Written Answers of 8 March 1993

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Market Testing
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will subject his legal advisers to market testing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We have no plans to market test the work of the FCO legal advisers.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are Governor Patten's proposals for current economic reforms in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Governor of Hong Kong made it clear in his address to the Legislative Council on 7 October 1992 that he would maintain the policies that have generated economic success in Hong Kong, including low predictable taxes, Government spending which does not outpace economic growth and the encouragement of competition. In his Budget on 3 March, Hong Kong's Financial Secretary confirmed that Hong Kong's economy continues to perform strongly. He proposed tax cuts, increased expenditure on priority areas, and measures to assist Hong Kong's most disadvantaged citizens. He also forecast an increase of HKD6.8 billion in Hong Kong's projected reserves in 1996–97.

  Immigration
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision is to be taken on applications to enter the United Kingdom made to the post in Islamabad by Mrs. Salim Bi (born 2–1–1934) and her son, Shah Jehan (born 16–1–1976) (Ref: Imm/67849); when DNA test results concerning these applicants were received at the post; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In the absence of any information about this case, I have asked the High Commission in Islamabad for a full report. I shall arrange for the hon. Member to receive a substantive reply from the migration and visa correspondence unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as soon as possible.

  Israel
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the number of nuclear warheads in Israel's possession; and what are the implications of this for his foreign policy.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have no direct evidence that Israel has developed a nuclear weapons programme. However, we are well aware of reports that Israel has such 374
  a programme and we shall continue to call on the Israeli Government to allay suspicions categorically by acceding to the non-proliferation treaty as a non-nuclear weapon state. We also call on Israel to work with her neighbours to create a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the middle east.

  Employment Protection Regulations
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of all circulars and other advice issued by his Department concerning the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 and the acquired rights directive.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not yet issued any circulars or other advice concerning the transfer of undertakings regulations 1981 and the acquired rights directive.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Rwandan authorities concerning human rights abuses in Rwanda.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The EC and its member states have repeatedly expressed their concern at the present situation in Rwanda and have appealed to all parties concerned to be flexible so that a peaceful solution can be found to their difficulties. The most recent EC statement was issued on 15 February and a copy has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how his Department are monitoring the human rights situation in Rwanda.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have no diplomatic mission in Rwanda. Other United Kingdom missions in the region follow closely developments in that country. We also have regular consultations with EC partners and other western countries who have resident representations in Rwanda.

  Malawi
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements have been made for international observers to be present for the referendum in Malawi on a multi-party system.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In conjunction with other members of the international community we are prepared in principle to provide observers to the referendum process, subject to the Malawian Government and the Opposition pressure groups reaching a satisfactory agreement on the conduct of the referendum.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to provide assistance on request to the two main opposition political parties in Malawi for printing of leaflets and posters for the referendum on a multi-party system.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have made it clear to both the Malawian Government and the political pressure groups that we shall not become involved in any way in the campaigning leading up to the referendum.
  375
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements have been made by his Department to monitor the referendum in Malawi; and what assistance has been provided by Her Majesty's Government to the Government of Malawi and the main opposition parties in connection with the referendum on a multi-party system.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer today on the arrangements for observers. We are ready to consider offering financial assistance through the United Nations to support the referendum process under the same conditions.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Government of Malawi concerning the referendum on a multi-party system planned for 15 June 1993.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The referendum in Malawi is scheduled to take place on 14 June. We have repeatedly made clear to the Malawian Government that the conditions under which it is held must be fair and in accordance with internationally accepted criteria if it is to have any credibility with the international community.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Staff (Working Hours)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will undertake a survey of all offices and agencies for which he has responsibility to ascertain to what extent staff supplying a service to the public are curtailing their work on a Friday afternoon earlier than other days of the week; and if he will make a statement on his policy on hours of staff working each week.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  I have no plans to carry out such a survey.

  In common with civil servants generally, the conditioned working hours of most full-time staff in the Lord Chancellor's Department and its agencies are 41 gross per week in London and 42 gross per week elsewhere.

  Subject to the requirement for all staff to fulfil their conditioned hours, managers have discretion to vary the office hours of individual staff. Court offices are open to the public from 10 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday. Chief clerks ensure that sufficient staff are available at all times when courts are open to the public.

  Acquired Rights Directive
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will place in the Library copies of all circulars and other advice issued by his Department concerning the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 and the acquired rights directive.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  My Department has no plans to issue any circulars on general advice concerning either the regulations or the directive.

  Stipendiary Magistrates
  Mr. Stephen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make it his policy to work towards the appointment of stipendiary magistrates in every town with a population exceeding 70,000.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor has no plans to work towards the appointment of stipendiary magistrates in every town with a population exceeding 70,000. Stipendiary magistrate appointments are to commission areas and the Lord Chancellor will consider such appointments normally when he receives requests from those local areas and he considers that the workload warrants that course. The Lord Chancellor has full confidence in the ability of the lay magistracy to cope with the bulk of work. The purpose of stipendiary appointments is to support the lay magistracy.

  Law of Domiciles
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Government plan to introduce legislation based on the conclusions of the report of the Law Commission on the law of domiciles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The Lord Chancellor hopes to make an announcement about this subject in the near future.

  Committal Proceedings
  Mr. Stephen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the extent to which magistrates are aware of, and use, their powers to hold full committal hearings in cases where there is genuine doubt as to whether the accused has a case to answer before a higher court.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The provisions in the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 in respect of committal proceedings place the onus on the accused's representative to request that the court consider a submission of no case to answer. For this reason it is not appropriate that I make any assessment of magistrates' awareness of the provisions of section 6 of the Act. The future of committal proceedings is one of many issues on which my Department has submitted views to the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received regarding the accuracy of the statistics given in the leaflet "Legal Aid—How It Works", with particular reference to the average payments to solicitors under the duty solicitor schemes in 1992–93; and how the figure given was arrived at.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  No formal representations have been made. However, it has since come to my attention that there is an inconsistency in the way in which the estimate of the average payment to solicitors in 1992–93 under the duty solicitor schemes was calculated. Average payments to solicitors in the years 1988–89 to 1991–92 were derived by dividing gross expenditure on the schemes by the total number of people helped under the schemes. The
  377
  estimate for 1992–93 was calculated by dividing estimated gross expenditure by the estimated number of bills that will be paid under the schemes. This resulted in an incorrect figure of £101 for 1992–93 because it is not unusual for claims to be aggregated, that is, a single claim may include a number of acts of assistance given to a number of people.

  It is estimated that 885,000 people will receive assistance under the schemes in 1992–93 and that gross expenditure will amount to £72 million. Therefore, the average payment to solicitors in 1992–93 will be £81.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many copies of the leaflet "Legal Aid—How it Works" were published by the Lord Chancellor's Department.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Three thousand copies of the leaflet "Legal Aid—How it Works" were published by the Lord Chancellor's Department.

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Gross Expenditure—£ million

  543

  610

  715

  848

  1,097

  Solicitors—Per cent.

  71

  71

  69

  68

  68

  Barristers—Per cent.

  17

  19

  18

  18

  17

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the average payment by the legal aid fund to(a) barristers and (b) solicitors in 1991–92.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The average payment made to barristers and solicitors from the legal aid fund in 1991–92 was as follows:

  Barristers

  Solicitors

  Legal Aid Fund

  £335·77

  £236·29

  For barristers this is an average of payments made in respect of civil legal aid and criminal legal aid in the magistrates' courts. For solicitors this figure is an average of payments made in respect of civil legal aid, criminal legal aid in the magistrates courts, assistance by way of representation, the green form scheme and the duty solicitor schemes. Payments in respect of criminal legal aid in the higher courts are not made from the legal aid fund administered by the Legal Aid Board. Average payments in those cases in 1991–92 were £677.64 for barristers and £741.68 for solicitors.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the cost of the leaflet produced by the Lord Chancellor's Department entitled "Legal Aid—How it Works".

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The cost of the leaflet "Legal Aid —How it Works" produced by the Lord Chancellor's Department was £3,557.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Street Collections
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be issuing guidelines to local authorities on street collections from 1 September.
  378
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department to whom the leaflet, "Legal Aid —How it works" produced by the Lord Chancellor's Department, was distributed.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  Individual copies of the booklet were sent to legal journalists and to peers and Members of Parliament. Since publication in December 1992 copies have been supplied on demand to the Legal Aid Board, the Law Society, individual solicitors, branches of NACAB and members of the public.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of the legal aid bill is accounted for by(a) solicitors' fees and (b) barristers' fees for each of the last five years.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  The proportion of legal aid expenditure accounted for by solicitors' and barristers' fees for each of the last five years was as follows—

  Mr. Jack
  The current legislation governing street collections—the Police, Factories etc (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916 and the Charitable Collections (Transitional Provisions) Order 1974—will remain in force until replaced by the new provisions in part III of the Charities Act 1992.

  The date for commencement of these provisions has not yet been finally settled, although we hope to make an announcement shortly. There will be full consultation on the new regulations before they are brought into force.

  Secure Training Centres
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many places at secure training centres will be provided to meet needs arising in Nottinghamshire; where these places will be available; when they will be provided; and how much they will cost in capital and revenue terms;

  (2) what consultations he intends to hold, and with whom, about his plans to establish secure training centres;

  (3) how many places at secure training centres will be necessary to meet needs in England and Wales; where these centres will be located; when they will be open; and how much they will cost in capital and revenue terms.

  Mr. Jack
  As my right hon. and learned Friend made clear in his statement to the House on 2 March, at columns 139–42, we are now preparing for the introduction of a new secure training order. In so doing, we are considering, inter alia, such matters as location, costs and numbers of places for the projected secure training centres. As part of this process, we will be seeking the views of representatives from a range of criminal justice agencies, voluntary agencies and interest groups.

  Staff (Working Hours)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will undertake a survey of all offices and agencies for which he has responsibility to
  379
  ascertain to what extent staff supplying a service to the public are curtailing their work on a Friday afternoon earlier than other days of the week; and if he will make a statement on his policy on hours of staff working each week.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Staff work the number of hours specified in their conditions of service, but there is flexibility on how that is achieved. Where there is a direct service to the public—for example, in passport offices or in the public inquiry office of the immigration and nationality department—public counters and telephone bureaux are manned for the advertised hours. If my hon. Friend has encountered a specific problem, I should be glad to have details.

  Operation Container
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 11 February,Official Report, column 773, about the future of Operation Container, in how many cases in Greater Manchester police officers were involved in the operation other than on rest day working; how many worked on their rest days at the latest date for which figures are available; what information was obtained by the prison service area manager for the Trans-Pennine area at his meeting on 5 February about the implications of police cell usage on police operations in Greater Manchester; and if he will make a further statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is being obtained from the Greater Manchester police and I will write to the right hon. Member as soon as possible. As was explained in my answer of 11 February, the implications for the Greater Manchester police of the prisoners in police cells problem was discussed with senior head-quarters officers on 5 February. It was explained then that Operation Container had been run largely on the basis of rest day working.

  Baby Food, Styal Prison
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements currently exist for the supply of baby food to women with young children in Her Majesty's prison, Styal; and what changes have recently occurred in the arrangements.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Fresh raw materials are supplied by the main kitchen to the mother and baby unit at Her Majesty's prison Styal. Babies' meals are then prepared by the mothers in the unit kitchen. Pre-packaged baby food supplements are also available. Until 2 March, these

  Qualified nurses in each regional health authority September 1979 to 1991

  Whole-time equivalents

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Northern

  14,580

  14,880

  15,170

  —

  15,720

  16,040

  16,590

  16,910

  17,280

  17,410

  17,260

  16,950

  16,880

  Yorkshire

  15,180

  15,740

  16,250

  —

  16,810

  17,290

  17,880

  18,060

  18,530

  18,700

  18,670

  18,540

  18,480

  Trent

  18,180

  18,190

  18,830

  —

  19,800

  20,400

  21,370

  21,830

  22,540

  22,840

  22,720

  23,090

  23,290

  East Anglia

  7,220

  7,430

  7,580

  —

  8,020

  8,420

  8,820

  8,970

  9,280

  9,550

  9,720

  9,760

  9,810

  North West Thames

  15,390

  15,590

  16,490

  —

  16,250

  16,850

  16,870

  16,740

  16,040

  16,060

  15,850

  15,590

  16,280

  North East Thames

  16,690

  16,490

  16,420

  —

  19,180

  19,210

  19,580

  19,560

  19,850

  20,000

  19,570

  19,800

  20,050

  South East Thames

  16,560

  17,090

  17,040

  —

  17,780

  17,770

  18,030

  18,430

  18,520

  18,880

  19,070

  18,740

  16,620

  South West Thames

  13,730

  13,990

  13,970

  —

  14,160

  14,160

  14,260

  14,060

  13,860

  14,090

  14,150

  13,760

  14,120

  Wessex

  11,080

  11,330

  11,250

  —

  12,140

  12,430

  12,810

  12,990

  13,190

  13,660

  13,660

  13,970

  14,130

  Oxford

  8,580

  9,000

  9,070

  —

  9,320

  9,870

  10,110

  10,250

  10,540

  10,690

  10,680

  11,030

  11,320

  South Western

  13,200

  14,110

  14,550

  —

  14,560

  14,680

  15,220

  15,460

  15,770

  15,730

  15,870

  16,320

  16,130

  380
  supplements have been bought centrally wholesale. In order to be more sensitive to the individual needs and preferences of the children and offer a greater choice to mothers the unit, from 2 March local purchases of baby food supplements have been made. There is no extra cost to the food budget.

  Prevention of Terrorism Acts
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were(a) arrested or (b) stopped and questioned under the terms of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts in 1990.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 4 March 1993]: The available information is contained in the Home Office statistical bulletin on the operation of the prevention of terrorism legislation—No. 5/93.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have had their period of detention under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act extended pending the results of forensic tests.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [holding answer 4 March 1993]: In considering each application for an extension of detention under the prevention of Terrorism Act, I have regard to the criteria set out by Lord Colville in paragraph 5.1.6. of his 1987 review of the Act—Cm. 246—which include the need for further forensic work. It is not possible to give statistics of the kind requested based on the specific relevant criteria that applied in each individual case.

HEALTH

  Nurses
  Ms Janet Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, by regional health authority area, the number of qualified nurses in employment in the national health service for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is shown in the tables. All figures are independently rounded to the nearest 10 whole-time equivalents. Figures exclude agency staff. For 1989 to 1991, England totals include staff working in the London ambulance services and family health services authorities. In 1991, the special health authorities total include qualified nurses working in the special hospitals service authority—Broadmoor, Rampton and Ashworth. Figures for 1982 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  381

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  West Midlands

  19,850

  20,790

  21,360

  —

  22,560

  23,020

  23,820

  24,380

  25,090

  24,770

  25,140

  25,460

  25,210

  Mersey

  11,860

  12,130

  12,120

  —

  12,540

  12,570

  12,930

  13,040

  12,910

  13,130

  13,260

  12,930

  12,620

  North Western

  18,140

  19,270

  19,440

  —

  21,010

  21,810

  22,470

  22,810

  22,770

  22,960

  23,160

  22,920

  23,230

  London postgraduate SH As

  2,790

  2,930

  2,990

  —

  3,480

  3,200

  3,360

  3,310

  3,240

  3,450

  3,390

  3,390

  5,050

  TOTAL

  205,670

  212,500

  216,880

  219,300

  223,320

  227,720

  234,130

  236,770

  239,360

  241,920

  242,190

  242,340

  243,250

  Cancer Screening
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are to make the national screening programme for breast and cervical cancer available to women aged over 65 years.

  Mr. Sackville
  Breast and cervical screening is already available to women aged 65 and over. In respect of breast screening, it is available every three years on request. For cervical screening, women over 64 are no longer invited for screening under the call-recall programme but may ask to have a cervical smear at any time. Women aged 65 or over who have not had two consecutive negative smears in the last 10 years should continue to be recalled for screening as part of the national programme.

  Mobile Phones (Brain Cancer)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has currently commissioned as to whether non-ionising radiation in mobile telephones can cause brain cancer; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The National Radiological Protection Board advises the Government on risks to human health from non-ionising electromagnetic radiation, including emissions from mobile radiotelephones. The board's advice is that the radio frequency energy emitted by hand-held radiotelephones does not constitute a cancer hazard on the basis of available research evidence. The Department of Trade and Industry, together with the Science and Engineering Research Council and a number of industrial participants are funding a research study of the physical interaction of fields from hand-held radiotelephones and the human head. The results from this and other studies will enable a better assessment of the extent to which emissions from these devices comply with recommended restrictions on human exposure.

  Doctors
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number and percentage of female, male and ethnic minority doctors with A+, A, B and C merit awards.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information on the ethnic origin of award holders is not held centrally. The breakdown requested by sex and level of award is as follows:

  Male

  Female

  All consultants

  per cent.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  A+

  195

  1·3

  8

  0·3

  203

  1·1

  A

  655

  4·4

  48

  1·7

  703

  4·0

  B

  1,451

  9·8

  115

  4·0

  1,566

  8·9

  C

  3,184

  21·6

  402

  13·8

  3,586

  20·3

  5,485

  37·2

  573

  19·7

  6,058

  34·3

  382
  Note: Percentages relate to total of female, male and all consultants respectively. Figures for England and Wales.

  Health Service Staff
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make available details of the full-time equivalent numbers of(a) medical, (b) nursing, (c) professional and technical, (d) administration, (e) management and (f) other staff employed by health authorities and trusts in England on 30 September in each year since 1990.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is given in the table.

  NHS staff by main staff group at 30 September—England

  Whole-time equivalent

  1990

  19911

  Medical and Dental

  45,390

  46,530

  Nursing and Midwifery

  395,360

  392,200

  Professional and Technical

  83,990

  86,890

  Administrative and Clerical

  120,040

  127,370

  General/Senior Managers

  9,680

  13,340

  Other

  133,740

  128,530

  1 Includes some redesignation between staff groups, for example Nursing and Midwifery to general/senior managers.

  Information for 30 September 1992 is not yet available.

  Source: Medical Manpower Census; Non Medical Workforce Census; Aggregate Form KM49).

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will review the actual time contribution of chairmen and non-executive directors of NHS trusts and the basis on which their emoluments are assessed.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I shall be considering these matters in due course.

  Surcharges
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will introduce for health authority and trust chairmen and non-executive directors the same liability to surcharge as applies to local government councillors.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I have no plans to do so.

  NHS Chairmen and Directors
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the number of (i) chairmen and (ii) non-executive directors in England in 1991–92 who declined to receive emoluments in respect of membership of(a) regional health authorities, (b) district health authorities, (c) family health service authorities and (d) hospital trusts.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not held centrally.

  Staff (Working Hours)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will undertake a survey of all offices and agencies for which she has responsibility to ascertain to what extent staff supplying a service to the public are curtailing their work on a Friday afternoon earlier than other days of the week; and if she will make a statement on her policy on hours of staff working each work.

  Mr. Sackville
  We do not believe that such a survey is required and are not aware of any difficulties experienced

  Death rates (per 100,000 population) from (i) malignant neoplasm of the liver, ICD 155; (ii) chronic liver disease and cirrhosis of the liver, ICD 571 and (iii) other diseases of the liver, ICDs 570, 572 and 573

  (i) Death from malignant neoplasm of the liver

  (ii) Death from chronic liver disease and cirrhosis of the liver

  (iii) Death from other diseases of the liver

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  1972

  1·4

  0·7

  3·6

  3·2

  0·6

  0·6

  1973

  1·4

  0·8

  3·9

  3·4

  0·7

  0·6

  1974

  1·4

  0·9

  3·8

  3·4

  0·7

  0·8

  1975

  1·5

  0·8

  3·8

  3·6

  0·6

  0·7

  1976

  1·5

  0·7

  4·3

  3·4

  0·7

  0·6

  1977

  1·5

  0·9

  4·1

  3·3

  0·7

  0·6

  1978

  1·6

  0·8

  4·3

  3·6

  0·8

  0·7

  1979

  2·4

  1·3

  5·0

  3·9

  0·8

  0·7

  1980

  2·2

  1·5

  4·8

  4·2

  0·9

  0·8

  1981

  2·6

  1·6

  4·8

  4·1

  1·0

  0·9

  1982

  2·5

  1·8

  4·7

  4·0

  0·9

  0·9

  1983

  2·5

  1·6

  4·6

  4·2

  0·7

  0·8

  1984

  2·9

  1·8

  5·0

  4·2

  0·6

  0·7

  1985

  2·8

  1·9

  5·7

  4·7

  0·8

  0·7

  1986

  3·1

  2·0

  5·7

  4·5

  0·8

  0·8

  1987

  3·0

  2·0

  6·1

  4·7

  0·7

  0·8

  1988

  3·4

  2·3

  6·1

  5·1

  0·8

  0·8

  1989

  3·3

  2·2

  6·5

  5·4

  0·9

  0·7

  1990

  3·3

  2·2

  6·8

  5·3

  0·7

  0·6

  1991

  3·5

  2·5

  7·0

  5·2

  0·7

  0·5

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will give the number of patients on the in-patient waiting list by health authority and trust in England on 31 March 1990, 1991 and 1992; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information requested is given in "Hospital Waiting List, In-patients and Day Cases" published twice a year—information on trusts was first published for September 1991—copies of which are available in the Library. Provisional waiting time figures published recently show that in the 12 months to 31 December 1992 the number of people waiting over a year for in-patient treatment fell by over 51,000 to the lowest figure ever recorded.

