School

  Convent of Jesus and Mary GM High School

  Queens Park Community School (GM)

  Copland Community School and Technology Centre

  Bromley

  Beaverwood School for Girls

  Crofton Junior School

  Holy Innocents Roman Catholic Primary School

  Newstead Wood School for Girls (GM)

  Bullers Wood School for Girls

  Hayes School

  Charles Darwin School

  St. John Rigby School

  Ravens Wood School for Boys

  Langley Park School for Boys

  Coopers School

  Kelsey Park School

  St. Olave's and St. Saviour's Grammar School

  Buckinghamshire

  Castlefield Combined School

  Hamilton Combined School

  Bridgewater Hall School, Stantonbury Campus

  Beaconsfield High School

  Overstone Grant Maintained Combined School

  Brindley Hall School

  Wycome Royal Grammar School

  Lord Grey School

  Wing School

  Beechview Middle School (Grant-Maintained)

  The Chalfonts Community College (GM)

  The Radcliffe School

  Brookmead School

  Brushwood Middle School

  Calderdale

  Rastrick High School

  Salterlee Primary School

  The North Halifax Grammar School

  Holy Trinity CE Senior School (GM)

  The Crossley Heath School

  Cambridgeshire

  Jack Hunt School, Peterborough

  Deacon's School

  The King's School (Peterborough Cathedral Sc)

  Sawston Village College

  Sawtry Village College GM School

  St. John Fisher RC Comprehensive School

  St. Peter's School

  Longsands Community College

  429

  The Village College, Comberton

  Gamlingay (Grant-Maintained) Village College

  Bassingbourn GM Village College

  Stanground College (Grant-Maintained)

  Orton Wistow Primary School

  Wheatfields Junior School

  The Queen's School

  St. Helen's Primary School

  Crosshall Junior School

  Ailwyn Community School

  The Park Lane Primary School

  Crosshall Infant School

  Cheshire

  Henbury County High School

  Fallibroome High School

  Bankfield High School (GM)

  Mottram St. Andrew Primary School

  Kettleshulme St. James CE G.M. Primary School

  Croydon

  St. Joseph's Colleage

  Thomas More Grant Maintained School

  Riddlesdown Grant-Maintained School

  Edenham School

  Cumbria

  Hayton CE Grant-Maintained School

  Appleby Grammar School

  Warwick Bridge (GM) Primary School

  Dallam School

  Scotby CE Grant Maintained Primary School

  Harraby School

  Kirkby Stephen Grammar School

  Parkview School

  Queen Elizabeth Grammar School

  Kirkbie Kendal School

  Cartmel Priory CE School

  The Queen Katherine School

  Brampton Junior School

  St. Aidan's County High School

  Trinity School, Carlisle

  Derbyshire

  Murray Park Community School

  The Pingle School

  Chellaston School

  Belper Grant-Maintained School

  Heanor Gate School

  Linton Primary School

  Noel-Baker Community School (GM)

  Repton Primary School

  Netherthorpe School

  West Park Community School

  Lady Manners School

  The Merrill Community School

  Friesland School

  Belmont Primary School

  John Port School

  The Ecclesbourne School

  Chellaston Junior School

  Borrow Wood Junior School

  Devon

  St. Boniface's College

  Teign School

  Knowles Hill School

  Colyton Grammar School

  Torquay Boys' Grammar School (GM)

  Dorset

  St. Peter's RC School

  The Woodroffe School

  Highcliffe Comprehensive School

  Parkstone Grammar School

  Budmouth School

  St. Walburga's RC Primary School

  Poole Technical High School (ex Henry Harbin)

  Bournemouth School

  Bournemouth School for Girls

  430

  Avonbourne School

  Dudley

  Alder Coppice Primary School

  Old Swinford Hospital

  The Ellowes Hall School

  The High Areal School

  The Kingswinford Grant-Maintained School

  Ealing

  Wood End Middle School

  Wood End First School

  Greenford High School

  Drayton Manor High School

  Brentside High School

  Northolt High School

  The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls

  Enfield

  The Latymer School

  Albany School

  Broomfield School

  Essex

  The Rickstones School

  Beauchamps Grant-Maintained School

  Colbayns High Grant Maintained School

  Katherines Primary School

  The King John School

  Bromfords School, Wickford

  King Harold Grant-Maintained School

  The Greensward School

  Rodings Central Primary School

  St. Martin's Grant-Maintained School

  Tendring High School

  Torells Grant-Maintained School

  St. Katherine's CE VA Primary School

  Holland Haven Grant-Maintained Primary School

  Rolph CE VA Primary School

  Chelmsford County High School for Girls

  Chelmer Valley High School (Grant Maintained)

  St. Clare's RC Primary School

  St. Helena School

  Southend High School for Boys

  Southend Girls High School

  St. Clere's School

  South Benfleet Primary School

  Thurstable School

  Hassenbrook School

  Sir Charles Lucas School

  Chalvedon School

  Newlands Spring Grant Maintained School

  Takeley Grant-Maintained Primary School

  Cecil Jones High School

  The Gilberd School

  Newport Free Grammar School

  Saffron Walden County High School

  Westcliff High School for Girls

  Holland Park County Primary School

  Castle View School

  The Grays School (Grant Maintained)

  Great Totham Primary School

  St. Osyth EC Aided Primary School

  Colchester Royal Grammar School

  Rainsford School

  Gable Hall Grant-Maintained Comprehensive School

  Anglo European School (Ingatestone)

  Furtherwick Park School

  Millfield County Primary School

  The Plume School

  St. Thomas More High School for Boys

  Elmstead County Primary School

  Davenant Foundation School

  Belfairs Community College

  Eastwood County High School & 6th Form Centre

  Northwick Park Grant Maintained Junior School

  Northwick Park Grant Maintained Infant School

  Northlands Grant-Maintained Junior School

  North Crescent Primary School

  King Edward VI Grammar School (G.M.)

  431

  The Bramston School

  The Appleton School

  William Edwards School

  William De Ferrers School

  Westcliff High School for Boys

  Westborough County Primary School

  West Hatch High School

  St. Thomas More RC Primary School

  Thorpedene Infant School

  The Boswells School

  Clacton County High School

  The Thorpe Bay School

  The Philip Morant School

  All Saints Church of England Primary School

  The King Edmund School

  Woodville County Primary School

  St. Andrew's Grant Maintained CE Primary School

  Jotmans Hall Primary School

  The Fitzwimarc School, Rayleigh

  The Elmwood Primary School

  The Deanes School

  The Cornelius Vermuyden School

  The Hedley Walter High School (GM)

  Coppins Green Grant Maintained School

  St. Mary' CE Primary School

  Gloucestershire

  Katharine Lady Berkeley's School

  Stroud High School

  Balcarras School

  Churchdown Gran-Maintained School

  Chosen Hill School, Gloucester

  Chipping Campden School

  Cheltenham Bournside School and 6th form Centre

  Tewkesbury Grant-Maintained School

  Saintbridge GM Technology School

  St. Benedict's RC School

  Robinswood Primary School

  The Cotswold School

  Ribston Hall High School

  Picklenash Junior School

  Pate's Grant Maintained Grammar School Andoversford Primary School

  Wyedean School, Grant Maintained Status

  Winchcombe Community School

  Newent Community School

  Marling School

  The Rednock School

  The Crypt School

  Blue Coat CE Grant-Maintained Primary School

  The Catholic School of St. Gregory the Great

  Hammersmith

  London Oratory School

  Hampshire

  The Arnewood School

  Bohunt Community School

  Testwood School

  Testbourne Community School

  All Hallows RC School

  Hordle CE (C) Grant-Maintained Primary School

  St. Joseph's RC Primary School Hardley School (Grant-Maintained)

  Applemore Technology School

  Ringwood School (GM Comprehensive)

  Blackfield Middle School (Grant Maintained)

  Calmore Grant-Maintained Middle School

  Front Lawn Middle School

  Bay House Grant-Maintained School

  Oaklands RC Comprehensive School

  Burgate School

  Abbotswood Grant Maintained Middle School

  The Priory School

  Crofton School, Fareham

  The City of Portsmouth Boys' School

  Havering

  Abbs Cross School

  The Frances Bardsley School for Girls

  432

  The Coopers' Company and Coborn (GM School)

  The Sacred Heart of Mary Girls' School

  Hereford and Worcester

  Blessed Edward Oldcorne RC High School

  St. Bede's Catholic Grant Maintained School

  St. Augustine's Catholic GM School

  Prince Henry's Grant-Maintained High School

  Bromsgrove CE Middle School

  Hertfordshire

  The Bishop's Stortford High School

  Ashlyns Grant-Maintained School

  Christ Church CE School

  St. Mary's Catholic Primary School

  Hertingfordbury Cowper JMI School

  Watford Grammar School for Girls

  Rickmansworth School

  Goffs School

  Queens' School

  Francis Bacon School

  Parmiters School

  Parkside First School

  Bushey Meads Grant-Maintained School

  Bushey Hall School

  Nicholas Breakspear Roman Catholic GM School

  Mount Grace (GM) School

  Watford Grammar School for Boys

  Dame Alice Owen's School

  Marlborough School

  The Leventhorpe School

  The John Henry Newman School

  Hillingdon

  Swakeleys School

  Mellow Lane School

  Bishopshalt School

  Abbotsfield School

  Haydon School

  Grange Park Junior School

  Grange Park Infant School Queensmead School

  Oak Farm Junior Mixed School (G.M.)

  Oak Farm Infant School (Grant-Maintained) Northwood School

  Uxbridge High School

  The Hayes Manor School

  The Douay Martyrs School

  Vyners School

  Hillside Infant School

  Hounslow

  Gunnersbury Catholic School for Boys

  Gumley House Convent School

  Humberside

  Wold Newton Grant-Maintained Primary School

  Kensington

  Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School

  Kent

  The Canterbury High School

  The Bradbourne School

  Borough Green Primary School

  The Archbishop's CE Grant Maintained School

  Thamesview School

  Allington County Primary School

  Sutton-at-Hone CE GM Primary School

  Homewood School

  St. Simon Stock School

  Holy Trinity CE Primary School

  Holy Family RC Grant Maintained Primary School

  The Skinners' School, Tunbridge Wells

  The Malting School

  St. John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School

  Hillview School for Girls

  Cheyne Middle School

  St. George's Church of England School

  St. George's CE High School

  433

  St. Francis' RC Primary School

  St. Edmund's RC Comprehensive School

  St. Botolph's CE Primary School

  Herne Bay Junior School (Grant Maintained)

  Herne Bay High School

  St. Anselm's RC School

  Southlands Comprehensive School

  Chatham Grammar School for Girls

  Southfields School

  Snodland CE Primary School

  Sir Roger Manwood's School

  Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys

  Senacre Technology School

  Sandown Court Community College

  Roseacre Junior School

  Rochester Grammar School for Girls

  Rainham Mark Grammar School

  Queen Elizabeth's School

  Fulston Manor School

  Angley School

  Oldborough Manor Community College

  Oakwood Park Grammar School

  Barton Court Grammar School

  Wrotham School

  Ditton CE Primary School

  Dartford Grammar School

  Wilmington Grammar School for Boys

  Westlands High School

  St. Gregory's Catholic Comprehensive School

  Minster College

  Dartford Grammar School for Girls

  Meopham Grant-maintained School

  Tonbridge Grammar School for Girls

  Mascalls School

  The Wildernesse School

  The Thomas Aveling School

  The Robert Napier Grant-Maintained School

  The Maplesden Noakes School

  Aylesford School

  The Hugh Christie School

  Cranbrook School

  The Grammar School for Girls Wilmington

  The Frank Montgomery School

  The Folkestone School for Girls

  The Cornwallis School

  The Charles Dickens School

  Chaucer Technology School

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  Holy Cross Convent School

  Beverley School

  Richard Challoner School

  Tiffin School

  Kirklees

  Heckmondwike Grammar School

  Castle Hall Grant-Maintained School

  Knowsley

  The St. Thomas Becket School

  Lambeth

  Bishop Thomas Grant School

  St. Bernadette RC Junior Mixed School

  Archbishop Tenison's School

  Dunraven Grant-maintained School

  La Retraite R.C. Girls, (G.M.) School

  St. Martin-in-the-Fields High School

  Lancashire

  Clitheroe Royal Grammar School

  Archbishop Temple School (Ex William Temple)

  Newton Bluecoat C of E GM Primary School

  Baines School

  Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School

  Lancaster Royal Grammar School

  Lancaster Girls Grammar School

  Leicestershire

  South Wigston High School

  434

  Abington High School

  Bushloe High School, Grant Maintained

  Uppingham Community College

  Long Field GM High School

  Lewisham

  Turnham Primary with Nursery G.M. School

  Lincolnshire

  The Ancaster High School, Lincoln

  Huttoft County Primary School

  Washingborough School

  St. George's Grant-Maintained School

  St. Andrews CE Primary School

  Spalding County Primary School

  Skegness Grammar School

  Chapel St. Leonards County Primary School

  The Malcolm Sargent Grant Maintained School

  Robert Pattinson Grant-Maintained School

  Carre's Grammar School

  Rauceby School CE G.M.

  Gleed Girls Grant Maintained School

  Queen Elizabeth's GM Grammar School

  Qheen Elizabeth's G.M. Grammar School

  Caistor Grammar School

  Ermine Junior Grant Maintained School

  North Kesteven Grant-Maintained School

  William Farr CE Comprehensive School

  William Alvey CE Junior School

  Monks' Dyke High School

  The Magdalen School

  Branston School and Community College

  Yarborough High School

  The Kings School Grantham

  Lincoln Christ's Hospital School

  Cranwell County Primary School

  The Gartree Grant Maintained School

  Lacey Gardens Junior School

  Bourne Abbey Primary School

  King Edward VI School

  The Castle Hills GM School, Gainsborough

  Liverpool

  St. Francis Xavier's College

  Newham

  Stratford School

  Norfolk

  Cliff Park High School (Grant Maintained)

  St. Clement's High School

  Heacham Middle School (G.M.)

  South Wootton Grant-Maintained Junior School

  Sheringham High School

  Gresham Village School (Grant-Maintained)

  Robert Kett Grant-Maintained Middle School

  Great Yarmouth High School

  Redgate Grant-Maintained Middle School

  Flegg High School

  Norwich Road School

  Wymondham College (GMS)

  Downham Market High School-Grant-Maintained

  Dereham Church CE Grant-Maintained School

  West Flegg Middle School (G.M.)

  Marshland High School

  Lynn Grove VC High School

  Cromer High School—Grant-Maintained

  Acle High School

  Loddon Middle Grant-Maintained School

  Costessey High School, Grant-Maintained

  Barnham Broom Primary School

  Northamptonshire

  Collingtree CE Primary School

  Southfield School for Girls

  Sir Christopher Hatton Grant-Maintained School

  Beanfield Junior School (G.M.)

  Queen Elizabeth (Grant-Maintained) School

  Northampton (G.M.) School for Boys

  Wrenn School

  435

  Woodnewton Way Junior School

  Moulton Primary School (Grant-Maintained)

  Weavers School

  Montagu School

  Millbrook Infant School

  Danesholme Junior School

  The Windmill County G.M. Primary School

  Manor School, Northamptonshire

  Lodge Park School

  The King John School

  Kingswood School

  Kingsley Park Middle School

  Nottinghamshire

  Greenwood Dale School

  Ravensdale Grant Maintained Middle School

  The George Spencer School

  Oxfordshire

  Shenington CE Primary School

  Redbridge

  Chadwell Heath High School

  Rochdale

  St. James CE Primary School

  Smithy Bridge Primary School

  Wardle High School

  Crossgates Primary School

  Sandwell

  Manor High School, Sandwell

  Sheffield

  Clifford CE Grant-Maintained School

  St. John Fisher RC (VA) Primary School

  Notre Dame School

  All Saints RC Secondary School

  Shropshire

  Abraham Darby School

  Holy Cross CE Junior School

  Charlton School

  Ercall Wood School

  Adams' Grammar School

  The Corbet Grant-Maintained School

  Solihull

  Hatchford Grant-Maintained Primary School

  Somerset

  Sexey's School

  Bruton Primary School

  Southwark

  St. Michael's School

  St. Francesca Cabrini Grant Maintained School

  Notre Dame High School

  The St. Thomas the Apostle GM College

  London Nautical School

  Staffordshire

  St. Thomas More RC High School

  Hollinsclough CE Primary School

  Chasetown High School

  Rising Brook Grant-Maintained School

  Cardinal Griffin RC Comprehensive

  Cannock Chase High School (G.M.)

  Surrey

  The Beacon School

  Thamesmead School

  Stoneleigh First School (Grant-Maintained)

  St. Paul's Catholic School

  Holy Trinity CE Middle School

  St. John the Baptist School

  Heathside Secondary School

  Hawkedale First School

  Send C of E First School (Grant-Maintained)

  Guildford County School

  436

  Rosebery School

  Gordon's Grant-Maintained School

  Glyn School

  Pewley Down County First School

  Park Mead County First School

  Epsom and Ewell High School

  de Stafford School

  The Manor County First School

  Collingwood Grant-Maintained School

  Sutton

  Sutton Grammar School for Boys

  St. Philomena's Catholic High School for Girls

  Cheam High School

  Nonsuch High School for Girls

  Wilsons School

  Wallington High School for Girls

  Wallington High School for Boys

  The John Fisher School

  All Saints CE Primary School

  Tameside

  Fairfield High School

  West Hill School

  Audenshaw High School

  Tower Hamlets

  Raines Foundation School

  Trafford

  Ashton on Mersey School

  Sale Moor School

  New Wellington School

  Blessed Thomas Holford School

  Walsall

  Streetly School

  St. Thomas Moore RC Comprehensive G. M. School

  Aldridge School

  Shire Oak Grant-Maintained Community School

  Queen Mary's High School

  Queen Mary's Grammar School

  Waltham Forest

  Chingford School

  Highams Park School

  Wandsworth

  John Paul II RC School

  Hillbrook Primary School (Grant-Maintained)

  Southfields School (GM)

  Salesian College

  Graveney School

  Ethelburga Primary School (Grant-Maintained)

  Elliott School (GM)

  Burntwood School

  Warwickshire

  The Avon Valley Grant-Maintained School

  Studley High School

  Ash Green Grant-Maintained School

  Hartshill Grant Maintained School

  Alcester Grammar School

  Rugby High School for Girls

  Queen Elizabeth School, Atherstone

  Myton School

  Wiltshire

  Highbury Secondary Boys' School

  St. Augustine RC (G.M.) Comprehesnive School

  Sheldon School

  Pewsey Vale School (Grant Maintained)

  Downton CE (VC) Primary School

  Aloeric Grant-Maintained School

  Lowbourne Grant Maintained Infants' School

  Lavington Comprehensive School

  Wirral

  Calday Grange Grammar School, West Kirby

  Wirral Grammar Schol for Boys

  437
  Wolverhampton

  Wolverhampton Girls High School

  Moseley Park GM School

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list in rank order those grant-maintained schools from which pupils have been permanently excluded, giving in each case(a) the number of such exclusions, (b) the pupil roll of the school and (c) the date it was incorporated as a grant-maintained school.

  Mr. Forth
  Information on permanent exclusions from maintained schools in England was collected by the Department over a two-year period, starting with summer term 1990, under the national exclusions reporting system (NERS). The results of the survey were published on 23 April and showed that a total of 6,743 permanent exclusions had been reported, with 2,910 in year one and 3,833 in year two. This information was collected for purposes of national aggregation and it is not possible to provide a breakdown of the figures by school or by sector because of assurances given as to confidentiality.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the total number of schools from which his Department has received inquiries about acquiring grant-maintained status; how many ballots have now been held under section 61 of the Education Reform Act; and how many of these resulted in votes to seek grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Department does not keep records of inquiries related specifically to the acquisition of self-governing status. The high overall level of interest is evident from the numbers of publications issued and attendance at conferences. To date, the Department has distributed 2·5 million publications, largely in response to requests for information. Some 3,500 heads and governors have attended the conferences on self-governing status since November 1992.

  As of 21 July, 1,241 ballots on self-governing (GM) status have been held in England and 963 of these have resulted in votes in favour of applying for self-governing (GM) status.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 22 June,Official Report, columns 123–34, if he will list, by local education authority, those grant-maintained schools which still have yet to receive their final budgets for the 1993–94 financial year.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information requested is given in the table. The vast majority of all GM schools will have received their final budgets by the end of this month. GM AMG—1993–94

  SCHOOL

  Avon

  Beechen Cliff School

  Oldfield School

  Birmingham

  Baverstock GM School

  Small Heath School

  Handsworth Grammar School for Boys

  Great Barr School

  Hall Green School

  King Edward VI Aston School

  King Edward VI Camp Hill Boys School

  King Edward VI Camp Hill Girls School

  King Edward VI Five Ways School

  438

  King Edward VI Handsworth School

  Bradford

  Hanson GM School

  Brent

  Claremont High School

  Copland Community School

  Convent of Jesus and Mary

  Kingsbury High School

  Queens Park Community School

  Buckinghamshire

  Bridgewater Hall School

  Brindley Hall School

  Beaconsfield High School

  Brookmead County Combined Middle School

  The Chalfonts School

  Overstone Combined School

  Beechview Middle School

  Hamilton Combined School

  Lord Grey School

  The Radcliffe School

  Wycombe Royal Grammar School

  Cheshire

  Bankfield High School

  Kettleshulme CE Primary School

  Fallibroome High School

  Henbury County High School

  Croydon

  Riddlesdown High School

  Edenham School

  Cumbria

  Kirbie Kendal School

  Queen Elizabeth Grammar School

  Hayton CE Primary school

  St. Aidan's School

  Trinity School

  Scotby CE Primary School

  The Queen Katharine School, Kendal

  Appleby Grammar School

  Dallam School

  Harraby School

  Kirkby Stephen Grammar School

  Devon

  Colyton Grammar School

  Torquay Boys Grammar School

  St. Boniface's College

  Teign School

  Ealing

  Brentside High School

  Drayton Manor High School

  Ellen Wilkinson High School

  Greenford High School

  Northolt High School

  Wood End First School

  Wood End Middle School

  Gloucestershire

  Ribston Hall High School

  Marling School

  Pate's Grammar School

  Stroud High School

  Robinswood Primary School

  Tewkesbury School

  The Crypt School

  Balcarras School

  Chosen Hill School

  Katharine Lady Berkeley School

  Churchdown School

  The Cotswold School

  Newent Community School Rednock School

  Saintbridge School

  Chipping Camden School

  439

  St. Gregory RC Primary School

  Blue Coat CE Grant-Maintained School

  Picklenash County Junior School

  Wyedean School

  Hammersmith

  London Oratory School

  Havering

  Abbs Cross School

  Coopers Company & Coborn School

  Frances Bardsley School

  Kensington

  Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School

  Kent

  Southlands Comprehensive School

  Lambeth

  La Retraite School

  St. Bernadette Junior School

  Archbishop Tenison's School

  Bishop Thomas Grant School

  Dunraven GM School

  Lewisham

  Turnham Primary School

  Nottinghamshire

  Ravensdale Middle School

  Greenwood Dale School

  George Spencer School

  Rochdale

  Crossgates Primary School

  Smithy Bridge Primary School

  St. James CE Primary

  Wardle High School

  Shropshire

  Adams' Grammar School

  Corbet GM School

  Southwark

  St. Francesca Cabrini RC Primary

  Staffordshire

  St. Thomas More School

  Going GM Conferences

  (a) Venue

  Date

  (b) Invitations

  (c) Delegates

  (d) Cost (£)

  North West

  Leeds

  16 Nov. 1992

  —

  95

  6,202

  Bolton

  12 Dec. 1992

  —

  160

  6,873

  Sheffield

  15 Jan. 1993

  —

  207

  8,164

  Manchester

  30 Jan 1993

  12,500

  138

  7,734

  North East

  Newcastle 1

  10 Feb. 1993

  3,290

  222

  17,078

  Newcastle 2

  11 Feb. 1993

  204

  Midlands

  Leicester

  15 Feb. 1993

  —

  108

  4,306

  Nottingham 1

  1 Mar. 1993

  —

  197

  7,751

  Birmingham

  10 Mar. 1993

  —

  202

  8,512

  Nottingham 2

  29 Mar. 1993

  —

  176

  7,378

  Daventry1

  26 Apr. 1993

  6,812

  77

  4,150

  London and Home Counties

  Maidstone

  4 May 1993

  —

  219

  7,894

  St. Albans

  7 May 1993

  —

  198

  9,772

  Heathrow

  13 May 1993

  —

  209

  10,077

  Esher

  19 May 1993

  —

  209

  8,019

  Watford

  27 May 1993

  11,650

  197

  6,876

  South and West

  Bournemouth

  18 June 1993

  —

  180

  6,669

  Cheltenham

  28 June 1993

  —

  194

  6,263

  440
  Cannock Chase High School

  Sutton

  Wilsons School

  Nonsuch High School for Girls

  John Fisher School

  Cheam High School

  Sutton Grammar School for Boys

  St. Philomena's School

  Wallington High School for Boys

  Wallington High School for Girls

  Waltham Forest

  Highams Park School

  Wandsworth

  Graveney School

  Burntwood School

  Elliott School

  Salesian College

  Ethelburga Primary School

  Hillbrook Primary School

  John Paul II RC School

  Southfields School

  Wirral

  Calday Grange Grammar School

  as at 22 July 1993

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list, in date order, his Department's conferences for head teachers and governors on grant-maintained status, giving in each case(a) details of the venue, (b) the number of invitations issued, (c) the number of (i) head teachers and (ii) governors attending and (d) the cost.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Conference invitations are issued in respect of a regional round of conferences in order to allow head teachers and governors to select the most convenient time and location. Schools are invited to send two representatives and generally nominate the head teacher and a governor. A precise breakdown of representatives between these two categories is not available. Further details are set out in the table.
  441

  (a) Venue

  Date

  (b) Invitations

  (c) Delegates

  (d) Cost (£)

  Exeter

  13 July 1993

  6,426

  173

  7,638

  Ad Hoc Events

  Taunton

  8 Mar. 1993

  —

  90

  3,491

  Haydock

  30 Apr. 1993

  —

  62

  2,858

  Total excluding ad hoc

  —

  —

  3,270

  141,356

  Total

  —

  40,678

  3,422

  1147,705

  1 In addition, there is a contract for support services which for the 21 conferences has totalled £134,714.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which grant-maintained schools have been visited by Her Majesty's inspectors; and in each case(a) by how many inspectors, (b) for how long and (c) at what cost.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In the period up to July 1992, HMI had visited the GM schools listed. I will write to the hon. Member with details of the schools visited in the period since July 1992.

