Written Answers of 30 March 1993

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Jury Service (Teachers)
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many applications have been received from primary school teachers under taking standard assessment tasks to be exempt from jury service; and how many have been granted in each of the last two years.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  No statistics are collected on the number of applications for excusal from jury service made, the number of applications granted or the reasons for such applications. However, applications for deferral of jury service or excusal from jury service received from teachers summoned to serve during term time, and particularly during examination periods, are treated sympathetically.

EMPLOYMENT

  Disability
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether people with disabilities will continue to have priority on her Department's main employment and training programmes.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The inclusion of people with disabilities in the Department's aim group has meant, in effect, that they have had priority for a place on a suitable programme. At the same time as we introduce training for work, we are strengthening the priority that people with disabilities will have on these programmes. The effect will be that people with disabilities will have priority for a place not just on one suitable programme but on each one for which they are suitable. This represents a significant enhancement of the priority given at the moment to people with disabilities.

  The programmes for which people with disabilities will have priority for a place from 1 April are: training for work, jobclub, job interview guarantee, work trial and business start-up.

  In addition, as my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer made clear in his Budget statement, people with disabilities will be given priority on learning for work and community action.

  Restart
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons have taken part in the restart scheme since its inception; of those how many went on to full time employment; and what has been the total cost of operating the scheme since it began.
  106
  Mr. McLoughlin
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Mr. M. Fogden to Mr. Gerry Steinberg, dated 30 March 1993:

  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency the Secretary of State has asked me to write to you direct to respond to your Parliamentary Question about Restart Courses. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

  Since they were introduced in July 1986 to December 1992, 513,736 people attended Restart Courses at a cost of around £49 million.

  We do not however collect regular information on the numbers of people who subsequently start jobs. However, a recent national survey showed that 9·4 per cent. of the respondents were either in a job or waiting to start one. Many more had, of course, gone on to join another programme such as Jobclub or training.

  Restart Courses are not simply about applying for jobs. Research has shown that many people suffer a loss of confidence and motivation after a long spell of unemployment. The Restart Course, which normally lasts one week, aims to help such people set new and realistic goals for themselves, to feel confident about achieving them and to develop an action plan. This will help them apply for jobs or other employment or training opportunities to help them back to work. Indeed so far this year 90 per cent. of the people who completed courses went on to apply for an employment or other opportunity. Therefore a Restart Course should be seen as a stepping stone, often a very necessary one towards more help.

  I hope this is helpful.

  As decided by the Administrative Committee of the House of Commons, Chief Executive replies to written Parliamentary Questions will now be published in the Official Report. I will also place a copy of this reply in the Library of the House.

  Graduate Unemployment
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information she has on the number of persons with university degrees who have been unemployed for(a) six months, (b) one year and (c) more than one year.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The latest estimates (not seasonally adjusted) from the Labour Force Survey for Great Britain relate to autumn 1992, and show that of those people with a degree or equivalent qualification who were unemployed on the ILO definition, 91,000 had been unemployed less than six months, 28,000 from six to 12 months and 48,000 unemployed for over one year.

  Dismissals (Written Reasons)
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether she will take steps to ensure that employees can receive written statements of reasons for dismissal after six months of employment.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No. The two-year qualifying period, in line with that for making a complaint of unfair dismissal, strikes the right balance between the interests of employers and employees.

  Terms and Conditions of Employment
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to ensure that the written statement of terms and conditions received by employees working over eight hours a week includes details about redundancy selection procedures.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have no such plans.

  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evidence her Department has that employers are unilaterally changing their employees' terms and conditions.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  We have received a number of letters to this effect, but employers cannot with impunity breach their contracts of employment with their employees.

  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to publicise the new right to a written statement of terms and conditions.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  When the relevant provisions of the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill come into force, the Department will issue a revised booklet, free of charge, explaining the right to receive a written statement of main terms and conditions of employment.

  Unfair Dismissal
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to amend the qualifying period for employees claiming unfair dismissal for(a) full-time workers and (b) part-time workers.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill, currently before Parliament, will enable all employees to complain of unfair dismissal, regardless of their length of service or hours of work, if they are dismissed on maternity-related grounds, or for taking certain types of action on health and safety grounds, or for seeking to enforce a statutory employment protection right.

  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to amend the law to ensure that employees are protected from unfair dismissal when seeking to enforce a statutory right.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A Government amendment to the Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill, introducing a new clause which will make it automatically unfair for an employer to dismiss an employee, regardless of length of service or hours of work, if the reason or the principal reason for the dismissal was that the employee had sought in good faith to enforce a statutory employment protection right, was approved in Committee in another place on 25 March 1993.

  Kilburn Skills
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations she has received from Chief Superintendent David Jarvis of Kilburn and Harlesden police, North London, on the level of funding to Kilburn Skills, a training centre in the London borough of Brent; and if she will make a statement.
  108
  Mr. McLoughlin
  We have received no representations from Chief Superintendent David Jarvis of Kilburn and Harlesden police, on the funding of Kilburn Skills training centre which receives funding from both Brent council and North West London training and enterprise council. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is therefore not in a position to make a statement.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if she will place in the Library a copy of the final version of the 1993–94 TEC operating agreement; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have arranged for a copy of the 1993–94 TEC operating agreement to be placed in the Library. Negotiations between the Department and the large majority of TECs on the 1993–94 contracting arrangements have been completed. We expect the remaining contracts to be signed shortly.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many current applications to industrial tribunals are experiencing a period of delay due to employer's insolvency(a) in the northern region and (b) in the United Kingdom as a whole.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Ms Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average period of delay experienced by applicants to industrial tribunals in gaining a judgment where the employer concerned is declared insolvent.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information on the time taken between lodging a complaint and the promulgation of the tribunal decision is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The promulgation of a decision after the hearing would not normally be delayed because of an employer's financial position, and the majority of decisions are promulgated within three to four weeks of the hearing.

  Multinational Enterprises
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress is being made in the EC draft directive on information and consultation in multinational enterprises; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  An explanatory memorandum dated 24 March, which describes progress on the proposal to date, has been submitted by this Department to the House of Commons Select Committee on European Legislation. The proposal is likely to be discussed a number of times under the Danish presidency.

  Part-time Workers
  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans she has to increase the employment rights of part-time workers.
  109
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Bill, currently before Parliament, will further increase the already substantial range of statutory employment protection rights, including for part-timers.

  The Bill will give all employees, regardless of their hours of work or length of service, the following new rights:
  a right for pregnant women to take at least la weeks statutory maternity leave;
  comprehensive protection against being unfairly dismissed on maternity-related grounds;
  protection against being unfairly dismissed or otherwise victimised for taking certain specified types of action on health and safety grounds; and
  protection against being unfairly dismissed for having sought in good faith to enforce any statutory employment protection right.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Agricultural Training Board (Secretary)
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 5 March,Official Report, column 314, what post inspection by his Department took place of the Agricultural Training Board area office secretary based in Builth Wells whose grade changed in November 1988.

  Mr. Curry
  No formal inspection of Agricultural Training Board secretarial posts at Builth Wells was undertaken by MAFF in 1988. Furthermore, we have no record of any grading change affecting a secretarial post at Builth Wells in November 1988.

  Market Testing
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which professional services within his Department have been subjected to market testing within the last 12 months and with what result; and which will be subjected to market testing within the next 12 months.

  Mr. Curry
  In the past 12 months, within the definition of professional and specialist services given on page 13 of the "Competing for Quality" White Paper, the following professional services have been subjected to market testing: the purchase of books and journals for MAFF libraries; pesticide evaluations; staff training contracts; general recruitment contracts. In all cases, the result has been the award of contracts to the private sector.

  Over the next 12 months, the following professional services will be, or are currently being, market tested: IT systems, services and development; investigation services; staff training services; research and development; work carried out on MAFF's behalf by the laboratory of the Government chemist, the food science laboratory, Norwich and the central science laboratory; central services supplied to MAFF's agencies by MAFF.

  Integrated Administration and Control
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ask the European Commission to delay the implementation of the integrated administration and control system beyond 15 May.

  Mr. Curry
  The 15 May deadline for the lodging of area aid application forms is laid down in Community 110
  legislation. The European Commission insists that there can be no later date in order that detailed checks, including on-farm inspections, can be carried out while crops are still in the ground and before the end of the set-aside period, or in the case of forage areas during the period when the land is normally grazed. There is therefore no prospect of amending legislation to extend the deadline this year.

  Badgers
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of badger setts, by country, closed or otherwise, seriously interfered with by or under licence from his Department's officials between 18 January and 15 March.

  Mr. Soames
  I will write to the hon. Member with the information requested. A copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will issue to farmers the documentation needed for them to submit area claims under the CAP reform arrangements.

  Mr. Gummer
  As indicated in my hon. Friend the Minister of State's reply of 29 March to the hon. Member for Cirencester and Tewkesbury (Mr. Clifton-Brown), at column 47, the documents for the integrated administrative control system will be sent to farmers in England and Wales on 2 April 1993. We held a press conference this morning and met representatives of the industry this afternoon to explain in full the IACS requirements. We shall continue to do what we can to ensure that farmers and their representatives are clear what they have to do to complete their application forms accurately and on time.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Teachers (Jury Service)
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to amend the current jury regulations to automatically exempt primary school teachers undertaking standard assessment tasks from jury service.

  Mr. Jack
  I have no such plans. It is, however, open to anyone summoned for jury service to apply for excusal or deferral if they have good reason for doing so.

  Police Training
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department has taken to ensure that specific instruction concerning racial incidents is included in police training courses.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  The issue of racial attacks is specifically addressed at the specialist support unit for community and race relations training, which has been funded by the Home Office since 1989 and which provides training for force trainers and training managers.

  Trainers who have studied at the unit are used to provide training in community and race relations matters, within forces, as part of probationer training at district

  111
  training centres, and as part of more advanced training at the central planning and training unit and the police staff college.

  The second report of the interdepartmental racial attacks group noted that several forces used outside help, particularly racial equality councils, to contribute to such training, and that the majority of forces have reviewed or initiated race relations policies in relation to racial incidents.

  Prison Education Staff
  Ms Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the implications of the recent court ruling that the acquired rights directive does apply to prison education staff from 1 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The implications of the judgment of Mr. Justice Ogden of 24 March in the case of Kenny and Woodroffe v. South Manchester college are being considered. South Manchester college, which was the defendant to the proceedings, has been granted leave to appeal.

  United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is intended for all existing staff employed by the United Kingdom immigrants advisory service to be retained by the successor body; and what is the position over the existing UKIAS offices.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  As I announced on 16 March, in columns 170–171, my right hon. and learned Friend has accepted the proposals for a successor body to UKIAS set out in the Malins report, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. As indicated in the report, the plans for transferring staff to the successor body will be in line with the provisions of Council directive 77/187 (the acquired rights directive). The planning group envisages that a nationwide service will continue, with offices in the exsisting areas covered by UKIAS.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are in hand for the successor body to the United Kingdom immigrants advisory service to advertise and appoint a director and other senior staff.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Members of the planning group established by my right hon. and learned Friend are now taking steps to establish the successor body to the UKIAS, as announced on 16 March at cols. 170–171. The recruitment of a director will be the first priority of the new immigration appeals advisory service.

  Police Discipline Procedures
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will issue his consultation document reviewing police discipline procedures.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I am today issuing a paper which examines police discipline procedures in the light of the considerable changes which have been, and are being, made to personnel management in the police service. I believe that the existing procedures, which date from world war 1, fail to meet the requirement of the public for 112
  a swift response to minor failures in what is expected of police officers. The present procedures are also, in many respects, unfair to individual officers and yet, where there have been serious breaches of conduct, can prevent proper action from being taken quickly and sensibly.

  I have invited comments on the paper by 14 May and shall welcome views from everyone with an interest in these issues. I hope that interested parties, particularly the police staff associations and the Police Complaints Authority, will respond quickly so that there may be early and constructive discussion on the way forward.

  Copies of the paper are available to hon. Members in the Library and, as usual, in the Vote Office.

  Immigration
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list changes to the rules for visitors to the United Kingdom from India since 1989;

  (2) what further changes he is considering to the rules for visitors to the United Kingdom from India.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  No changes in the immigration rules relating specifically to visitors from India have been made since 1989, and my right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to make any.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to his answer of 22 March,Official Report, column 448, how many of the 36 nationals of former Yugoslavia whose applications to extend their visits to the United Kingdom during 1992 were refused have been removed from the United Kingdom; to which countries they were sent; and how many have lodged appeals against refusal to extend their visits;

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 22 March, Official Report, column 448, how many of the 134 nationals of former Yugoslavia whose applications for extension of stay in the United Kingdom in 1992 were refused; how many were (a) students, (b) au pairs and (c) spouses; how many in each category have been removed from the United Kingdom; to which countries they were sent; and how many have lodged appeals against refusal to extend their stay.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: Information in respect of the refusals referred to is given in the table.

  Refusals1 of applications for extension of stay by nationals of the former Yugoslavia, by certain categories: 1992

  Number

  Student

  34

  Au pair

  13

  Spouse2

  20

  1 Excluding dependants.

  2 For probationary year.

  Information about appeals against refusals of applications for extensions, and about removals after refusal is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  However, no national of the former Yugoslavia removed from the United Kingdom is being removed to a war zone.

  Pornography
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to amend the obscenity laws so as to include a definition of pornography.

  Mr. Jack
  No. The term "pornography" has no legal significance, but the Obscene Publications Act 1959 already allows the courts to determine matters related to obscenity and pornography. Like our predecessors, the Government believe that any change in the definition of obscenity would be a matter of conscience for individual Members of Parliament and not a subject for Government legislation. However, as our record shows, the Government are prepared to offer their assistance and support to individual Members who have proposals for reform, provided that these appear to us to be workable, an improvement on the existing law and likely to command sufficient support in the House.

  As I said in my reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Castle Point (Dr. Spink) on 5 February at column 350, we are currently considering what improvements can be made in the enforcement of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 and 1964, and other legislation relating to obscenity.

  Wolds and Lindholme Prisons
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total cost per week of keeping a man in(a) HM prison Wolds and (b) HM prison Lindholme.

  Mr. Jack
  The average weekly cost of keeping a person in Wolds remand prison from April 1992, when the prison opened, until December 1992 was £626. Available figures for Lindholme prison, a category C training prison with dormitory accommodation, for the year ending March 1992, show that the average net operating cost per inmate per week was £336. This comparison is misleading, since unit costs are higher in the period during which a prison opens and is 'filling with prisoners, as Wolds was doing in 1992.

  Offensive Weapons
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what initiatives he proposes to reduce the carrying and use of knives and guns in the Greater Manchester area.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no power to intervene in operational matters. I understand from the chief constable of the Greater Manchester police that he has set up a new unit specifically to deal with major armed crime. The force held an amnesty for offensive weapons last year.

  Strip Searching
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what security risks necessitate the use of strip searching in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  A person detained in police custody may be required to undergo a strip search only if 114
  the custody officer considers it to be necessary to remove an article which, under the terms of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, he would not be allowed to keep. This includes any item which the person might use to cause physical injury to himself or anyone else, to damage property, to interfere with evidence or to assist him to escape.

  Prison officers in England and Wales may strip-search prisoners as a routine security measure for the purpose of detecting concealed weapons, drugs, explosives and other unauthorised items.

  Officers of HM Customs and Excise have powers to strip-search a person in a prescribed area if there are reasonable grounds to suspect that he is carrying an article with respect to the importation or exportation of which any prohibition or restriction is in force. Suspected possession of weapons or explosives is covered by this category.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the rights of citizens to refuse to submit to official strip searching in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  A person in police detention has no right to refuse to submit to a strip search if one is authorised by the custody officer. Where consent is withheld, such searches may be conducted by the use of reasonable force.

  Strip searching in prisons is considered to be an important feature of routine security checks, and is not subject to the consent of prisoners.

  A person who is required to submit to a search by an officer of HM Customs and Excise under section 164 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 may appeal to a magistrate, or to the superior of the officer concerned.

  A person who is not exempt from control under the Immigration Act 1971 and who is seeking admission to the United Kingdom has no right to refuse to submit to a search of their baggage or person for documents by an immigration officer exercising powers under the Act. The power to search the person for documents is used sparingly and only where the circumstances justify it.

  Political Donations
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward legislation preventing privatised public utilities from making financial donations to political parties.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have no plans to do so.

  Departmental Contracts
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for each of the last five years, the duration, value and nature of contracts awarded by his Department to Arthur Andersen, Andersen Consulting, KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock, Touche Ross, Ernst and Young and Price Waterhouse.

  Mr. Charles Wardle
  Details of the contracts awarded by the Home Office during the last five years to the specified companies, are as follows:
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  Consultant

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Total value £

  Arthur Andersen

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Andersen Consulting

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  KPMG Peat Marwick

  Review of prison laundries (4 months)

  Training needs in Emergency Planning Department (6 months)

  Review of charging procedures (1 month)

  Review of organisation of PNCO (4 months)

  Market testing scoping study (ongoing)1

  366,465

  IND Relocation Study (1 year)

  Crime audit of Nottingham City Council (5 months)

  Touche Ross

  Dtels management accounting system (12 months)

  Passport Agency study (2 months)

  Review of catering service at Fire Service College (3 months)

  Survey into motivation amongst police constables (3 months)

  Immigration Service survey of staff attitudes (5 months)

  922,399

  PNC project support office (1 month)

  Study into effective shift systems for the Police Service (3 months)

  Review of shift working patterns in the Immigration Service (3 months)

  Statistics Department strategy study (3 months)

  Contracting out of Prison Service catering (10 months)

  Radio Spectrum sizing study (6 months)

  Feasibility study for replacement MIS (3 months) preparation

  Emergency Planning Department message handling system (2 weeks)

  Preparation of model agreements (2 months)

  ED5 asset valuation (2 weeks)

  Study of Accountancy requirements (6 weeks)

  Ernst and Young

  Revision of Operational requirement (2 months)

  Privatisation of the IBA Terrestrial Transmission Service (1 year)

  Consultancy assistance in ensuring VFM from the court escort service (1 month)

  Market testing scoping study (ongoing)1

  1,494,807

  Provision of support for marketing and sales activity (Arthur Young prior to Amalgamation) (3 years)

  Validation of IT Strategy (3 months)

  Firearms Licensing Costs (1 month)

  Police roles and responsibilities (4 months)

  Services of temporary marketing manager (Arthur Young) prior to Amalgamation (9 months)

  Court escort area service (2 months)

  Artificial intelligence feasibility study (2 months)

  ICL domain review (2 months)

  PROMIS/SPITS strategy study (3 months)

  Price Waterhouse

  Preliminary financial advice in privatisation of the IBA (2 months)

  Advice on merits of computer programme (1 week)

  Marketing strategy for Prison Service clothing and texture group (3 months)

  Market testing consultancy support (6 months)

  1,330,913

  116 117

  Consultant

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Total value £

  Transmission Service (10 months)

  Study into television licence fee (1 month)

  Marketing survey (3 months)

  Provision of financial advice on the privatisation of the IBA transmission service (10 months)

  Police activity sampling a pilot study (4 months)

  1 Where a fixed price contract has not been completed, duration is described as "on-going".

  Prison Service Union
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on his policy concerning recognition of the Prison Service Union; and what progress has been made in granting recognition.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The director general of the prison service met representatives of the Prison Service Union on 2 March for a wide-ranging discussion on prison matters. He said at that meeting that their request for recognition was being considered, but that the issues were such that an early decision was unlikely.