  Waiting Times
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the percentage achievement rate in each health authority and which health authorities had not supplied monitoring information to her Department for the period April to September 1992, in respect of(a) waiting times for initial assessment in accidents and emergencies, (b) waiting times in out-patient clinics, (c) cancellation of operations on the day of admission and (d) re-admission of patients within one month of a second cancelled operation, indicating the patients charter targets in each case.
  384
  by members of the public on Friday afternoons. If my hon. Friend has a particular case in mind perhaps he will let me have the details.

  Liver Disease
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what have been the death rates from (i) cancer of the liver, (ii) cirrhosis of the liver and (iii) other liver diseases for each year since 1972.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the table.

  Mr. Sackville
  Health authorities, as purchasers of services, are required to publish annual reports giving details of the performance against all relevant patients charter rights and the standards achieved by their providers. They should have produced their first reports by the end of June. A commentary on overall performance will be included in the chief executive's annual report for 1992–93.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets have been set for each district health authority for waiting times between general practitioner referral and initial consultant appointments.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Dr. Jones) on 4 March at column 219.

  Electrocution
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths by electrocution there were in the last year for which figures are available; and how many of these involved domestic users.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information is shown in the tables.

  Table 1: Deaths by electrocution in England and Wales, 1991

  Males

  Females

  Accidents caused by electric current ICD E925

  51

  6

  Suicide and self-inflicted injury (leading to death) by electrocution

  385

  Males

  Females

  E958.4

  16

  3

  Injury (leading to death) by electrocution, undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted

  E988.4

  6

  —

  Total

  73

  9

  Table 2: Deaths by electrocution (occurring in the home in England and Wales), 1991

  Males

  Females

  Accidents caused by electric current and involving domestic wiring and appliances

  E925.0

  18

  3

  Suicide and self-inflicted injury (leading to death) by electrocution

  E958.4

  13

  2

  Injury (leading to death) by electrocution, undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted

  E988.4

  2

  —

  Total

  33

  5

  Tobacco Advertising
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library a copy of all the submissions received to date in relation to the publication "Effect of Tobacco Advertising on Tobacco Consumption," a discussion document reviewing the evidence.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Comments on the discussion document were not invited on the basis that they would be made public. It would not be appropriate to place copies of the submissions received in the Library without the specific consent of the organisations or individuals concerned.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Teletext Subtitling
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what representations he has received about the provision of teletext subtitling for the deaf by independent television companies since 1 January; and if he will seek to introduce arrangements to transfer to his Department responsibility for monitoring such provision.

  Mr. Brooke
  Both hon. Members and members of the public have written to me about the provision of subtitling services for the deaf. I understand that the problems at the beginning of the year have now been resolved. The Independent Television Commission is responsible for monitoring these services and I see no need to change this arrangement, which was established by the Broadcasting Act 1990.

  Contracting Out
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list all those services or functions that have been contracted out front his 386
  Department since November 1991 without market testing an in-house bid against external competition with, in each instance, the successful contractor and the reasons for the decision to exclude an in-house bid.

  Mr. Key
  My Department, which was formed in April 1992, has awarded a contract to Sema Group Ltd. for the supply of computer equipment and associated services. It is currently in the process of contracting out a range of central services, including mailroom services, minor maintenance, office cleaning, porterage, reprographics, security, central typing and secretarial cover. The Department has no in-house team to bid for the work and has decided to contract out these services so it can concentrate on its core policy tasks.

  The royal parks division contracted out grounds maintenance work in February 1992. The successful contractors were:
  Brophy Plc, Glendale Industries Limited, Serco Plc, Turfsoil Limited and Tyler Environmental Services Limited.
  The then Secretary of State for the Environment, who was responsible for royal parks at the time, decided that the work should be contracted out for policy reasons.

  Tourist Boards
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the future of(a) the English tourist board and (b) the British Tourist Authority.

  Mr. Key
  The English tourist board and the British Tourist Authority have strategic roles to play in the promotion and development of tourism in this country. I have arranged for the chief executives to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many staff were(a) employed arid (b) made redundant by (i) the British Tourist Authority and (ii) the English tourist board in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Key
  The staff of the British Tourist Authority arid the English tourist board are direct employees of the two bodies and all decisions relating to their employment are taken by the members of the boards. Therefore, this question should be addressed to the chief executive of each organisation.

  TV Licence Fee
  Mr. Coe
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when regulations will be laid to bring into effect the television licence fee increases announced in December 1992 for 1 April.

  Mr. Brooke
  I announced on 9 December 1992,Official Report, column 683, that from 1 April 1993 the fee for a colour television licence would increase to £83 and the fee for a monochrome licence would rise to £27·50. On 5 March, I laid before the House the regulations necessary to bring these fees into force.

  Television Governing Bodies
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the emoluments he has approved or the basis on which they are calculated for each member of the governing body of the BBC and the Independent Television Commission.
  387
  Mr. Brooke
  Governors of the BBC and members of the ITC are remunerated as follows:

  £

  BBC

  Chairman

  57,360

  Vice Chairman

  14,715

  National Governors

  14,715

  Governors

  7,360

  ITC

  Chairman

  57,360

  Deputy Chairman

  14,715

  National Members

  11,040

  Members

  7,360

  Staff (Working Hours)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will undertake a survey of all offices and agencies for which he has responsibility to ascertain to what extent staff supplying a service to the public are curtailing their work on a Friday afternoon earlier than other days of the week; and if he will make a statement on his policy on hours of staff working each week.

  Mr. Key
  The staff of the Department and its agency work conditioned hours of 41 per week, including lunch breaks. Some operations in the Historic Royal Palaces Agency and the royal parks division are subject to seven days a week working and these are covered on a roster system. Friday afternoons are treated no differently from other days of the week.

  Museums and Galleries
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what were the attendance figures for 1992 reported by the national museums and galleries in England for which he is responsible, broken down into the individual institutions, but including their outstations, with the figures in each case of the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for 1991.

  Mr. Key
  [pursuant to his reply, 19 January 1992, c. 133]: I am pleased to record that the 1992 admission figures for the natural history museum are higher than indicated in my earlier reply to the hon. Member. The estimated admission figure was 1,659,000 for 1992, which gives a change of 10 per cent. over the figures for 1991. This increase effects the estimated total figure for all the national museums and galleries, which should now be 22,813,985 with an overall percentage increase of 6·4 per cent. over 1991.

PRIME MINISTER

  Family Perspective and Life Cycle
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Prime Minister how the Government co-ordinate the way Departments put the family perspective and the life cycle into social and economic policy.

  The Prime Minister
  The family is central to social and economic policy. The implications for the family are fully 388
  considered by each Department in developing and operating its policies. Where policies cross the boundaries of departmental responsibility, these matters are discussed either directly between Departments or through specific inter-departmental groups and committees.

  Privatised Companies
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister whether he will amend "Questions of Procedure for Ministers" so as to advise Ministers responsible for future privatisations that they should not subsequently accept paid positions on the boards of the privatised companies.

  The Prime Minister
  No. Such guidance is neither necessary nor appropriate. Former Ministers should make their own judgments about potential conflicts of interest, as other Members of Parliament do.

  Lord Lieutenants and High Sheriffs
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what are the qualifications for nomination as lord lieutenant or high sheriff.

  The Prime Minister
  The only formal qualification required of lord lieutenants and high sheriffs is that the latter must own land in the county in which they are to hold office, but by custom both lord lieutenants and high sheriffs are expected to be based in their counties.

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he has taken to ensure that a co-ordinated response is made to areas where collieries are under threat of closure.

  The Prime Minister
  Lord Walker has been appointed to co-ordinate the regeneration effort in areas under threat of colliery closures. In all areas arrangements are in place to pull together the efforts of all relevant bodies: these include Government Departments, English Estates, training and enterprise councils, British Coal Enterprise, regional development organisations and local authorities.

  Full Employment
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 2 March,Official Report, column 138, if he will define the full employment that he seeks to achieve.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government pursue policies designed to achieve high levels of employment, consistent with low inflation. Measures to make the labour market competitive, flexible and efficient are an essential part of this.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Citizens Charters
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current situation with the implementation of the citizens charters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have made good progress in implementing the charter—90 per cent. of the initial policy commitments set out in the original citizens charter White Paper have been met or are in hand.
  389
  Our principal task now is to ensure delivery of the standards and their regular improvement.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what new citizens charters he plans to introduce.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  New charters in 1993 will cover child support; the environment; further and higher education. Other charters—like the parents charter—will be revised to reflect new, higher standards.

  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the progress made at the meeting on the citizens charter held in Downing street on 17 February.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We discussed some key areas of interest to citizens—transport, health and social security. We also discussed some important themes—complaints systems, inspectorates and league table of performance.

  New announcements included a new complaints adjudicator for the Inland Revenue, commitment to publishing league tables of performance in the national health service and commitment to including service standards in British Rail franchises.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what are the principal sectors of public service which have not yet been covered by the charter programme.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  All public services and regulated utilities are covered by the charter programme. They all aim to apply charter principles to the specific needs of their customers.

  Mr. Raymond S. Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next intends to visit Scotland on departmental business to discuss progress there of the citizens charter programme.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I am visiting Scotland later this week. I keep in close touch with the citizens charter programme there, and am pleased with the progress being made.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he is taking to monitor the proper implementation of the charters introduced so far; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The citizens charter requires all public service organisations to report regularly and publicly on their performance in meeting published service standards. We monitor overall progress in improving the delivery of public services through ministerial seminars chaired by the Prime Minister, and through formal reports on progress such as the "Citizen's Charter First Report"—Cm 2101 —published in November 1992.

  Research Students (Awards)
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the members of the research students awards committees within each research council during each of the last five years, indicating the institution where each member is based.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member with the information he has requested, copies of which will be placed in the Library of the House.
  390
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement outlining the criteria chosen by research councils to assess the quality of higher education institutions' departments when deciding upon the allocation of research student awards.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  The criteria used by the research councils to assess the quality of higher education institutions' departments are as follows:

  Agricultural and Food Research Council
  The council's postgraduate studentship scheme is project-based. Applications are individually assessed on the following criteria:

  1. the strength of the application to provide the student with a sound research education and training;

  2. the reputation and track-record of the supervisor, department and institution;

  3. the relevance to AFRC's scientific programme and priorities.

  The studentship panels also use personal knowledge, Universities Funding Council selectivity exercise ratings and the information provided on the application form to judge the quality of the department.
  The AFRC does not operate a quota system.

  Economic and Social Research Council
  The criteria which the ESRC employs for the recognition of HEI departments for research student awards were published in 1991 in the council's "Postgraduate Training Guidelines" (paragraph A3). They are:

  1. the adequacy of provision for formal training for students in research methods and related issues;

  2. the adequacy of the arrangements for the supervision of students;

  3. the presence of a good research environment so that the student is conducting research in an environment of other scholars and postgraduates actively researching in related areas;

  4. an adequate throughput of students so that the student is unlikely to become isolated from his or her peers;

  5. a satisfactory thesis submission rate for students which demonstrates that the majority complete their research within the expected time.

  The ESRC does not allocate research training awards to individual departments. Student applications are submitted to an annual competition. The criteria are published in the council's studentship handbook.

  Medical Research Council
  Criteria used by the MRC to assess the quality of higher education institutions' departments when deciding upon the allocation of research student awards are:

  1. the quality of the proposed projects and their suitability as phD Projects;

  2. the scientific track-record for the department and proposed supervisors. MRC asks for details of current grant funding and publications relevant to the proposed projects;

  3. the department's track-record for training ie. the number of students in the department and the submission/completion rates;

  4. the opportunities for a good broad-based training.

  Natural Environment Research Council
  The quality of the department is only one of the elements taken into consideration in deciding on research student awards. The NERC uses the total number of research students, and the total value of research grants in the departments as indicators of a vibrant research environment. Account is also taken of the excellence of the science involved, the training element within the programme, the track-record of the potential supervisor, and cooperation with industry.

  Science and Engineering Research Council
  Academic departments applying for quotas of SERC studentships need to give information on departmental complement (all staff, including vacant posts); the size of the postgraduate school (full-time and part-time PhD and Masters students); and the size of the undergraduate

  391
  school. Undergraduate degree results from the previous two years must be given. Sources of support for postgraduate students are summarised, as well as sources and scale of research grant/contract support. For each research studentship sought, a description of the research area must be provided, as well as details of the academic supervisor (number of students supervised, and number of relevant publications over the past two years), and any use required of SERC central or overseas facilities. Information is also sought on training programmes offered for research students.
  Based on this information, quota allocations are made on the quality and timeliness of proposed areas of research, the academic track-record of departments (especially at postgraduate level), previous records of take-up of awards, and such indicators as submissions rates (departments with poor submission rates are sanctioned).

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was(a) the total number and (b) the value in pounds sterling of (i) advanced course studentships, (ii) research studentships and (iii) research grants granted to each academic institution in the United Kingdom during each of the last five years by each research council.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  Much of the information requested on research grants and studentships can be found, in most cases, in the research councils' annual reports or handbooks for the past five years. Copies of these publications are in the Library of the House. I am also obtaining some additional material which I propose to forward to the hon. Gentleman and place in the Library of the House as soon as it is available.

  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what plans he has to examine the process by which research councils select membership of research student awards committees;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to publish guidelines to research councils to secure that members of research students awards committees who have a close connection with an academic institution or institutions make a declaration of interests and are prevented from taking direct decisions on the allocation of research studentships to such institutions.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to intervene in the procedures adopted by the research councils either for selecting the members of their awards committees, or to select suitable recipients of their postgraduate awards. Where there is a potential conflict of interest affecting anyone involved in the selection process for awards, there are established procedures at all the research councils for preventing this from happening. Under agreed resource management arrangements, postgraduate studentship award allocations are matters entirely within the competence of the councils themselves.

  Public Bodies (Chief Executives)
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those public bodies headed by a chief executive on a freelance consultancy contract arrangement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  With the exception of the BBC, I am not aware of any instances as described by the hon. Member. The terms and conditions of employment of a chief executive of a public body are matters for the body concerned under the general direction of the sponsor Department and subject to the consent of the Treasury.

  Charter Marks
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the 1993 Charter Mark awards competition will be launched.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister launched the 1993 Charter Mark scheme on 17 February at his seminar on the citizens charter. All public sector organisations providing a service directly to the public are eligible to apply. The closing date for the scheme is 30 June 1993. Up to 100 Charter Marks can be awarded this year. The response that we have had so far has been very encouraging and we are expecting a large number of applications.

  Charters (Compensation)
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his oral answer of 15 February,Official Report, column 14, which four charters in addition to the British Rail passengers charter and the London Underground customers charter contain provisions for financial compensation.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  The following charters also contain provision for financial compensation.

  the Benefits Agency customers charter;

  the Contributions Agency employers and contributors charters;

  the Northern Ireland Railways passengers charter.

  Staff (Working Hours)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will undertake a survey of all offices and agencies for which he has responsibility to ascertain to what extent staff supplying a service to the public are curtailing their work on a Friday afternoon earlier than other days of the week; and if he will make a statement on his policy on hours of staff working each week.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  The conditioned hours of all staff in the main grades are 41 hours gross a week in the London pay area and 42 hours gross a week elsewhere. The majority of staff in the agencies for which I am responsible work under flexible hours schemes to which core time rules apply. A condition of the flexible hours schemes is that they may be withdrawn if the system is abused or if the work needs make it impractical. There is no evidence of abuse of the system or that customers of the Department are not effectively serviced on Friday afternoons, so I see no reason to carry out a survey.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Witzemann v. Hauptzollamt München-Mitte
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the judgment in the case of Witzemann v. Hauptzollamt München-Mitte by the European Court of Justice on 2 and 25 October and 6 December 1990, case C-343/89; what information he has as to the costs falling to the Community of the case; and if he will outline how a judgment against the accused would be enforced in such a case, in respect of financial penalties.

  Sir John Cope
  I have noted the outcome. There are no new United Kingdom policy implications. Where an
  393
  action is brought under article 177 of the EC treaty for a preliminary ruling by the ECJ, the costs of the action are reserved to the national court. Any judgment in the national court will be enforced in accordance with the laws of that member state.

  Auditing
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to bring forward proposals for imposing a duty on auditors of firms in the regulated sector to report to the regulators.

  Mr. Nelson
  I am pleased to announce that a joint Treasury and Department of Trade and Industry consultation document is being published today. This includes draft regulations imposing a statutory duty on auditors to report to the Bank of England any information which they believe to be relevant to their client bank's fulfilment of the authorisation criteria in the Banking Act, in line with the recommendation made by Sir Thomas Bingham in his report of the inquiry into BCCI.

  The consultation document also includes draft instruments extending a similar duty to report to the relevant regulatory authority, for auditors of building societies, friendly societies, persons regulated under the Financial Services Act, and at the initiative of my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, companies regulated under the Insurance Companies. Act.

  The instruments which would implement the statutory duty have been drafted in close consultation with the auditing profession, with bodies representing regulated firms, and with the regulators.

  Comments are requested on the consultation document by I June. When the Government have had time to consider these, we will prepare draft instruments to lay before the House. These should come into force before the end of 1993.

  Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the House Libraries.

WALES

  Sheep Farmers
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the net farm income in real terms of sheep farmers in severely disadvantaged areas in Wales in each year since 1979.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The income figures in real terms—that is, deflated by the RPI 1991–92 = 100—are as follows:

  Severely disadvantaged sheep farms

  Year

  1979–80

  6,677

  1980–81

  11,524

  1981–82

  15,453

  1982–83

  10,233

  1983–84

  13,434

  1984–85

  14,537

  1985–86

  9,896

  1986–87

  13,414

  1987–88

  12,342

  1988–89

  19,104

  1989–90

  10,903

  1990–91

  11,373

  1991–92

  16,540

  Inmos
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the highest number of employees at the Inmos plant in Newport; and what is(a) the present total and (b) the planned number in 1994 at Newport Wafer Fab, under the programme of Government assistance.

  Mr. David Hunt
  This information is commercially confidential.

  Sheep Premium
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has made to the European Community to date in the current year concerning prompt payment of the final instalments of the sheep annual premium.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The European Commission took the decision on the final rate of premium last month. Publication of the rate in the Official Journal is expected shortly. We hope to be able to make the payments in early April.

  Preseli Environmentally Sensitive Area
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many farms could be included in the Preseli environmentally sensitive area.

  Mr. David Hunt
  About 2,300.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will review annually payments made under the Preseli environmentally sensitive area; and if he will index link them.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Payment rates are currently reviewed every two years and there are no plans to change these arrangements.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what criteria his Department used for designating all of the Preseli, Pembrokeshire district an environmentally sensitive area.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The environmentally sensitive area scheme was introduced to help conserve, through the maintenance or adoption of particular agricultural practices, areas of the countryside where the landscape, wildlife or historic interest is of national importance. Final decisions on the precise boundary of the Preseli ESA will be taken in the light of the forthcoming consultation exercise.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what organisation will set the conditions covering the environmentally sensitive area of Preseli; how its members will be appointed; and from what organisations they will be drawn.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The proposed management prescriptions for the Preseli ESA, which will form part of the consultation document that is to be issued shortly, have been drawn up by my Department in consultation with the Agricultural Development Advisory Service, the Countryside Council for Wales and other farming and environmental bodies.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what will be the overall budget for the Preseli
  395
  environmentally sensitive area for 1993–94 and his estimate for 1994–95; and what will be the total acreage covered.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The overall budget for the proposed Preseli ESA will be dependent upon the rates of payment to farmers which will be decided in the light of the forthcoming consultation exercise. It is anticipated that the Preseli ESA will cover approximately 115,000 hectares.

  Cereal Growers
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many commercial cereal growers in Wales have completed yield data forms in each of the years from 1986; and how many of those grow winter wheat.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Holdings cannot be classified on the basis of whether they are commercial cereal producers. A close approximation to this group is the farm typology group "Specialist Cereal Holdings". The table gives the number of holdings in this group responding to the cereal production survey, and of those, how many grow wheat.