  School

  Total HMI days

  Cost (£)

  Audenshaw

  7·0

  2,590

  Bacup and Rawtenstall

  4·0

  960

  Baverstock

  29·0

  7,260

  Heckmondwike Grammar

  13·5

  3,840

  London Oratory

  9·0

  2,890

  Old Swinford Hospital

  6·0

  1,740

  Queen Elizabeth Grammar

  4·0

  960

  Queensbury

  25·0

  6,600

  Skegness Grammar

  4·0

  960

  Small Heath

  11·0

  3,370

  St· James CE

  8·0

  2,220

  Wilmington Girls' Grammar

  24·0

  8,360

  King's Grantham

  5·0

  1,200

  Wilson's Sutton

  4·5

  1,380

  Castle Hall

  5·0

  1,330

  Hendon

  9·0

  2,850

  Queen Elizabeth's Barnet

  7·0

  1,940

  Colyton Grammar

  21·0

  7,380

  Bankfield High

  24·0

  6,060

  St· Francis Xavier

  8·0

  2,650

  Cardinal Vaughan

  5·0

  1,200

  Claremont High

  5·0

  1,500

  Lancaster Royal Grammar

  2·0

  610

  London Nautical

  27·0

  9,630

  Netherthorpe

  1·0

  240

  Ribston Hall High

  2·5

  825

  Southfield Girls

  3·0

  720

  Southlands

  3·0

  1,000

  Beechen Cliff

  2·0

  610

  Long Field High

  7·0

  2,280

  Adams' Grammar

  4·0

  1,350

  Bishopshalt

  2·5

  795

  Bournemouth Grammar

  4·0

  1,090

  Bridgewater Hall

  2·0

  630

  Brindley Hall

  1·0

  240

  Carre's Grammar

  3·0

  720

  Ecclesbourne

  7·5

  2,625

  Guildford

  2·0

  610

  Marling

  2·0

  630

  Pate's Grammar

  2·0

  480

  Rickmansworth

  17·0

  6,030

  Stroud High

  4·0

  1,370

  Wolverhampton Girls High

  5·0

  1,630

  Bullers Wood Girls

  3·0

  1,020

  Francis Bacon

  3·0

  850

  Handsworth Grammar

  6·5

  2,385

  Hardley

  1·0

  370

  St· Georges (Lincolnshire)

  2·0

  740

  Wymondham College

  1·0

  370

  Chalvedon

  2·0

  740

  442

  School

  Total HMI days

  Cost (£)

  Crossley Heath

  4·0

  1,520

  Great Barr

  4·0

  1,520

  Kingsley Park Middle

  1·0

  370

  Lancaster Girls Grammar

  3·0

  1,150

  North Halifax

  3·0

  1,130

  Reading

  1·0

  370

  Stratford

  5·0

  1,910

  Clitheroe Royal Grammar

  1·0

  370

  The Cornwallis

  1·0

  370

  The Maplesden Noakes

  2·5

  925

  Caistor Grammar

  1·0

  370

  Dartford Grammar

  1·0

  370

  Graveney

  1·0

  370

  Moseley Park

  1·0

  370

  Queensmead

  1·0

  370

  St· Augustine's RC

  2·0

  740

  Queen Elizabeth

  2·0

  780

  Kings School, Lincoln

  3·0

  1,170

  Southlands

  1·0

  390

  Watford Boys' GS

  2·0

  780

  Wilmington Boys' GS

  2·0

  780

  King Edward VI, Lincoln

  1·0

  390

  Watford Girls' GS

  1·0

  390

  Vyners

  1·0

  390

  Haydon

  1·0

  390

  Homewood

  1·5

  585

  Bourne County Primary

  2·0

  780

  Moulton Primary

  2·0

  780

  Kingswood

  1·0

  390

  Manor High

  1·5

  585

  Avon Valley

  1·0

  390

  Christs Hospital

  2·0

  780

  The Gartree Tattershall

  1·0

  390

  Salterlee Primary

  0·5

  195

  Bassingboume Village College

  1·0

  390

  Minster College

  1·0

  390

  Myton

  2·0

  780

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list by local education authority those grant-maintained schools which are denominational in character, stating in each case which denomination and whether they were previously voluntary aided, voluntary controlled or special agreement schools.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  A list of denominational schools which are currently operating as self-governing (GM) schools is given in the table, together with their denominations and former status.

  Denomination

  Former Status

  Bedfordshire

  Thomas Whitehead CE School

  CE

  VA

  Manshead School

  CE

  VC

  Berkshire

  Holy Family RC School

  RC

  VA

  443

  Denomination

  Former Status

  Bexley

  St. Mary and St. Joseph's Grant Maintained School

  RC

  VA

  St. Columba's RC Boys School

  RC

  VA

  Bolton

  St. James' CE School

  CE

  SA

  Canon Slade School

  CE

  VA

  Brent

  Convent of Jesus and Mary GM High School

  RC

  VA

  Bromley

  St. Olave's and St. Saviour's Grammar School

  CE

  VA

  Holy Innocents Roman Catholic Primary School

  RC

  VA

  St. John Rigby School

  RC

  VA

  Calderdale

  Holy Trinity CE Senior School (GM)

  CE

  VA

  Cambridgeshire

  The King's School (Peterborough Cathedral School)

  CE

  VA

  Cheshire

  Kettleshulme St. James CE G.M. Primary School

  CE

  VC

  Cumbria

  Trinity School, Carlisle

  CE

  VC

  Hayton CE Grant-Maintained School

  CE

  VC

  Scotby CE Grant-Maintained Primary School

  CE

  VA

  Devon

  St. Boniface's College

  RC

  VA

  Dorset

  St. Walburga's RC Primary School

  RC

  VA

  Essex

  St. Andrew's Grant Maintained CE Primary School

  CE

  VA

  Rolph CE VA Primary School

  CE

  VA

  Gloucestershire

  Blue Coat CE Grant Maintained Primary School

  CE

  VC

  The Catholic School of St. Gregory the Great

  RC

  VC

  Hammersmith

  London Oratory School

  RC

  VA

  Hampshire

  St. Joseph's RC Primary School

  RC

  VA

  All Hallows RC School

  RC

  VA

  Hereford and Worcester

  St. Bede's Catholic Grant Maintained School

  RC

  VA

  St. Augustine's Catholic GM School

  RC

  VA

  444

  Denomination

  Former Status

  Hertfordshire

  Hertingfordbury Cowper JMI School

  CE

  VA

  Christ Church CE School

  CE

  VA

  St Mary's Catholic Primary School

  RC

  VA

  Hillingdon

  The Dousay Martyrs School

  RC

  VA

  Hounslow

  Gunnerbury Catholic School for Boys

  RC

  VA

  Gumley House Convent School

  RC

  VA

  Kensington

  Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School

  RC

  VA

  Kent

  The Archbishop's CE Grant Maintaned School

  CE

  VA

  Sutton-at-Hone CE GM Primary School

  CE

  VC

  St. Simon Stock School

  RC

  VA

  St. John Fisher Catholic Comprehensive School

  RC

  VA

  St. Gregory's Catholic Comprehensive School

  RC

  VA

  St. George Church of England School

  CE

  SA

  Snodland CE Primary School

  CE

  VC

  Holy Trinity CE Primary School

  CE

  VA

  Kingston-Upon-Thames

  Holy Cross Convent School

  RC

  VA

  Richard Challoner School

  RC

  SA

  Lambeth

  Bishop Thomas Grant School

  RC

  VA

  Archbishop Tenison's School

  CE

  VA

  La Retraite R.C. Girls (G.M.) School

  RC

  VA

  St. Bernadette RC Junior Mixed School

  RC

  VA

  Lancashire

  Newton Bluecoat C of E GM Primary School

  CE

  VA

  Archbishop Temple School (Ex William Temple)

  CE

  VA

  Lincolnshire

  Rauceby School CE G.M.

  CE

  VC

  William Farr CE Comprehensive School

  CE

  VC

  William Alvey CE Junior School

  CE

  VC

  The Magdalon School

  CE/ME

  VC

  Liverpool

  St. Francis Xavier's College

  RC

  VA

  Norfolk

  Dereham Church CE Grant-Maintained

  CE

  VA

  Oxfordshire

  Shenington CE Primary School

  CE

  VA

  Rochdale

  St. James CE Primary School

  CE

  VC

  445

  Denomination

  Former Status

  Sheffield

  Clifford CE Grant-Maintained

  CE

  VC

  Somerset

  Sexey's School

  CE

  VC

  Southwark

  St. Francesca Cabrini Grant Maintained School

  RC

  VA

  Staffordshire

  St. Thomas More RC High School

  RC

  VA

  Surrey

  St. Paul's Catholic School

  RC

  VA

  St. John the Baptist School

  RC

  VA

  Send C of E First School (Grant-Maintained)

  CE

  VC

  Sutton

  Wilsons School

  CE

  VA

  The John Fisher School

  RC

  VA

  St. Philomena's Catholic High School for Girls

  RC

  VA

  Tower Hamlets

  Raines Foundation School

  CE

  VA

  Walsall

  St. Thomas More RC Comprehensive G.M. School

  RC

  VA

  Percentage of primary and secondary pupils in grant maintained schools (September figures include all schools approved as at 21 July 1993)

  (All data based on January 1992 Form 7)

  LEA Name

  Percentage of secondary pupils in GM schools as at July 1993

  Rank

  Percentage of secondary pupils in GM

  Rank

  201 Corporation of London

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  202 Camden

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  203 Greenwich

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  204 Hackney

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  205 Hammersmith

  20·0

  21

  20·0

  29

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  206 Islington

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  207 Kensington

  19·8

  22

  19·8

  32

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  208 Lambeth

  46·5

  5

  53·4

  6

  1·3

  19

  1·3

  27

  209 Lewisham

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  10

  22

  10

  28

  210 Southwark

  4·3

  52

  23·2

  22

  20

  15

  20

  16

  211 Tower Hamlets

  8·0

  44

  8·0

  50

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  212 Wandsworth

  70·4

  2

  70·4

  2

  3·2

  8

  3·2

  12

  213 Westminster

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  301 Barking

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  302 Barnet

  17·4

  25

  22·7

  25

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  303 Bexley

  10·1

  40

  19·9

  31

  2·5

  13

  2·5

  15

  304 Brent

  43·0

  7

  43·0

  10

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  305 Bromley

  63·6

  3

  63·6

  3

  4·4

  3

  4·4

  5

  306 Croydon

  14·1

  34

  25·7

  16

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  307 Ealing

  43·1

  6

  43·1

  9

  1·8

  16

  1·8

  18

  308Enfield

  0·0

  —

  19·9

  30

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  309 Haringey

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  310 Harrow

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  311 Havering

  20·5

  19

  25·5

  18

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  312 Hillingdon

  75·1

  1

  75·1

  1

  6·4

  1

  7·3

  2

  313 Hounslow

  15·6

  31

  15·6

  40

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  314 Kingston upon Thames

  280·09

  12

  38·0

  12

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  315 Merton

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  316 Newham

  40·02

  53

  4·2

  59

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  317 Redbridge

  0·0

  —

  7·6

  51

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  318 Richmond on Thames

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  319 Sutton

  59·2

  4

  59·2

  4

  0·0

  —

  1·7

  20

  320 Waltham Forest

  9·9

  41

  17·1

  37

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  446

  Denomination

  Former Status

  Wandsworth

  John Paul II RC School

  RC

  VA

  Salesian College

  RV

  VA

  Wiltshire

  St. Augustine RC (G.M.) Comprehensive School

  RC

  VA

  Key to abbreviations:

  CE—Church of England

  RC—Roman Catholic

  ME—Methodist

  VA—Voluntary Aided

  SA—Special Agreement

  VC—Voluntary Controlled

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list in rank order local education authorities giving the percentage of pupils in(a) the primary and (b) the secondary sector in grant-maintained schools (i) this summer term and (ii) from next September.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  les give the percentages of state-educated secondary and primary pupils attending schools which are currently self-governing (GM) state schools, or will be from September, together with rankings. Percentages for September are based on schools which have been approved, or which my right hon. Friend is minded to approve (as at 21 July) for starting dates in September. Further applications with proposed starting dates in September are still under consideration.
  447

  LEA Name

  Percentage of secondary pupils in GM schools as at July 1993

  Rank

  Percentage of secondary pupils in GM

  Rank

  330 Birmingham

  14·7

  33

  17·7

  36

  0·0

  —

  0·5

  35

  331 Coventry

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  332 Dudley

  12·1

  38

  16·4

  38

  0·0

  —

  1·5

  26

  333 Sandwell

  3·7

  56

  3·7

  61

  0

  —

  0

  —

  334 Solihull

  0

  —

  0

  —

  2·6

  12

  2·6

  14

  335 Walsall

  15·9

  30

  29·4

  14

  0

  —

  0

  —

  336 Wolverhampton

  11·4

  39

  114

  44

  0

  —

  0

  —

  340 Knowsley

  0

  —

  8·1

  48

  0

  —

  0·0

  —

  341 Liverpool

  3·6

  57

  3·6

  62

  0

  —

  0

  —

  342 St. Helens

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  343 Sefton

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  344 Wirral

  5·2

  49

  9·4

  46

  0

  —

  0·0

  —

  350 Bolton

  12·3

  35

  12·3

  43

  1·6

  17

  1·6

  25

  351 Bury

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  352 Manchester

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  353 Oldham

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —.

  0

  —

  354 Rochdale

  8·1

  43

  8·1

  49

  4·3

  4

  4·3

  6

  355 Salford

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  356 Stockport

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0·0

  —

  357 Tameside

  12·3

  36

  18·3

  35

  0

  —

  0·0

  —

  358 Trafford

  20·4

  20

  25·6

  17

  0

  —_

  0·0

  —

  359 Wigan

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0·0

  —

  370 Barnsley

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0·0

  —

  371 Doncaster

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  372 Rotherham

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  373 Sheffield

  0

  —

  7·6

  52

  0·2

  33

  0·6

  34

  380 Bradford

  9·8

  42

  9·8

  45

  0

  —

  0·7

  32

  381 Calderdale

  24·2

  14

  24·2

  21

  0·4

  30

  0·4

  36

  382 Kirklees

  4·8

  50

  4·8

  58

  0

  —

  0

  —

  383 Leeds

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0·0

  —

  384 Wakefield

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  390 Gateshead

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  391 Newcastle

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  392 North Tyne

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  393 South Tyne

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  394 Sunderland

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  420 Isles of Scilly

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0·0

  —

  901 Avon

  2·8

  60

  2·8

  64

  0

  —

  0

  —

  902 Bedfordshire

  16·4

  27

  19·0

  33

  1·2

  21

  1·6

  23

  903 Berkshire

  15·1

  32

  16·1

  39

  2·6

  11

  3·2

  10

  904 Bucks

  23·2

  15

  24·5

  20

  2·4

  14

  3·6

  8

  905 Cambridge

  27·6

  13

  32·1

  13

  3·3

  7

  3·3

  9

  906 Cheshire

  3·8

  55

  3·8

  60

  0

  35

  0·1

  40

  907 Cleveland

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  908 Cornwall

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  909 Cumbria

  22·3

  17

  26·0

  15

  0·7

  28

  2·0

  17

  910 Derbyshire

  16·3

  28

  24·7

  19

  1·0

  23

  1·7

  21

  911 Devon

  5·3

  48

  6·6

  54

  0

  —

  0·0

  —

  912 Dorset

  17·7

  24

  21·4

  26

  0·9

  25

  0·9

  30

  913 Durham

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  914 East Sussex

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  915 Essex

  41·6

  9

  54·0

  5

  3·0

  10

  6·3

  3

  916 Gloucestershire

  42·0

  8

  49·4

  7

  3·0

  9

  3·2

  11

  917 Hampshire

  12·2

  37

  15·4

  41

  1·5

  18

  1·7

  22

  918 Hereford and Worcester

  2·9

  59

  7·5

  53

  0

  —

  0

  —

  919 Hertfordshire

  16·3

  29

  22·7

  24

  0·9

  24

  0·9

  29

  920 Humberside

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0·

  34

  0·

  39

  921 Isle of Wight

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  922 Kent

  33·0

  11

  43·5

  8

  1·3

  20

  2·6

  13

  923 Lancashire

  5·4

  46

  5·4

  56

  0·2

  31

  0·2

  37

  924 Leicester

  5·4

  47

  5·4

  57

  0

  —

  0·0

  —

  925 Lincolnshire

  35·6

  10

  38·6

  11

  5·3

  2

  7·9

  1

  926 Norfolk

  21·2

  18

  21·2

  27

  3·6

  5

  3·7

  7

  927 North Yorks

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0·0

  —

  928 Northants

  19·1

  23

  20·5

  28

  3·3

  6

  4·9

  4

  929 Northumberland

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0·0

  —

  930 Notts

  3·0

  58

  3·0

  63

  0

  —

  0·0

  —

  931 Oxfordshire

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0·2

  32

  0·2

  38

  932 Shropshire

  6·9

  45

  14·0

  42

  0

  —

  0·8

  31

  933 Somerset

  1·4

  61

  1·4

  65

  0·6

  29

  0·6

  33

  934 Staffordshire

  3·8

  54

  6·3

  55

  0

  —

  0

  41

  935 Suffolk

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  936 Surrey

  22·8

  16

  22·8

  23

  0·8

  27

  1·6

  24

  937 Warwickshire

  17·0

  26

  18·8

  34

  0

  —

  0

  —

  448 449

  LEA Name

  Percentage of secondary pupils in GM schools as at July 1993

  Rank

  Percentage of secondary pupils in GM

  Rank

  938 West Sussex

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  0·0

  —

  939 Wiltshire

  4·4

  51

  8·8

  47

  0·8

  26

  1·7

  19

  Number of GM relevant LEAs

  61

  65

  35

  41

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education in how many ballots on grant-maintained status where a simple majority of parents voted in favour of seeking grant-maintained status the margin between the percentage voting yes and the percentage voting no has been 60:40 or closer; and, of these, how many (i) have been approved, (ii) have been rejected and (iii) have not yet received a decision from him.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  In 127 (13 per cent.) of the 963 ballots which had resulted in a majority in favour of applying for self-governing (GM) status as at 21 July, 60 per cent. of voters or less voted "yes"; 94 of these applications have been approved, four have been rejected, and my right hon. Friend has not yet reached a decision on the remaining 29.

  DFE seminars for TECs: table showing numbers of invitees and attendees1 and costs2 by region

  North-west

  North and North-east

  East Anglia and East Midlands

  South-east

  West Midlands

  London

  South-west

  TECs

  Invitees

  42

  42

  42

  24

  30

  27

  19

  Attendees

  39

  37

  38

  17

  23

  25

  19

  LEAs

  Invitees

  19

  19

  12

  10

  11

  33

  8

  Attendees

  19

  19

  10

  5

  9

  25

  8

  Colleges and schools

  Invitees

  5

  11

  8

  8

  8

  8

  10

  Attendees

  5

  11

  5

  7

  4

  8

  9

  Government Departments, Further Education Funding Council, OFSTED

  Invitees

  15

  14

  17

  15

  14

  14

  17

  Attendees

  13

  14

  15

  15

  13

  14

  14

  Cost (£)

  3,344

  5,188

  5,112

  4,312

  5,175

  8,597

  5,559

  1 Precise figures for attendance are not available; the figures are based on final acceptances.

  2 The cost figures include the cost of facilitators and consultancy support utilised after the first seminar in the North-west.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  potatoes
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will make a statement outlining the implications for producers within the United Kingdom of European Commission proposals on member state aid to potato producers.

  Mr. Jack
  The European Commission's proposals for a common organisation of the market in potatoes would end national support arrangements. If adopted in their present form, this would mean the end of the planting controls and intervention buying arrangements which form part of the Potato Marketing Scheme. The Council of Ministers has yet to make a decision on the proposal. My right hon. Friend stated on 24 June at columns 391–96 the current
  450

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the purpose of the recent Department for Education regional conferences for the directors and board members of the TECs; and if he will list in each(a) the number of invitations sent, and to which categories of invitee, (b) the numbers from each category attending and (c) the cost of the conference.

  Mr. Boswell
  The series of regional seminars run by the Department for Education between July 1992 and May 1993 was designed principally for TEC chairmen and TEC business directors with an interest in education. The purpose was to bring TECs up to date on key education issues and policies; to develop a better understanding between the Department and TECs of their respective roles; and to bring together representatives of the education service with TECs at local level.

  The information requested for each is in the table.

  policy on the United Kingdom potato marketing scheme and our negotiating position on a Community regime for potatoes.

  Fur Farms
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list, by county and showing their location, all the fur farms currently operating, the type of fur-bearing animals they are farming and the number of each type of fur-bearing animals in each of the fur farms.

