Written Answers of 3 March 1993

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Charterline Telephone Service
  Mr. Simpson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what budget he has set aside for the Charterline telephone information service he intends to set up in the east midlands pilot project; what charges will be made for the service; how it will be vetted to guarantee that it is politically impartial; and whether he will also fund other citizens' rights information lines which are not under his political control.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The citizens charter unit is still negotiating the contract for this service. Revealing the budget would undermine the charter unit's negotiating position.

  Callers will be charged at the local call rate for using the service. The service will direct callers to a contact in the public service organisation which is best placed to answer their query or deal with their complaint. It will therefore be a politically impartial service.

  It would not be right to fund other independent information lines which might have other purposes than the provision of information about public service organisations.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  NATO
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the terms of the agreement for the forces of NATO to operate outside the areas previously agreed; and what measures are necessary to amend the North Atlantic treaty.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  NATO Foreign Ministers agreed in June and December 1992 that the alliance should support, on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with its own procedures, peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the conference on security and co-operation in Europe or the United Nations. NATO Defence Ministers agreed in December that support for UN and CSCE peacekeeping should be among the missions of NATO forces and headquarters. Copies of the communiqués from all these meetings are in the Library of the House.

  There is no need for the North Atlantic treaty to be amended to permit NATO to operate outside its own area in pursuit of these decisions; the treaty obliges members of the alliance to respond to an armed attack on one of them within the North Atlantic area, but it does not prevent NATO members from acting collectively outside the North Atlantic area if they so agree.

  Taiwan
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on current relations with Taiwan.

  Mr. Goodlad
  For well-known reasons, diplomatic relations do not exist between the United Kingdom and Taiwan. There are many unofficial links, reflecting widespread recognition of Taiwan's growing economic weight. The Anglo-Taiwan trade committee and the Anglo-Taiwan education centre respectively promote commercial and educational exchanges. United Kingdom exports to Taiwan in 1992 totalled £545 million. There is scope for expanding business co-operation in many areas including financial services, investment and joint ventures —such as that between British Aerospace and Taiwan Aerospace Corporation. A new air link between the United Kingdom and Taiwan was recently announced.

  EC Social Chapter
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what effect the non-incorporation of the opt-out on the social chapter in the Maastricht treaty into United Kingdom law would have on the competence of the European Court of Justice with regard to the rights of British workers and fair competition between United Kingdom companies and their continental counterparts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Non-incorporation of the protocol on social policy into United Kingdom law would have no effect on the competence of the ECJ to interpret the Treaty on European Union, including the clause of the protocol which states that"Acts adopted by the Council …shall not be applicable to the United Kingdom".

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what informal or formal representatives from his Department attended the round table meeting held by UNESCO on 23 February in Paris to bring together artists, writers, journalists and ex-politicians from all sides of the ethnic divide in former Yugoslavia; and what assessment he has made of the effect of an application by the United Kingdom to rejoin UNESCO on such peacemaking and peacebuilding initiatives.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The round table was not attended by any United Kingdom representatives. We welcome Senor Mayor's initiative in organising the meeting. We have made no decision on a resumption of UNESCO membership. The work of UNESCO in this and other fields will obviously be taken into account in reaching any decision.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the forthcoming business in the European Community's Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The following meetings are planned:

  2 March—Consumer Affairs Council

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  8 to 9 March—Foreign Affairs Council

  15 March—Economic and Finance Council

  15 March—Transport Council

  16 to 17 March—Agriculture Council

  18 March—Fisheries Council

  22 to 23 March—Environment Council

  The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

  (a) Consumer Affairs Council—2 March

  Directive on unfair terms in consumer contracts

  Directive on protection of purchasers of timeshares

  Future action on labelling of products

  Community system on information on accidents

  Exchange of information on products which may jeopardise consumer health or safety

  Action plan for consumer policy (1990–92)

  Proposal for an EC Directive on Comparative advertising amending Directive 84/450/EEC concerning misleading advertising

  (b) Foreign Affairs Council—8 to 9 March

  Relations with Central and Eastern Europe

  Association Agreement with Bulgaria

  EEA—Protocol of adaptation

  Cohesion Fund

  Former Yugoslavia

  GATT and other trade issues

  Commercial Defence Instruments

  FSU Textiles Agreement

  (c) Economic and Finance Council—15 March

  Annual Economic Report and national actions to promote economic recovery in Europe

  Convergence programme for Greece (possible)

  Carbon/Energy taxation

  Progress report

  Report of the Court of Auditors for 1991

  Travellers' allowances

  (d) Transport Council—15 March

  Debate on Transport White Paper (11011/92)

  Aviation

  External relations (5080/90) (4146/93)

  Computer reservation systems

  Air traffic management equipment and systems (8420/92)

  Land Transport

  Transport Infrastructure Programme (1993–1994) (8065/92) (10437/92)

  Trans European Networks:

  Guidance for roads (8065/92)

  Inland waterways (8065/92)

  Combined transport (8066/92)

  Fiscal harmonisation (heavy goods vehicles)

  Road haulage cabotage (10038/91) (4943/92) (5334/92) (7662/92) (8315/92) (10855/92) (10881/92)

  Transport agreement with Slovenia (5033/93)

  Transport of dangerous goods (4954/93)

  Road transport external relations (11234/92)

  Maritime Transport

  Maritime safety communication

  Aviation agreement with Switzerland (possible)

  Inland waterway external relations (possible)

  (e) Agriculture Council—16–17 March

  Price fixing proposals (Com(93) 36)

  Milk quotas

  GATT Agriculture

  Processed tomatoes (10485/92; 4185/93)

  Greek tobacco (possible)

  Potatoes (possible) (10483/92; 4613/93)

  (f) Fisheries Council—18 March

  Control system for the Common Fisheries Policy (9019/92)

  Spanish/Portuguese Accession (4158/93)

  Harmonised technical conservation measures in the Mediterranean (11229/92)

  High seas fisheries (possible)

  140

  Market situation of fisheries products

  European fisheries research (possible)

  Third country agreements (possible)

  (g) Environment Council—22–23 March

  ECO Audit regulation (5218/92)

  CO2 monitoring decision (7569/92)

  Carbon/ Energy tax (7018/92)

  Ratification of Climate Change Convention (11233/92)

  Ratification of Biodiversity Convention (4593/93)

  Volatile Organic Compounds emissions directive (VOCS) (Stage I) (8348/92)

  Hazardous waste incineration directive (5761/92)

  CITES regulation (10500/91)

  Emissions from motor vehicles (4142/93)

  The Consumer Affairs Council will meet on 2 March. The directive on unfair terms in consumer contracts will be discussed by Ministers in the hope that it may be adopted. Discussion will also focus on: a directive on the protection of purchasers of timeshares; future action on the labelling of products; the possible extension of the European home and leisure accident surveillance systems (EHLASS) for a further five years; the exchange of information on products which may jeopardise consumer health or safety and the action plan for consumer policy (1990–92). The proposal for an EC directive on comparative advertising, on subsidiarity grounds, will also be discussed by the Council.

  The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 8 and 9 March. The Council will discuss the EC's relations with central and east European countries and sign an association agreement with Bulgaria. Ministers will be asked to agree a protocol of adaptation to the EEA agreement which would allow it to come into force without Switzerland. Ministers will than discuss the cohesion fund; former Yugoslavia; progress on the GATT negotiations; Commercial defence instruments and a textiles agreement with former Soviet Union states.

  The Economic and Finance Council will meet on 15 March, when Ministers will consider formal adoption of the Commission's annual economic report. Further discussion will take place on actions to promote economic recovery in the Community and there is also expected to be a brief discussion of a progress report on the Commission's proposal for carbon/energy tax. The Council will examine the report of the Court of Auditors on the 1991 budget with a view to making a recommendation to the European Parliament on giving the Commission a discharge with respect to the implementation of the 1991 budget. Ministers may also discuss the economic convergence programme for Greece and increases in the current allowances for travellers from third countries.

  The Transport Council will meet on 15 March. The Council will discuss aviation external relations and trans-European network guidelines. Other subjects for discussion by Ministers include: the transport infrastructure programme; inland waterways and combined transport; road freight fiscal harmonisation; road haulage cabotage; the transport of dangerous goods; road transport external relations and the transport agreement with Slovenia. Additional aviation items include: computer reservation systems and air traffic management equipment and systems. Ministers may also discuss inland waterway external relations and a proposed aviation

  141
  agreement with Switzerland. There will also be a Commission presentation on the maritime safety communication.

  The Agricultural Council will meet on 16 and 17 March. Ministers will discuss the 1993–94 price-fixing proposals; milk quotas; the agricultural aspects of the GATT negotiations and processed tomatoes. They may also discuss Greek tobacco and the review of the potato regime.

  The Fisheries Council is due to meet on 18 March. Ministers will discuss the proposed control and enforcement regulation; review of the accession arrangements for Spain and Portugal; harmonised technical conservation measures in the Mediterranean and the market situation for fisheries products. They may also discuss the Community policy on high seas fishing; European fisheries research and negotiating mandate for a fisheries agreement with the Russian Federation.

  The Environment Council will meet on 22 and 23 March, when Ministers hope to reach agreement on the ECO-audit regulation, the volatile organis compounds (Stage 1) emissions directive, the CO2 monitoring decision and ratification of the climate change convention. The Council will also discuss: carbon/energy tax; ratification of the biodiversity convention; the hazardous waste incineration directive and the CITES regulation. The Commission will present its communication on marine pollution and may make presentations on substances that deplete the ozone layer (hydrochlorofluorocarbons and methyl bromide) and emissions from motor vehicles.

  Sub-Saharan Africa
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are currently undertaken by the Overseas Development Administration to reduce debt burdens of countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

  Mr. Nelson
  I have been asked to reply.

  It is Government policy to cancel the debts of those very poor and indebted countries which are successfully pursuing sound policies of reform. So far, nearly £200 million of old aid debt has been cancelled in countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and other countries will benefit as they fulfil the qualifications for this treatment. All new aid to very poor countries is now given only in the form of grant aid.

  Those debt-distressed countries which do not qualify for aid debt cancellation may apply to have their debts rescheduled through the Paris Club, composed of the major creditor Governments. The Paris Club is prepared to reschedule aid debt over long periods at highly concessional rates of interest. The effect of this is to increase greatly the grant element of the loans concerned, so producing a very substantial reduction in the present value of the obligation to repay.

  Many of these countries owe most of their official debt to export credit agencies rather than to aid agencies. That is why the United Kingdom proposed the comprehensive Trinidad terms initiative for reducing the debts of the very poorest and severely indebted countries. So far, over $3 billion has been consolidated under these agreements in sub-Saharan Africa by the Paris Club, cancelling over $1 billion during the lifetime of the agreements.

TRANSPORT

  Lorries
  Mr. Bates
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish his consultation paper on heavier lorries for combined road and rail transport.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend has published the paper today. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Drink Driving
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he has issued to road safety officers concerning the role of children in getting across to adults the "don't drink and drive" message; and if he will make it his policy that all "don't drink and drive" advertisements on television sponsored by his Department are transmitted during hours when children are likely to be viewing.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We have not given specific advice to road safety officers, although they are involved in the planning of our drink-drive campaigns.

  We aim to show our television commercials to as wide an audience as possible and recognise that children have an important role in influencing the attitudes of adults. Surveys have shown that children's views against drinking and driving have been reinforced by watching the commercials. The final decision on when commercials can be transmitted rests with the Independent Television Commission.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has undertaken into impairment caused by alcohol to the driving of young or infrequent drinkers.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  There has been no specific research into this subject in the United Kingdom. International research suggests that young drivers arid infrequent drinkers are more likely to be impaired at lower alcohol levels, but there is considerable variability between individuals at all ages.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek to amend the Road Traffic Act 1988 so as to reduce the alcohol limit in Britain to 50 mg/100 ml and to include random breath tests.

  Mr. Carlisle
  No. The current limit of 80 mg/100 ml is scientifically based at the level at which, for most people, the chance of being involved in an accident starts to rise sharply. More than half of all drink-drive offenders are convicted at twice this limit. Lowering the legal limit and introducing random breath tests would risk directing resources away from this group of high risk offenders.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received to lower the legal unit of alcohol in the breath and blood for tests carried out by the police; and what information he has as to the legal limits set by other countries.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We receive representations from time to time from road safety organisations and from members of the public. The best information we have on legal limits for drinking and driving in other countries is for other European Community member states, a majority of which share the same legal limit as the United Kingdom.

  Shipping (Dangerous Cargoes)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research contracts his Department has let into measures for controlling the routes of ships carrying dangerous or polluting cargoes while they are in British waters; and what plans he has for future research.

  Mr. Norris
  A contract was let in 1989 to assess shipping movements along the west coast of Scotland since the deep water route to the west of the Hebrides was implemented.

  The Department is also involved in the European Community project "Euret", which is directed at the development of vessel traffic systems.

  Roads Maintenance
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money was transferred from the highway maintenance standard spending assessment to the highways structural maintenance elements of transport supplementary grant in the settlement for 1993–94; how much of that sum has been allocated for structural maintenance on principal roads and how much for Bridge strengthening; and what was the amount of local authority expenditure on structural maintenance on principal roads in 1992–93.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  For 1993–94 a further £120 million has been transferred from revenue support grant to the transport supplementary grant system to cover structural maintenance on carriageways of principal roads. This followed two previous transfers, £90 million in 1991–92 for assessment, strengthening and other structural maintenance on bridges and £100 million in 1992–93 for carriageways of roads on the primary route network.

  Of the £310 million transferred, £172·8 million has been allocated in 1993–94 for structural maintenance on carriageways of principal roads, and £137·2 million for assessment, strengthening and other structural maintenance of bridges.

  For 1993–94 local highways authorities may switch resources between bridges and carriageways according to local priority.

  The amount of local authority expenditure on structural maintenance on principal roads in 1992–93 is not yet available. Local highway authorities have budgeted to spend £119 million on these roads in 1992–93.

  Road Improvements
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the location, cost and duration of the road improvement schemes funded by his Department in the city of Westminster since 1979.

  Mr. Norris
  My Department was not directly responsible for funding road improvements in the city of Westminster prior to 1986. No major improvement schemes have been carried out on trunk roads in the city since then. We have supported a number of local road improvements through transport supplementary grant.

  Channel Tunnel
  Sir Keith Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he received the proposals for a channel tunnel rail link from Union Rail; and when he proposes to publish them.
  144
  Mr. Freeman
  A report from Union Railways on options for refining the route of the channel tunnel rail link was received on 11 January 1993. The Government will announce as soon as possible a route for consultation, together with information on the options put to Ministers by Union Railways.

  British Rail
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what account is taken of British Rail's capital requirements to maintain the network in setting the public spending total for the Department of Transport.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail's capital requirement is one of the most important factors taken into account in setting the Department's public spending allocation.

  Cyclists (Safety Helmets)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to make compulsory the wearing of safety helmets by children on bicycles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We have no plans to make compulsory the wearing of cycle helmets by child cyclists. We must ensure that children and parents are fully aware of the very significant improvement in safety that helmets give. This has been the subject of recent publicity by the Department and will be an important element of our forthcoming cycling safety campaign.

  Railway Lines (Wales)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement regarding the future of the Aberystwyth-Shrewsbury and Machynlleth-Pwllheli railway lines.

  Mr. Freeman
  The level of service provided on these lines is currently a matter for British Rail. In due course, that responsibility will be assumed by the franchising director.

  Ashford International Station
  Sir Keith Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an announcement about the proposed Ashford international station.

  Mr. Freeman
  The public expenditure settlement for 1993–94 allows for British Rail to undertake urgent track and signalling works for the proposed Ashford international passenger station. What exactly needs to be provided is still under discussion and I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as decisions have been reached.

  Red Routes
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the figure for accidents and casualties on the Archway road red route pilot and for the pilot corridor in 1991; and if he will instigate an independent inquiry of the pilot study.

  Mr. Norris
  I have no plans to instigate an inquiry. Independent monitoring of the pilot red route has already been carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory.
  145
  The following figures are for the periods of 18 months before arid after the introduction of the scheme in January 1991.

  Pilot route

  Pilot route corridor

  Before

  After

  Change per cent.

  Before

  After

  Change per cent.

  Accidents

  701

  626

  -11

  1,008

  857

  -15

  Casualties

  788

  683

  -13

  1,132

  951

  -16

  Notes:

  (1) The above figures were taken from the London Accident Analysis Unit's database in November 1992. Accidents occurring 50 metres either side of major junctions, or on minor side roads within 50 metres of the centre line of the main road, have been allocated to the main road.

  (2) City Road has been excluded from the table because the London Borough of Islington never implemented the red route controls there.

  (3) The normal requirement for the analysis of accident statistics is a three year period. We have provided figures over the shorter period because of the particular public interest in this project.

  Agencies, Swansea
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what consideration was given to including, in the advertisement placed in the Official Journal of the European Community for the sale of DVOIT, a requirement that it must remain in Swansea;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the application of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 to the proposed privatisation of DVOIT in Swansea.