  Number of specialist cereal holdings1 in Wales responding to the April cereal production survey2 each year from 1987 to 1992

  Harvest year

  April survey Year

  Number of specialist cereal holdings

  Of which grow wheat3

  1986

  1987

  4

  0

  1987

  1988

  19

  7

  1988

  1989

  19

  7

  1989

  1990

  8

  3

  1990

  1991

  12

  7

  1991

  1992

  13

  6

  Divisional Offices

  Caernarfon £000s

  Carmarthen £000s

  Llandrindod Wells £000s

  (a) Subsidies

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances

  12,162

  7,043

  19,022

  Sheep Annual Premium Scheme

  32,090

  19,784

  42,364

  Stickler Cow Premium Scheme

  3,552

  2,540

  6,246

  Oilseed Support Scheme 1992

  60

  53

  132

  Farm Woodland Scheme

  11

  10

  16

  (b) Grant Schemes

  Farm and Conservation Grant Scheme

  1,284

  2,733

  1,892

  Agriculture Improvement Scheme

  375

  832

  460

  Agriculture and Horticulture Development Scheme

  371

  318

  362

  Farm Diversification Grant Scheme

  69

  192

  116

  Farm Diversification Marketing and Feasibility Grant

  6

  4

  7

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas

  388

  547

  607

  Five year Set-Aside

  37

  217

  144

  One year Set-Aside

  0

  3

  8

  The number of agreements entered into in 1992 are as follows:

  Farm and Conservation Grant Scheme

  63

  46

  126

  Farm Diversification Grant Scheme

  1

  4

  1

  Farm Diversification Marketing and Feasibility Grants

  1

  5

  5

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas

  93

  15

  9

  Livestock Identification Scheme
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will include the livestock identification scheme in the Government's review of the scope for deregulation; and if he will make a statement.
  396
  1 The classification of holdings into farm types is based upon a system of estimating the dominant activity on each holding using standard gross margins (SGMs). Conceptually the SGM is the difference between the value of the output of each activity and the variable costs of the necessary inputs to the activity. Specialist cereal holdings are therefore characterised by cereals production being the dominant activity.
  2 There are normally three cereal production surveys in the course of a year. The first is around August-September towards the end of the harvest period which provides a first estimate of cereal production. The second survey is conducted during November which produces another provisional estimate of total production. The third and final survey is in April and the results of this survey are used as the final cereal production estimates. The table has therefore been produced using only the holdings responsible to the April survey.
  3 No distinction is made between winter and spring sown varieties of wheat in the cereal production survey.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his best estimate of the number of commercial cereal growers in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  There were 250 specialist cereal growers in Wales according to the June 1992 agricultural census.

  Agricultural Grants and Subsidies
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what sums were paid out by each of his divisional offices for each(a) agricultural subsidy scheme and (b) grant scheme available to farmers in 1992; how many agreements were entered into for each grant scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is as follows:

  Mr. David Hunt
  The introduction of animal identification systems is a consequence of EC requirements.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the livestock identification scheme.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Several.

  Farm Support Schemes
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what Government financial aid schemes are currently available to assist farm diversification and farm development and to support farm incomes in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  All the current agricultural support schemes, implemented under the common agricultural policy, contribute to a greater or lesser extent to the incomes of farm businesses. The most important to farmers in Wales in terms of overall expenditure include the sheep annual premium scheme, hill livestock compensatory allowances, suckler cow premium scheme, beef special premium scheme, farm and conservation grant scheme and the environmentally sensitive area scheme. The farm and conservation grant scheme is the only one of these schemes containing specific measures aimed at developing or improving the farm structure. Grants for farm diversification were available under this scheme, but were withdrawn on 18 January 1993.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 4 February,Official Report, columns 340–41, what interviews he had with persons with a view to appointing them as chairman of the Welsh Development Agency; how many persons expressed an interest in the post prior to its being advertised; how many persons he approached for the post; and how many meetings with potential appointees took place.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Applications for and expressions of interest in the post of chairman are confidential. I will be making an announcement on the appointment in due course.

  Higher Education, Cardiff
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the Welsh Higher Education Funding Council concerning the future of(a) academic teaching and research accommodation requirements of the Cardiff Business School, (b) the student residential accommodation requirements for the University of Wales College of Cardiff and (c) the proposed third campus proposal at Cardiff Bay.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None.

  Special Schools (Psychiatry Services)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has with the south Glamorgan health authority concerning the cessation of provision of child and adolescent psychiatry services to special schools.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  None.

  Employment Protection Regulations
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library copies of all circulars and other advice issued by his Department concerning the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 and the Acquired Rights directive.

  Mr. David Hunt
  A copy of my Department's letter of 9 November 1992 to health authorities in Wales has already been placed in the Library of the House; no other circulars or advice have been issued.

  Community Facilities
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of approvals for new schemes involving capital grants to village halls, voluntary youth services and community centres which will be given in 1993–94.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In 1993–94 the resources available for this programme will be fully utilised in meeting commitments arising from previous years. No new schemes have been approved, therefore.

  Disadvantaged Areas
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what has been the rate of return on capital on cattle and sheep farms in severely disadvantaged areas in Wales in each year since 1979;

  (2) what has been the rate of return on capital on livestock farms in disadvantaged areas in Wales in each year since 1979;

  (3) what has been the rate of return on capital on specialist sheep farms in severely disadvantaged areas in Wales in each year since 1979;

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 1 March 1993]: The available information is as follows:

  Hill and Upland (SDA) Cattle and Sheep Farms

  Return on net worth Per cent.

  Return on tenant's capital Per cent.

  1986–87

  -0·06

  2·1

  1987–88

  2·00

  4·9

  1988–89

  2·83

  9·2

  1989–90

  -0·08

  4·4

  1990–91

  -0·70

  1·1

  1991–92

  0·70

  4·8

  Upland (DA) Livestock Farms

  Return on net worth Per cent.

  Return on tenant's capital Per cent.

  1986–87

  0·78

  n/a

  1987–88

  0·43

  n/a

  1988–89

  1·19

  n/a

  1989–90

  -1·26

  n/a

  1990–91

  -2·43

  n/a

  1991–92

  -1·44

  n/a

  n/a=not available.

  Hill and Upland (SDA) Sheep Farms

  Return on net worth Per cent.

  Return on tenant's capital Per cent.

  1986–87

  0·66

  3·7

  1987–88

  -0·15

  5·8

  1988–89

  2·84

  10·3

  1989–90

  0·42

  3·3

  1990–91

  0·23

  3·2

  1991–92

  1·96

  10·8

  399

  Hill and Upland (LFA) Livestock Farms

  Return on net worth Per cent.

  Return on tenant's capital Per cent.

  1986–87

  0·45

  2·1

  1987–88

  0·61

  4·7

  1988–89

  2·40

  8·8

  1989–90

  -0·09

  2·4

  1990–91

  -0·65

  —

  1991–92

  0·77

  4·9

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Leyland DAF
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what investigations have been made into the transfer pricing policies of Leyland DAF.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No investigations have been carried out by the DTI into the transfer pricing policies of Leyland DAF.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the 1991 accounts of Leyland DAF were laid at Companies house.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  [holding answer 5 March 1993]: I understand that the company accounts for Leyland DAF Ltd. for the calendar year 1991 have not been filed at Companies house. They were due by 31 October 1992 and a letter advising the company of this fact was issued six weeks before that date. The annual accounts were not received by then and as is normal in such cases Companies house initiated default procedures. A letter was issued on 16 November 1992 and in the absence of any response a further letter was issued on 8 January 1993. Notice of the appointment of an administrative receiver was received at Companies house on 5 February. As responsibility for the company's affairs now lies with the administrator, further action against the directors would be inappropriate.

  Foreign-domiciled Companies
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what information he has about the number of foreign-domiciled companies operating in Great Britain.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Comprehensive figures are not available on the total number of foreign owned companies which have invested in Great Britain. However, figures on manufacturing business published by the Central Statistical Office show 2,419 foreign-owned businesses in the United Kingdom in 1990.

  Inspectors
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list his Department's published inspectors' reports which are critical of auditors for their failure to make a proper going concern evaluation.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No. Copies of published inspectors' reports are available in the Library for inspection.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what analysis his Department makes of his inspectors' reports; and to whom it is made available.
  400
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Reports of inspectors are considered carefully and information is disclosed, through the provisions of sections 451A and 449 of the Companies Act 1985, to prosecuting or regulatory bodies as appropriate. Relevant policy or legislative points are noted and considered within my Department.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 4 February,Official Report, column 261, if he will publish in the Official Report a summary of the annual plutonium production figures.

  Mr. Eggar
  No.

  Retailers
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to prevent companies withdrawing supplies to retailers who offer their products at bargain prices to consumers.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  Investigation of anti-competitive behaviour such as refusal to supply or withdrawing supplies is the responsibility of the Director General of Fair Trading under the competition legislation. Where a refusal to supply is connected to resale price maintenance the Resale Prices Act 1976 has effect. Any evidence of such behaviour should be drawn to the Director General's attention.

  Insurance Companies
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make it his policy to introduce legislation to make it compulsory for insurance companies to belong to an arbitration scheme.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  No. I believe the present voluntary schemes offer a desirable degree of flexibility which could be lost if membership were made compulsory.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the Minister for Energy intends to reply to the letter dated 8 December 1992 from the hon. Member for Sherwood.

  Mr. Eggar
  I replied to the hon. Member on 24 February.

  Assisted Area Status
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment has been made of the effect on London unemployment of the designation of assisted area status.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The main grant schemes available in the assisted areas, regional selective assistance and regional enterprise grants, are both demand-led and depend on businesses bringing forward suitable, eligible applications. Forecasting the possible impact of assisted area status on unemployment levels of individual areas is therefore not possible.

  Coal Industry
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much money has been paid in wages for not working to the work force involved in the 10 pits which are subject to the consultation process since the pits have ceased coaling.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for British Coal.

  Electricity
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when his views have been sought by the European Commission on the proposed electricity interconnector between Scotland and Northern Ireland; and what his response has been.

  Mr. Eggar
  The President's views have not been sought by the European Commission on the proposed electricity interconnector between Scotland and Northern Ireland. Electricity matters in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Staff (Working Hours)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will undertake a survey of all offices and agencies for which he has responsibility to ascertain to what extent staff supplying a service to the public are curtailing their work on a Friday afternoon earlier than other days of the week; and if he will make a statement on his policy on hours of staff working each week.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department places a high priority on the service it offers to the public. Staff work a five-day

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  (a) Total reported spills from all sources

  500

  559

  764

  791

  705

  (b) Spills from offshore installation.

  254

  259

  291

  345

  234

  (c) Line (b) as a percentage of line (a)

  50·8

  46·3

  38·1

  43·6

  33·2

  In 1991 the 234 spills from offshore installations totalled 192 tonnes of oil. Within the 471 spills from other sources reported by ACOPS, the 34 largest totalled 1,864·4 tonnes and there were 275 for which the amount spilt was not known or not recorded.

  1 Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom: A Report to Parliament by the Minister of Energy.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his best estimate of the amount of oil discharged in oil-based drilling mud into the environment from offshore drilling rigs in the United Kingdom sector in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Eggar
  The discharge of oil-based drilling mud into the environment from offshore drilling rigs in the United Kingdom sector of the North sea is not permitted.

  Discharge of oil-contaminated cuttings produced when using oil-based drilling mud may be permitted under an exemption, granted by the Secretary of State, from section 3 of the Prevention of Oil Pollution Act 1971.

  The Government publish annually in the "Brown Book", "Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the
  402
  week and local managers are required to make suitable arrangements to ensure that the public are properly served. The attendance requirements in each office apply on Fridays as on any other day and no special provision whatsoever is made for it to be treated any differently.

  Bureaucracy
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what progress he is making in cutting departmental and other bureaucracy for small and medium-sized businesses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  All the regulatory Departments have begun a review of the regulations for which they are responsible. In parallel, seven task forces of business men, organised on a sectoral basis, are being set up to advise Ministers on priorities for repeal and simplification with special reference to the needs of small and medium-sized businesses. The names of the chairman and members of the task forces will be announced shortly.

  Offshore Oil and Gas
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many oil spills have come from platforms operating in the United Kingdom sector in the last five years; and what proportion this number represents of the total number of spills.

  Mr. Eggar
  Numbers of oil spills from offshore installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf are published annually in the "Brown Book"1. Total reported spills from all sources are also published annually by the Advisory Committee on Pollution of the Sea in its survey of oil pollution around the coasts of the United Kingdom. The figures for 1987–91 are:

  United Kingdom: A Report to Parliament by the Minister for Energy", the quantities of oil discharged with cuttings. For the five years 1987–91 these were:

  Tonnes oil

  1987

  12,400

  1988

  18,500

  1989

  13,400

  1990

  12,310

  1991

  11,225

  Gas Industry
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to encourage further competition in the gas industry.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade has referred the markets on gas supply, gas transportation and storage to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  We shall consider what steps should be taken to encourage further competition in the light of its report.

  EC Steel Industry
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what conclusions have been reached in discussions between EC Ministers about the future of the EC steel industry; what recommendations he will be making to the Council of Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  EC Ministers have agreed a package of measures based on a voluntary programme of capacity reductions. The main elements are: additional ECSC financial support for the social costs of closures; internal market measures, including strict application of state aid rules, speedy consideration, within EC competition rules, of inter-company co-operation agreements, and non-mandatory guidance on production and deliveries within the Community; and external measures, including limited restrictions on certain steel imports from central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.

  Since United Kingdom industry has already undergone substantial restructuring and rationalisation, I would expect future capacity reductions predominantly in other EC countries, particularly Spain, Italy and Germany.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has had from the British Constructional Steelwork Association concerning the alleged subsidisation of Italian constructional steelwork imported into the United Kingdom for the second Severn bridge and other projects.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I have been asked to reply.

  I wrote to the British Constructional Steelwork Association on 26 November. A copy of my letter has been sent to the hon. Member.

  Euroway Estate, Bradford
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which edition of the Employment Gazette contained information on the grant and project for Spring Ram Ltd. on Euroway estate, Bradford.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Employment Gazette has not contained any information on the current Spring Ram project at Euroway estate, Bradford.

  Miners' Redundancies
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many miners have taken voluntary redundancy since 13 October 1992, both in total and on a pit-by-pit basis.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is a matter for British Coal.

  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list those coal mines and the number of coal miners and other staff made redundant in each year since 1977.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 3 March 1993]: This is a matter for British Coal.

  Pension Funds
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has received in relation to the guidelines for disqualification from future positions as 404
  directors of private companies, including any directors in their past or present responsibilities found not to have paid over personal pension plan contributions made by deduction from wages and salaries.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  While such representations have been received in relation to specific cases, none has been received in general terms.

  National Welsh Bus Company
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 739, on what date he expects that his insolvency service disqualification unit will complete its consideration of the administrative receivers' reports into the conduct of the directors of National Welsh Bus Company.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The insolvency service has asked the administrative receivers of the National Welsh Bus Company to clarify and amplify matters contained in their report on the conduct of the directors of the company. Until that information is received the Secretary of State is unable to say when a decision will be taken.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade, pursuant to his answer of 13 January,Official Report, column 739, what representations he has received concerning the failure of the directors of the National Welsh Bus Company during 1991 to pass on to the pension company, personal pension plan contributions deducted from the bus company's employees' wages and salaries.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  The Secretary of State has received representations from a beneficiary of the National Welsh Bus Company pension scheme concerning a failure to pay over pension contributions deducted from employees' wages.

  Shipbuilding
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is his Department's policy on implementation of the EC decision on the level of shipbuilding intervention funding.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Following the decision of the European Commission, notified to member states on 18 Janaury 1993, I have decided to maintain the maximum level of support for large merchant ships at 9 per cent. for 1993. I have similarly decided that maximum support for small ships will be maintained at 4·5 per cent. These levels, which are the maximum permitted by the European Commission, are inclusive of shipbuilder's relief at 2 per cent.

  Monopolies and Mergers
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he intends to make a further reference of a public sector body to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission under section 11 of the Competition Act 1980.

  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  As part of its regular programme of efficiency studies of publicly owned bodies, the Commission has been asked to look into the service provided by the British Waterways Board. The formal reference was made today. It asks the MMC to look at whether, in carrying out its functions under the relevant
  405
  legislation, the BWB could improve efficiency, reduce costs and improve the quality of service provided. The terms of reference will be laid in the House of Commons Library.

  Pension Funds
  Ms. Estelle Morris
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the percentage level of the employer's contribution to the pension funds of(a) British Telecom, (b) British Gas and (c) the electricity boards in the year prior to privatisation.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 5 March 1993]Percentage levels of the employer's contribution in these companies in the year prior to the privatisation of each were:

  British Telecommunications Staff Superannuation Scheme: 15·5 per cent. (FY 1983–1984).

  British Gas Corporation Pension Scheme (Industrial): 6 per cent. (FY 1986–1987).

  British Gas Staff Pension Scheme: 23·4 per cent. (FY 1986–1987).

  Electricity Supply Pension Scheme: 37 per cent. (FY 1989–1990).

  Energy Technology Support Unit
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of research contracts administered by his Department's energy technology support unit in(a) 1980 to 1989 and (b) 1990 to 1993 have been contracted to researchers employed by ETSU; and if he will list the annual value to the ETSU for each year since 1980 of research contracts supported by external resources which have been undertaken in-house.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 5 March 1993]As manager of research programmes, ETSU is precluded from contracting research work under those programmes to its own employees.

  Before 1989, the Department of Energy was ETSU's sole customer. Since 1989, ETSU has offered its programme management, technology transfer, and strategic studies capabilities to United Kingdom and overseas Government Departments and to the Commission of the European Communities. Income from these new sources was £78,000 in 1989–90, £511,000 in 1990–91, and £1·062 million in 1991–92.

  Regional Development Fund
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he last met EC Commissioner Millan; what plans he has to meet Commissioner Millan to discuss the United Kingdom's allocation under the European regional development fund; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]My right hon. Friend has had no formal meetings with Commissioner Milian.

  I last met Commissioner Millan on 14 December 1992. I have no definite plans for our next meeting.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Pest Control
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee (1) which Department of the House has responsibility for pest control in the precincts of the Palace of Westminster;
  406
  (2) what arrangements are currently in place for the prevention of mice infestation in the House; which company currently holds the contract; for how long that company has held the contract; and when it was last put out to tender.

  Mr. Ray Powell
  These are primarily matters for the Serjeant at Arms and I shall ask him to write to the hon. Member.

  Written Answers
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what action he proposes to take in respect of the practice used by Ministers of submitting written answers, pursuant to earlier questions already answered.

  Mr. Newton
  This issue is addressed in the Third Report of the Select Committee on Procedure, Session 1990–91, paragraphs 128–130. I am considering the Committee's recommendations and will respond shortly.

  Oral Answers
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the names of hon. Members who have in this Parliament had a question to the Secretary of State for Employment for oral Answer listed on the Order Paper among the top 12 more than three times.

  Mr. Newton
  None.

SCOTLAND

  Prisoners' Ombudsman
  Mr. Chisholm
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to establish a prisoners' ombudsman.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Consideration is at present being given to the comments received in response to publication in September 1992 of the Scottish prison service working group report "Right and Just" which made recommendations for reform of the procedures under which prisoners in Scotland are able to make requests and complaints and to air grievances. An announcement on the shape of new procedures will be made when that consideration is complete.

  Hospital Staff
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the numbers of nurses, doctors, administrative staff, senior managers and domestic staff employed in each hospital,(a) at the nearest available date and (b) three years ago.

  Mr. Stewart
  This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Limited statistics for NHS employed staff are, however, shown by hospital in the 1991–92 edition of the "Scottish Health Service Costs", a copy of which is available in the Library. Comparable data for earlier years are not available in this published series.

  Police Interview Notes
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many instances in each of the past three years criminal convictions have been referred back to the Court of Appeal following re-examination of the original police interview notes.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 5 March 1993]None.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many requests have been made to the police in each of the past three years for the disclosure of original interview notes in cases where criminal charges have been brought; in how many instances these requests have been denied; and for what reasons.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 5 March 1993]This information is not held in a readily retrievable form.

  Health Service (Employment Protection)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish all correspondence between the Scottish health service and(a) Tayside health board and (b) the Dundee hospital trust relating to (i) the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations and (ii) the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill.

  Mr. Stewart
  Only two letters giving a legal view on the TUPE regulations 1981 have been issued from the central legal office of the NHS Scotland to Tayside health board. The advice given to the board was in general terms and did not involve the Dundee hospital trust.

