Written Answers of 29 June 1993

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Solicitors to the Police
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to require the Law Society immediately to report known cases of dishonest practice by solictors to the police; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Law Society is an independent body, regulated by statute. Section 32(4) of the Solicitors Act 1974 gives the Law Society the power to report dishonest practice, where there is prima facie evidence of it, to the Director of Public Prosecutions and it is a matter for it to decide when it should do so.

  Debtors' Addresses
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to give powers to county courts to obtain debtors' current addresses when the courts have made an order in favour of a creditor, and to pass that information on to creditors or their representatives.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  There are currently no plans to give county courts powers to obtain debtors' current addresses when the courts have made an order in favour of a creditor.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary., Lord Chancellor's Department how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  From April 1992 to May 1993 inclusive, the Lord Chancellor's Department has spent £1,850 on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme. All advice was provided in-house.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Sexual Abuse Cases
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Attorney-General how many sexual abuse cases were referred to the Crown Prosecution Service in 1992–93; how many were not proceeded with(a) due to staleness and (b) in total; and how many cases where the Crown Prosecution Service was satisfied as to the sufficiency of the evidence were not proceeded with.

  The Attorney-General
  The information sought by the hon. Member is not centrally recorded, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
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AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much her Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

  Mr. Jack
  Since November 1991 the Department has spent no money on the provision of external legal advice regarding the implications of the TUPE Regulations 1981.

  Over the period November 1991 to June 1993 the matter has been looked at by the Department's own legal staff as part of their continuing duties.

  Cattle Disease
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations she has received regarding imported disease in live cattle; how many incidents of diseased live imported cattle have been found by her inspectors since I January; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  The Department has received a number of representations seeking reassurance that the single market will not increase the risk of disease entering the country through imported livestock. Since 1 January warble fly has been found in animals imported from Poland, Belgium and France, some of which were imported before that date. A case of enzootic bovine leucosis in an animal that may have been imported is also under investigation.

  Forests (Sales)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if she will list, by county, those forest areas in England currently available for sale to the private sector.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 22 June 1993]: The areas of forest land in England currently being offered for sale by the Forestry Commission on the open market are as follows:

  County and Name

  Area (hectares)

  Avon

  Abbotts Wood (East)

  1

  East Tanpit

  6

  Fifty Acre Wood

  21

  Old Park Wood

  10

  Round Hill Clump

  2

  Scutches

  5

  Three Corner Wood

  3

  Warren House

  3

  West Tanpit/Ox House

  16

  Wraxall

  13

  Yewtree/Snakes Well/Fishpond

  11

  Cornwall

  Hay Wood

  54

  Pathada Perdredda

  69

  Penance and Derry's

  7

  Port Eliot (small wood)

  39

  Treworgey

  17

  Cumbria

  Walton Wood

  89

  411

  County and Name

  Area (hectares)

  Derbyshire

  Birch Wood

  24

  Britton Wood

  6

  Noton Street Wood

  4

  Devon

  Bedpark

  8

  Brownsham Woods

  70

  Deershill Wood

  11

  Hawkmoor

  22

  Lotherton

  13

  New Moor

  12

  New Part Coppice

  15

  Durham

  Stanley Woods

  64

  Hampshire

  Ashe Park Wood

  37

  Peaky Close

  23

  Roke Mead Copse

  9

  Woodhay House Copse

  5

  Humherside

  Seaton Ross

  43

  Sutton

  34

  Kent

  Great and Little Twyvers

  12

  Lincolnshire

  Wraby Wood

  70

  Norfolk

  Blackwater Plantation

  4

  Northumberland

  Colley Law

  8

  Corbies Crags Woods

  54

  Haydon Fell

  20

  North Yorkshire

  Averhams Wood

  52

  Gateforth East

  29

  Hayton

  51

  Hazelwood

  56

  Moreby

  33

  Overton

  48

  Raisdale

  180

  Sawley

  323

  Seaton Old Wood

  5

  Turf Graft Wood

  3

  West Gateforth

  47

  Shropshire

  Coed Detton

  14

  Preston Springs

  38

  Somerset

  Chantry

  6

  East Wood

  12

  Ellicombe Common

  2

  Fry's Wood

  24

  Higher Bitcombe

  30

  Oaktrow Wood

  17

  Penny Wood

  2

  Pightley Coppice

  1

  The Thickets

  4

  West Wood

  9

  South Yorkshire

  Green Springs

  12

  The Old Park

  41

  Walker Wood

  6

  Suffolk

  Langley High Wood

  49

  412

  County and Name

  Area (hectares)

  West Sussex

  Sparwood and Swear Hanger

  12

  Wephurst Wood

  38

  Wiltshire

  Roundway Hill Covert

  27

ENVIRONMENT

  Homelessness
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new proposals he has to combat homelessness.

  Sir George Young
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to his question of 25 June 1993 at column 330.

  In addition, we have made available a further £86 million over the next three years—1993–94 to 1995–96, to continue our rough sleepers initiative in central London. A strategy document, inviting bids for funding, was issued on 16 June. Emphasis will continue to be on funding permanent accommodation in houses and flats. Resources will be targeted more tightly, to make the initiative more effective, and some of the resources will be focused on "zones", starting with the Strand. Copies of the strategy document are in the Library.

  The latest quarterly homelessness statistics show an encouraging downward trend in the number of households Northumberland accepted by local authorities as homeless: the number of acceptances during the first quarter of 1993 was 5 per cent. lower than in the same quarter last year. The number of households in bed-and-breakfast accommodation fell by 37 per cent.

  Green Belt
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of green belt have been used for urban development in the last five years; and if he will make a statement on Government policy.

  Mr. Curry
  Information is not available centrally in the form requested, but individual local authorities may be able to provide information about green belt decisions in their areas. Government policy is set out in "Planning Policy Guidance note 2" published by HMSO in January 1988.

  Property Services Agency
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the asset value of the Property Service Agency.

  Mr. Curry
  The value at 31 March 1993 of PSA Services fixed assets, excluding land and buildings, is estimated as £8 million.

  EC Correspondence
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress made in achieving the target of responding to all correspondence from the European Commission within agreed time limits.
  413
  Mr. Baldry
  Since the beginning of the year, we have received nine formal letters from the Commission on environmental issues, requiring a reply within two months. So far we have had to send interim replies in only two cases, but we were able to follow both of them up with full responses shortly afterwards.

  Statistics User Group
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by his Department in establishing a statistics user group.

  Mr. Baldry
  There are well-established liaison groups covering local authority statistics. In addition, a consultative committee on construction industry statistics was set up last year. We are also considering how best to take user interests into account for statistics in other areas.

  Gas Suppliers
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will conduct a survey of the savings which have been achieved by those local authorities which have switched to independent suppliers of gas.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have no plans to conduct such a survey. Local authorities have a duty to their taxpayers to secure value for money in their finanical affairs, including in the procurement of goods and services. It is for each local authority to decide whether value for money could be achieved by switching to an independent gas supplier.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will use the 1991 census data in compiling SSAs for 1994: and what safeguards there will be for those local education authorities whose grant is thereby reduced.

  Mr. Baldry
  It is our policy to use the most up-to-date information available within SSAs. For 1993–94 SSAs, population estimates based on the 1991 census were incorporated and it is intended to make use of the remaining information now available from the 1991 census for 1994–95 SSAs. We will need to consider the effect of this and the outcome of the wider review of SSAs now in progress, before finally deciding whether it will be necessary to mitigate these effects, and if so what means and to what extent.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to compensate those local education authorities which have lost revenue as a result of the use of the 1981 census data and not the 1991 census data in compiling the education SSAs for 1993–94.

  Mr. Baldry
  None. The SSAs for 1993–94 were compiled using the best posible information available at the time. For 1994–95 it is the intention that the information now available from the 1991 census will be incorporated.

  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from local authorities on the adequacy of standard spending assessments mechanisms for the tasks now being demanded of them; what account he has taken of the 414
  specific criticisms levelled by the recent Audit Commission review; and what action he proposes to take to restore confidence in the revenue support methodology.

  Mr. Curry
  [holding answer 28 June 1993]: As part of the current review of standard spending assessments—SSAs—we have received representations from more than 140 local authorities on all aspects of the SSA system.

  We welcome what the Audit Commission report "Passing the Bucks" has to say about SSAs and will consider the commission's conclusions carefully as part of our current review. The commission's finding that the system of SSAs is a more sophisticated mechanism for equalising needs than any overseas system examined in their study and that it is an improvement on its predecessor in many respects, is particularly welcome.

  The current review of SSAs which is being carried out in consultation with local authority representatives shows our continuing commitment to improve the system of SSAs used to distribute revenue support grant wherever possible.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements have been made for dealing with proposals to alter council tax valuations.

  Mr. Curry
  The Valuation Office agency (VOA) had received some 525,000 proposals to alter valuation lists in England by 25 June, the great majority in the first month of the initial appeal period. The rate at which new proposals have been received, however, has subsequently fallen significantly. While the initial appeal period does not end until 30 November 1993, the final number is likely to be substantially below earlier estimates. The overwhelming majority of appeals should therefore be settled by the end of 1994, and a high proportion well before then.

  We expect the agency and valuation tribunals to have settled some 560,000 council tax banding appeals in England by 31 December 1994, just 13 months after the initial appeal period ends on 30 November 1993. Any remaining appeals will be decided as rapidly as possible in 1995.

  In keeping with citizens charter principles, the agency has set standards for service for handling appeals. On receipt of a proposal the Valuation Office agency's objective will be:
  to acknowledge receipt of proposals within 14 days (against a statutory deadline of 28 days);
  to make the taxpayer an offer, within 60 days, to reband the property if the initial banding is clearly wrong;
  to let taxpayers know within 90 days if the agency believes the original banding is correct and that they intend to defend that decision; and
  in any other case, to make contact with taxpayers within 120 days and give them a named contact within the VOA for further discussion.
  Council taxpayers should have their appeals settled as quickly and efficiently as possible, giving appropriate priority to identified cases of hardship. We shall monitor progress to ensure that this is so and keep our plans under review in light of developments.

  Additional Educational Needs
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from local education authorities on the range of support
  415
  funding now generated by the additional educational needs factor in the standard spending assessments methodology; and if he will make it his policy to look afresh at the validity of the small number of proxy indicators employed and the very heavy weighting then given to this AEN factor in determining overall assessments.

  Mr. Curry
  [holding answer 28 June 1993]: As part of the current review of standard spending assessments—SSAs—we have received representations from more than 140 local authorities, including 57 local education authorities, on all aspects of the SSA system.

  We made clear at the start of the review that we would take this opportunity to consider the range of social factors used within SSAs including the additional educational needs index and the weight placed upon them.

  Building and Construction (Finance)
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what survey his Department has carried out of banks' lending policies towards building and construction companies; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what steps he is taking to ensure that the building and constuction industry is given sufficient financial support to enable it to expand; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will meet representatives of the Chartered Institute of Building to discuss the institute's Bank Watch Campaign.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 28 June 1993]: Banks' lending policies are a commercial matter for the banks themselves to determine; however, I am aware of the construction industry's concern, and of the Chartered Institute of Building's Bank Watch Campaign. I regularly meet representatives of the construction industry and would expect to discuss this and other issues with them at such meetings.

HEALTH

  Environmental Policy
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her Department's policy on the purchase and use of(a) recycled paper, (b) low-energy light bulbs, (c) tropical hardwoods, (d) peat and (e) cars with catalytic converters.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department's aim in purchasing goods and services is to obtain the best possible value for money for the taxpayer. Where environmentally friendly products are available which fully meet our specifications and provide value for money then these are preferred. In respect of the specific products our policy is as follows:

  recycled paper—we are exploring with potential suppliers as part of a competitive tendering process, the feasibility of substantially increasing the use of environmentally friendly stationery supplies.

  low-energy light bulbs—a programme for changing all lighting on our departmental estate to low-energy tubes is well advanced; this also offers demonstrable long-term savings and an improved working environment.

  tropical hardwoods—are not purchased.

  peat—is not purchased.

  cars with catalytic converters—since January 1991 we have acquired only diesel vehicles or cars propelled by petrol and fitted with catalytic converters.
  416

  Handicapped Children
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were born either mentally or physically handicapped in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  The exact information requested is not available centrally. Such information as is available centrally for 1990 is given in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys publication "Congenital malformation statistics" series MB3 no. 6; copies of which are available in the Library. Information for 1991 and 1992 is not yet available.

  Hepatitis and Dysentery
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of(a) viral hepatitis and (b) dysentery have been reported in each district health authority in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Sackville
  Notifications of viral hepatitis and dysentery are not collected for district health authorities. Notifications are available for county districts and are published in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys publication "Communicable disease statistics" series M B2; and are available in the Library. Information for 1992 has not yet been published.

  Emergency Admissions
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of emergency admissions to(a) the Doncaster Royal and Montagu trust, (b) the Tickhill Road hospital in Doncaster and (c) to hospitals in the Trent regional health authority in 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Sackville
  The number of non-elective admissions in the general and acute specialties provided by national health service hospitals in Trent region and by Doncaster Royal infirmary and Montagu NHS trust and Doncaster Healthcare NHS trust—of which Tickhill Road hospital is a part—for 1991–92 and 1992–93 are shown in the table.

  Year

  Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montague Trust

  Doncaster Healthcare Trust

  Trent Region

  1991–92

  22,308

  1,948

  333,311

  1992–93

  23,097

  1,821

  348,327

  Source:

  Quarterly Monitoring of Provider Activity.

  Acute Beds
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many acute beds would be closed or created on current trends by the year 2001 based on(a) growth in patient activity of 1 per cent. per annum, (b) decline in length of hospital stay of 4 per cent. per annum and (c) an increase in day care surgery of 25 per cent.

  Mr. Sackville
  All the information required to make the proposed calculation is set out in the "Statisical Bulletin" for 1991–92, a copy of which is available in the Library.
  417

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

  Mr. Sackville
  All legal advice on these regulations has been provided by the Department's in-house solicitors office. It is not possible to identify separately the costs.

  Wessex Regional Health Authorities
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library a copy of each letter sent to the chairman of the Wessex regional health authority by the Secretary of State following each annual review meeting in the years from 1986 to 1989.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Copies of the letters will be placed in the Library. From 1989 annual reviews have been conducted by the chief executive of the national health service management executive with the regional general managers.

  Research
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 25 May,Official Report, columns 507–8, if the funding which her Department will provide for the multidisciplinary research centre will come wholly from her existing research and development budget.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Yes.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list each research project her Department currently funds in the field of primary health care, with(a) the institution in which it is based, (b) the funds provided by her Department, (c) the numbers of staff involved and (d) the start and end date.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department's research and development division currently funds and manages the following primary health care related research projects:

  Project: Child Health Surveillance, including general practitioners' involvement

  Institution: University of Kent

  Total estimated cost: £330,815

  Number of stuff involved:

  Start date: 1 October 1990

  End date: 30 September 1994

  Project: Ambulatory Care Research Programme

  Institution: University of Newcastle

  Total estimated cost: £728,938

  Number of stuff involved:

  Start date: 1 January 1991

  End date: 31 March 1994

  Project: Randomised Controlled Trial of Coronary Risk Factor Intervention

  Institution: Royal South Hampshire Hospital

  Total estimated cost: £232,559

  Number of stuff involved:

  Start date: 1 July 1992

  End date: 30 June 1993

  Project: The Health Benefits of Routine Histological Examination of GP Excision Specimens

  Institution: University of Leicester
  418
  Total estimated cost: £42,609

  Number of staff involved:

  Start date: 1 June 1992

  End date: 31 May 1994

  Project: Evaluation of Collaborative Clinical Guidelines in Hackney General Practices

  Institution: The Medical College of St. Bartholomew's

  Total estimated cost: £59,794

  Number of staff involved:

  Start date: 1 October 1992

  End date: 13 October I994

  Project: Breast Cancer in Remission: Follow up by GPs

  Institution: University of Oxford

  Total estimated cost: £74,567

  Number of stuff involved:

  Start date: 1 December 1992

  End date: 30 November 1994

  Project: Process and Outcomes of Consultation in Primary Care

  Institution: University of Wales

  Total estimated cost: £37,296

  Number of stuff involved:

  Start date: 1 January 1993

  End date: 31 December 1994

  Project: Doctor Variability

  Institution: RCGP Research Unit, Birmingham

  Total estimated cost: £110,780

  Number of stuff involved:

  Start date: 1 January 1988

  End date: 31 December 1995

  Project: Retrieval of Patients from Long-Term Follow-up in Hospital Outpatient Departments

  Institution: University of Manchester

  Total estimated cost: £163,500

  Number of staff involved:

  Start date: 1 April 1992

  End date: 31 March 1994

  Project: Cross Referrals in Hospitals

  Institution: University of Manchester

  Total estimated cost: £70,000

  Number of staff involved:

  Start date: 1 January 1993

  End date: 30 June 1994

  Project: Specialist Outreach in General Practice

  Institution: University of Manchester

  Total estimated cost: £51,193

  Number of stuff involved:

  Start date: 1 January 1993

  End date: 31 December 1993

  Project: Out of Hours Care in General Practice

  Institution: University of Manchester

  Total estimated cost: £33,000

  Number of stuff involved:

  Start date: 1 January 1993

  End date: 28 February 1994

  Project: Death Registers and Audit of Death in General Practice

  Institution: University of Newcastle

  Total estimated cost: £121,157

  Number of stuff involved:

  Start date: 1 October 1991

  End date: 31 March 1994

  Project: Evaluating the Outcomes of Treatment for Menorrhagia

  Institution: University of Oxford

  Total estimated cost: £56,503

  Number of staff involved:

  Start date: 3 September 1990

  End date: 31 August 1993
  419
  Project: Feedback of Patient Specific Morbidity Data in Asthma: a Randomised Controlled Trial in General Practice

  Institution: King's College Hospital

  Total estimated cost: £198,999

  Number of staff involved:

  Start date: 1 January 1991

  End date: 31 March 1994

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 25 May,Official Report, columns 507–8, what will be the prime consideration in judging tenders for the multidisciplinary research centre.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The prime consideration will be the extent to which the universities concerned can provide high-quality, scientific, research-based information for the Department, in the key strategic field of primary care. Of particular importance will be intentions as to leadership, clarity of management arrangements and the commitment of the university to the centre, its funding and staff. Proposals will be expected to specify how collaboration with other funders is to be achieved. A copy of the statement of requirements for the centre for research and development in primary health care will be placed in the Library. This has been sent to all vice-chancellors, a wide range of researchers and all those inquiring.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 23 April,Official Report, column 233, if she will list for each of the 13 research units currently subject to peer review (a) the date of the site visit, (b) the end date of the unit's current contract and (c) the timetable for making decisions about the future of each unit.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Site visits to two of the units have already taken place. For the remaining 11 units, five site visits are taking place over the next four months. Dates for the final six site visits are to be arranged soon and are expected to be completed in March 1994.