  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that the advertisement for the privatisation of the Department of Transport agencies based in Swansea will specify that the privatised facilities should remain in the Swansea area.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 10 February 1993]: I am advised that the proposed privatisation of DVOIT by means of a sale to a private sector company will be a transfer within the terms of the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981. Future location options for DVOIT will be a matter for prospective purchasers of the agency to consider.

EDUCATION

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Ms. Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many grant-maintained schools(a) did and (b) did not receive a capital allocation named grant in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Forth
  The information is shown in the table for the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Self-governing schools: named project capital allocations

  (a)

  (b)

  Year

  Number of schools with named project allocations

  Number of schools with named project allocations

  1990–91

  27

  2

  1991–92

  34

  31

  1992–93

  92

  74

  Note: The figures in column (b) relate to the number of self-governing schools eligible to bid in that year's named project capital funding round.
  146
  Ms. Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education in how many ballots for grant-maintained status the Electoral Reform Society has reported to him that improper conduct and procedure had taken place.

  Mr. Forth
  Electoral Reform (Ballot Services) Ltd. reports the factual results of ballots to the governing body of the school concerned and to the Department. From time to time the Department receives complaints about improper conduct or procedure in a ballot. If these require investigation, Electoral Reform (Ballot Services) Ltd. may be asked for its comments.

  Ms. Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the total capital expenditure named projects grant, for grant-maintained schools in each of the last three years; and how many grant-maintained schools there were in each of these years.

  Mr. Forth
  The information is shown in the following table. Final outturn figures for 1992–93 are not yet available as expenditure is still being incurred by schools.

  Self-governing schools: Named project outturn expenditure

  Year

  Expenditure1 on named projects (£ thousands)

  Named of schools in sector2

  1990–91

  5,835

  29

  1991–92

  7,485

  65

  1 Expenditure figures relate to spending by schools on named projects awarded allocations in each year listed and excludes expenditure on projects started in earlier programme years.

  2 The figures relate to the number of self-governing schools eligible to bid in each year's named project capital funding round.

  Ms. Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many ballots for grant-maintained status he has ordered to be re-run; and what were the reasons for these orders.

  Mr. Forth
  Four ballots have been declared void and required to be re-run to date. In each case, the grounds for the decision were errors in the ballot arrangements.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what measures he has taken to notify parents about grant-maintained schools; how much these measures have cost in each financial year; and what further expenditure is planned.

  Mr. Forth
  Information specifically for parents about grant-maintained schools is set out in "Grant Maintained Schools: Questions Parents Ask" and through the telephone helpline.
  147
  The printing costs of "Questions Parents Ask" in the financial years from 1989–90 to 1991–92 totalled £40,000. It is not possible to disaggregate this information further without incurring disproportionate cost. Printing costs this year are estimated at £60,000. Distribution costs fall within the terms of the contract with the Departmental despatch centre and cannot be identified separately. Expenditure in 1993–94 has been planned on the basis of current demand.

  The GM helpline for parents is a pilot scheme which will run to the end of March. Decisions about extending this service will be made at that time. The estimated cost for the six week pilot is £225,000 which covers the running of the telephone helpline and publicising the availability of the service in the national press and magazines.

  English
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if his departmental advisers on the teaching of English to 14-year-olds will meet representative heads of departments from London's secondary schools for discussions on coursework, assessment and curriculum issues.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend is advised on curriculum issues by the National Curriculum Council and on assessment issues by the School Examinations and Assessment Council. It is for those bodies to respond to any requests for meetings put to them.

  Educational Equipment (Exports)
  Sir Malcolm Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which Minister in his Department is responsible for promoting the export of educational equipment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Boswell
  I am responsible within the Department for Education for educational exports. The Department provides support to companies wishing to export educational equipment, while the British Council has responsibility for promoting the export of education and training services, a field in which it is especially active.

  Truancy
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement itemising the main details and purpose of each scheme he is funding under the grants for education support and training programme 1993–94 to deal with truancy; and if he will provide the same information for schemes whose proposals were presented to him which have not been funded.

  Mr. Forth
  Proposals submitted by local education authorities (LEAs) under the reducing truancy programme of the grants for education support and training (GEST) scheme 1993–94 took a variety of forms. Bidding was competitive, with priority being given to those LEAs where the problems were most severe. Individual bids were assessed according to the extent to which they:

  Children for whom statements of special education needs were made for the first time in LEAs in England 1987 to 1991

  Calendar year

  Local education authority

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  ILEA

  968

  1,103

  1490

  1,368

  n/a

  City

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Camden

  —

  —

  —

  —

  171

  Greenwich

  —

  —

  —

  —

  161

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  clearly identified the scale of need at the schools designated;

  demonstrated an innovative and well thought out strategy for tackling truancy/unauthorised absence;

  provided a clear statement of objectives, together with performance indicators against which the effectiveness of provision could be measured;

  made appropriate use of the experience and expertise of the Education Welfare Service; and

  were based on, and furthered, good practice.

  On that basis, projects to a total value of £9·6 million were approved in 74 LEAs. Eight projects were rejected.

  Schools Expenditure, Cambridgeshire
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what was the capital expenditure on state schools in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1984 in(a) nursery schools, (b) primary schools and (c) secondary schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The table shows the information requested.

  Capital spending by Cambridgeshire LEA on schools in each year since 1984

  £thousands

  Nursery and primary schools

  Secondary schools

  1984–85

  1,674

  3,240

  1985–86

  2,127

  3,947

  1986–87

  2,011

  3,127

  1987–88

  5,699

  3,686

  1988–89

  8,697

  6,511

  1989–90

  11,582

  9,045

  1990–91

  8,203

  5,625

  1991–92

  8,758

  11,929

  Notes:

  1. Figures for 1991–92 are provisional.

  2. Capital expenditure on nursery and primary schools is not identified separately in the returns made by local authorities.

  3. Spending on special schools is omitted.

  Special Needs Education
  Ms. Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children of(a) primary age and (b) secondary age, (i) in each local authority area and (ii) in total have been statemented in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Forth
  Separate information on primary and secondary age children for whom a statement of special educational needs has been made is not available. Information on the numbers of children of all ages for whom statements of special educational needs were made for the first time during each of the calendar years 1987 to 1991, the latest year for which information is available, in each local education authority in England is given in the table.
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  Calendar year

  Local education authority

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Hackney

  —

  —

  —

  —

  123

  Hammersmith

  —

  —

  —

  —

  64

  Islington

  —

  —

  —

  —

  57

  Kensington

  —

  —

  —

  —

  40

  Lambeth

  —

  —

  —

  —

  103

  Lewisham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  55

  Southwark

  —

  —

  —

  —

  174

  Tower Hamlets

  —

  —

  —

  —

  137

  Wandsworth

  —

  —

  —

  —

  112

  Westminster

  —

  —

  —

  —

  111

  Barking

  30

  50

  54

  65

  73

  Barnet

  87

  53

  101

  85

  129

  Bexley

  122

  120

  183

  204

  257

  Brent

  290

  93

  80

  37

  81

  Bromley

  159

  135

  124

  132

  97

  Croydon

  207

  121

  132

  119

  109

  Ealing

  78

  126

  108

  137

  169

  Enfield

  32

  43

  22

  19

  31

  Haringey

  57

  61

  50

  73

  108

  Harrow

  94

  91

  73

  75

  96

  Havering

  111

  77

  62

  106

  136

  Hillingdon

  35

  47

  108

  73

  46

  Ilounslow

  169

  170

  234

  238

  95

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  44

  60

  70

  76

  76

  Merton

  150

  92

  71

  88

  62

  Newham

  51

  81

  131

  101

  154

  Redbridge

  74

  92

  77

  82

  117

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  83

  75

  87

  69

  76

  Sutton

  100

  91

  101

  108

  98

  Waltham Forest

  63

  52

  51

  97

  74

  Birmingham

  526

  361

  325

  335

  496

  Coventry

  158

  143

  120

  151

  146

  Dudley

  135

  135

  168

  193

  191

  Sandwell

  156

  152

  120

  51

  88

  Solihull

  106

  110

  104

  127

  128

  Walsall

  138

  86

  166

  153

  159

  Wolverhampton

  133

  146

  87

  160

  148

  Knowsley

  147

  130

  133

  202

  169

  Liverpool

  118

  151

  365

  618

  435

  St. Helens

  27

  146

  151

  136

  122

  Sefton

  122

  130

  96

  186

  179

  Wirral

  138

  294

  235

  133

  145

  Bolton

  97

  93

  97

  109

  121

  Bury

  153

  170

  157

  164

  168

  Manchester

  114

  165

  162

  112

  135

  Oldham

  80

  110

  207

  210

  89

  Rochdale

  119

  124

  154

  157

  78

  Salford

  52

  62

  48

  61

  18

  Stockport

  226

  199

  163

  244

  225

  Tameside

  97

  203

  184

  124

  148

  Trafford

  167

  97

  133

  125

  77

  Wigan

  104

  2

  188

  303

  388

  Barnsley

  44

  34

  45

  95

  122

  Doncaster

  154

  135

  162

  162

  142

  Rotherham

  215

  171

  155

  305

  301

  Sheffield

  145

  160

  105

  128

  197

  Bradford

  111

  94

  100

  75

  145

  Calderdale

  70

  72

  50

  45

  59

  Kirklees

  289

  191

  243

  249

  347

  Leeds

  124

  687

  351

  311

  441

  Wakefield

  139

  107

  166

  93

  202

  Gateshead

  22

  43

  56

  85

  198

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  132

  155

  131

  103

  154

  North Tyneside

  123

  129

  167

  178

  169

  South Tyneside

  105

  86

  97

  74

  70

  Sunderland

  104

  139

  170

  148

  263

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Avon

  487

  682

  603

  333

  450

  Bedfordshire

  264

  248

  264

  284

  329

  Berkshire

  262

  322

  421

  504

  716

  Buckinghamshire

  401

  498

  484

  716

  568

  Cambridgeshire

  49

  296

  90

  111

  340

  Cheshire

  487

  620

  575

  566

  720

  Cleveland

  277

  333

  420

  359

  353

  Cornwall

  231

  263

  419

  245

  426

  Cumbria

  227

  166

  155

  322

  323

  Derbyshire

  495

  633

  587

  742

  594

  150 151

  Calendar year

  Local education authority

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Devon

  586

  632

  847

  793

  924

  Dorset

  345

  198

  247

  287

  341

  Durham

  227

  265

  219

  204

  308

  East Sussex

  203

  261

  180

  247

  211

  Essex

  808

  800

  778

  627

  613

  Gloucestershire

  274

  300

  247

  278

  433

  Hampshire

  920

  950

  1,038

  1,034

  1,686

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  133

  192

  242

  397

  417

  Hertfordshire

  463

  462

  580

  584

  741

  Humberside

  193

  267

  255

  211

  483

  Isle of Wight

  63

  56

  45

  46

  68

  Kent

  700

  549

  595

  953

  983

  Lancashire

  810

  968

  1,269

  1,124

  1,305

  Leicestershire

  268

  389

  486

  465

  587

  Lincolnshire

  254

  383

  354

  665

  687

  Norfolk

  492

  407

  551

  508

  500

  North Yorkshire

  394

  247

  296

  397

  437

  Northamptonshire

  229

  277

  297

  230

  357

  Nothumberland

  164

  170

  142

  161

  185

  Nottinghamshire

  233

  327

  264

  218

  153

  Oxfordshire

  95

  88

  132

  144

  263

  Shropshire

  311

  364

  234

  434

  480

  Somerset

  309

  426

  244

  169

  161

  Staffordshire

  586

  538

  606

  639

  666

  Suffolk

  475

  454

  522

  387

  435

  Surrey

  848

  701

  953

  497

  1,178

  Warwickshire

  282

  269

  315

  249

  244

  West Sussex

  264

  262

  177

  267

  350

  Wiltshire

  405

  509

  530

  665

  775

  ENGLAND

  22,408

  24,017

  24,633

  26,519

  30,847

  1 Incomplete return.

  —= Not available.

  Access Funds
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many higher education institutions have requested additional funds for their access fund from his Department during the present academic year.

  Mr. Boswell
  Access funds are allocated to higher education institutions through the funding councils at the beginning of the academic year. Institutions are aware that once allocations are made no additional funds are available.

  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the access fund for the University of Manchester in 1992–93.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Universities Funding Council allocated £365,270 to Manchester university, including £24,440 for the Manchester business school, as the university's share of the access funds for the academic year 1992–93.

  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the operation of the higher education institution access funds for 1992–93.

  Mr. Boswell
  It is too early to say how the scheme is progressing in the current academic year. The funding councils are asked to submit an annual report to the Department on the use of the funds by institutions after the end of each year.

  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to his answer of 2 July 1992,Official Report, column 659, how many higher education institutions have none of their 1992–93 access fund moneys left.
  152
  Mr. Boswell
  This information is not held centrally. We have advised institutions, through the funding councils, to consider holding back some of their access funds and to make arrangements to meet requests for assistance late in the academic year and during the summer vacation.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many county court judgments were secured against students during(a) September 1992 to December 1992 and (b) January 1993 to February 1993 by the Student Loans Company.

  Mr. Boswell
  This is a matter for the Student Loans Company. I will ask the chief executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Illiteracy
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much Her Majesty's Government have spent on tackling illiteracy in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Boswell
  It is for local education authorities to determine their level of expenditure on adult literacy provision. Government funding over the last five years of the adult literacy and basic skills unit, which is the central organisation for advice and research into adult literacy, was as in the following table.

  £ million

  1988–89

  2·3

  1989–90

  2·4

  1990–91

  2·7

  1991–92

  3·0

  1992–93

  3·2

  153
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his estimate of the number of(a) adults and (b) children who are (i) illiterate or (ii) functionally illiterate in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Boswell
  There are very few adults in the United Kingdom who are completely illiterate in the sense that they cannot read or write at all. The adult literacy and basic skills unit, which advises the Government, estimates that 4 million adults in England and Wales have real difficulty coping with everyday tasks like filling in forms; and a further 1·5 million are reckoned to have difficulty with numerical skills. Such people are often described as being "functionally illiterate", although there is no standard definition of that term. ALBSU has however recently developed a common set of standards for communication and numeracy. These standards describe competence levels in reading, writing, number and oral communication skills. They have been mapped against both the national curriculum and the communication and numeracy units in the new general national vocational qualifications. Better information on the incidence and level of these difficulties will become available as these standards are more widely applied.

  It is impossible to provide comparable figures for children, since the rate at which individual children acquire and master literacy skills varies. The testing and assessment arrangements being introduced under the national curriculum will in future provide parents and teachers with clear information about children's reading and writing standards.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what research into the problems of illiteracy has been financed by his Department in each of the last five years; and at what cost.

  Mr. Boswell
  The adult literacy and basic skills unit, which is funded by the Government to advise on, and conduct research into, adult literacy, has conducted extensive research over the last five years. I will write to the hon. Member shortly with details of the cost of that research.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps are being taken to tackle the problem of illiteracy in British industry and commerce; and at what cost.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department for Education, the Department of Employment and the Welsh Office are jointly funding an initiative on basic skills involving employers and training and enterprise councils. The basic skills at work programme has funded surveys of need and provision and is now funding pilot projects to explore new methods of providing vocationally-related basic skills training, for those in or out of work. The initiative will cost about £3 million over three years. In addition, many firms offer basic skills training independently.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment has been made of the cost to British industry and commerce of illiteracy in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Boswell
  The adult literacy and basic skills unit, which is funded by the Government, is currently conducting research into this question. The results of that research are expected to be available in early April.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  London Marathon
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what fee it is proposed to charge the organisers of the London marathon for use of(a) St. James's park and (b) Greenwich park for the London marathon in 1993; and what is the basis for the charge.

  Mr. Key
  The London marathon is being asked to pay £15,000 for the use of the royal parks in 1993. This charge is based on the area utilised and the period of the event.

  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what is his Department's policy in relation to the Sports Council's policy of sport for all; and how that policy is interpreted in relation to the London marathon.

  Mr. Key
  The Department supports the Sports Council's policy of sport for all. This is entirely consistent with charging a fee for use of the royal parks for the London marathon.

  Greenwich Park
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage on how many occasions in the past five years a cultural, sporting or entertainment event has been held in Greenwich park which has been organised by a private, voluntary or commercial organisation, Government Department or other statutory body, apart from letting of sports pitches; what was the nature of the event in each case; what were the estimated additional costs to the Department of the Environment or the Department of National Heritage for each letting; what was the fee levied; and what was the basis of the charge.

  Mr. Key
  Apart from the London marathon, only minor local events have been held in Greenwich park. These minor events involved the Department in no additional costs and no charge was levied. For that reason, no records have been kept of the individual events.

  National Lottery
  Sir John Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he is taking to ensure that there will be equal opportunities for disabled people when employees are recruited for the national lottery.