ENVIRONMENT

  Environmental Auditing
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution his Department made towards the report, "Environmental Auditing—an Introduction and Practical Guide", published by the British Library.

  Mr. Maclean
  None.

  Assisted Areas
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each year(a) at year-by-year prices and (b) at current prices the total amount of moneys made available to the travel-to-work areas included in the assisted areas map since it was last reviewed in 1984.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  This information is not available. My Department does not make moneys available with reference to travel-to-work areas.

  Canada Geese Eggs
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many licences he has issued in each of the last five years for the taking or destroying of Canada goose eggs; and how many eggs were reported as having been dealt with under those licences.
  408
  Mr. Maclean
  Information on licences issued to take or destroy Canada goose eggs in each of the years 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991 is contained in the United Kingdom's annual derogation reports to the European Commission, copies of which are held in the Library of the House.

  During 1992, 27 licences to take or destroy eggs were issued. Returns for the number of eggs dealt with are still awaited from some licence holders.

  Child Protection, Lambeth
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the standard spending assessment component for services in Lambeth associated with child protection; and how that component compares with the standard spending assessments for the other Inner London boroughs expressed in the form which would be applicable to a standard population size.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  Child protection is one of many aspects of social services for children covered by the children's element of the standard spending assessment for personal social services. The amount of this element expressed in pounds per child under 18 for all London authorities is given in the table.

  SSA for Social Services for children per child

  Local authority

  £ child

  Greater London

  City of London

  567

  Camden

  643

  Greenwich

  311

  Hackney

  828

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  736

  Islington

  711

  Kensington and Chelsea

  605

  Lambeth

  860

  Lewisham

  461

  Southwark

  620

  Tower Hamlets

  631

  Wandworth

  559

  Westminster

  627

  Barking and Dagenham

  230

  Barnet

  150

  Bexley

  107

  Brent

  416

  Bromley

  122

  Croydon

  206

  Ealing

  264

  Enfield

  148

  Haringey

  509

  Harrow

  104

  Havering

  103

  Hillingdon

  122

  Hounslow

  195

  Kingston upon Thames

  121

  Merton

  180

  Newham

  382

  Redbridge

  141

  Richmond upon Thames

  151

  Sutton

  127

  Waltham Forest

  299

  PM10 Particulates
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment at how many sites in the United Kingdom he plans to monitor for PM10 particulates; and how many local authorities monitor for PM10.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Department currently monitors PM10 particulates at eight sites in the United Kingdom, with a further four sites planned by the end of 1993. One local authority monitors PM10.

  Thames Water Extraction
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the impact of water extraction from the River Thames on salination levels in the upper reaches of the river.

  Mr. Maclean
  None: this is a matter for the National Rivers Authority to monitor.

  Contracting Out
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the market tests that have taken place in the Ordnance Survey since November 1991; whether the result was the maintenance of in-house provision or whether the service was contracted out; what was the name of the successful contractor where appropriate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  None of the projects in Ordnance Survey's market-testing programme since November 1991, which involves exposing in-house functions to competition, has yet reached the stage where a contract or service level agreement has been awarded. Functions and services which are currently being market tested are computer operations, printing and graphic reproduction, elements of office services, site security and catering.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those services or functions that have been contracted out from Ordnance Survey since November 1991 without market testing an in-house bid against external competition, with, in each instance, the successful contractor and the reasons for the decision to exclude an in-house bid.

  Mr. Baldry
  Since November 1992, Ordnance Survey has contracted out the following functions without market testing an in-house bid.

  (1) Part of the Internal Audit programme, particularly computer audit. The successful contractor was Ernst and Young. No in-house bid was sought since the work contracted out supplemented the continuing in-house programme and the intention was to assess the quality of contracted out audits prior to full market testing.

  (2) Bulk enveloping and despatch of invoices and publicity material. The successful contractor was the local Sheltered Workshop (SIT). The work was contracted out to meet peak demands and to make better use of directly employed staff.

  Ordnance Survey has contracted out a proportion of its large scale map digitising programme for a number of years and this has been ongoing since November 1991. The reason for contracting out is that the digitising programme has a finite life, it will be completed by 1995, and it was not economic to invest in recruitment and training of extra staff and the associated expensive equipment for such a short period. The contractors involved are
  410

  BKS Surveys

  Consult

  Gardline Surveys

  Geografix

  Glen Computing

  Graphical Data Capture

  Ground Modelling

  Grove Consultants

  JTC Computer Systems

  Laserscan

  Mason Land Surveys

  QC Data

  Summerside Associates

  Survey International

  Survey and Development Services

  Taywood Data Graphics

  In addition, a large part of the in-house task associated with warehousing materials and equipment has ceased as a result of the introduction of call-off contracts.

  Ordnance Survey (Market Testing)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the firms of consultants used by Ordnance Survey as part of the market-testing programme since November 1991 together with the total cost; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The firms of consultants used by Ordnance Survey for work relating to the market-testing programme since November 1991 are P. Bacon Consultancy, Grosvenor Consultancy Services Ltd. and Coopers and Lybrand. The total cost of consultancy advice is estimated to be of the order of £40,000.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff in Ordnance Survey are assigned to the market-testing programme; how much the programme has cost Ordnance Survey since November 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  One person controls Ordnance Survey's market-testing programme, in conjunction with other duties. A number of line managers are involved in individual market testing projects as part of their normal duties. The exact amount of time spent on these duties is not recorded and the cost of the programme could be calculated only at disproportionate cost.

  Mobile Homes
  Mr. Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reasons underlie the ineligibility of owners of residential mobile homes for disabled facilities grant aid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Under part VIII of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, a property is eligible for disabled facilities grant only if it is a dwelling and the owner has an interest in the land on which it is located. Mobile home owners have difficulty in meeting these legal requirements. We are considering whether ways can be found of extending minor works assistance to mobile home owners for small repairs and adaptations.

  Local Government Boundary Commission
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were his reasons for(a) accepting report 665 of the Local Government Boundary Commission and (b) not giving detailed reasons for his decision when he announced it on 23 February.
  411
  Mr. Robin Squire
  The recommendations from the Local Government Boundary Commission were accepted because it was considered to be in the interests of effective and convenient local government to have the existing airport in one local government area. We carefully considered the commission's recommendations and all representations on them. We reached our conclusion on a balance of judgment and, as has been the consistent practice in such cases, we do not propose to set out our reasoning in greater detail.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to include an element based on the percentage of people with a long-term sickness or disability in SSA calculations in future; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  The need to incorporate in SSAs for 1994–95 information from the 1991 census provides an opportunity to take a more wide-ranging look at their composition. My right hon. and learned Friend has said that he will consider any representations for changes which are made to him.

  Wetlands
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what impact the proposed new environmental protection agency will have on determining environmental policy towards wetlands.

  Mr. Maclean
  The proposed new Environment Agency will bring together all of the functions of the National Rivers Authority, Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and the waste regulation functions of local authorities to form an integrated body. It will have no responsibility for determining environmental policy towards wetlands, but may provide information on matters within its responsibilities. The Government are committed to the wise use of wetlands as part of their obligations under the Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much English Nature spent on management agreements that involved the protection and management of wetland areas in the last financial year.

  Mr. Maclean
  English Nature spent £5,735,359 on management agreements in 1991–92. A breakdown of that expenditure for all 1,584 agreements by habitat type is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However £49,404 was spent on new agreements involving wetland or partial wetland sites concluded in 1992–93 where the annual payment exceeded £2,000 or where a lump sum payment in excess of £10,000 was made.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all important wetland sites designated under the Ramsar convention to date.

  Mr. Maclean
  I was pleased to announce the designation of Roydon Common, Gibraltar Point and the Nene Washes as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar convention, and the extension of the existing Ouse Washes Ramsar site, on 5 March 1993. The United Kingdom has now listed 62 Ramsar sites, including one site in a dependent territory, the Turks and Caicos Islands. Details of the sites are as follows.
  412

  United Kingdom sites listed as wetlands of international importance under the RAMSAR convention

  Name

  County/Region

  Dale designated

  1. Bridgwater Bay

  Somerset

  5 January 1976

  2. Bure Marshes

  Norfol

  5 January 1976

  3. Core Fochno and Dyfi

  Dyfed, Gwynedd and Powys

  5 January 1976

  4. Hickling Broad and Horsey Mere

  Norfolk

  5 January 1976

  5. Lindafarne

  Northumberland

  5 January 1976 (1 11 March 1992)

  6. Loch Druidibcg, Loch a'Machair and Loch Slilligary

  Western Isles

  5 January 1976

  7. Loch Leven

  Tayside

  5 January 1976

  8. Loch Lomond

  Strathclyde and Central

  5 January 1976

  9. Lough Neagh and Lough Beg

  Antrim, Londonderry Tyrone, Armagh and Down

  5 January 1976

  10. Minsmere-Walberswick

  Suffolk

  5 January 1976 (1 19 May 1992)

  11. North Norfolk Coast

  Norfolk

  5 January 1976 (1 20 January 1989)

  12. Ouse Washes

  Cambridgeshire and Norfolk

  5 January 1976 (1 5 March 1993)

  13. Rannoch Moor

  Tayside

  5 January 1976

  14. Abberton Reservoir

  Essex

  24 July 1981

  15. Cairngorm Lochs

  Grampian and Highland

  24 July 1981

  16. Claish Moss

  Highland

  24 July 1981

  17. Loch Lintrathen

  Tayside

  24 July 1981

  18. Rostheme Mere

  Cheshire

  24 July 1981

  19. Silver Flowe

  Dumfries and Galloway

  24 July 1981

  20. Chesil Beach and the Fleet

  Dorset

  17 July 1985

  21. The Dee Estuary

  Merseyside, Cheshire and Clwyd

  17 July 1985

  22. Derwent Ings

  North Yorkshire and Humberside

  17 July 1985

  23. Holborn Moss

  Northumberland

  17 July 1985

  24. Irthinghead Mires

  Cumbria and Northumberland

  17 July 1985

  25. The Swale

  Kent

  17 July 1985

  26. Alt Estuary

  Merseyside

  28 November 1985

  27. Leighton Moss

  Lancashire

  29 November 1985

  28. Martin Mere

  Lancashire

  28 November 1985

  29. Loch Eye

  Highland

  23 September 1986

  30. Loch Skene

  Grampian

  23 September 1986

  31. Rokliffe Marshes (part of Upper Solway Flats and Marshes)

  Cumbria

  23 September 1986

  32. Chichester and Langstone Harbours

  Hampshire/West Sussex

  26 October 1987

  33. Upper Severn Estuary

  Gloucestershire

  5 February 1988

  34. The Wash

  Lincolnshire/Norfolk

  30 March 1988

  35. Pagham Harbour

  West Sussex

  30 March 1988

  36. Din Moss—Hoselaw Loch

  Borders

  14 July 1988

  37. Gladhouse Reservoir

  Lothian

  14 July 1988

  38. Bridgend Flats, Islay

  Strathclyde

  14 July 1988

  39. Duich Moss, Islay

  Strathclyde

  14 July 1988

  40. Gruinart Flats

  Strathclyde

  14 July 1988

  41. Fala Flow

  Midlothian

  25 April 1990

  42. Glac-na-Criche

  Islay

  25 April 1990

  43. Feur Lochain

  Islay

  25 April 1990

  44. Loch an Duin

  North Uist

  25 April 1990

  45. North, Middle and East Caicos Islands

  Turks and Caicos

  27 June 1990

  413

  Name

  County/Region

  Date designated

  46. Redgrave and South Lopham Fens

  Norfolk/Suffolk

  15 February 1991

  47. Rutland Water

  Leicestershire

  4 October 1991

  48. Llyn Idwal

  Gwynedd

  7 November 1991

  49. Llyn Tegid

  Gwynedd

  7 November 1991

  50. Esthwaite Water

  Cumbria

  7 November 1991

  51. Walmore Common

  Gloucester

  5 December 1991

  52. Exe Estuary

  Devon

  11 March 1992

  53. Old Hall Marshes

  Essex

  11 March 1992

  54. Chippenham Fen

  Cambridgeshire

  11 March 1992

  55. Burry Inlet

  Dyfed/West Glamorgan

  14 July 1992

  56. Loch Ken and Dee Marshes

  Dumfries and Galloway

  31 August 1992

  57. Loch Spynie

  Grampian

  31 August 1992

  58. Cors Caron

  Dyfed

  28 September 1992

  59. Upper Solway Flats and Marshes

  Cumbria, Dumfries and Galloway

  30 November 1992

  60. Roydon Common

  Norfolk

  5 March 1993

  61. Nene Washes

  Cambridgeshire

  5 March 1993

  62. Gibraltar Point (Wash Phase II)

  Lincolnshire

  5 March 1993

  1 Extended.

  Employment Protection Regulations
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library copies of all circulars and other advice issued by his Department concerning the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 and the acquired rights directive.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  No such circular has been issued to local authorities. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State intends to make a statement on this matter shortly.

  Water Disconnections
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to introduce legislation to enact for England and Wales provisions in respect of the authority for water companies or others to cause a disconnection of a domestic consumer's water supply along the lines of those in force in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 4 March 1993]: No. It is right that bills should be paid, but equally that companies should deal sympathetically with customers who are having difficulty meeting their bills. Significant safeguards exist to protect domestic customers of water companies in England and Wales who cannot pay, rather than will not pay, from the prospect of disconnection. In Scotland water supply is at present a local authority service.

  Radiation Leak, Sellafield
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what monitoring has been carried out of the areas affected by the radioactive contamination resulting from the recent leak at Sellafield with regard to possible dangers to health.

  Mr. Soames
  [holding answer 2 March 1993]: I have been asked to reply.
  414
  This Department and Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, as joint authorising Departments for the disposal of radioactive waste from licensed nuclear sites, place a statutory obligation on operators to carry out monitoring of discharges and environmental radioactivity as a condition of authorisations. When British Nuclear Fuel Ltd's monitoring at Sellafield indicated the recent enhanced discharges of radioactivity, the company carried out high-volume air sampling and extra sampling of milk and grass in the areas affected.

  This Department samples milk in the vicinity of the Sellafield site as part of our routine surveillance activity near all licensed nuclear sites. Following these incidents we have also analysed grass samples and our dry cloth deposition collectors located around the site which provide data on airborne activity.

  On the basis of the results of this sampling, our scientific assessment is that the radiological impact from these discharges to the most exposed members of the public is no more than 10 microSieverts. By contrast the dose to members of the public from normal background radioactivity is 2,200 microSieverts a year.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what implications, in terms of time and content, her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution inquiry into the recent radiation leak at Sellafield will have for Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution consultation into the proposed radioactive waste discharge authorisations from British Nuclear Fuels Ltd., Sellafield site; and if he will make it his policy that no decision will be made on the draft authorisations until the results of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution inquiry into the leak are known.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 3 March 1993]: Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution currently does not expect the investigations into the recent incidents at Sellafield to affect the timetable for assessing the results of the consultation exercise on the proposed new authorisations at Sellafield. HMIP and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food still currently expect to submit their report on the consultation process in early April 1993.

  Any decisions on the draft authorisations will take account of lessons arising from the investigations.

  Staff (Working Hours)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will undertake a survey of all offices and agencies for which he has responsibility to ascertain to what extent staff supplying a service to the public are curtailing their work on a Friday afternoon earlier than other days of the week; and if he will make a statement on his policy on hours of staff working each week.

  Mr. Howard
  The staff in my Department and its agencies are conditioned to work 41 hours per week in London and 42 hours per week outside London. Both include five hours per week for lunch. In addition, if local management agree, staff can join the flexible working hours scheme. Staff who join the scheme must start work between 7.30 am and 10.00 am and must leave between 4.00pm and 6.30pm. The scheme is shortly to be amended so that staff will have the flexibility to leave between 4.00pm and 8.30pm.
  415
  The hours worked by staff on any particular day is for local management to decide. This they will do taking into account the requirement, where necessary, to cater for the needs of the public. I see no need to undertake a survey.

TRANSPORT

  British Rail National Timetable
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about a British Rail national timetable; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have received a number of letters about future arrangements for a national rail timetable and have given a clear assurance that a national timetable will continue to be published.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his timetable for the establishment of freight terminals for channel tunnel traffic in the west midlands.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a matter for British Rail. I understand that it expects the Birmingham Euroterminal, serving the whole of the midlands, to be ready when the channel tunnel opens.

  Cambridge (Southern Relief Road)
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of Cambridgeshire county council's plans for a Cambridge southern relief road.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  This road would form part of the local road network which is the responsibility of the county council. My Department has had continuing discussions with the county council on its proposed Cambridge strategy, including the relief road.

  Young Drivers (Casualties)
  Mr. Gallie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to introduce a package to reduce casualties among new and young drivers.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We are considering a number of possible measures to improve the safety of newly qualified drivers and hope to consult on proposals shortly.

  Cleethorpes-Newark Line
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to include the Cleethorpes-Newark line in his east coast franchising proposals.

  Mr. Freeman
  When my right hon. Friend announced on 2 February the first services to be prepared for franchising British Rail had already announced its decision to withdraw its direct inter-city service from London to Cleethorpes in May. The franchise announced for the inter-city east coast main line does not therefore include the line from Newark to Cleethorpes.

  Civil Aviation Authority
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to review the powers of the Civil Aviation Authority.

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

  Shipping Accidents
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he has taken at the International Maritime Organisation to improve the compensation arrangements appertaining to shipping accidents.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The United Kingdom took a leading role in the adoption at the IMO last year of protocols ensuring higher limits of liability in the event of an oil spill. We are also working at the IMO to develop a convention to ensure high levels of compensation in the event of a chemical spill.

  Waterloo-Exeter Line
  Sir John Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects new trains to be in service on the Waterloo-Exeter route.

  Mr. Freeman
  The first new train for the Waterloo-Exeter line was delivered to British Rail on 23 January. British Rail expects it to enter service later this month. The remaining trains should be in service by July.

  A550 Extension
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the cost of the proposed A550 extension.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The combined estimated cost of the two stages of the planned A550 improvement between Deeside park and the M53 is £49·2 million.

  Breathalyser Tests
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many breathalyser tests were carried out on motorists in England and Wales over the Christmas and new year period; how many of these were positive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  A total of 59,069 tests were carried out, of which 4,248, or 7·2 per cent., were positive. The proportion of positive tests was slightly lower than for the previous Christmas. There has been a continuing downward trend in drink-drive accidents; the number of fatalities has more than halved in the last decade, to around 700 in 1991. We are determined to get this number even lower.

  Railways (Scotland)
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next intends to meet the Board of ScotRail to discuss railway matters in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have no plans to meet the board of ScotRail. At my regular meetings with the chairman of the British Railways Board we discuss a wide range of railway
  417
  matters including those involving Scotland. I plan to visit Scotland later this month when I hope to meet the ScotRail management team.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the most recent progress in the aim to reduce the numbers of road accidents by one third between the years 1985 and 2000.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The aim is to reduce road accident casualties by one third by the year 2000, compared with the annual average for 1981–85. The provisional figures for the 12 months ending in September 1992 show that fatalities are down by 21 per cent., serious injuries by 33 per cent. and all casualties by 3 per cent. on the target baseline.

  Bypasses
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many bypasses are planned to be started in the next financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Nineteen of the 41 new national road programme starts announced by my right hon. Friend on 4 February are bypasses and most of the others will remove traffic from local communities. In addition, local authorities plan to start another 24 bypasses on their roads.

  West Coast Main Line
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the chairman of British Rail to discuss investment plans for the west coast main line.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the oral answer my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport gave to the hon. Member for Carlisle (Mr. Martlew) earlier today.

  Motorway Repairs (Land Rental Contracts)
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect that the introduction of lane rental contracts for contractors undertaking motorway repairs has had on the speed of repairs.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We estimate that lane rental contracts are completed some 30 per cent. faster than conventional contracts.

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received on the impact of rail privatisation on the rail links to the north and the west of the Scottish highlands; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I met the hon. Members for Ross, Cromarty and Skye (Mr. Kennedy), for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan), and for Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber (Sir R. Johnston), together with councillors and officials of the Highland regional council on 10 February to discuss the implications of passenger rail franchising for the highland lines.
  418
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 2 February, we intend to franchise ScotRail passenger services as a whole. The east coast main line InterCity services are also being prepared for franchising, and that includes services to Inverness. Fort William will continue to be served by the west coast main line InterCity services when they come to be franchised.

  Subsidy will be made available to support franchised ScotRail services as at present and InterCity services if necessary. Service levels, which will be based on the timetable being operated by British Rail immediately prior to franchising, will be written into legally binding contracts between the franchising director and the franchised passenger train operators.