  Current contract end dates for units are on the last day of month:

  Contract

  Date

  Childhood Cancer Research Group

  August 1994

  Medical Care Research Unit

  March 1995

  Cancer Screening Evaluation Unit

  May 1995

  National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit

  June 1995

  Centre for Primary Care Research

  June 1995

  Social Medicine and Health Services Research Unit

  July 1995

  Clinical Operational Research Unit

  September 1995

  National Institute for Social Work

  October 1995

  Personal Social Services Research Unit

  October 1995

  Social Policy Research Unit

  December 1995

  Centre for Health Economics

  January 1996

  Dartington Social Research Unit

  February 1996

  Thomas Coram Research Unit

  March 1996

  Decisions about the future of units will be announced once the series of site visits has been completed and following due discussion and full consideration. Earlier decisions may be required, depending on the particular circumstances of the unit.

  "The Health of the Nation"
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost to public funds of(a) publication, (b) conferences, (c) staff and (d) press liaison costs in connection with the paper. "The Health of the Nation".
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  Mr. Sackville
  Total costs of publicity and communications in connection with "The Health of the Nation" Green and White Papers are shown in the table:

  Year

  £'000s

  1991–92

  1,005

  1992–93

  2,680

  1993–94

  11,710

  1 budget estimate.

  This includes conference costs of £230,641 for 1991–92 and £568,885 for 1992–93.

  "The Health of the Nation" is an integral part of the work of the Department and the national health service. For this reason, it is not possible to separately identify staff and press liaison costs.

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the assessed accuracy, expressed in percentage terms, of census figures relating to the size of the ethnic minority communities settled in the United Kingdom; and to what extent the census figures are believed to reflect the numbers of immigrants living illegally in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sackville
  The 1991 census is estimated to have counted 98·1 per cent. of the resident population of Great Britain.

  No estimates are yet available of the coverage of particular ethnic groups in the census. Such estimates as are possible when the "Census Report for Great Britain on Ethnic Group and Country of Birth" is published in late summer will be included in that volume. A copy will be placed in the Library.

  The census validation survey for Great Britain, carried out soon after the census to help assess coverage and quality of census statistics, will provide some information on the accuracy of answers to the ethnic group question. Preliminary results on accuracy of answers will be published in an Office of Population Censuses and Surveys monitor in the autumn. A full report will be published in 1994.

  As the census contained no questions relating to nationality or immigration status, no information on these topics is available from the census.

  The 1991 census in Northern Ireland did not contain a question on ethnic group.

  Nurses and Midwives
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will publish details of the distribution of average gross weekly earnings per person for each of the NHS clinical nursing and midwifery grades, listing the percentages of each grade earning under(a) £140, (b) £150, (c) £160, (d) £170, (e) £180, (f) £190, (g) £200, (h) £210, (i) £220, (j) £230, (k) £240, (l) £250, (m) £275, (n) £300 and (o) those earning £300 and over in 1991 and 1992.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 23 June 1993]: The information is in the tables.
  421

  Percentage distribution of average weekly earnings per person for each of the national health service clinic nursing and midwifery grades

  Great Britain—Full-time staff

  1991–92

  Per cent.

  Clinical grade

  A

  B

  C

  D

  E

  F

  G

  H

  I

  Under £140

  12·63

  8·85

  5·71

  6·33

  6·76

  5·72

  2·38

  2·89

  1·90

  £140 to £149

  8·42

  1·78

  0·81

  0·71

  0·70

  0·68

  0·31

  0·44

  0·02

  £150 to £159

  11·18

  2·99

  1·09

  0·76

  0·64

  0·62

  0·20

  0·34

  0·19

  £160 to £169

  11·12

  6·25

  1·28

  0·80

  0·62

  0·57

  0·33

  0·35

  0·23

  £170 to £179

  12·81

  7·28

  3·20

  0·91

  0·80

  0·52

  0·31

  0·50

  0·31

  £180 to £189

  11·42

  8·71

  5·67

  1·12

  0·88

  0·61

  0·29

  0·35

  0·15

  £190 to £199

  7·00

  10·00

  12·46

  2·62

  0·89

  0·54

  0·27

  0·29

  0·21

  £200 to £209

  5·67

  10·36

  13·51

  4·05

  0·87

  0·64

  0·33

  0·38

  0·21

  £210 to £219

  4·39

  9·15

  12·50

  8·56

  1·01

  0·75

  0·31

  0·47

  0·10

  £220 to £229

  2·47

  7·05

  12·57

  13·46

  1·96

  0·68

  0·34

  0·25

  0·13

  £230 to £239

  1·51

  6·20

  9·06

  13·12

  2·76

  0·67

  0·31

  0·32

  0·29

  £240 to £249

  0·94

  3·90

  4·69

  10·89

  4·90

  1·25

  0·40

  0·34

  0·27

  £250 to £274

  0·95

  3·85

  5·94

  14·14

  20·64

  4·82

  0·89

  1·03

  0·67

  £275 to £299

  0·46

  1·25

  2·49

  7·46

  21·03

  10·73

  2·55

  0·90

  0·71

  £300+

  9·05

  12·37

  9·01

  15·06

  35·55

  71·20

  90·79

  91·14

  94·59

  TOTAL1

  100·02

  99·99

  99·99

  99·99

  100·01

  99·96

  100·01

  99·99

  99·98

  1 Total percentage figures may not equal 100 per cent. due to rounding.

  1992–93

  Per cent.

  Clinical grade

  A

  B

  C

  D

  E

  F

  G

  H

  I

  Under £140

  30·25

  14·28

  6·40

  6·95

  6·99

  5·97

  2·50

  3·35

  1·50

  £140 to £149

  9·40

  3·33

  1·96

  0·73

  0·62

  0·47

  0·29

  0·40

  0·22

  £150 to £159

  8·21

  3·88

  2·84

  1·10

  0·66

  0·53

  0·28

  0·44

  0·05

  £160 to £169

  8·43

  5·93

  6·78

  1·81

  0·71

  0·51

  0·32

  0·36

  0·30

  £170 to £179

  7·81

  6·48

  6·55

  2·90

  0·72

  0·58

  0·22

  0·48

  0·27

  £180 to £189

  6·70

  8·26

  7·36

  5·60

  0·91

  0·55

  0·22

  0·36

  0·19

  £190 to £199

  5·25

  7·33

  9·13

  7·33

  1·24

  0·57

  0·27

  0·41

  0·27

  £200 to £209

  4·36

  9·37

  10·68

  15·10

  6·11

  1·67

  0·54

  0·63

  0·27

  £210 to £219

  2·74

  6·98

  10·54

  8·08

  11·81

  2·87

  0·53

  0·66

  0·36

  £220 to £229

  2·49

  5·83

  6·88

  5·75

  12·45

  7·21

  1·65

  0·69

  0·44

  £230 to £239

  1·70

  4·07

  5·46

  6·51

  5·56

  8·98

  3·24

  1·03

  0·38

  £240 to £249

  0·93

  3·67

  4·60

  6·83

  3·70

  10·64

  14·13

  2·82

  0·30

  £250 to £274

  1·22

  3·23

  5·96

  11·14

  6·69

  5·98

  14·21

  14·49

  2·43

  £275 to £299

  0·40

  1·64

  3·20

  5·22

  11·32

  6·02

  7·66

  13·50

  4·48

  £300+

  10·10

  13·53

  11·63

  14·95

  30·51

  47·44

  53·92

  60·37

  68·51

  Total 1

  99·99

  100·01

  99·99

  100·00

  100·00

  99·99

  99·99

  99·99

  99·97

  1 Total percentage figures may not equal 100 per cent. due to rounding.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  HMSO
  Mr. Garrett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the terms of reference of the imminent consultancy study of HMSO.

  Mr. David Davis
  I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.
  422
  Mr. Waldegrave
  All such legal advice to my Department—including its agencies, HMSO and COI—has come from the Treasury Solicitor's Department at an estimated cost to date of £16,500.

TRANSPORT

  Road Freight
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the maximum road freight movements which the existing road system can accommodate; and if he will set targets for reducing such movements.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend has made no estimates of the maximum road freight movement that can be accommodated on the existing road system, which would depend on assumptions about vehicles used, other traffic and many other variables.
  423
  He has no intention of setting targets for a reduction in such movements. It is to the advantage of the economy if generators of freight movement can choose the most appropriate mode for their purposes.

  Traffic Volume
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will consider setting targets for traffic flow reductions(a) within urban areas and (b) on inter-urban roads; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list the initiatives he is assessing to reduce traffic flows and the use of private vehicles; and if he will set targets for each initiative.

  Mr. Key
  The Government set no targets for reducing traffic flows: it is for individuals and businesses to decide where and how to travel. Nevertheless, the Government do have a responsibility to ensure that, collectively, individual decisions do not have unacceptable consequences for the environment.

  Policies aimed at reducing congestion and the environmental impacts of traffic include:

  —measures to reduce harmful emissions from vehicles (particularly through requiring 3-way catalytic converters to be fitted to new cars);

  —the annual increases in fuel duty announced in the March budget;

  —the programme of research into road pricing in London;

  —high levels of investment in public transport;

  —assistance for local authorities in introducing traffic calming measures;

  —assistance for local authorities in developing strategies for urban areas, supported by investment in all forms of transport;

  —the recently issued draft planning policy guidance note (PPG 13) on reducing the need to travel;

  —investment in bypasses, included in the current roads programme.

  Traffic Growth
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what traffic growth forecasts have been made for(a) each region of England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland, for (i) the period 1993 to 2000 and (ii) periods beyond 2000.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend does not make forecasts for traffic growth for the regions of England. Forecasts are made for particular roads and areas as necessary when considering road schemes. The method used, which is described in the Department's "Traffic Appraisal Manual"—a copy of which is available in the Library—ensures that these scheme specific forecasts are consistent with the national road traffic forecasts. My right hon. Friend's responsibilities do not extend to Scotland and Wales.

  Rail Track (European Gauges)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the route mileage, listing the actual sections, of British Rail track capable of operating to western European or Berne loading gauges; and what studies of the extension of such mileage are under consideration; and along which routes.

  Mr. Freeman
  There are no railways cleared to such loading gauges in the United Kingdom at present. Although there are no plans to upgrade existing British Rail track to European gauges, it is proposed that the channel tunnel rail link—68 route miles—should be built 424
  to the UIC B+ loading gauge. The merits of upgrading certain freight routes to an intermediate gauge are being discussed by British Rail and other interested parties.

  Driver Training
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what proposals he has to improve driver training and testing; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what proposals he has to introduce compulsory or voluntary motorway training as part of a programme to improve driving standards; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) when he will issue a consultation paper on issuing a probationery driving licence after taking the driving test.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend is considering possible measures to reduce accidents involving new drivers and to improve their training and testing, and hopes to issue a consultation paper shortly.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

  Mr. Norris
  Approximately £15,000 has been spent on external legal advice on the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations in the past year. Costs of in-house legal advice by activity is not separately recorded.

  Ships (Pollution Control)
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of his Department's programme of port inspection of ships, targeted on pollution control compliance; how many prosecutions the port inspection of ships has led to; and if he will give details of the offences which have been committed.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 24 June 1993]: The United Kingdom has inspection programmes for both United Kingdom and foreign-registered ships which include the targeting of ships which may present a special hazard such as tankers. All ship types may be inspected for pollution control compliance as part of such an inspection. Port inspections have led to two successful prosecutions of ships in the last 12 months, both for deficiencies in safety equipment. However, detention has been found to be generally more effective than prosecution in securing early remedial action and can result in the ship owner incurring considerable financial penalties. Non-compliance with international safety and pollution prevention standards led to the detention in United Kingdom ports of 188 United Kingdom and foreign-registered ships during 1992.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of prosecutions that have taken place under the United Kingdom Merchant Shipping (Prevention of Pollution by Garbage) Orders since 1988; and if he will give details of the fines imposed and the policing that enforces the regulations.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding reply 24 June 1993]: Since the regulations entered into force, one prosecution has been

  425
  instigated by my Department's marine pollution control unit. The vessel concerned was found guilty of the offence, fined £750 and ordered to pay £515 in costs. Further cases may have been brought by other authorities but records are not held centrally.

  My Department investigates reports of contravention of the regulations and recommends prosecution where it is considered there is adequate evidence.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police Inspection
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Her Majesty's inspector of constabulary met(a) the Atomic Energy Police Federation, (b) the British Transport Police Federation and (c) the Ministry of Defence Police Federation and the representative organisation of other ranks, without their management representatives being present on the occasion of his last inspection of the respective forces.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The British Transport police has its own inspector, separate from Her Majesty's inspector of constabulary. The Atomic Energy police force and the Ministry of Defence police are inspected by Her Majesty's inspector of constabulary by invitation. The conduct of the inspection is a matter for the HMI concerned.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether copies of reports of Her Majesty's inspector of constabulary are made available to the respective local police federation and representative organisations of other ranks.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Yes.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers Her Majesty's inspector of constabulary has with respect to(a) the Royal Parks constabulary and (b) the Northern Ireland Airport police.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Her Majesty's inspector of constabulary may inspect non-Home Office forces only by invitation.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to request Her Majesty's inspector of constabulary to meet local police federation and representatives of other ranks, without their management representatives being present, when he makes an inspection of a police force.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  It is the existing policy and practice to do so.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new methods his Department is proposing to deal more effectively into persistent juvenile offenders.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. and learned Friend, the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Clarke) on 2 March at columns 139–42, in which he announced the Government's intention to 426
  provide courts with a new sentence, provisionally entitled a secure training order, to assist them in dealing with persistent juvenile offenders aged 12 to 15. We will bring the necessary legislation before the House as soon as possible.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in enabling young people who have committed serious offences and represent a danger to the community to be named at an early stage.

  Mr. Maclean
  We are examining the current legislation closely to determine the extent of the present restrictions on publication in order to see what precise changes are necessary. We are determined to come forward with proposals as soon as possible with a view to introducing the necessary legislation in the next Session.

  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how often, over the most recent period for which figures are available, courts have hound over the parents of(a) children under 16 years who have committed criminal offences and (b) 16 and 17-year-olds who have committed criminal offences.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information for 1991 is given in the table. Data for 1992 will not be available until the autumn.

  Number of parents or guardians ordered to enter into a recognisance if juvenile found guilty of a criminal offence by age of juvenile, 1991 England and Wales

  Age of offender

  Number of parents or guardians

  10 to under 16 years

  3

  16 to under 18 years

  1

  Total under 18 years

  4

  Drug Offences
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the value of the assets seized from people convicted of drug offences in the United Kingdom in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Maclean
  For information relating to England and Wales only, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) on 27 May at column 722.

  Similar information is not readily available for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Entry Clearance
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of(a) men and (b) women waiting for entry clearance visas for entry into the United Kingdom at high commission offices in Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka as of 1 June.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The latest available information for posts in Pakistan and India relates to 31 March 1993 and is given in the table. No information is available centrally on the gender of applicants.
  427

  Number of applicants for Entry Clearance Visas waiting for first interview at 31 March 1993

  Number of persons

  Settlement queues

  Bombay

  New Delhi

  Islamabad

  Madras

  Queue 1

  Persons with a claim to the right of abode, dependent relatives over 70 years old. special compassionate cases

  0

  0

  35

  —

  Queue 2

  Spouses, and children under 18 years old

  256

  337

  1,096

  —

  Queue 3

  Fiance(e)s and others applying for the first time for resettlement

  338

  183

  226

  —

  Queue 4

  Re-applicants

  246

  116

  865

  —

  Total

  840

  636

  2,222

  126

  1 Madras does not operate a separate queuing system.

  In Calcutta and Colombo, there are no applicants awaiting first interview. Information on the number of applicants in Karachi is not available centrally but all applicants are expected to receive a first interview within three weeks.

  Crime Prevention, Portsmouth
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what specific help his Department is giving to assist action against theft and vandalism through the use of video cameras to assist in crime prevention in Portsmouth.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No specific assistance has been given to Portsmouth. But the Home Office crime prevention centre gives practical advice to all police forces on the use of closed circuit television as a crime prevention measure and the police research group has published an evaluation of the effectiveness of CCTV in car parks which has been sent to all police forces.

  Domestic Violence
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the Government's response to the third report of Session 1992–93 from the Home Affairs Committee on domestic violence (HC 245).

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the Government's reply to this report which is being published today as Command Paper 2269. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Chinese Refugees
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Chinese nationals are now political refugees in the United Kingdom arising from the Tiananmen square demonstrations: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The available information is that in the period 4 June 1989 to 31 December 1992 a total of 115 Chinese nationals—excluding dependants—who had applied for asylum in the United Kingdom were recognised as refugees and granted asylum here. In addition, 95 Chinese nationals—excluding dependants—who had applied for asylum were not recognised as 428
  refugees but were granted exceptional leave. At 31 December 1992, about 600 applications for asylum by Chinese nationals—excluding dependants—were awaiting a decision.