  Convictions
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of recorded crime in Cornwall and Devon has led to successful convictions in each of the last five years for which there are figures; what were the average figures for England and for the United Kingdom for the same years; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what proportion of crimes led to successful convictions in each of the last five years for which figures are available for each county; what was the average figure (a) for England, (b) for Wales and (c) the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what proportion of recorded crimes have led to successful convictions in each of the last five years for which there are figures, in each county in England and Wales; what were the average figures for England, Wales and for the United Kingdom for the same years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answers 1 and 2 March 1993]: The information is not available. Information on recorded offences and court proceedings is compiled on different bases and a measure that combines the two therefore cannot be prepared. Figures for crimes cleared up by means of charge or summons were given in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Vale of Glamorgan (Mr. Sweeney) on 4 February at columns 291–92.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Government of Zimbabwe concerning the proposed treaty on drought and desertification.
  118
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  None.

  Afghanistan
  Mr. Horam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how he proposes to respond to the UN Secretary General's appeal for humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Government will make an immediate pledge of £7·5 million. This sum will be allocated as follows:£3 million for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to support its programme of assistance to returning refugees from Pakistan and Iran;
  £1 million for the International Committee of the Red Cross;
  £1 million for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan, for mine clearance;
  £1·6 million to respond to requests from nongovernmental organisations involved in relief, rehabilitation and development work;
  £0·9 million food aid contribution through the World Food Programme.

  This pledge is in addition to over £80 million of humanitarian aid provided by Britain for Afghanistan since 1980, of which £7·55 million has been disbursed in 1992–93 in response to an earlier UN appeal.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage how many and what percentage of officers in each grade from 1 to 7 and overall in his Department are(a) women, (b) from ethnic minorities and (c) disabled people.

  Mr. Key
  The numbers and percentages of women in the Department of National Heritage and the Historic Royal Palaces Agency in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are as follows:

  Grade

  Number of Staff

  Number of Women

  Percentage of Women

  1A

  1

  0

  0

  2

  —

  —

  —

  3

  4

  1

  25

  4

  1

  0

  0

  5

  19

  7

  37

  6

  8

  3

  38

  7

  52

  9

  17

  We are able to identify the number of women amongst our staff from our basic staff records. As a new

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  Department, we will not, until 1 April 1993, have complete personnel records or a personnel database covering all our staff. It is our intention to carry out an ethnic origin survey and disability survey as soon as possible after that date.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps are currently taken by his Department to monitor the effectiveness of the equal opportunities provision within the Broadcasting Act 1990.

  Mr. Brooke
  Channel 3 and Channel 4 licences include conditions on equal opportunities for employment. The Independent Television Commission is responsible for monitoring licence conditions.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what steps he has taken to recruit women, members of ethnic minorities and disabled people respectively, in top grades of employment at his Department.

  Mr. Key
  Recruits to the senior grades of the Department of National Heritage, as to any grade in the civil service, are selected on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, unless one of the exceptions permitted under the Civil Service Order in Council 1991 applies. Various steps have been taken by the civil service commissioners to aid recruitment from all sectors of the community including: extending links with institutions of higher education; equal opportunities training for those involved in selection; using validated selection procedures.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage when his Department last conducted surveys of(a) the ethnic origins and (b) women among its employees; when it next plans to do so; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  For women, there is no need for particular surveys, as the sex of employees is identified in our basic staff records. As a new Department, we will not, until 1 April 1993, have personnel records or a personnel database covering all our staff, and it is our intention to carry out an ethnic origin survey as soon as possible after that date.

  Royal Armouries Museum
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what plans he has to attract private sector funding for the proposed move of the royal armouries museum to Leeds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The Department is contributing £20 million to the project, and further contributions are being made by Leeds development corporation and Leeds city council. Merchant bankers acting for the armouries have now circulated a briefing memorandum to potential investors, who will be invited to contribute the rest of the estimated cost of £42 million. The Government fully support this important project, which will bring significant benefits to Leeds.

  Albert Memorial
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on the condition of the fabric of the Albert memorial; and what plans he has to restore and conserve it.
  120
  Mr. Brooke
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: A condition survey carried out in 1991 identified the need for considerable repairs to the ironwork, leadwork, stone-work, decorative tiling, statues and mosaics. A restoration scheme has therefore been prepared which addresses all these matters. The estimated cost of restoration is over £10 million. In view of the many demands on public resources at a time of very tight public expenditure control, I have had to postpone a start on this project. However, the Government remain committed to a worthy restoration of the Albert memorial. In the meantime, the protection and safety of the memorial is being assured.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many and what percentage of officers in each grade from 1 to 7 and overall in his Department are(a) women, (b) from ethnic minorities and (c) disabled people.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Figures for the Diplomatic wing are:(a) Women:

  Grade

  Total staff

  Number of women in grade

  Women as a percentage of total in grade

  1

  7

  149

  —

  5

  —

  3·4

  2

  33

  1

  3·0

  3

  109

  4

  3·7

  4

  1

  —

  —

  5

  303

  13

  4·3

  6

  91

  6

  6·6

  7

  492

  74

  15·0

  Overall

  6,400

  2,265

  35·4

  (b) Ethnic minorities:

  Grade

  Total staff

  Staff who have declared themselves to be of ethnic minority origin

  Number

  As a percentage of total in grade1

  1

  7

  149

  —

  —

  2

  33

  —

  —

  3

  109

  —

  —

  4

  1

  —

  —

  5

  303

  —

  —

  6

  91

  —

  —

  7

  492

  4

  0·8

  Overall

  6,400

  170

  2·7

  1 Response rate in voluntary ethnic survey: 89 per cent.

  (c) The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Diplomatic Wing) employs no registered disabled staff in grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 or 7. One officer at grade 5 is registered disabled (0·3 per cent. of the grade). Overall 26 staff (0·4 per cent. of the workforce) are registered disabled.

  Figures for the aid wing are:

  (a) Women

  Total staff

  Women

  Per cent.

  Grades 1–3

  12

  0

  (0)

  Grade 5

  51

  8

  (15·6)

  Grade 6

  87

  11

  (12·6)

  Grade 7

  249

  40

  (16)

  Overall

  1,932

  830

  (43)

  121
  These figures include the Natural Resources Institute.

  (b) Ethnic minorities

  Total respondents

  Ethnic minority staff

  Per cent.

  Grades 1–3

  10

  0

  (0)

  Grade 5

  42

  1

  (2·4)

  Grade 6

  51

  1

  (2·0)

  Grade 7

  128

  1

  (0·8)

  Overall

  1.297

  106

  (8·2)

  These figures exclude the Natural Resources Institute.

  Disabled Staff

  (c) No staff in grades 1 to 7 are disabled.

  Overall 26 staff are disabled (1·34 per cent.) These figures include the Natural Resources Institute.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to recruit women, members of ethnic minorities and disabled people respectively, in top grades of employment at his Department.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Recruits to the senior grades, as to any grade in the civil service, are selected on merit on the basis of fair and open competition, unless one of the exceptions permitted under the Civil Service and Diplomatic Service Order in Council 1991 applies. Various steps have been taken by the civil service commissioners to aid recruitment from all sectors of the community, including: extending links with institutions of higher education; equal opportunities training for those involved in selection; using validated selection procedures.

  All recruitment advertising and literature makes clear that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is an equal opportunities employer. This message is underlined at the numerous careers events across the country at which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is represented. The diplomatic wing has set up a cadre of volunteers from amongst its staff of ethnic minority origin to represent the Department at such events. Its recruitment brochure for the fast stream of the diplomatic service includes a positive action message for women.

  In the aid wing, job advertisements for all vacancies for senior positions carry a statement confirming that the Overseas Development Administration is an equal opportunities employer. By the application of published criteria, the aid wing ensures that all suitably qualified candidates are considered objectively for appointment.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department last conducted surveys of(a) the ethnic origins and (b) women among its employees; when it next plans to do so; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The diplomatic and aid wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office conducted their original surveys of ethnic origins in 1986. They have been continuously updated since then. The aid wing's agency, the Natural Resources Institute, is undertaking a major exercise to update its database. The gender of employees is identified in staff records. Statistics are updated at regular intervals.

  Dietary Supplements
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on the implications for the availability of vitamin, mineral and other dietary supplements of the agreements on subsidiarity reached at the Edinburgh summit.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Commission has not tabled proposals specifically aimed at controlling dietary supplements. Any such proposals would need to be judged against the subsidiarity criteria in the normal manner.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the European Commission has yet completed the review of its work programme commenced as a result of the agreements on subsidiarity reached at the Edinburgh summit; and what information he has about the possible inclusion within that programme of the production of a directive on dietary supplements.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  No; work continues. Dietary supplements was not an area specified in the Commission's initial subsidiarity review. It is not clear whether or not the Commission intends to pursue an initiative on dietary supplements.

  North Korea
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he possesses regarding the status of the Yongbyong nuclear facility in North Korea.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors have conducted six inspections at the Yongbyon nuclear facility. They have since asked to inspect two further undeclared sites in Yongbyon, which the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have refused, in breach of their safeguards agreement with the agency.

  Indonesia
  Mr. Matthew Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on United Kingdom relations with Indonesia.

  Mr. Goodlad
  The United Kingdom maintains friendly and constructive relations with Indonesia. We are contributing substantially to Indonesia's development in key industrial sectors, and the opportunities for British business are enormous. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs is looking forward to his visit there later this week.

  Pakistan (Chieftain Tanks)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Government of India concerning the sale of Chieftain tanks to Pakistan.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There have been no representations to us by the Government of India about the possibility of the sale of Chieftain tanks to Pakistan.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if pensions earned by retired members of the Hong Kong Government now living outside Hong Kong are paid in Hong Kong dollars or in the local currency.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Hong Kong Government pensions are payable in Hong Kong dollars, irrespective of where the recipients reside. In the case of United Kingdom officers who have retired in the United Kingdom, they may be paid in pounds sterling by the Crown Agents at the prevailing rate of exchange.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what agreement has been reached with the Chinese Government regarding the payment of pensions to retired civil servants of the Hong Kong Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Goodlad
  We reached the following agreement with the Chinese Government in the Sino-British Joint declaration of 1984:"The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government shall pay to such persons (public servants) who retire or complete their contracts, as well as to those who have retired before 1 July 1997, or to their dependants, all pensions, gratuities, allowances and benefits due to them on terms no less favourable than before, and irrespective of their nationality or place of residence."

  This provision is repeated in the Basic Law, the Chinese constitution for Hong Kong after 1997.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the adequacy of pension arrangements of Hong Kong retired civil servants who now live outside the colony.

  Mr. Goodlad
  Hong Kong Government pensioners, wherever they reside, have the option of having their pensions paid directly by the Hong Kong Government or the Crown Agents in the United Kingdom. As far as we are aware, both methods of payments have proved to be satisfactory.

  Commercial Attachés
  Mr. Hutton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many commercial attaches are currently serving in British embassies and high commissions overseas; in what countries; and how many had worked in industry before their appointment to the diplomatic service.

  Mr. Goodlad
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Porter) on 10 March at column 602. Commercial work is part of the responsibility of all our bilateral ambassadors and high commissioners and all our senior diplomats overseas have an understanding of the importance of commercial diplomacy and trade promotion.

  Maastricht Treaty
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from which articles, their paragraphs or their parts, Denmark is excluded from the obligations contained in title V of the treaty on European union, quoting in each instance the relevant parts of the Edinburgh decision and related treaty article.
  124
  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The decision on Denmark agreed at Edinburgh clarified, although it does not alter, either the text of the treaty on European union, or the obligations taken on by those who ratify the treaty. That applies to title V of the treaty as it does to other provisions. At Edinburgh, Heads of Government noted that Denmark does not participate in the elaboration and implementation of decisions and actions of the union which have defence implications.

  EC Economic and Social Committee
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the members of the United Kingdom delegation to the European Community Economic and Social Committee.

  Mr. Garel-Jones

  Mr. Neville Beale

  Mr. Michael Bell

  Mr. John Little

  Mr. Kenneth Gardner.

  Dr. Felix Kafka

  Mr. Michael Mobbs

  Dr. Ann Robinson

  Mr. John Whitworth

  Mr. Campbell Christie

  Mr. Peter Dawson

  Mr. Tom Jenkins

  Mr. John Lyons

  Miss Ada Maddocks

  Mr. William Morris

  Mr. Roy Sanderson

  Mr. Alexander Smith

  Mr. Wilfred Aspinall

  Mrs. Jocelyn Barrow

  Professor William Black

  Mrs. Angela Guillaume

  Mr. Robert Moreland

  Mr. Michael Strauss

  Yugoslavia
  Dr. David Clark (South Shields)
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy regarding the acquisition of information on possible breaches of international conventions or treaties relating to the conduct of hostilities in the former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is collecting substantiated information about violations of international humanitarian law which will be submitted to the UN commission of experts.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts relating to the acquisition of information on possible breaches of international conventions or treaties relating to the conduct of hostilities in the former Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None. However, the issue has been discussed with EC partners at regular intervals.

  South Africa
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what grants or donations the Foreign Office has given to the South African Rugby Football Union in the last five years.
  125
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  To mark the unification of the bodies that had previously controlled rugby union in South Africa, the British embassy in Cape Town donated 125,000 rand to the South African Rugby Football Union's township development programme in April 1992. A similar amount had previously been donated to mark the unification of the bodies controlling cricket in South Africa.

  Number of the Case

  Name of the Case

  White Paper reference! Law Report (if available)

  A. Magistrates Courts 9 references.

  C 118/88

  Suffolk Coastal District Council v. Nottcutts Garden Centres Ltd.

  Cm. 467

  C 134/88

  Solicitor for Mansfield District Council v. Payless DIY Ltd.

  Cm. 467

  C 145/88

  Torfaen Borough Council v. B & Q plc

  Cm. 1023/ (1989) ECR 3851

  C 166/88

  The City of Wakefield Metropolitan District Council v. B & Q plc

  Cm. 467

  C 195/88

  Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council v. B & Q plc

  Cm. 641

  C 232/88

  Derry City Council v. Hampden Homecare plc

  Cm. 641

  C 291/88

  Torfaen Borough Council v. Texas Homecare Ltd.

  Cm. 801

  C 304/90

  Reading Borough Council v. Payless DIY Ltd. and Others

  White Paper not yet published

  C 116/91

  Licensing Authority South Eastern Traffic Area v. British Gas plc

  Cm. 2065/ (1992) 3 CMLR 65

  B. Crown Court 4 references.

  C 23/89

  Quietlynn Limited v. Southend Borough Council

  Cm. 801/ (1990) ECR 3059

  C38/90

  R. v. Thomas Edward Lomas

  Cm. 1234/ (1992) 2 CMLR 653

  C 151/90

  R. v. Fletcher Prichard and North Riding Lamb Limited

  Cm. 2065

  C 116/92

  Huyton Wilson and Charlton v. Crown Prosecution Service

  White Paper not yet published

  C. High Court 22 references.

  C 126/88

  The Boots Company plc v. Her Majesty's Commissioners of Customs and Excise

  Cm. 1234

  C 174/88

  R. v. Dairy Produce Quota Tribunal ex parte Hall and Sons (Dairy Farmers) Ltd.

  Cm. 1234

  C 306/88

  Rochdale Borough Council v. Anders

  Cm. 2065

  C 331/88

  R. v. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and Secretary of State for Health ex parte FEDESA

  Cm. 1457/ (1990) ECR 4023

  C 372/88

  MMB v. Cricket St. Thomas Estate

  Cm. 1234/ (1990) 2 CMLR 800

  C 71/89 and C 72/89

  R. v. IBAP ex parte BEOCO and Others

  Cm. 1457

  C 221/89

  R. v. Secretary of State for Transport ex parte Factortame Ltd. and Others

  Cm. 1857/ (1991) 3 CMLR 589

  C 292/89

  R. v. IAT ex parte Antonissen

  Cm. 1657/ (1991) 2 CMLR 373

  C 350/89

  Sheptonhurst Ltd. v. Newham London Borough Council

  Cm. 1657/ (1991) 3 CMLR 463

  C 84/90

  R. v. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food ex parte J. J. Dent and another

  Cm. 2065/ (1992) 2 CMLR 597

  C 243/90

  R. v. Secretary of State for Social Security ex parte Smithson

  Cm. 2065/ (1992) 1 CMLR 1061

  C 370/90

  R. v. IAT (1) and Surinder Singh (2) ex parte Secretary of State for the Home Department

  White Paper not yet published

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  European Court of Justice
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 11 March,Official Report, column 650, if he will list the rulings sought by courts as provided in article 177 of the treaty of Rome and the decision given by the court in each case.

  The Attorney-General
  Details of the cases referred to the European Court of Justice under article 177 by each of the named courts in the last five years are set out in the table.
  127

  Number of the Case

  Name of the Case

  White Paper reference/ Law Report (if available)

  C9/91

  R. v. Secretary of State for Social Security ex parte EOC

  Cm. 2065

  C 200/91

  Coloroll Pension Trustees Ltd. v. J. R. Russell and Others

  Cm. 2065

  C 321/91

  R. v. Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce ex parte Tara Meat Packers Ltd.

  Cm. 2065

  C2/92

  R. v. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Cm. 2065

  C 11/92

  R. v. Secretary of State for Health ex parte Gallaher Ltd. and Others

  Cm. 2065

  C 124/92

  An Board Bainne Co-Operative Ltd. and Another v. IBAP

  White Paper not yet published

  C 128/92

  H. J. Banks and Co. Ltd. v. British Coal Corporation

  C 275/92

  Her Majesty's Customs and Excise v. Gerhart and Jorg Schindler

  White Paper not yet published

  C 432/92

  R. v. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food ex parte S. P. Anastasious Ltd. and Others

  D. Court of Appeal 10 references

  C 262/88

  Barber v. Guardian Royal Exchange

  Cm. 1234/ (1990) 2 CMLR 513

  C 301/88

  R. v. IBAP ex parte Fish Producers Organisation

  Cm. 1457/ (1990) ECR 3803

  C 15/90

  D. M. Middleburgh v. Chief Adjudication Officer

  Cm. 1857/ (1992) 1 CMLR

  C 1991/90

  Generics (UK) Ltd. and Another v. Smith Kline and French Laboratories Ltd.