  Road Programme
  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the economic effects of his road programme in the next financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The road programme aims as one of its objectives to assist economic growth by reducing transport costs. The programme of construction meets the needs of industry and other road users through the provision of a modern strategic road network. The benefit which roads generate for the economy is assessed by the use of cost-benefit techniques of economic appraisal.

  In his statement to the House on 4 February, the Secretary of State pointed out that the 41 schemes due to start next financial year will bring substantial economic, safety and environmental benefits to road users and the country as a whole. The benefits of these new schemes in terms of accidents avoided and time savings to road users has been assessed at £2·5 billion.

  Concessionary Bus Passes
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he proposes to take to promote the availability of concessionary bus passes for pensioners.

  Mr. Freeman
  The promotion of concessionary bus passes for pensioners is a matter for local authorities.

  Public Transport (Women's Safety)
  Ms. Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve women's safety on public transport systems.

  Mr. Norris
  My Department has a long-standing commitment to improve passenger safety on public transport.

  The remit of my Department's standing panel on assaults on bus staff has been extended to include the monitoring of data on assaults on bus passengers and possible remedial measures. The panel has recommended that bus operators install radios and video cameras in their vehicles to protect both employees and passengers.

  We have also co-sponsored the passenger guidance leaflet published by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, "Travel Safely by Public Transport". The leaflet contains practical safety advice for women using all forms of public transport.

  Concessionary Rail Travel
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 29 January,Official Report, column 869, how many concessionary rail passes were issued to British Rail staff, their dependants and ex-British Rail staff in each of the last five years; and what is the number of British Rail staff dependants who receive concessionary rail travel.

  Mr. Freeman
  The numbers of staff, including dependants, entitled to concessionary travel facilities, as at 9 January, were given to the hon. Member in my answer of 29 January, at column 869. Passes are issued to all those entitled on an annual basis and comparable figures for earlier years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  British Rail Employees
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people are employed by British Rail.

  Mr. Freeman
  The figure reported to my Department on 11 February was 131,651.

  Red Route, West Wickham
  Sir John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what traffic surveys were conducted in West Wickham high street before the formulation of the proposals to designate this stretch of the A232 as a red route.

  Mr. Norris
  None. As we made clear in our consultation document in January last year, the basis for the composition of the red route network was the existing primary route network, which consists of the best routes for traffic entering and leaving London and making longer distance journeys within it. The A232 West Wickham high street is a primary route.

  Sir John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the likely increase in traffic growth through West Wickham high street following its designation as part of the A232 red route.

  Mr. Norris
  This is a matter for the London borough of Bromley to consider in preparing the red route local plan. If it foresees any increase in traffic, the traffic director would expect the local plan to include offsetting benefits in terms of reduced congestion, improved road safety, or environmental improvements on nearby roads.

  Sir John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will instruct the Traffic Director to pay an official visit to West Wickham high street before finalising his decision to designate this stretch of the A232 as a red route.

  Mr. Norris
  The A232 West Wickham high street was designated a red route by the Secretary of State on 11 June 1992.

  I understand that the traffic director and his assistant director south-east visited West Wickham high street prior to attending a meeting of the London borough of Bromley's technical services committee on 20 January. The assistant director has also visited West Wickham high
  420
  street on several previous occasions to inspect traffic conditions during the morning peak, lunchtime and early evening periods.

  Sir John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration has been given to a possible diversion of the proposed A232 red route from West Wickham high street in order to meet the objections raised by local residents.

  Mr. Norris
  We carefully considered the London borough of Bromley's alternative proposal that the red route should by-pass West Wickham high street. We concluded, however, that no change should be made to our original proposal.

  Sir John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received with regard to the proposed red route through West Wickham high street; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norris
  We have received 517 representations and in addition four petitions containing a total of 341 names.

  I am satisfied that the high street forms part of an existing strategic route through south London which will benefit from the introduction of red route measures.

  Road Building and Management
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was spent on road building and management in real terms(a) in 1979 and (b) in 1992.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  In 1991–92 prices, £1,035 million was spent in 1979–80 and £1,889 million in 1991–92 on new construction and capital and current maintenance of national roads in England.

  Transport Expenditure
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the ratio of road to public transport expenditure by his Department(a) nationally and (b) in London.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Comprehensive details of the Government's expenditure on transport for the three-year period 1993–94 to 1995–96 are contained in the Department of Transport report 1993, Cm 2206. In this period, planned spending on roads amounts to £8,181 million and on public transport £6,760 million, a ratio of 1.21 to 1. Expenditure on transport in London is not identified separately and it would be difficult to produce reliable and meaningful figures. However, it is clear that a much higher proportion of transport expenditure in London is on public transport than is the case nationally.

  Channel Tunnel (East Coast Link)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects passenger services via the channel tunnel to operate along the east coast main line; whether designs for power-cars and rolling stock for such services have been finalised; and when he expects orders for this rolling stock to be placed.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail expects to start operating international daytime services on the east coast main line towards the end of 1995. The dedicated trainsets for these services were ordered in December 1991.
  421
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a map showing the rail route, together with speed restrictions, to be followed from the east coast main line to Kensington Olympia for onward service to the channel tunnel; if he will outline all track and signalling works necessary for this route to be followed, stating in each case when such works are to be, or were started, and when they will be completed.

  Mr. Freeman
  These are operational matters for British Rail. The Department does not hold the information requested.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects freight services via the channel tunnel to operate along the east coast main line; whether locomotives for such services have been ordered; and when they are expected to begin service.

  Mr. Freeman
  The dedicated class 92 locomotives are on order and are due to be delivered from the autumn of 1994. The railways should, however, be in a position to run international freight trains from the time the tunnel opens by using other locomotives to provide traction through the tunnel.

  Jubilee Line
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the tender list for sections 102 to 112 of the Jubilee line extension.

  Mr. Norris
  No, this is a matter for London Underground Ltd. I understand that it is prepared to release such information in appropriate cases, but: only after the award of contracts.

  East Coast Line (Electrification)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the sources of funding for the east coast line electrification.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail investment is funded by a mixture of Government grants and loans and its own internal resources. It is for BR to decide how these funds are allocated to particular projects. In addition, the east coast line electrification project received grant aid from the European regional development fund.

  Travelcards
  Mr. Austin-Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about the future of travelcards in London; and what steps he is taking to ensure the continued availability of such cards after bus deregulation and rail privatisation.

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations about this. The Government are discussing with London public transport operators what developments in joint ticketing arrangements, such as travelcard, will best meet the future needs of passengers and operators. In the light of travelcard's popularity, private sector bus and rail operators will be keen for commercial reasons to offer such a facility.

  British Rail Pension Fund
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will outline the restrictions applying to the purposes to which British Rail pensions fund assets may be applied; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is entirely a matter for the trustees of the British Rail pension schemes, acting in accordance with the powers within the various trust deeds and scheme rules.

  Helicopters, London
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the findings of the study into sites for a permanent helicopter base in London.

  Mr. Norris
  [holding answer 5 March 1993]: The Secretary of State hopes to receive the report of i:he London heliport study working group in the summer and to publish the report as soon as possible thereafter.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  National Anthem
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in which newspapers and magazines the Community Relations Commission advertised its research post on practice relating to the playing of the national anthem.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Northern Ireland Community Relations Council placed advertisements in the Belfast Telegraph and Fortnight magazine for an independent consultant(s) to carry out research on flags and emblems.

  Health and Social Services Trusts
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what financial basis property currently vested in the Department of Health and Social Services will be transferred to HSS trusts.

  Mr. Hanley
  When an HSS trust is set up, the assets it needs for its functions are transferred to it and it takes legal ownership of them. Land and buildings held for operational use are valued by the Valuation and Lands Office at open market value for existing use. This valuation, less the value of any liabilities transferred to the trust, constitute the trust's originating capital debt.

  Social Security
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available for the Asylum road, Derry, Lisnagelvin, Limavady and Strabane social security offices to indicate the numbers in receipt of income support, the respective numbers receiving each of the income support premiums and the numbers receiving unemployment benefit without income support.

  Mr. Hanley
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
  423
  Letter from Mr. A. Wylie to Mr. John Hume, dated 3 March 1993:
  As I am responsible for Social Security operational matters your recent Parliamentary Question on the numbers in receipt of Income Support, the respective numbers receiving each of the Income Support premiums and the numbers receiving

  Income support payments—premiums and unemployment benefit in Asylum Road, Lisnagelvin, Limavady and Strabane

  Name of office

  Asylum Road

  Lisnagelvin

  Limavady

  Strabane

  Number in receipt of Income Support

  12,092

  5,884

  3,667

  6,593

  Number in receipt of pensioner premium

  892

  562

  378

  816

  Number in receipt of enhanced pensioner premium

  229

  176

  100

  216

  Number in receipt of higher pensioner premium

  677

  509

  364

  674

  Number in receipt of disability premium

  1,037

  464

  303

  596

  Number in receipt of lone parent premium

  2,673

  935

  450

  749

  Number in receipt of family premium

  1,274

  701

  602

  889

  Number in receipt of Unemployment Benefit without Income Support

  494

  292

  315

  177

  Note: There are another three premiums i.e. disabled child premium, severe disability premium and the carer premium. Unfortunately, no statistical data is held on the number of customers in receipt of these premiums.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the processing of disability living allowance applications indicating average processing times per component, progress on the backlog of applications and any special measures taken.

  Mr. Hanley
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Mr. A. Wylie to Mr. John Hume, dated 3 March 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Social Security Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am replying, therefore, to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland concerning Disability Living Allowance (DLA).
  As you know, we conducted a highly successful publicity campaign to launch the new disability benefits in Northern Ireland. In addition, we wrote to some 55,000 existing Attendance Allowance and Mobility Allowance recipients to invite them, where appropriate, to claim extra money under DLA. Take up campaigns were also run by other organisations to encourage claims to Attendance Allowance and Mobility Allowance before they were replaced. All of these activities attracted a much larger number of applications in the early stages than was expected. Although we had expected an increase in applications the response far exceeded our forecasts.
  The surge of applications meant that we were fully stretched to cope with the volume of work. When I wrote to you in July 1992, I explained that appropriate measures had been taken to tackle the situation, including the recruitment of additional staff and working extensive overtime. Significant inroads have been made into the number of new DLA claims on hand. During the period from February 1992 to February 1993, 28,000 new claims were received and of these 20,000 have been cleared. In addition, almost all of the 8,000 claims
  424
  Unemployment Benefit without Income Support at Asylum Road, Lisnagelvin, Limavady and Strabane has been passed to me for reply.
  The most recent information available is attached.
  I hope you find this information helpful. A copy of this reply will appear in the Official Report and copies will be placed in the Library

  received from existing beneficiaries have been cleared. Some 3,300 applications for review have been received of which 1,500 have been cleared.
  You asked about the average processing times per component. A claim to DLA is a claim for the benefit as a whole and not for a specific component or level of component of the benefit. The primary target set for the clearance of DLA claims is 60 per cent. of claims to be cleared in 30 days. We met the target in November and December 1992 but the average performance since April 1992 to date works out at 25 per cent. cleared in 30 days. While we are still some way, therefore, from meeting the target on a full year basis, the situation is improving and action is being taken to further reduce the backlog and thereby significantly improve the clearance times.
  The phased introduction of computerisation from October 1992 has speeded up the payment process and will lead to much greater efficiency when the conversion from the clerical to the computer system is completed at the end of March. There will always be, some case of course, where further enquiries have to be made or medical examinations arranged. While these have been reduced to manageable proportions, there has been a recent rise of some 50 per cent. in new claims with around 800 claims being received each week. An additional 40 staff were recruited in January this year to deal with the work on hand and a dedicated telephone section has been set up to help deal with customers' enquiries.
  I very much regret that, despite our best efforts, the service to many of our disabled customers has fallen far short of what they should receive. Although the intake of new claims has risen substantially, I am monitoring the situation closely and I expect that, as a result of the measures being taken, all backlogs will be cleared by April.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information is available to compare application rates for each component of disability living allowance with those for attendance allowance and mobility allowance, award ratios by rate and review/appeal ratios.

  Mr. Hanley
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Alec Wylie. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
  425
  Letter from Mr. A Wylie to Mr. John Hume, dated 3 March 1993:
  As Chief Executive of the Social Security Agency, it is my responsibility to answer questions about relevant operational matters. I am replying, therefore, to the points raised in your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland concerning application rates for Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance and Mobility Allowance.
  Firstly, I should explain that a claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a claim for benefit as a whole and not for a specific component or level of component. In addition, in comparing Attendance Allowance prior to April 1992 and DLA, it should be noted that Attendance Allowance was then also available to people aged under 65 years of age.
  Bearing this in mind, in 1991 there were 18,600 claims for Attendance Allowance and 7,800 claims for Mobility Allowance. From February 1992 to February 1993 there were 36,000 claims for DLA and between April 1992 and January 1993 there were 15,400 claims for Attendance Allowance which is now only available to people aged 65 or over.
  In terms of benefit awarded, the success rate for Attendance Allowance and Mobility Allowance in 1991 was 53 per cent. and 60 per cent. respectively. The success rate to date for new claims to DLA is 79 per cent. and for review applications 65 per cent.
  As regards reviews and appeals the details are as follows:

  Numbers

  1991

  Attendance Allowance

  3,116

  Mobility Allowance

  4,036

  426

  Numbers

  1992–93

  DLA

  3,500

  I hope this is helpful.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 2 February,Official Report, column 98, if he will provide the figures for ERDF funding for each year at 1984–85 prices.

  Mr. Mates
  [holding answer 5 March 1993]: The following amounts were received from the European regional development fund at 1984–85 prices:

  Financial year

  £ million 1984–85 prices

  1984–85

  17

  1985–86

  17

  1986–87

  21

  1987–88

  40

  1988–89

  39

  1989–90

  31

  1990–91

  34

  1991–92

  33

  1992–93

  178

  1 Estimated outturn.

  Consultants
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the contracts awarded by his Department to(a) Coopers and Lybrand management consultants, (b) Touche-Ross management consultants, (c) Price Waterhouse management consultants, (d) Ernst and Young management consultants, (e) Chrichton Roberts Ltd., (f) KPMG management consultants and (g) Leopold Joseph management consultants, with the total cost of the contracts with each contractor for (i) the past 12 months and (ii) 1991–92.

  Mr. Mates
  [holding answer 24 February 1993]: The information requested is as follows:

  Consultant Coopers, Lybrand Deloitte

  CONTRACTS AWARDED 1991–92

  Calibration Report

  Generator Consultants

  Financial Services (Phase 1)

  Universities Press (NI) Ltd.

  Dungannon Meats

  Walter Alexander

  Salaries Information

  Preparation of SLCO Business Plan

  Telecoms and Electronics Components Strategy

  Sector Review (Recycling)

  Nectar Beauty Shops—Review of Core Business

  Overview of Producer Services Sector

  Full Business Appraisal of Munster Simms Engineering Ltd.

  IT Provision in the Greater Belfast Area

  Establishment of Labour Market Database

  Local Labour Market Supply Newry and Mourne

  Employment Service—Customer Satisfaction Survey

  Monitoring MMB (NI) Commercial Subsidiary—Dromona Quality Foods

  Financial Skills Training

  Project Management Course

  Internal Audit Course

  Crisp—Economic Appraisal Course

  Review of Government Legislation Course

  Economic Appraisal Course

  Project Sponsorship Course

  Junior Management Development Programme

  Investment Appraisal of Kircubbin Community Centre

  Financial Information and Systems Review

  Review of Single Terminal Access Point Implementation

  428

  HPSS Hospital In-Patient System

  Update of 1990 Social Security Benefits: Computerisation Strategy Study

  Investment Appraisal of Somme Heritage Centre

  Quality Review of NUBS2 Implementation Plan

  Project control Procedures—Training

  Review of Senior Management FAMIS System

  Management Support

  Mental Health

  Maternity

  Project Approval

  Community

  Evaluation of MENCAP (Efficiency Scrutiny)

  Development Work in Regional Information Strategy for HPSS

  Tailoring of NHS Performance Indicator Package

  Mental Health IT Evaluation Project

  Information Systems Strategy

  Land Registry Computerisation Project

  Market Testing

  Fintona Crisp

  Validation of Market Testing Bids

  IT Consultancy Information Systems Strategy

  IT Consultancy Geographical Information Systems

  Productivity Arrangements

  Activities Related to the Establishment of a Government-owned Company

  Project Management Assistance

  TOTAL COST—£2,124,953

  CONTRACTS AWARDED IN LAST 12 MONTHS

  Monitoring MMB (NI) commercial subsidiary—Dromona quality foods

  Five economic appraisals courses

  Investment appraisal on Ulster peoples college

  Strategic planning for implementation of operational strategy and non-operational strategy systems

  Confirmation of current VAT procedures in the HPSS

  Replacement mental health records system

  IS strategy for child support agency

  Mental health

  Maternity

  Project approval

  429

  Antrim area hospital

  Developmental work on regional information strategy for HPSS

  Review of senior management famis system

  Full study report for the proposed new water and sewerage charging regime

  Vehicle and plant accounting system

  Pricing study

  Donegall square appraisal

  Northside economic appraisal

  Full study report for financial systems

  Review of industrial incentive scheme

  IT consultancy information systems strategy

  IT consultancy payroll/personnel

  IT consultancy integrated computer system stage II

  IT consultancy customer billing

  IT consultancy commercial accounting

  Validation of market testing bids

  Development of management information systems

  Rathlin island ferry service 1992–93 subsidy computation

  Two junior financial management courses

  Total Cost £666,047

  Consultant—Touche Ross

  CONTRACTS AWARDED 1991–92

  Reporting Accountants

  Fenaghy House

  Lismona Wear

  Study of light metal fabrication sector

  Harland and Wolff appraisal of intervention aid claim capesize vessels

  Production of database for NI trade director 1992 and 1993

  Study/analysis NI perceived peripherality from european markets and effect on companies operating in NI

  Pharmaceutical industry study

  Aircraft management—search for alternative portfolio managers

  Monitoring of Lummus Mackie modernisation and relocation plan

  Sector review (plastics)

  Development of management information system and planning framework for accounts

  Info systems strategy study

  Debenham training project

  Development of a prototype client database

  430

  ICS project—central operations monitoring model

  Laboratories

  AMIS

  Information systems scoping study

  Information systems strategy for NI education service

  TOTAL COST £1,124,230

  CONTRACTS AWARDED IN LAST 12 MONTHS

  Investment appraisal on Dungiven community centre

  Investment appraisal on residential centre at St. Columb's nursing home

  Investment appraisal on Inverbrena community centre

  Commitment to quality

  Strategic planning exercise

  Benefit related study/projects

  Business planning (DIS)

  Laboratories

  Making best use of ward nursing resources

  Fintona Crisp

  NI airports privatisation lead advisers

  Water executive privatisation consultancy study

  TOTAL COST £724,690

  Consultant—Price Waterhouse

  CONTRACTS AWARDED 1991–92

  ISE Review

  Preliminary feasibility study—Craftworks/NI fashion and design centre joint retail outlet

  Review of costing and charging structures

  Henry Denny

  Presentation at association of economic reps

  Academy Lithoplates

  Company monitoring assignment Blackers Mill

  Company monitoring assignment Aitch Holdings Ltd

  Company appraisal—NIEX

  Monitoring assignment—Blackers Mill

  Development of industrial scholarship scheme

  Evaluation of CEA programme and jobclub programme

  Evaluation of NICD

  Evaluation of responses to NICS Telecoms services study

  Investment appraisal of provision of sports and leisure facilities at Brownlow Campus

  Investment appraisal on a community relations development for the New Enterprise Trust

  431

  Purchaser and provider arrangements (SSI)

  Business plan (DIS)

  Day surgery study

  Evaluation of NI association for mental health (efficiency scrutiny)

  Evaluation of age concern

  Evaluation of NICOD

  Review of community unit information systems strategy

  Evaluation of NI Association of Citizen's Advice Bureau and the Forum for Community Work Education

  TOTAL COST £226,310

  CONTRACTS AWARDED IN LAST 12 MONTHS

  Competency frameworks for DHSS

  Evaluation of CRC

  Pay and grading

  Regional finance—Training needs analysis

  Business plan (DIS)

  Bed management in acute hospitals study

  Making best use of ward nursing resources

  Efficiency scrutiny evaluation of the NI pre-school playgroups association

  TOTAL COST £160,979

  Consultants Ernest and Young

  Contracts Awarded 91–92

  Burrenddale Hotel

  Company Monitoring Assignment—Platform

  R. J. Hall

  Express Foods

  Foyle Meats

  Elwood and Co

  Securicor

  Agriplex

  Tayto/Pri-Sum

  Company Appraisal Clarence Clothing

  Company Appraisal Blackers Mill

  Company Assignment Moy Central Manufacturing

  Evaluation of Financial Implications of Relocating Clarence Clothing

  Financial Review of Scandinavian Hosiery 1982 Ltd

  Strategic Review of Platform Ltd

  Search for Buyer for Clarence Clothing Company

  Monitoring Assignment—Niex

  432

  Contracts (DIS)

  Hilltown Crisp

  Bannside Crisp

  Draperstown Crisp

  TOTAL COST £59,565

  Contracts Awarded in Last 12 Months

  Contracts (DIS)

  Hilltown Crisp

  Laganside Corporation Auditors

  Consultants Chrichton Roberts

  Contracts Awarded 91–92

  None

  TOTAL COST Nil

  Contracts awarded in the last 12 months

  None

  TOTAL COST Nil

  Consultant KPMG

  CONTRACTS AWARDED 1991–92

  Financial services, market intelligence and prospect management system study

  Financial services study

  Assessment of future direction of YTP

  Mackles

  Flexibox

  Treelinks

  Organisational review of T and E agency

  Forest service—options for change

  Investment appraisal on Kells and Connor community centre

  Investment appraisal on Corrymeela community centre

  Report on human resource development training needs analysis

  Grading seminar

  Human resource strategy review

  Contributions unit customer survey

  Personnel review

  Human resources development report

  Usel consultancy study

  Report on the impact on transport infrastructure and services on exporting companies in Northern Ireland

  TOTAL COST 255,951

  CONTRACTS AWARDED IN LAST 12 MONTHS

  Castlewellan Crisp

  Personnel review

  433

  Investment appraisal of residential centre at Ulster American Folk Park

  Investment appraisal of education centre for the National Trust

  TOTAL COST 16,797

  Consultant Leopold Joseph

  CONTRACTS AWARDED 1991–92 None

  TOTAL COST Nil

  CONTRACTS AWARDED IN LAST 12 MONTHS

  Information not available on grounds of commercial confidentiality

EDUCATION

  Parents Charter
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what consultations he has had with representatives of parents concerning the parents charter.