  Also, as at end January 1993, an estimated 900 Chinese nationals—excluding dependants—had been allowed to remain in the United Kingdom on an exceptional basis without applying for asylum, under the arrangements announced in June 1989 for those in the United Kingdom on 4 June 1989 and who were unwilling to return to China for the time being.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Since November 1991 all legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1988 for the Home Office market-testing programme has been obtained from Home Office legal advisers. It is not possible to isolate the cost of this advice.

  Sheehy Report
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many copies of the Sheehy report he proposes to supply free of charge to the Superintendents Association of England and Wales, on publication of the report.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Sixty.

  Immigration Statistics
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dependants have been admitted for settlement in each of the past 25 years from(a) Africa, (b) the Indian sub-continent, (c) the rest of Asia, (d) the Caribbean and (f) the rest of the world.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Information on the total numbers of spouses and dependants for settlement in the United Kingdom in the years of 1974 to 1992 is given in table 14 of Home Office Command Paper "Control of
  429
  Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 1984", table 9 of "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 1991" and table 3 of Home Office statistical bulletin issue 14/93 "Control of Immigration Statistics-Third and Fourth Quarters and Year 1992". Copies of these publications are in the Library.

  A breakdown by the nationality regions requested of acceptances of spouses and children in the years 1981 to

  Acceptance for settlement of spouses and children by geographical region, 1982–1992

  United Kingdom

  Number of persons

  Geographical region

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  11992

  Africa

  2,570

  3,000

  3,100

  3,400

  2,950

  3,760

  4,290

  4,420

  6,450

  7,500

  6,540

  Indian sub-continent

  17,230

  14,380

  12,900

  15,310

  12,360

  9,580

  9,930

  9,530

  10,360

  11,190

  11,820

  Remainder of Asia

  4,670

  5,330

  5,180

  5,340

  5,150

  5,470

  5,510

  5,290

  6,560

  7,050

  6,530

  Caribbean countries2

  400

  490

  490

  600

  650

  710

  830

  640

  1,120

  1,640

  1,400

  Rest of the world

  9,940

  11,240

  11,630

  11,750

  10,080

  10,710

  10,530

  8,630

  11,370

  12,310

  11,440

  Total (all nationalities)3

  34,810

  34,440

  33,300

  36,400

  31,190

  30,230

  31,090

  28,510

  35,860

  39,690

  37,730

  1Provisional.

  2Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and (for 1982 and 1983 only) West Indian Associated States. Information for other Caribbean countries is not separately identifiable in the statistics and is contained in the figures for "Rest of the world".

  3The fall in acceptances after 1985 and 1988, and part of the increase in 1990 and 1991 reflects the temporary effect, and subsequent unwinding, of the introduction in 1985 and extension in 1988 of the requirement that wives serve a probationary year prior to settlement. Acceptances from 1986 were also reduced by an estimated 1,200–3,000 a year as a result of a determination by the Immigration Appeal Tribunal that those who apply for settlement but have the right of abode should be given a certificate or confirmation of that right instead of an entry clearance.

  Hong Kong
  Sir Ivan Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he has made to allow applicants for British national (overseas) status in Hong Kong to continue to hold a British dependent territories citizen passport when they are registered as British national (overseas) status.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  We have agreed with the Hong Kong Government that the following arrangements will come into effect on 1 July:

  (i) A person registered as a British national (Overseas) (BN(O)) who has a British dependent territories citizen (BDTC) passport which is valid until 30 June 1997 may retain it when issued with his BN(O) passport.

  (ii) A BN(O) applicant who wishes to have a new BDTC passport as well as a BN(O) passport must pay the prescribed fees for both the BDTC and BN(O) passports.

  (iii) The fee for a BDTC passport will be the same for all applicants regardless of when the passport is issued.

  (iv) An existing BN(O) who gave up his BDTC passport when registering as a BN(O) and who wishes to re-acquire a BDTC passport may do so on payment of the appropriate BDTC passport fee.

  All BDTC passports will, of course, expire on 30 June 1997.

  NORTHERN IRELAND
  1992 is given in the table. Breakdowns are by region of acceptances of other dependants, and of spouses and children.
  The numbers of spouses and dependants accepted in the years 1968 to 1973 are not separately identifiable in the statistics.

  Viral Hepatitis

  Dysentery

  1988

  527

  58

  1989

  402

  375

  1990

  313

  51

  1991

  440

  66

  1992

  304

  174

  Hepatitis and Dysentery
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of(a)viral hepatitis and(b)dysentery have been reported in each regional health authority in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Ancram
  The information is as follows:
  430

  11-plus Examination
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what dates the 11-plus examination will be held this year; what provision has been made for trial examination papers to be available; what guidelines primary school teachers have received for this examination; how parents of children for this examination have been kept advised; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ancram
  The transfer procedure tests will he held on 15 October and 26 November 1993. Practice tests will not be issued to schools. A specimen paper was issued to all schools on 27 April to give an indication of the variety and type of questions which may appear in the main tests; a further batch of sample questions will be issued to schools at the beginning of September. The tests will be based on the programmes of study for English, mathematics and science which schools have peen required to follow since 1990.

  Schools were notified of the test arrangements by circular on 17 February 1993; further details were given in a circular on 27 April which accompanied the specimen paper and in a further circular on 22 June. Copies of an information leaflet about the new tests have been sent to all primary schools for distribution to the parents of all pupils eligible to take the tests in the autumn. I am satisfied that schools have sufficient information to enable them to prepare pupils adequately for the tests.
  431

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

  Sir Patrick Mayhew
  During the period of the market-testing programme identified in the citizens charter White Paper last November, some £400 has been spent on legal advice from the private sector on the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations for the market-testing programme. It is not possible to identify separately the cost advice provided by in-house legal advisers during the same period.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were registered as disabled in Northern Ireland on the most recent date for which this information is available.

  Mr. Atkins
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. J. S. Crozier. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from J. S. Crozier to Mr. Terry Davis, dated 28 June 1993:

  You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were registered disabled in Northern Ireland on the most recent date for which this information is available.

  The Secretary of State has passed your question to me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency, for reply.

  The latest date for which the information you require is available is 25 June 1993 when the number of people on the Register of Disabled Persons was 10,180.

SCOTLAND

  HIV
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he will review the level of funding for non-statutory providers of education about HIV risks;

  (2) what information he has on the resources allocated to counselling people who are HIV positive;

  (3) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the current strategy for HIV prevention; and if he will hold discussions on the subject with relevant groups;

  (4) whether he will fund research into the effectiveness of current education strategies aimed at decreasing the risk of HIV infection;

  (5) whether he will review existing mainstream health education on HIV with a view to targeting gay men more effectively.

  Table 1: Notifications of Bacillary Dysentery

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Scotland

  196

  154

  235

  1,526

  3,486

  Argyll and Clyde

  16

  7

  13

  12

  57

  Ayrshire and Arran

  7

  3

  7

  51

  306

  Borders

  10

  7

  2

  3

  25

  Dumfries and Galloway

  3

  2

  —

  80

  20

  432
  Mr. Stewart
  The prevention of HIV and AIDS was identified as a priority in the national policy statement "Health Education in Scotland" published in March 1991. Later that year, a ministerial task force was set up to consider how current prevention initiatives could be further developed and enhanced. The task force report, "Prevention the Key", was published in 1992 and its wide-ranging recommendations are now being implemented.

  The task force recognised the invaluable contribution made by voluntary organisations in providing educational information on the risks of HIV and in providing support to those infected and affected by HIV or AIDS. Grants are made to voluntary bodies under section 16B of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 for HIV and AIDS services and/or initiatives. Planned expenditure for such purposes in 1993–94 by the Scottish Office Home and Health Department amounts to £154,000, 7 per cent. more than in 1992–93.

  The task force report stressed the importance of prevention initiatives among gay men and this continues to be one of the themes of public education campaigns. The report also underlined the need for evaluation strategies and the AIDS Prevention Co-ordinating Group for Scotland (APCGS), set up in November 1992 in accordance with a recommendation of the task force, has been paying particular regard to the effectiveness of current strategies and discussing ideas for new prevention initiatives. The APCGS includes health board and local authority representation and representatives from the voluntary sector, the Health Education Board for Scotland and the police and prison services.

  NHS Reforms
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the cost to date of implementing NHS reforms.

  Mr. Stewart
  No details of actual expenditure by health boards on the NHS reforms are held centrally. However, an extra £121 million has been allocated to boards, in the four years since 1990–91, to help meet any additional costs incurred. This amounts to about 1 per cent. of health board expenditure over this period. The considerable benefits for patient care flowing from the reforms support the Government's investment in them.

  Hepatitis and Dysentery
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of(a) viral hepatitis and (b) dysentery have been reported in each health authority in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Stewart
  The numbers of cases of viral hepatitis and bacillary dysentery, notified by health board area since 1988, are set out in the tables.
  433

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Fife

  8

  16

  5

  111

  439

  Forth Valley

  6

  13

  76

  51

  52

  Grampian

  18

  11

  11

  16

  387

  Greater Glasgow

  32

  31

  50

  778

  702

  Highland

  3

  5

  2

  11

  14

  Lanarkshire

  27

  21

  15

  115

  241

  Lothian

  47

  34

  37

  266

  753

  Orkney

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Shetland

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Tayside

  18

  2

  16

  32

  489

  Western Isles

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Table 2: Notifications of Viral Hepatitis

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Scotland

  848

  831

  546

  556

  319

  Argyll and Clyde

  14

  23

  20

  13

  13

  Ayrshire and Arran

  35

  26

  60

  100

  34

  Borders

  9

  2

  2

  21

  4

  Dumfries and Galloway

  11

  —

  4

  —

  24

  Fife

  39

  17

  26

  9

  21

  Forth Valley

  18

  11

  5

  7

  7

  Grampian

  31

  46

  51

  55

  21

  Greater Glasgow

  135

  142

  175

  224

  99

  Highland

  14

  18

  10

  17

  5

  Lanarkshire

  26

  16

  28

  12

  10

  Lothian

  448

  364

  78

  75

  69

  Orkney

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Shetland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Tayside

  68

  166

  86

  19

  12

  Western Isles

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

  Mr. Lang
  Legal advice on the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations in relation to market testing has been provided by my Department's own in-house legal advisers. It is not possible to disaggregate the cost of this advice from the totality of their legal advice on all market-testing matters.

  Tourism
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the review of tourism support arrangements in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  The tourism review shows that Scottish tourism is in good heart and eager to work at an evolving partnership. The Minister with responsibility for tourism at the Scottish Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, West (Lord James Douglas-Hamilton), will ensure that this is achieved.

  Under the chairmanship of my hon. Friend, the composition of the Scottish tourism co-ordinating group will be reviewed and strengthened. It will supervise the preparation of a national strategic plan for Scottish tourism covering business development as well as marketing. The preparation of this plan will be the responsibility of the Scottish tourist board, working in close collaboration with Scottish Enterprise and
  434
  Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The plan will be put into effect by all three national bodies and will provide a framework for co-operation at local level between business interests, area tourist boards, local enterprise companies and the local authorities. The preparation of effective local strategies will be facilitated. In this way the public sector will help the Scottish tourist industry to forge a strong new sense of purpose.

  At the national level the arrangements for supporting Scottish tourism will be clarified. As from 1 April 1994 responsibility for tourism marketing and for area tourist board support will be consolidated in the Scottish tourist board. Also from this date business development activities will he consolidated in the Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise networks. STB's activities under the section 4 scheme of capital assistance will be phased out. As from the date of this announcement no further formal applications for assistance will he accepted. Resources will be transferred to reflect these adjusted responsibilities. In terms of public expenditure the effect will be neutral.

  Collaboration among the national agencies will he underpinned by suitable appointments at board level. Arrangements for consulting the tourist industry will be improved by strengthening the Scottish Confederation of Tourism. As part of the "Scotland in the Union" initiative, the Scottish tourist board will establish, by 1 April 1995, a substantial office presence in Inverness and make compensating reductions in staffing levels in Edinburgh, which will remain the head office.

  As facilitators, providers of infrastructure and operators of tourist attractions, Scottish local authorities will remain major partners in the tourist industry. The proposed legislation for restructuring local government in Scotland will contain a statutory obligation on councils to

  435
  participate in the formation of area tourist boards, the number of which will be greatly reduced. It will also provide a power to make an order defining the boundaries of area tourist boards. The Scottish tourist board will be responsible for consulting local authorities and other interests and for advising me on the most suitable future area tourist board structure, which will cover the whole of Scotland.

  The proposed legislation will provide a duty on local authorities, where they wish to market their areas as tourist destinations and provide services to visitors, to do so only through an area tourist board. Area tourist boards will be required to co-ordinate overseas activities with those of the Scottish tourist board. In order to encourage further evolution of industry involvement in area tourist boards, the proposed legislation will provide that on executive committees, the members representing trade interests shall be in a majority. My hon. Friend will consider ways of strengthening local authority and area tourist board involvement in the development of tourism policy at the national level.

  Overall these changes build on the Scottish tourist industry's strengths, especially its understanding of the need for effective partnerships. They will eliminate the present duplication of effort identified by many who responded to the tourism review. The improved arrangements will help ensure the continued profitability and competitiveness of an industry which has a world-wide reputation for quality, friendliness and good service. My colleagues and I are grateful to all those who contributed to the tourism review with their time and ideas.

  Health Service Costs
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what the total budget for the Edinburgh and south-east Scotland region blood donor centre was in each of the past 10 years;
  436
  (2) what the total budget for the protein fractionation centre in Scotland was in each of the past 10 years;

  (3) what the total budget for the Edinburgh and south-east Scotland region regional centre at the Royal Infirmary was in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 28 June 1993]: The information available relates to expenditure and is as follows:

  South East Regional Transfusion Centre

  Expenditure

  Year ended

  Revenue

  Capital

  31 March

  £

  £

  1983

  2,452,659

  n/a

  1984

  2,822,873

  10,459

  1985

  2,951,939

  206,018

  1986

  3,227,797

  238,905

  1987

  3,274,916

  111,652

  1988

  3,586,185

  233,812

  1989

  3,798,245

  230,366

  1990

  4,013,776

  732,161

  1991

  4,241,865

  618,422

  1992

  4,920,147

  857,856

  Note:—Separate figures for the Edinburgh and South East Scotland Region Blood Donor Centre are not available. The expenditure is included in the above figures.

  Protein Fractionation Centre

  Expenditure

  Year ended

  Revenue

  Capital

  31 March

  £

  £

  1983

  2,065,563

  n/a

  1984

  2,190,680

  242,520

  1985

  2,339,254

  756,928

  1986

  2,700,728

  716,656

  1987

  2,855,554

  278,090

  1988

  3,239,405

  647,205

  1989

  3,284,053

  531,563

  1990

  3,667,996

  1,315,526

  1991

  4,081,428

  978,776

  1992

  4,459,572

  2,505,399

  437

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  RECHAR
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps his Department has made to extract funds from the European Commission to enable the RECHAR 2 programme to go ahead on 1 January 1994.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  RECHAR has been one of 14 Community initiatives under the European structural funds. The future of these Community initiatives as a whole is at present under discussion in the Council in Brussels.

  Contact Lens Cleaners
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to encourage the provision of more sales outlets for cleaning and soaking solutions for contact lenses.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  This is already the Government's policy. A recent Monopolies and Mergers Commission report recommended, among other things, that the retailing of contact lens solutions—CLS—should be opened to all retailers who wished to sell them, subject to satisfying standards for storage and product recall. As I announced on 27 May, my hon. Friend the Minister for Health has decided, following recent independent expert advice, that the existing rules restricting retail sales of CLS to opticians and pharmacies could be relaxed without any increased risk to health. Companies may now apply for appropriate changes to their product licences to permit supply of CLS via general sales outlets, such as supermarkets.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received on the competitiveness of British manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade receives a wide range of representations on the competitiveness of British manufacturing industry. The competitive position of United Kingdom industry has strengthened considerably in the 12 months to April this year, during which period manufacturing productivity has increased by nearly 8 per cent.

  Assisted Areas
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin) of 17 June,Official Report, column 715, what response he has had from the European Commission to his proposals for a new assisted areas map.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Moray (Mrs. Ewing) on 25 June,Official Report, columns 293–94

  Environmental Policy
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his Department's policy on the purchase and use of(a) recycled paper, (b) low-energy light bulbs, (c) tropical hardwoods, (d) peat and (e) cars with catalytic converters.
  438
  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department is committed to purchasing recycled paper and recycling paper stationery products, wherever possible; installing energy efficient lighting wherever practicable; and reducing the use of tropical hardwoods where possible in the Department's building works and furniture, making every effort to ensure that, when tropical hardwoods are used, they come from sustainable sources. All new petrol cars purchased have catalytic converters fitted. The Department's green housekeeping strategy does not at present cover the use of peat; however, this will be kept under review.

  Accounting Firms
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consideration he has given to the introduction of legislation debarring firms of accountants who have prepared a report on a business from accepting a commission for a receivership consequent upon such a report.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  I have considered carefully the arguments both for and against investigating accountants being debarred from taking subsequent insolvency appointments and I am not convinced that the practice should be proscribed.

  House Insurance
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimates he has of the increases in insurance premiums for home(a) buildings and (b) contents policies in each of the last five years, and in the current year; what are those figures deflated by the retail prices index; and what estimates he has of the number of householders or occupiers who do not have (i) buildings and (ii) contents insurance.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Department does not collect data on premium levels. The individual components of the retail prices index relating to buildings and contents insurance are not published separately. The latest family expenditure survey figures indicate that 24·1 per cent. of households are not holders of household contents insurance policies and 37·9 per cent. are not holders of building insurance polices.

  Deregulation
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the outcome of his Department's consultation on deregulation opportunities conducted with seven buisness sectors; and if he will indicate the environmental areas which will be affected by deregulation.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The seven sectoral deregulation task forces are still examining the impact of regulation on business and have not yet made recommendations.