  Mr. Key
  The organisation licensed to run the national lottery will be a company in the private sector, bound by the terms of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Acts 1944 and 1958.

  The Office of the National Lottery, headed by the Director General, will like other regulatory bodies be a non-ministerial Government Department. Its staff will be civil servants or engaged on conditions analogous to those of civil servants. The civil service is an equal opportunity employer and all applications for employment are considered on their merits.

  Tourist Boards
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what the total funds were for the national tourist boards in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland
  155
  for the last five years; what the projected funds are for the next three years; if he will show those figures per head of adult resident population, in real terms at current prices; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 1 March 1993]: The following table shows the funds provided to each of the national

  Assistance to National Tourist Boards: Grant in Aid and Tourist Projects, Gross Expenditure

  1988–89 Outturn

  1989–90 Outturn

  1990–91 Outturn

  1991–92 Outturn

  1992–93 Estimate

  1993–94 Plans

  1994–95 Plans

  1995–96 Plans

  English Tourist Board

  Cash£ million terms

  25·80

  21·80

  17·20

  15·70

  16·10

  14·00

  10·80

  9·00

  £ per head current prices

  0·86

  0·68

  0·49

  0·42

  0·41

  0·35

  0·26

  0·21

  Scottish Tourist Board

  Cash £ million terms

  9·90

  11·10

  12·10

  12·70

  13·60

  13·50

  13·90

  14·20

  £ per head current prices

  3·07

  3·23

  3·25

  3·20

  3·28

  3·17

  3·15

  3·14

  Wales Tourist Board

  Cash £ million terms

  9·30

  9·90

  10·60

  11·30

  13·70

  13·80

  13·70

  13·80

  £ per head current prices

  5·15

  5·12

  5·06

  5·06

  5·87

  5·75

  5·52

  5·39

  Northern Ireland Tourist Board

  Cash £ million terms

  5·40

  5·70

  7·40

  7·10

  11·70

  11·90

  11·30

  11·50

  £ per head current prices

  6·00

  5·90

  7·06

  6·26

  9·79

  9·59

  8·74

  8·60

  Note: Population figures underlying per head calculations based on those aged 15 or over at mid-year for England, Scotland and Wales, and those aged 16 or over for Northern Ireland.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Chlor-alkali Manufacture
  Mr. Elletson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the effect of the reallocation of electricity costs, the new pool tariff, on chlor-alkali manufacture.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government are in dialogue with large electricity users about electricity prices, and this issue is among those that are being considered by the coal review. Any proposals would need to benefit all customers with appropriate circumstances.

  Coal Research Establishment
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for future funding of the Coal Research Establishment.

  Mr. Eggar
  The future funding of clean coal technology and the role of Coal Research Establishment in developing this technology is under discussion as part of our work on the coal review.

  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last visited the Coal Research Establishment.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have not visited the Coal Research Establishment. However, my chief scientific adviser on science and technology visited the establishment on 29 January 1993.

  Export Licences
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans there are to harmonise the system of export licences across the European Community.
  156
  tourist boards over the last five years; the estimated outturn for the current year; planned totals for the next three years; and the amount spent per head of adult resident population in each year at current prices. Allocations to the national tourist boards reflect the differing circumstances and priorities in each country; direct comparisons are therefore misleading.

  Mr. Needham
  On 31 August 1992 the Commission of the European Communities adopted a proposal for the Council regulation on the control of exports of certain dual-use goods and technologies and of certain nuclear products and technologies.

  The proposed regulation aims to provide a framework for common export controls to be applied by member states to dual-use and nuclear goods leaving the territory of the European Community, and for the harmonisation of export licensing systems. Member states are continuing to discuss Commission proposals in a Council high level working group set up for this purpose.

  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider introducing a system of blanket export licences on the line of that operating in the Netherlands.

  Mr. Needham
  The United Kingdom already operates a system of open general export licences—OGELs—which are similar to the global export licences issued in the Netherlands. An open general export licence is a general authorisation permitting the export of a range of controlled goods to a range of destinations without the need for prior application to the Department of Trade and Industry. Its use is subject to compliance with the conditions of the licence. There are currently eight open general export licences in force.

  Corporate Communications plc
  Sir Keith Speed
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received from the Public Relations Consultants Association about the collapse of Corporate Communications plc; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  A letter on this subject has been received from the Public Relations Consultants Association. My officials replied to that letter on 1 March 1993.

  EC Structural Funds
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what action his Department is taking to ensure that the United Kingdom complies with the additionality criteria for European Community structural funds; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what efforts his Department is making to account for European Community structural funds receipts transparently; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Public expenditure arrangements take account of receipts from the structural funds when departmental programmes are set. My Department is responsible for providing public expenditure cover for forecast European regional development fund receipts for projects which fall within my Department's ambit. For the next financial year some £60 million of provision has been made, and in accordance with the agreement with the European Commission reached in February last year, this is reflected more transparently in the departmental report, which was laid in the House of Common's Library on 10 February 1993.

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will take steps to ensure that miners working at the 21 pits in the coal review will not be financially disadvantaged by remaining in employment until the House has completed consideration of the closure proposals.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 26 February, Official Report, column 773.

  Mineworkers (Redundancy)
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the present enhanced redundancy scheme for mineworkers ceases; and what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Coal about extending it.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Barnsley, West and Pennistone (Mr. Clapham) on 26 February, Official Report, column 773.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what arrangements he has made to provide expedited approval procedures for European regional development fund assistance for schemes to enable early approvals to be gained to provide an incentive for infrastructure schemes to be carried out by local authorities and other eligible infrastructure-providing bodies.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]: My right hon. Friend has made no such arrangements. The possibility of ERDF assistance should be incentive enough to local authorities and other bodies to seek early approval for schemes which may qualify for grant. Applications must be appraised to ensure that they give value for money.
  158
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of the United Kingdom's share of the European regional development fund for 1992–93 has been allocated.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]: It is not possible to derive figures for the allocation of only the 1992–93 part of the United Kingdom's share of the European regional development fund, many of the programmes span longer periods.

  Approximately two thirds of the United Kingdom's share of the fund for the present period of the regulations from 1989–93 has been allocated.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the negotiations with the European Community Commissioner for Regional Affairs in relation to the achievement of(a) transparency, (b) additionality and (c) sequential causality in the approval procedures for assistance from the European regional development fund from United Kingdom local authorities and other eligible bodies.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]: In accordance with the appropriate Community regulations, receipts from the European regional development fund are taken into account in setting departmental expenditure programmes.

  The Government will implement from the beginning of the next financial year new arrangements to improve the transparency of the public expenditure treatment of these receipts, as agreed with the Commission.

  A number of meetings have taken place at official level to explain to the Commission progress on these new arrangements, which are at present being finalised.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what consultations he has had with local authorities and their associations and other eligible infrastructure-providing bodies in relation to the impact of the approval of areas of Britain for European regional development fund objective 1 status on the availability of funds for areas with objective 2 status.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]: None. it was only on 24 February that the Commission adopted a proposed list of objective 1 regions for the period 1994 to 1999 which included the Highlands and Islands and Merseyside, as well as Northern Ireland whose objective 1 status was confirmed by the European Council at Edinburgh. The final decisions on which regions will be eligible for objective 1 rests with the Council of Ministers in the context of the review of the structural fund regulations.

  Carpet Trade
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing the tariff levels of United Kingdom exports of carpets, headings 5702 and 5703, to(a) the United States of America, (b) South Africa, (c) Australia, (d) Turkey, including additional duties, (e) India, (f) Pakistan, (g) Thailand and (h) Malaysia together with any non-tariff barriers which apply and the tariff level for imports of that product from the same countries into the Community.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 23 February 1993]: The tariff information is as follows:
  159
  United States of America

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 0 to 10 per cent.

  Additional duties: None

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 4 to 14 per cent.

  South Africa

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 20 to 30 per cent.

  Additional duties: Surcharge of 15 to 40 per cent.

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 4 to 14 per cent.

  Australia

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 0 or 32 per cent. (due to be reduced to 15 per cent. by year 2000)

  Additional duties: None

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 4 to 14 per cent.

  Turkey

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 6·5 per cent.

  Additional duties: $100/sq metres if of wool/fine animal hair

  $600/sq metres if of silk

  $15/sq metres if of other materials

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 4 to 14 per cent.

  India

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 65 per cent.

  Additional duties: None

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 4 to 14 per cent.

  Pakistan

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 90 per cent. but banned unless synthetic for hockey pitches

  Additional duties: 12·5 per cent. sales tax

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 4 to 14 per cent.

  Thailand

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 30 to 100 per cent.

  Additional duties: None

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 4 to 14 per cent.

  Malaysia

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 5 to 40 per cent.

  Additional duties: 10 per cent. sales tax

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 4 to 14 per cent.

  Knitwear
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing the tariff levels for United Kingdom exports of sweaters, heading 6110, to(a) the United States of America, (b) South Africa, (c) Australia, (d) Turkey, including additional duties, (e) India, (f) Pakistan, (g) Thailand and (h) Malaysia together with non-tariff barriers which apply and the tariff level for imports of that product from the same countries into the Community.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 23 February 1993]: The tariff information is as follows:

  United States of America

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 5 to 34·2 per cent.

  Additional duties: None

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 10.5 to 14 per cent.

  South Africa

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 100 per cent.

  Additional duties: Surcharge of 15 per cent.

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 10·5 to 14 per cent.

  Australia

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 47 per cent. (due to be reduced 25 per cent. by year 2000)

  Additional duties: None

  160

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 10–5 to 14 per cent.

  Turkey

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 7·6 per cent.

  Additional duties: 21 per cent. of CIF value for housing fund

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 10·5 to 14 per cent.

  India

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 65 per cent.

  Additional duties: None

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 10·5 to 14 per cent.

  Pakistan

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 90 per cent. but banned

  Additional duties: 12·5 per cent.

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 10–5 to 14 per cent.

  Thailand

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 100 per cent.

  Additional duties: None

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 10·5 to 14 per cent.

  Malaysia

  Import duty imposed on United Kingdom exports: 25 per cent.

  Additional duties: 10 per cent. sales tax and 5 per cent. Surtax

  Duty imposed on imports into EC: 10·5 to 14 per cent.

  Overseas Trade
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the net total direct expenditure in terms of assistance to exporters made by the Overseas Trade Board in the latest year for which figures are available; what was the net cost of the provision of overseas trade services in that year; and what percentage the latter figure represents of the former.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]: The total cost of the overseas trade services export promotion programme in 1991–92 was £173·4 millions gross, £127·3 millions of which was the cost (including overheads) of the staff involved (including FCO commercial staff overseas and export sections of Territorial Departments).

  Direct expenditure on export promotion schemes and services was £46·1 millions gross (£27·9 millions net of receipts). Details are given in the annual report of the British Overseas Trade Board.

  Takeover Bids
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many formal recommendations he has received from the current Director General of Fair Trading since his appointment; and how many have concerned hostile takeover bids for publicly quoted companies.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]: The Director General of Fair Trading has made recommendations in respect of 95 merger cases since his appointment. There is no agreed definition of a hostile takeover bid. However, I understand that there have been five cases involving publicly quoted companies where the management of the target company has recommended rejecting the bid.

  Radioactive Substances
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what requests have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the European Commission to provide the economic assessment of COM(92) 520 final on transport of radioactive substances in the European communities, as mentioned at paragraph 12 of explanatory memorandum 11035/92.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have been asked to reply.

  As stated in the explanatory memorandum, the European Commission has been asked to provide an economic assessment. Its response has been that this is not a significant proposal which requires a cost compliance assessment.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  EC Structural Funds
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what action his Department is taking to ensure that the United Kingdom complies with the additionality criteria for European Community structural funds; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what efforts his Department is making to account for European Community structural funds receipts transparently; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir John Cope
  Article 9 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 4253/88 requires that the"increase in the appropriations for the Funds provided for in Article 12(2) of Regulation (EEC) No. 2052/88 has a genuine additional economic impact in the regions concerned and results in at least an equivalent increase in the total volume of official and similar (Community and national) structural aid in the Member State concerned".
  Accordingly, our public expenditure arrangements take account of Community receipts from the structural funds when departmental programmes are set.

  From the beginning of the next financial year, the Government will implement new arrangements agreed with the Commission to improve the transparency of the public expenditure treatment of European regional development fund receipts. Details of these new arrangements were set out in a written answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Industry on 30 June 1992 at column 526.

  British Telecom (Shares Sale)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the names of advisers appointed to advise on the forthcoming sale by the Government of shares in British Telecom, specifying for each adviser the area of work and date of appointment.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The table shows the appointments made to date for the forthcoming BT share offer.

  BT share offer—advisers appointed

  Date of appointment

  Company

  Role(s)

  30 November 1992

  Ernst & Young

  Financial consultant

  8 December 1992

  S. G. Warburg

  Financial adviser

  Global co-ordinator

  Lead UK broker

  15 December 1992

  Linklaters & Paines

  Legal advisers

  162

  Date of appointment

  Company

  Role(s)

  15 December 1992

  Brunswick Public Relations

  PR/Marketing adviser

  3 January 1993

  Addison Design Company

  Design consultants1

  11 January 1993

  Solid Solutions Associates

  Financial consultant

  25 January 1993

  MORI

  Market research

  24 February 1993

  WCRS

  Advertising agency

  1 Appointed by Brunswick.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what month of 1993–94 he expects to offer for sale British Telecom shares currently held by the Government.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No decisions have yet been taken on either the timing of the next sale of shares in BT or the number of shares to be offered for sale.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which investment banks and brokers were invited by the Treasury to tender as advisers in the forthcoming sale by the Government of shares in British Telecom.

  Mr. Dorrell
  S. G. Warburg has been appointed as financial adviser, global co-ordinator and lead United Kingdom broker for the forthcoming BT share offer. The names of companies invited to tender for an appointment, but not subsequently appointed, are treated as commercially confidential.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Betts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what calculations he has made or plans to make to estimate the effect on(a) purchases of books and newspapers, (b) consumption of food and (c) purchase of children's clothes, by families on a regional, socioeconomic and income basis of the imposition of VAT at various percentage rates.

  Sir John Cope
  Work carried out by the Institute for Fiscal Studies commissioned by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and Her Majesty's Treasury and completed in 1991 suggests an own price elasticity of -0·657 for leisure goods, which include books and newspapers; -0·.856 for food; and -0·754 for clothing. These elasticities suggest that applying the standard rate of VAT to goods which are presently zero-rated would reduce the volume of sales by 9·8 per cent., 12·7 per cent. and 11·.2 per cent. respectively. We are not aware of any reliable estimates of how these price elasticities vary according to region, socio-economic status or income.

  Retail Prices Index
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent recommendations of the retail prices index advisory committee.

  Mr. Lamont
  I have decided to accept all the recommendations made by the committee in its report Cm 2142 on the treatment in the RPI of council tax and holidays as extended by the addendum Cm 2153 on the treatment of transitional relief. The report and the
  163
  addendum were presented to the House and published on 21 January and 24 February 1993 respectively. The Central Statistical Office will implement the changes with effect from the RPI for February 1993.

  Gross Domestic Product (Cornwall)
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated per capita GDP figure for Cornwall for the latest available year; what is the comparable per capita GDP figure for areas of the United Kingdom which have been granted objective 1 status for EC support; and what is the latest available average per capita GDP figure for the whole European Community.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]: The European Commission has proposed that Northern Ireland, Merseyside and the Highlands and Islands region of Scotland be granted objective I status for the period 1994 to 1999, but the final decision is to be taken by the Council of Ministers in the context of the review of the structural funds regulations. GDP per head figures for Cornwall and the above regions are given below for the year 1989, the latest available on a consistent basis. Also provided is an index comparing these areas with the European Community average for the period 1988–90, on a "purchasing power" basis.

  Gross domestic product per head

  £per head 19891

  PPS/head, EC=100 1988–892

  Cornwall

  5,739

  76

  Northern Ireland

  5,747

  76

  Merseyside

  5,721

  79

  Highlands and Islands

  5,934

  100

  EC average

  n/a

  100

  Sources

  1 Central Statistical Office

  2 Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Communities

WALES

  Waste Incineration
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many inspections have been undertaken in Wales(a) in total and (b) to waste incineration plants by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution during each of the last three years.

  Table 1: average size of registered classes

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Clwyd

  25·5

  25·8

  25·7

  25·0

  25·8

  Dyfed

  21·4

  21·8

  21·0

  21·6

  21·7

  Gwent

  25·7

  26·4

  26·9

  27·1

  27·5

  Gwynedd

  21·1

  21·6

  22·1

  21·8

  22·2

  Mid Glamorgan

  26·0

  26·2

  26·2

  27·2

  26·9

  Powys

  20·2

  20·3

  20·6

  22·1

  22·2

  South Glamorgan

  27·0

  26·7

  26·4

  26·5

  26·6

  West Glamorgan

  24·2

  24·8

  25·1

  25·8

  26·0

  Wales

  24·5

  24·8

  24·8

  25·2

  25·4

  164
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The inspectorate carried out 338 inspections in 1990–91, 657 in 1991–92 and 588, to date, in 1992–93. Of these, 13, 20 and 15, respectively, were undertaken at waste incineration plants.