  White Paper not yet published

  C 63/91

  Sonia Jackson v. Chief Adjudication Officer

  White Paper not yet published

  C 64/91

  Patricia Cresswell v. Chief Adjudication Officer

  White Paper not yet published

  C 127/92

  Dr. Enderby v. Frenchay Health Authority (1) and Secretary of State for Health (2)

  White Paper not yet published

  C 132/92

  Mrs. F. M. Roberts v. Birds Eye Walls Ltd.

  White Paper not yet published

  C 406/92

  The Owners of Cargo lately laden on board the ship "Tatry" v. The Owners of the Ship "Maciej Rataj"

  C 410/92

  Elsie Rita Johnson v. Chief Adjudication Officer

  E. House of Lords 5 references

  C 188/89

  Foster and Others v. British Gas plc

  Cm. 1457/ (1990) ECR 3313

  C 213/89

  R. v. Secretary of State for Transport ex parte Factortame Limited and Others

  Cm. 1234

  C 169/91

  Stoke and Norwich City Councils v. B & Q plc

  Cm. 1857

  C 271/91

  Her Majesty's Marshall v. Southampton and South West Hampshire Area Health Authority

  Cm. 1857

  C 328/91

  R. v. Secretary of State for Social Security ex parte Thomas and Others

  Cm. 2065

  Mr. Ghazanfer Ali
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 15 March,Official Report, column 34, what information he has received about the outcome of court proceedings in Pakistan concerning Mr. Ghazanfer Ali.

  The Prime Minister
  The two murder charges facing Mr. Ghanzanfer Ali were heard on 13 and 14 March. Both cases were adjourned until 8 and 12 April. We shall continue to watch developments.

  World Forestry Organisation
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what representation he has had from Professor Ingvar Carlsson, former Prime Minister of Sweden, on the establishment of a world forestry organisation; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  None. Ambassador Ola Ullsten announced at the recent global forestry conference in Indonesia an initiative to establish a world commission on forestry and sustainable development. The Ministers concerned know of the initiative and expect to receive more information about it shortly.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he has taken to recruit women, members of ethnic minorities and disabled people respectively in top grades of employment at the Cabinet Office.

  The Prime Minister
  Recruits to the senior grades, as to any grade in the civil service, are selected on merit on the basis of fair and open competition, unless one of the exceptions permitted under the Civil Service Order in Council 1991 applies. Various steps have been taken by the civil service commissioners to aid recruitment from all sectors of the community, including: extending links with institutions of higher education; equal opportunities training for all those involved in selection; using validated section procedures.

  The Cabinet office, which has signed up domestically to Opportunity 2000, is working towards achieving the civil service-wide benchmark of increasing the proportion of women in the top three grades to 15 per cent. or more by the year 2000. The Department continually seeks to encourage the employment of people from the enthnic minorities and those with disabilities.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Prime Minister when the Cabinet Office last conducted surveys of(a) ethnic origins and (b) the number women among its employees; when it next plans to do so; and whether he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  A survey of the ethnic origins of all non-industrial civil servants was completed in 1988. The Cabinet Office introduced a computerised personnel database in 1991. All staff were given the opportunity to update their own entries, which include sections on ethnic origins. All new staff are given the opportunity to complete an ethnic monitoring questionnaire. There are no firm plans to conduct further surveys. The sex of employees is identified in staff records.

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements; for Tuesday 30 March.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

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

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses and flats have been built by housing associations in the London borough of Ealing, what were the associations concerned, the locations and the cost at 1993 prices in each of the past 10 years; how many future such developments are planned and at what locations and cost; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department does not keep the detailed records which would allow me to answer this question. I have referred it to the Housing Corporation and asked it to reply direct to the hon. Member.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authorities in England which are debt free.

  Mr. Squire
  Returns to the Department indicate that the following local authorities are debt-free for the purposes of the capital control system. The list shows authorities which had no money outstanding by way of longer-term borrowing at 31 December 1992, and a nil or negative credit ceiling at 31 March 1992.

  Bedford

  Bracknell Forest

  Broadland

  Chiltern

  Christchurch

  City of London

  Dorset

  Mid Sussex

  Ryedale

  St. Edmundsbury

  Sevenoaks

  South Bucks

  Swale

  Tunbridge Wells

  West Sussex

  Avon and Somerset Police Authority

  Devon and Cornwall Policy Authority

  Peak Park Planning Board

  Unitary Development Plans
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for which local authorities in London and the south-east of England unitary development plans(a) have been completed, (b) have not been completed, (c) are currently out to consultation and (d) are currently subject to public inquiry; and in respect of which plans he has issued his report.

  Mr. Baldry
  The London borough of Barnet adopted its unitary development plan in November 1991, and the London borough of Havering is due to adopt its UDP on 31 March 1993. All other London boroughs are currently preparing UDPs. Outside London, district authorities in the south-east of England do not prepare UDPs, but are required to prepare district-wide local plans.

  UDPs for the London boroughs of Hillingdon, Newham, Camden and Croydon are at consultation stage; those for the London boroughs of Barking, Merton, Brent, Bexley, Tower Hamlets, Lambeth, Haringey and Lewisham are on deposit for public inspection.

  The London boroughs of Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Wandsworth, Richmond and Kingston are currently holding public inquiries into objections to their UDPs; the following London boroughs have completed their public inquiries: Islington, Redbridge, Sutton, Enfield, Southwark, Bromley, Greenwich, the City of London, Waltham Forest, the City of Westminster, Harrow, Hammersmith and Fulham, Hackney and Ealing.

  Following a public inquiry, the inspector makes his recommendations direct to the local authority. The Secretary of State does not issue reports in respect of development plans.

  Council Tax
  Mr Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the amounts of council tax transitional relief granted to each(a) London borough, (b) other metropolitan boroughs and (c) other local authorities in England; and what is the amount of transitional relief as a percentage of the total transitional relief granted.

  Mr. Squire
  Authorities have been invited to submit claims for council tax transitional reduction scheme grant for 1993–94. We have no estimates of the amount of each authority's grant entitlement.

  Birds
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Joint Nature Conservancy Council inventory of marine sites of importance to birds to be produced.

  Mr. Maclean
  At present the Joint Nature Conservation Committee has no plans to produce such an inventory. The former Nature Conservancy Council published survey results of the most important areas for seabirds in the North sea and west of Britain, in 1987 and 1990 respectively. The JNCC's remaining survey work in the English channel and south-west approaches is about to be completed.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he intends to safeguard the wider coastal and marine environment under the EC habitats and species directive.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government's proposals for implementing the EC habitats and species directive will be issued in due course.

  Coastal Zones
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action is being taken by his officials to pursue the proposed EC directive on coastal zone planning and management.

  Mr. Maclean
  At present, the Commission has not published a proposed directive on coastal zone planning. The Government will take an active part in seeking to ensure that any proposals that come forward are workable and effective.

  Rented Property
  Mrs. Jane Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce legislation that requires landlords to ensure regular servicing of appliances fitted within their properties; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Housing (Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Regulations 1990 require managers of houses in multiple occupation to observe proper standards of management and to keep existing facilities in good repair. These facilities include gas and electric appliances, and sanitary and cooking facilities. Failure to comply with the regulations is a criminal offence.

  Private landlords also have certain statutory obliga-tions to carry out repairs and maintenance under the
  132
  Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. These include ensuring that the installations for the supply of gas and electricity and for space and water heating are kept in proper working order.

  Homelessness
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what statutory responsibility local authorities have to offer homeless families a choice in the type of temporary accommodation they are offered.

  Mr. Baldry
  Local authorities have no statutory responsibility to offer a choice of temporary accommodation; this is a matter for their discretion in the light of local circumstances.

  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what provision he is making for the homeless people about to be evicted from the cold weather shelters; and how many beds are currently provided by those shelters.

  Mr. Baldry
  Under the Government's £96 million rough sleepers initiative, we have provided funding of £1·5 million for this year's winter shelter programme, which at its height provided 400 extra bedspaces in nine winter shelters in central London. The purpose of the winter shelter programme was only to provide shelter for people in central London who would otherwise sleep rough over the winter months. The shelters will close at the end of March.

  Currently, around 170 of the 400 places are still in use; over 50 of these people have accepted offers of other accommodation, and the voluntary organisations running the shelters are continuing to help find alternative accommodation for those that remain. In doing so, they will be assisted by two new hostels funded under the RSI which opened this month, and which will provide a further 100 bed spaces; by vacancies in other London hostels; and by an estimated 100 units of permanent accommodation provided under the RSI becoming available in the last two weeks of March.

  East Thames Corridor
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total public funding being committed to his plans to encourage development on the east Thames corridor.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government's preferred approach to the east Thames corridor is to put in place a planning framework which will seek to maximise the development benefits of public investment in infrastructure and urban regeneration over the next 20 years. It is not possible to estimate the total of public expenditure in the area over that period.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what effect the census validation survey has on the distribution of the standard spending assessments of population estimates for local authorities; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the effect on the level of grant through the standard spending assessment

  133
  formula population estimates to metropolitan district authorities of the under-enumeration formulas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Squire
  The effect of the census validation survey has been to ensure that the mid-1991 population figures produced by the registrar general for use in the calculation of standard spending assessments are as accurate as possible.

  We have looked most carefully at the mid-1991 population figures based on the 1991 census results, given their implications for standard spending assessments and revenue support grant entitlements. We are satisfied that the methods the registrar general has employed to produce these estimates, particularly in relation to the allocation of census under-enumeration, are the most appropriate in the circumstances and do not disadvantage metropolitan or any other class of authorities.

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends to take to adjust the standard spending assessments population estimates for Leeds and Wakefield because of the under-enumeration following the OPCS survey; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Squire
  The provisional mid-1991 population figures used in the calculation of the 1993–94 standard spending assessments already include allowances for the under-enumeration identified from the OPCS census validation survey.

  Mr. William O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria he uses to allocate under-enumerations of population to local authorities for standard spending assessment purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Squire
  It is the registrar general who is responsible for preparing the population figures used in the calculation of standard spending assessments, including the formulation of criteria for allocating estimates of under-enumeration to local authority areas. He has set out the methods used to compile his figures in the OPCS monitor PP1 92/1, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Landfill
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a copy of the preliminary study prepared by Cooper and Lybrand on the subject of a levy on landfills and licensed rubbish dumps.

  Mr. Maclean
  A copy of the report "Landfill Costs and Prices: Correcting Possible Market Distortions" by Coopers and Lybrand was placed in the Library of the House on 9 February 1993.

  Urban Programme
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources will be made available for the urban programme in 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Squire
  I am pleased to announce a substantial urban programme funding package for 1993–94. Allocations to the 57 urban programme authorities in 134
  England for 1993–94 total £163 million. These resources will fund projects which have been approved in this and previous financial years. The allocations are set out in the table.

  An additional £20 million is being provided for urban partnership fund projects as part of the new capital partnership programme. Successful project bids under this initiative were announced by my right hon. and learned Friend, on 12 February 1993 [Official Report columns 834–35]. Together with the £232 million being made available for city challenge, resources will rise by £90 million to £408 million in 1993–94.

  Urban programme allocation 1993–94

  £ million

  Newcastle

  5·340

  Gateshead

  5·272

  Hartlepool

  1·309

  Langbaurgh

  1·331

  Middlesbrough

  3·325

  North Tyneside

  2·231

  South Tyneside

  3·158

  Stockton

  1·280

  Sunderland

  3·317

  Manchester

  9·048

  Salford

  4·529

  Blackburn

  2·115

  Bolton

  2·253

  Burnley

  1·396

  Oldham

  2·554

  Preston

  1·210

  Rochdale

  2·475

  Wigan

  1·704

  Liverpool

  12·364

  Halton

  0·968

  Knowsley

  2·615

  St. Helens

  1·185

  Sefton

  1·000

  Wirral

  2·340

  Birmingham

  14·847

  Coventry

  3·065

  Dudley

  1·030

  Sandwell

  3·148

  Walsall

  1·051

  Wolverhampton

  3·522

  The Wrekin

  0·6342

  Derby

  0·837

  Leicester

  3·143

  Nottingham

  3·530

  Barnsley

  1·342

  Bradford

  3·002

  Doncaster

  1·288

  Hull

  3·265

  Kirklees

  0·724

  Leeds

  3·473

  Rotherham

  1·486

  Sheffield

  3·940

  Hackney

  3·425

  Islington

  5·873

  Lambeth

  5·863

  Brent

  1·436

  Greenwich

  1·112

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1·707

  Haringey

  2·012

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1·202

  Lewisham

  1·530

  Newham

  1·974

  Southwark

  1·826

  Tower Hamlets

  3·083

  Wandsworth

  2·110

  135

  £ million

  Bristol

  1·109

  Plymouth

  0·925

  Total

  162·834

  Greater London Council
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many bodies, elected or appointed institutions or other groups now administer the responsibilities previously discharged under the auspices of the Greater London council; and if he will list the function of each.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: The responsibilities of the Greater London council were transferred to a number of existing or new successor authorities on 1 April 1986. The London residuary body issued in 1987 a booklet entitled "London Now" summarising in general terms which services and duties went to which authorities. I have arranged for a copy of the booklet to be deposited in the Library. On 1 April 1990 each inner London council became the local education authority for its area on abolition of the Inner London education authority. Functions inherited by the LRB as a consequence of the abolition of the GLC and of the ILEA and subsequently disposed of by them are reported in the LRB's annual reports which are laid before Parliament, copies of which are in the Library.

  Hedgerows
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many agreements have so far been entered into under the hedgerow incentive scheme; what is the total length of hedgerow involved and the amount of money involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 26 March 1992]: As at 26 March 1993, 481 agreements had been made under the scheme since it was launched in July 1992, as a result of which some 640 km of hedgerow will be restored over the next five years. I will write to the hon. Member with regard to the anticipated cost of these works.

  Palm House, Sefton Park
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the environment when he will meet members of the action committee to save the palm house in Sefton park; what funds are available for the continued refurbishment of the palm house; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robin Squire
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: The hon. Member will remember, that I wrote to him in November of last year, agreeing to meet with himself, Liverpool city council and members of the save the palm house committee. Since then, an urban programme grant has been approved in January 1993 and has secured the safety of the palm house structure and provided Liverpool city council with an opportunity to explore further options for the long-term future of the building and its environs.

  With this in mind, the city council's planning and development services department has proposals to establish a joint council/voluntary sector action committee
  136
  of its own. However, this is at a preliminary stage and subject to approval by the city council. Once this is formalised, a meeting can then be arranged.

  Toxic Waste Imports
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will consider holding an inquiry into the commercial trade in toxic waste with particular reference to trade between Germany and the United Kingdom;

  (2) what representations he is making to the European Commission regarding the import of toxic waste going from Germany to the ReChem plant in Pontypool;

  (3) if he will consider preventing the import of toxic waste from Germany to the ReChem plant at Pontypool;

  (4) what ports in the United Kingdom will handle the proposed imports of toxic waste from Germany destined for the ReChem plant in Pontypool.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: I see no need for such an inquiry. The UK Government have asked the German Government to ban the proposed shipment of hazardous waste from Hamburg. The UK's policy of self-sufficiency in final disposal for developed countries has been incorporated into the EC waste shipments regulation coming into operation in May 1994. I understand that the proposed shipment would be handled at Hull.

WALES

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what statutory provisions governs the responsibility of the Welsh Development Agency in respect of the conservation of flora, fauna, landscape and physiographical features.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The agency is subject to the same provisions as apply to other public bodies.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) which members of the Welsh Development Agency since 1975 were appointed because of their experience of and capacity in matters relating to the environment;

  (2) if he will list the existing members of the Welsh Development Agency showing which have experience of, and have shown capacity in, industry, commerce, banking, accountancy, finance, the organisation of representation of workers, administration, local government and matters relating to the environment respectively.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Appointments to the board of the agency are made on the basis of an individual's overall experience and expertise and having regard to the terms of the Welsh Development Agency Act 1975. Such appointments are rarely dependent on a single attribute.

  Each of the current members of the board brings a wide range of skills and expertise to the agency. Current membership is as follows:

  Dr. Gwyn Jones—Chairman

  Dr. Roy Bichan—Deputy Chairman

  Sir Donald Walters

  Mr. E. Glyn Davies1

  Mr Richard Brewster

  Mr. John Foley MBE

  Mr. David Malpas

  Dr. Pamela Kirby

  Mr. Philip Head2—Chief Executive

  137
  1 Ex officio member as Chairman of the Development Board for Rural Wales.
  2 In accordance with the requirements of the WDA Act 1975, the WDA Chief Executive is appointed a member of the WDA Board.

  Breast Screening
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which places the mammography screening service has visited in 1992 and 1993 to date; and where the service is currently planned to visit during the remainder of 1993.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Breast Test Wales provides a breast screening service throughout Wales. Detailed information about the mobile screening programme in 1992 together with current and planned programmes for 1993 is not held centrally. This is available from the director of Breast Test Wales who is responsible for the management and delivery of the service.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what criteria the mammography screening service has adopted in choosing the places it has visited to date.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  In line with national guidelines for breast screening, Breast Test Wales is working to a three-yearly screening cycle. Within these parameters, it is for the director of Breast Test Wales to provide the service taking into account support services and geographical planning.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many places the mammography screening service in Wales has visited on more than one occasion.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Following completion of the first three-year screening cycle in parts of south-east Wales, I understand that second round screening has begun in that area. Information about the locations involved can be obtained from the director of Breast Test Wales.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will arrange for the mammography screening service to visit Merthyr Tydfil during 1993.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The decision about which locations the mobile screening service will visit in 1993 and beyond is the responsibility of the director of Breast Test Wales.

  European Community Funds
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to secure that supplementary credit approvals for local authorities in Wales in 1993–94 on European regional development fund and RECHAR moneys are applied in line with the additionality principle.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Officials wrote to all local authorities on 20 January informing them of the arrangements which will apply to the issue of supplementary credit approvals to cover all ERDF grant-related expenditure incurred by them from 1 April 1993.

  ReChem Incinerator (Emissions)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the statement made by the parliamentary Under-Secretary of State on toxic waste monitoring,Official Report, 10 July 1992, column 777, if
  138
  he will specify the form of the investigation into the Gwent farmer's complaints about airborne emissions from the ReChem incinerator.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Between 1982 and 1984, various samples were collected by the farmer's veterinary surgeons and examined at veterinary investigation centres or at a private veterinary laboratory. In addition, senior veterinary officers from the veterinary investigation service made a number of visits to the farm in question. It was concluded that there was ample evidence to support the view that the animal problems were caused by common disease conditions.

  Community Councils
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of all community councils in Wales by district showing the electorate in each case.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  This information is not held centrally.

  Housing (Garden City)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet Alyn and Deeside district council to discuss housing problems in Garden city, Deeside.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  The hon. Gentleman will recall that my right hon. Friend met him and a delegation of members from the council to discuss a number of their concerns, including resources for housing, on 26 January. Welsh Office officials are meeting representatives of Alyn and Deeside district council today to discuss the full range of their housing problems and plans.

  Badger Setts
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of badger setts, by county, closed or otherwise, seriously interfered with by or under licence from his Department's officials between 18 January and 15 March.