  Nuclear Power Industry
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will include nuclear waste management, decommissioning of plants, financial controls and United Kingdom Government cover of future liabilities within the terms of reference of his review of the future of the United Kingdom nuclear power industry; and if he will make a statement.
  439
  Mr. Eggar
  The timing and scope of the review of the future prospects for nuclear power in the United Kingdom are under consideration within Government. A further announcement will be made in due course.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to underpin the future of the 12 pits of which he announced the reprieve on 29 March; if he will make a statement about the future of each of these 12 pits; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent guidelines he has given British Coal and the generators about the level of strategic reserve coal stocks and the rate at which these are being drawn down.

  Mr. Eggar
  Decisions about the future of individual collieries are a matter for British Coal, after consultation with the unions. However, the Government have offered a subsidy to both British Coal and private sector coal producers that can secure a genuinely additional market for United Kingdom undergound coal for electricity generation at world-related prices where this is consistent with the relevant European Community provisions.

  I understand British Coal is continuing to test the market for supplementary sales.

  Guidance on the level of coal stocks for 1993–94 based on an analysis by the National Grid Company was given to the generators in March. It contains commercially confidential information which it would not be appropriate to make public. This guidance will remain in force pending the outcome of the Government's review of the basis for the current arrangements, which was announced in the White Paper, "The Prospects for Coal: Conclusions of the Government's Coal Review".

  Exports
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of United Kingdom manufacturing exports were accounted for by internal company trading in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is not available.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what estimate has been made of the number of new jobs achieved through inward investment in(a) the past five years and (b) the preceding five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My Department's Invest in Britain Bureau has been notified of 1,411 inward investment decisions between 1982 and 1986 with 95,035 new jobs created. Similarly, between 1987 and 1991 there were 1,696 decisions, creating 129,955 new jobs. These figures are based on information provided by the companies at the time of the announcement to invest. There is no requirement to notify the Department and so the figures include only those projects where the Department's Invest in Britain Bureau and its regional partners were involved or which have come to their notice. They take no account of subsequent developments.
  440

  Plutonium 240
  Mr. David Alton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps his Department takes to monitor the end-use of plutonium 240 exported overseas.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 22 June 1993]: A licence is required for the export of plutonium-240. The Government take into account end-use and destination in assessing a licence application.

  Plutonium-240 is not classified as a special fissionable material. However, materials containing plutonium-240 are associated with other isotopes of plutonium which are subject to safeguards. Such materials would therefore come under the oversight of the international safeguards authorities.

  National Environmental Technology Centre
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 10 June to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan),Official Report, columns 303–04, if he will outline the environmental research work he expects the national environmental technology centre to conduct for the Government.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 17 June 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 21 June, Official Report, column 23

  British Nuclear Fuels
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will place in the Library a copy of the forward corporate plan from BNFL covering the next 15 years as submitted to his Department.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 22 June 1993]: No.

  Assisted Areas
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many meetings he had with the European Commission prior to the submission of the assisted areas map on 15 June; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 23 June 1993]: My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has not met the commission to discuss the assisted areas map. Officials from the DTI held informal meetings with commission officials prior to the submission of the proposed map on 15 June.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the names. occupations and current employers of those who currently hold positions in each public body to which he makes appointments; if he will make a statement on the considerations taken into account when making such appointments; and if he will list details of the posts and salaries or allowances payable which have changed since the publication of Public Bodies 1992.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 25 June 1993]: There would be disproportionate cost involved in providing the names, occupations and current employers of all the Department's public appointees. The key considerations taken into

  441
  account in making public appointments, in addition to any statutory criteria which may relate to a particular post, are the needs of the post and the skills of the particular individual. The following table indicates the current

  Posts

  Body

  Chairman

  Deputy, etc.

  Members

  Notes

  Nationalised industries

  British Shipbuilders

  1, £17,368

  —

  2, £5,000 and under

  No change

  British Coal Corporation1

  1, £234,360

  2, £110,000*

  4, £95,000*

  *Plus performance related bonus (currently under review) of up to 25 per cent, of salary

  £93,744*

  £88,536*

  £85,000*

  5, under £8,000

  British Nuclear Fuels plc1

  1, £85,300* *

  1, £100,000–£105,000* *

  1, £145,000* *

  One member is a Chief Executive.

  1, £135,000* *

  1, £115,000* *

  * * The Chairman and full-time Board Members receive performance related bonus of up to 30 per cent, of salary

  1, £100,000–£105,000* *

  1, £80,000–£85,000* *

  5, £10,000

  Nuclear Electric plc1

  1. £150,925+

  1, £160,000+

  6, £10,015

  No change.

  1. £145,777+

  +A performance related bonus of up to 30 per cent. of salary is available

  1, £95,000+

  1, £85,000+

  1, £81,505+

  Post Office

  1, £91,500‡

  1, £58,662‡

  1, £175,001–£180,000‡

  ‡Plus performance related bonus of up to 40 per cent, of salary

  1, £100,001–£105,000‡

  2, £95,001–£100,000‡

  1, £15,001–£20,000

  1, £10,001–£15,000

  2, £5,001–£10,000

  1Transferred from Department of Energy to Department of Trade and Industry in April 1992.

  Posts

  Body

  Chairman

  Deputy, etc.

  Members

  Notes

  Consumer consultative bodies

  Advisory Committees on Telecommunications for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

  3, £60 per day

  —

  34

  Area Transport Users" Consultative Committees

  8, £6,310

  8

  118

  Central Transport Consultative Committee

  1, £7,910

  1

  12

  Domestic Coal Consumers' Council

  1, £60 per day

  1

  10

  Gas Consumers' Council

  1, £14,150

  1, £6,730

  11, £5,300

  5

  London Regional Passengers' Committee

  1, £11,010

  2

  20

  National Consumer Council

  [1, £43·90 per day]

  1, £12,720

  16, £4,730

  1, £19,905

  25, £72 per day

  2, £4,730

  Post Office Users' National Council

  1, £10,610

  —

  16

  Post Office Users' Councils for Scotland. Wales and Northern Ireland

  3, £60 per day

  —

  29

  No change

  Square brackets denote an appointment by others.

  Posts

  Body

  Chairman

  Deputy, etc.

  Members

  Notes

  Executive, etc. bodies

  British Hallmarking Council

  [1, £5,750]

  —

  10. [6]

  No change

  National Enterprise Board1

  1

  —

  6

  No change

  National Research Development Corporation

  —

  6

  No change

  442
  position in relation to those bodies where posts or salaries have changed since I September 1992. In addition, various allowances are paid to cover travel and subsistence and other costs in some cases.
  443

  Posts

  Body

  Chairman

  Deputy, etc.

  Members

  Notes

  Design Council

  —

  1

  21

  English Industrial Estates Corporation (EIEC)

  1. £25,315

  1, £9,648

  4, £5,220

  12

  Hearing Aid Council

  1

  —

  12

  No change

  Monopolies and Mergers Commission

  1, £90,150+

  3, £31,625

  28, £12,7353

  +Full-time appointment

  5, £12,7354

  Policyholders' Protection Board

  1. £350 per day

  —

  4, £230 per day4

  No change

  The Simpler Trade Procedures Board

  1

  [1]

  1, £51,540‡[9]

  No change.

  ‡Full-time appointment

  United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority5

  1, £55,640

  1, £104,000+*

  3, £83,200

  + Full-time appointment

  5, £7,570

  *Chief Executive

  1The figures reflect the privatisation (January 1992) and the subsequent sale (March 1992) of BTG and the continued existence of the NEB and NRDC Board to facilitate orderly winding up.

  2ElEC's Chief Executive.

  3Including eight reserve members paid only when serving on references.

  4Including one reserve member paid only when serving as a reference.

  5Transferred from Department of Energy to Department of Trade and Industry in April 1992. Square brackets denote an appointment by others.

  Square brackets denote an appointment by others

  Posts

  Body

  Chairman

  Deputy, etc.

  Members

  Notes

  Advisory bodies

  Advanced Manufacturing Technology Committee

  1

  —

  11

  No change

  Advisory Committee on Arbitration Law

  1

  1

  16

  No change

  Advisory Committee on Telecommunications for England

  1, £60 per day

  —

  9

  No change

  Advisory Council of Research and Development1

  1

  —

  10

  Advisory Panel on Deregulation

  1

  —

  7

  Aviation Committee

  1

  —

  14

  No change

  British Overseas Trade Board

  1. £19,985

  1

  18

  Coal Task Force1

  1

  —

  14

  Engineering Technology Advisory Committee

  1

  —

  14

  Industrial Development Advisory Board

  1

  —

  10

  No change

  Information Technology Advisory Board

  1

  —

  15

  No change

  Innovation Advisory Board

  1

  —

  10

  LINK Steering Group

  1

  —

  7

  Monitoring Committee on Misleading Price Indications

  1

  —

  [30]

  No change

  Offshore Industry Advisory Board1

  1

  —

  23

  Overseas Projects Board

  1

  —

  14

  Regional Industrial Developments Boards

  5

  —

  47

  No change

  Renewable Energy Advisory Committee1

  1

  —

  15

  No change

  Standards, Quality and Measurement Advisory Committee

  1

  —

  12

  No change

  444 445

  Posts

  Body

  Chairman

  Deputy, etc.

  Members

  Notes

  Standing Advisory Committee on Industrial Property

  1

  —

  [17]

  No change

  1Transferred from Department of Energy to Department of Trade and industry in April 1992.

  Square brackets denote an appointment by others.

  posts

  Body

  Chairman

  Deputy, etc.

  Members

  Notes

  Tribunals, etc.

  Copyright Tribunal

  1, £300 per day*

  2

  7, £177 per day*

  *Appointed from a panel of 3 chairpersons and 7 members

  Insolvency Practitioners Tribunal

  1, £10 per day* *

  —

  2, £16 per day* *

  * * Appointed from a panel consisting of 5 chairpersons and 16 members

  Persons Hearing Consumer Credit Licensing Appeals

  1, £221 per day+

  —

  2, £113perday+

  +Appointed from a panel of 21 chairpersons and 12 members

  Persons Hearing Estate Agents Appeals

  1, £221 per day ‡

  —

  2. £113perday‡

  ‡Appointed from a panel of 14 chairpersons and 18 members

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Environmental Policy
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is his Department's policy on the purchase and use of(a) recycled paper, (b) low-energy light bulbs, (c) tropical hardwoods, (d) peat and (e) cars with catalytic converters.

  Mr. Sproat
  The Department of National Heritage has not yet finalised the formulation of its environmental policy. None the less, where possible we are practising the policy in anticipation of its formal introduction. The majority of the Department's staff have recently moved into a new central headquarters building and we have adopted the following practices with regard to the items mentioned:

  (a) Recycled paper—Recycled paper is used wherever possible. Our bulk supply of white A4 paper and our letterheaded paper arc all recycled.

  (b) Low-energy light bulbs—Low-energy light bulbs have been installed in the new headquarters building. Automatic presence detectors ensure that no lights are left on unnecessarily.

  (c) Tropical Hardwoods—No tropical hardwoods or woods from unreplenished forests have been used in fitting out the new headquarters.

  (d) Peat—Use of peat or similar substances is minimal at our headquaters building, as we have no grounds. A total volume of only 3,000 litres (approximately) of potting mixture is used for live plant displays within the offices and the compost used is a mixture containing part moss peat.

  (e) Cars—The Department does not purchase any cars and relies on the Government car service for its needs.

  The Department has two agencies, the Historic Royal Palaces agency and the Royal Parks, which follow environmental guidelines for making the most efficient and economic use of the resources under their control. Recycled paper and low-energy light bulbs are used wherever possible. Tropical hardwoods are not used in furniture purchased by the agencies. English oak is used wherever possible for garden furniture at the royal palaces.
  446
  Both agencies are committed to reducing the use of peat by replacing it with alternative formulations wherever possible. The Historic Royal Palaces agency does not purchase any cars. From 1995 a new vehicle hire contract will require all royal parks and royal parks constabulary vehicles to be fitted with catalytic converters whenever possible.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

  Mr. Sproat
  Nothing.

PRIME MINISTER

  European Council
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement on the European Council in Copenhagen of 23 June,Official Report, columns 309–10, what were the main elements of the Commission paper on information disclosure and transparency discussed at the Council; and what was the policy position advanced by the United Kingdom on openness during the Council deliberations on the Commission's proposals.

  The Prime Minister
  The main points of the Commission's paper are:

  —a positive assessment of progress since Birmingham,/ Edinburgh;

  —suggestions for future activity, including follow-up to the Sutherland report on the single market (which addressed the need to ensure its effectiveness, for example through better explanation of the legislation and its rationale) and simplification of Community legislation to reduce burdens on business;

  —the possibility of a round table meeting with regional/local authorities and NG0s;

  —the need for a more responsive and effective Commission information/press service;

  447

  —a request to member states to improve openness at national level about the implementation of Community policies;

  —the idea of an inter-institutional agreement on access to information.

  At Copenhagen, we welcomed the progress made since the Edinburgh European Council, in opening up the work of the Council of Ministers, had emphasised the importance of continuing work in this area, including on the Commission's proposals for granting public access to information held by the Community's institutions.

  Third World Debt
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to propose at the July summit of the G7 nations steps to ensure compliance with, and full implementation of, the Trinidad terms in relation to African poverty and debt; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The summit agenda is a matter for the Japanese. But we hope debt of the poorest and most heavily indebted countries will be one of the central issues for discussion at the summit. Our position on Trinidad terms for these countries is well known. I shall certainly continue to press for full Trinidad terms, in line with my original proposal for a benchmark of two thirds immediate reduction on the whole stock of debt, with up to 80 per cent. reduction for those in the greatest need.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will seek to convene a special EC Heads of Government meeting to consider emergency financial and other assistance to Croatia and Slovenia to support refugees in both countries and to review the EC refugee burden sharing arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The European Community has, since the beginning of the crisis in former Yugoslavia, made available £397 million for humanitarian relief. This includes a £119 million contribution at the end of last month. The United Kingdom has given a further £44·5 million bilaterally. Both these figures include substantial grants to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugee—UNHCR. UNHCR will hold a donor meeting in mid-July to consider future needs.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister what further financial and other assistance European Community countries are proposing to make available to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Bosnia, Croatia and Slovenia to support refugees and displaced persons; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will chair a meeting of donors in mid-July in Geneva. That meeting will focus on the latest detailed analysis of the needs of displaced people and others affected by the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, including Slovenia and Croatia. The acceptance of refugees and displaced people from the former Yugoslavia is the subject of frequent discussion between EC member states but at present there are no formal burden-sharing arrangements.
  448

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 29 June.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 29 June.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Environmental Policy
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the policy of his Departments on the purchase and use of(a) recycled paper, (b) low-energy light bulbs, (c) tropical hardwoods, (d) peat and (e) cars with catalytic converters.

  Sir John Cope
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer's Departments all pursue a policy of green housekeeping. In respect of the items referred to:

  (a) where possible and cost effective, recycled paper is used;

  (b) low-energy light bulbs are already in use or are being progressively installed in all Departments;

  (c) where technically feasible, tropical hardwoods will not be used;

  (d) peat is not used by several Departments; advice on avoiding the use of peat will be issued by others;

  (e) some Departments already use cars with catalytic converters and in future all cars purchased or leased will have catalytic converters where practicable.

  Departmental Speeches
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to place copies of speeches given by officials of his Department and the Inland Revenue in the Library.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No. Officials in the Treasury and the Inland Revenue make a large number of speeches in the course of a year, many on subjects of interest only to a small number. However if a Member expresses interest in a particular speech that is on the record, a copy can then be placed in the Library.

  Unit Trusts
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate has been made of the direct revenue effect in the years 1993–94 and 1994–95 of the announcements(a) that unit trust managers will be allowed to stream income which they receive and pay to corporate unit holders as between franked and unfranked income and (b) that there will be legislation to allow unit trusts to pay interest and other unfranked income gross to non-UK residents.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The estimated costs of the proposals are in the table.
  449

  £ million

  1993–94

  1994–95

  (a) Unit trust dividends received by companies to be divided into franked and unfranked components

  10

  25

  (b) Distributions out of underlying interest income of unit trusts to be paid gross to certain non-UK residents

  nil

  negligible

  Note: The position regarding unfranked income other than interest paid to non-UK residents is not yet settled.

  Finance Industry (Debt)
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of(a) general and (b) specific provision for debt, as classified by the Inland Revenue, in the hank, finance and insurance sector for each year since 1985–86.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I regret the information requested is not available.

  Corporation Tax
  Mr. Mandelson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff have been employed at the Inland Revenue on tax compliance work in connection with the corporation tax liabilities of banks and the finance sector in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not available.

  Construction Industry
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to combat tax evasion in the construction industry.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Improvements to the existing tax regime in the construction industry are currently under consideration, as part of our commitment to tackling tax evasion wherever it arises.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to lower the VAT registration threshold to nil turnover for businesses in the Construction industry.

  Sir John Cope
  None.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to review the value added tax arrangements for the construction industry in order to reduce evasion; and if he will make a statement.

  Year

  PAYE amount in £ thousands

  As a percentage of total PAYE collected

  Classes 1 and 1A NIC—amount in £ thousands

  As a percentage of total NIC classes 1 and 1A collected

  1979

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1980

  9,914

  0·05

  1,056

  0·01

  1981

  11,432

  0·08

  1,158

  0·01

  1982

  15,281

  0·06

  1,261

  0·01

  1983

  22,622

  0·08

  1,555

  0·01

  1984

  33,312

  0·11

  1,971

  0·01

  1985

  46,695

  0·14

  2,213

  0·01

  1986

  60,915

  0·17

  4,377

  0·02

  1987

  92,560

  0·25

  8,514

  0·03

  1988

  130,724

  0·33

  15,894

  0·06

  450
  Sir John Cope
  There are no plans to introduce special VAT arrangements in the construction industry. However, Customs and Excise seek to minimize evasion as a matter of course.