  Care and Repair Cymru
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the capital allocation for Care and Repair Cymru in each of the last two financial years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The Care and Repair home improvement agency initiative provides help and advice on home improvements, maintenance and repairs for elderly and/or disabled owner-occupiers. There is no capital investment programme associated with the initiative.

  The Department provides revenue funding to the initiative. Care and Repair Cymru received revenue support of £141,751 in 1990–91 and £111,429 in 1991–92.

  Research
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has made to the Research Council to secure improved representation of academics from Welsh institutions on research students awards committees.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None. Each of the research councils has its own mechanism for distributing awards to students. My right hon. Friend has, however, asked the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales to establish effective working relations with the Advisory Board for the Research Councils and the individual research councils to ensure that the interests of the higher education sector in Wales are taken fully into account at all stages.

  Primary School Classes
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the average class size in primary schools in Wales within each local education authority area during each of the last five years, expressed in average numbers and teacher-pupil ratios.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information on the average class size and pupil-teacher ratios in primary schools within each local education authority during each of the last five years is given in the following tables:
  165

  Table 2: pupil-teacher ratios

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Clwyd

  24·0

  24·7

  24·6

  24·2

  24·1

  Dyfed

  20·8

  20·2

  19·9

  19·9

  19·7

  Gwent

  22·5

  22·8

  23·1

  23·4

  23·6

  Gwynedd

  20·3

  20·8

  21·0

  20·8

  21·2

  Mid Glamorgan

  22·9

  23·2

  23·4

  24·0

  23·5

  Powys

  19·3

  19·7

  20·0

  20·5

  20·5

  South Glamorgan

  22·7

  22·7

  22·2

  21·6

  21·8

  West Glamorgan

  21·3

  21·6

  21·4

  21·5

  21·5

  Wales

  22·1

  22·3

  22·3

  22·3

  22·3

  Coronary Heart Disease
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest estimate of the annual cost of treatment for coronary heart disease in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Public Libraries
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many public libraries have been open and operational in Wales in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The number of public library service points, which include mobile libraries, provision in hospitals and residential houses etc, as well as public library buildings are:

  Number

  1979–80

  807

  1980–81

  923

  1981–82

  966

  1982–83

  948

  1983–84

  968

  1984–85

  1,005

  1985–86

  978

  1986–87

  1,156

  1987–88

  1,218

  1988–89

  1,242

  1989–90

  1,267

  1990–91

  1,318

  1991–92

  1,386

  Source: The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Public Library Statistoics.

  I am pleased to note the steady increase in the number of library service points in Wales.

  Forestry
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for promoting the future development of forestry in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The forests and woodlands in Wales, and the industries they support, play a valuable role in maintaining rural communities. More than 4,700 people work in the forests, in the downstream industries and in the haulage of timber. Many hundreds more earn a living from associated services and tourism. Forests also make their contribution to a better environment and provide opportunities for countryside leisure and recreation.
  166
  I want to ensure that we manage our forests and woodlands well, that we find the most suitable locations to expand the forest area, and that we look at ways of adding value to our home-grown forest products.

  I have therefore decided to set up a group of experts to examine these issues and to promote the future development of forestry in Wales. The group will bring together forestry, farming, environmental and development interests, under the chairmanship of the Forestry Commission's chief conservator for Wales. The terms of reference for the group—and a list of its members—have been placed in the Library of the House. The group will begin work shortly and I have asked it to report to me on its conclusions and recommendations by the spring of next year.

  Roads
  Mr. Richards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends updating the information given in the 1992 supplement to "Roads in Wales: Progress and Plans for the 1990s."

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I have today published the 1993 supplement to "Roads in Wales: Progress and Plans for the 1990s". Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Royal Mail
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Attorney-General what recourse or protection is available against a person who, contrary to the repeatedly expressed wishes of the recipient, persists in sending letters to that recipient through the Royal Mail.

  The Solicitor-General
  I have no responsibility for the substance of the law relating to the use or abuse of the Royal Mail. An individual experiencing a problem should seek legal advice directed at the circumstances of the particular case.

HEALTH

  Organ Donations
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many organ donations have been made in(a) each regional health authority and (b) each district health authority in (i) 1982, (ii) 1987 and (iii) the last 12 month period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Sackville
  The table shows the numbers of cadaveric solid organ donors in 1982, 1987 and 1992 in
  167
  England by regional health authority. Figures for

  Region

  1982 (kidney donors only)

  1987

  19921 (provisional)

  Northern

  26

  40

  51

  Yorkshire

  22

  49

  58

  Trent

  43

  58

  72

  East Anglia

  22

  36

  33

  North West Thames

  29

  45

  43

  North East Thames

  36

  56

  53

  South East-West Thames2

  50

  102

  100

  Wessex

  29

  42

  33

  Oxford

  26

  37

  39

  South Western

  31

  46

  48

  West Midlands

  52

  64

  70

  Mersey

  25

  29

  38

  North Western

  29

  41

  61

  TOTAL

  420

  645

  699

  1 Figures supplied by the United Kingdom Transplant Support Service Authority.

  2 For operational reasons South East Thames and South West Thames are treated as one region.

  Community Care
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will meet representatives of the King's Fund to discuss funding levels for community care.

  Mr. Yeo
  We have no plans to do so.

  Food Safety
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what specific formal training environmental health officers are given in regard to food safety regulations.

  Mr. Sackville
  The most common route to qualification as an environmental health officer is a four-year honours degree in environmental health which has received accreditation from the Institution of Environmental Health Officers and which includes integrated practical training. The content, interpretation and application of food safety legislation is covered in detail, and a central theme on all courses is risk assessment, so that environmental health officers are able to assess whether action under the Food Safety Act 1990 and associated regulations is necessary to protect public health. In addition the Department of Health runs seminars for environmental health officers on risk assessment and the implementation of European Community legislation.

  Abused Children
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will set up a monitoring unit in respect of abused children as advocated by the Warner committee; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  We will be considering this recommendation from the Warner report in the light of the responses to the consultative process which ended on 28 February 1993.

  Smoking-related Diseases
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the annual cost of treating patients suffering from smoking-related diseases and ailments in each year since 1989–90; and if she will make a statement.
  168
  individual district health authorities are not held centrally. The numbers of organs donated are considerably higher as many donors supply more than one organ.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information is available only for the costs of hospital admissions in 1988–89 and is taken from the Health Education Authority's report, "The Smoking Epidemic". This estimates the annual hospital costs for smoking-related disease in England and Wales to be £351 million (at 1990–91 prices).

  Complementary Therapists
  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what efforts are being taken by regional health authorities and family health service authorities to encourage awareness among general practitioners and the public of the availability of complementary therapists on the national health service.

  Mr. Sackville
  None. General practitioners are already aware that, under their terms of service, they are able to employ a wide range of staff, including complementary therapists where necessary, to assist them in the provision of general medical services. The range of services they provide are contained in the information leaflets they are required to make available to their patients. Family health services authorities are also required to make available local directories of the general practitioners in their area and the services they provide.

  Ms Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is her Department's latest estimate of the annual numbers of the public paying to see an alternative health practitioner.

  Mr. Sackville
  No information is held centrally on which to base such an estimate.

  Social Workers
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of social workers currently practising are unqualified.

  Mr. Yeo
  This information is not held centrally.

  Redbridge Healthcare Trust
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will announce the names of the chairman and non-executive directors of the Redbridge Healthcare Trust, the hours they will be required to work and the salaries they will be paid.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is as follows:Chairman: Mr. Mike Smith.
  Non-executive directors: Mr. Michael Faraway; Mr. Ismail Simjee; Mrs. Louise Hyams; Mr. Rod Budgett; Mrs. Mary Springham.

  Trust chairmen are expected to devote between three and three and a half days a week and non-executive directors between two and three days a month to trust business.

  They will receive annual remuneration of £19,285 (chairman) and £5,000 (non-executive directors).

  Gene Patents
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the policy of national health service laboratories about entering into agreements to pay fees in respect of gene patents;

  (2) what advice she is giving in response to patent claims in relation to biotechnology intellectual property, with particular references to the cystic fibrosis gene;

  (3) what is her policy in relation to licence fees for the use of polymerase chain reactions.

  Mr. Sackville
  The subject of intellectual property rights, including those for polymerase chain reaction and gene sequences, is under review.

  Haemoglobin Testing
  Ms. Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies have been undertaken in relation to inner city areas of routine haemoglobin estimation by capillary sampling of children under five years using a haemoglobinometer.

  Mr. Sackville
  The Department of Health has not undertaken or funded any such studies. An expert sub-group of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy is currently reviewing all aspects of the weaning diet including the incidence and prevention of iron-deficiency anaemia in children in this age group.

  The national diet and nutrition survey of pre-school children is at present collecting data on the dietary intakes and nutritional status of children in Great Britain aged 14½ –4½ years, including haemoglobin levels.

  Secure Units
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much capital money her Department(a) has available and (b) has allocated for the provision of secure units for young people in England in 1992–93; and if she will provide a list of the establishments concerned and the sums allocated in each case;

  (2) how much capital money her Department (a) made available and (b) spent on the provision of secure units for young people in England in 1992–93 and each of the previous 10 years.

  Mr. Yeo
  We have made available £2 million in capital money for 1992–93 to fund new provision and upgrading 170
  and refurbishment of secure units for young people in England. A further £680,000 is available to meet the capital cost of providing additional secure places for juvenile remands.

  The remaining information is shown in the tables.

  Secure accommodation capital expenditure April 1992 to February 1993 (England)

  £

  St. John's, Birmingham

  295,646

  Redsands, Cheshire

  7,454

  Stoke House, Coventry

  164,750

  Market Street, Derbyshire

  4,831

  Sutton Place, Humberside

  305,187

  Dales, Lancashire

  68,202

  Fylde, Lancashire

  22,762

  Briars Hey, Lancashire

  17,461

  Redbank, Lancashire

  48,279

  Stamford House, LB Hammersmith

  138,209

  Total to 28 February 1993

  1,072,781

  Secure accommodation capital Budget/expenditure 1982–83 to 1991–92 in thousands

  Year

  Budget £000

  Expenditure £000

  1982–83

  750

  525

  1983–84

  600

  316

  1984–85

  1,000

  572

  1985–86

  615

  506

  1986–87

  1,400

  503

  1987–88

  1,200

  1,205

  1988–89

  1,100

  1,029

  1989–90

  1,572

  926

  1990–91

  2,365

  2,333

  1991–92

  2,300

  2,153

  London Ambulance Board
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the names of the persons who are, or who have been, since 1 January 1991, members of the London ambulance board; who appointed them and on what date; what was the relevant experience of each relating to their membership; what was the terms of office of each member; and to whom the board is completely accountable, other than to herself.

  Mr. Sackville
  South West Thames regional health authority has made the following appointments for the periods indicated to non-executive positions on the London ambulance service board since it was established in June 1990:

  From 8 June 1990 for two years up to 7 June 1992

  Mr. Kim Morrell

  Mr. Stephen Miles

  Mr. Victor Paige

  Mr. Roderick Braithwaite

  Mrs. Adrienne Fresko (resigned 31 March 1992)

  From 8 June 1992 for the period to 31 August 1994

  Mrs. Mary Spinks

  Mrs. Janet Preston

  Mrs. Joanne Cutmore (resigned 23 September 1992)

  From 8 June 1992 for the period to 31 August 1996

  Mr. Victor Paige

  Mr. Roderick Braithwaite

  The board is accountable to South West Thames regional health authority as the authority with the responsibility for managing the London ambulance service on behalf of the four Thames regional health authorities.
  171
  The relevant background and experience of London ambulance service board members, as a non-statutory body, is a matter for South West Thames regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Professor Marian Hicks, chairman of South West Thames regional health authority, for details.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was(a) the date and manner of appointment of Mr. John Wilby as chief executive of the London Ambulance Board, (b) the method of advertising used for the post and (c) the number and positions of the persons attending the final interviews of the appointing body; and who was responsible for making the appointment.

  Mr. Sackville
  South West Thames regional health authority appointed Mr. John Wilby as chief executive of the London ambulance service on 1 August 1990 following a recruitment exercise for the post including a national newspaper advertisement, assessment and candidate selection. The final selection panel comprised Baroness Cumberlege, the chairman and Mr. Chris Spry regional general manager of South West Thames regional health authority, Mr. James Harris, then chairman of the London ambulance board, David Rennie, chairman of Harrow DHA and John Smale, personnel director of the brewing division of the Guinness Group.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when and on what authority the board of South West Thames regional health authority appointed the members and chairman, respectively, of the London ambulance board; what responsibilities were given to them; when and where they were published; and what reports of that board have been published in the public minutes of that authority since its creation.

  Mr. Sackville
  The London ambulance service board is a non-statutory body established in June 1990 by South

  Prescription charge increases 1 January 1963 to 1 April 1993, in cash and real terms

  Date

  Prescription charge (£)

  Cash change (£)

  Per cent. Cash change

  Per cent. Change real terms

  1 January 1963

  0·10

  —

  —

  —

  1 April 1963

  0·10

  —

  —

  —

  1 April 1964

  0·10

  —

  —

  -4·3

  1 March 1965

  nil

  -0·10

  —

  —

  1 April 1965

  nil

  —

  —

  —

  1 April 1966

  nil

  —

  —

  —

  1 April 1967

  nil

  —

  —

  —

  10 June 1968

  0·13

  0·13

  —

  —

  1 April 1969

  0·13

  —

  —

  -5·0

  1 April 1970

  0·13

  —

  —

  -7·6

  1 April 1971

  0·20

  0·07

  53·8

  40·9

  1 April 1972

  0·20

  —

  —

  -7·5

  1 April 1973

  0·20

  —

  —

  -6·5

  1 April 1974

  0·20

  —

  —

  -16·4

  1 April 1975

  0·20

  —

  —

  -20·3

  1 April 1976

  0·20

  —

  —

  -11·9

  1 April 1977

  0·20

  —

  —

  -12·0

  1 April 1978

  0·20

  —

  —

  -9·8

  16 July 1979

  0·45

  0·25

  125·0

  92·8

  1 April 1980

  0·70

  0·25

  55·6

  31·5

  1 December 1980

  1·00

  0·30

  42·9

  42·9

  1 April 1981

  1·00

  —

  —

  -8·8

  1 April 1982

  1·30

  0·30

  30·0

  21·4

  1 April 1983

  1·40

  0·10

  7·7

  2·9

  1 April 1984

  1·60

  0·20

  14·3

  8·8

  1 April 1985

  2·00

  0·40

  25·0

  18·5

  1 April 1986

  2·20

  0·20

  10·0

  6·6

  1 April 1987

  2·40

  0·20

  9·1

  3·4

  1 April 1988

  2·60

  0·20

  8·3

  1·0

  172
  West Thames regional health authority which has responsibility for managing the London ambulance service on behalf of the four Thames regional health authorities. The responsibilities and reporting procedures of the London ambulance service board are a matter for South West Thames regional health authority. The hon. Member may care to write to Professor Marian Hicks, chairman of South West Thames regional health authority, for further details.

  Ambulance Crews (Overtime)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will now make it her policy to ensure that all offers of voluntary overtime by ambulance crews that would fill gaps that would otherwise occur in scheduled rostering are not subject to budget restrictions.

  Mr. Sackville
  All national health service providers, including ambulance services, must provide services within the resources allocated to them. It is for individual ambulance services to manage overtime levels within the overall staffing budgets and to ensure that staff are rostered to provide services to the public.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the increase in prescription charges in each year since 1963; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is in the table. The prescription charge remains substantially less than the average total cost of a prescribed item to the national health service; only one in five prescribed items dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors now attracts a charge, compared with two in five in 1979.
  173

  Date

  Prescription charge (£)

  Cash change (£)

  Per cent. Cash change

  Per cent. Change real terms

  1 April 1989

  2·80

  0·20

  7·7

  1·1

  1 April 1990

  3·05

  0·25

  8·9

  0·9

  1 April 1991

  3·40

  0·35

  11·5

  4·3

  1 April 1992

  3·75

  0·35

  10·3

  5·8

  1 April 1993

  4·25

  0·50

  13·3

  10·3

  Health Advisory Service
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what budget was allocated to the health advisory service for the financial year 1991–92 and 1992–93; what was the actual expenditure for 1991–92 and the estimated out-turn for 1992–93.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 23 February 1993]: The budget allocation for the health advisory service (HAS) in 1991–92 was £432,282, and the expenditure was £398,483; in addition to this the HAS had access to Departmental funds to pay for the secondment of personnel from health authorities and social services departments and £667,104 was spent on this in 1991–92. In 1992–93, the HAS budget included an allocation for secondments, and was set at £997,500; the estimated out-turn is £450,000.