  Mr. Soames
  Information is not collected on the farming for fur of animals other than mink. Information on individual mink farms, including the exact location and numbers of mink kept, are not divulged. There are at present 13 mink farms operating in England in which approximately 33,000 mink are being kept for fur. These establishments are situated in the following counties:
  451

  Number

  Northumberland

  1

  Lancashire

  4

  West Yorkshire

  2

  Staffordshire

  1

  Suffolk

  2

  Hampshire

  1

  Isle of Wight

  1

  Cornwall

  1

  Fishing Vessels
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list the number of times each British registered fishing vessel formerly Spanish registered or owned by Spanish individuals or companies landed fish in British ports in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

  Mr. Jack
  Information relating to the fishing operations of individual vessels is confidential. The table contains details of the total number of landings into British ports by the vessels concerned.

  1991

  1992

  19931

  Total number of landings

  284

  371

  95

  Vessels making live or more landings

  9

  18

  3

  Vessels making less than five landings

  37

  35

  29

  1 To date.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list the current holders of 10 m and under fishing licences for area VII F and G.

  Mr. Jack
  The 10 metre and under licences are general authorities to fish in all appropriate EC waters. All holders of such licences are therefore authorised to fish in area VII F and G. At 1 July 1993 Fisheries Departments had issued 5,193 10 metre and under licences; these could only be listed at disproportionate cost.

  Salmonella
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether existing arrangements for the payment of compensation to producers whose poultry breeding flocks are slaughtered because of salmonella will continue when directive 92/117/EEC is implemented in Great Britain.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Producers will continue to receive compensation for poultry breeding flocks slaughtered because of salmonella when Directive 92/117/EEC is implemented in Great Britain. However, the Government has reviewed the existing legislative provisions for the slaughter of poultry, in particular schedule 3(5) of the Animal Health Act 1981, and concluded that they form an unsatisfactory basis for dealing with salmonella in poultry in that the absence of clinical signs in the live bird makes it difficult to distinguish between birds which are infected and those that are not. The Government believe that the principle of distinguishing between infected birds and non-infected birds for the purpose of assessing compensation is correct but that the existing legislation provides an insufficiently clear basis on which to do so.
  452
  The Government therefore intend to bring forward proposals as soon as parliamentary time permits and after full consultation with the industry, to amend the Animal Health Act 1981 so as to provide a clear statutory basis for the payment of compensation for birds compulsorily slaughtered because of salmonella. In the meantime, the Government proposed to pay full compensation for all birds compulsorily slaughtered because of salmonella, including those slaughtered since the policy was introduced in March 1989. Payment made since March 1989 will be adjusted accordingly.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements she is making to implement directive 92/117/EEC with regard to the control of salmonella in poultry.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Poultry Breeding Flocks and Hatcheries Order 1993, which brings existing arrangements for the testing and registration of poultry breeding flocks into line with those required under Directive 92/117/EEC, was made today and will come into force on 30 August.

  The size of breeding flocks subject to controls is to be raised from 25 to 250 birds. While the bacteriological testing arrangements for grandparent and elite flocks remain unchanged, those for parent breeding flocks are to be eased so that samples are taken and tested at the owner's expense every two weeks instead of every week as at present, and under the supervision of the Ministry every eight weeks instead of every four weeks as at present. Existing statutory testing requirements for breeding flocks of turkeys, ducks and geese will be replaced by voluntary arrangements. There will no longer be a requirement to test poultry breeding flocks for Salmonella pullorum.

  Breeding flocks of domestic fowl, turkeys, ducks and geese comprising 250 or more birds of a single species and hatcheries with an incubator capacity of more than 1,000 eggs will be required to register with Agriculture Departments on a simple "once and for all" basis and will no longer be subject to an annual inspection of the premises.

  The Government remain committed to firm action against salmonella and continued protection for the consumer while avoiding disproportionate burdens on producers. These changes, which have been the subject of full consultation with interested organisations, are being introduced in advance of the directive coming into force on 1 January 1994 and taken together with the ending of controls on commercial egg-laying flocks earlier this year will significantly reduce burdens on poultry producers and remove some of the disadvantages they currently bear due to more stringent controls compared with their counterparts in other member states.

DEFENCE

  Royal Navy
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Navy personnel are currently serving in sea-going posts; how many will be so serving after the planned reduction in the number of ships in the fleet; and, in each case, what percentage of the personnel strength of the Royal Navy will be in sea-going appointments.

  Mr. Hanley
  There are currently 18,240 trained RN and WRNS personnel serving in sea-going appointments. This
  453
  represents some 38 per cent. of the total trained manpower. The manpower requirement beyond 1995 will be kept under review in the light of changing circumstances, but it is expected that the proportion of sea-going appointments will remain broadly the same.

  Collision, Irish Sea
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the collision between the fishing trawler Amber Rose from Portavogie harbour and the submarine HMS Oppossum in the Irish sea on 14 July; if the submarine was submerged; and if the submarine's radar system was operational on that date.

  Mr. Hanley
  I can confirm that a minor collision occurred between the Royal Navy submarine HMS Oppossum and the fishing vessel Amber Rose in the Irish sea on 14 July. There were no casualties. HMS Oppossum was on the surface at the time of the collision. An investigation is under way to establish the full facts of the incident.

  RAF Order of Battle
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement of the current RAF order of battle.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer my hon. Friend to annex D of the 1993 Statement on the Defence Estimates, "Defending Our Future" (Cm. 2270).

  Radiation Sample Analysis
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 July,Official Report, column 710, what were the criteria adopted in choosing British Nuclear Fuels for the radiation sample analysis contract in 1992; and whether the renewal of BNFL's contract followed a process of competitive tendering.

  Mr. Aitken
  BNFL won the sample analysis contract in 1992, following competitive tendering during which it was judged to have offered the best bid in terms of value for money and technical competence. Competitive tendering was not considered appropriate for the 1993 renewal. The need to build up a consistent and reliable database makes it advisable to continue with the same contractor for at least three years, provided the technical performance is satisfactory.

  Non-departmental Bodies
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 6 July,Official Report, column 113–14, whether a register of interests of appointees to the executive non-departmental bodies sponsored by his Ministry is maintained by (a) his Department and (b) the various bodies; and whether such registers of interests are available for public scrutiny.

  Mr. Hanley
  A register of interests of appointees is not maintained centrally by my Department or by any of the executive non-departmental bodies. The Services Sound and Vision Corporation (SSVC) is, however, both a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Its directors are required under company law to disclose any other directorships they hold. These disclosures are registered at Companies house and therefore available for public scrutiny.
  454

  Depots (Rail Connections)
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's depots had rail connections in(a) 1990, (b) 1991 and (c)

  Mr. Hanley
  The number of Ministry of Defence depots with rail connections was 37 in 1990, 21 in 1991 and 20 in1992.

  D Notice System
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) of 26 October 1992,Official Report, column 510, whether the review of the D notice system has been completed.

  Mr. Hanley
  Responsibility for the management of the D notice system lies with the Defence, Press and Broadcasting Committee (DPBC), a joint forum of Government and media representatives chaired by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence. The DPBC decided last year to expand its annual review of the D notices to consider the purpose, scope and operation of the system in the light of international changes and the increased emphasis of openness in Government.

  I understand that the DPBC has approved a number of significant changes to the D notice system as a result of the review. The number of notices has been reduced from eight to six and their content and style has been revised to make them more relevant and user-friendly. The notices will now be known as defence advisory notices, and the DPBC has become the Defence, Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee, better to reflect the voluntary and advisory nature of the system.

  The new notices are published today for the first time, with their introduction and an explanation of how the system works, in an open government document. They will come into effect on 1 August. Their publication is intended to promote a better understanding of the system and to be a contribution to greater openness. I am placing a copy of the open government document in the Library of the House.

  Military Service Defence Agency
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what performance targets have been set for the Military Survey Defence Agency for 1993–94.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Military Survey Defence Agency key targets for 1993–94 are:

  1. To deliver 3,600 man-days of uniformed personnel in support of operations.

  2. To deliver 26,000 man-days of uniformed personnel in support of exercises and military training.

  3. To implement the military survey modernisation project by starting the installation check and test phase by 1 October 1993.

  4. To meet the following targets for pre-planned production and services:

  (a) originate or revise 425 maps/charts;

  (b) produce 820 digital geographic products;

  (c) reproduce 7,000,000 copies of maps/charts;

  (d) issue from stock 7,000,000 copies of maps/charts.

  5. To carry out 5,300 man days training for students from outside military survey.

  6. To make further efficiency improvements to the value of 2·5 per cent. of the budget.

  7. To keep within the cash allocation of £48,870,000 for 1993–94.

  455

  Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what performance targets have been set for the Naval Aircraft Repair Organisation Defence Support Agency for 1993–94.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Director General Aircraft (Navy), acting as the owner of the agency on behalf of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence under the terms of the agency's framework document has set the following key targets for this financial year:

  Quantity:
  To complete 100 per cent. of the funded task as detailed in DGA(N)'s tri-service schedule of identified repair work.

  Quality:
  To reduce by 2 per cent. the weighted number of allied quality assurance publication non-conformances in 1993–94.

  Timelines:
  To complete more than 85 per cent. of contracts on time in 1993–94 and to increase this figure to over 95 per cent. by the end of 1994–95.

  Cost:
  To maintain the cost of direct output units at its current level throughout 1993–94 and to achieve a 7·5 per cent. reduction over the 1991–92 launch values by the end of 1994–95.

  Efficiency:
  To improve the efficiency index (measured work content divided by the measured time taken) from 61·4 per cent. in 1992–93 to 63·3 per cent. by the end of 1993–94.

  Productivity:
  To improve productivity from the achieved 1992–93 figure of 560 to an average of 575 direct output units per employee by the end of 1993–94.

  These targets are similar to those set for last year, but the way the productivity and timeliness targets have been set has changed. The target for productivity for 1992–93 was calculated on the basis of overtime that could not be met from within the available funding. The target for timeliness for 1992–93 was specifically developed as a new method of measuring contract performance for the agency, but there were no historical data to provide a realistic baseline. Nevertheless, improvements of 2 per cent. and 18·3 per cent. were achieved in productivity and timeliness last year.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Disabled People (Access)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee (1) what has been the cost, at current prices, of making the Palace of Westminster more accessible to people with disabilities, both users of the Palace and visitors, since 1 September 1970; and if he will set out the details and cost of each adaptation since that date;

  (2) what estimates have been made of the costs of adapting the Palace of Westminster to make it fully accessible to people with disabilities, both as users of the Palace and as visitors; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if, in considering proposals for adapting the Palace of Westminster to make it fully accessible to people with disabilities, both users of the Palace and visitors, he will examine the possibility of phasing the costs over a period of three, five and seven years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  The Palace of Westminster's Victorian design presents fundamental obstacles to easy access and 456
  movement of persons with disabilities. Improvements have nevertheless been made in certain areas, such as the construction and adaptation of lavatories, the installation of a stairlift to the Grand Committee Room in Westminster Hall, and the provision of sound induction loops in the public galleries of the Chamber and a number of Committee Rooms. It is not possible, however, separately to identify all such improvements or their cost.

  The Accommodation and Works Committee has recently received and given preliminary consideration to a comprehensive consultants' report containing a number of recommendations for improvement. It is to be given further consideration in the autumn with the benefit of advice from the all-party group on disablement and from English Heritage. It is hoped that a phased programme of improvements can be agreed which will be incorporated into the programme of works. Estimates for each of the report's recommendations are being prepared.

  Consumers Association
  Mr. French
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee if he has considered an application for an exhibition relating the Consumers Association to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  I understand that under procedures agreed by the Administration Committee arrangements have been made for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 1 to 5 November.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Islamic Dress Code
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer on 19 July,Official Report, column 20, if he will seek the views of the female United Kingdom citizens currently employed in the British embassy in Tehran on the imposition of the Islamic dress code.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are well aware of their views.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 19 July,Official Report, column 20, (1) if he will discuss with other non-Islamic countries having embassies in Tehran the imposition of the Islamic dress code on female diplomatic staff, with a view to establishing a common position.

  (2) if he will now make representations to the Government of Iran regarding the obligation of female diplomats to conform to the Islamic dress code.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Her Majesty's embassy in Tehran is in touch with other missions in Tehran about a range of issues. It is accepted practice among the diplomatic community, male and female, in Iran to abide by the Islamic dress code.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 19 July,Official Report, column 20, regarding the imposition of the Islamic dress code on female diplomatic staff in Tehran, on what occaions male diplomatic staff have been obliged by foreign Governments to comply with dress codes; and if he will give details.
  457
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  All diplomatic personnel, whether male or female, comply with the appropriate foreign dress code whenever it is necessary to enable them to carry out their duties effectively.

  Religious Freedom, Russia
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to President Yeltsin on the recent amendment of the 1990 law on religious freedom by the Russian Parliament to restrict foreign Christian missionary work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have raised our concerns at a senior level in the President's Administration and in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We have called the amendment, which has not yet received President Yeltson's approval, a retrograde step and have drawn attention to Russia's international commitments under the CSCE in relation to religious freedom and the free passage of information.

  Vietnamese Boat People
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the sum of money owed to the Hong Kong Government, and by whom, for the cost of keeping the Vietnamese boat people.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) currently owes the Hong Kong Government approximately 90 million United States dollars for the care and maintenance of refugees in the territory.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when it is expected that all remaining Vietnamese boat people at present being held in detention in Hong Kong will have been repatriated to Vietnam.

  Mr. Goodlad
  If the 1993 rates of voluntary repatriation and refugee resettlement can be maintained, and there are no more new arrivals, the Hong Kong camps could be empty within three years.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese boat people in total had been repatriated to Vietnam from Hong Kong up to 10 July.

  Mr. Goodlad
  As at 1 July (the latest figures available), 29,893 migrants had returned home voluntarily. A further 627 had been returned under the orderly repatriation programme.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese boat people were still being held in detention in Hong Kong as of 10 July.

  Mr. Goodlad
  As at 1 July (the latest figures available), the Hong Kong camp population was as follows:
  458

  Number

  Refugees

  2,231

  Screened out (after appeal)

  24,143

  Awaiting screening or results

  14,353

  Total

  40,727

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Japanese Government about supporting an indefinite extension of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has not recently discussed this issue with the Japanese Government. However, Japan agreed to the G7 summit political declaration which supported as an objective the indefinite extension of the non-proliferation treaty.

  Cyprus
  Sir Keith Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings have been held by Her Majesty's Government with leading political members of(a) the Greek Cypriot community and (b) the Turkish Cypriot community, over the past five years.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Ministers have held many meetings with leading Cypriots, including Cypriot Ministers, in this period. They meet more Greek Cypriots, reflecting in particular the size of the Greek Cypriot ethnic community in the United Kingdom and our policy on recognition. The purported declaration of the "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" in 1983, placed substantial constraints on ministerial level meetings. Contacts with leaders of the Turkish Cypriot community are maintained chiefly through Her Majesty's high commissioner in Nicosia.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent judgment by the European Court of Justice confirming Gibraltar's suspension from an EC air services directive (89/463).

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The judgment has no implications for our title over Gibraltar or for the status of the 1987 airport agreement. We continue to believe that implementation of the agreement, updated as necessary to reflect subsequent directives, would be in the best interests of Gibraltar. It would in particular remove Gibraltar's suspension from EC air liberalisation measures.

  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent judgment by the European Court of Justice confirming Gibraltar's suspension from the EC air services directive (89/463).

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The judgment has no implications for our title over Gibraltar or for the status of the
  459
  1987 airport agreement. We continue to believe that implementation of the agreement, updated as necessary to reflect subsequent directives, would be in the best interests of Gibraltar. It would in particular remove Gibraltar's suspension from EC air liberalisation measures.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total amount in cash terms and in real terms of housing benefit paid to people(a) aged 16 and 17 years, (b) aged 18 to 24 years and (c) aged 25 years and over for each year from 1980–81 to 1992–93.

  Mr. Burt
  Housing benefit expenditure by age has been available only since 1990. Expenditure figures for 16 and 17-year-olds are not reliable. The available information is in the table.

  £ million

  Age under 25

  Age 25 and over

  Annualised 1990–91 based on 31 May 1990 data1

  cash terms

  492

  3,928

  real terms

  544

  4,337

  Annualised 1991–92 based on 31 May 1991 data1

  cash terms

  628

  4,675

  real terms

  650

  4,838

  11992–93 prices

  Note:

  Source: Figures derived from the housing benefit management information system annual 1 per cent. sample of housing benefit cases taken at a point in time (31 May) each year. They are not annual expenditure figures as published in the departmental report of "The Growth of Social Security".

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the level of housing benefit paid to people(a) aged 16 and 17 years, (b) aged 18 to 24 years and (c) aged 25 years and over as a percentage of gross domestic product for each year from 1980–81 to 1992–93.

  Mr. Burt
  The available information is in the table.

  Median equivalised income in April 1993 prices for the bottom 20 per cent, by household family type

  1979

  1981

  1987

  1988–89

  1990–91

  Before housing costs

  Pensioner couple

  88

  93

  100

  100

  98

  Single pensioner

  88

  94

  97

  93

  95

  Couple with children

  103

  92

  99

  102

  97

  Couple without children

  128

  129

  120

  131

  137

  Single with children

  86

  90

  95

  95

  95

  Single without children

  111

  108

  109

  109

  103

  After housing costs

  Pensioner couple

  75

  79

  86

  86

  86

  Single pensioner

  81

  84

  86

  84

  88

  Couple with children

  86

  75

  78

  80

  74

  Couple without children

  110

  109

  97

  108

  113

  Single with children

  71

  75

  77

  72

  74

  Single without children

  96

  89

  84

  81

  78

  460

  Housing Benefit expenditure as a percentage of gross domestic product

  Percentage

  1980–81

  0·7

  1981–82

  1·0

  1982–83

  1·1

  1983–84

  1·2

  1984–85

  1·3

  1985–86

  1·3

  1986–87

  1·3

  1987–88

  1·2

  1988–89

  1·1

  1989–90

  1·1

  1990–91

  0·9

  1991–92

  1·0

  1992–93

  1·2

  The GDP information cannot be provided for particular age bands.

  Note: The source housing benefit expenditure figures are taken from table 9a of "The Growth of Social Security". For years prior to 1988 these include expenditure related to housing costs paid as part of supplementary benefit. The figure for 1989–90 includes community charge rebate.

  Households Below Average Income
  Ms Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 16 July 1992,Official Report, column 948, what was the average equivalised income at April 1993 prices for the poorest 20 per cent. from the latest households below average income analysis, before and after housing costs in 1979, 1981, 1987, 1988–89 and 1990–91 for (i) a pensioner couple, (ii) a single pensioner, (iii) a couple with children, (iv) a couple without children, (v) a single adult with children and (vi) a single adult without children.

  Mr. Burt
  The information is in the tables. All estimates are subject to sampling error which may affect the validity of comparisons between groups at a point in time and over time. Results for singles and couples will be affected by a discontinuity related to cohabiting. Further information is provided in appendix 10 of Households Below Average Income—1979–1990–91, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of pensioner households have been dependent on state benefits for at least 75 per cent. of their income in each of the last 10 years for which information is available.
  461
  Mr. Hague
  Such information as is readily available is in the table. Comparable data for 1980 and 1982 to 1986 are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The proportion of pensioner units dependent upon state benefits 1979 to 1990–91

  Benefit income makes up: at least 75 per cent, of total gross income

  Year

  Per cent.

  1979

  62

  1981

  61

  1987

  55

  1988

  54

  1989

  53

  1990

  50

  1990–91

  50

  Notes:

  1. Pensioner units are defined as single people above state pension age and couples in which the husband is above state pension age.

  2. "1990–91" denotes estimates from a combined sample of the 1990 and 1991 Family Expenditure Surveys (FESs). One quarter of the 1991 FES sample has been omitted because of inadequate data on Community Charge Benefit receipt following the delayed issue of Community Charge bills in April 1991. As a result the sample size in that year is too small to provide reliable estimates of pensioners' incomes. For this reason the remaining data for 1991 has been combined with that for 1990.

  3. Estimates of the proportion of pensioner units who are dependent on state benefits for at least 75 per cent. of their gross income include those with no income other than state benefits.

  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what proportion of all pensioners, single pensioners and pensioner couples have total incomes of(a) £1, (b) £2, (c) £3, (d) £4 and (e) £5 above income support levels.

  Mr. Hague
  The information is in the table. As this question seeks to establish pensioners' incomes in relation to income support levels the criteria for assessing pensioner entitlement to income support have been used i.e. "pensioners" are taken to be those aged 60 or over, and the average income bands exclude income derived from sources which would not be taken into account for income support (e.g. housing benefit or attendance allowance).

  Number of pensioners whose income for income support purposes is within a banded range of their income support levels

  (000s)

  Range

  Singles

  Couples

  Total

  £0–£1

  65

  20

  90

  £1–£2

  45

  20

  70

  £2–£3

  65

  25

  90

  £3–£4

  60

  30

  90

  £4–£5

  65

  25

  90

  Proportion of pensioners whose income for income support purposes is within a banded range of their income support levels

  Range

  Singles per cent.

  Couples per cent.

  Total per cent.

  £0–£1

  1

  1

  1

  £1–£2

  1

  1

  1

  £2–£3

  1

  1

  1

  £3–£4

  1

  1

  1

  £4–£5

  1

  1

  1

  Source

  Both tables are based on data drawn from the 1989 to 1990 and
  462
  1991 Family Expenditure Surveys modeled at 1993–94 prices and benefit levels.

  Notes:

  1. Caseloads have been rounded to the nearest 5,000. Figures in the first two columns may not sum to the total in the final column because of rounding.

  2. Each percentage gives the proportion of the total pensioner caseload for the column.

  3. Percentages have been rounded to the nearest percentage point.

  4. Pensioner benefit unit defined as either:

  (a) Single person aged 60 or over

  (b) Couple where either person is aged 60 +

  5. Totals include pensioners with capital exceeding the upper earnings limit for income support.

  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what number and proportion of all pensioners had no income from any source other than from state benefits for each of the last 10 years for which information is available.

  Mr. Hague
  Such information as is readily available is in the table. Comparable data for 1980 and 1982 to 1986 is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Pensioner unit dependent upon state benefits 1979 to 1990–91 Pensioner units with no income other than state benefits

  Year

  Number (000s)

  Proportion (per cent.)

  1979

  1,470

  23

  1981

  1,420

  21

  1987

  1,110

  16

  1988

  1,170

  17

  1989

  1,010

  14

  1990

  1,090

  16

  1990–91

  1,040

  15

  Notes:

  (1) Pensioner units are defined as single people above state pension age and couples in which the husband is above state pension age.

  (2) "1990–91" denotes estimates from a combined sample of the 1990 and 1991 Family Expenditure Surveys (FESs). One quarter of the 1991 FES sample has been omitted because of inadequate data on community charge benefit receipt following the delayed issue of community charge bills in April 1991. As a result the sample size in that year is too small to provide reliable estimates of pensioners' incomes. For this reason the remaining data for 1991 has been combined with that for 1990.

  (3) Estimates of the proportion of pensioner units who are dependent on state benefits for at least 75 per cent. of their gross income include those with no income other than state benefits.

  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the actual weekly amount received by all pensioners as(a) total social security benefits, (b) occupational pensions and (c) savings income for each of the last 10 years; what were the gross and net weekly total figures; and what was the real terms increase over the last 10 years for which information is available.