  VAT
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to simplify the VAT regime.

  Sir John Cope
  The Government keep the VAT system under regular review, in consultation with the relevant trade and professional bodies. Improvements proposed in the last Budget include the reform of VAT penalties and default surcharge, halving the qualifying period for claiming had debt relief, and increasing the turnover threshold for using the cash accounting scheme to £350,000.

  In addition, Customs and Excise have embarked on a deregulation five-year rolling review or VAT law and administrative procedures with the aim of making VAT more user-friendly. Trade and professional bodies have been invited to identify areas in which there is scope for simplification.

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is is estimate of the total official revenue that will accrue to the Exchequer in a full year by imposing VAT at the rate of 5 per cent. on the goods and services described in categories 1, 6, and 8 of annex A of directive 92/77/EEC.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 28 June 1993]: Estimates of VAT revenue that would occur in a full year from a 5 per cent. rate are as follows:

  £ million

  Food

  2,000

  Books, newspapers and magazines

  300

  Artist royalties

  —50

  These estimates are for 1992–93 and make no allowance for behavioural change.

  Uncollected Tax
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimated level of uncollected PAYE and national insurance contributions deducted but not paid over to the Revenue, in figures and as a percentage, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The amounts of PAYE and NIC remitted or written off as irrecoverable since 1979 are as follows:
  451

  Year

  PAYE amount in £ thousands

  As a percentage of total PAYE collected

  Classes 1 and 1A NIC—amount in £ thousands

  As a percentage of total NIC classes 1 and 1A collected

  1989

  122,890

  0·28

  15,127

  0·05

  1990

  107,091

  0·22

  17,239

  0·05

  1991

  135,258

  0·26

  21,644

  0·06

  1992

  381,172

  0·71

  32,570

  0·09

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimated level of uncollected capital gains tax, in figures and as a percentage, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The amounts of capital gains tax remitted or written off as irrecoverable since 1979 are as follows:

  Year

  Amounts in thousands

  As a percentage of total CGT collected

  1979

  15,182

  0·51

  1980

  3,591

  0·71

  1981

  2,734

  0·60

  1982

  4,868

  0·78

  1983

  6,496

  1·01

  1984

  5,998

  0·84

  1985

  7,562

  0·93

  1986

  10,064

  0·99

  1987

  8,822

  0·79

  1988

  12,680

  0·80

  1989

  10,864

  0·47

  1990

  12,002

  0·64

  1991

  29,721

  1·58

  1992

  57,836

  4·69

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimated level of uncollected schedule D tax, in figures and as a percentage, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The amounts of schedule D tax remitted or written off as irrecoverable since 1979 are as follows:

  Year

  Amounts in Thousands

  As a percentage of total Schedule D collected

  1979

  N/A

  N/A

  1980

  33,081

  0·79

  1981

  41,552

  0·75

  1982

  52,763

  0·84

  1983

  68,536

  1·04

  1984

  91,229

  1·32

  1985

  90,196

  1·18

  1986

  124,297

  1·29

  1987

  133,878

  1·88

  1988

  252,424

  3·06

  1989

  242,024

  2·53

  1990

  254,989

  2·35

  1991

  383,566

  3·17

  1992

  703,422

  5·16

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimated level of uncollected corporation tax, in figures and as a percentage, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The amounts of corporation tax remitted or written off as irrecoverable since 1979 are as follows:
  452

  Year

  Amounts in Thousands

  As a percentage of total Corporation tax collected

  1979

  15,182

  0·50

  1980

  16,214

  0·49

  1981

  20,688

  0·70

  1982

  34,396

  0·89

  1983

  40,912

  0·11

  1984

  58,051

  1·23

  1985

  75,342

  1·27

  1986

  91,365

  1·11

  1987

  92,830

  0·93

  1988

  225,597

  1·92

  1989

  151,368

  1·05

  1990

  184,725

  1·17

  1991

  320,929

  2·09

  1992

  542,233

  4·64

  Tax Relief (Domestic Maintenance Work)
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received concerning the possibility of allowing tax relief against VAT-receipted invoices for domestic maintenance and extension work.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We have received no recent representations on this subject, although the idea has occasionally been put forward in the past. The Government's policy is to widen the tax base by reducing rather than extending reliefs. This has enabled us to reduce income tax rates for all taxpayers.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Romford (Sir M. Neubert) of 4 February,Official Report, column 299, if he will now make it his policy to estimate the extent of the black market in the construction industry and the annual cost to the Exchequer of lost revenue through tax evasion in that industry.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No. It is not possible to make an accurate estimate of the revenue effects of tax evasion.

  Non-domicile Taxpayers
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals, for each year since 1979, enjoyed non-domicile tax status; and what estimate he has made for each year of the revenue lost to the Exchequer through the availability of this status.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of evasion of payments of(a) income tax and (b) other tax evasion have been discovered in each of the last five years; and what has been the value of the revenue recovered.
  453
  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is as follows:

  Income tax investigations

  Other investigations

  Yield from counter-evasion work (£ million)

  1988–89

  52,894

  12,032

  706

  1989–90

  57,997

  12,551

  933

  1990–91

  61,755

  13,219

  1,091

  1991–92

  59,993

  14,421

  1,324

  1992–93

  55,611

  12,952

  1,361

  Foreign-owned Firms
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the percentage of United Kingdom manufacturing output accounted for by foreign-owned firms in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Nelson
  The information on manufacturing output including that for foreign-owned businesses is contained in "Business Monitor PA 1002, Report on the Census of Production, Summary Volume". Copies of this volume up to 1990, the last year for which figures are available, can be obtained from the Library of the House.

  Valuation Office
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff are employed in the Valuation Office and at what cost to public funds; when notices were issued requesting supply of information in respect of non-domestic rating; when these notices were issued; and at what cost.

  Mr. Nelson
  The average number of staff employed in the Valuation Office in the 1992–93 financial year was 5,806 at a cost of £121,558,000.

  Notices requesting supply of information in respect of non-domestic rating were issued in a phased programme spread over April to June 1993. The cost of issuing the notices will amount to approximately £500,000.

  Nationalised Industries
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total value of the receipts accrued from the sale of nationalised industries for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Privatisation proceeds—including from the sale of nationalised industries—from 1979–80 to 1992–93 were about £50 billion, shown in the table by year.

  Privatisation proceeds

  £ billion

  1979–80

  0·4

  1980–81

  0·2

  1981–82

  0·5

  1982–83

  0·5

  1983–84

  1·1

  1984–85

  2·1

  1985–86

  2·7

  1986–87

  4·5

  1987–88

  5·1

  1988–89

  7·1

  1989–90

  4·2

  1990–91

  5·3

  1991–92

  7·9

  1992–93

  8·1

  454

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Pugin Room (Rodents)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Chairman of the Catering Committee what proposals he has to engage a cat for rodent control duties in the Pugin Room.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  None.

  Palace of Westminster Terrace
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee on what terms the press are permitted access to the Terrace of the Palace of Westminster within the jurisdiction of the House of Commons.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  In accordance with a decision of the Catering Sub-Committee of the former Services Committee and regulations now determined by the Catering Committee, certain members of the Press Gallery may use the Terrace Pavilion and Bar. Parliamentary Lobby correspondents and sketch writers are also allowed access to the southern part of the House of Commons Terrace but are not allowed to entertain guests there.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what restrictions exist as to who may be admitted to the Terrace of the Palace of Westminster within the jurisdiction of the House of Commons; and how these are monitored and enforced.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  On sitting days throughout the year, Members and Officers of the House may take up to six guests on to the southern part of the House of Commons Terrace from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm or the rising of the House, whichever is the later.

  On sitting Mondays to Thursdays between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm; on sitting Fridays from the rising of the House to 6.00 pm—except during the period from 1 May to the adjournment of the House for the summer recess—Members and Officers of the House may entertain up to 16 guests on the Terrace.

  A Peer or Member may give interviews on the Terrace which may involve handheld filming equipment. On sitting days these interviews should be brought to an end by 12 noon; on non-sitting days they should be completed by 5.30 pm. Visitors may take photographs on the Terrace, but not while either House is sitting.

  No guest may be left unattended for more than 15 minutes nor may they be taken to the two northern parts of the Terrace one of which is reserved for the use of Members and Officers of the House alone, and the other for the sole use of the Speaker as she decides.

  Staff of the House who are Senior or Higher Executive Officers and Parliamentary Lobby correspondents on a list maintained by the Serjeant at Arms may use the southern part of the House of Commons Terrace, but may not take visitors there.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  World Service Television
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role Mr. Li Ka Shing has played in the setting up of World Service Television.
  455
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  World service television was set up in 1991 as a commercial subsidiary of the BBC with no outside investors. It has since made commercial agreements for the provision of the service in various parts of the world, including one with Hutchvision of Hong Kong in which Mr. Li Ka Shing has an interest.

  Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library all public statements made by participants at the first meeting of the preparatory committee for the 1995 non-proliferation treaty conference of which his Department has copies, including his Department's translations, where appropriate.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Copies of participants' statements at this meeting have been deposited in the Library of the House, as requested.

  Sudan
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Sudan about human rights in that country.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Such representations have been made on many occasions, most recently last week by a European Community Troika ministerial mission, in which the United Kingdom was represented.

  Hong Kong Airport
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest discussions which have taken place on the future of the Hong Kong airport.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Meetings with the Chinese side in the airport committee resumed this month. Agreement was reached on the letting of the western harbour crossing franchise, one of the airport core projects. Some progress was also made on the overall financing arrangements for the airport, but further discussions will be required. The next meeting of the airport committee will be held on 30 June.

  China
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his latest assessment of the extent of religious persecution in the people's republic of China; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We continue to receive reports, often via non-governmental organisations, of human rights abuses in China including the persecution of religious believers. This matter is covered in chapter 4 of the report of the delegation of my right hon. noble and learned Friend Lord Howe, which is being published today. We regularly raise human rights with the Chinese authorities and urge them to adhere to international standards of behaviour.

  Mr. Parry:
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest situation regarding human rights in China.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We remain deeply concerned by 456
  continuing reports of human rights abuses in China. Ministers have made our concerns clear to the Chinese at a high level both in public and in private on many occasions. The report of the delegation led by my right hon. noble and learned Friend, Lord Howe, which visited China last December, is being published today, and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the report on Lord Howe's visit to China is complete; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The report on my right hon. noble and learned Friend Lord Howe's visit to China was published on 29 June. Copies have been deposited in the Library of both Houses and are available through Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

  1 should, on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, like to thank my right hon. noble and learned Friend and his colleagues, for all their efforts in undertaking this important visit and in producing such a comprehensive and constructive document.

  Human rights abuses in China, including Tibet, are of continuing conern to Members of the House and to the public. We hope that the Chinese authorities will study the report carefully and give it positive consideration. We, for our part, will consider urgently how to follow up those recommendations which involve action by Her Majesty's Government.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has spent £438·28 on legal advice from the Treasury Solicitors on the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 since 1 April 1992. The aid wing has spent nothing so far.

  Subsidiarity
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the EC matters which it was agreed, in connection with the subsidiarity principle, should continue to be dealt with at the EC level rather than the national level, at the meeting between the British and French Governments of 15 June.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The meeting between the United Kingdom and French Governments on 15 June discussed ways to take forward implementation of the subsidiarity principle. This included work to identify existing legislation for amendment or repeal, to strengthen the Commission's report on subsidiarity which it will present at the Brussels European Council in December. There was no specific discussion between the two Governments about which European Community matters should continue to be dealt with at Community level.
  457

  Immigration
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which diplomatic posts abroad are designated to accept entry clearance applications.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The list of posts designated to accept entry clearance applications is as follows:

  Entry Clearance Issuing Posts

  Abidjan

  Abu Dhabi

  Accra

  Addis Ababa

  Algiers

  Amman

  Amsterdam

  Ankara1

  Antananarivo

  Ascension Island1

  Athens

  Atlanta

  Auckland

  Bahrain

  Bandar Seri Begawan

  Bangkok

  Banjul

  Beirut1

  Belgrade1

  Belmopan

  Berne1

  Bogota

  Bombay

  Bonn1

  Brasilia1

  Bridgetown

  Brussels

  Bucharest

  Budapest

  Buenos Aries

  Cairo

  Calcutta

  Canberra

  Cape Town

  Caracas

  Casablanca

  Chicago

  Colombo

  Copenhagen

  Dakar

  Damascus

  Dar es Salaam

  Dhaka

  Doha

  Douala

  Dubai

  Dublin

  Dusseldorf

  Florence

  Freetown

  Gaborone

  Geneva

  Georgetown

  Gibraltar

  Guatemala City

  Hamilton

  Hanoi

  Harare

  Havana

  Helsinki

  Holy See1

  Hong Kong

  Honiara

  Houston

  Islamabad

  Istanbul

  Jakarta

  Jedda

  Jerusalem

  Johannesburg

  458

  Kaduna

  Kampala

  Karachi

  Kathmandu

  Khartoum

  Kiev

  Kingston

  Kinshasa

  Kuala Lumpur

  Kuwait

  La Paz

  Lagos

  Lilongwe

  Lima

  Lisbon

  Los Angeles

  Luanda

  Lusaka

  Luxembourg

  Madras

  Madrid

  Manila

  Maseru

  Mbabane

  Mexico City

  Milan

  Montevideo

  Montreal1

  Moscow

  Muscat

  Nairobi

  Naples

  Nassau

  New Delhi

  New York

  Nicosia

  Nuku'alofa

  Oslo

  Ottawa

  Panama City

  Paris

  Peking

  Port Loius

  Port Moresby

  Port of Spain

  Prague

  Quito

  Rabat1

  Rangoon

  Reykjavik

  Rio de Janeiro

  Riyadh

  Rome

  San Jose

  San Salvador

  Sana'a

  Santiago

  Seoul

  Singapore

  Sofia

  St. Helena1

  Stanley

  Stockholm

  Suva

  Taipei1

  Tegucigalpa

  Tehran1

  Tel Aviv

  The Hague1

  Tokyo

  Toronto1

  Tripoli1

  Tunis

  Ulaanbaatar

  Valetta

  Vancouver1

  Victoria

  Vienna

  Vila

  459

  Warsaw

  Washington

  Windhoek

  Yaounde

  Zagreb

  1Restricted service only

  Consular Co-operation
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements exist in the European community for consular co-operation.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  European Community partners have agreed guidelines for the protection of unrepresented EC nationals by EC missions in third countries. This means British nationals can seek help from any EC mission in a country where there is no British mission. This is a positive development and an excellent example of practical EC co-operation which will have direct benefit for Britons overseas.

  Trade Negotiations
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress of negotiations between the United States and the EC on(a) telecommunications, (b) audiovisual exports and (c) intellectual property.

  Mr. Needham
  I have been asked to reply.

  Negotiators from the EC. the United States, Japan and Canada have been discussing a range of issues forming part of the GATT Uruguay round of trade negotiations over recent weeks, including proposals for improving market access for both goods and services. Following a meeting in Tokyo last week, Ministers involved in these discussions said that they had been able
  "to attain meaningful progress that would contribute to further momentum towards a positive outcome of the Uruguay round".
  The Ministers will meet again on 6 July in order to finalise a report on progress to the Tokyo economic summit.

  I welcome the progress that has been made. This must be sustained if the Uruguay round is to be successfully concluded by the end of this year, and a comprehensive agreement reached on all issues, including telecommunications, audiovisual exports and intellectual property.

EDUCATION

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the impact there has been of the removal of section 11 funded grants previously available in inner-city schools with significant proportions of ethnic minority background children.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Section 11 funding continues to support existing projects in the 1993–94 financial year at the current grant rate of 75 per cent. Thereafter, on current planning assumptions, the grant will be available to support the same volume of posts, albeit at a reduced rate.
  460

  Secondary Transfer
  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for education if he will list, by local education authority area, how many pupils gained entry to their first preference school at secondary transfer for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This information is not collected centrally.

  LEA Secondary Schools
  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much money in local education authority maintained secondary schools was spent in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Forth
  The table gives the net institutional expenditure on LEA-maintained secondary schools in cash and real terms for the years 1987–88 to 1991–92, the latest year for which figures are available. The figures for 1991–92 include estimates of expenditure for six LEAs.

  Numbers of full-time equivalent secondary school pupils fell from 3·1 million in 1987–88 to 2·8 million in 1991–92. Spending per secondary pupil rose from £2,068 to £2,277—both in 1992–93 prices—over the five-year period.

  Net institutional expenditure on LEA-maintained (England) secondary schools

  Total expenditure £ million

  Year

  (Cash)

  (1992–93 Prices)

  1987–88

  4,742

  6,477

  1988–89

  5,053

  6,435

  1989–90

  5,353

  6,396

  1990–91

  5,709

  6,317

  1991–921

  6,173

  6,389

  1 Provisional.

  Note: Net institutional expenditure covers the direct costs in schools of salaries and wages, premises and certain supplies and services. It does not include the costs of school meals, home to school transport, LEA central administration, and financing costs of capital expenditure. Figures for 1990–91 and 1991–92 include unspent balances held by schools at the year end under local management of schools schemes.

  Teacher: Pupil Ratios
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Gapes) of 17 May,Official Report, column 232, if he will make it his policy to fund a research project into the effect of teacher:pupil ratios on individual pupils' educational achievement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Given the research in this area already carried out by other organisations, my right hon. Friend has no current plans to fund a project of this nature from the small budget he has for policy-related research projects. That budget is heavily committed at present with many competing priorities for future funding.

  Special Needs
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what modifications will be made in national curriculum tests to cater for pupils with special educational needs.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Teachers may adapt or modify the tests to suit the individual circumstances of pupils with
  461
  special educational needs. The School Examinations and Assessment Council has given guidance to schools about ways in which this might be done in order to allow pupils to show what they can achieve, without compromising the rigour of the tests.