SCOTLAND

  Local Government (Staff)
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Scotland whether he will make a statement on the numbers of people employed in local government in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  The number of people employed by Scottish local authorities in September 1992, the latest date for which figures are available, was 305,361.

  Quarterly figures for local authority staffing are published jointly by the Scottish Office and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities arid are available in the Library.

  Water Privatisation
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to come to firm decisions on his plans to privatise or franchise Scottish water.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friend will take a decision on the future of water and sewerage services only after all responses to the consultation have been carefully considered. None of the options contained in the consultation paper has been ruled out.

  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received to the consultation document on water and sewerage sources which were(a) opposed to privatisation/franchising and (b) in favour of full-scale privatisation/franchising; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  We are still analysing the many responses to the consultation paper and do not therefore have the figures requested by the hon. Member.

  Drug Abuse
  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of drug taking and drug dealing were reported in Scottish secondary schools in(a) 1985–86, (b) 1987–88, (c) 1990–91 and (d) 1991–92.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information is not collected in the form requested. However, the numbers of persons under 17 in Scotland dealt with for drug offences was 157 in 1990 and 226 in 1991. The equivalent figures for the earlier years requested are not readily available, but I shall write to the hon. Member with further information as soon as possible.

  The figures I have given do not indicate whether or not the offence occurred on school premises.

  River Tay (Flood Control)
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about a flood control scheme for the River Tay; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Hector Monro
  There have been nine representations about a flood control scheme for the River Tay. Such a scheme would require a full investigation of the Tay catchment area and I am pleased to say that Tayside regional council is considering proposals for a study. We have already indicated to the council that we would be willing in principle to contribute to the study, and details of the council's proposals are awaited.

  Local Government
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which organisations he consulted with in Scotland while taking stock of measures to improve the future government of Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  I and my ministerial colleagues meet a wide range of organisations during the course of our duties and have taken the opportunity of listening to their views on constitutional issues.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which five manufacturing industries have been the largest foreign earners in Scotland in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Stewart
  According to the Scottish Council Development and Industry it carries out an annual survey of Scottish manufactured exports and this is the most comprehensive source of information available.

  In each of the five years to December 1991, the five leading exporters among Scottish manufacturing industries have been, beginning with the largest: office

  175
  machinery, food and drink, chemicals, electronics and mechanical engineering. The order has been unchanged over the five-year period.

  Top five Scottish manufacturing export industries in the five years ending 1991

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1. Office machinery1

  1,929

  2,388

  2,573

  2,792

  2,588

  (Per cent.)2

  30

  33

  34

  33

  29

  2. Food and drink1

  1,378

  1,485

  1,694

  1,991

  2,129

  (Per cent.)2

  22

  21

  22

  23

  24

  3. Chemicals1

  701

  686

  723

  833

  1,065

  (Per cent.)2

  11

  10

  9

  10

  12

  4. Electronics1

  607

  590

  684

  796

  803

  (Per cent.)2

  9

  8

  9

  9

  9

  5. Mechanical engineering1

  461

  486

  536

  599

  667

  (Per cent.)2

  7

  7

  7

  7

  8

  1 (£ million current prices).

  2 Percentage of total manufacturing exports.

  Government of Scotland
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what further stock he has taken on the future government of Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  Our review of constitutional arrangements is well advanced and I hope that an announcement about its findings will be made to the House shortly.

  Community Care
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will review the formula to be used in April to distribute Department of Social Security resources in the new community care provisions in the Borders region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Stewart
  My noble and learned Friend the Minister of State made clear when the Department of Social Security transfer was announced in October 1992 that the distribution within Scotland would be reviewed after the first year of operation.

  Salmon Farming
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the future of the salmon farming industry in Scotland.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friend and I receive regular representations about the future of the salmon farming industry, particularly recently concerning proposals to stabilise the salmon market. We recognise the importance of salmon farming for the highlands and islands of Scotland and have welcomed the industry's proposals to establish producer organisations. We have not, however, been able to agree to the proposed compulsory powers for such organisations.

  Economy
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the STUC to discuss the Scottish economy.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend last discussed the Scottish economy with the STUC on 14 December 1992.

  Youth Training Scheme
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many 16 to 18-year-olds in the Glasgow, Govan constituency were unsuccessful in their attempts to find a YTS place during 1992.

  Mr. Stewart
  This information is not available in the form requested.

  Legal Aid
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what basis he has used for the assessment of civil legal aid expenditure for the financial year 1993–94; and if he will make a statement on proposed changes to eligibility.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend considers the forecasts supplied by the Scottish Legal Aid Board in the context of the public expenditure survey.

  I set out the Government's revised proposals on eligibility for legal aid in Scotland in my reply of 17 February to the hon. Member for Ayr at column 226.

  Water and Sewerage Services
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what submissions he has received from Scottish local authorities about the future administration of the water and sewerage services.

  Sir Hector Monro
  My right hon. Friend has received submissions from all the regional and islands councils, and from 42 district councils. These are being considered.

  Stranraer-Carlisle (Communications)
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what further improvements are planned for communications between Stranraer and Carlisle.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The recent network review of trunk roads in Scotland confirmed that the upgrading of the A75 has substantially eliminated the main operating difficulties on the route. However, the Government have plans for further improvements which emphasise safety and overtaking opportunities. I
  177
  understand that ScotRail is investigating the possibility of restoring a short section of track at Ayr to allow the Stranraer-Carlisle service to run via Mauchline. This could reduce the present journey time between Stranraer and Carlisle by around 25 minutes.

  Broadleaf Trees
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the ratio of broadleaf trees to conifers planted and to be planted in(a) 1992–93 and (b) 1993–94.

  Sir Hector Monro
  One third of the total area of woodland planted in 1991–92 by the Forestry Commission, and by the private sector with the aid of Forestry Commission grants, was with broadleaved trees. This included the restocking of felled woodland. I expect the ratio of broadleaves to conifers to be similar in 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Elderly People (Housing)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what further assessment he has made of the housing requirements of elderly people and people with disabilities.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Guidelines on the provision of sheltered housing and housing for the disabled were issued to local authorities on 28 March 1991 in the circular "Housing and Community Care" and set out the recommened level of provision in each case. The authorities were also advised to set targets matching local circumstances and needs over an appropriate timescale.

  Forestry
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to privatise Forest Enterprise.

  Sir Hector Monro
  The Government have no such plans.

  Financial Services
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the financial services industry in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  The financial and business services industry makes a substantial contribution to the Scottish economy. In employment terms it has grown by over 80 per cent. since 1979 to its present level of 220,000, representing 11 per cent. of all Scottish employees in employment. Over the past decade the industry's contribution to Scottish gross domestic product has grown from 91 per cent. to 15 per cent. Funds under management at December 1992 stood at a record £103.4 billion. The industry is well placed to benefit from the opportunities of the single European market and I expect to see continuing strong growth in output in the years ahead.

  Exports
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Scotland if he will make a statement on the latest Scottish export statistics.

  Mr. Stewart
  The Scottish Council Development. and Industry published the results of its latest annual survey of 178
  Scottish manufacturing exports in November 1992. This is the most comprehensive source of information on Scottish manufactured exports.

  In 1991 the value of Scottish manufacturing exports reached its highest ever level of £8.8 billion and this represented a 3 per cent. increase in current value.

  Scotland exports more per head of population than the United Kingdom and, in 1991, the value of manufacturing exports for each Scottish worker was £23,000—some 19 per cent. above the United Kingdom figures.

  Companies (Irvine)
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he has taken against companies in Irvine which have moved on soon after accepting Government grants.

  Mr. Stewart
  Where companies have received regional selective assistance to assist projects in Irvine and these projects have ceased within the conditions period of the offer of assistance, the action taken has been to pursue recovery of grant paid.

  Power Supply
  Mr.Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will meet the chairman of Scottish Power to discuss the security of supply.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend meets the chairman of Scottish Power from time to time to discuss a range of issues.

  Minches (Shipping Safety)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received regarding shipping safety in the Minches.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has recently received a number of representations regarding shipping safety in the Minches. These representations have been concerned primarily with the grounding of the MV Braer in Quendale bay, Shetland, in January. Responsibility for marine safety lies with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.

  Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next expects to meet Greater Glasgow health board to discuss the future of the Victoria infirmary.

  Mr. Stewart
  My right hon. Friend regularly meets representatives from all health boards. As regards Greater Glasgow, I am aware that the health board is conducting a review of all its acute and maternity services. The Victoria infirmary features as part of that review and my right hon. Friend looks forward to receiving the health board's recommendations in due course.

  Education
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce the allocations of further education capital and recurrent grant for 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.
  179
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The allocation of capital and recurrent grant to the 43 further education colleges and Orkney and Shetland Islands councils is as follows:

  Grant allocations 1993–94

  College

  Capital grant

  Recurrent grant

  Aberdeen College of Further Education

  513,193

  11,456,100

  Angus College of Further Education

  38,604

  2,504,800

  Anniesland College

  147,363

  3,250,300

  Ayr College

  43,776

  3,998,500

  Banff and Buchan College

  8,683

  2,649,300

  Barony College

  90,438

  1,016,700

  Bell College

  364,230

  4,444,400

  Borders College

  48,747

  3,496,400

  Cambuslang College

  46,287

  3,734,000

  Cardonald College

  271,187

  5,209,200

  Central College of Commerce

  359,873

  3,218,100

  Clackmannan College

  46,552

  2,178,500

  Clydebank College

  39,886

  5,934,400

  Coatbridge College

  51,410

  3,399,300

  Cumbernauld College

  8,029

  2,177,900

  Dumfries and Galloway College of Technology

  66,967

  4,584,800

  Dundee College

  166,504

  10,073,500

  Elmwood College

  165,147

  2,924,700

  Falkirk College of Technology

  30,226

  7,468,700

  Fife College of Technology

  50,732

  6,017,400

  Glasgow College of Food Technology

  8,680

  2,883,400

  Glasgow College of Nautical Studies

  247,419

  3,517,200

  Glasgow College of Building and Printing

  635,986

  4,450,200

  Glenrothes College

  10,457

  4,313,000

  Inverness College

  343,528

  6,038,700

  James Watt College

  77,200

  4,886,500

  Jewel and Esk Valley College

  417,623

  7,107,500

  John Wheatley College

  73,768

  2,625,500

  Kilmarnock College

  222,743

  3,921,000

  Langside College

  356,916

  4,737,900

  Lauder College

  38,574

  4,560,800

  Lews Castle College

  172,067

  1,879,400

  Moray College of Further Education

  70,295

  4,214,700

  Motherwell College

  317,232

  5,955,000

  North Glasgow College

  279,311

  5,526,100

  Oatridge College

  207,576

  1,793,400

  Perth College of Further Education

  95,565

  5,039,600

  Reid Kerr College

  503,999

  6,496,800

  Stevenson College

  206,626

  9,423,200

  Stow College

  78,982

  3,039,600

  Telford College

  680,966

  11,310,000

  Thurso College

  11,058,877

  2,319,500

  West Lothian College

  41,949

  4,739,100

  Orkney Islands Council

  20

  391,000

  Shetland Islands Council

  20

  1,093,900

  Computerised Management

  8,704,173

  3202,000,000

  Information System (to be allocated)

  2,710,000

  1,800,000

  TOTALS

  11,414,173

  203,800,000

  1 Includes £0–9 million for ongoing project.

  2 Capital expenditure dealt with through Section 94 allocation to local authority.

  3 An additional £0–8 million will be available to FE Colleges through the Training Credit pilot schemes.

  The recurrent grant allocations derive from an analysis of historic budgets. Direct comparison with the position in 1992–93 is not possible because of the changed status of the colleges, their taxation liabilities, variations in income resulting, for example, from changes in higher education tuition fees and the different methods used by each education authority to allocate budgets.
  180
  In 1994–95 recurrent expenditure is planned to rise to £215 million and capital expenditure to £12–76 million. It is proposed to introduce a new student based funding methodology from 1994–95.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the current target figures for students entering higher education.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 February 1993]: The Government do not set target figures for students entering higher education. It is for individual institutions to decide the number of students to admit to higher education courses in the light of the demand for those courses and the level of available resources. The expenditure plans set out in Cmd 2214 allow for the proportion of young Scots entering full-time higher education in the United Kingdom to remain roughly constant at its current level of about 34 per cent. for the next three years. Thereafter, the Government expect the proportion to rise to 40 per cent. before the end of the decade.

  Student Accommodation
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to compensate the student housing sector if Scottish Homes maintains its decision to withdraw funding for student accommodation.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 February 1993]: No. Scottish Homes has not withdrawn funding for student accommodation. It has issued guidance on the relative priority to be attached to student accommodation projects compared with other housing needs. Scottish Homes has only very occasionally funded student accommodation. The impact of the guidance, in terms of housing for students, will therefore be minimal.

ENVIRONMENT

  Country Sports
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the total income, tax revenues and jobs resulting from country. sporting activities.

  Mr. Maclean
  I am aware of the recent report by Cobham Resource Consultants, produced on behalf of the standing conference on countryside sports, entitled "Countryside Sports—Their Economic and Conservation Significance." This report demonstrates the significance of country sports to the rural economy and we have noted its conclusions with interest.

  The report estimates that total direct expenditure by organisers of and participants in country sports in Great Britain, amounted to some £1·4 billion in 1991, and provided for direct employment equivalent to 65,000 full-time jobs and indirect employment equivalent to 60,000 full-time jobs.

  Clean Technology
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action has been undertaken by his Department to encourage European Community cooperation on the promotion of clean technology following the European Commission report "Industrial Competitiveness and Environmental Protection" of 1986.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Commission communication, reference number SEC(92)1986, was produced in November last year and discussed under the United Kingdom presidency of the Council of Ministers on 24 November 1992. The Council warmly welcomed the communication and, inter alia, invited the Commission and member states to co-operate to encourage the development and diffusion of cleaner technologies. The Council of Environment Ministers in December welcomed the communication as a step forward in integrating environmental considerations into other policy areas. The Government look forward to further discussions under the Danish presidency.

  Oil Spills
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement outlining the implications for United Kingdom policy of decisions undertaken at the emergency meeting of the joint European Environment and Transport Council in January to discuss oil spills.

  Mr. Maclean
  As the answer of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport on 28 January at column 796 made clear, no decisions were taken at the meeting which require any change in United Kingdom policy.

  Departmental Publicity
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the actual expenditure on departmental publicity relating to housing matters in each year since 1979.

  Sir George Young
  The information in respect of publicity relating to housing matters (excluding staff costs) is as follows:

  Year

  Expenditure £

  1987–88

  362,252

  1988–89

  261,764

  1989–90

  1,540,580

  1990–91

  1,206,323

  1991–92

  1,392,074

  1992–93

  11,399,500

  1 Forecast.

  It is not possible to identify related staff costs. Expenditure figures for 1979–80 to 1986–87 are not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress made by the Energy Efficiency Office in testing materials used under the home energy efficiency scheme.
  182
  Mr. Maclean
  This is a matter for the scheme's administering agency, the Energy Action Grants Agency.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are currently undertaken by his Department to monitor the standard of installations carried out under the home energy efficiency scheme.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Energy Action Grants Agency (EAGA) which administers the home energy efficiency scheme employs technical monitoring officers who make physical inspections of a proportion of all work carried out under the scheme.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what plans he has to review the maximum levels of grant offered for home insulation under the home energy efficiency scheme;

  (2) what plans he has to extend the range of improvements which can be grant aided to low-income households under the home energy efficiency scheme;

  (3) what plans he has to increase the rate of loft insulation and draughtproofing in low-income households as part of the home energy efficiency scheme.

  Mr. Maclean
  There will be a small increase in the amount of grant available under the home energy efficiency scheme from some £35 million in the current year to £37.5 million in 1993–94. The scheme is intended to ensure that the greatest number of low income households can benefit from basic energy efficiency measures. I have no current plans to introduce changes to the scheme which would increase the average cost per household and thus reduce the number who could benefit.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is being undertaken by his Department to encourage take-up of energy advice offered under the home energy efficiency scheme.

  Mr. Maclean
  Neighbourhood energy action is currently undertaking research for the Energy Action Grants Agency on the delivery of energy advice under the scheme.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will establish pilot schemes to test the value of introducing energy efficiency measures for households in addition to those specified under the home energy efficiency scheme.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for I he Environment if he will make it his policy to provide funds under the home energy efficiency scheme on the basis of numbers of eligible households within a given area.

  Mr. Maclean
  No. Eligibility for grant under the scheme depends on the client being in receipt of a qualifying benefit. Allocations of funding to installers must take account of the amount of similar work already carried out in an area and the installer's ability to use the allocation.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to establish energy audits on a sample of households which have been assisted under the home energy efficiency scheme.
  183
  Mr. Maclean
  The interim evaluation of the home energy efficiency scheme currently being carried out by the building research energy conservation support unit includes energy audits of a sample of households assisted by the scheme. A copy of the report will be placed in the Library of the House when it is available.