  Mr. David Hunt
  During the period in question, two licences were issued by the Department permitting interference with one badger sett in Clwyd and one in Gwynedd.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications he has received under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 to enter dogs into setts; how many have been granted; and when, where and for what purpose.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Department has received four applications for licences to permit the entry of dogs into badger setts, only one of which has been approved. On 12 March, a licence was granted to allow the introduction of a dog into a sett near Denbigh, Clwyd for fox control purposes.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what conditions he has applied to licences granted for the purpose of entering dogs into badger setts.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The conditions for the one licence issued were that the licence was valid for a single day, that
  139
  a wildlife expert from the agricultural development and advisory service would be in attendance and that the operation should cease if there was any evidence of disturbance to badgers.

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for increases in the budgets of the training and enterprise councils in the areas covered by pit closures in Wales for specific additional training schemes for former coal miners affected by the coal industry pit closure programme.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I have announced resources of over £106 million in 1993–94 for TECs in Wales—a massive investment enabling them to have on offer a range of opportunities including skills training at all levels and support for those wishing to start their own businesses. I will continue to review provision with the TECs in the light of developments in those areas relevant to the coal review.

  NHS Trusts (Pay Levels)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what analysis he has made of the salary percentage increases of top management in NHS trusts to take effect from 1 April; what assessment he has made of the impact of the Chancellor's 1·5 per cent. upper limit for public sector pay for 1993 on the pay increases for(a) top management, (b) senior medical staff, (c) nursing and (d) auxiliary staff in trust hospitals and other trust provider units in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  NHS staff including all those employed by NHS trusts are subject to the current public sector pay policy restricting settlements in the 1993 pay round to a maximum of 1·5 per cent. Offers made to date to staff groups covered by the pay review body and Whitley arrangements are within this limit.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what instructions he has issued to Welsh training and enterprise councils in relation to the submission of claims for invoices at(a) project approval stage and (b) expenditure incurred stage; what guidelines he has issued

  £ million

  Tax liability under

  Tax and national insurance liability under

  1993–94 regime

  1987–88 regime indexed to 1993–94

  1993–94 regime

  1987–88 regime indexed to 1993–94

  Taxpayers under the 1987–88 indexed regime

  Top 1 per cent.

  9,300

  12,500

  9,600

  12,800

  Top 5 per cent.

  19,300

  23,300

  20,900

  25,000

  Top 10 per cent.

  26,000

  30,600

  29,300

  34,100

  Top 20 per cent.

  35,700

  41,400

  42,100

  48,400

  Top 50 per cent.

  52,500

  60,500

  65,400

  75,000

  Bottom 50 per cent.

  8,100

  10,100

  12,100

  14,900

  Bottom 20 per cent.

  1,000

  1,400

  1,700

  2,300

  Bottom 10 per cent.

  230

  330

  480

  630

  Bottom 5 per cent.

  60

  80

  160

  210

  140
  as to the proper procedure if any TECs have been paid on the basis of claims submitted at project approval stage and in advance in need; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The TEC operating agreement sets out the procedures to be followed by TECs when submitting claims. TECs have recently been reminded to examine their systems to ensure that the terms of the TEC operating agreement are being met.

  Hospital Waiting Times
  Mr. Sweeney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress is being made towards meeting the guarantee on hospital waiting times under the patients charter in Wales.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  Significant progress has been made in reducing waiting times in line with the patient's charter guarantees. The number waiting over one month for urgent hospital treatment is expected to have fallen from 717 in March 1992 to nil or virtually nil by the end of March 1993.

  By the end of this month, health authorities expect to have eliminated the waiting lists over 18 months for hip and knee replacements and cataract operations.

  The number of people waiting over two years for non-urgent treatment fell from 2,251 in March 1992 to 1,528 last September. During February, the number fell to 933 and it is estimated to have fallen during this month to about 100. If any are still outstanding at the end of this month, all will have been offered firm admission dates.

  This represents a magnificent achievement by Welsh health authorities.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Taxpayers
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the tax liabilities of taxpayers in 1993–94(a) including and (b) excluding the effects of changes in national insurance contributions compared with what their liability would be under the indexed 1987–88 income tax regime, giving figures for the top and bottom (i) percentile, (ii) 5 per cent., (iii) decile, (iv) quintile and (v) 50 per cent. of taxpayers.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Latest estimates are given in the table.

  Information for the bottom 1 per cent. of taxpayers is not available. The 1987–88 income tax regime has been

  141
  indexed to 1993–94 levels by reference to the statutory formula and allowing for independent taxation. For the purpose of the calculations the indexed regime of 1987–88 has been applied directly to the income base of 1993–94. In practice, retention of the 1987–88 regime, indexed as appropriate, for the intervening years would have led to changes in the income base.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer of 25 February,Official Report, column 691, showing changes in tax and national insurance liability compared with an indexed 1987–88 tax regime, giving an estimate for 1993–94.

  Mr. Donnell
  Latest estimates of the average reductions in income tax liability resulting from the changes in tax rates, allowances and thresholds are in the table. The 1987–88 income tax regime has been indexed to 1993–94 levels by reference to the statutory formula and allowing for independent taxation. For the purpose of the calculations the indexed regime of 1987–88 has been applied directly to the income base of 1993–94. In practice, retention of the 1987–88 regime, indexed as appropriate, for the intervening years would have led to changes in the income base.

  Average change in 1993–94 compared with 1987–88 indexed regime

  Range of individual's income in 1993–94 £

  Income tax £

  Income tax and national insurance £

  Under 5,000

  60

  70

  5,000–10,000

  170

  240

  10,000–15,000

  260

  400

  15,000–20,000

  340

  470

  20,000–25,000

  430

  550

  25,000–30,000

  500

  610

  30,000–40,000

  430

  530

  40,000–50,000

  920

  1,010

  50,000–70,000

  2,400

  2,480

  70,000–80,000

  5,130

  5,200

  Over 80,000

  19,200

  19,200

  Average

  400

  480

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the total proceeds from value added tax in each year since 1978–79, at 1993 prices; and what are the projections for each year to 1995–96.

  Sir John Cope
  The VAT proceeds at 1992 prices are as follows:

  Year

  Revenue £ Billions

  1978–79

  13·1

  1979–80

  19·2

  1980–81

  22·1

  1981–82

  21·3

  1982–83

  23·4

  1983–84

  24·5

  1984–85

  28·4

  1985–86

  28·0

  1986–87

  30·0

  1987–88

  32·4

  1988–89

  34·8

  1989–90

  34·8

  1990–91

  33·4

  1991–92

  36·6

  142

  Year

  Revenue £ Billions

  1992–

  137·0

  1993–

  239·0

  1 Latest estimate.

  2 Forecast.

  Forecasts are not available beyond 1993–94. 1993 prices are not yet available.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of unpaid VAT written off by HM Customs and Excise for the last five years for which figures are available.

  Sir John Cope
  VAT write-offs are scheduled on a calendar year basis. A "written off" amount is where, for accounting purposes, a tax liability is removed from the records. However, the liability is not extinguished and may, if at a later stage circumstances change, be resurrected. The audited figures for the last five years are:

  Year

  £'000

  1987

  214,123

  1988

  209,471

  1989

  173,981

  1990

  208,024

  1991

  1512,284

  1 The figure for 1991 includes some £80 million written-off following a special review of long standing debts on the VAT ledger.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his plans to extend VAT to domestic fuel will include standing charges on gas and electricity bills.

  Sir John Cope
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 26 March at column 746.

  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate for each region(a) the total increase in household costs, (b) the average household cost and (c) the average proportion of household income that will be consumed by his proposed extension of value added tax to heating costs (i) in 1994–95 and (ii) in 1995–96.

  Sir John Cope
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: I regret that the information requested is not available.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many traders were deregistered for value added tax because they had ceased trading in 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Sir John Cope
  The numbers of traders who were deregistered for value added tax because they had ceased trading in 1990–91 and 1991–92 are as follows:

  Number

  1990–91

  119,486

  1991–92

  114,372

  Corporation Tax
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what forecasts have been produced by the Inland Revenue for corporation tax receipts for 1992–93
  143
  and 1993–94 from (a) the major clearing banks, (b) other banks, (c) insurance companies, (d) other financial institutions and (e) privatised companies;

  (2) what was the estimate of corporation tax receipts forecast in 1990 by the Inland Revenue for the banks for 1990–91 and 1991–92; and what were the actual receipts of corporation tax from the banks for these years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Forecasts of the yield of corporation tax, and of advance corporation tax, are published annually in the Financial Statement and Budget Report issued on Budget day. It is not normal practice to release forecasts in the detail requested.

  Tax Remission
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases(a) inheritance tax and (b) capital gains tax was remitted or written off as irrecoverable for each year since 1989.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The total number of cases and amounts of inheritance tax and capital gains tax remitted off or written off by the Inland Revenue for each year since 1989 (figures for 1992 are not yet available) is as follows:

  INHERITANCE TAX

  CAPITAL TAX GAINS

  Number of cases

  Nearest £

  Number of cases

  Nearest £ thousand

  1989

  10

  70,730

  5,449

  10,856,000

  1990

  34

  225,549

  6,492

  12,076,000

  1991

  35

  413,038

  8,418

  29,721,000

  ODA RTA

  Toronto terms

  Trinidad terms

  Exceptional treatment

  Afghanistan

  Bangladesh

  Benin

  Benin

  Bolivia

  Bolivia

  Bolivia

  Botswana

  Burkina Faso Central African Rep

  Ethiopia

  Ethiopia

  Egypt

  Egypt

  Gambia

  Ghana

  Guinea-Bissau

  Guinea Republic

  Guinea Republic

  Guyana

  Honduras

  Indonesia

  Kenya

  Lesotho

  Madagascar

  Malawi

  Mali

  Mali

  Mauritania

  Mauritania

  Mozambique

  Mozambique

  Mozambique

  Nepal

  Nicaragua

  Niger

  Pakistan

  Poland

  Senegal

  Senegal

  Sri Lanka

  Sudan

  Tanzania

  Tanzania

  Tanzania

  Togo

  Togo

  Uganda

  Uganda

  Uganda

  Western Samoa

  Zaire

  Zambia

  Zambia

  23

  18

  13

  2

  144

  Debtor Countries
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many countries have had their official debt to the United Kingdom written off.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 22 March 1993]: Thirty-eight countries have received some form of official bilateral debt or debt service reduction from the United Kingdom Government. Twenty-three countries have received retrospective terms adjustment from the Overseas Development Administration entirely transforming old aid loans into grants. The Export Credits Guarantee Department has participated in debt restructurings on Toronto terms with 18 countries involving debt or debt service forgiveness equivalent to a one-third reduction in the present value of eligible debt, and restructurings on Trinidad terms with 13 countries involving debt or debt service forgiveness equivalent to one half reduction in the present value of eligible debt. In addition, two exceptional debt restructurings have been agreed with Poland and Egypt which reduce the present value of the stock of these countries eligible by 50 per cent. The details are set out in the table.

  Barlow Clowes
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on instructions he has given to recover public funds from Barlow Clowes by means of legal proceedings against the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.

  Mr. Nelson
  An application in the names of the Treasury, Barlow Clowes liquidators and receivers, and others for leave to serve proceedings against BCCI is pending before the court. It would not be appropriate to comment on this or any other action arising out of the Barlow Clowes affair which is before the court.

  European Community (Convergence)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what requests he has received from institutions o f the European Community for a report on their programme for attaining convergence within the economies of the Community; what reply has been sent; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

  Mr. Nelson
  The United Kingdom presented a convergence programme in November 1991. A copy of this programme was placed in the House of Commons Library. It is our intention to submit an updated convergence programme during 1993.

  Equatorial Bank
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the reasons for closing the Equatorial bank.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 24 March 1993]: No. I understand that the decision to petition for administration was taken by the Equatorial's directors.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to hold an inquiry into the events surrounding the closure of the Equatorial bank.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 24 March 1993]: I have no such plans.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when and by whom he was first informed of the problems that subsequently led to the closure of the Equatorial bank; and when he was first informed that the Equatorial bank was to be closed.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 24 March 1993]: As the Bingham report makes clear, information on supervisory matters is passed to the Treasury by the Bank of England at a number of levels. However, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on individual institutions.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the meetings, during the last year, he has had at which the Equatorial bank was discussed.

  Mr. Nelson
  [holding answer 24 March 1993]: I hold meetings from time to time with the governor or with my officials at which banking supervision issues are discussed. It would not be appropriate for me to disclose whether or not a particular institution was mentioned at any such meeting. Equatorial was, however, raised briefly by the hon. Gentleman at a meeting we had on 23 March.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Strip Searching
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what security risks necessitate the use of strip searching in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Mates
  The purpose of the full searching of prisoners in Northern Ireland is to detect items such as explosives, weapons and drugs, in order to reduce the risk of escape and the potential for injury to prisoners, staff and visitors.

  RUC (Disabled Personnel)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve have been physically disabled as a result of terrorism to date; how many have been retrained and re-employed by the Police Authority for Northern Ireland; and what opportunities are available for retraining and reemployment within the Royal Ulster Constabulary for personnel disabled in service.

  Mr. Mates
  [holding reply sent on 10 March 1993]: The term "physically disabled" is difficult to define precisely, but current RUC records in relation to injuries as a result of terrorist attacks indicate that since 1970 a total of 7,025 officers have been injured as a result of terrorism. Of these, 121 have been granted medical retirement due to the extent of their injuries/illness.

  The Police Authority for Northern Ireland does not currently have the facility to retrain RUC officers for further employment. A serving or ex-RUC officer may apply in open competition through the Northern Ireland Civil Service Commission for employment in the civil service, including secondment to the police authority. There are currently six civil servants employed by the police authority who retired on medical grounds from the RUC. Information as to how many such officers have been employed since 1970 is not readily available.

  Where possible, the RUC, through its welfare branch and occupational health unit provides support and rehabilitation for injured officers. This service extends to the provision of counselling help to the injured officers' families. In addition, the RUC benevolent fund provides continuing support for the officer and the family in both financial and social aspects of the trauma. However, the RUC does not have the facilities to re-train or re-employ every officer injured as a result of terrorism. Where a recovery period is required or where illness dictates (including sickness not related to terrorism), officers may be employed on restricted duties. On 10 March 1993, a total of 80 officers who had been injured as a result of terrorism were employed on restricted duties. This total includes a small number of disabled officers who, although eligible, decided not to seek medical retirement from the force.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Blood Donation
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what plans he has better to promote the opportunities for the giving of blood by all those who work in the Palace of Westminster.

  Mr. Michael Martin
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 14 January,Official Report, col. 440, which detailed the arrangements provided in the Treasury where Members, their staff and staff of the House may give blood. Those apart, a proposal from the North London blood transfusion service that its mobile unit should be parked in the precincts of the Palace of Westminster is currently before the Administration Committee.

  Printing and Publication Costs
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what is the approximate cost per page to the House of printing and publishing one page of the Notice Paper and of the Order Paper.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  [holding answer 25 March 1993]: A number of copies of the Vote bundle is supplied to the House either complete or in various, pre-determined combinations of its 11 main sections. The page content of each section varies widely from day to day and Her Majesty's Stationery Office charges the House 18p for each page of every copy supplied.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee how many pages of the Official Report have been devoted to (a) oral and written questions to the right hon. Member answering on behalf of the Church Commissioners and (b) to the passage of Church of England measures, in sessions 1990–91, 1991–92, and 1992–93 to date; and what was the approximate cost to the Official Report of the preparation, printing and publishing of such pages.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  [holding answer 25 March 1993]: The price of the daily Official Report does not vary with page content. Over the period in question, it has been £6 for session 1990–91 and £7·50 for sessions 1991–92 and 1992–93. Information on the number of pages devoted to questions to the Church Commissioners and to Church of England measures and on the cost of their preparation by the Department of the Official Report is as follows:

  Oral and written questions (Church Commissioners) and Church of England Measures Costs incurred by the Department of the Official Report]

  Number of pages

  Number of questions

  Preparation costs £

  Oral questions

  1990–91

  7·2

  18

  79·92

  1991–92

  3·2

  7

  31·08

  1992 to date

  3·75

  12

  53·28

  Totals

  14·15

  37

  164·28

  Written questions

  1990–91

  3·35

  19

  35·91

  1991–92

  0·65

  4

  7·56

  148

  Number of pages

  Number of questions

  Preparation costs £

  1992 to date

  3·6

  26

  49·14

  Totals

  7·6

  49

  92·61

  Church of England measures

  1990–91

  10·25

  n/a

  175·50

  1991–92

  8·75

  n/a

  141·75

  1992 to date

  nil

  n/a

  nil

  Totals

  19

  —

  317·25

SCOTLAND

  Badger Setts
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of badger setts, by county, closed or otherwise, seriously interfered with by or under licence from his Department's officials between 18 January and 15 March.

  Sir Hector Monro
  None.

  Forestry
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how he plans to carry out the proposed review of incentives for forestry.

  Mr. Lang
  I and my fellow Ministers are keen to improve the effectiveness of the delivery of the Government's forestry policy objectives in line with my statement on forestry in September 1991. We gave a commitment in the manifesto to review the effectiveness of the current incentives for forestry investment, and this will be completed by the end of the year.

  We have established a small group of officials, with representatives from the Treasury, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Welsh Office, Department of the Environment and the Forestry Commission, under Scottish Office chairmanship, to review the effectiveness of the current incentives for forestry investment, to review options for the ownership and management of Forestry Commission woodlands and to make proposals for changes which would improve the effectiveness of the delivery of the Government's forestry policy objectives, having regard to the Government's other economic and environmental policies.

  Stracathro hospital
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the current costs of providing accident and emergency services at Stracathro hospital; and what are the average costs for Tayside and Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  In 1991–92, average costs per accident and emergency attendance were:

  £

  Stracathro hospital

  45·00

  Tayside health board

  34·24

  Scotland

  34·96

  Community Midwives
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the numbers and location of general practitioner community midwife schemes for each health board in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many community midwives there are in each health board in Scotland.

  Mr. Stewart
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  NHS Community Midwives by Health Board: head count at 30 September 19921

  Community midwives

  Combined duty nurses2

  Scotland

  298

  591

  Argyll and Clyde

  36

  49

  Ayrshire and Arran

  37

  2

  Borders

  —

  56

  Dumfries and Galloway

  6

  45

  Fife

  24

  —

  Forth Valley

  21

  14

  Grampian

  13

  85

  Greater Glasgow

  49

  21

  Highland

  12

  148

  Lanarkshire

  28

  29

  Lothian

  61

  2

  Orkney

  —

  17

  Shetland

  —

  19

  Tayside

  11

  64

  Western Isles

  —

  40

  1 Data are provisional.

  2 Staff who practise more than one profession:

  health visitors/district nurses/community midwives,

  district nurses/community midwives,

  health visitors/community midwives.

  Brackletter Waste Disposal Site
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will announce a decision on the compulsory purchase order for the Brackletter waste disposal site, Spean Bridge, Invernesshire.