  Future test arrangements will be decided in the light of the review which Sir Ron Dearing is undertaking. His first recommendations are expected during July. Sir Ron is paying particular attention to special needs issues.

  Primary School Teachers
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the cost of his proposed one-year training scheme for primary school teachers; and what is the cost of training primary school teachers on conventional teacher training courses.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  There is no standard unit of resource figure for primary initial teacher training students. The cost of training any current primary student will vary according to the type and length of course, the institution

  Name

  Kingshurst CTC Solihull

  Emmanuel College Tyneside

  Dixons CTC Bradford

  Site

  Kingshurst School site

  St. John Fisher School site

  Newby Square, Bradford

  LEA

  Solihull

  Gateshead

  Bradford

  Opening Dates

  1988

  1990

  1990

  Planned number of pupils

  1,150

  900

  980

  Total Capital cost £ million

  9·71

  8·61

  9·16

  Exchequer contribution £ million

  7·60

  6·89

  7·33

  Sponsors' contribution

  (i) committed 1 £ million

  2·11

  1·72

  1·83

  (ii) confirmed2 £ million

  3·07

  1·60

  2·90

  Principal Sponsors

  Hanson Trust

  Peter Vardy

  Dixons plc, Mr. Haking Wong

  Contracts awarded to sponsors

  None

  Building Contract—Laings Northern

  None

  Name

  Leigh CTC Dartford

  Britschool CCTA Croydon

  Djanogly CTC Nottingham

  Site

  Downs School site

  Site of Selhurst Tertiary Centre

  Sherwood Rise, Nottingham

  LEA

  Kent

  Croydon

  Nottinghamshire

  Opening dates

  1990

  1991

  1989

  Planned number of pupils

  1,250

  720

  1,000

  Total Capital cost £ million

  8·95

  10·00

  9·75

  Exchequer contribution £ million

  7·16

  8·00

  8·20

  Sponsors' contribution

  (i) committed 1£ million

  1·79

  2·00

  1·56

  (ii) confirmed 2 £ million

  1·82

  2·94

  2·04

  Principal Sponsors

  Sir Geoffrey Leigh

  The British Record Industry Trust

  Sir Harry Djanogly

  Contracts awarded to sponsors

  None

  None

  None

  462
  attended and whether or not the student attracts grant from the Higher Education Funding Council for England. The same will be true of the proposed one-year courses.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consultations he has had with parent-teacher associations on his proposal to introduce one-year courses for primary school teachers.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  My right hon. Friend has circulated his proposals for the reform of primary initial teacher training to the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mrs. Anne Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will update the table in his written answer of 12 March 1992,Official Report, columns 602–4, giving the latest available information in respect of each city technology college or proposed and planned city technology college.

  Mr. Forth
  The table covers announced CTCs.
  463

  Name

  Macmillan college Teesside

  Harris CTC Norwood

  Bacon's college Bermondsey

  Site

  St. Michael RC School. Middlesbrough

  Sylvan School site Croydon

  Bacon's School site. Southwark

  LEA

  Cleveland

  Croydon

  Southwark

  Opening dates

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Planned number of pupils

  1,100

  1,100

  1,100

  Total capital cost £ million

  8·45

  8·66

  15·47

  Exchequer contribution £ million

  6·74

  6·93

  3l3·87

  Sponsors' contribution

  (i) committed1 £ million

  1·71

  1·73

  31·60

  (ii) confirmed2 £ million

  1·67

  1·80

  4l·00

  Principal sponsors

  BAT Industries plc

  Philip and Pauline Harris Charitable Trust

  Philip and Pauline Harris Charitable Trust/Southwark Diocesan Board of Education

  Contracts awarded to sponsors

  None

  None

  None

  Name

  Haberdashers' CTC, New Cross

  Brooke CTC, Corby

  Landau Forte College, Derby

  Site

  Haberdashers' Aske's, Hatcham, School site

  Great Oakley, Corby

  Wood Street, Derby

  LEA

  Lewisham

  Northants

  Derbyshire

  Opening Dates

  1991

  1991

  1992

  Planned number of pupils

  1,150

  900

  900

  Total Capital cost £ million

  9·15

  10·19

  10·20

  Exchequer contribution £ million

  5·70

  8·15

  816

  Sponsors' contribution

  (i) committed1 £ million

  3·45

  2·04

  2·04

  (ii) confirmed2 £ million

  54·45

  2·09

  2·05

  Principal Sponsors

  Haberdashers' Company as Trustees of Robert Aske Charity

  Mr. Hugh de Capell Brooke

  The Landau Foundation Forte plc

  Contracts awarded to sponsors

  None

  None

  None

  Name

  Thomas Telford School, Telford

  ADT College, Wandsworlh

  John Cabot CTC. Bristol

  Site

  Old Park, Telford

  Mayfield School

  Kingswood, Bristol

  LEA

  Shropshire

  Wandsworth

  Avon

  Opening Dates

  1991

  1992

  1993

  Planned number of pupils

  1,000

  1,000

  900

  Total Capital cost £ million

  10·75

  11·32

  11·20

  Exchequer contribution £ million

  8·40

  9·06

  8·96

  Sponsors' contribution

  (i) committed1 £ million

  2·35

  2·26

  2·24

  (ii)confirmed2 £ million

  2·63

  2·39

  2·30

  464 465

  Name

  Thomas Telford School, Telford

  ADT College, Wandsworth

  John Cabot CTC, Bristol

  Principal Sponsors

  The Mercers Tarmac plc

  ADT plc

  Wolfson Foundation and Cable and Wireless plc

  Contracts awarded to sponsors

  None

  None

  None

  1 Committed sponsorship contributions represent agreed percentage contributions to CTC capital cash limits as secured in formal funding agreements with CTCs.

  2 Confirmed sponorship includes sponsorship beyond the cash limit.

  3 The sponsors commitment is stated net of the proceeds of sale of the site of the former school: the Exchequer contribution will be reduced by the amount of the net proceeds of sale.

  4 The confirmed contribution is net of the proceeds of sale of the former school site and of contributions to community provision and the chapel.

  5 This figure includes the donation of the present site, which has been valued at £3·445 million.

  Ethnic Minority Languages
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to ensure that schools with a high proportion of children with an ethnic minority background continue to be able to offer mother tongue language classes.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  All secondary pupils are required to study a modern foreign language as a national curriculum foundation subject. Nineteen languages qualify as a foundation subject. Schools must offer at least one of the eight working languages of the European Community and may offer 11 other languages of cultural and commercial importance—Arabic, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Japanese, Mandarin or Cantonese Chinese, modern Hebrew, Panjabi, Russian, Turkish and Urdu.

  To meet the national curriculum requirement, pupils choose one modern foreign language from among those

  Sources of Award

  1990–91 Expenditure £ million

  1991–92 Expenditure £ million

  u/grad

  p/grad

  u/grad

  p/grad

  England and Wales

  1. DFE and LEAs

  11·068

  0·008

  132·008

  0·011

  2. MAFF

  —

  0·002

  —

  0·002

  Scotland (SOED)

  22·596

  —

  23·756

  —

  Northern Ireland (DENI)

  2·515

  0·042

  3·718

  0·055

  United Kingdom Postgraduate Awards Schemes

  1.Research Councils

  —

  1·306

  —

  1·360

  2.British Academy

  —

  30·098

  —

  30·172

  1 Provisional.

  2 Undergraduate and postgraduate awards expenditure combined.

  3 Estimate.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 22 June,Official Report, column 123, how much of the funds for the various EC student mobility programmes comes to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Boswell
  In 1993–94 the United Kingdom's allocation of the funding available for student mobility grants to support EC student mobility within the ERASMUS programme is expected to be some £6·99 million or 14·2 per cent. of the total programme funding available for this purpose; and for LINGUA £0·65 million—13·4 per cent.

  As leading participants and co-ordinators of inter-university co-operation programmes (ICPs) within these
  466
  offered by the school. Pupils with one of these languages as their mother tongue may therefore choose to study that language as a foundation subject if the school is able to offer it. All schools, including primary schools, are also free to provide languages outside the national curriculum if demand exists and they have the resources to meet it.

  EC Students
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the answer of 22 June,Official Report, column 123, what was the total cost of the awards covering the fees of students from other EC member states studying third level courses in the United Kingdom in 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Boswell
  Expenditure on fees-only awards to students from other EC member states studying in the United Kingdom in the academic years 1990–91 and 1991–92 is set out in the table.

  programmes, United Kingdom higher education institutions will also benefit from the funding available in support of the costs of establishing and running ICPs. The expected United Kingdom share of the student placement budget within the COMETT programme in 1993–94 is £2·4 million–18·3 per cent.

  School Leavers
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will give the expected number of school leavers who will join the labour market in July.

  Mr. Boswell
  Information on intended destinations of school leavers is no longer collected centrally. In 1992, the most recent year for which information is available, the
  467
  school examination survey estimated that 147,000 school leavers in England intended to enter employment or the youth training scheme.

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he will announce the January class size figures for each local education authority.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This information from the January 1993 schools' census will become available in the late autumn.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department has incurred no expenditure on this matter additional to the normal cost of its own legal branch. It is not possible to identify separately the cost of advice provided by in-house legal advisers on particular issues such as the TUPE regulations.

  Pupils (Ethnic Minorities)
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many(a) primary and (b) secondary schools have 50 per cent. or more of their pupils drawn from the ethnic minority population; and what additional resources are made available to assist such schools, with particular reference to the teaching of English, where required.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Under the ethnic monitoring survey schools collect information on the ethnic origin of pupils on admission at ages five and 11. Data relating to individual schools are not returned to the Department, except in the case of grant-maintained schools. For other schools, returns are aggregated by local education authority area.

  Grant under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 is available for the employment of additional staff to meet the special needs of new Commonwealth pupils arising from language and cultural barriers. In 1993–94, section 11 grant for education will be around £120 million, the majority of which will be used to support provision for English as a second language. In addition, there is an ethnicity factor intended to take account of the needs of pupils who may not have English as a first language in the additional educational needs index which is used to weight standard spending assessments.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will monitor the education effects in individual local authorities arising from the education standard spending assessments for 1993–94 being based on the 1981 census data and not on the 1991 data.

  Mr. Forth
  No. In our view, the standard spending assessments set for 1993–94 are sufficient to allow authorities to maintain service provision. SSAs for 1993–94 were calculated using the latest information 468
  available for all authorities. Although it was possible to use population estimates derived from the 1991 census in the calculations, other 1991 census indicators were not available in time for the settlement.

  The most appropriate method of incorporating the full 1991 census data into the education element of SSAs is still under consideration. All the relevant 1991 census data will be incorporated into the education elements of SSAs for 1994–95.

  "A Common Funding Formula in Schools"
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many of the respondents to the consultative document, "A Common Funding Formula in Schools", issued on 18 December 1992 who were listed in his answer of 22 June,Official Report, columns 132–34, stated (a) that they had objections, or (b) that they had no objection, to their responses being published or made available to others; and if he will list them in each case.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The consultation did not suggest that responses would be made public, although it is open to respondents to publicise their own responses.

EMPLOYMENT

  Local Training Initiatives (Essex)
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what local training initiatives are available in Essex.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Essex training and enterprise council supports a wide range of training activities for young people and unemployed adults, including help for owners of new small businesses, and is taking forward the "Investors in People" initiative which encourages companies to embed good training practice throughout their organisation.

  Labour Statistics
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of those leaving employment training in Yorkshire and Humberside got a job in the last quarter for which figures are available.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The latest figures, an increase on the previous year, show that for the quarter ended June 1992, 37 per cent. were in a job three months after leaving. There will, in addition, be others who were in full-time education, on other Government training programmes or undertaking voluntary work. These figures do not, of course, reflect the outcomes of the new training for work programme and the other measures we announced in this year's Budget.

  Mr. Byers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to retain and create jobs on Tyneside.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department's aim is to promote a free and flexible labour market to encourage employment on Tyneside as elsewhere. The employment service and Tyneside training and enterprise council deliver a wide range of employment, enterprise and training programmes to help unemployed people in Tyneside find the best and quickest route back to employment.
  469
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are unemployed in Britain.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In May 1993, on the seasonally adjusted basis, there were 2,809,300 unemployed claimants in Great Britain.

  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for long-term unemployment in the United Kingdom.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In April 1993 and on the unadjusted basis, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for over a year was 1,075,067.

  Mr. Raynsford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been unemployed for more than one year in the London borough of Greenwich, in each of the past three years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  On the unadjusted basis, the number of unemployed claimants in the London borough of Greenwich who had been unemployed for over a year was 6,886 in April 1993, 5,063 in April 1992 and 2,896 in April 1991.

  Agriculture and Horticulture
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what initiatives he plans to provide additional employment opportunities in those rural areas particularly hard hit by reductions in the agricultural and horticultural work force.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The promotion of enterprise, economic diversity and employment in rural areas is primarily the role of the Rural Development Commission and Scottish Enterprise. But acting through the employment service and training and enterprise councils, the Department has a range of facilities and programmes available to people in rural areas, to help equip them for work and enable them to take advantage of employment opportunities as they arise.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of people that have left the unemployment register during the last 12 months by having been granted invalidity benefit.

  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many claimants have been transferred directly from unemployment benefit to sickness or other related benefit in the last two years in Wolverhampton, North-East.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No information is recorded on whether a person who subsequently claims sickness or invalidity benefit had previously claimed unemployment benefits.

  Accidents (Retraining)
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what new proposals he has for retraining people disabled by accidents.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  People with disabilities, including those disabled by accidents, have priority for places on a wide range of employment and training programmes.
  470
  New arrangements are being introduced to make additional funding available to training and enterprise councils to help buy local specialist provision for severely disabled people.

  Productivity
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the effect on employment of increasing productivity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  We have received no such representations.

  Increases in productivity—of both capital and labour—increase the ability of the economy to create wealth. Our task is to combine rising productivity with higher employment, and thus fully realise this increased potential.

  Industrial Relations
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the state of industrial relations in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The figures on industrial disputes demonstrate the healthy state of industrial relations in this country. The incidence of stoppages and working days lost in 1992 was the lowest since records began in 1891. The number of working days lost in the 12 months to the end of April 1993 was equivalent to 34 per 1,000 workers compared with an average for the 1970s of 569 per 1,000 workers. It can be no coincidence that these improvements have taken place at the same time as our step-by-step reforms of industrial relations and trade union law.

  Job Clubs
  Mr. Brandreth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to extend the job club scheme in the north-west; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Seven new job clubs opened in the north west in May 1993 and there are now 194 job clubs in total. The number of people helped through job clubs in the north west, in 1992–93 was 31,530. There will be 35,235 job club places available for 1993–94.

  Training (TEC Funding)
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are now receiving training via funding by TECs in England and Wales.

  Miss Widdecombe
  As at the end of March 1993 there were 375,300 people on employment training and youth training programmes in England and Wales.

  May Day Bank Holiday
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the possible abolition of the May day bank holiday.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department published a consultation document on the future of the May day bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on I December. Responses to the consultation exercise were received from a wide range of individuals and organisations.
  471
  An announcement on the future of the May day bank holiday will be made in due course.

  Apprentices
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 14 June,Official Report, column 452 on apprentices, what is the sector breakdown of the figures given.

  Apprentices by industrial sector (1983–92)

  Great Britain (thousands)

  Number of persons of working age doing trade apprenticeship

  Industry Division

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Total number of apprentices

  363

  332

  357

  318

  314

  329

  367

  352

  350

  325

  0 Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  1—

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Energy and water supply industries

  18

  13

  14

  10

  —

  —

  10

  —

  —

  —

  2 Extraction of minerals and ores other than fuels: manufacture of metals, mineral products and chemicals

  11

  11

  13

  12

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  —

  3 Metal goods, engineering and vehicles industries

  79

  74

  72

  64

  57

  47

  55

  74

  55

  58

  4 Other manufacturing industries

  28

  29

  27

  30

  24

  29

  35

  27

  25

  22

  5 Construction

  75

  64

  68

  54

  64

  64

  81

  77

  74

  66

  6 Distribution, hotels and catering; repairs

  55

  40

  50

  44

  47

  60

  57

  52

  49

  57

  7 Transport and communication

  18

  15

  10

  10

  —

  12

  —

  —

  11

  11

  8 Banking, finance, insurance, business services and leasing

  10

  12

  13

  10

  15

  14

  19

  22

  23

  21

  9 Other services

  49

  49

  57

  53

  53

  64

  63

  48

  49

  47

  Not applicable

  —

  20

  30

  28

  24

  22

  27

  29

  26

  31

  Source: Labour Force Survey, Spring 1983–1992.

  1—Less than 10,000 in cell: estimate not shown.

  Off-shore Oil and Gas Workers
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what estimates he has made of the effects of the proposed workers time directive on off-shore oil and gas workers; and what derogations have been negotiated for such workers.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The proposed EC working time directive would have been wholly inappropriate to working patterns off-shore. As a result of our negotiations the Social Affairs Council agreed on 1 June that all work at sea would be excluded from the scope of the proposed directive. If and when the directive is adopted it would therefore not affect the working time of workers on off-shore installations, divers and workers in other related activities at sea.

  Working Week (Manufacturing)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average working week in manufacturing industry in the latest two years for which figures are available.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is published in table X2.1 of part A of the 1991 and 1992 "New Earnings Survey". A copy is available in the Library.

  Noel Employment Ltd.
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his Department's policy on the payment of redundancy to temporary contract workers
  472
  Miss Widdecombe
  Estimates from the labour force survey since 1983, of the number of people in Great Britain undertaking apprenticeships within each industry sector, are given in the table. Data for earlier years are not comparable.

  employed by Noel Employment Ltd., now in liquidation; and what account his Department takes in such decisions of whether tax and national insurance contributions were deducted by the employer of temporary contract workers.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Under sections 106 and 122 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978, the Secretary of State may, on application, make redundancy and other payments to employees, as defined in the Act, of insolvent businesses. Each application is considered on its own facts and in accordance with the relevant case law. In determining eligibility consideration is given to a number of factors, including whether schedule E tax and class I national insurance contributions were deducted. However, the employment appeals tribunal has previously ruled that such deductions are not conclusive evidence of employee status.