  Mr. Hague
  Such information as is readily available is in the tables. Comparable data for 1980 and 1982 to 1986 is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information on all sources of pensioners' income has been included (i.e. earnings and "other" income) to enable gross totals to be arrived at.
  463

  The average incomes of pensioner units by source, 1979 to 1990–91

  Income source

  1979

  1981

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1990–91

  Real income growth 1979 to 1990–91 (Percentage)

  (a) Pensioner couples

  Earnings

  24·20

  19·00

  16·50

  25·90

  21·10

  17·90

  20·00

  -17

  Benefit income

  81·20

  85·20

  93·80

  91·00

  90·10

  92·70

  94·40

  14

  Investment income

  16·20

  23·10

  41·00

  40·80

  37·70

  41·90

  45·10

  179

  Occupational pension

  30·20

  30·50

  48·00

  58·10

  51·10

  48·90

  54·40

  80

  Other income

  0·80

  0·60

  0·80

  0·30

  0·50

  0·70

  0·90

  19

  Total gross income

  152·50

  158·30

  200·10

  216·00

  200·40

  202·10

  214·80

  41

  Deductions

  22·00

  23·10

  34·40

  38·40

  32·70

  33·00

  33·60

  53

  Total net income

  130·50

  135·20

  165·70

  177·60

  167·70

  169·20

  181·20

  39

  Total net income (after housing costs)

  111·60

  117·10

  146·50

  158·70

  152·30

  159·60

  170·90

  53

  (b) Single pensioners

  Earnings

  5·50

  4·30

  3·30

  3·80

  4·60

  3·80

  5·40

  -1

  Benefit income

  53·70

  57·90

  64·00

  62·90

  61·50

  61·50

  62·30

  16

  Investment income

  8·60

  9·90

  14·90

  16·00

  19·00

  21·20

  21·60

  151

  Occupational pension

  9·40

  10·90

  19·30

  19·10

  19·40

  19·50

  20·20

  115

  Other income

  0·50

  0·40

  1·10

  0·50

  0·40

  1·00

  0·80

  50

  Total gross income

  77·70

  83·50

  102·60

  102·30

  104·90

  107·10

  110·20

  42

  Deductions

  9·50

  10·30

  16·10

  16·30

  16·80

  15·60

  15·40

  61

  Total net income

  68·10

  73·20

  86·50

  86·00

  88·10

  91·50

  94·80

  39

  Total net income (after housing costs)

  55·40

  59·60

  70·40

  70·10

  73·80

  79·60

  82·50

  49

  (c) All pensioner units

  Earnings

  11·90

  9·50

  8·00

  11·70

  10·50

  9·10

  10·90

  -9

  Benefit income

  63·20

  67·60

  74·70

  73·00

  71·90

  73·10

  74·20

  17

  Investment income

  11·20

  14·60

  24·30

  25·00

  25·80

  28·90

  30·30

  171

  Occupational pension

  16·60

  17·90

  29·60

  33·20

  30·90

  30·40

  32·90

  98

  Other income

  0·60

  0·50

  1·00

  0·40

  0·50

  0·90

  0·90

  37

  Total gross income

  103·50

  110·10

  137·70

  143·30

  139·50

  142·40

  149·10

  44

  Deductions

  13·80

  14·90

  22·70

  24·30

  22·60

  22·00

  22·20

  60

  Total net income

  89·70

  95·20

  115·10

  119·00

  116·90

  120·30

  127·00

  42

  Total net income (after housing costs)

  74·80

  80·00

  97·80

  102·00

  102·20

  109·30

  115·40

  54

  Notes:

  (1) Components may not sum to totals owing to rounding.

  (2) All averages are means, and all estimates of real growth are based upon mean amounts.

  (3) All figures are before housing costs unless otherwise stated.

  (4) Pensioner units are defined as single people over state pension age and couples in which the husband is over state pension age.

  (5) '1990–91' denotes estimates from a combined sample of the 1990 and 1991 Family Expenditure Surveys (FESs). One quarter of the 1991 FES sample has been omitted because of inadequate data on Community Charge Benefit receipt following the delayed issue of Community Charge bills in April 1991. As a result the sample size in that year is too small to provide reliable estimates of pensioners' incomes. For this reason the remaining data for 1991 has been combined with that for 1990.

  (6) All amounts are at January 1991 prices.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information the Benefits Agency collects concerning the nature of the disabilities of persons in receipt of invalidity benefit by Benefits Agency district in connection with his review of Government expenditure on benefits.

  Mr. Scott
  Benefits Agency district offices obtain information on the disease or disorder giving rise to a claim for invalidity benefit from the medical statement issued by the medical practitioner. This information is not collected centrally. District offices have not been asked to 464
  provide additional information on the nature of the disabilities of people receiving invalidity benefit in connection with the long-term review of expenditure.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women have had their invalidity benefit restored on the basis of hardship in(a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole in the most recent period of time for which records are available.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of invalidity benefit is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member shortly with such information as is available and a copy will be placed in the Library.
  465
  Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Dr. Norman Godman, dated 22 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 women have had their Invalidity Benefit restored on the basis of hardship in (a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland as a whole in the most recent period of time for which records are available.
  The information has been obtained in the format requested. The statistics relating to the number of women who have had their Invalidity Benefit paid on the basis of hardship following the decision of a Social Security Commissioner on 1 April 1992 in (a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland are shown below:

  Number

  (a) Strathclyde

  1215

  (b) Scotland

  1228

  1 Of these totals, 203 cases are contained within one District (Clyde Valley District) which also received a much higher number of applications. The high incidence of hardship cases within this District is being investigated.

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

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will give the numbers of persons in receipt of invalidity benefit in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Benefits Agency district for each year since 1987;

  (2) if he will give the current number of persons in receipt of invalidity benefit in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Benefit Agency district.

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

  Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 22 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 Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking if he will give the numbers of persons in receipt of invalidity benefit in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Benefit Agency district for each year since 1987 and the current number of persons in receipt of invalidity benefit in that district.
  The information is not available in the format requested because the Benefits Agency was only set up in April 1991 and it is not possible to provide the information requested prior to this date. Separate statistics were not kept for invalidity benefit claimants until May 1991 and a yearly count of the number of recipients is not maintained. The latest available figures show that there were 12,614 people claiming invalidity benefit in the Agency's Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale district at the last working day of June 1993. The figures on the last working day of June 1992 and June 1991 are 11,790 and 10,421 respectively.
  The statistics provided include a few customers who have claimed but are not receiving invalidity benefit, eg. because there is underlying entitlement which has been extinguished by the payment of a higher overlapping benefit or where termination action has not been completed. These figures were obtained from a 100 per cent. clerical count of cases in the District/Benefit office.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.
  466

  Means Testing
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if it is intended to amend the level of assumed income from capital that is taken into account in calculating means-tested benefits.

  Mr. Burt
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Bow and Poplar (Mrs. Gordon) on 22 July.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what restrictions are placed upon the payment of unemployment benefit in other EC states.

  Mr. Burt
  Common requirements for payment of unemployment benefit in other EC countries are that a person is involuntarily unemployed, capable of work, registered and available for work.

  Age, period of past employment and contribution record are other factors governing entitlement or duration of payment of benefit.

  More information can be found in "Social Protection in the Member States of the Community," a copy of which is in the Library.

  State Pension
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the regulations covering the start date for payment of the state pension following the attainment of retirement age; and what are the regulations covering the termination date of payment of the state pension.

  Mr. Hague
  Regulation 16 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987—SI 1987/1968—governs both the start and termination dates for payment of retirement pension.

  Accommodation Payments
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what efforts are currently undertaken by his Department to secure that payments for rent in advance and deposits for accommodation are available quickly and reliably from the Benefits Agency.

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

  Letter from Mr. M. Bichard to Mr. Dafydd Wigley, dated 22 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 asking what efforts are currently undertaken by his Department to secure that payments for rent in advance and deposits for accommodation are available quickly and reliably from the Benefits Agency.
  I should explain that help with returnable deposits for accommodation has been excluded from the Social Fund (SF) by direction of the Secretary of State.
  However, for rent in advance, help from the SF may be given in the form of a Budgeting Loan (BL), where the applicant has been in receipt of Income Support for 26 weeks,

  467
  or a Crisis Loan (CL) in other cases; these loans are interest-free. CLs are subject to an overriding condition that the payment is necessary to avoid serious risk to health or safety. An exception to this rule is where applicants who receive a Community Care Grant on returning to the community, after a period of institutional or residential care, also need rent in advance.
  Decisions on SF applications are made independently by specially trained Social Fund Officers (SFOs). While SFOs are subject to the law and Secretary of State's directions, they still have considerable discretion about whether to make payment, having regard to the circumstances of an individual applicant. These will include consideration of the nature, extent and urgency of the need.
  The Secretary of State has set a number of targets for the Benefits Agency one of which is clearance times for budgeting loan applications. The Agency has continued to meet this target, indeed performance improved over the year 1992–93 by two working days, emphasising the Agency's commitment to customer care. Most CL applications continue to be cleared on the day they are made, reflecting the urgent nature of such an application.
  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.

  Flooding, Llandudno
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what percentage of applicants to the crisis fund following the Llandudno flooding were made from people in receipt of invalidity benefit; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many applications to the crisis fund he received in the aftermath of the Llandudno flooding; what percentage of these have been granted; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter from M. Bichard to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 22 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 Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many applications to the crisis fund he received in the aftermath of the Llandudno flooding; what percentage of these have been granted and what percentage of these were from people in receipt of invalidity benefit.
  The Benefits Agency District of North Wales Coast, which serves the area affected by the flooding, received 187 applications for a Crisis Loan from victims of the flood. All of these applications resulted in an award. Eight of the applications (4·3 per cent.) were from people in receipt of Invalidity Benefit.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. A copy of this letter will appear in the Official Report and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what minimum standards of service he has approved for customers of the disability living allowance unit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has approved the charter standard statement which was published today by the Benefits Agency. We welcome this 468
  statement, which sets out the business of the unit, advice on contacting staff and the minimum standards of service customers of the unit can now expect.

  The publication of the statement underlines and further extends the Benefits Agency's strategy of maintaining and improving standards of service to its customers by establishing targets for the handling and clearance of claims and answering the telephone and correspondence.

  By the end of June 874,000 claims for disability living allowance had been made. More than 848,000 claims have been cleared, resulting in 502,000 awards. Early difficulties following the introduction of disability living allowance have now been redressed and I congratulate the unit's staff on their efforts to overcome these problems.

  A copy of the statement has been placed in the Library.

  Next Steps Agencies
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the annual reports and accounts for each of his next steps agencies will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  I have agreed that the 1992–93 reports and accounts for the four social security agencies operating last year should be published as follows: yesterday those for the Information Technology Services Agency, today those for the Benefits Agency, on 30 July those for the Contributions Agency, and at the end of September those for the Resettlement Agency. Copies of all four reports will be placed in the Library.

  The Child Support Agency began operations in April this year. Its first annual report will be for 1993–94.

  Occupational Pensions
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average sum now paid out annually in occupational pensions for(a) males and (b) females.

  Mr. Hague
  The average amounts of occupational pension paid in 1990–91 are estimated as £4,200 per annum for males and £2,015 for females at January 1991 prices.

  Note Source: 1990 and 1991 Family Expenditure Surveys.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of people who have opted out of the state earnings-related pension scheme into personal pensions and have now allowed those pensions to lapse.

  Mr. Hague
  Personal pensions used for opting out of SERPS do not lapse. Membership continues until cancelled either by the individual concerned or by the trustees or managers of the scheme.

  Income Distribution
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the income distribution of the recipients of(a) contributory benefits, (b) non-contributory benefits, (c) means-tested benefits, (d) child benefit and (e) retirement pension broken down into (i) equivalised income bands before and after housing costs and (ii) quintiles on an equivalised basis.

  Mr. Burt
  [holding answer 15 July 1993]: The information has been placed in the Library.
  469

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Environmental Economic Indicators
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research has been undertaken by his Department into the adoption of environmentally related macroeconomic indicators.

  Mr. Nelson
  Initial research has been carried out by the Central Statistical Office. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 24 February 1993 at column 592.

  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what severance pay Mr. Jacques Attali is to receive following his resignation as president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; what view the Government have expressed on this matter; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nelson
  Following his resignation as President of the EBRD, Mr. Attali has decided to waive the compensation to which his contract would have entitled him.

  Crown Estates Commissioners
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current salary of each full-time and part-time Crown Estates Commissioner.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The first commissioner works part time and has a current salary of £33,595. The second commissioner works full time and his salary, including bonus, is £91,046. The remaining six commissioners all serve part time: two are paid £12,455 a year and four are paid £10,455 a year.

  Data Processing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the numbers of staff by grade who are employed in Customs and Excise in the automatic data processing functional specialism.

  Sir John Cope
  The number of staff by grade who are employed in automatic data processing functional specialism is as follows:

  Number

  Grade 4

  1

  Grade 5

  3

  Grade 6

  5

  Grade 7

  26

  Senior executive officers

  155

  Higher executive officers

  300

  Executive officers

  166

  Administrative officers

  97

  Administrative assistants

  350

  470

WALES

  KONVER Programme
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make representations to the European Community to secure that the Fishguard and Haverfordwest travel-towork areas become eligible for money allocated through the Konver programme.

  Mr. Redwood
  Both Fishguard and Haverfordwest travel-to-work areas are eligible for consideration under the KONVER initiative and will feature as such in the operational programme being prepared by the United Kingdom Government for submission to the EC by 31 August 1993.

  Disability
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to collect annual data on the estimated number of children with disabilities in Wales by region and by nature of disability.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Children Act 1989 requires each local authority to keep a register of disabled children in their areas. There are no plans to collect data centrally on the number of children with disabilities.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement outlining what action will be undertaken by his Department resulting from meetings with the Wales Council for the Disabled to discuss the information award scheme.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  As a result of meetings with the Wales Council for the Disabled and the Welsh Consumer Council during 1992, the published information for users, carers and the general public initiative was set up to run one year. The initiative is nearing its completion and awards will be made on 26 July.

  Diretoria Conference
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which members of his Department attended the Directoria conference in Brussels between 2 to 4 June; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  None. I understand, however, that certain officials from Welsh local authorities attended. Directoria is a meeting for local authority representatives.

  Youth Organisations
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will announce a target date for reaching his Department's efficiency target in respect of the timetable for informing all national voluntary youth organisations of their grant level.

  Mr. Redwood
  The target date for notifying national voluntary youth organisations in Wales of their grant levels for 1994–95 is 31 January 1994.

  Sheep Dip
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the number of recorded cases of organophosphate contamination of humans directly attributable to the handling of sheep dips in Wales in each year since 1985.
  471
  Mr. Redwood
  The Government operate the suspected adverse reaction scheme, under which persons who believe that they may have suffered a reaction to sheep dip are encouraged to report full details to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate. The number of suspected adverse reaction reports made under the scheme in relation to Wales each year between 1985 and 16 July 1993, which is the latest date for which figures are available, are given as follows. The figures relate to the number of reports, not to the number of people involved.

  Number

  1985

  0

  1986

  0

  1987

  0

  1988

  2

  1989

  0

  1990

  0

  1991

  10

  1992

  25

  1993

  12

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what efforts are currently undertaken by his Department to encourage farmers to report any symptoms of illness or depression suffered during or after the use of sheep dips.

  Mr. Redwood
  A number of initiatives have been put in hand by the Government to help ensure that those who use sheep dip report any suspected adverse reaction to it. Among other measures the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has for a number of years operated a widely publicised suspected adverse reaction scheme, under which persons who believe they may have suffered from an adverse reaction to sheep dip are encouraged to report full details.

  A letter was sent in April 1991 by the chief medical officer to all medical practitioners in Great Britain making them aware of the issues involved and alerting them to the need to report details of any suspected adverse reaction to sheep dip. A further letter will be sent to all UK medical practitioners shortly giving further advice on the potential hazards which can arise from misuse of these toxic products.

  This letter will draw attention to new leaflets prepared by the National Office of Animal Health and VMD giving detailed guidance on the protection of operators and the environment, including medical advice to doctors and users, and the need to report suspected adverse reactions to the VMD. The leaflet has been circulated to all sheep farmers in the UK and made widely available from HSE, Agricultural Departments and other outlets within the agricultural industry.

  Mineral Extraction
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to secure that all new planning permissions for mineral extraction are limited to no more than 20 years, and the revision of existing permissions with the imposition of a 20-year time limit.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  A consultation paper issued last year sought views on ways in which old minerals permissions could be updated and on possible mechanisms for ensuring future periodic updating of minerals permissions generally. The paper set out possible options,472
  one of which was that the current 60-year time limit on pre-1982 minerals permissions be reduced. We hope to consult further on detailed proposals later this year. There are no proposals to change the duration of those minerals permissions granted since 22 February 1982 on which guidance is given in minerals planning guidance note 2.

  Children in Care
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the number and percentages of children under the age of 18 years who were looked after by local authorities in March 1991 and March 1992 in Wales under the care of(a) foster placements, (b) community homes, (c) registered voluntary and private homes, (d) under placement with parent registration and (e) in other accommodation.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on the number of children in Wales looked after by local authorities at 31 March 1992 is not yet available. The available information for children in care at 31 March 1991 is given in the following table:

  Accommodation

  Number of children

  Percentage of total

  Foster placements

  1,950

  61·4

  Community homes

  528

  16·6

  Registered voluntary and private homes

  18

  0·6

  Under charge of parent

  434

  13·7

  Other accommodation

  247

  7·8

  Total of all children

  3,177

  100·0

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has on the numbers of children looked after in March 1992 and in care in March 1991 in Wales; and if he will indicate(a) total numbers, (b) those granted care orders, (c) those given section 20 voluntary arrangements, (d) single placements, (e) those given Section 20 under private care arrangements, (f) those on remand or in detention and (g) any other categorisation.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on the number of children in Wales looked after by local authorities at 31 March 1992 is not yet available. The available information for children in care at 31 March 1991 is given in the following table:

  Legal Status

  Number of children in care

  On remand, committed or detained

  26

  Subject to interim care order

  106

  Section 2 Child Care Act 1980 (voluntary care)

  1,246

  Under care orders

  1,799

  Total all children

  3,177

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the number of cases of young people under the age of 17 years running away from residential care homes in Wales, by local authority area.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The available information on children and young people running away from residential care relates to children who have absconded for more than
  473
  one week on the date that the statistics are collected. The latest available information relates to 31 March 1991 and is shown in the following table.

  Aged 16 to 17 years1

  Local Authority

  Boys

  Girls

  Total

  Clwyd

  —

  —

  —

  Dyfed

  —

  —

  —

  Gwent

  1

  —

  1

  Gwynedd

  —

  —

  —

  Mid Glamorgan

  —

  1

  1

  Powys

  —

  —

  —

  South Glamorgan

  4

  2

  6

  West Glamorgan

  —

  —

  —

  Wales

  5

  3

  8

  1 There were no children aged under 16 years who had absconded for more than one week.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the rate per 1,000 population under the age of 18 years who were removed to a place of safety in each local authority area in Wales in 1987, 1989 and 1991.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Number of Children removed to a place of safety

  Rate per 1,000 population aged under 18 years

  1987

  1989

  1991

  1987

  1989

  1991

  Clwyd

  54

  43

  43

  0·6

  0·5

  0·5

  Dyfed

  40

  20

  95

  0·5

  0·3

  1·2

  Gwent

  18

  27

  31

  0·2

  0·3

  0·3

  Gwynedd

  19

  31

  10

  0·3

  0·6

  0·2

  Mid Glamorgan

  61

  35

  36

  0·5

  0·3

  0·3

  Powys

  26

  5

  9

  1·0

  0·2

  0·4

  South Glamorgan

  79

  64

  49

  0·8

  0·7

  0·5

  West Glamorgan

  48

  13

  27

  0·6

  0·2

  0·3

  Wales

  345

  238

  300

  0·5

  0·4

  0·5

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the number of children moved to a place of safety who were(a) aged under five years, (b) aged five to nine years, (c) aged 10 to 15 years and (d) aged 16 years and over at the time the orders were made in Wales in each year since 1989.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The latest available information on the number of children in Wales removed to a place of safety is shown in the following table:

  Age

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Under five years

  115

  144

  160

  Five to 15 years

  111

  160

  132

  16 plus years

  12

  9

  8

  Total all Children

  238

  313

  300

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children in Wales were(a) in care in March

  Additions to the register1

  Numbers on the register

  Category of registration

  1 April 1990 to 31 March 1991

  1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992

  31 March 1991

  31 March 1992

  Neglect

  80

  165

  230

  270

  Physical abuse

  270

  353

  468

  481

  Sexual abuse

  93

  203

  148

  237

  474
  1991 and (b) looked after in March 1992 indicating the numbers aged (i) under five, (ii) five and under 10, (iii) 10 and under 16, (iv) 16 and 17 and (v) over 17 years.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Information on the number of children in Wales looked after by local authorities at 31 March 1991 is not yet available. The available information for children in care at 31 March 1991 is given in the following table:

  Aged

  Number

  Under 5 years

  549

  5–9 years

  691

  10–15 years

  1,303

  16–17 years

  625

  Over 17 years

  9

  Total

  3,177

  Agricultural Wages Board
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is his policy concerning the Agricultural Wages Board;

  (2) if he will make a statement concerning the future of the Agricultural Wages Board.

  Mr. Redwood
  We will consider our policy on the future of the Agricultural Wages Board in the light of responses to the consultation paper that we issued on 1 July.

  UNCED
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to require all his Department's executive agencies to work within the framework of Agenda 21 of the United Nations conference on environment and development.

  Mr. Redwood
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has published a consultation paper on the United Kingdom's national strategy for sustainable development, which is due to be completed by the end of the year. The role that different organisations can play in implementing Agenda 21 will be addressed in this strategy.

  Child Protection Registers
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were(a) the number of registrations and (b) the numbers on child protection registers in Wales in (i) 1991 and (ii) 1992 indicating the numbers in each instance caused through (1) neglect, (2) physical injury, (3) sexual abuse, (4) emotional abuse and (5) grave concern.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is shown in the table.
  475

  Additions to the register1

  Numbers on the register

  Category of registration

  1 April 1990 to 31 March 1991

  1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992

  31 March 1991

  31 March 1992

  Emotional abuse

  30

  68

  93

  102

  Grave concern

  898

  593

  1,467

  962

  Other2

  21

  46

  54

  60

  Total

  1,392

  1,428

  2,460

  2,112

  1 Additions to the register may include rcclassifications of existing
  cases as well as new registrations.

  2 Other categories are combinations of the single categories
  (excluding grave concern).

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the number and percentage of(a) registrations, including combination categories, and (b) off the register numbers, including combination categories, in (i) 1991 and (ii) 1992 of children placed on child protection registers in Wales according to the age categories of (1) unborn, (2) under one year old, (3) one to four, (4) five to nine, (5) 10 to 15 and (6) 16 years and over.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The available information for additions to and removals from child protection registers in Wales is given in the following table. Information is not collected centrally on the ages of children added to or removed from the registers.

  Number

  1 April 1990 to 31 March 1991

  Additions1

  1,392

  Removals

  1,253

  1 April 1991 to 31 March 1992

  Additions1

  1,428

  Removals

  1,755

  1Additions to the register may include reclassifications of existing cases as well as new registrations.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the numbers and percentages of the population aged under 18 years in Wales on child protection registers who were(a) under place of safety orders, (b) in care, (c) not in care but under supervision orders and (d) none of the above categorisations in 1991; and what were the numbers and percentages (i) under emergency protection orders, (ii) looked after by local authorities, (iii) under supervision orders but not granted emergency protection orders nor looked after by local authorities and (iv) in none of these categorisations who were on child protection registers in Wales in 1992.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Council Housing
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the annual maintenance, general management and special management costs per council dwelling in each of the Welsh housing authorities in the latest year for which figures are available; and what the amounts were for Wales as a whole.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to the average rent increases made by each Welsh housing authority since 1987.
  476
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Bullying
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken in Clwyd to reduce bullying in schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Under the Education (No. 2) Act 1986, headteachers are responsible for maintaining high standards of discipline and behaviour in schools and for regulating the conduct of their pupils.