  Sir Hector Monro
  I expect the decision on the compulsory purchase order for the Brackletter waste disposal site to be issued shortly.

  MV Havkong
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the investigations he is carrying out into all aspects of the incident on 23 January in Braefoot bay, involving MV Havkong.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 25 March 1993]: Marine safety is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. The incident is the subject of investigations being carried out by the Department of Transport's marine accident investigation branch and the Health and Safety Executive. The Scottish Office is not carrying out any separate investigation but close contact is being maintained with the Department of Transport.

  Housing
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much of its 1992–93 budget Scottish Homes has spent to date; if he will break this figure down by Scottish region and by category of expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 25 March 1993]: To date, Scottish Homes has spent £315 million of its total budget in 1992–93, representing 89 per cent. of the total budget. The breakdown by Scottish Homes district and by programme category is as follows:

  District

  Expenditure £ million

  Highlands' Islands and Grampian

  26·3

  Tayside and Fife

  41·0

  Lanark and Central

  37·2

  Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders

  41·0

  North and South Clyde

  54·3

  City of Glasgow

  99·5

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  15·7

  TOTAL

  315

  Programme category

  Expenditure £ million

  Partnership Areas

  22·7

  Inner City

  66·4

  Outer City

  36·9

  Smaller Urban Renewal

  7·4

  Urban Areas

  74·6

  Rural Areas

  42·6

  New Towns

  3·2

  Own Stock

  61·2

  TOTAL

  315

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the most recent figures for empty local authority housing in Scotland for(a) up to six months, (b) up to 12 months and (c) over one year; and if he will list the local authorities concerned.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 8 March 1993]: The latest information on empty local authority housing in Scotland is published in table 17 of the statistical bulletin HSG/ 1992/8, "Housing Trends in Scotland—Quarter ended 30 June 1992". The bulletin is available in the House Library.

  Stracathro Hospital
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the estimated costs of transferring accident and emergency services from Stracathro hospital to Dundee hospitals.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: Most major trauma cases are already referred directly to the specialist Accident and Emergency centre in Dundee. Any transfer of the remaining cases together with the out-of-hours service could be absorbed within the existing Dundee hospitals at no extra cost.

  The Scottish ambulance service is currently examining the effects of the planned changes to determine whether it will incur additional costs.
  151
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the estimated annual savings in transferring accident and emergency services from Stracathro hospital to Dundee hospitals.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: The Board's proposal to transfer of accident and emergency service from Stracathro to Dundee is based on grounds of improving quality rather than in terms of cost-effectiveness. In practice much major trauma is already diverted to Dundee. I understand, however, that Tayside health board estimates that it could save around £98,000 from proposed service changes.

  Timeshare properties
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the proposed classification of non-commercial timeshare properties as non-domestic for the purposes of calculating council tax.

  Mr. Stewart
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: Before making the Council Tax (Dwellings) (Scotland) Regulations 1993, which define timeshare units as non-domestic property, we received representations from the Timeshare Council, the Scandinavian Village Association, the Melfort Club and three others. In the period since the regulations were made, on 8 March, up to 26 March, we received representations concerning the regulations from 98 Members of Parliament and four other individuals.

  Women Prisoners
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland of those women in prison in(a) 1990, (b) 1991 and (c) 1992 respectively, how many were imprisoned for (i) violence against the person, (ii) sexual offences, (iii) burglary, (iv) robbery, (v) theft, resettling, embezzlement, fraud and forgery, (vi) drug offences and (vii) other offences.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: The information is not available in the form requested. The table sets out the number of female receptions to penal establishments using the best available approximations in The Scottish Office classification of crimes and offences to the categories listed. Information is not available for 1992.

  The number of female receptions to Scottish penal establishments by type of offence, 1990–91

  1990

  1991

  Violence against the person

  52

  45

  Sexual offences

  1

  1

  Burglary

  11

  16

  Robbery

  4

  4

  Theft, resetting, embezzlement, fraud and forgery

  340

  390

  Drugs

  16

  14

  Other crimes and offences

  95

  108

  Total receptions

  519

  578

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland of those women in prison in(a) 1990, (b) 1991 and (c) 1992, how many were serving sentences of (i) up to 18
  152
  months, (ii) between 18 months and three years, (iii) between three years and five years and (iv) five years or more.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: The available information is set out in the table:

  Average daily female prison population in Scottish penal establishments by length of sentence, 1990–1992

  Length of sentence

  1990

  1991

  11992

  Less than 18 months

  71

  84

  90

  18 months or more but less than three years

  4

  4

  9

  Three years or more but less than five years

  10

  6

  5

  Five years or more

  16

  17

  16

  Others2

  37

  32

  37

  Total3

  137

  143

  158

  1 Provisional.

  2 Includes females held on remand, recalled, etc.

  3 Components may not add up to the total due to rounding.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many women were in prison in(a) 1990, (b) 1991 and (c) 1992; and of that total how many were (i) juveniles, (ii) young adults under 25 years and (iii) adults.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: The available information is set out in the table:

  Average daily female prison population in Scottish penal establishments by type of prisoner, 1990–1992

  Year

  Adult

  Young offenders1

  Total2

  1990

  112

  26

  137

  1991

  122

  22

  143

  31992

  139

  19

  158

  1 Young offenders are aged between 16 and 21 but a small number are held in a young offenders institution up to the age of 23.

  2 Components may not add up to the total due to rounding.

  3 Provisional.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Kynoch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes he intends to make to the cash limits for 1992–93 within his responsibility.

  Mr. Lang
  [pursuant to his reply, 4 February 1993, column 307]: The revised cash limit for the non-voted cash limit SO/LA1, which covers non-housing capital expen-diture by local authorities is £652,087,000 and not £653,587,000.

  Natural Heritage
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met non-governmental environmental organisations to discuss matters relating to Scotland's natural heritage.

  Sir Hector Monro
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: Scottish Office Ministers meet representatives of non-government environmental organisations including Rural Forum and the Scottish Wildlife and Countryside Link at

  153
  formal meetings, visits and other occasions. Most recently I met representatives concerned with conservation in agriculture on Friday 19 March; and with the Scottish Conservation Projects Trust on Monday 22 March. In addition my officials also have regular contact with these and other non-government environmental organisations.

  Edinburgh Dental School and Hospital
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all decisions taken by his Department since 1979 concerning the future of the Edinburgh dental school and hospital.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: In 1989 a working party established under the chairmanship of Sir Donald McCallum recommended the closure of the Edinburgh dental school and the establishment of a new dental hospital and postgraduate dental institute for Edinburgh. My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State endorsed this proposal and gave a commitment to provide such capital investment as is necessary to establish both the new dental hospital and the postgraduate institute. That commitment stands.

EDUCATION

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Bates
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is the increase in average teacher salaries since 1979 after allowing for inflation.

  Mr. Patten
  Since this Government came into office in 1979, the average teacher's pay has increased by some 46 per cent. over and above the rate of inflation.

  Religious Education
  Mr. Booth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his Department is doing to ensure that schools are complying with the guidelines for religious education.

  Mr. Patten
  To ensure that all local agreed syllabuses are brought into line with the Education Reform Act 1988, the current Education Bill proposes that all local authorities review their syllabus within one year of Royal Assent, unless they have done so since 1988, and every five years subsequently.

  New inspection arrangements will highlight publicly instances where schools are failing to provide religious education and governing bodies will be required to prepare action plans to address difficulties raised by inspection reports.

  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education (1) what assessment he has made of the National Curriculum Council's report, "Analysis of Agreed Syllabuses for Religious Education"; and what immediate steps he will take to ensure that agreed syallabuses comply with the provision of the Education Reform Act 1988 requiring religious education to be in the main Christian;

  (2) if he will issue further guidelines as to the operation of the provision of the Education Reform Act 1988 requiring religious education to be in the main Christian.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend strongly supports the National Curriculum Council's work in assisting local 154
  conferences to decide how best to bring their agreed syllabuses into line with the requirements of the 1988 Education Reform Act. We are proposing, in the current Education Bill, to require local authorities to review all local agreed syllabuses not reviewed since the passage of that Act, and to review them every five years subsequently.

  My right hon. Friend plans to issue a revised circular of guidance after the passage of the Bill through Parliament.

  Corporal Punishment
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what action he is taking to end corporal punishment in schools.

  Mr. Forth
  Corporal punishment is already prohibited in maintained schools and for those pupils in independent schools whose fees are met from public funds. We will of course reflect carefully on the recent judgment by the European Court of Human Rights.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools in Essex have now opted out of local authority control; and if he will make a statement on Government policies to encourage further schools to seek grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Forth
  Thirty-three schools in Essex are today operating as self-governing grant-maintained schools. From Thursday that number will be 53, with three more approved for a later start. These figures, and the 34 further Essex schools with applications in the pipeline, demonstrate the appeal of self-government to parents. Provisions in the Education Bill will ease the path to GM status.

  Mr. Nigel Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many schools have acquired grant-maintained status to date.

  Mr. Forth
  Four hundred and ninety one schools in England will be operating as self-governing grant-maintained schools on 1 April and a further 15 are approved for a later start.

  Politics and Government
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement on the current proportion of pupils taking GCSEs in politics, government and related subjects.

  Mr. Boswell
  In the summer of 1992, some 5 per cent. of pupils who reached the age of 16 during the academic year attempted GCSEs in politics and related subjects in the social sciences. The flexibility within the national curriculum at key stage 4 will enable schools to continue to offer courses in such subjects.

  School Buildings
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what expenditure on the maintenance of school buildings was incurred in each of the last three years for which records are available.

  Mr. Forth
  For the three years to 1990–91 revenue expenditure by English local education authorities on
  155
  school repairs, building and grounds maintenance was £553 million, £621 million and £657 million respectively. In addition authorities spent £565 million, £688 million and £648 million on school capital work, some of which will have contributed to the maintenance of buildings involved.

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent guidance he has given to education authorities about class sizes in rural schools.

  Mr. Forth
  Our policy is to provide greater autonomy for schools so that they can make their own decisions on the deployment of resources. It would run counter to that policy to seek to impose a view on what class sizes would be most appropriate for rural schools.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will issue advice to schools on best practice in relation to class size in primary and secondary schools.

  Dr. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will issue guidance on the size of classes in schools.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 9 March (Official Report, column 522).

  Youth Service
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what is his policy on the appropriate level of youth service provision.

  Mr. Boswell
  The youth service is committed to the principle that the planning, monitoring and evaluation of the curriculum should be determined locally, and not nationally. The appropriate level of provision to deliver local youth service objectives is primarily a matter for individual local education authorities in accordance with their duty under sections 41 and 53 of the Education Act 1944.

  Japanese
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether he will make a statement on the teaching of Japanese in schools.

  Mr. Boswell
  The national curriculum requires all secondary school pupils to study at least one of 19 eligible foreign languages up to the age of 16. Japanese is one of these. It is for schools to decide whether to offer Japanese in the light of demand and of the resources available to them.

  School Activities (Charges)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will make a statement about charges made to pupils in secondary schools for educational activities.

  Mr. Forth
  The Education Reform Act 1988 provides that, with the exception of fees for individual music tuition, no charges may be made for activities taking place during the school day. In no circumstances may schools charge for activities which are required for a prescribed public examination or are part of the national curriculum.

  School Governors
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education now many school governors have been sacked by education authorities in the last six years; and if he will list the authorities concerned.

  Mr. Forth
  This information is not collected centrally by the Department.

  Universities (Industrial and Commercial Development)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he will next meet the Director General of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the contribution universities can make to successful industrial and commercial development.

  Mr. Boswell
  My right hon. Friend currently has no plans to meet the Director General of the CBI. However, Ministers are encouraged to note from their day to day contacts with representatives of industry and the universities that they are very conscious of the need to promote links for their mutual benefit.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Dickens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what studies he has commissioned as to the value of nursery education; and what initiatives he proposes.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Mr. Byers) on 2 March,Official Report, col. 123.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assistance he can give to schools who have children with special needs.

  Mr. Forth
  Local education authorities maintained schools are resourced for the vast majority of such children through the general funding allocated to them by the local education authority. In the case of grant-maintained schools, such provision is made through annual maintenance grant. For the smaller number of pupils who have statements of special educational needs (SEN), responsibility for arranging any necessary additional provision lies with the LEA. The Education Bill now before Parliament ensures that LEAs will continue to be able to offer SEN support services to all LEA and grant-maintained schools for all of their pupils with special needs.

  The Department provides for capital work for special needs pupils in county, controlled and maintained special schools through annual capital guidelines (ACGs). Some £5·5 million of ACGs were distributed for 1993–94, with a further £3·6 million of resources earmarked for issue as supplementary credit approvals, pending decisions on related statutory proposals. A further sum will be available to non-maintained special schools in 1993–94 through a separate capital grant programme.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children have special educational needs.
  157
  Mr. Forth
  In January 1992 there were nearly 165,000 children for whom statements of special educational needs were being maintained by local education authorities in England.

  Single-sex Schools
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many boys and how many girls respectively, receive single-sex education in state schools in England.

  Mr. Forth
  In January 1992, 148,000 boys attended maintained primary and secondary boys' schools and 180,000 girls attended maintained primary or secondary girls' schools in England. Some single-sex schools accept a few pupils of the opposite sex. In January 1992 there were about 1,000 such pupils.

  Standard Assessment Tests
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps he is taking to monitor standard assessment tests in relation to teacher contracts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has made it clear that he looks to teachers to carry out their contractual commitments to assess, record and report on the development, progress and attainment of pupils. He will be keeping the position under review.

  Racial Incidents
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidance his Department gives to local authorities and to grant-maintained schools regarding adopting guidelines in respect of racial incidents in and around schools.

  Mr. Forth
  Reports of the Inter-departmental Racial Attacks Group in 1989 and 1991 recommended that local education authorities and schools which had not already adopted policy statements on race relations and developed guidelines for responding to racial incidents should reconsider their positions. They also recommended that guidelines should reflect local consultation and policy statements should be widely distributed. Copies of both the group's reports—"The response to racial attacks and harassment: guidance for the statutory agencies" and "The response to racial attacks: sustaining the momentum"—are in the Library.

  Primary Education
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will give an estimate figure for the proportion of primary schools in(a) Cornwall and (b) England under the separate classification of local education authority and grant-maintained schools, which cannot deliver the requirements of the national curriculum because of a lack of appropriate buildings, equipment or facilities for physical education.

  Mr. Forth
  No such figures are available.

  Lady Olga Maitland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what monitoring has been carried out on progress on improving primary education since the publication of the National Curriculum Council's and Office for Standards in Education's report in January.
  158
  Mr. Forth
  The National Curriculum Council and Ofsted continue to monitor the progress of the national curriculum with particular regard to primary education in the light of their recent reports. Ofsted will provide my right hon. Friend with a further report in the new year.

  European Regional Development Fund
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education what provision he will make in respect of grants from the European regional development fund in 1993–94.

  Mr. Patten
  The Minister for Industry's written answer of 30 June 1992 (Official Report, columns 525–26) announced details of the new arrangements for providing public expenditure cover for forecast ERDF receipts. I will make provision available during the year to offset wholly payments in respect of grants from the European regional development fund to be made in 1993–94 towards approved capital expenditure projects based at grant-aided educational institutions, and recurrent expenditure projects of an educational nature. This provision is currently estimated to be a maximum of £13 million.

  School Attendance
  Sir Rhodes Boyson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will seek advice on the legal status of a swipe card as a means of recording school attendance with regard to its possible use as an alibi by a juvenile criminal and the legitimacy of shifting the onus of registration from teachers to pupils.

  Mr. Forth
  We look to individual schools to ensure that, where electronic aids to pupil registration are employed, adequate safeguards are instituted to maintain the integrity of the systems. Such safeguards might include teacher supervision at swiping points and random checks of cards held by pupils. The Department will be working with the National Council for Educational Technology to evaluate the potential of information technology as a means of monitoring pupil attendance. The scope for abuse will, of course, be one of the issues that we shall be examining.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what steps he has taken to recruit women, members of ethnic minorities and disabled people, respectively, in top grades of employment at his Department.

  Mr. Eggar
  Recruits to the senior grades in the Department (as to any grade in the civil service) are selected on merit on the basis of fair and open competition, unless one of the exceptions permitted under the Civil Service Order in Council 1991 applies. Various steps have been taken by the civil service commissioners to aid recruitment from all sectors of the community, including the extension of links with institutions of higher education, equal opportunities training for those involved in selection and the use of validated selection procedures.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when his Department last conducted surveys of(a) ethnic

  159
  origins and (b) the number of women among its employees; when it next plans to do so; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Voluntary surveys of ethnic origin were last conducted in 1988 (DTI) and 1990 (Department of Energy). The resulting database has been continuously updated with information on new staff and leavers and special exercises have been conducted to improve the positive response rate; 90 per cent. of staff currently employed by the Department have declared their ethnic origin.

  (a) Women

  (b)1 Ethnic Minorities

  (c)1 Registered Disabled

  Grade level

  Number

  Percentage staff

  Number respondents

  Percentage staff

  Number

  Percentage staff

  Grade 1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 3

  6

  11·0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 4

  2

  12·5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grade 5

  39

  14·0

  2

  0·7

  —

  —

  Grade 6

  26

  11·0

  7

  3·0

  —

  —

  Grade 7

  176

  13·0

  26

  1·9

  3

  0·2

  All staff excluding industrials and casuals

  5,715

  44·0

  1,228

  9·5

  121

  0·9

  1 (b) Ethnic minority figures are based on 90 per cent, positive response rate to ethnic origin survey.

  (c) The Department also employs a number of disabled staff who are not registered.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to ensure that the United Kingdom fulfils its obligations under the chemical weapons convention with regard to chemicals that fall within the scope of the treaty but are not routinely monitored by the Organsiation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

  Mr. Needham
  The scope of the monitoring regime provided for in the chemical weapons convention is very broad. Known chemical weapons agents and their precursors, and toxic chemicals of particular concern and their precursors, are listed in the convention and will be monitored routinely. In addition, all plant sites producing by synthesis more than 200 tonnes of discrete organic chemicals per year will be subject to on-site verification four years after the convention enters into force, unless the conference of states parties decides otherwise.

  It is intended to introduce legislation when parliamentary time permits to prohibit the production of chemicals for purposes prohibited by the convention.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) how many chemicals and families of chemicals will be subject to monitoring for routine verification by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons under the terms of the chemical weapons convention;

  (2) how many chemicals and families of chemicals fall within the overall scope of the chemical weapons convention through its definition of chemical weapons.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: The chemical weapons convention lists 43 chemicals or families of chemicals which will be subject to monitoring for routine verification by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. In addition, all plant sites (except those producing exclusively explosives or hydrocarbons) producing more than 200 tonnes per year
  160
  Gender information is automatically held on the Department's personnel database and specific surveys to establish the number of women employed are not necessary.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many and what percentage of officers in each grade from 1 to 7 and overall in his Department are(a) women, (b) from ethnic minorities and (c) disabled people.