  Mr. Forth
  Surveys commissioned by the Government have shown that most parents would welcome more information about schools. The parents charter explained parents' current rights, and promised improved access to information about the quality of information arid the standards achieved in schools. The first set of comparative school performance tables were published last November and have been widely welcomed by parents and others.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) to which of the teachers' professional associations the consultation paper on a common funding formula for grant-maintained schools has been sent;

  (2) to which of the teachers' professional associations he intends to send the rest of the series of consultation documents promised in the letter sent out on 18 December 1992 accompanying the consultation document on the common funding formula for grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Forth
  The consultation paper which issued on 18 December, on a common funding formula for self-governing state—grant-maintained—schools, was addressed to local education authorities and self-governing schools. The teachers' professional associations were all sent the relevant press release. Copies of the paper were sent to any association on request. We are happy to add the name of any body or individual to the circulation list for further papers in the CFF series and to receive comments from them.

  Teachers
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many teachers retired at the statutory age of 60 for women or 65 years for men in each year since 1989–90.

  Mr. Forth
  The teachers' superannuation scheme provides for retirement benefits to be paid to both men and women once they reach age 60. The table shows the number of women aged 60 and men aged 65 who retired during the financial years 1989–90 to date.
  434

  Year to March

  Women

  Men

  1990

  1,346

  513

  1991

  1,348

  477

  1992

  1,188

  443

  11993

  1,236

  393

  1 Provisional.

  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many new teachers entered the profession in each year since 1989–90;

  (2) how many new teachers are expected to enter the profession in 1993–94.

  Mr. Forth
  The table shows the number of new entrants to full-time teaching in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools sector in England and Wales during 1989–90 and 1990–91. Information for later years is not yet available.

  Year to March

  Number

  1990

  15,300

  11991

  16,900

  1 Provisional.

  The number of new teachers who enter the profession in future years will depend on the recruitment decisions of employers and governors of schools with delegated budgets.

  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Education how many teachers aged over 50 years in maintained schools left the teaching profession(a) with enhanced compensation for redundancy and (b) with basic compensation for redundancy in each year since 1989–90.

  Mr. Forth
  A complete set of data is not held centrally, but our records indicate that the number of teachers over age 50 who retired prematurely from maintained nursery, primary and secondary and special schools and received enhanced benefits was as follows:

  Year to March

  Total

  1990

  1,365

  1991

  1,562

  1992

  1,549

  11993

  1,900

  1Provisional.

  Data relating to the number of teachers who left the profession with only basic compensation for redundancy are not collected centrally.

  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) how many teachers were employed in maintained schools in each year since 1988–89;

  (2) how many teachers are expected to be employed in maintained schools in 1993–94.

  Mr. Forth
  The table shows the number of teachers employed in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools sector in England each January, including LEA-maintained and self-governing state schools.
  435

  Full-time equivalent teachers

  1989

  397,410

  1990

  398,542

  1991

  394,945

  1992

  394,874

  The number of teachers to be employed in LEA maintained and self-governing state schools in 1993–94 will depend on decisions taken by employers and by the governors of schools with delegated budgets.

  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many teachers in maintained schools left the teaching profession with compensation for redundancy before reaching the age of 50 years in each year since 1989–90.

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many teachers are expected to retire in 1992–93 having attained the age of 60 for women and 65 years for men.

  Mr. Forth
  In 1992–93, 400 men aged 65 and 1,300 women aged 60 are expected to retire from teaching.

  Staff (Working Hours)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will undertake a survey of all offices and agencies for which he has responsibility to ascertain to what extent staff supplying a service to the public are curtailing their work on a Friday afternoon earlier than other days of the week; and if he will make a statement on his policy on hours of staff working each week.

  Mr. Boswell
  Staff in the Department work a total of 41 hours each week in London and 42 hours in Darlington at times designed to enable the office to fulfil its service to the public and to its Ministers. There is no significant difference in hours of attendance between Fridays and other weekdays.

  Staff in the Teachers' Pensions Agency are conditioned to 42 hours. The agency has made public in the charterline the hours in which it is open for business. These are 8·30 am to 5 pm on Mondays to Thursdays, and 8·30 am to 4·30 pm on Fridays.

  My right hon. Friend is proud of the record of officers in the Department, many of whom voluntarily work long hours to carry out his policies.

  Hours of attendance in non-departmental public bodies are a matter for the individual body.

  Student Maintenance
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what support will be given from public funds towards students' maintenance in the academic year 1993–94.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend's plans for maintenance provision through mandatory awards and loans for students domiciled in England and Wales are set out in the departmental report (Cm 2210) published last month, a copy of which is in the Library. The rates of 436
  awards and loans for 1993–94 will be included in regulations to be laid before the House in due course. Support is also available through discretionary awards made by local education authorities and through the access funds.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what research has been undertaken to investigate the extent of student financial hardship which has occurred during the current academic year.

  Mr. Boswell
  The Department has commissioned a survey of full-time undergraduate students' income and expenditure during the academic year 1992–93 including the 1992 summer vacation. The findings should be available later in 1993.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the value of the real level of the student grant for students living away from home and not studying in inner London for the year 1967–68, at 1993 prices, together with the current maximum basic grant.

  Mr. Boswell
  The basic mandatory grant for students living away from the parental home and studying outside London in the academic year 1992–93 is £2,265. Students in those circumstances will be able to take out loans of up to £715, making a total of £2,980. In 1967–68 the value of the corresponding mandatory grant was £2,964 at 1992–93 prices.

  Schools (Ministerial Visits)
  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which schools in Staffordshire he has visited since becoming Minister; and on what dates.

  Mr. Patten
  I have not yet had the opportunity of visiting schools in Staffordshire among the 31 that I have been to since becoming Secretary of State; however, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Mid-Worcestershire (Mr. Forth), visited the Maple Hayes Hall independent special school on 13 November 1992.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will list, with dates, all the visits he has made as Minister to(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools, identifying whether the school is local education authority maintained, voluntary aided or grant maintained.

  Mr. Patten
  The information requested is in the table:

  Schools visited

  Date

  Appleton CE Primary School, Abingdon, Oxfordshire—LEA

  2 October 1992

  Dunmore Infants School, Abingdon, Oxfordshire—LEA

  8 May 1992

  Greenvale Primary School, Croydon—LEA

  2 June 1992

  The Hague Primary, Tower Hamlets—VA

  8 March 1993

  Lyne and Longcross First School, Surrey—LEA

  30 June 1992

  St. Edmund's RC Primary, Abingdon, Oxfordshire—LEA

  1 May 1992

  St. Peter's CE Primary School, Wootton, Oxfordshire—LEA

  21 September 1992

  Thomas Reade Primary School, Abingdon, Oxfordshire—LEA

  10 July 1992

  Frideswide Middle School, Oxfordshire LEA

  8 May 1992

  437

  Schools visited

  Date

  Netherlands Avenue Special School, Bradford—LEA

  13 July 1992

  Archbishop Blanch CE High School, Liverpool—VA

  26 January 1993

  Archbishop Tennison's CE Secondary School, Croydon—VA

  2 June 1992

  Bishop David Brown Secondary School, Surrey—LEA

  30 June 1992

  Bishop Thomas RC School, Lambeth—VA

  5 March 1993

  Cardinal Newman School, Hove, East Sussex—VA

  October 1992

  Cockshut Hill Secondary School, Birmingham—LEA

  11 May 1992

  Compton Secondary School, Finchley— LEA

  21 October 1992

  Culham European School, Oxfordshire LEA

  7 December 1992

  Tesdale Special School, Abingdon, Oxfordshire—LEA

  5 February 1993

  Wimbledon College, Merton—VA

  4 November 1992

  Small Heath GM School, Birmingham—GM

  11 May 1992

  Marymount International School, Kingston—Independent

  14 September 1992

  Mayville High School, Portsmouth, Hampshire—Independent

  7 July 1992

  Mulberry School for Girls, Tower Hamlets—LEA

  8 March 1993

  Nottingham High School, Nottinghamshire—Independent

  11 November 1992

  Radley College, Oxfordshire—Independent

  1 May 1992

  School of St. Helan and St. Katherine, Oxfordshire—Independent

  2 October 1992

  Mary Hare Grammar School for the Deaf, Newbury, Berkshire—Non-Maintained

  Special School

  10 February 1993

  Bradford CTC, Bradford

  13 July 1992

  Djanogly CTC, Nottingham

  11 November 1992

  Leigh City CTC, Dartford, Kent

  17 February 1993

  Access Funds
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what level of access funds will be made available for the academic year 1993–94.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend's expenditure plans, as set out in the departmental report (Cm 2210) published last month, include access funds provision for institutions in England of £23·8 million in 1993–94. A copy of the report is in the Library.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the oral statement of 2 March,Official Report, columns 139–43, by the Home Secretary on juvenile offending, which Department or Departments will be responsible for funding the new statutory duty on local education authorities to educate pupils who are not attending school.

  Mr. Forth
  The new duty will replace existing powers exercisable by local education authorities under section 56 of the Education Act 1944 and section 3 of the Education Act 1981. The Government do not expect this to lead to a significant increase in the costs of local education authorities.

  Nursery Schools, London
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which five London boroughs currently have the highest percentage of children under five years registered as attending local authority funded nursery schools.

  Mr. Forth
  In January 1992, the latest date for which information is available, nine of the 33 boroughs in Greater London had no maintained nursery schools. Of the 24 authorities which did, the five with the highest percentages of under-fives attending maintained nursery schools were: Hammersmith and Fulham, 16 per cent.; Newham, 12 per cent.; Tower Hamlets, 11 per cent.; Greenwich, 10 per cent.; and Kensington and Chelsea, 9 per cent.

  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what percentage of children aged under five years attended local authority funded nursery schools in London in(a) 1975, (b) 1980, (c) 1985 and (d) 1990;

  (2)what percentage of children aged under five years in London attend local authority funded nursery schools.

  Mr. Forth
  In January 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1992—the latest date for which information is available—approximately 5 per cent. of the local population aged three and four attended maintained nursery schools in Greater London. The equivalent figure for January 1975 was approximately 4 per cent.

  School Population
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the average size of each school population for which each education authority in England is responsible.

  Mr. Forth
  The average sizes of LEA-maintained primary and secondary schools in each local education authority in England in January 1992 are shown in the table.

  Average number of pupils in LEA-maintained primary and secondary schools in each local education authority in England January 1992

  LEA

  Primary

  Secondary

  City

  221

  —

  Camden

  256

  931

  Greenwich

  269

  930

  Hackney

  233

  779

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  227

  601

  Islington

  255

  859

  Kensington and Chelsea

  229

  773

  Lambeth

  240

  625

  Lewisham

  271

  752

  Southwark

  265

  620

  Tower Hamlets

  272

  774

  Wandsworth

  242

  764

  Westminster

  215

  905

  Barking

  285

  1,146

  Barnet

  263

  868

  Bexley

  270

  844

  Brent

  335

  823

  Bromley

  254

  907

  Croydon

  256

  701

  Ealing

  299

  854

  Enfield

  327

  985

  Haringey

  242

  975

  Harrow

  357

  739

  Havering

  261

  838

  Hillingdon

  269

  700

  Hounslow

  305

  956

  Kingston upon Thames

  286

  732

  439

  LEA

  Primary

  Secondary

  Merton

  302

  608

  Newham

  359

  1,004

  Redbridge

  327

  1,020

  Richmond upon Thames

  259

  896

  Sutton

  301

  747

  Waltham Forest

  315

  659

  Birmingham

  318

  753

  Coventry

  267

  957

  Dudley

  332

  795

  Sandwell

  281

  749

  Solihull

  272

  947

  Walsall

  262

  850

  Wolverhampton

  234

  768

  Knowsley

  287

  810

  Liverpool

  271

  798

  St. Helens

  240

  946

  Sefton

  286

  817

  Wirral

  292

  916

  Bolton

  251

  977

  Bury

  229

  691

  Manchester

  265

  771

  Oldham

  239

  1,056

  Rochdale

  276

  896

  Salford

  255

  621

  Stockport

  223

  1,002

  Tameside

  270

  700

  Trafford

  252

  689

  Wigan

  239

  855

  Barnsley

  217

  806

  Doncaster

  231

  608

  Rotherham

  210

  996

  Sheffield

  253

  746

  Bradford

  240

  511

  Calderdale

  205

  764

  Kirklees

  221

  699

  Leeds

  250

  527

  Wakefield

  219

  5e3

  Gateshead

  213

  889

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  262

  750

  North Tyneside

  261

  535

  South Tyneside

  253

  823

  Sunderland

  279

  1,092

  Isles of Scilly

  43

  112

  Avon

  211

  885

  Bedfordshire

  188

  616

  Berkshire

  218

  753

  Buckinghamshire

  212

  750

  Cambridgeshire

  218

  893

  Cheshire

  191

  892

  Cleveland

  320

  744

  Cornwall

  157

  904

  Cumbria

  136

  701

  Derbyshire

  184

  922

  Devon

  174

  831

  Dorset

  221

  651

  Durham

  187

  823

  East Sussex

  225

  910

  Essex

  208

  895

  Gloucestershire

  159

  764

  Hampshire

  219

  807

  Hereford and Worcester

  165

  611

  Hertfordshire

  185

  740

  Humberside

  233

  905

  Isle of Wight

  154

  485

  Kent

  215

  704

  Lancashire

  210

  757

  Leicestershire

  238

  732

  Lincolnshire

  162

  553

  Norfolk

  154

  742

  North Yorkshire

  144

  713

  Northamptonshire

  182

  682

  Northumberland

  147

  470

  440

  LEA

  Primary

  Secondary

  Nottinghamshire

  212

  723

  Oxfordshire

  164

  756

  Shropshire

  160

  684

  Somerset

  149

  701

  Staffordshire

  221

  793

  Suffolk

  167

  608

  Surrey

  201

  733

  Warwickshire

  185

  667

  West Sussex

  208

  918

  Wiltshire

  152

  753

  England

  216

  753

  Pupils (Religious Allegiance)
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will publish the results for each local education authority of the religious allegiance statistics for pupils in maintained schools collected under his Department's circular 16/89, including the religious allegiance figures for pupils aged five to 11 years at the beginning of the school year 1990–91 and the percentage of such pupils in each local education authority of each religious affiliation according to the said circular and those for whom no information is available; and if he will give the corresponding information for England as a whole.

  Mr. Forth
  The information supplied by many local education authorities and self-governing state schools in 1990–91 was incomplete and of poor quality. I do not intend to publish the results, but I will write separately to my hon. Friend on this matter.

  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) if he will list for each local education authority the number of determinations granted to schools by the standing advisory council on religious education under section 12 of the Education Reform Act 1988, the total number of county and controlled schools, and the percentage of such schools which have been granted exemption from daily Christian worship; and if he will give summary figures for England as a whole;

  (2)what percentage of schools have been granted exemption from daily Christian worship; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Forth
  The information is not available in the form requested. The following table lists for each local authority where a determination has been granted, and for England as a whole, the number of determinations granted, the number of county schools, and the number of determinations as a percentage of county schools.

  It is not possible to give the percentage of county schools with determinations since more than one determination may apply to a single school. Controlled schools cannot be granted determinations because they are not subject to the requirement that worship should be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character. Controlled schools are not therefore included in the information. Information on which schools have been granted determinations is not held centrally.
  441

  London Education Authority

  Determinations granted

  County schools

  Determinations as percentage of county schools

  Bedfordshire

  6

  230

  2·6

  Berkshire

  13

  219

  5·9

  Birmingham

  6

  311

  1·9

  Bolton

  1

  68

  1·5

  Bradford

  69

  192

  35·9

  Brent

  59

  56

  105·0

  Buckinghamshire

  2

  240

  0·8

  Cambridgeshire

  1

  223

  0·4

  Coventry

  4

  95

  4·2

  Ealing

  23

  91

  25·3

  Gloucestershire

  2

  176

  1·1

  Harrow

  5

  53

  9·4

  Hertfordshire

  2

  384

  0·5

  Hounslow

  12

  63

  19·0

  Kirklees

  8

  136

  5·9

  Lancashire

  6

  311

  1·9

  Merton

  4

  46

  8·7

  Newham

  5

  66

  7·6

  Rochdale

  8

  53

  15·0

  Rotherham

  5

  112

  4·5

  Salford

  1

  59

  1·8

  Surrey

  2

  289

  0·7

  Tameside

  1

  67

  1·5

  Trafford

  3

  68

  4·4

  Waltham Forest

  1

  67

  1·5

  Westminster

  1

  18

  5·5

  Wirral

  1

  94

  1·1

  Wolverhampton

  2

  88

  2·3

  ENGLAND

  253

  15,313

  1·7

  Primary Schools
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) when the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education was invited to consider the discussion paper "Curriculum Organisation and Classroom Practice in Primary Schools" published by his Department; and if he will make a statement;

  (2)when the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education submitted its report to him on its consideration of the discussion paper "Curriculum Organisation and Classroom Practice in Primary Schools"; and whether he will publish the report;

  (3)what recommendations were made to him by the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education arising from its consideration of the discussion paper "Curriculum Organisation and Classroom Practice in Primary Schools".

  Mr. Forth
  The then Secretary of State wrote to the chairman of the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education in February 1992 to seek the council's advice on the implications for the initial training of primary teachers of the report on curriculum organisation and classroom practice in primary schools. CATE submitted interim advice to my right hon. Friend in July 1992, emphasising the need for further work. Following the two recent reports on primary education from the National Curriculum Council and from Ofsted, my right hon. Friend has now requested further advice from CATE with a view to issuing in April, for consultation, proposals for the reform of training for primary teachers.

  Syllabuses
  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education which local education authorities have adopted new agreed syllabuses since 29 September 1988; whether in 442
  each case the syllabus is newly prepared or an adopted syllabus of another local education authority; and if in the latter case he will list the name of that syllabus and the date of preparation.

  Mr. Forth
  We understand that the local education authorities listed in the table have adopted new agreed syllabuses since 29 September 1988. Where an authority has adopted the agreed syllabus of another local education authority, the name of the authority and the date of the syllabus is included in brackets.