  Asthma
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the extent of links in Wales between opencast mining and the incidence of asthma; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In 1988 the Welsh Office commissioned an independent expert assessment of a report, produced by Drs. Temple, Watkins, Thomas and Rees of Glynneath, which alleged an association between opencast operations and illnesses in the local community. The assessment, by Dr. Peter Elwood, concluded that the data on asthma presented in the Glynneath's doctors' report were flawed and that it was impossible to draw firm conclusions from the report.

  The Government's committee on the medical effects of air pollutants has considered the suggestion that opencast coal mining might have a deleterious effect upon the health of those living nearby. No convincing evidence to support this suggestion has been discovered. A recent study by Dr. Temple was considered by the committee. Although it agreed that the results were compatible with an association between opencast coal mining and asthma consultations, the committee considered that further work would be needed to sustain a causal hypothesis.

  The Government remain interested in the results of good quality research in this field.

  Steroid Abuse
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many deaths in Wales in each year since 1988 are known to have been caused by anabolic steroid abuse; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There were no deaths of Welsh residents in the years 1988 to 1992 where the underlying cause was non-dependent abuse of drugs (other, mixed or unspecified) (ICD 305·9) or poisoning by hormones and synthetic substitutes (androgens and anabolic congeners) (ICD 962·1) and where anabolic steroids were mentioned on the death certificate.
  477

  Welsh Economic Council
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to change the name of the proposed Welsh Economic Council to reflect the priorities set out in Agenda 21 of the United Nations conference on environment and development.

  Mr. Redwood
  No.

  Housing Revenue Accounts
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the Welsh housing authorities transferring money from their housing revenue accounts to the general rate fund in 1993–94, giving the amount in each case.

  Assisted places scheme Expenditure in each local authority area in Wales 1985–86 to 1991–92

  Local authority

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Clwyd

  281,828

  371,706

  476,178

  493,451

  522,212

  568,450

  669,600

  Dyfed

  38,279

  454,400

  55,732

  75,308

  92,650

  140,381

  203,641

  Gwent

  250,402

  323,909

  416,588

  391,774

  451,204

  444,569

  541,027

  Powys

  62,116

  95,473

  131,470

  155,404

  189,033

  244,081

  321,779

  South Glamorgan

  209,858

  274,274

  314,274

  319,099

  334,290

  358,798

  328,763

  Total

  842,483

  1,519,762

  1,394,242

  1,435,036

  1,589,389

  1,756,279

  2,064,810

  Sustainability Research Centre
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Sécretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to establish a Welsh centre for research into sustainability.

  Mr. Redwood
  Research is one of the issues currently being considered in the Government's preparation of the United Kingdom strategy for sustainable development. In the meantime, I have no plans to establish a Welsh centre for research into sustainability.

  Care and Repair Schemes
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what efforts are being undertaken by his Department to secure that care and repair schemes are available within all local authority areas in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Welsh Office is currently considering what funding it should provide for such schemes in the future.

  Data Processing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the numbers of staff by grade that are employed in his Department and agencies in the automatic data processing functional specialism.

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department does not currently assign automatic data processing staff to a functional specialism. Automatic data processing allowances are paid to staff as follows:

  Number

  Senior executive officers

  3

  Higher executive officers

  15

  Executive officers

  24

  Administrative officers

  11

  Administrative assistant

  1

  Total

  54

  478
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  No Welsh housing authorities are budgeting to transfer money from their housing revenue accounts to their general funds in 1993–94.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much has been spent on the assisted places scheme in each local authority area in Wales since 1985–86.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Payments to independent schools for fee remissions under the assisted places scheme are listed in the following table by local authority area:

  A wide range of other staff are involved in automatic data processing to various degrees.

  Interim Development Orders
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to cancel interim development orders with minimal compensation, where such orders conflict with acknowledged interests of environmental importance.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Planning and Compensation Act 1991 enables interim development order permissions to be updated by the imposition of modern environmental conditions which do not attract compensation provided they are consistent with the guidance in minerals planning guidance note 9. We have no plans for further measures to amend compensation provisions.

  Environment Policy
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to make a statement outlining the impact of his departmental expenditure on the environment of Wales to coincide with the annual allocation of his Department's block grant.

  Mr. Redwood
  Information on the environmental aspects of my Department's main expenditure programme is already included in the annual report for the Welsh Office, the latest version of which was published in February 1993.

  Mortality Rates
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish perinatal and infant mortality rates by health authority region in Wales in 1989 and 1991.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given on 21 June at column 46.
  479

  Rent Arrears.
  Mr. Hendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by local authority the rent arrears owed by local authority tenants for the last year for which figures are available and the total rent owing.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information as at 31 March 1993 is as follows:

  Local Authority Current and Former Tenants' Arrears

  £

  Aberconwy BC

  75,301

  Alyn and Deeside DC

  251,363

  Arfon BC

  108,691

  Blaenau Gwent BC

  103,099

  Brecknock BC

  65,207

  Cardiff CC

  951,585

  Carmarthen DC

  168,368

  Ceredigion DC

  133,000

  Colwyn BC

  68,233

  Cynon Valley BC

  100,000

  Delyn BC

  117,825

  Dinefwr BC

  144,000

  Dwyfor DC

  35,419

  Glyndwr DC

  223,415

  Islwyn BC

  117,000

  Llanelli BC

  218,822

  Lliw Valley BC

  144,292

  Meirionnydd DC

  42,000

  Merthyr Tydfil BC

  100,985

  Monmouth BC

  205,675

  Montgomeryshire DC

  104,876

  Neath BC

  224,300

  Newport BC

  686,000

  Ogwr BC

  542,358

  Port Talbot BC

  190,673

  Preseli Pembs DC

  177,000

  Radnorshire DC

  41,500

  Rhondda BC

  260,000

  Rhuddlan BC

  121,100

  Rhymney Valley DC

  495,000

  South Pembs DC

  170,470

  Swansea CC

  1,179,944

  Taff Ely BC

  431,906

  Torfaen BC

  468,157

  Vale of Glam BC

  198,000

  Wrexham Maelor BC

  351,548

  Ynys Mon BC

  160,000

  Total

  9,177,112

  Source: Local authority returns.

  Blind and Partially Sighted People
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is his Department's policy on which information produced by his Department is published in alternative media to standard print such as braille, tape or large print;

  (2) what arrangements his Department makes to ensure that blind and partially sighted people have access to information produced by his Department where it has not been published in alternative media such as braille, large print or tape.

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department's usual policy is to deal individually with requests for information in forms other than standard print. Where however the information is specifically relevant to numbers of blind or partially sighted people, arrangements are made for it to be available through tape library services.
  480

  Housing Subsidy
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the amount of housing subsidy under the Housing Act 1980 that each Welsh housing authority is entitled to in 1993–94; and what is the total for Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Development Board for Rural Wales and district housing authorities are no longer entitled to claim housing subsidy under part VI of the Housing Act 1980. However, district housing authorities may adjust claims made prior to 31 March 1990. No such adjusted claims have been made in this financial year to date.

  Nurses
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many nurse pay regrading appeal buy-outs have occurred in each district health autohority area in Wales in 1991, 1992 and to date in 1993; and what was the total cost of buy-out and the average buy-out amount in each authority area.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  None.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many nurse pay regarding appeals were outstanding within each district health authority in Wales at the latest available date.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The information requested on outstanding appeals is as shown in the following table:

  Health Authority

  Appeals at employing authority level

  Appeals at all-Wales level

  Appeals at national level

  Clwyd

  0

  40

  71

  East Dyfed

  4

  79

  7

  Gwent

  4

  222

  17

  Gwynedd

  0

  113

  32

  Mid Glamorgan

  96

  310

  39

  Pembrokeshire

  0

  50

  0

  Powys

  0

  103

  43

  South Glamorgan

  0

  231

  29

  West Glamorgan

  0

  83

  8

  WALES

  104

  1,231

  246

  Contracting Out
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all those services or functions contracted out in his Department and Agencies, since November 1991, in which the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 were not applied.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Department has not contracted out any services or functions since November 1991 which were previously carried out in-house. The application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 has therefore not been relevant during that period.

  Economically Inactive Persons
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information is held as to the numbers of economically inactive persons in Wales recorded by the 1991 census as(a) housewives, (b) students and (c) long-term sick.
  481
  Mr. Redwood
  The 1991 census recorded the number of economically inactive residents aged 16 and over in Wales. Of these, 91,226 were students, 160,652 were permanently sick and 303,378 were females in the category "other inactive" which includes persons looking after the family/home.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy in respect of replying to correspondence to him from hon. Members representing Welsh constituencies.

  Mr. Redwood
  All right hon. members and leaders of parties in Wales usually receive a reply from me whatever the subject of their inquiries.

  All other members are answered by myself, the Minister of State or the Parliamentary Secretary usually in accordance with ministerial responsibilities for different subjects.

  We also take into account the addressee of the letter and any special interests of the Ministers.

  South Glamorgan Peripheral Distributor Road
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received with regard to the proposed trunking of the south Glamorgan peripheral distributor road; what response he proposes to make to such representations; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  A report submitted by South Glamorgan county council is being considered.

  Housing Association Properties
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in relation to capital grant levels and rent levels in housing association properties and their effect on the incentive to work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  I have received several representations in recent months, notably about housing association grant.

ENVIRONMENT

  Pollution Inspectorate
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many meetings of local liaison committees were attended by representatives of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution during 1990, 1991 and 1992; and what is his chief inspector's current policy on HMIP representation at local liaison committees.

  Mr. Yeo
  The number of meetings of local liaison committees attended by representatives of HMIP was as follows:

  Meetings

  1990

  113

  1991

  134

  1992

  119

  Within overall resource constraints and at the discretion of regional managers, HMIP will normally
  482
  attend: local authority committee meetings where the inspector has identified a positive purpose for attending and will deliver a specific message to the meeting; general meetings where guidance is requested and specific issues are to be discussed, except where there is an application or enforcement procedure pending.

  Farm Diversification
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many farm diversification schemes have been implemented following the issue of his planning policy guidance note No. 7—PPG7; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  It is for farmers themselves to decide if they wish to engage in a diversification project. We have no information on the number of such enterprises, either requiring planning permission or otherwise, but new enterprises that are well planned can benefit both farmers and the communities in which they live. We expect local planning authorities to have regard to PPG7 in the exercise of their planning functions.

  Shared Housing Ownership
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the grant allocation for individual projects under the Housing Corporation's shared ownership for the elderly programme for the current financial year and for each year since 1989 by region and local authority area.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Housing Corporation does not have a separate shared ownership programme for the elderly. However, a proportion of its general shared ownership is designated for the elderly. It also runs a leasehold for the elderly scheme, where elderly people may buy a lease from a housing association, which then acts as managing agent. At the allocation stage the corporation's records do not make it possible to distiguish between these two scheme types. It is not yet possible, therefore, to provide a separate figure for allocations to shared ownership schemes for the elderly for 1993–94.

  I will arrange for two tables to be placed in the Library, one showing the combined total value of allocations for leasehold for the elderly and shared ownership schemes intended for the elderly for 1993–94 broken down by region and local authority area, and the other showing a breakdown between the two schemes for the earlier years requested. It would not be possible to provide the list of allocations to individual projects requested, except at disproportionate cost.

  Environmental Audits
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress made to date by his Department in establishing an environmental audit scheme for the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Technology gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Woodspring (Dr. Fox) on 20 July 1993,Official Report, column 129.
  483

  Methyl Bromide
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to(a) establish a target date for cutting methyl bromide use by 50 per cent. in the United Kingdom and (b) bring forward scheduled date for the phasing out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Government have no plans to cut methyl bromide use in the United Kingdom by 50 per cent. We support the Commission's proposal that consumption of HCFCs within the European Community should end by 2015.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions have been undertaken at Council of Ministers level concerning(a) the phasing out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons and (b) reducing levels of methyl bromide; and what were the positions taken by representatives from Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands in the discussions.

  Mr. Yeo
  Numerous discussions on HCFCs and methyl bromide controls have taken place at the Council of Ministers level over the past year, notably at informal Councils during the renegotiation of the Montreal protocol in Copenhagen. The positions of the three countries mentioned have varied during this time.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has concerning emissions of methyl bromide from chemical plant processes in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Yeo
  This information is not currently available.

  Housing. Association
  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes he proposes to make in the arrangements under which local authorities can support housing associations with housing association grant.

  Sir George Young
  I have no plans at present to make any such changes.

  Architects
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward proposals to ensure that only qualified architects are permitted to use the title.

  Mr. Baldry
  No. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Fatchett) on 30 June 1993,Official Report, column 526, and to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing, Inner Cities and Construction gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) on 2 February 1993, Official Report, columns 89–90.

  Opencast Coal
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of opencast coal planning applications, size and location of sites in Northumberland and Durham submitted in each year since 1990 and those which have received approval.
  484
  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not held centrally. According to statistics published by the County Planning Officers Society's committee No. 3, however, the information is as follows:

  Planning Applications

  Number of applications

  Area (hectares)

  Tonnage (thousands)

  Durham

  1990–91

  21

  642

  3,213

  1991–92

  8

  174

  595

  Northumberland

  1990–91

  14

  253

  1,976

  1991–92

  8

  291

  936

  Applications Approved

  Number

  Area

  Tonnage

  Durham

  1990–91

  12

  334

  960

  1991–92

  5

  92

  327

  Northumberland

  1990–91

  10

  119

  1,602

  1991–92

  7

  197

  706

  Environmental Tribunal
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration has been undertaken by his Department for the establishment of an environmental tribunal in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Yeo
  The recent White Paper on open government announced that we are considering the need for a tribunal to handle appeals under the Environmental Information Regulations. We are not thinking of setting up an environmental tribunal with any wider remit.

  Environmental Assessments
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to support the use of strategic environmental assessments within policies, plans and programmes adopted within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Yeo
  In "This Common Inheritance: The Second Year Report"—Cm 2068—the Government restated their commitment to integrating environmental concerns into decision making at all levels.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the capacity of the proposed Nirex deep repository for radioactive waste would be required to dispose of(a) thermal oxide reprocessing plant operational wastes if British Nuclear Fuels plc is not allowed to satisfy foreign waste return clauses using substitution for equivalent waste, (b) THORP operational wastes if substitution is allowed, (c) THORP decommissioning wastes and (d) wastes arising from stage 3 decommissioning of existing nuclear facilities.

  Mr. Yeo
  The capacity of the proposed Nirex deep disposal facility for low and intermediate-level radioactive waste has yet to be established.
  485

  Ozone Depletion
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action has been taken to ensure that ozone-destroying substances consumed by his Department are identified as controlled wastes when they are no longer in use.

  Mr. Yeo
  My Department has taken action to deal with the proper disposal of the most significant ozone-depleting substances used on our premises. New guidance for procurement and accommodation officers instructs them to ensure that service contractors comply with best practice including professional guidance and relevant British standards.

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

  Mr. Yeo
  The current EC regulations control the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances not their use.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the quantity of ozone-depleting substances recycled within the Department and returned to the manufacturer.

  Mr. Yeo
  Figures for the quantity of ozone-depleting substances recycled within the Department and returned to the manufacturer are not available. It is the Department's policy to recycle or dispose of such substances in an environmentally responsible manner.

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

  Mr. Yeo
  None of my Department's uses of ozone-depleting chemicals will require continued production under the Montreal protocol or European Community essential use procedures.

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

  Mr. Yeo
  Figures for how much the Department is spending to reduce its consumption of ozone-depleting substances are not available. My Department is taking a number of initiatives to eliminate the use of these substances on its premises including: the purchase of fridges free of ozone depleting substances, the replacement of halon fire extinguishers, a ban on the purchase of correction fluids containing 1.1.1-Trichloroethane; and a programme to identify and then replace CFCs and HCFCs in air conditioning plant.

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

  Mr. Yeo
  New guidance for procurement and accommodation officers instructs them to ensure that service contractors comply with best practice including professional guidance and relevant British standards.
  486
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many chlorofluorocarbon domestic fridges are contained within Department buildings.

  Mr. Yeo
  Figures for the number of CFC domestic fridges contained within our many premises are not available. The numbers will decline as we continue our policy of replacing them with ozone-friendly fridges as they come to the end of their useful life.

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

  Mr. Yeo
  No specific targets have been set. New guidance for procurement and accommodation officers instructs them to ensure that service contractors comply with best practice, including professional guidance and relevant British standards.

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

  Mr. Yeo
  None.

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

  Mr. Yeo
  Figures are not kept for the amount of ozone-depleting substances removed from departmental premises. My Department has just appointed consultants to review our environmental management systems and, as part of their brief, they will consider the need for such records.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many CFC and chlorofluorcarbon and hydrochlorofluorocarbon installations are contained within Department buildings.

  Mr. Yeo
  No central records are kept of CFC and HCFC installations contained within departmental buildings, but the Department has just appointed consultants to review our environmental management systems and the development of procedures for keeping such records is part of their brief.

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

  Mr. Yeo
  My Department has sought and received advice on substitutes for ozone-depleting chemicals from a variety of sources.

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

  Mr. Yeo
  My Department's policy is to buy fridges which do not contain ozone-depleting substances in either the refrigerant or the insulation.
  487
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many portable halon fire extinguishers are contained within departmental buildings; and what measures are being taken to ensure their recycling and replacement.

  Mr. Yeo
  No such extinguishers are contained within the buildings for which my Department has lead responsibility.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the latest available figures are for the Department's total purchase of chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons.

  Mr. Yeo
  Figures on the total amount of CFCs and HCFCs purchased by the Department are not available. It is the Department's policy to eliminate the use of ozone-depleting substances on its premises.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what quantity of HCFC 22 is purchased by the Department per annum.

  Mr. Yeo
  Figures on the amount of HCFC 22 purchased annually are not available. It is my Department's policy to eliminate the use of ozone-depleting chemicals on its premises.

  Temporary Accommodation
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many households were in temporary accommodation for each year since 1978(a) in total and (b) in the north-west region.

  Sir George Young
  Information is reported quarterly to the Department—half-yearly before 1984—on homeless households for whom local authorities have accepted responsibility to secure permanent accommodation, under the homelessness provisions of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 and part III of the Housing Act 1985.

  The available estimates of the number of such households in temporary accommodation in England and in the north west at 31 December, including some on whom inquiries had not yet been completed, are as follows:

  England

  North west

  1978

  13,700

  2—

  1979

  1

  2—

  1980

  1

  2—

  1981

  1

  2—

  1982

  9,340

  2—

  1983

  9,840

  2—

  1984

  12,300

  540

  1985

  15,920

  790

  1986

  20,790

  900

  1987

  24,760

  1,750

  1988

  30,100

  1,840

  1989

  37,900

  1,650

  1990

  45,270

  1,920

  1991

  59,930

  2,210

  1992

  62,740

  2,200

  1 Includes only those households in bed and breakfast accommodation and in hostels and women's refuges. Prior to 1982 information on homeless households in other forms of temporary accommodation was not collected by the Department.

  2 Not available.

  488

  Housing Finance Survey
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the 1993 Association of District Councils/Association of Metropolitan Authorities housing finance survey; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  The joint Association of District Councils and Association of Metropolitan Authorities housing finance survey provides a useful contribution to the information which the Department gathers during the course of the financial year, and I was pleased to have a discussion with the associations about the 1993–94 survey at the meeting of the Housing Consultative Council on 7 July. My Department will, as usual, form a view of the emerging picture on local authority housing finance, and all of this information will be taken carefully into account in the decisions we take, including in the context of the public expenditure survey, which will conclude towards the end of the year.

  Local Government
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total gross expenditure on local government in 1991–92 prices for each year since 1970–71.

  Mr. Baldry
  The available information is:

  Total gross expenditure (England) at 1991–92 prices (£ million)

  1980–81

  56,570

  1981–82

  55,081

  1982–83

  56,262

  1983–84

  58,062

  1984–85

  58,215

  1985–86

  57,718

  1986–87

  58,359

  1987–88

  59,904

  1988–89

  60,722

  1989–90

  64,528

  11990–91

  63,422

  1,21991–92

  63645

  1992–93

  n.a

  1993–94

  n.a

  1Figures for 1990–91 and 1991–92 are not directly comparable with those in respect of earlier years due to system changes.

  2Provisional.

  Housing Welfare Services
  Dr. Liam Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what decision he has reached on the outcome of the consultation exercise on housing welfare services, which was conducted earlier in the current year by his Department and the Welsh Office.

  Sir George Young
  When the provision of welfare services to elderly people in local authority sheltered housing was put in doubt following the judgment of the Court of Appeal in the Ealing case, the Government acted immediately to provide protection. New powers were taken in the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, and my Department and the Welsh Office issued a consultation paper about the
  489
  long-term arrangements for local authority housing welfare services. We have now decided how to proceed, taking careful account of the information and views expressed by local authorities and others.

  First, we have decided to leave in place indefinitely the powers for local authorities to provide housing welfare services to their tenants. This will give housing authorities the long-term certainty that they need, and will be widely welcomed.

  Second, we have decided that some of the welfare services which may be provided by wardens in sheltered accommodation, and which are concerned with the provision of essential care, should no longer be charged to the housing revenue account. These services are those of the kind which involve helping tenants into and out of bed; toileting, dressing, feeding and bathing; administering medication; and nursing care. Instead, these services should be funded from the general funds of local authorities, and the appropriate public resource transfer will be considered. The exclusion of these services from the housing revenue account, will be subject to the making of an order, on which consultation will be conducted in the normal way. It will not affect authorities powers to provide these services.

  Remaining housing welfare services provided by wardens should be able to be charged to the housing revenue account, but local authorities will need to consider this carefully in each individual case.

  We are satisfied that these decisions and proposals will produce no disruption to the services provided to elderly people in sheltered housing schemes, consistent with the commitment that the Government's have given. There should be no implications for tenants' existing entitlements to housing benefit.

  During the consultation on wardens' welfare services in sheltered housing schemes, a broader range of issues has been drawn out, which concern the role of all social housing managers. These issues again fall into two groups. First, those which concern the powers given to housing management; and second, the source of the funds to pay for management activities.

  Housing managers do need the ability to use broad powers. The primary role of professional council housing management is to ensure that housing is properly utilised, is kept in good repair and that rents are collected. But in cases of special needs, and in the most difficult and challenging housing estates, the responsibility of managers covers a wide range of functions, alongside the efficient and effective delivery of the normal estate management duties. The Government have worked with local authorities, through a range of policies and programmes, to encourage and support a better life for tenants on estates. Additional services are required by these programmes. In some instances, managers may need to provide these services themselves. Often, they can better act as co-ordinators and facilitators of services provided by other agencies.

  It does not follow that all the costs of these additional services should be paid for from rents or from the subsidy provided by central government to housing revenue accounts. Rents are paid by tenants essentially towards housing costs, and the housing revenue account is primarily an account for the costs of meeting landlord functions. Local authorities therefore need to consider carefully, within the requirements of schedule 4 to the
  490
  Local Government and Housing Act 1989, which costs should be charged to their housing revenue accounts, and which should be funded from elsewhere.

  There has been much debate on these issues during consultation on the proposals for welfare services. It may be that some further discussion of the wider role of social housing managers would be helpful to provide a greater degree of understanding and clarity. The Government want to ensure that their policies of working with local housing authorities to assist tenants and for better housing estates remain strong. My Department and the Welsh Office will shortly consult local authority associations about how best to approach this, including whether it would be helpful to issue a departmental circular.