  Landfill
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recommendations have been made by the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment on landfill pricing; when their recommendations were made; what action has been taken; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment recommended in October 1991 that the price of landfill in the United Kingdom should be increased significantly to levels obtaining elsewhere in the EC. In our response in October 1991, we pointed out that the Environmental Protection Act 1990 was already having an upward impact on landfill prices. However, we agreed to re-examine landfill pricing and have undertaken a programme of work since then. On 9 February this year, I announced the publication of a consultants' report for the Department, "Landfill Costs and Prices: Correcting Possible Market Distortions". We have invited comments on the report by 26 March 1993. We will then consider whether to introduce one or more economic instruments for solid waste.

  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average gate fee for municipal solid waste disposed to landfill in the United Kingdom; and what information he has about gate fees obtaining in other member states of the European Community.

  Mr. Maclean
  The report published by my Department last month, which examines the possibility of a levy on waste going to landfill, indicates that the costs of landfilling municipal solid waste in this country range from £5 to £30 per tonne. Comprehensive information is not held about gate prices for municipal solid waste disposal in other member states of the European Community. Prices in some countries are thought to be below the minimum figure for this country. Prices in those countries which have introduced a tax on waste going to landfill are considerably higher than the maximum for this country.

  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average gate fee for municipal solid waste disposal to landfill in the United Kingdom; and what assessment he has made as to whether that price fully reflects(a) the cost of compliance with the existing pollution control regime, (b) the cost of damage to the environment and harm to human health and (c) the position of landfill in the waste management hierarchy as the disposal route of last resort.

  Mr. Maclean
  The prices charged for municipal solid waste disposed to landfill are set by the operators of individual sites. In determining prices, operators will take account of the conditions imposed through the licensing regime which require measures to be taken in order to prevent disposal operations causing pollution or harm to human health.
  184
  Waste management in this country takes place within a legislative framework which ensures that each operation is strictly controlled so as to avoid pollution or harm to human health. Within this framework, market forces currently generally determine the disposal option for waste destined for final disposal. In the 1992 Environment White Paper, the Government indicated that they would in future make a presumption in favour of using economic instruments to achieve environmental objectives. As part of our programme of work to explore the use of economic instruments, we have recently published a report which examines the idea of placing a levy on waste going to landfill.

  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of municipal solid waste is disposed to landfill in the United Kingdom; and what information he has on practice in other member states of the European Community.

  Mr. Maclean
  The United Kingdom produces about 20 million tonnes of municipal waste each year of which about 85 to 90 per cent. is currently disposed to landfill. Landfill has historically been the principal waste disposal route for most European countries. Other countries do not benefit from the geology that makes landfill an environmentally sound disposal option in the United Kingdom. Some are now reducing their dependence on landfill although it continues to be a major means of waste disposal for most states. Information produced by the statistical office of the European Communities shows that the proportion of municipal waste disposed to landfill by other member states is as follows:

  Per cent.

  Belgium

  50

  Denmark

  53

  Germany

  66

  Greece

  98

  Spain

  77

  France

  45

  Ireland

  100

  Italy

  31

  Luxembourg

  30

  Netherlands

  55

  Portugal

  28

  EC Habitats Directive
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes to implement the EC habitats directive by primary legislation.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government are assessing what is necessary to implement the directive. Our proposals will he issued in due course.

  Wildlife Sites
  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many cases of damage to wildlife sites from destruction or damage by developers subsequent to refusal of planning permission on nature conservation grounds have been brought to his attention in the years from 1989 to 1992.

  Mr. Maclean
  I regret the information is not available in the form requested. Over the last two years about 24 cases have been drawn to the attention of the Department.
  185
  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on the need for new powers to control wilful damage to wildlife sites of the kind occurring at Royate hill, Bristol.

  Mr. Maclean
  In the last 12 months 50 to 60 letters in support of proposals for some form of additional protection for sites of local wildlife importance have been received by the Department. The majority of these followed the unfortunate incident at Royate hill.

  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers are available to local authorities to prevent damage to wildlife sites from destruction or damage by developers subsequent to the refusal of planning permission on nature conservation grounds.

  Mr. Maclean
  Local authorities may use their powers to enter into management agreements with landowners, to declare local nature reserves and make byelaws to protect them. They may make tree preservation orders and article 4 directions to remove permitted development rights. They have a number of powers to acquire land by agreement or, where authorised, compulsorily but it is for the local authority to decide which power or powers are appropriate. Wild birds and certain species of animal and plant are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 or under specific legislation and local authorities and others have the power to prosecute offenders.

  Nature Conservation Orders
  Ms. Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with local authorities on the need for nature conservation orders.

  Mr. Maclean
  None.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Local Government Commission to issue notes of guidance on local government reorganisation for Avon, Humberside, Cleveland and Gloucestershire.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The Local Government Commission is due to publish its draft recommendations for local government structure in Cleveland and Durham by 9 May. Draft recommendations for Avon, Gloucestershire and Somerset and for Humberside, Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire are due to be published by 13 and 20 June respectively.

  Illegal Camping
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress on consultation on the law relating to illegal camping.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am considering carefully over 1,200 responses to this Department's consultation paper "Reform of the Caravan Sites Act 1968". I have placed a list of the responses in the House of Commons Library, and copies of the responses are in the Department's library. An announcement about the way forward will be made as soon as practicable.

  Eco-labelling
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the extent to which the eco-labelling regulation has been followed by the United Kingdom Eco-labelling Board in its development of criteria for eco-labels; and if he will set out the consultations the board has had with interest groups and the assessment it has made of the full life cycle ecological impact of products.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have no reason to believe that the United Kingdom Eco-labelling Board has not followed the requirements of the EC regulations in its development of criteria for eco-labels.

  As the board has responsibility for operational aspects of the scheme I have asked it to write to my hon. Friend setting out the consultations it has carried out with interest groups with information on the assessments they have made of the full life cycle ecological impacts of the product groups.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to subject the eco-labelling scheme to a full cost-benefit analysis to establish if the environmental improvements achieved are consistent with the time and money being invested.

  Mr. Maclean
  We shall evaluate the effectiveness of the policy as we do with all new policy initiatives to ensure that it meets the objectives set and provides value for money.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what reasons underlie the targeting by the United Kingdom Eco-labelling Board of hairsprays, deodorants, and hair styling aids for eco-labels; what plans he has to include furnishings, textiles, hi-fi equipment and other products with known environmental impacts; and if he will make a statement on how product categories for new eco-labels will be selected in future;

  (2) what progress is being made with the European eco-labelling scheme; and which product categories he expects to be finalised for launch in June.

  Mr. Maclean
  The United Kingdom Eco-labelling Board has been established to administer and promote I he European Community eco-labelling scheme nationally and has responsibility for dealing with the operational aspects of the scheme. I have therefore asked the board to reply to my hon. Friend direct.

  Council Houses
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish for each local authority(a) the amount spent on council house repairs and maintenance, (b) the number of council-owned properties and (c) the average spent on repairs and maintenance per council-owned property, for 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Sir George Young
  I have deposited a copy of tables showing the information requested by the hon. Member in the Library of the House. The amounts shown in the tables relate to revenue expenditure on repairs and maintenance and do not include expenditure on major repairs charged to capital.

  Norbreck Parade, London
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to call in the report of the inspector in relation to the appeal held on 3 and 11 February at Ealing town hall in relation to the creation of an access from the north circular road to Norbreck parade, London NW10.

  Mr. Baldry
  The appeal has been recovered for the Secretary of State's decision.

  Numbers employed in local authorities in Cambridgeshire At June of each year

  Authority

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-lime

  Part-time

  Full-lime

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-lime

  Full-lime

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Parl-lime

  Full-lime

  Part-time

  Cambridgeshire county

  12,261

  8,349

  12,355

  8,617

  12,613

  10,135

  12,979

  10,914

  13,088

  11,022

  13,179

  11,059

  13,397

  11,374

  13,403

  11,712

  13,380

  12,369

  Cambridge

  911

  109

  942

  121

  933

  143

  1,005

  156

  1,051

  160

  1,112

  152

  1,242

  177

  1,084

  237

  950

  231

  East Cambridgeshire

  214

  31

  211

  29

  210

  22

  210

  20

  213

  20

  219

  19

  205

  26

  206

  26

  N/a

  N/a

  Fenland

  367

  74

  365

  83

  362

  89

  368

  92

  383

  90

  392

  82

  406

  125

  413

  145

  392

  140

  Huntingdon

  567

  162

  563

  158

  555

  176

  559

  159

  570

  157

  549

  163

  600

  164

  609

  200

  580

  233

  Peterborough

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  1,236

  127

  N/a

  N/a

  South Cambridgeshire

  372

  30

  355

  31

  370

  36

  379

  40

  358

  40

  352

  43

  354

  46

  326

  45

  317

  51

  N/a—Data not available.

  Source: Joint Staffing Watch for England.

  Note: Education, highways, fire services, police and social services are administered by Cambridgeshire county council. The other authorities shown are district councils which, amongst other services, administer housing, planning and refuse collection.

  Inland Bathing Waters
  Mr. Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many inland bathing waters as required by article 1 of the EC water quality directive 76/160 he has designated.

  Mr. Maclean
  So far, no inland waters have been identified as within the scope of the bathing water directive.

  Norfolk Beaches
  Mr. Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will require the National Rivers Authority to reinstate the programme of tests for enteroviruses on all Norfolk beaches in the current year.

  Mr. Maclean
  No. It is not a requirement of the bathing water directive to test for enteroviruses at all bathing waters.

  Mr. Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons the National Rivers Authority discontinued testing for enteroviruses on all but two Norfolk beaches in 1992.

  Mr. Maclean
  In accordance with the requirements of the bathing water directive, bathing waters which failed the directive's coliform standards in 1991 were sampled by the National Rivers Authority for enteroviruses in 1992. Only two Norfolk bathing waters failed the coliform standards in 1991.

  EC Structural Funds
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action his Department is taking to ensure that the United Kingdom complies with the additionality criteria for European Community structrual funds; and if he will make a statement.

  Local Government Employees
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people were employed full time and part time in local government in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1984.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The information is given in the table for each authority in Cambridgeshire. Totals have not been given because data for some authorities are not available centrally.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department is responsible for providing public expenditure cover for forecast ERDF receipts for local authority other services block schemes, for those non-departmental public bodies, agencies and charities which fall within my Department's ambit, and for privatised water companies. Provision for some £176 million has been made for 1993–94 as shown in the Department's annual report, which was laid in the House of Common's Library on 10 February 1993.

  Revenue Support Grant
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of revenue support grant per inhabitant for(a) Ashfield, (b) Bassetlaw, (c) Broxtowe, (d) Gedling, (e) Mansfield, (f) Newark and Sherwood, (g) Nottingham, (h) Rushcliffe, (i) Westminster, (j) Wandsworth and (k) the City of London for 1992–93 and 1993–94.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The level of revenue support grant per head of resident population for the authorities requested is given in the table:

  Local authority

  Revenue Support Grant per head 1992–93 £

  Revenue Support Grant per head 1993–94 £

  Ashfield

  267·19

  16·98

  Bassetlaw

  285·41

  31·14

  Broxtowe

  264·73

  15·45

  Gedling

  275·29

  19·92

  Mansfield

  279·49

  26·67

  Newark and Sherwood

  286·69

  37·40

  Nottingham

  329·40

  83·43

  Rushcliffe

  257·90

  12·22

  Westminster

  958·85

  802·79

  Wandsworth

  714·59

  619·18

  City of London

  10,771·14

  11,225·31

  The figures for the two years are not comparable since revenue support grant for the year 1993–94 is to be paid direct to each billing and major precepting authority,

  189
  whereas in 1992–93 it was paid into the collection fund administered by the charging authority on behalf of all tiers of authority in the area.

  Shudehill Developments Ltd.
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has had from the chairman of Shudehill Developments Ltd. in regard to the proposed retail development at Dumplington in Greater Manchester; what reply he is sending; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State received a letter from Mr. Melmoth only last week. Mr. Melmoth argues that the results of a study commissioned by his company show that, should the Dumplington shopping centre be allowed to proceed, the future of Manchester city centre as a regional shopping venue would be under very serious threat and the shopping development which his company proposes to develop at Shudehill might no longer be viable.

  Mr. Melmoth's letter is being considered alongside the other representations we have received about Dumplington, about which we expect to make an announcement very shortly.

  London Boroughs (Debt)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance he proposes to make available to London boroughs and the Common Council during 1993–94 in respect of the extra costs due to his decisions on housing revenue account subsidy in respect of debt from the former Greater London Council; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  [pursuant to his reply, 17 February 1993, c. 283–84]: My right hon. and learned Friend is currently contemplating the recovery of the amounts of housing subsidy paid in connection with deemed debt prior to 1 April 1990. Were he to recover such subsidy in any case, he intends to issue capitalisation directions and supplementary credit approvals (SCAs) to assist the authorities concerned.

DEFENCE

  C-130J Aircraft
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the percentage British input to the proposed C-130J aircraft to replace the Hercules fleet.

  Mr. Aitken
  The C-130J is one of the options being considered as a replacement for the existing RAF Hercules fleet. It is a new development of the Hercules aircraft being designed by Lockheed as a private venture. Several British companies are bidding as sub-contractors and 1 was pleased to hear recently that Dowty would be providing the propellers. However, this is a matter for Lockheed. The percentage of United Kingdom work content is one of the factors to be taken into account when bids are eventually sought.

  Civil Airline Research
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contributions have been made in the last five years from his departmental budget towards research and development costs of civil airlines.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department makes no contributions towards the R and D costs of civil airlines. However, the Defence Research Agency undertakes a number of generic research programmes, jointly funded by the MOD and the DTI, of relevance to civil as well as military aircraft applications; these have a current value of £40 million, of which the MOD will contribute £27 million.

  Electronic Supplies Ltd.
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received about the dispute between his Department and JNES engineering company; whether he will investigate difficulties met by other engineering companies in fulfilling orders for identical components; what assessment he has made of the extent to which problems are attributable to the designs provided by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Aitken
  My Department has received a number of representations on this subject. The issues involved have been fully investigated and were considered and settled at an arbitration hearing in 1990.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  French Fishing Industry
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what representations he has made to(a) the French Government and (b) the European Commission about the legality, and effects on competition, of the £33.8 million of aid provided to the French fishing industry and its effects on fair competition;

  (2) what proposals he has to consult the fishing industry with a view to providing support to it equivalent to the subsidised loans and emergency aid made available to the French industry by the French Government;

  (3) what assessment he has made of the effect of the emergency aid given to the French fishing industry on the extent of French fishing within British waters as designated under the Fishing Limits Act 1976.

  Mr. Curry
  I have asked the French Government to supply information about the reported aid package for fishermen, in the course of pressing them for action in relation to the recent intolerable attacks on United Kingdom fish exports. We have also pressed the Commission to seek detailed information on this aid, so that it can discharge its responsibility to conclude whether it is compatible with the provisions of the treaty. I have no plans to consult the industry about the provision of similar aid in United Kingdom.

  In the absence so far of fuller details, it is not possible fully to assess the effect of the aid. However, the vast bulk of the aid does not appear to take the form of grant but of loans to assist with the servicing of existing loans. The rights of French vessels to fish in United Kingdom waters are unaffected by the aid package, as they are strictly controlled by annual quota allocations and the rules of the common fisheries policy.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the guidelines are for the average time it should take his Department to answer hon. Members' correspondence; what the average time has been, in each month, for the last year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  This Department's target is for Ministers to reply within 21 days of receipt to letters from hon. Members and noble Lords. The percentage of letters replied to within this deadline in each month of 1992 is as follows:

  Per cent.

  January

  70

  February

  81

  March

  89

  April

  93

  May

  93

  June

  89

  July

  89

  August

  71

  September

  74

  October

  84

  November

  78

  December

  60

  We do not hold information on the average time taken to reply to Ministers' correspondence.

  Vegetables
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures his Department is taking to encourage the retention of less common varieties on the national approved list for vegetables.

  Mr. Curry
  The Department has, in conjunction with the French authorities, put forward a proposal to the EC Commission's standing committee on seeds and propagating material for agriculture, horticulture and forestry which would have the effect of relaxing current controls over the sale to the amateur gardener of small packets of seeds of traditional vegetable varieties. This proposal is currently under consideration by the standing committee.

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Hague), of 15 February,Official Report, columns 91–92, what were the voting figures recorded in the meeting of the Agriculture Council held between 9 and 13 February.

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  11993

  Number of murders committed

  111

  67

  71

  114

  108

  11

  Number of persons charged with murder2

  23

  31

  18

  38

  38

  n/a

  Number of persons convicted of murder

  27

  15

  22

  27

  26

  3

  1 Up to 31 January 1993.

  2 The figures provided in the above table relate to all murders. However statistics on the number of persons charged with murder are available only in respect of scheduled offences of murder.