  Bolton

  Cleveland

  Cornwall

  Coventry

  Croydon

  Cumbria (Suffolk, 1991)

  Devon

  Dorset

  Ealing

  East Sussex

  Gateshead

  Gloucester

  Hampshire

  Harrow (Hampshire, 1978)

  Havering

  Hereford and Worcester (Hampshire, 1978)

  Hounslow

  Kent

  Kingston-upon-Thames (Surrey, 1987)

  Leeds

  Leicester

  Newcastle

  Newham

  North Tyneside

  North Yorkshire

  Nottingham

  Oldham

  Oxford

  Richmond (Hampshire, 1992)

  Rotherham

  St. Helens (Leeds, 1991)

  Sandwell

  Sefton

  443

  Shropshire

  Solihull

  South Tyneside

  Stafford

  Suffolk

  Sunderland (Salford, 1987)

  Trafford

  Wakefield

  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will give the names of agreed syllabuses about which his Department has received complaints under section 23 of the Education Reform Act 1988 since its passing; and what actions his Department has taken following these complaints and the subsequent action of the local education authority concerned.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department has received complaints about the agreed syllabuses of Coventry, Ealing and Newham local education authorities. The first of these complaints is still under consideration. Following the other complaints, the Department wrote to the authorities setting out the Secretary of State's concern that their syllabuses were not detailed enough to meet the statutory requirements. The Department also wrote to chief education officers in England on 18 March 1991 with advice about the nature of agreed syllabuses. Newham LEA has subsequently adopted a statutory appendix to its syllabus. Ealing LEA has constituted an agreed syllabus conference to review its syllabus.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make it his policy to seek to amend the Education Act 1981 to prohibit the exclusion from school of children with special educational needs while(a) the process of assessment or (b) an appeal by parents against their child's statement is ongoing.

  Mr. Forth
  No. While we look to schools to use exclusion sparingly and as a last resort, particularly where pupils with special educational needs are concerned, there will he instances where it is the most appropriate response to serious misbehaviour.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Mr. Ben Hamilton
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 18 February,Official Report, column 316, whether, prior to the discontinuance of the proceedings against Mr. Hamilton, forensic reports had been received on all materials sent for examination in connection with the proceedings.

  The Attorney-General
  At the time the decision to discontinue the criminal proceedings against Mr. Hamilton was made, there were certain outstanding lines of inquiry being pursued by the police which included the results of forensic examinations. However, these lines of inquiry could not be assessed as likely to produce the required corroboration for the perjury charge and were unlikely to have been completed within a time scale which would have justified an application for a further remand.

DEFENCE

  Trident
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the staff requirement for the warhead for the United Kingdom Trident system was formally endorsed by his Department.

  Mr. Aitken
  August 1984.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the additional capabilities which would be available to the United Kingdom Trident system if the mark IV bus purchased from the United States of America was replaced with mark V bus from the same source.

  Mr. Aitken
  No such assessment has been made.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Trident missile service units are used in conjunction with the explosives handling jetty at Coulport.

  Mr. Aitken
  They will be.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration has been given to the purchase of the mark V bus for the United Kingdom Trident system from the United States of America.

  Mr. Aitken
  None.

  Defence Electronics
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why the press were prohibited from attending the conference on exporting defence electronics held by his Department's Defence Sales Export Organisation on 24 February.

  Mr. Aitken
  The conference was a private one providing members of the Electronics Equipment Association and Defence Export Services Organisation with the opportunity to exchange views in confidence on a wide range of issues. Requests from the media to attend the conference were therefore declined.

  Navy Statistics
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of(a) surface ships currently used by the Royal Navy and (b) serving officers of Admiral rank.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Royal Navy currently has 98 surface ships of minesweeper size and above, excluding RFA vessels, and 42 serving officers at admiral rank, including those at rear and vice admiral, excluding those who are currently on terminal leave or undergoing pre-retirement vocational training.

  Helicopters
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of the defence budget will be spent on armed helicopters in(a) 1993–94 and (b) each of the next five years.

  Mr. Aitken
  This information is derived from my Department's long-term costing. As explained by my right
  445
  hon. Friend in his answer of 13 May last year, Official Report, column 155, it is not our practice to provide such details.

  Submarines
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many submarines are deployed by the Royal Navy at present: and if he will list the different types.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Royal Navy's submarine fleet currently consists of three Polaris, one Valiant, five Swiftsure, seven Trafalgar, three Oberon and three Upholder class submarines.

  Personnel Statistics
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of(a) officers and (b) other service personnel in (i) the British Army, (ii) the Royal Navy and (iii) the Royal Air Force.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The figures at 1 February 1993 are:

  Officers

  Other ranks

  Total

  Royal Navy

  9,907

  50,196

  60,103

  Army

  16,354

  120,608

  136,962

  Royal Air Force

  14,524

  67,264

  81,788

  TOTAL

  40,785

  238,068

  278,853

  Deployments
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average interval in months a United Kingdom soldier in the British Army can expect between(a) deployments and (b) deployments in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information is not held in the form requested.

  Sailing Clubs
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what orders have been given for yachts for sailing clubs in(a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy and (c) the Royal Air Force; if he will list in each case the type of yacht, its cost, where the order has been placed and when the yacht will be in service; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many sailing clubs operate in (a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy and (c) the Royal Air Force; what were the annual running costs for each over the last three years and the estimates for 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  All sailing clubs in the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are private clubs run for the benefit of their members. In the Army there are 62 such clubs in the United Kingdom and abroad ranging from windsurfing through dinghy to offshore sailing. A similar situation applies in the Royal Navy and the RAF, but information on the numbers of clubs is not readily available. Clubs purchase their yachts using their own non-public funds. It would not be appropriate for me to provide information on these private transactions or on the running costs and estimates of these clubs.

  Staff (Working Hours)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will undertake a survey of all offices and agencies for which he has responsibility to ascertain to what extent staff supplying a service to the public are curtailing their work on a Friday afternoon earlier than other days of the week; and if he will make a statement on his policy on hours of staff working each week.

  Mr. Aitken
  With the exception of the Meteorological Office, which provides a 24-hour service seven days a week, and the service careers/recruiting offices which have set opening hours and are manned to provide advice and assistance to the public during these hours, the Ministry of Defence provides little else in the way of a direct service to the general public,.

  Conditioned hours are 41 gross per week in the London pay area, and 42 gross per week elsewhere. Arrival and departure times of staff may be staggered in accordance with departmental regulations. The overriding principle, however, remains that flexibility should be achieved without adverse effect on the overall efficiency of the Department in general, and the establishment in particular.

  Naval Colleges (Vehicles)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy as regards buying trucks and cars of British manufacture for the use of naval colleges; what new vehicles have been bought by each naval college in the last three years; and if he will give the cost and country of origin in each case.

  Mr. Aitken
  Trucks and cars for the naval colleges are purchased as part of the defence wide procurement of vehicles by my Department's procurement executive. In accordance with Government policy best value for money is sought through competition, which under European Community rules must be open to companies of all EC member nations.

  The new vehicles issued to each of the naval colleges in the last three years are listed in the table:

  Britannia Royal Naval College—Dartmouth

  3 Rover Montego 2·0 DLX

  2 Rover Metro City 1·0 L

  1 Ford Escort Estate 1·8 D Popular

  1 Renault Traffic 1100 D Crewbus

  2 Leyland DAF 200 Minibus

  1 Land Rover Defender 90

  1 Land Rover Defender 110

  Plaxton 29 Seat Coach

  1 Leyland DAF 200 Dropside Truck

  2 Leyland DAF 4 Tonne Truck

  Royal Naval College—Greenwich

  1 Rover 825 D

  4 Rover Montego 2·0 DLX

  Royal Naval Engineering College—Manadon

  1 Rover Montego 2·0 DLX

  1 Leyland DAF 200 Dropside Truck

  All the above vehicles originated in the United Kingdom, with the exception of the Renault Traffic, which originated in France.

  The cost of the vehicles is commercially confidential.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the defence implications of the Chilean Government's stockpile of chemical weapons;

  (2)what assessment he has made of the defence implications of Egyptian research focusing on pathogenic micro-organisms and dangerous disease-bearing agents;

  (3)what assessment he has made of the defence implications of the Iranian sarin and mustard gas producing capability;

  (4)what assessment he has made of the defence implications of the development of biological weapons including anthrax, cholera, bubonic plague and smallpox by North Korea.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Increased proliferation of chemical and biological weapons has both international and regional security implications. We continue to keep the situation under review and the United Kingdom is determined to play a full part, through existing international fora, in controlling the proliferation of such weapons.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the the level of Libyan stocks of sarin, mustard gas and phosgene.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We are aware that Libya has had the capability to produce mustard and nerve agents since the late 1908s.

  RAF Hereford
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the reasons for the closure of RAF Hereford.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Leominster (Mr. Temple-Morris) on 6 November 1992,Official Report, cols. 536–37.

  Warrior Vehicles
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Warrior vehicles are deployed with(a) the British forces in Bosnia Herzegovina and (b) the British Army of the Rhine.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The numbers are(a) 68 and (b)

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Warrior vehicles deployed with the British Army of the Rhine are in full working order; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not our practice to disclose information of an operational nature.

  United Nations Military Planning
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) pursuant to his answer of 8 February,Official Report, column 497, what plans have been made to provide British military personnel to strengthen the military component of the United Nations secretariat; and if he will make a statement;
  448
  (2)how many military personnel are currently attached to the United Nations secretariat; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are currently 47 military personnel from all nations attached to the United Nations secretariat. The United Kingdom provides one major and one lieutenant commander on secondment to the field operations division of the United Nations secretariat. These officers deal with finance and logistics respectively. We would consider favourably any request by the United Nations to provide further military personnel for service in the secretariat.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 February,Official Report, column 497, what is the current status of the discussions relating to strengthening the military component of the United Nations secretariat; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The military adviser's office of the United Nations secretariat has already been reinforced to deal with specific subjects such as earmarking and training. More general strengthening and restructuring of the secretariat's military component is under consideration as part of the follow-up to the Secretary-General's report, "An Agenda for Peace", and the United Kingdom mission to the United Nations is playing an active role in these discussions.

  Long-term Costings
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is now prepared to change his policy regarding the release of information on the long-term costings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No. I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Clackmannan (Mr. O'Neill) on 13 May 1992,Official Report, column 155.

  Departmental Accommodation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on the sale of MOD accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Surplus married quarters which are suitable for individual sale are offered for sale to service personnel at a discount. Any which are not suitable for individual sale would normally be offered for sale in bulk on the open market to the highest bidder. In line with the recommendations of the Ministry of Defence's housing task force, all bulk sales of surplus married quarters are now offered in the first instance to housing associations at a discount in return for nomination rights on a proportion of the properties for a period of five years; the size of the discount and the number of nominations are determined on a case-by-case basis. Surplus civilian houses are sold on the open market, but any which are occupied are first offered for sale to the sitting tenant at a discount. If they do not wish to purchase, the property is sold on the open market as an investment sale and the occupant is given a protected tenancy.

  RAF Hereford
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when the new Meridian telephone system at RAF Hereford will be installed;
  449
  (2)how much it will cost to install the new Meridian telephone system at RAF Hereford.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Installation costs, including minor works services, will amount to some £5,000. Work is under way with a view to the system becoming operational on 1 April.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with(a) housing associations and (b) local authorities relating to the housing located at RAF Hereford.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information has been provided to relevant local authorities on the reasons for the closure of RAF Hereford.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Letters were sent to the Hereford and Worcester county council and to the South Hereford district council on 5 November 1992 explaining the background to the ground training rationalisation study and its recommendations. The local defence land agent has since met both councils to confirm that the closure will proceed and to discuss the future of the site.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimates have been made of the costs involved in removing the Meridian telephone system that is due to be installed at RAF Hereford; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None. It is not expected that removal costs would exceed installation costs.

  Spare Parts
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 February,Official Report, column 497, which part of the annual supply estimates contains information on expenditure on spare parts.

  Mr. Aitken
  Proposed expenditure by the Ministry of Defence on spare parts is included within the aggregate figures of expenditure given in the supply estimates, the most recent being 1992–93 summer supplementary estimates and new estimates, pages 25–32.

  Correspondence
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow can expect to receive a reply to his letter dated 10 February addressed to the Minister of State concerning the holding of a fatal accident inquiry into the death of Fusilier Anthony McAnally.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence will write to the hon. Member very shortly.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Know-how Projects
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the total amount spent by the Government to date on know-how projects.
  450
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Expenditure under the fund is as follows:

  £1,000

  1989–90

  2,117

  1990–91

  13,668

  1991–92

  49,364

  Total spending for 1992–93 will not be available until later this year.

  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civil servants in each standard planning region have been seconded to work on know-how projects.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Nine civil servants from south-east region, four from north-west region and one from east midlands region have been seconded to work on know-how projects.

  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many know-how projects have been supported to date; if he will list these with the names of the agencies or companies responsible for undertaking them; and in each case what proportion of the total cost was met by Government.

  Mr. Lennon-Boyd
  The know-how fund has supported more than 650 projects to date. A list of our activities by country, cost, purpose and project status is available from the libraries of the House. To break this down further to include details on each agency or company participating in the projects and what proportion of the total cost was met by the Government would involve disproportionate staff costs.

  Crown Agents
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will publish the Coopers and Lybrand report on the Crown Agents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennon-Boyd
  There are no plans to publish Coopers and Lybrand management consultants' report, as it will contain commercially sensitive information on Crown Agents' business activities. However, a full statement will be made to the House about the future status of the Crown Agents following the completion of the review.

  Chandrapur Project
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if appraisal procedures on social, environmental and economic costs and benefits of the Chandrapur project in India have now been completed; and whether the United Kingdom Government's developmental as well as commercial criteria have now been met.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Overseas Development Administration has not yet completed its appraisal of the Chandrapur project in India.

  Africa
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the reasons for the United Kingdom's refusal to provide
  451
  funding for the International Fund for Agricultural Development's special programme for Africa for poverty alleviation through environmental rehabilitation.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We consider that IFAD's work in Africa, as for other poor regions, should now be financed from its regular resources.

  Mongolia
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what development assistance is given to Mongolia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In 1992 we established a bilateral aid programme for Mongolia and pledged £2·7 million over three years from 1992–93. Of this sum £2 million is allocated for balance of payments assistance in the form of critical imports—industrial lubricants, and £0·7 million for technical co-operation—principally English language teaching and policy consultancy to support the World bank lending programme.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department gives to Mongolia for English language tuition.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Under the bilateral aid programme an English language project is under discussion with the Government of Mongolia which is planned to focus on (i) intensive business English courses for officials in key economic Ministries and financial institutions and (ii) teacher training in business English. The project is expected to begin in mid-1993.

  Under the cultural exchange programme we are funding, with the British Council, the final stage of an English syllabus and teaching materials project for secondary schools. This project, which began in 1990, will produce a first-year textbook, and includes training for Mongolian textbook writers.

  Kenya
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about British aid to Kenya.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We continue to make a significant contribution to Kenya's development. Our aid programme amounted to £29 million in 1991–92. We also provided over £9 million humanitarian assistance in 1992, including our share of EC activities. However, in common with other donors, we have withheld consideration of new balance of payments assistance pending economic and political reforms. There has been progress on the political front. We now await the outcome of a recent review of economic progress by the International Monetary Fund.

  Zaire
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the level of British aid to Zaire for each year since 1989; and if he will list the purposes for which aid was used.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Gross British bilateral aid, for each financial year from 1989, was as follows:
  452

  £

  1989–90

  513,000

  1990–91

  432,000

  1991–92

  397,000

  The aid has been mainly for training Zairean teachers of English and help for Oxfam activities.

  Forest Preservation
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about British contributions to the tropical forestry action plan for each year since 1989; and what assessment he has made of its effectiveness in protecting tropical and other forestry resources.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Bilateral aid expenditure under agreed tropical forestry action plans by financial year since 1989 was:

  £

  1989–90

  1,688,454

  1990–91

  2,586,218

  1991–92

  4,767,103

  We also contributed £121,493 in 1990–91, and £92,473 in 1991–92, towards the costs of personnel working in the tropical forest action programme co-ordinating unit and in the Food and Agriculture Organisation investment centre on TFAP-related work.

  We assess the effectiveness of our contributions to the TFAP through regular monitoring and review of our projects. We believe they are effective in helping recipient countries manage their forests sustainably.

  We also assess the progress of the TFAP generally through attendance at international meetings such as the tropical forestry advisers' group. We have worked hard in recent years to improve the TFAP's overall performance.

  Uganda
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about British aid to Uganda.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are maintaining a substantial programme of development assistance for Uganda. In 1991–92 gross British bilateral aid amounted to £26 million.

  Angola
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commowealth Affairs what was the level of British aid to Angola for each year since 1989; and if Her Majesty's Government will provide assistance to the Angolan Government in the current year to entrench democracy in Angola.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The level of United Kingdom gross bilateral aid to Angola for each financial year since 1989 was as follows:

  £million

  1989–90

  0·731

  1990–91

  1·530

  1991–92

  1·278

  453
  In 1992–93, in addition to our regular programme, we provided landrovers and paid for two election observers at a cost of £273,000, as part of the international effort towards the election process. We also provided accommodation and training for the new unified army at a cost of £3 million from non-ODA votes.

  The widespread hostilities which followed the elections has made it difficult to make plans for future aid to the country. We will however consider appropriate assistance when the security situation improves.

EMPLOYMENT

  Contracting Out
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will list all those services or functions that have been contracted out from her Department since November 1991 without market testing an in-house bid against external competition, with, in each instance, the successful contractor and the reasons for the decision to exclude an in-house bid.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department has always used contracting out as the most effective way of providing certain services, for example, where there is no suitable in-house provision available. In such cases, there is

  All persons with second job as employee or self-employed, by sex, whether full/part-time, etc.: Great Britain

  Thousands

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  All with 2nd job as employee1

  Males

  Full-time2

  184

  206

  202

  195

  223

  227

  248

  244

  208

  Part-time

  27

  26

  26

  24

  37

  32

  31

  41

  36

  Females

  Full-time

  82

  107

  103

  120

  138

  150

  176

  156

  154

  Part-time

  151

  178

  193

  223

  253

  283

  254

  278

  264

  Self-employed1 in main job

  Males

  24

  26

  27

  24

  36

  38

  37

  48

  42

  Females

  17

  24

  24

  27

  31

  31

  26

  25

  27

  All with 2nd job as self-employed

  Males

  Full-time2

  137

  146

  159

  148

  168

  182

  196

  184

  163

  Part-time

  24

  18

  19

  22

  21

  23

  24

  24

  24

  Females

  Full-time

  27

  35

  35

  39

  46

  56

  53

  57

  39

  Part-time

  59

  61

  72

  61

  70

  84

  74

  69

  61

  Self-employed in main job

  Males

  54

  53

  59

  60

  72

  70

  75

  73

  60

  Females

  20

  24

  18

  18

  24

  32

  28

  25

  17

  1 Excludes those who did not state their status or no answer to second job.

  2 Excludes those who did not state whether full/part-time in second job.

  Source: Labour Force Survey (not seasonally adjusted) spring each year.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) men and (b) women had a second job working from home in each year since 1980.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information from the spring, March to May, 1992 labour force survey shows that there were 139,000 men and 121,000 women, not seasonally adjusted, who were working from home in a second job. No comparable information is available for earlier years.
  454
  normally no scope for an in-house bid. Details of such contracts are not kept centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  To date, the Department has not completed a market test without an in-house bid, nor are any anticipated.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) male full-time workers, (b) male part-time workers, (c) female full-time workers, (d) female part-time workers, (e) self-employed males and (f) self-employed females had a second job as (i) an employee or (ii) self-employed in each year since 1980 in each region.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information could be provided from the labour force survey only at a disproportionate cost. Some data may be obtained via the quantime link in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many(a) male full-time workers, (b) male part-time workers, (c) female full-time workers, (d) female part-time workers, (e) self-employed males and (f) self-employed females had a second job as (i) an employee or (ii) self-employed in each year since 1980.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information from the labour force survey is given in the following table for 1984–1992. Comparable information is not available for earlier years.

  Employment Protection Regulations
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will place in the Library copies of all circulars and other advice issued by her Department concerning the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 and the acquired rights directive.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General has advised the Standing Committee considering the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill, House of Commons,Official Report, Standing Committee F, 21 January 1993, beginning at column 504,

  455
  on aspects of the Transfer of Undertakings Regulations 1981 and the EC acquired rights directive. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is considering what further guidance might be helpful.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Claimants, Lewisham
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants in the London borough of Lewisham were refused benefits because they either carried out more than 24 hours voluntary work each week or studied for more than 21 hours per week in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Burt
  There is no legislation limiting the amount of hours an unemployed person may spend working in the voluntary sector. An unemployed person who undertakes unpaid voluntary work in this country may continue to receive benefit provided they satisfy the conditions of entitlement. These are that a person must be available for, and actively seeking, work.

  An unemployed person who studies part-time for up to 21 hours a week may be treated as available for work in order to receive income support. An unemployed person who undertakes part-time study for more than 21 hours a week may also continue to receive benefit if they can demonstrate that they are available for work and so satisfy the availability condition. All unemployed people who study part time must continue to actively seek work.