  Direct Labour
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take against those local authorities whose direct labour or services organisations made significant financial losses in 1991–92.

  Mr. Baldry
  So far this year, 60 statutory notices under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 and the Local Government Act 1988 hayed been served on 38 different local authorities in respect of financial failure in 1991–92. My right hon. Friend has now considered the responses of nine of the authorities on whom notices were served on 25 January and 7 April. He has today given directions under section 19B of the 1980 Act to the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham—building maintenance and highways and sewerage—and under section 14 of the 1988 Act to the London borough of Waltham Forest—ground maintenance.

  The effect of these directions is to require the authorities to seek the Secretary of State's consent if they wish to award the work, or elements of the work to their in-house labour force following retendering which is currently under-way.

  He has decided to take no further action in respect of financial failure in 1991–92 by:

  (a) Canterbury (building maintenance, highways and sewerage, sport and leisure management), Daventry (highways and sewerage), Hampshire (highways and sewerage), Liverpool (highways and sewerage), Southwark (ground maintenance, highways and sewerage, refuse collection, vehicle maintenance) and Stoke-on-Trent (building maintenance, highways and sewerage other cleaning, refuse collection), because they met financial objectives in 1992–93,

  (b) Canterbury (school and welfare catering) Sandwell (building maintenance) and Stoke0on-Trent (works of new construction over £50,000) because, despite recording losses in 1992–93, they have provided strong evidence that financial objectives will be net in 1993–94.

  (c) Canterbury (other catering) because the work has been contracted out.

  Canterbury, Southwark, Stoke-on-Trent and Sandwell hayed been asked to provide quarterly financial returns to the Department.

  He is still considering responses from the London borough of Camden—building maintenance—and from Hereford and Worcester county council—building maintenance—to notices served on them on 25 March and 7 April respectively and responses from the remaining 27 authorities on which notices were served during May and June.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has now considered the responses made
  491
  by the London borough of Lambeth to the five notices served on it, on 24 March, under section 19A of the Local Government, Planning and. Land Act 1980 and section 13 of the Local Government Act 1988; and what action he proposes to take.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend has considered carefully the responses he has received from the London borough of Lambeth to the statutory notices served on the council on 24 March, and has given today four directions to the authority, under section 19B of the Local Government Planning and Land Act 1980 and section 14 of the Local Government Act 1988.

  These measures effectively prevent the direct labour organisation from carrying out further work on highway maintenance, including street lighting, after 1 April 1994, except for emergency work, snow clearance, and gritting roads; prevent the DLO from carrying out work on the repair and maintenance of non-educational public buildings; restrict the amount of housing maintenance work which can be carried out by the DLO to two out of the three existing contracts and provide that the Secretary of State's consent is required before the DLO can carry out further work after 1 April 1994. In addition, the directions require the authority to submit all outstanding accounts to the Department by 31 December 1993 or be prevented from carrying out the relevant work after 31 July 1994.

  Water Act 1989
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the operation, by water companies, of the code of practice on conservation, access and recreation, approved under the provisions of the Water Act 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  The standing committee set up by the Government on the code of practice—comprising representatives from conservation, heritage and recreation bodies, the water industry, the National Rivers Authority and Government Departments—has recently reported on the operation of the code. The report, which has been placed in the Library of the House, confirms that the water industry is carrying forward the environmental policies of its predecessors and in doing so is reflecting the guidance provided in the code on meeting statutory environmental duties.

  At the time of privatisation, it was widely feared that there would be a deterioration in the conservation activities of the water industry and in its provision for public access and recreation. The report shows that this has not occurred. On the contrary, the indications are that access is being extended and facilities improved.

  The report also highlights the overall high standard of annual reports published by the water companies, since privatisation, on their work in relation to conservation, access and recreation.

  Conservation
  Dr. Spink
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the implementation in the land use planning system of the new EC directive on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora; and when the Government will publish the planning policy guidance note on nature conservation.
  492
  Mr. Curry
  The Government expect to lay draft regulations to implement the planning aspects of the EC habitats directive in Great Britain in the autumn. They will provide for the formal designation of special areas of conservation—SACs—pursuant to the habitats directive and of special protective areas—SPAs—pursuant to the birds directive. There are currently 72 designated SPAs.

  We are continuing to work on the details of the implementation of the directive, but our current proposals are to require decisions taken under the planning and related legislation to accord with the relevant requirements of the directive. The draft regulations will, it is proposed, include a requirement to take appropriate steps under that legislation to help meet the obligation under the directive to avoid significant deterioration of natural habitats and the habitats of species in designated SPAs and SACs. Where a proposed development is likely to have a significant effect on an SAC or SPA, and is not directly connected with or necessary to site management, the local planning authority or other decision taker will be required to assess the proposal for its implications on the conservation objectives for which the area was designated.

  The regulations will provide that development may proceed if the assessment shows that it will not adversely affect the integrity of the site. If the assessment indicates that a negative effect on the nature conservation interest will result, the development may only be allowed if there are no alternative solution and if there are imperative reasons of overriding public interest, including those of social or economic nature. There are stricter considerations for sites. which host priority natural habitats or species, which are considered to be in danger of extinction.

  The Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office will publish the planning policy guidance note on nature conservation after Parliament has considered the draft Regulations and before they come into force. The PPG will provide guidance on how the Government's policies on the conservation of our natural heritage should be reflected in land use planning. It will also set out the main obligations under both domestic and international law, which local planning authorities need to know in drawing up development plans and in taking planning decisions.

  The Scottish Office will publish an explanatory circular at about the same time, and intends to issue in draft in the autumn more comprehensive guidance for local authorities and others on the natural heritage in Scotland.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the total local authority grant distribution is influenced by the number of single-parent families living within an authority's area.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 20 July 1993]: The distribution of revenue support grant to local authorities depends on the difference between each authority's standard spending assessment and its income from business rates and the council tax. It is not possible to say how much of the grant distribution is attributable to any one of these influences.

  The proportion of children living in single-parent families forms one component of the additional needs, children at risk and children's social index indicators used to calculate the SSA elements for education and personal social services. The proportion of persons living in single

  493
  adult households with children under age 16 is also one component of the all-ages social index used to calculate the SSA elements for all other services and for personal social serevices for people aged 18 to 64 years.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the total grant distribution for local authorities is determined by the percentage of households(a) without access to an inside lavatory and (b) sharing accommodation.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 20 July 1993]: The distribution of revenue support grant to local authorities depends on the difference between each authority's standard spending assessment and its income from business rates and the council tax. it is not possible to say how much of the grant distribution is influenced by any one of these elements.

  The proportions of persons in households without exclusive use of a bath or inside lavatory and in shared accommodation are two of the five components of the all ages social index used to calculate the SSA elements for all other services—for shire districts only—and for personal social services for people aged between 18 and 64 years. The proportion of persons in shared accommodation also is one component of the children's social index used to calculate the SSA element for children's social services.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the validity of the 1991 census data on(a) the percentage of households sharing accommodation and (b) the number of households with an outside lavatory as measures of housing need as part of the standard spending assessment system.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 20 July 1993]: The proportions of persons in households in shared accommodation and without exclusive use of a bath or inside lavatory are two of the five components of the all ages social index used to calculate the SSA elements for all other social services—for Shire district services—and for personal social services for people aged between 18 and 24 years. The appropriateness of the index and its components are being considered in consultation with the local authority associations, as part of the SSA review which is underway at present.

  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made as to the extent to which declining school populations put additional cost per pupil burden on local authorities; and if he will consider recognising such costs as part of the review of SSAs currently being undertaken.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 22 July 1993]: None. No evidence has yet been presented as part of the current review of standard spending assessments on the extent to which declining school populations create unavoidable additional costs per pupil in providing a common level of service.

  Local Authority Capital Receipts
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will update the forecast of local authorities' extra capital expenditure arising from the temporary relaxation in the capital receipt rules; and when he expects to consult the local authority associations about the effect to date of the relaxation.
  494
  Mr. Baldry
  Local authorities' estimates of the capital receipts they expect to receive during the period of the temporary relaxation in the rules will be published in due course once authorities' returns have been received and processed. It is for local authorities to decide the spending of their usable capital receipts. We will consider any representations on this subject made by the local authority associations at the meeting of the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance on 22 July.

  EC Habitats Directive
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those coastal and offshore sites which his Department is considering for inclusion on a list of special areas of conservation under the EC habitats directive; and if he will place in the Library a map identifying them.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Joint Nature Conservation Committee is co-ordinating work of the statutory nature conservation agencies in identifying candidates for the United Kingdom national list of sites under the habitats directive. It is not yet in a position to make recommendations.

  Parking Penalties
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines are issued to London local authorities regarding consistency in penalties for parking on single yellow lines and residents' parking meters by(a) private and (b) public traffic wardens; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  I have been asked to reply.

  My Department issued guidance to London local authorities in August 1992—"Traffic Management and Parking Guidance", local authority circular 5/92, paragraph 12.5. This says that penalties under the new local authority parking enforcement system should broadly correspond with the levels of fixed penalties for the non-endorsable parking offences enforced by the police and the traffic warden service.

SCOTLAND

  Road Accidents
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what he intends to do to reduce road accident casualties among(a) children under five years of age, (b) children of five to 16 years of age, (c) pensioners and (d) pedestrians in (i) rural areas and (ii) urban areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government have set a target of reducing road accident casualties by one third by the year 2000. I am very glad to say that substantial progress has been made in reducing fatal and serious casualties. In 1992, these had been reduced by 37 per cent. from the baseline (the average casualty numbers between 1981 and 1985). Progress has been slower with total casualties. These are down 11 per cent. from the baseline. Much therefore remains to be done to meet the challenging one-third target.

  The casualty reduction target can only be tackled by multi-disciplinary and multi-agency effort. Central

  495
  Government work closely with local government, with the police and with the specialised road safety organisations in the fields of engineering enforcement and education.

  Analyses have already identified the vulnerable road users in Scotland, and actions are in hand to improve safety amongst them. The Scottish Office Education Department and the Scottish Road Safety Campaign have taken initiatives to improve the road safety training and education of school age children, particularly as pedestrians but also as pedal cyclists. Hard hitting television advertising is being broadcast to target the most vulnerable school age pedestrians, namely boys between 8 and 14-years-old. For the pre-school age group, the Scottish Road Safety Campaign has produced a videofilm of simple safety rules for showing in playgroups and nurseries. The video is complemented by a leaflet for parents. The Scottish Office is taking independent advice from consultants on the options for creating a Children's Traffic Club for three to five-year-olds in Scotland. For the elderly, road safety messages are being placed on public transport and on posters for issue through local road safety officers and social work departments. Later in the year, elderly people will be provided with reflective shopping bags to carry as a conspicuity aid.

  Most pedestrian casualties happen on local roads and local authorities are being encouraged to draw up safety plans and to undertake local safety schemes to tackle these problems. The Scottish Office supports these efforts by helping to underpin local accident, investigation and prevention units, and by the adoption of policies—particularly relating to vehicle speed—designed to promote traffic calming. The Scottish Office has issued revised criteria for setting speed limits on local roads, and is taking part in an examination of ways to reduce vehicle speeds through villages. Guidance has been issued on the

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Total reports submitted

  No prosecutions

  Cases proceeding to court

  Total reports submitted

  No prosecutions

  Cases proceeding to court

  Total reports submitted

  No prosecutions

  Cases proceeding to court

  Total reports submitted

  No prosecutions

  Cases proceeding to court

  Total reports submitted

  No prosecutions

  Cases proceeding to court

  Aberdeen

  14,203

  1,536

  8,033

  14,411

  820

  8,468

  15,334

  1,079

  8,723

  17,460

  996

  10,121

  16,689

  1,135

  9,978

  Airdrie

  9,544

  640

  5,823

  9,295

  768

  5,345

  9,771

  715

  5,531

  9,909

  762

  6,118

  9,383

  816

  5,451

  Alloa

  2,924

  343

  1,784

  3,226

  306

  1,826

  3,526

  400

  2,004

  3,702

  443

  1,835

  3,856

  332

  2,002

  Abroath

  2,537

  229

  1,613

  2,644

  152

  1,732

  3,232

  170

  1,868

  3,249

  196

  1,708

  3,828

  263

  1,722

  Ayr

  10,274

  1,344

  5,285

  11,953

  1,175

  4,646

  11,734

  950

  5,171

  11,936

  1,002

  5,153

  11,270

  819

  5,439

  Banff

  1,198

  93

  757

  1,140

  59

  681

  1,385

  59

  743

  1,786

  119

  931

  1,600

  90

  872

  Campbeltown

  776

  67

  610

  803

  78

  653

  750

  94

  559

  954

  93

  696

  831

  64

  591

  Cupar

  2,994

  265

  1,818

  3,288

  274

  1,529

  3,021

  221

  1,540

  2,793

  228

  1,328

  3,219

  265

  1,543

  Dingwall

  1,885

  270

  1,140

  1,969

  179

  1,519

  2,048

  201

  1,557

  1,992

  126

  1,547

  1,951

  147

  1,476

  Dornoch

  598

  48

  446

  660

  44

  437

  598

  57

  462

  603

  57

  457

  601

  56

  432

  Dumbarton

  8,691

  809

  5,347

  9,137

  602

  5,563

  9,813

  654

  5,385

  10,363

  842

  5,784

  9,379

  1,152

  4,998

  Dumfries

  8,270

  273

  6,770

  7,073

  288

  5,653

  8,330

  259

  6,089

  9,016

  334

  6,615

  9,873

  376

  5,778

  Dundee

  13,600

  1,082

  9,257

  13,812

  2,261

  8,654

  15,688

  2,664

  8,226

  14,885

  1,941

  9,442

  14,059

  1,361

  8,233

  Dunfermline

  8,939

  1,325

  4,076

  8,395

  615

  4,493

  8,115

  771

  4,018

  8,527

  1,008

  4,458

  8,843

  780

  5,074

  Dunoon

  1,337

  196

  978

  1,463

  185

  996

  1,548

  173

  972

  1,528

  122

  894

  1,494

  120

  982

  Duns

  1,720

  188

  630

  1,388

  93

  430

  1,897

  130

  772

  2,001

  140

  626

  2,181

  133

  607

  Edinburgh

  37,651

  4,933

  21,748

  41,411

  4,029

  23,426

  39,355

  4,321

  23,375

  36,113

  3,233

  21,229

  36,747

  2,914

  21,782

  Elgin

  4,485

  688

  2,092

  4,956

  530

  2,494

  5,179

  617

  2,094

  5,431

  478

  2,563

  4,704

  445

  2,242

  Falkirk

  9,801

  1,976

  4,761

  11,329

  1,606

  4,852

  10,578

  1,576

  4,235

  11,412

  1,683

  4,889

  11,470

  1,600

  5,025

  Forfar

  3,459

  37

  1,950

  3,403

  125

  1,803

  3,734

  99

  2,027

  4,112

  47

  1,796

  3,882

  54

  1,758

  Fort William

  1,732

  122

  1,184

  1,804

  118

  1,170

  1,635

  95

  1,117

  1,691

  112

  1,281

  1,809

  87

  1,184

  Glasgow

  74,001

  18,514

  37,741

  82,948

  19,066

  42,599

  84,162

  14,377

  42,181

  85,936

  10,298

  44,265

  86,156

  10,411

  44,385

  Greenock

  6,268

  762

  3,838

  7,573

  406

  3,729

  7,461

  535

  3,388

  7,403

  441

  3,514

  7,516

  493

  3,305

  Haddington

  4,380

  606

  2,211

  4,785

  466

  2,534

  4,131

  571

  1,830

  3,769

  434

  2,190

  4,491

  396

  2,500

  Hamilton

  26,097

  4,271

  13,261

  28,404

  2,486

  16,095

  28,539

  2,264

  17,009

  27,301

  2,310

  16,297

  26,136

  2,427

  15,947

  Inverness

  7,234

  655

  4,486

  6,593

  625

  4,126

  7,558

  582

  4,912

  8,429

  547

  5,512

  8,606

  672

  5,156

  Jedburgh

  1,772

  238

  945

  1,872

  138

  1,050

  1,981

  209

  837

  2,358

  219

  1,002

  2,436

  230

  849

  Kilmarnock

  12,750

  1,530

  6,911

  14,099

  1,164

  8,303

  13,708

  1,025

  7,522

  13,453

  956

  7,942

  12,921

  1,290

  6,930

  Kirkcaldy

  10,053

  1,217

  5,517

  9,443

  517

  5,814

  8,760

  456

  5,890

  9,117

  545

  5,958

  9,536

  780

  5,278

  Kirkcudbright

  1,377

  33

  985

  1,411

  35

  1,152

  1,663

  65

  1,145

  1,876

  61

  1,338

  2,018

  54

  1,158

  Kirkwall

  681

  78

  584

  664

  56

  591

  662

  60

  512

  676

  86

  450

  757

  96

  492

  Lanark

  4,980

  574

  1,975

  5,254

  1,194

  2,667

  4,973

  495

  2,944

  6,784

  402

  4,279

  6,717

  523

  3,999

  Lerwick

  913

  129

  564

  1,007

  137

  516

  1,178

  115

  577

  996

  160

  436

  883

  107

  418

  Linlithgow

  8,631

  575

  5,594

  9,928

  457

  6,243

  10,053

  337

  6,212

  9,255

  347

  6,225

  9,017

  395

  5,971

  Lochmaddy

  312

  8

  262

  244

  13

  191

  236

  19

  162

  241

  10

  188

  270

  18

  215

  Oban

  1,299

  123

  932

  1,174

  74

  896

  1,208

  84

  846

  1,189

  75

  879

  1,177

  109

  852

  496
  creation of 20 mph speed limit zones, on variable speed limits, and on the introduction of automatic cameras to detect speed and red light offenders. Traffic calming regulations are being prepared to clarify the types of speed reducing engineering measures which are acceptable. It is expected that traffic calming will have much to contribute towards casualty reduction in urban and rural situations.

  Bed-and-Breakfast Accommodation
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will conduct an investigation into bed-and-breakfast establishments to assess their suitability as emergency and as long-term accommodation for the homeless in respect of cleanliness and available facilities.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is for local housing authorities to ensure that bed-and-breakfast establishments which provide short-term accommodation for homeless people are suitable for that purpose; £7·5 million extra capital allocations were made available to authorities in December 1992 targeted on projects reducing the use of bed-and-breakfast accommodation and assisting single-parent families.

  Police Reports
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each procurator fiscal area for each of the last five years(a) the total number of reports submitted by the police, (b) the total number marked "no further proceedings", (c) the total number proceeded with and (d) the total number resulting in conviction; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is as follows:
  497

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Tool reports submitted

  No prosecutions

  Cases proceedting to court

  Total reports submitted

  No prosecutions

  Cases proceeding to court

  Total reports submitted

  No prosecutions

  Cases proceeding to court

  Total reports submitted

  No prosecutions

  Cases proceeding to court

  Tool reports submitted

  No prosecutions

  Cases proceeding to court

  Paisley

  11,922

  2,654

  7,059

  12,935

  921

  6,854

  11,337

  960

  6,461

  12,502

  1,115

  6,481

  15,136

  1,105

  7,087

  Peebles

  834

  47

  465

  1,126

  61

  672

  1,080

  50

  652

  1,137

  51

  602

  1,488

  42

  748

  Perth

  9,355

  1,641

  4,590

  8,908

  1,211

  4,863

  11,611

  1,494

  5,921

  10,887

  1,376

  5,015

  10,210

  1,476

  4,113

  Peterhead

  2,476

  647

  1,118

  2,731

  273

  1,583

  3,054

  300

  1,505

  3,196

  362

  1,547

  3,282

  338

  1,480

  Portree

  690

  56

  471

  586

  35

  397

  617

  38

  377

  848

  44

  467

  539

  38

  353

  Rothesay

  362

  39

  282

  373

  58

  242

  316

  34

  188

  363

  39

  268

  331

  27

  205

  Selkirk

  2,273

  268

  1,044

  2,280

  228

  929

  2,482

  197

  1,014

  2,404

  207

  968

  2,119

  130

  1,008

  Stirling

  6,750

  466

  4,047

  7,623

  422

  4,145

  7,252

  506

  4,170

  7,684

  461

  4,426

  7,245

  624

  4,114

  Stonehaven

  2,683

  199

  1,427

  3,119

  202

  1,514

  3,710

  239

  1,672

  4,864

  250

  2,052

  3,426

  183

  1,630

  Stornoway

  927

  36

  702

  1,027

  20

  695

  1,118

  13

  751

  1,165

  21

  846

  843

  97

  527

  Stranraer

  2,136

  194

  1,534

  2,336

  243

  1,437

  2,241

  159

  1,618

  3,510

  250

  2,360

  3,322

  204

  2,193

  Tain

  1,487

  250

  923

  1,464

  163

  1,036

  1,598

  148

  1,110

  1,610

  170

  1,115

  1,616

  132

  1,197

  Wick

  1,312

  223

  945

  1,218

  114

  872

  1,532

  176

  981

  1,315

  127

  932

  1,430

  181

  885

  Total

  350,573

  52,497

  196,515

  374,685

  45,092

  208,115

  381,492

  40,813

  208,855

  389,731

  35,326

  217,025

  387,293

  35,587

  210,164

  Outcome of court oroceedines bv reeion1

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Persons called to court

  Persons charge proved

  Persons called to court

  Persons charge proved

  Persons called to court

  Persons charge proved

  Persons called to court

  Persons charge proved

  Grampian region

  14,348

  13,250

  14,407

  13,387

  15,254

  14,010

  16,174

  14,912

  Tayside region

  18,717

  16,724

  17,600

  15,855

  17,773

  15,826

  17,026

  14,848

  Fife region

  13,272

  12,304

  12,446

  11,369

  12,289

  11,214

  11,861

  10,561

  Central region

  11,153

  9,854

  11,032

  9,771

  10,500

  9,432

  11,097

  9,910

  Strathclyde region

  88,955

  80,696

  85,820

  75,963

  89,281

  78,222

  83,729

  73,911

  Dumfries and Galloway region

  9,800

  9,008

  9,134

  8,374

  8,458

  7,830

  8,919

  8,377

  Lothian region

  26,415

  23,003

  28,798

  25,791

  28,728

  25,319

  25,902

  23,638

  Borders region

  3,023

  2,879

  2,889

  2,762

  3,020

  2,881

  2,988

  2,878

  Highland region

  8,074

  7,587

  8,301

  7,693

  9,352

  8,708

  9,925

  9,191

  Orkney

  588

  560

  589

  554

  562

  503

  349

  324

  Shetland

  468

  459

  505

  493

  562

  532

  461

  440

  Western Isles

  756

  731

  663

  611

  750

  709

  816

  758

  Region unknown

  3

  3

  4

  4

  2

  2

  —

  —

  High Court

  1,024

  801

  965

  746

  999

  757

  996

  743

  Total

  196,596

  177,859

  193,153

  173,373

  197,530

  175,945

  190,243

  170,491

  1 Excludes court type unknown.

  Nursing Homes
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the rate of staff turnover in(a) NHS geriatric units, (b) local authority nursing homes, (c) voluntary body nursing homes and (d) private sector nursing homes.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is not centrally available.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the qualifications of, and ratio of qualified staff to residents(a) in NHS geriatric units and (b) in nursing homes run by (i) local authorities, (ii) voluntary bodies and (iii) private owners.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is not held centrally. Data are available, however, for medical and nursing staff in the NHS and nursing staff in nursing homes registered under the Nursing Homes Registration (Scotland) Act 1938. This information is given in the tables:
  498

  Table 1

  NHS staff in the specialty of Care of the Elderly as at 30 September 1992

  Whole-time equivalent

  Doctors

  280

  Nursing staff

  9,276

  Qualified

  4,729

  Unqualified

  4,548

  Note: Data refer to doctors working in the specialty of geriatric medicine and nursing staff in the specialty of care of the elderly. No information is available on staff working in other specialties who treat elderly patients.