  Mr. Eggar
  The figures for the Department, including its Executive Agencies, as at 1 January 1993 are:

  of unscheduled discrete organic chemicals, or more than 30 tonnes of such chemicals containing phosphorous, sulphur or fluorine, will be required to make an annual declaration and, in the case of plants producing more than 200 tonnes per year, may be subject to on-site verification.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if it is his Department's policy that article VII of the chemical weapons convention requires the United Kingdom national authority to conduct any verification to ensure United Kingdom compliance with the chemical weapons convention; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: Under the chemical weapons convention, the role of conducting verification to ensure compliance is assigned to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Legislation will be introduced when parliamentary time permits to provide the necessary powers to ensure that the United Kingdom fulfils its obligations under the convention.

  Nuclear Installations
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) what is his estimate of the volume of carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere by(a) the construction of Britain's Magnox AGR and PWR reactors and (b) the operation of Britain's nuclear reactors;

  (2) what is his estimate of the carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere in the manufacture, quarrying and engineering of all building materials used in the building of Sizewell B PWR.

  Mr. Maclean
  [holding answers 29 March 1993]: I have been asked to reply.

  It is very difficult to estimate the volumes of carbon dioxide released in the construction and operation of nuclear power plant, although the available estimates suggest that life cycle emissions are unlikely to exceed one twentieth of those from an equivalent coal fired plant; and

  161
  only about ten percent of this is likely to be incurred during the construction phase of a PWR station. Estimate specific to the construction of Size well B are not available.

  United Arab Emirates
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of trade between Great Britain and the United Arab Emirates during 1992.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: Information on United Kingdom visible trade is published in the Business Monitor MA20, Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, which is available in the Library of the House

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the value of arms sales to the United Arab Emirates for each of the last two years.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: For reasons of commercial confidentiality, it has been the consistent policy of successive Governments not to disclose particulars of defence trade with other countries.

  Wood Trade
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will show, in cash terms, the level of import and export of(a) hard wood and (b) soft wood into and out of Britain in each year since 1988.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: The information is given in the table.

  £ million

  (a) Trade in hard wood1

  (b) Trade in soft wood2

  Exports

  Imports

  Exports

  Imports

  1988

  11·7

  292·3

  13·3

  1,054·3

  1989

  14·5

  321·1

  12·1

  1,092·6

  1990

  16·3

  298·5

  8·8

  1,096·5

  1991

  16·1

  237·5

  9·3

  794·0

  1992

  17·8

  237·0

  10·0

  774·9

  1 Hard wood is defined as headings 246.15, 247.5, 248.1, 248.4 and 248.5 of the Standard International Trade Classification (revision 3).

  2 Soft wood is defined as headings 246.11, 247.;3, 247.4, 248.2 and 248.3 of the Standard International Trade Classification (revision 3).

  Source: Business Monitor M.A20.

  Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

  Trade Balance
  Mr. Milburn
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what was the balance of trade in(a) cars, (b) electronic goods, (c) IT equipment, (d) telecommunica-tions and (e) white goods in 1979 and 1992.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 29 March 1993]: The available information is given in the table.

  United Kingdom crude balances1 (£ million)

  1979

  1992

  Cars (a)

  -1,764

  -2,360

  Information technology and electronics (b)

  -435

  -2,697

  Of which:

  Office machinery and computers

  -238

  -1,564

  Telegraph and telephone equipment

  50

  -187

  162

  1979

  1992

  Radio and electronic capital goods

  119

  241

  Domestic electrical appliances (b)

  -125

  -482

  Note:

  1 Crude balance equals exports (fob) minus imports (cif).

  Sources:

  (a) Business Monitor MA20—Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

  (b) Business Monitor MQ10—Overseas Trade analysed in terms of industries.

TRANSPORT

  Jubilee Line Extension
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he first announced the Government's commitment to the Jubilee line extension into docklands; and when he now expects the final agreement to be signed.

  Mr. Norris
  16 November 1989; negotiations on the private sector contribution continue, and it would not be sensible for me to speculate about when they might finish.

  British Rail (Appointments)
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many potential candidates were considered for designation to become each of(a) the rail regulator, (b) the director of passenger rail franchising and (c) chairman of Railtrack.

  Mr. Freeman
  A number of candidates were considered for each of the posts.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the exchanges of correspondence which took place between himself and those he has designated to become(a) the rail regulator, (b) the director of passenger rail franchising and (c) the chairman of Railtrack, referring to the roles to which they are nominated.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. The Government have already made clear publicly the roles which the regulator, the franchising director, and Railtrack will have after the Railways Bill is enacted.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what costs were incurred in the advertisement and selection of those designated to become(a) the rail regulator, (b) the director of passenger rail franchising and (c) the chairman of Railtrack.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department of Transport paid to Norman Broadbent International, who assisted in the recruitment, £132,098, including value added tax. This payment covered fees, advertisements, and general expenses. Work done by officials in the course of their duties in relation to the appointments cannot accurately be costed.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether present or former employees of the British Railways Board were specifically excluded from consideration for designation to become each of(a) the rail regulator, (b) the director of passenger rail franchising and (c) the chairman of Railtrack.
  163
  Mr. Freeman
  No.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of Railtrack's senior appointments come from(a) BR, (b) his Department, and (c) elsewhere; and how pay levels for people in (a) and (b) have altered.

  Mr. Freeman
  On 24 March, BR announced the appointments of 11 senior members-designate of Railtrack. Of these, ten came from within BR and the other was on secondment from the Department of Transport. Selection and appointment of staff of the "shadow" Railtrack are generally matters for the BR board. There are two exceptions: first, Mr. Robert Horton, whose appointment as Railtrack's chairman-designate was made by the Secretary of State, and who will continue to be a member of the BR board until Railtrack is established as a separate Government-owned company next year. Secondly, Mr. David Moss, Railtrack's commercial director-designate, who is a grade 3 official seconded to the BR board from the Department of Transport. In neither case did the salary alter with the appointment to shadow Railtrack.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria and procedures were used in identifying and selecting those designated to become(a) the rail regulator, (b) the director of passenger rail franchising and (c) chairman of Railtrack.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend appointed the candidates who in his judgment were the best fitted to carry out these roles. The Department engaged Norman Broadbent International to assist in the identification of suitable candidates.

  British Rail (Objectives)
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whhether he will set new objectives for British Rail to apply from 1 April.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Following is the text of a letter which I have today sent to the Chairman of British Rail, setting new objectives to apply from 1 April 1993:The Government sets objectives for BR which supplement the statutory and financial duties of the Board. The current objectives, which applied for a 3-year period, expire on 31 March 1993. We are now moving into a period of major change for BR, in preparation for privatisation. I am therefore writing to set out one year interim objectives for the operation of the present railway business, appropriate to this period of transition. These objectives will apply from 1 April 1993. The aim is to maintain a safe, efficient railway supplying high standards of service to its customers.
  I shall also be setting the Board some specific privatisation objectives updating those set in July 1992. These will be set out in a separate letter.
  Safety
  The Board has a statutory duty to have regard to safety of operation. I welcome the considerable progress on safety improvements which has been made over the last 3 years. Maintaining and further improving standards of safety on the railways will continue to be an objective of major importance for the Board. This should be accompanied by continuing development of increasingly effective means of appraisal of safety investment. The BR Safety Plans produced in 1991 and 1992 have proved valuable; a further annual Safety plan should be submitted during 1993.
  Quality of Service
  Quality of Service remains a very high priority for BR, as reflected in your Passenger's Charter. I do not propose, for
  164
  this transitional period, to make significant changes to the previously agreed quality of service objectives, as developed by the Passenger's Charter. For the future, the Franchising Director will wish to review with BR the current means of measuring quality of service, and consider whether any alternative measures should be developed which better reflect customer requirements and priorities.
  BR's objectives for 1993–94 are therefore:
  (i) Reliability and punctuality
  Seek to achieve the agreed Passenger's Charter targets for 1993; these apply performance indicators for both reliability and punctuality on each of the service groups within Network SouthEast, InterCity and Regional Railways.
  (ii) Train enquiry bureaux/ticket offices/carriage cleaning Maintain the current agreed objectives as follows:
  Train Enquiry Bureaux
  95 per cent. of calls to be answered within 30 seconds. Ticket Offices
  Maximum queuing time of 3 minutes off-peak and 5 minutes peak.

  Carriage Cleaning

  InterCity Per cent.

  NSE Per cent.

  Regional Per cent.

  Interior daily clean

  100

  100

  100

  Exterior wash

  195

  1100

  2100

  1 Daily.

  2 Every two days.

  (iii) Customer Satisfaction
  Measures of customer satisfaction can be more valuable and relevant for businesses in assessing the service they provide than the measures at (ii) above and (iv) below. I welcome the fact that the passenger businesses regularly carry out customer surveys and I would expect British Rail to place increasing emphasis on such measures of satisfaction. The Passenger's Charter commits British Rail to publishing the results of customer surveys and I look forward to such publication during 1993–94. In particular, I look to British Rail to measure and publish customers' satisfaction with the provision of customer information.
  (iv) Overcrowding
  For Network SouthEast and Regional Railways urban and shorter rural routes you should continue to work towards the objective that the ratio of passengers to seats on individual trains should not be more than 135 per cent. on sliding-door trains and 110 per cent. on slam-door trains, with no standing for longer than 20 minutes except by choice. I recognise however that the appropriateness of this measure has been questioned and am sure that the Franchising Director will wish to consider alternatives which might reflect more fully the conditions experienced by passengers and the value they place on avoiding overcrowding.
  Productivity and cost control
  Improving productivity and making the most efficient use of resources continues to be of major importance across the whole of the railway business. The Board should continue to monitor unit cost trends and publish them in its annual report. I welcome the steps the Board is taking to reduce working expenses. This is particularly necessary bearing in mind the recent reductions in the Board's revenues, notably income from passengers. I look to the Board to reduce underlying working expenses for the passenger businesses by at least 5 per cent. in real terms compared to 1992–93.
  Passenger Businesses—Operating Profit/Loss
  In addition to the cost reductions set out above, I am sure that Network SouthEast, InterCity and Regional Railways will be exploring all possible means of increasing passenger numbers and income during 1993–94, thus improving their operating profits/losses.
  I look to the businesses to achieve at least the following targets for total profit/(loss) on ordinary activities, before PSO grant:

  165

  £ million

  Network SouthEast

  (128)

  InterCity

  12

  Regional

  (411)

  Freight Businesses
  I will be setting specific restructuring objectives for freight in the light of our joint consideration of the results of the study carried out by Mercer.
  In addition, during this transitional period I expect both businesses to make every effort to improve their operating result. This means that management should persist in taking necessary action in respect of loss making services, and continue to reduce costs. It will also enable the Board to continue to retain traffic which can at least cover its avoidable costs.
  In focussing on operating result, it will be important for the businesses not to lose sight of the need to earn a commercial return on new investment. The basis for decisions on new investment will therefore continue to be an 8 per cent. rate of return.
  Red Star and Rail Express Systems
  Red Star should be privatised during 1993, in accordance with agreed objectives.
  Rail Express Services should be prepared for privatisation as soon as possible.
  Channel Tunnel Services
  Preparation of all the necessary infrastructure should be completed in time for the opening of the Channel Tunnel. Freight services should start operating from the opening of the Tunnel and scheduled commercial intercapitals services as soon as practicable in 1994. BR should make maximum use of the commercial opportunities, for freight and passenger services, resulting from the opening of the Channel Tunnel, and start to prepare Channel Tunnel services for privatisation.
  Transmark
  Transmark should be privatised during 1993, in line with agreed objectives.
  Public Accountability
  Progress in achieving these objectives should be published in BR's Annual Report and Accounts for 1993–94."

  EC Cohesion Fund
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has made to and received from the Government of the Republic of Ireland on co-ordination of that country's future applications for assistance from the European Community cohesion fund on transport infrastructure projects affecting ports on the east coast of Ireland with potential United Kingdom transport infrastructure provision at appropriate landfalls on the west coast of Great Britain and onward from such ports to major European markets.

  Mr. Norris
  None.

  Paddington-Heathrow Rail Line
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Budget statement on public-private infrastructure investment, when he expects the design team will be set up for the electrification of the Paddington-Heathrow railway line.

  Mr. Freeman
  Preliminary design studies have already been carried out sufficient for cost estimates to be completed. I understand that it is intended to form a design team by September 1993 to finalise details.

  Road Safety Departments
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many local authority road safety departments have been closed in the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list local authorities that have a road safety department and those that have closed such departments in the last year.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  As far as the Department is aware, all local authorities employ staff engaged in road safety, but no central record is kept of whether these are located in a separate road safety department.

  Cycle Helmets
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many local authorities have run reduced price schemes for cycle helmets in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Neither the Department nor local authorities keep a central record of these. We do, however, have information that, by the end of 1990, there were 76 local authorities and other organisations running low-cost cycle helmet schemes.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what initiative his Department is undertaking to promote the wearing of cycle helmets.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I am pleased to announce that on March 25 I launched a new television campaign to promote the wearing of cycle helmets, particularly by children.

  Car Phones
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring in regulations to make it an offence to use a hand-held car phone while driving a moving vehicle; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It is an offence for a driver to fail to control a vehicle or drive in a dangerous or careless manner. These powers are sufficient.In addition, the highway code says:
  "you must exercise proper control of your vehicle at all times. Do not use a hand held telephone or microphone while you are driving. Find a safe place to stop first".

  Roads Expenditure
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the number of cars on the roads; and how much was spent on roads, per car, by(a) national and (b) local Government in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  In December 1991, there were 17·7 million vehicles of body type cars which were licensed and for which the address of the registered keeper was in England.

  In 1991–92, the Department of Transport spent £1,926 million on national roads and local authorities spent £2,578 million on local roads.

  It would not be appropriate to present expenditure figures on a per car basis as spending also reflects the provision made for heavy and light goods vehicles, buses and coaches, other classes of vehicles, and pedestrians.

  Roads, Croydon
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask, the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on road improve-ments in the London borough of Croydon in the last five years.

  Mr. Norris
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport is highway authority for the A23 trunk road in Croydon: other roads in the areaa are the responsibility of the London Borough. Expenditure on improvement works, excluding fees, on the A23 in the borough in each financial year was as follows:

  £

  1988–89

  814,055

  1989–90

  2,119,069

  1990–91

  2,199,430

  1991–92

  203,094

  1992–93

  1156,240

  1 provisional

  Expenditure in the first three years, in particular, is not typical because it includes the cost of a major national trunk road improvement.

  Newbury Bypass
  Mr. David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to be in a position to announce the go-ahead for the Newbury bypass; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The decision following the 1992 public inquiry into supplementary proposals for the A34 Newbury bypass and the compulsory purchase of the land needed for the scheme was issued on 25 March. In accordance with the inspector's recommendations my right hon. Frends the Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment are minded to make the remaining statutory orders for the scheme, subject to consultations on a number of modifications to the published proposals. Subject to the satisfactory conclusion of these consultations and availability of funds, I hope that work will start on this much-needed bypass early next year.

  Overbridge (Clints Brow)
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state the full cost of the overbridge to accommodate cattle at Clints brow, Egremont, Cumbria.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: The full cost of the Longhorn farm overbridge at Clints brow is currently estimated at £236,000.

  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the date of the first approach to his Department to request an overbridge at Clints brow, Egremont, Cumbria.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: The Department was first made aware of the road safety implications of dairy cattle crossing the trunk road at Clints brow in November 1991.

  Bypass (Egremont)
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date he expects the full opening of the A595 bypass at Egremont, Cumbria.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: Completion of the bypass works is expected to be 7 May 1993. Sections of the bypass are already open to traffic.

  West Cumbria
  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next intends to visit west Cumbria.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: The Secretary of State has no current plans to visit West Cumbria.

  Dr. John Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his Department's plans for road improvements in west Cumbria.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  [holding answer 26 March 1993]: The Department's plans for road improvements in West Cumbria are contained in the White Paper "Roads for Prosperity" and set out in the programme "Trunk Roads England, into the 1990s".

SOCIAL SECURITY

  National Insurance Contributions
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish estimates for 1993–94 showing the number of self-employed men and women who pay(a) class four national insurance contributions, (b) class two contributions, (c) class three contributions, (d) no national insurance contributions, (e) the number who have profits above the upper profits limit for class four contributions and (f) the total number of self-employed.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is in the table:

  million

  Men

  Women

  (a)

  1·8

  0·2

  (b)

  2·2

  0·3

  (c)

  Reliable estimates are not available

  (d)

  nil

  0·5

  (e)

  The total number with profits above the upper profits limit is estimated to be 0·5 million, of which some 5 per cent. are women

  (f)

  2·25

  0·75

  1 Figures in the table (a-e) have been rounded to nearest 0·1 million.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish estimates for 1992–93 and 1993–94 of the numbers of male and female employees who are on earnings below the national insurance lower earnings limit.

  Miss Widdecombe
  It is estimated that in both 1992–93 and 1993–94 there will be some 0·75 million male employees and 2·25 million females employees who earn less than the lower earnings limit.
  169
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the effect on Treasury revenues in 1993–94 of(a) raising the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions to the level of the personal tax allowance and (b) raising the upper earnings limit to £27,145.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The effect on the amount of contributions raised in respect of 1993–94 would be:

  (a) -£0–4 billion

  (b) +£0–6 billion

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total amount raised from(a) employers' and (b) employees' national insurance contributions in 1978–79; what is his estimate of the figure for 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is in the table.

  National insurance contributions raised (£ billion)

  Year3

  Employees

  Employers

  1978–79

  3·7

  15·9

  21993–94

  14·6

  23·6

  1 Total excludes the national insurance surcharge.

  2 Source: Government Actuary's Report on the Social Security Bill 1992 (Cm. 2097).

  3 Figures include the National Health Service allocation.

  Refugees
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many refugees have applied for a community care grant after arriving in the United Kingdom; and how many have been refused in each of the last two years.

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

  Market Testing
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which professional services within his Department have been subjected to market testing within the last 12 months and with what result; and which will be subjected to market testing within the next 12 months.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested has already been placed in the Library. No decisions have yet been made about which services will be market tested in future years.

  Pensions
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to publish gender-disaggregated statistics on private and occupational pension provision.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Where available, information relating to occupational and personal pensions is provided on a gender-disaggregated basis on request. We have no plans to alter that arrangement.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a copy of the report by Watson Europe on pensions in Britain and Europe.
  170
  Miss Widdecombe
  [pursuant to her reply, 29 March 1993]: I am arranging for a copy of the research data provided by Watson Europe to be placed in the Library today. The net benefit totals given for each of the family models covered by this study are expressed in sterling equivalents. A summary table showing figures which reflect purchasing power parity, derived from OECD data, is included. None of the figures includes the value of health benefits.