  Decisions have yet to be taken on the majority of claims in respect of Noel Employment Ltd.

  Work Permits
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what conveniently available information he has on how many Iraqi nationals benefited from the work permit scheme run by his Department's overseas labour service in each year since 1984.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The number of work permits issued to Iraqi nationals by the Department in each of the years since 1984 is as follows:

  Number of work permits issued

  Year

  Number

  1984

  41

  1985

  52

  1986

  45

  473

  Year

  Number

  1987

  44

  1988

  33

  1989

  40

  1990

  43

  1991

  53

  1992

  62

  11993

  31

  1 Up to 17 June.

  Residential Care Workers
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received concerning the conditions of residential care and nursing home workers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department receives letters from individuals about pay and conditions of employment, some of which refer specifically to residential care and nursing homes. Pay and conditions of employment in the private sector are matters for employers and employees.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Malawi
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had, and with whom, in Malawi following the recent democratic referendum results; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  None. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I have given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr. Luff).

  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the result of the recent referendum held in Malawi on whether to adopt a multi-party system of government.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have noted with satisfaction the view of the joint international observer group that the referendum vote was an accurate expression of the wishes of the Malawi people. We hope that there will now be an orderly move towards the introduction of multi-party democracy. It is for Malawians to decide upon the timetable for this change, and we hope that restraint will be exercised on all sides. In this context we welcome President Banda's acceptance of the result and his commitment to legalise political parties and review legislation to take account of human rights concerns.

WALES

  Schools and Colleges (Performance)
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 15 June,Official Report, column 523, if he will make it his policy to deposit in the Library, and provide to the hon. Member for Pembroke, the costs of implementing his proposals for the publication of information on the performance of schools and colleges when they are known.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Yes.
  474

  Home Helps
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the number of home helps employed in each local authority area in the county of Dyfed in(a) 1980, (b) 1985 and (c)

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The number of people employed by the social services department of Dyfed county council is not reported at district level. The total numbers of home helps—including home help organisers and assistants—employed in the county at the 30 September of each year are shown in the table:

  Number

  Whole time equivalent

  1980

  846

  323·5

  1985

  841

  351·3

  1992

  913

  426·8

  Dental Services
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each family health service authority area in Wales the number of general dental practitioners that are available on call for carrying out emergency treatment outside normal surgery hours.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This information is not available centrally. General dental practitioners are obliged by their terms and conditions of service to provide emergency cover for their registered patients. It is for family health services authorities to satisfy themselves as to the adequacy of local arrangements for providing emergency dental treatment outside normal surgery hours.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what study his Department has made of the adequacy of the community dental services in meeting the needs of all children who have difficulty in accessing general dental services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  It is a matter for local health authorities to determine the appropriate level of community dental service provision within their areas. Returns submitted by family health services authorities in Wales indicate that a significant majority of general dental practitioners in Wales continue to provide national health service treatment for children.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to encourage adults in west Glamorgan who remain unregistered for regular dental care to use the community dental service.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Local management responsibility for general dental service in west Glamorgan rests with the family health services authority. Returns submitted by that authority to the Welsh Office indicate that all patients who seek general dental services treatment in west Glamorgan are able to obtain it.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how' many salaried dentists are employed by each family health services authority in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Approval has been given for Dyfed and Gwynedd family health services authorities to employ
  475
  a total of six whole-time equivalent salaried dentists. Both authorities are in the process of identifying suitable applicants and premises to accommodate them.

  Hepatitis B
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken in Wales to ensure all health staff are immunised against hepatitis B; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Hepatitis B immunisation is recommended for a number of at-risk groups including all health care workers involved in invasive procedures. This policy is kept under review, with expert advice from the Advisory Group on Hepatitis and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. The health service has been asked to prepare immunisation programmes for staff exposed to occupational risk.

  Road Safety
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to improve road safety in Clwyd; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Department and the local authorities are continually seeking ways to improve the safety of road users throughout Wales. Clwyd county council has produced a road safety plan for the county. On 8 June we commissioned the consultant, Oscar Faber TPA, to advise on a road safety strategy for Wales, including a road safety plan for trunk roads.

  Hepatitis and Dysentary
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cases of(a) viral hepatitis and (b) dysentery have been reported in each district health authority in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The number of cases of(a) viral hepatitis and (b) dysentery notified in each health authority in Wales in each of the last five years are shown in the table:

  Health authority

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  11992

  (a) Viral Hepatitis

  Clwyd

  10

  18

  18

  42

  21

  East Dyfed

  12

  6

  5

  7

  6

  Pembrokeshire

  4

  5

  5

  3

  7

  Gwent

  37

  17

  33

  77

  212

  Gwynedd

  3

  5

  3

  4

  4

  Mid Glamorgan

  9

  12

  45

  134

  95

  Powys

  1

  4

  9

  3

  2

  South Glamorgan

  94

  55

  103

  48

  20

  West Glamorgan

  24

  7

  36

  42

  114

  (b) Dysentery

  Clwyd

  10

  27

  10

  72

  180

  East Dyfed

  6

  6

  3

  11

  14

  Pembrokeshire

  4

  0

  2

  305

  17

  Gwent

  31

  5

  0

  78

  96

  Gwynedd

  3

  4

  2

  5

  16

  Mid Glamorgan

  3

  4

  39

  23

  110

  Powys

  1

  0

  0

  4

  6

  South Glamorgan

  25

  52

  166

  472

  228

  West Glamorgan

  8

  17

  13

  2

  9

  1 1992 data are provisional.

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys Communicable Disease.

  Statistics—Series MB2.

  Registrar General's Weekly Return—Series WR.
  476

  Environmental Policy
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his Department's policy on the purchase and use of(a) recycled paper, (b) low-energy light bulbs, (c) tropical hardwoods, (d) peat and (e) cars with catalytic converters.

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department's strategy for green housekeeping includes specific commitments to extend the use of recycled paper in the Welsh Office and to reduce energy consumption by various means including the procurement and use of low-energy light sources where appropriate.

  Our general purchasing policy also gives full weight to environmental considerations in the procurement of all goods including tropical hardwoods and we seek to use environmentally acceptable alternatives to peat and peat-based products wherever possible. We are considering a policy of operating vehicles fitted with catalytic converters.

  Telephone Helplines
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to encourage all family health services authorities in Wales to introduce a dedicated telephone helpline for the community along the lines of that established in West Glamorgan.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  As part of the patients charter family health services authorities are required to he accessible to those who need their advice. All authorities have published details of a telephone number and an officer who will deal with questions and give advice about family health services. The telephone number need not be a dedicated line but there are officers ready and available to answer inquiries.

  AIDS
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in Wales have died of AIDS; and if he will disaggregate the figures by health authority area.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To 31 March 1993, 78 of the AIDS cases reported by health authorities are known to have died. Of these, 34 were reported in South Glamorgan health authority and 15 in West Glamorgan health authority. The remaining 29 AIDS cases also known to have died were reported in Clwyd, East Dyfed, Pembrokeshire, Gwent, Gwynedd and Mid Glamorgan health authorities. The numbers of AIDS deaths in each of these health authorities does not exceed 10 and for reasons of confidentiality and in line with the AIDS (Control) Act 1987 are reported as "less than 10" for each health authority.

  In addition, to 31 March 1993, 24 AIDS cases reported from outside Wales died while last known to be living in Welsh health authority areas.

  Public Transport
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken to support and promote public transport in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Government's policies of deregulation and privatisation will help to promote
  477
  increased choice and increased competition for the provision of public transport services in Wales. Unhypothecated revenue support grant is made available to local authorities towards the costs of services including support for local public transport. In addition local authorities have received increased resources for bus priority schemes and for supporting new rail passenger services, notably in the areas of the Cardiff valleys, Maesteg and West Glamorgan.

  Wind Farms
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many wind farms are now in operation in Wales; how many are planned for completion in the next two years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  There are three wind farms currently operating in Wales at Mynydd Cemaes, Llandinam and Rhyd-y-Groes. A further six projects are expected to be completed within the next two years.

  Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the number of(a) days and (b) nights that the Prince Philip hospital, Llanelli was closed for the admission of accident and emergency patients in (i) 1992 and (ii) the first five months of 1993.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Prince Philip hospital was closed for accident and emergency admissions for a total of seven days and nights in 1992 and for the same period of time in the first five months of 1993 due to increased demand for admissions combined with short-term staffing problems. The hospital is taking steps to overcome these difficulties, including measures to increase bed use efficiency.

  Radiographers
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what review he is undertaking of the provision for the funding of postgraduate and post-diploma training for radiographers in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None. This is a matter for employers.

  HIV
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients have been confirmed as carrying the HIV virus in each health authority area in Wales, for each month since January 1990.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Between 1 January 1990 and 31 March 1993, 164 new HIV positive individuals were reported from Wales. A monthly breakdown of the number of new HIV positives reported by each health authority would give individual figures of less than 10. For reasons of confidentiality and in line with the AIDS (Control) Act 1987, numbers between one and nine inclusive are given as "less than 10" by each health authority.

  Teenage Vandalism
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new measures are being taken in Wales to tackle vandalism by teenagers; and if he will make a statement.
  478
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  There is substantial activity across Wales which helps to reduce vandalism and the opportunities for vandalism by teenagers. Some measures, such as neighbourhood watch schemes will have a very local impact. Others, for example, Wrexham Anti Vandalism Year, cover a large area. The scheme was launched in January 1993 by Wrexham Maelor borough council with the help of local businesses, voluntary organisations and the North Wales police and involves the whole community to counter vandalism with an information campaign, education and practical events, including a schools competition.

  In addition there are schemes which encourage young people towards positive activity, for example, motor projects, crime awareness projects. Others seek to develop facilities and activities for young people. Initiatives such as "Secured by Design" and programmes to improve street lighting have their effect in reducing the opportunities for vandalism and other forms of anti-social behaviour. Comprehensive records of all the measures currently being taken in Wales to tackle vandalism are not available.

  The police, the probation service, local authorities, voluntary organisations, employers, teachers, parents and many individuals are all playing a part in the extensive measures that are being taken to help reduce vandalism and other crime in Wales. Wherever possible the Welsh Office supports local communities in their efforts to improve neighbourhoods and to reduce vandalism and other crime.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken in Clwyd further to reduce hospital waiting lists; and if he will make a statement

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Clwyd health authority and family health services authority plan to reduce waiting times further in the current financial year while continuing to meet patients charter guarantees. Under the waiting times initiative, Clwyd health authority has been provisionally allocated £233,400 and Clwyd family health services authority £160,850 for GP fund holders in the county to help them achieve this objective.

  Clwyd health authority has also been allocated £70,045 under the 1993–94 treatment centre initiative for hip and knee replacements, cataracts, hernias and varicose veins.

  Children (Injuries)
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are being taken in Wales to help reduce the number of injuries to young children; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  All health commissioning authorities in Wales are developing local strategies for health. In doing so they are taking into account the advice and targets included in the "Protocol for Investment in Health Gain: Injuries", published by the Welsh Health Planning Forum in June 1992. This offers guidance on how the national health service can reduce injuries to children, as measured by numbers attending accident and emergency departments, by 25 per cent. by the year 2002.
  479

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which class and vote covers the payment of salaries of national health service trust chief executives in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The salaries of chief executive officers of national health service trusts in Wales are paid from the income which trusts generate from their contracts to provide health services with health authorities, GP fund holders and the private sector. The provision which health authorities and GP fund holders in Wales receive to obtain services from health service providers is contained within class XV Wales, vote 8 of the 1993–94 supply estimates.

  Regional Selective Assistance: Offers accepted 1991–92

  Forecast jobs

  Travel to work area

  Offer Value (£000)

  New

  Safeguarded

  Aberdare

  25

  3

  0

  Bangor and Caernarfon

  311

  34

  193

  Blaenau Gwent Abergavenny

  2,568

  325

  97

  Bridgend

  15,633

  2,505

  772

  Cardiff

  3,810

  493

  531

  Cardigan

  35

  9

  0

  Haverfordwest

  83

  30

  0

  Holyhead

  3,500

  221

  25

  Llanelli

  1,042

  297

  102

  Merthyr and Rhymney

  7,055

  596

  712

  Neath and Port Talbot

  9,410

  316

  671

  Newport

  5,107

  268

  622

  Pontypool and Cwmbran

  1,365

  438

  0

  Pontypridd and Rhondda

  5,785

  603

  177

  Porthmadog and Ffestiniog

  1,005

  159

  26

  Shotton. Flint and Rhyl

  8,953

  698

  308

  South Pembrokeshire

  500

  93

  0

  Swansea

  2,397

  635

  171

  Wrexham

  8,271

  593

  524

  Total

  76,855

  8,316

  4,931

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

  Mr. Redwood
  Expenditure amounting to £5,697·71 has been identified. The latter sum includes counsel's fees and charges from the Treasury Solicitor's Department.

  Ancient Monuments Board for Wales
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to publish the 38th annual report of the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The 38th annual report of the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales has been published today. The report covers the financial year 1991–92 and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements have been made for dealing with proposals to alter council tax valuation lists.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Valuation Office agency (VOA) had received some 33,500 proposals to alter valuation lists in
  480

  Assisted Areas
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much regional selective assistance was given, and how many jobs were created or safeguarded as a result, for each travel-to-work area in Wales subject to assisted area status in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Redwood
  It is not possible to provide information on jobs associated with individual payments of regional selective assistance. Information on RSA offers accepted in 1991–92 together with forecasts of job creation and safeguarding is as follows:

  Wales by 24 June, the great majority in the first month of the initial appeal period. The rate at which new proposals have been received, however, has subsequently fallen significantly.

  We expect the agency and valuation tribunals to have settled some 38,000 council tax banding appeals in Wales by 31 December 1994, just 13 months after the initial appeal period ends on 30 November 1993. Any remaining appeals will be decided as rapidly as possible in 1995.

  In keeping with citizens charter principles, the agency has set standards of service for handling appeals. On receipt of a proposal the Valuation Office Agency's objective will be:

  To acknowledge receipt of proposals within 14 days (against a statutory deadline of 28 days);

  To make the taxpayer an offer, within 60 days, to reband the property if the initial banding is clearly wrong;

  To let taxpayers know within 90 days if the agency believes the original banding is correct and that they intend to defend that decision; and

  In any other case, to make contact with taxpayers within 120 days and give them a named contact within the VOA for further discussion.

  Council tax payers should have their appeals settled as quickly and efficiently as possible, giving appropriate priority to identified cases of hardship. We shall monitor progress to ensure that this is so and keep our plans under review in light of developments.
  481

  School Meals
  Mr. Wicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average price of a school meal in(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in cash and real terms in each year since 1979.

  Sir Wyn Robert
  [holding answer 16 June 1993 ]: The average costs of set price school meals in maintained primary and secondary schools are shown in the table.

  Cash prices (pence)

  Constant prices (pence)

  Primary

  Secondary

  Primary

  Secondary

  1979–80

  30

  30

  69

  69

  1980–81

  42

  45

  83

  88

  1981–82

  42

  50

  75

  89

  1982–83

  47

  55

  78

  91

  1983–84

  52

  57

  83

  90

  1984–85

  158

  159

  188

  189

  1985–86

  58

  62

  83

  89

  1986–87

  63

  68

  87

  94

  1987–88

  65

  170

  85

  192

  1988–89

  66

  172

  81

  189

  1989–90

  166

  170

  176

  180

  1990–91

  167

  175

  172

  180

  1991–92

  73

  183

  73

  183

  1Based on an incomplete response from all local education authorities.

  Source: Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Income Support
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of people in the United Kingdom over the age of 65 years are in receipt of income support.

  Mr. Burt
  It is estimated that 16·6 per cent. of people aged 65 or over in Great Britain are in receipt of income support. Information relating to Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Sources:

  1. Income Support Statistics Annual Enquiry May 1992.

  2. Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list those countries in the European Community which do not have a universal form of child benefit/family allowance.

  Mr. Burt
  All EC countries except Italy, Spain and France have a universal child benefit/family allowance scheme. The French scheme, although universal in application, pays nothing for the first child, thus effectively excluding a significant proportion of families. There are numerous differences in coverage between countries, often varying according to the ages and number of children.

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Running costs

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,751

  1,628

  1,718

  1,713

  1,960

  2,156

  Capital

  —

  —

  —

  —

  89

  99

  158

  301

  294

  333

  Other

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  315

  345

  384

  426

  526

  Total

  1,068

  1,234

  1,402

  1,412

  1,841

  2,042

  2,221

  2,398

  2,680

  3,015

  482

  European Year of the Elderly
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the actions taken by his Department in support of this year's European Year of the Elderly within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Hague
  We have worked closely with Department of Health which has overall co-ordinating responsibility for the year. Together we have provided funding to support the year and official representation on both the EC and United Kingdom advisory committees which oversee the varied programme of events. As part of its customer care provisions for older people, the Benefits Agency will shortly be launching a major new publication informing older pensioners and their carers of their benefit rights.

  Pensioners (State Benefits)
  Mr. Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of pensioner units receive income from state benefits to the value of(a) 100 per cent. of income, (b) 75 per cent. of income or more and (c) 50 per cent. of income or more.

  Mr. Hague
  The estimates are in the table.

  The proportion of pensioner units whose gross income comes mostly from state benefits

  (Per cent.)

  Proportion of gross income that comes from state benefits

  Proportion of pensioner units

  100 per cent.

  14

  75 per cent, or more

  53

  50 per cent, or more

  72

  Notes:

  1. Pensioner units are defined as single pensioners over state pension age or pensioner couples in which the husband is over state pension age.