  Table 2

  Nursing staff in nursing homes registered under the Nursing Homes Registration (Scotland) Act 1938 at 31 March 1992

  Whole time equivalent

  Nursing staff

  10,020

  Qualified

  3,911

  Unqualified

  6,109

  Note: Excludes independent sector establishments (mainly private hospitals) registered under the Act—8 in 1992; other "non nursing home" establishments may be included.
  499

  Table 3

  Whole lime equivalent qualified medical and nursing staff employed, average occupied bed days and the ratio staff beds in the NHS at 30 September 1992:

  Medical staff

  Nursing staff1

  A verage occupied Bed days2

  Medical staff: Beds

  Nursing staff: Beds

  280

  4,729

  9,737

  0·03

  0·49

  Note:

  1 Qualified nursing staff working in the specialty of care of the elderly.

  2 The average daily number of geriatric assessment and geriatric long stay beds occupied in all NHS hospitals in Scotland; quarter ending 31 March 1992. Borrowed and temporary beds are included.

  Table 4

  Whole-time equivalent qualified nursing staff employed, places (beds) available and the ratio qualified staff: beds of establishments registered under the Nursing Homes Registration (Scotland) Act 1938 at 31 March 1992

  Number

  Nursing Staff

  3,911·0

  Beds2

  14,161

  Staff: Beds

  0·28

  1 Excludes independent acute sector establishments (mainly private hospitals) registered under the Act (8 in 1992); other "non nursing home" establishments may be included.

  2 Information on occupancy is not currently centrally available; the number of beds is the nearest indicator as occupancy levels will generally exceed 90 per cent.

  Psychotic Patients
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what information he has on psychotic patients who have been discharged from hospital and found no bed available when they tried to return;

  (2) how many psychotic patients seeking re-admission in each health board area have been sent to a bed-and-breakfast hotel because no hospital bed was available.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is not cent rally available. No individual would be refused admission to a hospital bed where it is considered clinically necessary.

  Mental Health Officer
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary fo State for Scotland if he will give the reasons for the withdrawal of the designation mental health officer.

  Mr. Stewart
  There are no plans to withdraw the designation mental health officer.

  Coastal Zone Management Scheme
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies his Department is carrying out into a coastal zone management scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Scottish Office earlier this year commissioned a review of issues affecting the Scottish coast as a first step in considering how best to take forward in Scotland the Government's response to the House of Commons Select Committee on the Environment's report on coastal zone protection and planning. It is expected that the review will be completed this autumn.
  500

  Care Assistants
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will issue a circular outlining the division of responsibilities between care assistants and nursing staff.

  Mr. Stewart
  There is no need to issue a circular on the division of responsibility between nurses and care assistants. The duties and responsibilities of the two groups and the training they receive are quite distinct. Skill mix arrangements are best determined locally.

  Smoking
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prosecutions have been carried out in Scotland in each of the last five years in respect of the sale of cigarettes to minors; how many of these resulted in convictions; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not separately identifiable within the Scottish Office Home and Health Department's classification of crimes and offences.

  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action has been taken towards achieving the targets for reducing smoking prevalence among(a) adults and (b) children as outlined in the 1992 White Paper, "Scotland's Health—A Challenge To Us All"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  Action to reduce smoking prevalence at United Kingdom level has included increases in tobacco duty; the tightening of the voluntary agreement with the tobacco industry on tobacco advertising; the requirement for stronger and more prominent labelling of tobacco products; and the implementation of the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991, strengthening the law against the sale of cigarettes to children.

  Additionally, within Scotland, action has been initiated on the range of measures identified in "Scotland's Health—A Challenge To Us All". In particular, the Health Education Board for Scotland launched a major new mass media initiative in the autumn of 1992. The campaign features a national freephone service providing smoking cessation advice and literature; and between October 1992 and 15 July 1993, over 170,000 calls had been received. The board is also developing a smoking strategy in consultation with relevant organisations. Within the NHS in Scotland, the target of achieving virtual smoke-free status by the end of May 1993 has been achieved.

  Smoking has been a major focus in the discussions the Chief Medical Officer has had with COSLA, the STUC, Scottish Homes and the Scottish Sports Council about the contribution those bodies can make to health promotion. I have also met employers' representatives in Scotland to discuss their role in promoting health in the workplace, including the importance of having in place clear policies on smoking.

  Recognising the importance of influencing children, the new national curriculum guidelines for the 5 to 14 age group which were issued in March 1993, include guidance on health education with smoking as a key feature.

  More recently we have published a popular version or "Scotland's Health—A Challenge To Us All" which highlights the need to reduce smoking and gives advice on

  501
  how to achieve this. The document was issued widely to local authorities, schools, health boards, general practitioners, employers organisations, medical professions and voluntary organisations.

  Community Care
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average length of time taken to prepare a patient who has been in hospital for most of his or her life for discharge under the care in the community legislation; and if he will conduct an investigation into the success of the policy.

  Mr. Stewart
  Patients who have spent many years in hospital receive careful preparation for discharge to community care. The length of time taken to prepare discharge varies widely from case to case and will depend on the patient's mental and physical condition, the nature of their illness, the length of time they have been in hospital, the availability of rehabilitation services, and the availability of suitable accommodation and support services in the community to help the patient after discharge. The primary objective for all concerned is that no patient should be discharged until they are well prepared and appropriate services are in place in the community to support them.

  The Scottish Office will shortly issue a circular describing the latest monitoring arrangements for evaluating the effectiveness of the community care reforms.

  NHS Trusts
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the types of benefits in addition to salary which are available only to NHS senior managers in boards of trusts, and their annual value in each case.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is not available centrally as individual NHS trusts have the power to employ staff on such terms as they consider appropriate to their individual circumstances.

  Fluoridation
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy that fluoridation of drinking water should require the consent of the elected representatives of the population concerned.

  Mr. Stewart
  Under the Water (Fluoridation) Act 1985, water authorities may increase the fluoride content of public water supplies on the application of health boards. As regards the future composition of water authorities, my right hon. Friend has at present nothing to add to paragraphs 3.21 to 3.24 of the White Paper "The Structure of Local Government" published earlier this month.
  502

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how the interdepartmental review group on the Forestry Commission will operate in relation to the hearing of evidence and the publication of findings.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The forestry review group established by my right hon. Friend has received many representations from individuals, organisations and agencies with an interest in forestry matters. There are no plans for it to take evidence other than by such written submissions and its report, which will take the form of policy advice to Ministers, will be confidential to them.

  Net Sizes
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will bring forward proposals that the carriage of monofilament nets, above the mesh size relevant to the catching of salmon, should be legal; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to amend the Inshore Fishing (Prohibition of Carriage of Monofilament Gill Nets) (Scotland) Order 1986.

  Parole Board
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to replace part-time members of the Parole Board with full-time, salaried officials; what consultations he is undertaking in relation to, such a change; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 July 1993]: My right hon. Friend has no plans to replace part-time members of the Parole Board with full-time salaried officials.

  Low Pay
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the change in income of the lowest-paid 10 per cent. of the population between 1979 and 1991 expressed in real terms;

  (2) what were the average earnings of the lowest-paid decile of the population in (a) 1979 and (b) 1991 in (i) 1979 prices and (ii) 1991 prices;

  (3) what was the average income of one-parent families in (a) 1979 and (b) 1991 expressed in (i) 1979 prices and (ii) cash prices;

  (4) what was he threshold wage level for the lowest paid 10 per cent. of the population in 1991, expressed in 1979 prices.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 21 July 1993]: Information relating to the threshold level of the lowest 10 per cent. of the earnings of full-time employees, in 1979 and 1991, is shown in the table. Information relating to average earnings within these decile ranges is not available. Information on income for the lowest paid 10 per cent. and for one-parent families, is not available at the level of detail requested.
  503

  Lowest Decile of Gross Weekly Earnings of Full-time Employees

  April 1979

  April 1991

  Males

  Females

  Males

  Females

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Earnings at current prices

  60·6

  40·1

  152·0

  115·9

  Earnings expressed in 1979 prices

  60·6

  40·1

  62·0

  47·3

  Sources: The New Earnings Survey and the general index of retail prices.

  Notes:

  1. Relates to employees on adult rates of pay (men aged 21 and women aged 18, or over, in 1979) whose pay was not affected by absence.

  2. Based on a 1 per cent. sample of employees on PAYE schemes.

  3. Combined information for males' and females' pay deciles is not available for 1979.

  One-parent Families
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many single-parent households were headed by(a) teenage women and (b) teenage men in (i) 1979 and (ii) 1991 or the latest available date.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 21 July 1993]: The 1991 census recorded 2,172 households in Scotland consisting of one female aged 16 to 19 and one or more children aged under 16. The corresponding number of households headed by a male aged 16 to 19 was 42. The eldest person may or may not be the parent of the others.

  Families headed by someone aged 16 to 19 but living with other adults are not included. Further information on such families will be contained in the 1991 census report on household and family composition (10 per cent.), which is due to be published in spring 1994.

  Comparable figures are not available for 1979 nor from the 1981 census.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many single-parent families there were in(a) 1979 and (b) 1991 or at the latest available date.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 21 July 1993]: It is estimated from the 1991 census that there were 132,000 lone parent families with dependent children in Scotland. Comparable figures are not available for 1979 and data from the 1981 census for lone parent families are not directly comparable owing to a different treatment of co-habitation.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the percentage of people who are single parents in such age groups as he has available.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 21 July 1993]: Estimates for Scotland of the number of lone parents are available only from the census of population. Relevant information

  31 December 1992

  31 March 1993

  Total1

  Geriatric long-stay

  Psycho-geriatric

  Total

  Geriatric long-stay

  Psycho-geriatric

  Lothian Health Board area of treatment

  1,933

  974

  959

  1,852

  917

  914

  Edinburgh Priority Services Unit

  696

  305

  391

  642

  275

  367

  Western General Hospital Unit

  141

  24

  117

  132

  15

  117

  East and Midlothian Unit

  559

  311

  248

  532

  284

  248

  Edinburgh Child Health Unit

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Royal Infirmary and Associated Hospitals Unit

  195

  175

  20

  195

  175

  20

  West Lothian Unit

  342

  159

  183

  350

  168

  182

  1 Average available staffed beds.

  Substantial additional resources of £81 million have already been provided to local authorities to implement the community care proposals. This will increase to £106 million in 1994–95 and £158 million in 1995–96. In
  504
  from the 1991 census is not currently available, but will be contained in the 1991 census report on household and family composition (10 per cent.), which is due to be published in spring 1994.

  Lands Tribunal
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to introduce measures to overturn the decision of the Lands Tribunal for Scotland in the case of Robb v. Kyle and Carrick District Council (1989) in relation to succession to tenancy.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 22 July 1993]: None.

  Geriatric Patients
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his policy for the provision of hospital beds for the continuing 'care of geriatric patients, giving figures for existing and planned future NHS bed numbers in each of the units of Lothian health board; and what additional funding he is planning for nursing and medical provision for social work departments to meet the needs for alternative community care for people by such changes.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 22 July 1993]: Assessment of the need for national health service accommodation for the continuing care of geriatric patients is a matter for health boards. The provision of such accommodation is a matter for boards as purchasers and the relevant unit or trust as the provider.

  Information on NHS bed numbers for quarters ending 31 December 1992 and 31 March 1993, the latest available, are shown in the table below. Lothian health board are currently reviewing their strategy for the care of the elderly. Until that review is complete figures for future NHS beds for the elderly are not available.

  addition, my right hon. Friend recently announced an increase of £28 million in the funds available for bridging finance to facilitate the transfer of patients from hospitals into the community
  505

HEALTH

  Langlands Review
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisations have submitted evidence to the Langlands review.

  Mr. Sackville
  The following organisations have so far submitted evidence to the review.

  National health service bodies

  Wessex Regional Health Authority (RHA); East Anglia RHA; South Western RHA; North Western RHA; North East Thames RHA; Trent RHA; South West Thames RHA; South East Thames RHA; Yorkshire RHA; Northern RHA; West Midlands RHA; Oxford RHA; Southampton and South West Hampshire Health Commission; Warwickshire Family Health Services Authority; Poole Hospitals National Health Service Trust; Norfolk Ambulance NHS Trust; Aintree Hospital Trust; Pinderfields Hospital NHS Trust.

  Professional and staff bodies

  Joint Consultants' Committee; British Medical Association; BMA Committee for Public Health Medicine and Community Health, Council of Deans of UK Medical Schools and Faculties; Royal College of Nursing; Chartered Society of Physiotherapy; Royal Pharmaceutical Society; Regional Dental Contacts Group; Regional Estates Management Group; UNISON.

  National organisations and other bodies

  Institute of Health Services Managers; National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts; NHS Trust Federation; The King's Fund; Health Services Management Centre, Birmingham; The Genetic Interest Group; Independent Health Care Association; Health Education Authority.

  Community Health
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) community psychiatric nurses, (b) health visitors, (c) community midwives, (d) practice nurses, (e) other community nurses and (f) general practitioners were employed by the NHS in inner London for each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  The available information is shown in the tables. Figures for tables I and 2 are not directly comparable as district health authorities (DHAs) and family health services authorities (FHSAs) boundaries differ.

  Table 1:

  Community psychiatric nurses, health visitors, community midwives, other community nurses, (whole-time equivalents) in inner London at 30 September, 1987–91

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Community Psychiatric Nurses

  160

  170

  200

  230

  190

  Health Visitors

  440

  640

  660

  720

  720

  Community Midwives

  150

  160

  210

  200

  130

  Other Community Nurses

  720

  640

  860

  880

  810

  Notes: (i) Date applicable to DHAs in "inner London" as defined in the Tomlinson report; collected from DHAs, and, for 1991, from DHAs and NHS Trusts. (ii) Figures for community psychiatric nurses, community midwives and "Other community nurses" in 1991 are affected by coding errors. The underlying figures should be broadly unchanged from 1990.
  506

  Table 2:

  Unrestricted general practitioners, and practice nurses (whole-time equivalents), at 1 October, 1988–1992

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Unrestricted GPs

  3,221·0

  3,260·0

  3,223·0

  3,177·0

  3,186·0

  Practice nurses

  316·5

  446·9

  897·7

  928·3

  996·2

  Notes:(i) Data are for the 12 complete FHSAs which fall wholly or partly within the London initiative zone (LIZ) (ii) Figures for unrestricted GPs may have been affected by the introduction of statutory retirement at the age of 70, as from 1 April 1991.

  Management Executive (Rail Travel)
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost for each of the last three years of rail travel(a) in total and (b) to and from London for Leeds-based personnel of the NHS Management Executive.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information is not available in this form.

  In 1991–92, before relocation, the National Health Service Management Executive spent a total of £577,000 on all travel and subsistence.

  In 1992–93, when the executive was operating from Leeds and London, the spend was £1,374,000. The executive is now operating from Leeds and provisional figures show that £353,000 was spent on all travel and subsistence in the first three months of the current year.

  The distribution of functions between the executive and the rest of the Department has varied from year. to year and therefore expenditure between years is not directly comparable.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS Management Executive personnel based in Leeds have been provided with first-class rail season tickets to London; and what is the cost of those tickets in the current year.

  Mr. Sackville
  Three first-class season tickets have been provided at an estimated cost of £29,400.

  Health Service Manpower
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she plans to publish her decision on manpower in relation to the NHS Management Executive and regional health authorities.

  Mr. Sackville
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State asked a team to review the functions and manpower needed by the national health service above the level of local health care purchasers and providers. We hope to receive the team's advice shortly. It is too early to say what the implications of the review are, or over what time scale decisions might be taken.

  Orthopaedic Surgeons
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information she has as to the ratios of specialist orthopaedic surgeon to head of population in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) all other EC countries.

  Mr. Sackville
  The available information is shown in the table. Information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland and my right
  507
  hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Equivalent information for other European Community countries is not available.

  Hospital Orthopaedic surgeons England-—30 September 1991

  Specialty: orthopaedic surgery

  Population in '000s per doctor

  Consultants

  776

  61·83

  All doctors in Orthopaedic surgery (including consultants)

  2,529

  18·97

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has for increasing the number of specialist orthopaedic surgeons.

  Mr. Sackville
  We encourage an overall expansion of consultant numbers in order to improve patient care and this has included local central funding for the new deal and part-time consultant initiatives. The number of consultants appointed depends on the number of suitably qualified senior registrars available to fill the posts. In February this year the joint planning advisory committee accepted the trauma and orthopaedic specialty's advice on likely consultant opportunities and increased the quota for senior registrars from 181 to 210 posts. Consultant staffing in individual hospitals is a matter for local employing bodies, and they should have regard to competing priorities and available resources when assessing local staffing needs. Copies of the "Junior Doctors the New Deal" are available in the Library.

  Pesticide Poisoning
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidelines have been issued by her Department to general practitioners concerning the identification of the symptoms, possible causes and treatment of cases of organophosphate poisoning;

  (2) if she will place a copy of the updated version of "Pesticide Poisoning, Notes for the Guidance of Medical Practitioners", in the Library.

  Mr. Sackville
  Guidance on diagnosis and treatment of acute poisoning by organophosphate (OP) pesticides was included in the Department of Health book "Pesticide Poisoning: notes for the guidance of medical practitioners" which, at the time of publication, was provided to all doctors in general practice and to all hospital accident and emergency departments.

  More recently, the Government's chief medical officers wrote in 1991 to all doctors in the United Kingdom about reporting of pesticide incidents and advised them that advice on poisoning was available from the Employment Medical Advisory Service and from the national poisons information service centres. Further advice on the subject by the Department of Health and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate is soon to be sent out to all general practitioners. A copy of the Department of Health handbook and the letter (PL/CMO(91)5) are available in the Library.

  Health Technology
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the terms of reference of the NHS central research and development committee standing group on health technology.
  508
  Mr. Sackville
  The terms of reference of the standing group on health technology assessment are as follows:

  Health Technology

    CENTRAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (CRDC) STANDING GROUP ON HEALTH TECHNOLOGY. TERMS OF REFERENCE.
    1. To advise on priorities for health technology assessment (HTA1), including

    (i) studies involving the collection and analysis of new data;

    (ii) reviews of such studies;

    (iii) reports on the current state of the development, diffusion and likely impact of new technologies;

    and having regard to:

    (a) the work of other Central Research and Development Committee (CRDC) advisory groups;

    (b) the Government's health strategy and other policy priorities for the National Health Service;

    (c) the likely benefits, risks, costs and broader impact of technologies;

    (d) the stage of the technology's evolution and diffusion, and the likely impact of an assessment on practice;

    (e) existing HTA findings both from work in the United Kingdom and from relevant work abroad;

    (f) any specific issue(s) on which the CRDC may seek advice.

    2. To advise on new technologies where, because of their potential risk, cost, ethical implications or other relevant factors, there is a particular need to control diffusion until more information is available.
    3. To advise on priorities for research into methodologies of relevance to HTA, and in particular:

    (i) methods of synthesising and reviewing existing data and findings;

    (ii) experimental and non-experimental methods of assessing effectiveness;

    (iii) economic evaluations;

    (iv) strategies and methods for assessing emerging and developing technologies;

    (v) methods which produce findings that are of relevance to as wide a range of settings as possible;

    (vi) ways of evaluating the outputs, impact and cost-effectiveness of HTA.

    4. To advise on training needs in respect of the conduct of high quality HTA.

    (i) To produce an initial report on priorities for assessments of establishing technologies, focusing in particular on technologies of relevance to more than one disease or patient group;

    (ii) Thereafter, to advise on priorities in relation to new and emerging technologies.

    1HTA is used here to refer to the assessment of the effectiveness, costs and broader impact of all procedures used by the health professionals to promote health, to prevent and treat disease, and to improve rehabilitation and long term care.
    Ms Primarolo
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the budget of the NHS central research and development committee standing group on health technology.

    Mr. Sackville
    The work of the standing group is challenging, and widespread consultation with the national health service, the professions, the research community and industry are essential. It is not possible to include expertise in all areas in one group and the standing group will be underpinned by six advisory panels covering the acute sector; pharmaceuticals; population screening; primary and community care; diagnostics, imaging and monitoring; and methodologies. Funding of this scientific support will be around £150,000 in 1993–94.
    509
    The priorities for research identified by the standing group will be brought to the attention of all relevant research funding bodies. Allocations of central and NHS resources to health technology assessment (HTA) will reflect the central research and development committee's views of the importance of this task in relation to other priorities, but it is anticipated that around half of NHS direct support for research will, in time, be allocated to HTA.

  Novel Surgical Procedures
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the research her Department and the Medical Research Council are funding into the cost effectiveness of novel surgical procedures.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health has commissioned the following work into novel surgical procedures:

  Economic evaluation of laser technology in medical care (Brunel University—£106,648 between 1990 and 1992)

  Neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a multicentre randomised controlled trial (National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit—£484,719 between 1992 and 1997)

  Neonatal extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a multicentre randomised controlled trial (University of Leicester—£623,207 between 1992 and 1996)

  A prospective cohort study to evaluate the long and medium term outcomes of transcervical ablation of the endometrium (Brunel University—£425,000 between 1993 and 1999)

  The Department of Health has identified minimal access therapy (MAT) as a high priority for research in its 1993–94 programme.

  The Medical Research Council receives its grant-in-aid from my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

  GP Fund Holders
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total amount that general practitioner fund holders in each region have saved in their staff and hospital referrals and drug budgets in 1991–92 in real terms and as a percentage of the total staff hospital referral and drug budget in that region.

  Mr. Sackville
  General practitioner fundholders do not have separate budgets for staff, hospital referrals and prescribing. Total savings in 1991–92 were 4 per cent. of budgets set.

  Non-EC Doctors and Dentists
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what changes have been made to the 1985 circular HC FP(85)14 on the employment of doctors and dentists from non-EC countries in relation to permit-free training status for the purpose of postgraduate training in hospitals; and if she will make a statement;

  (2) what instruction has been given to health authorities on whether work permits for doctors from non-EC countries should be issued for training grade posts after the expiry of the permit-free four-year period.

  Mr. Sackville
  No changes have been made to circular HC(FP)(85)14; nor have any instructions been given to health authorities in relation to the issue of work permits 510
  for training grade posts. Some parts of the guidance in HC(FP)(85)14 are under review, and will shortly be the subject of consultation with interested parties.

  Cancer Vaccine
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what cancer vaccine treatment is currently available in the United Kingdom; and if she will list the locations.

  Mr. Sackville
  No cancer vaccine treatment is currently available.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she is undertaking or promoting in respect of cancer vaccines.

  Mr. Sackville
  No research is currently being undertaken by the Department in respect of cancer vaccines. The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and it is collaborating with leading cancer charities in this area.

  Children's Rights Commissioner
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been undertaken by her Department into the feasibility of establishing the post of an independent Children's Rights Commissioner in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Bowis
  None.

  York Health District
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged(a) 65 to 74, (b) 75 to 84 and (c) over 84 years were discharged from a hospital in the former York health district in each of the last 10 years; and, of these people, what percentage were re-admitted to a hospital in the district for treatment (i) in the same specialty or (ii) in a different specialty within (1) one month, (2) three months and (3) six months of their previous discharge.

  Mr. Sackville
  This information is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Sir Bryan Askew, chairman of Yorkshire regional health authority, for details.

  Medical Practitioners
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many newly qualified medical practitioners entered general practice in the United Kingdom in 1992.