  Income Support (Unemployed People)
  Ms Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the benefit of an unemployed person who is in receipt of income support is retained or is suspended where a doubt arises about their availability for work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Burt
  While a doubt about an unemployed person's availability for work is being considered, income support may be paid at a reduced rate if the adjudication officer is satisfied that the claimant or a member of his family would otherwise suffer hardship.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Broxbourne (Mrs. Roe) of 9 February,Official Report, columns 601–2, if he will instruct the chief executives of agencies within his responsibility to discontinue the practice of delaying letters to hon. Members in response to parliamentary questions until the day after copies have been sent to Ministers.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Chief executives of the Department's next steps agencies are expected to abide by the guidance to all Departments when the present publication arrangements were introduced in October 1992; that hon. Members should receive a letter in reply within twenty four hours of him or her receiving the responsible Minister's own reply. I understand that so far they have done so in almost every case.

  Postage Costs
  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what his Department and its agencies paid in postage in the last year for which records are available.

  Mr. Burt
  The cost to the Department and its executive agencies in 1991–92, the latest year for which information is available, was about £64 million.

  Pension Law Review Committee
  Mr. Thomason
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress is being made by the pension law review committee.

  Mr. Lilley
  The review has attracted a great deal of interest and the committee is currently analysing evidence from some 1,700 written submissions, seven days of oral hearings, during which a number of organisations and individuals gave evidence to support their submissions, and three public meetings.

  Under the weight and detail of all this evidence, Professor Goode has asked for a short extension to his reporting timetable. I am concerned to have this report as

  171
  quickly as possible, but given the complexity of the task, the importance of the outcome and the need for a very careful analysis of the issues, I have agreed to extend the deadline for the report to 30 September 1993.

  Copies of Professor Goode's letter, requesting the extension, and my reply have been placed in the Library.

  NHS Transport, Leeds
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the answer of 9 March,Official Report, column 497, whether the contract for providing a bus service for staff travelling between Quarry House, Leeds, and Leeds city station was (a) advertised, (b) subject to competitive tendering and (c) awarded on the basis of the lowest tender; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The contract for the bus service between Quarry House, Leeds and Leeds city British Rail station was not advertised. In view of the need at the time to provide a bus service at short notice and the fact that limited hours of service were involved, five local omnibus operators were contacted and invited to tender for the contract. The tenders were carefully considered in accordance with departmental guidelines and the contract awarded to the company offering best value for money.

  Reciprocal Pension Agreements
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when Her Majesty's Government last took steps to negotiate a reciprocal pension agreement with a foreign country; what criteria have been used in selecting the countries in respect of which agreements have thus far been concluded; and if he will now take steps to conclude agreements with all those countries with which no agreement exists, to which significant numbers of United Kingdom pensioners have retired.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The United Kingdom most recently concluded a social security agreement with Barbados which came into force in April 1992. It fulfils a commitment given to the Government of Barbados in 1974.

  In order to enter into an agreement with the United Kingdom the other country's social security scheme had to be sufficiently similar to provide for reciprocity. Increasingly, there had to be sufficient movement of workers between the two countries to justify the outlay of resources to negotiate, operate and maintain the agreement. Above all, any additional costs had to be affordable.

  The majority of United Kingdom pensioners overseas live in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. The United Kingdom already has social security agreements with Australia, Canada and New Zealand, which, in general, allow residence or insurance in one country to be used by the country where the pensioner normally resides to satisfy its qualifying conditions for a pension. They do not allow for United Kingdom pension increases to be paid in those countries. There is no agreement with South Africa. We have no plans to revise the agreements with Australia, Canada and New Zealand, or to negotiate an agreement with South Africa.

  Social Fund
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the balance outstanding for(a) grants and (b) loans from the social fund at the most recent available date in the district covering the Stoke on Trent, North parliamentary constituency; if he will give a breakdown by reason of the number of grant and loan applications refused since 1 April 1992 for that district; how many review applications were received by that district; and how many of them resulted in a changed decision.

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

  Letter from David Riggs to Ms Joan Walley, dated 29 March 1993:

  As Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, it is the responsibility of Michael Bichard to answer questions about relevant operational matters. However, as Mr. Bichard is away at the moment I am replying on his behalf to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security asking what was the balance outstanding for (a) grants and (b) loans from the Social Fund at the most recent available date in the District covering the Stoke on Trent North parliamentary constituency; if he will give a breakdown by reason of the number of grant and loan applications refused since 1st April 1992 for that district; how many review applications were received by that district; and how many of them resulted in a changed decision.

  The following details are provided for the Benefits Agency's North Staffordshire District which deals with your constituency.

  The outstanding balance of the District Social Fund allocation at 28 February 1993, the latest date for which figures are available, was £66,912 for grants and £113,528 for loans.

  Details of the numbers of grant and loan applications refused and of reasons for refusal are given at Appendix A.

  During the period 1 April 1992 to 28 February 1993, 2,658 review applications were received by North Staffordshire District. Of these, 852 resulted in a changed decision.

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

  Appendix A

  Details of Grant and Loan Refusals for North Staffordshire District 1 April 1992–28 February 1993 (Latest available data)

  Reason for Refusal

  Grants

  Loans

  Not in receipt of Income Support (IS)

  465

  377

  In receipt of IS for less than 26 weeks

  —

  1,326

  Direction 4 not satisfied

  4,256

  —

  Applicant excluded by Direction

  9

  11

  No serious risk to health or safety

  —

  132

  Requested amount below minimum allowable

  28

  114

  Previous decision for same item(s) within 26 weeks

  249

  292

  Item excluded by Direction

  167

  203

  Alternative item available

  4

  12

  Help available from another source

  25

  25

  Grant awarded on loan request

  —

  271

  Savings over £500 meet cost

  14

  5

  Savings over £1,000 meet cost (customer or partner over 60)

  9

  3

  Enough money available to meet crisis

  —

  5

  Total debt exceeds £1,000

  —

  17

  Inability to repay

  —

  229

  Insufficient priority

  969

  1,575

  Other reasons

  25

  75

  Note: Secretary of State's Directions are listed in the Social Fund Guide, a copy of which is in the Library.

DEFENCE

  RAF (Radios)
  Mr. Deva
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make a decision on the contract for the supply of management radios for the Royal Air Force.

  Mr. Aitken
  I am pleased to announce that a contract to supply and maintain 6,000 management radios for the Royal Air Force has today been awarded to Phillips Communications Systems Ltd in Cambridge. Contractual details are commercially confidential but the approximate value of the contract is £13 million. The contract was won by Phillips in competition. The radios will be used for secure local communications on RAF bases.

  Iraq
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent information he has relating to the prosecution of Iraqi personnel for alleged breaches of international conventions or treaties relating to the conduct of hostilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None. The United Nations continues to gather evidence and the United Kingdom is contributing in full to this process. No decisions have been taken on the way forward.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what responsibilities his Department had for the provision of information about Iraqi military capabilities and intentions prior to 2 August 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Within my Department, the defence intelligence staff are responsible for the pro vision of assessments for the Government on defence policies, intentions and capabilities of any potential enemies.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether compensation payments have now been made to those Ministry of Defence personnel who were held captive by the Iraqi Government after the invasion of Kuwait; and if he will make a statement:

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Compensation payments have been made to those personnel who were forced to abandon personal effects in Kuwait.. Personnel held captive by the Iraqi Government after the invasion are submitting claims via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the United Nations Compensation Commission in accordance with UN resolution 687 and the rules developed by the governing council of the UNCC.

  Convention Breaches
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy regarding the prosecution of British service personnel for possible breaches of international conventions or treaties relating to the conduct of hostilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  British service personnel are subject to both domestic arid international law at all times. Any allegation that members of our armed forces had 174
  contravened the laws of armed conflict would be investigated, and if necessary the evidence would he referred to the appropriate authority for consideration of proceedings against the individuals concerned.

  Gulf Trust
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current amount of money in the Gulf Trust; how much money has been paid out by the Gulf Trust in the last 18 months; and how many people have been provided with assistance by the Gulf Trust.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The current amount of money in the Gulf Trust, including accrued interest, is £2,854,570. The amount of money paid out by the Gulf Trust in the last 18 months to reimburse the benevolent funds for payments in respect of Gulf related cases is £193,661. Some payments made over the period have yet to be reimbursed from the Gulf Trust. 159 individuals have so far been provided with assistance from the trust together with four charitable bodies and three charitable funds.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has concerning the criteria for payments to be made by the Gulf Trust; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The criteria for payments made by the Gulf Trust are set out in the trust deed. The objectives of the trust are the relief of financial need of the beneficiaries and to relieve sickness, distress or any other physical or mental disability of the beneficiaries insofar as they have arisen or may arise by virtue of the military and other operations relating to or in connection with the Gulf conflict. Provision may also be made for such other charitable purposes for the benefit of the beneficiaries as the united services trustee as trustee of the fund in its absolute discretion, thinks fit.

  To be a beneficiary a person must be a member of Her Majesty's armed forces involved in military and other operations relating to or in connection with the Gulf conflict; the civilian personnel attached to or accompanying such members of the armed forces; and their respective dependants. Individual applications for assistance from the Gulf Trust are handled by the service benevolent funds working within the terms of the Gulf trust deed, their own trust deeds and charity law and they apply their normal, established policies in making payments.

  Yugoslavia
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what recent discussions he has had with his NATO counterparts relating to the deployment of armed forces to(a) Kosovo and (b) the former Yugoslavian republic of Macedonia; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what recent consideration he has given to the deployment of British armed forces to (a) Kosovo and (b) the former Yugoslavian republic of Macedonia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No consideration has been given to the deployment of British forces into Serbia, of which Kosovo is a province. There is a CSCE civilian observer mission in Kosovo but the United Nations has made no proposals for a deployment there. In the case of
  175
  Macedonia, United Nations Security Council resolution 795 of 11 December 1992 authorised the deployment there of an infantry battalion and a number of United Nations military observers (UNMOs) and United Nations civil police to provide a monitoring presence on Macedonia's borders with Albania and the former Republic of Yugoslavia. The United Kingdom agreed to a United Nations request to redeploy one United Kingdom UNMO to Macedonia; and to redeploy temporarily nine personnel and three vehicles from the United Kingdom field ambulance unit in Croatia to assist with the provision of medical care for United Nations forces in Macedonia pending the arrival of the Nordic battalion with its own capability. In the event, however, the deployment of the United Kingdom field ambulance personnel was not required.

  Belize
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent incursions there have been across the border from Guatemala to Belize which United Kingdom armed forces personnel have attempted to prevent; what discussions Her Majesty's Government held with the Governments of Guatemala and Belize on these incidents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There have been no such recent incidents.

  Housing
  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provisions he has made to publicise the Housing Corporation's do-it-yourself shared ownership scheme to service personnel.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The do-it-yourself shared ownership (DIYSO) scheme is widely publicised in the

  1992–931

  1991–92

  1990–91

  Arthur Andersen

  nil

  nil

  2 contracts

  £370,000

  Andersen Consulting

  7 contracts

  4 contracts

  4 contracts

  £6,450,613

  £496,147

  £2,788,922

  KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock

  4 contracts

  9 contracts

  11 contracts

  £203,361

  £565,850

  £2,802,179

  KPMG Management Consulting

  1 contract2

  nil

  nil

  Touche Ross & Co.

  6 contracts

  6 contracts

  6 contracts

  £1,749,875

  £1,129,552

  £1,110,437

  Touche Ross Management Consultants

  9 contracts

  13 contracts

  nil

  £1,172,351

  £802,305

  Ernst & Young

  nil

  1 contract1

  3 contracts

  £297,890

  Ernst & Young Management Consultants

  4 contracts

  5 contracts

  6 contracts

  £335,300

  £559,653

  £1,234,624

  Price Waterhouse

  10 contracts

  8 contracts

  4 contracts

  £1,145,419

  £471,122

  £582,409

  1 All contracts recorded centrally up to end February, but may not include contracts placed in late February.

  2 As it is our practice to treat values of individual contracts as commercially confidential, I am not able to reveal the value of this contract.

  It is not possible to identify the duration and nature of each and everyone of these contracts without dispropor-tionate cost.
  176
  three services. The joint service housing advice office distribute a DIYSO information leaflet, on a monthly basis, to every service unit world-wide via the joint services married quarters sales office bulletins. The Army families advice bureau also circulates the leaflet to all housing commandants, families officers, Army welfare assistants and through resettlement channels. The three service magazines advertise the scheme and there are briefings and presentations to service personnel worldwide.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what means he is taking to encourage the sale of surplus housing to service personnel at a 30 per cent. discount; and what plans he has for raising the discount to serving personnel to a maximum of 60 per cent.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  All surplus married quarters which are suitable for individual sale are normally offered to service personnel through the services discount scheme in the first instance. There are no plans to raise the discount to 60 per cent.

  Departmental Contracts
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, for each of the last five years, the duration, value and nature of contracts awarded by his Department to Arthur Andersen, Andersen Consulting, KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock, Touche Ross, Ernst and Young and Price Waterhouse.

  Mr. Aitken
  The number and value of contracts recorded as placed in the last three years with these firms, and with other businesses which are clearly linked to them, are detailed in the table. Data for 1989–90 and earlier years are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Homing Pigeons
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Defence what operational establishments of homing pigeons currently exist in Her Majesty's armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Brilliant Pebbles
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent communications he has had with the United States Department of Defense in regard to the Brilliant Pebbles space-based interceptor system.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The United States continues to keep the United Kingdom advised of the progress on all elements of the strategic defence initiative programme. The new administration however has yet to give precise details of its proposed SDI architecture.

  Theatre Defence Interceptor
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what orders or research contracts have been placed in the United Kingdom under the Pentagon's strategic defence initiative office for the responsive theatre defence interceptor.

  Mr. Aitken
  No United States-funded research contracts specifically related to candidate theatre defence interceptors have been awarded to my Department. It is not our practice to give details of individual contracts won directly by United Kingdom firms or universities, although we believe that there are none at present in this category.

  Recruitment
  Mr. Spellar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent in each of the last three years on manpower recruitment; and how much of this was accounted for by media advertising.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  [holding answer 8 March 1993]: The information in respect of centrally controlled expenditure is as follows:

  Financial years

  1990–91 £ million

  1991–92 £ million

  1992–93 £ million

  Recruitment

  n/a

  84·88

  72·86

  Media advertising

  12·01

  10·51

  7·04

  Details of recruitment expenditure other than media advertising, prior to April 1991, are not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Until 1 April 1991 recruitment of centrally funded civilian staff was carried out by the Civil Service Commission and details of expenditure for the Ministry of Defence are therefore unobtainable.

HEALTH

  Departmental Contracts
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list, for each of the last five years, the duration, value and nature of contracts awarded by her Department to Arthur Andersen, Andersen Consulting, KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock, Touche Ross, Ernst and Young and Price Waterhouse.

  Mr. Sackville
  The information has been placed in the Library. Information is not readily available before the year 1991–92 nor for the duration of individual contracts.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Hoon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to extend the list of medical conditions which confer exemption from prescription charges to include cystic fibrosis.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Ainger) on 25 March at column 696.

  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to replace free prescriptions entirely with the pre-payment certificate scheme.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to recruit women, members of ethnic minorities and disabled people, respectively, in top grades of employment at her Department.

  Mr. Sackville
  Recruits to senior grades in the Department are selected on merit on the basis of fair and open competition with certain limited and legally permitted exceptions. Various steps have been taken throughout the civil service to aid recruitment from all sectors of the community including equal opportunities training for those involved in selection and the use of validated selection procedures.

  The Department supports these initiatives and monitors carefully the results of all recruitment exercises.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when her Department last conducted surveys of(a) ethnic origins and (b) the number of women among its employees; when it next plans to do so; and whether she will make a statement;

  (2) how many and what percentage of officers in each grade from I to 7 and overall in her Department are (a) women, (b) from ethnic minorities and (c) disabled people.

  Mr. Sackville
  The last survey of ethnic origin conducted in the Department was in December 1992. A further survey is planned later in this year. No special surveys are conducted to determine the number of women employed by the Department as this information is readily available.

  The information requested on the number of women, ethnic minority staff and disabled people is shown in the table:
  179

  Grade

  Total staff (numbers)

  Women number

  Per cent.

  Ethnic minorities number

  Per cent.

  Disabled people number

  Per cent.

  1

  2

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  2

  5

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  3

  26

  6

  23·1

  0

  —

  0

  —

  4

  28

  7

  25·0

  0

  —

  2

  7·1

  5

  193

  63

  32·6

  11

  5·7

  1

  0·5

  6

  142

  49

  34·5

  4

  2·8

  0

  —

  7

  557

  172

  30·8

  22

  3·9

  3

  0·5

  All Grades (including 1·7)

  5,112

  2,819

  55·1

  651

  12·7

  68

  1·3

  Notes:

  1. Number of staff, based on figures obtained from the Department's personnel computer system as at 24 March 1993.

  2. The figures exclude special hospitals, youth treatment service, staff on loan, secondees in to the Department and casual staff of all grades.

  3. The figures for disabled people are for Registered Disabled People only.

  4. Numbers of ethnic minority staff relate to those responding to the ethnic origin questionnaire.

  First Aid
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action she has taken in support of the St. John Ambulance Breath of Life campaign launch day; and if she will make a statement as to the importance of first aid education to the public.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  At the invitation of St. John Ambulance my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State launched the campaign on 23 March.

  Basic resuscitation treatment in the first minute or two after an accident or heart attack can be vital in sustaining life until skilled professional help arrives. The more people who are willing to train in these skills the greater the benefit to the public.

  Azapropazone
  Ms Estelle Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what are the known side-effects of the drug azapropazone; and what steps are taken to draw the attention of patients for whom this drug is prescribed to these side-effects;

  (2) whether she will direct that the known side-effects of the drug azapropazone are drawn to the personal attention of the patients for whom this drug is prescribed.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Information on the side effects of azapropazone is given in the British National Formulary, which the Department issues free of charge to all prescribers, and in the data sheet for the product, which is produced by the manufacturer and authorised by the licensing authority. The side effects include photosensitive skin rashes, gastrointestinal bleeding and perforation of peptic ulcers. Blood disorders and kidney damage have been reported rarely. It is for doctors to use their clinical judgment in discussing with the patient the likely benefits and possible side effects associated with their treatment.

  New legislation will make it mandatory to provide information to patients on the likely side effects of a medicine either by means of the label or package leaflet. This is intended to supplement the information given to the patient by their doctor.

  Medicines Control Agency
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on how the Medicines Control Agency's opening balance will be financed when it becomes a trading fund on 1 April.
  180
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  In order that the Medicines Control Agency can begin trading on 1 April 1993 two separate sums need be paid into the fund's opening balance via a Contingencies Fund advance:i. £9 million to cover money paid in advance by the pharmaceutical industry up to 31 March 1993, primarily in respect of licence application fees;
  ii. £5·1 million to cover the surplus of income over expenditure at 31 March 1993.

  Parliamentary approval of this new expenditure will be sought in the 1993–94 estimates for the Department of Health administration, miscellaneous health and personal social services, England vote (class XII, vote 3). Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £14·1 million will be met by repayable advances from the Contingency Fund.