  192
  Mr. Curry
  At the meeting of the Agriculture Council in question a vote was taken on the proposed arrangements for bananas in the single market. Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands voted against the proposal; all other member states voted in favour.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Railways
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 18 February to the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Adley),Official Report, column 19, if he will place in the Library a copy of the consultants' report on the scope for introducing a private element into the management and operation of Northern Ireland Railways.

  Mr. Atkins
  No. Separately from this report, the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company has recently submitted the findings of a study it had commissioned into the delivery of public transport services in Northern Ireland. It may take some time to reach firm conclusions and it would be premature, therefore, to place a copy in the Library.

  Fair Employment Commission
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many firms were registered with the Fair Employment Commission on 6 February 1990; and how many of these firms had supplied their review of employment practices by 6 February 1993.

  Mr. Atkins
  On 6 February 1990 the Commission registered 1,569 private concerns. While every registered concern is required to conduct a review of its employment composition and practices at least once every three years, there is no statutory requirement to supply a copy of its review report to the commission.

  Murders
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table of(a) the number of murders committed, (b) the number of persons charged with murder and (c) the number of persons convicted of murder in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years and the current year; and for each of those years how many of the persons (i) charged and (ii) convicted actually operated the means of committing the murder.

  Mr. Mates
  The available information is as follows:
  193
  Information in respect of (i) and (ii) as to the extent of each individual's involvement in the murder is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Non-domestic Property Rates
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will introduce legislation to reform the rating of non-domestic property in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will introduce a general revaluation on non-domestic property in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what plans he has to review the valuation of non-domestic property for rating purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mates
  There are no present plans to change or replace the existing arrangements for the rating of the non-domestic sector in Northern Ireland. The case for a revaluation is kept under review and any plans would, as in the past, be announced well in advance.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many appeals against the rateable value of(a) non-domestic property as a whole and (b) licensed premises have been heard in each year since 1976.

  Mr. Mates
  Information is available only from 1986–87 and then only in respect of the total number of all appeals, including domestic, decided by the Commissioner of Valuation. It is only possible to distinguish non-domestic property and licensed premises appeals from 1991–92 onwards.

  The total number of all appeals decided by the Commissioner in each year was as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1986–87

  959

  1987–88

  1,005

  1988–89

  1,140

  1989–90

  1,105

  1990–91

  874

  1991–92

  702

  11992–93

  539

  1 January 1993

  The figure for 1991–92 includes approximately 386 non-domestic appeals of which eight related to licensed premises and that for 1992–93 includes approximately 302 non-domestic appeals of which 14 related to licensed premises.
  194
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received about the valuation of non-domestic property in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mates
  The more recent representations ma de about the valuation of non-domestic property in Northern Ireland have mainly concerned individual properties and circumstances affecting the quantum of assessment and distinguishment of the valuation for either derating or exemption from rates.

  A number of representations with more general application have been made by district councils about 1 he valuation of municipal leisure centres and residential and nursing homes. Representations have also been made on behalf of the retail licensed trade about problems associated with the method of valuation of licensed premises.

  Manse Road, Castlereagh
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints he has received about conditions on the surface of Manse road, Fourwinds, Castlereagh; what is the source of mud at this location; and what action he has taken to improve conditions on this stretch of roadway.

  Mr. Atkins
  No complaints have been received in the past 18 months. While mud may occasionally be deposited on this particular stretch of road from traffic accessing an adjacent housing development, the developer is aware of the need to keep the road clean.

  Miscarriages of Justice
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the payments of compensation for miscarriages of justice made in Northern Ireland under section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 or ex gratia from public funds indicating, in each case, the period of imprisonment in respect of which the payment was made.

  Mr. Mates
  Since section 133 came into operation, the right to compensation under that provision has been acknowledged in three cases. In none has the full amount yet been assessed, although interim payments on account —not specifically related to the period of imprisonment —have been made. No ex-gratia payments of this nature have been made from public funds over the period.

  Life Sentences
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what grounds a life sentence prisoner may be released prior to the standard 10-year review.

  Mr. Mates
  A life sentence prisoner may be released at any time at the discretion of the Secretary of State. In practice release before 10 years in custody may take place only where exceptional circumstances exist relating to the crime itself and the offender's role in it; on medical grounds; or where the prisoner has given significant assistance to the authorities which has put his/her life in danger.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the names of any life sentence prisoners released in the past six years prior to the standard 10-year review, the dates of such releases, the grounds for each release and the respective times served.

  Mr. Mates
  Seven such prisoners have been released on licence during this period: one in 1988 after six years; one in 1990 after eight years; four in 1991 after six, seven, eight and nine years respectively; and one this year after seven years. Those released had served an appropriate time to mark their offences. With the exception of those released after eight years in 1990 and nine years in 1991, the period served for retribution took into account significant assistance to the authorities. It would not be appropriate to give the names of the individuals concerned.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements exist to grant early release to life sentence prisoners in exchange for information and to assist such persons with relocation; and whether final decisions on such matters are taken at ministerial level.

  Mr. Mates
  A reduction in the retributive period may be given to those serving life sentences in exchange for information, based on the quality and quantity of the information provided; its accuracy; the willingness of the informant to confront those apprehended on the strength of his/her evidence; and the degree to which the informant and his/her family are put at risk of reprisal. All such decisions are taken by Ministers. Such individuals are released into the protection of the police.

  Number of persons convicted and sentenced to immediate custody for certain offences in the Metropolitan police (including City of London) and England and Wales, by sex and length of sentence 1989, 1990 and 1991

  Length of sentence

  Area/offence

  Year

  Total found guilty

  Immediate custody

  4 months and under

  Over 4 months, up to 6 months

  Over 6 months, up to 1 year

  Over 1 year, up to 18 months

  Over 18 months, up to 2 years

  Over 2 years, up to 3 years

  Over 3 years, up to 4 years

  Over 4 years, up to 5 years

  METROPOLITAN POLICE DISTRICT1

  Living on earnings of prostitution or exercising control over prostitute

  Sexual Offences Act 1956, Sections 30 and 31

  1989

  M 30

  16

  2

  4

  1

  5

  3

  —

  —

  1

  F 4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1990

  M 20

  8

  —

  1

  4

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  F 7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1991

  M 22

  11

  3

  1

  4

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  F 1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Living wholly or in part on the earnings of male prostitution

  Sexual Offences Act 1967, Section 5(1)

  1989

  M —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  F 1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1990

  M 2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  F —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1991

  M —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  F —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  196
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the respective criteria for life sentence reviews applied by the Life Sentence Review Board, judges and the Secretary of State or Minister.

  Mr. Mates
  Life sentence cases are reviewed in order to assess whether a sufficient period has been served to mark the gravity of the offence and whether the risk of reoffending is remote. These criteria are applied by the board, the judiciary and Ministers.

  Breath Tests
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many breath tests were carried out over the Christmas and new year period 1992–93 in Northern Ireland; how many of these proved positive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mates
  [holding answer 1 March 1993]: During the period 19 December 1992 to 1 January 1993 a total of 156 persons were breath tested; 29 of these (18–6 per cent.) were found to be over the legal limit.

  The percentage of tests which proved positive has fallen slightly since last year and maintains the downward trend of the last few years. However, it is still unacceptably high.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prostitution
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the(a) men and (b) women, convicted of living on the earnings of prostitution or exercising control over a prostitute, have been sent to prison in each year since 1989; and what was the period of imprisonment imposed in each case.

  Mr. Jack
  Information for the Metropolitan police district, including the City of London, and England and Wales is given in the table.
  197

  Length of sentence

  Area/offence

  Year

  Total found guilty

  Immediate custody

  4 months and under

  Over 4 months, up to 6 month

  Over 6 months, up to 1 year

  Over 1 year, up to 18 months

  Over 18 months, up to 2 years

  Over 2 years, up to 3 years

  Over 3 years, up to 4 years

  Over 4 years, up to 5 years

  ENGLAND AND WALES

  Living on earnings of prostitution or exercising control over prostitute

  Sexual Offences Act 1956. Section 30 and 31

  1989

  M 101

  58

  7

  13

  10

  14

  5

  6

  —

  3

  F 17

  5

  3

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1990

  M 62

  22

  5

  2

  7

  3

  1

  4

  —

  —

  F 14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1991

  M 68

  30

  7

  1

  10

  4

  2

  4

  1

  1

  F 11

  2

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Living wholly or in part on the earnings of male prostitution

  Sexual Offences Act 1967, Section 5(1)

  1989

  M 2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  F 1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1990

  M 2

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  F —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1991

  M —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  F—

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Including City of London.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the current system of inspection in identifying breaches of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend is satisfied that the inspection system is adequate to check and monitor the current work of licence holders and conditions in designated establishments.

  Police (Encrypted Radios)
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 16 February,Official Report, column 144, how many police forces currently use encrypted radios; and what assistance his Department gives to police forces in obtaining such equipment.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Thirty-eight police forces in England and Wales have digitally encrypted radios for use

  Screening breath test required and the number of positive results—England and Wales

  19 December 1991–1 Januarv 1992

  19 December 1992–1 Januarv 1993

  Police force area

  Number of breath tests

  Number with positive outcome

  Number of breath tests

  Number with positive outcome

  Avon and Somerset

  1,173

  107

  514

  85

  Bedfordshire

  479

  60

  702

  59

  Cambridgeshire

  936

  38

  1,558

  39

  Cheshire

  903

  97

  826

  78

  Cleveland

  898

  87

  621

  52

  Cumbria

  689

  61

  757

  33

  Derbyshire

  674

  49

  807

  61

  Devon and Cornwall

  1,244

  114

  1,263

  119

  Dorset

  422

  42

  626

  62

  Durham

  710

  77

  1,015

  67

  Essex

  2,129

  124

  2,754

  105

  Gloucestershire

  493

  46

  408

  25

  Greater Manchester

  4,711

  350

  5,126

  297

  Hampshire

  1,958

  149

  1,982

  134

  Hertfordshire

  606

  62

  428

  49

  Humberside

  984

  91

  525

  65

  Kent

  2,175

  120

  2,029

  109

  Lancashire

  1,347

  146

  1,423

  127

  Leicestershire

  1,216

  96

  1,086

  54

  Lincolnshire

  1,063

  33

  941

  49

  198
  on specialist operations. In addition, 19 police forces have purchased an analogue speech privacy device which gives a lower level of security than digitally encrypted radios but can operate with existing radio equipment. The Home Office has provided financial and engineering support for the development and trial of this new equipment and has negotiated favourable purchasing arrangements with suppliers on behalf of the police service.

  Breath Tests
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were breath tested by the police in each region during the 1991–92 and 1992–93 drink-drive campaigns; and how many tests were positive.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The Association of Chief Police Officers has collected figures for the number of screening breath tests required and the number of positive results in each police force area between 19 December 1991 and 1 January 1992 and between 19 December 1992 and 1 January 1993. These are given in the following table:
  199

  19 December 1991–1 January 1992

  19 December 1992–1 January 1993

  Police force area

  Number of breath tests

  Number with positive outcome

  Number of breath tests

  Number with positive outcome

  London, City of

  111

  10

  86

  9

  Merseyside

  1,151

  145

  566

  130

  Metropolitan Police District

  12,347

  835

  12,379

  804

  Norfolk

  3,486

  59

  917

  35

  Northamptonshire

  778

  35

  728

  33

  Northumbria

  533

  122

  383

  118

  North Yorkshire

  1,175

  69

  665

  38

  Nottinghamshire

  609

  79

  342

  80

  South Yorkshire

  1,098

  150

  831

  95

  Staffordshire

  932

  82

  505

  69

  Suffolk

  896

  50

  638

  68

  Surrey

  1,721

  83

  1,188

  43

  Sussex

  806

  102

  741

  71

  Thames Valley

  2,855

  154

  3,856

  131

  Warwickshire

  188

  33

  205

  24

  West Mercia

  939

  99

  1,184

  98

  West Midlands

  1,344

  251

  1,160

  205

  West Yorkshire

  1,886

  240

  1,638

  188

  Wiltshire

  1,034

  51

  919

  40

  Dyfed-Powys

  711

  54

  776

  41

  Gwent

  849

  47

  734

  34

  North Wales

  1,824

  76

  1,284

  76

  South Wales

  2,035

  146

  1,953

  149

  England and Wales

  64,118

  4,921

  59,069

  4,248

  Wheel Clamping
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will issue a consultation document on private wheel clamping.

  Mr. Jack
  A consultation paper on wheel clamping on private land in England and Wales was published on 23 February 1993.

  Copies of the paper have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. They have also been sent direct to all hon. Members, to individuals and groups that have already expressed an interest and to others with an identifiable interest in any of the options discussed in the paper. Copies of the document may also be obtained free of charge by writing to C4 Division, Home Office, Room 339, 50 Queen Anne's gate, London SW1H 9AT.

  The document requests that observations of both fact and opinion should reach the Home Office no later than the end of May.

  Race Relations
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations the Minister of State has received from the chief executive of Manchester city council about the proposed reduction in grant paid under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966; what reply he is sending; what action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have received a letter dated 10 February. In my reply, dated 26 February, I reaffirmed that the Government remain firmly committed to the reduction of racial disadvantage; that section 11 grant 200
  continues to play an important role in our programme; that we regret that, due to the general economic circumstances, it is not possible to sustain throughout the next three years the level of expenditure that had earlier been planned; and that we are anxious to work closely with local authorities and others to ensure that members of ethnic minorities derive maximum benefit from the substantial amount of funding which is available.

  Mrs. Khanum Jan
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a decision is to be taken on the application by Mrs. Khanum Jan (Ref.: J244929) to be granted indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]: The immigration department wrote to the hon. Member on 9 February confirming that the application had been granted and seeking assistance in contacting Mrs. Jan. Three attempts to post her passport to her had proved unsuccessful, apparently because she had changed address. We were finally told the new address on 25 February and returned the documents the same day.

  Offenders (Staffordshire)
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of offenders in Staffordshire were(a) under 18, (b) under 21 and (c) under 25 years in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]: Information for 1991 on the number and percentage of known offenders by age group is given in the table.
  201

  Number and percentage of offenders cautioned and found guilty at all courts in Staffordshire police force area and England and Wales by age and type of offence 1991

  Staffordshire police force area

  England and Wales

  Indictable offences

  Summary non-motoring offences

  All offences (excluding summary motoring)

  Indictable offences

  Summary non-motoring offences

  All offences (excluding summary motoring)

  Age/disposal

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Aged 10 and under 18

  Cautioned

  2,078

  57

  539

  48

  2,617

  55

  95,533

  53

  27,076

  27

  122,609

  44

  Found guilty

  881

  13

  349

  4

  1,230

  8

  42,019

  13

  17,918

  4

  59,937

  8

  Total Tound guilty and cautioned

  2,959

  28

  888

  9

  3,847

  19

  137,552

  27

  44,994

  8

  182,546

  17

  Aged 18 and under 21

  Cautioned

  391

  11

  146

  13

  537

  11

  23,891

  13

  11,573

  12

  35,464

  13

  Found guilty

  1,571

  23

  1,062

  12

  2,633

  16

  73,357

  22

  45,361

  10

  118,718

  15

  Total found guilty and cautioned

  1,962

  19

  1,208

  12

  3,170

  15

  97,248

  19

  56,934

  10

  154,182

  14

  Aged 21 and under 25

  Cautioned

  241

  7

  89

  8

  330

  7

  16,790

  9

  11,060

  11

  27,850

  10

  Found guilty

  1,465

  22

  1,520

  16

  2,985

  19

  70,402

  21

  39,223

  9

  109,625

  14

  Total found guilty and cautioned

  1,706

  16

  1,609

  16

  3,315

  16

  87,192

  17

  50,283

  9

  137,475

  13

  All ages

  Cautioned

  3,676

  100

  1,120

  100

  4,796

  100

  179,885

  100

  98,880

  100

  278,765

  100

  Found guilty

  6,740

  100

  9,225

  100

  15,965

  100

  335,394

  100

  450,558

  100

  785,952

  100

  Total found guilty and cautioned

  10,416

  100

  10,345

  100

  20,761

  100

  515,279

  100

  549,438

  100

  1,064,717

  100

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Income Support
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what instructions have been issued to benefits agencies in the past year about refusing income support under the deprivation of capital regulations to those paying off part or all of their mortgages; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Harry Barnes, dated 2 March 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 Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what instructions have been issued to benefits agencies in the past year about refusing Income Support under the deprivation of capital regulations to those paying off part of or all of their mortgages; and if he will make a statement.
  It may help if I explain that claims to Income Support are decided in the first instance by adjudication officers. If a customer is dissatisfied, they may appeal against the decision to a Social Security Appeal Tribunal. Further appeal may also be made to a Social Security Commissioner. These authorities carry out their functions independently, consequently, no Government Minister or Departmental official is able to comment on the decisions they make or intervene in matters for which they are responsible.
  Guidance on the treatment of capital and deprivation of capital is provided in the Adjudication Officers Guide. I can confirm that staff in the Benefits Agency offices have been reminded of the provisions of existing legislation and guidance available to them regarding deprivation of capital.
  These reminders were issued in the form of circulars from the Benefits Agency Central Services and Central
  202
  Adjudication Services. There has been no change in the treatment of capital or deprivation of capital, in Income Support Law, in the past year.