  Mr. Sackville
  A total of 1,250 newly qualified medical practitioners entered general practice in England between 1 July 1991 and 30 June 1992. Information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  West Midlands Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations her Department has received concerning the decision of West Midlands regional health
  511
  authority in 1990 to allow its software division employees to remain in the NHS pension scheme after their transfer to employment by the Health Management Trust-FIP Ltd.

  Mr. Sackville
  We are not aware that the Department has received any such representations.

  Anabolic Steroids
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information her Department has published on the(a) known and (b) suspected side-effects of anabolic steroids;: and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Centre for Research into Drugs and Health Behaviour recently published the results of a Government-funded study of anabolic steroid use in Great Britain. A copy of the report, entitled "Anabolic Steroid Use in Great Britain—an exploratory investigation", will be placed in the Library. The aim of the study was to explore the extent of anabolic steroid use in gyms, but the report also includes data on effects reported by steroid users themselves.

  Parkfield Sterile Supplies Unit
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to ensure that consultation takes place on the proposal to put the Parkfields sterile supplies unit in the west midlands out to tender.

  Mr. Sackville
  This is a matter for West Midlands regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Bryan Baker, the chairman of the health authority, for details.

  Dental Practitioners
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will extend the use of the title "doctor" to include general dental practitioners and those employed in the community dental service.

  Mr. Sackville
  We have no present plans to do so.

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

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government continue to help small businesses, through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and through specific programmes of support and assistance.

  It continues to be the policy of the Department and the national health service to provide equal opportunities to all potential suppliers of whatever size, to trade on a value for money basis. This policy underpins all NHS and departmental contracts with suppliers. To help all businesses, a guide on how purchasing is now organised and who to contact, "Purchasing at NHS Supplies", has been published and widely distributed. A copy of the guide will be placed in the Library.

  It is not practicable to monitor centrally the precise extent to which the NHS or the Department make use of
  512
  small businesses. Similarly, it would not affect the way in which we purchase goods and services. Therefore no performance indicators on this subject are currently maintained.

  Computer Consultancies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list all the computer consultancies employed by her Department and agencies, since November 1991, the tasks for which they were engaged, and the total cost to her Department.

  Mr. Sackville
  The full information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The total expenditure on information technology consultancy services by the Department in the years 1991–92 to 1992–93 was as follows:

  £ million

  1991–92

  12·495

  1992–93

  14·647

  The services covered by this expenditure included advice on procurement and information strategies, the design, development and implementation of the office information system and user support services. Planned expenditure in 1993–94 is £13·661 million.

  Nursing and Residential Homes
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the number of(a) private nursing home beds and (b) residential home beds registered in England in total and by local authority each year since 1985; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  Information about newly registered private nursing homes and residential care homes, including bed numbers, is not available centrally.

  Speech Therapy
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has received about the future funding of speech therapy training; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Bowis
  We have received a number of such representations.

  Blind and Partially Sighted People
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is her Department's policy on which information produced by her Department is published in alternative media to standard print such as Braille, tape or large print;

  (2) what arrangements her Department makes to ensure that blind and partially sighted people have access to information produced by her Department where it has not been published in alternative media such as Braille, large print or tape.

  Mr. Bowis
  The Department aims to provide the general public with a wide range of information relating to legislation, policy, patients' rights and other health advice. A number of publications have already been produced for people who are visually impaired. Examples are shown as follows:
  513
  TITLE/TYPE OF PUBLICATION

  Braille

  Patients Charter (also available in audio cassette version).

  NHS Reforms and You (also available in Moon and audio cassette versions).

  Audio Cassette

  Health of the Nation.

  While You Are Pregnant—Safe Eating.

  Elderly Health.

  Community Care Changes in April 1993 (tapes are also available in ethnic minority languages).

  Large Print

  Keep Warm Keep Well (also available in audio cassette version).

  Community Care changes in April 1993.

  Moreover the citizens charter, which calls on public services to make sure information about services is easily accessible to all their users, is putting fresh emphasis on the need for effective communication with those who have special needs, including people who are visually impaired.

  Mental Health
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what correspondence she has received from the National Schizophrenia Fellowship about the funding of respite services for people with a severe mental illness and their carers; and when she expects to reply.

  Mr. Bowis
  The Department has received and replied to several letters from the National Schizophrenia Fellowship about a whole range of issues concerning services for people with severe mental illness and their carers.

  Fluoridation
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current recommended concentration of fluoride compound in drinking water; and what plans she has to revise this.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Government believe that fluoridation of water to a level of one milligram per litre is the optimal concentration for reducing teeth decay. There are no plans to revise this.

  Degree Funding
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to alter the current arrangements for funding first degrees being undertaken by intending national health service employees; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  Officials of the Department have held discussions with officials of the Department for Education about the arrangements for funding undergraduate courses in speech and language therapy, dietetics and chiropody. No decisions have yet been reached. Any proposals for change which may emerge from these discussions will be considered in consultations with the national health service, professional bodies and higher education institutions. There are no current plans to alter the present arrangements for the purchasing of education and training by regions for other professions employed in the NHS.

  "The Health of the Nation"
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of the "The Health of the Nation" anniversary events programme.
  514
  Mr. Sackville
  Most of the publications and material produced during the first anniversary of Health of the Nation were fulfilling commitments set out in the White Paper or were an integral part of taking work on implementation forward. The exception was "CMO's Challenge", which was developed and launched as a specific initiative to take forward action on the findings of the first English health survey. The cost of "CMO's Challenge" was £15,000.

  Tobacco
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will publish the sixth annual report of the committee for monitoring agreements on tobacco advertising and sponsorship.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The committee for monitoring agreements on tobacco advertising and sponsorship has submitted its sixth report to the United Kingdom Health Ministers and to the Secretary of State for National Heritage. Copies have been placed in the Library. I am very grateful to the committee, and particularly the chairman, Sir John Blelloch, for their valuable work in continuing to monitor the agreements. The report shows that the industry has continued to honour its commitments.

  Health Advisory Service
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish the annual report of the NHS Health Advisory Service.

  Mr. Bowis
  The 1992–93 annual report of the National Health Service Health Advisory Service has been published today. Copies will be placed in the Library.

  Junior Doctors
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to eliminate posts where junior doctors are contracted to work more than 83 hours per week.

  Mr. Sackville
  Regions have been advised that eliminating the few remaining posts where junior doctors and dentists are contracted for more than 83 hours per week is a priority. We shall be monitoring progress very closely.

  Aycliffe Children's Home
  Dr. Liam Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will publish the report of the social services inspectorate's investigation of Durham county council's inquiries into allegations of injuries to children accommodated in Aycliffe children's home.

  Mr. Bowis
  We have today published this report. Copies will be placed in the Library. The report makes a number of recommendations about the management of Aycliffe and the care of the children which Durham county council will be addressing as a matter of urgency. The chief inspector of the social services inspectorate will monitor developments closely and give advice and guidance where appropriate.
  515

  Dental Instruments
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new proposals she has to strengthen, or make mandatory, guidelines issued to dentists on sterilising dental instruments.

  Mr. Sackville
  The chief dental officer will shortly be issuing a further reminder to all dentists of the importance of adhering strictly to the recommended standards of cross-infection control.

  Birth Defects
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the number and percentage of birth defects among live births in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information for 1982–91 (the latest year for which information is available) is shown in the table.

  Number and percentage of birth defects among livebirths 1982–91 England and Wales

  Year

  Numbers1

  Livebirths

  Percentage

  1982

  12,732

  625,931

  2·03

  1983

  13,444

  629,134

  2·14

  1984

  13,546

  636,818

  2·13

  1985

  12,949

  656,417

  1·97

  1986

  12,758

  661,018

  1·93

  1987

  13,129

  681,511

  1·93

  1988

  12,723

  693,577

  1·83

  1989

  12,191

  687,725

  1·77

  1990

  7,941

  706,140

  1·12

  1991

  6,889

  699,217

  0·99

  1 The congenital malformation notification system is voluntary and is usually linked to the statutory system of birth notification to local

  The 1992–93 figures will be available by December 1993. Figures are not available for future years.

  Regional health authorities gross expenditure £000

  RHA

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Northern

  46,185

  55,691

  64,234

  71,150

  63,474

  Yorkshire

  70,463

  70,801

  76,187

  94,300

  65,094

  Trent

  73,401

  81,274

  77,848

  111,458

  174,284

  East Anglian

  27,606

  29,435

  29,440

  42,595

  45,648

  North West Thames

  50,360

  59,999

  65,161

  102,830

  57,619

  North East Thames

  55,687

  76,422

  69,967

  80,198

  189,715

  South East Thames

  63,769

  66,668

  76,734

  77,299

  250,032

  South West Thames

  103,166

  110,282

  131,677

  123,865

  149,077

  Wessex

  55,523

  56,683

  86,441

  71,823

  25,017

  Oxford

  33,377

  43,945

  50,165

  56,482

  49,363

  South Western

  41,357

  45,207

  54,589

  63,013

  86,185

  West Midlands

  106,307

  82,442

  112,625

  137,810

  111,014

  Mersey

  46,641

  26,245

  24,357

  42.S80

  23,961

  North Western

  88,869

  88,340

  87,673

  91,032

  65,151

  Source: Annual accounts of regional health authorities. (Figures are not adjusted for inflation).

  Notes to the table:

  1. The figures for the years prior to 1991–92 vary between RHAs as regions were managed in an integrated way and the balance of management between RHAs and their respective district health authorities (DHAs) differed between regions. The figures were also affected by other factors including differences in the geographical size of regions, in the number of DHAs they included and in the extent to which RHAs directly managed operational services.

  2. Following the implementation of the NHS reforms the role of RHAs is changing and this has a major impact on the figures for 1991–92. There are significant variations in the extent to which:RHAs have retained or devolved management, support and operational services functions and in the extent to which their costs are borne or recharged to users. Some RHAs are directly involved in the purchaser function while the figures for others include additional significant costs—notably the payment of funds for nursing and other staff training to health providers.

  Live Births
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the tables published on pages 26 and 32–33 of HC 624, for what percentage of live births in
  516
  health authorities which has existed since 1926. The local health authorities extract from the birth notifications details of babies born with malformations. This information is commonly supplemented with details obtained from midwives, hospitals, doctors and health visitors. The purpose of this system is primarily to detect changes in the frequency of reporting any particular malformation or group of malformations rather than trying to estimate prevalence at birth. Only malformations detected at or within 10 days of birth are currently included in the system, to ensure rapid reporting and thus fast detection of any increase in reporting levels. The system does however provide the most extensive data on prevalance levels available in England and Wales.

  Prior to 1990 all malformations, however minor, were reportable to the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS). In January 1990 an exclusion list was introduced describing the minor anomalies which should no longer be notified. Therefore data are riot comparable for the period before 1990 and for 1990 onwards.

  For more information on congenital malformations refer to OPCS publication, series MB3, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Health Authority Expenditure
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total gross expenditure of each regional health authority in each of the last five years; and what is the projected expenditure for the next two years.

  Mr. Sackville
  Gross expenditure figures by regional health authority (RHA) for the financial years 1987–88 to 1991–92 are shown in the table. The 1991–92 figures are not comparable with those for earlier years and should be interpreted with caution. Simple comparisons between authorities is misleading because RHAs devolved their non-core functions at varying times and bore different costs on their regional budgets.

  1990–91 the data for the maternity tail of the hospital episodes statistics were submitted from the South Western and West Midlands regional health authorities.
  517
  Mr. Sackville
  [holding answer 20 July 1993]: Neither health authority submitted any of the additional data collected within the hospital episode statistics "maternity tail".

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what new measures his Department proposes to stimulate increased levels of manufacturing investment in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Investment will be encouraged by the profitable and competitive manufacturing base which our policies are designed to ensure.

  Creative Accounting
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to make under which the sale of creative accounting schemes by auditors to their audit clients would become an offence.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I have no plans to limit companies' freedom to seek accountancy advice.

  A. F. Budge (Construction)
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what discussions he or his Department have had with A. F. Budge (Construction).

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Limited went into administrative receivership on 4 January 1993 and compulsory liquidation on 24 February of the same year. There are provisions requiring the receiver to make a note on the public record at Companies House and to advertise his appointment from which my department would become aware of the receivership.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he was informed of the receivership of A. F. Budge (Construction); and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Limited went into administrative receivership on 4 January 1993 and compulsory liquidation on 24 February of the same year. I am not aware of any discussions between my department and the receivers or the company except matters relating to the administration of the insolvency proceedings.

  Fossil Fuel Decarbonisation
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the research projects undertaken by his Department into fossil fuel decarbonisation schemes since April 1992; and what plans he has to develop fossil fuel decarbonisation demonstration projects.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My Department is taking part with British Coal, and with support from National Power and PowerGen, in a study programme under the auspices of the International Energy Agency—the IEA greenhouse gases research and development programme—to evaluate the feasibility and costs of capture and safe disposal of 518
  carbon dioxide from large fossil fuel combustion plant. This began in 1991 and is due for completion in autumn, 1994. A total of thirteen countries, and the European Commission, are cooperating in this programme.

  In addition, my Department is contributing to a complementary review, by the British Geological Survey and British Coal under the European Community's JOULE II research programme, of the scope for permanent, underground storage of carbon dioxide in Europe. This two-year review began in January 1993.

  It would be premature to develop demonstration projects ahead of the completion of these initial feasibility studies.

  British Standards
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to secure that any future revision of British standards include specific reference to the needs of disabled people.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Any future revision of a British Standard is a matter primarily for the responsible Committee of the British Standards institution. The Institution is independent of Government.

  I am advised that where appropriate the needs of disabled people are taken into account when British standards are prepared.

  Assisted Areas
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what will be the timing for changes he will be making to the assisted areas map; and what arrangements will be made for grant applications from businesses in areas which are to lose status caught up by those changes.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The European Commission cleared yesterday the Government's proposals for the new assisted areas map of Great Britain. I have today signed the order to bring the new map into effect. It will be laid before Parliament today.

  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales and I have today written to all hon. Members to advise them of the changes. We have issued jointly a background document setting out the new map and explaining how the review of the map was conducted. Copies of this document are available in the Vote Office.

  The new map will come into operation on 1 August. This allows nine days' notice so that businesses which have been engaged in pre-application discussions with departments under the various regional schemes will have an opportunity to complete formal application procedures before the changes take effect. Offers which have already been made will be honoured.

  Oil and Gas Exploration
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to announce the next round of offshore licensing for oil and gas exploration.

  Mr. Eggar
  No decision has been taken yet as to whether or when there will be another round of offshore oil and gas licensing.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that discharges of all
  519
  oil contaminated cuttings from exploration and appraisal wells are prohibited in line with Her Majesty's Government's commitment at paragraph 28.1(iii) of the final declaration of the third international conference on the protection of the North sea; and by what date he expects the prohibition to take effect;

  (2) by what date Her Majesty's Government expect to prohibit discharges of all oil contaminated cuttings in United Kingdom waters in line with their commitment at the third international conference on the protection of the North sea (paragraph 28.1(i) of the final declaration); and what steps he is taking to ensure this commitment is met.

  Mr. Eggar
  At the meeting of the Oslo and Paris Commissions on 22 September 1992, Ministers approved a PARCOM decision on the use of oil-based muds. This decision did not prohibit discharges of oil-contaminated cuttings, but set out definitions, rules and principles to avoid marine pollution from this source. The rules and principles state that the average oil content on cuttings discharged into the sea shall not exceed the target standard of an average 10 grammes of oil per kilogramme of dry cuttings. This standard is to be achieved as soon as possible and practicable and, in any event, have full effect for exploration and appraisal drilling no later than 31 December 1993 and for all wells no later than 31 December 1996.

  Discharge of oil cuttings is an offence under section 3 of the Prevention of Oil Pollution Act 1971, unless an exemption from this provision has been granted under section 23. All exemptions are subject to conditions which require the operator to comply with the PARCOM decision, and to sample, analyse and report to the Department the oil content of the discharged cuttings.

  Deregulation Unit
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which of the regulations governing environmental and pollution control the deregulation unit is examining.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  All regulations affecting business are being reviewed by the deregulation task forces and by Government Departments.

  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the members and advisers of the deregulation unit.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  There are 49 civil servants in the deregulation unit, including seven full-time secondees from the private sector. A list of the membership of the deregulation task forces is in the Library.

  Radiocommunications Agency
  Mr. Deva
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what targets he has set the Radiocommunications Agency for 1993–94.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have set the agency a range of key targets for 1993–94 which will appear in the agency's annual report for 1992–93. In addition to achieving an efficiency improvement of 4 per cent., it will also be required to meet the following quality of service targets covering its licensing work and enforcement activities:
  520
  Licensing

  99 per cent. of new aeronautical and aircraft applicants and amendments to be processed within three working days;

  90 per cent. of ships' radio licences to be issued within one month;

  98 per cent. of maritime business radio cases to be processed within one month;

  99 per cent. of new on-site paging applications and amendments to be processed and despatched within four working days;

  90 per cent. of new private mobile radio applications and amendments that require no international coordination to be processed and despatched within 15 and 20 working days respectively.

  Enforcement

  100 per cent. of safety of life services complaints to be handled within 24 hours;

  98 per cent. of business complaints to be handled within five working days; and

  98 per cent. of domestic complaints to be handled within one month.

  In addition, I have set the chief executive of the agency the personal target of replying within 10 working days to letters from Members of Parliament delegated to him for reply.

  EC Directives
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the EC directives affecting British industry which have been implemented in the United Kingdom before the actual date on which they were required to take effect.

  Mr. Needham
  The detailed information requested can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. In general, EC directives are implemented on the actual date on which they are required to take effect.

  EC Standards
  Sir Cranley Onslow
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate he has made of the effect on British manufacturing industry's investment planning of delays in agreeing EC standards.

  Mr. Needham
  No such estimate has been made by my Department. We are, however, concerned that the rate at which CEN and CENELEC produce the standards for use in relation to single market legislation is too slow and will be discussing with Community partners and national standards bodies what steps might be taken to improve the position. The Government are engaged in a review of future United Kingdom resourcing of the preparation of standards (Official Report, 10 June 1993, column 302) and welcome views on the best approach to the United Kingdom's input to European standards' committees.

  Co-operative Projects
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what projects have been funded since January 1990 under the arrangements, consequent to the winding up of the Co-operative Development Agency, for providing £200,000 a year for three years for innovative co-operative projects; if he will list the dates on which the funding commenced and the amount provided; and how many applications were rejected.
  521
  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 19 July 1993]: The Government have contributed or committed in excess of £475,000 since January 1991 to fund 16 development projects to help improve the business performance and

  Contractors

  Project(s)

  Start date

  Budget

  United Kingdom Co-operative Council (UKCC)

  Pump-priming United Kingdom Co-operative Council

  1 April 1991

  90,000

  Industrial Common Ownership Movement (ICOM)

  Kitemark-Workers Code of Practice

  3 April 1992

  30,000

  Industrial Common Ownership Movement (ICOM)

  Promotion of Co-ops to Corporate Purchasers

  3 April 1992

  40,000

  David Hall Partnership

  Co-op Research - Successful Co-operation

  26 June 1992

  26,157

  United Kingdom Co-operative Council (UKCC)

  Pump-priming United Kingdom Co-operative Council

  1 April 1992

  45,000

  Industrial Common Ownership Finance (ICOF)

  Financial Needs Analysis

  17 June 1992

  39,422

  Scottish Wholefoods Collective Warehouse (SWCW)

  Consultancy Network

  7 July 1992

  23,325

  Scottish Co-op Development Company (SCDC)

  Phoenix Co-operative Initiative

  13 May 1992

  40,500

  Plunkett Foundation

  Training provision for Directors of Co-ops

  26 March 1992

  18,802

  Plunkett Foundation

  Ownership options for Public Services

  26 March 1992

  20,388

  Open University

  Community Care

  17 June 1992

  32,943

  Industrial Common Ownership Movement (ICOM)

  Turnaround Courses

  4 February 1993

  4,700

  Nottingham Co-operative Development Agency

  Marketing Group Guides

  15 March 1993

  4,339

  Industrial Common Ownership Movement

  Dissemination of Promotion of Co-ops to Corporate Purchasers

  September 1993

  6,500

  Plunkett Foundation

  Dissemination of Ownership Options for Public Services

  September 1993

  7,745

  Plunkett Foundation

  Dissemination of Training provision for Directors of Co-ops

  October 1993

  7,500

  Open University

  Dissemination of Community Care Project

  September 1993

  4,700

  Open University

  Directory of Worker Co-ops in the United Kingdom

  June 1993

  9,988

  Open University

  Workshop on Co-op Development Activities

  June 1993

  3,067

  Scottish Co-operative Development Company (SCDC)

  Dissemination of Phoenix Co-operative Initiative

  September 1993

  8,000

  Baker Brown Associates

  Pathways to Co-operation

  June 1993

  22,266

  United Kingdom Co-operative Council (UKCQ/Industrial Common Ownership Movement (ICOM)

  Co-ops for One Stop Shops

  September 1993

  30,000

  Scottish Wholefoods Collective Warehouse (SWCW)

  Printing and Dissemination of Consultancy Network Report

  August 1993

  4,200

  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proposals he has to continue funding innovative co-operative projects; and what sums are available in the current financial year.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 19 July 1993]: My Department is currently supporting a number of development projects relating to co-operative businesses and has already committed over £100,000 to these in the current financial year. We do not plan to make any further funding available specifically to support co-operative projects but will be assisting in their relationships with business links.
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  competitiveness of co-operative businesses. Twenty-eight proposals have not been supported. The list of supported projects is shown in the table.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 22 July 1993]: The appointments of British Coal Corporation members are subject to the provisions of the Coal Industry Nationalisation (National Coal Board) Regulations 1946.

  Regulation 3 in essence requires members

  (a) to disclose to my right hon. Friend full particulars of any interest or securities held or acquired in any undertaking carrying on a business similar to that at any time carried on by the corporation; and

  (b) to disclose at a meeting of the members of the corporation any direct or indirect interest in a contract made or proposed by the Corporation.

  I have no present plans to revise those regulations.

  TRUNK ROADS: SAFETY
  TRUNK ROADS: SAFETY
  COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND WEU: BULLETIN
  COUNCIL OF EUROPE AND WEU: BULLETIN
  JAPAN (NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY)
  JAPAN (NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY)
  REPROCESSED PLUTONIUM: WEAPONS USE
  REPROCESSED PLUTONIUM: WEAPONS USE
  TOPAZ-2 NUCLEAR REACTOR
  TOPAZ-2 NUCLEAR REACTOR
  AIRSPACE: DEFINITION
  AIRSPACE: DEFINITION
  OUTER SPACE (MILITARY USES)
  OUTER SPACE (MILITARY USES)
  LOCUSTS
  LOCUSTS
  EC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL: SPECIAL SUPPORT PROGRAMME
  EC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL: SPECIAL SUPPORT PROGRAMME
  EXECUTIVE AGENCIES
  EXECUTIVE AGENCIES
  STATE PENSION AGE: EQUALITY
  STATE PENSION AGE: EQUALITY
  THE DISABLED (PRESCRIPTION CHARGES)
  THE DISABLED (PRESCRIPTION CHARGES)
  SOCIAL SECURITY BUDGET: HOUSING POLICY IMPACT
  SOCIAL SECURITY BUDGET: HOUSING POLICY IMPACT
  WAR WIDOWS' PENSIONS (NEW ZEALAND FORCES)
  WAR WIDOWS' PENSIONS (NEW ZEALAND FORCES)
  ASSISTED AREAS MAP OF GREAT BRITAIN
  ASSISTED AREAS MAP OF GREAT BRITAIN