  Obsessive Disorders
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines her Department has issued to health care professionals for dealing with people who suffer from obsessive and compulsive disorders.

  Mr. Yeo
  The care and management of people suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorders is a matter for the health professionals involved, taking into account the views of the sufferers and their families.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what counselling is available to people who suffer from phobias, obsessive and compulsive disorders and anxiety attacks.

  Mr. Yeo
  Counselling may be available through primary care services including counsellors attached to general practitioner practices. Voluntary organisations specialising in such disorders may also provide counselling. Hospital psychiatric departments offer a range of treatments for such disorders, on referral. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has published a patient fact sheet on anxiety and phobias, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.

  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding is available for self-help groups which support(a) sufferers of obsessive and compulsive disorders and (b) sufferers who are dependent on benzodiazepines.

  Mr. Yeo
  Local self-help groups are expected to undertake their own fund raising. Groups constituted as voluntary organisations may apply for funding from social
  181
  services departments, district health authorities or other local grant-giving agencies such as charitable trusts. In 1993–94 the Department of Health will be grant aiding several national voluntary bodies active in this field, including the National Association for Mental Health (MIND) and Phobia Action.

  Ambulance Service
  Ms Lynne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what arrangements have been made for ambulance staff who have been transferred into trust employment to retain their rights of appeal against disciplinary action or dismissal, formerly involving regional health authorities;

  (2) how many appeals relating to disciplinary action or dismissal of ambulance staff have been heard by trust boards in the last available year; and how many applications for hearing appeals have been rejected;

  (3) how many appeals relating to disciplinary action or dismissal of ambulance staff have been upheld by trust boards and how many have been dismissed in the last available year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Staff who transfer to national health service trusts with their Whitley terms and conditions of service retain the right to disciplinary appeals procedures outlined in section 40 of the General Whitley Council handbook. Copies are available in the Library. Information on appeals is not available centrally.

  Cardiomyoplasty
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what study her Department has made of the use, including that at Manchester's Wythenshawe hospital, of cardiomyoplasty in the treatment of serious heart conditions where previously a heart transplant was seen as the only life-saving option; how many people in the United Kingdom who die prematurely of heart disease each year could be helped by cardiomyoplasty; what action she will be taking in regard to its use; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  The place of cardiomyoplasty in the surgical management of cardiac disease is not yet established. It is not possible to estimate the number of people who might benefit. The development of this procedure is being monitored by the Department.

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health. what conclusions she has reached from the cumulative data acquired during investigations into food poisoning outbreaks.

  Mr. Sackville
  The cumulative data acquired is not in itself sufficient to draw firm conclusions. These data provide valuable indicators which prompt further analytical and laboratory investigations.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will introduce legislation to require local authorities to publish the results of food poisoning investigations; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Sackville
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on 15 March at column 6.
  182
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what performance standards apply to public sector agencies undertaking the investigation of food poisoning outbreaks; and if these standards are published;

  (2) whether she will review the quality of food poisoning outbreak investigations by local authorities to ensure uniformity of standards of inquiry.

  Mr. Sackville
  There are no uniform performance standards which apply to public sector agencies. The Government have set up an informal working party to produce guidance to all investigating officers on the management of and reporting of foodborne illness.

  The Department of Health and the Department of the Environment also issued joint guidance, in October 1991, to health authorities and local authorities reminding them of the collaborative arrangements that should have been made for communicable disease control. A copy is available in the Library.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reports of salmonella food poisoning her Department has received from local authorities either directly or via the public health laboratory for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Sackville
  Reports of cases of salmonellosis are received via the Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS). The table shows total of laboratory reports of all salmonellas made to the public health laboratory service:

  Salmonella in humans England and Wales Annual totals 1987 to 1992

  Year

  All salmonellas

  1987

  20,532

  1988

  27,478

  1989

  29,998

  1990

  30,112

  1991

  27,693

  11992

  31,352

  Source: PHLS/SVS Update on Salmonella Infection.

  1 1992 data is not directly comparable with previous years because of the introduction from I January 1992 of a new Public Health Laboratory Service reporting system for human salmonellosis.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what private bodies are employed by her Department to undertake investigations into food poisoning outbreaks.

  Mr. Sackville
  None.

  Food Hygiene
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of prosecutions made in each EC country for breaches in each country's food hygiene legislation and the total fines realised in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Sackville
  Member states are required to make an annual return to the Commission which includes the number of infringements of food hygiene legislation, but not specifically details of the number of prosecutions nor of the money collected from fines. The first returns were made in 1992 but have not yet been published by the Commission.

  Racial Harassment
  Mrs. Roche
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance her Department has given to local authority social service departments in respect of racial harassment; and what steps she has taken to ensure that staff are sufficiently trained to fulfil it.

  Mr. Yeo
  In 1989 the report of an inter-Departmental group was issued which offered guidance to statutory agencies on the response to racial attacks and harassment. Copies of the report were sent to all directors of social services departments. A progress report was issued in December 1991. Copies of both reports are available in the Library.

  Date

  Title and subject

  Report prepared by

  14 November 19841

  Report to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of the Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1984 —No issues raised

  Department of Health statutory auditors

  30 October 19851

  Report to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of the Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1985—Sundry creditors—Computer installation: Programmer access to 'live' files—Wessex Kuwait collaboration project—Managerial and financial control—Performance of works consultants

  Department of Health statutory auditors

  26 September 19861

  Report to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of the Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1986 —Computer installation (reiteration of 1984–85 report) —Performance of works consultants (reiteration of 1984–85 report)

  Department of Health statutory auditors

  9 February 19871

  Interim report to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of the Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1987—The development and procurement of a regional information systems plan (RISP)

  Department of Health statutory auditors

  9 February 1987

  Report In Confidence to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of the Wessex regional health authority for the year ending 31 March 1987—The development and procurement of a regional information systems plan (RISP)

  Department of Health statutory auditor

  25 August 19871

  Interim report to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1987—Financial control over regional information systems plan (RISP) expenditure—The recruitment of staff and the use of contract staff in connection with RISP development and existing computing services—The engagement and control of management consultants—Purchase of computers

  Department of Health statutory auditors

  26 October 19871

  Report to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1987 —No other issues raised

  Department of Health statutory auditor

  29 October 1987

  Report In Confidence to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1987—Consultants' travelling expenses

  Department of Health statutory auditor

  November 1987

  Report In Confidence to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1988—Regional information systems plan (RISP)

  Department of Health statutory auditor

  2 November 19881

  Report to the Secretary of State on the audit of accounts of the Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1988 —Reiteration of interim audit report dated 25 August 1987

  Department of Health statutory auditor

  Wessex Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Denham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports were submitted to her Department by Department of Health auditors, by auditors appointed by the Department, by the district auditor or by auditors appointed by the Audit Commission, regarding Wessex regional health authority, in each year since 1984; and, in each case, what was the subject of the report, the date received, and whether it was a public or confidential report.

  Mr. Sackville
  Information on audit reports submitted to the Department of Health regarding Wessex regional health authority since 1984 is shown in the table. The date given for each is the date on which the report was signed and sent to the Department.
  185

  Date

  Title and subject

  Report prepared by

  10 April 19891

  Interim report to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of the Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1989—Regional computer centre—Inadequate level of security caused by certain staff having access to 'live' files

  Department of Health statutory auditor

  12 September 19891

  Interim report to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of the Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1989—Control of capital expenditure—Inadequate control of capital projects

  Department of Health statutory auditor

  31 October 19891

  Report to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1989 —No other issues raised

  Department of Health statutory auditor

  28 August 19901

  Interim report to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of the Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1990—Regional information systems plan (RISP)—Contract and procurement procedures, project management and accounting—Regional computing services as supplied by CIPFA FinancialManagement (formerly Wessex Information Systems Ltd., WISL)— Contracting arrangements, management control and user requirements

  Department of Health statutory auditor

  31 October 19901

  Report to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1990 —No other issues raised

  Department of Health statutory auditor

  31 October 1990

  Report In Confidence to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1990—Capital programme and cash management

  Department of Health statutory auditor

  15 July 1992

  Report In Confidence to the Secretary of State on the audit of the accounts of Wessex regional health authority for the year ended 31 March 1991 —A review of the regional information systems plan —A review of Wessex integrated systems contracts 1988–91

  District auditor

  15 July 19921

  Report In The Public Interest: Wessex regional health authoritystatutory report of the district auditor, Local Government Finance Act 1982, National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990

  District auditor

  1 Those reports carried out by the statutory auditor (or district audit service) and submitted to Wessex regional health authority. All other reports were submitted to the Secretary of State "in confidence".

  West Midlands Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health at what stage and for what reasons, her Department sought external legal advice about the possible publication of the Health Trac and Qa reports by West Midlands regional health authority.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No external legal advice was sought by the Department.

  Pit Closures
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the health implications of the Government's pit closure programme; and if she will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There is published evidence of the health hazards of working in the mining industry, and of the consequences for employed people generally and their families of changes in employment status. Health authorities monitor, assess and where appropriate respond to the needs of their local populations.

  Care Homes
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she is taking to monitor the effects of community care implementation on registered care homes affording generalist provision for single homeless people.

  Mr. Yeo
  We shall be monitoring the implementation of the new community care arrangements in a variety of ways. As part of this we will be studying how authorities meet the care needs of homeless people.

  HIV-AIDS Grant
  Mr. Dowd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to her answer of 18 March,Official Report, column 351, if she will describe the process involved which caused the change from the previous answer of 14 January, Official Report, column 800, with regard to HIV/AIDS grant to the London borough of Bromley; how many other local authorities benefited by the same process; and if she will list the comparable figures for each local authority for changes at the same point in the financial year since the introduction of HIV/AIDS grant support to local authorities.
  187
  Mr. Sackville
  A sum of money was identified from this year's programmed spending which enabled the Department to meet Bromley's late bid. No other authorities received money in this way.

  Five Communities Health Authority
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will announce the chairman and members of the Five Communities health authority that will commission planned health provision replacing the former Scunthorpe health authority.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Mrs. Veronica Pettifer has been appointed as chairman of the new merged Grimsby and Scunthorpe health authority.

  The appointment of the members of the new health authority is a matter for Yorkshire regional health authority.

  Domestic Fuel
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the health implications of the imposition of VAT on domestic fuel and heating; and if she will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  None.

  Practice Target Achievement April 1992

  Vacc and Imm Main Target

  Vac and Imm Booster

  FHSA

  Higher

  Lower

  Higher

  Lower

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Northern

  Cleveland

  71

  80

  17

  19

  54

  61

  26

  29

  Cumbria

  95

  94

  3

  3

  93

  92

  5

  5

  Durham

  67

  83

  11

  14

  65

  80

  13

  16

  Northumberland

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Gateshead

  26

  76

  6

  18

  23

  68

  9

  26

  Newcastle

  32

  65

  11

  22

  27

  55

  13

  27

  North Tyneside

  31

  86

  3

  8

  25

  69

  10

  28

  South Tyneside

  24

  80

  6

  20

  23

  77

  4

  13

  Sunderland

  45

  85

  5

  9

  30

  57

  18

  34

  Yorkshire

  Humberside

  136

  82

  26

  16

  93

  56

  60

  36

  North Yorkshire

  108

  94

  5

  4

  109

  95

  4

  3

  Bradford

  66

  67

  19

  19

  42

  43

  35

  36

  Calderdale

  25

  69

  0

  0

  18

  50

  7

  19

  Kirklees

  62

  77

  16

  20

  52

  64

  22

  27

  Leeds

  89

  67

  19

  14

  76

  58

  27

  20

  Wakefield

  35

  73

  7

  15

  24

  50

  11

  23

  Trent

  Derbyshire

  151

  94

  3

  2

  146

  91

  6

  4

  Leicester

  122

  82

  16

  11

  93

  62

  35

  23

  Lincolnshire

  101

  92

  7

  6

  96

  87

  11

  10

  Nottingham

  158

  85

  15

  8

  141

  76

  25

  13

  Barnsley

  30

  75

  9

  23

  23

  58

  14

  35

  Doncaster

  37

  76

  11

  22

  29

  59

  16

  33

  Rotherham

  27

  69

  9

  23

  21

  54

  13

  33

  Sheffield

  109

  93

  6

  5

  79

  68

  33

  28

  East Anglia

  Cambridge

  91

  92

  6

  6

  88

  89

  7

  7

  Norfolk

  103

  90

  6

  5

  103

  90

  7

  6

  Suffolk

  85

  98

  2

  2

  83

  95

  4

  5

  North West Thames

  Bedfordshire

  82

  80

  7

  7

  69

  67

  19

  18

  Hertfordshire

  132

  87

  6

  4

  126

  83

  12

  8

  Barnet

  51

  65

  8

  10

  45

  57

  9

  11

  Vaccination and Immunisation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number and percentage of(a) general practices and (b) community medical officers in each family health services authority area in England who have reached the vaccination and immunisation higher and lower targets and booster targets as at the latest available date; and if she will make a statement on the combined impact of general practitioner and community medical officer efforts in this area on (i) percentage of all babies being immunised and vaccinated and (ii) incidence of the diseases being immunised and vaccinated against.

  Mr. Sackville
  The target payments scheme applies only to general practitioners. Details are set out by family health service authority (FHSA) as at 1 April 1992 in the table.

  All those in the national health service responsible for immunisation deserve great credit for their efforts during the past four years. The latest national immunisation coverage estimates show acceptance of 95 per cent., for diphtheria, tetanus and polio, 93 per cent. for measles, mumps and rubella, and 91 per cent. for whooping cough; well on the way towards our target of at least 95 per cent. coverage for all these diseases by 1995. Indigenous diphtheria and neonatal tetanus no longer occur, and even measles and whooping cough cases are becoming rare in general practice. No child in England and Wales has died from acute measles-related illness since 1989.
  189

  Vacc and Imm Main Target

  Vac and Imm Booster

  FHSA

  Higher

  Lower

  Higher

  Lower

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Brent and Harrow

  82

  60

  19

  14

  79

  58

  15

  11

  Ealing, Hammersmith, Hounslow

  109

  60

  31

  17

  97

  53

  37

  20

  Hillingdon

  39

  70

  13

  23

  35

  63

  13

  23

  Kensington, Chelsea, Westminster

  39

  32

  13

  11

  34

  28

  11

  9

  North East Thames

  Essex

  265

  93

  16

  6

  255

  89

  25

  9

  Barking and Havering

  78

  77

  21

  21

  64

  63

  30

  30

  Camden and Islington

  28

  26

  11

  10

  21

  20

  11

  10

  City and East London

  49

  28

  19

  11

  40

  23

  21

  12

  Enfield and Haringey

  71

  56

  17

  14

  54

  43

  21

  17

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  60

  47

  26

  20

  54

  43

  26

  20

  South East Thames

  East Sussex

  123

  84

  9

  6

  114

  78

  15

  10

  Kent

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Greenwich and Bexley

  53

  61

  26

  30

  51

  59

  25

  29

  Bromley

  40

  71

  12

  21

  41

  73

  9

  16

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  South West Thames

  Surrey

  138

  88

  10

  6

  127

  81

  20

  13

  West Sussex

  95

  85

  2

  2

  91

  81

  6

  5

  Croydon

  52

  74

  8

  11

  41

  59

  16

  23

  Kingston and Richmond

  55

  83

  2

  3

  48

  73

  11

  17

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  81

  58

  21

  15

  62

  44

  30

  21

  Wessex

  Dorset

  103

  95

  4

  4

  106

  98

  1

  1

  Hampshire

  211

  93

  8

  4

  203

  90

  16

  7

  Wiltshire

  84

  94

  1

  1

  85

  96

  0

  0

  Isle of Wight

  20

  100

  0

  0

  19

  95

  1

  5

  Oxford

  Berkshire

  111

  85

  7

  5

  108

  83

  9

  7

  Buckinghamshire

  86

  92

  3

  3

  81

  87

  8

  9

  Northamptonshire

  81

  94

  4

  5

  74

  86

  10

  12

  Oxfordshire

  85

  97

  0

  0

  85

  97

  0

  0

  South Western

  Avon

  135

  87

  7

  5

  128

  83

  10

  6

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  77

  96

  2

  3

  79

  99

  0

  0

  Devon

  178

  96

  4

  2

  173

  94

  9

  5

  Gloucestershire

  83

  95

  2

  2

  82

  94

  3

  3

  Somerset

  76

  97

  1

  1

  75

  96

  2

  3

  West Midlands

  Hereford and Worcester

  96

  90

  0

  0

  91

  85

  5

  5

  Shropshire

  53

  83

  10

  16

  50

  78

  12

  19

  Staffordshire

  156

  80

  25

  13

  133

  68

  45

  23

  Warwickshire

  62

  78

  11

  14

  60

  76

  12

  15

  Birmingham

  178

  68

  33

  13

  168

  64

  35

  13

  Coventry

  51

  74

  14

  20

  54

  78

  10

  14

  Dudley

  53

  90

  4

  7

  50

  85

  7

  12

  Sandwell

  51

  75

  12

  18

  40

  59

  18

  26

  Solihull

  31

  97

  1

  3

  30

  94

  2

  6

  Walsall

  58

  77

  15

  20

  50

  67

  18

  24

  Wolverhampton

  51

  75

  10

  15

  26

  38

  25

  37

  Mersey

  Cheshire

  135

  93

  4

  3

  128

  88

  11

  8

  Liverpool

  52

  48

  22

  20

  38

  35

  19

  18

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  43

  57

  26

  34

  24

  32

  30

  39

  Sefton

  38

  69

  11

  20

  34

  62

  9

  16

  Wirral

  49

  70

  18

  26

  46

  66

  16

  23

  North Western

  Lancashire

  228

  80

  34

  12

  176

  62

  53

  19

  Bolton

  45

  64

  9

  13

  41

  59

  10

  14

  Bury

  45

  96

  1

  2

  37

  79

  9

  19

  Manchester

  59

  52

  28

  25

  35

  31

  24

  21

  Oldham

  35

  78

  9

  20

  25

  56

  17

  38

  Rochdale

  32

  78

  6

  15

  28

  68

  6

  15

  Salford

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Stockport

  48

  81

  10

  17

  44

  75

  10

  17

  Tameside

  31

  74

  8

  19

  29

  69

  9

  21

  190 191

  Vacc and Imm Main Target

  Vac and Imm Booster

  FHSA

  Higher

  Lower

  Higher

  Lower

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Trafford

  46

  87

  6

  11

  46

  87

  6

  11

  Wigan

  42

  61

  11

  16

  29

  42

  13

  19

  Data are not yet available for four FHSAs: Northumberland; Kent; Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham; and Salford.

  Community Care
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals she has to apply citizens charter principles to the defining and recording of unmet need in the health and social services area for those segments of the population benefiting from care in the community.
  192
  Mr. Yeo
  Our new community care arrangements represent an application of the principles of the citizens charter. Assessment puts the individual at the centre of the process so that services can be tailored to need rather than need to services. We have made clear that the results of assessments and the subsequent care plan should be discussed with users and carers and that authorities should collect and record the information they need to plan to improve their services.