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

  Mr. Michael Bellinger
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to make a decision on the application by Mr. Michael Bellinger (NI No. YB 99 28 98 A) of 2 Holman way, Ivybridge, for industrial injury benefit; and why there has been a delay in his appeal.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of industrial injuries disablement benefit 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 Mr. Michael Bichard to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 2 March 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 when he expects to make a decision on the application by Mr. Michael Bellinger (NI No. YB 99 28 92 A) of 2 Holman Way, Ivybridge, for industrial injury benefit; and why there has been a delay in his appeal.
  I am pleased to tell you that Mr. Bellinger's appeal has already been listed and is due to be heard by the Medical Appeal Tribunal later this month. The Independent Tribunal Service telephoned Mr. Bellinger on 25 February to arrange a date for his appeal hearing. Mr. Bellinger's wife took the call and agreed the date with ITS. I would like to point out that Adjudication Officers and the Independent Tribunal Service carry out their duties independently of the Department and consequently neither Government Ministers nor the Department can intervene in matters for which they are responsible.
  There does not appear to have been any undue delay on the part of the Benefit's Agency in dealing with Mr. Bellinger's appeal. I have written to you separately and in greater detail about this matter.

  203
  I hope that you find this reply helpful. A copy will appear in the Official Report and a copy will also appear in the Library.

  Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the Civil Rights (Disabled Persons) Bill [Lords].

  Mr. Scott
  We share the Bill's aim of eliminating discrimination against disabled people but we believe this Bill will result in extensive litigation and additional costs for business and taxpayers. The aim is best achieved by programmes of education, persuasion and practical help, backed up, where necessary, by targeted legislation.

  Benefits
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of taxpayers who receive(a) family credit, (b) housing benefit, (c) community charge benefit, (d) all three benefits and (e) at least one of those three benefits.

  Mr. Burt
  [holding answer 25 February 1993]: The information is not available in the precise form requested. Couples who claim family credit, housing benefit and community charge benefit are treated as a single unit. Therefore, the numbers given are in terms of taxpaying households rather than individual taxpayers.

  Number of households in receipt of benefit

  000's

  Family Credit

  221

  Housing Benefit

  277

  Community Charge Benefit

  471

  All three benefits

  19

  At least one of the benefits

  704

  Notes:

  1. Figures in the table show the position at May 1990, the latest available date for all benefits.

  2. As at July 1992 the number of taxpaying households receiving Family Credit was 282,000.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Royal Prerogative
  Mr. Garrett
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the orders made through the Privy Council under the royal prerogative in 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Newton
  The information is supplied in the following tables:

  The Civil Service Order in Council 1991.

  The Diplomatic Service Order 1991.

  Order amending the Charter of the Royal British Legion.

  Order amending the Charter of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

  Order appointing Governors of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition to the Visitor of the University of London.

  Order amending the Charter of the British Film Institute. Order amending the Charter of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

  Order re-appointing Governors of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

  204

  Order re-appointing the Visitor of Brunei University.

  Order appointing a Lord Northcliffe Professor of Modern English Literature at University College, London.

  Three Orders approving drafts of Hong Kong Letters Patent and Instructions to the Governor.

  Order approving the grant of a Charter to Henley Management College.

  Order approving the grant of a Supplemental Charter to the Scout Association.

  Order appointing a Visitor of the School of Oriental and African Studies.

  Order re-appointing members of the Court of the University of Leeds.

  Order approving a report of a Committee on a Petition to the Visitor of the University of London.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of the Institute of Purchasing and Supply seeking a Charter of Incorporation.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of the Royal Charter of Surgeons of England seeking a Supplemental Charter and the grant of a Charter of Incorporation to the College of Anaesthetists.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of the King's School Canterbury praying for the grant of a Supplemental Charter.

  Order directing the Lord Chancellor to cause the Great Seal to be affixed to a Proclamation relating to bank holidays.

  Order approving the grant of a Supplemental Charter to Cheltenham Ladies College.

  Order approving the grant of a Supplemental Charter to the Chartered Institution of Bankers in Scotland.

  Order amending the Charter of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

  Order amending the Charter of the Institute of Actuaries.

  Order amending the Statutes of the Grand Priory of the Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of the Animal Health Trust seeking the grant of a Supplemental Charter.

  Order approving the grant of a Supplemental Charter to the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents.

  Order amending the Charter of the Royal Archaeological Institute.

  Order amending the Charter of the University of Leeds.

  Order appointing a Visitor of King's College, London.

  Order appointing members of the governing body of the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine.

  Order proroguing Parliament.

  Order approving a Supplemental Charter for the British Broadcasting Corporation.

  Order approving a Supplemental Charter for the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland.

  Order amending the Charter of the Institute of Metals. Order amending the Charter of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

  Order amending the Charter of the Royal Agricultural Society of England.

  Order amending the Charter of the University of Birmingham.

  Order amending the Charter of the University of Essex. The Civil Service Commission Order 1991.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of the Institute of Taxation seeking a Charter of Incorporation.

  Order directing the Lord Chancellor to cause the Great Seal to be affixed to three coinage Proclamations.

  Order approving the grant of a Supplemental Charter to the King's School Canterbury.

  Order approving the grant of a Supplemental Charter to the Animal Health Trust.

  Order amending the Charter of the National Association of Boys Clubs.

  Order approving amendments to the Supplemental Charter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

  Order appointing a Governor of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of the Incorporated Society of Valuers and Auctioneers seeking the grant of a Charter of Incorporation.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland seeking a Supplemental Charter.

  205

  Order approving the grant of a Charter to the Royal College of Anaesthetists.

  Order approving the grant of a Supplemental Charter to the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

  Order amending the Charter of the British Standards Institution.

  Order amending the Charter of the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusters.

  Order proroguing Parliament.

  Order directing the Lord Chancellor to cause the Great Seal to be affixed to a Proclamation dissolving Parliament.

  Order directing the issue of Writs for the calling of a new Parliament.

  Order amending the Charter of the Fellowship of Engineering.

  Order amending the Charter of the Royal British Legion.

  Order amending the Charter of the University of Keele.

  Order approving a Report of a Committee on a Petition to the Visitor of the University of London.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation seeking a Charter of Incorporation.

  Order amending the Supplemental Charter of the Royal Commonwealth Society.

  Order directing the Lord Chancellor to cause the Great Seal to be affixed to a Proclamation concerning Bank Holidays.

  Order approving the grant of a Supplementary Charter to the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland.

  Order amending the Charter of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and Commerce.

  Order amending the Charter of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

  Order re-appointing the Visitor of the Royal Postgraduate Medical School.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of the Engineering Council seeking a Supplemental Charter.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of the Chartered Institute of Marketing seeking a Supplemental Charter.

  Order directing the Lord Chancellor to cause the Great Seal to be affixed to a coinage Proclamation.

  Order granting a Charter to the Institute of Purchasing and Supply.

  Order granting a Supplemental Charter to the Engineering Council.

  Order granting a Supplemental Charter to the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

  Order amending the Charter of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.

  Order amending the Charter of the Chartered Institute of Building.

  Order amending the Charter of the University of Exeter. Order amending the Charter of the of the University of Leeds.

  Order amending the Charter of Somerville College, Oxford.

  The Civil Service Commissioners Order 1992.

  Order appointing the Clerk of the Privy Council.

  Order appointing a member of the Governing Body of the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of Birkbeck College seeking a new Charter.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of Malvern College seeking a Supplemental Charter.

  Order approving the grant of a Supplemental Charter to Malvern College.

  Order directing the Lord Chancellor to cause the Great Seal to be affixed to a coinage Proclamation.

  Order amending the Charter of the King George's Fund for Sailors.

  Order amending the Charter of the British Psychological Society.

  Order amending the Supplemental Charter of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of the Royal British Legion seeking a Supplemental Charter.

  Order amending the Charter of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

  206

  Order amending the Charter of the University of Surrey.

  Order referring to a Committee a Petition of the Institute of Legal Executives seeking a Charter of Incorporation.

  Two Orders approving drafts of Hong Kong Letters Patent and Instructions to the Governor.

  The list does not include Orders relating to the appointment or swearing of new Privy Counsellors. There were 18 such Orders in 1991 and 33 in 1992.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Crypt
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his answer of 25 February,Official Report, column 1022, if he will seek to arrange for the Crypt, St. Mary's Undercroft, to be licensed for marriages; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  The Chapel of St. Mary Undercroft is not registered for marriage ceremonies of any denomination,as I indicated in my letter to the hon. Member for Bradford, West which I quoted in the House last week.However, I regret that in one respect the information which I gave to the hon. Member may inadvertently havebeen misleading. I have subsequently been advised that it is possible for a marriage to take place in the Chapel according to the rites of the Church of England if the Archbishop of Canterbury provides a licence under the Ecclesiastical Licences Act 1533. As to the possibility of registering the Chapel for marriages in the future, that would be a matter for the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Lord Chancellor and the Speaker and I have drawn the hon. Member's question to their attention.

EMPLOYMENT

  Unemployment Figures
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to review the procedure by which the unemployment figures are recorded and published.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  There are no plans to change current procedures for recording the unemployment figures derived from the claimant count and from the labour force survey. If there are any changes to publication arrangements these will be announced in advance, as usual.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list the changes that have been made to the way unemployment figures have been calculated since 1979.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 26 October 1992,Official Report, column 496.

  Unemployed Building Workers
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will give for each job title the number of building workers registered as unemployed in(a) the Bolton-Bury travel-to-work area and (b) the north-west region of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The most recent estimates from the summer—June to August—1992 labour force survey show
  207
  that in the north-west region there were 16,000 people unemployed on the internationally agreed ILO definition who were previously employed in building trades. No information is available from the survey for travel-to-work areas.

  The regional estimates for unemployed people by individual building occupations are all below 10,000.

  Redundant Claimants
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundant people in receipt of an occupational or personal pension aged over 55 years are receiving reduced unemployment benefit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from M. E. G. Fogden to Ms. Joan Walley, dated 3 March 1993:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question to her about the number of redundant people in receipt of an occupational or personal pension aged over 55 years who are receiving reduced unemployment benefit. This is something which falls within the responsibilities she has delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  Unfortunately we do not collect the information you requested and it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost by examination of each of our client records. However, an analysis of the claims so far transferred to the new computer system we are currently introducing throughout the country, indicates that almost 4 per cent. of our clients, who are in receipt of unemployment benefit at full or reduced rate, have declared that they are in receipt of an occupational or personal pension. It is not possible to say how many of these are over 55 years of age.
  I hope this is helpful.
  As decided by the Administration Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this letter in the Library of the House.

  Gas Extraction Industry
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what figures she has for the number of jobs dependent on the gas extraction industry.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Estimates of employees in the extraction of mineral oil and natural gas industry are available from the census of employment. The most recent United Kingdom figure, from the September 1989 census is 43,000. Estimates for 1991 will be published in April 1993. The Department has no figures for people indirectly employed in any industry.

  Defence-related Industries
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research her Department has commissioned or published on levels of recruitment of former workers in defence-related industries and the types and levels of skill available.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In response to the July 1990 Defence White Paper "Options for Change", the Employment 208
  Department commissioned the Institute of Manpower Studies to research employers' experiences of the employment of ex-services personnel.

  Women's Issues
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list(a) the women, and the organisations they are associated with and (b) the women's groups, who have been invited to advise or inform the ministerial sub-committee on women's issues.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My noble Friend Baroness Denton, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and ministerial sub-committee member, is also co-chair of the Women's National Commission and has the responsibility of, among other things, informing the ministerial sub-committee about issues of concern to the WNC.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of youth training scheme graduates have gained employment after the end of the scheme for each year since 1989.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is given in the following table.

  Youth Training: Great Britain

  April 1988 to March 1992

  Trainees gaining employment after completing agreed training

  Period of leaving

  Gained emloyment after completing YT1 (per cent.)

  April 1988 to March 1989

  86

  April 1989 to March 1990

  86

  April 1990 to March 1991

  78

  April 1991 to March 1992

  70

  Source: YT National Follow-up Survey

  1 Including self-employment

  Training Schemes
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have taken part in Government-sponsored training schemes in Cambridgeshire in each year since 1984; and what those figures represent as a proportion of the total number of people registered as unemployed in Cambridgeshire in each of those years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This information is not available in the form requested and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Unemployment Costs
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average cost of an unemployed person in lost tax receipts and benefit payments; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  For Great Britain in 1992–93, total unemployment-related benefits cost £9.3 billion spread across 2·74 million unemployed people—an average cost of an unemployed person of just under £3,400 per person per year. We do not consider that calculation of lost tax receipts is appropriate.

  Fixed-term Contracts
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employees were on fixed-term contracts in each year since 1988 in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) in each standard region; and if she will express the national figure as a percentage of all employees.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Available information for the United Kingdom and regions based on estimates from the spring —March to May—1992 labour force survey, are given in the following table. Comparable estimates for previous years are not available.

  Employees on fixed term contracts, by region spring 1992 (not seasonally adjusted)

  Number (000 's)

  Per cent, of all employees

  United Kingdom1

  581

  2·7

  Northern

  43

  3·8

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  44

  2·3

  East Midlands

  32

  1·9

  East Anglia

  20

  2·4

  South East

  178

  2·6

  Greater London

  69

  2·8

  Rest of South East

  109

  2·5

  South West

  43

  2·5

  West Midlands

  32

  1·6

  North West

  62

  2·6

  Wales

  33

  3·3

  Scotland

  84

  4·2

  Northern Ireland

  10

  2·1

  1 Excludes a small number who did not respond to the relevant LFS question.

  Source: Labour Force Survey.

  Employment Schemes
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average amount spent per person on(a) employment training, (b) youth training, (c) the job interview guarantee scheme and (d) job clubs for each year for which figures are available.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The average amount spent per person on employment training, youth training, the job interview guarantee scheme and job clubs in Great Britain, for each year for which figures are available is as follows:

  Programme

  1987–88 £

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  ET

  n/a

  5,540

  5,404

  5,384

  6,014

  YT

  n/a

  n/a

  2,715

  2,687

  2,801

  JIG

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  57

  Jobclub

  1247

  1190

  140

  1141

  147

  1 External providers (contracted by the Employment Service only). Figures include Jobclubs run by the Employment Service.

  Notes:

  (1) Actual information later than 1990–91 is not available because average length of stay calculations are based on entrants to ET and EA in a given period and it is necessary to wait until all entrants in a period have left the programme.

  (2) Employment Action began on I October 1991.

  (3) The 1992–93 unit cost is for Employment Action in the programme's first six months of operation when the programme was building up.
  210
  (4) All figures are for Great Britain. These programmes are delivered in Scotland and Wales by Scottish Office and Welsh Office respectively.

  Long-term Unemployed
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the United Kingdom have been registered unemployed for more than five years; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In January 1993 in the United Kingdom, there were 118,300 claimants who had been unemployed for more than five years. This represents a fall of 158,270, or 57 per cent., from the peak level in July 1987.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are unemployed but ineligible for unemployment benefit because they had previously been self-employed; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information is not available. There is no rule to prevent a previously self-employed person from registering as unemployed or claiming benefit, although the self-employed are normally excluded from entitlement to unemployment benefit because they fail to satisfy the national insurance contribution conditions. Nevertheless income support is available for unemployed people whose income and savings fall below specified levels.

  Sellafield (Radioactive Leak)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what quality factors are normally used by health physics staff at nuclear installations; what alterations were made in them during the recent radioactive leak at Sellafield; and for what reason.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The quality factors normally used by health physics staff at nuclear installations for radiological protection purposes are:

  Factor

  For 'x' rays, gamma rays and beta particles

  QF = 1

  For 'thermal' neutrons

  QF = 2·3

  For 'fast' neutrons

  QF = 10

  For alpha particles, multiple charged particles

  QF = 20

  Since different types of radiation have different biological effects, absorbed doses have to be multiplied by a "quality factor" before they can be expressed on a common "dose" scale for radiation protection purposes —that is, put in terms of the "dose equivalent". No alterations were made to them in assessing the potential dose of radiation to a member of the public during the recent releases of radioactivity from the B204 and B6 stacks at Sellafield.

  DORKING ST. MARTIN'S AND OTTERSHAW SCHOOLS: TRUSTS
  DORKING ST. MARTIN'S AND OTTERSHAW SCHOOLS: TRUSTS
  US "AURORA" AIRCRAFT
  US "AURORA" AIRCRAFT
  LORRIES FOR COMBINED ROAD AND RAIL TRANSPORT: PAPER
  LORRIES FOR COMBINED ROAD AND RAIL TRANSPORT: PAPER