  Lodgers
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the speed with which housing benefit is paid to lodgers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  Full statutory responsibility for the administration of the housing benefit scheme rests with local authorities. Regulations prescribe that all claims should be processed within 14 days of receipt of the necessary information, or as soon as possible thereafter. Many authorities achieve this target in full. Nationally, in 1991–92, 70 per cent. of claims from private tenants were processed within 14 days. Where, through no fault of the applicant, a claim cannot be settled within 14 days, interim payments should be made. Guidance issued to local authorities by the Department reflects these provisions.

  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will give his best estimate of the amount of housing benefit paid to lodgers which is not then paid to their landlords;

  (2) what review he is undertaking of the arrangement whereby a lodger who has given authority for his housing benefit to be paid to his landlord may revoke that authority without the landlord being informed.

  Mr. Burt
  The Department does not collect information about the levels of debts owed to landlords. Representations received from landlords and their organisations indicate that the number of housing benefit recipients who persistently default on rent payments is relatively small.

  Regulations already give local authorities wide-ranging powers to pay housing benefit direct to landlords where
  456
  they consider that tenants may otherwise default. Benefit must normally be paid direct automatically without any requirement to seek the tenant's consent where there are arrears equal to eight times the weekly rent or more and may be paid direct earlier where an authority considers it would be in the tenant's best interests to do so.

  Where a person who has requested direct payment subsequently withdraws his consent, the local authority should consider the individual circumstances of the case. The authority may continue to make direct payments if it considers it is in the tenant's interests, for example to prevent rent arrears accruing. If it is decided to stop direct payments the local authority is required to notify the landlord of the date from which payments will cease. We have no current plans to conduct a review of these arrangements.

  Winter
  Mrs. Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will introduce additional aid in winter for all households in receipt of means-tested benefits.

  Mr. Scott
  There are no plans to change the current regulations.

  Availability for Work
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's practice on the number of hours per day and the number of days in any one week that a person needs to be available for work in order to claim benefit.

  Mr. Burt
  Decisions on whether a person is available for work are made by the independent adjudicating authorities.

  Generally, in order to be entitled to income support, which is a weekly benefit, a person should be available for at least 24 hours per week.

  Unemployment benefit is a daily benefit and, therefore, a person should be available for work on each day claimed.

  Staff (Working Hours)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will undertake a survey of all offices and agencies for which he has responsibility to ascertain to what extent staff supplying a service to the public are curtailing their work on a Friday afternoon earlier than other days of the week; and if he will make a statement on his policy on hours of staff working each week.

  Mr. Burt
  No. Fridays are treated no differently from any other working day. Full-time administrative staff in the Department work 37 hours a week outside London, 36 hours a week in London, in keeping with civil service-wide rules. Working patterns can vary, but consideration is always given to customers' views on the level of service provided.

  Unregistered Care Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 1 March,Official Report, column 46, in what circumstances he would deem it appropriate for registration authorities to be advised of the fact that income support and residential allowance were being paid towards the costs of care in an unregistered home.
  457
  Mr. Burt
  There are no circumstances in which registration officers would require such information.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to review the mandatory link between income support benefit eligibility and willingness to take a youth training place; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  Subject to the normal rules, income support is payable to those who are not required to be available for work. We also provide the safety net of income support for those seeking work or training who are at risk of hardship. We have no plans to change this policy although we continue to monitor closely the delivery of benefit.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the administrative costs of the social fund in cash terms for 1992–93 and as a proportion of the social fund budget.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not yet available. The latest estimated administrative costs of the social fund as a percentage of social fund expenditure are for 1991–92. Details are provided in the Social Security departmental report: the Government's expenditure plans 1993–94 to 1995–96, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's target response time for the Benefits Agency to respond to requests for medical evidence to unsuccessful applicants for disability living allowance; what data he has on actual average response times; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Part-time Study
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants are currently studying on part-time courses under the 21-hour rule.

  Mr. Burt
  This information is not available. The 21-hour rule enables unemployed claimants in receipt of income support to follow part-time education courses while continuing their search for work. The Department's annual statistical enquiry contains no record of the numbers who take advantage of this rule.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average weekly payment of invalidity benefit at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Scott
  On 30 March 1991, the latest date for which figures are available, the average weekly payment of invalidity benefit was £67.40.Note: Information from a 1 per cent. sample of claimants.

  Housing Benefit (Students)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will consider reintroducing eligibility to housing benefit for students who have to pay for accommodation over the long summer vacation, particularly for mature students who may own their own homes.

  Mr. Burt
  We have no plans to do so. In general it is the educational maintenance system which is designed to provide support for full-time students; mature students are likely to be entitled to additional allowances such as the older students allowance and dependency allowances. Housing benefit, which helps with rent, is available to vulnerable group students throughout their course, including the summer vacations. Income support which can provide help with mortgage interest payments, is available to lone parents and disabled students throughout their course and to student couples with dependent children during the summer vaction. In addition non-student partners can claim income support and housing benefit on behalf of the couple if they satisfy the normal qualifying conditions.

  Portuguese Scheme
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average time taken to deal with an application for sickness benefit by residents in the United Kingdom who have paid contributions into the Portuguese scheme; what difficulties have been encountered in receiving information from the Portuguese authorities on request for confirmation of payments into these schemes; and how long the Portuguese authorities take to reply to such requests.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of sickness benefit, including liaison with a country overseas in which a person has paid contributions, is a matter for Mr Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Letter from Michael Bichard to Mr. Mike O'Brien, dated 5 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 what is the average time taken to deal with an application for sickness benefit by residents in the United Kingdom who have paid contributions into the Portuguese scheme; what difficulties have been encountered in receiving information from the Portuguese authorities on request for confirmation of payments into these schemes; and how long the Portuguese authorities take to reply to such requests.
  I should first of all explain that the European Community regulations on social security enable contributions paid in two or more Member States to be added together to assist in the satisfaction of the contribution conditions for Sickness Benefit. Generally, however, only one country actually pays the benefit and this is the country in which the person was lastly insured.
  Where a person is residing in the UK, any claim to Sickness Benefit will normally be made to the District Office of the Benefits Agency in the area in which that person is living. If the contribution conditions are not satisfied on the: UK National Insurance record alone, but the claimant has recently returned from abroad, the Agency's Overseas Branch will become involved.

  459
  The customer will be asked to provide details of employment and contributions abroad, and Overseas Branch will liaise, as necessary, with the foreign authority concerned. The actual procedures vary according to whether the person, before falling sick, had contributed to the UK scheme since their return to this country or whether they had been lastly insured abroad.
  Where the person was most recently insured in the UK, Overseas Branch will ask the foreign authority to provide a record of contributions to their scheme to see whether they can assist towards satisfaction of the UK contribution conditions for Sickness Benefit. In such cases it is impossible to say precisely how long it will take for any individual foreign authority to respond. This varies considerably from country to country and even from office to office within a particular country. It should be borne in mind that legal requirements and administrative practices often differ from our own. For example, records may not be held centrally, particularly if a person has been subject to legislation which provides for affiliation to an occupational scheme. In such instances retrieval of remote contribution records can take longer than centrally held information.
  Conversely, where a person was most recently insured in another European Community country, Overseas Branch does not need to obtain the foreign contribution record. They are responsible for obtaining all relevant information about the period abroad from the customer, all claim documents from the District Office and information about contributions paid to the UK scheme. The claim is then transferred to the other Member State concerned. It is for them to decide entitlement to Sickness Benefit under their scheme, taking into account any UK contributions as necessary. The foreign authority will notify the customer of their decision, and consider redress if the person is dissatisfied.
  With regard to the Portuguese authorities, we have not experienced any particular problems in our dealings with them. In keeping with many other foreign authorities response times for requests for their contribution records vary considerably from case to case. Because of such variations, it would be unrealistic, and indeed unfair, to attempt to give an average figure. Similarly, I am unable to comment on the time it takes for them to process a claim for which they are responsible for determining.
  I am sorry that I am unable to be more precise in my reply. However, every effort is made to clear cases involving foreign authorities as quickly as possible, and procedures are kept under constant review and improvements introduced wherever possible.

  Local Office, Northfield
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 10 February,Official Report, column 694, what is the policy of the Northfield benefits agency office on paying benefit temporarily by girocheques on a weekly basis pending the replacement of a lost benefit book; 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 Dr Lynne Jones, dated 5 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 recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his Answer 10 February, Official Report, column 694, asking what is the policy of the Northfield Benefits Agency office on paying benefit temporarily by girocheque on a weekly basis pending the replacement of a lost benefit book; and if he will make a statement.
  460
  As stated in my letter of 9 February, when a customer reports that an order book has been lost, he is asked about the circumstances surrounding the loss. The interview to obtain this information is carried out by trained officers, experienced in dealing with this type of situation. The officer must be satisfied that reasonable efforts have been taken to recover the order book.
  The decision to replace or refuse replacement is made by an officer acting on behalf of the Secretary of State. If that officer has reason to doubt the validity of the reported loss, a replacement may not be made pending further investigation.
  In the case of Northfield Benefits Agency office, there have been 474 reported lost Income Support order books in the period 2 March 1992 to 24 February 1993, of which 393 have been replaced. Of these 393, a proportion will have received payment by weekly girocheque pending the outcome of investigations.
  I hope you find this reply helpful. Copies of this letter will be placed in the library.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  EC Surplus Food
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the amount of EC surplus foods distributed in the Greater London area in each of the last five years.

  Mr Curry
  The following amounts of butter and beef have been distributed in the Greater London area under the EC surplus food scheme.

  Year

  Butter (tonnes)

  Beef (tonnes)

  1988–89

  93

  96

  1989–90

  131

  154·5

  1990–91

  235

  162

  1991–92

  483

  118

  1992–93

  228

  130

  Hillsdown Holdings
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what services have been provided to Ministers or their officials by Hillsdown Holdings or any of its related companies in the last five years.

  Mr. Curry
  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is the sponsoring Department for the food and drink industry. It is therefore necessary for Ministers and officials to have contacts with a very wide range of companies in that sector, including Hillsdown Holdings.

  Poultry Inspections
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what representations he has received as to the independence from poultry-producing companies of on-line inspectors of poultry meat; (2) what proposals he has for the meat inspection service as it relates to poultry products; (3) which poultry producers are represented on the working committee charged with responsibility for developing new arrangements for the inspection of poultry meat; (4) what further consideration is being given by his Department to on-line inspection by employees of poultry producers under a spotter system; (5) on what occasions in the last year he has discussed with the chairman of Hillsdown Holdings
  461
  the question of poultry meat inspection manning revels; and where the meetings took place; (6) what discussions he has had with representatives of the poultry trade as to a modified regime for the inspection of poultry on poultry plants; (7) what representations he has received from poultry producers in favour of changes in the arrangements for the inspection of poultry; and if he will list the companies involved; (8) what proposals he has as to responsibility for training on-line inspectors of poultry products.

  Mr Soames
  The Government are currently preparing to implement EC Council directive 92/116/EEC amending and updating directive 71/118/EEC on poultry meat hygiene. This directive was agreed in December 1992 and is due for implementation in member states by 1 January 1994.

  The new directive takes into account developments in this area over the last 20 years, including a series of studies carried out on behalf of the European Commission in the 1980s, into alternative methods of poultry meat inspection. These studies demonstrated that information on the health status of the flock from which birds were taken can aid inspection at the slaughterhouse and that company employees could carry out inspection with the same effectiveness as official inspectors, given adequate training. Under the new directive, member states are authorised to permit individual companies to utilise their own staff to carry out on-line inspection at the slaughterhouse, under supervision and control by the official veterinary surgeon with responsibility for the slaughterhouse.

  The new directive also makes extensive provisions for poultry meat inspectors to assist the official veterinary surgeon in the day-to-day supervision of poultry processing, and it is likely that these staff will increasingly take on a supervisory role.

  The Government support the principle that companies may be eligible to carry out poultry meat inspection under the supervision of enforcement bodies. This is consistent with the principle embodied in the Food Safety Act 1990 that the food industry has the main responsibility for ensuring the protection of its customers. The directive lays down detailed requirements for the monitoring and supervision of the inspection function, and requires that detailed guidance on training shall be laid down by the Commission.

  The Government have invited representative organisations, including the British Poultry Meat Federation, British Retail Consortium, and meat inspector, training, veterinary and local authority interests to join a working group set up to discuss the detailed requirements, including training, which will apply under the new system. The poultry industry representation on this group has yet to be agreed.

  Since the Department first consulted interested parties on the Commission's proposals in 1990. it has received eight representations on the independence from poultry producing companies of the poultry inspection system, from a range of individuals and organisations. Representations from poultry companies on the Commission's proposals were received through trade associations including the British Poultry Meat Federation. In addition the Scottish Office and Northern Ireland Office have received separate representations from individual companies. My right hon. Friend the Minister
  462
  of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food discussed the EC poultry meat market, with industry representatives, including, Hillsdown Holdings, Northern Foods, Bernard Matthews, Cherry Valley and Favour Parker Ltd. on a number of occasions in 1992. He has also visited Sun Valley and Lloyd Maunder for discussions.

  The Department will issue for public consultation in due course its detailed proposals on guidance and legislation to implement the new Directive. Guidance was issued to local authorities on 3 November on the use of trained plant staff to assist in poultry meat inspection, as a measure to ease the transition to the new arrangements.

  Staff (Working Hours)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will undertake a survey of all offices and agencies for which he has responsibility to ascertain to what extent staff supplying a service to the public are curtailing their work on a Friday afternoon earlier than other days of the week; and if he will make a statement on his policy on hours of staff working each week.

  Mr. Curry
  It is the responsibility of local managers to set hours of work for their staff which take account, among other things, of the needs of the public they serve.

  Livestock Identification Scheme
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will include the livestock identification scheme in the Government's deregulation initiative.

  Mr. Soames
  All the Department's activities are conditioned by the need to minimise the regulatory burden on those affected. In the case of animal identification this is of course subject to the need for measures to protect public and animal health and to safeguard taxpayers' money.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received on the livestock identification scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  Representatives of the livestock industry and enforcement bodies are being fully consulted on the implementation of new Community rules on animal identification and registration. Helpful and constructive contributions have been received from the farming unions, breeding organisations, auctioneers, local authorities and others.

  Grants and Subsidies
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what sums were paid out by each of his divisional offices for each(a) agricultural subsidy scheme and (b) grant scheme available to farmers in 1992; how many agreements were entered into for each grant scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr Curry
  A restructured regional organisation for the Ministry came into effect on 1 April 1992, when the existing five regional offices and 19 divisional offices were replaced by nine regional service centres. Information in the form required for 1992 cannot therefore be provided.
  463
  However, the number of plans approved under the farm and conservation grant scheme in England is shown in the table.

  Some data on agreements under other schemes and sums paid out in England should become available shortly. I will pass on this information shortly. Aggregate summaries of grants and subsidy expenditure are included in the Ministry's February 1993 departmental report (Cm 2203), a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Farm and conservation grant scheme: Plans approved in 1992

  Number

  1 January 1992 to 31 March 1992

  Regional Office

  Eastern

  14

  Midlands and West

  21

  Northern

  15

  South East

  14

  South West

  20

  1 April 1992 to 31 December 1992

  Regional Service Centre

  Bristol

  5

  Cambridge

  29

  Carlisle

  73

  Crewe

  26

  Exeter (with outstation at Truro)

  33

  Northallerton

  25

  Nottingham

  35

  Reading

  28

  Worcester

  13

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the budget for 1993–94 and the estimate for 1994–95, the number of acres covered and the number of farms that could be included in(a) the Somerset Levels environmentally sensitive area and (b) the Broads environmentally sensitive area.

  Mr. Curry
  The budget for the ESA scheme is £30·2 million in 1993–94 rising to £42·6 million in 1994–95. The scheme is managed as a whole and we do not allocate individual budgets to ESAs. The total area of the Somerset levels and moors ESA is 27,717 hectares, 68,488 acres, and the total area of the Broads ESA is 35,820 hectares, 88,510 acres. It is not possible to determine accurately the number of farmers in each area because the ESA boundaries do not coincide with parish boundaries in respect of which such data might be obtained from the agricultural census.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those environmentally sensitive areas where payments are being made to manage water levels; and if he will list the total payments made under such schemes to date.

  Mr. Curry
  A requirement to manage water levels is included in all ESAs where field wetness is critical to the ecological interest of river valley grassland. In the Somerset levels and moors, Broads, North Kent marshes, Suffolk river valley and Avon valley ESAs there is a specific payment to encourage farmers to raise water levels in order to enhance the habitat for birds. This is the first year in which such conditions are being met in the Somerset levels and moors and Broads ESAs. It involves maintaining the water table at field level to create surface 464
  pools between 1 January and 30 April. Full payment will not be made until we are satisfied that the conditions can be maintained on the affected land.

  Agriculture Support
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the amount spent in each of the last 10 years in direct support to British agriculture in cash and real terms; what is his estimate of future costs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The table provides figures on public expenditure under the CAP and on national grants and subsidies for the last 10 years, expressed as actual expenditure and in real terms. Figures for future years on a broadly comparable basis are provided in tables 8 and 23 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food/Intervention Board departmental report 1993, which has been lodged in the House of Commons Library. Both this publication and "Agriculture in the UK" provide background details concerning trends in expenditure.

  Public expenditure under the CAP and on national grants and subsidies

  Expenditure (£ million)

  Financial Year

  Actual

  In 1992 Prices

  1982–83

  1,432·8

  2,417·3

  1983–84

  1,728·5

  2,785·6

  1984–85

  1,712·0

  2,620·2

  1985–86

  2,164·6

  3,143·0

  1986–87

  1,449·0

  2,031·5

  1987–88

  1,630·0

  2,189·6

  1988–89

  1,379·7

  1,755·2

  1989–90

  1,258·0

  1,479·6

  1990–91

  1,909·7

  2,068·4

  11991–92

  2,086·0

  2,144·4

  1Forecast

  Sources: Annual Review of Agriculture—1987. Agriculture in the United Kingdom—1988–91.

  Note: Expenditure in 1992 prices has been calculated with reference to the General Retail Price Index.

  Floods and Drainage
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what responsibilities the proposed new Environmental Protection Agency will have in relation to flood and drainage.

  Mr. Curry
  It is envisaged that the proposed new Environment Agency will assume the responsibilities for flood defence and land drainage that the National Rivers Authority currently has.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what has been the total amount of expenditure on flood defence and drainage in each of the last three financial years to date; and what estimates there are for such expenditure in the 1993–94 budget;

  (2) if he will give a breakdown of flood defence and drainage expenditure in the last financial year on a county basis.

  Mr. Curry
  MAFF expenditure on grant aid in support of capital works on flood defence, including sea defence, and arterial drainage, excluding coast protection works against erosion, is as follows:
  465

  £ million

  1990–91

  25·5

  1991–92

  36·4

  11992–93

  41·6

  1Estimated.

  On the same basis, provision for 1993–94 is £46·2 million.

  A breakdown of expenditure on a county basis is not available except at disproportionate cost.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has as to whether feeding pigs with material containing the infectious agent for BSE can result in a spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soames
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Holland with Boston (Sir R. Body) on 17 February,Official Report, column 223.

  LEISHMANIASIS OUTBREAK, SUDAN
  LEISHMANIASIS OUTBREAK, SUDAN
  HAND TOOLS: SUPPLY FOR AID PROJECTS
  HAND TOOLS: SUPPLY FOR AID PROJECTS
  BRAZILIAN MAHOGANY: CONTROL OF IMPORTS
  BRAZILIAN MAHOGANY: CONTROL OF IMPORTS
  TROPICAL TIMBER: SUSTAINABLE EXPLOITATION
  TROPICAL TIMBER: SUSTAINABLE EXPLOITATION
  HONG KONG: ANNUAL REPORT
  HONG KONG: ANNUAL REPORT
  PRISON SERVICE WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION
  PRISON SERVICE WAREHOUSING AND DISTRIBUTION
  NEW AGE TRAVELLERS
  NEW AGE TRAVELLERS
  DOMESTIC WORKERS: ILLEGAL ENTRY
  DOMESTIC WORKERS: ILLEGAL ENTRY
  PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS
  PARLIAMENTARY PAPERS
  CAR PARKS
  CAR PARKS
  HEVENINGHAM HALL
  HEVENINGHAM HALL
  RIO CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT: ACTION BY UK
  RIO CONFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT: ACTION BY UK
  LONDON DOCKLANDS AND MERSEYSIDE URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS
  LONDON DOCKLANDS AND MERSEYSIDE URBAN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS
  ARMED FORCES' SUPPORT SERVICES: MARKET TESTING
  ARMED FORCES' SUPPORT SERVICES: MARKET TESTING
  CONDITIONAL FEES
  CONDITIONAL FEES
  HIGH COURT JUDGES
  HIGH COURT JUDGES