  2. Estimates are based on data from the 1989 Family Expenditure Survey.

  3. Estimates are cumulative e.g. the figure for 75 per cent. or more includes those units with no income other than that from state benefits.

  Benefits
  Sir Rhodes Boyson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the total amount of expenditure on provision within the responsibility of his Department in(a) England, (b) Greater London and (c) the south-east, excluding Greater London, for each year from 1982–83 to 1992–93, estimated, distinguishing between current and capital expenditure, though excluding local authority credit approvals/capital allocations.

  Mr. Burt
  The Department's total administrative expenditure for the latest available years is in the table.
  483
  Notes:

  Up to and including 1988–89 the figures included administrative costs for the Department of Health when the Department was the Department of Health and Social Security.

  A regional breakdown could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Prior to 1986–87 no breakdown was kept between current and capital expenditure.

  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consultations he has had to correlate the payment of unemployment payments with other benefits.

  Mr. Burt
  Regular discussions take place between this department and the Department of Employment on the administration of benefits for unemployment, with a view to improving the service provided to unemployed people.

  Income Support
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of people in the United Kingdom over the age of 65 years have income support which is less than £400 per annum above the level of eligibility for income support.

  Mr. Hague
  The information requested is not available. Resettlement Agency

  Resettlement Agency
  Mr. Milligan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he has conducted the three-year review of the Resettlement Agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hague
  The Department recently completed a full
  evaluation of the Resettlement Agency, which has been in existence since 1989, in accordance with the Government's commitment to evaluate "Next Steps" agencies. This evaluation concluded that the agency successfully met its objectives in its first three years of operation and should continue for a further three years at which time another evaluation will take place. I have today placed in the Library copies of the agency's evaluation and framework documents.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.

  Mr. Burt
  No external costs have been incurred. It is not possible to identify separately the cost of work done by the Department's own lawyers.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of' State for Social Security (1) if he will make it his policy to ensure that, if a social fund officer requires a condemnation report when considering a social fund application for a fuel appliance, the Benefits Agency should meet the cost of a provisional report;

  (2) if he will amend social fund guidelines to ensure that the Benefits Agency should bear the cost of a condemnation report for a social fund application for a fuel appliance if one is required by the agency.

  Mr. Scott
  Guidance currently requires social fund officers to decide each application on its merits and I have 484
  no plans to change this. Where a condemnation—or provisional—report is produced the social fund officer will usually include its cost in any award made.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to respond to the recommendations made by the Social Security Advisory Committee on its report entitled "The Social Fund: A New Structure".

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 22 June 1993 at column 165.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many prosecutions in Wales have been brought against people for fraudulently claiming invalidity benefit in each year since 1979.

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

  Letter from Michael Richard to Mr. Rod Richards, dated 28 June 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 Wales asking, how many prosecutions in Wales have been brought against people for fraudulently claiming invalidity benefit in each year since 1979.

  I regret that I am unable to provide all the information you requested.

  The Sector Fraud Organisation has only been in existence since January 1991 and the information you asked for has only been collated in the format requested from I April 1992. The first full year for which figures are available is, therefore, the year ended 31 March 1993.

  In that period there were twenty-one prosecutions in Wales for offences involving Invalidity Benefit. In all twenty-one cases guilty verdicts were returned.

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

  Local Offices
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list each Benefits Agency office that processes claims for invalidity benefit from persons resident in Pendle.

  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 Michael Richard to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 28 June 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 if he will list each Benefit Agency Office within Pendle that

  485
  processes claims for Invalidity Benefit from persons resident in Pendle.

  The area of Pendle is dealt with by Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale District. Within the District there are two offices, Burnley District Office which processes Invalidity Benefit claims from persons resident in Pendle and Rossendale Benefit Office which is a "caller office" providing advice and information only to the public.

  The District covers not just Pendle itself but all the following areas. Padiham, Hapton, Nelson, Colne, Earby, Foulridge, Barnoldswick, Trawden, Briarfield, Barrowford, Whitworth, Bacup, Stacksteads, Haslingdon, Helmshaw, Rawtenstall, Waterfoot, Edenfield and Crawshawbooth.

  Statistical information is maintained for the District as a whole and is not available for individual areas.

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

  Medical Assessments
  Mrs. Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many medical assessments have been undertaken at the Sheffield DHSS office this year, broken down by month.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mrs. Helen Jackson, dated 28 June 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking how many medical assessments have been undertaken at the Sheffield DHSS office this year, broken down by month.

  Firstly, I should explain that I have taken your question as referring to the Medical Boarding Centre located in Queens St. Sheffield. This is the office that deals with medical assessments for the area.

  The information that you have requested has only been recorded since 2 February 1993. I am therefore unable to provide you with any figures for the month of January 1993. Additionally the figure provided for the month of June 1993 represents a count of medical assessments completed up to 18 June 1993. The table below sets out, by month, the number of medical assessments that have been undertaken in 1993. The numbers quoted arc in respect of Severe Disablement Allowance, Sickness Benefit and Invalidity Benefit customers.

  Month

  Numbers

  February

  236

  March

  334

  April

  357

  May

  387

  June

  200

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

  Legal Aid
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (I) what guidance is given to assessment officers in applying the discretionary provisions of the Civil Legal Aid (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1989;

  (2) what are the relevant qualifications possessed by assessment officers determining legal aid eligibility; what
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  training and guidance are provided to assessment officers; and what monitoring and supervision of assessment officers' performance take place.

  Mr. Burt
  The assessment of financial eligibility for civil legal aid is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mrs. Jane Kennedy, dated 28 June 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 (i) what guidance is given to assessment officers in applying the discretionary provisions of the Civil Legal Aid (Assessment of Resources) Regulations and (ii) what arc the relevant qualifications possessed by assessment officers determining legal aid eligibility; what training and guidance is provided to assessment officers; and what monitoring and supervision of assessment officers' performance takes place.

  I should first of all point out that the assessment of financial eligibility for civil legal aid is performed on behalf of the Legal Aid Board by the Benefits Agency at a centralised office situated in Preston.

  Assessment officers are provided with written guidance on all aspects of the financial assessment of civil legal aid cases. This includes the application of the discretionary provisions which permit an allowance against, or a disregard of, an item of income or capital to be made where reasonable.

  The advice, however, only gives general guidelines. It encourages assessment officers to use their powers in a way which is consistent with the Regulations, that shows impartiality between the interests of the applicant, the opponent and the legal aid fund and for their decisions to be made taking into account all relevant information about the circumstances of each individual case. Such guidance cannot, therefore, be prescriptive although examples are given where it might be reasonable to exercise discretion.

  The Secretary of State for Social Security has authorised all officers of the grade of Administrative Officer and above employed in the Benefits Agency's Legal Aid Assessment Office to be assessment officers for the purpose of determining the financial resources of persons seeking civil legal aid.

  In practice most assessment work is carried out by Administrative Officers who will have the minimum qualifications applicable to the grade, unless they have been promoted from Administrative Assistant or equivalent.

  The Legal Aid Assessment office provides extensive and discreet in-house technical training for assessment officers. This consists of both classroom training and operational experience followed by support from a trained mentor. Further advice and information is provided by the written guidance given to assessment officers and supported by a section within the Assessment Office responsible for considering policy and procedural matters.

  The performance of assessment officers is monitored on an ongoing basis by their line managers. In addition, a random sample of assessment work is checked by a quality evaluation sections which is entirely independent of the operational section responsible for making financial assessments. Furthermore, civil legal aid assessment work is subject to scrutiny by both Benefits Agency Internal Audit and the National Audit Office.

  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.

  Child Support
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to commission research on the workings of the new child support scheme; and what form such research will take.
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  Mr. Burt
  We have consistently stressed the importance of monitoring and evaluating the effects of the new policy and there is ongoing work built in to the Department's research programme. It involves both the careful analysis of management information on the activities of the Child Support Agency and the commissioning, as necessary, of research by external experts including; a customer satisfaction survey: work on how professionals view the new system and an extension of work on lone parents, benefits and maintenance by the Policy Studies Institute.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the average time taken to fill in the Child Support Agency form in the Child Support Agency tests;

  (2) how many pages are contained in the Child Support Agency form which is given to the absent parents to complete;

  (3) how many pages are contained in the Child Support Agency form which is given to the mother or carer for completion.

  Mr. Burt
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for Mrs. Ros Hepplewhite, the chief executive. She will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Ros Hepplewhite to Mr. Barry Jones, dated 9 June 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency (CSA) it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am therefore replying to your three recent Parliamentary Questions about the number of pages in the form which is given to the absent parent to complete, the number of pages in the form which is given to the mother or carer for completion, and the average time taken to fill in the form in the tests.

  The CSA form given to the absent parent to complete is 36 pages long.

  The CSA form given to the parent with care of the child to complete is 36 pages long or, where the client is claiming Income Support, 16 pages long.

  The findings of three rounds of market research indicate that on average completion of the maintenance application form (MAF) by the parent with care of the children would take about an hour and completion of the Maintenance Enquiry Form by the absent parent would take a similar amount of time. Completion of the shortened version of the MAF (for use by clients claiming Income Support) should take less than half an hour.

DEFENCE

  Ministry of Defence Police Federation
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates Ministers in his Department held formal meetings with the Ministry of Defence Police Federation during the past five years.

  Mr. Hanley
  Defence Ministers have met representatives of the Defence Police Federation formally on the following dates during the past five years:

  10 July 1989

  3 October 1989

  2 October 1990

  1 October 1991

  20 October 1992

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  In addition, my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence has a policy of open access for the federation if problems occasionally arise which cannot be resolved through official channels.

  RAF Boulmer
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft, of what type and of what age, are deployed at RAF Boulmer for the provision of search and rescue operations.

  Mr. Hanley
  Two Sea King helicopter air rescue mark 3 helicopters, in the search and rescue role, are deployed at RAF Boulmer. These aircraft first flew in March 1978.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rescue operations have been flown from RAF Boulmer since the cessation of search and rescue flights from RAF Leuchars to incidents in Tayside, Central, Fife, Strathclyde and Lothian regions.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is not normally possible to provide statistical data by regional area without incurring disproportionate costs. Due to the very small number of rescues, including incidents such as transfer of sick or injured people from ship to hospital, however, details for the period 1 April to 23 June 1993 are as follows:

  Region

  Number of callouts

  Tayside

  1

  Central

  —

  Fife

  2

  Strathclyde

  —

  Lothian

  —

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what time RAF Boulmer received a request to provide search and rescue assistance for the rescue of Diane Robertson near Benarty woods, Fife on 20 June; and how long after the receipt of that request it was before an aircraft reached the scene of the rescue.

  Mr. Hanley
  RAF Boulmer recorded the request at 15.14 on 20 June. The SAR helicopter was diverted from a training sortie and, after refuelling at Boulmer, it reached the incident site at 16.13. The local fire brigade and ambulance were in attendance while the helicopter was on its way to the scene of the incident.

  Mr Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in each of the last five years for which information is available search and rescue aircraft from RAF Boulmer have engaged in rescue operations with the Anstruther lifeboat or training exercises for such operations.

  Mr. Hanley
  The search and rescue helicopters from RAF Boulmer have attended two incidents in the past five years which involved the Anstruther lifeboat. There are no records of the RAF Boulmer helicopters training with the Anstruther lifeboats.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on legal advice regarding the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme.
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  Mr. Aitken
  Legal advice provided by the Treasury Solicitor to the Department includes, where appropriate, advice on the implications of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 for the market-testing programme. The costs of that element of advice are not separately identifiable.

  Uranium-tipped Ammunition
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the practice of issuing British troops with uranium-tipped bullets and shells; and to what extent these weapons were used by British troops in the Gulf war.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Barrow and Furness (Mr. Hutton) on 11 June 1993,Official Report, column 309.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 23 June,Official Report, column 194, if he will place in the Library copies of (a) the health evaluation of depleted uranium-tipped shells and (b) the advice on risk in use issued to British forces.

  Mr. Hanky
  No. The documents are classified because they give information about the size and composition of United Kingdom ammunition which could be of advantage to an enemy.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 23 June,Official Report, column 194, what general or informal information he has received from the United States Government regarding dangers to service men in the Gulf resulting from the use of shells tipped with depleted uranium.

  Mr. Hanley
  Potential risks from handling depleted uranium (DU) were well understood in the United States and United Kingdom before the Gulf conflict. Since then, my Department has monitored reports in mass media and specialist journals quoting United States officials on the subject. Most recently and authoritatively. my Department has received a copy of a United States Department of Defence fact sheet of 11 June 1993 which specifically relates to the possible health effects of DU and analyses known incidents involving exposure of United States personnel to it. These personnel continue to be monitored, but the fact sheet concludes that exposure to DU has not caused the unexplained symptoms associated with the so-called Desert. Storm syndrome (DSS). The existence of DSS and its possible causes have also been a subject of discussion between United States and United Kingdom medical officers in the course of normal liaison, which supports the Department of Defence official assessment. For the convenience of the House, I am arranging to have a copy of the document placed in the Library.

  Dockyards
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Hunt class refits are to be carried out at Rosyth:

  (2) how many aircraft carriers are to be (a) refitted before 2005 and (b) allocated to Rosyth;

  (3) if he will list for each year until 2005, the guaranteed surface ship refits allocated to Rosyth dockyard; what is his estimate of the number of man weeks, per vessel; and how many jobs he attributes to each refit;
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  (4) what is the proportion of refit expenditure he expects to be paid to (a) Rosyth and (b) Devonport in 1993 and in each year until 2005;

  (5) what is his estimate of the restructuring costs for (a) Rosyth and (b) Devonport under his proposals announced on 24 June;

  (6) how many (a) type 42, (b) type 23 and (c) type 22 refits are (i) allocated to Rosyth and (ii) guaranteed to Rosyth between now and 2005;

  (7) if he will list the job numbers for each year until 2005 in defence work he has estimated to be attributed to (a) Rosyth and (b) Devonport;

  (8) what is his estimate of the costs of defence refitting each year until 2005; and what is the amount he expects will be paid to (a) Rosyth, (b) Devonport and (c) other shipyards.

  Mr. Aitken
  As my right hon. and learned Friend said in the House on 24 June,Official Report, column 449, further information relating to the Government's conclusions regarding future refitting arrangements for the Royal Navy will be published in a consultative document which will provide a basis for consultation with the parties concerned. This document will be issued next week.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the construction of the nuclear storage facility at Rosyth;

  (2) when he will remove all nuclear waste from Rosyth.

  Mr. Aitken
  The nuclear storage facility at Rosyth is required to provide a temporary local integrated complex to store items and materials arising from the continuing nuclear refitting and decommissioning work at Rosyth dockyard.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) where the decommissioned Polaris submarines will now be stored; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he expects to move all decommissioned submarines from Rosyth;

  (3) when he expects to move the Dreadnought submarine from Rosyth.

  Mr. Aitken
  Our present policy is that decommissioned nuclear submarines, including Polaris, will continue to be stored afloat at the location where they are decommissioned, pending eventual disposal. This policy is kept under review. As my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Defence said in the Trident refit debate on 24 June, columns 449–58, this will be the subject of further consideration.

  F3 Tornado
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 June,Official Report, columns 339–40, if the four F3 Tornados which had undergone fatigue index modification by Airwork Services and had been returned to operational bases, have now been returned to St. Athan and classified as to the extent of damage.

  Mr. Aitken
  No. It will take some time before the damage assessment of Tornado F3 aircraft affected by this contract is complete.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 June,Official Report, columns

  491
  339–40, if he has received the report of the Royal Aeronautical Establishment, Farnborough, on the preferred method of rectification of the F3 Tornados modified by Airwork Services at RAF St. Athan, and damaged in the course of that modification; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  I do not expect to receive the recommendations of the aircraft design authority on repair schemes for several months and the Defence Research Agency will not be in a position to provide its own advice until some time after that.

  Low flying
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the operation of the low-flying management system over Cumbria on 23 June; and if he will make a statement on progress towards implementing the automated low-flying flight planning inquiry and notification system.
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  Mr. Hanley
  The management of the United Kingdom low-flying system over Cumbria was operating in accordance with normal procedures on 23 June. The automated low-flying flight inquiry and notification system will be introduced into service as quickly as possible.

  MOD Police
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he has taken concerning the allegations made against MOD police officers by Ms Lindis Percy of Bradford, in a letter dated 31 May to the chief constable of MOD police; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  I can confirm that the chief constable of MOD police received a letter dated 31 May concerning allegations made against MOD police officers by Ms Lindis Percy of Bradford. It has been recorded as an official complaint and is now being investigated in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. A report will be forwarded to the Police Complaints Authority when the investigation has been completed.

  CHINA: LORD HOWE'S VISIT
  CHINA: LORD HOWE'S VISIT
  MALAWI: REFERENDUM RESULT
  MALAWI: REFERENDUM RESULT
  EC CONSULAR CO-OPERATION
  EC CONSULAR CO-OPERATION
  ENTRY CLEARANCE APPLICATIONS
  ENTRY CLEARANCE APPLICATIONS
  EC COMMON POLICY AREAS: MEMBER STATES' FREEDOM OF ACTION
  EC COMMON POLICY AREAS: MEMBER STATES' FREEDOM OF ACTION
  BAIL. ACT 1976: MAGISTRATES' TRAINING
  BAIL. ACT 1976: MAGISTRATES' TRAINING
  ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN COUNCIL HOUSING
  ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN COUNCIL HOUSING
  BEER: EFFECT OF NEW DUTY SYSTEM
  BEER: EFFECT OF NEW DUTY SYSTEM
  BEER: PUBLICISING OF EXCISE DUTY
  BEER: PUBLICISING OF EXCISE DUTY
  HONG KONG: PASSPORT ARRANGEMENTS
  HONG KONG: PASSPORT ARRANGEMENTS
  PLUTONIUM EXPORTS: JAPANESE UNDERTAKING
  PLUTONIUM EXPORTS: JAPANESE UNDERTAKING